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sawrinwrites · 2 months

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March Content Plans (Long Update)

As it is now the 25th here in frosty England, it has officially been 2 months since I published my first piece of fan fiction. In that time, I've released:

A one-shot containing my first ever attempt at both monster smut and an explicit F/F sex scene (which is currently my most popular work????)

A low angst (I know, I can't believe it either) romantic one-shot from the POV of a golden retriever

4 chapters of an emotionally intense story that is so far from my usual writing style I have to re-read earlier chapters to remind myself how to write it (a deliberate stylistic choice but boy, am I paying for it)

3 chapters of what was meant to be a fun side project and is quickly turning into something deep and dark and wonderful in its own right

All in all, that's 4 bodies of work spanning 57.7k words released over a period of 9 weeks (not including the 15-20k which got rewritten / replaced / outright cut). Which is, for me, insane. It's also a pace that I won't be able to maintain going forward, so for the sake of setting expectations (my own, more than anyone else's), here's the current plan for March:

The Monsters At My Side And In My Shadow Ch 1-3 update Given that this has gone from "werewolf smut hiding in a multi-chapter fic" to "multi-fic exploration of abuse with a healthy dollop of smut", I want to revise what's already been released to better align with what I have going forward. There won't be any plot / event changes, scenes that get altered will be getting either an expansion or a rewrite, depending on the work needed (which will include adding more smut-adjacent content because it's currently lacking and I want it to be better).

Untitled - An Ember POV Story to Celebrate 1yr Since The Bees Kissed (March 25th) @reeves3 put the idea in my head and now I have a collection of outlines covering various points in Yang and Blake's relationship all told from the perspective of the Best Girl. They won't come out in chronological order as I'm looking to line them up with various events, but the current plan is that March 25th will cover the introduction of a new member into the Xiao Long-Belladonna pack.

Additionally, I'd like to release the following chapters but I am forcing myself to accept that these will likely get bumped to April:

The Monsters At My Side And In My Shadow Ch 4

Shattered Divinity Ch 5

There's a few reasons for the (temporary) slowdown in content:

I am supposed to draft 1 - 3 OC novels this year (the mistake of mixing alcohol with an empty resolutions boards and the word "bet") and I need to dedicate more time than I have done to those projects to have any hope of doing that.

Rather than wait for the fan fic writer's curse to hit, I've gone and done it to myself by buying my first house. The offer got accepted yesterday, so now I have to deal with the joys of legal and financial paperwork. And start prepping for a move. And every other stressful time consuming thing that comes from this period. Don't get me wrong, I am fucking ecstatic, not least because it means me having an actual bedroom for the first time in almost 4 years, but the next steps are going to take a chunk out of my usual writing time.

@kaelidascope is about to drop a veritable feast of content. Look, I'm not subtle about how much I enjoy her work. She's my favourite fan fic writer. She's probably one of my favourite writers period on account of the emotional damage and veritable joy Mightnight Menagerie has brought me. And I'm not just saying this because she's been exceptionally complimentary of my own work (which, by the way, I am still freaking out over). She is one of the main reasons I started writing fan fiction. If it wasn't for the original Beestfic, I'd never have written The Hunt. Which means I'd never have had the concept ideas that initially led to starting The Monsters At My Side And In My Shadow, and without that fic, I wouldn't have had the 3 experimental scenes between Yang and her grimm which ended up inspiring the idea to write Best Laid Plans from Ember's POV. So I will be setting aside some time (translation: every waking moment I have during release weekend) to thoroughly immerse myself in the relaunch. Also there's two Menagerie chapters due and the previews are already threatening my analytics brain and unfortunately it takes time to launch that kind of assault on AO3's comment section.

So yeah. A few things going on in March. I'm gonna try and do this as a rolling monthly thing going forward in lieu of trying to have a timed release schedule. Hopefully the April one will be a bit lot shorter.

#content update #fuck this is long #march is gonna be a MONTH for me yall

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neon-moon-night · 1 year

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I know it was posted a while ago, but I saw the swap au and found it really interesting. I’m curious about how events took place in the AU specifically why the sealing happened and also how the three of them came to be and becoming the way they are?

oh no i love getting questions about it!!

so this is me and @murderbot's AU and it has a LOOOOOT of headcanons behind it, so much of the swap is based on our interpretation of canon events. these are all also his ideas as we worked on it together!

i'll also give the disclaimer that some parts are better defined than others

gonna get super long (hence why this took so long to answer AAA) so a read more:

SO just gonna give an overview of the swaps:

hollow->ghost->hornet->hollow

radiance<-->grimm

loosely, the mosskin<-->the weavers

notably, the pale king and the white lady are NOT swapped, they remain in their canon roles. this was mostly because we didn't feel like we had any interest in swapping them with anyone but each other, but at the same time didn't think a swap between them would be very interesting. however we actually do have a 2nd swap AU where they ARE swapped, and the three siblings are swapped in ghost->hollow->hornet->ghost order instead, but that's neither here nor there...

there's a few more swaps but these are the ones relevant to your questions

re:your first question about the reason for the sealing...

so a very long time ago, grimm was the sedentary god of butterflies while the radiance was the migratory god of moths. one day the pale king showed up in hallownest, as in canon, and shed his form to live in what is now the city of tears

the way we see his initial settlement is that, the rainy caverns that became the city of tears were naturally rainy from being kept under blue lake. they didn't necessarily have a lot of people living there, bc it's bordered on one side by the mantises, on the other by the bees, and above by the moths (or butterflies, in swap) - all of which have wings for at least one part of their lifecycle. making somewhere with rain not very ideal!

so the pale king setting up shop there wasn't a problem yet. however, he was not a very good neighbor? as we see from the game, he isn't really the type to be satisfied with ruling as one among many...he wants to be without "blazing kin", "only one light shall shine against the dark", etc. and there's also a dev note talking about how the radiance was sealed once because the pale king did not want to rule with any equal, and then the seal with hollow was his second attempt when the first didn't work

anyway...so he has a plan to stop the rain in the city, bc we know it hadn't been raining during its peak. it was basically a dam project for the blue lake...which he did NOT talk to grimm or the butterflies about beforehand. the result was quite a lot of flooding in the lower section of the resting grounds - you know how it has a large gate separating it from the upper section? i figured that whole bit was almost completely submerged.

obviously no one is happy about this. grimm is irritated, goes to "negotiate" with the understanding that the new guy will be an untrustworthy weasel, but gets killed instead! his body is tossed away to rot, and the pale beings have one less obstacle to expanding their kingdom.

all of that so far is basically also my hc for what happened w the radiance in canon with no major changes so far in the broad strokes. NOW is where things diverge

when the radiance died, there wasn't very much she could do about it. when grimm died...he was able to make a deal.

that deal was w the nightmare heart, which we see as something of a separate entity? anyway he was actively dying, was given a deal to get both his physical body back as well as revenge on the kingdom, and well what do you know...

SO YEAH...instead of the infection (there was no external force there, it was more the radiance rotting) there's a parasitic plague instead, hence the infestation from the big doodle sheet i made. something burrows in people's hearts and they get these weird fleshy growths over their bodies...

NOW: the pale king is like ohhh that's kind of bad actually. and for similar reasons concocts the vessel plan...

some context from my interpretation of canon events: i always thought the reason pk needed herrah when there's a plethora of people loyal enough to become dreamers for free, is because the weavers' role was not limited TO herrah. in the hidden station, we see spools of silk that were presumably transferred from the deepnest station (because that would've had to have been built with their approval, when it's so much closer than the tram station they destroyed). there's also incomplete versions of seals in the weaver's den. basically it seems to me like the weavers were involved in weaving dream seals - both moths and spiders make silk, so that could be the connection? so he needed her because the seals could not have been made without her cooperation

anyway...i mentioned that the mosskin and weavers are very loosely swapped. i say "very loosely' because basically the main difference is now greenpath is a place where hallownest has little to no influence while deepnest is more thoroughly conquered. so...the deal is far more lopsided. hallownest could come in strength with demands, possibly in exchange for deepnest's continued independence, a la the deal with the mantis tribe. (in the wanderer's journal it says they made their treaty so their village could retain independent rule)

so the pale king has an extra demand: he wants to imbue some of the eggs with spider silk to produce ones that will be able to weave themselves, w the thought that a vessel that weaves its own bonds might be more effective...? but not all of them were made like that in case it altered the formula in some undesirable way.

thus: we get hornet and hollow

[picture to break this rant up a little]

hornet isn't really herrah's biological child here, but she's one of the vessels whose egg was imbued with silk. hollow was one that was not. she reaches the top first and walks off with the pale king without looking back. hollow falls.

so, hornet is raised as the sealed vessel...to me, duty is always a large part of her character, and that remains the case here too. in my own read of canon hollow, i would not describe them as "dutiful", per se...they are obedient and do what they are told, but the kingdom at large is abstract enough to them that it's not quite a motivating factor for them the way more direct approval from their father is

this is less true for hornet...she is aware she's a being made for a purpose, and in this world, she knows exactly what that purpose is. it is then a purpose she follows with all her heart...she is less self aware than hollow in canon, who knows they are not empty and vehemently denies it. i think hornet is a little better at lying to herself

i said she's no longer herrah's biological child, and that's still true, but it isn't that she had no interaction with herrah. here, herrah is the one who teaches her weaving, and so paradoxically this hornet has more interaction with herrah and more knowledge of weaving than my understanding of canon. herrah didn't have liberty to give her much affection, and hornet doesn't remember her well. but it is a connection that existed and that, to some extent, mattered

beyond this she was generally isolated in the palace and had little contact with anyone who was not a great knight or the king himself.

basically to summarize all this, swap hornet came to be the way she was as a combination of how i see ordinary hornet and how she might react if her life had been a bit more like hollow's. it's never been my preference for swap AUs to completely change a character's personality, but personality is shaped by environment too, so it's important to strike a balance there...

now for someone i haven't talked about much yet: little ghost

[another image to break this up...]

so, ghost...

i preserved herrah's connection to hornet, and just because ghost is in hornet's place doesn't make them a spider. they're instead the full, non-void child of the white lady and the pale king - my idea for why they were born is basically that, after the sacrifice of thousands of eggs and one empty child as their return for that, they decided to have a normal child as well

i think the best way i can sum up swap ghost is "people who willingly kill their own children will not be good parents under any circumstances"

to contrast with canon a bit, i'll talk abt my headcanons there - i see the white lady as having been the one who raised hornet, but she was also a very distant guardian to her. she never considered hornet her daughter, and while she never held a grudge for hornet's birth - i kinda think that, to her, herrah as a mortal is so beneath her it doesn't matter - the white lady was generally neglectful. like, to her hornet was a side project and an amusement, not a daughter.

by contrast, swap ghost is her full child and therefore she takes her parenting duties far more seriously in that regard. the issue is, she still isn't a very good parent! in canon she saw ghost as nothing more than a thing; she ordered them to take hollow's place and suffer eternally "for the good of the kingdom", and even saw hollow as having failed in their cruel duty.

here there's obviously no attempted infanticide against ghost, but she still sees them as someone who should be molded into what she wants out of them and not someone who is their own person. so even small things like ghost's personal preferences are not something they were really allowed to have.

but ghost is not really the type to accept that, so it didn't work out. they were rowdy and rebellious and ran away often, and as a result i feel like they were an embarrassment to the white lady and pale king, such that they weren't brought in public. so they're not as recognizable as you might expect a legitimate princet of the kingdom to be

to explain this doodle...

BASICALLY so. ghost and hornet did not interact with each other. the white lady had her own wing of the white palace when she was there, and hornet was kept in a secluded place as well such that the pure vessel not be "tainted". as a result, ghost saw her from a distance at her public appearances but otherwise did not interact with her

i said ghost was rowdy...they were not permitted in hornet's areas, but that didn't stop them from sneaking in and trying to meet the older sister they never knew. they found her going through nail drills alone in a room and hid to watch, not wanting to be caught. she completed her drills and then looked right at their hiding spot, and said, thoughtfully, "like a little ghost..." and left.

that's the in-universe explanation for ghost's name being ghost - they were given some other name by the white lady, but ghost is what they go by, because they're the first words they ever heard their sister say

to explain their estrangement...

i said they ran away often...they usually got brought back eventually by a royal guard, but this time was different. they went back and found the pale king had escaped into the dream realm without his problem child, and the white lady had left in kind.

they were still a teenager when this happened, and well: it felt very bad. but they also decided that this was for the best, and they had never liked them anyway, and they never liked this kingdom, and so they would just leave - and leave they did. they went to the howling cliffs and decided to find whatever awaited them in the wastes

mato found them before they could do that, and seeing that they were very young, very upset, and very likely to not make it, took them in as his pupil/child. so they're his dad now =) and they learned nail arts

swap ghost actually also knows some spells - they were taught by the white lady themself. but they don't like owing her anything and thus avoid magic as much as possible

and now, finally: hollow

hollow is the abandoned child...hornet did not look back for them, not out of malice, but because she only looked forward and only moved forward. she didn't stop and look back. so hollow fell.

like ghost in canon, they eventually made their way out of abyss, and left hallownest entirely before finally returning, for reasons they themself don't fully understand. they lost their arm out there, which is also why their cloak is ripped on that side; not much opportunity to change it

they're very lonely and, for lack of a better word, much "sweeter" than canon ghost is. canon ghost, much like a child, sometimes kills out of curiosity - they are the type of hunter to use a deadly spell if they cannot catch up with something (maskflies, menderbug), if only so they can learn from the remains. swap hollow is not like that, and actually my friend and i nicknamed them "swallow" - a portmanteau of swap hollow, and also a type of bird, because they like the little bird bugs.

they're also much more open and expressive than canon hollow is, as they've never had their emotions suppressed. they've never been nurtured either, but at the least, they don't possess the blank mask they do in another world. this is also in contrast to both canon & swap ghost, whose flat affect i see as more natural to them.

their journey is also much easier than ghost's because they run into, well, ghost. unlike canon hornet, swap ghost doesn't challenge hollow to a fight. canon hornet spent years and years alone stewing, but swap ghost is far better adjusted than her; an actual parental figure in mato helped with that

swap ghost instead told hollow they were their sibling, and offered for them to travel together

i tend to think of AUs for video games as alternate "games" themselves. a hypothetical game of this swap AU would not play much like hollow knight; it would be more comparable to an RPG with a party, consisting of hollow, ghost, and for a short period of time, grimmchild. (i haven't really said anything about them but. this is so long. so i'll leave them out)

anyway...hollow is overjoyed to have a sibling to interact with. to have a relatively easy time traveling hallownest, with an experienced fighter to essentially take care of them. for the first time in their life, they have company! and ghost is a kind older sibling to them

but...but...ghost isn't traveling with them for no reason

so i said they're estranged from their parents and any bond with them was severed when the pale king and white lady left. that doesn't mean they never spoke to the white lady again...

they eventually found her in her garden. and she, presumptuous as ever, did not say a word about how she had abandoned them; she simply gave her next command.

they were to take the king's brand and take responsibility for the kingdom, as its heir. then, they would find a vessel and they would escort it to the black egg temple, where they would cut the failure down and replace her.

(that's what this is, incidentally)

ghost...did not take kindly to this. insult upon insult, for her to ask something of them like this...they took the piece of shell engraved with the king's mark and tossed it into the sewers

but like. they don't have a better idea. they have no intention of doing this to hollow, so they're traveling with them trying to think of something else. and they do care about hollow, really, especially when they get to know them, and they get the experience of being a big sibling for the first time. but, well...i said they're more well-adjusted than canon hornet, but they're also less honest.

hollow absolutely does learn of this, and to say they're unhappy is an understatement. the two part ways for a time...

this is so long so i'll skip over the interim + how exactly they found out...suffice to say hollow cried a lot when they learned about it, as if happy times with their sibling had all been a lie. well, the two of them eventually reunite and ghost explains that they would never, ever do that. and then...

ghost tells hollow that they should just...leave

this is not hollow's responsibility and not something they deserve to give up their life and their freedom for. and ghost has been waffling, because they didn't know what to do, and they had no plan of their own, but that doesn't matter. they've made up their mind. they would leave everyone - even hornet - to rot before they ask hollow to die for them

the thing about ghost is that duty does not matter to them nearly as much as it does hornet. their family is far more important to them. perhaps this choice is them lapsing in their duty, but - that is a sacrifice they'll make.

i said before i see the AU as a game almost. this is where you could get one ending, where ghost and hollow (and grimmchild) all leave together and wander the world. hallownest is not the only kingdom out there - they will find others. and hallownest will rot and rot and rot, and hornet will not be free

but of course...i think hollow wouldn't want that. and they say no. and they find another way to free their sister, and right their father's wrongs.

OKAY THIS HAS TO END SOMEWHERE SO I GUESS IT'LL END HERE. IM SO SORRY FOR THIS WALL OF TEXT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ASKING ONCE AGAIN!!!!

#asks #iz-thistle #FEEL FREE TO LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT TO HEAR ANYTHING ELSE...#i tried to trim this down but it's um #checks word count #so long #mission failed

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rixxy8173571m3w1p3 · 6 years

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The Little Big Things (1/4)

(@ricksanchezdwc) So like we had done not too long ago, me, @hoodoo12 @porkchop-ao3 @rickstexaschick are doing the same prompt cause we all loved the idea.

__________

Chapter 1: The Phyto Princess

Within the span of time it took for him to pull out his portal gun, and type in the coordinates, you had already imagined about a dozen places, and twice as many scenarios.

Rick made it look so easy; twisting dials, and pressing buttons in order to get from point a, to point whatever, but without the proper coordinates and code input, one could scatter their fragments all across the cosmos, without the hope of joining back together all in one piece; the thought often a source of uncalled for anxiety. True, this wasn't like star trek, with its one episode plots, or backstory to reference when you least expected it, but a valid concern that you had yet to address; you blamed it on your curiosity. Having read the notes of Zeta-7s early portal gun schematics, there was the blemish of fear that arose when you least expected it. Sometimes, it didn't feel like it mattered all that much, especially when you were in one of your moods, but more often than not, you hoped Rick would never mess up; or be two cups of coffee short. Contributing factors to your anxiety included the day to day annoyances, time, or how your hair looked that day, but in another one of his attempts to brighten your spirits, he made plans for a surprise adventure; your assumption being anywhere away from buildings or people.

You knew he was trying his best to keep you happy, but you wondered sometimes what he'd say if you told him he didn't have to. It wasn't his job, but you refrained from telling him, because if it weren't for the fact that you trusted and adored Zeta-7, then you would have refused in favor of staying local more often, especially when you weren't in the mood. Oh, but where was the fun in that? Maybe, it'd help; likely it wouldn't.

Today, there were other things the matter, like the doubt which appeared when you recalled the memories from a false dream, and you were confused about what had been the reality and what had been the dream. With thoughts of the past, also came the remembrance of old regrets; many you thought you had buried under reasoning and change, but you were terribly human. You weren't a genius, and you didn't always think about what you'd say before you said them, so you made mistakes; a lot more than you'd care to admit. Because of this, you had been a source of concern, and added to Zeta-7s stress, and this made you stressed because he already had enough on his plate, and this made you worry for his well being. Waves of dread which would wash over you at the thought of getting lost, or forgetting him, misunderstanding, even while gripping his hand as sure and tight as you could when you stepped through the portal were but impediments to your happiness; the worry you felt for scenarios that hadn't occurred, these too fed the monster of anxiety.

It would be okay, you'd say to yourself. It should've been okay, to step through the portal as you had done so dozens of times before, but then there was your heart beating a mile a minute, begging otherwise. You've watched Zeta-7 do it hundreds of times as well, coming out safe and sound, so you could do this, and would do it. Still, what reason did you have to worry or doubt?

Well, there were places no one came back from; you've heard the stories, you listened to Ricks theories, but again they were stories; cautionary tales that taught lessons. And like now, you fought that lingering fear, the tingling in your limbs, the bloom of tightness in your chest, and made sure you still felt Rick's long, thin, bony fingers laced with yours, holding on for dear life while repeating you're little mantra. On the other side he was still there, and you felt his relief, and with your other hand, you shielded your eyes from the resplendence of the sun, until they could adjust to the scene around you. “Rick,” you gasped, glancing a little at everything; your confidence building as delight overcame your anxiety. “where have you taken me?”

This must have pleased him, cause when he smiled, every wrinkle spoke of his laughter, and his electric blues were brimming with happiness.“W-why don't you look and - and see?”

Curiosity got the better of you as you let go, but reassured by his gentle smiles, you explored what was all around you; his warmth one of the best certainties. All around, the landscape stretched, it curved and there were bends a little ways ahead; you could smell hints of petrichor, and the ground fertile and verdant, with patches of silver grass which whistled when touched. You wondered if they could do more than whistle; laughing because many thoughts of yours had been but a velleity, and you almost moved on, but when the fuzzy blades of grass leaned forward to pat you on the head before returning to their place, you gasped. Were they supposed to do that? Nearby, exposed roots shimmered, and when you approached them, they pulled away from the ground, and bowed in obeisance before returning to their place. You flashed Rick that look that said you were confused, and his mouth hung open in astonishment. Still, he hadn't said a word, and watched on; his hand moving a mile a minute as he took down notes.

Above your heads, were bell like flowers that changed their tune whenever you passed them, and the walkway was littered with mushrooms that made your skin tingle pleasantly when you sat upon them; as unsettling as it was, you were feeling good, as though they absorbed all the negative feelings, and left you with the good ones. Where your feet hung above the ground, an indigo milk cap sprung up so that you could step off. At this point you began to wonder if the forces and plants around you were bending at your will. Considering Rick hadn't warned you yet, or impeded your curiosity in anyway, then he was either waiting for you to ask, or he was studying you; as he usually would. “Rick,” you wondered, as you stepped over the small stones that buzzed like worker bees. “did we shrink, or has the world gotten bigger?”

“Well,” he chuckled, eager to hold on to your hand again. “it’s - it's neither. Everything here is bigger, while w-we remained the same. Neat isn't it?”

Neat was an understatement.

“It is,” You agreed, which made him stand a little taller, and smile a bit brighter. “but I could have sworn we stepped into a Honey I shrunk the kids movie or something. I guess not, but something strange is going on. Haven't you noticed? You probably have, but I just want to check.”

“You're right, I-I-I have, and it makes me wonder what w-would happen if you wanted the flowers to walk? I-I guess that sounds silly.”

“No,” You softened. “it doesn't, but I don't think it works that way. I'm not a god or anything, and I'm pretty sure fairy dust ain't going to cut it, and make these giants move. But if you want me to, I could try.”

The only giants you had ever seen were the western sequoias. You had walked amongst those natural giants, whose respective histories were their own, and you wouldn't question how they came to be; for they existed before you, before Rick. They were the testament of endurance, withstanding centuries of rain, fire, and growth, but here….like many things he showed you was a first. Curious as to what might happen, you thought about the orange star like flowers moving, and bending down to your level. And, because it was your will, they did.“Rick,” you continued, after your initial shock passed. “I'm not imagining things am I? Did…. did that just happen?”

Reading the results from his scanners, and checking the footage from his camera, he exclaimed. “It - it did. It really did!”

“Is that good? I don't know.”

With raised brow, he chuckled to himself, and put away his scanner, and notepad. “Gosh, y-you're just full of - of surprises aren’t you?”

“Honestly, I have no point of comparison. So you're going to have to be upfront with me, and tell me if I'm going to be okay.”

“Y-you're more than o-okay, you're perfect.”

____________

The sun bathed the earth in delicious warmth, the sparkling dew feeding the thirst of the green.

The pleasant sounds of humming, and their songs had become an uplifting melody. Like kisses upon your skin, the wind made you ticklish, and you needed Ricks assistance so that you wouldn't fall over laughing. It seemed you were sensitive to the environment, which made you go through waves of pleasant emotions, but it was exhausting. Hopefully your life force wasn't being absorbed by them.

“Rick, I think I hear music. Can you tell me why? Or is it my imagination?”

“I'll ugh - I'll be able to tell y-you in a jiffy.”

Flipping through his notes, his brow was raised in confusion. “Um, t-t-to be honest, this is the first time I've seen them act this - this way. They seem t-to be imitating a song, possibly from your subconscious. Do y-you recognize it? Does it - it remind you of anything?”

You stopped in your tracks, and took a moment to earnestly listen before you answered. “It reminds me of your ukulele being played on a refreshing afternoon.”

Eyes wide, you knew he was eager to hear more, curiosity coloring his response. “Is th-that so?”

“Yeah. I love hearing you play,” Which was very true. Rick was a wonderful musician, able to play almost any instrument he picked up. Other Ricks were probably just as talented, but unless they were the legendary Steinway, you doubted anyone could play with as much emotion. You continued. “and the happy sounds that are made in between your laughs, and the strumming of strings, and the way you look at me when you play. Goodness, it warms my heart, and makes me love you even more. You…you always have a way of stirring my emotions.”

“Y-you really like it that much?”

“Like it? I adore it, and your guitar playing too. Why, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you practically seduced me with those serenades on the front porch, and those evenings indoors when it was raining. I have no idea what you were thinking about at the time, but hopefully it was of me.”

Sentimental words always made him pliable, and he never really knew how to answer, or what the correct words should be, but he tried, and in his earnestness, he'd lean towards you as though he were about to kiss you, but he'd stop before doing so. As though he were reigning himself, he'd close his eyes, taking a few deep breaths before he'd continue. Pressing a light kiss on your forehead, he softened. “I - I always have you on my mind, though I-I didn't - it wasn't my intention back then to….I didn't know you felt that way. I'm not in the habit t-to seduce anyone or….” He faltered, his cheeks dusted in a lovely blush.

Silly man. One of these days, maybe he'd understand when you were flirting and teasing him, and not misconstrue your delight with accusations. You cupped his cheek, encouraging him to look at you. “You're so sweet. I know you wouldn't do that. But either way, I enjoyed it all the same.”

Leaning into your touch, you saw the beginnings of a smile, but his blush was still going strong. “Gosh, now I'm not s-s-so sure, but I - maybe I - oh, I'm s-sorry.”

“Don't be sorry dear. If I didn't want you to, I would have stopped you at the point when you first asked me over for dinner. I mean, I never really thought you were trying anything either. We were just friends, having a good time, and I fell in love with you. Maybe we should thank that ukulele of yours for all the happy hours we had singing silly little songs.”

“I ugh - I should have brought it with me then, because y-you like it.”

“There's always next time. Though, it's been awhile since you played. You must miss it.”

“I-I do,” he admitted, passing a hand through his hair. “but it's because I've been b-busy. I'm sorry a-about that too. I've been away and w-we haven't had much time to ourselves.”

“Rick it's okay, I understand. You have important stuff to do”

“You - you say that, but it bothers me when I have t-t-to leave you for extended periods at a time. I don't like it, and I-I guess maybe I'm being silly. That's what happens when y-you get old. You either want t-t-to be alone or have company all the time. What am I even saying? I'm going off on a-ag….”

Pressing a finger to his mouth, you quieted him. “You already do a great job in trying to make me happy, and I'm not disappointed.”

“Y-you're not?”

“Of course not. I mean, I can't help but miss you, but you've always been a busy guy. How you manage to make time for me and still have time for your hobbies is beyond me, but that's the thing about you Rick, you're not like most people. And every moment with you is wonderful. The question you should be asking is what have I done for you? What can I do to make you feel better?”

“By p-p-putting up with me.”

Pressing a kiss on his cheek, you giggled. “If you mean by loving you, then I'm on it.”

_____________

After a series of small, quick experiments, Rick had come to realize that these plants listened mostly to you and not so much him. Oh, he had his theories, a few of them making you giggle, but for the most part, this is what he understood.“These plants here, I-I had thought they were empathic, but they must - must be trying to trigger a response. I believe they are fascinated b-by you, because I've already spent many happy hours here on - on this planet, but you haven't.”

Placing your hands on your hips, it was your turn to raise a brow. “Rick, if you put it that way, then it means I'm trending.”

“Gosh, I-I-I suppose. Is that the terminology these days? Does it mean you're popular?”

Zeta-7 really could be adorable when he wasn't trying to be, especially when he wasn't always aware of what was current. “Yes, but what are you really saying?”

“That they must r-really like you,” he smiled, jotting down a few notes, before taking out his scanner, and checking the results. “and if I'm correct, then they prosper off these pleasant emotions of - of yours. How fascinating.”

“Can they hear my thoughts?”

“N-no mi corazón,” he chuckled. “they can feel you. Plants are - are surprising organisms—without brains and central nervous systems, they are still able t-t-to sense the environment that surrounds them. They - they can perceive light, scent, touch, wind, even gravity, and are able t-to respond to sounds, too. These plants here are a-a little different, and can sense your every emotions, reflecting your feelings, which I-I guess means you're currently in a pleasant mood.”

“Of course I am, it's beautiful here, and I'm with you.”

After you had said this, a gust of wind rushed by, which rustled the golden leaves, the force of it almost knocking you over, though Rick was quick to grab you by the waist. “Are y-y-you okay?”

You could hear the bell flowers ring, and quietly you thanked them and the forces at work around you, which seemed to bend and curve at your will; whose comedic timing was cliché to say the least. “I am now. Thank you Rick.”

Scratching the back of his neck, he let go, and made himself busy by scanning the branches and plant debris. “L-l-like you already said it's ugh - feels like a-a land for giants. I know their size is attributed t-t-to the mineral rich soil. And I-I thought it would be nice to spend a-a day here, but you look tired. Not t-to mention the plants behavior.”

“I'm not that tired. But man, it's incredible to be able to will the elements, but I'm sorry Rick, I kind of don't know what I'm doing here or whether I have any control over it. Imagine, that kind of power in the wrong hands could be dangerous. So, I'll try not to cause too much trouble.”

“It's okay, I'm sure y-you won't. I-I do wonder if they can understand what we're saying.”

With a shrug, you replied. “It's worth a try.”

You smiled up at the canopy of leaves, admiring the way the light filtered through the spaces in between. “We appreciate the hospitality, and the lovely music, as well as your stimuli. Oh, and as much as I appreciate you playing matchmaker, you don't have to try so hard. You see, we're already together,” you winked at Zeta-7, who blushed at the gesture. “but secretly, I think Rick's enjoying it. Either way, I hope you'll be kind to us.”

When you had finished, a mushroom ran by, and dropped a gift at your feet before returning to its place. You waited for Ricks approval before peeling back the leaves that were held together by dried vines, revealing a pair of matching bracelets, that seemed to be nothing more then weaved, golden branches. “I think this is for us. See?” you pointed to the inner branch. “This one has your initials.”

Scanning them, Rick found that they were safe, and you two proceeded to try them on, and all at once, you felt warmth wash over you as you glanced at Rick. And when he glanced at you, a vine began to grow and flower, decorating his bracelet in magnificent, lapis blue blooms. “Wow, that's - I've never seen anything like it.”

You haven't either, but that was thing, you always experienced new things when you were with him. Like now, you felt all jittery, and nervous, and when he took your hand to kiss it, your bracelet bloomed, and you just had to pull away, because it felt strange; like a little piece of you was taken away. “Rick, this place is something else. Are you sure it's safe?”

You wanted to be sure, because having him near you all of a sudden was overwhelming, like a dozen butterflies fighting the wind. What was with this place?

“Mhm, I'm sure. I've done extensive research over th-the last couple of weeks t-to make sure we can relax.”

“Really? Nothing toxic or poisonous? No animals or creatures to worry about?”

Taking your hand in his again, you felt a great calm, and the bloomed flowers grew, and vines spread; everywhere they touched, made you feel cozy, and sleepy. So, so sleepy. Perhaps you should say something, but he was happy, and you didn't want that smile to fade, and you allowed him to explain. “Creatures? No, not - not yet. Maybe in a-a couple of years, but not now. This planet is still fairly new, and there's no telling when it - it will be inhabited. For now there's just us, and these w-wonderful plants.”

It was going to be fine you told yourself, and smiling up at him, you replied happily, with a voice soft with affection. “Okay, whatever you say Ricky.”

And like a deep yearning, the vines on his bracelet grew three times their size, and stretched out, just to kiss your face a dozen times; they wanted to delight you. It scared Zeta-7 a bit, but you could only giggle, cause they were just like him; earnest, eager, and sweet.

TBC

#doofus rick #j19z7 #doofus rick x reader #rick sanchez dwc #dwc

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