Summary: Andy Barber is so desperate to lose the stigma surrounding him he's willing to let himself be used and abused by his boss.
Warnings: Implied smut, Sexism (Matriarchy AU), Sexual harassment, Workplace harassment. Please let me know if I missed any!
A/N: Reader is female. No other physical descriptors used.
Part 1;
Part of the Matriarchy AU.
"Andy, my office," you call out as soon as he leaves Melinda's office.
Andy winces. His beard is still gleaming. He needs to clean himself up. But he doesn't dare deny a superior.
As soon as he's in you stop him from closing the door.
"Can't have Melinda thinking we're doing something wrong," you explain. "Do us both a favor and use the bathroom in my office to clean yourself up."
"Thank you, Madam," Andy sighs from relief, practically sprinting to the sink.
As he washes his face, he keeps himself on alert. Sure, this isn't breaking the rules, but it's a kindness. Kindness always has a cost. And if your price puts him at risk with Melinda, he's well and truly fucked.
He tries to quietly walk out of your office but you motion for him to have a seat across from you. His shoulders tense as he sits, keeping his gaze averted.
"We're keeping the door open so Melinda can't accuse us of anything and speaking in hushed tones so you won't get in trouble," you quietly say. "I'm going to hand you some papers and a copy of my office key will be amongst them. Whenever you need the private bathroom here, if you need a few minutes away from everything, my office is open to you."
Andy stares at the small pile of papers, breathing shallow with indecision. If he accepts and Melinda finds out, she'll drop him as a prospective Husband. She might even make it look like he's stealing and he'll be fired and kicked out on the street. On the other hand, you're showing him more kindness than he's ever experienced since he got hired. You're giving him a chance to preserve what little dignity he has.
"Melinda isn't the queen," you reassure. "She shares power in this company with me and Yvette and she's already on Yvette's last nerve. So if she raises a fuss, she'll be outvoted. Understand?"
"I...I think so, Madam," he breathes.
Andy considers his options. You've always been polite to him, but maybe it's a trap? If it weren't for your open disputes with Melinda he'd think the two of you were setting him up, testing him to prove his loyalty to her. Because a good Husband is loyal to his Wife. If he takes the key, keeps it secret, Melinda could accuse him of being unsuitable for the role of Husband and, again, he's out on his ass with less than nothing.
But, at this point, what are the chances Melinda will ever follow through on her promises? You've always been polite to him. Honest. Straightforward. Complimentary, even. Maybe he can trust you?
The entire time Andy deliberates you keep looking like you're working so as to not arouse suspicion. It pains you how scared he looks contemplating letting himself preserve some dignity.
"I'll make sure this gets taken care of, Madam," he finally says, grabbing the papers, and the key, as he stands.
You let out a small sigh of relief. It isn't much, but maybe it'll be a start towards getting him out from under Melinda's desk and getting him somewhere safe, healthy. The man could be a good Husband, but he's never going to reach that potential if he stays her side-piece.
It really doesn't take much for Andy to hide your office key from Melinda. She doesn't pay attention to him outside of when she wants something from him. She's not going to notice an extra key on his key chain.
He's also smart enough to know to take his time cleaning himself up after Melinda uses him. She expects him to take forever to get back because of the lack of men's bathrooms available in the building. If he were to be sitting at his desk a few minutes later, freshened up, she'd be suspicious. He can't risk that.
Back at his apartment his roommates noticed he was more on edge.
"Boss threatening to fire you?"
"What? No. No, of course not."
"You should be looking over your shoulder, sleeping your way into a Husband role like that," they scoff.
"I didn't...it's not exactly by choice," he grumbles. "I got lucky to be hired at all."
"You know you only got hired for your looks," one of them sneers. "Friggin' pretty boy using his good looks to take a job someone worthy could use."
Andy sighs and just heads to his room. There was no solidarity here. They never saw him as the victim part of him knows he is. He was always just getting by on his looks. Always "asking" to be used by his boss.
He pulls out his key chain, looking at that key to your office. Maybe there was someone who saw him for what he was.
In another part of town, you're sitting across from Natasha Romanov, a college friend who was now a high ranking member of Her Majesty's Intelligence Agency. The two of you had kept in touch over the years and it was because of you that she got her in at the Agency.
"I'm guessing you're calling in your favor?" she smiles as she sips her wine.
You chuckle. "You're always too good at reading people."
"Not like this was difficult. It isn't often you ask to meet me without some kind of heads up or asking me a time that works. This is something important."
"Well...important-ish. It is for a guy, after all."
"Oh really?" she raises her eyebrows in surprise.
"You know Melinda Benefry?"
"One of your business partners," she nods.
"Correct. You know our diversity hire?"
"Oh, her secretary. I'm guessing Melinda isn't interested in sharing?"
"And I'm not interested in how she continually uses and degrades him. Having a side-piece is one thing. Emotionally torturing the man is another."
"I concur," she nods. "The number of men who we've found that were kidnapped, trafficked, worse. No one deserves that."
"It's my hope I don't have to say more," you raise an eyebrow.
so re4 is my favorite ressy game, but i have a really love hate relationship with the story. i cannot stand ada wong and the fact they killed off Luis Sera, who is easily one of the most interesting characters in the entire series is a travesty.
So like everyone on a03 I of course have an re4au fic. Yes it takes place in the matriarchy universe, but there is a LOT of differences. First of all Krauser is taking Leon's role as protagonist. They did my man so fucking dirty with operation Javier. I decided he got therapy instead of being shafted by the military. Secondly Leon is in Ashley's role as the princess that needs saving just because I said so. Also also Luis is not dying, we aren't doing that.
I have even less of this fic than I do of An alpha through and through but you can have a snippet anyways
Speed draw under cut
“The way his handlers tell it, it seems Leon begged for this mission. “ Krauser growls low in frustration “stupid kid. Kept saying he wanted to be an agent. I never thought they’d let him be anything more than some lab rat.” Shepherd looks out the window, towards the setting sun. it’s intensity is muted by the blinds, bright beams peaking through the slats tint the room hues of yellow and red “ what makes you OR them think i can help him?” Shepherd tenses and sets down her now empty mug “ thats the problem .They dont want to help him, they dont care if he’s dead or alive.” her causal tone could be mistaken for callousness when really she was just as bewildered as him “What?!” Krauser spits, so shocked he can hardly believe what he’s hearing “just…” shepherd placates, waving her hands to say a simple ‘hear me out’ “A human BOW of leons skill? He’d be worth millions to the right, or should i say wrong person.” shepherd stands and walks, trying to shake off her tension “they dont want him falling into the wrong hands. If hes dead they want his body back.” its her turn to look disgusted “i can only assume theyre picking up where umbrella left off.” “ and if hes alive?” Krauser hardly dares to ask
Warning: mention of drowning, no actual drowning though.
So, what if, one day, Neji’s son gets annoyed because his daddy told him he couldn’t go outside and play because it was raining. Some of the older kids got to go out and it’s not fair!!
So, he sulks and goes off to play in his room... but then he realises... he could just go outside... as long as no one sees him, they won’t be able to stop him.
So he goes out and has a great time playing in the rain behind the empty outdoor training grounds. But he gets caught up and a bit lost. It’s later than he realised, he’s freezing cold and shivering now. He ends up disorientated, falling down and hurting his knee. He calls for help, but there is no one there to hear him, so he finds shelter under a tree and cries for his mummy or daddy to come and get him.
At this point, Neji has realised that his son isn’t just in his room or Neji’s room, in fact he’s nowhere in the harem at all.
As is standard procedure, guards on all the entrances and exits to the palace are forbidden from letting anyone in or out, and all members of the harem and the royal children are kept together in the harem common room. This is just in case foul play is involved.
Neji is panicking and distraught, Naruto is trying to calm him down, having handed his own child off on an uncomfortable Shikamaru.
Neji tried to leave to find his son, but he’s forbidden from leaving the harem. He begs you to go and help the guards find him.
He tells you that his son was angry about not being allowed to play in the rose garden in the rain. Your stomach drops as you clarify that he wanted to go to the rose garden next to the lake.
Neji realises what you mean immediately and collapses in to hysterics again, terrified that his son has drowned because Neji was negligent.
At this point, the harem has split into those who are trying to comfort Neji, and those that are trying to comfort the other children who are confused and concerned, the younger ones crying in their fathers’ laps.
You search and search with all the guards, but he’s nowhere to be found around the rose garden. Or any of the other flower gardens.
But just then, a soldier comes running towards you, something held in her arms. It’s your son. She found him when she was planning on taking advantage of the training grounds while all the higher ranked soldiers were searching.
He’s cold and crying and has a few grazes on his knees and hands. But he’s alive and mostly okay.
You take off your cloak immediately and wrap him in it, instructing people to call of the search, promising to tell the harem yourself.
You bundle the little boy up, whispering comforts to him as you make your way back into the harem, relieved beyond belief to be bringing good news with you.
You swing open the door and everyone startles. You notice Neji surrounded by Naruto, Kakashi and Haku. Neji jumps to his feet and it only takes a second before his eyes land on his son.
You walk over quickly and deposit the child in his arms before he can yank them from you.
“He’s cold and upset, but he’s okay” you murmured as you passed him over. Everyone in the harem looked relieved. “There was no foul play, so everyone can go back to what they were doing. Let’s stay inside for this evening though, okay?”
Everyone dispersed, while you gently led Neji and your son to his room, allowing Neji to coo apologies and sweet nothings uninterrupted.
Servants were already preparing a bath for him when you arrived, so you spent your time carefully wiping tears from both faces until it was ready.
Neji decided to take the bath with him. The drowning scare had probably spooked him a great deal.
You went to get changed as soon as the door shut, feeling the stress and worry pile on your shoulders now that things were quiet.
Prompts for Poss’ Women & Gender Studies’ Midterm Project
Person A is a trans time traveler who is going back in time and meets their ancestor, Person B, who, it turns out, was also trans (or the equivalent) in their time period. Person B ends up teaching Person A, unknowingly, a lot about the history and anthropological lens of gender.
Person A has always been gender-nonconforming and later finds out from their parent that they’re other parent was a humanoid looking alien from a species with only one sex, and Person A was created in a lab to consolidate their different genes of their parents. Person A is unsure how they’re going to identify with this knowledge and goes to explore their other parent’s planet and to meet their other parent and learn about their species’ culture.
Person A is a sociologist who is at the forefront of working with alien species who have come into contact with humanity, but Person A is struggling to try to explain their culture’s perception on gender to a species who has absolutely no concept of gender, of which Person B is their species’ representative. But matters are made more complicated when Person C, an alien with a culture that has even more rigid concept of gender than Person A’s specific human culture, tries to try to make sense of both Person A’s concept of gender and Person B’s lack of a concept of gender. Person C’s species also has far more genders than humans do. But the 3 work closely together, all sociologists of their species, to try to find a way to explain how they understand gender to one another.
Person A is studying a species of alien that is sexually monomorphic. Person A keeps searching and trying to analyze gender roles among them, despite the fact that Person B, the researcher of this species who has come to analyze humans, seems completely perplexed by the idea of gender roles and tries to learn and figure out what they are, while Person A tries to pin gender to things with no gender in Person B’s world.
Person A lives in a universe where humanity was seeded on many different planets and left to develop independently of one another. Person A is meeting Person B, from a planet where patriarchy grew much quicker and took a much deeper root than on Earth. In Person A’s world, neither patriarchy nor matriarchy developed. On Person C’s world, matriarchy developed and became the dominant outlook and highly entrenched in their main cultures. The three are meeting as representatives of their planets for the first time, and now must figure out how to consolidate their very differing cultural aspects to work together.
Person A is a time traveler who travels through history to protect key people who could bring a lot of change had they lived, mostly people who historically got assassinated or died young but who fought for important movements. Person B is someone in the modern day who Person A is protecting, unknowing that this means they are going to do great things.
Possibly only @yungjedi will be interested in this at all but Victoria (ITV) Matriarchy AU. Based firmly and entirely off the AU fanfiction that is the TV show. (I studied Victorian History I have Opinions about the real people)
William Lamb had always attracted gossip (”really, a man of his breeding working” “well blood will tell, it’s not as though he was born on the right side of the blanket for all that he has the name of a legitimate son”) but none more so than when the Queen asks him to be her lover.
He wants to say yes but...he’s never wanted this for himself.
Summary: Andy Barber is so desperate to lose the stigma surrounding him he's willing to let himself be used and abused by his boss.
Warnings: Implied smut, Sexism (Matriarchy AU), Sexual harassment, Workplace harassment. Please let me know if I missed any!
A/N: Reader is female. No other physical descriptors used.
Part of the Matriarchy AU.
The sounds coming from Melinda's office are aggravating to listen to. The woman has absolutely no shame about using her poor employee for her own pleasure. Rumor has it she's ordered him on his knees just about every morning.
And you know her choice is really just another power trip for her. There are other men in the company but they've got prospects. They have good chances at being sole Husband for a woman. It's the main reason men get jobs, after all; to attract a Wife.
But Andrew was a PR hire. Her Majesty has been caving more to the Men's Rights causes, giving tax benefits to those companies that hired more men or, in his case, men whose families had black marks on their records. By all accounts Andrew should lucky to even have work given his father's criminal history against women. But the man had the mental skills needed for the job and the company execs wanted to look good to Her Majesty. In fact, his hiring caused Her Majesty to promote the business as "things are more equal than they once were."
Melinda's treatment of him has you knowing otherwise.
Andy flinches as he steps outside of his boss' office. He knows he looks like a mess. He feels like it, too. Melinda has a private bathroom in her office but she still refuses to let Andy wash his face after their sessions. Hell, he's still not allowed to call her Melinda. He has to call her by her title, Madam Benefry. She offers no warmth except for what's between her legs and he knows he can never expect more. He is a man in a woman's world. A man with a family history that makes him next to worthless except for what he can provide with his tongue and hands.
When he was hired, he'd been full of hope that he could make a life for himself. But he quickly learned better. The only thing he lives for are his boss's promises of making him her Husband. Sure, replacing her current Husband could be a hassle, especially as she's already had two children by him, but she'd be good for her word. He just needs to keep showing her he's worth the trouble. Showing her his willingness to learn her wants and needs. Prove himself to be a good man who can meet her every whim.
Part of him knows her words are empty. That he'll never be enough and she'll forever just lead him on. But if he doesn't obey, he could lose his job and then where would he be? Not just a bad family reputation, but also a black mark on his employment history? He'll be destitute. Best to just take the humiliation. At least he can pay his share of the bills for the tiny apartment he shares with a couple other men.
It takes him a while to get to the men's bathroom on one of the lower floors so he can wash his face. Another of the reasons he knows Melinda doesn't let him wash his face in her office. He has to wear her juices on his face, a reminder to him and those in the office that he's her side piece. Doesn't stop other women from slapping his ass and telling him to smile, though.
The men in the building had tried to push for more bathrooms but they've always been laughed off and told that the ratio of men to women is so abysmal, they really only needed the few bathrooms they have. Andy made sure he wasn't part of that push because he can't risk this job.
"And that will conclude today's meeting," Melinda announces. "Andrew will type up the notes and make sure everyone gets a copy of them, right handsome?"
"Yes, Madam Benefry," Andy monotones.
"Oh don't be like that," Melinda admonishes. "You're so much cuter when you smile."
"Sorry, Madam Benefry," he replies with a small smile.
"Ugh, leave the poor man alone," you groan. "No one wants to smile after such a long meeting."
"Well if he ever wants to be more than a secretary, he'll have to show he can do everything with a smile," she purrs.
Andy blushes and quickly makes his way to his desk.
When as he's out of hearing range you look at Melinda.
"As if you'll ever actually make him a Husband," you chide.
"How I treat my employees is none of your concern," she bites back.
"It kinda is when your moans are so loud we're getting complaints from the other floors!"
Instead of flinching like you'd hoped, Melinda gives you an evil grin.
"He can be very good with that mouth of his."
"But not good enough for even a Harem job?"
"Oh you know his background," she scoffs. "Bringing that kind of thing into my home, with my daughter? It's unconscionable. He could be a danger to her. Especially if he teaches my son how to be like him."
"You mean teaching your son to be an obedient puppy?"
Melinda gives you a look that was probably intended to make you wilt. She's clearly used to dealing with underlings, not equals in power.
"Maybe I'll take him off your hands," you offer. "It's about time I got myself a Husband."
"He's damaged goods," she jeers.
"Clearly not if you're keeping him around," you counter.
"He's my side piece and if you give him any hope of getting out from under my desk, I'm firing him and making his reputation so tainted not even the Queen could redeem him."
"I'll keep that in mind," you promise, your mind already thinking of ways to get Andy out from under her control.
Summary: The life of a Kept Man ain't all it's cracked up to be.
A/N: Reader is female. No other physical descriptors used.
Warnings: Dub/non con, Emotional abuse, Implied violence, Manipulation, Smut. Please let me know if I missed any!
"Oh Cuuuuurtiiiis!"
Curtis winces as he hears the call of his Wife. That's the tone she uses right before telling him she's doing him a favor. A favor that always ends up being something he despises. He swears she picks his least favorite things on purpose, a regular reminder of the power she has over him.
Sure, legally he has the option of quitting as her Kept Man, a part of her harem. But the reality wasn't so easy. She would be called by any future employers or Wives and she, undoubtedly, would tell them the worst things, lies or truth. He'd be hopeless in terms of prospects.
She bounds down the hallway into his compartment in the harem space. She's wearing an incredibly short, sleeveless dress and he already knows what she wants. She's going to take him to a crowded bar where she'll entice some jackass and he'll have to step in and punch the guy's lights out. Then she'll drag him back to her bed for the kind of rough sex that leaves bruises on her neck that she'll show off. She'll claim she's helping him burn off steam. But she's actually making it worse.
"Now don't look so pouty, you big grump," she mocks. "We're going out on the town! That's fun!"
Maybe if I was allowed to get drunk, he thinks. "How do you want me to dress?"
"Hmm," she puts a finger on her lips, pretending as if she doesn't already know. "How about a polo shirt, with all the little buttons undone so I can see your chest hair. Those dark jeans that make your ass look so smackable. Oh! And the leather jacket!"
"Any cologne preferences?"
"Whatever that one I got you for your birthday is. I can never remember the name for it, I just know I like it."
"I'll get to it," Curtis grunts as he stands.
She screams in pleasure as Curtis slams his cock into her. The night went as he predicted and now he's pretending to give her the angry, feral sex she's been craving.
"You're such a slut, dressing like that," he growls, following the script. "You want to get fucked like you're just a set of holes for men to use."
He has to growl these things because he's lost the anger he once had. Growling appeases her, makes him sound like he's actually angry. In truth, he can't be angry where he feels numb. But he has to keep pretending, for her pleasure and his sake. She controls his future. If he plays along, maybe she'll grow tired of him and let him leave on good terms.
It's his only real hope right now.
Curtis has some time for himself. His Wife went on a week long vacation with Colin, another of her harem. The one who actually gets to have fun.
He gets his allowance from the Husband and takes himself out for a walk. He's not sure where he's going, but he knows he needs to get out of the building. Maybe even outside of the city, at least for a little bit. Curtis gets on the first bus that he sees and decides to ride until either the end of the route or until he sees something that catches his eye.
Putting his forehead against the bus window, he tries to let himself just breathe. Ignore the living situation, that doesn't have to be his whole life. He really should try some hobbies other than the gym the Husband has invested in. But everything he thinks of, even just knitting, his brain goes to all the ways the Wife will twist it to her own purposes. There are no secrets from her in that place. And she makes sure everyone knows it all belongs to her. Including the men.
It shouldn't be like this, he knows. A lot of people probably know. But that's just how it is. If a man wants to not starve to death, he has to make a woman happy. Or at least give her pleasure. During his required military service he worked in the masonry & carpentry occupational services division and found he'd liked the work. He'd even hoped he could find a job to support himself with it. But, according to every construction company he applied to, guys like him were a dime-a-dozen. There were too many men applying for too few jobs.
When she came along, he thought she was the answer to his prayers. A relatively easy life, regular money. But now he knows she was actually a demon, manipulating him, twisting his desires and needs to her pleasure. He's tried to complain to what little family he has but they tell him that he should be grateful he's not on the street. That she's not beating him. That it's his own fault for not double checking the contract, even though he couldn't afford a lawyer.
It could never be the woman's fault. Ever.
Ducking your security detail was getting easier these days. You're fairly certain Mother stopped caring so much about your well-being. Then again, did she ever actually care or was it all just theater for her adoring public?
Such is the life of a second daughter, you suppose. Especially the second daughter of a noble. Mandy, your older sister, will inherit everything. You're supposed to get along well enough with her that she'll hire you for some cushy job, but fuck that. If that was how things were supposed to be, Mandy would be less of a bitch to you.
Besides, you kinda like seeing how "the common folk" live. Maybe you can find a Husband out in the wild and really shake up the courts.
Summary: Jake Jensen gets an offer he can't refuse.
Part 1;
Pleasure (Snippet)
Kept Man
Summary: Curtis Everett can tell you that the life of a Kept Man ain't all it's cracked up to be.
Part 1;
Side Piece
Summary: Andy Barber is so desperate to lose the stigma surrounding him he's willing to let himself be used and abused by his boss.
Part 1; Part 2;
Possible inclusions:
Arranged - Ransom Drysdale is arranged to marry the daughter of one of Linda's business partners.
Escort - Jonathan Pine has made peace with having to sell his body to get by. It's the world's oldest profession, after all.
Labor - Hal Carter might be just another stable hand, but he's learned the hard way it's better to be a man in the countryside than in the cities.
Noble - Nick Fowler plays the role of Husband so well his Countess Wife has no need of a harem. Until people start wondering why she's had no children yet.
