#let's hope tumblr doesn't choke on 4k+ words

[1dmonthlyficroundup]

1D Monthly Fic Roundup

Hi, and welcome to the 1D Monthly Fic Roundup for July 2021! Below you’ll find One Direction fics that were all published this month in the order they were submitted to the blog. We hope you’ll check out these new fics! If you would like to submit your own fic, please check this post on how to submit or visit our blog @1dmonthlyficroundup​.

Happy reading!

Game Changer by @neondiamond

[Harry/Louis, 6k, Mature, tumblr post]

“Did the doctor say what was wrong with you?”

“He thought I was pregnant,” Louis scoffs. “Told me to go home and take a test, a pregnancy test, Haz. Can you imagine the nerve it takes for him to even think that?”

Harry looks lost in his thoughts for a few seconds. “Did you? Take a test, I mean?”

“Of course I didn’t.”

OR: A couple months before playing in his first long-awaited World Cup, Louis finds out he’s pregnant. Harry’s there for the ride.

(I Was Broke) You Healed Me by @fallinglikethis

[Harry/Niall, 12k, Teen and up, tumblr post]

Niall Horan is an unmated pregnant omega living on his own after his alpha boyfriend leaves him. Far from his family and friends in Ireland, Niall is stuck living in a complex for Alpha/Omega bondmates, terrified every day of being found out by his landlord.As if that isn't enough, he's suffering from touch deprivation. Luckily, Niall's doctor can at least help him with that part: she prescribes Niall some cuddle sessions. It's only a little weird that the person she's prescribing him is her brother. Or maybe that's actually a little bit perfect.

The Only Pain in Pleasure is the Pleasure of the Pain by Layne Faire / @laynefaire

[Liam/Zayn, 10k, Explicit, tumblr post]

Liam had followed InZaynity, an artist's Instagram, for ages. Not only was the artist incredibly talented, his voice poured over Liam like warm honey on a winter's night, and his hands were the stuff Liam's wank dreams were made of. However, having Zayn unexpectedly arrive as the newest artist at his best friend's tattoo shop brought Liam's fantasies and reality a little too close for comfort.

Zayn Malik met his boss' friend on his first day at Fine Line Tattoos, and felt an instant attraction. Unfortunately, given Liam's unwillingness to even hold a conversation with him, Zayn was certain the feelings weren't reciprocal. Or were they?

When Liam's new tattoo design falls outside the scope of Tommo's talent, and he recommends Zayn do it, Liam reluctantly agrees. Surely he could manage to spend hours in Zayn's company without revealing his biggest secret, right? Right?

Blow Me Away by LadyAJ_13 / @ladyaj-13

[Louis/Liam, 6k, Explicit, tumblr post]

Louis likes giving blow jobs.

He doesn't exactly get off on it – he's been with people who properly loved it, and he's not quite that into it – but he doesn't mind the feel or the taste and he really, really likes watching his partner lose it, so getting down on his knees regularly is a no brainer.

Which is why it's a bit frustrating that every time he does, Liam hauls him back up again.

Why Didn't We Make Out the Night We Met? by @berzerkshires

[Louis/Harry, 52k, Explicit, tumblr post]

Louis and Harry meet in an alley outside the hotel Louis is staying for the weekend. Harry introduces himself as Ed, and Louis is completely clueless. They have a relationship through text messages, phone calls, shared pictures and Facetime calls. Is a cell phone being the only source of communication enough? Will Louis ever learn that he's really talking to an international popstar? And what happens when the world is shutdown due to a wide spread virus?

I Love This Feeling (But I Hate This Part) by @lululawrence

[Harry/Louis, 7k, Not rated, tumblr post]

“Stand up.”

Harry stood up from the couch, not a moment’s delay.

“Oh my god, is that what that’s like?” Harry turned to Louis, surprise on his face. “I really thought they were somehow exaggerating, but it really is an automatic response with absolutely no thought from me behind it whatsoever.”

Louis sighed again. “You really wanna keep doing this? Have me use my alpha voice on you so you can work on resisting it?”

“Yup,” Harry said, clapping his hands and smiling. “How else am I going to be able to have any chance at reducing the power an alpha voice has on me?”

I Said It Wrong, But I Meant It Right by @lululawrence

[Liam/Nick Grimshaw, 4k, Not rated, tumblr post]

Nick was a bit of a disaster, but she was used to it.

Or so she thought. She had never known how much she could struggle just to function until the new fire lady goddess angel person winked at her.

Oh, Those Summer Nights by cherrylarry / @beelou

[Louis/Harry, 1k, General, tumblr post]

“Are you okay?” He kneels down to inspect where Harry still has his hand pressed against his head.

“Oh! Yeah, I’m fine.”

“My name’s Louis. Can I buy you dinner or something to make up for hitting you in the head?”

Harry crinkles his eyebrows. “Me?”

Louis chuckles. “Yes, you. If you’d like?”

“Yeah. That would be nice.” Harry smiles so that his dimples show. “I’m Harry.”

“Harry, it's a date, then." Louis grins.

An extended scene of the beginning of the movie Grease as a larry au

people fall in love in mysterious ways (maybe just the touch of a hand) by @vintageumbroshirt / 28sunflowers, @justalarryblog / Bekita, @bluecolouredlou , @beelou / cherrylarry, @thedevilinmybrain / devilinmybrain, @hershelsue / docklands, @foreverfanficaddict,@idolizingthelight / idolizingthelightt, @inlockets / loveroflou, @perfectdagger, @so-why-let-your-voice-be-tamed / we_are_the_same

[Louis/Harry, 13k, Teen and up, tumblr post]

Set in a world where meeting your soulmate causes a literal spark, Louis Tomlinson has no time for fate. He knows all too well the heartbreak that having a soulmate can bring and he'd rather avoid the whole affair. But, when a chance meeting with up-and-coming popstar, Harry Styles, causes the biggest electrical surge the world has ever seen, Louis must confront the truth that sometimes destiny knocks when you least expect it.

Somehow, Someway by @zanniscaramouche

[Louis/Harry, 16k, Teen and up, tumblr post]

Louis Tomlinson has everything all figured out for a smooth post-graduation sailing into the perfect career in the music industry. A canceled class, a high school play, and a disarming set of dimples were not part of the plan. (Especially when they belong to a boy wearing someone else’s jacket.)

Featuring: A punk with the worst timed crush in history, that moody art kid that never shares cigarettes, the cutest pastel-pink wearing boy on the planet, and his unfortunately nice bottle-blond jock of a boyfriend.

Forts & Fortunes by @neondiamond

[Louis/Harry, 2k, General, tumblr post]

It’s finals week at uni and Harry is struggling to find a healthy balance between studying and tending to his needs. Lucky for him, Louis is there to help him out with that.

One way to reduce tension by @neondiamond

[Harry/Louis, 1k, Explicit, tumblr post]

Harry knows of a few ways to help Louis get rid of some pent up stress…

We Got a Call by @greenblueish / bluegreenish

[Louis/Harry, 24k, Mature, tumblr post]

“Fisher from St Peter hospital, hello. Is this Mr Tomlinson?”

Louis’ eyebrows furrow in concern. Why is the hospital calling him? Has someone he knows been in an accident? “Uh, yes?”

“Great. Your results are in. Congratulations, you’re pregnant!”

“Pregnant?” he chokes, the word almost getting caught in his throat.

“Yes, without doubt,” the woman from the hospital confirms, her voice neutral but somehow chirpy. “I recommend promptly booking an appointment with your ob/gyn to discuss how to proceed.”

"I...Yeah, I’ll talk to my … partner.”

or, the one where Louis and Harry Tomlinson are married and Louis accepts a phone call that was definitely meant for his husband.

How Long Will We Fall (Before We Can Climb) by 4ureyesonly28 / @evilovesyou

[Louis/Harry, 860 words, General, tumblr post]

Louis' faith in Harry is unbreakable. When they get caught kissing and he is thrown out of his home forever, he has to learn to have faith in himself.

Rope, Leather and Lipstick by 4ureyesonly28 / @evilovesyou

[Louis/Harry, 552 words, Mature, tumblr post]

Something about ropes around wrists, and tinting skin the colour of strawberry ice cream, tender and kissed by dark lips. Smudging sticky red lipstick across the slight blue shadow of veins, and assuring hands tightening knots.

Lies & Liability by 4ureyesonly28 / @evilovesyou

[Louis/Harry, 34k, Mature, tumblr post]

Harry Styles has only three wishes when he leaves River Dane Manor to go to Town for his first season: that his sister has rented a townhouse that will provide him as many of the comforts of the country life he has grown accustomed to as possible, that he will not trip and fall when he is presented to Her Majesty the Queen, and that he will enter matrimony out of true love, no matter how favourable the match with any which alpha may be.

Sugar at Night by @brightgolden

[Harry/Louis, 33k, Explicit, tumblr post]

With a year left before he completes his degree, a wonderful fiancé, and a baby coming soon, life is going exceptionally well for Harry Styles.

But, the truth always has a way to unravel itself, doesn’t it?

So, what do you do when the person you fell in love with is not the person you thought they were?

I got myself in a mess (and without you I'm in more) by @so-why-let-your-voice-be-tamed / we_are_the_same

[Zayn/Liam, 9k, Mature, tumblr post]

It’s not desire that has his synapses firing. It’s not the urge to jump him that makes him feel jittery.

It’s the fact that everything about this man - a nice, unassuming guy on Tinder, who studied IT and who seemed like a safe choice - screams danger. It’s the fact that Zayn has been absently touching his necklace for what feels like half the night now.

The necklace. Thank God for Lou, honestly. He’d laughed a bit, at first, when Louis had given it to him, when he’d explained all about the app that it was connected to, the emergency contacts that would be notified and sent his exact location “if you just double tap the back of the charm, see” because Louis was that friend, the mom friend, but right now? Right now Zayn will gladly take the gentle ribbing from Louis if it means he won’t have to spend another moment with this guy.

I don't care if the world knows by @so-why-let-your-voice-be-tamed / we_are_the_same

[Louis/Harry, 6k, Teen and up, tumblr post]

Harry is fourteen when she buys her first binder. She’s been doing cosplay videos on Tiktok for a while at that point, and it seems like the logical choice. Not that there’s anything wrong with cosplaying characters of the opposite gender and not wanting to fully look like them, she’s seen plenty of wonderful creators put their own spin on characters in a way that transcends the source material, but when it comes to her own cosplays -

She just likes it to be accurate.

She likes her chest to be flat, not soft and curvy, when she’s wearing her Crowley cosplay, or when she’s transformed herself into Loki.

It’s all about the aesthetics.

∞

Over the course of a few years, Harry explores and comes to terms with gender identity.

It’s Probably Because I’ve Got a Big Lesbian Crush on You by yeah_alright / @uhoh-but-yeah-alright

[Louis/Harry, 6k, Teen and up, tumblr post]

Harry's never really concerned herself with being part of the popular crowd. But as the new girl in school the second semester of her junior year, she finds herself unwittingly competing for Queen Bee status against high school royalty Louis Tomlinson. Maybe there's more to their rivalry than it seems.

A not-quite-Mean Girls AU

Going Green (so fucking green) by yeah_alright / @uhoh-but-yeah-alright

[Louis/Harry, 5k, Explicit, tumblr post]

Harry just really loves being used, and Louis really loves Harry. Who is he to deny him?

Or: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle but make it BDSM

the next bit was spanners to my plan by LadyAJ_13 / @ladyaj-13

[Louis/Nick Grimshaw, 6k, Teen and up, tumblr post]

The first time was an accident. The second time was an accident too.

Or: Louis and Nick end up shagging on the sly, everyone sends far too many emojis and far too few words, and eventually they're going to have to sort themselves out.

Trust Me Tonight by @vintageumbroshirt / 28sunflowers

[Louis/Harry, 10k, Explicit, tumblr post]

After Harry’s eighteenth birthday, his father calls him into a meeting to say that he is to be married to Prince Louis of France in just over a week.

Harry is excited, of course. The arrangement is better than any he could’ve hoped for, with such a young, handsome and kind husband.

There is just one issue: Harry doesn’t know what happens on his nuptials, or how to get pregnant to give Louis the heir that he needs.

Can we make it any more obvious? by LouStylesHTommo / @smolhilariousbeans

[Louis/Harry, 6k, Explicit, tumblr post]

Five times the boys accidentally walked in on Harry & Louis plus one time they did it on purpose.

Aka Niall, Zayn, Liam being supportive of Lou&H sexy shenanigans.

darling just dive right in by @so-why-let-your-voice-be-tamed / we_are_the_same

[Zayn/Louis, 5k, Teen and up, tumblr post]

Louis can’t think of a worse place to be than at the Malik estate, attending his ex boyfriend's wedding.

Shining just for you by ThoseFookin_Avacados / @hlhome28

[Harry/Louis, 1k, General, tumblr post]

For a clumsy person, Harry danced with quite the grace- spinning around Louis, billowy light robes brushing against his firm darker ones. Despite his slightly smaller build, Louis was decivingly strong, his grip on Harry's waist tight as they performed their steps in sync. Like two opposite halves of a whole, like ones reflection in the mirror, like the sun and the moon.

Part 2 of the Prompt Generator series

crown me with your heart (your love is king) by @perfectdagger

[Louis/Harry, 41k, General, tumblr post]

The universe must’ve had a field day when it decided to plan Harry’s life. There was no plausible explanation for anything that happened in his life anymore. Try as he may, he would never be able to control his life nor predict what would happen next. What were the odds that the one person he was sure he had fallen in love with but had completely let him slip out of his life, already resigned to the fact nothing could ever evolve between them due to Harry’s future with Eroda, happened to be the same person who had Harry’s future in his hand?

A The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Wedding au in which Harry is the Crown Prince of the small island of Eroda and Louis’ uncle is trying to take the throne from him, with a slight a/b/o twist and some more.

#trackinghappily #1dsource #tracksintheam #trackinghome #28th appreciation #july 2021 #one direction fan fic

[rulesoftraveling]

Rules #1-4

       When you’ve been on the road long enough, certain things become second nature to you. You’ve done it all before. Each day may be different, but some experiences and necessities become background noise of your daily life. Because of that, I sometimes try to sit back and remember the little tidbits of travel knowledge I would otherwise take for granted. When all this is over (if it’s ever over), I want to be able to look back on it and remember it not just as it happened, but as a lesson. So, I’m taking time to record some of my thoughts on my journey, presented in the order they occurred to me during the most remarkable days I spent on the road.

       And if it so happens I never get the chance to revisit my writings, I hope whoever finds this journal will learn something from it, or at least be entertained hearing my tales of learning some of these lessons the hard way.

Rule #1 of traveling: Free things are your best friend

       That may sound like a silly one, but it’s true. The first thing I did when I arrived at the motel in Seaglass Bay was take the lotion, shampoo, facial cleansing wipes, and toothbrush left for me in the bathroom. Because of this, I hadn’t had to buy lotion in weeks, and had no large tube taking up space in my already bulky pack. The other things weren’t quite as necessary, since my waist length dreadlocks required more shampoo than I had amassed by raiding motel bathrooms so far, and a toothbrush was something I already had. Still, I knew I might need them later, so I took it all.

       My money wasn’t going to last forever. By taking whatever free goods I could--ranging from toiletries to food samples in malls--had saved me enough money for an extra night or two in a motel and hours of shopping. Then again, I’d already been on the road a long time, so of course it added up.

       The next thing I did was dump out my pack and figure out what I could leave in the room while I went out and about. Most of it could stay, really. I only needed my wallet, recently acquired lotion, my phone, a pocket knife, and the length of chain (roughly eight feet of it) that I always carried on hand. Just the essentials. The rest I left on the bed.

       With everything where I needed it to be, I headed into town. The weather was beautiful; it was warm out and sunny above with a gentle, salty breeze rolling in off the ocean. No matter how you look at it, it was the perfect day to be on the beach. I couldn’t resist the urge to take off my shoes and feel the sand beneath my feet. Well, what little sand was on the boardwalk, at least. Walking on the actual beach was a tempting thought, but I knew I would get distracted if I did. Something about standing by the ocean always made me lose track of time. Getting lost in the moment was effortless out there, and my stomach couldn’t afford me standing around in some oceanic appreciation trance. I was starving.

       It took some self control, but I kept myself on task and continued down the boardwalk towards the part of town where I’d seen the most restaurants on the way in. My pace only faltered at the sight of a woman’s wings folded against her back. It wasn’t the sort of thing you see every day, but that brings me to my second point…

Rule #2: Magic is more common than you think

       You get used to it to some extent after awhile. Still, while the existence of magic itself is hardly a secret, most people still don’t know about it, and those who use it tend to prefer doing so in more private settings where they won’t make a scene. So, walking to lunch and seeing a woman with wings managed to surprise me despite having been around magic all my life.

       Her wings were more like that of a butterfly than a bird, though longer and skinnier than a butterfly’s would typically be. They were golden, luminous and dainty, like someone had fashioned them out of wire that just so happened to catch the sun right. It was anyone’s best guess as to weather they were functional or just decorative, but the lack of reactions from the crowd made me think that not everyone could see them. If they were just for show, it seemed they were a show meant only for people like me; ones gifted with an eye for the supernatural or raised around magic and conditioned to notice it easier through exposure.

       The woman with wings turned to glance back at me, and I wondered in passing if she knew that I knew, or if it was just one of those fleeting, empty moments between strangers where they happen to lock eyes in an exchange that would most likely be forgotten minutes later.

       Either way, I kept moving. A pair of fairy wings wasn’t worth stopping over. I continued onward until I hit a bakery. It wasn’t really the sort of place someone stopped for lunch, but the sight of cupcakes through the window made my steps slow to a crawl before stopping entirely as I decided that, being a grown man, I had the right to ruin my appetite with sweets if I so pleased. The colorful frosting and sprinkles called to me, as did the less flashy desserts. I wasn’t about to deny myself a small pleasure. Satisfied with my decision, I waltzed through the door with my heart set on something delicious. 

       The only person inside other than myself was a young woman about my age behind the counter. Her brown apron had a couple spots of flour on it that looked like they’d been brushed mostly off for the sake of appearances, but faint white marks remained despite her best efforts. It was one case where a little bit of messiness was appropriate, in my opinion. Bakers were supposed to be covered in flour. It really added to the idyllic hole-in-the-wall bakery aesthetic.

       The whole bakery had that charm, with everything inside painted brown, pink, and white. Floral patterns were stenciled onto white trim, and even the display cases had pink flowers in white vases on top. It was adorable and welcoming, offering a homey feel that hit customers from the moment they walked in til the moment they left, and as I walked to the counter to make my order, I was enjoying being surrounded by that comforting air.

       “I’ll have, uh…” I hadn’t made a decision prior to speaking. Oops. After a moment of awkward contemplation, I pointed at a row of mini cannolis inside the glass case by the register. “I’ll have one of those. No wait, make it two.”

       The baker smiled at me, but raised one eyebrow almost judgmentally. “Would you prefer a regular sized cannoli, then?”

       “Nope. That would be the smart thing to do, but I happen to be a huge fan of adorably small things.”

       Her mile faltered for a moment before returning brighter than ever. She didn’t look happy as much she did amused. This reaction understandably confused the hell out of me for a split second, until I realized that she was, in fact, a very small woman.

       She probably thought I was flirting. Not to be dramatic or anything, but this was quite possibly the worst way the interaction could have gone, and if I’d been any more inclined towards melodrama, I might have wished for death.

       Even with a slight tan on my already brown skin, my complexion wasn’t quite dark enough to hide the blood rushing to my cheeks. I was mortified. Flirting with people at work was a serious no-no, but being perceived as flirting felt almost as bad, and it didn’t help that she was grinning the whole time. Make no mistake, she did not enjoy my comment because she was into me. Instead, she was clearly reveling in my awkwardness and shame. That was the smile of a woman who got a kick out of watching dumbasses like me make fools of themselves.

       “Um. Yeah. Two mini cannolis.” I kept my tone even. Too bad I undoubtedly looked flustered. “That’ll be all.”

       She boxed up the tiny confections without teasing or jeering, but the amusement never left her eyes. All I wanted to do was escape, so I paid as fast as humanly possible and took off down another street in search of a proper lunch. Of course, I kept my head screwed on straight enough to remember to eat my cannolis before they got warm. And god damn were they good.

Rule #3: Remember to sample the local cuisine

       Restaurant franchises are so overrated. Part of the appeal of traveling is to find some little understated mom and pop joint that only the locals frequent. Maybe the bakery technically counted as one of these places too, but the real spirit of this rule hit me as I found a tiny diner to take lunch in. Every beach town needs a diner. That was almost as much a part of the “beach town” energy as the ocean itself.

       I ordered a turkey melt and a cola. The only thing that could have been more perfect would have been a vanilla milkshake with a cherry on top, but having ordered the cannolis, I’d both had enough sugar and splurged on treats enough for one day. I had both my wallet and my waistline to save. Hence the cola; still classic and very much on brand, but more reasonable in multiple senses of the word than a milkshake.

       It was plenty good enough. I was content with my sandwich and cola. The fries that came on the side, though not quite crispy enough for my taste, had the right amount of salt, and the sandwich itself didn’t skimp out on the meat or cheese. Honestly, it was the most satisfying lunch I’d had in awhile.

       I wish I could have finished it.

       A couple bites into the second half of the turkey melt, I glanced up to find two men standing at the entrance and staring at me. For being a big, blocky dude, the larger of the two was surprisingly nondescript. His hair and facial features were the furthest thing from memorable, and if it weren’t for his charcoal grey suit and the square shape of his body making him look like a caricature of a bodyguard, I may not have noticed him at all.

       In sharp contrast, the other man looked downright ridiculous. He was a few inches shorter than Mr. Bodyguard, but his legs were too long for the rest of his body, making him look taller than he was. This wouldn’t have seemed quite so strange if it weren’t for the fact that his clothes exaggerated it. His perfectly pressed white slacks and dress shirt fit in such a way as to seemingly elongate his body. And as if he weren’t overdressed enough already, he wore a pale gold vest that picked up the yellow ruffles on the white parasol he held in one hand. Even his skin was uncomfortably colorless, and the curls of hair peeking out beneath his white bowler were platinum blond. The only thing about him that wasn’t white and yellow was his pair of sky blue eyes.

       There was a fine line between judging a book by its cover and trusting your gut, but I’d like to think the unease I felt at the sight of them was more the latter. You see, when you catch someone staring at you, they typically either look away to try and pretend they weren’t staring, or they smile sheepishly knowing they’ve been caught. When I locked eyes with the men by the door, they did neither. The big one stared me down without a hint of shame, and the banana split looking motherfucker did smile, but instead of it being shy, the slow parting of his lips into a perfect, brilliantly white grin was nothing short of predatory.

Rule #4: Always be ready to run at a moment’s notice

       They weren’t the first hunters to come for me. Even if there was no uniform or badge associated with their kind, I’d learned to recognize them quickly. The sight of them frightened me all the same. I might have noticed my palms sweating if I hadn’t had a sandwich in one hand and a glass of soda in the other, but the shiver that ran down my spine was plenty obvious. It was one thing being on the run, and another entirely to know you’re cornered.

       The white and yellow guy jerked his head towards the door while still maintaining eye contact. Okay. It was a subtle invitation to take this outside, and I was pretty grateful for that. Fighting outside meant less people around us getting caught in the crossfire, or better yet, an opportunity to run. I wasn’t about to take that opening for granted.

       Slowly, I placed enough money on my table to cover lunch plus a nice tip, then rose from my seat. Rationally speaking, I knew the diner was small and it took no time to cross from my table to the door, but it didn’t feel that way. Each step was agonizingly slow and the tension in the air between us unbearable. The voices of everyone around us faded further into the background, their small talk and quiet laughter almost inaudible as I found myself focused only on my enemy and the decreasing space between us. We were so close, yet so far, and every moment was somehow both a split second and a lifetime.

       “Gentlemen,” I greeted them. This sounded stupid for some reason. I didn’t really know what the etiquette for addressing one’s potential captors was supposed to be. “What do you say we take this where no one will get hurt?”

       “My thoughts exactly,” the white and yellow one replied amiably. The pitch of his voice wasn’t particularly high or low, but the quality of it was unusually smooth, making it distinct in its own right. It matched the unsettling perfection of his straight, white teeth and tailored clothes, and paired with the grace of his every movement as he opened the door for me, I was almost distracted by the neatness that defined his being. If he’d just had a hair out of place or a speck of dirt on his clothing, he might have seemed real. But as it was, the flaws he had were his too-long legs and ghastly pale but flawless skin, and the way these featured paired with the rest of his “perfection” was just downright creepy.

       But then that ocean breeze hit me again. The smell of salt and the warmth of the sun was so real even when the presence of these hunters felt anything but. It reminded me of what needed to be done, and why I’d so willingly stepped up to the door in the first place.

       Without a moment’s hesitation, I ran.

       I didn’t know whether or not I could take those two in a fight, but the odds were definitely against me. Of course I wasn’t about to step outside just to go toe to toe with them. What sense would that make? I was prepared for a fight if necessary. I always had to be. That being said, the smart choice was to run, and I’d played along with their civil invitation long enough to make it to freedom. If I could just stay enough steps ahead of them, I’d live to see another beautiful day on the beach somewhere else.

       Behind me, I could hear both of them cursing, followed by pounding footsteps as they took off after me. I wasn’t too worried about the big one catching up, but the other one’s long legs were no doubt formidable in a race. I needed to sprint as long as I could. It didn’t matter that I was starting to tire or that my body had begun to ache. To move forward was to live.

       The great thing about beach towns is that whenever the weather is nice, there are always crowds of people out and about. This was one of those days. I made a point of running through groups of tourists where I could, ducking and dodging in hopes I could stay low and move erratically enough that my pursuers would have a hard time following me. For awhile, it worked. I managed to get some distance between us before dashing into a little clothing boutique. It wasn’t wholly clear if they saw where I’d gone, but I wasn’t hiding. Not yet, at least.

       What I was aiming to do was buy time to take off my pack and retrieve my pocket knife and length of chain. As much as I disliked chains in general--mostly due to the connotations of unwilling restraint and imprisonment--I couldn’t deny their use as weapons. I set aside my chain for a moment, however, as I dragged the blade of my knife across the same small section of my palm that I always used.

       Despite what movies might have you think, if blood is all you need, cutting your palm is generally a stupid move. You won’t bleed all that much unless it’s deep, and the wound is bound to reopen as you go about your daily life using your hands. I needed more than just blood, though. To bleed on something and hold it at the same time was ideal with my abilities, so cutting my palm made the most sense.

       I took hold of the chain in my bloody hand, and there was a familiar jolt of discomfort up my arm as my blood bound the chain to my will. Each dull, gray link began to twitch and writhe independently of the others as I tested my level of control. It served as an extension of my body; a limb in its own right, with its metal segments acting as both the bone and muscle of this temporary limb. It was strong and durable, and more importantly, it was eight fucking feet long.

       Satisfied with the addition to my body, I hurried back outside the store. After all, I didn’t want to bring the people working there face to face with whatever violence was about to unfold. I quickly learned I’d made the right decision. I’d barely stepped outside when a jagged, blinding bar of light appeared just a few feet away. It cut the air with hiss, followed by a deafening BOOM. Definitely not the kind of thing I wanted to deal with inside a tiny clothing store. At least outside I might be able to dodge.

       With a yelp of fear and confusion, I staggered backwards away from the… blast? Beam? Glowing projectile? I didn’t actually know what the hell had nearly hit me, but both logic and instinct screamed at me that it was something I couldn’t afford to come in contact with, though not worded so eloquently. What went through my head at the time was more along the lines of “OH GOD. OH FUCK.”

       Screams filled the air. Most people had never seen magic before, and even those who had still tended to panic while nearly being vaporized by it. Beach goers scattered in every direction. Both young and old made their terror known as they tried to escape the unknown threat, and there I was, caught in the middle of it and bounced this way and that by the crowd.

       In my flailing and scrambling, I caught sight of the hunters standing at the street corner. The smaller one had his parasol pointing out towards me, though still folded down. I only had a moment or two to puzzle over this before another beam of light flashed into existence just above my head. It hadn’t missed me because his aim was off, I suddenly realized, but rather because I was falling. For once, being knocked over by a panicked stranger fleeing for his life was actually a good thing. Maybe I would get trampled immediately after or something like that, but that was still preferable to getting hit by that spell.

       Everything was happening fast, but the human brain has a remarkable ability to process information on the spot. As I fell backwards, I saw the beam of light split and branch out above me in a dazzling but familiar way. It was lightning. Of course it was. It looked and sounded so different up close and on a perfectly clear day, but I knew exactly what I was seeing. The only question was how this man had managed to control it so well…

       It took me a second after I hit the ground to regain my footing, and another second to change my mind and drop back down to avoid the next bolt. However, I’d been on my feet long enough to see the hunter adjust his parasol to aim at me before casting his spell. The parasol had to be a wand. That was the simplest explanation. I’d never seen a wand user before, though; they were exceedingly rare, given that wands and staves were generally useless when slinging around all but the most violent and dangerous of spells.

       Naturally, the thought of dealing with someone who needed one scared the crap out of me.

       I expected to have to dodge more lightning, but this time, he raised his parasol to the heavens, sending out dozens of bolts that somehow lit up the already bright sky. The thunder that followed threatened to make my ears bleed, and as I watched the remainder of the crowd dash to the nearest cover, it occurred to me that was probably the point. No more crowd, no more worrying about frying innocent bystanders as he tried to take me out. Fantastic.

       But I was too awestruck to move despite my obvious vulnerability. In 25 years of life, I’d never seen someone pull off magic of that magnitude without wearing themselves out, yet there was banana split boy, not sweating, or panting, or showing even the tiniest hint of fatigue. He was so eerily still and calm, so composed, and fresh, and unbothered by the massive amounts of energy he’d just released.

       I’d heard stories about people like him. Fact and fiction were sometimes hard to tell apart in the history of magic, seeing as how very few people were permitted to learn the whole truth. It didn’t occur to me that this was one of the stories that would turn out to be mostly or entirely true, but I remembered it well. Supposedly, during one of humankind’s many attempts to conquer nature with magic, we nearly destroyed the Great Elementals, beings of immeasurable power that embodied many facets of natural magic. They were regarded as minor deities by many, and in bending nature to our will, we never intended to harm them. But the damage was done, and it was only through the sacrifice of some of this half of the world’s greatest magical talent that the Elementals were taken into the bodies of the spell casters most in tune with each element, destroying their minds, but continuing to live on in the corporeal shells that were left behind. Some stories say that those individuals were virtually immortal, and that some may live to this day, but the more common version of the tale describes the Elementals giving into the urges of their human forms and procreating, spreading their power through the mortal population and creating especially potent magical bloodlines.

       I was pretty convinced that version had to be true.

       “You’re… you’re the descendant of a lightning elemental, aren’t you?” In danger or not, my curiosity demanded I at least ask. “That’s why you can do that so easily.”

       “Close!” he called back with a bright smile. “Close, but not quite.”

       This time he didn’t bother with the wand. He waved his free hand in a sweeping arc ending with his fingertips pointed at me. I expected lightning, but none came. Instead, seawater rose from the surface of the ocean, forming a narrow tube and lashing through the air like serpent on hot coals until the tip of it slammed into me and sent me soaring. Having a face full of saltwater prevented me from seeing my surroundings, but a street in the middle of a town was never empty. I knew something would be out there for me to grab hold of.

       That’s where the chain came in handy. It whipped around wildly for a moment or two, searching until it finally wound around some unseen anchor, allowing me to swing low beneath the stream, and… unfortunately back up again. Even though an enchanted chain could let me move in ways a regular chain would not, conservation of momentum was still very much a thing, and I didn’t have time to take that into account before swinging all the way around the street light I’d latched onto and flinging myself through the air.

       I landed on a trashcan next to a bus stop. By some amazing stroke of luck, this town had yet to spring for those hefty cans that were bolted into the sidewalk, so instead of breaking every bone in my body, the flimsy metal crumpled beneath my weight on impact. Better yet, the trash gods were clearly smiling on me that day, as the can had been recently emptied, sparing me the insult added to injury if I’d ended up covered in garbage on top of everything else. Thank you, oh merciful trash gods.

       I was hurt, as one might expect, but not badly. More stunned than anything, though my nose was bleeding, which I only realized thanks to the droplets hitting the portion of the can that was beneath my face. Part of my brain worried about the possibility that I’d broken my nose in the fall, but the rest of my brain had adopted a “no think, only ow” policy that left me unable to stress about that passing concern for long. I just laid there, propped up on my elbows in a haze of pain from the countless new bruises I’d acquired until the hunter spoke.

       “I’m classified as a storm elemental, actually,” he gloated. “I’m not bound to a single element.”

       I’d kind of forgotten we were having a conversation, so I almost didn’t dignify his too-pleased attitude with a response. Still, we were having a conversation, and every bit of information I could squeeze out of them would help. 

       The most intelligent question I could manage was, “Okay, cool. What’s uh… what’s the other guy do?”

       “If you’re lucky, you’ll never find out.”

       Awesome! Not ominous at all.

       After briefly contemplating what sort of wild doomsday powers the other one must have to make a freaking elemental phrase it that way, I remembered my own powers. I was, after all, bleeding onto a metal trashcan, and the two things my powers required were just that; blood and metal. In addition to breaking my fall, the can could also serve as a weapon. Not to mention I’d still managed to hold onto my chain.

       With my left hand, I wiped some of the watered down blood from my face and began smearing it over as much of the trashcan as possible. More blood and more contact meant better control, but in a pinch, a thin coating of blood would do fine. In no time at all, I had enough area covered that, with a bit of effort, my will brought the metal to life. It tore itself into thin, ragged strips, the sound of low-grade steel rending asunder drowning out the rest of the world, if only briefly. Nine strips in total formed, each one a sharp and deadly (if uneven) blade bound to my will by nothing but blood and sheer concentration.

       I couldn’t outrun lightning. I couldn’t outmaneuver columns of water. Clearly, retaliation was my next best option.

《NEXT ENTRY》 (coming soon!)

#original fiction #let's hope tumblr doesn't choke on 4k+ words