#revenge gambit fic

[theserpentsadvocate]

I am drowning in half-planned fic right now because I made the mistake of rewatching Veronica Mars (and seeing the new season) and then there was very very little of the stuff I wanted to make me feel better, so I am now writing it myself all at once??? (Yes, juggling like six AUs at once is a bad idea, no I did not do it on purpose.) And I know better than to post unfinished stuff, so give me some feedback, guys:

What are people interested in?

(Relevant information: I am here for Weevil, and I am decidedly not here for Logan. Also, these are mostly not the actual titles, I just don’t have one yet.)

Finish the short ones first!

*The long, sad, bittersweet Weevil/Jade reunion, where she runs into trouble post S4 and has no one else to call. (Pros: As a (long) oneshot, will probably be finished in the next millennium! I’ve also not only started it but made some decent progress. Has a likely sequel which is… maaaybe less sad. Kind of. Jade POV, which is, uh, scarce. Cons: Sequel is less well-planned-out and kind of self-indulgent, this is a ship that like two people are on. Also it’s sad.)

*Five Children Veronica Mars Never Had (Pros: Short enough it might get finished before the heat-death of the universe! I’ve also already started it. Takes a bit of a turn from the typical children-as-a-ship-exploration/validation these things often have (most of these children are not biologically Veronica’s). Novel canon is relevant! Some very solid V/W friendship in at least one. Cons: Tremendously, horrifically depressing; I literally just keep killing people to make the premise work. Very little shipping.)

*The Jade/Eli Chronicles (Pros: Related oneshots so, again, will probably be finished in a semi-reasonable time. Fluffy if you block S4 from your memory. Jade gets, like, lines. Cons: Not a ton of substance, only happy if you block S4 from your memory, this is a ship that two people are on.)

*Five (Or Some Number) Worlds Veronica Didn’t Grow Up In (Pros: Fun crossovers/fusions! All the chapters will be more standalone, so I might even post it serially. A BtVS where Veronica isn’t the Slayer (Lilly was). Animorphs!!! Cons: Fusions are automatically disinteresting if you don’t know the other canon. Some of them are not super well-developed yet. Also, how do you make Veronica Mars more upsetting? Cross it with Animorphs!)

I want longfic, because the literal problem is not enough V/W longfic!

*Veronica Mars, Intrepid Reporter

A Lilly lives AU where canon splits whenever Lilly (doesn’t) begin her affair with Aaron. Veronica copes with Duncan’s sudden cold shoulder by becoming an investigative high school journalist.

Pros: This is my first-concieved AU, and maybe the project I’m most proud of? (Pending completion.) Heavy focus on the death of Marisol Reyes. Features a not-irredeemably-awful high school experience for Veronica. Lilly is still flawed as per canon but she’s not evil and she loves her brother and her friends. Eventual (very eventual) Veronica/Weevil. Meg lives. Lots of Keith and Veronica’s relationship. Probably the most optimistic of all my AUs.

Cons: Spans a long time and will probably be gigantic (these things always get bigger once I’m writing them), so will take approximately forever to finish. Planned out to some extent but not started yet. Somewhat critical take on Logan (I almost put that in the ‘pros’ column but I know how the fandom is about him).

*The Lawsuit Story

An AU where Weevil doesn’t settle as soon as in canon (or maybe Lamb just panics quicker), and an attempted attack on him kills Jade instead.

Pros: Hello to the novel canon! This is probably my favourite of all the universes I’m messing around with. The Weevil/Veronica friendship is so strong with this one that I am legitimately conflicted over whether to actually even have them get together. Valentina has an extremely strong presence and I love her. It's pretty charitable to Logan, considering I wrote it. Carmen makes a few appearances. Celeste Kane goes down.

Cons: This was originally just part of ‘Five Children…’ so the long version probably won’t be written until that’s finished. May or may not contain Weevil/Veronica, but if it does, it is a loooong wait. Does contain LoVe.

*High School Revenge Story

Another Lilly lives AU, where Lilly definitely IS having an affair with Aaron. And also Weevil, but not anymore. And also, Veronica’s (post-Troy) boyfriend. Anyway, Veronica finds out about the last point and decides to get revenge/prove she’s not some virginal innocent sidekick by hooking up with Lilly’s sidepiece, who she imagines wants to piss Lilly off as much as she does.

Pros: Not only is it Veronica/Weevil, but Veronica/Weevil is, like, eighty percent of the plot. There’s definitely smut (plot- and character-advancing, even!). There’s an unexpectedly touching strangers-with-benefits relationship even before the extremely unplanned pining. This one felt the most like the show when I was planning it out, especially with the nature and timing of the twists. Lilly is not evil, she’s just a teenager in over her head who doesn’t want to admit it and coping maladaptively.

Cons: I always feel weird touting porn as a selling point when I wrote it, because I have had zero sex in my entire life (although I am thirty, and I feel like life experience and general knowledgeableness about actual human anatomy count for something here). I have not started this one yet, although it’s more or less outlined. Logan also does not come off well (this is because he is a teenager having a Very Bad Time, but his actions are still not excusable). This was originally two different AUs before I realized they should probably be one (I cannot say what the other one was, because it’s a major spoiler), so there’s the possibility of disjointedness where they meet. Also, I’m not entirely sure I have the chops to pull this one off – there’s a lot of dark stuff going on under the surface (well, there’d have to be, for the plot to work, because otherwise it’s just very OOC), and it’s not the kind of thing that’s usually my forte, but I’m going to give it a shot anyway.

*Platonic Co-parents

AU where Veronica stays at Hearst. She and Weevil have a one-night stand in her third year and end up getting a child out of it.

Pros: It’s just a lot of fun! It’ll probably end up W/V but in the meantime they’ve got a solid, supportive friendship going on, to the aggravation of everyone either of them tries to date. (“What do you mean your daughter’s father is sleeping on your couch because the hot water broke in his apartment???”) I have a later scene planned out where they go to the high school reunion separately and deliberately show everyone the same picture of Mariana to see if anyone realizes it’s the same kid, which sums up the vibe pretty well. There is Keith+Weevil awkwardness and then probably some Keith+Weevil friendship later on. Lots of time given to Weevil’s family. Also, Veronica looks into Susan Knight’s suspicious drowning. I have also (technically) started it.

Cons: Listen, I know it’s a reach for Veronica to be willing to have a child at this point in her life, but I’ve done my best to justify it and I think I did okay. Plus, you know, the entire premise is a junk food trope – it’s not evil, but it’s trite. I love it anyway.

No, I want something else/FINISH YOUR OTHER STUFF

*[Earth’s Children] The story where an adult Durc and Brun’s former clan meet the post-Ayla Lion Camp!

Pros: Ambitious dual narrative I think I’m pulling off well (time divergent; one strand moving forward from the first encounter, one from Ayla’s departure), lots of screentime for supporting characters with wasted potential (Vorn, Frebec, Ura, Brac, not to mention Durc), several chapters already written.

Cons: Extremely ambitious so it will take me forever to finish, there’s basically no one in this fandom.

*[Earth’s Children] The Echozar/Joplaya fic

Pros: Actually develops their friendship into something that makes sense, development of Echozar’s childhood and of the Lanzadonii, I’ve got a rough outline and a few pages written.

Cons: Definitely chaptered so it will take some time, there are even less people in this part of the fandom.

*[The Old Guard] Give An Inch Fall A Mile (Joe and Nicky friendship-with-benefits their way into being Joe and Nicky)

Pros: Lots of sex scenes (obviously) on which I have had positive feedback, several chapters written (probably half-finished), I'm very proud of the writing quality on this one, and I absolutely should be writing this first.

Cons: I have been stalled out on it for more than a year, it may not be finished before the new movie comes out and possibly makes it incompatible with canon.

*[Veronica Mars] The Firebird AU… crossover… fusion… thing

Post-S4, Veronica travels through alternate universes and learns that she needs to get her shit together and apologize to Weevil.

Pros: Um, the Firebird Trilogy is cool but is not required knowledge for entry, alternate universes are neat, and even though this idea is probably dumb I can’t stop thinking about it. It would probably even technically comply with canon.

Cons: Half of the universes I have up my sleeve are from the AUs mentioned above, so it probably won’t get written (if it does) until they’re finished in like ten to twenty years. The actual plot is thin; I mostly have a bunch of scenes. There is a decent chance this idea is self-gratifying and pointless, but I also just cannot stop thinking about it.

*[Veronica Mars] Zombie Apocalypse

Post-S4 zombie apocalypse lands Veronica and Keith on a stolen yacht with a bunch of Weevil’s gang, Jade and her new boyfriend, and this one other guy.

Pros: There’s a lot of compelling (I think) personal drama, which is largely not rooted in anyone being an asshole (except Veronica, but that’s canon and I can’t do anything about it except try to fix it with zombies). Weevil finds out his kid is trans and does his best to speed-run the acceptance ladder despite his personal doubts because he’s extremely concerned about being killed by zombies (and thinks he's dying for a minute) and knows this is his only chance to make them feel supported. Eventual W/V, probably.

Cons: I do not know where I’m going with this. Author is not trans herself and might fuck up.

*[Veronica Mars] The Babysitter Effect

Valentina’s babysitter is still in the truck when Weevil stops to help Celeste, and she witnesses everything.

Pros: Teenage awkwardness, but in a fun way. Weevil gets the justice he fucking deserves. Beginning already written.

Cons: I have no plans at all for what happens after the inciting incident, and even if I did I don’t know how long this would be.

Soooo... if you're not in the Silm fandom you've probably never seen my writing before, but I'm happy to back it up with excerpts! Please ask me for excerpts.

If I keep up the volume of writing I've been doing I can probably get something substantial finished by the end of the year but I need input, please weigh in even if we're complete strangers and you found this post two years from now, best-case scenario I can link you to the completed fic. :)

#veronica mars #eli navarro #weevil navarro #fanfic #fandom misc #earth's children #i seriously keep bouncing between these ideas at the speed of light #give me some direction and i promise i will finish SOMETHING #i just want to keep my momentum up #yes i know this is going to look bizarre to 90% of my dash but hey you can veronica mars AND tolkien #so hopefully i am not screaming into the void #although that's not much different from talking loudly about weevil in my empty living room which i already do #so i'll be fine either way #revenge gambit fic #the jade/eli chronicles

[zaharadessert]

The Halloween Gambit (2/7)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, Whump

Length: 7 Chapters, about 12k in total?

Summary: Bar wench and orphan, Emma Swan is taken captive to lure Captain Hook to the noose. Things don't turn out as her captors expect.

Notes: Title and Chapter Titles are all chess moves. I have no idea what they are, I just liked the names. Huge thanks to @kmomof4​ for betaing, and a massive thank you for the cshalloweek2022 prompts @cshalloweek​! The interpretations of these prompts is so loose, but I hope you all enjoy!

Tagging: @jrob64​ @xhookswenchx​ @kmomof4​ @wefoundloveunderthelight​ @superchocovian​ @lfh1226-linda​ @teamhook​ @jonesfandomfanatic​ @tiganasummertree​ @onceratheart18​ @snowbellewells​ @karlyfr13s​ @itsfabianadocarmo @ouatpost @ultraluckycatnd​ @winterbaby89​ @thepirateandhisson​ @xarandomdreamx​ @xsajx​ @captainswan21​ @spaceconveyor @pirateprincessofpizza​ @sparlecorn93​ @hollyethecurious​ @ammelia​

As always, let me know if you’d like me to add you to my taglist for future fics :) Sorry to those of you for whom the tags don’t seem to be working...

From the Beginning on AO3

- - - - -

26th October

Potions / purple

cook | lust | “The things we do for love” | cursed

- - - - -

With coffers full of gold, Captain Hook stood proudly at the helm of his beloved ship. The ship that had once been captained by his brother before his death and Killian’s defection from the Royal Navy.

Up until recently, the Jolly Roger was the only thing that really mattered to him, other than his revenge. His revenge would not see him lose his ship, not when it had been the home he and Milah had shared, the home he had dreamed of making a life for them in.

Only, he had not expected to meet Emma.

Had not expected that landing in a different port would have opened up quite so many opportunities, but the bright eyes and enticing figure of the bar wench had made his mouth go dry in a way he hadn’t experienced in years. He’d asked her to join him, and before he knew it, an entire evening had flown by in her company that had involved less rum than normal but his mind had quieted as though he’d had twice as much.

She self-professed to be nothing special, but Killian had dismissed that without question and had done his best to show her that even if it was just for one night, she meant everything to him. But in the last few months, Killian had found himself drawn back to the same port more often than he wanted to admit, and she was the reason. She was just so vibrant and vital despite the humble situation she’d found herself in. The shadow of abandonment in her eyes called out to him in a way he’d never expected and had him returning to her side as often as he could, just to see the spark of joy in them when he walked through the tavern door.

It had taken him a night or two to confess his true profession, but she’d simply smiled and assured him she’d always known what she was getting into. Assured him that his ongoing interest was reciprocated, and that it was offering her some amount of protection from unwanted advances, even in his absence.

- - - - -

Continued on AO3

#cshalloweek #cs ff #Captain Swan #ZaharaDessert writes #apparently I art too #captain hook #emma swan #captain/wench

[apfelhalm]

I got tagged by the lovely @alakeeffectgirl!

fav color: green/teal

last song: The Rumbling by SiM

currently reading: still trying to finish "The Queen's Gambit" (I'm close to the end now!) and "Shiver" by Junji Ito

last movie: Jujutsu Kaisen 0 (but I'm going to see MI7 tonight!)

sweet/spicy/savory: all of them? I can't decide!

currently working on: the one fic I'm actively working on is a Tokyo Revengers fic that was prompted by a friend. second in line is the Spatort Mafia AU und that RoosMav postcard fic I haven't given up on yet. also I'm itching to write a BNHA fic, I only need to decide which idea I'm going to pick :3

Not tagging anyone in particular, but feel free to do this if you want!

#tagging game #off to the cinema now hehe

[milos-doots]

(looks at you like this)

Milo posting Fanfiction?? It's more likely than you think 😳 I'm cringe but I'm freee

I didn't fact check this or spell check I barely checked anything I simply wrote and didn't read anything back <3

Watch Dogs 2 grabbed me by the neck again as you can see and MAN. I want a certain genre of fics that I can Never find so this is part one of me making them,,, part two??? Who knows

Anyways here it starts have funnn

Some background:

This is a "What if?" Scenario for the DLC "Moscow Gambit". This follows some time after the events of Marcus' kidnapping and Dedsec's act of revenge with destroying some of the Bratva's.. supplies.

Marcus is now tasked as The Decoy, driving around Marin to attract the attention of the Bratva while the rest of Dedsec wire the Bratva houses to blow. It's going so far so good, Marcus has a target on his back, and the thing about decoys..

"Hurry, man! Decoys usually end up gettin' shot!"

"Yup, I hear you."

Marcus had been in much more precarious scenarios before, from being trapped in a Prime_eight bunker rigged with bombs, to escaping corrupt cops and gang members on Alcatraz. Leading the Bratva around on a wild goose chase seemed like nothing compared to this, and yet the both of them couldn't help the nervousness in their tones. One slip-up could be the end of the operation, and more people getting hurt.

The commercial areas of the town were in a panic, people running in all sorts of different directions towards buildings, just desperately trying to flee the gunfire from blockades that the gang had set up in order to catch Marcus in his tracks, but unfortunately for them, there was always a way around them.

Leaning into a sharp turn off the main road and onto a dirt path, he narrowly avoided another blockade and their bullet spray.

Ahead of him again was the house that Wrench was setting up in, and with no other options for a path, he held on for dear life and drove the cycle off a hill by an adjacent house.

He whooped as he landed it, the suspensions on the motorcycle squealing as he did. This wasn't the only tricky jump he landed, and each one was becoming less comfortable to land than the last. None of them were really comfortable at all, and early on, Marcus remarked to himself that he'd be sore in the morning after this.

Some Bratva members were ahead ready to intersect him with gunfire, but he was already zipping by them, running the cycle straight through a fence and back into a residential road he'd been through.

By now he was expecting the "all clear" and was just about ready to bolt and lose his tail, but nothing yet. There was radio silence on the others' end, and he could only hope that everyone was outta there by now.

The next corner he turned, the intersection was almost entirely blocked off, cars lining each side of the street, as well as the path he'd already stormed through.

"Marcus! We're done here! But I've got something ne-"

Whatever Wrench was saying next, Marcus couldn't hear.

At once they were all firing at him, yelling insults and directions to other members in Russian. He jerked the wheel to the side, turning the cycle as quickly as he could to head back on himself. That's when he felt it. A cry forced itself out as a sharp, hot pain shot through his leg and side, nearly almost causing him to fall off the cycle mid-turn. Just as he righted himself, another car was dead ahead, driving straight at him with no signs of slowing. The motorcycle was hissing, smoking underneath him. It, like him, wouldn't last much longer in the chase.

He swerved to the side, ending up on a shorter road that lead right down to a motel and parking lot. Marcus pulled the brakes as hard as he could, and yet he still ended up skidding through the fence and crashed onto the sand. The bike went flying by him, landing on the beach with a loud crash and a thud.

-"Marcus? MARCUS? Shit.. Fuck FUCK!"

The line went dead, and Marcus wasn't picking back up. And what he'd heard didn't sound good- guns firing, the cry with hitched breath and screeching of the motorcycles wheels. Wrench punched the makeshift workbench he'd been using, before knocking shit off of it with a yell. He called up the others, quickly updating them on what happened as he charged out of the house. In a different scenario, the others might've stopped him from rushing into conflict like this, but whatever they might've said wouldn't stop him from going. Around the side of the house was a second motorcycle, set up for his own escape when he was ready. As he got on and revved the engines, Sitara's voice cut through- the groups general consensus-

-"Go save our boy, Wrench."

Marcus laid stunned on the ground for a while, vision dark and spinning. A loud ringing filled his ears as he came to, clenching his hands, fistfuls of dirt and sand in an attempt to wake himself. More scattered gunshots and nearby voices yelling out in Russian alerted him.

They were still after him.

Unable to pick himself back up, he started dragging his body along the ground towards what remained of the fence and the concrete border to at least be in better cover. Sitting himself up against the wall, he pulled his mask off shakily, wrapping it as tightly around the area above the bullet wound on his leg as he possibly could.

"Shiit.. c'mon Man. You got this.-"

Shifting himself uncomfortably, he pulled out his phone. The screen was cracked but still useable, so he hacked into a nearby camera to mess with the infrastructure around in order to keep the attention away from his location. They were getting decently close to his hiding spot, and with the bike seeming to be minutes if not seconds from exploding, dread was beginning to set in.

Was this what Horatio felt? His last minutes bleeding out on the enemies floor, wondering if his friends knew where he was? If they were trying to find him?

Wrench's voice on his phone cut through his thoughts, bringing him back to the present.

-"Marcus! M, hey! I'm on my way. Just hold on. Josh got me your location. Don't move, just stay right there and I'll get you. Just *hold on.*"

He didn't respond, but Wrench knew he was listening, or at least he hoped. A lot of Bratva were still in the area according to his map, some leaving only because they'd given up the search.

A sudden explosion lit up an area down the road, and over the comms Wrench heard scattered panic from the gang and commands for backup. Whatever happened lead the rest away from where Marcus was at.

The engine of a motorcycle soon drowned out the searching, and through the cameras he could see Wrench flying up on his motorcycle. The masked man quickly got off, jumping the railing and landing by him.

"Shhiit- okay- alright, Marcus, we gotta go. I've got you. Just-- ooughhh up we go-"

Wrench was saying as he grabbed Marcus under the arm and helped pull him up. Sliding his phone back into his pocket he focused more on stemming the bleeding from his side.

"You like where- where I parked? Remember.. this spot?"

"Yeah, where we caught those FBI fuckwads creeping on us. Hard to forget. You scared the hell outta me, you know?"

Wrench placed another cloth mask in Marcus' hand, having it pressed against his side.

"Fuck, man! You are heavy!" Wrench joked, or at least tried to. The worry in his tone definitely killed it. Marcus let out a strained laugh as the two hobbled awkwardly up the stairs.

"Hhey- man, what did I tell you! Decoy. Got. Shot."

"Yeah he did."

Wrench's voice was wracked with poorly-hidden guilt. The adrenaline was still shooting through him as Wrench helped him onto the bike. It was numbing the pain, but it wouldn't last much longer now, and it was already starting to lose it's effect as Wrench got on afterwards, starting the engine.

"Hold on, alright M? Hold tight. Sitara-"

-"Everything's ready here. Get going!"

Wrench kept one hand over Marcus' arms, making sure he wouldn't let go. With that, he sped off, headed back for the Hackerspace.

"We still gonna do the- the boom booms?"

Marcus asked weakly with a little laugh, his head rested on the uncomfortable shoulder spikes.

"Yeahhh. We're gonna get those shit-stains back. We won't do those boom booms without you. I'll give your corpse the damn detonator if that's what it takes."

He got no response from Marcus, which worried him a bit. Wrench shrugged his shoulder a bit, carefully trying to wake him up, if he was falling asleep.

"C'mon M, not yet. You gotta stay with me here."

"Ay man- your shoulder.. not a good bed. Too many spikes. Not sayin' they dont look good or anything though.."

Marcus was quiet for a moment, grimacing as he pulled one hand back to put it over his side. Wrench held the other much more tightly, making sure he had some extra balance in his cloudy state. Marcus spoke up again.

"....How about some eye spy?"

It wasn't long before the two got back home, rushing through the empty storefront and to the back. The others were already at the door to greet them, quickly getting Marcus downstairs to be treated as best they could with what they had. Not only did the one on his side look worse, but turns out, when you go flying off a motorcycle going who knows how fast, there tends to be not-so pleasant side effects. Broken bones for one of them.

At the beginning there had been debate about whether or not they'd send him to a hospital, mainly worrying about the risk of any of their enemies finding out he was there, like that. In the beginning they'd decided against it, but when they had no other choice, they at least had help in Dedsec. One of their members at the hospital could take him in, keep things under wraps and put a fake alias into the system.

There wasn't much time, so despite their varied reservations, they sent him off.

Wrench sat at his workbench for a majority of the time afterwards, always looking back towards the entrance with mixes of worried different emotes showing on the mask. The only time his routine stopped being when Raymond came over and attempted to share a beer. Wrench didn't lash out, per se, though there had been a couple of choice words that kept him away from the general area for a while.

He'd desperately wanted to go in with Marcus when they took him out, but he'd been told to stay back, as have the rest of the members. It would draw too much attention, but they'd been informed that there were other ways to check in.

Time dragged on, as it always did when they didn't have Marcus running in and out of the Hackerspace, when they seemed to be doing the same old routine over and over again. Sitara going out to tag more buildings and billboards, Ray sitting in his usual corner, having a drink, or trying to see whatever Josh was doing. Something about a giant drone, usually.

It was hard for Wrench to do anything but go to his garage to build and break things, and if he wasn't there, he was in the Hackerspace with his hidden eyes glued to a tablet. Turns out, the hospital security was a bit tough to crack. Then again, his usual "brute force everything" method didn't quite work here. Or in most places.

"Heyy guys."

And there he was, walking down the last few steps into the main room, grinning like nothing even happened. It was hard to miss a couple of the butterfly bandages over the smaller scrapes, but he looked better.

"MARCUS!" Wrench abandoned whatever he was doing immediately, giving him one of the biggest hugs he'd ever given someone in his life.

"Shhii-.. auh, This feels familiar, don't it?"

Everything still hurt a lot, but he hugged Wrench back warmly.

"I'm sorry for ever sending you out there, man! Since you already had the whole bounty on your head and-"

"Nah, man.. it's cool. I had fun!"

Marcus pulled back, putting his hands on Wrench's shoulders.

"Plus, you totally went out there and risked your own ass for me. Totally badass."

"Like Jimmy Siska badass?" Wrench's mask lit up with question marks, and Marcus nodded with a laugh.

"Hell yeah like Jimmy Siska!"

The others had started to gather around, happy to have him home.

"I think this calls for a little "welcome home watch party", What do you say?" Sitara came up with Raymond, each with drinks for everyone there.

The party migrated to the couch, taking their positions as if they were about to watch the new cyber driver trailer all over again.

"How'd you get the attention of the Bratva? That explosion, what'd you do?" Marcus asked, sitting back comfortably with both hands on his drink.

"Well, let's say there's a *bunch* of high fish out on that side of town." Raymond remarked from the back with an amused tone, Josh short to follow with,

"Dead fish. Lots of dead or sick fish."

Marcus looked back to the two of them over his shoulder, raising his bottle as he spoke,

"I'll make sure to honor their noble sacrifice for me."

"Everyone!! Boom booms, people! Anyday now!" Wrench came from his workbench, raised the remote, before dramatically bowing down in front of where Marcus was sitting.

"Great sir, you have the honors. As promised."

"Why, thank you my dear knight in shining armor. Alright y'all. Let's finish these bastards."

Wrench hopped up onto his space on the couch, and the hackers watched the fireworks commence.

~

~

Thank u for attending it had to Be Done,,, I dusted off my old Wattpad account for this

#wrench #marcus holloway #watch dogs 2 #wrench wd2 #marcus wd2 #the others show up there but im less confident writing them lawl #sorry legends for getting sidelined </333 #whump scenario #whump?? i think this counts as a whump #definitely a bit of #hurt/comfort #its always my favorite #im cringe but im free #watch dogs fanfiction #i havent written fanfiction since 2015 girl help

[extremelyputridfishbreath]

oh he is DEFINETELY not okay! nows probably a good time as any to explain why he's a ghost. tw for y'know death underneath the cut

so, yesterday i thought of a pretty simple au: "what if herbert mortally wounded rolly instead of just permanently damaging his eye during operation: blackout?" and then proceeded to lose my mind over it with a friend.

now considering rolly was 23 at the time of blackout, by the time he "woke up" as a ghost and realized what happened to him, he was NOT happy to say the least! he had died young, and for what? because herbert couldn't swallow his pride and leave for a warmer island instead of bothering everyone out of petty revenge?! it wasn't fair!

rollys death caused a bit of a domino effect. while na actually succeeds in saving the leads, because of the way they treated callously rolly before he died when he called them for help (even if they didn't know what would happen), they turned over their badge and were asked to leave the island. and since muffin didn't save the island, they didn't become an agent by technicality because their identity didn't need protecting. gambit ends up becoming the sole ace out of nessecity.

and y'know, herbert didn't actually mean to kill rolly when he slashed him, but obviously the fact he accidentally killed him doesn't make rolly less angry he can't live his life anymore. especially when he sees how disraught his death made everyone he cared about feel, or he realizes how much he misses things people usually take for granted, like feeling sunlight on his feathers or even just being able to breathe.

i imagine that ghosts that were alive at one point (unlike skip, the ghost gang, poltergus, etc) would have to learn how to use their powers. while floating around is instinctual even for newly turned ghosts (or penguins who become ghosts temporarily through magic like ghostly gummies or by using the ghostamatron 3000), something like being visible or audible to others when you specifically died and became a ghost...is not!

which is something rolly unfortunately had to learn by himself after several fruitless attempts at communicating to his loved ones that he came back (even if he didn't know the specifics of why he did). and by the time he figured it out, he realized pretty quickly they would probably have poor reactions to seeing him anyways since he still had the injuries from how he died (which he could hide, but didn't how to yet)...it was probably for the best they didn't know he was around. it was a good thing g didn't decide to bring out the ghoul detector and find out he came back. or so he told himself. but it was pretty lonesome when he thought he had no way of being able to do anything about it, and moreso when it was a self imposed exile...

eventually after seeing how sad both he and his loved ones are because of his death, rolly decides the best course of action is to figure out a way to come back to life. granted, he's well aware if he succeeded things wouldn't go back to how they used to be. but hey, it's better than them finding out he returned as a sad, lonely, embittered and scared ghost right? one day not long after he died, he happens to meet a certaon bellhop...who suggests they work together to become more powerful. after all, if they help each other out, then both of them can walk away happy. how could he say no to an offer like that?

so far i've actually written two short fics i may or may not upload to ao3 at some point.

the first one essentially is rolly meeting skip for the first time (tw for death by bloodloss from rolly's perspective)...which you can read here!

and the second is the time rolly tries to get revenge on herbert not long after he met skip (tw for rolly attempting to kill herbert by choking him briefly), though it doesn't make either of them feel any better about the situation...which you can read here!

#rolly #club penguin oc #club penguin ocs #ghost!rolly #club penguin

[maddithefangirl]

hp fic recs bc that’s all i reblog rn

* = smut

♡  = personal favorites

None of these are written by me! 

✽ Harry Potter Lightening Era ✽

  Harry Potter 

If I Could Tell Her by weasleyclaw

Sketchbook by probably-peeves

Oh, They Win for Sure by unnecessarywriting (Christmas)

Just friends? by boxofsteampunkplaces

Scars by gobletofweasleys

  Ron Weasley

Finding A Light by gryffindors-weasley (Five Parts)

Hidden Confessions by gryffindors-weasley

Adore You by vogueweasley

focus on me by choke-me-pansy *

The Queens Gambit by mariamermaid

Just a Touch of Love by thisismynerdyself

Apple pie by pregnant-piggy

Whiskey Dick by pinkchubbiebunnie *

  Neville Longbottom

Half-Blood by effervescent-dishsoap

Not you too... by sapphirelass (Sister!Reader)

Never Knew by drxcoswand

comfort crowd by writingsomewrongs

Christmas with Neville by tinymoony

Tangled Roots by derrysdenbrough

arrangements by 15-dogs  ♡

Reading by daftwriter

“amortenia” by gotmadison

breaking point. by feetoffthetablee

  Fred Weasley

We Have A Pool?! by cryingoverafictionalcharacter *

submerse myself in brie by writesowhatnext

after all this time. by fredsghost

Pride and Prejudice by peepeepotter *

Falling by unwritten-ravenclaw

48 Hours by toripotterr (Two Parts) (Fred x Reader x George) *

The Anniversary Dinner by loony-loopy-lupinn

Sweet Revenge by nextdoor-neighbors

The Gift of a Weasley Sweater is a Powerful Thing by the-unmanaged-mischief

It’s A Date by durmstrange

Inspiration by shadowsinger11

peer review by wand3ring0s3 (College au) *

what could’ve been by vnderoos

The Duff by jamilelucato

Summer Lovin’ by theweasleyslut *

Veritaserum by turning-dreams-into-chaos

Special to Me by lumosandnoxwriting *

Left Waiting at The Three Broomsticks by potter-imagines

salvation in the burrow by weapingweasley * 

Photoshoot Fantasies by lumosandnoxwriting *

‘Nonsense’ by siriuslydisturbed

Special To Me: Fred Weasley by sreidswhore

Detention by coruscatingdiamond *

  All the Weasley Brothers

Plaything by theweasleyslut * 

✽ Harry Potter Marauders Era ✽

  Sirius Black

The Last Time by inkinflux

“For a moment, listen silently, what does your heart say?” by hello-everyfandom (This is a heart shattering angst trilogy)

A glass too much... by pregnant-piggy

Just A Natural Fact by iloveiloveiwrite   ♡

The Worst Wingman by the weasleysredhair

Truth Under Moonlight by approved-by-dentists (2 parts)

We’re Not Friends by wizardwritings

Countless Nights by thewinchestergirl1208 (Post Azkaban)

Found Out by fandom-puff

My Godson Our Godson by nebulablakemurphy (Post Azkaban) *

Wear Them With Pride by fandom-puff (Post Azkaban)

You’re not going home by pregnant-piggy

Wrong Door by sleep-i-ness  ♡

A little Bit of Amortentia by shelby-love

F.R.I.E.N.D.S by mariamermaid

jealousy is a two way street by weasleypouges

The Heiress of Slytherin by cassiopeiaemiliagaunt

Inked by jamcspotters (College au)

Broken mirror by tallyovie-writes

Double Penetration by pinkandblueblurbs * (Sirius x Reader x Remus)

Flirt by lxve-hermione (Post Azkaban)

Worse Than Nicotine by wizardwritings

Fate Line by inkinflux *

“Mischief Managed” by lockhart-imagines

  Remus Lupin

Three Souls, Two Lovers by etheraella (James x Reader x Remus)

Remus Lupin x Reader by beekindacool

Veritaserum by padwolf  ♡

Escape by accio-moony *

Limits by ivorydragoness44

The Confidence Booster by girl-writer7

Double Penetration by pinkandblueblurbs * (Sirius x Reader x Remus)

Werewolf? by idontknowwhatthisisfam

Love Potion by turning-dreams-into-chaos

Seer by the-ravenclawprincess

Closure by msoogabooga

  James Potter

Certainty by prongsies

Three Souls, Two Lovers by etheraella (James x Reader x Remus)

The Worst Soulmark by iwritesiriusly

Hard or Slow? by acciofanfics

Doll by pregnant-piggy

Summer revelations by pregnant-piggy

Fade to Dust by gcdric (Sister!Reader)  ♡

“I’m doing this for you!” by hello-everyfandom (Sister!Reader)

What’s Happening To Me by harrytpotter

Falling For You by theweasleysredhair

#harry potter x reader #sirus black x reader #fred weasley x reader #maddisfanficrecs #james potter x reader #neville longbottom x reader #ron weasley x reader #harry potter

[meltingpotimagines]

Guidelines

General Rules

Racism, homophobia, transphobia, and any other form of discrimination or hatred is not welcome here

Anyone who attempts to bring that to this blog will be immediately blocked

Request Rules

I will not write for Mineta under any circumstances

I prefer requests that are of fandoms I’m in just because I know those characters best, but I’m not opposed to writing for a fandom I’m not in but have seen the movies/shows so don’t be afraid to ask

I don’t do smut

I don’t typically do ships, but if it’s one I like or know well enough, I might, i.e. Love Square or Dibs

I’m best at bullet points and aesthetics, but I do like writing short fics

No pedophilic request, anyone who does will be immediately blocked

Absolutely no incest

Sorry, but I don’t do anything furry-related either

My Fandoms

Assassination Classroom

Attack on Titan

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Boys Over Flowers (K-Drama ver.)

Bungo Stray Dogs

The Case Study of Vanitas

DC Comics (especially Batfam and Flashfam)

Demon Slayer

Disney

Downton Abbey

Food Wars

Free!

Fruits Basket

Gossip Girl

Haikyū!!

Horimiya

Jujutsu Kaisen

How to Train Your Dragon

Ikemen Prince

Legacies

The Legend of Korra

Marvel (especially MCU related)

Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir

Moriarty the Patriot

My Hero Academia

The Originals

Ouran High School Host Club

Rise of the Guardians

Sabikui Bisco

Sherlock (BBC)

Sk8 the Infinity

Star Wars

Stranger Things

Tokyo Revengers

The Vampire Diaries

Voltron: Legendary Defender

Yona of the Dawn

Other Movies/Shows I’ve Seen

Bridgerton

Cheese in the Trap

Cinderella and the Four Knights

City Hunter

Ginny & Georgia

Golden Time

Healer

Howl’s Moving Castle

Kakegurui

Kamigami no Asobi

Maid-sama

Moorim School

My Dress-Up Darling

Pride & Prejudice (1995)

The Queen’s Gambit

Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny-Senpai

Riverdale

Shadow and Bone

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before

The Umbrella Academy

V Wars

Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo

#obviously there are more than this that i've seen but these are the ones i can think of that i'm willing to write for #you're welcome to request something not on this list but i can't promise i'll write it

[kenobiapologist]

Star Wars Novel Rankings

In celebration of the end of this year, I made a tier list of all of the Star Wars novels I’ve read since I joined this fandom in 2017 (which you can use to rank these books too). And I named all the tiers in a dorky but appropriate fashion. I would love to hear your thoughts on my rankings, as well as how you’d rank the books yourself! I’ve had a blast reading Star Wars novels from both Disney’s canon and the Legends extended universe over these past 3 years. Here’s to many more years of reading stories from the galaxy far far away! 

I put longer (but not more coherent) thoughts below the cut.

The Chosen One: Bringing Balance to the Force and My Depressed Soul

1. The first spot of top tier had to go to Matthew Stover’s Revenge of the Sith novelization for obvious reasons. You simply cannot beat it. It’s a masterpiece. I literally had to put the book down to scream when I read the prose associated with the opening battle over Coruscant. It gave a whole new meaning to the triumphant music and the synchronous twirling of Obi-Wan and Anakin’s starfighters as they weave through blaster-fire in the battle over Coruscant. The rest of the book is the same way. You can’t put it down. I have wAyyYyYy too many feelings about this book oh my god.

2. Thrawn was a surprising book for me. For being centered on an admiral of the Empire’s navy, it had so much heart in it! I loved reading from Eli Vanto’s perspective too. god dammit I love that freaking Wild Space hillbilly dweeb with all my heart. I think his experiences getting to know Thrawn and learning from him guides the reader to feel much the same way as Eli by the end. Thrawn is a trusted friend, not the enemy you expect him to be. I could have done without Arihnda Pryce but she’s supposed to be unlikeable so I won’t blame Timothy Zahn this time.

3. The Clone Wars Gambit duology is basically Karen Miller writing fanfic and I’m HERE FOR IT. As is tradition with Karen Miller’s Star Wars novels, the emotions are dialed up the eleven. Our favorite dumbass Jedi team is back at it again with a mission to save the galaxy and this time they end up going undercover as two lumberjacks from the boonies. Anakin holds an energy shield back from collapsing with his bare hands like a total badass. Obi-Wan is in love with another woman despite it always ending in tragedy, while also bickering like a married couple with Anakin every ten seconds. get a fucking room, you two. These two books inspired one of my fics so they’re near and dear to my heart.

Jedi Master: These Books Have A Seat On The Council Too

4. Wild Space was appropriately named, I’ll tell you that. It’s a wild ride from start to finish. *slaps the front cover* this book can fit so much of Obi-Wan’s suffering in it! @forcearama has elaborated on the many reasons why this book is a gem in Snark Wars blog posts (linked here). It’s also the beginning of the best team-up since Anakin and Obi-Wan...Bail and Obi-Wan! These two bastards get under each other’s skin but it makes for the perfect character development. This book is the reason I screech with delight whenever Bail Organa appears on screen, or is mentioned in conversation. Bail gets a mysterious tip about trouble on a planet, and Obi-Wan decides to go with him to investigate. Cue Sith-induced suffering. It’s cool to see a normal person experiencing the weirdness of Force sensitives and how the world has this extra level of sensory information in it. Plotwise this one isn’t the best, but I think the interactions between characters really shine in this novel. Karen Miller’s writing is like a cup of hot chocolate to me. Indulgent character insight, full of sweet moments, has a bunch of extra marshmallowy dialogue, you’re reading it to have a good time but not to be satisfied with plot. You get me?

5. Do I even have to explain myself here? Kenobi by John Jackson Miller is both an interesting western-style tale set on Tatooine, and a beautiful character study of a man stricken with grief he keeps suppressed. How does one continue on when their whole family was murdered and their whole culture burnt to ash? I wanted to give Obi-Wan a hug the entire time I read this. The characterization was spot-on, from the way he wrangled animals to the way he severed a man’s arm off in a bar with his lightsaber. And when he meets a woman named Annileen Calwell, or Annie for short, Obi-Wan can’t bring himself to call her by her nickname ever and if that doesn’t just break your damn heart fucking fuck.

6. Ahsoka was the first Disney canon book I ever read and it kickstarted my love for E.K. Johnston. The writing is simplistic, but that makes it easy to jump into. Overall, it’s a quick and enjoyable read. By far the best parts are the flashbacks that mull over memories Ahsoka has of the time before Order 66. That shit hits you right in the heart, man. And the part where Ahsoka equates Obi-Wan and Anakin to her adoptive family ohhhhhhh god the tears they flow like a river. There are scenes that allude to Ahsoka becoming the vital part of the Rebellion we know her to be from Rebels, balanced with her current struggles to survive and find herself. Despite having cast away her identity as a Jedi and having any remaining bits of her culture destroyed by Palpatine, Ahsoka shows us all how bright a hero can shine in the darkest of times. AND SHE WAS WRITTEN AS QUEER! finally some good fucking food.

7. Oh shit, another E.K. Johnston book? Don’t be surprised. She’s a prequel fan and so am I, hence why Queen’s Shadow is so high on the list. E.K. Johnston pays homage to our favorite queen and badass senator Padme Amidala. There’s politics, there’s solidarity between female characters, and Bail Organa is in it so you KNOW I simply must give it a high rating. All jokes aside, I thought the story added lots of little details to the world of Star Wars without it being all stereotypical sci-fi nerdy language. You know how people want to describe something beyond our technological capabilities so they throw a bunch of nonsense together like “pre-praxis crystal bio-anode circuitry”? I’m looking at you, Karen Miller, I love you but please. There is none of that in this book. It makes sense, it adds color and culture and life to the worlds of Star Wars. Most of all, it devotes time and love to developing Padme outside of her place in canon as Anakin’s wife, Queen of Naboo, and Senator. She is all of these things, but she’s human too. I do agree that the pacing is slow, but it’s something meant to be savored, I think. E.K. Johnston really shines when she’s writing dialogue because she gets these characters. That’s something to appreciate, because not all canon books agree with the way we’ve perceived the characters as an audience.

8. Rogue Planet chewed me up, spit me out, and declared me an even bigger stan for The Team. People who say Qui-Gon would have been a better master for Anakin can ~get out~ because I could read about these two hooligans getting neck deep in space shenanigans all damn day. Anakin is like twelve, which is a time in his training that we don’t get a lot of in canon. Personally, I think it was equal parts heartwarming and funny to read about their adventures. There is some angst sprinkled in there because hey, we’re reading about Anakin here, let’s not forget the emotional trainwreck that is Anakin Skywalker. The duo is sent to a planet that makes super fast ships that are ?sentient? or at least biologically active. They bond with the pilot, which makes Anakin perfect for this mission. There’s a scene where these little floof things attach all over tiny Anakin because he’s so strong in the Force and it’s god damn adorable how dare he?? I’d probably rate this one even higher if I read it again, but it’s been awhile. Characterization is spot on and reminiscent of Matthew Stover’s writing in how it highlights the strong bond between Obi-Wan and Anakin, how they’re fated to know each other. I’m a sucker for soulmates, what can I say? 

9. Lost Stars reads like a movie. Not a script, but just the perfect amount of detail that you can imagine the scenes but the pacing is still quick, the dialogue smooth and natural. I couldn’t help wishing this was a film because the story was so all-encompassing. The highs and lows of the emotions of both protagonists, their relationship developing, the differences in culture. Folks, this book has it all! It’s a totally different perspective on the events of the original trilogy, seen from the side of Imperial cadets training to become pilots. Eventually, one splits off and joins the Rebellion while the other perseveres in the Empire. It’s like star-crossed lovers, but covers so much more ground than that. And the characters are fully developed. These original characters knocked my socks off, and that’s hard to do since I’m usually an Obi-Wan stan through and through. For anyone uncertain of reading Star Wars novels, this book is a great place to start. Action-packed, emotion-filled, and stands on its own despite weaving perfectly into the established universe. What more could you want?

10. Back at it again with the prequel shit, amiright? Queen’s Peril is E.K. Johnston’s most recent Padme-centric novel and it does not disappoint fans that wanted a taste of the Queen’s side of the story. Set during the events of The Phantom Menace, we get a “behind the curtain” look at how all of the handmaidens came to be more than their title suggests. There’s teenage girls getting stuff done! It makes more sense why Padme was elected ruler of her home-world, and you come to appreciate that a royal leader is not alone; there’s actually a whole team at her side to help her overcome everything from the drudgery of daily governing to Trade Federation blockades that threaten to starve her people. I think if you enjoyed Queen’s Shadow, you’ll enjoy this book a lot. For those that are unfamiliar with Johnston’s work, I wouldn’t recommend this one first because it does cover events you’ve already seen in movies and therefore is a less suspenseful companion to them. On the other hand, because it does tie in with TPM, it doesn’t suffer from the pacing issues of Queen’s Shadow to the same degree. I read this all in one sitting, so it’s definitely fun, but wasn’t compelling enough in its character development to elevate the book past some of the others I’ve listed already.

11. Thrawn: Treason was a refreshing return to the Grand Admiral we all know and love after the second installment in this series slowed things down a bit. Although it wasn’t as character-driven as the first book (which I love with all of my heart), there were still many moments that had me cackling at the disparity between Thrawn’s immense intellect and the other Imperials’ sheer stupidity, and that’s what we’re here for in a book about the Empire, right? There’s a lot of pressure on Thrawn, as his TIE Defender project has been pitted against Director Krennic’s Project Stardust. Who will get the funds? We just don’t know?? Tarkin sits in between the two and as usual, manipulates everything to his advantage. Palpatine questions Thrawn’s allegiance to the Empire after some of the choices he has made, leaving him in even more of a pickle. Thrawn is sent on a wild goose chase task that should definitely end in failure (on purpose because Imperials all want to watch each other burn as much as they want to watch the Rebellion burn), but you know Thrawn will find a way. My main squeeze Eli Vanto makes his return after being absent from book 2. Missed you, my sweet sweet country boy. He doesn’t have a leading role in this novel, but every scene he’s in makes the story better. Thrawn says “perhaps” way too often for my taste, but if you can ignore that, this book is a solid read. Equal parts action and deductive reasoning, as any Thrawn book should be.

12. Most of Dark Disciple had me thinking this was going to be a top tier book, and damn do I wish we could have gotten this animated. We follow Quinlan Vos and Asajj Ventress on a mission to assassinate Count Dooku. Why the Jedi thought this was a good idea, I don’t know. But I’m here for it all the same. 3/4 of the adventure were intriguing, but the ending didn’t do it for me. I won’t spoil things for anyone who hasn’t read this yet, but after all of the character development, to have it squandered so quickly just left me disappointed? I got really attached to everyone in this novel, and I’m sure you will to. I’ve read this and listened to it as an audiobook, and actually I think it’s more memorable as an audiobook. Would recommend, except for Mace Windu’s voice being exceptionally southern for no reason. Weird. I think this novel captures all of the great things about The Clone Wars show; time to really get to know each character and their motivations, action and adventure with the darkness of impending doom tinting everything, and lightsaber fights! Plus, Obi-Wan and Anakin make appearances in this book and it just adds that extra bit of spice. Worth the read, even if you know they aren’t going to get Dooku in the end (which I am still mad about, screw that guy).

Jedi Knight: Passed the Trials but There’s Room for Improvement

13. Few books in the Star Wars universe are centered around characters with no use of the Force, but in Most Wanted, we see a young Han Solo and Qi’ra struggling to survive on Corellia and it provides a humorous but compelling backstory to both characters in the Disney canon. Han is his usual lucky goofball self, and Qi’ra is smart and cunning. You can see how they grew into the versions of themselves in Solo. While the book stays on the lighter side of things (typical of stories written for a younger audience), there are still moments of depth on droid rights, viewing the Force as a religion, and what life is like in a crime syndicate. Addressing these heavier topics without it killing the pace of the story is hard to do, but Rae Carson pulls it off flawlessly. I went into this book with no expectations and was pleasantly surprised by how much fun I had. Han and Qi’ra start off as competitors, but eventually have to learn to work together to survive as more and more people start hunting them down. They’re honestly so cute together, I loved their dynamic. It makes Solo a better movie, and although I liked it on its own, characters like Qi’ra needed a little more time to get to know, which you can get here!

14. Thrawn Alliances was not what I expected at all, and it took me a lot longer to get through. Hell, it has Thrawn, Anakin/Vader, and Padme in it! What’s not to love? Apparently, a lot. The different timepoints and perspectives in this were more jarring than anything else. Although the interactions between Thrawn and Anakin/Vader were enjoyable, it was not enough to elevate this book into the Jedi Master tier. Things felt dry, the characters didn’t grip me like in the first Thrawn, and it all felt like a ploy to introduce Batuu into canon before the launch of Galaxy’s Edge.

15. Leia: Princess of Alderaan was a dive into young Leia’s life before we see her in A New Hope even though this was marketed as a journey to The Last Jedi book, which I disagree with. We really haven’t seen any content about Leia in this time period before, and although I can’t say I was looking for this, I did enjoy it. The book was a little long, but there was adventure and the seeds are planted for Leia to be a bigger part of the Rebellion. The romance wasn’t too memorable, but Holdo wasn’t pointless in this (a stark contrast to her brief appearance in TLJ just to sacrifice herself). There’s a hint about Leia being Force-sensitive but it’s not in-your-face. It’s a typical coming-of-age story but in the gffa. The best part about this is seeing Bail and Breha as parents. I’m forever in pain that we didn’t get to see more of this in movies because it’s so so sweet. Leia must choose what kind of person she is going to be--and what kind of princess she will become. It won’t be for everyone, but I liked it.

16. Master and Apprentice was a typical Star Wars novel, which means it’s full of original characters that are strange and outlandish to serve the plot, a new world full of beautiful landscapes, and Obi-Wan suffering. I want to make it clear that this book is 80% Qui-Gon, 10% Rael Averross, and 10% Obi-Wan. I was expecting it to be 50% Qui-Gon, 50% Obi-Wan, as the cover suggested. Although I was disappointed by that, the story overall was okay. Qui-Gon is kind of an asshole in this? When is he not, though. We really get to sink our teeth into the way he and Obi-Wan fundamentally disagree with each other, so much so that their teacher-student relationship is falling apart. Tragic! They go on one last mission before calling it quits. Qui-Gon is in over his head with prophecies, Obi-Wan just wants to follow the rules, and Rael Averross is Dooku’s previous apprentice that is living his best life as a regent until Pijal’s princess comes of age. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a solid book. I just don’t vibe with Qui-Gon and want to whack him upside the head every time he avoids confrontation with his own student. My protectiveness for Obi-Wan is showing again, isn’t it? Yikes.

17. James Luceno is one of the most analytical authors I’ve ever read anything from, but it seems to always work? Tarkin is all about...well, Moff Tarkin. He’s ruthless, intelligent, and just downright evil. His backstory was compelling and I found myself drawn into the story by the details, although it is dense and took awhile to finish. I’m not interested in him as a character, but despite that, I enjoyed this story. The plot wasn’t memorable enough for me to recall after 3 years, but it’s similar to how Thrawn rose through the ranks of the Navy, just in a different part of the Empire’s governing body. We don’t get many books completely focused on a villain (I don’t count Vader ones because we know who he was before and the whole damn saga is about him), but this one is good! Don’t be fooled by it only being in the Knight tier. I think people who read a lot of sci-fi will like this book a lot. This is like the opposite of Queen’s Shadow, basically. If you had gripes about that book, you might like this one instead.

18. Battlefront II: Inferno Squad was a worthwhile read for anyone who played Battlefront II. Iden Versio is a great protagonist in the game, and I think Christie Golden totally gets her character. She’s nuanced and relatable. The whole team is interesting and getting introduced to each member before the events of the game makes everything mean more. That’s the real goal of any prequel story, I think. Accomplished! The action scenes are on point, the plot served to highlight what makes Inferno Squad special, and you get a sense for the morally grey area anyone must function in as an operative for the Empire. Although not necessary for the greater canon, it’s a great adventure. Iden and her squad members infiltrate the remains of Saw Gerrara’s group (they’ve become a bit of extremist) and destroy them from the inside. It’s got the suspense of a spy thriller and all of the nerdy space opera elements you expect from Star Wars. Although it’s weird to jump into a story not knowing any of the characters, you’ll get attached to Inferno Squad fast. Well, except for Gideon Hask maybe. He’s kind of a dick.

19. If you’re craving some Dark Side action, Lords of the Sith will give you what you’re looking for. Sidious and Vader crash-land on Ryloth and have to work together to survive, and also defeat the Free Ryloth Movement led by Cham Syndulla. It’s all fucking connected, guys. I love when people weave together stories that fit into the canon timeline like this, bringing in side characters and allowing them to develop some depth. And a chance to sink into the mind of a Sith Lord is always fun, if you’re in the mood to read about destruction and anger. It’s cathartic sometimes. If you’re always wondering, why didn’t Vader just stab Palps when he had the chance, this book explains their dynamic more. It didn’t really change my opinion of any of the characters, which is why it’s not higher on the list.

20. Catalyst suffered from being in a really boring part of galactic history. Despite that, Galen Erso and Orson Krennic have a hilarious relationship that I would have loved to see on-screen. This book really develops Krennic to become more than just the whiny entitled evil man we saw in Rogue One. He’s ten times worse now! But I mean that in the best way, I laugh whenever he’s in a scene, that sassy man just brings me joy. James Luceno is at it again, making things as detailed and dry as possible. I read so many of his stories right at the beginning of my journey through Star Wars canon and it’s a wonder I didn’t quit. Some of them are dark as fuck. And also slow as hell. With this one, I think it all comes down to what you want out of a Star Wars novel. Some people will really enjoy the plot. I think seeing how Galen became a part of Project Stardust was interesting and every time something about the Death Star became more clear, I screeched because I knew what it would eventually become. This book may not hold your interest though, which is why I put it lower on this list.

21. Star Wars: Clone Wars was a decent retelling of the Clone Wars movie. I liked it because I liked the movie, but you have to be able to sit back and enjoy the ride, not thinking too much about the silly parts. For that reason, it’s pretty far down in the rankings. Ahsoka is young and liable to get on your nerves. I certainly wasn’t her biggest fan at this point in the series. The biggest problem is that Karen Traviss is very anti-Jedi. Some authors for Star Wars tend to do this? To me, it’s weird. I didn’t notice it too much because it was one of the first Star Wars books I read, but it contrasts starkly with the truth of the prequel trilogy and some of the other entries in the Clone Wars Novel timeline, like Karen Miller’s books. Needless to say, although this book wasn’t super memorable aside from the familiar plot, it kept me reading Star Wars books, and so it is at least an average book. Plus, any content with Anakin and the clones is worth it for me. I love them.

22. A New Hope was good, for Alan Dean Foster. I’m not a fan, I’ll be honest. But this novelization stands on it’s own. I’m going to have to do a re-read to really go in depth on why this isn’t farther up on the tier list, but the movie is always going to be better to me. If you want to re-live the great beginning of the Original Trilogy, it’s worth your time. I mean, the story is full of adventure and mystery and lovable characters. What’s not to love? I just feel like the movie really elevates the narrative with a great score and fun character design/costumes/sets.

Padawan: These Books Have Much to Learn

23. Attack of the Clones was more entertaining than The Phantom Menace because the characters are in funnier situations. Obi-Wan and Anakin chasing Zam Wesell through the levels of Coruscant? Hilarious, just like the movie. Anakin and Padme falling in love as they spend time together? Holy fuck it’s so much better than the movie. Please read it for that alone. Outside of that, the writing style didn’t really impress me. And my experience with it wasn’t super memorable. There was potential to really make the inner dialogue of these characters impactful, to really develop the story of Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Padme beyond what we could get from the movie scenes alone. I didn’t think it went above and beyond there. Not a bad story at all, but you don’t get to look at Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman, or Ewan McGregor the whole time either, so therefore I must rank it lower. So many beautiful people in that movie, holy shit. You can understand my, dilemma, yes?

24. I enjoyed parts of The Phantom Menace book, like deleted scenes with Anakin living on Tatooine before Qui-Gon and Padme meet him. The additional depth is lovely, but I think a story like Queen’s Peril adds more to TPM than this book does. The story overall is still fun. I love this movie so much, it’s hard for me to be critical. I did put a lot of post-it flags in my copy, so it does develop the characters and get you thinking beyond your expectations from the movie. What more could you ask for from a movie novelization? I’d say not much, if I hadn’t read Revenge of the Sith and had my fucking mind blown. In comparison to that, this one is just okay.

25. The Last Jedi novelization wasn’t bad, necessarily. It tried its best to bring this story up to par with some of the interesting novels that don’t have movie counterparts. But still, the plot suffers because of how this movie was made. It’s very focused on Rey and Kylo, and Finn’s little adventure with Rose seems pointless in the grand scheme of things. I’d rather read this again versus watching the film, but that’s all I’ll say on this because I’m trying to keep my opinions on this movie to myself to avoid digging up old arguments. Jason Fry did well, and of the two Sequel Trilogy books I’ve read, I would recommend this one over Ep. 7.

26. The Force Awakens falls short and I think it’s because of Alan Dean Foster’s writing style on this one? It didn’t really expand on anything from the movie, while taking away the beautiful music and visuals. This novel is the antithesis of Revenge of the Sith’s novelization, and for that reason I ranked it fairly low. I wouldn’t read this one unless you really really love the Sequel Trilogy.

27. To be fair, I read the new Thrawn book before I went back and read this one. Even so, Heir to the Empire didn’t impress me at all. Thrawn didn’t seem like a thrilling villain with lots of depth like he did in Timothy Zahn’s reimagined Thrawn novel. We barely saw him. A lot of time was spent on the Original Triology’s trio, which waasn’t bad. I thought Luke, Leia, and Han were all written fairly well. The latter part of the story was redeemed by the interactions between Mara Jade and Luke, for sure. Enemies to lovers, anyone?? Without Thrawn, this book would have been an entertaining story, but for all of the praise it has received from long-time Star Wars fans, I was expecting to be blown away and I wasn’t. Maybe I have to continue the triology to figure out what all of the fuss is about, but after this one, I’m not super motivated to read more. Change my mind?

28. Cloak of Deception really shines when you’re following Palpatine’s perspective because you can feel the undercurrents of his master plan to destroy the Republic underneath his calm persona as a Senator. Other than that, it’s a forgettable plot. This is all about galactic politics and some terrorist group trying to blow up some government officials. Basically the most boring parts of the prequel trilogy. I listened to the audiobook of this at the beginning of this year and I already forget what it’s about. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan should have been able to bring some humor and energy to get you rooting for the good guys,  but there was barely any of that. I was disappointed in all of the characters. Everything felt distant, removed from the heart of the characters. Some people in reviews have argued that the events of The Phantom Menace really pinned this novel in a corner because you already know what happens, but I disagree, because we know how Revenge of the Sith goes and The Clone Wars show is that much more tragic and heartbreakingly beautiful because of it. Prequels can be done right. This ain’t it, Luceno. Sorry.

29. Star Wars: The Old Republic, Fatal Alliance needs to go home and rethink it’s life. I’m a huge fan of the Old Republic and I’ve put like 200 hours of my life into playing that game, so I was hoping for some fun content in this part of the timeline. Sadly, this book captured the worst parts of the game, like the fact that there’s way too many factions at war with each other. Jedi, Sith, Empire, Republic, Mandalorians. They’re all here. They’re all ready to throw down. And I’m tired. As with many of the books in this lower tier, I felt there wasn’t enough description of the world or the people in the story. We’re in the gffa, be a little weird and wacky. Be big and bold! Make things terrifying, or beautiful, or both. But give my mind something to work with. The number of characters made the plot messier than it could have been, and it definitely isn’t worth the read. I can’t speak for all Old Republic books, but this one didn’t impress me.

A Sith Lord?! On My Bookshelf? It’s More Likely Than You’d Think

30. So underwhelming, you might as well just read the first half and then stop. Last Shot is absolutely terrible, except for Lando Calrissian’s characterization, which was spot-on. If the whole story had been from his perspective, I probably would have a much difference opinion on the novel as a whole. Sadly, this is not the case. Han was boring, he bottled up his emotions, and seemed drastically different from the badass he was in the original trilogy. There are different timepoints in this novel, and in all of them, Han is unrecognizable. Don’t nerf one of your main characters like that. Daniel Jose Older and I might just not get along. I thought his writing style didn’t fit Star Wars at all. It was like breaking the fourth wall, totally pulling me out of the story constantly. Also, there were little to no descriptions of body language, locations, or movement. It left me feeling disoriented the whole time I was reading. I thought one of the most interesting things would have been seeing Han, Leia, and baby Ben being a family at this point in time, but Han’s family was there as a prop, nothing more. There was a big bad item that was going to cause galactic destruction and our heroes had to go save the day. There was barely any tension and no one lost an arm so I’m pretty pissed off. Is it Star Wars if no one gets their appendage removed? I can’t tell you how much I disliked this book. Which is sad because I was hoping to enjoy it. I like Han. I like Lando. I like space adventures. I’m not that hard to please, or at least I don’t think so.

#Star Wars Novels #tier ranking #long post #i worked hard to put my thoughts into words for you guys #i read these books over a long period of time but I thought I'd encompass all of it in one post #sw lit #i've had so much fun becoming a part of this fandom #and I love the conversations about the books and the gffa in general #hopefully this will inspire some discussion! #i would love you guys to make tier rankings as well #they're always my favorite youtube videos to watch

[lilydalexf]

I'm going to assume you mean "abduction" as in "kidnapping," since that's sort of like a hostage situation and since including canon abductions would make this list absolutely massive and hard to ever finish. So here are some good fics with Mulder and/or Scully involved in a kidnapping or hostage situation. Enjoy! 34 Hours by Leyla Harrison It's Mulder's worst nightmare when Scully is kidnapped – and it's the greatest terror Scully has ever faced. Can Mulder get to her before time runs out? Access Denied by Pam Gamble Mulder and Scully have been dating for some time, but secretly. Scully is missing (and I *swear* she wasn't abducted by aliens this time) and Mulder's search brings back haunting memories for both of them. (Sequel to Enough and Indiscreet) All the Way Home by Syntax6 (@syntax6) A tale of shoes and death. (Sequels: Head Over Heels and Every Evil) Basketball Therapy by Kel Set shortly before Tithonus, this story explores life in the bullpen, where tedium and background checks are the order of the day. When Scully gets drawn into an investigation at a Maryland hospital, Mulder gets trapped in a deadly hostage situation. The Best Lies by Julie Fortune When Scully is caught in a bad situation, it's going to cost Mulder everything he holds dear to get her free. (Refresh the page or copy/paste the link if it doesn’t work, or use this alt link) The Bitter Taste of Revenge by Jill Selby As Mulder leads a desperate search, Scully learns the price she must pay for deliverance from the hands of a madman. Butterflies All Tied Up by bugs (@it-is-bugs) M/S are back to work at the X-files, but a madman in their midst finally sends their relationship in a new direction, and someone is watching. Certitude by Kevin Glasser Mulder and Scully are taken off the ice, but they wouldn’t call it being rescued. City of Light by Bonetree On the run through the American Southwest, Scully and Mulder flee the shadowy forces of Owen Curran and Padden's government agents, who threaten their freedom and their lives. On the way, they must also struggle with their own demons, which threaten to tear them apart. (3rd story in the Goshen Universe) Dark Beyond the Stars by Mesa The bonds that tie us to one another are complex and tangled. Mulder and Scully and Skinner must face the possible severing and reforming of alliances; Krycek and Marita make an unexpected gamble. A Dark Slide of Ecstasy by Shalimar What if you had nothing left but a dream? Where does the dream stop and reality begin? The Darkest Hour by Prufrock's Love The Consortium intends to destroy Mulder by traumatizing Scully, but instead, Mulder learns two lessons: his capacity to love, and her ability live. Desideratum by Rachel Anton and Laura Blaurosen How far is too far to go in the name of love? Falling Stars by Julie Fortune He can't remember how he came to be here, on this chair, in this cold room. He is afraid, but the fear is formless and weak, like a newborn. Nothing seems to matter very much. First Stone part 1, part 2 by Pellinor Three agents working on the same murder case have apparently committed suicide. While investigating, Mulder makes a painful discovery that puts him in real danger of becoming the fourth. / Three agents have killed themselves after suffering far less than Mulder has already suffered. As the danger grows, can Scully confront her own guilt in time to save Mulder from his? Folly by RivkaT (@rivkat) Scully gives Pendrell a chance. Heuvelmans' On the Track by @mashnotesofthemythopoeic In which Scully becomes a Consortium doctor, and Mulder moves heaven and earth. Lesser Evils by Hannah Mason Mulder thought that no one could ever want Scully as much as he did. He was dead wrong. Letting Go by Joann Humby Mulder goes solo on a case in San Francisco. But when the killer isn't what he was expecting, he needs the SF PD and the FBI's finest to help him out. Lock and Key by Amy Vincent A deranged FBI agent holds Scully and Skinner hostage. Nowhere to Hide by Thalia DMuse Someone from Scully's past resurfaces. Queen's Gambit by Suzanne Schramm Queen's Gambit: A chess strategy in which a player sacrifices key pieces in order to win. Snow by LuvTheBeez Mulder and a very pregnant Scully are caught in a hostage situation. Tam Lin by Pequod When your local young men disappear, only to turn up dead a year later, sometimes it helps to have friends in high places. Myth and murder combine in a remote Scottish village, and Mulder and Scully investigate. The Fairy Queen is out to revenge the loss of her most prized knight, Tam Lin. Mulder believes but Scully’s not so sure, until Mulder takes a walk in the woods. Tangible by Blueswirl and Meredith Sometimes, to have anything, one must be willing to risk everything. Three Little Words by Karen Rasch Mulder and Scully get drawn into a trap by a murderer who well aware of Mulder's greatest weakness, and is more than willing to use it against him. (1st story in the Words series) Truncated by Lysandra Scully and Mulder find themselves in a tight spot. Spooning ensues. Unnatural Disaster by Michaela It's hard enough when your mistakes come back to haunt you. Harder still when you're a federal agent. Hardest yet when your partner's help is the first thing you need, but the last thing you want ... Walking the Cage by Deborah L. Wells A strange sequence of events are put into play after a heated argument between Mulder and Scully.

#new post #fic rec #roundup #xfiles fanfic #xf fanfic #this list got surprisingly long #sorry #but not too sorry #yay fic

[porta-decumana]

Introducing Lillian Willows...

Formally, I guess, because I’m basically making her into a secondary character on this blog, although Kaida will still be my focus!  A full profile/page for Lillian will be made in the near future but I just wanted to do an intro post for her because I regret not really doing one for Kaida when I started posting here.

CW: References to alcoholism, abuse, domestic violence.

BASICS// Name: Lillian Willows Age: 25 years old Gender: Female Sexuality: Heterosexual Race: Hyur, Midlander with some Highlander Ancestry

RESIDENCE & FAMILY// Place of Birth: Quarrymill, The Black Shroud Current Residence: Quarrymill, The Black Shroud Parents: Harald Willows & Fiona Willows Siblings: n/a Significant Other: Avannaut of the Redbelly Bandits (married) TALENTS AND SKILLS// Job Stone Acquired: Red Mage (Canonical Verse), White Mage (Dark AU) Classes Trained in: Botanist, White Mage (Dark AU) Additional: Lillian is self-taught at reading and writing.  She did this in order to learn more about botany so she could provide for her family.  However as a side effect of this, she also took up poetry writing, though is very hesitant to show anyone her works.  She is surprisingly eloquent for a woman that grew up in the slums of Quarrymill, her house no more than a 2-room shack with little in terms of luxuries.  She bases most of her speech after high society in hopes it will make people see past a woman who is a mere notch above destitution.

PERSONALITY// Likes: Walking in the woods, flowers, feeling in control, poetry, romance novels, the color purple, butterflies Dislikes: Hypocrisy, alcohol, strangers, when people raise their voices Description: Lillian has an outward demeanor that would likely make a winter in Ishgard seem warm.  Life has not been exceptionally kind to her-- she was born into a happy home that turned cold and sour by the time she was five years old.  She has only known a life in which her parents argued and that has constantly acted as a source of fuel for her to get out of the house.  She works nonstop to provide for her parents and herself, knowing her mother too mentally broken to do much other than knit and her father too drunk to get out the door some days.  Botany provides an escape for her and the escape provides some semblance of peace-- enough to keep her sane.  Her outward personality is no-nonsense, strategical, and efficient in everything she does.  Lillian acts to survive until the next day.  It’s for these reasons she comes across as uncaring.  Inwardly, however, Lillian is more attached to good morals than she would like to admit.  But her rage is palatable; a tedious build of frustrations over her life that she fears one day will swallow her.

HISTORY//

Born in Quarrymill to Harald Willows and Fiona Willows.  Harald is an ex-Ala Mhigan veteran who was discharged after receiving a near fatal blow that left him with chronic pains and Fiona is a Gridanian native with a history in weaving and botany.

Harald begins turning to alcohol to deal with his depression/chronic pain.  Fiona and Lillian are subjected to his drunken rampages.  Lillian is 5 years old when this starts.

Lillian starts learning writing, reading, and botany, getting started with the help of her mother but largely teaching herself.  She continues her studies through her childhood.

At the age of 21, Lillian is kidnapped by Redbelly bandits looking to make gil off of ransoming her.  One of the Redbellies, Avannaut, convinces the others to let her go.  She returns to Quarrymill and does not report the incident.  Avannaut and Lillian run into each other a week later and Lillian offers to teach him reading and writing as a “thank you” for letting her go. This turns into a romantic relationship that is kept secret from everyone else.

When Lillian turns 24, Avannaut proposes to her and they wed in secret.  Lillian remains living with her parents and sees her husband occasionally.  Avannaut eventually decides this is not the life he wants for her and decides to enlist in the Ala Mhigan army, since they will not know him as a bandit.  Lillian lets him do this reluctantly and Avannaut leaves for Gyr Abania, becoming an archer in the army. He tells her he will send for her when he has enough gil for them to buy a home in the Ala Mhigan Quarter.  This is around the events of 5.4.

Avannaut goes missing and Lillian is distraught beyond belief.  In a bid to find her missing husband, she goes to Gridania in hopes she can hire an adventurer to track him down with the pitiful amount of coin she has to offer.  The story from here will be written in fic-form but will involve her finding a Red Mage job stone.

And then, of course, there’s the Dark AU version of Lillian...

The Dark AU -- Dawn’s Last Light/Matron of the Boughs (contains fic spoilers)//

This AU exists alongside Kaida’s Dark AU, Dawn’s Last Light, which is featured in my longfic, The Last Light of Dawn.  In this verse, Garlemald launches a massive invasion against Eorzea and the Black Shroud sees all of the Padjal slain but Kan-E-Senna.  The Elementals go wild, many of them perishes or giving in to a berserk-like rage as the aether is disturbed greatly during the invasion.  In a gambit to right the destabilized aether in the land, a handful of Elementals approach the fleeing members of Gridanian society and grant them blessings that make them into a new generation of Padjal.  Lillian, who loses both her parents as Quarrymill burns, is selected.  However, her grief over the loss of her family and her husband, Avannaut (who presumably died in the invasion), is so great that it overcomes her.  She discards her name, taking up the name Almeria instead, and vows her vengeance.  When Kan-E-Senna decides to surrender to the Garleans, Almeria turns on her and her fellow Padjali colleagues.  She assassinates them all and tosses them into the depths of the Palace of the Dead, not knowing she did not successfully kill Kan-E-Senna.  She declares to the remnants of Gridania that the peace talks were unsuccessful, resulting in the deaths of all of the other Padjal, and is crowned as their loving Matron.  She then begins her plan to take revenge on Garlemald.

#lillian willows #long post #character profile #hyur #midlander #verse; dawn's last light #verse; the matron of the boughs #almeria

[theserpentsadvocate]

I'm using @jaqofspades's encouraging words as an excuse to post teasers of the longer VM fics I'm working on (since they're more interested in the V/W stuff than the J/E stuff, and the latter is all I have finished because all the Veronica/Weevil fics are going to be long).

The Revenge Gambit

The laughter among the PCHers took on a darker edge at the reminder that she was the sheriff’s daughter. Veronica forced herself to ignore it, to act confident. To be like Lilly, a voice whispered in her mind, but she refused to listen. She’d do whatever she had to to beat Lilly at her own game, and she wasn’t going to be swayed now.

She shrugged casually. “I figured you’d want to piss Lilly off as much as I do, but…”

Something about his demeanour changed sharply, although he didn’t move from his casual position; the smile vanished. “What do I care about Lilly Kane?”

“I don’t know,” Veronica said. “What do you care about Lilly Kane?”

Something darker than anger flashed over his face, and for a moment she remembered all too sharply what he was capable of.

“If you want to talk privately…” she offered, trying to sound casual and not sure if she made it. Being alone with him felt insanely risky, but antagonizing him in front of his entire gang was a bad move.

And she was going to have to be alone with him either way.

“Yeah, you know what?” He reached out and grabbed her upper arm. Veronica forced herself not to flinch. “That does sound good. Let’s talk privately.” He made it sound sexual enough that the PCHers hooted and catcalled, but his eyes held nothing but threat.

The Hearst AU

“I didn’t change my locks, you know,” Weevil said, opening the door.

“Pardon?”

“I didn’t change the locks. The key you definitely didn’t copy along with the rest of them – the ones you also definitely didn’t copy even though you never need my help to sneak into the offices anymore? That key, with which you have absolutely not broken into my home on multiple occasions, usually to accuse me of assorted felonies? It still works.”

“You wound me,” she told him, pouting.

He pulled the door a little wider, stepping aside. “I think you just like me jumping up to do things for you.”

“Got to keep you on your toes,” she agreed with exaggerated good cheer.

He rolled his eyes, retreating back to the kitchen area. “Want a beer?”

“Better not,” Veronica said before she could think better of it. He stiffened a little, saying nothing, and she cursed herself, the awkwardness suddenly bringing the memory of the last time he’d offered her a beer sharply to mind.

She’d like to blame her current predicament on that, but the truth was neither of them had had more than one.

The Zombie AU (this one is lower on my list and the excerpt has almost no canon characters in it but it does exist)

There were probably worse things than weathering the actual apocalypse in a Starbucks storeroom with Peter from work and his new girlfriend, at least in the realm of apocalypses, but nothing topped it for surrealism.

Caleb couldn’t say exactly why Peter had called him over, but they’d barely had a chance to say hello before someone had climbed over the counter and started chewing on the barista’s forehead, and now they were all crouched in the back room with boxes full of flavour syrups their only defence against actual zombies.

The girlfriend, whose name might have been Jane, was freaking out about her kid, but she still had it more together than Peter, who kept muttering about hallucinogenic spores and the National Guard until Caleb had to clap a hand over his mouth so they didn’t get eaten.

*

And as a bonus, this excerpt from the Alternaverse fic, which is basically the only thing I have, because I don't want to risk contradicting myself later:

“I screwed up a lot. With Logan. With Yolanda.” She pulled a hesitant face. “You know, with Aaron.” She brushed a hand against Veronica’s arm without touching her or moving from where she was standing. “You and Duncan. With Weevil. Even my parents.” She shrugged. “But here’s the thing – I was sixteen.”

Lilly pulled back suddenly, bright as she’d always been, solemnity gone. “Oh, here – ask me how old I am.”

“Lilly…” Veronica’s voice was tight with tears. She knew how old Lilly was. She knew exactly how old Lilly was. Seeing her made her so much younger than even the memories.

“Come on!”

“How old are you?”

Lilly leaned in, somehow a few feet away and also a few inches away. “Sixteen,” she intoned in a hushed voice. Then – “Ask me how long I’ve been sixteen.”

The past nineteen years burned in Veronica’s chest. She forced out, “How long have you been sixteen?”

Lilly lowered her voice into a deep monotone, scowling intensely at Veronica. “A while.” There was a long, silent beat, and then she burst into hysterical giggles.

(Jade/Eli under the cut)

I meant to have the long depressing fic finished by now, but the 'brief summary of her worldview and their relationship breakdown' that I meant to start with is clocking in at 12 pages in Word, and I just started a new job, so... well, here's a taste of it:

It didn’t keep him off the bike, either. For a while she asked him where he was when he got home late, as if the idea of having to tell her would stop him from doing anything too awful, too permanent – or at least that the idea of lying to her would. He’d always been honest with her, at least, and Jade clutched at that as hard as she could, because surely that still meant something.

But he didn’t tell her, and he didn’t bother lying to her. “I was with Hector,” he said, or “I was with Dante,” or “I was with Arturo.” (Sometimes he said, “I was working,” and she was almost sure he was telling the truth, but there was a part of her that was absolutely terrified that working meant something different now.)

She started asking what he was doing with Hector or Dante or Arturo, and he shrugged, or he said “Riding,” or just, “Nothing important,” and Jade wanted to scream and cry, to rip at her hair, to fall to her knees and grab his shirt and beg him not to do whatever he’s doing, to not get arrested or hurt, to forget about the bad blood and the PCH and just come home to her and Valentina and stay safe, but instead she would go cold, repeat back what he said in a brittle voice, and turn away when he came to bed. (The last time he almost didn’t come home to them it was because he stopped to help someone in his truck, in the slacks and button-down he wore to his high school reunion. She knows that, she knows that, she does, but he still has choices, doesn’t he?)

#veronica mars #eli navarro #weevil navarro #fanfic #my own work #jaqofspades #tagging you because i just could not make it work in the body of the post for some reason #revenge gambit fic

[zaharadessert]

The Halloween Gambit (3/7)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, Whump

Length: 7 Chapters, about 12k in total?

Summary: Bar wench and orphan, Emma Swan is taken captive to lure Captain Hook to the noose. Things don't turn out as her captors expect.

Notes: Title and Chapter Titles are all chess moves. I have no idea what they are, I just liked the names. Huge thanks to @kmomof4​ for betaing, and a massive thank you for the cshalloweek2022 prompts @cshalloweek​!

Tagging: @jrob64​ @xhookswenchx​ @kmomof4​ @wefoundloveunderthelight​ @superchocovian​ @lfh1226-linda​ @teamhook​ @jonesfandomfanatic​ @tiganasummertree​ @onceratheart18​ @snowbellewells​ @karlyfr13s​ @itsfabianadocarmo @ouatpost @ultraluckycatnd​ @winterbaby89​ @thepirateandhisson​ @xarandomdreamx​ @xsajx​ @captainswan21​ @spaceconveyor @pirateprincessofpizza @sparlecorn93​ @hollyethecurious​ @ammelia​

As always, let me know if you’d like me to add you to my taglist for future fics :)

From the Beginning on AO3

- - - - -

27th October Knives / red play | glint | “You’re still alive” | bloody

- - - - -

Emma didn’t know how long she had left, or how long she had been sitting in the brig, but sitting alone in the dark was worse than she’d expected. It was cold, damp, and there was nothing but her thoughts to keep her company.

As sky high as her walls had been, as much as she had spent years perfecting the art of not letting anyone get close enough to hurt her… Captain Hook, a notorious pirate of all things, had scaled those walls easily with his charm and innuendos. Had seen right into her soul without her needing to spell it out, and she’d seen into his in return.

She’d fallen in love with him, a man who kept leaving, but who kept coming back and bringing with him a smile that made her think that maybe there was more to what they were doing than the time they spent together in her bed.

But he’d told her about his revenge, about the woman who’d been taken from him. She’d never imagined she could compare to that, and she also knew his freedom was the most important thing of all. He wouldn’t give any of that up for her. She was going to be pulled down to the depths by mermaids, never to be seen again.

But he would still be out there, still free. Maybe he’d think of her enough that he’d add her onto his revenge as an afterthought if the opportunity to do so arose.

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Continued on AO3

#cshalloweek #cs ff #Captain Swan #ZaharaDessert writes #apparently I art too #captain hook #emma swan #captain/wench

[fullmetalscullyy]

2 & 7 for the asks?? ily emma!!! hope ur having a fantastic week mwAH <3 🥰🥳💖💞🙆🏻‍♀️

aaaa eri tysm!!! i am tyty hope u are as well m'dear ILY 🥰💖

has a comment someone left on a fic of yours ever made you cry?

no, but i've come close. esp when i was going through a particularly rough time both personally and when i was really struggling w my view/relationship towards my writing in general. and some people (ie YOU ❤💕💓💖) left some of the sweetest comments on my fics and i :''') teared up a wee bit. although p much all of the lovely comments from u and others bring me close bc they're so nice!!!! and thoughtful and insightful and i can never believe they're for me and my things lol so thank you all sm!!!

what is you favourite sentence/paragraph? read it to us! (asker can choose what fic)

omg i don't even know. i think there are a few adfsg but these three sprung to mind when i read this:

Riza entered their living room with an amused smile. Laughter made its way through to her and she wondered what was so funny. Roy was scowling at Hughes – what was new there – while everyone was laughing, most likely at Roy’s expense.

“And then he was knocked flat on his ass,” Maes stated loudly before guffawing, while Rebecca joined in with him. Edward was cackling away while Alphonse’s laugh was slightly nervous, like he felt he probably shouldn’t be laughing. Gracia just smiled, but her attention was on her daughter and Mia. Riza’s heart melted at the sight of Winry sitting on the floor, Elicia in her lap, and Mia by her side as they played with Hayate.

Mia wasn’t laughing, though. Elicia was giggling because everyone else was, but Mia’s face fell as she looked up at her father, then around at everyone in the room. Riza watched as she climbed to her feet, rushing over to Roy.

“That’s okay, Daddy,” Mia reassured him. She wrapped her arms around a surprised Roy’s neck. “You’ll always be my hero,” Riza heard her whisper in his ear. It was spoken quiet enough that the rest of them didn’t hear over their laughter, but Riza was standing behind the couch Roy was sitting on, so she heard every word.

Roy wrapped his arms tightly around Mia. “Thank you, Mia Bear,” he whispered. - the way it was chapter 16

-

She still feels she should be up and helping him at least, but she’s been given her orders. The Colonel gestures for her to hand over the towel she’d used to dry her hair, which she does. Hayate doesn’t waste a second jumping up onto the couch and stepping into her lap. All of his weight is placed across her legs, and he turns his head to stare at her, tongue lolling and eyes watching, as he pants happily. When Riza blinks at him, then cocks a questioning eyebrow, Hayate snorts quietly and curls into a ball on her lap. As Hayate sighs, finally comfortable, Riza can’t help but wonder if this is his way of telling her she’s not allowed to leave him again. He’s anchored her in place on the soft furnishing, that feels so good and welcome after a month of hard chairs and unforgiving mattresses.

Riza is completely enveloped in a warmth she’d been severely lacking at the compound, thanks to her dog and her Colonel. - king's gambit chapter 2

-

Slowly Roy shifts his weight forward and grasps her chin with care. He’s pleased to notice Hawkeye lets him. She watches him silently, eyes begging for something, but Roy doesn’t know what.

“You’re all right,” he promises. “I’ve got you.”

Her head nods, a tiny movement, before another long sigh leaves her. Hawkeye’s eyes flutter closed and her body tips forward. Roy doesn’t care for propriety as he wraps his arms securely around her. It looks like she could use the support and he’s more than happy to provide it. With her face pressed into his jacket Roy works out the kinks in her hair, running his hands through it. Her clip has disappeared, and it leaves him crestfallen to notice that. It had been a gift. To calm himself and ward off thoughts of revenge against those who had left his dear Lieutenant so shaken, Roy tries to remember where he’d bought the hairpiece last time and wonders where he’d possibly be able to buy her a new one.

Hawkeye pulls away, now composed. Without a word he helps her to her feet. He had no idea how she was faring but getting to her feet seemed promising. However, with past experience, he remembers how she’s one to shoulder and bury everything to get through, leaving it to deal with once she’s alone. For her sake, Roy hopes it is the former, that she is finally calm and ready, and not the latter. Regardless, he’d be right beside her to help. The question was whether she’d let him. - never meant to change the fire in your eyes

send me a number ✨

#ask #firewood-figs #tysm for the ask!! #dafsgdhfs sorry this is so long #i just really like those moments. and i'm v happy w them :'))) #ask meme

[padawanlost]

Hi do you have any good amidala fanfic recommendations?

Or particular star wars novels set in prequel era that you'd recommend?

Hi! Sadly, I haven’t read many fics in the past year so i no new recommendations to make beyond what’s on my fic rec tag :(

Now, if you’re interested in books i also have a book rec tag you can visit. But if you want more anidala content i’d go for:

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones novel by R. A. Salvatore

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones junior novelization by Patricia C. Wrede

The Clone Wars: No Prisoners by Karen Traviss

Clone Wars Gambit: Stealth by Karen Miller

Clone Wars Gambit: Siege by Karen Miller

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith novel by Matthew Stover

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith junior novelization by Patricia C. Wrede

#ask #herofmanyfandoms #book rec

[fulcrumahsokaamidala]

Sunday Spectacular #24

Happy Sunday!!! So this is me thanking awesome fanfic writers for their amazing work and all the time they put into their fics. ♥️ I want to recommend spectacular fanfic stories I read this week! ♥️ They are posted in the order I read them. All posts will be tagged #spectacular fic rec

Last week I didn’t post because it was my last week before spring break. I had so much homework that I didn’t read fic almost at all. I’m just adding what I read the week before to this post.

A Soul Lost at Sea by @tinaday3w​ | Arrow | WIP

Summary: Olicity Victorian AU - Five years after pirates attacked his ship, Royal Navy sailor Oliver Queen returns home to England to find his affluent family in financial ruin. So when he’s presented with the opportunity to marry Felicity, eldest daughter of the ridiculously wealthy Noah Smoak, Oliver doesn’t hesitate to capture her hand…even though he has no idea if he can capture her heart. Or if Felicity could ever possibly learn to love a soul lost at sea.

Pieces of Always by @so-caffeinated​ | Arrow | WIP

Summary: Life continues after Forever is Composed of Nows.Ongoing non-linear collection of family moments for the Queens. You do not need to have read FiCoN to enjoy this, but it will spoil the end.

A Surefire Guide to Getting Over Your Ex  by lilbluednacer | Arrow | Completed

Summary: Felicity and Oliver can totally start sleeping together without ruining their friendship… right?

An Island Of His Own Making by @realityisoverrated-fic​ | Arrow | One-shot

Summary: Oliver broke up with Felicity and Tommy because it was the right thing to do, at least, that's what he keeps telling himself.

The Green Arrow Did It by @realityisoverrated-fic​ | Arrow | One-shot

Summary: Tommy is on the other side of the country. Oliver is at work. Felicity is home alone with the twins. The twins might be ninjas.

Pas de Deux by @realityisoverrated-fic​ | Arrow | One-shot

Summary: With Oliver gone, Felicity and Tommy need to figure out who they are as a couple.

Workouts and Babbles by ElasticMonk | Arrow | WIP

Summary: Oliver comes to the rescue of one cute blonde at his gym just as Felicity stumbles upon one handsome mayor at her gym. They both have something in common, but will it bring them happiness?

The Daughter That Was Left Behind by @laxit21​| Arrow | WIP

Summary: Before the Gambit, Oliver Queen met QC intern Felicity Smoak. When he boarded the Gambit, he left something behind. Now, five long years later someone is waiting for him.

Artemis by @laxit21​ | Arrow | WIP

Summary: When the Queen’s Gambit sank, two people were stranded on Lian Yu. Five years later, four came back.

in another world (just the two of us) by @inlovewithimpossibillity​ | Arrow | One-shot

Summary: She knows she has no right, no place here to say anything about it, but she can’t help the images that flash through her brain. A different Connor, with a kinder face and no facial hair, a different Mia too for that matter, in a completely different place. Somewhere darker and grimier, as if the filter that seems to shine over Star City has been removed.

[When Dinah and Laurel restore the rest of FTA's memories, Mia and Connor talk through some of their issues... or at least they try to. It's a little hard when you have two lives' worth of memories in your head.]

The Miracle of the Avenging Angel by @realityisoverrated-fic​ | Arrow | One-shot

Summary: It's a typical weekend in the Merlyn-Queen-Smoak household. Temple on Friday night, church on Sunday morning, and a whole lot of smut and confusion in between. It's the 20th anniversary of the arrival of the Green Arrow in Starling City and Prue has an unusual interpretation of her superhero father.

(your love is) always on my mind by @inlovewithimpossibillity​ | Arrow | One-shot

Summary: She’s clearly taken some time to get ready and that thought alone has Oliver’s heart beating out of his chest at an abnormal rate. The concept that she wanted to look nice for him makes his heart glow in a way he’d forgotten it even could. And good lord, she looks so much more than nice.

[An evening set between 6x03 and 6x04 because we all know these two couldn't keep their hands off one another]

Baby Daddy by more0rLessJess | Arrow | WIP

Summary: Bartender Oliver Queen was living his twenties to the fullest, he lived with his best friend John Diggle, and his brother in everything but blood, Tommy Merlyn just moved into their apartment as he started his professional baseball career for the Starling City Rockets. On top of that, his childhood best friend Felicity Smoak, who was no longer goth and instead blonde and beautiful, was back in town and they were hanging out again. Oliver thought his days were going to be filled with partying, one night stands, and boys weekends while also spending quality time with the girl everyone kept telling him he was in love with. Until his ex-girlfriend dropped a baby on his doorstep who turned out to be his son. After a lot of thought and Felicity Smoak pep talks, Oliver decides to keep and raise his son with the help of his friends. Or the AU fic inspired by the Freeform sitcom Baby Daddy that no one asked for but I needed to write. Aka Oliver and Felicity are childhood friends and are hopelessly in love with each other and everyone knows but them, oh and now they’re raising a baby. What could go wrong?

It’s in the Air by @emmilynestill​ | Arrow | WIP

Summary: December 23, 2016. It’s Mayor Queen’s first-holiday party and love is in the air.

No, wait, that’s tension in the air. Bitterness. Regret. Painful longing for one’s former love. Awkward interactions with current significant others. A little humiliation mixed in. Yup, this was one great party.

Then the gas came.

Maybe love was in the air afterall.

**Just my usual lock Oliver and Felicity in a room with a mind-altering substance with a dash of holiday magic thrown in. And, by magic, I mean Sex Pollen. And maybe a little Truth Serum to stir things up.**

Always Been You by @smoaking-greenarrow​ | Arrow | WIP

Summary: On Oliver's last night in Starling, Tommy throws him a yacht party. When his little sister and her best friend show up, Oliver has a hard time hiding the torch he's always carried for Felicity. But he's leaving in the morning... They both know it can only be a one-time thing...

From Russia with Love by griever11 | Arrow | Completed

Summary: Rookie FBI Agent and resident IT extraordinaire Felicity Smoak has just landed the assignment of a lifetime. Together with Supervisory Senior Agent Diggle, she returns to Starling City undercover in an attempt to flush out the elusive Odessa gang that has been a thorn in the Bureau's side for many years.

Leader of the Russian mob Oliver Queen stumbles upon a piece of information that unfortunately requires a certain set of hacking skills that no one he knows seems to possess. Lucky for him, he comes across an unusual criminal hacker who has mysteriously turned up in Starling and funnily enough, seems just right for the job.

How's that for perfect timing?

All Her Firsts by @callistawolf​ | Arrow | WIP

Summary: Felicity Smoak visits Starling with her high school decathlon team, prepared for a week of intellectual rigors. What she doesn’t expect is the emotional roller coaster that follows as she begins to fall for her host- the totally-out-of-her-league Oliver Queen.

Almost Lover by lust_muffin | Arrow | WIP

Summary: After the siege, after the whole mess with Slade Wilson, after telling Felicity he loved her without meaning it (but totally meaning it), things hadn’t been great between them. Tension was running high, they had problems communicating when that was something that never happened before and Laurel… Laurel was making everything worse. Until one night, she went too far. And that was the point that changed their lives forever.

Or a “what would Oliver and Felicity’s life be like if they got together sooner?”

It's A Long Corgi... by @alexiablackbriar13​| Arrow | One-shot

Summary: William accidentally, secretly adopts a corgi puppy.

Felicity and Oliver eventually find out. Eventually.

Daughter of the Demon by @laxit21 | Arrow | WIP

Summary: What if in 1988 while traveling through Las Vegas Ra’s al Ghul bumps into a nice waitress named Donna Smoak and they have one-night stand together? A little bundle of joy named Felicity Smoak is the result. In 2014, the Demon Head becomes aware of his youngest daughter’s existence.

The Ravager by @laxit21 | Arrow | WIP

Summary: Slade Wilson’s plan for revenge against Oliver took time, money and no shortage of lives to pull together. His plan didn’t anticipate Felicity Smoak. How will his plan change now that his lost-lost daughter is working with the very man he’s trying to destroy?

Felicity of Themiscyra by @laxit21 | Arrow | WIP

Summary: Years ago, Donna Smoak left the island of Themiscyra and her sister Queen Hippolyta behind to live in man’s world. She never told Felicity the truth about where she came from. As a result of the Undertaking, Felicity discovers some of her Amazonian abilities and makes an interesting new friend: Diana Prince.

I Scream But No Sound Comes out by @laxit21 | Arrow | WIP

Summary: When Oliver returns from Lian Yu after five years, he comes back different. What happened there damaged more than just his body. How will his friends and family deal with this new Oliver?

#spectacular fic rec #weekly fic recs

[juniper-tree]

oh my gosh 9 for These Wild Fires.

Ah, thank you for the question! 9: Were there any alternate versions of this fic? 

You know, kinda, basically, yes! I made an attempt at an FNV story, mostly about the Courier and Arcade and their codependent relationship. I must have written it in 2011—I remember working on it at a particular cafe when I lived in NY and praying no one would read over my shoulder. I still have it! Here’s some:

She rolled off the bed and stripped down to grimy underwear. "Gotta get some sleep. I think we should get there pretty early tomorrow."

Arcade sighed. "Okay, I'm sure you don't want to talk about it, but aren't you feeling kind of crazy right now?" He stood and started to remove his own clothes. They'd lost all shyness by now. Kicked around the Wastes for a few hard months. Felt like years.

"Crazy?"

"I mean that you're going to finish things tomorrow. Time for reflection? Maybe?"

She got into bed and pulled the covers up to her chin. "Fuck no. I can't think about anything until tomorrow." A lie. She didn't want to think about that, or much else. But thoughts rattled like rocks in her broken skull, heavy and sharp. She thought about this whole fucking plan, whether it would be worth it in the end. She thought about Arcade, how he'd stuck by her for no reason, but still she wondered why. And why she was scared he'd stop sticking around. She thought about how sometimes she wished she'd never been pulled out of her grave.

Arcade flipped off the lights and climbed in beside her, groaning a little. "Do you really think I haven't figured out yet that you're a poor liar?" He turned on his side to face her in the dark. "You're so tense you're shaking the bed."

She stayed silent, gripping the edge of the sheets. Her eyes darted everywhere in the dark room. "I don't know. You reflect for me."

He was quiet for minute. "Aside from the obvious fact that you're intensely nervous, I think you're horrified you won't know what to do once it's over. You're having an existential dilemma. It can be very painful. Trust me, I know," he muttered, and rolled onto his back, crossing his arms.

"Existential?" The word felt mushy in her mouth.

"This whole Benny thing, it's been your raison d'etre since you were shot. I mean, the reason you keep going, get up in the morning. Once you get your revenge, what will you do? What could possibly motivate you as much or more than your bloodthirsty rage?"

She released the crumpled sheets from her fists and covered her eyes with her palms, sighing. "I don't fucking know. I guess I thought I'd figure that out after." Somewhere in the hall a man hummed a tune, interrupted by a hacking cough. "What about you?"

"What about me? This is your gambit, not mine. Although I'm ready to assist in my own limited way."

"Do you know what you'll do after we do this? Since you're reflecting."

"Hmmm." He laughed. "I never thought about it."

"Are you kidding?"

"Nope. I guess I thought I'd follow you to the ends of the earth."

Now she laughed. "Why the hell would you do that? Why are you even doing it now?" She turned on her side away from him, suddenly aware she may have said too much.

"Oh, you know. Existential dilemma."

People stomped and danced and fucked in the rooms above, a strange lullaby.

Ehh? So yeah! Kind of a proto-Eddy. And my writing got better, so that’s nice.

#thanks!! <3 #i still made arcade say 'raison d'etre' #some things don't change #funkypoacher