#august roundup | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

marveltrumpshate · 8 months

Text

August 2023 MTH fills

Don't forget to mark your calendars: MTH 2023 sign-ups will be opening on September 17! Check out our pinned post for more details about this year's auction.

The best way to see all the fills that have been shared with us is our monthly roundups tag or our #MTH-fills channel on our Discord, but you can also view them through the following methods:

Our Tumblr tags: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022

Our AO3 collections: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 (only has works posted to AO3)

Completed works tag list

To find specific content, use our completed works tag lists above which includes instructions on how to search for a particular character, gen or romantic relationship, universe, and fanwork type.

SOLO CHARACTERS

BUCKY BARNES

@potterspink - Miniature watercolor portrait of Bucky Barnes in Regency fashion for Bitters (MTH 2021)

STEVE ROGERS

@potterspink - Miniature watercolor portrait of Steve Rogers in Regency fashion for Bitters (MTH 2021)

GEN/PLATONIC RELATIONSHIPS

LOKI & WANDA MAXIMOFF

Yersi Fanel - "Of Witches and Tricksters" (canon-divergent AoU fic where Loki, who is part of the Avengers, convinces Wanda to join forces against Ultron) for @penguinofthewaddles-art-only, @kerravonsen, @aquatigermice, @lintillaarchaeologist, @lailyn, and @deehellcat

PIETRO MAXIMOFF & WANDA MAXIMOFF

SHIPS

BUCKY BARNES/SAM WILSON

cicak/@cicaklah - "can't get started" (MCU Sam/Bucky fic where Zemo gets Sam and Bucky together) for @yavannie

@sumbacky - Art of Bucky and Sam in the kitchen during a snowstorm, wearing winter-themed PJs for @elektraking

BUCKY BARNES/STEVE ROGERS

Avaaricious/@fannishflightsoffancy - "Obstacles to Love" (Steve/Bucky Ultimate Beastmaster reality TV show AU fic) for chakravanti

oh_i_swear/@oh-i-swear-writes - "Catching Shadows" (MCU Steve/Bucky A/B/O AU fic) for @zepysgirl

oper_1895/@oper1895 - "If Symptoms Persist, Seek Medical Treatment" (MCU Steve/Bucky 5+1 medical play fic) for mepeters81

MATT MURDOCK/FOGGY NELSON

@missmoochy - "Toy With Feelings" (Matt/Foggy Toy Story AU fic where troll doll Foggy meets two interesting toys: Matt, a Ken doll with a tragic past, and Daredevil, an action figure who won't tell Foggy his name) for RoseLover (posted in May)

PEGGY CARTER/STEVE ROGERS

@captainjimothycarter - "All That Stands Between Us (And Infinite Silence)" (What If..? Peggy/Steve fic where Steve and Peggy go through the portal together and end up in the future of a different timeline) for @callmekayyyyy

RILEY/SAM WILSON

writer_lethogica/@thatmexisaurusrex - "The Offering" (winged prince Sam/werewolf pack leader Riley arranged marriage royalty identity porn AU fic) for @kalika999

STEVE ROGERS/TONY STARK

@KandiSheek - "No Greater Punishment" (MCU Steve/Tony fic where Steve gets jealous after he turns down Tony, thinking he'll just be one of Tony's flings, and Tony enters a long-term relationship with someone else) for WickedInstinct, @starksnack, @wilmakins, @iam93percentstardust, @earliebirb, @jehbeeeh, @magicasen, @t0nystark1er, tsmk2023tsmk, @gottalovev, @elwenyere, @ruquas, @betheflame, hollyandvice, @ishipallthings, @wonderland-girl, @sounds-of-some-day, and @bthehufflepuff208 (MTH 2021)

#monthly roundup #august 2023 #mth 2021 #mth 2022

19 notes · View notes

thisweekingundamwing · 9 months

Text

This Week in Gundam Wing 2 April - 10 August 2023

Here’s the roundup for April 2nd - Now!

Remember to give your content creators some love! Be sure to join in on the events at the bottom! And remember to send in any new works you see or make next week!

~Mod Hel

(Had a large case of ‘couldn’t care enough’ but, here’s everything that’s been sent in since last time!)

Fanfiction/Ideas/Snippets:

@cuteciboulette

Insomnia https://archiveofourown.org/works/46226203

M/M, Duo Maxwell/Heero Yuy

General Audiences, No Archive Warnings Apply

Duo can't sleep. Heero, on the other hand, didn't have that issue, thank you very much!

In memoriam https://archiveofourown.org/works/46324246

Gen, Heero Yuy, Duo Maxwell

General Audiences, Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death (well sort of... I mean no yeah there is but also not really ?), Science Fiction, Post-Endless Waltz, Mention of main GW cast

Heero had ended up believing he was immortal.

Of love and fresh water https://archiveofourown.org/works/46401502

M/M, Duo Maxwell/Heero Yuy

Duo Maxwell, Heero Yuy, Quatre Raberba Winner

Teen And Up Audiences, No Archive Warnings Apply, Humor, Romance

Friends... sometimes, we could do without them!

Coming out https://archiveofourown.org/works/47021254

M/M, Duo Maxwell/Heero Yuy

Duo Maxwell, Heero Yuy, Trowa Barton, Quatre Raberba Winner, Chang Wufei

General Audiences, No Archive Warnings Apply, Coming Out, Romance

Duo and Heero wonder if they should tell the other pilots that they are together. Once they have decided, how will the other three react?

A Saturday Night on Earth https://archiveofourown.org/works/47067700

M/M, Duo Maxwell/Heero Yuy

Mature, No Archive Warnings Apply, Humor, Parody, Romance, Porn with Feelings, Porn Watching, First Time, Getting Together

Duo wakes up in the middle of the night and does not see Heero sleeping in his bed. But where is Heero? In front of the TV. And he is totally fascinated.

***

- I don't understand," said the dark-haired man, not seeming to notice the state of shock in which his friend was. The two young men turned their heads slightly to face each other. - Uh... What don't you understand? - This," Heero said with a vague gesture of his arm towards the television. "The dialogue is almost non-existent and the script is totally incoherent. Duo laughed in a low voice, with great amusement and a bit of nervousness. Was he really going to watch a pornographic movie with Heero Yuy or... was he still dreaming?

A happy event https://archiveofourown.org/works/47882218/chapters/120717316

M/M, Duo Maxwell/Heero Yuy

Duo Maxwell, Heero Yuy, Chang Wufei, Quatre Raberba Winner, Trowa Barton

Teen And Up Audiences, No Archive Warnings Apply, Mental Breakdown, Pregnancy, (no M-preg), Mood Swings, Pre-Relationship, Friendship, Preventers (Gundam Wing), In Universe, Post-Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz, Depression, Duo Maxwell-centric, Angst

Duo's life is turned upside down when he learns of a piece of news that doesn't concern him closely, but that affects him more deeply than he would like to admit.

After the storm https://archiveofourown.org/works/47721808

M/M, Duo Maxwell/Heero Yuy

General Audiences, No Archive Warnings Apply, POV Second Person, POV Heero Yuy, Getting Back Together, Holding Hands, poetic descriptions

It had been Trowa's turn to choose the location for the annual pilots’ retreat. When he had called you a few weeks earlier to tell you about the small town in the south of France, he had added that Duo would be there, and you had known then that nothing in the world could prevent you from going as well.

Safe with you https://archiveofourown.org/works/47266714

M/M, Duo Maxwell/Heero Yuy, Duo Maxwell & Heero Yuy

General Audiences, No Archive Warnings Apply, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Pre-Relationship, Serious Injuries, non-permanent injuries, Fluff

After a mission that went wrong, Heero wakes up in the hospital. Duo is less than pleased.

Better tomorrows https://archiveofourown.org/works/47124895

M/M, Trowa Barton/Heero Yuy, Duo Maxwell/Heero Yuy, Trowa Barton & Duo Maxwell

General Audiences, No Archive Warnings Apply, Friendship, Male Friendship

Because these things happen, and nothing can be done about it.

***

The focus is on Duo & Trowa's friendship. Heero's feelings are unknown and only presumed by the others.

@doctormegalomania

Dirty Computer (Ch.32) https://archiveofourown.org/works/28577022/chapters/118025050

Multi, Duo Maxwell/Heero Yuy, Chang Wufei/Original Female Character(s), Trowa Barton/Quatre Raberba Winner, Dorothy Catalonia/Relena Peacecraft

Duo Maxwell, Heero Yuy, Quatre Raberba Winner, Trowa Barton, Chang Wufei

Mature, No Archive Warnings Apply, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Tags Contain Spoilers, Minor Violence, Espionage, Unreliable Narrator, Post-War, Reference To Past Injury, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Original Character(s), Disassociation, Intrigue, Background Relationships

Years after the war, nothing is what anyone hoped for. Peace reigns supreme.

@helmistress

The Simple Things https://archiveofourown.org/works/48183811

M/M, WuFei Chang/Duo Maxwell

Mature, No Archive Warnings Apply, 2022 GW Holiday Gift Exchange, Pinch-hit, cussing/cursing, Scrap Yard!Duo, Preventers!WuFei, Work stress, quiet dinner with the boy fixes all things

Duo and WuFei have a simple dinner together.

@miyurinq

All Alone https://www.tumblr.com/miyurinq/713691818693394432/all-alone

Quatre Reberba Winner, fanfiction

Heart https://archiveofourown.org/works/40914714/chapters/102532038

M/M, Trowa Barton/Quatre Raberba Winner

Quatre Raberba Winner, Trowa Barton, Heero Yuy, Duo Maxwell, Chang Wufei

Not Rated, No Archive Warnings Apply, Post-Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz, Minor Violence, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Sex

All Quatre wants is to help. Even when the war is over, so many people suffer because of the consequences. Helping rebuild is the least he can do. But he seems unlucky, things go wrong all the time and people get hurt.

Trowa hardly recognizes Quatre. He has changed and seems to have problems. He reluctantly tells him about his bad luck, but Trowa doubts that it's just "bad luck" and decides to investigate.

What love is all about II. A cooking story part I https://archiveofourown.org/works/46555012

M/M, Trowa Barton/Quatre Raberba Winner

Not Rated, Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Bad Cooking, Anal Sex, Love, Established Relationship

Quatre had only one task. Cook dinner.

But as usual, things don't go as they should and he needs a plan B. A plan that would distract Trowa from his mishap. When he sees the apron, he gets the idea.

He had to make himself the main course.

Arts/Crafts/Photo Manips:

@ghost-proof

https://ghost-proof.tumblr.com/post/715069737407791104/a-soft-bubble-bath-for-our-l2-guy

Duo Maxwell, fanart

@mio222

https://mio222.tumblr.com/post/720603596475990016/heero-and-trowa-on-a-school-mission-waiting-for

Heero Yuy, Trowa Barton, fanart

@rxntwo

https://rxntwo.tumblr.com/post/708063270685261824/the-cat-and-the-bat

Duo and Heero, Duo/Heero, fanart

@signofoz

https://signofoz.tumblr.com/post/721694057287630848/ii-am-obsessed-with-gundam-wing-very

Zechs Merquise, fanart

@sweet-rabbit

https://sweet-rabbit.tumblr.com/post/715525196893847552/this-was-for-3x4-back-in-march-whoops

Quatre/Trowa, fanart, comic

https://sweet-rabbit.tumblr.com/post/716157177308594176/always-practice-proper-lifting-technique-even-in

Quatre/Trowa, fanart, comic

@theboringbluecrayon

https://theboringbluecrayon.tumblr.com/post/713624417233780736/title-family-pride-source-anime-gundam-wing

Trowa/Quatre, fanart

Photosets/Gifsets/Screenshots/Manga Pages:

@janaverse

https://janaverse.tumblr.com/post/719666238715019264/choose-your-battles-the-few-days-that-they-had

Heero/Duo, Sims, screenshot

Fandom Discourse:

@grey-sentry

https://grey-sentry.tumblr.com/post/721764345405734912/so-i-was-thinking

¾ Zine Idea

@thisweekingundamevents

https://thisweekingundamevents.tumblr.com/post/725306210148073472/this-week-in-gundam-events

Events Calendar

Quotes:

@incorrectgundamwingquotes

https://incorrectgundamwingquotes.tumblr.com/post/713708795065483264

Heero, Duo, & Trowa

https://incorrectgundamwingquotes.tumblr.com/post/714252303675293696/duo-whats-it-like-being-exactly-like-judas-but

Duo & WuFei

https://incorrectgundamwingquotes.tumblr.com/post/714343026998247424/zechs-is-it-just-me-or-do-all-of-your-plans

Zechs & Treize

https://incorrectgundamwingquotes.tumblr.com/post/714433581021347840/duo-ive-been-trying-not-to-call-people-mean

Duo

https://incorrectgundamwingquotes.tumblr.com/post/715067767300276224/duo-how-dare-you-criticize-a-national

Duo & Trowa

Calendar Events:

@gundamzine

Battle Scars and Kitchen Cabinets

Zines Away! https://gundamzine.tumblr.com/post/721658818960015360/zines-are-away-be-sure-to-check-the-email-you

Amazing late, but, it was here, so...

@gwcocktailfriday

Cocktail Fridays!

Post responses on Friday, during Happy Hour between 3 & 5 pm in your own timezone.

On hiatus until I can get more prompts.

In need of prompts!

@gwlemonyshenanigans

https://gwlemonyshenanigans.tumblr.com/post/713701315904143360/friday-april-7th-is-gundam-wing-day

Very past tense, but it was in all this stuff I’ve missed. *cries*

@thisweekingundamevents

Events Calendar https://thisweekingundamevents.tumblr.com/post/725306210148073472/this-week-in-gundam-events

If you are hosting an event currently, or are planning on one, hit us up with links and dates! We’ll add them to the Calendar and reblog your notices to get the word out!

@weedgrandpacookbook

https://weedgrandpacookbook.tumblr.com/post/715141768209956864/weedgrandpacookbook-420-blaze-it-up-the-weed

This is here a million years late, I’m so sorry.

#Gundam Wing #This Week in Gundam Wing #Weekly Roundup #2 April - 10 August 2023

12 notes · View notes

dnfao3tags · 2 years

Text

Monthly Fic Roundup - August 2022

a bit late, but better late than never :]

kudos and comment and send lots of luv to all the talented people here, you know the drill!

— Come Here by BluishFrog (gen | comp. | 4k)

Three times Dream asked George to come here and the one time George did.

— r/WhoTheFuckIsDNF by furculaed (gen | wip | 2k+)

Dream realizes something and turns to reddit for help.

— Bruiseless by summerchai (gen | comp. | 6k)

Dream watches George be a good father, and tries to feel like one too.

— The Pilates Instructor by MilkWasTaken (exp. | comp. | 18k)

After listening to his friend rant about how great his new Pilates instructor is, George finds himself following along to one of his classes to see for himself. But there was one thing Sapnap had failed to mention. The Pilates instructor was really hot. It also seems like the instructor picks favorites, as he offers George a private lesson once the class is over. Just the two of them, working up a sweat together in his private studio. How could he ever say no to such an offer?

— earl grey and emergency rooms by juniper (teen | comp. | 1k)

George burns himself with tea, and they both get a little weird about it.

— Somewhere Only We Know by yoyoyoitsvern (mature | wip | 29k+)

It's been a month. They'd been on a few streams together, recorded something for Bad's channel, and spoken in group chats with each other. Besides that, no contact. George thinks it's the longest they've ever gone without addressing each other directly. So, when he opens his email one random morning, he can't help but burst out laughing. His fucking visa is approved.

— Obsessed by sampam (exp. | comp. | 7k)

When George moves to Florida, he finally learns just how obsessed Dream is with their size difference.

— Presently in London by consciousness_streaming (expl. | comp. | 18k)

On the day before Dream's birthday, Sapnap gives him the greatest gift he's ever received--a one way ticket to London to see George.

— summer smokes, bright heavens by FraustiButBad (expl. | comp. | 15k)

Dream hates how Sapnap and Punz, his best friends and the most annoying (he doesn’t mean that) couple on this entire planet, have to drag him onto a camping trip.

— A Loving Feeling by snakeinaboyband (teen | comp. | 6k)

“You wanna get in the hot tub?” “Is that even a question?” Their eyes meet and he traces freckles across his nose. Dream grins, “Well, your lips are turning blue, so..” “Creep,” He furrows his eyebrows, lips already curving up teasingly, “Why would you even-” His friend claps a hand over his mouth, tips of his ears going a bit pink, “George, can you ever shut up?”

— no one can see me like you do by capywrites (exp. | comp. | 23k)

George's Visa is finally approved. The waiting is over with. All that there is left to do is start his new life with Dream, and George is terrified of how much he loves him.

— ceilings by arcadianlilac (mature | comp. | 3k)

dream takes george to the beach -- a fic inspired by "ceilings" by lizzy mcalpine

— This Thing Called Us by venus43 (expl. | wip | 46k+)

summer with dream is a lot harder than george anticipated

— hold my hand, there's no need to be brave by honeyslut (expl. | comp. | 10k)

where george misses his boyfriend and some tears are spilled

rmb that ur always free to add in ur own recs !! hope u enjoyed

#dnf #dreamnotfound #dreamwastaken #georgenotfound #dnf fanfic recs #dnfao3tags recs #monthly fic roundup august 2022 #monthly fic roundup #hows everybody doin ?#its 1130 pm here while im drafting this post

84 notes · View notes

thekpopgossip · 1 year

Text

Roundup: Freshest Releases

IVE “I am”

youtube

This reminds me so much of 2nd gen girl groups, like the music KARA and T-ARA used to release. The pre-chorus is amazing, the chorus is a banger too, funny enough, I never liked these kinds of tracks when edm DJ’s pumped them out in the 2010s.

August D feat. IU “People Pt. 2″

youtube

This is straight up k-pop from circa 2006. BTS’ Suga shows us his songwriting skills with the help of IU, which were obviously influenced by hip-hop groups like Epik High.

Kep1er "Giddy"

youtube

A very minimalistic sound (reminds me of “Fearless”), but Kep1er‘s best one yet. I like their styling a lot and the choreo is cute, but the 4th gen girl group landscape is cutthroat so the group is not making any noise, even with good releases.

Mark “Golden Hour”

youtube

This also has a mid 2000′s sound thanks to the Kanye West influences, but overall this might be the most interesting song NCT’s Mark has released. I’m missing a proper chorus but for an experimental type of song, this works.

#august d #suga #bts #Kep1er #marc #nct #kpop #roundup

2 notes · View notes

giggle-me-this · 1 year

Photo

[ LOXLEY’S BIRTHDAY PARTY DISCORD ROUNDUP ]

Where: Borgin & Burkes, Knockturn Alley Who: Linden, Xiomara, Tierney, Nate When: 02 August 2020

@linden-flint

@xiomarawinters

@tierney-smudgling

Draped across the couch, Linden had their chin propped up against their hand as their elbow rested against the arm of the chair, eyes squinting in playful annoyance. “Make one more bone joke, I dare you. Or at least make it funny this time.”

Xiomara watched, amused as the wix who'd given Linden that awful pick-up like about where he'll put his bone walked away, rolling his eyes and muttering about wasted time. She sipped her sparkling water and wrinkled her nose, looking down in her cup. "Poor guy. Should let him down more gently next time. Watch him, he'll try her next." Xi indicated to the wix, who was leaning on a wall, cocking his head at another witch. "You waiting for someone or something?”

"Me." Tierney swanned onto the couch in an instant, back pillowed against Linden's stomach. She also sipped on sparkling water, albeit with much more joy than this blonde interloper. "Macaroni cheese still isn't ready, Linden. Who're you?”

Linden rolled their eyes at the news of food (or lack thereof), and reached around to grab T’s drink. “Oh, you don’t know who this is?” Linden asked with a smirk and scoff of a laugh, “Oh this is going to be fucking great.” They took a mouthful of water and then grimaced to find out it was sparkling. Gross.

Xi raised her brows, looking between the two. She sipped her drink. Shit, had it really been so long away from society that people forgot who she was? "Xi, nice to meet you. I'm here with Nate but he's off... somewhere." She shrugged and then looked the newcomer up and down, "Linden you have a friend! That must be so exciting for you.”

"Tierney." Tierney's eyes lit up, and she offered her freed hand out to shake, businesslike. The mention of Nate by name was the detail she'd needed to put a few pieces together. Tierney had personally filed that contract in duplicate. Hell! thought Tierney. Xi was totally boned. Linden would shit if they knew.

Tierney? Xi's eyes widened, reaching out to take the other's hand to shake. "Smudgling," she assumed, giving a knowing hum.

Tierney parried Xi's once-over by cutting her eyes to Linden's insouciant sprawl. "Oh, I know who she is, Linden," Tierney said, cheerfully. "If only by name and reputation.”

Tierney held onto Xi's hand for a second too long, turning their locked wrists over to get a clear eyeful of the skin on the back of Xi's hand. When she swept her thumb over it, the skin wavered, shimmering like a battered shield charm. Ha! So Xi'd broken the Pinnock contract already, had she? The cover-up charm was a nice temporary fix, but Xiomara would have to have glamour squirting day and night out of every orifice to keep a Smudgling-made Word as Bond sigil covered for long.

The journalist in Xi purred with contentment, and she was about to launch into a line of questioning about the notoriously exclusive security company when Linden launched into their bullshit.

Linden’s brow tugged to an arch as they watched the eyeball play between the two girls before Tierney’s gaze fell back to themselves. Humming, Linden nodded, “Darling Xiomara certainly has a reputation that precedes her; isn’t that right, Xi?” They managed to find some way to lean against Tierney and look over at Xi with the sole intent to be patronising in their eagerness to listen, and it just so involved finding a strand of dark black hair, twirling it about their index finger and tugging on it absentmindedly.

Xi let her hand drop, rolling her eyes and sipping her drink. She tousled her hair, raising her brows with a 'what's one to do?' kind of shrug at the mention of her reputation—before Linden mentioned the Ministry: “…Also, I heard you had a nice little Ministry visit recently... care to share? Or would you rather T here talk about just how much of your reputation she knows about first?”

Linden's family store was uncomfortably close to the alley Mathis had... Greeted Xi in, far too close to the Burkes’ shop where she'd been arrested. It rattled her.

Ruma, who was standing in the hall, met her gaze. Xi swallowed, hand clenching around her plastic cup as she finished the last of it. "Well, you know me. Anything to chase a story. Speaking of—” her gaze shifted back to Tierney. "I'd love to pick your brain sometime. Document your family's triumphant return after that.. unfortunate incident years ago. Must've been so embarrassing! A security company having a break-in," Then to Linden, "And I bet you've got plenty to say about increased auror presence in Knockturn Alley. Tell me, are all those raids bad for business? But I suppose dark wizards wouldn't really care about your illegal trading—and that's who you mostly supply, right?”

"My family? But that's old news…” Tierney said, sidestepping casually so that she blocked Xi's eyeline to Linden. Sometimes it pissed Linden off when Tierney got all caveman and protective like that, but other times—it really, really didn't. Linden was weird like that. “…Like your social life, I've heard. Not out much anymore, are you.”

“Ugh—I take back every time I’ve ever claimed I would drink anything—this is inexcusable…” Nate said as he walked into the living room, staring into a plastic red cup as if it had personally insulted him. “…I assume you’re ready to get the fuck out of—?” He stopped abruptly as he actually looked up and noticed who Xiomara was shaking hands with.

Sharp little Tierney Smudgling looked a good bit older than Nate remembered, but he still recognized her instantaneously. Pages and pages of contracts with the suffocatingly airtight clauses dangled beneath the Smudgling insignia like a baby over a well, bright red blood pressed in unsightly smears across those goddamn sigils—hundreds of them, thousands.

Nate’s molars ground together inside his mouth as years of associated memories flashed through his mind and he stared at Tierney-fucking-Smudgling. Of course, of course that’s what this was; of course Nate’s father, that evil fucking cunt would have no qualms about using a Smudgling Word As Bond on his own fucking son. It was honestly laughable how it had taken Nate so long to piece it together.

And yet, remarkably, being face-to-face with someone who was a mere several degrees removed from Nate’s father himself, caused some dormant instincts to twitch within him and rise to the surface, like some wretched creature that had been kicked into submission and had since lied in wait—the ghost of the old Nathaniel Pinnock of Giggle Water, Inc., rising from the ashes where Nate had tried to snuff it out.

Nate stepped into his old persona like a well-worn pair of shoes, striding cooly to Xiomara’s side and looking down on Tierney to say, impassively and just loud enough to be overheard, “Smudgling. Been a while. Xi, why don’t you go find Ruma and tell her we’re ready to go?”

Nathaniel Pinnock was taller than Tierney remembered. He got way too close, in the way men did when they expected you to back down. She could see straight up his nose.

Fat chance she’d be intimidated by a gangly has-been holding a red plastic cup. “I’m a Smudgling-Gunne, not that anyone ever seems to remember that,” she sighed, with some degree of resignation. The music was louder than her protest. Still, she protested.

“I was under the impression your people preferred it that way,” Nate replied, wry and pointed.

Because the Pinnocks had been in business with Smudgling Security for a long time, and the tedious act of whoring themselves out to the media, shoving their children’s names and faces down the public’s throat often enough that there was eventually no option but to become society darlings, sainted or scrutinized for so much as fucking sneezing—was a Pinnock family endeavor, alone. Clients of Smudgling valued the way the company handled sensitive matters with discretion—a practice that was seemingly maintained with the family’s internal affairs, too. Nate was old enough to remember when the incident at Smudgling Security transpired; what was told in confidence to clients, versus the obviously tailored story that was printed in the papers. Even more details that were likely kept from both, that only the Smudglings themselves were privy to.

No, Nate didn’t think what Tierney Smudgling-Gunne wanted was the infamy that he had. But she wasn’t a child anymore, either—she wanted the seat at the table that she’d inconveniently inherited to be recognized, she wanted to be respected as a player in the game. Nate looked at the way she held herself tall, chin up, unapologetic and full of youthful arrogance that hadn’t yet been strained by the burden of adulthood or scarred by bearing witness to harsh realities that would surely come for Tierney Smudgling-Gunne, the heir of the Smudgling legacy, in time. Nate wondered if that’s what Harriet would have looked like, if Nate had failed to survive their birth as he had been so close to doing—as it often felt like he was meant to—and it had instead been Harriet alone left to ascend as the prodigal heir to the empire, instead of him. It would have suited Harriet, Nate thought as he saw his sister’s likeness, the ghost of a life that could have been, reflected in Tierney Smudgling-Gunne.

And then, when it was just Nate and Tierney standing toe to toe like pieces on a Wizard’s Chess board, he hissed, “Look, whatever game he’s got your people playing—leave Xiomara out of it. She’s not the one who broke the agreement. I did.”

“Come on, we were just getting to know each other. Don’t be pissed at me. I didn’t break your contract. Or write it.” Tierney shrugged. “I just filed it. Most of those are just copy-and-tweak jobs, but yours had loads of batshit creative language in it.”

“Yes, well—my father is nothing if not creative when it comes to punishing his own…” Nate deflected, in a tone that was both indifferently bleak and unnervingly blithe, as was expected as part of the Nathaniel Pinnock Brand.

“Why in hell would you sign that? This will be ugly for you.”

“If you’re so familiar with these sorts of agreements, then I assume you’ll know all about how Pinnocks are fond of using leverage to…force the hand, that signs the contract.” As if he’d really had any choice, at the time—the luxury of reading through the fine print, of actually considering the consequences of signing that fucking thing when Xiomara was being dangled dangerously right in front of his face.

“You really are in the shit, aren’t you?” Tierney muttered.

Nate glanced over at Xi as she chatted with Ruma and he felt a swell of anger, of bitterness at what had been done to them, flare up within him, and the sigil on his hand seared orange in response. Sure, it was manageable now—kind of embarrassing to be literally branded as a fuck-up in a physical, and not just symbolic sense; but Nate was gone from High Society and it was just a stupid marking, so who cared? Plenty of people got far more humiliating things inked permanently to their skin when they were wasted, anyway.

Unless Tierney was delivering him a warning, and not just a taunt. How far was Nate’s father willing to go, to control him? How ugly were things going to get for him, for Xi, if Hamilton Pinnock III didn’t get what he wanted?

Nate frowned, and kept his voice low when he said, with a tone that was distinctly less of a performative drawl, less for show, “Hypothetically speaking, what sort of…persuasion would it take for you to—remind me, of the specifics of those ‘creative’ terms, again?”

Tierney tossed her bob in a way she thought probably looked aloof and grown up. “I’m not saying this to make you feel bad, Nate: there’s not much you have to persuade me with at the moment. Your social capital’s all dried up.”

In truth, she hardly needed any more encouragement. All her memories were of seeing him at a distance, across rooms and years. He’d seemed even taller, actually, when she was small and the world towered over her. Now he was right here before her. It made her laugh, in the way she had to clench her abdomen to suppress or she’d never stop, and that was enough.

Nate shrugged at the insult with indifference, the thought of engaging in a verbal Showing of Arms with a teenager—the ones he’d sought out for fun when he was a pompous little asshole at Tierney’s age—holding so little appeal to Nate at the moment that he just felt tired thinking about it. He felt Xiomara’s eyes on him, again, and he glanced her way in time to see her mouth at him pointedly, ‘what the fuck?’ and then jerk her head in the direction of the door to say, ‘let’s fucking GO.’

Well, this seemed like a waste of time, anyway, Nate thought as he made to give a curt have a nice fucking life to Tierney Smudgling-Gunne.

But then she did something totally weird and unexpected, and offered him a cordial gesture. Ugh, it was almost fucking friendly…

Tierney took a tiny, prim sip of her sparkling water, and then threw Nate his lifeline with all the grace of tossing a losing duelist a wink after a match. I did it. I did it when you couldn’t. “But hey! It might not be that way forever. One day you’ll get back on your feet, champ, and I might need a friend. A hedge friend. How about we say—you owe me a favor?” She held out her pinkie.

Nate stared at the pinky she proffered—a pinky, seriously?—with unveiled suspicion, waiting for her to drop into the gotcha! part of this charade. But she just stood there, hand out, waiting.

Nate had to admit that he was mildly impressed, that someone of Tierney’s age and social status even knew what a hedge witch was. And something about the sheer audacity that glimmered boldly in her eyes, the irony of the heir to Smudgling Security—known across the world for crafting brass-bound magical contracts—offering to pinky swear him her tentative alliance…it made Nate smirk with genuine amusement, getting under his skin in a way that was truly rare. It reminded him, again, of Harriet.

“You are nothing like I expected you to be, Tierney…” Nate said, feeling absurd as he reached out the pinky of the hand that did not bear the Smudgling Sigil, and fleetingly touched the end of it to Tierney’s before dropping his hand back down.

He took one more sip of his drink, made a face, rolled his shoulders. Then said offhandedly, “So do you have like…a business card, then, or something? A fucking—cell phone number, I guess?” He made yet another averse facial expression as the words left his tongue.

“Yes, I have a fucking phone number,” Tierney imitated, taking gleefully great pains to botch Nate’s accent. She unholstered her wand and spelled her digits onto the side of his cup with a flourish, snorting at his pinched and pitiful expression.

“There you go, grandpa. Call me!” As she turned away she rolled her eyes at Linden, all Christ what a fuckin gobshite!, and they fell back together on the sofa with smirks and barely suppressed snickers, looking like the world’s most horrid, insipid schoolgirls gearing up to burst into mean laughter and take the piss once you were out of earshot. Which—they were!

#discord #p: tierney #p: xiomara #p: linden #august 2020 #ruma #alcohol cw #aaaand i think that's officially the last of the outstanding discord roundups!#closing our loops we love to see it #borgin and burkes #knockturn alley

2 notes · View notes