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#salty science fiction writer
tlaquetzqui · 10 months
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I’m this close to starting a side blog where I do nothing but mock people’s shit speculative biology where they demonstrate they are incapable of considering why things evolve. Think I’ll call it “When De Facto Young Earth Creationists Try Science Fiction” and it’ll involve the image of a hand holding a snake with an apple in its teeth (evoking both Genesis and snake handlers).
The two I just saw: no, aliens would not find sneezing strange. Fucking sea sponges sneeze, it’s for expelling foreign matter from the body. Please explain why alien biology would never have to do that. And no, even aliens evolved from prey animals would not be freaked out by you killing mosquitos. Do you think herbivores don’t kill insect pests?
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kwanisms · 10 months
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02:22 — c.san :: Carnival of Lies
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»» ateez masterlist ««
➥ anarchist!San × fem!Reader summary: in the city of Neo Seoul in the year 2073, a group of bikers turned anarchists outlaws have decided to go through with a life changing heist. The plans have been laid, the timeline set, all that's left is to say goodbye but San never expected it to be this hard. wc: 10.9k genres/themes/au: angst, smut; fantasy, science fiction, cyberpunk, dystopian, western, & biker gang themes, anarchist!Ateez, outlaw!Ateez; non idol au, dystopian au, cyberpunk au warnings: ANGST AHEAD (you have been warned lol), adult dialogue, female reader, the characters break the laws of their society, sexual content (18+ mdni), see smut warnings under the cut! permanent taglist: @yoonguurt @wonderfulshinee @candidupped @dejavernon @violagoth @tigermoonbiss @katsukis1wife @luvsooby @thesolarplanetarysystem @salty-for-suga @devilsmatches @dmnspiit @simeonswhore @yangracha @seonghwalover @atinypurr @aikyubi
ateez taglist: @2hodefender @cixrosie @pyeonghongrie-main @flowerboykun @sanjoongie @anyamaris @stardragongalaxy @kpop-stories-21 @wooyoungmybelovedhusband @mlysalt @cinnamoon-belle @briannabk22 @is4b3ll3s @hyukssunflower @vampiirose @0325tiny @ateezstanforever @justiny @jeongwangjessmina @lacie220900 @aaaaajonghooooo @dementedaly
special tags: @thelargefrye
join my taglists! Strikethrough means I cannot tag you. MINORS WILL BE BLACKLISTED & BLOCKED.
a/n: part of the Operation Outlaw : Before the Boom collab with several of my friends and fellow @cultofdionysusnet writers. We conceived this idea when the first teasers were dropped for the Outlaw comeback and we've been talking and working almost around the clock about it, tossing ideas around until we weaved together an intricate story set in the near future. Thank you so much for reading and please check out the other writers' pieces which can be found on the collab masterlist here! As always, this is a work of fiction and all characters are not reflective of their respective irl counterparts. for entertainment purposes only. Adult content divider made by @cafekitsune and banner made by me. I do not allow reposts, translations, or continuations of my works. All my works ©️ kwanisms
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smut warnings: possessive!San, sub!Reader, grinding/dry humping, use of pet names (baby, baby girl), sex photos/video, nipple play, fingering, dirty talk, finger sucking, oral (f receiving feat pussy drunk San), unprotected sex (use condoms), creampie, San is in love and highkey possessive but the reader loves it. I think I got all the warnings but if I missed any, please let me know!
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Glancing at the clock, San saw it was almost 100 and looked back down at his food. From the front seat, he could hear the faint sound of racing music as Wooyoung and Cardinal sat in the front seats, playing some sort of rhythm racing game on their phones.
“You two really like that game, don’t you?” San asked, making Wooyoung glance up. Cardinal let out a triumphant cheer as her character passed Wooyoung’s and crossed the finish line first.
Wooyoung let out a groan, throwing his head back against the headrest.
“That doesn’t count, he distracted me!” he whined. Cardinal smirked at Wooyoung before responding as if she were speaking to a baby.
“Awww it’s okay Woo,” she cooed. “Maybe next time.”
Cardinal put her phone away and glanced back. “Hand me one of those boxes,” she said, pointing to the food Yeosang had delivered only moments ago. San, who was already digging into his own food, set his utensils down and grabbed an unopened box, handing it to Cardinal who thanked him and took the fork he offered as well.
Wooyoung watched as the pair dug into their food. “What is that?” he asked, eyeing the food in Cardinal’s box. She held up the box for Wooyoung to sniff and he backed away. “What is that?” he asked again, albeit a little more disgusted.
Cardinal rolled her eyes and continued to eat. “You’re so dramatic.”
Wooyoung climbed into the back to sit beside San, grabbing another container and opening it, giving it a sniff as well. “Blech,” he said, closing it. “Of all the places Yeo could have gotten a job at, he had to pick the worst place in the district,” he scoffed.
San’s brow furrowed. “Don’t knock it until you try it,” he replied, picking up a plastic fork and digging into the noodles. Wooyoung pretended to gag, making San roll his eyes. “See,” Cardinal said, drawing both their attention. “What did I say? He’s dramatic.”
San nodded as Wooyoung shrugged and moved back up next to Cardinal reaching out to tickle her side. The sound of her giggles filled the van until she tried, and failed, to sternly tell Wooyoung off.
While San and Cardinal ate, Wooyoung pulled his phone out again and started up a new game of whatever new noisy musical rhythm game he’d downloaded.
“Have you heard from Joong?” San asked as he picked up his cup, taking a sip and turning his head to look at the back of Wooyoung’s head.
The younger man paused his game, still staring at his phone, no doubt reading something on the screen. Next to him, San could see Cardinal holding her phone, smirking at Wooyoung while Wooyoung typed something back.
San waited for his friends to answer but when they didn’t after a couple minutes, he spoke up again.
“Yo, Wooyoung!” he said, a little louder this time. Wooyoung nearly spun around in his seat. “What?” he asked, looking mildly shocked, like he’d been caught doing something. Cardinal tried to keep from laughing as she went back to eating her food.
“Did you hear me?” San asked, suspicious of his friend’s shifty behavior.
Wooyoung shook his head. “No, what did you say?”
San sighed, resisting the urge to chew his best friend out for not listening to him. “I asked if you’ve heard from Joong,” he answered, waiting for Wooyoung to answer him. “Oh,” Wooyoung said, shifting in his seat. Cardinal spoke up for him.
“Yeah. He said to hang tight for a bit. He’s checked in with everyone else and we’re all good to go,” she answered. “He contacted me earlier.”
San nodded as Wooyoung glanced back down at his phone, thumbs tapping away as he typed something quickly, throwing a glance at Cardinal who immediately checked her phone. If San wasn’t suspicious before, he definitely was now.
“Hey, uh,” Wooyoung said suddenly. “I’m not trying to sound like a dick here, but could you like… leave?”
San stared at his friend with a deadpan expression before turning to look at Cardinal who avoided his gaze. ‘Seriously?’
“Leave?” San asked, voice void of any emotion. “You want me to leave?”
Wooyoung nodded, scratching the back of his neck nervously.
“Uh yeah. I hate kicking you out of the van, like this, you know that but—” San sighed heavily, closing his takeout container and setting it aside. “Sure. Fine,” he replied flatly. Had he been looking at them, he would have seen the apologetic looks on both Wooyoung and Cardinal’s faces.
“Just… please don’t squishy my food or ruin my pallet,” San grumbled, Wooyoung grimacing as San grabbed his jacket. “Sorry,” he replied as San opened the back of the van and hopped out.
He shut the door, stopping briefly to pull on his red leather jacket.
“Nah,” he said as he moved around to the driver’s door. “It’s cool.”
Both Cardinal and Wooyoung gave him apologetic smiles.
“Get it, or whatever,” San added as he raised his fist for Wooyoung to give him a bump, Cardinal blushing furiously. “I’ll be back before 500,” he added before setting off, leaving Wooyoung and Cardinal in the van.
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San wasn’t one to let Wooyoung talk him into or out of things easily but he had his suspicions about Wooyoung and Cardinal’s relationship since day one and this just confirmed what he already assumed.
San walked around the corner, taking back alleys and streets, not wanting to run into anyone he didn’t want to see. His walk took him just past the customs shop where he saw Yunho working on a bike. San walked over, Yunho looking up as he approached.
“Hey,” Yunho said as he set the wrench in his hand down and picked up a dirty shop rag.
“What’s up?”
San looked around before looking up at Yunho.
“Where’s Jongho?” he asked. Yunho rolled his eyes. “Probably somewhere with Raven where there aren’t cameras,” he answered with a smirk and San immediately understood his meaning, a smile forming on his face.
“Why are you here?” Yunho asked suddenly.
“Woo and Cardinal kicked me out of the van,” San answered, shrugging as he tucked his hands into his jacket pocket. “So I’m taking a walk,” he added.
Yunho nodded, watching San carefully.
“I’d take a ride but someone has my bike,” he added. Yunho laughed sheepishly. “Hey, Joong wanted me to make some last minute adjustments,” he said, holding his hands up before he gestured for San to follow him. The two walked to the other side of the garage where Yunho pressed a button, lowering the garage door.
Once shut, he opened another door and allowed San to enter before following him.
“You want to take her out?” Yunho asked as he locked the door and flipped a switch, fluorescents flooding the room with bright white light.
The room had no windows and was an extension of the garage where Yunho worked on the motorbikes. The ones the city outlawed three years ago. San nodded. “Actually, yeah,” he said as he walked past the seven other bikes until he came to his.
It was an older Kawasaki model originally manufactured from 2006 to 2038. A Ninja 650 that San had a hand in completely customizing with Yunho’s help. San looked over the custom paint job, extra parts he had installed with an exceptional fondness.
The paint had been touched up and new decals applied with only the expertise and care that Yunho showed. “It should be ready for tomorrow,” Yunho explained as he moved to unchain the bike from the others.
“You can take her for a spin but make sure to bring her back before 400,” he said as San moved to mount the bike, running his hands over the handlebars.
“You listening to me?” Yunho asked as he placed the lock back on the chain. San nodded. “Back by 400,” he replied. “Got it.”
“Anything else?” He turned his head to find Yunho smiling at him, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. “Have fun,” he replied before tossing the keys over and pushing a button on the wall to open the small garage door. San put the key in the ignition and started the bike which came to life with a roar and settled into a loud purr.
He turned to look at his friend. “She sounds fucking amazing,” he called over the idling engine. Yunho waved him off and without another word, San put the bike in gear, turned off the brake, and let off the clutch.
He carefully rode the bike out of the shop into a slim alleyway and turned to head away from the city center. As soon as he was clear, Yunho shut the garage and San took off, driving down the alley as carefully as he could.
He knew if he rode on the main streets, he would be spotted by authorities and he didn’t want to deal with that so he stuck to the back streets and alleys as he moved further and further from the center.
As he continued, the buildings grew shorter in stature, the electronic billboards replaced with old painted ones as he drove further into the edge of town.
He didn’t know where he was going to go initially but as he headed further and further away, growing more and more bold, his mind was made up for him.
The diner.
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Neo Seoul was built on top of the former city, new skyscrapers reaching high into the clouds, all state of the art made of glass and metal. The older brick buildings were slowly replaced until only the old buildings stood in the outskirts.
San never much liked the city, finding it congested, full of fake people, and the adverts didn’t help. He hated how commercial everything was. He hated everything about the city. Not just on the surface level but deep down, it was corrupt, almost like a rotted core, working its way out, killing the organism from the inside out.
As San reached the outskirts, he slowed his bike, pulling up to the diner and parking the bike out back behind the building where he knew it wouldn’t be spotted. San removed the key and got up, making his way around the front of the building and entering through the front door.
The diner was a cliche and niche place, styled after a diner from 1950’s America and serving the same fare that one would find at such an establishment. San looked around as he entered, greeting one of the servers who rolled past him on roller skates. Another part of the charm and atmosphere of the diner.
San took a seat in the booth at the back of the room, ignoring the looks from some of the other patrons as he sat down.
A different server rolled up to greet him as San grabbed a menu from a small metal holder at the end of the table against the window. “What can I get you?” she asked, forcing San to look up. She was younger, possibly college age.
“A cherry coke please,” San answered as he looked back down to gloss over the menu. “And maybe a cheeseburger,” he added. The server jotted his order down on her table. “Fries okay?” she asked to which San nodded.
“Coming right up,” she said as she rolled away, leaving him alone for a moment before she returned with his drink. As she turned to roll away, San quietly stopped her. “Is Cherry here?” he asked softly.
The server’s eyes widened for a moment before narrowing.
“Uh, who’s asking?” she asked, looking at him suspiciously.
“Could you tell her Cola is here,” San asked, ignoring the confused look on the poor girl’s face. “She’ll know what it means.”
The server nodded slowly before skating away and behind the counter. She glanced back once before disappearing into the kitchen.
San had only been to this place a couple times before. It’d been a long time since he last visited. The interior was exactly the same.
The same red top tables with silver legs and matching booths line the front wall of the restaurant. A tall bar separated the kitchen from the restaurant with red bar stools that swivel on the spot. A swinging metal door with a round window separated the bar from the kitchen.
Caddies with condiments including sugar and creamer sat at the end of the tables, accompanying the metal menu holders under large picture windows with white blinds.
San was staring out the window, having spent the last couple minutes staring at the bubbles in his plastic cup clinging to the sides when he heard someone approach.
“Your cheeseburger with fries,” a familiar voice said, prompting San to look up and smile as he found himself face to face with quite possibly his favorite person.
You smiled as you set his plate down in front of him. “When Sango said Cola was asking for me, I was a little shocked,” you said as San looked up at you. “Haven’t seen you around here in a while.” The smile on San’s face fell.
“I’m sorry about that,” he said softly. You smiled at him with that same bright smile you always gave him. The radiant one you reserved only for puppies and him.
“It’s okay,” you replied. “I’m sure you’ve been quite busy.” San nodded slowly. You had a way of always leaving him speechless.
Ever since meeting you on the playground in primary school, San was shy and soft-spoken around you. Not that he was particularly loquacious to begin with. He’d always been more of an introvert but it got worse moving to the city with his family.
He was the new kid and even though he had his older sister, she was more preoccupied with her friends and her own life than with making sure San was okay. He kept to himself most of that first week. Until he literally bumped into you on the playground.
He’d been playing by himself in the jungle gym when some of the older boys kicked him out of their fort. San decided to use the slide to escape and that was how he accidentally mowed you down into the wood chips.
The other kids were quick to check on you but you were much tougher than San expected, even with the nasty scrape on your knee. He apologized profusely, expecting you to yell at him or cry for the teacher but you surprised him yet again by crouching down to make sure he wasn’t hurt.
You introduced yourself shortly after and an unlikely friendship was started.
Where San was shy and quiet, you were loud and friendly with everyone.
The entire class liked you. Including San.
Your friendship continued into junior high where San discovered he had feelings for you. It started when one of your fellow classmates came up and asked you to go to the movies.
A jealousy San had never experienced before erupted from his stomach and settled in his chest and you blushed and politely turned the guy down, saying your father wasn’t allowing you to date until high school.
San then made it his mission to keep the other boys away from you, partly for your father’s sake but also for his own.
He didn’t want to share you with anyone else.
He was possessive in that regard.
In high school, you started paying more attention to your appearance, wearing makeup and spending more time with your girl friends but you always made time for San. His feelings only got stronger and stronger.
San never mentioned his feelings for you, too afraid to ruin your friendship.
It wasn’t until your last year together that San finally confessed, assuming you would go off to college while San got a job and he would probably never see you again.
He was shocked, to say the least, when you reciprocated his feelings and kissed him, murmuring something about him taking long enough. Since then, it had been a slow but steady pace until San joined the underground resistance, something he kept secret from both his family and from you.
As far as you knew, he worked at a mechanic shop.
He would try to see you as often as he could between actually working and devoting time to the small rebel biker gang he joined.
Whatever free time he had, he tried to devote to you but it was difficult when he lived deep inside the city center while you lived on the outskirts of town. As he became more involved in the resistance, he saw you less and less.
So, rare moments like this he always treasured.
“You got time?” San asked, looking up at you while you checked your watch.
“Let me finish getting my food out and I’ll come back for my break,” you replied with a smile. San watched as you skated away before starting to dig into his food.
It was only a few moments later when you returned and sat down in the booth with him, sipping on your water while you talked. You told him all about what had happened since the last time you saw one another, occasionally stealing his fries.
San listened with rapt attention as you spoke animatedly, telling him stories about your life at home, where you were living, your neighbors, anything you could think of.
You had just finished telling him a story about one of your coworkers when you cleared your throat.
“Ben proposed to me.”
San, who had been taking a sip of his drink sputtered and coughed.
You leaned forward, looking concerned but he waved his hand while he coughed a few times before clearing his throat. “I forgot you were dating him,” he murmured, sounding a little dejected. You noticed immediately.
“Yeah. It was so sudden. I didn’t expect it,” you said with a nervous chuckle, bringing your hand up to brush some of your hair back. San followed your hand but surprisingly didn’t see a ring.
“I don’t see a ring,” he commented, picking up the last of his burger and taking a bite. He didn’t miss the way you avoided his gaze, pulling your bottom lip between your teeth briefly. “I actually said no,” you finally whispered.
San looked up from his plate, finding you already looking at him.
“Why?” He asked softly, holding your gaze. You shrugged your shoulders. “It didn’t feel right,” you replied just as quietly. “But you love him?” San asked.
You shook your head. “Not like that. Not enough to marry the guy.”
San picked up his cola and took a drink before speaking.
“He seemed like a great guy,” he noted, noticing the way you shrugged.
“He is,” you replied. “But I don’t want to marry him,” you added.
“It felt wrong.”
San tilted his head as you stole another fry from his plate.
“Felt wrong how?” he asked, watching you shift in your seat, avoiding his gaze.
“He’s not…” you said softly, trailing off. “He’s not what?” San’s voice was barely above a whisper now. You looked up through your lashes at him.
“He’s not you.”
San’s heart hammered against his chest as you held his gaze. There were so many things he wanted to say but he didn’t know where to start.
Before he could respond, a voice called out.
“Y/N, your break is over!”
You sat up quickly, glancing over to who San could only assume was your boss. “Sorry, Sherry!” You called and got up quickly.
San reached forward, grabbing your hand gently.
You looked down at his hand and then back up to meet his gaze.
“Can I see you after your shift?” He asked, holding your gaze with his intense stare. You hesitated before nodding. “I’m off in an hour,” you replied. “I’ll meet you here.”
Without another word, San let go of your hand and you hurried around the counter, offering another apology to your boss.
The other server came by to take San’s empty plate.
“Anything I can get for you?” She asked with a smile.
“Coffee,” San answered. “And a slice of pie. Whichever you recommend.”
The server nodded before skating away and fulfilling his order. She came back shortly with a white ceramic mug and a carafe of coffee, pouring him a cup and then skating away.
San grabbed some sugar and creamer, adding it to his coffee until the color was unrecognizable as coffee. Shortly after, the server rolled by, dropping off his pie. It was a slice of apple with a small swirl of whipped cream on top.
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San ate in silence, checking his watch and scrolling through his phone as the minutes ticked by. He was finishing his third or fourth cup of coffee when you appeared in your jacket and without skates, calling goodnight to your coworkers.
San had already paid his tab before you clocked out and stood up as you approached him. “Shall we?” You asked, smiling at him. San returned the smile and let you lead the way out of the diner before leading you around the building to where his bike stood, paint shimmering under the dim lamp light.
San picked up his own helmet and handed it to you. “I only have one,” he explained as you took it from him. “It should fit.”
You put the helmet on as San swung one leg over the bike, sitting and taking the handles and keeping it steady so you could climb onto the back. Only once you were situated, did San turn the key and the bike roared to life.
He felt you wrap your arms around his waist, holding tight as he put the bike into gear. The bike lurched forward, making you shriek as San cackled before actually releasing the clutch and pulling out of the parking lot and onto the road.
The ride was full of only the sound of the engine and the wind whipping.
San noticed a dark, desolate park as he turned into yet another empty street and slowed his bike, pulling into the small parking lot, rolling into one of the spaces before cutting the engine and parking the bike.
You removed the helmet and shook your head as San waited for you to get off.
Carefully you climbed off, making sure to push down the skirt of your diner uniform. San took the helmet from you and hung it on one of the handlebars before turning to you.
“Aren’t you afraid of someone stealing it?” You asked, nodding at the helmet. San shook his head. “Not really,” he replied, taking your hand and leading you through the park. The two of you walked on the paved path, hand in hand as San asked more about your life lately.
He wanted to address what you had said at the diner but decided he would wait to bring it up. He didn’t want to pry too much but he also wanted to know what you had meant and if you had actually meant it.
“I actually had a reason for coming to see you,” San said suddenly, causing you to look at him. “Oh?” Your voice sounded equal parts curious and confused as the two of you continued to walk.
“I have this… job,” he said softly.
San always made sure not to tell you too many details about his work. About the work he did for the resistance. He didn’t want you to be a target or to be too privy to any sensitive information, mainly for your protection and that of his crew.
But this job was different. It was big. There was a chance he might not see you again for a long, long time and he wanted you to be aware of that.
“Yeah,” he answered. “It’s a big one,” he continued. “Bigger than any I’ve ever done.” You nodded as he spoke, enjoying the warmth of your hand in his. “And this job might…” you glanced up as he trailed off.
You pulled him to a stop. “Might what?” You asked softly. San hesitated before finally looking at you. “It might force me to leave town or go into hiding for a while.” Your eyes widened. “Which means I may not see you again for a really long time,” he continued. You listened silently as he spoke.
“Which is why,” San said. “I want to make the most of tonight.”
“I want to spend as much time with you as I can before I have to go away.”
You let go of his hand, moving to pull him into a hug, eye shutting tight as his arms wrapped around yours. “I care so much about you, Y/N,” he said softly. “I want you to stay safe which is why I keep this life separate but I’m also selfish and I want to be with you.”
You nodded, understanding where he was going. “If I could just be with you without this complication, I would in a heartbeat,” he continued. You looked up, smiling as you fought back tears. “Then just be with me tonight,” you answered. San cupped your cheek, gazing into your eyes lovingly.
Pressing a chaste kiss to your forehead, he took your hand again and resumed walking around the park, following the path.
As you walked around a curve in the path, San noticed a dancing light and looked up. About twenty to thirty feet from where you both stood was a rather large house, the backyard behind a black wrought iron fence. In the backyard, was a large swimming pool where the light was coming from.
San glanced down at you, waiting for you to see it too. When you did, you glanced up at him. “No,” you said, shaking your head. “No San!” You hissed as he dragged you along, heading for the fence. “This is illegal!”
San snorted as you reached the property line. “And so is owning a motorbike,” he added. “Since when have I ever cared for the rules?”
You shook your head, unable to hide the smile on your face. “It’s only illegal in the city,” you reminded him. “Still illegal,” San answered. He looked around for a moment before scooting past you to a stone pillar at the end of the fence.
“San!” You hissed again as he carefully found his footing and started to climb. “San, we’re going to get caught!”
He looked down at you, bringing a finger up to his lips. “Not if you stay quiet,” he whispered before continuing to climb. He scaled the pillar with ease, carefully hopping down into the backyard before moving to the gate and unlocking it, opening it slowly and only enough to let you in.
The owners of the house clearly had money and took very good care of their lawn, if the pristinely cut grass, stone tile patio with an outdoor dining set and grill and well maintained pool and covered hot tub were anything to go by.
San walked over to the pool, kneeling down to stick his hand in it.
“San, what are you doing?!” You whisper yelled at him as he started to kick off his shoes, pulling his socks off and tucking them inside his shoes for safe keeping.
He shrugged off his jacket and started to undo his pants before turning to look at you.
“You gonna just stand there?” He asked as he undid his belt and pants, pushing them down, making you giggle as he kicked his jeans off and jumped into the pool in his underwear with a splash. “San!” You hissed as he surfaced.
He pushed his hair back before looking up at you. “Come on,” he said. “Live a little, Y/N.” You huffed out a sigh, glancing around before taking off your own jacket and kicking off your shoes and socks.
San turned to swim away as you shimmied out of your dress and quickly discarded it before stepping off the side of the pool into the warm water.
When you surfaced you started swimming towards San who grinned mischievously at you. “You’re insane,” you murmured as you met him near the side of the pool.
You felt one of his arms snake around your waist, pulling your shivering body against his warm one. “You followed me,” he whispered, eyes dipping to look at your lips before pulling you closer, his own lips meeting yours.
It had been more years than you could remember since San had last kissed you and it still made your heart skip a beat and butterflies erupt in your stomach.
His lips moved softly against yours until you felt his tongue against your bottom lip, begging for permission. Your lips parted, sighing as his tongue slipped past them and moved languidly against your own tongue.
Your arms went around his neck, pulling him deeper into the kiss, making him groan against your mouth. “Did you mean it earlier?” He whispered, breaking the kiss to look at you through heavy hooded eyes. “When you said you couldn’t marry Ben because he’s not me?”
You nodded, pulling your bottom lip between your teeth. “Yes,” you answered.
“It’s always been you San. I’ve never wanted anyone but you.”
San let out a groan, pulling you back in for another kiss.
Your legs instinctively wrapped around his waist as he pinned you against the side of the pool, both hands holding you up. You gasped against his lips as you felt his cloth covered hard length rut against your lace covered core. His lips kissed across your cheek before brushing against your ear.
“I want you so bad,” he murmured, his breath hot and heavy against your wet skin.
He grinded against you again, groaning in your ear.
A sudden bright light filled the area and you both quickly looked to see one of the flood lights had come on. “Shit,” San cursed, pushing you towards the ladder.
“Go, go!”
You climbed the slippery ladder as quickly as you could, hurrying over to your clothes as San followed, snatching his own stuff and leading you to the gate as the back door of the house slid open and a deep booming voice threatened to call the police as you both darted out the gate and through the park in just your underwear. San ducked behind the jungle gym, pulling you under with him.
The two of you waited for a moment, listening but could only hear the sound of your own heavy breathing. You placed your hand over your chest feeling the pounding of your heart. San, who had his eyes on you, suddenly burst into quiet laughter. You turned to look at him.
“What is so funny?” You demanded incredulously. “We almost got caught!”
“We did get caught,” San answered. “But wasn’t that a rush?”
You glared at him as he started to pull on his clothes. You quickly started to dress as well, pulling on your dress and trying to ignore the feeling of San’s eyes on you. You were pulling on your shoes when San finally poked his head out of your hiding spot and looked around.
“I think we’re okay,” he whispered, leaning back in to look at you as you tied your apron back on. “Come on,” he said, nodding his head and stepping out from under the jungle gym. You followed hesitantly, looking around before finally stepping out and standing up straight.
“Can we agree to never do that again?” You whispered, brushing your skirt off.
San turned to face you, one of his hands moving to your waist as he backed you up against the jungle gym, his face inches from yours. He rested his other hand against the hard plastic structure.
“Don’t tell me that wasn’t exciting,” he said softly, moving the hand on your waist up to take your chin gently. “Getting caught skinny dipping in a strangers pool isn’t exciting, San,” you whispered as his thumb moved, brushing over your bottom lip.
“It’s reckless.”
You let out a tiny gasp as San pushed himself into you, his erection pressing against your thigh. “I didn’t mean the pool part,” he whispered, leaning in and brushing his lips against yours. “San,” you murmured, your hands grabbing his jacket.
“Yes?” He hummed, nuzzling his nose against yours.
You hesitated, uncertain if you should continue.
It had always been like this, a game of push and pull when it came to you and San. You’d push for more and he’d always pull away. He’d push you to try new things and you’d pull away. Quite frankly, you were getting sick of it.
It was time to change things.
Your hands tightened on his jacket, pulling him even closer.
“I—”
Your words failed you as San stared at you, lights from the city behind you shining over his face, reflecting in his eyes like stars. “Yes?” he asked, a smile threatening to spread across his face. Instead of answering him, you decided action was the best course to take and reached up, grabbing the back of his neck and pulling him into a kiss.
San responded immediately, one arm moving to wrap around your waist, holding you steady while the other moved into your hair, lips parting and deepening the kiss. You moaned, the sound muffled by his mouth as he greedily swallowed the sound. You only broke apart needing air but as soon as you gasped down a couple breaths, San’s lips were back on yours, his hand moving down to your hip.
His hand moved around, grabbing your ass before moving down to lift your thigh to his waist. “Wait,” you mumbled, breaking the kiss. San gave you a perplexed look, certain he’d done something wrong.
But when you replied “not here,” he took your hand, leading you over to his bike. You put the helmet back on and climbed on before he started the engine and backed up a couple feet.
Once in gear, he pulled out of the space and turned the bike around, heading onto the street and followed your instruction to your apartment. The ride only took a few minutes and soon he was pulling into the alley between your building and the butcher shop next door.
San turned the engine off and put the kickstand down before getting off and helping you up. You removed the helmet and decided to bring it with you up to your apartment rather than leave it with the bike.
You had just reached your floor when San stopped you. “Wait,” you heard him say softly. “What about…” his voice trailed off, eyes still looking at your face.
“Ben stayed at the old apartment,” you answered, knowing what he was getting at without even saying anything. “This is my apartment. I live here alone.”
San nodded, allowing you to continue down the hall. You unlocked your door, allowing San into the apartment before shutting the door behind you and locking it again. You pulled your jacket off, hanging it up as you set your keys on the kitchen island while San took a quick look around.
It was a small studio apartment, the bedroom separated by a cube shelf you probably put together yourself.
The front living room and dining room area was small with only a loveseat, coffee table, and media console. The kitchen was also small with a tiny kitchen island where your sink was. The bedroom area was where your queen size bed and desk were.
You had removed your shoes and socks and were untying your apron when San turned back around to look at you. Looking up, you were met with his heated gaze. “What?” You asked as you untied your apron and set it on the counter.
San crossed the apartment, pulling you against him, lips meeting yours in a passionate kiss. From there, it was a mess of stumbling, tugging his clothes off until you both tumbled onto your bed, San trapping you beneath him.
Along the way from the kitchen to your bed, he’d lost his jacket and shirt, leaving him in his jeans and a white tank. Your skirt had fallen up as your legs wrapped around his waist, exposing your black lace panties.
You let out a moan as San leaned in, kissing up your neck as he rolled his hips against yours, grinding his erection into your soaked panties.
“Fuck,” you heard him hiss.
“I should have done this a long time ago,” San groaned, lips moving across your cheek. “San,” you gasped as his hips rolled against yours, pressing his hard cock against your core. “Say that again,” San whispered in your ear, grinding into you again.
“Say my name like that again, baby.”
You moaned, his name slipping out as he rutted against you again. His movements sped up, grinding against you repeatedly. “S-Sannie,” you whimpered, one hand moving to his shoulder as the other gripped the hair at the nape of his neck tightly. San groaned into your neck as his head fell.
“Oh god, that’s even better,” he grunted.
Whines and mewls left your lips as San continued to grind against you, grunting into your neck until you finally spoke up, your voice a little more hoarse than you intended.
“S-San,” you tried to catch his attention. When he didn’t seem to hear you, you tried again.
“San,” you said a little clearer. “Wait, wait, stop,” you continued, tapping his shoulder.
San lifted his head, stopping instantly and fixing you with a perplexed stare.
“W-what? What’s wrong?” He asked, eyes searching your face.
You reached up, cupping his cheek. “I don’t want things to go too far—”
San bowed his head with a groan. “I’m so sorry,” he started apologizing.
You shook your head as he started to push himself up. “I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions,” he continued but you sat up quickly, grabbing his arm. “No, San,” you answered. “It’s not that.”
He stared at your hand on his arm before his eyes traveled up to meet your gaze.
“You didn’t let me finish,” you added.
San relaxed in your grip as he waited for you to speak.
“I was going to say that I don’t want things to go too far before we’ve properly had a chance to explore things,” you said as you watched him, waiting for his reaction. “Explore things?” He repeated your words back to you, which you confirmed with a nod.
“What does that mean?”
Your cheeks burned but you spoke with as much confidence as you could muster.
“Explore… each other.”
San’s eyes widened as your words sank in. “Explore each other?” He parroted, his lips pulling into a smile as you nodded.
“Sorry for interrupting you!” He said excitedly as he quickly threw himself onto you, pinning you against the mattress.
You let out a giggle as he peppered kisses all over your cheeks before taking your lips in a soft kiss that quickly turned heated. “God,” he murmured, lips moving across your cheek.
“I love you so much.”
Your eyes shot open and you were met with his intense stare. His face was full of nothing but adoration as he looked down at you. Your cheeks burned under his gaze and you quickly pushed him over, rolling so you were on top of him, straddling his hips.
He looked surprised as you leaned over, pressing your lips to his. “I love you too,” you answered, squealing when he pulled you tightly against him.
“This needs to come off,” he pouted, tugging at your skirt.
“Then take it off me,” you challenged. San raised an eyebrow and was quick to sit up, wasting no time as he pushed the cheap material up and watched in awe as you finished the job, pulling the dress off with ease and tossing it to the floor.
His eyes left your face, trailing down to take in your lace bra, his hands moved carefully against your skin, up your sides to cup your breasts over the material. You ran your fingers through his hair, keeping your eyes trained on his face as he continued to explore.
He reached behind your back, glancing up once as he mumbled a simple “may I?”
You nodded, breathing heavily as he undid the clasp on your bra and just as swiftly, pulled the straps down your shoulders and discarded the item with your dress. Your cheeks burned as he saw you for the first time.
You’d dreamt about this moment more than once but now that it was happening, you were feeling many emotions all at once. Love, lust, anxiety, fear, self consciousness. Would he like what he saw? What if he didn’t?
Your concerns were quashed when San spoke, his voice barely above a whisper.
“Have I ever told you how fucking beautiful you are?”
Your cheeks burned more as you pulled your bottom teeth between your teeth, shaking your head. San carefully took the back of your neck in one hand while cupping one of your tits with the other, the palm of his hand warm against your sensitive nipple.
“You are,” he confirmed. “So fucking beautiful,” he added as he pulled you into a kiss, lips moving against yours as he parted them, his tongue slipping into your mouth. The hand on your chest squeezed, kneading your breast gently.
San pulled back, looking up at you with glossy eyes. “Lay back for me, baby,” he murmured, voice laced with desire. You carefully leaned back until you were lying on your back, San moving to kneel between your thighs.
He took your hands, moving to pin them over your head against the mattress. His lips met your collar, peppering light kisses over your skin, up the side of your neck.
“Oh, I’m going to enjoy taking my time with you,” he whispered in your ear.
He let go of your wrists as he sat up. “Keep your hands there,” he ordered, his own hands moving to undo his pants and belt. You watched as San unzipped his jeans and pushed them down, kicking them off and tossing them off the bed.
Next to go was his tank, joining his jeans in a pile on the floor, leaving him in his underwear and the necklace he always wore. The same one you gifted him many years ago.
He leaned over, kissing your stomach before moving to slide his thumbs under your panties and as slow as possible, pulled them down, sliding them down your thighs before finally discarding them on the floor as well.
You looked up at him as his eyes raked over your body, taking in all the things he’d never seen before. He rested his hands on your knees and pushed your thighs apart, ignoring the blush that crept across your face as you watched him eye up your glistening sex.
You’d only ever been intimate with one man but it wasn’t the one you wanted and now that you had the man you truly wanted to be with here in your apartment, you were going to make the most of it.
“Like what you see?” You whispered, drawing San’s attention. He met your gaze with a smirk. “More than you know,” he admitted, leaning over to kiss you. “I just want to memorize every detail,” he mumbled against your lips.
“Take a picture,” you whispered. San pulled back to give you a shocked look. “You’re serious?” He asked, which you nodded in response to. “Yes,” you answered. “Take a picture of me. Then you can look at it whenever you want to. Remember every detail until we see each other again.”
San groaned before moving to grab his phone from his pants. He quickly unlocked the screen, opened the camera app and snapped several pictures. He set his phone aside and dove back in, pressing kisses to your chest.
“San,” you breathed, your fingers combing through his hair as his lips brushed against the soft skin of your breast. “Hmm?” He hummed in response, looking up to meet your eyes in a soft gaze.
“I want you,” you whispered. He let out a small huff, his hot breath fanning across your skin. “I want you too, baby,” he replied. “I’m just taking my time with you.”
Without giving you a chance to answer, you felt his wet tongue run over your nipple before taking it in his mouth, making you moan loudly. He was gentle but still firm, tongue swirling around the sensitive nub before suckling softly.
Another moan slipped out as you felt his fingers skimming down your stomach and between your thighs. He pressed them against your wetness, groaning against your chest as he pushed one into your waiting hole.
“So fucking wet for me already?”
You whimpered as he carefully curled his finger against your walls before adding a second, pumping them slowly as his tongue continued to swirl around and run over your nipple, fixating his attention.
“S-San,” you whined, thighs trying to clench around his waist but unable to do so. Your walls fluttered around his fingers as he fucked and stretched you open. With the addition of a third finger, your arousal was starting to seep out of your hole, spilling onto your sheets.
“Such a greedy girl,” he murmured, his voice barely louder than the wet squelching of your cunt trying to suck his fingers back in. “Can I record this?” He asked softly. You nodded instantly. “Record whatever you want,” you gasped as he curled his fingers.
San sat back, continuing to pump his fingers in and out of you as he reached over to grab his phone. He opened the camera app and pressed the record, aiming the lens between your thighs as his fingers pistoned in and out of you.
Your slick shined in the flash as he lowered the phone to get a closer shot.
“That’s it baby,” he rasped, looking up from the screen of his phone to your fucked out expression. He moved his phone to get a shot of your face before moving it back to your pussy.
“You gonna cum for me, baby?” He cooed, fingers curling inside against your sweet spot. “Y-yes,” you moaned. “M’gonna cum, Sannie.”
Your thighs trembled as your high approached but just before you toppled over the edge, San stopped, pulling his fingers from your cunt. You whined in protest as he chuckled. Making sure to record, he brought his soaked fingers to your lips.
“Open,” he ordered. You did as he asked, lips parting enough for him to shove all three fingers into your mouth. “Clean them,” he added, keeping the camera on your face as you licked and sucked his fingers clean.
“Good girl,” he cooed, pausing the recording. “Here,” he said, handing the phone to you. “I want you to record me now.”
Your cheeks burned as he kissed your lips and then scooted back to settle between your thighs.
Doing as he asked, you pushed the record button, keeping the camera pointed at him. Once he knew you were recording, San smiled mischievously at the camera as he pushed your thighs apart and leaned in, biting the inside of your thigh and making you squeal.
He let out a breathy chuckle, kissing the same spot.
“San,” you breathed out as you felt him kiss his way up the inside of your thigh, skipping over your sex as he kissed up your stomach and chest, stopping to look up at you from between the valley of your breasts.
“Say it again,” he murmured. “Say my name again. Let me hear who’s making you feel this good, baby.” You moaned in response, hand moving to card your fingers through his hair. “You are,” you whispered.
You felt him huff against your skin. “Louder baby,” he retorted. “I can’t hear you.”
“You are!” You all but shouted. San chuckled against your skin, nuzzling into your sternum. “You’re damn right,” he answered.
His lips kissed down your stomach as he settled between your thighs, shoulders brushing against your skin. “Don’t be shy,” he said softly but just loud enough for you to hear him. “Let everyone know how good I make you feel.”
Your fingers in his hair tightened as you felt his tongue run along your slit, his hands shifting to spread your folds before he dove in, immediately teasing your clit with the tip of his tongue before cautiously sucking on it, making your back arch off the mattress as you fought to keep the camera focused on him.
“So sensitive,” he mused, attacking the bundle of nerves with his tongue with short but quick licks, each time making your thighs shake until you pushed his head down, forcing his tongue back against your clit.
He didn’t seem to mind, alternating between sucking and licking, making your cheeks burn as the sound of his sinful actions filled the room. It was wet and lewd but only the two of you were around to hear it.
You felt his hands move, sliding under your backside between your ass and the sheets as he held you in place, his tongue lapping at your swollen nub. Your hand in his hair moved up your stomach to grab one of your tits, massaging slowly.
“S-San,” you gasped as his tongue moved down, prodding at your entrance. You felt his nose bump against your clit as he toyed with your hole, groaning against you at the taste of your essence. “You taste so fucking good,” he grunted before pulling your clit back between his lips, a lewd slurping sound eminating from him.
“S-San,” you whined, cheeks still burning as heat spread from your stomach and to the other parts of your body. “F-feels so good,” you moaned, your fingers in his hair combing through his dark tresses.
You let out a whimper as you felt two of his fingers circle your wet entrance before pushing teasingly into you shallowly. He flattened his tongue, moving his head as his fingers teased your entrance.
“Please S-Sannie,” you moaned, back arching off your bed, begging him for more.
Without word or warning, San’s fingers breached your walls yet again, sliding in with ease as his tongue continued its assault on your clit. He kept his fingers still for a moment before starting to slowly pump them in and out of your sopping cunt.
Your thighs tried to clench around him but he used his free hand to push one of your thighs away from his head, keeping it pinned to the bed as he ate you out, fingers continuing to gain momentum until they were almost pistoning in and out of you.
A tightness in your lower stomach started, feeling as if an elastic band was being pulled back, tension mounting and ready to snap at any second. “I’m gonna cum,” you moaned. San ceased all movement at once and you whined as he pulled his fingers from your pussy. “San!”
You pushed yourself up to look at him, resting on your elbow as you tried to continue filming. He pulled his head back with a cheeky grin. His chin and lips were coated in your arousal, eyes glazed over and pupils blown wide with lust.
“I was so close,” you whined as he wiped his chin before moving to hover over you, taking you in a searing kiss, tongue pushing past your lips and dancing against yours.
You groaned, tasting yourself of his lips and tongue before he pulled away, bringing his fingers up to your mouth. “Open,” he whispered, watching as your lips parted, taking his fingers in your mouth. “Suck,” he continued, groaning as you cleaned your juices off his fingers.
As quickly as it started, he pulled his fingers from your mouth and pulled you into a passionate kiss, pinning you under him as he fiddled with his underwear.
His lips kissed down your neck to your chest, taking one of your nipples into his mouth again, tongue swirling around the sensitive nub while one of his hands kneaded and massaged your other tit.
You moaned, fingers combing through his hair and his tongue flicked against your pert nipple.
He pulled back, blowing on your wet skin and sending a chill up your spine. His lips were back against your cheek as he made his way to your ear. “I’m gonna fuck you so good you forget there was ever anyone else,” he whispered, grinding his hard cock against your wet cunt.
“Please,” you begged, meeting the grind of his hips. “Please San.”
Letting out a growl, San took the phone from you and set it aside, not even bothering to turn the recording off before he reached between your bodies, taking himself in his hand to give his cock a couple strokes, spreading your wetness along his length before pressing the head of his cock against your entrance.
You reached up, cupping his cheek as he looked up to meet your gaze. “Do it,” you whispered. “I trust you.”
San groaned, pushing into your velvety warm walls. “Ssshiiit,” he hissed, breath fanning over the skin of your neck. “K-keep going,” you gasped, one hand moving to his shoulder, squeezing as he did just that, his cock sliding further into your pussy.
“You feel so fuckin’ good, baby,” San whined, burying his face in the crook of your neck. Your walls clenched around him, drawing another whine from his lips, muffled by your neck. “You too,” you breathed, trying to adjust to the intrusion, your thighs squeezing around his slim waist.
“Please Sannie,” you urged, squeezing his waist with your thighs, one of your heels pushing into the back of his thigh. “Please fuck me.”
San groaned, his throbbing cock twitching in your cunt. “You can’t just say things like that, baby girl,” he mumbled. “And not expect me to go fuckin’ feral on you.”
You opened your mouth to respond but moaned instead when San pulled back quickly before thrusting into you one, twice, three times, setting a steady rhythm. Your hand in his hair moved to the back of his neck as you moved your hand from his shoulder to his bicep, squeezing gently.
“Fuck,” you hissed as he hit you with a hard thrust, testing just how much you could take. “Feels good?” He asked, lifting his head to smirk down at you. “Mhm,” you hummed, thighs tightening around his waist. “So f-fucking good.”
“Say it again. Tell me how good it feels, ” San groaned, hips stuttering as your walls convulsed around his cock again. “F-feels so fucking good, San,” you repeated. “Yeah?” San asked, his voice breathless as he watched your face contorted in pleasure.
“Feels fucking good? You like the way I fuck you?” He asked, his hips pounding harder against yours, the sound of skin slapping filling the room. “You like how I fill you up?” His voice dropped in pitch, a groan threatening to escape as he tried to hold back.
You nodded, whimpering as you felt the head of his length hit the spot that had your toes curling. “You like how my cock feels in your tight little pussy?”
You gasped as San rolled his hips, making you feel every ridge, bump, and vein. “You like that, baby?” He asked breathlessly, brows furrowing in concentration as your walls gripped him tighter, like a warm hug, enticing him to bury himself inside you and never leave again.
“Yes, Sannie,” you whined, your fingers moving back into his hair, trying to find something to hold onto and keep yourself grounded in the moment. You’d always wanted San to take you for his own. You’d been in love with the man since you were teenagers. Even when he didn’t follow the same path as you.
You never stopped loving him. Even when he pushed you away, saying it was for your safety. He didn’t want you to get hurt but when he came back, wanting to spend more time and see you more, you fell even harder.
The corner of your eyes burned with unshed tears as you felt your orgasm approaching. “San,” you gasped. “M'so close.”
San nodded, keeping his eyes fixed on your face. “I know, baby,” he answered, his voice just as breathy as yours. “Me too.”
The roll of his hips switch to a more erratic thrusting, each drag of his cock against your walls pulling moan after moan from you. “Fuck,” he cursed. “Look at me,” he growled. Your eyes opened, blinking away the hot tears that threatened to spill.
You felt San’s hand cup your cheek as he held your gaze. “Tell me you love me,” he blurted out. “Tell me.” Your heart leapt into your throat, pounding just as much as before. “I-“ you hesitated. Of course you loved him, you told him earlier but now it felt so much more intimate.
Your eyes darted between his before it finally slipped out.
“I love you, San.”
He sighed heavily, pulling you into a messy kiss that was mostly tongue before pulling back, ignoring the trail of spit that connected your lips. “Tell me,” he whispered, still thrusting quickly into you, cock ramming your cunt with renewed vigor. “Tell me you’re mine,” he continued.
You moaned, your hand moving to grab his wrist as your orgasm loomed over your head. “I’m yours,” you whimpered. “Only yours.”
San growled, burying his face in your neck as he chased his high, yours already crashing over you like ocean waves. “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” San moaned against your skin. “M'gonna cum.”
“Cum inside me,” you gasped, keeping your thighs tight around his waist so he couldn’t pull away. “Fill me up and make me yours completely, San.” San growled into your neck, thrusting a few more times before he came with a groan, hips continuing to fuck you as he relased inside you, filling your cunt with his hot load.
His hips slowed to a stop until he collapsed on top of you. “Holy shit,” he gasped as you combed your fingers through his sweaty hair. San turned his head to look at you, finding you already looking at him with a dazed smile.
“What?” he asked, lifting his head to look at you properly.
“I love you so much,” you murmured, moving your hand to pull his face towards yours, pressing your lips against his forehead. “Yah,” he whined, cheeks turning peach as he tried to hide his face in your neck. “I’m supposed to kiss your forehead,” he mumbled. “Not the other way around.”
You giggled as he pushed himself up to look down at your smiling face.
His eyes darted to the side, noticing the phone with the camera still open, recording the ceiling. “Whoops,” he said, grabbing the device and pressing the stop button. You’d also completely forgotten about the phone until he brought it up.
“Did it record everything?” You asked as he set the device on the nightstand. He nodded, looking back down at you. “Yeah,” he answered softly before he took your lips in a slow, passionate kiss, lips moving softly against each other. “I love you,” he whispered against your lips. “So much.”
You kissed him back, smiling as he leaned into your kiss. You let out a series of giggles as his hands wandered, tickling your sides before shrieking as he rolled onto his back, pulling you on top of him. San groaned as he looked up at you.
“Fuck, I should have made you ride me,” he murmured, hands moving up your sides and around to cup your chest. You leaned over to kiss him again. “We still have a couple hours,” you muttered, lips brushing against his. You felt one of his hands move up to your neck, cupping the side of it.
“Give me a bit to recover first,” he murmured, pressing multiple kisses to your lips.
“Then we can go again. We can go all night if you want to,” he added, looking up into your eyes. You placed your hand over his. “All night?” you asked, sounding hopeful and prompting San to nod in response.
“I’m yours until 400,” he added, noticing how your smile fell a fraction, the same sadness from before reaching your eyes. “And then you’ll be gone,” you whispered. San took your face in his hands. “Not forever,” he whispered, thumb stroking your cheek as tears welled up in your eyes.
“No,” he murmured, kissing you softly. “Please don’t cry, Y/N.”
You tried to hold back your tears, sobs threatening to escape your throat.
“I’ll come back for you,” he added. “I promise.”
You nodded your head as he kissed you again. “You told me you love me,” you whispered. San hummed in response, pulling you against his chest, fingers combing through your hair. “I do,” he replied.
“You promise?”
San nodded, pressing a kiss to your forehead. “I promise, baby.”
“And you promise you’ll come back for me?”
San could only curse the universe for the way things worked out. If he had his way, he’d call off the whole resistance and quit it all to be with you but he was too far in. Too deep. He couldn’t do that to his crew who had become like family to him.
Swallowing the lump in his throat, he nodded once more.
“I promise,” he answered, his voice barely above a whisper.
“Because you love me?” Your voice was so soft as you slowly started to drift off.
San smiled at you as you eyes fluttered shut, fingers combing through your hair gently. He’d never loved anyone as much as he loved you. It was a bittersweet love. One that was doomed to end with heartbreak.
“Because I love you.”
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It was almost a crime to leave your apartment but San knew he had no choice. Even though you looked so peaceful sleeping. Almost like an angel.
He knew he had business to attend to. He had to have the bike back to Outlaw Customs by 400 and it was just after 300. The ride back wasn’t as long but San made sure to savor every moment of it.
That was until his bike started making a weird sound.
He had just pulled into the alley when the sound started so he was able to roll the bike to the garage door and press the buzzer.
After a few moments, no doubt Yunho checking the cameras, the garage door started to open with a mechanical whirring. Yunho greeted his friend before a frown covered his features.
“Why does she sound like that?” Yunho asked as San parked the bike and cut the engine. “That’s a great question,” San answered. “It just started making it as soon as I pulled into the alley.”
Yunho pushed the garage door closing button and walked over, kneeling by the bike to inspect it. “I might need to readjust a few things,” he murmured before standing back up. “She’ll be fine for the job,” he added as San narrowed his eyes at the giant mechanic. “She better be,” San muttered.
Yunho waved his concern away. “Have I ever given you reason to doubt me?” The giant asked to which San shook his head. “Not yet,” he answered, making Yunho swear and playfully swipe at his friend.
“So, did you get everything done?” Yunho asked, not missing the sad smile that crossed San’s features. “Yeah,” the shorter man said. “Yeah I did.”
Yunho paused for a moment before placing a comforting hand on his friend’s shoulder. “If you want to talk about it—” San quickly cut him off.
“I’ll be fine,” he said quickly, pulling from Yunho’s reach. “I’ll see you later.”
Yunho nodded as San walked out the door into the main shop, nodding towards the shop owner, Nightowl, as he exited, Yunho not far behind.
“What was that all about?” Nightowl asked, looking over at Yunho who shrugged.
“I have no idea.”
The walk back was shorter than San remembered and soon the old van came into view. Wooyoung was still sitting in the driver’s seat while Cardinal sat in the passenger seat just like when San left.
Wooyoung was playing the same rhythm game on his phone while Cardinal looked through city maps. They both looked just as they had when San left but he picked up on subtle differences. Wooyoung’s hair was a little more wild and Cardinal was missing one of their shirts, left in just a tank top and pants.
San didn’t need to be a genius to know what happened in the back of the van and he begrudgingly opened the back door of the van and climbed in.
The stench of sex hung in the air and San pushed the blankets away from him as he settled down in his usual spot. “Where did you go?” Cardinal asked, peering over the seat to look at San as he removed his leather jacket and hung it on a hook next to him.
“Just out,” he answered quietly as he grabbed his tablet and started fiddling with it, ignoring the looks both Wooyoung and Cardinal threw his way. He missed the way they both exchanged worried looks with one another.
“You alright, San?” Wooyoung asked, glancing back at his friend. San said nothing but nodded.
He continued to tap on the screen while Wooyoung and Cardinal exchanged glances once more.
Part of San wishes he hadn’t come back. That he’d stayed with you in your apartment and forgotten the whole thing. Everything he’d worked for and helped set in motion. He would forget it all if it meant he could have a chance at being happy with you. But it wasn’t possible.
Not in this life.
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olderthannetfic · 2 years
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Can I be salty for a moment? I hate when I post about a glaring inconsistency/unrealistic thing in a movie or show, about something that is known to not be like that because there's actual, empirical proof otherwise, or the logic is simply there if you think about it for more than a brief moment, and people's first reaction is to go, "well this is a movie about blue aliens, people in suits of metal, etc! Why expect realism?" When there's a big difference between science/speculative fiction, which can very much be grounded in reality, and something that does actually exist in real life, and the movie or show misrepresented it in an illogical, it-doesn't-work-like-that way. A movie says a character has eight Ph.Ds for instance, when the purpose of getting Ph.Ds isn't to quantify intelligence or knowledge, but just to teach you how to learn effectively and in a self-sustaining way. So why get more than one or even two? Same with how hospital equipment is really badly depicted. I'm not even a doctor, nurse, surgeon etc but it drives me nuts how unrealistic some of it is, and how easy it would have been to make it realistic. I'm rambling now but I just want to be able to say, "urgh, this stood out to me" on my own blog without someone waltzing in and going "lol who cares have you seen what this movie is about?!"
--
Every good sff writer will tell you that there is shit that has to be "realistic" at least in the sense of being consistent and holding together. Make the space!breakfast cereal plausible, and people will buy the space!werewolves; Go "LOL, there are no rules", and nobody is going to connect with it ever.
Though I will accept that kind of comment when it's GOT discourse and someone is like "Blah blah blah history! Why are there POC? Why do ladies get to do things ever?" and someone else is like "My dude, there are dragons in this show."
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parfumieren · 1 year
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1828: Jules Verne (Histoires de Parfums)
The tallship has just crossed the equator. A junior sailor, newly initiated into the Court of Neptune, descends into the cargo hold. His line-crossing ceremony took place only this morning; his skin is still salty from repeated baptismal drenchings with ocean water. Just for tonight -- as officers and crew celebrate with glasses of port and tankards of rum in their respective mess halls -- he has the run of the place and can go where he likes. Here is where he likes to go.
In the darkness below deck loom crates of lemons, limes, and oranges, barrels of rum and aqua vitae, bundles of Virginia tobacco, and cedar caskets full of spices. The wood -- already fragrant on its own accord -- has been permeated by the scent of nutmeg and black pepper, producing a wholly new and curious fragrance which lifts the sailor's heart. His apprenticeship before the mast has been toilsome and often doubtful. Years from now, skin calloused by work, heart hardened by defeat and sorrow, he may well become as jaded as the toothless, wizened old-timers who barked in laughter at his initiation. But tonight, he belongs to this ship, and it belongs to him. Everything about it -- its crew and cargo, the wide sea upon which it sails -- is beautiful. Curled up in a coil of rope in the full-laden hold, at peace with life's vagaries, he closes his eyes. It comes to him, seconds before sleep descends, that he has never known pure happiness until now. Let the wind and waves rise...
Perfume, like any art form, is a form of storytelling. Every vial of fragrance contains layers upon layers of narrative to be guessed at by the wearer. Sometimes the perfumer's brief provides clues to the plot; other times, it's left to the imagination to interpret all.
1828 is dedicated to the French author Jules Verne, whose fascination with technology and mechanical innovation paved the way for modern science fiction writers such as Philip K. Dick and William Gibson, and has been a primary influence on the steampunk movement. Transportation is a particular fetish of Verne's; submarines (20,000 Leagues Under the Sea), transatlantic steamships and cross-continental trains (Around the World in 80 Days), cannon-propelled spaceships (From the Earth to the Moon), and lighter-than-air craft (The Mysterious Island) all symbolize the quickened pace and boundary-breaking spirit of 19th century life.
Oddly, the perfume named in Jules Verne's honor is neither sleek, fast, nor futuristic. Rather, it is a nostalgia piece, an evocation of an era predating that of the great author: the age of tallships, of Horatio Lord Nelson and the Napoleonic Wars.
Up until 1810, Myristica fragrans -- the tree from which nutmeg and its sister spice mace are derived -- grew nowhere else on earth but Banda, a tiny volcanic island chain east of Indonesia. For nearly 200 years, the Dutch occupied Banda, maintaining a complete monopoly of the nutmeg trade worldwide. But once the British Royal Navy managed to wrest control of the island from the Netherlands, transplanted nutmeg trees began to dot the globe.
To the modern-day nose, the scent of nutmeg still evokes quaint colonial comforts. It's a resolutely anachronistic smell -- and although it would seem to have little to do with the ocean, a nutmeg accord properly embedded in a marine composition will "read" like a Patrick O'Brian Aubrey/Maturin novel.
But where is Jules Verne's place in all this? It's in the clockworks, the gears, the mechanical accoutrements that set 1828 to humming. The trick that this perfume pulls off -- superbly -- is to place a wonderful piece of old-timey scrimshaw in a spare, minimalist, and thoroughly modern setting so that one can no longer tell what century (the 18th? the 26th?) it hails from.
A breezy citrus top note greets the nose first, paired with the smallest touch of eucalyptus to make it fly. A strong middle section of straightforward wood notes lulls you into thinking that perhaps the liveliest moments are over, but at last a radiant nutmeg accord sets in-- rich, cool, weighty, and smooth. This is a scent both Horatio Hornblower and Captain Nemo could wear. (Heck, throw in Morpheus from The Matrix while you're at it. What is the Nebuchadnezzar, anyway, except a supermodern Nautilus adrift in dystopia?)
When a perfume has the power to set all sorts of mental plotlines into motion, you might as well make yourself the hero: steely-eyed, soft-hearted, and guaranteed a new adventure at every latitude.
First, though, you must hear the call of wind and wave.
Scent Elements: Grapefruit, citrus, mandarin, eucalyptus, pepper, nutmeg, cedar, incense, vetiver, pine
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senpujin · 2 years
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which moon of our solar system are you ?  
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europa
one of the first contenders for hosting forms of life outside the earth, europa has long been observed both by scientists and writers of science fiction, but the latter were the ones who put it under the radar decades ago. while being only one fourth the size of our earth, it may contain twice as much water under an icy crust that is about 15 kilometers thick. despite the ridges all across the moon, it has the smoothest surface of any planetary object in the solar system, and it also appears fairly young, which led scientists to look for presence of tectonic activity. one of the biggest signs of salty water being present in huge volume under the icy surface was the disruption caused by europa in jupiter's magnetic field, with a faint yet impressive magnetic activity within the moon itself. 
as europa, you may carry the burden of people having bigger expectations from your future than you ask for, but you can also be a great source of inspiration to those who meet you. you may be protective of your inner world, but that will only ever entice people to get to know you closer and stay in your orbit.
tagged by ::  @universestreasures tagging ::  @ka-go-me  ,  @suiseiken  ,  @gcldencrow  ,  @chxmpionofjustice  ,  @compassionatehanyou  ,  @blossomingbellflower  ,  @thxlassophile  ,  @dreamsofthepast​  (   the muse you want !  ) ,  &  anyone  that  wants  to  do  this  !
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cptnpike-a · 2 years
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which moon of our solar system are you?
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EUROPA
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One of the first contenders for hosting forms of life outside the earth, europa has long been observed both by scientists and writers of science fiction, but the latter were the ones who put it under the radar decades ago. while being only one fourth the size of our earth, it may contain twice as much water under an icy crust that is about 15 kilometers thick. despite the ridges all across the moon, it has the smoothest surface of any planetary object in the solar system, and it also appears fairly young, which led scientists to look for presence of tectonic activity. one of the biggest signs of salty water being present in huge volume under the icy surface was the disruption caused by europa in jupiter’s magnetic field, with a faint yet impressive magnetic activity within the moon itself. 
as europa, you may carry the burden of people having bigger expectations from your future than you ask for, but you can also be a great source of inspiration to those who meet you. you may be protective of your inner world, but that will only ever entice people to get to know you closer and stay in your orbit
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auraguardians · 2 years
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which moon of our solar system are you?
tagged by: @sakurarisen​​ ~
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Riley
THE MOON
There's very little I can say on the moon that hasn't already been said and explained in a greater detail, in ways much more poetic. The moon has been our companion since the dawn of time, with many theories suggesting that it was once part of the earth itself, and it's been influencing us without a break both in nature and in culture. 
It's marked more than one turning point in our history, and it impresses scientists to this day, be it with its unexplainably perfect position between earth and the sun that makes total eclipses possible, or the discovery of water on its surface. This constant presence of the moon in our lives can, perhaps, cause us to take it for granted more often than not, although I'm sure there's someone out there marveling at it and writing sonnets on its light right this moment. 
But this may be the facet that you share with the moon: you can be a constant source of great inspiration and light for everyone, regardless if they show any gratitude for it or not. You may always be there for those who deserve it and those who don't, but that only shows the strength and importance of your character, which will last in people's memory even if you decide to step back, as the moon slowly orbiting farther from the earth's plane.
Sir Aaron
EUROPA
One of the first contenders for hosting forms of life outside the earth, Europa has long been observed both by scientists and writers of science fiction, but the latter were the ones who put it under the radar decades ago. While being only one fourth the size of our earth, it may contain twice as much water under an icy crust that is about 15 kilometers thick. Despite the ridges all across the moon, it has the smoothest surface of any planetary object in the solar system, and it also appears fairly young, which led scientists to look for presence of tectonic activity. One of the biggest signs of salty water being present in huge volume under the icy surface was the disruption caused by Europa in Jupiter's magnetic field, with a faint yet impressive magnetic activity within the moon itself. 
As Europa, you may carry the burden of people having bigger expectations from your future than you ask for, but you can also be a great source of inspiration to those who meet you. You may be protective of your inner world, but that will only ever entice people to get to know you closer and stay in your orbit.
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sakurarisen · 2 years
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Which moon of our solar system are you? 
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Europa! one of the first contenders for hosting forms of life outside the earth, europa has long been observed both by scientists and writers of science fiction, but the latter were the ones who put it under the radar decades ago. while being only one fourth the size of our earth, it may contain twice as much water under an icy crust that is about 15 kilometers thick. despite the ridges all across the moon, it has the smoothest surface of any planetary object in the solar system, and it also appears fairly young, which led scientists to look for presence of tectonic activity. one of the biggest signs of salty water being present in huge volume under the icy surface was the disruption caused by europa in jupiter's magnetic field, with a faint yet impressive magnetic activity within the moon itself. as europa, you may carry the burden of people having bigger expectations from your future than you ask for, but you can also be a great source of inspiration to those who meet you. you may be protective of your inner world, but that will only ever entice people to get to know you closer and stay in your orbit.
Tagged by: @duelrisen​ <3 <3 <3 <3
Tagging: @soulboundspirits (Any of your muses! <3), @honorisen​, @auraguardians​, @azure-steel​, @warofthebeasts​, and anyone else who wants it! <3
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lunephased · 2 years
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Which moon of our solar system are you?  
⋆「EUROPA」⋆ 
One of the first contenders for hosting forms of life outside the earth, europa has long been observed both by scientists and writers of science fiction, but the latter were the ones who put it under the radar decades ago. while being only one fourth the size of our earth, it may contain twice as much water under an icy crust that is about 15 kilometers thick. despite the ridges all across the moon, it has the smoothest surface of any planetary object in the solar system, and it also appears fairly young, which led scientists to look for presence of tectonic activity. one of the biggest signs of salty water being present in huge volume under the icy surface was the disruption caused by europa in jupiter's magnetic field, with a faint yet impressive magnetic activity within the moon itself. as europa, you may carry the burden of people having bigger expectations from your future than you ask for, but you can also be a great source of inspiration to those who meet you. you may be protective of your inner world, but that will only ever entice people to get to know you closer and stay in your orbit
Tagged by: @duelrisen 
Tagging: @inmiasma , & whoever is around !!
OMAKE:
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“I can hear the faint sounds of Yu-hu-hus in the distance and I don’t like it.”
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griefdestined · 2 years
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Which Moon Of Our Solar System Are You?  
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EUROPA — one of the first contenders for hosting forms of life outside the earth, europa has long been observed both by scientists and writers of science fiction, but the latter were the ones who put it under the radar decades ago. while being only one fourth the size of our earth, it may contain twice as much water under an icy crust that is about 15 kilometers thick. despite the ridges all across the moon, it has the smoothest surface of any planetary object in the solar system, and it also appears fairly young, which led scientists to look for presence of tectonic activity. one of the biggest signs of salty water being present in huge volume under the icy surface was the disruption caused by europa in jupiter's magnetic field, with a faint yet impressive magnetic activity within the moon itself. as europa, you may carry the burden of people having bigger expectations from your future than you ask for, but you can also be a great source of inspiration to those who meet you. you may be protective of your inner world, but that will only ever entice people to get to know you closer and stay in your orbit.
tagged by: stole from @retrocognizantrecreant​ tagging: the dash!!!
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tlaquetzqui · 6 months
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Whoever decided to steal the name “xenofiction” from science fiction from the alien perspective, and misapply it to stuff like Watership Down or Raptor Red, should have their stupid illiterate face stomped in. Ξένος means “stranger, foreigner”—not animal.
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buzzdixonwriter · 1 year
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On Genres, Truths, and Tropes (part three)
In his novel The Serialist, David Gordon writes:
“In its tropes and types, genre fiction is close to myth, or to what the myths and classics once were.  Just as, a century ort two ago, one could refer to Ulysses or Jason and hit a deep vein of common understanding in your reader, now we touch that place when we think of a lone figure riding in the desert, or a stranger in a long coat and hat coming down a corridor with a gun, or a bat wheeling above the city at night.  Reduced to their essence, boiled down, the turns and returns of genre unfold like dreams, like the dreams that we all share and trade with one another and that, clumsy and unrealistic as they are, point us towards the truth.”
I think that’s an over-glorification of genre fiction (and to be fair, the passage is the novel’s narrator, a mediocre pulp writer one step away from failure, justifying his hack work) but it does touch on a few baseline truths.
Genre fiction reflects what audiences believe to be true -- or perhaps more accurately, what they wish were true.  It’s fiction written catering to those beliefs, and while that doesn’t automatically preclude work in that genre from being worthwhile and valid, it sure doesn’t help.
Which is why I intend to steer clear of it in the future.
Mind you, this is no slam against those who delight in writing or reading genre fiction. 
I know many of them to be honest practitioners of their craft, bringing their best effort to the page, and trying their utmost to leave readers with something both entertaining and to some degree uplifting.
I enjoy genre fiction and I will doubtlessly be writing a lot of it in my future fictoids, but those by and large are merely light extemporanea.
A single potato chip, as it were; a tasty delight, crunchy and perhaps a bit salty, but junk food nonetheless.
Healthy meals of substance will be my long form stories, novels I intend to self-publish.  I don’t see much of a future for professional short story writing (i.e., getting paid for it) and will leave what little remains of that market to newer writers seeking to establish a foothold for themselves.
I’m tired of chasing after bones tossed by others, jumping through their hoops.  Yeah, it would be wonderful to write a best selling novel that garners me a huge financial reward and a vast readership, but as Joel Hodgson said of his show, Mystery Science Theater 3000, “It doesn’t matter if everybody doesn’t get the joke so long as the right people get the joke.”
To cop a line (but without irony) from This Is Spinal Tap, I wouldn’t mind becoming more selective in my audiences.
I have three completed novel manuscripts in the hopper, two contemporary stories, one set in the immediate aftermath of WWII.
More on the way.
If science fiction reflects a world the writer wishes (or fears) to live in, then these three books share a kinship to that genre insofar as they reflect the world I want to inhabit.
There is nothing inherently fantastic about them, though various pop culture brands and genres get mentioned in passing.
There is practically no violence in them (one’s about football, so there’s some rough and tumble gridiron action, but no one ever faces serious harm in the other books).
They’re not about mcguffins, prizes to be won that are important only to the characters in the stories.
They tend to be about values, and what we put important, and how we weight those values against one another.
All that philosophy is buried under tons o’fun, however.  They’re raucous, rowdy works with a lot of silliness and satire blended in.
They are, in short, the kind of books I find myself wanting to read at this stage of my life.
Which is why the Chronicles of Q’a will never be completed…at least not by yrs trly.  At some point in the not too distant future I plan to publish a short story anthology and the next Q’a tale will be included in that, but that’s the end.
I’m looking for something more substantial to chew on for nourishment in my coming years.
 © Buzz Dixon
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annarellix · 2 years
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Number One Fan by Meg Elison - EXCERPT
ABOUT THE BOOK: A headlong rush of a thriller/horror that is Misery for Millennials, about a bestselling author who is abducted by her biggest fan and must figure out who he is, where she is, and how to survive and escape, set against the backdrop of fan and convention culture, the literati and the #metoo movement.
Bestselling fantasy author Eli Grey gets into a cab without checking it's hers, and unquestioningly accepts a drink from the driver. Then she wakes up chained in his basement. With no close family or friends expecting her to check in, Eli knows she's on her own to save herself. She soon realizes that her abduction wasn't random--she was targeted. And though she thinks she might recognize her captor, she can't figure out quite why, or what he wants. But it is clear that he is very familiar with her work, and deeply invested in the fantastical world she created in her books. What follows is a test of wills as Eli pits herself against a man who believes she owes him everything, and is determined to take it from her.
With unflinching prose, NUMBER ONE FAN examines the tension between creator and work, fandom and source material, and the rage of fans who feel they own fiction.
The Author: Meg Elison is a California Bay Area author and essayist. She writes science fiction and horror, as well as feminist essays and cultural criticism. She has been published in McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, Fangoria, Fantasy and Science Fiction, Catapult, and many other places.
She is a member of the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA) and the National Writers Union (@paythewriter).
Her debut novel, The Book of the Unnamed Midwife won the 2014 Philip K. Dick Award. Her novelette "The Pill" won the 2021 Locus Award. She is a Hugo, Nebula, and Sturgeon Awards finalist. She has been an Otherwise Award honoree twice. Her YA debut, Find Layla, was published in fall 2020 by Skyscape. It was named one of Vanity Fair's Best 15 Books of 2020.
Elison is a high school dropout and a graduate of UC Berkeley.
SOCIAL LINKS: Author website: http://megelison.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/megelison Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meghanelison/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MegElison
BUY LINKS: Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/books/number-one-fan-9780778386155/9780778386155 B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/number-one-fan-meg-elison/1140164276 Books a Million: https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Number-One-Fan/Meg-Elison/9780778386155?id=8608410277130 Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0778386155/keywords=horror%20books?tag=harpercollinsus-20
EXCERPT: CHAPTER 1
The car rolled into view, the lit decals on the dashboard letting Eli know that her driver was typical: working for all the rideshare services at once. Gotta hustle, she thought as she quickened her pace away from the airfield. She hoped he hadn’t been waiting long. “Elizabeth?” He seemed bored, not even bothering to turn around. “That’s right. I go by Eli, though.” “Sure,” he said, tapping his phone. She settled in, her satchel beside her. “Thank you.” The car was air conditioned against the cushion of heat that pressed against its tinted windows, and as they headed toward the freeway, she finally began to relax. She was grateful the driver didn’t seem to want to talk. She was tired of talking from the event, and her throat was dry and sore. “There is a cold drink there in the cup holder. Down in the door.” His voice was low, a raspy baritone. “Oh, cool, thanks.” Eli reached down and felt the blessed condensation on a plastic bottle. She pulled up a blue Gatorade and wrenched it open, suddenly very thirsty. She drank half of it in huge gulps, disliking the weird, salty taste of the electrolyte mixture but unable to stop herself. It felt good, after hours of talking and the dry air of the flight. She breathed deep and drank again, coming close to finishing it off. Must be the heat, she thought. That and the two miniature bottles of Jack Daniel’s she’d had to calm her nerves on the plane. Her phone vibrated in her pocket in an unfamiliar cadence and she slid it out to check. Her notification from the rideshare app blared BRENDA HAS CANCELED THE RIDE FOR REASON: NO-SHOW. YOU HAVE BEEN CHARGED A CANCELLATION FEE OF $5. Eli frowned at her phone. Had she summoned two cars by accident? She unlocked it with her facial scan and checked. The app showed only one ride: a black Prius driven by Brenda, which had arrived five minutes ago and canceled four minutes after that. It wasn’t a busy day at the airfield. It certainly wasn’t curbside pickup at SFO, but it was still possible that she had gotten in the wrong car. But he had known her name. She leaned forward to get the driver’s attention. “Hey, just clarifying—you’ve got my info, right? I just got a cancellation from another driver, and I’m worried that I got someone else’s ride.” The driver tapped his phone and his eyes darted between it, the rearview mirror, and the road. “Elizabeth Grey. Headed to the Sheraton, right?” The phone displayed a highlighted blue route along the freeway. It was a map program, rather than the rideshare’s software, but Eli had seen drivers toggle between those before. She glanced up at the rearview mirror, but his eyes were on the road and he had put on a pair of dark glasses. “Right,” she said. “Huh. Wonder what happened.” Eli settled back into her seat. She stared out the window and thought of home, of the deep grey fog rolling down over the hillsides and the wind coming in, salty from the Bay. She was homesick. Even in the same state, the air felt wrong on her skin. Los Angeles had been an endless parade of palm trees against a blameless sky, and the tacos were so good she could barely stop shoveling them in, but the traffic had left her feeling exhausted upon every arrival. And then there was the way that people looked you over in Los Angeles, deciding whether you were famous or fuckable or useful in some other way before sliding on to the next thing. Her audiences had been lively and engaging but draining, and after each of her events, she’d wanted nothing but some dinner, a hot bath and sleep. Maybe a couple fingers of bourbon over ice. Traveling always left her wrung-out and unmoored. It didn’t help that the sun was so all-encompassing outside the car it could have been anywhere, any time of day, the hot, white light blinding. She couldn’t look at a surface other than the black asphalt without squinting. Living in San Francisco gave her what she had thought was a passing acquaintance with the sun, but the glare as the 10 freeway led out of Los Angeles county and into the high desert landscape was just too much. How are people here not dog-tired all the time? Doesn’t the heat suck all the life out of them? How do they ever leave the house? Christ, it’s March. Imagine later in the year. I gotta get some sunglasses. She set the phone beside her on the seat to avoid pawing it in and out of her jeans. She belatedly buckled her seatbelt as they picked up speed. Out the window, the freeway was sliding past, one unfamiliar mile blending into the next. The driver turned his radio on. It annoyed her at first that he had not asked, but then she reminded herself that he probably spent the whole day in his car. She wasn’t talking; he was probably both lonely and bored. Let him have his Oingo Boingo. He changed lanes to get into the faster flow of traffic and the motion of it made her feel a trifle ill. This heat had produced all kinds of new feelings. She ignored it, drinking the last swallow of the Gatorade. She looked around for a polite place to deposit the bottle. The motion of her head made her dizziness worse and she tried to blink it away. “Do you have a spot for trash?” she asked him. As the words slid out of her mouth, she realized she was slurring like she was very, very drunk. She was horrified to realize she was drooling, too. Eli tried to get a hold of herself. She pushed with her palms and worked to sit up straight but found that she could not. Her head felt far too heavy for the wet noodle of her neck to have ever supported. Her abs were slack and her spine was a worm. She sagged against the seat; the seatbelt the only thing keeping her from sliding to the floor. “Whass going on?” The words seemed to take a long time to reach her ears. Oh shit, I’m having a stroke. An old classmate  of Eli’s had had a freak stroke event a week shy of her thirtieth birthday. Frantically, she tried to recall the diagnostic that the woman had posted on Facebook right after. She couldn’t speak clearly. She couldn’t lift her arms at all. Her hand flopped uselessly in the direction of her phone. “Ooogoada tachme to ahspital,” she slurred at him in molasses-thick nightmare slowness. “Shumding wruuuuunnnnng.” “Relax,” he said clearly, his voice less deep than before. “You are fine.” With her last spasm of strength, Eli pulled at the door handle, intending to tumble out of the car. The child safety lock held her in place. I’m not fine, she thought with her last clear and lucid moment. As her eyes fell closed like heavy curtains, she finally registered that they were going the wrong way. The steely spike of panic that stabbed at her heart was almost enough to counteract the soporific effect of whatever was wrong with her, but not quite. Fighting, terrified, she slipped out of consciousness. Excerpted from Number One Fan by Meg Elison, Copyright © 2022 by Meg Elison. Published by MIRA Books.
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minkroe · 2 years
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“You know what? They are valid. And they’re wrong.” (MARVIN)
♥  Unraveled Season 1 Sentence Starters!  ♥
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“   you’re  just  salty  cuz  the  aliens  got  taken  down  by  the   sniffles .  ”   minerva  sneers ,  the  smile  evident  in  her  voice  as  he  playfully  taps  down  the  hood  on  the  martian’s  helmet .   taking  marvin  to  a  reading  of  ol’  h.g. wells :  war  of  the  worlds   (  narrated  by  brain ,  naturally )  was  gonna  be   loaded   with  marvin’s  very  distinct   critiques .   
no  regrets .   this  is  fun .  
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“  it’s  supposed  to  be  ironic ,  babe .   earth’s  last  minute  hero  being  the  smallest  organism  that  we  often  overlook ?  ”   she  counters  with  a  tilt  of  her  head .  “  and   like--  a  metaphor  for  mankind’s  arrogance  over  it’s  own  intelligence  falling  short  against  higher  intelligences ,  only  for  the  mercy  of  something  primal  being  it’s  saving  grace ,  or  whatever ?  c’mooon .  ” 
also  it’s  science  fiction .   how  the  heck  was  1897  writers  supposed  to  know  what  martian  civilization  was  really  like ?  
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allwaswell16 · 3 years
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This is a fic rec of One Direction fics where pubes are appreciated by characters in the fic as requested in this ask. If you enjoy the fic, please leave kudos and comments for the writers! You can find my other fic recs here. Happy reading!
-Larry-
rather be sad with you (than anywhere away from you) by @coffeehazza / ohsailor
(E, 145k, uni au, roommates, hurt/comfort, depression, homophobia, angst with a happy ending, mental health, friends to lovers, fluff, smut)
Have Love, Will Travel by @kingsofeverything​ 
(E, 97k, road trip au, friends to lovers, co-workers, summer, national parks, camping, RV, YouTube, falling in love, hiking, swimming, secret relationship, smut)
A Small Matter (A Matter of Trust) by @kingsofeverything​
(E, 18k, secret relationship au, Grindr, strangers to lovers, teacher Louis, teacher Harry, pov Harry, hook up, tiny penis fic, jock straps, kissing, rimming, smut)
Only Thing That Can Quench My Thirst by @eyesofshinigami​
(E, 6k, kink exploration, pubic hair, facials, blow jobs, rimming)
Sour/Sharp/Salty/Sweet by @homosociallyyours​
(E, 5k, girl direction au, tattoo artist Harry, kink, fingering, face sitting, fluff, smut)
sensitive to pressure by @gaycousinlarry​ / momentofclarity
(E, 4k, hockey au, famous/famous, player Harry, player Louis, secret relationship, locker room, body worship, dirty talk, sweat, smut)
come and lay down your shoulder by HappyPrincess
(E, 4k, canon compliant, sickfic, pwp, fwb, pining, touring, hotel sex, fluff, smut, overstimulation, dirty talk, light humiliation)
Let's get physical by @kerasines​  
(E, 3k, alien au, alien Harry, science fiction, hair pulling, first time, pubic hair, smut)
Clean by orphan_account
(E, 1k, pwp, dom/sub, dom Louis, sub Harry, shaving, fingering, riding, smut, bottom Louis)
-Gryles-
Initial Conflict by @theyellowgrassgrows​ / SeraphStarshine
(E, 3k, Harry/Nick Grimshaw, canon, established relationship, Love Island, shaving initials into pubes, dirty talk, smut)
-Hazoff-
Feeling it Out by @louandhazaf​ / YesIsAWorld
(E, 4k, Harry/Jeff, locker room, sexual confusion, self-discovery, semi-public sex, fwb, smut)
-Ziam-
Live a Thousand Lifetimes by @laynefaire​ / Layne Faire
(E, 57k, Zayn/Liam, canon, future canon, Pennsylvania, farm, vineyard, exes to lovers, miscommunication, anxiety, angst with a happy ending, horses, smut)
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fire-fira · 2 years
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[image text: Question received on Thu, August 09, 2018 10:53:09 PM fire-fira writes... Hi Greg, just a couple quick questions (because I'm a language nerd): 1) Are there compiled 'dictionaries' of each of the conlangs used in Young Justice (Atlantean, Rannian, etc.)? 2)If so, are any of them available online? (I ask this mostly as a fanfic writer who's a massive nerd and would like to have language references beyond what I've scraped together and expanded on.) Greg responds... 1. I have an abridged dictionary for New Genesian; it's a language I created for another science fiction project, which I coopted to use for YJ.  I think Nicole Dubuc has a dictionary for Rannian.  For Atlantean, I count on a consultant, Aris Katsaris.  For Markovian, I use GoogleTranslate for Latvian.  What am I forgetting? 2. I don't think so.  Though I think that most of the translations are up on the YJ Wiki. Response recorded on July 09, 2021 :image text end]
Well this is frustrating. :/ I only saw this reply a couple of days ago (it’s 1/17/2022 now)-- which is honestly unsurprising considering I gave up on getting an answer after months of nothing and it took roughly three years to get one-- and yeah, I’m a tiny bit disappointed. Partly for the lack of online sources for fans (which is more of a minor ‘Well darn. :/’), partly because of my own linguistic nerdiness (and having strong opinions about conglangs and how they get built), and partly the vague ‘Check for what other fans have done’ (mainly because I already have-- in terms of Atlantean anyway-- and the dictionary I’ve been writing already has more of the canon language compiled than what’s on the YJ Wiki).
Said opinions on the conlangs:
New Genesian: I can understand the desire to co-opt a conlang from one source for another. On the other hand (based on my experience with my own conlangs) I’m concerned that the adaptation might be clunky and awkward, especially if said language is heavily context-dependent. I haven’t done enough research/listening in on New Genesian lines in the show to have a good read on whether it is or not.
Rannian: Like New Genesian I haven’t learned/listened in enough on Rannian lines to know how well it flows/the structure of the conlang. And yeah, someone connected to the show has a dictionary, but (so far as I’m aware) that’s a complete nada for fan access.
Atlantean: HA. I applaud the fact that they have someone versed in Ancient Greek (from what I’ve heard anyway) as a basis to build the language from-- and building a conlang from a previously or currently existing language is a smart move because it helps side-step a lot of potential pitfalls for conlangs-- but. I reiterate. My [Atlantean dictionary], which I’ve been writing-- has more of the canon language (plus my own expansions based on and tweaked from Modern Greek) than the tiny bit on the [YJ Wiki]. As it is, it took longer than I would have preferred to find out where the Atlantean word ‘esperran’ came from. (Having an Ancient Greek-to-English dictionary would probably help me a fair amount, but I try to get by with the resources I have at my disposal as someone who doesn’t actually speak even Modern Greek.)
Markovian: GOOGLE. FUCKING. TRANSLATE. GOOGLE FUCKING TRANSLATE????? Running lines through googletranslate-- either through Latvian or into Latvian-- and calling it good is just... NO. Not just no, but HELL NO. Googletranslate can be trusted loosely at best, because for the most part it butchers the shit out of languages. I cannot believe how gd lazy this is. As a language nerd this one in particular annoys tf out of me.
Yeah. I’m grumpy. I’m salty. And they could have done a damn sight better for Markovian. And if Markovian is a representative example of how lazy they were for the other conlangs... UUUUGGGGGGHHHHH.
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