#the absolute NOTHING i got done when i was listening to his new audiobook | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

kirishoshego · 3 years

Text

Confidental Composition//Bakugo

!!!MINORS DNI!!! 18+ONLY !!!

This is the first part of my little 'Teachers Pet Series' (I will add the link once I got all parts covered and the right ideas).

Summary: A simple task fucked up late at night as you send the wrong version of a piece of homework to your English literature teacher Mister Bakugo. Of course, he would want to see you after class the next day. But not for the reasons you might think. Pairing: Docent!Bakugo x afab!student!y/n // Words: 4.2k+ Side note: Insert a friend or random name you want for X :)

TW: nsfw: slow burn (sorry), spanking with a ruler, hair pulling, being bend over a desk, calling him sir, spitting, choking, dirty talk, degrading, slight praise

„Write an essay about the worst description of a woman or coitus. In the essay, explain why it is bad and then rewrite it. At least 30 pages, max. 60 pages (sources and any other extras you please to include, excluded). Due Date: 8 weeks from now on, 35% worth of your end grade. Questions can be asked per E-Mail, or, if you must, I’m free every Wednesday afternoon for meetings strictly for this essay and this essay only.“

A sigh left your lips as you starred at the piece of paper for the tenth time today ever since he handed it out to you and your classmates. The options you had were endless, you knew so many bad pieces about both topics and could write more than 100 pages about them as well. Everyone in class you talked to had decided on their topic already, some were even further. It was X who told you to just write the topics on a piece of paper and let fate do its work.

Black ink on a badly ripped blue note decided that you were going to write about a sex scene. Just now that you thought about it, rewriting something like that for your professor to read was an awfully stupid idea, yet you decided to listen to a small piece of paper.

At first, you were going to go with Fifty Shades of Grey but you felt like the choice was chewed up and spat out. It took you three days to finally decide on a book and once you settled there was no turning back. Considering your ignited interest in this topic you weren’t surprised when you were done within the first four weeks. Knowing the editing is going to take another week, maybe even a week and a half, you decided to take a small break, just one or two days off. On your second day, you decided to visit the new coffee shop that had just opened up around the corner.

Never had you expected to see your professor near your living spot. You were about to greet him when you noticed his pissed-off expression on his face and only now did you spot the woman behind him. She grabbed his arm and made him turn on the relatively small and empty street.

„Suki you can’t be serious,“ she was angry and hurt, while he seemed to be angry and annoyed. Not much of a difference than to how you see him on the daily, to be honest. „Are you fucking stupid? Of course, I’m fucking god damn serious. It was your choice to cheat on me and now I choose to throw you on the streets where you apparently belong, go ask one of your little boy toys to take you in for all I care,“ you were frozen in place, not entirely sure what to do. Right now your eyes were glued on his chest that was clad in a tight, black pullover, rising up and down heavily as his nostrils were flared caused by his anger. „Because you gave me no choice! If you like that sort of weird, rough shit then paddle your own canoe! I need something soft and tender-,“ before she could finish her sentence he laughed. Cold and slightly maniac in a way.

„Then get some fucking chicken! If you don’t like how I’m in bed then break up with me and piss off but don’t send my best friend a nude to ask him to come over. Even a ten-year-old would see how stupid that is,“at that moment your eyes met. His eyebrows were furled together, red eyes expression furry and disgust. Blond hair usually styled like he was going to be on the cover of Vogue, like he had been before, now slightly messy. Plump lips slightly apart to let his teeth shine through slightly before wetting them with his tongue. Your eyes widened and before you knew what you were doing you waved at him, making him cock his eyebrows in confusion for a second before noticing it was you who he was looking at. Turning on your heels you walked past busy crowds of people as you walked back home, trying to understand what you had just seen and why your angry professor had turned you on more than anyone had done before.

It was a stupid idea to ditch the next teaching unit of his but you had absolutely no clue how you were going to look at him. You knew teachers had a private life themselves, but never would you have guessed that you would run into one of them in your small area. As far as you knew he lived across town according to the very, very few private stories he had shared in magazines.

„Dear Professor,

down below is my finished project as an attachment in form of a PDF. I know you request it to be printed as well and I had planned to hand it in today, but sadly I came down with the flu. I’m looking forward to attending your next unit in the following week.

Have a nice week,

Y/N Y/L/N“

Maybe he had forgotten that you were there already and you were worrying too much about it. You were his student, nothing more, nothing less. Bakugo could care less about you, right? The flu did go around a lot right now, so it wouldn’t be completely unthinkable that you were sick. Itching eyes signaled you that it was time to go to bed now, so you closed your laptop and went to bed, not knowing what the next day will hold for you.

X had waited for you at the main entrance the next day to give you all the information you might need and ask why you weren’t there, considering it was obvious that you had the flu for one day only. At first, you were hesitant to explain what you had witnessed, it was messy already and you doubt Mister Bakugo would want the fight to go viral at his workplace. „Just one of those days you know? I had my mind completely full and felt like crap,“ that was the best excuse you could come up with, a white little lie that wouldn’t harm anyone. „Glad to see you’re doing- Oh, hello Professor,“ X smiled at someone behind you. There was no need to turn around to know who it was, the scent of his very expensive and extremely beguiling perfume clouding your mind. „Hello,“ his gruff voice greeted your friend shortly as you turned around, met with his muscular chest. You didn’t expect him to be so close to you, but here you were, tilting your head slightly as you looked up to him through your lashes, feeling not just your cheeks growing hot. „Good morning Sir,“ your voice sounded a lot more confident than you were feeling. Bakugo clenched his fist around the fake leather of his bag, his red eyes starring right into your soul as you had no chance of escaping whatever was going to happen next. „Miss Y/L/N, just the person I was looking for,“ fuck. „You were?“ X and you said at the same time, but your friend decided to excuse themself after a single glare from the older man. „How may I help you, Professor?“ You asked after swallowing down the anxious feeling that threatened to rise. „I received your Mail yesterday, with the PDF,“ okay, why did he search you just to tell you he got your assignment? Was it that bad? „But I’m relatively sure that it was the wrong one, considering I doubt that you want your teacher to know that 'this shit is so bad, but I wouldn’t mind being bent over a writing desk like that' with a smirking emoji at the end,“ only when his finger pushed your chin upwards gently you noticed that it was agape, shame filling every molecule in your body as you already planned your escape out of this country. Nobody was near you to see the weirdly intimidating scene happening between you and your teacher.

„Also I know you didn’t have the flu. I don’t appreciate being lied to. Tomorrow five p.m. in my office, don’t be late or you will get in more trouble. Send me the actual version tonight so I can grade it. I won’t let something as unprofessional as this slide again, understood?“ You nodded, taking in all of the information given to you, and somewhat in all of this mess felt thankful that he was giving you a second chance. The man in front of you rolled his eyes and clicked his tongue, ordering you to speak up. „Yes Sir, thank you,“ you sounded more confident than you felt inside. „Good,“ was all Bakugo said before he turned around, leaving you behind in the big hall dumbfounded and confused… And horny.

As if Chronos himself felt immense joy in your misery, minutes appeared to be hours and the panic inside of you only grew the closer you came to five in the afternoon. You tried everything, watching a show, listening to podcasts and audiobooks, reading a book you had put of for so long, went outside, cooked something, worked on another assignment, stopped yourself from destroying your hair, made the phone call you so desperately had put off and it’s still only ten p.m on the same day. How was that even possible? As you laid in bed you tossed and turned, the thought of your really hot teacher all angry, breathing heavily, his hands roaming your body. It was hard to pinpoint exactly when those thoughts turned into a very lucid dream, but when you woke up in the morning, already an hour too late to your first period, all you wanted to do was scream into your pillow.

Considering first class is canceled, you wanna go grab breakfast? X texted you.

Canceled? Checking your mails you saw your teacher had sent out a mail, excusing themselves and explaining they came down with the flu. A blessing in disguise. You let X know that you would meet up at the building and go grab something near it. Once agreed, you took a quick shower, a moment of peace given to you as water hit your body. There was no way you could do anything between your last class and the meeting with Professor Bakugo, so you tried to look your best possible for the next upcoming hours.

Suddenly time flew by and the closer you got the more you begged for a little bit more time, for him to postpone it, anything. But no, here you were, five minutes early and looking around to spot the blond man with no luck. „Miss Y/L/N. Step inside,“ you jumped slightly as his voice boomed up behind you, not expecting him to be in the office already.

Once you walked inside you were stunned about how clean everything was, no matter where you looked it was neat. His books were sorted alphabetically with marks between them to let him know when a new letter began. As far as you could tell he used cherry wood for his pieces of furniture, a big, black carpet in a corner underneath a small seating area, and some books placed on the table. Even his paperwork was stacked in order. Big glass windows allowed the evening sun to fall into the room, its warmness kissing your skin while you were seated in front of him, a big writing desk between the two of you, on it your work.

It was quiet for a short moment, before he leaned back in his chair, red eyes mustering you up and down which didn’t help at all. „What would you like to talk about first? Your assignment or the fact that you lied to me?“ Why was he so bothered by your lie? You knew plenty of students calling in sick every once in a while even though they aren’t. „I apologize for both of it. It shouldn’t have happened and I learned from my mistake,“ you were hoping that it would ease his anger a little bit but he seemed more worked up than usual. „Although I don’t understand why you are so angry at me for it? Plenty students lie-,“ „Yes, but they aren’t stupid enough to make it so obvious,“ he interrupted you. „I could care less about who’s missing my class, it’s their fault in the end if they decide learning is unnecessary. However you are one of my top students, I expected better from you. You could have excused yourself with no explanation. But you chose to add the feeble lie about being sick for what?“

You took in a deep breath, feeling as if another lie would be caught immediate, so you had no other choice but to tell him the real reason: „I heard the fight you had with the woman you were with, in the café, and I didn’t know how to react when I see you in your class,“ there was a small moment where he looked honestly confused before something clicked in his brain. „So it was you who I saw. What did you hear?“ „I can’t really rem-,“ „One more lie and I will lose my temper, don’t test me,“ shit, why was he turning you on so much right now. He’s your teacher for god’s sake and angry at you, this wasn’t the right time. „That she doesn’t agree with certain things in your private life,“ „Like?“ he knew you tried to talk around it, yet he wanted you to talk about, to see you embarrassed again, he liked that look on you. „The way you fuck,“ it was said before your brain could even comprehend the words, another apology laying at the tip of your tongue but his next question cut you off before you could say something else. „Why were you there in the first place? I’ve been there a few times and never saw you or any other student,“ he explained. „Because I live close by?“ It sounded more defiantly than you had wanted, causing your opponent to cock his eyebrow.

„I feel like you’re forgetting who’s the authority figure here,“ he walked up to his door, locking it before coming back. Now he was right in front of you, slightly sitting on his desk and the sleeves of his button-up shirt pushed up a little. „No sir, I’m sorry,“ „You see, the problem is, I don’t really believe you,“ with that he pulled you up, bodies pressed against each other, letting you feel his toned torso while the muscles in his arms flexed slightly.

„You lied to me once already, I think I have to teach you a lesson,“ everything happened so fast and you suddenly found yourself face down on his desk with his hand between your shoulder blades, the other one grabbing his wooden ruler. „If I recall correctly this is what you wanted right?“ His voice was low, slightly above a whisper as his upper body was pressed against your back while he pulled a few hair strands from your face. „Yes, but Professor I don’t think this is a good idea,“ your inner voice yelled at you, saying this was the best idea ever, angry that you possibly ruined your dreams coming true.

„Tell me to stop and I will do so immediately. Your choice. There will be no consequences if you worry about that,“ he reassured you, waiting for you to get up and run, but you didn’t and the current position allowed him to feel you clench your legs. „So?“ He asked again, the ruler in his hand basically burning with the anticipation of hitting your skin. „No, don't stop,“ you breathed, awaiting his next move.

„Good,“ with that he exposed your raised ass, your underwear the only thing between your bare skin and the wood that came down upon it, one foot raising in the air because of the sudden pain. „From now on if you say stop I won’t listen, you will tell me how you feel through colors. If it’s too much you tell me red and I will drop everything, understood?“ Another spank was delivered to the same spot.

„Yes,“ another one. You weren’t sure if he hit harder or if your skin turned more sensitive with every blow.

„It’s sir to you,“ you could feel him lunge out but shortly before the ruler came down he stoped, laughing slightly at your small jump.

„Yes sir,“ another one.

„You’re going to apologize every time my ruler paints your cute ass even redder, got it?“ You nodded your head, a moan escaping the back of your throat as he spanked you yet again.

„One more thing, be a good girl and stay quiet, wouldn’t wanna get caught now do we?“ He knew it was going to be torture for you to follow his order the more he continued and in a way he wanted you to fail. There was so much build-up inside of him and it appears that you were willing enough for him to use you as he pleased. That’s why you were his favorite. Bakugo knew what he was doing was wrong and he never expected to feel this way for one of his students but forbidden fruit tastes the best.

You stopped counting after the seventh blow, sorries, sirs and small whimpers fall from your lips as if they were your whole vocabulary. At one point you started crying, tears mixed with mascara running down your cheeks. He tried to remember something that turned him on more than the sight of your messed-up body with no luck. Everything build up inside of him, everything itching in his hands, the inner desires he had to soften for his ex, it all was going to come down on you. His thick girth twitched at the simple thought of finally being surrounded by your dripping wet cunt.

A warm soft hand rubbed over your bruised flesh while the other one found its way into your hair to pull you up to him, your back arched.

„What are you sorry for?“ Your mind was clouded with pleasure and pain, the only thought right now was the feeling of his dick print right between your sore cheeks. „I asked my little bitch a question, I expect you to fucking answer,“ this time he spanked you with his hand but it was just as intense as his ruler. „I don’t know,“ you breathed, a soft moan slipping out of you when his thumb barely circled your throbbing clit. „You’re just apologizing because you want me to use you?“ You could hear him chuckle lowly before he pushed your underwear to the side, his middle finger now playing with you. „Yes sir,“ Katsuki couldn’t hear a single ounce of shame in your voice and he wondered how long you had been thinking about him like this before.

„I never expected you to be such a dumb, cock hungry whore,“ The sound of his belt hitting the floor was dull like it was far away from you but at the same time, you felt him closer than before. Strong hands around your waist turned you around and once again he lifted your head with his finger underneath your chin, studying your ruined make-up as if he was memorizing every little detail he never wanted to forget. The blond, muscular man lifted you with ease, your behind getting a small moment of cooling as it hit his wooden desk.

Bakugo dried your tears slightly with his thumb, smearing it even more. „Only for you,“ you whispered and in that moment he couldn’t stop himself, he just had to kiss you. Not sweet and gentle, but passionately and hungry, like he was poisoned and your kiss was the antidote. The hand behind your head traveling to the front as you were laid down completely.

„If I had known before I would have fucked you so much sooner,“ with one hard thrust he was buried deep inside of you, one hand over your mouth because he knew you wouldn’t be able to keep quiet and the other one around your throat, squeezing shut and watching you struggle against it slightly. Your professor was thicker than what you were used to and you didn’t know how good it would feel until now. With the first few snaps of his hips, you knew you never wanted to feel something else anymore.

Your hands went to his arms and you tugged on them, causing him to let go as the blood found its way back to your brain. „Color?“ he asked, afraid you weren’t able to handle him. „Green,“ was all you could get out before another moan cut off your ability to talk.

„Good girl,“ he whispered into your ear, kissing down from your earlobe to your shoulder before sucking on a rather sensitive spot. Both of your wrists were held over your head with his left hand, with the explanation that he doesn’t appreciate being stopped while using you however he pleased. The right hand was going from between your chest after he admired your bouncing tits thoroughly, to your stomach to connect with your most sensitive bundle of nerves. Bakugo switched from circles to eights, from fast to slow, but the harshness of his hips never haltered.

„I know you wanna scream right now, but I can’t allow that. Can’t let others hear what a dirty slut you are for me right now. I promise I will fuck you in my house if you behave now. You can moan my name as much as you want. Or maybe I will gag you, watch you drool all over yourself. Maybe I will tie you up and edge you for an hour straight until you’re begging me to fuck you, you like the sound of that, huh? I can feel you squeezing around me,“ another chuckle left his plump lips as he watched you struggle to stay up on your feet.

„Maybe I will let you choke on my dick while I work on something for the next lesson. Gonna use you as my little cum dump. Let you think about it again when I talk about it in front of the whole class. Do-,“ you were so close when a sudden knock on the door startled you both, but he never once stopped what he was doing, if anything he went even harder, whispering into your ear to be quiet for him.

„Hey Kat, your ex is outside and says she wants to talk, want me to send her in?“ It was the psychologist professor Shinso, his voice as done and deep as usual. „No, I’m occupied,“ Bakugo saw your mouth open after you fought so hard against it, he couldn’t let you moan, not right now. He did the first thing he could think of, spitting into it and watching you swallow. Oh, he would definitely film you do this with his cum covering you everywhere and the thought brought him slightly closer to his release. „Still grading papers huh? I don’t get where you got all of that energy from,“ his voice was blurred out by Bakugo whispering into your ear. „Do you want me to tell you what we're doing right now? Let him know I’m fucking my little toy stupid right now?“ And while you were shaking your head no it was the last straw for you and you found yourself grabbing his hand to put over your mouth, biting your lips until you tasted blood to muffle the scream you couldn’t stop. Bakugo cursed under his breath when he could feel you throbbing around his dick and your nails digging into his arm. „Tell her to leave me the fuck alone, she’s already forgotten,“ his voice sounded strained and you knew he was close as well. „Ah, I see. Well then have fun,“ his laugh was fading away the further he went.

„Can’t believe that made you cum, you’re even more perfect than I thought, such a dirty girl, tsk,“ both his hands are on your hips and he pulled your body against him with every thrust. You were still coming down from your orgasm when you felt his thrusts turning sloppy before he stopped completely, his dick now pulsing while he was holding you tightly. Breath uneven and getting stable on his feet again he turned you around, careful so he wouldn’t hurt you.

„Next time I gonna make sure you can’t walk but right now I need you to be able to leave the building,“ he pulled his pants back up and added: „Sadly,“ before walking around his desk.

It was still hard for you to stand so you sat down, wincing as the usually soft cushion now felt like thousand of tiny spikes on your bruised ass. Before you pull your bottoms up again he grabbed your wrist and pulled you up, once again with a stern expression on his face you were so familiar with.

„I apparently really fucked you stupid if you think I let you leave like this,“ having him put cooling cream on your bare bum felt more intimate than having him be balls deep inside you. „Sorry I just thought-,“ „Well, you thought wrong. I don’t know what kind of boys you had in the past but now that you have me there are going to be changes, got that?“

860 notes · View notes

hotchley · 3 years

Note

Gotcha love prompt 14, the one about blushing, please!

This... this is so bad, I'm so sorry, but it's done! And I'm going with it because... yeah </3 Also, it's romantic I hope that's okay! Set... I don't even know, some point after s15 I guess? I've not proofread (as always.) Just under 1.5k!

14: "stop it." "but you're so cute when you blush."

No Warnings Apply

read on ao3!

It was no secret to anyone that Penelope Garcia was more outgoing than her partner- because boyfriend sounded so immature- Aaron Hotchner.

They were perfect for each other in that way. Aaron only stopped Penelope when he was afraid of her endangering herself or burning herself out, and Penelope knew how to encourage Aaron to dream without changing him.

But in almost every way imaginable, they are the complete opposites of each other. From their clothing to their reading habits to their handwriting to, well even the way they said thank you to other drivers, they have nothing in common. Which is why they've managed to last so long. Regardless. That's not the point.

The one thing Penelope Garcia and Aaron Hotchner have in common is that they don't hide. Not from each other. And not in the privacy of the home they have built together, after so many events almost took it from them permanently. It is the one thing they have always, and will always, agree on. Enough secrets have to be kept from the victims of loved ones, from their friends, and whilst they're on the job.

They have never allowed their home to be touched by those secrets. Or the darkness of their jobs. Not whilst the sun shines and the windows are open, allowing the light to stream in. When Jack is in his room, sleeping or doing whatever it is teenagers do, they will talk, but not before then. Because whilst they are both too… anything to be ordinary, they can cling to that piece of normalcy, and only face the horrors when they know they can be human.

But they always do it together. Their home is one of noise and love. It is bright and comforting. It is a real home, filled with laughter and smiles. Bad films and terrible jokes and bright lights. Traces of who they are can be found everywhere. Not a single room fits into a single aesthetic, but the people that love them most understand that the whole house is a combination of who they are. Much like Jack, who is also just like his first mother, in the best way possible.

All of this means that when Penelope comes home from a long day of filing, to find the house quiet, she feels a small amount of fear. Jack is at his theatre club, but it still doesn't explain the silence. Aaron should be in the garden, listening to an audiobook. Or testing out his latest recipe and dancing to music that only he enjoys. Maybe in the living room, grading and watching a soap opera he swears he only puts on in the background.

But he's not. And Penelope knows he's been going to all of his appointments, that he's completely healthy for someone of his age, but it doesn't stop her having to take a moment to breathe. Nothing bad has happened.

"Sweetness? I'm home!" She calls out.

There's an extremely loud crash from the upstairs bathroom, and as quickly as she can, she kicks her shoes off and runs up the stairs. There's more noise coming from the bathroom, but she has no idea what it could possibly be to do with.

"Aaron? Are you okay?" She asks, trying to open the door.

It's locked.

"You're not allowed to come in!" He shouts, but his voice is suspiciously high-pitched.

"Okay. I won't. Can you tell me what happened?"

"I'm fine."

"I'm sure you are. That's also nowhere near what I asked, so can you answer my actual question?" She teases.

Aaron sighs. "No."

"Aaron, why not?"

She hears the door unlock. For a moment, she almost opens it, but then she remembers what Aaron said to her, and she waits.

"You're not allowed to laugh," he says.

She's a little hurt that he thinks she would laugh at his misfortune, but she also knows that the brain isn't a completely rational thing. Also, she did laugh a little when he and Derek were fitting the shelves in the spare room and he dropped one on his foot, but it was his fault for looking so cute whilst in pain.

"Baby, I would never do that to you. Just come out so I know you're not injured," she says.

Aaron sighs, again, and it sounds so exaggerated that she almost jokes that he was wasted in the FBI, and should've in fact pursued his childhood dream of going to Julliard and becoming an actor. But she refrains because he doesn't actually know she knows.

He walks out of the bathroom with his head down, and suddenly, everything he had previously said to her makes sense. It makes so much sense. Of course he was hiding in the bathroom. Of course he didn't want her to see. Of course he made her promise to not laugh. And she tries to keep that promise. Really, she does. But it's simply impossible.

Because her partner's hair is green. There is no other way to put it. A whole section of it is green. Bright green. Not even something that could blend in with his hair either. No. It's just green, and she has no idea how it happened, but she can't quite fight the smile that threatens to spread across her face. And when he tries to glare at her, she can't keep it in and she bursts out laughing.

His cheeks immediately flush, and he folds his arms across his chest. "Penny, you promised!"

She's bent over now, clutching her stomach. "I know, I know. I'm sorry. It's just really funny to me. How did this even happen?"

"Well you know how Jack is doing a show? He didn't want to touch the hair chalk until I tested it on myself, and he was going to be late, so I did, but then he used your hairspray to see what it looks like properly, and now it won't come out."

Penelope tries. She really, well and truly, tries. But she can't keep in her laughter, because it's the dumbest thing she's heard in a while, but it is also such an Aaron and Jack were left alone with something new event to happen that she's not even surprised.

The colour in Aaron's cheeks seems to get even brighter, and Penelope can't help but smile at how pretty he looks when he's flustered like that.

"Well I think you look lovely," she says.

He pouts. "You're just teasing."

She is, but only half. She really does think he's the cutest man to ever walk the planet, and she really thinks green could suit him. But that's probably got more to do with the fact that he's blushing like crazy, and she loves his blush more than anything in the world.

"I'm not teasing! I think you look splendid. Absolutely wonderful. A proper Prince Charming. Completely adorable and so cute. The most handsome man I have ever seen. I could write so many sonnets about how you look, Shakespeare would be quaking in his boots," she says. She's only mildly exaggerating.

Aaron's cheeks have gone so red that Penelope is a tiny bit concerned that she's broken him. "Stop it," he pleads, but he's smiling so he knows that she hasn't gone too far.

"But you're so cute when you blush!" She tells him.

He grins. "I love you."

She kisses his hair, right where the green patch is. "I love you too."

They sit like that for a few minutes. Just enjoying each other's company as Hotch rests his forehead on Penelope's shoulder, allowing her to stroke his hair like he's a cat. Although he doesn't purr, the sigh he lets out is a lot more content than those he let out whilst in the bathroom.

"Penny?" He says after a few minutes.

"Yes my darling?"

"Do I actually look pretty with green hair?"

"Lovely thing, you'll always look pretty to me. But if you want to get it out, I know how to do it quickly and efficiently. Would you like me-"

"Oh absolutely," he says, not even letting her finish her sentence before he's grabbing her hand and dragging her into the bathroom.

Although she washes it all out in one go, and doesn't stop till there are no more traces of it, she does take one photo to remember. And it's as she's washing his hair over the edge of the bathtub that she thinks about how there are an infinite number of ways to say I love you, and somehow, her and Aaron never seem to struggle with new ones.

#hotchley's 500 #gotch #louisa <3

22 notes · View notes

nanyoky · 3 years

Text

@essayofthoughts asked for:

"Perc'ahlia babe and also Vaxleth and Pikelan"

Mwahahaha...

Perc'ahlia:

Who’s the messiest one: I mean it depends. Cuz Percy has a place for every little thing. But when he's mid project it tends to turn into organized chaos. Vex may occasionally leave things lying around if she's tired or distracted.

Who feels the most uncomfortable about PDA: definitely Percy, but it's less uncomfortable and more "easily flustered." Like it's just something he's accepted. Vex gunna smooch. Percy gunna blush.

Who’s the funniest drunk: Percy. Cuz he has the same attitude, but he's struggling to take off his socks for bed like "what a- a- idiotic invenshuhh..... Fucking.... Stuplid..... Imma make em better... Make... Sock....better...." While Vex is equally drunk but still doing her four step skincare routine like "yes dear"

Who texts the most: probably Vex. Anything between conversational back and forth, long rambling but deep trains of thought and "LOOK AT THIS DOG I MET"

Who has the most embarrassing taste in music: hmm probably Percy but only in like a "parody of himself" kinda way. Nothing but a mix of chamber orchestra and emo music. Which aren't all that bad on their own, but he is a hashtag Byronic Posh Boi and so of COURSE that's all he listens to. Vex has cool(tm) tastes in music. Even if a song or artist wasn't cool (tm) before, it becomes cool(tm) once she likes it.

Who reads the most: I mean Percy. Not that Vex doesn't read, but he big nerd.

Who’s better with kids: ooo boy that's A QUESTION for some canonical parents, huh? I'm going to say Percy, just because I feel like Vex is a parent who can get overwhelmed sometimes and not know how to handle needy kids when she's running on empty (feel like I should say this does not make a person a bad parent- just that as a kid it's hard to understand that adults get tired). Meanwhile Percy has a natural tone that suggests what he's saying is fact, so if he's too tired for high energy toddlers he's just like "sitting by the fire drinking tea is a very fun game" and the bbs just climb into his lap like "you're right being quiet and snuggly is very fun" while Vex watches like "HOW."

Who’s the one that fixes things around the house: Percy's a good good tinker boi

Who’s got the weirdest hobby: listen one of them invented firearms and the other has a pet bear it's a toss up.

Who cooks and who cleans up: Both are what you might call... Functional cooks. Nothing to write home about, but they get the job done. But Percy excels more at baking (structured, exacting) and Vex is better at more loosely defined things like soups and sauces. Cleaning up is a duo activity and a nice part of their evening wind down.

Vaxleth:

Who’s the messiest one: deffo Keyleth. Houston we have a hoarder. She gets emotionally attached to everything, and saves up little bits and bobs of things for crafting and home diy projects all the time.

Who feels the most uncomfortable about PDA: probably Keyleth, but it's in like- the most Social Anxiety way possible. It's not so much that she's uncomfortable, it's that she gets worried that being snuggly or kissing will make others uncomfortable.

Who’s the funniest drunk: oh that's a hard one. Cuz we've seen them both be high quality drunks, (ie day drinking queen and "heterosexuality is fake and magic is just the fucking best????????"). I'd say Vax because I feel like he's more likely to insist he's not that drunk and doesn't need anyone to look after him, and therefore will get into more shananigans/flirt more

Who texts the most: another toughie. Probably Vax, in a similar style to Vex.

Who has the most embarrassing taste in music: they both have the same issue as Percy, in that their tastes are just a parody of themselves. Vax has three categories of favorite music: sad emo boy, sexy alt boy, and rebellious 90s girl. And then Keyleth is just unironically into the softest cheesiest music you've ever heard on the soundtrack to a chick flick. We're talking Jewel here, folks. Also retro oldies cuz Homeschooled Vibes. I'm going to say Vax tho, cuz he's the one who gets emotional about it, while Keyleth is just a casual listener. And he listens to more of her music than she does his. She'll send him the Live at the Troubadour recording of Kelly Clarkson's Sober and he responds back like "??? Why would you send me this??? At 10am on a Tuesday??? When I have things to do??? Now I'm crying on the bus?????" And she's just "glad you liked it! :D"

Who reads the most: probably Vax. He gets deep into reading in attempts to find less self destructive ways of getting out of his head.

Who’s better with kids: hm I'm gunna say Vax on this one because Keyleth has a tendency to try too hard with everyone and was also an only child who was forced into very structured time while growing up cuz expectations. Vax has more clear memories of actually just being a kid when the twins were with their mom, so he can relate easier. That being said they're both pretty good, as we see with that kid Simon, a scene that will HAUNT ME FOREVER.

Who’s the one that fixes things around the house: def keyleth. DIY queen. Vax just gets frustrated and is like "let's just buy a new one"

Who’s got the weirdest hobby: hmmm. Keyleth has A LOT of hobbies, but Vax def will do parkour, just cuz. Like he may have started back when he was still kind of a criminal, but now he doesn't have a practical excuse and he doesn't even like- record it or anything so there's no point to it. He just sees urban environments and goes "gotta jump. Gotta climb. Just gotta."

Who cooks and who cleans up: Keyleth has got prep on lock. Gardening. Hunting and trapping. Gathering. Cleaning and dressing and chopping. She's got this. It's adding fire to things where she starts having trouble. Vax picks things up from there just fine though, and covers dishes and such on the back end.

Pikelan:

Who’s the messiest one: Pike. Pike. Pike. Having a perma-home at last means she gets comfy, which means you can usually not see the bedroom floor. Scanlan is scandalized.

Who’s the one that fixes things around the house: Scanlan tries. He likes the idea of being helpful with domestic stuff and not just a goofus who's just around for the fun parts of being together. Unfortunately he's never really lived anywhere long enough to get good at household repair, and it takes him way too long to do anything. Pike is pretty handy, but gets so busy that she'll just put up with something being broken for weeks. Best case scenario is Pike shows Scanlan how to do something so the next time he can do it himself and feel accomplished and she can come home to things being fixed and give him smooches and coo over him being a handyman.

Who's the funniest drunk? Pike. "I'M TRYING TO STEALTH."

Who feels the most uncomfortable about PDA: it may shock people, but Scanlan has the same "once it's serious I get bashful" disease as Vax. Pike will absolutely give his bootie a tap in line at the grocery store and he just goes bright red. He tries to laugh it off like he's still the smarmy mess everyone knows, but she teases him endlessly about it.

Who texts the most: Scanlan is an absolute "good morning," "thinking of you," "how was your day," and "goodnight" text person before they live together. After they move in together it's just text versions of his cover songs about his love for her and dank memes.

Who has the most embarrassing taste in music: we know it's Scanlan. We've heard his cover tracks. Pike has similar cool(tm) tastes as Vex.

Who reads the most: Pike is probably someone who's always on the move, so she's more an audiobook person. But Scanlan is like fully ready for the dad life. Just loving any weekend where he does nothing but sit around in flannel pj pants reading a mystery paperback.

Who’s better with kids: It's a hard one. Scanlan second guesses himself quite a bit and worries every little thing he says or does is going to become Lasting Trauma. Pike acts more chill about it, but slowly gets more and more overwhelmed until she nearly has a nervous collapse. But their opposite styles work well together and they're able to be a pretty great team.

Who’s got the weirdest hobby: I feel like Pike is someone with a weird collection. It is either something a little spooky but cool and academic, like antique medical equipment, or something horrifyingly tacky, like a thong from every city she visits. Maybe both.

Who cooks and who cleans up: this is where Scanlan is a much quicker learner about domestic stuff. Pike is a good cook, but it's usually on the move so much she doesn't have the time for meal planning and prep. Scanlan absolutely throws himself into being a house husband and gets obsessed with cooking shows. Pike insists on helping with dishes tho.

#do it for the meme #I'm so bad at doing these in a timely manner #critical role #vox machina #perc'ahlia #vaxleth #pikelan #percival fredrickstein von musel de rolo iii #vex'ahlia #vax'ildan #keyleth #Pike trickfoot #scanlan shorthalt

77 notes · View notes

morkofday · 3 years

Text

2020 – a (content creator) year in review

I decided to make this into a mix of these two games I was (kinda?) tagged into so thank you for @leonzhng and @tiesanjiao ♥ I hope you don’t mind me doing it like this ^^ all the questions were just so interesting that I wanted to try!

(bc of the amount of questions, I’m placing them under a cut so that I don’t flood anyone’s dash)

(this is the 2020 year in review that hanyi tagged me to ♥ sorry am so late!)

Top 5 Movies you saw this year

wow tbh I didn’t watch many movies this year as I realized yesterday when I was thinking about this for certain reasons. Or at least I feel like I didn’t watch that many? Nothing really stuck with me it seems.

Because of this, I will only mention two: Parasite and The Old Guard. Those were both wonderful in their own ways and I’m very happy I got to watch them both ^^

Top 5 TV shows you watched this year

this one is difficult bc I watched so many (and forgot even more?) but:

The Lost Tomb Reboot (my introduction to DMBJ. this drama stole my heart and helped me through the tough autumn semester!)

Joy of Life (it’s nuts that this happened during 2020? it feels like it was ages ago)

Kingdom (such a positive surprise and I really hope we get more of this :o I really recommend!)

Detective L (easy, nice aesthetics, amazing costumes. Bai Yu was a delight as Luo Fei)

Sand Sea (I am still baffled by how much I loved this bc I had so many doubts? am happy I did tho)

Bonus: Guardian (bc it has come to stay and the rewatch has been so emotional but so rewarding)

Top 5 songs of 2020

this is a tough one too bc I’ve heard so much new music during 2020 but I will try to put it simply:

Black Swan by BTS (I absolutely adore this song. I listened to it on repeat when it came out at the beginning of the year, I have cried for it a ton, I enjoy every stage I see for it and it’s just a masterpiece. it has also helped a bit with my writing struggles that I’ve felt creeping up on me lately)

Always by By The Coast (an amazing song that always leaves me in my feels. inspires me a lot all the time)

Love me or Leave me by DAY6 (this whole album was a masterpiece and I listened to it on loop for like. two weeks? this was my favorite song on it even if I adored the rest too, especially Zombie)

all of my life by Park Won (listened to this a lot in relation to my xicheng and the wedding I finally got to write for them ;; that’s one good thing that came out of this year tbh)

雨人 by 刘畅 (Liu Chang) (with the Reboot’s ending song, this one is my favorite on that ost. I love Liu Chang’s voice, I loved Liu Sang as a character and as I said, I loved Reboot as a drama. I get super emotional about this ost so I think it defined this year a lot for me)

Top 5 books you read in 2020

All For The Game -trilogy (listened to these as audiobooks but that counts right?)

The Song of Achilles (as an audiobook too and really adored the reader’s voice)

The Smoke Thieves -series (I really just binge read the two first books in this series and am so excited for the next one!)

Call Down The Hawk (love love love)

Guardian novel (am not very into these novels usually but I was positively surprised this time? it was so cool to finally get the original story and compare it with the drama version)

5 positive things that happened in 2020

joined mdzsnet and met all the amazing ppl there and got to become part of this loving community and :’) I’m so thankful, it’s been a joy

learned more about editing? or started doing it regularly. I still can’t do shit but am having fun learning more all the time and I really hope that maybe the upcoming year I can switch to PS and try out giffing?

went to Halsey’s concert! it was in february so a bit before all the hassle with covid happened over here ;; it was super cool and so nice and I just. I love Halsey

fell into the DMBJ hellhole which am very much enjoying. it’s a great universe and the story is so good and the dramas have been so fun to watch and. it feels like a good continuation to The Untamed somehow haha (also brought me a new friend! you’re amazing ashen!! ♥)

started therapy and it’s been... a journey. but towards something better I think? it’s something I would’ve needed ages ago but it’s better late than never I suppose

My Creations

(this is the other part where ali was being super sweet and mentioned me ♥ thank you for being so awesome!)

1. first creation and most recent creation of 2020: wow it’s been a while since I’ve looked at this horrible creation but here ya go jkdhgk [x]. I’ve come a long way from this (and my xicheng has come a long way from this too). most recent one is this xiaoge edit that I absolutely adore [x].

2. one of your favorite creations from 2020: this wwx edit that was part of my agust d2 edit series [x]. I loved to give him blue instead of his typical red.

3. a new style you tried this year and a gifset edit that uses it: this [x] wwx edit which I don’t know if I like or not but I was playing around with the font and all the effects instead of just normal screenshots + coloring. also I just adore the quote.

4. a creation to be proud of: I could mention that xiaoge here but in addition, I will also say this wu xie edit for reboot [x]. I managed to capture my vision so well, I was surprised. for cql, this songxiao edit [x]. I loved how it turned out in the end.

5. a creation that took forever: this wangxian edit [x]. like I’ve said several times, I lost sleep bc of it. I just kept struggling with the third pic and how to place the text there D:

6. your creation from 2020 that received the most notes: this lwj/wangxian edit [x]. I had many ideas for this edit when I first started making it and I never managed to capture my vision in the way I first intended... the pictures I was supposed to use just never fit quite right sigh. I dunno why it was this one that gained all the notes in the end bc I personally think I have better ones too but am still thankful :’D

7. a creation you think deserved more notes: as said, dmbj fandom on tumblr is very small so I really want to say the two already mentioned ones (wu xie and xiaoge) and then my pingxie edits [x] [x]. also these wwx edits which I personally am very happy about [x] [x]. and from my agust d2 series, this yun bros one [x].

8. a new fandom you joined and a creation you made for it: really just dmbj this year and I’ve already linked all of my creations for that :’D tho I have plans for another pingxie edit and a liu sang edit! oh and maybe I could mention guardian here with this shen wei [x]. I had so much fun while making it (also the quote just haunted me relentlessly until I gave it a moment).

9. a creation you made that breaks your heart: this must be my easter islanders (lwj and jc) edit [x] that just. awoke many thoughts in me? I’m going to put a link to the version where you can read my ramblings underneath :’D

10. a ‘simple’ creation that you really love: my creation for the creator (gif?) challenge that was going around! [x] it was simple and nice to do and I loved the result. also, it was nice to work with jl for a change :’)

11. a favorite creation created by someone else: oh wow ok so this is going to be rough bc I have so many favorites ;; you can look at this post here [x] to see more!

but to love my two taggers am going to say these [x / x] [x] [x] [x] [x] by hanyi (I always love your edits, the colors you choose, the thoughts you put into them (and your humor too!). there are so many cool things you’ve done that I just stay in awe of! I adore all of it ;; ♥) and these [x] [x] [x] [x] [x] by ali (I love all of your gifsets so much, they have such pretty colors and such good scenes, and I am thankful every day that you make all the amazing dmbj content, pls never stop ;; I should go through all of your creations properly one day! I noticed you have sand sea stuff too and let me scream?) ^^ ♥

12. your favorite content creators and blogs that you appreciate: this is going to be a huge list and I’ve already made my love heard for some but no hurt in doing it again so @i-am-just-a-kiddo @ashenwren @tiesanjiao @kholran @lzswy @englishbunnyrocks @leonzhng @aheartfullofjolllly @yibobibo @inkblue-black @cross-d-a @bloody-bee-tea @fytheuntamed @mdzsnet @lifegoesmon @creeds-eagle @underaswift-sunrise @sarawatsaraleo @lan-xichens @mylastbraincql @wangxianbunnydoodles @manhasetardis @distantsnows @ohsehuns @minmoyu @linglynz @highwarlockkareena @yiqiie @aowyn @alienwlw @wangxiians @kingbadcat @sassyassassy @tytangfei @lanzhannnn @skzmxtp @leoyunxi @yoonqiful @softjeon @rapbabenamjoon @ronan-adam @miyakuli @pavusdorian @arsuf @brolinskeep @gawincaskeyy and so many others! (sorry for all the random ppl on this list that I’ve never even talked to ^^’ just know that you make my dash a wonderful place! ♥)

I won’t tag anyone separately here but everyone who’s already been tagged or sees this is free to do this (or link me posts if you’ve done these already!) ♥ have a nice day everyone!

#tag game #wow this took ages #am sorry am late #thanks for tagging me tho!!#i enjoyed this a lot #about me

51 notes · View notes

courtneystriker · 4 years

Text

My Thoughts on the HG Prequel

I just finished reading The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and I got to say, my feelings are mixed. Below I have an entire review for the story which included how I felt, the expectations, the biases I had going into the new book, and how I felt after reading. Please note there will be spoilers. Also this review isn’t meant to hurt anyone and if you absolutely love the book so far...good! Enjoy it fully! As an aspiring writer myself and someone who studied in college/loves creative writing I’m well aware that people just have different takes on writing. Glad you are enjoying it :)

Anyways, here it goes…

The Expectations

As the Hunger Games series is one of my favorites of all time, I had a strong bias to like this book. Since it was first announced, without knowing any details, I was extremely excited and optimistic. I re-read the entire Hunger Games series twice beforehand in preparation; once with my fiancé and once on my own. The only thing I really wanted, knowing that it took place during the tenth hunger games, was that the arena reflected how new the hunger games were. Then, when we learned what the series was about, people started voicing some concerns or were disappointed by the plot, instead wanting it to be something like Finnick’s arena, Haymitch’s, Mags’, etc. etc. I was not among this group. However, I understand where they were coming from, because I always thought the idea of the first Quarter Quell (the one where the districts voted for the tributes) was an extremely interesting concept.

Yet I think these things are best left explored in fanfiction as they add nothing to the series and Suzanne Collins did an excellent job just giving us enough information to get the idea. At that point it’d just be a book on details, which could fall short or be a gimmicky, cheap way to keep people reading the series and keep her name relevant. And wasn’t that part of the message in her series, the thing Katniss so heavily criticized that gave a great irony to the books? Who would watch children killing each other for entertainment? Meanwhile, we as the reader are reading these books as a form of entertainment. Plus, Suzanne Collins so skillfully painted the illusion of knowing but not fully knowing their stories that it’s haunting, and I think that is one of the many reasons (along with the battle royale trope being naturally compelling, liking the characters, etc.) that a lot of us are more drawn towards these stories rather than (at least for me) a book on Snow.

That being said, I was not against the idea of a book on Snow because I find villain characters, especially grey ones, to be very interesting to read about, and I was pretty certain Suzanne was going to handle this beautifully, especially since you could already feel this atmosphere coming off of Snow in the Hunger Games series. I know some were really concerned about a Snow redemption arc, but to me it felt very obvious that it couldn’t be and it would be more of him sliding into evil.

I did have other concerns when I read the description for the first time. I could not believe they went with the whole tribute from District Twelve thing again. I loved Katniss and District Twelve, but I did not want Katniss 2.0. I said right from the beginning to my fiancé that she’d have to make the tribute from District Twelve extremely different for me to get on board (though I was holding on faith that Collins would). It just felt cheap and gimmicky to rehash the District Twelve thing, it sort of made me feel the same way I would have if she had written about one of the games I mentioned above. Sure, it’d sell, but it wouldn’t add anything to the series. I was thinking she better not hunt, sing, or have any qualities resembling Katniss really.

Another thing I worried about was the love story they hinted at in the description. It just didn’t make sense to me. Because how was Snow going to ever support the games if from an earlier age he fell in love with a tribute and vowed to protect her? Then later he’s all like pro-hunger games? Just this itself could weaken the entire series if done poorly, because it would weaken the main antagonist’s motives for not only the prequel but also the Hunger Games series as well. I kept thinking either the girl has to die in the arena betraying Snow somehow (which is what I was hoping for), Snow will have to betray her, or perhaps he would have been faking love for her for some sort of personal gain I couldn’t imagine. Either way, I thought it weakened the story's appeal to me. Yet overall I was still excited, desperately waiting for the book’s release.

And now that I have read it, I have to say it felt forced at a lot of parts and lackluster overall…

*Spoilers start here*

My Review:

Suszanne Collins’ writing style is one I’ve always loved and has consistently appealed to me. Even though this book is written in 3rd person (which some may like less if you don’t particularly like third person) it holds up well against the original series. So I really had no complaints in this regard besides the excessive use of songs (felt like fanfiction a bit). I think if you liked the original series and don’t mind third person you’ll feel right at home with her style.

The concerns others had about Snow’s redemption are completely dismissed in this book. Like I had predicted, she writes about his fall into evil, and although it’s not black and white evil (as I don’t like anyways) you can very much tell he’s a bad guy and that the hardships he faced in life only further pushed him towards obtaining status and power. Overall, he feels true to the character when we end up seeing him in the Hunger Games series, and his journey to power fits the images Finnick painted in Mockingjay. He is very well characterized in the book and perfectly unlikable while maintaining an intriguing internal dialogue (although it does occasionally feel tedious, but not enough to bother me; others may feel differently).

The way he is written is very much in line with Collin’s great characterization, one of the reasons I always loved The Hunger Games. All the characters felt like real people. They all had an extreme depth to them and I felt they all resembled people I had actually met in real life. There were little to no characters that relied solely on gimmicky personalities to get by. Even very minor characters that seemed depthless and swallow at first--like Katniss’s prep team--had more to them. So I thought going into this book I had nothing to worry about in that regard. I didn’t even really spare it a thought, but boy was I wrong.

I think Snow and Lucy Grey were the only characters that had (at least partly) the depth that the original Hunger Games cast had. I’ll discuss Lucy Grey later but first let me talk about some side characters. Where to even begin really? There’s a LOT of characters in this book. Frankly, way too many, which I think contributes heavily to the lack of depth in the characters. Honestly there’s so many that the names of characters were hard to keep track of while listening to the audiobook (my hard copy of the book was still in the mail and I didn’t want to wait). Things got a bit clustered in my mind quickly. There were twenty-four tributes, twenty-four mentors, Snow’s family, The Dean and Drs at the university, Snow’s Peacekeeper crew, and the Covey, and those are just the groups that I can cluster together. At least, the ones I remember having names and getting introduced, but I think that’s everyone really important. There was no real time to develop or get to know them really, which made the tributes’ deaths more meaningless as I could barely recall their names. It caused impactful scenes to weaken significantly overall and it made characters serve only to characterize and amplify Snow’s fall into evil.

Here’s what I mean by that. The head Gamemaker, Dr. Gaul, really was the character I hated the most while reading this. She was just evil without reason (one of the weakest villain types with little to no personality besides being evil). She even made creepy rhymes as if she was in some sort of horror movie, and the entire point of her character was to contribute a lot to some of the forced plot points driving Snow’s moral decline. For example, there were all her tests, which seemed contrived and all directly connected to getting Snow to think the Hunger Games was a good idea. She was seemingly supposed to be a Dr. Mengele type character, as this book has a lot of Holocaust-esqe imagery. I’m fine with irredeemably evil villains, but instead of getting the depth that a Dr. Mengele character could offer (as some may know, many children that were part of his experiments actually said he was kind and gave them candy, and I find that deeply haunting to this day.) She is a flat, one-dimensional character whose entire personality could be described with one word: sociopath. Evil people are master manipulators, which is how they get away with evil things. I think at one of the funerals she puts on a good public face, and she seems to have power, money and influence. Yet the book doesn’t show this seemingly present quality nearly enough to make her a haunting character. Instead we get nursery rhythms and clearly driven lessons towards evil at are contrived. Like “Write about what you most liked about the war” or the assignment to improve the hunger games? Like what class is this? Why are they taking it? And why are the young kids of the influential deciding this instead of the influential people themselves?

Another character I feel was just there for Snow’s development and to represent an opposite viewpoint but lacked Collin’s usual depth is Sejanus Plinth. As a District 2 citizen whose family got rich off the war and moved to the Capitol, he is the main opposing viewpoint of the book, presenting Snow with a chance to do the right thing. I’ve seen people say he’s a Peeta-like character, but I completely reject that idea. He lacks in the charm Peeta has, relishes in self-pity (although he’s completely justified in his sadness and has a right to be upset), and while he has a heart like Peeta, he ultimately doesn’t know how to use it. Instead of working within his position to get influence like Peeta so masterfully does, he’s hot-headed and continuously makes poor decisions that ultimately don’t help anyone. It’s like he wants to help but doesn’t know how as he’s driven completely by emotion without reason. He too contributes to some forced scenes, particularly my least favorite in the book; when they sneak into the arena. Overall, he just falls flat for me. Again, I feel I don’t know anything about him beyond what he contributes to Snow’s story line and he doesn’t come across as realistic. It’s like Collins just wrote how someone would normally react to the hunger games, slapped a district number on him and went on her merry way.

I just wasn’t prepared for these sort of characters when the Hunger Games series made even the smallest of characters stand out dramatically. I feel neutral to annoyed by most characters in this novel. I could expand this portion, and maybe if people inquire I’ll elaborate on some of the other characters as I have strong opinions on them, but this post is already getting long, so I’ll move on to Lucy Grey.

Lucy Grey is by far my favorite character even though she is bordering towards being a character from a fanfiction. Not quite a Mary Sue in my opinion but there is a certain connection to fanfiction I made with her. You may have guessed some issues I had with her by reading my expectations earlier in the post, but that has not displaced my love for her. Her personality is very different from Katniss’s, or even Peeta’s or Haymitch’s. She had a different type of charm than all of them, is a natural performer, and seemed more extroverted. Also, the whole idea of the Covey and her “not really” being district was intriguing. It really highlighted the displacement that war can cause and how people can just be in the wrong place at the wrong time. (Although I was confused on how much mobility between the districts there were….and did District Twelve have a fence or no?) It really emphasizes one of the main themes of the book, extreme prejudice against both Capitol and District. Her spot sort of in between really drives home the point that there's literally no difference except extreme poverty, and even then there was poverty in the Capitol, only better hidden. Her bright mood (and clothes), her poised attitude, and her optimism made her endearing. She was confident in her skin yet still held the fear of a sixteen year old going into the hunger games.

There were only two main things that bothered me about her, which was of course the direct connections made to Katniss (which I’ll elaborate on) and the forced “love” story between her and Snow. I suppose that has less to do with her and rather more to do with my dislike of that subplot. And I'm a sucker for some good romantic subplots, but yikes!

I think having one strong connection to Katniss was all that was really needed in this book. I really liked the idea of that connection being the Hanging Tree Song, as I can only imagine how it made Snow feel watching “The Mockingjay” sing it in the propo. Despite me not liking that fact that Lucy Grey is also an enchanting singer as that felt like directly stepping in Katniss’s territory, I did enjoy the little twist of Lucy Grey writing the song. Yet the connections between the two when the plot took us to District Twelve went too far. It felt like it took away all of Katniss’s special places and things. The lake, her katniss roots, her gift towards music, her fondness for the meadow, sneaking into the woods, etc. I think one solid connection would have solidified their bond beautifully. Having so many seemed like it was really trying to force the reader to make the connection when it was already painfully clear I guess? Plus, having Lucy stand out at her reaping ( the whole song part read like a bad, contrived fanfiction bit to me) and having people care about her in the Capitol while moral questions of the hunger games were still surfacing made me start to think...isn’t this how the rebellion for Katniss got started? At least partly. I get it’s a different time. Too close to the war. It just felt way too similar. I guess Collins was going for the idea of a lost rebellion that in a way Lucy Grey started that Katniss later revives. Yet it feels like that invalidates the specialness of what Katniss does in the original series as it’s already happened; it just got erased. I guess history repeats itself, but I really just didn’t like it. I could see the appeal to some extent, and it could be a beautiful connection, but it just wasn’t for me.

Now on to the plot, which is the last thing I’ll talk about as this post is getting ridiculously long. A lot of the plot felt very forced or contrived, which was another shocker coming from Collins because her pacing and plot was done really well in the original series. Of course, a lot of this was driven by Dr. Gaul and Sejanus Plinth as the entire plot hinged on the moral debate of the hunger games these two represent. Other plot points just hinged on what happened to establish the games. I mean the rebel bomb explosion seemingly only happened to change the terrain so Dr. Gaul can then bring up the idea of the different arena and how that made the tributes act differently, thus creating the crazy arenas we see later in the series. I do have some praise for how Collins established the disparities between the earlier hunger games and the ones we see in Katniss day. From the way they lock the tributes up, don’t feed them, the spotty coverage of the arena, etc. All of that was exceptionally well done. The only complaint I have was that so many tributes died before they even got to the arena (though not because I wanted to see them fight). I had been expecting one to escape or something to further establish that this was new territory and was waiting to see how they handled it in earlier times, but I wasn’t expecting that many to die before the arena got started. It just seemed like a huge Capitol failure that they advertised loudly. I really wasn’t expecting that level of incompetence, just an escaped tribute that threatened to embarrass or harm the fragile beginnings of post-war Panem. Instead, most of the pre-arena stuff felt disastrous. A lot of the mentors' deaths felt forced, and it was weird that the academy never really came under fire at all from all the rich and powerful parents whose children were getting killed because of the mentor experiment. Like it seemed there should have been some interaction there, but there wasn’t. Maybe some was passively mentioned but still, it could have been a whole subplot that further established the debate of the hunger games.

While the pre-arena up to the break-in to the arena felt like the most forced part of the book and certainly I felt it needed more workshopping plot wise, it also harbored some great and powerful scenes, like Arachne pulling the sandwich away from the tribute while she was starving and laughing about it. Basically, all those interactions of poverty and captivity meeting the citizens of the Capitol were done well, but nothing spectacular (unlike the scene of Katniss screaming at Buttercup at the end of Mockingjay which is heart wrenching.)

The last plot point I’ll talk about is the “love” story. I wasn’t a fan, but it was sort of what a lot of the plot hinged on and led to the great scene at the lake between Snow and Lucy Grey. How easy it was for him to betray his “love” for status. This led to some of the most interesting and evil internal monologue Snow had in the entire book. I honestly feel the ending scene, the interaction Snow had with the jabberjays and Mockingjays in District Twelve, and the lynching scenes were among the strongest and most memorable.

The love story again felt forced (sorry I’m using that word so much it’s just so accurate) into the story. This hindered the book from having a strong plot in the same way the weaker characters caused forced interactions and plot points to move things along. Yet at the same time the kind of abusive and lackluster nature of their relationship throughout the book fit perfectly with the ending. Unfortunately, it didn’t really make it very compelling for the reader. Luckily Lucy’s personality kept my interested during these parts. I wouldn’t say their relationship was poorly written at all; in fact the way it was written makes perfect sense. I just think the plot relied too heavily on their “love”, which was gross because of the way Snow is, and the reader knew it had to inevitably end in some kind of betrayal or reveal that there was no love at all. This creates tension for the reader, but I kept wondering: if the love plot had been ditched could we have gotten a stronger plot altogether?

So overall, like I’ve said I’m really conflicted. I know I focused heavily on things I didn’t like, but honestly the book was well written in some regards, plot bouncing between really compelling and a little contrived, the two main characters being written well enough but other characters not so much. Some connections between Lucy Grey and Katniss made at the end were powerful, I loved the Covey, Collins still excelled at writing a lot of the social issues/scenes in the book, and honestly the idea of Lucy Grey being completely forgotten in the Districts that hurts my soul a little. Nothing compared to the feelings I got in any of the Hunger Games books but there’s still something there.

I really hope someone made it through this long ass post. The book was entertaining. I mean I listened to all 16 hours of the audiobook in like a day. I can’t wait until my hardcover comes so I can look through it. Maybe once I know what I’m getting into I can enjoy the book a little more than I did, because right now it’s sitting at very average for me. Maybe I went in with my expectations too high? I certainly like the Hunger Games a lot more and probably always will. Honestly, I love new content, but I’m also the type that likes firm, planned endings to stories (even though it hurts to let things end and the fandoms can suffer from lack of content). I think fans can oftentimes get caught up in what they want and pressure the writer into writing more, which ends up a disappointment since it wasn’t originally planned in the series from the beginning. While I don’t think this is by any means the case with Suzanna Collins or that Lionsgate even pressured her to write this book (I don’t like conspiracies of that sort of thing as a writer myself that plans to have a series in which a book comes out many years after the original part of the series is released), I do wonder if this is the end of the Hunger Games for good. I sure hope so, especially if she would be writing about the other victors. I love them too much and really don’t want to feel similarly about their books, and like I said at the beginning, it wouldn’t add to the series just to my guilty pleasure lol.

Hope you all have enjoyed your reading of the book more than I did :) Again sorry if I wrote anything to upset you! Please if you loved this book ENJOY IT! I’m actually kind of jealous if you did. Feels like missing out on something special.

#The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes #suzanne collins #tbosas #lucy grey #coriolanus #Dr. Gaul #Sejanus Plinth #Hunger Game Prequel #Hunger Games #Katniss #Peeta #hunger games series #review #catching fire #mockingjay #books #writing

123 notes · View notes

thewincestgospel · 4 years

Text

I travel a lot for work and on one of my many layovers I stumbled across my new favorite thing, Wincest Podfics. So here’s a list of fics, some old favorites and some new to me reads that you can listen to you when you’re on the go.

Listen While You Wank

Wincest Podfics

The Air Moves In to FIll the Spaces Where My Body's Been & sequel The Frightened Inch Between Our Skin

Author: britomart_is

Reader: applegeuse

Summary: It's not about Dean. Really.

Size/Length: 1. The Air Moves: 00:35:46 || 20.5 MB 2. The Frightened Inch: 00:42:25 || 24.3 MB

Download Links: 1. Air Moves: mp3, right click & save as 2. Frightened Inch: mp3, right click & save as 3. zipped folder of both mp3s here 4. Both podfics are available at the audiofic archive here, in mp3 and m4b formats (courtesy of cybel!)

Break The Lock If It Don't Fit

Author: fleshflutter

Reader: applegeuse

Summary: Sam and Dean get soul-bonded. Dean doesn't cope well.

Length: 00:44:54

Download: (right click & save as) + mp3 (41.4 MB) + m4b (21.7 MB) + also available at the audiofic archive

Captured by the Game

Author: rivkat.

Reader: reena_jenkins

Summary AU. Azazel has given his favorite son a task: worm his way into the confidence of a hunter. It sounds simple, but Dean Winchester just might be more than Sam can handle.

Length: 05:29:02

Download Link: You can download this podfic as a zipped folder of mp3s right over here or you can download this podfic as a podbook/m4b right over here

I'll take my chance on a beautiful stranger

Author: fleshflutter

Read: Podcath

Summary Outsider point of view; Stanford years

Length: 22:47

Mediafire link to mp3: Here (31.5 MB) Mediafire link to m4b: Here (27.2 MB)

i saw the moon go black (i felt my heart collapse)

Author: mass-hipgnosis

Reader: reena_jenkins

Summary: Sam goes darkside and takes Dean with him. This is the way the world ends, this is the way the world ends, this is the way the world ends...

Length: 00:25:10

Download Link: You can download/stream this podfic as an mp3 file

Loudmouth

Author: veronamay

Reader: Litra

Summary:From this prompt on spn_blindfold: Sam/Dean dirty talk: Bottom!Sam describes their sex life to the Feds. Sometime around season 2 or 3, Sam's in an interrogation room with some cop/FBI agent who's trying to convince him to provide evidence against Dean. They ask why Sam's staying with someone who's brought him nothing but trouble, and the cops listen on in horror as Sam calmly replies with a fifteen-minute dissertation on how he's a total slut for Dean. Maybe he's fed up and being sarcastic, maybe he's under a truth spell, maybe he knows he's going to be rescued in an hour and just doesn't give a shit anymore. Maybe it's all true, or maybe Sam's making it up but secretly wishes it were true. Bonus points if Dean somehow hears or sees the interview tape and gets crazy turned-on. No major embarrassment squick, please -- Sam really doesn't care what the cops think of him. He can be ashamed if *Dean* finds out, as long as Dean enthusiastically sets him straight

Length : 24:47

Right click to Download Or as an Audiobook Here

Lay My Hands on Heaven

Author: dollylux

Reader: Tipsy_Kitty

Summary: This is straight-up Weecest PWP. Sam and Dean on a bed in the dead of summer down South, being absolutely unapologetically filthy boys.

Length: 0:21:09

Download:

Mediafire: mp3 | m4b

Audiofic Archive: mp3 | m4b

Marked for Life Authors: dragonspell and moragmacpherson Reader: applegeuse Summary: Dean never noticed how often Sam touched his shoulder until he got back from Hell. Set just before 4x08 “Wishful Thinking.” Length: 00:27:29

Download: + mp3 (26.5 MB) (right click & save as) + m4b (13.6 MB) (zipped folder) + Also available at the audiofic archive here.

The Middle Child

Author: morrezela

Reader: EosRose

Summary: In a world where all three Winchester brothers made it out of that building without becoming angel suits, Sam has to adjust to his new role in Dean's life and Adam's obsession with his sex life.

Length: 03:21:02

Download: M4B

Phthonus in Lethe

Author: leonidaslion

Reader: juice817

Summary: There's only so much jealousy a guy can take, and Sam's reached his limit ...

Length: 32:05

Download: here or here

Sharp Dressed Man

Author: BewareTheIdes15

Reader: Tipsy_Kitty

Summary: There are probably any number of totally appropriate responses to walking in on your sixteen-year-old brother in lace panties and fishnet, thigh-high stockings. Getting stupidly hard is not one of them.

Length: 00:22:56

Download: mp3

Three Days on the Rack

Author: keerawa

Reader: reena_jenkins

Summary: It’s been months, but Sam finally found a crossroads demon willing to Deal to get Dean’s soul out of Hell. The Deal sounded too good to be true. Sam took it anyway.

Download: MP3 file or as an M4B file

The Time-Traveler's Brother

Author: gretazreta

Reader: applegeuse, fishpatrol

Summary: His whole life, Dean Winchester travels through time, forwards and backwards, but he always comes back to Sam. Dean doesn't believe in destiny, but if it does exist, his is Sam. This story is inspired by Audrey Niffenegger's The Time-Traveler's Wife.

Length: 05:15:00

Download: mp3 and m4b

TMI

Author: astolat

Reader: EosRose

Summary: "We've got twelve hours of highway to go and I'm bored," Dean said.

Length: 00:28:47

Download: MP3 MP4

Trust Me, I'm A Doctor

Author: checkthemargins

Reader: EosRose

Summary: The one where Dean is a pediatric neurosurgeon and Sam is a law student and they are in love.

Length: 01:22:46

Download: MP3 or MP4

What Remains

Author: merrin

Reader: litrapod (litra)

Summary: In Jefferson, Texas a man ends a generations-old curse and saves all the town's children, but completely loses his memory in the process. When it's discovered that he's a wanted criminal, the town comes together to conceal him out of gratitude for what he's done for them, giving him an apartment, a job and a whole new life. It takes seven months for Sam to find Dean, and when he finally does, he has to adapt to being around a man who has no idea that he used to be Sam's brother.

Length:5:04:39

Download

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Audiobook

Winchester Rule #34

Author: BewareTheIdes15

Reader: Tipsy_Kitty

Summary: Theoretically Sam gets his sexual education at a series of middle and high schools crisscrossing the United States. How it actually goes is a little something like this.

Length: 0:24:24

Download: mp3 | m4b

32 notes · View notes

blurrypetals · 3 years

Text

Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer - blurrypetals review

originally posted aug. 12, 2020 - ★★★★☆

My O.G. shitlord lives. My relationship with Twilight is a long and complicated thing. Without getting into it too much, I kind of sort of fell in love with reading because of this series. I was in the seventh grade in 2007, when a friend of mine recommended the first book to me and, like many others of the time, I was instantly hooked. It was the biggest book I'd ever read by myself without the help of my mom reading it out loud like she did with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Because of Twilight, I got into authors like Scott Westerfeld, Darren Shan, and, the granddaddy of all my favorite authors, Christopher Moore. The first book is still, to this day, the novel I've read the most times, sitting pretty at 5 whole times, which isn't even taking into the account the dozens of times I've skimmed the pages, memorizing the pages, the chapters titles... My enchantment with the series died a quiet death about a year and a half later, in 2008, when the final book in the series came out and, a few months after that, the movie adaptation came out, silencing just about any enthusiasm I might have had left in me for the series as a whole. That said, any time Stephenie Meyer has released something new, be it Twilight related or not, I've always picked it up. Apart from The Chemist, which I just haven't gotten to, I read the Bree book in 2009, I read the strange and incredibly ridiculous Life and Death in 2015, and I watched every movie adaptation as they came out, even though most of them brought me great pain. I pay respects to the roots my reading habits were born from and sometimes it's fun to revisit this ridiculous melodrama. So that all brings us to May 2020, right? Sort of! Another thing that killed my love of the series was the Great Midnight Sun Leak of 2008. When those first 12 chapters were leaked back then, I read them, and, besides The Host, I felt it was the best thing Stephenie had ever written. It was fun, Edward made for a more interesting protagonist. Its biggest problem was that it just wasn't finished. And now we're in 2020! One of the worst years on record and May hits us with what I consider to truly be a gift: We're finally getting Midnight Sun. It's finally finished. Our nostalgia fodder is on its way. So what do I think about it now that it's finally here? I fucking love it, man! Besides The Host, it is still the best thing Stephenie Meyer has ever written and it was an absolute joy to read. I think this book is kind of a genius move on Stephenie's part, as it inoffensively and canonically adds context and breathes new life into the first book. Twilight as a book is now better for having this book as a companion. I honestly wasn't sure I could ever bring myself to fangirl over anything Twilight-related ever again in my life, but my god the extra things, all the things Edward and the rest of the Cullens got up to when they weren't around Bella were all fucking great! There is a part earlier in the novel where Edward observes through his mind-reading powers that Ben and Angela each have crushes on one another but they don't really have the guts to ask the other person out, so in their Spanish class they have with Ben, Emmett asks Edward very loudly if he's asked Angela Weber out yet, and it gets Ben to finally ask Angela out and it's so fucking cute and the things it did to my heart made me think I was 12 again. There are also a lot of lovely flashbacks, including a scene about Edward's first Christmas with Carlisle that very nearly evoked a couple of tears from me. This book was honestly the medicine I needed for the ailment that is 2020 as a year. It also made me ache in a certain way I wasn't expecting, but it was because I enjoyed this book and its nostalgia that I began to wish for something I haven't wished for so deeply since I was 14 years old: I wished Breaking Dawn was a different story. Breaking Dawn is what dealt the heaviest blow to my enjoyment of the series, and my severe hatred of that book stems from many areas: the creepy half-vampire baby, the truly horrific pregnancy Bella goes through, the fact that it kind of sort of almost definitely condones pedophilia in a quiet yet still disturbing way, the utterly ridiculous conflict-non-conflict that is the final act of the book, and so much more. However, there is almost nothing I found more disappointing at the time than the fact that, several hundred pages spending time with these characters and their desires, Bella is turned into a vampire, and that never made sense to me, especially in Edward's story, where we are told time and time again that being a vampire in this world is basically torture for people like him and Rosalie, it never made sense to me that Bella ended up as a vampire. In all my months of theorizing how the series might end in the time between the releases ofEclipse and Breaking Dawn, I always expected for a cure for vampirism to be found and that would be how Edward and Bella would get their own small forever together. No awful pregnancy, no baby, no pedophilia, just a way for them both to get what they always wanted: to be together, have a life together. This isn't a review of Breaking Dawn, but the reason I bring this up is I kept hoping for this book, Midnight Sun to pull a Life and Death. For the uninitiated, this means that, like the crazy gender bender, Life and Death, which, despite being nearly identical to Twilight as far as the general plot goes, has a different ending from its forefather to tie up the idea of rewriting the entire series in this new gender-bent universe, and I found myself wondering whether Stephenie might be moving toward a similar change. This book deals very much with Edward's humanity. It's more than twice as long as Twilight and much of it is added content like the Christmas with Carlisle scene I mentioned before, but much of that extra time is spent learning how Edward thinks of himself, how he wants to be, what he wishes were different, and his desire to live a human life and, moreover, to let Bella live a human life, is extremely powerful. It makes the fact that she's turned in Breaking Dawn even more disappointing. There was a part about halfway through this book where Edward listens to Alice's mind as she has a vision of Bella's future as a vampire, and I genuinely felt crestfallen by the idea, even though I have known her fate for over a decade now. We get to see how Edward views Bella and, on top of that, we get to hear their conversations in much greater detail than before. It honestly was wonderful, finally getting to see what he sees in her, and I really do see it. Bella is actually really cute and funny in this book in all of the added content and I found myself appreciating her as a character in a way I had never done before. I would be excited and interested to read the rest of the series from Edward's point of view, especially if Jake Abel, who translated beautifully from an actor on the screen to an actor on an audiobook, returned as the narrator. I would really like to see the events of New Moon in particular through his eyes. He is a genuinely fun and interesting protagonist and I would relish in just about anything else Stephenie might feel like adding to his story. This was a really fun, melodramatic, and honestly really cute adventure. I'm truly delighted that Stephenie Meyer finally got to release it after not only the leak that happened in 2008, but also how, as soon as she decided to get back to this in 2015, E.L. James decided to release her own "first book told from the main guy's POV" book in Grey, delivering what I can only imagine to be a devastatingly demoralizing blow. She finally wrote the thing and it's pretty fucking good. Good on ya, Steph. Good on ya.

#midnight sun #twilight #stephenie meyer #2020 #goodreads mirror #blurrypetals

5 notes · View notes

softjeon · 5 years

Text

Jamais Vu

• Pairing: CamBoy!Yoongi x Jungkook • Genre: Smut | CamBoy!AU • Words: 14k | AO3 • Disclaimer: /

written with @cassiavioletblue

↳ Part 1 of ‘Nuit Inoubliable’ in which you will follow three different stories about your favorite Cam!Boys and their unforgettable nights. → Jamais Vu » Triple Plaisir » Plaisir d'offrir

Jungkook bit his lip, shielding his eyes from the rain as he blinked up to read the name on the sign that was written in gold letters over the entrance. He got out a small piece of paper, where he had shakily written down the address and compared it once more. His heart did a somersault and picked up its pace. He quickly gulped down the nervousness, pulling his hood a little closer over his head to keep himself from getting drenched and walked closer. His hands were buried deep in the pockets of his leather jacket, the bag he carried filled with the stuff he needed for a one-night stay in a hotel. “Fuck,” Jungkook cursed silently, feeling himself hesitate to step in, his fist tightening around the piece of paper. He breathed in deeply, closing his eyes for a second and then opened the door.

It had only been a week ago when Jungkook had been just as nervous, but if one would ask him now he’d definitely say this was way worse than clicking on the ‘Apply’ Button and waiting for a response. It was one of those nights: darkened room, his roommate was out and only the flickering lights of his laptop was illuminating the scene. His eyes fixated on the man that moved absolutely beautifully as his hands gripped his own cock, jerking himself off in a live-cam.

Suga.

At least that was his artist name. Jungkook groaned, leaning his head back but quickly snapped back to not miss a thing from the cam. He could hear the man’s raspy voice. It was absolutely mad how he was turning Jungkook on just by what he said, riling him up so effectively that Jungkook had come so hard that night it only left him a shaky mess on his bed. He was breathing heavily, listening to his voice coming from his laptop with a faint, sated smile on his lips. Jungkook didn’t watch the screen anymore, just listening to Suga talking to the people that were chatting with him. Jungkook swore that it was better than any audiobook to fall asleep to, but something made him get up quickly instead of shutting his eyes this time.

“You guys want a partner show again?” Suga chuckled, successfully sending a shiver down Jungkook’s back by that sound alone. “You know you can apply right? Maybe I’ll chose one of you...do you want to be a moaning mess underneath me? Or do you want RM to come by?” The rest of what Suga said gotten lost because Jungkook had jumped up from his bed, cleaning himself up quickly and pulling his laptop on his lap again. And then he did it. Without thinking about it much further and only when he hit ‘send’ did he realize what he had done.

“Welcome to the ‘Nuit Inoubliable’ how can I help you?” The low voice shook him out of his flashback and Jungkook looked up at the receptionists. He was a young man, not much older than him, with dark brown hair and just as dark eyes that were staring straight back at him. A big boxy grin on his face. He narrowed his eyes a little, trying to read his name tag.

Kim Taehyung. Jungkook smiled at him, “Yeah, I...I got a room...on the name Jeon Jungkook?” While the receptionist was searching through his computer, Jungkook let his gaze wander over the lobby and the people around. The hotel was beautiful and modern, looking rather fancy and probably wouldn’t have been Jungkook’s first choice just because he couldn’t afford it. There were a few maids walking past them and people bringing their luggage up their rooms or leaving again. Jungkook’s gaze got stuck on a man at the other side of the lobby, who was leaning comfortably against the wall. His eyes wandered over the handsome man’s face and the way he stroke his hand through his hair, down to his tight jeans that were beautifully showing off his…

“Thighs,” Jungkook choked out quietly, completely in awe but then a young man cut the view from him, leaving him pouting. He watched how they engulfed each other in a hug and a sweet kiss, only to disappear together somewhere deep in the hotel’s hallway. That younger man seemed familiar, but Jungkook couldn’t put his finger on it. So, he returned his attention to the front desk and smiled, as if he hadn’t had a black out over a stranger’s thighs for a second, taking the key from him quickly. “Thank you.” Jungkook waved awkwardly and turned to find his room. He had to get himself ready.

...

Yoongi wasn’t really nervous, he had met too many partners before to really get nerves bit there was still a pleasant anticipation running through him. It was always exciting to meet up with someone you didn’t know yet but you could end up having sex with about half an hour later. It had been a while since he’s had a cam together with someone else but he liked to keep things interesting and every new person brought different vibes or talents to his job so he enjoyed it a lot.

He arrived a little early as he liked to observed when his ‘workdates’ come in, when they don’t know that he is there yet and are still their most true and honest selves. When he went up to the booth he normally used for meetups he saw that Jungkook had beaten him to it. He smiled. Someone must have had the same thought - or was a little too nervous for his own good and therefore over punctual.

Jungkook was biting his lip in an anxious matter, lacing his fingers together only to push them under his thighs seconds after. He leaned over to take in the straw, sipping on the coke as he looked over to the bar. There was the same boy again, the one from the reception. Apparently he was an all-around talent and now was helping out at the bar, throwing around bottles of alcohol as if it was nothing while pouring in drinks for the people around. Jungkook got out his phone to look at the time and sighed. He had been way too early, and it seemed like time was only slowing down instead of going faster, making him even more anxious. In a nervous habit he reached out for the little ‘reserved’ sign, playing around with it while watching the bar boy, whose name he remembered as Taehyung. He mindlessly tossed the little sign from one hand to the other, intrigued by the tricks Taehyung was doing – but because he was so nervous, Jungkook ended up throwing it a bit too far making it fall off the edge of the table and fall onto the ground with an awful loud sound. He apologized quietly (even though only a few turned their heads only to return their attention to their drinks) and reached down to grab the sign, when two pair of shoes stopped in front of his hand. Jungkook, halfway hanging over the edge of the booth seat, his head under the table, while his hand was holding onto the table to not fall over, slowly blinked up. With his doe-eyed look, he smiled up at the stranger, “I am sorry. I don’t think it’s broken but I will of course pay for it if I did.”

“That’s nice of you.” Yoongi grinned at the doe eyed beauty, “But I didn't came over because of the sign. I came here for you.” He sat down at the table to show that he wasn’t a waiter but the person Jungkook was supposed to meet. He could see the younger’s eyes widen when he realized that he was ‘Suga’. Of course he looked different when his body was hidden under clothes and his face visible, instead of the other way round. Though his masks were small they still helped a lot to hide his features. Also he changed his hair colors every once in a while, both for fun and anonymity.

“Oh,” Jungkook gulped, before flashing him a shy smile, “Hey.” Jungkook internally slapped himself on the forehead. Oh? Hey? That was it? That was all he could think about. But the moment Yoongi said in front of him, he couldn’t say more. His eyes scanned him fast, the soft cheeks and button nose, the dark orbs that were his eyes and staring straight back at him. “You’re pretty early,” And once again, Jungkook would have loved to just slap himself but instead reached for his drink to take a sip.

Yoongi chuckled. “Says the one who’s been sitting here before I even got there. What were you doing? Trying to get Tae’s attention? Or did you plan on learning to juggle?” Jungkook looked pretty nervous and now that he was closer to him he could see how soft his face was, how plush his lips. He looked pretty young. And stunningly beautiful. Of course he had seen a pic but he had thought that the other was just good at editing pictures or choosing filters. He was way too pretty to hide his face with a mask - and Yoongi felt strangely proud to know that if they clicked he would be the one who would get to see his face too on top of all the naked skin that would be shown on his cam. Maybe he should check the other’s ID first though, just to make sure.

“No, not really…I was just…nervous, a little.” He smiled, looking down at his hands to hide the light blush on his cheeks, “I hate not being on time and I couldn’t rest. It was only making me more nervous. Is it okay? I mean that I am nervous. Are other people nervous when they do this?” Jungkook rubbed the back of his neck shyly, “I’ve never done this and honestly, I didn’t think you’d take in my application anyway.”

Together with his boyish looks and cute shyness Jungkook’s statement had him listening up. “By ‘you’ve never done this’ do you mean sex or cams or hooking up with someone to be on a shared cam?” They had exchanged a few sentences via messenger but that was about it. You could lie way too easily when you were able to hide behind a laptop so he rather asked the real questions in person.

“Cams and hooking up,” Jungkook nodded. He wasn’t a virgin anymore, but neither did he have much experience. He was shy, not really out and partying a lot like his roommate did and therefore there were not really any opportunities to hook up. At college he just avoided everyone and quietly studied for himself, only hanging around his close friends. It had surprised himself even more when he just simply applied for a spot on Yoongi’s cam, but he had done it. ‘Suga’ felt more like someone he already knew than anyone he could meet in a bar and take home with for a one-night stand. Jungkook didn’t want that. But he had needs, too.

Yoongi nodded, relieved that the other hadn’t told him that he’s never had sex before. Although there was of course nothing wrong with it, it would have been totally inappropriate for his cam. He didn’t feel comfortable with taking on the responsibility to ‘deflower’ someone he had just met on tape. “Then it is totally fine to be nervous. Just so you know I only do live cams with people I know a little better so you don’t have to feel pressured. You have full control and if you are uncomfortable we can stop at any time. We can edit it later, cut out things that are too private or censor it if you curse too much or say something that would reveal your identity. This is just a test, on both sides. You will get paid of course. But the decision to post this online is something we can make after the session. Which means there is nothing you need to be afraid of. Or is there anything you are particularly nervous about? We can talk it out. There are no ‘wrong’ things to say or stupid questions.”

Jungkook listened attentively, sighing in relief when he heard that it would be pre-recorded instead of a live-cam. He wasn’t sure if he could have done that, though he really enjoyed them when Suga invited some of his friends and did partner shows. “Yeah, I guess…just are we going to…figure out what we do…ehm, before?” Jungkook started playing with the reserved sign again, before he noticed his habit and placed it aside, “Do you want me to tell you what I want? Or what I prefer? Do we just…” He licked his lips nervously, blinking at Yoongi, “I only see the videos when they are done. So, you can just…lead me through it I guess.”

Jungkook was absolutely adorable and Yoongi found his nervous habit utterly endearing. He smiled softly at him. “Of course we talk beforehand. Not that we make a plan and then follow it every little step but we will set basic rules and guidelines to go by. We’ll discuss what you are willing to do and what you don’t like and for safety I also like new boys to choose a safeword or go with the street light system. Even if we don’t do anything extreme you might get overwhelmed and telling me ‘no’ might feel like too much and then it’s easier to just say your word or tell me ‘red’. I won’t get angry at you or shame you into doing anything. That’s not how I work and I expect you do show me the same respect. My limits are my limits and if I tell you no then you are supposed to stop immediately. Also I’d like you to sign some papers for the company before we start. Don’t worry it’s by no means a contract, it just states that you are fine with the cams being taken and uploaded on the company page and other legal stuff like that you are supposed to keep my identity a secret - and other boys if you meet them on your way up and that you won’t tell anyone where the cams are being taken. It’s not a normal hotel it is owned by the company so no one can recognize the rooms unless you have been in here for a cam.”

“Sure, of course I’ll sign that,” Jungkook rolled his shoulders back and leaned back. The more he was talking to Suga, the more relaxed he felt. He seemed just as kind as he was in his videos. Jungkook had noticed it a couple of times – how caring he was about each and every boy that he filmed with. That he made sure that they felt comfortable.

He loved that about him.

And it made Jungkook feel safe.

“Great! If you don’t have any more basic questions then we can do the signing stuff at the reception and take the conversation upstairs. I feel like it’s more comfortable to take about sexual preferences and hard limits in private, don’t you think?” The ‘meeting in the restaurant’ was the first step of three and Jungkook had mastered it perfectly; he seemed nice, reliable and Yoongi had a good feeling about their cam. The next step would be talking about what they would do today on cam - but there had been only very few people that left or had to leave the room during this. And the last step was the actual filming. You could talk all you want there also needed to be a certain connection for it to look good on film. Yoongi couldn’t wait to see if they would have a connection on cam as well.

Jungkook followed Yoongi to the reception quietly, taking the few papers for the contract as soon as they were pushed towards him. He read through them thoroughly, while Yoongi was talking to the receptionist, getting the key to his room. Jungkook had to concentrate, trying not to listen in on what they were saying. He loved Suga’s voice. He always had. And it was ten times better to hear him in real life. And so surreal at the same time. “Okay, done,” Jungkook said with a smile and gave the contract back to the receptionist.

“Perfect. Then let’s go.” Yoongi reached out his hand for Jungkook to take. He wanted to initiate some casual physical contact for Jungkook to get used to him and to feel a bit more relaxed. When the other shyly took it he guided him along, up the broad main stairs with the thick red carpet which led to the first floor. There the carpet was more simple and it was mainly small visitor rooms for people who stayed overnight or storage room for equipment. And above that on the second floor were the cam rooms. He could practically feel Jungkook shaking from anticipation when they stopped in front of Yoongi’s room.

Jungkook jerked a little when there was a beep sound coming from the door when the card slid through the safety, the small lights lighting up green when Yoongi opened it. It wasn’t a loud sound, but it had startled him nonetheless. The moment they stepped in, Jungkook stood in awe. He could see the main room from here, where there was the bed, the couch and everything he had seen before in videos. Yoongi pulled him in a little further and where normally he let go of the boys’ hands, he could feel how Jungkook only tightened their hold as he gazed around. They passed a rather large bathroom (in comparison to his hotel room sized one) and another room, which looked like a small office. “Do you edit your videos yourself? That’s so cool. I actually study Visual & Media Arts and I love editing. If you ever need help-,” Jungkook giggled softly and turned to Yoongi, who had dragged him, further into the main room and away from his more private sections. For a moment he completely forgot about that he was about do porn. With a stranger, a cam star. Someone he only knew from his shows - which he paid for. And it only came back to him, when he saw the cameras on the table.

“Oh, that‘s good to know. We could definitely about the editing afterwards then. If you choose to stay.” There were some who got overwhelmed by the whole experience and needed some time for themselves while others preferred to stay and ease out of it and he wasn‘t sure which type Jungkook was. He secretly hoped it was the latter because he loved staying in bed for a little longer after the cameras had been disconnected, to just bask in the warmth and intimacy and connectedness you could feel right after. And Jungkook’s hair looked like it would be really nice to brush it.

“Do you want to sit on the bed to talk? Get a little more comfortable?” It would be easier to go from talking to kissing if they were already relaxed and right where they were supposed to be. It also helped to ignore the cameras if they had been around them the whole time rather than seeing them for the first time when they would start with their „compatibility test“. Yoongi got out of his jacket and put it aside, leaving him in a thin white shirt and a pair of comfortable jeans that were soft enough to sit crossed legged on the bed with them.

Jungkook was staring at Yoongi for a second too long, quickly realizing that his eyes had been fixated on the others chest, waist and then his hands. He always had loved Suga’s hands. They were the most beautiful one’s he had ever seen and he never had wanted to let go off them, but seeing him in that thin shirt now was definitely worth it. It was perfectly outlining his body. Yoongi was a bit smaller than him, but Jungkook didn’t mind. There was something about him that had always intrigued him, maybe his hands, or his voice or a combination of both and the way he always treated his partners as well as his own body. The porn Yoongi did was different from anything else you could find. It was intimate, personal and one could see how much Yoongi cared for each individual partner. When they asked them to kiss them, or soothe them, he was always right there. Jungkook loved that, it was something he wished for himself and knew he couldn’t find in any other stranger. He was too shy for flirting, leaving him be a stuttering mess all the time and Jungkook rather stayed home, working on his videos than going out to party. He could feel the excitement pool in the pit of his stomach, mixing with the anticipation and nervousness.

Jungkook got rid of his jacket, pulling at his oversized sweatshirt nervously, that perfectly hid his own body and sat down next to Yoongi. He mimicked him, pulling in his legs. “You’re really handsome, Suga. I mean...I....knew you must be, but...without the mask you’re way prettier,” Jungkook mumbled shyly, the blush creeping up his cheeks and down his chest making him awfully hot, “I’m sorry. That just...came out of me. I mean it though. You are. I’m awful at flirting.” Jungkook hid his face behind his hands for a moment. “Probably one of the reasons why I did this. Me being bad at flirting,” Jungkook added and shrugged his shoulders, “Jimin told me about you guys. He’s done it before, but not with you. And...I actually am not subscribed to the others. Only to you. There’s just something about your videos…” The younger one bit his lip, keeping himself from babbling even more, trying not to give in to the urge to hide in shame.

Yoongi couldn't help but smile fondly. Jungkook was adorable and the longer they talked the more he liked him. He got a little closer so that he could take Jungkook's hand again as it had visibly calmed the younger before. “It's alright. I won't judge, you can talk openly. I'd rather have you being honest and open with a little awkwardness - which is quite endearing by the way - than someone giving me perfect socially expected phrases with no meaning behind them. I like you. Not despite your little nervous habits and shyness but because of them. You're cute. And it's just human to be nervous.“ His smile turned a little more daring as he started to trail his fingers up the inside of Jungkook's wrist and arm. “I'm flattered that I'm the only one you've been watching. Did you see anything that you liked in particular? Something you want me to do with you?”

Jungkook shivered, feeling the light touches of Yoongi sending sparks up his spine. “I…I mean, yeah. I guess. I don’t know. I like your hands...a lot,” Jungkook confessed and chuckled nervously, “Anything you do with them and your voice. When you whisper…” The younger blinked up at Yoongi, “It’s probably not the information you needed, ehm…,” He rubbed the back of his neck, before adding quietly, “You can be a little rougher to me. I am not sure about toys or anything alike...I don’t have much experience...but I like to be manhandled.” Jungkook blushed heavily.

“Oh.” That was a little surprising. With Jungkook's shyness and soft eyes he had thought that he would ask for something gentle - or maybe even compensate for his inexperience with dominance. So rough sex just with their roles reversed. It intrigued him, the way the younger talked about him and asked for something with that beautiful blush adorning his cheeks. “I can do that. Within reason of course. I'd like to be a little more careful with our first time. But if we both like it and you really enjoy it then I can get rougher as we go along.” He dropped his voice a little, making sure it was the kind of husky rasp Jungkook would enjoy “Let's see how you'll handle it when I'm having you on my terms.”

Jungkook was internally key smashing the moment Yoongi dropped his voice. He knew he was doing it on purpose and still it went right through his groin.

“Yes, of course. I’m not even sure what I like, yet. I’ve seen things you did that I loved. But seeing them and then actually doing them is still different, so I’d like that. We could go for just what feels right to us.” Jungkook nodded, shifting a little closer to Yoongi. “But I know I have limits. I don’t want to be choked, or anything too restraining. I don’t like getting degraded in any way.” He said, trying to sound as confident as he could, “People quickly assume that I am more the dominant part, because of my appearance, but...but I think I’m not I…never had anyone really to try it with me. But I’ve seen the way you are with your partners. I’d love to try it out. I like to be exhausted and pushed to my limits. In a safe way.” The blush on his cheeks turned even darker, “Is that okay?”

“Of course it is. Everything that we are both comfortable with is fine.” He wondered why the younger was so shy considering he had no obvious reason to be. He was extremely beautiful, fit, knew Jimin which meant he wasn’t completely secluded and was studying something he seemed to have a passion for... Yoongi would have loved to get more insight in Jungkook’s life. But he figured he could wait till after the sex when People tended to get more open. “No degradation, got it.” He was absolutely fine with that as he didn’t enjoy it himself and only did it when his partner was really, really into it.

“How about pet names then? Sweet stuff I could call you if I think you’ve been good for me.” He cocked his head a little, watching Jungkooks face closely. The way Jungkook described his idea of their encounter and himself in general made Yoongi feel like the younger was a perfectionist who wanted to be ‘good’ in every way. He was young but already so tense that he would probably enjoy it if someone made him feel like it was okay to let go and let someone else take over whatever burden he carried. No responsibility on his side, no worries or overthinking. Just pleasure. And the way he always checked to make sure he didn’t do anything ‘wrong’ gave Yoongi the idea to push it a little further. “Do you like being called baby? Or maybe even baby boy?” His voice was calm and collected, his face showing nothing but curiosity. He didn’t want Jungkook’s shyness keep him from something he wanted.

Jungkook giggled softly as an answer, “Yeah, I do actually. I like it more than anything else.” He brushed a hand through his already messy hair, “I think if you ever whisper that into my ear it would be the death of me.” He smiled genuinely, lacing their fingers together again, “Is there anything I need to be aware of? Any boundaries? I want you to feel good, too.”

“We’ll see.” At Jungkook's cute giggle he had a hard time to not try and do it right away just to see the other shiver. Jungkook’s eyes had darkened a little just from talking about what was about to come alone and it was the cutest thing ever. “Don’t worry, I’ve done a lot of things so as long as you treat me like a decent person I should be fine. I don’t like to be hit though I can handle it if you scratch my back. Don’t spit at me or do anything that would hurt me in a long term sense. I don’t think that’s what you’re into anyways so as I said; treat me properly and it’ll be fine. Also I don’t have a problem to tell you if I don’t like something during sex so if we run into something despite our precautions then I’ll just tell you and we can make sure it doesn’t happen again. Ah, yes, one thing: Please don’t run away. If you get cold feet or get embarrassed or feel like you need to get out of here please just tell me. I’ve had someone run out on me once and it’s really shitty to be left alone without a word. So please don’t do that. I won’t force you to do anything you don’t want and I can give you room and space to breathe. Just talk to me. We can figure everything out. Together.”

“You really care about the people,” Jungkook cocked his head to the side, “I like that…actually, I always liked that. You can feel and see it in your videos. I think that’s why so many people want to apply for you. I’ve seen so many on your twitter and…” Jungkook smiled, “I don’t know why but…still you chose me,” He leaned in a little closer, “I won’t run away, I promise.”

“Yeah, I do. Sex is always about trust in a way, even if you like it rough and are trying to get quick, mindless pleasure you still have to make yourself vulnerable in a way. So I want my partners to know that I’ll catch them - and in exchange I can trust them as well. Also it’s just easier and more enjoyable if you are open with each other. It minimises unpleasant surprises and the negative kind of awkwardness. So it’s best for anyone involved if you are attentive.” He smiled encouragingly at the other. “Oh I don’t know why I chose you either - until now. It was just a feeling and I have learned to trust my gut in this. And now after I met you I’m a hundred percent sure I made the right choice. We will work great together.” As a demonstration he leaned into Jungkook, hesitating for a split second for Jungkook to pull back if he wanted. But the younger stayed, no flinching, no tensing up. He trusted him. As soon as he had reassured himself of this he closed the last bit of distance between them, covering Jungkook’s lips with his. It was a gentle kiss, soft and warm and definitely too chaste for the camera. It wasn’t meant for watchers though but solely for Jungkook. The younger’s lips were deliciously plush and warm and Yoongi enjoyed kissing him. It felt natural, their mouths fitting together easily and with a gentle touch on Jungkook’s neck he pulled the other closer, deepening the kiss, just the tiniest bit.

Jungkook melted into Yoongi easily, his hands wandering up his chest when he pulled him in. The younger took it as an invitation to come even closer and place himself on his lap, while his lips weren’t separating from his once. Right now, Jungkook could forget about the whole ‘porn’ thing again. It was just him. And Yoongi. He sighed softly into the kiss, wrapping his arm a little closer around his shoulders, while mindlessly letting his hand rake through Yoongi’s hair.

Yoongi liked how responsive the younger was and how easily he had decided to let him in. It felt good to have Jungkook in his arms and so he closed them around the other, gasping in surprise when he felt how tiny the younger’s waist was. In the oversized sweater with the long sleeves he had looked bigger than he apparently was.

“Woah, you’re tiny!” When Jungkook blinked in doe eyed confusion at him he chuckled. “I mean your waist. You honestly feel like a perfect camboy because it’ll make it really easy for me to hold you close. And it will look good in the video if you have a defined body. It’s all about angles.” He kissed Jungkook again, quick and sweet because he knew he had to let go of him for a little while. “I guess you should get ready now. I’ll show you the shower and when you come out I’ll be waiting for you here on the bed.”

Jungkook only hesitantly got up from his lap, a soft blush on his cheeks when Yoongi had so bluntly talked about his waist. He reached for his hand, pulling him up from the bed and let Yoongi show him the bathroom and the towel he had prepared for him. Only minutes later Jungkook stepped under the shower, letting the hot water run over his body to relax his nerves. He was starting to get nervous now, his heart picking up it’s pace, while he cleaned himself thoroughly and dried himself up after. Jungkook had wrapped the towel around his body and blow dried his hair (it wasn’t supposed to look like he just jumped out of the shower), before checking himself in the mirror. He could hear Yoongi roaming around in the room, probably setting up everything and it was making his heart jump. He was about to do porn. Real porn.

“Oh fuck,” Jungkook cursed to himself quietly, trying to ignore the lump in his throat and took a deep breath. But before he got out of the bathroom, he let his towel fall to the ground.

He wouldn’t need that anymore.

Yoongi had been getting everything ready, rearranging the cameras, placing the remote within reach on the bed, fluffing up the pillows. Just when he placed the lube and condoms onto the bedside table did he hear the door opening and turned around. His jaw dropped. His shy new partner was completely naked. And he was absolutely stunning. It was obvious that he worked out a lot but it wasn't just that. His soft look and boyish expression together with his sharp angles made for an amazing contrast. His skin looked to die for, showing off honey undertones and a softness that Yoongi knew felt amazing under his touch. His tiny waist would be perfect for holding him in place or just hug him close and his hips... they were deliciously narrow, just how he liked it. He wanted to see Jungkook kneel, just once, to see if those muscular thighs could get any more tempting.

“Damn, you really are a sight!” The compliment came over his lips before he could stop himself so he quickly added, “I mean I like you that’s why I asked you to stay. It definitely won’t hurt that you look like my secret wet dreams personified though because you’ll get me hard in no time just by looking at you. Makes it easier you know.” He playfully winked at him.

The blush on Jungkook’s cheek reached down all the way to his chest, fumbling around with his hands nervously and averting his gaze. “Thank you,” He said quietly and walked over to Yoongi. “I can give that compliment right back to you,” His hands pulled at the hem of Yoongi’s shirt, “Although I saw it a couple of times before. I bet it’s different to touch you. Let me, please.”

“Sure. It’s all yours.” He quickly pulled the shirt over his head so Jungkook could touch him for real, taking it as an invitation to reach out for the younger in return. Jungkook had taken a warm shower so his skin was pleasantly warmed up and Yoongi kissed his shoulder because he just couldn’t hold himself back. “Okay, how do you want to do this?” They hadn’t talked about their position yet - and simply thinking about the many ways he could have that beautiful boy in front of him spiked up his heart rate. It sent a shiver down his spine and Jungkook let his hands wander over Yoongi’s soft skin and down his shoulders and back, stepping even closer. He nuzzled his face in the crook of his neck, kissing him there softly, “However you like. Just keep me close, because I like this.”

He really did.

The way Yoongi felt in his hold, his sweet, musky smell. He felt not even one bit like a stranger and it was easy to forget about the cameras Yoongi had put up, when Jungkook could stare into the dark orbs that were his eyes to feel safe again.

Yoongi bit his lip, contemplating for a bit before suggesting: „You should definitely ride me some time as you have the thighs for it and it would be an amazing view – but we should keep that for a later cam. I guess it would be easier for you if I take control in this? Don‘t worry, we‘ll do something where I can see your face.“ He was an attentive partner so he would see it immediately if Jungkook would get overwhelmed or uncomfortable in case the younger couldn‘t really voice it himself.

„I was thinking we stick to the basics first so maybe you on your back? Depending on how flexible you are we can change the angle and see how deep you like it.“ Sinking deep into that beautiful body would be heaven „Or if you‘re really up for the intimate stuff right away I could take you on your side. It would be great for neck kisses and I could hug you if you like that. I could touch you a lot.“ He would definitely enjoy that too.

“All of that sounds good,” Jungkook giggled, hiding his face a little more because this way it was easier to talk about something so intimate with him. He began kissing Yoongi’s neck again, pushing his lips softly against his skin, licking and biting him there lightly as he moved up his jawline and towards his lips. Then he leaned in again, kissing him more passionate this time, pressing his body flush against him, while his hands were exploring Yoongi’s body.

Yoongi had barely time to catch his breath before the younger downright went for it. If Jungkook knew that neck kisses had him weak from his previous performances in the website or if he had just guessed correctly he had no idea. Nonetheless it had a strong effect on him as his knees practically buckled and he landed on the bed. He tried to defend his own ego by telling him that Jungkook was heavier than him and therefore could have easily pushed him down but honestly the over enthusiastic way Jungkook latched onto him as if Yoongi was the sweetest treat to devour had him breathless. He tried really hard to keep his mind in the game and not drown in Jungkook’s sweetness. There was one question he hadn’t asked yet, then he would start the cams right after.

„Wait, Kook – baby, just a sec,“ Being that excited could mean that he was also easy to overexcited. Some of his former partners had been so quickly to rile up on their first time with him that it had helped to get them off first and start with the main part later. „How.. how‘s your refractory period? Can you come twice or do you get oversensitive quickly? Cause if you think that you‘ll come too quickly like this I could get you off before we start the cameras. Or you could show me what you like while you do it yourself, whatever you prefer.“ He wouldn‘t lie, getting his own private show from Jungkook sounded promising. Though the younger would probably die from embarrassment - and it also was a pity that he would need to keep his hands to himself then. „Do you want me to blow you?“

“I can come twice, don’t worry.” Jungkook just kept on kissing Yoongi in between the words, in no way wanting to separate from his lips. “If you keep calling me baby, I might come a third time.” He giggled softly, pushing Yoongi back onto the bed to lay down to attack his neck once more. Jungkook sucked on Yoongi’s neck lightly, kissing his way up to his lips, when his eyes fell onto the masks that were lying on the nightstand. His heart skipped a beat and the nervousness rushed back into his veins, making him shiver. “Will you put it on me, please?” Jungkook mumbled in between kisses, rather wanting to keep on devouring Yoongi than thinking about anything else, but he wanted to keep his privacy.

“Yeah, get over here.” He reached for the remote and pushed the buttons to activate the camera, almost losing the remote because he was simultaneously trying to reach the masks. He would cut out the part at the beginning with their faces during editing. He placed the mask against Jungkook’s cheekbones, sighing as it covered up half of his face. “Such a pity. You’ve got such a pretty face. At least I can still see your eyes. And kiss your lips.” He nipped at Jungkook’s bottom lip, just for a second to tease him before he tied the velveteen ribbon at the back of the younger’s head into a small bow. As he had his hands in Jungkook’s hair anyway he brushed his fingers through the isilky strand, scraping his nails gently along the boy’s scalp. Damn he was already enthralled by him.

Jungkook took the mask Yoongi usually wore from him and placed it on his face gently. “Well, it’s a pity now that I’ve seen how handsome you really are.” He whispered and tied it, before he let his hands fall down to his neck, his gaze wandering over his beautiful features. His fingers were drawing soft little patterns into Yoongi’s skin, as he shifted on his lap nervously, feeling the fabric of his pants that he still wore against his own naked skin. Jungkook leaned in, his voice turning into a whisper, “I…I am still nervous.”

Yoongi tightened the ribbon on his own head as Jungkook had tied it a little too loose, probably scared to hurt him before leaning in and whispering right into Jungkook’s ear, “And I still find it cute. You don’t have to be though. If you don’t want the video to be uploaded after you can still get paid - and I can keep it for my own private collection, filed under ‘the sweetest babyboy I fucked so good he almost cried’.”

An involuntarily whimper escaped Jungkook and he had to bite his lip to keep from making any sounds. Yoongi’s deep voice was sending a shiver down his spine and he held on a little tighter to his shoulders. So, Jungkook took another deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment. “I want that,” He whispered back, placing a kiss right at the pulse point on Yoongi’s neck, “I really do.”

“And you’ll get it. Anything you want. Cause I’ve got anything I can dream of right now too, a beautiful boy, naked on top of me, willing to let me have him, ready to be taken apart…,” He turned them over, switching positions so that Jungkook was on his back, “Although I think I like you even better like this, on your back, looking up at me with those dark, pretty eyes…”

He stole another kiss from him before linking hands and placing Jungkook’s arms above the others head. He didn’t really restrain him or hold him by his wrist, he just kept their fingers linked and marvelled at all the expanse of skin and muscles that were yet to be explored by him. “Would you mind if I got to know your body a little better?” Exploring Jungkook with his mouth would be fun because he was pretty certain that Kook was sensitive enough to twitch if he attack his weak spots with his tongue.

“It’s yours for the night,” Jungkook answered in a husky voice, his eyes following Yoongi’s every movement. They kissed again, hungrily exploring each other’s mouth, before he dipped deeper and down his neck, leaving Jungkook panting way too easily. There was something about the way Yoongi was kissing him, that absolutely drove Jungkook mad and he couldn’t get enough of it. Yoongi’s hands slowly let go off his, caressing down his wrists as he wandered down his neck towards his chest, sending shivers throughout his whole body. “Mhm, I like the sound of that..” Yoongi hummed contently, looking up at Jungkook through his lashes before giving him a seductive smirk, “And I also like your taste.” He teased Jungkook’s nipple with the tip of his tongue, wetting it slightly and when the younger’s breath visibly stuttered he knew he was on the right track. He switched sides, using his free hand to rub the one that he had already teased while he started to nibble on the other one. He wasn’t lying, he liked the silky texture of Jungkook’s skin against his tongue.

If it would be solely his call he could do this all night.

Jungkook was writhing underneath Yoongi’s touch. He couldn’t help it, he had always been awfully sensitive on his nipples and he had found his weak spot right away. Jungkook let out a soft moan, brushing through Yoongi’s hair. He could feel himself harden from Yoongi’s teasing alone, making him close his eyes and bite his lip to keep from moaning too much already. Yoongi dragged his thumb over Jungkook’s bottom lip to open up the other’s mouth. It was red and swollen from where Jungkook had bit down on it which made it look even more dirty. He dipped into the the sweet mouth that he would claim again later after he was finished with his current project (aka get Jungkook hard) keeping him effectively from hiding his moans. “Don’t do that baby. I wanna hear it when I drive you crazy.” A sharp nip on his nipple underline the statement. However he showed some mercy after, soothing over it once more before kissing down further. There was enough time and room to rile the other up further downwards.

“O-okay,” Jungkook mumbled, watching Yoongi closely as he dipped down. His nervousness mixing blissfully with the anticipation, leaving him a shivering mess. But before Yoongi could kiss down his hip bone, Jungkook propped himself up on his elbows, “C-can you still hold my hand…if you…I mean…”

“You want me too..?” Yoongi startled at the request but when he realized that Jungkook was serious he wordlessly reached out for him, intertwining their fingers like they had done before. It seemed to be Jungkook’s safety net, to have something to hold onto. And it was also a nice way for Yoongi to get feedback while his eyes would be closed: If Jungkook held onto his hand tighter it would mean that he had upped tension enough for the younger to need an outlet. He didn’t go there immediately though, taking his sweet time to nib a soft love bite into the delicate skin above the boy’s hip. Then he slid his palm up along his thigh, feeling it up before nudging it to the side.

“Open up, sweety. Let’s get to where you want to feel me most.”

Jungkook felt a lot better, more relaxed now holding onto Yoongi’s hand. He leaned back again, teeth pulling at his bottom lip as he opened up his legs for him to get in between. Yoongi was slowly kissing down his thigh, taking his sweet time, never letting go off his hand once. He was really thankful for it, that he hadn’t really questioned it but just did what felt good to him. Jungkook smiled, reaching out for Yoongi to cup his cheek. The other turned to him a little confused, but Jungkook simply leaned over and placed a kiss on his lip, a quiet thank you, and then laid back again fully relaxed, spreading his legs a little more to show off his flexibility.

The way Jungkook easily opened up for Yoongi told him that would be able to take him comfortably on his back if they chose to switch to this position later. Still he wanted to enter him on his side, sweet and intimate. But first he needed to get him hard and aching so that Jungkook’s attention would be elsewhere while he prepped him. Without warning he pressed a kiss against the younger’s cock and smirked when he could feel Jungkook’s abs clenching hard. Yoongi had been told before that he was pretty good with his tongue and he used his skills to his full advantage while he got Jungkook fully hard, teasing the vein at the underside that he knew was sensitive, licking over the tip to make Jungkook’s breath stutter just to finally get him fully into his mouth. He had no problem with going down on him quick and dirty and although Jungkook must know it from watching his cams he definitely wasn’t prepared for how it would feel to have his mouth around him. It had him choke out a moan loudly as he arched his back. “F-fuck,” Jungkook cursed, gripping the bed sheets tight while with the other he was holding onto Yoongi’s. Yoongi’s skillful mouth left Jungkook gasping and whimpering in a matter of seconds. It felt absolutely dirty and he loved it, the way Yoongi was bobbing on his cock, his eyes locking with his own and Jungkook could see the smirk on his lips when he kissed the tip again, only to take him deep moments after. “S-suga, please…”

He pulled off with a pop, knowing that this was not what Jungkook had wanted just to ask him sweetly “Yes? Tell me what you are pleading for, pretty. Do you want me to take your cock back into my mouth, is that it? Or do you need something else?” While he let Jungkook time to decide he trailed his finger along the younger’s cock who stood proud and hard by now, rubbing gently along his ball and then lower, to get a feel of how sensitive the younger would be.

Jungkook twitched nervously, his blushed chest heaving heavily as he tried to think of an answer. “I…yes, please. I want you, please. Touch me.” He was pleading quietly, moaning when he was gently massaging his balls to tease him more, making Jungkook open up his legs a little wider. “Please. I want you so bad.”

“Touch you, hm?” He prodded against Jungkook’s hole, teasing the rim until the younger’s muscles clenched again. “You mean here?” He could have drawn it out a little longer but they were both turned on and ready to go for it so he decided to take it a step further and reached for the lube, squishing out a small amount that he could easily warm up before putting his fingers back where Jungkook wanted them. “Relax for me, please.” He warned him but instead of pushing in right away he just started massaging him a little more intensely, making sure the boy was used to his fingers and the way the rubbed against his skin, the easy slide over his perineum and around his balls and over everything else that had Jungkook restlessly moving against him.

Jungkook slowly turned it into sensual movements, circulating his hips against Yoongi’s fingers, sweet little moans escaping him whenever he was close enough but still too far away from working up Jungkook for real. The younger had reached for Yoongi’s hand the moment he wrapped it around his waist, pulling him in a little more while he was brushing against his rim with the other. He just needed it to ground himself and to feel the connection even more.

“Yes, there, please.”

When he deemed Jungkook ready he took a little more form the lube to make it wet and easy and then slowly pushed past the resistance of Jungkook’s muscles. While he kept still inside of him, giving Kook time to adjust he massaged soothing circles into his skin with the other around his waist. It didn’t take long for Jungkook to start moving his hips again and Yoongi took it as an invitation to add a second finger. He managed it easily and decided to start stretching the younger out, moving his fingers slow and deep in a pace that matched the sways of Kookie’s hips. He was about to ask if he still felt good when he stroked along the younger’s sweet point and a whole body shudder through him. “Oh. I guess I found what I’ve been looking for,“ He commented dryly and repeated the motion just to watch Jungkook shudder again.

There was pure ecstasy rushing through his veins, making him feel dizzy and Jungkook gripped Yoongi’s hand tighter. It felt so good to be touched like that, to have someone adore his body like that and that feeling alone made him shiver. “Suga, please, please…I just want you.” He cried out, arching his back off the mattress, when he rubbed against his walls so sweetly, stretching him out so well, like no one had ever done it before. Jungkook pulled at Yoongi’s hand desperately, wanting him to be back over him, kiss him and make him his for the night.

“You’re so pretty like this, all open and ready for me.” Yoongi absolutely wanted to give in to Jungkook’s pleas because every gasp and sigh the younger made heated him further up and it had gotten quite uncomfortable to still wear his pants.

Nonetheless he had no idea when he would see Jungkook like this again so he wanted to make the most of it. He kept his finger’s inside him, stroking and teasing him mercilessly before sinking back down on his cock, swallowing him whole in one single motion. Jungkook’s hips bucked and he couldn’t quite keep them down so he was forced to take Kook even deeper, swallowing reflexively around him and trying to breath evenly as best as he could. He was glad that he had practise with this or else he might have choked on the younger’s cock, embarrassing himself and driving Jungkook even more crazy than he must already feel. Jungkook let out a pathetic whimper, feeling Yoongi’s hot wet mouth around his cock was just heaven. “Fuck, please, Suga,” He moaned, letting his hips fall and Yoongi off his cock, who wiped over his mouth as if Jungkook had been the most delicious snack he had tasted. Jungkook could feel how Yoongi pulled his fingers out of him, wiping them clean at the sheet as a smirk placed itself on his lips.

The younger blinked up at him, watching his every move as he got up from the bed and unbuttoned his pants. Gulping heavily, Jungkook’s eyes flickered down to his pants and how easily Yoongi let them fall and with them his boxers. Jungkook dragged his thumb across his lip, shifting nervously on the bed when he could feel the mattress dip again.

“Are you getting nervous again, babyboy?” He positioned himself behind Jungkook while he put on the condom. A low moan escaped him when he rolled it on, jerking himself off once or twice to give his neglected erection a tiny bit of attention before he would focus on Jungkook again. It was easy to turn the younger onto his side as he went willingly however Yoongi arranged him. “That’s my boy. Don’t stress yourself, you’ll feel so good with my cock inside you. I’m gonna make you feel every slide, every thrust. You are so pretty when you shiver so I’ll make sure to abuse your sweet spot as much as I can. You’ll come so hard, baby, you might take me with you over the edge. I love it when pretty little boys tighten around my cock right before they come. And you’re gonna be tight, aren’t you?” All his dirty talk showed that he was pretty excited himself but in contrast to Jungkook nothing of it was visible on his face. He hiked up Jungkook’s leg a little more so that he could nudge his cock against Kook’s entrance, sliding past it once just to tease him and get him a little more desperate before he couldn’t take the tension any longer himself. WIth a satisfied sigh he pushed in, slow and deep. The arm around Kook’s waist kept the younger in place, flush against Yoongi’s body so that he could feel every twitch and shudder as if it was his own.

In this position Jungkook was looking right at one of the cameras, but the sudden anxiousness was just as quickly gone as it came, when Yoongi pushed into him. It left him completely speechless. “Ah, Suga,“ Jungkook moaned out blissfully, his thighs shaking as he was getting used to the sudden fullness. He turned his head, to avoid the camera but also to kiss Yoongi again. He pulled him in by the back of his neck, feeling his hot breath fan over his lips as he began to move his hips, pushing even deeper into Jungkook, “Yes, so tight fo-for you.“ Yoongi kissed the words right from Jungkook’s lips with open mouthed kisses. He could feel Jungkook’s abs clench everytime did something as simple as shift and so he gently caressed over his front in a soothing gesture.

“Relax, pretty. I’ve got you. Just.. just let go. I’ll take care of your needs.” He kept his pace sensually slow while concentrating on relaxing Jungkook instead. When he placed his hand over Kook’s chest he could feel how hard and quick the other’s heart was beating against his palm, almost as if he was scared but his stuttered breaths and little gasps spoke a different language. Gently he caressed the free side of Kook’s neck, nipping at his jaw and kissing bruises into the soft skin below his ear until he could feel the tension seep out of ihm. “It feels so right to hold you in my arms. Like you belong there.” His whisper held a little too much truth for his liking and yet he couldn't help but confess. The younger whimpered quietly as an answer, pushing his ass back to meet Yoongi’s eagerly. The words soothing and urging him on at the same time. He was putty in his hands, absolutely pliant from the first touch - this is how good he was, Jungkook thought to himself, smiling against the open mouthed kisses. “M-more please,” Jungkook blinked his eyes open, gazing at Yoongi through the masks while he was pleading in pout, “I really want more.”

The little pout on Jungkook's lips had him looking so cute that Yoongi might have cooed over him if he wasn't just buried inside his sweet ass to the hilt. “More? Already? You're a greedy little thing aren't you?” He gripped Jungkook's cock tightly and jerked him once, just to have him gasping for him (because that pout might be his downfall) before he gave into the youngers request. With a steady hand on his hips he pulled Kook back against him as he started to push into him harder.

Jungkook cried out in pleasure, leaning his head back against Yoongi’s shoulders, giving him even more access to kiss and bite his beautiful skin there. He fitted perfectly into his hold, moving against his thrusts in eagerness, while he tried to hold onto Yoongi desperately, the harder he was pushing back into him. Jungkook closed his eyes, letting go of everything else and completely let Yoongi take over. He hooked up his leg a little, spreading his thighs so he could reach even deeper. Jungkook wanted Yoongi to feel good, to remember this and not just because of the videotape. He wanted Yoongi to think about how he felt, how tight and how eager he was to please him. His hands wandered over to Yoongi’s back, squeezing his bottom there lightly and urging him on to take him even harder.

“You’re perfect, baby boy.”

It felt right to praise him already because Jungkook was a real pleasure to shoot with. Despite this being his first time being filmed he didn't try to hide or be a certain way for the camera, he just trusted him to do this right and showed all of his charms naturally. Yoongi could feel the desire run down his spine like molten heat the harder he pushed into the youngers sweet body, being rewarded with a little gasp or desperate whine whenever he moved just right. He was glad that Kook was flexible enough to turn a little so that they could still kiss and Yoongi made use of this, plundering the youngers mouth while fucking him good and hard.

Jungkook smiled, a blush appearing on his cheeks. “O-only for you,” He mumbled into a kiss, reaching behind him so he could brush a hand through Yoongi’s hair. “Take me however you like, please. It feels so good.” Jungkook started circulating his hips a little, moving sensually against Yoongi. He let his hand fall down again, searching for Yoongi’s who was holding onto his waist, “I can take more, please, Suga, please.”

“You really want me to have you how I want?” His voice was daring, raspy but it was also a honest question for consent, “Because then I’m gonna keep you in place and fuck you hard while jerking you off. You would come in minutes and I’d have you ride out your orgasm on my cock before I pull out.” He nipped at Jungkook’s skin again, the spot at his neck where Jungkook would have beautifully blooming bruises later. He just couldn’t get enough of the boys silky skin. “And then I’d push you on your back where you can just lay back, all blissed out and I’d have you hard again until I come deep inside of you. You want me to take you like this?”

His answer was a whimper, a sweet sound that made Yoongi shiver. “Please, yes,” Jungkook added and sealed it with a deep kiss, not being able to get enough of him. Yoongi tasted like the sweetest treat to him, like honey and his voice was so rough from fucking him that it was turning Jungkook on even more. He wanted this. More than he’d like to admit and he didn’t even care about the millions of people that would be watching it later on. He would be one of them. He wanted to savor it forever.

“Take me apart, Suga.” Jungkook blinked up at him, feeling Yoongi’s rhythm falter for a second, slowing down before he would give it to him right, “I still want to feel you tomorrow.”

“Oh you will, Babyboy. I’ll make sure of that.” WIth Jungkook’s okay he didn’t try to hold back his strength any longer, using what his body had left to give it to him hard. Jungkook’s body was shaking with every thrust and just when he could feel that he had found the right angle to make Jungkook’s knees weak he held him there mercilessly. There was no way to get rid of the tension or ease off the intensity of the pleasure as he hit Jungkook’s sweet spot dead on. He could feel it in the tremble of Jungkook’s thighs and the hitch of the younger’s breath that he was utterly lost in this. If Yoongi hadn’t held him in place so tightly Jungkook would have collapsed from the onslaught of pleasure.

Jungkook was grabbing the sheets tightly, trying to hold onto anything that gave him some kind of leverage. He reached out for Yoongi, pushing himself closer to the other, while he was abusing his spot over and over again, making Jungkook go crazy with the pleasure that was rippling through his body. He cried out his name, breathy little whimpers escaping him as he jerked forward with every deep thrust. It was exactly what he needed to let go.

Leaning his head back, Jungkook helplessly searched for Yoongi’s lips. Their kisses were messy and dirty, both too lost in their pleasure to care for technique or etiquette, they just needed to satisfy their need for reassurance, for connection, to feel the others breath against their lips and their heartbeats against each other. When he felt Jungkook getting close he reached for the lube again to slick up his fingers before he took a good hold of the youngers cock. The wet slide made it easy to jerk him off but Yoongi still started a torturously slow, loose rhythm to rile Jungkook up as much as he could before he would let him snap.

Jungkook was a whimpering mess, his whole body was jerking and tightening around Yoongi’s cock deliciously while he was crying out in pleasure-pain. “Suga,” He moaned, holding onto Yoongi’s waist to hold himself up or else he would have been already pushed over the edge of the bed with how hard he was going. He could feel every pull, every hit on his sweet spot. It was the sweetest torture. Each time Yoongi’s hips snapped forward, he jerked his cock at the same time and Jungkook swore he could see stars in front of his eyes. His thighs began to quiver, his fingers digging deep into Yoongi’s waist.

Jungkook’s moans were music to Yoongi‘s ears, his whimpers so sweet and desperate that they were his own turn on. If he kept this up for too long he might just follow Jungkook into oblivion and come right now. He didn’t want it to be over so soon though, he wanted to have the younger on his back, to make him come again later when he was all pliant and fucked out with his eyes hazy and his smile sated. His grip around the youngers cock tightened and he stopped playing games, making the younger sob in half relief, half pleasure. Jungkook was easy to play with his body responsive and sensitized by his caresses.

He might love this a little too much.

Jungkook cried out, closing his eyes as the pleasure was rushing through his veins like ecstasy and his whole body began to shake. Yoongi kept fucking into him mercilessly, while he was falling apart right on his cock, feeling every thrust so deeply inside of him as he tightened around him. He choked on a moan, whimpering quietly while losing complete control over his body.

The younger fell apart beautifully and Yoongi could feel him clenching tight around him in a way that was absolutely maddeningly perfect. He fucked Kook through his high, let him ride out his pleasure on his hard cock and only when Jungkook stopped shaking did he slow down, gently easing out of him when the younger had caught his breath. The urge to push back into that perfect, velveteen heat was overwhelming but luckily he was pretty good at controlling himself so instead he soothed over Jungkook's side and brushed through his hair.

“Are you good? Do you need a minute to calm down a little? We could just make out a little until you feel like you’re up for the next round. Or do you want me to keep going right away?”

“Mh,” Jungkook hummed in response, feeling absolutely pliant, reaching for Yoongi to pull him a little closer. There was cum sticking onto his stomach but Jungkook didn’t mind. He smiled faintly, closing his eyes as he tried to calm down, feeling Yoongi’s hands soothe over his body.

“Hm’yeah,” The younger mumbled, “Kissing…fucking…just both.” He turned a little, nuzzling his face cutely into Yoongi’s neck and placed a kiss there. “Don’t leave,” Jungkook was still shaking, soft little aftershocks from his orgasms, “I need you still.”

“Don’t worry, pretty one, I won’t leave you out of my sight.” Jungkook had pretty much given him his answer with the way he was curling into him, searching for warmth and closeness, basking in the intimacy that this position provided. He was glad that he always placed everything he needed within reach before he started a session because it meant that he didn’t even had to let go of Kook to get what he needed. He stretched a little, fishing blindly to get hold of a wet tissue and grinning triumphantly when he got one without Kook even stirring or opening his eyes. “Fair warning, it might get a little cold while I clean you up now but I promise you’ll get all warm and fuzzy again soon.”

Jungkook pouted when he could feel the cold tissue on his stomach, writhing his body away from Yoongi, “I’d rather feel dirty.” He giggled, his hands wandering down his neck and chest. “You feel so good inside of me, you really want me to wait even longer now? Or don’t you like your baby being dirty?” He cocked his head to the side, biting his lips.

“Are you getting sassy with me, sweetheart?” The tissue landed somewhere on the floor and Jungkook on his back as Yoongi rolled them over. “You think that’s a good idea while you’re all sensitive and fucked out? I’m still hard, baby. I can fuck you into oblivion again and again until you’re sobbing. Or do you think you got more stamina just because you sport all those pretty muscles?” He tweaked Kook’s nipple and revelled in the way the younger’s back arched off the bed.

“Maybe, ah, that’s what I want,” Jungkook moaned, a shiver ran down his body whenever Yoongi teased his nipples even more. He propped himself up on his elbows, so Jungkook could reach Yoongi’s shoulders, leaving a wet trail of kisses up his neck. “Please, Suga, I’ll be good.” He opened up his legs a little more, letting Yoongi in, in between them, before caressing a hand down his body taking a swipe of the cum that was left on his stomach and sucked on his finger deliciously. He wasn’t sure where the sudden confidence came from and maybe it was only to rile Yoongi up further. “I want to have a lick of your taste.”

“Oh fuck,” He definitely hadn’t expected the younger to get so daring and dirty with him during sex but it was a nice surprise. However, it chipped away at his control immensely and so instead of teasing Kook like he had initially planned until the younger was begging to be filled up again he just held Kook’s thighs open and sank back into the delicious heat that swallowed him whole. He moaned, low and strung out because he was aching and moving against Jungkook’s hips brought enough relief to make it bearable. Still it wouldn’t be enough if he kept going like that. Jungkook had gasped loudly when Yoongi had pushed into him without a warning. He could feel the oversensitivity mixing with the feeling of being filled and it made him shiver.

Yoongi fished for a cushion, urging Kook on to cock his hips up so that he could push the cushion under his back, changing the angle a bit. It would be easy to get deep now and with him on top he had enough leverage to snap his hips into the younger as hard as he needed. He would have Jungkook hard and whimpering for him in no time. When Yoongi’s hips snapped forward, he screamed out, reaching out for his shoulders to hold onto something. Yoongi smirked, drawing back awfully slow, making Jungkook whimper in the process. Nonetheless Jungkook kept his eyes on Yoongi, each thrust tearing another quiet sound from him.

It wasn’t as soft and intimate as before but it nonetheless had its perk to fuck Jungkook on his back. The younger was bendy and could easily open his thighs for him so both of them were comfortably while Yongi could roll his hips into the younger hard and reckless. He could feel himself sinking deeper and he groaned, trying to find a rhythm that wouldn’t have him coming too fast.

“You feel fucking amazing!” A soothing kiss took the edge off his curse as he kept on rocking into him over and over again, “So tight and perfect...I want to come inside of you, baby. Make you feel how much I love fucking you like this.”

Jungkook blushed, loving it how much Yoongi seemed to enjoy it as well. He held onto his waist, every thrust making him push deeper into the mattress and the cushion. It didn’t take long for Jungkook to get hard again, the pleasure pooling in his groin making him want even more. Eagerly, the younger pulled Yoongi down by his waist, roughly meeting his own. He was sure it would leave bruises tomorrow, but he didn’t mind.

He, now, just wanted to be fucked into oblivion.

“Ah, Suga,” Jungkook turned his head, whimpering and he could feel the bow of the mask he wore slightly loosen under the pressure and constant push and pull of his body. Jungkook took him well and willingly and considering that he had told him that he didn’t have that much experience Yoongi took it as a sign that there had good chemistry. He pretty much doubted that Jungkook would do this for about anyone. In a semblance of adoration and fondness he brushed Jungkook’s hair back, feeling how soft it was still despite Jungkook being all sweaty. “My pretty little baby.” The whisper was barely there, not meant for the cameras but Jungkook.

“You might just turn out to be my favourite boy.”

The younger melted into his touch, kissing the palm of Yoongi’s hand the moment it caressed down and over his cheeks. He was so blissfully gone in the pleasure that he didn’t really hear what Yoongi was saying, the oversensitivity making him unaware of anything else but the pleasure he felt with each hard thrust inside of him. Jungkook wrapped his hand around Yoongi’s wrist, not giving him a chance to pull it back but instead kissed him there endlessly, taking his thumb into his mouth to suck on it deliciously giving Yoongi the most beautiful scene to watch as he blinked up at him. He closed his eyes, arching his back in pleasure as he moaned loudly, “I…can’t…it feels so good.” Jungkook almost sobbed when a particularly rough push into him made him snap his eyes open, “Fuck. Don’t stop, please.”

It was utterly cute how overwhelmed the younger had gotten and Yoongi smiled fondly at him, kissing his face wherever he could reach while Kook writhed in pleasure under him. He was close already, he could feel it in the pulsing of his cock and the tightening of his balls so he slowed down a little, dragging it out because he didn’t have enough of Kook yet. His perfect body, his breathy little gasps that he loved already, his little whimpers whenever he pushed in deep. And right now he pushed in hard and deep and merciless with every thrust, teasing sweet sounds out of Kook with every snap of his hips.

“N-no, no please,” He pursed his lips into a pout, letting go off Yoongi’s hand to reach for his waist instead, wanting to pull him closer and make him go faster. “Ah, please,” Jungkook sobbed, shaking his head cutely as he gazed back up at Yoongi, who was only smirking, enjoying the view, “But-but I’ve been good. I want you, pl-please.” He began to move his hips restlessly, circulating slowly and sensually against Yoongi, making the cushion under his bottom shift with the movements – but Jungkook didn’t care. He pulled Yoongi in by his neck, kissing him deeply, whimpering and whispering pleads in between each one of them.

“So demanding, pretty.” Yoongi tried to tease him but his voice sounded a little too breathless for that. The way Jungkook moved his hips against him did things to him that got his knees weak and his thighs shaking. “I... I’m gonna come soon... but dont worry, I’ll get you off too… promise.” He leaned into Kook’s tight hug, trapping the younger’s cock between their bodies to stimulate him too but he’d probably finish before him. So maybe he would get to blow Kook fully tonight after all. There weren’t any words left in his mind as the tension pulled tighter and he let his control slip, taking Kook the way he needed to to finish off: quick and rough and as deep as he could.

Jungkook was holding onto Yoongi while wrapping his arms around him to keep him as close as possible. He closed his eyes, letting the pleasure take over and Yoongi be the one he could lean on. The way Yoongi was growling and shaking above him, told him that he was close and Jungkook spread his legs a little more, feeling how sore and tired his limbs already felt – but he loved it. The exhaustion was settling in his body, but the pleasure was making him feel so much ecstasy that he didn’t mind. Jungkook squeezed Yoongi’s bottom, feeling the firm flesh against the palm of his hands, while he placed open mouthed kisses on his shoulder and everywhere he could reach. The rhythm was faltering and Jungkook could feel himself tighten around Yoongi’s cock, heightening the pleasure for both of them.

Yoongi got close, so close when Jungkook started touching him and when the younger tightened around him like he had before when he had come on his cock it was over. Yoongi’s muscles locked up as he moaned in purest pleasure, emptying himself in the condom (that he wished wasn’t there right now. He always used them but with Kook he would have actually prefered that he hadn’t right now). He collapsed on top of Kook afterwards, making sure he caught enough of his weight to not hurt him, considering Kook was still hard and his thighs spread but he needed a moment to come down from his high. He felt amazing, a mellow sort of bliss in his mind that made it a little hazy, his body a little harder to control. The urge to pull Kook in and just hold him all night was sudden an unexpected and he tried to get rid of his feelings by kissing the younger deeply and telling him softly how good he had been and how amazing it felt to have him.

Jungkook hummed against his kisses, dwelling in the attention Yoongi was giving him. He brushed through his hair, blushing from the sweet compliments he was giving him. He smiled in bliss, not even caring if he had gotten off the second time or not, but he was sure Yoongi wouldn’t let him go so easily. He wanted to exhaust him, Jungkook had especially asked for that. So, he didn’t move, when Yoongi propped himself up again and kissed him sweetly, moving down his neck. He made a show of going down on Kook. He trailed all the way down with kisses, giving Kook’s perky nipples extra attention just to hear him whimper again and then stopped to admire the bruises on the inside of Kooks thigh that he had given him before. “Wouldn’t it be a shame to leave you one sided?” The younger whined helplessly as he attacked the delicate skin on his other thigh but with the way he was twitching and how hard he was Yoongi kept it short and let go of it quickly. He dragged his thumb over the reddened tip right in front of his face, teasing the precum over the swollen head before finally closing his lips around it and swallowing him down.

Jungkook bucked his hips upwards involuntarily making Yoongi choke a little, but it didn’t keep him from blowing him for real. There was no chance for Jungkook to pull off, or his hips away from Yoongi. He was holding him down, swallowing around him so deliciously that he could feel his thighs starting to shake in a matter of seconds. “F-fuck, Suga, plea-,” Jungkook choked on the moan, crying out as he arched his back off the mattress. His whole body was shivering, thighs trembling as he came right into Yoongi’s mouth. He had his eyes closed, putting his arm over them, feeling the tears sting in his eyes. The pleasure was completely overwhelming him, every touch of Yoongi was like fuel to the fire only heightening the feeling. Jungkook came quick and hard and Yoongi swallowed it all down, licking Kook clean while the younger was close to sobbing from the overstimulation.

The way Jungkook just kept still after, sunken into the pillows and arm still over his eyes told Yoongi that it might have been a little much for him. As there was nothing to clean up this time he could lay down besides him right away, soothing him with light, careful touches and small kisses on his cheek. He didn’t take his arm away for him as he didn’t want the younger to feel pressured but he addressed it nonetheless. “Are you okay there, baby?” His voice was still husky from before but he put enough softness in it to hopefully soothe him. “Do you want me to stop the cameras? Then we can take the masks off and just relax for a bit. You’re a little sleepy right now, aren’t you?”

Jungkook didn’t open his eyes but he let his arm fall, turning over to where Yoongi was to snuggle closer to him. “I’m okay,” He mumbled, “Yes, take it off, please.” Jungkook could feel Yoongi hesitate for a moment, but he decided to just edit out the end and gently pull the mask of now. First his own, then Jungkooks. The younger pliantly leaned into his touch, shivering from the sudden cold. “Is…is it okay if we stay like this for a while, Suga?” He was starting to talk in pout again from how tired he was, his hand searching for Yoongi's to hold on to, caressing down his arm while he kept his eyes closed.

Jungkook was so cute like this, leaning into him as if his closeness was all he wanted and Yoongi’s heart made a little leap that always lead to dangerous thing.

“Yoongi.” He answered, a secret whisper, only for Kook to know, “My name is Yoongi. And you can stay here as long as you need.” He kissed the boys pout as he laid there exhaustedly, apparently too tired to even open his eyes. Yoongi didn’t mind it, quite the opposite. It was his room so no one would throw them out and it would be really nice to fall asleep with someone in his arms - especially when this someone was a pretty little boy he’s just had sex with.

“Yoongi,” He whispered tiredly, cuddling even closer to his warmth. A soft giggle escaped him and he blinked up at him, “I really did that. With you. I hope they will like it.” Jungkook yawned, helplessly reaching for the blanket before giving up. “Your viewers. I hope they enjoy it…as much as I did,” His voice was quiet and one could hear how Jungkook was slowly drifting off, “I like you.” He leaned his head on Yoongi’s chest and closed his eyes again.

“I like you too, baby boy.” He chuckled low as the younger nosed along his jaw in a sleepy attempt to shift even closer before his body stilled and his breath deepened. Stretching a little he reached for the remote to turn off the cameras and pushed the button. A little click and a sirring sound told him that the cameras had just turned on. Confused he pushed the button again, effectively shutting the cameras off. He groaned as it dawned on him.

Jungkook had attacked him so passionately that he had barely watched what buttons he had pressed in the beginning - and apparently he hadn’t turned on the cameras at all, which meant they had just fucked each other for fun. He shook his head, glad that Kook was asleep and couldn’t see his embarrassment right now. Luckily he could take it lightly; he could still pay Kook and honestly it had been worth it. And if Kook still wanted to have an upload, well… then they would just have to fuck each other again soon.

A/N: Here we go! This is the first story to our little Series (3 Parts). Cat and I just wanted to try and write PWP and so this happened. You ready for your stay in the ‘Nuit Inoubliable’? Don’t forget to tell us how you liked it!!

Subscribed: @jeonsdear @starlightstae @p-ixelite @lissachan504 @wise-bts-collector @nochuukookie @h-e-l-p-m-e-p-l-e-a-s-e00 @hisheartsmile @absque-nocte @violetrose120 @fusselkuchen @gelsavitichi @minsugasnerd @yoonqiful @thenameoftherain @jjkscnery @tobi-love @banaani-mins @writeasifwordsarepaintbrushes @lissachan504 @it-is-dana @nomimits7 @laur-zipan @mytokyos @ksjinandtonic @eenabannana-blog @vannilacake @aden2610 @dirkstrider98 @bngtnsnyndn-ily @whatarelarryfeels @7sirens @triviajeongin @persephonelovesbts @babyboyyjjk

↳ If you want to be tagged in new updates you can now sign up in my subscription list here

420 notes · View notes

the-zebra-dragon · 4 years

Text

I had a dream that I was back in college, and at first it was totally normal, but as the dream went on it got creepier...

In the dream my dad had gotten a job with this oil company that was mining in the fields between my house and town, and of course, I was going to college for graphic design. Within a month, the ceo of the company had taken over old buildings in town and built a bunch of new ones on the college campus. Me and my dad started carpooling out there, because that was the sensible thing to do.

One day, on our way to the college/oil exec’s campus, Dad starts talking about how he has to walk on eggshells at his new job, because people who displeased the boss had been disciplined by being sent to a room and forced to listen to the boss read an audiobook all day. This conversation extended all the way into the actual building, where the CEO immediately overheard this conversation and sent him for that specific punishment. Before my dad could enter the room, the CEO made a weirdly flirty remark at me, to which I screamed ‘FUCK OFF’ at him loud enough to echo in the building.

As time went on, the CEO began dropping in on lessons and dictating how they were to be held. At one point I was sent to the audiobook room a few times, where I found out it was the same four sentences on repeat for eight hours. In that time I would fall into a sort of trance, and when it was over I was holding a mason jar with a succulent in it. After a few rounds of this, when I was done, I would have the urge to destroy the succulent. I don’t know what that was all about, but I at least determined it wasn’t good.

I started skipping classes, and rules were getting stricter and weirder- after trying to leave early, I was caught and specifically put into a class with CEO, his wife (my teacher), and their son. The rules were that there was no talking allowed, and so over an (irritating) mouthed conversation, he tried to make me seem irrational and dangerous and all that jazz, to which I was as polite and nonspecific as possible. At one point, though, I ticked him off so badly that he started to recite the four sentences from the trance punishment at me. It made me uncomfortable, but I for some reason started reciting the secret message from the Mysterious Benedict Society back, throwing him off and disgusting him with the ‘poison apples, poison worms’ line. With that, I made my escape.

I realized once I was home that whatever weirdness CEO was up to, my parents were legitimately behind it. So I snuck out early in the morning and stole my dad’s car, because apparently he got a new car in my dream, sure. I then realized that I had absolutely nothing other than the car and my phone, and the scenario reset so I could run away properly. This time I nearly got caught because I put a sleeping bag in my car, and my parents hadn’t approved and activities related to camping. At this point, I knew they wouldn’t approve of anything that might interfere with my evil classes, so I bolted and drove away.

Then I woke up, and Nyx jumped up on my bed to use me as her personal cat bed, and licked my nose a few times. Thanks, Nyx.

#weird dreams #The Mysterious Benedict Society has saved my skin once again #the missing aren’t missing they’re only departed #also at points things went into a sort of Among Us style? like when I was sneaking around I was venting and watching for cameras #and stuff like that #I’m pretty sure there were also dead among us characters in one room but I didn’t report bc then the CEO would know what I was up to #sorry guys yellow sus I guess

4 notes · View notes

mltrefry-ficwriter · 3 years

Text

Merry Christmas! (But I think I’ll skip this one this year)

For @jukeboxomens Song event.

Rating: T

Word count: 14223

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28081347/chapters/68800308

Summery: Human AU. Aziraphale Fell and Anthony Crowley met on a flight from New York to London and were instantly smitten with one another. But busy schedules, as well as plain stupidity, lead them to some hit and miss encounters that always feel a bit too long in between. As the calendar moves along, both begin to wonder if maybe it all means it just won't work out. At least, that's what they think until the hit December. A sort of songfic based on "Christmas Wrapping"

January

Aziraphale Fell sat in his business class seat heading back from New York to London and sighed. His publishers in America were always a little more daunting to deal with than the ones back in the UK, but he couldn’t deny that being in person to discuss the movie rights to his book series was the smart move. After all, he may have lost nearly all his creative control if he hadn’t. Goodness knows what sort of butchering would have happened to his story if he hadn’t been there to amend that yes, he did want to be part of the scriptwriting process, thank you.

But it was done, and a bonus was being able to do a few book signings while he was in town and getting to meet his fans. He was terrible at social media, typically allowing his assistant Anathema to help him with it. Rarely did he ever post something directly. Gabriel had insisted it was absolutely necessary to have a “presence”, otherwise, he’d not bother. So these encounters had meant something to the people who read his books, and more so he got to hear from them directly.

The encounters from just earlier in the day were still warming his soul as he peeked out the window at the tarmac, watching as the people on the ground below went about their pre-flight work while they continued the boarding process.

There was a shuffling to his right, and he half expected to look up and see a flight attendant, but instead, he saw a tall, thin man with red hair and sunglasses putting his bag in the overhead compartment.

Without meaning to, Aziraphale traced the man’s figure with his eyes. Lean, so painfully lean, legs for days. Not hard to look at in the least. Then he forced himself to look away and back out the window at something safe.

“Sorry, mate,” the man said as he dropped into the seat next to Aziraphale’s. “‘Magine you were hoping to get by without a seatmate.”

“It’s no trouble at all, I assure you. Plenty of room.” Aziraphale smiled as he turned back to the man and good lord he was not prepared for the cheekbones. Or the golden-brown eyes. Or the devastating half-smile.

“Still, no one really shells out this sorta money to spend eight-odd hours next to a stranger.”

“Well, if I had been that adamant on not having a seat partner, I would have ensured I had booked one of those,” He said, indicating the middle row where single seats were located. “But it’s never particularly bothered me.”

“For the best then.” The man replied, giving a more toothy grin this time before offering his hand. “Anthony Crowley, last-minute flight booker.”

“Aziraphale Fell,” he said as he took Anthony’s hand and shook it. “You’re heading… home?” He wagered, taking Anthony’s accent into consideration.

“Yeah, can’t bloody wait, either. I love New York, but I hate America you know what I mean?” He asked with a wrinkle of his brow.

“I believe I do,” Aziraphale replied as the flight attendant went about closing the overhead bins. “New York, while it does have its flaws, almost feels like it’s an entirely different world. Especially when one goes into Central Park.”

“Bloody baffling, right? You almost can’t hear the city depending on where you are. Get in the right spots, no tourists, just the trees and the grass and the pigeons and you’d never even know.”

Aziraphale hummed in agreement, nodding, noting Anthony buckling his seatbelt without being prompted.

He didn’t really sit back in the chair. Aziraphale wasn’t sure if what Anthony was doing could be called sitting, but he was at least in the chair, buckled, legs out of the aisle.

“So were you in the city long?” Anthony asked.

“Oh, no, just a few days on business.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, I’m an author. I was meeting with some of the folks here to discuss plans for future projects. What about you?”

“Oh, I’m a musician. Part of a band, not in the spotlight directly, yeah? I was here to help write a song with someone else.”

“You came all the way to New York to write a song?” Aziraphale asked as the flight attendant came back through, peeking in to make sure everyone was buckled.

“Well,” Anthony stretched out the word. “I was in LA originally, finishing up some stuff with my band when I got the call. Buddy I was working with is a friend so I thought I would pop over. Rest of them are already back in London far as I know.”

“Oh, well, staying behind, helping a friend instead of going home, that was very kind of you.”

“Shut up,” Anthony groaned, blushing all the same.

Aziraphale was completely and utterly charmed. It had been a long time since he looked at a man and found him magnetic, someone terribly difficult to look away from. Anthony Crowley utterly gorgeous, and on top of it he seemed a rather nice person. Aziraphale couldn’t be absolutely sure, but there seemed to signs that Anthony was of the same persuasion as Aziraphale. Certainly not at all in the same league, but it meant that he didn’t have to worry about a sudden cold shoulder when his quirks and mannerisms gave him away.

The pilot came over the speaker, announcing their pending departure, and Anthony partly straightened in his seat. He stuck his hand in his pocket, withdrawing from it a pack of gum. He took out a couple of sticks, then turned to Aziraphale.

“Want one? For the…?” He scrunched his face, gesturing to his ears with his free hand.

“Oh, no thank you,” Aziraphale decline with a smile.

Anthony swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “Right,” He said as if partly in a daze then turning abruptly away. Shyly, he said, “I, um, I never got used to it, ya know? The whole ear popping thing. Been doing this for something like fifteen years and I still can’t find a way to get’em to pop besides this.”

“I’ve always just made a swallowing motion,” Aziraphale said as Anthony began to unwrap one of the sticks of gum.

He fumbled it on his lap while making a sound in his throat that sounded vaguely like they were made of consonants of the English language but no real words.

Aziraphale pursed his lips to stop himself from laughing, though he was sure he didn’t do well to hide his amusement altogether.

“So,” Anthony began, his voice pitching a little high before he cleared his throat, “Author. What sorta books do you write?” Anthony asked, adjusting his position so he was turned slightly more toward Aziraphale and very much gave off the air of “cool”. He popped the unwrapped stick of gum in his mouth and began to chew as the plane began to taxi.

Aziraphale felt suddenly flushed. “Oh, well. Umm, you see… I write, umm, fantasy novels. Nothing, nothing too… I’m no Tolkien, that’s for sure. But there’s, you know… magic. Fantastical creatures. Sword fights.”

“Anything I might’ve heard of? Not a big reader, mind, so if I haven’t don’t take that as a marker of any sort of renowned.”

Aziraphale swallowed. “Well, it’s the, umm… well the main character’s Landon, and his friend is umm… Artemis, and-“

“Oh my god, you’re A.Z. Fell.” Anthony interrupted him, eyes wide and jaw dropped. “Listen, mate, I don’t read. When I say I’m not a reader, I’m serious. Books, unless it’s something in my field - a biography or something - I don’t tend to pick it up. If I want a fantasy world I put on a film. But I have listened to the audiobooks of your stuff, and it’s bloody brilliant. That gets made into a movie I’ll be first in line to see it. Hell, I’ll probably try to convince the band to try and get on the soundtrack.”

“Ah,” Aziraphale grinned. “Funny you should say that.”

~C~

Three hours into the flight from New York to London and Crowley knew he was in love.

He’d had moments similar to these in the past, meeting a random stranger and finding himself utterly enamored with them while making small talk in an airport, at a bar, wherever they may be. A pretty face with a bit of intrigue behind it, and he could probably churn out a song when he thought back to it.

It never stuck, of course. Half the time he might get their number, only to either be ghosted or find the luster had worn off and he’d move on. He avoided saying he was the guitarist of The Demons, knowing full well it would mean they would look at him differently. These little flights of fancy never led to the reveal of his minor fame. And since he wasn’t usually the main focus of albums, photographs, and all that he could get away with it.

But this was so very different. Because Aziraphale was so very different.

By this point on a flight, Crowley usually had his earbuds in, either watching some movie he’d seen a dozen times or listening to something and drift off. But he couldn’t bear the idea of not talking to Aziraphale.

He was just so bloody interesting.

The man had inherited a bookshop that had been in his family for generations, dating back to the 1800s. And while he did carry plenty of new, modern titles and sold those with ease and relish there was a case in the back of repaired tomes and first editions that Aziraphale wouldn’t part with if he could help it. Half of them had apparently been repaired by his grandfather or father, and he had far too much sentimental attachment to them to let them go. And while he would never host a book signing at his own shop, his was the only place in all of London that had signed editions of all his work.

Where Crowley wasn’t a big reader, Aziraphale wasn’t a fan of most modern music though he heard it often enough pumped through the speakers of the shop. He had heard of his band and was fairly sure that he had heard the music but couldn’t say for certain. Same with film and most television, Aziraphale had heard of it, was exposed to it now and then, but tended to stick to the classics he was fond of and familiar with.

“Except for The Lord of the Rings ,” he’d confessed to Crowley as the two ate from their fruit, cheese, and cracker tray, glasses of wine at their sides. “I must confess I was eager to see each and every film when they were released and did so in the theater no less.”

“And did you munch popcorn?” Crowley asked before popping a grape in his mouth.

“No,” Aziraphale scoffed. “I’m not afraid to admit I’m a bit of a snob when it comes to food.”

Crowley looked from him to the tray with an arched brow, and the bastard rolled his eyes.

“I’m not saying this is any sort of haute cuisine, but it’s also some of the only food I’ll have for another five hours. Though I must admit I would hate to see what they’re serving back in economy.”

“Yeah,” Crowley agreed, taking a sip of his wine. “Suppose this isn’t so bad. So what will you do when you get back?”

“Probably begin another book,” Aziraphale admitted. “At least until they get me a script to look over, work with. I imagine my agent will likely try and sell more of them now. But either way, I foresee many hours of work on my laptop. To which my assistant will try and convince me needs an update. What about you?”

“Oh, easily we’ll be recording and promoting,” Crowley replied. “We won’t tour until next year, I’m sure. Just a few smaller gigs throughout the year, slowly starting to unveil songs and such. Be busy, but I’ll get to sleep in my own bed at the end of it.”

Yell at his plants, but he wasn’t about to tell Aziraphale that.

“It sounds lovely,” Aziraphale commented. “What more do you miss about London aside from your bed?”

“Ooooh,” be blew a breath out of pursed lips, looking at the ceiling of the plane. “St James Park. Love walking about there. And maybe this little bar not far from my place where I like to get a quiet drink.”

“I’m a big fan of St James Park myself,” Aziraphale said before taking a sip of his wine. “I frequently go to feed the ducks. Helps work out my writer’s block.”

“Same. When I’m writing. Most times I go just to feed the ducks. Usually… toss a few peas down, then chuck the next few bits towards some unsuspecting picnickers. Gets the ducks to sorta bug them for a bit.”

“You’re quite the mischief-maker,” Aziraphale said with a smirk that would have made Crowley’s knees buckle had he been standing.

As it was, he had to shift a bit in his seat.

“Can be.” He agreed.

By the time the flight landed it was dark out, Crowley was exhausted but so utterly happy. He’d spent the whole time talking with Aziraphale and was walking off the plane without his heart, having decided to give it the cherubic, old-timey professor sorta man he just happened to sit next to by chance.

“Well,” Aziraphale said as they grabbed their luggage from baggage claim. “It was lovely to meet you.” He offered Crowley his hand.

Crowley beamed, taking it, clasping the wonderful warmth of it and shaking. “You too.” He said, someone calling Aziraphale’s name causing the men to look over.

“Ah,” He said as a gorgeous, witchy looking woman smiled and waved him over. “That would be my lift. I probably shouldn’t keep her.”

“Yeah, right, gotta… get my car.” Crowley stuttered. “So umm, yeah….”

Aziraphale gave him another one of those grins, then wheeled his tartan suitcase toward where the woman was waiting just on the other side of the security line.

Crowley watched him the whole time, and was pleased as punch when Aziraphale turned and gave him a little wave when he spotted him still looking.

Crowley then began to make his way out of the airport to the secure parking facility where the Bentley had been kept while he was away.

He was nearly there when it hit him like a ton of bricks that he never asked for Aziraphale’s number.

“Fuck,” He said rather too loudly, earning him a glare from a well-to-do looking woman. He gave her a sarcastic grin then moved with a bit more purpose to where the Bentley was waiting, wondering what the chances were that he would find Aziraphale’s number in the directory, or what bookshop he actually owned.

February

“Well you’re a bloody idiot, aren’t you?” Bea said, smacking Crowley upside the head with their drumstick.

He lifted his face from his hands long enough to glare at his petite band member before reburying them. He felt a hand on his back, knowing it was Hastur’s, and braced himself for what was coming.

“Don’t feel too terrible. At least you didn’t-“

“Tell the story of how you told Scarlet Johanson to fuck off again, and I swear, Hastur, we will all murder you gladly.” Ligur interrupted, saving Crowley from hearing the tale for at least the dozenth time. “And I doubt very much she had wanted your number anyway.”

“Yeah, well, I wanted his number. Bloody hell he was fucking gorgeous.”

“So why don’t you call the publishing house and ask for his contact info?” Bea asked, and Crowley dropped his hands to look at them as though they had spoken a completely different language.

“Right, yes, of course. I should just call them up. Right, yes, excuse me, just looking for the contact information of one A.Z. Fell. Wondering if you might help me with my inquiries.” He mocked in return.

“Throw your name around.” Bea shrugged.

“Yes, my name. As the guitarist of The Demons, I would be widely known by name outside the music industry. I’m sure they’ll drop everything as quick as they would for ol’ Ligur here.” He gestured off to the side.

“Well, what good is celebrity if you don’t use it to your advantage?” Bea asked. “Where’s this bookstore he has. It’s never mentioned in his bio. Then again, it’s a half-faced picture and he goes by A.Z..”

“I don’t know. You’d think I’d have been smart enough to ask where in London his little bookshop is, but I didn’t because I’m a bloody genius.”

“Well, suppose it doesn’t matter now, does it?” Bea said in their stoic way. “You’ll either find him or you won’t. But not in time for the Brit Awards, so figure out who you’re taking so we can call Tracy and let her know already.”

~A~

“Oh,” Aziraphale said as he caught sight of a very familiar face on Anathema’s television. “I guess he’s gay after all.”

Anathema looked from him to the TV just as they showed Anthony with a half-smile, a rather handsome looking man with his hand in his.

“Tabloids said they broke up.” Anathema commented in a “huh” sort of tone, and Aziraphale couldn’t help gaping at her. She watched the TV for a moment, narrowing her eyes before shrugging and going back to the magazine she was flipping through while they waited for the actual award show to begin.

For reasons Aziraphale couldn’t fathom, Anathema had managed to convince a few of the people from the publishing firm to bet on various awards given out, and she insisted Aziraphale join her with his laptop and a bottle of wine so they could toast all of her victories. Apparently there enough people who hadn’t known of her talent for predicting outcomes with uncanny results.

He had had every intention of writing on his latest draft, but it seemed now Aziraphale would find his eyes focused on the television more often than not in order to glimpse a look at the beautiful stranger he met on a plane.

“Who’s he with?” He asked Anathema.

She didn’t even look up from her magazine. “He’s with an actor he was dating last year. Not anyone too well known, was pretty sure he was only using that guy to get ahead but it didn’t work.”

Aziraphale felt a pang of pity at the idea of Anthony being used in such a way. That someone would only ever consider dating him to advance their own career. If he’d had the chance, he would….

But it didn’t really matter, did it? No, he mucked that up well, hadn’t he? Not even asking for an email or a phone number. And anyway, it probably didn’t matter. Anthony Crowley probably walked away from the flight with a fun story about meeting an author he liked, getting some insider information, and likely would

April

The flat in Mayfair was starting to feel stifling. It was still sparse and mostly utilitarian, but after a week inside, writing, recording a few demos to get back to Ligur and the others, Crowley was beginning to feel caged in.

Ligur’s voice was something else, smooth and beautiful, deep in a sensual way, easily what anyone would call tempting. Bea was the sort of drummer many strived to be. Hastur…. Well, Hastur had never broken a string to Crowley’s knowledge, and that was something he supposed.

But none of that would matter if there wasn’t a killer song for them to apply their talents to, and that’s where Crowley really came in. Because unlike the others, Crowley had an imagination. He didn’t need to be angry to write a song that expressed that rage. He didn’t need to be in pain to supply an adequate amount of angst. And he’d never been in love, not properly, and yet they could top charts with their love songs. He had a vast amount of songwriting awards in his office to prove it.

And yet. Yet. Being in love with someone he hadn’t seen in literally three months (two at a stretch, they did meet at the end of January) was beginning to provide some heavily romantic and very angsty material that The Demons didn’t want anything to do with. It was, however, selling to other musicians spectacularly well.

Which meant, of course, that there were so many people wanting him to fly here or there to help them with this album and that. The offers were bountiful, and since Bea and Ligur were currently bickering about bringing Dagon on as a full-time member of the band again, there wasn’t anything getting done within The Demons.

And if Hastur asked one more time if Crowley wanted to get together for a drink, maybe a jam, Crowley may damn well lose his mind.

Still, did he really want to go out of town again, and nearly all of the best offers for co-writing was across the pond. He liked London. He liked England. But the money would be really good, and he could work out some of these excess feelings through lyrics and melody.

He needed to get some air, for a walk, clear his mind so he could possibly make a bloody decision and get back to Tracy with a decisive answer as to where he was going to be for the next few weeks, if not longer.

Grabbing his jacket, putting on his sunglasses, slipping on his snake-skin boots, and Crowley glared in warning to his plants before heading out the door.

He hadn’t been at all surprised when his feet led him to St James Park. Admittedly since that encounter in January, he’d taken to walking there almost exclusively. Once in a while, he would wander into Hyde Park for a change, but he constantly worried that maybe that was the one time the person he wanted to see the most was feeding the ducks somewhere else.

The crowds were thin, the dark clouds above threatening to open up at any moment and unleash a down power on unsuspecting tourists. He wasn’t really any more prepared for the possible deluge himself, but it was always a bit funnier to watch people with the big, expensive cameras and their fanny packs go fleeing. As if they hadn’t realized they’d chosen one of the rainiest places in the world to pay a visit to.

Crowley weaved his way along the path, fingers in the pockets of his denim and a swagger to his hips that he really couldn’t control, something that fit when he looked more like the rock star he rightfully was. Though strangers who saw him would likely not know what to make of him. He hadn’t done anything with his hair so it hung a bit flat against his head, and he hadn’t shaved in a couple of days which allowed a nice layer of growth to form on his face meaning that even the biggest fans of the band likely wouldn’t pick him out of a crowd.

He probably should have done something before he left.

Crowley made his way toward the duck pond, prepared to watch the little bastards as they bothered some unsuspecting fool when he stopped so suddenly he nearly fell on his face.

Aziraphale.

Aziraphale was standing exactly where Crowley tended to go, still looking exactly like some stereotypical processor without the elbow guards on the sleeves of his beige morning coat. He was wearing a waistcoat, as well, paired with a tartan bow tie. His trousers were a shade of color between the coat and the waistcoat, making the blue collared shirt a pop of color in the monochrome. He gripped the handle of a white umbrella as one would a cane, both hands resting on it making him look that much more dapper.

No one had the right to look that gorgeous while also being completely ridiculous and Crowley very nearly took out his phone to snap a photo of him just in case he would never catch a glimpse of the man again. But that was something paparazzi-like, and Crowley couldn’t bring himself to stoop to that sort of low.

He recalled how he looked, and very nearly turned around and went back to his flat so he could at least look somewhat like the successful man he was. Lucky for him, some higher function he could thank later had his feet moving forward with more confidence than he’d ever recalled faking before, ensuring he wouldn’t let the chance of Aziraphale slipping away happen.

As he neared the Aziraphale, the blonde man glanced up, then did a double-take before his eyes positively lit up and a smile graced his lips.

“Anthony.” He said with utter delight.

Crowley’s knees buckled a bit.

“‘Lo,” He grinned back. “Fancy running into you here.”

“Yes, quite,” Aziraphale replied. “And how’ve you been?”

“Oh, you know,” Crowley replied vaguely, shrugging one shoulder. “Working. Pretty much always working, really. You?”

“I’ve been well, thank you,” Aziraphale replied, the smile no longer reaching his eyes. “I, umm, saw you on television back in February. Congratulations on your awards, you must be proud.”

Crowley blushed but shrugged. “Yeah, guess.”

“Your partner looked very happy for you, anyway,” Aziraphale added, and Crowley narrowed his eyes at him a moment, trying to figure out what the deuce he was on about. “The, umm, the fellow there. That you went with, I’m afraid I don’t recall his name.”

“Oh, John!” Crowley half yelled, startling a few of the waterfowl nearby. “Oh, yeah, no he’s not… he’s not my partner. I mean he was, once, but we broke up last year. I just asked him to go with me then. See, Ligur always brings his wife, and Hastur tends to bring a friend of his. Bea and Dagon have been going together since … fuck, I can’t even remember. Since she first started touring with us? I just didn’t want to go alone, ya know?”

“I suppose it is rather lonely, otherwise.” Aziraphale bowed his head, looking at his hands where he gripped the umbrella.

“Take it there aren’t any sorta literary award shows where you would ask a former flame to tag along?”

“Not so much, no,” Aziraphale replied with a half grin that went nowhere near his eyes. “And if there were, I’m afraid I wouldn’t have a former partner I could ask. The ones I parted with amicably all have new partners now, and those I didn’t… well, why in Heaven’s name would I ask someone I didn’t part on good terms with to something like that?”

“No, guess not.” Crowley replied, trying his best not to remember the screaming fight that had ended with John storming out of the Mayfair flat, the smashed potted plant on the floor that was the victim of one of his great, dramatic fits, and the vow Crowley made to himself never to date an actor again. “So, no former flames. Are you… seeing anyone now?”

That went, to Crowley’s mind, about a smooth as a pumice stone, but he couldn’t rightly think of a better way of approaching the subject. Award-winning lyricist praised for the way he could string words together in a poignant and eloquent way, and he stumbles on the most basic question.

He watched as Aziraphale’s eye crinkled ever so slightly, and a wicked smirk curled his lips.

“As a matter of fact, I am not. I’ve actually come from what was easily the worst date I’ve had in ages.”

Crowley blinked, then looked at his watch. “It’s bloody eleven o’clock in the morning on a Tuesday.”

“Yes, I’m aware. He’s a friend of my agent, I mostly did it as a favor to him. The man was persistent to the point of obsession. I had thought if I told him the only time I was available was early on a weekday morning then he would have to back down. Sadly, he agreed.”

“No chance for the poor sap, eh?”

“Oh, none,” Aziraphale said emphatically. “I’d met him at writer’s convention last year, though he is neither writer nor agent. He merely wanted to be there for the sake of it, though I can’t understand why. He’d been hounding Gabriel - my agent - ever since, though I had never had an interest. I still don’t, and to be frank, am even less willing to see him again. I had Anathema call me to fake an emergency.”

“Ha!” Crowley barked, “what emergency happens that early in the morning?”

“A problem with the register at the shop. Which is next to impossible, because the thing is an antique. My assistant manager, bless him, is inept with modern technology. While updating the system would certainly make things easier, I would hate to see what sort of damage he can do.”

“Quite right,” Crowley grinned. “So,” Crowley said a bit too loudly, earning a disgruntled quack from a mallard that he ignored. “Bad date. Not doing anything or seeing anyone. I’m not doing anything or seeing someone. Perhaps….”

“Yes?” Aziraphale smirked knowingly.

“Could I tempt you to a spot of lunch?” Crowley asked.

Aziraphale’s smirk turned into a smile.

“Temptation accomplished.”

~A~

The pub they went to was the sort that served a proper English fish and chips and a pint that somehow paired well with the food without trying. In a corner booth near the back, Aziraphale and Crowley ( “Please call my Crowley, no one ever calls me Anthony.”) carried on as though they’d been friends for years and not a pair of men that met exactly one other time.

They talked about everything and nothing, a pint with lunch becoming two or three more heading into dinner. Around them, the crowd waned and grew once more until their server came by and pointedly gave them their bills. She did so with a knowing smirk so reminiscent of Anathema Aziraphale was starkly reminded that he hadn’t done a single bit of work - writing or at the shop - all day.

“Oh,” he said as he looked at the slip of paper. “I suppose I really should be getting on. I’ve been rather neglectful of my duties.” He added with a quick upturn of his lips.”

“Shit, suppose you probably wanted to get some writing done.”

“Oh, it’s no bother at all,” Aziraphale waved Crowley’s concern off. “I’ll go and let Newton and Alice head home, close up, do some writing this evening if I can.”

“Is it far from the shop to your home?” Crowley asked as the two of them stood, each moving slowly to the bar to pay their tab.

“No, it’s right above the shop.” Aziraphale grinned. “It’s a bit small, only one room, really. But I’m rather fond of it. Admittedly it looks almost like an extension of the shop, what with all the bookcases and their wares. But they were some of the original cases from when the shop first opened, and while I did have to modernize it for safety reasons, I simply couldn’t part with some of the better ones.”

“A one-room flat above your shop?” Crowley asked as the bartender took their pound notes and bills to ring them through. Once they were given the wave that they could leave, they meandered to the doors. “I mean, I know it’s not really my business, but you’re a best selling author. There’s bloody merchandise for your novels. You mean to tell me you don’t make enough to afford something a little more grander? Or is it a choice, or you need to live there for trust reasons?”

“Ah,” Aziraphale blushed even though he had nothing to be embarrassed about.

They emerged out on the sidewalk, concrete beneath their feet stained darker from the earlier rain that mercifully had already stopped. Aziraphale looked up and down the road for no reason at all, then down at the handle of his umbrella.

“You see, yes. I suppose… I would have made that much over the years. The thing is, though, I uh… well the money. Most of I … I give it away.”

Crowley blinked.

“Sorry, you what?”

“I give it away,” Aziraphale said with a shrug. “I kept a good chunk, don’t get me wrong. Enough to ensure I would live comfortably if I never wrote another book again or even sold the shop. But I don’t need big and fancy. I pay my employees more than a fair wage, Anathema included. The rest? I give to charities. Anonymously, of course, I would hate for it to get out on the internet that I donate as much as I do, I would rather not draw the attention. But yes, I … give it away.”

Crowley stared at him with something like awe, his sunglasses had come off when they were inside and had yet to be replaced. It made Aziraphale shift his weight from one foot to the other, want to look anywhere else but at the beautiful man who seemed entirely focused on him.

“Please don’t look at me like that,” He asked with a sideways glance at Crowley.

“Like what?” Crowley blinked, shaking his head subtly. “Sorry, you’re just so bloody selfless. Give it away? I know people with three houses because it never occurs to them that maybe they don’t need it. Damn angel, you are.”

“Oh please,” Aziraphale rolled his eyes but really couldn’t help but smile from the warmth that surged through him. “Much as I hate to-“

“Let me walk you,” Crowley offered, gesturing for Aziraphale to lead the way.

Aziraphale turned toward the shop, leading Crowley through the streets in silence at first.

“So,” He started. “What’s next for you, did you say?”

“Not sure.” Crowley sighed. “Still trying to debate if I want to go write with others or not for a while.”

“Right,” Aziraphale nodded, suppressing the need to tell Crowley he wished he wouldn’t go anywhere simply because he had no reason to say that. They weren’t together, they weren’t even friends, not properly.

“But, I mean, even if I travel I could… call you?” Crowley offered uncertainly.

Aziraphale stopped and looked at him, eyes a bit too wide. “Oh, really?”

Crowley shrugged. “Why not?” Then smacking himself, yelled, “phone number!”

A woman passing them on the street looked at Crowley with uneasiness before hurrying along.

“What?” Aziraphale asked him.

“Phone number. Mine, let me, yeah, I could… give it. To you, that is… if you want it.”

Tension Aziraphale hadn’t realized was building suddenly left his body, and he grinned rather bashfully. “I’d like that. Perhaps I could give you mine as well.”

Crowley took his mobile from his pocket so quick he nearly dropped it, fumbling with it as he did. After a few moments of his long fingers dancing around the screen, he handed it back to Aziraphale. “Just... Yeah.” He said, gesturing to it before attempting to stuff his hands in his pockets, and looked anywhere but at Aziraphale.

Once his contact information was given, Crowley took his phone and they continued walking in silence. It was only a little awkward, but if Aziraphale was honest with himself he could admit he wouldn’t have known what to say if he tried. Oh, he could have his hero give a declaration of love that had readers sighing wistfully, that he was told many times over could be felt deep in their soul. Talking to a beautiful man whom he fancied quite a bit in real life, however, was next to impossible.

So they spent that walk back to the shop subtly stealing glances at one another and blushing and smiling when they were caught.

Once at the little shop at the corner, Crowley looked up, and his jaw dropped.

“Seriously?” He asked, pointing up at the simply gold lettering above the shop.

Aziraphale grinned. “Now, I’ll have you know that A.Z. Fell - that would be Andrew Zachery Fell - was the original owner of the shop in the eighteen hundreds. The name remained, but for obvious reasons, the number isn’t listed as such in the phone book. It’s simply Fell and Co’s Books and Sundry.”

Crowley giggled, shaking his head. “Suppose that’s why it hadn’t popped up when I Googled you.”

“Precisely.” Aziraphale agreed. “So, perhaps we can do this again sometime? Perhaps… soon?”

“Yeah,” Crowley replied. “Yeah, definitely.”

Aziraphale smiled once more, then waved, going up the steps and entering the well-lit shop.

“Date went well then?” Newton greeted him with a hopeful smile.

Aziraphale glanced out the window, catching a glimpse of Crowley as he walked down the sidewalk away from the shop.

“I suppose that depends on which man I consider my proper date.” He replied. While Newton stammered, he added, “Go home, Mr. Pulsifer. I’ll take it from here.”

Newton knew better to argue, so he didn’t.

And Aziraphale spent the last hour of the shop’s opening hours forming a dashing hero with red hair and golden eyes in his mind, not the least bit ashamed of where the inspiration sprung from.

June

They, of course, would not do lunch or anything even close to it for a while.

Crowley had indeed gone off to various places to work for a while, which limited them to random phone or video calls, as well as equally unpredictable text conversations since April.

And, of course, among these many random and unpredictable conversations, the topic of whether or not the lunch they did have was a date had never come up.

Aziraphale was fairly certain it wasn’t.

He had no doubt that Crowley had some interest in him, though how or why he couldn’t fathom.

He certainly had an interest in him, but who wouldn’t. Crowley was so aesthetically pleasing anyone would be hard-pressed not to take a second look at him. But Aziraphale had also gotten to know the man behind the lovely face, and that man was so wonderful. Clever, witty, charming, playing at being cool when he was very much not.

Aziraphale had given Crowley his heart without even having realized he’d done so.

But feelings and their reciprocation did not mean their singular outing was a date. And it certainly seemed to mean that they were going to talk about it.

Instead, they chatted about anything else.

“I hate coffee here,” Crowley complained over video, grimacing as he took a sip from a paper takeaway cup. “Realize we’re not known for our coffee, but we do it better than they do here.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” Aziraphale replied, holding his phone a decent distance away from his face so it would capture him entirely. He took a sip of his wine and smirked as Crowley rolled his eyes.

“You’re the epitome of British, you know that?” He said fondly despite the scowl he tried to wear. “Surprised you don’t lift your pinky when you take a drink.”

“Only if the cup is dainty enough,” Aziraphale replied. “I just could never quite find a way to enjoy coffee. It’s far too bitter.”

“Says the man who’s likely drinking the driest of red wines available to him.” Crowley countered, his lips ticking up ever so slightly.

“Well, I have standards,” Aziraphale replied with a smirk. “How’s the work going, then?”

“Awful. She’s a bloody diva.” Crowley replied, seemingly not caring an iota if anyone heard him. “And she can’t properly sing, from what I’ve noted. She’s only here so she can say she has songwriting credit, but she contributes nothing and rejects everything. And she smacks gum, just,” He mimicked the sound, and Aziraphale grimaced. “Yeah,” Crowley said wide-eyed, shaking his head a little. “Exactly that.”

“And how old is she again?” Aziraphale asked.

“A few years younger than us. Mid-thirties, I believe. Been around for ages, she was in a group thing for most of it. She either left or was kicked out, I dunno. I don’t rightly care, either, she’s a bloody nightmare.”

“Perhaps she simply wants to feel heard. Probably didn’t get much say in the way things went before.”

Crowley moved his head from side to side, face screwed up in uncertainty. “Maybe.” He assented. “Possibly. I dunno. How’s the rewiring going?”

“Slow,” Aziraphale replied. “Dreadfully, painfully slow,” he took a pointed drink of his wine. “I do realize and appreciate the need for them to maintain the building’s original structure, but this fishing the wiring through the walls is taking forever. I’m glad they at least did my flat first since, as I think I would have absolutely dreaded the prospect, seeing them slowly move their way through the shop day by day.”

“Not sure you complained too much about that week in Paris,” Crowley smirked.

“Would have been much better had I had someone to share it with.” Aziraphale let slip.

Crowley’s features softened, a gentle hope glimmering in his eyes. “’Magine it would have been. Had you anyone in mind?”

“Oh, just this gentleman I’ve only ever seen twice,” Aziraphale replied casually while his heart pounded furiously in his chest. “I imagine there is likely decent coffee in Paris, so I’m sure he’d enjoy himself at least in that regard.”

“Probably wouldn’t mind a museum or two,” Crowley added with his own put-on casualness.

Aziraphale hummed in agreement. “No, I don’t imagine he would.”

After a beat, Crowley said, “Sounds like a right asshole, though, only ever seeing you twice. I’m willing to bet he didn’t even give his number first go, the sorry sod.”

Aziraphale giggled in delight, taking a drink of his wine. “He certainly didn’t.”

“Ah, see, I was right. Asshole, don’t have anything to do with him.” Crowley grinned.

“Oh, I don’t know. I’m sure he has his moments, but overall I think he’s rather nice.”

“Not nice,” Crowley half scowled. “Nice is a four-letter word.”

“Please, you can’t be that offended, can you?” Aziraphale countered with an eye roll.

“You had said something like that to me when someone could hear - like now - but in person, I might’ve had you shoved against a wall and gotten in your face.” He said with utter seriousness.

Aziraphale quirked a brow and barely suppressed a smirk. “Really?”

“Done before,” Crowley replied

“Against a wall and in my face? You’re not really making a case for deterrence. If anything, I might just add on a few other four-letter words -kind, good - just to see what further responses I would solicit from you.”

He watched how even on the small screen of his phone he could see Crowley’s throat work and a slight blush creep up his cheeks.

“You’re something else, let me tell you,” He eventually said. “Do you talk like that to all the men you’ve only really seen once or twice?”

“No, but these are rather special circumstances, aren’t they?” Aziraphale countered, butterflies suddenly springing up in his stomach, fluttering about nervously.

“Yeah,” Crowley smiled. “I think they are, anyway.”

“Crowley,” Someone off-camera said, “she’s ready.”

“Right, be right there,” Crowley told the person before turning back to Aziraphale. “Gotta go.”

“Until next time then,” Aziraphale acknowledged.

“Bye, angel.”

Crowley disappeared from his screen, and Aziraphale dropped his arm down on his lap, sighing heavily as he rested his head on the back of his chair.

Oh, how he hated this. This being rather inconveniently in love with a man he never even really got to properly see in person, had barely in the physical orbit of. He wondered if this is how those who fancy themselves in love with a public figure they’d never met felt. If this deep yearning for something unattainable was more universal than he would have believed before.

The problem was that he knew the man on the other end of the call. He knew Anthony Crowley better than he knew Anathema. Certainly more than he knew Newton.

Draining the remainder of his wine, Aziraphale decided not to dwell on it. He couldn’t change how things were, and it may be that before they encountered one another in person again, Crowley might meet someone else and that will be the end of things.

Rising from his chair, Aziraphale decided a nice, relaxing shower was in order before he turned in to bed and read until he grew tired.

~C~

Why had he agreed to this date?

The bloke was bloody boring. He’d been droning on for the last twenty minutes about a coding language that Crowley had never heard of (not that he had really heard of any) and how it was superior to all other languages.

It wasn’t that Crowley had found the man attractive, though he could admit he wasn’t hard on the eyes. It wasn’t even that the man had asked Crowley on this date directly. But one of the blokes he’d been working with for the last few weeks had mentioned he had a cousin who Crowley might get on with.

Crowley’s immediate instinct had been to say no, and sadly it had nothing to do with the fact that this bloke lived in America and Crowley lived in England. No, he only wanted to say no because of Aziraphale.

Aziraphale who wasn’t actually dating. Aziraphale who Crowley couldn’t say for one-hundred percent certainty returned all the warm fuzzy feelings Crowley got when he spoke to him. Oh, the bastard flirted like no one’s business, often saying or doing things that would make Crowley blush and stammer like an idiot. But it didn’t mean that he actually wanted a romantic connection with Crowley.

So he agreed to this date, which he was now greatly regretting. No amount of good food or great wine was worth enduring this circle of hell, but Crowley hadn’t thought to come up with an escape plan, and just leaving seemed far too rude even for him.

His phone began to vibrate in his pocket just as the bill came by, and Crowley took it out to check the name, hoping to see one of the bandmates or even Tracy so he would have a viable reason to cut out.

Instead, he saw Aziraphale’s.

“Oh,” He said with an appropriate amount of worry, cutting the bloke off mid monotoned rant. “I’m sorry, really, I have to take this. It’s my, umm, landlord back in England.” He said, flashing his phone toward the bloke so he could at least see the foreign number. “I’ll, ah, just take the bill up and pay for the both of us, yeah? It was great meeting you.”

“You too,” The bloke said who didn’t seem to care either way.

It caused Crowley to pause and blink but ultimately just shake his head as he grabbed the bill and headed for the front. He answered the phone as he spotted his waiter, flagging him down. “Hey angel,” He said, the waiter taking the bill and Crowley’s credit card. He pointed to the front, and the waiter nodded.

“Hello,” Aziraphale replied a little shyly. “Why do I have the feeling I’m calling at a rather inconvenient time?”

“Actually, you’re calling at exactly the right time. I think my brain was about to liquefy and drip out my ears. Terrible dinner with a bloke.”

“Oh,” Aziraphale replied, and Crowley tensed at the tone. “Oh, that’s… I’m so sorry.”

“No, please don’t be. I wasn’t interested. It was a thing.” He replied as the waiter came back with the receipt. Crowley signed it, adding a very generous tip before taking his card and waving, heading back out into the warm evening.

“Right,” Aziraphale replied, still sounding uncertain.

The realization of the time had Crowley stopping a little ways away from the restaurant, trying to do the mental math as to what the time would be in London.

“Why are you… is everything alright?” He asked, heart starting to pound in his chest.

“Oh, yes. It is, I just… well, I couldn’t sleep, so I thought perhaps if you weren’t working we could chat. But if you’re in the middle-“

“I’m available,” Crowley assured, making his way down the road to the temporary flat he’d been living in while working here.

“You’re almost finished there, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, but when I get back Ligur wants us in the studio.” Crowley sighed heavily. “Means not a lot of free time.”

“I suppose that lunch would be out of the question then.”

“We can try!” Crowley insisted. “I mean, I had a lot of fun when we did that last time, you know?”

“I do know.” Aziraphale agreed. “And I would love to do it again.”

July

“This wine is fantastic,” Crowley half groaned after taking a sip from his glass.

“Told you,” Aziraphale replied smugly.

Crowley picked up a cheese cube, popped it in his mouth. “You know this is almost like the time we met. Only better nibbles and better wine.”

“I tend to agree.” Aziraphale nodded. “Though-“ He was cut off by a rather loud horn blaring in the background on his end, and he turned to glare at the traffic over his shoulder before turning back to the screen he had propped up somehow on his picnic blanket. “Though I couldn’t be absolutely sure without being able to participate myself. I’ll have to stick to tea.”

“I’m surprised you’re outside, given how hot it tends to get there,” Crowley commented with a frown before popping a grape in his mouth.

Aziraphale lifted his arms to the camera, and Crowley had to suppress a groan at the idea that the man he was pining for having his forearms exposed. It was bad enough that there was no coat, waistcoat, or bow tie. Agony that the top button of Aziraphale’s shirt was undone. Now he was exposing his forearms? Bloody torture, that.

“I realize inside is far more comfortable, given the central air and all, but there’s something to be said for feeling the sun on your face. That, of course, and the fact that the scriptwriters are inside and I would very much like to be where they are not at the moment.”

“That bad, huh?” Crowley asked.

Aziraphale blinked.

“Well, they’re trying to make Meg and Landon a couple, for a start.”

“No!” Crowley snapped. “No, no! No! That jus- no! No, he’s meant to be with Artemis. He and Artemis… the kiss! The kiss that Artemis gives… while he’s sorta… what are they…?”

“One bloke thought it would be best to eliminate it altogether,” Aziraphale said, an icy edge to his voice that Crowley was certain would be a prelude to a murder. “Another thought they should change the speech to make it more buddy-like. A bromance, I believe they called it.”

“Do those idiots even understand that half of the appeal of the story is the fact that the hero has no intention whatsoever of ‘getting the girl’?”

“I would wager not,” Aziraphale replied with a sigh. He ran his hand through his hair (forearms!!) and glanced at the house before looking back to Crowley. “I’ve already spoken to Gabriel, told him this was a complete nightmare. He agreed we need to have a talk with the studio, tell them to either hire new scriptwriters or tell these lot to not take away the biggest selling point of the story.”

“You sound like you need a break,” Crowley said sympathetically.

“I rather do.” Aziraphale agreed, then smiled wistfully. “I regret not being able to spend any time with you before I left.”

“Don’t worry about it, angel. Shit happens.” Crowley replied, telling the ache in his chest to kindly sod off.

He’d been in the studio with the band almost every hour of the day once he’d gotten back from the States. Of course, just as they were finishing up, Aziraphale informed him that he was requested to join the writers across the pond. It seemed weird, but now Crowley understood why.

“When do you head this way next? Soon?”

I’m in New York the first week of August. Maybe… if you’re still there?”

“Given that that’s a week from now, I would say so. If nothing else, I could possibly pop your way for a day or two.”

Crowley beamed. “I look forward to it.”

August

Coney Island was busy, the beach crowded, and yet they were essentially ignored.

“So you’re finally going on a date with this bloke tomorrow?” Bea asked Dagon on the other side of her sitting up from her towel and looking over her lover at Crowley.

“Dunno if you can call it a date,” Crowley grumbled. “His agent got wind that Aziraphale was popping this way and insisted that we go on his big boat thing for the day. So, you know, not much is gonna happen.”

“You’re not having much luck with this guy, are you?” Dagon asked with a frown. “It’s been, what? Eight months of pretty much nothing?”

“We call. And text.” Crowley argued.

“Right,” She said, looking at Bea, the two exchanging a rather loaded look.

“Hey, yeah, alright. It sucks that I haven’t actually physically seen him since April. But he’s clever. He’s clever and gorgeous, and a right bastard and I am quite in love with him.”

“In love with someone you’ve met twice. Yeah, you almost sound like a really rabid fan.”

“Not a rabid fan. I mean, I am a fan of his, but it’s not like that. We actually, you know, talk. Know each other.”

“Crowley,” Bea said flatly. “I’m not saying this to be mean, for once, but I think you gotta chalk this one up to a lost cause. I mean, think of what it was like when Ligur was dating that girl from that band in the beginning before he met Lenore. Their relationship was pretty much just like whatever you got going on with this author, only maybe a bit better because we toured together for a bit.”

“It’s nothing like that,” Crowley assured confidently, laying back on his blanket with his arms tucked behind his head, closing his eyes. “You’ll see, we’re gonna meet up tomorrow, and things will be just great.”

~A~

“Crowley?” Aziraphale questioned when he answered the video call and found no image of Crowley looking back at him.

“Right, please don’t be upset. I can’t make it to the boat thing today.”

Aziraphale frowned. “Did something come up with work?”

“No,” Crowley hesitated. “But, umm… alright, don’t laugh. I’m going to turn my video on.”

“Alright, but I’m not sure why you would need to preface it with that, why would I - Oh good lord!” Aziraphale cut himself off and then promptly pressed his lips together in a herculean effort not to grin, let alone allow the laugh he really wanted to let loose out.

Crowley was red. His face, while still handsome, was very lobster like except around his eyes where he quite obviously had sunglasses.

“Are you alright?” Aziraphale managed to ask with only a minor giggle.

“It hurts to talk,” Crowley admitted. “It hurts to move my mouth at all. The assholes who I call friends and bandmates let me, a bloody ginger, fall asleep without reapplying the sunscreen to my face, and this is what happened.”

“I do hope you don’t have any television,” Aziraphale began to ask, but at the distraught look flashing over Crowley’s features, he giggled. Briefly. Just a little. “Oh my dear, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s tomorrow night.” He said. “Which is why I need to stay here, inside, aloeing, hydrating, just… trying to heal as much as I possibly can before they have to cake me in make up. When do you fly-“

“Tomorrow afternoon, I’m afraid,” Aziraphale said with a sigh, all the good humor at the situation gone at the realization that he wasn’t going to see Crowley as he’d planned. Like this whole weekend trip across the country had been for. “We’ll miss each other again. I suppose I could tell Gabriel I’m unwell? Sneak over to see you?”

“No, please, don’t. I’m not gonna be much company anyway. I’m tired, I keep falling asleep. I purposely set this alarm so I could call you so you wouldn’t wait around for me.”

“That’s very kind of you,” Aziraphale said without much feeling, though he still managed a bit of a smile. “I wonder when we’ll manage to be in the same area again?”

“I don’t know, we’re supposed to be popping up to Canada for a few cities after tomorrow night,” Crowley said dispassionately. He went to rub at his face and hissed, looking at his hand like it had offended him, then turned back to the camera. “I should… I should probably let you go, get ready and all that.”

“If you must,” Aziraphale said. “Until… when?”

“Call me whenever. Send me pictures of today, if you’d like.”

“Right, might do, then,” Aziraphale said. They gave a pair of solemn farewells, and then the call was done.

Aziraphale collapsed on the guest bed in Gabriel’s home and looked at his phone despite the screen being blank.

It hadn’t escaped his notice that in the eight months since he’d met Crowley, he’d only been in the man’s physical presence twice. They may talk nearly every single day, and speak on video as often as possible, but it seemed like a rather cruel twist of fate that their paths never seemed to cross. It had been easily the dozenth time since April their plans fell through, or had to change. Lunches, dinners, simple outings, all of it was held up for one reason or another. A schedule change, an unexpected cold, meetings that went on longer than expected. It was as though some higher power didn’t want them together. Fate put them together on the plane, reuniting them in St James Park, and ensuring that they would remain out of reach from one another.

He couldn’t keep doing this to himself. Aziraphale knew that if this kept going on for too long he would regret it. Being hopelessly attached to someone you couldn’t have never ended well. One more chance. Three at a stretch, and then he would call the whole possibility of anything more than friendship with Crowley a wash.

With one last wistful sigh, he got up from the bed to seek out Gabriel and infor

October

September had brought with it a busy time for both. Aziraphale frankly couldn’t tell anyone what Crowley was up to for they barely did much more than send the occasional message.

Gabriel had decided that it would be absolutely imperative that Aziraphale have a book ready for release when it was announced there would be a film based on his work, and another one ready to go around the time the movie was released. Which would have been something Aziraphale would have readily agreed with had he any idea, any clue whatsoever what was supposed to come next.

It was bad enough trying to figure out a plot or three, trying to twist his current draft into something that allowed for another few storylines. But trying to focus became worse when he discovered he’d missed Crowley in the shop not once, not twice, but three times in September.

“I would almost think you’re avoiding me,” Crowley said over the phone. Not even a video call because Aziraphale had wanted to work while he conversed.

“Hardly,” Aziraphale replied. “Though I could say the same. What is this now, two skipped lunches?”

“I have to meet with my manager. She’s lovely, I adore her, and normally she would be chomping at the bit to let me go out with someone I like, but with Ligur and Bea fighting so much… she wants these meetings more and more with her as a whole until whatever is going on blows over.”

“I understand, dear boy. Hardly like I haven’t had to reschedule because of my agent.”

“I know,” Crowley said mournfully, and Aziraphale tensed. “This… we haven’t… it’s been months.”

“I know,” it was Aziraphale’s turn to say, though it came out more of a whisper. He said it somewhere between acknowledgment and a plea. Understanding that this, whatever t was, wasn’t going anywhere. And a plea that despite his own quiet ponderings Crowley wouldn’t give in.

“So,” Crowley began, a bit of hope in his tone. “There’s this bloke who does a radio show here in London who has the best Halloween party ever. I have a thing I need to do around Canary Wharf earlier in the day. But, thought maybe you might wanna be my plus one. Have anything on the go?”

“No, not that I’m aware of. I can certainly make a point to take some time off. Will there be a costume require?”

“Yeah, ‘course,” Crowley replied. “Nothing too fancy, though. You don’t need to go all out. Slap some wings, grab a halo, dress like you normally do, and call yourself an angel.”

“I think it would require a bit more than that.” Aziraphale pointed out with a smirk.

“I won’t complain if you show up in some sort of heavenly robe thing,” Crowley replied, sounding like he might be flirting a little.

“We’ll see what I come up with.” Aziraphale grinned. “But for now I must get back to work.”

“Right Angel. I’ll text you the details, alright?”

“Okay, my dear. Until next time.”

~C~

It took him ten minutes after putting the call through first to the insurance company and then to the towing company before Crowley could work up the nerve to call Aziraphale.

He would never admit to anyone that part of the reason it took that long was because his eyes stung and his throat felt like it would close up. He wouldn’t say that it took an impressive amount of lying to himself to make him find Aziraphale in his contacts and call.

It ran twice.

“Oh, are you already close? Or perhaps I simply didn’t get your text right away. I know Canary wharf isn’t terribly far, but-“

“I, no, I’m not…,” Crowley interrupted then paused to sigh, running his hands through his hair. “I don’t think I’ll be making it tonight. It would take a miracle, really.”

Aziraphale was silent for a few seconds too long. “What happened?” He asked calmly, a note of concern in his tone.

Crowley looked out the windshield at his beautiful Bentley’s hood, knowing that something inside had come loose to make him putter over to the side of the road. He didn’t want to look at the back again, even if he could have. Despite four-ways and clear car trouble the asshole behind him didn’t slow down and ended up clipping the back of Crowley’s car.

“My car,” Crowley started. “You know it’s vintage, which means special mechanic, and towing. Something… and then a guy…. Anyway, my point is… I’m not going to make it tonight. Not by the time, someone can come get me, and I do all the intake shit and whatnot for insurance.” He huffed. “I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s… it’s alright.” Aziraphale said despite the heavy disappointment in his voice.

“What did… what did you decide to go as?” Crowley asked tentatively.

“Oh, well, I suppose I won’t be um… but I had gone with a Victorian gentleman.”

Crowley smiled. “Cheater,” He teased. “Pretty much how you dress every day.”

“Oh, hush you.” Aziraphale teased back, but Crowley could tell his heart wasn’t in it.

After a rather long stretch of time, Aziraphale said very quietly, “This is never going to work, is it?”

Crowley immediately wanted to deny it. Assure Aziraphale that this was a fluke, that there would be other times. But the problem was, and he knew, that this wasn’t a fluke, and there had been other times, and it was like the same universe that threw them together on the flight was now doing everything it could to rip them apart. Like Crowley asking Aziraphale for his phone number had set in motion a chain of events where they could talk all they wanted but would never properly see one another again.

“I want it to,” Crowley said, knowing it likely wouldn’t make a difference but wanting to put it out there anyway. His voice croaked a bit with regret, feeling the farewell already being spoken between them.

“As do I, Crowley. But it seems… well, it seems we just can’t get it right, can we?”

Crowley swallowed, his eyes blurring a little.

“We could,” He tried, “We could… Guy Fawkes day. You must… shit, I’m actually in Scotland for the 5th, umm….”

“Crowley,” Aziraphale said gently. “I adore you,” the words held so much tenderness, but it was flavored too strongly with goodbye.”

“I adore you, too, angel.”

“And I think… well, much as I’m not one to believe in such things, the more we miss each other, the more I wonder if-“

“Please don’t say it,” Crowley interrupted. “I know what it feels like, I know, I thought the same thing.”

“Crowley,” Aziraphale said again. “You’re in Scotland than Ireland than France, and so on for the next month. You’re not sure what else is going to happen, you even said there was a strong possibility of needing to go back stateside.”

“You’re breaking up with me,” Crowley said flatly.

Aziraphale let out a watery laugh. “My dear, I think we would have actually have had to be together for there to be a break-up.” He sighed. “Perhaps, maybe, in the new year… maybe if you’re in town for more than a few days you could look me up, see if I’m available. And if I am, we will go have lunch again, and perhaps we can start this whole thing over.”

“Or we could just keep going,” Crowley argued.

“I adore you,” Aziraphale repeated. “So much. But I strive for honesty, and I honestly am not sure I can continue the way things are.”

Crowley nodded before realizing he would need to speak. “Right. Right, yeah, I … yeah.”

“I’m so sorry,” Aziraphale replied, his voice cracking.

“Yeah, me too.” Crowley huffed, resting his head on the seat. “But this isn’t goodbye, right? It’s just… bye for a bit. To give you space, to see if maybe….”

“Yes,” Aziraphale agreed. “Yes, just for a bit. A few months, maybe….”

Crowley heard the “maybe longer” that almost slipped out and was glad Aziraphale had never given it voice.

“Can I still text? Once in a while to keep in touch?”

“Oh, oh my dear, of course. Yes, absolutely I… I just… I want to keep you as my friend at the very least.”

“Me too,” Crowley said softly, voice barely loud enough to carry. “Anyway, I won’t keep you. And I’m sorry.”

“Me too,” Aziraphale replied. “Mind how you go.”

December

“I hate to think of you alone,” Said as she followed Aziraphale around the shop’s back room. “You should come over! Newt’s coming, so’s my neighbor, Tracy. You’d love her.”

“Anathema, my dear, I really appreciate the offer. Truly. But I’m afraid I really just want to take some time to myself. I have finished two drafts to the point that I’m willing to let Gabriel look at. I plan to sit with a bottle of wine and a good book and enjoy that special sort of quiet Christmas always seems to bring.”

Anathema blinked. “Did you say bottle?”

“Yes, you’re right, of course, I think it’s more likely that there will be two, perhaps a third.”

“Lush,” She grumbled with a half-hearted smile. “As long as you’re sure. The invitation to come is open.”

“I’m positive,” Aziraphale assured.

It wasn’t actually what was likely to happen.

After Halloween and the break-up with a man he wasn’t even really dating, Aziraphale poured himself into his work. Any moment he wasn’t writing he was either sleeping, eating something too delicious to be given half a mind to, or in the shop assisting until more staff came in.

And he only really just finished the work the night before, feeling as though he was finally finished and ready to move on to the more rigorous editing stages. The shop was in its last few minutes of business before they closed for Christmas eve, so when all was settled there would be nothing left to distract Aziraphale from the fact that a man who was rather perfect had slipped through his fingers.

He and Crowley still texted, of course. Their communication was spottier than it had been, far more random, but still very much them. The only thing they didn’t talk about was the man Crowley had been photographed with many times. Not that Aziraphale had been purposely looking for them, but he might have had a glance through the social media thing Anathema used, and he may have searched a few things. Which led to the images of Crowley with some bloke.

He supposed he could have asked, but how does one say “oh, I’ve seen you’ve moved on” without sounding rather like a stalker.

So Aziraphale did plan to read, to drink, but more he planned to allow himself a few moments to grieve while doing the drinking. To mourn the love that could have been with a man who was wonderful, and curse the stars for not aligning.

And, maybe, he might watch a film or two. There were some delightfully predictable holiday movies that would either lead to wistful sighing or mild raging.

Anathema probably suspected all of this, though she would say come the twenty-seventh that she predicted it. It’s probably why she kept staring at him while he bustled about pretending to look busy.

“Fine,” She said with a smile. “We’ll see you in a few days, okay? And call if you need to.”

“Will do, my dear girl. Mind how you go.” He said with a forced smile, giving a little wave to her as she turned and headed out the door. Once he was sure she was gone, he let out a sigh and flopped down in his office chair. A tiny bit of bookkeeping, then it’s up to his flat for some leftover lasagna and a bottle or two of wine.

~C~

“Absolutely fucking not,” Crowley said pointedly as he checked on the very tiny turkey he had in his oven. Actually, it was labeled as a turkey breast roast, but he didn’t give a toss as long as it fell somewhere in the range of traditional.

“Oh come on,” Hastur egged him.

“No,” Crowley repeated. “Not going to any fucking parties, mate. I’m tired. It’s been a long-ass two months with Ligur and Bea always at each other’s throats. And if Eric’s going to be there? Look, he’s a great bloke, great on a keyboard, but it was low of Ligur to hire someone else when we’ve had Dagon doing this with us for years. All because he doesn’t want the fact that Bea and Dagon are a couple overshadowing him in the media.”

“Eric won’t be there, he’s with his partner in Edinburgh for the holidays. No drama.”

“Bullshit,” Crowley said, turning off the oven light and then checking on the rest of his little feast for one. “I have plans anyway.”

“You don’t have plans,” Hastur accused.

“I do,” Crowley retorted.

He wouldn’t say that those plans involved his little turkey roast, the potatoes that were premade and just had to be popped in the oven, the bag of frozen vegetables in the freezer, and the jar of gravy waiting on the counter. He didn’t mention he intended to watch the Muppet version of a Christmas Carol, and depending on how he was feeling, perhaps some other festive-

Wait. Turkey, potatoes, vegetables, gravy….

“Oh fuck sakes!” Crowley cursed.

“What?” Hastur asked.

“Nothing,” Crowley replied, glancing at the time, seeing now he would have to go a bit further than a simple walk to get what he needed. “Look, you guys enjoy your drunken merriment. I’m going to remember we’re in our forties and stay the fuck home.”

“Right,” Haster sighed, apparently giving up. “Enjoy your Christmas, loser.”

“Yeah, happy Christmas to you, too.” He grumbled before getting on his boots and coat and heading down to the parking garage to get his Bentley.

A blood loose fuel hose had been the cause of her stuttering to a stop nearly two months ago. The mechanic was good, though. Better apparently than the one who had serviced the Bentley just a month before the accident. He’d gotten the hose fixed, the dent properly taken out, and refinished the car just in time for Crowley to get her the day before.

As he drove to the shop, he wondered how different things would be now if he’d only taken his car to be serviced by a decent mechanic. One who probably had hoped to make a little extra money off a semi-celebrity when the fuel hose inevitably needed fixing.

Would Aziraphale be his by the end of the night, or would they continue in this sort of cat and mouse over video they had been doing? Would the universe have deemed them ready to actually have what they both wanted?

Probably not. Not with the way every other aspect of Crowley’s life had been going.

He wasn’t even sure there would be a band to be in for his minor celebrity come the new year.

Most everyone was home, even in this area of London, and so Crowley was able to find parking on the side of the road in front of the little shop. He got out, noting the first signs of new snow fluttering down around him, then went inside.

The little bell tinkled, and the man at the counter glanced up at him with a smile before continuing to serve the line of customers getting their last-minute wares.

Crowley weaved his way around the aisles, heading for the canned goods and spotting the missing piece to his sad little dinner: jellied cranberry sauce.

Prize obtained, he spun on his heel and headed for the cue, prepared to spend the next fifteen to twenty minutes waiting to make his purchase.

The bell chimed over the door, and Crowley looked up from the can as the man in front of him looked over his shoulder to the door, and their eyes met.

“Aziraphale?”

“Crowley,” Aziraphale clutched his bottle of wine a little tighter, unsure how to handle this unexpected encounter.

He hadn’t had anything more than a bottle of wine in his flat, which was rather suspect as he recalled Anathema leaving his flat while holding her bag rather more steady than normal. Likely out of concern for him since it was the cheaper bottle that had gone missing.

The cork in the good one had been stubborn, and Aziraphale had jerked just enough, just near enough to the counter, that he hit the bottle on the edge and smashed it. He got the cork out, at least.

Once the mess and himself were cleaned up, he put on his winter gear and headed out on the longer than he’d like to have walk to the nearest shop still open. The wine selection was poor, no surprise there. But cheap was better than none, and while he was rather particular he wasn’t going to spend all of Christmas eve night tromping around London looking for a place still open that had a bottle of wine at least a decade old.

He wasn’t sure why he looked up when the bell chimed a moment ago. Maybe to silently warn the patron that they would be in for a long wait, maybe just because he was curious. He hadn’t expected to see Crowley behind him seemingly completely unaware of his being there.

“H-hi.” Crowley stuttered, jaw still dropped and eyes still wide. “H-happy Christmas.”

“You as well,” Aziraphale replied warmly. He looked down to see the loan can of cranberry sauce in Crowley’s hand. “Forgot something?” He mused.

“Ah, yeah,” Crowley said, looking down at the can in his hands momentarily like he forgot he even had it. “Umm… was… well the turkey was almost done. Turkey roast, actually. And, umm… cranberries. Mum was always big on having them and…. Well, you know, I told you the whole thing. Just thought I would do right by her, you know?”

“You volunteered, I take it? Letting that fellow you’ve been seeing stay home, relax?” Aziraphale asked, moving ahead.

Crowley frowned as he followed. “Not seeing anyone.” He replied.

Aziraphale frowned. “But the photos. On the, umm, insta-thing. And in the news. Well, no news, I suppose, but you know what I mean.”

“Oh!” Crowley’s face lit up, a smile curling his lips. “No, not seeing him. That’s Eric. Sorta’ve a war thing going on in the band right now. ‘S a long story.”

“Oh,” Aziraphale said, trying not to let the rush of relief overwhelm him as he found himself next in line. He paid for his bottle, then stepped aside, waiting for Crowley who glanced his way every couple of seconds.

Once Crowley had paid for his item, they headed out of the shop together.

Aziraphale found himself standing on the sidewalk a few feet away from the door, looking at Crowley who shuffled from one foot to the other.

“Well-“

“Do you want to have dinner with me?” Crowley cut Aziraphale off, the words rushing out rather quickly as he suddenly went still. “You can come to my place, if you’d like. I, umm… it’s just me. And it’s nothing really fancy but it’s, you know, traditional, sorta.”

A whole year of wanting exactly this. A dinner with this man whom he’d gotten to know so very well, who he still loved rather dearly despite never having had a date with him.

He would never have been out had it not been for that silly cork in the bottle. He wouldn’t have had to work so hard for the cork to come loose if Anathema hadn’t presumably stolen the other.

He could say no, let Crowley walk away, say he wasn’t ready to try this all over again. But after all those lost moments they could have had, that they planned, only to find himself in the same shop as Crowley on Christmas eve? Well, it felt like part of some grand, ineffable plan that Aziraphale wasn’t about to question.

He smiled, “I’d be delighted.”

~C~

Christmas morning was bright and sunny, the light peeking through Crowley’s blinds and stirring him into awareness. He tightened his hold around Aziraphale and smiled against his shoulder, breathing in the scent of his skin and thinking it was by far the absolute best Christmas ever.

They shared the dinner Crowley made with the bottle of wine Aziraphale had purchased. Like the plane ride, like that one lunch, like all their many video calls the conversation flowed easily. It was like they hadn’t spent nearly two months barely speaking, trying to give one another space.

“You know,” Aziraphale had said as they finished up their meal, “Call me an old silly, but I rather think that maybe we were meant to meet around now. If you believe in such things as destiny and all that.” He had amended before taking a sip of his wine.

“I had thought that,” Crowley had admitted. “That maybe fate or the universe or whatever was purposely keeping us apart.”

“You know I happen to be finished with writing for a bit. I imagine I might have about two weeks before I really need to get back to it all. Holidays and all.”

“Yeah, me too.” Crowley had agreed. “Maybe we can spend them together?”

Aziraphale had merely blushed and smiled but didn’t agree. Which wasn’t what Crowley had been hoping for since the moment he had seen Aziraphale in the shop.

It had felt like all the stars aligned and he was being given the gift of the one thing he really wanted that year for Christmas, his angel. A chance to maybe try this all over again. He couldn’t let Aziraphale walk away without an invitation, and Crowley tried very hard to continue to act cool when Aziraphale had agreed.

Dinner finished and they moved to the sofa. Another bottle of wine was open, and Crowley and Aziraphale lost themselves in conversation, drifting ever closer with one another with every lean forward to the coffee table.

“You could stay for the night if you’d like.” Crowley had said when the clock hit eleven and the pair realized how much time they had lost together. “I’m not anywhere near drunk but I’m feeling the wine a little and I don’t dare drive. It’s a bit back to your place from here for a walk, and the buses-“

“Crowley,” Aziraphale had interrupted, causing him to snap his mouth shut.

Aziraphale had seemed to debate with himself for a while, hands wringing and brow furrowing until he sat suddenly straighter. He slowly reached for Crowley, cupping his cheek before leaning in at the same speed. Crowley was very certain he knew what was about to happen, but he didn’t dare move at all until Aziraphale’s lips made contact with his.

And then he went absolutely mad.

At some point, they had stumbled down to Crowley’s bedroom.

“Happy Christmas,” Aziraphale mumbled sleepily, a smile to his voice.

“It is a happy Christmas indeed,” Crowley agreed, leaning away to allow Aziraphale to roll over and face him. He was given the gift of the first of what he hoped were many good morning kisses. “Have anywhere you need to be today?”

“No,” Aziraphale assured. “Anathema, Newton, and I all exchanged presents yesterday. And you, are you expecting anyone?”

“No, me and the band do something for the new year instead.”

“So I suppose, if we wanted to, we could stay here for the whole day,” Aziraphale observed as he ran a hand down Crowley’s back.

“Oh, I rather like the sound of that.” Crowley agreed, leaning in and kissing Aziraphale as if he would never see him again.

January

When Crowley got home from the studio, he felt absolutely wretched. Days of being cooped up, sleeping on the floor when he could, drinking far too much coffee, and eating the absolute worst food he just wanted to climb in the shower, drink a liter of water, and sleep for a week.

But when he opened the door to the flat the most wonderful aroma of Italian herbs and warm bread wafted toward him. He could hear the faint bubbling of something cooking on the stove, and soothing jazz from the 1920s was playing at just the right volume on his high-end sound system.

He didn’t feel quite so wretched anymore, nor tired, and he shut the door with a smile. Tossing his jacket on the rack, and toeing off his boots, he scooted his way into the kitchen to find Aziraphale at the stove with a gentle smile on his face.

“You weren’t supposed to be here until tomorrow,” Crowley said as he went up behind his boyfriend and wrapped his arms around him.

Aziraphale chuckled. “I bumped my flight up a day. There wasn’t anything I needed to do further, so I came home. Thought I would surprise you.”

“You did, I like it.” He said, kissing Aziraphale’s neck before going to get himself a glass of water. “So when I texted you that I was leaving the studio and would call when I got in?”

“I was already here. I came here right from the airport, actually. I caught a few hours of sleep, then simply worked until I heard from you.”

Crowley grinned, increasingly pleased with himself that he gave Aziraphale a key two days after Christmas. They had only just officially started to see each other, but it was hardly like they hadn’t already known more about each other than most couples do when officially moving in.

And since that day, they spent more time together than apart. It was almost like Aziraphale had moved in. There was a draw of his things and a spot in Crowley’s closet. He had a toothbrush by the bathroom sink and even had a few of his favorite books and records mingled in with Crowley’s collection.

“So, no charming ginger blokes on the flight then?” Crowley teased before taking a drink of his water.

“No, I actually was alone this time. No seat partner.”

“Good. ‘M not sharing.”

“Quite right,” Aziraphale chuckled. “Now, go wash up so we can have dinner together before you sleep.”

Crowley kissed his boyfriend quickly before heading off to do just that.

And after dinner, they did settle into bed. It was still quite early, so Aziraphale had brought a book, planning to read while Crowley caught up on some much-needed rest.

As he began to drift off to sleep, Crowley became quite determined that if they made it through the whole year with fewer video calls than physically being with one another in person then he would ask this man to marry him.

#Ineffable Husbands #Jukebox omens #crowley x aziraphale #Human AU #Christmas story

1 note · View note

lilacivories · 6 years

Text

the reward

characters: Virgil, Remy

pairings: none

summary: College!AU. Virgil is terrified of giving a presentation in class, so Remy promises him a reward if he does well.

word count: 1,870

a/n: the wonderful @ticklyfandoms sent me a prompt asking for something with Virgil and Remy, so I got this done for them! I hope you like it!

The crisp assortment of leaves that were kicked around in the wind certainly made up for the sudden bite in the air. Freshly fallen ones dipped down as they danced to the pavement, like little flames twirling for show. The sky, however, was clear and blue, and as brisk as the leaves. The sun added some warmth, so it wasn’t too unbearable.

Virgil relished the weather, though heading inside was inevitable. Seeing so many sharp reds and yellows surrounding him helped him unwind after a day of stressful classes.

As he unlocked the door to his small apartment, Virgil knew he’d love nothing more than to curl up with his headphones and watch the trees shed their leaves as he listened to a good audiobook.

Of course, he’d have to get around–

“Is that the sound of my favorite emo disaster returning home?”

Virgil sighed. Remy.

His roommate was on the couch, getting as much as he could out of his pumpkin spice monstrosity of a drink, sunglasses perched on his nose. He had paused whatever TV show he was watching, apparently waiting for Virgil to join him.

Virgil teasingly pushed Remy’s sunglasses up to sit on his head. “You know we’re inside, right?” He sat on the other end of the couch when his roommate moved his legs, but didn’t complain when his lap was used as a footrest.

“Oh, enough about me!” Remy joked. “How was your day?”

Virgil bit his lip before sighing, slumping into the couch. “Something very, very terrible happened.”

“Oh?” Remy set his drink down on the coffee table. “And what very, very terrible thing would that be?”

“My professor made an announcement today.”

“Which was…?”

“We have to give presentations. In front of the entire class.”

Remy shrugged. “So?”

“Alone.”

He gave a long hiss of distaste. “That is rough, love. Good thing you’re smart, though. I’d be completely lost.”

Virgil buried his face in his hands. “That’s not the point! I can’t go up in front of my whole class on my own! Anything could happen! There are gonna be so many people staring at me!”

Remy swung his legs off the couch and moved to sit next to the younger student, frowning in worry. “It’ll be over before you know it, Virge, believe me. And maybe if you let your professor know ahead of time they’ll cut you some slack. Then you just repeat whatever you wrote on your note cards and you’ll be golden, girl!”

“This is going to be a disaster. I’ll probably faint, or– or throw up– or trip and fall in front of everyone!” Virgil seemed to have skipped right into his ‘inconsolable’ stage of freaking out, and Remy knew he had to stop his train of thought before it got too bad.

“How about I help you out?”

Virgil finally looked up and eyed him. “How?”

Remy grinned. “Why don’t you present this dumb project to me first? Then you’ll know that you can at least get through it. Come on, it’s better than nothing, darling!”

His roommate was still shaking his head, however. “Really, I don’t know if I could even do that, Remy.”

“Alright, here’s something for you.” Remy picked up his drink from the coffee table and leaned back as he made his final offer. “If you present your project to me, and if you get a good grade on it, then I’ll give you a reward.”

Virgil’s interest was, at last, piqued. He peered at Remy from behind his purple bangs, considering the offer with caution. “What kind of reward?” he inquired after a pause.

“Oh, no, dear, that’s a secret!” Remy chuckled. “But I can guarantee that it is something you will absolutely adore.”

There was another pause as this new bit of information was considered. The two had been roommates for a few semesters now, and were good friends. Remy could accurately claim to understand Virgil’s high anxiety better than almost anyone, and always knew where to stop when it came to jokes and pranks and socializing.

Virgil couldn’t think of a reason not to trust him, so he finally gave Remy a nod.

“Deal.”

It was a simple enough assignment for a required literature course. All that had to be done was explain a theme throughout a few chapters of some old book. Five to ten minutes, tops. Let the slides explain it for you.

So of course Virgil could only act as though he were on the edge of a volcano, ready to be pushed in at the sign of a single stutter.

“Just read off of the note cards,” Remy said again. He was beginning to feel a bit bad, making Virgil stand at the head of their dinner table and present his project to him. The poor thing was trembling a little and biting at his thumb, his grip on the note cards so tight Remy was worried they’d burst from his fingers at any moment.

“I– I don’t think I can do this,” Virgil said.

“Sure you can! Just think of something that makes you happy, and then focus on that while you talk.” Remy looked at him from over his sunglasses. “What makes you happy?”

Virgil huffed unhappily. “Not having to give a dumb presentation.”

“Very funny.” Remy gestured at him pointedly with his frappuccino. “Think of something already. You have to present this in two days.”

Virgil groaned. “I know, I know. Dammit, uh– Halloween?”

“Perfect!” his roommate crowed. “Just imagine that all of your classmates are ghosts that died before whatever book it is was published, and that they’re all very interested in death or male chauvinism whatever it is the main character is all about.”

“That’s the dumbest idea I ever heard,” Virgil grumbled. However, as nervous as his expression was, it was far more subdued than before.

Remy stood and walked over to his friend to pull him into a one-armed hug. “And it’s gonna work! When’s the last time one of my dumb ideas went wrong?”

Virgil smirked. “The abandoned grocery store.”

“Which one?”

That got a laugh out of Virgil, who pushed him away playfully. Remy would certainly call it a win for the day.

Virgil couldn’t help the familiar jitters as he entered his apartment. He knew that Remy was on the couch, as usual, so he made his way over on his own, rubbing at his frozen fingers as he pulled off his jacket and scarf.

“Hey there, Frosty,” Remy greeted. “You cold?” When Virgil nodded, he held out the blanket that was draped around his shoulders, and the two huddled together on the couch, as close as two coats of paint.

“A little birdy told me that you had a big presentation today,” Remy teased, nudging his friend. “How’d it go?”

Virgil’s smile was sheepish; he tried to hide it behind the blanket. “It was fine. Ghosts are way nicer to speak to than a bunch of overworked twenty-year-olds at 9:30 in the morning.”

“I told you!” Remy cheered. “Now did you get an A or did you get an A?”

“Actually, I got a B since my performance was so shaky,” Virgil confessed. “But my professor said that she could round it up since I emailed her about it beforehand.”

“So you got an A!”

Virgil huffed, “Technically. Well, probably.”

Remy shook his head. “Nuh-uh. Say it.”

The pink on Virgil’s cheeks wasn’t from the cold, now. “I got an A,” he mumbled, a hint of a smile tugging on his lips.

“Yes, girl! And since we’re celebrating,” Remy added, “this is the perfect time for me to give you your reward for doing such a good job!”

In a second, Remy had Virgil pinned on the couch, his grin so innocently villainous that Virgil was thrown for a loop, wondering if he should struggle or not.

“What the hell is this?” he demanded.

“Your gift!” Remy reminded him. “I told you that you’re gonna love it! And am I ever wrong?”

Before Virgil could splutter anything else out, an embarrassing squeak escaped him as Remy’s hands wandered up his shirt and began to prod at his sides. “Nonononono, Remy– ahaha! Wait, not there–!”

“Yes yes yes~” his roommate cooed. “Right here!” He began dragging his nails all over Virgil’s ribs, and the poor thing lost his stamina and started laughing loudly.

Nohoho! Remy, you– ahahahaha!” Virgil had never been able to fight back when he was being reduced to shrieky giggles, especially when Remy was the one dishing them out. He didn’t tickle fast, but he didn’t have to, as he seemed to be able to unerringly press and flutter his fingers against every spot that drove his victim wild.

“I hope you’re enjoying your reward,” he teased as his fingers massaged in between Virgil’s ribs. Virgil didn’t have the wherewithal to grace him with a response, but managed to shake his head as he cackled. “No? Oh, we all know that’s a lie, sweetie. C’mon, fess up!”

Remy knew full well where to attack, and moved his fingers up to skitter up and down his neck; he used his nails to their full potential, letting them rake over every spot that had his roommate shrieking and snorting. Virgil grabbed at Remy’s wrists, but was already laughing too hard to pull them away.

It was only when Virgil started to hiccup breathlessly that Remy let up, taking his hands away to let him calm himself.

“I bet you’re enjoying yourself now that I stopped,” he said with a wink.

Virgil glared up at him, his frown almost a pout. “Shut up,” he grumbled. “And if you’re done, then you could at least get off of me.”

Remy perked up, beaming. “Oh, I almost forgot!” he said.

He moved down a little before rucking Virgil’s shirt up against his chest, leaving his stomach bare. “I saved the best for last,” he assured with a wink.

“Remy, don’t– don’t you dare–!” Virgil cried, much too late.

Remy leaned down, pressed his lips against the soft skin just underneath his navel, and blew a loud raspberry. Virgil kicked and shrieked, throwing his head back in utter hysterics. Remy even squeezed Virgil’s sides as he targeted all over his tummy, keeping him pinned expertly even as the other student struggled. He didn’t show mercy until the corners of Virgil’s eyes were wet and his laughter was bright and wheezy.

As Virgil was catching his breath, Remy smiled and ruffled his hair. “Good job on your project, sweetie. If you get another A, let me know. I’d love to do this again sometime.”

Virgil covered his bright red face. “You’re such a bully.”

“It’s not bullying if you like it!” Remy poked under his arms, laughing when Virgil squeaked and threw his arms down.

“Rem!”

“Alright, alright, I’m done!” he chuckled, finally getting off of his roommate. He opened up his blanket again, and they resumed their previous position, curling up together as they turned on an old horror movie.

Virgil let his head fall onto his friend’s shoulder as the movie began; his blush had not fully subsided, but neither of them said anything about it.

After a few minutes, Virgil mumbled, “Hey. Uh...thanks.”

Remy glanced down at him with a warm smile before turning back to the movie.

“Don’t mention it, Virge.”

#mine #tickles #ssides #v #remy #sleep #ticklyfandoms

73 notes · View notes

daynamartinez22 · 3 years

Text

Weekly SEO Q&A – Hump Day Hangouts – Episode 324

youtube

Click on the video above to watch Episode 324 of the Semantic Mastery Hump Day Hangouts.

Full timestamps with topics and times can be found at the link above.

The latest upcoming free SEO Q&A Hump Day Hangout can be found at http://semanticmastery.com/humpday.

Announcement

We’re live. Oh, there we go. I see it now. So regardless, we’re live. Welcome to Hump Day Hangouts. Today’s the 27th of January 2021. And we’ve got some good stuff for you guys today. As usual, we got a few quick announcements and then we’re gonna jump into answering your questions. But real quick, just want to say hi, looks like we got most of the guys here today. Let’s see. I’m gonna start with her Nan today. How are you doing, man?

Dude, I’m good. I’m good.

I’m just melting down here. It’s really hot and humid, but it’s okay, man.

We’re supposed to have rain tomorrow. So gonna cool off. Happy to be here.

Nice. what’s the temperature there in Celsius?

And Celsius is like 36. I think so. 36. See, it’s pretty warm. Yeah.

Yeah, that’s 96 points, 97.

All right, that’s getting up. Yeah, that’s on like, maximum temperature scale. So I know you’re a hardware guy. But yeah, some rain on top of that. That sounds nice and humid. So you enjoy that. Yeah. Awesome. Marco. How are you doing today?

Um, I mean, what can I say? Groundhog Day. If you guys understand how it is that you can take $1 and change it into a million dollars. Give me one. Give me a hill. Yeah, let me see. Fuck. I hate those cheesy markers, man. Look, hard work. You gotta work. You gotta do the dude, you got to pay your dues. It’s very people who hit on that one idea with absolutely nothing. But sweat equity. Turn it into a billion-dollar idea. The rest of Us to get to anyone, whatever. I gotta work. I don’t just sit here and do nothing. I yeah, it’s beautiful. It’s a great place to work. I step outside. It’s sunny. It’s warm. It’s beautiful. Got the sun? Got him. Got this. When did my hair look, man? Come on, man. Very few things require no work as most people tell you to should is hard work. And it’s not easy. It’s not easy, but it’s not complicated. It can’t be simplified, which is what we’ve done for you. Alright. So if you want to know how, and you want to know why we’re in the middle of our charity webinars, Bradley killed it on Monday. With his ads for branding. And entity Monday, I’m gonna call it what it is entity manipulation. It was fantastic. A lot of great ideas, a lot of information that literally I’m telling you on Monday would have cost 1000s of dollars anywhere else. You got it for free. Next Monday. What’s the Dixon Jones, internet legend Dixon Jones is coming to show you how to do entities and content. And so this is going to be a recurring theme entities entities entities, brand new entities brand. I wonder why I wonder what’s working in SEO, what has been working, what’s working out what will be working. Anyway, I don’t want to take too much time. Thank you to those of you who donated if you haven’t, then I posted a how-to on the page. I know the information is there. Again, I don’t want to take too much time. And even if you did and you did not register, you won’t be able to access that page. Now. Because that page is gone. We moved it, you can still contact the email that I’ve set on there and you will get access. If you’re given the note no donation, you will get access to the replay. And if you haven’t donated, send proof of the other donation to the email and get access guys’ information. I’m telling you, you would end up paying I know barely one time paid nearly 20 K. And the information was nowhere near as good as the shit that we give away for the price of a donation. I can guarantee it. He told us what the information that he got not that it was useless. But the information that we’re giving away for a charitable donation. I’d be dead. There’s no comparison anywhere. Guaranteed.

Outstanding Marco, something you said at the beginning. I’m just gonna ask you and for those of you watching, I didn’t ask Marco this earlier or anything. But the something you said kind of tickled something in my head. I was wondering Have you read the book The Art of contrary thinking?

Of course.

Okay. I had never heard of it until a couple of weeks ago. And I just picked it up and started going through it. And anyway, I was like, You know what, I bet this is a book Marco would recommend. And just this is a total tangent, but would you recommend people to read it because I’m like 10 pages in and I’m like, I can tell this is gonna be a big one.

I mean, I recommend that you read period, right?

Yeah, read it.

And not just that it’s not just reading that one book but this other but Well, when everybody thinks, Oh, here we go, let me see if I get the quote, right. When everybody thinks the same when everybody thinks alike, everybody is likely to be wrong. Think about that. Think about that. All right. So the art of contrary thinking, Humphrey, was a Yo, yo,

yeah, Neil.

Yeah. Yeah, guys, read the book, read the book. Go read the art of war. Mandatory, mandatory. And then read the commentaries on the art of war. Don’t just read it. Try to figure it out while you’re like trying to read the Bible without the commentaries, right? Without going into the original text. But yeah, definitely, if you can, like a book a week, by all means, for those who can’t just listen to it, listen, listen to books, all the audiobooks are everywhere. But yeah, absolutely recommended.

Awesome. All right. The library tickled something else too. I just put the link down for anyone interested. We should probably we could update this year. We’ve got a recommended reading list which I don’t think the art of country thinking is on my add that on, but I just put it at semantic mastery comm slash books. So go check that out if you’re watching and interested in some of these we’re mentioning so. Okay, sorry, a little bit of a tangent there. But last but not least, Bradley, how are you doing today?

Doing great. Busy as all hell as usual, but doing well. Glad to be here.

Sounds good. All right. Well, I got a little thing to get through here. I wanted to let people know because we do have new people watching every week people coming in on YouTube are catching the replay. So first of all, thank you for watching. You’re in the right place.

Hold on a minute. Did we forget Chris, didn’t we?

Is Chris here. Chris is here. Oh, man. I’m sorry. Well,

I can go again as well. If you don’t like me here today. Chris snuck in the back door when Adam wasn’t looking.

That’s good. I feel bad because we got the little strip up at the top and zoom. So Chris, how are you doing? Man? My bad.

Yeah, doing well here. I didn’t know.

I was wondering because now I wish the most.

Sorry, what are you saying?

I don’t know. I’m shorting the markets, especially on the SEO niche. Not having anything else. Alright, well stay away from GameStop. So that’s already? Yeah. All right, well, let’s get into it. So like I was saying, if you’re here and you’re watching live, let us know how you’re doing. Even if you don’t have a comment, just say hello, get let us know where you’re at, or how you’re doing. And if you’re new to semantic mastery, you’re new to MGYB you’re new to heavy hitters club, the best place for you to start find out how to shield your sites don’t have to worry about algorithm updates again, and it’s a free training that’s available at the SEOshield.com. That’s the word, the SEOshield.com. And you’ll hear us talking about all the stuff that’s involved in that. So if you’re not familiar with words, like SEO shield, that’s a great place for you to get started. From there, definitely recommend picking up the Battle Plan. Alright, that’s step by step processes. So you can get SEO results. And it’s how we do things and the tools we use and the services we use. And you can get that at Battle Plan dot semantic mastery.com the next one after that we also get questions about right as consultants like myself, agency owners like Bradley, people who are, you know, wanting to get more clients who want to grow the revenue, they want to scale the team, they’re still you know, grow at still in growth mode. It’s hard to get that one out of the mouth. And you know, before they’re big enough, they’re thinking, How can I do this? How do I do these three really important things so Bradley and Hernan a little bit, they’ve put together this training last year, that is just amazing? It’s called 2xyouragency, 2xyouragency.com. Just head over there and you can find out more. And for those of you who are serious about growing your digital marketing business or the digital marketing side of your business, and you want to be part of the experienced community, then the mastermind is definitely for you. And that you can find out more at mastermind.semanticmastery.com. And now I mentioned MGYB if you’re not familiar with it, it’s mgyb.co. Alright, that’s done for you services, things like the SEO shield that I mentioned, syndication networks, link building press releases, and a ton more. I believe we’ve got an update coming soon. Right Marco we’ve got a kind of an overhaul on the system coming down the pipeline, right.

We have a complete overhaul of the system. But I mean, Bradley’s in there. So you can tell. He can tell me but I mean, we’re doing several things right. So it’s not just that syndication Academy. Right, that’s coming guys, that’d be an overhaul. And then, of course, we’re gonna have updates and is going to be a new person who just wants to be friendly more time, honestly, than what he could then want to get dedicated to it. It needs more time. So It can work the way that it should. Bradley couldn’t dedicate the time to it. So we just brought someone in. She learned the way. And she was here. I mean, you guys met her, you guys met SC, she’s the one that that’s redoing, syndication Academy, she was doing updates, she’s going to be going into a whole bunch of new profiles and websites that we can use to manipulate the entity. Remember, entity-based, worthless SEO. That’s what this is about the charity webinars are about that, how we’re winning today’s we’re manipulating the entity and showing Google what we want. And we’re getting Google to do what we want Google to do. That’s how we do the dope.

Outstanding. Well, like Marco was saying earlier, if you haven’t yet, you can still get access to the charity webinars highly recommend you do that that is on the page. If for some reason you’re watching this, you can’t find the link, you’re not sure what’s going on. But you know that you want to get in on that you can just send an email to support at semantic mastery comm we’ll get you sorted out and gets taken care of. So with that said, Guys, anything else before we dive into it?

All right, we’re good.

Right, grab the screen.

There it is. Alright,

so it looks like the first one is from mini min. Rob. Hey, guys, I’ve received my order from MGYB. But I don’t know how it works. Well, which order? Is he? Which order? Is he talking about? SEO SEO. But I don’t know.

Rob, if you’re here mini broad. I’m just gonna call it mini Rob. Sorry, man. This may be your actual name. But it makes me think of like a little tiny version of Rob. Yeah. If that’s the case, we need to know more information, right? We can’t tell you what’s going on. We don’t know if you ordered a press release or a link building order or keyword research. So we’re kind of stuck here. So if you let us know, we could probably help you. And then I would also say you probably want to talk to us first and come to Hump Day Hangouts. And if you’re like, maybe I should use this SEO shield thing or the press release thing. If you ask that first, we could definitely explain it. But since you’ve got it now, let us know exactly what you’re doing. And then that’s how we can help you I guess.

That’s good. Okay. All right. So yeah, we can try to answer a few. I’m sorry, I just got was looking at an email that just came in what’s the next question is what’s the best way before? Before you go to the next question, the SEO shield comm if you got an SEO shield, right, the seo.com is the place to go for the training. It’s free. And at the end of that, we even throw in a coupon for you to order whatever it is that you need.

How Do You Push The Link Juice To Power All PDFs In The Entire Amazon S3 Folders?

Beautiful. Okay, so the next one is what’s the best way to push link juice through entire Amazon s3 folders to power up all PDFs within? Also, is it possible, like Google Drive to embed folders to show all files inside the bucket? Thank you, um, the best way to power up an s3 folder? I’m not sure if you can power up a full folder. I’ve never tried that. Usually, I just extract the URLs from within the folder and then just hit those with backlinks. If there are URLs that I want to do that to Marco Do you know, can you make a public folder itself public? Like? I don’t know if the folder has its own URL or what?

Alright, guys, I have no idea. If the s3 folder itself, we know that the HTML documents that we place in their images or whatever it is that we placed in there can be made public. But I’ll tell you what, give me about I’m gonna say three months because we’re about to do some nasty stuff in s3, I was just talking about it with my team, or I shouldn’t call it my team partners. Just the SEO crew that I’m with where we’re going to go and just really look into s3 and how much power there actually is in there. So if you come back, I mean, if not just go in and do it yourself and see if it’ll if it can go public and then the best way to push power to that. The Darya Nuff said an embed gig or a link building gig or both from dedhia to that will push all the power you need. I’m not sure about the folder, but I can guarantee that in about three months. I’ll have all the answers you want about s3.

Is There A Way To Get More Branded GMBs In Different Locations To Boost The Footprint Of A Real Business With No Fixed Address?

Sweet. Next question. Is there a way to get more branded GMBs in different locations to boost the footprint of a real service business that doesn’t have a fixed address and works remotely? Yeah, I mean, if you can, I mean, there’s a couple of ways you can buy GMBs from places that will sell you verified GM bees we used to and MGYB. But I don’t think that’s available anymore. There are still some places that will do it. I even found somewhere that I placed an order but it was way back in November and it still hasn’t been delivered. So you know, I think it’s getting harder to do it. But there I know there are still some vendors out there that will sell verified GM B’s. I’m just not going to recommend any of them because again, the one that I just attempted to use in November, I still haven’t had one delivered yet. So I don’t recommend any of I don’t have any to recommend is what I’m saying but there are GMB verified. You know, you can purchase verified GMB, there are vendors out there that do sell them. The other way is the way that I’ve before people started selling them, I used to always just use Pio boxes, you can go to post offices, one thing you want to do is don’t you don’t want to get to GMBs too close to each other. Right. So if you’re going to do a service area business, which I understand doing that makes total sense, I would have them at least 15 or 20 miles apart. Depending on what your service area is, it could be even bigger, larger, you know further distance between locations. But what you can do is find a post office. And then you fill out a form, it’s free, but it’s to use the street address option. So in other words, like if you go you can do all this online, too, by the way, you can register a PO Box online. And they’ll give you they won’t issue you the box number and till you go to the post office like you have to physically go to the post office and show your IDs and sign the paperwork at the post office. But you can reserve it online and pay for it and everything else. But you do have to physically go to the post office to sign the paperwork and then they’ll assign you the box number at that point. So let’s just say it’s a box one on one. If if the post office is at 123, Main Street, whatever town right, then you can fill out an additional form, it’s free to do it doesn’t cost anything else. But you fill out an additional form to use the street address option. And then you would end up using the address for the GMB listing 123 Main Street number sign like the pound sign 101 right, and that that will work. You can’t add a p o box to GMB as the physical address. But you can do a street address with you know, basically a box number a suite number, but it’s just the pound sign and the post office is very particular about you only using the number sign the pound sign before the box number not sweet. Not box, none of that it’s just the number sign. And again, they’re very particular about that. But that’s the way that I had always done it prior to people selling GMB’s.

And it still works, you know. So that’s another alternative way to do it. And in fact, I actually still prefer that method after but over buying them except for the fact that you have to physically go to the post office that sucks. Because you know, especially if it’s far away, but if it’s within reason and you can drive to it, then I recommend going that route over purchasing GMB listings from vendors. And the reason I say that is because it’s still tied to a real physical address this way. And I feel like those are safer than using the spammed ones because of some of the spammed GMB listings that I have. They don’t have any physical location even referenced or tied to them, which I don’t even know how happens. But like there’s no physical address actually connected with it, and it causes problems with the proximity filter. So and what I’m saying is, even for service area business guys, you understand you have to clear the address like you’re not supposed to per Google’s Terms of Service, you’re not supposed to publish the street address for a service area business. Right. So in other words, if it’s a service area business where the customer or excuse me, the business serves the customer at the customer’s location, then you’re supposed to delete them or clear the physical location when you set your service areas then you’re supposed to clear the physical location from showing and when it does, it literally clears it from the GMB dashboard and it will not any longer show the physical address, the street address in the maps listing or anything. But what I’m saying is, some of the GMB is that I had purchased. They don’t have any street address associated with them at all and I don’t know how they even did it. But it causes issues to where it doesn’t show for like near me searches and stuff like that because there’s no physical location associated with it. And again, I don’t know how they do it because even when you register a new GMB, let’s say It’s a legit business and your service area business and it has a legit physical location where the office or you know the business owner lives or whatever, you have to add that address. When you set when you go to claim or create the GMB listing, you have to add the physical address and then wait for a postcard or a card to be delivered via us a mail to that location that has a pin number in it so that you can verify that that physical location that the business really resides at that physical location. So even when you clear the address to make sure that it’s not published, there is still a physical location associated with that GMB and you don’t see that on the GMB dashboard. But for example, I just recently started using local Viking to manage GMB posts and stuff because it integrates with some of my CRM and stuff. So anyway, I’m using that and when you import GMB listings into local Viking, it shows the street address, even if it’s an unpublished street address, and I’ve got a few listings in there that just no street address appears at all, there’s no physical location associated with it. And those are the ones that I’m having trouble getting to appear for proximity searches such as, like near me, keyword phrases, or search queries. And so again, I would recommend it, the spam listings, they can still work, but there are some drawbacks in them that I don’t like about them. Were the P o box way to get one with an actual physical address tends to work. Still, it still works. And I like that one better, except for the fact that you have to physically go to the post office. Does anybody want to comment on that?

Not me. Okay, moving on then.

But yeah, absolutely. That’s I mean, that’s a great way to do it for large, especially business with large service areas, if you can get multiple maps listings, that’s best. Another way to do it, by the way, just quickly, is you can go to Craigslist and post an ad for that I’ve done that I’ve been successful in the past where I’ve posted an ad and in the, you know, in the area that I want, and say, you know, tell them that I’ll pay him 50 bucks to receive a Google postcard. And, you know, tell me when they when they’ve received it and and and and, you know, call me or text me with the pin number inside the card. Most of the time what happens is you’ll find renters that do that instead of people that own homes because they don’t care if somebody registers a business to a rental property like the renters don’t care. The landlord might, but the renters don’t. So I found that I’ve done that in the past several times when it when they when I was trying to get a GMB in an area that I couldn’t that I just wasn’t you know, it wasn’t feasible to drive to and get a PO Box, then I will use Craigslist. So that’s another way to do it. Okay. Moving on.

Is It Possible To Get Wiki Links To An SEO Agency That Offers Other Services And Has A Blog On Non-Marketing Tech Resources?

Next question, given Wikipedia is a negative view of SEO, is it possible to get links from Wikipedia or wiki data to an SEO agency that also offers other services and has a blog with lots of non-marketing tech resources? Sure, but you can also purchase wiki links. Just like we were talking about spam, GMB listings you can buy. We sell [email protected], our store. And they work I mean, occasionally something will get edited out like, but I’ve actually had one recently that was edited out. And then I just submitted a support request, and I got it restored on another Wikipedia page. So you know, you can buy links, say is it possible? Yeah, cuz you can buy them. I don’t know how to do the edits myself, because I’m not a moderator for Wikipedia. But, you know, that’s one way you could do it is to hire, you know, a Wikipedia editor or moderator, I should say, those are generally really, really expensive. So the other way is just to find a service, like what we have in MGYB, where you can buy them there. I don’t know of any other way to get them to you, Marco.

I mean, there are other ways, but you got to pay for them, or you got to get yourself a Wikipedia page. And you have to be eligible, you have to be able to provide all the documentation that Wikipedia requires. That’s the best thing. The best thing is to get yourself a page on Wikipedia. And Dixon Jones is going to explain on Monday, that’s the most important Wikipedia link that you could possibly get that mentioned in Wikipedia. And then from that, I mean, the next best thing is getting a link on the top page and then getting a link on a page referring to another page as long as it’s relevant. Right. You got to maintain that relevance. But yeah, I mean, just go to MGYB to look for it. We offer it.

What Is A Good Way To Get Lots Of Footer Links Without Having Lots Of Clients?

Sweet Suraj is up he says what’s a good way to get lots of footer links without having lots of clients trying to rank in a competitive area for web design and all other competitors dominate with footer links someone’s exact text. So I’m assuming he means exact anchor text exact match anchor text was hacked footers. Yes. stuff I ever saw.

Yeah. Yeah, that’s funny. Do you say that? Because I, when I read this question earlier and asked what I was gonna suggest, was the only other way that I would know how to do it is the safe network. A lot of those links are hacked footer links, and that when I’m What I mean is like, they literally hack other people’s websites, put links in there for you. It’s so blackhat. But um, you know, it can work. I used to use a lot of safe links years ago when I was doing a lot more blackhat stuff. And I guess there’s really no hats. But when I was doing a lot of really spammy, like, you know, dark alley ship, I used a lot of safe links. I don’t do that anymore. But that’s one way to do it. I don’t recommend it. But that is one way to do it. Anyway, you got any suggestions, Margo?

For further length, Now, why? Alright, so here’s the deal. Um, and I’m gonna say this again. And we explained that I’m going to keep referring back to the webinars on Monday, we explain why we do things, the way that we do, why we create the entity, the way we the way that we do, I’m not gonna go through it here. But we become master mimics. We look at the big dogs. We do what the big dogs do, at the part level, at the algorithmic level, at the patent level, that’s how we do it. All right, if you want to learn how, and why make a donation. Go see our footer links the only way to compete or is there something more powerful than I am missing? Yeah, I mean, I, I don’t think I would go out use that strategy. I’m not I don’t think I know I would use that strategy. I would do other things. So the SEO shield? Yeah. Start there. And then there.

How Can You Run Ads For A Client If You Don’t Have Access To Their Website?

Fitz is up. He says, Hey, guys, hope everyone is well. How can you run ads for a client if you don’t have access to their website? Thanks. You don’t need access to some you can run ads to any URL. The problem is conversion tracking and remarketing and all that other stuff, you know, but you can run ads to any URL that you know. I mean, as far as I know, I don’t think if you have if, if you have a URL, you can run ads to it. The question is why, like if you don’t have access to their website, then you’re not going to be able to install, like the conversion link or code conversion tracking. You know, Google Tag Manager remarketing. You know the remarketing tag all of those things that you would need, but you don’t need them. But I would hate to piss money away on Google ads, or ads period if I couldn’t track conversions. And if I couldn’t build a remarketing list from anybody that visited the page or the site,

so I don’t know why you would want to do it without having access to the site. Go ahead.

Yeah, I’m just wondering if maybe it’s one of those where he’s saying he doesn’t have, edit access. But if somebody can, or if you can talk to the client be like, hey, you just need to take these two steps. You need to copy this code, you need to install it, tell them where to do it. Because Yeah, if you’re in that situation, where for whatever reason, you don’t have access, you need to maybe impress upon them the importance of, hey, you need to get this code on there. Otherwise, you’re gonna be losing money. You know, because you can’t retarget you’re not building retargeting lists, you won’t know about conversions.

Yeah, if you have, if you have, you know, if there’s a webmaster or somebody that is maintaining this site that you just don’t have access to yourself, then you can absolutely still do everything because what I would suggest you do at that point would be to set up Tag Manager. And then just contact, whoever’s managing the site. So the webmaster or the business owner, whoever’s managing the site, contact them and send them the container code for Tag Manager, one goes into the header, one goes into the footer, or right before the closing body tag, either one. And it’s just two snippets of code to get added to the site globally, right, so it’s site-wide code, and then you can add and subtract all the tags that you need inside of Tag Manager which you would have access to meaning you can add tags and triggers and all that stuff and then deploy it all through Tag Manager and will automatically update the website from a remote from tag managed from the Tag Manager dashboard. Once the container code is there, you can add or remove tags, remarketing tags, a conversion tracking all of that stuff. Jason, you can add structured data schema.org All kinds of stuff that you can use Tag Manager for. If you don’t have access to managing the site, the webmaster can install Tag Manager and you can use that.

Any other comments?

No, that’s fine. Okay,

Does It Make A Difference If You Already Added The Supporting Documents Prior To Getting The SEO Location Shield?

so the next one is from Landry. Now I get it, I couldn’t figure out how to pronounce your name. So I appreciate you spelling it out phonetically because Hooked on Phonics works for me. So thank you for that. So Lanre says, Hey, Bradley, I noticed you had problems pronouncing my name. It’s pronounced Landry as an rio. So I’ve got it this time. Now, my question is this, I bought my keyword research from you guys. I built my site, I added three categories with content, and five supporting articles per category, I now need to order my SEO location shield to establish my brand. Okay, I’m not sure that you want to order locations, you know, maybe you do, I don’t have the full context of your project. But let’s just assume that the SEO location showed us what you want to order? Does it make any difference? If I already added the supporting documents prior to getting the SEO location showed? I don’t quite understand the question. Does it matter that you’ve started to build out your site with categories and adding depth to the silos? No, it doesn’t matter at all. Because again, I don’t know that the location, I don’t have the full context, I don’t know what you’re doing. But just from this little bit of detail that I have. I don’t know that the location shield is really what you want and the SEO power shield should be for the brand. And then typically, for top-level silos, you want to do the are the expansion stack, right? Dry S Drive expansion, or drive stack expansion, excuse me? Not necessarily location shield. So if you go take a look at the SEO shield, and you take a look at the three different versions, what does it locate starter shield locations to power shield, right? Power shield is going to be for the brand, that’s what we recommend. But then our wireless expansions, which is a separate product in the store, it’s not on the SEO shield page, cry is drive stack expansion. Go in there. That’s what I would recommend that you buy an expansion for each top-level silo. Does that make sense? Does anybody want to comment on this Marco, do you?

Yeah, I mean, don’t look at it like that. Landry. Don’t look at it like that. You’re done with the website, you can continue working with the website. Yeah, you can have dummy content on the website, you shouldn’t. But you at least need that RSS feed. So yeah, you do need some supporting articles or posts. You have that already. Go in order and SEO shall not a location shield. Because you don’t want to pigeonhole yourself into a geographic location. All right, not if your branding, not if your branding, you can do you can take care of the locations through location-driven pages. On the inner part of the G site, in the beginning, you’re just trying to create I’m not gonna say the keyword, yet but it is its brand plus a keyword, relationships, how your brand relates to the keywords in whatever niche It is, it is that you’re in, especially the top-level keywords, we add it, we intersperse it, we go through all of the documents, everything gets filled with keywords, especially if you order our deep keyword research gig, which this is perfect for, it’s perfect for giving you all of the relevance necessary to really carry out a proper the proper content structure of your website will give you suggestions, you know your project better than we could ever hope to know it. So you have to follow what you know, with what our suggestions are. Once you have all that and once you get the SEO show delivered back, especially the G site that the following that as the ad ID and ordering an expansion won’t interfere with the ad ID. So what you see is okay, now I have a top-level category. So I’m going after gold. Now I want to do gold bars. Well, gold bars go on the inside. So let’s say you’re saying you’re in a city already, and you want the adjoining city. So gold bars add joining the city, however, it is that you choose to pursue that well, we build that for you we can build you an interface so that you don’t have to, and an intersect. So you’re expanding the power of your original branded stack, and G site. And the whole point of this is to keep expanding. So you’re adding depth and breadth to that T site and dry stack the same way that you’re doing it on your website as you find categories. And as you use supporting posts to boost that top-level category that you’re trying to rank eventually you should be pushing so much power. And I see this time and again, that even an empty folder is added. This is when true power will you push it to power and you’re building up that PageRank and ranking score. An empty folder will rank for the keyword that you’re assigning it. And it’s incredible when when when this thing happens, or you’ll pop in and like a new location, and a brand new GMB and you see all kinds of action in the GMB. And you’re wondering why? Well, it’s because you iframe it on the G site or you iframe that on your website, or it’s part of a really deep and wide drive second site. And that’s when the power really comes into play. That’s why I tell people, it’s hard work, you cannot expect to rank with one page for gold. It’s not gonna happen, you can’t ever hope to outrank Amazon with one page, and a couple of supporting posts. Not gonna happen. That’s, that’s a trillion-dollar company that you’re going after you can’t do it for a buck 50. All right, so all of this power and all of these things need to continue taking place, you need to do your press releases, you need to do the link building, you need to do the embeds plus link building. And you need to continue broadening your profile throughout the web, making that footprint bigger, wider, relating more profiles one to the other. This is what the big boys do. You see Apple everywhere you see Amazon, everywhere. So that’s what you have to do. And one of the ways that we do it is exactly the way I just described. Now that takes a lot of work. The way that I like to put this is it like people see it. And it’s really simple. I ordered the SEO shield, and then I just produce content. And magic happens. No, it doesn’t. I’ve been online for 18 years. This is 18 years in the making. Bradley has about a decade and I know her Nana’s around there. Chris has so many years and Adam, I think Well, I know. I’ve known him for six, seven years. So he has at least that long online. So you’re getting decade’s worth of thinking of strategizing of putting everything together into what you see as the SEO shoot. But that’s what it’s for. And that’s what you should order not the location shield, but the branded SEO power shield. Yeah.

Yeah, that’s why I just pulled up the pages on the store, just to demonstrate what Marco was talking about. The SEO power shield is what we recommend for the brand. For the main brand, right, and then from that, because it gives you the syndication network, the drive stack with the G site, and then the IDX page. So that’s for the main entity, right the brand itself, and then from there, you go from the store, go click into the Google RYS expansion stacks. And these are the expansion stacks of each top-level silo. Right? So each silo on the site. So top-level category, top-level keyword, you should have an RBS expansion stack. If you’re doing a local business and you’re you have location-based silos, however, you do that, I do it using the tag structure inside of WordPress, then I also order a separate expansion stack for each location, if that makes sense, but I don’t want to confuse you. As I said, if you’re doing it on just topical stuff, then you’d want a separate expansion stack for each one of your top-level silos. You don’t need additional ID pages and then additional g sites, which is what happens when you order location shield. So in fact, I would we would recommend against that.

Okay, so hopefully that clarifies that.

All right, moving on.

Does it make a difference in priority? No, no, it doesn’t, you can just as long as you have, all that you need is you need the web, the URLs, when that you’re going to push, you know uses your main target URL for your drive stack. And then for each one of your expansion stacks you’re going to get, you’re going to have a field that you have to submit your main target URL, it’s going to be one primary target URL per expansion. As long as those URLs are available, like on your site, that’s fine. It doesn’t matter whether there’s content there or anything, to begin with, you can order it with just the URL. The only thing that has to have content is the RSS feed for the SEO power shield order because the syndication network, if it’s an RSS driven syndication network as opposed to YouTube, then it needs the RSS feed has to have so the RSS Feed URL has to contain at least one item it can be the Hello World post for that matter, it doesn’t matter. As long as it has one item in the RSS feed, then they can set up the applets inside IFTTT but that’s it though the rest of the site doesn’t need to look at content on it. If it just has the URLs available in. That’s it. And for anybody watching this at this point watching the replay, enlarge the video so you can get the information about donating to the charity and accessing the webinar.

Do You Have Any Tips In Using Linktree Other Than Hammering It With Backlinks?

Okay, sweet. Let’s keep moving. Jim’s up. What’s up, Jim? He says, Hey, gang, I was curious if you guys have any tips or tricks to apply to link tree? That’s a good site. I just started playing with that a little bit more actually. Other than the usual hammer the shit out of it with backlinks. You can embed it. So yeah, it’s pretty much the same thing that we would always recommend hammer with backlinks. You can also embed link tree itself, the link tree page, which is just a collection of links, right. So that’s just you can also do embeds and backlinks to the embeds. Anything else?

Scorched earth Seo? hammer? I don’t know any other strategy. I don’t understand anything else other than if it can stand it, give it more. And if it takes that much, then try some more. Well, you know what it is man? Just go do the do.

How Would You Silo Structure A Website With Multiple Topics?

Alright, baby, what’s up, man? He says, Hey, guys, a better example for last weekend’s question how Google treat pages that are not related topically to the site, say you are a site about marketing. The silo is about software. Let’s say all the marketing software goes here. But what if we add non-marketing software pages to the silo to that silo-like employment software, or betting software, etc. So the new silo be opened to nonrelated marketing software? No. And in a case like that, BB, I would have subcategories. So I would use a complex silo structure for that type of site because the software would be the parent category, the top-level category, but then you would create subcategories for the different types of software marketing software is a subcategory. What were some of the other one’s employment software being another sub sub category, and then betting software or investing software? Right. forex software, like there’s a, you know, productivity software, like every one of those could be sub-categories. And then you would add supporting articles, which could be reviews of those types of different software in their appropriate subcategory. So in a situation like what you’re describing this time, in which you provided more context, this time than you usually do. So thank you for that, by the way, then then, yeah, I would use a complex silo structure for something like that. And I would add subcategories and appropriately place the articles and supporting articles and such within the correct cat subcategories. That is something that you could do.

Comments?

yeah, treated as a directory for marketing? And how would you build that directory then for marketing related categories and subcategories, and maybe some not so specific categories that do relate to marketing, but not in a direct manner, you could totally do that. Just be careful how far in the weeds you go, because you could end up somewhere totally not relevant to whatever it is that you’re doing. And then in that case, it’s not as if you’d be penalized or anything, it’s just that you’re not going to get any, well, you shouldn’t get any action, because the AI will know that there’s absolutely no relationship between that uncategorized or irrelevant category, and everything else that you’re doing, with the caveat that if you’re pushing enough power, it will rack it just takes monster power to do it.

Yeah. Yeah, and, and actually, you know, that’s, I, I prefer using simple silos as much as possible. But in the situation that you’re describing here, that’s perfect for a complex silo. And you can push a shit ton of power with the complex silo guys if you know how to how to set up your internal linking correctly. Complex silos can push a ton of power to the top-level keyword. So again, you know, you got to map that out before ever starting a complex silo site, spend some time mapping it out, like not just the immediate need, but your future needs as well, because that’s part of the problem with a complex silo structure is it’s real easy to get started and think that you have an idea of what you want your silo structure to look like when you’re starting off and you have, you know, a finite or a limited amount of content and ideas. But as the project grows, you’re probably going to figure like, Oh shit, I should have figured it. I should have structured the site in this way instead. And that’s part of the problem with complex silo structures is their complex just like the name? Just like, that’s why it’s in the name, excuse me. But if you do it correctly, if you map it out, right, then you can I mean, it’s just amazing. And how much power you can push with those. But again, it’s like I remember, that’s part of the reason I like to do those anymore at all is that I would spend literally hours upon hours a day to, you know, a day or two on just mapping out the site before starting the build. And even then even after doing all of that mapping work and trying to decide on how I was going to structure the site, a lot of the times, at some point in the future, I would end up kicking myself for structuring it that way, because I should have done something else, you know what I mean? So I prefer not to do that if needed. But if so, I mean, if that’s the route, that you’re going to go spend some time on the front end, you’ll, you’ll be glad that you did. And yeah, you can push a lot of power that way, for sure.

Well, that’s if you’re building a directory, this complexity in building a directory to start with. So try to keep it simple. And don’t spend hours trying to map out the site, just get to work on it, and try to work it out conceptually, as you go, you’re still gonna run into problems and having to 301 and having to redo your URL structure. But that’s a lot better, man.

Do Semantic Mastery’s Methods Only Work On Google Search Engines?

So the next question is, do your methods work only on Google search engines and YouTube? Or should they should it also work on search engines like Facebook or Pinterest search, etc. I mean, we optimize for Google? Because you know, that’s what 70 or 80% of all search traffic. I can’t speak for Facebook or Pinterest, those algorithms are totally different. But oftentimes, when we optimize for Google, then we end up ranking in Bing and Yahoo because many and Yahoo are one and the same anymore. But it’s only I think, they’ve got a little bit more market share than they used to, but it’s somewhere around 30%, I think. But I don’t optimize for Bing, or, I mean, I just optimize for Google. Because that’s, you know, that’s where the bulk of all traffic comes from. And usually, we end up ranking in Yahoo, and Bing also, comments on that?

Yeah, I mean, we want Google search. That’s what we’re after. In some places in some countries some areas, over 90% of the search market, is in Google. So if you have something that’s search-based, which is totally local business, or whatever, then it just stands to reason that you’re going to focus on Google. Now, if you’re going to go and work on the Pinterest algorithm that you have to learn the Pinterest algorithm. And some of the methods that we teach might not work in Pinterest, but I’m not gonna get into how Pinterest works here works differently. The same thing with Facebook, the Facebook algorithm works differently. It just does. They’re similar. So as the Bing algorithm, they’re all based on the same thing, right, trying to see how they rank for a certain query. At the end of the day, that’s what you’re trying to do. But you have to learn the requirements. So you mentioned Pinterest, and, and Facebook, you’d have to try those people want Amazon, we have to go in and figure that one out. Then Bing, Yahoo. Why when we can get 80 to 90%. In Google, and then the other ones, we can just run ads and get results. Yep,

I agree.

Have You Ever Ranked Something Using Citations Only?

All right. Ah, next question. Have you ever ranked something with citations only and without links? Let’s, let’s say you have a non-local site, say e-commerce does brand citations without backlinks. Will that work? First of all, I don’t know because all I do is local stuff. I’ve ranked local stuff with just citations like a local business directory or business directory citations like structured citations. Sometimes they’ll contain links, oftentimes, they’ll contain links. It’s been a long time since I’ve tried to rank any local business project with just citations. It’s probably possible still, but citations are just a part of an overall picture. Now that’s talking about, like, structured citations like business directory listings for local type business sites. I think what you’re talking about is like co-citation, right? where somebody is talking or a citation, I guess, in a broader sense, can be just a brand mention, right?

I’ve never tried that. I don’t know why you would mean, I’ve never tried it. So I can’t answer that. Can you know, because the citation is a backlink? So I don’t get it. I don’t get the question to start with. And let’s, let’s see, let’s say you have a non-local site. That’s e-commerce does do brand citations without backlinks work, or will they work? I have no clue because that’s not how we do. We actually use citations as part of the entity. It’s all part of entity-based. worry less SEO, especially local, like the broader you go The less necessary they can put your branded citations if you can get them in the big ones in the data aggregators, as a matter of fact, work really well because they’re links. They’re places where Google goes to see the data to pull data, but it. Alright, so this question I’m not gonna pick on you, I’m just saying is missing the point of the ranking score and PageRank algorithm, and of every other algorithm, because Google has to go through a link somewhere to get to the server, wherever this branded or number, enter the citation or wherever this other thing is, without that link, there’s absolutely no way that Google can go from one server to the other, it’s not magic, Google cannot teleport, it can’t jump into another server, right? It’s a, it’s HTTP or HTTPS. That’s the protocol. As well, there has to be something that connects them that connect, now you what you’re talking about. And, again, I’m gonna go back to our webinar Monday, it was killer, you have two nodes, is what you’re talking about. One is your brand, whatever. And you have another note somewhere that mentioned your brand, Google has to get that get to that, each of those and relate them some way. And the way it does that is through links. So the more links that are connected to your e-commerce site, and to wherever that brand citation is, right, the more power it will have, because that Google can start creating the relationship for the distance graph algorithm with again, I’m not going to get into any of that. What I’m just saying is, you need to start conceiving in this another way, because the things that you’re asking are a little bit conceptually off on this. I’m reading this incorrectly, in which case I’d like you to explain what it is that you mean, you did a really good job on the other one of explaining what it was. Yeah.

Yeah, I agree. So I said I was more contents context in that last question than what we’re used to from BB. So. Okay, so the next question is from is not really a question, as Jim says, He says, but rather a wiki experience, I have a site that has six wikilinks pointing to it from different or two different articles. I didn’t pay for them, they were added in a natural manner. So organic links. That’s awesome.

Those quotes, I’d like to know what those natural means is it’s in quotes. Well, that’s true. That’s true. But I think he means that it’s just he’s got good content, and somebody, you know, linked to it naturally from an article. That’s how I interpreted but you’re right, since it’s in quotes, it might be. Anyway, those links are very powerful. And I highly recommend trying to get one through whatever means necessary pro tip have the best, most thorough, most documented article on a subject and then cross your fingers. You know, that’s a great point, Jim, because here’s the thing. You can purchase wiki links, right? Like, we just talked about that from, or links from Wikipedia or links, you can get a link on Wikipedia by buying it from our service. But don’t just link to like something that, you know, if I recommend that you are linking to something that has some well-written content, not just like, you know, a spammy page or something like that on the site. I mean, you can try to get away with that. But the problem with that is it it’s likely going to get moderated out at some time. Like even if your link gets placed. At some point, somebody’s probably going to discover that it’s linking to something if it’s not linking to something that is resourceful, right? That is a resource that is relevant to the page that the Wikipedia that Wikipedia is linking from, then it’s going to end up being moderated out at some point, it’s almost guaranteed it’s just a matter of time. So I recommend that if you are going to buy Wikipedia links that you do link to a piece of content on the site that you’re linking to that is relevant, and has some useful information on there. Right. So that it’s less likely to get moderated out at some later date by some other Wikipedia moderator. Okay.

Comments, good?

No, no, I mean, fantastic if you can get them and I saw that later on. He said, organic. That’s fantastic. You can get organic links if you can become the source or a source for that Wikipedia page. That’s fantastic. Because now that now you have a relationship to that seed site. I’m going to talk seed sites and seed sets are I don’t want to confuse all y'all up. But that’s what happened. You related to trust to trusted and authoritative sources. Thereby you become a trusted and authoritative source. Which is why it’s working so well.

Adam, you on, you turn your camera on. So I’m assuming you got something to say?

Unknown Speaker 55:08 No, it was let’s say I’m going to reach out to Jim, I want to ask him a question because he’s had some interesting comments over the last couple of weeks. So talking about AI stuff. And then now with organic Wikipedia links, so Jim, I’m gonna track you down, are you if you can find me, so shoot me a message. But yeah, I just actually had a note on the kind of the last, or sorry, the last question of the day here.

Thoughts On The AWS Email About Allowing Public Access

Okay, cool. So, Jay says Amazon AWS sent out an email warning about allowing public access to an s3 bucket. Yeah, I’ve gotten dozens of those emails. Yeah, the wording was such that it sounds like they’re removing public access. And if you are in disagreement with that, I don’t think that’s the case. That’s not the way I read it. Yeah. And

I just pulled it up to double-check just did a quick read through. And they don’t say that they just say that. You should have some buckets configured that way, that may not be what you intended. So we suggest you fix it. And then, you know, talk to us if you have a question, but it doesn’t say that we’re gonna change it or anything like that.

Yeah. Thank you, Adam. Because that’s when I read his question. Or when I read this question, I thought about that. I was like, you know, I better go back and reread, because I mean, I’ve gotten dozens and dozens of those emails. And I’ve read through them a couple of times. And the way that I interpreted it was what Adam just said was, like, it’s telling you like, Hey, you probably didn’t mean for the bucket to have public access. But if you did, it’s not recommended. But I didn’t see anywhere where it said they were going to revert them to protect. A lot of problems.

Yeah, the only thing is one line. If you have a business need to maintain some level of public access, please see an overview of managing access, and they give references for more in-depth instructions on managing just to make sure you’ve done the correct level of access. Yeah.

Yeah, when I set up my buckets, I set them up to where objects can be public. But the folder itself, or the bucket itself isn’t entirely public, it just allows for individual items to be made public. That’s the way that I set up all my buckets so that I can pick and choose whether I want them to be public at the time that I upload the files. So hopefully, that makes sense. we’re about out of time, Jim says sorry, natural and organic. Yeah, we saw that. Thank you. Jim, by the way, reached out to Adam BB says I mean, so this is a guest clarification for his previous question. He says, I mean, you have an e-commerce site for dog food named SM doggy will a mentioned citation that way mentioned or a citation of that, and other sites will promote the site without a backlink? Again, I don’t know. I mean, for local businesses, having the name, address, and phone number published online, even without a backlink count as a citation, which is like a vote of confidence, right? It’s just because what is it doing? It’s just validating entity information. Does that make sense? That’s why it’s so important to have a name, address and phone number always published exactly the same. Because even having punctuation different or using the ampersand sign instead of A and D, or something like that, right are sometimes having IMC or LLC at the end. And other times not all of them. If you have variations of the name, address, and phone number published even with no backlink, then that can start to ambiguous. The data, right and that’s why local businesses have published mention of the name, address, and phone number, even without a backlink does count as a citation and can help to rank now, can it be can you purely rank on that? I don’t know. I’ve never tried it. But when you’re talking about that type of citation for a nonlocal site like an e-commerce site? I have zero experience with any of that whatsoever. I can’t imagine that it would but I can’t say whether it does or not. Because I’ve never done anything like that. comments.

It creates co-occurrence. It is a no co-citation or a citation. If it’s the full local citation, right? Name, Address phone number, the NA p other than that I don’t know I’d like depends on the competition. If there’s no competition, I see where it just mentioned, of your site on powerful sites would make a difference. But if like, like most places, that the competition is fierce, then no, you’re not going to get away with something like that.

Yeah, and I think it’s kind of interesting to backing this up a level away from purely the SEO benefit and saying, Well, if your name let’s say the SM dog food brand is mentioned on Huffington Post, like yeah, you know what, I bet Our website is gonna see some increased traffic and it’s not a direct link, right. It’s just by getting out there and building the brand. You know, that’s kind of what’s happening there as to how I see it without getting into the technical side.

Yeah. And you know, actually, just to follow up, Adam, that’s a really good point. And I know this to be true, because when I started my land investment, my land flipping business, I experienced it firsthand. And that is if you can get a name published online, right, and somebody but it’s not a backlink, but somebody reads the name and they’re curious, they’ll go Google that. And then it pulls up the brand. And then they click through that’s a navigational or brand search query, that then a click through. So that’s a huge SEO signal, when somebody reads a name, brand name somewhere and then goes in Google searches and then clicks through that’s a fantastic SEO signal. And I experienced that with alpha land Realty, my business, my real estate business because when I first started, I was just running ads, I didn’t do any SEO at all, nothing, I just have a single and it’s still to this day, just have a single landing page on click funnels. For you know, for that business, basically. And all I started I was sending I was running Google ads to that but no SEO and then I started sending a direct mail out to property owners with my brand name Alfa land realty on it. And what happened was I started seeing alpha land realty ranked number one for even like, my keywords like sell land fast Virginia and things like that. And I couldn’t figure out why because I hadn’t done any SEO work whatsoever. And then I started digging into it. And I realized that people were doing navigational search queries because they would get letters from me direct mail letters from me that would state you know, hey, alpha land realty wants to buy your property, if you’re interested, go here, blah, blah, blah. And they would go to Google and search alpha land Realty and then click through and because of that, I started to rank in a matter of like three weeks with zero SEO work. And it was because of those brand searches, which is why we talked about engagement signals are absolutely critical, are super powerful. You want to comment on that, guys before we wrap it up?

Yeah, I think that’s good.

Okay, thanks, everybody for being here. We’ll see you guys next week. See ya.

Source: Semantic Mastery Weekly SEO Q&A – Hump Day Hangouts – Episode 324 published first on your-t1-blog-url

0 notes

localwebmgmt · 3 years

Text

Weekly SEO Q&A – Hump Day Hangouts – Episode 324

youtube

Click on the video above to watch Episode 324 of the Semantic Mastery Hump Day Hangouts.

Full timestamps with topics and times can be found at the link above.

The latest upcoming free SEO Q&A Hump Day Hangout can be found at http://semanticmastery.com/humpday.

Announcement

Dude, I’m good. I’m good.

I’m just melting down here. It’s really hot and humid, but it’s okay, man.

We’re supposed to have rain tomorrow. So gonna cool off. Happy to be here.

Nice. what’s the temperature there in Celsius?

And Celsius is like 36. I think so. 36. See, it’s pretty warm. Yeah.

Yeah, that’s 96 points, 97.

Um, I mean, what can I say? Groundhog Day. If you guys understand how it is that you can take $1 and change it into a million dollars. Give me one. Give me a hill. Yeah, let me see. Fuck. I hate those cheesy markers, man. Look, hard work. You gotta work. You gotta do the dude, you got to pay your dues. It’s very people who hit on that one idea with absolutely nothing. But sweat equity. Turn it into a billion-dollar idea. The rest of Us to get to anyone, whatever. I gotta work. I don’t just sit here and do nothing. I yeah, it’s beautiful. It’s a great place to work. I step outside. It’s sunny. It’s warm. It’s beautiful. Got the sun? Got him. Got this. When did my hair look, man? Come on, man. Very few things require no work as most people tell you to should is hard work. And it’s not easy. It’s not easy, but it’s not complicated. It can’t be simplified, which is what we’ve done for you. Alright. So if you want to know how, and you want to know why we’re in the middle of our charity webinars, Bradley killed it on Monday. With his ads for branding. And entity Monday, I’m gonna call it what it is entity manipulation. It was fantastic. A lot of great ideas, a lot of information that literally I’m telling you on Monday would have cost 1000s of dollars anywhere else. You got it for free. Next Monday. What’s the Dixon Jones, internet legend Dixon Jones is coming to show you how to do entities and content. And so this is going to be a recurring theme entities entities entities, brand new entities brand. I wonder why I wonder what’s working in SEO, what has been working, what’s working out what will be working. Anyway, I don’t want to take too much time. Thank you to those of you who donated if you haven’t, then I posted a how-to on the page. I know the information is there. Again, I don’t want to take too much time. And even if you did and you did not register, you won’t be able to access that page. Now. Because that page is gone. We moved it, you can still contact the email that I’ve set on there and you will get access. If you’re given the note no donation, you will get access to the replay. And if you haven’t donated, send proof of the other donation to the email and get access guys’ information. I’m telling you, you would end up paying I know barely one time paid nearly 20 K. And the information was nowhere near as good as the shit that we give away for the price of a donation. I can guarantee it. He told us what the information that he got not that it was useless. But the information that we’re giving away for a charitable donation. I��d be dead. There’s no comparison anywhere. Guaranteed.

Of course.

I mean, I recommend that you read period, right?

Yeah, read it.

yeah, Neil.

Doing great. Busy as all hell as usual, but doing well. Glad to be here.

Hold on a minute. Did we forget Chris, didn’t we?

Is Chris here. Chris is here. Oh, man. I’m sorry. Well,

I can go again as well. If you don’t like me here today. Chris snuck in the back door when Adam wasn’t looking.

That’s good. I feel bad because we got the little strip up at the top and zoom. So Chris, how are you doing? Man? My bad.

Yeah, doing well here. I didn’t know.

I was wondering because now I wish the most.

Sorry, what are you saying?

All right, we’re good.

Right, grab the screen.

There it is. Alright,

How Do You Push The Link Juice To Power All PDFs In The Entire Amazon S3 Folders?

Is There A Way To Get More Branded GMBs In Different Locations To Boost The Footprint Of A Real Business With No Fixed Address?

Not me. Okay, moving on then.

Is It Possible To Get Wiki Links To An SEO Agency That Offers Other Services And Has A Blog On Non-Marketing Tech Resources?

What Is A Good Way To Get Lots Of Footer Links Without Having Lots Of Clients?

How Can You Run Ads For A Client If You Don’t Have Access To Their Website?

so I don’t know why you would want to do it without having access to the site. Go ahead.

Any other comments?

No, that’s fine. Okay,

Does It Make A Difference If You Already Added The Supporting Documents Prior To Getting The SEO Location Shield?

Okay, so hopefully that clarifies that.

All right, moving on.

Do You Have Any Tips In Using Linktree Other Than Hammering It With Backlinks?

How Would You Silo Structure A Website With Multiple Topics?

Comments?

Do Semantic Mastery’s Methods Only Work On Google Search Engines?

I agree.

Have You Ever Ranked Something Using Citations Only?

Comments, good?

Adam, you on, you turn your camera on. So I’m assuming you got something to say?

Thoughts On The AWS Email About Allowing Public Access

Yeah, I think that’s good.

Okay, thanks, everybody for being here. We’ll see you guys next week. See ya.

Source: Semantic Mastery Weekly SEO Q&A – Hump Day Hangouts – Episode 324 published first on your-t1-blog-url

0 notes