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#also not to get meta on my own fic but you know. the promise of meeting again returning back to jaskier. you know
cherryjuicegf · 10 months
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He sees her last. After the blood and the gloom and the despair that plagued his sight, after the death and the wails and the pleas that teared at his chest, he sees her last.
Chaos, he thinks, has never looked more serene.
In another place, at another time, it would be beautiful.
Now Yennefer meets his eyes from across the hall and a sudden jolt shakes her whole and she runs, gods, she runs to him with such helplessness and relief that he knows he will welcome the most bruising hug, if it means it will keep her afloat. There is a weeping beauty in sadness, but not for her eyes. Never for her eyes.
As she buries her head in his shoulder, he feels her heart digging a hole in his chest. He holds her tight.
"Thank the gods," she whispers, as though to herself, "thank the gods you're alive."
In another place, at another time, he would make a joke, perhaps about the feeling not being mutual, just to steal a smile and a banter from her lips.
But he has no heart for that now. Not even for that.
He only has a chain clenched tight around his heart and gutting his voice in shame every time he opens his mouth to speak. "Yennefer, I–"
At once, she looks at him. "No words." As though she knows what he would say, as though she knows all he hasn't done, and mourns him anyway. She shakes her head, eyes huge and dark and pleading. "You can't stay here, it's dangerous. You have to go. You have to find Geralt."
"Yennefer, Yen– I know." His fingers dig into her arms and he can't bear to loosen his hold, he can't bear to let her go. Not yet. He smiles, soft. Leans to search for her eyes, for just a moment of peace in their turbulent current. "I just wanted to see my darling witch."
Yennefer stares at him for a moment, shoulders tense. Then, she huffs a laugh. Her expression softens, almost crumbles.
He feels her hands shaking where she holds him and the corners of her lips tremble as though with all the unspoken screams of the sea trapped into a single shell, wailing and weeping and waiting to be heard. He only wishes he had time to put her heart to his ear.
Her voice is quivering as she speaks. "I don't know where Ciri is," she says and it sounds like the complaint of a mother and a child crushed into one, like the world's cruelest crime, the earth's deepest regret, choked in swallowed tears. "I don't know where she is, I don't–"
She doesn't let her face break, as if she knows that when the bottle cracks, there will be no end or beginning, as if she knows he will only have to stay there, and hold her through it. And he cannot stay here between death's teeth.
She can't afford this too.
But he knows terror when he sees it in her eyes, for it is not frequent, and floods them with a different kind of darkness. It breaks his heart.
She looks at him for a moment deeply, in thought. Then she lets out a sharp breath. Quiet, exhausted. "Gods, Jaskier. I'm losing everything all over again. And then," she nods at him from tip to toe and laughs again, as though she finds it absurd, "here you are. Here you always are."
Maybe it sounds painful, because she winces.
Maybe she cannot bear looking at him, maybe in hope it will hurt less if she loses him. But Jaskier doesn't abandon her eyes, only stays there, because their violet melts just like then, just like that other time she was all bereft and scared and he got to see it, and knew. Yet again, a familiar kind of despair.
But, gods. What else could one make out of shared pain, except for love?
A tear flows down her cheek, and he wipes it away with his thumb before it shatters. He holds her face. "Hey. You are not in this fight alone." He swallows, voice thick, hand firm as though to caress the love on her skin and right into her. "Not anymore."
Oh, she has been alone for so long. So long that her first instinct is to disbelieve him, doubt him, squint. But it is only for a moment.
Because his thumb is still stroking her cheek clean of stray tears and her brows can only twitch in desperate acceptance as she slowly covers his hand with hers and leans into his touch, closes her eyes. Presses on, as though to memorize the shape of his palm when it's missing, as though asking of him to remember her shape.
Jaskier can't hear her, but feels her own voice in his head as he prays they don't become no more than a memory.
"We'll meet again." She looks at him again and now her voice is steadier.
It makes him smile. He will miss this. Offering a hand for her to lean into every now and then. Watching as she rises again, indelible.
A chuckle, as the curtain threatens to rise. "Eh, I wouldn't worry too much about that. Besides," he speaks softer now, like a lullaby, like a confession, "I could never be done with the likes of you, Yennefer of Vengerberg."
A promise.
And Yennefer smiles, through the tears, and shakes her head. How strange, how comforting. To fight so hard for a purpose, and to know the purpose is willing, at last, to fight back for you.
With a deep sigh, she raises her head. And there she is again. Solid, seething, like a burning hill. "Don't leave Geralt alone."
"You know I won't." Then, pleading. "Be strong."
He knows she will be. It's mostly to remind himself.
Slowly, their hands drop away, and he hopes the warmth of her touch lingers on his hand for a while.
"Be brave," she replies, but she knows too. "I won't be there to save you this time." Jaskier huffs, mostly to hold back tears. "Well, then," she continues, and her voice is suddenly strained in a half-laugh, half-sob, an attempt perhaps, to seal the promise back. "Goodbye. Good luck–"
Only, she can't.
Her voice dies in her throat, and she presses her lips together, in refusal, in grief. Her eyes are wet again.
Jaskier lets out a silent gasp and shakes his head, pulling her close one last time, tighter than before. This is too much. He can't ask for too much. So he only lets her steal some breaths from his chest before he lets her go, and places a kiss on her head.
He feels her holding her breath, or his, as she pulls back and silently looks at him one last time.
And then, like a cord snapping in two, she turns around and walks outside the room. She doesn't look back.
And Jaskier watches numb. Her form disappears behind the walls and he stands wrecked, a sob threatening to rip his throat apart.
Broken, trembling, he smiles at her remaining memory, and decides to seal her promise himself. "Good riddance."
His voice echoes back to him in the empty hall.
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gffa · 10 months
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Did you know I’ve probably cried like a dozen times from BATFAMILY fic over the last two weeks? I’m not a big cryer, so that’s saying something for me, by which I mean, I realize I have some incredibly intense feelings about fictional characters, but also fandom is phenomenal about hitting those feelings dead on in exactly the way they mean to do. And it’s great, hell yeah make me cry buckets in emotional catharsis!! And then balance it out with comfort or humor because my soul needs soothing, too! I have been reading so many comics lately (so many good comics, what is this, I’m not used to having comics I actually think are good) and I love the canon so very much, but part of the draw towards this fandom has always been the enthusiastic fic response, the willingness to explore things the comics themselves don’t always have time for, whether aftermath of events or psychological effects that aren’t necessarily intended but are fascinating to consider or just straight up downtime that’s not about a case because fic doesn’t need to make people punch things in every issue. The two go hand in hand for me and getting fun comics to read and fun fic to read has been really meaningful to me in a time when I’ve really needed that in my life. I hope that I can return the favor even a little by shoving a bunch of fics at you and only making you scroll a little to get through my Dick Grayson Problem. BATFAM FIC RECS - BABY DICK IS THE CUTEST FERAL ROBIN I’M NOT HEARING ANY ARGUMENTS: ✦ May Our Memories Light The Way by sElkieNight60, dick & bruce, time travel, 1.9k      Bruce travels into the past and serves up an apology long over-due. ✦ Late Spring by halyordan, dick & bruce & alfred, 3.5k      Dick gets in his first ‘fight’ at school. Luckily, Bruce was an angry boy once. He knows how to deal with it. ✦ the color violet by TheResurrectionist, dick & bruce & cast, 2.6k      The address – 1007 Mountain Drive – told Alex two things: one, their patient was either going to be someone unreasonably wealthy or an unlucky service worker, and two, getting to the actual patient was going to be a bitch. ✦ as i was walkin’ by oh_fudgecakes, dick & bruce & alfred, 3.6k      Bored and chased out of the kitchen by an irate Alfred, a young Dick Grayson falls through a loose floorboard while exploring the attic and ends up in an locked storeroom housing an interesting set of journals. ✦ help me fill this hole in my soul by renecdote, dick & bruce & cast, 5.9k      Dick nearly drowns on patrol one night. He’s fine, except that he really isn’t. Alfred and Bruce take care of him when he gets sick and let him know that even though his parents are gone he isn’t alone. ✦ medio by newsical, dick & bruce & alfred, 2.1k      Loss, again. This loss was by his hand, by his own tongue, with words so sharply edged that they tore apart his mouth and left his lips bloody. The manor was silent, and he was alone. And Alfred’s half birthday was in three days. ✦ My Little Bird (is a Troublemaker) by sElkieNight60, dick & bruce & clark & cast, 10.9k      No, not good enough, thought Bruce as he gripped the boy’s shoulders in his hands. Dick still didn’t move and the man had to resist the violent urge to shake the answer out of him. This wasn’t his little bird. This wasn’t his Robin, he would never do something like this. Dick gets caught drunk, Bruce loses it. ✦ things kept hidden by emavee, dick & bruce & cast, 9.7k      “Better hope the Batman doesn’t catch wind of you. Batman hates metas. He’ll make you disappear. That’s what he does.” “But I’d never hurt anyone,” Dick stammers. He doesn’t know very much about Batman, but he’s a hero, right? He fought crime, like Superman, and Superman was a hero. Right? ✦ (Not) Enough by daringyounggrayson, dick & bruce & alfred, 2.3k      After the training simulation goes wrong, Bruce takes his kid home. ✦ i can’t promise (it’s not written in the stars) by konan_konan, dick & bruce & alfred & cast, 7.3k      Batman is following him, surely, but he’s smaller and faster and he’s not going to let someone take him and lock him up again. Wayne Manor, he’s learned, is just another kind of prison. It may be big and fancy but it is also empty and cold and he’s not going back. Tony Zucco dies tonight, he tells himself. It is the only thing that matters. ✦ what’s needed most by dizarys, dick & bruce & alfred, 1k      Dick wants to fly. Bruce would like that to not involve giving him a heart attack for once. ✦ two sheep counted, but not enough to sleep by batofgoodintent (crownedcrusader), dick & bruce, 1.8k      Dick hasn’t been sleeping. It’s a problem Bruce should have addressed by now. BATFAM FIC RECS - ADULT BATSON AND BATDAD ARE MY KRYPTONITE, I FOLD LIKE WET CARDBOARD FOR THEM: ✦ (At the Very Least), I Can by sElkieNight60, bruce & dick & jason & tim & damian, 3k      “… something is wrong.” That was Bruce’s voice, he would know it anywhere. OR, Dick Grayson + Full Body Paralysis ✦ Catch by sElkieNight60, bruce & dick, 2k      Raptor has Bruce in dire straits. Nightwing catches Bruce as he falls. Then it turns out Bruce never fell at all, he jumped. “Dick. I didn’t fall. I jumped. I jumped because I knew you’d catch me.” Childhood trauma never truly goes away, it seems. OR, the emotional aftermath of “Better than Batman.” ✦ Call Me if You Need Me by LiterallyThePresident, bruce & dick & alfred, 1.1k      “Master Bruce is rather distraught, you see.” and now Alfred sounded pained, “The dose he received was not enough to render him immobile, but it is causing some paranoia and unpleasant hallucinations. He… Well, he appears to be rather convinced that something has happened to you.” BATFAM FIC RECS - EVERYBODY LOVES DICK: ✦ Sons and Fathers by FabulaRasa, dick & bruce & jefferson & dick/babs, 4.9k     Dick has three conversations that needed to be had, at the end of season three. This is blatantly a “there I fixed it” fic. ✦ The Best Medicine by JpegDotJpeg, dick & bruce & jason & tim & damian & alfred & cass, 2.2k      “I’m dying.” “You are not dying.” “This is it. It’s the end for me. I bet I have some exotic viral disease with no known cure and now I’m going to waste away into nothingness.” “I highly doubt that, Master Richard.” ✦ Look to the Stars by Zephyrra, dick & bruce & jason & hal & alfred & cast, lantern!dick, 8.3k      After Batman fires Robin for the last time, Dick becomes a Flying Grayson in an entirely new way: by becoming a Green Lantern. But no matter what kind of mask he dons, Dick Grayson has a way of (accidentally) changing history irrevocably. This is only the beginning. ✦ the courage of stars by theragingstorm, dick & clark/lois & jon & cast, 1.8k      When he really needs somebody, Dick goes to Metropolis. ✦ a great honour (to hold you up) by dizarys, dick & bruce & jason & tim & damian & cass & steph & duke, 2.6k      “For the last time, I’m not getting sick!” Jason and Tim exchanged skeptical looks behind Dick’s back. “You’re pale, shivering, and wince every time your bare skin touches the cold metal desk.” Jason ticked off on grease smeared fingers, “Sounds sick to me.” “Wonderful observations, Holmes.” Dick muttered, still looking through the microscope. “What does Watson have to add?” “That first of all, I’m Sherlock.” said Tim, “And my associate is correct. You should go get some rest.” ✦ i am tired of all these motherfuckin’ bombs on these motherfuckin’ spaceships by konan_konan, dick & bruce & damian & titans & background dick/kory & justice league, 4.5k      “Those generators won’t last long,” barks Batman. “We’re losing our window. What other plan do you propose, Nightwing?” He huffs. “I’m gonna blow up the ship.” or: when the justice league gets stranded in space, the teen titans come to the rescue. it doesn’t exactly go to plan. BATFAM FIC RECS - JASON TODD IS AN ASSHOLE CAT, I’M GONNA THROW HIM AT HIS SIBLINGS BECAUSE IT’S FUNNY: ✦ abyssal plain by glassofwater, dick & jason, 3.5k      “What did you do?” “Exactly what he said. I killed him.” ✦ Bang, bang by Ididloveyou_once, tim & jason & cast, 5.5k      ‘You shot me!’ Jason gasped, stunned, ‘Holy shit, you actually shot me.’ Tim’s eyes widened and he froze. They stared at each other for a second, dumbstruck and then- ‘Don’t tell Bruce.’ ✦ Break the Ice by dizarys, dick & jason, 1.5k      He felt the blades pierce his body. It was at the height of his leap, back arched as he sprang backwards over the car. A bolt of searing hot pain shot through his side then thigh. But Nightwing still landed with grace and flung his escrima sticks straight into two gang members’ heads. BATFAM FIC RECS - DICK AND DAMIAN WERE THE BEST BATMAN & ROBIN, I’M NOT HEARING ARGUMENTS ABOUT THAT EITHER: ✦ Not Quite Saudade by Wisptheraccoon, dick & damian & bruce & jason & tim & alfred & jon, 3.1k      Aka. The reason Dick is no longer allowed to leave on long missions without Damian. ✦ Scorpion-grass by Ididloveyou_once, dick & damian & bruce & tim, 2.9k      Damian gets hit with fear toxin and is forced to relive Dick losing his memories… Dick could’ve gone without knowing how the kid reacted to his amnesia. ✦ what’s waited till tomorrow starts tonight by theragingstorm, dick & damian & john/mary & cast, time travel, 63.4k wip      After an argument with his Batman, Dick Grayson, Damian finds himself in Dick’s past, with one of his greatest tragedies fast approaching and no easy route forward for either. As long as he risks being stuck seventeen years in the past, all he can do is live at the circus, with a family he never knew — and just maybe learn from it all. BATFAM FIC RECS - BATKIDS ALL HAVE MANY SIBLINGS AND THEY’RE ALL PETTY ASSHOLES AND/OR WONDERFUL BABIES AND I LOVE THEM WITH MY WHOLE BEING: ✦ When Wisdom Must Go by AnicomicQueen, bruce & dick & tim, 5.1k      Bruce experiences taking his children to get their wisdom teeth removed. Chapter 1: Dick (Age: 17) Chapter 2: Tim (Age: 16) ✦ So you’ll know where I’ve been by victoria_p (musesfool), jason & steph, 2.1k      “I just noticed your scars.” “We all have—Oh.” Jason drops his gaze again, runs his fingers along the faded incision on the left side of his chest. “No one else has one of these.” ✦ and when you’re in the trenches by dizarys, jason & tim & dick, 4.3k      When Jason stumbles across a shocking discovery, he’s forced to decide how much he truly cares about the people he used to call family. ✦ The Kids Are All Right by Browniesarethebest, bruce & dick & jason & tim & damian & cass & steph & alfred, 11.4k      Dick and Tim are de-aged. It goes about as well as anyone would expect. ✦ World’s Saddest Breakfast Club by motleyfam, dick & jason & tim & damian & bruce & cass & steph & duke & cast, 7k      Following a couple of Very Bad Weeks™ (which may or may not have involved being kidnapped and mildly tortured), Jason decides the best way to cheer himself up is to break into the Manor for a 3 a.m. snack. Turns out he isn’t the only one awake. BATFAM FIC RECS - I CUT MY TEETH ON DICK & TIM AS CLOSE BROTHERS AND NOT EVEN CANON WILL NOT TAKE IT FROM ME: ✦ Not So Large but Definitely In Charge by dottie_dc (dottie_wan_kenobi), dick & tim & bruce & alfred, 6.7k      Alternate universes suck so much. Tim has always known that, but he’s never really grasped it, not until he and Dick were forcibly thrown into one a week ago. ✦ there’ll always be a few things, maybe several things by incogneat_oh, dick & tim, ~1k      Tim breaks the silence, half-glancing over his shoulder to murmur, “Pop-culture has taught me that you’re supposed to seek out your parent in the middle of the night. Not your sibling.” “Pop-culture isn’t a perfect teacher, Timmy.” ✦ will we ever get to the other side? by dizarys, dick & tim, 4.8k      Blockbuster is dead and Dick is lost. Haunted by that night and no longer Nightwing, he flees Gotham only to find himself back in Bludhaven on mob business. Now Robin is the city’s new protector and Dick is determined to avoid Tim & his old life. That is, until he finds Tim bleeding in an alley. ✦ World Gone MAD by Havendance, dick & tim & justice league, 5.5k      Ask the GCPD about the Joker’s death, and they’ll tell you he died of natural causes. Ask the Justice League, and they’ll tell you that it’s a matter that’s been resolved internally. Ask Batman and he won’t give you an answer, because he’s Batman. The truth of the matter, however, is this: Dick Grayson beat the Joker to death. ✦ Wake Me Up Before You Go Go by incogneat_oh, dick & tim, ~1k      He’s already halfway up the stairs, towards the window on the second floor landing, when Dick says, “Tim.” He turns back, says wide-eyed and guilty, “Mhm? Can I– I’ll get you a blanket? If you want?” – Or, Tim visits Dick in Bludhaven. ✦ unleash the beast (with a kiss on the cheek) by InkpotSprite, dick & tim & bruce & jason & stephanie, 1.3k      Dick’s chest tightened as his lips parted to say something that he’d truly regret. Before a soft pair of lips pressed against his cheek, then disappeared so quickly that Dick was almost sure he’d imagined it. If it weren’t for Bruce’s fractionally wide eyes, Dick would think he had. Slowly, he turned his head to the side. Tim smiled back at him. BATFAM FIC RECS - I WILL DIE ON THE HILL THAT TIM DRAKE’S TRUE LOVE INTEREST IS CONNER KENT AND NOBODY CAN STOP ME, NOT EVEN GOD: ✦ cat tactic of healing by CarrionCarnival, tim/kon, 2.1k      Kon finds a moderately sick Tim, and decides that it’s his problem to solve. feline style ✦ In the Corner Taking up Space by Louis_the_Snake, tim/kon & cast, NSFW, 5.1k      Tim gets roped into doing a simple modeling gig for Wayne Fashion with some of his siblings and realizes that everyone he knows is way hotter than he is. And the hottest thing about him is his ass. Which ends up plastered in every major city in the U.S. ✦ Thief by rotasha, tim/kon, NSFW, 1.8k      Kon walks in on Tim wearing his leather jacket. ✦ only touched you once by distracted_dragon, tim/kon, NSFW, 1.8k      Kon decides to tease Tim a little with his TTK. ✦ Missing Words by Violet_Witch, tim/kon & cassie, 6.9k      It takes Tim years to realize what’s always been there. ✦ What’s Real and What Isn’t by JpegDotJpeg, tim/kon & bart, 2.3k      Kon’s eyes almost glow in the dark, a luminescent blue so vivid Tim almost can’t stand looking at them, though he has a harder time trying to look away from them. “I thought you were having a nightmare or something. Your heart was beating so hard it woke me up.” Tim feels himself a flush. He can’t even sleep without bothering someone else. “Oh,” He replies, voice small. “Sorry. I’m fine, you can go back to sleep.” “You’re shaking,” Kon points out and Tim curses internally. ✦ you taught me the courage of stars before you left by popsunner, tim & kon & bruce & damian & lois & jon & cassie & cast, 6k      “He loved you, you know,” She says wistfully, meeting his eyes. Tim looks away. “I loved him too.” “Love.” “What?” “Love,” she repeats. “Not loved. He might be gone, but we don’t love him any less.“ BATFAM FIC RECS - TAKE THE ANGST DIAL, TURN IT UP TO ELEVEN, AND BREAK THE KNOB OFF, THAT’S WHAT I’M HERE FOR: ✦ Arguments with the Recently Deceased by JackHawksmoor, dick & bruce & clark & tim & cast, 7.9k      Dick just got back from a lousy, week-long adventure traveling in time. When his ride drops him off at the cave the morning after he left, Dick isn’t expecting to find Bruce in the middle of a complete meltdown. Dick realizes there’s been a mistake- Dick hasn’t been gone six hours, he’s been gone six months, and everyone thinks he’s dead. ✦ Solar Flares by glassofwater, dick & bruce & jason & tim & damian & alfred & cast, 46.1k wip      Personhood, noun: the quality or condition of being an individual person. Son, noun: a man regarded as the product of a particular person, influence, or environment. Dick Grayson, noun: oldest son of Bruce Wayne, first son of Batman (i.e., a sum of parts, not a whole) ✦ Starlings in Winter by FromStarstuff, dick & bruce & clark & alfred & cast, 14.3k wip      When Dick was eleven years old he ran away from Gotham. No one could quite figure out why. Take your pick; there was a fight at school, a circus in town, and a song he can’t remember the melody of. Eleven-year-old Dick Grayson was flooded with grief, swimming in it, perpetually drowning. One day it was too much. ✦ Going Nuclear by wrsttballplayer, dick & bruce & jason & tim & damian & barbara & cass & steph & alfred, time travel, 15.3k wip      Dick looked at his younger self; the way his brow twisted up in so much anger and his was chest heaving with pure vitriol. Dick remembered what fury like that felt like. He remembered the way it burnt in his throat. He used to spew that poison at Bruce all the time, hell even the Titans had gotten the bad end of his temper more than once. And yet, Dick couldn’t place the last time he had been mad like that. Nowadays, all his anger died into withering flames of resignation and compromise more often than not. ✦ Why Is Tim the Only One With Any Tact? by CamsthiSky, dick & tim & wally, 4.1k      In which Tim tries to mediate an argument between Dick and Wally. Things don’t go so well. ✦ You Won’t Wake Up Alone by DawnsEternalLight, dick & bruce & jason & tim & damian, 5.2k      Dick’s captured and drugged and probably about to die. The last thing he wants to do is die in front of his family, especially not his baby brothers, all he wants is to be with Bruce and feel safe again. ✦ Hold Me Dear and Close to Your Heart by sElkieNight60, dick & bruce & cast, 3.8k      Dick Grayson leaves his whole life behind when Bruce Wayne kicks him out. ✦ the flute of your whole existence by LovesFrogs, bruce & dick & jason & tim & damian & alfred, 4.2k     He could voice his greatest fears, weaknesses, or most secret dreams at the drop of a hat; all the things he’s never put into words before and keeps tucked close between his ribs. What kind of ammunition is his son going to ask for? What will he make Bruce admit, knowing he is incapable of a lie? ✦ The Kids Are(n’t?) Alright by avengemyheart, dick & bruce & tim & alfred & cast, rape aftermath, 3k      Dick saves a young rape victim from his babysitter and in the process reveals his own trauma. The problem? Dick is Batman at the time, and kids are blabber mouths. ✦ Cursed Silence by TheSilencer, dick & bruce & jason & tim & steph & cast, 3.4k      Dick Grayson is given a gift - to seal away his emotions. No one has a good time. ✦ Peeking Through the Tunnel Beyond by sElkieNight60, dick & bruce & cast, read the tags, 2.4k      Or, Dick Grayson just can’t seem to free himself from his past. And this time, Bruce is there. ✦ soft clocks by dustorange, dick & bruce & damian & jason & tim & alfred & tiger & cast, 35.2k      Dick has amnesia during his time at Spyral. The family grapples with finding out he’s alive. Dick grapples with finding out he has a family. ✦ Never Say That by JackHawksmoor, bruce & dick & jason & damian & cast, 9.6k      "Calm down, I’m not aiming for anything vital,” Jason said irritably. Batman turned away from the man he’d just floored. “We agreed-” he began sharply. “I didn’t promise anything,” Jason snapped. He lifted his gun, muttering under his breath. “You ought to be grateful, it could be worse-” Or: the Bats have an extremely bad night in Gotham City BATFAM FIC RECS - SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED TO TAKE ALL THE SERIOUSNESS OUT OF THE ROOM AND STAY SILLY FOR AWHILE: ✦ there but for the grace of god by TheResurrectionist, hal & dinah & ollie & flash & j'onn & bat-kids & young justice & justice league, 3.7k      A Justice League fic where everyone argues about who’s the most beautiful and intimidating sexy from the Big Three and everyone has valid points. ✦ The One With The Bat’s Son by Maximum_Quinn, bruce & dick & wally & hal & billy, 3.4k      “Batman has seven kids.” Wally blinked. “You’re shitting me.” “Not even a little, I just overheard him and Supes talking.” “Oh my god,” he breathed, staring at Hal incredulously. “You don’t think -?” Hal nodded, slowly and seriously. “Batman could be Captain Marvel’s dad.”
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wandixx · 2 months
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Ghost of fries and Hero of cookies part 2
All work words count: 14 593
Words in this part: 1 794
Summary of whole work: Duke wasn't expecting to wake up from his quick rooftop nap to some meta kid with fries. He also wasn't expecting kid to stay Or Danny asked Dani to stay safe while she was in Gotham. Where would she be safer than under the wing of local hero? And he looked like he needed bad day combo anyway
This part summary: Of new names and teasing
Beta read by @audhumla-sailor though English is second language for both of us, so proceed with this in mind. I also know all of the charaters through fics alone, so probably ooc. Stay catious if it's something you don't like
First part
Duke knew that Dani was in their agreed meeting point, he even vaguely knew where she was floating but not much more. She used her invisibility, which was weird since she knew it didn't work correctly on him. It was fifth time they met, of course they knew. 
"Hey Signal, remember how you said that I need a codename if we're going to hang out in future and that all my previous ideas were horrible names?" a disembodied girly voice asked. Duke smiled. Ever since he raised the idea, the girl would come up with ridiculous names to be called, proposing them with absolutely straight face. It was expected from someone who thought Dani Phantom was a good alias. It didn't make her ideas any less amusing.
"Of course I do. Whatcha got for me today?"
"Alright, since you don't let me be a name stealer, I decided to take a sheet from local nightlife's notebook–"
"You mean take a leaf from their book?" He was sure she was rolling her eyes on him, but it didn't stop him. No one could maim English language like that with him around.
"Whatever. I chose to steal their idea and became a bird. It's only fair since I can actually fly!"
"Can't exactly disagree. So, what did you get this time?"
"You'll like that, I promise. But now, I introduce to you…"
Duke got ready to shut down every Robin iteration and all Birdgirls he could think of.
"HOOPOE!" Dani yelled, popping back to the visible spectrum. She was covered in bright orange cape with weirdly shaped hood and flimsy mask "I even did some costume changes to fit the name better–" in all honesty, one, yeah, he wasn't blind he realized, two, he needed a moment to remember how these birds looked (his first thought was 'wait it's a thing?!'). But then he got it and yeah, those were funny little creatures, just like Dani. It fitted her "–so even if you don't like it, it doesn't matter," she added, sticking her tongue out.
Duke patted her on the head. He was there, he knew it mattered.
"It's a great name Hoopoe"
Dani visibly though probably unconsciously, relaxed. Her mouth curved into a proud grin and her aura brightened. Normal auras didn't do that. He got used to Dani surprising him like that sometimes.
"Of course it's great, I made it."
Duke chose to not remind her about almost two dozen times she came up with absolutely not great names or about the fact that technically she didn't quite make this one either. He wasn't in such a petty mood. Maybe in future if he needed blackmail.
Oh, it was such a Bat thing, wasn't it? He needed to spend some more time with his civilian to get it out of himself, he liked his ability to interact with normal people in a healthy way. 
*
"Wait, is your mask a paper?"
"What else could it be, titanium?"
"If you stop three muggings on the next three patrols each I'll get you a better one, okay?"
"Hey, my mask is perfectly fine"
"Yeah, but it can tear too easily. I can get you a mask that is more sturdy."
"Aha."
"It's the same material every Robin and Nightwing wear…"
"Don't care, my mask is flawless"
"..."
"Okay, better mask would be cool"
***
On the third patrol Dani joined, about a week and a half ago, they exchanged numbers. Duke knew how hard it was to come to terms with new powers on one's own and God strike him with a lightning or something if he ever lets anyone go through similar bullshit. Especially since she didn't seem to have anyone taking care of her. Girl her age shouldn't be able to hang out or respond to messages within ten minutes at any given time. Only twice she didn't do that, because she was on a celebrity hunt for autographs as she later explained. He would be teased endlessly if any Wayne or their associate learned about it, but he considered introducing Dani to Bruce. She needed help, okay?! He didn't inherit adoption tendencies.
But he hadn't done that, partially because he didn't want to scare Dani off and partially because of fear of teasing. And bet. Because of course in the meantime somehow there happened a bet. 
He smirked at the video Dani sent as a response to the hydration check. She was tossing a coin and playing an elimination game to pick one juice from eight drinks she had. Steph jumped over the back of the couch to join him. At the start she was in front of him so to do that she had to run around the furniture but such minor inconveniences couldn't even wish to stop her dramatics.
"You're smiling at your phone ergo you either text your secret girlfriend/boyfriend/enbyfriend or watch memes. Show me the memes," she demanded, nudging him in the arm. Duke chuckled.
"Wrong guess. I'm texting my sidekick," they agreed it would be a funny way to introduce Dani to people who asked. Duke tried his best at this whole having sidekick thing anyway. As well as he could without help from other Bats because of this damn bet.
Steph froze for a moment.
"Your what–"
"And the lucky winner is… an apple with mint juice! Damn I really hoped it would be lemonade,"  Dani from the video announced cheerfully before opening the bottle" Shame it didn't make it past semi-finals. Happy hydration break. I'm going on an autograph hunt so I may not respond for the next two hours or so. Wish me luck, bye~"
Duke paused the video before it replayed. He glanced at Steph who finally rebooted.
"How come you got a kid and I learned about it just now?"
“In my defense I'm like 60% sure you're the second person in the family to learn about her. Depends if Tim got his ‘I have to know everything, gotta check body cams’ paranoid spree in the last two weeks or not. There was no teasing from Babs or anyone else if I'm being honest and no lecture from B, so they have no idea.”
“First was Alfred?”
“First was Alfred. I still don't know how.”
“That's our grandtler for you. You are forgiven but you have to tell me everything about her,” Steph demanded excitedly. “And show me the photos''
Duke snorted.
“She goes by Hoopoe and is about Damian's age. She can tell you her real name when B inevitably finds out and tries to interrogate her.”
“What if Spoiler drops by during the day?”
“You can try but give it another week and a day, okay?”
“Why?”
“We have bet that I'll hide her from B for three weeks. Tomorrow is the end of the second week. We both know how he is, he'll have questions if you randomly show up during the day."
"Stakes?"
"Speedster worth of winners favorite Batburger meal, 2 quarts of chosen drink and cookies"
"Valid. I ain't snitch, but I want to know more. Is she a meta?”
"Yeah. Powers I know of are invisibility, intangibility, superspeed, enhanced hearing and flight. Probably more. I think she already had some training with it because she has quite amazing control over this stuff. Like, it comes naturally to her. But her hand to hand is atrocious."
"Are you jealous?"
"No."
"Omg, you totally are! Don't be, she is just a baby with a better idea of what's going on with her powers than you have with yours. There is nothing to be mad about Duke, it's okay Duke–"
"Keep going and I won't tell you anything about her," he dared, trying not to snort. 
"Sorry, sorry, you're doing great, please continue," she nudged his arm again "Don't be such softie, dude" He stared at her at the comment, disbelief clear on his face. Steph at least then looked a little ashamed "Okay, sorry. You're honestly doing far better than any of us would. Excluding Cass and Alfred."
"Excluding Cass and Alfred," he agreed easily enough.
"So, you think your kid has some training with her powers," she recalled eagerly.
"Yeah, probably from when she was helping her cousin. He is a hero in Amity Park, Illinois, his name is Phantom. It took very little digging even though Hoopoe does her best to stay mysterious. I swear this kid has no brain-mouth filter. But! I got my second shovel talk from her cousin!”
“The what?”
“After a week of hanging out with her, I got message on Signal’s twitter from Phantom that basically read as ‘I have nothing against you, really dude I’m a fan but here is list of my most powerful enemies, and let me tell you, there were some scarily powerful guys there, I won with all of them, if something bad happens to Hoopoe I can and will destroy you.’ After some research, yes, I think he could try and have considerable chance of success. Even if he didn’t fight would be painful enough to be a lesson. He and Hoopoe have the same powers and she worked with him for some time. She most likely learned then. She was called Dani Phantom, boy went by Danny Phantom then”
“Dear gods, their aliases were so horrible, who even let them go with it?! Are those their first names?!” Steph sounded genuinely offended by it.
“I don’t know,” Yeah, he knew, but he preferred to keep at least this secret to himself ”In boy's defense, because Hoopoe came much later,  he was fourteen and Amity went to shit really fast, so alias was probably not his first concern. And it’s much better than Invioso-bill, name he was given by the press. And he uses some intense gaslighting to make people believe it’s just Phantom now. And allegedly they’re both ghosts. Apparently ghosts don’t exactly have secret identity”
“You doubt it”
“You would too. She eats, she breathes and she is tangible by default. From what I know, ghosts don’t do that”
“They don’t, I checked. I went on a research spree when I first learned about Deadman. I just thought it was so cool you know. Ghosts being real and all,” Steph leaned towards him, almost vibrating with anticipation.
“Really?” he asked, knowing what he was getting into.
“Yeah, you see…”
And on she went, releasing expected infodump as if she waited for this opportunity ever since she first read about it.
********
Some additional name getting shenanigans
Signal: I won't call you Dani in the field
Dani: Why?
Signal: Ever heard of secret identity? Name is, like, half of it. Disguise is other half but it can be exchanged with lore. Superman made it work. Just make up enough lore for people to not question it.
Dani: Oh, okay *gremlin^2 mode activated*
Random they just rescued: And who are you little one?
Dani: *looking them dead in the eyes* I am clone of dead child hero, travelling around the world to find identity separated from my template befre mistakes made during my creation make me turn into puddle of primordal liquid and my conciousness fades forever
Random: *petrified* What?
Signal: *internally* I have miscalculated
Dani: Kid Signal
Signal: No.
Dani: It works in Central
Signal: We're not in Central
Dani: Signalgirl
Dani: I mean, Batgirl exists
Signal: No.
Dani: Monochromatic Signal. Y'know, Red Robin route?
Signal: ...
Signal: Just no. Don't make my name part of your name
Next part
Do you want to see some Hoopoe doodles I made? There were redesigns!!!
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the-kipsabian · 4 months
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wrestling fic writers!!
i have decided to be the change i wanna see, so lets do a nice little thing for each other, as a community full of incredible and talented writers. yes this is writer specific only, but thats cause thats where the main problem of people not interacting with creative works lies in this fandom as far as i can tell and have seen people talking about it especially in the last couple of months
if you read this, please add links to your written works. it can be just a single fic youre really proud of, your writing blog, your writing tag, your ao3 account, anything where your works can be found
and if you leave your link here, PLEASE check out someone else that has left their works, and interact with them. leave them a comment, even just a kudos, REBLOG their fic, etc. interacting is the keyword i want to emphasize here, along with building a sort of a masterpost of where to find people writing in this fandom
and if you are not a writer, youre still highly encouraged to interact with this post and share it and show love to the writers in this fandom, obviously!! i think that should go without saying, but adding it in anyways
a bit more about my vision and resources and such under the read more, but thats the gist of it. happy linking and please be kind and supportive to each other!! 💜
nobody is too big or too small to add their things on this list. if you write and post anything in this fandom whatsoever, be it fics or drabbles or headcanons, any companies or any kind of ships or reader inserts or any content whatsoever no matter how 'dead dove dont eat' or hell even if its just meta, we welcome all here and nobody can say that one thing is less valid than another. just please tag your content accordingly, especially if theres content warnings, and feel free to mention what you write, who you write, any info you wish to leave that would help people before they click on your links. but even so, that should not and hopefully will not deter people from interacting, no matter what it is. someones trash is another ones treasure, i promise you
and unless the amount gets really overwhelming, im personally going to be checking out everyone that leaves something here. unless it squeaks me out, but even then, i'll spread the word. and i just wish as many people as possible will do the same, and not just use this as a potential board to only get eyes on their stuff. ofc thats also the point, but you should give as much, if not more, than you get. we need to be kind and supportive of one another (besides, from personal experience, if you show love to someone else, they are more likely to do it back than without you taking the first step, so... pay it forward)
as for resources, heres a few links that should be helpful in leaving comments and feedback. of course everyone does their own thing and no comment is too big or too small to leave, but for those who need them. if you have anything you'd like added to this list, dont hesitate to get in touch or drop it in the post yourself!!
101 comment starters
ao3 floating comment box
kudos html
dont know how to comment? easy solutions
a quick hot guide to commenting (by yours truly)
an overall guide to appreciating fanfic writers
and just in general.. leave people comments. leave them asks about their projects. just go over and gush about their work. i know it sounds embarrassing but writers love nothing more than to hear that someone likes what they are doing. if you find a fic that hasnt been updated in forever, comment on it. it might just be the spark the author needs to continue. while kudos and likes are nice, and just as valuable to some, its definitely in the words the people leave for them that matter the most. im not saying this to put pressure on anyone, its just how it is, and i feel like unless people are writers themselves, and even then sometimes, thats just hard to grasp, especially if the writer is a smaller and less popular one who doesnt get a lot of traffic in the first place
i think thats all. just be nice and considered to everyone, reblog peoples works, this post with others add ons and so forth. and if i find anyone talking shit here or at other writers for something they share, you'll be blocked and im probably taking your kneecaps. be fucking nice. we are all struggling here and we need to stick together
happy sharing and commenting 💜💜
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bougiebutchbinch · 6 months
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A MORATORIUM ON OFMD MISERY
As you all know, I'm pretty damn pissed about the finale, and think it made several Bad And Offensive Choices (even if said choices were made from ignorance rather than malice) particularly on the subjects of disability, mental health, and abuse.
BUT. I am also in the midst of a big physical health crash, in a lot of pain, and on prescribed drugs that mess with my ability to handle emotions. It's very, very easy to get obsessed over misery when you're Going Thru It.
So. I'm going to step away from this argument for my own good.
I'll still create fun fix-it content for the fandom. I might blog the occasional bit of OFMD-critical meta, if it's exceptional or pithy. But I'm not going to be dwelling in the depths of this topic any more. I need fandom to be my fun escape, and this particular show is no longer that, outside of fic.
I absolutely believe OFMD should be criticised, and I support the people who are doing so. I don't think I'll be watching Season 3, if it even gets made, just because they dropped the ball so badly. But I'm going to wall myself off from the (rightful) negativity surrounding the finale, for the sake of my own mental health. Thanks to everyone who has engaged productively and thoughtfully with this discussion, rather than dismissing and mocking those who are upset. I'm sorry that we were let down by a show that promised to be 'kind'.
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thywheelof-fate · 6 months
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swears with an upraised hand (this is not enough)
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swears with an upright hand (this is not enough) on ao3
Pairing: Dark Urge/Enver Gortash, Dark Urge/Astarion (background)
Rating: Explicit
Tags: Rough Sex, Knifeplay (Gauntlets), Bloodplay, Light BDSM, Biting, Office Sex
◈━◈━◈━◈━◈
If you’re so determined to learn about your past, why don’t we make another deal? “What do you want?” Lennox arched an eyebrow. “You already have my soul. Probably.” Oh, if only. My proposal: I show you a snippet, and all you have to do is keep your mouth shut about it. I’ll even sweeten the deal and show you something you can get back after all this nonsense. It’s a deal that appears to be tilted heavily in Lennox’s favor, which made it all the more suspicious. “I’m guessing this won’t be a useful memory at all.” Usefulness is subjective. I think you might enjoy it. But perhaps you’d rather stew in ignorance.
Lennox slowly learns about what being a warlock means and the creature who holds the other end of his pact. An offer to experience one of his forgotten memories gives him a chance to learn about the person he was outside of killing. But who was Enver, and why was Lennox hooking up with him in his office?
◈━◈━◈━◈━◈
This is the promised rewrite and extension of my fic of the same name, which can be read here
It still remains a piece focused on the fact that Lennox is a warlock, but fleshes out his relationship with some of the other companions and his patron more. I also wanted to explore Durgetash in a slightly meta way by having Lennox play voyeur to his own memories- who does he assume Enver is to him, when the context of their history is stripped away, but their own sort of affection remains?
I'm a bit out of practice of writing smut, so the Prodigal Son series has been an unintentional opprotunity to flex that muscle, haha. I'll probably alternate between pre-canon and canon timeline works, so my next project is aiming to have Durgetash exploring each other's bodies as Chosen of Bane and Bhaal.
There are little things I want to write about my fics, but I don't know if meta analysis on my own fanfiction is a bit too self-indulgent. Vague textposts I make is probably me hunching over my keyboard and mumbling about the motifs of it all.
Comments/kudos/asks are always welcome :)
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rosella-writes · 11 months
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after LOTS of procrastination, I finally finished Dragon Age: Inquisition and Trespasser. I FEEL EMPTY. what do I even do now? SOLAS WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?! I would join him, I don't care if we destroy the world, I'll help him. hell, I would do it FOR HIM! And he won't let me?! I am mad…. also madly in love… UGH, I now truly understand the solavellan hell TT_TT. Don't get me wrong I think it's great and it breaks my heart in the best way. ALSO, I can't imagine having to wait for da:d since Trespasser was released 🫡. I'll have to wait about a year and even that is too long. 💜
Welcome welcome >:D that's a common feeling after Trespasser for sure, and then you'll move through the remaining stages of grief and settle someplace before acceptance I think.
I do like that Lavellan, even Lavellan who had low approval, is able to offer to help him. And I love (LOVE) that he turns them down. He's made Lavellan complicit this far and he doesn't want to drag them through more mud and blood and pain but most importantly? He doesn't want them to change. Not like he has.
There's something to be said (and others have said it better than I) for the mirroring between Anders and Solas especially in their respective endings. Both needed the protag to help them enact change, but only one was able to endorse their actions afterwards and run away with them. Solas is too old, and too proud, and too independent. He's told us from the beginning — it's been so long since I could trust someone, and even then he only promised to work on it. He's shown us all along, in explicit banters that say so, that he does not need anyone. How miserable for a man most afraid of dying alone.
Anyway, once again, welcome! Your feelings may change between now and da4 and that's more than fine — my own have since I first played in 2020! I hope you enjoy the rich meta and fic and art and thought-pieces that have been produced in the last 10-ish years, and that it tides you over until we get fresh meat. I know I'll probably still be here in my little corner, spinning my little ideas and fantasies until they're shattered forever by new canon.
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writing-for-life · 4 months
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Thank you for an amazing 2023!
About metas, fics and sparkly things…
This won’t be short, but you wouldn’t expect that from me, would you? 🤣
I’ve been on Tumblr for just a bit over a year because I needed to get off my family’s back after my three decades long Sandman brain-rot got worse again due to the Netflix series. I hovered around a handful of followers for months until things exploded (I still don’t know why tbh, I think it was one particular meta that kicked things off a bit), and I somehow ended up with hundreds of followers, which might not be much to some, but it’s a lot for me.
So to all of you I’d like to say: Thank you for being here. I don’t always manage to stay on top of things because my notifs are a mess and I lose track, plus I have a rather busy life and can often only write in batches and then queue, but each of you is appreciated, even if I accidentally forget to get back to you or if we aren’t mutuals.
I’ve made such lovely connections over the last year—my interest in The Sandman definitely does not align with the main focus that shan’t be named, and I’m glad that you folks are out there. You probably know who you are.
Now to the obligatory “your posts wrapped” thing—and I’m only doing it because I need to make a point (of course I do 🤣).
News and art
My by far most successful posts have been casting/shooting news and pretty pictures (two examples are linked). And I’m grateful for all the reblogs and likes of those, but apart from curating them, they’re not really me. They’re someone else’s work.
Meta analysis
Then you have my metas, which make up the bulk of the other posts that are doing quite well (you can find all of them in my pinned post).
Even if it wasn’t my most “successful” one (what does that even mean?), this one meant the most to me:
I love writing metas, whether they cover literary concepts, psychology, music or art because I’m a permanently brain-frazzled multi-hyphenate who has to talk about everything that won’t leave her alone.
I also love when you’re sending me asks btw. For the latter, I hope they pick up again in 2024 because they really nosedived since I switched off anonymous asks (which I won’t change, soz) after some people just thought it’s good sport to be an arse about my not being here to pray at the altar of the ship. I guess we have briefly covered the ugly side of Tumblr, too, then.
Writing
But what I'm most proud of when I think of all the things I've done in 2023 is my fiction and poetry. And that's both a happy and slightly sad thing to address.
My 31 Haikus for Sandtober started as a bit of fun, but they’ve developed a life of their own, and people seemingly liked them. The post also contains a bit of my fan-art:
I still intend to turn them into a hardcover at some point, but I won’t be able to create all the artwork myself, so if you’re a fan-artist and want to know what I’m thinking of, please get in touch (I’ll still talk about this in more detail at some point though).
The other thing I’m incredibly proud of is “The Light of Stars”.
I started it as a NaNoWriMo project in 2022 (I always use NaNo to do something that is less stressful than my professional writing projects), wrote it in a bit more than a month—and then did nothing with near 80,000 words until June 2023.
And then I thought “Fuck it,” and published it on Ao3. It’s a canon x OC fic, and this is where it gets a bit sad. Because for most of us writers, these are never the posts that get most engagement (the ratio is really something like 100 : 1 — 500 for a shitpost, 5 for an average writing post).
On Ao3, it gradually picked up because I published chapter after chapter, and I think I can say that it’s done fairly well over there in terms of engagement for an OC fic, and above all how people engage with it. Because it’s a bit deeper despite being romance, it deals with heavy topics like grief, and I’m so glad to have touched a few people’s hearts with it, and that it was meaningful to them. So much so that you all convinced me to write a sequel.
But here’s the thing: The general engagement with writing, especially non-explicit, non-ship, non-readerY/N on Tumblr is very, very low.
Writers who write canon x OC are still struggling to be heard through the noise (it’s not just me, I’ve had many conversations about this, so I’ll just say: I’ll speak for many of us). There are basically hardly any events for us to participate in (most of us only ever do so if we shift to canon one-shots, poetry or metas. If we don’t: Again, no one cares), and fandom often actively chooses to ignore us because “all OCs are self-inserts, ew.” Which is patently not true, and I could go on a long rant now why many canon x canon fics are very obvious self-inserts, which I won’t.
But even if all OCs were self-inserts, even if all characters were—so what? All writing is to a degree based on self-insertion because it comes from our brains—it’s not a bad thing. But apparently, it becomes a bad thing if the character is an OC, heaven knows why.
So if I had one wish (I’m allowed one, right?) for 2024, it would be that people engage more with OC fics and include them more in community events. That fandom, which prides itself in community, includes writers who don’t write for (the main) ship/s a bit more, especially if they don’t write smut (which I personally even do professionally, but I don’t want to have to do it in fanfic just to get engagement). I’m not holding my breath because I know that’s not where fandom’s oft single-minded focus lies, but a girl can dream, right?
And with that, I want to get to my proudest accomplishments of them all:
Being the curator queen of the sparkle realms:
Being one (arguably the main) instigator of the maddest crack ship that has ever graced (?) the face of the earth, spawned the most unhinged discussion (much truth in it though 🤣) and even NSFW fanart. I promise I’ll write that fic about Murphy and his Cool Hat:
Have a lovely 2024!
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stovepiperat · 2 years
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terror camp ‘22 day 1: an informal reclist
HOW A-FUCKING-BOUT that CAMP huh guys!! Good shit!! Anyway, here’s two (variably) related recs (that weren’t previously mentioned in the server, to the best of my knowledge!) for every TC22 panel. Just because. 
Please click through to AO3 to see full individual taglists, warnings etc. Other half of this post is in progress. Also, you may have noticed that the descriptions get a little bare-bones as the post goes on. This is because I am slapdash and sleepy. Sorry. But please let me know if I need to fix anything, as always!
(Get in contact with the mods at terror.camp to get access to recordings and Discord!!) 
‘There Will Be Poems’: Franklin, The Terror and the Noble Failure Narrative
Principles of Magnetism (a Comedy of Manners) by acaramelmacchiato (Fitzier, 21k)
Less horrific consequences than in canon, but this IS a noble failure narrative, one which, fittingly enough, pivots nimbly around a pastiche of Britishness and features the futility of attempting to reason with Sir John Franklin.
the waiting room by Ias (Fitzier, 10k) 
Maybe the real noble failure narrative was the delirious, calcifying regrets that haunted us along the way. I think there are deeper reasons this fic relates to the theme, but it would be a disservice to its understated angst for me to try and drag it all out and dissect it here.
Imperial Apparitions: Victorian Periodicals and the Search for Franklin (1848-1860)
My Name Is John Franklin And I Like To Fuuuuuuuuuck by Charlotte_Stant (Lady Jane, 1k)
I know the title is... but it’s a Lady Jane character study! I promise! Gosh, speaking of things I love about Terror fandom, EXEfest is so neat.
Three Winters, Four Springs by halotolerant (Fitzier, 50k)
“Han,” I hear you say, “I love psychic wolf sex, but what does it have to do with contemporary British imperialist propaganda takes on the lost Franklin expedition?” Well, that’s a fair question, but there’s some really fascinating worldbuilding specifically relating to the gaps between the filthy, miserable, selfish-surviving reality of expedition life and the memoirs that make mint on it.
Always Simple & Sincere: Protestant Doctrine & Difference In The Franklin Expedition
Like Unto a Man by disenchanted (Hickey/Crozier, 6k)
Crozier has weird psychic powers like in the book, but good. This fic is basically just him lying there and unwillingly astral projecting into Hickey’s sex memories but he is very Protestant about it, somehow.
old habits die hard by MOUSE9000 (Terror lieutenants, 5k) I don’t really want to explain how EXACTLY the modern AU vampire roommates and their ambiguous relationships are kinda Protestant with it, but they are.
The C, the C, the open C: Classics and The Terror
A More Appropriate Hole by chatterleysghostwriter (Hodgson/Dundy, 6k)
Hodglove, Catullus, having an ever-so-slightly anachronistic depressionwank. What more could you need?
Ex Illustri Vagantium Ordine by annecoulmanross (Fitzier, 3k)
Meta-classicism with a touch of everyone’s favorite (Latin footnotes.)
(I’m going to level with you guys 100%: I feel like probably most heavily classics-referencing fics in the fandom are Bridglar, which I don’t really read (just not my thing) and as such that’s just, like. A gap in my knowledge. Sorry, Bridglar, I don’t want to erase you from this narrative! If you want to add your own rec in reblogs, feel free.)
and sang no more: The Fictional and Historical Impact of Traditional Music in The Terror
all seasons, at all hours, and in all places by Gwerfel (3k, Hickey/Tozer) “Rat Catcher’s Daughter” song played for horror. Spooky and crawling.
A delightful God-fearing man by Lilliburlero (3k, Gibson/Irving)
Irving seeks out a songbook, in a delightful romp which also happens to be very well-cited.
Poetic afterlives of the Franklin Expedition
Something different for this one—let’s have a little fanpoetry!
Northwest Passages by kitsuneartemis
Spoon River Anthology, but make it The Terror.
An Arctic Sonnet by hangingfire
Sonnet 130, but make it Fitzier.
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I’ve never done my own fic rec post before but I’m feeling inspired seeing more and more people do this. Also, I’m so slow and usually weeks behind what everyone else is reading but I’ve read some new stuff recently so let’s go!
We Still Bloom Complete, 18k, Rated T by @artsyunderstudy
I am a sucker for Hanahaki fics (the angst! The pain! The perceived unrequited love! The ticking clock!) and this one does not disappoint. Set within those awful doubting weeks of WS/AWTWB and sprinkled with plenty of past memories and present action, this author really lets you sit with that sorrow and uncertainty. Plus FANTASTIC art! What more could you want?
The Beautiful Game WIP, currently 8k, Rated T by @fatalfangirl
This fic is composed of anecdotes of Simon and Baz playing football over the years but football is merely a lens to view the progression of their relationship. It’s canon compliant and fits so seamlessly with the events surrounding it. The WS chapter, for example, packs a punch in a few hundred words. It will have you sobbing, squealing, sighing and laughing as the chapters take you through the best (and worst) of their relationship. But through it all they have football. Need I say more?
This Is Your Place, Complete, 19k, Rated M by @cutestkilla This fic was written for @carryonprompts fest (along with the two above!) and answered the question: how would things have differed if Baz came back to his room after the Open sesame incident to find Simon, tits out, bloody and without his cross? This author took the prompt in a a sexy but also tender and angsty direction. A lovely get together written by a very talented writer.
Speaking of, I’m gonna jump back to @cutestkilla’s first fic because she just posted this great meta about what informed her version of the Humdrum from canon, which got me thinking about how What’s Left is still one of my favorite fics of all time so if you haven’t read this fic about what if Simon really died in the White Chapel and the Humdrum (Sid, my beloved) was left, how might he and Baz take on the Mage? It’s so creative, funny, sweet and heartfelt and (despite the way the premise sounds) will leave you fulfilled in a way you never knew you needed to be.
Ready or Not WIP, currently 5k, Rated E by @bookish-bogwitch
Another Carry On Prompts Fest fic that I am OBSESSED with. It’s a Watford era magickal mishap (my fave, it should be a proper tag!) in which Simon accidentally spells Baz to spontaneously orgasm without warning several times a day. This story is both hilarious and so sexy and the end of chapter 1 leaves us with a delightful twist. I can’t wait to see what happens next!
Stress Management WIP currently 22k, rated M by @whogaveyoupermission
Normal AU, later in life get together in which social worker!Simon tried to manage his stress by attending a barre class taught by none other than his former classmate Baz. This fic is so sweet and sexy you will be screeching for them to get together by the end of the first chapter. And yet this author is building their mutual pining so, so well. Bonus content includes Baz in all sorts of sexy barre instructor outfits that you won’t want to miss!
Phew! If your like me, and have a to be read list a mile long and you don’t know what to start with, do yourself a favor and check out any of these gems that sound interesting. I promise, they will not disappoint! Thank you for the tags today @martsonmars @aroace-genderfluid-sheep @cutestkilla @facewithoutheart @fatalfangirl @larkral @bookish-bogwitch @nightimedreamersworld @whogaveyoupermission @johnwgrey @confused-bi-queer @artsyunderstudy @palimpsessed @moodandmist @creepyspice @ivelovedhimthroughworse y’all are working on some fantastic stuff!
Tagging a few more people in case you want to spread the word on these awesome fics or share some words (or recs!) of your own @whatevertheweather @captain-aralias @takitalks @toonysart @messofthejess @ionlydrinkhotwater @aristocratic-otter @prettylightsbigcity @castawaypitch @yeonjunenby @erzbethluna @hushed-chorus @stardustasincocaine @frjsti @toonysart @forabeatofadrum @raenestee @yellobb @bazzybelle @gekkoinapeartree @ic3-que3n @tea-brigade
Also, if you’ve read this far and want to check out chapter 4 of Depth of Reason, it’s out now, with more lovely art by @toonysart
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optiwashere · 11 days
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List 5 things that make you happy, then put this in the askbox for the last 10 people who liked or reblogged something from you! get to know your mutuals and followers (ू•‧̫•ू⑅)♡
Ohhhhh I didn't see this one! I can do one last one of these as a treat. Let's do some fandom stuff for this one :)
When I see people writing something they really care about, something they really love. The joy comes through in it, I promise.
Deep explorations of character psychology and motivations. Meta is beautiful, actually.
On that note, but looking in a different direction, silly memes turned into character fanart are also great.
When I see people making their own little communities within fandom. It's always so lovely. I've seen it multiple times just in the BG3 fandom, and I hope it remains open to that kinda thing happening for a while.
When people say nice things about my fics, my writing in general, Asheera (incl. making amazing art of her... I sob), or any combination of those 💜
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licncourt · 8 months
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As far as engagement with your fics dwindling, I think it’s mainly a result of the ao3 tag naturally being flooded with show verse content and book writers disappearing. There’s also the increasing rhetoric among popular show writers/bloggers that continued art and fic for book Louis and Armand is inherently racist so my guess is no one wants to out themselves as someone who enjoys book fic for fear of being shunned. Which is disappointing but with a large fandom that is mainly centered around a popular show, not surprising (not that there wasn’t gatekeeping preshow but the fandom was significantly smaller). I think most fans of the show think with these new (and improved) incarnations of the characters, there’s no need for their book counterparts. And the belief that people who do still enjoy book Louis and Armand are ignorant and fundamentally don’t understand the vc characters. It sucks because it would’ve been sweet if it could all be enjoyed for the multiverse it’s become since there are fans (like myself) who enjoy both the books and the show but there does seem to be an unspoken rule that you shouldn’t still be interested in producing content for the books. However, I’ve always been a huge fan of your works (and meta/thoughts!!) and the quality of your writing and grasp on the characters is still just as compelling as ever so I selfishly hope you continue writing 🫶 I promise I’ll make an effort to drop comments! lol
Well first of all thank you!! I just want to reiterate that the point of my original post was never to fish for comments or anything, I was just curious about why the engagement was happening on here suddenly vs ao3, but I always appreciate comments, kudos, reblogs, etc, it makes me so happy to know people like my writing because I really love doing it. I have plenty more stuff planned just because I love writing fic and I love the characters, so no worries there!
That also makes a lot of sense actually as far as people wanting to send me anons instead of comment. That's a crazy take though, like the books are forty years old you can't expect them to suddenly not have fans because of a new adaptation...? And I think it's a wild take to say that the original books/fans of them don't understand the characters?? Tumblr discourse is on another level always.
Liking the show better is absolutely fine, everyone can have their own preferences in media, but I don't believe for one second that the show is "less problematic" than the books. They just found a different way to be insensitive and offensive 😭 I think Anne Rice IP is just destined to be a morally bankrupt trainwreck and we all have to accept that. No one has moral high ground here really. And in a way it really feels like people coming into OUR house and saying we suck and aren't welcome.
This might be a selfish way of looking at it too, but I didn't get called literal slurs for months because I was defending the show and diverse casting for people to act like I have a problem with black Louis or brown Armand. Myself and friends of mine were harassed (including racially and sexually) for speaking positively about the casting decisions from day one, before most of these people knew the show or IWTV existed. My issues with it only started after episode 5 and that will always be my reason for jumping ship on the show.
I really wish things could have been different too, I was hoping the show would bring new people into the fold and just generally expand the VC multiverse like the movie did except with a new take on the story, but of course everything has to degenerate into a slap fight on the internet.
**There are absolutely people who don't like the show because they're racist shitheads and that is absolutely not a valid opinion to have btw. Just a blog reminder that I will absolutely never support or tolerate racism surrounding the show/the casting/the actors. It could have been a really great thing, unfortunately I just deeply disagree with how it was handled.**
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ellena-asg · 1 year
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Ell, is everything all right??? You're more quiet and I don't see your nickname in the recent mcdanno content ;-( Where are you? Your new comics? Your great metas? Girl, come back, please!!! We need you <333
Hey, babe ��️
Gosh, yes. It's ok. I mean, I'm still alive. I'm still on Tumblr.
I just need some time to get my old energy back. I'm a bit tired, a bit lonely without some people here, my procrastination attacks me, the weather in my Poland sucks more and more (it's worse than British weather! Can you believe it?! It's not good for my depression issues 😭😭😭). And ugh, I've got ovarialgia. It came back few days ago and I'm a bit worried (I'm at high risk of ovarian torsion - doctor said it looked ok but, well, *anxious Ell is anxious*).
Comics? I need some ideas for my comics (if you want to help me/have some idea(s) you can always send a prompt, I would be grateful ♥️).
Speaking about meta - I remember that I promised to continue my rant about Hollanders and that I promised to write more about Danny. But you see... I have thought too much about his marriage recently and now I'm double anxious. You know that I've got anxiety like Danny and that I'm on his side in general but now... I rewatched some episodes with Rachel and gosh, I more and more see HOW MUCH toxic she was to poor Danny, how awfully she treated him and it all reminds me of my own bullies/abusers from the past... (yeah, from my own family too so geez, I feel you Danno 😭). Rachel's behaviour is so disgusting and, alas, familiar that I can't... 😢
So. I just need some energy and time to write this (and other) meta. I need to calm a bit (I think that instead of Hollanders I should start thinking about Stevie now, only about Stevie and Danny). And I try by f.e. reading McDanno fics on ao3 - I found many wonderful stories/arts there and they heal my soul 💕
I can't focus on being very creative now but I still like and reblog posts and also try to comment and talk to my sunshines ☺️ And don't worry***, I'm not going to leave this fandom - I've got so friendly and fantastic souls here ❤️ (I love you and need you too!) and am too much obsessed (forever) with our boys 😉
*** but know that your concern and love touched me deeply 🥺🥲 it's so good to have friends here and I still can't believe that I'm that lucky to have you (you all). Mahalo!
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amporella · 2 years
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I stumbled upon your account and I've fallen in love 😭 style genuinely fuels the blood that runs thkigh my veins and it made me so giddily happy scrolling through your board! Thank you for being awesome, I am bowing,,,
Also! So sorry if this has already been asked, but do you have any style fic recs ? I like to think everyone in the style fandom collectively stares at their open Hollycomb ao3 tab upon being asked this question HAHA but aside from Hollycomb since you've already highlighted your favs from her, are there any others?
AHH thank you so much!!!! This is so sweet augh <3 style fuels the blood that runs through my veins too and trust me when I say I will NEVER stop posting them!!
This is a really good question, and unfortunately, I haven't been reading a ton of fics recently, but I reached out to some friends and got some fics you might want to check out! Some are my own additions, some are those of my friends - and fair warning that I haven't read all of the ones I'm recommending here, but I trust their judgement.
Fic Name (with link) - Author - Rating
Alla Breve - Julads - E - I feel like I've already recommended this one here, but honestly, anyone who sees this should just go read it again. I'm usually put off by some of the tropes found within it, but I loved it so much despite that - it's heartbreakingly tender, sad, and should be required reading for all stankys.
Red String - The Pink Striper - M - I have actually not read this fic, believe it or not, but I was told that it's extremely formative and was basically a stanky touchstone. It's unfinished, but worth the read!!
Visions of Gideon - apollos - T - So sweet and tender and such a good Stan exploration. I'm really trying to rec only one work per author here, but Shirtless and Fat and Crying in Hell (G) is also a great one - really, apollos has a ton of great fics. Read them!!
dirt wizard - applecrumbledore - M - I know it's orphaned, but this is the author, trust me. One of the first style fics I ever read, and even though I know it's been recommended literally a billion times, really just think it's so good. Seven Days of Alien Summer also probably doesn't even need to be recommended as it is such a classic, but it's also extremely good.
like a couple of cosmonauts - tullievolf - E - Ugh, this fic is so good, and while it's still in progress, the penultimate chapter is up! This is really the Post-Covid fic that every stanky adorer needs in their life, honestly? To be fair, I haven't read a ton of PC works, but tullievolf does them justice more than any other one that I've read.
Significant Growth - kasen - E - Extremely tender with extremely good dialogue, and blessed with art by sn33z3s. I haven't read kasen's longer work Final Thread, but I've heard it's very good too!!
Always Starting Over - DaftKneazleHairedMuppet (or lyingmakesyousterile, on tumblr) - E - I'm betaing this fic, and it's been SUCH a pleasure to read; only the first chapter is out so far, but I highly recommend getting into it early!! I promise you won't be disappointed.
Tumblr Prompts - intergalacticattempt (or south-park-meta, on tumblr) - T - south-park-meta obviously has wonderful meta on here, but their fics are really amazing too, and unfortunately easy to miss out on. Please read them!!! They obviously know the characters EXTREMELY well.
A Bowl of Oyster Crackers - heelbruiser (or traitor-boyfriend, on tumblr) - NR - Another one that I haven't read, but fully plan to at some point; and really, if you've read traitor-boyfriend's meta for long enough, you know that you can trust this fic to be good.
There are SO many more amazing stanky fics out there, and it's a shame they aren't coming to the top of my head right now - but I feel like I don't need to tell you how much I love the works of the big three if you're looking for something to read (or reread), and honestly just scrolling through the ao3 stanky tag can find you some gems . Thank you so much for the ask!!
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bellshazes · 2 years
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hi peter^_^as a meta enjoyer and also as someone who cant stop thinking abt do it again i just wanted to know if there was any kind of symbolism or subtext or just anything at all u purposely added that you don't think anyone has picked up on yet? take this as a free pass to ramble as much as u want abt ur writing
oh man this is such an indulgent question to wake up to, oh my goodness. a lot of stuff that comes to mind is stuff I haven't finished writing yet, but a few things:
when Etho says dreams just reflect what's on your waking mind, that's the breaking point for bdubs to thinking Etho's out to get him. he only becomes sure after the stair critique, but re-interprets Etho getting death coffee to stay awake to see him as a threat as well.
Etho's face being lit orange from the courage crystal is my obligatory Blaze Of Glory motif reference
Technically someone called this in a comment but the crystals do work and each do the opposite of what they're intended; the courage crystal is making Bdubs paranoid, Etho goes to the hospital after the danger detection crystal, and [redacted for spoilers]
The people who remember first or most are those who received or gave lives in LL. Scar and Bdubs, obviously, but this is partially why Tango reacts to Bdubs' references without knowing why. Etho never did either, as we all know.
Bdubs' failed flour trap and ineffective fishing rod ploy are nods to his abysmal red traps.
There's a couple things I haven't fully gotten to yet that boil down to the central thesis of the fic, which is more or less the intersection of "How do you know another person?" and "What ties a person to someone else?" So much of the fic is about different kinds of debts, and loneliness, and the sense of knowing someone being a comfort (Cleo) or a ball and chain (Scar) or a possible misjudgement (Bdubs and Etho). In c5, "That’s the problem with putting your heart into one person’s hands: when they’re gone, you’re left heartless. A clock, a life, a question - whatever the promise, he’ll always take it if it means an end to loneliness" is the central problem, and Etho'll have to deal with his own version of it in c6.
It's not a story about destiny or fate, though. I want it to be a story about how the person we are is understood through our relationships to other people, and those relationships are made of all the choices the people involved make. It doesn't have to be unhealthily codependent for it to be true that without each other, Etho and Bdubs have difficulty knowing who they are because they always choose each other in some form or fashion. That's why it matters so little if this iteration ends well; they'll choose a different configuration next time. Point, counterpoint; a compass, a binary orbit, whatever. In each other's absence, they find themselves different people. The weight of all those previous choices might feel like fate now, but it's always been a choice.
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essayofthoughts · 1 year
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🦋🕯️💌 for the emoji ask game!
🦋what are you most insecure about when you post a fic?
Not really insecure about anything these days? I've posted a truly absurd amount of fic and my previous fandoms include Harry Potter (TERF author can go rot) and MCU (... character roundabouts abound and the tonky stans refuse to admit it) so ... fandoms don't scare me much, I'm liberal with the block and delete buttons and I'm pretty confident in my own writing ability and general standing as a fanfic author.
I think the only thing I tend to worry about is my tags? I always either miss something, or tag something in a slightly weird way there's probably something better for. If you ever notice a fic of mine that could do with either tag pruning or an additional tag - please do let me know. I once managed to forget to add Whump to a fics tags and only remembered when a commenter mentioned it, I promise, I will not be mad.
🕯️how do you think engaging with each other through tumblr, twitter, comments, kudos, creates healthy fandom experiences? How do you deal with that if you’re not a social person/experience social anxiety?
See, I am Bad At People. I had very few friends going up and whether or not I have any neurodivergency (unknown, not unlikely, Dad almost definitely is, but I also have trauma from bullying and a shitty ex to complicate matters) I don't always socialise so good. I tend to observe social interactions and write them well, but outside of my close friends I get very antsy about interacting with new people.
This is why, generally, I stay in my own lane on tumblr; I'll post my metas and analysis here or in response to asks and only occasionally add them to other posts - and then posts by either people I know or, for whatever reason, feel comfortable enough to add to. I used to be a lot more fighty but frankly that intersects with my social shit badly and I am trying to keep to things which spark joy, even if people being wrong on the internet regularly makes me want to fight them.
Anyway. Comments are also easy because like - an awful lot of people don't respond to your comments? And it's a massive load off my anxious back to know I can just leave a comment and probably won't get any response. And then, if there is a response, it's often delightful because I wasn't expecting it and it's to a comment I probably put way too much thought into which means there's often something fun to discuss. Likewise - I love when people comment on my work with clearly thought out considerations and I know, from my own experiences, that many don't expect a reply and it'll be a nice surprise for them.
And, like I said - I'm trying to keep to things which spark joy. Spreading that joy in fandom is one such. World sucks enough - lets not add to it.
💌share something with us about an up-and-coming work (WIP) that has you excited!
So uh.
I reblogged a meta from @exhaustedwerewolf a lil while back and it's because of that meta that Kash is now eating my brain apparently? I have gained a new blorbo. I will be resuming my other WIPs soonish - the intense rush of writing has definitely tapered off some - but uh. Now I have 2(.5) new WIPs, centring on Kash and Zahra.
Oops?
Look I just really like poking at characters and their trauma and Kash and Zahra are both fun and drastically different examples.
Anyway so uh.
From what we hear of Kash's backstory, that boy was raised in a cult? I'm so glad I've listened to the Gangster Capitalism series on Liberty University and read/watched/listened as much as I have to stuff about cults and cult-like entities and abuse within those structures because uh.
Boy has some shit to pick through!
(It's extremely engaging.)
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