Here is the complete list along with pairings from the RQ solstice exchange! Thanks so much to everyone involved for your enthusiasm and excitement, everyone put so much love and effort (and sneakiness) into their fics 💕🫶🏼
Enjoy!
Amuse Bouche by Ubiquitously_ubiquitous for Siobhanwrites
Bodhi / Tyvon/ Ridoc/ Liam Mairi
Aretian Snowfall by justanothersarah for Tegantales
Liam/Violet
Best Kept Secret by Mint_chocolatechip for Hoellix
Bodhi/Ridoc
Burn it all down by Hliz for Pillow
Violet/Xaden
Complementary by Kobo for Thoughtsaboutshows
Violet/Xaden
Dancing in the dark with you by fantasy_bookwyrm for Caeli
Violet/Xaden
The Days of Draecember by ACourtofLadyDeath for Saranova
Drake Cordella and Cain Aetos
Defying Gravity by Copperfirebird for TheWrittenMaze
Violet/Jack
Dragonback Boink by yanny77 for millie
Bodhi/Ridoc
Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell by almond_bonbons for lovemedarkly - Sloane/Aaric
Happy Birthday, Dain Aetos! By overjoyedisland for junespumpkin
Dain/Cat
If the Fates Allow: A Solstice Anthology by thoughtsaboutshadows for kobo
Violet/Xaden
in the eye of the beholder by caeli for overjoyedisland
Mira POV, Violet/Xaden
Liam's sweetness by pillow for NIv
Liam/Sawyer
Life, Love and Other Four Letter Words by TheWrittenMaze for Hliz
Liam/Jesinia
like shadows in a faded light by alltoowellread for aspensquake
Violet/Xaden
Memories Consume by lizardrunclub for amberswansong
Brennan/Naolin, Violet/Xaden, Imogen/Garrick
Mistletoe and Misery by hoelixx for fantasy_bookwyrm
Brennan/Naolin
The Music Of The Night by saranova for silverlude
Violet/Varrish
Nakey & Bakey siobhanwrites for yanny77
Bodhi/Ridoc
Of Third Year Shenanigans by we were beautiful for almond bonbons
Bodhi/Reader
"Please just go along" by korrina for headcanoncase
Sloane/Aaric
Remember we die by zhenya naleva for we were beautiful
Garrick/OC
Rewritten by lovemedarkly by lizardrunclub
Sloane/Aaric
Shining Through the Stormy Dark by amberswansong for subs
Liam/Xaden/Violet
A Shock of Curls by nivaria for Ubiquitously_ubiquitous
Bodhi/Garrick
Shut Up and Fly with Me! by yanny77 for mint_chocolatechip
Xaden/Garrick
Sloane and Aaric's Excellent Adventure by aspensquake for korrina
Sloane/Aaric
Someone to Save You by lydibug522 for I_am_art
Liam/Xaden/Violet
This Walk That We Shared Together by tegantales for zhenya
Liam/Xaden
Tropical Temptation by Saranova and Tegantales for Shipmistress
Liam/Xaden/Violet
Untouchable (Sloane's version) by Headcanoncase for alltoowellread
Sloane/Aaric
Virtually Tame Xtra Snuggles by shipmistress for copperfirebird
Violet x Tairn x Xaden x Sgaeyl
Warming Up by junes s pumpkin for Jules
Dain/Xaden
What He Should Have Been All Along by suebswrites for lydibug522
Liam/Xaden
Worlds Collide by ACourtOfLadyDeath for Saranova
Drake/Dain
Your memory feels like home to me by alexandia03 for justanothersarah
Imogen/Garrick
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - College/University, Sharing Clothes, or stealing, Depends on the perspective, Meet-Cute, First Meetings, in class, Chemistry, Dorm Laundry, Dorm Life - Freeform, Pre-Relationship, Texting, Hoodie, Lucky Hoodie, it smells like a sexy man, ridoc is obsessed, and you should be too, Dual POV, Inspired by shane hollander and that damn hoodie gif
If you haven't heard, the em dash has been getting a lot of attention lately…
Because it was trained on pirated work—including freely accessible online writing (like fanfic, academic texts)—ChatGPT picked up patterns and quirks native to human writing.
Including (sigh) the em dash.
There are other victims here (RIP tapestry and delve 🫠), but the appropriation of the em dash—a punctuation mark beloved by writers everywhere—feels especially personal.
A kind of low-grade panic is ensuing. Writers who once memed their own em dash overuse—the greatest punctuation mark ever to grace the control-freak’s lexicon, frankly—are suddenly backing away to avoid accusations.
No. More. We have centuries of dash-abusing writers behind us. We will not sit quietly while AI repurposes our beloved stilted aside—or the just-one-more clarification the sentence demands—or the dramatic pause your comma could never—etc.
You don’t write like AI—AI writes like you.
Defend the em dash.
(Feel free to download/share/stick it where it matters!)
Dain Aetos/Cat Cordella, Raiting M, One Shot, 4k+ words
in English and German on AO3
A/N: I wrote this story for the @the-riders-quadrant Winter Prompt Fest. The prompt was a Dain/Cat fic, and I was absolutely thrilled to have claimed it.
Whoever you are: Thank you, this story is for you :)
“Cat,” Dain called out loudly, pulling her a little closer so she could hear him over the music. “Maybe you should dance with Maren instead.”
Cat lifted her head to meet his eyes and made a face. “Alright then,” she said lightly, shrugging.
For a brief moment, Dain was relieved to have escaped his fate, but Cat had already turned her attention to a man nearby. Their eyes met. She smiled, and once again another early spring bloomed. The man smiled back with a broad toothpaste grin, and instantly, the ice age returned.
Cat was about to turn away from Dain, but he caught her wrist to stop her. He had no idea what he’d been thinking, or if he had been thinking at all. However, he was her wingleader, and she was clearly far too drunk to get acquainted with Mr Toothpaste, so he was simply doing his job.
After a laundry mishap, Ridoc finds himself with a hoodie he doesn’t recognize. It just might lead him to the love of his life.
May or may not be inspired by the Shane Hollander Hoodie GIF. Whos's to say.
Excerpt:
Out of habit, I put the end of the hood’s string in my mouth, and have to fight back a smile as I chew on the end. I just know this hoodie belongs—belonged, it’s mine now, I’ve decided—to the cutest boy.
Durran. Whoever that is. I spin around and collapse face first into my bean bag and say the name out loud over and over again until Sawyer comes back to our room and asks me, “The fuck’s got into you?”
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - College/University, Sharing Clothes, or stealing, Depends on the perspective, Meet-Cute, First Meetings, in class, Chemistry, Dorm Laundry, Dorm Life - Freeform, Pre-Relationship, Texting, Hoodie, Lucky Hoodie, it smells like a sexy man, ridoc is obsessed, and you should be too, Dual POV, Inspired by shane hollander and that damn hoodie gif
So @the-riders-quadrant is hosting Prompt Exchange for their Winter Solstice. My prompt was to make a playlist on the relationship of Dain and Sloane! I took it further and wrote a small paper about why each song works. Let's begin shall we? It's Salining Christmas time!
This analytical paper on 'Slain for Christmas' will have five focuses: winter within the land, the blossoming of friendship between lovers, the songs of Dain, the songs of Slaone, and, lastly, Christmas itself and how it would be celebrated. We shall begin with winter in the land. You cannot have Christmas without some winter ambiance.
‘The Frozen Continent’s Welcome Day and Night’ from “Monster Hunter Icebrone” OST has a magical feeling that embodies winter itself. The chimes sneak into the melody that shows the magical essence of the runes. The two songs are similar yet opposite in their approaches. It starts off with a strong melody and slowly goes quiet. It brings out the magic that is described in the world and shows the playfulness of the day with the somberness of the night. Winter is known as a time for calm, growth, and reflection to move forward. A soft melody with sparkles of hope comes from Deep Stone Lullaby from Beyond Light. The song expresses the calm, beautiful quality that is winter; the moment you sit next to a fire or look up at the starry sky in the cold. It’s peaceful, it’s calm.
On the other end of the spectrum of the warm feelings of the season winter tends to have harsh and cold battles. Our very own ‘Battle of Basgiath’ comes to mind when I think about the harshness of winter. While it’s not crucial to the topic, I need to note it once, as this battle plays a significant role in Dain and Sloane. One could think this is how they begin forming their strong bond of battle brothers and sisters. So, this needed to be in the playlist to hint at the harsh battle but also play an impactful note in the beginning tides. For this I chose Behold, ‘The Ruler of Frost’ from “Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Original Soundtrack” due to how it plays similarly to a few other OST’s within the album, but stands out on its own. The tempo is the same, but the sound starts hopeful and kind, then slowly turns into what we know as ‘Battle of Basgiath’. Yet it still plays out the hopeful melody, the melody that bonds people together in harsh winter.
In our last song of this part, we aren’t going to focus on the magical feeling or the trials of combat in winter, not even the calm in it. We are going to focus on the physical feeling of winter. While, yes, I am fully aware Winter is also hot…I don’t know how to explain that without having personal experience. So, for those in hot winters, forgive me. When I hear the melody of ‘Beneath the Ice’ by Jeremy Soule from “Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim”, it makes me think of the type of cold you see in your breath. The kind you feel when you are hit with snow or those types of days where it is covered in a white blanket, the world becomes still.
We cover winter and all the wonderful parts of it. Now onto the friendship of the two, and hopefully become a couple in Book Four. If not, I will riot for twenty seconds…then reread said book. Anyway, enough about me, let's talk about our Slain. It's one of the couples that will be canon based on RY’s interview, which is good news for the shippers. Bad News for me, because they aren’t there yet. I can not pick a song until that moment happens. So, I will make my way up to the moment.
When the first two met, it was on the famous conscription day. Slaone is trying to make it across the parapet. Dain ships her towards the Fourth Wing quickly. Some could say it's about Liam’s death, others say it could be the fact that Dain is trying to make things right with Violet. Why not both? Hence, this area features two consecutive songs by the same artist. Ryo Kunihiko composed both ‘Power of the Four Dragons’ and ‘Childhood in Kouka Kingdom’. The reason for these two is due to the tense moments, but the thoughts behind them are gentle. You have the tense feelings of crossing the parapet or the meeting of a specter, but those actions are gentle and careful, one could say comforting. It’s why I use ‘Childhood in Kouka Kingdom’ as the second song with it. To show the actions are gentler on the inside, but on the outside, they are ruthless. It’s also conscription day! Who finds love on that- oh, never mind.
It is time to explain the famous ‘ Eyes on Me’ moment between Dain and Sloane. I will admit this one took longer than any other song, because this moment is huge. It must be perfect. I went with an artist known as ‘Adrian Von Ziegler’ for the moment. I chose this song, 'Home of Heroes,' for its gentle melody to mimic Sloane’s world slowing down in the moment when she is scared. While in the moment, Dain is a little harsh, but he is there for her. It’s also to show they are heroes protecting their home.
Our first lyrical song is up: ‘Down for the Ride' by Matthew Guerra and Lizz Robinett. This song is a cover, but the melody and the way the two characters interact remind me more of the hurt/comfort people see within the ship than the original. Now, when I normally pick a ship for that moment– at that moment– they are together, and I know in that moment what type of emotion to focus on. However, we have no idea when that will happen. In lieu of that, I pick something that could occur. They choose each other for the ride. The moment they go ‘ I choose them,’ reminds me of the lyrical part in the chorus.
“Taking over feeling at home with you
Moving forward, learn to let go
It’s that look in your eyes that says
Baby, I’m down for the ride.”
The song finally gives them comfort in their hurt. So much hurt, that to have the comfort that they are finally no longer alone. That connection is what makes this a special type of ship. Their past created the hurt; their union brings comfort. Now that we have five songs, we can focus on Dain and songs around his life.
The first song that reminds me of Dain is ‘ I will guard you,’ by Yuki Kaijura. The main reason is due to Dain’s protective nature. We all know he is protective and sometimes goes overboard with it. It’s why I chose a gentler melody for it, because it blinds him. When you think of protecting someone, you often think of harsh, rough beats. I chose a gentler one to show how it can trick him. He cares about those he protects, but also often lets his feelings misguide him. Hence, ‘I will guard you’ came to mind. He means well, but is so horrible at showing it in his actions. His signet comes to mind in his protective nature, but how powerful it is.
A memory is a message. He is so powerful that many people are not allowed to use it. Thus, I chose ‘Each Memory a Message’ by Evan Call. The main reason is how we often see his signet being used in bad lighting. However, we forget one thing: Dain can see his mother through people’s memories. He can see the view of his mother through the people who loved her. He can feel every emotion within that message of a memory. He also uses these memories to learn the truth in “Iron Flame, making his stance clear in the hidden war. It's why I chose a gentler beat for this on Dain’s mini playlist, because we all know how poorly he uses his signet. We forget that he can use it for good in his life and to understand the world around him.
You know, this next part is going to be the hardest song to mimic: Dain and his love of the codex. He doesn’t break rules without reason or purpose, even though we know from Violet’s point of view how he lets the codex blind him a little bit. I had to go through so many songs, such as ‘Let it Go’ as my loving husband mentioned. It took me a bit to realize something. What if I reflect on Dain’s struggle with the Codex? His relationship with it is very complicated in “Iron Flame” and gone in “Onyx Storm”. Thus, I selected ‘The Arena’ by Linsey Stirling. It starts with little gentleness, curious even, but as time goes on, it becomes rougher and turns into a fight. However, it’s the same main instrument throughout the song; the violin. For Dain it’s a fight within himself when it comes to the Codex. What is right by the rules? What is right by his morals? By the end of the song, he makes his choice and goes by what is right for him in “Iron Flame”.
There is a spot I wish to touch on, but one person never pauses to think about: his intelligence, and how he could have been a scribe at some level. I went with ‘Intellectual Curiosity’ by Satoru Kosaki. Something about the melody being gentle with string instruments makes me think about how a very little amount of people realize this. Dain is really smart, he knows a tough language and can read many other languages. He may have struggled, but he would have been a good scribe. Something about him needs slutty glasses.
Now onto the lyrical song for Dain, I thought it would be fitting to go with ‘This Life is Mine,’ by Jeff Williams and Casey Lee Williams. The main reason I picked this is that the melody changes from soft to rough. The buildup talks about Dain being behind his father’s shadow for a while, and then goes on to stepping out of it to face his father.
The main lyrical reason is due to the chorus that made me pause, go ‘ Dain? You fighting back now?’
‘Listen when I say
I swear it here today
I will not surrender
This life is mine!’
I strongly think his father is going to be the next BBEG, which is going to cause Dain problems. He is going to be fighting for what he wants in his life; he is going to fight for Slaone. That’s my guess based on my own insight, but he is going to be stronger in the end.
Now, we move on to our girl, our angry at the world emo child: Sloane. We know she suffered A LOT before coming into the series. Shall we explore this bit? ‘Grief’ by Adrian Von Ziegler is our starting point for her. ‘ War. War Never Changes,’ a powerful quote from Fallout. It talks about the method of war changes, but the core stays the same. The conflict of human suffering and brutality. This plays a huge role in the Tyrrish Rebellion. Sloane Mairi saw this firsthand with her brother Liam. She witnesses her parents being killed in the name of war. She was taken away from her brother to be raised by a different family. She lost her home to those who showed ‘good faith.’ That’s based on the word ‘ Grief’. We focus on the melody: it’s soft, saddening with the piano. The melody bends together into a song full of different reasons to be grieving. Her story starts off with a person who is grieving quietly, hiding her emotions from her foster family. We do not know if they were kind or horrible outside of no combat training, but I know she is crying herself to sleep quietly.
Hope comes to Sloane, but is quickly destroyed when she takes the first step into Basgiath. She lost Liam, the only thing that may have kept her going in those years with her foster family. It’s why I chose ‘Separated by the Storm’ by Gareth Coker. The two were separated for a long time, like those who get lost in a storm. However, they would never meet, and Sloane’s quiet crying turns into a storm of rage.
We all remember the deal Sloane had with Violet. Train your ass off, and you get Liam’s letters. Truthfully, this could have been the first time Sloane had kindness from anyone who wasn’t a marked one. So, it’s why I chose ‘Equal Exchanged ( A full metal alchemist Orchestration)’ by Rush Garcia. It covers the gentle yet tough approach of Violet making a deal, then turns into a training montage for her. A letter gives her hope back and gives her insight into the world she has just entered. The gentle melody turns into a louder melody with the same instruments. It gives her the reason to push toward finding her red dragon, similar to her brother’s, then growing into a stronger woman. A bit bratty, but that’s for the NSFW fanfics.
As I listen to different types of music, something comes to mind about Sloane. Her anger, her fear. It’s something people never really get in touch about besides the war and her brother. What about her fear of not being good enough? What about the fear of her signet? It’s a different type of fear hitting her all at once, due to this thought process. I put ‘Fear Swells’ by Michael Salvatori and other artists in this spot. The different sound effects are dancing around each other. Like the different fears dancing around Sloane’s mind. The trumpet hides the touch of anger, but it’s also there to fuel her fears. She fears wars; she is scared by a lot of things. This plays into the comfort/hurt of the ship.
Lastly, her lyrical piece in her section: ‘Fly or Die’ by Bookish Songs Collective. While the song has a strong focus on Violet, think about it. Her first year at Basgiath is hellish, outside of normal hell. She is a marked one and has a civil war in her first year. She witnessed a death in front of her and said death was caused by people begging her to help. So, yes, she has to fly or die in her first year. While she is not a signet of lightning storms, her ability is just as strong. She has to find the courage and fly in the sky.
As I thought about Christmas music for this playlist, I couldn’t find ones that fit the overall theme in the empyrean’s world, but it’s hard to figure out ones that aren’t too cheesy or country-like. I also didn’t feel the punk Christmas songs would fit into this either. So after the fly or die, the rest of the songs were close seconds for one reason or another, but did not fit into the vibes in my head now of writing the area.
Fandom: The Empyrean (Fourth Wing)
Rated: E
Relationship: Riorrangail (Bodhi/Xaden/Violet)
Chapters: 8/10
Warnings and tags on Ao3. Beware of extremely dubious consent, cousin incest. Written as a gift for the lovely @xadensbiceps and betaed by the amazing @ellebellewritesfic and @shipmistress9 <3
Read on Ao3 here!
behind enemy lines - Chapter 8
The sanctuary of Dunne is nothing like Violet expected.
Built on a high peak, it’s like a small fortress – apt for a goddess of war she supposes – and easily defensible. The stone walls are thick and the furnishings austere compared to the temples Violet has seen during her life. Attached to the temple is a living space designed for multiple people, with comfortable rooms, fireplaces and a central kitchen. It’s functional, neat, sturdy. Xaden and Bodhi dropped their packs in a room clearly made for leadership, the only one with a proper mattress, sheets folded neatly in a linen cabinet in the corner of the room.
She supposes she’ll sleep in there too, under watch.
Just seeing the black lace and clamps had me wet, thinking about him picking these gifts out just for me, imagining me wearing them, what he must be planning for tonight… Now, after waiting here for well over an hour while Xaden took his damn time making a drink out in the main living area, he and Bodhi catching up on how the job went, there’s nothing left for me to do but let the anticipation build. I’m absolutely soaked, and no one’s even touched me.
---
Written for day 3 of Kinktober—threesome and nipple clamps! Assassin-verse is back with some pure smut
Thank you to my lovely betas @shipmistress9 and @thoughtsaboutshows!
Summary: Bodhi has never gotten to this level of intimacy with a man before, Ridoc talks him through it.
Dividers by: @empyreanevents
Warnings: swearing, alcohol, smoking, drug use, sex under the influence, fluff, praise
A/n: This fic takes place during the events of Day 4, you do not have to read that for this to make sense, just a little tidbit
Word Count: 3k
It was truly ironic. This challenge proposal coming from Ridoc. Our friend group were all busy betting on how quickly he would lose No Nut November against Sawyer who had unwillingly been roped into this when everyone else refused. And I mean everyone, not even Liam had taken enough pity on him to try be abstinent for a month. I can't blame him.
I could, however, be angry at everyone else... silently. I hated hearing about how many people they thought Ridoc would bed before the first week was over. It was said in good faith, but still, it wasn't nice listening to all that being said about the guy you've been crushing on for months.
I have clearly had too much to drink, because I start arguing in Ridoc's favour.
"Sawyer has a girlfriend," what am I doing? Shut up, shut up, shut up, "I hardly doubt he'd let her go unsatisfied, which means the temptation will literally be squeezing it out of him," Why am I still speaking? "As long as Ridoc can stay out of people's beds, I think he could win this."
Did my alcohol addled mind add that last detail as a show of possessiveness over someone who is not, and never will be mine? Maybe. You can't prove anything though.
We all debate over it some more. Liam decides to stay out of it, and goes to bed. I vaguely listen to the conversation around me without contributing anything but a few hums here and there. Really, my attention is on Sawyer and his girlfriend. I'm not trying to eavesdrop or anything, just watching how they interact with each other. They look so in love; I wish I had that. I didn't know you could be so bereft of a feeling you've never truly had, but the ache creates a hairline crack in my heart. My gaze diverts to where Ridoc is already eyeing some other cadets, and suddenly the crack becomes cavernous.
We were now reaching the end of day five of this challenge. Imogen had almost murdered Garrick when he made her pay up. She had bet that Ridoc would crack before day four, and Garrick bet that he would make it longer just to disagree with her. He'd told me in private that he expected to lose — a statement which had quite quickly soured my mood — but had laughed his ass off when he won. It was so obnoxious that I was ready to help Imogen strangle him.
Both Ridoc and Sawyer have started acting differently. Sawyer had a distinct lack of enthusiasm for pretty much anything, whilst Ridoc whined about everything.
I was walking late at night when I spotted him — Ridoc. He was on one of the turrets leaning against the thick stone walls looking out over the flight field.
Should I talk to him? What would I say? I could offer him a bit churam.
He seems... pensive. It's a good look on him. A really good look. My dick stirs.
Nope. Not dealing with this right now.
I swiftly turn on my heel to make my way back to my dorm, but I manage to kick the one tiny bit of rubble left from who knows when. It's not loud, but it's enough to catch his attention. Just my luck.
"Oh, hey Bodhi. What are you doing out so late?"
"Oh, I was uhh, just— You know. Going to clear my head," I take the stick of churam out my pocket and present it to him as if I need proof. Amari, what is wrong with me?
"You mind sharing?" Holy shit, is this what they mean by manifesting what you want?
Wordlessly, I join him on the turret. We light the tip with some lesser magic and pass it around in comfortable silence. It isn't until he gives a small sigh that I break it.
"So, how have you been holding up?"
"Terribly. Fuck, I need to get layed so badly. This would be a hell of a lot easier if I could touch myself. I'm so desperate I might do it right here"
Wow. That was... a lot. I honestly can't tell if the churam is making him more forthcoming or if this is just regular Ridoc.
"So why'd you propose the challenge?"
"I was drunk! Leave me alone," He whines, hands running over his face.
I laugh at that, and eventually he laughs too. We lapse back into peaceful quiet. I feel a weight being lifted off me, and that deep gorge with all it's sharp edges start to close.
Oh no. This warm fuzzy feeling that unfortunately has nothing to do with the weed is dangerous. I'm getting way too comfortable with this, and I'm going to be the fool who ends up getting hurt.
"You know, I've always admired you"
The words give me pause, "You have?"
"Absolutely," he pretty much scoffs it, like it's common sense, "I mean, Xaden is such a fucking phenomenal rider—" Oh. He admires me because of my cousin. Of course. "—and yet that's not what defines you."
Wait, what? I look at him confused.
"Yeah, I mean, I can't imagine having all that pressure on me. All the expectations to be just like him, and yet you're not. In the best way possible. You carved out your own path to a different greatness, and that's— Fuck, Bodhi, that's amazing"
I'm overwhelmed by his words and the meaning behind them that I lose control and I— I kiss him.
On the mouth.
Hands cupping his face like we mean something, but we don't. This is wrong. I should stop. We're both high as fuck right now. Neither of us are in a condition to consent. I force myself to pull away, panting.
"Shit, Ridoc, I— I'm so sorry,"
He interrupts me with an equally passionate kiss, stealing my breath away.
"Don't apologise, I've been wanting to do that since before threshing last year"
He doesn't really want me, I remind myself, he's high and desperate.
He's kissing me again, and I'm lost in the feeling of it. Swept up by my own unrequited love for him, and adrenaline. Ridoc's hands on my hips push me into the wall. He starts kissing my jaw, and slowly travels down my neck to my collarbone.
"Your dorm, or mine?" He asks, and I can just barely make the words out as he speaks them into the crook of my neck.
My dorm is bigger, but I don't want to run the risk of Garrick, or gods forbid Xaden, knocking on my door early in the morning and finding Ridoc there.
"Yours," I cringe at how breathless it is.
We begin stumbling our way to the first year dorms, pushing each other against the walls every few steps. It takes forever to get to his room.
'I wonder why'
Not now, Cuir
The dragon chuffs, but blocks himself from my mind.
Ridoc kicks the door shut behind them, and only drags himself off of me to rip off his clothes. Damn. That's a fine ass man right there.
Once he's finished, Ridoc looks at me through his eyelashes. Instant. Boner.
"You having second thoughts, or are you just mesmerised?"
"Huh?" I did not hear a word he said.
He chuckles, "You should have a sketch done, it'll last longer"
I roll my eyes at the cliche, but undress myself perhaps a little too eagerly nonetheless.
He comes toward me, hands soothing over my sides as he ogles my abs.
"See something you like?" I mock.
His gaze drops to my dick, "Many somethings"
I blush at the brazen compliment. He guides me to the bed, and pauses. Fuck, why is he pausing? Is he waiting for me to do something? Does he want me to lead?
A moment of tense silence occurs where I'm frozen. Ridoc must realise I'm not going to do anything, because he leans into me to whisper, "Bed. All fours. Now."
My breath catches, but it seems to be the push I needed. Once I'm situated, he climbs on behind me, grasping my hips firmly and placing kisses up my spine.
"Have you ever done this before?"
Not exactly.
"I'm not a virgin, if that's what you're asking," I reply with a hint of faux annoyance.
"No, I know you're not a virgin," He counters, lightly flicking the head of my cock in reprimand. My whole body jolts. "I'm asking if you've ever had anal before"
I can't bring myself to answer. I really want this; I don't know if this is a deal breaker for him, but saying I have would be a breach of his trust.
In the end, it doesn't matter that I stayed quiet. My silence is telling.
"...Are you sure you want to do this? Especially with someone like me?"
I'm not exactly sure what 'someone like me' is supposed to mean, but I also know that I don't care. "Yes, I'm sure. I want this, Ridoc. So badly"
"Alright then, stay right here"
He clambers off the bed and opens up the ottoman at the end of all cadet beds. I furrow my brow, "What's in there?"
"Sex toys," He responds casually
I bark out a laugh, "It's supposed to be there for storing your boots," I say pointedly.
"And these beds are supposed to be for sleeping. What's your point?"
Fair.
He returns to his position kneeling behind me with a bottle of lube in hand.
"I'm going to work you open with my fingers first, okay? It's going to be a bit uncomfortable at first, maybe even slightly painful, but if you don't like something, or you want to stop at any point, tell me. Promise you'll tell me."
I nod, but it's not enough for him. He remains motionless save for his hands reverently smoothing over my sides, "I need words, sweetheart"
"I'll tell you, I promise"
"Good boy"
I'm going to pretend that did not just turn me on nearly as much as it did. The cold substance drips onto me, causing me to flinch. Ridoc shushes me with so much care, and patience, slowly circling the entrance.
He carefully dips a finger in to the first knuckle, the intrusion barely there. He was right; it feels so fucking weird. It's not... bad though. Just new.
He slowly pushes his pointer finger deeper, and curls it. I try my best to keep my breathing under control, counting the seconds in, and out.
Ridoc adds another finger, quicker this time, and I lose my rhythm.
"You're doing so well, Bodhi, so well. That's it, just like that. Deep breaths"
Could he shut the fuck up? His words are getting me way too close way too soon.
A small moan escapes me involuntarily, but it seems to open the flood gates to all my sounds. Little sharp exhales break free every time he thrusts his fingers in, and even with my eyes screwed in concentration, I can't keep them concealed.
His ministrations are ceaseless, working in a third and fourth finger. The stretch was unbearable at first, yet it's now melted into pleasure.
"Do you think you can take my cock now, or do you want to keep doing this?" His voice is so earnest. There's no pressure to give him more than what I'm ready for, and I'm so grateful to him for that.
"I— I'm ready," I sound shaky at best, afraid at worst. Ridoc hesitates before inching his fingers out. The loss feels worse than the stretch.
"You remember what you promised, yeah?"
"I remember. Please Ridoc, I need you," I push my hips back so that I'm flush with his front. His hands tighten on my waist almost painfully.
"Fuck, you can't just go around saying shit like that, Bodhi. You're already too irresistible for your own good"
Irresistible. Ridoc thinks I'm irresistible. If this is a dream, don't wake me.
He positions the tip right on the edge, and I have to bite my lip so hard I'm surprised it's not bleeding to contain the gasp.
"Relax. Deep breaths. Do it with me. In," He takes an exaggerated inhale for me to follow, "and out. That's it, keep breathing"
I do as I'm told. Mainly because there is nothing else in my head right now, but also because I want to be good for him. Maybe if I'm good enough, he'll let me be his.
No. Stop it. Don't give yourself false hope.
The pace with which he slides into me is agonising, stopping every inch or so to give me time to adjust. I know it's for my benefit but fucking hell I'm not made of glass!
"You want it faster?" He asks in that 'oh really?' tone.
I said that out loud?
He leans in so close, the warmth of each puff of air skittering across my skin, "That can be arranged"
He pushes in the rest of the way without ceremony. A loud moan rips from deep within my chest, and I'd be embarrassed if it weren't for the slow rocking of Ridoc's hips.
I have to lower myself to my elbows due to the sheer ferocity with which my arms started trembling.
Ridoc is relentless in his rhythm, filling me right till I'm on the brink of tears before pulling back. It's hypnotic, addicting.
"You're taking it so well, Bodhi. So proud of you," The exertion is reflected in his voice by his own panting. His thrusts turn sloppy the closer he gets, and I'm so relieved, cause I've been on this edge for the past five minutes; it's taken everything in me not to cum.
"Are you close? Please tell me you're close"
"I'm— I'm close"
"Then finish for me"
My whole body shakes with the force of it, and I'm pretty sure the only thing stopping me from collapsing onto my own release is Ridoc's grip on me. He cums mere seconds after me, his own sounds reverberating through the room. Thank Amari for silencing wards.
I've got no strength left in my body. Ridoc has to drag me off the bed and onto his desk chair so he can change the blankets. A deep blush colours from my face to my chest.
"Sorry about that, I—"
"Don't apologise for this; I'll take offense," There he goes again, breaking the tension before it can build. Gods, I love this man.
Shit. I love him.
That is going to cause so many problems for me.
He fluffs the blankets and pillows, bending back the thin duvet. Ridoc then picks me up to bring me back over to the bed, and tucks me in like a child. I don't want to admit it, but it's really nice.
He climbs in beside me, tucking his head into the crook of my neck to place a kiss on what I assume is a hickey based on the sensitivity. When he even put it there, I have no idea.
We drift off with our legs tangled together; I selfishly hope this moment never ends.
I wake up groaning. Fuck, my ass hurts. A warm hand starts running up and down my stomach. Tired and bleary-eyed, I set my sights on Ridoc. Did last night actually happen?
He's lying on his side, staring at me with this content smile. "Hey there, handsome. You sleep okay?"
Gods, his morning voice is so hot. "I uh... yeah. I slept okay"
He hums, pretending to be nonchalant, but the hand curling almost possessively around my waist to pull me closer gives him away.
"And how was your first time? Did you enjoy it?"
I don't know if it's the residual churam in my system, or if Ridoc just naturally brings out this side of me, but I respond with, "I don't know. I think I need a reminder"
He bites his lips, giving me the up-down look. He turns to glance at the clock behind him, and seems to contemplate for a moment. "Ah, fuck it. Morning formation's almost done anyway. No point joining now"
Shit, we missed formation? Not a good look for an executive officer. Garrick will probably cover for me with Xaden, but I'll definitely be getting an earful from him because if it.
The rider beside me doesn't let me dwell on that though. His tongue invades my mouth, derailing my train of thoughts. I groan into him, and so begins round two.
We dosed off some time after round three. My body aches in places I didn't know could ache, but I wouldn't change a thing.
Somewhere between all the sex, Ridoc had admitted to wanting more, and I'd confessed the same. We're still figuring things out, and we're nowhere near ready to be official, but we've agreed to be exclusive. It's a good place to start.
Distantly outside the dream realm, I hear knocking. Next thing I know, Ridoc is trying to shake me awake as gently as possible.
"Bodhi. Bodhi! Please wake up! We slept through our first lesson and our friends are outside the door"
Huh?
My drowsy mind finally processes the information, and I practically leap out the bed, beginning to collect my discarded clothing to dress myself.
"Okay, here's the plan: I'm gonna go out, and distract them, then once I've led them away, you can sneak out."
I nod whilst hastily shoving on a shirt. I swear under my breath when I feel I've put it on backwards, and correct it. Ridoc smothers his laughter, and pecks my cheek. We stand there as the world melts away, smiling at each other like idiots.
"Ridoc! come on!" Rhiannon's shout shakes us from the trans. He ushers me out of the line of sight from the door so he can confront our friends.
I listen closely to the conversation, waiting for their voices to grow softer. I have to clap a hand over my mouth when Sawyer's girlfriend reveals how close Ridoc was to winning.
I'm not sorry. Not in the slightest.
Their voices finally fade, and I creep out the room like a cartoon thief, clad only in my woolen undershirt and boxers with my leathers bunched in my arms.
I hope no one sees me.
Comment if you want to be added to the Kinktober Taglist!
tags: no use of y/n, fem!reader, kinda smut, 18+, spanking, daddy dom dain, heavy on the daddy kink, D/s dynamics, punishment, set during FW
summary: You sneak out to Chantara with your friends, going against both the quadrant’s and Dain’s rules. He is not pleased with you when you return.
a/n: happy day 10 of kinktober! i finished this around midnight last night so decided to wait until today to post but you know what that means—double post day!
You’re smiling when you walk into your room, cheeks flushed from the cool night air and drinking with your friends. It was a much needed reprieve from the stressful day to day at Basgiath. Ridoc had suggested it over lunch and though you had hesitated, once all of your other friends agreed, you couldn’t possibly say no.
So, after the last class of the day, the five of you used the crowded halls to your advantage to sneak out to your dragons. You, Violet, Sawyer, and Rhiannon had stayed at the table while you all watched Ridoc flirt and dance his way through the bar, the four of you laughing every time his advances were denied.
Ridoc had been a good sport about it though, content to return to the table and drink the night away with his friends. He’d even roped you into a drinking game involving shots that left you feeling dizzy enough that Sawyer had to throw your arm over his shoulder to keep you steady when it was time to leave.
You’re still not sure how you made your way up the stairs and to your room, but you’re sure your friends had something to do with it.
Closing the door behind you, you flick your wrist, a mage light brightening the room. Your smile falls away at the sight of an angry Dain sitting on your bed, staring you down with wrinkled brows.
“Where in Malek’s name have you been?” he demands.
You wring your hands in front of you, hesitating. “A few of us went to Chantara,” you say, voice soft and meek.
Dain stands, appearing in front of you in two strides. “You went to Chantara? You’re a first-year. You don’t have those privileges yet.”
You say nothing, looking down at your boots. It wasn’t a question.
He grabs your chin between his thumb and forefinger, forcing you to meet his eyes. “Did you sneak out?”
“Yes,” you answer. When he squeezes your chin and lifts a brow, you correct yourself. “Yes, Daddy.”
He makes a noise somewhere between a growl and a scoff, letting go of your chin and stalking off toward the window. He places a hand on the frame, dropping his head while his shoulders rise and fall with his heavy breaths.
You stand there, your bottom lip pulled between your teeth. If you were honest, you knew Dain wouldn’t approve of you sneaking out. Not just because he’s your squad leader, but because he’s your boyfriend, and he has his rules of his own. You agreed to them, of course, a few weeks into your relationship when he admitted that he has certain… desires when it comes to him and his partners. But classes have been kicking your ass lately and you just wanted to have fun with your friends—rules be damned.
He releases a long sigh, turning around to face you, his usually warm brown eyes darkened. “Strip,” he commands.
“Dai–Daddy,” you stutter.
He shakes his head sharply. “No. I don’t want to hear it. Don’t make this harder on yourself and do as I say.
Your hand trembles as you reach for the hem of your shirt, pulling it over your head and tossing it to the floor. Dain sits on the edge of your bed as you untie your boots, kicking them off and shimmying out of your pants. You move to stand in front of him, turning around so he can unwrap your breast band and slip your underwear down your legs.
Once he’s placed them off to the side, he turns you back around and pats his thigh.
You hesitate, confused.
“You disobeyed me,” he says. “You knowingly broke not only a quadrant rule but my rule. It is one thing to sneak out, it is another to do so without informing me. Do you know how scared I was for you? When I couldn’t find you in your room, in the dining hall—anywhere?”
You shake your head, guilt suddenly filling you. You hadn’t thought about that. You’d been so excited to spend the night drinking with your friends, you never considered that Dain would worry about you. It isn’t uncalled for. The only people not allowed to kill you are those in your wing. That leaves hundreds of other riders who could decide to settle a grudge, act on a dare, or take their bad day out on you.
“I was terrified,” he continues. “It wasn’t until I couldn’t find your friends to ask if they’ve seen you that I realized you were likely together. You can’t do that, angel. Gods forbid if something happened to you—I wouldn’t know where you were. All I could do was wait for your name to be read off the death roll.”
“I’m sorry,” you whisper.
He nods in acceptance. “I appreciate that, but I still have to punish you. You know better than to do something like this, and I can’t let this slide.”
“Please, Daddy,” you shake your head, taking small steps backward. “I’m sorry. I won’t do it again. I just want to cuddle and go to bed.”
His hands reach out to catch you by the hips, pulling you back toward him. “We can cuddle after you take your punishment like a good girl, otherwise I can think of something you’ll like even less,” he says with a cocked brow, as is if he’s daring you to test him.
You sigh. You do not want to find out what that might be. Crawling onto his lap, you rest your head on the mattress to his left and stick your ass up in the air on the right.
His warm, calloused palm smooths over your cheeks, squeezing lightly. “You’ll take ten spankings and you will count each one. If you stop counting, I’ll start over. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Daddy,” you reply, screwing your eyes shut, bracing for the pain.
The first one startles you, eliciting a small yelp as your body jerks forward. Dain’s free arm wraps around you, though, keeping you still.
“One,” you gasp.
The next four come in quick succession, and you count each one out loud. Tears gather in your eyes, your ass burning from the force of his hand.
“You’re being so good for me,” Dain praises. “Daddy’s good little girl. You’re half way there. Think you can finish your punishment?"
You nod, sniffling. “Yes, Daddy.”
The sixth spank makes you cry out, your skin throbbing. You instinctually try to wiggle away, but he just tightens his hold on your waist.
“Six,” you whimper.
He takes a moment to knead the aching skin of your ass, and you sigh at the relief. Despite the burning, his warm hand is soothing. He leans over, pressing a kiss to your shoulder.
“Such a good girl. Daddy is so proud of you,” he says, and the praise warms your chest.
He spanks you four more times, back to back, barely giving you enough time to count them, to catch your breath. You’re sobbing by the time the tenth lands, your ass surely bruised.
He coos softly, pulling you up to cradle you in his lap, his strong arms encircling you. You cry into his neck, getting tears and snot on his shirt. You’re too upset to care.
“Shhh, I know, angel. It’s okay, you’re all done,” he murmurs. “You did such a good job.”
He tilts his head to kiss your cheek repeatedly, rocking you as his hand rubs your back. When you’ve calmed down, he goes to place you beside him on the bed, but you whimper in dismay.
He shushes you again. “I need to get the cream for you, baby. It’ll help you feel better. Daddy will be right back, okay?” he asks, caressing your cheek with his thumb.
You nod reluctantly and let him move you. You lay on your stomach on the bed, wincing as you move. Dain returns quickly with a small jar of cream, kneeling beside you, scooping a dollop onto his hand before rubbing it into your sore cheeks.
You whine at the touch, but it soon turns to a sigh as the cream works its metaphorical magic. He’s gentle with every swipe, applying just enough pressure for it to seep into your skin.
When he’s done, he closes the jar and places it on your bedside table, strips himself of his clothes, and lays down next to you. He pulls you into his chest, kissing your head and running his fingers through your hair.
“I’m sorry I had to punish you, angel, but it’s my job to hold you accountable,” he says, his face pinched in sympathy as he looks down at you.
“I know,” you whisper. “I’m sorry for breaking the rules, Daddy.”
“It’s okay,” he replies, pressing another kiss to your head. “It’s over now. Let’s just cuddle and go to sleep like you wanted, yeah?”
You nod, hooking your leg over his hip, hissing as the movement stretches your skin.
He clicks his tongue in sympathy, kissing you again and again in apology. There's no need for him to apologize, though. He was right to punish you, and he’s never overly rough, only ever going as far as is needed for you to learn your lesson.
Dain rubs his hand up and down your arms and torso, and you relax into him, the tension seeping out of you.
“I love you, baby girl,” he says, squeezing you closer.
“I love you too, Daddy,” you mumble back, your eyes fluttering shut as he soothes you to sleep.
Violet Sorrengail's dream of marrying Xaden Riorson quickly becomes a nightmare when she wakes up in the courtyard of Riorson House with a missing husband and no memory of her wedding. She finds herself struggling to gain the respect of the Assembly and govern Tyrrendor, negotiate peace with her ex-boyfriend, navigate the politics of the Senarium, fight a seemingly unwinnable war against the venin, and save her missing husband.
Chapter 6 Epigraph:
The Kingdom of Navarre hereby grants the reigning house of the Province of Tyrrendor the authority to accept refugees from the Kingdom of Poromiel for the duration of the venin conflict on the condition that Tyrrendor not seek resources from Navarre to support any such refugees.
- The Third Aretia Accords
If you are only finding this now, here is a link to the first chapter:
My Province. My House. My Husband. Chapter One 🥰
Thank you so much to @overjoyedisland for the beta read!
