#America’s little b**ch

[supersunsetnova]

😂😂

[nevadancitizen]

-> CH. 1: A SILENT DOG & STILL WATERS

synopsis: the soviet union has been producing robots for a long time based on a miracle compound: polymer. but that was invented in 1941. the current year is 2038, and, due to rising tensions in the arctic, americans aren't as kind to soviets as they once were. it's too bad you're a russki, and it's really too bad that you work in cybersecurity. and honestly, with the case fowler has put you on, you're at risk of losing your job. it doesn't help that you're stuck with lieutenant hank anderson and some new android apparently called connor.

word count: 2.6k

ships: Connor/Reader, Hank Anderson & Reader

notes: based on an au i literally had a dream about. it's basically d:bh with elements of atomic heart :P this ch. is half exposition and half hank being an alcoholic lolololol

HEAD OF FALSE SECURITY MASTERLIST

The Soviet Union had always been very good at spying on and stealing American technology. They did so with the atomic bomb, the B-29 superfortress, and the space shuttle – with no lack of effort on America’s side of trying to keep them secret. 

But one thing set the USSR above the rest: polymer. A miracle compound that formed the backbone for every technological evolution that came after. It mimics a human neuron, including its ability to interpret input signals. With tinkering from top Soviet scientists (and a whole lot of luck), a gigantic neural network was established, the maximum computing power of which was orders of magnitude higher than the power of a conventional network.

With polymer, the Soviets reigned supreme as the only real international superpower. The other countries could play at being powerful, but the USSR was top dog – and she wasn’t keen on letting the others forget.

But that was in the past. And the past is boring. That was in 1941, and something you learn about in history class. Polymer is now regularly sold and traded and built upon and shared. After the Cold War ended, it was expanded outwards and is no longer a precious commodity. It was even needed to build a modern technology – androids. Ones that could pass the Turing test, unlike the TER-A1 Tereshkova (which was a human-looking robot, sure, but one that had an unsettling, unmoving mask for a face). 

And androids are simply better than Soviet bots. They’re versatile and able to be mass-produced without specialization development. They’re not big and clunky like the chimpanzee-esque MA-9 Belyash and can still accomplish the same installation, plumbing, and welding work. They can do the same agricultural work an ARU-31/6 Rotorobot can do without the risk of accidentally endangering humans while in use.

Again, they’re simply better. In the current year of 2038, American androids just trump similar Soviet tech in every way.

But that doesn’t mean that the Soviets aren’t still trying. They’ve invaded the Arctic with intent to claim the land, heavy with NA-T256 Natasha bots and the claim that the “heavy-duty ground-based loader bots can squeeze up to five liters of blood from a human body in under twenty seconds,” as a deterrent to American forces.

And this action has made your workplace a hell away from home.

Even though you immigrated from Chelomey, Russia to Detroit, Michigan in 2027, before all this business went down, people still eyed you warily – like you secretly enjoyed living under communism and the ever-watching eye of the Kremlin. Like you were just itching to get your grubby little paws on American secrets so you could report them to Comrade Molotov and a beautiful girl back home called Katya. Yeah, right.

These small, under-the-breath and glance-of-the-eye accusations weren’t helped by your current occupation: as a screen jockey for the Head of Cybersecurity of the Detroit Police. They acted like you hadn’t worked just as hard as everyone else for your position – for your polymer glove and the privileges that came with it.

Polymer gloves have come a long way from their prototype in 1955. They’re a single fingerless glove – one glove, as a person doesn’t need two – with an adjustable wrist strap. In the middle of the palm is a small silver star that can retract to expose prehensile, tentacle-like wires that can interface with terminals and other technology. 

But it doesn’t stop there – with a single gesture (holding your hand out and making an “L” shape) the glove can scan the surroundings of the user. Paired with an artificial polymer retina, the user can have information about the environment that they otherwise wouldn’t have. 

And, of course, you’re outfitted with the top versions of both – on the precinct’s credit card, obviously. 

But, again, you’re just a screen jockey. One of the best, but still just a worker bee that reports to a higher-up. There’s little to no interaction with the other departments, as cybersecurity is mostly isolated without any related crimes. Maybe cyberterrorism, but cases of that are few and far between. 

And you thought that’s all you’d ever be until you heard Fowler’s bellowing voice call your last name.

When you pop your head up from behind your terminal, you see him standing halfway through the glass door to his office. You swallow and trot over, a nervous idea tickling the back of your mind. Is he mad? Did you do something wrong? Shit… did you accidentally leak something?

You push open Fowler’s door and slowly shut it behind you. He’s sitting behind his desk, stark against the blue-grey backdrop of the wall behind him. His constantly furrowed brow and permanent frown lighten a little when he sees you.

You fold your hands behind your back politely. “Yes, sir?”

Fowler gestures to the seat in front of his desk. “Go ahead and take a seat.”

Oh, fuck. Oh, shit. You definitely did something wrong.

You walk over and sit in the chair. It screeches with a horrible sound.

You lean back in the chair and cross your arms. “What is this about, sir?”

Fowler leans back in his chair and drags a hand down his face. Immediately, the worst things pop into your head. You fight the urge to worry your bottom lip. 

“You have experience with androids, yes?” Fowler asks, but it doesn’t sound like a question – rather, a statement.

“Yes, sir.” You nod.

“And you have experience with Lieutenant Hank Anderson?” 

Your eyebrows furrow a little, but you still nod. “Yes, sir.”

Fowler turns to his terminal. “How do you feel about him?”

You bite your bottom lip as you think, then let it slip from your teeth. “I don’t know what you want me to say. He’s my friend. He is still a valuable member of the force, even if he has presented a few problems in the past couple of years.”

Fowler laughs. “A few?”

“Ah…” You smile, but it’s a bit forced. “More than a few. A lot. More problems than solutions, if I’m being honest.”

“That’s just how it goes sometimes.” He shrugs and sighs. “Do you know about the new case he’s been assigned?”

“Yes, sir,” you say. “He won’t shut up about it.”

He hums and leans forward, resting his chin on folded hands. “Always one for discretion, that one.”

You duck your head, instead looking down at your lap. “Yeah. But I think he can do better – be the cop he was before.”

“An optimistic Soviet.” Fowler laughs lowly. “That’s a new one.”

You just clench your jaw and meet his eyes. “What is this about? If you’ve called me in just to poke fun at me and gossip about Hank, I’d like to go back to my desk. Uh, sir.”

“No, no.” He holds a hand up. “Tell me what you’ve heard about Hank’s case.”

You think for a second. “Deviant androids murdering their owners. It sounds like it would’ve been labeled self-defense if it was a human-on-human crime, but…” you shrug. “I’m not in Homicide. I’m in Cybersecurity.”

“Well, you’re getting some experience.” Fowler pulls a cord from his terminal, one you recognize as a port compatible with a polymer glove. “You’re on the case.”

“I’m on the case?!” You repeat in disbelief. “Sir, I – I don’t –”

He holds up a hand for the second time. “I don’t want to hear it. You’re the best screen jockey with the most field experience I can spare.”

He gestures with the cord still in his hand. “Now, c’mon. Jack in and download the files.”

You swallow your objections and outstretch your gloved left hand. The thin metal of the star retracts, and the prehensile wires extend towards the port, waving like blades of grass. The ends of all six find their homes in the port, still wiggling like black tapeworms. 

Documents appear in the corner of your eye, one after another, like pop-up ads. You blink hard to dismiss them, then disconnect.

Fowler feeds the cord back into his terminal, then leans back in his chair. 

He looks over at you. “What’s that one saying you Soviets say? Something about champagne.”

You look up at him, then down to your glove. The star retracts, then goes back to its original position, like it was winking at you. “He who doesn’t take risks won’t drink champagne.”

“Well, I hope you have a taste for harder liquor,” Fowler says. “Hank’s at having a drink somewhere nearby. Go find him.”

And Lord, did you know right where to find Hank. 

On the door to Jimmy’s Bar is a firm warning, reading: NO ANDROIDS ALLOWED – OWNERS WILL BE PROSECUTED. You just hope that they don’t extend the same kindness to russkis. 

When you open the door, everyone in the bar turns to look at you. You nod and, once they see who you are, turn back to their conversations or nursing their drinks. 

You spot Hank at the bar with what looks like a Tennessee whiskey. You sidle up onto the barstool next to him, easing into the creaky seat. As you drape your rain-speckled coat on the back of the chair, you glance at the clock on the wall. It reads just before twenty past eleven.

“Bartender?” You call. Your thick accent immediately catches his attention, and so does the money you slide onto the bartop. “Vodka, please.”

The bartender, presumably Jimmy, picks up a bottle of Stolichnaya from the shelving behind him. “This good?”

You nod. “More than good.”

He pours vodka into a tumbler glass, then pushes it across the bar. You accept it readily, and the tiny sip you take gives your throat a nice burn on the way down.

“A Soviet and vodka,” Hank mumbles against the lip of his glass. “Like a moth to a flame.”

“It’s what my mother served with dinner,” you say. “I’m just glad Jimmy’s got enough sense not to keep us from his bar.”

Hank chuckles and raises his glass to that.

“Fowler’s gone beyond the pale.” You sip at your drink. “Have you heard?”

“Yup.” He sighs, setting his drink on the bartop harder than necessary. “Don’t know why a kid like you has business with an old timer like me.”

“Oh, believe me,” you say, your voice heavy with sarcasm. “It’s nice to visit, but it’s better to be home. I don’t know what he’s thinking. A Cybersecurity worker partnering up with someone in Homicide? Next, we’ll have androids doing our thinking and philosophy instead of our laundry and dishes.”

Hank snorts into his drink. “Hell, with all these runaways? They might as well be.”

“I mean, I can see his line of thinking.” You swirl the vodka in your glass, watching the way it catches and reflects the low light of the bar. “Cybersecurity, androids… makes sense, but me? A russki? With all that’s happening in the Arctic? If we don’t do well, my job is on the line.”

Hank sips his whiskey. “It really sounds like Fowler’s settin’ you up to fail.”

“Setting us both up to fail.” You correct and mirror him, sipping at your vodka. 

The sound of the door opening and the rain outside cuts into your conversation. Nothing you’d usually take a glance at, but what puts you off is the sudden silence of the bar. Bars shouldn’t be silent – especially not Jimmy’s.

You look over your left shoulder and see a nice looking man that’s just walked through the door. He looks a bit dorky, sure, and a bit like a lost puppy dog, but that could look nice on certain guys. And the asymmetrical tuft of loose hair that’s escaped his hair gel looks –

There’s a blue triangle just above where his left breast pocket would be. On the other side of his blazer reads RK800 in even, white text. He’s an android, not a man. He meets your gaze and you inhale sharply.

Your eyes return to your drink, and so does Hank’s. This isn’t what you want to deal with right now – or ever, actually. It’s Jimmy’s establishment, so it’s Jimmy’s problem.

But still, as soon as the android saw you, he started making a beeline for you. His footsteps are quick, measured, and even. 

“Excuse me,” he says, putting a hand on your shoulder. He addresses you by your title, and your gut clenches.

“No.” You try to wave him off. “No English. Sorry.”

“Officer, you passed each of your TestEaFL’s with flying colors,” he says, narrowing his eyes a little. “You can speak English perfectly fine.”

You cringe a little, but then a thought strikes you – how would this android have access to the scores of your Test of English as a Foreign Language? But before you can ask, he’s turned to Hank and started speaking.

“Oh, Lieutenant Anderson.” He moves so that he’s standing beside Hank. “Just the other person I was looking for.”

He glances between the two of you. “My name is Connor. I’m the android sent by CyberLife. Captain Fowler said that you were both having a drink nearby. I was lucky to find you at the fifth bar.”

You snort and your eyebrows shoot up. If you didn’t know better, you’d say that there was a hint of… something other than monotone indifference in his voice.

“What do you want?” Hank grinds out.

“You were assigned a case early this evening. A homicide, involving a CyberLife android.” Connor glances at you, like he’s reminding you that you were also assigned this case. “In accordance with procedure, the company has allocated a specialized model to assist investigators.”

“Well, I don’t need any assistance.” Hank jabs a thumb at you. “I’ve got all the unwanted assistance I need right here, and I don’t need any more. ‘Specially not from a plastic asshole like you. So just be a good lil’ robot and get the fuck outta here.”

“He’s right,” you chime. “And it doesn’t really look good to have androids investigating androids. What if you snap, too?”

“I will not.” Connor meets your eyes, and you can almost see the switch flick in that little android brain. Great, now it’s your turn to be grilled.

He circles so that he’s standing beside you and leans down a little, putting his hand on the bartop. You keep your eyes down, firmly on your drink. 

“I’m sorry, Officer, Lieutenant, but I must insist,” he says. “My instructions stipulate that I have to accompany both of you.”

“You know where you can stick your instructions?” Hank chimes in with a throaty laugh.

You glance over at Connor, who looks thoroughly confused. You smile and bring the glass to your lips. 

“No,” Connor says. “Where?”

Your throat seizes around the sip of vodka you were trying to take, causing you to cough it out as you try to suppress your laughter. You slam down the glass (effectively spilling most of it) and bring a hand to your chest, trying to ride it out as Hank pats your back.

“чёрт возьми!” You wheeze, your voice hoarse. Your chest burns. “Oh, fuck.”

You wipe your eyes as the burn dulls, still coughing slightly. Connor purses his lips before coming to a conclusion. 

“You know what?” He offers. “I’ll buy you both one for the road.”

“You better,” you say. “You made me spill mine.”

“Bartender!” Connor calls, and slips money onto the bartop. “The same again, please.”

“See that, Jim?” Hank says. “Wonders of technology. Make it a double.”

Jimmy pours a healthy amount of Jack Daniels into Hank’s glass, and starts to pour Stolichnaya into yours. You cut him halfway with a raised hand and a “Someone’s gotta drive us home safe.”

You knock back your drink, then let out a low whistle at the nice burn. Hank follows soon after and sighs heavily. 

He leans back and looks over at Connor. “Did you say homicide?”

[padfootscoldleathers]

i'll leave (a light on) ch.2

ch.1, ch.2, ch.3, ch.4, ch.5

Minnie watches them all pack in and file out before picking Sirius from the pack. "There's someone waiting for you on the bus."

He scrunches his brows together, "Is it our lawyer again? I swear it wasn't me this time and if it was I plead the fifth." Minnie stops them with a hand on his shoulder. 

"You are a citizen of the United Kingdom," she says, squinting. 

"A citizen in the United States of America, so I will be using their laws and I plead the fifth and will now be taking a vow of silence," he replies smoothly and continues walking out the building. Peter stops walking and waits for her to catch up. 

"Minnie," Pete whispers, "Want to make a bet?" 

McGonagall checks him top to bottom, "Let me hear it."

"We'll take guesses of how long it'll take for him to crack. Whoever's closer, timewise, wins. I say 20 minutes." Pete explains while they trail after Sirius and they both start a stopwatch.

"Six. What exactly are we betting?"

"I want to see what's in the locked box you keep in the drawer under the couch in the tour bus." Peter says it like he knows something or the curiosity has been eating at him. He shrugs, "I'll also take one item if it interests me."

Minerva's heels echo mutely on the concrete as they exit the building. She hums in agreement, "And when I win?" He thinks for a moment but draws a blank, "Anything you like, Minnie."

"A blank check is a dangerous game, Mister Pettigrew."

"Yeah, but it's you, what's the worst that can happen? I like to live on the edge a little and you wouldn't do wrong by me, would you, Minnie?"

"Nothing's concrete. You have yourself a deal." They shake hands and make their way outside to see Kingsley driving in ahead of them with the bus. They load in and not a moment later do they hear Sirius' surprised gasp. Then he starts rambling like a madman, making absolutely no sense but tangibly excited. Peter hears the strangled mutter of "I missed you too" before he realises he's already lost. He slowly turns his head to see Minnie holding up her phone stopped at 5:32. "I suppose I overestimated slightly. You won't be getting inside that box but you do owe me. I know you're a man of your word and if not... I'll call your mamá." Peter eyed her slowly head to heels and back, "You would, wouldn't you?That's low, Minnie." She grins like a cheshire and walks past him, heels clicking, "It's deliciously clever."

"Mm, I'm sure. Deliciously deceiving," he utters under his breath once she's gone. He makes his way over to where Sirius is wrapped tightly and rocking in place with an old friend. Peter smiles slow and fervently and trudges over as Sirius reluctantly lets go. He wraps his arms around her and hooks his chin over her shoulder, "It's lovely to see you, Marianne." Mary hugs him fondly, "I know." He knocks his head into hers and she snickers, "Alright, alright, lovely seeing you, dushi."

He pulls back and narrows his eyes at her suspiciously, "You're here early." Peter steps back completely to inspect her, eyes her head to toe. Then he paces around her, lifting her hair, arms, kicking in the backs of her knees and ducks when she tries to flick him for it. "Ay yai yai, calm down, I'm just checking your mobility. Meds, supplements?" he asks while he holds her face in both hands and turns it both ways. 

"Yes and yes, every morning." He tugs on her ears, checks her temperature with the back of his hand before nodding in approval. 

"How's the stump?" Peter asks, smirking. 

"You know I don't like calling him that," she utters unimpressed.

"Why didn't you choose Hephaestus, again?" Mary rolls her sparkling brown eyes at him. 

"Because the accident was a Hiccup in my life. Also 'half Hephaestus' doesn't sound cool; too many syllables." Peter grins at her with a small kick to her bionic leg. 

"Hey, you break it, you buy it." Sirius breaks out laughing behind her. 

"You're laughing but he cost me several months rent." Marlene walks in freshly drunk behind them and giggles, "A limb more like." That gets Dorcas snickering. Mary slowly raises her right brow and says, "That joke was dropped off a cliff and died harder than Fili in the Hobbit." A mourning silence fills the room and Marls's voice cracks as she mutters, "Ouch. I respect it, message received but... Damn."

Mary throws her arms around Dorcas and Marlene and fully kisses both their cheeks. "Marls, you’ve got to understand I hear that joke all the time, it's annoying now. It's like when people call you an oreo 'cause you have vitiligo or tell you to go back in the blender."

"That's more in line with bullying though. Do you feel like we're bullying you?" Cas asks with an arm snaked around Marlene's waist.

"I don't, but it gets irritating."

"I bully her," Peter cuts in. "Every day." He shakes his head like it's nothing. "It's my job as her brother." He pinches her cheeks from behind and like his abuela does to them sometimes. "Isn't that right, sugarplum." Mary's eyes are unimpressed in contrast. 

"¿Sabes qué, Chiquito?" She utters as she turns around and tries to grab at him, but Peter ducks and runs off to the bunks at the back of the bus in a fit of giggles. Although not before stealing a bottle of tequila from Marlene, who then chases after him, on the way. Dorcas then backs out of the lounge to 'save Minnie from a murder charge'.

Mary drops herself on the sofa and her eye twitches for a bit, then she sighs out as much of the air in her lungs as she can. She makes eye contact with Sirius and she can tell he knows. They've been friends for more than half their lives and he knows her on so many vulnerable levels. Sirius could always tell when Mary was loathing herself. Perhaps because it was so familiar to him, by guilt or by force. She thinks it's because when the quiet rolls in, she drifts away, that it's visible. Still, she hopes that if she drifts far enough, she won't even have to pretend her problems aren't happening. Dreams to be so far that their anxieties won't exist to her.

She sits there staring at him and gradually her eyes haze until she doesn��t really see anymore. Sirius pulls her in and Mary lays her forehead to the side of his neck as he rubs circles into her back. Sirius sings softly into her hair but Mary only gets the melody. It's soothing nonetheless. Something about being with her best friend is making all the shit she's going through finally sink in. It all crashes into her like pain after an adrenaline high and in all honesty – it just really has her feeling like a pile of shit.

Moments pass and the present feels like eternity and yet as if no time has passed at all. Time is measured between speed bumps and red lights while she wonders if this is what it feels like to be losing your mind. She doesn't get to think about it before she falls asleep. Lullabies will have that effect.

Sirius sits up and unrolls the sleeve down her prosthetic, gently removes the leg and puts it to charge. He scoops her up and walks her over to the bunks trying his best not to stumble as the bus turns a corner. He shifts her onto one of the beds but when he tries to pull the blanket over her finds Mary's hands clutching his sweater in a fist.

Peter and the girls drag out an 'awe' from the bunk across and he has to shush them. Sirius watches Mary’s face glisten with sweat for the single second it takes him to decide to climb in. He curls an arm around her head and strokes her hair as she tries to bury herself between his ribs. Mary gradually calms and Sirius wonders what the hell Lily Evans had done this time and what hair stylist she'd moved to.

thank you for reading but first mary macdonald. this is only here 'cause it's her birthday EVERYBODY SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARY

@moonyswarmsweaters @sspadfoot @thingthatoncewastruee @probs-reading @cheekyboybeth

@starving-marauder-lover @yourlocalbadgerscales @taleofapart-timepoet @mirrs-ball @tea-blankets-andstars

@where-is-vivian @amberlink @wastingawayinmyroom @ashes-to-ashesxx @percabeth-trash

@equippedtolove @moon-girl88 @jamespotterbbg @drunktayloratthevmas @labyrinthhofmymind

@s0ggyguts @nyx-taylors-version @will-vs-the-homo-sapiens-adgenda @siriusly-insane

[lordvonbunnyv]

List of things that were supposed to happen in my scrapped countryhumans talent show fanfic

-Hawaii does an Elvis impersonation and performs blue suede shoes

-Hungary spends the entire show trying to solve a Rubik’s cube. When his five minutes on stage ended, they just moved him off to the side so he can continue. He doesn’t solve it

-Poland and Vatican’s talent was performing Exorcisms, and brought a possessed woman on stage to exorcise, but got kicked off immediately by UN. So they begrudgingly decided to perform their exorcism in the boys bathroom, which got stopped halfway through by both UN and ASEAN who understandably did not want a demon running around on the Asian country’s section of the building. Oh yeah, in my ch AU, Poland was a priest and was trained in demonology by Vatican and is certified to perform exorcisms.

-Northern Ireland and England dressed as their secret drag queen personas, along with Wales who dressed in her drag king persona, and they all “danced” (it was mostly them doing uncoordinated dance moves like the worm, the running man, and the epileptic octopus.) to Scotland’s bagpipe playing. And then they all jumped onto each other’s shoulders and fell over.

-Serbia’s performance of a Diss song that she composed that mostly made up of her playing an accordion and dissing all of the countries that have wronged her, or she hates, both past and present. The big finale was when she started insulting Ottoman empire and calling him names, when both Turkey and Ottoman Empire jumped up and chased her around the auditorium while she continued to hurl insults at them, both EU and UN had to chase after the trio to get them to stop.

- a few of the African countries put on “Africa” by Toto.

-America’s western states do a crummy half hearted line dance to “finally Friday”, the northern states perform “Blame Canada”, and New York performs a Broadway number (unfortunately… his song of choice was “springtime for Hitler”) they were all supposed to do a group number, but split due to creative differences.

-Mexico played a quiet folk song on his guitar which was well received.

-Austria played a classical piano piece with Germany as the page turner, Germany fumbles with the pages causing the pages to fall onto the floor, Austria playing the same measure over and over in a panic as Germany struggled to collect all of the pages before giving up, and running off stage in embarrassment.

-France and a few of her states perform “do you hear the people sing?” While Normandy performs “bring him home”

-Austria-Hungary with help from German empire performs a classical music piece, but then gets interrupted by someone’s phone.

-Italy sings a song and then ends it with a sudden cart wheel.

-India, Brazil, Kenya, and Australia bring a VERY VERY DANGEROUS AND HIGHLY VENOMOUS BLACK MAMBA ON STAGE to demonstrate their venomous snake handling skills, they tried to get someone to come on stage to HOLD THE SNAKE. But that got nixed real quickly.

-Mauritius does a dance with his cloned dodo bird, Captain Lewis, which then walked off stage and fell into the audience.

-Britain gets introduced on stage as “performing a nice number by Bach”, he has his suit on, a top hat, and everyone thinks, “oh, he’s going to play the number on his violin”. Nope, he lowers his tie, tucks his pants inside his big, tall, platform boots, and unbuttons his collar to reveal the spiked collar underneath, and whips out his old electric guitar and plays friggin’ toccata and fugue in D minor like a legend.

- Norway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and Estonia try to do a Black Death metal performance with their band, “Estonia and the Nordics”. It was just them screaming, banging on their instruments, and smashing their guitars while Estonia, the lead singer, gets a bout of anxiety and stands awkwardly on the stage looking at her feet unable to sing.

-Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and China tried to perform the dance of the little swans (Russia’s idea, no one else wanted to) but only Russia practiced and China was a last minute edition as Kazakhstan quit that day, and not even one second into the music, the whole thing dissolved into a massive fight and Belarus running offstage to go snitch to Soviet Union.

[bookclub4m]

Episode 195 - Pop(ular) Culture Non-Fiction

This episode we’re discussing the topic of non-fiction Pop Culture books! We talk about cult classics, the Disney channel, the futch scale, and being Eldritch Millennials. 

You can download the podcast directly, find it on Libsyn, or get it through Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcast delivery system.

In this episode

Anna Ferri | Meghan Whyte | Matthew Murray | Jam Edwards

Join our Discord Server!

Things We Read (or tried to…)

Street Unicorns: Extravagant Fashion Photography from NYC Streets and Beyond by Robbie Quinn

Poisoned Chalice: The Extremely Long and Incredibly Complex Story of Marvelman by Pádraig Ó Méalóid

Part 0: Introduction

I Am the Law: How Judge Dredd Predicted Our Future by Michael Molcher

And Don't F&%k It Up: An Oral History of RuPaul's Drag Race by María Elena Fernández

The 2000s Made Me Gay: Essays on Pop Culture by Grace Perry

Note: Anna didn’t have the Disney Channel because she lived in the woods in Alaska. It also did not exist in Canada until 2015.

The Spectacular Failure of the Star Wars Hotel by Jenny Nicholson

That's So '90s!: A Pop-Cultural Guide to the Raddest Decade by Jo Stewart and Lisa Gillard

The Bizarre World of Fake Video Games by Super Eyepatch Wolf

Junk Film: Why Bad Movies Matter by Katharine Coldiron

Other Media We Mentioned

Attack of the New B Movies: Essays on SYFY Original Films edited by Justin Wigard and Mitch Ploskonka

Introducing Postmodernism: A Graphic Guide by Chris Garratt and  Richard Appignanesi

FRUiTS by Shoichi Aoki

Wikipedia

Miracleman: The Silver Age by Neil Gaiman and Mark Buckingham

RuPaul's Drag Race (Wikipedia)

The Pit Stop S16 E01

Glee (TV series) (Wikipedia)

Euphoria (American TV series) (Wikipedia)

Abbott Elementary (Wikipedia)

The Simpsons is Good Again by Super Eyepatch Wolf

Taskmaster: Series 17, Episode 1

Plan 9 from Outer Space (Wikipedia)

Every Frame a Painting

Links, Articles, and Things

Follow our Twitch channel!

Jam and Matthew will be streaming Monster Prom 2: Monster Camp on Saturday, June 8th at 3pm PT/6pm ET. 

Jam made an image to promote it.

Jam’s Top Ten Video Essays About Media They Haven’t Experienced

Mood board (Wikipedia)

Blockbuster (Wikipedia)

Walkman (Wikipedia)

Milk caps/Pogs (Wikipedia)

Tamagotchi (Wikipedia)

Webring (Wikipedia)

Which Pokémon are the most goth?

20 Pop Culture Non-Fiction Books by BIPOC Authors

Every month Book Club for Masochists: A Readers’ Advisory Podcasts chooses a genre at random and we read and discuss books from that genre. We also put together book lists for each episode/genre that feature works by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, & People of Colour) authors. All of the lists can be found here.

A Little Devil in America: Notes in Praise of Black Performance by Hanif Abdurraqib

Indigenous Celebrity: Entanglements with Fame edited by Jennifer Adese & Robert Alexander Innes

The Male Gazed: On Hunks, Heartthrobs, and What Pop Culture Taught Me About (Desiring) Men by Manuel Betancourt

Carefree Black Girls: A Celebration of Black Women in Popular Culture by Zeba Blay

The Pretty One: On Life, Pop Culture, Disability, and Other Reasons to Fall in Love With Me by Keah Brown

She Memes Well by Quinta Brunson

Can't Stop Won't Stop: A Hip-Hop History by Jeff Chang & Dave Cook

Producing Sovereignty: The Rise of Indigenous Media in Canada by Karrmen Crey

Wannabe: Reckonings with the Pop Culture That Shapes Me by Aisha Harris

Leslie F*cking Jones by Leslie Jones

K-Drama School: A Pop Culture Inquiry into Why We Love Korean Television by Grace Jung

Superfan: How Pop Culture Broke My Heart by Jen Sookfong Lee

Indiginerds: Tales from Modern Indigenous Life edited by Alina Pete

Nerd: Adventures in Fandom from This Universe to the Multiverse by Maya Phillips

The Dead Don't Need Reminding: In Search of Fugitives, Mississippi, and Black TV Nerd Shit by Julian Randall

Not Your China Doll: The Wild and Shimmering Life of Anna May Wong by Katie Gee Salisbury

First Things First: Hip-Hop Ladies Who Changed the Game by Nadirah Simmons

Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop by Danyel Smith

Making a Scene by Constance Wu

Rise: A Pop History of Asian America from the Nineties to Now by Jeff Yang, Phil Yu, & Philip Wang

Give us feedback!

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Join us again on Tuesday, June 18th when it’s time once again for One Book One Podcast as we each pitch a book we think we should read and you (the listeners) get to vote!

Then on Tuesday, July 2nd we’ll be discussing the genre of Law/Legal Non-Fiction!

[usafphantom2]

with their crews trained in America earlier that year. It was not to prove a successful venture.

Fortress operations lasted until late September 1941, using only small formations of 2-4 aircraft. A number of technical issues were encountered, including the guns freezing at high altitude. Around 20 missions were flown, with little to show for them and eight aircraft were lost in combat or to mechanical failure and accidents. Though the USAAF pointed out that the B-17s were not being employed as designed, they were withdrawn from bombing duties; four were sent to Egypt and the remainder to Coastal Command.

It was in maritime patrol that the B-17 would prove its worth to the RAF, primarily with the more capable E/F variant (Fortress II). These operated until the end of the war with Coastal Command, scoring a number of successes against U-Boats, the first off Iceland against U-627 in October 1942. Fortresses were never used in large numbers, however, and were gradually moved to meteorological roles and air/sea rescue as more Liberators became available.

One other role for the B-17 in RAF service came with 214 and 223 Squadrons of 100 Group in the electronic countermeasures role. These heavily modified aircraft - mostly G models (Fortress III) - carried a variety of jamming equipment for use against German radars and radio transmissions, along with specialist operators. They flew among the bomber stream during missions, taking the same risks as other crews. Some B-24 Liberators were also used in this role.

Pictured:

1) Crewmen of 90 Squadron boarding their Fortress I at Polebrook prior to a raid on Brest. The early waist positions and underside ‘gondola’ gun turret are evident.

📷©️IWM CH 3094

2) Fortress I of 90 Squadron in flight. The differences to later B-17 variants are noticeable.

📷©️IWM HU 83472

3) Fortress II of 220 Squadron, based at Benbecula in the Hebrides. The ‘crew’ in this posed shot actually includes an Air Ministry PR Officer!

📷©️IWM TR 1082

4) Fortress III of 214 Squadron, based at Sculthorpe in Norfolk. The chin radome housed American AN/APS15 radar, a development of H2S. The large aerial on top of the fuselage is for the ‘Airborne Cigar’ (ABC) radio jammer. Aerials for the ‘Airborne Grocer’ radar jammer can be seen by the tail turret. This aircraft was lost in February 1945.

📷©️IWM ATP 13090E

[agentnico]

Hundreds of Beavers (2024) review

This is cinema.

Plot: A drunken applejack salesman must go from zero to hero and become North America's greatest fur trapper by defeating hundreds of beavers.

Can we just take a moment to appreciate the greatness that is this film’s poster! Very reminiscent of the poster for the 1963 epic comedy It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, it truly encompasses the full scale cartoonish madness of the movie, and honestly is a piece of art in itself. As for the movie itself? Yeah, it’s fricking awesome!

This comes to us from director Mike Cheslik and co-writer Ryland Brickson Cole Tews (by the way holy Moses what a cool name that is!), the pair who gave us the Tews-directed Lake Michigan Monster, a bonkers little indie film that’s a mix of Life Aquatic and The Lighthouse and is immensely entertaining and stupid. What I like about these guys is how they fill their micro-budget productions with so much creativity, humour and visual inventiveness, and it really puts a lot of modern day Hollywood pictures to shame. These guys are great and so when Hundreds of Beavers popped up on my Letterboxd recommendations, it was a no brainer - I had to seek out this movie!

Hundreds of Beavers echoes the structure of video games, especially RPGs. The central character starts out as an absolutely numpty loser, and then as the film progresses he by trial and error improves his craft to become a skilful and talented trapper. This is reminiscent of how in a video game when your first start you’re essentially useless and crap at everything, but as you level up you become an utter boss. Take Resident Evil for example. In the beginning you struggle to defeat a single zombie. Chances are on your first few playthroughs you’ll die like a little b**ch. Talking from experience here, I remember that first village fight in Resident Evil 4! Then by the end you’re drilling through hordes with unlimited ammo and rocket launchers with super high HP and literally nothing can stop you. With Hundreds of Beavers it’s the same. The first part of the film the poor chap can’t even kill a single animal, let alone a beaver. By the end though he’s engaging in an impressive battle of fisticuffs with crowds upon crowds of beavers. I mean, not really a spoiler to say that there are loads of beavers in this film. Not just a hundred, we’re talking thousands!

That brings me to one of the biggest surprises of this film - there’s actually a fully fledged story here. Like yes the narrative exists entirely for the purpose of throwing as many ridiculously nuts slapstick gags in our faces at a rapid speed of a joke every second, but they are held together by a cohesive narrative. The main character Jean Kayak (brought to life by a superbly committed performance from Ryland Brickson Cole Tews, again, love the name) goes through a significant growth throughout the movie, and his mission to get the girl is as timely and charming as ever. I must say it took me about 20 minutes to properly get into the movie, but once I got to the level of whackiness it was going for I was engaged throughout.

So the visuals. Filtered throughout with a surreal black-and-white grainy filter, this plays out like a live-action cartoon in the vain of Looney Tunes or Tom & Jerry. The stylistic choice that really makes this movie so unique is that the overwhelming majority of animals that Jean comes across are played by actors in full sizes costumes. Yep, it’s a bunch furries alright. Smaller animals such as birds and fish appear as little puppets, but all the larger animals are indeed played by actors in suits. You’d expect a gimmick like this to lose steam after a while, however the funny thing about Hundreds of Beavers is that it manages to consistently stay hilarious throughout, and in fact gets progressively crazier as it goes on. The final 20 minutes are truly fantastic, with the creators throwing every creative idea and visual gag they could possibly whip out of their books in your face. This movie could have easily ended up feeling like a stretched out SNL sketch, but luckily the creators share so much ambition to allow this movie to flourish in its endless creativity. Charlie Chaplin would be proud.

Hundreds of Beavers is one of the most creative, inventive and entertaining comedies of the last decade, and I had a smile on my face from start to finish. From the punchy editing, funny music cues, well-timed cutaway gags, goofy costumes or the endlessly creative deaths, this thing has so much unhinged energy it’s unreal. I can see this not being for everyone, but then again silent slapstick comedy nowadays can be definitely classed as an acquired taste, but I truly believe that everyone would find at least some part of this film amusing. In my eyes, this is a comedic marvel. Yeah, f*** those beavers!

Overall score: 9/10

[thesketchyheartist]

01/31

Tomino- Mobile Suit Gundam Episodes 1, 2, 8; Lamarre- Introduction My reactions immediately after the episode:

Post episode 1: The characters' eyes instantly remind me of that Korean YouTube video "Guess who?". I can't remember the creator, but the way the eyes have those reflection orbs in a solid color eyes (no pupils). I did not have subtitles, but looking at the fandom's wiki, I am displeased to find out the female lead's real name is not a playful nickname, insult name, or a name to play with words; It's Fraw Bow but I thought it said "frow brow" or "frow bow" which sounds awfully loke "frown brow" to imply her nagging attitude. Something inside me can't help but cringe when she cried and the main character and male lead has to literally slap her out of her trauma. Like, okay man, if you had your parents and grandparents killed in front of you, just a nice little b**ch slap is what you need. Overall, nice way to introduce the characters and their background. Although the enemies' reason for war sounds too similar to America's (actually any colony's) war for independence. The narrator said people were shocked, but it was not like America did not have a lot of street fights and actual battles, too. Not to justify the violence and the need to make battle suits, but they put too much praise for Amoro to step up and fight at a young age. I should say, I would not be surprised if someone else had a different reaction.

Post episode 2: So, another small detail I noticed is the shape or rather the rendition of noses. The shading underneath the nostrils is like a shading in manga or in comics. As these are animated faces, the details are simple, and the younger characters have a rounder face. Also, I don't think they blink, which is funny considering how detailed their eyes are. An important thing I noticed: a side character, wiki calls "Kai", runs back to the White Base by himself. Sayla criticizes him for being a "coward". While I know there must be more to the story, I can't help but wonder is it truly a cowardly move to escape with your life or a clever strategy to survive. At the same time, this is the first time we also meet Sayla, so perhaps it speaks more about her own character than Kai's.

Post episode 8; We were not assigned episodes 3-7, so my reaction may lack context. Spoilers permitted at your own expense: Kai in the span of 4 episodes became part of the military. I think it's because of the low supply of personnel as mentioned in episode 2. Also, you notice how his eyes are more of the "cunning" type to imply he is like Amaro's foil. In the WWI/WWII times, Kai would be the opposite of the ideal soldier, but during this episode he comes out as someone who is brave. I hope he does get some character development (when he goes into puberty and/or trauma, his eye shape might change). Also, Char calling Garma as someone who is too privileged makes fun of past Japanese leaderships during WWII.

These episodes altogether reflect the post-WWII sentiments Japan had. While weapons of unsurmountable force can and does tip the balance of a stalemate in their favor, the sheer power of these weapons compare to the power the atomic bomb had when it was first used. Japan recognized that if Japan ever came up with a power that outranks even Western weapons, they will use it for good because they were once the victims of a power that was used for the greater good...of America. While some may see this as humiliation, and they would not be wrong to frustrated veterans and civilians, it is also important to see this as equally humbling as humility for the silenced and hidden.

The animation and art style reminds me of the first Pokemon anime. While fictional creatures and fictional mechs are not alike at all, the animation reminds me of stopmotion, smooth but patterned to make a fluid-like movement.

also yesterday my birthday. this anime older than my parents.

-01/30/2024

[mjammies]

your man is no longer your man (the elite)

ch 18-20

CH18

-i wonder if maxon would still end the comp if america confessed to him or is it a real race now with miss kriss.

-”i wasnt ready to give up completely” no, actually give up cause you not really serious we know.

-im not reading all what sir gregory had to put in that diary

-”since gregory had failed me, there was only one other man i could count on” i swear to you if she was talm bout aspen i woulda thrown this laptop buttttt in a weird turn of events she is actually talking about her father which is kinda sweet ngl.

Ch19 

-wow they just breezed by the reception with the germans but lets see what miss kriss and miss maam come up with 

-is america gonna play something i dont remember, $50 bucks and my first born that she does 

-not kriss asking america if shes serious about maxon..the gurls finna start tussling in a minute

-theres no way that these two did better than three upper class girls, cause i know if theres anything a stuck up, well off girl can do its throw some shit together

-one of the italian princesses name is Noemi, i like that name, kiera you ate that one thing

-not they both tryna get them a sip of some maxon

-”after i got some water and food in me, i played some of the folk songs i’d learned on my violin” YAYY i get to keep my firstborn, also why she picked folk songs? They aint got pop hits in italy

-not natalie dancing on the table. Gon head girlllll

-”ill tell maxon myself what a good job you did” america do you know you have 30 minutesss. Girl maxon do not fuck withchu like he used to hon. 

-”she squinted her already thin eyes” keira cass you're dirty for this. This gotta be some kinda microaggression.

-”this isnt just some prize. This is a HUSBAND,a CROWN, a FUTURE,” snaps snaps snaps see elise gets it. Its big goofys like miss land of the free thats just here for the sneaky links, she aint no diva fr.

-like these girls are really here fighting and you acting like this just a lil vacay. STEP YO PUSSY UP and expeditiously 

-here they go bringing up marlee again, please let her rest in peace. I would hate if she actually died yall going this crazy and she still alive she just went through a little physical change thats all (well maybe more than physical lol but at least she got mr wood).

-”if there is anything we can do to help you acquire the crown, let us know” ooo purr, if a whole country told me they had my back i would walk like a whole new b****. 

-okay hold the f****** phone her father responds and he is speaking straight FACTTSS 

-”part of me thinks the slowness is on your side” HANG IT ALL UP, TURN OFF THE LIGHTS AND LOCK THE DOORS, SHOP IS OFFICIALLY CLOSED Hopefully her father can penetrate her thick ass noggin lets see

-”i thought of aspens certainty that i couldnt be a princess” neowww why do you think he would say that. What possibly would it mean if you became one, oh idk… maybe that you could never be with him

CH 20 

-oop is this the time for maxon to really show her its all worth it

-not him showing her the princess suite oh alrighhtttt now

-not this door goes to my room, im dead

-broooo not marlee being behind the doorrrrr, the way i woulda told maxon to drop them drawls, and marlee think she know something about working some wood, watch this.

-bruh all she got is welts on her hand i thought them things woulda been demolished

-not they been there the whole time in the kitchen i hope it was worth it i guess it kinda sweet idk

-they even got a little apartment?!

-not “ we got married two days ago” they moving quick asl

-”maxon gave me away. Im not sure ill ever see my parents again” bruuuhhh thats kinda sad but at the same time maxon a realll one lemme join the selection atp i think i want maxon.

-they cant even get a real ring

-idk why america acting like she aint know marlee and carter was getting busyyyyyyy

-brother in christ even marlee is standing up for maxon 

-”the reason you’re still here is because he refuses to lose hope” welp hes losing it as we speak

-”why didn’t you tell me sooner” idk maybe because you have no self-control

-”i just need to know if you want to be here at all” JUST TELLEM THE TRUTH 

-”if youll still have me, i want to stay” honestly her asking this in any other instance woulda had me heated but honestly its kinda good she phrased it this way causeee homebodys eyes is definitely wandering

[perlaophirian]

ISIS Group Chapter 2

A young women name Roselyn Akama walk trough the street,tired and depressed. The horrible memories of her past came back to her. Tomorrow,she must prepare a banquet with others maids and butlers for the memory of the "Fallen Angel" Supercontinent Pannotia and many police investigate her death. Her death reminds her to when her own parents died. Why did she even born to this world? She knew that she shouldn't died since it's wasn't her time. She's just to be a little being patient. Then, she accidently bump into someone who had yellow and orange flag with a dragon.

Roselyn: I-I'm sorry,sir! I didn't see what i—

???: It's okay,It's wasn't your fault.

An other men speak to him into his ears that made him shock and look at her. Roselyn was confuse.

???: No... way... Y-You're the future successor of....

Roselyn: I'm sorry,sir,but what do you talking about? And what's the story of a successor? And who are you?

???: The name's Bhutan Tshering,future successor. Glad to meet you. But you will soon find out why. Let's go,Ame.

The one who is named Bhutan and the other so-called "Ame" go somehere and Roselyn continue her walk. Little,did she know that those two watch her from afar with a women.

Bhutan: That's her,Tonga.

Tonga: OMG she's so beautifull and cute!! A perfect successor for Boss!

America: Quiet! She must not hear us!...

Tonga: Can i do a photo on her by sending it to Boss?!

America: Do whatever you want.

After Tonga send her photo to ISIS,he smiled softly. She reminds him of someone precious to his life.

ISIS: Are you perhaps,the reincarnation of my older sister Hamas?... No,she just remind me of her,the reincarnation do not existed! But... What if it is true? I should drink a coffee to relax my thoughts. Or maybe a tea!

In Roselyn's house,she write down on her diary for what happens to her life and after that,she wrote a love letter for someone that she love.

Roselyn mind: It's now my 44th love letter since i didn't confess my feelings to him. Stupid feelings! Why can't i have the courage for telling him that i deeply love him?!...

Outside to her house,America,Tonga and Bhutan are spying at her. Also,do you know that America can read minds?

America: I see...

Tonga: What is it Ame?

Bhutan: Yeah! What she thought about?

America: It saids that she was thinking about her love life and it was her 44th time she wrote her love letters.

Tonga do a "aw" and she said that she shipped it. Bhutan just sweatsdropped and told America what they are gonna do now. America reply him to be a little be patient. Bhutan knew that America has a plan in his head and of course,he knew him for a very long time.

Tonga: Hold on! What's her name again?

America: Her name is Roselyn Akama.

Bhutan: Akama?! Isn't that?...

America: Yes,Bhutan. She's his daughter.

Tonga: Miliano Akama... Hihi!

Bhutan: Stop laughing like Michael Jackson,b*ch.

Tonga got angry and mad and punch Bhutan's head by calling him an idiot. When she punch him,he got knock out while America facepalmed. Between,i wonder what is Martial's doing? The right answer:he stalks PKI,ready to kill him since he harshly reject his love for him. Martial is very angry and slighty approach him,hiding in the shadows,with a kitchen knife. When Martial was about to stab him to death, PKI took his wrist and made Martial fall down but he catch him and kiss him on the lips. Martial was shock and accidently drop his knife. PKI pinned him on the wall and put their tongues dancing together. Martial tried to pull him be he was too strong. Oh gosh! What is he going to do now?! Martial couldn't help but let PKI kissing him and he wrap around his neck with his arms. They stop kissing and PKI look at him and saw that Martial was about to cry. He kiss Martial on the cheek and start to lick and suck Martial's neck that caused to moan him.

//Timeskip(since they are "busy")//

Philia is the basement and she started to get worried for her older brother Martial. She had then got a flashback to the happy times with her whole family. Her other siblings;Del Pilar,Phyria and..... Philip, Martial's older twin. She miss them so much. She also miss her childrens;Luzon,South Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao,Palau,Manila,Hukbalahap,Spartly Island and Solia(oldest to youngest). Yes,Philia had 9 childrens in total. Her childrens are in the academy and she promise them that she will visit them in 2 months.

???: Yo Philia! Y'a okay?

Philia: Oh... It's you,Ireland... No,i'm not okay...

Ireland: Depressed,huh?

She just nodded and Ireland look at her with pities eyes.

Ireland: Do you want.....to talk?...

Philia:*sigh* Yes,i think... I just miss them...

Ireland: Your family or your kids?

Philia: Both.

Ireland: You know Philia,you need a lover that could help you and that take care of your kids.

Philia: And who might be?...

Ireland: Japan,ofc.

Philia:*blush* W-Why d-do you want m-me to think a-about him?!

Ireland:*chuckle* I didn't say that you should think about him.

Philia: Shut up!

Ireland: Simp😏

Philia: S-Stop looking at me,weirdo!

Ireland: Nope😎

Philia: I wonder what Martial is doing...

Ireland: Wow,change the subject,huh?

Philia:*appeard tsinelas out of nowhere*

Ireland:*saw that and start running*

Philia:*chase him while cursing in tagalog*

Ireland:*saw Mongolia* MONGOLIA!! HELP!!

Mongolia: What did you do again,Ireland?

Ireland: IT'S PHILIA!!

Mongolia: Nope,i don't know what did you did,but i won't help you.

Ireland: Mongolia! Why?!—*got hit by a tsinelas*

Philia:*drag him out from somehere*

Mongolia mind: Welp! His totally dead!

[marauderundercover]

Taking Chances Ch. 19: Lack of Communication (Wayne Gala)

AO3

Prev

The shrill ringing of her phone tugs Marinette from her sewing machine. Glancing at the caller ID, she grins widely.

“Hey Uncle Jagged.” She says, pushing her chair away from her desk. It’d been a couple weeks since she last heard from the man as his tour had really picked up at the end. It was practically back to back concerts, so that didn’t leave a lot of time for phone calls or face times.

“Little Rocker! Glad I caught you. I have an event next week and I was hoping I could drop by the bakery so you could fix a tear in one of my suits.” He says. Marinette winces. That’s what she was supposed to do. Tell Uncle Jagged about...well, everything.

“Yeah, about that…” She trails off, wishing she’d thought to tell him about the whole ‘adopted’ thing the last time she’d seen him in person. “I’m actually not in Paris right now. I’m in Gotham spending the summer with my birth father.” She says, deciding to just rip the bandaid off. There’s silence for a minute. Then two. She looks down at the phone, frowning. Did he hang up?

“You’re in Gotham?” He finally says.

“Yup.” She says, sighing. “I’m really sorry I won’t be able to fix your suit.”

“What, no, this is great! See the event is in Gotham! It’s just a bunch of rich people and- hold on. Penny!” He yells. She catches bits and pieces of their conversation, Penny agreeing wholeheartedly with whatever it is Jagged has suddenly decided. “I have a rocking idea.” He adds.

“Okay? I’m listening.” She says, glancing at the new dress she’d started that was pinned on her dress form. She was having trouble with the shape and was quickly getting frustrated with her struggles.

“You could come with! As MDC, of course. You could wear one of your designs and get known in Gotham. The event is supposed to be highly publicized. Penny thinks it’d be a good way to get known in the US. So, whatdya say?” Jagged asks, and Marinette can just tell that he’s grinning widely, can hear it in his voice. She thinks for a minute, glancing at the dress form with a new sense of determination.

“I’ll have to double check with my dad.” She says, trying to think if they had any plans for next week.

“Of course! Let me know soon, okay? Penny says she wants to start publicizing MDC’s appearance if you’re gonna come.” Jagged says. Marinette agrees before hanging up, thinking. Would her dad let her go alone? Or would he insist on coming with? She knew Gotham was dangerous, it’s why she hadn’t gone anywhere by herself despite being a hero herself. She didn’t want to risk her Miraculous falling into the wrong hands, even if the person didn’t realize what they had. Making up her mind, she sets off to find her dad and ask about the event. She still wasn’t quite sure what it was, just that there would be plenty of big names and plenty of journalists- the perfect opportunity to build up a clientele outside of France. Checking his study first, she’s unsurprised to see he’s not there. Knowing chances were good that he was in the cave, she pulls a domino mask out of her purse. Her dad had asked her a couple days ago to wear one in the cave just in case they had unexpected visitors. Kinda like how her and Chat Noir had shown up unexpectedly that one time. Complete accident. Changing the time on the clock, she presses the button that opens the entrance, sliding in and walking through the passage. Glancing into the cave, she grins when she sees her dad, in costume, sitting at the computer.

“Hey B!” She says, knowing not to call him Dad while he was in the cowl. Something about it making him seem less intimidating, or something.

“Ladybird.” He nods. She frowns, glancing at the computer screen and wincing when she sees Superman on screen.

“Sorry, I didn’t know you were busy.” She apologizes, waving awkwardly at the man on the screen. He quirks an eyebrow.

“Hello. Ladybird, was it?” He asks and she nods.

“Er, yeah. Ladybird. Nice to meet you.” She says, rocking back and forth on her heels, eyes darting around the cave. Maybe she should just leave and ask later.

“Is everything alright?” Her dad asks, obviously confused at her presence in the cave. Not that she wasn’t allowed, she just didn’t spend a lot of time there.

“I was just wondering if I could go to an event next week with my Uncle.” She says, trying to stay vague. He’s silent for a moment before nodding.

“We can discuss details later, but that should be fine.” He says. Marinette grins, bouncing up and down in excitement.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” She cheers, resisting the urge to hug him. “Bye Mr. Superman!” She adds, waving before running back through the passage to work on her dress some more. This was going to be amazing!

---

Penny had picked Marinette up early the morning of the Gala. She still wasn’t sure what it was for, but that didn’t bother her. She was just excited that she had finally finished her newest dress in time for the Gala. Penny had insisted on her coming over early so that she could help Marinette do her hair and makeup, which she was thankful for. Selina apparently had something to do tonight and couldn’t help her, and she would’ve definitely been her first choice. Smiling down at her dress, Marinette looks at Penny with a grin.

“Could you take a picture for me without my face covering so I can show my parents later?” She asks. Penny nods, smiling back.

“That dress is amazing, Marinette. Truly one of your best designs.” She says. Marinette blushes at the compliment before smiling at the camera. She thanks Penny and takes her phone back, sending the picture to her Maman and Papa as well as her dad and Selina. She was extremely proud of the dress and wanted them to see her in it before she added her ‘disguise’ to protect her identity.

“Hey, Aunt Penny?” Marinette says, looking up at the woman. Penny hums, putting on lipstick. “What is the event for? All Jagged said was that it’s a Gala.” She says, Penny huffs.

“Of course that man didn’t give you any other information. Honestly, sometimes- you agreed without knowing what the event was?” She says, eyebrows raised. Marinette shrugs.

“Uncle Jagged said that it’d be fun. I trust him.” She says. Penny sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“Remind me to read any contracts before you sign them, okay sweetie?” She says. Marinette nods and Penny smiles. “Good. Anyway, it’s a Wayne Gala. The family hosts several every year to help raise money for the Wayne foundation.” Penny says and Marinette freezes. Wayne Gala? As in, her father? Her family? Were they really having a Gala tonight without telling her? Or inviting her? Were they….were they embarrassed by her?

“Like, Bruce Wayne?” Marinette manages to ask, trying hard to ignore the way her heart breaks when Penny nods. That was why Selina couldn’t help her. She had to get ready for the Gala. And if she had to guess, the rest of her family was also going. What would they have done with her if she hadn’t had plans? Would they have told her then? Or would they have acted like nothing was happening. Where even was the Gala? Oh my god. It was at the Manor, wasn’t it. The thought strikes her and she winces, giving Penny a small, tense smile.

“Are you okay?” She asks, obviously concerned. Marinette nods sharply.

“Yes, one last question. Where is it?” She asks. Penny frowns, obviously not believing that Marinette was okay, but luckily not pushing it.

“Wayne Manor. The Galas are the only time the manor is opened to other celebrities. The family is usually very private.” Penny says. Marinette huffs out a puff of air, working hard to ignore the hurt in her chest. The feeling that she wasn’t enough. That they didn’t need her. Suddenly, she wasn’t excited anymore. She really wished she would have asked Jagged for more details last week, because now she was stuck going. And it was going to suck.

---

Feeling confident in her design and disguise, Marinette walks through the wall of journalists with Penny and Jagged at her sides. She was working hard to push down the intrusive thoughts that were threatening to take over. Instead, she tried to focus on the questions being called out by the journalists.

“Jagged! Jagged Stone, is this really MDC?” One of them asks. Jagged immediately stopping and shooting the reporter a wide smile.

“Of course it is! She designed all three of these outfits.” He says, gesturing between the trio. “Isn’t she rocking!”

“MDC, why did you pick the Wayne gala to make your first public appearance?” Another journalist asks. Marinette turns to Penny, trusting her to answer the question. They’d agreed before leaving the car that it was best if Marinette didn’t speak directly to any journalists. It would make it easier for them to place her age and where she’s from, given her accent.

“She was in the area and Mr. Stone insisted his favorite designer needed a chance to flaunt her skills in America.” Penny says, flashing the journalist a wide smile before gently pushing Marinette along down the line of journalists. Marinette nods to the man who’d asked the question before following Jagged and Penny closely, her stomach churning as they walk up the front steps of the manor. Of the place she’d been living since summer started. Where apparently they didn’t care to tell her about one of the biggest family events of the year. No big deal. She thought they were accepting her, that they were all getting closer. But maybe not. Her dad not telling her didn’t hurt nearly as much as her brothers not telling her. That felt like a knife in her chest. Trying hard to move gracefully instead of tensely, she follows Jagged into the manor and into the ballroom. Her jaw clenches as she spots her family across the room.

“Mr. Stone, I’m Clark Kent. Nice to meet you.” A man with a notebook and camera says, walking over and extending a hand. Marinette narrows her eyes. She thought the journalists were supposed to stay outside. And this man looked oddly familiar….

“Rocking meeting you man! You a journalist?” He asks, his calculating look hidden by a wide grin. Mr. Kent chuckles.

“Yes, sorry for being so forward. Mr. Wayne and I are friends, so he lets my wife and I have an exclusive pass to come inside the Galas.” He says, glancing at Marinette over his glasses. She watches as his eyes widen slightly before he schools his features back into a neutral expression.

“That’s pretty rock n roll of him!” Jagged says, clapping Mr. Kent on the shoulder.

“It is. Pardon me, but are you MDC?” He asks, turning to look at Marinette once again. She glances at Penny, shaking her head to let her know that she’ll speak for herself for this one. As upset as she was with her dad, he obviously trusted this man. So she would as well.

“I am. Pleasure to meet you, Monsieur Kent.” She says, extending her hand. He smiles, shaking her hand.

“And you, ma’am. I must say, I was not expecting to see you here. I was under the impression that in person events weren’t your forte.” He says, clearly fishing for something. She knew how journalists worked, she’d seen Alya at work enough times to understand that the man in front of her was looking for a story. One she wouldn’t be giving, no matter how much her father trusted the man.

“I like to occasionally surprise people.” She says, waving her hand in a noncommittal way. “Keep them on their toes.”

“I can respect that. Well, I’ll let you all get back to your evening. Nice to meet you all.” He says. She nods back at him, not missing the way he immediately darts off to her dad. She watches as the two start talking, a surprised look on her dad’s face before he turns and sees her. She knows he recognizes the dress. Knows that he knows as well who is underneath the veil. She turns, deciding to ignore him. He didn’t want her here, fine. She’d make sure she stayed out of his way.

---

Clark Kent was confused. He’d known that Bruce must have another kid, adopted in some way. He didn’t just work with random vigilantes, especially not in his city. So knowing that Gotham had a new vigilante named Ladybird, he put two and two together. Didn’t take the world’s greatest detective. But what was confusing was the fact that no new faces showed up with the Waynes as they walked into the ballroom for the Gala. Making a note to ask him about it later, Clark makes his way around the room, talking to familiar faces and names, writing things down that would help the story he was being forced to write on the Gala. These events were not his favorite to cover, hardly anything ever happened. Until he heard the commotion outside, other journalists calling out to MDC. He blinks in surprise. MDC had never made a public appearance before. This was an odd one to choose. Preparing himself to confront the designer, he’s surprised as she walks in behind Jagged Stone. He’s even more surprised when he realizes she had to be a teenager. He chats with the girl and Jagged, glancing down at her over the top of his glasses, shock immediately flooding him. The girl had injuries. Hundreds of them. Bones fused back together haphazardly. Quickly excusing himself, he rushes over to Bruce.

“Do you know who MDC is? Because that girl is definitely younger than Tim. And she has hundreds of injuries, Bruce. Hundreds.” He says quietly, watching as Bruce turns and glances at the girl, his eyes widening slightly.

“Shit.” He mutters.

“What?” Clark asks, trying to figure out if he should also be concerned. Bruce smiles, but it's tense.

“That is my daughter.” He says. Clark blinks.

“That’s the new one? Why didn’t she show up with the rest of the family?” He asks.

“I knew she had plans for tonight, so I didn’t tell her about the Gala. I was going to warn her about it, if she didn’t have plans. So she knew to stay in her room.” Bruce explains. Clark frowns.

“You were going to keep her locked up?” He asks incredulously. Not even the least social Wayne was kept locked away for the Galas.

“Of course not. It’s just- she hasn’t said she wants to be announced yet. She hasn’t even said anything about being MDC because she hates the spotlight. I couldn’t just throw her to the sharks. I’m just trying to do what’s best for her.” Bruce says, standing up straighter. Clark sighs.

“Did you actually talk to her about it? Or did you just assume?” He asks, Bruce huffs.

“I think I know my daughter a little more than you do, Kent.” He says.

“Really? Because from here it sounds like she’s about two breaths away from a panic attack. And Penny Rolling keeps reassuring her that they don’t have to stay long. Oh- and now she’s apologizing for not telling her it was a Wayne Gala until today, but she’s also clearly confused as to why it’s upsetting her. And now-”

“Okay, I get it.” Bruce snaps, cutting him off. Clark raises an eyebrow.

“I’m not sure what happened, but you should fix this.” He says with a pointed look before walking away. God knows the Bats all need a push in the right direction every now and again.

---

Jason frowns as he looks around the room for Marinette. He knew that she hadn’t come with the family, B hadn’t explained that one. But he had heard that MDC was there. And he wanted to talk to her, make sure she was doing okay. These things were annoying as hell and he knew he wouldn’t get through it if he didn’t have his brothers (even if they were little shits). He finally spots her near a wall, clearly trying to disappear. He grins widely, walking over and grinning at her.

“Well, MDC, fancy seeing you here.” He teases with a wink. He watches her for some kind of reaction, frowning when he doesn’t get one. “Pix?” He says, softer this time as he looks at his baby sister.

“Oh, that’s right, I wasn’t supposed to be here, was I? Well, sorry to disappoint.” She snaps bitterly. Jason flinches back, surprised at her tone.

“What’re you talking about?” He asks, eyebrows furrowed. Why did she sound so hurt? Why did she think they didn’t want her there?

“Clearly I’m not as much of the family as I thought I was.” She hisses under her breath. He starts to deny that, but she cuts him off with a humorless laugh. “Bruce didn’t even tell me that there was a Gala. None of you did either. A Wayne family Gala and I wasn’t told. I should’ve known better.” She says, turning to walk away. He grabs her wrist gently, stopping her.

“I promise you, we want you here. Dick, Damian, Tim, me- we all want you here. I can’t speak for B, I’ll definitely be having words with the son of a bitch later, but we want you here.” He says, frowning as he listens to her sniffle under her veil. “Pixie, we thought you knew. He told us you weren’t ready to come to this. I swear to you, we would have told you if we knew. I swear.” He adds. His heart breaks as he hears a hiccupped sob break free from her. He wants nothing more than to wrap his baby sister in a hug, but he knows he can’t. Media’d have a field day.

“Really?” She asks in a small voice. Jason nods.

“Hell yeah Pix. Tell ya what, I’m gonna go get the others and then we’re all gonna sneak out. Take one of the old man’s cars and get some garbage fast food. Who needs this lameass party anyway.” He says, hoping she’ll agree. He’ll let himself be mad at Bruce later. And boy was he gonna be mad. The old man had really fucked up this time. It was one thing to ask Mari to not go to the Gala, or to think she wasn’t ready for it. It was a completely other thing to not even give her the chance to decide, or tell her at all. Cause now she was hurt and thinking everyone hated her. Well, he wasn’t gonna let that happen. Not on his watch.

“Lemme just go tell Jagged and Penny real quick.” She agrees, scurrying off. The second she walks away Jason lets his smile drop into a scowl. That son of a bitch. Storming over to his brothers, he tugs them over to the wall. Better not to let B get word of where they’re going.

“What is the meaning of this?” Damian asks with a scowl.

“Pixie’s gonna tell her Aunt and Uncle that she’s leaving and then we’re stealing one of B’s cars to go to McDonalds.” He says simply. Tim frowns.

“And we’re doing this because?” He prompts.

“Because B apparently didn’t tell the kid about the Gala. And she assumed we knew, and that we all hate her.” Jason explains with a frown.

“Father said she didn’t want to attend.” Damian says, and Jason huffs.

“Yeah, well apparently he lied. She had no clue that the event she was going to as MDC was a Wayne Gala.” He says.

“I’ll go get the car and pull it up front.” Dick says, a determined look on his face. Sometimes his ‘we’re a family and we stick together’ shit annoyed the hell outta Jason, but he was thankful for it today.

“I’m gonna go grab Selina’s coat for her to put on. I saw her dress, and if any MDC fan sees her leaving with us it’s gonna start a media circus.” Tim says, walking away to the coat room. Jason sighs, watching Marinette from across the room. A cleared throat beside him tugs his attention back to his youngest brother.

“What?” He asks, pushing his frustration down. He’d go shoot something later, but right now he was determined to not take his frustration at Bruce out on his siblings.

“Why would Father intentionally keep her from the Gala? She is far more adept at social interaction than I am.” Damian says with a frown. Jason sighs, shrugging.

“No clue. But I’m not about to let her push herself away from the rest of us just because B fucked up.” He says, watching as she walks over to the wall, almost disappearing in the shadows. He nods towards her, making sure Damian follows. The second Tim has Selina’s coat, their small group is off, sneaking out one of the side doors and walking past the journalists, sprinting to Dick and the waiting car. They all jump in and she tears the veil off her face, making Jason wince slightly at her red, puffy eyes. Dick slams on the gas, eliciting a curse from Jason and a squeal of surprise from Marinette.

“So! We broke out of that stuffy party. Where are we headed?” Dick asks, glancing in the rearview mirror to make eye contact with Jason. Jason grins.

“We go get a shit ton of junk food from McDonalds and eat it in the car. Give it the old, fast food smell that B loves oh so much.” He says. Marinette snorts, and Jason grins at her. He’d give B hell later, but for now, he was going to enjoy spending time with his siblings.

---

Bruce frowns as he glances around the Gala, not seeing his daughter. Or any of his other children. He made a mental note to talk to them later. Perhaps keeping the Gala from Marinette wasn’t his best decision.

Next

Tag list: @maribat-bdbwm @vixen-uchiha @stainedglassm @liquid-luck-00 @jayjayspixiepop @jjmjjktth @mizzy-pop @trippingovermyfeet @queenz-z @thepaceperson @iloontjeboontje @waiting247 @laurcad123 @toodaloo-kangaroo @ritacrow-blog @deathssilentapproach-blog @kittenmywaythrulife @nerd-nowandforever @tazanna-blythe @jaybird-and-co @jumpingjoy82

[readingreylo]

Reylo A/B/O Fanfics

Image by @m1ssjess

So this took a while 🤪

This is hardly a comprehensive list, but these are fics I have read and enjoyed and wanted to share with you!

Let's get this out if the way first: What is a/b/o?

A/b/o dynamics lend themselves to darker themes, so please read responsibly! Check out tags and warnings! If something squicks you out: don't read it!

As always, I tried to tag as many tumblrs as I could- if I missed any please let me know!

Classics

The fics that appear on every rec list- and with good reason!

An Unexpected Vacation by tigbit | Explicit | 61k | Complete | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | Doctors/Scientists | Medical Exam | Strangers to lovers | Fucking for science! | Multi POV | "In which Rey attempts to bolster her bank account by volunteering to fuck an Alpha in a scientific study. Plans go pear-shaped when she accidentally triggers scientist!Ben’s first Rut." | It has a delightful (and super romantic) sequel too!

Your Pretty Little Heart by Ever-so-reylo | @ever-so-ali | Explicit | 64k | Complete | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | Doctors/Hospitals | Enemies to lovers | Friends with Benefits | Miscommunications/misunderstandings | Rey POV | "Ben and Rey are way better at having sex than at communicating with each other" | Housekeeping: this fic is actually 10 chapters, the last 5 are an epilogue.

Already Home by AttackoftheDarkCurses | Explicit | 78k | Complete | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x omega | Soulmates | College/university | Roommates | Enemies-to-lovers | Texting | You've got Mail vibes | Multi POV | Kylo and Kira are anonymous soulmates getting to know each other over email. In real life Ben and Rey are roommates who can't stand each other.

Bad Neighbors by amybeegood | Explicit | 91k | Complete | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | Enemies to lovers | Neighbors | Antagonism | Hate sex | Drama | Alternating POV | "Omega Rey's neighbor is the absolute worst. He's arrogant, rude, and selfish. And Alpha Ben apparently hates her as much as she hates him. Rey is a smart, tough cop, if not a bit hot-headed. Ben is an asshole lawyer with a filthy mouth, an ego a mile wide, and "an excellent record for getting people off." What happens when their neighborly bickering becomes all-out warfare right before Rey goes into heat?" | 💖 main story wraps up in ch 18 and last 2 chapters are a sequel

hereafter by voicedimplosives | @voicedimplosives | Explicit | 104k | Complete | Post-apocalyptic AU | Alternate 1920s | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | Pandemic | War | Wilderness Survival | Road Trip | Gender/designation roles | Enemies to lovers | Slow Burn | Angst | Despair | Drama | Action/Violence | Falling-in-love/Realization of feelings | Flashbacks | Homesteading | Smut | Rey POV | Ben POV | One of a few survivors after a pandemic (and pointless war) that decimated the population, Rey is trekking across north america to find her lost family. She crosses Kylo Ren and it dramatically changes his life, while Rey must complete her journey and face her destiny and herself. | 💖 Fucking brilliant. Incredible world building. Amazing amount of detail and research that went into this. So immersive. The characterizations are fascinating!

Summer Heat by IshaRen | Explicit | 56k | incomplete | Alternate Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Beta | Strangers to lovers | Slowburn | Loneliness | Discrimination | Angst | Canada | Multi POV | "A lonely young woman arrives at the cottage she inherited from her grandfather on a remote lake in northern Ontario, to find her neighbour is a rare Alpha, a relic of the old days when humans were ruled by their designation. Across a long hot summer, they connect over their shared history, and she finds that the past may not be as far away as she assumed." | Incomplete but absolutely worth the read

Modern AU's

Fanfics set in a world we are pretty familiar with

Patient Zero by ProtonBeam | Mature | 69k | complete | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | House MD vibes | Venom vibes | Doctors and patients | "mysterious" symptoms | Alaska | wolf bites | mating habits of wolves | side gingerose | side stormpilot | doctor!Ben Solo | wildlife researcher!Rey | Falling in love | banter | Ben POV | "Dr. Benjamin Solo, Head of Diagnostic Medicine at Coruscant Memorial Teaching Hospital has his fancy tickled by a case. Rey Niima, female, 26, a month's worth of woefully underwhelming hospital charts. A series of inexplicably linked symptoms and no diagnosis in sight. That’s why her file arrives on his desk. He’s the most sought after diagnostician in the country. Prick extraordinaire. Mr. Dry-humour but only at the expense of others. He likes solving complex cases for the sheer thrill of unravelling what others can’t. And he’s finally met his match. If only she could stop saying “Alpha?” Clinical Note: How did the omegaverse start? Or shall we call it the alphaverse? Where did designations come from? It all started with one Patient Zero." | 💖 I want to nominate this fic for the "classics " category because it's brilliant and is a great introduction to the omegaverse

Beg by KyloTrashForever | Explicit | 2k | Oneshot | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | Establish Relationship | Devoted Reylo | Period Sex | Hurt/Comfort | Rey POV | "In which Rey needs relief and is willing to beg for it."

think you're so criminal by cryoreal | Teen | 3k | Oneshot | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | Strangers to lovers | Stalking | Homeless!Rey | Lonely!Ben Solo | no smut | HEA | Alternating POV | "As is tradition, he deadpans “Honey, I’m home,” as his keys clatter into the bowl near the door, kicking his shoes onto the mat. The smell of pizza seems to have intensified, his mouth watering, and he wonders if maybe Maz has her grandkids over for the night. “I brought a pizza,” a quiet voice rang out from the dark, and Ben screamed."

heat waves (late nights in the middle of june) by Hormonal_Trashbag | Explicit | 4k | Oneshot | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | Wakes/Funerals | Ex-lovers | Miscommunications | Rey POV | Rey has a breakout heat at a funeral. Good thing her Ex-Alpha is there to help her out.

Baby, Please Come Home by v3ryvelvet | @v3ryvelvet | Explicit | 6k | One shot | PWP | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | Christmas | Devoted Reylo | Office Party | Multi POV | Newly married (and mated) couple Rey & Ben get an unexpected suprise while Ben is at his Office Christmas party... (It's Rey's heat).

Lessons & Carols by angharabbit | @angharabbit | Explicit | 7k | One shot | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | Christmas Eve | priest!Ben | Librarian!Rey | "Forbidden" love | Rey POV | It's Christmas eve and some asshole Alpha is ruining Rey's evening. Her petty revenge does not go as planned. Meanwhile Father Ben's shitty night takes an unexpected turn for the better.

like my heart longs for an ocean by hi_raeth | Mature | 8k | One shot | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | co-workers | enemies-to-lovers | non-linear storytelling | Rey POV | "Within minutes of meeting, Rey Niima and Kylo Ren immediately confront each other for having the audacity to be biologically compatible. Within weeks, they start exploring that compatibility. Within months, it turns into something more. This is the story of them getting their shit together, one step at a time."

Harleys in Hawaii by CaliforniaQueen | Explicit | 10k | Oneshot in 2 parts | PWP | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | Enemies to lovers | Bodyguard!Ben Solo | Spoiled princess!Rey Palpatine | Hawaii | HEA | Alternating POV | "Ben is a personal bodyguard for Old Man Palpatine. When the boss gives him an assignment to guard his granddaughter, Ben's world is turned upside down by the feisty Rey."

howlin' for you by hipgrab | @kylorenaissance | Explicit | 11k | One shot | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | Strangers to lovers | One night stand type dynamic | serendipity | demisexual!Rey | Rey POV | "Going to a heat house wasn’t Rey’s Plan A. It wasn’t her Plan B or C. It wasn’t even a Plan D. She doesn’t have an exact count, but if she had to guess, she’d put a heat house in Plan...J or K or L."

Seasons of Love by Daisyflo | Explicit | 12k | Oneshot | Modern AU | A/B/O | alpha x omega | Enemies-to-lovers | Roommates | Ben POV | "After his grandmother's death, Ben discovers he inherited her house. First problem: he isn't the only one. Second problem: his new housemate is an Omega."

The Knotting Shop by crossingwinter | @shmisolo | Explicit | 15k | Complete | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | Strangers-to-lovers | Knitting | Ben has anxiety and knitting helps | Multi POV | "Ben realizes upon entering the shop that he had gotten the complete wrong impression from the name of it. What the fuck sort of shop calls itself The Knotting Shop if it’s not about, well, knotting? The answer, apparently, is a knitter with a sense of humor. An Omega, by the scent that seems to have landed in every colorful ball of yarn in the shop and which hits him right in the groin."

Willing by Ever-so-reylo | @ever-so-ali | Explicit | 17k | Complete | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x omega | Reddit hookup | Boss/employee dynamic | Oblivious!Rey | miscommunications/misunderstandings | light dom/sub | Angst | HEA | Rey POV | "34 [M4F] New York - Alpha M looking for Omega F in her early 20s. Athletic build, small breasts, straight brown hair, and a light complexion are a must. Freckles and British accent are a plus. Willing to do as she’s told. Not looking for commitment. Contact for more information. Or: An Alpha posts on Reddit Personals, looking for an Omega who is exactly like Rey. Rey replies."

The mortifying ordeal of being known (and the reward of being loved) by vuas | @thevuaslog | Explicit | 20k | Complete | Modern AU | A/B/O | alpha x omega | Strangers to Lovers | Neighbors | Misunderstandings | Porn With Plot | Light dom/sub vibes | Multi POV | They're neighbors who don't get along, it's a shame they both smell irresistible to each other. | 💖 Steamy AF 🤤

(I Want to See You) As You Are Now by walkingsaladshooter | @nuanceismyjam | Explicit | 20k | Complete | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | Friends to lovers | Friend group dynamic | Rey POV | Ben and Rey are friends. Just friends. But when Ben misses his blockers one day Rey realizes that maybe they are more physically compatible than she first realized. And maybe Ben has been in love with her just as long as she has with him.

mountain at my gates by KyloTrashForever | Explicit | 26k | Complete | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | PWP | Snowed in | lumberjack!Ben Solo | Engineer!Rey | Tropes galore | Rey POV | Omega Rey gets stuck in the middle of nowhere with no suppressants, good thing woodsman Ben is there to help her out. You can guess where this is going.

a poor prisoner in his twisted gyves by galvanator | @ehstarwar | Explicit | 24k | Complete | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | Friends to lovers | Shity healthcare | HEA | Multi POV | "Rey can no longer afford suppressants and decided to take on unsuppressed life. Thankfully, Ben is there to help her."

can't turn off what turns me on by audreyii_fic | @audreyii-fic | Explicit | 26k | Complete | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | Hookup-app type dynamic | Strangers to lovers | Virgin!Ben Solo | Tragic-backstory type angst | Multi POV | Rey needs help with her heat, and retired mercenary Ben answers the call. He falls fast, but Rey has been hurt in the past and runs from a good thing. | 💖 the author's notes are hilarious and are worth reading alone.

Keep the Car Running by CaptainCabinets | @captaincabinetsao3 | Explicit | 31k | Complete | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | Co-workers | Enemies to lovers | Rey needs a hug | Rey POV | "Someone new joins the carpool. Rey is not happy about it. (Until she is)." | 💖 This has one of my absolute favourite 'confession' scenes.

3 Days in Vienna by anopendoor | Explicit | 31k | Complete | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x omega | Spies/espionage/assassins | Enemies to lovers | Rivals | Action/drama | Violence | Mutual pining | falling in love | open ending | Multi POV | "Kylo Ren, trained mercenary Alpha assassin, is on a mission—kill Chancellor Palpatine and bring his underground authoritarian regime to an end. It’s what the First Order demands, for the better of society. It should be an easy task. He’s been getting close to the Chancellor and his cronies for years. So how is it that the sudden appearance of an Omega, with a seemingly similar mission—and a wholly inconveniencing scent—becomes a distraction he never could have expected?" | There is a sequel in progress!

Dash by TrashPile11 | Explicit | 33k | Complete | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | Politics | Strangers to lovers to enemies to lovers | Corruption | Drama | Rights activist!Rey | Senator!Ben Solo | Big Bad Big Pharma | Multi POV | Rey experience a breakout heat when she meets with Ben Solo the young senator who helped pass Order 66, a Bill that places restrictions on Alphas and Omegas. Ben and Rey have an undeniable chemistry that is torn between both their political loyalties.

Stay Hungry by jeeno2 | Explicit | 42k | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | Enemies to lovers | Professors | Rivals | Rey POV | Professor Rey Johnson finally meets her academic rival Professor Benjamin Solo face-to-face at a conference where they are both presenting-- her Omega and his Alpha pheromones drive each other to distraction. They decide to fuck it out of their systems -- with limited success.

taste your beating heart by hipgrab | @kylorenaissance | Explicit | 45k | Complete | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | Co-workers | Friends-to-lovers | Drama | Rey POV | Rey and Ben bond over being the only non-betas in their office. They become friends and Ben tries to set Rey up with his friends to 'help her out' (when really HE wants to help her out)

Things That Make Sound by L_awlietxoxx | @xoruffitup | Explicit | 45k | Complete | Modern AU | A/B/O | alpha x omega | Strangers to lovers | Amnesia | Angst | minor Rey/OC | HEA | Ben POV | Ben is torn between what is right and what he wants when he meets Rey-- his perfect mate. The only problem is that Rey has a brain injury that damaged her short-term memory, so every time they meet is the first time for her. | 💖

No Chance, No Way by AttackoftheDarkCurses | Explicit | 46k | complete | modern AU | A/B/O | alpha x omega | co-workers | journalism | Valentine's Day | Going on dates for research | Snowed in | Multi POV | Rey has been on so many bad dates that she barely registers when her co-worker takes her on a fantastic date. Too bad it's just research for an article he's writing...

The Mercenary's Mate by L_awlietxoxx | @xoruffitup | Explicit | 55k | Oneshot (plus 4 epilogues) | Modern AU | A/B/O | alpha x omega | strangers to lovers | Mercenary!kylo | organized crime | violence | Alternating POV | "Ren meets the omega on a job. She isn't the target for his kill, but soon becomes his greatest secret. The mercenary has a purpose now: No one will ever touch his mate."

Hunting Dragons in Brisbane by bluetoast | @blue-toast17 | Explicit | 64k | Complete | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Alpha | Strangers to lovers | Single-dad!Ben Solo | Australia | Skywalker Family Dynamic | Multi POV | "Rey Johnson has lived in Australia for over a year and still isn't used to the reversed seasons, the weather, and the last thing she's looking for is a mate, she just wants a place to wait out another stormy afternoon. Ben Solo came to Brisbane six years ago to help his grandparents with the family shop - he's not looking to complicate his life any further than it currently is. It doesn't help that his gran and grandpa are always on the lookout to find their only grandchild a mate."

is this called home by reylonly | @reylonly | Explicit | 67k | Complete | Modern AU | A/B/O | alpha x omega | Boss/employee dynamic | Neighbors | Mutual Pining | Secret relationship | Nanny!rey | College student!rey | Single dad!Ben solo | Professor!solo | Multi POV | Rey embarks on a secret relationship with her neighbor Ben, whose son she has been minding this summer while she is home from college. Their connection is undeniable but Rey struggles with loving Ben (and his son) and wanting a future for herself outside of her designation.

You'll Hear Me Howling (Outside Your Door) by HarpiaHarpyja | @thisgarbagepicker | Explicit | 71k | Complete | Modern AU | A/B/O | alpha x omega | Priest!Ben Solo | Forbidden Relationship | Roman Catholicism | Slowburn | Temptation | Canada | Angst with a HEA | Alternating POV | "Father Ben Solo has been a priest at St. Ailbe's parish for the last year. It's a position that provides the structure and control he lacked in his youth, and maybe best of all, a way to wrangle his more unsavory urges as an Alpha. Rey Stafford has just moved to Ontario, hoping to advance at work and adjust to a new life across the Atlantic as an Omega living alone. When an unusual encounter in the confessional leaves them spiraling into a constant routine of advance and retreat, they both begin to struggle against their own baser urges and the ticking time bomb of years of repression." | 💖

Alternate Modern AU

Usually a modern setting but, Designation plays a much larger role in society's structure and/or history

The Right by Ever-so-reylo | @ever-so-ali |Explicit | 5k | One shot | Alternate Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | Pack dynamic | Primae Noctis | Mating rituals | Kylo POV | On Rey's wedding night Pack Leader Kylo demands Right of the First Night.

The Nest by Graendoll | Explicit | 7k | Oneshot | Modern AU | Dystopian vibes | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | Trope subversion | Imprisonment | Engineer!Rey | Feral!Ben Solo | Rey POV | In a society where alphas are too dangerous to be left to their own devices, they are imprisoned in "Nests" until they are mated. Rey finds Ben in one such hellhole.

Until you by Ever-so-reylo | @ever-so-ali | Explicit | 7k | Oneshot | Alternate Modern AU | Arranged Marriage | Power imbalance | Strangers to lovers | Mercenary!Kylo Ren | Love at first sight | Kylo POV | In a society where Omegas are little more than property, Hitman Kylo Ren finds his own mate at his mother's prompting. He expected to meet her, fake smile through the evening and get on with his life, like he has with so many other omegas before, but Rey is nothing like what he expected and he falls fast and hard.

Climb by inexorablydrawn | Mature | 13k | Complete | Alternate Modern AU | A/B/O | alpha x omega | Soulmates | strangers to lovers | Romance | Rey POV | Rey climbed the mountain hoping that she would descend it alone. A week later when she does decend it, mate in tow, she knows that she was an absolutle fool for wishing otherwise.

novitiate by SecretReyloTrash | Explicit | 53k | Complete | Alternate Modern AU | 1950's | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | Covent | Catholic Guilt | Forbidden Relationship | Mute!Ben Solo | Nun!Rey | Angst | Ableism | Rey POV | Cloistered away from the world Omega Rey discovers a forbidden (and potentially dangerous) attraction to the mute Alpha who guards the covenant she now calls home. How can you truly get to know a lover when he cannot speak?

Historical AU's

Fics set in a time period other than modern day

the dreadful need in the devotee by redbelles | @redbelles | Explicit | 7k | One shot | Medieval AU | A/B/O | alpha x omega | Knights & Princesses | Bodyguard!Kylo Ren | Resisting temptation | Chastity Belt | Catholic Guilt | Ben POV | "En route to her betrothed and surrounded by a cadre of the realm’s fiercest alphas, the emperor’s granddaughter is going into heat."

Come Again? By slipgoingunder (need an ao3 account to read) | Explicit | 8k | complete | 1950s AU | A/B/O | alpha x omega | phone sex | guided masturbation | eavesdropping | Rey POV | "1959. Serious single gal Rey Johnson is stuck sharing a three-way telephone line that’s constantly tied up by Beta playboy Poe Dameron. Her curiosity is piqued when she “accidentally” overhears Mr. Dameron’s explicit conversations with his many paramours. But her breathless eavesdropping doesn’t go unnoticed by the third member of their party line: mysterious, deep-voiced Alpha, Mr. Solo."

an unexpected alliance by antematter (need an ao3 account to read) | Explicit | 19k | complete | Regency AU | A/B/O | alpha x omega | Accidental Mating | Misunderstandings/miscommunications | Rey POV | Miss Niima and Captain Ren have an illicit dalliance at a ball which results in an accidental mating -- Captain Ren does the respectable thing and proposes marriage. Miss Niima is plagued with guilt at forcing his hand. They both are idiots and regency sex education is severely lacking! | 💖 now THIS is regency a/b/o in all its glorious smutty goodness! 🤤

welcome to my cage, little lover by KyloTrashForever | Explicit | 23k | Complete | Barbarian AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Beta | Alpha x Omega | Warlord!Kylo Ren | Slave!Rey | Beta!Rey | Late Presentation | Genra typical violence | Power dynamics | Drama | HEA | reylo babies | Multi POV | "In which Rey is brought to the house of the infamous warlord, Kylo Ren, to serve his every need. Omegas are not allowed. Surely nothing will go wrong."

The Ballad of You, Me, and Everything in Between by bluetoast | @blue-toast17 | 27k | Complete | 1960's AU | A/B/O | Alpha x omega | Strangers to lovers | Road trip | Porn with Plot | lactation kink | breeding kink | Domestic Fluff | Falling in love | HEA | Multi POV | "Alpha Ben Solo just wanted to get to his new job in Yellowstone National Park by the weekend. He'd had it planned out - get through the major cities outside of rush hours, be there and settled by Saturday. Pretty easy, considering most traffic was headed east, to Woodstock. That was before an omega named Rey Johnson tapped on the window of his Volkswagen bus in some spit in the dirt town in Ohio asking for a ride." | 💖

Delayed Metamorphosis by LyricalRiot | Explicit | 31k | Complete | Victorian AU | A/B/O | Beta x Omega | Alpha x Omega | Strangers to lovers | Doctor/Patient dynamic | Hysteria | Late presentation | Ben POV | "Doctor Benjamin Solo is the junior partner in an omega health practice, where they specialize in the treatment of omega hysteria. Ever the professional, as well as a confirmed Beta, Ben is rigidly immune to the nature of his work and the condition of his patients — until one day, when a young omega girl walks through the door. Treating her will change everything about Doctor Solo, including who he thought he was."

a manner of virtue by neonheartbeat | Explicit | 45k | Complete | Edwardian AU | Tarzan AU | A/B/O | alpha x omega | Strangers to lovers | period typical attitudes | Action/Drama | unplanned pregnancy | Multi POV | Omega botanist Rey travels into the heart of Africa to discover new and strange plants ... she finds a feral jungle man instead.

Works In Progress

For You, My Ruin by LyricalRiot | Explicit | 75k | WIP- last updated 2021-05-09 | Regency AU | Bridgerton AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | Fake Relationship | Multi POV | "Two rumors have spread through the high society of the city of Theed. The first: Lord Chester Bacca has brought home a mysterious young woman by the last name of Kenobi to sponsor her debut into society. And the second: Bennet Skywalker-Solo, Marquess of Organa, has at last come home. With the gossipy writings of an unknown author fanning the flames of these rumors, the ambitious parents of the town are eager to know how these two arrivals will affect the prospects of their eligible children for this year's Mating Season."

Claim by CrystalDen | Explicit | 41k | WIP- last update: 2021-05-01 | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | slow burn | Mating Bond | Emotional Baggage | Therapy | Angst | non-traditional a/b/o dynamics | flashbacks | past teacher/student relationship | Rey POV | Rey's mate is being released from the reconditioning center; she's bringing him home. Now they must pick up the broken peices of their lives and relationship. | 💖 utterly fascinating storytelling! It's like russian nesting dolls, each chapter revealing more of the mystery of what happend between them.

The Wickedy Witch of Carnegie Hill by amybeegood | Explicit | 19k | WIP- Last update: 2021-04-13 | Modern AU | Enchanted AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | Strangers to lovers | Amnesia | Magical elements | Crack-ish | Multi POV | Bookstore owner Ben thinks he is just like everyone else, at least that's what the amnesia tells him- but really he's an Alpha from a far off kingdom. When an "Omega" appears in a similar fashion his world is turned upside down once again.

in tides of light and cold by irridesca | @earstwo | Explicit | 17k | WIP- last update: 2021-04-04 | Modern AU | Dystopia | Strangers to lovers | Forbidden Relationship | Bodyguard!Ben Solo | Feral!Rey | Multi POV | In a society where Omegas are highly valued Rey kept her designation a secret - once discovered she is placed under the care of a bodyguard, an Alpha looking for redemption.

Ecstasy in Winter by Besagew | Explicit | 46k | WIP- Last update: 2021-03-29 | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x omega | Virgin!Ben Solo | Anxiety | panic attacks | awkwars/terrible sex | loss of virginity | miscommunications |Alternating POV | "At 31, Ben has never been in a relationship. Actually, he's never even kissed anyone. When the subject of past relationships come up, he lies by omission. As an Alpha, he believes he has failed his designation. He is afraid of not being good enough, and could never act upon his attraction to omegas. That is, until he meets Rey." | 💖

How To Care For Your Omega by bishop_little | Explicit | 64k | WIP- last updated: 2021-03-24 | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | enemies-to-lovers | co-workers | teacher!Ben Solo | sexual tension | sexting | dom/sub dynamic (informal) | Orgasm denial | Semi-public sex | Pining | Secrets/drama | Misunderstandings | Alternating POV | "Rey has one job: to demonstrate an ideal mating bond for her class at New Alpha Academy. There's just one small problem — Rey is anything but an ideal Omega, and her Alpha teaching partner, the dreaded Ben Solo, is someone she could never imagine feigning intimacy with. She's certainly not attracted to him. Or his scent. Or his wide, strong hands...Thankfully, Ben Solo can put on an extremely convincing performance."

Alpha & Omega: New Mating and Coupling Dynamics by ProtonBeam | Explicit | 87k | WIP- last update: 2021-03-21 | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | House MD vibes | Venom vibes | Doctors and patients | Alaska | Budding Relationship | doctor!Ben Solo | wildlife researcher!Rey | Ben POV | The Sequel to Patient Zero, "What happens when you wake up and find yourself mated? Dr. Ben Solo's new mate is everything he never knew he needed. She's fierce, stubborn, and witty. Her file was dropped off on his desk merely a week ago. Now that he's unravelled the mystery of her condition and found himself a newly presented Alpha ... she's going into her first heat. Come along on Dr. Solo's first heat/rut adventure to Anchorage. Watch him fumble. Watch him knot. Watch him make an adorkable ass of himself." | 💖 it's like 60k of heat smut 🤤

Carve by Anonymous | Explicit | 36k | WIP last update: 2021-03-19 | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | Ski Resort | Winter | Snowboard Instructor!Ben Solo | Fuckboi!Ben Solo | Accidental voyeurism | Pining | possesive behavior | hell hath no fury like an omega scorned | Multi POV | "Rey Johnson is an Omega looking for a fresh start. Working at the Hoth Mountain Resort, she meets former Snowboarding champion and instructor Ben Solo. The Alpha's scent custom made to torment her soul and wreck her biology. Yet despite their obvious chemistry, he doesn't seem interested in her. Or is he?"

In the In Between by simplyabbey | @simplyabbeycat | Explicit | 90k | WIP - last updated 2021-02-15 | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | Strangers to lovers | One night stand | Rockstar!Kylo Ren | Music Industry | Accidental Mating | Long distance relationship | Angst | light dom/sub | Rey POV | "Alpha rockstars are like tissues. One time use. So why does Rey have such a hard time disposing of guitarist Kylo Ren after a night of indulgence? She’d blamed it on her omega pheromones and his alpha allure the first time. But the longer she dances with the devil, the more she sees the fire inside him isn’t as fearless as he wants her to believe." | 💖 I adore this fic!

Coveted by OptimisticBeth | @optimisticsprinkles | Explicit | 117k | WIP - last updated: 2021-02-13 | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | Werewolves | werewolf typical violence and nudity | Strangers to lovers | Pack dynamic and politics | Angst | Drama | Multi POV | "Rey has never wanted nor needed a mate. So when it gets out that her new Pack Leader, Ben, is determined to claim her, she’s horrified to find that not only does she have to fend him off but all the strange alphas who come sniffing around."

Mating Systems, Reproductive Success, and Sexual Selection in Secretive Species: A Case Study of the Wild Ahch-To Omega by NewerConstellations | @newer-fear | Explicit | 45k | WIP - Last update: 2020-02-22 | Modern AU | A/B/O | Beta x Omega | Alpha x Omega | Beta!Ben Solo | Scientist!Ben Solo | Feral Omega!Rey | Scientific Research | Multi POV | "For generations, Omegas have adapted to civilized environments, permanently impacting the expression of their DNA and pheromones. When a group of lost fisherman discovered an isolated population of feral Omegas on the remote island of Ahch-To, it offered a unique and precious opportunity to document their behavior in the wild. Research biologist Dr. Benjamin Solo spent a year living amongst the herd of Ahch-To Omegas and recorded his experiences, particularly his interactions with the Omega subject known as “Rey.” These are his findings." | 💖 I fucking love this fic. Steamy AF 🥵🤤😘👌

Some Kind of Trouble by HopelesslyReylo | Explicit | 23k | WIP- Last updated 2020-06-15 | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | Enemies(?) to lovers | Rey POV | "Ben Solo was the kind of trouble that could break your heart. Rey was sure of it. Not that she had any experience with Ben Solos personal brand of trouble —but damn, how she wanted that experience— No, Rey had been lusting after him for months, and he kept her at a safe distance. She had wanted him the first time they met; and that was before she even got a whiff of his scent. So really this whole situation shouldn’t be that big of a surprise. Or: Going into heat, in the middle of the grocery store wasn’t Reys idea of a good time. Things get even more complicated when Ben offers to see her through her heat."

On the darker side...

Fics that may contain triggering content. READ THE TAGS!! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!

just for tonight (and the rest of our lives) by ABeautifulBreakdown | Explicit | 49k | Complete | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | Strangers to lovers | One Night Stand | Accidental Mating | Angst | Rough Sex | Unplanned Pregnancy | Headstrong!Rey | Soft!Ben Solo | Rey POV | "It's nothing more than attraction, two strangers at a bar who happen to be biologically compatible. It doesn't mean anything, it's just sex. People do it all the time, hook up, fool around, fuck... But what happens when biology is too hard to resist? All it takes is one bite, just one to change everything." | 💖 This one is pretty subjective, but I got Dark!fic vibes and wanted to be cautious. This fic hit all my kinks 🥵

Reclaimed by betts (need ao3 account to read) | @bettsfic | Explicit | 14k | One shot | Alternate Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | Mention of past (and offscreen) abuse and rape | Slowburn | Angst | Drama | Older man/Younger woman | Master/Pet vibe | caretaking | Feral!rey | Rey POV | "After the passing of new legislation, Rey and thousands of other omegas are rescued from the abusive grasps of their alphas. She gets adopted by a new alpha and braces herself for the cruelty she’s grown used to. But Ben isn’t like other alphas, and Rey slowly warms to his kindness." | 💖 Heartbreaking but so satisfying in the end.

Three-Thirty by solnichka | Explicit | 15k | Complete | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | Muggings | dubious consent | anonymous sex | semi-public sex | criminal!Kylo Ren | Drama | Corperate espionage | Kidnapping | Christmas (but dont expect Hallmark 🤣) | Multi POV | "Rey takes on extra odd jobs at Maz's microbrewery to afford presents for her new friends at her first ever real Christmas, but on her last night of work, she runs into some trouble with a mugger on the train home. It takes an unexpected turn."

Alpha's Conquest by Immortalpen | Explicit | 80k | Complete | Apocalyptic AU | Canonverse-ish (think star wars without lightsabers) | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | Enemies to lovers | terrorist!Kylo Ren | War | Angst | Action/Drama | Tragic backstory | Bendemption | HEA | Rey POV | Rape/sexual assault (multiple), Death: terrorism/war casualties, executions | "In a dystopian world, far far away, a war between designations has left alpha's medicated and conditioned out of their instincts, and omegas fading out of existence. An escaped convict discovers a rare omega, hidden in plain sight, and he will not rest, until she is his." | 💖 This fic is fucking brilliant! It's been a while since I've read a fic that has been this engrossing! I couldnt stop reading and had to force myself to get some sleep. The author took an original premise, weaved in canon, and then gave it an ending that was satisfying to both canon and the unique world they created! (Way better than that TROS garbage). With fantastic characterization (especially Rey!) And dynamic, engaging prose and storytelling! Brilliant worldbuilding and setting.

Daddy's Knot by ElegyGoldsmith | @elegygoldsmith | Explicit | 71k | Complete | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | College/university | Sex work | Pandemic/Quarentine/covid19 | Daddy Kink | Teacher/student dynamic | Obsession | Kidnapping | Manipulation | Content Warning: Rape and dubious consent | Rape Fantasy | Mating Bites | HEA | Multi POV | What started out as a cash-for-fantasy-fuck turns into something darker as Rey discovers her client is her proressor. Professor Solo's obsession with Rey takes a darker turn as he gives in to his inner alpha. Over the course of their extremely dubious "courtship" both Ben and Rey realize she is as fucked up as he is. | This started out as a one shot but the author expanded it skillfully, ratcheting up the tension with each chapter.

Icebreaker by MalevolentReverie | Explicit | 12k | Complete | Modern AU | A/B/O | Alpha x Omega | Dead Dove: do not eat | Police/criminal dynamic | Rape | Forced relationship | blackmail | Stalking | breaking and entering | minor violence | misogyny | Police Officer!Rey | Criminal!kylo | Mention of human trafficking | Rey POV | Rey is a rookie Omega cop who works hard to hide h9er designation. She fends off an aggressive Alpha named Kylo, and he comes looking for her.

Happy Reading!

[avaritia-apotheosis]

Phantom Children Ch. 6

Hi guys! I'm back <3 (also, I'm currently looking for alpha/beta readers for Phantom Children, so if you're interested, feel free to shoot me a message!)

In Which: Danny Attempts to get Answers, Bruce Learns, and Dick Finally Learns What's Inside the Door that Doesn't Exist

AO3 | Prologue | 5 | [ 6 ] | 7

DANNY IS KNOCKED DOWN three, four, eight times on the ice. Each time made his back ache, his bones bruised and tired, and his mind burning with embarrassment and a drive to lash out. But each time he gets back up. Each time he lasts a little bit longer against Talia.

The ice still shifts, cracks and rumbles with every wrong move. Danny learned to roll with it. Move on light feet but attack with a firm stance, gauge which parts of the ice are stable and which should be avoided. Multi-tasking has never been Danny’s strong suit, but he’s good at learning and learning quickly.

Talia corrected his form as much as she beat him down. Exploited every one of his openings until he learned to defend them and praised him whenever he managed to pull one over her. The League’s martial arts was the holy amalgamation between almost every single fighting style there is, mashed and refined to perfection to become almost unpredictable to the untrained. A vast improvement to Danny’s previous ‘fuck around and see what works’ brawling and had the added benefit of meshing together with his spontaneity.

“You are doing well, Daniel,” Talia said as she sheathed her sword, hand resting just above her hip. “You have improved greatly in such a short time, as I have expected.”

It takes every ounce of Danny’s superhuman energy to not collapse to his knees, his every breath a ragged shudder as he tries to get his breathing under control. “Still can’t beat you, though.”

“Very few can boast that feat.”

“I’m not exactly sure if that’s supposed to make me feel any better or not. Do I get my prize at least?”

Tahlia tossed her braid over one shoulder with a laugh. “Come, then, let us rest in the caves. The sun is to set soon and we must make camp before we freeze to death.”

“Hypothermia is so last season. I’m way too cool for that.”

He didn’t know whether to be disappointed that Tahlia didn’t react to his pun. It was pretty clever, in his opinion.

('Puns are the lowest form of comedy,' said mind-Jazz.

Says the one who named the Box Ghost the ‘Crate Creep.’

'That’s alliteration, not a pun.')

It was kind of pathetic that even his mind-version of Jazz was smarter than him.

“What would you like to know first?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Sarcasm dripped from Danny’s voice. He sheathed his sword and let it hang loose at his side. “Maybe how old this mysterious brother of mine is?” Ancients, his life was weird enough already, it wasn’t supposed to sound like the B-plot to a bad soap opera.

“Damian is younger than you by a little over four years. He will turn eleven this year.”

“Huh. Never been an older brother before.”

“Perhaps you might have been, if circumstances had been different.”

Cryptic. Great. Danny stepped over a particularly large crack in the ice and scampered over to solid ground. “You gotta give me more than that. What’s he like?”

“Prideful,” she said. “But skilled enough to warrant it. He was raised like a prince—as how you should have been.”

“And he lives with…our dad?”

“Yes. In America.” The cave was deep enough to shield them from the worst of the eventual mountain winds. Tahlia had already started building a campfire with equipment from her knapsack, embers eating away and growing into a steady flame. He sat down, legs crossed, beside the fire, hands tucked beneath his armpits.

He bit his lip, a question forming in his mind. “Do…do we have the same dad?”

Tahlia looked up at him. “Of course. Only your father has had the privilege of being called my beloved, and only he is worthy enough to have sired my children.”

Once night fell, it fell quickly. Blanketing as far as Danny could see from the mouth of the cave in a thick darkness. Snow fell from the skies in thick tufts and covered their footsteps.

“Does he—do they know about me?”

“No, they do not.”

“And you probably aren’t going to tell them anything about me, if you could help it.”

“That is very perceptive of you, habeebi.”

“You won’t tell me anything more about them, will you?”

“In due time, I will.”

Danny blew part of his fringe away from his face. Figures.

Despite the ever-present niggling at the back of his mind, Bruce had yet to see what was in the flash drive. The weeks since his strange meeting with Vlad Masters suddenly exploded with criminal activity with the recent breakout in Arkham and the brewings of another gang war in the shadows of Gotham’s paved streets. It was all hands-on deck. And Bruce, whether as Batman or Wayne, had always prioritized Gotham and its citizens over anything else.

The flash drive remained on his person despite the crisis, tucked away in one of the sturdier compartments of his utility belt to prevent the data inside from becoming damaged. Sometimes he found his hands gravitating towards it, fingers brushing against the button that would release the mystery from its confines before he realized what he was doing and steeled himself. Hands fisted to his side and attention forcibly directed elsewhere.

Eventually, the rogues were placed back into Arkham, and Gotham let out a shuddered breath of relief as it remained standing for another day.

Most of the family were out on a light patrol, cleaning up the remains of the breakout and helping where they can. Jason and Dick bickering over the comms whilst Barbara laughed in her clocktower.

(“It’s not that bad.”

"‘It’s not that bad’—shut the fuck up.” Jason spat. Bruce could hear him revving his bike. “You’re a fucking idiot, you know that? Certified Grade A idiot. B’s gonna kill you.”

He could hear Dick roll his eyes. “Sure, pile it all on, Jaybird. Blame the victim.”

"It was your fault.”

“It’s not my fault I didn’t see it there!”

"You tripped and got a concussion. From a stick. A. Stick.”

“Can we please just leave that out of the report?” Dick groaned. Barbara laughed. “Oh god.”

“Richard motherfucking John Grayson. I swear if you vomit on me then—”

“I’m not gonna vomit on you! You just turned the corner a little too fast. It’s nice to see you care though.”

"Fuck no, I just don’t wanna smell like regurgitated cereal.”)

Damian was benched from a patrol. Their last conflict with Poison Ivy ended with Damian sticking a bad landing and twisting his ankle. He dealt with it with as much grace as can be expected. Meaning that he spent the last few days sulking as he caught up on his missed schoolwork and shooting daggers at everyone else who came back from patrol.

Bruce flicked the flash drive open and plugged it into the computer. The flash drive contained only a single folder dated six months ago.

He clicked it, and a news headline popped up.

LOCAL TEEN DIES AFTER DRIVING OFF CLIFF

Beneath it, a picture. Blue eyes. Black hair. A familiar face.

Blood pounded in Bruce’s ears. He could hear nothing except a sharp gasp from Damian behind him.

When Dick and Jason arrived at the batcave, it was to an eerie silence. Not that it was usually loud, only that Bruce spent most of his free time down in the cave and Dick had come to expect hearing some signs of him around. Typing on keys, the clicking of a mouse, the heavy thuds of a fist meeting a punching bag or a training dummy, etcetera, etcetera. Or maybe even Alfred cleaning up around the cave, feeding the bats, or restocking their med bay.

(Dick, it turned out, didn’t have a concussion. Probably. Not a severe one anyway. What mattered most was that he managed to convince Jason to have dinner at the Manor. Alfred was making a tarte tatin for dessert tonight and those were absolutely to die for. )

One of Tim’s cases took him to the other side of Gotham. The only person in the cave was Damian, who was staring agape at the batcomputer.

“Why the hell is the demon spawn looking at old pictures of Bruce? We get it. They look alike.

“Uh, Dami? What’s up?”

Damian snapped his mouth shut. “I believe it might be best if you asked father that, Grayson.” Despite his clipped tone, there seemed to be little anger in his voice. His proud shoulders were hunched over on the chair, eyes trained on his lap.

He looked so small.

Damian clucked his tongue. “He’s upstairs, if you need him. So is Pennyworth.”

Dick shot a glance at Jason who raised his hands in mock surrender. “You’re up golden boy. Whatever the fuck the old man’s problem is this time, I’m not dealing with it.”

Dick sighed. “Fine.”

There was a door in Wayne Manor that didn’t exist.

When Dick was a child and recently adopted by Bruce Wayne, one of the first things he did was explore the manor. It’s the prerogative of every child that somehow found themselves in a large mansion—even more so given the castle-like exteriors of Wayne Manor. All castles have secret passages, and if the Batcave lay in the subterranean depths below, then surely the manor proper must have its own secrets.

Dick would tumble and cartwheel along the hallways, opening any and every single door he came across. A lot of them were just empty bedrooms or unused parlors and sitting rooms; the furniture covered by white sheets to keep the dust away. Alfred was probably magic, but even he can’t keep the entirety of the manor dust free.

The majority of the unused rooms were unlocked.

Except for one.

It was a room in the west wing, on the second floor. A couple doors down from where Bruce’s and Dick’s were. Why it was locked, Dick never found out. But he was curious since it was the only room on that floor that remained shut.

When he asked Alfred about it, the old butler only said that it was an unused storage room they preferred to keep locked just in case. When he asked Bruce about it, he’d be quick to change the subject. Usually something Batman related. Which, well, always worked, because it was Batman related. And Dick, young and spry and itching to fly under Batman’s wings, would quickly forget about that curious little mystery in favor of punching bad guys in the face and flipping over rooftops.

At some point that locked door quietly disappeared, leaving a blank expanse of wallpaper and a decorative vase where it once stood. It was never brought up again. And Dick slowly forgot that it was ever there in the first place.

Until now.

The wooden table and vase were shoved off to the side. Wallpaper sliced away to reveal the lines of a doorway. The door, covered in its faint damask wallpaper, was kicked open, the wood around the bolt splintered and cracked. He could hear voices—Alfred’s and Bruce’s—speaking softly on the other side.

He pressed his back against the wall and kept his breathing quiet.

“Three times, Alfred.” Bruce’s voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper. “Three times she’s done this to me.”

“Master Bruce…”

“I don’t—I don’t understand why—” Bruce choked, swallowing a shuddered breath. “Damian, I can understand. Jason, I can too. But…This? I—” Bruce suddenly quieted. Dick knew the jig was up.

He unlatched himself from the wall and slowly slid through the once-hidden-door, a hand kept on the frame. “Um. Hi, Bruce? Alfred?” The words fell flat, stilted. Dick winced as he said them. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop but, uh…” He trailed off the second he registered what was in the room.

It was large, as so many rooms in the manor were. The room was covered in peeling green wallpaper with faded pictures of baby deer and owls and other woodland creatures prancing about. There was a dresser on one wall. A shelf filled with little picture books and stuffed animals on the other. A brown teddy bear had fallen on its face on one of the shelves.

In the middle—where Bruce was hunched over—was a crib. The wood streaked and aged with time, the beddings within pristine and untouched, if not dusty. Hanging overhead was a mobile with little animals dangling on a string.

“Worry not Master Dick. It is good that you are here since it will inevitably involve the rest of the family at some point.”

Dick nodded absentmindedly, trying to lock eyes with his guardian. “B? What’s—what’s going on?” Dick took one step deeper into the room. “The pictures in the cave. I thought they were you since they were too old to be Damian—” Bruce’s hands on the crib’s railing flinched.

Dick’s breath hitched.

“They’re…not your photos, are they.”

Bruce took a deep breath in, the lines of his shoulders tense. “No. They’re not.”

In their line of work, the answer could have been anything. Clones, magical doppelgangers, alternate universe counterparts, hell, even just someone’s genetic code being coincidentally similar to another person. But…this room, this nursery, pointed towards only one conclusion.

“Who is he, Bruce?”

Bruce angled his head towards Dick, unshed tears glimmering in his eyes. “He’s my son, Dick.

“He’s my son.”

[whatdoesshedotothem]

Saturday 17 June 1837

7 55

12 ¾

dullish rather hazy morning much rain in the night F69° now at 8 50 am breakfast at 9 in ¾ hour – had Mawson – gave him check for £50 in a/c he shewed me his bill of £32.1.11 to be examined by Mr. Harper for carting materials and digging away stuff etc all on account of the new building at the Stump X Inn – Note from Mr. Waterhouse requesting me to send back the Registration subscription list, it being the only one the committee had – send it back by the servant with civil note – very sorry to have given Mr. W- the trouble of sending for it – then out (very rainy) in the barn – Robert and his men there – long talk to R- he said Mark and Mawson would have asked him 6d. per yard for the garden stuff carting – was he bound to employ them for carting the platform stuff – no! if he could get it done cheaper than by them, he was at liberty to do so, but, if they would do it as cheap as anybody else, of course I wished them to have the 1st refusal – then went to the Lodge with Robert Charles Howarth there resetting the old gate and 2 of Roberts’ men (Michael and John Holmes) helping him – it was Mr. Edwards’ cart that ran over and killed poor Michael’s child yesterday – but Mr. Edwards had not sent to make my inquiries after the poor people – took Robert round to the top of the bank to see my ashes left there 2 loads of which were stolen early in the morning a few days ago – Robert had his dinner brought and dined in the barn – during which time I had Booth giving him orders about wash-house fixtures etc. then with B- Robert and Firth the glazier settling about the rain water cisterns and pipes – all to be ready for noon or Tuesday and Firth to come on Tuesday afternoon and all to be done by Wednesday night – Robert and his men to prepare the cisterns and drains on Monday and my 2 carts to cart the stuff away – then about 2 had Booth in and gave him check in a/c for £50 – he had seen Mr. Husband who told him to tell Riley to go to Greenwood’s and choose what dry boards he wanted for Hilltop house and barn doors – he Mr. Husband would have nothing to do with it – Riley had been at Greenwoods’ before for wood and might go again – A- wanted me – a little while with her

SH:7/ML/E/20/0078

she wanted the original saddle-room cupboard to be moved from the housekeeper’s room into the saddle room for George to put his cloche in and make way for John Burton the footman coming tonight (arrived this evening about eight) bringing a note from Mrs. Fenton to A- Mr. Jubb came at 2 ¼ to take out a front loose tooth for little Mary – he was here on Thursday for the same purpose but she would not let him draw it – today the same and he went away after a great piece of work and being here about ½ hour or more thinking, of course, the child sadly spoilt – he had been at Cliff hill – thought Mrs. AW- much better for the quinine he is giving her – I hoped we could get off to the continent for 3 or 4 months by the end of next month – out at 3 – at the Lodge – took Robert and his 5 men from the scale moving to scrape, to shovel off the dirt from the road – all this rain and Mawson’s stone carting had made it terrible – with them and about in the Lodge road till they went away about 4 ¾ - then sauntering about till after 6 – had Charles Howarth – ordered gate for intended ash-manure place just above the false cutting – gave him £5 in a/c – Long talk taking off the plaster and about exposing the old outside stoothing of the house – CH- said it would stand longer thus exposed (well oiled) than covered with plaster – dressed – sat reading ¼ hour Edinburgh cabinet library Egypt – dinner at 7 – no coffee – nor tea – asleep on the sofa – the King better – A- read me the bulletin and the city article £20,000 in specie arrived from America at and for Liverpool – came upstairs at 10 35 and A- sat with me at twice about ½ hour and ate a couple of oranges while I ate 4 – wrote all the above of today till 11 55 – very rainy day till about 1 ½ then fair and sunshine and fine for the rest of the afternoon and evening F53° at 10 35 pm – Letter tonight from Messrs. Robert Harrison and co. Leeds acknowledging the receipt of the order for the amount of their bill for deals etc

[choicesenthusiast]

Laws of Attraction, Ch. 14 AKA Bang Bang, Kiss Kiss

What happened this week:

Our next stop on our lawyer tour around America is Butte (pronounced “b-yoot”), Oklahoma, residence of Aliana’s family, including the brother who withheld information from us the first time around. If you use your smalltown lawyer skills and ride a horse, you unlock all the family secrets. Namely, that they signed an NDA and they had lost a son thanks to Koenig Chemical over a decade ago. Aliana had been looking for revenge.

Dig a little deeper into Aliana’s encrypted phone with Aislinn, and uncover all the evidence you need to prove that she and Koenig were involved, giving you a path to clear Marcus. You call in the group, but Beau and Sadie are on the way out. Sadie is surprised you’ve found another angle, and all her vibes are off. Looks like all this shady behaviour is coming to a head, and signs are pointing right at her.

Your victory is short lived, because a masked attacker sneaks into the library and steals the phone right out of Aislinn’s hands. Being the big-brained moron that you are, you charge them, but they have a gun. Don’t worry though, as the shot doesn’t hit you or anyone else.

What it does do is probably release some horny chemicals akin to souped-up oxytocin into the air, because your near-death experience is all it takes for you to grab your LI but the neck and fuck ‘em right then and there. What the hell, PB. New mode of foreplay unlocked: gun violence.

Sadie is notified of the incident by security (who made no moves to help us or apprehend the assailant, by the way) and calls off the case. Was the skeevy security watching us get down? I would like to know, please.

Thoughts:

Well, well, well, if it isn’t Sketchy McGraw. That explains why she’s contributed nothing of value to the case, and has been so adamant on us playing a losing strategy. The easy settlement from earlier in the book, making sure we pick up a big murder case, which the firm has never done before, so she can control the outcome. She’s got an in with Koenig somehow, but what we don’t understand is why? It’s unlikely that it’s money. Power? Influence?

Look, I’m not complaining about finally getting the dirty thirty, but one would think that there would be a more… elegant way to get there? MC was fucking shot at, and their trauma response is hornytime. Honestly, respect, I guess, it’s totally on brand for them. We’re here for a good time, not a long time.

When we sleep with Sadie and tell that we also slept with a rival lawyer, a firefighter and his private investigator friend, our boss/colleague, and the fucking client, she admires your tenacity and exposes herself in an attempt to get you to join her evil plans, then you 180 and reveal the recorder you’ve hidden in between your asscheeks, evidence of her full confession, and she’s taken to jail, then what? PB should have put me in charge of this book.

The big question on everyone’s mind is this: how will we use tree law to pull through and win the case once and for all?

[yu-gi-oh-slavia]

m and n are the same as in english, ɲ is the ñ in Spanish words like cañon, and ŋ is the ng at the end of words like sing

p, t, k, b, d, g are the same as in english; kʷ and gʷ are k and g but said with rounded lips, as though saying w at the same time; ʔ is the - in the utterance uh-oh

ɸ and β are like f and v and can be substituted with them; θ is like the th in thistle, and ð is like the th in the; x is the ch in German or Scottish words, and similarly, ɣ is like that if it were a g, if that makes sense; xʷ and ɣʷ , ditto what was said about kʷ and gʷ

s and z are as they are in english; ɕ and ʑ are like the sh in shoe and s in vision, respectively, except with the tongue a little further back in the mouth; ts and dz are like in the word cats or pods; tɕ and dʑ echo what was said of ɕ and ʑ; kx and gɣ, i can't really explain, they're quite uncommon, but i felt like adding them anyway lol, just think of them as analogues to tɕ and dʑ but with k and x combined and g and ɣ combined instead

l is the same as in english, and j is the y sound, w is like english, and ɾ is like the tt in the word better if you're from north america

For vowels

i is the e in she except short, while ii is the full e in she; similar can be said of the rest of double vowels

y is like i but with your lips rounded

ɨ is like i, but with the tongue further back in the mouth

ɯ you will be familiar with if you know japanese, it is the u sound; if you don't know japanese, it is like u but with the lips unrounded

u is the oo in goose

ɛ is the e in bed

œ is like y is to i, it is the unrounded form of ɛ

ə is ə, you may not recognise the shape, but you recognise the sound; it is the sound the letter a often makes at the end of a word, such as the name Tina

ʌ is the u in bus

ɔ is the ough in the word thought

æ is the a in cat

ɑ is the a in father