#“Year of the OTP” challenge for 2023

[smoothdogsgirl]

February - Established Long Distance Relationship

Pairing: Brock Reynolds

Warnings: Deployments, Care Packages

Words: 943

Summary: Brock and the team get surprises during mailcall while on deployment in J-Bad.

In a Discord group I belong to, there was a post for a "Year of the OTP" challenge for 2023.

Disclaimer: This is fanfic work; no money is being made from this story. All recognizable characters belong to their respective creative authors, studios or producers.

Masterlist

“Mail call you clowns,” Sonny yells as he joins the guys around the fire pit. He opens the mailbag, “alright, let's see what we have for Bravo Team.” Reaching in, he pulls out a medium size box, “Ray, here’s a little bit of home.” He then tosses it over to him. He reaches in and grabs the next package, “bossman, it looks like the kiddos sent you something too.” On the next grab, he pulls out some letters, “heads up,” he shouts, and when Trent and Metal look at him, he flings the letters to them. They each catch them before they have a chance to hit the floor. He stuffs the last letter into his back pocket as it’s addressed to him. Shaking the bag, he realizes there is one more package inside; when he pulls it out, he grins, “looks like someone is sending Brock and Cerberus some love too.” He then tosses it to the man in question. 

There is some friendly teasing as Ray and Jason open the packages from their families. Emma and Mickey had mailed their father a card, chocolates, seeds for his vegetable garden, and baby wipes. Now Naima and the kids had sent Ray some homemade cards, cookies, drawings, candy, and baby wipes. 

“So, Broccoli, whatcha get?” Sonny asked.

Causing the other guys to look in Brock's direction as he finishes cutting tape on his box, he chuckles; it’s a heavy-duty heart-shaped Kong toy and a jar of all-natural peanut butter. On the lid is a heart-shaped sticker and the name Cerb. Brock whistles, and Cerberus gets up, stretching lazily while yawning, ambling over to his handler, and sitting by his feet. 

Brock takes his knife, spreading a glob of peanut butter on the Kong Toy before handing it to Cerberus, who sniffs it briefly before biting it and retreating to his spot near the fire pit.

Digging back into the package, he pulls out a Ziploc container of homemade chocolate and peanut butter chip cookies, a container of baby wipes, a small container of homemade dog treats, a new hard copy of his favorite book ‘The Martian,’ a homemade DVD and a card in an envelope.

“Who’s sending you all those goodies, Broccoli?” Sonny asked from his seat next to Brock, eyeing the container of cookies.

“Not to mention, who knows your pup so well?” Trent asked, nodding at Cerberus, who was still munching on his toy. 

“Spill brother,” Metal’s low, gruff voice causes Brock to jump a little as he comes up, setting a bottle of beer next to his camping chair. 

Brock rubs the back of his neck; he smiles at the guys and places the package on the ground leaving the book and card on his lap. He then looks at all of the guys, “Keep your paws off of my cookies, or I’ll sick the hair missile on you. You’ll be his training dummy.”

Opening the card, he can’t help but smile when he reads the contents,

Cracking the book's cover, he places the card inside, flips the pages, and stops at page 316. Lying between the pages is a 3D ultrasound image. He picks it up, taking in all of the child’s features. Brock is so lost in thought he doesn’t see Trent get up to grab snacks. 

“Cute kid, you gonna be an uncle?” Trent asks, seeing the picture.

Brock grins at the man, “Nah, man, I’m gonna be a dad. This is my kid.”

Everything around the fire pit stops; the guys look at him. 

“What’d you just say, Broccoli?” Sonny asks his Texas accident even thicker than usual.

Picking up the image and showing it to the group, “I said I’m gonna be a dad.” Noting writing on the back of the image, “make that a girl, dad. This is a picture of my daughter.”

Ray smiles at him, “welcome to the club, brother. There is nothing quite like it.”

Jason nods his head in agreement, unsure of what else to say.

“So, who’s the baby momma Broccoli? Can’t believe you finally managed to get some and didn’t tell us?” 

Brock growls at Sonny, “my daughter isn’t the result of some one-night stand. And trust me, man, getting some has never been a problem.” 

Sonny holds up his hands in surrender.

“So you’re saying you have a girlfriend?” Clay asks, giving Sonny a reproachful look.

“Not what I said either,” Brock replies with a shoulder shrug.

“Quit being cryptic, dog boy. Tell us what’s going on.” Metal states before taking a swig of his beer.

“My wife is the one who is pregnant. It wasn’t exactly planned, but not unwanted either. We found out the week before the deployment that she’s pregnant.”

Trent tilts his head, “since when are you married?”

“We got married two days after returning from our last deployment to J-Bad. It was just us, the dogs, a JP on a floating dock in False Cape State Park at sunset.”

“So, almost a year and a half?” Trent clarifies.

Brock shrugs, “that sounds about right?”

“Dogs?” Clay questions.

“We couldn’t exactly get married without Cerberus and Artemis. Before you ask, Artemis is a two-year-old sable German shepherd.” Brock replied.

“How long have you guys been together?” Trent asks.

“We met just before I went through BUDs. We’ve been together ever since.” Glancing down at his watch, he does the calculations in his head for the time difference to Va Beach. “This has been fun, ladies, but I’m going to go call my girls.” Grabbing his things, he whistles, and together he and Cerberus head to their hootch to make a video call home.

Note:

The letter in this story was written in Dutch. I decided since that is the language he gives Cerb commands in, he picked it because he speaks it, and so does his wife. Here is a close approximation of what the letter says. I had a friend of mine do the Dutch translation.

Hey Babe, I’m missing you and our furry kid. The bed is cold without my two heat sources. Here are a few little things for when you get a minute of downtime. Only a few more weeks and this deployment will be over; we can’t wait to have you home. I had a new ultrasound technician at my last appointment, and she accidentally spilled the beans on our March surprise. So if you look at the page corresponding to that date, you will know too. That being said, when you come home, you better have a list of names ready. Love you, Babe

[bonhughbon]

Anyway, late once again. And I'm tired at this point of publishing this. But I enjoy this challenge!

I WILL SKIP NOVEMBER tho. Because I have a lot in my hand and I don't have any much ideas for the November prompts, so yes. Will be skipping that month.

Anyway, here's for @yearoftheotpevent for October. This previous month's prompt: Text Messaging!

FF.Net's link is here!

[onesingularartbean]

“Can I trust you, Cassian, with my father’s research?”

Rebelcaptain + Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

[green-fifteen]

YOTP January: First Kiss, Fake Dating

Title: emotional rollercoaster (of love)

Fandom: Star Trek AOS

Pairing: Kirk/Spock

Word count: 3,761

Written for: @yearoftheotpevent

read on ao3

Jim woke up in a good mood. The stars outside his window were bright. His uniform fit him like a glove in all the right places. He was on the greatest ship in the 'Fleet and his crew were the best in their fields.

It was just that kind of day.

His mood didn't sour throughout the first part of his shift, even when they recieved an urgent communication from the local diplomats of Horace Twelve.

"We cannot beam aboard today," said the attache to the Chief Matriarch. "The Matriarch is not well. I'm afraid you will have to join us on the planet. We apologize for the inconvenience, Captain."

Jim didn't feel inconvenienced. He was looking forward to seeing the place.

He had Spock send him a data packet on surface conditions, then went to fetch his Starfleet-issue parka. He met the rest of the away team on the transporter pad. Uhura, Sulu, Kilroy, and Benison stood waiting for him. He laughed at their puffy coats and furry hoods, then they all beamed down together.

The team from Horace Twelve was supposed to come to the Enterprise to finish negotiations. This was the final day of talks surrounding their admission into the Federation. There was very little left to do and Admiral Komack had already given Jim leave to take any legal action required to come to an agreement. Jim had read the briefing they sent about this little world and thought Starfleet might actually overlook any action taken to secure that much raw dilithium, legal or otherwise. It felt good to have that kind of creative freedom.

They were led to a podium inside a building that reminded him of a breezy open-air temple. It was freezing and the humans (plus Kilroy, a Betazoid on his father's side) instictively huddled close like penguins. Strangely, no one emerged with any paperwork or a list of concerns, as Jim had been expecting. There were really only formalities left to cross off the list.

Instead, the Chief Matriarch herself appeared, towing a younger female Horatian behind her. She led her to stand in front of the podium and then took Jim's hand in her own.

"If you will come with me, Captain Kirk," she intoned gravely. Jim went where she led him, right next to the girl. He quirked an eyebrow at her, but she only cocked her head in a curious movement.

"Captain, the negotations have proceeded well. We are grateful for the work you have done to facilitate our entry into your Federation of Planets. Therefore, before we finish these negotiations, we have decided to give you a gift." Her attache took something from the Matriarch's hand and came toward Jim and the young girl.

Jim was beginning to get a strange feeling about this. He felt the same generosity of spirit and lightness he had upon waking, but now he thought he might need to call Spock.

The attache lifted Jim's hand to place it atop the girl's. Before he could manage, he heard Uhura's voice snap through the silent hall.

"Wait," she called, voice bright with authority. Jim looked at her, smiling a question. She looked back at him with a concerned expression.

"The Captain must consult with his command team before accepting your gift, although it is very generous," she said politely. Jim was tugged away from the podium and a few steps away. "Let us take some time to discuss it."

The Chief Matriarch looked upset. The girl at the podium simply smiled at Jim as he was manhandled away by a grimacing Uhura.

She waited until they were out of earshot to round on him.

"Respectfully, Captain, what do you think you are doing?"

Jim looked to Sulu, whose boggled expression plainly said, No, actually what the hell is wrong with you? Jim almost laughed at the way his eyebrows pinched in like that. Sulu had a very expressive face.

He said, "I was trying to finish up negotiations. So we can all go home." As he said it, it didn't feel quite true. After all, why should he be in a hurry to leave Horace Twelve? Horace Twelve was lovely.

Wind from the open stone doorway dragged his hood away from his face and he hissed at the biting cold.

Uhura wasn't finished. "They were marrying you. Captain. I'm sure you noticed."

Jim had not, in fact, noticed. He looked back at the podium and saw that the attache was holding a pale blue ribbon in one hand. He remembered seeing one just like it in the dossier on Horatian cultural norms and mores. It was protocol for each member of an away team to be familiar with basic things like 'how to avoid getting married by accident' before interacting with a new civilization. Jim laughed to himself about the near-miss. What would he have said to Spock if he'd let himself get hitched on a diplomatic mission? A distant part of his mind remarked that he probably wouldn't find it very funny.

He said, "I think we should call Commander Spock."

+++

The away team stayed on the planet and made reassuring remarks to the Horatians as Spock consulted the admirality on board the Enterprise. Approximately two Standard hours after he recieved Uhura's transmission, he appeared in the doorway to the temple.

He greeted the group with a nod, then said, "Captain."

"Commander," said Jim. He tried to push his pleasure at seeing him into his voice. "Report?"

Spock's eyebrow twitched. "Admiral Komack requests that we use any means necessary to conclude negotiations and secure access to this planet's mining operation. He is aware of the situation, as it stands."

Uhura made an outraged noise. "Is he saying the Captain should go through with this?"

"Perhaps it might be best to discuss the matter with the Horatian Matriarch before making decisions," he remarked, dry as ever.

Discussions did not go well.

They were led to a wide stone table in a different chamber within the temple, where the Enterprise team sat on one side and the Horatians sat on the other. Jim said things like "Terran customs dictate..." and "...happy to find a suitable alternative..." but each time the Matriarch replied with a rebuttal (I'm sure it's the only way. and You insult my fair daughter, Captain. and Shouldn't we unite our cultures for real intergration?) he found himself seriously considering her argument. If he weren't feeling so damn good, he was pretty sure he would be alarmed by that. It was too confusing. Why was he so disoriented?

Not even 10 minutes into talking, he wordlessly pleaded for Spock to take over. Spock caught his look and took control of the conversation. Gratefully, Jim tuned out the Matriarch to watch his First Officer command the attention of the room.

That old feeling bloomed in his chest. The one he'd been very good at ignoring. It was difficult to remember why he hadn't liked feeling it, as he looked at Spock now. Spock was cool, confident, in control. Having him around made Jim feel safe and supported. It didn't make sense to resist him.

Something must have shown on his face, because Kilroy was looking at him strangely. Actually, Kilroy was half Betazoid, right? Maybe he could sense his sudden outpouring of fondness for Spock.

Spock was trying to get his attention by tapping his foot under the table. Jim tapped back, delighted.

"On that point, you are misinformed," Spock said to the Matriarch's attache.

Every head turned to look at Spock, and then at Jim.

In a slow, deliberate movement, Spock lifted Jim's hand to his face and pressed his wrist just under the hinge of his jaw. The air exited Jim's lungs. The rest of the table seemed to be having a similar reaction as Spock placed his own wrist near Jim's left jaw.

He knew what this was, of course he did. Just as the away team knew how to avoid being married, they also knew how to avoid intimate and romantic gestures. This was to prevent anyone getting into the alien planet equivalent of a good old-fashioned bar fight over somebody else's girl. It was not so that first officers could perform them on their unsuspecting captains in the middle of negotiations.

Spock was definitely misusing the cultural dossier. Jim's heart beat much faster than normal.

The Matriarch went an interesting shade of violet.

"This was not disclosed to us in the personnel briefing."

Spock lowered their arms, but didn't let go of Jim's hand.

"Our relationship was deemed irrelevant. We acknowledge the oversight," he said, primly.

Uhura had a resigned expression on her face. Sulu was clearly trying not to laugh. Benison was stoically gazing at them and Kilroy's mouth was doing something strange.

The Matriarch looked stubborn, but her features softened minutely as Spock pulled two fingers across the palm of Jim's captured hand. Jim thought he might faint from bewildered happiness. There was somethng wrong with him. Then again, maybe there was something wrong with Spock. He'd just been Vulcan kissed.

The Horatian Matriarch relented easily after that, allowing them to close discussions the standard way, with signed agreements and such. Her face was back to its usual healthy crimson.

Jim knew that smiling like a love-struck idiot was inadvisable, so he attempted not to. It was very difficult. He could feel Lieutenant Kilroy's eyes on him.

Finally, after what left like an eternity sitting at Spock's side and holding his hand, it was over and they could beam back aboard the Enterprise.

When they reached the transporter room, he removed his parka and pulled his clothes away from his skin where'd he'd sweat into them. It was weirdly quiet when he finished and he looked around to see that no one had done the same. They all still wore their heavy coats and they were all staring at him.

"What?" he asked. He'd been having muzzy thoughts about taking a water shower in his quarters and then passing out, as his shift had ended more than an hour ago. He could see from their faces that he might have to reschedule.

"Spock to Medical," Spock said into his communicator. "Captain Kirk is showing signs of abnormal behavior. I am bringing him to Medbay. Spock out."

Jim blinked and he was being herded toward Medical by Spock.

Bones yelled when he saw him and he knew they were both asking him questions. The lights of Medbay seemed intolerably bright. He didn't remember them being that bright, before.

"Can you say that again?" he said, maybe slurring a little.

Bones scowled in that way of his. It meant I am concerned about you and it's your fault. Jim smiled to see it.

"How do you feel, Jim?" Bones asked. It sounded like it wasn't the first time he'd asked.

Jim thought about the question. How did he feel? Well, he was happy to be with Bones, his best friend. He was happy that Spock had come with him because he was always happy to be around Spock, even if they were just standing around in the Bridge on duty. Especially then. He loved to watch Spock work-- he was brilliant. And he liked it that Spock backed him up whenever he had to make Captain-y judgement calls.

"Great," he said truthfully. There had been some unpleasant business on Horace Twelve, he was pretty sure, but Spock had helped him to take care of it and now they were home on the Enterprise. His eyes were heavy, so he closed them.

He heard Bones and Spock discussing something, maybe asking more questions. He heard a different voice speak up from the door to Medbay.

"Commander Spock. Lieutenant-Commander McCoy," it said. It sounded like Lieutenant Kilroy.

Jim heard "strange reactions" and "projecting all over the place, I didn't mean to invade his privacy." He wanted to tell Kilroy he didn't do anything wrong. Probably. It was Jim who was wrong, right? Something was wrong. His hearing was going wobbly.

Unable to fight the sudden dizzy feeling in his head, he decided to just stop listening.

+++

Jim woke up in a terrible mood. He was in Medbay, which was already awful. On top of that, his head was pounding.

The machines picked up his brain activity and Bones was next to him immediately.

"Gur," Jim croaked. "What the hell happened?"

He checked a readout and shined a light into both of Jim's eyes before answering.

"You were drugged," Bones said tersely. "Flooded up to your eyeballs in happy, suggestible chemicals. I couldn't get you to stop smiling and then you almost cracked your fool head open on the floor in front of me. We're lucky Lieutenant Kilroy was able to tell me your symptoms."

Jim started to remember. They'd beamed down to the planet because the Matriarch said she wasn't well. They'd worn those ridiculous puffy coats. Jim had stood next to someone who he didn't recognize and almost held her hand. Was that a Horatian marriage ribbon? Oh no. The rest of the afternoon played behind his eyelids in perfect clarity. He covered his face.

"Please tell me I'm not actually married to anyone." He could hear how pathetic his voice sounded. He was too busy being embarassed to care.

Bones snorted in an unfriendly way. "Nope. Not married."

Jim dropped his hands from his face to look at him, relieved. Bones only smirked and jabbed something in his neck.

"Your boyfriend is waiting outside to talk to you, however."

Jim hissed and jerked away from him. "Damn it, Bones! Wait, who... Spock?"

The doors opened to admit his first officer, who strode to stand next to the biobed.

"Captain," he said. "Are you well?"

He thought about it for a moment. "I feel like hell."

Spock gave a quick nod. "I am gratified to hear that."

Bones laughed, because he was an asshole.

+++

Obviously, they had to launch an investigation and renegotiate the terms of Horace Twelve's admission into the Federation. Jim was pissed off and already tired.

He let Security deal with the first task and stared gathering crew members to help him with the second. When the Horatians beamed aboard, they were greeted by Jim, Spock, Uhura, Sulu, Kilroy, and Jana, a science officer from Betazed. Spock had instructed Jana to notify Doctor McCoy immediately if she noticed any abnormal changes in mood among the Enterprise group. Kilroy was told to monitor Captain Kirk, specifically. Jim rankled and ordered him to also include Spock in his observations.

They'd had a moment of eye contact after that, Jim thinking I'm right at him and Spock giving nothing away, as usual. Jim had looked away first, unable to stop remembering the feeling of his fingers on his palm whenever he saw him. If he wasn't careful, he knew it would distract him all day, and they needed to be alert. He resolved to keep a careful distance and to minimize eye contact with Spock. For his own sanity.

His plan was promptly ruined when the Matriarch took one look at them, standing stiffly next to the transporter pad and said, "Ah, the lovers." She sounded sardonic. Jim could hear Komack's voice in his head saying "The dilithium, Kirk. I want you to woo that planet." Resigned, he smiled at her and moved closer to his First Officer.

Jim's mood only got worse as discussions progressed. There wasn't much to be learned from them that Security hadn't already gleaned in their initial interviews. Apparently, the drug they'd given Jim was always given to a bride or groom the night before a wedding to ease their nerves. According to the Matriarch, wedding celebrations on Horace Twelve could last anywhere from 3 weeks to 2 Standard months. The dose they'd given him would have lasted a Horatian an entire week and would not have affected them so intensely, but they hadn't accounted for Jim's human metabolism. It was that kind of carelessness that earned planets fourteen extra contract clauses.

Spock was keeping up their romantic charade admirably, but Jim knew he was making it difficult. Spock stayed by his side at the table during each session of talks. He touched his wrist when he referred to him. As they filed out of the room during breaks, Spock ostentatiously lifted his hand for Jim to rest two fingers there. If it weren't so painful, it would be sickening.

There was a weird tightness in his chest as he thought about Kilroy sitting on his other side, listening in on his emotions. Could he sense the way Jim's heart kicked up when Spock looked at him? Did he know that Jim's skin felt electrified just before Spock put his fingers on him? That feeling he had been unable to supress on the planet-- it was back. It was like letting it loose had only made it stronger. Like letting himself feel it only made it more difficult to stop. He did his best to push it away and out of reach of empaths and touch telepaths. Oh God, could Spock feel it? Jim was sure he wouldn't violate his privacy on purpose, but that wasn't as reassuring as it should have been. What had Kilroy said the day before? He'd been 'projecting all over the place.' Was that just because of the drug? Was he still projecting now?

When they resumed the discussion after the midday break, Jim couldn't stop himself from flinching away every time Spock reached to touch him. He didn't meet his eyes. Spock must have noticed, because he stopped finding Jim's wrist on the table top. When the final session ended and the Horatians had beamed back down to the planet, he only put a hand briefly on Jim's shoulder before he strode away.

Jim clenched his eyes shut and told Uhura he had a headache. Kilroy said nothing.

In the evening, after his shift, Jim decided to work through his goddamn emotions. He considered taking a page out of Spock's book and meditating in his quarters, but he was a restless kind of upset. He didn't think he would even be able to start the breathing exercises before he was up again, pacing. Instead, he walked to the observation deck.

+++

Seeing the stars like this always made him feel weirdly at home. It hadn't made sense to Bones when he mentioned it to him. He'd just named ten different kinds of viral infection he could catch in space and called him an idiot.

But maybe being born in space meant he belonged there. Then again, maybe he just inherited it from his mother.

He wasn't alone for long before he heard someone sidle up to him. A quick glance showed him Spock, buttoned up and straight-backed. He was looking out the window.

"I apologize," he said. Jim's whole body twitched and he started to protest.

"I apologize," Spock said, holding up a hand to quiet him. "For my actions on the planet."

Jim stopped, confused. His actions on the planet?

"I wish to be honest with you, Captain." He knew Spock well enough to see the tension in his muscles. "There was a 73.7 per cent probability that the situation involving the Matriarch's daughter could have been resolved satisfactorily in another way. However, I chose the most efficient option, not anticipating that it would cause you discomfort. For that, I apologize."

Jim's eyebrows bunched together. "What's done is done, Spock," he told him. "It's probably for the best that you lied to them. I was just a few minutes away from having my fainting spell."

"Twenty-one point two one minutes," Spock corrected.

"Exactly. Any longer at that table, I might not have been able to make it back to the Enteprrise by myself."

"I would have carried you back."

Jim blinked. "But I'm glad you didn't. That would be too embarassing, especially on a diplomatic mission like this."

Spock looked even more rigid. "Indeed."

They stood together and watched the darkness outside the hull. Jim could feel the balloon of emotions rising to the surface and held it down desperately.

"I know it probably made you uncomfortable today, having to touch me so much. Vulcans aren't big on PDA, right?"

Jim saw Spock incline his head out of the corner of his eye. "In general, no, Vulcans do not engage in affectionate displays."

There was a moment of silence.

"I was not, however, uncomfortable."

Jim looked at Spock and Spock turned toward him. "I'm--" Jim started.

Spock interrupted him. "I had no indication that you would lose consciousness on Horace Twelve and thus there was little need for haste, when I made the decision to decieve the Chief Matriarch."

He looked down. Jim stared at the top of his First Officer's head.

"I am a touch telepath. According to every precept of logic, I should not have chosen to touch your hands or kiss you in the Vulcan manner. Nevertheless, I did." He gazed at the observation window again.

"It did not displease me to touch you, Captain."

Jim couldn't say anything. He didn't want to leave Spock hanging after what was clearly an emotional confession, but he was having an internal crisis. The balloon was rising faster than he could stop it and he held onto it for dear life, trying not to blurt something stupid before he fully understood what was happening.

"Do you--" he cleared his throat. "What do you mean, exactly?"

He hoped he knew. He didn't think he could hold on very much longer.

"When you fell to the ground in Medbay, before Lieutenant Kilroy informed us of the situation, I was... emotional. I was reminded of your most recent loss of consciousness."

The last time he'd, what? Passed out? That must have been after... oh. Had it really only been a year since Khan? Jim remembered the feeling the cold glass warming under his and Spock's hands. He remembered Spock had called him his friend. His friend.

"Although it was illogical, I felt regret, that I had not told you of my regard before I kissed you on the planet. I was determined to rectify the situation when you woke."

Jim was losing his grip. "Regard, Spock?" he asked, softly. "What are you telling me?"

His eyes lifted to find Jim's. "I am in love with you."

Jim's smile felt like instinct. He moved closer to Spock and took his hand. The feeling in his chest started to leak out and he didn't stop it. He kissed him instead.

+++

The next morning, during the first break in meetings, Kilroy submitted a warning to Doctor McCoy.

It read:

Notice-- CPT Kirk and CDR Spock way too happy. Please advise.

[zenkindoflove]

Tomorrow is my one-year anniversary returning to writing fanfic. This is going to be a bit of a sappy post reflecting on the last year and celebrating some of my wins/new things I've challenged myself to do.

October 17, 2023 is when I started to write the very first chapter of Burn Forever with Me. I had finished the ACOTAR series about two weeks before and had spent those two weeks reading all the Elucien fic I could. I could feel I had a story in me, so I set out to write it in a month thinking that would be it and I would get it out of my system.

It had been a while since I had written. From 2006-2012 I wrote fanfic very regularly across a few different fandoms. Most of those stories can't be found online anymore. I took a three year hiatus from my Big Bang Theory multichapter fic at the end of 2012, and didn't finish it until 2015 when I had a burst of motivation. I didn't write again until another burst of motivation hit me (Game of Thrones ending) and wrote another one-shot in 2019.

By this point in 2023, I kind of thought my fanfic writing days were behind me. I didn't expect this new resurgence in my life that came about because of this series/this ship. I've tried so many new things writing for this fandom and pushed my writing in directions I never anticipated.

Since last year I have... -published 441,592 words. -published 20 fics (a mix of multichapter and one-shots) -completed four multichapter long fics (huge for me because I used to abandon multichapter fics all the time in my first era) -Written for several ships, including rare pairs, not just my OTP which is all I did in the past -Created many OCs, including my focal OC Alexius. Up until now I thought I was kind of hopeless when it came to writing original characters. -Wrote fanfic for three appreciation weeks -Wrote MM smut for the first time, and lots of it. I have been reading MM smut for two decades, but did not have a calling to write for a specific ship until Eris x Alexius -Co-written two fics with @crazy-ache -pushed myself in what styles of writing I tackle, including writing epistolary for the first time as well as challenging myself to write action/fight scenes which always scared me in the past -world building in general also used to scare me and now I think it feels so much more approachable as I've been filling in SJM's holes. -I think my smut writing has evolved a lot too. While I wrote smut in the past and I think I established what my writing voice/style was for smut, I have really had the opportunity to solidify it and try it in different scenes and contexts. I feel a lot more confident than I did back then.

I wanted to highlight these because I think as writers, we are often too hard on ourselves, and it helps to put into context all of the ways we've improved if we are mindful of our progress. I definitely encourage you to sit down one day and remind yourself of all the new things you've done from your starting place. Making this list really put into context all the ways I've changed as a writer in just a year.

I still have a lot more I want to do and new challenges to face in the next year. I hope if you read this, it does help to show you that you can take long breaks and even if you take a step back from writing, you will always be a writer and it'll always be a hobby you can return to and improve your skills, no matter how long its been.

[imaginarycyberpunk2023]

OTP: Lite Sneeze // Macha Richter and Vinnie Gallo

The 5th Element: Love

This concludes my witch element series for Macha. I think this is the most important of the elements because without love, no magic would be possible, right?

Water / Earth / Air / Fire

I'm very proud of this series, seeing them all together like this. Maybe my best work so far.

On a very personal note, keeping love alive was the biggest challenge I faced last year, and I, like Macha, use all my power to conjure it. It's hard work. And rewarding work. This was the last VP shoot of 2023, and it made/makes me very emotional to be able to begin this shippy year showing these.

Thank you @nananarc for this amazingly versatile prop (AMM addon)

[arshipweek]

AR Ship Week - Fandom in 2024

Another year, another shipweek, and another State of the AR Shipping Fandom post. This is the first weekly post leading up to the Alex Rider Ship Week. Just under 4 weeks to go!

This post focuses on pre-S3 fandom, since the data was scraped before the season was released, but we might do an update for post-S3 fics. For methodology, it can be found both on the graphic analysis pages and in the notes at the bottom of this post. For those only curious about the popular pairings this year (1), feel free to read right on.

This year, we have analysed a few specific shipping stats to get a look at us as a fandom.

We have also created an interactive dashboard of all the graphs for you to explore. This is where the following data was taken from, as well as some bonus visuals!

A Timeline of AO3

For a blast from the past, we took a look at the shipping timeline - the count of fics and authors per year for the top ten most popular AR ships - and found immediate proof that as a shipping fandom, we're still small enough that a few, determined people can make a difference. AR fandom's use of AO3 as its primary fandom purveyor is fairly recent, as most of its history can be found on FFnet, but with a total of just under 3k fics as of April 20th, we're gaining on FFnet's 4.5k of AR fics at a very respectable pace.

Some particular developments were:

The number of Yalex authors was about the same in 2021 - 2023 (just around 40) but the number of Yalex fics in 2022 was almost double that of 2021 and 2023. This was not due to a sudden, imported backlog that we could see but a handful of popular events/challenges and potentially the release of S2 in December of 2021.

Tom/Alex and Yassen/Ian both had a peak of fics in 2021, most likely because of the release of S1 that gave Tom a much larger part and offered an intriguing look at Yassen and Ian's potential past.

Fiona/Sabina had a huge spike in fics in 2023 due to a Femmeslash February event (2) that sent it firmly up the ranks of popular ships.

The State of the OTP

For the top ten AR ships, we also took a look at how many of the writers that had written other AR ships (and which ones) to look for interesting patterns and to see if there was any real difference to spot. As it turns out, the answer was a resounding yes:

At one extreme, we have Alexmis (Alex Rider/Artemis Fowl) which is a fandom unto itself. Only 20 percent of the writers of the pairing have written for other pairings in AR fandom fics, and Alexmis fics as a whole tend to lean more towards adding Alex to the Artemis Fowl world rather than vice versa (3).

In the middle range, we have Yalex and Alex/Wolf - two pairings about as old as the fandom itself, and which both have an OTP percentage around 55 - as well as (mostly) newcomers Tom/Alex and Kyra/Alex, both with an OTP percentage in the 40-50 range.

At the other extreme, we have Yassen/John with an OTP percentage of just 4. Fiona/Sabina does it one better with an OTP rate of 0 (!) but the sample size here is so small it makes no meaning to compare it.

So what other pairings do these writers enjoy indulging in, then?

Yalex writers really like their Yassen pairings. Out of the combined number of non-Yalex fics the Yalex authors have written, 24 percent of them are Yassen/Ian and 22 percent are Yassen/John. This means that almost half of their non-Yalex pairings feature Yassen in some way.

70 percent of John/Helen shippers have written other pairings, too - probably because of the pairing's nature as a background part of Alex's story and not necessarily the focus of a shipfic they're in. 30 percent of the fics written by John/Helen writers outside of the ship are Yalex (and 6 percent are Yassen/John).

The case is even more extreme for Yassen/John, which is firmly entwined with the Yalex pairing. 96 percent of the writers have written other AR ships, with three quarters of those fics being Yalex.

Text Analysis

Interactive dashboard with graphs and visuals

We also ran a text analysis on the shipfics to look for patterns and recurring details in the writing - first in general, then for specific ships. The amount of detail for each ship depends a lot on the sample size, which results in a detailed, varied word cloud for Yalex and somewhat less so for several of the smaller ships.

For that analysis, we recommend clicking around to explore the word clouds and get a feel for the different ships, but for the ambitious types, we have a word hunt ready as well (4):

Word Hunt, Significant Phrases edition:

Tools of the Trade:

Duct tape

Frying pan

Krav Maga

Sniper rifle

Zip ties

I Know That Reference:

Fer de Lance

Air Force

Albert Bridge

Point Blanc

Brecon Beacons

Getting Kinky:

Boxer briefs

Dimly lit

Lower lip

Pressed a kiss

Yes sir

Feel free to comment with any particularly entertaining/intriguing/otherwise just plain fun word cloud combinations you've spotted, and we will see you again next week!

______ 

Note on methodology:

The two Alex Rider sections (main + TV) were scraped over the course of two days in early March 2024, except for fics that were locked to AO3 users only (5). For the author specific statistics, we excluded orphan_account and anonymous authors. Median measures were chosen over average the majority of the time to account for outliers, especially in the case of the rarer pairings (6).

For ship-analysis, a fic counts under every pairing it has. This means that someone who writes Yassen/Alex, Yassen/John and Yassen/Ian in the same fic (7) will count as an author for all three pairings and under the Yalex OTP analysis, they will have an additional fic marked under both Yassen/John and Yassen/Ian.

(1) Yalex. It's Yalex. Look, we're not even going to bother posting the stats for that. It's still Yalex, trust us. Though we can talk again next year, considering how well Kyralex is currently doing post-S3. (2) Proving that a few, determined writers can make or break the non-Yalex ship rankings. Please use this power for good; if someone manages to get Sayle/Nadia Vole or something into the top three next year, I'm outsourcing that part of the stat post to a particularly enthusiastic raccoon with a keyboard. (3) Canonically, the wholesale kidnapping of Alex is pretty on-brand for Alex Rider supervillains so really, Artemis is in excellent company. (4) Technically two, but there is unsurprisingly a lot of overlap between the general wordcloud and the Yalex one. For those curious, here's the Word Hunt, Yalex edition:

Adam's apple

Bottle of lube

Cock

Index finger

Nerve endings

Pale skin

Scar tissue

(5) As of April 20th, 225 out of 2961 fics were locked to AO3 users. (6) Meaning anything non-Yalex, let's all be honest here. (7) Because sometimes, like a particularly persistent Pokémon player, Yassen also needs to catch them all. Traumas or Riders is dealer's choice.

[smoothdogsgirl]

January - First Kiss

Pairing: Olivia Benson x Rafael Barba

Warnings: Friendship

Words: 1500

Summary: This is an alternate ending to the episode "The Undiscovered Country."

The opening dialogue is paraphrased from the episode.

In a Discord group I belong to, there was a post for a "Year of the OTP" challenge for 2023.

Disclaimer: This is fanfic work; no money is being made from this story. All recognizable characters belong to their respective creative authors, studios or producers.

Masterlist

Olivia walks up to Rafael across the street from the courthouse, “I’m so sorry.”

Rafael looks at her perplexed, “why, what did you do?”

“I called you about the case. I brought you into this.”

Rafael turns and looks at the courthouse, “ You know, when we first started working together, what was it five years ago?”

Olivia chuckles a little bit, “try six years.”

Rafael inhales deeply and lets his breath out slowly. “The world was an old movie. It was all black and white. And it was high noon. I was Gary Cooper.”

A smile breaks out on Olivia’s face at his words.

“I was absolutely sure, absolutely… on who were the good guys… who were the bad guys. And then you… you came into my life. You started to weasel your way into my world, and the black and white became different shades of gray. Don’t say it.” Rafael pauses and looks at Olivia sheepishly. “Before I knew it, there were blues and greens and yellows and reds. I’m you now, Liv. You opened my heart. And I thank you for it.”

“And?” Olivia asks cautiously, unsure what he is trying to tell her.

“I’ve got to move on.” He tells her.

A small sob escapes Olivia, her lips tremble, and tears form in the corner of her eyes.

Rafael leans into Olivia he places a kiss on her lips. When he tries to pull back, Olivia wraps her arms over his shoulders and kisses him back. Several minutes later, they pull apart, and he rests his forehead against hers, both of their breaths coming in fast and unsteady. 

“Don’t leave Rafa,” Olivia quietly begs.

“Liv…” Rafael starts.

“Rafa, I understand you cannot stay at the DA’s office. But please don’t leave Noah and me. We need you.”

Rafael hugs her, unsure of how to respond to her statement. Olivia looks him in the eye and notes his uncertainty. “Come home with me. Noah will be happy to see you, and after he’s gone to bed, we can talk.”

“I can do that.”

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

The sounds of laughter greet them as Olivia opens the door to her apartment. Noah is curled in a ball on the couch, and Lucy, his nanny, is tickling him. Rafael gently closes the apartment door behind him to avoid disturbing the scene. As he stands behind Olivia, she leans into him. 

Suddenly Noah looks up and lets out a yell. He scrambles off the couch and runs toward them. Olivia steps out of the way as Noah’s body collides with Rafaels. “Uncle Rafa, you’re here! It’s been forever! I’ve missed you so much! Are you staying for dinner?” Noah fires the questions off in quick succession. 

Rafael can’t help the laugh that escapes him, “Breathe, mijo, and I will answer your questions.” 

“How about before you interrogate Rafa, you let him come into the apartment, let him take off his coat, and get comfortable. and while he is doing that, you clean up your stuff.” Olivia suggests.

Noah sighs but turns to follow her request. 

“Hi, Liv,” Lucy states as she finishes shrugging on her jacket, “he hasn't had dinner, he wanted to wait for you. He finished all of his homework, and I’ve checked it all.”

“Do you want to join us for dinner?” Olivia asks Lucy.

“Not tonight; there’s a study group at the library tonight that I want to go to,” Lucy states as she shoulders her backpack. Lucy then heads out, waving a quick goodbye to Noah.

Rafael sits on the couch, relaxing as he settles into the seat; soon enough, Noah joins him. He is surprised when Noah leans against his side, snuggling in. So that both can be comfortable, he raises his arm, allowing Noah to slide in closer. “So, to answer your earlier comments. It has been a while, and I’m sorry for that….”

“Mom said that it was adult things,” Noah grumbled.

“She’s right, but I will talk to you about that eventually.” Rafael decided that he would need to talk to Olivia about how to approach this. “I’ve missed you as well, mijo.” He states, giving his arm a gentle squeeze. “Yes, I’ll be staying for dinner… Now it’s your turn. How are you? How’s school? And how do you like ballet?”

“I’m good, uncle Rafa, even better now that you’re here. School is ok. I really like the art class; we’re using clay now. It’s kinda messy but lots o fun. Mom told you I’m taking ballet classes? And you don't think that's weird?” Noah asked hesitantly.

“She did…Of course not. As long as you are enjoying the class and having fun, that is all that matters….” Rafael pauses for a moment, “has someone said something?

“There is this kid Mark in my class, and he’s been calling me names and making fun of me. He says ballet is for girls.” Noah tells him. 

Rafael turns in his seat a little to look Noah in the eye. Ballet is not just for girls. Anyone who thinks that is ignorant. As for the bullying, and yes, name calling and making fun of you, is that. Have you told a teacher, Lucy, or your mom?”

“No…I don’t want to make it worse.” Noah mumbled quietly, looking away from Rafael.

“Noah…Mijo.” Rafael states, pausing until Noah looks at him. You have done nothing wrong. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. Just like, liking and taking dance doesn't make you weak. So I really think you should tell your mom. Ok?”

“Ok, uncle Rafa I’ll tell mom.” Noah acquiesces and hugs Rafael tightly around the waist. 

“Everything alright in here?” Olivia asks as she enters the room, “I’ve order pizza for dinner.”

“All good,” Rafael answered. 

Olivia then turned to Noah, “go take a shower and put on your pj’s. Pizza will be here by then.”

“But mom…” Noah started to argue.

“Noah, please do as your mom asked. I will still be here when you are finished.” Rafael interrupted, wanting to prevent an argument. 

“Fine,” Noah sighed, getting up from the couch and trudging to his bedroom. Olivia ruffles his hair as he passes, suppressing a chuckle.

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

Later that evening, as Olivia is tucking Noah into his bed, he grabs her hand. She pauses what she is doing, “is everything, ok sweet boy.”

Noah lets go of her hand, snatches Eddie, the elephant, and hugs him tightly.

“Noah, you can tell me anything. I love you, sweet boy.” She says, trying to reassure him.

“I know, uncle Rafa…” he stopped, not wanting to get the man in trouble.

“Did uncle Rafa tell you to talk to me?” Olivia asked gently. At Noah’s corresponding nod, she squeezed his hand. “Neither one of you is in trouble. I’m glad you felt comfortable talking to uncle Rafa about what is bothering you. And when you are ready to tell me I’m here, just remember, no matter what, I will always love you, my sweet boy.”

Noah thought about her words for a few minutes before he began to speak in a low, muffled voice, Eddie still partially obstructing his face. “There is this boy Mark in my class. He’s been calling me names and making fun of me for taking ballet classes.”

Olivia takes a calming breath to quieten her inner mama bear, “honey Mark is wrong; there is absolutely nothing wrong with you taking ballet classes….”

“That’s what uncle Rafa said!” Noah exclaims.

“And uncle Rafa is right. As long as you are having fun and it makes you happy, that is all that matters. Do you want me to speak with Mark’s parents about this?” She asks Noah how he would like to proceed before he steps in.”

“Can you, mama?” Noah asks.

“I will speak with your teacher tomorrow and contact Mark's parents.”

“Thank you, mama,” Noah says as he sits up and hugs her. 

Once he’s settled back in the bed, Olivia hugs him back as she readjusts his blankets, tucking him back in and placing a gentle kiss on his forehead. “Love you, sweet boy.”

“Love you, mama,” he mumbles as his eyes droop shut. 

Olivia rises from his bed and walks across the room, flipping the switch to turn off the bedside lamp. She leaves the door slightly ajar and returns to the living room. 

There she notes that Rafael cleaned up the remnants from dinner while she was gone. He is sitting on the couch with the sleeves of his dress shirt rolled past the elbow as he scrolls through her Netflix account for something to watch. An open bottle of red wine and two poured glasses are on the table. She joins him on the couch, snuggling into him and pulling the throw blanket from the back of the couch, wrapping it around them both. “Thank you for loving us, Rafa.”

Rafael pulls her close and kisses the top of her head, “te amo mi amor.”

[bonhughbon]

The final YOTP is here! Man, it was a tiring but fun challenge! I don't love all of the works I made, but hey—it was something! 😅

Anyway, here's the final fic for this challenge. @yearoftheotpevent for December: Forgiveness. Enjoy!

FF.Net link is here!

[cookkoo]

I DID IT!!! agsdhjkaa

Drawtober 2023: [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31]

Or go to this [link] as it's easier to scroll

Ok I haven't done this since 2018 it feels weird asdfjka. But since I finally able to complete the challenge I feel like it's ok to talk about it

First of, thank you for all the hearts and the reblogs— the tags are great as usual lol. could never stressed this enough but these interactions really fire me up. So thank you!!

Now for the reflection part

tbh I was not really sure what I was trying to achieve when I started drawing this year challenge, but one thing is I draw way too little and there's not enough shumako content in my own sketchbook

Long story short, this challenge has been a great journey, I did surprised myself a lot of times, especially day12, hotdamn I never knew I could draw a back this hot asdfhgja. But also, for someone who have been holding the ideas of 'drawing is suffering, and it will always kills your ego because you will never be good enough' mentality, doing this challenge kinda fix that in a good way. Sure, my back still ache and I pulled way too many all nighters for my own good, but I really really enjoy almost every moment of these past two months.

(Let's not talk about the fact that it took me 2 months to finish O}-{)

I think I should add that working traditionally (altho it kinda turn into more of a mix media at some point) really was refreshing. Inking is a bit unforgiving in a way, but it does give my brain good exercise, looking for solutions when making a mistake. It also kinda forced me to stop overwork on some parts, forgive myself (since there's not much I could do with those thick paint) and move on.

Also, this challenge finally give me the opportunity to express my love to P5S asdfjagd. Srsly tho, it came out when I stuck in a very bad slump. So I'm very happy I got to draw the PT hanging out and enjoying their summer together

Anyhow! Since I'm actually completed it, I'm thinking of compiling them and turn them into a zine. So, one more time, I hope I'm not jinxing myself, but I might comeback with a few more drawtober posts just because I wanna show how the zine gonna turn out asdfagj

If you read it this far then, uh, that's a lot of reading. Thank you once again for letting me cover your tl with my ted talk! lmao Hope you will stick around because I'm not done expressing my love to my OTP. Until then~!

[usamamoweek]

UsaMamo Week 2023 will be the week of July 23 - July 29! We’re posting these prompts early to help you prepare, and also realize by the time of the challenge that the Cosmos parts I and II will be streaming. We reserve the right to modify any prompts that may be “too soon” with Cosmos knowing the trauma about to befall our OTP. 

See below for the daily prompts. Every day has two to pick from–you are not required to use both. You can utilize as many or as few of the daily prompts as you are inspired to do. We would love to see any form of creative works – stories, drabbles, poetry, drawings, digital art, webtoons, moodboards, photography, cosplay… whatever medium speaks to you!

Rules

Usa/Mamo must be the central pairing

Any rating is OK as long as you flag / label correctly

All types of fanwork are accepted

You can do one prompt or more; there’s no minimum

Tag a Tumblr post with #usamamoweek2023 and/or @usamamoweek2023 to be reblogged by this account

Add to the collection on AO3 and tag #usamamoweek2023

If requested, we will share AO3 works on Tumblr

Have fun!

Daily Prompt List for July 23 - 29

Day 1: Year of the Rabbit / Kiss Game*

Day 2: Royalty / Sword

Day 3: Love Letters / Poetry

Day 4: Beach / There was only one …

Day 5: Free day

Day 6: Crystal / Wings

Day 7: Midnight / Fireworks

*Examples of kiss games are the pocky challenge, spin the bottle, lady-and-the-tramp-style noodle eating that results in kissing, or something similar your characters have dreamed up!

[theadmiralslegion]

Katoberfest 2023!

This year’s Katoberfest will be held October 22-29, 2023. 

There are seven days of prompts + a free day:

Sunday October 22: Only One Bed or Kat Survives AU

Monday October 23: First Kiss or OTP

Tuesday October 24: Cuddling for Warmth or Cold Space

Wednesday October 25: Mirror Universe or "I knew you were trouble"

Thursday October 26: Academy Era or Kat in the 32nd Century

Friday October 27: Accidental Child Acquisition or Mission Fic

Saturday October 28: Where is Katrina Cornwell right now?

Sunday October 29: Free Day

There are extra challenges:

1. The Katrina: post every day 2. The Cornwell: combine both of the day's prompts into one work 3. The Vice Admiral: set this playlist to shuffle and create a work inspired by the first song that plays 4. The Admiral: create one work that includes at least five of the fifteen available prompts.

There are no requirements or limits to any medium (e.g. word count, art style, length of vid or pod, etc.).

You may answer as many, or as few, as you like and there is no specific format. The prompts are jumping off points and may be considered in universe or meta. Answers may take the form of essay, discussion, fiction, artwork, bulleted lists, gifsets, vids, vlogs, comics, whatever! It is also fine to answer prompts on a different day than that which corresponds with the prompt (if you miss it, or it is simply easier for you). There is no right or wrong way to participate! The purpose of Katoberfest is to celebrate Admiral Cornwell, not create work or drama.

When sharing on social media, tag your posts #Katoberfest2023. We will reblog and retweet all tagged posts.

The AO3 Collection is available here.

Any questions, do not hesitate to ask!

-Anika (@pixiedane) and Liz (@liz-squids)

[spnfanficpond]

New Member Spotlight - December 2023

The Pond is always growing and we want to make our new members feel welcome! Here’s a list of recent additions to our fishy family, along with a little info about them!

Guppies, Jellies, and Mutuals, oh, my!

@mayalaen -

Other SM names? - Mayalaen on AO3, Discord, Twitter, Bluesky, LiveJournal, Dreamwidth, etc.

OTP? - I'm a multishipper so no true OTP.

Other fandoms? - Mostly Stranger Things, OFMD, Stargate SGA/SG1, Star Trek, X-FIles, and Angel the Series/Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but I'm interested in a lot of fandoms.

Looking for in the Pond? - I like to encourage people to write and create and I like to make friends in fandom. I was referred to the Pond for that by some members.

Something to signal boost? - I run a monthly writing/art challenge on AO3 called SPNColdestHits that you guys have already been boosting (THANK YOU!!). It's multifandom now and accepts art and original fic, not just fanfic. This is the AO3 collection link and of course, we're @spncoldesthits here on Tumblr, but we're also on Discord, Twitter, Bluesky, and Pillowfort.

Pairings you read? - I'll read pretty much any pairing, poly or otherwise. I'm not interested in reader insert, but I've read some.

Genres you read? - I prefer darkfic and/or kink, but I read anything.

Favorite writer(s)? - Xanthe Walter, but they haven't been active in fandom for about 2 years now.

What do you like to write? - My favorite is darkfic, D/S AU, and kink, but I also love writing crack and all other genres.

Masterlist!

Most underappreciated fic? - It's newer but it has the least amount of hits from the list of non-crack/non-gift fics and is an SPN/Blacklist crossover. Caging the Mongoose.

Something you haven't written but would like to try? Why not? How can we help? - I really would like to write some SPN/HDM fusions. I keep toying with the idea, but have never posted any of them. I always work better when I have prompts or ideas from others to spur me on.

.@leatafandom -

Other SM names? - @leatawrites, Leata (AO3 and Discord)

OTP? - Sabriel

Other fandoms? - Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Marvel, BBC Merlin, Star Trek, Doctor Who

Looking for in the Pond? - I could use some help with tags and challenging myself to write different things.

Pairings you read? - Ships, Gens, Poly fics

Genres you read? - Angst is my favorite but fluff and smut are always wonderful

Favorite writer(s)? - Yes, @idabbleincrazy on Tumblr or Gabriel_is_my_guardian_angel89 on Ao3

What do you like to write? - Angst, Horror, Smut, Bittersweet/Sad Things

Masterlist!

Most underappreciated fic? - My most underappreciated story is probably one of my original horror short stories. My most underappreciated fanfic is probably Becoming One,Two, and One Again.

Something you haven't written but would like to try? Why not? How can we help? -I really would like to write more horror however I feel like I struggle with expressing fear, scenery/detail descriptions, and word choice

@oganizediguana -

Other SM names? - Oganizediguana on Discord

OTP? - Destiel

Other fandoms? - I tiptoe through many fandoms, but SPN is my home. Good Omens

Looking for in the Pond? - I’d love to get encouragement for writing and the confidence to share my work. But I’d also love to just meet interesting people.

Pairings you read? - 99% destiel

Genres you read? - I read it all, but mutual pining slow burn is what makes me feel all the things. I love a good canon-compliant AU. I’m happy with anything that ends happily. Or at least hopefully.

Favorite writer(s)? - On AO3: NorthernSparrow, tenoko1, saltnhalo, there are so many amazing authors in this fandom!

What do you like to write? - Everything seems to turn into angst.

Something you haven't written but would like to try? Why not? How can we help? - I’d like the confidence to share what I have written.

@dragonslayer-5fanfiction -

Other SM names? - Ao3- Dragonslayer5

Other fandoms? - haikyuu, daria, lotr/the hobbit, tmnt

Looking for in the Pond? - I just want to make friends and read good fanfic. I like to beta read. Maybe write some fanfic, but I have writer's block rn.

Pairings you read? - Reader insert

Genres you read? - Fluff, crack. One bed, and arranged marriage forced proximity tropes.

What do you like to write? - Reader inserts. Fluff.

Masterlist! AO3 Works list

Most underappreciated fic? - Do You Think About Me? (not SPN)

Something you haven't written but would like to try? Why not? How can we help? -Honestly, writing two characters from the Fandom. I typically stick to reader insert, and I'm a little scared I won't get the characteristics right or the dynamic.

That's all for this month, folks! (If we're missing anyone, let us know and we'll add them to next month's list!) Make sure to say hi to the newbies and make them feel welcome! Thanks to all from @manawhaat, @mrswhozeewhatsis, @mariekoukie6661, @thoughtslikeaminefield, @katbratsupernaturalwhore and @heavenssexiestangel!

[darcylewisbingohq]

The Woods Are Lovely, Dark, and Deep

a Winter 2023 Marvel Mini Bingo

~ happily hosted by Darcy Lewis Bingo Headquarters for everyone in our MCU Fandom Community at large ~

(Please feel free to share this announcement in any of the MCU groups you belong to that allow you to share other events’ details.)

Happy Winter Festive Season 2023! This year, as a show of fandom hospitality, we at Darcy Lewis Bingo Headquarters have decided to host a winter festive season mini bingo challenge that’s open to all MCU pairings and characters rather than having a compulsory Darcy Lewis requirement for all bingo fics. So if you write Stucky or WinterHawk or Stony or World War Threesome or StarkSpangledBanner or Bucky x Clint x Jason Todd (we see you, friends 😉)—or some other MCU grouping, pairing, or OTP that has nothing to do with Darcy Lewis, we’re opening our doors and our Discord to all of you this holiday season. We look forward to writing and creating and celebrating the holidays with all of our MCU fandom friends!

Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/rfBPg6UYkC

This event has nine premade mini bingo cards for you to choose from. Alternate prompts are included on each card, so choose your card carefully. The card you choose contains all the prompts you may use for this mini bingo challenge. Our regular Darcy Lewis Bingo HQ guidelines for prompt swapping, challenge week substitutions, and adopted prompts do not apply to this event.

The exception to this rule is the blackout challenge. To earn a blackout badge, you need only complete *nine total prompts* from any combination of the nine cards shown below and post your masterlist before the March event deadline. For a combination blackout, you must include both the square and which card it originates from on your final masterlist.

All of our usual bingo minimum requirements remain the same. 100 words, 6 visual elements, etc.

Wrap-up date for this event is March 19, 2024.

Our regular badge claim form will be updated and available with this event’s details at the close of the event. Just get your masterlist posted somewhere online by the March wrap-up date and you can fill out the badge claim form anytime after the event ends.

Have fun creating!

Your Darcy Lewis Bingo HQ Mods,

—Chrissi and Turtles

[autumnslance]

Year of the OTP 2023 - Thancred & Aeryn Masterpost

Originally started by a Batman fandom group, Year of the OTP is a challenge to end up with 12 new fics from a series of prompts for one's favorite ship. They've been gracious enough to open it to anyone and everyone, however, so a few of us decided to add our Final Fantasy XIV wolships into the mix.

So here are 12 fics/screenshot sets for my OC Aeryn Striker with that canon rogue, Thancred Waters. Also migrating the stories onto my Ao3, mostly in "Unexpected" and "Despite the Gods We've Outlived", though a few stand alone in my "Aeryn Striker" series.

January - Dual Perspectives (ARR, Pre-relationship) February - Linkpearl (Stormblood, early relationship, long distance) March - Ladyhawke Fairy Tale AU (image set, plot summary) April - Desert Divergence (AU/Canon Divergence, Love Confess) May - Illness (ARR pre-relationship, sick fic/comfort) June - Confession (Shadowbringers Love Confess, poorly timed) July - Stars (Yearning at the start of Shadowbringers) August - Snowstorm (Heavensward pre-relationship comfort) September - I Wrote This For You (A letter of yearning, Endwalker) October - On A Dark & Stormy Night (Dark Fairy Tale AU images) November - Missing Scars (Post-Shadowbringers readjustment) December - Home (post-Endwalker holidays & belonging)

Some of these did get written later, going back and filling in months I'd missed. Life happens! Also original story writing eating up my brain, but I cannot complain about more writing productivity!

This also let me get in at least one long-sitting WIP completed finally ("Snowstorm"; we're not going to talk about how long that's been in drafts...), while others still didn't mesh ("Meeting the Family" is being a rambling monster) but led to entirely new things getting written. And it got me to play with a few AUs, which I normally don't do, aside from the Halloween silliness, which found its way into this set as well.

Thanks again to YOTP for hosting and opening up this little challenge, and here's to a new year of creativity around all our blorbo pairings!

[tessa-liam]

Smoke and Mirrors  

10- This I Promise You 

Book: The Royal Romance Finale+, AU

Series Premise: Hidden in the shadows, poised to challenge the status quo are enemies of the state. The loyalties and honesty of family and friends will be tested. ‘Keep your friends close, your enemies closer’. 

Smoke and Mirrors Masterlist 

Main Pairing: Liam Rys x F!MC Riley Brooks-Rys, OTP ‘LiRi’ 

2nd Pairings: Leo Rys x Amalas, Drake Walker x F!OC Delaney Leigh, Olivia Nevrakis x M!OC Alex Cossoy 

*Most characters belong to Pixelberry 

*Not Beta’d, please excuse all errors 

Rating: M🔞*Series Warnings:  NSFW material, sexual innuendo, adult language/swearing/drinking/gun violence. Not recommended for anyone under 18 years of age. 

Category: Alternate Universe/on-going series/angst/fluff 

Words: 2465 

Chapter Summary: Liam and Riley welcome their twin boys to the world. The Interpol/black ledger revelations are discussed with the Royal Council.

Music & Title Inspiration:

This I Promise You, Anthem Lights 

Slow Down, Nichole Nordeman 

A/N2: My submission for @choicesoctober2023, Relationships: Favorite Ship – Liam & Riley, OTP, Family, My MC, Riley Brooks; Other – Childbirth 

A/N1: My submission for @choicesflashfics Week #56, Prompt 3- “I’m afraid I may have made a mistake.” 

A/N3: My submission for @choicesprompts, Flufftober 2023, Festival of Fears Prompt Event – Prompt 28 – Hurt/Comfort/Forehead Kiss 

Royal chambers, palace

As the due date of the twins’ birth drew near, Princess Eleanor could not contain her excitement. Every night at bedtime, she whispered to her mother’s round belly, speaking to her unborn brothers. 

“Hey, there … I can’t wait to meet you both,” Princess Eleanor softly spoke to her mother’s round belly, her voice filled with warmth and affection. 

“I have so much to show you … we can play together and explore the palace, and I’ll protect you, as your big sister. I’ll teach you all the secrets. I love you both, already, so much!” 

Riley, witnessing her daughter’s heartfelt confessions to her unborn babies, couldn’t help but smile. The tenderness and love in her voice were touching, and it warmed her heart to see her princess already forming such a strong bond with her soon to arrive siblings. Ellie will make an incredible older sister, already showering her brothers with affection, guidance, and promising endless adventures. 

Liam walked into the room, stealthily wrapping his arms around Riley. “Princess, its bedtime. Your Mom and brothers need to get some sleep, and so do you,” he murmured authoritatively.  

Ellie smiled up at him, “but Daddy, with this smile, I can get away with anything. Five more minutes...please, Daddy?” Smiling sweetly at her father, Liam quickly lost the battle. 

Liam guffawed with faux disapproval, “Cheeky, just like your mother.” 

Riley leaned into Liam’s embrace, feeling the warmth and comfort of his presence. She nodded with a soft smile, acknowledging his gentle reminder. 

“You’re right, Liam,” she whispered, her eyes still on Ellie as she continued to speak to her mother’s belly. “They do need their rest. Thank you for looking out for all of us, Liam.” 

Closing the door behind him, he nodded to the guard standing vigil outside her room and turned to a waiting Riley in the hallway. “I think these two,” Liam reached for Riley’s very pregnant belly, “are going to be just like their sister.” Liam mischievously smirked as Riley laughed. 

With a kiss on her cheek, Riley gently pulled away from Ellie’s embrace and pulled the covers up and around her. Liam bent down to kiss Ellie’s forehead, “good night, my princess.” 

“You mean just like me?” Riley snickered, batting her eyelashes playfully. “She has you wrapped around her little finger, Li.” 

“Come on, woman,” Liam roguishly teased. “I have a surprise for you.” Riley giggled as Liam placed his hand on the small of her lower back, leading her to the moonlit terrace adjacent to the dining room. 

Interpol Headquarters, Lyon, France 

Imprisoned by Interpol, Bastien found himself in a dark place. He was questioned relentlessly about his ties to Lena, a woman he had vowed to protect, earlier in his life.  Vallenheim’s secrets loomed over both of them like a sinister cloud. 

Bastien’s connection to Lena ran deeper than anyone could fathom. It all started when King Constantine demanded the loyal Kings head guard to protect his daughter; to take a vow of lifelong protection for a hidden princess outlawed to a foreign kingdom, hidden away from his realm. 

No one could have predicted that this secret princess, sequestered in Vallenheim would be groomed to destroy Constantine’s legacy. His beloved Cordonia. 

Director Ryerson and his team delved into the depths of a mysterious black ledger discovered at the Vallenheim estate, seeking to unearth the hidden truths it held. 

Within those pages lie the dark secrets of the attacks on the Cordonian palace; secrets that entangle Godfrey, the Duke of Karlington. A figure that held an alliance with the nefarious Liberation Corps. As the truth unfurled, Director Ryerson announced to his team that Lena would be formally charged with conspiracy to commit murder; the murder of the King of Cordonia. 

Lena held many secrets hidden behind her mask of steely resolve. She feared unveiling the truth about Bastien would be a death sentence; a revelation that could shatter the delicate balance of power within the Liberation Corps. 

In the heart of this tangled web of intrigue and allegiance, the Kingdom of Cordonia awaited the arrival of its’ future heirs. The shadows of the past looming larger than ever. Each revelation threatened to unravel the very fabric of Cordonia. Leaving its rulers to grapple with the weight of their responsibilities and the ghosts that lurked in the corners of their realm. 

Director Ryerson snapped his briefcase closed after placing the well-worn ledger along with his laptop inside. A quick check to ensure his wallet and passport were in the inside pocket of his suit jacket, he left his office to board an overnight flight to Cordonia. A pivotal meeting with the King of Cordonia was scheduled in the early morning hours at the Cordonian palace.  

Dining Room Terrace, Royal Chambers 

The sun began its descent, casting a warm glow over the gardens. Liam had a mischievous glint in his eye as he presented an elaborate ice cream sundae to his heavily pregnant queen.  

Riley grinned, her eyes widening at the sight of the extravagant dessert. “Liam, this is too much!” 

Liam shrugged playfully. “Nonsense, my love. It’s a small treat for my queen. After all, you’re eating for three now!” 

Riley chuckled, shaking her head; her spoon poised to dig into the mountain of ice cream and toppings. “But, hey … where is your bowl?” 

“I’m afraid I may have made a mistake,” Liam sighed. “I thought I wouldn't want dessert, but now I do.” 

“Your majesty,” the butler appeared. “The chef has also prepared this dish for you.” 

Riley laughed when under the silver lid of the serving platter, a plate of baklava was revealed. 

“The chef knows me all too well,” Liam shook his head, grinning. “Thank you, Elena.” 

They continued to share a few more lighthearted quips as they indulged in their sweet treats, reminiscing about past adventures. Their laughter echoed through the terrace as they enjoyed each other’s company. 

“I still can’t get over that tango dance in Auvernal with Bradshaw and Isabella,” Liam remarked, a smirk tugging at his lips. 

Riley rolled her eyes in mock exasperation. “Oh, don’t remind me. Isabella got so flustered and stormed out of the ballroom.” 

Liam laughed. “That was one for the history books. But you, my love, you were a tango sensation.” 

Riley blushed, her cheeks rosy. “Well, you were the perfect partner, Liam.” 

Their banter was interrupted by a sudden, unexpected event. Riley’s expression changed, and her eyes widened as she felt something she wasn’t expecting. 

“Liam, I think … Oh, my … my water just broke!” 

Liam’s playful demeanor instantly shifted to concern. Setting aside his plate, he stood up, extending his hand to her. 

“Love, come on, we need to get you to the birthing room.”

Instead of delivering at the hospital, for comfort and security, an ultramodern birthing room was recently installed within the Royal chambers. The memory of Eleanor’s chaotic birth serves as inspiration. 

Riley nodded, gripping his hand tightly as she stood up from her chair. Taking a step forward, she buckled over as a contraction swept through her body. 

“Oomph … ohhhh …" Riley’s face contorted with pain. 

Moving instantly with the strength and agility that came from years of training as a king, Liam scooped up his queen into his arms and carried her down the hallway. His heart raced, and he was fully focused on ensuring the safety and well-being of Riley and his unborn sons. 

“Your Majesties, Dr. Ramirez and her team have been notified; their e.t.a. is 10 minutes.,” Mara announced, closely following.

“Thank you,” Mara. “We need her up here, quickly.” Even though he kept up a stoic expression, inside, he was concerned with the level of pain and hurt) that Riley would undergo to bring their sons into the world. Her comfort was paramount.  

The birthing room was a sanctuary of calm, the soft glow of candlelight casting a serene ambiance. The doors were held open as Liam strode in, his presence commanding yet tender. He carefully placed Riley on the bed ensuring she was comfortable. Nurses, well trained and efficient, moved swiftly preparing for the imminent arrival of the royal twins. 

Liam took his place at Riley's side, his strong hand enveloping hers. He looked into her eyes; his gaze filled with unwavering support. “You're doing amazingly, my love. Just a little longer and our boys will be here.” Riley nodded, her face contorted in a mixture of pain and determination. She squeezed Liam’s hand tightly, finding strength in their connection. “I can do this, Liam. We can do this.” 

Throughout the hours of labor, the nurses moved with practiced precision, offering gentle words of encouragement and ensuring everything was in place. Dr. Ramirez stood calmly at the ready.  

As another wave of pain surged through Riley, she took a deep breath, her knuckles turning white from her grip on Liam's hand. “I can feel them, Liam. They're coming.” 

Liam's heart swelled with pride and awe for the woman before him. “You're incredible, Riley. I am so proud of you.”  

With one final push, the room seemed to hold its breath. Then, in an instant, cries filled the air, harmonizing with the joy that radiated from the faces of the new parents. 

Doctor Ramirez gently placed the first baby in Riley's arms, a tiny bundle wrapped in a soft blanket. Tears glistened in both of their eyes as they gazed down at their son. Their hearts overflowing with love. 

“He's perfect, Riley,” Liam whispered, his voice choked with emotion. 

Riley smiled, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks. “He’s absolutely perfect, Liam.” 

As the first baby settled into Riley's arms, the nurses continued their careful work. Preparing for the arrival of the second prince. 

King’s boardroom, Royal offices 

Director Ryerson’s arrival at the palace was met with heightened security and discreet professionalism of undercover Interpol officers. The matter at hand was delicate, and Cordonia’s Royal family and council was well aware of the implications of discussing the black ledger. With King Liam indisposed due to the birth of his twin sons, it fell upon his trusted brother, Prince Leo, to chair the meeting.  

Dressed in a sharp suit, Leo took the central seat at the ornate boardroom table. His expression was serious, and he exuded an air of authority as he began the discussion. 

“Director Ryerson, thank you for your time. In my brother’s absence, I will be chairing this meeting.” 

Seated to his right, Queen Amalas, the espionage expert, sits in support of King Liam. On his left was Officer Alex Cossoy, the newly appointed head of intelligence and security for Cordonia. 

Olivia sat next to Alex, representing the royal guard, observed the meeting with a watchful eye. 

Director Ryerson stood, his demeanor poised and his gaze unwavering as he began his prepared statement. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, on review of the black ledger by Interpol’s analysts, I stand before you today to address a matter of utmost importance. At this time, we will move ahead to lay charges against two benefactors and one terrorist organization.

One. The ledger has confirmed that the Liberation Core was funded to commit the assassination of King Constantine of Cordonia by the Kingdom of Vallenheim.” 

Two. Duke Godfrey, formerly the Duke of Karlington; currently incarcerated for the murder of Queen Eleanor Rys was funded by the Kingdom of Vallenheim. 

Three. Lena Rys, a member of the Via Imperii cult in Vallenheim, daughter of King Constantine Rys; currently incarcerated at Interpol headquarters for treason. 

Records within the black ledger, along with intelligence sources have indicated and uncovered a plot to coordinate and commit the assassination of King Liam Rys, funded by the Kingdom of Vallenheim, to be orchestrated by Lena Rys.  

Lena Runarsdottir Rys is to be formally charged with conspiracy to commit murder. 

As Director Ryerson concluded his address, a profound silence settled over the room. The gravity of the situation, the weight of the black ledger, and the responsibility that lay on their shoulders of those in attendance hung heavy in the air. Liam’s absence added an additional layer of tension to the group. 

Leo broke the silence with a determined nod. “Thank you, Director. We understand the significance of this matter and appreciate the expertise of your team."  

Taking a staggered breath, Leo stood up to escort the Director from the boardroom, and subsequently, the palace. His training in stoicism, being tested. 

Birthing room, Royal chambers 

...everything is so peaceful, so quiet. Liam smiled to himself as he laid William down in the bassinet next to his little brother, Stefan. He marveled at the two baby boys, his sons; so taken with emotion. The pride he felt overwhelmed him. 

‘And I will take you in my arms 

Climbing into the bed with Riley, Liam kissed her forehead, as she slept, resting from her ordeal. 

and hold you right where you belong 

‘Til the day my life is through 

This I promise you 

This I promise you’ 

Thanks for reading!

📌All fics & edits: @ao719 @txemrn @queenmiarys @sfb123 @twinkleallnight @alj4890 @differenttyphoonwerewolf @harleybeaumont @busywoman @karahalloway @kingliam2019 @imjusthereforliam @lovingchoices14 @kyra75 @tinkie1973 @emkay512 @malblk21 @kristinamae093 @charlotteg234

📌TRR/TRF Liam & Riley: @jared2612 @irisk12 @thesvnsins @walkerdrakewalker @emersyn-in-cordonia @mainstreetreader @belencha77 @iluaaa @mysticalfangirl @queenwalton @bascmve01 @umccall71 @choicesfrog @amandablink

📌Submissions: @choicesficwriterscreations @choicesflashfics @choicesmonthlychallenge @choicesprompts