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#I’ll just tag the prominent characters
lavenderjewels · 1 month
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i miss kenjaku as a villain
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zhongrin · 7 months
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“honey, can you… put it in my mouth?”
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◇ characters ◇ zhongli, al haitham, kaveh, pantalone, ayato
◇ tags ◇ minors dni, gn!reader, very suggestive but nothing explicit believe it or not, oral fixation (reader), implied spanking (pantalone)
◇ a/n ◇ ough i finally have the energy to edit this..... why do i feel so tired from just editing send help i need kithes ;w;
𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡 ⬙ 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡 ⬙ 𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡
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zhongli looks up at you in confusion, before looking at what he is holding. surely you didn’t mean you want to have these bitter coffee grounds in your mouth? he smiles kindly at you and resumes tamping the coffee grounds, the veins on the back of his palms prominent as ever ever against his blackened skin, before locking the portafilter onto the machine and placing two espresso glasses under it.
“dear, as much as you need your coffee, i think we need to process this specific ingredient first before you can fully enjoy the beverage-”
he blinks slowly at you, the hum of the espresso machine the only noise for a moment following your clarification… until the corners of his lips turn upwards in a little smirk, and he chuckles onto his bare fist, the geo lines shining brightly with mirth before reaching out to trace your lips.
“sometimes i wonder if i've spoiled you too much… very well, perhaps after your coffee, you can have a… not-so-little treat. or should i say, treats.”
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al haitham’s answer is, as per usual, logical and straightforward.
“absolutely not. this is one of my most prized limited collection books. that would be unhygienic, both for you and the book itself.”
his verdant green eyes lined with orange-hued lines switch focus onto your expression, narrowing upon seeing no remorse in your face. he’s about ready to scold you more when the next words leave your lips, and for a moment he’s distracted by how delectable they look as they spill sinful words and pronounce your chosen nickname for him.
“… you could have clarified that sooner,” he says, still in that monotonous tone, though you can see how his gaze burns hotter now and the visible excitement starting to make itself known. one of his gloved hands beckons you closer and grabs onto your wrist to pull you onto his lap.
“well, what are you waiting for, then?” his book snaps shut and he smirks at you in anticipation, “go on. put it all in your mouth. well… as much as you can, that is.”
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kaveh beams and skilfully opens a lychee for you, ignoring the way the juices drip all over his slender fingers, and offers the sweet fruit to you immediately, urging you to taste the deliciousness. when you merely stare at him in amusement, your boyfriend tilts his head, his smile unfaltering as he pushes the fruit nearer to your lips.
“they’re really sweet! if you like it, i’ll feed you more!”
the architect’s grin widens when you take the fruit between your lips, although he blushes at the way your tongue brushes onto the calloused skin of his fingers. he tries to tell himself that it was just a coincidence, but five more lychees later, he’s convinced that you had to have done this on purpose. and when you tell him you’re full and you want something else in between those sweet lips of yours… well, he’s already a people pleaser by nature anyway - and there’s no one he wants to please most other than you.
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pantalone’s gloved fingers fix his glasses before motioning for you to follow him a little down the hallway toward the adjacent room. moments after the door slams close behind you, he signals you to kneel - and the condescending chuckle when you obey like a trained dog in front of him makes your cheeks burn in embarrassment.
he folds his arms in front of his chest, smiling down at you, “i’m going to need you to explain further what you meant by that vague statement, dear.”
the more you stumble over your words, the wider your master’s smirk grows. golden eyes peer down at you in half amusement and half anticipation. he shakes his head when you finish, his next words cooing and belittling as if he’s scolding a misbehaving child, “oh my, darling, how can those lovely lips spew such filthy words?”
the seemingly condescending words are followed by a hum, though you sense no underlying malice or sarcasm in his tone. no, this was him playing with you - if anything, he seems to be amused at your words. you love being bratty and he loves disciplining you, after all. this is just right up his alley.
“i think you need more disciplining before i can grant your wish. now turn around and get on all fours. remember to start counting.”
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ayato’s eyes seemed to curve in delight as soon as the words leave your pretty lips. an amused and condescending smile blooms on his lips, like a lotus greeting the morning air that is the breath of your ambiguous request. imaginary scenes fill his head, replacing the neat schedule he’s mentally set for the day today, each images filthier than the previous ones.
your beloved toys with you for a while, however. stalls with a series of teasings and seemingly innocent touches on your chin and cheeks and lips - so close yet so far from where you want him most. he chuckles when you whine and plead,
“perhaps we should find a way to constantly satisfy that greedy mouth of yours. how does keeping me company while i work sound? i’ll make sure to get the most comfortable pillows for you to sit on, under my desk.”
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© zhongrin | 2023 ◆ no repost. reblogs much appreciated. feel free to reach out to submit suggestions, feedback, comments, or if you just want to talk!
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suddenlybambi · 10 months
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no touching ♥ stan marsh
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pairing : stan marsh x reader
nsfw (smut) - minors DNI!!! - aged up characters (18+)
tags : p in v sex, afab reader, edging, orgasm denial, oral (m receiving), slight praise kink, slight degradation, mild sub/dom dynamics, sub!stan, dom!reader
word count : 2.1k
summary : after painting your boyfriend's nails, you instruct him he's not allowed to touch anything until they dry
masterlist
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a/n - i will eventually write something other than subby men... maybe... probably... *hides the 3 more dom!reader x sub!character fic i'm working on*
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“Not even just a little bit?” You pleaded, holding up the case with your colourful array of nail polish. Stan had agreed to let you paint his nails, but only with black. You had climbed on top of him as soon as he agreed so that he couldn’t escape halfway through. “Imagine if you just had red on your middle finger! Flipping people the bird would have twice the power.”
“Maybe next time,” He sighed, giving in a little. You could tell that, despite complaining and his initial refusal, he loved it. He had refused it in the past because he didn’t want to get ripped on by C̶a̶r̶t̶m̶a̶n̶ the others, but when Kenny had his done, and no one said anything, he realised he was worrying over nothing again. Plus, the look of joy on your face when he finally agreed was something he would walk over hot coals for. Even if he got the piss taken out of him, he would let you paint his nails whenever you requested.
“So you want there to be a next time?” You smirked, closing the bottle once you had finished the final touches. Next time, you could probably sneak a glittery topcoat on there without him noticing. 
“Of course,” His eyes narrowed a little in a suggestive manner. “I’d let you paint them every day if it means you straddle me like this.” His hand gravitated towards your hip to keep you on his lap, but you grabbed his wrist and pulled it away at the speed of lightning.
“No, no, no!” You gasped, holding his hands out and away from him. “You can’t touch anything until your nails are dry!” You instructed, shaking your head in disapproval at his prominent pout. At that moment, an idea formed in your mind. It was a devious one, but you couldn’t help yourself. You let go of his hands and bent down to give him a kiss on the forehead before you set your plan into action.
You started off with a painfully slow roll of your hips against Stan’s. His head was thrown back, and his eyes fluttered closed as an involuntary groan slipped from his lips. Instinctively, his hand tried to return to your waist as it usually did whenever you were on top, but you grabbed his wrist again as he tried. This time, you held them above his head, noting how pretty he looked like that. If this went well, you would have to invest in some handcuffs for next time.
“No touching,” You tried and failed to hide the devilish smirk on your face as realisation dawned on him. “If you try, I’ll stop.”
“But-” He was about to protest, but one look into your eyes stopped him in his tracks. You were 100% serious. “Yes, ma’am.” The authoritative title sent butterflies right through you. You rewarded him with another roll of the hips, his growing erection making itself known through his trousers.
“Do you think you’re strong enough to do this?” You teased, feeling his body shake a little underneath you as he struggled to restrain himself from taking any action. “We can always stop?”
“No!” He gasped, tensing up and shaking his head. “Please continue.”
“Please continue…?” You echoed, trailing off at the end.
“Ma’am,” He finished. His pupils were so blown out you could barely make out the colour of his irises anymore. You smiled, grinding down against him once again, repeating the process until you were in a steady rhythm. He was struggling to contain his moans, and his hands were visibly shaking as he struggled to refrain from touching you. “More, please?”
“Do you think you deserve it?” You asked, tilting your head as you looked down at him. He nodded desperately, but you shook your head. “Use your words, my love.”
“I’ll be so good- please? I promise!” He begged, lip instinctively protruding in a pout as he spoke. “I won’t touch you at all!”
“If that nail polish smudges in the slightest….”You took his hand, carefully kissing his knuckles so as not to touch his nails. “You’ll have to watch me touch myself, and you won’t be able to do anything about it.” His hips involuntarily spasmed at the thought, but he managed to maintain as much composure as he could by lifting his hands up and to the sides so he wouldn’t use them.
“So pretty,” You leaned down and pressed a feather-light kiss to his lips. “So pathetic,” He tried to chase the kiss as you pulled away, but you distracted him by tracing your lips along his jawline, swiftly finding his pulse point. You knew exactly where to go as the love bite you had left there days prior remained as a small faded mark. You decided to renew it, relishing in the soft moans that slipped through his lips as you did so.
Meanwhile, your hands busied themselves by trailing down his torso until they reached his belt, undoing it at what you knew was a painfully slow pace for him, purposefully allowing your knuckles to brush against the bulge. Just as you got the belt undone, you pulled away to inspect his neck. Satisfied with your work and the dark purple mark left behind, you kissed his lips again, which he happily melted into. As you deepened the kiss, you slid your hand down his waistband, taking a soft but firm grip on his member. The kiss barely managed to swallow the loud moan that escaped him.
You pulled away from the kiss, and he tried again to chase your lips, but you shuffled down his body to sit on his lower legs so he could no longer reach you. Bending down, your face was now in line with his crotch as you pulled his trousers and boxers down enough to release his hardened member. It sprung up as soon as you did, hitting his stomach. Wasting no time, you looked up, making direct eye contact as you swirled your tongue around the tip.
He let out a loud, involuntary whimper at the new form of contact, and you could see his hands struggle to remain still at his sides. You knew he liked nothing more than to run his hands through your hair whenever you had your pretty lips wrapped around his dick, and you had to admit that you quite liked it when he would lose himself in the moment and pull your hair, but you were in complete control this time. Hair pulling could wait until next time.
Slowly, you sunk your mouth down further onto his dick, hollowing out your cheeks as you took in as much of him as you could. His breathing laboured by the second, and you had to hold his hips down to stop him from thrusting up into your mouth. You quickly picked up the pace, bobbing your head up and down and running your tongue along the shaft. You could feel his member twitching as a sign that he was close.
“Please?” He begged, voice shakey as he spoke through his grunting and moans. “Please, can I cum?” You pulled your mouth off of him completely and smirked at him.
“No,” You whispered, shaking your head in case he hadn’t heard you. His eyes widened, and his hips struggled against the grip you had on them.
“Please?” He begged again. “Please, I need-”
“I said no,” You watched the panic on his face as he realised how serious you were, and it only increased when your lips wrapped around his throbbing dick again to continue at a torturously slow place. He was whimpering more than ever, eyes squeezed shut and head pressed against the pillow. You kept this up, pulling away as soon as you felt the telltale signs that he was close. His eyes brimmed with tears as he looked down at you after the fourth time in a row that you stopped him when he was so close.
“Please, can I cum now?” He pleaded once more, chest heaving with how heavy his breath had become. “I’ve been so good! I’ve not smudged the nail polish at all! Please?” He managed to use whatever strength he had remaining to hold his hands up for you to inspect them. Sure enough, they were in pristine condition.
Smiling down at him, you crawled back up his body, capturing him in a slow and passionate kiss, knowing he could taste his own desperation on your tongue as it easily overpowered his. 
You pulled away to whisper softly in his ear. “Where do you want to cum? Me or my mouth?” His reaction was attuned to if you had just told him that he had won the lottery. His energy was renewed in an instant.
“In you!” He answered without hesitation, adding on at the last second. “Please, ma’am?”
“How can I say no when you look so pretty, and you beg so nicely?” You cooed with a smile on your face. Unfortunately for Stan, you couldn’t help but torture him just a little more as you slowly climbed off of him, stripping each item of clothing off and carefully placing them on his desk chair, making sure he saw the large damp spot on your panties that had quickly formed over the course of the teasing. You loved letting him know just how turned on you got when he was completely and utterly submissive to you. 
“You’re so beautiful,” His voice was almost whimsical in nature, the words coming out as though he had meant for them to stay in his head. It made you melt. It was so sweet and sincere; you almost felt bad for edging and denying him for so long… almost.
“You’ve been so good,” You praised, grabbing a condom from the bedside cabinet. You climbed back on top of him with it once you were completely undressed. You had stripped his trousers and underwear off somewhere between the third and fourth time you edged him, but he wouldn’t let you take his shirt off for fear that it would smudge his nails. Carefully, you rolled the condom onto him as his legs shook from anticipation. “Are you ready?” You asked, lining him up with you. You hadn’t given yourself any time to prepare or adjust to him, but the teasing you had put him through had left your hole clenching around nothing, and you knew you were more than ready. 
Stan eagerly nodded in confirmation, and you sunk down onto him, throwing your head back as you groaned at the feeling. You could already feel Stan’s throbbing dick twitch inside you, and you knew he wouldn’t be able to hold on for long.
“I want-” He struggled to get his words out in between his moans and whimpers as you picked up the speed, rolling your hips to make sure he hit the right spots. “I want you to- to finish first.” You almost froze your actions in shock; after all that, he was still prioritising your pleasure? You snapped out of it when he thrust up into you. You would usually punish him for that, but you couldn’t bring yourself to when you saw the sincerity behind his eyes.
You bent down, pressing your bare chest against him as you captured his lips in another passionate kiss, threading one hand through his hair and reaching the other down to circle your clit since Stan was still unable to use his hands. When you had to break the kiss to breathe, you pressed your forehead against his, eyes closed while his soft whimpers and moans surrounded you, and you felt your core tighten.
“I’m so close,” You panted out. The energy that Stan still had amazed you. The words spurred him on, and he thrust up into you harder than before. With that, you snapped, and your orgasm rushed over you in a wave. Your walls clenched around his dick, and you felt Stan’s own orgasm as his hips stuttered. You managed to ride out your orgasm but soon collapsed against his chest, trying to catch your breath again. “You did so well.” You praised, smiling up at Stan while you nuzzled your face against his chest.
“I didn’t smudge my nails,” He proudly held them up for you to see. You tapped them slightly and smiled.
“They’re all dry now,” You confirmed, pressing a soft kiss to his fingertips. “I’ll get a washcloth to clean you up.” You were about to get up, but you were startled as Stan wrapped his arms around you and flipped you over so he was on top. Your eyes widened as he looked down at you with a smug smirk.
“Oh, no,” He shook his head, hand coming up to lightly pin you to the cushion by the neck. Your heart raced as you saw the look in his eyes, knowing the tables had been turned. “I think it’s my turn now.”
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irisintheafterglow · 7 months
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End Game #8 (volleyball captain!gojo x you)
summary: you accompany the captain at a party on the gojo estate and he can't be serious for a single second.
wc: 2.1k
cw/tags: swearing, domestic satoru, creepy old men and therefore protective satoru, no specified gender but reader is wearing a dress, passive-aggressive insults because he's never serious ever, a tiny tiny bit of angst but lots of fluff, established relationship (i never get tired of tagging this)
note: there's no volleyball game play in this, just captain!satoru being captain boyfriend!satoru. also i'm literally creating a multiverse of characters in this au cuz there's like the gojo partner but then also the geto partner and soon i wanna make the inumaki partner and yeah i could talk about this for HOURS but ANYWAY hope you enjoy
likes, reblogs, and feedback are always appreciated <3
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An infuriatingly obnoxious loop of “Get up, stupid, or I’ll hit you with my car!” invades your sleep and your hand flops aimlessly to turn your phone off. 
You prop yourself on an elbow, checking the clock on the nightstand and groaning when you see the time. “Satoru,” you say softly, but you’re met with a half-asleep grunt from the other occupant of the bed. The entire right side of his face is sunk into the sheets and his arm is still draped over your torso. He’d never looked more handsome, you thought, taking in the messy strands of white hair on the pillows and his limbs entangled with yours. You pat him gently, trying to crawl out from the blankets. “We have to get up now.”
“No, we don’t,” he mutters into bed, pulling you back down beside him onto the mattress effortlessly. With his chest to your back, he sighs deeply onto your neck and you fiddle with his fingers resting near your stomach. His body tended to run warm and the room smelled so much like him that you wanted to lay in it for the rest of time. You flip to face him and aren’t surprised to see him still burrowing into the plush covers. For once, his eyes weren’t the most prominent feature of his face; now, your finger traces the sharp angles under his chin and he smirks, eyelids still shut. “Like what you see?”
“Mhmm, very pretty.” A single finger becomes the rest of your hand as you comb some loose strands from his face, only for them to fall right back onto his forehead. He hums when you continue to run your fingers over his scalp all the way down to the hair on the back of his neck. Fuck, he’s so beautiful.
“Not as pretty as you, though.” A bright blue eye finally winks open and you smile. “Good morning, gorgeous.”
“Good morning, menace,” you tease and his jaw drops in fake-offense. “Time to get dressed.” 
“But I like when you wear my stuff instead.” His gaze flicks down to your torso, covered by one of his older, softer shirts from a summer intensive camp. “Stay a little longer.  I like looking at you.”
“The last thing we need is for your parents to come looking for you and see us laying in bed together.” His eyes widen and he abruptly shoots out from under the comforter, leaving you laughing on his pillows as he searches around his closet for his formal clothes. “Would you mind getting my–”
“Already on it, sweetheart,” he calls from behind the bathroom door, slinging the garment bag over his shoulder. “You know, honestly, it’s starting to hurt a little bit when you think I can’t read your mind.” 
“Forgive me for not expecting you to be thinking of me all the time, then.” Your eyebrow arches challengingly and he hangs your dress on the top of the mirror before peeling off his shirt. To your horror, you have to stop yourself from drooling. 
“I accept your apology. And, for the record, you’re the only thing on my mind. All the time.” He shoots you your favorite lopsided grin of his and you stare at him like a love-sick idiot. Despite harboring feelings for him for the past three years and finally establishing a relationship, you still felt a level of embarrassment seeing his bare chest. It was different from when he was changing with the rest of the team; now, every inch of lean muscle honed over years and years of training was on display for you and only you. He catches you staring from your gaping silence. “You’re being a hypocrite, my love.” The patronizing note in his voice snaps you out of your adoration. 
“What do you mean?”
“You tell me to get up and then stay in bed to ogle me. It’s not fair, and a bit perverted.” He shrugs, tugging on a white button-up and black slacks. You scoff and throw a pillow at him, indignantly kicking off the blankets and making your way to unzip the garment bag. 
“Your dad is going to kill us both if we’re late and you take longer than I do to get ready. I’d say it’s fair I gave you a head start.” You blow him a kiss before slipping into the bathroom to change. 
As predicted, Satoru ended up taking longer than you did to get dressed. Though he was already in his proper attire while you were still in your lounge clothes, it took the entire time you were in the bathroom for him to decide on a tie. In the end, he forgoes the tie altogether and you self-servingly undo some of the buttons of his shirt while his eyes rake over you in your dress. It was a deep shade of purple with a generous amount of skin exposed, something he picked out with you when he first asked you to be his date. 
“Do you like it?” He asks, even though you left him speechless when you first walked out of the dressing room. He had to bend forward to rest his elbows on his knees just to keep his lungs functioning. 
“Like it? I fucking live for it,” you breathe, spinning around in front of the mirror again and again to watch the fabric billow beneath you. It was incredibly flattering on your figure as well as easy to maneuver in. You looked incredible in it, but your face falls as a realization dawns on you. “Is it too much, you know–” He doesn’t miss a beat. 
“Did I tell you that I beat my deadlift PR yesterday?” 
“Baby, what does that have to do with the dress?” His eyes flick to your shoulders and then back to your face, raising his eyebrows expectantly like a teacher waiting for an answer. “Oh.” The smile makes its way back onto your expression and you admire yourself once more, no longer worried about any snide remarks or lingering stares with the foreboding guard at your back. 
“This dress was definitely a good choice,” he whispers in your ear as his hand guides you through the crowded entryway. “But, if anyone starts to agree with me, I’m gonna send them to kingdom come.”
“You always had a flair for drama.”
“That's why you fell for me, isn’t it?” You shake your head in lighthearted exasperation. As more people continue to invade your space, Satoru is behind you like a shadow, mirroring your every movement and never straying too far. “Take a right. I don’t wanna deal with the brass.” You steer clear of the boisterously laughing group of men immediately in front of you, but it’s too late. They spotted Satoru first, making him grimace, and then they spotted you. Before they can surround you further, he’s stepped in front of you to effectively block you from the leering stares of the men twice your age. 
“If it isn’t the crown prince of Jujutsu Volleyball,” one of them, a square-faced man with nauseatingly intense eyes, remarks coldly. “Shall we expect your absence from Nationals for yet another year?” Your temper flares and you’re about ready to rip out the man’s throat, but Satoru continues to appear calm and indifferent to the insults. 
“Hmm, I wasn’t aware they were allowing retirees into the building, let alone those who’ve already picked out their tombstone. Should I have the maid mark the calendar for your Celebration of Life?” Unconsciously, your hand finds his shoulder as if to warn him against any more biting words. He was being particularly ruthless tonight and you couldn’t help but think it was because you were there, too. 
“Watch your tongue, boy. You forget I control your team.” 
“Oh, I didn’t forget.” His hand flexes, curling into a fist and then opening again. He definitely wasn’t kidding about beating his PR deadlift. “I just don’t care.” The men stiffen at the blatant dismissal. Unable to squeeze any shred of entertainment from Satoru, their attention turns to you. 
“And who’s this?”
“None of your business, that’s who,” your boyfriend states casually, but the underlying threat in his voice was evident. His fingers continue to curl and uncurl and you take hold of his wrist, rubbing your thumb into his palm. With your other hand, you snag a glass of punch from a nearby server’s tray. You knew it took everything in Satoru’s body to remain cordial, to not raise his lip in a snarl or slam the man’s head into the tile beneath your shoes. Of course, he had his own way of fighting without violence. His eyes narrow for a nanosecond before he puts on a nauseatingly fake grin of celebration. “Congratulations, by the way, on your new girlfriend.”
“What the hell do you think–”
“Maybe our respective partners can go on a daytrip sometime, seeing as they’re the same age,” he smiles maliciously and you just about choke on your drink. He’s turned to you with exaggerated concern in an instant, unable to keep the smirk from creeping onto his face as he rubs your back. The group of men are stunned and the square-faced one has turned a vibrant shade of red. Satoru, on the other hand, radiates triumphant self-satisfaction while he re-establishes his hand on your back. “Good to see you.” 
You aren’t bothered for the remainder of the evening, most likely from fear of the six-foot, lanky-legged bodyguard attached to your hip. Suguru arrives shortly after your confrontation with the higher-ups and your eyebrows hit the ceiling when you see the student council vice president on his arm. You unabashedly gawk when they enter and direct Satoru’s attention to his best friend. He looks at you in disbelief, back at Suguru, and then back at you. Several times, you accidentally step on his feet while you’re dancing in the middle of the floor. 
“Since when did Suguru have game?” You’re physically unable to wipe the expression of shock from your face. 
“Your guess is as good as mine,” Satoru whispers back over the sound of classical strings. You both crane your necks to follow the pair’s movement around the room like hawks. The vice-captain must feel your stares on the back of his head and he flips you both the bird when his date isn’t looking. Neither of you are deterred in the slightest. “At least he’s still Suguru.”
“That is not a pair that I saw coming.” 
“To be fair,” he shrugs, “neither are we.”
At 10:00, Satoru’s father announces himself at the top of the staircase in the foyer for several toasts and it takes all of your willpower not to roll your eyes. You cringe inwardly when he gestures to Satoru, whose nose scrunches in disgust at the shallow praise that was, really, all for show. There’s applause and flimsy well-wishes, but by 11:00, you’re confessing that you’re socially drained for the night and you’re back in his clothes half an hour later. 
“We’ve done a lot of stupid things, but I think that party was one of the stupidest,” he declares as he flops onto his bed next to you. You hum in tired agreement and snuggle further into his blankets.
“Stupider than putting a fake cockroach in the changing room and scaring the hell out of everyone?”
“It’s definitely up there. Kinji was truly out of his mind for that one.” You huff a quiet laugh against his chest, relishing in how easily his arms slip around you and pull you flush against his body. “You look hot as shit in that, by the way,” he murmurs into your ear. He nods to the alternate version of the team’s jersey covering your body, a muted shade of purple with black sleeves. It’s the same uniform he’d be wearing in a few days' time when you step into the bright lights of the city stadium, and the same one you hope to wear after he wins every team he plays against. 
“You’re gonna smell like my body wash during Nationals if you don’t wash this, Satoru.”
“That’s kind of the point, dear.” You snort and close your eyes while he presses kisses to your hairline.
“What, are you going to war or something? I’m gonna be right there with you the entire time.” Your mouth widens into a yawn and you struggle to keep your eyes open. 
“I hope you’re right there with me beyond that, too.” His voice is so low, it’s barely audible, but you hear it and make a promise in your heart to fulfill his wish. He was recently contacted for Olympic team tryouts, but the future after your last high school tournament was relatively a mystery. For now, you settle into his chest and inhale him again. 
“You can’t get rid of me now that you’ve got me, Satoru.”
“Promise?”
“On all the red asters I’m gonna grow in our garden.” It’s the last thing you remember saying before drifting back to sleep. 
Sure, he belonged to volleyball, but he belonged to you first.
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aLSO CHECK OUT THIS GORGEOUS FUCKIGN ARTWORK FROM @mididoodles
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awwyeah107 · 3 months
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2023 Fic Recs
Hello and welcome to my GIANT fic recs from 2023 post :)
I have been utterly obsessed with Tolkien’s works this entire year, and I’ve read more fanfiction in one year than I ever have before. My primary fandom this year was Tolkien, and I’m honestly rather astonished that it’s held my attention as long as it has, especially considering that this is a “recurring” hyperfixation (aka, this is not the first time I’ve had this hyperfixation).
So buckle up, ‘cause this is going to be a crazy long ride. The vast majority of these fics are Tolkien fics, but I’ve got a couple of non-Tolkien fics at the very end, and overall there's about 90-ish fics here in this bad boy XD
For each fic, I’ll give a one-sentence summary and then my thoughts on the fic!
I’m sorting them into oneshots, multi-chapter fics, series, in-progress stories, and misc & non-Tolkien fics. Within those sections, I'll loosely group them by various qualifiers like characters, time periods, and locations.
Intro: What to Expect & Fics Legend
Expect: Lots of fluff, lots of angst. Mostly genfic. Mostly Silmfics featuring or focused on kidnap fam, Fëanorians, Halenthir, Arafinwëons. Some Lord of the Rings and/or Hobbit characters are featured, so if you aren’t familiar with The Silmarillion, there are definitely fics that include characters a non-Silm reader would know. Most fics are rated T, with a few rated M.
Do not expect: Stories with a focus on romantic!Russingon (or any other first cousins x cousins ships—those really give me the ick), smut, or really gory or dark stories. No E-rated fics (with one *singular* exception where I did not know it was E-rated at first and only has a few E-rated scenes that can be skipped).
Fics Legend/Key These emojis are used to denote any stories that do have the following elements, and I’ll do my best to put appropriate warnings/mentions of certain potentially triggering topics as well, when needed.
🔒 Fic only available to AO3 users
⚠️ Features smut (skippable/not essential to the story or the focus of the story)
*️⃣ Features background/non-primary romantic!Russingon
🩸 Features somewhat graphic violence and/or heavy topics (including abuse and severe trauma or mental illness)
As I said, I’ll do my best to put appropriate warnings. However, a) there’s some stuff that just comes with the territory; Tolkien does not shy away from violence and trauma, and b) this is such a long list that I honestly may not remember if some of them apply to certain stories. Most if not all the stories do have content warnings given by the author as appropriate/necessary, so if I miss something, the author and/or the fic tags should tell you about it. My apologies if I do miss anything.
I will tag authors who are here on Tumblr; I've included multiple fics by the same authors, so I will only tag each author once.
Also, this may go without saying, but I feel like it does need saying: Your mileage may vary with these fics, especially those that are not particularly fluffy. For example, I don’t like romantic!Russingon, but I’m willing to read some stories with them in the background. I also don’t like smut, so I don’t read stories that prominently feature it, but if I’m already enjoying a story and I come across it, I will skip it. Same kind of thing with intense violence—I’ll skip or skim what I need to. So, read what you’re comfortable with, and don’t read or skip what you aren’t.
I want to give a massive thank-you to all of the fic authors, all of the people posting meta, and all of the artists out there. I was inspired to re-read The Silmarillion (for the third time) this year, and I highly doubt I would’ve been able to actually get myself to do that without all of the amazing stories and musings and art out there that drove me back to the canon we all love. So thank you ❤️
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Oneshots
Haleth x Caranthir (Halenthir)
She is the Sunlight by @dreamingthroughthenoise (aka Alantie)🔒 - Caranthir and Haleth have a hike and a conversation. When I saw the title of this fic, I immediately thought of the Trading Yesterday song with the same name—and it turns out, the fic was named after the song, which fits Caranthir/Haleth as a ship so well! The fic itself is (bitter)sweet and beautiful, and I really enjoyed it.
easily sever what was never one by vauquelin - Haleth and Finrod have a discussion, and Haleth pays a visit to Caranthir. I loved reading this fic, and I’ve come back to reread it at least once. It was quite amusing at times, and I really enjoyed Haleth’s no-nonsense characteristics. The debates and discussions she has with Finrod and Caranthir are delightful to read—plus, I enjoyed Haleth and Caranthir’s dynamic and the waxing and waning tension between them. (Warnings: The fic outright says that Caranthir and Haleth have had and do have sex, in generally crude/slang terms, and there is one paragraph/section where things are described a little, but it can be easily skipped and I would not consider it explicit.)
Call It What It Is (Whatever It Might Be) by @sweetteaanddragons (aka Drag0nst0rm on AO3) (featuring art from @lidoshka) - Haleth is visited by several elves related to Caranthir, which raises her suspicions. A delightfully fun oneshot that had me grinning a lot! I love Caranthir/Haleth fics, especially when Caranthir’s denying he’s got a crush on her. Not a lot of Caranthir interacting with Haleth directly in this one, but it’s a great fic. The art was fantastic, I absolutely love Lidoshka’s art style!
Kidnap Fam
Enough by dreamingthroughthenoise (aka Alantie) 🔒 - Maglor and Maedhros argue over the twins, but later Maedhros comes to join Maglor and the twins on a picnic. This one’s a bit angsty, but it does have some sweet moments in it! I like the discussions the characters have; they feel thoughtful and well-characterized, especially in terms of how Maglor and Maedhros respond to each other. Both brothers have strong emotions, but they don’t go out of their way to be hurtful to each other.
Nightmares by @brievel - Snapshots of Maedhros experiencing nightmares and how Elrond and Elros respond. This is one of my favorite “Maedhros is having nightmares” fics where it features Elrond and Elros. It’s definitely angsty and tense, but I love seeing how the twins’ responses change over the course of the story. It really shows how their trust of Maedhros and Maglor develops.
Dawn (The Nightmares Remix) by sweetteaanddragons (aka Drag0nst0rm on AO3) - The aftermath of one of Maedhros’ nightmares from “Nightmares.” Good and angsty with relief by the end! I loved Maedhros’ reflections on the past (his memories of how he was trusted in Tirion with little ones are especially painful) and every aspect of Maglor’s interactions with his brother.
Chill in Your Heart, Life in Your Wings by @jaz-the-bard - After the Third Kinslaying, Elrond and Elros are kidnapped by a band of human raiders in Sirion, who decide to bring them to Maedhros and Maglor. I love JaztheBard’s kidnap fam fanfics, and this one is no exception. It’s a lovely oneshot with lots of feels! Features VERY cute Elrond and Elros. I just about died from cuteness during the fish book part, specifically.
Outrun the Storm by @secretlythranduil - Elrond and Elros are scared of the storm. I love a good kidnap fam thunderstorm fic, and I particularly love all the little details in this one: the guards joking about the claps of thunder being Morgoth’s footsteps, the twins thinking about what kind of state they would find Maedhros in, the reminder of how the Fëanorians found them in Sirion, and how Maedhros picks them up like Maglor had.
In Valinor pre-kinslaying #1
Unruly and ill-behaved, downright feral even by @swanhild - Fëanor and Nerdanel wrangle their rowdy, unruly bunch of elflings. This was quite amusing and adorable!!! I love the younger elflings’ antics and the older elflings’ “teen troubles” (so to speak), and Fëanor and Nerdanel parenting all of them.
Lack of All Trades by @darkfrozenabyss - Young Maitimo doubts that he has a trade or a craft. Cute father-son feels! I loveloveLOVE baby Maedhros and I loved getting to see Fëanor comforting him.
In Valinor post-kinslaying #1
The Spirit of the Law by @mynameisjessejk - Caranthir is re-embodied in Valinor. mynameisjessejk is one of my favorite authors who write the genre of “elves dealing with re-embodiment in Valinor.” This oneshot, along with the other re-embodiment fics they’ve written, is super super good. I really liked this take on Caranthir’s return, and I enjoyed the development of the Caranthir-Finrod friendship—one that isn’t usually seen in fic!
The Return of the House of Finwë by mynameisjessejk - The tales of the re-embodiment of five different members of the House of Finwë. Aaaaaa, this was such a heart-wrenching, feels-filled read! And so wonderful. I loved reading about each character coming back and seeing their reactions to those who came to meet them.
Pity Found by brievel and darkfrozenabyss - Fëanor and his sons are re-embodied in Valinor. Such an emotional fic! All the feels were amazing. I really enjoyed the fic, and I liked how the end left it open for the family to work things out further.
Beyond the Western World by thearrogantemu - Finrod and Curufin meet in Valinor. I really enjoyed this reckoning between the two of them! Finrod has such control in this conversation, yet he still has compassion for Curufin in a way. I liked how their conversation flowed and alternated between focusing on the present and the past. I think both of them needed to speak to each other, not only for closure but also to fully realize things about themselves. It was already a detailed story, but all the little reminders that they knew each other so well lent an even greater sense of depth to the story, which was beautiful. (Plus, I love the title.)
Though All Whom Ye Have Slain Should Entreat For You by thearrogantemu *️⃣ - Thingol has a conversation with Maedhros in Valinor. VERY interesting fic. I had never thought about Thingol and Maedhros interacting before, but hey, that’s what fanfiction is for, right? This was an incredible ride. I loved reading their back-and-forth debate and how calculating and emotional both were. Highly recommend if you’re in the mood for unusual character interactions and a very intellectual and emotionally charged discussion.
There Are Fires, There Is Laughter by ithilielthechosenone - Galadriel and Aredhel take a walk and catch up after Aredhel is re-embodied. I really enjoyed this. It is so beautiful and contemplative, and I love reading about the only two female descendants in the 3rd generation of the house of Finwë.
Finwëons in Beleriand/Middle-Earth
Regrets by dreamingthroughthenoise (aka Alantie on AO3) 🔒 - The Ambarussa have a discussion before the Fëanorians attack Sirion. I really like the characterization of Amrod and Amras in this fic! The way they decided to try to take responsibility for leading the attack in order to spare Maglor and Maedhros is heartbreaking but makes so much sense. I also had never considered how the situation with Eluréd and Elurín might have affected them, so it was interesting to read an interpretation of that!
Lands of the March by @cycas (aka bunn on AO3) - Maedhros discusses the lands and duties he has given to each of his brothers with Amrod and Amras. Quite an enjoyable oneshot! Maedhros is logical…but also quite caring, at the end of the day. I found myself smiling reading it!
Oh Makalaurë… by caeciliusestinforo - Maglor’s guilt over never going to find Maedhros in Thangorodrim causes him to neglect his health, which has consequences. I loved this fic. I’m a sucker for Maglor beating himself up over Maedhros’ torment and then coming to accept it, and Maglor’s desperation is depicted very well.
All the scars we can not see by waitingfover - Fingon has a flashback when he visits Himring. Awwww, poor Finno! Felt a lot of sympathy for him. It definitely felt like he didn’t really want to say what was going on, perhaps because it felt so obvious, but he did. Wish I could’ve given him a hug like Maedhros did.
i will not say the day is done by @southfarthing - Fingon and Maedhros avoid the conversation waiting to happen after Fingon rescues Maedhros from Thangorodrim. SO angsty, so intense, and so good!!! Maedhros and Fingon both have such different viewpoints on what happened and the context surrounding it—it pulls on my heartstrings to see them both struggling, but it makes it all the more poignantly beautiful when they can finally face each other.
Mithrim by @warrioreowynofrohan (aka WarriorEowyn on AO3) - Maedhros has three conversations with different people after his rescue from Thangorodrim. Oh my gosh, this fic is so freaking GOOD! Maedhros and Fingon’s first interaction was so intense and so good (“I’m sorry—” “You’re sorry?” was absolutely iconic. I practically shrieked and had to stop reading for a moment to compose myself). The fic also has a good dose of Maglor guilt, which I’m always happy to read!
Non-Finwëons in Beleriand/Middle-Earth
An evening off by earthbound_misfit - Rog enjoys spending an evening with his friend Egalmoth after work. This was such a good oneshot! So refreshing and peaceful. It felt like having a home-cooked meal :) Lovely!
Sharp Things in the Way by @dawnfelagund - A character study of Daeron, of sorts. This fic is a beautiful mosaic of moments in Daeron’s life—it’s all so bittersweet and deep and full of twisting emotions, and I honestly feel a bit of pity for Daeron after reading it. I haven’t read many fics focused on him, but I really like this one. I thought his and Maglor’s dancing around each other and the musical techniques they shared and took from each other were particularly fascinating parts of the story.
Reflections on Injustice by @hwestalas - Túrin sees Beleg heal a march-warden, and he himself later has the chance to help Beleg heal. Sweet, and a little painful! I enjoyed it. Beleg as a healer and a warrior is awesome, and I liked reading Túrin’s shifting emotions.
see it fall, child of war by swanmaiden 🩸 - Elwing says goodbye to her children. If I had to use one word to describe this fic, it would be “heartbreaking.” I expected it to be painful, and it really, truly was. I teared up reading Elwing telling Elrond and Elros she loved them, and I could feel the fear and anguish felt by the elves around Elwing. This fic really made me feel the terrible weight of the Fëanorians attacking Sirion, which was meant to be a refuge, and I think it was meant to do that. Very well-written!
Among the reeds by Adlanth - Elwing, Tuor, and those of Edain heritage spend time together in Sirion. I absolutely LOVED this!!! This is one of the first fics I’ve read that focus on the Edain and their heritage. I feel like they tend to be less appreciated in fandom, in favor of the house of Finwë (although I’ve definitely seen fics and meta about the Númenoreans). In any case, this was a delightful fic; I really liked seeing the small community of humans grow together and share their culture and history (mainly of the house of Bëor). Beautiful.
LOTR/Hobbit Characters
In A Yellow Wood by @lordgrimwing - Modern AU where Thranduil, wife, and young Legolas go on a hike. SUPER super cute oneshot!! Really enjoyed it. I love how Thranduil and his wife play with Legolas!
The Castaway by warrioreowynofrohan (aka WarriorEowyn on AO3) - Legolas and Gimli meet a stranger as they prepare to sail to Valinor. Quite enjoyable! I loved the difference in Legolas and Gimli’s opinions regarding what they should do, and how Gimli’s perspective and compassion helped Legolas to consider his prejudices. The dialogue between all of the characters was excellent!
A Warg in Sheep’s Clothing by @arofili (aka starlightwalking on AO3) - Fíli and Kíli find an injured warg pup in the woods. This was such a wonderfully fun fic to read! There were a few sad moments for sure, but I love reading stories with Fíli and Kíli because their characters have such a youthful joy and hopefulness to them. I loved “Buddy” and dwarflings’ bond with him was so adorable! (Also, I love the title XD)
General/Misc
Shinystarship Has Invited You To Join A Zoom Conference! by jaz-the-bard *️⃣ - Elrond’s father figures make a plan for how they will support Elrond when he sails to Aman (by using modern technology in Arda). THIS IS HILARIOUS. I love it. The Zoom names are perfect. I’ve reread this a couple times and I laugh every time!
Wealth Enough of Joy by StarSpray - Elrond and Celebrían enjoy time with their newborn twins and more family. This was such a sweet, lovely fic. It has the feeling of a summer evening—which is appropriate, since the description is “Elladan and Elrohir are born at twilight in summer.” I actually drew a picture in my little sketchbook of what I thought Elrond and Celebrían’s room would look like!
Mercy by @nothinghereisworking (aka cuarthol) - Snapshots of Celegorm and Finrod. I haven’t read many fics centered on Celegorm and Finrod, and I really like this! Features scenes in Valinor, Beleriand, and then Valinor again. I love how it comes full-circle and how the meaning of mercy changes over the course of the story.
An Unexpected Friendship by StarSpray (featuring art from lidoshka) - Belladonna Took makes a friend. I didn’t realize how much I needed to read about Maglor interacting with hobbits until this fic—and it made me interested in more fics of the same ilk. This particular one was SO much fun, and I loved how much hobbit culture StarSpray got into. I also really enjoyed Maglor’s and the hobbits’ characterization, too. The art of Maglor and Belladonna is adorable!
To Justify Your Existence by jaz-the-bard 🩸 - Maedhros meets his father and brothers in Mandos and braces himself for the worst. Delightfully angsty! Poor, poor Maedhros. The self-blame is off the charts in this one, whew. The emotional climax is so fulfilling!
AUs
stare death in the face (and never back down) by @oopsbirdficced (aka ingenious_spark on AO3) 🔒🩸 - Instead of returning to Gondolin when Sauron lets him go, Maeglin escapes…and runs into some relatives. This is such a cool AU/twist on what happened in canon! Lots of feeeeels—poor Maeglin. However, I love that he found [spoiler] and that they all essentially took one look at him and decided to adopt him XD
Retaliatory Kidnapping by darkfrozenabyss - Elwing decides that kidnapping the re-embodied Fëanorian twins (Amrod and Amras) might let her make a trade with Maglor and Maedhros for her own sons. This may have been the first fic I read by darkfrozenabyss! It’s so enjoyable and engaging. I loved Elwing taking matters into her own hands and being determined to rescue her sons, as well as the reluctant friendship that began to take root between her and the Ambarussa. Great ending, too! An all-around fantastic story.
Less scary than before by waitingfover - Maedhros is feeling homesick at college and receives a package (modern AU). I seriously enjoyed this oneshot! It filled me with so much warmth, and it reminded me of my family sending me things in college :) I love how each member of Maedhros’ family sent him something that showed how they loved him/thought of him, each in their own unique way.
Wayward Son by @thescrapwitch🩸 - After being re-embodied, Fëanor sets out on a mission to find his second son. This was sweet! I really enjoyed it. Fëanor’s dedication to loving and caring for Maglor is wonderful.
Where the Heart Is by mynameisjessejk *️⃣ - Amarië does not let Finrod go to Beleriand without her. A very cool AU where Amarië goes to Beleriand! We love to see it. I really like how it changes things and how the politics are different throughout Beleriand as a result.
Battle of Sudden Song by AeolianSands - Maglor encounters Sauron and recalls his cousin Finrod. I absolutely LOVE how this is written. I am SUCH a fan of Maglor using Song and living up to his name and reputation! This was so deliciously wonderful.
who could ask to be unbroken (or to be brave again) by @piyo13sdoodles - Tauriel meets a lone elf on the plains of Rhovanion and becomes friends with the mysterious singer. I really like reading “Maglor makes friends with people after being on his own” fics, and this one was so sweet! I enjoyed Tauriel’s curiosity and spirit, as well as how Maglor cares for her. Their relationship is wonderful, and I love how they grow into being each others’ family. It’s a beautiful story :)
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Wet Boots by @amethysttribble - Baby Maedhros is playing, and Uncle Nolofinwë comes to find him. So fluffy and adorable and silly and SWEET! I love baby Maedhros, and this is one of my go-to fluff fics. (There’s also a super cute fanart/comic of this floating around somewhere—I thought I had saved it but I can’t find it. If I ever do, I’ll add it here.)
Finrod and baby Galadriel in Valinor by @actual-bill-potts (aka oswinry on AO3) - Galadriel wakes up Finrod. SO FREAKING CUTE. I LOVED this little oneshot so much. Tiny Galadriel is super adorable and big brother Finrod is just as adorable. Fluff level 3000.
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Multi-Chapter Fics
The following multi-chapter fics are all complete (or have not been updated since 2022), and they all have more than one chapter. If any are incomplete, I will note that.
Girl in Middle-Earth & Modern AUs
Pathology by @wild-houseplant (aka appalled.elf on FanFiction.net) ⚠️ 🩸 - A therapist ends up in Middle-Earth and builds a life in Rivendell. This was one of the first fics I read in 2023, and what a wonderful way to start the year!! I absolutely LOVED reading this fic. This was one of those fics that kept me up late and had me glued to my screen whenever I could spare time to read it. I love its central themes of friendship, grieving, and healing. The relationships that develop between Rhodri and the various Middle-Earth characters felt so real and healthy, and it was simply so wonderful to read! The author adds a lot of notes and information about the mental health care that Rhodri, the main character, provides, which is fantastic. Also, the character-lands-in-Middle-Earth plotline is handled quite well, in my opinion; questions that usually arise with that kind of plot were answered and explained in ways that made sense and added to the story.
(Warnings: There is plenty of language/swearing, a bit of violence [not super graphic, to my memory], and a few smut scenes; the author usually warns ahead of time if there will be any smut, and it’s fairly easy to tell when things are going that direction, so you can skip it if you don’t want to read it, like me. Also, the link I have included is to the fic on FanFiction.net, which is much more updated than the fic on AO3; there are 107 chapters on FanFiction.net as opposed to 29 on AO3. However, the version on AO3 is rated as E, while the one on FanFiction.net is rated as M, just so the reader is aware. I first found it on FanFiction.net, which is why I did not realize it was rated E before I read it, and if you skip the E-rated scenes like I did, I believe it would be considered rated M.)
This fic is incomplete—the last time it was updated was in November of 2022—but the reader is not left on a terrible cliffhanger.
Don’t Panic! by boz4PM - A more realistic "girl-falls-into-Middle-Earth" story. Quite entertaining and interesting! This is a spin on the typical “girl gets transported to Middle-Earth and everything is amazing” story, where things are a lot more realistic: there’s a language barrier, there aren’t high standards of cleanliness, there’s no indoor plumbing…the works! I read basically all of it in one night. I love how Penny and Halbarad’s relationship develops, and it’s fun seeing Penny learn to fit in with elves! There’s also a sequel, which is great too. (Warnings: General…gross-ness, I guess, lol! Also, there’s a LOT of swearing, especially in the first several chapters. This does calm down though.)
Ten Weeks of the Terribles by troiaspider - Maglor is forced to babysit his younger brothers while his parents and Maedhros are away for several weeks (modern AU). I really enjoyed this fic! Didn’t want to put it down. It was so fun, and I laughed several times. It also had many touching moments that I didn’t expect, and I found myself smiling at various moments.
In Valinor pre-kinslaying #1
Make You Pretty by @theladyvanya - Vanifinwë, the only daughter and youngest child of Fëanor, likes doing makeovers for her older brothers, which leads to some…interesting results. This fic is SO CUTE!!! I love how the brothers all give in and allow their baby sister to play with them, even if they know they look extremely bizarre by the end. And when [spoiler] is the only one who is actually truly upset by the game, it does get resolved by the end of the story. The fic is quite humorous and sweet!
Trial and Error by waitingfover - Each of the young Finwëons tries to bake something for their family, with varying results. Adorable set of oneshots! I like how the nature of each of the baking incidents matches the elfling or peredhel that is attempting to make something :)
In Valinor post-kinslaying #1
The Host of the West by mynameisjessejk - Finrod is re-embodied in Valinor. Oh my goodness, this was so good. I loved the exploration of Finrod’s emotions (and how being re-embodied affected him physically as well!) after coming back to life. The tension between him and his parents/those who did not know him in Beleriand felt very palpable, and my heart broke for him multiple times throughout the story. The resolution at the end was touching, and I felt reassured that things would look up for the characters as time went on beyond the ending of the story.
Memento Pugna (Remember, You Must Fight) by sweetteaanddragons (aka Drag0nst0rm on AO3) - Fëanor is re-embodied in Valinor, but from the very start, things are bound to go sideways. This was a great read! I loved the characterization and relationship development throughout the story, and I really enjoyed the chaos and shenanigans that happened. The story is quite hilarious at times and touching and angsty at others!
To save a life by waitingfover 🩸 - Fëanor is re-embodied in Valinor, and he has to deal with several hostile family members and other problems. Really great! It’s quite interesting, and I loved how Fëanor’s character developed over the course of the story, and how he comes to prioritize family over his own desires and pride. I also really liked how the plot changed and how various characters were introduced and included! (Warnings: There is a scene with mention of sexual abuse and a traumatized character expecting further abuse, and a brief scene of physical child abuse by a crowd of unnamed characters.)
More than the Stars Above by sweetteaanddragons (aka Drag0nst0rm on AO3) - Elrond visits his father, Eärendil, in Valinor. This is one of my favorite fics centered around Elrond and Eärendil. Their interactions here are so well-written and so spot-on! I like the alternating point of view, and I simply love how their relationship was portrayed.
The Ransom of the House of Fëanor by @eirianerisdar - Elrond petitions the Valar to return Maedhros and Maglor (and their brothers and father) from the Void. Oh my goodness. This fic broke my heart in the best way. SO. MUCH. ANGST. AND. FEELS. AAAAAGHH. I could see a lot of the different emotional situations coming, which made it even more angsty when they finally hit. I kept having to pause and stop reading because TOO MANY FEELS A;SLDKFJALF. Highly recommend if you want Elrond angst (and just angst in general).
The Last Ember by eirianerisdar - Nerdanel and Fëanor begin to reconcile in Valinor (compliant to The Ransom of the House of Fëanor but can be read separately). I absolutely love this Nerdanel-and-Fëanor-work-things-out-in-Valinor fic!!! Nerdanel’s vacillating emotions were so palpable and real, and both her and Fëanor’s characterization was wonderful. The pacing was done quite well, and I love how things ended :)
Rising as if Weightless by StarSpray - Elwing’s brothers return to life in Valinor. This was such a wonderful, feels-y fic! Elwing’s emotions throughout pulled on my heartstrings—and Eluréd and Elurín were so sweet. I loved meeting so many characters who were important to Elwing, and I really enjoyed the storyline. I couldn’t put this fic down!
In Beleriand & Middle-Earth
Family Reunions by Drapa *️⃣ - Finrod brings his human friend Bëor with him to a family reunion. I don’t think I have ever laughed more at a fic than I have at this one. I fondly remember sitting down to a bowl of soup and some bread for dinner and opening this fic because the premise looked promising…and then proceeding to nearly spit out my soup multiple times while reading. Finrod’s over-the-top behavior, the miscommunications and misunderstandings, the hijinks, and the ridiculousness of all of it was just way too funny. Highly recommend if you’re in the mood for some humor (or even if you aren’t).
Refuge by hwestalas - Maglor comes to Maedhros at Himring and does his best to hide that he is injured; this goes unsuccessfully. I absolutely love the interactions between Maglor and Maedhros in this fic. They are so filled with affection and teasing and the gentle kind of pushing between siblings, and it makes me so happy to read, even though they are dealing with war and deaths of their people. The love they have for each other and their siblings—and their people, too—is clear as day. It’s a lovely hurt/comfort fic, and one that I’ve reread a few times. Wonderful read!
This Taste of Shadow (SPECIFICALLY the Caranthir x Haleth chapters) by Mira_Jade - Caranthir and Haleth meet and slowly but surely fall for each other. I didn’t realize how much I needed a fic that took the question “what would it look like if Caranthir and Haleth really truly decided to get married, and not just in the elvish way [aka, through having sex], but to commit to each other until the end?” seriously and chose to explore it. I literally was obsessing over this fic for three to five days after I read it. SO. FREAKING. GOOD. This is one of the most well-written, satisfying, thorough Caranthir x Haleth fics I’ve ever read; the story is deeply emotionally engaging, and I loved it. Mira-Jade is phenomenal at exploring characters and really understanding them on a fundamental level, and how their relationships play out with other characters. And while it’s her interpretation, it feels very real and true-to-text. (Note: This is specifically a rec for the Caranthir x Haleth chapters; the entire work is a series of ficlets and oneshots that largely make up out-of-order story arcs. The link to each chapter can be found in the index/first "chapter" of the fic, which is linked above. I have not read the rest of the work, so I don’t know if there are any warnings I should give for other chapters. The tags do indicate that there is romantic!Russingon in the fic—there’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it reference in the Halenthir chapters, but otherwise none. Also, warning for a version of Celegorm who lives up to the epithet “Celegorm the Cruel.”)
Of Bright Stars and Dark Skies by @katinkacassio (aka CassioP on AO3) - The Fëanorians attack Sirion and take the twins, which leads to the twins living at Amon Ereb. This was one of my favorite kidnap fam fics I read this year! The characterization was well done, and I will always enjoy tropes like Elrond and Elros running off and Maedhros and Maglor having to search for them. Elrond and Elros are wonderful, and both parties opening up slowly to each other was heartrending and sweet.
Maglor Plays For His People After Doriath by Himring - Maglor contemplates Doriath and plays a lament for his people. Quite enjoyable—the contemplative nature of this fic is beautiful. I liked how Maglor considers what his people need and what he plays for them, and his memories of meeting Daeron at Mereth Aderthad were amusing and sweet. This fic really conveys deep a sense of wistful mourning.
Generally Interesting Lives by @glorf1ndel - A collection of oneshots for Tolkien Gen Week 2023. I love how unique these are and how each one of them stands out! I really liked the vibe of the stories—they were easy to read and the characters’ “voices” and personalities are strong. I particularly enjoyed the chapters about Maedhros and Lúthien, Huan and Oromë, and Galadriel and Bill the pony!
I need you more than ever right now by @senalishia - Elwing and Eärendil weather Elwing’s pregnancy with their twins. I love how this fic explored Elwing and Eärendil’s relationship, their personalities, and their perspectives on their responsibilities and having children! It’s compelling and well-paced. Also, I really liked the OC healer Curunada’s curious yet brusque nature! (Warnings: Childbirth, which is a little graphic)
General/Misc
Of starlight, s’mores and misadventures by waitingfover - A collection of oneshots about elflings and their adventures. These oneshots are SO CUTE and occasionally come with a serving of angst at the end with a flash-forward. A few of them are angsty in general, but the majority are just adorable, fluffy stories. If you ever need fluff, you will find it here! Also, this fic is how I finally got all of the Quenya names of the House of Finwë ingrained into my mind XD waitingfover uses them a lot in the story and provides lists of the names at the start of chapters, so that was super helpful! (Note: This fic is still being updated, but not on a regular basis, which is why I put it in the multi-chapter fics section instead of the in-progress section.)
As the Tides Flow by @starshipsilmaril 🩸 - The story of Maglor’s life, from start to finish. I loved it! Starshipsilmaril does a great job with Maglor's emotions, and Maglor’s love story and family were so sweet. Telumë is a wonderful character, and she and Maglor fit together quite well, I think. Definitely gets more angsty as the story goes on, which is expected. Great read! (Warnings: Silm-typical violence, not super graphic [to my memory] but it’s there. Also, The fic outright says that Maglor and Telumë have sex, and there are a couple paragraphs where things are described a little, but it can be easily skipped and I would not consider it explicit. It’s also pretty easy to see coming—it’s on the wedding night.)
Some Wild Thing by warrioreowynofrohan (aka WarriorEowyn on AO3)🩸 - Aredhel’s story, from Valinor to Beleriand. I love this exploration of Aredhel’s personality and character. The small snapshots and snatches of dialogue that relate the bigger picture are beautifully written, and Aredhel’s fiery personality shines through so well. I also really liked the depiction of her and Eöl (and Maeglin!)—it felt real and the way things subtly changed for the worse over time was chilling. Great read!
To Safety by jaz-the-bard - Young Elrond and Elros get transported to the Years of the Trees in Valinor and encounter their captors once again. I seriously love this story—I felt so bad for Elrond and Elros, and I felt sympathetic towards a bewildered Maedhros and Maglor (or should I say, Maitimo and Makalaurë). It’s fantastic! I’ve reread this at least 3 times XD
In a Field of Blood and Bone by @theheirofashandfire (aka ScribeofArda on AO3)🩸 - The Battle of the Five Armies, from the point of view of the elves. This was fantastic! It was awesome to read the events from a totally different perspective; the elves (and Bard!) come at the situation with different motivations, needs, and hopes for the future than the dwarves and Bilbo, and I think that ScribeofArda handled that very well. I loved the OCs Belhadron and Rhovaniel; they felt very whole and fleshed out, and it made me wish they were in the actual story so I could read more about them. Also, Legolas and Thranduil’s relationship was so sweet, and I love how much Thranduil loves Legolas even though he doesn’t outright show it much. (Warnings: Battle violence, as can be expected from a fic that’s about the Battle of the Five Armies.)
AUs
What once was mine by waitingfover - Maglor is given a second chance to go back and change things, starting at Losgar. What a great fic! I had the privilege to follow this fic from start to completion, and I loved getting updates. The changes—or lack thereof—were quite fascinating to read! This story features a strong dose of Maglor dealing with guilt and depression, which was heartbreaking but also understandable (and, as per usual, I ate it up with a spoon). This one of my favorite AUs!
The Rescue Party by AeolianSands - Fëanor, Fingolfin, and Finarfin decide to travel to Middle-Earth and save their children before the Doom of Mandos takes them. Really enjoyed this! Quite humorous, with some sweet touches of fluff and some angsty bits. There’s LOTS of chaos and things happening at the same time, and it reminded me of a contemporary fantasy story where all these plotlines are overlapping! There were lots of twists and turns I didn't expect, which was super fun.
Waiting for Dawn by theheirofashandfire (aka ScribeofArda on AO3) 🩸 - The Fellowship of the Ring finds Maedhros alive in the aftermath of the Battle of Pelennor Fields. I love “Maedhros-and-or-Maglor-are-alive-in-the-Third-Age” fics, and this one is quite well-written! I absolutely adore Pippin in this fic; his compassion and sprightliness are so in-character and it’s amazing to read. The rest of the hobbits are delightful as well. There’s also a serving of kidnap fam with a good amount of angst and feels :) Gotta love Maedhros being healed (against his will) and coming to accept that he wants to live! (Warnings: There’s somewhat graphic descriptions of the aftermath of the battle and torture, and there is a very disturbing injury in the first chapter that was done by torture. Additionally, Maedhros is suicidal for a while.)
Say NO To Shiny (And Other Valuable Life Lessons) by @fflewddur-feanorion *️⃣ - Maglor joins the Fellowship of the Ring! As soon as I saw the description of this fic, I immediately knew I had to read it. It is absolutely HILARIOUS. I laughed so much! I enjoyed the more casual, less serious characterization of the Fellowship and felt both amusement and sadness towards Maglor at different moments. The story also features Fëanorion brother shenanigans and some epic Song awesomeness!
Little Bird by darkfrozenabyss - Elwing is lost in the woods of Doriath instead of Eluréd and Elurín, and Amras Fëanorion finds her. Oh my goodness, this one pulls on my heartstrings. It’s beautiful and sad and amazing all at once. I loved Amras as a father, and I felt so much for Elwing, having to be so grown-up so young. I also didn’t expect Eluréd and Elurín’s characterization (though it does make sense) and it made me upset for Elwing. I loved reading about her learning about her birth culture and about her relationship with Eärendil. I also liked how the story ended!
Accidently on Purpose by waitingfover - Curufin accidentally turns Finrod into a younger version of himself. I read this almost all in one sitting and it was delightful. I’ve already reread it once or twice since finding it!! The characterizations and handling of the plot were amazing, and baby Finrod was SUUUUPER cute.
The Ghost of Erebor by @mistergandalf (aka ItalianHobbit on FanFiction.net and AO3) 🩸 - In an “everyone lives” AU, Fíli has intense trauma to work through from the Battle of the Five Armies—but nobody knows what happened to him. *slaps roof of fic* This bad boy can fit so much angst in it. Soooo much angst! Fíli is so traumatized and it’s heartbreaking to read. Kíli and Thorin’s attempts to help Fíli are also heartwrenching; they care about him so much, and their worry is so palpable. And of course, the pressing needs of running a kingdom and having an heir don’t make the situation any better. This kind of story is right in ItalianHobbit’s wheelhouse!
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Series
Lengthening Shadows series by waitingfover 🩸 - What if Maglor went to bargain with Morgoth instead of Maedhros? This is a fantastic concept and I loveloveLOVE it! The way things go differently is so interesting, and it opens up a whole new dimension of feelings for the characters to experience (especially Maedhros and Maglor). I really like the inclusion of the other Finwëons in the story too. Go give this series some love, these stories are some of waitingfover’s earliest Tolkien works and they’re great!
Sons of the Star series by brievel (most fics in the series are open to all readers, but a few are locked 🔒) 🩸 - This is the “Sons of Fëanor as a biker gang” AU that you never knew you needed. I certainly didn’t know I needed it. But I LOVE it. Brievel is still writing the series and I’m enjoying it! I love the characterization of the Fëanorians as tough and scrappy criminals, but with generally good hearts (especially Max). I get excited every time a new installment comes out. I also highly recommend Óhchikaape, an in-progress story [at the time of this writing], which is set in (mostly) the same universe. (Warnings: There's a lot of violence, and many of the stories deal with heavy topics.)
Maglor is an Eldritch Horror series by thescrapwitch *️⃣ - Speaking of AUs you never knew you needed, the name says it all: Maglor is an eldritch horror. The vibe is “cozy horror,” which I love; I’m not really a horror fan, but the ‘monster’ is on the good guys’ side, and I think that’s what makes it the good kind of scary. Most of the stories in this series are oneshots of Maglor and various characters living in Rivendell, but other characters come in from time to time. This series is mostly complete, but every so often theScrap_Witch has another idea and I get an update to this series in my inbox (which always gets me flailing with excitement). (Warnings: If you’re particularly squeamish or super sensitive to horror/any scary things, you may want to proceed with caution. However, I will say that I’m fairly sensitive to that, and I could just skim past any things that squicked me out—but there have barely been any.)
Return to Aman series by cycas (aka bunn on AO3) - Maglor sails with Elrond, Bilbo, Frodo, and Gandalf to Valinor. Oh. my. gosh. These were stories. SO well-written!!! I devoured every bit of them, and I think I need to reread them because I inhaled them crazy fast the first time around! (I’ve already reread a few out of order, but they work so well together as an arc and I would love to reread it again fully.) There’s so much that gets explored, the characterization is great, and overall the stories are just absolutely DELIGHTFUL. There are 15 fics in the series, and most are oneshots.
Nossecilmë series by fingonsradharp 🔒🩸*️⃣ - Oneshots of the kidnap fam. These are pretty cute (with a bit of angst from time to time)! I particularly enjoyed Little Stars and Nightingale. (Warnings: 🩸 only applies to the oneshot "Little Stars" for kidnappers physically abusing Elrond & Elros.)
Of Half-elven Children and the Difficulties that Result series by waitingfover - Kidnap fam oneshots. This collection of kidnap fam oneshots is so wonderful! These range from full-on angst to pure fluff, and there’s a whole bunch.
Old Maggie Took series by @tanoraqui (aka NevillesGran on AO3) - “Maggie Took” (aka Maglor) has become a friend to those in the Shire. A delightfully fun and touching series! There’s two works and both are simply fantastic. The first is centered around fighting ‘Sharkey’ when he comes to the Shire; I found myself grinning, cheering for “Maggie,” and alternating between laughing and going “awww” at the hobbits and Gandalf. The second story is about a going-away party held for those sailing west, and it gave me the exact feeling I get from being at a good, fun party with friends: celebratory and joyful in the best way.
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In-Progress Stories
These are ones that are unfinished that I've really enjoyed and I hope get updated in 2024!
(Also, for any of the authors who see that I’ve included their in-progress fic, please don’t feel pressured to update—me saying that I'm looking forward to more is simply meant to let you know that I like the story and would love to read more if/when you update.)
Daughters of Therindë by darkfrozenabyss - Nerdanel and her 2 daughter-in-laws go back in time to prevent the kinslayings, but they accidentally bring someone along with them that they weren’t expecting: Haleth. You guys. I am glued to this fic. I get ridiculously excited every time I see an update in my inbox; I love it so much and go back every so often to reread my favorite parts of the chapters (and sometimes just end up rereading most of or the entirety of the fic). The characterization is great, and the plot is super fascinating! The tension between Haleth and Caranthir is highly entertaining, and I eat up every bit of Caranthir’s brothers’ teasing with a spoon like it’s ice cream. You will also find me screeching and grinning like a fool at every emotional moment I come across. I seriously enjoy this fic so much!
Óhchikaape by brievel and The_Anonymous_Coauthor 🩸 - Set in the Sons of the Star universe (read about the Sons of the Star series in the Series section); Riser Way [aka Celegorm, for the uninitiated] wasn’t intending to be a dad…but it seems this scrawny, sassy Native American kid is in need of a parental figure, whether either of them like it or not. I am absolutely LOVING this story and get excited over every update. I’ve stayed up late multiple times to read the newest chapter that’s been posted, and I’m 100% sure that I will do it again, given the chance. I love how Riser and Nikki’s relationship develops over the course of the story. There’s a lot of humor and heartwrenching moments, and some serious and soft moments as well. If you aren’t familiar with Sons of the Star, I definitely suggest you read some or all of the series to get an idea of who the Way brothers are, because they (especially Riser and Ken) are primary characters in Óhchikaape. This story is now one chapter away from being done and I'm super excited for the next installment of the series! (Warnings: The story features violence, and it deals with heavy topics, including trafficking and child abuse.)
if somebody loved you, they'd tell you by now by @aurorapillar (aka auroracode on AO3) - Maeglin escapes Gondolin. I’ve been really enjoying this one! auroracode writes Maeglin so, so well—it breaks my heart to see him so traumatized, but it feels very real, and I feel proud of the progress he’s made so far! I also really love how [spoiler] interacts with him and helps him feel safe. I’m excited to see where this fic goes, and it’s been cool to read it from the beginning.
Identity Theft by waitingfover - Eluréd and Elurín come out of the halls of Mandos and are given to Nerdanel by a Maia who implies that the twins are Celegorm’s children; this most certainly does NOT cause any problems in the future ;) If this fic had an alternate title, I think it should be called something like “Olórin Makes a Habit of Kidnapping Elves” 😂  Because (slight spoiler) it’s something that happens multiple times throughout the story and always causes chaos! Anyway, this bad boy has 80-something chapters and is still going strong. The plot of the fic mutates throughout, but it is largely focused on Celegorm and his adventures, with lots of cameos from various Noldor and Sindar elves. I started reading it back in March, and I’ve really enjoyed seeing Celegorm’s character development as the story has progressed!
The Harrowing by @chthonion 🔒 ⚠️ *️⃣ 🩸- Sauron comes back to life from the Void and brings the Fëanorians with him. This fic has such a cool premise: Sauron being reembodied along with the sons of Fëanor and learning how to Be a Good Person™️ and Do Life™️ with all our favorite characters in Valinor. It does feature Silvergifting (Sauron x Celebrimbor), which I virtually never read because I’m not a fan of them together (in large part because the ship tends to remind me of unwanted stuff from my past); that being said, the fic isn’t just about Sauron and Celebrimbor. It’s mainly about Sauron and the house of Finwë (and Frodo!) learning to coexist with each other and heal from the past. Cthuluion’s writing is fantastic, and I love the interactions between the characters. (I particularly enjoyed Finrod and Sauron’s first conversation.) I’ve really enjoyed reading this fic! (Warning: There is a little smut, but only in chapter 16, I believe; I’ve skimmed and/or given a fairly wide berth to most Celebrimbor-Sauron one-on-one interactions to protect my mental health, so there may be more that I’m not aware of.)
Not About Owing by dreamingthroughthenoise (aka Alantie on AO3) 🔒 - Finrod and Amarië come to rescue Maglor on the beach. If there was an alternate title for this fic, I would vote “The One Where Maglor Gets Loved.” All of the characters are determined to make sure Maglor knows that they care about him and want him in their lives, and it’s so delightful. I also love the strong themes of redemption that are woven throughout, and there’s a deliciously dramatic scene with Eärendil that I practically screamed at. Each of the characters and their relationships feel so real and well-fleshed out, and it’s just lovely to read!
The Longest Night by mistergandalf (aka ItalianHobbit on FanFiction.net and AO3) 🩸 - A mysterious creature has attacked a village near Ered Luin, and Thorin Oakenshield and his nephews go to help. I’ve read all of ItalianHobbit’s Tolkien fics, and as I expected, this fic has got lots of whump, even for just 4 chapters so far! ;) It’s so very angsty and I’m eating it up with a spoon. I always enjoy reading Durin family fics—I just love their relationship and I really love how ItalianHobbit writes them. The link to the fic I put above is to the fic on FanFiction.net, but it is also posted on AO3.
When mercy stayed his blade by BarbieBlue - Maglor and Maedhros take Elrond and Elros with them after the Fëanorians attack Sirion. This is one of my favorite multi-chapter kidnap fam fics I’ve found! It’s got a lot of emotion and a fair amount of angst—it’s not super fluffy. I really like Maedhros and Maglor’s characterization in this one; they aren’t totally falling apart, but they’ve definitely got their issues, and BarbieBlue doesn’t shy away from that. I feel a lot for Elrond and Elros, who are certainly quite traumatized. Seeing the trust slowly developing between them and the Fëanorions is sweet, and I enjoy reading the dynamics between all of the characters.
we will make this place our home by @leucisticpuffin - Elrond and Elros get sent to live with their distant relatives Maglor and Maedhros Finuion. This fic is basically ‘The Secret Garden meets kidnap fam’! It is such a lovely story. I devoured most of it one time when I was up late (I had told myself that I really shouldn’t start a fic that had 40-something chapters at 2 am…but then found myself falling asleep at 4:30 am as I was reading. As soon as my eyes were open the next morning, I kept reading until I caught up!). I love the setting and all the little details that make the story work so well, and it’s really fun to read Silm characters in the mode of 1970s England. There’s a few OCs that help fill out the cast, and I enjoy their personalities and how they add to the story.
Less Wise and More Dangerous by DeepWatersWaiting 🩸 - Legolas is mysteriously transported to the First Age and runs into Fëanor and his sons. Great story, compelling and very well-written! I felt a lot of sympathy for Legolas, being plonked down in First Age Beleriand and facing people who he knew would kill his kin in the future. I like the development of the friendships he started forming (especially with Celebrimbor!), and I’ve been rooting for him as he’s been navigating the strange situation he is in. (Side note: anyone remember the AO3 shutdown back in July? This is what I was reading when that happened, lol.) (Warnings: There’s some graphic violence and injury/illness.)
Life After Death by actual-bill-potts (aka oswinry on AO3) 🔒 - Finarfin and his wife welcome Finrod after he returns from Mandos. So so so SO good. Oswinry writes SUCH good Arafinwëan fic. So carefully handled and well-written, and you can truly feel Finarfin’s desperate love and care for his son and his family. It fills a place in my heart I didn’t know was empty until I read the fic. (There have also been a few updates on Tumblr, too! Check out "my writing" and/or "silm fic" tags)
Yet Open Once Again Your Heart by @luteoflorien 🩸 - Maedhros has a breakdown, and Maglor realizes the twins are not as fragile as he thought. This one’s super heartwrenching, and I love it. The way Maglor treats Maedhros when he’s having his panic attack/breakdown/trauma-induced flashback is so well-done, and I really liked how the brothers had learned how to help each other on those bad days. The exchanges between Maglor and the twins (and between just Maglor and Elrond) are so raw and full of emotion, and Elrond himself is so wise and sweet.
What Was Sauron Thinking? by Chisscientist - Sauron is defeated…but it seems that in the process, he turned Gil-Galad into a child. The premise is so fascinating, and smol!Gil-Galad is adorable! I at turns find myself amused by him and want to give him a hug. The characterization is great, and I feel for Gil-Galad, having been unexpectedly turned into a child with memories of his adult self. I’m looking forward to seeing where this goes, and I’m glad Gil-Galad has friends/guardians around him who care for him!
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Misc & Non-Tolkien Fics
Tolkien fics that don't fit into other categories:
The Silmarillion Rewrite by Jenavira - A rewrite/summary of The Silmarillion in modern language. Amazing. It was quite an enjoyable read, and it honestly helped me remember a lot of Silm characters! I think this was one of the main fics that inspired me to reread The Silmarillion again this year. I laughed several times, and I often loved the wording or phrasing of certain things that happened. (Warnings: There’s a lot of language/swearing, and there’s Silm-typical violence and trauma that happens.)
Never A Monster He Couldn’t Love by luteoflorien 🩸 - Harry Potter/Silmarillion crossover fic where Newt Scamander finds a new humanoid creature to befriend and care for, and Maglor finds a human who believes he is worthy of care and love. I absolutely adore the friendship that develops between Newt and Maglor. I’ve never read Fantastic Beasts fanfics before, despite being in the Harry Potter fandom, but luteoflorien’s Newt feels so incredibly in-character and it makes me want more. He is so kind and caring and curious, and he is exactly the type of person Maglor needs in his life to start healing from his past. luteoflorien’s writing, characterization, and handling of all the mental/emotional issues the characters go through is phenomenal, and the feels are off the charts. (Warnings: Maglor struggles with his severe trauma, and sometimes self-harms.)
Non-Tolkien fics:
hear you calling from some lost and distant shore by @sighonaraa - Loki meets Thor after the events of Avengers: Endgame (mostly compliant with the Loki TV series). Marvel fandom. This was EXACTLY what I needed after the ending of season 2 of Loki. So, so good. The banter between Thor and Loki, and also Valkyrie/Brunhilde’s character was great—the brothers care SO much about each other, and it's wonderful to read.
Lemon Cake by @afaroffsong 🔒 - Rosalind needs to make a cake for Jane’s birthday. Penderwicks fandom. I seriously enjoyed this fic! It's amazingly well-written—it felt to me like it could've come right out of the books! So lovely.
I mentioned this at the start, but I wanted to reiterate because I truly am very grateful: I want to give a massive thank-you to all of the fic authors, all of the people posting meta, all of the artists out there. I was inspired to re-read The Silmarillion (for the third time) this year, and I highly doubt I would’ve been able to actually get myself to do that without all of the amazing stories and musings and art out there that drove me back to the canon we all love. So thank you ❤️
And thank you to all who read this far XD Hope you enjoy some (or all!) of these fics!
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bobohu4eva · 1 year
Text
Good to You - Part 1
Characters: Idol Baekhyun x Reader
Genre: Maid AU, fluff, smut
Warnings for this chapter: alcohol consumption
WC: 3.2k
A/N: Hiiiii! This is something I've been working on for a while and now that its finally close to completion I decided to start uploading! Let me know what you think, and if you'd like to be tagged in future chapters, which will be up in the next few weeks!
Masterlist
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“Byun Baekhyun…” You read the name on the paper, and then you read it again to make sure you’d seen correctly. 
The paper you held was from the company you worked for, a company that specialized in cooking and cleaning services, usually for rich families. A few times you’d been sent to the homes of prominent families whose names you recognized, but when you saw his name, you almost couldn’t believe it. 
This was Byun Baekhyun, the idol singer. In all your time working at the company you’d never been sent to the home of a celebrity. And although you wouldn't exactly consider yourself a fan, you knew and enjoyed a lot of his music and were still a bit nervous to meet him. 
When the day came for you to go, you made sure you were at your best. You were only going to his lavish apartment for a typical day of work, for all you knew, he might not even be there with how busy his schedule must be. However when you knocked on the door, it was him who opened it and let you into his home. 
“Hi, you must be y/n right?” He asked, smiling at you as you walked in, looking around his apartment. 
You quickly nodded, “Yes, the company told me that you wanted someone to prepare a few meals and do a deep clean, correct?” 
You did your best to act professional but this was your first time meeting someone like him, and he was even more beautiful in person than he was in photos and on TV and it was a bit difficult for you to think straight. You also immediately noticed the state of his apartment. It wasn’t dirty, but it was also very clear that he was someone who didn’t have the time to cook and clean like most people. There were quite a few takeout containers you could see, and it was obvious that it had been a while since someone had properly cleaned up. You had quite a day ahead of you. 
“Yes!” He answered. “I’ve been really busy lately, and it’s been hard to find time to get groceries, cook, clean, all that. And I suck at cooking anyways, so I thought it could be good for me to hire someone to help. Just no cucumbers please, I really really hate cucumbers.” 
The face he made while he said it pulled a giggle out of you. You weren't sure what you expected going into this, but he seemed like a nice guy. 
You hadn’t been told anything about getting groceries, so you gave him a bit of a concerned look, but he seemed to catch on right away.
“Here’s my card, for the groceries.” He said, handing you the black piece of plastic. “I know it isn’t really a part of your job description, but could you do that for me? It’s just that it’s a bit difficult, going out and whatnot…” 
You knew what he meant, and you smiled. “Don’t worry about it, it's no big deal. I’ll leave the receipt on the table for you?” 
He nodded, “I have to get going, but I’ll be back before your shift is done. Thank you again.” 
You had to catch yourself when you realized how hard you were smiling and blushing at his words. He hadn’t even said anything that was worth getting so shy over. He was just so pretty and seemed so nice. 
Once he was gone you got to work, starting with all the takeout containers strewn around the apartment. You threw them out, and when you looked into his fridge you understood why he needed someone to get groceries for him. All you saw were more takeout boxes, some soda, and a few condiments.
You went room to room, doing whatever you could to make things nice and clean and tidy for him. He didn’t appear to care much for pricy decor, with most rooms only containing the necessities. The most expensive room in the apartment by far must’ve been the one with his PC setup. He definitely seemed to like his video games. You made sure to put extra effort into organizing the mess of cables and getting rid of all the dust covering his fancy computer. 
The more you looked around the more it surprised you how down to earth he seemed. The place was nice, quite big with floor to ceiling windows facing the river, but it didn’t feel nearly as lavish as most of the homes you went to for work. Baekhyun didn’t seem to care for anything showy or opulent. The only thing you found that came close were a few plaques from his record label congratulating his solo success, but even those were humbly sitting on his bedroom floor, leaned  against the blank wall. You weren’t sure what you expected from someone like him, but you were definitely surprised to say the least. 
When the time came to get groceries, you tried to go for popular and healthy Korean dishes, and things you could make a lot of at once and easily store to be heated up later. You even found yourself googling foods he likes, and threw in a few nice looking cartons of strawberries for good measure. 
Back at his apartment you got to work preparing some of the food. You chopped up the strawberries, putting some into a nice bowl on the dining room table, and when you were almost done with what you were cooking you heard the door open as he walked back into his home. 
You blushed at how pleased he seemed to be with your work. He smiled as soon as he saw what his apartment looked like, complimenting you almost immediately. 
“I really can’t thank you enough, this place hasn’t looked this nice in a while, and the food smells amazing. I don’t know why I didn’t do this earlier.” 
You found it difficult to answer him, not wanting to make a fool of yourself in front of someone as gorgeous as him. You simply spoke a few small “thank you”s as you got all his food arranged nicely before bringing it to him.
You were about to leave when he asked you to sit down with him, thanking you again for your work and telling you how wonderful the meal was. You didn’t object, he seemed so sweet that you found yourself excited to stay there with him a little longer, even though it was technically still work. You found it a little disappointing that your time with him was coming to an end anyway, he’d been a joy to work for. 
“Could you come and do this more often? I know it's supposed to be a one time thing but it would be so helpful for me to have someone to help with this kind of stuff regularly.”
“Oh, well you could just book weekly services but they would probably send someone else.”  
“Could I not request for them to send you or something?” 
“I’m not sure, since we don’t really do regular services I don’t know how that would work.”
 He pouted a little, “I’ll call tomorrow. In case they can’t help me, can I have your phone number? I’d feel a lot more comfortable making this a regular thing with someone I know I can trust.” 
You nodded, and he handed you his phone to put in your number. 
It felt weird giving your phone number to someone like him. Of course this arrangement was strictly professional, but the idea of him wanting you back in his home more often was daunting nonetheless. When you first saw his name on that paper you definitely never thought you’d be seeing him more than once.
As soon as you handed the phone back to him he sent you a text. A strawberry emoji. You tried not to blush and smile too hard again. 
Before sleeping that night you thought a lot about him, and you wondered where this might take you. If he really did want you in his home regularly, you were going to have to set up some hard emotional walls because you knew that without them, you’d only get yourself hurt in the end. Falling for someone like him was too foolish and too easy.
When you woke up the next morning there was a text from him waiting for you. 
“I called the company, but they just recommended a different company that does weekly visits. I know it’s a lot to ask, but if you’d be interested in working for me independently, I’d be sure to make it worth your time.” 
You asked him about the details, how much he was willing to pay, how often he wanted you there, and what responsibilities you’d need to fulfill, and in the end you couldn’t say no. Aside from the grocery shopping he didn’t expect any more of you than the company did, and he was willing to pay you quite a bit more, and in cash. 
So, you agreed to basically be his new housekeeper, long term. Living in Seoul as a single woman wasn’t always easy, and this new job, despite how intimidating it was, was too good to pass up. You’d get to work less, and finally have some of the extra money you’d been yearning for. Maybe after your first few shifts you’d even be able to take yourself on a little shopping spree. You were thankful that you’d been the one sent to his home the day prior, and you were proud of yourself for doing such a good job that he wanted to keep you around. He was so much nicer than most of the customers the company gave you, too. 
Your next few shifts with him went more or less the same as the first had. He just needed you to do the same basic household chores he didn’t have time for, and he usually wasn’t there while you worked anyway. He even gave you a spare key. 
When he was there, he was always very sweet to you. He made it clear that he wanted you to feel comfortable there, and he usually did a good job of putting you at ease. He just seemed like the kind of person who always knew what to say to lighten the mood.
It was still hard not to feel shy though. It had been a while since a man as beautiful as him had shown you such kindness, and you had to try your best to keep your emotions at bay. No matter how kind and considerate and handsome he was, he was still your boss. 
This made it all the more difficult when at the end of your fourth day, he insisted that you sit down and have dinner with him. 
“Do you have any plans for your days off?” He asked, pouring you a glass of wine. 
You hadn’t had any alcohol in months but you didn’t want to tell him no. 
“Well… I might do some shopping, it’s been a while since I’ve had any extra money to spend.” You responded, voice quiet and shaky. 
Why did it have to feel so impossible to talk to him? It had been so long since you’d sat at dinner with a man, and now with Baekhyun sitting across from you, you were starting to feel overwhelmed. He was so handsome and sweet, it almost felt unfair to have to be around him so much without getting to touch. You took a big drink of your wine. 
Baekhyun smiled at your words, watching as he swirled the wine in his glass. 
“You know the reason I decided to hire you privately right? Having random strangers coming to my home all the time means more people who could sell my address, or other personal information. I was honestly nervous enough when you came the first time. But I’m really glad that it worked out so well with you. You’re an enormous help, really.”
He’d started talking with his eyes still fixed on the wine in his glass, but as he spoke they shifted to you. 
You stayed quiet for an embarrassing amount of time, not quite sure what to say back. You also couldn’t help but notice the slight stain the wine had left on his lips. They were perfectly pink, and so pretty. They looked so soft, too. You found yourself wondering what it would be like to kiss him. With those lips, he must be an excellent kisser. 
“Y/n?” 
“Sorry!” You tried to snap yourself out of it, realizing just how obvious it was that you were staring. He let out a soft chuckle. He must be used to this, seeing women get all flustered around him. “I’m just really tired…” you lied, still trying to play off your moment of weakness. 
He gave you a concerned look. “Sorry if I’m keeping you late, you can head home if you’d like, I just thought it would be nice for you to be able to eat some of the food you’re always preparing here.” 
“No it’s okay!” You quickly blurted out, immediately regretting how desperate you sounded. “I mean, it’s fine, really. This is nicer than my place anyway, and you’re right about the food.” 
You focused your attention back on the bowl of stir fried pork in front of you, fearing that you’d lose your last string of sanity if you started staring at his stupidly perfect face again. You didn’t need that kind of embarrassment. 
“You don’t have to be shy.” He said, and you immediately went red. Of course you were shy, when he looked and acted the way he did. “I’d like it if we could get to know each other better, if that would make things easier for you.” 
You couldn’t help but smile down at your food as his words reached you. You’d like to get to know him better too, but was that really a good idea? 
“I don’t know…” 
“I promise I don’t bite.” He said softly, dipping his head down to once again catch your eyes. “I just want you to feel comfortable here.” 
Baekhyun already found you quite endearing. He realized that it was probably just who he was that made you shy, but he still hated for you to seem so uncomfortable in his home when he was around. He figured if this was going to be a long term thing, it would be best to get comfortable with one another. Baekhyun was the kind of person who hates awkwardness, and he definitely didn’t want that in his home. And you were sweet, so he made you a proposition. 
“How about we have meals together more often? It gets a bit lonely here anyway, if I’m home while you’re still here we could sit and eat together, so you get some time to sit down and relax too.” 
You wished you could hide the redness of your face as you felt how your cheeks burned in response to him. He was making this very difficult for you. 
“Okay.” You said quietly, and your eyes shot to your wine glass when you saw Baekhyun start to refill it. “Oh- Um, I don’t want to be rude, but I hardly drink, and I’ve already had a glass and still need to get home.” 
 Baekhyun immediately stopped, “Sorry, you don’t have to drink it. I could order you a car to get home though, or I could drive you,  I’ve only had half a glass. I just thought it might help you relax, I don’t want you to be uncomfortable here all the time, just because you work for me doesn’t mean we can’t talk or be friendly, right?” 
“I guess that’s true…” 
“So is there anything you’d like to know about me? Anything at all?” 
He was leaning towards you now, looking at you expectantly and you once again thought that your brain might shut down. To avoid another terribly awkward silence, you blurted out the first thing that came to mind. He did say that you could ask anything, after all. 
“So being an idol, that’s a lot of work right? Do you like it?”
He let out a light chuckle, and you realized what lengths you would go to if it meant you got to see him smiling like that again. 
“Yeah, it can be a lot, back to back schedules get really exhausting, not to mention touring and all that, but I also can’t imagine anything more rewarding.” 
You finally let your eyes meet his and he gave you a small smile before continuing. 
“I could get into that but I’d probably just sound like a self absorbed asshole so I’ll spare you, but you know how fans of idol groups are. I probably don’t deserve even half of all that love and devotion but it’s still nice to see, you know?” 
From the time you’d spent with him so far, you could actually understand very well why so many people loved him so much. He seemed like a genuinely sweet guy, not to mention his undeniable gifts when it came to singing and dancing. 
“I think you deserve it.” 
Baekhyun cracked a small smile and he watched the wine swirl in his glass once again. “Yeah?” 
“I mean why not? You’re great at singing, dancing, all that, and from what I can tell you’re a good guy outside of all that too.”
He was still smiling down into his glass of wine, but this time you swore you saw his cheeks turn a lovely shade of pink. He let out a breath in amusement at your words, and you realized that he wasn’t looking up, trying to catch your eyes like he usually would. Somehow, he seemed to be the shy one now. It didn’t make sense to you how someone like him could become so shy at such a compliment, and from little old you, but it had a flood of emotions running through you regardless. You couldn’t remember the last time you’d felt this way, like a silly teenager. Madly infatuated with the cutest boy in school. Only this wasn’t just some boy, this was a man so beautiful, so lovely, so perfect, that of course he had to be completely unattainable. Yet here you were, as he bashfully gazed down into his glass, pink cheeked at your kind words. 
You saw his head tip down a bit further, and his eyes briefly screwed shut as well. He smiled for a brief second, more to himself than to you, but you noticed nevertheless. 
“I really appreciate that, especially coming from you.” He said, once his eyes met yours again. 
You felt your heart rate pick up a little. Even something as simple as that, was enough to make you feel that lovely giddy feeling in your chest. 
You were so fucked
Next Chapter
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laprimera · 3 months
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2024 rules update! these will go across my blogs, but lemme drop the changed stuff here the rest has p much stayed the same.
thanks for following em btw or asking questions when needed, helps a lot!
. Selective, crossover/oc friendly, mutuals only etc etc. I only interact with mutuals and wait to be followed first before following back if I can see our characters and writing meshing well. This is just so I can have an active dashboard that I can freely interact with. please let me know if you have a side you'd want me to engage and follow if its not prominent somewhere.
. You do not need a verse to interact with my muse. If anything I prefer general crossover to see how they interact in their various worlds.
. While open to shipping and discussing possible connections with my muses I will not insta-ship and please dont assume they are even if we’ve talked about it a bit. It’ll have to be chemistry and interaction based with buildup and note the blog is not ship-focused. The blog’s central plot focuses solely on themselves and their themes unless heavily plotted otherwise.
. Note I don’t do mains or exclusives in any way. While I do have close mutuals I’ll interact with a lot because of comfort there are no central characters or plots otherwise besides my own. If a muse wants to get involved in some exclusive way please come by me to see if we can plot something out.
. I’m not interested in poly-shipping. Nothing wrong with it ofcourse but Im only really comfortable shipping with friends or mutuals I know and on the same space as I’m in. I’d ask for a single-verse for my muse or we can go through a platonic route if your muse is exclusively poly, but as with anything please come talk to me for anything.
. You dont have to ask to reply to an ask. Please do! If anything I ask if possible to follow through on a meme or ask you’ve sent be turned into an interaction unless the point is moot or its a drabble. Not required of course, it just helps start and build interactions!
. Note the plot is centralized to my characters and canons put under the v. main tag. Dash events, rpc happenings and the whathavs unless I say so otherwise are not canon and often put under the crack tag or untagged. Please dont assume anything from my muse or expect them to engage either as sadly I have to step away from the dash often and cant catch up. I prefer to have control over my narrative and if you want something outside included please plot with me!
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aceghosts · 4 months
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And I try to move on, but I just can't let go
Summary: Rooney Shepard takes a missing person's case at the request of Rogue Amendiares; they do not expect the client to be their ex-boyfriend, Yorinobu Arasaka. Title comes from nightlife's fallback. Rating: Mature Warnings: Referenced Character Death (Specifically Jackie and Rooney's), Referenced Human Experimentation (Rooney), and I think that is everything. Let me know if I need to tag for anything else. Words: 5,198 Author's Note: Just wanted to explain: Rooney's original universe is Mass Effect. I've tried to blend part of the events of Mass Effect (not the aliens and reapers, but their pre-service history and similar events) into Cyberpunk 2077. I tried to fit it in as best I can, staying within the confines of the universe, but I've changed parts of canon. Tagging: @bbrocklesnar. @marivenah, @voidika, @socially-awkward-skeleton, @amalkavian, @onehornedbeast, @captastra, @alexxmason, @captmactavish, @inafieldofdaisies, @vizarding, and @thedeadthree. I added everyone who liked this post; I hope it's okay that I tagged you. If you want to or don't want to be tagged, let me know.
AO3
Music blasts loudly as Rooney Shepard steps into the Afterlife, a deep frown on their face. Around them, patrons of the club shout, trying to make themselves heard over the music. Their head throbs, a headache forming as they head towards the bar. Why couldn’t this have been a holo call? Rooney supposes it must be an important missing person’s case if Rogue wanted to drag them down to the Afterlife. Glancing over to her booth, Rooney catches sight of Rogue holding court, already occupied with some merc. Could be a while before she’s ready to see them. They grab a stool at the bar, catching sight of themself in the reflection of the glass panels. In the neon green light, Rooney looks sickly pale, washed out. The dark circles under their eyes stand out prominently, a thousand-yard stare gazing back at them. If it were anyone else, Rooney would describe them as haunted, but they’re fine, nothing is wrong with them. They have to be fine.
A moment later, Claire is in front of them with a sympathetic smile as she places her hands down on the bar. “Here for work or play, Shepard?”
“Work.” I would never come here for relaxation, Rooney adds silently. Relaxation used to be nights building model ships with a decent beer. Or a night at some cheap dive bar with V, Jackie, Misty, and Vik, chatting and listening to classic rock. Now…Now, V is dying, and Rooney needs to help them find a cure. No matter what it personally costs them.
Claire nods, motioning over their shoulder. “Understood. Although, I think some hope that you might come in here for a night off.” They follow her gaze, towards a Corpo, sharing a table with two of his colleagues. He raises his beer in greeting before motioning to come over, all while giving Rooney a flirtatious smile. Not interested. Shaking their head, Rooney looks back to Claire. They weren’t really interested in anyone like that since…“I’ll get you your usual, Shepard, even though you look like you could use a beer.”
“Thank you.” As Claire goes to get their drink, Rooney breathes deeply. Focus, Rooney, Focus. They need to be focused, especially for a case.
She returns with their soda, sliding it towards them as she glances over towards Rogue’s booth. “Rogue is ready for you.” They nod, flicking the creds to her along with a good tip as they get off the stool. Rooney takes the drink with them, making their way over to Rogue.
Squama nods as they approach, with Rooney returning one of their own as he moves to let them pass. Behind him, Rogue lounges, faintly reminding Rooney of a Lioness from the old nature vids they used to watch as a child. She watches them carefully, despite her fairly relaxed posture. “Shepard,” She greets them with a fairly no-nonsense tone, motioning for them to sit.
“Rogue,” Rooney sits, placing their drink down on the table. They watch her carefully, knowing Rogue is one of the few people not to underestimate in Night City. You do not become Queen without disposing of a few pawns. Besides, Rooney is curious about why they are here. Normally, Rogue preferred to give them cases over the holo with a slightly mocking tone or have a client reach out to Rooney directly. It was the rare few that ever required Rooney to come to the Afterlife. 
“I have a job for you.”
Rooney raises an eyebrow, holding back a sarcastic response. “I assumed. Why meet in-person for this one?”
“This job requires…” Rogue pauses, looking away briefly as she searches for the right word, “discretion.”
As Rogue looks back at them, alarm bells ring in their mind. Adrenaline spikes as their heart beats faster. Rooney tenses, eyes scanning around the room for potential threats. Nothing good ever happens when someone mentions being discrete. They know all too well from their time in the military that it meant covering up dirty laundry, protecting the reputation of powerful people. And if anyone should find out the truth? God help them all. For all Rooney cares, someone else can have this case. “No.”
“No?”
Shaking their head, Rooney stands, on high alert, “I don’t want it. Give it to someone else.”
“Shepard, don’t be so dramatic,” Rogue rolls her eyes, “You haven’t even heard-.”
“Don’t care.” Right now, they’re getting the same bad feeling about this job as they had about V and Jackie’s gig with that idiot Dexter DeShawn. And look where those two ended up: Jackie six feet under and V well on their way there. “I’m not interested. You can find-.”
“Sit,” Rogue commands with more authority than some of their previous COs, “Hear me out, and if you still don’t want it after, I’ll find someone else.”
Leave. LEAVE! Their brain screams at them, but curiosity wins out in the end as Rooney sits back down.
“You weren’t my first choice for this gig, Shepard.”
“So, that means others passed on it.”
“You might not be my first choice, but I haven’t told anyone else about it yet,” She pauses for a second, “I hoped I could think of someone else for this. You won’t like the client.”
“Rogue, if you’re trying to convince me, you aren’t being very persuasive about it.”
“You’re only here because you get results. And the client needs results.” She emphasizes that last part, her voice taking on a serious tone. “The client needs you to find someone. Quickly and quietly.”
“A merc could do that for you.”
“They also need someone who isn’t the type to shoot first and ask questions later. They need someone who can handle this with a fine touch.”
“Again, I’m sure you could find a thousand mercs in this city who meet that requirement. I’m a PI.”
“Not as many as you would think,” she counters, her gaze drifting down to their left hand, the metal one forced on them by Arasaka, “You might find this case to be personal.”
They clench their fist, his voice in their head: “I hope you make him and Arasaka regret doing this to you”. Saburo Arasaka might be dead, but his shadow loomed large over Night City and Arasaka still. “Rogue, are you saying that Arasaka is going after someone who might need help getting away from them?”
Rogue smirks and Rooney finally feels like they’re catching on. “Maybe,” she shrugs, playing a slightly disinterested tone, “But you don’t want-.”
“I’ll take it.” Rooney has a terribly bad feeling about this job, and they’re playing right into her hands, but they won’t let someone suffer at the hands of Arasaka. What if this person could help V, saving them from the parasite in their head? Or what if it was V? Arasaka had already sent exterminators after V. Rooney wouldn’t put it past them to send someone after V, and who better to help V evade capture than a friend? This job might be a trap, but they’ve walked willingly into traps before and come out alive. Unscathed was a different matter.
“Good,” She flicks her wrist, sending them a text, their holo beeping a moment later. “You’ll find the details for your meeting with them in an hour and a half.” They frown, opening the message as they notice the meeting location set for the Ebunike with very little information on the client. “You’ll hear the exact details from the client. Wanted to keep some of the mystery.”
Dismissed. They get up, sighing. “I’ll get to the bottom of this, one way or another.”
“I’m sure you will, Shepard.” As they leave, all Rooney can think is: What have they gotten themself into?
As soon as they leave the Afterlife, Rooney heads towards the docks on their black motorcycle, hoping they’ll have some time for surveillance. They do, but their preliminary surveillance leaves them with more questions than answers. Maelstrom guard the dock, providing little useful information. They hear the name “Grayson” a few times, who seems to be in charge of the operation. Rooney would need to investigate him more, but it wasn’t a good sign that he was working with the Maelstrom or Arasaka. Whoever Arasaka was looking for was in deep, deep trouble.
Deactivating their optical camo, Rooney emerges from the shadows, hands by their side as they approach the two Maelstrom guarding the entrance. They are hyper-vigilant, keeping an eye out with their electrified monowires at the ready. “Oh fuck!” One of the Maelstrom exclaims while they both jump at the sight of Rooney approaching. Rooney…wasn’t on good terms with the Maelstrom. While they preferred to use non-violent methods to resolve conflict, the Maelstrom weren’t always willing to listen. And Rooney was willing to use violence if necessary. “Shepard, what the fuck are you doing here?”
“I’m not here for you two,” the two Maelstrom glance at each other, seemingly unconvinced by their words, “I’m here for a meeting with your boss on the Ebunike about a missing person’s case.”
Scratching his head, one asks, “Why should we fucking believe you?”
“Yeah,” the other crosses her arms, “What if this is a trap?”
If it was a trap, these two would have never seen it coming. “Call your boss and tell him Rogue Amendiares sent me. If he does not vouch for me, I’ll leave. Peacefully. You have my word.”
The Maelstrom sighs, his eyes alighting as he makes the call. “Grayson, we have someone for you. Says Rogue fucking sent them. Want us to send them home in a body bag?” He’s silent for a moment before his eyes flick back over to them. “It’s Shepard.” Silent again before sighing, “I’ll fucking bring them over”.
 The call ends, and he turns to Rooney. “Grayson vouches for ya. Says I’m supposed to fucking bring you to him like I’m a goddamn messenger boy.”
“Lead the way,” Rooney motions, “We both have a vested interest in having this end as soon as possible.”
The Maelstrom motions for Rooney to follow as his compatriot stays behind to guard the gate. Rooney follows him silently, making more mental notes as they weave their way through the docks. Lots of containers, stacked high, which meant lots of hiding places, a good and bad thing. Good as it meant plenty of places for Rooney to disappear to give them an edge. Bad as it meant their enemy also had the same opportunity to surprise them. They also noticed a few good vantage points, which would have been excellent for sniping if they brought their sniper rifle, Black Widow, with them. They had the sniper rifle with them during their whole military career, even during the Unification War. Eventually, they reach the Ebunike with the Maelstrom guide, climbing the stairs behind him. As they ascend, Rooney wonders who at Arasaka would need such a large, moored ship. It did not seem like a typical Arasaka meeting place. If anything, Arasaka liked to hold meetings in their buildings or businesses with which they had deep ties. Corps liked to be in control, and Arasaka was no exception.
Dread grows within them, like the blade of a guillotine hanging over a soon-to-be executed man. Reaching the center of the deck, Rooney finds Grayson with a few Maelstrom beside him. He looks relaxed, too relaxed for their liking. “Shepard, thank you for coming. I hope the Maelstrom weren’t too rude to you,” Grayson greets them with an unearned air of friendliness.
“They were fine.” No, the Maelstrom weren’t, but Rooney was not about to tip their hand. They glance around the dock, taking stock of their situation. Some more containers, but nothing that would be too useful. Too open for their liking. Keeping a professional tone, Rooney states, “As I said to your friend, Rogue Amendiares sent me. Told me you had a missing person’s case for me.”
“We do, Shepard.” The world drops out from under them as the door to a container opens behind them. Rooney’s eyes widen briefly at the sound of a familiar borg voice, their anxiety spiking. Instinct kicks in a second later, and Rooney spins around, activating their electrified monowire. The wire gleams brightly in the dim lighting of the ship’s deck, an audible hum of electricity in the air. Rooney tastes the electricity in their mouth, a side effect of their monowires. In the dark of the container, two red glowing eyes stare at them. A second later, they heard the sound of loud machinery, Adam Smasher, Yorinobu Arasaka’s personal bodyguard, stomping towards them. He laughs, sending a shiver down Rooney’s spine as he comes out into the light. “Put the fucking wire away, Shepard. I’m not here to kill you. Yet.”
He’s trying to get a rise out of them, and it’s fucking working. Rooney never liked Adam Smasher, too machine-like for their taste. Too cruel; too callous. They don’t put the wire down, wondering why Smasher would be on the Ebunike of all places. And then, the awful thought hits them like a rocket a second later. Oh no. Oh no. Smasher has to be here for V. Or he’s looking for Takemura, who will undoubtedly lead him straight to V. They cannot let that happen. V won’t stand a chance against Smasher. At least, not without some serious chrome, firepower, and allies. Rooney won’t fail V, not like how they failed to protect-. “What do you want?” Their tone is sharp as steel.
“Put the wire-.”
“I’m only going to ask you once,” Rooney cuts Smasher off, the Maelstrom and Grayson audibly gasping at their audacity, “What. Do. You. Want.”
The tension is thick in the air with Rooney ready to snap at any moment. They know they might not win against Smasher in a straight-up fight, but if they get clever, Rooney can-. “He’ll want to tell you himself. The brat will have a fucking tantrum if I don’t let him tell you.”
They holster their monowires, fairly certain that Smasher doesn’t mean them harm. Curious eyes burn into Rooney, everyone wondering why they would cause such a stir with Smasher’s boss. “I doubt he wants to see me. I think it would be better if you and I talked-.”
“No one ever rejected him the way you did, Shepard. Was licking his fucking wounds for weeks.” Dread morphs into guilt, and Rooney looks away. They hadn’t wanted to hurt Yorinobu, but they needed to return to the Military. It was their home, or at least, it had been at one point. “’Sides, even if I told you, you don’t fucking think he would come to find you himself?”
He would come looking for them, which would place V in even more danger. Vik, Misty, and Mamá Welles too. “You don’t have to tell him. You could always withhold my identity.”
“Pays me too much for that, Shepard. You want the fucking gig or not?”
No, they don’t; they really don’t. But this might have something to do with V, and they can’t fail V. Rooney won’t fail V. It also sounds like Yorinobu might be in trouble too. He was the whole reason Rooney got through their time with Arasaka, after being reanimated and jacked with experimental mods. Yorinobu was the first one to make them feel like a person, not so alone. They wanted, no, needed to help Yorinobu if he was in trouble.  “I’ll do it. When would he like to meet?”
Something akin to a smile appears on Smasher’s face. “Now.”
The ride up to the Arasaka CEO’s office is a silent one as Rooney watches the numbers tick on as the elevator climbs upward. Their last interaction with Yorinobu plays over in their head, the memory as clear as day.
Yorinobu is panic-stricken, holding onto their arm tightly. “Rooney, you cannot go back to them. They threw you away, leaving you to the whims of Arasaka. What happens if you die again?”
Three more floors…
They frown, confused by his behavior. “Yorinobu, you can’t stop me from returning. We both knew I wasn’t going to stay here forever. What did you think would happen?”
Two more floors…
His grip on their arm loosens, face softening. “I thought you might want to stay with me. Help me destroy Arasaka from the inside.”
One more floor…
Rooney pulls their arm from Yorinobu. “In another life, I would have,” He looks heartbroken as they continue softly, “But I made a promise to serve, and I intend to keep my promise.”
The elevator door opens, releasing Rooney from their memories of heartbreak. They walk beside Smasher, gaze focused on the office in front of them. Rooney swallows nervously, rolling their left shoulder, out of habit. They never expected to see Yorinobu again, especially under these circumstances.
Rooney enters Yorinobu’s office with Smasher, Yorinobu standing in front of his desk, his back towards the two. In front of him is a large screen, detailing Arasaka’s stock value, and other information. “Do you have them?” Yorinobu asks, sounding vaguely annoyed.
“Course I have them,” Smasher motions to Shepard, “Do I ever come up fucking empty handed?”
Yorinobu shakes his head, placing the holopad down. He turns, facing Rooney and Smasher as the pair stop a few feet away from him. Trying to stay collected, Rooney feels like they’ve had the wind knocked out of them. He’s in front of them; Yorinobu is really in front of them. Yorinobu must be feeling the same way.  His eyes widen behind his glasses, shock clear on his face. “Rooney?”
He says their name, and they want to run to him so badly. To hold him in their arms and tell Yorinobu that they wish they had reached out sooner. Instead, they clasp their hands behind their back, aiming to treat him as they would any other client. “Good evening Yorinobu,” Rooney feels fairly confident in using his first name while staying professional, “I understand that you need help finding a missing person. I’m happy to work with your team, or I can recommend-.”
“That’s it?” Frustration colors his voice as he shakes his head. “This is the first time we have seen each other since that day, and this is how you react? Like I am stranger? Like nothing happened?”
Yorinobu is so much more to Rooney than a stranger. He’s the one that they let go, the one person who still holds the still-beating pieces of Rooney Shepard’s perpetually broken heart. “You are a client,” Their tone is firm as they continue to dig their grave, ever obstinate, “You are hiring me to find someone. Unless you would prefer someone else to take this case.” Someone who has less emotional baggage.
He looks hurt at their declaration, mumbling something under his breath about how stubborn they are, a badge that they wear with pride. To Smasher, he dismisses the man with a wave of his hand. “Leave.”
“Gladly,” Smasher replies, likely relieved to not be part of their argument. He stomps out of the room, leaving the two alone.
Silence permeates the room as Rooney searches for the right words. Yorinobu huffs, “What about us? Did any of that mean anything to you?”
They flinch a little, hurt a little by the insinuation that Yorinobu thought that Rooney didn’t care about their relationship, that it didn’t matter. But, they were treating him like a client. Sighing, Rooney unclapses their hands from behind their back. They join him at his desk and lean against it as they cross their arms over their chest. “What we had meant a lot to me, Yorinobu,” He perks up a little, some of that signature cockiness returning, “but you made it pretty clear when I left to return to the military that you wanted nothing to do with me.”
“I did not mean-.”
“It doesn’t matter that you didn’t mean it,” Rooney looks up at him, “I wanted to respect your boundaries, and you made it pretty clear about where we stood.” Yorinobu looks down at his desk, avoiding their gaze. Damnit, they were screwing this up. “Yorinobu,” they gently call his name, and he looks up at them, “I’m here now. Tell me about this case.”
He comes closer to them, the scent of his familiar cologne invading their nose. Woodsy with bits of Cedar and Nutmeg. “Saburo Arasaka is dead,” He admits quietly, meeting their gaze.       
“I would give my condolences, but I feel it would be more appropriate to say, may Saburo Arasaka rot in hell.”
Yorinobu smirks, a small laugh escaping him. “May he rot somewhere worse than hell,” He looks away from them, “He was poisoned by his bodyguard.” Not the story I was told, Rooney thinks. They trust that V’s version is more accurate, knowing how much Yorinobu hated his father. But, why was he continuing to give them the same tale he was giving everyone else? Probably because they were an ex he hadn’t seen in a few years. Yorinobu couldn’t know where their loyalties lie. Besides, he wasn’t the only one who was going to keep secrets.
“There were also two thieves that day,” They raise an eyebrow knowing full well that he is referring to V and Jackie, “They stole something from me. Something important.”
“Important how?”
Deftly avoiding the question, he picks up a black flash drive from his desk and comes to stand in front of them. Holding it up, he asks, “I have footage of the crime if you want to see it. Would you like me to insert it for you?”
Rooney nods, tilting their head slightly as brush away their dark red hair, offering him better access to slot the drive in. His right hand gently wraps around their throat, holding them still in place, fingers slightly interlaced with their hair. His brown eyes meet their ocean blue ones for a second, and Rooney’s breath hitches in their throat, a small flame of yearning they thought long buried flickering within them. He slots the drive in, the footage begins to play a second later. Two thieves pop out of the wall, clearly shaken: V and Jackie Welles. Formerly Night City’s dynamic duo. Close friends of Rooney’s. While Jackie and V’s faces are blurred, Rooney can still tell them from a mile away. The two mercs rush over to Saburo’s corpse, panicking over the dead man. The audio is distorted, perhaps on purpose to keep any mention of Yorinobu’s deeds hidden.
“Notice anything?” He asks, leaning in closer, his breath warm on their ear. Yorinobu’s thumb lazily strokes along the edge of their jaw. Rooney swallows, reminding themself to focus on the matter at hand: the footage.
“No.” Jackie and V freak out. Jackie paces back and forth in place, awkwardly holding the stolen goods. V is running back and forth, looking terrified as they search for a way out. A few moments later, Jackie and V are gone, the footage ending. The drive pops out, Yorinobu taking it as he releases their throat. Rooney tries not to miss the touch of his skin against theirs, but it’s hard to shake. “I don’t recognize the perpetrators,” a bold-faced lie, “I can reach out to some of my contacts underground to see if they’ve heard anything. Is there anything else you want to tell me?”
“You will need to find only one of the thieves. The man holding what they stole is dead.”
“Anything more?” Yorinobu looks away, placing the drive down, and Rooney senses some hesitancy. But they need to know. If Rooney can find a way to help him and V, they want to. There has to be a path forward; Rooney just can’t see it yet. “Yorinobu,” They say his name softly, uncrossing their arms. Gently, they place their hand on his shoulder, giving his shoulder a soft squeeze, “I know this must be difficult for you, but any detail helps. I want to help you.” Please let me help you.
He grabs a holopad from his desk, swiping it a few times before passing it to Rooney. Taking the pad, their brows furrow as they begin to read the details. Shit, that is the thing that is killing V. “What is this?”
“Do you remember how I told you that my Father did worse things? Things worse than experimenting on you?” They remember the conversation very clearly, the one where Yorinobu swore that he would destroy Arasaka from the inside out. “This is one of them: the Relic.”
“And what does the Relic do?” They already know what it does. It turns idiot mercs with delusions of grandeur into long-dead rockstars.
“My father wanted to live forever,” Yorinobu’s voice is grave, “The Relic was his answer to that.”
Horror washes over them like a wave capsizing a boat in a stormy sea. Their heart skips a beat, the awful insinuation not lost on them. That’s…that’s…There are not enough words in the human language for Rooney to express how awful it is. Shakily, they place the holopad down, facing him with horror clear on their face. Instinctively, Rooney cups his face, searching his eyes. He’s still Yorinobu, the man they knew. But that still doesn’t make them any less worried for him. “Yori..,” their nickname for him slips out in a breathy tone as he uses the opportunity to pull them closer, hands on their hips, “Saburo…he didn’t try to… he didn’t…?” Even after all the terrible things they’ve seen, Rooney can’t bring themself to finish the sentence.
“No, he never got the chance.”
Rooney breathes a sigh of relief. “Thank God.”
“Worried for me?”
“Always.” From the moment they left the Arasaka labs, Rooney worried about him, afraid that he might do something rash.
“When did you come to Night City?”
They’re surprised at his question. “I thought we were talking about the case, not about me.”
“You know you need to find the thief and the relic, and I would prefer this was kept between you, Smasher, and I. You will also be compensated generously for your work. But, I am curious as to how you came to live in Night City.”
“I arrived a year and a half ago. Something about being with the military didn’t feel right anymore. I ended up here in Night City, a place where the Free States and the NUS would leave me alone.”
“Did you know I was here?”
They sigh, knowing this would go in circles. “Yes, but I thought-.”
“I know what you thought,” Yorinobu cuts them off, “But did you ever think about contacting me?”
More than he knows. Rooney remembers the first time that they thought about contacting him. It was a rainy day, and they were limping to Vik’s after a nasty run-in with Scavs. As they walk down the rainy street, they catch sight of Yorinobu’s face on a screen. He stops them in their tracks, the world seemingly stopping. They watch, mesmerized, no longer caring that the rain was drenching them as the news report continued. Without thinking, they pull up their contact list, scrolling down to Yorinobu. Rooney hovers over his name, wanting so desperately to call him, to hear his voice. Instead, they close the phone, knowing that some things are better left in the past. The second time was when V was in critical condition. Things were going to shit, and he was one of the first people Rooney wanted to contact. Actually, he was the first, but they decided against it. “I did,” They admit quietly.
“Did you miss me?” A loaded question if Rooney’s ever heard one. And one they refuse to answer. They should keep things professional, already having crossed several lines. “I missed you; I missed you terribly.” He leans down toward them, longing battling within Rooney. God, they want him badly, so badly that it threatens to consume them. He’s so close and Rooney leans up to meet him, wanting Yorinobu so much more than they realize. 
“Arasaka-sama,” A voice speaks over the intercom on his desk, “Hanako-Sama is here to see you.” Rooney is jolted back to reality, realizing what they were about to do and how monumentally of a bad idea this was. They release him, gently pulling themself out of his arms. Yorinobu looks pained at their rejection, and a sharp spike of guilt rises in their chest. It’s better for them both this way.
“I should go,” They have to do this, someone has to stop this, and Rooney will take on that responsibility, “I should start working on the case.”
“Rooney, please do not-.”
“Stop.” The wounded look on his face sends another stake of pain in their chest. “Hanako, your sister, needs you right now.”
“And you do not?” They open their mouth, and he cuts them off. “Do not give me some self-serving bullshit about being fine.”
Rooney is fine. Or at least, maybe they’ll convince everyone they are fine if they repeat it enough times. “Doesn’t matter what I need,” They say sharply, giving him a pointed look, “Right now, we need to find the thief and the Relic.” Or at least, buy enough time that they can figure out what to do with this shitstorm of a situation. “I’ll leave my number with Smasher and pass anything I find on to him.” Smasher was one of the last people that Rooney wanted to have their number, but this would be better for everyone.  
“No,” They raise an eyebrow before Yorinobu’s eyes alight and they’re receiving a call from him, “Since I still have your number and you have mine, please contact me with all updates. I plan to be very involved in this.”
The door to this office opens, and both turn towards the door, the sound of heels clicking drawing their attention.  Hanako Arasaka steps into the office, Sandayu Oda hot on her heels. “Shepard,” Hanako looks surprised, all while staying very prim and proper, “I did not know you were in Night City.”
“Just moved within the last year, Ma’am. Your brother didn’t know either.” Rooney knew what Hanako was fishing for. She had been aware of their relationship with Yorinobu the last time, even if she did not always approve of it. “Oda,” They nod a greeting towards him.
“Shepard,” He returns with a nod of his own.
“Please excuse me. I was just leaving, Ma’am.” They start, making their way to the door.
“Have a pleasant night, Shepard.”
“You as well.” Rooney quickly excuses themself, throwing one last glance over their shoulder at Yorinobu. He catches their gaze, winking at them. They shake their head, fully leaving the office.
As soon as they reach the elevator, Rooney leans against the back wall, letting out a sigh as the elevator door closes. Their holo pings a second later, a familiar name appearing. The text read: We should get a drink sometime. An offer that sounded far more tempting than it should. Rooney closes the message, leaving him on read. This was going to be a long case. 
23 notes · View notes
icarusignite · 11 months
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Master Post
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Heyyo, welcome to my little corner of the internet! A little bit about me:
engineering student
bookworm
history/mythology nerd
kdramas/kpop/anime
Feel free to drop me a dm and chat. I’d love to be mutuals <3
Fandoms I’m into and will write for: Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, The Last Kingdom, Criminal Minds, Shadow and Bone, Lockwood and Co, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Hunger Games, Bridgerton, etc (there lots more that I just forgot to put on here lol). I’m also into kpop so I may dabble in writing for certain groups too. 
My tags:
#icarus ignite fic recs (my fav recs, all fandoms)
#icarus ignite asks
Requests are open!
AO3    |    Wattpad | ace_asterisk
ALL SERIES ARE DISCONTINUED ON HERE, CHECK AO3/WP
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Rules for Requesting
Requests are always open so feel free to send in stuff anytime! I’ll try my best to finish your requests as soon as I can but please be patient, sometimes life gets hectic. There is no particular order in which I do them because it really just depends on what strikes my fancy. Things to include in your request: the character/ship you want me to write for, a couple of sentences about the direction you want the story to take or the events you want to include, mention if you want angst/fluff/hurt-comfort/etc and maybe a trope if you want it included. I don’t really write smut, but other than that there’s not much else that I won’t write so if you’re not sure, feel free to ask. 
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Oneshot Masterlist:
- The only heaven I'll be sent to is when I'm alone with you: 1 / 2
(King Alfred x POC! Fem! Reader)
You are a prominent scholar from Baghdad, visiting Wessex to learn more about English culture and try to help its ailing monarch with your medical expertise. However, conflict arises when you find yourself falling for the Catholic king, knowing he cannot give you what you deserve.
- Valhalla Bound  (Finan x GN! Reader)
During the ransacking of Rumcofa, you save Osferth thus exchanging his fate for yours. aka you die and Finan's reaction to that
- Night Terrors (Sihtric x GN! Reader) 
Sihtric has a nightmare, and he accidentally snaps at you. What comes after is the most awkward confession of his life and you are oblivious af.
- Praying's just a poor man's way of begging (Sihtric x Fem! Reader) 
You are Earl Ragnar's youngest daughter and the boy you've spent many pleasant afternoons with as a child was none other than Sihtric Kjartansson. Reunited after years apart, will the two of you be able to face the truth of your feelings or will it all end in heartache?
- In this labyrinth of time, our souls entwined (Modern AU Finan x Fem! Reader)
Finan and his friends witness a bar fight during their night out and Finan feels a magnetic connection to the hero of the fight. This can be read on its own but it can also be seen as a continuation of my earlier fic Valhalla Bound where you died and now your reincarnation meets Finan's in another world and that's why you seem so familiar.
- Go ahead and cry, little girl (Aethelstan x Fem! Reader)
You are Sihtric’s daughter from his first wife. Your mother dies after he leaves her for his current wife and you blame him for his death. Aethelstan is yoiur dearest childhood friend.
Series:
- Union of the Gods Masterlist (Sihtric x OC)
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Oneshots:
- I hate you I love you (Cregan Stark x fem! reader)
The five times you told Cregan Stark you hated him, and the one time you actually meant it.
- I want to fly with you on dragonback (and eat only cake) (Alicent x Rhaenyra)
Basically the title. Rhaenyra finally gets to take Alicent on that dragon ride and eat cake....and maybe kiss the girl she loves.
-  Like an old melody, my heart resumes 1 / 2  / 3 (Daeron x Fem! Reader)
After years apart and with several misunderstandings between them, you meet Prince Daeron at what is meant to be his betrothal feast. When secrets and unspoken desires come to light, you and Daeron are faced with a choice: to let go of the past and embrace a love that has always burned between them or allow your tumultuous history to keep you apart.
Series: (not uploading here anymore, check out my ao3/wp for it)
- Before the Sky Falls Masterlist (Aemond Targaryen x OC)
Daenys Velaryon is the oldest child of Rhaenyra and Laenor Velaryon, but she shares the same true lineage as her brothers Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey. As the oldest child of the heir to the throne, she has duties to fulfill, duties that she is expected to make sacrifices for, but she has seen enough bloodshed to know that it is not something she wants for herself. Having grown up beside Aemond Targaryen, she becomes a friend, a companion, and eventually something more to him, but will they be able to navigate the maze of their budding feelings for each other in addition to the treacherous court politics of Westeros?
- An Eye for an Eye Masterlist (Aemond Targaryen x OC)
In which Daenys Velaryon, the oldest child of Rhaenyra and Laenor Velaryon, must come to terms with the fact that the man she loves has committed an unforgivable crime.
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Oneshots:
-   Steady Your Heart in Mine (Spencer Reid x GN! Reader)
Exam season brings you a lot of stress and Spencer Reid is there to walk you through it. Established relationship, descriptions of anxiety and panic attacks.
Series:
- The Darkest Hour Before Dawn Masterlist (Spencer Reid x OC)
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Oneshots:
- I thought I dreamed her (Lucy x Lockkwood)
- I love you forever, I'm not a dreamer (Lucy x Lockwood)
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The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes:
Series:
These Violent Delights Masterlist
65 notes · View notes
amuhav · 9 months
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Get to Know Me - Sims Style
tagged by @dandylion240 (if anyone else did too I’m sorry, I’m not seeming to get notifs for tags rn???)
tagging @keibea​ because we need more TS3 rep in tag games like this tbh.
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What’s your favorite Sims death?
Old age. Because it means my sim actually made it that far and I just love seeing their life play out. Some of the more quirky, simsy ones are great though. Death by Jellybean or Cowplant come to mind lol.
Alpha CC or MaxisMatch?
I... really don’t like the TS4 MM aesthetic 😅 I really don’t like the clay hair look for my own sims, though think some people do wonderful things with it, and I do like certain Maxis Mix styles, good skin details with clay hair, certain stylised MM styles etc. but the default TS4 clay look is literally why I never moved over to TS4 in the first place, and it took too long for the Alpha scene to really take off in the beginning, so by the time there was enough CC for me to feel I would ever want to jump in, it felt too overwhelming to even try moving to essentially a new medium.
For TS3... I also am not a huge fan of the straight “MM” look either, though I think the distinction is less prominent as it is in TS4. You can easily make most “MM” stuff fit in an “alpha” game simply because they aren’t usually full-on clay the way TS4 MM is, they’re just not quite as detailed as full “alpha” CC. Whereas the other way around isn’t quite as true, intricately detailed alpha stuff might look out of place if most of your other content is vanilla or MM. So I think as well as preferring the aesthetic, I like the flexibility a more “alpha” leaning style can bring.
Do you cheat your sims weight?
Storywise, characters are obviously whatever size I make them lol. 
Uh. I don’t know about weight, because I don’t think any of my sims have put on a lot of weight during gameplay. I have definitely cheated muscle levels though. Traumatic flashbacks to Loch suddenly getting BULKED whilst I was letting him run free during Riv’s BC. Absolutely not you little twink.
Do you move objects?
For gameplay, I used to try to minimise doing so just cos it breaks so much routing and stuff. Now I don’t play so I go nuts with MOO. Who needs working doors or stairs or beds anyway?
Favourite Mod?
So many mods for TS3 are kinda essential to even be able to run the game lol, like almost the entire NRAAS suite. I think I’ll have to go with the Remove Stencil mod though, cos being able to undo EA’s weird obsession with shiny clothes by removing the specular is honestly so lifechanging LOL. no more shiny wool jumpers or oil slick jeans 🥰
First Expansion/Game Pack/Stuff Pack?
My first TS3 expansion was Ambitions, because I skipped World Adventures, in fact, I think it was one of the last expansions I bought lol. 
Believe it or not, I do actually own one EP, one GP, and one SP for TS4 lmao, back when I thought maybe, just MAYBE. the game might get better, and I was still trying so damn fuckin hard to force myself to enjoy the actual gameplay. So I have Get to Work, but don’t even ask me what the other two are because I haven’t a fuckin’ clueeeee. 
Do you pronounce live mode like aLIVE or LIVing?
...It just occurred to me maybe it is meant to be “LIV” mode because it’s... like. Living mode. Like, Alive Mode doesn’t make sense. But my brain won’t accept it. doesn’t sound right. Always been “LIVE” mod to me lol.
Who’s your favourite sim that you’ve made?
Oh, jeez. Uhhh, I can’t *really* claim most of my current legacy sims because I didn’t make them, they were born in-game, even if I have tweaked the hell out of them in recent years. So if we’re going for physical appearance, I wanna say actually maybe Sylvie for my TS3 sims? She took so long to get just right, especially because TS3 doesn’t really do curvier sims quite as well as TS4, especially not without a fuck ton of sliders, and I had a really specific look to her face in mind that took forever to get right, had to blend her a custom skin etc. But I am finally super happy with her cute lil sassy round face 🥰 Close runners up are probably Qu or Edge.
God, I’m gonna get so fucking shot for this but here goes. Physically, my fave TS4 sims I’ve made are actually both of Tay’s brothers, Ethryon and Ailos, and also probably father, Qariel. I think because I had a little more experience with using TS4 CAS by the time I got to them, more sliders, more skin details, just generally a fuck ton more CAS CC by then, and more time to tweak them etc. As much as Tay will always be my favourite sim OVERALL... yeah. plznoonekillmebye
Have you made a simself?
Ye. I used to update her like. all the timeee too, whenever I got a new haircut etc. And, ofc, Havoc was my alter ego so she’s like. simself adjacent lol.
Which is your favorite EA hair color?
God I hate EA’s hair colours in TS3. their blondes are so yellow, the highlights don’t blend well etc. always make my own. TS4 hair colours make me want to actually die, but then again, I hate the clay hair and cartoony colours of vanilla TS4 anyway, so.
Favourite EA hair?
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Favourite life stage?
Young Adult, with Teens a close second. You can do the most with the YA age, but the chaos of teenage years are real fun too lol.
Are you a builder or are you in it for the gameplay?
I literally can’t play lmao. I have too much CC in TS3 for it to run well enough to play, and TS4... is it even possible to play TS4? joking joking... mostly. I’m in it for the story.
Are you a CC creator?
No. Never. I do not have a CC page I abandoned whatsoever no idea what you’re talking about goodbye. 💀
Do you have any Simblr friends or a Sim Squad?
RBSB represent. 
No I hate everyone equally.
@lazysunjade and @thesimperiuscurse have no choice but to be talked at by me every day. I’m inescapable. 
Do you have any sims merch?
I actually had the TS3 Collectors edition that came with the Plumbob USB and I was devastated when it got broken. Like legitimately heart broken lol. 
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Miss her so much I just want her back
Do you have a YouTube for sims?
Ew.
How has your “Sims style” changed throughout your years of playing?
I used to try so hard to stick to whatever gameplay threw at me, following the actual legacy rules, not editing sims etc, all to the detriment of my actual enjoyment of storytelling. Now I care maybe a little too much about how posts look that I get into a rut of not posting oops bye 💀
What’s your origin id?
Probably the same as my username here lol, but I avoid origin at all costs so couldn’t tell you for sure tbh.
Who’s your favorite CC creator?
Oh, way too many to choose. For sims 3 CAS stuff, the still active converters like @rollo-rolls, @vmsims23, @simtanico etc. for build and clutter stuff @kerriganhouse, and @martassimsbookcc for conversions. Honestly, I’m kinda out of the loop atm, but there’s just way too many good creators.
How long have you had simblr?
uh. since 2015, I think? let’s not dwell on it 💀
How do you edit your pictures?
Dunno how to answer this? Photoshop, I guess lol? 
What expansion/ gamepack is your favorite?
It used to be pets, cos I loved having animals in the game. Now I always forget they exist oop lol. Probably Supernatural. 
49 notes · View notes
fffrost · 5 months
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Hihi hi!!!! So I think I should make an intro post for myself even though I’ve had this account for a while- specifically I’m gonna cover my stance on nsfw asks and messages because I’ve started getting more varying asks!
Hello! My name is Frost, I go by she/they pronouns. As you may see I’m an artist and I enjoy sharing my art!! I’m an enjoyer of multiple fandoms! Prominently: The Locked Tomb, Mortal Kombat, Star Wars, and a few more! I love talking and interacting with people who enjoy the same things I do ! Feel free to slide into my ask box or dms whenever :)
About using my art:
For phone backgrounds: no credit needed! Have fun (please show me it would make me so happy to see) and go wild- if you’re gonna edit it and put filters and such over it that’s fine!!
For pfps/banners/profiles: fine by me! Please credit me somewhere though!
For edits (musical, video edits or such): if you do this I’ll kiss you. Credit me please still and TAG ME TAG ME I WANNA SEE WHAT YOU MAKE
For edits (editing my art): erm, so long as you don’t draw over like any existing features or whitewash or do weird shit you’re fine. Doodle over them, color my sketches (once again, tag me if you do I’ll cry happy tears) put filters on them make memes- if you reshare my art in any way credit me please!!
Reposting: I’m ok with reposting as long as you credit me!!!
Using: it should be obvious but don’t make any profit off my art. It’s mine, not yours to sell.
That’s all for that!!
Stance for nsfw content is under the cut so I don’t make this too long :)
So recently I’ve gotten some NSFW stuff in my asks which while it’s ok since I’m an adult I just wanna clear things up.
1: do not share your personal experiences with me. I am a stranger online. I don’t know you. Stay safe!!!!! I don’t want to see that stuff, I don’t want to know about your wet dreams!!!
2: if you come into my DMs with nsfw hcs or talking about NSFW content prepare to be blocked. Once again. I’m a stranger. I don’t know you. If we have had conversations and they’ve lead that way it’s ok, but please. Don’t go right off the bat into that.
3: asks. This one is iffy. I’m not a NSFW account but I’m not strictly SFW, I’ll repost suggestive things, I’ll draw suggestive art, but not full on porn. (If you want that you have to go to twitter. Where I don’t post anymore. Or become a close friend on discord.) please don’t send me NSFW asks talking about characters, ships, or any hcs or art. I’m aware I have a large following of varying ages and I want to keep my account safe.
4: regarding if I DO end up posting or reblogging any sort of NSFW content, I will tag it! So filter that out!! If I am posting suggestive art I will label it as such accordingly. If it is NSFW I will put it under a cut with warnings and tags.
I am not mad or upset at any people who asked things with NSFW content- I get it! But please if you want to talk about it so badly with me just DM me- and ask first.
Thank you!!
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limitlessgojo · 5 months
Text
Chapter 23: The End of the Beginning [Last Chapter]
Warnings: Action, Coarse Language, Fighting, Depictions of Blood and Violence, Death, Gore, Japanese Mythical Folklore, No Major Character Death, Slight Horror, War
Previous Chapter: Melting
Word Count: somewhere over 900 I’m pretty sure
Tags: Kamo Noritoshi x Reader, Soulmates AU, Angst, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Fem!Reader
Notes: After 2 years, I finally came back to end this book. It’s been sitting on the back of my mind, but there was something off with the way I wrote the last chapter. Couldn’t get it to end the way I wanted it to. Every time I proof read and reread it, I just didn’t like the ending. And I’m not going to post something I’m unsatisfied with, especially for my first full blown long series. I also had a bit of a writer’s block along with personal matters ofc. But I returned to my home country after n number of years after the pandemic and I finally feel so much better (mentally and emotionally).
Taglist: @lessie-oxj @rizzo-nero @whoreuc @fkngkumiko @isl3t @gojoussunglasses @onepotatostand-blog @s-t-f-u-b-i-t-c-h @rayhaitani @lordguameow @track5enthusiast @nayydoesthings @a1hina @r-rose08 @cherriesanwine @felicityforyou @freewitchjellyfish
“Hey, spar with me sometime. Next time you come to visit,” Hiroki slaps Noritoshi on the back.
“Of course, it would be a pleasure.” Noritoshi was well aware of how capable the man was in battle.
Noritoshi had already said his goodbyes to the rest of your family that morning, and it was only you and Hiroki sending him off at the main gate. He was pretty much recovered from the war, despite not being at 100% yet.
It was only for a short period that you got back together and now he had to leave. Plus you wouldn’t be seeing him for a while. Not until classes resume. His eyes met yours, easily seeing through your line of thought.
“I’ll see you then. Next year.” He held up one hand. Eyes mirroring your own, bright yet already filled with longing.
“Next year.” You whispered back. As if next year isn’t just in a few days’ time. The anticipation of new things and new beginnings settled into your stomach.
◇◇◇
Noritoshi specifically chose a very sunny day to bring you to meet his clan. It was when he knew his father barely had anything to do. He made sure to butter up his step-mother and send some gifts ahead of time to ensure their good moods.
Nervous was an understatement as to how you were feeling at this very moment. Still you shoved it far down below, covering it up with all the information you got from Noritoshi about his family.
You were going to make this a flawless meeting as if your life depended on it. To which it kind of did.
You were touching up your make-up in the bathroom, incredibly focused on your thoughts, that you didn’t realize Noritoshi had entered. He leans against the wall to watch your every movement carefully.
The curves of your body. The way you move. The sweep of your brush against your eyelids, beautifully darkening the shade of your skin. The cursed energy like electricity around you, constantly flowing.
And bright red threads invisible to anybody else except for him, floating close to your body. They’ve become even more visible and prominent than before. Not that it bothered the both of you. In fact, it was a constant source of comfort. He found it cute that the strings appeared whenever you were within a 10 metre radius of him nowadays. His heart leaping fondly in his chest every time he feels your presence nearby.
‘From the first place, this whole soulmate bond was such a unique experience. Cursed technique crossovers, sharing of emotions, and now this red cord seems to be bordering on the edge of imaginary and physical.’ Noritoshi thought to himself.
He lifted a pinky and twirled it around the edge of one of the cords that were hovering around him. Instantly, the red cord tightened itself around his pinky and he could now feel it. Physically like a carbon wire against his skin.
He tugged on it and you immediately turned around upon feeling the pull in your chest.
“Did you call?” You asked.
Noritoshi only tilted his head and approached you with a smile. “Yeah. I just wanted to say,” He stood behind you, lightly placing his hands on your shoulders.
"You look perfect. It’s time to go." (He’ll figure out this cord later. Another quirk of the bond to study. For now you were front and center of his attention.)
You fidgeted in your seat knowing that you did your best to stall for time, even just for a few minutes to try and calm your nerves. You looked into the mirror, staring back at Noritoshi. Seeing the knowing glint in his eyes. You sighed and stood up to leave.
◇◇◇
The Kamo estate was large and grand. Sprawling with abundant land, trees, Koi fish ponds, bonsai, small pebble gardens and low rise traditional buildings, it was a sight to behold.
And it caused your head to swim with more anxiety than you’ve ever felt before. A warm hand holds yours tighter, and it gives you the courage to take one step inside the entrance.
◇◇◇
You felt weird, being under the scrutiny of so many people all at once. It wasn’t too out of the ordinary to be the center of attention as the daughter of the Tsuchimikado clan, but the gazes here were much more different. It’s as if the people are trying to find any weaknesses or faults from watching you walk. Suffocating.
Suddenly you wondered if your hair was done right. Your clothes were neatly pressed, but you had the itch to remove any dust or lint. Not that there was any.
The clan members stared holes into the side of your face, to the point that you've convinced yourself: You look absolutely hideous today. They all think you're ugly.
"You're beautiful, love."
You closed your eyes and couldn't stop the smile spreading across your face as Noritoshi linked his pinky with yours.
"You're gonna make me laugh, Toshi."
“That’s the purpose. Be at ease, no one will hurt you while I’m here.” His tone was cool and confident, letting you relax just an inch more.
◇◇◇
The meeting went smoothly. Everyone was incredibly polite. There was a stiffness in the air, but it was to be expected, with a first meeting with one of the Great Three Clans as important as this.
It was way more uptight than Noritoshi’s meeting with your family.
His step mother and father were as he described. Strict, expecting a level of obedience.
But they weren't harsh or restrictive. Just your typical Asian parents, wanting their children to be high achievers.
They were eager to ask you about your family, background, cursed technique, everything. You carefully answered as well as you could, remembering your well-rehearsed lines with Noritoshi.
His step-mother, as he already said, was slightly distant, but very courteous and civil. You can now see how she really treats Noritoshi like he is one of her own.
They look incredibly pleased with you and your capabilities so far. Noritoshi was right, it didn't really matter. Because you had the power they craved and were fated to be with their heir.
For all your annoyance at the way his father initially treated you like some kind of weapon or item to be acquired by the Kamo clan, you couldn’t deny it was too convenient for your relationship to have both sets of parents more than willing to let the both of you stay together.
Especially in a world where Jujutsu sorcerers expect to die early and put their lives on the line in every mission they take. It is an unforgiving task leaving many sorcerers lonely and isolated from the people they long to be with.
You’ll take what you can get and brush over the minor details. For now, there is, at the very least, no doubt that you’d end up being the strongest sorcerer once you enter the Kamo clan, and they’re treating you accordingly.
Though you disliked the fact that the attendants looked terrified and were overly formal with you. It will take them some time to get used to being a bit more casual, you thought with amusement.
◇◇◇
He led you to a small bench in front of a smaller Koi pond. Clean white and gray stones, very neat and polished, lined the edges. He gave your hand a squeeze.
A small table had been set up for the both of you. It was like a small picnic.
The view was surreal. You could see a lot of buildings just past the line of trees. The sun is due to set in half an hour.
"Are you really okay?"
You hummed quietly, “It wasn’t too bad today. Not that I’d expect any less from the Kamo family.
"I'm glad you like it here. Today was really good. They're much nicer to you than I expected," Noritoshi muttered.
Your head whipped to the side. "Is that a good or bad thing?"
"Not necessarily a bad thing. Just take it with a grateful heart. Anyways, there's nothing they can do, but to love and accept you. You're my future wife, and I'm the future clan head."
"Mmm…" You thought about that. It never really sunk in before until now that, yes you're eventually going to marry Noritoshi. And you want it with all your heart.
Wait.
"Toshi?"
"Hmm?"
"Did you… just now… was that a proposal?"
His eyes widened. "No. Not yet. I mean," he sighed. "I want you to be with me for a long time, but I wouldn't want a proposal to be so lackluster."
You grinned, unable to stop the smile from reaching your eyes. "Right."
"You're not gonna let this one go aren't you, love?"
"Nope."
◇◇◇
Noritoshi feels a surge of contentment and love rise in his chest as he watches you giggle uncontrollably. You’ve both settled back into a regular routine of having classes and smaller missions to exorcise curses alongside the other Kyoto Jujutsu High students. It felt refreshing to have more free time to play around.
You try to suppress your laughter, which you've been told numerous times sounds like a windshield wiper, but it was music to Noritoshi's ears.
"At least you've made up." Momo commented. You happily beamed at her, linking your arms together as you leaned against her side.
“Love is amazing isn’t it? Oh and about that book you recommended to me Momo senpai…” you chattered away distractedly.
"These lovebirds are way too obvious. Especially Mr. Vampire with the heart eyes right there." Mai muttered under her breath.
You turn to Noritoshi and indeed he hasn't taken his eyes off of you. Not even once.
"I'm not a vampire." He distractedly retorts at Mai, still not taking his eyes off you.
"That's a compliment you know. You deal with blood, have pale skin, and are suuuper beautiful. Vampires are so hot anyways. Guys and girls always stare at you, you know?" You teased.
"It's not me they're staring at when we go out on dates."
Noritoshi's eyes were so dark. Deep, that they almost looked obsidian. And yet they were still shining tenderly, with so much warmth.
And you once were intimidated so much by this man who looked incredibly reserved and stern. It was funny now that you think about it. He is like a puppy with you.
You both stared at each other for a while longer until Mai's irritated voice cut through the awkward silence, "Get a room!!!"
◇◇◇
It's a few days before the next school year starts.
It was Spring once more. You ran up to the rooftop of the tallest building, to find Noritoshi already there. Leaning against the rails to stare at the Cherry blossom trees. The petals were being gently blown around by the wind.
He didn't even stir even as they suddenly picked up whirled around him in a small Twister. Cursed energy spiking through the air, threading through the wind, petals, leaves, and small twigs.
You stepped up and wrapped your arms around him. He turns around to face you with a gentle and loving expression on his face.
He presses his lips against yours and holds you tightly against him. His body warm and strong against yours.
You pressed in closer to make sure you weren't dreaming, and as if he could read your thoughts, Noritoshi wrapped his arms around your legs and lifted you up. Lips never parting from one another's.
Exactly one year ago, you both met and saw a life of love through other people’s eyes.
The past molds into the present and soon becomes the future. The emotions that bled from your former souls bleed into your current lives and strengthens your bond.
But something new and beautiful blossomed in your relationship with Noritoshi. A quiet warmth and harmony that millions would give to have.
And Noritoshi finds himself at peace to live his life, seeing you not as Misaki through Hotaru’s eyes, but seeing you as yourself through his own. He's content. Just as you are.
TIME SKIP. A FEW MONTHS LATER.
"Hmmm? That Ryomen Sukuna has a vessel? And he's back?" Your gold and black dagger dangerously twirled around your fingers. Your latest gift from Noritoshi. A broken metal blade reforged with the use of kintsugi.
Noritoshi turned to you with a grim expression. Your eyes met his and you both were thinking about the same thing at this moment.
"I want him gone."
"But (y/n) chaaan~," Satoru's voice blasted from the speaker of your phone. "This is a once in a lifetime chance to make the vessel take in all the fingers, and then kill him. What do you think?"
"Satoru. We'd do anything that must be done to wipe that curse off the face of the earth. But wouldn't it be safer to kill the vessel outright?", you slammed down your dagger onto the table.
"Ehhh? Where's the fun in that? If we do this right, we can take all 20 fingers out in one go. And not to mention, I'd keep things under control in case anything happens."
"That's a murderer, a rapist, a criminal, I can't even begin to name everything he's done and you know it!"
"I told you”, there was a pause as Gojo claps his hands twice, “I'm gonna be the one to supervise this kid so you won't even have to worry about him getting loose. I'm the strongest after all."
Gears turn quickly in your mind. Satoru wasn’t completely wrong, but you had your doubts. "Fine. But if he goes wild, I'll be killing Itadori Yuuji."
"No need. I told you I'll be in charge, and you know I can hold him down in case anything happens. Ja-ne~~ bye byee~"
The call disconnects.
You closed your eyes in anger, "That son of a-" You hissed between your teeth.
Noritoshi moved to sit on the chair in front of you. You pressed your face against your palm, with one elbow propped up against the table.
"What are you planning to do?" He gently asks.
"I'll make sure that guy doesn't get within a foot near us. If he hurts you, I wouldn't hesitate to kill him."
You were no different from Gojo Satoru. You were both willing to make necessary sacrifices when it came down to it. Except this time he seemed reluctant to let the vessel of Sukuna go. Your mind started running with thoughts and theories for possible reasons why.
Noritoshi smiles at you, running a hand down the length of your arm. You raised your eyebrows at him.
He leans forward, just inches away from you. Lips a few centimetres apart. Eyes a warm chocolate, almost black. "It will be fine. You know I'd do the same and more for you, my heart."
There is a fire in his eyes. Noritoshi has been more vocal recently. More firm and confident. You decided that you absolutely loved that look on him.
“Yeah… After all, we stay together, Noritoshi.”
“Dead or alive.”
Your eyes widened at his words, but he didn't let you retaliate as he kissed you sweetly. You laughed against his lips as you agreed with him. “Yes of course, Toshi.”
Fate bound you to this man even past the hold of death.
Fin
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wolfwrenbrainrot · 5 months
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All the thoughts I ever had about SW ship wars from 2015 to 2023?? And why I ship Wolfwren I guess Idk
⚠️ DISCLAIMER ⚠️
I’ll be discussing the ship wars that are happening right now in the ahsoka fandom and compare it to how my perception about the fandom war that happened during the sequel era changed with the years). Oh, and I’m going to get into some tangencies that may not make much sense most of the time, so reading this to the end is on your own account. I ended up being a bit cynical too, but not in a mean way, I hope?
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I usually give up everytime I start writing an opinion on tumblr, because most of the time I just think my opinion won’t change anything, but the ahsoka fandom got “revived” (not that it was dead, but, well, we haven’t had any new episodes and to an extent the most of us move on to others shows a little until we get new content, like it happened these last few days) and I’ve been thinking about this show all on my own for a while (my friends aren’t really into Star Wars stuff, so they can listen, but they’ll never GET IT like interacting with fans online will). I’m explaining myself too much, but all I mean by that is that by writing this, I don’t intend to add fuel to the fire. That’s why i won’t tag sab//ra, r//lo or mention the ships just because I don’t want to upset those of them that can have normal conversations about media nor trigger those that can’t (which, thankfully, doesn’t seem to apply to all sab//zras). So, if you don’t like Wolfwren, you’ll only see this if you are looking for a ship you don’t like or if you’re invested enough in not liking it to check the anti tag. I’m not judging, we all been there. In fact, I was there during the sequel era, with a ship that is pretty similar in dynamic to Wolfwren. It was also pretty similar to a ship I loved at the time, Catradora, from Netflix’s She’ra. So, yeah, I was a big hypocrite. I still kinda think sapphic enemies to lovers is the superior taste of the trope, but that’s because I’m so profoundly gay it would scare the gayest gay, so obviously the ships I’m more invested in are sapphic. It’s a given. But my point is, now I see the whole R//lo argument from a different angle, that you can disagree with, but I believe is more realistic:
I don’t ship it.
Although it is an illusion to believe our taste in fiction is not related to who we are as people (because blah blah blah capitalism blah blah blah I’m a commie), it is possible to distinguish what we want from two fiction characters and how we expect to meet our partners in real life lmao.
(This next part I’m a bit uncertain of how it’ll be perceived, but I hope it makes sense. Please, both R//los and antis that may or may not be reading this, be patient and try to understand what I’m trying to say.
Yes, Finn was casted aside by Lucasfilm. Yes, K//lo getting a more prominent role in the films played a part in this whole process. Yes, there was a part of the R//lo fandom that was racist to John Boyega. This is also true for the Star Wars fandom as a WHOLE, because there was plenty of shitty dudebros complaining about the same shit they’re complaining today, “woke culture” and all that crap, just because they decided to have a woman and a black man as the protagonists. A decision that most likely wasn’t made by those executives thinking: “Oh, wouldn’t it be so great if we made a few minorities feel seen in this universe many of them really love?”. But it did that.
The Force Awakens came out and, despite being, at the same time, a remake of A New Hope and a continuation of Return of the Jedi, its new characters had SO. MUCH. POTENTIAL. And, limitations imposed by mainstream products made by big corporations and set in galaxies far, far away from ours aside, black people and women felt represented. It is one of the many contradictions of symbolic effect of minorities groups being represented in media produced in the system that oppress them (commie, warned you). Does it change things? No, not really. Isn’t it usually done it a way full of limitations that sometimes reinforce certain ideas that are pretty harmful? Yeah… Kind of… But didn’t it feel great, after growing up frustrated that Leia wasn’t a Jedi in the old movies, to have Rey? Wasn’t it awesome that black people got Finn? This complex (at least, it started that way) defected stormtrooper turned rebel? That could, maybe, even be force sensitive…? Yes to all of those questions! Tricky, isn’t it? By the way, I do believe that (before TROS) Finn had the narrative placement of Han (reluctant hero), Poe had Leia’s (rebel leader that gets captured and literally puts important information in a droid lmao), Rey had Luke’s (lives a boring life but has a calling to the adventure blah blah blah becomes a hero, we all heard it so many times) and Kylo had Vader’s (villain that’ll eventually get redeemed by the hero). All basic, old hero’s journey. A story structure that, despite being critical of, I eat up every fucking time it envolves spaceships and lightsabers. Getting back to the point, representation has its limits but it matters and the Star Wars fandom is full of racist, sexist pieces of shit and there was a percentage of the R//lo fandom that were too. But shipping R//lo isn't, like, intrinsically racist. You can make an argument for the implications of Adam Driver being chosen as a romantic interest (both by many fans and by Lucasfilm) over John Boyega, but at the same time there is, to some degree a level of which trope (friends to lovers or enemies to lovers) attracts you more. For me, it depends. I was a Finnpoe with a soft spot for Finnrey and an anti R//lo. But I’m obsessed with Wolfwren. Guess I like non-menacing men and evil lesbians. Wonder why Ezra Bridger is my favorite Rebels character and I ship Wolfwren. 🤔
Going back to the “Opinion on R//lo checklist”:
Would I like to meet my future partner by being kidnaped? No, not really. Do R//lo shippers want that? I think it's pretty safe to say they don't, even if they joke about it as much as I do about wanting Shin Hati to stab me. Because, ohh, right, it's a fictional movie about spaceships, galatic wars and space wizards. Yeah, I totally forgot about that when I was younger.
So, shipping R//lo doesn't mean you condone abusive relationships or domestic violence or whatever. Same applies to Wolfwren. ‘Cause, like, they aren't in a relationship yet, they’re not even friends or allies… They're on opposite sides of a war. You’re supposed to try to kill each other. Some people are just intrigued by the tension/dynamic between two characters and some others are just attracted to the characters and want to read about them fucking, and if it upsets you enough that you need to try to annoy people into stop shipping it… you need to rethink your relationship with fiction. I’m saying this because I had to do it, too. I went on with the mob and statements I agree to this day got mixed up with a bunch of nonsense and I thought that by being anti R//ylo I was making a statement, I was fighting against the romanticization of toxic relationships. I wasn't. It’s like that Luca Guadagnino’s film, “Bones and all”. Canibalism as a metaphor for love has been explored in multiple ways, by multiple artists in paintings, films, novels… Does it mean all the people who produced and consumed those works want to eat human flesh?
There’s also different ways of shipping an ETL ship. I love Wolfwren, and, in fanon, I don't mind it getting super angsty and fucked up, Killing Eve style, but I also love it when it's a slowburn romance with them going from enemies to reluctant allies to slowly building a friendship and falling in love. Do you see the range? Shipping is also about imagination, about overanalyzing things, about wondering what could character x possibly bring to character y? If Wolfwren ever does become canon, my perfect scenario would be the slowburn one, though I’ll love every second of them fighting and stare into each other's eyes until then.
If you ship S/b/rza, it doesn't mean you're homophobic. Unless you, well, use homophobic rhetoric to hate on Wolfwren and/or its shippers. This homophobic rhetoric can also be an attempt of being (hate to use this word) “woker” than the person shipping a gay ship and saying the queer people shipping Shin and Sabine are actually reinforcing lesbian stereotypes. Triste me when this is not the hot take you seem to think it. Maybe try researching a bit about queer representation in media, queercoding and the hays code era. Or try to put yourself in our shoes. As I stated above, representation has its limits but it matters and increases our ability to connect to the pieces of fiction we're consuming. In my case, as much as I can enjoy it, there's always gonna be a degree of alienation when it comes to “straight people media”. That's why I headcanon characters as sapphic. Because I am. That's why autistic people headcanon characters as being autistic. Same goes for trans people and other minority groups that do the same. So, in the end, it doesn't really need to be canon and even after today I’m still not that hopeful, ‘cause, again, it's Disney. If anything, there's always a possibility that, if Shin lives, she ends up being paired up with a random dude just so people can't call her a lesbian (this has never, ever, stopped a lesbian before tho lol). I'm guessing whatever happens with Wolfwren won't affect what happens to S/b/rza. I may be proven wrong in the future but I think they closed that door in the show, at least for now. Filoni doesn't seem that interested in writing romance to me, especially this time around. We are yet to see physical or romantic attraction being even remotely alluded to in this show. (S/b/rzas interpretation of Sabine's motivation to find Ezra or my interpretation of the tension between Shin and Sabine doesn't change that). It's a pretty sexless show (and I’m not saying they should have explicit sex on a Star Wars show, but George Lucas didn't shy away from romance and showcasing attraction and romantic love). I believe that's why he made sure to “discard” S/b/rza, despiste knowing it was a relatively popular ship in the Rebels fandom (obviously it doesn't stop anyone from shipping it, but it is an indicative of how Filoni intended us to perceive their dynamic). You know what I mean? Wolfwren happening or not, being or not supported by the cast and crew, doesn't change anything for your ship. And to be really honest, it is kind of funny to me that some people feel threatened by Wolfwren. ‘Cause, like, even if Filoni wants to make it canon, in the end it will be up to Lucasfilm and Disney to allow it or not and the best they gave us so far is Velcinta in Andor. Do you truly believe we have a better chance at getting our endgame than you do? Come on, guys. Please. I don't think any of us will, just to be clear, but even if Wolfwrens “win” this ship war, it won't be like some injustice or disrespect towards the s/b/rza fandom. Same goes for s/b/rza, because unlike Poe x Zorrii that was a last minute, pulled of their ass straight romance that only existed to send the very clear message that Poe Dameron is a heterossexual man (lol, he isn't). Ezra and Sabine do have a history together that I see as platonic but can be interpreted as romantic. And you will still be able to ship it, even if Sabine ends up with Shin. That's why fanfiction exist. If she ends up with Ezra, I’ll keep reading my Wolfwren fanfics and be happy with it. At the end of the day, it's just fiction. I care enough about it to write a long ass Tumblr post, but not to make me actually upset over a relationship that isn't my own.
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oraclebabsday · 3 months
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um hello!! im very new to comics, but of the characters I’ve seen so far, I really like Barbara and I was just wondering if you had any comic recommendations on where to start..? its very confusing trying to get into it all, but I’d like to be able to hold a conversation about someone I find interesting with my boyfriend so I can hear him info dump on me more cus he’s deep into dc so :)
Hi!!! That is so sweet omg 😭 Welcome to the weird wonderful world of comics!!! and also i’m so sorry for what I’m abt to throw at you lmao
Since you’ve sent this ask into an Oracle-centric blog, I’m gonna keep this rec list Oracle!Babs-centric (& also encourage my fellow mods to add on if they also have some recs!) I actually don’t have a whole lot of recs for Batgirl!Babs anyways, but I’ll be tagging my gen dc blog at the end in case you’d like to talk abt those or any other characters!
Also before I get Into the recs, I wanna give you some words of encouragement: there’s no right or wrong way to read! You’re also likely gonna have some well a lot of confusion at the beginning, esp bc there will be Events™️ that have ramifications™️ and you’re not always given full context of what’s come before or what’s happening concurrently with what you’re reading. I’ve been doing this for awhile and if I’ve learned anything, it’s that the more that you read & explore, the more fun you’ll have & the more things will usually start to make sense! But it’s all gotta start somewhere first! :D and you’ve def chosen a great character to be your launching point!
Im gonna be hopping around a bit in my recs here but I’ll try to keep it mostly in chronological order. That said, first up:
Suicide Squad (1987) - she appeared semi-regularly starting in #23! This was also her debut as Oracle! I really enjoyed the overall run & would normally highly recommend it, but also want to warn that it’s a pretty heavy read in terms of content itself (canon-typical violence ofc esp for a SuiSq comic, discussions of suicide ideation, period typical stereotyping/‘subversion’ of said stereotypes, but that’s a deeper discussion for a different blog) For that reason, I don’t necessarily recommend it for a first-time reader, esp if you’re wanting to solely focus on Babs. Team books usually aren’t super great when you’re reading for an individual character, in my experience, esp in a case like this where the character isn’t always necessarily part of the team or appears sporadically enough to disrupt the flow of following a storyline.
Birds of Prey (1999) - This team book breaks that prev rule tho, bc Babs is the leader & is in Damn near every issue of this run 😂 There’s several smaller team-ups before the main ‘99 run (BoP:Manhunt, BoP:Wolves, etc), which are also good as a prelude before the main run itself. This will be the longest thing that will give you a LOT to parse through & ymmv with a lot of it. (Dixon & Simone are the most prominent writers for it & without getting Into It they each have their Issues™️ & Crimes™️) It also crosses over with a few events/references others. Imo it’s a good window into what comics are like overall, esp when you get into a longer run with multiple writers at the helm. But it has an added bonus of keeping a pretty small cast at its forefront (for about half the run, it’s solely Babs n Dinah!) It also has a follow-up run in 2010 which is broken up by-
Oracle: The Cure - (technically a 3-issue mini-series but!!!) this one’s a culmination of Oracle & Calculator’s (it’s not rivalry? That can’t be the right word… Uhhh, nemesis-sitch?) from BoP & leads right into bringing Babs back to Gotham in Steph’s Batgirl run as well as the next BoP run I mentioned just a sec ago. It’s what I like to call connective (t)issues lol. Ymmv I think depending on if you’ve read BoP ‘99/TT ‘03 beforehand, but I hadn’t read a lot of TT before reading it at the time, and I enjoyed it a lot!
A couple individual issues I wanna suggest:
Batman Chronicles #5 - Oracle: Year One!!!!! Cannot rec this one enough!!! In lieu of reading Killing Joke (which really only serves Bruce, Joker, Jim Gordon’s characters) read this!!! LICHERALLY her origin in coming into her own as Oracle!!! This one is THE place to start, actually, before you read anything start here 😂
Batman: Gotham Knights #6 - okay, this one is admittedly a self-indulgent rec. Without spoiling the plot, it’s CLASSIC soap-opera level shit. The TENSION at play & the layers of Bruce & Babs dynamic, the messiness of the batfam!!! 👌 *chefs kiss* GK as a run in general too was a LOT of fun for me & Babs is a pretty prominent player in much of it, but this issue rlly takes the cake for me ngl
And to tie it all together for an extra couple of Important Event recs that you’ll run into esp if you pick up BoP first:
Batman: No Man’s Land - okay, this event was a Behemoth. It’s a LOT to read, but it is REALLY good imo as a launching point for where Bat-comics were at the start of the millennium. Babs takes the narrative role SO many times throughout & she rlly comes into her own by becoming a linchpin for the info system she builds for the batfam. Again, I don’t wanna discourage you when I say it’s a Long read, bc it’s well worth it imo, but also 100% okay to skip when you’re just starting out! It’s a big time sink!
Batman: Officer Down - okay put away the meme forJUST A SEC, our old friend Jim Gordon’s been shot & it’s up to Batma- oh wait bruce sulks by Jim’s bedside while Babs rallies the troops and GETS SHIT DONE to find who shot her dad? INTERESTING 🧐 In all seriousness tho, & compared to NML, this is a much easier bite-sized event that can give you a taste of what Event/crossoverComics™️ are generally like 👍
Bruce Wayne: Murderer?/Fugitive - okay so, take that same energy of the batfam having to Put In The Work to help Bruce out & flip it around bc now Bruce is the Main Suspect. The drama, the Intrigue™️. Pretty much everyone in the fam gets a moment to shine & this is def peak of how Babs fits into the fam during this era. This one runs a bit on the longer side & babs is again, more of a support role here, but god damn I loved it a lot!
I feel like I’m obligated to at least Mention Batman: War Games, mostly to note that it finally shakes the foundation of Oracle being the batfam’s main support (her CLOCKTOWER gets nerfed in this event 😭) If you read all of BoP and skip over this event & then are confused abt why Babs is suddenly being ejected from Gotham, just remember that her clocktower gets blown up, Steph dies, Bruce n Babs have a falling out & that’s basically why Babs starts flying around the country & settles in Metropolis for a bit instead of going back to Gotham. I reread this event at least once a year bc it gave me brainworms, I can not in good conscience recommend it to anyone bc no one understands her (War Games) like i do 💕 Godspeed if you decide to read it o7
Other recs/mentions:
Batgirl (2000) - okay if you end up reading NML, you’ll be introduced to Cass in it, & this run picks up with her. Babs is in it a LOT at the beginning as supporting cast to Cass (up to War Games ofc, but I won’t say much more abt that lol) I’m ngl, when I was trying to get more into comics, this run was what HOOKED me
Batgirl (2009) - so in a similar vein, Babs also features as a support for Steph too in her batgirl run. It’s… different from Cass’ run, but I also rlly love this one too. And also am forever bitter that the Batgirls run didn’t realize their potential BUT WE’RE NOT GETTING INTO THAT HERE.
Gonna mention Batman: Gotham Knights one more time bc again, while Babs isn’t a main focus, I think it’s rlly good at tying the batfam together during that era & giving a reader glimpses into other characters/dynamics. I think I got more out of it after I had read a few other runs from this time period (namely Robin, Azrael & some prominent stuff with Huntress), but can also see it as a potential launching point for new readers too 👍 if you wanna get more into the batfam/Batman but are intimidated by the Big Runs, this can potentially be a good bridge!
Gonna rapid fire mention that Babs as Oracle has a lot of appearances in Robin (93), Nightwing (96), JLA (96), Azrael (95) and obvsly Batman/Detective Comics from the 90s into 00s. I’ve read a few of these runs, and ymmv depending on how attached you may get to certain characters. But that’s what comics is all about! Getting attached and exploring other characters n teams n stuff!
A Gen note that I wanna end on: I wasn’t exaggerating when I said earlier abt how the more you read the more you’ll have fun. I can’t even begin to count the number of times that I’ve read something from a 90s/00s comic & was essentially jumpscared by a sudden Oracle cameo that I wasn’t expecting! She pops up in so many things throughout the universe at the time!!! She was THE info broker for all the supers!!! It makes me so insane that DC threw that all away to magi-cure her and demote her back to batgirl when she had grown so much 😭
anyways I hope you have fun!!! And again if you’re ever looking for other recs my more Gen dc blog is @dyketectivecomics! If my fellow mods or anyone else have some recs to add or to dispute haha, I’ll be tagging this so others can see/rb/reply to add their recs too 👍
Okay! \o/ that’s all I got for now! Happy reading anon!!!!
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thewinterstale · 10 months
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any fic recs for hot babs summer??
So, Babs suffers from a rare condition called “background character syndrome,” which means he is tagged in a lot of fics and appears prominently in very few. It makes it difficult to find Babs-centric fics, as opposed to fics where he stands around in the back of a crowd scene. That said, I’m pretty sure all five fics in the Goofy/Naberius tag do feature Babs, but… that feels like a very specific preference, so I’ll leave interested parties to explore those offerings at their leisure. If anyone wants to read them and write some reviews, tag me, and I'll reblog! 
I decided it was worthwhile to do a BIT of additional archeological digging and see what else I could see! The first thing I looked into was the seemingly obvious Colum/Naberius tag! I discovered TWO fics! 
Between a Rock and a Hard Place by LycanKnightLink:  A quick n’ dirty Porn Without Plot fic set during a No Cytherea AU.
put to death therefore what is earthly in you by elpisflower: PURE CAVALIER ANGST! If you crave a touch of plot with your porn, you might enjoy this bad boy. Unexpectedly atmospheric! 
There is plenty of room for more Babs/Colum if you’re feeling inspired!
Moving on! I had already read a few of the fics in the Palamedes/Naberius tag, so here are my two favorites:
i might say i might by syntheseas
This is, I believe, the OG PalBabs fic. It’s a college AU! Pal meets Babs on The App, they have a really weird coffee date, end up doing The Sex, and then… just keep hanging out?! It’s unfinished but actually updated semi-recently, to everyone’s surprise and delight! This one is quite iconic in certain circles. 
The Art of Losing by reconquer / @sophelstien 
Pal and Babs are both having a bad time at Canaan House! They’re both unlucky in love! Anyway, they decide to touch each other’s peepees about it. Great prose, hilarious freaking dialogue, very pathetic boys. Check it out for a mid blowie you won’t forget! 
And my final recommendation for the day is a PURE BABS FIC! No ship! No porn! It’s Naberius/Rapier! 
the cavalier perfected by rnanqo / @rnanqo
I re-read this fic this morning at someone else’s recommendation! If you’re looking for Baby Babs POV (I mean Babs as a Baby, not Babs’ baby, which I realize is confusing if you’re on my blog a lot lmao), Babs taken seriously, great little worldbuilding details, and an awesome craft choice at the very end, you’ll love it! (Also, while we’re here, I should shout out their very, very iconic The Tridentearii on the off chance there is a living human being who still hasn’t heard it. Is Babs the main character? No. Does he make a lot of iconic cameos? Yeah! It might not technically be in the spirit of Hot Babs Summer, but… shut up.) What are YOUR perfect beach reads for Hot Babs Summer?!
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melisusthewee · 1 year
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WIP Wednesday!!!
Pretend there’s a cool graphic here.  Perhaps I’ll have time to make one some day soon.  Or if anyone wants to whip one up for me, I’ll draw your blorbo as an exchange of goods and services.
Anyways!  On to the sharing!  I was really pleasantly surprised with last week and how many people shared with each other what neat things they were working on and kept the chain going.  So I’m doing it again!  Remember, there’s no pressure, but show me what you’re working on!  What neat things do you have cooking in either the Dragon Age or otherwise fandoms?
I myself don’t have a whole lot this week.  I’ve been suffering from an overwhelming number of ideas and brain bugs and can’t really sit down to complete any of them.  Instead I’m bouncing from idea to idea like a ping pong ball.  I did a little more work on my Inquisitor’s character sheet this week, focusing on his post-Trespasser design as head of Divine Victoria’s honour guard.
(Art and discussion of concept ideas, as well as tag list are below the cut.)
For context, this was the original “design” which was done last year and mostly on a dare after making the joke that the Divine’s bodyguards in Trespasser were just wearing recoloured versions of Sebastian’s outfit and “lol wouldn’t Quinn look dumb in that.”  I added a few elements of Divine Victoria’s armour - mainly with the red fur mantle but it’s pretty basic.
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This was my first pass at the redesign for Quinn’s new reference sheet done a couple months ago.  I kept the shoulders the same, but tried to lean into Divine Victoria’s armour more.  Unfortunately, I don’t think it suits a male figure or it just didn’t really translate well for me.  The addition of texture/embossing on parts of the armour also made it feel a bit too busy for me more than looking decorative or elegant.  It also didn’t look like it allowed for much movement in the torso and while I make the dark joke that Quinn is so drunk and depressed at this point in his life that it’d make sense to strap him into armour that forces him to stay upright, compared to the other outfits I’ve redesigned this just... didn’t feel it.
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Here is my more recent pass at the redesign!  Again, the shoulders are largely untouched.  I like the idea of the armour completely covering what remains of his left arm, plus it has the added practicality of likely having a strap at the bottom that wraps around the bottom of his sleeve securing it into place.  The bracer on his right arm has also largely been left alone - it’s a hold over from some of his Inquisitor gear in one of my designs and I like carrying bits over... like a wardrobe evolution.  It also shows that Quinn has personal attachment to articles of clothing and accessories.  The fur mantle of the Divine is still there... never gonna get rid of it, but it’s sort of combined/blended with the in-game body guard appearance.  The chest has also been flattened and simplified, going back to resembling the body guard/Sebastian chest piece but a little larger and more protective.  Plus the hint of plate layering too.  The scaled coat is still there as the under layer, but it’s less prominent or visible.  There is a vest between the armour and the scale coat to give the breast plate a little more friction to stay in place.  It will likely be red with gold accents.  All the embossing on the armour has been removed.  I am unlikely to bring it back.
The waist design was also re-worked, taking inspiration from one of my favourite artists’ character design work in Fire Emblem.  The Roman-esque belted skirt is more of a half-skirt, with a fabric skirt draped over part of the belt.  I’ve blocked out a section where I am going to experiment with embroidery patterns similar to what I’ve done on previous outfits to give this more of a my-idea-of-the-Trevelyans feel.  I haven’t done a colour test yet.  But I do think I like this better overall.
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Close up of his face, if you like.  He’s so sad.  He’s so tired.  He needs a beard shave and a haircut.
Tagging with absolutely no pressure: @rosella-writes​ @roguelioness​ @potatowitch​ @cleverblackcat​ @noire-pandora​ @darethshirl​ @kittynomsdeplume​ @little-lightning-lavellan​ @little--abyss​ @plisuu​ @blarrghe​ @inquisitoracorn​ @morganlefaye79​ @knuttydraws​ @knightdawn​ @n7viper​ @sulky-valkyrie​ @drag-on-age​ @oxygenforthewicked​ @bluewren​ @nirikeehan​ @effelants​ @greypetrel​ @scribbledquillz​ @transprincecaspian​ @transfenris-truther​ @jellydishes​ @absyntthe​ @idolsgf​ @terencessong​ @internetdoashouting​
As always, if you would like to be added or removed, please let me know.  Don’t feel shy or bad about it!  You can even DM me privately and know one else has to know!
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