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demonsanddemogorgons · 10 months

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Sunny in Philadelphia - A Joseph Quinn Story (Chapter 15)

Chapter 15 - Boyfriend

"McKenzie."

"Drew. What are you doing here? You didn't call." you asked, snapping a bit, angry that you weren't alerted that he was coming. The one agreement the two of you had that he wanted with the divorce was that he could still come and see Jango since you had shared him together. He was allowed to take him to the park or on certain trips he went on, but he stayed with you full-time. He was supposed to notify you before coming to get him, but he hadn't this time.

"I was in the area and figured I would just stop by to take Jango to the park for the day." He looked over your shoulder at Joe, who was just standing there quietly, letting you do all the talking. "Who is this?"

Fuck. Could this get any more awkward? Absolutely not.

"Drew, this is Joe. M-my boyfriend." Drew's eyes widened as you turned to Joe, mainly to avoid eye contact with Drew if you were being totally honest. "Joe, this is Drew. My...ex-husband."

Joe's eyebrows raised as he nodded at the new information. He wasn't particularly thrilled to meet the man who shattered you into the million pieces that he was trying to glue back together, but he would be respectful all the same, for your sake. He nodded towards Drew in acknowledgement but said nothing. He wasn't going to tell him it was nice to meet him, because frankly, it wasn't. He swallowed in an attempt to stuff down the burning anger he felt in his throat from having that bastard standing 3 feet from him. Drew nodded back and then turned to you.

"Boyfriend?"

You rolled your eyes.

"Yes, Drew. Boyfriend. Pretty sure I'm allowed to have one of those now, not that it stopped you."

He ignored your snarky remark and looked at Joe, his eyes widening with realization.

"Wait a minute. I've seen him before. Joe? Like Joseph? Quinn?"

"Yes."

Drew took a step back for a moment out of shock.

"Joseph Quinn? Like that Eddie dude you were all obsessed with from that TV show? You're dating him?"

You were getting fed up with his questions and disbelief. He had already proven you to not be good enough for him, but for him to act like it was impossible for you to attract a man like Joe was the icing on the cake of your bitterness toward him.

"Drew. How many times do I have to say yes?"

"Wow."

That's all he could say? Really?

"Well, Joe and I have plans for later so if you came for Jango, you can go ahead and take him," you said, trying to shoo him out.

"Yeah, I'll be heading out soon, but can we talk first? In private?"

What? Absolutely not.

"What could you possibly want to talk about? And anything you're going to say to me can be said in front of Joe," you snapped. Joe tried his best to hold back a smirk, impressed with your composure. Atta girl, he thought. He was proud of you for standing your ground.

"I...well, I-I wanted to talk to you about maybe, possibly, getting back together."

You didn't think it was possible for Joe's eyes to bug out any further.

"I'm sorry, what?" You couldn't believe what you heard. "You want me to take your cheating, mentally abusive ass back? Drew, how stupid do you think I am?"

"I-I know I screwed up. I see that now."

"Yeah, only because you showed up here to find a new man in my house that you didn't know about. Funny how you can sleep with all these other women and degrade me about my appearance, but the second you see that I've moved on, you can't handle it. What happened, Drew? All your mistresses get tired of you? Did they realize how you really are?"

"I-I-"

"You didn't appreciate what you had. Even if you do realize what you lost now, it's too late. You had your chance, and you blew it. Even if Joe wasn't in the picture, I would never go back to you. Ever. I deserve better, and I've been fortunate enough to find that. Now take Jango for your visit and get the fuck out of my house."

"Mack, please."

"She said get out, mate," Joe interjected from behind you. He had heard enough. Drew moved closer until his face was inches from Joe's.

"This doesn't concern you," he said lowly, his hands tightening into fists. You could see Joe's cheeks turning red.

"Doesn't concern me? You're asking my girlfriend to take your pathetic ass back right in front of me. If that doesn't concern me, then I don't know what does. You have a lot of nerve to ask this of her after the way you treated her, especially in front of me. I have been patient and tried to stay back out of respect for her and her ability to handle herself, but this is where I draw the line. Get out. Now."

Drew didn't move, continuing to stare at Joe in close proximity. He was contemplating his next move which, if he was smart, would be to retreat.

"Come, Jango," he said, backing off. He hooked Jango's leash to his collar and left with him, slamming the door behind him.

As soon as the door shut, you collapsed against Joe, sobbing. He caught you before you could hit the floor and rubbed his hand over your back soothingly.

"Shhhh, darling, it's okay."

"I'm sorry," you sobbed, soaking his shirt in tears. "I couldn't cry in front of him. I just couldn't. I fucking hate him so much, and I couldn't let him see me like this, let him see how much it still hurts."

"I know, lovey. I know." He continued to hold you as you cried, placing gentle kisses on the top of your head. "You handled it, baby. You did so good."

You continued crying against him but started to calm down.

"Thank you for stepping in," you said between sniffles. "I couldn't take any more."

"I know, darling. I am proud of you for staying strong as long as you did. I know how hard that must have been. I will always be here to step in when you need me."

"I don't know what I would do without you, Joe."

He looked down at you and smiled, pulling you in for a kiss, not caring at all that your face was tear-soaked, and he was getting it all over his own. He only cared in that moment that you were alright. He was humbled by your extreme trust of him. He could see every day how much faith you put in him, and effortlessly so. You trusted him with your life, and it was evident to him. He was amazed that after everything you've been through, you were so quick to care about him so easily, without reservation. He was already angry with the Drew he hadn't met for making the girl of his affections feel so badly about herself and taking her love for granted. After meeting him, it was extremely safe for him to say that he hated him. How can someone like that call himself a man, he thought. He surely wasn't one.

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riajade01 · 7 years

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Quinn’s plans begin to solidify. Baras plays his hand. Mara returns to the narrative, so to speak.

“Duke Baras. Won’t you come in?” Quinn’s voice was flat, even to his own ears. “I can summon refreshment if you’ve not yet broken your fast.”

Baras waved the offer away.

“No thank you, Lord Quinn.” He looked around ostentatiously. “Is my niece here? I had hoped to find out how her first month of marriage has progressed.”

Quinn pressed his lips together. There was no way Baras actually believed Mara was in the house.

“The countess is not in residence, no. Please, sit.”

It was a breach of protocol to sit first, but Quinn found he no longer cared. Baras hesitated only a moment before taking the chair Quinn had gestured toward.

“Indeed. Is she proving a handful? I am happy to speak with her again on your behalf.” The smile on Baras’s face turned Quinn’s stomach.

“My wife’s whereabouts are no business of yours, your grace.” He replied, the words forced through his clenched jaw. “And you will not glean any further intelligence on that subject from me. Did you have other business in coming here?”

“I see Maranel’s rudeness has spread to you as well. Take care, Lord Quinn. Some may forgive her impropriety based on her heritage, but no such leniency will be granted to you.”

#swtor #malavai quinn #sith warrior #regency au #mara thrask #otp: fire and ice #my writing #ooohhh Quinn is getting mouthy #snarky quinn alert!#it is entirely possible these nerds will be okay

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scorpionyx9621 · 3 years

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While the art is left to be desired (i'm hope i use this ohrase right, my english is awful). I suprised that i found future state!Jason to be more enjoyable than Urban Legend one. Like he's way more capable there and [spoiler alert] also Bruce depend on him and still call him son? So you can have a bad ass Jason and good son jason at the same time.

So I need to apologize because this turned into a rant about Jason's characterization as whole and MAN is it long-winded and I'm sorry.

I have to agree. I really like the characterization Future State/Dark Detective is going for with Jason.

Jason is still the typical Jason we've grown to expect. Cold, cynical, snarky, willing to cross the dark red line and kill if need be, but he's still shown to have emotions. When he's betraying the family it's vocalized by Jason that he's upset about the situation. He doesn't want to, but he must for the mission Bruce put him under.

Truth be told, I'm not fully caught up on Future State/Dark Detective. I've kind of been reading spoilers and just getting the general gist in the periphery from people like you on Tumblr. I've been more focused on Urban Legends, which, while I will say I still don't hate the story, hell we still have two issues left of Cheer, and I by no means think Chip Zdarsky is a bad writer by any means. His characterization of Jason irks me.

*God I was so on the fence about Eddy Barrow's take on Jason until Issue #3. That right there? THAT. That's a handsome ass man Maurry*

ANYWAYS: I'm irked by Zdarsky's take on Jason just because of how hot headed and brash Jason is. Now don't get me wrong, every main writer for Jason has taken a bit of a different spin and while the big characters who have written Jason (Judd Winnick, Scott Lobdell, Tony Daniel) and while Zdarsky seems to be what I'm hoping to be a bit of a medication of Jason & Bruce's relationship. He's doing it at the expendature of Jason's characterization of being a damn near criminal mastermind.

If we focus on Winnick and Daniel's interpretation of Jason (Winnick wrote the original Under the Hood & Lost Days. Daniels wrote Battle for the Cowl) as well as all Pre-New 52 versions of Jason. Jason is a monster. Like genuinely a horrible human being. He still fights for right moral side (he kills mostly child abusers/drug traffickers and the likes) but this Jason is genuinely unhinged and while smart, he's absolutely monster. Hell, in Battle for the Cowl after hearing Bruce's final words, he has a villainous breakdown. Dresses as batman, and starts killing people. Judd Winnick himself said he sees Jason as a 'Psychopath' and there are a lot of very vocal people who say Winnick's original interpretation of Jason as a violent, misanthropic villain is the superior version and that Jason should return to this.

*I love to point out that I made a post on my alt account questioning Jason's age in this issue. Turns out he's Like SEVENTEEN. I get why they draw him older and more mature because of his darker/more villainous tendencies. But there's something kind of True Crime Podcast host fascination I have with this greasy, crusty, 17 year old who just casually kills 30 mobsters in horrific gun violence and calls it a day.*

Then we have the New 52. And in comes Red Hood & The Outlaws + the eventual Red Hood: Outlaw series. Piloted by the one Scott Lobdell. Now I know a lot of people dislike Lobdell for his takes on certain characters, his all-over-the-place writing style. (Let's not forget his allegations of SA and the fact that he openly admits that he wrote Jason as a self-insert for a 'bad guy seeking redemption') this was my first comic experience with Jason and to be honest, I can't bring myself to hate it. Sure there's some parts that literally show how much of a dumpster fire Lobdell's writing can become, but for the most part I genuinely liked the characterization of Jason that Lobdell gives. Jason may be a bit more reactionary and just kind of making shit up as he goes along, but he's far from dumb. The intro to the series has Jason sneaking into a terrorist run nuclear sub and killing everyone inside.

Again: Lobdell's writing is all of the place. But I do like that his take on Jason is a bit more subdued. I know in the New 52 they wanted to make Jason an Anti-Hero. Someone who very much still driven by emotion and revenge. But he's definetly more relaxed and even has a lot of fun. Intelligence wise he has is moments, but it does emphasize that while he may be the best read Robin, he does have a tendency to leap before he looks. Also all the art for RHATO with the exception of a few series were TOP TIER. I understand why they hired artists like Kenneth Rocafort and Dexter Soy to rehabilitate his image. I mean, come on.

Now if we're talking about Jason's intelligence, I'd be absolutely remiss if I didn't discuss Red Hood: Outlaw and the Price of Gotham Arc. Specifically this exchange between Bruce & Jason. To me, this is the single best part of Lobdell's run and shows Jason's true intelligence.

To give a rundown: After Bruce banished Jason from Gotham after seemingly killing the Penguin. Bruce proceeded to find Jason and literally beat him to within an inch of his life. It took MONTHS for Jason to recover. A lot happens but mostly Jason finds out (from Bruce no less) that Penguin is still alive. Jason hatches a devious plan. He takes over the iceberg lounge, kidnaps and holds Penguin hostage. Publically outs himself as Jason Todd, the dead ward of Bruce Wayne, as alive and well, and the new owner of the Iceberg Lounge.

When Bruce finds out he's clearly pissed and goes to confront Jason because he's banished him from Gotham. But because Jason outed himself as alive and one of Bruce's sons. Batman can do NOTHING. Jason has Bruce by the balls. If Bruce does anything to Jason while he's out and alive as Jason, all Jason has to do is tell the truth. And the whole Batman jig is up in an instant. And Bruce? After these panels? He runs off with his tail between his leg because he can't touch Jason. And all Jason did was capture penguin, and come out as alive. THIS is the Jason that I love. This is the Jason that strikes fear into people's hearts.

I think a lot of the general complaints we see about Jason as a whole is just how inconsistent he is with his writing. Which I agree. It's hard to characterize Jason well when there's been a character like Lobdell who was at the Helm of Jason's character for 10 years and then forced to leave. And I don't really know if DC has any really solid plans for his character and development. There's a lot of hype surrounding the end of Cheer and them saying it'll 'change Red Hood & Batman's relationship forever' as well as with Jason being featured in the new Suicide Squad coming this August, and Jason getting a feature in an issue of Robin. It'll be interesting to see where they take the character. Personally I do want a resumption of Jason. But like Harley Quinn where they're taking their sweet time redeeming her. Jason has done A LOT of awful things and of they wanna make him a hero, I want a few years to pass in terms of monthly issues before we see Jason become a hero again.

*edit: spelling*

#Jason Todd #Bruce Wayne #Batfam #red hood and the outlaws #red hood outlaw #batman urban legends #Batman future state #Red Hood #Red Hood lost days #judd winick #scott lobdell #Battle for the cowl #im sorry this is long #thanks for the ask!

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likethetailofacomet · 6 years

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What Friends Are For

Author’s Note: I was going to skip over this chapter, but then as I was writing it, it gave me warm feels thinking about what an amazing thing a friend can be in your life. Claire has had a rough go of things, and I wanted to make sure that she had some people she could count on, so, here we are. This might be a personal piece, you might not find it necessary, but i promise more action and CERTAINLY more steam in the next chapter.

No warnings, just pure friend love. :)

tagging: @sleepwalkingelite @zaffrenotes @notoriouscs @gardeningourmet @natalievgoodehenry @nekkidmolerat @ooo-barff-ooo if you would like to be added please let me know!

After the hustle and bustle of her first few days in Cordonia, Claire was glad to have some time to herself this week in between events. The races had been Tuesday, and although they had started early in the afternoon, and the last race had concluded by 3pm, the tea party and festivities that followed went well into the evening. Claire hadn’t gotten back that night until nearly midnight, and had slept most of the next morning away; the jet lag, adrenaline and excitement finally wearing her down. It was Thursday afternoon now, and Claire was relaxing in her room curled up in the window seat with a notebook and pen, doodling and writing while music played from the phone in her lap and rain lightly tapped on the window panes. She smiled to herself, sinking a little more into the cushioned seat, as she thought about where she’d normally be right about now: in the bar cooler, mopping out all the spilled beer around the kegs and hauling six packs and crates from the stock room. Instead she was resting up and turning in early before the long trek to Lythikos in the morning.

The phone in her lap glowed and buzzed and she nearly fell out of the window seat as she threw her notebook aside to answer it. She'd been waiting for this chance since she got home from the races on Tuesday. She'd even blocked time off from Maxwell and Bertrand's rigorous etiquette training, which she'd agreed to as even though she wasn't trying to win Liam's heart, fuck, still have to have that chat with Max..., she didn't want to make a fool out of herself at every dinner and ball for the next three months. They'd protested at first, of course, but she'd furrowed her eyebrows at them and set them with the look that she used to give customers when they were getting out of line and, not unlike her patrons at the bar, it had worked.

“Hello? Daniel?” she answered the phone with a big, dumb grin.

“Hey! There's my world traveler! I have so, so, so many questions!”

Claire laughed, bringing her free hand up to her forehead. “You and me both, Dan. Are you on your 15 or did you just run out on a fake smoke break? How much time do you have?”

“I'm on my 15 so don't hold back,” he answered.

“Okay, well I'm going to start by making the long story short, and that's this: I am stupidly, definitely, and completely falling for this grumpy, impossible to read, Cordonian guy and I don't think there's anything I can do about it.” She let out a breath. “I mean, I got on a plane and crossed an ocean to come after this guy that I met one time, under the guise of freaking competing for a chance to marry the crown freaking prince. That's got to be the craziest thing anyone's ever done! I mean, right? I'm nuts, right? I am.”

Daniel laughed. “You know what, maybe. But, hey!” she was trying to cut him off. He laughed over her. “No! Hey! Let me finish!” he said and she obliged. “As I was saying before being so rudely interrupted, maybe it's not crazy.”

“Okay, you know what, you are supposed to be the voice of reason here, Dan.” she was feigning disappointment with his reaction.

“Well, maybe I'm tired of being the cynical sidekick. Maybe it's time my cold, black, coffee fueled heart learned to let love in. I'm trying baby steps here by being supportive of your insanity.” she could hear the sarcastic smirk in his voice, even though she knew he was being serious.

“Well alert the presses that the jaded Mr. Quinn has grown a soul, ladies and gents!” she teased. She was glad though, if this was truly how Daniel felt. He'd always been closed off about relationships, never really getting close to anyone, just like her. It was time for both of them to try for something solid, even if it felt a little crazy.

“Ha, ha, ha. If you were here right now I'd chuck an ice cube at you. So tell me about this fairy tale guy of yours.”

Claire rolled her eyes, hoping he could tell. “Well he's hardly a fairy tale, I mean, this is still me we're talking about here, so he's rough around the edges and snarky...but...” she trailed off and felt heat rush throughout her as she thought of the two kisses that they'd shared, the second with almost double the intensity of the first.

“But what? Don't leave me hanging here?”

“But he is the best fucking kisser in the world. Daniel, I swear to any and all gods it's true.”

Daniel burst out laughing. “Well hey there's a perk!”

“And there's something else too...it's like I feel drawn to him. Almost like I feel like I already know him...it's...intense. Kinda scary...” it was, if she was being honest with herself. As much as she was soaring from the way their lips had met and the way his body had felt so close to hers, she was terrified. The last time she'd thought she'd felt this way about someone was with Alex, and she'd never been more wrong about anything in her life.

Sensing what she was feeling as if there weren't 7 hours and thousands of miles between them. “Claire, scary how? Scary like Alex?” she heard the concern in his voice, and rightfully so. He'd dealt with Alex for as long as she had.

“No,” she said firmly, truly believing that Drake wasn't an abusive man. “I just mean...what if I'm wrong and my heart ends up broken, but it's broken because I flung it out the window of a private jet while we were cruising at altitude?”

“Claire.” he said her name with finality and it broke her out of her spiral. “Stop. Just...trust yourself okay? You are the bravest person I know. Trust in that.”

She leaned her forehead against the cool glass of the window. “Thanks, Daniel,” she whispered. He always knew what she needed to hear. Then, something he'd said went off in her head like a trigger. “Hey, by the way...you mentioned Alex...”

There was silence on the other end. Finally, Daniel's voice came back, resolute, “I know. Today was his probationary hearing. He's out.”

“Hey, just, be careful, okay? Just...if that psycho even comes near you just...” she had started shaking without noticing.

“I will.” he promised, and it wasn't enough to erase her fears, but she knew it was all she was getting. She was glad that

“Okay.”

“Okay. Enough about that scumbag. What's next for you over in wonderland?”

“It's Cordonia,”she said, knowing full well that she'd mentioned the country's name at least six times to him since she'd left New York, “and we're going to a place called Lythikos tomorrow, this super serious duchess named Olivia is hosting.”

“And is your dream man going?”

“I'm regretting telling you anything. Yes, Drake is going.” she felt her heart grow warm just saying that out loud.

“Well kid, have a great time. I have to get going. New girl's probably crashing and burning in there.” she could hear him smirking.

“Yeah, get back in there and save the day,” she played along. “But hey, thanks for calling. I miss you.”

“Don't mention it, Claire. You know I'm here for you no matter what.”

“I know. No matter what.”

They said good bye and Claire picked up the notebook and pen that she'd cast aside when Daniel's phone call had come in. Black ink flowers scrawled across the top of the page, her thoughts poured out below them. Stretching and yawning she moved to the foot of the bed where Maxwell had dropped off a packed bag for her trip to Lythikos; apparently it was in the far reaches of the North, in a mountain range that had year ‘round snow, so the bag included warm scarves, a coat and boots. She tucked the journal into the bag so that she’d have it with her; she always had it with her. She’d begun journaling after her mother passed away as a way to get her thoughts out of her head so they couldn’t fester in there. It helped a little, but as she suspected, some things, some thoughts, were more difficult to remove. She’d tried to write down every confusing, exciting and terrifying thought or feeling that she’d had about Drake, about coming to Cordonia…about Alex, but there were plenty still rolling around in there, even after her chat with Daniel.

A knock on her door made her jump; aside from Maxwell, and as of this morning his brother Bertrand, no one came knocking on her door. She slid her feet into her slippers and padded over to the door. Opening it, she was surprised to see the smiling face of Lady Hana.

“Hi, Lady Claire,” she beamed.

“Hi, Hana, please like I’ve been telling everyone, drop the ‘lady.’” She smiled warmly and saw her smile reflected back from Hana.

“You can do the same with me,” she responded. “Proper etiquette can certainly feel impersonal, can’t it?”

Claire nodded. “Yes. And in my case, also highly unnecessary. Would you like to come in?” She moved aside and allowed Hana into her room.

“Thank you,” she floated in, her pink dress flowing about her ankles. Claire looked down at her own dressed down appearance; grey sweat pants and an oversized t shirt that said “I <3 NY Bagels”. She internally noted for the 10,000th time how odd it was that she’d ended up here.

“So, what brings you by, Hana?” Claire asked, shutting the door behind her as Hana took a seat on the bench at the foot of the bed.

“Oh! I really don’t want to bother you, I-“her eyes widened.

“It’s no bother, Hana, I wouldn’t have let you in if I didn’t want to.”

The look on Hana’s face made it clear that she had no idea what it was like to only do things that you wanted. Claire felt a pang of pity for Hana and all of the ladies at court in this regard. “Oh, well, in that case, thank you!” she squeaked. She hesitated, running the gauzy top layer of fabric from her dress through her fingers. Claire came and took a seat next to her. “So, I…I feel like I can trust you, Claire. I feel like you’re…different from the rest of them.”

“I am, and you can. I’m Irish; I can keep a secret and hold a grudge.” She winked. “And honestly, I feel the same way about you. Something just told me we’d be friends. I don’t have many friends…none, really, aside from my friend Dan back home, but he’s more like an annoying twin brother than a friend really… anyway, my point is,” she softened her voice and gave Hana a comforting look, “I’d like it if we could be friends. This whole thing, this place,” she gestured generally at her surroundings, “can be a lot on your own.” Wanting friends? What is this place doing to me? Claire mused.

Hana’s look of appreciation could not be more apparent. “It really can,” she sighed, “especially when…” her eyes went to the door as if double checking that it was indeed closed. “Especially when you have no interest in courting the prince, but your family has pinned all of their hopes to you doing just that.”

“Oh, Hana, you couldn’t have known but you came to the exact right person…Er, not about the parents thing… that’s a pressure that I’ll never know.” Claire felt a twinge of heartache thinking about her parents, but decided that Hana could learn about them another day. “But, if I’m being honest, I’m not here for Liam, either.” Claire went on to share with Hana her feelings for Drake and everything that had transpired between them since she’d gotten here. Hana confided in Claire about the pressures that her parents had heaped upon her, as well as the biggest secret that she’d ever kept from them; Hana was a lesbian.

“Listen, Hana, You are who you are, and you love who you love. Your parents can’t change that no matter how hard they try, so my advice is don’t change for them. I’m here for you, and I’m sure if you spoke honestly with Liam about it, he would understand- if you’re ready to, of course.”

Hana sighed. “Thanks, Claire. I’m not sure what I’m ready for. It took me two days to get the confidence to talk to you about it. I just…I know that you come from the real world and that you’d understand. Even if no one else does…I just needed one person to understand.” She looked down at her lap.

“Hey, you know what? Let’s have a girl’s night. It’s been a million years since I’ve had anyone that I wanted to have a girl’s night with, and I can’t think of a better time.”

Hana perked up. “That…sounds fun. What is a girl’s night?”

Claire got up and opened the large cabinet across from the bed to reveal a T.V. She took the big , fluffy blanket from the window seat and spread it out on the bed. Sitting on the bed, she patted the mattress next to her and Hana jumped up to sit with her. “This is a girl’s night,” she said, flicking the television on, changing the channels until she found a sappy romantic movie. “We are going to watch this movie and talk about embarrassing crap and about crushes and you’re going to braid my hair, and I’m going to paint your nails.”

Hana beamed and, without warning, threw her thin arms around Claire and hugged tightly. “Claire, you might very well be my first real girl friend.”

Claire considered her words for a moment. Suddenly overcome with emotion, she choked back a tear. “You are definitely mine,” she said, truthfully.

The night passed in giggles and tears, secrets shared and embarrassing moments revealed. After the third movie they’d both fallen asleep sprawled out on Claire’s bed. Tomorrow would be a day full of travel capped off with their arrival at the standoffish Duchess Olivia’s home and more structured courtly events and rules to follow, but tonight was a night of friendship; a night that Claire and Hana had been denied for far too long.

#choices #playchoices #trr #choices trr #drake x mc #drake walker #claire berkley #drake x claire #hana lee #daniel #friends #friend love #trr au #learning to love again

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aion-rsa · 4 years

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The Best Online Serial Fiction

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If there was a golden age of serial fiction, it might have been the era when Charles Dickens, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Mark Twain were publishing their stories-in-installments in print periodicals, with their readers desperately waiting for the next part of the tale. But if that’s true, right now might just be the platinum age of serial fiction. The digital medium is perfect for publishing stories as episodes, and modern readers who are used to receiving stories in an episodic format, thanks to television, may appreciate the medium in a more nuanced way than their historical predecessors.

Modern serials make use of both styles of writing. Some rely on a single author who publishes their novel bit by bit, keeping readers hooked. Others are developed in a television-style writer’s room. Some feature added features like music or illustrations, making use of transmedia opportunities made possible in the digital world. These stories span genres, including near futuristic sci fi (The Vela or Machina), urban fantasy (Ilona Andrews’s “Innkeeper Chronicles”), heart-pounding stories that will keep you guessing (C. D. Miller’s Dark Heights, Ray N. Kuili’s Eden Can Wait, or Casey Lucas’s Into the Mire), your favorite comics or television characters in prose (Black Panther: Sins of the King and Doctor Who), and illustrated (Twice) or audio only (Hope and Red) fantasies. Whatever you enjoy reading, there’s a serial for you to enjoy.

Find out more about where you can read online serial fiction here.

Ongoing Serial Fiction

While the science fiction and fantasy genres have the lead as far as the number of individual serials available for purchase, the serial format has always included realistic fiction and intrigue, as well as expanding into erotic novels. Take a peek at what’s new and what’s ongoing!

Hope and Red

Jon Skovoron’s Hope and Red was originally published in 2016, but the author is back with a serialized version—delivered straight to your podcasting app, narrated by the author. As the story that launched Skovoron’s “Empire of Storms” series, the novel introduces warrior Hope and thief Red, who must team up to take down a corrupt empire. This fast-paced fantasy has all the right cliff-hangers to keep you waiting for the next episode.

The Vela

One of my favorite recent space operas is The Vela, a Serial Box original written by powerhouse team Yoon Ha Lee, Becky Chambers, Rivers Solomon, and SL Huang. The story centers on soldier-for-hire Asala Sikou, who’s more worried about taking care of number one than she is about the imminent death of her star system. But when she takes a job to find a missing rescue ship, The Vela, she and her teammate, Niko, the child of the inner planet’s president, find themselves embroiled in endgames that will decide the fate of the universe. The season one conclusion had me sobbing at the end. (Check out my review of The Vela here.) Season two, The Vela: Salvation, is posting episodes right now, and I will be hanging onto my seat for each week’s new episode.

Doctor Who

This summer, Serial Box partnered with The Big Finish to release their full-cast audio dramas of Doctor Who to the serial audience. Two collections of stories, The Tenth Doctor Adventures and The Tenth Doctor Chronicles, feature the adventures of the Tenth Doctor and his companion Donna Noble, voiced by David Tennant and Catherine Tate in one and narrated by Jacob Dudman in the other. Four other offerings focus on earlier Doctors, crossovers with multiple Doctors, and the enigmatic Lady Christina. Fans of the television series are sure to find something to enjoy in these companion tales to the program, and listeners who have never watched the show (as rare as those may be!) have the opportunity to dip their toes into a very complex and well-loved world.

Marvel’s Jessica Jones: Playing with Fire

In Marvel’s Jessica Jones: Playing with Fire, Jessica transitions from comics and small screen to a prose serial—written by Lauren Beukes, Vita Ayala, Sam Beckbessinger, Zoe Quinn, and Elsa Sjunneson. She’s focusing on developing some healthier coping mechanisms (not drinking so much) and trying to take some cases less likely to kill her. But when a simple, cut-and-dry case has more lurking beneath the surface, Jessica can’t let it go, even when the stakes get dangerous. This is sure to be a hit with fans of the Netflix series, and it’s great to see a frequently underused Marvel superhero get more air time.

The 18th Century Man

While the conceit for The 18th Century Man, a serial on Medium by Dan Morrison, seems simple enough—a young man, conceived during a power outage, negates electricity—the first chapters indulge in a hefty dose of social and political commentary that let readers know they’re in for something that aims deeper. James grows up on his grandmother’s farm in Woodstock, Vermont, as the focus of speculation. Everyone wants to know how he became the way he is—including James himself. Reading on Medium requires either using a limited number of stories for free or becoming a subscriber; to help his readers, Morrison posts chapters into the same story, with email alerts that let them know when the next one is added. Readers just picking up this serial can easily binge the first seventeen chapters—and then keep a watch on Morrison’s email list or Facebook group for the next installment.

The Innkeeper Chronicles (and others) by Ilona Andrews

Husband-and-wife team Ilona and Gordon Andrews have been releasing a series of free novellas on their website as a reward to loyal readers. They’re fantastic at providing new content, some in the serial specific world of The Innkeeper Chronicles, which has now produced several novellas. Each weekly installment is a partial chapter, typically readable inside of fifteen minutes, and enough of a bite sized chunk to whet your appetite for whatever comes next.

They’re currently posting a new novel, Blood Heir, set in the world of Kate Daniels, featuring an adult Julie—Kate’s adopted daughter—in an Atlanta eight years after the original series concluded. For readers who weren’t ready to let the series go with Magic Triumphs, this brilliant relaunch is just the reward we needed for surviving a pandemic.

“The Innkeeper Chronicles,” the more frequent ongoing serial series, revolve around Dina, an Innkeeper, host for interstellar travelers that include familiar mythological figures like werewolves and vampires, as well as more outlandish aliens. Her inn feeds magic into her, so she can change reality on her inn’s grounds to better accommodate–and defend against–her guests. In Clean Sweep, the first novella, a supernatural danger threatens Dina’s non-magical neighbors. Dina isn’t supposed to get involved, but she’s not the type to let what she’s supposed to do stop her from doing what’s right. While most of the stories center on Dina, one focuses on Maud, Dina’s sister, navigating the intergalactic politics of space faring vampire civilization while keeping her half-vampire daughter, Helen, safe. Meanwhile on Earth, a holiday celebration at the inn is complicated when a cosmically powerful being needs a safe place to meet her amoral human uncle. The series is a fantastic hybrid of space action, swordplay, and romance, and shows that the series has plenty of room to grow.

Team Andrews creates a very cool world mixing fantasy and science fiction tropes and populates it with a fully realized cast, including not only Dina and her sister, but also the local (hunky) werewolf, a temperamental Quillonian chef, and Dina’s struggling inn’s only regular guest, a vampire noble claiming asylum on earth due to her previous ruthless acts. Can’t wait for the next installment? Andrews is updating the main blog with chapters of a new project in the world of Kate Daniels, which should tide you over!

Into the Mire

In this dark fantasy in a post-war world, a badass mercenary captain leads her crew on a hunt for the missing heir of a baron—who happens to be her old commanding officer. Unfortunately, the marsh into which they must travel is populated by carnivorous trees—and human enemies who may be even more dangerous.

Riss Chou, the head merc, is appealingly snarky; her second-in-command is a posh bisexual sorcerer who, on first read, reminded me of one of my favorite characters from Kill the Queen; and another team member is a blood sorcerer hiding his talent (because it’s illegal). While the first few chapters hint at the much larger world, the narrative never overwhelms, keeping the main quest story line at the forefront, and building the world in the background.

Launched April, 2018, the serial has completed its first full novel and is deep into book two. In 2020, the serial was nominated for New Zealand’s top literary prize in SFF: the Sir Julius Vogel Award. Author Casey Lucas updates the serial weekly on Wednesdays, New Zealand Time.

Twice

Matthew Rhymer is not what he seems—even those who know him best don’t really know his story. When his estranged friends receive a letter intended to be delivered to him, they become privy to an unbelievable story, which has to do with the Lady, her rule, and the hungers of a mysterious enemy. The newly launched illustrated serial “Twice” parcels out the mystery a tiny bit at a time, each episode giving a little more for readers to piece together. Each episode features a gorgeous painting from author/illustrator Mark J. Ferrari. While Ferrari has a tip jar on the site, subscriptions to the ongoing serial are free, and each episode can be read on the website, or delivered directly to your email. Season one concluded earlier this summer, but season two promises to bring readers even deeper into Rhymer’s world.

Dark Heights

If the audio experience is important to you and you’re looking for something for a mature audience, you might be interested in checking out music-enhanced serial Dark Heights by C. D. Miller, with music composed and performed by C. D.’s brother, Chris Miller. The music and prose are developed in tandem, so that they are intentionally intertwined. This indie serial is available at its original website but Part One was picked up by Serial Box, and is available through their app.

The story is of a town, Park Heights, where supernatural forces in a war of shadows converge. Caught in the chaos are town native Tess Bellamy and drifter Gabriel Majeaux. The series features an HBO-level of graphic content (so it’s not for young readers) and bends genres and genre expectations. If you’re a fan of psychological horror, this unique music and prose blend might be right up your alley. Just… be careful of those shadows.

Lady Victoria Howard

One of the reasons some readers may prefer a serial subscription to a paperback is that they can read bite-sized fiction discreetly on their phones. That’s one of the goals of the Lady Victoria Howard web app, an erotic serial written for women, by women. Billed as the world’s first serialized erotic novel, the web app has subscriptions available for the first three seasons (39 episodes), which are delivered weekly depending on when you start your subscription. The story follows Lady Victoria Howard, sister to a modern duke, whose past heartbreak has led her to a sexual awakening, that allows her to explore her sensuality—and live her life to the fullest.

Amazon Original Stories

Amazon Original Stories produces one-sitting fiction reads, such as their premiere releases Joyce Carol Oates’s novel The Sign of the Beast and nonfiction book Crown Heights by Colin Warner and Carl King. Their most recent collection, “Hush,” is a series of contemporary thrillers from authors like Oyinkan Braithwaite and Jeffrey Deaver. Other recent releases include the “Disorder” series of short stories, designed to keep you awake at night, and the “Inventions” series, which explores the true stories from the age of innovation. The imprint has also published “The Real Thing Collection,” six nonfiction essays about relationships including pieces by Fresh off the Boat author Eddie Huang and Pretty Little World coauthors Elizabeth LaBan and Melissa DePino; and the recent “Inheritance” collection, with stories from Alice Hoffman, Julie Orringer, Alexander Chee, and others. Other authors who have written for the imprint include Jennifer McMahon, Lisa Unger, Edgar Cantero, Emily Raboteau, Adam Haslett, Brandi Reeds, Dean Koontz, Nick McDonell, Susan Straight, Jeffrey Deaver, and Janice Y. K. Lee.

The stories are available for free to Prime and Kindle Unlimited subscribers; other readers can purchase the books for $1.99.

Ninth Step Station

In Ninth Step Station, a future Tokyo is torn, divided between the invading Chinese and the supposedly peacekeeping Americans. Disaster after disaster have kept Japan from recovering, and their police are short handed and short supplied.

When Metropolitan Police Detective Miyako Koreda is paired with US Peacekeeper Emma Higashi as her new partner, neither of them is pleased with the arrangement. But despite their hesitations, they solve a series of crimes that feature espionage, rebellion, and humanity at its worst, many of which revolve around the war.

Created by Malka Older, Ninth Step Station feels at once like great near-future sci-fi and a modern police drama in which both of the main detectives are, refreshingly, women. The second season, with writing team Older, Fran Wilde, Jacqueline Koyanagi, and Curtis C. Chen, just wrapped—but the cliffhanger indicates the solid possibility of a third season in the works.

Coming Soon

The Haunting of Beatrix Greene

What happens when a medium and a scientist are at odds in Victorian England—and a vengeful spirit enters the mix? That’s the premise of this forthcoming serial: scientist James Walker hires spiritual medium Beatrix Greene to host a seance. She’s worried he intends to prove that she’s a fraud, and she’s determined not to let that happen. Neither of them expect to have to banish a ghost—or to be so attracted to each other. The first episode is live (and free) at Serial Box, and the second releases just in time for Halloween chills and thrills.

The Co-Founder

One of two Serial Box titles in development for television, The Co-founder is a contemporary drama set to launch later in 2020. When two women, Val and Jules, create what could become the next big thing in gaming, they face a hurdle: they’re women. In order to fit in with the Silicon Valley tech-bro culture, they hire barista and failed actor Toby to act as their third co-founder. It’s a plan that might just work—until Toby tries to steal their gaming platform out from under them. The season, written by Alexis Wilkinson, is available for preorder.

Marvel’s Black Panther: Sins of the Father

It’s difficult waiting for news about the MCU’s Black Panther 2, but fear not: there’s a serial to tide you over! With a sneak peek released in August 2020, the full serial won’t release until January 2021, but I’m already ready to keep hitting refresh until it launches. Led by Ira Madison III, the writing team (Geoff Thorne, Mohale Mashigo, Steven Barnes, and Tananarive Due) take readers to a Wakanda plagued by undead. T’Challa, striving to be both a good king and an Avenger, must turn to his long-lost father to find out how to stop the supernatural onslaught—and face the demons of Wakanda’s past. With Emmy-nominated William Jackson Harper announced as the narrator, this one is going to be a fantastic read—or listen—when it releases.

Serials You Can Binge

These serials, which are not currently updating, are worth checking out, especially as some of them may later get a second season.

Marvel’s Black Widow: Bad Blood

We might not yet have a fully official release date for the Black Widow movie, but fans who can’t get enough of the Russian assassin/Avenger can get a fix with this recently released serial, which just wrapped its first season in July. As the second collaboration between Marvel and Serial Box, Black Widow follows Natasha Romanov as she tries to track down whoever stole her blood—because they also stole the blood of Bucky Barnes. There’s no good reason for someone to take the blood of two secret operatives, especially when there’s a possibility that the someone responsible is trying to develop their own brand of super soldier serum. A Barnes/Romanov team-up is something we’ll never really get to see in the MCU, but pairing these two is sure to hit all the right spy movie tropes. Serial Box veterans Lindsay Smith (lead writer for The Witch Who Came in from the Cold) and Margaret Dunlap (Bookburners) are joined on the writing team by feminist writer Mikki Kendall, urban fantastist L.L. McKinney, and thriller writer Taylor Stevens.

Knox

This recently completed serial is set in 1930s Manhattan, where a serial killer is on the loose, and Knox is the PI on the job. Both she and the murderer, John Craddock, served in World War I; the experience left Knox with the unenviable ability to see the paranormal. And the case with Craddock is anything but what it seems. Elements of Lovecraftian horror infuse this story of a badass Afro-Latina detective, and New York noir combines with queer romance to give the story a while different flavor from anything else in this genre. Let K Arsenault Rivera, Brooke Bolander, Gabino Iglesias, and Sunny Moraine take you on a trip of horrors beyond space and time—and try to hold onto your sanity while you’re reading.

Machina

The world is a mess, and the future lies off-planet if humanity is to survive at all. Machina is set after a climate apocalypse ravages Earth. In the first episode, readers meet a group of dreamers—best friends Trey, Stephanie, and Smits—who intend to save humanity from their crumbling planet, ravaged by earthquakes and worse, by creating AI that will terraform Mars. Skip forward a few years, and those Trey and Stephanie are feuding, running rival tech companies both striving toward the same goal. Although Trey’s company focuses on a more traditional style of programming—where the AI is guided at every step by humans at the helm—Trey is innovating with the help of AI anthropologist Noor Venable, whose understanding of AI may change the way everyone thinks. Stephanie’s group, determined to give their AI more independence, is led in part by ace-programmer Cameron—who finds themself as charmed by Noor as Trey’s AI. The competition is being covered by intrepid “kid-reporter” Hiro Watanabe, who steals every scene he’s in. With the writing team of Malka Older, Fran Wilde, Curtis Chen, and Martha Wells, all of whom have followings beyond their serials, this is one tech corporate drama that readers will be happy to binge—and hope for a second season.

Thor: Metal Gods

One of my favorite bits in the MCU is when Thor and Loki team up in some old-school “Road Movie” style comedy. This prose serial, the audio version of which is narrated by Daniel Gillies of The Vampire Diaries, doubles down on the fun of the Loki-Thor duo. Here, the at-odds brothers voyage through the galaxy to track down a dangerous artifact. But the cast doesn’t stop with familiar faces: new characters include a Korean tiger-goddess, Frost giant mercenaries, and a charismatic, gender-fluid space pirate.This is the first prose serial collaboration between Serial Box and one of the big comic publishers, featuring the writing team of Aaron Stewart-Ahn, Jay Edidin, Brian Keene, and Yoon Ha Lee. If you love it (or prefer a different hero), keep an eye out for Serial Box’s other Marvel titles!

Orphan Black: The Next Chapter

If you were among the fans who lamented the end of the Canadian SF show Orphan Black, celebrate the return of the Clone Club—eight years after the conclusion of the show! (Den of Geek chatted with Tatiana Maslany about continuing the series as the audio book narrator.) The first Serial Box season has concluded, but fans can keep hoping for more time with the Clone Club.

Other Half of the Grave

This may not be the vampire romance POV swap that everyone’s been talking about, but The Other Half of the Grave has some of the same appeal! Fans of Jeanine Frost’s “Night Huntress” series encouraged her to write scenes from the male lead of her first “Night Huntress” novel, One Foot in the Grave, for behind the scenes goodies. It’s not an entire book—readers would do best to read the original novel first—but the bite sized installments are a huge reader perk.

Foreshadow

After a hugely successful IndieGogo campaign, editors in chief Emily X.R. Pan and Nova Ren Suma have launched what they term a YA Serial anthology. Contributors include Dhonielle Clayton (in Issue 0), Malinda Lo (in Issue 1), Justine Larbalesteir (issue 10), and more. A print edition of some of the stories is due out in fall, 2020, but the original 12 issues remain available online.

Born to the Blade

High fantasy meets political intrigue in Born to the Blade, a serial that combines elements from Game of Thrones, Avatar the Last Airbender, and The West Wing. Duelist-diplomats fight for the fate of not only the neutral Twaa-Fei islands, but the world. Rumor has it there’s no second season yet in the plans, but if you’re like me and can’t handle the cliff-hanger from season one, spread the word!

Gods and Lies

Billed as American Gods meets The Maltese Falcon, Gods & Lies follows investigator Justix Iris Tharro, a human agent of the goddess of Justice. In order to solve the bizarre murder in the Temple of Wind, she has to team up with Andy, a disgraced demigod, trying to win back the favor of his divine parent.

First Street

First Street delves into contemporary events by focusing on four young clerks working in the Supreme Court. Recommended for fans of The West Wing and Shondaland series, who are sure to get drawn into the intrigue.

The Understudy

A dance school is the unlikely setting for this social thriller, where a group of moms must team together to protect their daughters from a series of brutal attacks—all of which began when new dancer, Imogen, started attending the same dance academy.

Alternis

In a not-too-distant future, the world’s governments have agreed to allow their standings in an MMORPG to determine their share of the world’s resources. A game designer has a choice: join Team USA or have her life’s project taken away. (We chatted with the writing team for Alternis in an exclusive cover reveal and with Summer Glau, who narrated the audio book.)

The Triangle

A covert group travels to the Bermuda Triangle to investigate disappearances, only to be stranded on an uncharted island… where they discover they aren’t alone. Secrets are slowly revealed in Michael Crichton style suspense, with a healthy dose of television’s Lost.

False Idols

FBI crime thriller False Idols pits Layla el-Deeb against a terrorist network operating via Ciaro’s art scene. Her entry into the world of Cairo’s financial elite is complicated by her impoverished childhood in Cairo’s slums, and going undercover in her home city comes with greater challenges than she expected.

Tensorate

JY Yang’s Tensorate novellas tell a technology-vs.-tradition tale of two twin siblings, Mokoya and Akeha, drawn to opposite sides of a rebellion. A prequel reveals the history of the Protector’s rise, and a continuation of the original duology, The Descent of Monsters, features a female inspector trying to solve a mystery that involves a cover up, an escaped experiment, and strange dreams she can’t define.

The Witch Who Came in From the Cold

This Cold War with witches spy saga had two seasons—and ended on a cliffhanger. If you like a good KGB vs. CIA story, definitely let Serial Box know you’d love to see a third season!

Silverwood: The Door

Continuing on from stories originally introduced in the Black Box TV series Silverwood by Tony E. Valenzuela, this serial offers a Lovecraftian creature driving people to madness, and nods to splatterpunk and slashers. (Check out our interview with the writers.)

Bullet Catcher

Imma Moreno’s dead-end life changes directions when she decides to apprentice herself to a bullet catcher—mythical warriors whose heroics are told in hushed voices, but who were supposed to have been slaughtered by the gunslingers long ago. Tales of Jedi and the series Avatar: The Last Airbender inspired this weird western by Joaquin Lowe.

The Fisher of Bones

Sarah Gailey’s The Fisher of Bones is a fantasy novelette in twelve parts released by Fireside Fiction, with an audio version produced by Serial Box. It’s a beautiful and desolate fantasy story filled with trials of faith, and the short chapters make it a quick read–but the chapters will linger in a reader’s thoughts much longer.

Dead Air

College senior Macy Walker is obsessed with death, and in her on-air show, “Dead Air,” she airs out the old case of horsewoman Peg Graham’s murder. But though she starts reporting her own findings—and realizing that plenty of people would like Graham’s case to stay buried.

ReMade

Twenty three teenagers, all of whom died in the same minute, become the last hope for humanity when they awaken in a brand new world. Here, there are robots that hunt humans, a dangerous jungle, and the ruins of an ancient civilization.

Geek Actually

This contemporary fiction piece focuses on a circle of female friends whose careers revolve around their geeky passions. The focus on powerful and healthy female friendships is a delight, and the diversity of the cast is wonderful.

Bookburners

Bookburners, the flagship series for Serial Box (and one of my personal favorites on this list), is the story of a team of Vatican-employed agents trapping demons in books—until they realize that magic is too big to be contained. The story finished its fifth and final season, and the collected episodes are too good to miss.

Tremontaine

This completed serial is a prequel to Ellen Kushner’s Riverside fantasy series, and the the swashbuckling and political intrigue kept readers hooked through the serial’s ultimate conclusion. Series creator Ellen Kushner has posted a guide to the Riverside novels and the order in which they occur chronologically for readers wanting to delve more deeply into that world.

1776

The Associated Press series 1776: The World Turned Upside Down was originally published for the bicentennial of the United States in a hardcover, large format book for news organizations. The serial features dramatized audio narration with voice work by Clint McElroy as Alexander Hamilton, Bob Garfield as Thomas Paine, Chris Jackson as Washington, Nicholas Christopher as John Adams, and Robin Miles as the narrator. (We talked with CEO Molly Barton about the project.)

A Most Dangerous Woman

Brenda Clough takes up the mantle of Wilkie Collins in creating a sequel to what many critics consider the first and finest example of the modern mystery genre, The Woman in White.

Exquisite Corpse and Embodied

You’ve heard of the game: several authors create a story together, writing a chapter at a time and then handing it off to the next, so that none of the authors really know where it’s going to end up until the last moment. Serial Box took the concept and turned it into a serial format, with two event serials: Exquisite Corpse and Embodied.

Royally Yours

Looking for something a little lighthearted for your bite-sized reads? In honor of the real royal wedding in May, Serial Box released a short, mini-series of love stories, not about the bride and groom, but about couples involved in the day’s events.

Whitehall

In the mood for courtly drama, full of machinations, intrigue, and fantastic clothing? Settle in for the turmoil of the romance of Queen Catherine of Braganza, her husband, King Charles II of England, and his mistress, Barbara. This is captivating historical fiction, vividly set in the 17th century.

Belgravia

Fans of Downtown Abbey will gravitate to this story, written by Julian Fellowes, of the Trenchant family. Belgravia integrates real historical details into the text through hyperlinking; the setting is viscerally described, and the characters presented with an open eye to their flaws as equally as their virtues.

Conclusion

The best part about serials is that they’re happening live — and if enough people are reading them, they make great Internet water-cooler conversation. So if you’re catching up on the latest episode of The Vela, or the most recent installment of whatever Team Andrews is writing, and need to gush — or just want to make sure I know about the hot new serial you’re reading — come on over and find me on Facebook.

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