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100 Asexual Books Rec List

For this list the goal is fiction books with a main character or significant secondary character that is on the Asexual spectrum, or non-fiction books about being Aspec.

Junior Novels

1. Rick by Alex Gino An eleven year old boy starting middle school begins discovering his asexuality admist the school's rainbow spectrum club. Also features transgender and crossdressing side characters, as well as a LGBTQIAP+ supporting cast.

2. Sal & Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Alberto Pablo Hernandez In order to heal after his mother's death, Sal learned how to meditate. But no one expected him to be able to take it further and 'relax' things into existence. Turns out he can reach into time and space to retrieve things from other universes. Asexual Sal.

3. Hazel's Theory of Evolution by Lisa Jenn Bigelow Hazel knows a lot about the world. But even Hazel doesn't have answers for the questions awaiting her as she enters eighth grade. What if no one at her new school gets her, and she doesn't make any friends? What's going to happen to one of her moms, who's pregnant again after having two miscarriages? Why does everything have to change when life was already perfectly fine? Hazel (main character) is asexual and aromantic (it isn't said in the book, but it is specified in the author's note at the back of the book).

4. The Trouble with Robots by Michelle Mohrweis Evelyn strives for excellence. Allie couldn't care less. Together, these polar opposites must work together if they have any hope of saving their school's robotics program. Allie is asexual and/or aromantic. Junior graphic novel.

5. This is Our Rainbow by Editors Katherine Locke and Nicole Melleby Featuring contributions from Eric Bell, Katherine Locke and A.J. Sass, this first LGBTQA+ anthology for middle-grade readers presents stories of queer fantasy, historical and contemporary stories for every letter of the acronym.

6. Every Bird a Prince by Jenn Reese After she saves the life of a bird prince and becomes their champion, seventh grader Eren Evers must defend a forest kingdom, save her mom, and keep the friendships she holds dear--if she is brave enough to embrace her inner truths. Eren is aromantic (and I'm guessing asexual, though that isn't discussed).

YA Fiction

7. When Villains Rise by Rebecca Schaeffer With her best friend, Kovit's, life in danger, Nita is determined to take down the black market once and for all. Latina asexual and aromantic main character (Nita).

8. The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee Henry "Monty" Montague was bred to be a gentleman. His passions for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men, have earned the disapproval of his father. His quest for pleasures and vices have led to one last hedonistic hurrah as Monty, his best friend and crush Percy, and Monty's sister Felicity begin a Grand Tour of Europe. When a reckless decision turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt, it calls into question everything Monty knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores. Aro/ace secondary character (prequel to a Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy).

9. The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee A year after an accidentally whirlwind grand tour with her brother Monty, Felicity Montague has returned to England with two goals in mind—avoid the marriage proposal of a lovestruck suitor from Edinburgh and enroll in medical school. A highly loved book in regards to asexual portrayal, Felicity’s journey does a fantastic job of exploring the struggle of navigating a world where marriage is expected of women in order to function in society. Even more refreshing is Felicity isn’t just avoiding getting married out of a sole rebellion against the patriarchy (though those themes are also present), but simply because she doesn’t have an interest in sexual or romantic relationships at all.

10. Silver in the Mist by Emily Victoria Asexual Devlin has grown up in the shadow of her mother’s impressive spy network—and the shadow of the kingdom, too. A magical mist is eating away at their borders, weakening their magic and making them vulnerable to attacks. Devlin is tasked with infiltrating the royal court of the wealthier neighboring kingdom, but when she befriends their most powerful magic wielder, she discovers an ancient mystery that may hold the key to defeating the mists for good. Victoria prioritizes strong friendships between queer characters and an examination of wealth disparity in this fantasy full of twists and turns.

11. Not Good for Maidens by Tori Bovalino Beneath the streets of York, the goblin market calls to the Wickett women-the family of witches that tends to its victims. For generations, they have defended the old cobblestone streets with their magic. Knowing the dangers, they never entered the market-until May Wickett fell for a goblin girl, accepted her invitation, and became inextricably tied to the world her family tried to protect her from. Told through dual narratives in different timelines, the book essentially has two protagonists: Lou and May. Between these two characters, we have some great queer representation for both asexuality and bisexuality.

12. A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger Themes of magic, family, asexuality, and traditional storytelling dominate in Lipan Apache author Darcie Little Badger's delightful and uplifting second YA novel. A Lipan girl named Nina collides with Oli who is from the land of spirits and monsters. But some people will do anything to keep them apart. This is a wholesome, elegantly written read guaranteed to warm your heart!

13. Arden Grey by Ray Stoeve Arden Grey is a novel about different kinds of abusive relationships, as well as the strength of family and friendships. Following her parents' separation, Arden is depressed and coming to accept herself as being on the asexual spectrum.

14. It Sounds Like This by Anna Meriano Yasm Trevi didn't have much of a freshman year thanks to Hurricane Humphrey, but she's ready to take sophomore year by storm. That means mastering the marching side of marching band--fast!--so she can outshine her BFF Sofia as top of the flute section, earn first chair, and impress both her future college admission boards and her comfortably unattainable drum major crush Gilberto Reyes. But Yasm steps off on the wrong foot when she reports an anonymous gossip Instagram account harassing new band members and accidentally gets the entire low brass section suspended from extracurriculars. Rep: Biracial Latina fat asexual-questioning cis female MC, Jewish gray-aromantic gray-asexual male side character with ADHD and APD.

15. One for All by Lillie Lainoff In 1655 sixteen-year-old Tania is the daughter of a retired musketeer, but she is afflicted with extreme vertigo and subject to frequent falls; when her father is murdered she finds that he has arranged for her to attend Madame de Treville's newly formed Acadaemie des Mariées in Paris, which, it turns out, is less a school for would-be wives, than a fencing academy for girls--and so Tania begins her training to be a new kind of musketeer, and to get revenge for her father. Rep: disability, asexuality, sapphic side characters, POTS and PTSD.

16. The State of Us by Shaun David Hutchinson When Dean Arnault’s mother decided to run for president, it wasn’t a surprise to anyone, least of all her son. But still that doesn’t mean Dean wants to be part of the public spectacle that is the race for the White House—at least not until he meets Dre. The only problem is that Dre Rosario’s on the opposition; he’s the son of the Democratic nominee. In a moment of solidarity and high emotions, Dean tells Dre that he has been questioning his sexual orientation. He isn’t sure if he’s asexual or demisexual. Dre puts a messaging app on Dean’s phone so they can stay in touch.

17. Scavenge the Stars by Tara Sim When Amaya rescues a mysterious stranger from drowning, she fears her rash actions have earned her a longer sentence on the debtor ship where she’s been held captive for years. Instead, the man she saved offers her unimaginable riches and a new identity, setting Amaya on a perilous course through the coastal city-state of Moray, where old-world opulence and desperate gamblers collide. Amaya wants one thing: revenge against the man who ruined her family and stole the life she once had. Desi, demisexual female protagonist.

18. Camp by Lev AC Rosen It’s Randy’s fifth year at Camp Outland, a camp where queer teens get a chance to be themselves. Hoping to win over Hudson’s heart—who’s masc and straight passing and only seems to date other guys like himself—Randy has spent the past year reinventing himself: workout regimen, new haircut, new carefully curated wardrobe. His friends and camp counsellor all think it’s a terrible idea, but what can they do but support him anyways?

19. Little Thieves by Margaret Owen Once upon a time, the daughter of death and fortune was a teenage girl and she was the worst. Little Thieves is, as the dedication says, for the gremlin girls, never has there been a more gremlin girl than Vanja Schmidt. A brilliant and brazen swindler, Vanja could give Kaz Brekker a run for his money. But Vanja has bigger fish to fry. As her body rapidly turns into the gemstones she craves, Vanja must put things right and face her greed head on all while juggling her engagement to a terrible margrave, an investigator with his own magic, and the princess whose face she stole. Vanja’s relationship with junior prefect Emeric could not be more demisexual if it tried, with both sides of the romance experiencing asexual spectrum existence in different and complimentary ways. One part Germanic fairytale, one part ensemble heist, Little Thieves is an unhinged romp of a book.

20. Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller by Meredith Ireland Rom-coms and the asexuality spectrum...two great things that go great together. Kelsie and Eric have been competing against each other their whole lives. But desperation forces them to work together. Kelsie’s best friend stopped talking to her and Eric wants to rekindle his relationship with his ex-girlfriend, and since both will be at UPenn at the same time, Eric and Kelsie decide to go on a road trip together. Sparks fly.

21. You Don't Have a Shot by Racquel Marie Valentina "Vale" Castillo-Green's life revolves around soccer. Her friends, her future, and her father's intense expectations are all wrapped up in the beautiful game. But after she incites a fight during playoffs with her long-time rival, Leticia Ortiz, everything she's been working toward seems to disappear. Queer asexual biracial (Colombian, Irish) protagonist.

22. Foul Lady Fortune by Chloe Gong In 1931 Shanghai, two Nationalist spies pose as a married couple to investigate a series of brutal murders causing unrest in the city. Rep: demisexual Chinese protagonist, bisexual Chinese protagonist, bisexual Chinese main character, Chinese trans woman main character, aromantic asexual side character; (Chinese-Kiwi author).

23. The Spy with the Red Ballon by Katherine Locke Siblings Ilse and Wolf hide a deep secret in their blood: with it, they can work magic. And the government just found out. Blackmailed into service during World War II, Ilse lends her magic to America’s newest weapon, the atom bomb, while Wolf goes behind enemy lines to sabotage Germany’s nuclear program. It’s a dangerous mission, but if Hitler were to create the bomb first, the results would be catastrophic. Gay demisexual Jewish protagonist.

24. Beneath the Citadel by Destiny Soria Cassa, the orphaned daughter of rebels, and friends Alys, Evander, and Newt, fight back against the high council of Eldra, which has ruled for centuries based solely on ancient prophesies. Alys, an apothecary-in-training and the level-headed one of the crew. She identifies as asexual.

25. Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia Eighteen-year-old Eliza Mirk is the anonymous creator of the wildly popular webcomic Monstrous Sea, but when a new boy at school tempts her to live a life offline, everything she's worked for begins to crumble. Asexual main character, not explicitly stated in the book.

26. Technically, You Started It by Lana Wood Johnson When a guy named Martin Nathaniel Munroe II texts you, it should be obvious who you're talking to. Except there's two of them (it's a long story), and Haley thinks she's talking to the one she doesn't hate. Demisexual main character.

27. Now Entering Addamsville by Francesca Zappia Zora Novak is framed for a crime she didn't commit--in a town obsessed with ghosts, will she be able to find the culprit and clear her name before it's too late? It's a brief mention, but Zora is ace.

28. Fully Disclosure by Camryn Garrett In a community that isn’t always understanding, an HIV-positive teen must navigate fear, disclosure, and radical self-acceptance when she falls in love–and lust–for the first time. One of Simone’s best friends in the book, Claudia, is an asexual lesbian. The unwavering support she gives to Simone is heartwarming, and she is also openly sex-positive—which flips the script on its head regarding what most people would assume of asexual people.

30. The Art of Saving the World by Corinne Duyvis When Hazel Stanczak was born, an interdimensional rift tore open near her family’s home, which prompted immediate government attention. They soon learned that if Hazel strayed too far, the rift would become volatile and fling things from other dimensions onto their front lawn—or it could swallow up their whole town. Hazel Stanczak identifies as asexual, though she spends time in the book questioning it. The book presents a unique way to show that there is not one single way to be asexual—that it exists on a spectrum and can look different for each person.

31. Let's Talk About Love by Claire Kann Alice had her whole summer planned. Non-stop all-you-can-eat buffets while marathoning her favorite TV shows (best friends totally included) with the smallest dash of adulting–working at the library to pay her share of the rent. The only thing missing from her perfect plan? Her girlfriend (who ended things when Alice confessed she’s asexual). Alice is done with dating–no thank you, do not pass go, stick a fork in her, done. Alice is a biromantic and asexual black woman who starts off very confident in her identity as asexual, yet has experiences that have her questioning her orientation and how to talk about it.

32. In the Ravenous Dark by AdriAnne Strickland A pansexual blood mage reluctantly teams up with an undead spirit to start a rebellion among the living and the dead. This book features Japha, an asexual nonbinary character who serves as the best friend to the MC.

33. Seven Ways We Lie by Riley Redgate Life at Paloma High School is much like any other high school, with petty drama, judgmental assholes, and mind-numbing schoolwork. Until it isn’t. A scandal emerges: a student and teacher had an illicit affair. At the center of the scandal are seven teenagers, each with their own secrets, whose lives are transformed as a result of this scandal. One of the characters can be read as asexual (and possibly neurodiverse). He never explicitly labels himself as such, but the way he describes his experiences of [non-]attraction strongly point to him being on the ace spectrum.

34. Quicksilver by R. J. Anderson Tori thought she had left her past behind when she and her family started a new life in a new city. But then Sebastian Faraday reappears in her life to tell her that she’s not quite as safe as she thinks: the relay is still operating and a genetics lab is trying to track her down to figure out the secret behind her unusual biology. Tori is going to have to use all of her considerable technical expertise to escape her past and live the normal human life she’s always wanted to have. Asexual main character.

35. Hullmetal Girls by Emily Skrutskie Aisha Un-Haad, seventeen, and Key Tanaka, eighteen, have risked everything for new lives as mechanically enhanced soldiers, and when an insurrection forces dark secrets to surface, the fate of humanity is in their hands. In Hullmetal Girls, Aisha is not only ace/aro but she is also happy with her identity. Crucially, so is everyone else.

36. Not Even Bones by Rebecca Schaeffer Nita's mother hunts monsters and, after Nita dissects and packages them, sells them online, but when Nita follows her conscience to help a live monster escape, she is sold on the black market in his place. Aro/Ace main character

37. Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp When Corey moves away from Lost Creek, Alaska, she makes her friend Kyra promise to stay strong during the long, dark winter, and wait for her return. Just days before Corey is to return home to visit, Kyra dies. The entire Lost community speaks in hushed tones, saying her death was meant to be. And they push Corey away like she's a stranger. With every hour, Corey's suspicion grows. Lost is keeping secrets-- but piecing together the truth about what happened to her best friend may prove as difficult as lighting the sky in an Alaskan winter. Aro/Ace main character.

38. If It Makes You Happy by Claire Kann Winnie is living her best fat girl life and is on her way to the best place on earth. No, not Disneyland–her Granny’s diner, Goldeen’s, in the small town of Misty Haven. While there, she works in her fabulous 50’s inspired uniform, twirling around the diner floor and earning an obscene amount of tips. With her family and ungirlfriend at her side, she has everything she needs for one last perfect summer before starting college in the fall. …until she becomes Misty Haven’s Summer Queen in a highly anticipated matchmaking tradition that she wants absolutely nothing to do with. Aro/ace secondary character.

39. Dread Nation by Justina Ireland An alternate history where the Civil War was put on hold when zombies started to rise. Almost finished with her education at Miss Preston's School of Combat in Baltimore, Jane is set on returning to her Kentucky home and doesn't pay much mind to the politics of the eastern cities, with their talk of returning America to the glory of its days before the dead rose.But when families around Baltimore County begin to go missing, Jane is caught in the middle of a conspiracy, one that finds her in a desperate fight for her life against some powerful enemies. And the restless dead, it would seem, are the least of her problems. The word asexual is not used, but that fits with the setting, and the explanation goes into a fair amount of detail, also ruling out that she likes women instead.

40. Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson When her convent is attacked by possessed soldiers, Artemisia defends the Gray Sisters by awakening the revenant bound to a saint's relic, even though she runs the risk of being possessed permanently by the powerful ancient spirit. Non-explicit romantic asexual main character. Fantasy.

41. Archivist Wasp by Nicole Kornher-Stace A postapocalyptic ghosthunter escapes her dire fate by joining the ghost of a supersoldier on his quest to the underworld Aromantic asexual main character. Dark fantasy/dystopian.

42. Summer of Salt by Katrina Leno While anyone would love to have a bit of magic, what happens when magic turns dark? Georgina Fernweh will come into her magic someday soon. Before she does, Georgina faces a tragedy that tests the islanders' trust. In this book, Georgina’s best friend Vira is aroace, and it’s addressed somewhat in the story at different points. There is a sweet strength between Georgina and Vira, full of loyalty and support that is lovely to see.

43. The Summer of Bitter and Sweet by Jen Ferguson In this moving and complex narrative, Lou learns to draw boundaries, stand up for herself, all while coming to terms with her demisexuality.

44. The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow One-third of the human population has died and now the world is about to end. Ellie, a fat, Black, disabled, demisexual girl with access to an illegal library teams up with a music-loving alien to risk their lives to save the world.

45. The Grimrose Girls by Laura Pohl Pohl serves up a veritable smorgasbord of queer fairytale goodies in Grimrose Girls. This tale as old as time follows four students at the prestigious boarding school Grimrose Academy—Ella, Yuki, Rory, and newcomer Nani. When the former three’s best friend dies, all four girls are swept up in a dark and twisted mystery full of old fairytale magic. They must work together to unravel the secrets between them and break an ancient curse that dooms them to a fairytale ending (and not the fun kind). Yuki’s aromantic asexual identity is explored in her relationship to expectations, beauty, and friendship throughout the novel.

46. Radio Silence by Alice Oseman Frances has been a study machine with one goal. Nothing will stand in her way; not friends, not a guilty secret – not even the person she is on the inside. Then Frances meets Aled, and for the first time, she’s unafraid to be herself. So when the fragile trust between them is broken, Frances is caught between who she was and who she longs to be. In this book, Aled identifies as demisexual while Frances identifies as bisexual. The story really pays homage to the importance of friendship, and romantic storylines move to the background in a way we don’t often get in YA literature.

47. This Golden Flame by Emily Victoria Forced to serve her country’s ruling group, Karis wants nothing more than to find her brother. But family bonds don’t matter to the sole focus of unlocking the magic of an ancient automaton army. Karis is ace and other LGBTQ+ characters are introduced throughout.

48. Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand A horror novel centered around three girls facing off against an unseen monster that preys upon the young women of the island of Sawkill Rock. Features a black asexual girl fresh out of a romantic relationship, as well as a f/f relationship.

49. Love Letters for Joy by Melissa See Less than a year away from graduation, seventeen-year-old Joy is too busy overachieving to be worried about relationships. She’s determined to be Caldwell Prep’s first disabled valedictorian. And she only has one person to beat, her academic rival Nathaniel. But it’s senior year and everyone seems to be obsessed with pairing up. One of her best friends may be developing feelings for her and the other uses Caldwell’s anonymous love-letter writer to snag the girl of her dreams. Joy starts to wonder if she has missed out on a quintessential high school experience. She is asexual, but that’s no reason she can’t experience first love, right?

50. Not Your Backup by C. B. Lee Part 3 in the Sidekick Squad series by C.B. Lee. Follows a questioning aromantic asexual latinx superhero sidekick fighting to prove her worth on the team despite her lack of superpowers, all admist the team's battle against the corrupt League of Heroes.

51. Belle Révolte by Linsey Miller Noble-born Emilie des Marais, 16, wants to become a physician, a role usually forbidden women of her class because of the corruptive toll the magical "noonday arts" exact. Common-born Annette Boucher wants to escape her domineering parents and master the less physically costly "midnight arts" of illusions, divination, and scrying, normally reserved for those who can afford the expensive education. At Emilie's urging, each girl takes the other's place. Miller (Ruin of Stars) writes in lush, dense prose that can require a careful read, but her protagonists' awareness of privilege and desire to challenge the status quo shines through. LGBTQ representation--including gay, trans, and nonbinary characters (Annette identifies as asexual biromantic)--further widens this tale's appeal.

52. Tarnished Are the Stars by Rosiee Thor A secret beats inside Anna Thatcher's chest: an illegal clockwork heart. Anna works cog by cog -- donning the moniker Technician -- to supply black market medical technology to the sick and injured, against the Commissioner's tyrannical laws. Determined to earn his father's respect, Nathaniel sets out to capture the Technician. But the more he learns about the outlaw, the more he questions whether his father's elusive affection is worth chasing at all. This YA novel features an aroace character gradually coming to accept his orientation in the midst of everything else that is happening in his life. Perfect for older teens who also enjoy WLW representation and dark themes.

53. Aces Wild: A Heist by Amanda DeWitt An all-asexual online friend group attempts to break into a high-stakes gambling club and commit a heist together. Includes a male asexual character navigating what love looks like for him, an aromantic asexual Latinx gender-nonconforming boy, a Vietnamese American and German asexual nonbinary teen, and a black asexual girl.

54. Planning Perfect by Haley Neil Summer vacation quickly becomes complicated for Felicity Becker as she tries to plan a perfect wedding for her mom, figure out her feelings for her friend Nancy, and wonder what dating will look like for her as an asexual person.

55. Ace of Hearts by Myriad Augustine Everyone around Alvin seems to be obsessed with one thing-- sex. Alvin finds it uncomfortable to think and talk about it and he knows he isn't ready and may never be. His friends, however, think that all Alvin needs is to hook up with the right guy. But the closer Alvin gets to being physical with someone, the more he's uncertain that this is for him and he begins to wonder if he's asexual. Can Alvin find the love that's right for him?

56. Beyond the Black Door by AdriAnne Strickland Everyone has a soul. Some are beautiful gardens, others are frightening dungeons. Kamia comes to know more about her identity as she decides to battle the forces of evil, no matter the cost... Asexual and demi-romantic main characters. Dark fantasy. Kamai is asexual, but isn’t aromantic—she has an interest in relationships that isn’t always depicted for those who are ace.

57. Loveless by Alice Oseman A queer coming of age story featuring a romance obsessed aromantic asexual main character discovering her sexuality and coming to terms with what that means, and a variety of other queer characters that support her on her journey.

58. Summer Bird Blue by Akemi Dawn Bowman Rumi Seto spends a lot of time worrying she doesn’t have the answers to everything. What to eat, where to go, whom to love. But there is one thing she is absolutely sure of—she wants to spend the rest of her life writing music with her younger sister, Lea. Then Lea dies in a car accident, and her mother sends her away to live with her aunt in Hawaii while she deals with her own grief. While not the main focal point of the book, Rumi does grapple throughout the story about where exactly she lands on the ace and aro spectrum—and whether she has to label herself at all.

59. Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee In this queer rom-com, a transgender teen must decide if he's dedicated to romantic formulas or open to unpredictable love after an internet troll attack on his blog compels him and a fan to start fake-dating. Through an unlikely friendship with sweet, grounded Devin, who is Cuban American, asexual, and experimenting with pronouns, Noah--initially self-centered and standoffish--learns to value communication and empathy.

60. The Reckless Kind by Carly Heath In 1904 Norway, Asta runs away from her horrible fiancé to live with her two best friends. The three misfits set out to win the annual Christmas sleigh race to prove that they belong together. Queer asexual hard of hearing protagonist with heterochromia of Norwegian descent.

61. Forward March by Skye Quinlan How can band geek Harper have the chance of becoming the First Daughter with a fake dating profile? However, Harper does know that the drumline leader swiped right. Come along with Harper as she explores her truth during her last year of high school. Asexual-questioning cis female MC with anxiety and asthma.

62. Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger What if America had monsters, magic, and interdimensional beings? For Elatsoe, this is real, and she has to uncover her cousin's murder! She can do this with the help of her ghost dog, Kirby, but has to remember not to wake human ghosts. Aromantic ace main character. Paranormal mystery. Casual representation which extends to Ellie’s identity as Lipan Apache. This identity is asserted more often and firmly than her asexuality, and Little Badger drops in nuggets of education for us settlers about what Indigenous people, and the Lipan Apache in particular, suffered at the hands of settlers.

63. All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens Throughout the Ages by Editor Robin Talley A collection of short fantasy stories, featuring a variety of queer characters across multiple sexualities and genders. Features an asexual roller-skating girl from the 70s struggling to explain her identity to her crush.

64. Black Wings Beating by Alex London Twins Brysen and Kylee live in a world that revers the power of the falconers, but in a world where war approaches, they aren’t safe. Hunted for their power, they work together to trap the Ghost Eagle. Kylee is an ace character, focused on protecting her brother.

Graphic Novels

65. A-okay by Jarad Greene Eight grade can be tough, especially if you have acne and bullies, and lose friends. But our relatable asexual and aromantic protagonist, Jay, pulls through. This is a relatable memoir with colorful artwork.

66. How to Be Ace: A Memoir of Growing up Asexual by Rebecca Burgess A comic memoir detailing the author Rebecca Burgess's experience with growing up asexual in a world obsessed with sex. Also talks about her experiences with her own mental health and OCD.

67. Jughead, Volume 1 by Chip Zdarsky A comic book reboot of the Archie comics centered around Jughead Jones. Follows an aromantic asexual main character in typical Archie-style shenanigans. Part 1 of a 3 part series.

68. A Quick & Easy Guide to Asexuality by Molly Muldoon A charming introduction to asexuality, created to shed light on the misconceptions surrounding sex and being asexual. Told by writer Molly Muldoon and cartoonist Will Hernandez, both on the asexual spectrum.

69. Is Love the Answer? by Isaki Uta A poignant coming-of-age story about a young woman coming into her own as she discovers her identity as aromantic asexual. A complete story in a single volume, from the creator of "Mine-kun is Asexual."

Domestic Fiction

70. Have You Seen Luis Velez by Catherine Ryan Hyde Raymond Jaffe feels like he doesn't belong. Not with his mother's new family. Not as a weekend guest with his father and his father's wife. Not at school, where he's an outcast. After his best friend moves away, Raymond has only two real connections: to the feral cat he's tamed and to a blind ninety-two-year-old woman in his building who's introduced herself with a curious question: Have you seen Luis Velez? Mildred Gutermann, a German Jew who narrowly escaped the Holocaust, has been alone since her caretaker disappeared. She turns to Raymond for help, and as he tries to track Luis down, a deep and unexpected friendship blossoms between the two. Raymond is asexual (to be precise, he is aroace) And he is depicted as kind, loving, sensitive and realistic.

Fantasy

71. In the Lives of the Puppets by TJ Klune In a strange little home built into the branches of a grove of trees, live three robots--fatherly inventor android Giovanni Lawson, a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine, and a small vacuum desperate for love and attention. Victor Lawson, a human, lives there too. They're a family, hidden and safe. Protagonist: Vic, A curious, loving, & asexual human.

72. The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon In the mid-21st century major world cities are controlled by a formidable security force and clairvoyant underworld cell member Paige commits acts of psychic treason before being captured by an otherworldly race that would make her a part of their supernatural army. Demisexual main character.

73. The Perfect Assassin by K.A. Doore Divine justice is written in blood. Or so Amastan has been taught. As a new assassin in the Basbowen family, he's already having second thoughts about taking a life. A scarcity of contracts ends up being just what he needs. Until, unexpectedly, Amastan finds the body of a very important drum chief. Until, inevitably, Amastan is ordered to solve these murders, before the family gets blamed. Amastan is asexual and, as it turns out, homoromantic.

74. The Bruising of Quilwa by Naseem Jamnia Firuz-e Jafari was able to escape the slaughter of traditional blood magic practitioners by immigrating to the city-state of Qilwa. But now a terrible disease is spreading through the city, and Firuz believes it comes from ineptly performed blood magic. Now they must find a way to break a cycle of prejudice in order to survive. From the author: it's about an aroace nonbinary refugee healer who is trying to cure a magical plague in their new home while hiding their blood magic.

75. The Midnight Bargain by C. L. Polk The Midnight Bargain is a story "set in a world reminiscent of Regency England, where women's magic is taken from them when they marry. A sorceress must balance her desire to become the first great female magician against her duty to her family. Ysbeta has a clear goal for her life: to discover and share magic. Besides loving learning for its own sake, Ysbeta is asexual, and wealthy in her own right, so the bargaining season offers her literally nothing.

76. Every Heart A Doorway by Seanan McGuire Set in a world where a group of children have the ability to find and enter doorways into magical worlds, and now must find who's targetting them for this ability. Lead by an female asexual main character, with a trans love interest. First book in a series of novellas.

Science Fiction

77. The First Sister by Linden A. Lewis She's a priestess of the Sisterhood, traveling the stars alongside the soldiers of Earth who own the rights to her body and soul. When her former captain abandons her, First Sister's hopes for freedom are dashed and she is forced to stay on her ship with no friends, no status, and a new captain she knows nothing about. When the Mother, leader of her order, asks her to spy on Captain Saito Ren, First Sister discovers that sacrificing for the war effort is so much harder to do when your loyalties are split. He climbed his way out of the slums to become an elite soldier of Venus, but now he's haunted by his failures and the loss of his partner Hiro. But when Lito learns that Hiro is alive, but a traitor, and he's assigned to hunt Hiro down, and kill them, Lito must decide what he is actually fighting for - the society that raised him, or himself. As the battle to control Ceres reaches a head, Lito and First Sister must decide what - and whom - they are willing to sacrifice in the name of duty, or for love. Hispanic panromantic asexual protagonist (Lito).

78. Firebreak by Nicole Kornher-Stace Mal is one of many war survivors in the old town working multiple jobs to scrimp by, one of which is her team's streaming video game play. The team lives with several other roommates in a converted hotel room run by Stellaxis, the company that owns half of town, and is the only legal provider of drinkable water. When Mal catches sight of an elusive SecOps character, special non-player characters (NPCs) modeled after Stellaxis' twelve bioengineered operatives, the team pursues her inside the game to catch her on video for two seconds before their power curfew kicks in. By the time Mal heads down for her daily ration of water, they've secured a lucrative contract, involving an in-person meeting and a conspiracy theory, paying them to capture images of the three living SecOps characters. When Mal returns to find out why the next payment failed, she becomes involved in a fracas that will endanger everyone she knows. Aroace main character.

79. To be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers Four astronauts set out to explore the galaxy. This journey spans centuries and many worlds. A thought provoking read that explores the themes of loneliness and sense of purpose. Excellent cast of diverse characters and vivid world building. Chikondi is asexual and the text is careful to note that his relationship to the protagonist is no less emotional or vital than those she shares with people she is sexually involved with.

80. The Circus Infinite by Khan Wong What better person to take down a crime boss than a mixed-species fugitive! Join Jes on this exciting tale of espionage, torture, demolition. Sex-averse panromantic asexual lead character

Historical Fiction

81. Kaikeyi by Vasihnavi Patel The only daughter of the kingdom of Kekaya, she is raised on grand stories about the might and benevolence of the gods. Yet she watches as her father unceremoniously banishes her mother, her own worth measured by how great a marriage alliance she can secure. And when she calls upon the gods for help, they never seem to hear. Desperate for some measure of independence, she turns to the ancient texts she once read with her mother and discovers a magic that is hers alone. Kaikeyi is asexual and aromantic. Although the words "asexual" and "aromantic" aren't used in the book.

Western

82. The Complete Lady Ruth Constance Chapelstone Chronicles by L. C. Mawson If you’re looking for steampunk magic, the Lady Ruth Constance Chapelstone novellas are the place for you. Read them individually or all together in this compendium. Chapelstone is interested in her inventions, not love and romance.

Paranormal

83. The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives in Your Homes by Joseph Fink Told in a series of eerie flashbacks, the story of The Faceless Old Woman goes back centuries to reveal an initially blissful and then tragic childhood on a Mediterranean Estate in the early nineteenth century, her rise in the criminal underworld of Europe, a nautical adventure with a mysterious organization of smugglers, her plot for revenge on the ones who betrayed her, and ultimately her death and its aftermath, as her spirit travels the world for decades until settling in modern-day Night Vale. Asexual secondary character.

Romance

84. All the Wrong Places by Ann Gallagher After his three ex-girlfriends in a row leave Brennan because he's not fulfilling their sexual needs, he seeks out advice from Zafir, the owner of a sex shop. Zafir introduces Brennan to the concept of asexuality and slowly something more blossoms between them.

85. That Kind of Guy by Talia Hibbert Rae needs a fake date to take to her ex's wedding and convinces Zach, a close friend who has recently discovered that he is demisexual, to play along.

86. The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood In an attempt to convince her best friend that she really is over her ex-boyfriend, grad-student Olive panic kisses stern associate professor Adam in the hallway. (Olive is coded as demisexual/graysexual, but that label is never used in the book).

87. Far From Home by Lorelie Brown The oddest of odd couples finds unexpected joy in Brown’s warm, sweet contemporary romance. American citizen Rachel, a not-quite-asexual assistant film producer struggling to make a living in L.A., is drowning in student debt; Indian immigrant Pari Sadashiv, a lesbian logistics manager, needs a U.S. green card to advance her career. When Rachel offers to marry Pari in exchange for funds, it’s just party banter at first—but what’s to stop them from crafting a friendship with legal and financial benefits? Their platonic plans quickly go awry as Pari’s mother moves in to help plan the wedding, forcing them to live their lie. As Rachel feels herself awakening to an attraction she didn’t even know was possible, Pari has to decide whether she can live with the possible fallout of Rachel’s tentative first foray into same-sex love.

88. Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun Last Christmas, Ellie met Jack in Powell’s when they both went for a copy of Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home, and over a cute argument over “shared custody”, and Jack poking gentle fun at Ellie (who had been crying alone and talking to a footstool as if it were her friend) they start to bond. Jack asks Ellie for coffee, and then they end up spending the whole day together. This is a big deal for Ellie, who is demisexual, and rarely develops attractions to anyone. And then Jack breaks her heart. Fast-forward to this Christmas when Andrew, the landlord who owns the building she works in, asks her to fake-marry him so he can access his inheritance, and shenanigans lead to her agreeing to this and to going home with him for Christmas, and surprise! Jack is Andrew’s sister.

89. The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun Tech wunderkind Charlie has never really been interested in dating, but agrees to join the cast of reality show 'Ever After.' While there he finds himself charmed by his producer, Dev, and questioning his sexuality. The Charm Offensive includes a conversation discussing asexuality and its spectrum.

90. Never Been Kissed by Timothy Janovsky Wren Roland has never been kissed, but he wants that movie-perfect ending more than anything. Thanks to Mateo’s boyfriend, he learns about demisexuality and realizes that when he came out as gay, he had not finished realizing truths about himself and intimate relationships.

91. How to be a Normal Person by TJ Klune Before The House on the Cerulean Sea blew up, Klune wrote this quirky and delightful story of two asexual people finding each other and their happily ever after.

92. Soft on Soft by Mina Waheed This super sweet, low-angst romance centers on two fat, queer women of colour (one Black and one Persian-Arab) who fall in love and find their happy ending with hardly any drama. There’s also anxiety representation. It’s just pure fluffy romance goodness. Demisexual protagonist.

Non-Fiction

93. Ace and Aro Journeys: A Guide to Embracing your Asexual or Aromantic Identity by The Ace and Aro Advocacy Project What does it mean to be ace or aro? How should I approach the challenges that come with being ace or aro? How can I best support the ace and aro people in my life? Join the The Ace and Aro Advocacy Project (TAAAP) for a deep dive into the process of discovering and embracing your ace and aro identities. Empower yourself to explore the nuances of your identity, find and develop support networks, explore different kinds of partnership, come out to your communities and find real joy within. Combining a rigorous exploration of identity and sexuality models with hundreds of candid and poignant testimonials -- this companion vouches for your personal truth, wherever you lie on the aspec spectrum. You are not invisible! You are among friends.

94. Being Ace: An Anthology of Queer, Trans, Femme, and Disabled Stories of Asexual Love and Connection by Editor Madeline Dyer Discover the infinite realms of asexual love across sci-fi, fantasy, and contemporary stories From a wheelchair user racing to save her kidnapped girlfriend and a little mermaid who loves her sisters more than suitors, to a slayer whose virgin blood keeps attracting monsters, the stories of this anthology are anything but conventional. Whether adventuring through space, outsmarting a vengeful water spirit, or surviving haunted cemeteries, no two aces are the same in these 14 unique works that highlight asexual romance, aromantic love, and identities across the asexual spectrum

95. Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex by Angela Chen A non-fiction research book about the asexual perspective on society's facinations with love and sex, and the misconceptions about what being asexual really is and what it means to a person.

96. The Invisible Orientation: an Introduction to Asexuality by Julia Sondra Decker An introduction to what asexuality is, both for people who don't know what that means and for people that may be questioning their own sexuality. It aims to puts asexual people's experiences in context, as they move through a very sexualized world.

97. Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe A graphic memoir about author Kobabe's growing from adolescence to adulthood, as e explores eir gender identity and sexuality. Features a gender queer and asexual main character that uses e/eir pronouns.

98. Ace Voices What it Means to Be Asexual, Aromantic, Demi or Grey-Ace by Eris Young This is the ace community in their own words. Drawing upon interviews with a wide range of people across the asexual spectrum, Eris Young is here to take you on an empowering, enriching journey through the rich multitudes of asexual life.

99. I Am Ace: Adice on Living Your Best Asexual Life by Cody Daigle-Orians Tackling everything from what asexuality is, the asexual spectrum and tips on coming out, to intimacy, relationships, acephobia and finding joy, this guide will help you better understand your asexual identity alongside deeply relatable anecdotes drawn from Cody's personal experience.

100. Sounds Fake But Okay: An Asexual and Aromantic Perspective on Love, Relationships, Sex, and Pretty Much Anything Else by Sarah Costello and Kayla Kaszyca Drawing on their personal stories, and those of aspec friends all over the world, prepare to explore your microlabels, investigate different models of partnership, delve into the intersection of gender norms and compulsory sexuality and reconsider the meaning of sex - when allosexual attraction is out of the equation.

I haven't read all of these books, so I can't guarantee all of them. But I did my best researching all of them. I was making this list on my own and I was amazed that I could find over 100 books with asexual characters and I wanted to share it!

The Aromantic Book List is now out!

Tagging some people who were excited about this list: @sweetspiderstew @majorgenerally @shayberri789 @53rdcenturyhero @knightoflodis @neonghost39 @rosaazulina

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diejager · 3 months

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wdyt of the idea of high society victorian cod characters cus i saw one glimpse of the idea and thought hmmm occult ghost and im praying we get it

I can’t believe I went google searching for this Drabble XD

PS. I wrote this before seeing @justadeadreaper ‘s AU!

The Past Cw: SLIGHT DARK, DUB-CON, spiritualism, occult, sex magic, smut, cunnilingus, fingering, oral sex, tell me if I missed any.

You’d heard from other women that the dark and mystery-shrouded man was one of the best spiritualists in England —if not the only man practicing the dark arts. You were warned through loose lips and gossiping whispered that he was a giant for your time, dressed in the finest silks a man could buy for himself and portrayed an aura of pride and excellence, holding an air of finesse and savagery in every words he spoke. You had your own expectations before you met him, fingers trembling as you wrote your letter, a grieving tear rolling down your powdered cheek.

You waited with bated breath and tense shoulders for his reply, and when a letter arrived, the little skull wax seal playing a part to your excitement, you ripped in open and settled in your desk in an unladylike manner. For a man you didn’t know, you couldn’t help but admire his calligraphy, the hand which he used to write was skilfully gentle, his words curled with a gracefulness you envied. In the black lettering, he gave you a date and location, touched by your plight, he invited you to his house in an unknown part of Manchester.

You rode out a few days early to meet him, being aware that he’d extended his invitation to a week long stay after your second exchange. He expressed his solemnity and sympathy towards you, promising that he’d be able to help you and you couldn’t be any happier to be able to let the past rest.

But your expectations of him fell the moment he greeted you at the wide mahogany doors of his house, he was broad and talks, a giant dressed in black. The cuffs and collar of his long coat were woven with silver roses and vines, gracing pant-clad thighs, thick and strong as a tree’s tough bark. He wore leather gloves - black as the rest of his attire - and a gem-clipped cravat stuffed under his black waist coat, buttons holding it to his sculpted chest and a flared end with silver intricacies, silver flowers and plants sown into the fabric. He was dressed beautifully, like a phantom of the opera, but when you gazed up, his dark eyes stared back, skin painted black and face hidden with a mask, a smooth skull stitched into the fabric of his cover.

He was a masterpiece in dark garments, handsome and mysterious when he ushered you in, the rumble of his voice making your body tingle, warmth filling your abdomen. He was a quiet man, eyes expressing more than words could, he had a gentle silence to him with tender and guiding hands, herding you to his seance room —or so you thought. There weren’t any tables, only plush cushions and soft-padded chairs in the dimly lit room, shadows dancing on the dark walls when he laid you down, coaxing you to relax under his care.

“I need you to relax,” he whispered, pressing his covered mouth you your forehead, brushing your locks off your sweaty skin, “do you trust me, love?”

You felt light-headed, mind dazed with the warmth and comfort he provided you, you choked down a sob, your voice dying in your throat. So you gave him a small nod, shuddering when his hands grazed up your hips to cradle your cheek, brushing away your stray tear.

“Good, close your eyes for me, yeah?”

Darkness embraced you with soothing calmness as he cradled you in his arms, feeling you up until his hands slipped under your petticoat, his calloused - when had he taken his gloves off? - fingers hooking the band of your lacy underwear. He spread your legs, hanging them over his wide shoulders, his hot breath hitting your sensitive mound. You flinched when he pressed his lips to your covered slit, burying his nose in your thick bush as he drew a calming pattern on your inner thighs.

The fire brewing in your core boiled, strong and coming forth in giant waves. It was unknown, a strange sensation that rocked you whole. He dragged his tongue up your wet hole, circling your blinking cunt and to your twitching clit, lifting the hood to have better access to your sensitive nerve. You shuddered and jerked with every touch, little mewls and whimpers slipping past your painted lips and graced his ears with your pretty sounds.

His tongue was skilled, nimble as he dove into you, pumping your tight cunt with his hot muscle, slurping up your slick and rolling your virgin clit with his thumb, rough and calloused, yet gentle with you. You squirmed and murmured incoherent words, something about it feeling weird, about your body burning and your mind lost to it, but he only coaxed you further, praising you for being so good and compliant for him.

“Good girl, telling me how good you feel,” he panted, diving back into your gummy walls, tongue brushing your softness before he replaced them with his strong and thick finger, plunging into you and hitting your sweet spot, “M name’s Ghost, love. Scream my name, yeah?”

His soft praises and talented fingers had you tipping over, the fire spilling over the edge with a blinding light. You cried out his name - is moniker - with mewls and gasps, arching beneath him and wrapped your legs tightly around his head as you came, gushing around his fingers. He slowly pumped his fingers, tongue lapping and drinking up your slick, gorging on your drooling cunt as if it were the sacred waters of the fountain of youth.

He left you limp and numb, lashes fluttering, peering at him with tired eyes, bathing in the adoring eyes of the spiritualist that made you come with his mouth and fingers alone —something new to you, a stranger in your heart and throbbing core. With his mask pulled over his tongue, mouth and chin still wet with your slick, he mumbled to you, tender words coaxing you to sit up for him.

“Reckon we get started, love?”

Taglist: @sae1kie @yeoldedumbslut @bvxygriimes @distracteddragoness @konigsblog @im-making-an-effort @daisychainsinknots @0alk0msan @danielle143 @dont-mind-me-just-existing-sadly @tuttifuckinfruttifriday @notspiders @brokenpieces-72 @petwifed @aldis-nuts @randominstake @cassiecasluciluce @hayleybarnesx

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pazzesco · 6 months

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❣️♀️Beloved Woman

Cherokee Beloved Woman Nancy Ward

Nancy Ward, or Nan'yehi (nan yay hee), is the most famous Cherokee Beloved Woman. The role of Beloved Woman, Ghigau (Ghee gah oo), was the highest a Cherokee woman could aspire to. A Ghigau had a voice and vote in General Council, leadership of the Woman's Council, the honor of preparing and serving the ceremonial Black Drink, the duty of ambassador of peace-negotiator, and the right to save the life of a prisoner already condemned to execution.

The Native American Cherokee The word Cherokee is believed to have evolved from a Choctaw word meaning "Cave People." It was picked up and used by Europeans and eventually accepted and adopted by Cherokees. Traditionally, the people now known as Cherokee refer to themselves as aniyun-wiya, a name usually translated as "the Real People," sometimes "the Original People."

The Role of the Cherokee Woman The Cherokee were matrilineal with a complex society structure. Clan kinship followed the mother's side of the family. The children grew up in the mother's house, and it was the duty of an uncle on the mother's side to teach the boys how to hunt, fish, and perform certain tribal duties. The women owned the houses and their furnishings. Marriages were carefully negotiated, but if a woman decided to divorce her spouse, she simply placed his belongings outside the house. Cherokee women also worked hard. They cared for the children, cooked, tended the house, tanned skins, wove baskets, and cultivated the fields. Men helped with some household chores like sewing, but they spent most of their time hunting.

Women in the Cherokee society were equal to men. This privilege led an Irishman named Adair who traded with the Cherokee from 1736-1743 to accuse the Cherokee of having a "petticoat government."

Princess Tsianina Red Feather

Tsianina Red Feather was not a "Princess." The Cherokee never had princesses. This is a concept based on European folktales and has no reality in Cherokee history and culture. Beloved women and high ranking women in a clan were treated with such reverence, that Europeans assumed they were some type of royalty.

Red Feather was born Florence Tsianina Evans on December 13,1882 in Eufallia (Oklahoma Territory) to Creek and Cherokee parents. All her 9 siblings were musical, but she was the one who stood out.

At age 14, she went to Denver to be trained to sing. There, she met the composer Charles Cadman and began touring with him at 16. She became a mezzo soprano virtuoso. While touring the United States, Canada, Paris and London, she wore native dress, braided her hair and wore a headband she beaded herself.

In 1918, she and Cadman debuted "Shanewis" (The Robin Woman) at the Metropolitan Opera; the cast received 22 curtain calls. Cadman based the opera on Native American stories told by Redfeather. Although this opera had many firsts, it became the first contemporary opera to be performed for a 2nd season at the Met.

The Robin Woman: Shanewis, 1918 - an opera in one act and two scenes by American composer Charles Cadman and Tsianina Redfeather Blackstone. Cadman called the work an "American opera."

Photo is Miss Anna Trainor, who later became Mrs. Anna Bennett. She was only Cherokee on her mother's side, but because it was the woman's bloodlines that determined kinship, she was considered Cherokee.

The title Ghigau also translates to "War Woman," and Nan'yehi (Nancy Ward) earned the title by taking up her husband's gun when he was slain in a battle against the Creeks and leading her people to victory. Another War Woman, Cuhtahlatah, won honor during the American Revolutionary period by leading Cherokee warriors to victory after her husband fell. She later joined in a vigorous war dance carrying her tomahawk and gun.

It was important to the Cherokee that their losses be compensated with the same number of prisoners, scalps, or lives. Woman led in the execution of prisoners. It was their right and responsibility as mothers. Women had the right to claim prisoners as slaves, adopt them as kin, or condemn them to death "with the wave of a swan's wing."

In the Cherokee society your Clan was your family. Children belonged to the entire Clan, and when orphaned were simply taken into a different household. Marriage within the clan was strictly forbidden, or pain of death. Marriages were often short term, and there was no punishment for divorce or adultery. Cherokee women were free to marry traders, surveyors, and soldiers, as well as their own tribesmen.

7 Cherokee Clans - L to R: 1.Wolf Clan 2.Long Hair Clan 3.Red Tail Hawk Clan 4.Blue Holly Clan 5.Deer Clan 6.Paint Clan 7.Wild Potato Clan

Cherokee girls learned by example how to be warriors and healers. They learned to weave baskets, tell stories, trade, and dance. They became mothers and wives, and learned their heritage. The Cherokee learned to adapt, and the women were the core of the Cherokee.

Other indigenous nations were were matrilineal. Women of the six nations Iroquois confederacy (Haudenosaunee) had a political voice on this land for at least 1,000 years.

The male chiefs who are the representatives of their clan in the confederacy of the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora Nations are selected, held in office, and removed by women – the clan mothers. Founded on the shores of Onondaga Lake, this oldest continuing democracy in the world is based on a system of gender balance. The position of the chief is vested in the clan mother, who is the eyes and ears of the people, while the chief is her voice. Women were “the great power among the clan, as everywhere else,” Elizabeth Cady Stanton marveled. Lucretia Mott wrote about listening to “speeches of their chiefs, women as well as men” (clan mothers and chiefs) when she visited the Cattaraugus Seneca community during the summer of 1848 before Mott, with Stanton and Quaker friends, organized the Seneca Falls convention.

In other words, the Beloved and Haudenosaunee women influenced the Women's Suffrage Movement.

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myheadsgonenumb · 4 months

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Bite and Prejudice: The Noble and Most Ancient House of Pemberley

Chapter twenty of my pride and prejudice and werewolves wolfstar and Jily rewrite is now posted.

Ever since he had left his own parents, when his transformations became too much for them to handle, and had gone to live at Longbourn, Remus had been acutely aware that he lived among a most peculiar, if loving, family. Dumbledore was a genius, as everyone knew, and an eccentric and irascible one at that. He had bucked all convention and much of propriety by inviting Madam Pomfrey to live with him, when they were not married and had no intention of being so, and met any and all objections to their arrangements with a solemn look in his twinkling eyes and a murmured ‘Dear me!’.

The Matron herself, was a worthy woman, a fine healer and more than a match for those who would judge her lifestyle. But where Dumbledore locked himself in his reading room with copies of Transfiguration Today, and experimented with alchemy, the more practical matters of life fell to Madam Pomfrey and - though she was happy with her position and her charges - all the worrying for their future fell to her, and Dumbledore’s refusal to engage with the problems often drove her to distraction. To this end, she had taken up the occupation of muggle mothers up and down the country and was determined to get her girls well married.

When Remus had first arrived, there had only been Lily at Longbourn. She - who was all sense and goodness and beauty - should have had enough to recommend her that no wizard would look at her low birth or lack of fortune, and - though the Matron was not quite sure what would become of the sickly, little boy now in her care, she had at least thought she would have no problems with her eldest.

But then came Sybil, clutching her crystal ball and tarot cards, and uttering so many doom laden prophecies about the fate of them all that even the sensible Madam Pomfrey could not ignore every one. Next arrived Dorcas, grieving her parents and reluctant to go out in society where she would be stared at on account of her dark skin and finally, in a flurry of petticoats and ribbons, Mary had landed at Longbourn - as beautiful as Lily but without the sense and goodness. Suddenly Madam Pomfrey had a whole host of problems in her hands, each more awkward than the last, and Longbourn became known in the neighbourhood as a large and unusual family, whose very numbers and peculiarity must harm their prospects.

Remus had never felt more keenly the disadvantage of being a ward, and not with his own parents, of being one of many, and of them all not fitting in one way or another than he had that summer. He had never pondered on what it meant for him and the girls to have eccentrics who lived alternative lifestyles in charge of them until Lily was nursing a broken heart, because Black disapproved too much of her position to let Potter marry her, and Mary had gone to Brighton to make herself even more ridiculous, and Remus himself was starting to wonder how he would look back on Black’s proposal and offer of security once he was penniless and running with the wolfpacks.

Or start from the beginning

#wolfstar #marauders #jily #pride and prejudice #regency au #remus lupin #sirius black #james potter #lily evans #bite and prejudice #in want of a werewolf

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untilthenextencore · 1 year

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Linda Mujer: Ch. 1~...

The loveliest girl in all of Mexico. If not of the entertainment jetset entirely. No it's not Veronica Castro. No it's not Julie Christie. No it's not Ali MacGraw.

Her name is Mercedes Linda Lolita Laelia Lourdes Quintero Rojas. And she has quite a pedigree. Daughter of Don Miguel Carlos Quintero Sr. businessman, and Gloria Rojas Quintero vedette. Gloria herself is the daughter of Doña Olga Rojas Fernandez noted vedette of Veracruz.

(Note: For our non-Spanish speaking friends, Spanish naming conventions decree that the maternal surname follows the paternal surname. Accordingly, Mercedes' last name is Quintero.)

Mercedes is the youngest of her father's three children, while also being her mother's only child. The apple of both parents, grandparents & brother & sister's eyes, the young miss has grown up following her mom on the road in between intermittent stays with her extended family.

The shy miss keeps her circle small aside from her family and tutors. Yet her quinceañera and the dress chosen was the talk of the town & front page story on all of the international society pages.

Her hair, a mass of raven waves & curls, lips as red as rose, cheeks in full bloom as well, the petite sloe-eyed beauty dressed in a white frothy, full skirted off-the-shoulder, sweetheart necklined, nipped waist confection paid truth to the saying that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

A studious, dreamy-eyed girl with a figure and face to make any red-blooded lad equally dreamy-eyed, young "Merce" (pronounced "Mehr-seh") is also taking after her mother's side of the "family business" and starting with a budding & popular elegant burlesque career as the latest hot-ticket vedette on the scene.

"Hey Pagey! Look at this!" Robert gawked at what he saw on screen. Jimmy put his guitar down momentarily & ambled over.

Indeed there stood young Merce twirling about in a frothy confection of a dress. Puff sleeves. Sweetheart neckline. Full petticoated skirt. The footage was old footage of her picking her "Quinceañera" dress. A dress for her fifteenth birthday. From what they understood it was like a sweet sixteen a year early, coupled with a coming-out party of sorts. Sort of a pre-debut debut.

It was a fuckin' throwback. Hearkening back to Robert & Jimmy's youth.

Robert's jaw dropped further & Jimmy quirked a brow at what that sight was followed with. The fresh-faced, giddy & starry-eyed young girl in the petticoated full dress had apparently put her petticoats away for the time being.

Instead, her lips were lacquered red as were her nails. Eyeliner flicked in cat-like wings accenting the glittery, shimmery lids. Her cheeks were as rosy as ever. Long black hair curled & pinned atop her head with jeweled pins & a feathered fascinator. Those same jewels glimmered from her ears, along her neckline, framing her bust & around her hips as they accented her feathered cinched waist costume. Touches of the same jewels decorated her matching gloves. She posed & danced & spun about a golden-framed perch. Like a phoenix in a bird cage.

She was A SIGHT.

Enough to pique anyone's interest.

She certainly piqued Robert's & Jimmy's!

Enough that she was the main topic of discussion between the two for the next few days. The sweetheart in the sweetheart neckline. The ravishing young thing with roses in her hand. The glamour girl in gemstones & a golden setting. The phoenix in the birdcage. The fact that both were one & the same.

But even amidst the headiness of the revelations they saw on screen, and later in print from what they could scrounge up of her in international trade papers, nothing could compare to the revelation that was to come.

As they yet again chattered like two gossiping old hens, banding her name about, Peter's ear pricked up. "Merce? Did you lot say Merce? I knew a Merce once. Years ago. Before I even met you Pagey!" He laughed before reminiscing. "She was a tiny little thing then. Just a dear. All raven curls & outstretching arms ready for a hug. She could tug on your heartstrings though. She could ensnare a bloke just like her mum & grab before her. Yeah. Just like Olga & Gloria themselves." With each word it became clear that Peter was losing himself more & more in his reveries of yesteryear.

"Would the names Rojas or Quintero play into this at all, Peter?' Jimmy queried carefully.

Peter nodded. "Gloria's last name was Quintero but her maiden name was Rojas. Olga's last name of course."

"Yeah! Yeah thats her!" Robert cut in. "That's the girl! Her mum's name is Gloria & her gran's is Olga. The whole nine yards! That's her!" He shook the newspaper articles about young Merce & her family that he & Jimmy were then perusing.

Peter leapt to his feet faster than one would think possible. He bounded over to the lads & took the papers from Robert, studying them intently.

The room fell into silence.

Both Jimmy & Robert studied Peter as intently as he did the papers.

The silence was only broken by a suddenly misty-eyed Peter whispering a single word. "Gloria..." As he lost himself in the pictures of Merce's early youth tagging alongside her glamorous mum in years past.

"Yeah..." Robert hushed, in a voice that seemed so careful as to tiptoe around Peter in his moment of quiet yet keen emotion. "They say this Merce is taking after her a bit. Doing a bit of dancing herself. Making quite an impact it seems."

"She's like the Garbo of the scene apparently." Jimmy added quietly. "A sensation on the scene and yet not all at the same time. She's a huge hit in her field, yet so unreachable behind the scenes. Unless you have an in with her tight little circle, you hardly have a chance see her. They say she never sees anyone backstage. Only family & the like."

"That sounds like Merce." Peter chuckled & nodded. "That's Merce. I see she hasn't changed. Shy dear. Such a sweetheart."

A beat passed before Peter cut his eyes at the guitarist & vocalist in his midst.

"You want to meet her don't ya?"

Robert & Jimmy both nodded. A bit meekly at that. Naturally.

Peter nodded, stroking his chin as he mused. "Knowing Merce the Zep name won't open the door anymore than any other Hit Parade name. No matter if she listens or how much or if she likes or loves or how much. Big names don't sway her. They never have. Stardust don't account for much with her. She grew up backstage."

"Good girl." Jimmy smiled. Garbo mystique or not, he already liked what he was hearing of this new girl.

"How do you suppose we go about it then, mate?" Robert asked.

"I think I can get you in. Perhaps. On one condition." He cut his eyes at the pair again.

"What?" They both asked in unison.

'You lot have to be on your best behavior. No treating her like some slag off the street. Or some barfly. I shouldn't have to tell you that she's not like that at all. Nor should she be treated as such. I won't have it. I won't stand for that." Peter sounded very avuncular as he spoke. Fatherly even. But the edge remained in his voice. Decided. Firm. No nonsense. Knowing him as they did they both knew there would be no fooling Peter Grant.

And so it was that Robert sputtered out. "Of course not!"

Jimmy shook his head firmly, pledging. "Wouldn't even think of it. You have my word of honor."

Peter held their gaze for a moment before sighing & dashing off a quick note which he tucked & sealed into an envelope that he marked with her name. "'Ere. It says in the paper here that she has a show coming up. Knowing you lot I already know you're going to go. Have one of the stagehands or the like tell her that Peter Grant wishes to send his regards. And when she allows you backstage. - which I think she might - give her this. But make sure only she opens it. "

The boys were a fountain of effusive thanks, handshakes galore & backpatting.

It was only a moment later that as he was about to leave, Robert twigged. "Hey wait... Exactly how did you know her & her family, mate?" He turned around to face Pete, awaiting the elder's answer.

But by the time he turned back, Peter was gone...

Slipped out a backdoor...

With a handful of articles on the Rojas Quintero clan in tow...

As ever this is forever under construction~!

Hope you guys all enjoy~!

#untilthenextencore #led zeppelin fanfic #led zeppelin fanfiction #led zeppelin fan fiction #led zeppelin fan fic #jimmy page fanfic #jimmy page fanfiction #jimmy page fan fic #jimmy page fan fiction #robert plant fanfic #robert plant fanfiction #robert plant fan fiction #robert plant fan fic #linda mujer fic

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anandabrat · 2 years

Text

So my dear friend @ride2fly has been locked out of her Tumblr because, possibly, her email is in the system incorrectly, but anyway she has given me the honor of posting her contribution to Bering and Wells Appreciation Week!

This is her very first fic, and was originally written to only me, perhaps in self-defense as I often send her my own mad ravings and scribbles. She says she hopes you all enjoy her silly idea, and that she wrote it for me because I'm her favorite (aww, blush.)

Anyway, without further ado...

Bering and Wells, Gay Pirate edition!

“I mean. Mutiny is the only answer. “

“We can’t keep following this guy. “

“She’s a lady.

“Is she though? Like can you be a lady if you just abandoned your husband and child and just like peaced out to be a pirate?”

Claud says nothing of course, but he does look up from under his broad hat to give Steven Jinks a hard look.

Olu clears his throat, breaking the weird silent tension between his ship mates.

“She pays us though. Like. Really well.”

“Yeah but we haven’t even done anything. We are pirates man. We should be pillaging. When I was on Blackbeards’ crew —“

The collective moan cuts off Black Pete from whatever lie he was about to tell. He blusters but no one wants to hear it.

“We don’t have to do anything. She pays us for nothing. I mean really it’s a sweet gig,” Frenchie squints into the sun while he says this, not fully committing in any way.

“Is it though? Like is it really? It feels to me like we have truly hit bottom. There is no where lower we could sink than working for a woman pretending to be a pirate.” Jinx looks hard at Claud again. And Claud again says nothing since Claud is a mute.

“Steven Jinx my good man! Can you come here for a moment I’m in need of a scribe!”

The crew moans a little, less concerned with nearly being caught talking of mutiny than you would have imagined them to be. Jinx stands up and saunters off as well as you can on a boat. Everyone watches him leave because why wouldn’t you.

“He makes some good points,” Wee John starts. “Sailing with a woman is bad luck. “

“Unless that woman is Blackbeard,” Black Pete starts but everyone starts shouting at once about how Blackbeard doesn’t count since she made a deal with the Devil, since she is ghost, she’s not a real woman she’s a siren, she’s both male and female, and loudest of all is Artie shouting that Black Pete never sailed with Blackbeard anyways so what would he know.

Black Pete rubs a hand over his bald head. His cleft palette gives him a slight lisp but no one says shit about it because they are pirates not bullies.

“You can bet Blackbeard is not paying her crew for not pillaging that’s all I’m saying. Captain’s gotta go. “

~*~

Steve opens the door to the captain’s rooms. They are resplendent. The walls are shelved and the shelves are full of books. Beautiful, leather bound books. The kind of books no one should have on a ship, and the kind of books one should certainly not lend out to the crew if they want some “light reading”. Steve is pretty certain he is the only member of the crew who can read. If Captain knew that she would probably start lessons. Then there would be mutiny for sure.

“Ah Steve, there you are. Thank you for your promptness,” the Captain is seated at her desk, maps spread all over it. She takes off a pair of reading glass, folds them with a snap, sets them inside their case but doesn’t shut it. She pushes her chair and stands up, smoothing her hands over the peacock blue silk of her mantua, fluffing her sleeves ever so slightly. Her costume is a much slimmed down version of what she used to wear daily — she has a hooped petticoat or two with her of course but she doesn’t wear one on the ship. Her dark hair is up off of her neck in an attractive twist, pearl drops hang from her ears and a locket is around her neck.

Helena Wells left her husband six months ago. Society believes she was killed in a tragic accident while riding side saddle in the woods on the land her family stole from the Spanish, who stole it from the Kalinigo people. In fact she did not die but was spirited away and deposited on her ship, the Revenge.

Christopher had just turned 15 the previous winter. Helena and Martin commissioned the ship with the intent that Helena and Christopher would sail together when it was finished. Mother and son were both enthusiastic about being out on the ocean, but Martin had no stomach for sailing or desire to explore outside of his set of rooms.

Helena hoped she would have the ship finished and crewed quickly enough to get the heck out of Barbados before the Royal Navy got wind of her sweet boy who possessed a fierce talent for navigation as well as a knack for languages. The Royal Navy had been stealing — impressment they called it — young men in Barbados with a knack for sailing. They claimed to not take anyone younger than 18, but they were known to take boys as young as 14.

She was too late, a mistake she would not be making again.

“Did you have a task for me, Captain?” Please let there be a letter to write or more clouds to draw. Steve sends a silent prayer to the heavens. Please don’t ask about crew morale.

“How is the crew? Everyone adjusting well enough?”

Steve takes a breath, hesitating for less than a beat before replying, “Artie keeps licking the air.”

“I’m beginning to suspect he is a witch,” Captain Wells her tone bright and bemused. “I’ve never observed anyone else uses all their senses to navigate — and his accuracy is supernatural. A witch for certain. Splendid.”

“Have you known many navigators?” Steve probes. All he knows — all anyone knows — is that Helena Wells was born a wealthy lady and appears to have lost her freaking mind to become a pirate queen. Only she doesn’t seems to be crazy at all — in fact she is possibly the smartest person Steve has spent any length of time with. Her knowledge of sailing, navigation, astronomy, and modern medicine is almost as unbelievable as Artie being able to sense weather changes with his oral faculties.

Her motives for abandoning her family and taking to the sea are the source of much speculation among the crew.

“Probably she was just bored,” is always Olu’s response when the other ask him what he thinks drove the lady over the edge and into the sea. Claud says nothing of course, but his shoulders tend to get stiff and then he finds something to do elsewhere.

“I bet she was slowly poisoning her husband and he got wise to her and she bugged out before he could kill her a proper way. With a knife. In the heart.” Black Pete’s imagination is not boundless and his stories usually include stabbing of some sort.

“Poisoning is a woman’s way,” Frenchie agrees. “But I don’t think you could catch her if she put her mind to it. Probably she was having an affair and was supposed to meet him here on the ship and he never showed. She’s got that lost love look to her. Always rubbing that locket.”

This sets everyone back on their heels a bit and then they start trying to guess to themselves which if any of them could be the Captain’s secret lover. Which then makes everyone rather jumpy over the next few days.

Artie is the only one who knows more than he is saying. Mostly because he knows more about pretty much everything and everyone else talks too much. Except for Claud.

~*~

Meanwhile… across the ocean a ways, aboard a vessel feared by all, a woman dressed in black, aches for a way out of her dull, predicable life.

~*~

Artie knocks on Captain’s door. He has another missive that just arrived via his best friend, familiar, and Seagull, Karl. Helena and Christopher have been communicating by secret feathered post

for a few months now. Christopher is currently safe at a British outpost nearby where they send the young men born of high society to fast track them to being officers. While not high born, Christopher’s captain quickly realized that he would be wasted serving on a ship as cannon fodder. Helena taught him languages, navigation, and basic cartography skills. She is thankful that these skills have kept her boy off of a warship, but her plans to rescue him have grown tangled. She has finally come to the conclusion that she has to sit and wait for an opportunity. And also probably learn some piracy so that she can keep her crew alive.

“It’s best that we put into harbor for a few days. Republic of Pirates is nearby,” Artie informs her. “We need to make a wee bit of racket there. Just a very wee bit — just enough that no one takes it in there head to pick us off and steal the ship.”

“Excellent plan. I’m sure the crew could do with some shore leave as well. Plot the course and make it so, number one!” Helena is positively jovial after a message from Christopher. They write short messages in a secret code that pretty much add up to “I’m fine I love you,” but that’s enough.

~*~

The Republic of Pirates does not smell like Helena thought it would. She was imagining it to be more of a rum and body oder situation. Instead it smells like fermenting peppers, spicy and bitter. She is completely second guessing her outfit choice but there is nothing she can do about it now, so she throws her shoulders back and holds her head high. She’s wearing a dress of the finest silk, pale pink in color, with a black lace stomacher. She did not dawn her wig which she is very grateful for right now, her hair is low on her neck, curls falling across her shoulders.

The crew makes their way through the streets, stopping and chatting to people they know. All the pirates know each other, it seems. There is some chatter about going in a bar and before she knows it, Helena is stooping and squinting in the dark of Mrs. F’s Bar.

It is a greasy grimy place. The vinegar smell is now overpowering. Helena stands in the doorway, flanked on either side by Steve and Artie. Claud and Olu have disappeared into the darkest corner of the bar. Claud is somehow hiding even more of his face with his hat, which seemed impossible but maybe he made the brim bigger.

Helena clears her throat and walks into the dark room to the bar at the center rear. There are large jars with various flotsam floating in them. She goes about her business, ordering a nasty drink that nearly gives Steve a coronary, making a big show of being the new bossy lady in town. She does a fair job — took some theater in her youth — and for the most part, she is believed.

But. Deep in the darkest corner of the bar, a man sits. He swirls his drink in his glass and drinks the whole thing in one gulp. He reaches for his leather gloves and pulls them on, flexing his fingers. He’s seen what he came to see, and now it is time to report back to the boss.

Artie gives Helena a signal, letting her know that he thinks she has accomplished their mission. She misses the signal though because the witch is always playing with his nose so finally he has to cough and harrumph loudly to get her attention. They exit the bar, confident that they have avoided future confrontations with their fellow pirates for the time being.

Less confident about avoiding food poisoning.

~*~

“She’s hiding something.” The man from the bar had entered the hold of a ship. It is dark and musty smelling. He stands in the doorway. A figure is curled up in the round window at the stern of the room. When Pete Lattimer speaks, she unfurls herself like a lion and shakes out her mane before wrapping a dirty bandana around her forehead.

“Everyone is hiding something — that means literally nothing,” she replies with her back to him. Pete rolls his eyes. Takes a deep breath before replying:

“Okay, fair. She’s hiding a big something but she’s… She’s like… you ever play that game? With the little wooden pieces on the board?”

“Chess.” She shakes out a shirt that was once white and sniffs it.

“No… "

“Checkers.” She throws the shirt back on the floor.

“No it’s got the funny name. “

“Backgammon.” She continues to rummage, looking for something cleaner to wear but she is only fooling herself. The black leather pants and the tightly laced vest she wears will most likely dress her corpse.

“No. Fuck. Nine Men’s Morris. That’s the one. She’s got the game memorized. She plays from memory but like… she’s got no improv.”

“And she thinks she is already endgame.” She loops a belt around her waist and tucks a pistol into a holster.

“Exactly.”

“Dangerous?” She unsheathes her blade and sees her face reflected there, hollow and glassy eyed. She replaces the blade with a snap.

Pete snorts. He is picturing Helena in her fine pink silk, playing pirate.

“The Lady Pirate? Unlikely. But.”

Myka Bering finally turns and faces him. Pete Lattimer is a thief, a murderer, a teetotaler, and a brother.

“You’ve got a vibe.”

“There is something wrong here. With her.”

“Excellent.” Myka grins wickedly and follows Pete out the door into the bitter air.

~*~

The crew sees the dingy leave the large ship off the starboard bow. Three figures dressed in black.

“What do you suppose they’re up to?” Frenchie muses out loud after his turn with the spyglass.

“Could be anything,” Black Pete murmurs.

“Anything? Really?” Olu scoffs. “I’m pretty sure it’s just one thing. They’re coming over here to negotiate a surrender.”

“Shut up!“ Artie barks. He only yells when he is scared. “Someone go wake the Captain.”

Frenchie draws the short straw. He opens the door to the captain’s quarters. The shades are drawn over the large windows. Helena has been very, very sick since drinking God knows what at Mrs. F’s bar. Steve was not ill because he had the good sense to spit. However he has been pretending to be sick and is currently holed up in Claud and Oluwande’s room after seeing something he wasn’t supposed to (namely Claud’s boobs. Which they have because they were assigned female at birth. It’s only a matter of time before the rest of the crew figures it out but for this moment, Steve’s lips are sealed.)

“Captain,” Frenchie calls into the dark. “We’ve got a situation. There’s a dingy headed right for us. And the ship she hails from. She’s big captain. And mean. The colors she’s flying… it’s Blackbeard. We’re certain.”

Helena is pretty sure she is gonna die here, on this boat, of dysentery. She read about treating such sickness with water laced with salt slowly and consistently. Roach recommended a banana so Helena somehow got that down as well. Still. She was pretty sure she might never leave this bed.

But. She is the Captain. And the Captain must be present when someone is boarding her boat. Especially if that someone is Blackbeard. So Helena girds her loins and throws on robe, cinches it tight, and makes it all the way to the doorway before she passes out.

French calls for help and Olu helps him get Helena back into bed.

“Well. Been nice knowing you.”

“Same.”

~*~

They do not get murdered by the pirates (the other pirates) at this time. Instead everyone of them is so completely starstruck, they’ve completely forgotten that just moments ago they were pretty sure they were about to be murdered.

“Why do they call her Blackbeard though?” Steve asks his shipmates. They are all sitting together, still a little unsure if they are about to be murdered, but mostly just having the time of their lives. “ She’s not Black and she doesn’t have a beard nor is she a beard… I don’t get that vibe off Pete.”

Pete Lattimer has hushed bent together with another pirate. He growls at the prisoners to shut up but he is ignored.

“Well I'm Black Pete and I’m not Black either.”

“Yeah I also don’t get that,” Steve smirks.

“A story for another time. Blackbeard is called Blackbeard because all anyone could see when she was murdering them was that gorgeous hair blowing around all sexy it just looked like a beard. Flowing. In the wind.”

“That can’t be it,” Wee John protests.

Frenchie agrees, “yeah that doesn’t sound right at all. Where did she even go? She moves like a ghost?”

“I think she’s in with the captain,” Steve is pretty she he should also be in there recording everything but alas.

“Captain is gonna get a shock when she wakes up to find fucking Blackbeard standing over her. I wouldn’t be surprised if she drops dead,” Black Pete had more to say but once again the crew is throwing shit at him telling him to shut up.

~*~

Myka isn’t sure what she was expecting to feel when she saw Helena, but she knows that she isn’t feeling it. She thought… all she knows she feels like crying. Like you do when you’re a child and you’ve skinned your knee and you don’t cry until your mother scoops you up. You don’t cry until you feel safe.

She sits beside Helena for a little over an hour. Watching her sleep, and then looking around the ridiculous room. She runs her hands over the leather-bound spines of the books but she doesn’t pull any of them out to turn the pages. her hands are too dirty for that.

Finally Helena stirs. Myka reaches out for her hands to soothe her, to make sure she’s not afraid when she wakes up, and then pulls back at the last second. Helena opens her eyes.

“It’s you,” she says.

Myka, for just a beat, wonders if she herself is dreaming and that this is what Prince Charming must feel. She feels an unfamiliar smile start to break her face apart and she smothers it.

“You’re fevered,” she finally croaks.

“Do you work for Blackbeard?”

Myka nearly laughs but then she furrows her brow.

“Yeah, I guess I do. Hadn’t really thought of it that way.” Somehow this wasn’t the conversation she thought they would be having. She tried to imagine this part so many times and it can go so many different ways.

“I’m Helena. Helena Wells. I’m more than a little embarrassed about the state I’m in.” Helena sits up with Myka’s help and mops her brow with a white handkerchief.

Uncertain of what to do next, a most unusual feeling for her, makes Myka chokes a little as she returns the handshake and says “I’m Myka Bering.” Helena doesn’t react to her name, and a dagger is plunged into Myka’s breast.

“Yes, well. I seem to have recovered to enough to go down with the ship. Does Blackbeard only employ women? I’ve heard she is remarkable. Read mostly.”

Myka hesitates for a moment. Part of her knows she should end this game and put her Blackbeard pants back on. But the other part. The part that has been bored fucking silly. The part that she left behind when she left home as a teenager, to find her fortune and maybe some fame, to return home triumphant. The part that longs for a happy ending for herself however unlikely that might be. That part of her wins because she wants to be with Helena a moment longer. Life is pain and sometimes the pain reminds us we are alive.

“You’ll meet her soon enough. She does employ a lot of women but men, too. Whoever can stomach the work really.” Myka stands up and lifts her arms over head, shaking herself out like a rumpled blanket. “You have so many books. It’s just...”

“Amazing isn’t it?” Helena reaches for her robe and drapes it around herself, belting it with its gold sash. The robe is deep scarlet and makes the fevered flush of her cheeks more pronounced.

“Yeah sure but also. Boat. Water. Books. Not the most practical plan but then you….” Myka looks at Helena and then looks away again, pretending to be peering at titles. “You must be a great reader.”

“I love books. Windows into other times and places… so many different lives to live. Nothing is better than a good mystery, a romance.”

“You’re a romantic? And you became a pirate? Did you read the job description?”

Helena grins and walks over to the bookcase on the closest wall. “A job is what you make of it and life deserves some romantic adventure!” She reaches for a book but when she pulls it out, a secret door to her left opens inward. She turns to Myka, triumphant.

Myka laughs. Full on from the belly laughter. “You have to be fucking kidding me. Are you insane?”

“Life’s a story right? If I get to write my own there will surely be secret passages,” Helena replies laughing along with Myka, her fever forgotten. What a sound! She would do anything to make this person laugh like that again. “You wanna see inside?”

Myka breathes out in a big slow breath. “Hell yes,” she hears herself answer. Myka’s heart was a secret garden and the walls were very high. She felt as though she and Helena were standing atop the walls having flown there from a great distance. She was pretty sure they were about to fall. Was it the walls crumbling, or were they being pushed?

*~*

“You’re a witch,” the pirate who called herself Myka Bering says after looking around for a moment.

“No. Artie is the witch. I’m an alchemist. I like knowing how things work and why and I study the stars. I also dabble — dabble mind you — in medicine. This is my equipment. My laboratory.” Helena has not shown another soul this room. She is not embarrassed, rather she is so proud that she doesn’t want anyone else to shatter her joy. Why she is trusting this Myka person with this secret… she blames the fever. Who is this woman? She’s like flying too close to the sun.

“Wow. A Lady Pirate, a secret lab. You are full of surprises,” Myka grins at her and raises one eyebrow. Helena fells flushed and again tells herself it is the fever. Myka smirks as though she has read her mind. The moment is spoiled when they hear a noise from the other room.

Another pirate has entered the room and calls for Myka. She is dark skinned and has long curly dark hair. She also wears leather from head to toe and has a long wicked looking blade at her hip.

Helena peers at her through the secret peep hole (naturally) and whispers to Myka. “Is that Blackbeard?”

“No. That’s Leena. I’m Blackbeard.”

Helena turns her back on the peep hole and stares open mouthed at Myka. Myka cannot help it — she feels wicked from head to toe — and she winks at Helena. This and the fever that still grips Helena causes her to sway slightly and Myka is instantly by her side, her arm around Helena’s back, her rough hands taking Helena’s.

“I swear I’m not going to faint on you. My pride could not bare it,” she whispers.

“I promise not to tell if you do,” Myka whispers back.

Leena has given up on finding Blackbeard by now and the coast is clear. Myka leaves her arm around Helena, holds open the passage door, and helps her to the large sofa. Myka paces around, inebriated and agitated, finally coming to stand at Helena’s desk.

“Is this supposed to be me?”Myka squints incredulously at the pen and ink illustration in the tome Helena has open, resting on all of her maps. The imfamous Blackbeard the caption reads. The drawing has Myka standing on the bow of a burning ship, a saber in her hand, her hair blowing out and across her face. Her skirts are tattered and blowing open, revealing her legs to the knees. She is barefoot, bareheaded, and well… very very little of her breasts are not showing. The illustrator has pictured Myka about three times as well endowed as she is and her ample bosum is spilling from her stays.

“This is ridiculous. Who could fight in that? Barefoot have they ever been in a battle? There is shit and blood everywhere you don’t wanna step in that in your barefeet. And my boobs. What is going on — am I a wet nurse on the weekends? Holy hell.”

Helena laughs, a throatier laugh than Myka was expecting. She would rather like to hear that laugh again.

“Your actual costume is something I fear no man could conjure up from imagination. I don’t think I’ve ever seen full leather breeches on anyone, man or woman. And your vest…”

“So it is actually quite practical. Leather protects you from most glancing blows. Even a sharp sword has a little trouble.”

TO BE CONTINUED

#beringandwellsappreciationweek #bering and wells #myka bering #helena wells #au #warehouse 13

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chocolatepot · 2 years

Text

Sweet Damsel, a genderbent/Rule 63 AU

Ed thinks she can go back to the way things were before Stede, but Stede is determined to find her and make amends. (4102 words, one-shot.)

Something was niggling at her attention as her crew swarmed over the little ship and confronted its men, but she shook it off and continued staring at its mistress, who had backed up to the far rail. She drew her sword, hilt decorated with a multicolored knot of ribbon, and held it before her: high enough to be a threat, but not high enough to really be a threat.

“Sweet damsel,” Ed began. That had been a line in a story Stede had read the crew one night while they all sat on deck together, and it had struck her at the time as unbearably romantic. “I’m afraid we’ve come to ransack your yacht, but have no fear, I won’t harm you.” That had been a line Stede had used one time when Ed had let her try to menace a ship’s captain, and it just felt right.

I wrote so much for an end note that I decided to just ramble here beneath a cut.

Fun with anachronisms! If the show can have Pinocchio in 1717, I can surely represent chemise gowns and big hats as Caribbean fashion in the same period.

I’m a little obsessed with the idea of fem!Stede and fem!Ed because my own gender presentation is ludicrously feminine in such a way that it’s still rather queer and stands out – I wear full skirts with petticoats and have curly hair down to my waist, and pre-Covid I was a big fan of bright Besame lipstick. So while conventional wisdom might be that a cis female Stede would find it easier to fit into her colonial society, I can see how being “too feminine”/falling into negative feminine stereotypes of the period could have been an issue for her (and she’s still autistic anyway, imo), though at the same time she has plenty of “unfeminine” interests that would also be seen as a problem by society.

Female Ed fascinates me in another way because, just like in canon, liking fine things doesn’t necessarily mean she’s “feminine” or that some kind of biologically essentialist innate female drive is pushing her into her assigned role. She’s a fancy butch who likes to wear nice perfume. I did give her a different pirate name/title, because “Blackbeard” stretched the limits of my suspension of disbelief. “Blackmane” refers to her wild, curly, Natasha Lyonne-esque black hair.

At first I thought I would have Izzy still be a cis man, but that introduces a weird dynamic I don’t like, so she’s a toxic lesbian instead.

It’s amazing how switching the genders immediately triggers the “am I allowed to do that?” alarm in my brain. Oooh, romantic conflict between women, is that sending a bad message? If I make Izzy a femmephobic butch woman, is that implying that I think all women need to embrace stereotypical femininity? It never occurred to me to interpret every single thing related to female characters in my writing as either and only good examples or condemnation until fandom started doing it.

I think this is at least the third reunion I’ve written and I love that it’s utterly unlike the others. I have NEVER speculated that Ed might want to steal some of the Gentleman Pirate’s shtick and impress a potential aristocratic victim with fancy clothes and manners, but it suddenly seemed totally rational, probably because I’m weak for gentlemanly butches. I do read a lot of metas, though, and people have been pointing out that Ed’s not angry about Stede leaving, he’s sad, so I was trying to envision what the reunion might look like if we deliberately avoid the angry!Ed characterization. It’s a lot quicker.

Asjdkljsakldjlsa Stede is the kind of person who desperately loves the idea of having her chin raised with the point of her rival’s sword, she absolutely engineered it to happen and she was hoping Ed would be angry enough to hold her that way for a while. Maybe even to slice open her chemise gown a bit. So there’s an audience, she trusts them all to look away if there’s too much skin to be decent.

I’m casting Juliet Stevenson as Izzy. I think she’d play the role well. Maybe Mamaengaroa Kerr-Bell for Ed, although she’s slightly on the young side? I don't know who to cast for Stede yet.

This is not the last of Izzy! I just feel like in canon, we’re going to see something like what happened in Ted Lasso s2 with Nate, i.e. leaving to become more of a villain. And then presumably coming to realize that a huge mistake has been made and making amends. I am actually a proponent of Izzy redemption in the long run, don’t take this ending as my thinking the best thing would be for Izzy to disappear forever. I may come back to this AU ’verse and write her return.

Where is Lucius in all this? Still hiding or something, I don’t know.

#ofmd #my fic #our flag means death #ofmd genderbend #ofmd fanfic #ofmd fix it #ofmd fic #gentlebeard #blackbonnet #genderbend #rule 63 #genderswap

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hailtothemightystarwarrior · 11 months

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Adeleine sighed heavily as she wiped the sweat off her brow. The natural plains could be immensely hot and humid. Had she known this, she would not have traveled in such elegant (and rather unwieldy) clothes. She wore a long green dress extending down to her shins, lifted up in the back by a bustle and stylized with a frock around the skirt. Instead of boots, she wore black heels which, in the rough terrain, were extremely hard on her feet. On her hands she wore delicate white gloves, more suited to a meeting with high society than an expedition in the wilderness. Still, she soldiered on, looking and listening for anything potentially interesting to spot and note. Adeleine's role in the expedition was to document any hit her to unknown flora or fauna in her sketchbook, which she had already filled pages with her findings. It was amazing to her how there was still so much unknown to man in this world. Hopefully when she met this beast pack, they could teach her unknown secrets as well. As she was pondering all this, Adeleine caught sight of a butterfly resting on a nearby plant. She was awestruck by the sight because of its intriguing and strange pattern: a black body with orange and yellow wings. It opened and closed its wings slowly, softly, in repose and blissful ignorance of the world around it. Adeleine immediately saw an opportunity for another new animal in her sketchbook as she slowly crept closer. The butterfly scattered as soon as it sensed movement, and darted up into a tall, nearby tree. "Wait! Come back!" Adeleine called out, despite knowing it would do her no good. The creature flew in jagged motions, this way and that way, and Adeleine hurried along and up the tree after it, her sizable dress bouncing up and down. It was obviously not designed with running or climbing in mind! Adeleine grabbed her skirts and attempted to gather her petticoats, but since they were far too numerous, she gave up and began running without controlling her dress, allowing it to move freely in the wake of the wind she left behind. The butterfly darted further upwards, and Adeleine was so close she could almost reach out and touch it, but it kept its distance. The treeline was thinning out, and Adeleine knew the butterfly now had nowhere to go unless it went out of the canopy and into the open sky, a place where she had no hope of catching the animal. Her dress, corset and everything else she was wearing were acting as drag, there was no way she would keep up. "Wait for me!" She cried, looking at the butterfly and completely ignoring the ground beneath her feet. Adeleine had paid no attention up to now, but she had chased the butterfly high into a tree, so high up that sunlight peeked through the canopies and cast a glow on her bulbous green dress. Instead, all she thought about was catching a sketch of the insect, as it now rested on a thin twig of the branch. Slowly and with care, Adeleine crept toward the butterfly, readying her sketchbook and pencil. Now nothing would stop her, she thought as she started to make an outline of the butterfly. Just then, she heard something. It sounded like the creaking of an old door on its hinges, and it stopped as soon as it came. Adeleine shrugged it off and kept drawing, only to hear it again, louder this time. She shook her head and kept her eyes focused on the butterfly, knowing she had to get a decent sketch before it flew away again; she couldn't afford to be distracted! Now, the creak grew to a load groan, and Adeleine noticed that the branch she was standing on was slowly bending downwards, towards the ground. She gasped, and looked behind her, seeing the branch warp from its natural shape; it was bending from her weight! Before she could do anything else, before she could even start back towards the trunk of the tree, Adeleine was greeted with a loud and violet "SNAP!" as the branch broke in half. The butterfly instinctively flew off while Adeleine plummeted from the high branch towards the ground below, screaming in terror as she went. "OH NOOOOOOOOO!!!" Adeleine feebly threw her arms up as she fell head-first towards the bottom, in the vain hope it would shield her from the fatal impact to come. If only she didn't chase after that butterfly! If only she didn't let curiosity get the better of her! As she lamented every "if only" that got her to this position, Adeleine saw another thick branch coming towards her at full speed. She reached out her gloved hand to grab it, and stop her fall. But as she passed it, her speed was far too fast to slow, and she only succeeded in righting herself so she fell feet first. The fall continued for a few short seconds when something strange happened. Adeleine felt a sharp tug on her waist. There was a short sound of "WHUMMPH!", and all of a sudden she stopped tumbling in the air. She realized she was right-side up, even though the fall hadn't ended...in fact, she looked down and realized she couldn't see the ground at all! Then she noticed that when she looked down, she could only see the tips of her feet, and even then only every now and then. Something was hiding them...it must be her dress! "Yes, it must be!" Adeleine deduced. She swayed back and forth, her little feet kicking aimlessly around the sky, but she could not see or touch anything, as her dress had inflated and ballooned up into the parachute it now was. The normally prim and proper girl could hardly contain herself, as she reveled in the feeling with immense glee. "Goodness! I had no idea..." she said. She touched herself and checked for injuries in the fall. There was nothing. Her gloves were still pristine, and her bright green dress now as puffed-up as ever. There was a cool breeze blowing around the inside of the hoop, and Adeleine, even knowing the seriousness of her predicament, couldn't help but enjoy it. "I must find out how this happened to me!" she said excitedly. "Who knew my dress would be a life-preserver for the sky??" It didn't seem possible to her at first, since her dress was nowhere near large enough to support her entire weight. To make sure this wasn't just some grand illusion (she could have hit her head on a branch, for all she knew!), Adeleine tried a quick experiment. She outstretched her arms and brought them in around her waist, pressing the skirts of her dress inward around her legs. The difference in speed of fall was felt immediately as Adeleine quickly dropped past a leafy branch in a blur. In fact, the force of her fall sent the leaves flying everywhere! Adeleine's black hair had been neatly done in quickly came unfurled as she was (terrifyingly) satisfied. All she wanted now was to go back to the slow fall she had enjoyed only a minute previous. "It IS real!" she said with revelation. Thinking quickly, Adeleine released her hands from her skirts, and they began to fill out from the swift updraft of air below her. However, she still had no control over where and how she was falling. That was made apparent when she felt something hit her bottom, hard. "OOMPH!" Adeleine now was tossed into the air, and saw she had landed on a large branch which had been in her path of plummeting. Launched in an arc, she resembled an arrow fired high into the sky as her dress at last opened up with a loud snap, and the slow float resumed once more. All she was left with was a sore derriere as the branch drifted out of view and she continued on down. "Remind me to never do that again..." she whispered to herself, worriedly. After her encounter with the branch, Adeleine was careful to observe any other obstacles in her path, but the truth was it was very difficult to see anything beyond her bloated skirts of the dress. As the wind blew around her now-loose hair, she took the time to look around, and observe the new phenomenon of her amazing dress. It seemed as though she was floating down very slowly, but at the same time her legs were slowly buffeted by swirling air currents under her dress. It tickled slightly, and Adeleine gave a shout at the new feeling. "I'll have to write this all down one day...if I manage to get to the ground in one piece!" Just as she finished her thought, she felt an enormous updraft almost lift her several feet up -- something, somewhere, was shooting streams of air up into the sky, and several were going straight up her dress! Adeleine desperately tried to look down, but was weary -- if she dipped further, her dress would collapse, and who knows where she would be then! She patted her ballooning fabric of the dress anxiously... Carefully she tilted her torso forward and looked over the edge of her dress, and was greeted by a blast of hot air to the face. Only when she strained her eyes did she see what exactly was reversing her fall: in a small clearing in the jungle was a hot spring, with jets of steam and hot air exiting up through vents in the ground, and up into her dress. "Well," she breathed, "that answers that." As much as the thought of her flying up high thrilled her, she had to get back to solid ground. Adeleine took care to wiggle her hips and tilt her way out of the hot air jets; it was hardly a method of control, but it was all she had. Eventually after some struggle, she won the battle and finally continued on her way down through the canopies. Still, she did enjoy the feeling for however brief a moment. "I must find a way to use this dress again," she thought to herself as she drifted past a branch. The whole phenomenon made her wonder: how could her dress support her weight? It was nowhere near large enough, since parachutes were large for a reason. If she had paid attention in physics classes, by any logic she should have kept falling, or fallen through her skirts. Yet here she was, floating gently like a feather in the wind. Adeleine looked down at the inflated skirts, and examined them closely as one would examine bacteria under a microscope. As her gloved hands ran over the fabric, Adeleine observed it felt taut and stretched to its limit, like the latex of a balloon. In fact, every so often Adeleine poked her finger into her skirts and watched as it gave way only to bounce back up again when she released it. Adeleine could not help but laugh at the sight. "Well, I am sure Daroach wouldn't believe this if I told him." While she greatly enjoyed the feeling of near-weightlessness, Adeleine hoped that no one would see her from down below. Underneath her inflated outstretched skirts her legs were fully exposed, dressed properly in long, white bloomers with lace trim, and tied around her knees with small red ribbons. It was hardly a ladylike position to be in, but it was all that was keeping her from a violent death below. Thankfully, she was completely alone, so she didn't have to worry so much about any peeping toms. It would be tragic and scandalous if daroach came by and saw her now... As she thought this, a loud battle cry was heard from off behind Adeleine. She tried to turn around, and realized just how difficult it was to do. By the time her body had turned a complete 180 degrees, all she could see was a small blur in the distance of....it couldn't be...the beast pack? But that's impossible, she thought. There were no people this deep in the jungle. There were only various animals, surely! As far as she knew, anyway, she is the only human here. No sooner had she thought this when slowly and without warning, her fall stopped. Adeleine was of course delighted (if not a little disappointed at the sight of her dress deflating), but immediately noticed something odd. She couldn't feel the ground, and as she looked down at her feet, saw that she was still some ways from jungle floor. But what could be holding her in the air...unless... Adeleine looked behind her and found her answer: the underside of her large dress had been caught by a long tree branch. She was now held captive in suspension until she could free herself from its grasp and continue on her way down to terra firma. However, Adeleine had to be careful, lest she tear and ruin her beautiful green dress. Out of curiosity (and maybe a slight sense of boredom), Adeleine bounced up and down, supported by her bustle and the rigid hoop of her dress. She giggled slightly at the sensation, despite knowing the precariousness of her current position. Her legs swayed back and forth, trying to see if she could wrap her feet around the branch and pull herself out. "Goodness me," she thought. "However am I going to get out of this?" The best she could hope to do was pull herself off the branch and climb on top before jumping off and resuming her fall. So it was she kept swinging, trying to grab onto the branch with her feet. It was a rather hard thing to do, Adeleine found, as she expended more and more energy trying to hook her feet onto the branch behind her. With each swing, she also felt she was slipping out of something, but paid no mind to it. After all, the most important thing to do at the moment was to get back to earth. It felt like it took forever, but eventually, with one final push from her hips, Adeleine’s feet latched onto the branch behind her. She cheered in jubilation as the rest of her body followed her legs....but as they say, no plan survives contact with the enemy. For it just so happened that the strange feeling Adeleine had, of slipping out of something, was actually her slipping out of her dress! Now she hung upside down, her legs crossed around the branch like a monkey, clad only in her white bloomers and matching bodice and corset, trimmed with lace around the edges and finished off with bright silver buttons at the front. Adeleine blushed in embarrassment as she looked down (or was it up?) at herself and saw her exposed state. She'd take her dress inflated with peeping toms below over this any day! Her brown eyes darted to her left and she saw her yellow dress, hanging from the edge of the branch, pulled slightly inside-out from her slippage out of it. With care, she crawled her way along the branch, much like how a sloth would, and reached for the white petticoat peeking out underneath her dress. Adeleine stretched her arm out, making sure her grip around the branch didn't loosen. One false move and she'd be falling again. Creeeaaaaakkkk.... The branch bent downwards ominously, and Adeleine gulped in anxiety. She had to dress herself quickly, and get back down to earth before the branch snapped in the same way that started her on this journey. Her gloved hand reached for the white petticoat and clutched it, and it seemed for a moment that she was out of this predicament. After slipping the dress off the edge of the branch, Adeleine hung upside down, legs wrapped around the branch, as she tried to pull her green dress back over her. It was incredibly difficult, however, as she had to fight against gravity. Several times the dress almost fell out of her grasp into the abyss below. "Nnh..." Adeleine strained in frustration as she struggled to pull her dress over her body. "...it was a mistake to go after that butterfly." Of course, she shouldn't say that, since she would not have known about her "parachute dress" otherwise. Hopefully during her time in the jungle she'd have the opportunity to use it again. And with less mishaps than here. SNAP! With the sound of a cracking whip, the branch broke in two from Adeleine's weight, and her body was sent plummeting down towards earth...with her dress not even half on! She let out a loud, shrill scream which was partially muffled by the fabric of her dress over her mouth and the young explorer now scrambled to dress herself. It was even more difficult than before as she had to now struggle with the wind, but slowly, she pulled her arms through the sleeves, then her head popped out through the tight collar. How did she manage it? She'll never know, nor was she in the mind to care. Without another moment wasted, Adeleine righted her body so she was falling feet first. She expected to hear a loud "pop" as her dress opened, but no sooner had the hems expanded when... THUD! Adeleine had landed right in a pile of moss, her dress no longer working as a parachute The dress had almost completely consumed her, but even though she wasn't in midair like before, she enjoyed it. It was still that same weightless feeling, the feeling of being free from gravity and floating in place. She giggled lightly as she got up. "It's not quite the way I wanted it to end," she said, "but it was fun all the same!" But, she thought to herself as she climbed out, who said it had to end? She didn't have to climb so high up, but she could still jump and sense the feeling. With that idea now firmly lodged in her brain, Adeleine looked for the nearest tree trunk, and began to climb.

#kirby and the forgotten land #adeleine #butterfly

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