#… and that concludes my au week 2023

[scribbling-dragon]

MINI 2023 AO3 WRAPPED

just thought it'd be fun to do something like this, so here i am!

managed to write a total of 328,510 WORDS which is a lot more than i expected!

my favourite fic/series of the year that i wrote is probably the mer scott series - it's also the series that made f+tm my top artist of 2023 haha

first to fall also holds a special place in my heart, though. mainly because it was something quite different from fics i wrote before. it had a narrator that could not speak, which was very fun to play around with, as well as messing with the concept of death in a series where none of it sticks for very long

even if adaptive nature was not majority written in 2023, i'm still very proud of the ending that i DID write in 2023, and am always a little sad thinking of this world that i created and then had to leave behind when i finished it

crown of antlers is also something that was very important to me last year, even if i put it on hiatus last year as well. it had sat around, outlined and in a docs for several months of 2022, and it started writing it in 2023. HOWEVER, my current plans for it (yes i'm still thinking about it) is to write the entire thing without posting a single chapter. the entire thing will be finished and completed before i even post the first bit of it. this does mean that i will probably end up rewriting/editing earlier chapters too, but i've decided to do it this way because it feels the most comfortable way to do it

welcome 2024 i guess! (gonna be weird getting used to that) and i hope to continue writing a bunch this year even with the final exams i have coming up!

[valhallan]

AU Week 2023 Day 2: Nickels Midsommar AU

Genre: Psychological Horror

Nickels belongs to: @flycatchxr

[pr1-appreciation-month-2023]

And that concludes Private Recording 1 Appreciation Month 2023!

There have been lots of wonderful fanarts, fanfics and posts!

We love and enjoy our streamers' shenanigans and we love to share our favorite things about them as well.

It's been a blast, my friends.

Week 1: Favorite Streamer

Ze and Platy Fanart by henry-or-something ZeRoyalViking Gif-Fanart by hautedlife ChilledChaos Gef-set 1 by allianettemie5 ChilledChaos Clip by meevuis Chibidoki Origin Story Clip by meevuis "Knowing Me, Knowing You" Fanfic by youronlybean APlatypuss Clip by meevuis Elaina and Courtilly Fanart by apollo-the-story-teller Scooter Dooley Appreciation Post by heisttheblackflag CheesyBlueNips Clip by meevuis KYRSP33DY Ficlet by purgeshubble ZeRoyalDragon Fanart by pomellon Knovis Clips by heisttheblackflag Rat Chilled Fanart by apollo-the-story-teller Fooya Clip by heisttheblackflag Jeremy Dooley Clips by heisttheblackflag Ze and Chilled Fanart by nasekiro ChilledChaos Gif-set 2 by allianettemie5 Captain ChilledChaos by allianettemie5

Week 2: I'll Be There For You ('Cause You're There For Me Too)

Ze vs Jeremy Fanart by purple-fedoras Jeremy and Platy Phasmophobia Fanart by henry-or-something Tay Junk and Ze Fanart by hautedlife Courtilly and Side Moodboard by purgeshubble Chilled and Ze Dragon AU Fanart by pomellon "Break Out Of Your Burn Out" Fanfic by youronlybean Courtilly Kruz and Chilled Bennifer Crew Fanart by allianettemie5

Week 3: A Pet-Pocalypse

Kara's Snake Fanart by henry-or-something "Rules In Regard To Pets On The Skeld" Fanfic by youronlybean Buff Hashbrown Fanart by hautedlife Group's Cats Photos by heisttheblackflag

Week 4: What If…

PR1 Alternate Universes Edits by allianettemie5 Heathers AU by henry-or-something Chilled and Junk Indiana Jones AU by allianettemie5 "An Unweeded Garden" Fanfic by youronlybean "step to the left and shift your weight" Fanfic by heisttheblackflag Demon Ze and Angel Chilled Fanart by hautedlife Chilled and Ze Dragon AU References by pomellon

Week 5: Found Family

"How Chilled Became A Father" Comic Page by henry-or-something Forsaken Lineage by hautedlife "Bulletproof Bonds" Fanfic by allianettemie5

Week 6: It’s Free Real Estate

Chilled and Ze Diorama by henry-or-something Chilled and Junk Fanart by hautedlife Cheesy SquarePants by allianettemie5 "Shark Mages Are People Too" Fanfic by youronlybean PR1 Alignment Chart by allianettemie5 PR1 Group Fanart by hautedlife "Emerald Star" Fanfic by by youronlybean

All the fanfiction that's been written for this event can be found in the AO3 Collection.

Thank you all for participating in the Private Recording 1 Appreciation Month 2023!

Shout out for people that participated by posting for the event:

@henry-or-something

@hautedlife

@meevuis

@youronlybean

@apollo-the-story-teller

@heisttheblackflag

@purgeshubble

@pomellon

@nasekiro

@purple-fedoras

Thank you all who interacted, liked and reblogged posts, as well as people leaving kudos and writing comments on people's works.

Yours,

@allianettemie5

[apatheticlexicographer]

BYLER FIC REC WEEK 2023 DAY 5: FULL AU recs

breathe (in the air) by clearskiies

mike-centric; no plot. 1970s AU, the party are in their 20s. mike and will’s friend groups meet at a music festival and they spend the whole time attached at the hip. there’s a lot of internalized homophobia angs,tbut mike doesn’t lash out at will over it and their flirting is sweet. elumax are going through their own shit in the background too. multichapter, ongoing

wheeler news by solarhazard

will-centric; some plot. social media fic where mike is a famous musician and will runs a stan twt account for him. his world gets flipped upside down when mike notices him and they start becoming friends. it’s so dumb but so fun. multichapter, hasn't updated in a while but it hasn’t been officially discontinued to my knowledge

Nocturne by lilacline

mike-centric; plot. mike rescues a small brown bat from a weirdly evil plant and nurses it back to health, befriending it in the process. side note: bats aren’t supposed to understand human speech, mike. that’s not normal. that’s not a normal bat you have there, mike. considering it’s tagged as a vampire AU, i’m sure u can see where this is going. mike is a mess (affectionate) and he’s filled with Queer Terror. will has only just appeared as a character (...officially) but he’s already melting all 3 of mike’s braincells. mike is actually the best brother ever to holly and i would die for her. multichapter, ongoing

A New Fight by Tea_For_One_Please, and both of its sequels

alternates between mike-centric and will-centric; plot. a star wars fusion AU where will is a stormtrooper who defects to the rebellion and becomes a member of mike’s crew. el escaped the jedi massacre and teaches him to wield the force. the first fic takes place about a year before episode IV, the second concludes directly before episode IV, and the third is set in the gap between episodes VI and VII. since this is a fusion AU the canon events of the star wars timeline happen as usual, with the party’s story taking place in the background. you could probably read this without having seen star wars, but it wouldn’t make much sense. i was so engrossed that i read all three 30k~ long fics in one sitting. multichapter, all entries complete

with honor, we hound by hiscleric

mike-centric (so far, may have will POV); plot. as of now there’s only been one proper chapter of this, not including the prologue, but i can already tell it’s gonna be sooo good. it’s a fantasy/cleradin AU which is always a win, and the writing is lyrical. will was the youngest prince of the kingdom, who mysteriously vanished one day. mike is a knight and the heir to a noble family, but secretly wished to be a scholar. there’s a prophecy, a quest, and what seems like it’s gonna be a secret identity plot with will. literally what more could you want??? multichapter, ongoing

ground control to major tom (your circuit’s dead, there’s something wrong) by andthentheybow

alternates between mike-centric and will-centric; plot. another star wars AU!!! there’s only one chapter out so far, but it’s the setup for a heist story so i just know it’s gonna slay. this one is set several centuries after episode IX, rather than in tandem with star wars canon. mike is a bounty hunter and will is very… mysterious ;))) i can’t wait to see what comes of it!!! multichapter, ongoing

A Flower That Resembles You by perexcri

will-centric; plot. a byler fantasy AU that’s not cleradin??? gasssp :000 i won’t spoil to much but it’s got childhood friends to strangers to friends to lovers, really pretty depictions of magic, hella quantities of angst and yearning so sweet and tender it makes even my aro heart ache. the mortifying ordeal of allowing yourself to love and be loved… effervescent. multichapter, complete

Ley Lines and Shadows by Aabh

will-centric; plot. fantasy AU! will is a baker who lives in a tiny town. the town was cursed years ago by a now-dead witch. he helps a stray cat after it gets attacked, but as he spends more time around it it becomes clear that it's not a normal animal. the ominous dreams that plague will's sleep only add to the feeling that something is…off. the writing is flowery and fits the fairytale setting nicely. there's a mild sexual content tag on the fic, but i believe that refers to a single paragraph. there's nothing explicit and they're adults. multichapter, complete

another one bites the dust by losingcontrolnow

will-centric; not really plot. high quality zombie apocalypse content!!! i like more hardcore apocalypse stories than the stuff you usually get in s5 speculative fics, so this AU makes me very happy. the contents of the fic itself don't make me happy because, duh, it's a zombie apocalypse AU, but it's soooo good. oneshot, complete

didn't i (blow your mind this time) also by losingcontrolnow

mike-centric; no plot. you know spiderwill, you love spiderwill, but for your humble consideration: spidermike!!! featuring yearning (both), pining (both), oblivious idiots (both), and sudden onset superpowers (just mike). mike is exactly as much of a mess about, well, everything as you would hope and he is so so dear to me. longshot, complete

[hmsannlett]

Turn Week 2023: Day 2 — Content Creator Appreciation Day

In honor of today's prompt, I've put together a rec list of some of the Annlett fics I've enjoyed over the past few years. Leave a kudo and comment if you enjoy them, too!

And Now I Must Quit You by SheWasXena (NR, 23k, in progress):

Edmund Hewlett finds himself adrift after his broken engagement with Anna Strong. But when Anna seemingly pulls him back into her life, the two realize that their romance may be far from concluded.

fade into you by @viola-ophelia (G, ~600 words):

"No one had looked at Anna like that since– well, ever. She got the sense he saw something in her she’d never seen in herself..." anna jumps out of a boat and finds her way back to a different purpose than the one she'd thought she had.

Homecoming by violetdelights (G, 1.2k):

Major Edmund Hewlett has returned to Setauket, but he doesn't feel as if he has reached home until the night Anna finds him alone beneath a starless sky.

i look for love, i find a stone by @viola-ophelia (T, 1.9K):

would you help me rise up touch my face and watch me try to breathe again would you let me do this burn down the final wall Anna's feelings for Hewlett cause her to struggle with her personal loyalties.

Inklings and Overflowings by @lucyemers​ (G, ~700 words):

On the night Hewlett is kidnapped Anna thinks back over several moments and what they meant to her.

On This Cold Night by slushiepuff (G, 2.4k):

Her singular presence and no other meant fewer rules. They could be Anna and Edmund. They could sit a little too close. They could speak freely.

shattered ring by @viola-ophelia (G, 200 words):

"In the morning she’d wake up raw with the loss of him and keep on living." A set of two drabbles written for the ValenTURNs Day 2023 ship bingo. Hewlett sinks. Anna rises.

Sheet Bends and Sunscreen by @tortoisesshells (T, 1k):

A few moments in which Anna Smith Strong snoops on Edmund Hewlett's life via his reading choices - though, really, he's happy enough to talk that it truly isn't snooping?

yet Man is not consum’d by @tortoisesshells​ (G, 1.1k):

AU for 2x05: Smallpox arrives on the tails of the Rangers, and much of Setauket scrambles for quarantine or for variolation. In the midst of this, Anna Strong finds herself erstwhile nurse to the denizens of Whitehall - an occupation that gives her time to reflect on the help Major Hewlett has offered her.

[cambrioleur]

Recently Ludivine Sagnier (Claire) gave an interview to AlloCiné and was asked about what was going on with Lupin and a potential Part 4:

"'C’est toujours difficile de prendre le risque et de renouveler. Dans le fonctionnement des séries, une saison 2 fait toujours un peu moins bien que la première et la troisième un peu moins bien que la précédente. Il y a cette peur de décevoir qui fait peut-être reculer l’échéance. Mais c’est une fierté de jouer dedans. J’ai du mal à le concevoir, les chiffres dépassent ceux du box-office français. J’aime beaucoup être au côté d’Omar. La série est joyeuse et divertissante, et les spectateurs méritent une dernière petite saison quand même…', conclue-t-elle avec un sourire malicieux."

My translation:

"'It's always difficult to take the risk and renew. The way shows work, a second season habitually does a little less well than the first, and the third a little less well than the one before it. There is this fear of disappointing, which might push back the due date. But I'm proud to be in it. I find it hard to imagine, the figures surpass those of the French box office. I really love being by Omar's side. The series is joyful and entertaining, and anyway the viewers deserve a last little season...' she concludes with a mischievous smile."

Because, much like Guédira, I'm a sicko, I'm going to go through this line by line in an attempt to decode it.

"It's always difficult to take the risk and renew. The way shows work, a second season habitually does a little less well than the first, and the third a little less well than the one before it."

This is objectively true, though at a certain point you probably achieve a viewership base that will continuously return. Part 3 had 50 million completed viewings in the relevant 13-week period that Netflix tracks these things, which ranked something like third or fourth for the second half of 2023. While lower than Part 1 and Part 2, that's still a very good score, particularly in light of the two-year gap. (For reference, Shadow and Bone, a show that was cancelled, only managed 25 million. I think Netflix usually likes things to be at least in the 35-40 million range, though small-budget shows like Heartstopper get more leeway.)

"There is this fear of disappointing, which might push back the due date."

The mention of a due date ("due date" or "deadline" being the best translations I could find for échéance) here is interesting. And getting really into the weeds, the fact that she used the phrase "fear of disappointing" rather than "fear of disappointment" is equally interesting. To me, this suggests that scripts are being worked on, but haven't been completed yet because...I guess they're being perfectionists because they don't want to disappoint the Netflix France bosses? This tracks with a few other pieces of evidence I collected:

an interview given by Soufiane Guerrab back in February in which he was asked about Lupin and said that "very nice things are coming" but that he couldn't talk any more about it

an article about French TV writers Florent Meyer and Tigran Rosine, who worked on Lupin early on, which asserted that they had "just gotten the direction of the writing back for the fourth season, in aid of Briton George Kay" (Kay being the creator and main writer)

Netflix's second-half-of-2023 viewership report which explicitly cited Lupin as an example of a good continuing show and made reference to its "first three parts"

Around the time Part 1 came out Ludivine Sagnier said that she'd had some input into the development of Claire as a character, and last year George Kay suggested in an interview with a Romanian newspaper see how far I go to find info here?? that she'd wanted to do more interesting things so they wrote that scene where she steals the book from the library. All of which is to say that she probably has some knowledge of what's going on in the writer's room but can't really confirm anything because of NDAs and such.

My overall theory here is that Netflix France isn't confirming any renewals until scripts are finished and approved. This tracks with the fact that Pax Massilia, a show I didn't see and don't really give a shit about, has been confirmed to be returning -- multiple times -- by its writer/director, but it hasn't been confirmed by Netflix France (in fact, back in the spring, they asserted they hadn't made any decisions yet; this was after the director had first made his claims, and he's gone on to make similar claims even after that). They recently had a changing of guard administratively so that might have something to do with it.

"But I'm proud to be in it. I find it hard to imagine, the figures surpass those of the French box office."

For reference, the highest grossing movie ever in France, Titanic, had 22.3 million admissions. Omar Sy's movie Intouchables had 19.5 million. So 50 million completed viewings obviously goes beyond that.

"I really love being by Omar's side."

Aww. She always talks about him really glowingly and seems like a very affectionate person in general.

"The series is joyful and entertaining, and anyway the viewers deserve a last little season..."

Unfortunately it probably would be the last season, though I guess you never really know for sure. But if they give everyone a nice send-off, I'd be cool with that.

They then editorialize and say that she had a "mischievous smile" while saying this as though it implies something, to which I'm like, have you seen what that woman looks like? She always smiles like that. But to be fair I don't know how mischievous it was because I wasn't there. (I am never beating the "has an embarrassing crush on Ludivine Sagnier" allegations because it's true)

Anyhow, if you got to the end of this...congratulations, I guess. Let's hope we get some concrete news sooner or later.

[newgenog]

REVENGE

Notes: This is NOT part one of chapter five. This is a teaser from chapter five.

If you're just stumbling across this, and haven't already done so, please stop and start by reading part one of chapter one.

This #Batwoman AU is based on the ABC tv series #Revenge. Ryan Wilder had just about everything taken from her when we met her, and she was doing her best to get it back. In this version of the story, that means taking some people down along the way. And, she's definitely no hero.

Let's just say chapter four was the mid-season finale and this is the spring hiatus trailer. And with that, I'll give you a game plan for this entire story.

We're going to finish this story by end of year.

In my story, season two of the tv series Batwoman parallels season one of the tv series Revenge, which will end with chapter 7.

I'm more or less skipping season two of Revenge, and will parallel season three for both shows.

I'll conclude with that season, too, ending on chapter 12. We're almost posting month for month with 2023, so that feels like a nice timeline.

Meet me here on Tumblr next Friday for part one of chapter five. Here's an out of sequence and context snippet from that part.

CHAPTER FIVE SNEAK PEEK

Tommy: “I knew you should have never trusted Robyn.”

Kate: “What are you talking about?”

Kate sips her drink, annoyed by the sudden accusation and shift in conversation. She wasn’t even aware that Tommy had an issue with Robyn.

Tommy: “Isn’t she supposed to be your friend, but she’s moving in on your girl?”

Kate sighs through her nose. 

Kate: “Regardless to how I feel, Sophie isn’t mine. And neither is Robyn. We all met her at the same time. She doesn’t owe any allegiance to me.” 

Tommy: “Right. What a coincidence. She just drops into all of your lives out of nowhere, and now she’s an integral part of it from every angle? You don’t find that odd?”

Kate: “Are you jealous of my relationship with Robyn? Because she’s been nothing but nice to you, so I don’t understand why you would randomly attack her, especially after you saw what just happened to her tonight.”

Tommy: “Seems pretty convenient to me.” 

Kate: “What the hell is convenient about having your recorded therapy session shared with a bunch of strangers?”

Tommy: “Exactly! Strangers! What do you even know about this woman? Because what I see is that your ex seems to be coincidently falling for her, she’s become besties with both Catherine’s and your most trusted employees, and she’s been in Gotham for 5 minutes and is suddenly included in a video leak of Gotham elites.”

Kate: “She IS a Gotham elite, or whatever, if you insist on using those terms. She’s the CEO at Jetirian. Of course she’d use the top recommended therapist. You know what, Tommy? I was just trying to confide in you about Sophie, and this insane rabbit hole you’re digging feels like you’re questioning my judgment in friends. And maybe you’re right about that, because I thought you, my friend, were supposed to be helping me figure out how to get out of this merry go round of feelings about a woman I still love who can barely tolerate me. But maybe you’ve had so much to drink that you’re becoming delusional.”

Tommy, relatively sober, because he’s been more focused on feeding drinks to Kate than consuming them himself, fights back the urge to follow up on the mysterious selection of Robyn as CEO of Jetirian, because he can tell she’s not going to listen to reason tonight. Tommy doesn’t know exactly what’s going on, but as someone who’s pulled a scam or two of his own, he knows one when he sees one. He throws an arm over Kate’s shoulder, bringing her in for a side hug.

Tommy: “Truce bestie! Maybe you’re right. I’ve missed you, and she gets to do all the fun stuff we used to do together. I’m sure you’re right, and I just need to get to know her as well as you do. So, let’s talk about how we get your girl back.” 

~~~~~

See you next week!

All #Batwoman things I do now are in the name of #SaveBatwoman. The month of May has so many fun activities planned for the campaign, including some committee members posting live updates from the #Starfury #Ultimates-Apokolips convention. Go follow @savebatwoman on social Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.

[sonicnerd]

Lego Ninjago: Dragons Rising

Alright, if you haven't watched Dragons Rising yet, don't read this

You have been warned

I don't think Jay and Cole are dead, we've only seen that their pictures are up in a tent for their memories and stuff like that

And even though we see creatures and stuff from other realms, there's 16 realms in total and not to mention, some of those realms have collapsed because of the fall of the pre eminent

With that in mind, in Dragons Rising, we see 'The Cross Roads' which we see everything/one of every creatures and stuff from all over the place, 'Cloud Kingdom', 'The Realm of Madness', and 'Imperium'.

And plus, there's still other realms that the Ninjas + training Ninjas, haven't explored yet or even have information on

So there's a lot of room for imagination here to work with, and with realms that we know of in the original series, we can probably take a guess where Jay and Cole are located at

For example, Jay could be in The Realm of The Jin (evil genies), Plus Cole could be in a wast land with The pre emenet

And since we've seen the pre emenet before when Zane was trapped in a realm of ice and the Ninjas went after him, Pixel and Wu tried to get the Ninja back and find the pre emenet in some dark mystery realm

So, to conclude this, this is why I personally think that Jay and Cole aren't dead.

------

This is all I have for right now for theory's on stuff, but, if you want me to explain some stuff that I think might happen when we get new episodes

I will

Also, my Lego Ninjago AU has changed because of Dragon's Rising and I'll make a post later in the week or month

Have a good day/night!!!!

June 12/2023

[saiyanqueenreads]

Hunter-Centric Fanfic Recommendation List for The Owl House: Fics starting with H & I

***Please observe any tags/warnings on each work before reading, as some stories may deal with triggering topics and situations***

The list will be updated periodically as I find great new stuff.

Happy Movements by true_serendipity he might have made it if he lived on a different street by Cataclysmania Heart, fold over me by foughtyen Heart of Stone by WinterEli Hedge Trimmers, Or A Bread Knife by laceweight_jasmine  hello, my hollow Holofernes by palant1r Helpless (Useless) by probablylesbean Hiding From Yourself by ObabScribbler Hollow Heart by Omgtheentertainment Hollowed Out Beneath the Mask by CulpaStellarum home in another world by camisfrog Homecoming by SpaceButterflies  Homesickness by tordio  Honey by witchflower how can my heart love again? by tristenthekitty How To Be A Liability by grimwalker How To Tame Your Demon Beast by SpaceButterflies The Human's Heritage Series by by Omega_Rora Hunter Breaks a Glass by the_lighthouse_themes_will_continue The hunter eats 500 pounds of sand and lives series (the lobotomy AU) by Anonymous Hunter Oversleeps (wake up, puppet boy) by the_lighthouse_themes_will_continue Hunter's Birthdays by ObabScribbler Hunting Trap by Dragoncurl Huntlow Week - 2022 by Mr_Spinner Huntlow Week 2023 by angelcloves Huntlow Week 2023 by saf_the_sapphire hurt and grieve but don’t suffer alone by nightdaydream Hypocrite by Imbored233

I always want you when I'm finally fine by ruchiru383 i am all the things they might have said to you by beyondthehorizon I believe I must go out into the world again by Calaiti I Come With Knives by castelia I Don't Know What Christmas is, but We're Doing it Together by KOKICHINOLIE I don't need to worry (it's a waste of my fear) by Anonymous I Don't Want Your Help by redrasberries I Failed, Again by Hunter_Kinnie I knew the reason I felt hollow. by ChildlikeGoblinQueen I know by JustAFlyOnTheWall979 I know I shouldn't feel this way today, 'cause I know I am lucky to be here today by Anonymous (I know it’s hard to believe me) it’s a good day! by Cataclysmania I Know We Can Make it Better by Pokemaniac5000 I Like Shiny Things (But I'd Marry You With Paper Rings) by fairytalesandfolklore I Love you so Much I'm Sorry about it by badgirlcoven_official  I Only Wanted Yesterday by Outerwildin I saw the end (it looked just like the middle)by thepinkcallalily I Swear That You Loved Me by HouseholdCleanser i think i'll go down in flames (but you could warm your hands) by dragonflies_and_autumnskies i think its time i conclude these tests (and begin the rest of my life) by romanslegs i think the stars were listening by carpisuns i wanna tell you (but i don’t know how) by carpisuns I Want Your Warm Bright Eyes to Never Look Away by badgirlcoven_official I Was A Boy And I Was Good (But There Are Witches In These Woods) by here_there_be_drag0ns I was far too scared to hit him (I'd hit him in a heartbeat now) by rnelody  "I won't tell if you don't." by AnotherAttempt i wish that i knew what makes you think i'm so special by randomramblingsofme I want a nice soft place to land I want to lie down forever by Phantomxlegend

I'd forgotten people are kind by sunflowersandscreams If I'm Being Honest by wanderingsoulsearching I'll Stare Directly At The Sun But Never In The Mirror by fairytalesandfolklore I'm asking, but don't answer by mindlessmarbles Im not hungry, Im never hungry. by Anonymous I'm Not Real by Non_Bee_Knees i’m sorry my darling by justsummr I'm starting to think you make those things just to destroy them by Polyhexian I'm Still Here by ExploretheEcccentricities Imminently Intertwined by AkumaMatata imperfect by paranoid_parallax Imperfect Lock by Nosferatank  In the Shadows of the Ruins by milkyway_galaxy    Intrusion by rayrock  Inventing Traditions by CassiePoppy45 Is There Room For One More Son? by CreatureOfTheSun Isn't he your family? by prodigalDaughter Impossible, Stupid, Desperate by SolBaby Inhale, Hold, Exhale by theprincessofdenial It Means I Love You by bean17magic It Takes a Village by Azhreia Its A Deal by The_confused_writer It's a Long Way To Dearest Gravesfield by LadyLorena It's Everything I Know And All I Do by redrasberries It's Golden by UnnieBeans I've Got You by here_there_be_drag0ns

Fics Starting With: A / B, C, D / E, F, G / H, I / J, K, L / M, N, O, P / Q, R, S / T, U, V / W, X, Y, Z, #

[jandjsalmon]

2023 FFRC - May 🏉

Hello friends! I hope you had a lovely May! Aside from our ABYSMAL provincial election (Boo Hiss!) and the northern forest fires that made the local air quality the worst in the world (for a couple of days anyway) - things here have been pretty decent. Rugby season was a success, and my Bethy added a second Provincials title to her name (two days after her 17th birthday)! If you're following my Insta, you can see her making tries in eye-black and tackling down girls 4 inches taller than she is. It's been a really fun season.

Unsurprisingly, I wasn't able to read quite as much as I did last month, but I'm only 16 tasks away from finishing the whole @fanfic-reading-challenge - so that's neat. Some of those are monthly and I can't complete them until December - so I'm going to sit back and chill and just re-read stuff that I like.

May 2023

This month felt less successful than last - but we also weren't down with the cold-from-hell anymore either so there was a bit less time for reading. There were also several shows I watch that ended this week - so I was watching stuff instead.

You know what is interesting? When you find a show you like so much on it's own that you don't really see out fic for it. Strange. I wonder if this is how "normal" people are - you know the ones (they say they are the ones without hyperfixations but I've BEEN to a hockey game and I know non-fic reading hyperfixations when I see them). ANYWAY - I've read a few Ted Lasso fics but haven't really sought any out. I might after the finale now though - but not because I'm searching for fixing, but because I'm not ready to say goodbye to everyone yet. I see you out there with your Midge/Lenny fics and your Succession fics - and I love you all for continuing to make art once the inspiration has concluded. You guys rock!

Anyway for my recs for you! Try these - you might enjoy them. 🖤🖤

--*--

Be Kind, Rewind by @ozmathegreatand (Wenvier - T 8/8)

Notes: A Groundhog Day Curse fic. I've reread this five times. It's clever and I get more out of it each time I read it. SUPER good.

Fratellino by @loflight501 (Andy/Booker - E 1/1)

Notes: The Old Guard is a comfort movie for me. I've never sought out fic before - but this was SUPER good. Post canon. Delightful.

Sinclair-Mackenzie by BIFF1 (Mac/Dick- M 18/18)

Notes: Sincerely, my favourite Veronica Mars fic on the planet. I reread it often and it makes my heart happy. It's not all fluff and rainbows - but it deals with Mac's birth swap (by way of her brother marrying her sister lol) and the Cassidy feelings - and it's features Noir writer Logan writing long distance love letters to Veronica through his novels.

All Creatures Great and Small by @middleagedresidentofriverdale (Bughead - T 6/6)

Notes: This might be the cutest animal rescue story since I fell in love with a pangolin. This was really sweet and true to character and a wonderful AU. It was so lovely and was exactly what I needed this month. 💙💛

--*--

--*--

ANYWAY - you all know this by now - but I'm always looking for new fic recs, so if you have any stories you think I'll love (whether you wrote them or your friend wrote them or you came upon them accidentally), please drop me a line or send me a dm. I've found SO many awesome fics through recommendations from others. I'll read almost any pairing and any fandom. Shoot me a link!🖤

Anyway - I'm happy you're here! I hope you have a wonderful June and I'll see you back here in a few weeks! Happy reading! 🖤

[i-am-still-bb]

Fluffuary 2023 - Day 18 - reunion OR caretaking

Fili Dead Batteries AU - Tumblr / Ao3

Ao3

--

A/N: This comes immediately prior to the series namesake story. Not particularly fluffy.

--

“Fili! Your phone’s ringing!” Bofur nudged Fili’s boot.

Fili fit the wrench to the bolt, but didn’t turn it. “Can’t it wait?”

“It’s Thorin. I’ve already sent it to voicemail twice now and he just calls back. You know how he is”

“Yeah, I know,” Fili sighed. “Just answer it. Let me get this undertray off,” Fili started loosening the bolt again. When it came free the plastic undertray dropped down and he had to hold it in place with his forearm while he loosened the other bolds. “Hey! And hand me that oil drain pan, would you?” He held his hand out hoping that Bofur had heard him. He could hear Bofur talking on the phone.

The drip pan was placed in Fili’s outstretched hand.

“Yeah, I’ll tell him,” Bofur was concluding the call as Fili rolled out from under the car, the creeper’s wheels protesting as he did so.

“What’d he want?” Fili asked, wiping his fingers on a rag.

“He needs you to take the property tax for the garage to be paid in person.”

“What? Why?”

“Something about it being two weeks late already and him being busy.”

“And it has to be done today?”

“It’s Friday, and on Monday it will be three weeks late.”

“I’m surprised he hasn’t gotten in trouble with the number of times that he’s forgotten to pay the taxes on this place.” Fili shook his head.

“It helps that he’s got your mother to remind him,” Bofur replied with a grin.

“She gives one hell of a reminder that’s for sure.

“Just let me finish this oil change and then I’ll take it.” Fili lay back down on the creeper and, oil filter in hand, started to pull himself under the car again.

“I’ll get someone else to finish this. It’s already 3 and it has to be taken to Lake Town.”

“That’s 45m away! It can’t be paid here?”

“I’m just the messenger. I’ll tell him that you’re on your way.”

“My way where?” Fili shouted at Bofur’s retreating back.

“He’s at his place and he’s got the check with him!” Bofur shouted back. He heard Fili swearing before the office door shut between them.

—

Fili had walked through the office door at 4:57pm. The clerk was sitting on the edge of his desk staring at his watch, counting down to 5pm. His whole body groaned even though he did not make a sound when he saw Fili.

A few words were exchanged and Fili was out the door.

The pavement had been baking all day in the late Spring sunlight and it was making Fili regret his long sleeved shirt, especially while wearing his helmet. His bike roared to life when he turned it on. It was a sound that drowned out most thoughts. And once on the road the noise of the tires and wind drowned out the rest of them. He never watched them time when he was on his bike. He knew when he needed to be someplace and he knew how long it would take to get there, but once he settled onto the seat he did not worry about it.

The drive between Lake Town and Pais was a straight road with slight hills and valleys. It gave Fili plenty of time to watch the golden brown fields or glance to his right to see the outlines of mountains still capped in snow.

It also meant that he saw the disabled vehicle long before he passed it. He watched one car, then another, and then a semi truck that buffeted the car and it’s driver who was standing on the passenger side with its draft, pass the rusted Civic.

It gave him plenty of time to decide to stop to offer his skills or his cellphone or even a ride to the driver.

He slowed down passing the car before pulling off onto the gravel shoulder.  Fili dismounted, put the kickstand down, and pulled off his helmet. He tucked his hair behind his ears before hanging the helmet from the bike’s handlebars.

He heard the driver’s voice as soon as he removed the helmet and his heartbeat stuttered..

No.

But then he turned and saw the driver’s face. And…

Fuck.

Fili would know that face anywhere. He stood straighter, his hair was shorter with bangs that fell forward when he ducked his head. His clothes were fitted in a way that would have made the him from 10 years ago squirm and fuss even though there was plenty of ease. But it was still Kili.

Fili snorted to cover his discomfort and break the expression he felt start to settle in place as soon as he saw Kili.. “Long time no see, short stuff.” A statement that hasn’t been true since they were 14 and Kili grew three inches one summer.

Because what else could he say after all these years?

I missed you?

I hate you?

I love you?

[unboxedreflections]

BUILDING

Again, my previous entry sets this one up beautifully as I speak about how I built on my skills to become a valuable team member at each organisation, which really stemmed from the amazing foundation I laid, which again, I discussed in my previous entries. 

Having found my groove and etched myself well into the culture at each organisation, I decided to push harder with my work and really let my passion shine through. I did this by regularly asking questions and always asking for feedback when submitting tasks. I also made a concerted effort to create valued relationships with each of my co-workers/team members. 

As Wiśniewska et al. (2021) found, organisations that diversify the tasks they give employees are much more likely to see such employees continue to learn which is proven to be integral to their employability, the ability to continually learn. That’s exactly what both Rainmaker and Motorsport Aus’ did, they made sure to change up my tasks and give me as many different experiences as I could. For example, at Motorsport, one week I was writing race reports in the office and the next I was filming content for reels trackside at the Sandown SpeedSeries. At Rainmaker I’d research and write talent rundowns, create and produce graphics and assist in post-production of the Adelaide FL show all in one day. 

(Box, 2023)

Asking questions and creating relationships also improved my ability to continuously learn and become a better team member, which was, of course, the ultimate goal, to improve my employability. Nick Richards at Rainmaker knew this, saw my passion and threw me into the deep end asking me to cut highlights tapes for a Western Bulldogs talk show, he knew that I regularly ask questions where needed and he believed in me which I am hugely thankful for because I certainly didn’t haha! Either way, I was able to complete the task for several weeks after the Adelaide FL show concluded. 

(Box, 2023)

Overall, I think this really boosted my ability and it’s a real key moment in my development as a team member, this task and one very similar at Motorsport Aus, where I was asked to edit and produce a video for their socials including interviews and highlights from a recent event. Prior to these internships and without my mantra of asking questions and creating relationships and the supportive environment and culture, I'd have never even attempted these things, but that’s the power of attitude. Believing in one’s own ability is vital to the success of that said individual and has been found to link directly to increased workplace performance (Morandi et al., 2022). So, above all else, the supportive cultures of both organisations coupled with my passion, curious attitude and desire to connect with others increased my self-belief tenfold, which is the main driver of my improvement as an intern.

(Box, 2023)

[burningdarkfire]

writing retrospection 2022

quick and easy stats:

i published 42 fics over two accounts for a total of 167,903 words

i wrote 192,053 words during the year, averaging 535 words per day

two areas of focus:

writing fics where the protagonist isn’t always right: this includes fics where the protag’s thoughts/narrative voice is distinct from what is “actually” happening - fics where characters lie or have false impressions about each other - fics where characters do not talk like they’re in therapy. i want to write interesting characters!! i want to write stories that make the reader have to think!

this is still very much a work in progress - it’s hard to glean from fic comments whether people “get” the fic the way i intended or not and then it’s hard to decide if it’s my fault when they don’t - though it’s insanely rewarding when they do!

my fave works incorporating the above:

the weight of desire and despair (jayvik in the arcane timeskip)

if you close your eyes (astrid and wulf and an amnesiac caleb)

meanwhile the world goes on (the start of the wizard polycule)

writing porn, and writing a lot of porn: this was already something i worked on during 2021 but i significantly escalated this year both in scope (new pairings, new kinks, etc) and in quantity (i haven't posted a T or G fic since the summer). very much a "the only way out is through" mentality on this one, where i'm going to keep doing it until it doesn't feel like a big deal anymore 🤷‍♂️

some smut that i never thought i would write:

one pup, two pup (wizard polycule a/b/o)

desire, fulfilled (shadowgast drow pon farr/mating cycles)

nothing burns like the cold (shadowgast aeor date gone bad)

and of course, my one true focus for the year ...

blood moon:

it is honestly absolutely crazy to look at the numbers and realize that i came astonishingly close to my pipe dream goal of updating once per week. it doesn’t feel real when my entire year “behind the scenes” has been haunted by my inability to finish one longer fic

i have struggled a lot with blood moon, especially the final two chapters, and each soft deadline that i’ve set for myself has come and gone with no true resolution (including my goal to see it finished by the end of 2022). i think about this fic pretty much every single day of my life, even during the weeks that i don’t work on it at all. i’ve flip-flopped on every decision this year: i’m going to finish it, i don’t have to finish it, i won’t edit it, i will end up editing it, it doesn’t matter if i hate it if it’s done, i don’t want to publish something i don’t like, etc.

currently, i am determined to finish writing blood moon to a standard that i can, at the very least, make peace with. realistically, because it’s taken me over a year to write it, i’ve already out grown this fic. short of starting it over from scratch (which i resolutely do not want to do), there’s a ceiling for how good it can be and i just have to be fine with that

it will be the second story i’ve ever written that hits 50k words and i will be very, very glad to see it done. i’ll continue to upload at least one chapter per month, and i’m very grateful for the readers and commentators who have been following it thus far

writing goals for next year:

this was my first year using a writing tracker and i liked it! i took the one by @angryonabus and modified it for my own use. i’m a very habit-based person and having a tracker helps a lot

my goal was and will continue to be roughly 10k words per month - i’m obviously capable of overshooting that by a considerable amount but i don’t feel a need to push myself

i would love for 2023 to be the year that i tackle romcoms. i have two ideas lined up (the sedoretu fic and the marry me AU) that will be my bigger projects after blood moon concludes

in general, i’d like to write more fics in the 10-20k range, stories that have a little more plot (including emotional/relationship development), which means that i might not update anywhere near as much next year

plans for existing series/AUs:

definitive plans, concrete ideas:

league jayvik battlecast AU - realistically i’ve lost momentum for jayvik but even if this takes years and more arcane seasons i WILL come back for this

rough ideas, need motivation:

the shadowgast+widobrave polymorph fic - i’ve always had the second chapter sketched but never written it

packverse - there’s a blumendrei prequel scene i want to write

companion to wolves AU - also some blumendrei prequel scenes for this one, as well as future scenes with essek

critrole amnesia!caleb - essek POV!!

aeor date gone wrong - i know the fallout and want to write it but i do not care to write the actual catharsis because i think it would take a long time and i am an impatient writer. i’ll have to decide if it’s worth anything without it

no specific ideas but i like these ‘verses so i might go back to them:

critrole purple person shenanigans

critrole blumendrei modern college AU

critrole wizard polycule

critrole decades post-canon polynein

league jayvik gamers AU

[markleesthighs]

Black Mamba | Chapter 3

Pairings: Reader x Mark Lee, Reader x Hendery, Reader x Jaehyun, feat. ot21

Genre: NCT mafia!au, angst, fluff, light smut (suggestive), comical

Warnings: Swearing, A LOT of flashbacks, passive-aggressiveness

Words: 3.045k

【 ❶ ❷ ➂ ❹ ❺ ❻ ❼】

Chapter 3 - Moving On 

Seoul, Korea, a week after Valentine’s Day 2023

One week. One week since your heartbroken, one week since you’ve lost your love and heart to a man full of shit. You had never stepped foot into Mark’s bedroom since and have taken off your necklace you had kept on for three years was now in a box in your bedside dresser locked away forever. You both never talked with each other since that night and kept it strictly professional. 

You focused on your work and have helped succeed almost 80% of the missions since last week. You also found yourself accepting more assassination missions wanting to get out of the mansion. You also got closer to Hendery, and it would not have been a shock to see that Mark took notice to that. He always gazed at you looking at you laughing over something Hendery said or when you let him come into the lab with you to look at what you were working on. He became a really close friend to you since that night.

You came back from an assassination, riding on your motorbike with your helmet on. You rode into the garage and took off your helmet and walked into the mansion and you heard the voice of the guys from the main entrance looking through the windows.

“Who is that?”

“She’s pretty.”

“I wonder when he broke the news to her.”

“Bet Mark bought her that necklace.”

“Ha, I bet he bought her everything she is wearing.”

You immediately knew who they were talking about, a/n (any name). Mark finally decided to bring her to the mansion and show her what he really does for work. You are going to assume its some spoiled brat who only wants Mark for money and his dick. You put your helmet down along with the others in your closet and started to walk down to greet whoever this a/n is. All the guys and Mark immediately stopped talking when they saw you, hearing the clicking of your boots approaching them. They all moved out of your way, and you made eye contact with Mark and a/n. Mark looked at you in panic and awkwardness, awaiting your reaction. I guess Mark thought you wouldn’t be at the mansion by now and try to sneak her in the mansion without you noticing. You reached out a hand to a/n.

“Hello, I am y/n, nice to meet you.”

“Hi! OMG, I LOVE your outfit.”

“Thank you, I’ve heard so much about you.”

You noticed her necklace, it was the same exact one Mark gave you, same letter engraving, the same pendant that you wore for three years.

“How do you know Mark?”

“Oh, Mark?”

You put an arm around his shoulder and gave him a noogie.

“I’ve known this idiot for four years, we are practically family, right, Mark?”

“y-yeah, family.”

She looked somewhat intimidated by you. You had a perfect, healthy body (all bodies are beautiful :)), friendly with all of the guys, and appeared to be a goddess to her.

“Oh, don’t worry about me, if I were to date anyone of these dumbasses it would be Hendery or Jaehyun.”

Both of their faces immediately lit up, and they started to laugh and hit each other

“Hey! That doesn’t mean I would date you, I would only do so if I were forced to by Mark.”

They both calmed down, and a/n seemed to calm down from her worries.

“Y/n why don’t you take a/n for a tour?” Mark said.

You fake smiled and said

“Sure, I would LOVE to.”

The guys and Mark soon dispersed back to their work while you led her around the entire mansion, explaining where everything is.

“So this the main entrance, obviously with high tech security, and has loaded guns and missiles built into its walls to ensure safety.”

“From what?”

“People trying to kill us.”

“This is the kitchen, living, and dining room, we don’t spend much time in the living or dining room since we are all busy 24/7. We also have a personal, professional chef and maid service for you if you feel like it.”

“So if I want anything I can get it?”

“Yes…”

“The floor below is mainly the garage, which you can’t have access to since you are not allowed to leave without Mark, another member, or a bodyguard.”

“That’s not fair.”

“Whatever,” you thought.

“If you go upstairs, this is the floor where the most work happens, and YOU MUST knock on the door before going in, understood?”

She nodded as you continued. 

“If you look out here, you can see our bathhouses inspired by Japanese onsens, and you will go into the women’s side, not the men’s side. You can also see our outdoor and indoor shooting ranges where we train our trainees to shoot. Here on this floor, you will find all of our conference rooms and offices, if you look at the end of the hallway on the right that’s Mark’s office, you can feel free to pop in if you’d like. If you need any help, ask Taeyong, whose office is the last door on the right. If you look left, you will see the weaponry and technology labs, my lab is all the way at the end. However, you are NOT allowed inside.”

“Why not?”

“First, you physically can’t come in, and I don’t want anyone or you knocking on the door thinking you can, it has a facial and fingerprint scanner impossible to hack. Only Mark and I can access or allow anyone in. Second, Mark wants you to be safe, so he wants you to stay away from this lab so you can’t get hurt when we are testing weapons.”

“Aww, he’s so sweet.”

You roll your eyes so hard that you might hurt your skull of how annoying she is.

“This is the third floor, where all of the bedroom quarters are, this is where we all sleep, and you will be sleeping in Mark’s room.”

You walked her to Mark’s room and hesitated to open the door getting flashbacks of that night. 

“Um, are you going to open the door?”

“Yeah I was, I was just making sure no one was in there.”

You swung the door open and let her walk around, looking at his room. It smelled just as you remembered, musk, cigarettes, and whiskey. You saw as nothing changed except the picture of you two were replaced by her and presents given by you were nowhere to be found. The one thing you still saw was the wall. The wall he threw you into was slightly dented and would only be noticed if you knew what happened there. 

“Alright let’s go” (before you start crying at least)

“Okay!!”

She was WAY too peppy and energetic for your type, you have NO IDEA how Mark found her attractive, heck even started dating this chick. You led her through the rest of the house and eventually ended the tour.

“This concludes the tour any questions?”

“Uhhhh, yeah! What do I get to do!”

“HA, nothing.”

“W-what?”

“Listen, you are here to keep Mark happy, pick up a hobby or something. At least make yourself useful here.”

You left her in the elevator walking to your lab exhausted from talking to her and continued working for the rest of the day. You needed a bath and steam, so you headed to the bathhouses to relax for your tiring day. It was still snowing out, and the contrast of the cold breeze and the hot water and steam made you feel extremely relaxed. 

You kept thinking in your thoughts about a/n, and how she magically seduced Mark. You also thought if Mark was really over you, or needed to distract himself. But nonetheless, you hoped Mark was happy since you still cared about him and would always support whatever he does with his life.

That was until you heard a crashing in your bathhouse. You immediately got out and put on your robe with a dagger, a throwing knife, and a gun equipped in your pockets. You held your gun and saw the shadow in the changing room who knocked over all of the buckets and towels. You prepared to protect yourself as you put them into a chokehold with your gun to their head.

“If you move or speak you will die got it?”

“y-y/n it’s just me.”

“What are you doing in here?”

“A/N??? WHAT THE HELL YOU SCARED THE SHIT OUT OF ME!”

“I-I just came to take a bath.”

“Well, a WARNING could have been nice.”

You calmly removed her from her chokehold and walked back to the outdoor onsen to have some steam and she soon followed shortly. She didn’t get in, but she looked around for a bit.

“What do you do around here?”

“You get in and relax, this is usually the time where I can clear my head, but you decided to come along.”

She then hopped in and sat across from you.

“So, do you like anyone here?”

“Why do you care?”

“I don’t know you are surrounded but so many handsome guys, I’m surprised you’re not dating one of them.”

“Why so you can cheat on Mark with one of them?”

“What? No. Never.”

“Well, I’m sorry I’m focused on my work, so I don’t have time for dating.”

“Oh. Have you ever thought about it?”

“No…not any of them are my type.”

You then got out since you’ve been in the onsen bath for too long and felt light-headed.

“BYEEEE I’LL SEE YOU TOMORROW!!!”

You waved and had a cold shower before you left. You felt better after and walked back into the mansion to find Mark reading on the couch, looking like he was waiting for his girlfriend.

“Oh, y/n, I have something for you.”

Mark got up and handed you an envelope with gold lettering with your name on it. You took it and opened if, in front of him, it read “25th Annual Masquerade Ball.” You remembered this ball since you remember your parents attending one every year. Mark was telling you that every member of NCT was required to attend, protect, and enjoy others and themselves. 

He told you a fashion designer will come and take your measurements for your custom mask and ball gown. You remembered attending this ball with Mark several times. Even if he was busy, he still promised to give you a dance and never forgot his promise. You have memories of those magical nights, but this is the first time you are going solo. You walked away, but before you entered your room, you heard Mark’s laughing from the living room. You missed that, hearing his laugh and making him smile, it was a bittersweet feeling.

Every morning regardless of the weather, you do a morning run before you work on anything. You wake up really early to go on your run, so you are not disturbed by others in the morning. However, you didn’t realize that someone as looking for you. A/n actually asked a maid where you were. When you returned, she looked at you in awe, after your workout, you looked even more like a Goddess compared to her.

“How was your run?”

“Fine.”

“I was wondering if us girls wanted to hang out today since I have nothing to do here.”

“But unlike you, I have work to do here, so you run along and pick some flowers.”

You walked away with maids holding water, towels, and your change of clothes before heading into the lab. In the lab, your eyes met the invitation again, reminding yourself that the Masquerade Ball is coming up and the fashion designer was coming to see you today. Since you had a fitting around your lunchtime, you decided to design some Masquerade Ball friendly weapons. Gun holsters, knife pockets, tracking devices, earpieces, and night vision lenses. Soon after, you were called for your fitting and walked to the garage, got on your motorbike, and rode off to the fashion designers workshop. You arrived and went up to the top floor to meet a similar face who’s designed all of your outfits to the years prior to the ball.

It felt awkward, but, you kept calm during the entire fitting. While you were doing your fitting, you looked around and saw Mark’s and a/n’s outfit designs on the wall, matching in a beautiful navy blue and gold theme. You never matched Mark at these balls, since you kept your love hidden. The designer decided on a red dress with a golden snake necklace and golden embroidery. He would tell you he would send everyone’s outfits early for you to input any proper equipment or defenses. 

It wouldn’t take long, it would just be a quick sew and an add on. You had given him the blueprints of the weapons prior so he can highlight and sew in pockets for special items like poison gas. He showed the masks that fit your special requests and accommodations. They had trackers, analyzers, and night vision mode when you looked through it. They also had an x-ray option to see what weapons the person is currently carrying (only for your mask). They also were secret gas masks and could see through smoke bombs. You soon left your fitting and rode back in peace, knowing that the gala will be left in good hands.

A week later, you were sent everyone’s outfits in a vast array of colors from black to yellow. You equipped everyone’s outfits until you hesitated at Mark’s. It was beautiful, and you knew how good he would look in it. It had golden vines across his navy suit jacket. You looked at a/n’s dress thinking how the dress could have been yours, that if things had worked out differently, you would be wearing this dress. This dress should be your dress, not hers. 

You were about to burn the dress when you realized how selfish you were being. It’s Mark’s first time going to a ball with a date, and it’s not like he’s unhappy with her, he smiles all the time around her. You delicately placed her dress down, put a tracking device, dagger, and an alarm system connected to Mark, to know when she’s not within the eyesight of Mark. Your dress, you made sure it could be ripped off for any emergency. The skirt part can rip off and reveal your black pants underneath equipped with everything you needed, guns, knives, bombs, and ammo. 

You sent the maids to deliver the suits and dresses to all the NCT members, while trainees were either working or have the night off (depending on how well they did on their tests). You also started talking to Hendery more and more, and now you both became very close friends. Mark did notice this and started to fill up Hendery’s schedule so you couldn’t see him often. You both would eat together, and he would hang out with you in the lab on late nights and bring you tea to keep you working. It would not be surprising if you didn’t say you started to warm up to him, or heck even likes him. He was there for you when you needed it, and you trusted him with your heart. 

That night you were tired from all of your work you lied down on your bed and thought about Hendery. You wondered if he felt the same way or even liked you. You remembered when he seems excited when you said you would date him, maybe that’s a sign? You told Hendery all of your worries and concerns, and he was there to listen and comfort you. You two also occasionally had sleepovers in your room, pushing each other playing Mario Kart or watching sad romance dramas. He was like a best friend that you loved more. Since your break up with Mark, it’s been a long time since you’ve had a genuine best friend. 

Sure, Mark was your best friend (that you dated), but a person to hang out with and spend your free time with was lovely. Yeah, the other guys are still your friends, but they are always super busy and can’t even catch a break with you. The only reason why Hendery can is that he is the head of his own department, and has other people working under him to do his work. Hendery strictly just reports what he gets from his peers. He works in the medicine and health department, which was in another building, to prevent sickness from spreading and allow a separate hospital for NCT. 

You didn’t feel like that lonely child anymore, you felt love. Those same fuzzy warm feelings for Mark resonated within Hendery, but were you ever going to tell him? If he doesn’t feel the same thing what is going to happen? 

You took a quick shower and changed, continuing to lay on your bed, thinking. Just as you were in your own thoughts, you heard a knock at your door. You got up to answer it, and speak of the devil, its Hendery. He walked in a little nervous and sat down on the bed. 

“What’s up Hendery?”

“H-hey y/n, can I ask you something?”

“Shoot.”

“Do you w-want to come with me to the Masquerade Ball?”

“...”

“A-as f-friends of course...if that makes you feel comfortable.”

“...”

“I-I know you are still hurt from Mark, so I figured you should still enjoy the ball regardless.”

“T-thank you, I would love to go with you Hendery.”

“R-really??”

You then pecked his cheek, which made him blush a crimson red on his cheeks.

“You can also consider me your date then.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course.” 

He then hugged you before saying goodbye and goodnight, and you somehow lost all of your worries and fell asleep peacefully. 

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[markleesthighs]

Black Mamba

Pairings: Reader x Mark Lee, Reader x Hendery, Reader x Jaehyun, feat. ot21

Genre: NCT mafia!au, angst, fluff, light smut (suggestive), comical

Warnings: Swearing, A LOT of flashbacks, passive aggressiveness

Chapter 3 - Moving On (preview)

Seoul, Korea, a week after Valentine’s Day 2023

One week. One week since your heart broken, one week since you’ve lost your love and heart to a man full of shit. You had never stepped foot into Mark’s bedroom since and have taken off your necklace you had kept on for three years was now in a box in your bedside dresser locked away forever. You both never talked with each other since that night and kept it strictly professional. 

You focused on your work and have helped succeed almost 80% of the missions since last week. You also found yourself accepting more assassination missions wanting to get out of the mansion. You also got closer to Hendery and it would not have been a shock to see that Mark took notice to that. He always gazed at you looking at you laughing over something Hendery said or when you let him come into the lab with you to look at what you were working on. He became a really close friend to you since that night.

You came back from an assassination, riding on your motorbike with your helmet on. You rode into the garage and took off your helmet and walked into the mansion and you heard the voice of the guys from the main entrance looking through the windows.

“Who is that?”

“She’s pretty.”

“I wonder when he broke the news to her.”

“Bet Mark bought her that necklace.”

“Ha, I bet he bought her everything she is wearing.”

You immediately knew who they were talking about, a/n (any name). Mark finally decided to bring her to the mansion and show her what he really does for work. You are going to assume its some spoiled brat who only wants Mark for money and his dick. You put your helmet down along with the others in your closet and started to walk down to greet whoever this a/n is. All the guys and Mark immediately stopped talking when they saw you, hearing the clicking of your boots approaching them. They all moved out of your way and you made eye contact with Mark and a/n. Mark looked at you in panic and awkwardness awaiting your reaction. I guess Mark thought you wouldn’t be at the mansion by now and try to sneak her in the mansion without you noticing. You reached out a hand to a/n.

“Hello, I am y/n, nice to meet you.”

“Hi! OMG, I LOVE your outfit.”

“Thank you, I’ve heard so much about you.”

You noticed her necklace, it was the same exact one Mark gave you, same letter engraving, the same pendant that you wore for three years.

“How do you know Mark?”

“Oh, Mark?”

You put an arm around his shoulder and gave him a noogie

“I’ve known this idiot for four years, we are practically family, right Mark?”

“y-yeah, family.”

She looked somewhat intimidated by you. You had a perfect, healthy body (all bodies are beautiful :)), friendly with all of the guys, and appeared to be a goddess to her.

“Oh, don’t worry about me, if I were to date any one of these dumbasses it would be Hendery or Jaehyun.”

Both of their faces immediately lit up and they started to laugh and hit each other

“Hey! That doesn’t mean I would date you, I would only do so if I was forced to by Mark.”

They both calmed down and a/n seemed to calm down from her worries.

“Y/n why don’t you take a/n for a tour?” Mark said.

You fake smiled and said

“Sure I would LOVE to.”

The guys and Mark soon dispersed back to their work while you led her around the entire mansion explaining where everything is.

“So this the main entrance, obviously with high tech security, and has loaded guns and missiles built into its walls to ensure safety.”

“From what?”

“People trying to kill us.”

“This is the kitchen, living and dining room, we don’t spend much time in the living or dining room since we are all busy 24/7. We also have a personal professional chef and maid service for you if you feel like it.”

“So if I want anything I can get it?”

“Yes…”

“The floor below is mainly the garage, which you can’t have access to since you are not allowed to leave without Mark, another member, or a bodyguard.”

“That’s not fair”

“Whatever,” you thought

“If you go upstairs, this is the floor where the most work happens and YOU MUST knock on the door before going in, understood?”

She nodded as you continued 

“If you look out here you can see our bathhouses inspired by Japanese onsens, and you will go into the women’s side, not the men’s side. You can also see our outdoor and indoor shooting ranges where we train our trainees to shoot. Here on this floor, you will find all of our conference rooms and offices, if you look at the end of the hallway on the right that’s Mark’s office, you can feel free to pop in if you’d like. If you need any help ask Taeyong, whose office is the last door on the right. If you look left, you will see the weaponry and technology labs, my lab is all the way at the end, however, you are NOT allowed inside.”

“Why not?”

“First, you physically can’t come in and I don’t want anyone or you knocking on the door thinking you can, it has a facial and fingerprint scanner impossible to hack. Only Mark and I can access or allow anyone in. Second, Mark wants you to be safe, so he wants you to stay away from this lab so you can’t get hurt when we are testing weapons.”

“Aww he’s so sweet”

You roll your eyes so hard that you might hurt your skull of how annoying she is.

  “This is the third floor, where all of the bedroom quarters are, this is where we all sleep and you will be sleeping in Mark’s room”

You walked her to Mark’s room and hesitated to open the door getting flashbacks of that night. 

“Um, are you going to open the door?”

“Yeah I was, I was just making sure no one was in there”

You swung the door open and let her walk around looking at his room. It smelled just as you remembered, musk, cigarettes, and whiskey. You saw as nothing changed except the picture of you two were replaced by her and presents given by you were nowhere to be found. The one thing you still saw was the wall. The wall he threw you into was slightly dented and would only be noticed if you knew what happened there. 

“Alright let's go” (before you start crying at least)

“Okay!!”

She was WAY too peppy and energetic for your type, you have NO IDEA how Mark found her attractive, heck even started dating this chick. You led her through the rest of the house and eventually ended the tour.

“This concludes the tour any questions?”

“Uhhhh, yeah! What do I get to do!”

“HA, nothing.”

“W-what?”

“Listen, you are here to keep Mark happy, pick up a hobby or something. At least make yourself useful here.”

You left her in the elevator walking to your lab exhausted from talking to her and continued working for the rest of the day. You needed a bath and steam, so you headed to the bathhouses to relax for your tiring day. It was still snowing out and the contrast of the cold breeze and the hot water and steam made you feel extremely relaxed. 

You kept thinking in your thoughts about a/n, and how she magically seduced Mark. You also thought if Mark was really over you, or needed to distract himself. But nonetheless, you hoped Mark was happy since you still cared about him and would still support whatever he does with his life.

That was until you heard a crashing in your bathhouse. You immediately got out and put on your robe with a dagger, a throwing knife, and a gun equipped in your pockets. You held your gun and saw the shadow in the changing room who knocked over all of the buckets and towels. You prepared to protect yourself as you put them into a choke hold with your gun to their head.

“If you move or speak you will die got it?”

“y-y/n it’s just me”

“What are you doing in here?”

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~n ✧*:·ﾟ