Tumgik
#I think my goal is to finish my little time travel fic and then update penn park in the next two weeks
stylinsoncity · 3 months
Text
sorry it’s taking me so long to finish things! I’m still here, but I’ve been a bit busy. I miss writing though and I would be writing more today if I didn’t have an awful cold :( hopefully I find time this week to really wrap things up.
I received some really lovely yuzu fan art, which prompted me to reread yuzu. And some of the comments left on that fic as well. I’m so happy so many ppl enjoyed it for all the same reasons I enjoyed writing it. It really is such a nostalgic fic. It makes me long for summer in the city and for travel and for food and wine and friendship! And it also is about how rare it is to find love, whether platonic or not.
I think the mucinex I took is making me a bit loopy and sappy lol… just want to say thank you for the support as always, thank you for experiencing these universes with me. sending you all lots of love xx
26 notes · View notes
songliili · 5 months
Text
2023 writing roundup
i was tagged by @hgejfmw-hgejhsf and @rockyroadkylers!
i feel like i've spent my whole year writing, but i also know that i've spent months without doing it so i can't say how much it was month by month. but i posted three fics this year so like. that's an achievement!
let's see what we got.
January:
the great dean court off - Supernatural, 21.8k, M (chapter update) [someday i will finish it, i promise]
Of all the things Dean expected to find when he came back from the bathroom break, a folded piece of paper with "hey, if you’re not gay, my friend thinks you’re cute. here’s her number 316-557-9608 (and if you’re gay, here’s mine 316-997-2018)" written on, was not it. - Or the one where Dean organises a dating contest because he's bi and can't decide between two options.
September:
I Had Some Time (With You) - Supernatural, 23.9k, E
It's 2005 when things go to hell. Well. They go to hell for everyone except Dean, ‘cause he was ready for it. Well. He was ready for the apocalypse, not for the gorgeous man who fell into his life, quite literally. OR A Destiel rewrite of Bill and Frank's love story as shown on HBO's The Last of Us episode 3: Long Long Time that uses elements of both universes.
November:
we all have a hunger - RWRB, 22.9k, E
Alex’s journey of self discovery started one random night five years ago, when he was scrolling his favorite porn website to relax after midterms. He chose a video with the preview of two guys in the threesome category, thinking nothing of it, and came so hard he thought he was going to pass out. The threesome didn’t happen, the girl just sat there looking at the two guys going at it, just like Alex did. After that night, saying that the tall, blond and gorgeous actor with a fucking sinful shoulder to waist ratio didn’t do it for him was a complete lie, so maybe, maybe, Alex could be excused when he freezes up when said man - even more tall, blond and gorgeous in real life - stretches a hand toward him and says “I’m Henry, Pez’s ‘best mate of honor’, as he says.” with his perfectly infuriating British accent. — OR: Henry is a porn star, Alex is a fan.
December:
Fill My Stocking - RWRB, 6k, E
Alex has spent the past fifteen minutes talking with David about his favourite treats. Not that the dog answered, but Alex was undeterred and kept going, uncaring that Henry had asked him to give him an hour and then he’d join him in hanging up fairy lights and mistletoe everywhere. Very well. If Alex wants Henry’s attention, he'll have it. It's probably not what Alex thought he’d accomplish with his little scheme, but it's a compromise between Henry's needs and Alex's wants, and that's all that can be done. OR: Alex wants some attention and Henry has to get creative.
Upcoming in 2024:
part 2 of the pornstar verse (title undecided):
picks up the day after the ending of part one, it's alex's first christmas in london
Like Father, Like Son:
alex is a horse trainer and has a crush on arthur fox. he's the trainer on set for arthur fox's new movie (a queer western). his son, henry fox, visits the set and well. alex is fucked.
I hope you don't mind. (part 3 of the pornstar verse):
henry's bad days and how alex helps him go through them
Other things I hope I manage to put out next year (or at least start writing):
Your body is the Sistine Chapel:
what if dean was as tattooed as he was supposed to be? which tattoos would he get? for whom would he get them?
untitled airbnb fic:
alex travels to london as a reward for finishing college, and henry is his airbnb host whose dog likes alex a little too much.
untitled mandalorian!alex fic:
alex is the mandalorian, david is grogu. that's all i have for now.
untitled scarlet witch!henry/sword agent!alex fic:
inspired by this tweet. i have nothing more than this to give you atm.
i posted 62.406 words this year, and written many more. i'm fairly new to writing, so this is a real accomplishment for me. my biggest goal was to post a fully finished chaptered fic, and i did! then i started a series, and wrote something shorter than 7k, and i have so many ideas for future fics that i genuinely don't know where to start. i hope i manage to post at least a couple next year!
tagging: @affectionatelyrs @firenati0n @absoluteaudacitywrites @gayrootvegetable @leojfitz @anincompletelist @ssmtskw @littlemisskittentoes @cactusdragon517 @read-and-write- and everyone else that wants to join!
14 notes · View notes
celinamarniss · 5 months
Text
Year in Review
In 2023 I posted 4 fics at 58,153 words.
Previous years:
2022: 4 fics at 45,096 words.
2021: 3 fics posted, 55,788 words.
2020: 7 or 10 fics posted, 125,738 words.
2019: 7 fics posted, 72,149 words.
2018: 7 fics posted, 87,752 words
2016: 9 fics posted, 51,643 words
2017: 9 fics posted, 115,336 words
2016: 9 fics posted, 51,653 words
In total, 49 fics posted to Ao3.
We Can't Keep Meeting Like This
34,355 words, gen, Din/Luke/Mara
The Din/Luke/Mara fic I told myself I wasn't going to write! As these things tend to do, it expanded into a much longer fic than I expected. The "five things (plus one)" structure helped to keep it from spiraling even further, but those individual chapters ended up being much longer than I expected and took much longer to write. At first, I serialized the first couple of chapters in smaller excerpts for WIP Weds on tumblr. It was fun to get a little feedback and the weekly deadline compelled me to write those chapters quickly. But when engagement dropped to basically nothing I stopped posting updates and waited to post each chapter to ao3 when it was done. My progress slowed down considerably, but the chapters got longer. I had fun, most of the time.
The Girl Who Traveled the Ways Between the Walls
4,938 words, gen, Animalis verse
Written for the 5k AU fic challenge. Luminous Creatures begins with Mara and Luke's daemons settling, and I regretted never writing a story with an unsettled daemon character. I wanted to write a fic with a fairy-tale vibe and I wanted to explore the weirdness of the Imperial Palace. The Palace becomes a fairy tale wood, and Mara sets off on a quest in which she encounters strange people who aid her or demand aid. Does she learn the right lesson in the end? Perhaps not.
Echo, Revenant, Targeter, Phoenix
15,431 words, gen, Winter Retrac character study
I wrote this one for the Star Wars Big Bang, an experience that ended up being so stressful that I dropped out. I still finished the fic on time and posted it. The fic attracted a modest number of readers (unsurprising given Winter has been basically forgotten these days), but their enthusiasm was very gratifying. I've always liked Winter and I wanted to give her a chance to shine.
However, while I love the worldbuilding and individual scenes and images in this fic, as a whole I don't think it's very gracefully written and I've never been very happy with it.
Cascade
3,429 words, mature, Luke/Mara
I wanted to include A Non-Zero-Sum Game in Vol II of my printed fic collection, but the series felt unfinished without the fourth and final story that I planned to write after Tether. So five years later, I finally wrote it. It was interesting to go back to those old fics and try to write a story that fit the series. I wanted to post it before the new year broke so that I could count it in the 2023 list, and I rushed to get it out. It could probably still use some work.
As the year went on, I failed to meet a lot of the arbitrary deadlines I set myself, and that made writing frustrating and unfulfilling. I don't want it to be like that! I want fic to be fun.
However, I have a lot of non-fandom projects coming up in 2024, and I'm going to have to shift my focus away from fic, at least a little bit.
GOALS FOR 2024
(almost exactly the same as the goals for 2023)
Triumvirate Finale! (explicit, very) The big finale of the Triumvirate series, in which the trio returns to Coruscant to face the Emperor. Doesn’t have a proper title yet. Progress so far: three chapters drafted, 15,410 words.
A Smuggler’s Guide to Joining the Rebellion (gen) The sequel to The Things You Find on Tatooine. Progress: the first chapter finished, 2,241 words.
Lando Calrissian and the Jewel of Andara (gen) The Lando and Mara heist romcom I’ve been promising forever. Progress: three chapters drafted, but in need of heavy revision, 6757 words.
Other fics on the backburner:
Courtship remix
Experiments
Daughter of the Rain and Snow
More daemon fic! 
11 notes · View notes
rgrdsalxndra · 6 months
Text
20 Questions: Fanfiction Author Edition
Tagged by the wonderful miss @cicinicole-14
1. How many works do you have on ao3?
187.
2. What's your total AO3 word count?
1,610,309
3. What fandoms do you write for?
Law & Order SVU (and OC)
4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?
Getting to Know You
Mastaba
Love You Still
In Treatment
Meet the Parent(s)
5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?
I generally do try to respond to all comments. If you take the time to write me more than "Update soon!" or "I love this" I will respond in kind. Not that I don't appreciate the "I love this" comments, but the "Update soons!" on a recent chapter kinda drive me a little crazy.
6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?
One that both lives and dies in my drafts. I don't know if I could have the heart to publish something that doesn't have a happy ending. There's too much of that in the world already.
7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?
Love Sometimes Steals Into A Heart
8. Do you get hate on fics?
Sometimes.
9. Do you write smut? If so what kind?
Yes. I try to branch out into various kinds.
10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?
With another fandom? I have a Addison Shepherd/Olivia Benson ship that I haven't shared with the world but in glimpses in "Neglected Spaces"... and I did write that one crossover with Chicago.
11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?
I don't think I have... but if I have, I'm relying on my friends to tell me so I can report it. People pour their hearts and souls and creative blood into fics and if you steal it, you're the scum of the earth.
12. Have you ever had a fic translated?
Not that I'm aware.
13. Have you ever cowritten a fic before?
Yes. I love working together with another creative mind and weaving words together. It's fun and sometimes makes you glance at things from different angles.
14. What's your all-time favorite ship?
Currently? It's EO. (ElliotxOlivia) but I've got to say that Burzek is a close #2 but they need more fics.
15. What's a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?
It's my goal to finish ALL WIPS before I fade into oblivion one day.
16. What are your writing strengths?
I think I'm good at putting you there in the moment. But honestly? I think half of everything I write is shit, but I love writing so I selfishly write the stories that I want to read (and don't read them after they're finished).
17. What are your writing weaknesses?
I CANNOT WRITE A ONE-SHOT TO SAVE MY LIFE.
18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?
Only if it's because they're travelling somewhere and communication in the other language is absolutely necessary but I'd want to find a fluent speaker to double-check.
19. First fandom you wrote for?
Harry Potter.
20. Favorite fic you've ever written?
It's a split between these three: Call It Bittersweet
Christmas Ghosts: An EO Christmas Carol
and DEAR YOU, LOVE ME
I'm supposed to tag people. But I hate tagging others. I never know how many times they've been tagged.
4 notes · View notes
angst-in-space · 8 months
Text
september '23 writing progress
words written: 12.6k
most words written in a day: 1.6k
least words written in a day: 56
current yearly total: 133.8k
projects worked on:
- ya sci-fi book revisions
works published in september:
none
september goals:
finish ya sci-fi book rewrites…? aka i’ll probably have to write like 1.5k words a day oh boy
update either altea rising or sylvix dreamscape?
if i have time/energy for anything else…. work on other fics?
october goals:
finish book rewrites....i mean it this time i swear
update one of my multichap fics?
maybe work on other fics if i have time/energy (but it's doubtful lol)
notes:
well... did not meet any of my september goals. oops! i did work on my book rewrites—but as always, i overestimated how much i could get done in a single month lol. and i kinda burned out in the last week of september, partly because i was busy but also just because... i have not felt super confident in my book lately lmao. i was also on hiatus from my mentorship for three months and was hoping to resume it in october but have to put it off for at least another month bc i have not finished this draft...so i'm a bit bummed about that. additionally i have another silly self-imposed goal/deadline that i'm a little worried about but. idk might say more about that next month depending on how things go, haha.
soooo i am hoping to finish rewriting my book by end of this month—a big Maybe, since i have a big chunk left, but i am getting pretty close to the final act so... i might be able to do it? however i'll also be traveling for a week at the end of october, so...We Will See.
i do miss fic terribly so i think i'll allow myself to at least dabble in that this month. it's been a hot second since i updated any of my multichapter fics, so might try to do that. and/or might hop around between some wips and see what inspires me. yay!!
2 notes · View notes
ranger-kellyn · 1 year
Text
it's not exactly easy to sit here and type this up after two bad mental health days, but i'm doing my yearly tradition of sitting in lilsimsie's stream until it's midnight on the east coast, and have about ~40 minutes before this edible kicks in and well. better get writing lmao
looking back in my 2022 journal, i think it's fairly safe to say that the start of the year is always rough on me, mentally. we're officially in winter, and the seasonal affective disorder is in full swing, so like. i KNOW what's wrong. it happens every year. doesn't stop the low from kicking me in the gut, though
2022 has been a rough year. my job responsibilities have been picking up, we've been traveling more, and it's only looking to increase even further as i continue. and sure, that's the typical progression of a job regardless, it still stinks at times. the only thing that makes it manageable is the fact that i genuinely do like all my coworkers. it's always a good time when we go out for dinner and drinks when we're on travel, and the holiday party i went to the other week was a blast.
but 2022 has also been a bit of a...i can't think of the word. reckoning? the realization that like. (and DONT fucking come for me i KNOW i'm still very young but hang with me here) i'm aging.
and with aging comes different health concerns and whatnot. as much as i have the bad tendency to overshare on the internet, there's plenty i haven't really talked about, and i'm at a point where i really need to like. take control. before things get worse. two (or more honestly) health problems i've had this year are directly related to me having such a sedentary lifestyle. if i don't take control and start holding myself accountable to getting up and being more active, things are going to start getting bad.
i've already been trying to get up and do more stretches throughout my day when i can. it was also part of the "deal" i made with myself for allowing me to have my tv up in my bedroom. if i wanted to keep it up here, i have to do at least a few minutes of stretches each day, and so far it's never felt like a punishment, so hopefully i'll be able to hold myself accountable.
i'm also working on eating better. my aunt got me this super fancy rice maker for christmas, and it makes really good steel cut oats as well. there's not much i can eat in the morning without getting horribly nauseous, but oats seem to be the exception so. that's been nice to have! my first baby step goal with eating is to just. eat. 3 meals a day. they don't have to be huge elaborate meals, but at least something. from there, i can start worrying a little more about content. my other first goal is to try to ease off on the soda bc i KNOW i drink way too much. the last time i was able to cut it out was when i started by just. drinking a glass of water before i allowed myself to have the soda, so that's my plan for now.
also. cut back on the weed bc like...being high practically every weekend just so i can disassociate it away. is uh. Not Healthy, but clearly i'm not starting that one tonight dskflhk
BUT. enough about the negatives--
there were positives in the year, too. i moved to a bigger apartment. i got to travel to new places. i took my bestie to my cousins wedding and had a great time. i got to spend time with my friends. i went to a pride event at the science museum, and went to the My Brother My Brother and Me live show. i was fortunate enough to get tickets to see taylor this next year, nashville and two nights in seattle!
i also got a TON of writing done. i didn't finish my goal of finishing any of the three ongoing fics, but i DID get a lot of good writing done. after a multi-year hiatus, i was able to update Getaway Car with a new chapter before Midnights was released, and with only three chapters left to go, the end is within sight.
i've also done a ton of writing on countless other stories. i'm hoping i can carry this energy into the new year, and actually finish one of my fics in 2023 lmao
i'm also really hoping i can get back into drawing.
but anyways.
here's to hoping 2023 is a good one
3 notes · View notes
wingsofanillyrian · 3 years
Text
Lights Over Monaco: Chapter 1
Tumblr media
ITS HERE! I plan on updating this weekly/biweekly, based on how busy I am. Let me know if you wanna be added to the tag list! 
Special thank you to my new F1 friend for inspiring this fic as well as being my beta reader, @acourtofcouture​ ! F1 fans out there, her fics are AMAZING
Chapter Masterlist
F1 Glossary
----------------
Nesta Archeron discovered Formula 1 when she was 9 years old. She woke before the sun one Sunday morning, quietly excited to have the television all to herself and watch whatever cartoons she wanted. But she couldn’t remember what channel they were on, instead flipping through the programs. She had almost given up when she stumbled across a race.
The moment she had seen the brightly colored open-wheeled cars flash across the screen, she paused. For whatever reason, the high pitched wasp-like scream of the twelve cylinder engines and the astonishing speed that the drivers were travelling enthralled young Nesta. She didn’t look away once for the rest of the race, or even for the post-race interviews and wrap up that most adults skipped. Something about it had her adrenaline pumping.
Nesta traded her dolls for matchbox cars, and when she grew older, picked up racing magazines instead of teen ones. Ever since that day, Formula 1 consumed her. No matter how the other kids or her two younger sisters teased her for it, her love for the sport never tarnished. 
She spent years getting up at 2 am to watch live races that were being held halfway around the world. Instead of going to her senior prom, Nesta stayed home and layed out her predictions for the season’s drivers and constructors championships. She didn’t know how to do anything half-ass. She poured her whole heart into the sport and devoted her life to it.
**********
Nesta spent her 24th birthday working. It wasn’t like she could request the day off, not that it mattered. The racetrack at Monaco was exactly where she would have been anyway, working or not.
A press pass got her through the first security checkpoint. The team tents loomed ahead as she waited for personnel to cross the unstriped asphalt, inching her car carefully through the throngs of people. She rolled her window down, soaking in the sound of air tools and snippets of conversations. 
Street tracks like Monaco were her favorite. They required drivers to push themselves with plenty of technical corners and dramatic incidents. There was less room for error, as the tracks themselves were not as wide. Drivers had to know their limits and follow the racing line closely.
Race tracks were Nesta’s comfort zone. She knew each track on the calendar like the back of her hand. Every turn was permanently etched in her mind like words on a tombstone. Race weekends followed a set schedule, something that she could appreciate. Friday: practice laps. Saturday: more practice, followed by qualifying, where each driver got the chance to set the fastest lap and secure a spot in the starting line up for the main event on Sunday.
Before she had graduated college, Nesta had managed to fully entrench herself in the world of Formula 1. Securing an internship at ESPN her sophomore year, she had made herself indispensable to the crusty old man that had been the senior track side reporter for decades. She studied everything he did and the questions he asked each driver, noting what changes she would have made. Somehow, he came to admire her spirit and taught her the tricks of the trade.
When he retired the year after Nesta graduated, he went to the board of directors and personally recommended her to fill his spot. She waited two agonizing days for their decision. 
Using whatever means necessary, Nesta had clawed her way to the top and cemented her reputation as the most cutthroat reporter in the industry. Her goal had been for everyone in motorsport to know her name, and in only two years, she had done so. Better yet, she had caught the eye of one of the fastest drivers on the grid.
Her phone rang just as she pulled into the press parking area. She answered, not bothering to check the caller ID. “Hello?”
Tomas’ velvety voice thundered through the speakers of her Civic. “Hey baby. You here yet?”
“Just pulled in,” She replied, touching up her makeup in the rearview. 
“Right on time for a quickie. Meet me at my trailer in five.”
Tomas had already hung up before she had the chance to protest. Both their reputations hinged on their relationship staying secret. If the press caught wind that she was fucking a driver, her credibility would go out the window, and Tomas would be the laughing stock of the grid. So sneaking into his trailer wasn’t exactly the type of discreet she was aiming for.
Tomas Mandray had been racing for Red Bull for two years when she had scored her first exclusive interview with him. He had just been awarded pole position at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, and Nesta had sweet talked her way into the paddock. It had taken minutes for his charming blue eyes to enchant her. He had won that race, and taken her to bed straight after. 
The sex was great, but that’s all it ever was. Their relationship was purely based on the physical; nothing emotional on either end. They had agreed on that from the start. Just sex.
Unfortunately for Nesta, somewhere along the way it had become something more.
Sighing, she put on her oversized sunglasses and hid her tawny hair under a gauzy scarf. The fashion wouldn’t stand out at all amongst the celebrities that frequented the Monaco Grand Prix. Going over the top here was expected; Monaco was known for its money. Due to the lack of income tax, Monaco was a haven for white collar delinquents and royalty alike. Lamborghini’s and Ferrari’s were commonplace, and women wore rings that could set a jewel thief up for life. 
No one bothered her as she strode towards the pit checkpoint, flashing her press badge to get by. She fell into her usual cadence, exuding an air of importance and invincibility. Seemingly without realizing, people moved out of her way when they saw her coming. The navy, red, and yellow of the Redbull tent came into view, and Nesta inserted herself into the crowd of mechanics and VIPs to get past security. Press wasn’t allowed in the area until after the race.
Nesta broke away once inside, heading down a back corridor. She knew the layout by heart, having walked the path many times. The door at the end of the hall led outside to Tomas’ private trailer. She didn’t bother to knock before entering. Tomas would already be waiting for her.
He set down his phone as she entered. “Finally,” He said with a savage grin. “We only have a few minutes.”
****************
Tomas left as soon as he finished, donning his jumpsuit without so much as a kiss goodbye. Utterly used to the behavior, Nesta straightened her clothes and again touched up her makeup before heading back out.
She was scheduled to conduct a pre-race interview with Cassian Valle in the Mercedes tent in twenty minutes. Redbull and Mercedes were at opposite ends of the pit, giving her plenty of time to think.
Truthfully, Nesta was dreading the interaction. Cassian was an arrogant ass. She couldn’t stand interviewing him; all he did was skirt around questions and try to flirt, which made it incredibly difficult to get any headline-worthy tidbits from him.
Azriel Sainz, Cassian’s teammate at Mercedes, was much more amiable. He was mostly forgettable and quiet, but always gave her something to work with and was sometimes downright pleasant to talk to. She could understand why the public loved him, but not why they were so enamored with Cassian. Sure, he was a three time world champion, and that earned him plenty of fans, but he was just so… dreadful.
She made it to the Mercedes pit just minutes before the scheduled time, immediately spotting her tense cameraman, Jacob. Slim built, he was average looking, nothing special. He was sweet though, if not a bit of a pushover.
“Where the hell have you been?” He hissed, chocolate brown eyes wide. “Valle is waiting.”
Nesta rolled her eyes, handing Jacob her sunglasses and the scarf. “I’m here now, aren’t I? Not my fault if he was early.” Nesta accepted her microphone and rolled her shoulders. “Let’s get this over with then.”
“Happy birthday by the way,” Jacob added. Yes, there was the pushover side shining through. 
Nesta threw a grin at him over her shoulder. “Thanks.”
Cassian’s back was to her as she approached, his white Mercedes jumpsuit half on, the arms of it cinched around his waist. The crisp gray shirt he wore left little to the imagination, hugging his sculpted form. Good; at least that would capture the attention of any women that might be watching. As would the deep brown curl that fell in his face when he turned to her.
“If it isn’t my very favorite reporter,” He crooned, a grin plastered on his face. “Took you long enough to get here. I also hear it’s your birthday.” Nesta glared at Jacob. He shrank under her steely look, an apology stumbling from his lips.
“I would give you a birthday kiss, but I think you’d knock me out if I offered.”
Nesta pointedly ignored him, “Let’s just get on with it,” She said, motioning to Jacob to start recording. Once he signaled he was ready, Nesta breathed deep, the sweet scent of high octane fuel assaulting her senses. It steadied her, and she slipped into her professional mask before turning to the camera.
“As we all know, the Monaco Grand Prix offers drivers a unique set of challenges. The two-mile street course has 19 technical corners with little room for error. It is in Monaco that we get to see who has what it takes to be a Formula 1 champion.” She turned to Cassian, gave him a professional smile and continued.
“Last year, you had a puncture at turn seven when you ran over some debris. Coupled with the fumble the pit crew had with not having your tires ready when you came into the pit, you finished a disappointing 12th place, winning you no points in the driver’s championship. Do you expect that this year will be better, or will you stick to your usual aggressive driving style?”
Cassian laughed, running a hand through his unbound curls. “Yeah, I don’t think I’ll be changing anything. You can expect to see me on the podium, sweetheart. Most likely in first.”
Nesta grit her teeth. She couldn’t air that, and he knew it. “How about you answer the question without trying to piss me off?”
“It’s too easy,” Cassian said, that devilish grin returning. Nesta cut him a glare that simmered with violence. “Alright fine,” He relented, putting his hands up. “Go again.”
She repeated her question, and this time he answered, “I don’t really see any need to change my driving style, what happened last year was a fluke. I went wide on the turn and didn’t notice Vanserra's front wing until the last second and wasn’t able to change course.” Nesta nodded, encouraging him to go on. “I don't see myself making any mistakes like that this year. You can expect to see me on the podium, most likely in first.”
“Thank you for that Cassian. Good luck on the track today.”
“Thank you,” He said, waving at the camera. He paused before adding, “Though I won’t need luck.”
Nesta rolled her eyes and signaled for Jacob to cut the recording. At least that last bit could be edited out. “You are absolutely insufferable, you know that?”
Cassian shrugged, undoing the arms of his fire suit and slipping into them. “I do my best.” He winked at her before zipping up his suit, opening his mouth to say something else when the Mercedes team principal, Rhysand, barked at him to get his ass in gear. He gave Nesta a wordless salute before jogging off.
“I don’t know how you do it,” Jacob said, packing up his camera. “That guy has balls.”
“He’s a Formula 1 driver,” Nesta said simply, putting her sunglasses back on. “Of course he does.”
**********
Nesta watched the 78 lap race from the press box, silently cheering Tomas on. Each time the pack of cars passed, the windows rattled, doing little to muffle the engine noise. She chatted with the others as necessary, keeping one eye on the tarmac below. Tomas had started from pole position, and held onto first place until the final 10 laps. He had attempted to lap an AlphaTauri driver when the driver had failed to yield, violating FIA regulations. The two had bumped tires in what was ruled a racing incident, but Nesta knew better. Tomas had lost his cool and nudged the other driver on purpose, nearly sending him into the wall. 
It was a bad call on Tomas’ part, as the comfortable four second lead he had held over second place shattered. Nesta swore under her breath as Cassian overtook Tomas, her heart dropping when the other Mercedes driver, Azriel, did the same. Tomas would not be happy about that. 
When the checkered flag waved, Cassian was first, Azriel second, and Tomas third.  The winners parked before the podium, anger radiating from Tomas as he tore his helmet off. Tamlin, the Redbull team principal, said something to Tomas that had his cheeks burning red. 
Nesta grabbed Jacob and headed for the press room. They had a half hour tops before the post-race interviews started, and Nesta had to make sure she was front row. Though it didn’t matter where she sat; she always made sure her questions were answered.
It was more so for Tomas. She wanted him to see her, to see the understanding on her face and know she supported him even when he didn't win.
They were first to the press room, and Nesta had ample time to prepare questions. She couldn’t question Tomas, or she risked uncapping his rage. Instead, she jotted down a question she knew would shift the focus from Tomas to the Mercedes drivers.
Reporters began filing in, vying for the perfect spot and debating the race results with one another. Nesta remained in her seat, determined to maintain her composure as her stomach churned. Tomas finally entered, jaw set as he took his place on the stage. Nesta tried to subtly catch his eye, but he pointedly avoided looking at her. 
Cassian and Azriel entered, laughing and congratulating each other. Nesta noted the slight change in Tomas’ posture, the only hint of the blood boiling beneath his skin. Cameras flashed, reporters shouted, but still Nesta remained seated. Cassian, at least, sought her out in the crowd, and flashed her an ‘I-told-you-so’ grin when he found her. Once the clamor had died down, Nesta stood. The room quieted further, the others having learned not to talk over her if they valued their jobs. Nesta had a knack for digging up dirt on anyone she pleased.
Her eyes were still locked on Cassian as the moderator indicated she could ask her question. 
“Azriel,” She started, turning to the dark haired man, “You were lucky you were able to take second in this race, after the incident in turn twelve on lap 27 when you sustained heavy damage to your front wing, thanks to the actions of your teammate. Does it ever get under your skin that Valle’s overly-aggressive driving threatens your own position in the championship?”
The room was silent. Tomas hid his grin behind a well-manicured hand. Cassian’s eyes narrowed, a muscle in his jaw fluttering. Good; she had hit a nerve. Azriel shrugged, crossing his arms. 
“It was a racing incident. Could have happened to anyone. I don’t think the blame lays entirely with Cassian; I could have given him more room on the corner.”
And that was that. Nesta didn’t ask any more questions, but she could feel Cassian glaring at her throughout. At the end of the interview, all three drivers thanked everyone before leaving.
As Nesta made her way back to her car, she texted Tomas.
You okay?
Her heart pounded as she waited for the reply. Her phone buzzed minutes later.
I’ll be home late. Party at the Redbull house.
Oh. Okay. See you later then.
“Happy birthday to me,” She muttered, stuffing the phone in her pocket.
Nesta wasn’t sure why his reply stung, but it cut deep. She had hoped that he would want to see her instead of going to another party and spend time with her on her birthday. Instead, he would probably stick his tongue down another woman’s throat like usual. She couldn’t really blame him. Their relationship had to remain secret and to do so, Tomas had to maintain his playboy aura. It wasn’t really cheating if she had agreed to it.
But if that were true, why did it hurt so fucking bad when he did?
Some of her tension eased when she finally spied her car in the lot. The Blue Bullet, she had nicknamed it, due to the strikingly bright paint. It was the first purchase she had made upon being promoted, and it had since become her pride and joy. She had chosen it because it set lap records left and right when it had hit the market a few years back, and she had craved speed her whole life. On city streets, this car was the closest she could get to experiencing Formula 1 without completely breaking the bank.
“How about you don’t ask stupid fucking questions next time your prettyboy loses?”
Nesta’s breath hitched. Your prettyboy. The accusation was clear. Her hand slipped from the door handle, turning towards the voice. If he knew… If he knew about her and Tomas, they were done for. She willed her voice into solid steel.
“Cassian. I would advise you to choose your next words wisely.”
He placed a hand on her Civic, getting in her face. “Racing means you have racing incidents. I don’t expect you to understand, seeing as you’ve never been behind the wheel of a real race car.” He sneered at her car, the insult striking home.
Fear faded, replaced by a rising wave of scarlett rage. Nesta’s gaze stuck to where his hand lay on the bright blue paint, utterly vexed by the infringement. She bared her teeth at him, rising to the challenge in Cassian’s flaming hazel eyes. 
“Get. Off.”
Cassian started at the command in her tone and obeyed. He opened his mouth, but she cut him off. “Understanding the nuances of Formula 1 is my job description. I asked about that incident because I knew it would piss you off. Looks like I was right huh?” Her temper was getting the better of her. “And by the way, would it kill you to give me a decent quote once in a while, instead of always trying to get in my pants?”
“I do not-”
“Oh go fuck yourself,” Nesta scoffed, yanking the door open. 
The corners of his mouth twitched upward as she slammed the car door. “I was already planning on it.”
Those parting words haunted her drive home, even as she took the long way in hopes of blowing off steam. She shifted through the gears, throwing the Civic around corners much faster than was probably safe. Nesta didn’t care; her head was a mess. At least he hadn’t mentioned anything more about Tomas. Maybe Cassian had just thought she had a crush, based on the way she had been looking at him during the conference. Gods, she couldn’t get Cassian out of her head. 
His grin followed her up the stairs to her apartment, where she snapped the curtains shut. She couldn’t bear to look out over the track any longer today. 
Those words echoed in her head as she brushed her teeth and crawled into bed alone. Swam through her thoughts of Tomas, as she struggled to keep her eyes open when the clock showed 1 am. As she finally gave in, they were her last thought. 
I was already planning on it. 
@aphoeni @planet-faerie  @nina-zcnik @linsimin @that-little-red-head @teagoddess99 @enpointe10 @electronicstrawberrystrawberry @awesomelena555 @iptneus @weesablackbeak @wonderland--memories @nessian-trash-heap @magicalwaterfall @perfectlyimpxrfect @cassians-wings @valkyrie-archeron @acourtofcouture @nesemryn @chloepereyra @illyrianshadowhunter​ 
155 notes · View notes
yuta-nakamots · 3 years
Text
we go up - l.mk
Tumblr media
Pairing - Mark x Reader
Genre - Fluff, College!AU
Warnings - one single mention of sex but no descriptions of it
Summary - Growing up was a part of life. Though you were scared of all that the future holds, you looked forward to going through it all with Mark right by your side.
Word Count - 4.2k
A/N - this was supposed to be released 4 days ago ahaha I passed all my classes so that’s really what matters. anyways, here’s this fic to celebrate Milly’s 3 years on Tumblr and 5 years for me and my blog
Written for the Moodboard Collab hosted by @bumblebeenct​​. Also part of the Neowinter Festival hosted by @czennienet.
Song: We Go Up. Color Set: #1.
Tumblr media
Never would you have thought that you’d be on the path to living in the real world so soon. Summers were for relaxing and having fun but you’ll never regret jumping at the opportunity to travel the world with Mark Lee instead.
Mark’s parents were executives for a travelling company that offered a variety of trips all over the world. You knew it was part of their job to visit those countries and survey the different options available and put together plans based on them but with Mark having just graduated from college and you going into your final year, it was soon to be a job shared by both of you as well.
It hasn’t been long since you first began dating him, in fact, it hadn’t been long since you first met him on your first day on campus. Both of you were moving in on the same day and crossed paths as you were lugging your two loaded suitcases in through the main entrance of the dormitory. Your family hadn’t come with you, putting their faith in you to make it to your school on your own, so you could only guess how pitiful you must’ve looked to others.
“Hey those look pretty heavy, I can help you with that if you’d like,” you looked up to find the owner of the voice and were met by a handsome boy with a smile you’d never forget, “my name is Mark, by the way.”
“Uh, y/n, nice to meet you and yeah, actually, if you could take this one it would help me so much.” You told him as you pulled up the smaller of the two suitcases.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to take the larger one? I can handle it.” He looked at you with eyes full of interest, his pupils almost resembling boba thanks to the odd lighting in the hall.
You shook your head before turning to head to the elevator, “I only just met you, I wouldn’t make you do this. Besides, it’s not even that much heavier than the other one.”
“Alright, whatever you say. What floor are you on though? I can help you move in if you don’t have anyone else.” He offered kindly.
“I’m on the third floor,” you informed him, “but don’t you have somewhere to be? You couldn’t have just been sitting around in the lobby.”
You say his expression morph into one of panic before quickly relaxing, “oh, I was just on my way to the university center to pick up my keys and get my mail. Gosh, you made me think I was late to something important.” The laugh he let out was so full and loud, it felt as if it were reaching out to you.
“Are you sure you don’t have anything else you should be doing?” You question as you pressed the button for the elevator. “I’d hate to be the reason why you missed a meeting or something.”
Mark pulled out his phone as both of you waited for the elevator. “No, I’m pretty sure I don’t have anything else planned for today. I just had to move in earlier and that’s it, I don’t have any solid plans.” The doors opened and let out a few other people, who you guessed were also students, before you and Mark stepped in.
“I just met you though,” you pointed out, “how do I know that you’re not some weirdo that’s gonna try steal my stuff?”
He raised an eyebrow at you. “Really? I mean, not like in a bad way ‘really’ but I can promise you that I’m not trying to do anything bad.”
You hummed in mock sarcasm, “mmhmm, that’s what they all say.”
“If you don’t believe me I’ll give you my number if you want or like my room number, even-”
“Mark I was just joking dude.” You laughed, amused by how gullible the boy was.
“Oh…” he breathed, relief settling over him as the doors opened up to the third floor, “but can I still get your number though?”
“Beat me to my room and I’ll think about it.” You took off running in a random direction, unsure which way you were even supposed to go in.
Mark followed close behind, “wait but I don’t even know which room number to look for!”
“Maybe that’s the point!” You shout back.
continue as always, wild and free
Though he did not make it to your room before you, you still gave him your phone number to thank him for helping you with your luggage. Mark was kind enough to stay and help you unpack your things and get your room set up. He even accompanied you to get dinner from the cafeteria since it was already getting late by the time the two of you finished unloading everything.
Over the next few days before classes, you hung out with Mark and any other freshmen that you happened to run into. You found out that Mark was a business major and planned to minor in tourism industry management. As for you, your major was biology with a focus in ecology.
Mark seemed to love sharing about himself as seen from the way he eagerly told you about the company his parents worked for and how he was interested in someday becoming a part of it which was why he chose his intended path of study. You had come in the college with the intent of wanting to make a difference in the world and help tackle one of the biggest global issues, which is climate change, leading you to your chosen track.
Mark was a great listener and seemed genuinely interested in everything you had to say. If he thought anything was lame or dumb, he hid it very well because he seemed to be picking up all the information you put down. You had come in knowing that most people in large corporations didn’t think much about the environment. Either Mark was faking it to keep his new friendship with you or he genuinely held the same beliefs as you. You chose to believe it was the latter.
All throughout your first year in college together you and Mark stuck together, always preferring each others company, even within the large group of friends you managed to accumulate with him. Luckily he was only one floor above you so he wasn’t far away at all. If you ever needed anything, he really was ‘one call away’ and would come running even if it was just to catch a bug in your room.
Tumblr media
Freshmen year came and went, both you and Mark went back home for summer vacation and came back to campus as sophomores. You both kept in touch and regularly updated each other on things like Mark’s trip to Britain with his parents. That was the first real glimpse you had into his dreams and goals for his future. Meanwhile you just ranted to him about all the terrible customers that came in at your part-time job, though he didn’t seem to mind at all and always offered you his company.
Sophomore year was when he asked you to be his girlfriend. After the two of you had eaten dinner together as usual and were walking back to the dorms, that was when he had finally made a move. “So, uh, I know this may be kind of sudden but I actually really like you.” He told you.
You looked up at him as you continued walking next to him. “And in what way, exactly?”
“In a ‘I like you as more than just a friend’ kind of way.” He replied, looking down at the leaf-covered sidewalk.
“Well lucky for you, I might just like you in the same way.” Mark’s head shot up and his eyes met yours.
He blinked rapidly and his gaze never left yours, as if searching for the truth. “Wait, like really?”
“Yes, really.” You pulled him closer to you so he wouldn’t walk right into the tree that was coming up.
“Does that mean you’ll be my girlfriend?” He asked after mumbling a quick ‘thank you’.
You stopped walking and turned to face him. “If you ask properly then I don’t see why not.”
“Oh, uh,” his eyes flitted left to right before finally settling on yours, “will you be my girlfriend?”
“No.” You tried to hold your laughter in the way his eyes widened but you just couldn’t. “Of course I’ll be your girlfriend you stupid! I didn’t say all of that for nothing, oh my gosh you really are so gullible.”
Mark’s mouth opened slightly before he closed it again and then burst out going “don’t do that to me for crying out loud! You don’t even know how I was actually about to cry if you said no just now.”
You grabbed his hand and quickly interlaced your fingers with his. “There, I’m sorry. Do you feel better now? Do you want me to kiss you to make you feel better?”
“Uh, yes? To both?” He spoke, still shaken from earlier.
You raised his hand to your lips, kissing that back of his hand with a smile. “Thank you for choosing me.”
i’m gonna try flying a little further
Things continued on in this way in your relationship, always keeping things lighthearted and never too serious. Thankfully both of you had past dating experience and weren’t completely clueless on how to act toward each other. One thing led to the next and you had your first kiss with him the day he was leaving to go home for winter break. “I love you, stay safe, don’t die.” You called out to him as he got into his uber.
“Got it babes, love you too.” He sent you a kiss before shutting the door which you happily caught and held to your heart.
It was during that break that the two of you told your parents about each other and things went surprisingly smooth of both ends. Mark had even informed you that his parents were interested in meeting you after he told them about your field of study. “Yeah they were so intrigued by it! They’ve been looking into more sustainable and eco-friendly options for a while now so I think this must’ve struck a chord with them.” He chattered excitedly over the phone.
“Dude, don’t make me even more nervous about meeting them-”
“Hold up, did you just call me dude?” He questioned.
“It’s not like you don’t call me dude as well.” You commented.
Mark let out a laugh on his end. “Alright, fair enough. But not to alarm you or anything, but they said that I could bring you along for one of our trips during summer if you’re down.”
“Oh my gosh, seriously?” You exclaimed.
“Yes, seriously,” he confirmed, amused at your enthusiasm, “should I tell them that you’re interested?”
“Mark is that even a question? Of course I’m interested.” Your excitement was almost bubbling over from the way everything seemed to be working in favor of you and Mark.
Tumblr media
The next summer, you did indeed tag along with Mark and his parents to who were more than happy to meet you and share information on their company while visiting Nevada. Mark wasn’t lying when he said that you interests ‘struck a chord’ with them. Sometimes it seemed like you were more like their child than he was with how much his parents talked with you about possible green options to inquire for. It was thanks to them that you decided to minor in tourism industry management like Mark, even though it would set you behind one year in graduation.
Going into your junior year, you were able to put together a small scrapbook of sorts with all the pictures from the trip to Nevada and gave it to Mark to celebrate your one year anniversary. “Wait, when did you even take that picture of me though?” He asked while looking at the picture of him spread out on a hotel bed like a starfish.
“You smacked me with your arm so I woke up and it was like, seven in the morning so I decided to just fool around and take pictures of you,” you explained with a smile on your face, “if you look in that bottom corner, you can see my foot because I had to stand over you but not too closely so my legs were like a triangle over you.”
Mark shook his head as he laughed at your antics before gently closing the book. “I love you, you know that right?” He placed a kiss on your cheek and sat back to adore you with his eyes practically sparkling.
“How could I not? I’d be worried that you may not know that I love you.” You told him playfully, setting the scrapbook aside and straddling his lap.
“Baby, that’s the last thing you need to worry about.” His voice fell into its lower ranges as he began kissing you in a way he never has before. It was on that night, the night of your first anniversary that the two of you made love for the first time in your shared campus apartment.
make me beautiful in the memories
When you brought Mark home for the holidays, your family was more than thrilled to meet him and you thanked whatever supreme being existed out there for blessing you with him. He got along well with your parents and even became a favorite of all the younger kids, especially when he joined them in making a snowman out in front of your house.
“Look y/n! Marky helped us start building a snowman!” Your younger sister exclaimed before running off once again to join some of your cousins.
You watched as Mark helped them roll the largest ball of snow around the yard until it was at least a third of his height. “Come join us y/n!” He called out. “You can get the rocks and sticks to make his arms and face.”
One of your younger cousins came by to join you as you sifted through the snow to find nice rocks to use. “When are you and Marky getting married?” He asked.
“Married? We’ve only been together for a year.” You told the little boy.
“Oh, hmm, well it’s never too early to start thinking.” He decided before finding a cute little stick that he deemed fit to function as a nose for the snowman.
You joined Mark in rolling the second ball of snow while the kids made the last one. “So what was that I heard about getting married?” He questioned.
Suddenly your cheeks felt warm and your eyes darted away from him and back to the mound of snow in front of you. “Uh, nothing, one of the kids just was asking if we plan on getting married.”
“He’s right, you know,” Mark spoke quietly, “it’s never too early to start thinking about it.”
“I mean, we’re still so young though.” You told him.
“That doens’t mean I don’t see myself having a future with you.” Mark commented as he picked up the ball of compacted snow.
“Gosh, you’re so chessy. What next? Names for our kids?” You joke as you watch him place the ball on top of the largest one at his knees.
He winked at you once the snowman had his torso complete. “Already on it.”
Tumblr media
Spring semester was spent planning for Mark’s graduation in the following year and getting the classes for your minor arranged. His parents invited you to go with them to Hawai’i which you politely declined, as you did not know much about the people and culture and did not have time to accurately research before going thanks to all the summer classes you were taking to ensure that you’d graduate on time.
You and Mark decided to live off campus for his last year in college and though it was inconvenient to have to cook your own meals and walk a little bit further to get to school, it was all worth it when you got to make the memories you did with him.
“So you just crack the egg and drop it in the pan?” He hesitated, the said egg hovering over the edge of the frying pan.
You rolled your eyes at him, “Mark, how many times do I have to tell you? You just crack it and let it fall into the pan. It’s not that hard.”
He mocked your expression after you said ‘it’s not that hard’ as he cracked the egg into the pan, yelping at the way the oil splashed up at him. You left to freshen up a bit, having been woken up by the ruckus Mark had made in the kitchen only to come back five minutes later to another bout of him yelling for help. “What now?”
“I, uhh, I think I burned the egg.” His face was tinged with shame as you came over to the stove, sliding the egg in question onto a plate before lifting its side to see that it was indeed burnt.
“I don’t know how you manage to burn an egg after I leave you for such a short amount of time.” You tell him as you pull another one out from the refrigerator. “Here, try again. You’re lucky it’s the weekend.”
“You’re not gonna let me stop until I’ve successfully cooked an egg, huh?” You shook your head to answer his question, causing Mark to let out a sigh before going to add a little more oil to the pan.
look time fly, we fly, changes come with time
Days like that were normal for the two of you, though more often than not, you chose to order food since Mark was clearly not very trustworthy in the kitchen and you weren’t all that better yourself.
Living with Mark was not always happy and fun, though. Sometimes the two of you fought and sometimes it was over the smallest things like how he didn’t put his clothes into his hamper after changing out of them or how you’d leave your belongings strewn about the apartment.
Being with him taught you that a relationship is a two-way thing. Everyone has their flaws and if you truly love someone, you’ll learn to work with them to get solve problems that arise or get around them.
Getting to live with Mark and see him everyday was certainly a lot more convenient, especially when both of you were swamped with finals and had little to no time to go out on an actual date. Falling asleep in each others arms and waking up to the sight of the other was enough for those times. In those mornings where you woke up before Mark and didn’t want to get out of bed just yet, you took the time to be thankful for the path of life you were on and how thankful you were to have met the boy in front of you.
It was moments like those that made it all worth it.
Tumblr media
When Mark graduated in the following spring, you sat in the crowd alongside his parents, watching him and your past classmates walk across the stage and receive their diplomas.
“Ah, he looks just the same as when he graduated from high school.” His mother commented. She even pulled up his old pictures and showed them to you, making you laugh at how cute he was back then. You could hear his voice in your head, whining about how he’s not cute but you paid it no mind.
The rush of emotion you felt when the name ‘Mark Lee’ was called and he stepped out in his cap and gown was truly something else. You stood up and cheered alongside the rest of his friends who were seated around you, the bunch of you only getting louder when his head jerked in your direction and he smiled and waved to you all.
the reason why i can be fearless is because you’re looking at me with your two eyes
“That’s going to be you next year, you know.” Mark’s father stated nodding over to where Mark was playfully chest-bumping his fellow graduates. “Okay, well not like that, but you know what I mean.”
You let out a laugh as you watched Mark stumble and nearly fall. “Yeah, I know what you mean.”
“Do you have any plans for summer, dear?” His mother inquired.
“I have a few classes from June through July but I believe I do not have anything for the latter half of June until school starts again in August.” You informed her.
“Would you like to come along with us to Paris then? We missed you greatly last year and felt you would have enjoyed the experience more than Mark did.” She explained as she pulled up more pictures of Mark though this time it was him in a botanically garden getting scared from all the bugs. “I’ll send this one to you.”
You thanked her with a smile on your face and graciously accepted her offer to travel with them to Paris. Mark was over the moon when he heard that you’d be going with them, especially since this was going to be the first time he’d be allowed to lead the meetings and events.
It felt like school hadn’t even finished from the way you went right back to work for your summer courses and Mark got to putting together his first few projects for the company. He was intent on showing the executives that he was a fully capable individual and was not trying to simple ride off of his parents achievements. You were proud of him for that.
By the time you all got to Paris, it felt like a much needed breath of fresh air from the constant hustle of school and work. One of the first places Mark took you to was one of the local night markets near the hotel you were staying at. You pulled out your light blue polaroid camera which Mark had gotten awfully used to within these past few years and took multiple pictures of him eating street food and walking around under the stringed lights.
i need you right here
“Oh, that fountain looks kinda cool.” He exclaimed, walking out of frame.
“Mark you can’t just do that when I’m about to take your pict-”
“Yeah yeah, you can take pictures here instead. It looks prettier.” You both paused to admire the sculpting of the stone and the way the water and the coins at the bottom of the fountain glittered under the night lights. Mark sat down at the edge of the fountain after a bit. “Here, you can take them now.”
You took a few before handing of the camera to him so he could take a few of you. “Have you ever thought that this is where we’d be after all this time?” He asked after giving the camera back to you and joining you next to the fountain. “Like, back when we were freshmen, we didn’t know where we’d be within the next few years and here we are, together, three years later.”
“I think you’re jet-lagged, babe, but yeah I see what you mean.” You agreed, falling into the rhythm of the way the water spilled over from the top tier into the lower ones and out from there into the base at the bottom. “We went from clueless freshmen to young adults breaking out into the real world.”
You watched as Mark dug around in his pocket, pulling out a single coin and enclosing it in a fist. “I wish for things to stay the same- no, for us to- wait, no, I wish for us to remain happy together while facing all the challenges that our lives have to offer us.” With that, he tossed the coin into the fountain and you both followed it as it sunk to the floor.
He pulled another coin out and offered it to you. “I wish…” you began, trailing off as you thought of what more you could possibly say, “I wish for us to stay together for as long as time allows and that we will get to watch each other grow and fulfill whatever plans that life has for us.”
As your coin hit the bottom, Mark pulled you in for a hug. “I really do love you, you know.”
“Yeah I know.” You hugged him back, enjoying the feeling of his arms around you.
“Look at me, babe.” He whispered, causing you to glance up at him. Whatever you were about to say was cut off by Mark’s lips against yours.
It felt like nothing else mattered at that moment. Nothing except your lips against his, his arms around you, your hearts and souls connecting as one.
we go up
Tumblr media
154 notes · View notes
edisacornball · 2 years
Text
AO3 Wrapped 2021
Well, since the year is officially over, I figured I would officially go over the stats for my writing for the last year, so... Here it is, my AO3 "Wrapped":
Tumblr media Tumblr media
[Image Description: White text on a deep red background with snow falling.
1st Image Text: AdventureAddict's AO3 Wrapped. Words written (go ahead, brag a little): Total written: 800,742. Published on AO3: 285,965. Hit me baby one more time (# of hits): 23,868. Kudos (s/o to the fans): This year: 2,843. Total 3,058. Comments aka our life force 318 (shocked blushing emoji).
2nd Image Text: Your top 3 ships (maybe love IS real): Edward Elric/Winry Rockbell (14). I'm not a very shippy person, so... Yeah. This is it. (rofl emoji). Your brand, in 5 tags: Fluff (13), Family Feels (11), Angst (11), Post-Promised Day (11), Time Travel (10). My actual top five tags, but in one fic I described my "brand" as "Ed trauma, first person Ed POV, soft background Edwin, and Ed talking to his mother via dream." The character who got you though it all: Edward Elric. (Arrow towards his name) This little shit for projection. Alphonse Elric. (Arrow towards his name) And the cinnamon bun to remember there's good in the world.) The fandom you called home: Fullmetal Alchemist.
End ID.]
Further Stats
Stories published/updated in 2021: 27
Top five most popular fics (by hits, most to least popular):
The Other Side
A Former Alchemist's Guide to Dating
Becoming Bruno
Inconvenience and Pimples
I Am Your Way Home, You Are My New Path
First posting of the year: The Other Side, Chapter 3 Last posting of the year: Secondhand Yesterdays
Longest fic: Labyrinth of Shadows (91,813 words) Shortest fic: Secondhand Yesterdays (171 words)
Overall, I'm really proud of what I accomplished this year. In 2020 I aimed for a milwordy challenge (write a million words in one year) and completed it, but I was so exhausted from it that I pledged I would "take it easy" in 2021 and not try for a million again. I also added the challenge of no longer counting journaling and freewriting towards my total wordcounts, only creative writing.
Considering I was only... 200k away from hitting that million anyway?? I think I might (casually) try to write a million words in 2022. And my other main goals going into the new year are to finish The Other Side and Labyrinth of Shadows 2. Oh, and actually show some love to Wish Granted.
Here's to another year of reading and writing all the words! Thanks for being along for the ride!
9 notes · View notes
iatethepomegranate · 3 years
Text
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences (for now)
Relationship: Essek Thelyss/Caleb Widogast
Summary: After Aeor, Caleb buys a house in Rexxentrum with Beau and Yasha. For the first time in more than seventeen years, he has some semblance of stability. Caleb is not sure he's ready to handle it, but he's trying, and his friends are eager to see him live a good life, by force if necessary.
And then Soltryce Academy approaches him with a job offer, which could give Caleb the chance to protect the next generation of wizards the way he had needed at their age. Caleb's goal of preventing what happened to him from happening to anyone else, however, takes a far more personal turn than even he could have anticipated.
(In other words, here is a fic about Caleb settling down and learning how to be a person again. Also Professor Widogast will be a thing. Fic title is a lyric from I Have Made Mistakes by the Oh Hellos. Chapter title is a lyric from Mind by Sleeping At Last. More detailed tagging and notes are available on AO3.)
_____
Chapter 1: It's the first brush stroke of a self-portrait
Caleb had mixed feelings returning to Rexxentrum after spending so long in Aeor… and everywhere else he had been, including a fucking flesh city in the Astral Sea. Sure, he had popped back to Rexxentrum regularly to update the Cobalt Soul on his discoveries, and to testify at Trent’s trial, during the conclusion of which he had the satisfaction of turning down Da’leth’s offer to assume Trent’s position as the Archmage of Civil Influence. But now he was back on a more permanent basis.
He didn’t know what to do with that information. With this place, that was both so familiar and so foreign. Full of some of his best memories, and some of his worst.
Caleb had spent so long avoiding this place, or at least the challenging parts of it, and now Beauregard was dragging him and Yasha down the street, infodumping about a house she wanted the three of them to buy together.
“Caleb, don’t give me that look,” she said. “You’re gonna love this place. I know you like your space, dude, and this is the best of both worlds. It’s technically two houses, but there’s, like, a door between them so we can visit each other. Because you’re a fucking genius but you also forget to feed yourself.”
Yasha smiled at Caleb over Beau’s head. “She’s not wrong, Caleb.” Her soft tone made Caleb a little emotional, but he categorically refused to start crying in the street. “I like my space, too. This is a good balance. And there’s room for a garden.”
“Yasha’s not an Empire citizen,” said Beau. “It looks better if there’s two of us Empire kids on the deed so no one thinks any weird shit about her.”
Caleb sighed at her. “I will look at the house, Beauregard.”
Beau yanked them around the street corner. “It’s a great location. You can walk anywhere. I can get to the Archive, and you can get to the Academy.”
Caleb raised an eyebrow at her. “Do you know something I don’t?”
“Maybe. Astrid says hi.”
The implication that Astrid and Beauregard had been speaking to each other recently was of concern. Caleb was too tired to unpack it. He would find out what that was about eventually. It was not worth Beauregard’s sibling-level mockery if he tried to extract the information early.
“Oh, and Veth sent you this,” said Yasha, passing a wrapped package over Beau’s head.
“Yeah, I might’ve told her we’re buying a house together,” said Beau. “She made Yussa send that to the Soul so I could grab it for you.”
Caleb didn’t open the package, but he did shake and squeeze it a little. It felt like coins. A lot of coins. Oh, Veth. Still taking care of him from miles upon miles away. They’d both come so far from Veth sneaking coins into his pockets because he had felt strange about taking her money even when he desperately needed it.
“Danke,” he said softly. That was all he could say, before he risked bursting into tears again. That was happening to him a lot lately. It… wasn’t the worst thing. More of an inconvenience. He chose not to unpack it.
Beauregard was looking at him strangely. He elbowed her. It probably hurt his elbow more than it hurt her, but she was successfully distracted from his bullshit. She punched his arm. Even holding back like she did, his arm did go numb for a few seconds.
Yasha sighed. “Children, we’re almost there.”
Caleb had been down this street before. Rarely, as it was entirely residential. But sometimes he, Astrid and Eadwulf would explore the city to find excuses to get away from the Academy, especially after they had commenced their training with Trent. But, with Caleb’s memory, he could call upon the map he had drawn in his mind. This was a middle-income area on the southern edge of The Tangles, home to mostly professionals--well-off storeowners, any researchers who did not live in the Shimmer Ward or have access to quarters with the Cobalt Soul, some teachers, architects. Largely people looking to settle down with the money to stay out of the Mudtop Ward.
It was close to the Shimmer Ward, a little southwest from the gate, but not so close that Caleb felt an itch on the back of his neck. The Tangles were the oldest part of the city, with narrow looping streets with little logic to them. This area was slightly newer than most of The Tangles, but still old. Regardless, The Tangles were fairly central to the city and an easy starting point for any travel. If you didn’t get lost on the way out.
This far south in the area, the houses were a little more spaced out. A little more green space, more gardens. Duplex-style houses were common, mostly built of old stone or lumpy brick on the first floor and clay bolstered by wooden frames above that. Children were out in force, running and screaming through the narrow streets while their parents watched from the porch of their homes. Well, for those who had porches.
“There she is,” said Beauregard. They had stopped in front of another duplex-style building, newer than some of the others but still respectable in age. The first floor was made from dark reddish brick and the upper two floors panelled with dark wood to bolster the white clay walls. The first two floors were full in width, and the third consisted of two dormers peeking through the darkly thatched roof.
There were two entrance doors on the ground floor, each spaced a third of the house’s width from the outer corners. The rectangular windows were framed in white-painted wood, dividing the glass on each window into six little squares.
Before the three of them was a low wooden fence, also painted white. The paint was chipping a little, revealing the deep brown heartwood that Caleb suspected was oak. There were a number of oak trees in the Pearlbow Wilderness. Caleb had slept under them several times in worse days. Oak was rather expensive, if he remembered correctly. He usually remembered correctly.
“She’s pretty hot, right, Caleb?” Beau said, snapping out of his hyperfocus on the history of timber in the Zemni Fields.
“Oh… ja.”
“Cool, so the owner will be here in a few minutes to let us in so we can have a look. She wants to sell the place as a package deal.”
Caleb had, in some ways, trained himself out of being too attached to places or most material things (with a few exceptions such as his spell components, spellbook, and the letters he had written to his parents). Unless there was something horrifically wrong inside, he didn’t care where Beauregard and Yasha wanted to live. It was practical that they live together, after all. Caleb had healed immensely this past year, but he was self-aware enough to understand he probably shouldn’t live alone. Of the Nein, Beauregard knew how to call him on his bullshit and Yasha understood him pretty well and knew he needed space sometimes, so it was a reasonable arrangement.
“I am really not picky, Beauregard.”
“Yeah, because you still don’t care enough about yourself to give a fuck about this. We know.” Beauregard looped her arm around his neck, dragging him down to her level so she could rub her knuckles across his scalp, ruining the two narrow braids Essek had worked from Caleb’s hairline to his messy ponytail that morning before they had parted ways beside the secret entrance to Aeor. Caleb talked himself out of getting upset with Beauregard over it. She couldn’t have known, and she was being affectionate like he really was her brother.
Once he was free, Yasha fixed the braids, and Caleb had to stop himself from crying again because she had noticed it bothered him and just… fixed it without making it a thing. Beau straightened her expositor’s garb, clearing her throat.
“Sorry, dude.”
Caleb conjured a mage hand to tug on her ponytail. Beau swatted at it, but her hand went right through it. She gave him the finger. Yasha finished fixing the braids. Everything was normal again.
The owner, a half-elf woman with long blonde hair coiled into a bun that looked like a cinnamon scroll, arrived and immediately shook Caleb’s hand.
“Mr Widogast, a pleasure. These ladies have told me a lot about you. My name is Alphira Winterheart. I teach evocation at the Soltryce Academy.”
Caleb still felt a spike of anxiety when he heard the name of that place. At this point it was ingrained, even if he held out a small amount of hope he would get to teach there one day. It would be easier to fight corruption if he had some say over what the Academy put into those children’s heads.
“A pleasure,” Caleb replied, a little flatter than he had intended. He mentally shook himself, remembering to actually grip her hand for a proper handshake. “Evocation? I used to specialise in that area.”
“Ja, Ms Lionett told me you are now a Transmutation specialist but still frequently partake in the Evocation school in your travels. I’m glad to hear you intend to put down roots here in Rexxentrum. I would love to exchange theories over coffee.”
Beauregard smirked. Caleb remembered a conversation with Essek where they had agreed to return to Aeor and exchange theories. They had meant that literally. But it had indeed sounded like a euphemism to someone like Beauregard. Well, she hadn’t been wrong in the end, but certainly the intent at the time had been more about a meeting of minds than a meeting of…
Caleb concentrated on the conversation in front of him instead.
“Ja, I would enjoy that,” he replied. “What level of Evocation do you teach?”
“Oh, I teach the beginners.”
“And you live here in the Tangles?”
“I did,” said Alphira. “Archmage Beck has offered me lodging on her estate, so I am selling this house. It was always a little large for one person, and it seems you three could make better use of it than I did.” She leaned closer to Caleb, as if to tell him a secret. “The place on the left is where I prefer to experiment and study. I would recommend you look at that one in particular. The dormer is slightly larger. You could even put a teleportation circle up there if you were so inclined, given your need to travel.”
“Danke.” Caleb still felt a little weird about Rexxentrum mages not wanting to kill him, but he didn’t sense any untoward motives from this woman. She seemed genuinely friendly. “How… is the new Archmage settling in?”
“I have no complaints. She seems competent, if a little terrifying. I am uncertain if that is her past as a Volstrucker, or a necessity of the job. She has been nothing but kind to me, and I would certainly prefer to be her friend than her enemy.”
“Ja, we are familiar with her,” said Caleb.
“Caleb most of all,” said Yasha.
Beauregard had to turn away before she burst out laughing.
“We should look at the house,” Caleb said before the conversation could go anywhere strange. Gods, he missed Aeor already.
Alphira unlocked both front doors. They checked the one on the right first.
“This one has a larger living area,” said Alphira, leading them through the entrance. “I am offering the furniture as part of the sale. I have already taken everything I need.”
Beauregard threw herself onto the large couch in the centre of the room. “Yasha and I call dibs on this side of the house. Since you’re gonna spend so much time here with us anyway. We’re taking the larger living area.”
“Beauregard, we have already established that I do not mind.”
The floor underfoot was a pleasant hardwood, probably more oak, and a large rug occupied much of the space. They would have to purchase candles for the evening, but it was well-lit during the day. Caleb followed the women through each of the rooms on the ground floor on this side, largely going through the motions. The kitchen was equally large, and had a good oven for Yasha to practice baking. They would need to purchase a larger dining table.
There was one large bedroom upstairs and two smaller ones, alongside private areas for bathing and other such activities. This was where they found the door between the two houses. The top floor dormer was full of assorted furniture and household items Alphira didn’t need, but they would likely use. Beauregard and Yasha discussed the possibility of turning this into another bedroom for when they had friends over. Or perhaps converting one of the lower bedrooms into a workout space and using this as a replacement. Caleb did not need to contribute much to the conversation, aside from promising he would help move furniture with telekinesis.
Truth be told, Caleb was having a hard time concentrating on the whole thing. He hadn’t really had a home in a long time, and he could not wrangle his mind into understanding the change. The Xhorhaus had been easier to stomach, as nobody had expected to live there forever. But this? Putting down roots? Real , long-term roots?
Maybe Caleb had been homeless for too long. It was beyond his comprehension at this point. And maybe it frightened him a little. He could not afford to inspect those feelings, not right now.
He pulled himself together in time to inspect the other side of the building. His side. His house. Scheisse .
The living area was a little smaller, but could still easily welcome the Nein (just in rather cosy quarters). The kitchen, also smaller but still respectable--a little larger than his childhood home in Blumenthal. There was less furniture on this side; Alphira had evidently used this side more and therefore had more furniture to take. There were two bedrooms on the second floor, one slightly larger than the other. Caleb found himself thinking that he would probably take the larger one just so there was enough room when Essek was over, or maybe he would take the smaller one so Veth could bring her family with her. Fuck. He didn’t know what to do.
And then they visited the dormer. It was indeed larger than the other one. There was a table in front of the window, with a few dark ink stains, and plenty of floorspace to spread out notes or create a teleportation circle. A few chairs were stacked in the corner, seemingly in good condition, and one wall was lined with empty shelves.
Caleb had always been partial to a tower, and this was pretty close. It would make a great study.
He was genuinely excited over a house. In Rexxentrum. A short journey from where his childhood home once stood. He was going to hyperventilate if he thought about this too hard.
“There are already plenty of shelves in my new house,” Alphira said. “These are all yours.”
Caleb nodded slowly, pulling his mind back into his skull. “Wundervoll, danke.” He took a calming breath. “This is a nice place, Professor.”
Alphira smiled. “Yes, I did not make nearly enough use out of it. But I hear you three have a lot of friends from out of town.”
“Ja, we do not see them enough.”
“Perhaps you will see them more once you have a place to welcome them.” Alphira led them back downstairs, and into the other side of the house where they could sit around the small dining table. Alphira already had the paperwork they needed to sign; Caleb got the impression Beau and Yasha had already decided to buy the house before they spoke to him about it. He was glad the decision was out of his hands.
He signed the paperwork, using both his legal name and the name he now wore (Alphira had apparently been briefed on this, and had consulted a contract lawyer on how to make it work on a binding document). Caleb had needed to sign various statements as part of Trent’s trial, so signing in Bren’s name was not as strange as he feared it would be. He was relieved. Beau and Yasha had insisted on finding a way that his new name would also be included, given he had not gone through any legal name-change process. The money Veth gave him more than covered his part of the cost. He needed to hug her. He needed to hug all of them.
Alphira gave them three copies of the contract and handed over the deed to the property. “I will head to the housing authority and file the paperwork immediately.” She slid the keys over the table to them. “Congratulations on your new home.”
She left. Caleb traced the shapes of the letters on his copy of the contract, over and over, letting reality sink in. He had a house. A house in Rexxentrum. A house in Rexxentrum with two of his best friends. It wasn’t at all what he imagined he would have when he was seventeen, when he thought he and Astrid and Wulf would one day have done their duty for the empire and settled down together.
But this was good. This was right .
He cried. Yasha was probably crying, too, but he couldn't see. The three of them hugged across the table, the edges jabbing their ribs.
22 notes · View notes
hear-me-growl · 4 years
Text
Ambrosia | Ksj | Chapter VI (final)
Tumblr media
ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴏɴ Aᴏ3 || Dɪᴏɴʏsᴜs ·ᴘᴜʙ· ᴍᴀsᴛᴇʀᴘᴏsᴛ || ↻ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴀsᴛᴇʀʟɪsᴛ
> ɢᴇɴʀᴇ: smut, humor, fluff, angst | s2l > ᴘᴀɪʀɪɴɢ: millionaire!Seokjin x bartender!, nyotaimori model!Reader > ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢs: mature [+18]; strong language and explicit sex > ᴡᴏʀᴅᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 5.9k
sᴇʀɪᴇs ɪɴᴅᴇx ||  ⟵ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴠ
💙 ᴀ/ɴ: can’t believe this beast is finally done (though I might post a bonus epilogue, we’ll see 😉). Thank you so, so much for reading and leaving likes. Not gonna lie, it’s been a hard one to write, but also extremely fun. As my first story in English (and also my first BTS fic), it holds a special place in my heart. Also I may or may not be a sucker for this Jin. Now that it’s over, don’t be shy to let me know your thoughts. It’s important for creators that you give feedback, even if just a few words or a keyboard smash. You can make someone (not only me) very happy.
Ambrosia brought a lot of people to my blog and I’m super thankful for you all and very excited to write many more stories you’ll enjoy too. Once again, thank you for all the love and support. 
Psst! Keep an eye out for the next update on the Dionysus ·pub· series. Did someone say Hobi?
Tumblr media
“Thanks, you fuckers! We love you!”
The growl in the frontman’s voice raised screams and whistles that rumbled through Dionysus. Sweaty, ethereal and devilishly handsome, Taehyung bowed for the crowd chanting his band’s name. Everytime their signature purple bunny posters covered the beaten bricks of the pub, a mass of people flooded the establishment. V’s Moon Rabbits caused a frenzy wherever they played, waking the masses with their sound like a rockslide. The rock, jazzy melodies paired with the singer’s looks skyrocketed their popularity in underground Seoul.
However, no matter how many concerts and jam sessions were scheduled, they always came back to Dionysus —the pub that gave them a chance when nobody did.
After the performance, they usually hung out at the bar until they found a fan desperate for a chance to share the night with their idols. Doe eyes and sultry smiles in every corner, the boys never went home alone.
Tonight you didn’t work behind the bar, though. You just sat on a barstool, keeping your best friend entertained on her shift, ready to jump to her rescue if she felt overwhelmed. Not that she needed it, she handled the crowd with a big smile on her face. Beer in hand, you chatted animatedly with the blonde singer and Namjoon, the drummer, since the others had already found someone to drag to the bathrooms for an intimate rendezvous.
“You broke your drumstick. Again. You owe me 30.000.”
“I distinctly remember you mentioning both of them, so I’m not paying a single won.”
“C’mon, man. Don’t be a pussy,” Taehyung nudged his bandmate’s side as he took a sip of his beer. “Next time don’t make it so easy for her to win.”
“Yeah, pay up, Joon,” you chimed, a taunting tone lingering on your lips.
“Sorry, love. The rules were clear.” 
The tall man leaned back on the bar and gave his signature jaw-dropping smile, flanked by two cute dimples. Who would’ve thought underneath all that there was the lady-killer of the century? You bent forward towards him, sniffing before wrinkling your nose.
“Does it smell like chicken over here?”
A snort came from your other side, Taehyung trying to conceal his laughter and you snickered along. Namjoon’s tattooed hands ran over his chin as he watched the both of you in amusement too before speaking.
“Tell you what it doesn’t smell like: money in your pocket. Now, if you excuse me,” he said, eyes fixed on a juicy target. His self-satisfied smirk turned sultry as his gaze darkened, “there’s a pretty doll over there not sucking my cock and I’d like to change that.”  
In a flash, the drummer finished the rest of his drink, attention solely on the woman at the other side of the bar. Still perched on the counter, he looked at you with a raised brow. “Unless you want to join her?”
“Go get your dick wet already,” you nudged with a groan, fully aware that he wasn’t entirely joking.
Like a panther, he stalked towards his newfound prey, mixing with the crowd. Taehyung and you chatted for a little while. He differed from his charismatic persona on stage. V’s goal was to attract people with mysterious looks and alluring smiles, but Taehyung was much more reserved, rude even, except around his close ones. At some point, you noticed the cute girl behind him. You recognised her immediately and smiled warmly, inviting her to talk to the singer.
“Hi, Tae,” she greeted quietly.
Hearing his name, he turned around to face his number one fan. Her face brightened up with the attention.
“Hey, baby girl. Just arrived?”
“Err— yeah, I’m sorry I missed the show.”
“You’ve been to all of them for the past two years, I think you can skip one, ” he sneered. After that an awkward silence settled between the two. When he started to turn back to you, ending the conversation, she was quick to keep his attention.
“Do you… umm… wanna dance with me?”
“Not now, I’m talking.”
“Oh, of course! I’m sorry I interrupted,” she apologized, looking at you with doe eyes.
“No worries, sweetie,” you intervened as you shot a murderous glare to the man, the second-hand embarrassment urging you to help the poor girl out. “Stay and chat with us. What do you drink?”
Her eyes jumped from you to Taehyung nervously, a flash of pain through them when he lazily checked his phone, clearly indiferent. She swallowed a sigh, shrinking in defeat.
“Thanks for the offer, but I think I’m going to… my friend should be here somewhere,” she grimaced at her own excuse, but bit her lips and cocked her head before speaking again. “See you later, Tae?”
“I don’t know my plans yet, baby girl.”
“Right,” she whispered, looking at his side like he’d shot just her. After a beat, she cleared her throat, eyes on the floor. “Bye, then.”
She walked away, hand on her face to hide from the overflowing crowd and ponytail shaking. The singer took a sip from his beer, still on the phone. He didn’t even bother to look her in the eye to reject her.
“One: that was actually painful to experience, and two: you are a major asshole. That poor girl follows you like a puppy with heart eyes and you know it. Do you have to be so rude?”
“Hey, she knows what she’s getting into,” he answered with a shrug.
That naive fool. What a terrible mistake she made falling for Taehyung. To him there was no point in lying, so he proudly waved the “I’ll never be your boyfriend ” flag before anything happened and then jumped to the next roll in the hay without sparing a glance. Never settling, never making false promises. He was upfront about his intentions, so it never bothered you before, despite how tactless he was. Tonight, however, you felt pity at the heartbroken look in her eyes. Love brought more pain than happiness, she’d learn sooner or later.
Suddenly, something bumped into the barstool and you stumbled forward. Taehyung catched you before you could hit your head on the counter. With a snarl on display, you turned and yelled at the culprit, who zigzagged towards the exit, probably to smoke or take a piss. You scoffed. He probably didn’t even hear you, given his unsteady walk. Just as the door opened, a tall, neatly dressed figure entered the bar, stepping aside just in time to dodge the tripping drunk. 
It took a second for you to register the tingle travelling across your skin like wildfire brought by the newcomer. You had felt it before, that twisted warm fuzzy feeling, a disease that spread and ruined people. All too familiar and foreign at the same time, like rewatching an old movie with new eyes. 
‘You felt something that night and you feel it still’. 
The words echoed in your memory, taking you a couple of weeks back. That night after the event was your last conversation with him and you thought you’d finally rid yourself of unnecessary trouble. Quite the opposite. You found yourself craving for something, no matter how much instant ramen you ate or how long you stayed at work to keep yourself busy. His silence was directly proportional to your uneasiness, but you refused to connect the dots.
Until tonight.
Faster than light, your head snapped back at the singer to avoid being seen. Reason overlapped panic as you assessed the damage. That mind-reading snake was right, you felt something beyond physical for him. At least now, fully aware of the issue, you could fix it. Keeping a cool head, you devised a plan of action. It was imperative to eliminate those thoughts before they infected your brain any further, to show both him and yourself that your interest was merely a passing malaise, like a cold or an indigestion. You just needed to find the right medicine for it.
“You okay there? You look like you either had an epiphany or smoked the worst weed in Seoul.”
Taehyung’s voice was low in your ear and you realised the lack of distance between the two. Feeling him chuckle, you looked up at him. You’d forgotten he was even there, hands still low on your waist. In a feeble attempt to regain some control over yourself, you grabbed the shirt over his taut stomach and swallowed hard. Half-lidded, he tongued the corner of his mouth revealing a smug smile. No wonder people lost their shit about him. He looked bewitching and fun, but most importantly, uncomplicated. The perfect remedy for your stupid, stupid heart.
“Kiss me,” you blurted, eyes locked on the mark at the edge of his lower lip.
“What?”
A quick glance back at the door and you frowned before closing the distance to press your mouth roughly on his. For a second, he seemed confused, but then responded eagerly to the kiss. When you pulled back, panting and determined, he tongued the corner of his mouth in amusement.
“Not complaining, but where did all that ‘I don’t make out with my buddies’ philosophy go?”
“As far as buddies go, you’re the shittiest one I have. Not much of a loss there,” you joked, shifting your weight impatiently. Now of all times, Tae had to grow friendship ethics. Although you should’ve praised his character development, right now was a rather inconvenient moment to be a gentleman. What you needed was a distraction in the form of an unapologetic fuckboy. Fast.
Luck on your side, Taehyung just grinned cheekily, happy to indulge your sudden neediness, and tipped his head towards the crowd. He let you guide him through Dionysus, to a dark spot where you’d fuse with the stench of sweat and bad ideas.
Tumblr media
“Gimme a minute, ok? Don’t move!” Shortie greeted with a warm smile, waving above intoxicated laughs and the strings of an old song’s bass. 
Seokjin nodded and leaned on the counter, avoiding the alcohol spilt all over it. Dionysus was especially crowded that night, which only made scanning the multitude in hopes to find you harder. 
After your last conversation, he gave you some space, a chance to miss him. On paper, it was a good strategy. What he didn’t expect was his plan backfiring. After a couple of weeks of self-restraint, his will power ran out. He missed you. Instead of working on his next project as he should’ve, his car brought him across Seoul to you —his personal bittersweet pill. He couldn't help but smile, even when the air reeked of sweat and the sticky floor threatened to peel off the red of his soles. What wouldn’t one of those sensationalists that defamed him give to publicly gut him for his new-found addiction. Those ever-changing eyes that begged him to keep trying despite your constant rejection made quitting you impossible. Only if you would see it too.
“Now, I’m all yours. Sorry to make you wait,” said the petite bartender, already pouring his usual drink. “I’m happy to see you, it’s been a while.”
“Work has been busy lately. No help tonight?”
 “If you mean it in a ‘ is my hot-ass crush here? ’ kind of way, she is,” your friend said, catching his intentions easily. Not that he put any effort in masking them, constantly looking around the place for you. “I don’t know where she went, though. She was sitting over there just a moment a— what the...?”
Seokjin followed her gaze, fixed intently somewhere behind him. Your body pressed against someone’s, fingers buried in blonde hair. Unable to look away, he watched a mouth clash against yours before traveling down your neck.
“Oh, Jin, I’m sorry. This dumbhead, I don’t know what’s gotten into her. Taehyung? Really? He’s like her little brother.”
I’m pretty sure “little brothers” don’t stick their tongues down your throat . Shortie kept talking in the background, probably making excuses for you. To his surprise, the first thing he felt wasn’t anger or jealousy, but something close to satisfaction. An odd sense of pride filled his chest every time the blonde touched you where he had before, when he kissed over the skin he had marked as his already. 
The man turned the two of you around, giving Seokjin a perfect view of your backside. Long fingers travelled down your spine, cupping your delicious ass with a rough squeeze. The same ass he remembered perking back for more despite the leftover sting his palm left behind. He couldn’t shake the vibrant shade of red he created that night, nor the soft whines you sang for him. Pretty eyes clouded with lust as you came on top of him, now etched in his memory forever —along with the iciness you left behind on his sheets the morning after.
With a fist full of his leather jacket, you laughed. Seokjin could tell it didn’t quite reach your eyes. In fact, it seemed like the attention on the man in front of you was only half-hearted. 
Yes, he noticed the pink tint on your cheeks, the hips grinding on a thigh clad in ripped jeans and shortened breaths. But he was also aware of your eyes bouncing around the pub distractedly as your companion nipped your jaw. A smirk tugged on Seokjin’s lips. He’d seen withdrawal before, when his mother quit smoking. Gum could not replace a cigarette and a toyboy could not replace him.
Meanwhile, you kept trying to redirect your wandering thoughts to Taehyung, who locked lips once again, sucking on your lower one. Closing your eyes, you attempted to concentrate solely on his tongue on your mouth. The air was humid, too many bodies in one room. It stuck to your skin the same way it did at the club with Seokjin, but somehow thicker. Tae smelled rich and exotic, nothing like the subtle sweetness of his surely expensive cologne. You remember because it lingered on your skin the morning after, along with the marks he imprinted all over your body. You weren’t as excited for Taehyung to leave his.
Catching your train of thought, you emptied your mind and only allowed pleasure to invade it. You left out a sigh at the hot pressure running through your veins as his thigh flexed against your core just right. It was all you needed at that moment, a nice body against yours to fight the infection of Kim Seokjin. Large hands roamed your body, brushing your breasts on their way up to your hair and tangled there to deepen the kiss. Just when you had achieved the perfect balance between numbing everything around you and enjoying the feeling, the blonde whispered hotly in your ear. His low grumble shook you out of your blissed state, crumbling any prospect of eluding reality.
All of the sudden you found the spicy kisses bland. A light frown etched between your eyebrows when you studied his profile. It dawned on you that it was Taehyung who just told you to come all over his jeans. Taehyung. The same guy who sent you stupid memes while taking a shit because “he was bored”. Fuck, you even came close to orgasming in front of him. Because of him. You winced at the thought. What a genius idea, 15-minutes-ago you. Way to go.
About to detangle from his hold to apologise for the impromptu makeout session —a damn good one, true, but probably scarring for life— he beat you to it. Hands still around you, he arched an eyebrow over your shoulder. 
“Hey, man. Want something?” he rasped out.
“The lady and I need to talk.”
Great . Just fucking peachy. You took a steady breath before turning around, putting a bit of space between you and your friend. The first thing you noticed was Seokjin’s piercing gaze, squinting slightly from how intently he looked at you. 
“Do we now?” you questioned acidly, wearing your best unfazed visage.
Seokjin looked damn fine tonight. Hands casually in his pockets and the gleam of his silver watch just showing. In that position his shoulders squared further. The urge to bite along the curves leading up to his neck rose out of nowhere. You really needed a cold shower.
He smirked at your response, as if he knew your deepest, dirtiest secrets.
“Yes, we do,” a command more than anything else. Still, you recognised the glint of playfulness in the black coffee of his eyes. The one you foolishly claimed for yourself, even though he probably used it on other girls. “Leave the puppy behind and let’s go outside. It’s too loud in here.”
“Who the hell is this jerk again?” Tae enquired dryly, offended by the nickname. He placed a hand on your hip, squeezing slightly to regain your attention.
You jumped slightly at the contact. Seokjin’s eyes snapped up, acknowledging his presence behind you, still too close. The sharp edge of his jaw rolled in annoyance, almost imperceptibly, but he was quick to smooth it with light-hearted indifference.
“The only reason she’s making out with you, kid.”
Amidst the deafening ambiance, you heard a pin drop. There was a beat of silence, tension so high it took you both a moment to register. Then, Taehyung stepped forward, moving you aside. He was not a fighter, despite what one may think with that foul mouth and attitude of his, but he had no problem in punching a douchebag.
“The fuck did you say?”
“Tae,” you stopped, catching his arm. Seokjin remained unaffected, holding the younger’s glare with neutral expression. “Please, don’t. Just go, I’ll deal with the asshole.”
Brows still furrowed, he studied you for a moment with scepticism. “You sure?” 
“Yeah, look I—” You pulled him closer, so you could talk to him more privately. No need for Seokjin to hear anything that could be used against you later. “I’m sorry. About all of this, I mean. I shouldn’t have kissed you tonight when there’s other, um, stuff on my mind. I needed something to help me unwind and you were here so... ”
“Five more minutes and you might’ve ‘unwound’ all the way.”
Your face burned immediately, aware of his lingering taste and the stickiness between your thighs. Pure joy bloomed on his lips at your reaction.
“Back to the whole friend thing?”
“Sure,” he shrugged, “but you owe me a beer for the semi.” 
With that, he nodded at Seokjin in some sort of solemn bro code and the older reciprocated. Men’s short grudge-holding span was always fascinating to witness. He waved both of you goodbye, as if the awkward situation had never happened. Trust Taehyung not to really give a fuck. He was the best at it.
You eyed Seokjin up and down and snaked through the crowd towards the back exit without a word. He followed closely the trail you opened, people too distracted to care if their drinks spilled when you shoulder them. Not sure if you felt angry, relieved, mortified, confused,  scared shitless or all of the above, you avoided looking back to check if Seokjin was still there. How did a fun night out with your friends end up like this? You were at home and ready to order a nutritionist’s worst nightmare. You coming to Dio, right? The boys perform tonight. Pretty pleeeease?🥺 That cursed text was to blame. Whoever invented best friends should be sued.
The difference in temperature made you shiver when you stepped out of the pub. A single bulb illuminated the alley, rain puddles and broken glass reflecting its dim light. The night was calm. Not a single siren wailed, like they usually did. Only the constant boom of the bass drum could be heard now, noise muffled underwater, as the door closed behind Seokjin. Your own pulse followed the rhythm, feeling the vibrations deep in your chest.
“Why are you here?” you finally asked. “Just to ruin my night or did you make a sport of being a jerk?”
“Doing you a favour. It didn’t look like you were having a good time,” he answered, amused. You could almost see the ‘I know when you are’ itching to follow. 
“That’s not for you to decide. Go home.”
“Not without you.”
His wolfish smirk stretched as he threw a wink. A bit late to try to lift the mood, in your opinion. He seemed to forget that the world didn’t revolve around his stupid, handsome face. It happened at the nyotaimori event, and it happened tonight. Even if you would’ve ended up alone anyway, he had no right to come all the way to Dionysus to mess with your head and ruin your plans —said plans being to drink the embarrassment of almost fucking Taehyung away. Still, he shouldn’t have interfered. You shouldn’t have tried to relax your emotional cramp with Tae either, but it was his mistakes you wanted to focus on, not yours.
“I missed that frown of yours, sushi girl.”
Unaware that you’d been scowling, your arms crossed in self-defense.
“Listen, you can’t just barge in on my life every time you’re bored,” you chided. “Get a hobby, plant a tree or whatever. Didn’t you like fishing? Go do that. Just don’t bother me.”
His features softened slightly. “You remember.”
How could you forget the half an hour rant at the burger joint? Truth be told, you did disconnect half-way, but you recall his somewhat boyish excitement as he gave you a whole monograph on baits. Also the fish puns, those you recall with painful accuracy.
“Just because you are full of yourself enough to have your ears clogged doesn't mean that mine are.”
He shook his head and laughed at your comment. When he stood in front of you to brush a stray strand out of your face, you froze for a second. The tenderness of the gesture was suffocating, his gaze on yours too. No matter how hard you tried to keep distance, Seokjin always found a way to close it. You wanted to run.
His eyes fell on your lips for a moment, intense and wanting. Suddenly that sliver of fondness evaporated from them as something else caught his attention. A hand slid down to your neck and his thumb wiped there repeatedly as if he wanted to clean the spot. Once again, his jaw tensed and his stare grew jet black. Swallowing hard, you felt your cheeks reddening both at his touch and the admonishing tut he gave. He was glaring at what you assumed was a hickey left there by Taehyung. Irrefutable proof of your useless attempt to escape the itch that was Seokjin. Because he was exactly that —a maddening, unreachable itch that one cannot assuage. 
“Don’t you think it’s cruel to toy with that Kurt Cobain wannabe?” The tone remained teasing, but his hard, steel stare gave away his mood. He’d never felt jealousy before, and it tasted dry and sour. “He might get the idea that you’re interested.”
You held his gaze, puffing with cockiness to disguise any sign of guilt. “I wouldn’t worry about him, he gets what casual means. Ask him for pointers on that.”
“You think I don’t?” he chuckled airly, brow raising. “I’ve had plenty of that, believe me. But this? Us ? Nothing casual about it, sweet cheeks. I told you already: I like you. I can’t stop thinking about you.”
Perfect teeth on display, he smiled at you. Selfish bastard, airing those words so carelessly. He gave the impression of a teacher explaining the slowest student how to do simple math, not a man admitting his feelings. Yet, the confession sounded brutally sweet in the quiet back alley. Perhaps the beer still buzzing was to blame or the opiate smell of his cologne coating your senses, but you wondered if it would be that bad to believe him. Then reality poured on you like tar. Even if he did feel like he said, it wasn’t worth the risk. He’d grow tired eventually and leave, like everyone else. He’d ask why couldn’t you be sweet and shy like his exes. He’d tell you that he would never introduce someone like you to his parents. He’d text saying that he would come home late after work, night after night. He’d call you a slut because ‘don’t lie to me, I saw you flirting’ with someone’s panties in his back pocket still. Every time you were naive enough to catch feelings, you’d paid for your stupidity tenfold and ended up hurt and broken. You wouldn’t go through it all again.
“There’s no us ,” you reminded both him and you.
“We should change that, then,” he offered with a shrug. “I want us.”
The fucker knew how to play the strings of your heart, a master puppeteer with the cruelest intentions. Every word was a shiver of excitement that pooled in your uneasy stomach. It felt a lot like love and it was terrifying. Love always faded into ugly crying, ice-cream and vodka. Cornered against your own crumbling walls, you transformed your mixed feelings into bitterness.
“I don’t know what kind of spoiled-prince fantasy you live in, but in the real world people don’t always get what they want. Shocking, I know. Get a whisky to swallow that crazy fact and leave me alone.”
You shoved him away and walked back towards the door, desperate for Seokjin-less air. The pressure in your lungs was suffocating. 
“Don’t run away, let’s talk about this.”
“There’s nothing left to say, rich boy. I told you I don’t play couples anymore.” Seokjin snorted, surely about to make a quick retort, but you cut him. “Find someone else for your little rom-com attempt. Now, if you’ll excuse me I’m going back in to find a man who can fuck me and not catch feelings after the first kiss like a Disney princess.”
“I’m not sure if your goal is to hurt me or make me lose interest, sweet cheeks, but it’s not working,” he stated, low grit in his tone. “Push me away all you want, I’m not letting my perfect woman slip through my fingers. Not when I know you feel the same way I do.”
You should’ve left and forgotten about him, but you took the bait.
“Oh, please, enlighten me. How’s that exactly?”
“Restless. Every fucking second of the day. Wondering if I’d laugh at the joke I just told or if I’d enjoy the new restaurant you’re at. Tired and grumpy, because you want me lying next to you so bad that you can’t sleep at night. Frustrated, because the moment we kissed, I ruined everyone else for you.”
You snorted, amused both at the accuracy of his words and how much they irritated you. Hopefully he’d assume you were mocking him. It had to be some sort of superpower, there was no other way he could read you so effortlessly. With every layer of sarcasm he peeled you felt more naked, more vulnerable to his sharp sweet nothings. Falling for him felt inevitable and you were afraid of crash-landing.
“Maybe you didn’t see me making out with a guy literally 5 minutes ago.”
“Oh, I did, sweet cheeks,” he said slowly, taking a step towards you. His lips curled upwards and you swallowed hard at the sight. He was hypnotic, expensive clothes fitting like a second skin. What an awful moment for your legs to become butter. “I saw his sloppy tongue on your mouth and you not smiling at him like you do with me. I saw how you kissed him just to take me out of your head.”
Your retreat ended quickly when your back bumped into the door you had been so determined to walk through. Emergency exit now blocked, the only strategy left was to hold your ground. And you would’ve, but the beating of your heart drowned any coherent thought. He stopped when the tips of his shoes kissed yours. Lifting your chin up, you tried to swallow the sand in your throat to no avail. Seokjin propped his hands on each side of your head, the slow tempo of his movements almost theatrical. Spikes of anticipation raised all over your skin. As he caged you, his eyes leveled with yours. You saw a glimmer of triumph in them, lips stretched in a self-satisfied grin. Maybe you could bite it off, kiss him hard enough to erase it.
“Careful, your ego is showing.” 
“Your bluff too,” he countered.
The poorly lit alley stayed silent for hours in the little bubble your words created. Stray raindrops that slid from the rooftops hit the ground uncomfortably loud. Perhaps it was just your percepcion. Seokjin held your glare with blazing determination. It was useless, you couldn’t convince him to leave. Around him you felt made out of glass, he saw through every lie and every rejection. You were love-sick and you both knew. There was no miracle remedy, no snake oil to cure this heart infection —it spread too deep already. The further away you tried to stay out of love, the deeper you got in it. The poetic irony might just as well slap an ‘I was here’ sticker on your forehead. 
With a heavy sigh you accepted defeat. 
“What do you want from me, Jin?”
Your whisper came out as a plea. Arms went limp on your sides, exhausted. ‘ Please, be gentle ,’ you wanted to say. Even if the words never came out, Seokjin understood. Your features stiffened as you braced yourself for the blow, ready to take the hit. You looked too fragile, too beaten. He hated it. Seokjin felt the need to hold you and make all the promises he intended to keep. He’d be there to lull you to sleep if you cried, to share your smiles, to lift you when you fell, to say ‘sorry’ every time he’d fuck up and ‘it’s ok’ when you did. A four-letter word burned his throat like alcohol, but he wouldn’t voice it —he didn’t want to scare you away.
“Right now? I want to kiss you. I want to take you home and take my time eating you out to get whatever doubt you might have about me, about us, out of your system. I want to make you come while you scream my name and forget that stupid idiot and any other idiot before him. I want to fuck you slow to make you understand how much you want me and then hard to show you how much I need you.” He inched even closer, trapping your eyes with his so you could read his heart in them. “I want to find you beside me in the morning and make a routine out of it. I want you to laugh at my naked butt in an apron while I make breakfast and fuck you again and again in the kitchen until you to beg me to never let go.” 
He paused, lifting a hand to cup your cheek. His eyes fleeted down as his lips ghosted yours, tickling the skin with his breath, and then back up for his next words. 
“I want everything with you.”
You were desperate to close the distance in a kiss, drown in his words. Techno beat pounded in your chest so loud that you thought something might explode. Everything . You wanted that too.
“Jin, I…” as you talked, your lips graced his. He looked at you intently, pupils completely blown and a choked gasp escaped him at the brief contact. The hand on your face tensed, showing you his neediness. It only spurred yours. “I’ve tried this before and it never turns out well.” 
“Not with me, sweet cheeks.” 
“I’m scared. What if—?” 
“Don’t be,” he cut with a smile and a wink. “You’re stuck with me. I promise.”
Tired of fighting a lost battle, you gave in. Your body moved on its own and you closed the barely-existing space between you, sealing your mouth and his with a kiss. There was urgency in his response, as his tongue immediately asked for permission. He kissed you with a starved need that you were quickly to match. His kisses were ardent, numbing you from anything outside Seokjin. Every doubt and heartbreak died where he started. Eager to taste you, he bit your lips until they puffed. Although neither of you couldn’t get enough of it, there was something gentle in your passion. His arms encased you and brought you close enough to fuse with him. Muscle memory laced your fingers to his dark hair, disheveling its perfect shape into whatever you wanted, and your hips grounded his. You molded together in a frenzy of desire. It was satisfying to see every limb and kiss back in place, exactly where they were meant to be. Like one of those compilation videos, it was addicting. The only thing missing was his bare skin on yours to make the moment perfect.
As you got lost in him, his words filled your head, triggering a moan that Seokjin drank with devotion. Perhaps it was foolish, but you let yourself believe him. No flowers, no romantic music in the background, just sincerity in his eyes as he said them. He didn’t paint a movie-like romance where every day would be perfect. He didn’t swear a life of never-ending happiness or vowed to never hurt you. No, he made one promise: that he’d be there. The effortless conviction in that one promise told you that he’d stay and try, that he’d fight for you. He was stubborn and persistent enough for you to trust him. Besides, he always kept his promises before. 
Now that you allowed what you felt for him to flow freely, you couldn’t cointan it. He flipped your world upside down. You wanted to tell him what an irritating, fun, conceited, irresistible prick he was, that sometimes you would choke him and others you would kiss him until your lips drew blood, that with him you felt the barest you’ve ever been, but also the safest. Words weren’t enough to express all that, so you kissed him fervently and urged him closer, your heartbeat reverberating in his chest, to show him instead. He grunted, immersed in you and those words you didn’t speak. No need for it, he heard them in the way you moaned and pressed against his hardened cock, seeking desperately some kind of friction. Your hands roamed his shoulders, crinkling the material of his shirt. He felt so yearned for that he forgot to breathe. When his lungs couldn’t take it anymore, Seokjin broke the kiss, missing it the moment cold air hit his wet lips. You whined at the loss, but allowed yourself a moment to recover. Panting heavily, you both stared at each other. At that moment, he looked perfect. Dishevelled and void of that cold mask he wore most of the time, it was the final shot you could take —you were recklessly and catastrophically in love, with no hope of recovery. All that fight you put up, just to lose anyway. What a poor soldier you’d make. With a breathy laugh you rested your forehead on his chin, which brought a bright smile. Still trying to get some air, he kissed your hairline tenderly as he brushed back flyaway strands. Your fingers mimicked the intimate gesture, drawing circles on the nape of his long neck.
“By the way, I don’t beg,” you quipped suddenly, lifting your head so he could see the arch on your brow and a half bitten smirk. The moment was getting too soppy already.
“You look like you enjoy new experiences.”
A wink and a kiss and then you were in his arms again, hidden in your newfound shelter as it started to drizzle in the back alley of Dionysus.
Tumblr media
ᴛᴀɢʟɪsᴛ: @aretha170
Tumblr media
ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ʀᴇᴘᴏsᴛ, ᴇᴅɪᴛ ᴏʀ ᴛʀᴀɴsʟᴀᴛᴇ ᴍʏ ᴡᴏʀᴋ © hear-me-growl, October 2020 
Tumblr media
70 notes · View notes
jessikahathaway · 4 years
Text
Crimson Grail - Part V
Well hello there lovelies! Here’s the newest update of Crimson Grail! Hope you all are doing well, love you lots!!
PS: Waiting on new banners for some of my fics so they will be blank until the banners come in!
Pairing: Min Yoongi X Reader
Genre: Pirate!AU, Romance, Action, Adventure
Warnings: Kidnapping, violence, coarse language.
Words: 3,964
Scarlett had taken you back to her ship after the Council had finished.
The two of you talked about your life, what you were doing before you joined the crew of the Crimson Grail, and what had happened to your family.
Why did you love the sea so much?
All of these questions and more were thrown your way as Scarlett interrogated you for information it felt like. But she claims she hadn’t had a good chance to talk with anyone for a long while. Her first mate, Joy, was really the only girl she trusted. But they had exhausted all topics apparently and she wanted to start fresh with you.
“Sorry Yoongi yelled at you, normally he’s much more controlled when it comes to things of that nature,” Scarlett said, brushing through her hair with her fingers.
“It surprised me, I’d never seen him like that before,” you said, biting your lip.
Although you hardly knew the man.
“I’m sure, but when Tobias is brought up or anything to do with his fanatics he gets a little touchy,” Scarlett explained.
“What? What do you mean, touchy?” You asked.
“Well, Tobias and Yoongi used to be friends. Thicker than thieves. But Tobias became obsessed with the story of the Heart of the Ocean you see. He wanted to control the seven seas and everything they had to offer. And in order to do this, he needed a ship. So he convinced Yoongi to help him steal one, and then-”
“Do you often enjoy spilling the secrets of everyone around? I thought that was Swallowtail’s job,” Yoongi said from the corner.
The pair of you jumped as you looked at him, captain’s hat tipped low as he gazed at the two of you from the shadows.
“Yoongi, I-”
“Enough Scarlett, I think we’ve all had plenty of talking for the evening. I came to take her back to the Grail for the night,” Yoongi said, looking at you.
“Must you ruin our girl time?” Scarlett whined, kicking her feet out like a small child.
“I’m afraid I can’t entrust her to you unsupervised for too long. Come, Y/N, it’s time we went to bed,” he said, turning his back to the two of you.
“Okay,” you said, dreading the thought of being alone with him. But, you waved to Scarlett regardless and made your way to him.
The walk to the Grail was silent, save for the pair of your footsteps hitting creaking boards. Yoongi didn’t even spare you a glance since you left Scarlett’s ship, and the way he was acting made you wary. What was going on with him? He’d barely spoken to you since the Council was done. He didn’t even see Scarlett snatch you away and take you to her ship. Jimin probably told him where you’d gotten off to.
“You said that you’d answer my questions this morning, but all you did was question me... You promised,” you said, walking behind him.
“I did say I would answer any and all questions, but the day proceeded differently. Sorry about that. But did you have questions?” He asked, looking back at you.
“Yes, of course I do!”
“Then, ask,” Yoongi said, leaning up against the railing of a shipwreck that was almost vertical. You gazed at him and found that his eyes weren’t meeting yours.
“What happened to your parents?” 
It was silent, and you felt as though you struck a chord deep within him. Something no one had touched for a very long while...
“They died,” he said, slowly as if he were thinking through his explanation.
“Okay, how did they die?” You pressed further.
“Why do you want to know?”
“Any and all questions,” you simply reminded.
He sighed and looked down at his boots before continuing.
“They hanged them, the Royal Navy did, when my sister and I were just children. After that we lived with my Aunt until we were old enough to work for our keep. My sister forgave the Royal Navy and married one of their lower ranks. I, I was always in love with the sea. So I had already been taken in by another family. Jimin and his friends actually. Once I had my taste of plundering and treasure... Gods it’s addictive, the wind in your hair the sea spraying in your face. It’s all so... alluring is it not?”
You were speechless.
“My parents died too,” you said, casting your gaze to him.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” he said, keeping his tone level.
“They were both murdered, right in front of me when I was a child. I didn’t have any siblings, so I grew up alone. The Inn keep down the road took me in, made me work for her. And since then, I’ve been on my own,” you said.
“Yeah? How did you come to love the sea?” Yoongi asked. 
“Well, my father was a merchant. He ran several loads of cargo from Yocleptes to Kevineuax. Mother and I traveled with him. We helped on the ship and that’s where I learned a lot of my ship knowledge and healing techniques.”
“I see,” Yoongi said.
Silence settled between the two of you again, and you weren’t sure how to break it. Yoongi had divulged his childhood to you, in turn you gave up a part of yourself as well. But now what do you talk about after that? 
“Captain!” You heard Jin’s voice echo over the quiet area.
“Aye?” Yoongi turned to him, you following closely after.
“You weren’t on the ship, I was wondering where you’d gone. Sorry to disrupt the two of you,” Jin said, placing his hands on his hips. 
“It’s alright Jin, we were just heading back to the Grail,” Yoongi said, starting to strut off towards his ship.
Jin nodded before looking at you. “Are you alright?”
“Yes, I’m fine, thank you. Come, before the siren’s take us!” You joked, laughing and following Yoongi back to the Grail.
You woke up a few days later, throat dry as you headed for your wash basin.
The Council reconvened the morning you were supposed to leave to go after Tobias. You all agreed to wait for news of his next heading. Scarlett was heading to Yocleptes to gather information on him while Jimin was going to Kevineaux to see if he’d returned to his favorite port. 
The rest of you were to wait in Pirate’s Cove until they returned. 
Yoongi was restless to say the least. 
“I hate being docked for too long,” he said, as he came back to the cabin.
“Well, Scarlett should be back within the week and Jimin not too shortly after her. Just survive the week, Yoongi, I know you can do it,” you smiled. 
He sighed and sat down on the bed heavily. 
“I hate having to sit like a duck in this fortress with people I hardly trust. Sure, Apollo was on your side but... The two Lords I trust the most aren’t here. It makes me worry,” he said, rubbing his neck. 
“I understand your concerns, but I fear they might be misplaced,” you confessed. Yoongi looked up at you, shocked. 
“What do you mean, ‘misplaced’?” He asked.
“Apollo’s crew is mingling well with your men. So I see an alliance with him being the most likely while Scarlett and Jimin are gone. Swallowtail has kept to himself and not bothered us in the least. And Allistar, well... He’s young, and unsure of what he truly wants. I don’t think anyone is going to make a move on the other. It’s a big stalemate currently,” you explained.
“Allistar is a fire cracker, I know that he’s planning some mischief, I just... Don’t leave my sight until those two are back, alright?” He said, looking at you with concern.
“Captain? Are you in there? Lass?” Greaves' voice echoed through the room.
“We’re in here Greaves, you can come in,” you said, sitting down at your new vanity Yoongi cleared off for you.
“I have news from First Mate Jin. He says the remaining council members are meeting on what to do in the meantime while Captain Scarlett and Captain Jimin are out gathering information on Tobias Bridge,” he said, looking at you and Yoongi.
“Well, best we get ready. I’ll leave you to change,” Yoongi said, standing up and heading for the door. 
“I might need your help,'' you said offhandedly.
You heard a small choke from the corner. Turning your head, you looked at Yoongi in confusion.
“W-With what?” He said. Greaves was a similar shade of pink as he walked away from the door.
“My corset?” You said, as if it were obvious.
“O-Oh, of course, I’ll uh... I’ll wait out here and you can call me in when you need me, alright?” 
You nodded and continued brushing your hair at the vanity for a short while.
Many thoughts came to mind. 
Especially about Yoongi. What was his goal? Why did he want to continue to be a pirate? How did he get so strong and find a ship such as the Grail? Even some stupid questions like what his favorite drink was. You wanted to know everything about the man who would be your husband. 
And yet, he was still such a mystery to you.
That was all well and good, but... You didn’t want to have to hide anything from him, and you wanted him to feel the same. If you couldn’t find love in one another you at the very least wanted to be friends. 
But something about Yoongi felt off, as if he were hiding something from you. Something dark and dangerous.
But the day was today, and those are fears of tomorrow. Let them sit there in the wings while you enjoy the now.
“You can come in!” You said, adjusting your corset as you winced. Your arm was still tender, but it was getting better.
Yoongi walked in, clearing his throat as he approached. You felt his warm palms on your waist and you jumped slightly.
“Sorry,” he breathed. 
“It’s okay,” you assured. Face flushing slightly at the contact. 
“So, um, breathe in please,” he said, taking the bottom laces and pulling them tight. You gasped as the bodice began to tighten around your frame. It had been a long while since you’d worn a full corset and it was obvious it’d take some getting used to. 
You gripped the bed frame and gasped when Yoongi tugged once more. 
“Easy, or I’ll break!” You said, holding your stomach.
“Sorry, sorry. Should I stop?” He asked.
“No-No, keep going,” you breathed. 
“Um, sir?” 
The two of you bolted apart at the sound of another voice. 
Jin stood there, blush over his cheeks as he stared at the two of you.
“Jin, you can’t just barge in here!” Yoongi warned, walking over to him.
“The door was open?” Jin said, pointing to the very open door at the back of him.
“You left the door open!?” You shrieked, coming forward to throttle Yoongi for all he was worth before Jin spoke again.
“Anyways, the meeting is in about ten minutes. I’m here to escort the two of you to the meeting room,” he said.
“Well, we’ll meet you on deck in a few moments, just let us finish here,” Yoongi said.
“Very well, I will await the two of you on deck then,” Jin said, smirking lightly before heading out the door, and shutting it this time.
You could feel the heat from your face burning through your whole body. Embarrassment flooded you as you tried not to hide in shame. But Yoongi tied off your corset without even blinking.
“There, you’re all set,” he said, patting you on the back softly.
“Thank you,” you grimaced, trying not to let your own embarrassment leak out past your blush.
“Sure, let’s get going,” Yoongi stated, bringing you to his side before walking out the door. 
The meeting was boring to say the least. Everyone agreed that two ships would stay behind and the other two would make port in nearby towns. It was simply easier for everyone that way. And so people weren’t draining their supplies needlessly. And the other two ships would also bring back extra cargo for the rest of the ships. 
Allistar and Yoongi were told to stay here in Pirate’s Cove while Swallowtail and Apollo’s crew went to port elsewhere. Yoongi was sour about the whole situation, wanting to be one of the people who got to leave the damned cove but, everyone had voted against him.
Although, Yoongi was also upset for another reason.
Allistar was the only pirate in the Council Yoongi was on incredibly bad terms with. Something about calling him a child in the boots of a man that were three sizes too big. That hadn’t gone over very well with the youngster, making the two men at odds at the best of times.
So, Yoongi went straight to the cabin when the pair of you returned from the meeting. Jin looked at you for some kind of information but you just shook your head. 
“He just needs some time to cool off no doubt,” you said. Jin nodded and the two of you rested along the sides of the boat leisurely.
You watched as Apollo’s and Swallowtail’s ships left the fortress. You longed to feel the sun on your face again, the sea spray freshening your skin and making it dance in pleasure as the ship moved forward towards the beloved horizon.
But, here you were, stuck like the rest of the men here. 
“He’s anxious, I can tell,” Jin said, arms folding over the other as he gazed out over the cove with muted interest.
“Anxious? About what?” You asked, intrigued. 
“Going after Tobias is no doubt going to reopen old wounds with him. And with you now a part of the picture he’s going to have someone to worry about. Yoongi is bad about thinking about himself first. He normally goes into stuff thinking about the other people involved, he’s just an afterthought. This is going to change with you I hope. Someone to remind him to look after himself, keep himself and his friends safe. I worry about him constantly, as someone who has known him for almost seven years I think that we are rather good friends. But, he keeps his very personal life away from everyone. Even from himself. Hopefully, you can bring that part of him to life again. So he’s not afraid of losing everything all the time. I hope that you two can work together to be a great team, I want that for the two of you,” Jin confessed.
You had tears in your eyes because you were so moved with his speech.
“Oh Jin! I’ll do my very best! I absolutely will!” You said, moving to take both of his hands in yours. 
He flushed a deep scarlet as you smiled brightly.
“Thank you, Y/N, I mean it,” he said. 
“Oh goodness, is that the time? I had better go get the men to cleaning the ship. You can wander about as you’d like. I’m sure Yoongi still needs a bit of time,” Jin announced before heading off into the ship.
You sighed and gazed around, a small light in the water catching your eye. 
What was it?
A piece of gold?
A jewel?
You leaned further over the edge, trying to get a better glance at the object when-
“Grab her lads!”
Suddenly there was cloth around your mouth and you were being hauled overboard.
Tight ropes constricted your shoulder painfully, making your eyes water. These men weren’t gentle in the way they handled you. They just grabbed for whatever part of you they could get their hands on. 
What was worse, they barely rocked the boat with their precision and deft hands. You looked up to the cabin and your heart sunk as you realized the curtains were drawn, and Yoongi wasn’t going to be able to save you this time. 
But who would be capturing you? There was only one other pirate here and that was Allistar. Yoongi would immediately know where to go and how to find you, so what was the point in taking you hostage?
Going limp you simply let them carry you without a fight. You wanted to save your energy for when it really counted.
The men all worked in tandem to get you aboard the Jeweled Crest and handed you to another set of men that took you below the deck. Sqiruming from discomfort you jostled in your restraints and yelped when they rubbed against your wounded shoulder. The men silenced you once more before hauling you into a cage in the brig. 
A chorus of laughter came from them as they all gathered around the iron bars. 
Finally, the great schemer himself came forward, ripping the cloth from your mouth. You winced as you glared up at Allistar with detestation. 
“There she is, the pretty bride. So sorry if the transport wasn’t to your liking. We had to make due with what we had you see,” he explained, twirling the cloth in between his fingers gingerly.
“Why did you bring me here?” You asked, wanting to get to the point already.
“Well, you see my dear, Yoongi having a bride is horribly unpleasant for the lot of us. Swallowtail, Apollo. We all agreed it’d be best if you were, as they say, indisposed,” Allistar smirked.
“Yoongi will know you’ve taken me,” you said, sneering right back in his juvenile face.
“Ah yes, but he will know a smidge too late I’m afraid,” Allistar said.
“What?”
“We plan to kill you, tonight. Tie you down with weights and let you sink to the bottom of the cove. And tomorrow morning, poor Yoongi will find your body drifting in the sea. He’ll be utterly heartbroken. Far too heartbroken to think about going after the Heart of the Sea, and the treasure will be mine,” Allistar smiled.
“You realize that Yoongi could kill you for this. It goes against the code,” you said, faintly remembering Jin and Yoongi’s ramblings about your new rank. 
“Ah yes he could, but you drowned remember?”
“Yoongi will know it wasn’t an accident,” you said, marking your words.
“But what evidence will he have against me? My men haven’t left a bruise on you. And your body will be floating near the Grail,” he smiled.
“If you truly think this plan will come to fruition then you are more dense than you look,” you scoffed.
Allistar came forward, hand gripping your throat painfully. “Listen here lass, I will have you know I am the youngest Pirate Lord for a reason. I am as ruthless as the sea and I take everything of value in my path. You are playing a dangerous game with me, one you won’t win,” he warned.
“If I’m to die, the least I can do is remind you of your place,” you smirked.
The crew went deadly silent. 
A sharp sting was felt as your head jerked to the side. 
He’d hit you.
You smiled and turned your head back to his. His face was flushed with anger and frustration, something not unusual for a child his age. He was merely upset because he wasn’t getting the fear he wanted. You wouldn’t give it to him, there wasn’t any point.
You’d easily been gone for an hour at this point. Yoongi or Jin should’ve noticed you missing by now... You hoped.
Yoongi was laying in bed, wondering why on Earth he had to stay here another day. Let alone another week. Especially with Allistar. The cocky little brute was no doubt going to cause some kind of trouble while he was here with Yoongi and his crew.
There was a knock at the door.
“Come in,” Yoongi said, sitting up on the mattress.
“Sir, it’s me,” Greaves said, entering the cabin.
“Yes Greaves, how can I help you,” Yoongi said, standing to his full height. 
“Have you seen Miss Y/N? No one has seen her since after the meeting and we all went about cleaning the ship. We thought she might be up here with you,” he said, looking around the cabin with a wary eye.
“I haven’t seen her since after the meeting either, perhaps she went for a walk and hasn’t returned yet?” Yoongi asked.
“The men did a sweep of the perimeter and didn’t find her anywhere. Jin checked inside the fortress and she wasn’t in there either. I’m getting worried Captain,” Greaves said, worrying over you like you were his own child. 
“I’m sure she’ll turn up Greaves, no need to worry,” Yoongi said, heading to sit back down before something struck within him.
If you hadn’t been seen since the meeting, that meant that Apollo or Swallowtail could have taken you out to sea. But they were leaving when Yoongi went into his cabin, and you were with Jin on the deck at that point. 
Where could you have gone off to?
Then it hit him.
“Allistar, the smarmy bastard no doubt took her,” Yoongi said, placing his hand on his sword.
“It’s almost dark Captain. The last time she was seen was almost three hours ago,” Greaves worried, biting his dark nails in fear.
“It’s alright, can you go get Jin for me? I need to speak with him privately,” Yoongi explained.
“I’ll be right back Captain!”
With that, Greaves left the room. Yoongi mulled over a few possibilities of why Allistar would want you. No doubt it put Yoongi in a bad position to have his bride taken from him right under his nose. But, Yoongi hadn’t thought Allistar had the gall to take something from him. Not with Yoongi being older and having been one of the most notorious pirates on the seas. 
Allistar was young and naive, and he was going to learn his place. 
If he’d touched a hair on your head there’d be hell to pay. 
Thinking through his plan, Jin came through the door shortly after.
“You needed to see me Captain?” Jin asked.
“Yes, when was the last time you saw Y/N?” He asked, looking out of his cabin’s windows. 
“We talked a little after the meeting, but then the crew went to clean the ship. I thought she either came up here to talk to you or went for a walk,” Jin explained.
“Allistar’s taken her,” he said, growling at the thought.
“What?!” Jin exclaimed. 
“He took her from me, right under my nose. What kind of husband lets that happen!?” Yoongi yelled.
“No one could’ve predicted that Allistar would act this quickly. The important thing is how we fix this,” Jin said. 
Yoongi nodded.
“No doubt the second he sees me he’ll either give her back or shoot her right in front of me,” Yoongi said, rubbing his forehead.
“Would he go against the code like that? No Pirate Lord can harm the bride of the other, I thought that was the code?” Jin stated.
“Power makes beasts of us all, Jin. And when it’s given too young it can meld your mind into something ugly. Allistar is living proof of that. We need to go over there and retrieve Y/N before things get out of hand,” Yoongi explained. 
“Very good Captain,” Jin agreed.
Just as the two were about to leave the cabin, Yoongi caught sight of something being thrown off Allistar’s ship into the depths below. 
“Oh fuck. Jin we’ve gotta move now! Get the men ready and follow me as soon as you can!” 
“Captain! Captain what’s going on?” Jin asked.
“Man overboard.”
47 notes · View notes
callunavulgari · 3 years
Text
Scrapbook 2021 | Part II
For anyone that’s new to this, this is how I keep track of all of the things I enjoy and/or create throughout the year. I have literally been doing this since I had a livejournal. I think the first one was 2011? Maybe? In which case, woohoo, ten years of scrapbooking!
It’s a nice little snippet of my life and helps to organize my brain.
A reminder:
Normal font - Indifferent/Neutral Italicized font - Enjoyed bold font - Loved with an asterisk* - All time favorite (bracketed titles) - Re-watches/Re-reads strikethough - Disliked
Goals are: read 80 books (as of today, i am at 31 books, which sounds not great but goodreads assures me that it’s only 1 book behind schedule), finish five video games (at two at the moment... mostly because I keep dragging my feet on actually finishing P5R), write more than 20 fics (at... 6) or something larger than 20k (negative), and write either an original short story or start a novel (i have started plotting for the novel? does that count?)
Past Years
MOVIES
May
Mortal Kombat
(SW: The Phantom Menace)
(SW: Attack of the Clones)
(SW: Revenge of the Sith)
(SW: Rogue One)
(SW: A New Hope)
SW: Clone Wars
Enola
Wonder Woman 1984
Dark Phoenix
(Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring)
June
(Princess Mononoke)
Sailor Moon: Eternal
In The Heights
Wish Dragon
July
Luca
(Thor: Ragnarok)
(Doctor Strange)
(Guardians of the Galaxy)
Black Widow
Space Jam 2 Electric Boogaloo
August
The Green Knight
Godzilla vs Kong
(Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets)
BOOKS
May
These Violent Delights | Chloe Gong [Fin]
The Midnight Library | Matt Haig [Fin]
The Galaxy, and the Ground Within | Becky Chambers [Fin]
Unconquerable Sun | Kate Elliott
People We Meet On Vacation | Emily Henry [Fin]
The Soulmate Equation | Christina Lauren [Fin]
June
Unconquerable Sun | Kate Elliott [Fin]
September Love | Lang Leav [Fin]
One Last Stop | Casey McQuiston [Fin]
The Chosen and the Beautiful | Nghi Vo [Fin]
Lumberjanes, volume 2 | Noelle Stevenson [Fin]
For the Wolf | Hannah Whitten [Fin]
The Sandman | Neil Gaiman [Fin]
Mister Impossible | Maggie Stiefvater
July
Mister Impossible | Maggie Stiefvater [Fin]
TAZ: The Crystal Kingdom | The Mcelroys [Fin]
She Who Became the Sun | Shelley Parker-Chan
A Psalm for the Wild-Built | Becky Chambers
The Universe of Us | Lang Leav
August
She Who Became the Sun | Shelley Parker-Chan [Fin]
A Psalm for the Wild-Built | Becky Chambers
The Universe of Us | Lang Leav [Fin]
Lumberjanes, volume 3 | Noelle Stevenson [Fin]
Lumberjanes, volume 4 | Noelle Stevenson [Fin]
PODCASTS
May
The Penumbra Podcast, s3-END
June
The Magnus Archive - Fear Winners 1 & 2
July
Gods of Appalachia, Eps 1-6
(Wolf 359)
Janus Descending
August
(Wolf 359)
Mabel
(Zero Hours, ep 7)
Time:Bombs
TV SHOWS BY SEASON
May
Watcher Entertainment, Are You Scared?
Castlevania, s3, s4 [Fin]
Word of Honor [Fin]
Buzzfeed: Kelsey in Control?
Demon Slayer, s1
June
Demon Slayer, s1 [Fin]
Kim’s Convenience, s4
Leverage, s5 [Fin]
Watcher: Too Many Spirits, s3
Loki, s1
Lucifer, s2, s3, s4
Trese, s1
(Buzzfeed Unsolved: True Crime, s3, s6?)
(Buzzfeed Unsolved: Supernatural, s1)
Sweet Tooth, s1
Love, Death & Robots
July
Loki, s1 [Fin]
Watcher: Too Many Spirits, s3 [Fin]
Watcher: Dish Granted, s3
Shark Week
Lucifer, s5
Masters of the Universe: Revelation
August
The Owl House, s2
Watcher: Dish Granted, s3
Watcher Weekly+
Buzzfeed: Ruining History
Star Trek Discovery, s1, s2, s3
What If..., s1
VIDEO GAMES
May
Monster Hunter Rise, 12 hours
Mass Effect 1: Legendary Edition, 25 hours
Pokemon Go
June
Mass Effect 1: Legendary Edition, ? hours
Pokemon Go
Animal Crossing: New Horizons, ??? Hours
Persona 5 Royal, ??? hours
July
Persona 5 Royal, 167 hours
Pokemon Go
August
Persona 5 Royal, 167 hours
Pokemon Go
Ori and the Blind Forest [Fin]
DELIGHTFUL FIC
May
The word is help. by spqr | Star Wars | Din/Luke | 9k | In a flash, Fett has his blaster out and pointed at Luke’s head. “You’re right,” he says. “Turnabout’s fair play. So maybe I oughta shoot you.”
Don’t be afraid. by spqr | Star Wars | Obi-Wan/Anakin | 12k | “Padawan Kenobi,” Yoda says, after a moment. “Complete your training, Master Skywalker will.”
who carried the hill by spqr | Star Wars | Din/Luke | 22k | Din’s about to head up the ramp onto the newly-repaired Razor Crest when a string pulls taut around his heart and yanks him into the sky.
Tapestry by spqr | Star Wars | Obi-Wan/Anakin | 8k | In March, Obi-Wan drags Anakin to another faculty party, where Anakin gets all sorts of wrong ideas about Quinlan Vos and decides to fellate Obi-Wan in a coat closet about it.
wonderterror by peradi | Star Wars | Leia/Han/Luke | 6k | Anakin Skywalker is the son of the Force.He’s half human and half something monumental.What does that make his children?
Xen Gardens by denimwrapped | Buzzfeed Unsolved | Ryan & Shane | 1k | Shane Madej saves the day.A strange man comes to congratulate him.
A Series of Better Decisions by SassySnowperson | Star Wars | Padme/Obi-Wan/Anakin | 9k | "Kill him. Kill him now!" Chancellor Palpatine hissed, as Anakin held the two blades against Dooku's neck. "No," Anakin said. "It's not the Jedi way."
Futurus (-a -um) by cadesama | Star Wars | Padme/Anakin/Obi-Wan | 60k | Cracked hyperdrive? No problem. Just hold it together with the Force. Time travel? Well. That could be a bigger problem.
Comfort in Wartime by Rosbridge | Star Wars | Padme/Obi-Wan/Anakin | 4k | Obi-Wan is exhausted, drunk, and just about out of fucks to give.
spark me up, i'm a firework (i'll burst into light) by coffeeinallcaps | FATWS | Bucky/Sam | 7k | "You know how the super-soldier serum makes everything, well, super? I guess you could say that's what happened to my sex drive."
Thaw by spqr | Star Wars | Din/Luke | 6k | That’s what hope does to you, Luke remembers now. It lingers at the back of your mind, whispering maybe, maybe, so that knowing a plan is stupid isn’t enough to keep you from trying it.
Christ in Repose by spqr | Din/Luke | 8k | More on this story as it develops. Subscribe to HNN’s JEDI WATCH newsletter for instant updates on Jedi sightings throughout the galaxy.
Insufferable by perkynurples | Word of Honor | Wen Kexing/Zhou Zishu | 3k | Wen Kexing asks a question. Zhou Zishu only hesitates to answer for a little while.
parasitic, parasocial by brawlite | The Untamed | Song Lan/Xiao Xingchen/Xue Yang | 45k | Xue Yang stumbles upon the channel of Fuxue, a popular videogame streamer, and immediately becomes completely and utterly obsessed with him. Unfortunately, Fuxue has a boyfriend -- but that's fine: Xue Yang loves a challenge.
Aaron Burr has Hamilton's RSI and he isn't pleased about it. by DragonBandit | Hamilton | Hamilton/Aaron Burr | 3k | Aaron knows 2 things about his soulmate: The first is that they're angry about everything. The second is that they need to fucking sleep.
dinluke lawyer au by spqr | Star Wars | Din/Luke | 31k | At 1:18 a.m., just when Luke is starting to think he might’ve gotten away with something, Biggs Darklighter shows up on the other side of his desk and says, “I can’t believe you called in sick to get shotgun married to a Mando.”
like, comment, subscribe by DeHeerKonijn, Roselightfairy | Lord of the Rings | Gimli/Legolas | 90k+ | Legolas meets Gimli for lunch - unfortunately, he meets someone else, too.
a jackal; a thief by brawlite | Word of Honor | Wen Kexing/Ye Baiyi | 11k | This is not the first time Wen Kexing’s body has been poisoned like this.
you're the trouble that i always find by sundiscus | Word of Honor | Wen Kexing/Zhou Zishu | 27k | “Do you know him?” Jin Wang asks.The ringing in Zhou Zishu's ears gets louder. “No, Wangye,” he says.At Zhou Zishu’s voice, the prisoner freezes.
vampire!wwx threadfic by sundiscus | The Untamed | Wei Wuxian/Lan Wangji | ??? words | in which vampires exist in a modern cultivation au, lwj is investigating a string of strange deaths, and wwx is a vampire he can’t seem to kill.
Velle by DeHeerKonijn, Roselightfairy | LotR | Gimli/Legolas | 29k | Velle (Latin): to want.
June
May All My Wounds Be Mortal by hansbekhart | Word of Honor | Wen Kexing/Zhou Zishu | 10k | Peeled out of his many robes, Wen Kexing’s body reveals itself to be mostly leg. He strips eagerly, grinning up at Zhou Zishu as if this is another joke between them. See? Wen Kexing’s body seems to say, I have no secrets from you.
drop by brawlite | The Untamed | Song Lan/Xue Yang | 4k |  Xue Yang has had this dream before.
Splenda by Tierfal | FMA | Ed/Roy | 19k | WIP | A sugar daddy AU that barely even qualifies as a sugar daddy AU, because these two can't do anything right.
From the Ashes by blacktofade | Buzzfeed Unsolved | Shane/Ryan | 3k | “This doesn’t need to leave this room,” Ryan had said that first time. “Casual is my middle name.”
Whale Songs by denimwrapped | Buzzfeed Unsolved | Ryan/Shane | 2k | It could be humming, he thinks. Some distant angelic humming. What it’s humming about, he’d have to find out the hard way. All he can hear in his mind’s ear is come closer. There’s so much more in the depths than you’ve ever known.
A Good Bargain by Neery | Word of Honor | Wen Kexing/Zhou Zishu | 11k | The Window of Heaven captures the Ghost Valley's master. Zhou Zishu is put in charge of interrogating him.
So Why Not Crack Your Skull When the Mind Swells by greenteafiend | The Untamed | Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian | 13k | Or, Wei Wuxian is cursed to feel terrible pain when he and Lan Wangji aren’t touching.
the agony and the irony by arostine | Buzzfeed Unsolved | Ryan/Shane | 44k | WIP |  Ryan has a lot on his plate right now. He’s one of three members of his species employed at BuzzFeed, and the only male omega, and his boss keeps asking him to do videos about being an iterant ‘to educate the humans,’ when what he really wants to do is videos about ghosts.
the rest of your life by bestliars | Buzzfeed Unsolved | Ryan/Shane/Sara | 30k | MYSTERY DISAPPEARANCE IN THE MIDWEST! The year is 2034. Successful video producer Ryan Bergara uproots his whole life to take care of his friend’s children.
sit in my circle and hold my hand by soda_coded | Buzzfeed Unsolved | Ryan/Shane | 14k | Ryan and Shane work for the metaphysical department of the LAPD, fool around and get cursed.
Idle Hands (Do the Devil's Work) by ma_malice | Buzzfeed Unsolved | Ryan/Shane | 4k | In which the only upside to being a demon stuck in a seasonal Chicago snowstorm is the ability to abandon your body and possess your boyfriend in LA.
Shell Game by Giddygeek | The Magicians | Quentin/Eliot | 20k | Or, Quentin can’t believe he never thought to ask if there was a magical time in Fillory when people swapped bodies with the last person they slept with.
Contention by hollybennett123 | Word of Honor | Wen Kexing/Zhou Zishu/Ye Baiyi | 3k |  The Zhou Zishu of ten minutes ago, who first agreed to the whole thing — the evening’s conversation and general bickering over drinks taking an unexpectedly filthy turn — had been thinking only about the imminent pounding on offer and not, well, everything else that might come with it.
Necrocafé by etothey | Locked Tomb Trilogy | Gideon/Harrow | 2k | Harrowhark Nonagesimus isn't sure which confounds her more: the new boxes of bones she is to animate, or the hot redheaded courier who brings the boxes.
simple man by spqr | Loki | Loki/Mobius, Loki/Loki | 6k | “Tell you what,” says Mobius, shortly after the Timekeepers have sentenced Loki to death, “why don’t I take care of this?”
(Un)disclosed desires by Springandastorm | Loki | Loki/Mobius | "That's not how I see you at all, Loki." Mobius said, unexpectedly earnest. "We all play roles sometimes." 
sources of light by brawlite | Word of Honor | Wen Kexing/Zhou Zishu | 3k | Zhou Zishu makes a difficult choice in order to save Wen Kexing's life. The morning after is not an easy one.
warm company, cold nights by janonny | Word of Honor | Wen Kexing/Zhou Zishu | 23k | He gave Zhou Zishu a lingering look from beneath his lashes. “Your virtuous wife will accompany you of course.”
July
the potential of broken things by icarusinflight | Harry Potter | Drarry | 11k | "Can you feel that? Some things want to be what they once were. The original spell is still there, and it wants to work again. All it takes is a little push and then"—Draco clicks his fingers of his free hand—"snap, everything will go back into place."
little beast by brawlite | The Untamed | Song Lan/Xue Yang | 7k | Payback's a bitch.
you, undeniable you by returnsandreturns | Brooklyn Nine-Nine | Jake/Amy | 1k | “Are you sure you’re okay with this?” Jake asks, for the fourth time. “Because we can just ditch that thing, toss it out a window, do it missionary like the founding fathers intended.”
Car Talk by drunkbedelia | Loki | Mobius/Loki | 1k | ‘When I pruned myself, I thought I might be able to find Loki,' Sylvie said.
one too many by sarcasticfishes | Watcher | Ryan/Shane | 1k | “Stay here,” Ryan says, just casual enough, “I’ll drive you home tomorrow.”
Tencent and Chill by quoth_the_ravenclaw | The Untamed | Nie Huaisang/Nie Mingjue | 2k | “Da-ge,” Huaisang whines, all for show, as much a performance as the actors on screen. He wiggles his toes. “My feet are so sore, you worked me too hard.”
The House at the End of the World by Hopetohell | Loki | Loki/Mobius/Sylvie | 1k | What will they do, now that they can do anything?
moderate the middle by ElisAttack | Loki | Loki/Mobius/Sylvie | 9k | People only smiled with their eyes when it was real. Unless they were a Loki. No matter the differences between the variants, their tricky grins were a constant as much as they were indiscernible.
Lost and Sound by snack_size | Loki | Loki/Thor/Sylvie | 5k | “Sylvie, did you help my brother defeat the Time Police?”
push the button (and let me know) by dinosuns | Loki | Loki/Mobius | 5k | “How about this?” hands folded on the table, he watches Loki intently. “If you tell me why, I’ll answer.” 
We're (not) all villains here by sir_not_appearing_in_this_archive | Loki | Loki/Mobius/Sylvie | 19k | WIP | Alone and friendless (once again), Loki has to find a way to set things right, or at least right enough he can comfortably sneak off into the sunset, which starts with one thing: saving Mobius's lost memories.
what remains by dinosuns | Loki | Loki/Mobius | “You’re no analyst.” Mobius sounds stunned. They are not aligned, they are not in tandem. But there are wistful glimmers of what is now agonisingly out of reach.
worth a shot by thereyoflight | Loki | Loki/Sylvie | 2k | When Loki and Sylvie are moments away from being cornered on the train in Lamentis, they resort to desperate measures.
Bug Problems by xorabbit | Marvel | Grandmaster/Loki | 7k |  Loki ends up on Sakaar, of course, with just that many more schemes to scheme. However, the Grandmaster is not altogether too terrible--a bit of fine luck, for once--and perhaps it's all right to have a better-natured fling while one works out what's next.
our way, no takebacks by dinosuns | Loki | Loki/Mobius | 20k | "Nice speech," Sylvie drawls, but the sarcasm doesn't land.
August
Vennen min by spqr | Loki | Loki/Mobius | 12k | The day they let Mobius out of the infirmary, Loki gets assigned to a new handler. This, Mobius is pretty sure, is where the trouble starts.
new terms by dinosuns | Loki | President Loki/Mobius | 21k | For the first time in his life, Loki triumphs. How fitting then, for the end to swiftly barge in unannounced.
Icarus by Waako | Loki | Loki/Mobius | 5k | When Mobius got pruned, he expected two different outcomes. Either eternal peace or eternal emptiness. He certainly didn’t expect a grey sky, ruins of old buildings looming over him, and a Loki variant watching him like he was a piece of fresh meat.
Stress Relief by spqr | Loki | Loki/Mobius | 3.5k |  “Let me read you something,” Loki says. He rifles through the pages, clears his throat, and Mobius puts a hand over his eyes because he knows what’s coming before Loki even reads the first word—“Pēdīcābō ego vōs et irrumābō—“
just like the weather by sarcasticfishes | BFU | Shane/Ryan/Sara | 6k | “Y’know,” Ryan shrugs. “Friends have kids together sometimes. Like if a same-sex couple has a friend surrogate for them. Or sometimes people just co-parent.”
Woodash and iron and leather by iffervescent | The Witcher | 9k | Jaskier is the only person Geralt's ever been around who doesn't smell of fear
Food of Love by tanktrilby | The Witcher | Geralt/Jaskier | 22k | I brought a dead princess back to life through the power of song is the kind of thing that would have got an eyebrow raise even from the stone-faced Geralt of Rivia, so it's a good thing he and Geralt will probably never see each other again.
If The Morning Light Sets In by nagia | Castlevania | Sypha/Trevor/Alucard | 45k | Save the Belmonts, save the world.
halfway by ivelostmyspectacles | Castlevania | Sypha/Alucard/Trevor | 12k | Vampire attacks are happening again. Unprovoked, strange, humans and vampires dying alike. A disease. Alucard assures them that he isn't susceptible.
lonely lonely heart by spqr | Loki | Loki/Mobius | 7k |  Mobius looks down at the paperwork, gets a sort of flustered farmboy look on his face, looks back up at Loki and says, “You offered to give a cop fellatio in the middle of Central Park.”
Bedrest by Lise | The Untamed | Xiao Xingchen& Xue Yang | 3k | Xiao Xingchen's newest patient is causing him problems. He just won't stay put.
too little, too late. by raisesomehale | Miraculous Ladybug | Adrien/Marinette | 6k | WIP |  “Ladybug.” Chat’s voice cuts in like molten steel.
DELIGHTFUL FANVIDS
May
Jesper Fahey | 99 Problems
Jesper Fahey | OLD TOWN ROAD
Kaz & Inej | I Can't Pretend
human | kaz brekker
bucky barnes || humble
The Mandalorian || Warriors
The Mandalorian | I'll See You Again
Hope is the light.
►Zhou Zishu & Wen Kexing | Beautiful mess
Kaz & Inej | I Can't Pretend
versailles at night | alina & the darkling
look what you made me do | the darkling
Bucky Barnes | Rasputin
Obi-Wan || dirty work
Blood in the water [the Witcher]
MARVEL || Astronaut in the Ocean
Enola Holmes || Unstoppable
Shadow & Bone || Fire Meets Fate
Mo Dao Zu Shi Season 3 AMV/Trailer - Teeth
Kylo Ren | STAR WARS
June
MARVEL || Rasputin
MARVEL || Astronaut in the Ocean
i dont enjoy hurting people | Loki [1x01]
loki laufeyson • unsteady [⚠ 1x01]
MARVEL || Levitating
Shadow & Bone | Paint It Black
Glitter & Gold | Jesper Fahey
Shadow and Bone | Levitating
wen kexing ✘ zhou zishu | put your lips on mine
Erik Lensherr - Magneto
The Crows || Circus
The Crows | Thrift Shop (Shadow & Bone)
Zemo & Bucky — RASPUTIN [tfatws]
Cruella | Feeling good
Percy Jackson || Watch Me
THE KILLING KIND || The Magnus Archives Animatic
LOKI || Glorious Purpose
The Darkling | Black Heretic
Sam x Bucky || Handclap [HUMOR]
Loki || Lovely
Doctor Strange || Dystopia
Loki & Sylvie || I’m not your friend
Loki || Hate Me
MARVEL || River
Loki & Bucky || Paint It Black
Wanda Maximoff || The Scarlet Witch (WandaVision)
Play With Fire || MARVEL || Loki Doctor Strange Scarlet Witch
MARVEL || Warriors
Loki || God of Mischief || You Do You
(Marvel) Loki | You Will Never Be A God
Marvel's Horror Cinematic Universe
community gardens || the magnus archives PMV
July
Thor || Rise
Loki & Sylvie - Demons in my head [ep.3]
//HUMANS// THE MAGNUS ARCHIVES
Loki | Lost
A Quiet Place
Loki & Sylvie || Strange Birds
Loki & Sylvie "I won't let you down" | (+1x05)
♚ Loki & Sylvie | If You Love Me (1x04)
Loki & Sylvie | If our love is wrong [Loki +1x04]
Loki and Mobius | Hold On [Loki +1x05]
loki laufeyson • in the end [+ 1x04]
Loki and Sylvie || Feeling Good
Marvel || Black Widow - Counting Stars || Natasha Romanoff 
Cruella || Little Wicked
MARVEL || This is My Time || Shang-Chi Trailer Music
Sylvie | Unstoppable (Loki +1x03)
Loki and Sylvie (Lady Loki) || Play With Fire
Wanda and Vision || Dancing With Your Ghost
Wanda Maximoff and Loki || You Should See Me In A Crown
Loki and his Variants ⚔ King of Space [ep.5]
Loki & Sylvie ❤ This world is slowing down [ep.5]
Sylvie || Confident (+1x04)
•Loki x Sylvie ⱠΞⴼ King and Queens•
Loki - In The End | Marvel
Loki & Sylvie ❤ Out of Control [ep.4]
Loki & Mobius | Dynasty [LOKI/+1x04]
Loki & Sylvie ❤ Love War [ep.6]
(Marvel) Loki | Glorious Purpose
(MARVEL) Loki | Chaos
Loki | In The End [+1X06]
Loki x Sylvie | Another Love
Loki & Sylvie | Arcade [ Loki +1x06]
MARVEL || The Assembled Universe (c/w ASTrix UI)
August
Natasha & Yelena || Do It Like A Dude
Black Widow || Smells Like Teen Spirit
MARVEL || Uptown Funk
MARVEL || 1 in a Million
MARVEL/DC || Dies Irae
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness TRAILER #1
MARVEL || Loki 
DELIGHTFUL MUSIC
May
The Wild One - Suzi Quatro
What’s So Funny ‘Bout - Sharon Van Etten
Levitating - Dua Lipa
The Underground - Meg Myers
You Won’t Find Me - Narrow Skies
Elixir of Life - Leah
Salt and the Sea - The Lumineers
ERROR - Niki, Kradness
Runaway - AURORA
Butterfly Water - Pastelle
Close to the Sun - Porcelain Pill
Selkie-boy - The Lost Words
Good Riddance - Annapantsu
Die Anywhere Else - Julia Henderson
Heat Waves - Glass Animals
Down - St Vincent
Word of Honor OST
Welcome to the Pleasuredome - Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Shy Away - Twenty One Pilots
Follow You - Imagine Dragons
I’m Not That Girl - Kerry Ellis
Meant to be Yours - Ryan McCartan
Ex Wives - Six
Euphoria - BTS
Walls - Cher
96,000 - In the Heights
Sun Goes Down - Lil Nas X
Enough For You - Olivia Rodrigo
Brutal - Olivia Rodrigo
Ziti E Buoni - Maneskin
Shum - Go_A
Loco Loco - Hurricane
Space Ghost Coast to Coast - Glass Animals
The Horror and the Wild (whole album - The Amazing Devil
Chant - Hadestown
Titans - Major Lazer, Sia
Bones - Galantis
Golden Dandelions - Barns Courtney
Le Nozze di Figaro - Hybrid
Save Your Tears - The Weeknd
Psycho - Post Malone
Gold Lion - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Close to Me - Ellie Goulding
And So It Went - The Pretty Reckless
help herself - bbno$
Fire For You - Cannons
Twist the Knife - Chromatics
He Said She Said - Chvrches
Face Down - The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
Campus - Vampire Weekend
Your Power - Billie Eilish
Reach - Eternal Eclipse
1 Last Cigarette - The Band Camino
Insertion - Hans Zimmer
from the edge - fictionjunction
The Devil Is a Gentleman - Merci Raines
Meet Me In The Woods - Amarante
Fire - Saint Mesa
Smells Like Teen Spirit - Saint Mesa
Appetite - Casey Edwards
All Things Devour - aeseaes
Throne - Saint Mesa
Witchcraft - Vian Izak
June
The Shrine / An Argument - Fleet Foxes
It’s Tricky - Run
Darjeeling - Barrie
Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings - Father John Misty
Picture Me Better - Weyes Blood
Loch Lomond - Mackenzi Tolk
Punta - Matzzy
Touch It Clean - DJ Raulito
Oh No - Kreepa
Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land - Marina
Sofia - Askjell
The Boy - Shannon & the Clams
First Steps - Lena Raine
The Power of Balance Rearranged - Rush Garcia
And So My Heart Became a Void - Ursine Vulpine
Paper Mache - Iris Lune
Catch Me If You Can - Desert Belle
Darkroom Double - Moon & Pollution
Serotonin - girl in red
In the Air Tonight - Natalie Taylor
When Your Heart Is a Stranger - Friends In Paris
Moon Effect - Sailor Moon Eternal OST
In A Black Out - Hamilton Leithauser
Forever - CHVRCHES
Way Less Sad - AJR
Helter Skelter - Detention
The Devil You Know - X Ambassadors
TVA - Natalie Holt
Honeybee-The Head and the Heart
Home All Summer - Anthony Ramos
In the Shadows - Amy Stroup
My Way - Lucifer Cast
In the Air Tonight - Jon Howard
The Beast - Old Caltone
The Beast - Delta Rae
Freak Like Me - Adina Howard
Only the Good Die Young - Billy Joel
Winds of Change - Scorpions
good 4 u - Olivia Rodrigo
If I Could See The World - Patsy Cline
Ends of the Earth - Lord Huron 
The Killing Kind - Marianas Trench
Bones - Wens
Kiss Me More - Doja Cat
How Not to Drown - CHVRCHES
July
Dark Moon - Bonnie Guitar
Free Smiles - Tia Ray
Sundown Blues - Joanna Levine
Citta Vuoto - Mina
If You Love Me - Brenda Lee
Very Full - Tom Hiddleston
Loki Green Theme - Natalie Holt
Wrecked - Imagine Dragons
The Wolves - Cyrus Reynolds
Cure For Me - Aurora
Theory of Light - Eternal Eclipse
Fate of the Clockmaker - Eternal Eclipse
Potential Breakup Son - Aly and AJ
transparent soul - travis barker
My Love Will Never DSie - AG, Claire Wyndham
Happy Together - King Princess
Atomise - Temple
Darkside - Oshins
Someone to Watch Over Me - Lucifer Cast
This is Ours - Peter Sivo
Love and War - Fleurie
Take Me To Church - MILCK
Devil I Know - Allie X
East of Eden - Zella Day
Shadow Preachers - Zella Day
Losing My Religion - BELLSAINT
Hard to Kill - Beth Crowley
Dark Side - Blind Channel
Tanz Mit Mir - Faun
My Jolly Sailor Bold - Ashley Serena
Stuttering - Fefe Dobson
August
Monsters and Fairies - Savannah
Chosen - SVRCINA
IAN HA 3BYK - GO A
Freya - Verdandi
Sick on Seventh Strett - Sarah and the Safe Word
Tarah - Sae Sae Norris
Suspicion - Sherwood Roberts
Fjorgyn - Osi and the Jupiter
Fight to Make It Up - Takenobu
The Edge of Dawn - Rozen
Innocence - Cannon Diviision
A Stray Child - .Hack//Sign
The Kiss - Luigi Rubino
Any Kind of Dead Person - Ghost Quartet
The Great Unknown - Dominique Gilbert
Smells Like Teen Spirit - Saint Mesa
over the rainbow - misterwives
Fireflies - Cullen Vance
My mother Told Me - Nati Dreddd
Athetosis - Crywolf
Major Tom - Shiny Toy Guns
Novacaine - 10 Years
Right Here Right Now - Jesus Jones
NDA - Billie Eilish
Trouble’s Coming - Royal Blood
Completing the Circle - Gareth Coker
There’ll Always Be Another Monster - Brian D’Oliveira
POSTED FIC
May
take my hand and i'll drown you with me | Star Wars | Rey & Ben Solo | 2,157 words |  “You brought this upon yourself,” the creature told her, its voice serene.
June
keeping me restless and whole | Loki | Loki/Mobius | 1,584 words | Mobius was very young when he encountered his first Loki.
July
feed me lies until i'm dead | Loki | Thor/Loki | 3,476 words | “Don’t you think we should talk about it?” Thor asks.
the ghost of us can linger here | Loki | Loki/Mobius/Sylvie | 4,432 words | “So, how do you crazy kids want to do this?” Mobius asks them in a stage whisper, mouth twitching. At her back, Loki laughs, burying the sound against the curve of her neck.
there's a whisper in my bones | Loki | Loki/Mobius/Sylvie | 2,794 words |  “All right,” she says. “Fine. Let’s make things more interesting. Take off your clothes.”
east of eden | Loki | Loki/Mobius/Sylvie | 2,202 words |  “How long have you been fucking him?”  Mobius asks, stroking his fingers against the place where leather meets skin.
Triptych in C Minor | Loki | Loki/Mobius/Sylvie | 1,647 words | Pt 1 | There is a house at the end of time, past the last storm, pushed up against the very edge of the unknown. It is a castle, a manor, a fortress - all depending on who inhabits it. But one thing that it never is, is a home.
August
N/A
WIPS | UNPUBLISHED | ORIGINAL
May
2k of Reylo mermay fic
June
N/A
July
1k+ of Xue Yang being a slut for Song Lan and Xiao Xingchen
300 words of vampire Song Lan
7k of Green Knight AU
August
10k of Green Knight AU
1.5k of hair dye shenanigans
FANMIXES/GRAPHICS
May
yearning: a playlist for the heart
June
the chosen and the beautiful: a mix for jordan baker
July 
kings & queens of the ruckus: a mix for loki and sylvie
August
N/A
3 notes · View notes
shadowsong26fic · 3 years
Text
Coming Attractions!
First Monday of the month (and year. Thank every known deity in the universe.)
...ahem.
Yeah. It’s been a...well, 2020. But it is now officially a new month and year, and time for a Coming Attractions post!
The big news, obviously, is that I actually finished Precipice. \o/ ...well, the first seven arcs, anyway.
As I’ve discussed before, and explained in my very long author’s note at the end of the final chapter on Ao3, the next steps for this AU are a series of seven one-shots which will be released as ‘Preludes,’ covering the six-year timegap before Arc Eight. These mostly deal with Rebels characters (although I’m slightly rethinking one of them because I should probably include Mara Jade in it...), as well as Sidious’ fifth apprentice and possibly Maul.
I’ll also be starting the sequel, entitled either Protectors or Promises (it’s been Protectors for a while, but now I’m waffling? IDK). Anyway, that picks up with arc Eight, Escalation, six years after the end of Precipice. I’ll probably post a preview snippet sometime this month because Why Not.
There will be a hiatus (an actually Planned one this time, lol...). I’m aiming to start posting in April, but we’ll see how things go.
Anyway, moving on to other plans!
Other Star Wars Projects:
our faces like a mirror
I totally planned to start posting that this year <.< On the plus side, I don’t...think the Siege of Mandalore arc (or the stuff from the Mandalorian) really Jossed anything I had planned? Especially given the fact that it’s set from 5 years pre-TPM (I recognize that Lucasfilm has made a timeline decision but given that it’s a stupid-ass timeline decision I have elected to ignore it) to about 5 years post-TPM, so I wasn’t really expecting it to, but it was a vague concern of mine. Anyway, I’ll rewatch to be sure before I post, probably. But, yeah, I’m all the more excited about my girl Bo-Katan now, so hopefully I’ll get some momentum on this.
2021 SWBB:
I finally figured out a general shape of the plot, lol! And I have about...just under 4k of miscellaneous text in this AU (like, actual Story text, not just random notes and scribbles of which I have. A Lot). I need to get another 2k by Sunday, but that shouldn’t be a problem.
It’s going to be in four parts, plus prelude/interludes/coda, because that is the Structure that my brain at like 4AM gave me the other night, lol. While I don’t know the details, I have a general idea of What Happen in parts one, three, and four; except for tying in some Mandalore stuff and making some Decisions about who I want to draw in at various points. Part Two is also up in the air. I know how it needs to end to set up part three, but not so sure about what should actually go in there. Possibly I’ll end up cutting Part Two and just having a three-part story, but eh, we’ll see.
Anyway, I’m having fun with this, especially since I’ve discovered the Plot, so we’ll see how things go from here :)
Other SW Fanfics:
I am...hoping??? to resurrect Distaff and/or the Ventress outline at some point this year, because I’m very fond of those AUs and they deserve some more love. Possibly also another Devoted story. We shall see.
AtLA Fanfic Projects:
As I’ve mentioned a few times over the past few months, I’ve fallen back into this fandom (which was my primary fandom for...like...four to six years????) And I definitely want to write more in it. I’ve already done one AU outline, and I have plans for a couple fulltext fics (...discounting the super-self-indulgent crossover stuff I don’t super plan on sharing outside a very small circle lol). I don’t have much actual, uh, Text on anything yet, but I’m hoping to start posting one or more of those at some point this year, too.
Project One is an Avatar Zuko AU; Aang is around for reasons that do get explained in story; Zuko finds out a couple months before the duel with his father when accidental water or airbending happens (he’s in a sailboat, there’s a storm, I haven’t worked out the details yet). He decides That Clearly Didn’t Happen and proceeds to ignore it...until he manages to accidentally waterbend again when in the infirmary post-duel. At which point he decides he Does Not want to be just...used as a weapon. He figures he has about three and a half years before the comet, he can use that time to figure out what to do next; maybe come back with the comet and Prove his Worth at that point.
He goes to the WAT first, to see what he can figure out about airbending from any texts/mosaics/whatever that are still there; then he heads to the NWT; then he’ll probably pick up Toph because I love their dynamic. He plans to spend a year on each other element (not enough time for mastery but that comet deadline looms large). Obviously, over the course of those three years, his plans change.
And then things get thrown even more off the rails when Aang emerges from the iceberg before Zuko’s year of earthbending is up.
There will be a fair number of OCs hanging around (both to give him someone to talk to at the WAT and I think he’s going to learn from a less-prominent master than Pakku when he gets to the NWT), as well as Iroh trying to find his nephew, and various other familiar faces from the show.
Project Two is about Lu Ten, and a lover he had during the Siege of Ba Sing Se, and what happens to her (and her daughter) after his death. I’ve talked about that one in a little more detail in other posts, I think, hence the comparatively short summary, lol.
Original Stuff:
I am hoping to get more origfic posted this year than I did last year. I’ve got these universes I love exploring, and I feel like they should get more attention, lol.
...I think that about covers it! At the end of last year, I set myself some Goals, which were. Well. 2020 happened, soooo...
Anyway, because I am an Optimist, I’m going to set goals again for this year. And I guess go over how well I did on the ones I had??? A lot of my goals will probably be repeats from last year, because...yeah.
2020 Goals
1. Finish Precipice; complete Arcs 8 and 9 in Protectors/Promises/Precipice II; put out some level of Arc 7.5/Preludes content.           I did finish Precipice! I did not do the other things. 2. Write at least 10k of origfic content.           Not quite--I ended up with 8,129 words. 3. Start posting OFLAM           Nope, that did not happen. 4. Revive a semi-hiatused fic (i.e., Distaff; Auxiliaries; Phoenix!Verse; one of the BSG fics I keep meaning to go back to if I ever actually sit down and rewatch the series; if I add an actual sequel/companion to Deja Vu… that probably counts…)           Did not happen. 5. Finish updating Lux and Farglass Cycle archives; keep them updated through the end of the year as new content gets added.           Nope. 6. At least four AU outline installments of some kind; preferably including a continuation of Ventress and Her Tiny Time-Travelling Conscience and actually writing up the main part of Let’s Go Steal a Crossover; but any outline will count.           I did put up one AtLA outline, as mentioned before; and I also posted a massive timeline for the Jedi of Valdemar AU, but nothing else. 7. Complete BB submission and keep an eye out for other challenges/exchanges.           Did complete BB, and one giftfic exchange over the summer. 8. Write at least one holiday fic (Valentine’s Day; Mother’s Day; Father’s Day; Halloween; New Year’s; etc.) and post on the appropriate day.           Did not do the thing.
2021 Goals
1. Post Arcs 8 and 9 in Precipice!Verse as well as at least half of the Preludes stories. 2. Write at least 10k of origfic content. 3. Start posting OFLAM. 4. Revive a semi-hiatused fic; preferably Distaff; but Auxiliaries or Phoenix!verse or one of the BSG fics would also count (Serenissima, Other Battlestar, For Sorrow Sung rewrite...) 5. Start posting at least one AtLA fulltext fic. 6. Finish updating Lux and Farglass Cycle archives; keep them updated through the end of the year as new content gets added. 7. Find a title and set up an archive for Untitled Intrigues Story 8. At least four AU outline installments of some kind, preferably including a continuation of Ventress and Her Tiny Time-Travelling Conscience 9. Complete BB submission and keep an eye out for other challenges/exchanges. 10. Write at least one holiday fic (Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween, New Year’s, etc.) and post on the appropriate day.
6 notes · View notes
livinginsunnyhell · 4 years
Note
Ask game for fanfic writers! ⌨️🖊📓📝
1. What fandoms do you write for?
2. What pairings do you write for?
3. What is your most popular fanfic?
4. Do you write original stories as well?
5. What fanfic of yours should everyone have read?
6. What is a fandom you will never write for?
7. What is a ship you will never write for?
8. Archive of Our Own, FanFiction.net, Wattpad, Tumblr, etc. which platform do you prefer?
9. What are your favorite fanfics?
10. How do you stay motivated to finish what you’ve started?
11. What’s your longest fanfic?
12. Do you want to break your readers‘ heart or make them laugh?
13. What is your planning process?
14. What have others criticized about your fanfic?
15. OCs or no OCs?
16. Do you use sentence starters, writing prompts and/or fandom headcanons for your fanfics?
17. Do you use/follow advice from writing blogs/posts?
18. What is your favorite writing prompt?
19. Dead or overused tropes?
20. Can we get a list of all of your current available fanfics?
21. What’s your shortest fanfic?
22. Do you listen to music during your writing process? What music do you listen to while you’re writing?
23. Long chapters or short chapters?
24. How many WIPs (work-in-progress) do you’ve got?
25. How many WIPs will you finish?
26. First-person-narrative or third-person-narrative?
27. Do you take requests?
28. I will name you three things (drunk Ian — shared bachelor party — Gallavich): write a paragraph or two!
29. What’s more difficult? Fanfics or original work?
30. What writing software do you use?
31. Do you use beta/sensitivity readers?
32. Past or present tense?
33. Do friends and family know that you write fanfics?
34. How did you find the magical world of fanfics?
35. What is your favorite review?
36. Did you ever delete a work of yours?
37. Did your work ever get plagiarized?
38. Do you partake in any fanfic/writing events? (Big bangs, zines, NaNoWriMo, etc?)
39. Collaborations or working solo?
40. Do you have any rituals before uploading a fic?
41. What is something you don’t like about your writing?
42. Rudest review?
43. Guilty pleasure tropes and scenarios?
44. Does fanart of your fanfic exist?
45. Do fanfics of your fanfic exist?
46. Few long essay reviews or many short reviews?
47. What fanfic of yours is truly underrated?
48. What is your favorite sentence that you’ve used in a fanfic?
49. Where do you draw inspiration from?
50. Can we get a teaser for an upcoming chapter?
(Don't feel obligated to answer. Thought if you're into these kinda things, that'd be a nice ask. ;))
Oh this is so nice!! Thanks for sending this @annansmith
I chose a few of them to do. 
1. What fandoms do you write for?
Currently, I’m writing for Shameless (Gallavich) but I’ve written for:
Veronica Mars (LoVe), Veep (Amy/Dan), Arrow (Oliver/Felicity), Once Upon A Time (Hook/Emma), The Old Guard (Joe/Nicky), That 70′s show (Hyde/Jackie), Sons of Anarchy (Tara/Jax), Vampire Diaries (Klaroline), Hart of Dixie (Zoe/Wade), Gilmore Girls (Rory/Jess), X-men (Rogue/Pyro), One Tree Hill (Haley/Nathan), and a few others.
2. What pairings do you write for?
Now I write Gallavich. 
But I’d say my top ones I love writing for now (my fanfiction writing has spanned about 14 years) are Dan/Amy, Veronica/Logan, Klaus/Caroline, Mickey/Ian.
3. What is your most popular fanfic?
My most popular fic on Ao3 is The Course of True Love (Arrow) and on FF Of Bloodshed, Babies, and Epic LoVe (Veronica Mars)
4. Do you write original stories as well?
Yes, I do. I’m working on a book, well, two books. But it’s going very slowly. The first is a memoir of my travels from around the world and the second is a vampire urban fantasy one. We’ll see how it goes, but I’d like to finish them by next year and see if I can get them published, but it’s hard so who knows. 
10. How do you stay motivated to finish what you’ve started?
Well, recently I’ve really been trying to finish everything I write. I have a lot of WIPs from years and years ago and even within the the last year, so this answer is pretty new. Basically, I focus on one fic at a time and write a little every day to stay motivated. Now, I try to update once a week on a certain day. I think comments/reviews and kudos and people being genuinely encouraging helps though. It’s also what’s gotten me considering finishing my older fics.
11. What’s your longest fanfic?
Of Bloodshed, Babies, and Epic Love (over 165k)
13. What is your planning process?
Now, it’s different. I have a doc of ideas and I wait to see which one I can’t seem to shake. Then I plan out each chapter with a few sentences and I have a list of things I want to focus on in the story. Usually, each story now has a kind of theme to it and a main focus. I sometimes will just want to write a certain situation/scene/focus and the story is born from there. But what really helps is writing down chapter 1, 2, etc. and having a sentence or two for what I want to happen. It doesn’t always go according to plan, but I never get writers block or forget what happened in previous chapters now.
16. Do you use sentence starters, writing prompts and/or fandom headcanons for your fanfics?
Probably a mixture of fandom (or my personal) headcanons. I don’t start with prompts unless it’s a challenge or sentence starters. Usually, I have a scene I already want to write in my head and then I sit down and write it.
17. Do you use/follow advice from writing blogs/posts?
Yes, I’ve read several books on writing. My undergrad was creative writing too, so I learned a lot there. I also follow writing instagram accounts which are helpful. I take everything I learn with a grain of salt and I see what is best for me. The best advice I heard recently was short sentences and so now I’m experimenting with that.
20. Can we get a list of all of your current available fanfics?
There’s a lot from many different fandoms. I used to be on FF.net as Psyc0gurl0 and now I’m ProstheticLoVe on a03. I like writing on ao3 better cause it’s easier and I love the tagging process. Plus the gallavich fandom on there is unreal. So to think about going back to ff.net to finish my WIPs seems like such a process now. 
Currently though, I’m writing an Ian’s POV 5 chapter fic called Chocolate. It’s not out yet, but it’ll focus on Ian from 1x06 to 1x09 or so and how his feelings for Mickey change and evolve. It’s the second part to a series called Chocolate and Cigarettes. Mickey’s POV was Cigarettes.
22. Do you listen to music during your writing process? What music do you listen to while you’re writing?
Yes, I listen while writing but I need silence while editing. I have a Love (lol) playlist. It’s basically all the love songs that remind me of couples I ship. So for example, The Acid is in there a lot because their music is great, but also Basic Instinct is so haunting. Overall, I like all music except country, so sometimes I’ll listen to my larger playlists while writing. 
23. Long chapters or short chapters?
So this has changed over the years. Initially, I wrote short chapters, then when I got back into fanfiction while writing klaroline they got a lot longer and now it’s just basically where the chapter has a natural ending. So the chapters are between 4 - 10k words depending. I try to get over 4k though. Right now, once I’m done with my current fic, I really want to write something over 100k.
24. How many WIPs (work-in-progress) do you’ve got?
A lot...none in Shameless though. Well, I guess my current one, but I haven’t posted that yet. I’d say I probs have about 10 WIPs spanning different fandoms. I know. But my goal for 2021 is to pick two and finish them. 
25. How many WIPs will you finish?
Not all of them. Some of them are from years and years ago. But I’d like to finish the ones that I still get reviews on. So there’s a SOAs fic I want to finish cause that fandom is so lovely. I also want to finish a klaroline one cause that was fun to write. And my Amy/Dan ones I’d like to finish. I would like to finish my Veronica Mars ones (I have two) but they need a lot more attention, so when people message me about them I tell them the planned ending.
28. I will name you three things (drunk Ian — shared bachelor party — Gallavich): write a paragraph or two!
“Fuck, Mickey, I probably shouldn’t have had the third Hot Toddy,” Ian grimaced as the world around him spun. 
Mickey laughed at him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. Ian wanted to think his future husband just wanted to pull him closer, but he had a feeling it was to steady him.
“Probably should’ve cut you off earlier,” Mickey said tugging Ian closer. 
Ian wobbled and plopped down on the back steps of the porch. Mickey followed suit a moment letter and they both looked out toward the backyard where the Gallaghers, Balls, and a few of the Milkovich cousins were alternatively huddling around a fire, drinking, and dancing.
“I blame Lip for making us have this stupid shared bachelor party in the first place,” Ian grumbled.
Mickey kissed him on the forehead as Ian lay his head on his shoulder. “It’s Sandy’s fault too.”
Ian hmmed in response and Mickey knew he was going to fall asleep any moment. He ran his hand up and down Ian’s arm and watched as Debbie bounced over to them.
“Jesus, you aren’t even married yet and you two are like an old married couple. Are you going to come dance or what?” she whined.
Mickey looked down at Ian, whose eyes were already closed, and then back up to Debbie. She was watching them with knowing eyes.
“We’ll dance at the wedding. Go grab Lip, I need his help to get Sleeping Beauty upstairs.”
Debbie turned to go get her eldest brother and Mickey looked back down at Ian. In his sleep, he nuzzled Mickey’s shoulder, breathed deeply, and a gentle smile appeared there. 
3 more days and they’d officially be husbands. 
34. How did you find the magical world of fanfics?
I was about 10 and my cousin used to write a buffy the vampire slayer zine. There was a link to a site called buffyworld.com or something like that. And I found fanfic that way. There was a link on the site to ff.net and that’s how I stumbled across that. I stayed there for many many years until my second time in the veronica mars fandom around 2014 when I was lead to a03 and then I’ve been there ever since. On and off, my writing has fluctuated through the years based on my personal life.
49. Where do you draw inspiration from?
Everywhere! omg. It’s insane. Gallavich I love writing for. There’s so many different facets to them, but truly everywhere I find inspiration. I have a whole doc of gallavich ideas that have stemmed from other fanfics, headcanons from me and other people, rewatching episodes, what’s going to happen in s11, cute moments i’d like to see happen, holidays, and just general life. I saw a pic of WW2 vets who were in a long term relationship and i was like mickey and ian! another idea is born.  
11 notes · View notes
t100ficrecsblog · 4 years
Text
an interview with @changingthefairy-tale​
What are you working on right now? Right now, I’m focused on BellarkeFic-for-BLM (I just got an amazing canon prompt I’m really excited to finish). I’ve also been participating in this round of the Chopped Challenge, which has been fun and challenging. In between prompts, I’ve got two WIPs that I’m slowly cranking through. Shoutout to every single reader who’s been incredibly patient while I’ve been so slow on those updates — though, reminder that you can donate to a BLM organization (even a $3 donation works) and request an update to get those higher on my prio list while I’m focused on that initiative.
What’s something you’d like to write one day? My absolute dream job and the ultimate goal is to become a showrunner for a prime time TV show. I love TV shows — I love the way actors and directors and crew take a script and breath life into it, I love how you take a general idea for a story and mold it into something amazing as you go, I love how a series gives a story more time to be fleshed out and explored, I love the concept of a writers room and collaborating on a story. It’s a different ballgame from fic writing (which I do for fun) and travel writing (which I do for a living), but I’m determined to make it happen. JRoth, I’m coming for your job, babe. 😉
What is the fanwork you’re most proud of? I’m still really new to fic writing, especially compared to some of the powerhouse writers in this fandom. And I’m sure one of my WIPs (when finished) will probably supersede this. BUT, my one-shot about Madi calling Bellamy on The Ring (She called you for 2,199 days) is something I’m really proud of. I’m a long-winded writer, so one-shots have never come naturally to me. This one just…clicked. It’s got some good lines in there that I’m proud of, and based on the feedback I’ve gotten, it really made readers feel something and connect to the story. It’s not my longest story or my most thought-out. But it shows my growth as a writer these past few months, and I’m proud of that.
Why did you first start writing fic? I started writing fic as a creative outlet for my writing. My day job is writing about travel and credit cards. And while I enjoy that, it’s just not as creative. My dream is to write for a TV show though, and I was craving a way to flex my creative writing muscles in a low-stress way. I started watching The 100 when it first came out, but I didn’t really get into the fandom until I came back to the show during the S5/6 hiatus. That’s when I started reading fics and reblogging stuff about the show on Tumblr. During the S6/7 hiatus, I had this idea for a Greys Anatomy AU, and my sister (who is also a major fan of the show) was like, “You literally write things for a living. If you want to write a Grey’s AU for t100, there is absolutely nothing stopping you.” I published my first chapter on that The Choices We Make in Dec. 2019, and the rest is history.
What frustrates you most about fic writing? For me, I think that the most frustrating thing isn’t even about fic writing itself; it’s the fact that it’s a side-hobby and not something I can dedicate my full attention to. When you write all day for your day job, then do some for your freelance gig, and then turn around and try to write for a few hours every night for fic… that gets hard sometimes — especially since starting quarantine where I’m not traveling, going out with friends, getting a break from it, etc. Fic writing is a creative release for me, and I absolutely love crafting and writing these stories that involve some of my favorite fictional characters. And I love interacting with other writers and fic readers, I love talking about ideas and exchanging headcanons and fangirling over my favorite writers’ works. But (because there’s always a but), sometimes I just don’t have the mental energy or capacity to write at the end of the day when I’ve turned in 3 deadlines for work. I’ve got all these ideas floating in my head, but only so much time and mental energy I can dedicate to it.
What are your top five songs right now? Oh boy. So I live alone, which means I’ve got either music or Netflix on in the background 24/7 because ya girl doesn’t like silence. I have a different playlist for different moods. I’ll share my fav song from each of those playlists. Lol Fvck Somebody by The Wrecks (On my “Summer state of mind” playlist for when I wanna dance it out in my kitchen like an idiot)
Don Quixote by Drapht (On @talistheintrovert​’s “My Good Bitch Murphy” playlist for when I’m feeling *edgy*)
that way by Tate McRae (On my “Pandemic Jams” playlist bc I like angsty music and this song is a Bellarke MOOD)
Washington on Your Side from Hamilton (On my “Feeding my Broadway Obsession” playlist for when I wanna sing show tunes and plot overthrowing the government)
Tea by Noah Davis (Shameless plug for Noah bc it’s a bop and I literally dated Noah’s older brother in junior high — so proud of this kid for making his dreams a reality)
What are your inspirations (books, songs, other fic, really good cake)? All of the above, except I like pie more than cake. lol But really, I kind of use everything around me for inspiration. “The Choices We Make” is inspired by my love of Grey’s Anatomy. “Intertwining your soul (with somebody else)” is inspired my the first draft of my YA novel (though the setting was adapted to a grounder canonverse AU). “The Day He Shut That Rocket Door” and “She called you for 2,199 days” were inspired by @historyofbellarke‘s headcanons that were brought up in S7 speccing conversations (shoutout to her for enabling my angsty ass). My most recent WIP “There are some things written in the stars” that I started as part of Chopped (but will continue because I’m obsessed with the idea) is inspired by my love of Timeless. And I have an entire Notion database filled with fic ideas — some one-shots and some multi-chapter fics — that are inspired by quotes, songs, conversations with friends, books I love, shows I adore, random HCs that pop into my head while I watch, my own life experiences, etc. I take inspiration in any form it decides to come in. 💕
What first attracted you to Bellarke? What attracts you now? I’m a ho for enemies to lovers — the idea that you can put your worst foot forward and show someone all the ugly parts of you… and that they’ll see that and somehow look past it to see the good stuff too, falling in love with your whole self instead of just the pretty parts. Yeah, it’s my favorite romance trope. And that tension is what originally drew me to Bellarke. Now, it’s a combination of things. I love each of these characters in their own right. I relate to Clarke in a lot of ways, and I aspire to be her level of badass. I straight adore Bellamy Blake (flaws, stupid decisions, and all) and would marry him in a heartbeat if he were real — I’m not even kidding. lol But I also love their dynamic. They are partners, best friends, perfect compliments to the other. They see each other in a way no one else does, and they are the one person the other constantly risks everything for. They are both so driven by their responsibilities to their people, yet that all typically goes out the window the moment the other is at risk. I don’t believe in soulmates in real life, but it’s nice to get to believe in this fictional world that they are just made for each other.
BESIDES Bellarke, what character or pairing do you like best on t100? My favorite character besides Bellarke is John Murphy. His arc has been BY FAR the best on this show, going from that little shit in S1 to this “asshole we love” in the middle to now a true hero in this final season. And through it all Richard Harmon has been amazing to watch on screen.
My favorite pairing besides Bellarke is Linctavia. Yes, that ship is problematic in a lot of ways, but I still loved their dynamic. Lincoln helped Octavia navigate this new world that she was so desperate to be apart of while being mindful of her safety. And I thought they were a good match — he helped tame her fire without putting it out, and she helped challenge the way he was raised. Given time, I think they could have become one of the most stable and loving relationships on t100. Of course, that couldn’t happen because Jason needed Bell’s actions in 3A to have heartbreaking consequences, O to spiral for her own character journey, and whatever mess happened off-screen between Ricky and him. But they still remain my favorite ship aside from Bellarke.
Why did you decide to start writing for bellarkefic-for-blm? The second I saw that Sam was planning on doing this, I reached out to ask how I could help/write/be involved. The BLM movement is so important, and this is an amazing way for me to contribute while pursuing my passions. It’s a way for the fandom to get involved and do something good. And ultimately, this helps organizations that need donations. Shameless plug for everyone to please go check out the Bellarke Fic for BLM page — check out the many amazing writers and artists we have participating, and send in prompts. Most of us are allowing WIP chapter update requests, and there are a number of us (myself included) who are matching donations made! No donation is too small, and you’ll be supporting a movement that is a necessity in the U.S. and beyond.
What’s your writing process like? My mind is literal chaos, so I plan and outline like hell in order to make sense of everything. When I get an idea for a fic, it goes on my Notion database. Within Notion, I write down my inspiration for the idea, and a pretty in-depth summary of where I want the fic to go — dialogue ideas, any feelings/emotions I want to invoke, literally just a brain dump of all my ideas. From there, I’ll arrange that brain dumb into an outline. If it’s a one-shot, I’ll generally write the whole thing in the Notion doc. But multi-chapter fics will get a checklist within Notion for me to keep track of progress, and I’ll actually write the fic in Google Docs. I generally start writing from the beginning of a story, but if I get stuck or have an idea for a later scene, the fact that I’ve outlined heavily allows me to jump around as ideas come to me. I’ll read each one-shot or chapter after I’m done to make sure it flows before publishing. I post chapters for my WIPs as I write them, which I should really stop doing. lol For my readers’ sakes, I should work ahead and publish on a schedule rather than making them wait for my slow ass to finish chapter to chapter. But right now, that’s my process!
What are some things you’d like to recommend? Oh goodness, too many fics to possibly name. Instead, I’ll link to my AO3 rec bookmarks (which isn’t all-inclusive of the amazing fics I’ve read in this fandom, but it’s got some good favs in there) and shout out all of our awesome Bellarke Fic for BLM writers. Y’all should check out their work (and send in prompts)!
Where’s the best place to find you (twitter? tumblr?) I’m @changingthefairy-tale on Tumblr and @changingthefairy_tale on AO3! My ask box is always open for anyone who wants to scream about the show, ask about specs, talk about my fics, etc. Come say hey!
19 notes · View notes