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zscalatian · 2 years

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FF7 Secret Santa 2022

Hey, thanks for taking a look at my letter! You don’t have to use anything here but if you want inspiration or to know things that I like, here you go.

General Likes: - Gen preferred over shippy stuff, and plot over fluff. (Can be very low-stakes plot, though.) Happy, or hopeful, or bittersweet endings, not tragic ones. - Hurt/comfort; Action/adventure; Stories inside stories; Missing scenes and backstories; Post-canon fic; AUs where the setting is more than background scenery - Platonic relationships; Family relationships; Found families; Established relationships; Poly relationships; Intense and complicated relationships; Queer narratives and normalized queer relationships; -Characters bonding; Characters dealing with and recovering from trauma and PTSD; Interrogation and subversions of gender roles; - Competent and butt-kicking female-presenting characters; Justifiably angry characters (especially female-presenting ones); Sunshine sweethearts; Characters undergoing identity crises; Characters undergoing crises of morality; Stubborn characters who refuse to give up; Characters being competitive; Characters reaching out to each other - physically and metaphorically; Looking out for each other/having each others backs; - World- and lore-building; Detailed setting descriptions; Fighting/action scenes; Banter while fighting; Shenanigans and hijinks; Game mechanics & meta folded into the narrative; Moral complications - Scrapes, cuts, and bruises or a bit more extreme with injuries, blood, and bandages; Curative Magic; Physical scars; Tattoos; Being tired/exhausted; Sharing a bed, curled up on the couch together, cuddling; Kisses on the nose, cheek, eyelids, forehead; - Food and cooking; Travel and road-trips; Exploring different cultures; Flowers - giving/receiving flowers, language of flowers, flower crowns, gardening; Hair - Brushing it, taking care of it, braids and trying different styles, pulling things out of it, characters messing with each other’s hair; Fashion - clothing design, textile work, clothes shopping, characters exploring their personal style, how a character came to wear their canon outfit; Animals - characters with their pets or around livestock and working animals; The performing arts; Dancing; Characters building or creating things with their hands, their minds, and/or their powers. - Fairytale tropes and motifs, especially if they’re twisted or interrogated; Tarot imagery and symbolism; Dreams and nightmares; Stained Glass; Seasonal motifs; Hanafuda motifs;

Art Likes: All of the above, of course. Playing with color, layout, style. Light and Shadow. Detailed and intricate art is nice, but so are minimalistic styles. A sense of place. Easter eggs and hidden images. Symbolism. Tattoos. Graffiti. Flowers. Pretty hair. Artist's personal interpretations of characters - if you have a mental image that differs from canon, I'm cool with it.

General DNW’s: NSFW - implied or fade to black is okay; A/B/O dynamics; Character bashing - please write characters as complex and three-dimensional; Drug use; Unhappy endings; Extremely violent horror; Relationships that are filled with negative drama; Sexual violence; Unrequested relationships; Fake relationships; Soulmate AU’s; Gratuitous violence/cruelty; Crackfic;

Not that interested in (but are okay as minor side characters or in mention) the Turks, The kids are all right characters, the Remnants, or Deepground. You’ll observe that character death and animal death are not in my DNW’s. If the story needs a sacrifice, the story needs a sacrifice. Please exercise your judgement here.

Fandom Likes: Game mechanics & meta. Materia lore and summons. Mako & the Lifestream. Chocobos. How SOLDIERs and AVALANCHE are treated post-Meteor. Rebuilding around the planet after the WEAPON’s attacks. Buster Sword legacy. Working/fighting as a team. Zack and/or Aerith and/or Wedge lives. SOLDIER tears glowing. SOLDIERs having enhanced senses. Nibelheim as culturally similar to mountain town and Black Forest Germany. Tifa and/or Cloud accidentally speaking with their old Nebil accent. Fenrir. Different people back-riding on Fenrir. Scenes featuring the cast’s physical scars. People actually wearing the armor accessories (earrings, rings, bangles, ribbons, etc.) References to the compilation. References to the state of the natural world & eco-systems. References to Norse mythology;

Seventh Heaven Family: Kid or Teenage Denzel and Marlene. The adults being good parents for Marlene and Denzel. The kids calling the adults Dad/Mom. Taking the kids sight-seeing around the planet. Camping, swimming, fighting monsters as a family. Visiting the snow, beach, forest, desert. Visiting other AVALANCHE members. The kids helping around the bar. Teaching them to ride chocobos. Starting a garden.

Cloud: Being into weapon designs, blacksmithing, motorcycles, and mechanical work. His memory issues. Looking into Cetran lore post-meteor. Afraid of being happy. Competent on his own, wanting to be alone, and learning it’s okay to rely on others, letting them help him. Doing maintenance on Barret’s arm. Having wings. In CC Zack’s limit for Cloud is meteor rain, therefor it logically follows that before mako Cloud’s top tier limit as a cadet and trooper was in fact, meteor rain and that he knew how to use it.

Barret: Complicated feelings about his gun arm post-Meteor, and getting his new prosthetic. Being a rough teddy bear. His love for the planet and natural world. Looking into eco-friendly energy. Owning the bar. Knows how to sing and has a rich voice.

Tifa: Bartending & drink mixing. Team mom & mama bear. Playing the piano and thinking about her mom & dad & home & Nibelheim. Scraps and cuts from a fight aka bloody knuckles & nose, split lip, etc. Buff Tifa. Being slightly enhanced from her fall into Mako.

Aerith: Her spice & sass. Friendship with Red & Tifa. Relationship with Minerva and the lifestream, summons, WEAPONS. Cetran heritage. Good at baking & sucks at making drinks. Gardening & love of growing things.

Zack: Considers himself a good person but is actually morally gray and has to confront that at some point. Protective. Dog person. Big hearted & loves fully and deeply. Zack being a touchy-feely person, with little respect for personal space. Explaining/working with the DMW & why Zack’s limit breaks are copies of other people’s limits.

Angeal: Maintenance on the buster sword. Being good at reading people. Martyr complex. What does it mean to be a man, SOLDIER, human, monster, friend? Cooking & gardening, a domestic type. The conflict between his sense of justice and honor and navigating Shinra politics.

Kunsel: Stealth helping AVALANCHE. Reconnecting with Zack. Checking in on Aerith after Zack’s disappearance. Checking in on/maintaining the church garden after Aerith leaves Midgar. Joining up with AVALANCHE. Being a good/nosey friend/bro.

Characters/Relationships Cloud Strife & AVALANCHE Cloud Strife & Reeve Tuesti Biggs & Jessie & Wedge & Cloud Strife Zack Fair & Angeal Hewley & Cloud Strife Zack Fair & Kunsel & Cloud Strife Zack Fair & Kunsel Kunsel & Cloud Strife Kunsel & Aerith Gainsborough Angeal Hewley & Cloud Strife Essai & Zack Fair & Kunsel & Luxiere & Sebastian & Cloud Strife Tifa Lockhart & Cloud Strife & Barret Wallace & Marlene Wallace Tifa Lockhart & Cloud Strife & Barret Wallace & Marlene Wallace & Denzel Tifa Lockhart & Cloud Strife & Marlene Wallace & Denzel Zack Fair & Aerith Gainsborough & Tifa Lockhart & Cloud Strife Marlene Wallace & Denzel Denzel & Cloud Strife Barret Wallace & Marlene Wallace Denzel & Cloud Strife & Marlene Wallace Zack Fair/Cloud Strife Cloud Strife/Barret Wallace Cloud Strife/Angeal Hewley Cloud Strife/Wedge Zack Fair/Aerith Gainsborough Aerith Gainsborough/Tifa Lockhart Aerith Gainsborough/Tifa Lockhart/Cloud Strife Tifa Lockhart/Cloud Strife/Barret Wallace Zack Fair/Aerith Gainsborough/Cloud Strife Zack Fair/Aerith Gainsborough/Cloud Strife/Tifa Lockhart

Other side pairings Barret/Myrna Cid/Shera Vincent/Lucrecia

Prompts: (Feel free to mix and match any of these together if you like) 1# Cloud meets Cloud; Somehow Cloud meets another version of himself. (Or several versions of himself.) Time travel (forwards or backwards), alternate time line, alternate reality, dimension hopping, puppet Cloud, clone Cloud, hallucination/imaginary, weird materia effect, mini, etc.

Go dark, angsty, surreal, fluffy, found family, action/adventure, comedy (but not crack), your choice. Pick anywhere in the timeline.

If you want, along with alternate Cloud feel free to add extra versions of Tifa, Barret, RedXIII/Nanaki, Aerith, Yuffie, Cid, Vincent, Cait Sith, Reeve, Biggs, Jessie, Wedge, Zack, Marlene, Denzel or Claudia. (Preferred optional parings - Cloud/Barret, Cloud/Barret/Tifa, Cloud/Zack, Cloud/Zack/Aerith, Cloud/Tifa, Cloud/Aerith, Cloud/Tifa/Aerith, Cloud/Wedge, Gen or creepy dysfunctional Sephiroth/pupet!Cloud, Sephiroth/Clone!Cloud.)

2# Canon Divergence Let’s ignore canon. Cloud as SOLDIER. (Character death okay)

Version 1 - Degradation and Nibelheim never happened. Cloud, as Zack’s student, made SOLDIER. Something happens that makes Cloud, Zack, and/or Angeal question whether honor/pride/dreams are compatible with a company like Shinra. Answer: no. What do they do about it? (Preferred optional parings - Cloud/Zack, Cloud/Zack/Aerith or Gen.)

Version 2 - Cloud made SOLDIER but still left Shinra. Maybe he becomes a mercenary, defects to Wutai, or joins AVALANCHE. His mentor Zack is sent after him. (Preferred optional parings - Cloud/Tifa, Cloud/Barret, Cloud/Wedge, or Gen.)

Version 3 - Cloud is sent after company traitor and deserter fellow 1st class SOLDIER Zack Fair and/or Sephiroth. (Preferred optional parings - Zack/Aerith, Cloud/Zack/Aerith, one sided Cloud/Zack, or Gen)

Version 4 - Cloud made SOLDIER but still left Shinra. Now as an ex-SOLDIER he’s been hired by AVALANCHE. Here he meets Zack Fair, one of AVALANCHE’s ragtag members. (Preferred optional parings - Cloud/Zack, Cloud/Zack/Aerith, Cloud/Zack/Aerith/Tifa, or Aerith/Tifa)

Version 5 - Shinra is not evil. SOLDIER dad Cloud looking after Denzel and/or Marlene with his partner/s. Slice of life in the tower/military. Angeal, Reeve, Cait Sith or Cid cameos welcome. (Preferred optional parings - Cloud/Barret, Cloud/Barret/Tifa, Cloud/Zack, Cloud/Zack/Aerith, Cloud/Tifa, Cloud/Aerith, or Cloud/Tifa/Aerith.)

Version 6 - SOLDIER Cloud vs the One Winged Angel. Cloud is not special to Sephiroth, he’s just another SOLDIER. Or he’s the legacy of Sephiroth’s lost friends - Angeal and Zack (who are both dead now). Or it’s Angeal, Zack and Cloud vs the One Winged Angel. (Preferred optional parings - Cloud/Zack, Cloud/Aerith, Cloud/Aerith/Zack, Zack/Aerith or Gen.)

3# Genre shift/AUs; I really enjoy a good AU, get into the meat and explore these worlds/settings. Pick a genre shift or AU and have fun!

Genre shift AU: Space Opera; Space Western; Western; -I love Firefly and Cowboy Bebop and grew up on cowboy westerns. I’d love to see AVALANCHE in that sort of setting. Whether they are bounty hunters, smugglers, mercenaries, cowboys, ranchers, or running a saloon, that is up to you. The Highwind and Shera would make wonderful spaceships. Feel free to swap horses and chocobos, have both, or swap chocobos and cattle if you like. -Shinra is a great antagonist. From corrupt company or government to President Shinra just being a greedy A-hole making their lives difficult. Feel free to use the SOLDIERs, Turks, or Hojo as additional antagonists here.

Animal shape-shifter AU: Go big and flashy or small and mundane. One character as the shape-shifter or everyone. Have them keep it a secret or something everyone knows about/can do.

Wing AU: Cloud with wings. One wing? A pair? Many? What color or style? Why does he have them? Is he still freaking out, resigned or are they normal for him? Do other people have them? Set in canon or AU. Just want a story with wings.

Mer AU: I really like the idea of there being different types of mer (reef, open ocean, abyssal, fresh water, etc,) as well as a mer’s appearance taking after real fish and other aquatic animals. Not that interested in seeing mer/human interactions, more what is life like in the water.

Cloud is a Selkie: Someone finds Cloud on the shore of the cold, wild sea. Maybe he’s injured, maybe he’s lost his seal skin, maybe something else happened. Whatever it is, it prevents Cloud from flipping them off and going back to the sea immediately.

Monster & Fall or Winter holiday AU: Either the cast are monsters or they live in a world with monsters. Looking for creatures and inspiration from Scandinavian, Nordic and Germanic folklore. Maybe blend it with Final Fantasy/FF7 lore. Less modern version of holidays more Historical version, Pagan or Fantasy holiday. Cold weather. Food, world building. (Yes I want monsters and holidays mixed. Don’t judge.)

(Preferred optional parings for all AUs- Cloud/Zack, Cloud/Barret, Cloud/Angeal, Cloud/Wedge, Cloud/Aerith/Tifa, Cloud/Tifa/Barret, Cloud/Zack/Aerith, Cloud/Zack/Aerith/Tifa, Zack/Aerith, Aerith/Tifa, or Gen.)

4# Time Travel I absolutely love time travel, so here are a few different prompts to work with. - TT Cloud leaving “gifts” for Zack. Post-time travel Cloud mentoring Zack. TT Cloud being reborn as a twin to CC Cloud (with or without his enhancements). TT Cloud ends up looking after/traveling with/fighting his younger self. TT ACC Cloud and CC Cloud as teenage cadets together. - TT Cloud going back far enough to save/free Ifalna. Cloud goes back to after the Nibelheim incident has already happened. - Cloud traveling back with Denzel and/or Marlene. The Seventh Heaven Family traveling back. Barret as a single time traveler. Denzel and/or Marlene are the time travelers without any adults. The kids meeting mama Strife. - Buster Sword legacy fic with Cloud and/or Zack as the time traveler/s. Having the fusion swords and the future buster sword with him/them would be cool, as well as Angeal’s reaction to an upgraded buster sword. Angeal & Genesis being called out on their actions in Crisis Core.

-Things I like in this genre are: older-self interacting with younger self; Hojo and President Shinra getting their comeuppance; The time traveler having to separate their feeling/opinions on someone’s past self from their future self; Ripple effects; Having to deal with something they didn’t know or at least didn’t have all the details for; Interacting with previously deceased family and/or friends; The time traveler being overpowered/lvl 99; Time traveler having end game gear; Revealing they are a time traveler & others' reactions to it; Others trying to figure out what makes the time traveler so weird (answer - time travel, duh);

(Preferred optional parings - Cloud/Zack, Cloud/Barret, Cloud/Angeal, Cloud/Tifa/Barret, Zack/Aerith or Gen.)

#ff7 #Fanfic Exchange #ao3 gift exchange #letter #secret santa

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lotf-ao3-gift-exchange · 4 months

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lotf ao3 gift exchanges

if you or a loved one is interested in doing a fanfic exchange on ao3, please contact me and i'll set you up with someone (ngl it might just be me if no one else asks, but i promise you i write nicely enough)

#lotf fanfic #fanfic #ao3 gift exchange

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fairyvearths · 1 year

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3 times you try (and fail) to kiss luffy and the 1 time he kisses you

FANDOM: one piece WORD COUNT: 5, 300+ PAIRING: monkey d. luffy x reader WARNINGS: none, for the most part. a hint of jealousy, but it’s very small.

NOTE: hello @hawkix, i am your secret santa for the @onepiece-blorboexchange. i hope this piece is to your liking. merry christmas, and happy holidays 🎄🎁 also cross-posted on archive

one

“You’re best friends with Luffy, right?”

Zoro is sleeping—or at least, trying to. With how rambunctious the crew is right now, and the way the ship rocks on the waves, it’s pretty easy to assume that the man is still awake. That, and, you had seen his brows flinch slightly when your shadow fell over his face.

But still, he pretends.

Fine.

You kick him.

Zoro catches your ankle before you make contact with his leg. “Oi,” he snaps.

You flail for balance, a squeal sticking in your throat as your centre of gravity tilts.

Zoro pulls you as you fall and you crash on your side.

“Ow,” you say, mostly for show, because your arm had cushioned your landing and you’ve been through much worse than this. Zoro knows it too.

“Quit being a baby,” he grouses, shifting himself up higher on the railing now that he’s officially awoken from his nap. “The Hell were you thinking, trying to kick me?”

You roll onto your back. “You were ignoring me.”

“I was trying to sleep.”

“But you weren’t, yet.”

“Yeah—yet. I was getting there.”

“So you just ignored me?” You bat your arm in his general direction. “What if it was an emergency?”

“It wasn’t.”

“You don’t care about me.”

“The Hell?”

You giggle because he didn’t say, ‘Yeah, of course I don’t’ and that’s a win if you’ve ever encountered one. “You don’t,” you sigh, carpeting the floor with your faux misery. “I could die and you woul—”

“Shut up.” Zoro actually jabs you in the arm with the hilt of one of his swords.

“Hey!”

“You didn’t hit your head when you fell, right?”

You scoff, mirthful shock coating your words, “Are you calling me stupid?”

“No—I mean, I made sure you didn’t hit your head when you fell.”

It takes a while for his words to click in your brain, and when it does—Oh. You turn your head to look at him, cheek pressing into the hardwood floors. “Why can’t you just say you care about me like someone who isn’t emotionally constipated?”

Zoro scowls, crossing his arms across his chest and looking away like he’s a four-year-old child throwing a tantrum. “Is this what you woke me up for?” he grumbles.

You want to keep ribbing him, but you understand that Zoro is being defensive, so you take his cue and reroute the conversation. “No, actually—I wanted to ask you a favour.”

He turns back, scepticism raising his brows. “About Luffy?”

You open your mouth to ask how he knows, but you realise you had asked about your captain when you approached Zoro. “So you did ignore me,” you gasp, slightly maybe a lot offended.

“Yeah, of course I did—I was trying to sleep!” he shoots back.

It’s your turn to cross your arms over your chest and cast your gaze to the sky. “I can’t believe you.”

Zoro clicks his tongue before tapping your leg lightly with his foot. “What’d you need help with?”

“Nah,” you push out with a breath, “I don’t want your help anymore.”

“Fine,” Zoro says, yawning. “Go somewhere else—I’m trying to sleep.”

You slap his knee. “Oi.”

“What do you need, then?”

“I wanna kiss Luffy.”

A beat. Then, “And you’re telling me, because?”

“Because, Zoro,” you say, turning to face him again, “last time I tried, you called his attention to a Sea King and ran off with him.”

Zoro snorts. “So, go kiss him now.” He jerks his chin towards the deck where he, Usopp and Chopper are gathered. “He’s not busy.”

“It’s not that simple,” you intone, stretching out your words. “I can’t just do it out of nowhere, it has to be proper and—”

“Oh, kill me now,” Zoro whispers in exasperation. He deflects another one of your attacks, knocking your hand out of its trajectory. “If you wanted romantic, you should’ve gone to the Cook.”

“But he’s your best friend,” you reiterate. “You know him better than anyone here.”

Zoro sighs, long-sufferingly. “Have you tried talking to him?” he asks, tired.

“No?” Bewilderment laces your tone, falling in a heavy heap on the ground. “I’m not telling Luffy I want to kiss him.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s weird; I can’t just tell him, I just gotta do it.”

“Then do it—He’s right there.” Once again, he gestures towards your captain, as if you’re not already hyperaware of his presence.

“Not like that,” you hiss.

“Oh, my God,” Zoro grumbles. “Stop being difficult.”

“I’m not! I just need to you to help me—”

“I’m trying! You keep dismissing my solutions. It’s so easy, here, look—Luffy!”

Your heart jumps into your throat as Zoro hollers, and you leap forward to cover his mouth. You misjudge the distance, punching him in the cheek instead.

“What the fuck?” Zoro rears his head back, slapping your hand away.

“Shit, I’m so sorry—” You retract your offending limb, covering your mouth in shock. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, didn’t hurt,” he says, and you can tell he’s not just saying it to make you feel better. The man’s been through so much worse, and you both know it. “Just, what the fuck, though?”

“I didn’t mean to,” you lament. “I just—You yelled, and I was trying to stop you, but I—”

“What’s up?”

You didn’t scream.

You didn’t.

You just, got startled. Because it was Luffy. And he came out of nowhere. And if Zoro or Luffy said you screamed… well.

They don’t know what they’re talking about.

You whip around, heart hammering in your throat because you were just talking about kissing Luffy, and now the man is here, squatting in front of you, and you don’t know how much he may have overheard. “Nothing!” Your voice comes out high and nervous.

“Fucking—” Zoro sighs, nudging you towards Luffy with his calf because in your scramble to shut Zoro up, you’d landed on his leg. “Can you just ki—”

You’re more successful this time, shouting over the top of his words and slapping a hand to his mouth. “What the Hell is wrong with y—Ow!” You wrench your hand away at a sharp sting on your palm. “Did you just bite me?” At Zoro’s deadpan stare, you furrow your brows. “What kinda feral—?”

Behind you, Luffy laughs; so loud and carefree that your heart stutters in your chest.

You think you might pass out, but you turn to look at your captain because his joy is always a sight to behold.

“Wow,” Zoro muses aloud, “you are down ba—”

You jerk your elbow into Zoro’s stomach, cutting off his words. “Shut up!” you hiss.

“What were you guys talking about?” Luffy asks again when he settles down.

“Nothing,” you repeat, voice calmer.

Zoro rolls his eyes. “Really?”

“Except for the fact that Zoro is being a butthead,” you say pointedly.

“Butthead?” the butthead echoes.

“Ah.” Luffy nods sagely. “That sounds like Zoro.”

“Oi!”

You giggle, watching as Zoro grabs a sword and jolts the hilt towards Luffy’s face.

Luffy grabs the hilt to deflect it, but when Zoro pulls his weapon back, Luffy careens forward.

“Ah!” The shout is more from surprise than anything, Luffy’s knee colliding with your shin as he practically falls on you.

“Shit,” Zoro breathes.

“Oh.” Luffy scrambles himself off your leg. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” you dismiss his concern. “That actually didn’t hurt, I’m fine.” You’re hefting yourself up with your elbows, expecting Luffy to move out of your way.

But he doesn’t.

And now you’ve almost pushed yourself up against his chest.

And he’s looking at you so earnestly your cheeks are flushing. “Are you sure you’re okay?” he presses.

You nod, throat thick. Body warm. Your eyes dart down to his lips. The urge to kiss him rises tenfold. Maybe you could just do it. No fancy situation, no set up. Just… this. With him hovering over you because it just happened that way. Staring at you with concern swimming in his pupils.

“So, can I go now?” Zoro pipes up from behind you.

You startle, bumping a shoulder into Luffy’s chin.

Luffy recoils, effectively severing the moment.

“I am so sorry!” you gasp, reaching out to cradle his head. “Oh God, are you okay?”

Luffy nods in your hands, chuckling lightly. “’M fine.”

“Zoro, you can’t just do that!” you hiss at him.

“I have been here the whole time,” he deadpans. “But it seems I’ve done my job, so I’m gonna g—”

Luffy tilts his head. “What job?”

“Nothing!” you yell before Zoro can answer, letting go of Luffy like you’ve been burnt. “Nothing.” You slide out from between the two of them and clamber to your feet. “You take your nap,” you say to Zoro, “and you can go back to—” You signal towards Usopp and Chopper, “playing, I don’t know.” You smile at Luffy even though you don’t really feel it. “I’ll go.” You depart before the two of them can say anything to you.

“You were too much of a butthead,” Luffy says in a low enough voice that you know he’s not talking to you.

There’s the sound of something hard hitting something fleshy.

“How’s this my fault?” Zoro retaliates.

You duck into your room before you can hear if their banter escalates to sparring.

two

There’s a stabbing pain in your side, but you ignore it in favour of running across the rubble—or at least, try to. The sharp ache is all encompassing, and you’re pretty sure you’re bleeding out as well.

But right now, it’s of no matter.

What is of matter, though, is the fact that Luffy is on the other side of this debris, and you need to get to him.

You crest the peak and start down the slope towards the ground, towards your captain wobbling on his feet, bruised and ruffled. “Luffy!”

He turns when you call out to him, face lighting up when he catches sight of you.

You’re practically tripping over your own feet to make it over to him, teeth gritting at the jabs that lance through your ribs.

He crashes into your body when you enter his personal space, your legs faltering under the unanticipated weight.

You catch yourself on your knees, holding in the gasp that wants to escape because him jarring into you didn’t help. You wrap your arms beneath his shoulders to keep him up. “Hey,” you breathe out, chest releasing some of the air that had been trapped in there at the thought of your captain in peril. “You okay?” You’re frantically pawing at his face, thumbs swiping at the blood and cuts.

Luffy nods, a soft smile pulling at his lips. “’M good,” he manages to answer around you pulling on his skin. “Are you?”

“Yeah.” Satisfied with your inspection—his wounds are shallow and will heal up at a rate that still shocks you—relief pools into your stomach. “We’re good, we won.”

He furrows his brows, eyes scanning your face before they rest down your body. “You’re hurt,” he states.

“It’s fine.” You shake your head, hiding a wince because, yeah, it does hurt, but you don’t want him to fuss over you when he looks like this. “I’ll be fine.”

“You’re bleeding,” he reiterates, cupping a hand over your wound.

“Ah!” You shrink away from his touch, unbalancing both you and him because he had been essentially leaning on you for support.

Luffy circles his arm around you, righting you before you topple backwards, taking him down too. “You’re hurt,” he repeats, voice soft.

You stare at him, face so close to yours that you can see his eyelashes. You’re so pressed up against him that you feel him breathing on your chest, every rise and fall in tandem with yours.

His heart is beating quickly—or maybe it’s yours.

It probably is yours.

He’s so close to you, and your brain feels like mush; lightheaded and echoey. Your ears thunder with the sound of your own heart. Your breaths catch in your chest.

“We should get you to Chopper,” he murmurs. He looks behind you, over the debris, where the rest of the crew should be.

A part of your brain knows it’s urgent, but the other part can’t stop staring at his lips as he speaks. “Luffy,” you utter.

He snaps his focus back to you, gaze darting between your eyes. “What?”

You shift your weight onto his, and he takes it easily, tightening his arm around you. You can feel your breath blow back on your face with how hard you’re breathing onto Luffy’s. Your head fills more and more with cotton as you careen towards his lips.

You black out before you make it.

three

After the fiasco of employing Zoro’s assistance, you decide that he actually isn’t much help at all. So the next best thing is to go to Robin. Because she’s clever, and smart.

You sit her down in the quiet of the aquarium and tell her about your dilemma, and about Zoro’s ridiculous suggestion of ‘just asking Luffy,’ and how nothing you’ve tried has worked.

She laughs at the end of your recollection, a soft thing that she hides in her palm before standing up. “Come with me,” she says.

You follow her, recognising the walk to the library as you’re halfway there.

She settles you down at the table before disappearing between some shelves, to, presumably, find a book. When she returns, a light in her eye, you know she’s found something good. “It’s Christmas soon,” she says as though it’s a suggestion.

“Okay?” you ask, bemused.

She chuckles softly, rifling through the pages to find the spread she wants and places it on the desk, tilting it so it’s upright for you to read. “Mistletoe.”

You look down at the page, a drawing of said plant on display. “Uh-huh.”

“It’s tradition,” she begins, “for people to kiss when they’re caught under a mistletoe together.”

You glance up at her. “Oh. So, we just have to get some mistletoe,” you say. The plan sounds easy enough.

But.

“Where, exactly, are we gonna get some mistletoe?”

“Next time we stop by an island, I suppose,” she muses quietly. “It’s a Christmas tradition,” she elaborates, “so at this time of year, people will be selling these everywhere.”

“Great—thank you.” You already feel much better about her advice than you did with Zoro’s. You lift the page between your fingers, pulling the paper.

Arms sprout from the table, clutching at your wrist.

“What,” Robin says, a harsh lilt to her tone, “are you doing?”

“I just need to know what it looks like.”

“You’ve seen what it looks like,” she continues in the same voice.

“Yeah, but I’m not gonna remember it once we get to an island.”

“So, you decide to vandalise my book?”

“I’m not vandali—Ow, ow!” You let go of the page as she tightens her hold around you. “Okay, I made a mistake,” you cry.

The arms disappear. “I’ll buy it for you,” she resumes the conversation like nothing happened. “You can find some place to put it afterwards.”

You feel like you got whiplashed. “Okay,” you whisper, confused. “Thank you?”

It’s another three days before the ship docks at a small island, and Robin comes back with two sprigs of mistletoe. She hands one to you, keeping the other ‘just in case.’ You don’t really know what that means, but at this point, you know well enough to just leave her and her property alone.

“Where’s a good place to put this?” you ask, dangling the twig between your fingers.

“Where would Luffy spend most of his time?”

You sigh.

You burst into the kitchen, having checked through the windows to make sure it was devoid of your captain first.

Sanji looks up at your sudden entrance, scraping carrots into a bowl. “Dinner’s almost ready,” he informs you absently. He returns to cutting the vegetables. “Probably start cooking in ten minutes.”

“That’s not why I’m here.”

That piques his interest, the blond looking up again. “What’s up?” he asks, attention now more evenly split between the food prep and you.

“I…” You glance out the windows, as though talking about Luffy would summon him. “Need your help with something.”

“Mine?”

“Yeah.” You approach the counter where he’s working, sitting on a stool opposite him. “I need to put this,” you lift the sprig higher so he can see, “somewhere in here.”

Sanji stares at the plant. “Mistletoe?”

“Yes, see.” You tell him about Robin’s ingenious plan to help you kiss Luffy. And how Sanji knows the kitchen better than anyone, and knows where Luffy lingers the most.

Sanji lets out a sharp breath of amusement through his nose. “Okay.”

“Great! Just—not now. Christmas is in five days, so—”

“I got it,” Sanji says. “Keep it safe ‘til then.”

“Exactly, thank you!”

The following week is busy; the crew gathering to decorate the Sunny, and making quick stops onshore to find gifts for one another. Between draping garland and wrapping presents, you find yourself migrating to the kitchen a lot.

It’s not that you don’t trust Sanji.

But.

This is really important to you, and you don’t know if he’ll prioritise it the same. You make sure the mistletoe is still alive and fresh. Hidden somewhere out of sight and not easily disposed of if someone else were to help out in the kitchen. Most days, you volunteer yourself to assist, just so you know another crew member won’t find it, and then no embarrassing explanation would have to ensue.

It’s easier that way.

“Good morning,” Sanji greets, already anticipating your arrival with a cup of tea.

“Hey.” You take a sip before putting the beverage down. “Is—”

“Yep,” he says, already taking out the tin from the cupboard and sliding it across the countertop to you. ��Same place as it was last night, when you checked. And the time before that, and before that too. And—”

“Alright,” you snap, no heat in your tone. “I’m just…” You shrug, at a loss for why you feel so obsessive over a piece of tree.

“Nervous?”

You sigh. “Yeah.”

Sanji pushes the tea over to your hands, and you smile at him. “How about, no more looking at it today.”

You frown. “I don’t think that’s gonna help.”

“Did looking at it help?”

You close the lid and pass it back to him. “No,” you admit quietly.

“I don’t think you’re stressed about the mistletoe disappearing,” Sanji says, voice incredibly soft as he addresses you.

You hum, tapping your fingers on the sides of the cup. “I just… want it to work.” Because if it doesn’t…

If it doesn’t…

That’s not something you want to think about.

“It will.” And he says it with so much certainty that for a second, you believe it too.

You don’t check up on the mistletoe for the rest of the day, but you do still help out in the kitchen.

You’re staring at the counter, where you know the mistletoe is. You know it’s there. You saw it this morning. Sanji let you put it back in there before closing the cupboard and declaring that place off-limits to you. And no one else had come in, other than to eat, and that was over here by the dining tables, not over there.

There’s still a gnawing feeling in your stomach, but you haven’t seen it. So, what if? What if someone came through, looking for something else, and in their search, saw it and took it?

“Are you okay?”

You blink back to the present, snippets of conversation tuning back into focus like a radio. Right. Dinner with the crew. Everyone’s here, eating and having fun.

Sanji is peering at you from across the table, waiting for your answer.

“Yeah,” you say. “Just—distracted.” You look back down to your plate, surprised to find that nothing’s been taken from it.

“Do you want to check it?”

You purse your lips in thought. It would help.

But.

“No.” You shake your head. “I’ve already gone most of the day, right?” you say. “No point caving now.”

“If you’re sure,” Sanji relents. At your nod, he sighs. “Can you just eat something?”

You stick your spoon into the rice.

A chicken drumstick is placed on your plate, and when you follow the hand attached to it, you realise it belongs to Luffy, sitting on the far end of the table.

“You look sad,” he calls across, retracting his arm.

“I’m fine,” you dismiss his concern, turning back to your food. “Thanks.”

The rest of the crew watches, astounded at their captain’s generosity, and your lack of response.

When Christmas finally arrives, you’re not sure how you feel. Yes, it’s Christmas, so you’re excited. But that means putting up the mistletoe and finally bringing your plan to fruition. And that part, you’re more reluctant about.

You’re the first one in the kitchen aside from Sanji, and he looks up, smiling at you.

“Door,” he says.

You turn, watching it close. “What?”

“The mistletoe,” he reiterates. “Put it up last night.”

“Oh!” With the new information, you tilt your head back. It sways gently from the door’s motions. “That’s the best place for it?”

“Luffy comes and goes upwards of twenty times a day.” Sanji sounds sure of himself. “If there’s any place that he frequents a lot, it’s that door.”

“Thanks, Sanji,” you say, beelining for the tea he’s left for you on the counter.

Sanji starts to crack eggs into a mixing bowl, and you stare at your drink. “How are you feeling?”

You shrug. “Still nervous, but… not much else I can do about it.”

“Just.” He takes a whisk from the drawer. “Don’t think about it too much.”

Scoffing, you take a sip of your tea. “I really don’t think there’s anything else for me to think about, right now.”

“What do you want for breakfast?” he asks.

“Whatever you’re making,” you say absently, “I don’t mind.” You’re two-thirds of the way through your drink when you speak again. “What if it doesn’t go right?”

“How?”

“Like, what if…?” You swallow something thick. “What if he doesn’t want to kiss me? Then I’ve just—”

Luffy crashes through the door, startling you out of your conversation with Sanji. He scans the kitchen, face lighting up when he makes eye contact with you, bounding over. “What are you doing in here?” he asks, plopping himself down in the chair you’re standing next to.

“Nothing,” you deflect, because you don’t really want to tell him that you were lamenting to Sanji about whether he’d kiss you or not. But your answer is suspicious too, so you retract your earlier statement with what you hope is a carefree shrug.

(It’s not.)

“I was helping out with food and stuff.” You turn to the eggs already beaten laid out in front of Sanji. Shit.

Luffy hums, a slight dejection to the note. “Come outside,” he says instead.

You pause, trying to think of an excuse. “But we gotta make breakfast, then there’s the big Christmas dinn—”

“But I miss you,” he says, frowning.

Oh.

“We donʼt hang out much, anymore.”

You blink, gulping your dangerously loud heart back into your chest. It’s suddenly warm in the kitchen even though the ovens and stoves are off. “Okay,” you croak.

Luffy beams at you, and your breath sweeps away. He grabs your hand to lead you out, and your palm feels clammy in his.

As you’re leaving, Sanji clears his throat.

Luffy stops, turning around. “What?” he asks.

You turn too, a murderous glare pointed at the blond. Shut the fuck up, you will towards him.

Sanji flickers his gaze over your heads.

“What?” Luffy repeats.

“Nothing,” you say quickly, trying to step further onto the deck to steer him out of the kitchen.

Luffy purses his lips, standing his ground. He’s always been stronger than you, so your attempts to move him are rendered futile because he’s not cooperating. “No, I wanna know,” he presses. There’s a pout to his lips, and you can’t help but think he looks cute like this.

“It’s just.” You swallow thickly, tilting your head up to look at the top of the door frame.

Luffy follows your eyes, zeroing in on the lone green tendril hanging off the door. “Ah,” he says.

You watch him, trepidation drying your tongue.

“Why’d Sanji put food in such a weird place?”

“What?”

He shoots his arm towards it, clutching the plant in his hands—leaves and all.

And shoves it in his mouth.

“No!”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Sanji yells, vaulting over the counter. He grabs Luffy by the back of the neck. “Spit it out!”

“Luffy, that was mistletoe,” you say when you’ve gotten over the initial shock. Your hands are hovering over him, wanting to help but not sure how because Sanji is already there, and you’d only be in the way.

“So?” he manages to say around Sanji trying to pull his mouth open.

“Mistletoe is poisonous, you dumbass!” Sanji growls, realising that it’s already been swallowed. “We need to get you to Chopper.”

“But I feel fine,” Luffy protests.

You usher your captain out the door, heartbeat reverberating loudly in your throat. “No, please just—C’mon.” You walk around Luffy when you’ve exited the kitchen, pulling on his hand to lead him to the infirmary. You look at Sanji over Luffy’s shoulder. “You go…” You gesture back inside the kitchen. “I got this.”

“You sure?” Sanji asks.

You nod. “There’s a lot to do for today.” You turn back around, glancing at the rest of the deck. “Chopper!” you call out to him when you see the reindeer with Usopp and Nami.

Chopper darts his head up, looking at you. “Yeah?”

“We need you in here!” you say, pointing your thumb back towards the door of the doctor’s office.

There’s clambering as Chopper disregards his prior activities—unwrapping presents, judging by the colours on the floor—to run over. “What happened?” he asks when he’s closer.

“I ate something,” Luffy says when you open the door. “Sanji said it was poisonous.”

“Mistletoe,” you interject before Chopper can panic too much. You stand to the side, letting them in first.

“Mistletoe?” Chopper repeats.

“It’s… a long story.”

plus one

Chopper releases Luffy from the infirmary after coming to the conclusion that the captain’s run-in with Magellan has heightened his tolerance for poison. So eating a twig of mistletoe will do nothing more to him than upset his stomach, which should pass on its own.

After the little doctor confirms this, you breathe out a sigh of relief.

Luffy turns to you; a smile on his face, a comment on his tongue of how you’d been so worried over nothing, but—

You’re exiting the room, door shutting behind you.

“Hey!” Luffy scrambles off the bed, sidestepping Chopper with a quick ‘Thanks!’ before dashing outside to find you.

You’re faster than anticipated, halfway to the dorms.

But Luffy has abilities that you don’t, so he stretches his arms, hooking his palm around the mast to slingshot himself forward, landing in front of you with a grunt.

“Fuck!” you hiss, jumping backwards, eyes wild with his sudden appearance.

“Sorry!” Luffy is quick to placate you.

“What the Hell?”

“Didn’t mean to scare you—What’s wrong?” He interrupts himself with the question because thatʼs more important right now, and knowing how the two of you like to banter, you’d gloss over how you’re feeling in order to keep teasing him about startling you.

“What?”

“There’s something wrong with you,” Luffy says, because he hasn’t been seeing much of you this past week, and he thought that maybe you just wanted time for yourself to recharge, but you were always in the kitchen with Sanji, instead of hanging out with him like you usually did, and that—

He pushes that aside.

Not important right now.

“There’s nothing wrong with me,” you say quietly.

“Yes, there is.” He’s insistent, knowing that whatever it is is bothering you.

“It’s just… I wanted to—” You sigh. “Nothing,” you dismiss. Then, “It’s stupid.”

“What’s stupid about it?”

You pause, thinking about his question. “I… don’t know.”

“So, it can’t be stupid.”

Your lips quirk up, a brief thing that lights up your face for a millisecond, but Luffy watches, enamoured, because he hasn’t seen it in so long.

“It’s…” You shrug, hesitation dancing across your features. You stare up at him, and he really wishes your eyes weren’t apprehensive.

“Tell me,” he presses gently.

“I want to kiss you.”

“Oh.” He suddenly finds it hard to breathe. “And that makes you upset?” The thought of that squeezes his chest.

“No, no! That doesn’t make me upset, it’s just, I’ve been trying to kiss you for the past month, but things would happen, and I couldn’t do it, and then we came up with this plan with the mistletoe, but you—”

He stretches his arms, wrapping them around your waist to pull you towards him. He leans down and seals his mouth over yours, effectively silencing you.

You gasp in surprise, but the noise is swallowed up, lips chasing after yours. He’s squeezing you to him, waist pulled in so close he can barely think straight.

You wrap your arms around his neck, urging him closer, and Luffy tilts his head, fingers breaching the hem of your shirt to caress your skin. You whimper, so delightfully desperate that Luffy pushes against you, tongue swiping across your bottom lip.

He loves the noise—the neediness lacing your tone that he’s only ever heard you use towards him. Every time he’s been unimaginably close to you, he’d notice the way you’d stare at him, full of want and unadulterated longing that it fogs his brain and tightens his heart down to his stomach.

And how you’d whisper his name, like you did back in the forest, even though you were bleeding out. You were staring at his lips and he thought you were going to kiss him, and he realised that in that moment, he wanted to, too. And he would’ve. If you hadn’t passed out immediately after.

Then after he’d taken you to Chopper and you recovered, you pulled away, secluding yourself in the kitchen with Sanji, pretty much all day.

But, now.

Luffy gets to kiss you. He giggles into your mouth, something light bubbling away in his chest.

You pull away from him, breathing heavily. “Why did you do that?”

“Because you wanted to.”

“But did you want to?”

He thinks about you; his crewmate, nakama, friend. Someone he trusts with his life. Had gone through the biggest ups and downs of his life with you. Then he thinks about kissing you, of how many times he’d wanted to in the past, even before the forest. “Yeah.” And because he can, he pulls you in for another kiss, and he feels you smiling against his lips.

When you part this time, it’s his turn to ask a question. “Why didn’t you just kiss me when you wanted to?”

“Because it’s weird,” you say as if it’s common sense. “You can’t just kiss a friend out of nowhere.”

“But we’re not just friends. We’re… different.”

“Different?” you echo.

“The way I feel about you, and us, it’s different from how I feel about the others. It’s just different with you.”

You swallow and Luffy watches your throat move. “So, you’re saying, I could have kissed you, at any time, in the past few months, and you would have been okay with it?”

Luffy nods. “Yep.”

You purse your lips. “Oh, dear Lord,” you mutter under your breath, “Zoro was right.”

“About what?”

“He said I should’ve just asked you—I thought he was being daft.”

Luffy laughs, and you smile up at him, drinking in the noise. “You’re silly.”

You nod, before double taking as you catch sight of something over his shoulder.

Luffy looks up too.

There’s another sprig of mistletoe dangling from under the mast, metres high above your head.

“Don’t,” you say, before Luffy can react, “eat it this time.”

#op y/n secret santa #one piece x reader #monkey d. luffy x reader #luffy x reader #one piece #one piece x you #one piece.#luffy.#gift.#blorbo exchange.#long post #( i rly hope you like this #i also couldn't gift it to you on ao3 )

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knightprincess · 15 days

Text

Softness Suits You (Tech x GN! Reader)

Words: 2k Warnings: None - unless you count Kriff and Karabast as swearing. Note: Gender Neutral - Use of You and (Y/N) A part of the Bad Batch Gift Exchange @cloneficgiftexchange For: @theunderscorekinginyellow Prompt: "Softness Suits You"

“(Y/N),” called Tech, skidding to a halt as he rounded the corner. Blaster fire passed the corner mere seconds later. “Now is not the time to give up on me,” he commented, pulling you back to your feet. You’d slipped down the durasteel wall you’d been learning against with a sharp groan of pain, an arm tightly wound around your midsection, the other putting pressure on another unseen wound hidden beneath your armor and the layers of fabric.

“Wasn’t the time for the plan to go wrong either,” (Y/N) voiced, recalling how the mission had gone sideways quickly. “We went over the plan five times,” you grumbled, blowing out an agonized sigh as the stabbing pain grew in strength.

“I got the package, didn’t I?” responded Wrecker, the sound of blaster fire being exchanged echoing through the com.

“Anyone injured?” came Hunter’s smokey voice. Omega’s innocent one followed, celebrating after hitting another target with her energy bow. Echo soon confirmed he and Wrecker were slightly banged up, but nothing serious. Their main problem was being pinned down.

“(Y/N) got hit, unsure how serious it is,” announced Tech, seemingly ignoring your comment that you were okay. Even when it was evidently obvious you were anything but. You were losing blood, feeling dizzy and shaky, and could barely stand on your own two feet, and Tech had stated you looked paler than usual.

“Tech, get (Y/N) back to the Marauder,” demanded Echo, his voice severe and unyielding. The job for Sid meant little compared to the life of a friend.

“Omega will meet you there,” said Hunter. The young clone’s protests shortly followed his words. “That’s an order,” he added, slipping into a mix of his previous Sargent Mode and that of a protective father figure trying to protect their child and family. “The rest of us Plan 13.”

“Oh yeah,” exclaimed Wrecker, launching into the attack on droids and mercenaries alike. The human wrecking ball wasted little time running head-first into the battle again. His actions a reminder of his days as a soldier of the GAR, back when everything was simpler before the dark times began to strangle the galaxy.

“Oh brother,” mutters Echo before readying himself to rejoin the battle before him. Pushing aside the memories of the many food fights on Kamino before it was bombarded and forgotten about—memories of his brothers of the Domino Squad, 501st, and Bad Batch.

“Ready?” asked Tech, placing his D17s in the holsters for the time being, reaching for your arm to pull you back to your feet. Directing the arm around his neck as his own snaked around your midsection. Hearing the sharpness in your breath as you began to limp forward. The pilot soon pulled the yellow-tinted screen of his helmet down, scanning you over to get a clear idea of the damage and injuries sustained.

“What’s the prognosis, Doctor?” sarcastically asked (Y/N), your eyes glazing over as you become confused and disorientated. “Is it as bad as Crosshair’s friction burns from the Skako mission?” you asked with a light chuckle, wincing shortly after with the pain shooting through your ribs.

“I would argue that was worse,” answered Tech, recalling Crosshair grumbling for days afterward—even more so when Wrecker refused to let him forget about it. “However, this is a close second,” he said, trying to keep your spirits up and offer a distraction from your injuries and dire state.

“Damn. I was hoping to top him this time,” replied (Y/N), as if you had forgotten Crosshair wasn’t there. Instead, he had chosen to return to the Empire, even after they had bombarded Tipoca City with all of them inside. “Still working on that plan to get him back,” you add with the smallest of grins.

“Crosshair … chose a different path. We have to accept that, even if we don’t agree with it,” spoke Tech with a prang of sadness. Thankful when the Marauder came into view, Omega was already on the steps, waving at them with a small smile of her own. At least until it hit her, Tech was all but keeping you up now.

“What happened?” questioned Omega, quickly running back up the steps, moving to get the medical kit stowed away aboard the ship. At the same time, Tech pulled (Y/N) over to the sleeping racks upon getting you aboard. Nodding to Omega in thanks, when she brought the medical kit over to him, he reached for stem cells and bacta gel in hopes of aiding the healing process.

“We could use a lift,” came the booming voice of Echo, the coms lighting up with the disagreement between the Arc Trooper, Hunter, and Wrecker.

“That with or without Omega hanging from the ship and me falling out or over something?” asked (Y/N), doing your best to lighten the dreary mood and keep Omega from seeing just how bad things were. You had a soft spot for the kid and the boys.

“It was an unscheduled study break,” Tech voiced in response. At least explaining Omega hanging from the ship. A smirk appeared across his lips upon remembering the two separate incidences regarding (Y/N) falling over something and falling from the ship completely. “And momentarily lapse in coordination.”

“Just patching (Y/N) up, then we’ll be there,” announced Omega, keeping the trio of Hunter, Echo, and Wrecker in the loop.

“This is going to hurt,” stated Tech, receiving a (Y/N) famous deadpan look in response. At least informing him, he was pointing out the obvious again, without calling the exceptionally minded clone by the normal nickname. Captain Obvious.

“You mean more than it already does?” You asked, the next part of your comment forgotten as the bacta gel burned like someone had poured the lavas of Mustafar into your open wounds. “Kriff!”

“Language” worded Wrecker via the comm link.

“Aurebesh,” you replied, much to Omega’s amusement. Tech could only shake his head and roll his golden eyes.

“Switch out the words, (Y/N),” spoke Hunter, once again the familiar sound of blaster fire following his words, hinting at the trouble the trio was in now.

“Yes, Papa Hunter. Next time, I’ll use Karabast,” quickly shot (Y/N), not noticing Tech had stepped close with an anesthetic, at least not until he caught you with it.

“Rest for now (Y/N). Omega and I can handle the extraction,” announced Tech. He made sure you were lying comfortably on his rack before heading to the cockpit with Omega. The young clone gave Gonky his own mission to watch over you while you slept.

When (Y/N) finally woke up, the Marauder was on stable ground, and the ship was quiet—too quiet. The only noise was Gonky waddling the length of the ship with the normal “Gonk” on repeat, although the droid did seem to be pestering Tech, who sat at the communications desk just in front of the sleeping racks.

“Where’s the others?” you asked with a cracked and broken voice. Your throat was dry and scratchy from the lack of use. Slowly, you moved your head to look around the ship. The cockpit was empty, void of Echo and Wrecker. The rear gunner's port had no Omega resting there, although Lula and her little clone trooper were. Hunter was nowhere to be seen either. Only Tech and Gonky were there.

“Wrecker and Omega are following through with their tradition,” Tech replied, standing and walking over, an unreadable expression painted on his features. The moment he reached you, he placed a soft hand on your forehead, relief washing over him minutes later. "Hunter and Echo are delivering the package to Sid.”

“How long was I out?” you asked. Then it hit you: You were no longer on Eadu but instead back on Ord Monell.

“Just over a day,” started Tech, helping you sit up. “I’d appreciate it if we didn’t repeat what happened,” he added, pushing his goggles back up the bridge of his nose.

“I’m not gonna let you get shot, Tech, and I did tell you to leave me,” argued (Y/N), feeling relief now the majority of your pain was gone, either nulled by the anesthetic or washed away by the bacta healing the wounds.

“We don’t leave our own behind,” stated Tech, a matter of factly, with a pointer finger raised, as if to drill it into your head and make it stick. “The others are fine as well. Wrecker still thinks the scans are invisible spiders,” he added, allowing his stiffness to melt a little upon hearing your small ring of laughter.

“Hunter and Echo still the parents?” (Y/N) asked, side-eyeing and suspicious, just in case something had changed while you were out for the count.

“Careful (Y/N), your softer side is showing,” joked Tech. “Either that, or you hit your head harder than I thought.”

“Or I’m high as a kite and hallucinating,” you commented.

“Not lost your sense of humor, " Echo said upon boarding the ship. A scratch now donning his cheek below the left eye. However, the worry plaguing him now seemed to melt away.

“Mustafar would freeze over before that happened,” (Y/N) replied with a small smile, “Or Hoth would warm up.” You quietened for a few minutes before it hit you: Tech had said your soft side was showing. Didn’t it always when you were around your found family? “Wait, what you mean my softer side is showing?” you questioned, hearing Echo chuckle as he held his hands up in surrender before walking off to the cockpit.

“I don’t mean to offend you,” started Tech, suddenly uncomfortable, even more so when his hopes of you missing his words were dashed. “Normally, when out in the field or around Sid, you appear like Crosshair, stoic, cold, and armed with snide comments for enemies and sarcastic ones to lighten the mood,” he rambled, hoping to explain away what he now saw as a blunder.

“Tech,” you softly call, a sweet grin appearing now as you made it apparent you weren’t offended by the comment, merely curious.

“I thought it was obvious. Softness suits you,” directed Tech,

“Will you two make it official already?” voiced Wrecker as he and Omega returned to the ship. Hunter followed along behind, slightly confused by the comment but smirking nonetheless.

“Way to ruin the mood, Wrecker,” (Y/N) replied. “I’m recruiting Omega to help terrorize you the next time you go speed dating.”

“That was one time.”

“Wrecker went speeding dating?” questioned Echo

“Yup, It’s right up there with Hunter and Crosshair waking up handcuffed in a fountain,” you reply, hearing Omega laughing,

“I hate your memory right now,” commented Hunter, his cheeks redding as he sat down at his normal spot.

“Please do tell me more,” commented Echo, knowing he and Fives got up to some crazy things, along with Kix, Hardcase, and Jesse, things he often got a chuckle out of when he allowed himself to remember them. However, he wanted to know more about what the rest of the batch got up to during the war.

“No! I’m gonna die of embarrassment,” replied Wrecker, recalling the speeding dating disaster. Their first shore leave after joining the war effort. (Y/N) as their Jedi had told them to have fun, not expecting to get a call from Fox informing you, your squad was spending the night in detention.

“Wasn’t that bad” replied Tech, trying to soothe the situation. Although he’d admit you laughing from behind him wasn’t helping.

“I want to hear about it,” Omega called, her sweet, innocent voice seemingly breaking through. Hunter and Wrecker shared a glance, knowing (Y/N) couldn’t deny the young clone anything, although, thankfully, you told the stories in a child-friendly way.

“Was that the one I have no memory of?” asked Tech, recalling they’d gotten up to a lot of mischief. He’d personally set off a few security breaches from hacking sensitive information. Wrecker had set so many alarms off with his explosives that the Coruscant Guard had come to expect it and, at points, used it as a training exercise. Hunter and Crosshair found themselves in contests with different goals. Meanwhile, (Y/N) collectively named everything the Lame Game.

“Yup,” replied (Y/N), popping the p. “Never did find out how you ended up black-out drunk under the booth table. Or why you were wearing Wolffe’s helmet?” You laughed.

“Tech’s right; Softness does suit you,” replied Hunter, the smallest of grins appearing across his lips as he got comfortable, ready to relive the embarrassing moments of the past. “You’re still the best storyteller, though.”

KnightPrincess Masterlist

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sp0o0kylights · 1 year

Text

“Oh god it’s covered in hearts.” Gareth says, staring horrified at the stage that’s been set up in the cafeteria. Grant and Jeff stand next to him, eyeing the abomination of glitter, paper, and tinsel that’s been shaped into pink and red hearts with a microphone standing proud in the middle.

Several of Hawkin’s jocks are standing to the side, talking amongst themselves, but worse is the crowd of students accumulating in front of the stage.

“You don’t think they’re gonna serenade us for Valentine's Day, do you?” Jeff asks in a similar tone of horror.

Grant makes a disgusted face at the very thought.

“It’s about time they gave me my own mic!” Eddie cackles, slamming his hands down on Gareth and Jeff’s shoulders for leverage, jumping up for a better look (Grant smartly ducked away before his friend can crawl all over him too), “I’ve only been going on about the capitalistic horrors of Valentine's Day since middle school!”

They groan in unison..

Eddie’s got a look on his face that says he’s about to vault up on stage and do this year's rant in style; Gareth will be damned if he lets Eddie get detention on a Hellfire campaign night.

“Eddie, no.” Gareth warns, as his best friend tries to worm his way past them.

“Eddie, yes.” He grins, bolting forward even as multiple hands reach out to yank him back.

“Whatever they’re doing we do not want to get in the middle!” Jeff hisses in his ear as Grant reaches for his middle (already once tricked by grabbing Eddie’s jacket, which he simply shrugged out of). Gareth does his part, holding firmly onto one of Eddie’s hands. Eddie bravely tries to stagger forward, despite the efforts of what looks like some kind of mutant tangle of human limbs.

“Come here microphone, my beloved!” He pants, comically reaching his arms out towards the stage, before Grant promptly stops fooling around and hefts him into the air.

“Nooo--the people need to hear me!” Eddie wails, thrashing.

Gareth rolls his eyes and spots three familiar faces in doing so. Freezes so abruptly that the arm he was holding onto slips out of his grip, allowing Eddie to deploy a tickle attack.

The result is Grant almost throwing him to the floor, with Jeff forced to let go or fall.

Free to cause chaos, Eddie throws his hands in the air, grinning widely.

“Is that…the freshman, up there?” Gareth asks before his best friend can crow victory.

“I’m sure there’s many freshmen up there, buddy.” Grant says with false sincerity as he regains his breath.

“No, not--I mean our freshmen! Henderson, Wheeler, and Sinclair!” He points, and sure enough, on the side of the crowd opposite the jocks, there stood Hellfire’s youngest with their heads put together.

“Now just what are they up to, I wonder?” Eddie ponders aloud, before shrugging his jacket back in place and strutting forward.

Trading uneasy looks with each other, his friends follow.

xXx

“The auction isn’t kicking off until 6 pm.” Henderson says, as he carefully counts the individual bills in his hand. “We know that besides the basketball team and the cheerleading team, they’ve got like, the Mayor involved, and the fire department, which means--”

“A lot of people are going to be there.” Mike interrupts, arms crossed over his arms. “That’s what it means, Dustin. What’s the point if every girl there is going to be bidding on him?”

“Were you even listening, Mike? I just said there’s a bunch of other people they’re auctioning off!”

Wheeler Jr. pulls a face that nearly makes Eddie laugh (and thus give up the fact he was slowly sneaking up on them) before the kid shoots back, “We have five dollars total Dustin. I don’t think that’s going to be enough.”

“Not to buy a whole person.” Eddie says, voice dropping to imitate the current big bad in their D&D campaign, “But five dollars is a fair price for a body part I’d say…”

He trails off with a cackle as the three freshmen startle away from him like spooked horses. “Now what--or who--are you buying?”

“They’re gonna explain it here in a minute,” Dustin says after he recovers, waving at the girls in front of the stage with a hand. “But there’s some big charity fundraiser happening tonight. Right now they’re voting one guy from the basketball team and one girl from the cheerleading squad to represent the school, but they’re auctioning off a bunch of people.” Dustin explains, holding up his fistful of dollars with a wild grin.

“If you’re the highest bidder, you get to spend the day with the person you bid on.” Lucas adds, because Dustin skipped right over that part. “Since it’s Valentine's Day themed, they’re referring to them as “winning a date”.

Well that explained all the giggling cheerleaders.

Eddie raises an eyebrow, “I’d ask if this is Sinclair’s bail money, but as my last two years remind me, it’s only for juniors and seniors. Not--” He playfully slings an arm around Lucas’s shoulders, “--for the darkside’s newest recruits.”

The uncomfortable look Lucas gives him is almost enough to make Eddie feel bad, but it’s not his fault Lucas was tempted by the evils of highschool sportsball. He figures the kid will come to his senses soon enough, and considering how awful the jocks are, it won’t be too long before Sinclair is 100% a Hellfire club member again.

“Which begs the question.” Eddie continues, slinging an arm over Mike’s shoulder as well. “What are you scheming? I’d ask if you’re buying me a date, but,'' He gives an over-dramatic sigh,” alas, no one can survive the charms of Eddie the Banished.”

“Charm is one word for it.” Jeff says, as the rest of Hellfire finally catches up. Gareth and Grant roll their eyes as Mike and Lucas chuckle weakly at Eddie’s exaggerated pout.

He drops his arms from his little lamb’s shoulders, taking a step back and looking around at the growing crowd.

“Hush Jeff. Let’s see if ol’ Eddie can guess who our brethren here have their eyes on. I wonder if…” He trails off, dragging out the last word as he does so before a bright, teasing smile lights up his face. “Aha! I see one Miss Cunningham. Are we bidding on her for Sir Gareth?”

A sputtering noise erupts behind him, as Eddie turns with glee to watch Gareth practically choke on soda he’d just taken a sip of, Grant thumping him on the back.

“Eddie.” Gareth hisses, and somehow it sounds like a warning even if his voice has a slight wheeze to it.

“What?” Eddie says, full of faux innocence. “We all know the lengths you’ve gone to get her attention recently.”

Gareth’s gone bright red, a testament to the fact that he’s been mooning over Chrissy Cunningham since the day she complimented one of his drawings.

His over-the-top moaning of how to woo her away from Jason is a prospect Eddie tolerates only because he himself has gone through great lengths to impress men that will never once look his way, let alone consider him as a romantic option.

(And also because Gareth, as Eddie’s best friend and confidant, was well aware of Eddie’s own crush on one Steve Harrington.

Apparently, Hellfire’s members were just cursed to fall for jocks.)

“They want to bet on Steve.” Mike says with an eye roll, apparently done with this entire charade.

For two seconds Eddie thinks that he’s somehow spoken the part about Steve aloud and that Mike is somehow echoing his deepest, innermost thoughts but is saved from panicking further by Dustin adding;

“We’re gonna make him play a campaign with us.”

The kid’s grin makes his eyes sparkle, which is completely at odds with the way Eddie’s stomach plummets.

“He played D&D with my sister, Eddie.” Lucas says, feigning a hurt look. “My kid sister, but not me?”

“Harrington played D&D?” Gareth’s voice implies he doesn’t believe it, and honestly? Had it not been for the freshmen, he wouldn’t have believed anything that was said about Harrington. He was on the verge of tears with laughter when they told him that the almighty King Steve was their chauffeur. They had to be lying about how often they hung out with Steve to begin with, right? Because there was just no way.

Except they weren’t. They really, really, weren’t.

It only took a handful of times of watching Steve pick them up from Hellfire, and then seeing the entire extended group (including Sinclair’s on-again-off-again girlfriend and Robin Buckley of all people) bouncing around Harrington like over excited puppies all over town.

The arcade. Downtown Hawkins. The local milkshake diner and the stupid movie theater.

Literally.

Everywhere.

“You guys are going to bid on Steve Harrington and make him play D&D.” Jeff clarifies, and Eddie doesn’t blame him for doing that either.

It’s the stupidest thing he’s heard all day, and he spent the last hour and a half listening to Mr. Rulf yawn on about parallelograms.

“Yeah! You guys wanna pitch in and help?”

“Absolutely not.” Eddie sneers. He can’t help himself--this is against everything he’s ever stood for.

Stupid thoughts of stupid Steve going on a stupid date with him, aside.

“Yeah guys, I think we’re gonna eat outside today. If you wanna listen to…whatever,” Jeff casts his eyes towards the cheerleader that’s bounding up the steps of the stage, ponytail bouncing, “ then go right ahead.”

“Oh we don’t need to listen to this.” Dustin dismisses the entire thing with a wave of his hand, making Mike roll his eyes again.

Somewhere in his campaign notes there’s a joke written about Wheeler Jr’s eyes getting stuck like that. Eddie hadn’t planned on bringing it out tonight, but a part of him really wants to.

Maybe if he can talk the freshman out of their idiotic idea, he’ll reward himself and do it tonight anyways.

….Or he could still steal that microphone.

xXx Steve xXx

Steve has no idea how he got talked into this.

Actually, that’s a lie, he knows how it started: a phone call, his mother, and a sudden way for her to be in the spotlight for her yearly fifteen minutes of Hawkins fame. He just can’t recall why he agreed to it.

“It's an opportunity, Steven." She says, heels clicking against the department store tile.

An embarrassment is what it was, but Steve knew better than to tell his mother that.

"You should be honored that Wendy--that’s the head chair of the charity board, you remember her don't you? She used to attend your piano recitals--she asked for you personally." His mother expertly plucked a shirt from the rack, holding it up to the light.

"Those were your parties mom, not my piano recitals." Steve reminds her as she holds the shirt out to him. He took it, adding it to the stack he had in his hands.

The parties were the exact same kind of shit this as this “Valentine's Day Fundraiser” a way for rich people to celebrate themselves by making others uncomfortable.

Only instead of being forced to play piano so his mothers friends could wine and dine with the famous Harrington's, he was being hauled up in front of the entire town (or whoever was attending this stupid event) and auctioned off as a “date” to the highest bidder.

(“It’s for one day, Steven, don’t be so dramatic. Why is your generation entirely incapable of taking a joke and having fun?” His mother had said, when he tried to tell her he wasn’t comfortable with the idea.

Of course there was no answer that would please her; soon enough, Steve found himself dragged about town as his mother played dress up.)

"You'll be standing alongside the Mayor, the fire department, even that idiot, Mary Marie--"

She stops for a moment, eyeing a jacket with a critical eye.

Just as quickly she dismisses it with a hum, prowling on to the next section.

"--the point is that there will be plenty of candidates for the children to pick from, but you’ll be the only hero up there."

That same critical eye turns on him, appraising him like he was no more than a horse in her stable, adding up imperfections and dividing amongst his best qualities.

(Despite a lifetime of training, it still takes everything in him not to squirm.)

"Not to mention a Harrington.” She purrs, taking a step closer to run a manicured hand down the front of his shirt, smoothing away a stray crease. “Women will be throwing money to win a day with you."

Steve has to fight not to outright shudder.

"Which means you have to look your best. Now stop whining, we’re almost done.”

Steve doubts that, but it doesn’t matter; he never had a choice to begin with.

xXx

Four hours, one shower, and several rounds of his mother’s nagging and meticulous styling, ,Steve finds himself back in Hawkin’s High, staring at the gym.

His mother had long swept past him, having spotted some high school friends and gone over to lord her lifestyle and general wealth over them.

For a fundraiser, the charity board in charge had spared no expense in dressing the gym up. Red, pink and white balloons decorated the doorways and a large stage hauled to one end.

Tables with thick, white table cloth are artfully arranged about the floor, caterers swiftly moving between them.

This is probably the fanciest this gym has ever looked, and Steve wants to be anywhere but inside it.

“Oh--Steve.” A gentle voice says next to him, and Steve turns his head in surprise to see Chrissy Cunningham look nervously up at him. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”

“Me neither honestly.” He tells her, watching the way that makes the younger woman smile. “But I’ve been volun-told to be auctioned off. What about yourself?”

Chrissy runs her hands down her dress, a modest if not beautiful blue halter dress , wincing as she snags a nail on it. “The school held a vote at lunch about who would represent the school tonight. All of the varsity cheerleaders and basketball players were involved.”

“I see.” Steve says, keeping his voice gentle and playful. There had always been a part of Chrissy that had reminded him of El. Someone who needed kind words in their life. “You got voted as tonight’s sacrifice, huh?”

Chrissy laughs at that, hand flying to cover her mouth. “I guess you could say that.” She says, and seems surprised at herself for it.

“Did Jason get picked too?” Steve asks. It would make sense if he was, the guy was the basketball Captain after all.

Chrissy nods, then chews on her lip. “Yes but--he’s not happy about it,”

Steve snorts and tries to cover it with a cough. “None of us are.”

“It’s more that I’m being auctioned off.”

Chrissy must catch the look on his face because she rushes to add; “You know, like any boyfriend would be! I know it’s just supposed to be a fun silly thing and they’re not really dates but…” She trails off, voice growing quieter at the end. “He worries.”

The word “worry” sounds like it means something else entirely.

Steve feels for her.

“Hey, if Jason’s an ass about it, let me know.” Steve says after a moment of shared silence. “You don’t deserve to deal with him being a kid about this shit.”

Chrissy blinks up at him at that, hand almost to her mouth as though she’d subconsciously raised them up to chew on her nails. “Thanks Steve. That’s nice of you.” She whispers it, and Steve nods and smiles at her.

“There you two are!” A woman says, rushing over with a clipboard. “Steve Harrington and Chrissy Cunningham, right? We’re gathering all the dates behind those doors.” She turns and points to the opposite end of the gym. “If you both would follow me please?”

Steve motions for Chrissy to go first, and moves to follow her when a flash of curls crushed down by a blur of white, blue and electric yellow catches his eye.

He turns automatically, seeking it out and sure enough, ducking down the hall is Henderson, Sinclair hot on his heels.

A familiar mixture of emotions lights up Steve’s spine, and he knows immediately he won’t be able to rest until he figures out what the gremlins are up to--because their Hellfire Club was supposedly canceled today on grounds that Munson had stolen a microphone, or some other crap.

“I’m really sorry, I’ll join you in a second!” Steve calls, before darting down the hall, after them.

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finn-alexithymia · 24 days

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Summerween gift exchange on ao3 is now open, all fandoms welcome! https://archiveofourown.org/collections/summerweengiftexchange

#ao3 #ao3 gift exchange #ao3 stuff #ao3 writer #ao3 author #ao3feed #ao3fic #gift exchange #ao3 fanfic #ao3 link #ao3 challenge #fic gift exchange #fic exchange

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thatweirdguyinthebushes · 3 months

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me? posting a ctubbo centric fic tomorrow? it's more likely than you'd think!

#dsmp #dream smp #ctubbo #writing #subscribe to my ao3 #tubbohq gift exchange

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agent-sushi-fbi · 2 months

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Late night post!

Happy Valentine’s Day! @therandomsith

Glad I got to participate in the @valentines-core-exchange this year!

#jazz fenton #jason todd #protective jason todd #jazz Fenton x Jason Todd #danny phantom #dpxdc #batpham #dp x dc crossover #dp x dc fanfic #ao3 #dp x dc au #Valentine’s Core Exchange 2024 #gift #anger management ship #badass jazz Fenton

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a-system-of-giving · 1 year

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does anyone want to be a pinch hitter? (write fics for people whose gifter dropped out, and you don't have to be signed up to do it) Message us if you do!

#pinch hitter #ao3 gift exchange #plural gift exchange #plural system

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aa-halloween-gift-exchange · 7 months

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Assignments Now Out!

Thank you so much to all of those who joined! The assignments are now out! I hope you enjoy writing and drawing!

Collection Info Doc Schedule Dreamwidth

#ace attorney #ao3 gift exchange #gift exchange #fandom event

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zscalatian · 2 years

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FF7 2022 Ao3 Gift Exchange Letter

Hey, thanks for taking a look at my letter! You don’t have to use anything here but if you want inspiration or to know things that I like, here you go.

Characters/Relationships (Feel free to use any of these)

Cloud Strife & AVALANCHE

Cloud Strife & Reeve Tuesti

Biggs & Jessie & Wedge & Cloud Strife

Zack Fair & Angeal Hewley & Cloud Strife

Zack Fair & Kunsel & Cloud Strife

Zack Fair & Kunsel

Kunsel & Cloud Strife

Kunsel & Aerith Gainsborough

Angeal Hewley & Cloud Strife

Essai & Zack Fair & Kunsel & Luxiere & Sebastian & Cloud Strife

Tifa Lockhart & Cloud Strife & Barret Wallace & Marlene Wallace

Tifa Lockhart & Cloud Strife & Barret Wallace & Marlene Wallace & Denzel

Tifa Lockhart & Cloud Strife & Marlene Wallace & Denzel

Zack Fair & Aerith Gainsborough & Tifa Lockhart & Cloud Strife

Marlene Wallace & Denzel

Denzel & Cloud Strife

Barret Wallace & Marlene Wallace

Denzel & Cloud Strife & Marlene Wallace

Zack Fair/Cloud Strife

Cloud Strife/Barret Wallace

Cloud Strife/Angeal Hewley

Cloud Strife/Wedge

Aerith Gainsborough/Tifa Lockhart

Aerith Gainsborough/Tifa Lockhart/Cloud Strife

Tifa Lockhart/Cloud Strife/Barret Wallace

Zack Fair/Aerith Gainsborough/Cloud Strife

Other side pairings Barret/Myrna Cid/Shera Vincent/Lucrecia

Prompts: (Feel free to mix and match any of these together if you like)

1# And Then!; Cloud and his partner/family are out for the day (or in, I just want them hanging together) when something happens. Shenanigans, Adventure and/or Drama ensue. Have this light and fluffy, dramatic or even leaning into angst territory, your choice. Here are a few ideas but feel free to come up with something else - Cloud develops the ability to summon Shadow Creepers like the ones in Advent Children; A clone Cloud shows up; Previously thought dead Zack shows up; Cloud getting turned into a summon; There is a Touch-me lose in Edge/Midgar; Cloud developing cat-eyes; A red chocobo capable of casting meteor rain; Wings; The Silver elite are planing something; Jessie drags Cloud into participating in a show for the theater; Reeve with the WRO has set up some sort of charity event that the rest of AVALANCHE gets roped into; The kids have/bring home a school project;

2# Canon Divergence Let’s ignore canon. Cloud as SOLDIER. Version 1 - Degradation and Nibelheim never happened. Cloud, as Zack’s student, made SOLDIER. Shinra might not be great but isn’t evil. Looking for wholesome fun and shenanigans that Angeal and/or Kunsel along with any other SOLDIERs you want, will get roped into/have to deal with.

Version 2 - Degradation and Nibelheim never happened. Cloud, as Zack’s student, made SOLDIER. Something happens that makes Cloud, Zack, and/or Angeal question whether honor/pride/dreams are compatible with a company like Shinra. Answer: no. What do they do about it?

Version 3 - Cloud made SOLDIER but still left Shinra. Maybe he becomes a mercenary, defects to Wutai, or joins AVALANCHE. His mentor Zack is sent after him.

Version 4 - Cloud made SOLDIER but still left Shinra. Now as an ex-SOLDIER he’s been hired by AVALANCHE. Here he meets Zack Fair, one of AVALANCHE’s ragtag members.

If you have another idea feel free to use it. Basically what I want is Cloud is/was SOLDIER, Shinra may or may not be evil and life goes on.

3# Genre shift/AUs; I really enjoy a good AU, get into the meat and explore these worlds/settings. Pick a genre shift or AU and have fun!

Genre shift AU: Space Opera; Space Western; Western; Cyberpunk; Solar-punk; Bio-punk; Cyberpunk; Steampunk; Clock-punk; Urban Fantasy; Magical realism; Urban Witch. -I love Firefly and Cowboy Bebop and grew up on cowboy westerns. I’d love to see AVALANCHE in that sort of setting. Whether they are bounty hunters, smugglers, mercenaries, cowboys, ranchers, or running a saloon, that is up to you. The Highwind and Shera would make wonderful spaceships. Feel free to swap horses and chocobos, have both, or swap chocobos and cattle if you like.

-For the -punk AUs, I love the fashion and world-building/settings you can play with in these genres. What would Eco-Terrorist AVALANCHE look like here? Would they be fighting for a different cause? What would canon look like if this was the genre setting? If you would rather do slice of life that's fine, I’d love to see them just bopping about in this sort of world.

-Quick note on requested -punk AUs - Beside the aesthetics and cool aspects, steampunk is a commentary on the exploitative machinations of imperialism. Biopunk is commentary on the bleak consequences of unethical and unchecked scientific and technological advancement. Cyberpunk is commentary on capitalism’s efforts to buy the world out from under us and where information technology enforces governmental control. Solarpunk is commentary on how to grow a brighter future for everyone instead of submitting to gloom. Clockworkpunk is often a commentary on the restrictiveness of social classes. They are dystopias created one way or another by governments, businesses, and/or religious orders. I like these dynamics in fic. If you choose to write one of these AUs, please keep this in mind, even if it is just in the background of your story.

-Shinra is a great antagonist for the punk, space and western AUs. From corrupt company or government to President Shinra just being a greedy A-hole making their lives difficult. Feel free to use the SOLDIERs, Turks, or Hojo here.

-As for the other three Genre shift AUs, I’d like to see some slice of life. Unless you have something more exciting to tell.

Animal shape-shifter AU: Go big and flashy or small and mundane. One character as the shape-shifter or everyone. Have them keep it a secret or something everyone knows about/can do.

Modern/Mundane domestic AU: (Please get into the nitty-gritty of the AU and don’t have it as just a backdrop) Flower shop AU. Mechanic AU. Bar AU. Bike/Street Gang AU. Street racer AU. Dance - Ballet, Ballroom, Modern AU. Street/Indie Music AU. Street Fashion AU. Community theater AU. Chocobo ranch AU. Chocobo Racer AU.

4# Time Travel I absolutely love time travel, so here are a few different prompts to work with. - TT Cloud leaving “gifts” for Zack. Post-time travel Cloud mentoring Zack. TT Cloud being reborn as a twin to CC Cloud (with or without his enhancements). TT Cloud ends up looking after/traveling with/fighting his younger self. TT ACC Cloud and CC Cloud as teenage cadets together. - TT Cloud going back far enough to save/free Ifalna. Cloud goes back to after the Nibelheim incident. - Cloud traveling back with Denzel and/or Marlene. The Seventh Heaven Family traveling back. Barret as a single time traveler. Denzel and/or Marlene are the time travelers without any adults. The kids meeting mama Strife. - Buster Sword legacy fic with Cloud and/or Zack as the time traveler/s. Having the fusion swords and the future buster sword with him/them would be cool, as well as Angeal’s reaction to an upgraded buster sword. Angeal & Genesis being called out on their actions in Crisis Core.

#ff7 #ao3 gift exchange #prompt letter #exchange letters

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