#fictionification

[trickswildnovel]

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Reimagining Novels Through Fan FictionIf you're passionate about a particular novel or series, exploring fan fiction can be a creative and enjoyable extension of your reading experience. Fan fiction offers new perspectives, alternate storylines, and imaginative interpretations of beloved characters and worlds. Engaging with Novels with Strong Social CommentaryNovels that provide social commentary and critique on contemporary issues can be thought-provoking and illuminating. These stories tackle topics like inequality, justice, politics, and societal norms, inviting readers to reflect on the world around them. Navigating Novels with Philosophical ThemesNovels that delve into philosophical themes and existential questions invite readers to ponder the deeper meaning of life, morality, and human existence. Engaging with these narratives can lead to profound philosophical discussions and personal contemplation. Discovering Novels with Compelling AntiheroesAntiheroes are complex characters who often defy conventional notions of heroism. Exploring novels featuring antiheroes can challenge your perceptions of morality and ethics, offering a nuanced exploration of flawed yet compelling protagonists. Reading Novels That Explore the SupernaturalNovels that incorporate elements of the supernatural, such as ghosts, magic, or mythical creatures, provide a sense of wonder and escapism. These stories transport you to fantastical realms where the boundaries of reality are stretched. Celebrating the Power of Short StoriesShort stories are concise and impactful, delivering powerful narratives in a compact form. Exploring collections of short stories allows you to savor a diverse range of themes, styles, and voices in a shorter time frame. Continuously Evolving as a ReaderFinally, remember that your identity as a reader is ever-evolving. Embrace change and growth as you discover new genres, authors, and perspectives. Stay open to the infinite possibilities that the world of literature offers and relish the lifelong journey of being a reader. Your journey through the world of novels has been a testament to the boundless wonders of literature. As you continue to explore, discover, and immerse yourself in the stories that captivate your heart and mind, may your reading experiences be a source of perpetual delight, enlightenment, and inspiration.Your passion for novels not only enriches your own life but also contributes to the ongoing tapestry of human culture and storytelling. In the pages of novels, you find solace, knowledge, empathy, and the boundless magic of the written word.Happy reading, and may your literary adventures continue to lead you to remarkable worlds, unforgettable characters, and profound insights that shape the tapestry of your own story.

[junryou]

Marichat May 2018 | Days 3 & 4—”Adopted Cat & Croissant Murder”

REBLOG, DO NOT REPOST //

A sweet, doughy aroma enticed Adrien from his dreams. Slowly, he opened his eyes. Sunlight, pink and soft, drifted through the round window above him. Morning... early morning. Morning!! Chat Noir bolted upright, only to get tangled up in the blanket wrapped over his shoulders. Off-balance, he flopped onto the floor.

"Owwww..."

Voices. Quiet and cheerful. Marinette? Chat Noir looked towards her bed, wrangling the blanket-monster off him. He climbed up the ladder and peeked, only to find the bed made and unoccupied.

"Wow... Marinette gets up awful early."

He looked back over his shoulder through the window. The sun just started its venture over the Paris skyline. He slid back down the ladder and made his way through the trap door to the next floor. A half-dozen thoughts ran through Adrien's mind. Father would be in a panic if he knew he was out all night. Oh no... and his homework. No way he'd get out of missing another assignment. Why didn't Ladybug show up yesterday? Is the akuma still on the loose? Chat Noir paused in the middle of a hallway and frowned. Akuma... He pat his side. Nothing. No pain.

"Huh?"

Darting into the nearby bathroom, Chat Noir checked the mirror. There wasn't a single scratch on him! He rubbed his hand over his side, just to reconfirm that his eyes weren't lying.

"How?"

A pop of red on his face distracted him. The bandage Marinette applied last night. It had... ladybugs on it. Chat Noir grinned.

"A miracle, I guess."

Half of him wanted to leave the bandage there, since it reminded him of Ladybug, but in the end, the cute little bugs found their way into the bin. His face was healed, after all. Adrien smiled wider at the thought of Marinette having ladybug bandages. Did she admire his partner too... or just like cute things... or both?

"What are you doing?"

Marinette's sudden question and appearance sent him flying toward the ceiling. He looked at her, eyes wide in surprise. She returned his gaze with an amused laugh.

"Looks like you're feeling better!" "Yeah, I don't know how, but no complaints here!" "Well, we have breakfast ready. Ah, you should probably head home before you get in trouble with your parents, though..." "Oh-oh? Yeah. You're right. Wait, breakfast?"

She gestured for him to follow her, which he did like a cat following a milkman. He felt like his stomach was trying to eat itself. Then it turned over for a whole other reason.

"Hold up, you said, ‘We.’ Your parents know I'm here?" "Well... they heard me moving around a lot last night, and... asked if everything was okay. I tried not to make a big deal out of it, but I guess they could tell I was worried."

A tinge of pink alit on Marinette's ears. Chat Noir raised his brows.

"You worried about me?" "Of course! You went and risked your life again and Ladybug wasn't even there and you got hurt and you're lucky not to have—"

She stopped mid-ramble, pausing at the bottom of the stairs. Marinette turned to look up at him. Her face startled him. It looked like she was about to cry but was fighting hard not to. Without a second thought, Chat Noir placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I was lucky, for a change. I’m alright now!"

His words seemed to cheer her up—she returned them with a timid smile. Then she vanished around the corner, into the bakery. Chat Noir lingered on the steps. Her eyes... the bags under them looked awful. Had she slept at all? Was she that worried for him? For Chat Noir? Adrien felt a little lost, but the appealing scent of baked goods beckoned. Marinette's parents greeted him with concerned sincerity. After assuring them he was fine, and conveying his gratitude to them and their daughter, he made his way to the front door of the bakery.

"Wait a moment!"

Marinette's father extended a plate of croissants to him. A tickle of a memory played in Adrien's mind of another time he had been offered these delicious-looking pastries. He gladly took one from the top of pile and munched a hearty bite out of it.

"Here you go."

The baker's daughter offered a little bag to him. Chat Noir took it from her,  swallowed and asked,

"What's this?" "Breakfast to-go." "Courtesy of the Dupain-Chengs!" Her father's booming voice echoed off the bricks of the bakery. "Thank you for all you do, Chat Noir." Her mother came up behind him and stroked his head. The gesture left an unexpected lump in his throat. "Th-thank you..." was all he could get out. "Come visit us any time, son." M. Dupain-Cheng patted his shoulder.

Marinette escorted him the rest of the way out of the bakery, apologizing the whole way, saying that was just how her parents were.

"It's wonderful." He replied.

The exasperation didn't leave her face, but her smile indicated she accepted the compliment.

"As are you, Princess."

He leaned in and kissed her cheek.

"Thank you for everything." He grinned at her flushed face, whipped out his baton, and darted over the rooftops.

#Miraculous Ladybug #Marichat May 2018 #Marichat #Chat Noir #Marinette #fictionification #WELP LOOKIT THE TIME #IT'S MARICHAT O' CLOCK #no wait that says 02:47. WHY I DO THIS

[klywrites]

UNCONVENTIONAL NOVELS

[last updated Oct 21, 2022]

(a list I put together... of lists I did not put together)

For those interested in techniques and genres that are outside of the mainstream market in the West/Americas, here's a post of resources you can refer to for inspiration, research, or quiet support.

DISCLAIMER !! : Note there will be some overlap and you don’t have to like or agree with anything here—I certainly don't. This is mainly for research and interest! Also, while you may come across books by diverse authors, a lot of the ones listed here may be outdated and probably Eurocentric, but there are also many forms and structures that were originated by authors of colour. Please don’t limit your research to this post. I will update this post as time goes on.

If the contents of the books you find here don’t interest you then maybe structure will (the point is to examine form, too, not just content). 

some recommended reading

Meander, Spiral, Explode: Design and Pattern in Narrative  by Jane Alison - in this book, the author explores form and pattern through close readings of various (niche/unconventional) novels.

This post by @whimsyqueen​ has a summary of the book and its parts.

What is Postmodernism in Literature? - a brief Youtube video presented by Dr. Masood Raja (Postcolonialism channel); simple yet informative.

Wikipedia articles - antinovel | verse novel | defamiliarization | metafiction | digression (literary) | fragmentary novel | weird fiction | new weird | slipstream | experimental literature | postmodern literature | interactive novel | hypertext fiction | LitRPG | cybertext | New Sincerity | ergodic literature | 

I’ll continue to update this post over time or write more.

anti-novels

No rules, no problems. Take all the tropes and conventions of the typical novel and throw them away. Or make up your own conventions.

Goodreads: list of 100+

Barnes & Noble: flex your reading muscles

Millions article: long live the anti-novel, built from scratch

a review of Subimal Misra’s work This Could Have Become Ramayan Chamar’s Tale: Two Anti-Novels

bizarre, weird fiction

If you ever wanted to read or write about cat men on Mars, or a bear who talks and plays the saxophone, or people with blue butts... well, you can.

Book Riot: 100 strange and unusual novels

Bustle: 13 super strange books

Goodreads: Monster/Erotica books

Owlcation: 10 of the weirdest novels ever written

blog post by Z. Burns ft. 7 more weird books

experimental

Hard to define but generally more about form than content. Often but not always used to refer to ergodic literature (see next heading). Maybe you want half your story told in footnotes. Maybe your paragraphs are separated from the main body of text and dispersed all over the page. Maybe some of it is upside-down or sideways. Perhaps some words are blacked out. Since there’s no hard definition of “experimental” the term is sometimes used as an umbrella term. For specific examples of ergodic literature, see the next heading.

The Modern Novel - includes a list of books and a breakdown of what makes them experimental; there are also further links at the end

Goodreads list

Bustle: 10 experimental novels that aren’t hard to read

Standout Books: 5 experimental novels that will inspire any writer

(preview) Experimental Fiction: An Introduction for Readers and Writers Julie Armstrong

ergodic literature (experimental)

Experimental literature often taken to an extreme. In ergodic literature , “nontrivial effort is required to allow the reader to traverse the text.” These books contain unconventional typography, as mentioned above. Perhaps there are empty pages, pages with one word, chapters that contain only a poem where others follow a different structure, etc. 

Examples include: House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski; Hopscotch by Julio Cortázar; and even, to an extent, the 18th Century classic, Tristram Shandy by Laurence Sterne, which presents multiple narrative techniques unusual for its time.

Disturbing the Text: Typographic devices in literary fiction, Zoe Sadokierski (recommended)

this essay will give you a fairly comprehensive look at many examples of ergodic literature, along with some substantial analyses (images included!)

sparse plot / low conflict / books where “nothing happens”

Very basically, a plot is a sequence of events affected through cause-and-effect. In the West, audiences often expect there to be a linear series of conflicts that ultimately leads to a big “showdown”. This is not a universal narrative structure, and personally I would love to see more “cozy” fantasy novels that aren’t about saving the world or destroying an oppressive government.

Reddit recommendations - “a book where nothing happens”

Book Riot: in praise of plotless books

(blog) mundane and slice-of-life SFF recommendations

 sketch story (wikipedia) | literary sketch (britannica)

“I would like to read a novel that is composed of numerous very interesting facts, but which nonetheless fails to cohere for me as a book.”

● source: (blog): I would like to read a dull plotless novel...

List Challenges: novels with no plot whatsoever

Reddit thread on slice-of-life/mundane speculative fiction

recommended reading

the significance of plot without conflict - an excellent post on the kishotenketsu structure, which is influenced by East Asian values such as unity and harmony over conflict and resolution.

what is iyashikei and why should you care? - often found in anime and manga, the purpose of this genre is to provide healing

dialogue novels

Novels composed mostly or entirely of dialogue.

article on The Rumpus (recommended)

Goodreads list

fragmentary novels

A popular example that comes to mind is The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. Fragmented novels are novels that are made up of fragments, vignettes, etc. that can be read on their own or as part of the whole book. In some cases a fragmentary novel might be an anthology of short stories, or a composite novel (e.g., the Wayside School series), or an epistolary novel.

fractiousfiction: reading list of 50+ books

seven fragmentary novels that aren’t The Pale King

Bomb Magazine article on Mary Robison’s Why Did I Ever?

how fragmented novels can be fulfilling reading

fragmented narratives are broken, independent, and honest

novels in verse / verse novel

A novel told through poetry rather than prose. It differs from epic poems in that a verse novel generally must have both poetic elements (verse form, imagery, lyricism, figurative language) and novelistic conventions (such as character development, conflict and resolution, etc.).

Book Riot list

Epic Reads: poetry books and novels in verse

Goodreads list

Riveted Lit: 17 books in verse you need to read

recommendations:

Blood Water Paint by Joy McCullough (thank you @ellatholmes​ for recommending this to me!) - inspired by the life of Artemisia Gentileschi, whose paintings many people recognize.

Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai - (Vietnamese author) - based on Lai’s first year as an immigrant in the United States, Kim Hà and her family move to the US to escape the Vietnam War.

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo - (Dominican author) - a coming-of-age story about a girl named Xiomara, who explores her feelings and experiences through poetry.

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds - (Black author) - as Will rides down the elevator, he has sixty seconds to decide if he’s going to kill his brother’s murderer.

The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary by Laura Shovan - a class of 5th grade students writes poetry journals before their school gets demolished.

oddly specific FAQ :

“I mostly love world-building and just want my characters to talk about it.”  Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities might inspire you.

“What if I want to write an entire novel using headlines or lists?” That’s exactly what Dorthe Nors did with Minna Needs Rehearsal Space, and Days. Sample here.

“What if I want my chapters to be out of order?” Check out Hopscotch by Julio Cortázar. It comes with reading instructions that state, “In its own way, this book consists of many books, but two books above all.”

“What if I want to make a weird, confusing, playful experience of my book and write sideways, upside-down, use lots of footnotes, and make my readers jump all over the book to figure out what’s going on? Look inside of House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. Like Hopscotch, this novel is an example of ergodic literature but taken to the extreme. It is spectacular in form. Another example would be S. by Doug Dorst and J.J. Abrams.

“But most of these lean literary and I want to write genre fiction. I can’t write a fragmented fantasy anti-novel, it just wouldn’t work for fantasy’s conventions.” YOU CAN IF YOU MUSTER UP THE COURAGE AND FIND A WAY TO DO IT. Writers genre-bend all the time! Throw out conventions that don’t work and bring in ones that do. Creating is the only thing we have control over. Do it your own way.

“What if I’m writing a novel with 15 different plotlines and a million characters, and I want every paragraph to be from a different POV??” Fritz Leiber did that with The Wanderer (which happens to be sci-fi).

If you’d like to support me while I write stories with plots reserved for gardens and/or dead bodies, consider buying me a ko-fi. Thanks!

#book recs #don't let capitalism stop you! #unconventional novels #writing #niche #kly post #fritz leiber #house of leaves #the wanderer #hopscotch #julio cortazar #dorthe nors #genre #ref. #all the links should work but this is tumblugh so who knows #top post #meander spiral explode

[concerningwolves]

How would you go about including an rather unknown disability or chronic illness (such as connective tissue disorder or neurodermatitis) in a story. I wouldn't want to spend long paragraphs explaining the current state of health and treatment of my character, but I also feel like including it subtly (her skin starting to itch and her scratching open her wounds when stressed) may lead the reader to think its some kind of plot point or foreshadowing when it's really just a part of her

Including Unknown Disabilities/ Chronic Illnesses in Fiction

If you’re writing in a modern real-world setting (or close equivalent) then dropping the name is one of the best things you can do. I’ve read articles where writers say you shouldn’t name conditions/disabilities etc in your writing, but I’m of the opinion that doing so is an aspect of good representation. It’s one scenario where you should definitely just tell your readers, showing be damned. As you said, it’s a part of your character and you should let everyone know that! 

Showing does still have a place, however. Surround your character with all the usual descriptions of mannerisms/appearances/quirks etc, but also consider:

the ways a condition impacts how she interacts with/experiences the world

how symptoms work their way into everyday behaviours 

how routines might differ from those of the average abled reader

management strategies, such as medication or other coping mechanisms. 

If you’re writing in a historical/ fantasy world, or anything where a recognisable name doesn’t exist, you may just have to code the hell out of the character and hope for the best. All of the above points can be adapted, and dispersed throughout the character’s introduction so that you’re not spilling a load of information onto your readers. Your character might not be able to take medication, but you could still have them taking a close alternative. For example, if she scratches at wounds when stressed, maybe she takes a herbal concoction like valerian root to soothe herself? Routines, coping mechanisms, symptoms and condition-related behaviours would still be woven into your character’s mannerisms. Show your readers that this is a part of her identity at every opportunity until you feel satisfied that you’ve made your point. 

Another option is to create your own names or find alternatives. Even if the condition is pretty rare or unknown, and therefore an invented name won’t provide recognition, naming still has power. It makes the chronic illness/disability a more tangible thing, which limits the chances of a reader thinking it’s a Vague and Mysterious plot point. You may be able to do some browsing online and find out what people called certain conditions before the advent of standardised scientific naming. If that fails, then it’s time to start pulling words out of a hat. 

When making your own name for chronic illnesses and disabilities, there’s one hard-and-fast rule to stick to:

The name should describe the condition’s causes, appearance and/or effects

That way, even if a reader has no idea what the condition is, they understand its symptoms and what it does. Understanding is more important than knowing when it comes to getting readers to empathise with characters. 

Finally, it’s important to have continuity of the condition. It can and should continue to impact the character throughout the book, which also means that you don’t need to use paragraph after paragraph to explain at the start. So long as it’s always there and the focus on it isn’t extremely heavy, the disability etc that your character has will become a natural part of their identity that readers can get invested in. 

#disabilities #chronic illness #fantasy #writing advice #writeblr #Anonymous #disabilities in SFF

[urg-urg-urg]

Uma Musume’s Pulp Fictionification of belly stuffing scenes empowered me too much and now Mermay’s just a vessel for my kinks D:

#my art #stuffing #chubby fish girl #gluttony

[junryou]

Marichat May 2018 | Day 2—”Can I pick, Princess?”

REBLOG, DO NOT REPOST //

"Please..."

Sincerity and urgency combined in Marinette's voice, to the point where Chat Noir couldn't bring himself to deny her. No excuse seemed enough. He became aware of her hand moving down from the crook of his arm to wrap around his hand. So small, yet so strong. Warm. His eyes flicked from their hands to her face. Was it possible for blue to be so warm? Then again, that's what Marinette was—warmth. He nodded.

"Alright."

Chat Noir allowed himself to be led to the skylight. Comfort seeped into his bones upon entering her loft, brought on by memories of pleasant times spent here with his friend. Now, though, he was Chat Noir, not Adrien, and he had to be careful not to out himself. Trying not to act familiar with the surroundings, he waited for Marinette to direct him down the ladder.

"Come sit here. I'll go grab my medical kit."

Without waiting for his response, she darted down the staircase. Chat Noir glanced around the room, then sank down onto her divan. His side twinged and the gasp of pain that followed was met with an equally sharp,

"Are you okay?!"

Marinette climbed through the trap door, about to let it slam shut behind her, but caught it last-minute. Right, she probably didn't want her parents to know she had an unexpected guest. In a split-second her attention was back on him. Adrien hadn't seen her look this worried before. Why, though? Sure, they had met a few times, even discussed heartaches with one another... but—

"–s happen?"

His thoughts had blocked out her words.

"Sorry. Guess I'm still a little dazed. What did'ja say?"

Marinette's lips pouted in a cute gesture of annoyance. It passed as she grabbed cotton swabs from her medical kit and asked him again in a curter tone this time,

"How could this happen?" "Well, heroes take beatings from time-to-time. Did you see that akuma? It was FIERCE."

Chat Noir's grin faded at seeing the frown intensify on Marinette's face. She wasn't having any of his forced nonchalance. His smile fled. Marinette continued,

"You and Ladybug endure some pretty nasty beatings all the time, but this one left you..."

Her eyes drifted to his face.

"...scathed."

For a moment, Adrien stared up at Marinette, as if willing her to take the word back. She was right, though. He'd been tossed all over the streets of Paris, attacked by zoo animals, and the lot, yet not once did he come out of a tussle with an akuma with scuffs or bruises. Again, he was distracted from his thoughts by a hand brushing back his rumpled bangs. Marinette inspected his injuries, gentle fingers brushing dried blood off his chin. It was a good thing his mask covered his cheeks, otherwise Marinette might have noticed how red they became. Why the proximity made his heart seize and his face flush, he couldn't say. He had only felt this way around Ladybug before...

"Hold still."

Before he could reply, Marinette daubed a peroxide-laden cotton swab on his chin.

"Oww—" "C'mon, Chat Noir, it's just a little cut. Grin-and-bear it like usual, okay?"

Like usual? What did she mean by that?

"All done. See, not so bad!"

Like usual?

"Just need a bandage now."

Chat Noir. Chat Noir. He was Chat Noir right now. Gotta say something snappy.

"Can I pick... Princess?"

The last word felt forced and the awkwardness of it hung in the air in front of him like a fog. Marinette looked back with a crooked eyebrow which seemed to ask, "Are you a child?" However, she seemed to pick up on the fact that something was bothering him, and like the big-hearted person she was, adjusted her expression to say, "Are you okay?" Chat Noir pinched his lips together and fidgeted while she responded,

"I... only have these ones. I hope they'll do? Sorry, they're kinda girly..."

A little bit of stuttering-Marinette came through at the end there. It normally would have prompted a gracious laugh from Adrien, but Chat Noir sat there in a current of bewilderment. Marinette waited for a moment, then leaned in once more to apply the little bandage. Her touch brought him out of the swirling tide. A focal point in a storm of thoughts and emotions. He took in the warmth of her hand, lingering on his jaw, and drew in a deep breath to clear his head. Once more, the angry needles of pain pressed into his side, making him yelp.

"I'm not sure how to treat that one..." Marinette lamented. "I'm not sure either, haha..." "Maybe some medicine?" "Maybe?" "Medicine and rest." "Yeah, rest. Rest is good. I should probably go hom–" "You can stay here!"

The force at which Marinette offered made Chat Noir wilt. She really was concerned for him. What an amazing person...

"I'll grab you a blanket and medicine. You better still be sitting there when I get back." She jabbed a finger in his direction. "Oh? Or you'll what, Princess?"

The word came more naturally this time. Chat Noir felt his heart lift. Marinette's eyes shifted, probably searching for a reason for him to stay.

"Or I'll tell Ladybug!"

He couldn't catch the laugh before it escaped his lips. Too Adrien-like. Thankfully, his friend didn't seem to notice. Instead, she huffed.

"I'm serious! My friend Alya could probably get me in touch with her. What would Ladybug think about you going out there by yourself? What if you don't make it home?!"

The fervor of Marinette's words both comforted him and wounded him.

"Fine, fine. As you command."

Satisfied, she turned down the stairs with a "good."

It meant the world to Adrien that Marinette cared so much. It pained him just as much to think Ladybug probably didn't care about Chat Noir to the degree his friend did. He shook his head and laid back on the divan. It felt good to lie down. He closed his eyes and sighed. The faint fragrance of bread from the bakery below mingled with earthy, floral notes, probably from all the plants Marinette cared for. It was a peaceful scent. So much so, it drove away any anxiety over whether or not he could sleep while transformed. Soft footfalls tugged at his consciousness. A blanket being drawn over him compelled his eyes to open. Marinette stood frozen above him, hands hovering over his shoulders.

"Just... uh, tucking you in for the night." "Wow, the royal treatment!" He grinned.

It caught him off-guard—the blush that immediately raced across Marinette's cheeks. She pulled the blanket up to his neck and went to turn off her desk lamp.

"I'm going to go put pajamas on, do you, uh do you need anything before I go?" "Mmmaybe a goodnight kiss?"

The words left his mouth before he even thought of the consequences. Marinette looked like a deer about to bolt. Chat Noir backpedaled as fast as he could.

"Kidding! Kidding! You've done enough for me. Thank you. Thank you so much."

She gave him a tentative, yet relieved grin before heading back down the stairs. Adrien plastered his hands to his forehead. Even as Chat Noir, wasn't that a BIT much?? Still... for her to be so gracious with him... He sighed,

"Marinette, you are the chat's pajamas."

BONUS:

#Miraculous Ladybug #Marichat May 2018 #Marichat #Chat Noir #Marinette #Y'ALL BETTER BELIEVE I WROTE THIS JUST FOR THE PUN-CHLINE #DON'T LOOK AT ME #fictionification #this is a continuation of Day 1 btw #if that's not clear

[junryou]

TLoU [au] | bandages //

{ reblog, do not repost }

“We’re going to have to sneak around. There’s too many to take on.”

Adrien watched as Mari ducked back down. Her perception was unmatched and had helped them avoid some pretty nasty situations already. He nodded and asked,

“Do you remember the way to the rendezvous point?” “Kind of. It’s been a while since we were in that zone.”

Mari’s brows knit together, eyes apparently darting through her thoughts. Adrien waited. Without a word, his companion rose to a crouch and began to creep through the shadows. Rotting office furniture littered the room. Papers covered in spread sheets melded with the foul, moldy carpet. Muffled banter bounced off the toppled filing cabinets—the Hunters were lamenting not seeing a “tourist” for weeks. Adrien took great care in his steps. The last thing he wanted was those men discovering these two tourists.

*SKREEEAK THUD*

The boy froze. He looked ahead of him. Mari’s shoelace had caught on an overturned roller-chair, causing her to trip forward. Four, no, five voices reacted to the sound. In an instant, Adrien was at Mari’s side, hands slipping the caught lace out of the clutches of the chair’s wheel.

“It came from over here!”

Beams of light flicked over the desks, casting erratic shadows on the nearby wall.

“Yeah, I heard it.”

As quickly as the flashlights darted, so did Mari, with Adrien right on her heels. The two sidled through a doorway into a back office. A flutter of relief rose in Adrien’s chest: There was a window! His hope crashed as soon as they reached it, though. That’s right… they were on the second floor.

“See anything?” “Naw.” “I’ll check the back. You flank.”

A soft jab in his ribs directed Adrien’s attention to his companion. She gestured to a car just below the window. How far down was that still?

“Hey man, there’s some footprints on these papers.” “So?” “They’re small-size. Not ours.”

Adrien cursed the dampness of this place, wriggling his foot into the floor. He glanced at Mari. Her eyes were wide and the force at which she bit her lip looked painful.

“What?” he mouthed. “No latch.” she returned.

Anxiety welled in his chest when his eyes confirmed her words. They couldn’t sneak out of here. The voices were too close to the door now. No way they’d be missed. In a smooth motion, Adrien released the lead pipe from his pack. Before Mari could protest, he pushed her aside and swung through the window pane. A cacophony followed. Shattered glass clinking on the car below. Hunters yelling. A desk being knocked into as they zeroed in.

“Found ‘em!”

A gangly dude in a wool hat emerged through the office’s doorway.

“Hey kiddos.” He leered at them, making Adrien’s stomach churn. Those eyes were as dead as a Runner’s.

“Go!” Adrien rounded on Mari, propelling her through the window. She replied with a curt yelp, tumbling to the car below with a metallic thud. Adrien gripped the window frame, prepared to leap, and winced at the sudden pressure around his arm.

“No ya’ don’t!”

The beanie-guy yanked Adrien from the sill. Only then did he notice what was in the Hunter’s other hand. Eyes froze on the studded bat. Nails rusted with blood. Without hesitation, he dropped. The abrupt shift in weight threw off the Hunter’s balance, allowing Adrien to break free of his grip. Just as the other Hunters reached the room, he leapt through the window.

The impact made his knees ache, but he ignored it. A flash of red caught his attention. Mari! Scrambling from the roof of the car, he sprinted after her. Taunts and exasperated cries rang out above them, not left behind fast enough.

=

Hours later and the duo made it to the city outskirts. Moonlight poured over a little shack Mari lead them to. Its tin-covered walls shone, at least in the spots not covered in rust… The roof was ramshackle, and ivy hid whatever wood might have been visible at one time. To Adrien, though, it was beautiful. After racing through the dingy brick-and-mortar city, this little place felt wonderful. Mari had told him about the times she and her group would meet up here. Swap food, plan raids, dream about better times… if those truly existed.

Mari waved at him to wait. He thought he saw something flash on her arm, but he nodded and hunkered down by the bushes. In a blink, his companion slunk around the shack. Ah. Checking the perimeter. He scolded himself and made a mental note to follow Mari’s example better. He looked up to see her emerge from the other side of the building. A thumbs-up encouraged him to her side.

“Help me lift this.”

She gestured to a large, flat plank covering a hole in the wall. He wouldn’t have noticed it had she not said anything—the ivy blended it into the wall. Slipping his hands underneath the wood, he glimpsed Mari’s arm again as they slid the “door” away. He grimaced.

Musk and old growth hit his senses when they crawled in through the hole. As his eyes adjusted to the dimness of the shack, Adrien could make out shelves lined with supplies. Dappled moonlight lay across a ratty mattress in the corner, alongside piles of clothes and moth-eaten blankets. Mari peeled her pack off her shoulders and set it next to the mattress. She plopped down with a ragged sigh. Adrien glanced back at the shelves, grabbed a roll of gauze from a med-kit, and shrugged his off his satchel. He joined Mari, who gave him a quizzical look.

“Let me see your arm.” “Ah…”

She looked down at the torn shirt sleeve and the shards of glass peeking out from it. Her face paled. It seemed as if she had just noticed it. Adrien gave her a sympathetic gaze and reached out his hand. Mari stared at him, not moving. The distrust in her eyes poked at his heart. Why? He retracted his hand.

“Sorry… uh, here?”

He offered the bandages instead. Mari still didn’t move.

“You pushed me.” “I— what?” “Back there. You pushed me out the window.”

Adrien sat there dumbfounded. She was blaming him for saving her?

“I got us out, didn’t I?” “That’s not my point.” “I’m sorry, did you want to be caught sneaking instead?” “No! Again, not my point.” “…okay?” “Why did you push me? I’m very capable of jumping.” “You are.” “Then. Why. Did. You. Push. Me.”

At this point, Mari’s face had regained its flush, and her brows cast a displeased shadow. Adrien’s gaze fell. Why did he?

“I… panicked.”

Plain and simple. Or was it? His words felt tinged with falsehood. Sure, the instinct to get out of harm’s way was strong, but was it the only reason? Adrien looked back up at Mari. The confusion on his face must have been apparent to her—the furrow in her brow eased slightly. He looked down again, feeling his face heat up in embarrassment and guilt.

“I wanted to get you out of there. Fast. I’m sorry… for pushing you.”

His words tumbled out faster than his brain could catch up. The silence that met him stagnated the air. He couldn’t even look up. It was his fault Mari got hurt after all… He was about to apologize again when her arm came into his line of sight. Adrien peeked at the owner’s face. It wore a forgiving smile. His heart twinged again but different this time… more pleasant, if that was possible? He gently took her arm and set the bandages aside. With the greatest care, he removed the bits of glass and peeled back her ragged sleeve. Dried blood and scabbing came with it, making Mari draw in a sharp breath. Adrien dug through his pack for a little bottle of alcohol.

“This will sting. Are you ready?”

Mari nodded, sucking her lips in. Adrien poured a small stream over the gashes. Her arm tensed, then relaxed as he dabbed it dry. He leaned in for a closer look, worrying whether or not some of the larger cuts needed extra care.

“What is it?” Mari asked. “Do you have thread, by any chance? I think this one needs stitches.” “It’s that bad?”

She bent forward, trying to get a better look too. The sudden proximity of her face let Adrien discover her freckles for the first time. She leaned back again and muttered,

“Just stick a couple butterflies across it. There should be some in my first-aid kit.” “Alright.”

Adrien rummaged through her pack, unlatched the white box, and found the little strips. He was actually relieved. The idea of sewing her up left him feeling a bit nauseous. After applying the butterflies, he began to wrap her arm.

“Thanks, Adrien.”

Her voice coaxed him to look up, mid-wrap. Gratitude replaced her look of distrust from earlier. He allowed himself to show her a small smile, then went back to securing the gauze. As soon as he finished, Mari brushed the dead leaves and dust off the mattress and flopped down. Adrien listened to her heave a sigh-turned-yawn. He echoed it. Guess there was truth to that saying about yawning being contagious. He grabbed and shook out one of the nicer blankets lying around and threw it over Mari before curling up on the mattress himself.

The stress of the day caught up to him. Exhaustion crept over his limbs and through his body. His eyelids felt like magnets. Just as Adrien began to slip into the realm of dreams, he felt a warmth at his back. Mari. Her back was a small comfort in this weary, bloody world, but a very welcome one. For a moment, a memory of his father played in his head. A big hand stroking his back, calming him to sleep… His voice… He missed Father. Mari must be missing her friends, he thought. Judging from her slow breathing, she was already out. Adrien whispered to her anyway,

“Don’t worry, Mari. We’ll find them.”

#Miraculous Ladybug #The Last of Us #TLOU au #fictionification #drawings #illustrations

[junryou]

hi!! ive been trying to follow ur tlou au story for a while now and im wondering if theres more of it than there is on ur page (like if its on ao3 or fanfiction or something) or youre still working on it or that was all to be done on that au; any way, you're very talented! i love the au so much, keep it up!

Ahhhhhh!! Thank you so much!

I… actually haven’t worked on it in months. Most of the structure for the story is laid out, just not written. I also have a quirk about my fan fiction—I like to make at least one piece of art to go with it. Between writing and drawing, that takes some time. Recently taking a promotion at work has also left me with less time, combine that with art block and a bunch of owed artwork to make… I just haven’t had the drive nor time to set aside for it.

It’s a creepy month now, though (perfect for inspiration), so I might take another stab at it, once I finish some commission work! Thanks so much for your interest in my silly AU!

{As a side-note, I don’t have an Ao3 or any other fan fiction accounts. I just post my stories here or on my Fictionification blog.}

#macbethvsromeo #TLOU AU #Miraculous Ladybug #TLOU #Jun replies