#;; BUT SHE LOVES ROMANCE WITH MEANING! BECAUSE ROMANCE WITHOUT MEANING IS JUST DUST IN THE WIND TO HER

[kaerinio]

Seeing all this talk about ships on the dash and . . . Dany is just such a romantic 🥺💖

[moon1833]

SEVEN METER -INUMAKI TOGE

“Inumaki Toge had given up on his dream of being able to verbally confess to the person he liked years ago.”

By the time Inumaki turned ten, he fully accepted the fact that he would live his life without anyone fully understanding what he wanted to say.

It was a bit lonely at first, to see everyone around him besides his family talk freely, but he had no other life to compare it to.

By the time he was seventeen, the dream had fell into the furthest corner in the back of his mind, hardly ever remembering it being a thought until you, the new second year student, revealed your technique to him during training.

“Freeze.” His command sounded different off his tongue, but he didn’t notice it right away.

When you kicked your legs out anyway, forcing him off balance and throwing him to the ground, then he realized something was off.

Inumaki’s cheek was in the grass, his arm pinned to his back as your legs stopped him from twisting. From the corner of his eye, he stared at you in confusion, and a bit of admiration.

“It’s my cursed technique.” You couldn’t help the grin on your face. “It stops all techniques in a seven meter radius.”

You step off of him, giving him your hand to help him get up. He takes it, his lips parted slightly in shock.

“I know, I’m sorry.” You help dust some dirt off his shoulder. “You could’ve spoken to me without having to limit your vocabulary when you first met me yesterday, but I wanted to surprise you.”

You wait as he takes the information in, his mind trailing with possibilities, trying to figure out what his first real words would be to you.

“It’s… okay.” He settles on, feeling as though he was attempting another language.

“Here, let’s go again.” You smile. “It’ll be fair this time.”

From that point on, Inumaki couldn’t deny he felt a slight attachment to you. After all, he could talk freely to you and not worry about hurting you.

It was an adjustment, to be sure. He wasn’t used to the sound of his own voice using so many words at a time, and that his throat didn’t hurt when he did.

At the same time, you found yourself at his side as well. He smiled more when you were in the room, and you believed it was because he had someone he could now actually talk to.

Everyone else, however, read into it a different way.

Gojo was convinced you two were both in love with each other, constantly setting you up together in sparring work and putting you on missions together. Maki, Panda, and even Yuuta teased him relentlessly, desperately trying to get the boy to admit he had a crush on you.

Sure, you might’ve been powerful, hard working, and one of the prettiest people Inumaki had ever had the pleasure of seeing, but that didn’t mean he had a crush on you.

Besides, even if Inumaki did, personal feelings was the last thing you wanted to get mixed up in. You had made that crystal clear on your very first day, practically skipping onto Jujitsu High, brimming with determination that rivaled Maki.

Your cursed technique was incredibly useful, but it was still messy. You were hoping to learn to control it better, as well as improve your combat skills. After all, you had people to save, and things like romance didn’t fare well with jujitsu sorcerers.

Even you couldn’t deny, though, there was definitely something going on between you and Inumaki.

You were always training, eating, or even sleeping together. In class, your seats were always together, and he’d whisper commentary about Gojo-Sensei’s weird teaching that would have you covering your mouth to conceal your laughter.

By the time you both had turned eighteen, your classmates had truly had enough.

“Can you two just kiss already?” Maki’s face twisted as she complained, eyeing her friends were practically on top of each other on the couch in the common room.

You removed your legs from Toge’s lap, immediately missing how he drew circles on your knees.

“Honestly, I think you two actually making out in front of us instead of the constant heart eyes would be less intimate.” Megumi suddenly joins the conversation, Itadori nodding in agreement beside him.

Your eyes slightly widen in surprise, and you don’t have to look at Toge to know he’s flushed red.

“Bonito flakes.” He pouts, crossing his arms and shrinking into his hoodie.

“Oh, come on.” Nobara groans, throwing her head against her armchair. “This is borderline annoying.”

“I’m loosing money, you know.” Maki’s grinning a bit now. “We should lock them in a closet or something.”

“No, no.” You say quickly. “You people are insane.”

“And you’re boring.” Nobara whines.

Itadori whispers something to Megumi, and he looks at him quizzically. Nobara must have overheard it, because she’s howling with laughter.

“What?” Maki pries.

“Yuuji thought they were already together.” She says in between gasps.

Toge fully hides his face in his hands, but you can see bits of reddened skin between his fingers.

Luckily, Panda comes back with a few snacks a few minutes later, and the topic changes. The group decides to watch a movie, and for the first time, you try your best to not fall asleep on Toge’s shoulder.

Still, it’s past midnight when the movies credits begin to roll, and your head feels heavy. Your blinks are longer, and you rest your face against the head of the loveseat.

Silently, Toge watches you carefully. You’re fighting (and failing) to stay awake, and your face is scrunched slightly.

The two of you are the only people still awake, Maki was using Panda as a pillow, and the three underclassmen were sleeping on top of each other.

Toge pokes your face, and you snap up. There’s a coy smile on his lips, and you can’t bring yourself to be mad at him.

“What?” You whisper.

He shrugs, a bit worried about speaking with so many people in the room.

“It’s okay, I’ve gotten good at it.” You reassure. You had mastered it last month, being able to target one individual and force them to not have any cursed techniques. Only downside was using it for an extended time would make you pass out.

He nods a bit shyly before swallowing. “That movie was ass.”

You laugh sharply, nodding in agreement. “I’m not sure why we let Itadori pick anymore.”

At his name, the boy in question let out a guttural snore, and you and Toge couldn’t contain your giggles.

“C’mon.” You push him up. “We’re going to wake them up.”

Still holding back your laughter, the two of you ran hand in hand down the hallway and up the stairs.

From the other side of the stairs, you could hear footsteps trotting closer to you. Before you heard his footsteps, you felt his cursed energy. Quickly, you enabled your own technique to hide your and Toge’s trails, holding onto his shoulder to stop his movements.

Realistically, Gojo probably wouldn’t give two shits that you were out past curfew, but on the off chance that he did, you didn’t want to serve detention with him again.

The last time, he had left you in the classroom overnight because he had locked the door and forgot you were there. You had to climb out of the window to get out.

You pulled Toge under the stairwell, unintentionally gripping onto him with both hands. His arms were comfortably wrapped around your waist, and he was grinning ear to ear.

Gojo started to whistle incredibly off key as he walked, and the you made the mistake of making eye contact with Toge as he did.

“Shh!” You covered his mouth with your hand, but you were still laughing. In response, he covers your mouth as well, and you still don’t realize you’re practically nose to nose.

The both of you are still giddy, shushing laughs that are a bit too loud for you to not get caught. You can’t pull away from his eyes, and your mouth parts slightly.

Before you can think about it, you press your lips to his, ceasing the rare opportunity of the boys chin above his jacket.

He giggles into the kiss, holding your face in his hands. You grin, and your teeth graze his lip. He gasps, and your hands grip onto his shirt.

Toge presses harder into you, and you stagger back into the wall. You’re suddenly familiar with how he tastes, and it’s an addiction you cannot want to be used to.

Inumaki Toge had given up on his dream of being able to verbally confess to the person he liked years ago. But, there you were, staring up at him with pretty eyes and a smile that knocked the wind out of him, and the words ‘I love you’ were so so simple to say.

[empire-if]

DEMO (TBA)

After rising to the top do you have what it takes to stay there? Do you even want to?

Hollywood; the crown jewel of California. An unconquerable entity that stands the test of time despite various setbacks. Rising to the top was a long and arduous journey but you have done just that.

Sitting upon your throne of broken promises and fanciful lies— all of them being gilded in gold. Leaving behind your past without a second glance back. Childish merriment was replaced with the flashing lights of cameras. Grass-stained jeans turning to designer clothes. You never wanted to go back to what you used to be.

That is until the pesky problems of death threats start to become an actual concern. To your team and the authorities at least.

Meaning you have to leave behind your mansion in the hills for your parents two bedroom house in Airedale, Maine.

How are you going to deal with your past and present clashing? And what will you do about someone wanting you dead?

Empire is Rated 18+ for explicit language, sexual themes, drug/alcohol use, questionable behavior, mentions of murder, and more.

♛ FEATURES ♛

Customizable MC: name, sexuality, gender, appearance, vices, your mansion, and more as things begin to crop up within the story.

Choose what type of Star you have been to the public-- have you been the media's darling or more of black sheep? With a smattering of vices that have helped you cope with the stress of Hollywood.

Have you done something so horrible that it warrants someone wanting you dead? Was your last performance truly that bad? Or is it something a bit closer to home?

Romance 1 of 5 options that will offer something unique. Will you fall for your old sweetheart again; did you ever stop loving them? Or will you fall for the pesky journalist that is coming just a little too close for comfort? Time will tell.

Will your empire, the one you’ve fought so hard for, crumble into dust? Or will you rise above it all?

♛ THE ROs ♛

Scott/Scarlett Frost ♛ He/Him or She/Her ♛ 29 ♛

Your high school sweetheart/ex-fiancé has since become a veterinarian in the small town of Airedale. Light blue eyes still shining with the same warmth as you remember. Though it was a gaze filled with understandable weariness.

Edward/Elizabeth Holland ♛ He/Him or She/Her ♛ 30 ♛

Your costar from your most recent film. Who also happens to be your current PR significant other. Unfortunately, that also means that they have to come with you to not completely ruin everything you both have been implementing. You just hope everything ends up working out all right.

Victor/Victoria Swann ♛ He/Him or She/Her ♛ 29 ♛

The bad kid turned Deputy Sheriff in the small town of Airedale. A sight that you weren’t expecting to see at all when returning. Nor were expecting the reaction you got from them when they finally saw you once again.

Carter Griffith ♛ He/Him or She/Her ♛ 28 ♛

An old family friend has come to town for your class reunion; because of course, your reunion has to be whenever you’re forced to come back. Sly remarks and amused smiles are still a common entity with Carter. You wouldn’t expect anything less from them though.

Taylor Brennan ♛ He/Him or She/Her ♛ 28 ♛

The journalist that’s getting a little too close for comfort but maybe that’s your own fault too. You just have to make sure that you don’t let anything too detrimental slip out. As bad press wouldn’t be the worst thing you’d have to worry about then.

[babywitchofthesouth-responds]

The Ultimate Miraculous Ladybug Fic Rec List

Ft. 97 of the best Miraculous Ladybug fics (imo) >>>

A Miraculous Square Dance by ChatNoirLuvr

Marinette intends to finally confess her feelings to Adrien, but an Akuma forces it early— while she’s still Ladybug! As exciting as it is to become Adrien’s new celebrity girlfriend, the secrets required of a Ladrian romance make it too unsustainable. Until the heartbreak paves way for a right-old square dance (MariChat!) where they find each other again. At the exact right time.

Tell Me Why You Love Me by linnieluna

Now 22 and working full-time, Marinette and Adrien seem to be getting busier and busier, which means fewer opportunities to keep track of akumas and show up on time. With the idea of using a messaging app to communicate with each other without revealing their identities, their lives immediately grew to be easier... until it wasn't.

Can I Date You(r Character) by midnightstarlightwrites *

When Adrien's character falls in love with Marinette's, they decided to date in-game. What could go wrong?

[Note: this one seems discontinued but I loved it so much]

As Soon As I Belong by crazykotyara

Marinette likes Adrien. Adrien would prefer if she liked Chat Noir. That leads to an absolute mess of a relationship, which includes a weird game of Truth or Dare, identity shenanigans, and Adrien, figuring out some really important stuff.

Knock Knock by DorothyGale123

After an akuma targets Marinette, a certain cat jumps to her rescue! Unfortunately, he fails to knock before jumping into his classmate's room. Chaos ensues. What follows is an awkward apology, way too many coincidences, and some realizations on both sides that the person they used to think of as a friend might be more than meets the eye. Will these dorks finally realize what's been in front of them the entire time? Will they ever stop being so oblivious? And what happens when you throw a scheming Hawk Moth into the mix?

A dozen roses by IlioneThe3rd

When Marinette finds a pink rose on her desk, she suspects that her secret admirer is Chat Noir. After all, who else would leave a rose just inside a 5th floor window? But why would Chat Noir give roses to a girl he barely knows when he’s supposed to be in love with Ladybug?

As the dust settles by Pengirl91

After Ladybug lost everything and yet her partner stood by her, she realized what she had been trying to lie to herself about for months. She is undoubtedly in love with him. The only problem is that she's terrified of what that could lead to and there's a monumental task ahead of them before it might be safe to act on her feelings for him... more than she already has.

lovers who hesitate by momochai

Marinette is Adrien's Secret Santa and she's got this in the bag. Really!

Perfectly Platonic (Unless...) by frostedpuffs

After accidentally revealing their identities in less than ideal circumstances, Adrien and Marinette must navigate their newfound relationship as both partners and friends. Becoming best friends was a quick process, but when romantic feelings begin to bleed into what's supposed to be a platonic connection, their friendship starts to change in more ways than one. Surely it can't be that hard to hide their feelings from their best friend?

once more, with feeling by zimtlein

When an unfortunate incident causes both her and her sworn enemy to detransform in front of each other, Marinette knows she is screwed. Because even though Chat Noir turns out to be her former polite classmate, it doesn’t mean that he stops being an asshole to her. So it’s no wonder he starts toying with her like the manipulative bastard he is. The only solution? Take his Miraculous and be done with him forever. And never forget that he’s no more than her enemy. Never.

[Note: this one was FANTASTIC]

The Closest Thing to Love by jennagrins

When Gabriel tells Adrien it’s time for him to learn about the brand internationally, Adrien knows he can’t leave Paris - or Marinette. The two concoct a plan to allow Adrien to stay and finally achieve his independence from his father. They’ll just get married. The only problem is...they’re not actually dating. But that won’t cause any issues. After all, they’re just friends, right? What could possibly go wrong?

Unraveling by InkyCoffee

She felt the desire to prattle all but tear at her throat, and clamped her mouth and then her eyes shut tight, willing the babble back, waiting for the blow. A love confession gets rejected, leading to a reveal - and for a while there it feels like everything starts unraveling.

seven is my lucky number by MiaBrown

post-reveal pre-relationship roommates. but is it really pre-relationship if they are fake-dating?

Five Times The Love-Square Watched ‘Solitude’ (And One Time They Didn’t) by MiaBrown

According to Adrien, ‘Solitude’ was a very rare and special movie. Marinette wasn’t so sure about the first, but she was indeed certain about the second. This film was extraordinary, life-changingly so.

don't ask questions you don't wanna know by MiaBrown

Chat Noir’s plan of asking out his classmate, only so the girl could turn him down and offer to be ‘just friends’ instead was ridiculous. Too bad there wasn’t a sensible girl who would have rejected him. Ladybug was so sure of this, she dared to bet on it. And when the next day Adrien Agreste asked the same question from Marinette… Well, she wasn’t trying to prove herself wrong.

Ladybee by SailorChibi

Chloé didn't know what to do when Chat Noir and Marinette showed up on her doorstep. Marinette made Chat the guardian so she's forgotten everything; the Miracle Box is locked and no one knows the combination; and Chat is barely holding it together with the revelation that Marinette is both Ladybug and his soulmate. Time for a Bee to do what she does best: hold the hive together.

lonely girl (you are my world) by etherealme

Marinette is fine with her life. She’s fine with not knowing anything about Chat Noir, and she is completely okay with not doing anything about the growing feelings she has for him. But, when they’re sent on a road trip across continents, it gets harder and harder to avoid the lingering question: are Chat Noir’s feelings as unrequited as she’s led him to believe?

you give me thoughts of a prince and palace by Yilena

As the reclusive princess of her kingdom, Marinette's face isn't known to the public. Posing as a commoner, she runs away with her friend to another country for a holiday and accidentally seduces the prince. AU.

[Note: this one had me hooked on royalty AUs]

The Red Thread by Jheqia

When Marinette kisses Cat Noir during an akuma attack, it creates a connection between them that leads to some interesting... problems.

Soulmate Tropes by ggomo_springtime

An akuma makes soulmate tropes a reality.

Careful Stitches by Ashes555

Marinette still didn't know what happened, but whatever it was turned the moment that should have been her greatest victory into something that might haunt her for the rest of her life. Instead of helping her partner defeat Shadow Moth, she got a note. And then he was gone. Marinette thought that life would be perfect, but it never could be when Chat Noir was missing.

Revelations by Mindell

Dreaming of the day when he would finally discover Ladybug's identity had long been one of Adrien's favourite activities. Would she tell him her secret during a conversation? Would she transform in front of him? Would she reveal her identity once her mission was accomplished, when they would give their miraculous back? But never, never had he dreamed of a shy "I am Ladybug" confessed by one of his classmates, in the middle of their classroom and in front of all the other students.

L'Instant Présent by Yilena

A Marinette with no knowledge of being Ladybug manages to be useless fighting crime for her first time, and carelessly reveals her identity to her oblivious partner when they're alone. AU.

Sewing Sentiments by frostedpuffs

Fed up with her miserable job at a fabric store, Marinette decides it's finally time to quit and move on...until she's tasked with training a new employee whose golden hair and gorgeous green eyes have her feeling a certain way. Torn between leaving her job and staying for Adrien's sake, Marinette decides to stick by his side, enjoying her new co-worker's company far more than she had ever expected.But there's something about him she can't quite place—a certain sadness in his eyes that, despite only knowing him for a short time, has Marinette wondering about his past and what exactly he's running from.

One Thing After Another by SKayLanphear

Marinette notices that, sometimes, Adrien acts a little out of the ordinary--like the time he stood in a cardboard box for no reason, or when he actually hissed at Nino. It's only when she starts to notice the similarities between Adrien and a certain feline that she begins to get suspicious. Basically, Adrien acts like a cat when he probably shouldn't.

[Note: this author write some fantastic stuff and this is one of them]

tell me something i don't know by carpisuns

The odds of having a soulmate are about negative one billion (or something like that). But somehow, like they always have, Marinette and Chat Noir find themselves together. They’re ready to finally tell each other everything, but it turns out that even soulmates have to keep secrets, and they can only be together if they vow never to touch.

Pick-Up and Chase by SKayLanphear

After she accidentally trips into Adrien and apologizes about "falling for him," Marinette learns that he's no match for cheesy pick-up lines--whether they were unintended or not. And while she finds it flattering that he turns into a flustered mess with only a few words, Marinette comes to regret making him uncomfortable. That is, until she learns he's Chat Noir. At which point the phrase "just deserts" becomes a permanent fixture in her everyday plans. A story in which Adrien is flustered, Marinette is smooth as glass at dropping lines, and Chat Noir gets the romance he was always asking for--even if he doesn't quite know how to handle it.

Tents and Cuddly Cats by SKayLanphear

[Note: this one isn't showing up anymore for some reason]

Serendipitous Fate by SKayLanphear

Adrien is excited to reveal his true identity, while Marinette is terrified. But Master Fu says they can't afford to be distant any longer. Chat Noir and Ladybug are meant to work in tandem both in and out of uniform, their strength stemming from the bond created between them. Yet, teenagers are sometimes better at dancing blind than running with wide open eyes, even with the steps laid out before them. Steps in the path of an expanding world. Apart, they'll flounder. But together, they might just stand a chance.

Wish Upon a Star-crossed Love by Aepyceros

Wherein a series of encounters lead to gradual realizations and revelations.

Gabriel gets used to... (Adrien having a Girlfriend) by Mystic_Raven20

Gabriel Agreste… The man; the myth, the legend; the grumpy old man who wouldn’t know love if it kicked him hard and straight up the hiney. Gabriel had a number of issues in his life, but the worst one goes by the name Marinette Dupain-Cheng; his son's girlfriend and the younger Agreste’s self claimed ‘love of his life’. In Gabriel’s eyes Marinette has a mission, and that mission is to take everything the Agreste’s have worked hard for. One thing was for certain, he wasn’t going down without a fight; and if his ship did finally sink he was dragging Marinette down with him.

come sleep with me by treasuredgem

Where Ladybug and Chat Noir try taking as many naps as possible because Hawkmoth doesn't sleep either.

Between a Rock and A Hard Place by P_Artsypants

During a class field trip to a natural cavern, Marinette and Adrien get trapped in an elevator…trapped in a cave. Such close proximity means that secrets don’t stay secrets for long… Can the two escape their iron prison, much less their glass cage of emotions? Or will teenage hormones be their undoing?

Where There's Smoke There's... A Smoker by Talik_Sanis

Marinette is smoking! It's a filthy, dangerous habit that could do terrible things to her, leading to truancy and missed homework assignments, and- and who knows what other horrible fates (certainly not Adrien, as he's too sheltered to even guess) for the dear sweet girl too pure for this world! Adrien Agreste has to save his very good friend from her smoking addiction! Basically, Marinette lies about smoking to cover for her detransformation in an alley. Things go south from there. All the things.

Cobblestone Streets by girlsivebeen

Adrien Agreste just wants to go skateboarding in Paris. All he needs is a disguise right?Marinette Dupain-Cheng can likely spot her partner anywhere, whether he's in a banana suit on a scooter, or attempting to successfully skate over the cobblestone streets of Paris with a motorcycle helmet on his head.

See You See Me by SomberSecrets

Chat Noir had found his new favourite past time-- staring at the pictures of Adrien Agreste on Marinette’s wall… walls. There were a lot of them.

To Know by mildswearingat4am

Cat is a little more observant when he talks to a certain plucky classmate in Evillustrator and sees something he was never supposed to see. Friendship, puns, anxiety, romance, and an even more convoluted love square ensue.

basically, I wish that you loved me by sagansjagger

Adrien and Ladybug have made a mistake. They've been caught by Alya making out and now the rest of the world thinks they're dating, despite their objections on social media. Alya, thinking that Chat and Marinette are devastated by their crushes' apparent relationship, tries to set them up with each other. Marinette and Chat, being the savvy duo that they are, mutually decide that they'll fake date in order to get Alya off their collective backs. This, naturally, blows up in their faces...

Following A New Fel(ix)low In Class by DevoTea

Felix starts going to Francois-Dupont. Marinette is not about to let him back into their school without some explanation though. He is a very suspicious individual, maybe she should follow him around some more. You know, just to make sure that he's not up to making someone akumatised or something.

Felinette Soulmate AU by San_fics

Now it made sense why she behaved so protective of Adrien that day, given the fact that his soulmate had a crush on the model. For some reason Felix didn’t like this idea at all. Shouldn’t there be some rule, forbidding your soulmate to fall for a wrong guy, even if he looked just like you?..

Inky Blue by soarbytheocean

Félix had always gone on a pre-determined path, precise and detailed. A person who had always maintained a stolidly calm surface, the waters of his ocean were never turbulent. So, when he collided with the serene forests of Marinette, the havoc that his ocean went through was hard to describe.

Rhythms and Rainstorms by SultannaMajor

They didn't need to speak to communicate. And that's a fact that she always found amazing. They understood each other in a way that no one else can. They danced around her kitchen like they were born to do it. MariCha

Birthday Surprises by brbcommittingason

Adrien has been seeking solace with Marinette, using her as a way to escape from his daily life. Or at least, that's how it started. As the months continued onwards, he didn't just go there for a source of comfort, but also just to be her friend. He was head over heels, he knew that, and maybe that's why it was so easy for Plagg to convince him to wear a hoodie (a generic one that could have been passed off as a regular black one) that she made him. Chat Noir, him. And Plagg might just be the reason his life is a million times better.

My Sweetest Princess by LadyKae

When the unthinkable happens, we're often left picking up the pieces and trying to move on. No one has learned that lesson harder than Marinette, and Adrien wants to be there with her for every step of the way. When his feelings for Marinette grow stronger, Adrien finds himself holding back for her sake. Join our favorite heroes as they navigate the paths of healing and finding love at the end of a long road.

moonlight epiphany by ohlittlebarchie

Sometimes, you are blinded by sunlight so bright that you’re left stumbling in the dark. And then you miss that the best thing you could ever have was right in front of you all along - come nightfall, you forget that the moon reflects the light of the sun. Maybe Adrien Agreste is the sun. And maybe Chat Noir, suddenly, unexpectedly, crept into her heart like a sliver of moonlight.

Breaking Free (Isn't free) by RachelLyseBrook

Papillon has discovered Chat Noir's secret identity. By sheer luck, Adrien manages to escape the mansion and akumatization, Plagg providing him an out while snatching up something precious to Gabriel Agreste. Adrien crashes onto a familiar balcony and begs Marinette for help, almost revealing his identity in the process. Distraught over her partner's predicament, Marinette swears that Chat won't be alone in this. That she will move heaven and earth to keep him safe. But neither of them realize just how difficult Papillon was going to make this for them.

When Bunnyx Brings a Baby by Druwho

Marinette thought she was up to any challenge. She was Ladybug after all! But when Bunnyx arrives with a baby in her arms asking her to babysit, Marinette quickly learns that Akuma battles are easy compared to taking care of a baby. A baby that seems to know her and for some strange reason... Adrien?

The Five Minute Adventures of Snake Noir by Kasienda

After Ladybug admits to Chat Noir that she told someone her identity, she insists that he do the same. He wants it to be her. She insists it has to be anyone else. He suggests they use the snake. She finds this to be a reasonable compromise. After many heartfelt five minute conversations that Ladybug doesn't remember, she decides he should keep the snake. That way he can always confide in her if he needs to. He also realizes it means he can talk to anyone… for five minutes... on repeat. 

You, Me & A Little Bit of the Future by joonapeach

Marinette expects some disaster on her first outing alone with Adrien. She just doesn't expect that disaster to be her future self passing off a baby for her to take care of with Adrien.

Infinite Us by Leda (Represent)

Ladybug has five minutes left with Chat Noir, and she isn't ready to give them up.

A Major Test of Strength by nemali

There is only one thing in Paris hated as much as the akumas: Ladybug herself. In an effort to help the Savior of Paris, Adrien winds up on the wrong end of an akuma attack — only to find himself stuck reliving the same day. With enough time, anyone can be a hero, and as he continues dying over and over, he is forced to confront the idea that these loops may be just as much of a blessing as they are a curse.

Breaking Free by UpTooLateArt

Marinette has failed as the Guardian. Shadow Moth stole the miraculous, and now it's down to her and Cat Noir to recover them, before it's too late. Just one problem - Cat Noir's father is their sworn enemy...and he's decided it's high time for some father-son bonding. As Adrien is drawn into his father's world, secrets will finally surface - and our beloved heroes will be faced with the biggest decision of their lives.

A Hundred Thursdays by Midnight Musume (Peas)

Marinette is stuck repeating the same day over and over. Her friends (and especially Chat Noir) help her cope.

Spots and Shades by DearLittleRobin

While trying to prevent a bad future, Marinette walks straight into another one. Adrien can't handle any more secrets, but realizes knowing things comes with a price. Time travel is as weird as everyone thought it would be

Revealed in Time by WhitleyMiranda

Marinette is sent 8 years in the future by an akuma. While there she discovers a grown up Chat Noir and more about her future than she could have ever imagined.

Maintaining a Professional Distance by buggachat

Ladybug and Chat Noir receive a hotel room from the city, which they most certainly will not use. After all, that wouldn't be very professional, would it?

Chasing the C/h/atwalk. by Inkkerfuffle

Paris. The city of lights, love and fashion. Follow the progress of Marinette Dupain Cheng as she enters the extremely competitive world of Reality television for a chance to be the winner of Project Runway: France.

Radio Silence by Eevee

When an inexplicable change between Marinette and Adrien brings the two closer than ever, Alya is left on the outside of a secret too confounding to be about cheesemaking or puppy love.

do you think i have forgotten about you by augustrose77

Memory Loss. Told in alternating time lines, one leading up to and one dealing with the aftermath of Marinette relinquishing the Miracle Box and the guardianship. Marinette struggles with her life after losing her memory, though there is a persistent voice that calls to her that always seems just out of reach in her memory.

Chat Noir's White French Man Hit List for Feminist Purposes by peachcitt

adrien agreste who is also chat noir absolutely chugs his respect women juice

Not a Monster at All by book_sandwich

Adrien Agreste overhears a conversation he shouldn't, and a revelation sends him falling onto the terrace of the only person he can trust: his good friend (?) Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

How Marinette Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Ball by TheChatatonicOne

Hidden from the crowds thronging around the busy fairy portal in Paris's town square, a fae gate sits at the edge of the forest, locked, rusty, and full of ancient magic. Marinette thinks that this abandoned gate must not work anymore... but one day, a fairy disguised as a black cat steps through it.

Dearly Despised, (I love you) by snacc_noir

Marinette could go on about why she hated Adrien Agreste—from his unfunny pranks to his ineffable attractiveness—ever since he had the audacity that day with the umbrella. And yet, here she was fake-dating him while in love with a superhero.

Disrespectfully Yours, Marinette Dupain-Cheng by fettuccine (LFA)

Marinette Dupain-Cheng is top of the class. Straight A's, perfect attendance, and editor-in-chief of her university's premiere fashion magazine. Or... she would be top of the class, if it weren't for her academic rival Adrien Agreste. They've been competing for everything since their freshman year of college. If Marinette gets a 99, he gets a 100. If she gets an internship, he gets a better one. Now in their senior year of college, they're ready to fight it out one more time to win student journalist of the year — and the scholarship that comes with it. But when a semester-long project forces them to team up, everything changes. If they want to remain in consideration for the award, they'll have to figure out how to work together. Because in the cutthroat world of academia — and journalism — failure is not an option.

Lightning and Thunder by The_Rabbit42

While out for an evening run, Chat Noir gets caught in a thunderstorm and struck by lightning. He's fine! He ends up recovering/hanging out with Marinette. What ensues is a night full of conversation and commiseration, arguing and affection.

daydream by a_miiraculer

In which Adrien finds out Ladybug is Marinette, and beats the 'this is fine' dog at his own game.

the wonderful part of the mess that we made by heresie_irisee

They knew. They knew, and there would be no magical reset button for the memories they'd made today. She'd have to see him at school every day, and she'd see the Chat in him, as surely as he'd see the Ladybug in her.

Bakery "Enemies" [COMIC] by buggachat

After the defeat of Gabriel Agreste and the disappearance of the mysterious peacock miraculous user, Marinette is left to try her best as Guardian and pick up the pieces. With the kwamis left in hibernation, no leads on the missing peacock miraculous, and no way to contact her beloved partner, she's left to her wit's end on where to proceed. That is, until the prime suspect of the peacock wielder coincidentally takes up an apprenticeship at her parents' bakery. Adrien Agreste, son of Hawkmoth, has seemingly planted his roots in her home while Marinette was away for an apprenticeship. This could either be a disaster in the making, or the perfect opportunity to retrieve the missing miraculous... either way, it's war. At least, it would be, if the gosh darn villain weren't so sweet!

metamorphosis by peachcitt

Three years after hawkmoth's defeat, marinette is still trying to figure out her version of normal. there's also sleepovers.

[Note: brought me to tears. unrelated but Landing Feet First by Bayside is my unofficial anthem for this fic]

A Royal Thief by meeble

Marinette couldn’t remember the last time she’d had such a bad day. Running late and accidentally dropping her father’s freshly baked bread was one thing, but telling off the prince of the kingdom and subsequently being kidnapped by said prince was something else entirely.

Love Doth Ran Smooth by Dpanda_17

When Nino had told Adrien he’d find love, Adrien didn’t expect to find his true love the next day. And for her to greet him the pleasant way she did.

Trolling Alya by SailorChibi

It was just one of those things that didn't have a simple explanation. As surely as the sun rose in the east, Marinette Dupain-Cheng was going to marry Adrien Agreste. That was a fact that Ladybug knew in her heart, and she knew that Chat knew it too. The unspoken acknowledgement surrounded the two of them like a warm, cozy blanket. There was really no need to rush to dating because that next step was always going to be there; they had all the time in the world. And in the meantime, torturing Alya was really fun.

electrify me, i’m dying to burn by Anonymous

Adrien and Marinette are best friends and partners—they can talk about anything. Even the hypothetical situation in which they’re dating.

cause our hearts are locked forever by SailorChibi

Ladybug and Chat Noir are not okay. Years of fighting akumas have taken a serious toll. The only comfort they have is in each other, and, when the pain of separation becomes too much, Marinette figures out a way to circumvent her promise to not tell Chat who she is.

1 step forward, 3 steps back. by agnes_writes

In which Adrien switches targets to Marinette, and everything goes wrong before it goes right.

Seven Seconds by alvares715

Adrien finds a lost video on his phone.

œuf ouch owie by miraculousunflower (ominousunflower)

Chat Noir enlists Rena Rouge's help to create an Aspik illusion. Absolutely nothing goes wrong.

Stray Chat by Pozolegirl

Adrien wants to be friends with Marinette but...it's hard to be friends with Marinette Dupain-Cheng and not have both parties become a little tongue tied around each other. So Chat Noir attempts to make friends with Marinette with the aid of his mask instead. Following problems at home however, Chat Noir suddenly becomes Marinette's roommate! Now they're both keeping secrets...

Always Welcome Here by gay_english_nerd

Adrien is forced on an extremely repressive diet and it makes heroing much harder. Marinette has lots of food and a very kind heart. What will happen when the meetups become regular? Maybe some... Marichat?

heartstrings by taylortot

one of marinette’s rare unlucky days turns into something treacherous. thanks to a certain cat, the real danger passes, but there are other things to be more afraid of. her heart, for example, might be one of them.

The New Guardian Is... Multimouse? by The_Rabbit42

During the events of Miracle Queen, Master Fu passes on the role of guardian to a surprising successor... Multimouse! Marinette is frustrated, Alya is confused, and Chat Noir is oddly pleased. How will this affect Marinette's friendships and partnership on both sides of her identity? How will this affect Adrien's view of the girls in his life? And how long will they keep it together?

keep me in your thoughts by LilaacStars

Love is messy enough by itself, but it's worse when you don't know if you love your classmate, your superhero partner or the boy that has been talking and dreaming inside your mind since the moment you were born.

Sommeil by Bronte

She'd noticed the bags beneath his eyes even with the mask over his skin and had asked occasionally how he was feeling and it was always the same response. ‘I'm fine,’ he'd say, ‘I just didn't sleep much,’ he'd say, ‘I'm just such a party animal,’ he’d say. She'd always let it slide in the past because she's his partner and friend, not his mother, but it’s kind of getting to the point where something has to be done. He yawns too often to be sleeping properly. He smiles too much to be happy.

Worthy Opponent by Soap_Lady

Felix Graham de Vanily is back! Not to cause trouble, at least not if no one crosses him. After discovering the last script his father ever wrote, he decides to honor his father (and make his directorial debut) by producing the movie. It has everything he likes; adventure, well-rounded teenaged characters, complex villains and witty dialog. The only problem is that it's set in Paris and there's only so much CGI can do. So he, his mother, and his group of friends who call themselves the Quantic Kids head to Paris to cast the rest of the characters. Marinette Dupain-Cheng has just finished her first year of lycee and though Lila is still around, her influence over Marinette's friends has waned, partly because they're on different academic tracks and have drifted a bit. She's not worried about that, she's decided to spend her summer as an intern in Graham Film's Wardrobe Department. It'll be valuable experience and with luck, she'll never even see Felix. Too bad she makes a wrong turn on her first day.

Passionfruit by SailorChibi

Marinette and Adrien are soulmates, and have known that since before they got their miraculous. They can’t not know who the other is. The solution? Keep on hiding the fact that they’re soulmates from even Tikki and Plagg, of course!

when you're near by buggachat

When Ladybug and Chat Noir were together, dancing across rooftops and kissing under the moonlit sky, Ladybug loved her boyfriend. But when the masks fell and all that was left was Marinette, she hated her boyfriend. She hated the lonesome afternoons, the third wheeling, the way his name wasn't in her contacts... She knows their identities are secret for a reason, and she tells herself she'd do anything to protect that— but when Marinette hears Chat Noir's voice coming from the boy sitting behind her in a coffee shop, she can't help but wonder if it's really worth not having him in her life.

Don't Let Me Let You Go by SailorChibi

When Marinette's parents find out and forbid her from continuing as Ladybug, Plagg comes up with what he considers to be the obvious answer.

Fireflies by sevendeadlyseas

When Ladybug and Chat Noir face their deadliest akuma, they both lose more than ever could have expected, and nearly fall apart trying to keep it together. Hawkmoth's identity is revealed and everyone's personal lives go to shit.

Slowly but Surely by San_fics

There was something Freudian in this, but Felix had a weak spot for women like his mother — outwardly soft and gentle, but strong and hard on the inside. And it was exactly the impression Ladybug left him with. Felix was smart enough to put two and two together. Maybe he still needed some proves, that would confirm his suspicions for 100%. Like the proves he needed to make sure Gabriel was Shadow Moth. But Felix used to trust his intuition and logic, so at this moment he was almost sure: the Marinette-girl was Ladybug.

a cat, confronted with the unknown, will respond not with fear, but with curiosity by LordKaladin

Chat Noir finally meets the mysterious Guardian his new teammates all talk about.

48 Hours To Make You Love Me by Mystic_Raven20

When two heroes miss the minibus for their winter get away with the gang they have no other choice but to make their way to the resort by themselves. After avoiding their feelings for years, a freak snow storm makes them reconsider more than just whether to carry on driving. Luckily, they find a quaint little bed and breakfast where suddenly they’re thrown into a situation where their feelings can no longer be held back; but, is it too late? The interference of an elderly couple after an eavesdropping accident helps both Adrien and Marinette come to terms with their feelings and their actions. Through movies, hot chocolates and snuggling to keep warm, Marinette wonders if it’s possible to make Adrien love her again, and more so can she do it by the time they need to leave their little sanctuary?

The Ladybugs and The Bees by BullySquadess

AKA the early-fandom Ladynoir puberty fic that spiraled waaaaay out of proportion.

Remember That Time When... by mostlovedgirl

Twenty-two-year-old Marinette Agreste was looking forward to the anniversary trip she would be taking with her husband Adrien that weekend. Those plans are derailed when she wakes up in her old bedroom... and she’s seventeen again.

Build You Up by CoffeeBanana

After the events of Risk and Strike Back, showing up to school and acting like nothing had changed feels wrong. Adrien doesn't want to be there, listening to the fears and criticisms of his classmates. Worrying about Ladybug. Trying not to let his doubts consume him. But it turns out there's someone else who might want to be there even less than him. And maybe the answer to his problems has been sitting behind him in class all along.

Can't Fool Me by CoffeeBanana

Marinette and Adrien both have the same plan: to impersonate their superhero partner for April Fools' Day. But when they both get a little too into character, well...what could possibly go wrong?

You and Me by 11JJ11

Marinette tries to find ways to let Adrien knows how much she cares, even if their relationship must stay a secret.

Forget me not (because I will) by Bluestpaw

Being a guardian is hard. Forgetting to be one is even harder.

[lynrasa]

To Dust You Shall Return: Phantom/Secret

Why is there not more of this? She's basically canonically a halfa.

(I know the answer is because Young Justice is vastly underappreciated. Shh.)

Some notes on Greta Hayes | Secret as a halfa. 

Based on her described power set, she is absolutely a halfa and would fit right in to Danny Phantom without any real adjustment. 

Given the specific variety and format of her powers, she is a halfa almost exactly as OP as Danny. 

The only part of her story that doesn't fit the 'halfa' thing is the simplicity of her death. There doesn't seem to be a portal involved in her death, and Danny doesn't appear to be a psychopomp. That's fairly easy to fix: the tape deck that Billy | Harm used to kill her was chanting a summoning spell / portal opening spell. It's clear that she and / or Billy had some magical ability before their respective deaths, so that might have affected things as well.

Alternatively, Greta was mostly just an extremely powerful ghost until Darkseid (Side note: the fact that Greta called Darkseid Doug Side [and he let her] is not played up nearly enough) returned her to life, at which point she becomes a halfa or maybe some other flavor of undead since she doesn't seem to have access to her powers anymore.

If she is a full halfa and possibly just as a ghost- Greta has a Smoke Core. Also, I like the idea that, like Danny, she has Ancient potential from the beginning. She can literally be the Ancient of Secrets, which would neatly explain both her Core (Smoke and Mirrors) and The Abyss. On the other hand, The Abyss can just be the jacked up version of Danny storing shit in his chest. 

Her Obsession would be her greatest weakness because Greta is basically obsessed with Normality / Life. I like the idea that Obsession loss- Secret starting to give up on the idea of Normality helped lead to her insane jealousy over Robin. She briefly fixated on him from an Obsession point of view- the secondary obsession (which could also fit into the larger obsession- CompAllo) helped shore her up. Also, I generally see Tim as a late-bloomer in the whole Romance thing. He does stuff more because it's expected of him not because he actually feels things. I am also heaadcanoning him as on the younger end of the Young Justice group. I don't know if I'll put Secret on the higher end, but even so, girl puberty generally starts before boy puberty.

Also, Tim is very much a product of CompHet 90s masculinity, honestly as bad as Kon. So he did not grow up reading romances, he did not watch romcoms, etc. Greta did. So she takes it as a love declaration, but Tim was thinking more of emotional support / backup. He meant it; he was sincere, but he doesn't really understand overpromising (he never will). It's part of his problem with Spoiler, too and Jack Drake. Tim's emotional priority is Batman Gotham. In the words of Eliot Spencer "You can't make that promise to more than one person."

I really like the idea that Greta is a halfa and the one Secret eluding her is transforming on her own. First, she can't find the secret to being human, then she can't find the secret to being a ghost. Given Doug Side's involvement, I expect her transformation is paradoxical, something like the moment she stops wanting to be alive she can be returned to life or the moment she stops wanting powers she can be a ghost again? No, that doesn't seem to fit.

Something about the Anti-Life equation though. And she is a psychopomp, she is a portal? The anti-life equation incites a death wish in people right? Or a wish to cause death? Harm may have been an early devotee of the Anti-Life equation, which means it could have been involved in Secret's death. Why did Secret make a good sacrifice for Buzz / for the Anti-Life equation? Was she already a paradox? Someone filled to the brim with vitality, but with a dark / death-seeking place inside them? Or was it about potential? The most life converted to death? Something like that. 

Regardlesss, I really really want to write something with Greta and Danny. Do I want to write them together? I mean, that feels cutesy and too perfect and Mary Sue-ish, but honestly it would be reasonably true to both their characters. Maybe this could be college shenanigans.

Actually, I really like the idea that Greta's 'secret' nature means that her ectoplasm is completely undetectable if she's not in Ghost form. So Danny has no clue that she was ever Secret, was ever a ghost, and they're dating.

At some point Danny comes clean about he was to Greta and she blows up, something on the order of "NO! NO! NO! I GOT AWAY FROM DEATH. IT CAN'T HOLD ME ANYMORE. I WAS FREE!" I think the key word there is 'was'. Her emotional distress forces her back into her ghost form. At which point, she, somewhat understandably, blames Danny and attacks him, "YOU DID THIS TO ME! TURN ME BACK! LET ME GOOOOOO!"

Danny had absolutely no idea that Greta was a halfa before she transformed, and is confused by her apparently out of nowhere halfa transformation, especially the bit where he couldn't sense her until she transformed. He can sense Dan, Ellie, and Vlad. And even Val and Jazz and Sam and Tucker (high level liminals). Also, she's really strong. Like really strong. Like, if she actually knew how to fight other ghosts at all, she'd probably be the most dangerous person he'd faced since [either Pariah Dark or one of the Ancients]. She's only used to fighting the living though and she's busy having a mental breakdown, oh, and there's the bit where Danny is King. So, he's able to soup her and take her to Frostbite, since he's really worried about her. [Also, ship name is now Dry Ice]. Absolutely going for Ghost Emote Communication, so the entire time, Danny is apologizing to her in Ghost. 

Shit. I was thinking about playing this for laughs, but now I've accidentally had Danny repeat one of her major traumas. Fuck. Okay, There will be lots of Greta learning about her biology- not her powers, she knows how to use those, she just needs to figure out how to transform. She will not figure it out immediately, but Danny is able to help her transform back by transforming with her. (Very shoujo, I know, whatever, she's a 90's character and by making her a halfa I gave her a magical girl transformation. Also, ectoplasm follows Green lantern rules, so when she first masters transforming on her own, Greta absolutely has a Sailor Moon style transformation sequence, though she gets to skip the pose at the end, and her halfa outfit is always her Young Justice character design.)

Actually, I really like the idea that- while this is a forced to remain in contact scenario- Danny leaves everything for Greta to choose. Also, while he didn't tell the specifics until the start of this story, she did know he wasn't standard human. He was open about that, just not that he was dead instead of meta. When she first transforms out of anger she goes straight to Secret's outfit. The first time she means to transform from human to ghost, she appears "in the outfit she died in". Greta died in the bath, so she's naked. Danny immediately closes his eyes (despite having seen her naked while they were dating- I don't know that they actually had sex- that might have been skinny dipping or an "almost" or just a changing situation [Anita has no body modesty; I suspect this rubbed off on the rest of YJ after they knew Tim's identity].) and talks her through how to change her outfit as a ghost.

At first, her transformations happen due to extreme emotional distress. She's always furious when she finds Danny to help her transform back. She manages to stay out of sight- she's good at stealth, but she hasn't figured out invisibility. Danny earns back a little bit of goodwill by teaching her to go invisible immediately. Especially because Danny does not treat her as stupid for not knowing. He keeps up a running commentary about all the trouble he had when he first encountered his powers and how shit a teacher he is. (This is actually true.) It also helps that he treats invisibility as a basic safety precaution rather than a 'cool power'. So, for future transforms, if she transforms, she immediately goes invisible.

She also appreciates (once she notices) that Danny stopped assuming she was his girlfriend as soon as the fight happened, but did not stop being available for emotional support. She also appreciates that he's never asked about her death. [She didn't get the cultural stuff any more than he did. She doesn't know that asking is severely taboo in ghost culture.] Danny, for his part, desperately wants to give her the culture stuff he didn't get, particularly the stuff that caused him so much trouble, but has noticed Secret's particular aversion to discussing her powers or ghostliness. Jazz or maybe someone else warns him to let Greta set the pace, and he takes the advice. 

Things start to turn around when a Young Justice fight- ooh, no, better. Cissie is taken hostage / kidnapped by a particularly crazed fan. This has happened before. I think her identity is public (need to check), so normally this is solved by Cissie shouting for Kon. Or better, she shouts for Cassie whose identity is also public, but usually Kon shows up. They set this up specifically- lots of people think to shout for Superboy; no one shouts for the Wonders; they're not known to have superhearing.

Except this time: the core four are in space. All of Young Justice is still in a group chat, so Cissie knows shouting won't do her any good and Greta knows that Kon and the rest can't help Cissie when she sees the breaking news alert. She has contact info for the Justice League, but her justified experience as a member of Young Justice is that the Justice League will not listen to them and can not be counted on. She makes a mental note to bug [Red] Robin into giving her the information for the Titans and the Outlaws. Then she hunts Danny down in their human forms so he can switch them to ghost and she can go save Cissie.

She isn't the only Young Justice reservist who shows up. Anita can teleport. Also, Danny follows her, but when he sees Secret and Empress flawlessly fall into fighting together, he wisely decides to stay well out of it, except at one point he turns Cissie intangible to prevent the crazed fan hurting her. Cissie and Anita assume Secret did it (No they don't, but they aren't going to press Greta about it. Headcanon: Young Justice rules of order state that the person gets three strikes or until it reaches WTF level before there's an intervention to demand an explanation. There are levels to acting on a Young Justice league WTF by the way. Level 1) Bart is told. Level 2) Tim is told Level 3) Cassie is told Nuclear option: Tell Kon and ask him to keep it from Tim and Cassie.) 

Once Cissie is free, Anita and Cissie's main concern is figuring out if Secret is dead again. They're really upset about that idea which makes her happy. She assures them it's only sorta and tells them she can change back. She ducks out of sight. Danny helps her change back without a word- he can manage invisibility in human form, but mostly just stays hidden. Cissie and Anita are desperately happy Greta's not dead, but also concerned. They know Greta wasn't really interested in her powers. All she wanted was to be normal.

Greta assures Cissie that Cissie's safety is worth more than Greta's normality. Anita's a little tactless about it, but that's Anita. Greta and Cissie get it; Anita loves heroing and wants to get back to it full time. Anita heads home. Greta ducks back into hiding so Danny can help her transform back, then carries Cissie to the police station. Cissie lies and says she was saved by Superboy and Empress, but they had to rush off to some other disaster. Greta and Danny fly back to campus and Greta quietly and more than a little grudgingly- she doesn't want to forgive him yet- thanks him for helping her save Cissie. She also thanks him for staying out of the way. Danny admits a little about his own vigilante past and they fly back in silence. 

Sometime after Greta has started to figure out transforming on her own, someone on the campus dies. Greta feels the pull towards her duties as psychopomp. When she gets there, Danny is also there, pulled by something he doesn't know to the spot. Greta starts to do the psychopomp thing, but something about her appearance specifically sets the soul off. She sighs and tells Danny to try. Danny does not know what she's talking about.

Uno Reverse Card. Greta hadn't known they were halfas; Danny hadn't known they were psychopomps. He freaks out- less violently- but otherwise a lot like hers. Danny is surprised he's never had to do it before. Much later, they find out he actually has. Greta is a psychopomp for those who will move on, Danny for those who will remain. She is Mercy and Judgement and the End. He is Compassion and Memory and the Beginning. Some souls, like the one on the campus, are undecided, so they both get pulled to them. They don't meet everybody who dies, just those who need a little help.

Also, like with Kathy, sometimes they can lead the person back to Life instead of to Death and the Afterlife. When Greta does this, the result is no more than a little liminal. When Danny does it, it makes undead of some sort or another, or at the very least, high level liminals. This is due to the excess of ectoplasm in Danny and the difference in their roles as Psychopomps- she's Death / The Abyss, he's Afterlife / The Infinite Realms. Or, in their role as dualities, She's Life or else Death he's Life and Death.

I may end up altering their uniforms so she has a ⊻ and he has a ∧ as part of their costumes (Logic symbols: Either Or for her, And for him). Possibly on capes. Maybe capes which only appear when they're being formal. This amuses me immensely, because I'm a dork. Also, I'm adding notes: On his cape, the shape is basically made out of galaxy- matching the representation of the milky way. On hers, it's curls of smoke and / or whitewater. (Because I will absolutely reference Abhorsen whenever I can. Always. Continuously.) 

[dangermousie]

I am living for the gender reversal trope where she's the perfect killing machine who doesn't know normalcy or feeling and considers emotions a burned out nuisance and he's the functional one who actually values relationships. And the thing is she has decided he's breedable (sorry, will never be over that! :P) because he's competent and smart and good at killing but emotionally she is being drawn, without even realizing it, because he combines competency with still keeping a soul. If he was just a weak person she'd just assume he's incompetent or deluded. But he's clearly good at what he does and can kill quite competently and defeat his enemies quite competently. And yet - he treats his companions as friends and they do the same and she is fascinated by it the way an alien would. She knows she's lacking and she is trying to figure how to remedy, how to stop being a machine.

I mean, he tells his men they can laugh at him but to treat her with respect and something in her softens (especially since it's clear he didn't say it to impress her.) She has always been treated with disdain or fear and has always been an implement of seduction or murder. But he treats her as a person.

It's like that conversation she has with the princess, where she says she and he are the same and both left any ability to feel behind and that if princess really disobeyed, he'd kill her, same as FL could. She ends that convo on this piece of advice:

But the thing is, the narrative is clearly set up to show she's wrong. Not just in terms of ML - he may be ruthless and smart but he still hasn't lost his ability to feel, because his life has been so much more normal than hers, but also to allow her to trust others at some point. The English title, "A Journey to Love" really is apt for her, isn't it? It's her going from being a perfect instrument to being able to feel. This reminds me a little of Romance of Red Dust with Shu Qi and Wallace Huo. The latter is a lot darker and grittier and bloodier because it was made a long time ago before restrictions but the tale of a tired lady assassin who is drawn to something she can actually care for is similar.

I mean, look at this convo - she does not talk as a flesh and blood human who wants a baby to love or even desires ML - it's once again an alien trying to understand how humans interact and why.

God, I love him. It's an odd thing to say about a character who calmly stabbed a man in the neck with a pin within ten minutes of us meeting him but he is so damn decent.

This cracked me up - talk about gender reversals...

But the thing that I really loved about this conversation is that he turned her down while letting her know he finds her desirable and giving her his true reasons as well - which is it's not safe for people with their personalities and jobs to be entangled. This was pretty amazing.

I love that she genuinely asks him about how he's friends with the men under his command because she realizes her lack (she said empress called her a sword and she wants to change because she always feels a distance even with her, but she doesn't know how) and that she doesn't want to be distant from her own child. It's actually a huge thing that she realizes that there is something missing and she wants to remedy it. I don't think the woman at the opening of ep 1 would have thought so.

(I am WILD for the gender reversal of him being the softer one to make the perfect murder machine understand and develop emotions!!!)

But this was my favorite part, because isn't this the crux - she should think for herself; does she even want children, does she even know why the empress wanted her to have one? If it's just another order she's carrying blindly what is the point?

It makes sense for a man with his line of work, but he actually thinks things through and I love it. There is that scene where he explains why he doesn't want to be with her and it's so logical - she's the perfect assassin but she has a bloody life and he just wants to retire so what future is there (any time a character talks about a last mission I freak out btw, but also it's telling he's thinking relationship when all she asked for is ONS. You developed feelings, spy boy!)

But also, there is this bit. Where he says he feels pity and it's very insightful but it reads much more as sympathy and understanding than pity.

I love that he knows her true self - assassin, sex spy etc and his main reaction "but she's never had free will, it must have been hell."

God, I love this drama!

[redbullcateringfiction]

Chapter 6 -

Cantata

Arabella is the executive assistant for Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff. 10 years into her career, it looks like the tide is changing, and she's beginning to question her relationship with him. Is it something more, or nothing but an idea lingering in her head?

F/M, Fluff, Boss/Employee Relationship, Romance, Pining, Love, Slow Burn

Sixth chapter below the cut or click here for AO3

Click here for the previous chapter on Tumblr, and click here for a list of all chapters

(Total: 26637 words thus far)

Apologies for the long wait. Life happens, as I'm sure people know.

~redbullcateringfiction

I looked at myself in the mirror. The flight sleeping had taken its toll on me and I certainly looked more tired than I felt. I quickly threw on a light concealer. Just enough to make myself look less tired, but not enough to be wearing an obvious amount of makeup. I pulled my hair up, and then pulled it down, evaluating the two options, when suddenly there was a knock on the door. I opened it just a crack, and there stood Toto.

“Toto, cell phones exist,” I sighed, swinging the door open fully.

“I’m old school. If I can walk a short distance and get an in person conversation, I will,” Toto answered.

“Meh. Fine, what is it?” 

“Where did you want to go for dinner so I can set up a reservation?” Toto asked. 

“Oh…well there’s some amazing Arabic restaurants here. It’s rarely a food I can enjoy, so I would love it today,” I smiled.

“Excellent. I think there’s one on the pool deck.”

“On the pool deck. In this weather?” I asked.

“How do you mean? It looks a bit dim out, but nothing more than that.”

“Dust storm is coming,” I explained. “Here, come on in.”

“Oh, alright,” He nodded as I opened the door. 

“Take a look out the window,” I explained, walking towards the window with him. The floor to ceiling windows provided a perfect opportunity for me to explain. 

“There’s no wall of dust on the horizon. Not yet. But those aren’t normal thunder clouds. The sky isn’t dim because the cloud is blocking the sky, and that cloud isn’t brown because the sun is setting. That particular cloud is filled with dust,” I explained. Out on the horizon, you could see the towering, mountainous thundercloud. It was filled with desert sand, and I could only imagine the havoc it was leaving behind it. Here though, it was normal. For Arabs, the desert conditions are the only way life functions. 

“Interesting. Will it clear out by tomorrow?” Toto asked.

“No chance. It won’t clear out until at least tomorrow night,” I explained.

“Bad for the track. Bad for the cars. Worse for testing,” Toto sighed learning back.

“Don’t worry. I scheduled a meeting with Aero for tonight.”

“Then we better get dinner now and not later,” Toto said, smiling and turning around. I chuckled. 

“I guess that’s the only thing we can do until the meeting.”

“Well, then, there’s another Arabic restaurant on the 5th floor,” I answered.

“Indoors?” Toto asked, walking towards the door. He chuckled at his own joke. 

“No, no. It's completely outdoors. In fact, it's actually in the dust storm,” I smiled back.

“So sarcastic,” He mocked, holding the door for me as we walked towards the elevator. 

~

“A celebrity, Arabella?” My aunt asked, as my sister, Farah, took a bite of her hummus. She dipped a cucumber in it with a smirk on her face. She knew very well where this was going.

“I’m not really a celebrity. I mean, don’t get me wrong, we’re better off than most bands but we’re not Def Leppard or anything,” Cathal explained, smiling. I shot him a look. His huge blue eyes looked at me and got giant. I could tell he was desperately searching his brain for what he had done wrong. 

“Well if our cousins knew who you were without me even having to say ‘music,’ I’d say you’re a celebrity,” My aunt smiled. The room was quiet. Practically silent, in fact. I watched as my Farah’s husband, Mehdi, brought in another bowl of hummus. My sister had practically devoured the first bowl of hummus. It had been her number one pregnancy craving. At least, that’s what I found out half an hour ago.

“Auntie…he’s just humble I guess,” I smiled.

“I wouldn’t go that far. I’ve definitely got some cockiness,” Cathal chuckled. I shot him another glance. I knew something dumb was about to come out of his mouth. This time the eyes were small and just as searching. He brushed his blonde hair out of his face. It desperately needed to be cut, but he swore it looked good.

“Vanity is a sin,” My aunt answered. “That’s why you should be Muslim.”  I watched as Farah nearly spit out her food with laughter. I watched as the reasoning slapped Cathal in the face. He grinned through gritted teeth as my aunt left the room, making her excellent impression. 

“I’m…I’m gonna run to the bathroom,” Cathal told me, quickly running off. My sister looked at me, and then at her husband before they both burst out in laughter. 

“You’ve got some nerve bringing a little white boy who makes music about so many things a strict Muslim aunt hates to Marrakech,” Mehdi snarked. 

“Oh, be nice. White boys have always been her type. Since France, at least,”  Farah laughed. 

“Alright, alright. I get it,” I sighed, putting my head in my hands. 

Nour took a seat next to me. My brother. 

“You know, the whole boarding school thing isn’t very funny,” Nour said, dipping his carrot into the hummus. “Just because you were the only one to not get shipped off, Farah, doesn’t mean you’re better than us. You’re just the golden child.”

“For a reason,” Farah shrugged. There are 4 of us. Nour is the oldest, 12 years older than me. Then, he’s followed by my brother Chadi, who’s 7 years older than me. Then finally, my sister Farah, only 3 years older than me. And then, there’s me. The youngest. I had barely had a chance to know Chadi and Nour. Nour was already at boarding school by the time I was born. Chadi wouldn’t go till I was 5, but had disappeared all the same one day. Honestly, none of us even really knew where Chadi was or what he was doing. All we knew was that he wasn't dead because Nour would sometimes send pictures of Chadi he had found online or through their mutual friends. The only reason we knew where Nour was, is because he makes a point to show up at holidays completely randomly, with no rhyme or reason. Every time though, he made a point to defend me against Farah and her antics. Too bad there was no tie between us. We hadn’t even met till I was 18. He had apparently been coming home already for 2 years at that point after he graduated from University. But I hadn’t been there.

Farah stood up and left the room, taking her husband and the hummus with her. 

“That one’s a raging bitch,” Nour sighed. I watched as he cracked a beer under the table and poured it into an opaque cup.  “Do you want one?”

“God, fuck, yes,” I said handing him the cup under the table. 

“I’ll do you one better,” He said. I watched as he took out a bottle of vodka and poured a good amount into the cup. 

“That’s way more than a shot,” I whispered.

“It’s what you need,” Nour answered. He handed it back to me and I took it right back. He took the cup back and poured the beer into it. As soon as he managed to put the bottles back into his bag, Auntie walked by again.

“That better not be alcohol, Nour. It’s haram,” She ordered him.

“It's not, Auntie. It’s Barbican,” he smiled. 

“Good, good,” She nodded as she left the room.

“Cathal seems nice, Bella,” Nour smiled. I cringed at the shortening of my name. However, he barely knew me despite being my brother. I had to forgive him. 

“He is. He’s honestly a sweetheart,” I smiled. 

“I didn’t say all that. He’s nice,” Nour warned. I narrowed my eyes.

“What does that mean?” I asked.

“I personally really like storms, Bella. I like the thunder rolling in. I like the rain pouring down. I like the way the sky grows gray and watching the cars quickly turn on their fastest wipers. I really like storms. I find them nice. Nevertheless, I know that they’re chaotic. I get the sense you also find chaos nice,” Nour explained, taking a sip out of his cup. 

“I don’t,” I answered. “I like structure.”

“Really? Or do you like managing chaos?” He asked. Cathal quickly rounded the corner. 

“Hi, did I miss anything?” He asked, pulling out his chair. 

“Nothing serious,” Nour smiled at him. 

~

I looked at Toto, watching as his eyes scanned the menu. “I don’t eat Arabic food frequently,” He struggled. I couldn’t help but chuckle slightly.

“I’d recommend the chicken machboos. It’s the national dish of Bahrain,” I smiled. 

He looked up at me, his eyes finally parting from the menu for the first time since he had gotten it. “Is that what you’re eating?” He asked. I nodded. He took a deep breath and set the menu down. “Then sure, sure.”

We sat there awkwardly for just a moment. While yes, we had developed a friendship over our years of working together, it could never quite outweigh our working relationship. It made it slightly difficult to actually communicate at times like this. That is to say, moments where our working relationship was the reason why we were together, but the event itself was much more casual than one might assume. 

“How was the flight for you?” Toto asked. 

“Sleepy,” I answered. He smiled. 

“I know. You fell asleep so soon after take off. You always get cold so soon before me that I figured if I knew it was cold, you would be shivering when you woke up,” He explained. Quite a few car rides with Toto had featured me pulling on my sweater as he reached to roll down the window. He would always apologize profusely, but seeing him sitting there with sweat pouring down his brow, I would always tell him it was fine to roll the window down. He would hesitate, but I would tell him I was perfectly warm with my sweater. 

“So, that’s why you got me a blanket?” I asked. 

“I was surprised Bono hadn’t already,” He shrugged. 

“I thought it had been him when I woke up,” I answered. While Toto and I generally had very different interpretations of temperature, Bono and I were one in the same. “Was he not cold?”

“No, not really. He hadn’t noticed it,” Toto answered. “But he had on many more layers than you.”

“The same as you?”

“Yes…Is this an interrogation about a decision to get a blanket for my assistant?” Toto asked, raising his eyebrow.

“It’s conversation,” I answered, mocking his earlier shrug. 

“No, no. You’re questioning me. You can’t sass your way out of this one, Arabella,” He leaned in.

“I absolutely can, and I will,” I laughed. “I was just curious. Bono is usually cold, and you’re usually warm. It just struck me as strange that Bono didn’t think it was cold. I’m not saying you can’t get me a blanket as I’m knocked out. I’m just saying it’s weird Bono didn’t think it was cold easily an hour before you.”

“Well he was right next to the window. Maybe the sun was keeping him warm,” Toto shrugged. 

“Were you not?” I answered.

“Arabella…” He warned. “People can be cold and warm at different times.”

“Alright, alright. Dropping the curiosity.”

He leaned back as I, myself, backed off. I could see the smirk on his face.

“No, no. Now you think you won,” I argued.

“It’s not an argument, Arabella. No winners, no losers,” He laughed.

“Then why the smirk?” I responded.

“Nothing. I smirk.”

“For no reason?”

“Sometimes.”

“Liar.” 

He was saved by the bill as the waiter wandered over, bringing with him a tray of vegetables and hummus. We ordered our same dishes and he walked away. I kept my head down, looking at the vegetables I was trying to pick. Just barely within my sight, I could see Toto looking at me still smirking. I could pick my head up and catch him in the act or I could drop it. I’m quite pushy…but I dropped it. 

“Besides bullying me, what are you planning to do during testing tomorrow?” Toto asked. 

“I’m going to be in the garage with you. Too many people running around, and too much business to handle to be anywhere else,” I answered. 

“Ah right. You have your phone off mute so the engineers can harass you into passing around the messages they could easily speak over the headset?” He asked.

“Absolutely not. They’re all on notice. During race weekends, they can only text me if for some reason they can’t find someone, but only if they’ve checked absolutely everywhere. If they haven’t, call them over the headset and see if they respond. Otherwise, fine, I’ll take a look. They’ve probably got themselves on the wrong radio channel.”

“Good, good. I’m surprised they haven’t gotten around to asking you to help with the pit yet, all they ask for,” Toto answered. He brushed his hair around with his hand, trying to get an idea of what it looked like with just his hand. I went into my purse and took out a makeup mirror, and passed it to him. 

“There wouldn’t be any time even if they wanted me to. Half the time I’m running around replacing headsets, alerting people of strategy changes that they have yet to notice, and delivering small things I usually carry for myself and you to random people. I’ve lost so many hair ties over the years,” I sighed. “That won’t change. The only thing that will change is the other half of what I usually do. Find people because they don’t want to clog up the headset. But that’s why there’s other radio channels.”

“Perhaps this is my fault,” Toto began, messing with his fingers. “Maybe we shouldn’t be talking about work?”

“Honestly, it’s the only thing going on in my life,” I shrugged. “Not much else for me.”

“Certainly I’m devoted to work, but I also keep a healthy personal life,” Toto stared at me. His eyebrow raised, implying that no actual question was needed. 

“I have no children and my family is irritating. I keep to myself. Don’t worry. I enjoy life,” I explained.

“You don’t need children or family to have a personal life. Friendships exist, and they’re quite fulfilling.”

“I know. I just don’t make friends very easily.”

I wish I had just been lying to end the conversation faster, but it was true. I have Bono. I apparently have a lawyer who I didn’t have a very good date with. But I don’t have much else outside of that. Even if I wanted to be generous and call Toto a friend, I would still only have 3. And none of them are women. Don’t get wrong, men and women can be friends. Any other perspective on that is silly. Nonetheless, there is something special about friendship with women. Over the years, I had tastes of it. Just brief fleeting exchanges with drunk girls in bathrooms, or coworkers like Marie who I shared some details with. Never anything longer term or more than amicable. Friendship between women, I had noticed, was so intimate. 

I could easily recall my mother’s friends showing up in the evenings on the weekends. Sipping wine while discussing things about their relationships. I learned things about my parents’ relationship that I never would’ve known by pretending to sleep on the floor. My mother would go on, and on, and on about every little thing from the books she read to the bills she paid. Her friends would listen attentively, taking a genuine interest, and then go on about their own similar stories. I would lay there on the floor, and at some point, genuinely fall asleep to their stories. 

I had yet to maintain a friendship like that. My relationships with women have often been shallow, and frequently, that was my fault. Most of my friendships have been shallow, actually. I will ignore the request to hang out, or them asking me to lunch. I would rather read a book and never discuss it, keeping the details to myself.

“I doubt that. You’re friendly.”

“Am I?” I raised an eyebrow. 

“When you want to be,” He smiled. I laughed at the comment.

“No, no. You’re right though. It’s more the keeping of friends that I struggle with,” I explained. He nodded. 

“It's not easy,” He shrugged. I looked at his hands as he again fixed his hair, like a nervous tick. Again, I found myself lingering for too long on his appearance. His dark hair, his darker eyes, his angled smile, and…everything. I felt myself getting hot and quickly looked down at my own hands. How have I gotten here? In this situation? I couldn’t help it, but I also couldn’t ignore it. It’s one thing to know someone’s attractive, and it’s another thing to be attracted. I am attracted to my boss, but thank God I’m smart enough to not act on it. There’s some lines that can’t be crossed, and this is one of them. 

“Hot in here?” Toto asked. 

“Huh?” I nearly fainted. I wiped my forehead. 

“You’re quite red. Here.” He poured a glass of water out of the pitcher for me and I quickly emptied it. I wasn’t red from attraction, I was red from embarrassment. I wasn’t hot from the crush, but from the anxiety of being found out. 

“Yes, it’s a little hot,” I groaned. 

“And I’m cold. People can be cold and warm at different times. Strange, isn’t it?” He smirked.

“Oh my God,” I sighed, pouring another glass of water for myself. “Did you really just do that?”

“I did, yes. You can’t win every time, Arabella.”

It didn’t happen frequently, but sometimes, Toto would win our minor arguments or discussions. They were always silly conversations, but nevertheless, I didn’t like to lose even the silliest of conversations. So, whenever he managed to just barely one up me enough to collect his own win, it always felt like I had just gone all in and Toto played a royal flush.

“You’re funny,” Toto smirked while staring into my eyes. “I can see those gears turning.”

“No gears. Empty,” I said, tapping my head.

“Empty? Never,” He shook his head. He wasn’t wrong, unfortunately. It is a bit like a hamster on a wheel here. 

“If only it were sometimes,” I complained.

“Anxious?” Toto stared at me. 

“Always,” I tried to giggle it away. He didn’t seem to receive it well. Damn Austrians and Germans. They joke when they want to and look at you like you’re crazy when you do. I had a desire to explain but I simply shut my mouth and waited for the awkwardness to fizzle out. It didn’t though.

“No, no. Explain,” He waited. “Well, actually, you don’t have to. Just, if there’s anything I can do, explain what it is.”

There is nothing he can do. Nonetheless, I get the sensation that if I say that he won’t believe me. And then if I explain, he’ll feel like he forced it out of me. I don’t mind explaining right now. It feels like finally the somewhat appropriate moment to do so. But nevertheless, I don’t want to. I fiddled with my hands for a moment before opening my mouth.

“I have agoraphobia. I cope with it pretty well, mainly by having this job so I am rarely in a place for too long. If I’m in a place for too long, it starts to feel too similar to home and I have to get out,” I explained. “I just deal with it. No big deal.”

“That seems like a big deal. It literally affects every aspect of your life,” He raised his eyebrow.

“No, it really isn’t. It’s a background thought. The anxiety is too. It’s not something that is destroying my life. I just find it a bit difficult to settle down once I get going.”

“Ah,” He replied. “Does it bother you?”

“No, not really. Like I said, I’ve learned to cope. I’ve learned my methods, and I’m happy with them.”

“Then that’s all that matters,” He affirmed. “You’re happy, then I’m happy for you.”

I watched as the food got brought. It smelled of saffron and immediately gave me a comforting wash of emotions. 

“Wait a moment,” Toto interrupted my moment. “Surprise parties. Do you hate those?”

I raised my eyebrow until I realized he was concerned about the agoraphobia and surprise parties. 

“No, I quite like them actually. A well planned party is enjoyable no matter how it’s presented. So long as the room isn’t filled to the brim with people, that is,” I laughed. It quickly turned into a chortle. I couldn’t help but find his concern…cute? Adorable? Funny. It was funny. “Wait a moment-”

“No further questions.”

“A surprise party?”

“No further questions, Arabella,” He demanded. “Eat your food. Smells good. Eat it.”

“The audacity of you to think I’ll do as I’m told,” I smirked. Too far, Arabella. Too far. Was that flirty? I was trying to be snarky, but the line is thin. I watched as Toto raised his eyebrows, and then as they settled back down on his face. I felt my heart beat out of my chest as he opened his mouth to speak.

“Trust me, I do not think that,” He answered, leaning in towards me. I watched as he poured more water into my glass. “I know it, in fact.”

“Know what…exactly?”

“Up to you to figure out,” He taunted, taking the first bite of his food. The tension implored me to take the first bite of mine as well. The first bite was delicious but tainted by the sensation of confusion and worry taking me over. All these years of being an adult had just gone out the window. Suddenly, like a middle schooler, I sat trying to analyze his tone and his words. As if I had never learned English and was translating from a dictionary. No, stop. You’re thinking too much, Arabella. I could practically hear Jeffrey in my head laughing at the way I could no longer tell the difference between tension and tension. 

“It’s good,” I coughed, pointing at the food, and trying to cut the tension.

“Mmhmm,” He mumbled, pulling the metaphorical rope tighter. I stared back down at my food, and continued to pick at it as I waited for him to jump in. It was his prerogative. He didn’t, like he was relishing the feeling. 

“Alright, Toto,” I began. He shot his head up, and made eye contact with me. He might be enjoying the tension, but I am not. I will do what I know how to do best. “The meeting with Aero, it better be at 8pm considering that at 6pm you have a meeting with Lewis’s team and at 7pm you have a meeting with Bottas’s team. These are just about scheduling so they may run short, but I’ll be there to ensure you don’t commit anything silly. Regardless, I hope you didn’t double book yourself. Lewis’s team can be flexible but no later than 7. Then we would have to reschedule with Bottas’s team. And you know they can be much less flexible.”

He stared at me for a second, almost in disbelief. ‘Yes, Toto. Your refusal to end the tension means that you must now discuss work. Yes I have just done that to you,’ I thought.

“I scheduled it for 8:30 since Aero is running around till then. No worries,” He answered.

“Great, I’ll add it to the book. Do you think we can squeeze a strategy meeting between 8 and 8:30? Some of the other engineers can stay through the Aero meeting in case there’s lingering concerns,” I explained.

“Do we need another strategy meeting?” Toto questioned.

“Always,” I answered.

“Fine.”

“Good, let me send out an email,” I smiled, taking out my phone. I quickly typed up to the email, after doing a quick check to make sure that time was free for every team.

“Now that my schedule’s handled-” He began. 

“No, oh no. Never is, is it? A few more things,” I blurted, as I began to go over everything for the upcoming weekend.

~

“Oh, a Mercedes team member?” The man behind me spoke. I turned around. He looked vaguely familiar. 

“Yeah, yeah,” I answered, grabbing the coffee as it came ready. It was my own, as I’m certainly no coffee runner. I went to add cream, but paused deciding if I needed, or even wanted it. I had gotten into the habit of drinking it black, but sometimes I desperately wanted something sweet and would find myself adding spoonful after spoonful of sugar. Cream certainly meant I would be adding sugar.

“Engineer?” He asked, waiting for his own coffee to finish brewing. This little room behind the paddock was actually a space for the media, but with a coffee maker and pastries floating around, of course we had all wandered our way into here. It wasn’t particularly nice, but the desire for coffee typically overwhelmed any interest in design.

“Oh. Uh. No,” I shook my head. I closed the lid deciding against the cream.

“Then what?”

“Background things,” I shrugged. “Sorry, nothing really interesting about it.”

“Doubt it. You work for my favorite team,” He laughed.

“Sorry, no really. I don’t do anything interesting,” I smiled. “But uh…if you hang around here a little longer, you’re sure to run into someone interesting.”

“No, no! I think I have. Background things? Like what?” He asked. I sighed, before finally looking him up and down. No pass, no uniform. Did he even work here? How did he get past the gate to this area? 

“Sorry to ask. Are you a fan? You shouldn’t be back here,” I explained. I felt a hand come across my shoulder. I turned and saw one of our engineers, Percy. 

“Celebrity,” He whispered, before going to pick out a pastry. So, regardless I had to entertain him or risk him calling me or the entire team out in the media for being ‘rude’? Great. 

“No, no. I don’t work here. They let me through, though,” The vaguely-familiar-celebrity  answered. 

“Oh…alright. Well, there goes an engineer. If you want to chat with them,” I gestured towards Percy.

“I can read all about that later. I’m curious about the background stuff now. Sorry, let me introduce myself,” He said, stepping towards me. He reached out his hand. “Cathal. Uh…Lynch.”

“Oh, nice to meet you, Cathal,” I shook his hand. Off the top of my head, his name wasn’t familiar. Matching the name to the face didn’t help at all. I genuinely had no clue who this man was. As many celebrities as I run into back here, I usually recognize them. Him, though? No clue. 

“I can see the gears turning in your head. I’m uh…a singer. For a band. Not a big one though. I’m here with the band we’ve been opening for.”

“Oh? What band is that?”

“Blur. They’re performing after the race tonight. Congrats on the win by the way. Lewis’s 3rd right?” He asked.

“Yes, yes. We’re thrilled. It’s uh…it’s nice to have someone on the records.”

“Sitting pretty next to Senna is not something many can claim,” Cathal nodded. 

“Precisely.”

“Well, do tell me more about this background work you do. I’m very curious,” He said, finally grabbing his coffee.

“I’m a personal assistant. Really. Just background work, I swear,” I nodded. Maybe he would drop it?

“For a driver? That’s awesome!” He cheered. “Flying around with Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg then?” I suppose I’m not getting out of this then.

“Well yes, but I’m not the driver’s personal assistant. I’m Toto Wolff’s,” I explained. 

“That’s even cooler. So you’re really right on the front lines then. You tell the driver’s what to do and keep them in line, huh?” Cathal asked. “No, wait, you must tell Toto what to do then.”

“No, no. No telling anybody what to do. I’m just an assistant. I help to manage the absurdity. Nothing more really.”

“You should get on that then. I bet it’d be awfully fun to tell that German bastard what to do,” Cathal laughed. “Oh, sorry. That’s your boss. I’m sure he’s a real nice bastard.”

“He is,” I laughed back. He’s quite funny isn’t he? And a little cute, I’m tempted to say. The blonde hair, the absolutely gorgeous and huge blue eyes, and a bit boyish in his face. Maybe I don’t really mind him having stopped me. At least he’s attractive. Afterall, I’m 24 and single. Perhaps…no…no way. He’s a celebrity and I’m really nobody. 

But as the conversation continued I started ot get the sensation that maybe he wasn’t just interested in my job. Maybe he was interested in me. The way he smiled. The way he leaned in. Eventually, as he watched as I brushed my hair behind my ears and commented on how pretty it was, I felt settled in my feelings. As he put his number in my phone, I felt a little cheerier than I could rationalize. He’s probably just looking for a one night stand for tonight after his show. Nothing more.

Tag list: @daddyslittlevillain, @littleheaven

[foxdriftstudios]

Creating Healthy Relationships in an Enemies to Lovers Romance

Making the bad boys be good boys.

So this might sound silly coming from someone who made an assassin dating sim but I wanted to share my opinion on this. There's healthy relationship stuff that I tried to keep in mind when writing the story, because I think it's important to write the good things you want to see in the world. When I was writing Garden of Seif, I wanted to tell a story about people who were fated to be enemies, yet somehow weave them into a romance story where despite all odds that try to pull them apart, they fall madly in love with each other.

When is comes to the romantic good endings, I want to send the message across that love should be healthy. This is tricky when it comes to nurturing the bad boy stereotypes or an offshoot of the yandere trope, as some people may expect or enjoy a love interest that's not quite nice to MC, and it's natural that people have varying comfort levels of what they are okay with. I wrote what I was comfortable with and what I think is acceptable, and a few players have even described the romance as very sweet. So let's dive into what sweet and bad looks like for both of Garden of Seif the guys:

Seth, aka The Deathstalker

Seth and MC bicker quite a bit, and I think that's partially due to Seth's devil's advocate personality type, but this also mirrors the tension between he and MC as enemies. Readers quickly learn that Seth's main motives are money and stuff, however if you read on, you'll find he does have a caring side that he tries very hard to hide. When you dive into further into the story, you'll learn why he built walls around himself and may even sympathize with him. I won't deny that I injected a little bit of Flynn Ryder into Seth's persona.

Seth plays dirty when it comes to his job, mostly out of boredom, but also because it's a dog eat dog world and that's how he's survived. It's easy to be this way when he doesn't care about someone, but it isn't easy to when he does care for someone.

I've seen a few assume that Seth is a gaslighter prior to the game's release, and that's not something I am comfortable with nor did I intentionally write Seth as one. Seth is extroverted and cocky. This self assured manner of being is something I expect from an enemies to lovers story, and I would personally not feel satisfied without that. That's not to say that Seth doesn't manipulate people, including Iris, but again this is part of how he survives as an assassin. This is something that happens when you're tragically in love with the mark.

So in order to tread carefully without Seth coming off as a gaslighter in romantic relationship or toxically masculine, Seth reaffirms a few important things that often get overlooked IRL. 1. It's okay for men to cry, meaning he thinks it's okay for men to have feelings, even if he isn't excellent at displaying his own emotions. Seth has a difficult time expressing his love for MC, and even tells her he's just joking when he flirts with her, which is not because he wants to manipulate her, but because he's peeking over those walls he built--mentioned earlier--and deciding to retreat behind them instead of pursuing a romance where he might get hurt. 2. He believes women and men are equals. Even though he has "cheated" to win at times, he respects Iris as an individual and truly believes she's a formidable opponent.

The Dust Hunter

With his character, you won't find as much bickering with him as you do with Seth, as the enemies to lovers dynamic between Dusty and MC is much more hidden beneath the surface than that. Even so, there's things Dusty hides from MC that's something a partner shouldn't hide. What makes Dusty an antagonist is something I won't spoil, but he certainly has a lust for power that can make his moral compass rather gray.

The important part is that he wants what's best for Iris and he makes an effort to guide her through her character arc in becoming a better person, which she eventually confronts on her own (if you reach the true end) by making amends with all of the people she has wronged, mainly her friends. I think this is the most beautiful thing about their relationship. Both Iris and Dusty have been pretty bad people, but they openly address this and push each other to be the best version of themselves.

Like many many LIs, Dusty is desirable. And other characters seem to think so too, including a fellow assassin known as The Emerald Huntress. She is head over heels in love with him, and unfortunately he isn't able to return her feelings. In his POV chapter, she confesses her love to him and his response is something I put a lot of thought into, especially for women (or anyone really) who have ever suffered the pain of rejection, which can often make us lose sight of everything else and focus on feeling like they aren't good enough because one person does not love them.

Now, for the main reason why I'd humbly name Dusty as Love Interest of the Year:

“You are enough. Never make the mistake of thinking otherwise just because a man, or woman, is unable to love you.” -Dust Hunter

Thanks for reading about my boys, hopefully it gives people insight on what to expect from them <3

[cheshire-silent-cat]

Move my heart

Hobie x y/n (Pt3)

Did I just use my free day to write this yes I did and no one can stop me, this hobby of mine is quite fun being able to share my whacky ideas and thoughts with you all so I wanted to take a moment before lunch to tell you all a big thank you for reading and sharing my work. I really do love it here.

Warning; rage, distress, cliffhanger, unanswered questions and angst, mentions of autism.

If you see any mistakes I may have made please do draw it to my attention thank you

**************************************************

“yeah what of it” says in an annoyed tone, “hold on you all slept together, here?” Pav asked wearing a face that could only mean he was making romance assumptions once again, “no, well yes, not like that” you stutter, “so what are you guy like a thing” miles interjects “nah man, Oi I beg you mind your business” Hobie spoke getting increasingly irritated, he gazed down at your small figure, his jumper draped over you, he had to admit, it suited you well, his staring continued and he couldn’t help but notice how sad you looked “love, about last night” he started “oh yeah, don’t worry, it’ll never happen again” you say and then leave. Hobie falls on the nearest couch “fuckin hell mate, you man don’t even live here” he groans, as his friend gaze at him in confusion.

From then on you avoided Hobie like the plague, spider woman said it was typical for you to run away from your problems, even though she it wasn’t true it was her way of trying to bait you into working with Hobie again, whenever Hobie made it to a mission, you had already completed it and were about leaving, whenever he invited you to hang out with them you would say you had plans even though it usually included hiding to eat by yourself, however on this day, in a different world, thanks to an anamoly a building had collapsed and even though you had defeated the anamoly what was proving to be more difficult was your current task, you were trying to convince a mentally challenged (autistic) child to trust you enough to come out from under the rubble pile he had been hiding under before the fragile structure gives out and collapses on top of him. Kicking, scratching and screaming he is pushing you away from even helping him and the more the both of you struggled the more unsteady the structure became, frustrated you sit next this hiding spot, looking through the corner of your eye you sense someone, you turn your head to see Hobie, but what really caught your attention was his guitar.

Instantly forming an idea you run up to him, snatching the guitar off his back faster than he could react, almost like even he was curious to see your plan in action, you lay the guitar flat on the floor next to the rubble tower, and start lightly tugging on strings creating a sweet gentle melody, “now that is just long, why not use your bed to pull the kid out” Hobie said feeling cocky, “shhh, and swift movement could bring it down” you say and Hobie runs out of ideas to challenge you with, you start the melody again, humming to the tune, the sound is alluring and gentle, it manages to tickle the curiosity of the child, he slowly comes out, and without warning you grab the child holding the guitar and web away, the tower crashes down releasing a storm cloud of dust.

You and Hobie are separated and you are with his guitar, suddenly you are grabbed by tentacles lifting you in the air, you are met with Hobie once again, with tentacles entrapping his body, “hi, love” Hobie said as the tentacle waved his body around “hi mate” you imitated his accent, you were quite pissed at yourself, here you were ignoring a good guy because he kissed you because you are scared he won’t feel that way about you and it was just a fling and to make it worse he didn’t know what he had done wrong so now you are the unfair one, do you see the problem here, you could feel your subconscious ask you.

“C’mon love don’t be like that” Hobie protested, wiggling around to free himself from the tentacles “alright fine, sorry, what is it that you want to talk about” you said, free from the tentacle now fighting the giant Ursula looking doc oct, “I was kind of hoping , you might want to hang out this weekend, kind of like last time y’know” Hobie nervously plays his sonic guitar sound to keep the anomaly back, “like a date….then yeah of course” you say landing your last kick to the doc’s jaw. A portal opens and you both walk in, leaving the anomaly for the spider people clean up crew. “You two, what the hell was that” Miguel yells, “it wasn’t our fault that anomaly-“ you abruptly take off your mask to say before interrupted by Hobie, “we don’t have to answer to you, be grateful you sent us and we handled it fucking narcissist” Hobie takes off his mask to stare down at Miguel properly.

You both had been so preoccupied with verbally taking Miguel down you had not noticed that both your masks were off, this was the first time you both would be seeing each others faces and identities, but when you both did notice it wasn’t the reaction either of you had neither imagined nor expected.

The room fell silent, and you both watched as the colour drained from the others face, it was you, the mystery lady in his dreams, the reason for his sleepless nights, he always wondered why the dreams stopped the moment he met you, he had so much to say to you, so much to ask you but he didn’t know how to express his emotions, he’ll he was barely processing them properly so he said nothing, giving you the same emotionless snarl he gave everyone else in hopes you weren’t to intimidated by him, he met your eyes and in that instant he was overtaken by shock, as you stared back at him, tearing stinging your eyes “prowler” you whispered, taking a few steps back, you walk away, “wha- hey hang on” Hobie attempts to follow you, but you shoot a web, sticking his hand to a nearby wall, the last thing Hobie saw was angry tears streaming down your face before you disappeared into a portal behind you

[jerzwriter]

All in the Past 2/3

This started as a request from @angelasscribbles for ONE scene. Three parts later... I decided to make this a follow-up and alternate ending to one of my favorite short, angsty AUs, Unblemished, because we needed more angst. All three parts will be posted today.

Series Summary: Tobias & Casey were friends turned lovers whose different dreams led them to become friends once again. Two years after their painful breakup, Casey has moved on. Tobias is in town to attend his friend and one-time love's wedding, with his new girlfriend on his arm. It's just the wedding of an old friend, or, is it?

Part 2 Summary: Tobias's girlfriend, Meghan, has some questions for him, and he answers honestly - or so he thinks. Sienna attempts to get displeased Casey to see the truth. Tobias finally runs into Craig, the groom-to-be, and then it all falls apart.

Book: Open Heart (Post Series)

Characters/Pairings: Casey MacTavish (F!MC) x M!OC, Tobias Carrick x F!OC, Sienna Trinh

Rating: Teen

Words: 3,100

Series Masterlist

Tobias x Casey Masterlist | OH Masterlist | Full Masterlist

His eyes were wide open. Every microscopic crack and spec of dust on the ceiling above had been committed to memory. Tobias accepted that sleep wasn't going to happen about an hour ago. No, tonight, it was him, the humming sound of the air conditioner and his latest girlfriend blissfully sleeping at his side. Without waking, she snuggled closer to him, and he ran his fingers through her long, auburn hair as guilt consumed him. He genuinely liked Meghan; he cared for her. She was witty and kind. So beautiful that every head turned her way when she entered a room. He enjoyed her company, and she was good to him. Perhaps too good. He knew she deserved better than the half-truths he fed her early tonight. But were they lies if he was struggling to understand the truth himself? Any other fool would recognize what they had in Meghan. Then again, any other fool would never have let Casey go.

~~~~~

(Earlier that day)

Returning to his hotel room usually meant only one thing for him, but that's not where this was headed. Meghan, bless her, didn't seem upset. Still, Tobias couldn't shake the uneasiness that began creeping up on him during yesterday's flight and hadn't seemed to let down since. This wasn't the weekend he planned. A quick getaway to a luxury resort, a little pampering for him and his girl, some laughs with old friends, then wishing them well as they embarked on their new life together. It was supposed to be easy. Simple. But the human heart and mind can act in peculiar ways. Denial isn't always intentional, nor is it meant to be cruel. Sometimes, it's a mechanism designed to protect the individual at all costs. But there is a downside. We never know when the façade will begin to crumble, and even then, the truth isn't easy to accept. Tobias was about to learn a harsh lesson. We lie loudest when we lie to ourselves.

Meghan sat on the edge of the bed with a gentle smile. Removing her new sandals and gently rubbing her sore feet, breaking in new shoes hadn't been on her agenda. Tobias dutifully sat at her side, taking over the task so she could rest. Her head tilted back as her eyes closed, and a soothing sigh escaped her. This was nice. So nice that Meghan considered putting the rest aside. But she wasn't about to let a little comfort win over her practical mind. 

"Tobias..." she began, gently touching his cheek. "I'm not mad, but I do want some answers."

"Sure. Ask away..."

"Why haven't you been upfront with me about you and Casey?"

"What do you mean? You know she's my ex, and we were friends before that. We decided being friends worked better for us, and that's what we've been for years. Where haven't I been upfront?" 

"Maybe it wasn't your intention, and maybe I read it wrong, but I was under the impression she was a friend that became a brief romance until you both realized you should have never taken that step. But since we left Boston yesterday, I feel like there's more."

"Meg, Casey wasn't a fling, if that's what you're asking. We cared for each other greatly but wanted different things and decided we'd be better apart. And she's getting married tomorrow... so it's worked out well for her."

"Perhaps.  But how it worked out for Casey isn’t my concern... but you... I know we're relatively new... so this isn't a life or death issue... but I don't want to invest my heart anymore if you're still in love with someone else."

"In love with!" He blurted. "Meghan, we've been over for two years. Do I love her as a friend? Yeah... but I'm not in love with her anymore."

"But you were..."

"Yes, was... past tense. Are you telling me you don't have anyone you've loved in your past?"

"Of course I do. At our age, most do. But... I feel like she's the one who got away, which is fine. Many of us have that person in our past, but most don't attend their weddings."

"You’re right. And I wouldn’t attend her wedding if that’s who she was.”

“Tell me why you broke up, the real reason.”

Tobias stood and paced the floor. “Her residency ended, and she was deciding what offer to accept. Duke was a great fit, but... that led to the where are we headed discussion. She wanted to get married, have kids, a dog, and a backyard... I wanted Boston or at least another city. I don’t like grass. I wasn’t too sure about a pet. I didn’t mind a partner, for life even... but marriage, kids... that always sounded like a trap to me, one I didn’t want to fall into. We talked, and when we couldn’t find a compromise, we decided to go our separate ways.”

“Was it hard?”

“The hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.”

“Then you see my point... it wasn’t easy, and she’s still one of your best friends.”

He returned to Meghan’s side, gently touching her knee. “I’m sorry if I wasn’t clear about the extent of our relationship. But it’s irrelevant... because we’re in the present. Casey and Craig are my friends... I haven’t been sitting around pining for her.”

“What if she wasn’t with Craig?”

“Meg, that’s unfair. We can’t sit in a pile of what ifs; we can only go with what is.” 

“You’re right,” she sighed. “I just don’t want my heart trampled on. I care about you, Tobias, and I think we’re building something good... I just want to make sure you’re all in, too. Are you?”

“I am,” he swallowed. “I wouldn’t have brought you here if I didn’t believe that.”

“OK,” she smiled. “Then there’s nothing more to discuss.”

“Look, I’ve had enough wedding events to last me a lifetime. Why don’t we go do some sightseeing, just the two of us? We can go wherever you want. No one will miss us until the ceremony tomorrow.”

“I’d love that,” she smiled. “But let me change into something that matches the shoes I had on during the flight. I don’t want to break anything else in until the wedding.”

“You do that,” he smiled. 

He grabbed a beer from the mini-fridge, waiting for the sense of relief that washes over you after a discussion like the one they just had, but it never arrived. He mindlessly pulled the curtains aside to take in the view. The upgraded room was worth every cent; the view was magnificent. Then he shook his head. Of all the things his eyes could have landed on... it had to be her. She sat poolside, eyes glued on the book in her hands, and he chuckled. He never could get her out of a bookstore. He closed his eyes and exhaled deeply. I’m not in love with Casey anymore. He insisted. I’m absolutely not. So why did his heart ache as much as it had on that Boston night? After all this time, why did he feel like it had never healed at all?

~~~~~

Sienna was the vision of a Northern tourist, happy to be enjoying a balmier climate as she walked alongside the pool in a bright floral swimsuit with a matching sarong, Jackie O! sunglasses, and a floppy straw hat. The look was completed with the two frosty tropical drinks in her hands. Her smile was as bright as the afternoon sun as she approached Casey.

“I know you’re supposed to be relaxing for the big day,” she grinned. “But I would be remiss in my maid-of-honor duties if I wasn’t checking to ensure you’re not getting sunburned.”

“That’s what this lovely umbrella is for,” Casey smiled.

“Yeah, but it helps if it’s opened,” Sienna chuckled as she twisted the lever.

Casey accepted the strawberry daiquiri, humming with delight as the sweet sensation enveloped her. “This is so good. You’re a lifesaver.”

“That’s what best friends are for! Now, relaxation is nice, but is there anything I can do for tomorrow?”

“Nope,” Casey replied confidently. “All under control.”

“OK, what about for the rehearsal tonight?”

“Under control, too.”

“Casey, I’ll admit, I don’t have much experience with weddings, but I’ve never seen a bride this relaxed the day before her wedding!”

“It’s just a wedding,” Casey shrugged. “Our mothers are happy driving themselves crazy over the details. I just have to show up for hair and makeup, put on my white dress, and smile. It’ll work out.”  

She turned back to her book, unaware of the concerned look her friend had fixed on her. Finally, Sienna had to speak.

“Casey, can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“Are you... happy?”

“Happy? Yeah... I’m happy.”

“Forgive me if I say that response isn’t terribly convincing.”

“Well, one doesn’t have to be gushing and oozing with delight to be happy, Si.”

“No, but it’s the day before your wedding, and maybe everyone isn’t a gushing, oozy kind of happy person, but... you always were.”

Casey closed her book and leaned back in the lounge chair. “If you have something to say, say it.”

“You’re right. I wouldn’t be your best friend if I didn’t. Do you want to get married?”

“Of course I do. Craig is a wonderful man, and he’s so good to me. We’re happy!”

“Happy... but not gushy and oozy happy.”

Casey removed her sunglasses and sat up to face her friend. “Who’s to say that’s for the best? I had gushing and over-the-top happiness. I know what it’s like. But what did it get me? It got me a broken heart. That amazing high dropped me into the lowest lows of my life. Days, months when I didn’t want to get out of bed...When I didn’t leave my house if not for work. And who got me out of that? Craig. He helped put me back together. And we are happy. No, it’s not all fireworks and rainbows, but those things aren’t real life. I’d rather live with reality.”

“Forgive me for saying this, Casey. But... I hope you’re not selling yourself short. I like Craig, I like him a lot, and I know he’s good to you, but you deserve the fireworks kind of love. And so does he. Settling isn’t going to do anyone....”

“I’m not settling! I love Craig; he loves me, and I’m not settling!”

“But are you in love with him?”

Casey looked directly at the pool without saying a word. She knew Sienna could see right through her when she lied, so she felt it wiser to say nothing. But Sienna wasn’t letting her off the hook.

“More importantly... are you in love with someone else?”

Casey’s neck flipped in Sienna’s direction with fire in her eyes.

“What are you insinuating?”

“I’m not insinuating. I’m asking. I’m not letting you say I do if your real answer is I’m not sure!”

“But I am sure!” Casey looked around to ensure no one could hear, then leaned closer to Sienna. “Fine! I’ll address the 800-pound gorilla in the room! Is my relationship the stuff of fairytales? Do I have moments when my heart practically stops beating because I love him so much? No. But real life isn’t a fairy tale. I had that kind of love, and I know how it feels. I was naïve enough to believe that if you find that, you would both do everything you can to never let it go. But you know what? I was wrong. Because I had it in my power to save it, and Tobias had it in his power, too. And guess what? Neither of us did. So what does that tell you?”

“It tells me you admitted you still love Tobias... but you’re not marrying him tomorrow.”

“You’re right. I’m not marrying him tomorrow, and I never would be.”

“So you’re settling.”

“NO! I’m not settling; I’m marrying someone I love and who loves me in return. Someone who wants the same things in life. Someone that I can build with and grow with, and that’s not a bad thing!”

“It’s not, but I feel like you’re selling me an insurance policy, not a reason to get married.”

Casey began to gather her belongings with a huff.

“You know what, if you disapprove of me marrying Craig and don’t want to stand up for me tomorrow, then don’t. But I’m marrying Craig tomorrow, and I wish it would be with my best friend by my side.”

“Hey, hey, hey...” Sienna grabbed Casey by the shoulders. “I’m not backing out. I’ll always stand beside you, no matter what. I just... I want to make sure you’re following your heart.”

“I’m following my head, Si. It’s always served me much better. I’m following my head, and my heart will follow. Now, please, can you try to be happy for me.”

“Sure,” Sienna said, pulling her into a hug. “I’ll try.”

~~~~~

Sightseeing on a scorching hot day was slightly more strenuous than Tobias & Meghan bargained for, and she had the splitting headache to prove it. As she lay in the room with a cool facecloth on her forehead,  Tobias headed to the hotel’s gift shop to pick up some more ibuprofen. He had just taken his wallet out to pay when he felt a clap on his back.

“I was wondering when I’d finally run into you.”

“Craig,” Tobias blurted as he greeted the groom-to-be. “I was wondering where you’ve been. Is the hospital going to let you attend your own wedding?”

“They are now,” the handsome, dirty blonde man smiled. “As of this afternoon, I told them to pretend I was already on my honeymoon in Bali because I’m not answering my phone.”

“Yeah, I know that feeling.”

Tobias liked Craig. At least he liked him as much as he could like the next man in Casey’s life. He didn’t want to. In fact, at first, he decided he wouldn’t. The first time he met him, he spent his entire drive to Raleigh listing all the reasons he wouldn’t like him. But Craig was so polite, friendly, welcoming... and he was good to Casey. What choice did he have?

He’d never forget the day he learned of existence. Casey called with the words he wasn’t prepared to hear. “...I didn’t want you to find out from someone else.” Tobias was sure his heart had stopped. He knew the day would come... someone like Casey wouldn’t remain single forever, but... this soon? Barely six months had passed... and he wasn’t prepared for how profound the pain would be. He tried convincing himself it was for the best, even when his visceral reaction was to book a flight to North Carolina and beg her for a second chance, to tell her he had made a horrible mistake.

He made a horrible mistake.

For the first time since they broke up, Tobias had been honest with himself. Now, he had to let her know. As Casey kept talking, he was thinking of the best way to tell her, but then, he heard the smile in her voice. It had been gone for so long. The end of their relationship had been punctuated with painful, tear-filled conversations; then abject heartbreak followed their choice. He almost forgot what it was like to hear her... happy. It killed him that another man was the cause, but who was he to take that from her? He hurt her enough already.

He tried to console himself. It’s just a boyfriend, a transitional one, at that. When they inevitably break up, I’ll be on the first flight to Raleigh to set this right. But a year later, Craig was on one knee, Casey was saying yes, and Tobias decided he’d have to learn to live with his heart cracked in two. He knew it would never heal, but he had to find a way to let go. 

“Casey mentioned you wanted to shoot some hoops,” Craig's voice pulled Tobias from his thoughts. “The only time I’d have is tomorrow after breakfast...and it would be cutting it close.”

“You know what. Let’s do it next time we get together. My luck, you’d end up breaking something, and Casey would never forgive me.”

“What a notion!” Craig laughed.

“What?” Tobias laughed with a raised brow. “You breaking something?”

“No. Casey not forgiving you. In what world? You have to know my fiance would forgive you anything. But, I appreciate sparing me the broken bones.”

“Yeah, uh..” Tobias sputtered. “It’s your wedding day... hoops with me shouldn’t be on the schedule.”

“Nope, far more important things to tend.”

“You’re so right,” Tobias smiled wistfully. “I’m happy for you guys.”

“Thank you,” Craig said, extending his hand. “That means a lot.”

“Casey is a wonderful woman. Be good to her.”

“You can count on it,” Craig smiled.

To Tobias’s relief, a gaggle of groomsmen appeared out of nowhere and pulled Craig away. Tobias slipped into a waiting elevator, never so grateful to be alone, because one by one, the boulders in his wall of self-denial began to fall. He loved her, he loved her with all his heart... and he lost her... at this time tomorrow... she’d be another man’s wife. Life is full of mistakes; everyone makes them, but the most painful mistakes of all require us to live with a lifetime of regret. He felt the elevator walls closing in on him as his life sentence became clear; panic filled his chest, and he couldn’t breathe. His legs unable to sustain him, he fell to his knees, and for the first time in a long while, he couldn’t stop the tears from flowing.

And that’s how he ended up here. Lying in bed with the ceiling, his only friend. He couldn’t take anymore. He had to get out of the room, or he was sure he’d lose his mind. So he slipped out of bed and left a note for Meghan so she wouldn’t worry if she woke. The hotel’s bar closed hours ago, but the 24-hour liquor store was delivering a bottle of Johnny Walker Blue. That and a lounge chair in the gardens would need to get him through the night.

He was a quarter bottle in with no idea how much time had passed. He had already bargained with God three times. Couldn’t He just turn time back a couple years? Was that asking too much? Apparently, it was, and he was still sober enough to know asking a fourth time wouldn’t change the outcome. Downing the rest of the bottle and sleeping for a week sounded ideal. Still, sanity won, reminding him alcohol poisoning wouldn’t help. His best bet was to return to his hotel room and try to get some sleep. He stood up with a curse on his lips; he turned around and gasped when he found her standing there. He rubbed his eyes to make sure this wasn’t a dream.

“Hello, Tobias...” Casey whispered. “I’m glad I found you here.”

@choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics @choicesjuly2023challenge - Sleepless Night

More Tags in Reblog.

[akampana]

28. Diartoria

Prompt: 28. "Your smile brings me so much joy." Ship: Diarturia Tags: Romance

As he stared into her eyes, brushing her blonde hair from her cheek, he wondered if she’d let him kiss her. She looked so beautiful like this, with the sun casting its golden glow upon her face and a lovely tinge of red dusting her cheeks. Her gaze was fond, and her smile soft. The Irish knight was half-convinced he was lost in a dream. He never had any luck with love, after all, and yet, here he was, so smitten .

Describing exactly what the Once and Future King meant to him was a challenge all on its own. There was no one quite like her, and no one with whom he shared the same connection. Theirs was an everlasting dance of blades made to the rhythm of steel on steel. When their weapons clashed, he felt like he was dancing on the clouds. When they were apart, it was like gravity itself drew them together till they clashed once more in a flurry of sparks. 

Something in her green irises told him she could see right through to him; take the pages that were his life; read between his every line. He bared his soul to her unafraid, because he knew that with her there was no gavel nor jury that would damn him to a life on the run. There was only her, the regal knight who turned out to be so much more than just the chivalrous figure he met at the docks. He fell twice: for the king she became, and the girl she didn’t get to be. 

He was sure the day he met her. He was sure now. She was the culmination of all the work he put in as a knight, the light at the end of the tunnel, the reward that awaited him for his service. He wouldn’t trade anything for the fire he saw in her eyes as they exchanged blows, or the laughter that erupted from his lips when she won, or the smile that graced her face when he claimed victory. She was everything he wanted. Everything.

Arturia’s lips tasted like a warm welcome after a long journey; her mouth, like an embrace before a hearth; her kiss, sweet as hot chocolate on a chilly night. As they parted for a breath, she cupped his cheeks and nudged her forehead into his fondly. She wore a delicate smile upon her face as he pulled her body closer. Diarmuid decided that very moment that he wasn’t losing her again, he didn’t care what impossibilities he’d have to overcome. He’d march up to Avalon and take her to his Tech Duinn, if he had to. 

“What is it?” she asked lightheartedly, drinking in the soft chuckle that escaped Diarmuid’s lips. 

“Nothing, my lady, I just…” the knight lightly touched the pad of his thumb to her lips. “Your smile brings me so much joy. I no longer believe I can continue on without it– without you.”

Diarmuid took a deep breath, distracted by the smell of her hair.

“I want you to come home with me,” he whispered happily for only her ears to hear. There was confusion in her eyes, but she stayed comfortably circled within his arms. 

“What do you mean?” she asked him, stroking her thumb across his cheek. “We do not exactly have lives to live anymore.”

True, they were both Heroic Spirits after all, neither resurrection nor incarnation awaited them now that they were relieved from service. The knight chuckled again, feeling her grin against his mouth as he stole another kiss. “And yet, we have the afterlife, do we not?”

When they parted, Diarmuid dragged his finger down the curve of her lips until the corner. He had always been proud to be one of the few privileged enough to see her so happy. Not everyone could make her feel this way. 

“This smile–your smile…” he professed endearingly, “brings me so much joy, my dearest king. No heaven awaits me in my father’s home without it. I would simply waste away.”

Arturia nearly glowed red hearing his words. She didn’t know where he’d found the courage to make such declarations without even a hint of hesitation, when every word was laced with the same truth: he loved her. He loved her so much, he’d denounce eternity’s paradise if it meant he wouldn’t be with her. She’d always thought maidens were being dramatic when they swooned, but she was just short of it herself. 

After all, she too would find it terribly lonely, if she were to spend the afterlife without the spearman she grew to love. She didn’t know how Diarmuid could pull this off, nor if it were even possible to leave Avalon and leave with him to Tech Duinn. All she knew was that she wanted the future that he envisioned. They would have each other, forever, and that would be enough. 

“Then yes,” she said at last, sealing the promise with another kiss. “I’ll go with you.”

_____

You can't tell me Aengus wouldn't kick down the gates of Avalon and ship Arturia off to Tech Duinn with an exclusive passport made by Donn, you just can't. HAHAHA

thank you for the ask. I hope you are doing well.

-akampana

[angelasscribbles]

Drake's Perfect Day: A Bad Romance One-Shot

Series: Bad Romance Continues

Original Series: Bad Romance

Fandom: The Royal Romance/The Royal Heir

Pairings for series: Riley x Liam x Max, Riley x Drake, Riley x Rashad

Pairing for this chapter: Riley x Drake

Rating: Teen

Warnings for this chapter: None, this is all fluff

Word Count: 2,331

A/N: New content created specifically for Drake Walker Appreciation Week 2023 Day 6: Drake as a husband and father. @drake-walker-appreciation

A/N2: This takes place immediately after Drake's Amazon Cart. As in he walks from his office at the end of that one and into the royal suite at the beginning of this one.

A/N3: Tata means daddy. Liam is daddy, Drake is tata and Max is papa.

My other stuff: Master List.

Ask Drake Walker what his perfect day looked like, and he’d tell you that any day that included Riley was it. But if he were being completely honest, his favorite moments with her were the ones they got to spend alone.

He loved Liam and though he’d never admit it, over the years, he’d come to feel the same way about Max. Liam got him in a way most people couldn’t, and Max went out of his way to show affection in little things, like making his BLT exactly the way he liked it. He looked forward to seeing both of them at the end of the day, catching up with Liam over drinks, planning outings for the kids with Max, and tag-teaming bedtime with all of them. He loved the family they had built together. He was proud of it, even.

They functioned well as a unit and his initial reservations about the nature of his relationship with Riley were long gone. He loved her. He was secure in her love for him, but that didn’t mean he never got jealous. That didn’t mean he never felt possessive. As Riley liked to remind him, there was no magical poly dust that made people in these types of relationships immune to normal human emotions. It was how you worked through them that mattered. And they had all come such a long way since their respective relationships had been forged in fire and marinated in toxic waste. It was a testament to the strength of their love as far as he was concerned. All of them.

But, while he loved Liam and Max, the moments he got to spend with Riley without them were special to him. Unlike the other three members of their quad, Drake wasn’t in love with anyone else, there was only Riley for him. Because she understood that Riley always made sure to carve out one on one time with him no matter what else was going on in their lives. Her responsiveness to his emotional needs, often expressed imperfectly, made him love her all the more.

This weekend they were taking the kids to the cabin, just the two of them and he was over the moon excited to do all his favorite things with them. He had the entire weekend planned.

“I’m going to catch a bigger fish than Ellie!” Xander greeted him at the door of the royal suite as he entered.

“Is that so?” Drake laughed as he knelt down to get on eye level with the exuberant six-year-old and opened his arms for a hug.

“Tata!” Three-year-old Jax was a blur as he barreled into Drake, heedless of Xander being in the way.

Drake quickly shifted so that he was hugging Xander on his right side while catching Jax on his left, “Hey there buddy! Slow down!”

“Xander is not going to catch the biggest fish! I am!” Nine-year-old crown princess Eleanor stated as she waited patiently for the boys to move so she could get her hug.

“Daddy says he has faith in me!” Xander told her as he traded places with her.

“Daddy says that to all of us,” Eleanor replied with a shake of her curls.

“Daddy says that all of you because he has faith in all of you! And so do I! Don’t worry, there’s plenty of fish for everyone!” Drake told them as he stood up, taking Jax with him, “Isn’t that right, buddy?”

Jax fixed him with a deathly glare as he responded, “My name’s not buddy!”

Drake was still roaring with laughter when Riley walked in the room, nine-month-old Jace on her hip, “What’s so funny?”

Jace saw Drake and started struggling to get to him.

“Your son!” Drake answered as he placed Jax on the floor and took Jace from his mother.

“You’ll have to be more specific,” she smirked at him.

“Jax just informed me that his name isn’t buddy!”

“Ah, yes!” Riley tittered, “Earlier today I called him son and he refused to answer me. Apparently, he only responds to his literal name now.”

“He gets that from you,” Drake told her as he moved Jace to the side so he could lean over and place a kiss on her lips.

“The stubborn streak? Really? Mr. it’s not time for a pee break?”

Drake sighed, “This again? I swear one of you brings this up every three months! When are you guys going to let it go? I said I was sorry a million times!”

“I’m just saying…Max asked you to pull over. I asked you to pull over. Liam asked you to pull over, but you were insistent that it wasn’t time for a pit stop. As if Max could control when he had to pee.”

“We were on a schedule!”

“We were late anyway, weren’t we?”

“It’s not my fault he chugged the entire bottle of Gatorade!”

“You told him to pee in a bottle!”

“I meant an empty bottle! I didn’t tell him he had to drink the entire contents in one go! He could have dumped it out the window!”

Max started peeing in the bottle but the sweet relief was short-lived as the twenty ounces of ice-cold liquid he had consumed in under twenty seconds reversed directions. He released the bottle as he tried to get the window down, but it was too late. Bright orange Gatorade vomit spewed all over the backseat of the car as the bottle of pee hit the floorboard, the contents gurgling out.

“You could have just pulled over.”

“Okay, Mrs. I’m not in labor!” He scoffed.

“To be fair-“

“To be fair you gave birth, very publicly, at Disneyland because you refused to admit you were in labor! I believe you bit my head off for suggesting you sit down and rest!”

“What are you trying to say, Walker?”

“All I’m saying is that all these kids are stubborn. Whose DNA do they all have in common? You can’t blame us!”

“Yes, well, I can’t be all bad, I put up with all of you, don’t I?”

“That you do, baby, that you do,” he leaned in and kissed her again as he transferred Jace who had decided he was done with tata and wanted mama back.

Glancing around at the piles of suitcases, he asked, “What’s with all the luggage? I thought you kept clothes for everybody at the cabin.”

“I do, but the kids have outgrown everything since the last time we were there!”

“Already?” Drake whistled, “damn, they grow fast!”

“This is news to you?” She rolled her eyes, but she laughed.

“No, it’s not news, but it still always amazes me!” Even though their eldest child was nine years old, the wonder of it had not worn off.

Drake Walker had never thought he would be, nor had he wanted to be, a father. He had been convinced he would be horrible at it. Right up until that fuzzy pink blanket wrapped miracle had been placed in his arms. As he stared down into her face, his entire world had shifted on its axis, and he had known that his life had irrevocably changed.

Her DNA didn’t matter, she was as much his daughter as she was Liam’s. She was the perfect mixture of the two people he loved most in the world. He had shocked himself at the ease with which he took to diapering, late-night feedings, and lullabies. Celebrating first words and first steps became more thrilling than any contest he’d ever won, even the shooting competitions that showcased his marksman’s abilities. He had never gotten over the wonder of seeing the world through her eyes as she experienced everything for the first time. Something that had been repeated with each child in turn.

He marveled at their differences as he loaded them into the custom-made nondescript armor-plated minivan they used when they traveled as a family. While the tiny princess was a perfect mixture of both Riley and Liam, Xander was the spitting image of his father, a carbon copy of the king. Jax looked so much like Drake himself that he was shocked no one had ever leveled an accusation of illegitimacy at the queen. Jace looked enough like Riley to forestall such allegations, the curly russet brown hair could have come from her, but the cobalt blue eyes screamed that he was a Beaumont to anyone paying close enough attention.

He ushered Ellie and Xander into the third row then fastened Jace into his car seat as Riley fought to get Jax into his. “Here you go, buddy!” He handed Jace a teether and then made his way around the vehicle to take over for Riley.

“Here, babe, I’ve got it,” he chuckled as Riley threw her hands up in the air, “Thank God! I told you….stubborn!”

“Hey, Jax, you want to go see the lake?”

The boy stopped struggling as he regarded his father’s face, “Lake?”

“Yes, remember the cabin?”

Jax nodded enthusiastically, “Want lake!”

“Okay, buddy!” Drake laughed, “We’ll go to the cabin and see the lake, but you have to let me buckle you in first!”

“My name’s not buddy!” Jax declared, but he allowed himself to be strapped in.

“Sorry about that bud-Jax.” Drake tousled his hair then turned to Riley with a triumphant grin, “Look at that!”

“I told him those exact same things and he didn’t listen to me!” Riley complained.

“It’s the special tata touch!” He told her.

“Oh, whatever,” she scoffed.

“Can’t argue with the results, can you?” He gave her that charming, boyish grin that belied how devilish he could be.

“I guess I can’t,” she conceded as she looped her arms around his neck and tipped her head back to smile up at him.

His arms encircled her as he pulled her closer, “You better stop all of that or we’re going to have to go back upstairs!”

“Stop what? I was just giving you a hug!” She pushed away from him.

“Uh-huh,” he swatted her on the backside as she climbed into the second row with the little ones.

“Ready to go, sir?” The driver asked.

“Yes,” Drake answered then he motioned to the guards that would be following them in an SUV, “Let’s roll out!” before hoisting himself into the passenger seat where he could survey the road, see all the kids in the back and keep an eye on the vehicle following them as well as the one escorting them.

There was never any reason to skimp on security.

An hour later they rolled through the gate at the top of the property. Since Riley had become queen, security had been updated at Drake’s lakeside cabin. Not many people knew it even existed, but again, there was never any reason to skimp on security. Not when the stakes were so high, he ruminated as he turned in his seat and took in the precious cargo in the back of the van.

The van came to a stop and kids poured out of both doors, laughing and squealing with delight as they raced up and down the porch steps, darted along the lake’s edge, and climbed over the picnic tables.

“Tata, look!” Xander proudly held up a frog for inspection.

Drake squatted down to get a closer look, “Wow, that’s really cool, Xan! Don’t squeeze him too tight and let him go when you’re done saying hi, okay?”

“Okay!” He agreed before thrusting the frog up at his mother, “See my frog?”

“Very cool,” Riley agreed, “Don’t forget to wash your hands when you’re done.”

“Hey,” Drake stood up as Xander rushed back to his siblings. Drawing Riley into his arms, he told her, “Thank you.”

“For what? I haven’t done anything!”

“No, I mean, yes, you have, actually. I know I don’t say it often but thank you, Riley, for everything. That’s what you’ve given me, literally everything! Your love, these kids, our family. I never thought I’d have a place where I belonged. A family I belonged to.”

“Ah, squishy,” her hand caressed his face, “I’m the lucky one, and the fact that you don’t see that proves it! You’re amazing and you don’t have to say what you feel. You show it, a million times a day in a million little ways.”

He had no idea how to verbally express what she meant to him, so he poured it all into a long, slow, lingering kiss instead.

Riley recognized that she had put him through a lot, that Max annoyed him on a daily basis and that he poured every ounce of love he had into their children equally, including those that weren’t biologically his. She knew that out of all of them, he had struggled the most to build the relationship, the family, and the life they now had. Since the moment he’d come back from Texas and declared his intention to make things work, he had never once wavered, never backed down, and never expressed an iota of regret. He had stood steadfastly by her side through everything life had thrown at them.

When they finally came up for air, she sighed with happiness as she spun in his arms, leaning back against his chest to watch their children play, “I’m glad we came. I know you’re excited about all your plans for tomorrow. I hope it’s perfect. You deserve it.”

His arms tightened around her as he buried his nose in her hair, “Everything’s already perfect.”

Life couldn’t possibly be any better than it was in that moment. It was everything he had never known he needed, everything he had been afraid to want. He was standing on the land his father left him, watching his children play, holding the woman he loved in his arms. He had peace in his soul and a quietness at his center that he’d never known before she’d come along and put it there.

Things really were great.

All Things TRR:

@nestledonthaveone  @karahalloway  @tessa-liam  @belencha77 @lovingchoices14

@21-wishes @secretaryunpaid @lunaseasblog  @princessleac1 @bebepac

@emersyn-in-cordonia @walkerdrakewalker @73geenalove  @sillydg @twinkle-320

@queen-arabella-of-cordonia @tinkie1973 @differenttyphoonwerewolf @jared2612 @mainstreetreader

@amandablink @harleybeaumont  @xpandass420x @ladyangel70 @twinkleallnight

@dcbbw  @indiacater @queenmiarys @phoenixrising0308 @gabesmommie1130

@kingliam2019 @3pawandme @bascmve01 @hollygirl1269  @ohmyeightpastlives @choicesficwriterscreations

[an-aura-about-you]

starting in on Handbook for Mortals and I'm just going to cover all the miscellaneous beginning crap that this thing is wrapped in before actually starting on the story.

first thing I'm going to talk about is what's on the back of the book because not a lot of people talk about what was chosen for that. usually there's a brief blurb with the premise of the book or maybe some reviews, sometimes even a little paragraph directly from it to entice the reader. that last one is my standby when I need to put a summary for a fic.

Handbook for Mortals went the route of paragraph from the book as well as three quotes from romance author Skye Turner, who also wrote the foreword for the book, and the promise that this book will soon be turned into a movie. which was due to come out *checks my wrist* six years ago. this has not yet happened, but the author is still insisting it will.

anyway, the bit chosen from the book to highlight what we're getting into is a conversation between our main character and her love interest, which is meant to be some enemies to lovers stuff. but honestly I'm a bit uncomfortable at the, "looked like he might hit me, but I knew that wasn't really an option for him," in there. so, we are already setting up our love interest as a person who needs some kind of mental restraining bolt to refrain from violence instead of just, y'know, not being violent. really speaks to his morals right there. absolutely trustworthy, surely his resolve is ironclad.

this also speaks to the genre of the book because there's a lot of talk about this book having magic and being magical but it's the romance we're choosing to set up here. I think it's safe to say magic is going to be present in this book the way coffee is in a coffee shop au fanfic: it's technically true but it's not why we're reading the story and ultimately not important to it.

I'm not even gonna bother with the blurb on the inside of the dust jacket because it's literally just a synopsis of the entire book. even the ending. I'm not even kidding.

now I wanna talk about the autographs my copy came with. the book I bought for $2 off of Amazon was signed by both the author Lani Sarem and actor-potential producer of the movie Thomas Ian Nicholas, and both of them write some pretty weird things to the people they gave this book to. (there were two names in the personalizations as well as a post-it note with those same names. my best guess is one person in the couple preordered the book with Sarem, requested that it be signed, and then never picked it up. hilarious if true.)

I'll start with American Pie guy's dedication first:

"Be the magician who fools magicians."

like. what? what does that even mean?

Sarem's is both worse and funnier:

"Never forget those who do not believe in magick will never find it! Thanks for believing!"

well I guess they didn't believe too much if they never picked up their book. also that just feels so mean-spirited to me. had I written a similar dedication, I would phrase it as, "Never forget those who believe in magic will always find it!" then it's still exclusive without needlessly dragging others down for ~not being able to find the magic in their lives~. not to mention my own personal pet peeve with the whole magick thing, but that is a rant for considerably later.

there is a typo in the book's disclaimer:

"Any similarity to real persons, living or deal,"

but also that doesn't make sense because I know this book has the real life Plain White T's with their real names as well as Carrot Top and Wayne Newton.

there's also proof that Sarem had permission to use all the song lyrics she uses in the story, which are so copious that without thinking I originally wrote the word, "fic," in this sentence. because yeah, this reeks of songfic, the rare example of one where the person writing has permission to actually use the song. look, I've only seen song lyrics work in a book exactly once, and that was Good Omens. and Lani Sarem is not Terry Pratchett or Neil Gaiman.

(I should know, I just listened to the audiobook for Stardust as a sort of cleanser to remind me what a good book sounds like. it's shockingly refreshing listening to the work of an author who is actually good at their job.)

the dedication is also just. ugh:

"This is dedicated to: The granddaughters of the witches you could not burn and for all those who believe in Magic."

that exists in print in this book. I'm assuming seriously.

I took a peek at how long the foreword is but don't have time to get in on it before I start work today, so this is where I leave things for now.

[rayereil]

Chad the man’s first appearance! His arc carried a lot less despite being longer. We did get a cool fight with Rukia, and she and Chad partnered up for a bit, but most of the arc was comprised of someone running around to somewhere. Well, not everything can be a hit!

We still got a good intro for Chad.

Also, I wish this came up more! Chad has a weakness for cute things? There should’ve been some Uryu&Chad scenes since Uryu has a skill for sewing, but what he creates isn’t necessarily cute.

Anyways, we see how strong Chad is, and that’ll play into his power later. I enjoy that even without his awakened powers he’s able to stop a steel bar from crushing his friends and rip a literal telephone pole out of the ground. It makes you wonder why Kubo gives Chad so many Ls by the end of the series…. Maybe I’ll have more insight by the end. For now, Chad for the win! And while I’m mostly neutral on Chad’s character because Kubo really does leave Chad in the dust, I’ll still root for him! He’s also got a cool character design.

Besides the running around, there’s also plenty of Ichiruki. While I see a blossoming romance, the key takeaway is their growing bond. But first: Rukia’s being cute.

Followed by Mizuiro and Keigo both commenting about Ichigo and Rukia as possibly dating. Look, this is the clearest example of ‘everyone knows the two characters like each other except the two characters’. Super common trope. It usually evolves once one of them realizes their feelings…

What’s with that smile, Rukia? Are you catching feelings?

In different news, I know Ichigo and Chad’s past and I’d thought it came up in this arc. I’m surprised it didn’t. I’m not sure when it’ll show up. I think Ichigo has a flashback in Soul Society, at a minimum? Do we have to wait that long? Hopefully we get more hints sooner. With such an intense character focus in Orihime’s arc, I really thought Chad’s character focus was up next, but we don’t even get his backstory. But we do see he’s super strong, so that’s something.

(A literal telephone pole)

My only other comments are about Ichigo’s pure rage at the hollow’s big reveal. While I don’t think the hollow being a serial killer and tricking the boy-bird into finding him victims was a huge plot twist (because the boy-bird is so obviously good and the hollow is so obviously bad), I do think Kubo is giving us the smallest hint to how Ichigo feels about his own mother’s death (which was mentioned this chapter). I kind of wish Kubo had explored this more in regards to Ichigo’s character…

We rarely see him enraged. I don’t even remember a time we see him this gleefully vindictive unless he’s a Vasto Lorde. I’m almost positive the hollow inside him hasn’t awoken yet, so this is just pure Ichigo Fury.

As an aside, I wonder how Chad feels about this reveal. We don’t know because Ichigo takes front and center as soon as he shows up (the opposite of what happened with Orihime). Interesting to compare/contrast Orihime’s intro arc to Chad’s.

Random thoughts:

Ichigo slowly acknowledging he cares about Rukia.

Also…

I saw someone mention that Isshin is talking to the hospital here, which means when he says “tell your manager this is a request from Kurosaki”, he means to tell Ryuken. Perhaps? Also, got to love corner-Ichigo.

And… is Rukia being serious here?

The top panel, where she hesitates and is fumbling with what to say almost makes me think she’s not? But I think I might be trying to retcon for Kubo.

I think Rukia means what she’s saying here. When Kubo wrote this, he really thought Soul Society would be these things. He didn’t know the structure of Soul Society, so he didn’t have much to say about it. Then he changed his mind. He gave soul society have extreme poverty outside the beautiful seireitei. We know Rukia had to steal to survive while living in poverty, so do souls really never get hungry? We also know soul society is not 9 times out of 10 better than the human world… also, boy-bird won’t remember who he is when he gets there. His mom won’t remember him either. They never meet again.

So I believe the original intention was to show how bad Rukia is at comforting people/knowing what to say. She showcased that in the first chapter and will again in MITR. It’s part of her character growth… and here she realizes that the boy-bird is scared, sad, worried, and she should say something to comfort him but doesn’t know what that is.

Eh, maybe I’m reading too much into it.

[allcountersarehipheight]

Mid-Year Book Freakout 2023

Tagged by @kazz-brekker (thanks!)

1. Best book you’ve read so far this year

I think it’s gotta be A Marvelous Light by Freya Marske! I had heard so many wonderful things about this book and it really lived up to and exceeded expectations. I love magic systems that differ from the stereotypical “magic” and this one had me thinking about how everything worked for days after I read it. Also the romance was delightful so that was definitely a plus!

2. Best sequel you’ve read so far this year

Taste of Marrow by Sarah Gailey! Hands down. Technically, I read it as part of American Hippo which was a combination of River of Teeth and the sequel (and also more technically this was a re-read) but it’s a sequel and I’m counting it. It’s an alternate history (which I adore) and Gailey’s characters are always so well fleshed out and diverse. I’ve read all of her books and they never disappoint.

3. New release you haven’t read yet

My copy of Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir is staring at me from my bookshelf every time I pick something else up instead. I keep meaning to get to it and then I remember how absolutely confused I was when reading the other two books. As someone once said, “being confused while reading is a feature, not a bug” and I respect that but also I have not gotten around to it.

4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year

The Fragile Threads of Power by V.E. Schwab!!!!! I am so so so very excited about this book it’s not even funny. The Shades of Magic series is arguably one of my favorite and I cannot wait to see what absolutely buck wild stuff happens next. 

5. Biggest disappointment

Notorious Sorcerer by Davinia Evans. I picked it up at the library because I liked the cover and I think I had seen something about it somewhere? But I couldn’t get into it (didn’t even finish). I tried cause the premise was really interesting- going back again to the different magic system. This one specifically was very heavily alchemy based which was really neat and I wanted to know more about that specifically, but for whatever reason I couldn’t get past the first 30 pages or so.

6. Biggest surprise

I think this has to be Leech by Hiron Ennes. When talking to the librarian who was checking out my books, she looked at me and went “oh! one of my coworkers read this and had no idea what was going on the entire book.” Honestly- a glowing recommendation. You really start off in the thick of things with no explanation and every new piece made the puzzle just that more interesting. I’m trying to branch out in what I read and this fell into that category and I’m happy with it.

7. Favorite new author (debut or new to you)

Allison Saft! I just finished A Far Wilder Magic and it was absolutely incredible. Once again the cover got me to pick up the book and it was phenomenal. The book is magical (both in the narrative and figurative sense) and it was so easy to get sucked in by everything that was happening. Her character work was gorgeous and I fell in love with everything that was going on. The characters felt real in a way that is hard to articulate without going on a very long tangent and the plot itself was very very good. I cannot wait to read the other book she has published and I look forward to whatever she comes out with next.

8. Newest fictional crush/newest favorite character

Ok, so bear with me- Jasper Detchard from The Henchmen of Zenda by KJ Charles. This book is apparently a retelling of a Victorian pulp novel The Prisoner of Zenda which I did not know until I started reading. Jasper fits very neatly into my favorite character type: rugged man with heart of gold. Jasper’s heart is less golden and more shriveled but also I love him. He was a dick from the get go but he protected the people he cared about and his internal narrative had me cackling in public.

9. Book that made you cry

Devils Unto Dust by Emma Berquist. It’s a zombie-western and I didn’t know I needed that genre until I got it and now I’m fairly certain I don’t want to read anything different ever again. The range of emotions that I felt while reading this book were wide and varied and it did not pull its punches a single iota.

10. Book that made you happy

Casket of Souls by Lynn Flewelling! Or Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by KJ Charles. Both were lovely but very different. Casket of Souls is the penultimate book in the Nightrunner series and I just love everything about these books. I’d read an entire book of them just chilling and not having anything happen and I would be happy. Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen was a historic romance with the main romance going from secret lovers to enemies to friends to lovers again and let me tell you that ride was as wild as it sounds but it was an absolute treat to read.

@thisisadecisionimayregret and @heretodazeandconfuse I want to know what y’all are reading (also hello hi)

[junkshop-disco]

For that writers thing, can you tell us 13, 18, 57 and 68? Thank you!

I just answered 13 in way too much detail here but also forgot to mention that my top three playlist-able songs for fic writing purposes of all time, and across all fandoms, are:

The Promise, originally by When In Rome but I also really like this version by Samia. Fade into You, originally by Mazzy Star but I also love this version by Blonde Maze. And Just Like Honey, originally by the Jesus and Mary Chain but also this version by Headless Heroes and this version by Annie.

Like if you want to sum up what one of my fics is about, it's all right there. We've got friends to lovers, dawning realisation, and a sort of baffled by feelings thing. That's it. That's the fic lol. This is a tangent, but Terry Hall died recently and that reminded me what a huge influence he was on me as a writer. His lyrics just have a way of cutting to the chase of romance and being so open about the hopeful/hopelessness dichotomy of falling in love. Some of my fave lyrics are Sense 'I'm standing high on tiptoes looking over fences, waiting for somebody like you to kiss me senseless.' Thinking of You 'Who knows, maybe tomorrow, we can share each other's sorrow, and compare our graveside manner as we wave our lonely banners.' And Forever J 'Uncertain, coy, and hard to please, she kisses me through gritted teeth, but when I'm weak, she whispers dreams.' Pretty much everything I want to do in fic is built on my love of Terry Hall's words.

18. Do you enjoy research?  Which fic of yours required the most research?

I do now, although it wasn't always so. A Matter of Time is probably the most research I've ever done, because it's set in 1927 and heavily features clockmaking and clock repair as a plot. So I gave myself a crash course in the history of clocks, the different type of clocks available at the time, how to take them apart, and how to repair them. I like to think it enriched the fic not to fudge the details. All the clocks in it are real, apart from the one right at the end, which is a sort of amalgam of two different clocks because I couldn't find one single clock that was whimsical enough and tricky enough to repair for what I wanted it to do in the narrative. I also did a lot of research for general historical accuracy, including at one point looking up whether drainpipes existed in 1927 for a one line, throwaway joke.

57. How conscious are you about including symbolism or foreshadowing in your fics?

It depends on the fic tbh. I've written a few fics like Learning to Speak the Language of Flowers where the symbolism is very much key to the fic itself (literally all the plants and flowers mentioned in the fic Mean Something) and in my current Fate fic, there's a bit of foreshadowing because it's just that sort of fic. There's a lot of runes chat and fortune telling with cards plays a part in it, so there's a little dusting of foreshadowing because it sits well thematically I think. Mostly I do that sort of thing for myself, though, and if anyone else picks up on it it's a bonus. I think a fic should be readable and enjoyable without it.

68. Are there any fics that influenced you to write the way you do?

So many. Two of my all time faves are Derryere's RPF of Doom (which is no longer available) and Minor Hue's The Good Times Are Killing Me (which you need an LJ to view but that link is to podfic of it). They both have lines I think about all the time and a real sense of rawness to them, they capture what desire and confusion and heartbreak feels like in a way that's genuine and fresh. I'm also a huge fan of Demonology and the Tri-Phasic Model of Trauma: An Integrative Approach by Nmn, which is genuinely one of the best things I've ever read. It is quietly devastating in a way you see coming from the first chapter, and yet are still unprepared for when what you knew was going to happen happens. Idk if they influenced me so much as inspired me. Reading them was like... yes, this is what I'm trying to do, this is the bar to aim for.

Thank you for playing 💛