“Can I touch you?” Victor asked once they were both lying on their sides, facing each other.
Yuuri swallowed and nodded.
Victor slid closer to him. His fingers grazed the edge of Yuuri’s jaw, settling on his pulse point.
Tentatively, Yuuri reached up and returned the touch. Victor sighed, his eyes easing shut.
“Victor.” When Victor’s eyes opened and found his, Yuuri took a deep breath, and set his resolve. “I want…I think we should…why don’t we…let’s make out.”
Yuuri winced, scrunching up his face.
After a silence, Yuuri eased open one eye to see Victor’s expression. He found him smiling, soft and impossibly fond.
“I love making out,” he said.
Nerve Endings by @rageofthenerd
Today’s “Consent is Sexy” rec brought to you courtesy of @potteresque-ire. Thanks’s Pie!
Hi! You wrote the first johnlock series/ work I ever read and it was the point of no fucking return. But I can't remember the name of it or find it, it was a while ago. But I remember that they play a drinking game and I think they get sick? Can you please post it again or send me a link? I'm feeling nostalgic. You started it all for me. Thank you.....Bless you...
You are thinking of The Last Drop for the drinking game and The Temper Between for the sickfic, both from The First and Last Trilogy. I can’t speak for the writing in there because I haven’t looked at it in yeeeears and would probably be mortified, but there you go! I’m glad it made an impression! Thank you so much <3
I sure could! Alright *rubs hands together*, let’s start with the holy trinity (most have probably heard of these and with good reason):
Captive Prince by CS Pacat: My favorite of all time tbh. Laurent and Damen are clinics in character writing, and the slow, methodical way Pacat brings them together has a staggering payoff (aka the best sex I’ve ever read, period.). Trigger warnings abound, however (mentions of rape, slavery, dub con (though not between L&D), torture), so be warned.
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller: Pure poetry. Reading this is like getting drunk on gay wine (emotional hangover included). A piece of literature that I wish I’d read in a classics course. Knowing how it ends between Patroclus and Achilles does not save you from this book shattering your heart.
All for the Game by Nora Sakavic: Less, um, *elevated* than the previous two, but it’s full of relatable yet dark, delicately handled characters. I like sports, but I don’t think you must to enjoy this. Andrew is a character that burrows under your skin and refuses to leave. The slow burn is everything.
And now for some lesser known gems. If you want something sexy and historical with a supernatural mystery as a bonus, I recommend:
A Charm of Magpies by KJ Charles: Pure fun. KJ Charles is a ridiculously prolific writer, so if you like her style you’ve got plenty of reading material. The relationship between her characters is sweet and sexy, while not being unnecessarily angsty.
For something raunchy, dark, and wickedly fun:
The Beautiful Monsters series by Jex Lane: Vampires, Incubi, Egyptian Gods, oh my. These books are not for the easily triggered, but if you enjoy a bit of guilty indulgence and don’t mind some m/f sex with your m/m, these are for you. There are two ships to pick from (team Tarrick/Matthew all the way), though everyone pretty much fucks everyone. I’m serious with the trigger warnings, though (specifically rape and dubcon). Oh, and the plot is thrilling and complex.
For some smutty, healthy BDSM:
Wine & Song series by Eleanor Kos: I’ve been a fan of this author’s Hannibal fic for years, and boy am I glad I decided to read her original work. I blew through these books in 2 days. You’ll fall in love with the characters. The way their relationship deepens, despite some intense baggage and a significant age difference, is erotic and beautiful and I couldn’t get enough.
For something teen, sweet, and Harry Potter-ish:
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell: Enjoyed the plot, enjoyed the characters, and the world is interesting. This is a great PG-13 m/m read.
For more adorable, PG-13 teenage love:
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz: Poetic and touching with a cute get-together and supportive families.
A Boy Worth Knowing by Jennifer Cosgrove: If you want something easy and happy with very little stress or plot, this is for you.
For elves, prostitution, and a fantasy setting:
A King’s Ransom by Lia Black: I enjoyed how these characters found love and the magic that enhanced their bond. Definite trigger warnings here, specifically for rape and dubcon (though not between the main couple, except for perhaps a scene where one of them is a little drunk).
Things in my library that I haven’t read yet:
The Raven Cycle, Simon vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda, Shadow of the Templar, The Half Wolf (I’m like 20% in and it’s cool), Hush, The Ruin of a Rake, and Locked in Silence.
So Nerve Endings is about to cross 100,000 hits, and I’m so darn grateful and mushy about it that I'm opening up one last prompt:
If there is a last little scene you’d like to see from the Nerve Endings universe, now’s the time to pop it in my inbox or comment on here. I’ll pick one (or maybe two) and try to crack out a ficlet/chapter in the next couple days.
I love you like Victor loves saying “I love you” now that he finally can.
Viktuuri AU where instead of meeting because yuuri lost the GPF and went into a depressive slump, he won gold and knocked Viktor a place down on the podium
You got it, dude. (more YOI fics by me)
Yuuri won.
The wonderful, staggering truth of it has yet to hit him,even as he stands on the highest tier of the podium, the crowd roaring abouthim. His gold medal is heavy on hischest, and his heart pounds against it. He smiles so wide that tears bead in his eyes.
Then he looks down at his lifelong idol, standing besidehim. Beating Victor is more significant thanwinning the Grand Prix Final. It meanshe’s finally on the level of his greatest hero. It’s everything he’s ever wanted, second to being Victor’s friend. And maybe making out with him…on theirwedding day…before growing old together. Whatever.
Victor’s height puts him at eye-level with Yuuri, and he’salready staring at him. Yuuri can hardlybreathe.
“Congratulations, Yuuri,” Victor says through a heart-shapedsmile. Yuuri feels a sense of completeunreality.
“T-thank you.”
Victor leans in. Yuuri can feel his breath against his ear.
“You’re a beautiful skater,” Victor murmurs. A shiver rattles through Yuuri, his face burning.
“Not as beautiful as you,” someone says. It’s a few heartbeats before Yuuri realizesit’s him. Oh god, he just hit on VictorNikiforov.
Victor tilts back, his eyebrows raised. Yuuri levitates out of his body.
Then they get barked at to pose for a photo.
“Put your arms around each other,” calls one of thephotographers. Christophe Giacometti,the third place winner, doesn’t hesitate, resting his hand on Yuuri’s ass. Yuuri hardly notices. Victor’s hand is a hot pressure on his spine,his fingers pressing in and rubbing. Yuuri feels the touch everywhere. Shaking, he places his palm high on Victor’s shoulders, almost to hisnape.
Though it’s probably all in Yuuri’s head, he feels a sparkof something between them; an acute mutual attunement that he’s never felt withanyone before.
Somehow, Yuuri survives the ceremony without fainting. It’s a whirlwind of congratulations, photos,and autographs after that. He doesn’thave a moment’s peace until he’s getting ready for the banquet the followingday. His anxiety is starting to catch upto him. Regardless of his victory, hedoesn’t like socializing in crowded rooms, but Celestino reminds him of hissponsorships. At least Victor will bethere.
When he arrives in the banquet hall, he looks around forVictor and chugs back some champagne. Victor’ssilver hair is hard to miss, and his smile lights up the room. Yuuri finds he’s not the only one oglinghim. There’s something about Victor thatcaptivates everyone in the room.
Then Victor looks over at him. Recognition tempers his polite grin, and,though Yuuri could be imagining it, a hint of sadness softens his eyes.
He appears to excuse himself before making his way to Yuuri. Yuuri downsanother glass of champagne before Victor walks up to him.
“How’s the banquet treating you?” he asks, polite. “Reveling in your victory?”
After a moment of panic, Yuuri finds his words.
“Not really,” he admits. “To be honest, I kind of hate these things.”
“You aren’t the only one.” Yuuri is taken aback. Victoralways seems to love charming the crowd at fundraisers and banquets.
“You’ve done so many, you’re probably sick of them by now.”
“This may be my last,” Victor mumbles into his glass. He empties it, and places it on a passingtray. Yuuri frowns as Victor’s words hithim.
“What do you mean?”
Victor glances at him.
“I mean that I don’t know if I want to do this anymore.”
Yuuri gasps before he can help it. Victor seems startled by his reaction.
“You can’t mean that,” Yuuri breathes.
“Is it so hard to believe? I’m twenty-seven. It doesn’tthrill me like it used to. Maybe it’stime to walk away.”
Yuuri wants to cry. The idea that Victor could be sick of skating when he still has so muchto give chills him to the core.
Yuuri opens his mouth to say something, anything, but Yakov beckonsVictor from across the room.
“That’s my cue,” Victor says, shooting Yuuri aconspiratorial eye roll. He turns awaybefore Yuuri can stop him.
All of Yuuri’s joy at winning flickers out. He feels responsible for Victor’s words, eventhough he knows it’s irrational. Hedoesn’t regret defeating him, but he still knows it’s on him to change Victor’smind. He may be the only one who can.
Unfortunately, Yuuri can’t find the courage to approach him. Even though they’ve spoken enough to beacquaintances by now, he still sees Victor as his hero. Talking to him is scarier than performing hisfree skate the day before.
He convinces himself that more champagne will help. That’s his first mistake.
The second is deciding in his booze-soaked brain thatchallenging Victor to a dance-off is a brilliant idea.
“Victor,” he slurs, stumbling up to him. “I have an idea.”
“Yuuri. What’syour idea?”
“I challenge you to a dance off.”
Victor blinks slowly at him.
“A…dance off?” Yuurinotices distantly that Victor is slurring too. It seems he’s not the only one hitting the champagne. A smile starts to pull at Victor’s lovelylips. “What do I get if I win?”
“My number.”
Victor looks just as astonished as Yuuri feels. He can’t believe he just said that out loud. But hey, Yuuri doesn’t care. Yuuri is full of champagne and Victor is moregorgeous in person than he ever imagined. Life is short.
“I see. And what doyou get if you win?”
“I get you as my coach. What do you say?”
Victor’s mouth opens and closes. Yuuri doesn’t have the patience to wait forhis answer. He throws his arms aroundVictor’s neck.
“Be my coach, Victor.”
And Victor, to Yuuri’s great surprise, blushes. It’s the most adorable thing Yuuri has everseen.
***
“And that’s how you asked me to be your coach,” Victorfinishes. Yuuri hunches over in theirbed, burying his face in his hands. Victor rubs his back.
“I’m an idiot,” Yuuri says. “I can’t believe I don’t remember this.”
“You were enchanting. You saved my career and my life, and all with your pants off.”
“I had my pants off?”
Yuuri groans, flopping onto his back. Victor wraps around him, squeezing him close. He nuzzlesYuuri’s cheek.
“You know much I love you without pants,” he purrs, fingers sliding down to Yuuri’s bare hip. “I was very attracted to you.”
“Are you sure it wasn’t my gold medal? Maybe you just wanted to get close enough to steal it.”
Victor glares at him. His hand slips between Yuuri’s legs, making him arch off the mattress.
“I’m going to make you pay for that,” Victor says into Yuuri’s ear.
Prompt! Yuuri's reaction to seeing Young Victor's press conference where he's not paying attention and eating chocolate (from Yuri on Museum)? Or maybe Victor recalling that?
Yuuri sits on the floor, hands on hisknees, and rocks back and forth as he waits for Victor’s press conference tocome on. The only thing he likes as much as watching Victor skate isseeing him interviewed after. It’s hisbest resource for learning more about the boy behind the legend.
Victor always seems confident and happyin public, but Yuuri senses there’s something shallow about it. He wishes he understood who Victor truly was,that Victor trusted him enough to share secrets and be his real self. Yuuri knows it’s stupid, though. A genius like Victor would never be friendswith someone like Yuuri.
“Yuuri, do you know where my chocolateis?” Mari barks from the other room.
“Nope,” Yuuri calls back, beforefrantically stuffing chocolate wrappers into his pockets. He’s developed a habit of eating when he’snervous or excited. Really, Mari shouldknow better than to leave her candy out when Victor is on TV.
Fortunately, Mari must get distractedbecause she doesn’t pester him any further.
Then the press conference comes on and Yuuriforgets all about hiding the junk food he stole from his sister.
He rises up on his knees, bouncing with anticipationand stuffing chocolate in his mouth (he might eat part of a wrapper), as Victorcomes into frame.
A hot blush rises on Yuuri’s cheeks. Victor’s hair is falling beautifully aroundhis face; his skin is flawless, his eyes stunningly blue, as always. A tingling pressure spreads in Yuuri’schest. It’s a sensation he’s beenfeeling more and more when he looks at Victor, and he’s not quite sure what itmeans.
“Victor,” asks one of the reporters fromoff-screen. “You’re only seventeen andyou just won your second World Championship. You’re totally peerless. Is thereanyone you’ll be celebrating with tonight?”
At first, Victor wears his usualheart-shaped grin, his eyes crinkled. Then he opens his mouth to speak and no words come. Yuuri watches, stomach twisting strangely, asthe smile slips from his face. His eyes castdown. Yakov jumps in for him, talkinganimatedly about his star pupil’s success, but Yuuri can’t focus on thesubtitles to understand what he’s saying. He can’t stop staring at Victor’s expression. Something is wrong. He knows it. He wonders if he’s the only one in the world who does.
Without looking, he grabs another pieceof chocolate and brings it to his mouth…at the exact same moment that Victor picksup his own chocolate bar and takes a bite. Yuuri freezes. He can hardlybelieve his eyes. Part of him knows it’sridiculous, but he can’t help but feel a connection between them.
He knows in his adolescent, hormonal,fanboy brain that it’s fate.
***
“You remember that?” Victor asks. He cups Yuuri’s hips where Yuuri straddleshim on their couch.
“It always stood out to me. Usually you were so engaged in those sorts ofinterviews.”
“But you saw right through me, didn’tyou. And then you thought it was fatethat we were both eating chocolate at the same time. God, you’re adorable.” He presses a kiss to Yuuri’s cheek.
“I was thirteen,” Yuuri grumbles. He fiddles with one of Victor’s shirtbuttons. “I shouldn’t have told you.”
“I’m glad you did. You were right, you know. I remember that interview. It was the first time I realized how alone Iwas. Outside Yakov I didn’t have anyfriends.” He tucks a strand of hairbehind Yuuri’s ear. “I wish I’d knownyou then.”
“No you don’t. You would have thought I was some kind of crazedfanboy.”
“I still do.”
Yuuri flicks him on the arm. He pouts his cutest pout, knowing exactlywhat effect it will have. Victorcrumples.
“Please don’t make that face. You know I’m a fanboy for you too.”
“Prove it.”
Victor’s eyes spark.
“How?”
Yuuri leans in close, taking Victor’s jawin his hand to demand his undivided attention. Victor licks his lips.
Prompt for you: more of Yuuri appreciating Viktor's freckles (that have never been proven. ;))
“I told you; I don’t have freckles.”
“What about here?” Yuuri says, pressing a kiss to something that looks suspiciously like a freckle on Victor’s shoulder. “Or here. Or here.” He traces a path up the side of Victor’s neck with his lips. “Surely you have one or two here.” He kisses the peaks of Victor’s cheeks; the tip of his nose.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Really.” Yuuri fights a smile. “You’re sure there’s absolutely nowhere on your body where you have freckles…”
Victor’s eyes flicker. Yuuri watches him debate with himself, amused.
“I guess, if I was going to have one, it might be here.” He points to his bottom lip.
“I see.” Yuuri leans in and kisses him full on the mouth. A small noise of surprise and pleasure hums from Victor’s throat. It spurs Yuuri on. He licks into him until they’re both panting, clawing at each other with desperate fingers.
“I can think of one other place I might have a freckle,” Victor murmurs. He waggles his eyebrows like an idiot.
“How many times do I have to tell you,” Yuuri says as he pops open the button on Victor’s pants and tugs down the zipper, “your pick-up lines are awful.”
“Maybe I’d believe you if you weren’t taking off my pants right n–”
