#shipfic

[bulbagarden]

we're running a shipping one-shot fanfiction contest over on our forums! signups end on march 31, and we have quite a few categories for entrants to be winners in -- both romantic and platonic ships are accepted! winners get free reviews and possibly other prizes, and go in our writers' workshop hall of fame!! i (lisia) am helping run the event, and blanc and i are going to try and participate, so come join us if you'd like...! hope to see you there o7

#writing contest #one shot #pokemon #bulbagarden #fanfic contest #fic contest #fic #fanfic #fanfiction #fanfics #bulbalisia #writer's workshop #shipping #pokemon shipping #shipfic #ship fic

[fanfictionisusuallylife]

you're not saying you're in love with me (but you're going to)

❤ ao3 link in replies ❤

ship: kageyama tobio/hinata shoyo

words: 2,173

tags: Present Meets Future, Prophetic Dreams, New Year's Day

summary:

Shoyo meets a version of himself that has yet to come, and has a lot of questions.

---

“Wanna meet me at the shrine?” Shoyo types, as he watches the sun rise on New Year’s morning. It’s orange and a little foggy, and he’s bundled in blankets upon blankets to resist against the January chill. He doesn’t expect a reply immediately - Tobio doesn’t usually bother with the sunrise - but he gets one, the signature beep-beep-bzzz quietly interrupting his peace.

“Sure,” Tobio responds. He’s always been a dry texter, but this on its own makes Shoyo smile; he has only just started joining Shoyo on his suggested outings, after spending years of refusing on principle. Third year came with changes, Shoyo knew that, but his favourite was finally being closer to his - his - setter.

They walk together, the air still cold, Shoyo breathing out puffs of condensation. He remembers being young, only eight or so, pretending to be a dragon for his baby sister - he takes a hefty breath just to recreate that moment, and swears he sees a smile on Tobio’s lips.

Tobio is so beautiful. He’s tall, even with the inches Shoyo has gained - his skin is pale, with a yellowish tint. It seems as if his skin is preparing itself for a tan, but it hasn’t got one, like olives waiting for summer to ripen or sand waiting to be washed over by the waves. His hair is black, inky black, cut short so it doesn’t fall in his eyes anymore - Shoyo misses when it was longer, when his fringe brushed the bridge of his nose and the strands would flutter when he jumped. Staring at them made Shoyo feel fuzzy inside. Back then, he didn’t understand why.

Long fingers poke out of his sleeves - how on Earth did he manage to find a sweatshirt too big for him? - reminding Shoyo of the old white hoodie Tobio gave him back in first year. He’d grown out of it, he claimed, and Shoyo looked cold, and don’t read into it because that’s all there is - and Shoyo didn’t read into it, as he slept in it every night, wishing it still smelled like him.

This time next year, they’ll be on opposite sides of the world. Tobio’s managed to get himself picked up by the V-league fresh out of high school, because of course he has, and he’s got a guaranteed place with the Schweiden Adlers. Shoyo hasn’t been so lucky. His fate rests somewhere in Brazil, a trip set up by a family friend, where he’ll practise his jumps on sand instead of solid ground. Sometimes, the other side of the net felt like they were continents away, but Shoyo has come to realise that this is going to be more than the ache of his hands against the ball. It’s going to be total abandonment. 

The shrine is busy. They’re lucky they got there as early as they did, but even with their haste it’s packed - people, couples, families swarm the grounds. Young women are here, holding hands with their lover, looking up at him with adoring eyes - Shoyo’s tummy can’t help but turn at the sight.

Tobio closes his eyes to make his wish. His eyelashes are so long, so dark, stark and contrasting against his pale skin. He looks peaceful, like a statue, like a petrified angel, like a hero carved in stone. Shoyo feels his heart sink into his chest, and himself fall deeper and deeper in love. He wants to tell Tobio, wants to tell everyone, wants to scream it from the rafters and yell it from the balconies and let the whole world know how he feels - but he’s not going to. Not yet.

His resolve hardens as he stares, like he has for years, at Tobio’s sloping nose and high cheekbones. This year, just this once, he’ll be selfish.

As long as he can remember, all those memories past, he’s wished for other people’s, his loved ones’, prosperity. Since the first time he did this, this old tradition from generations ago, he’s asked for his sister to grow up happy. Two years ago, he begged for his mother’s health to improve. Last year, he told the universe that he needed Tobio to grow into the man he always wanted to be. This time he changes his tune.

"I need to know how all this ends,” he prays to whoever is listening, silent but passionate, despairing but eternally hopeful. He wants the confusion and the fear to stop. He wants to know that the risk that he’s taking, moving away and leaving the man he’s sure is his soulmate, is all worth it. He needs - before he needs health before safety before riches - he needs certainty that this decision is the right one.

When his eyes open, Tobio is staring at him. His wish must’ve been much briefer than Shoyo’s - he assumes it must be something like, “please give me extra time to play volleyball. Thanks.” 

He waits for Shoyo to finish, and they leave together, hands interlinked and buried in Tobio’s pocket.

They don’t talk about their wishes.

Sometimes they touch each other in ways they touch nobody else. They hold hands, sometimes, when Shoyo drags Tobio along - they linger in hugs and, once or twice, they've shared kisses.

They never talk about those touches.

It's a situationship, more than anything. They kiss sometimes, to relieve tension, but they aren't together - people who are together talk about the kisses, why they happen, when they want them. For Shoyo and Tobio, they might as well be secrets.

When they get this close, it’s just a transaction, and Shoyo tells himself that he’s content with that. Shoyo tells himself that there’s nothing more to it.

Shoyo lies.

His bed sheets are clean, dry, warm from his body heat. Stretching himself out, Shoyo yawns, his eyelids heavy, and pats over the left side of his bed. There’s a human-sized space under the blanket there that’s never been filled; he’s saving it for someone.

He doesn't feel the peace wash over him, like he thought he would. He's not instantly comforted, believing in the future or cosy in the uncertainty. He's the same as always, the same dusting of freckles on his nose and the same stuffy bedroom and the same longing ache that never seems to leave. He’s the same as always; he wonders if this is the result of his New Year’s Wish.

Shoyo isn’t sure when he drifts off, into his usual fervent sleep, his legs starfishing out underneath him, but he soon works out that he’s dreaming.

The walls around him are almost unseeable, sterile white and concrete. Leather seats, black and uncomfortable, sit in rows that never seem big enough, and the sounds of jet engines and chatter and tannoy systems fills the air. Before he deciphers where he is - an airport, he assumes, but he’s never quite sure which one - he sees the crowds, hundreds or even thousands of people rushing from one end of the lobby to the next, pushing through strangers and paying unimaginable costs for duty-free snacks. There are people in heavy trenchcoats, briefcases by their sides, checking their watches like a ritual - and families of five or maybe bigger all huddled in circles, sharing body heat and flight details.

Shoyo doesn’t know these faces; he knows he's seen them all before, and that he’ll never see them again. They're strangers, as they always have been; people he's passed in the street, shop clerks and train passengers.

When he sees himself, he has dainty hands. His wrists are small, and his legs are skinny - he's twelve, in his old favourite t-shirt. It doesn't fit anymore - bulking up will do that - but he kept it for the memories; he never thought he'd see himself in it again.

One of the strangers walks up to him, and he's familiar - he knew this stranger once, or perhaps he has yet to know him.

The stranger isn't much taller than he is - he's got a broad chest, tanned skin, brown eyes. He smiles and there's something in his grin that feels embedded in Shoyo’s past. His hair is short, but it's clearly been a while since it was last cut - it gets in his eyes slightly, sweeping over his freckled ears and curling loosely at the base of his neck. His hair is unmistakable - it's hair Shoyo knows as well as his own, sees in the reflections of puddles and storefronts. Shoyo knows for certain that this hair is his, and yet the man in front of him - bulky arms, thick thighs - is someone he has never met. He knows Shoyo, though, and such a thing is evidenced in the crinkles by his eyes.

“...what will happen?” he asks the stranger. He has a feeling he knows, better than anyone - he’s certain that this is his one chance to know the truth. “How will it all end?”

“It won’t be easy,” confesses the stranger, who isn’t a stranger at all. “You feel… like you might just break. You'll go about your routine - one foot in front of the other. You'll jump high and you'll make stupid jokes and start stupid fights. It won’t feel any different, for a while.”

And then the stranger - the friend, really - says something Shoyo knows.

“You can fly even higher."

"I know," Shoyo responds - Tobio told him that in first year, and he internalised it, wore it as both an achievement and a challenge. He remembers that day, hearing those words, and longing to fall into Tobio's arms. "But will I?"

Three little words. How much of his life, the friend wonders, has been ruled by the strife of these words. It’s three tiny words, but it makes the friend falter - he sees insecurity, strife, the worries of a boy who daren’t stop shining.

“You will soar.”

There are three more words that Shoyo needs to hear, but not from the friend. There’s someone else who needs to say them.

As for the friend-

“Brazil,” he starts, “is warm at night.”

“And the beaches-”

“You feel the sand beneath your feet. It’ll make your wings stronger.”

Shoyo’s spine starts to tingle, as if arching black wings will sprout from them any moment. He pauses; there’s one more thing he wonders about. The friend - a man who may even be a brother - knows just what he’ll ask.

“Tobio is stupid,” he responds, before Shoyo even opens his mouth.

“I know.”

“Even more than you think,” the brother barks a laugh. “You’ll text him sometime soon, it may even be tomorrow - you’ll tell him, and he won’t respond.” A frost forms in the brother’s voice, but he continues: “He’ll see you at practise, but he won’t say anything. You’ll… hate it. You’ll think he hates you.”

The brother is welling up. This isn’t what Shoyo needed to hear. 

“Those moments will be some of the worst of your life.”

“Does he feel the same?" Shoyo rushes, infuriated that the brother is so cryptic. Just tell him, dammit, don't make him wonder.

The brother smiles, and it seems to be confirmation. “Yeah, and he’ll tell you, so hang tight.”

Heaving a breath, Shoyo tries to relax, but the brother starts on a tangent. 

“The day you return to Japan-" he says, "he'll meet you at the airport. His hair will be messy." He sounds like he's recounting a memory, and his eyes glaze over. "And he'll put his hands around your waist."

"And?"

"And his hands are big. Strong. You won't remember them being as strong as they feel in that moment. He lifts you up, and," he sounds dreamy, "kisses you then and there. Everybody is watching and it doesn't matter at all."

A kiss other people can see, thinks Shoyo. He's never been kissed that way before.

"He puts you down and holds you close. You feel his hands on your back and breath on your neck."

Shoyo sharply intakes air. He's not sure he can still breathe. Whatever the brother describes next, Shoyo thinks he might just faint.

"And then?"

"He kneels... and you know the rest."

"What? No, tell me-"

The stranger, friend, brother, all of these things at once, looks Shoyo in his brown eyes. Eyes that he shares. Eyes that belong to him, because the stranger is him, has always been, down to the creases in his palms.

His hair is stark orange, fluffy, longer than Shoyo’s - and he shows his hand. A golden band, simple, probably engraved, lies around his ring finger. He gives a parting smile that feels like safety.

Shoyo's alarm wakes him up, and he's not in his bed - he's sprawled across the floor, having kicked off his covers, and he's confused, disoriented, asking himself the time.

He thinks of the future.

He may not remember the dream - but all of a sudden, he knows for sure that he’ll be okay.

He grabs his phone, opens his messages, and decides today's the day.

"Hey Kageyama," he reads aloud as he types. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

#hinata centric #hinata shouyou #kagehina #kageyama tobio #haikyuu!! #ship fics #shipfic #taylor fics #tobio kageyama #hinata shoyo #shoyo hinata #shouyou hinata #haikyū!! #haikyuu

[spitzyyyy]

wrote another gabbro/hatchling fic. oops. @sleepii-moth i forgor to post the other but get tagged idiot.

#outer wilds #outer wilds spoilers #spit speaks #outer wilds gabbro #spit art #outer wilds hatchling #shipfic #from ME?? #yeah

[ilovethetalkingclock]

Love Bites

GENRE: Horror, Romance

CHARACTERS: Kevin and Streber (Spooky Month)

SHIP: Candybats (Kevin x Streber)

TW: Blood, trauma, hallucination, animal death

SUMMARY: Streber wants to watch over Kevin during his night off, but Kevin isn't so sure... will Streber be safe from the wolf?

SEQUEL TIME, BABY!!! Expect more stories like this!!!

"Pleeeeeaaaase?"

"No."

"Oh, come on! At least for one night?"

"No!!!"

"Kev, I'll try and-"

"Christ almighty, Streber, ever since what happened last year I really don't think anything's worth the risk! You already lost an arm, I don't want you to lose the rest of yourself!"

Streber looked at his prosthetic with the mention of that. As much as he hated to admit it, Kevin had a valid point for the most part. 

Streber had known about Kevin's secret ever since high school. Specifically, it was during the school dance event.

---

Kevin had asked Streber to join him, to which he gladly said yes. Of course, due to the year, they couldn't exactly consider each other dates by the school, but they were at heart.

That being said, Kevin realized that he was making a mistake when he felt mild cramping… just when he and Streber were about to secretly kiss.

Of course, Kevin did his best to do the deed before deciding to tell.

"I… I need to… tell something."

"Yes? What is it?"

"I'm… a… we… we…"

"Hmm?"

"I'm a were…"

"Ooh?"

"I'm aware that it's a bit early to leave butIHAVETOGOSORRY!!!!"

And just like that, Kevin was off.

Streber was… actually not that upset about it. For one, they got to kiss and that was neat.

Second of all, one look at the rising full moon combined with a passion for monster movies and he was quick to make a first guess.

He was more than elated to hear a confirmation when the newspaper came that morning with the reports of what was allegedly an "out-of-control malamute" wreaking havoc around the neighborhood.

Much to Kevin's own surprise, Streber was already at his door, eager to hear everything.

With initial reluctance, Kevin told that while the full moon transformations and blackouts were true, the idea of the silver bullets and the curse being contagious were inventions of cinema. 

What he also told was that the wolf was not a vicious monster, but rather merely just… well… a wolf. A creature that while dangerous when approached improperly, was still simply an animal running on instinct.

"...so have you considered letting yourself transform in the woods more?"

"...not sure. You know how many hunters do their thing there."

---

"...regardless… I know you would never hurt me on purpose."

Kevin felt his eyes water. Gah, why'd that have to hit deeper than it should?! 

"...fuck it. You can watch over me for tonight."

"Yes!!!" Streber immediately felt his spark come back.

"Just… if anything happens… run. Run for your life." 

It tugged Streber's heartstrings to hear, but if it was for Kevin so be it.

---

Kevin awoke to the taste of blood… and the feeling of the wind's breeze. 

What nearly stopped his heart was that underneath him he felt not the cellar floor, but rather the feeling of grass and leaves.

Opening his eyes, he was nigh-blinded by the light of the daylight sky. He looked down to see his nude body splattered with the crimson juices.

"No… NONONONONO… NO!!!"

Immediately, he wandered through the woods in a tearful frantic huff, calling for his lover desperately.

"STREBER?!"

He ventured further, hoping that Streber would not only be still alive, but also the only one to see him naked.

What stopped him in his tracks was Streber's body. The prosthetic was gone, and there was blood coming right from the nub, as if he'd regrown his old arm only for it to be torn off again.

When Kevin blinked tears out, he saw that the still-fresh corpse was torn open with claw marks and bite wounds combined.

Just when Kevin closed his eyes to wail, he heard a voice.

"Kev!!!"

When his eyes opened the body was gone.

He turned to see Streber right behind him, completely unharmed.

Immediately, Kevin embraced him, his tears and snot dampening Streber's shirt. 

The only time Kevin had cried like this was when he realized the incident of last Halloween, and Streber knew. 

Immediately, Streber held him right back, not giving a fuck that his shirt was getting wet with saltwater, mucus, and blood.

After a while Kevin stopped crying and let go, his tears having given way to frustration.

"Streber, what the FUCK did you do?!"

Streber gave a nervous smile.

"Uhhhh… Iiiiiiii may have let you out into the woods??? I followed you and did my best to make sure you were safe!!!"

"Streber, I could have KILLED you."

"But ya didn't!"

Kevin calmed a bit.

"...not even try to?"

"Nope! You snarled at me when you first saw me but just a hold of my hand right in front of your muzzle, you gave a little sniff and we were all good!"

"...huh…"

"Yep!!!"

That alleviated Kevin's fears… but there was still something in his mind.

"This… this is fresher than what's in the minifridge. If I didn't kill you what did I kill?!"

"Oh, that's easy!"

Streber walked Kevin up to a bloodied deer carcass, throat torn out along with its insides and half of the skin gone.

"...ah. I see now."

---

Kevin used a nearby river to wash away the red. It was able to do a good job in making it look like nothing happened.

When he was done, Streber gave out his cape to both dry Kevin and cover him up.

"Do you have to carry this with you everywhere?"

"Why not?"

Couldn't argue with that logic. At least it helped here.

The two walked back to Kevin's house out of the forest and through the neighborhood backyards.

"Soooooo…"

"Hmm?" 

"With this in mind, can I watch you again next month?"

"As much as I want to say no… eh why not?"

"Yay!!!!!!"

The way Streber squealed warmed Kevin's heart. 

"I have a couple hours before work. You can stay in my house until the time comes."

"...can I give you a bunch of headpats first thing?"

Kevin gave Streber an unamused look.

"Sorry, I-"

The face became a smile, which prompted Streber to make one too.

"Obviously."

#spooky month #spooky month kevin #spooky month streber #fanfic #woofkev au #tw animal death #tw blood #candybats #kevin x streber #ship #shipfic #werewolf!kevin #werewolf #lycanthropy

[accidentally-drank-paintwater]

Some more Wenclair

this picks up from the Wenclair hug

3rd person

Wednesday was never a hugger. But when Enid ran up to her, embracing her with all her heart and even though she was wounded, something flamed in her cold heart. She hugged Enid back, giving every ounce of love she had to offer into it. Enid started crying into Wednesday’s shoulder. She thought Wednesday had died. Wednesday closed her eyes and enjoyed the hug. Wednesday loved Enid. That was for certain. She and Enid broke apart after minutes, though it felt like forever. They looked at eachother and Enid wiped away a tear. Wednesday lightly touched where Enid was hurt, and she winced. Wednesday cupped the cheek of Enid. She hated seeing her friend hurt.

“Students of Nevermore!” Wednesday shouted, putting Enid’s head on her shoulder. “Crack stone and Ms. Thornhill are defeated.” The students whispered amongst themselves. “Please if you are hurt go to the nurse! If not, please return to your room and clean yourself and your roommate up!” Wednesday finished. The students nodded and slowly began leaving. Wednesday looked down at Enid, who had fallen asleep.

Wednesday bent down and grabbed Enid’s legs, hoisting her up bridal style. Wednesday walked to their room, calls of “Are you ok?” Sent to both her and Enid. A nod was provided for each one. Finally, Wednesday reached her room. Thing was waiting in the bathroom with a hot bath. Wednesday blushed realizing she would have to undress and get Enid in the bath tub. Wednesday sat Enid on the edge of the bathtub, waking her up. Wednesday unwrapped the jacket Enid had on, looking away from Enid. She gently put Enid in the bathtub, who moaned from the warmth against her sore muscles. Thing quickly covered Enid in bubbles so her nakedness wasn’t seen. Wednesday grabbed a towel and ran it under hot water, wringing it out. She walked over and gently began scrubbing the dirt and blood off Enid. Enid winced in pain but didn’t protest. When Enid’s face was clean, Wednesday grabbed some gauze and wrapped up Enid’s wounds. When she was satisfied, Wednesday got up.

“Thing, clean her off and tend to any wounds that I didn’t cover. I’m going to go and wash the blood off me in the other bathroom.” Thing tapped his fingers to let Wednesday know ‘ok’. Wednesday left the bathroom.

Wednesday returned half an hour later in a striped thin sweater with some big black pants that flowed out. She saw Enid was on the balcony with a blanket wrapped around her. Enid walked outside and stood by her. Enid was clean with gauze on her arms and legs. Wednesday thought that she probably had some on her torso too. Thing had changed her into the sweater she had worn all those months ago. Pink and orange and cheery. She was also wearing some purple shorts and rainbow knee high socks.

“You shouldn’t be out here you know. It’s cold and you should be resting,” Wednesday said. Enid didn’t respond or show she had heard, just looked over the balcony at the moon. Wednesday looked at Enid. Enid was emotionless. Wednesday’s heart broke at the fact that Enid wasn’t talking to her. “Enid I’m sorry that you had to fight Tyler! I never should’ve interacted with him in the first place, and I just—”

Enid put a finger over Wednesday’s lips. Wednesday stopped talking, and quickly wiped away the tear that was starting to form in her eye. Enid grabbed Wednesday’s hand and held it. Wednesday didn’t talk but instead looked at Enid. After awhile, Enid turned away and walked inside, pulling Wednesday with her. She sat on her bed and looked into Wednesday’s eyes.

“Wednesday, don’t apologize. I will always fight for you. And I will always be here for you,” Enid grabbed both of Wednesday’s hands and squeezed them. “I love you Wednesday.”

Wednesday blushed. Wednesday didn’t know what love felt like, but she thought it might be this. Her heart hurt in the best way, and she felt warm. Enid stood up and let Wednesday’s hands go. Enid thought Wednesday wouldn’t feel the same, so she had already made peace with that. She was just about to leave to go see Yoko when Wednesday grabbed her hand. Spinning her around, Wednesday grabbed Enid and pulled her towards herself.

She kissed Enid.

Enid felt so many different emotions at once. Wednesday had her arms wrapped around her tightly, as though afraid of letting her go. Enid kissed Wednesday back and wrapped her arms around her neck. After years, or maybe only minutes, Enid pulled away and looked at Wednesday with the biggest smile on her face. Wednesday smiled too. Not big or with teeth, just a smile, and that was all Enid would ever need.

Note; so I kinda forgot abt Ajax but let’s face it I think he should’ve realized at that hug scene that Enid loved Wednesday cuz cmon that was adorable ☺️

edit: holy crap I finally read this and there were a lot of grammar errors so sorry but I fixed most of them now 👍

#Wenclair #netflix wednesday #wednesday x enid #wednesday #wednesday addams #enid sinclair #enid #shipfic #Christmas Eve yall #Merry Christmas #I still didn’t proofread this

[askdarkriders]

oooh is that a shipfic we saw?

#Sparrow #shipping #shipfic #ask #drakowulf #mlp #fim #comic #art #dark riders #ponies #my little pony #oc

[scrawnytreedemon]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms Rating: Mature Warnings: Underage Relationships: Princess Hilda/Yuga Characters: Princess Hilda (Legend of Zelda), Yuga (Legend of Zelda), Yuga Ganon Additional Tags: Implied/Referenced Underage, Master/Servant, Anthro/Human Relationships, Licking, Biting, Healing, Older Man/Younger Woman, Coworkers to lovers, Consensual But Not Safe Or Sane, Cuddling & Snuggling, teenage girls stop apologising challenge, Anxiety, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Beastial Behaviour, Kissing, First Kiss, Underage Kissing, Princess/Shitty Paint Wizard who she must rely on, Boar Edition™, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat Summary:

Fumes rising from the deep, the heavy clink and groan of the chains. The dull thud of the soldiers' footsteps, making their patrols. The hall is somehow sweltering in that stuffy, sticky kind of way, while also being lashed by icy drafts snaking their way in through cracks in the brickwork. Lava glows warm against purple-blue walls.

Lorule Castle is truly a thing to behold.

Only two Sages left to go. They ought to wrap up the preparations. Counterintuitive as it might seem to imperil the hero you're luring, he'd be all too suspicious to find the castle bare. Besides... She wants to see him challenged. Behold the Courage enshrined. Redundant, perhaps. Indulgent, maybe.

Yuga wants to put hog-heads up on the throneroom walls.

Hilda groans.

In the perpetual dusk of Lorule Castle, its two inhabitants convene. Despite everything, including herself, Hilda longs for warmth. Yuga, for all his cruelty, gives it.

~*~

Finally have something out for this ship lads let’s fucking GOOOOOOOOOO

#tloz #tloz albw #a link between worlds #princess hilda #albw yuga #yugaganon #yuga ganon #fanfic #scrawny writes #shipfic #been deliberating where to post this and after a talk with the fellas i've chosen main #i hope the people here are sensible about dark content but also. i am a longtime gh/ral/nk shipper. #even if you brush it up that dynamic is inherently toxic and needs serious work to be anything otherwise #in short: fuck it we ball #send tweet

[goldemas1244]

Happy Birthday

- A MLBB fanfic (Ship: Zhask X Yve) -

Based on (but not entirely accurately) a prompt posted on Instagram by writing.prompt.s:

Sidenote: @sentinelpri you are my favourite fic writer (despite my inactivity with your works for a while now) and I respect you. You have become the basis of one part of my writing style. So here, if I may, I'd like to request that you read and review this fic. I know you don't know who these guys are but I hope the writing's good enough that it covers that aspect even minutely. Thank you!

---.---.---.---.---

Her lithe fingers grazed the edge of the forlorn portal as she gazed out into outer space. It didn't belong to her, yet she recognised its signature, begging her to pass through. But for whatever reason, she could only guess.

Perhaps Zhask had decided to finally give up the chase and end it all. That would be morally convenient for her. One small step for peace, one giant leap for the reparation of the equilibrium.

Still, she couldn't help but feel a melancholic undertone stifling itself through the vacuum of space and time. Unlike the smooth and polished portals her archnemesis frequently built, this one had a sort of rag to it. Perhaps it wasn't his? Oh no, it definitely was his, there was no denying the signature circadian hum-buzz.

Her gut twinged with all the experience of a hunter, telling her that she should come prepared. Prepared for what, she couldn't say, so she went with an ambush. After all, Zhask was as well-maintained in his conquests as he was in his retreats, was he not?

Checking herself to make sure she was at least presentable enough for the capture of the King of the Swarm, Yve stepped through the portal as it closed behind her.

The empty void of space was cold, colder than the freezing tundra she came from. Yet it was a familiar cold, a cold she embraced with pleasure, for it was her one true home aside from Mithlora.

Attentively, she studied her surroundings. She was in quite a faraway galaxy from Bima Sakti, with floating geological masses of history astray all around her. As the faraway stars littered her vision with light, she noticed familiar inscriptions in the masses, and recognised that these were the ruins of Kastiya.

Kastiya. She remembered how and why that planet was destroyed. Zhask had been a large-scale criminal then, but the explosion of his planet's core had brought him to an all-time dead-or-alive status. Sometimes she regretted coming up with the idea.

One other thing she took note of was that, to her surprise, she was alone. No stray nightmaric spawn come to devour her, no Kastiyan King to give her cranial damage via Domorey, no colour, no life. Everything was a drab, burnt out sight save for the starry skyline.

Attuning her other senses, she studied the pitiless wrecks until at last she sensed a vibration in the space-time continuum. Melancholic in tone, it had a desperation to it. Quite unlike Zhask but still....

Ever alert, the Astrowarden inched closer to the source of the vibration. It wasn't long before she came upon a sight most... intimate?

There was Zhask, sans staff and consecutively Domorey, sitting on a chunk of space rock, stroking one of his little swarm-children lovingly. His eyes seemed glazed in thought. His voice could be heard, albeit in the faintest of tones, softly whispering out what she could only assume to be a Kastiyan folk song of some sort. It rhymed and it had a melody to it, which, much to her chagrin, she fell in love with.

The King of the Swarm. The Planes Dominator. The Ruthless Invader. Alone.

Yve knew it wasn't a smart decision but she drew closer towards the hulking mass of blue and red as if magnetised by a seventh sense. Now out in the very open, she was vulnerable, but aside from what she had heard and seen prior, Zhask didn't even acknowledge her. Her shoulders relaxed. If this was a trigger for a space-beartrap, it was at least a beginner's machination.

She was only but a few feet away from her archenemy when he ended his reverie, tilting his head upwards to look at her. Unwavering in his eye contact, he patted a soft patch of dried grassland beside him, a sort of motioning for Yve to come and sit. Unfamiliar with this custom of friendship, she hesitated, but penultimately cast her resistance aside and sat next to him.

His breathing was shallowed and, as Yve, ever perceiving, took a closer look at him, she could tell that he'd been here a while. At this point, his affection towards his little spawn had ceased, leaving it bewildered and looking back up at its master in expectation of more. In exchange, he cupped the little thing in his hands and brought it closer to his thorax in an embrace.

"So, Yve?" he began, tilting his head to the side as if to warrant curiosity. "What brings a Mithlorian like you here to Kastiya? Or, well, what remains of it."

Yve was taken aback by the question. Small talk? This was very unlike the enemy she had grown to hate with all her heart. Still, she wasn't in want of generous courtesy and replied in a monotonous tone, "I saw your unclosed portal."

Zhask chuckled, a slight baritone fondness in its echolocation. "Correction: 'your' unclosed portal." Then, after a moment's silence, "It was meant for you, Yve."

"But why exactly did you waste your 'precious' energy on such an unnecessary thing?" Yve questioned, unwavering. "You know you could've just told me to meet you up here and I would fly off to catch you and turn you in. How did you even create a portal under our ever watchful gaze?"

"Well for starters," Zhask began, raising up a finger, "I didn't want to burden you with using up yours. And second of all, every portal a Kastiyan has ever made contains a riskier sub-portal space they can use instead. This one is untraceable, even by the most skilful of hunters. It's how I managed to escape you on Utapau that time."

Yve gently smiled under her mask, remembering how she had absolutely demolished that bastard that time. And she would've killed him too had it not been for a random laser bolt distracting her. Damned battle droids. He'd escaped without the slightest effort, and she had sulked through three galaxies because of it.

Silence passed between the two and for a moment it seemed as if the equilibrium of the universe was in peace.

Eventually, Zhask broke the silence.

"It's my birthday today."

Yve's eyes widened underneath her mask. Zhask's birthday was something she had never considered in all their years of chasing and escaping.

"I'd invited all my friends and family," he continued, hand outstretched as he gestured towards the rubble that lay before them. "But they... haven't arrived as of yet." His head lowered as if in a sort of defeat. "I'll still be waiting though. Sure, they haven't shown up in years now but I'll wait."

The little spawn he was holding began to chirrup as if it could sense the pain in its master's heart. Yve could too; it tremored like an earthquake in her ears. For once in her life she felt sorry for Zhask.

She looked towards the unsightly masses of matter and rock attempting to picture how Kastiya once looked, how things were before it all. She understood once that Zhask was a criminal to be destroyed for the sake of the equilibrium, but now, ever so suddenly, she had a sense that perhaps it didn't have to be that way. An equilibrium could be fixed, she logically reckoned, and with the power of such a being as Zhask on its reparation it would make things much smoother.

But his aura was unfavourable for such commentary so she turned to ask him how things were before the conquests, in hopes that he could spill a thing or two to satiate her innate curiosity and, perhaps also, to cheer himself up.

"Before?" Zhask perked up a little at the mere mention of the word. "Well, before, we were prosperous. We had technology unmatched by any being, power unimaginable by mere mortals, intellect and strength that would put a god to shame."

Yve took note of how his eyes lit up.

"But we were animals as well. Of course, we ARE insects, and you've seen how their natural world is. Indeed, some of our tribes were peaceful and lived with kindred spirits. But mine own was a dominator's kind, with souls as hardened as rocks. It was the natural order. Especially during the mating season."

Zhask let loose a chuckle, and for a moment Yve felt butterflies fluttering in her cheeks.

"Unfortunately, I wasn't as hard as the rest of my kind." Zhask's eyes dropped to his spawn, beginning to stroke it again as if it was an idle animation of his. "I was softer, much more... caring, dependant even, towards my environment. I never much fit in. I could only count one or two friends I'd ever had. Nobody really wanted anything to do with a soft Beetle."

Yve shifted her focus some; this was getting into personal territory.

"I had different hobbies and interests compared to the other members of my tribe. This ensured that I had a bit more of a strict upbringing compared to the others. In a while, all I was was gone, and the monster you see before you now was born."

Yve remained silent, listening to this recollection with the utmost patience. Nevermore had she been as patient as this. It was almost cathartic.

"I... never really wanted to hurt anybody. But I had to maintain an image somehow. Kindness was never our forte. But strength was and so I did what my parents before me, and so theirs before, did."

"You conquered planets," Yve piped in at last. Her inquiry sparked a withered sigh from her companion and a pang of guilt surged through her veins.

"Yes, I did. As the Earth's practice of hunting for sport 'til extinction, so did we with planets. We took on their survivors as slaves. My upbringing ensured I was a selfish, cruel, and uncaring sadist.... If younger me had seen it with my own two eyes, he would've shuddered in fear and disgust at what he'd become."

He stared at the chittering spawn in his hands and brought it up to his face, nuzzling it with affection. Yve didn't want to believe it, but perhaps it was true that this insect could tear up. Moreso proven as he hitched.

She didn't know what else to do. Her mind had gone blank and all thoughts of violence had faded as the dying of a star. What was she to say? To do?

"And now I have to do it," Zhask stammered, tightening his grip on the now silent chitterer. "I have to do it. What's been done to the others has now been done to mine. I have to ensure...." He dared not finish his sentence.

He feared he'd say the wrong things and get himself offed.

Luckily, Yve had begun to understand. "You have to ensure your people survive," she continued. "You're the king, and per your growth, it was the only proper way you knew how. And you can't think of any other way."

She inched closer to him. Her ears were bursting with the rapid rhythms of his heartbeat, her senses filled with an equilibrium she herself had never even experienced prior. Then she took the little spawn in her hands and softly stroked it as Zhask did.

To feel the coldness of his little pet pulled from him yet the warmth emanating from his adversary pulling him in was familiar. But not this way. It made him feel colder than he already was and he shifted in his seat.

But the little thing chirruped with a new kind of fondness Zhask hadn't heard from any one of them in a long while. Turning his head to look at it, his eyes met with those of Yve.

And for the first time in a long, long time, he began to cry.

Yve shook to her very core. She'd never had to comfort someone, especially since part of their grief was her own causing. But she had to do something, so she did what anybody did best.

She held him the best she could. One arm slung over his shoulder, the other still holding the spawn close between them. It was an awkward hug, but it was one of her very few and she knew Zhask shared that sentiment as well.

Upheavals of inexistent air escaped his lungs with every whimpering breath he took. His head lowered to rest on one of Yve's shoulders. His hands gripped her arms tightly, begging her never to let go of him, never to leave.

Yve felt his claws dig into her flesh but she didn't mind. For a moment they shared their pain, even if she'd never told him any of hers. But she knew he felt it too, and he did.

It wasn't after a long while that they released their hold on each other. Zhask pulled his knees up to his thorax whilst Yve knelt on hers. She put a hand on his shoulder, still cradling the little chitterer.

"Zhask," she began, eyes steady on him, voice as crystal as ever. "I'm sorry for what's happened to you. But that doesn't mean you're entirely forgiven for what you've done. You understand that don't you?"

Zhask lowered his head.

"But that doesn't mean you're broken forever, for I'll fix a deal with you." Yve took her hand off his shoulder and reached into one of her pockets, a resolve quickly forming in her mind. "You'll still have to fix the equilibrium you've damaged... and if you do then I promise, in the name of the Mithlorians, we'll help you in turn."

Zhask couldn't believe his ears. Was he... pardoned? In a sense it seemed he was.

He lifted his head in disbelief. Just what Yve wanted.

As such, she pulled out a small purple crystal from her pocket. "This is a Mithlorian heirloom," she stated. "A gift one should forever cherish. It is made of one of the innermost crystals of our realm. It is a sign of an unbreakable alliance, loyalty to the furthest extent. To receive it, is to receive our protection, in return of yourself."

She motioned for Zhask to hold out his hand, which he shakily did. "Today, on the day of your birth, you are reborn. Forevermore, you are now no longer the King of the Swarm, nor will you be the Planes Dominator."

And she placed the precious gemstone in his hand. "From now on, if you accept," she continued shakily, "you shall be Zhask, the embodiment of endurance, Herald of Redemption. You shall bring balance to the equilibrium once more and prevent it from ever falling to the wrong hands."

Yve began to stand and Zhask himself to kneel.

"If you would accept, Zhask."

The critter in her arm now jumped down onto the rock, an excited glimmer in its optic as Yve placed both her hands on his.

"To be... a Mithlorian."

Zhask could only choke out a strangled mewl. To receive such an honour, such a fresh start, it seemed all too good to be true.

And yet, a realisation popped into his head.

"Are you... proposing to me?"

"It is an uncommon Mithlorian tradition to betroth ourselves to our foes worthy of change, but a tradition nonetheless," Yve explained. "Two generations back, and many more farther, I have seen examples and they're still with us, guardians of the cosmos. Never have they brought upon failure, and always they have brought balance. Thus I may ask you, Zhask, on this well-fated day, to be one with me. To be one with us."

Zhask's eyes lit up unlike ever before. "Yve," he started, "ever since you first determined to hunt me down, ever since you first dared to attack me, I knew that one day I'd be caught. And on that day I swore that when such a day happened, I should confess no matter the peril."

He gripped Yve's hands tighter as he continued, slowly coming to his feet. "And today you have ensnared me. Thus, as Zhask, King of the Kastiyans, or what's left of them, I accept your proposal, and I hope that this pact we seal transcends farther than the reaches of the universe."

"Then arise, my champion, my honour, my king, for we both, in essence, were of the same wish at one point. Arise, and be one with mine, and with the equilibrium, in permanance."

And he arose to his full height. His chest puffed out with pride, he was a figurehead of confidence. His eyes once soaked with tears now beamed with love and adoration.

Repositioning his hands so their fingers were now interlocked, he began to pull his bride-to-be closer into an embrace.

And the crystal she had given him began to emanate a shimmer of light.

They both took notice of this and watched as it gleamed a bright and serene blue, seeping into both their very veins, straight to their hearts. And all at once, they both had been altered.

Where once was a mask now revealed a beauteous face, bright twilight eyes accentuated by violet lips. And where once was a beast of blue and red now stood a figura of blue and white, formed of the constellation of Cancer. In shock and awe, they both pulled apart from each other, eyes transfixed on what changes, mostly on Zhask, were produced.

And they both fell deeper in love with one another, as if their rivalry had never existed.

"Yve..."

"Zhask..."

Lest we forget about the little bug on the ground, indeed I do have to mention that it had stayed silent the entire time, its one optic too excited to process what had occured. Too in awe, it just sat there, watching the scene unfold as you and I.

Zhask held out his hand to Yve. As she held it, he knelt and kissed it with a tenderness he had never exhibited before. It was a fresh start, a new life, a partner for the first time in his life.

"This was the best birthday I'd ever had," he quipped, amused. "The best gift as well." He stood and held her in his arms; she chuckled and rested her head on his thorax.

All of a sudden, the little spawn chirped out a rhythmic beat and they pulled their eyes away from each other.

Before them came a rift in space-time. And from this rift, came a blinding flash of bright white light.

"Zhask," said Yve with a large smile on her face, "I think it's time we meet your in-laws."

And as the portal beckoned, so too did they follow, with the little spawn trailing behind.

-FIN-

#mobile legends #mobile legends bang bang #mlbb #ml #zhask #yve #fanfiction #fanfic #ship #shipfic #zhask x yve #chase sequence #(new ship name) #prompt #prompts #writing #writing prompts #mine #my work #my writing #Proud of this #Took me a few hours at least

[dreamys-mess]

it's been 4 months but I finally updated the Ravenprint shipfic wooo-

#mellow talks #ravenprint #shipfic

[tiniest-typewriter]

“from the rabbit´s mouth..”

Fandom: the walten files

ship: Edd x Molly

summary: Edd finds the perfect way to confess his feelings..

the school party was pretty uneventful for the most part. it was what you would expect from such an event really. tasty, unhealthy snacks and sodas, safe, family friendly music and adult supervisors that ran after children who were causing trouble with pranks.

it was fun, but also nothing special.

Edd and Molly were mostly keeping for themselves, the former always holding his little sister's hand and the latter holding Rocket tightly to her chest.

but as mundane as this event was, Edd had something special planned, thinking this party would be the perfect opportunity.

there was something he wanted to tell his sister for a while now, but he never had the nerves or the right opportunity to do so.

but today would be different, he told himself.

Molly was cuddling rocket close and pulled her older brother from place to place, wanting to take everything in that this event had to offer.

as they were headed to the snacks table for the third time now, he took a breath and prepared himself to speak.

"uhm..Molly?" he began, only to feel his words getting lodged in his throat as she looked at him with a little smile. "yes?" she said, her mouth full with crackers.

"oh..n-nothing.." Edd said, chickening out yet again.

that happened so often. he would always try to start the conversation only to give up right away..

he took a cup of soda, his gaze wandering as he drank, until his eyes met Rocket's.

Molly loved that doll a lot, which is why she always insisted on bringing it with her wherever she went.

Edd was complaining about that earlier, saying that they would be late, but right now, he couldn't have been more glad that she brought him with her.

"hey Molly, can I take rocket for a second?" he asked, to which Molly nodded. "okay" she said.

the boy looked around to check if anyone was near them and grabbed the doll by it's paws as he saw that they were alone.

putting on a voice that he thought would fit rocket best, Edd began to puppeteer him.

"Molly! there is something your brother wants to tell you, but he can't!" 'rocket' said, which made Molly giggle. "oh really?" she asked.

"oh yes! your brother is way too shy! but I am not! so I will say it for him! you see.." Edd was swallowing hard in his throat, nuzzling his beet red face into the doll out of embarrassment and considered just chickening out again.

but he squeezed his eyes shut and kept on with his puppet show.

"Edd loves you, Molly!" 'rocket' said. "he loves you more than anything!" Edd's legs were shaking and his put on voice was beginning to crumble into his normal one again. "so uh..I would- I mean HE would love to..well..date..you..?"

the fact that he didn't hear anything from Molly this whole time was already a bad, bad sign.

Edd was just about ready to run off crying, but he suddenly felt a warm pair of hands grabbing his own, as well as Rocket's.

Molly giggled happily and gave rocket a kiss on his nose. "Rocket, tell Edd that I would love to! and that I love him too and that he's the sweetest, cutest, kindest and bravest boy I know!"

she didn't wait for the doll to answer, instead, she reached her arms around both Rocket and Edd and hugged them both as tightly as she could, making the older boy tear up as he hugged them both back.

as Molly took Rocket back from her brother, she gently took his hand in hers and smiled at him. the kind of sweet and reassuring smile that really made any spoken words unnecessary.

Edd rubbed at his eyes and smiled back, happy that he finally got this off his chest and also that it had an outcome that he didn't exactly expect, yet hoped for more than anything.

it was already late and a quick glance at the clock told the boy that it was almost time to head home.

"we should go look for uncle Felix.." he said, giving his sister's hand a squeeze as they both made their way over to the 'drinking area' where the adults were...

#the walten files #walten files #twf #twf fandom #twf fanfic #fanfic #fanfiction #shipfic #shipcest #Edd x Molly

[dreamer2dusk]

Young Justice; Lost | Chapter 1

I do not know how I ended up here... I only remember being called out by something... something not of this world...

Floating within nothingness, unsure how I  am even still alive... perhaps I am within a vivid dream of sorts and soon I shall wake up...

Unsure of it all, but hearing voices... They speak of me, and of what to do... I was not like them is all I could make out... but what does that even mean?

This may not be private fanfic stories I tend to write, but I hope you don't mind that being shared first. these are often easier for me to write in comparison.

I typically write for binary gendering but it is a suggestive placeholder so just view it as yourself and how you are comfy, same goes with any preset names for things (i.e your name)

I will also give a sampler of text from the story along with a link to the chapters, I prefer Wattpad so I can add music to it.

#klarion x reader #klarion #klarion the witch boy #cat lover #fanfic #offsite fanfic #shipfic #young justice

[doodleferp]

This poor sap is Seven. They have no family, no superpowers, and they live in a cabin in the woods with their much more interesting friends because it’s cheaper than paying rent on an apartment. And as of today, they are contractually obligated to hang out at Superjail every weekend for the next year because Sadist Willy Wonka has the hots for them.

I have FINALLY FINISHED A FANFIC CHAPTER. And I am VERY FUCKING HAPPY with it, so READ IT RIGHT HERE!!! Go on. Do it. I dare you >:D

#my art #art by doodle #superjail oc #superjail! oc #superjail #seven #oc art #oc ref #nonbinary oc #superjail warden x oc #the warden x oc #canon x oc #oc x canon #superjail! #superjail warden #superjail fanfic #shipfic #ship art

[fanfictionisusuallylife]

summer sun for you forever

❤ ao3 link in replies ❤

ship: kageyama tobio/hinata shoyo

words: 326

tags: pining kageyama tobio, post time skip

summary:

Tobio sends silent prayers to the sun.

---

Ra, Huītzilōpōchtli, Helios; culture after culture, age after age, through the ruins of empires and the births of nations, people have always worshipped the sun. They worshipped solar flares, the giver of daylight and life, worshipped the people who represented our most vital star.

Tobio, a man of modernity, in concrete cities and neon lights, is no exception.

Older than time, the sun is - it is older than life, than air, here long before us, and it will be here long after we are gone. The sun is as close as can be to eternal, incomprehensibly old and yet, in its scheme, marvellously young, a figure of fate and folklore. The sun, our sun, is as natural to humanity as waking, as breathing, as loving. Truly there is no version of life, of Tobio's life, without it.

Tobio flicks on the kettle, watching the horizon through one of the windows of his Roman flat. Shoyo, his sun, his Ra his Huītzilōpōchtli his Helios, is thousands of miles away. 4 hours behind, he eats takeout in his own living room, and he pines.

Tobio worships the gifts of the sun like no other, as he drinks his herbal tea, preparing for a night of troubled rest.

How long? he thinks - how long until the sun spirit, the love of his life, the bringer of his dawn, is in his arms again?

Indeed, how long. His husband is on the phone, rays coming through the speaker, the roar of Tobio's star stifled by the distance.

"I love you," he murmurs into the night, to the sun that's doomed to set. "You are my everything," he continues, to the sun that is destined to rise again, every morning.

Every morning, for the rest of his life, the sun will rise, and he will worship it. He would give his future to the sun. There is no god - no Ra, Huītzilōpōchtli, Helios - that brings the solar joy of his Shoyo.

#haikyuu!! #kagehina #ship fics #shipfic #taylor fics #hinata shouyou #haikyuu #haikyū!! #kageyama centric #kageyama tobio

[camotherogue]

pspsps rarepair enjoyers come take a look

#carmen sandiego #neal the eel #cs crackle #graham calloway #[Electric Eel (Ship)] #neal the eel x crackle #shipfic #sickfic #writers on tumblr

[youmixxx]

New update just before the New Year. Smooth sliding into 2023, everyone! Hope to see you all on the other side!

#Four Swords #Four Swords Adventures #fanfic #ao3 #greenxblue #blue x green #bluexgreen #green x blue #glue #green link #blue link #au #modern au #shipfic #where are all my glue shippers out there? #I miss you :(

[overobsessedfanboy23]

The Biggest Scoop - Jack x Carly One-shot

Description: Carly has no memories of her time as a Dark Signer. In her search to find some answers, she is directed toward Jack, who seemingly wants nothing to do with her.

(Sub continuity, aggressively ignores everything post-Dark Signers arc, has exactly one swear in it. Vaguely canon non-compliant in parts, because Carly instantly getting her job back after having it on the line for so long makes no sense to me.)

Carly knew from the moment she woke up that something wasn’t right. She’d just been thrown out a window, knowing throughout the entirety of her long fall that she was experiencing her final moments before one impact would end it all for her. Dying useless and alone, after foolishly trying to be useful to Jack. When she finally did hit the ground, everything went dark, though it only felt like a moment when suddenly she was surrounded by a chorus of voices. She blinked open her eyes. Her glasses were still on, though they were completely broken in places and Carly knew she’d have to replace them.

Through those broken lenses, however, she’d seen many people she didn’t recognise. They were all telling her how good it was to have her back, so Carly naturally assumed she’d been dead, but how was she back? Then they started talking about these “Dark Signers” she’s never heard of. Carly figured out a Dark Signer was someone who came back to life and tried to open the gates of the Underworld and that she’d been one of them but that was all any of them could tell her. No specifics of what she’d done or why she’d tried to help destroy the world.

It stressed her out. Part of Carly’s life had completely disappeared from her memory, and it was seemingly a part of her life where she’d hurt many and tried to destroy the world. How could she not remember this?! Would anyone else remember more specific details of her time as a Dark Signer? Jack instantly came to mind. However, right as she’d gone to ask him, she discovered that Jack, along with his friends Yusei and Crow, had taken off to who knows where with no indication of when they’d be back. Carly was now internally screaming. Here she was, no job, no car, no knowledge of how she was alive or the horrible things she’d done after her supposed death. Did not remembering these horrible acts she’d committed make her an even more horrible person?! Why didn’t anyone else seem to know what she’d done?

For the time being, Carly had to push away those relentless thoughts and try to get her life back on track. She didn’t have a job or an apartment anymore. She couldn’t afford the rent anymore and she’d been fired from her job quite a while ago, even before her death. A week passed as Carly looked for some sort of job that could support her, though not many people seemed to be interested in hiring a fired news reporter who’d been a Dark Signer.

Now Carly was just coming out of a job interview, one she prayed had been successful. She honestly wasn’t sure. The interviewers she’d seen in her time never showed any emotion, just asked their eternally hard-to-answer questions like they were reading them off cue cards. Why was answering questions about herself so stressful? Carly wondered. 

As she walked, Yusei, Jack, and Crow raced into the city on their D-Wheels, having just returned from their trip to Satellite, which mainly consisted of hugging Martha and telling everyone about the new bridge. It was just the uneventful excursion they needed after the hell they’d all just been through.

Carly was alerted to their presence by the roaring of their motors. She looked up. Three D-Wheels soared down the street, racing too fast for Carly to make out any details. However, she instantly knew who they were.

“Jack! Yusei! Crow!” Carly called out their names as she began to give chase.

Jack heard her almost instantly. Even with the loud roaring of his and his friends’ motors beside him, Carly’s voice stuck out to him, jabbing him right in the heart. Turning a sharp corner, Jack picked up speed as he raced down the street.

“Jack! Jack!” Carly called out desperately, “Please?! Yusei! Crow!”

Yusei and Crow braked at the foot of the hill.

“Did you hear someone saying our names?” Crow asked, taking off his helmet.

Yusei dipped his head. “Carly.” He turned to the girl, who’d stopped far up the hill to catch her breath.

Noticing they’d finally stopped, Carly started dashing toward them. Her heart sank when she noticed whose D-Wheel was missing.

“Hey! Crow! Yusei!” Carly exclaimed when she reached them.

“Huh?” Crow tilted his head to the side. “Oh hey…” He didn’t quite recognise Carly until she spoke again.

“Do you guys know anything about… when I was a dark signer?” Carly looked away, wrapping her arms around herself as she shivered. “I… can’t remember anything that happened and it’s driving me crazy. Did… did I hurt anyone?”

Yusei and Crow fell silent for a few heartbeats, not knowing how to answer.

“We’re not really sure.” Yusei broke the silence, his tone grave.

“How can you not know?!” Carly snapped. Yusei and Crow both flinched in surprise. “Sorry, it’s just… you were the ones who duelled the dark signers.”

“We didn’t duel you,” Crow informed.

“Huh?”

“We each had one duel against a dark signer,” Yusei explained, “Jack was the one who duelled you.”

Crow nodded. “Yeah, if anyone knows more details about your… dark signer-ness it’s him.”

Carly let out a sigh. “And Jack took off.”

“I’m surprised he didn’t stop when he heard you,” Crow admitted, trying to stop himself from smirking. “The guy talks about you so much it drives me a little crazy.”

Carly’s heart lit up. “Jack talks about me?”

Carly wondered if Crow was telling the truth or if he was just saying that to make her happy.

“Yeah, he’ll come around, don’t you worry.” Crow put his helmet on, getting back on his D-Wheel. “We’ll tell him you asked about him.”

Yusei mirrored the movement, smiling and nodding to Carly.

Carly smiled a bit. “Okay, thank you.”

Yusei and Crow revved up their engines, racing down the street Jack had gone down in an attempt to find him. Carly walked in the opposite direction, letting out a sigh. Finding Jack seemed like a hopeless endeavour. For all Carly knew, Jack was probably halfway across Neo Domino City by now.

--------

Jack didn’t really know where he was going, just that he had to be as far away from Carly as possible. It made his heart ache. However, Jack knew he couldn't face her, not after what happened. The pain was too fresh and Carly didn’t remember anything that happened when she was a Dark Signer. Jack couldn’t bring himself to tell her, let alone relive those memories himself. If Carly remembered what she did, and by extension what Jack did, it would do nothing but hurt her. He couldn’t bear hurting her again.

*Will I have to avoid her like this forever?* The thought made Jack wince, his D-Wheel swerving side to side. He barely regained control of it before hitting a fire hydrant. Taking a deep breath, Jack steadied himself and continued down the road. If never seeing Carly again would mean he would never hurt her again, maybe that was something he should at least consider…

It was way past dark by the time Jack returned home. Due to rent in the city being the most absurdly expensive thing ever and none of them having real jobs yet, Jack, Yusei, and Crow ended up pooling their resources to rent a place for the three of them. Aki also stayed there, at her and Yusei’s request. Crow insisted he knew the real reason behind this; Jack didn’t personally care.

Jack pushed the door open. His three roommates were sitting at their table each silently eating bowls of ramen. Jack followed suit and grabbed some of the remaining ramen, sitting at the end of the table away from his roommates.

“Hey, Jack…” Crow was grinning dangerously. “We saw that Carly girl after you left us in the dust. She was asking about you.”

Jack bit his lip. “Asking what exactly?” he asked, not looking up from his food.

“Oh, just about where you were. If you guys could talk sometime. Over lunch. On a date. She has a huge crush on you.”

Yusei’s eyes narrowed. “She did not say all that.”

“Oh, come on. You know it’s true. Did you see that look in her eyes when she was talking about Jack? It’s so obvious. And you’ve said some pretty telling things yourself, Jack… like during our duel with Godwin.” Crow smirked a bit.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jack growled, his eyes narrowed.

“Seriously?” Crow raised an eyebrow. “You don’t remember saying that the love of a woman taught you a valuable lesson?” Crow’s tone was dramatic as he swooned exaggeratedly.

Jack glared at him. “No, I don’t.”

“I do,” Yusei smirked a bit as he cut in.

Jack glared at him as well, his fists clenching as he growled.

Crow giggled into his hand. “Don’t pretend you don’t remember, Jack. Carly’s the one with amnesia, not you.” He rested his hand on his chin. “Say, why does she have that amnesia anyways? None of the other Dark Signers had any trouble remembering their actions as Dark Signers… Did they?”

Yusei shook his head. “Kiryu and Misty remembered perfectly fine.”

“Trauma perhaps?” Aki finally spoke up, having been too distant from the topic of conversation beforehand to offer much input. “Sometimes people who go through traumatic experiences repress the memories to protect themselves…”

Jack had to force himself not to wince. That couldn’t be the case for Carly, right? How could she have forgotten it all so quickly if that was the case? Surely she just didn’t remember it because for most of it she was being controlled by some force that wasn’t herself. But then… how would she not remember the moments where she was herself?

“Maybe…” Crow’s voice was hardly more than a mutter, clearly overwhelmed by Aki’s words.

Meanwhile, Yusei just stared at Aki in concern. He leaned toward her ear. “Is… that what you did?”

Aki nodded. Yusei rested his hand on hers. Suddenly not hungry, Jack stood up and walked back toward the garage.

“Where you going, Jack?” Crow asked.

“Out,” Jack grunted, slamming the door behind him.

He instantly got back on his D-Wheel, not even wanting to risk one of the others trying to follow him. Again, Jack had no idea where he was going. He knew he’d have to return to the house eventually but he prayed that when he did, the others would be asleep or at least in their rooms so they wouldn’t bother him. Besides, he needed time to clear his head.

The temperature had dropped significantly since the sunset, making it hard not to shiver. The road was lined with lamp posts, each with a bench beside them. It was completely quiet and motionless. Everyone seemed to be inside their houses, some of which had the lights on inside, adding to the light pollution the city as a whole gave off, while others were completely pitch black. Up ahead, Jack noticed a figure laying on one of the benches, seemingly shivering. He was going to pass right by when out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a stream of black hair. Jack slammed on the breaks. He glanced over at the bench, his eyes going wide.

“Carly…?” The name escaped Jack’s lips before he could think about it.

Carly blinked her eyes open. A huge figure was looming over her, on what looked to be a motorcycle.

“J-Jack?” She jerked backwards, straightening up and gasping when she fully processed the situation. “W-what are you…?”

“Why are you sleeping on a bench?” Jack asked, his eyes narrowed.

Carly looked away. She was struggling not to shiver as the cold air chilled her to the bone. “I uh… kinda don’t have an apartment right now.”

“What?!” Jack was outraged, more with himself than Carly. How could he have let this happen?!

“I… couldn’t afford anything. I’m still looking for a new job after…” Carly leaned further into the bench, pulling her legs into her chest. “You know…”

Jack froze. He couldn’t bring himself to leave Carly like this, sleeping on the streets like this was downright dangerous. His fear of hurting Carly seemed infinitesimal compared to this.

“You let me stay at your place when I had nowhere to go… I should repay that debt.”

Carly’s face reddened. “Wha- you-you’re gonna let me stay at your place?”

“If you’re okay with having four roommates.”

Four? Carly wasn’t too surprised Jack was living with Yusei and Crow now, but who was the fourth person?

“Y-yeah… that’s fine…” she replied.

An awkward silence followed. Jack gestured to her with a tilt of his head.

Carly let out a shriek. “W-wait, we’re riding that thing?!”

Jack’s eyes narrowed. “It’s called a D-Wheel. And how else do you expect us to get there?”

“Gah da- bah u-u-um I-I…” Carly stuttered out of control, unable to form a coherent thought in her head.

“Hurry up,” Jack growled, impatiently tapping his foot.

“Gah! Okay!”

Carly threw herself off the bench, freezing in front of the D-Wheel. She gazed at it for a moment. Was Jack really expecting her to get super close to him? To HOLD him?! Taking a deep breath, Carly put one leg over the seat and wrapped her arms around Jack’s waist.

Jack’s face reddened. He hadn’t anticipated how… overwhelming it would be to have Carly holding him like this. However, there was no going back now. Jack started up the motorcycle again, racing down the road. Carly gripped him even tighter. Jack’s face reddened even more, making it hard to focus on the path ahead.

Carly meanwhile began easing into this touch. She’d been laying on that bench for hours, unable to get comfortable and shivering from the dropping temperature. This was the first time she’d felt warm in a long time.

It took Jack only about five minutes to get them to his place. He parked it in the garage. Then waited for Carly to let go of him. Waited. Waited.

“Ahem.” Jack cleared his throat.

“Oh!” Carly opened her eyes, hopping off the D-Wheel. “S-sorry!” She forced a smile.

Jack brushed past her, opening the door to the house. Carly awkwardly followed him. Inside, Yusei, Crow, and Aki were all sitting on the couch, gazing at the TV.

“Carly!” Crow exclaimed, taken aback for a moment as he stood up off the couch. Then he smirked. “Dang Jack, you really listened to my advice. I’m surprised.” He nudged his friend’s shoulder as he walked up to him.

“Huh?” Carly blurted out, completely baffled. What exactly was Crow referring to?

Jack clenched his jaw. “She just needs a place to stay for a while,” he muttered, walking away and shutting himself in his room.

“Ugh, what’s that guy’s problem? Well, whatever. So Carly, I never formally introduced myself. I’m Crow Hogan.” Crow held his hand out, offering a handshake.

“Hi, Crow.” Carly accepted the handshake with a smile. She gazed at the others: Yusei, who she’d met once, and a woman with dark pink hair she’d never seen before. “And uh… what’s your name?” Carly asked, turning to her. “I’ve never met you.”

“Aki. Aki Izayoi.” Aki figured she should be as welcoming as Crow had been and thus offered a handshake as well. She instantly felt awkward.

“Hi, Aki.” Carly accepted the handshake. “Nice to meet you.”

Aki smiled a bit. Carly briefly wondered if Crow or Yusei were dating Aki.

“So um…” Crow looked around the room, shooting glances at the couch, kitchen, and hallway to their bedrooms. “I guess the couch is available for you, Carly. Unless…” Crow smirked a bit. “Jack was okay with you sleeping with him?”

“Uh…?!” Carly stiffened, her face going red. “I would guess that’s a no.”

“You ever tried asking?” Crow asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I’d rather not.” Carly shuffled onto the couch, smiling at how soft it was. Though really anything was soft compared to the cold hard ground. “The couch is fine, thank you.”

Letting out a yawn, Carly laid down, her head rested on the side cushion of the couch.

“Going to sleep already?” Crow asked, tilting his head to the side.

“It is quite late…” Aki commented, letting out a yawn.

Yusei started walking away. “I agree. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight everybody!” Crow called, still full of energy as he ran off to his room.

Aki and Yusei followed more slowly down the hall Carly glanced up. Right as she did, she noticed Yusei and Aki entering the same bedroom.

 Carly nodded. *Ah, so she’s dating Yusei then.* She laid back down with a sigh. The sight of a seemingly happy couple reminded Carly that she’d never confessed her feelings to Jack… let alone figured out if he felt the same way. Or maybe she had and couldn’t remember it…

Carly chuckled dryly at the idea. Why would she have confessed to Jack when she was trying to destroy the world? That was just ridiculous. Then again, anything was possible… Carly’s heart ached. There was so much that could’ve happened in the time that had disappeared from her memory and no one could give her any answers. No one besides… Jack. Carly sat up. Jack was just nearby, in that first room down the hall.

Carly shuffled toward the door. She felt bad waking him up but now might be the best time she could get to talk to Jack one on one. It was at least worth a try. Her heart pounded harder and harder the further she walked and she found herself freezing up in front of the door. Her rapid heartbeat was the only thing she could hear. Taking a deep breath, Carly tried to gain some kind of composure as she began trembling again. The night was dead silent, except for the sound of footsteps. Carly froze. The sound was very close like it was coming from inside Jack’s room.

“Um… Jack?” Carly knocked on the door.

Jack stopped pacing, his heart skipping a beat at the sound of Carly’s voice. Right outside was the subject of Jack’s rampant thoughts, which had kept him from even trying to sleep and instead taking to pacing around his room.

Carly let out a sigh. “Jack, I know you’re awake. I heard you pacing.”

*Shit.* Jack barely bit back the exclamation. He bit his lip. His brain was telling him not to open that door, that he couldn’t face Carly, couldn’t answer her questions. It would only hurt her, all he’d ever done was hurt her. Jack let out a sigh. There was no getting out of this: Carly would just keep pestering him until he opened the door.

Carly took a step back as the door opened. She looked up at Jack, who was practically glaring at her, the dark bags under his eyes visible even in the darkness.

“What do you want?” he grunted, trying to keep his voice low so he didn’t wake the others.

Carly wasn’t fazed by his gruffness. “Jack… I have to know…” She looked away, wrapping her arms around herself. “What happened… when I was a dark signer? I can’t remember any of it but the others told me that we duelled and…” A horrible realisation seeped over Carly. She looked back at Jack, her eyes wide. “Did I hurt you? Is that why you’re avoiding me?”

Jack took a step back. “When was I avoiding you?”

“I-it feels like you are…” Carly muttered, taking a step closer.

Silence followed. Jack was completely frozen up, unable to move or think of anything to say as he gazed at the woman who’d captivated his mind and heart.

“What happened in our duel?” Carly's voice was soft and pleading, making Jack's heart ache. “Please… whatever I did, I’m sorry…”

“Don’t apologise,” Jack insisted, “You weren’t in control of your actions.”

“That doesn’t matter!” Carly exclaimed.

“What do you mean?!” Jack raised his voice from a whisper to a normal tone, forgetting all about waking the others. “Of course it does! That Dark Signer I battled wasn’t really you! It was whatever twisted power was controlling you. You can’t blame yourself for that.”

“I can blame myself for becoming a Dark Signer in the first place. I know it’s my fault I went and got myself killed.”

Jack stiffened. “You remember that?”

Carly nodded, shuddering as she explained, “The last thing I remember was being thrown out a window. Then I woke up and everyone was saying I had been a ‘Dark Signer’. You know what happened. Why won’t you tell me what I did?”

“It would just make you upset. You’re better off not knowing…”

It hurt just saying those words. Did Jack really believe that Carly was better off without ever knowing, among many things, how much he loved her?

“No, I’m not!” Carly exclaimed, snapping Jack out of his thoughts. “I'll just spend my whole life worrying and assuming the worst if you don't tell me. Please… did I…” Carly shuddered, barely able to get the words out. “K-kill anyone?”

“Who could you possibly have killed?” Jack kept his tone soft, desperately trying to calm her down.

“You…” The idea almost made Carly sob, which she barely bit back.

“How would I be here?”

“I died. How am I here?” Carly croaked.

Jack let out a sigh. She did have a point. “You didn’t kill anyone. I was the only one you duelled.”

He wasn’t sure if he could completely confirm that but even if she had duelled someone else as a Dark Signer, everyone came back and Carly hadn’t been in full control of herself. There was no reason she should be blaming herself.

“And…” The beginnings of tears were visible through Carly’s glasses. “You won…?” Jack winced, looking away. *It wasn’t like that!* He barely bit back the words.

Carly bit her lip. So Jack had killed her a second time… the knowledge stung a little but she understood: the Dark Signers threatened the fate of the entire world, Jack had only done what he had to for the greater good. And she was back now, so no damage was done.

“I-it wasn’t…” Jack hesitated, unsure how to explain.

Would Carly be upset if she knew what he’d tried to do? How could he possibly explain that? Why did she have to forget everything? What they went through would still be painful, but less painful if they could face it together.

“No, no, no, it’s fine, Jack,” Carly insisted, “I get it. It’s what I would want in that situation I think… well…” She looked back up at him. “I’m sure I told you if I could’ve… right?”

“You did…” Jack muttered, unable to meet her gaze.

“Jack?”

He was leaving something out. Carly could tell, not just from how he spoke of it but from the foggy memories, almost like memories of a dream, dancing through her mind. It was only flashes but she could see their duel. The ominous purple flames swirling around them, forming the track for the D-Wheels, which Carly could somehow ride flawlessly despite never doing so before: it all seemed so unreal. Carly had a hard time convincing herself that these surreal images weren’t just her imagination.

She dug deeper into her memories. It was all so fuzzy: like she’d been there, but more as a presence rather than a duelist. Jack was right. Carly hadn’t been in control of herself: her own hard-to-grasp memories seemed to back that up. However, one thing stuck out to her. Darkness swirled around her, leaving her with just sounds and feelings, specifically the sound of Jack’s voice.

“This is the destiny I’ve chosen for myself! I’ll have no regrets if we die together!”

The words echoed in Carly’s mind. She gasped, suddenly thrown back into the present.

“J-Jack, you… you tried to… to…” Carly couldn’t get the words out. “You tried to kill yourself?”

Jack winced. “You think I wanted to live with the memory of your death?!” he snapped, all the emotions he’d fought to keep at bay boiling over. “Knowing I caused it?! Knowing it was my fault you were in that situation to begin with?!”

“How was that your fault?!” Carly exclaimed, “I was the one who went off on my own!”

“Only because I pushed you away!”

“It wasn’t your fault.” Carly let out a sigh, her gaze dropping to the floor. “I wouldn’t want you to die, even if I was dying.” Stepping closer, she took Jack’s hand. They met each other’s gazes. “I’d want you to keep living and make everyone happy with your duelling.”

“I know…”

“Right… I said that, didn’t I?” Carly let out an awkward chuckle, looking away.

Jack noticed their hands still entwined. Stepping even closer, Jack took Carly’s hand in both hands, gazing at her. Carly met his gaze. Jack froze. The beginnings of his thought had already disappeared as he lost himself in Carly’s eyes. 

“Carly…” Nearly everything was out in the open now. Jack would only be hurting both of them by not telling Carly his feelings and he had the perfect chance. “I couldn’t bear living in a world without you in it… or even the thought of you dying alone…”

“I wasn’t alone, I was with you…” Carly replied before Jack could think of a way to continue.

She put an arm around him. Jack let go of her hand, instantly wrapping both arms around her. Carly nuzzled into his shoulder. This wasn’t the first time they’d hugged like this: the feeling was so familiar. The memory of her final moments as a Dark Signer flooded back to her. She really had been with Jack. That wasn’t something she’d remembered until just now, she just knew it in her heart to be true. Come to think of it, what were her last words to Jack?

*I love you, Jack.*

Carly stiffened. *Oh… so he knows.* 

So there wasn’t really a point to saying it again, she’d already told him, despite her not being able to fully grasp the memory. Would confessing now even matter? The last thing Carly wanted was to hear the words “I know” in response to a love confession.

“I pushed you away again…” Jack realised aloud, guilt pricking his heart like a needle. “Even though that’s what caused this whole mess… I… I knew you’d ask and…” He paused to sigh. “I’m sorry…”

“I-it’s… fine,” Carly insisted, letting go of Jack and gazing up at him.

Jack’s eyes narrowed. “No, it’s not. For someone I say I love, I don’t treat you as well as I should.”

It took both of them a moment to realise what he said.

“Wait what?” Carly’s voice came out in a breath.

Jack took a step back, placing his hand over his burning cheeks.

“I…meant to say that at a better time.” He facepalmed, letting out a groan. “Why did you have to forget everything?”

Carly smiled. “Actually, that gives me a feeling of deja vu.”

*I wish with all my heart! I want to rescue you, the girl I love!* The words rang in Carly’s head as she chuckled.

Jack rolled his eyes. “Of course it does.”

He wasn’t really annoyed at her, more so himself for fumbling his confession that badly. Why did this have to be the one Carly remembered?!

Carly took Jack’s hands, beaming ear to ear. “Did you mean it?”

“Of course I meant it. Why else would I say it?”

Carly trembled with joy. Getting to her tiptoes, she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Jack’s lip twitched up. Carly took a step back, about to apologise for her brazenness when Jack rested his hand on Carly’s face. She met his gaze, her heart pounding out of her chest. Her breath caught in her throat. Rather than speaking, Carly got to her tiptoes again, leaning forward and tilting her head to the side. Jack pressed his lips against hers. Carly melted in his embrace, having to hold onto Jack’s shoulders so she didn’t fall over.

Jack rested his other hand on Carly’s back. His fingers unconsciously stroked her hair as they kissed. After a few moments, he backed out of the kiss, sighing happily. His eyes fluttered open. Carly still had her eyes closed, beaming ear to ear. Jack smiled as well. 

“Well, um…” Carly opened her eyes to gaze at Jack. “I guess I should let you sleep.” She turned away.

Jack bit his lip. *Is there a way I can ask her to share a bed with me without sounding weird?* He felt kind of bad making Carly sleep on the couch and if there was anyone he didn’t mind getting that close to it was her.

Carly glanced back at Jack, noticing him blushing again. She smirked. “Huh? Yeah, we can sleep together.”

Jack staggered back. “Di-did I say that out loud?!”

“No, my fortune told me you'd ask that.”

“What?!”

Carly giggled into her hand. “No, I just guessed. You turned bright red, it was kind of a giveaway.” She took Jack's hands again. “I guess I know I'm right then?”

Jack looked away, letting out an annoyed grunt. “Yes…”

Carly stepped to Jack’s side, brushing her cheek against his shoulder. Jack took her hand. They walked side by side, closing the door behind them.

Meanwhile, just down the hallway, Crow had been peeking around the corner, silently cheering the entire scene. Once the door closed, Crow emerged from his hiding spot. He knocked eagerly on Yusei’s door. After a few moments of silence, it was Aki who answered the door.

“Crow it’s eleven o’clock,” Aki was giving him the death glare as she spoke, “What do you want?”

Crow simply held his hand out. “You and Yusei owe me ten yen.”

#yugioh #ygo #yugioh 5ds #ygo 5ds #5ds #fanfiction #writing #carly nagisa #carly carmine #jack atlas #scoopshipping #retributionshipping #shipfic #crow hogan #yusei fudo #aki izayoi #akiza izinski #oneshot #fluff #angst #carly not remembering is dumb #doesn't mean I can't work with it #jack x carly #carly x jack #jack atlas x carly nagisa #jack atlas x carly carmine #faithshipping #slight faithshipping #mostly crow teasing them