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#definitely bookmarking this one to look back at for mine
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Funny you mention that, I'm actually planning to go a step further and have proper relationships sections! So every character relationship in the infobox (and then some) can be covered with the depth they deserve.
Of course, that kind of thing can go off the rails fast and become a breeding ground for speculation, so they'll focus solely on the progression of the relationship from the perspective of the character whose article it is, and require a citation for every claim made. (I'd personally like to move towards citing every claim we make period, but it'd probably be best to start with baby steps.)
So I've had that cooking for a while (Jo is coincidentally the character I decided to start with, since he has very few relationships but they're all complex enough for a stress test). I probably shouldn't approach it with the intent to "correct misunderstandings," but I would like to think fans might have an easier time creating in-character fanworks with all of that information in one place. At the very least, you wouldn't necessarily have to go back through all the RGGO stories as a refresher lol.
I've never wanted to address Mine's orientation per se--not that that's quite what you were talking about I think, this is purely as an aside--because a lot of it's considered semantics and I just can't cite it directly in the way I can cite his feelings for Daigo. But on a personal level, I'm honestly surprised at the number of dudebros I've seen who'd be willing to accept he's bi, but being gay is a bridge too far on account of him dating women.
But the point of what he was talking about in the finale is that those relationships weren't at all fulfilling for him, right? Through a purely speculative lens, Jo claiming to be unable to remember Ikumi's name reminds me of that somehow. Like, if that's actually true, you remember every single minute detail of New Year's down to the locker numbers, where Ikumi gave birth, what Arakawa's face looked like, but you can't remember the name of the mother of your child? Alright, man. That's so normal. There's no trauma and/or comphet-adjacence there.
Speaking of--yeah, Masato's card unfortunately comes with no story, so it's not just bad luck. Character stories were discontinued with Kawara and Bessho, I think over a year ago now. On one hand I'm kind of thankful because they've been making it increasingly difficult to actually pull newly-released cards, but on the other hand, it's a huge part of what made cards worth trying for in the first place.
I do get it in terms of sheer volume though; it's mainly Yokoyama and Takeuchi themselves writing everything, and for scale, if I take solely my own translations of all of Mine's events and stories, it'd equal roughly 27.5k words. I can understand putting out that novella-length volume of content--ridiculously HQ content at that--every month isn't feasible when you're also writing for console entries on top of that.
You definitely shouldn't be putting yourself down in comparison though haha, I adore your work precisely because you've got such an excellent grasp on the characters and I always look forward to anything you put out!
Very, very true about Mine and his dad! I think if I were to summarize my findings from the papers (with regard to Mine specifically), Mine has this line in the finale about his hatred of people like Kiryu who "live solely by the principles of giri-ninjo, moral obligation and human feeling." Obviously not translated that way in-game because it's pretty lofty, but there is significance to it as I see it.
Focusing on the ninjo aspect, the papers define the term as "knowing how to [depend and presume upon another’s benevolence] properly and how to respond to the call [to depend and presume] in others." The "dependency need" component is thought develop as a baby first bonds with its parent.
Although it's commonly associated with child and parent, it applies to many forms of dependence, "such as between lovers, friends, husband and wife, teacher and student, employer and employee." It should also be noted it's not strictly hierarchical--superiors depend on their subordinates just as much.
So ninjo is a concept with a history of being considered "specifically as Japanese" in a way Westerners wouldn't understand. (It isn't actually, of course--everyone experiences this form of dependence--however, if I recall correctly, Japanese people were found to be significantly more likely to recognize and admit to it than Westerners.)
By opposing ninjo, a Japanese ideal of dependence, Mine implicitly aligns himself with "the Western ideal of personal independence," which is described as an ideal in which "one might just as well depend upon oneself or become independent, since there is nobody else to depend upon."
This is absolutely rooted in his being an orphan. His "dependency need" was at one point fulfilled by his dad's presence in his life, and once he lost him, he spent the rest of his life fluctuating between searching for someone else who would fulfill it and trying to be someone who doesn't experience "dependency need."
In contrast to Japanese society, where "parental dependency is fostered and its behavior pattern institutionalized into the social structure," the idealized version of Western society values an individual's success over their background. One example is the American myth of the "self-made man," which Mine describes himself as in the original Y3. As an orphan, his rejection of Japanese society in favor of Western society would make sense in that regard as well.
Growing up with no one to depend on and often facing loss and betrayal when he tried to, Mine avoids relying on or trusting others for most of his life. He is independent not because it comes naturally to him, but because of how dependence has hurt him in the past--i.e., "one might just as well depend upon oneself or become independent, since there is nobody else to depend upon."
However, Mine does accept and directly acknowledge the concept at the heart of ninjo when he admits in the finale, "People yearn to trust others. And to be trusted in return." That also coincides with him choosing to end things according to his code of honor as a yakuza, and literally taking the game's main representative of Western culture down with him. It's so perfect within this framework that I have no idea if Yokoyama even knew what he was doing, but He Sure Did It.
But it absolutely works with what you said, and I think it's fairly self-evident because you were able to pick up on it even if you didn't have the exact terminology in mind; Mine once his dependency need fulfilled where Jo never did, and it's made all the difference. I'm a very, very heavily Westernized South Asian still living in South Asia, and I imagine there's less overlap between SAsian culture and EAsian culture, but I've always thought "family values" such as those discussed are more or less ubiquitous in Asian cultures. For what it's worth, I relate strongly to Mine here.
(Also, in case anyone one day accuses me of copying Mine's future personality section from Tumblr, a fair amount of this is from my draft of that. I'm trying my best to make it sound less insane because it's going on a wiki, but y'know.)
Rewinding a little bit, I wanted to point out that Mine being bullied for being an orphan in that specific scene is more or less an invention of Y3R's localization. Kind of an understandable one, because he certainly did face it and Y3R's script was written without ever consulting a Japanese translation, but an invention nonetheless; in that scene, he was being bullied for being poor, not being an orphan.
But I don't think that affects the validity of your point at all, since--and it might not be totally intentional, since Mine wasn't always supposed to be the main antagonist--all the time you spend working with the Morning Glory kids through their problems effectively shows what he may have gone through. Except that he, also like Jo I suppose, had no adults in his life to help him navigate those same problems.
It's hear-twrenching listening to Masato talk about his disability even as an adult, the role internalized ableism played in creating that rift can't be overstated. Brings to mind the image of Arakawa at a complete loss how to respond when Masato was hitting his legs; perhaps if he'd been better-equipped to get through to him as a parent in the way Ichi was able to at the end, things might have turned out different. I think Arakawa displays a lot more emotional maturity and awareness than most characters, but he's not always able or willing to communicate that.
Once again, I absolutely love how your comparison post turned out! I wouldn't have minded being @'d (not that I mind not being @'d) at all haha, I'm not very active so I love getting notifications. Just a huge fan of your presentation, super clean and easy to follow in my opinion. There are a few points I'd love to discuss further, but I know my asks tend to be way too long for what they are haha, so I'll wait. But yeah, just as the Venn diagram of Mine and Jo overlaps, so does the Venn diagram of Mine and Jo fans. Happy to have you in the middle!
I'm glad you got as much out of the books as I did! That's exactly why I think they works super well for them, and I was hoping you'd catch the added Art Appreciator similarity. Also worth noting the art history books appear to be in Polish? I guess you wouldn't need to understand the language if you were more about admiring the art itself (my own art history books are in English and I ignore the text in every single one), but it's kind of funny to have all these thick Tomes you probably can't read.
Also very true. I feel like Hijikata and DS Ryuji aren't quite even since Saigo does exist haha, though he doesn't have as much screen time as Hijikata. There are a few opportunities Mine seems to lose out to Ryuji or others (Ryuji being chosen over him as an RGGO protagonist when Mine was in the running and frankly fit the criteria better, for example), but it is what it is.
Yokoyama did mention the love for the first three games' rivals makes casting for spinoffs really easy though, so I do have hope for more actual Mine! I'd like to see a Dead Souls 2 (he has a pretty good excuse to be cyborg-ified, given the probable state of his body after the fall lmao), or maybe even an Ishin 2, since the events that led to Hijikata and the others' deaths in real life were avoided in Ishin.
I know Yokoyama's talked about a "Y0.5" with Ryuji and Mine, a French Revolution spinoff (???), a Romance of the Three Kingdoms spinoff, and a Sengoku-era Hattori Hanzo spinoff featuring 8 protagonists and the same "all-star" approach to casting as Ishin. Someone else pitched a spinoff for when the yakuza first came into existence, too. And, at one point, before Ichi existed, they were considering continuing the series with Gaiden-type games featuring various characters (though I think going forward, further Gaidens would depend on the success of Gaiden.) So there are lots of possibilities! I really do hope he gets to be a protagonist or playable character one day, since he fits the mold perfectly IMO.
I'm happy you appreciate my offering haha! I hope you'll let us know what you think of Princess Toyotomi and Hero SP whenever you get to them. That is unfortunately how I found out about Toru :') I adore the leads and their relationship myself, so I never would've thought Pure would go there! But I suppose it does check out for Tsutsumi's career.
Good Morning Show is honestly driving me insane because I'm positive I watched it but can't find it at the same address anymore??? I had to watch it with clearly machine translated subs, but it was as chaotic as it looks. Godspeed!
Oh, I also wanted to weigh in on the "Masato's care" line since that was originally supposed to be part of the response (and since the topic of localization is super interesting to me, as someone who not only translates works but translates RGGS' works and has needed to become intimately familiar with the official localization style).
It's an odd choice, because on top of what Anon said, everything from the context to the grammatical construction of the original Japanese sentence should clearly convey that what he's apologizing for is not taking sole responsibility for Masato's care and having Ichiban attend to him on top of his regular duties. He's not apologizing for Masato's care itself being a burden.
Honestly kind of baffling because not two scenes earlier, they convey the exact same sentiment perfectly--"Sorry to bother you with something so personal." [JP] / "I'm sorry to keep asking you to help me with something so personal." [EN]. It's like, to me, talented localization teams should absolutely be celebrated, but they should also be completely "invisible" in the moment. They're not invisible in that moment because it's their biases coming through rather the character or even the writer's biases.
I don't necessarily mean bias in terms of internalizing ableist ideas (it's hard to say it plays no part, given it's a disabled character being discussed, but what I mean is there's not at all enough to go on to conclude it was a malicious or even a conscious decision). I also mean in the sense of getting "locked into" a certain way of thinking about disabled characters and their care, and multiple different teams (base translation, dub editors, and sub editors) going over that line and not thinking twice.
Because like, it's true that in fiction (and unfortunately real life) you do see parents who feel it's a burden, but that doesn't mean Arakawa has to be that way. It kind of undermines RGG Studio's efforts to employ rigorous sensitivity checks starting this "generation" of games (starring Yagami and Ichiban, I mean) when things slip through the cracks like that.
And it's not the only area it happens; there are a number of places where there's this "tunnel vision" surrounding certain ideas that comes to the forefront. One of the things that leads to is instances of "pigeonholing" characters into pre-existing molds while not giving enough consideration to who the characters actually are in this particular work.
For me Jo actually got the brunt of it (or perhaps I was just most sensitive to it), from marketing to localization. Marketing-wise, the very first time we saw him in English-language trailers, it was literally for one second after either the word "BAD" or a synonym flashed on-screen. A far cry from Tsutsumi's one-on-one interview where he explicitly says Jo is doing everything in service of a deeper motive, his English voice actor was not interviewed at all, while most major characters' English voice actors were.
Localization-wise, there's one thing that perfectly encapsulates (if you'll allow me to be dramatic for a moment) "What Went Wrong." It's what they decided to call Jo's fighting style. The fact it went from Shame Style to something as trite as Vile Blade genuinely haunts me to this day. Just the sheer flanderization in taking a name that lays bare the core of his character and motivations, a name that conveys perfectly how he sees himself as inhuman and irredeemable, and then turning it inside-out to suggest he IS inhuman and irredeemable? That's insane to me.
Of course, I'm not really able to gauge whether/how that kind of thing actually affected the reception or general understanding of him as a character since I haven't participated in the fandom at all for years, but I do wonder if it has.
Having pages dedicated to relationships and including how each character perceives their relationships sounds like a fair idea (I've always been a fan about how on Masato's page, Yumeno is regarded as his 'girlfriend' while on her page he's only her 'customer'. It's a small detail all things considered, but it's a great way to emphasize how much impact one party can have on another and can deepen the significance of relationships and interactions)! And having citations at the ready is always a good idea to help clear up misinformation or just to simply provide tidbits people are curious about, though obviously with a franchise as big as RGG (including RGGO content), it's very easy to understand if it would take significant time to have absolutely everything accounted for. It's what makes the time dedicated to this kind of work all the more respectable, really!
When it comes to Mine- or any character honestly- and their orientation, for the sake of sharing information clearly, I think it'd be better just to focus on what's provided opposed to trying to find a concrete label for it, so I can't say I'm all too upset at the lack of a solid 'confirmation' and I am grateful for the material given that lets us work towards one conclusion and another.
It is surprising to me that people are more open to Mine being bisexual though (I usually see people try to ignore the fact bisexuality is an option. It's a weird win I guess..). But as you've pointed out, I personally believe Mine's case was more about a case of comphet behavior, as the line where he alludes to his past relations with women it's from a segment where he's specifically highlighting how he wasn't happy abiding by what should have made him happy. I still don't know how people observed the full scene but decided to block out the very next line where he says he was unsatisfied and just walked away with 'Mine likes women'. ☠️
Onto Jo though, the state of his memory about Masato's birth really is jarring when you point it out. It's one thing to just chalk it up to a sprinkle of misogyny and not finding Ikumi important (though at least RGG was nice enough to give her files a proper name), but really thinking about it, it's incredibly bizarre he doesn't remember at all. Not considering the actual nine months they had to live together for Ikumi to have Masato, I'd assume they'd have to live together a little longer than that then- and still nothing...? But everything else about that night... Definitely something to raise an eyebrow about lmao
That's unfortunate about the RGGO stories though! But like you said, it's totally understandable as to why they had to discontinue them (but also of course, they were a big attraction to me personally to play the game and card hunt), especially when it's only two people already having to juggle other projects. But thank you for the encouragement with my own personal projects: I try not to be too hard on myself since that certainly won't do anything, and it certainly helps to know that I'm on the right track with what I'm doing! I really do love these characters (and I'm also terribly aware they're a bit unpopular all things considered), so I always want to do what I can to do them justice for myself and other fans!
Highlighting Mine's preference towards the West has really been a great experience- it's something I've only noticed on small scales (i.e. his foreign car and of course his English), but bringing it to light like this has really helped validate and further my understanding of him! That being said, Mine most definitely has adopted the American mentality of stressing independence and not relying on others, and it's undoubtedly come as a result of his upbringing. Ergo, analyzing Mine in relation to his connection not just with American philosophy but also giri-ninjo is definitely worthwhile, and from the sounds of it absolutely significant to understanding his character and his motives (it's certainly something I'm already taking notes on for the future)!
Moreover, I've always been a fan of Mine and his ability to acknowledge the inherit need to have companionship, or at the very least his subconscious need for bonds. In that, it's clear Mine's pursuit of independence was a way to protect himself (I might dare to say he lets down his guard fairly easily all things considered, though I won't ignore his caution towards Daigo and Kanda when initially meeting them. Moreover, it's just clear that when he feels betrayed, despite convincing himself he's a lone wolf, he feels that pain significantly- much greater than someone who sincerely believes themselves to be independent should). Just as you've said, Mine's suicide and taking Richardson with him is really a solid and magnificent way to round off his character through the lens of him putting to rest his solitary philosophy. Going further with gameplay interwoven with story telling, the time-consuming Dad Simulator bits of Y3 really do help highlight how much the kids of Morning Glory- and in that case orphans in general- rely on adults like Kiryu to navigate life. And evidently, that experience ties back into Mine and his frustrations with not just people like Kiryu who help others without expecting a reward, but also how the less fortunate are able to receive that help where as Mine wasn't offered that.
On that note, I feel like I remember learning that the 'orphan' bit was an inclusion, but I guess I forgot that detail along the way. Nevertheless, I'm just about to start eating drywall over the translation differences at this point- even if my point isn't moot, I still can't help but feel an anxiety that I'm going to greatly misinterpret something (and I can certainly get back to this point later when it comes to the likes of Jo's in the west). At the very least, it's a better incentive to brush up on my Japanese. I'll take what I can though: I'm glad that what I've said it still valid in some parts!
The case of Masato's something that's always going to intrigue my mind (I owe myself a chance to properly sit down and analyze him). There's so many aspects at play that could have affected how he turned out as an adult, and family is undoubtedly a major factor contributing to that outcome. To expand on that, it's inarguable that Arakawa was doing the most he could for Masato as not only a young, single father who had a complicated relationship with his own parents, but also having to operate as a ruthless yakuza to the rest of Kamurocho meant not only was he busy, but he needed to uphold an image and make sure his son wasn't too involved with that life. In this, it seems apparent that Arakawa's conditions to be a parent weren't exactly ideal, and as a result it's fair to assume he potentially 'under performed' in some aspects due to these circumstances, so to say (we see he keeps himself active in Masato's life when he's an adult, so it's not as though I'm proposing it's a case of neglect. It's unfortunate we really don't get more of the Arakawa Family's family life to better understand their circumstances).
Thank you for your compliments on my comparison post! I didn't want to come off as bothersome, but I'll make sure to tag you in any future posts I make that are inspired by you ^^ Honestly, I thought my post was a bit messy on some parts, but I'm thrilled to hear it was comprehensive- and of course, I've love to hear your input on any points in the future if you ever feel like sharing them!
The topic of RGG spinoffs has been a topic between a friend and I every now and then (though I never would have expected a French Revolution game????), so it's astounding to hear about the various ideas that have been floating around (I would be excited the most for a game about Hanzo though- I remember obsessing over him while I was in middle school for whatever reason lmao)! In any case, spinoffs would be a great way to utilize one-off characters: it might not be mainline or technically canon, but being able to see the characters again is never something I can complain about so long as the game's fun and the story's engaging!
I'll make sure to keep you posted on how I feel about Princess Toyotomi and Hero SP: I have an insatiable need to share everything on my mind, so I'll undoubtedly talk about them and whatever thoughts I have! Again, I have to apologize about spoiling the end like that- I really didn't expect them to go that way either when I first saw it honestly! But I can't say it was a terrible ending- unfortunate, but I wasn't super mad about it.
Now returning to the state of RGG's translations, that is especially weird in that situation in particular when they have a similar line in the same (or about the same, anyway) scene? As you've said, it might have been an unfortunate case of penning in something based off of independent thought, though it's still unfortunate because it did have the potential to alter not just the scene itself, but Arakawa's character as well (and of course, we would have hoped RGG wold improve when it comes to sensitive topics at this point).
And onto a point I've been weirdly excited to get to, the case of Jo and how the west seemed to handle him. Maybe it's because of America's tendency to make marketing more 'aggressive' (my personal favorite case is making Kirby appear angrier in ads? Because rage and cute-pink-puffball makes sense to me), so opposed to a more grey portrayal they went with something more blunt. Though, it's incredibly strange that Jo seemed to receive such a 'particular' treatment when it came to marketing? My only theory is that they just really wanted Jo's 'reveal' in the Coin Locker Baby chapter to be all the more impactful, but it's just messy honestly.
More importantly, the change of his style's name is also really unfortunate to me. As you've said, it strips interesting aspects of his character away, and a major aspect of his character is evidently guilt. I can't fathom trying to construct his character to be violent without reason, it really undermines what makes him so compelling.
Though, I guess if it's anything, from what I've seen this change in presentation has done little to impact people's perception of him (but maybe that's because I haven't really seen anyone else in the west talk about him...)
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itsabouttimex2 · 20 days
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A Brand New Journey:
Part Two
(Part One) (Part Two) (Part Three)
“…hey, MK.” Pigsy’s voice snaps MK out of his stupor, causing the boy to whip around and face him. Looking for a chance to get out of doing chores, he throws the mop in his hands aside and eagerly heads over to the counter his boss is standing at. “Yeah, Pigsy? Something up?”
The chef wipes his hands on the towel around his waist, freeing them of sweat and grease. Then he snatches up the leatherbound book that you left behind, flipping through the pages.
“Y/N left one of their books behind,” he says, his brows slowly knitting themselves together. “Musta been in a real rush. You mind holding onto it til they come by again?”
“Yeah, sure! Give it here!”
MK grabs his boss’s shoulder with both hands, hauling himself up and over it to snatch the hardback from him. Slipping off of Pigsy without much grace, MK plops himself onto a stool and throws open the pages.
Though he’s eager to start reading it, the delivery boy notably slows down when he sees the precise, neat handwriting within. Several anatomical illustrations are paired with the pages, pointing out the weaknesses; both confirmed and theoretical, of every character in the tome.
“Looks like your friend’s been hard at work, kid. Maybe it’s some kind of school project?”
Flipping a page further, the delivery boy takes note of what you’ve been using to hold you place.
MK holds up your book in confusion, pulling the strange bookmark from between the pages. Holding it between two fingers, he shows it to his boss.
“Whatcha got there, MK? Is that a piece of your bandana?”
“Uh, it’s not mine. It was in Y/N’s book. They’ve got this real dirty… cloth… thing? And I think they’re using it as some kinda nasty bookmark.” MK waves it around erratically, watching the tattered cloth dance like ribbon as he pulls it this way and that.
“Hey- stop fiddling with it, kid! It might be important to Y/N!”
“I don’t think so, Pigsy. It kinda just looks like… I dunno, garbage? Maybe I should replace it for them. I mean, finding something better than this can’t be so hard-“
“Kid, listen- Y/N ain’t a ‘just cause’ sorta person. If they’re using this beaten up old… rag, then it’s probably important to them. Just put it back before the thing tears.”
Conceding Pigsy’s point, MK replaces the tattered red fabric in it’s former position, snapping the heavy tome shut to keep it from falling out.
“Well… I guess I’ve gotta go find a safe place to put this in my room, like… real soon- laterPigsybyeee!”
“What- hey, MK! Get back here! You still have to mop the floors!”
———————————————————————
“This book is absolutely one of kind. I made it myself, actually. Promise me that you’ll take good care of it.”
“Of course I will,” you had quickly declared, taking the weighty novel carefully into both of your hands. “If it’s important to you, then I’ll definitely keep it safe!
“Why would it be important to me? It’s yours to keep. It’s a gift, Y/N.”
A gift. It had been a gift. You would have been beside yourself with worry and shame to know you had left something so precious and heartfelt behind, sitting on the counter for anyone to take if they pleased.
You would be beside yourself right now… if you had noticed.
As it stood, you simply trekked on through the slowly dimming streets, barely noticing how light your backpack was without the book inside.
There was a little bit too much on your mind right now to notice something so inconsequential. You had downed your noodles and rushed out the door the moment you realized that your concealer was flaking away.
It’s not that you didn’t trust MK and Pigsy with seeing your bruises- in all honestly, you worried that they might get the wrong idea and try to intervene in some way.
Before you took to wearing concealer, there had been more than a few concerned strangers that had pulled you aside and offered help, directing you to several sources of aid- and no amount of explanation soothed their worries.
In an attempt prevent drawing any further attention to yourself, you had turned to using makeup, freshly painting over your myriad wounds each morning.
And, speaking of all the bruises that training was leaving on you…
You really need to get back to your mentor.
Actually, now that you think of it… maybe you should bring him something to eat. Sure, you could head back to Pigsy’s Noodles and order some 20% off takeaway… or maybe it’d be good to try something new?
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wonwooslibrary · 10 months
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in other words, i love you | ksy
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member: soonyoung x gn!reader genre: fluff, light angst, roommates!au, 4+1 things, dance student!soonyoung, student!reader, technically college!au but it's not mentioned word count: 2009 summary: four times you jokingly confess to soonyoung, and the one time he seriously confesses to you. warnings: swearing, an argument, a couple loving shoulder smacks bc i think they're cute, mentions of food/eating, y/n bullies soonyoung but it's all loving don't worry! author's note: i finished this after months instead of writing the wonwoo birthday thing that i'm supposed to post in like ten days lmao oops but a big shout out to @kthpurplesyou for beta reading this for me!! bee, i love u sm you've become such a good friend of mine over the past couple months !! i love all your writing and aaaa ur just amazing thank you !!! i am now on my way to work so have a wonderful day everyone & enjoy some short soonyoung fluff <3
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The First. 
What is one thing that everyone wishes was free all the time? Of course, it’s food, and you were definitely someone who loved free food. So, when you saw the new ramen and boba place in the local mall was open, you were convinced. Your goal for today: get Soonyoung to pay for your lunch..
“Soonie, you love me, don’t you?” you questioned your best friend, tugging a bit on his sleeve. 
“I cannot believe you even had to ask that! Of course I do!” He wrapped his arms around your shoulders in a quick, but meaningful hug. 
“Okay so, if you love me like you say you do…” your voice droned on. “You should totally take me to the new boba shop. Please!” you held out the end of the word, begging the man.
Soonyoung looked away from you and moved his gaze to the ceiling of the store before he sighed. 
Exhaling loudly, he grabbed your hand and walked with you towards the restaurant. You quickly cheered with the hand that wasn’t in Soonyoung's. 
After arriving and ordering, you picked an empty booth to sit in as you both waited for your order number to be called.
"Thanks for paying, Soonie." 
Soonyoung smiled, his teeth showing. "You're welcome, I-" He was interrupted by the sound of their order number being called. 
Soonyoung stood up. "I'll grab them." 
“Are you sure? It might be a lot for you to carry by yourself,” you tried to stand up to help. “Let me help you.” 
Soonyoung put his hand on your right shoulder and lightly pushed you to sit down again. “It’s fine, I got it.” 
Coming back to the table from the second (and last) trip to get their food, Soonyoung sat back down across from you, making quick work of taking his wooden chopsticks apart. 
Immediately picking up your boba, you began swinging your legs a bit before speaking with a bright smile. 
"Soonieee!" 
Lifting his head up from his rice to look at you, Soonyoung smiled brightly. "Yeah?" 
"I love you," you took another sip of your tea. "And boba. I think I love boba more though." 
Soonyoung laughed. "I'm starting to think that you like the boba more than my friendship."
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The Second. 
“Hey Y/N, do you want to do something today?” 
Looking up from your novel, you focused your gaze on Soonyoung. “It depends. Where do you want to go?” 
“They opened a new arcade down the street from that bookstore you really like. I wanted to check it out sometime, so I was just thinking that you could  join me.” 
You smiled. “Of course I’ll go with you Soon! Give me like ten minutes to get ready?” You gestured to the pajamas that you were currently lounging in. 
“Of course! I’m so excited!” Soonyoung sprinted off back to his room, most likely preparing the most ridiculous outfit imaginable. 
You shook your head and got up from the couch after placing the receipt-bookmark on the page before closing the novel. 
After getting dressed and grabbing a quick snack from the kitchen, you sat and waited patiently for Soonyoung, who sprinted down the stairs and stumbled about half way through, tripping a bit and catching himself on the wall. 
Of course, as one does when their best friend almost faceplants, you laugh. “Good going. You should do that again so I can record it.” 
Soonyoung, peeling himself from the wall, gave you an exasperated look. “Ha ha ha,” he walked into the kitchen. “Very funny.” 
You looked up at him. “You’re right. It was.” 
Soonyoung smacked your shoulder lightly before grabbing his keys off the counter. “You ready to go?” 
“Yeah, I’m good. Let’s go.” 
About twenty minutes later, you learned that you should never agree to going to an arcade with Soonyoung. You watched from the sidelines, sweating, as he absolutely demolished the DDR machine he found in the corner of the small inner-city arcade. 
Winning another round (and yet again breaking the highest score), Soonyoung got off the arrow-covered platform and walked to where you were sitting. 
“Are you sure you don’t want to challenge me again? I can go easy on you!” Soonyoung smiled, his gums showing. 
Laughing loudly, you argued with the man. “If you think I’m getting back on that,” you looked at the platform in disgust. “Thing, you’re absolutely insane. I love you so damn much Soonyoung, but you can’t pay me to get back on that.” 
Soonyoung scoffed. “It’s not that hard!”  “I’m sure you don’t think it is!”
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The Third. 
The first thing you noticed after the countless minutes of sitting in this brightly lit room was that it was hot. You were leaning against the wall, phone on a tripod focused on Soonyoung’s movements in the wall-length mirror. 
“Soonyoung!” you whined. Across the large room, Soonyoung looked up from the ground, his thoughts interrupted. 
“Yeah?” 
“Is there no air conditioning here? Like come on, it’s a dance practice room! Do they expect their dancers to die from heat every day?” 
Soonyoung smiled, “They’re working on fixing it right now. Something broke somewhere in the building so now the whole floor is not getting AC.” 
“That’s awful. Terrible. A crime to humanity!”
“Yeah, tell me about it. I'm here every day. Though, they said it should be done within the next couple of days, so don’t worry about it.” 
Soonyoung begins the music again, and he begins dancing his routine, movements sharp and well crafted. But, as Soonyoung dances, the temperature of the room increases, and there is only so much a couple of revolving fans can do. 
When Soonyoung is done dancing, he turns to face you. “How was that?” 
You nodded and clapped. “It was amazing! Though, I’m dying. You’re lucky I love you, otherwise I would have left an hour ago.” 
Soonyoung smiled. “But you like the dance? I’ve been working on it for a while and I really just want to be done with it.” 
“Yeah! It’s amazing. You know that every dance you do is going to be perfect by the end of it! You’re incredibly talented!” 
“Thanks, Y/N. Let’s go back before you melt into a puddle that I have to mop up off the floor.” 
“We both know if that happened, you’d be making Chan mop the floor. There’s no way you’d do it yourself.”
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The Fourth. 
The movie that was playing at full volume on Soonyoung’s TV was not your first choice, and you made that extremely clear to Soonyoung as you both sat next to each other on the couch for your weekly movie night. 
“I just don’t understand why you’d want to watch a horror movie when you know that you’re going to be more scared than the characters on the damn TV!” you argued to your best friend. 
“Oh, come on you scaredy cat! It’s not going to be too bad! Jihoon said this one wasn’t that bad!” 
Wrapping yourself in the blanket Soonyoung kept on the couch, you refuted the statement. “There is a 99 percent chance that Jihoon was saying that just to fuck with you in hopes you get so scared you call him crying so he can laugh at you.” 
Soonyoung thought about your statement for a second before wrapping his arm around you. “Okay, while you do have a point there,” he began, “I don’t think Jihoon hates me that much!” 
“While he might not hate you that much, he doesn’t love you like I do---of course he’d pull a useless prank on you like that.” Once the words came out of your mouth, you could feel your heart start beating faster at the words you just said. It feels…different, somehow. 
“Of course! He can’t love me nearly as much as you do!” Soonyoung yays, hugging you and rubbing his hair into your cheek.
Grimacing, you complain, “Okay, okay, please get your greasy hair off of my face.” Placing one of your hands on Soonyoung’s hairline, you push him away. 
Soonyoung lets go of the hug and leans to the other direction, pouting. “Y/N doesn’t love me anymore!”
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The One. 
“Soonyoung! Did you seriously?” you mutter to yourself. After a long day in classes and stressing about the endless amount of assignments you have to do, the last thing you wanted was to come home to the shared apartment and see piles of dirty dishes by the sink. Of course, it wasn’t only the dishes that upset you: the living room was a mess of snack wrappers and empty water bottles and the TV was still on, the sleep screen lighting up the living room. The couch and coffee table were both pushed out of the way to create Soonyoung’s mini dance studio in the living room. 
“Kwon Soonyoung! Where are you?” you yelled up the stairs. 
Soonyoung peeked his head out of his bedroom door to see you halfway up the stairs. “Hey. What’s up?”
“Did you forget to do something?” Soonyoung tilted his head, thinking. 
“I don’t think I forgot to do anything? Why?”
“The sink is filled with dishes! Didn’t you say you were going to stop doing that? And the living room is a mess! None of the furniture is put back and there are wrappers everywhere! You promised that you wouldn’t leave stuff around all the time!” you angrily tell your best friend off. 
“I’m sorry! I forgot about it, I’ll go clean everything right now!” Soonyoung came out of his room and headed towards the stairs. 
“No, it's fine. I got it, just-” you sighed heavily. “Actually remember to do your chores next time, and put the living room back together.” With that, you walked back down the stairs to the kitchen, but Soonyoung was hot on your tail. 
“It’s not fine! The dishes were my chore and it’s my mess in the living room, just- move and I’ll do it.” Soonyoung began cleaning the dishes out of the sink in order to fill it with water. 
You tilted your head down to the floor, eyes watering. The angry reaction you had was finally hitting you, making you feel terrible about yelling at your best friend. 
“I’m sorry for yelling at you, Soon.” You wiped a tear off your face. “I really d-didn’t mean to. I've just had an awful day and I didn’t think about what I was doing or saying.” 
Soonyoung turned to face you, hands covered in suds. “Y/N, it’s fine. Please don’t cry,” he wiped his hands on the closest towel to him before wrapping his hands around your upper arms and making eye contact. 
“I promise everything is fine -- you were right to yell at me, because I did promise you I would stop doing these things. I love you, Y/N, more than anything, and that doesn’t stop just because you told me off for something.” 
Your eyes widened as Soonyoung kept talking. This action led Soonyoung to make a similar face, finally realizing what he said. 
“You…love me? That much?” you questioned in a meek voice, still wide-eyed. 
Soonyoung’s cheeks turned red and he looked away before whispering a small, “Yeah, I do.” 
When he finally looked back at you, he smiled. “Yeah,” he spoke louder. “I didn’t mean to say it in this context,” He looked around quickly. “But I guess now is better than never.” 
The dried tears on your cheeks begin to stiffen, but it doesn’t stop you from smiling as widely as physically possible. “I love you too, Soonie.” 
You wrapped your arms around your best friend newfound lover, tightly squeezing. Of course, Soonyoung hugged you back. 
You both quickly pulled apart when two voices scared you. 
“Soonyoung? Are you guys done making out in the middle of the kitchen?” 
“Hi, Y/N!” 
Turning around, you saw Soonyoung’s friends, Seungkwan and Seokmin. 
“Hi guys,” you began. “I guess that explains the living room being a mess?” you ask Soonyoung. 
He nods, laughing a bit. “Yeah.”
You smile. Of course. 
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lunar-years · 11 months
Note
hi! love your blog. I was wondering if you have any fic recs? I’m especially looking for royjamiekeely but I’m flexible :) thank you!!
Hi! I have read a lot of the R/J/K tag, and gosh, there is seriously so much incredible stuff in there. It sort of depends on what kind of vibe you're going for, but here are a few* to get you started.
Note: many of these are rated M or E, so please check the actual warnings and ratings and summaries before reading :)
Start with author inlovewithnight and literally just read everything they've ever written, it is all completely brilliant and there is something for all tastes. My personal favorites are the blood in my mouth, I wish it was mine and they threw me a whirlwind and I spat back the sea, but do be aware those are definitely darker/heavier fics and heed the tags!!! (the first has quite bit of noncon [not between RJK] and the second involves physical abuse initiated by James Sr.). For a lighter option I recommend Follow the Hearts and You Can't Go Wrong which is a lovely future R/J/K fic about the end of Jamie's career
from there move along to @valonia47 (Ao3) and @belmottetower (Ao3) and Mixtape Star (Ao3) and also read everything they've written :) I wanted to single out favorites for you but how could I when it's all so very good?
our bodies touch and the angels cry by lennynards: R/J/K that starts out with Roy & Jamie having to stay within 10 feet of each other at all times after both accidentally drinking a weird tea Jane brewed up for Beard. Yes it sounds like a completely ridiculous premise but it is one of my favorite RJK fics ever, 12/10
In Colour series by lyricl: this one feels so very true to canon and it just gets them all so right, I don't know how else to describe it. It's not a complete series though and nobody has actually gotten together as of yet, fyi. They're all far too busy having a lot of complex (& horny) feelings about each other from afar.
This might be a long shot that's not quite what you're looking for but, For Now series by Wild Wren. It's actually mostly a Roy/Keeley series, and I started reading it on a whim because I literally ran out of new things to read in the R/J/K and Jamie tags at one point, lol. Then it ended up being some of my favorite fanfic of all time. It's Roy/Keeley but like, in a not normative and also very kinky way that does a great deep dive into their respective ~issues~. Also Wild Wren had them break up even before the show had them break up, and in a much better and far more detailed way, just saying!! Part 4 is pre-ot3 in the messiest possible way. What a brilliant series, I cannot recommend it enough.
Outgrow the shoes of expectations by @destinationtoast : Brilliant on the ot3 side of it and even better on the character study of each individual within the ot3. Sooo so good. I think about it all the time.
another box with a question mark by irishmizzy: going to be completely honest when I say I don't fully remember this one, but I do know it was very funny and excellent and it is also rated T which makes it different from a lot of the others on my list, so i wanted to include!! It is in my bookmarks and I'm going to be rereading it asap now :)
something that's so close by @ohlafraise : s3 outtake that is very funny and perfect and lovely and also happens to be rated T :) also check out one night upon the shore by the same author. It's Jamie/Keeley, but don't worry Roy's there in spirit. You'll see. That one is very much not T though, lol
by any other name by renecdote: Jamie accidentally wears a Kent jersey instead of his own jersey on the pitch and the internet thinks they're dating (spoiler: they are dating). Who cares if it's not realistic because it's so hilarious and wonderful, amen.
Oh Lord, You've Never Been so in Love by asexual-fandom-queen. I literally just read this one, it's hot off the presses and it is so sexy and tender and also just gets these three so very right. the perfect anecdote to the end of s3.
Anddd of course I have to self promo a little and recommend you Waterfalls (between seasons 1&2 canon divergence), The Full Picture (s3: Jamie attempting to parent-trap RoyKeeley while avoiding his feelings for both of them) and my new one Confetti (ot3 fluff where they celebrate Phoebe's favorite holidays)
*I said I'd give a few and then proceeded to be really long about it, but like, what else is new? For that reason I've tried to stick to strictly R/J/K fics, but if you'd like Roy/Jamie or gen fic/Jamie fic recs also let me know because I could totally make a whole separate post about those, lol.
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siconetribal · 24 days
Text
Put It On My Tab: Chapter 9
Pairing: Jason Todd x Fem!reader
Tag: @vbecker10 @wordsfromshona @harlequin-hangout @harpy-space @tild3ath @gone-batty-fics @princessbl0ss0m @dakotali
Warning: Threats, Harassment, Discussion of possible links to/interest in criminal activity, and Y/N being a trouble magnet
Summary:
Everyone deserves time off, and the vigilantes of Gotham are no exception to the rule. The boys decide to take a weekend to let loose. Who knew a few drinks would lead to a stranger in bed?
Author Note:
A huge thank you and shout out to @harlequin-hangout for the amazing banners you made for me.
If you’re new to the story, here is a link to the other parts:
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8
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The store was spotless. The last customer had left about half an hour ago. There was nothing else to do, so Y/N took it upon herself to make sure it was pristine and ready for the next night traveler that would grace the establishment. Did she honestly expect anyone to come in? No, but this just meant she had one last thing to do before the shift was through.
“And now, I wait.” She mumbled as hopped up onto the stool behind the counter. It was going to be a boring and hellish shift with so little to do, but that just meant she was getting paid to do nothing. And that is far better than having to deal with some cranky customer. Grabbing her book from under the counter, she dove into the realm that awaited. A place where good, evil, and morally grey collided into a kaleidoscope of brilliant colors of adventure, intrigue, and romance. Within these pages, she was not some minimum wager struggling to make ends meet in some crime-ridden city. Within these bound sheets, she was free…until the chime of the front door pulled her back to reality. Of course, someone comes in just when I thought I’d be doing nothing.
“Well, well, well, look who we have here.” The familiar accented voice made Y/N’s jaw tighten as she slipped her bookmark back into the book and looked up to see none other than Citlalli’s troublesome cousin, Matías, and his posse of trouble. The one who always had some kind of job that would promise big reward, and would definitely get you killed if you were lucky. She could still recall the look on the Penguin's face when he realized he was being had. A look she never wanted to see once in her lifetime, let alone again. 
I’d rather deal with those secret menu drinks and hear the brainless chatter of the overprivileged youth than deal with him. A lobotomy sounds delightful, even. “Welcome, what can I get started for you today?” She plastered on her award-winning customer service smile as she stood from the stool and stepped up to the register.
“C’mon Lindura, don't be like that.” He softly clicked his tongue and reached across the counter to grab her hand. Y/N was quick to pull her arm back to her side.
“I will have to ask you to refrain from reaching across the counter, sir. If you need time for your order, you may do so, but I request you step aside. Anyone who is ready in the group, I am happy to help.”
“Damn, Matty, she’s not playing with you today.” The group snickered.
“Fuck off, that’s just how mi pequeña petardo is.” Matías eyed Y/N and smirked. It made her skin crawl, and she wanted to burn every inch that had the poor luck of being seen by such a leering gaze. “Isn’t that right, Nena? You like playing hard to get, don't worry, I’m not giving up that easy.”
No, please do. Give up, better yet, please walk into a wall however many times it takes for you to completely forget about my existence as a whole. She bit back the retort, reminding herself that she was at work and being recorded. She needed this job to pay off the 4k. “Sir, I'm not "playing ard to get", you're simply impossible to want. I am but a simple café employee working her shift, nothing more. So, what would you like?”
“For you to finally say yes and be mine.” She had to admit it was a smooth answer, but coming from him it was more greasy, like deep fried onion rings fresh out of the fier and still swimming in the oil. Her temple began to throb as the group cheered and encouraged Matías to go on. Emboldened, he leaned over the counter some more and attempted to grab her again. She smacked his hand away and glared.
“Strike two, Matías, keep this up, and I’ll call the cops.” She kept her voice flat as she glared at him. “Now, do you want to order anything or not? If not, get out and leave me alone. I’m not interested in you, your idiotic lackeys, or whatever pitch you're trying to sell.”
“Who the fuck do you think you are talking to us like that, bitch?” The one to Matías’ right snapped, grabbing and tugging her closer by the front of her apron. “Do you know who you’re messing with?” It was obvious from the clothes that he wore and the way he held himself, this guy was a hot headed rich kid trying to be cool.
“Someone with severe halitosis?” She rolled her eyes, trying to tug his hand off of her apron. “Let me go, or you'll regret it.”
“Regret it?” The rich kid scoffed. “How? Gonna call the cops? Then what? Even if we give ya the chance to call them, it’s gonna take time for them to get here. That gives us plenty of time for some fun. Plus my dad knows the commissioner, they can’t do shit” His slimy smug smirk was the last straw. Her free hand gripped the counter edge as she tried to create distance by pulling back as she tugged at his wrist in the opposite direction.
“I’m how.” Everyone turned at the newcomer’s voice, surprised to see that someone else was there at all, since the door had not chimed at someone else coming in.
No way, Wonder Boy?! Y/N’s jaw dropped at the turn of luck of having someone as witness to the harassment.
“And who the fuck are you supposed to be? Piss off and mind your own business.” The tallest of the group stepped forward.
“Guys, settle down.” Matías glared at Jason. There was something unnerving about him, and he knew fighting him as they are now would be a loss on their end. “Joey, let her go.”
“But Matty,” the rich kid turned to their leader to insist, but one look from Matías was all it took for him to back down. “You’re lucky, bitch.” He sneered, shoving her backwards hard enough to send her falling back into the counter behind her. The sharp pain up her spine was hard to ignore, but she refused to give them the satisfaction.
“You’ve misunderstood the situation, my friend! Lindura and I, we go way back. She’s my cousin’s best friend, after all.” He gave Jason a broad smile as he hooked an arm around Joey. “Joey here likes to play rough, we were all just joking around. We were actually in to see our good friend Ryan. He was supposed to be in tonight, which is why we stopped by in the first place. Seeing Lindura was just a big surprise.”
So he was expecting Ryan? Or is he just bluffing and just said the first generic white name he could think of? Y/N eyed Citlalli’s cousin with great suspicion. Her gut was telling her that it was most likely the former, and there was a lot that was not being said. Knowing what she did about him, what was unsaid was usually dangerous, and her expensive knight in shining armor did not need to get involved in all that. Is he trying to get other staff mixed up in his schemes? Don’t tell me he’s trying to pull a fast one on the Penguin again. Or is this him trying to gain turf and get noticed by some other criminal mastermind? Didn’t he idolize the Riddler or Scarecrow? Yeah, I need to be associated with that just as much I need a hundred bullets turning me into human Swiss cheese!
“Lindura?” She snapped out of her thoughts at the call of the annoying pet name she was given by Matías.
“For the hundredth time, quit calling me that.” She snapped. Shit, what did he say? “Also, don't get me or him involved in whatever this is. You’re on private property and our company wants nothing to do with any of it, understand? If you’re not ordering, leave. He wants to order, and you’re holding him up.” She motioned to Jason, purposely avoiding any confirmation of someone named Ryan being employed here. The less she said, the more distance she could keep from whatever was going on. I’ll just let Mr. B know later. I better let Cici know, too, I don’t want her or the rest of her family getting dragged into his nonsense. Matías glared at her response, looking between her and Jason in silence. He was clearly angry with her and her answer, but said nothing more. He turned towards the door, which was behind Jason, and shoved past him. His little group of lackeys followed suit, glaring and sneering at Jason, who barely even flinched at their attempts of intimidation. He turned and watched the group climb into their car and drive off before turning back to face Y/N.
“So, he’s really a friend of yours or,” he trailed off.
“More like a pain in my side. Like he said, he’s my best friend’s annoying cousin.” She sighed, rubbing the sore spot on her back. “Thanks, for stepping in like that. He’s…not the best person to be around and hangs around unsavory people, as you saw. I want as little to do with him as possible, but he just can’t seem to take a hint.”
“Is that what you call hinting? I’d hate to see what you being blunt is,” he chuckled as he walked up to the counter. Does she remember who I am? “So, this would be the second time I save you?”
Ah, so he does know it’s me! “Are you asking? Because I might need to start charging you, again.” He raised his hands up in mock surrender.
Yup, definitely does. “Purely rhetorical, but if you must, you can put it on my tab.” He chuckled. Y/N rolled her eyes at his confidence, she had to. Otherwise, she would have found it cute, and she needed to not find him anymore attractive than she already did. “So, are you closing up shop or can I order?”
“Sadly, I’m stuck here until the next shift comes in at 8. For some reason, we need to be a 24-hour location. So, what’ll it be, Wonder Boy? Order whatever you like, it’ll be on the house. The Least I can do for you since you saved me from that mess.” She straightened her apron and stood in front of the register once more.
“Something tells me your boss won’t like that, and you'll end up paying for it. How about I buy us both something, and you come join me at a table?” Jason offered, looking around at the vacant shop, to point out that she really had nothing to lose if she did. It was a very tempting offer, though she was equally happy with just sitting back here and reading her book, but when would be the next time she would meet him? To get a chance to actually talk to him and sort out this hotel mess?
“Well, if you insist,” she forced a heavy sigh of reluctance. “What’ll you have? The bakery items are either made in house or bought fresh from local shops, by the way. I’d suggest one of the sandwiches if you're looking for something more filling or aren't too big on sweets.” He hummed audibly as he stepped to the right, peering into the display case before glancing up at the menu that was hung up behind her before making his selection and insisting she or more than a drink. As promised, he paid for the entire order, and she quickly got to work making everything.
The second son of Bruce Wayne silently watched as she moved around behind the counter, sometimes disappearing behind the door to what he could only assume was the kitchen. After weeks of searching, he finally had her. He finally found the young woman he landed into a sizable amount of financial hardship, and she was not against spending time with him. Now I just need to figure out a way to bring up the topic. If those assholes didn’t make such a scene, I could've easily brought it up now and insisted on paying. But now she’s going to feel indebted to me for saving her again, and might fight me on it. There's got to be a way to make this work. He frowned, crossing his arms as he watched the back of her head move left and right as she began to make whatever drink she had put in for herself. He knew it could not be his order, he kept it simple with coffee, medium with creamer and sugar. The fact that I broke a coffee machine, and she works at a café, she must really think I’m some sort of imbecile. He ruffled his hair to release some pent-up frustration.
“Here’s your coffee and sandwich. Here’s my drink and pastry,” he heard her mumble to herself as she reviewed the ticket once more before stepping out from behind the counter. “We should be good. If you need anything, just let me know and I’ll grab it for you. Anywhere in particular you want to sit?” He glanced around the room before settling on a window side table that was a half booth on the window with chairs on the opposite.
That looks like it’s the closes to the counter, so she doesn’t have to go running if someone else comes in, and the lot is visible from there too. If those assholes decide to come back, I can handle it. “Over there is fine.” He pointed towards the table, placing everything on his tray and carrying it over. Y/N watched with raised eyebrows at the gentlemanly treatment. She was not one to judge by looks, but he certainly did not look like the type to be so courteous. “Are you coming?” She blinked away her look of surprise as she walked towards him.
“Color me impressed. Is saving damsels your forte?” She grabbed the chair to take a seat when Jason motioned for her to sit in the booth.
“I’ll let you know if you got anyone coming in.” He took the chair from her and sat down. “As for me saving damsels, I guess it depends. Do you make it a business to always be in distress?” He smirked, stirring his coffee a bit before taking a sip.
“I don’t make it my business, if you must know. Trouble likes to court me whenever it gets the chance.” She scowled, plopping onto the cushioned seating. “And it seems like you are around quite often when it’s doing its damnedest. Should I be wary of you?”
Oh, you have no idea. “Is that any way to treat your savior, twice over?” He exaggerated his frown as he leaned back into his seat.
“That depends, are you causing the trouble so you can do the saving, or am I just that lucky to have you around to save me?”
“You’re not ‘just lucky’ if it’s me doing the saving. You could say I’m a bit of a professional,” he thumbed his nose, earning a loud “ha” from Y/N.
“Fancy yourself as some sort of warrior of justice? A lesser known caped crusader?”
“No capes, definitely no capes.” He sternly answered. Y/N stared at him, surprised by the tone of his voice, but ended up laughing it off, just like the last statement. He was clearly playing along with her line of inquiry. Jason, on the other hand, was being honest and was a little annoyed by her lack of believing him. It did not help that he found her laughter melodious and the joy of it so infectious that it placated the momentary irritation of her waving his words off as something humorous.
“Ok, a capeless crusader, got it.” She picked up her drink and took a sip. “Well, thank you, in all seriousness. You really saved me on both counts. I’m pretty sure that drink you took on my behalf was drugged, which would explain why you were so out of it afterwards. And even now, even though he knows me, Matías wasn’t going to stop that Joey guy from causing a ruckus. The last thing I need is something that’ll cost me or Cici’s job.”
“Cici, that’s the girl who took my order last time, right?” He thought back to his first visit here. He recalled reading the name tag of the employee he requested to keep his association with Bruce Wayne hidden.“The one and only,” she nodded her head. “Which, speaking of, I wasn’t, she didn’t-” she let out a heavy sigh and raised a finger signaling that she needed a moment to gather her thoughts. Jason raised an eyebrow in question, but said nothing as he let her take her time while he ate his sandwich. How exactly do I explain this without sounding like I’m blaming him or demanding money?
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alespov · 6 months
Text
- I’ve seen this film before
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Trigger Warnings : mentions of the raccon city incident, reader gets a bit upset.
Author Note : hii loves, I just needed a small break. All of the asks that I received, has been answered and will be posted soon. Thank you for all of the love <3 { repost from my old blog} feedback is highly appreciated <33
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Iced vanilla coffee with pumpkin cold foam," the barista announced. Eagerly, you slid your bookmark back into the pages of your book, your anticipation growing with each step toward the counter. Autumn's arrival meant it was finally time to indulge in your cherished seasonal beverage. As you reached out to claim your coffee, an unexpected hand swiftly grasped it before you could blink.
"Oh sorry, did I get the wrong order?" As you turned, you became captivated by a man whose striking blue eyes seemed to pierce deep into your soul. You found yourself irresistibly drawn to his gaze, utterly entranced by the intensity and allure of his eyes.
"Hey.... you okay?" he said while snapping his fingers. You snapped out of your trance and were a bit embarrassed.
"Uh, I'm terribly sorry. I thought this was my order, but I definitely could be mistaken," you explained clearly embarrassed, the flushed cheeks gave it away.
Just then, the barista called out another coffee order identical to yours. The man laughed, "Oh this one must be mine."
The two of you shared another look and went back to sit at your respective tables. You've had a busy day and it was only one in the afternoon. So sitting in the peaceful cafe was just what you needed.
As the hours slipped by, you became wholly absorbed in crafting the second draft of your second novel. The success of your debut work left an indelible mark on your heart, setting high expectations for this sequel. Vividly recounting your harrowing experiences in Raccoon City, the book pays special tribute to the valiant blonde rookie cop who risked everything to rescue you and your friends. Though time has drifted you all apart, the fast-approaching anniversary of those fateful events evokes bittersweet memories that continue to shape and inspire your writing.
You were absorbed in editing your draft you didn't see someone sitting across from you. Pulling out your earbuds and you brushed your hair back. You noted it was the man from earlier, "Oh sorry I didn't see you there."
As you smiled at him, charmed by his shyness, you started chatting about how your respective days went. Intrigued, he questioned you about the book you were writing, and as you explained your ideas, you couldn't help but mention its prequel, causing his eyes to widen in surprise.
“"So, you were part of the Raccoon City incident?" he inquired with a hint of curiosity, his fingers absentmindedly playing with his watch. Caught off guard by this unexpected question, especially since it was a topic rarely discussed, you opted for honesty. The incident was not your favorite conversation piece, so you preferred to write under a pseudonym. Amusingly enough, none of your readers had any clue about your true identity or appearance.
“Uhh yea I was, my friends and I was going to a party. We were all riding together, and the police had shut the roads down. Then… the monsters came.” You trialed off, quickly wiping the tears from your eyes. The man looked sympathetic and grabbed you hand. “Hey it’s okay… I promise it’s gets easier. You just have to have the right person.” He cradled your hand in his own, and gave you a gentle squeeze.
“If not for Officer Kennedy, I wouldn't be standing here today. The first book is an immense homage to him," you said with a smile, attempting to conceal the depth of your emotions. He was just a stranger who nearly picked up your coffee by mistake, and you didn't want to impose the weight of your past on him.
“If it’s any help, I was also there. It was the first day of the job for me.” He began and the pieces hadn’t clicked yet.
"I remember that day vividly. It was my first day on the job, and little did I know, it would also be a day I would never forget. I rushed into the gas station, running late after a terrible breakup with my girlfriend the night before. As I raced to my car, my heart pounding with adrenaline, I knew that this day would be different. And little did I know, it would be the start of a wild and crazy journey that would change my life forever." He moved his blonde hair out of his face.
“Oh I’m so sor-“ he cut you off, “I’m fine, I’ve learned to heal.”
You nodded and the barista reminded everyone it was closing time, on some days they closed at 2:30 in the afternoon. You gathered your things, and the man waited for you.
“Allow me to walk you out?” He held out his arm for you to take. You giggled a bit embarrassed and accepted his arm.
He walked you to your car and helped you set your stuff in the back. You had realized after talking to him for so long, that you didn’t even know his name. He was getting ready to leave but you stopped him.
“You know I never got your name.” You pointed out to him. He chucked and said. “How rude of me, you can call me Officer Kennedy.” The color must have drained from your face.
“It’s okay. It’s okay I’m sorry I should have said something earlier.” You felt like fainting, he grabbed a hold of your wait and gently helped you sit down.
“Oh.. my I didn’t even realize.” He shook his head. Brushing you off. “Honestly it’s okay… I’m glad your safe after all these years. To be honest I kinda tracked you down here.”
You looked at him confused. “ my friend Claire was reading the book, and she sent it to me. I just had to see you. I don’t really care for pumpkin ice coffee. I just overheard that you ordered it.” He laughed nervously.
You laughed at him and he smirked “so.. do you think I could get an autograph.”
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severussquick · 4 months
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Welcome to my little fic rec event that I just made up! I have decided to put together a month of fics that I really loved and share them with you - one per day!
Each day of the week is themed, and you can see what kind of a story is coming from the calendar below. I'll keep this post updated with links to each rec post as they come out, so if you miss one you can always check back here.
The posts will go out at 8am NZDT/11am PST/2pm EST/8pm CET which means that for most of you I am posting from the future! Don't worry about it, you'll catch up!
The Themes!
I have chosen these themes for the fics I want to rec because when I looked through my bookmarks, subscriptions, and history there were some definite patterns. Many MANY fics are still sitting in my to-rec pile so if you all like this let me know and I'll do another.
Bottom Snape
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Self explanatory! It's Snape as a bottom, I adore this and very much wanted to share my favourites with you!
Time Travel
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Oh Boy Am I A Sucker For Time Travel Stories!!!!! It's so bad I actually had to draw the line and disqualify Time Loop stories from consideration or else you'd have gotten a Month Of Time Travel! I'll do the loops next time.
Voldemort Wins AU
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I really like these, they're always so fascinating with how they portray 'victory' for the Death Eaters (spoilers - it always sucks So So Bad). Most of these are pretty Dark so heed the tags.
FemSnape
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Snape! But a woman! That's it. That's the category. These particular fics I'm recommending are classic gender-bends, not Trans Snapes, just FYI.
Marriage Law
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Probably only second to Time Travel in terms of Tags I Am On The Hunt For. I am a sucker for these. It's a bottle episode, but the bottle is a marriage! Love that!
Genfic
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Stories focused on Snape and only Snape, character studies and such. I love these and they can be hard to find!
Long Reads
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Over 100k and not falling into another category. I like to read epics so I cannot promise that the other categories AREN'T long....
Severitus
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Named after the host of that one challenge way back when, this tag means that Snape is Harry's parental figure or mentor. Some feature a pre-Hoqwarts Harry, some don't, but in all of them Harry and Snape have a father-son style relationship.
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Week 1:
Monday - Bottom Snape: When Dreams Come True
Tuesday - Time Travel: Elective Affinities
Wednesday - Voldemort Wins AU: The Snidget
Thursday - Marriage Law: Legislation
Friday - Genfic: Two Hours Late
Saturday - Long Read: Chasing the Sun
Sunday - Severitus: Grease & Lightning
Week 2:
Monday - Bottom Snape: Where Have You Been
Tuesday - Time Travel: Time Mutable Immutable
Wednesday - FemSnape: Equal and Opposite
Thursday - Marriage Law: The "not-so-little" Problem
Friday - Genfic: Repast at the Table of Glorious Toxins
Saturday - Long Read: Assisted Living
Sunday - Severitus: Time Left Today
Week 3:
Monday - Bottom Snape: In Perpetuity
Tuesday - Time Travel: Falling Apart
Wednesday - Voldemort Wins AU: A Fighting Heart
Thursday - Marriage Law: We'll Fall Quietly
Friday - Genfic: Where Loyalties Lie
Saturday - Long Read: Come Once Again and Love Me
Sunday - Severitus: O Mine Enemy
Week 4:
Monday - Bottom Snape: Tonight
Tuesday - Time Travel: How Should I Greet Thee
Wednesday - FemSnape: Lady Lazarus
Thursday - Marriage Law: Happily Ever After The Fact
Friday - Genfic: Penultimate Acts
Saturday - Long Read: A Dream Carved In Stone
Sunday - Severitus: Far Beyond a Promise Kept
Week 5:
Monday - Bottom Snape: The Second-Youngest Professor
Tuesday - Time Travel: The Bat Effect
Wednesday - Voldemort Wins AU: In his embrace
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goroaix · 1 year
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〘 Al-haitham definitely didn't think he'd stumble upon this gold mine after his little stealth mission. 〙
Cyno x gn reader. No warnings.
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Cyno was not a man who was easily disturbed, or ever disturbed for that matter. He was someone that was notorious for having iron skin, to be able to bare witness to the gurgling underbelly of humanity without so much as a blink.
But he was not as infallible as most likely to believe. In fact, Haitham had noticed that s few things that were out of character for the General Mahamatra.
For one, his eyes weren't as cold and unfeeling as they had been during their first meeting - no longer filled with apathy and a desire for justice. However, this was not proof enough to suggest anything wrong; it could easily be attributed to time and their tribulations.
There was also the matter of how Cyno seemed to waste no time leaving his office once his day was over. Often he would spent time lingering, clearing up loose threads before heading home. Now it was like clockwork, the time hit 5pm and he was gone.
So Al-haitham did what he did best: covert surveillance.
He hadn't been expecting to go unnoticed with Cyno's sharp eye and senses, yet he wasn't greeted with a spear at his jugular at any point of his journey. He followed the man until he reached the café and headed in. Haitham followed.
Dressed in a cloak with only his signature jackal ear headpiece to signal it was him, Cyno sat down before pulling out something from his pocket.
Straining his eyes was a worthless effort because he realised that it was Cyno's deck of TCG cards, the leather bound box enough to make his lips curl up in half disgust half amusement. He was a classic case of a try hard.
Nonetheless, Cyno was clearly waiting for someone and he couldn't help but feel a little anticipation. It couldn't have been Tighnari since he was still tending to the sages that had been assigned to the forest, and he doubted the matra would mix their private live with Cyno.
So he watched and leant back, pulling out his book on the theory of perpetual motion only to be stopped as he flicked to his bookmarked page by the sight of someone sitting down.
His eyes went wide involuntarily. Cyno... Was meeting them?
The person sat in front of him was someone that Haitham had his fair share of run ins with, though mostly through none of his own desires. Their occupation was an author, one with mystery shrouding their name and the question on how their works so accurately depicted grisly and deplorable acts of depravity. He had once tried to read one of their murder mystery stories but it had even his stomach feeling unsettled (though he powered through it, of course).
What were they doing with Cyno?
They pushed a plate of food towards the centre of the table and Cyno glanced at it briefly. "You should know by now that food doesn't work as a distraction."
Their laughter was warm, bright eyes shining with what looked like admiration. "Who said I was trying to distract you? Can't I feed my habibi?"
Cyno's fingers curled up for a moment before he let out a small huff.
Haitham gasped out loud and ducked away the second after. Habibi?
He felt a smile grow on his lips. There were few and far between who dared to say such things to Cyno of all people and, judging from his lack of reaction, he wasn't against it.
"Are you going to play?"
"You must love losing," they said with such nonchalance that it was astounding - like Haitham was watching cats begin to breakdance. "Did you bring your best deck?"
"I did."
"Even the Land of Thunder limited edition?"
Cyno's mouth opened ever so slightly in shock. "You have that?"
"I do."
"How? It's only in Inazuma and there's 200 prints."
They stuck out their tongue at him. "I have my ways. Do you want to start or shall I?"
"You can go first."
And then they started to play the card game, an activity that had Haitham almost falling asleep in boredom. The only thing keeping him alive and awake was the increasingly disgruntled look on Cyno's face. His eye brows furrowed ever so slightly and his grip on the deck was tight.
And then Cyno groaned, slumping into his chair for a moment while his opponent had a sly smile playing on their pretty lips.
"I win, you lose."
"How do you win every time?" He asked, getting up with them as they split the last cake slice in half. "I don't understand."
"I told you, I have my ways."
"You didn't even play the Land of Thunder card."
"It's just for bragging rights." They pressed the uneaten half to his lips and Haitham almost laughed out loud when he opened his mouth ever so obediently. From jackal to a mere lapdog, it seemed. "Now, where's my reward?"
Cyno's expression was neutral as he stayed still, letting them lean in and press a soft kiss to his cheek, one that they wiped away right after with a cheeky grin.
"Same time tomorrow?" Cyno asked.
"Of course, Hababi. I'll play as many times as you want."
Oh, Haitham thought, He was going to have fun with this.
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jtl07 · 28 days
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jtl07 fics, spring 2024
We interrupt the posting about various water animals with my first fic recap of 2024!
An admission: I’m still in a rollercoaster of a headspace (also still open to song recs so I can make noises on the guitar btw) - I was, gently, reminded that it’s not even been a year since life upended itself and there’s been a lot that's happened in the past couple months, even more in the past couple weeks, so. We’ll take it one step - one water animal, one guitar riff, one fic recap - at a time.
General stats
Total on this pseud: 5
Fics posted (in chronological order):
Cat’s Cradle security checkpoint logs - Just a snapshot in the form of the contents of folks' bags
tell me all the things you believe - or: one year later
even though you're not mine - or: Ava comes back, but not hers; or or: Princington's artwork strikes again
i see you clearly now (i hold you dearly now) - or: on touch and waiting and wanting; or or: Ava comes back invisible
nineteen, again - or: Ava at thirty-eight
(Per usual, more numbers and thoughts under the cut)
More numbers
(As of last night; some of the numbers seem to have changed but only slightly)
Total words: 26,369
Shortest fic: 813 - Cat’s Cradle security checkpoint logs
Longest fic: 19,010 - i see you clearly now (i hold you dearly now)
Average/Median word count: 5,274 / 1,676
Most hits: 2,128 - i see you clearly now (i hold you dearly now)
Least hits: 555 - Cat’s Cradle security checkpoint logs
Average/Median percent of *interactions to hits: 21.3% / 22.0%
Highest percent of interactions to hits: 23.1% - nineteen, again
Least percent of interactions to hits: 18.7% - i see you clearly now (i hold you dearly now)
*where “interaction” = kudos, comment threads, bookmarks
General thoughts
None of the regular stats (all the word count stuff) were a surprise to me, so I added some new stats looking at interactions and hits. Interaction totals seem to correspond with hit counts (hence why I didn't note those above) but what was interesting was the percentages. Yeah, it's a difference of only a couple percentage points but the nerd in me is intrigued. As in: I wonder if the length and premise of "i see you clearly" was both draw (hits) and deterrent (interaction)? Also several comments mentioned liking the setting age-wise of "nineteen, again" so that plus the fact that there were a lot of familiar faces was perhaps folks knowing what they were getting into? idk, really can't draw any conclusions - it can also just be simple reader behavior.
Actually, speaking of which, another interesting thing I observed: I did an initial pull using the bookmarklet on the 25th, then updated the numbers last night. The numbers that changed the most were hits and, surprisingly, bookmarks (kudos were next, and comments hardly changed). I hadn't realized that bookmarks were utilized so much.
Fic that surprised you:
Technically "i see you clearly now" fits this prompt - but then again, it fits every prompt in this recap lol - but the fic I want to talk about here is "even though you're not mine. I had fully expected not to post anything for February (context: I have a soft personal goal to complete something every month) but then @princington had to go and be amazing lol. I distinctly remember seeing their art (linked above) and immediately being beset by two different ideas. I then went for a walk and during said walk, lines starting coming for the shorter idea. Near the end of the walk, the ending for the fic came to me as well, and by that time I was speedwalking to get back home and write it all down! It had been a while since I'd felt an idea take hold of me that quickly and completely - it's such a rush and was fun to write. That one definitely would not have happened without Prince's fantastic work <3
Fic that you're proud of:
Okay now I'll talk about "i see you clearly now" lol - everything about it was terrifying, from the length, the content, the style. It really was unexpected because the opening came fully fleshed out early on, which usually points to a quick little fic. But I remember hitting 3k and looking over what I had so far, and thinking very clearly: ohshit, this is going to be long. But I think what won out over the fear was this curiosity - I wanted to see where this fic was going to lead me. There was something in it that kept drawing me back, even though I didn't know at all where the story was going, something in me felt surprisingly, idk safe exploring what was, for me, uncharted territory.
Fun fact #1: I think it was around the 5k~6k mark - before I'd gotten anywhere near the ending, mind - I'd had this thought (which I'd fully written down in my notes lol) of having a fun spicy one-shot as a follow up. And then shortly thereafter, I realized how crucial physical intimacy was to the story and how it there wouldn't be a follow up - it had to be integrated into the fic. A lot of internal screaming ensued lol
Fun fact #2: I surprisingly didn't do a lot in terms of editing. The biggest was a rewrite of the phone conversation between Beatrice and Mother Superion. I remember feeling a bit iffy about it and @gohandinhand (best beta ever seriously!) gently highlighted it as well. I guess it was one of those scenes where I needed to know what the story was before I could really write that scene in a way that fit everything else. It was interesting because I felt that's how it was writing the fic as a whole - it wasn't very linear, it was more like I'd write one scene near the beginning, which gave some inspiration for a scene near the ending, which then brought me to a scene near the middle. It felt quite intricate, seeing how adjusting one area affected another, affected the whole.
Fun fact #3: Before I wrote the reunion, I sat down and studied a bunch of fics because I'm a nerd lol - there's that one post, which I of course can't find now, about how there's nothing more embarrassing than writing smut that doesn't turn anyone on, which I felt very keenly lol - I was like, jt, if you're going to do this, you better damn do this well. So I went through some other fics and studied structure, word choice, pacing - it was quite enlightening actually, and something I think I'll do more of this year. (Studying, I mean. Not the - well, I shouldn't promise anything about what I will or will not write lol)
Fic that was the hardest to write:
Much as "i see you clearly now" terrified me, it actually wasn't hard to write. Similar to Beatrice's arc in the story itself, I as the writer had to just be patient and allow it take form in the time it took. I mean, even that rewrite that I mentioned came on fairly easily.
Now that I think about it, I do remember "tell me all the things you believe" being difficult to write. Yeah, quite a number of afternoons sitting at a nearby Starbucks pulling at my hair lol The main prompt for that was simply to mark the occasion (that being my own 1 year of writing Warrior Nun/Avatrice). I think what I'm learning is that things are much easier when an idea is couched firmly in a character or an emotion. (For example, I mentioned a while ago having a hard time with i walked with you once, which could have also been due to not having formed a good grasp of JC's character)
Oh I also had not a difficulty writing, but a difficulty posting Cat’s Cradle security checkpoint logs - I'd thought it was too simple yknow? But ultimately I thought hey, this is all just for fun, not everything needs to be complex and worldchanging so why the heck not.
What's next?
Gosh that's a question I've been carefully avoiding what with being in the midst of so much transition. I've been doing a lot of resting and found myself being drawn to studying structure again - kishoutenketsu in particular (I recently found some studies I'd done a couple years ago, I might clean those up and post them here), and how to layer complexity onto that. Which is timely because there's a couple ideas that came to me late last year that I immediately knew were going to be complex and kinda put them on the shelf because I didn't think I was ready to write them. Writing "i see you clearly now" has made me question that thought so hopefully the studying will help bring up my confidence to at least try.
In any case, there are still plenty of ideas (Beatrice voice: "there's always more") it's just a matter of figuring out which ones feel right to write. I'll likely continue to be a little quiet here - save for the posts of the water animals lol - but I'll be around.
Anyway, huh, apparently I had much more to say than I thought I would for this recap. If you made it this far, wow, a virtual cookie for you! Hope the end of March brings some rest and comfort <3
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belmottetower · 10 months
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fic rec fun
So wanted to get some hiatus rec lists going and encourage some self promo in my friends so how about sharing your top fics no matter how big or small - give us the links to your wonderful words with the Most hits/Most kudos/Most comments/Most bookmarks /Most words/Least words Tagged by @valonia47 Most hits:
and i'm known for giving love away The first fic in my main ot3 series, and probably the fic of mine that has been most popular since season 3. I'm not surprised really, if you left that season a fan of ot3 this might be the one for you. 26,302 hits. Summary:
Apparently this isn’t some fantasy scenario Keeley has dreamed up, and Roy is on board with the whole threesome thing. Jamie doesn’t need any more encouragement before saying yes to sex with two of the hottest people he knows. How the fuck do you cope with the beard. It’s so scratchy. Hate to think how raw you are down there. Keeley doesn’t take long to reply to his text. Shut up! Heard the second conversation went better than the first? 😏👨❤️💋👨 ------- In the first week back of pre-season training, Jamie’s misstep at the funeral finally comes back to bite him. Or does it? When Keeley and Roy approach him with a very unexpected offer — an invite into their bed — Jamie isn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth, even if he wishes it was more than just sex.
Most kudos
This is the same as above and has 1,649 kudos so I'm going to cheat and plug my second most kudosed fic too.
I Get By With A Little Help
This is the first in a Roy/Jamie, canon divergent season 2 AU that follows the events of the season fairly closely, but with one change at the start affecting Jamie's relationships and actions. 1,030 kudos. Summary:
He can’t hang out with the boys, but he hates going home too. He hates being alone in his new flat, terrified that his dad will find out where he lives now and send them after him again. He’s taken to hanging round the club after training. He’ll find a quiet place to sit, pull out his book, and settle in for as long as he can before the stadium locks up for the night and he's forced to leave. He’s onto the 34th book to read before you die — Emma — and is surprised by how much he likes it. In comparison to his own drama, gentle scandals and gossip are a nice escape. Today’s reading location is the boot room. The new kitman has some magic way of making it smell of lavender instead of sweaty feet, and if Jamie puts a couple of towels on the bench, it makes a nice pillow to sit on. Mr Knightley is in the middle of yet another stern lecture — in his head, Knightley looks a lot like Roy, but he's not sure Keeley quite fits as Emma — when the door bangs open. Jamie jumps and is surprised to see Keeley standing there instead of Will, a guilty look on her face. — After a traumatic event Jamie falls apart, then puts himself back together again. He does the hard work, but he has a little help. Most comments
Most bookmarks
Okay the first here was and i'm known for giving love away with 564 bookmarks. The second was I Get By With A Little Help with 387 bookmarks. I won't do a full summary of number three, but I'll cheat again and link to it. It's in a language that you can't read just yet, another ot3 fic with 229 bookmarks.
Most words
A Little Better, All The Time The Roy POV sequel to I Get By With A Little Help, so you'd probably want to read that first! 46,825 words. I'll be honest I think a couple of my other WIPs either are already longer, or will definitely end up longer, but not in terms of published words. Summary:
He’d known Tartt could do it, but knowing it and fucking watching that masterpiece of a goal happen with his own eyes are two very different things. And best of all, he got to feel responsible for it. He had gotten to set that in motion for Richmond, for his player. Ted grabs him in celebration, and Roy’s still roaring and oh, fuck. Careful what you wish for, Kent. Jamie’s seeking out his gaze, flipping him off from the middle of the pitch and smirking before accepting praise and hugs from the rest of the team, and Roy had wanted Jamie to spark some emotion in him, but this? This is electric, this is overwhelming. Roy wants to fucking run out there, grab him in a bear hug of his own, and not let go. This might become a new problem. ___ Roy wasn't about to admit it, but he'd been sort of excited to see Tartt again. Except when he returns to Richmond, Jamie is... different. On the pitch and off it, he’s quieter, more reserved, a shadow of the person Roy remembers from last season. He’s determined to get to the bottom of the change.
Least words
funnier than step brothers
Okay this is one of my AUgust fills, for a prompt where I was otherwise I bit stuck as to what I wanted to write. A rogue pairing for me - Colin/Isaac and very silly, but I will stick to the rules and link to it anyway. Word count 374. Summary:
“This is your fucking fault,” Isaac hisses at Colin from their place on the front pew. Colin’s not paying him any attention though, too busy wiping away his tears as he watches his dad marry Isaac’s mum. — Ted Lasso AU-gust Challenge Prompt #8: Adoptive Family
This was a lot of fun! I tag @goldiegaytime and @liesmyth to do it should you fancy it, no pressure though!
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killerandhealerqueen · 3 months
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Shipper Tag Game
Tagged by @brazilian-whalien52 thank you friend!
1. What ship were you completely obsessed with when you were a teenager, but now you don't care anymore?
All of my old ships, like Destiel, Sabriel, Johnlock, Mystrade...I used to be super into Supernatural and Sherlock but I've like completely moved on from them. Though I do like to dive back into Johnlock fics every now and then
2. Which ship would you consider your first one?
USUK from Hetalia or either KakaVege from Dragonball Z. It's between those two, I think
3. Your first fanfic belonged to which couple?
Definitely USUK. You have no idea how many fics I read over on Deviantart about them. So many
4. Do you remember the first couple you saw a fanart over?
USUK or Russia x China from Hetalia...it was one of them. Can't remember, honestly
5. Did you ever get into ship discourse?
No. I don't get into discourse. I'm not very confrontational and I never liked fighting with anyone over their ships
6. Did you used to have any no-otp or have it currently?
FRUK or whatever the fuck France x UK was called. Can't remember. They were never a favorite of mine. Also Wincest. Like why?
7. Who were the couple in the last fanfic you read?
Bai Yutong x Zhan Yao (it was my own fanfic, thank you)
8. Currently, do you have any OTPs?
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Normal about them a normal amount (don't look at my blog or ao3)
9. Is there any couple that, to this day, you are extremely mad about not getting together?
Um...honestly, I can't remember.
10. Is there any ship you used to dislike but now you think they are kind of interesting?
No, not really. If I dislike a ship, I just tend not to interact with it. So I won't go looking for content about it or check it out, even if a mutual or someone is talking about it
11. Do you have any ship that, in the past, was considered normal but now you would be cancelled over?
Sebaciel, Eren x Levi, anything hetalia related...these were all like the normal ships in middle school for me and like...now people (especially on instagram but who the fuck listens to people on instagram) just do not like them. But I still like them.
12. What was your favorite crack ship?
I never did crack ships, honestly. Which might seem weird to some people but it was just never my thing
13. Who is the couple you read more fanfics off?
Now, if we're talking about my own fanfics, it's Yuezhi. I read so much of my own fics about them. But if we're not then...McDanno is the one who has the most bookmarks in my ao3 bookmarks
14. What most of your ships usually have in common?
Enemies to lovers, doctor x cop, black and white couple (means one wears black/dark clothes majority of the time and the other wears light/white clothes majority of the time), grumpy x sunshine...i'm sure there are other things but i can't remember
15. What you absolutely hate in a ship?
Miscommunication. Like, you're supposed to be in love with each other, right? Which means you communicate with each other for fucks sake. I know miscommunication is a big romance trope but it's just so stupid. It causes so much drama and unnecessary anxiety and just...just fucking talk to each other you assholes (I will give a pass to this trope if it's done well...like you think it's a misunderstanding but actually the characters have talked about this and they're faking the misunderstanding/miscommunication. Killer and Healer has some miscommunication but it actually makes sense why there's miscommunication...doesn't mean I have to like it, but it makes sense, so it gets a pass)
tagging: @clawbehavior @missjudge-me @hyperbolicgrinch @ahhhnorealnamesallowed @fourth-quartet @nineninepetals @marulo @writerwithoutsound @hils79 @godotismissingx @darktecno @zennialemo and anyone else who wants to play
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a big little post
heya!
six months. jesus, that's a while. at least, a while to not have lost focus. and i'm still kicking! sooo~, as a little thanks for sticking around with my silly little story, there's a few things i want to share! :3
1) splinters of madness is not just one story :3c
if you've been paying attention recently, you may have noticed a slight change on ao3 where i added splinters to a series. that's because there's a lot more stories i want to tell that both add and contrast to what's going on in the main story. for example, a little more backstory on fyodor and nikolai's friendship (or complication, depending on how you want to look at it), a darkest timeline two-shot, and nikolai's play rehearsals! perhaps, we can get to know chuuya's brother a little better before he passes from his point of view!
these are definitely not all of the additional content im planning, but it's some that you can look forward to!
2) things that were supposed to happen... and then, uh, didn't
i tend to complain quite a bit about things going awry when im writing splinters (well, not complain, but ykw i mean), and there's a few things that just, was planned and then the characters went "lmao, fuck you". so! here's a few of them!
chapter 5
nikolai hairflip
mori appearance -> appeared in the following chapter instead
"That's the chibi I know!" -> yeah no. nope im okay with this not making it in
atsushi getting his book back. rip
chapter 6
dazai was in fact supposed to go to the corn maze with fyolai and sigma, but for a variety of reasons, it just didn't happen. unseen and unsaid, sigma also didn't go to the corn maze! you can imagine that nikolai was a lot nicer about it to them than he was to dazai, lmao
sigzai kiss :( womp womp
soukoku making out in the boiler room
the ada at the football game
general
chuuya going to see halloween with dazai
3) and... a preview of chapter 7 :3 formatting's a little fucked, but it's also on ao3!
Veronica. Finally. I got a note of Kurt Kelly’s. I need you to forge a hot and horny but realistically low-key note in Kurt’s handwriting and we’ll slip it into Martha Dumptruck’s lunch tray.
Shit, Heather, I don’t have anything against Martha Dunnstock.
You don’t have anything for her either. Come on, it’ll be very.
- Heather Chandler and Veronica Sawyer
--
Dazai drags Chuuya into a hug, getting a surprised yelp out of him. “After all, we’re friends, and friends listen to each other.”
Chuuya’s stiff for a few seconds before he melts into the hug, and his arms wrap around Dazai, too.
“Right… friends.”
His fingers stray into Dazai’s hair, his fingers tangling around the locks, and Dazai gives a surprised gasp as Chuuya yanks at it. “But… what if I want to be more than friends?” he whispers into his ear, his breath hot against it.
“Wh-what?”
Dazai shudders and tilts his head up as a wet tongue slides up his neck, finishing its trail with a kiss. “You heard me, Dazai Osamu. What if I want to… date you?”
He can’t help but laugh nervously at that. “D-date me? Chuuya needs higher expectations—”
Chuuya pulls him out of the hug into a dip, Dazai’s hands frantically moving to clutch on for security. Chuuya smirks down at him. “What if I want to make you mine?”
“Chuuya, I—”
“What if I want… to kiss you?”
Dazai gasps, his face red and heated. “Ch-Chuuya…”
Chuuya grins as he lowers closer and closer to Dazai’s lips, his lashes fluttering as his eyes become half-lidded. Dazai feels himself closing his own eyes, his lips pursing for the kiss…
And when his eyes open again, it’s to the ceiling of his room, his sleep mask having slipped off at some point in the night.
“Jesus fucking christ.”
With a grumble, Dazai flips to his side, kicking off the remnants of his blankets—most of them had gotten kicked around anyways during his sleep—and lays there, gazing at his desk, where two books sit. One, of course, is the one he puts most of his deepest thoughts in, sitting opened with the bookmark in, his pen and monocle lying next to it. The other is Atsushi’s weird white novel, which—
“Ah, shit…” he groans, pushing his face into the mattress.
Atsushi was supposed to pick up his book yesterday. But Dazai wasn’t home, because he decided to have the dinner-from-hell with his not-crush and his not-crush’s father. So, Atsushi wasn’t able to get it despite having asked for it.
Am I the worst friend ever or what?
I should go over to my desk and hit my head as hard as I can into the corner.
Fuck!
Dazai slowly slides out of his bed onto the floor, landing on top of various clothes, including… including Kunikida’s green sweatshirt. He awkwardly manipulates it out from underneath him before holding it up above him, sighing as he gazes at it.
“Katai probably would like you now,” he murmurs, running his fingers over the cuffs in circular motions. The fabric feels soft, smooth from age under the pads of his thumbs, and Dazai knows if he smelled it, it would still have that whiff of Kunikida’s cologne and deodorant on it. And the thing is, maybe he should give it to Kunikida. Or give it directly to Katai.
But he doesn’t want to. He “stole” it from Kunikida, therefore, it’s his. And it’s not like Kunikida has asked for it back. Though, perhaps he doesn’t remember that Dazai has it. But that’s not the point.
Yeah, Kunikida’s not getting this back, and Katai isn’t getting it, either. It’s Dazai’s, whether Kunikida knows it or not.
He glances towards his desk once more, trying to ignore thoughts of… unpleasant thoughts—
Hit your head. Impale. Smash it into the corner. Hit it. Hit it. Hit it. Hit it. Hit it. Hit it.
For fuck’s sake.
I want to write.
Hit your head. Hit it. Hit it against the corner. Hit it. Hit it. Hit it.
I want to write.
Kill yourself.
“I am losing my mind.” With a frustrated hiss, Dazai pushes himself to his feet, and tiredly stumbles towards his desk, his hand gripping the corner tightly so he can’t see it anymore. He shoves himself past it, then flops into the seat, picking up the pen, and starting a new entry.
Dear Diary,
October 12, 1989
I sure love thinking about killing myself. It’s my favorite.
Anyways, had a dream about Chuuya. Wonderful. I dreamed that last night, instead of us just saying goodbye, he kissed me.
He stops writing for a second, sighing as he presses his fingers sadly to his lips.
Well, almost. He almost kissed me. He was so fucking close. We almost kissed. But it’s not romantic, of course. I think about kissing my friends all the time.
Hell, I’ve thought about kissing Kunikida. Thinking about Chuuya like this isn’t any different. This isn’t romantic. I am not in denial.
Dazai smacks his head into his diary, groaning. “Fuuuck.”
Not in denial. Nope. Not in denial. I am so not in denial. Why would I be in denial? Boys kissing boys—it doesn’t have to be romantic! No! And it’s not because I think I’m not gay—I am, but not for them! It’s different! It’s totally different!
…I’m going to lose it.
- Dazai
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cairoscene · 3 months
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fic writer meme
thanks em @uhuraisgay and lore @megafaunatic for the tag <3
How many works do you have on Ao3?
between my accounts, a nice tame 18 total
2. What's your total Ao3 word count?
217,330 lol
3. What fandoms do you write for?
i definitely write for fewer fandoms than i'm in, so in the past it was mxtx danmei novels and now it's batman (current obsessions pending fic...)
4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?
what else is there? (mdzs)
2. you'll know, you'll fall (tgcf)
3. send to all (batfam)
4. one word from you (mdzs)
5. to recollect and long for (mdzs)
the wangxian monopoly....
5. Do you respond to comments?
not anymore :( i used to respond to every comment i got, but it ended up being too much stress. so i read and appreciate every comment i get, but i only really respond if someone asks me a question or needs clarification on something
6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?
i don't really write unadulterated angst and i'm a lover of a happy ending, so i guess it would be bring the ashes to me......... my fic which famously has no ending at all...........and in fact leaves xie lian in a Pretty Bad Place.......... oops
7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?
probably you'll know, you'll fall, which i briefly reread not too long ago and. well. to those who continue to enjoy it, i treasure you. i will say i tied up every possible loose end in that fic including?? giving xl a job at sqx's hotel management firm????? let's just say i would do it differently now
8. Do you get hate on fics?
honestly no, never, just the occasional rude comment. i delete and move on
9. Do you write smut?
with varying degrees of success, yes. i like to think i've gotten better over time. writing porn is an aspect of craft that really fascinates and interests me, figuring out what i like to read vs what i like to write, balancing titillation with characterization and finding where the two lean in and kiss. half of my private bookmarks are random fics where the sex scenes just worked for me and i must squirrel it away to study under a microscope to figure out Why
10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you have written?
not really, and i don't tend to read them, either. i think they're really hard to pull off successfully and generally my brain isn't on board with reconciling irreconcilable world-building aspects just for the fun of it
11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?
i don't think so? there was definitely...... a trend of let's call it Unattributed Inspiration in the mxtx fandoms, where any fic or tweeted idea or headcanon that got passed around would inevitably show up in the tag without attributing it to the originator. i remember reading a fic and enjoying it and then suddenly being like Wait...... why is this familiar? and discovering it was very clearly inspired by one of mine lol. i wouldn't call it plagiarism bc let's just all calm down, but it isn't a phenomenon i've encountered outside mostly mdzs fandom, let's put it that way
12. Have you ever had a fic translated?
yes!!!!!! mostly russian and mandarin. i feel like being asked if someone can translate my fic (or podfic it) is the highest possible praise and i'm always very flattered
13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?
i was going to say no at first but then i remembered that @bluecrystalrainingdaggers helped me write a charity fic back when i wasn't really feeling wangxian but needed to fulfill on the charity raffle we ran. she basically gave me the outline and i wrote it and i would never have survived without her
14. What's your all time favorite ship?
i am a fickle creature, so i don't have one. i have ships i return to over the years when i crave a specific dynamic, like kirk/spock and wolfstar and damen/laurent. in general my ships fulfill a specific need i'm looking for, hualian for the comfort and care, ghostbat for sustainable toxic soulmates, [redacted] for the angst and misunderstandings, vashwood for the doomed clowns etc etc etc
15. What is a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?
bring the ashes to me. sorry
16. What are your writing strengths?
i think i can write a good sex scene
17. What are your writing weaknesses?
plot :( dialogue :(((( sitting down to write at all :(((((((((
18. Thoughts of writing dialogue in another language in fics?
i feel like i don't have strong opinions on this front. it seldom bothers me but when it's done well it's a really great element
19. First fandom you wrote for?
on ao3, mdzs. on fanfiction.net the musketeers (2014) and that wizard one
20. Favorite fic you have written?
i'm really very fond of lover be good to me. it's one of my least accessible fics on account of the rarepair but i had a lot of fun writing it and i think the final product is pretty satisfying. i feel like i was able to say and explore everything about the ship i wanted to, which is really fulfilling
tagging @englishsub @vinelark @eggmacguffin @90kon @yuebings @floofyfluff @deadchannelradio and anyone else who wants to do it
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emilykaldwen · 4 months
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thanks so much for the tag @theladyelizabeth!
tagging: @acrossthesestars, @stannisfactions, @arrthurpendragon, @mercurygray, @alicentive, @nyctophilic0vitnir, @selfproclaimedunicorn, @themaradwrites, @lya-dustin, @dragonsoftheeast
1. How many works do you have on AO3?: I have 9 so far! I ended up deleting some old works that were abandoned and didn't have a lot of interaction that were over a decade old (and they didn't have bookmarks either so I wasn't worried)
3. What fandoms do you write for?: Currently, House of the Dragon is the hyperfixation
4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?
The Maiden and the Drowning Boy - HotD Canon Divergent
Soulmates Never Die - The Borgias (my oldest fic)
Fight For Me (If It's Not Too Late) - Teen Wolf
Boy With a Broken Soul (Heart With a Gaping Hole) - HotD Fae AU
You're the Lighting of the Blaze - Hotd Canon Divergent
5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not? Always! (and if I don't it's legit cause I forgot/thought I did and AO3 ate the comment). I love the community aspect of fic writing so if you take the time to leave me a comment, I love to engage. I especially love it when commenters ask questions and look for discussion.
6. What’s the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? probably one of the old Prequel Star Wars Fics I wrote way back in the day.
7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? Right now, it's a tie between You're the Lighting of the Blaze and Bright Star
8. Do you get hate on fics? Not on my fics directly but I have gotten some rancid hate in my inbox re: Abby (And then that escalated to telling me to end myself so). This is why I now have anons turned off. Sorry guys.
9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind? I do write smut! I'm not sure what it means by 'what kind'? I've done a few solo smut-shots, and Maiden will have a few explicit scenes when this arc is completed. I'm definitely someone who loves Plot with a side of Porn, and as long as the smut flows well and isn't overly repetitive, I'm here for it.
10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written? I have written a crossover! I had a mini-series of Whedon-verse/Supernatural called It Must Be Tuesday back on LiveJournal. Sam and Dean meet River Tam in a bar and the apocalypse happen. Dean and Buffy hooked up. I was acutally very proud of that LOL
11. Have you ever had a fic stolen? Not stolen but I did have some concepts lifted from a Once Upon a Time fic
12. Have you ever had a fic translated? Not that I'm aware of!
13. Have you ever co-written a fic before? Yes! Soulmates Never Die was co-written with a friend at the time (we've lost touch since then), and then when I was in the Charmed fandom, I adopted out an abandoned fic of mine and was the beta/co-writer on a big future Fic series with Wyatt, Chris, and Chris' friends. Those were some fantastic stories.
14. What’s your all-time favourite ship? Oh man. I really love me Jacelaena and Helaemond still has a soft place in my heart (but the trajectory of a lot of the fics has just been... a turn off). Harry/Luna will always be warm and fuzzy for me (I used to be the ship captain back in the Fiction Alley days). Buffy/Angel was my first real Fandom OTP.
15. What’s a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will? Hmmm... I don't have anything right now that fits that. I did have Isabelle Martin's Life is Totally Over which was a Derek/Lydia future Kid fic that I was actually enjoying but the fandom was such an utter turn off by that point.
16. What are your writing strengths? God fuck if I know. I think I'm really good at tying things together/call backs and really emphasizing those themes. I like to think I'm thoughtful at cause/effect of character action and consequences. 
17. What are your writing weaknesses? I feel like my descriptions are lacking and I get lost in the weeds. I struggle with finding the stakes in a story. Conflict is difficult. 
18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic? me crying with dote on doing some appropriately translated high valyrian for Maiden instead of just copy/pasting from one of the online translators. Only very, very, VERY few people will know that they're grammatically correct and honoring the original development of HV, but it was important to ME.
19. First fandom you wrote for? Star Wars back in the late 90s.
20. Favourite fic you’ve ever written? Maiden obviously holds my heart and soul, and it's always going to be everything for me, but I'm actually incredibly proud of Fight For Me (If It's Not Too Late). It was a two parter, and I wrote it in the span of a week? Maybe two weeks? and it was the last thing I wrote for a very long time.
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fic rec friday 6
welcome the the sixth fic rec friday! where, on friday, i rec five of my favourite fics.
1. Chapped Lips by Creatortan
Lance's lips were a distraction, sometimes. Keith just couldn't keep his eyes off of them.
i read this one and forget to bookmark it and it haunted my mind for WEEKS as i desperately tried to find it again. i went bonkers bc i wanted to reread it so bad, bc it is EXCELLENT. its fun and gay and the team as family dynamics are AMAZING, no team bashing here!! and as usual the pining was chefs kiss.
2. Mine by Anonymous [EXPLICIT, ABO]
How do Lance and Keith react when the other is kidnapped?
Keith goes feral. Lance becomes deadly.
yeah, yeah, i know. another omegaverse. absolutely feel free to avoid this one if it’s not ur thing, i know it’s not for everyone, but it was one of my first pieces of bamf unhinged lance and i refuse to be ashamed of liking it lmao. also i think it’s fair to say that this fic inspired my unhinged batshit lance fic, at least a little. give it a try if ur like me an abo is a guilty pleasure lmao
3. the way i love you by @taylortot
quiet moments in which keith and lance fall in love. and kiss a lot. post s7.
words cannot explain how much this series means to me. genuinely a series that is so poetically soft and loving that it makes tears well in your eyes. i started reading this series right when i turned 16, and idk it truly made something crack in fizzle in my brain, it made me realise how careful and choosing love is. i have read this series more times than i can count, definitely one of the top ten, and there are lines from this fic that i repeat to myself when i am looking for hope. i know it hasn’t been touched since 2020 but i will be watching it carefully and hoping for years to come. (my favourite, in the series, although it was hard to choose, is i want to kiss you there)
4. Read Label: Lance McClain’s Boyfriend by @bleusarcelle
“You know I’m not ashamed, right?” Lance meets his gaze sheepishly. “Like, I’m not ashamed of you, of us. Far from it, babe, I swear –”
“Lance,” Keith cuts in kindly, smiling warmly at the teen in his arms. “Believe me, I know but I do want to tell the world what you mean to me. I wanna start with our team, our family.”
“You should come with a warning,” Lance whispers, stroking Keith’s chin fondly as he drops his voice. “Caution: words that leave these lips may cause falling deeper in love. Thank you for shopping at Mullets4sales.com.”
Keith throws his head back as he shakes with laughter. Lance grins proudly at sound before he props himself on the bed and drops unceremoniously on top of his giggling boyfriend’s chest.
“But yeah, yes; let’s tell them after dinner.”
[Or the one where the team is on their way back home and stop on a planet where a pissy prince drugs Keith with a love potion and Lance has to endure watching his secret boyfriend being lovestruck on someone else that isn't him.]
bleusarcelle always has and always will be one of the core founders of this fandom fr. trust me when i tell u their work was THE work. i remember greedily reading every fic of theirs several time, and i still read several of them regularly. but i will always be a sucker for the secret relationship trope. and this one managed to have that trope with none of the team bashing or miscommunication garbage so it’s a banger from the get-go fr
5. When Moonlight Touches Us by @pmwrites-blog1
Branches scratched his cheeks as he ran through the woods. Out of breath and covered in mud, Lance eventually crawled back under the fence onto the school grounds. He stopped at the large fountain in the plaza, leaning heavily on it. He splashed his face to wake himself up.
It didn’t work. Keith was real.
-
Based on 214b's Gargoyle AU
THIS IS MY FAVOURITE VOLTRON FIC OF ALL TIME. i dont know why. i have no idea why ive latched onto this fic so specifcally, what about this fic just makes me want to reread it again and again, but if i could print this aand bind it and keep a hardcopy with me every day of my life i would. im obsessed with it. beauty and the beast who?? like this fic is everything to me. i cannot recommend it enough. im fully convinced this fic did something fundamental to my brain. nothing i write will ever be so dear to me as this fic and that’s literally okay. the stars aligned to make this fic possible. is it the fact that i know there’s pretzellus art for it and so the whole story was cemented into my brain? possibly. i truly do not know. but i am fully obsessed with this story and likely will be for infinity
that’s it for today!! i’ll see y’all back next friday for the next fic rec post!!!  
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