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grayintogreen · 3 months

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ROSEVERSE OST VOLUME ONE

Contains the inspo tracks for the first three fics in Roseverse. Also has liner notes under the cut because I have to explain some of these.

One Good Reason- Eric Stuart Band This is basically the song that inspired the things you hold most dear may not survive another day and kinda remains the main theme for Huskerdust in this first part of the series.

The River Won’t Flow- Songs for a New World So some of the songs on this playlist are not necessarily here because they fit moments, but because in my undying dedication to canon accuracy as close as I can manage, there’s moments where I’m like “SONG GOES HERE.” And in lieu of writing my own (because I can’t), I just flailed around until I found a song that fit the “vibe.” In this instance, this specific vibe this song offers suits a song about Lucifer reacting to the suggestion of sealing his powers and how this will showcase his humility (while hinting that he is EXTREMELY HUMBLED BY EVERYTHING).

Nobody’s Side- Scott Coulter I have so many covers of “Nobody’s Side” and not a damn one of them really fit the vibe I wanted here, so I just dropped the least offensive option. In an ideal world, a technoswing version of “Nobody’s Side” would be sung when Husk confronts Alastor about being Angel’s bodyguard.

Brave Face- Delta Goodrem Just a cute little song for the Chaggie moment in Chapter One.

Lithium- Nirvana I was going through a playlist of songs with sick guitar riffs and just was like “Yeah, Adam in the middle of a rage depression playing Nirvana on his guitar is fully what I wanted from that scene.”

Comfort Eagle- Cake This is simultaneously the perfect song to be playing in the background for the Adam and the Vees confrontation, but also god I want a musical number between Adam and Vox that is basically Comfort Eagle But Broadway.

The Fool- Ryn Carver Angel and Husk’s conversation as they leave the hotel in Chapter Two.

Kiss Quick- Matt Nathanson More Huskerdust pining, but now they’re at the porn studio.

VBS- Lucy Dacus Vaggie and Lucifer’s conversation in Chapter Two.

A Good Man Is Hard To Find- Bessie Smith Alastor at the end of Chapter Two in Eve’s domain.

Bottom of the River- Delta Rae Alastor’s flashback.

Hell on Heels- Pistol Annies Meet Eve! She’s awful!

The Lamb- Dessa Husk and Alastor’s conversation in the radio tower.

The Judgment- Elvis Costello Husk stands up for Angel.

Don’t Say Yes Until I Finish Talking- Christian Borle and the cast of Smash Another one of the “I just want a song here and can’t write one.” This song is actually specifically invoked in the prose even. In an ideal world, a song with this exact rhythm and sentiment would be performed by Vox (and occasionally Val trying to get a word in edgewise) during the confrontation at the studio. Bonus points for being sung by Vox’s VA.

Doing the Best That I Can (Escape From Berlin)- Stevie Nicks Husk and Angel’s “not-a-date.”

You Are the Problem Here- First Aid Kit Eve and Adam at the end of Chapter Three

The Rhythm of Life- Sweet Charity ONCE MORE WITH FEELING. This song does not fit the moment, but it’s the specific energy I want from a Vaggie and Angel number about her training him to take charge in the escape room.

We Both Reached For the Gun- Chicago Honest to God, the Radio Duel between Lucifer and Alastor is supposed to be this, but I could not write it out in the way I wanted without being obnoxious, but trust me that is what it’s supposed to look like.

Secondary Characters- title of show Bonus track of Chance and Diana realizing they’re the main characters while Husk and Angel are trapped in the closet.

Work Your Way Out- Ani DiFranco If you want to give yourself heart palpitations, listen to this song while reading the scene of Husk and Angel in the closet. It’s great.

All For Believing- Missy Higgins More Husk and Angel pining at the end of Chapter Four.

Feeling Good- Nina Simone Casino Demon theme.

A Tisket, a Tasket- Ella Fitzgerald On the Sunny Side of the Street- Ted Lewis Wishing (Will Make It So)- Vera Lynn

These are the three songs playing when Husk visits Al in his room, chosen for specific reasons. The first is for dissonance since it’s a silly little song that starts us off on something that is meant to be intimidating and creepy. The second- also for dissonance- is a friendly, cheerful song to play over the tension of Husk and Al’s conversation. The final song is indicative of Husk’s mental state.

Shape of My Heart- Josh Groban, Leslie Odom, Jr. In my head the Huskerdust sex scene would turn into a more reserved fantasy as the two of them distance themselves from the fact that they are, you know, on camera by singing a duet. Honestly, this song works almost perfectly for it with the card motifs without having to just hold it up for vibes.

Gunning Down Romance- Savage Garden SONGS FOR HUSK RUINING EVERYTHING.

Two Evils- Bastille My DM once played me this song at a pivotal moment in the narrative we were running and it’s stayed with me ever since. It’s got the perfect ambiance for Alastor and Husk’s conversation at the diner.

This is Gonna Hurt- Sixx AM Angel in the limo at the end of Chapter Five.

End of the World News- Tom McRae I imagine this song playing over a montage of scenes at the top of Chapter Six in the aftermath of Angel’s defection.

Capital G- Nine Inch Nails Adam’s broadcast.

Don’t Scare Me Papa (Axeman’s Rag)- Squirrel Nut Zippers Song specifically invoked by Alastor because he’s a nerd.

Holding Out For a Hero- Bonnie Tyler SIEGE OF VEE TOWER LET’S GO.

Wreck- Mieka Pauley Eve at the end of Chapter Six.

Candleburn- Dishwalla Lucifer at the top of Chapter Seven. Everyone cry.

Someone to Fall Back On- Jason Robert Brown Husk and Angel, the morning after.

Eat Them Apples- Suzi Wu Jez, who is absolutely NOT Eve, even though her theme seems to have so much Eve related imagery. Cannot imagine that’s relevant.

bury a friend- Pomplamoose Alastor gets his shit dragged out in front of everyone and Charlie gets her feelings hurt. (Thanks Eve.)

Secret- Denmark + Winter Vaggie and the gang at the diner learning all the Unfortunate Things.

Sabbath Incantation- Thom Yorke Charlie and Jez and the seal.

Case of the Ex- Mya Eve’s ascension and Adam’s death.

Walk Through the Fire- BtVS Cast This is my “Charlie drags herself out of the ruins of her dream” song as the gang prepares to face Eve. Obviously it’s not beat for beat perfect, BUT IT’S THE VIBE.

Nothing Left to Lose- Jeremy Jordan, Eden Espinosa This on the other hand… Listen, I wrote that conversation between Lucifer and Eve with this song in mind. In my heart, it’s being sung between them in that moment, only with slightly different lyrics.

I Didn’t Know I’d Love You So Much- Repo! The Genetic Opera See above. Literally wrote Charlie and Lucifer after Lucifer gets STABBED with this song in mind.

No Return- Craig Wedron, Aanna Waronker EVE FIGHT TO THE TUNE OF THE TOXIC FEMININITY THEME.

Wings- Birdy Charlie’s ascension + the power of love.

Forget About the Blame (Moon Version)- Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Lzzy Hale Lilith returns.

Last Exit to Eden- Amanda Marshall Aftermath, which does include Alastor eating Eve so that’s fun.

You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive- Kathy Mattea Six months later. I went through so many damn covers of this song for one that fit.

We’ll Meet Again- Vera Lynn And here we are in red, red roses and dead things. This is the Vera Lynn song Al plays for Charlie as he’s giving her the tour.

Weeping (w/ Ladysmith Black Mamba)- Josh Groban Lucifer trying to help and FAILING.

I Never Promised You a Rose Garden- Lynn Anderson Or “lyrical dissonance my beloved.”

Fingerbreaker- Jelly Roll Morton The Chicago Strut- Jelly Roll Morton, Gregory Hines, Keith David The two songs that Husk and Al perform while getting sloshed. I don’t think the second one has a sax in it at all but I’m Bad At Music. It does have Keith David though!

#my writing #red roses and dead things #Spotify

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copperbadge · 2 years

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did you ever imagine a random shitpost leading to you writing what has essentially become a romance empire?

LOL, sure as fuck didn't, although "random shitpost leads Sam into a weird new months-long rabbit hole" is not actually an uncommon occurrence for me. :D

I feel like somehow it might be weirder for the anon who sent me that ask that kicked it all off. For me it feels like I've just joined another fandom. Yes, on the one hand I'm the Word Of God and the only true source of new canon, but on the other hand once that basic canon was established -- once I had an essential cast of characters and a built world -- it got super easy to fuck around in it in the exact same way I would with, say, a fandom that's on extended hiatus.

For me, writing new Shivadh books is very akin to what I've done in the past with Cartographer's Craft (a stand-in book seven before Deathly Hallows was written) or the Hiatus Continuations (filler while Heroes was on hiatus -- was that the writer's strike? Fuck I'm old) or post-movie fic after the first Avengers film. I’ve never found sequels so easy before, but then I’ve usually been looking at sequels to much more intense novels like Nameless or Dead Isle. The Shivadhverse isn’t...not intense, but it’s just silly enough that I don’t feel like I need to make anything deep. Twelve Points is actually probably going to be the deepest to date, in many ways, and it’s still like..

CONVERSATIONS WITH MYSELF:

“Michaelis canonically has a very nice voice that he’s worked hard to preserve. He could have trained as a singer in his youth. I should have him at some point lead a chorus with some of the Eurovision performers.”

“That would be dumb and only really self-gratifying. You just like it when Michaelis is special.”

“Okay but...yes, that’s correct, and I’m the author. So I’m doing it anyway. He’s gonna sing a sea chanty and Buck’s gonna sing it with him. They’re gonna sing Mingulay Boat Song because I like it and I’m gonna put a verse in Shivadh.”

“...sure, okay. Why not?”

END CONVERSATION, and then I wrote that scene.

Anyway for that Anon who suggested it, they like...poked a beehive and a swarm of romance novels attacked. That must feel a little surreal!

I really do enjoy talking about various canons and headcanons on Tumblr, and I have fun too working on the new books and coming up with future plots. I may end up having to break off the Georgie/Monday romance for an entirely separate book, because the Royals And the Ramblers is looking to be a bit of a monster, and may be the first Shivadh novel that doesn't have a new central romance. Although between Gregory and Eddie's three separate weddings, Jerry and Alanna's ongoing "Why are we like this", and Michaelis and Jes navigating their newly blended family (plus an adopted granddaughter who is taking a while to warm up to Michaelis) there will still be plenty of romance. :D

#shivadhverse

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sequinsmile-x · 2 years

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I Know the End - Romanticise a Quiet Life

She wishes they’d met earlier, that they’d had more time. Meeting him here, at the end, was cruel even by the universes standards.

A Hotchniss on the run AU, told in 3 parts

Series Master List

-x-

Thank you so much for the love on Part 1, I hope you enjoy this part too <;3

The name of the fic, and the chapter titles, are from the song I Know the End by Phoebe Bridgers. If you want to get the tone of this fic, I'd recommend listening to it.

-x-

Words: 3.4k

Warnings: Major character death, canon typical violence, references to trauma/PTSD, criminal activity

Read over on Ao3, or below the cut

“The White Album?” She asks, scrunching her face up as she turns her head to look at him from the passenger seat of the car, smiling as he briefly looks at her, annoyance in his eyes that only made her want to carry on. “Isn’t that a little on the nose?”

“It’s good music,” he grumbles, turning it down slightly despite his protest, “and you’re the one who said the driver gets to pick the music.”

They were on their way to Arizona, the second change of location they’d had since they started travelling together. It had been three weeks since they had met at the bar. The routine they had fallen into quickly felt seamless, taking it in turns to get supplies, to drive. It felt like they’d always been doing this.

“That was before I knew you had the same music taste as one of the most prolific serial killers of our time,” she teases, biting her lip to hide her smile as she settles back into her seat, her feet on the dashboard of the car.

“Just because Charles Manson hijacked an album for his message, does not mean it’s bad music,” he says, an edge to his voice that tells her he’s had this conversation before, he looks at her before moving one of his hands from the steering wheel, placing it on her bare leg, her shorts stopping mid-thigh, pushing at her legs until she lowers them, “legs off the dash.”

She rolls her eyes at him, ignoring how his skin burns hers, leaving her sure he would brand her skin, “I’ll make you have fun eventually.”

“Yes,” he replies dryly, “because if we crash broken legs and a damaged pelvis is so fun.”

“You’re such a dad,” she grumbles, immediately tensing when she realises what she has said. He grips the steering wheel tighter for a moment and she winces. “Shit, Aaron, I’m sorry, that was-”

“It’s ok,” he says, cutting over her apology, a tight smile sent her way, “I know you didn’t say it to be cruel.”

“Still,” she replies, clearing her throat, “it was thoughtless of me.” The air becomes tense for a moment, as it generally did if his past came up, or he tried to make her talk about hers. Her secrets still locked away, part of herself she wasn’t sure she wanted to show him yet.

“We just crossed state lines,” he says, moving the conversation forward, “when we find somewhere I’ll go get something to eat.”

Emily nods before looking out the window, the desert spreading almost as far as she could see.

___

He’d been gone too long.

She paces their motel room, her thumbnail in between her teeth as she goes over worst case scenarios in her head.

It was something they’d discussed that first morning together before they’d left Texas. If they needed to, if the other was in trouble, they would leave. They didn’t have the resources to try and play hero, those days long gone. But she hates the idea of not having him around already, the way he makes her feel better, his dry sense of humour, something she would miss.

She’s about to break her own rule, to put her gun in the waistband of the back of her pants and go find him, when there’s a knock on the door, the one they’d agreed upon weeks ago to signal it was them before the door opens.

“Sorry I’m late,” he says, not even looking at her as he closes the door and checks it’s locked.

“Where the fuck were you?” She asks, pretending she doesn’t hear the shake in her own voice. “You were gone for over a fucking hour, you were only going to the store to get the basics.”

“Em-”

“No,” she exclaims, her concern for him coming out as anger, the emotion she had become the most comfortable with over the last few years, “you should have called me you jerk. That’s what we got the burners for.”

“Em, it’s ok,” he says, putting down the bag of groceries, “the closest place was closed, so I had to go to the next town.” He steps closer to her, an uncharacteristic smirk on his face that makes her want to punch him. “Were you worried about me?”

She clenches her teeth, righteous anger spreading through her veins like wildfire.

“Listen here you jackass, you’d be dead without m-”

He cuts her off, his hands on her cheeks as he pulls her in for a kiss, his lips insistent against hers. Her a moment, a fleeting one, her anger is still her primary emotion, burning her from the inside out, and she stands there, her arms by her side as he continues to kiss her.

He’s about to pull away when her brain comes back online, her hands grasping at the back of his head as she holds him in place, her fingers moving through his hair. She presses herself into him, moaning into his mouth as he swipes his tongue through hers, the taste of him overwhelming her.

“Wait,” he says breathlessly as he pulls away from her, as if he hadn’t been the one to kiss her, “is this a good idea?”

She heaves oxygen into her lungs, her lips tingling as she runs her tongue over the bottom one. She’s still got her hands in his hair, his breath skipping across her face as her eyes search his.

“Probably not,” she replies, not moving even an inch away from him. It was a terrible idea, she knew that. It would make things significantly more complicated, as if they weren’t already complicated enough. But she was fed up of being alone, fed up of ignoring that she craved his touch whenever he was nearby, that she didn’t enjoy the few seconds they’d have every morning when she’d wake up in his embrace, “but…bad ideas have got me this far.”

Aaron stares at her for a second, before he nods, pulling her back in for another kiss as if they had never stopped. He’s more insistent this time, his hands slipping under her shirt as he pulls her closer. He encourages her upwards, and she jumps, her legs wrapping around his waist as he carries her towards the bed, a strength that she found equally surprising and attractive.

She tears her lips away from him, her arms tight around his neck, as she looks at him. “If you disappear on me like that again, I’ll kill you.”

He nods, a glazed look in his eyes that makes her wonder if her words have registered at all, but he kisses her again before she can say anything else. She groans as he all but tosses her onto the bed, following her only a second later, pressing her into the mattress as he seeks out her lips again.

He makes her forget everything as he slowly takes her apart again and again. Letting her believe this was more than what it ever could be. That they were somewhere, anywhere, other than a motel in a small town she’d forget the name of in a few weeks. She lets herself believe that they had time, that this could be forever.

She falls asleep in his arms afterwards, pressed up against each other in a way that makes her wonder where he ended and she began.

___

She should have known it would be inevitable, that they’d end up here. They transitioned into something she would call a relationship instantly, not talking about it at all as he kissed her the following morning like it was something they had always done.

He held her hand in public, made a big deal of kissing her, marking his territory, something she knew she did too, if they were out in bars or public spaces. Behind closed doors, they couldn’t get enough of each other, hands grasping at clothes and skin like they were making up for lost time.

She felt as if, in some way, they were. Almost twenty years of it.

Emily had never considered herself a romantic. Even as a young woman she’d been disillusioned, lonely. The angst she’d felt as a teenager followed her throughout her life.

She’d never been a romantic, but as she lays against him, his skin warming hers, she wonders if this is what everything has been leading up to. That her attraction to him when she was young, the brief kiss they’d shared before he pulled away, his wedding ring gleaming in the dim light of her childhood bedroom, was merely the start of their journey.

She wishes they’d met earlier, that they’d had more time. Meeting him here, at the end, was cruel even by the universe’s standards.

“What are you thinking about?” He asks, his hand ghosting up and down her back, his fingers trailing over the notches of her spine.

“Everything,” she says, resting her chin on his chest to look up at him, her eyes meeting his, “nothing,” she smiles wryly, only one of the corners of her lips turning upwards, “it’s strange, that this is where we’ve ended up after everything.”

He chuckles lightly, reaching out to tuck some of her hair behind her ear. “Definitely, if you consider you threatened to kill me minutes before we had sex for the first time.”

“Well, it’s not like I haven’t done it before,” she replies without thinking. She closes her eyes and sighs, “I-”

“You don’t have to tell me, sweetheart,” he says, the term of endearment making her stomach flip just like it had the first time he had said it to her, “not if you don’t want to.”

“I want to,” she says, sitting up and turning so she’s next to him, pulling the sheet up over herself as if the thin material could hold her together, “I’m just worried you’ll think differently about me when you know.”

It had been a long time since she’d cared what someone else thought about her, those fears left behind next to Ian’s body, shattered on the ground along with her future.

“That’s not possible.”

She chuckles, but nods, and lets him hold her hand, their fingers linking together between them on the mattress.

“Did you hear anything about it, when you were still in the bureau?” She asks, curious what had been said after her escape, what story Clyde had spun to save face.

“That you killed your target, and then died yourself.”

She laughs humourlessly, “It’s easier to disappear if people think you’re dead,” she says, smiling sadly at him, “no one comes looking for you.” She swallows thickly, a lump in her throat she could never dislodge when she thought of this period of her life, “His name was Ian Doyle,” she explains, looking away from him, “the target I was assigned to. I posed as a woman called Lauren, I became his girlfriend.”

He squeezes her hand, a silent show of support, that he was there, listening.

“I got lost in it,” she admits, smiling tightly at him, chuckling dryly at herself, “for a moment I got lost in it. Then I found out he had a son, and he wanted me to raise him if anything happened to him.” She shakes her head. “It snapped me out of it. Initially, I planned to fake his son’s death, and the woman who, at the time, I thought was his mother. And then…”

She drifts off, her chest tight as it always was when she thought of those days. How danger lingered in the air in a different way than how it did now. The smell of smoke and whiskey still prone to make her think of Ian.

“You can tell me anything, Emily.”

She looks at Aaron, and she knows he’s telling the truth.

“Then I overheard him explain what he had done to Declan’s real mother one evening. He’d chained her to a bed and forced her to have his child after she tried to abort it,” she furiously wipes a tear from her cheek, “I saw red. And I killed him. Took the gun he kept under his pillow and I shot him.” She laughs humourlessly, “and my team, the people who were meant to protect me, tried to arrest me for it. Said it was murder. Despite the fact he was a fucking terrorist. And just about every other terrible thing someone could be. So I escaped.”

It still stung if she thought about it too long, how quickly they had turned on her. That Clyde had clearly always considered her to be disposable, her youth and what she now considered naivety making her think she was vital to it all, that she was more than just a number.

“I emptied my trust fund before they could freeze it,” she adds, shaking her head slightly, “used all those espionage skills they taught me against them, and then I disappeared.”

“Do you have much left?” He asks, continuing when she looks confused. “The money?”

With anyone else she’d question why they were asking about money, something she had been wary of since she was young, but Aaron was different. He was simply curious, a hangover from his old life, his job. The need to know every detail.

She nods, “I stay in cheap places because it draws less attention, if we stayed in five-star hotels we’d be noticed,” she smiles at him, “If I wanted to, I could buy somewhere nice in Europe and we’d still never have to work again. We could live out our days somewhere new,” her smile widens at the thought of it, the fact it was impossible pushed to the back of her brain, “I could try and fail to teach you the local language.”

“I’m sure I could pick it up,” he mutters, raising an eyebrow at her when she laughs at him. He pulls her into his arms, holding her close to his chest as he kisses the top of her head, “you did what you had to do.”

“I know,” she replies. She’d come to terms with it years ago, that she’d done what was needed. “I just wish it hadn’t ruined my life.”

He doesn’t reply to that, because he can’t. She knew he felt the same about his past too, so she snuggles further into him and holds him back just as tightly.

They settle down in silence, and she wraps herself around him, unable to stop herself from smiling as he immediately holds her close, as if his life depended on it. She puts her head on his shoulder, her gaze falling over the scars on his chest.

She’d counted them on their first night together, the nine silver lines as much a part of him as his kindness, the way he’d look at her when he thought she wasn’t looking.

“What was it like?” She asks, trailing her fingers over the thickest scar on his chest, a few inches over from his heart. It was old now, silver and as flat as it ever would be. She saw the beauty in it, in him.

“What was what like?” He asks, his lips still against her forehead, his hand ghosting up and down her back.

“Having a family,” she says, and she can feel him falter, his touch briefly stopping before it continues, she looks up at him, “I’ve never had one.”

He thinks about it, clearly constructing his answer carefully, as if she would judge him. As if they didn’t know the worst of each other already.

“It was achingly normal. Almost boring at times,” he replies eventually, a sad smile on his face, “I miss it. Them.”

She hums in response, still mindlessly tracing his scars. Her heart aches in her chest, an affection she hadn’t expected to feel for him making her wish she could go back in time, that she could change the outcome for him. Somehow find him before his team did, to change the ending for his ex-wife and his son.

It almost makes her wish she hadn’t bumped into him, that she’d left the bar she saw him in without hanging around to see if he’d follow her. Because this, knowing how it felt to be with him, would break her heart in the end. It couldn’t last forever, but she would let herself enjoy the time they did have.

“I think I would have enjoyed it,” she says quietly, and he catches her hand, stopping the pattern she’d been drawing on his chest as he links their fingers together.

“Enjoyed what?” He asks, kissing her forehead.

She tilts her head to look up at him, “Doing the boring day-to-day with you.”

He cups her face, his thumb delicate against her cheek. “I would have enjoyed that too.”

___

Aaron kisses her as they leave a bar, her laugh lost into it as he presses her into a wall, his hands insistent at her hips.

They’d had a couple of drinks, never enough to draw attention to themselves, and were letting themselves enjoy the slight buzz it gave them. He’d pulled her outside as the locals watched the news a little too loudly, a report about a spree of arsons in the town piquing their interest.

“This is much better than the last time we ended up in an alley,” she says, her hands in his hair, not letting him move too far away.

“You mean the time you pointed a gun at me?” He replies, raising an eyebrow at her as she kisses him again.

“I didn’t know why you were following me,” she says into the kiss, “I think it was justified.”

It had been three months since they’d met, and it felt like it had been mere seconds, the time slipping through their fingers like sand.

She smiles at him, and is about to kiss him again, when she hears the engine of a car, making her frown as she separates from him enough to look into the street.

“That’s weird,” she tells him, feeling her body tense up, adrenaline kicking in, “three SUVs just pulled up outside.”

His face drops, and he squeezes her hip once before he lets go of her, looking out of the alley so he can look too. His eyes widen as he steps back next to her.

“Shit.” He says, grabbing her hand and pulling her further down the alley, making her grateful it wasn’t a dead end, that they’d be able to get away from whatever had panicked him.

“What is it?” She asks, throwing a look over her shoulder as they turn a corner, a man entering the entrance of the alley. She’s sure she hears him call out Aaron’s name, the sound of it echoing around them.

“It’s my old team.” He replies, “they must be here on a case.”

“What?” She asks, pulling him to a stop, “What are the chances of that? Are you sure they haven’t been following you?”

He clenches his jaw, his eyes hard as they stare into hers, “I’m not an idiot Emily, I know how to not be followed.”

“Hotch?”

They both turn at his name being called out again, and she lets him lead her further away, slipping into the street where they had parked their car, always making sure it wasn’t obvious when they went somewhere. She lets him drive, knowing it wasn’t worth arguing over.

“We need to leave,” he says, and she bites back that she knows, that they clearly wouldn’t be able to stay here, “That was Derek in the alley, he sounded surprised to see me,” he says pointedly as he drives quickly, heading towards where they had been staying, “They had no idea I was here.”

“Ok,” she replies, turning to look over her shoulder through the rear window, pleased to see they weren’t being followed yet, “I get it, I’m sorry.” She settles back in her seat and blows out a breath. “We’ll need a new car.”

“Em,” he says, reaching out and putting his hand on her leg, squeezing tightly, “they don’t know who you are, if you want to go separate-”

“No.” She cuts over him, the strength of her response surprising even her, “We stick together, ok?” She tries, and fails, to smile encouragingly at him as she places her hand over his on her leg, “Until the end.”

He sighs, and she thinks for a moment that he’s going to disagree with her, but he nods, lifting their joint hands to kiss her knuckles.

“Until the end.”

-x-

Part 3 - The End is Here, coming soon

-x-

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liltaz-asatreat · 2 years

Note

ooooh uh in the lively city or the taakitz library prompt (with like, the magic performance) OR a very important announcement (aka where you made me bawl like a little baby dbsbdjfjf /lh) !

ALL THREE!!!! ALL THREE!!!! ALL THREE!!!! :D

In the Lively City I think is one of my favorite semi early fics lol It was my first time writing Lup and Barry pining for each other, and as I was writing it, I was just going hehehe >:3 the whole time because I knew it was going to be a painfully read at the end of it lol It also pained me to write the ending of it, but sacrifices ya know? 🤷🏽‍♂️ lol

Also, when I got the prompt, it was right after I reblogged a different prompt list, but the person who sent it in had just liked Drinking Your Feelings on here, and they didn't specify what prompt list they got the prompt they wanted from, so I was originally going to write something else that still had to deal with Lup and Barry pining for each other, but that time, I think it was going to be a conversation between Barry and Taako?? I don't really remember what it was going to be because I never ended up writing it, and I deleted the notes I made for it after I wrote Into the Lively City because I didn't really feel like writing that story anymore. I know though that it was also either going to reference Taako getting on Barry's ass to make a move or it was going to be a conversation between the two of them where Taako gets on him to make a move lol Anyway, after I wrote the notes for that down, I realized that because the person had just read the other fic, they probably wanted the prompt from that list, so I DMed them to ask, and that's why this fic exists and not the other one lol

And Performing Distractions my beloved <3

This was the first AU I ever wrote, I think ever actually in all of the fanfiction I've ever written both in this fandom and for other things. Usually most of the stuff I write is canon compliant, and pretty much everything I wrote outside of this fandom takes place after the story. The reason why a good chunk of my writing for this fandom takes place in technically the middle of the story is because there's gaps of time between arcs that could be filled in, and the Stolen Century is basically a big 100 year void of stuff that can be filled in with literally anything lol Also, the stuff I wrote before this fandom were all multi chapter fics, so it's easier to write something in the middle of the story when it's only a scene or two lol

Anyway, it was a little weird at first branching out like that in my own writing, but I couldn't think of any way to make the prompt work while it still being canon compliant, so it took a bit to come up with the idea for it. Then when I decided that I wanted Kravitz and Taako and co. to have a showdown, I looked up violin music on YouTube, so that I could be able to describe the music Kravitz would be performing, and that's when I came across Lindsey Stirling's channel (I had no idea who she was or that she was a famous violinist), and her song Roundtable Rival which is one of the most kickass songs I've ever heard, so I decided to use that as Kravitz's song, and then afterward I binged listened to her music. Her music is great, but I still like Roundtable Rival the best lol

Also, I got so excited with writing everyone's performances that I felt really nervous before posting it that I didn't add any attraction in the beginning of the fic, and I had no idea how to go back and shoehorn it in, so I just added "beautiful" as a modifier to "male elf" when first introducing Taako to the story, and then I kinda crossed my fingers and hit post lol

And last but not least!! A Surprise Announcement my absolute BELOVED <3

Ise sent this one in and only put Magnus as the requested character, but I absolutely knew it was going to be a magnulia fic lol And it took a bit to figure out what I wanted it to be about, but then I realized I could write the fluffiest thing and still hurt everyone's feelings! My very favorite thing to do! >:3 lol /hj

I don't know if anyone noticed because not many people read Is It Worth It?, but I did add the characters either mentioned or were a part of that story as people Magnus brought up when he talks about who around Raven's Roost would be able to help them raise their child and added a couple more people I think. I also mentioned those same people in Was It Worth It? which was more of a direct-ish sequel to Is It Worth It? (Hence the naming sequence lol), but that's all to say because they're all connected and basically my head canonned OCs of people who lived in Raven's Roost. Everything canon compliant, as usual, which makes me so >:)

(Also, bonus since I brought it up, I originally had a debate on whether or not I wanted to end Is It Worth It? with a scene where Magnus finds Xalver and Loriza dead and has Xalver's words echo back to him, basically what happens at the end of Was It Worth It?, as a direct juxtaposition to Magnus convincing Xalver to help with the revolution but decided against it because I thought it would diminish the message and hope of the story. It bugged me on and off though for a long time until I made it to last year's taz November celebration prompt the semi-sequal is based off of, and I knew it was the right time to tell that story, and it was going to have a greater impact because A. I wasn't starting directly at the scene where Magnus is standing over the bodies, and B. I didn't spend the entire fic building up the fight for hope just to tear it down again. I was already starting from a place of hope and happiness, and the loss of it was its own message)

Thanks for sending this in!! :D If you would like to send in a fic that you associate with my username in exchange for a secret about it, feel free to send in an ask!

#also; semi-sorry I made you cry over the A Surprise Announcement lol <3 I'm glad you enjoyed it though :3 #Gab gabs

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mellowasinyellow · 3 years

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100daysofwriting - Day 1

So I thought for the first day I might just briefly outline all of the WIPs I have actually made a start on and that might help me to decide where I want to focus some energy. I have some for Katniss/Peeta in THG fandom and some for Natasha/Clint in the MCU.

Everlark

folklore series - so I started this series of fics inspired by songs from Taylor Swift's album folklore because honestly those songs just immediately bring to mind so many scenarios that made me think of Katniss and Peeta. I made a start on chapters based on peace, my tears ricochet, invisible string, this is me trying, and mad woman. I also have a bit of an outline for continuing the story that was started in 'the 1'.

I've had this one WIP ongoing since about 2015(?) which is a bit of a monster that has grown beyond me but basically it involves Katniss and Gale being raised in the Capitol in relative poverty after their fathers are conscripted into the peacekeepers because of traitorous activity. Mrs Everdeen is still from 12 but was moved to the Captiol to be married (this part is sketchy) and she still had a little childhood romance with Mr Mellark. Peeta gets reaped and Mrs Everdeen reacts to this as he looks like his father. Katniss gets a crush on him as she watches him prepare for the games. She hates herself for it but finds herself checking up on how he is doing even during non-mandatory viewing.

Arranged Marriage - I feel like this is such a cliche for thg fandom, but I just imagined my own way that the pairings happen but I'm so bad at writing slow burn so this will probably never materialise, but if you want a semi-decent thought out pairing/arranged marriage system I would be happy to lend you mine.

Miscarriage fic - I will never post this, but it's in my WIP folder. It's full of nasty feelings that feel a little better when they are written about.

Modern AU Pandemic Quarantine! - ofc, this is essential. Katniss and Peeta end up as the only people not to move home from their dorm for the quarantine. Slow burn that I can't fucking write should ensue.

Canon Pandemic Quarantine AU - pandemic a few years after the end of the war forces Katniss to admit she wants Peeta as more than a friend with whom she hunts, bakes, rebuilds the district. Cue sexy pandemic times and a resentful Haymitch that keeps accidentally breaking the rules.

Divorced but co-parenting Everlark - obviously finding their way back together

Another classic of their children being reaped and dying - I don't know why I write things this depressing. They just tend to come out in one big rush and then I never address them again.

Real weird teen pregnancy modern day AU - don't know where it's going or why...

Modern day AU dead Prim - Peeta and Katniss just met each other through mutual friends and are kind of flirting. Peeta is a bit infatuated. Katniss stops going to mutual friend parties and he finds out it's because her sister died. Instead of staying away he gets tangled up in her grief and does all sorts of practical things while Katniss wallows. Also it's E rated but not that much fun... can't entirely explain where this one came from either...

Single Parent AU where Finnick and Annie play match maker. Probably my fave Everlark in the works but it's another one that has grown so big for the 20 minutes I can dedicate to it each week.

Clintasha

Red Room Take Down - Nat and Clint are retired and living a quiet family life with their child. SHIELD appears asking for Nat's help in taking down the red room and dealing with the fall out, specifically what to do with the girls that they get out. Nat is torn but chooses to go. Chaos ensues with the 'rescued' girls. I need to actually develop some OCs a little if I ever want this to be good but tbh the pending Black Widow movie is kind of holding me back on this one too because I hope we find out more about the red room.

So I have a weird habit of writing from Lila Barton's POV. I can't explain it. I have AoU and like to pretend it never happened but anyway I have a WIP about Lila detailing the collapse of her parents' marriage after Clint retires and he and Laura actually have to spend time together without Natasha. She then goes on to describe the custody settlement and her utter joy that Auntie Nat sleepovers with them at her dad's place. She feels utterly betrayed when she finds out they are getting engaged.

Fluffy AU - Clint and Natasha in an established relationship with a son born between infinity war and endgame. Natasha still sacrifices on Vormir, but Steve gets her back no bother and it's so nice and happy and fluffy and Clint and Natasha are together and they have a son who has both parents back and Steve gets to make all this happen and he is so happy too and they have a barbecue and go swimming in a lake and clint/natasha have private time, and their kid wants to be captain america, and did I mention how HAPPY everyone is?

Another fic similar to the above just about everyone being so HAPPY. Endgame reverses the snap and instead of weird farm family coming back Clint and Natasha get their daughter back and it's just a cute moment about her reappearance and their race back to the spot she disintegrated from. (Steve/Bucky go to Vormir and Steve is sacrificed, but that fucker CHOSE to leave).

This is another one that has just grown bigger than my brain. it's based off the idea that Natasha helped with coordinating fosterings during the blip time. Clint loses his mind when he loses his family and crashes in BedStuy but finds a neighbour girl (Kate Bishop) who is fending for herself in post-apocalyptic Brooklyn. He helps her out and tries to get children's services involved but it has collapsed. Finds out Natasha is the one getting everything in order. He gets in touch. She's at the end of her tether and asks why he can't keep looking after her. In the end he does and she ends up getting involved and all three get overly attached to each other. I haven't got as far as the events of endgame and idk what's going to happen. It might be tragic.

Pregnant Natasha but nobody knows what is wrong with her because they don't even suspect her being pregnant is possible. Just a real vivid description of the early unpleasant pregnancy symptoms.

Another absolute monster - Sort of canon compliant to begin with aside from before the farm family disappear. Clint and Laura are in the middle of separating and tensions are running quite high at the farm. Snap happens. Nat and Clint accidentally run into each other while both a bit low during the blip and get drunk and share home truths. Begin working together from HQ and both get a little less sad. He convinces her she doesn't have to be responsible for the world's fate every moment of every day. Clint has a break down at Morgan's 1st birthday and realises that things will have to change. Nat has this realisation later. They begin sleeping together. Accidental pregnancy. More feelings come out between them. They enter a more conventional relationship and have baby. Baby is really hard work (colic) and they struggle with comparisons and feelings of inadequacy. Pepper helps them to identify the colic and improves everything greatly. Happy times with baby while also running the avengers. Opportunity to reverse snap. Some good scenes between Nat and Tony. A big conversation between Nat and Clint about what it will mean. Steve and Nat end up going to Vormir together. Nat is obviously about to commit suicide. Steve over powers her and gives her a pep talk about the situation she is running away from and how to deal with it. He self-sacrifices. Clint goes back to farm fam and Natasha goes back to BedStuy with baby. Clint has to tell Laura and then the kids about the last 5 years and their new siblings. Nate is super into it. Cooper is a bit aloof and cynical. Lila is confused. Laura is quietly seething. Clint helps put the farm back together about 5 years of neglect and the kids meet baby. Family gets happier. Laura and Nat eventually meet again and it's civil/friendly.

My own version of what happened in Budapest.

The Call - inspired by a post here on tumblr. Nat calls Clint as she bleeds out. Just needs a beta reader and then I would consider publishing.

AoU reimagined but with Clintasha - I'm not sure where this one is going it's like a massive spider web right now with lots of ideas shooting off, but basically it is inspired by this post and just involves a lot of hoodwinking the other avengers.

Accidental Baby Acquisition - Natasha becomes Yelena's child's legal guardian after Yelena gets taken out. Natasha and Yelena are estranged at this point and Natasha things the whole thing is a trap and brings Clint along. He is surprisingly good with the baby so she ropes him in to teach her. The three of them end up bonding.

5 times there's only 1 bed + 1 time they choose to sleep in the same bed.

non-superhero AU Clint and Nat both think they have adopted a stay cat but actually the cat has owners and just likes strokes and eats a lot so has many 'families'. They get into an argument over which of them the cat belongs to only to find out the cat has owners and they are moving away. They decide to adopt a cat between them as both are not hope that much and the shelter refused them as single people. Slow burn ensues, which I am shit at writing.

#100daysofwriting #everlark #clintasha #thg #mcu #clintasha fanfic #clintasha fanfiction #clintasha fic #everlark fic #everlark fanfic #everlark fanfiction #natasha romanoff #clint barton #katniss everdeen #peeta mellark

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tsukikoayanosuke · 3 years

Text

Behind the Fic: TW:OPT - Chapter 134 - 136

Unexpected road trip arc go brrr...

WARNING: This will contain a bit of spoiler for the newest chapters of my fan fiction Twisted-Wonderland: Our Precious Treasure.

Chapter 134: Philosophyz

The chapter title and summary are from the song Philosophyz, the opening song of Key VN Rewrite. The summary is the first refrain.

This chapter is unexpectedly long, which comes as no surprise.

The original plan was only telling a brief moment with Grim before going fully into Deuce's POV (which also includes the first POV in the next chapter).

However, unexpected Mustafa's POV happened. Now, this scene is rather interesting because, again, it was unexpected. This scene canonically happened after the winter break, but here it happens before. The main reason is similar to the overblot explanation back in Chapter 36 where instead of it happening in Savanaclaw Arc, it was told right at the end of Heartslabyul Arc because of the urgency.

Since we probably wouldn't be seeing the Scarabia NPC gang again, it's only fair if we have some closure/final encore for them. Now, I have a possible vision of the Scarabia NPC gang having a short cameo in Kalim Arc, but it's still unclear.

Let's talk about Grim's scene. This is sort of related to Mustafa's scene. The dialogue between Mustafa and Grim was supposed in Grim's POV, however because of the Kalim and Scarabia NPC flashback, it was changed into Mustafa's POV so it won't be too jarring to switch for the next scene.

Speaking of the next scene. In canon, Grim ate the rock at night time and alone, but here it was during the day and Jonah was there with him. This is actually intentional, one of the reasons is for the build-up hint to Jonah's potential falling to the darkness.

Another thing is Jonah is handing the rock toward Grim only after he listens to him. Also, Grim stops thinking about wanting more rocks when Jonah touches him. Basically, even if they are pokemon and trainers, there's a power dynamic between them.

And starting from Deuce's POV, the plan of 4-episode mini-arc shattered, because this is the start of the unexpected road trip arc.

Now, originally, Scarabia Arc would end with this chapter, with the Rescue Squad going back home. I honestly had no idea how to transition from Scarabia Arc to Christmas Arc with characters who aren't related to the previous conflict. It would be pretty jarring. Honestly, I'm glad that I decided to write the road trip arc, no matter how frustrating it was.

Now, remember back in Chapter 120 I asked whether Crowley basically kidnapped Ace and Deuce? Yeah. We have no time to fix that during editing, so let's put it here.

I actually had to think about Deuce's family's name. While not spoken, Deuce's mom's name is Galadriel Spade (you know, that elf princess from Lord of the Rings).

The conversation between Crowley and Deuce's mom is inspired by All Might and Inko's conversation about UA dorming system.

Yeah. I tried to make a timeline for the trip. It was still rough even at this point. I'm trying to make all of the boys get back home on the 24th of December.

Chapter 135: The Big Dango Family

The chapter title and summary are from the song Dango Daikazoku, the ending song of the anime Clannad, which is an anime adaptation of Key's VN with the same name.

Now, as usual, this is supposed to be one chapter full of Valley of Thorn/Diasomnia boys interaction, however, blame it on the sleepover section, it became so long that I have to cut it again.

Speaking of Valley of Thorn, I decided to name Malleus' grandmother Carabosse, which is the name of the wicked fairy of the original Sleeping Beauty ballet. Basically, it's the original name of Maleficent. Personality-wise, I'm leaning toward your usual gentle grandma, or maybe Dowager Empress Marie from the Anastasia (1997) animated film.

Early Tsunotarous revelation. Nuff said.

Adapted mafia game. Also a funny call back to Break & Gosh’s Tale of the Unfortunate Sacrificial Flower. Maryanne I miss you

I have no idea how this chapter is so long. Again, I blame it on the sleepover mafia game. This might be the longest chapter I've written. And this is a filler arc.

Chapter 136: My Soul, Your Beats!

The chapter title and summary are from the song My Soul, Your Beats!, the opening song of the anime Angel Beats!. Angel Beats! has a VN adaptation with the same name.

This chapter is actually quite interesting in the process because I think it's time to reveal some things about Jonah.

When I finally decided to keep the road trip arc, I knew at one point I have to visit Jonah's hometown. How it will go, I didn't have a clue. I'll pull it out, somehow...

Flashback chapter let's go. Malleus' flashback is interesting because it wasn't planned this way. Originally, young Jonah and Malleus would meet just randomly without the meteor shower, reminiscing the Aurora and Maleficent meeting in the live-action. However, adding the meteor shower part was in part an additional characterization of young Jonah who was curious and adventurous.

A small call back to Chapter 20 where Jonah mentioned that it felt natural for him to climb tree during the chestnut picking. In Malleus’ flashback, young Jonah could climb a tree.

The storytelling was an obvious reference to Treasure Planet.

Now. I read that if you give your name to a fae, they'll have control over you. But if you know their name, you can make them leave you alone. Jonah basically unknowingly giving Malleus power over him, but now that Jonah knows Malleus' name, he can counter his power. It's only a matter of who speaks the fastest.

Arriving at Radiant Haven, which was first mentioned in the Twisted, Twisted, Shooting Stars series.

And also the first appearance of my baby girl Bridgette! Interestingly, Bridgette wasn't supposed to appear. Her first appearance was planned during Fairy Gala, along with some Three Wishes Institute characters.

In the first draft, the Rescue Squad just straight up went to the inn and meet Jake there, without Magda also. But here, we have a brief old Shooting Stars gang reunion.

This also marks the first appearance of Magda, who was supposed to appear during the School Festival Arc.

In fact, the whole OG gang reunion was supposed to happen during the School Festival Arc.

#twisted wonderland #disney twisted wonderland #twst #twisted wonderland fanfiction #twisted wonderland fanfic #twisted wonderland fic #twst fanfic #twst fic #behind the fic: tw:opt #twisted-wonderland: our precious treasure #tw:opt 1st anniversary celebration #jonah argentum (my oc)#bridgette eduarda newton (my oc)#magdalene killigrew (my oc)#jacob orion columbus (my oc)#malleus draconia #deuce spade

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luuxxart · 4 years

Note

THIS IS ME ASKING FOR YOUR FERDITHEABERT HEADCANONS I didn't even know how badly I needed this ot3!!

THABK YOU FOR ENABLIGN ME

SO MUCH under the cut

I’m gonna go with individual ships first and then branch into ferditheabert that way it’s easier to sort of chronicle ???

Also someone remind me to write a fic one day im literally going to go through an entire plotline over here sndmdkdkdkd

Pre-Timeskip Ferdithea

I think this one would be the one that would happen first

I’m a whore for canon so everything definitely happens according to the supports imo

Ferdinand sort of just goes with the flow and is nice to everyone but anyone with eyes can see he’s madly in love with Dorothea

Just absolutely head over heels like

“If you asked me to jump off a bridge right now I would go do it” kind of head over heels madly in love

Dorothea is aware but is trying very hard not to be

She doesn’t really get it because she’s still under the impression he was gawking at her in the fountain and suddenly feels guilty about it now that they’re pretty much on the same pedestal

And as Dorothea navigates how she feels about Ferdinand and his adoration of her, she turns to Hubert’s relationship with Edelgard

Pre-Timeskip Huberthea

Dorothea pesters Hubert endlessly about his feelings for Edelgard

Knowing that his feelings for her aren’t romantic is relieving, but she’s not sure why

Especially because this now makes Ferdinand’s doting on her even more confusing

So she hangs around Hubert, much to his annoyance, to see what fuels his drive for Edelgard

She ends up doing a few tasks with him like buying some Bergamot, polishing axes, and eventually uh

They touch hands

While harvesting some Noa Fruit

And the ensuing weekend dinner with the Professor becomes all the more awkward because of course the Professor is playing matchmaker after noticing the time they’ve been spending together

Then one day Dorothea notices Hubert drinking coffee and is like

Holy shit that stuff we used to drink to stay up for five fucking acts of an opera how do you drink that

But he makes a bombass brew and suddenly the caffeine addiction is back

They don’t really talk about the almost-touches and the wistful talks about romance that don’t really go anywhere

But Dorothea manages to convince Hubert to do some things for himself (like planting coffee beans in the greenhouse and like vent)

And Hubert’s errands for Edelgard takes Dorothea’s mind off the stress of finding a suitor

Because devotion to someone or something is ,,, honestly a lot more important than money

And holy shit maybe there’s something to Ferdinand’s actions?????

Oh well better ignore it for now

Pre-Timeskip Ferdibert

But this is where it gets cOMPLICATED folks

Hubert is VERY aware that what he has with Dorothea is bordering romantic but he’s trying to push that down a because he feels like he doesn’t deserve someone who could be as devoted to him as he is to them

He’s ALSO trying to push down his feelings for Ferdinand mostly because he knows that Ferdinand is currently pursuing Dorothea

So Hubert is caught in the middle between the two

If at all, he tries to focus a little more on his attraction to Ferdinand because he understands that Dorothea is currently not interested in either one of them

(or else she would’ve said something, right????)

Also, due to Ferdinand being heir apparent to the prime ministry, Hubert has an excuse to keep watch over him

I mean

What can I say except Hubert is morosexual

He wants someone to fix/take care of and currently Dorothea is not exhibiting that need

Ferdinand tho? dude would literally lose his head if it weren’t attached to his neck

Eventually Hubert draws up a proposal to have a double prime ministry so that he can overlook Ferdinand’s actions in the future

He ends up tucking the draft into a drawer, but the idea tends to sit at the tip of his tongue every time he sees Ferdinand

He’s afraid Ferdinand will see it for what it is

A proposal proposal

And that’s exactly what it is

And he (no thoughts) talks to Dorothea about it and she (head empty) encourages him to propose it at the dance

Pre-Timeskip Goddess Tower

so after presumably edelethy actions have happened and the goddess tower becomes unoccupied,

Hubert asks Ferdinand to accompany him up to the tower for the government proposal™️

Ferdinand doesn’t suspect anything

But then they get up there and Dorothea is there, waiting to pour her heart out to Hubert because she realizes if she doesn’t nip it in the bud, she’ll never have a devoted suitor (and also she still doesn’t realize that this is a proposal proposal)

So then it basically becomes that spiderman meme with all the spidermen pointing at each other because they all have dumb stupid crushes on each other

Problem is they’re all young and dumb and they don’t know how to sort it out so they just don’t and leave

Post-Timeskip Ferdithea

So war happens and everyone’s pretty distant from each other

Then the Professor comes back and is extremely upset to see all the rifts between everyone

So everyone kind of tries

But that’s hard because it’s been five years and the rifts are now pretty much ravines

Ferdinand finally gets the nerve up to talk to Dorothea again because he’s at his breaking point

He can’t stand not talking to either of them and Dorothea’s more open to talking

Their A support happens and Dorothea finally understands why Ferdinand did the things he did

ONLY PROBLEM IS

NOW HUBERT/EDELGARD IS VERY CONFUSING AGAIN

Post-Timeskip Huberthea

So Dorothea finally confronts Hubert again and asks him again if he truly loves Edelgard

He decidedly does not

He also decidedly does not want to speak to Dorothea after the Goddess Tower Incident

Dorothea begs him to at least speak to Ferdinand

Hubert considers this

Post-Timeskip Ferdibert

Meanwhile, Ferdinand is mending the bridge between himself and Hubert

They have their A+ Support

They start doing missions together

And after Hubert protects Ferdinand from a close call with a Faerghus fusillade, Ferdinand starts to see what Dorothea saw in Hubert

Uh the devotion that is

Now Ferdiberthea :)

So have i said devotion enough yet? Because that’s the name of the game

And Dorothea fuckiNg misses Hubert

and Ferdinand is pretty much spending all his time with Hubert so Dorothea ends up missing him a lot too

(Also at this point both Ferdithea/ferdibert have become an unspoken thing around Garreg Mach and everyone is VERY confused)

(Except the Professor who is watching their matchmaking attempts come to fruition)

So anyway Dorothea has Edelgard arrange for her to go on the next mission with Hubert and Ferdinand

And OOPS ITS WINTER AND THEY ALL GET STRANDED IN A SMALL TOWN WITH ONLY A ONE BED ROOM OPEN AT AN INN

it’s a king size don’t worry

They just have to get used to each other’s company for a long Pegasus Moon

Ferdinand catches onto the coldness between Hubert and Dorothea so he tries to find situations to get them alone together

So after a couple of those moments, Hubert and Dorothea have a colder version of their A support out in the small town market

There’s some crying, some consoling, and a passionate makeout back at the inn followed by Ferdinand reaping the spoils by joining in

When they get back to Garreg Mach, they become an impervious wall of magic and equestrian fighting

They also become an impervious wall of love and devotion

Miscellaneous headcanons

Ferdinand always sleeps in the middle just because Hubert and Dorothea can be all over each other one minute, and suddenly need space the next

It’s not that they don’t like each other, they’re just both A LOT sometimes

Dorothea and Hubert often stay up longer than Ferdinand because they are very avid coffee drinkers

They double team carrying him back to the bedroom if he ends up nodding off at a late night war meeting

One thing to keep in mind is that I also headcanon Hubert as trans

And so he has met Dorothea at an opera in person before Garreg Mach, she just doesn’t recognize him, and he’s gonna let it stay that way

But it was with her that he was introduced to coffee, which sort of helped him through Edelgard’s disappearance (if you count staying up until the crack of dawn to plan ways to rescue her as “help”)

Hubert will never admit that he’s sick because he is devoted to his royal duties

so Dorothea and Ferdinand take turns staying with him to make sure he doesn’t move and fulfilling his duties in his absence

Ferdinand is still very fuCking reckless and hes even more reckless in war so it takes both dark knight!Hubert and gremory!Dorothea (riding on Hubert’s horse usually) to keep great knight!Ferdinand in check

Were you also disappointed that Dorothea wasn’t a theater/opera kid meme? Me too.

Anyway she is. And so is Ferdinand. So they convert Hubert into operakidism and then proceed to annoy the rest of the black eagles endlessly with opera songs and dance numbers

Listen, if u haven’t seen the Manuela/Ferdinand supports,,, like

Manuela is an enabler of the opera kids just saying

also it is no secret that Ferdinand is a horse girl and he ends up turning the other two into horse girls as well and eventually the rest of the black eagles have to ban horses from conversation entirely

Pegasi were already banned from conversation because of Hubert

Eventually the three get married and have a couple kids by mage

They take an annual winter vacation in a small town to rekindle any sparks they might lose in the stress of governance

#IF YOU PUT A DIME IN YOU GET THE WHOLE SONG BUDDY #the A supports i mentioned can be found on the fire emblem wiki but i want ot show up in the tags so i cant link them here :(#fe3h #ferdithea #huberthea #ferditheabert #i am tagging all of them bc honestly you can probably take some choice headcanons out of here and not have them apply to the OT3 #also im petty haha #anyway trans!hubert rise #fe3h headcanons #text #ask

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elliewan · 3 years

Text

Boom Boom - Behind the Scenes

Hi everyone! As hinted in Chapter 14th notes, here is a (long?) tumblr post for some behind-the-scenes trivia about Boom Boom! I’m sorry it took me some time, but I’ll probably develop my HC for Thermite and Ace in another post :]

So. Here’s a small table of contents for this post. And of course, massive spoilers incoming! haha

Origin of the Title

Chapter and Rhythm building

Thermite’s friendships

Interviews with Harry

IQ/Kali’s background relationship

HC Timeline

In a nutshell

1. Origin of the title

The initial placeholder title was “Norwegian Dynamite”, then “From Texas with Norway”, then… “Boom Boom”. I’m still not happy with the title, but I think it’s good enough. And funfact, it’s kind of a mistake, but not so much. In French, my native language, heartbeat’s onomatopoeia is “Boum Boum”, while I read that in American English (the English I tended to use for my fanfic), it’s supposed to be “Thump Thump” or something like that. But I also read than in most of Norwegian dialects, “Boom Boom” could be understood as a heartbeat too. So anyway, Boom Boom refers both to the beating of their heart and to the explosions of their hard-breaching gadgets. It’s also dual, meaning that each of them is a “Boom” haha And it’s also a cute Mika song about two people being totally in love despite what their families think, and making love everywhere haha (cause in French “Faire crac crac boum boum” [“doing crac crac boom boom”] means “having sex” haha)

2. Chapter and Rhythm building

Unlike most of my fanfics, Boom Boom wasn’t written “as it goes”, I didn’t “discover” the fic while writing it. In fact, I hadn’t contemplated writing a multi-chapter for them until some comments on my Siegetober Ace/Thermite one-shots where people showed interest in the ship and a potential multi-chapter or longer story for them.

So after the Siegetober rush, while I had several wips ongoing, I started working on it. The first blank page was basically: Ace/Thermite – how do they get together for real and a series of bullet points for potential scenes. Then, I opened a PowerPoint file and started filling the following diagram:

Though this is now a bit obsolete, this was the first foundation. Thanks to this diagram, and the several bullet points for potential scenes I had brainstormed, I started building the story in a (ugly) board. Once again, several things are obsolete and I never really updated it – it was more of a working document for the “pre-writing” of the fic, to see if the story really made sense:

And one thing that really didn’t help was Ubisoft releasing the cutscene about Aruni out of nowhere haha. At the beginning, I panicked a bit because I thought it changed several things in my Thermite HC, but it happened to eventually fit quite well and even help adding more drama haha

And once I was ok enough with the board, despite it having several plot holes, I tried to measure the intensity of “love” and “dramatics” to see what kind of rhythm the fic was going to follow and check if I found it entertaining enough:

3. Thermite’s friendships

In the initial draft, Castle had a MAJOR part as Thermite’s best friend. He would help him sort his feelings, see the evolution of his relationship with Ace, and even go to Texas with him to help him face his family. But when re-reading for the umpteenth time Thermite’s file, I realized there was not a single mention of Castle, contrary to Hibana, Twitch and Thatcher. Not to mention Harry’s board where it’s written Thermite has a “sibling” relationship with Ash.

And that’s when everything ticked: Thermite is surrounded by great women. Sisterhood is part of who he is, how he was raised, how he lives. And this is why those women should have a stronger place in the story. So Hibana, Twitch, Aruni and Ash became real sisters to him. Hibana and Aruni being more like the big sisters – they’re reliable, sturdy and coolheaded, they provide him with advice and comfort; Aruni especially is quite similar in temper to his biological sister in my HC. Twitch is more like his same-age sister (though she’s younger), they see eye-to-eye but there’s no authority nor “big sister” feels between them; she’s the confident. As for Ash, she’s more like that distant sibling that has evolved a lot in life to the point where they don’t talk as mush as they used to… but who could move mountains just to get to him if she hears he’s in trouble. This is what I tried to convey :’)

4. Interviews with Harry

Honestly, interviews with Harry were my ultimate cheat code to give more information regarding Ace and Thermite’s psychological statuses, and various hints regarding their mental health. Though I sometimes prefer to bring this sort of nakedness and vulnerability throughout conversations with close friends, it wasn’t very possible here because: 1. Ace had no close friends with whom he could be this vulnerable, and he’s still new at Rainbow. (and he’s not even aware of his coping mechanisms and insecurities) 2. I kind of wanted Thermite to be incredibly good at clouding his issues, changing subjects and rejecting any kind of help, meaning that only Harry could get him to openly talk (or so he thought haha) about his mental health.

As for Harry’s behavior, I tried to render him as this kind of smooth, yet not evasive, therapist. One that wouldn’t be in the judgement, and who could wait whole minutes for the person to take their time to open up, and slowly but gently poking at the aching spots, and providing various resources to help them :)

Also, since in most of his psychological reports he seems to be very aware of friendships at the base, and to push some operators to meet some others, I tried to convey this vibe too. Just like when he says that he finds similarities with Ace, Dokkaebi and Sledge. Or when he offers Thermite to ask Lion and Meghan about their tattoos etc.

Also, here’s a bit of HC on how each of them deals with Harry haha

5. IQ/Kali’s background relationship

I have to admit I may have accidentally mirrored a lot Ace/Thermite’s relationship with IQ/Kali’s. Thing is that I wanted Kali to change too! I wanted her to be this impartial and authoritative bossy businesswoman that would slowly change into someone, though still sharp and arrogant, more human. I wanted Jaimini to show up a bit more. I have given veeery small hints to offer some glimpses at her true self, at what’s behind that mask. For instance, there is that moment in the fic where Ace and Kali argue, and he tells her:

“Jai, you and I both know very well that you didn't take this contract just for the money.”

Which makes Kali pale a lot, because he’s hitting a good nerve. In fact, I kind of headcanon Kali having softened enough around him, throughout their collaboration, to have confided a tiny bit about why she created Nighthaven, and all the frustrations she had grown up with. And thing is, Kali created Nighthaven because she wanted to be a hero too, just like him. She wanted to be at the heart of the battle, to protect people, to save lives, and she dreamed of a soldier life, of self-sacrifice and heroism. She just slid the wrong way, and her childhood dream turned into a private corporation of which she became a ruthless tycoon. Just like Ace, I think things went out of control at some point for her, and she just lose connection to reality and morals.

And the thing with IQ happened quite naturally. At the beginning, once I was okay with the three main squads (especially Alpha and Bravo), the relationship just happened on itself. While Montagne and Twitch were just those lovely and patient sweethearts, IQ was the one that had the hardest time with the Nighthaven folks, whether it were Ace or Kali. Both because she didn’t trust them and their secrecy, and because she has very little patience for people with difficult tempers in general haha

So, Kali being that bossy and defiant puzzle, refusing to let her see Nighthaven’s gadgets’ blueprints, things were just meant to sparkle between them. And Kali just couldn’t resist teasing IQ and reminding her she was untouchable. And through the teasing, the premises of a relationship were born. But unlike Ace/Thermite, I don’t think it followed a Colleagues to Friends to Lovers progression, but more an Enemies straight to Lovers progression haha

So anyway. I wanted to give a little boost to Kali, so that she opens up a bit more with Rainbow, and to bring a truce between Rainbow and Nighthaven’s disputes. And love just happened, once again, to be the perfect last push <3

Another thing that could have helped her would perhaps have been some true challenging from an authority she does respect, but I found it difficult to stage and Kali wasn’t the focus of the fic anyway – perhaps another time ;)

6. HC Timeline

And here is the ugly timeline I worked with haha It’s still probable that there are some inconsistencies, but I tried to avoid them as much as possible and I’m sorry if you find some! I’m horribly bad with figures, years and stuff haha

I used most of the canonical dates, except for Jordan’s mother and sister deceases, which weren’t accurately dated in his biography and which I reinterpreted a bit to fit my story.

Also, isn’t it absolutely lovely that their birthday is only 1 day apart? u_u #ProudPisces!

7. In a nutshell

So, those were my major documents that helped me build the foundations of the fic. What happened next was some drafting and pure writing, following the publishing tempo. I think the gist of what I wanted to convey through the story is still there, even if I reworked some chapters entirely. The journey (and the destination <3) is still the same.

+ I want to once again give a proper shout out to all the wonderful readers of the fanfic, whether they’re anonymous or not! I had never received so much feedback, and so many sweet words on any work before, even back in my time on fanfic.net. I feel so grateful for that, and though I already answered to everyone who commented, and wrote many notes, I still can’t find the way to properly translate just how much it means to me. So once again THANK YOU :’D

And thank you for reading this post too, if you did haha <3

#long post #ace/thermite #iq/kali #writing fanfiction #r6s fanfiction #my hcs #my work

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mychemicalxmen · 4 years

Text

The Umbrella Academy College Theatre Kid AU Plot

Alright bitches, ask and ye shall receive.

Here’s the 6k summary of this ten-chapter monstrosity I almost wrote a year ago and just now attempted to flesh out.

Canon divergence from the point of their birth onward. The Commission doesn’t exist here, it would just make everything a little too complicated. No Luther/Allison either, personal preference. If anyone would want to try writing or drawing a scene from this universe, I would be over the heckin moon, please feel free to do w/e if any part of this inspires anyone. And if anyone just wants to shoot hc, pop off!

But yeah. This is a crack concept treated dead seriously. Buckle up.

Chapter One - “Overture”

-I wrote this chapter, but it’s Really Not Good. I had just watched the show and hadn’t written fic in a Hot Minute.

-Welcome to Umbrella University, a top-tier school with a sacrilegiously large budget for the fine arts!

-They’re all freshman atm.

-Basically, all of our kiddos (except Five, we’ll get there) are cleaning the theater between shows in the fall season. Allison is acting House Crew Chief and is overseeing the whole thing. The others are on House Crew for various reasons - tech class credit, volunteer hours, etc. No one is actually studying theatre for their major except Allison, who’s double-majoring in acting and something else

-They’re essentially strangers (except Ben and Klaus, who are assigned roommates). They’re all aware of their own powers, but not any of the others’.

-As they clean, the host on the radio is going on about the one-year anniversary of his favorite “Hargreeves Five” (the current Academy, made up of different kids from the 43, and definitely not based on the ASBO Five) battle, apprehending a robber named Erick Webber in New York City. He was a starving actor who stole from large donation funds that were supposed to be distributed to other starving artists. The battle got violent, and fire got involved. What a spectacle!

-Vanya, who has accidentally skipped her meds that day, sees a rat and screams, prompting Luther to drop the lighting equipment he’s working on. Loud sound. Telekinetic energy starts going.

-There is a comically convenient chain reaction in which all of the siblings’ powers are triggered at once - Diego throws something, Klaus levitates, the Horror has to hold up the light rig, Allison has to rumor to memory-wipe the witnesses, etc.

-Once they have the situation under control, they realize it’s… weird. The odds are absolutely astronomical. How the hell did they all end up in the same place??

-There’s no reason to believe anyone brought them together on purpose, except maybe fate, or whatever Mysterious Space Magic caused their birth in the first place. They have a private House Crew meeting with a lot of freaking out and questions and bonding.

Chapter Two - “God I Hope I Get It”

-Fast forward to junior year. Since that fateful day, the theater has become the siblings’ home base. Luther is the shop foreman this year, Allison is seated at the right hand of the theatre department director (a sharp middle-aged woman who directs half of the shows), Diego knows his way around lights, and Klaus frequently builds and paints in the scene shop. Allison’s the only one of them who actually performs.

-The fall season includes Hair and Othello, and the joint audition for both is quickly approaching.

-Vanya, however, has been drifting away from it all for some reason. Allison finds her in the quad one day and encourages her to audition for Othello. Apparently, the theatre director has observed Vanya’s love of reading plays from afar and asked for her specifically. Vanya doesn’t want to go anywhere near the theater, but she’s touched by Allison’s belief in her and reluctantly says she’ll think about it.

-Diego is going through his classes and can’t help but feel like there’s this one freshman that’s just… following him. Looking at him funny. Keeps showing up in all his usual spots. Must be one of those obnoxious wiz kids - there’s no way in hell that he’s eighteen years old.

-Vanya has a monologue in her back pocket, her favorite from Winter’s Tale, ready to go. But when the day of the audition comes, she walks into the theater for the first time in months, and she breaks down and runs to the bathroom. Allison is too busy helping the director to console her, so she sends Klaus to check on her.

-Klaus talks to her through the door and tries to hype her up for the audition. Ghost!Ben tells him to reel it in.

-Vanya eventually admits that she drifted away from the theater because it was always a special place for the six of them, but after Ben died in a car crash in sophomore year, thinking about it just broke her heart all over again.

-Klaus doesn’t quite have the tact of language to bring her comfort, but Ben does. Without revealing he can see Ben, Klaus just echoes his words. Saying that Ben would still want her to be happy here. Saying that it’s okay to take time to work through all those feelings. He stays there until Vanya’s calm enough to come out of the bathroom, hug him for a really long time, and then go into her audition.

-The cast lists go out, and all the siblings run to see the one for Othello. Allison is the stage manager, to the surprise of no one, and has already seen that she’ll be playing Dionne in Hair. The headmaster’s kid (who I never gave a name, so let’s just call him Ollie) is playing Othello, some guy named Leonard is playing Roderigo, and Vanya is playing Desdemona. While they’re leaving to celebrate, Diego sees The Weird Freshman sign his initial on the cast list, confirming his role. He takes a peek at it later and wonders how this five-foot-six gremlin was cast as Iago, and what kind of a name is Five, anyway?

Chapter Three - “Good Morning Starshine”

-Production on Hair has begun.

-Diego is still a vigilante, but like, specifically for the college’s organization for fighting sexual harassment. Make no mistake, he is not endorsed by the club in any way, shape, or form. But when fellow criminal justice major Eudora Patch gets catcalled on a late night walk home from the library, a fraternity douchebag gets his hoodie pinned to the wall with a knife and receives an extremely harsh talking-to.

-Eudora just sighs into the darkness like “Diego was that really necessary” and keeps walking and Diego runs up to meet her like “yes??”

-Insert exposition here about how they’re exes but there’s still that Tension and fond bickering from the show. Eudora thinks he should get involved in other things on campus, but he immediately rejects it. No. Nope. Nothing else going on. Just lights. And Batman.

-Luther and Allison often hang out in one of the hallways of the theater for lunch. Allison complains that she’s in charge of a lot of little projects in the program, and it’s hard to get people to listen to her. Luther complains that Diego hasn’t been showing up to help in the shop lately. Even though Diego’s not officially on set crew, it’s a little suspicious that he hasn’t been around.

-The mainstage theater has been going through a very fancy refurbishment, and a new chandelier just came in. How the department has the money for a chandelier, no one has any idea. There’s an inside joke that the theatre director must be having a scandalous lesbian affair with the headmaster.

-After a while, Luther enlists Klaus to help him to figure out what Diego’s hiding. With their single shared braincell, it takes them a little too long to realize that Diego’s name is on the Hair cast list. But that can’t possibly be right.

-Luther and Klaus sneak into the blackbox (a smaller, more intimate theater) in the middle of a Hair rehearsal and, sure enough, holy shit, Diego is actually onstage as one of the tribe people, lowkey having the time of his life.

-Enter UT Dallas transfer David Katz in the role of Claude. And it’s just. On sight. Klaus is down for the goddamn count.

-“Who is that??” “I know, right? Like, that’s our brother.” “No, no, not him. The really pretty one.”

-At the end of whatever song they’re doing, Diego locks eyes with Luther and almost dies of embarrassment right then and there.

-Cue big long childish argument of “why didn’t you tell us you had any interest in being in the musical?” and “I didn’t know I had any interest either oKAY you weren’t supposed to find out” “how wouldn’t we have found out you IDIOT we LIVE HERE.”

-At the end of rehearsal, Diego is feeling entirely beaten down. As is Allison, up to her eyeballs in responsibility. They sit on the loading dock and Diego admits he didn't want to make a big deal out of the fact that he was in Hair. But he’s actually really digging the songs and the messages and the comradery. Even though musical theatre is dumb. Allison assures him it’s nothing to be embarrassed about.

Chapter Four - “What’s the Buzz?”

-Production on Othello has begun.

-Fluffy opening that’s just a montage of Disaster Klaus repeatedly trying to justify sitting in on Hair rehearsal. “Sure, Allison, let me cut out those gels.” “Sure, Dance Captain, I can record the choreography.” “Shut up, Ben, I’m just really into American military history.”

-Meanwhile he’s just…… watching the show, listening to Dave sing, waiting for the right moment to strike up a Totally Casual Conversation with him.

-And it happens! Eventually.

-Diego meets Eudora on the loading dock and comes clean to her about the fact that he’s in the musical. Eudora is shocked and amused and teases him a little for it, but she’s ultimately supportive. And endeared. Cute bickering.

-When she leaves for her next class, Five is six feet away sipping coffee like “Oh, you’re both the same major? Aww that’s adorable.”

-Diego finally confronts him and asks him what his deal is and Five says something cryptic about “Reggie’s bastards”. Diego grabs him by the arm and drags him to the empty dressing room and interrogates him on everything he knows.

-Five is somewhere in his thirties, he can teleport, his body’s been screwed up by time travel complications, he knows about all the others, and he’s “played a game of hopscotch with an unsympathetic god”. When asked why he came back to this time in particular, he dodges the question with some snarky reply of how he’s not sure he made the right call.

-They decide not to tell everyone else all at once, until they hear faint movement. They find Klaus buried under a throw blanket on The Couch that every theater has, a little stoned, stirring from a midday dressing room nap.

-”I’m a BOY in LOVE, leave me aLONE.”

Chapter Five - “No One is Alone”

-Once again, Allison is overwhelmed. She had rumored her way into the double major when she didn’t actually have the high school credits necessary to graduate on time, but since meeting the other siblings, she’d sworn off using her power. If she was caught, it could start a breadcrumb trail to the others and expose all of them. And like, they just want to get out of here with their degrees, man.

-The theatre department director has had to assign her the most incompetent freshmen in the world to manage with assorted housekeeping tasks. They have an attitude, they don’t know how anything works, and Allison simply doesn’t have the time to lead them. She comes to the theatre director to explain this.

-And for the first time in a long while, the director expresses sternness to her. And it hurts.

-”Come on, Allison, we both know you’re good with people. You can be very persuasive when you want to be. You will work this out.”

-It’s very pointed. She will work this out. There is no other option.

-And. Not to be self-centered, but the spring musical is going to be Cabaret, and Allison has been convinced she had Sally Bowles in the bag. But if she gets on the director’s bad side halfway through junior year…

-It’s a particularly tense day, ten minutes before she has to sign in for Hair rehearsal. Some poor freshman is organizing the costume closet and just doesn’t get it and doesn’t want to be here and the director demands that this is done by the end of the day.

-So. It’s just one. It’s no big deal. She just heard the oddest little rumor that the student could make the closet perfectly tidy within the hour.

-Five and Vanya are at rehearsal for Othello. Now that he’s actually talked to Diego and Klaus, he feels a little more at ease being in this place and time. The two have plenty of time to chat while on breaks. And because Vanya is such a chill, calming force compared to the stubborn and impulsive Diego, it goes a lot smoother.

-Neither of them can stand Ollie, the headmasters’ pretentious son who’s playing Othello, going on and on about his actor step-brother in New York. Whatever. He likes to creep around the scene shop, too. Like he’s judging the tech. I’d like to see YOU pick up a drill, sir.

-He’s also really close to the theatre director. No one’s ever heard them interact, but they’ve sure seen them together. And he’s not even putting in all the hours for her that Allison is.

-Vanya and Five probably get coffee before rehearsal. Run lines. Five rambles about the flaws in Shakespeare’s philosophies over an americano. And they eventually tell each other their stories.

-Pogo had gone with Sir Reginald to examine the children and their potential prior to adoption. Reginald’s technology sensed great power in Vanya, even as an infant. After Vanya’s mother refused to sell, Pogo went behind Reginald’s back and made contact with the mother, advising her on how to suppress Vanya’s powers (but not emotions) with medication whenever they couldn’t be internally controlled. Vanya was good at self-control for much of her childhood, but the adjustment to college and grief of losing Ben put her back in a risky zone, so she’s been leaning a little more heavily on her medicine these days. She knows the adrenaline she gets onstage is good and natural, but it makes her nervous about forgetting a dose again.

-Five’s mother was quite a character. The name came from the fact that, during birth, Five first hit the air at exactly 12:00:05.

-Five had practiced his time jumps all through his childhood. (With none of the spite and rush he had in canon, he had no need to leap years right away, so he took it slow.) Sometimes he would get stuck in a place for a while, but his mom was cool and understood this. He would adapt to the new environment, anywhere between hours and weeks, and jump right back when he got enough rest to use his power again. There were some bugs, some problems with exact accuracy of destination, but he was always working on it. He was very lonely, though, never getting to meet with any of the other 43 and being discouraged from doing so by his mother.

-There was a portion of the future he got stuck in as a teenager in which the nation was governed by a tyrannical organization called “The Macbeth Enterprise”.

-Vanya immediately tries to shush him at this point in the story because he said the Bad Theatre Word. The director is very superstitious. She takes it deadly seriously and has threatened to actually penalty anyone who says it in the theater. Five just chuckles.

-And luckily, they’re rehearsing in the blackbox today, so even if the director could hear, it’s not “in the theater”.

-The future he saw was a century ahead of them, far beyond their lifetime. He was able to glean a little information about the origins of the Enterprise, but he shares none of this with Vanya. Firstly, those in power had high-tech augmentation that gave them a perfect replica of the kind of superpowers the 43 had - mind manipulation, immortality, etc. And secondly, they were credited with destroying the Hargreeves Five. As if the Hargreeves Five were a danger to society.

-What he does tell Vanya is that he’d never made any attempt to change the timeline before, but that’s just what he decided to do. With what little information he had, the only thing he could think of was to ruin the Enterprise’s namesake.

-Five spent literal years of his life, traveling from city to city across centuries, dooming various productions of Macbeth with Commission-level pragmatism until the name of the play itself became the taboo we know irl today.

-Vanya’s laughing. Five is too, honestly. It’s crazy.

-But he didn’t do what he did out of a ridiculous dare to himself. He did it out of desperation to not only to save the country, but to save his family as well. The family he’d never known. The kids all across the globe who went through the same strange hell of differentness that he had since birth. The Hargreeves Five, of course, needed to survive, as they’re responsible for maintaining peace on earth anyway. But if the Hargreeves Five were hunted down, why would the Enterprise stop there? Wouldn’t all 43 of them be in danger? Would all their gifts be harvested from them, and would they then be thrown away?

-But who knows if Five actually made a difference? He prays that it did. But the years of isolation in his personal mission convinced him of one thing - he should know his family. He had no idea when the country would start falling to shit - if it still would - but he could keep an eye on it alongside people who understood him. And with his foresight, maybe they could rise against the evil together.

-And maybe he was just so tired of being alone.

-So, digging was done through the Internet and several libraries in several eras. He found his insertion point at the University. He knew he’d have to look a little younger to fit in.

-But naturally, he got some equations wrong.

-Eventually, Five is formally introduced to Luther and Allison, who welcome him with slight skepticism, followed by a strong bear hug. Five’s not sure how to take the physical affection. He nods, which is a completely normal response to a hug, wraps his arms back around them, and tries to keep his eyes from leaking.

Chapter Six - “Whispering”

-It’s tech week of Hair, and because he’s been blowing his voice out in rehearsal from underdeveloped technique, Diego is on vocal rest.

-Most of this chapter is Diego Is On Vocal Rest and Everyone Gives Him Shit About It in a Loving Way.

-“Everyone” includes Eudora. She just bought her tickets for opening night.

-One early afternoon, Luther and Klaus are back in the scene shop together - Luther’s moving some lumber around and Klaus is carefully painting a setting onto a flat - and Luther vents that he’s not looking forward to running spotlight on Othello. He knows he can do it, but he wishes the theatre director would trust him with more authority and let him be Technical Director.

-Ben is eternally rolling his eyes and bitching about how entitled Luther sounds. He’s already the goddamn shop foreman. Klaus tries not to laugh at how annoyed Ben is about this.

-“But Diego could totally go back to lights for Othello! Hair will be over by then! He’s the pro! If I were TD I’d put him back on in an instant!”

-Dave wanders into the shop and says “hey” and Klaus nearly drops his wet paint brush onto the floor.

-After the brief succession of clumsy attempts Klaus had made to connect with Dave, Dave is actually bothering to return the effort.

-Luther is oblivious as hell while he’s toting the lumber around just like “Oh hi! Welcome! You’re new right? I’m Luther. I’m the shop foreman. You ever been on a tech crew before?” and this whole cringey spiel of small talk he usually gives to new students.

-About a minute into the small talk Luther finally sees how awkward Dave feels and how tense Klaus looks and he’s just like ohhhhh.

-He moves his task about eight feet further away to give them some space to talk. Even though that’s definitely not where the lumber is supposed to go. He just doesn’t want to make it weirder.

-Anyway. Insert fluff that isn’t obscenely flirtatious but is like… flirting with flirtatious.

-Later on that day, Leonard is tapped by the headmaster to join Student Government. Must’ve been one hell of a GPA. The new commitment forces him to give up the part of Roderigo in Othello.

-Leonard tells Allison this. Shit. Just what she needed today. She turns to her assistant stage manager and murmurs, shrugging off the guilt as she says it: “I heard a rumor you broke the news to our director as gently as possible.”

-After an eternity of assembling, dusting, and re-dusting, the Umbrella University theater chandelier is finally risen, ready for the first show of the season.

Chapter Seven - “The Life of the Party”

-After a hurried round of reviewing the audition tapes from the beginning of the year, Dave has been cast to fill the part of Roderigo.

-The technical director of Othello quit. No one’s really sure why. He was solid. But Luther’s been asked to step up, and he’s been trusted to pick anyone he wants to fill his previous spot on lights.

-Cue super petty conversation about how they both know Diego’s bomb at lights but they still annoy each other just by existing. Nonetheless, Diego agrees to hop onto Othello crew.

-Guess what, y’all, it’s opening night of Hair.

-Hard cut to Eudora, Luther, and Klaus, standing awkwardly together in the theater lobby, holding bouquets of various sizes and colors, convincing themselves that it’s a totally platonic gift to give to an actor.

-The show goes great. At the end of opening weekend, the cast and crew and friends go out to celebrate at the local bar and grill.

-At some point, the drinks are on Ollie, and everyone knows he and his mom are loaded. So. More drinks are had than ought to be had.

-ESPECIALLY by Five. He starts rambling about this girl named Delores in his quantum physics class and how he’s not sure if he’s allowed to find her attractive because of how complicated his age is.

-Vanya needed to get drunk. She deserved it. Now she’s yelling about this girl named Sissy in her chamber orchestra. What is happening.

-I’m not saying that Klaus and Dave had their first kiss while buzzed and behind the TUA equivalent of an Applebee’s, but I’m not not saying it.

-Luther has like two beers and starts getting emotional about how pretty the moon is.

-In classes the next morning, everyone’s hungover as shit.

-Except Allison, who was the extra careful Mom Friend and made sure her siblings made it home safe.

-Except Klaus. Who. Y’know. Didn’t really make it home. Ben goes to his 8 AM and takes Ghost Notes for him.

-Sometime that week, Luther comes into the director’s office with a question and sees her finishing a phone call, looking distraught.

-He asks if she’s okay. She doesn’t want to explain, but it eventually comes out that her son was in an accident of sorts three years ago. It’s almost the anniversary. He just got another treatment for the burn scars across half of his face. The director is still grieving the fact that it’s highly unlikely he’ll find success in his dream to be a Broadway actor.

-Luther warns Allison that the director might be in a worse mood this week. So that’s great.

-At an Othello rehearsal, Allison is calling cues from her promptbook. She pretty much has them memorized. But apparently, as the theatre director tells her, she keeps getting them wrong today?

-Allison could swear that last time she was at rehearsal, her book was different. What she’s reading is unfamiliar - lefts instead of rights, blue-outs instead of black-outs, etc. So she’s stumbling.

-On break, the theatre director expresses her frustration to Allison. We’re almost in tech week, for God’s sake. Allison apologizes and promises it won’t happen in the run.

-Allison blames her screw-ups on the stress of her overcommitments. Vanya sees she’s a little upset after the exchange and invites her to hang with her and Five after rehearsal.

-Vanya and Five have actually opened a pretty decent dialogue on mental health as it relates to their abilities, with Five’s powers damaging his psychological state and Vanya’s mood being an element of her telekinesis. Vanya reminds Allison that she’s got a lot on her plate, so she should try to take it easy where she can.

-Vanya still has anxiety, and it tends to flare at the part in the play where Othello smothers Desdemona with a pillow. They had worked out a safe plan in rehearsal. The pillow is thin and held at an angle so Vanya can still breathe, and it is only going to be held for a count of twelve. No longer, no shorter.

-Vanya and her siblings also take some more time to bitch about Ollie, too. Did you hear him accidentally call the director “mom” the other day? How embarrassing. What a dork.

-Hair closes and Othello tech week begins.

-A new batch of freshman House Crew members are cleaning up the theater one day with the radio on.

-It’s now the three year anniversary of the host’s favorite Hargreeves Five battle, a showdown against aspiring actor and convicted robber Erick Webber that went up in flames.

Chapter Eight - “Brush Up Your Shakespeare”

-The twelve-hour cue-to-cue tech rehearsal for Othello is a nightmare. But aren’t all cue-to-cues nightmares?

-They are.

-There might be some fluffy sibling stuff here, but nothing important. Luther, Diego, and Allison are speaking on headset with each other (“on com”). The channel also includes the assistant stage manager and assistant tech director.

-About five hours in, Luther and Diego get real sick of each other. Luther is redundant with his directions. Diego knows what to do. Diego keeps jumping the gun on cues. Passive aggression ensues.

-Allison has had it up to HERE and says “Look, if you’re gonna be children, can you please do it on a different channel?”

-And they do. They dedicate a whole other radio channel to Luther and Diego arguing where the rest of the crew can’t hear it.

-It’s during the cue-to-cue that Allison screws up the calls one too many times - is someone editing her promptbook when she’s not around? - and gets one more comment from the director. It’s worded like encouragement but spoken like a threat.

-“Allison, you were doing so well with the freshman. Just tell yourself you can do this. You’ll be perfect.”

-At lunch break, she wants to collapse. She goes to the bathroom, locks the door, and looks into the mirror.

-“I heard a rumor that you followed that promptbook perfectly.”

-The day after cue-to-cue, Vanya realizes she’s lost her meds. They have to be in the theater somewhere, but she can’t find them. Her siblings assure her that being in the show has improved her overall confidence, and they’ll all come running if she starts to have a meltdown for any reason. She’ll be able to control her emotions until she can get a refill. This warms her lil heart.

-The final dress rehearsals come to pass. Vanya continues to flourish. Five continues to impress and confound. Allison is flawless. Luther and Diego get over themselves. Klaus and Eudora get front row seats for opening night. It’s going to be a packed house. The local news are coming and filming segments to promote the program. As if the program needs any more support. The chandelier still boggles the mind.

-Opening night. The show is going spectacularly until Act V, when Ollie starts pressing the pillow over Vanya’s face.

-This is always the hard part. But it’s just a count of twelve, underscored by two bars of music.

-Until it isn’t.

-Ollie keeps pressing. This wasn’t what we rehearsed.

-Allison sees this from the booth and almost feels like they should call a hold, but her rumor kicks in and she can’t help but keep calling the show as normal.

-Vanya starts to hear the music amplified in her ears and starts to lose control of her power.

-Luther and Diego are both in Allison’s headset as the building starts to shake. “Allison, you need to call hold. Right now. Call hold!”

-Panicking, Vanya sends a pulse of energy out, knocking Ollie halfway across the stage, sending the flats crashing down, and shattering a row of stage lights. When she stands up, Ollie is smiling.

-The news crew caught it on tape. The audience is freaking out. Most of them try to flee but are trapped inside at the back of the house.

-Allison’s next call is the newest and strangest unauthorized edit she’s seen in her promptbook. It’s for the wrong play.

-“Spot B to Macbeth.”

-At the first time that its trigger phrase has ever been uttered in the building, the chandelier starts to glow and expand. Then, it drops, lower and lower, until it is right in front of the stage.

-It was never just a chandelier. It’s a piece of extra-terrestrial technology. Standing on the shelf on top of it are the director and the headmaster.

Chapter Nine - “The Point of No Return”

-I don’t know exactly how I’d reveal all of this, but here’s the gist.

-By the way, this is them coming out as extra-as-hell supervillains. So the way this is revealed is probably extra as hell.

-The director’s son is Erick Webber, a starving artist who resorted to a life of crime to pay his bills and got himself tangled with the Hargreeves Five, who are responsible for half of his face burning in the heat of battle.

-The director and the headmaster actually have been romantically involved for a few years, all but legally married.

-When the directors’ son was forever barred from the career of his dreams, the director and very wealthy headmaster first got together. The headmaster got her a job at the school.

-They wanted revenge for their son. But they also deduced that the Hargreeves Five were too immature for their powers and potential to ruin lives. They were just dumb kids. Their powers must be taken from them and placed into more capable hands.

-The couple had done extensive research, learned about the power potential in the 43, tracked down as many of them as they could find - preferably those already living in America - and hired all sorts of people and services to promote Umbrella University to them. They offered each one of them a sizable scholarship.

-They got seven of them.

-And they arranged meetings with characters that Hargreeves had done some shady deals with so they could acquire the otherworldly technology needed to set their plan into motion.

-And Macbeth was the trigger word for the invention - the story of an old celebrated king slain to make room for the rightful leader, as plotted by an empowered and bloodthirsty woman - so they had to put it in a theater. They had to ensure the trigger wasn’t spoken in the room until the correct time.

-Five realizes at this point that the efforts he made to change the past didn’t stop the Macbeth Enterprise, it just gave them a way more convenient origin. God dammit.

-The siblings realize Ollie was in on the whole thing. He had to make sure all seven of the kids were in the theater at the right time, so he snooped around and reported back to the Evil Moms. They let Luther be TD so Diego could cover lights. They cast Five, made Allison recruit Vanya, and made Allison SM. They took out Leonard and cast Dave to ensure Klaus and Ben would be there for opening. Ollie hid Vanya’s pills during the cue-to-cue.

-Allison realizes the director knew about her power all along and really was suggesting that she use it. Allison had done exactly what they wanted her to. They must’ve had someone re-do the promptbook each day and everything.

-The point is, there’s now news footage of a girl with unpredictably dangerous powers ruining a perfectly good school play and two women making a solid case that these children can’t be trusted with their gifts. The chandelier machinery revs up to perform its task - stripping all of their powers away.

-Five knows it won’t end there - the powers will be turned against the Hargreeves Five. Their abilities will be harvested too. And the hands that they’ll all end up in will be military-minded and will seize control of the nation, ruling by fear.

-There’s an extensive fight scene here. One that, again, I have no idea how I would write. It’s something that involves a level of family teamwork that they would not have if the theatre program didn’t bring them so close together in the first place. So it’s pretty ironic and kinda sweet.

-We find out that Dave and Eudora are absolutely ride-or-die for their idiot boyfriends that they just found out have terrifying superpowers, and they each have a moment where they contribute to the takedown.

-Ben is summoned because he legally has to be. The Horror can do some serious damage to the machine, and he finds he’s unaffected by its drainage because he’s dead as hell.

-Vanya grabs a violin from the pit where the underscoring was being played and shreds away at it to channel her power.

-The fight has heavy parallels to the prologue scene, where everyone’s powers went berserk because Vanya saw a rat and freaked out. Except there’s obviously a lot more at stake and a lot more direction in it.

-All of that gets resolved, somehow. Any of their power that gets drained gets returned to them once they get the machine shut down. Luther effortlessly snaps the tape of evidence in half.

-Allison uses her last rumor of junior year to memory-wipe and send away the cameramen and the witnesses.

-Except Eudora and Dave, who are surprisingly chill about this and promise to keep it all secret.

-The gang has no idea how to explain all the damage to the authorities, but the Criminal Justice Duo knows how to detain the bad guys in the costume closet and highlight some evidence to draw the focus to the less-than-legal dealings they made to set up their plot in the first place.

-Corruption? In college administration?? Pssshhh noooooooo never.

-The story embedded in the rumor is that the chandelier overheated and combusted, so everyone ran out. The police will discover the alien tech and go from there.

-Still, the superpower squad realizes they should lay low. Play dumb if interviewed. Skip class for a couple days and stay far away from the theatre department.

-Diego is up on the catwalk - the walkway above the audience where they maneuver the spotlights - collecting his stuff. He hears some footsteps on the ladder and sees Eudora climbing up to meet him.

-Diego starts to say something snarky and casual and Eudora’s like “No. Shut up. Just. Please. Shut up.” and kisses him.

-After weeks of pretending not to care as much as they really did and a solid half hour of having no idea if the other would live or die, here they are, standing over the decimated theater, finally at ease in each other’s arms

Chapter Ten - “Curtain Call”

-And that’s… it. When the siblings start coming back to classes, no one comes after them for whatever happened.

-Needless to say, the rest of the run of Othello has been cancelled. All theatre classes will be moved online or converted to classroom formats until repairs can be made to the building. There’s a new interim headmaster and theatre department director.

-It’s going to take forever for them to fix the damage done to the theater, and even when they do, it doesn’t feel right to keep that as their home base. So, where to now? How are they gonna fill the rest of their electives?

-All of the fine arts buildings are stacked close together. Music major Vanya has an idea.

-Second semester, Diego takes beginning percussion. Luther joins the marching band (and far exceeds the athletic demands for it). Klaus picks guitar back up. Allison ventures into vocal jazz. Five is a natural at composition.

-Sharing practice rooms. Cramming for theory exams. The entire works. They’re music kids now!

-They’re thrilled when they find out that all of their respective ensembles will be featured in the spring concert.

-But does the conductor of Vanya’s chamber orchestra seem a little… eccentric to you?

...

im a broken woman from this. god dammit.

#tua #the umbrella academy #what the hell else to tag this as #diedora #klave #Reginald They're Thespians #the chapter titles are semi-relevant names of show songs ha get it??

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potatoesandsunshine · 3 years

Text

Campaign 2 Wrap Up: Anna Potatoesandsunshine Edition

Seemed like it would be fun to go through all the fan content I made for this campaign and try to find at least one thing I like about each thing! Kind of like looking back through a photo album. Under the cut because as it turns out, I wrote kind of a lot! (As in, 21 fics and 3 playlists kind of a lot!)

the sea, once it casts its spell (fjord speculation, what’s up with all this ocean stuff?? the fic)

The first thing I wrote for c2, wayyy in the beginning of things. We had no idea about Uk’otoa or Avantika or anyone at this point, it was pure ocean vibes for my favorite warlock. I really like how hard I leaned in on the “the ocean follows Fjord to land” idea.

so many things will fill my life (but only one will do) (post-campaign cali/jester fluff, written the night of the cali episode and so sweet it could rot your teeth)

This one is just good. I just did good with this one. I’m one of those people who hates their own work the night of posting and then when looking back at it goes, “Wow, this is great.” My favorite thing is the little gifts sent along with the letters! Cali was so fun and cute :)

when the dust does roam (Beau study up to Episode 42, 2k words of Beau poking at the idea of grief)

Best thing I did in this fic was have Caleb-through-Frumpkin bugging Beau about getting some sleep. They really... they’re siblings, your honor.

“ “Fuck off, I’ll sleep when I’m dead.” Beau picks the bird up and sets him in the hood of her own cloak, out of reach of any weasels or startled monks in the morning. It’d suck to have to tell Caleb that his Frumpkin got eaten by Sprinkle.” C’mon guys, let’s do the sibling dance.

keep your swords out by your sides (the idea for this was, What If Fjord Has Nightmares From Uk’otoa Every Night and just doesn’t remember them)

Assigning everybody a word Uk’otoa had said for each nightmare in this was a challenge; I went into it knowing I wanted Caleb for Learn and Caduceus for Consume and had to guess the rest - for an angry eye snake Uk’otoa didn’t give us a ton of quotes.

“ He reaches over and runs a hand along the wall of the ship. From his touch, mushrooms begin sprouting.” Caduceus starting to decompose the Mistake in the middle of cooking was maybe the best moment in this story for me. Like, yeah. Yeah. Ok you funky little grave cleric.

strange but not a stranger (Caleb & Jester, in the immediate aftermath of Caleb’s charm in Episode 55)

the first of my “the Mighty Nein won’t have these conversations with each other in canon so they have to be had in fic” ideas that turned into a full-fledged story. I still had not discovered the em dash at this point, so the formatting of this makes me cringe a little bit, but this fic was really about The Emotions Of Being Out Of Control which turned out to be a very big Thing for the Mighty Nein.

now this story was when swords were humble (fake academia mixed with a Yasha study)

Honestly I’m still obsessed with the AU I made here where Yasha was just awakening every sword she used without knowing it?? Why did I use that here only?? That might come back. But the best part about this fic is the citations; me at my most in-joke and ridiculous.

through the teeth of this tempest (Written in the immediate aftermath of Episode 69, Yasha internally trying to break Obann’s control over the course of a month.)

The most “I wrote this to cope with canon” fic out of all of them. I was crying writing this, I was so upset that Yasha was gone ugh just remembering it. Still waiting for past me to discover the em dash, I genuinely don’t know why I didn’t know how to do it and I’ve thought about going back and editing all of these but I’m just Not Gonna Do All That. Anyway, I really like how Yasha catches lightning with her sword in this. We all really manifested that happening.

nothing more than what the losers settle for (Time travel, a series of oneshots where each member of the m9 sans Caduceus went back to a different point in the timeline and murdered Trent Ikithon)

This was my longest fic for c2, so I’m mostly just glad it got finished. This happened somewhere around the time Matt released that set of notes that mentioned Trent in more detail and I hated him so much I just had to write him dying six times. That speaks for itself.

Revolutionary!Fjord was also a good turn. He could pull it off, I think.

we’re gonna show ‘em a thing, or two, or three (Jester growing up fluff!)

I really like how I did Jester & Artagan in this, even though he barely appears. Someone better at songwriting than me please write the Dragon Song. Em dash makes an appearance here but the formatting is still wrong. I Am Once Again Asking For Proper Use Of The Em Dash.

the best things (happen while you’re dancing) (Mid-Episode 97 Divergence, Jester taking the reins at the party + hints of jester/beau/yasha bc i still love my girls so much)

Jester’s a little out of character in this, but not wildly so, and it was for the purposes of a Trapped By Societal Convention plot that I wanted her to mastermind so I think it was fine in the end. I’m still fascinated by the way she unbalanced Ludinus Da’leth in basically every interaction they had, and while their scene feels pretty cliche in this... the cliches are there for a reason. They’re so fun to write.

Em dash my beloved, there you are.

plus thirty-one varieties of sacramental wine (The Galavant crossover that truly nobody asked for, Beau + the monks)

Yeah, this one’s just fun. Not much more to say about it. Critical Role and Galavant are both fantasy, but they’re honestly pretty different in tone, and it was fun to write Beau dropped into a comedy musical.

oh we were sea-bound and aimless at best (Purely angst, a What If The Fjord & Orly Resurrections Didn’t Work fic)

Made myself care about Marius with this one, y’all. What more can I say? Beau having to go from first mate to captain was just... deliciously painful, because she would.

lost my shape trying to act casual (Beau & Yasha during travelercon, another mid-episode fic, this time of 104)

Yasha comforting Beau, who feels guilty for not feeling guilty... That Mighty Nein wasn’t lying, Mind Control and Autonomy can be themes. Another in the “the Mighty Nein won’t have these conversations with each other in canon so they have to be had in fic” tank. They really just... didn’t open up to each other for a long time, which made sense, but I wanted them to.

so long as you don’t mind a little dying (Beau & Caduceus, sometime in the peace talks arc)

Keeping with the Mighty Nein Please Talk To Each Other theme, I feel like I did a pretty good job with the late-night conversation energy of this fic. This was at a time when I was looking at Caduceus, can opener in hand, ready to make this firbolg open up about his feelings. Beau in this is prickly and confrontational but only in service of her friend’s well-being.

amber light, bending (Eiselcross speculation, Widofjord and all the messiness therein)

THE widofjord fic of my two widofjord fics. The blueprint. The better one. Finally I got the dynamic figured out. I maintain that the tower is an absolute expression of Caleb’s love for his friends. The way that neither of them have the braincell in this fic... yeah this one is just good.

and a blade between them (Widofjord happening... sometime.)

Okay so this is not as good as amber light and I will never be able to look at it and like it as much, but it was still fun to write. Anyway, the intimacy of shaving someone else. That is good. The tag “if they didn’t want me to think about the blood pact they shouldn’t have made the blood pact” is the most useful takeaway from this fic and is the driving force behind the Fjord/Jester/Caleb fic I’m working on now, so it wasn’t a waste of time or anything.

feel the ground beneath my feet turn into the sky (Post-Campaign Astrid-retires-to-Nicodranas, Astrid/Jester)

This is another one where I’m like “Yeah, this is just good.” Packed full of Wizard Fashion, Artagan making an appearance to rope Astrid into having a happier future, and the power of Going To The Seaside. Good for you, fic-Astrid.

spend your days biting your own neck (Role-reversal where Beau is the one mind-controlled this time and Yasha is the one chasing after her, set very early in the Tomb Takers arc)

So much of this fic is about not saying things aloud - Beau’s POV spends a good chunk on body language and Yasha writes multiple letters on paper and in her own head - but devotion bleeding through anyway because there’s nowhere else for it to go. The two of them go tumbling over a cliff together at the end but Yasha has wings, ugh. Yeah this was a good one.

and blow the dry leaves from the tree (Somewhere before the beauyasha date but otherwise timeline-nonspecific Nicodranas, Yasha & Yeza become friends)

Yasha & Yeza making pancakes together when neither of them know how to do so... is good. This fic is very much about grief sneaking in, but it’s even more about finding someone to share the moment with you. I think these two have more in common than we think.

oh, lend a mending hand (Caleb & Caduceus during Beau’s tombstone meditation in Episode 130)

I wrote this entire fic as an excuse for Caleb and Caduceus to hug and it does what it says on the tin. Got em.

it’s about the passing of measures (Beauyasha at the end of Episode 134, Aeor speculation)

This fic got extremely sidetracked because I rediscovered the marble machine during it and I do not apologize for that. I still really like the idea that Aeor as a whole, not just the Cognouza, is somewhat-alive. Too much magic and too much death for it to be anything else, in my mind. And I’m a sap for hurt/comfort.

the blumentrio playlist nobody asked for

If I think too much about how deep in each other these three people are I will cry. Made myself a soundtrack for those tears.

the caleb playlist nobody asked for

what if this angsty wizard had a playlist of songs that mostly just... make me want to dance? that question was answered here.

the caduceus playlist nobody asked for

songs about home, leaving home, dying, changing, becoming someone new, coming home and finding it’s changed... this to me is caduceus.

yeah... this campaign has been fun!! I probably won’t stop making things about it; I still write about Vox Machina, for crying out loud, but... it feels good to lay it all out like this. It’s been a long few years, and it’s wild to be seeing the end of it now.

#yes tumblr hates links yes here is an overlong post with 24 links #now THIS is why you make a blog. to look at your own work and say yeah several times.#critical role #i have some stuff i've been working on but i don't see any of it getting finished before the epilogue #looking back at everything is like... yeah! i had a lot of fun here!#anna's fic notes

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florenceandthemachine · 4 years

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Chapters: 1/5 Fandom: 9-1-1 (TV) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Demons, Canon-Typical Violence, One Night Stands, Getting Together, Drunkenness, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eddie Diaz Is A Good Father

HAPPY HALLOWEEN 3RD EVERYONE and thank you to @eddiesdiaz and @hearteyesforbuck for convincing me to write what started out as a spite fic.

***

“You really love that kid, huh?” Buck murmured against his chest, and Eddie smiled, a soft chuckle making his chest (and Buck’s head) shake. “I do. He deserves everything I can give him and so much more. I’d do anything, give up anything, to make sure Chris is happy and safe.”

“You’d... sell your car for him?” He asked, looking up as Eddie scoffed.

“Please. In a heartbeat.”

Buck rose a brow, fingers circling Eddie’s palm. “You’d sell your house?”

“Without a doubt.” Eddie locked Buck’s fingers in his own, bringing their hands to his lips, kissing each of Buck’s knuckles.

“Would you sell your soul?”

———————————————————————————————————

For the record, Eddie Diaz really and truly thought that he was going to have a good day when he woke up.

He had actually slept that night, which was a great start.

He finished his morning run in time to have breakfast with Chris and Carla, which was embarrassingly infrequent.

He was still smiling, humming some song from one of Chris’ shows under his breath, when he went to check the mail that morning, and that was when everything went to shit.

The simple “Condolences” card would have basically gone unnoticed in the stack of bills and junkmail, had it not been for the Texas zip code on the envelope. He thumbs the edge of the card, a frown across his face as he racks his brain—had anyone died recently? He didn’t think so, hadn’t heard from his aunt or his abuela, they hadn’t had any life or limb threatening calls in almost a month and a half.

He opened the card slowly, eyes scanning over the block of text written on the left side of the card, his heart instantly kicking overdrive as he picked out a few words.

The card was for Shannon.

Shannon, who his parents were not exactly on the best of terms with. Shannon, who had responded to Eddie leaving in turn, who had divorced him less than twenty four hours before her death.

Shannon who had been dead for a year, almost to the day.

He almost, almost couldn’t believe it, that his mother and father would be the kind of people who send death-anniversary-condolence cards, but those thoughts were stuck swirling around in his own guilt. Shannon had died a year ago and Eddie hadn’t even realized it. Sure, they had a tumultuous relationship at best, and he still missed her—especially missed her with Chris—but it still felt gross, realizing that he had spaced out what he felt should have been such an important milestone.

He only barely scanned over the words “Chris” and “with us” and “for the best” before he slammed the card against his chest, his eyes wide and wild, only a second away from going full fight-or-flight because of a fucking greeting card. He didn’t want to believe that he was still going to be fighting against this, that he had to continue to fight against his parents for his son. They were doing better. He was doing better. And for anyone to suggest, twelve months after the fact, that Shannon’s death would have been a decent reason for Eddie to give up custody...

Between calling out of work last minute and having to be reminded twice to kiss Chris goodbye when Carla brought him to school, Eddie knew that he wasn’t exactly the image of stability at this point—but he was pretty sure that could all be forgiven, considering his circumstances.

Blindsided by an event that happened a year ago: check.

Still only barely making ends meet and paying for his son’s needs: check.

Regularly feeling like an absolute failure in a personal, professional, and fatherly sense: fucking triple check.

Eddie’s only saving grace was that Chris had already planned on spending the night with Hen and Karen and Denny that evening, so Eddie could do the one thing he did best.

Better than anyone else. Better than anyone, ever.

Finding a random bar to get absolutely plastered in.

“It’s just, when I thought they couldn’t sink any fucking lower, they do. They act like she was no one when she was alive, and now that she’s dead I’m supposed to just hate her alongside them because they hate her cause she divorced me, but spoiler alert! She died anyway!” Eddie was saying, his face resting cheek down on the bar, the straight whiskey he had been sipping swirling around in its glass, the amber liquid refracting light over his face. He was alone in the bar, had been for two hours at least—his words might have been the slightest bit slurred, but the bartender seemed to be ever understanding, nodding his head as he wiped down the spot next to Eddie, what seemed to be the last of his closing duties.

His bartender, who was rapidly going up in Eddie’s opinion—not just because of his impeccable pours, and the fact that he was pretty cute (and yes, that was Eddie’s unbiased opinion), but because he was listening. He was actually listening as Eddie rambled on, more than just that passive grunt-and-nod that so many bartenders thought passed for actually paying attention to their clientele.

“You know,” Bartender started, tapping his fingers on the bar, a steady rhythm that pulsed through Eddie’s cheek in a semi-comforting manner. “It’s okay that you didn’t hate her. Even after the divorce. Just because two people divorce, doesn’t mean they don’t love one another, just that... that they’re better apart than they are together.”

Oooh. That was a good point. It was wrong, but it was still a good point. Eddie rose his hand to counter balance himself, pushing into an upright position so he could take another swallow from the glass in front of him. “I didn’t love her, not at the end, but...” Eddie started, sipping and swallowing. “I loved what she was.”

The bartender leaned forward, raising a brow, and Eddie felt his eyes naturally drift from the small green gem that was hanging off of the chain around his neck to the beauty mark, dancing above his browbone, scrunched up as he scrutinized Eddie that much further. “And what was she?”

“A partner.” Eddie said easily, catching the surprise on the other's face. “She was my partner, even though I was a shitty one. And she was a friend, even though I was a shitty one. And she was such a good parent, and I’m—“

“I swear, if you say you’re a shitty parent I’m going to clock you with this bottle.”

Eddie laughed in spite of himself, his eyes trailing back down, somewhere around the bartender’s chest—Buck, his name tag said. Eddie was pretty sure he had been told that already. “Seriously, man, I’ve heard you talk more kindly about your kid from the time you were half a drink in than most people do when they’re sober.”

Eddie sighed, knocking the rest of his drink back, sliding the glass back to Buck. “Well, isn’t that how dads are supposed to be? Willing to take bubb—bulb—bullets for their kid?”

Buck snorted, swiping Eddie’s glass for a refill—only a finger this time, not three—Eddie was probably going to be cut off soon, much to his dismay. He wasn’t nearly as plastered as he wanted to be, and having to go to another bar was going to be a major fucking inconvenience. “Not mine.” Buck said, putting the bottle back on the shelf. “My dad would probably be more upset about a bullet going through any clothes he bought us than he would be about it actually going through us. Charming bastard, he was.”

Eddie sucked in a deep breath—to offer his condolences or maybe to cry, he wasn’t sure, because Buck waved it off before he could say one thing or the other. “It’s no big deal, it’s all said and done now. All you can do is be there for your kid as best as you can, and Eddie, I can already tell that you are.”

Eddie sighed as he let his head fall into his hand, lips buzzing as he exhaled, face smushing against his palm. “I hope so. I really want to be, I’d... fuck. I’d give anything to help my kid, to make sure he was safe, to... to make sure he would always be protected.”

Had Eddie been a tad more sober, or maybe a tad more attentive, he probably would have noticed the sudden flick of Buck’s eyes, or the way his wrist jerked to a sudden halt while he was cleaning a glass. He might have noticed the way Buck ran his tongue over his lips, and... well, okay, he definitely noticed that, and was pleased to see Buck’s lips turn into a smile.

“Hey, closing time is in about... now. You sober enough to go for a walk with me, or do you want me to call you a cab? Either way, I’m not letting you drive.”

Eddie pouted, reaching for his wallet in his jacket pocket, blinking in surprise as Buck waved him away. “Come on, you’ve had a rough... year, sounds like. I’ll consider it on the house.”

Eddie felt his cheeks pink up, pulling his jacket on, smiling as he looked down to the bar for a moment. “Alright, well, I owe you one then.”

“Counting on that.” Buck said, his smile wide again, just barely on the right side of too-sharp and too-toothy. “Now, come on. Take a walk with me.”

The cold Californian air (well, as cold as it got in California in March) did more to sober Eddie up than any amount of water, and he smiled as he shrugged his jacket a little tighter as Buck locked the door to the little bar he had spent the past few hours in.

His smile grew as Buck finally made eye contact with him again, easily falling into line a half step ahead of Eddie as they started to walk, letting the bartender lead the way to wherever they were going.

“So, Eddie. How did a nice guy like you wind up in a bar like mine?” Given the half conversation they had in the bar, Eddie had no idea what kind of conversation Buck would be expecting—so he was surprised when Buck directed the topic toward himself, asking Eddie about where he grew up, what he did for work, his likes, his dislikes. It was cute, and benign, and Eddie felt his cheeks pink up in a way that wasn’t entirely related to the cold weather every time he caught Buck actually listening to him, actually giving a damn about his interests.

“But, uh, enough about me.” Eddie said, his face bright red as he realized just how long he had been talking. It was unlike him, to say the least—while he wasn’t really a private person, he didn’t have that many opportunities to share himself with people, so now that he had one, he was definitely rambling. “What about you, what’s your story? You’ve already heard all about my parents and my son, any rugrats of your own wandering around?”

No sooner did than the words left Eddie’s mouth did he wish he could take them back—the flash of pain that crossed Buck’s face was only compounded by the way his shoulders hunched, drawing into himself like it was second nature. “Nah, felt like it was kind of selfish, you know? Risking fucking up a little kid just because I wanted one, when I have no idea how to care for one. My parents were... not great. I mean, they weren’t terrible, but they definitely didn’t want to be parents, and they just weren’t... there.” He started, his words slow as they fell back into step with one another. “But I have a sister. She’s so smart, she got out the minute she could and never looked back. She’s the one who gave me this, when I graduated high school.”

Buck’s smile was nothing short of captivating, small and soft as he pulled the small stone Eddie had seen earlier out from his shirt, admiring the gem on the chain before he tucked it away again. “Anyway, she left, and then my dad died, and then my mom kind of lost it, to the point where my options were either move across the country or call an old priest and a young priest. So, don’t walk away thinking you won the award for crazy parent this evening.” Buck said, snorting in a way that was a little too familiar in the “I-make-light-of-my-problems-to-cope” tone that Eddie himself had mastered.

Keeping their pace even, Eddie sighed, looking up at the night sky. It was bright, obnoxiously so—between the city lights and the street lamps above him he couldn’t make out a single star, but he liked to imagine them anyway. The moon was full, at least, and that would do for the time being. “Bobby—err, my boss—says that your family, your real family, is the one you choose, not the one you’re born into. I don’t know if that helps, but… you can always choose something better, Buck. You deserve that much.” he finished with a shrug, raising a brow as he watched Buck shrink into himself, catching the motion out of the corner of his eye.

“You think so?” Buck asked, looking up at Eddie through his lashes (which was a truly impressive feat, considering Eddie was pretty sure Buck was taller than he was). “I do. Or at the very least, I like to believe it.” Eddie said as Buck smiled, bumping his shoulder playfully as they fell back into step, well aware of the way Buck’s eyes trailed over his lips as they curved into a smile of his own.

He wasn’t... stupid, after all. He may have had a busy life and a busy schedule, but Eddie knew when someone was flirting with him. It happened enough while they were out on calls—not that he wanted to toot his own horn—and while he had religiously turned down every single ‘opportunity’ while he was on the clock, that didn’t mean he was a stranger to a one night stand (especially after a few drinks).

And the way that Buck seemed to be looking at him was... delicious, to say the least.

He was caught by surprise when they came to a stop in front of the same bar they had left some half hour ago, his own curious expression met with Buck’s grin. “Well, look at that!” Buck said, looking above the bar toward a set of windows set back behind the neon sign. “Thanks for walking me home.”

Eddie couldn’t help but laugh as he nodded his head, dramatically waving an arm in front of him. “Well, it was my pleasure. And, um, thank you for talking with me, and for listening to me. It... You’ve turned a really shitty day into a much better night.” Eddie said, feeling a warmth spread through him as Buck flat out blushed.

He blushed. Motherfucker had no right being that cute.

“Well, I’m glad that I could help.” Buck said with a smile, pulling him back into the present, looking up at what Eddie assumed was his apartment. “But, you know... the better night doesn’t have to be over yet. Do you want to come up for some coffee?”

Buck probably had a very nice loft above his bar—but Eddie couldn’t be sure, because the moment the door shut behind him, Buck had him pressed up against it, lips pressed against his own and hands blazingly hot on his body. The only thing he could be sure of was that Buck had a great ass—a perfect ass, even because that was the only thing Eddie was holding on to before Buck picked him up, literally, and carried him up the stairs to bed.

Holy fuck, Eddie thought he was going to cum then and there.

Eddie wasn’t someone who was overwhelmed easily, but he found himself starting to lose himself as Buck’s teeth roamed around his body, leaving love bites on his neck, collar bone, down his stomach, and then oh—oh—Eddie felt his cock sink into warm, wet heat, his eyes rolling back in his head as a guttural noise escaped his throat.

Buck just giggled. That asshole.

Nearly an hour later, Eddie was delightfully sore, body tugged in ways he didn’t think were possible without an aggressive amount of stretching. He struggled to catch his breath as Buck flopped over his chest, looking every bit as content as Eddie felt.

“Eddie, holy, uh,” Buck started, and Eddie was pleased to realize he wasn’t the only one who was panting. “Holy shit, that was amazing. Is there a, uh, round two in the stars, or do you have to go home soon? I don’t know about your kid...” Eddie blushed, feeling a little bit of warmth in his chest, entirely unrelated to the physical presence of the man currently using him as a pillow.

“No, he’s out for the night. But as far as round two goes, you may need to give me a few.” he answered with a laugh, all smiles as Buck pulled himself up to press a kiss to Eddie’s lips, sighing contentedly. His deeper breaths turned into a steady sigh as Buck started to trace patterns up and down his free arm, fingers dancing over the palm of one of his hands while the other wrapped around Buck’s shoulders.

Buck felt, more than he heard Eddie speak, the vibrations traveling through his cheek easily. “You’d... sell your car for him?” He asked, looking up as Eddie scoffed.

“Please. In a heartbeat.”

Buck rose a brow, fingers circling Eddie’s palm. “You’d sell your house?”

“Without a doubt.” Eddie locked Buck’s fingers in his own, bringing their hands to his lips, kissing each of Buck’s knuckles as his naked body moved against him. Eddie let out an entirely undignified noise as Buck rolled suddenly, straddling his hips, one hand supporting his weight beside Eddie’s head, the other still linked with his own as he grinned.

“Would you sell your soul?”

Eddie groaned in response as Buck rolled his hips down, still equally overstimulated and sensitive as he nodded his head quickly. “Course. Like I said, anything.”

Eddie felt his eyes slide half shut as Buck sucked in a breath, the expression on his face nothing short of elated. “Oh, Eddie. You won’t regret this, I promise.” he gushed, his eyes bright. “It’s a deal.”

Even as he felt the confusion grow, Eddie couldn’t help but smile as Buck leaned down into a kiss, his enthusiasm—even if Eddie wasn’t sure what it was about—was positively infectious. He felt another groan get pulled from his lips as his eyes slid shut, the sound drowned in Buck’s mouth, Buck’s body heavy on his own and his hand warm in Eddie’s, and...

...wait, no, not warm. Hot. Really hot.

In fact, his entire body was hot. Every inch where Buck touched him was suddenly burning, like he was a white hot coal pulled straight from the fire.

Eddie gasped and pushed back from the kiss, his lungs burning from the inside out, feeling like he was sucking in smoke, his head starting to spin.

“Eddie, it’s okay, just breathe...”

Buck’s voice was a thousand miles away as Eddie grit his teeth, willing his eyes to focus. The last thing he could see was Buck, still beaming at Eddie like he won the lottery; eyes so bright they were literally glowing, his smile far too sharp to be human, matching the two growths sprouting from his head, and Eddie—

Eddie finally broke, body arching away from the burning heat that was spread out on top of him, letting out what he thought was a scream as everything went black.

#911 #buddie #Eddie diaz #Evan buckley #halloween #demon!Buck #demon!AU #flospeaks #fanfic #hurt/comfort

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grapefruitsketches · 4 years

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Untamed Spring Fest 2020 - Days 24-30: Chapter 4, Nest, Part II (Day 26)

Part of my Songxiao post-canon fix-it fic series:

Also available on AO3: link

4,135 Words

Chapter 4: Dinner, featuring Jin Ling’s cooking and a much needed conversation between Xiao Xingchen and Wei Wuxian (also Wen Ning appears, finally).

Days at Cloud Recesses passed slowly. Xiao Xingchen was no stranger to confining his existence to one residence, to following one routine, day in and day out. But whereas his days training under Baoshan Sanren had been packed with training, studies, chores and reflection, Xiao Xingchen’s body had not yet adjusted to once again being in use. Training was out of the question, even if he had wanted to pick up the sword. The Lan clan would not let an honoured guest take on chores, and whatever little maintenance tasks were necessary within his and Zichen’s residence were attended to by Zichen, usually before Xingchen even realized they needed to be done. He didn’t mind being doted on. It was nice. He smiled, feeling warm inside whenever Zichen gently pushed him aside to make the bed, even if it was still unmade so late in the day only because Xingchen was, uncharacteristically, sleeping in these days. But there was a fine line between doting and fussing, relaxing and boredom. And Xingchen, weak and recovering as he was, was used to constant movement, lending a hand wherever one might be so much as appreciated, never mind needed. Pursuing a presence plaguing a town. Having the right words at the right time to prevent a violent dispute.

He knew his body couldn’t handle these things now (that his mind probably could not either). He knew he needed time. But he was restless.

Xingchen could not believe that the Jin Ling and Ouyang Zizhen had arrived that morning. It felt like it had been days, not hours. He had been awoken, eaten, slept, and still they were hours from the late afternoon dinner. And so Xingchen distracted himself the rest of the afternoon as best he could, finding, as always, that this was the best way to make things feel normal, whatever that may mean.

He brushed through Zichen’s hair, perhaps checking that each strand was in place with more care than strictly necessary, taking the time to run his fingers as well as the comb through his hair, appreciating the feel of Zichen’s hair, fingers gliding easily through the soft lengths, listening to Zichen’s sighs at his touch. Once Xingchen’s hands began to cramp, he suggested the two of them go for a walk, and Zichen readily got up to go. Zichen always offered his hands, purportedly to guide Xingchen although they both knew Xingchen could get around perfectly well on his own. But he was happy to take this assistance, unable to refuse a chance to feel Zichen’s skin against his own. They walked their usual paths, Zichen squeezing his hand three times whenever he wanted to indicate there was something he wanted to show Xingchen. He would then hold Xingchen’s hand up to trees whose pattern he found interesting, or would pass him rabbits from the colony that Hanguang-Jun was so proud of, or would pull him down to sit by the stream, not needing to tap Xingchen’s foot to signal the invitation to dip their toes into the cool water.

Usually, Xingchen filled the silences with chatter, aware of how little he could offer Zichen otherwise. But today, even though he tried, truly wanting to make up for the trouble he’d caused that morning, he could think of nothing meaningful to say. He remarked on the apparent health of the bamboo Zichen drew his hand to, said the required niceties for both of them whenever they ran into any Lan disciples, noted how nice it must be for Lan Sizhui and Lan Jingyi to have their friends visiting. But he couldn’t tap into that flow of words that usually defined these walks, despite the comfort he drew from Zichen’s continued efforts to keep him engaged. He didn’t like days like today, where the tears came early. They seemed to taint him, to follow him like a shadow the rest of the day, draining his energy throughout whatever else he did. He had to consciously focus on maintaining his smile here. It usually came so effortlessly, but despite the safety, comfort, beauty surrounding him, holding his hand on this walk, his expression was something he had to be sharply aware of - letting his smile slip would be a sign that he couldn’t hold himself together even to those who did not know him well, never mind Zichen who already worried merely at Xingchen’s silence.

The afternoon eventually passed, frustratingly slowly, lazily, and mostly without words. When Xingchen felt the slow cooling of the day he was relieved at the confirmation that time was passing, that it was time to have dinner, and soon, end this day, perhaps retreat to a dream where he could be far more useful, active, than the burden he was now.

Sure enough, as they arrived to the Western guest houses, a warm smell, something bitter with a hint of some sweet herb. The smell made even Xingchen’s mouth water, his appetite finally catching up to his, all things considered, rather empty stomach. It smelled more flavourful than most of the food at Cloud Recesses (Xingchen never protested the bland flavours, but variety was much appreciated), but not nearly as strong as the scents he sometimes detected when passing by the Jingshi around mealtimes.

“You’re here!” Ouyang Zizhen’s voice cried out, “We weren’t sure you were going to come after-“ the sound of a soft impact, “Ow! I mean, we’re glad you could make it.”

Xingchen bowed and made the appropriate greetings on his and Zichen’s behalf to the courtyard generally, not sure who might or might not be present.

Zichen squeezed Xingchen’s hand three times, but whatever he wanted to show him couldn’t be easily touched. Xingchen’s curiosity was answered by a voice, “H-hello Song-daozhang. It is good to meet you, Xiao-daozhang.”

“Xiao-xiong, let me introduce you to my uncle,” Sizhui’s voice rang out proudly, “Wen Qionglin.”

Xingchen smiled, “It is nice to meet you, finally, Wen-gongzi, I have heard so much about how you have helped us.”

“You have?” Wen Qionglin sounded genuinely surprised.

Xingchen nodded, “Zichen has told me about your visits while my spirit healed, and he also mentioned that you were there in Y-“ he paused, rephrasing, “that you were there to help with Zichen’s reawakening as well.”

“Oh! Uh, yes! I was!” There was a streak of satisfaction in the words at even this small expression of gratitude. Xingchen smiled, liking this man immediately, understanding why he had been Zichen’s trusted friend over the last few years.

Zichen squeezed his hand again before pulling away, there were sounds of his hands moving, occasionally rubbing against one another and Xingchen realized this must be the gesturing language that Wen Qionglin had helped Zichen develop over the years, that others had made vague allusions to learning but none other than Zichen and Wen Qionglin were further along than Zichen was with the Inquiry language so far. (He fought back a streak of jealousy - not targeted at Wen Qionglin himself, but rather at the time, at the easy conversations he had had with Zichen where Xingchen and Zichen had to adapt their communication to make even the most basic requests or statements possible.)

“Xiao-daozhang,” Wen Qionglin said carefully, “Song-daozhang would like to know if it would be alright if I sat with you? He… says he has some things he wants to discuss… with me.” Xiao Xingchen nodded, numbly impressed by how much more quickly a message from Zichen reached him when communicated via this sign language rather than writing, and immediately felt sorry all over again that Zichen was trying to learn an entirely new language that worked for Xingchen, even though Zichen had already spent so much time developing methods that worked well enough for him.

The three of them sat at a small table and Sizhui came over in short order, pouring a strongly brewed tea for each of them. Xingchen let the sounds of chatter wash over him. From a table to his right he could hear Jin Ling and Jingyi arguing, Sizhui doing his best to mediate, and Zizhen jumping in once in a while to support one or the other, seemingly at random. If he strained, he could hear Wei Wuxian’s voice, uncharacteristically whispering to Lan Wangji, the choice of volume and tone signalling to Xingchen that he should not and did not want to try too hard to hear the exact words that passed between spouses. Most of all, though, he listened to the sounds coming from his immediate left, the sound of Zichen signing. Xingchen could feel the rapid movements of ZIchen’s arms as he moved them, his huffs of exasperation, coughs of laughter, all part of a conversational rhythm that Xingchen was so familiar with - familiar with, but now unable to understand, to take part in. Xingchen liked Wen Qionglin more and more each time Zichen shuddered with silent laughter at something he said, or carefully filled in information that Xingchen longed for but would never dare ask for (“You look happy, Song-daozhang”). But still, even though Wen Qionglin tried his best to interpret Zichen’s words, his jokes, the quirks that Xingchen knew must be woven throughout Zichen’s speech were lost. It could be frustrating to be without sight, he wouldn’t deny that. But if he had the chance to choose, his eyes or Zichen’s words, it would be the words every time. Wen Qionglin’s voice, speaking both for himself and Zichen, continued, but Xingchen’s mind kept slipping, unable to keep a firm grip on the conversation for too long. He only made sure to keep up his smile, to nod along whenever it seemed appropriate even as his mind drifted towards what ifs…

Xingchen sipped his tea, vaguely wondering when they might start eating. He was vaguely aware that Zichen and Wen Qionglin’s conversation continued beside him, Xingchen apparently having been less successful at hiding his disengagement than he had hoped as the conversation now proceeded silently, only Zichen’s continued movements telling him that the visual communication went on.

“Dumplings. Fresh from the kitchen.” Wei Wuxian’s voice was suddenly right in front of Xingchen.

“Oh, thank you.” Xingchen said faintly, automatically, taking note of the location of the sound of the dish touching the wood table. The smell was even more incredible this close, but even more so, he wanted the dinner to keep moving, progressing towards the moment where he could crawl into bed.

To his surprise, Wei Wuxian did not leave. Instead, he took the seat across from Xingchen, next to Wen Qionglin.

“I thought I would sit with you, since Lan Zhan still insists on silence over dinner,” Wei Wuxian’s voice gained a conspiratorial tone, “but he would never stop me speaking to a guest.”

Xingchen smiled. If it had been anyone else, he might have thought taking up one end of this illegal conversation would offend, but with Hanguang-Jun, he knew that the bigger offence would be to not give in to whatever whim Wei Wuxian was on right now.

“I would be happy to have the honourable Wei-gongzi at our table. Is that ok with you, Zichen, Wen-gongzi?”

Wen Qionglin gave a quick yes, as though surprised at being asked, and Zichen did not bother looking to the readily available interpreters, instead choosing to answer by taking Xingchen’s hands in his and drawing them up to his head, nodding emphatically. Zichen also took the opportunity to rub his thumbs across the backs of Xingchen’s hands as he did so, and Xingchen smiled at the touch, recognizing the unnecessary apology for his and Wen Qionglin’s silent conversation. Xingchen gently stroked the side of Zichen’s head as he withdrew, before turning back to Wei Wuxian.

If Xingchen had expected a rush of words, of exuberance, of mischief from Wei Wuxian, he was sorely mistaken. For all his talk about escaping Hanguang-Jun’s silent dinners, all Wei Wuxian said was, “We can start eating now.”

They ate mostly in silence. The food was delicious, and Xingchen told Wei Wuxian so. He got only a wistful reply that, yes, it was delicious, that the dumplings reminded him of a time in Yunmeng when another talented cook had tried her hand at Jin sect style dumplings for the first time. But other than this quick exchange, Xingchen had the distinct impression that he had been joined not by the Wei Wuxian whose antics still led Lan Qiren to retire to his bedchambers early in the afternoon, but instead Wei Wuxian the inventor and scholar, who could spend hours if not days working out a puzzle once he set his mind to it, and Xingchen was the puzzle.

When Jin Ling came over, to check on the meal though, any hint of this somber Wei Wuxian vanished.

“What do you think?” Jin Ling asked, pompous as ever but unable to mask his anxiety as he asked for feedback.

Xingchen smiled, “It is wonderful Clan Leader Jin, I have not tasted such well-seasoned filling, such well-made dough for a very long time.” It was true, he had never been one to focus much on what food he ate to fill his hunger, but these dumplings helped him understand why others sought out only the best.

“Th-thank you, Xiao-xiong!” Jin Ling replied, “And… and Jin Ling is fine,” he ended in a mumble, clearly not yet adjusted to the title, especially in casual settings like this.

“Wait a moment,” something in Wei Wuxian’s cheerful voice brought to Xingchen’s mind the image of a string, slowly reeling in prey that did not yet know it had been caught, “Don’t you want to hear what I think?”

Jin Ling huffed, clearly seeking complimentary feedback only, “What is it?”

“Hmm…” Wei Wuxian mused, as though considering the food carefully, ”Well I’m not sure I agree with the choice to decorate all the dumplings.”

“What?” Jin Ling sounded bewildered.

“I mean, don’t get me wrong, I think the edible ink was ingenious, and your calligraphy is excellent, but,” Wei Wuxian’s voice gained a false modesty, “well, it’s kind of embarrassing for me to see ‘Long Live Wei Wuxian’ or, ‘Wei Wuxian, Conqueror of the Chief Cultivator’s Heart’ all over my food, you know?”

“What? No- there aren’t… Why would I…? Xiao-xiong please don’t believe-!” Jin Ling stammered, flustered, despite Wei Wuxian’s giggles giving up the game.

Xiao Xingchen laughed, there was no way anything Wei Wuxian was describing was true, but he was certainly grateful for another chance to laugh today, “Don’t worry Clan L- Jin Ling,” he corrected himself, “Even the most garish of decorations wouldn’t have spoiled your obvious talent in the kitchen.”

Jin Ling stammered out another thank you before scurrying away.

“Xiao-xiong, I think you might have made him cry,” Wei Wuxian observed.

Xingchen smiled, “They are delicious.”

“Mnm.” Wei Wuxian agreed.

Teasing Jin Ling seemed to have awoken Wei Wuxian’s spirit, and he spent the rest of the meal supporting lively conversation, the topics were unimportant, but the feeling of togetherness, inclusion, happiness, those all cut right to Xiao Xingchen’s core. But even so, as another round of tea was served, as Wei Wuxian launched into a story about his most recent kitchen adventures, that suddenly the sounds went from distracting, comforting, to too much. Xiao Xingchen was now painfully aware of the voices from the other tables, no longer reassuring but ringing. The tea was too hot, the dumplings, which had been so rich, so delicious, now gurgled unpleasantly in his stomach. The courtyard was large, he knew, but it still felt like the walls pressed in from all sides. He wanted out. Needed out. Out of there. Away. Quiet. Space.

“Excuse me.” He said mildly, cutting Wei Wuxian off mid-sentence, slipping his hand out of Zichen’s as he rose and walked purposefully towards the courtyard’s entrance, not waiting to hear if there was any response, or if there was anyone following him.

He found the railing and followed it, grateful that the dinner had been hosted far enough from his quarters that the noise wouldn’t travel, but wishing that it could be a shorter walk. He stumbled, almost fell a few times, disoriented in his sudden panic, reaching between the gaps in railings, where there were branching paths or steps down to gardens. He usually was so confident walking around, but now he couldn’t bring himself to focus enough to follow even the straight lines he knew led back to his quarters. If he had been paying more attention, he would certainly have noticed the approaching footsteps behind him sooner, but in his current state he only realized someone was following him when they were within arm’s reach. Xingchen, surprised at the sudden footsteps right next to him, grabbed whoever it was. Hard.

“Who-?” he demanded, but was cut off almost immediately with, “Ow! It’s me! Wei Wuxian!”

“Oh.” Xingchen said, dropping the hand that gripped Wei Wuxian’s arm, relinquishing the grip he hadn’t realized he had on Shuanghua’s hilt as though it had burned him, “I’m sorry. Are you ok?”

“Yeah,” a small laugh, “But remind me never to challenge you to any kind of hand to hand combat.”

Xingchen felt his face redden, “Sorry, I panicked. I shouldn’t have reacted so rashly.” Shouldn’t have once again come so close to drawing Shuanghua on an ally.

“It’s really ok.” Something in Wei Wuxian’s voice told Xingchen that he truly did understand. Xingchen relaxed, and reached again for the railing, steadying himself.

“So,” Wei Wuxian’s voice took on its usual casual tone, “was it something I said?”

Xingchen tilted his head, taken aback, “Was what something you said?”

“I guess not then,” another laugh, then his tone grew serious, “Listen, I know you might not want to talk about this or to me or to anyone right now, but I came to check on you. Do you mind sharing why you left?”

Xingchen frowned. Why had he left? Nothing had changed, it was just that one moment, it was all fine, the next, “It was… I don’t really know… It was too much, maybe?” He shook his head, embarrassed at his own rudeness.

“Mmm.” Wei Wuxian agreed, “That makes sense.”

“It does?” Xingchen was glad that someone thought so even if he didn’t.

“Yeah, I think it’s something that can happen when you’re uh… away from the living for a while,” he answered carefully, clearly worried that even if so far Xingchen hadn’t been reacting to something he said, being too blunt might change that, “At least, something like this has happened to me a few times.”

“Oh. Does it stop?”

Wei Wuxian sighed, “For me? No. Not entirely, but it happens way more rarely now, and usually I can tell in advance.”

Xingchen nodded, letting that sink in.

“I know it can seem impossible but… It really, doesn’t bother me that much anymore.”

“Really?”

“Mhm. I think it’s mostly only gotten better with time, slowly getting used to everything again. Lan Zhan and A-Yuan help, and so does their guqin music.” He thought for a moment, “Also… well, sometimes being able to take a break from everything helps. Sometimes I’ll have to get away and just do something calm and rewarding in itself. Like gardening or just wandering alone. But nothing is an instant fix.”

Xingchen considered this. So it came back to the same problem: he couldn’t wander alone, couldn’t garden. Not now at least, not while just living was still so exhausting in itself that he was hardly awake for six consecutive hours in a day. But still… it was good to hear that someone else had felt the same, “I have to thank you again, Wei-gongzi,” he bowed in his direction, “What you said makes sense, and after tonight I… I am especially grateful to have been able to take advantage of your and Hanguang-Jun’s hospitality. I am sorry if I have caused any trouble for you or your guests tonight.”

Wei Wuxian snorted, “Are you talking about Zizhen and A-Ling? They’re the last two you have to worry about. Zizhen basically worships you and Song-xiong, and when I left, A-Ling was still bragging to the others about what you said about his cooking. But,” he paused, “I am more concerned if their presence has been a problem for you? We can tell them that the area near your and Song-xiong’s residence is off-limits if that would…?”

“No need,” Xingchen said hastily, “I wouldn’t want to make them think they did anything wrong, because they really didn’t.” He sighed, “I just wish I was in a better state to meet them properly.”

“You will get that chance, don’t worry.” Wei Wuxian said gently.

Tears threatened to fall, and Xingchen could hide many things but Zichen, A-Qing, others he did not dare think about, had made it clear to him that his tears could not so easily be hidden, soaking the cloth over the space where his eyes had once been until it showed red. He tensed, trying to restrain his treacherous tear ducts, which refused to heal even after all this time. He hoped that Wei Wuxian wouldn’t notice, so long as he could keep the tears in, but such a hope was clearly in vain, confronted with the vigilant eye of the cultivator.

“Xiao-xiong…” an understanding voice came, “You don’t have to hold back.”

And so Xingchen’s face relaxed, set forth the tears that seemed always moments from spilling, “I’m sorry,” he said.

Wei Wuxian chuckled, “Sorry for what? This is ok, good even.”

Not it would be ok, it is ok. The tears flowed harder.

“What do you want?” Wei Wuxian asked, tone not judgmental, not indulgent, just curious.

Xingchen thought about it. He wanted so much. He wanted everything to be back to how it had been before. He wanted to undo everything his foolishness had caused for him and Zichen. He wanted others to be able to act naturally around him, not to tiptoe for fear of setting him off. He wanted to be able to go where he wanted, do what he wanted, be there for Zichen as much as Zichen was there for him.

“I… I want to get strong again. To travel again.”

“Mmm…” Wei Wuxian affirmed, “Yeah, recovery is frustratingly slow, and hard too… I get it. Tired, restless all at the same time, things you want to do, but can’t, collapsing after what should be minor exertion? I’ve been there.” He sighed, “For now we should figure out what the best thing for you to do is. Zizhen and A-Ling will leave soon, but Cloud Recesses is hosting lectures soon and everything will be very busy, there will probably be disciples staying next door to your residence, even.”

“Oh.” Xingchen said softly, “I understand. I can be sure to leave before then, I have imposed far too long after all and-“

“Whoa, whoa,” Wei Wuxian interrupted, “No one is talking about kicking you out if you don’t want to go. I mean, you’re free to, but I was just trying to think of where else you could escape too… Jin Ling would definitely welcome you in Carp Tower, but they’re busier on an average day than Cloud Recesses is during the lectures… and Lotus Pier is surrounded by the market…” Wei Wuxian mused, and Xingchen wondered at just how much thought Wei Wuxian was putting in, had already put in, solely for his sake. You’re dangerous, blind and alone. He knows that. But that voice was weaker than it would have been before, edged out by the warmth Xingchen felt at Wei Wuxian, someone who had functionally been a stranger before his revival, taking such an interest in his wellbeing. There was a feeling here, something he could only compare to the growing, glowing feeling he’d felt each time he’d successfully, painstakingly, merged two pieces of his spirit back together in the pouch. He was alive again, but was still nursing wounds. Wounds that could recover, even if they left some scarring. He would have to just keep pulling himself together, piece by piece, though now, he was not alone. He now shared a world with friends and his Zichen, who would help pick the pieces up alongside him.

The seed of a thought had been planted, one that might sprout, become firmly rooted, with time: He wasn’t strong, not yet. But he didn’t need to be. Didn’t need to pretend to be. Because he wasn’t alone. Because he could get there. Would get there.

“I’ve got it!” Wei Wuxian burst out, the sharp sound of his fist clapping against his palm shaking Xingchen from his reverie, “How would you like to borrow my and Lan Zhan’s farm for a little while?”

Next: Chapter 5, Picnic: We're moving into the heavy comfort/recovery parts of the story, as Song Zichen and Xiao Xingchen start their farmhouse getaway. Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji help them move in, and of course the Juniors and Wen Ning can't help but be involved too.

I’m aiming for a 1-2 week update schedule, hopefully posting on Tuesdays or Wednesdays!

#the untamed #mdzs #cql #songxiao #xiao xingchen #song lan #wei wuxian #the junior quartet #wen ning #untamed spring fest #that i am ludicrously late for oh well #my writing #oops this chapter ended up being long #songxiao fix it series

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touchmycoat · 4 years

Note

5, 6 (i already know this is some insane amount), 9, 10, 16, 23, 26 (house)

BAAABE :*

5. What is the perfect environment for you to write in?

my office cubicle apparently kdsjfnksd

no but genuinely anywhere i can zone out. i make faces & mutter to myself when i write tho so, anywhere where that wouldn’t draw weird glances lmfao

6. If you’re really concentrating, how many words can you write in a day?

bahahaha i think Farmer’s Almanac holds the record rn—10k, give or take.

9. Do you prefer to write AUs, canon divergence, or canon-compliant fic?

#selfintrospection, my pattern per fandom seems to be starting with canon divergence! I’m a side characters ho, y’all know this, so I always like to recenter the narrative & get a surer foothold in my own interpretations of character first. but after that.... no preference! I love (and have written) all three to great enjoyment heheheh just depends on where i wanna see ‘em fuck

10. Do you enjoy writing dialogue, exposition, or plot the most?

NFJDNFJDNFJD HOW CAN I CHOOSE

Exposition is sexy, and i get to be the most experimental & excessive & self-indulgent here w/ style choices.

Dialogue is sexy, ‘cause voices and humor and dirty talk and heartbreak and communication!!! I’m a movie ho so i’m all about that plot-driving script game ;;;;

Plot is sexy ‘cause that’s where you get to fuck around with all the canon themes, subvert & avert & redistribute them!!!!!!!! I’m a slut for that!!!!!!!!!

can’t choose won’t choose :’D

16. What is your most underrated fic?

LMFAO you know i’m gonna say Sword of the Yi Maiden ;) she’s basically like, our child ;;

23. If you had to remix one of your own fics, which would it be and how would you remix it?

well once i sort out the single dad!Song Lan universe, i’d loooooove to switch gears & swerve into single dad!Xiao Xingchen B) just for kicks. But where Song Lan is like, a high school lit teacher and A-Qing is our favorite local delinquent child. XXC gets called in for a parent-teacher conference, and he’s actually kind of dreading it at first because AQ honestly never had too many complaints about the English teacher, so if this Song Laoshi was suddenly going to betray his daughter’s trust and tattle on her XXC would def take AQ’s side.

But! Turns out SL’s calling him in to be like “hey, AQ never does homework but is fine with participating in class if i kind of trick her into arguing about it, so i figured she just really doesn’t like being told what to do. That’s fine! But that also means I don’t think she’ll respond well to me sitting her down to talk about her higher education options, so I figured I’d run it past the parent first to see if you have any thoughts about how we’re going to proceed.”

it’d be SO fucking funny... AQ stops skipping class or stops zoning out the moment she catches onto her dad’s little ~thing for Song Laoshi. She starts challenging him in class instead on every little thing (”yeah but don’t you think it’s inherently racist to require us to read conrad at all, if there are so many books out there written by actual African postcolonial authors”) but he’s just happy she’s engaging so they bond

they’re both super proud and near tears at graduation, and AQ is too but to hide her own embarrassingly feelings she’s like “don’t pretend y’all aren’t just crying ‘cause you can finally date each other now that it won’t be fucking WEIRD for me”

26. Which part of House was the hardest to write?

hmmmmm I think I had the most number of false starts w ch. 3!! i never save shit rip but at one point i straight up had like.... 13 pages all blacked out? Oh i remember, the scene where AQ first tests SL. I had that set in like, the breakfast stall, in a busy street, a quiet street, etc. etc. I was putting each of their conversations in different contexts too, just seeing how they would play out based on the surroundings??? i even thought about dropping AQ’s POV completely at one point but I’m very glad i didn’t. The current version is actually the very first opening for the chapter i ever wrote so, el oh el, i try not to think all that effort went to waste. It’s more like, I had some ideas, but i had to prove none of them would work before i could proceed with this one, y’know?

BUT TELL YOU WHAT I DID SAVE THO. The first draft of the Ch. 2 opening? After I wrote this i was like “yikes this is way too conventional a set-up for a flashback let’s just do it,” and wrote the current version on ao3 lmao. I kept the chapped knuckles thing~

Under the Cut:

((Behind the Scenes of Fic Writing Asks!))

Song Lan stood at the entrance of his room in the inn, fist clenched hard around Fuxue’s hilt as the rain came in. Night had been the herald, and now, the lantern at the top of the stairs to Song Lan’s left was flickering wildly, buffeted about by the stormy wind.

The inn’s owner, an older woman in her 50s, spoke a string of worried utterances as she hurried up the stairs to close the window. As her hands approached the latch though, Song Lan sensed bloodthirst. Fuxue went flying.

The woman screamed, but the harm was over; a mutated critter of a hungry ghost slumped against the window frame, pinned there by Fuxue’s cool blade. Instead of closing the window for her, Song Lan pressed two paper talismans on either side. He pulled out Fuxue and watched the hungry ghost dissipate.

“Daozhang, daozhang, gratitude,” the woman wept. “A few here and there is nothing, you know? But once they begin to stay, and bigger things start to come, and we have young ones in the house, oh, it terrifies me, what state this city has been falling into…”

Fuxue returned to its sheathe, and Song Lan still had his fly-whisk tucked in his arm. He gave the inn owner a polite bow.

“I will attempt an extermination tonight.”

“Daozhang is so reliable,” the woman said, tears instantly transforming into simpering gratitude. Her distress had been in part a show, meant to move Song Lan into action. Song Lan did not mind; this was his third night at the inn, after all, and the second time the inn owner’s requested a favor from him. It stood to reason that she would think he needs more affective convincing, even if she’s wrong.

“I may trouble you for tea upon my return,” he murmured. When the woman reached out to pat his elbow in a matronly gesture, Song Lan stepped back, disguising the gesture as a readjustment of his robes as he replaced the stack of talismans back in his sleeve.

“Of course,” she replied, hand waving in the air before lowering back down to her side. A spot of tension eased at the base of Song Lan’s neck. “The stove never stops burning in our kitchen, particularly when we have guests. Just give our door a knock if the evening chef isn’t around. We’ll take care of you.”

Song Lan was grateful. He’d need the hot drink when he returned from the rain—soaking in the deluge always left his skin feeling beaten and bloated. And the sensation, if untreated, never failed to transform itself into two long iron nails hammered deep into his skull and brain. The pain was best avoided if at all possible.

(Xiao XingChen knew this about him. Nothing’s ever eased the migraines faster than XingChen’s smile as he wordlessly pushed a cup of hot water or tea across the table. Nothing’s ever distracted Song Lan from the pain more effectively than wondering exactly what would happen, if XingChen’s fingers lingered and his own could touch, just lightly, those perpetually chapped knuckles.)

(Take better care of yourself, Song Lan had once chastised when blood came seeping up between cracked skin.

I forget to, XingChen had confessed, sheepish lines crinkling around his eyes.

Had Song Lan been anybody else, he would’ve said out loud what he wished he could’ve said out loud: I’ll do it then.

Had Song Lan been anybody else, he would’ve thumbed a layer of protective grease over Xiao XingChen’s dry hands himself, save them both the need for cheesy lines and impotent promises. Words often got him into trouble, he knew this; he much preferred the vows made in every shared action that was mutually fostered into consistency. But what did it say about him, that his hands flinched from touch and Xiao XingChen walked at a careful radius around him, that he couldn’t make a vow on any level that counted?)

The extermination was no reprieve from the discomfort, the dissatisfaction, the disassembly of it all. The sky was falling apart and so was his skin. Moderation was less a stranger to Song Lan than longing, but tonight, the berating of his body was not moderated at all.

A year of searching, over, just like that.

An opportunity to apologize, gone, just like that.

A promise.

A dream.

So do you like him then? You want to really build a family with him?

Gone. Just like that.

#microdactyls #asks #THANKS BABE #LOVE ME SOME NAVEL GAZING

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alltingfinns · 4 years

Text

A Scandal in Belgravia

So I’m back on this.

The swoosh on some sped up footage in the previously, don’t remember noticing that.

This episode’s start gets so much funnier if you read some of the fic written between this and the previous episode.

Silly song now becomes more dramatic in TRF.

What did Irene offer Jim to get him so riled up? If it’s the plot plane plan that would explain why Sherlock is needed alive. But his emotional reaction... maybe he’s already been trying to get it on his own. Indicates possibly that Jim has been looking for a way to get to Mycroft.

“You’re typing a lot.”

This montage is nicely done.

Arguing about the blog.

The pouncing on the title.

He’s so hurt. He knows ash!

“We do watch the news.”

“You said boring and switched the channel.”

First time where “people” = John.

And the hat.

“It’s time.” I never thought about the waiting period.

Ehh, Hudson called up to the next floor so John’s room? Boys?

Ha cool, a SAAB. An old one too. I’d guess a 900 model from the early nineties.

Lestrade probably makes these calls a lot.

I get Sherlock’s confusion, he’s just in a sheet it’d make sense for him to be humiliated.

Their silent conversation + John’s acceptance of the absurdity.

That was a pretty long look on Sherlock’s lap and then asking about pants.

The Swedish subtitles on Netflix just referred to John as ”kronans gosse” I love it!

John took the queen liking his blog as a point in their argument.

I always like looking at John during the sheet bit.

Mycroft and John conversing in subtext that you need to remember their original conversation from a whole series/three episodes ago. And people think johnlock is too subtextual.

They made “the woman” a work title clearly to explain why Sherlock would refer to her that way. A bit harder to work in the context from ACD canon. It would be weird if Sherlock in modern times went “a credit to your gender” for defeating him.

Sherlock’s reaction Mycroft’s veiled assertion settles the question, I think. He’s making a “damn, he’s got me there” face. Mainly because John’s presence, if we considers his previous statement. If it were just him and Mycroft he’d just say “just because I haven’t done it doesn’t mean I can’t understand it!”

Btw, in case you think my typing speed is phenomenal I am hitting pause when something gets really interesting to me.

The parallel of checking the pictures have the “obvious” reading of romantic set up. But Sherlock is still learning details of a case he has been given so another reading is that while he’s targeting her she’s targeting him.

My reading is backed up by Sherlock’s immediate demeanor. His interest in her didn’t really appear until he found out she didn’t ask for anything. Blackmailers are a dime a dozen, but someone making a point of threat against the reputation of the BRF without asking for direct compensation? That’s someone with a plan and someone who can give him the kick he feeds of from casework.

John getting the last word in only for Sherlock to get the laterer word in.

Pinching an ashtray from the aforementioned BRF, whom himself mentioned as his first client with a navy, just to make John laugh? Some things are priceless but for everything else there’s MasterCard.

Okay, I had to back up a bit but: I don’t know who’s getting these pictures for Irene, but the last one that makes her smile is focused on John. She sees Sherlock more naked in the pictures where he’s fully clothed in the back of a cab than when he was in just a sheet on the pavement.

More parallels. This is really about their similarities. Could still be considered romantic foreshadowing “they’re made of the same cloth” type.

Ah yes, punch me.

That little dialogue snippet about “punch me” usually being subtext is what got me to first watch this show.

In general I have a lot of issues with how they handled Irene. But I especially don’t think I get the nudity in this scene. It reveals to Sherlock immediately that his ruse was all in vain since she either a) knew he was coming anyway or b) usually greet priests in distress while stark naked and might therefor just be stark raving.

Unflappable John Watson. Oh dear, my flat mate who I just beat up is sitting in front of a naked dominatrix with his vicar collar between her teeth. “I’ve missed something, haven’t I?”

He doesn’t like being a third wheel either. “I had tea too! Just so you know. In case you thought Sherlock got tea at the palace by himself. I was there too. The tea was lovely. Just the right temperature.”

Dammit.

Now I want tea.

Wait wait wait! When did John put his “date” shoes on? Only time it makes sense is when Sherlock was looking through his disguises. (He definitively wouldn’t wear them to traipse around the muddy crime scene.) Maybe they’re part of his “battle uniform”? Also obviously Sherlock can only “deduce” date because he knows what shoes John wears on dates. This isn’t really clothed people are easier to deduce.

How is he not deducing the heck out of her make up and ear piercing? Is it because she’s acting so extraordinary that her indicators become harder to contextualise?

Or is that whole thing just a plot hole?

And her comes her actual opening chess move. Nudity and banter was just setting up the pieces.

“Somebody loves you.” She pressed John’s big red “DO NOT PRESS” button right away. Later she says Jim told her how to play the Holmes brothers, but he definitively gave some pointers on John as well.

There’s something about John’s facial movements when Irene says he knows exactly where to look. Hard to compare with the sheet scene because of the different angles. But yeah, John is bi.

“You do borrow my laptop” with such an angry glare.

Wait are Irene’s shoes those shoes that are expensive because they’re red on the bottom? (I do not care enough to google their names.)

And it’s when John starts to smile that Sherlock does his verbal keysmash. Officially Ben said it was because Irene was paying attention to John instead of him, but she does that a number of times previously and has had quite a moment of getting cosy at John. But up until then John has been a bit standoffish. Of course you can only take so much of a pretty lady flirting with you before your smile reflex gets activated. Also he whips his head immediately at Sherlock in medical concern for his friend and Sherlock can speak clearly again.

Sherlock thinks he knows her game now as he makes his move getting her to confirm that the pictures are in the room.

Imagine the egg on his face if John hadn’t managed the smoke alarm in time.

“Amazing how fire exposes our priorities” should be part of a collection of lines that are only said once but thematically repeated throughout the show.

Some would argue maybe “I really hope you don’t have a baby in there” could be added but I don’t think it could be considered as repeated enough thematically.

Sherlock being his usual demanding self about turning off the fire alarm. The fool! Doesn’t he know how hard fire alarms are to turn off? (Maybe just a problem for me...)

Okay sure, easy enough with a gun, but impractical as a long term solution.

Umm, excuse me why does he go “no disrespect but you were clearly born in the 80s” in an episode from 2012? The most she’d be is 32, so clearly she looks at most like that then. Why would she be insulted by that? Also he earlier called a dude unhealthy, stupid and with bad breath in front of him without clarifying level of respect. So basically he’s needling her by adding that. That’s the most positive spin it can get.

John apologising for not stopping /forewarning about a whole bunch of trained killers sweeping in? That is diehard loyalty.

She’s staring hard at him as fire exposes his priority.

She actually does give him a clue by looking down the moment he looks at her. Never thought of that.

He heard something click wrong, looked at her for additional clue so she looks to the side “get out of the way”.

I love that John’s priority is medically inclined in the action scene, checking the vital signs of the guy that got shot.

“Observant?” “Flattered?” Honestly he shouldn’t be so surprised by the first bit as it was obvious some kind of observation + deduction got Sherlock the code.

As usual Sherlock gives zero fucks about gun safety. I feel John at some point is going to tie him down and lecture him about it. “We do not scratch our heads with the barrel of a gun, and we don’t call for the police by shooting in the air!”

You know if you’re knocking him out cold regardless, you don’t need him to drop the phone first. You just wanted the beating to be literal.

“He’ll be fine. I’ve used it on loads of my friends.” Yeah no, tell the doctor what chemical knockout drug you just put in a former drug addict!!

I wonder how much of dream Adler is actual Adler speaking to a drugged out Sherlock.

Could be nothing with the only real part being “hush now, returning your coat”. Would make sense for a dreaming brain to jumble the two cases together.

Start of series 2 we get to see Sherlock’s bedroom while John’s remain a mystery after 4 series.

John is not on the top of his game this episode. “What woman?”

And so it begins.

Mycroft does not have “shut up Hudson” privilege.

That whole phone noise discussion is punctuated with embarrassment.

Ah the gaping jaw that set the sails for the lestrolly ship.

“Christmas is canceled!” I love when John banters with Sherlock.

Sherlock is mean to Molly, but to be fair she kind of blundered a bit with the others and Sherlock complaining about John being away was clearly something he told in confidence. Telling Greg and John that their loved ones are betraying the trust put in them is general misanthropy, but Sherlock probably feels justified in needling Molly about a crush that he figures none of them know anyway.

Oh John’s look there. Greg clearly knows too what is coming but John has the recognition factor.

“Oh shit. It was me. Still me? She still has a thing for me?”

For a sort of dramatic moment it still has one of John’s absolutely funniest facial journeys. “Wait, you apologised? You know what an apology is? Are you feeling well?”

Obviously Irene’s text signal gets a lot of funny moments, but nothing will beat the timing of this one. And now I am imagining Jim with a pair of binoculars sitting across the street and telling Irene “now, send it now, it’ll be fucking priceless!”

And Greg “wait really?” When you’re not sure what your consultant can do to surprise you next.

I believe I made a post about it earlier but Jeanette’s boyfriend just said he’s been keeping track up till 57 on text messages that his platonic flat mate gets where the signal is a woman moaning.

“Do you ever reply?”

Jeanette starts working on her break up speech about then, I believe.

Molly nervously gulps a drink. Now Molly is everyone’s favorite John mirror. Medical professional with a crush on Sherlock, and whose favored type of outfit involves knitwear. John usually takes a drink at emotionally difficult times. Is this Molly handling her rejection, or showing what John is doing/will do without showing John?

Mycroft. If they passed a new law why would Sherlock know about it before you?

“How did Sherlock recognize her from... not-her-face?”

Mycroft answers with a smile and leaving the room.

“I got plans”

“No” I know you. If it’s a date you’ve probably bungled it already. Regardless if it is or isn’t you’ll still prioritize my brother because you always do.

John really goes for the superconfident strategy when dating, huh? “I always thought I was great.”

“I’ll even walk your dog!”

“I don’t have a dog!”

“No, because that was the last one...”

Always thought you were a great boyfriend, huh?

When even your landlady who got out of her marriage through execution thinks you bungled it, you probably bungled it.

Think I’ll break here and continue the rest of the episode tomorrow.

#rebecka’s sherlock rewatch #johnlock #john watson is bi #john watson is a disaster #jealous john watson

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ailelie · 4 years

Text

Okay. So Hans in Frozen is a terrible opportunist who can’t resist a killer line when he thinks he’s won, but I don’t think he was evil. I think if he had somehow won, the kingdom would not have been put to ruin. In fact, I think his pride would have demanded he do a good job.

This isn’t an Hans apologetic, though. This is just a wondering of what would have happened if he hadn’t tried to set the sisters at odds, if he had had a ounce more patience.

What if, when Elsa objected, instead of arguing, he relented with a disappointed sigh? “You’re right.”

Anna immediately gets upset because they finish each other’s sandwiches how can Elsa be right??

And Hans asks if they can go somewhere to talk. This also has the benefit of giving Elsa some much needed quiet. Yes, there is a conversation to be had, but while Anna is upset, she’s splitting that now between Elsa and Hans (and more on the latter because of the tremor of betrayal in how easily he backed down) and Hans isn’t being an active threat. Elsa gets to breathe, which helps her keep her magic under control.

In a quiet space, Hans says that he likes Anna, but he did rush toward marriage because his ship leaves in the next couple days and he really does not want to go home. He paints a picture of him as the discarded youngest--playing on both sisters’ intensely lonely childhoods. He might even toss in a few stories about ways his older brothers have bullied him or made him feel less for not being like them. Etc.

He sets himself up as a kindred spirit to them both and explains that he wanted to marry Anna so soon because it was the first time he’d felt that kind of connection to someone, that sense of belonging, and he really did not want to lose it. Even if that meant rushing into marriage.

Anna, placated, turns to Elsa for a solution. And Elsa, after getting a promise that they’ll set their engagement aside for at least a year and not discuss marriage, asks Hans to stay at court as an adviser.

Imagine the first movie then never happens. Anna still has a white lock. Kristoff is still off on his own. Elsa never becomes comfortable with her magic. Olaf is never made. And opportunistic Hans is biding his time in the castle, carefully befriending and wooing both sisters.

And then the second movie happens. None of them are ready.

It would be an utter disaster.

But in the end, maybe, Anna and Kristoff meet as adults, rather than older teens. Elsa still goes too deep, but without the lessons of the first film and the such, she is unable to wrench free and remains stuck as ice. Anna has learned to carry on through hard times, but hasn’t ever had to rule, plus she has her own deep grief, survivor’s guilt, and a new romance to navigate. So she leans more on Hans for help. Hans has to choose between deposing and helping her. And, after the second film, opts for the latter. And possibly, eventually becomes her eyes and hands in the world. He carries messages, goes on diplomatic trips, and does his best to shape the narrative.

(And eventually there is a third film....

Anna is torn between the man she loves (Kristoff) and the man she relies on (Hans) and the different kinds of love she has for both while also trying to manage her kingdom and deal with rumors of privateers to the south. She is questioning her judgement (in love, in ruling, in everything) and, worse, lately she’s been hearing her sister’s voice on the wind and is now also questioning her sanity.

Kristoff is torn between loving Anna and not wanting to be a king. He dislikes getting recognized on the street and talks with Sven about how much easier it was when it was just the two of them. He struggles with his own feelings of inadequacy, especially when she notices how often Anna discusses the kingdom with Hans. He doesn’t trust Hans--there is just something slippery about the guy--but he grudgingly admits that he does well for the kingdom.

Hans struggles between his desires for recognition and belonging. With Anna and Kristoff growing closer together, his place in the castle feels in peril. As his insecurity increases, he leans toward wanting more recognition and power to balance it. This causes him to push on Kristoff’s own fears. Meanwhile he fears some of his brothers are behind/funding the southern privateers.

Kristoff decides to help by investigating the voice. Last time it was important (and sure it led to Elsa dying, but it also led to magic returning to the North, to the wall falling, to long-lost members of the kingdom returning home, to restored relations with the Northuldra, etc), so maybe it is also important this time. Plus, Kristoff wants a quest to prove himself (to himself; Anna has trouble seeing his leaving as anything other than abandonment). At the last minute. Hans ends up going with him. This is partially to avoid any of his family going to court and as an opportunity to maybe convince Kristoff to remain in the north. (Anna is especially upset by this. He’s supposed to help with diplomacy!)

So Kristoff and Hans go on a hunt for the secret of Elsa’s voice, leaving Anna truly alone for the first time since her childhood of closed doors.

And because I’m ficcing here, we’re going the OT3 route. Just so you know.

Hans tries to dislike Kristoff, but stuck in close quarters with the other man on the surprisingly dangerous trip north (ice!Elsa is no longer statue and no longer human; her lost memories are what calls to Anna for help restoring her sense of self and balance), he can’t. They end up saving each other’s lives a couple times and it probably all leads to a song in which they begrudgingly admit that they see what Anna sees in the other man.

Anna goes to Kristoff for comfort, fun, romance, talks of strange childhoods, etc. She goes to Hans to discuss the kingdom, talk out ideas, snark about politics, and discuss lonely childhoods. She goes to Kristoff for her heart and Hans for her mind.

But by discussing what Anna sees, the two find what they have in common as well--strange and lonely childhoods aside, they both have some deep insecurities about how they belong in Anna’s world, because they doubt themselves. Hans doubts he can actually connect with anyone. He’s lived so long in plots and schemes, he fears he’s lost the ability to see people as people rather than as a collection of opportunities, needs, and advantages. Meanwhile Kristoff fears others relying on him in the way the kingdom relies on Anna; he doubts he can lead.

Naturally the two have to split up and Kristoff ends up having to lead a group of young fighters against ice constructs while Hans is stuck in Elsa’s ice palace and has to help her find her humanity.

Meanwhile, Anna alone navigates the conflict in the south while the voice is more insistent and louder. She also, either from the southern diplomat or from exploring her own heritage or researching the kings and queens of the past, figures out a solution to her love life--she can have more than one husband. She just has to convince them.

Anna realizes that the privateers are the opening salvo in a war. Everyone tells her she is imagining it. At first she caves and probably talks/sings about her inability to be sure. It all seemed so easy when the dam came down, but nothing has been so simple since. And this song focuses heavily on the romance, but the romance is a metaphor. Anyway, she figures out the poly answer fairly early on and it feels right even though she knows few will understand. And by making that (much lower stakes decision), she is able to cast aside her doubts about the coming war.

The southern diplomat was carefully backing her into a corner and setting her up in a way so that it’d be easy to whip up the kingdom against her in six to twelve months.

By the two-thirds point, the conflict up north is resolved. Hans and Kristoff bring Elsa home to Anna. Unlike in canon, this Elsa needs closer contact with her humanity while she figures out the right balance. She’ll return north, but not yet.

Anna is overjoyed, but still stressed because while she has blocked the South from fomenting revolution, war is still coming. Elsa freezes the harbor to buy Anna time. Hans confesses to all of his scheming in the past, expecting to be cast out, but is instead forgiven by Anna and Kristoff. It might turn into a moment where all three confess their fears and comfort each other. And Anna gently kisses them both and says she wants both in her life and that they can talk more later.

Anna, confident in her skills now, takes on the leadership position and directs the others. She asks Kristoff to talk with the people and make sure the South hasn’t taken other steps to foment revolution. He never wanted to be recognized, but now she is asking him to approach people as an extension of the crown and gather information for her. Changed by his trip north, he does. She asks Hans to talk with the diplomat, who is one of his brothers, and find out why war is coming. This is risky because Hans has a complicated relationship with his family, but also because the South might convince Hans to help overthrow her in exchange for her throne. Hans agrees and, secure in his place, is not swayed by schemes, power, or being restored to/recognized by his family.

Anna and Elsa reconnect. Anna shares everything Elsa has missed and Elsa says she’s proud of her.

Eventually they figure out that the Isles are moving toward war (and revolution to make the war easier on their limited resources) because their Isles are becoming increasingly hostile and they’re running low on resources to keep their people alive. Elsa realizes that the problem is the Isles are out of balance, so she volunteers to go South to bring balance (because, as the fifth element, that is basically her job) and Anna and Hans work out a trade agreement to help the South survive until they can support themselves once more. And Kristoff quietly supports everyone (possibly even having a conversation with Elsa when she fears telling Anna that her idea for fixing everything is for Elsa to leave).

And so the war is ended before it can begin. Anna is confident in her judgement. Kristoff realizes that he actually does have a role to play in the castle and with Anna. Hans trusts his relationships and is more open about his schemes to help the kingdom. And Elsa is alive and more human than before and facing a new challenge in a strange land and is good at it. She and Anna exchange many letters.

And Anna finally shares what she’s learned about queens and the possibility of marrying both Kristoff and Hans. And all three up holding hands in a circle while they consider the possibilities.

(Shorts later on play up the romance, but in the story the romance is mostly just an opportunity to explore fears and insecurities and is a metaphor for the stability of Anna’s reign).

#frozen #fic i want to read #fic i am not writing #this started by assuming hans is not evil #and what it'd be like to have him as a supporting character #without removing his very Slytherin tendencies

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