#gen fic

[destinationtoast]

Toastystats: Where to find Gen on AO3

As recently promised -- a whole lot of Gen stats are now available! :) Please read on AO3 for clarifications, caveats, corrections, and a bunch more graphs and data.

#gen #gen fic #fandom stats #batman #minecraft smp #ao3 #toastystats #op #50 #100 #500 #1K

[imagining-in-the-margins]

CM Office Party Fics 🎉

Hey everyone! Thank you so much to everyone who participated. I am so happy to share everyone’s hard work. If you have a oneshot or masterlist you’d like me to add, please send me a message - new additions are always welcome.

SFW Spencer Reid/Fem!Reader

Inexperienced by me: Virgin!Reader has a secret no one expected, least of all Spencer. She’s a virgin… in every way.

Dancing with the Doctor by @smalltownbeautyqueen: After hearing the BAU's prom stories, Garcia decides to throw her own BAU prom.

Gift Exchange by @ssahopelessly: It’s time for the Secret Santa gift exchange at the BAU.

Secret Santa by @c-m-stuff: Reader and Spencer are together for Secret Santa.

Better for You by @incognit0slut: Spencer spends the change of year with a new resolution as he starts looking at his rival differently.

Clue by @pathologicalreid: A fic in which Penelope hosts a NYE party with a murder mystery theme.

Mistletoe's for Two by @andiebeaword: At the annual Christmas party, Spencer gets caught under the mistletoe by the woman he didn’t want to kiss.

More ratings and pairings below!

NSFW (18+) Spencer Reid/Fem!Reader

Prom Night by @foxy-eva: After everyone shared their sad (or non-existent) prom stories, Penelope decided to host a BAU Prom, giving Spencer the perfect excuse to finally ask out Reader.

Funhouse Mirror by me: SSA Reader promised Spencer he’d be surprised by her costume of the Doctor for the Halloween Party. He definitely was.

Kiss ’n Tell by me: Reader gets drunk on a night out with the girls and accidentally mimics her boyfriend’s habit of oversharing.

Unhappy Holidays by @reiderwriter: Reader runs into Spencer at holiday celebrations four years in a row, including this NYE.

Always Bet on Black by @reidmotif: Reader realizes she has an advantage at the Bureau's Casino Night, when Spencer can't seem to take his eyes off her and her dress.

Never Have I Ever by me: After a case involving kink culture, Spencer is assigned to judge the girls’ game of Never Have I Ever. Later, him and Reader compare scores.

Other/Fem!Reader (SFW)

Somewhere I Belong by @0and0its0doctor0: (Hotch) Hotch has a little liquid courage and breaks the rules.

When Snorter Does the Unexpected by @alluring-andrayav: (Derek) It's Derek's birthday, and he receives an unexpected gift.

Other Pairings & Gen Fic (SFW)

All is Bright by @masterwords: (Hotchgan) After a long series of failed dates, Hotch and Morgan finally come to their senses thanks to some well-placed mistletoe.

Talk of the Town by @/masterwords: (Hotchgan) Hotch has an invite to a Christmas party at the White House and he's asking Derek to be his plus one.

October by @gaelic-symphony: (Temily) The couple spends Halloween together.

November by @/gaelic-symphony: (Temily) The couple spends Thanksgiving together.

So Just Keep Kissing Me Under the Mistletoe [AO3] by @starzzyeyed : (Hotchreid) Spencer's dreading the BAU's christmas party for many reasons; not least because it means spending time off duty with his boss.

Happy Hotch Day by @codename-mom: (Platonic) Penelope wants to cheer her boss up as he still suffers from what Foyet did to him. The team prepares a surprise for him.

It's a Piece of Cake by @/codename-mom: (Platonic) Jack is turning six and Penelope wants to do something for the occasion.

The Sweater Case by @/codename-mom: (Platonic) The FBI organizes a gala with all the agency directors in the country. Hotch doesn't want to go.

Happy Reading!

#spencer reid fanfic #spencer reid #spencer reid fanfiction #criminal minds #spencer reid smut #criminal minds smut #criminal minds challenge #criminal minds women #criminal minds fanfic #temily #hotchgan #hotchreid #heid #criminal minds gen fic #gen fic #cm writing challenge #fanfic rec #fic recs

[iamnmbr3]

what are some really outstandingly written and creative hp fics. (please no wholeslae canon rewrites tho. AUs are fine).

Here are a few fics that I find to be especially outstanding and creative and well written.

Amulette d'amour by The_Carnivorous_Muffin, Vinelle (words: 58,092 | not rated | Tom Riddle/Alphard Black)

Tom is commissioned to repair a magical amulet.

Why I rec it: Listen. This fic is absolutely phenomenal. It has a fascinating and well developed exploration of wizarding society, brilliant and highly complex and multifaceted characterization, and very original and unique plotting. It's extraordinarily well written and is both thought provoking and dramatic as well as laugh out loud funny in places. It's not a fic premise or pairing I would ever have imagined but it's legitimately an outstanding piece of writing that will live rent free in your head.

At Your Service by Faith Wood (faithwood) ( words: 95,752 | rating: E drarry )

Hogwarts students are in danger; Harry is determined to save them all. There’s only one thing he knows for certain: Draco Malfoy is somehow involved.

Why I rec it: This is the closest to book 8 that I've seen. Stylistically it really recalls the feel and structure of the canon books and it has a lot of really cool plot developments and world building. It follows on nicely from the rest of the series and expands on whats there. It feels like a book 8 where drarry happens.

the pleasure, the privilege by asterismal (asterisms) (words: 19,901 | rating: M | Harry/Voldemort | CW: Horror, Extremely dark themes)

It begins with Vernon Dursley’s body, dead across the table. In which Voldemort is dosed with amortentia, and nothing is better for it.

Why I rec it: It takes a crack plot premise and runs with it and really makes it work in a serious way. This fic is DARK and very unique and creative in its plot resolution. It kept me on the edge of my seat and is incredibly innovative and dramatic.

Running on Air by eleventy7 ( words: 74,876 | rating: T | drarry)

Draco Malfoy has been missing for three years. Harry is assigned the cold case and finds himself slowly falling in love with the memories he collects.

Why I rec it: Brilliantly well done characterization and amazing world building and plot. The relationship and characters all develop so naturally and the writing is incredibly beautiful. It never feels rushed and yet you can't put it down.

Denude by Faith Wood (faithwood) (words: 4,172 | rating: E | drarry | CW: Underage)

This is a HBP AU. It's set a few days after the Sectumsempra scene and takes the story in another direction, asking the question: "What if the Sectumsempra scene had a greater impact on Harry and Draco?" Harry and Draco are sixteen. In medias res beginning. Non-linear storytelling.

Why I rec it: Stylistically it feels like it could be taken out of book 6. The characterization and dialogue is so spot on and its very emotionally evocative.

Sparkling Cyanide by Asenora (words: 1,415 | rating: G | Gen | complete)

Tom Riddle had nothing to do with the death of Hepzibah Smith. Hokey had just had enough of being a slave.

Why I rec it: Amazingly creative world building and premise and characterization. It feels brand new and yet wholly plausible and right.

#asks #Harry Potter #fic rec #Draco Malfoy #drarry #hpdm #tomarrymort #harrymort #tom riddle/alphard black #gen fic #Tom Riddle #Voldemort #alphard black #drarry fic rec #tomarrymort fic rec

[nocturnus33]

The meaning of mistletoe by Endrina, first volume of The secret language of plants. @llendrinall I have read this charming story several times. The voice of the narration, with its fairy tale reminiscence, is something I really like. Endrina is a great author, it is worth reading their novel length fics.

Typeset by Lindsey P. For those inexperienced in fandom, this story can be read for free at AO3.

What I like:

It's quite a simple binding, but something in it remind me of the old editions of my childhood. Reading it give me a special kind of joy, it's both, the comfort of this story and the childhood-like feeling this tome brings me while holding it

What I could do better:

I had problems with the guillotining of the edges, but went ahead [I had already lost a lot of material with a failed first printing]. I couldn't say what happened, but - for me - that mistake gives a Je ne sais quoi to the edition that I love. I don't know why, but when I was a child, back in the 70's, I had many books with the same feeling. The paper was a bit thicker than usual, and the edges weren't perfectly cut. I didn't realize, until I sat down to read this edition, that this binding conjures up memories of my childhood.

Special thanks: During the process, I had a severe case of printer hiccups (Or binder's brain hiccups, to be more precise) but @getfuckedblr hold my hand and helped me.

@llendrinall 

[If I learned to bind, you can do it too. It's not that difficult... ok a little at first, but it is doable. Don't buy fic binds, ok? It spoils fandom's fun]

#fanbinding #ficbook #ficbinding #bookbinding #fic binding #fic binders #renegade bindery #fan binders #fan art #endrina #fic books #fic book #fanfic bookbinding #fanfic binding #my workshop #my progress #my stuff #amateurbinding #fan bind #fan binding #fanbook #fanbind #fanbound #remus lupin #severus snape #harry potter fanfiction #little harry #gen fic #AO #ao3

[lihhelsing]

Steve Harrington learned from a young age he wasn't deserving of physical touch. 

He learned that from when he was a kid and the only thing his parents would offer him was a pat in the back when he behaved himself. When he made himself small enough not to be noticed. 

Steve had a habit of sneaking out of his bed and sitting on the top of the stairs as he watched parties unfold in front of him. As he watched his parents smile and laugh and sometimes even touch other people. 

He wondered why it only happened when he wasn't around.

He wondered why he sneaked out into the kitchen one night to find his mom pressed on the counter by a guy who wasn't his dad and why they were touching so much.

Steve wondered until his parents parties became less and less, getting replaced by his own parties. 

By his own desire to be touched. By the notion that whenever there were parties and booze people would get relaxed, fingers would linger more. 

Steve found himself getting dragged to bathrooms and closets. Found himself getting touched everywhere and there was a part of him who liked it. There was a part of him who craved it and there was a part of him who felt nothing but relief when the touch stopped. 

Whenever someone touched him, Steve knew what they wanted. They always wanted something. To get off, to feel release. 

And Steve would give it to them everytime. Steve would get on his knees and he would drown himself in the sounds they made. 

Most times it were girls dragging him around. Kissing him and pulling his hair and touching him. 

But when no girl would spark his attention, Steve would content himself with any boy he could find. He would chase the touch in the only way he knew how.

And when the party was over he would crawl back into his no-touch persona. He would close off again as he watched all his friends get cozy and warm with each other.

He would hug them in greeting but he would hold back in any other situation. When they were scared, Steve saw them bundling together, bodies close as they held on for dear life and Steve didn't know how to fit so he always took a step back.

He alwas put himself in danger because

that was the only way he knew how to offer the sort of comfort a tight hug would give. 

He remembered going all in with Nancy when they started dating just to realize she wasn't always in the mood for all his clinginess.

He learned his lesson pretty quickly. 

He only touched when he was touched first.

Robin was always touching him in the beginning, up  until the moment she noticed it made Steve a little uneasy. Even as he wanted to tell her to keep going until he was used to it.

Maybe Steve Harrington wasn't the kind of guy to be touched anyway.

#Steve Harrington #Stranger Things #Gen Fic #Fanfic #Character Study #Steve #Ficlet #Idk #i have too many thoughts for my own good #I'm also always projecting on Steve so here you go #and of course this is going to have a part 2 because i'm not a monster

[ectoplasmic-entity]

How about a platonic Dark Danny and a sweet, naïve ghost child Reader who is fascinated with Dan, grows attached to him and is affectionate towards him and over time Dan finds himself starting to care about the child and becomes like a big brother or father figure to them.

This was a bit of an interesting request anon, considering that I had to write from the perspective of a child. I generally don't write child characters.

I'd put the child reader in the 6, maybe 7 to 8 range. Kids are smart, but they're not the best decision makers and as you said it, naive.

So, this was good practice .3.

Genre: Gen

Rating: K

Content Warnings: N/A

Words: 3.1k+

Dan didn’t notice you the first time.

He’s quite distracted, all in his lonesome, with just the eeriness of the Ghost Zone for company. He hunches over on a huge chunk of rock, balancing perfectly on the edge. Dan’s cape drapes down behind him. Teetering back and forth with abandon, and the cape wavers ever so elegantly with his motions.

It cascades down his body, shrouding him in shadow. Hiding Dan from the rest of the world. The haunting essence of the Ghost Zone doesn’t help matters much. Infinitely spiralling as far as the eye can see. Few ghosts rarely stray off the beaten path.

No one else is here besides Dan. Isolating as it may be, it lets him unwind and be alone with just his thoughts.

He hears it first. A loud shuffling of fabric twisting around. Loud and clear, right behind him.  It startles him, but he doesn’t react… yet. Slowly, Dan turns his head around. His ears twitch, searching for any sounds to alert him to unwanted visitors. His hair flows calmly with the occasional crackle. Posture tense and guarded.

There’s nothing there. An innocuous emptiness taunts him.

Dan grumbles softly, annoyance flashes across his face. Everything seems so distracting when it usually isn’t.

Carefully reassuming his original position, Dan bows his head down and slowly closes his eyes. His body slants down as he relaxes, the faint rumble of his breaths expel from his mouth. Calm and steady as can be, which are infrequent moments for Dan.

Several minutes of quietude pass. Eventually, Dan begins to relax, his limbs going slack and his muscles easing the tension. He tunes out his surroundings, nothing more than a white noise in the background. The thrum of his ghost core nearly brings him to a lull, pulsing a soothing rhythm through his body.

Then, again, another loud shuffling ensues. Ruffling and rumpling without a care. Dan twitches, his facial muscles pull slightly. Who could possibly be making such a noise?

He turns his head again. Red eyes narrow and wandering. Little by little, his lips slowly curl back to bare his fangs in warning.

A flicker of movement catches his eye. Something very small scuttling around, right below where he’s perching. It leads his eyes to a curious shape that forms under his cape. It’s long enough to drag on the ground, naturally something may have gotten trapped under it. Dan blinks, he thinks he sees what looks like a pair of spectral eyes glowing under the fabric.

Frowning in suspicion, Dan reaches down with his fingers splaying out. Grabbing a fistful of fabric, he swiftly strips it away without a thought. His eyes widen in surprise, the fabric slips from his hand and flutters to the craggy surface of the rock. Dan’s breath shakes lightly as he stares down at you, too surprised to speak.

You stare right back with wide eyes and a tiny grin that forms on your face. You then turn your attention to the cape and, taking a handful of fabric, you pull on it.

Dan hardly acknowledges it, only flicking his gaze to the side for a moment. Instead, he reaches down for you, imposing himself to be huger than you think. You squeal in excitement when he picks you up, your hands cling tightly to his cape and your body dangles in the air. Dan holds you close to his face.

“Where’d you come from?” Dan asks, one brow rises.

You only smile up at him, your body swings back and forth with increasing momentum. He’s certainly sturdy enough to be used as a swing.

“Not much of a talker, are you?” Dan says, tilting his head.

You look up at him again, your eyes lock into a stare with his. You’re both silent, waiting for the other to break contact. At one point, you hold your breath under Dan’s intense gaze. You can’t help but grin widely at him.

Only one thought ran its course through Dan’s mind. Why, of all things, is a ghost child doing here? He never picked up on your presence the first time. Though, the longer he observes you, the more he thinks you’re at the age where you aren’t fully capable of using your powers yet. Your ecto signature isn’t strong enough for him to sense it.

You stop propelling your body, slowing down to a gentle rocking. Dan’s flowing hair mesmerizes you, bright and calm to your eyes. It seems magical to you. Curious, you try to reach out to him. Just to brush your hand through his hair. You keep your eyes on Dan as you do so, silently taunting him.

Dan inhales deeply and sets his jaw. He stares back, his eyes glowing a bit brighter. He holds his arm out, creating a distance between the two of you, and prevents you from reaching towards him. Your jaw hangs open in surprise, you were expecting a far more vibrant reaction. Dan grins down at you, a shadow casts over a portion of his face. You hang there with a pout appearing on your face, your cheeks puffy and lips turn down slightly.

Bending over, Dan lowers you back down to the rocky surface and, with some light shaking, makes you let go. You land with a soft thud, forcing a small grunt out of you. You look up at him defiantly, huffing and puffing.

Dan’s face twitches. He’s a little put out by the entire interaction, his lips move, but no sound comes out of him.

How is this kid not scared of him?

Finally, “Go away, kid,” he says, standing up straight with a stretch. “Who knows what’ll… happen if you stick around.”

Without as much as a glance back, Dan seamlessly takes off in a flight. His dark form blurs as he blends into the chaos of the Ghost Zone. Twisting, grotesque amalgamations amass around him. Hopefully this will be more than enough to discourage you from following him into the depths. 

No ghost child would be so daring.

Time is of little matter to him. With how this realm operates, it’s as useful as trying to make out what colours the ‘sky’ is to determine what day it is. It’s easy to get lost, which more than suits Dan to be alone with his thoughts. It’s eerily quiet as well, something that reaches far too deep into his ears for his liking. He doesn’t mind the quiet for the most part, he does get a bit fidgety at times.

Oddly enough, his thoughts keep wandering back to you. You aren’t the first, but one of the very few who didn’t actively show fear of him. Dan snorts softly in amusement, a small child has bigger guts than even the hardiest soldier. He supposes that does say something about you.

Dan does wonder if your parents are looking for you. Or, if you even have parents at all. 

His chest aches dully with the sudden change of thought. He slows down to a stop, floating aimlessly in the vast darkness. Controlled breaths slowly blow through his mouth, Dan’s hands turn into fists like he’s trying to crush such emotions from within. His head falls back a bit in contention, he blinks several times. That you even approached him in the first place persistently nags at him, and now he can’t shake it.

Looking back, Dan is clearly no longer in the same proximity where you first came upon him. No ghost ever did, not with the Zone constantly shifting around. You might still be there, without a way to get around.

Dan hardly moves a muscle before he hears a small sound behind him. That same shuffling of fabric twisting about. He freezes on the spot, and waits. His body unusually tense.

Could it be?

No. You couldn’t have.

Although… you probably did.

With a turn of his head, Dan spots you almost instantly. Most of your body is hidden behind his cape, you pull it up to your face, hiding half of it. You avert your eyes, pretending you don’t see him. You smile to yourself now that he’s seen you again.

“Were you following me the entire time?” It isn’t a statement.

You move the cape from your face, tucking it under your chin, and beam a huge smile at him. He’s honestly quite funny with all these small reactions, even if they aren’t as enthusiastic as you want them to be.

Dan sighs heavily and folds his arms, eyes not quite hard, but not entirely friendly either. He doesn’t necessarily hate kids, they’re just small and get in his way. You following him is especially bothersome. Credit is given where credit is due, Dan has to admit.

You must be pretty resilient to stand being in his presence without being overwhelmed. And to physically keep up with him for such a long time.

“Better you with me than anywhere else, I guess,” Dan says to himself in resignation.

Still, he doesn’t want to drag you around with him forever. The notion has Dan rolling his eyes, at the very least, he can keep you in one piece long enough to find someone to hand you off to. If… he can, that is, ghost children are incredibly vulnerable without their parents.

That’s probably why you’re so insistent on following him. You feel safe in Dan’s powerful ghostly aura. You’re less likely to be noticed by unsavoury individuals that way, too.

Dan perks up at yet another small, but softer sound this time around. A quick glance reveals you yawning widely, the tips of your tiny fangs barely visible. A soft groan emits from your throat. You hastily wipe your eyes to keep the sleepiness away. It’s in vain, as you yawn again, and your eyes droop a little. Your hand relaxes its grip on Dan’s cape, and you stumble forward, your body heavy with exhaustion.

Dan tenses slightly, wondering if you’re merely just seconds from collapse. He didn’t consider that you’d expend all your energy keeping up with him. The sight of your tiny form teetering tugs at… something in Dan’s chest. A deep inhale, he lets it sit for a moment, he knows what that feeling is. He’d rather ignore it for now and focus on the situation at hand.

He turns around just as you start to sway, no longer having the energy to keep yourself upright. You’re too out of it to register your surroundings, except for what’s in front of you. Namely, a vast sea of darkness. You hardly notice a large dark shape approaching you, nor do you notice you curl up comfortably in a pair of arms, close to someone’s chest. You yawn once more and mumble incoherently, a protective aura washes over you.

For a moment, the Ghost Zone seems to sit still. It amazes Dan with how small you actually are, easily fit right in the crook of his arm. You curl up more, huddling into his chest, where the aura of his ghost core gently pulses.

“Okay… that was easy,” Dan mutters to himself.

Carefully adjusting the position of his arm, Dan makes sure you’re secure before he goes on the move again. Dan looks around, eyes shifting suspiciously. Somewhere discreet enough to hide the two of you to allow you a chance to rest. 

A big rock or…

A cave. A huge rock-like structure sits nearby, a singular gaping entrance inviting. The inside is pitch black, no problem for Dan as he can light it up with ecto fire. He inhales deeply to steel himself for whatever may come, despite that his ghost sense hasn’t gone off at all. Dan slowly glides towards the structure; the eeriness encroaches in on him. Touches down his spine in a cold shiver and shadows whisper in his ears.

He doesn’t realize it yet, but he holds you more closely to his chest. Your presence seems… to ground him, keep focus.

Blissful relief floods him as soon as he’s within the confines of the cavern. It’s a strange feeling. Hiding himself, it’s a bit lonely. With you, it’s out of harm’s way. All there is with the two of you is the occasional drip, echoing out in a tune.

Dan leans against the wall and slides down to the ground, cradling you in his arms. He peers from the corner of his eye; the faint glow of the Ghost Zone scarcely lights up the entrance of the cavern. An uncomfortably bright green glow. Either way, he’d still see who’s coming before they ever realize Dan is even there.

Sitting back to relax, Dan lets his head fall back to ease the tension. Your weight on his chest continuously brings him back to why he’s doing this in the first place. He… sees a bit of himself in you if he’s being honest with himself. A lost, scared child.

Dan breathes softly, his chest rises up and down evenly. His ghost core thrums in parallel with yours, your own core pulses against his chest. He watches your expression as you slumber away. Your brows quirk now and then, your breaths soft and wispy. The ideal visage of a relaxed, content ghost.

With a sudden breath, Dan fights back a yawn that nearly escapes his mouth. Grumbling under his breath, Dan concentrates on his hand. For a few seconds, there was nothing. Then, with a quiet crack, a small ball of green fire sparks to life. It hovers dangerously above his hand. In a brief motion, Dan pushes the fireball out to the open. Its spectral green glow lights up the surrounding area.

Huffing in satisfaction, Dan sits back, and after he makes himself comfortable. Or, well, as comfortable as he can be with all these rocks. Casting one final gaze at you, Dan’s mouth twitches as his eyes slowly close. Allowing the darkness to lull him into a deep sleep.

You awaken with a full body shudder. 

First, bleary looks have you jolt fearfully. Your core hammers as you attempt to regain control of yourself. Breathing deeply, you blink several times until your vision clears the sleep away. You find yourself staring at Dan’s calm visage, his throat rumbling quietly with small sounds.

You smile widely in anticipation and happiness. Likewise, you remember now – Dan sure helped you out yesterday. Was it yesterday? The time is pretty weird here. Sure, a lot of ghosts say Dan’s pretty scary. Maybe he is. But he’s scary enough to keep the other ghosts away from you.

You sit up straight, staring at him curiously. Unlike his grumpiness from before, Dan seems quite calm here. It’s like a whole new person.

Shifting your eyes around in thought, you hold a hand to your chin to focus. Since Dan technically doesn’t see anything right now, perhaps you can surprise him. Nothing too surprising. Maybe just show him you’re glad to have him around.

You shake with excitement, before you stop and hold your breath. You carefully watch Dan as he mumbles quietly and shifts around. He doesn’t show signs of awaking from beyond the morning stir. You breathe a breath of relief. Getting up on your knees, mindful of where you place them, you get up close to Dan’s face.

With a shaky breath, your eyes hyper vigilant, you slowly lean forward with both of your arms spread out. You slowly ease them around his neck, in awe of just how big he is. Your hands link together behind him with little effort. Your mouth twitches into a small, victorious smile.

A spike of bravery hits you, and you lay your head down in the crook of Dan’s neck. Again, you hear the quiet rumble emitting from his throat. It reverberates throughout his body. Your smile widens, you close your eyes in content.

Before you know it, your eyes snap open as Dan sits upright. You hear a loud yawn right in your ear, making you freeze up.

The first thing Dan notices is something clasping around his neck. In a sleepy confusion, he stretches his body out before he massages the space between his eyes with his knuckles. Dan then blinks a few times, his eyes still heavy with sleep. He turns his head, and is met with the sight of you clinging around his neck.

Dan blinks again to be sure he isn’t seeing things.

“Woken up by a hug of all things,” Dan says out loud, “that’s a new one.”

Without another word, he moves to stand up. You’re forced to let go of his neck lest you end up awkwardly dangling from it.

The mystical glow of the green fireball casts a beautiful glow over Dan. You stare up at him in an admiring awe. You’re sure you can see his ghostly aura glowing.

Furthermore, you grab his hand and tug on it, making him turn his attention to you.

“Hm… what should we do with you kid?” Dan says, cocking his head.

You continue tugging at his arm.

“Still not speaking, huh?” Dan grumbles in annoyance. “Do you… want something?”

Upon hearing the magic words, you stop pulling and hug his leg. Dan steps back in wariness when you do so. You breathe shakily, focusing on the protective aura that wraps around you. Your hold on him tightens.

“You want to… stay with me?” Dan asks, surprise flickers across his face. His hair flows in intensity with the brief spike of emotions.

You haphazardly nod. The corners of your mouth turn downward in a pleading pout.

Dan stops to consider the possibility. His mind works around in a whirlwind.

On one hand, you don’t seem that bad. Endearing, even. But you’d definitely slow him down, and judging by how you already seem attached to him, Dan would have to keep an eye on you in some capacity.

On the other hand, however, you show no fear of him. That already says a lot about you. Besides, ghosts might leave him alone if they see a ghost child with him. And well… there’s already one of Dan in this world. There doesn’t need to be another.

“How about this?” Dan kneels down when you let go of his leg. “You can come with, I keep you in one piece, and you can tell the other ghosts to… uh, leave us alone?”

He feels a bit silly for phrasing it that way. But you’d understand what he means.

You do a little jig on the spot and bob your head so violently it's surprising it doesn’t make you dizzy. You raise up your arms at him. Dan seems to get what you mean and picking you up, he settles you on his shoulders. His hands on your feet to keep you steady. You look around in exhilaration, you feel like you’re at the top of the world.

Dan turns to the ghostly fireball he made the night before. He stares into its flickering green void for a few seconds. He blinks and with the flick of his hand, the flame goes out.

#danny phantom #fanfiction #dan phantom #platonic reader #platonic #child reader #gender neutral reader #gen fic #tumblr writers #fanfiction community #fanfiction blog #dark danny #phanfic #dp fic #danny phantom fanfiction

[sarcasticsciencefictionwriter]

Welcome to the prompt list for platonic and romantic love for February 2024!

18 prompts, 9 regular and 9 dialogue to choose from, open to gen ficcers and shippers alike.

Only rules required is you must properly tag your writing so no one is triggered or misled.

Feel free to reach out if you have questions!

Prompts are also listed below the cut.

Regular Prompts:

1.Flowers

2. Favorite Meal

3. Gentle Touch

4. Trying the other's favorite pastime

5. Outdoor Activity

6. Blanket

7. Silly Memory

8. Handmade gift

9. Forehead kiss

Dialogue Prompts:

"Give me your hand."

2. "We're going to be late!"

3. "You did this for me?"

4. "Can I hug you?"

5. "Just for tonight."

6. "Just come here already."

7. "Please?"

8. "I already told you!"

9. "This was not what I planned on."

Thanks to amphytrionwrites for the lovely graphic! Prompts done by yours truly.

@tinknevertalks I promised I'd tag you, so here you go! 🥰

#prompt list #sanctuary fandom #gen fic #shipping #fanfiction #writing prompts #sanctuary tv show #helen magnus #i don't know how to tag this

[wendingways]

Wendingways' Star Wars fic recs

The vast majority of these are fix-its. Some are time travel/time loop. Most revolve around PT, TCW, and OT characters. A lot are also gen, as it turns out.

The order of the list has nothing to do with how much I enjoyed each fic, because I've enjoyed them all in different ways, for different reasons! Fics that seem to be really popular have been placed toward the bottom of each section, because I'm guessing they already appear on a lot of other rec lists. Aside from that, the order is pretty much random.

*Chapter and word counts may not be up to date. I try to go through once in a while to update the details for WIPS, but it's a lot to keep track of!

Complete multichapter fics

Finding Obi-Wan; T, 86.9k. Obi-Wan, having disappeared from the Jedi Temple, wakes up with no idea who he is or what the Force is and gets pulled into all manner of messes (yes, Hondo gets involved, of course he does), while Anakin refuses to believe he's dead and struggles to find him.

Blood and Copper Oxide; T, 36.3k. "Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader crash land on a planet that shouldn't have existed. Luke can't escape Vader and survive the planet at the same time. Darth Vader can't capture Luke and fight off the innumerable threats the planet sends his way. They might have to work together instead." Very cool story!

The Skywalker Secret; T, 39.8k. Anakin time travels back to the Clone Wars following Endor. The story is told mostly through the eyes of perplexed observers, and has an excellent ending; it's very satisfying and lovely!

Lunches at Anakin's; T, 93.1k. After Endor, thanks to the Force's meddling, Anakin finds himself alive but stuck on Tatooine, where he ends up reluctantly mentoring a Force-sensitive girl. (Technically complete, but part of a series which is not complete.)

(Tooka)Cat Scratch Fever; not rated, 17.7k. Luke adopts a tooka which turns out to be his father, under a curse by Sidious. (I would probably rate this one as T.)

In the Tall Grass; T, 18.5k. "After a failed order 66, in which many Jedi still died but the Sith were defeated, an exiled warrior and a boy wander a distant planet and attempt to get along." This one is so cool, it has such a fairytale feel to it! And there's a sequel!

Shadows of the Future; K+, 129.3k. Obi-Wan dies on Mustafar and is sent back to TPM, where he bonds with Anakin and begins to change the future for the better.

Gut Feeling; T, 7.5k. Amusing little multichapter wherein Piett is assigned a new aide who goes by the name of Lucas Starkiller (who is clearly not Luke Skywalker, definitely not), and from there becomes embroiled in treason.

May Death Find You Alive; T, 11.0k. Anakin gets stuck in a time loop where Obi-Wan keeps dying.

Empire Reimagined; series, T, 341.7k. A saga of Luke, Vader/Anakin, Piett, Veers, and Leia covering from ESB-era to post-ROTJ. Epic friendships abound! (Series not marked complete, but the last completed fic doesn't leave you hanging.)

Mirjahaal; T, 132.8k. Another lovely Wishful fic in the spirit of Empire Reimagined, involving favorite characters and somebody else who's a surprise!

The Exiled; T, 20.1k. "Leia has tried everything to help her baby son. She has turned to every expert on the Force she knows-- all but one. (Ben and Grandpa go camping)" (Visible to registered AO3 users only.)

Cloudy Symbols of High Romance; G, 22.1k. This one's a bit of a relict! Posted pre-AOTC, way back in 2001, it's a cool take on how Anakin and Padmé's AOTC-era reunion happened, and omg, it's so much better than AOTC. It's actually cute, and you can see why they like each other, and man does it make the knowledge of what's coming so much the worse.

Kintsugi; T, 16.7k. Quietly tragic, even though nobody dies and it's broadly a fix-it. Not a comfy fic, but one which is well done.

What Lurks in the Dark; T, 155.4k. "A simple mission to check out an abandoned weapons factory turns into a dangerous fight for survival. Trust is broken, loyalties will be tested, and dark secrets are brought to light. Because sooner or later, the truth always comes out."

The Beauty in the Beast; T, 46.1k. "When the Force decides it's had enough of Darth Vader and wants Anakin Skywalker back, it dumps his long-lost teenage son on his doorstep with an ultimatum: unless Vader renounces the Sith and turns back to the Light within three months, Luke will die."

Sibling Revelry; T, 24.9k. "After Bespin and before Endor, Darth Vader is shocked to discover that Luke and Leia are twins. Especially since Imperial Intelligence just told him that Organa and Skywalker are, erm, a tad closer than previously suspected..." A hilarious comedy of misunderstandings!

The Sith Who Brought Life Day; G, 13.3k. A rather entertaining take on how Vader found out who blew up the Death Star.

This Life of Ours; T, 53.9k. "On the run from the empire and the remaining Jedi alike, Vader must come to terms with his past and his future, all the while learning to care for the boy that is his only connection to his life as Anakin Skywalker." (Visible to registered AO3 users only.)

Teach the Padawan. Save the Galaxy.; series, T, 387.4k. 4 books complete, but the series itself is not complete. Ben Kenobi goes back in time and becomes Obi-Wan's master instead of Qui-Gon.

Legacy; G, 175.5k. Post-ROTJ Luke and Leia time travel to the Clone Wars.

there but for the grace of god; T, 49.2k. Young Luke winds up time traveling to the Clone Wars, where he causes both confusion and conversations that will lead to a brighter future for the TCW crew and the galaxy in general.

Precipice; M, 231.7k. "An AU in which Anakin Skywalker does not follow Mace Windu and the others to Palpatine’s office after they leave to arrest the Chancellor. As a result, he doesn’t get that final push over the edge, and doesn’t Fall." Padmé and Anakin each raise a twin and work to bring Palpatine down.

Don't Look Back; M, series, 533.7k. 2 books complete, 1 in progress. Leia gets sent back to AOTC-era, and omg is she a force to be reckoned with! Very detailed, very political series.

Oneshots

Negative Static Stability; G, 8.1k. Vader and Leia meet when Leia is 5; lessons on the workings of ships ensue, along with some good old Artoo scheming. Adorable!

Palpatine's Greatest Hits II: Imperial Boogaloo; T, 1.3k. Just Palpatine being salty. It's very fun! "Fortress Dramaticus" has got to be one of my favorite bits, coupled with Palpatine's ongoing disgust at its lack of shields and certain people's inability to learn certain lessons. And his disgust at Vader's Kenobi obsession. Okay, the whole thing is great. Go read it!

Dust to Dust; T, 4.7k. "Darth Vader goes back in time. The Galaxy is saved; he is not."

Puppet Kings; series, T-M, 18.8k. Really nicely done, dark oneshot trilogy (complete) about Luke, Vader, & Co. I'm not usually one for horror and tragedy, but I read the first fic in the series and didn't want to stop!

Amelioration; T, 8.2k. "A recently liberated Vader attempts to ameliorate the future by changing the past." A different sort of angle, and an interesting fic!

The Horrendous Space Kablooie; T, 6.2k. "9 year old Anakin wakes up on the Executor. Chaos ensues." Well worth reading! Can't say more because I don't want to spoil anything.

The Agony of Tarkin; G, 4.8k. "An extra in the Imperial Opera Company discovers he has been assigned the role of Darth Vader in its upcoming production of The Agony of Tarkin." Another hilarious fic in the vein of The Sith Who Brought Life Day and Accountant Non-Heroes of the Republic.

Accountant Non-Heroes of the Republic; G, 7.0k. "Palpatine makes a choice to hide his fiscal manoeuvres in the Financial Department. The Financial Department takes advantage of this lack of transparency to do whatever they want. This saved the Republic." It's always fun to watch Palpatine shoot himself in the foot, and all the better when it comes completely out of left field.

Out of Step; T, 4.9k. Nice little oneshot with post OT-era Obi-Wan and Anakin stuck into their TPM-era selves.

FIVE HUNDRED AND ONE THING THE MEMBERS OF THE 501ST LEGION OF THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DO; T, 4.9k. A hilarious list composed by General Kenobi. I laugh myself silly every time I read this. (Visible to registered AO3 users only.)

501 MORE THINGS THE 501ST ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DO; T, 3.4k. A sequel to the 501st list fic, also very funny, although it only has about 250 entries, not 501. (Visible to registered AO3 users only.) Listed with oneshots because the extant 250 entries can be read as a complete list.

Where Have We Come?; T, 2.0k. "The first time was one of the hardest and the easiest. Obi-Wan loses at Mustafar, but instead of dying he wakes up at the dawn of the last day of the republic, doomed to repeat the worst day of his life, over and over again." Time loop!

you drew stars around my scars (but now i'm bleeding); not rated, 1.1k. Post-Twilight of the Apprentice, Ahsoka and Anakin. I'd rate G or T. (Visible to registered AO3 users only.)

still dancing with your ghosts (sleeping with your memories); M, 1.1k. "Everyone knows about the Massacre, and how no Jedi made it out alive. The Jedi refuse to let anyone forget." I do not cry easily at fics. This one made me cry.

The Trick is to Keep Breathing; T, 3.5k. "She's older now, and so is he. Far older now. She wonders: will he have lost any power with his age? Will he be shorter, weaker? An old man on a ventilator? It's hard to imagine that he won't still be dangerous. But then, that's exactly what she's counting on."

Tuning up your TIE-Fighter to prove you’re better than the bastard currently running the TIE-Fighter Program for fun and profit; G, 7.1K. "As a rule, Vader didn't really do anything with his social media account, but then the rant of some kid from Tatooine about the inefficiency of TIE Fighters began trending, the pilots and engineers on the Devastator started fixing their ships and Vader got invested."

Multichapter fics that are incomplete but still appear to be alive as of now

Turning Point; T, 9.8k. After Vader dies on the second Death Star, he's sent back in time to the year 69 BBY, on Naboo, where he picks up an unfortunate barnacle in the person of the teenage Sheev Palpatine. Quite entertaining, and I can't wait to see where it goes!

The Good He Seeks; T, 70.1k. "After killing the Emperor, Darth Vader agreed to serve the fledgling New Republic and destroy the last true-believers of the Empire he had once helped create. But he's living on borrowed time." Though I do enjoy pure fix-its, there's just something that really gets me about fics that are fix-it-ish, but life is messy, the characters are messy, there are no easy answers or perfect solutions, and every positive development really feels earned. So far, this is one of those fics, and I'm loving it!

The Galaxy Revolves at a Million Miles a Day (Around Me); T, 40.7k. After dying on Executor during the battle of Endor, Piett finds himself trapped in a time loop which he must break. I'm a sucker for time loops, and this is such a good one!

The Sleepover to Restore the Republic; T, 56.1k. This many Skywalkers, clones, and associated friends, relatives, and coworkers were never intended to be thrown together, and when they are, boy oh boy. Gloriously chaotic and funny. (Visible to registered AO3 users only.)

Nameless, on the Edge of Nowhere; M, 100.7k. Vader survives ROTJ, but both he and Luke made it out of the second Death Star via random hyperspace jumps in separate ships. After getting by for a time, the not-fully-Sith-but-not-fully-redeemed Vader ends up with the Rebellion, where Leia becomes his handler. Slow build, and a really rewarding read thus far! (Also, I love the OCs in this one; they all feel very natural and vivid, and like people in their own right.)

Multichapter fics/series for those okay with living on the edge (inconsistent updates, long hiatus, or abandoned)

Headaches; T, 31.2K. "When Luke overhears his aunt and uncle arguing, he follows old Ben to Daiyu. Skywalker shenanigans ensues." Oh my goodness, the pure child chaos that is in this fic, it's an excellent time. Hasn't updated in almost a year, but what's there is so good!

Balance on the knife edge; T, 136.6k. After dying on Malachor, Ahsoka time travels back to Mortis, during the Clone Wars.

The Thunder Answered Back; M, 13.1k. "Count Dooku survives his duel with Anakin Skywalker only to wake up as a captive in the Jedi Temple on the evening of Order 66 and the siege. Betrayed, maimed, and surrounded by slaughter on every side, he must choose his path forward - and choose it quickly. RotS AU." Featuring Jocasta Nu.

Synchronous; G, 67.9k. "It's the usual time-entangling fiasco: 'Find the disturbance. Rectify the wrong. Fix the anomaly. Bring balance to the past so the Force may be balanced in the future.' There is a slight miscalculation, however, and Luke Skywalker finds himself in the Clone Wars while having to masquerade in the body of his late father Anakin Skywalker. Leia and Han aren't so helpful either."

In the Midst of Darkness Lays a Sleeping Light; T, 26.0k. Series, wherein Palpatine turns Vader into a dragon. (It goes great for both of them. Totally.) Angsty and enjoyable, and an interesting exploration of dehumanization/rehumanization.

To Set Up a Sith; T, 35.2k. "Teenage Luke tries to help his unwitting Sith father make a friend, with a little help from his ghost mom and the Force." Interesting story with fun and sweet bits, and I'm super curious about how it will turn out if it's ever finished!

like a lazy ocean hugs the shore; T, 10.7k. After Vader kills him, Fox gets stuck in a time loop around the time when Fives is killed.

Living Every Day; T, 82.9k. "When Satine Kryze survives her encounter with Darth Maul, it changes the galaxy. But even more than that, it changes the lives of Obi-Wan Kenobi and the Skywalker family."

Dancing with Ghosts in Your Garden; T, 979.3k. Star Wars PT and TCW characters, but in a Hogwarts setting. It works surprisingly well! There's a little more teenage romance than is my personal preference, but it's a cool AU and quite long if you're looking for a fun, imaginative fic to absolutely bury yourself in for a while. (And it looks like Ahsoka might finally be entering during the next year of the fic!!)

What We've Become; T, 82.0K. "Darth Vader and Ahsoka’s fight on Malachor takes a different path, and Ahsoka actually is able to save her master. Or rather, she’s able to convince him to save himself. Diverges from canon in the last few minutes of Twilight of the Apprentice and goes increasingly AU from there."

better late than never; G, 41.4k. Ahsoka wins at Malachor, Vader redemption fic.

Madhouse Promenade; T, 13.0k. "In a bid to save his new apprentice's life, Darth Sidious siphoned the life force from Padmé Amidala, ultimately killing her. Ten years later, after finding out the truth, Darth Vader finds himself haunted by her ghost, and Padmé finds herself face-to-face with what her husband has become."

Hard Reset; T, 33.4k. "Anakin Skywalker wakes up to his worst nightmare, and he doesn't even know all of it yet." Aka Vader gets amnesia, and Anakin is confused about everything. (Visible to registered AO3 users only.)

The Ghosts on Coruscant; T, 143.6k. After surviving Mustafar and living as a rebel for eight years, Padmé is captured by the Empire, and Vader finds out.

Of Queens, Knights, and Pawns; T, 616.6k. ST-era Leia time travels back to ANH.

Old Man Luke; M, 109.4. ST-era Luke and Leia time travel to the Clone Wars.

Comics (all wips)

Dark Chasm; T, 21 chapters. "On Bespin, the truth is revealed, and Vader bids for Luke to join him. Luke looks down into the dark chasm and makes a choice."

Imperial Babysitters; T, 17 chapters. Cute comic/art series with Luke being raised by Vader, Piett, and Veers.

Our New Hope; T, 57 chapters. "After Ahsoka Tano discovers 12-year-old Luke Skywalker on Tatooine, she takes him under her wing and around the Galaxy. Meanwhile, Darth Vader has found Bail Organa's force-sensitive daughter and has started training her as a Junior Inquisitor. A chance encounter between the twins brings their worlds together."

The Tinies; G, 76 chapters. Cute comic with Vader and Padmé raising Luke and Leia.

#star wars #star wars fanfiction #fic recs #fanfic #fix it #time travel #time loop #gen fic #gen fic recs #fancomics #fan comic #anakin skywalker #darth vader #obi wan kenobi #padmé amidala #ahsoka tano #luke skywalker #leia organa #firmus piett #how the heck is a person supposed to tag a rec list anyway?

[crosshairlovebot]

in the dreaming comes the warmth / the domino twins

characters: echo & fives (NOT CLONEC*ST)

description: the ache of missing fives leaves a hole in echo's chest that only his brother's warmth can fill.

warnings: angst. loss. grief. mourning. echo is still grieving despite being part of clone force 99. it's not mentioned, but i imagine this particular moment of pain is triggered by crosshair's chip activation and leaving him behind on kamino.

this was a request from a lovely twitter mutual who wanted a hug between echo and fives <3 i haven't written for echo before so i hope i did him justice. also posted this on ao3. feedback is welcomed, reblogs are appreciated <3

Echo knew he was dreaming when he recognised the bright white hallways of Tipoca City, which in the waking world sat submerged in the Kaminoan oceans to fade into rust forever. The hallways were as familiar to him as the curves of his face, memorised and so burned into his memory it was no real shock that he could navigate them as he did now in his sleep.

Echo walked through the corridors, passing what he knew were squads of his fellow troopers with faces identical to his, except his dreaming made them blurry, not fully formed. He passed the gangly Kaminoan’s, their large eyes prominent in the haze of their figures, which seemed to blend with the clinical white of the walls. He didn’t exactly know where he was walking until his feet took him to the junior cadet barracks, the ones he and his brothers shared in their brief childhood.

It was surreal seeing it now, as he walked in, the shapes of the beds and the curves of the walls more defined than the hallways, more distinct in his mind. He took it all in, breathing in the scentless air. The last time he was here, he didn’t even have his name yet – none of them did.

The beds were so much smaller than he remembered. He smiled and sat down on one. He ran a hand he shouldn’t have over the cloth blanket, its fibers feeling as familiar as his own skin. An ache formed in his chest for all he had lost.

The door whooshed open, and his head shot in the direction of the noise. It was then he saw himself run in and climb onto the nearest bed, pulling his knees to his chest and burying his face in his arms.

Echo blinked in surprise.

His child self was curled into a ball, as tight as he could manage, and Echo could only see the curly dark hair of his head. He remembered he used to do that when he got overwhelmed, but he couldn’t remember when he stopped. He watched his child self grip onto the sleeves of his standard issue cadet uniform tightly, the knuckles on his little hands white.

His child self didn’t see him and made no moves to show that he knew Echo was there at all. It was strange to see himself like this. To see a snapshot of the person he was for a short amount of time.

Echo slowly stood up, the urge to know what it was that made his child self cry when the door opened again, and his breath got caught in his throat and his eyes stung when he saw who it was that stepped in the door.

This was not just a dream, but a memory.

Fives’s tiny face was the same as his had been, except his brother’s seemed to be perpetually twisted into a smirk, and if it wasn’t, it itched at the corners of his mouth, ready to bloom at a moment’s notice. But his face now held no impishness, instead, his small brows were furrowed as his gaze landed on his brother’s curled-up body on the bed.

“Hey, 21-0408, why the long face?”

Echo had to sit down and cover his mouth with a hand to stop the sob that dared to escape his throat. His brother’s voice, albeit that of his child self, felt so incredibly comforting. He thought he’d never hear it again, even if it was that little boy’s voice that all clones had as young cadets. To Echo, it just sounded like him; like Fives; like it did in his fuzzy memories.

His childhood had been a fleeting blur of training programs and accelerated growth, so he didn’t remember much of it. But he didn’t forget moments like this, where his brother’s love had engulfed him.  

Echo watched his child self slowly peek his eyes out from his arms at his older brother.

“Go away,” Little Echo mumbled.

“Come on, 21-0408,” Little Fives said and climbed up onto the bed next to him, trying to pry open his arms. “What’s wrong?”

Little Echo ripped his arm away and wiped his tear-stained face and nose with his sleeve. Echo grimaced as he saw the dark line that now appeared on the red fabric. He forgot kids could be gross sometimes, even himself.

“I said, go away, 27-5555,” Little Echo grumbled. “I want to be alone.”

Little Echo had no idea just how much time he would spend alone.

“Why?” Of course, Fives never let up about anything, even as a child.

Little Echo scowled at his shoes on the bed. “I…I keep messing up…”

“This module is hard, vod’ika,” Little Fives placed a hand on Little Echo’s shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.

Fives was barely older than Echo, but his older brother never let him forget it. With the Mando’a nickname ‘little brother’ sticking to Echo for practically as long as he’d known Fives. He pretended to hate it, and he’d give anything to hear it again. So, hearing it now, Echo’s heart seized. He wanted to grab his younger self by the shoulders and tell him to treasure the nickname; to never roll his eyes and pretend to hate it; to call Fives ori’vod in return because he knew he’d get a kick out of it.

“But everyone’s good at this module except me…” Little Echo voiced quietly, not entirely convinced.

Echo tried to wrack his brain for what module his younger self was talking about, but his dreaming made it too hazy to pinpoint; like if his subconscious ventured too far away from the scene in front of him it would fizzle away, and his dream would move onto something else. And he wanted to stay in this for as long as he could.

“You’ll get it eventually; it just takes practice,” Little Fives reassured.

“I’m going to fail…and never be a soldier…” his younger self sniffled. Echo saw his eyes gloss over again with unshed tears.

“Don’t talk like that,” Little Fives chastised, punching him lightly in the shoulder, a furious look on his face. “You’ll be fine. I’ll help you.”

Little Echo’s face lit up with hope. “You will?”

Little Fives nodded. “That’s what brothers do. We look out for each other; have each other’s backs.”

Echo watched his younger self sniffle as he looked at his older brother, who gave him a reassuring smile.

“Promise?” he said.

“Promise,” Little Fives said with so much conviction, that it made Echo’s heart squeeze again. He was always so sure of everything, never faltering – not even for a second. Once Fives believed in something, he didn’t waver. Ever.

Little Echo smiled, and wrapped his arms around his brother, who hugged him tightly. Echo watched them embrace, anchoring themselves to each other. He didn’t realise he was crying until he felt a tear fall on his hands in his lap. He reached up to wipe them away, scoffing lightly at himself.

“Hey, Echo, why the long face?”

Echo’s heart seemed to expand and stop as he turned around, seeing Fives standing there behind him several metres away. He turned back to where their younger selves sat on the bed and saw they had vanished, that the room had melted away into a long bright endless plane.

“Fives?” Echo wiped his face again and he saw Fives grin at him, before walking over. Echo blinked around the tears to take the sight of him. His figure was much clearer than anything else he’d seen so far in his dreams. Fives was adorned in his ARC trooper armour; helmet tucked under his arm with a proud smile stretched across his face. He willed his subconscious to stay in this moment, that it would be cruel to rip him from it with no warning. He needed time with him.

“Don’t look so happy to see me,” Fives joked when he came closer, his mouth quirked in that smirk that was so incredibly familiar seeing it felt like coming home.

Echo laughed tearfully. “Your ugly face is just so scary, I can’t help but cry.”

Fives threw his head back in a loud guffaw before punching Echo lightly on the arm. “It’s good to see you, vod’ika.”

Echo’s heart filled with so much warmth at the affection. “Good to see you too, Fives.”

Fives smiled at him before Echo asked, “What are you doing here?”

Fives didn’t respond, he just looked at Echo thoughtfully. Echo cleared his throat and shook his head. “When they found me on Skako Minor and you weren’t with them…”

He felt Fives’s heavy hand land on his shoulder, squeezing it gently. “I know. But I’m here now.”

Echo felt his lip tremble and he willed himself to take a breath. “I missed so much time with you.”

Fives shook his head. “Don’t think about that.”

“How can I not? I missed everything. I missed…”

“I wouldn’t have wanted you to see that anyway.”

He didn’t need to say the words for Echo to know what he was referring to.

“I…I would’ve believed you.”

“Then you would be dead too.”

Clones were conditioned not to linger on the losses of their fellow brothers. It was the nature of what they were bred for. Born knowing they would die. They were taught to take a moment to mourn, then to keep going. There was no time to let the grief linger in war.

But this was much harder than Echo had been conditioned to think.

Echo’s grief for losing Fives was too complicated for that. Echo lost Fives after the fact. He was mourning him outside of the mourning period, outside of the war. And it was something he didn’t know how to handle. The grief could sit for longer, dawdle almost now that there wasn’t another mission to focus on instead. And it was painful. A never-ending agony that oscillated between a dull ache to suffocating sharpness in the hole of his chest.

Fives had been a constant in his life, from cadets to losing their squad on Rishi Moon, to joining Rex in the 501st, all the way until the fateful night of the Citadel rescue. Fives had been there for all of it. Even thereafter, in the brief lucid moments in cryostasis on Skako, his thoughts would drift to his ori’vod. So, to be released into that mourning, to realise he was free, but without his beloved brother by his side was lonelier than stasis had been.

And hearing how exactly Fives met his end had not made it any easier. It was the unfairest of deaths, and that knowledge almost hurt more. That he wasn’t there. How if he had been, it may have gone differently.

There were so many moments where Echo would think of something he wanted to tell Fives, only to realise a moment later that he couldn’t. It was a cycle of remembering he was gone. Those milliseconds of bliss, before he remembered, were bookended by the searing hurt. And there was no one to share that hurt with.

Rex was elusive in his hiding and had gone through his mourning period. And though Clone Force 99 had provided him with a home, a comradery, that he was grateful for, they had not lost anyone the way Echo had lost Fives. They didn’t fully understand.

Echo just wanted the one person who understood him, who knew him inside and out.

In other, much less complicated words, Echo missed Fives so, so much.

And at those lowest moments when he missed him; when the aching felt never-ending and moving forward felt futile, Echo imagined what it would’ve been like had they both found their ends together. How much easier it would’ve been on his heart, to know that his brother was with him even in death. That if there was an afterlife, it would be spent together. That their hearts had stopped at the same time, one not forced to go on without the other helping keep it in rhythm.

The galaxy had not been so kind to grant him that.

“I…I know,” Echo replied quietly, his throat thick.

He watched Fives’ face study him for a moment before his brow settled into a crease, and his hand tightened on Echo’s shoulder. “Echo…don’t be sad.”

Echo looked at him with disbelief. He could see all the texture in his face and feel the puff of breath against his nose. It was as if he wasn’t dreaming at all. “How…how can I not be sad? You’re not here.”

“No, but you are. You have a second chance, Echo. A second chance to live.”

Echo shook his head. “You should be here too.”

“Maybe. But my path was different to yours. You finally get a chance to choose what you do with your life. Nobody else; you, vod’ika. That freedom I was fighting for? You have it now. You have for both of us. Do something good with it. Something we’d both be proud of.”

Echo looked at his brother searching his face for something he couldn’t name. Maybe he wasn’t searching at all, but memorising. Memorising the look Fives was giving him now; the pride, the unwavering belief he had in him. He hadn’t seen it in such a long time. No one had expected anything of him in just as long.

“Promise me you will, Echo.”

He didn’t even need to think about it. “I promise.”

Echo could feel the waking world calling him, so before Fives faded away, he wrapped his arms around his brother. Fives dropped his helmet and didn’t hesitate to embrace Echo back. Arms tightly holding each other, hearts pressed together and beating in time. Echo could feel Fives’s solid chest and his warmth as if he were awake. Everything felt right in the brief, brief moment. That anchor had returned. That pain in his heart had dulled in his dreaming and been replaced with the warmth of his brother he’d been wishing for. He gripped the edges of his brother’s armour, afraid to let go, to leave this moment. But knew he had to. He’d made a promise.

“I love you, Fives,” he choked out.

He felt Fives’s palm run over his hair as he spoke against his ear. “I know. I love you too. Remember, I’m looking out for you.”

Echo jolted awake. His chest heaved as he tried to remember where he was, and his body ached like it just run a marathon. Across the small corridor, Wrecker slept, soft snores sounding. The nightlight in Omega’s space glowed softly through the curtains, and Hunter had fallen asleep on the floor, his back leaning on the wall next to the ladder, no doubt guarding their sister’s bad dreams. He could hear Tech tinkering away in the cockpit, on watch as they flew through hyperspace. Where was Crosshair?

Oh. Right.

Echo ran a hand over his face and turned towards the wall, his eyes stinging with tears. He curled in on himself, wrapping his arms around his middle, ignoring the bulk of his scomp. He tried to preserve the warmth he felt from his dreams which threatened to evaporate in the chill of hyperspace. He pressed his eyes shut, willing himself to go back into that dream, to return to Fives and get one last look at him, but it was no use. He was here. And Fives was there, or somewhere.

It could’ve been a few minutes or an hour when he heard a voice. “Echo?”

He turned to see Tech looking down at him in his bunk, adjusting his goggles. “What is it, Tech?”

“I’m afraid it’s your turn on watch.”

“Great. Thanks,” Echo grumbled.

He tried to inconspicuously wipe his eyes as he swung his metal legs out of the bunk and stood up, stretching his neck. He watched Tech remove his goggles and rub his eyes and sat down on the edge of Echo’s bunk. They had limited space, and Echo didn’t mind sharing.

“Sweet dreams,” Echo told him as Tech lay down, falling asleep almost immediately, as he tended to do.

Echo walked to the cockpit and shut the door so the light from their travels wouldn’t disturb the others. He sat in the pilot’s seat and sighed, putting his head in his hand, no hair on his head to clasp as he tried to recentre himself. He took in some steady breaths, focusing on a screw in the floor panelling. He did everything he could to quell the turning of his stomach and the throbbing in his chest. Just as quickly as it had filled in his dream, the waking world had returned that giant hole in his chest, seemingly aware that something had filled it again briefly, and now it felt the absence more.

When would this feeling of emptiness end?

The Marauder shifted in its hyperspace travels, tilting off course slightly, triggering some alarms. Echo immediately sprang into action, and his hand and scomp grabbed the controls to steady the ship. With a frown, he checked the stabilisers and saw they needed recalibrating. Didn’t Tech just deal with this after they’d left Ordo Moon mere hours ago? He tried and failed not to get annoyed – he just needed to fix this, and quickly so they didn’t veer off course and fall into a star. He sighed, knowing they’d have to come out of hyperspace for these repairs. Maybe the ship had been more damaged than he thought.

Echo slowly pulled back the hyperdrive lever and the ship came to a halt in open space. He hoped no one woke up with the disturbance and that this wouldn’t take long. They didn’t have time to waste. He placed the Marauder in idle whilst he scomped in and started recalibrating. It was a lot easier now that Tech had upgraded his cerebral interface, so there was less strain on him. He was able to scomp in and load up the commands without much effort. As the commands processed through the system, he watched the stabilisers respond and recalibrate in his mind’s eye.

It was then he felt a shiver run up his spine.

A monitor beeped, interrupting his realignment, and Echo looked at a screen searching for the alert among the pop-ups when he noticed the time.

05:55. Echo’s breath hitched.

He heard the door behind him slide open but didn’t look away from the monitor. He couldn’t.

“Everything okay in here? I felt something,” Hunter’s voice thick with sleep asked.

Echo kept his gaze on the numerals, and he allowed himself to smile, that warmth he’d been longing for slowly filling the hole in his chest.

“It will be,” he told Hunter.

Fives was keeping his promise, so Echo would too.

banner art by @vimse thank you for reading! <3

🏷️ @starrylothcat @32rotations @sinfulsalutations @moodymisty @nahoney22 @freesia-writes @nobody-expects-the-inquisitorius @bobaprint @ladyanidala @crosshairsnose @jesseeka @thegalaxys-edge @snarky-mans-gf @chopper-base @wenalena @shredderwest @leavingkamino @rexamongthestars @r2d2staser @bluebird-dreams @pb-jellybeans @a-streakofblue @theawkwardartist12 @mylifeisactuallyamess @padawancat97 @littlecrowtime @jedipoodoo @ezras-left-thumb @lovelycurls

TAGLIST FORM

#larissa writes #the bad batch fic #echo fic #echo bad batch fic #domino twins fic #fives fic #the bad batch angst #clone trooper fic #clone trooper angst #501st fic #arc trooper fives #arc trooper echo #tbb echo fic #gen fic #what even are the tags for a gen fic on here

[critter-genfic-events]

This week, we have nine amazing Calamity fics, featuring the beloved Ring of Brass and the people they inspired! Check them out underneath the cut, and as always, comment and kudos if you like them!

Benediction by Sandtalon (4961,General) Warnings: None Pairings: Maya Agrupnin & Cerrit Agrupnin

Cerrit tries to return to his family after the events of Calamity. Maya starts to realize the impact of all of the events.

Reccer says: A wonderful post-calamity read, there's so many emotions and I end up feeling them all whenever I rearead this one

last letter by bittersnake (1373,General) Warnings: choose not to warn Pairings:

a letter read before everything went to hell that day

Reccer says: It's such a simple but heartbreaking premise

on the eve by quothhh (1770,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings: Maya Agrupnin/Triton, Maya Agrupnin/Kir

A first date at the end of the world.

Reccer says: It's so sweet and a perfect teenage voice

Complete Solitude - The Matron of Ravens by CatcherWrites (1235,General) Warnings: None that I can tell Pairings: There are very brief references to The Matron/Her Predecessor

A story about The Matron's last day as a mortal woman, and the consequences of her ascension to godhood.

Reccer says: It's short and sweet and has some interesting ideas about the kind of person The Matron was and what it must have been like to become a deity.

when people say that something is forever (either way it ends) by actualtaracole (freaking_intelligent_fangirl) (9006,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings: The Circle of Brass + Elias

Zerxus's family give him the redemption he deserves

Reccer says: Made me cry (affectionate)

Pick Your Brain Apart (And Build it Again) by ShakesqueereanTragedy (921,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings: Patia Por'co & Maya Agrupnin

Patia sends the Library Incantatum to Maya

Reccer says: I loved this moment of hope in Calamity and this fic captures that vibe perfectly

What endures beyond the silent edge by Beleriandings (241304,Teen) Warnings: Choose not to warn Pairings: Background Beauyasha, Laerryn/Loquatious, Evandrin/Zerxus, and Shadowgast

On the day of the Apogee Solstice, the members of the Ring of Brass are transported into the future

Reccer says: Amazing interplay between the Ring of Brass and the Mighty Nein, and a gripping longfic

Let Others Light their Candles by ChronicBookworm (2801,General) Warnings: None Pairings:

Patia, her mentors, and the one she never got the chance to mentor.

Reccer says: I love the exploration of the weight of expectation

warp and weft by CodaAtTheEnd (4474,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings:

Cerrit Agrupnin receives a chance to avert the Calamity.

Reccer says: I liked it

This is one of our weekly communally-generated gen rec lists. Every week we announce a new theme and allow anyone to submit a fic recommendation. Please note that the summary and content notes are provided by the reccer, and may be different than what the author has provided. Please assume good intentions all around. <3

And hey, anyone includes you!

Next week, we'll be featuring fics focusing on Transformation!

Then, it'll be fics featuring Post-Campaign, Marquet, and then Blindness/Deafness!

Any fics coming to mind? Well, then use this form to submit! If you're looking for some more, check out some fics written in the critter genfic bingo tag, or the older rec lists! Or you can request your own card and join in on the fun!

#critter genfic rec lists #gen fic #critical role #exu calamity #the ring of brass #cerrit agrupnin #laerryn coramar seelie #loquatius seelie #nydas okiro #patia por'co #zerxus ilerez #evandrin alterra #maya agrupnin #elias alterra

[the-vex-archives]

DCU Masterlist (2024)

General

Oneshots

"A Sisters Love" ( x Platonic! Batsis! Reader )

@cipheress-to-k-pop

You realize you have a lot to learn about yourself outside of your little brother, Damian’s, shadow.

"Ohana, Bitch!" ( x Platonic! Batsis! Reader )

@cipheress-to-k-pop

No summary provided

"Call Mom" ( x Platonic! Batmom! Reader )

@cipheress-to-k-pop

No summary provided

Dick Grayson

Oneshots

"Animal Instinct" ( x Platonic! Damian Wayne )

@cipheress-to-k-pop

No summary provided

"Wedding Mishap"

@cipheress-to-k-pop

No summary provided

Headcanons

Dick Grayson when his Future child comes to the Present

@cipheress-to-k-pop

Damian Wayne

Oneshots

"Animal Instinct" ( x Platonic! Reader ) ( x Dick Grayson )

@cipheress-to-k-pop

No summary provided

"Trust Takes Time" ( x Platonic! Batmom! Reader )

@lazydoodlesandfanfic

Damian is very closed of to batmom, and she is just trying to get close to him. One day, he has a bad day and he tells batmom everything because there’s no one else there.

Headcanons

Damian Wayne x GN!Superpowered!Kyle!Reader

@cipheress-to-k-pop

Damian Wayne when his Future child comes to the Present

@cipheress-to-k-pop

Damian Wayne with a Muslim S/O

@cipheress-to-k-pop

Bruce Wayne

Oneshots

"The Reveal"

@toastedkiwi

No summary provided

Headcanons

Bruce Wayne when his Future child comes to the Present

@cipheress-to-k-pop

Conner Kent

Headcanons

Conner Kent when his Future child comes to the Present

@cipheress-to-k-pop

Jason Todd

Oneshots

"DIY Nerf Gun"

@cipheress-to-k-pop

No summary provided

"Curls"

@cipheress-to-k-pop

No summary provided

Headcanons

Jason Todd when his Future child comes to the Present

@cipheress-to-k-pop

Tim Drake

Headcanons

Tim Drake when his Future child comes to the Present

@cipheress-to-k-pop

Roy Harper

Headcanons

Roy Harper when his Future child comes to the Present

Wally West

Headcanons

Wally West when his Future child comes to the Present

@cipheress-to-k-pop

Arthur Curry

Oneshots

"When World’s Collide" ( Marvel Crossover )

@fanficimagery

Imagine leaving New York behind after a messy breakup, only to return five years later. Your old friends are happy, if a little nervous for any possible drama, but everything turns out well when they realize you're doing very well for yourself.

#masterlist #fanfic recommendation #dcu #gen fic #dick grayson #damian wayne #bruce wayne #conner kent #jason todd #roy harper #tim drake #wally west #arthur curry

[destinationtoast]

A spin off of the gen ask earlier, and this may just be personal bias, but I feel like theres been a rise in genfic recently. I'm thinking specifically of the minecraft youtubers/Batman/TLoU/The Mandalorian (just a rise in star wars gen in general I think). Its not really something anyone tracks but think I've noticed more and more gen ships, and not background ships but primary ships, on the top ao3 ship list.

Hey! It's an interesting question. I'm doing some Gen stats that I'll release soon, but I'll share a preview now that partly answers your question:

The percent of AO3 works each year that were tagged Gen was greatest when AO3 had just started (~2009). That's true whether looking at all works that have the tag Gen or at works that ONLY use Gen and no other category tags. It also depends when you're counting from; the average percent of Gen has risen a little since the lowest point in 2019, but there's not an obvious upward trend.

That said, you make a good point that there are several recent popular fandoms that have a bunch of Gen. I listed the fandom with the most Gen for each year in the above graph -- it starts out being mostly the same as the biggest fandom overall (usually Supernatural, early on). But it's interesting to see the rise of Minecraft/Dream SMP more recently, which is a big fandom but not right at the top of the rankings. It's just got A LOT of Gen. (Also interesting to see Original Work as a top producer in 2023!)

I can't easily fully answer your question about whether there's been an overall increase in bigger Gen-heavy fandoms lately. But another thing I looked at was the big fandoms that have Gen as their top category (more Gen than M/M, etc) -- these are all of the fandoms with over 10K works that have more Gen than anything else:

A bunch of the fandoms here are relatively recent or have had recent surges in popularity due to related media coming out. And lots of them are ranked pretty high overall. So I think it's not surprising if you and others are coming across more Gen fic these days!

Watch for more Gen stats soon. :)

#ao3 #gen fic #gen #toastystats #fandom stats #op #asks #toasty replies #50

[imagining-in-the-margins]

🏖️ Summer Sunshine Fics

Hey everyone! I want to start by saying thank you so much to everyone who participated - it was so much fun to write alongside you all, and I can’t wait to share everyone’s hard work. You are so appreciated, and the diversity only makes these events better.

Without further ado, here are all of the entries + recs for the Summer Sunshine Challenge! ☀️

☀️ SFW S.R./Reader ☀️

Sleepy Sunshine by @ssahopelessly: [Fem] After time in the sun, Reader wants a nap, but Spencer is more concerned about the signs of heat exhaustion.

Check You for Ticks by @andiebeaword: [Fem] Reader gets set up to share a tent (and a sleeping bag) with Spencer.

Embarrassed by @babymetaldoll: [Fem] The annual FBI beach trip could be the perfect place to make things even more awkward between Spencer and Reader.

Little Miss Reid, Entrepreneur by @/babymetaldoll: [Fem] Spencer and Reader help their daughter with her lemonade stand. So does the BAU.

Heat Stroke by @0and0its0doctor0: [Fem] Reader is self-conscious about the scars on her arms so she wear long sleeves in the heat.

Beach by @c-m-stuff: [Fem] Reader and Spencer are married. They have a beautiful daughter, and they all are going on vacation.

Pyrotechnics by me: [GN] Reader has a hard time on Fourth of July, and Spencer helps them fall in love with fireworks again.

Summer Nights by @foxy-eva: [GN] Summer may come to an end but the kisses Spencer shares with you will not.

Check below for more Spencer Reid fics, as well as Hotchgan, Penemily, Temily, and several Gen fics!

☀️ NSFW S.R./Reader ☀️

Sunscreen & Statistics by me: [Fem] Reader asks for Spencer’s help putting on sunscreen (and rinsing off). 

Lost Time by me: [Fem] Reader and Spencer spend mandatory leave on the vacation Spencer never had.

Nude Beach by @foxy-eva: [Fem] Reader finally convinces Spencer to go to the beach with her. Turns out it's a nude beach. 

Summer in the City by @/foxy-eva: [Fem] Having a nearly naked roommate made the heatwave much more tolerable for Spencer.

In This Diary by @fortheloveofwonderland: [Fem] Spencer was hoping to relax before his started his new job at the BAU, but best laid plans often go awry.

Summer Heat by @/fortheloveofwonderland: [Fem] The BAU must undertake a team building hike in the woods. Reader and Spencer get themselves lost and have to find a way to pass the time.

Summertime Service by @pinkiceee-prose: [Fem] Reader throws the BAU team a summer barbeque feast. Spencer is moved by her hard work and decides to show his gratitude.

Popsicle Love by @reidmotif: [Fem] Reader and Spencer are at a ridiculously hot precinct and getting on each other's nerves. Reader realizes she can get back at him using a certain sweet treat.

Spencer Reid Doesn't Know How to Swim by @reidsfav: No one knows that Spencer doesn't know how to swim and Reader is willing to help him keep it that way.

Just Hanging Out by @reiderwriter: [Fem] Reader finds herself at Rossi's mansion for a big summer barbeque. A hammock catches Reader's eye.

Everyone Looks Better in a Sundress by @/reiderwriter: [GN!AFAB] The AC at the BAU breaks during a heatwave, and Reader decides the FBI’s dress code is merely a suggestion.

☀️ Other Pairings ☀️

The Shape You Take by @masterwords: Hotchgan. Hotch is dwelling on an empty nest. Morgan has just the ticket: sea, sand, food and naps. While exploring a nude beach one night they find a little more than they bargained for.

July by @gaelic-symphony: Temily. The couple takes a trip to the beach.

August by @/gaelic-symphony: Temily. The couple rides out a summer storm.

Watermelon Sugar by @putting-the-bi-in-bau: [NSFW] Penemily. Emily has spent her vacation trying - and failing - to keep her eyes off Penelope while she walks around the house in nothing but her underwear.

Pool Parties and Secrets by @alicewonderao3: Spencer/Fem!OC. Swimming can be both fun and scary all at the same time.

☀️ Gen/Platonic ☀️

A Very Serious Fight by @alluring-andraya: Platonic. The team is very lighthearted, but one thing they do take seriously other than their jobs, is water gun/balloon fights.

Scars by @codename-mom: Hotch. Jessica offered Aaron to come to the beach with her and Jack, but there is something she doesn't know that stops him.

Baseball and Barbecue by @writing-till-i-run-out-of-time: Everyone went over to Rossi's for a family fun day of barbecue. Then something happens to Spencer.

Lemon-aide to the Rescue by @/PandorasDreaming [Ao3]: Henry, Michael, and Jack make their first lemonade stand but disaster strikes. They have some pretty important friends backing their first business investment!

Happy reading!

#spencer reid #spencer reid fanfic #spencer reid smut #spencer reid fanfiction #spencer reid x reader #spencer reid imagine #spencer reid x y/n #spencer reid x you #criminal minds #criminal minds fanfic #criminal minds fanfiction #criminal minds smut #hotchgan #penemily #temily #aaron hotchner #gen fic #criminal minds writing challenge #fic recommendation #rec list

[lambsouvlaki]

Jason has been acting differently. He's harder. Sharper. He watches Bruce with an assessment he's never seen in him before. Bruce assumes it's the result of the Garzonas affair. Or, Red Hood Jason finds himself back in time the week before he died.

Bruce Wayne & Jason Todd, Angst, hurt/comfort, Time travel, Body swap, Bruce Tries to be a Good Parent.

#jason todd #red hood #bruce wayne #batman #my fanfic #dc #gen fic #Broken

[late-to-the-party-81]

Because it's Eurovision! Okay..?

AN: I wanted to write this last year, but didn’t, and then the enablers in the BBE server forced encouraged me. So enjoy this cracky Avengers Tower fic, where nobody dies and everyone lives happily ever after.

Un-beta’d

Dividers by @firefly-graphics and moodboard by me

Masterlist

Relationship: - None - Just good old team bonding.

Word Count: 1k

CW: Eurovision spoilers, American confusion, Domestic Avengers

“Oki doki, kiddos - what’s so important we’ve brought forward movie night to…” Tony looked at his watch. “... 3 o’clock in the afternoon?”

He looked around the lounge in confusion as Nat, Wanda and Bucky rearranged all the sofas, cushions and beanbags. Flag bunting hung from the ceiling, and the small kitchenette counter was laden with various snacks.

“It’s Eurovision, Tony.” Nat’s tone of voice suggested that that explained it all.

It did not.

“Euro-what now?”

Wanda came up beside him and started to steer him towards one of the seats.

“Just sit down, Stark. It’s about to start. Now where are the others?”

She looked around, auburn hair flying, but relaxed as Clint walked in, a grin on his face, followed by Bruce, Steve, and Sam. Wanda looked around them and smiled as Vision floated through the wall and towards her.

Clint bounded forward, launching himself over the back of the sofa and bouncing down next to Tony.

“Boy, are you in for a treat! This is going to be epic.” He grinned, completely unfazed by the blank looks from the other men. 

Sam settled on one of the other couches after a stern glare from Bucky, Steve joining him.

“Umm, could you possibly explain further?”

“If you will allow me…” The dulcet tones of FRIDAY echoed through the room as Nat and Bucky continued to shift and shuffle things around their confused team mates. “The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual event held in mid May every year, where the countries across the European continent all submit a musical act singing an original song. There are two semi-finals and then the final 26 acts star in the Final.”

Steve still looked confused.

“Well, what do the winners get?”

“The winning country gets to host the competition the following year, providing a boost for tourism and culture.”

Bruce settled down on the third couch, somehow having already snagged a bowl of popcorn.

“So the songs are good then?”

Nat snorted derisively.

“Nope. They are camp and cheesy, with ludicrous outfits, smoke machines and lots of pyrotechnics. But that’s the joy of it. And lots of the countries sing in their own language, so you have no idea what the song is actually about.”

Tony’s eyes went wide, nothing any clearer than it was before.

“Then why are we watching?”

As one Nat, Bucky and Wanda turned towards him.

“Because it’s Eurovision.”

“Umm, okay then…” He sunk down into the cushions, not sure it was worth risking the ire of undoubtedly the most dangerous trio in the room. “Can I ask why Thor gets out of this…”

Just then, the building shook, the unmistakable rumbling and light display signifying the bifrost had just hit the roof.  “..Scratch that.”

Nat turned on the television and squished in next to Clint. Vision and Wanda snuggled down into the beanbags. Thor burst into the room a few minutes later, placing Mjolnir onto the countertop.

“I haven’t missed it, have I?”

He took the final space next to Bruce, who passed over the bowl of popcorn.

“It’s the flag parade, apparently.”

The blonde god leant forward, arms resting on his knees.

“Ooo. I know this one! That’s Norway. I like them.”

Bruce smiled and elbowed his friend.

“Of course you do, they still treat you like a god.”

Across the room, Steve leant over to Bucky to whisper in his ear.

“Can I ask, if this is a European competition, why are Australia taking part?”

“Because they love how camp it is, and asked if they could join in.”

“I’m going to be confused during this whole thing, aren’t I?”

“Uh-huh…” Bucky threw some M & Ms up in the air, catching them in his mouth.

Back on the central sofa, Nat started to bounce slightly.

“Here we go! Prepare to be amazed…”

For the next 2.5 hrs the team sat, glued to the television, all manner of emotions running through them as they watched the eclectic musical display.

“Am I missing something,” asked Sam. “Why are they singing about Edgar Allen Poe?”

Bucky shrugged. “Why not?”

“Okay..?”

Steve nudged Bucky.  

“Buck - what’s she singing?”

“About how her love for her man is driving her crazy, but she doesn’t know if he feels the same.”

“Okay..?”

“My love…”

“Yes, Vis?

“This is an anti-war song, isn’t it?”

“It is, Vis.”

“Okay..?”

“Earth to Sam! Earth to Sam!”

Tony threw a screwed up piece of paper across the room and watched Sam jolt and shake his head as it bounced off.

“What?”

“You seem a bit invested in the Cyprus act there….”

“Fuck off, Tony.”

“Okay..?”

“Nat?”

“Yes, Bruce?”

“I don’t want to be rude, but is there a reason she seems likes she’s dressed like a werewolf?”

“Because it’s Eurovision.”

“Umm…okay..?”

Thor was bouncing in his seat as the Finnish act started.  

“This is more like it!”

Bruce peered at the screen, as though the neon pink and green outfits were starting to give him a migraine.

“But…but what’s it about?”

“Going out drinking!”

“Okay..?”

“Errrrm, Buck…What the hell did I just watch?”

Bucky didn’t even turn his head at Steve’s question.

“Croatia.”

That didn’t really help. All Steve knew was that he’d just seen something he couldn’t unsee.

“Okay..?”

The act from the UK finished and Tony stood up, cracking his neck.

“Well, guys. Thanks for that, I think. But now that’s over…”

“Nope!” Nat reached across Clint, who’d fallen asleep between them, slowly drooling on a cushion, to grab hold of Tony’s t-shirt and pull him back down. “Now it’s the half time show while the voting is done, and then it’s the results. And this year, we can vote from outside Europe. Look, there’s an app and everything.”

Tony blinked slowly in disbelief. “When’s it due to finish?”

“About 7pm.”

“What!” At Tony’s shout Clint sat bolt upright, snorted and sucked up a string of drool. “This thing goes on for 4 hours. Like how?”

“BECAUSE IT’S EUROVISION!” Came the chanted reply, this time with Thor joining in.

“Okay..?”

Tony pulled out his phone and opened the app store with a shrug. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.

“I got $50 on Finland. Who wants in?”

At 7.05pm Tony sat staring at the screen, mouth wide open as the others groaned and started to pass cash towards Bruce.

“What the fuck just happened?”

Bruce smiled and shrugged.

“It’s Eurovision, Tony.”

Tag list: @jobean12-blog @sidepartskinnyjeans @flordeamatista @krissy25 @bodeckersdiamonddoll @goldylions @luxeavenger @wheezy-stucky @doasyoudesireandlive @chemtrails-club @seitmai @peaches1958 @pono-pura-vida @writing-for-marvel

#avengers tower fic #late writes #eurovision fic #domestic avengers #gen fic #marvel crack fic

[bruciemilf]

~~~

🦇🦇🦇🦇

Cain Instinct by bruciemilf

"They loved eachother. They were knife and wound, but what brothers aren't?"

#bruce wayne #battinson #thomas wayne jr #owlman #batman #batfamily #gen fic #fanfiction #ao3 #them.boysssss