#Crystalshard

[lillikira]

Fic Banner for Droid Wars by Crystalshard

I was recently inspired to make a banner for Crystalshard’s story Droid Wars. You can find the story on AO3.

https://archiveofourown.org/chapters/104636253?page=2&show_comments=true&view_full_work=false#comment_615627496

[gerec]

Valentine’s Day Ficlet - The Roses Have to be Red

crystalshard said: Cherik, painting the roses red. (Yes, it’s that reference to chess queens and playing cards. Take it in whichever direction you please, because there are too many options for me to pick one and anything you write will be amazing.)

-----

“Um, what you doin’ there, Erik?”

What he’s doing is making a mess of the Valentine’s Day card he’s been working on all morning, and quickly running out of time. Miss MacTaggert says they’re going to stop doing crafts at lunch time, and spend the rest of the afternoon on reading and math. They don’t do the card exchange until just before bell rings at the end of the day, so if he’s not done soon he’ll have to live with the shame of creating something substandard.

(He learned that word, ‘substandard’, from Uncle Daniel when he was complaining about the plumber’s work in his kitchen.)

“I ran out of red construction paper! I can’t put white roses on my card, Az, it has to be red!”

Azazel tilts his head and looks at his card with a critical eye.

“Why did you do some in marker and some in pencil crayon? It looks unbalanced.”

“I know.” Erik is close to tearing his hair out (he is not going to cry – because he’s in Grade One and first graders don’t cry when they’re upset) and he doesn’t need Az’s unhelpful input. “I tried paint first, but it was too wet and it made a big mess! Then I switched to marker but Sebastian took all the other reds and left me with just one and it ran out!”

Azazel snorts. “Emma doesn’t even like red. You guys should just trade cards. You can give his red one to Charles and he can give your white one to Emma.”

“I am not giving Charles a card made by Sebastian Shaw,” Erik says with gritted teeth. “He’s my nemesis! What if Charles thinks Sebastian likes him? What if Sebastian asks him to be boyfriends? It’s my worst nightmare, Az! I’d have to ask Mama to move, I couldn’t live—"

He’s so worked up that he nearly misses the soft voice piping up behind him, “Hi Erik. Hi Azazel.”

“Hey Charles,” Az says, giving his angel – his! – a great big smile. “How’s it going?”

“Good. I finished my Valentines so I’m helping Miss MacTaggert with clean-up,” Charles says, and he’s just so pretty, with his perfect hair and big blue eyes and Erik’s card is such a mess and oh my god he wants sink into the ground and disappear—  “That’s a lovely card, Erik. I think it’s really cool, using different instruments for contrast.”

Erik blinks. “Really? You like it?”

Charles cheeks flush pink, and Erik thinks it’s the most wonderful thing he’s ever seen. “Yes, it’s a work of art! Whoever you’re making it for is going to be really happy.”

Then Charles winks at him, before turning back and heading over to Miss MacTaggert’s desk. Erik looks down at his card and looks up at Az, who is trying very hard not to laugh.

Erik doesn’t care what Azazel thinks; he’s going to marry Charles Xavier someday.

“I’m going to marry Charles Xavier someday,” he says, and goes back to coloring his very excellent card.

[roseaesynstylae]

My Favorites of Jedi Appreciation

So, I've been thinking about Jedi positivity a lot lately. So, I decided to make a masterpost. Someone's definitely done this before and better, but I feel like I should throw my hat in the ring.

(There's also A Collection of Posts about the Jedi Order, Part One and Part Two.)

Fics

These fics might not be completely focused on the Jedi Order but they are portrayed positively, or they expand on their culture. Either way, I love them.

Knightrise by deviantaccumulation: In which a new Jedi Order is founded on Mandalore after Order 66.

not the place i was born in (doesn't mean it's not the place where I belong) by ghostwriterofthemachine: Jedi worldbuilding and Young Anakin and Obi-Wan being sweet.

How a Handful of Droid Poppers Save the Galaxy by Zarz: In which Appo is the hero the galaxy needs and Anakin meets consequences.

Yeet or be Yeeted by virdant: In which the Jedi tendency to jump off tall places becomes a competitive sport.

THE FORCE WILLS DOCUMENTARY by js71: Told as a documentary about the Jedi Order, there's a lot of worldbuilding and other things that make my heart happy.

Pragmatics of the Jedi by aroacejoot, ghostwriterofthemachine, loosingletters: A series that created a language for the Jedi, Dai Bendu, which is absolutely fascinating.

On Meditation by virdant: A short fic about meditation. It makes me happy.

Interviews by BloodyDevil: Interviews with members of the Jedi Order.

In which we burn bodies as bridges by GraceEliz: Jedi mourning in a bittersweet fic.

Anakin Skywalker's Guide to Jedi Traditions by loosingletters: A young Anakin's journal about his new life in the Jedi Order.

The Droid Wars by Crystalshard: R2 learns about the future and drags 3PO along with him to stop it.

Why We Did Nothing by BairnSidhe: Do you like the Mandalorians as well as the Jedi? In which the Mandalorians learn about the Jedi Order's perspective on things and Jaster gets rightfully mad. Warning: It has dark themes (among them, discussions of the murder of children, generational trauma, and Montross-related fuckery).

spilled red wine by scrapheap_redux: I was debating whether or not to add this one, but I really liked the portrayal of the Jedi when they show up. However, it has the aftermath and results of rape (not onscreen) as the inciting incident, which is why I was wondering if I should add it; I want this list to be enjoyable and I don't want to upset anyone.

Unsolicited PR From A Pirate by Everything_or_Anything, lastbattlecry, RogueLadyVader (LaylaYuy), TessaDoesThings, wanderingjedihistorian (RangerJedi67): Hondo is a menace. Also, action figures.

Stolen Choices by softmoonlight: Cal, Fox, and the possibility of a happy ending.

free to find my calling by Papook: Jocasta Nu gets a squad of clones.

Always in Motion by virdant: I never knew I needed a Chewbacca time-travel fic so much.

remember me, fondly by ace_din_djarin: Crafts, Jedi, and bittersweetness.

The Bust Busting by virdant: Yoda is a troll. Dooku is done.

Proper Attire by LacieFuyu: Why Jedi don't wear armor.

Out with Lanterns by SkyeBean: Ahsoka is Mace's Padawan.

Lessons of Peace by virdant: Cody embracing Jedi culture and making dumplings.

Memories of Peace by Margan: Obi-Wan teaches the clones to make dumplings.

Home-onym by virdant: Wordplay and Jedi younglings.

In the Shadows (of Taxes) by virdant: Quinlan Vos specializes in tax law. If that one sentence doesn't make your heart jump a little, I weep for you.

hi, i'm with public relations by lastbattlecry: The Jedi need better PR. Bail Organa knows somebody.

In Which Boba Fett Becomes the Jedi Order's Feral Tooka by Zarz: The title explains the beautiful, beautiful plot.

May the Force be Taxed by ReconstructWriter: Palpatine and the IRS do not respect Jedi culture.

aphelion by Kemmasandi: Plo Koon dies, wakes up decades prior, and fixes things.

Protect That Which You Love by certifiedspacewitch: Mace takes one look at the weird old man asking for private access to a young Padawan and gets his hackles up.

jedi shaming by braigwen_s, evaceratops: Short but hilarious.

The Chess Match Begins by SilverWingedWolf: The relationships between Jedi and clones.

Five Jedi Who Signed the Wall on Mapuzo, and Two that Honored Them by TheSecondBatgirl: The title explains the premise in the best way.

You're Not Flawed Darling (You're just a Little Under Rehearsed) by CombatBootsandDreams: To quote the tags, the Jedi diplomatic corps is intense.

A Little Piece of Home by Maeve_of_Winter: Anakin discovers a new form of moving meditation but worries Obi-Wan won't approve. Quinlan does his best to encourage Anakin to tell him anyway.

shining like a lighthouse from the sky by loosingletters: Rumor has it, if you clean up one of the droids in the temple the day before your Gathering, Anakin Skywalker himself will take you to Ilum. Or: Anakin loses his lightsabers and is absolutely popular with teeny tiny Initiates.

the heart of kyber by outpastthemoat: Stories about lightsabers, masters, and apprentices.

吃飽了嗎? | Have you eaten your fill? by virdant: A collection of fics about food and how food is an articulation of love.

I'm Counting On You by Rivulet07: Not all initiates become Jedi, Mace helps Chirrut find his place.

Being a Jedi by wanderingjedihistorian (RangerJedi67): Scenes, musings and drabbles for Jedi June fan event.

Jedi Parables by Peppermint_Shamrock: Values are often passed down generation to generation through stories, parables, and fables. What stories might the Jedi teach their children?

Five Meditations of Jedi Depa Billaba by skatzaa: What is says on the tin. (Plus one more, for good measure.)

Jedi Culture and Teachings in Canon by gffa: Not a fanfic, exactly, but it's a collection of everything textually said in Disney canon about or by the Jedi Order.

Emotion is our Shared Tongue by virdant: A series of one-shots and fics that explore Jedi language and communication with the Force.

Saber-Assigned Soulmates by inimitability: A slight mishap in the mess hall leads to Obi-Wan giving some very interested troopers a crash courses in lightsabers. Specifically, why some people can pick them up but others can't. Even more specifically, what Jedi erotica holonovels did or didn't get right regarding lightsabers and soulmates.

Shereshoy by SailorSol: This was not how Mace wanted to start his day. Contrary to popular belief, Mace Windu did not actually enjoy being a hardass. But as head of the Order, it was a carefully crafted persona he did his best to maintain anywhere outside of private quarters and behind closed Council doors.

permission to speak by qigiined: Mace is trying his damnedest to file the Temple's taxes among other daily tasks. Plo and the rest of the Jedi Council help and hinder him.

Misadventures of Jedi Generals by Cuthalion97: The tags "Overall insanity" and "Jedi and Clones wreaking havoc on the galaxy at large" sum it up.

Ephemeral Extracts from the Archives by Oriki-Miitad (Sneaking_UnicornWitch): “Good Morning, Coruscant Temple Archives, this is Mira speaking, how can I help you today?” ** Jedi Knight Mira staffs the front desk of the Coruscant Temple Archives.Here are 5 of her interactions with users.

Your Solleu.gal order of 3 000 000 items by Oriki-Miitad (Sneaking_UnicornWitch): The Jedi high council has received some very strange comm messages over the thousands of years that it has existed. Here's a few.

Memo: Jedi Maintenance (The Care and Feeding of Your Jetii) by RainofLittleFishes: The Care and Maintenance of Your Jedi: A Clone Trooper's Guide.

Jedi June 2020

Jedi June 2021

Jedi June 2022

Jedi June 2023

Blogs

There are only so many times I can say "I love this so much, it makes me happy, please know you have filled my head with knowledge and my heart with joy" before it gets repetitive.

gffa: FILLED WITH WONDERFUL THINGS. I would marry this blog if I could. (I'm joking...mostly.)

projediagenda: All kinds of thought-provoking stuff that makes me happy.

ensomniaa: As they put it, nothing but love for the Jedi.

the-jedi-love: Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.

bbygirl-obi: Pro-Jedi all the way.

smhalltheurlsaretaken: So much loveliness.

[cacodaemonia]

Last Line Challenge

Thanks for the tags, @marbled-polecat @airlockfailure and @adhd-coyote! I've only been editing fics since I shared a line of dialogue yesterday, but I finally managed to get the lines done for another kinktober image, so:

Ithorians have weird feet, I guess? Also, unsurprisingly, they're inconsistent across various official images I found, so I just did my own thing.

No-pressure tags: @theproblemwithstardust @whiskygoldwings @insertmeaningfulusername @northstarfan @ladysongmaster

@kaijusplotch @the-starry-seas @the-little-moment @valkeakuulas @crystalshard

[cherikdogfood]

For the Cherik, thing, may I offer this prompt? 'The light at the end of the tunnel.'

@crystalshard First of all I am so, so sorry it took me this long to fill this ask! I loved this prompt so much that when I was writing it I just, spiraled out of control... This was supposed to be short, but I ended up writing a lot more than I thought I would and I think this could be a full-blown fic. I'm not sure yet.

I really, really hope I did your prompt justice and I hope you like it! It's pretty dark and angsty so I'm so sorry if that wasn't what you were looking for. Thank you for the prompt and enjoy reading!

(I'm planning to post this on ao3 and gift it to you, please tell me your ao3 username? only if you want to, of course. no pressure).

Trigger warnings: #experimentation #drug use #mentions of death and torture #sensory deprivation #abuse #dehumanization #dubcon/noncon (not explicit, barely mentioned) #shaw

***

Keep Running (You're Never Safe)

[It's the end of the world. The earth is a wasteland, ruined by nuclear wars, and humans struggle to survive the effects of radiation. Several mutants, on the other hand, are able to thrive and become leaders.

One such leader, Sebastian Shaw, has been the self-proclaimed king of Westchester for decades, and his settlement is supposedly the richest and most prosperous in the world. No one knows, however, that this prosperity has come at the price of mutants being enslaved and experimented on.

Charles Xavier -- no, Subject X, is Sebastian's favorite test subject. He manages to escape, bringing along his greatest secret, but Shaw's men are getting closer, and he is quickly losing hope...]

He's running.

He's been running for hours, and he's still running.

Yet he can feel them getting closer, they're never far away. He's never safe, so he has to keep running.

Even if the uneven ground makes him stumble, even if the pebbles and bits of glass on the ground make him wince, even if his bloodied feet leave a trail of bright red blood --

It doesn't matter.

He has to keep running.

He will either run until he's safe, or die before letting them get their hands on him again.

If he was all alone, he probably wouldn't worry too much. After all, his actions wouldn't harm anyone but himself.

But after the incident with Raven, he knows that his actions have consequences... Even if he is alone, his actions could bring harm to others too.

Charles tried not to think about it, but Shaw used to remind him every other day that what happened was his fault. If he hadn't told her to escape, if he hadn't frozen the guards to help Raven escape, if he had done anything differently, then she wouldn't have died.

Your sister died because of you, Shaw had said. Charles did not believe it at first, but the words had been repeated and drilled into his head countless times until he believed it.

Truthfully, he can't even remember what Raven looks like anymore. He remembers vague flashes: a hint of red hair, shining eyes, the scent of warmth and happiness, and her tinkling laughter.

Most of all, though, he remembers her disfigured corpse, the one that Shaw held in front of him, sneering and tutting when he cried out in anguish.

Before that incident, Charles hadn't known that emotional pain could manifest as physical pain, one that tore his heart into pieces and left him empty and broken.

He wasn't broken, then.

He is now.

***

Charles knew that his plan was terrible. Hell, he didn't actually have a plan. Breaking out of his cell, grabbing the treasure in his arms, and making a run for it had been completely impulsive.

He had been captive in Westchester since he was ten, and Shaw made sure that he never ventured out of the stone walls. Charles did not remember his age -- Shaw wouldn't allow that, of course, since test subjects weren't supposed to think -- but Charles guessed he had been here for about fifteen years, which made him in his twenties...

Charles had heard stories, of course, from the new mutants Shaw had captured from outside Westchester. He had even tried to read the minds of Shaw's warriors, hoping to glean valuable information from them, blackmail them, perhaps, or to get a glimpse of the world as it was now.

Of course, given the amount of drugs and experiments Shaw had put him through, Charles could never properly use his powers. He did catch small strands of thoughts, though, and over the last few years he had pieced together the bits of information that he had to make a mental picture of the outside world.

Westchester was ruled by Shaw. Somewhere in the north, there was a settlement run by a mutant, Shaw's ally and one of Charles' frequent tormentor, Nathaniel Essex. The east was unknown territory, and then somewhere (he could never quite catch the name of the place), there was, supposedly, a mutant community that directly opposed Shaw.

And this "community" was his goal.

Charles had no idea what that community was like. Perhaps it was just a group of nomads, mutants who traveled frequently to avoid getting caught by Shaw. Or perhaps this was a large-scale settlement of mutants, powerful and unwilling to bow to Shaw's rule.

Perhaps, a traitorous part of his mind suggested, this community doesn't even exist.

It was a terrible thought. What if, all this time he had been running towards a community that didn't even exist? Or perhaps it did exist, in the past, but Shaw had long since destroyed it, like he destroyed everything else that stood in his way...

Charles did not have a plan. He didn't know if he was running in the right direction. He didn't know if he would reach his "destination". He didn't even know if his so called destination still existed.

All he knew was that he had to keep running, because Shaw's men were still chasing him, and he would rather die than get dragged into the walls of Westchester again.

And if he could not run anymore, if his legs gave away and his body betrayed him, if his feet could only twitch uselessly and the blood on the soles of his feet flowed freely -- what then?

Then he would crawl. He would crawl forward and keep going.

Not just for him.

But also for the treasure in his arms.

His son.

His David.

***

Charles Xavier was no stranger to experiments.

At five years old, his powers manifested, and his father, a scientist, was enraptured. He would have Charles complete "tasks" in the lab ("Answer me in your mind, Charles" or "Tell me what I'm feeling, Charles" or "What number am I thinking, Charles?").

After completing the tasks, his father would be immensely pleased, and Charles reveled in the warmth of happiness that enveloped his father. He adored his father, and seeing that he could make his father happy, little Charles was, of course, ecstatic.

There were days when his father was happier than usual, after a set of "tasks" in the lab, and he would take Charles out for ice cream (it was the end of the world at this point and nuclear wars had destroyed the landscape -- simple ice cream was considered a treat). It was lovely.

Then his father died abruptly, killed in a fire, and his mother remarried Kurt Marko. Kurt was his father's friend, but his mind was sticky with greed and anger and so much hate. Charles did not like him.

It was around this time that Charles found a girl in his house. Raven. He was seven or eight at the time, and Raven was six. She was blue and oh so lovely, and Charles was glad there was finally someone else like him.

He wasn't alone.

He gave her food and told her to stay, and she did. The war had taken away her parents, and she had barely survived, hiding and running when people were scared of her.

Charles wasn't scared of her. And she wasn't scared of him either.

He convinced his mother that Raven was his sister (and this was really easy, considering she didn't care and was drowning in alcohol), and that was that.

Raven became part of the family; of course, he told her to turn into a blonde girl to "blend in" -- otherwise, he didn't know what would happen to her.

The problem here was Kurt. He could use his powers on Kurt, yes, but Kurt was familiar with Charles' father, Brian, and had read his files on Charles. Kurt knew that Charles was a telepath, and as strong as Charles was, he was young, and not cunning.

Kurt found out that Raven wasn't his biological sibling, that she was "just a stray he picked up", and threatened to throw her out. Charles was mortified. She was his sister, even if they weren't related by blood, he had already accepted her as such. He had to protect her.

So Kurt proposed a deal. He would keep quiet about Raven, pretending that she was, indeed, Charles' sister, and Charles would listen to him.

He wanted to continue Brian's experiments on him.

Charles was rather hesitant at first. But then Kurt reminded him that these "tasks" from his father were what made him happy, and Charles wanted to make his father happy, right? Besides, it was a fair deal for both of them.

Kurt would pretend Raven was part of the family, and Charles just had to do what he had been doing with his father.

"You can protect that girl and fulfill your father's wishes at the same time, isn't this hitting two birds with one stone?" Kurt had said.

So little Charles agreed to continue the experiments. It was, after all, a fair deal.

But with Kurt, the "tasks" became harder. Kurt would start slowly, blindfolding him and making him sense Kurt with his mind only. And then Kurt would use earplugs, so he couldn't hear anything. And then Kurt used both the blindfold and the earplugs, depriving him of his senses and making him rely solely on his telepathy.

Next came the needles. Kurt would repeatedly draw his blood, claiming he needed more samples for the labs. Scientists were using his blood to understand human genes, he said.

It kept going on and on and on, slowly turning from harmless tasks into full experiments where he was merely the subject of the experiment, not a willing volunteer. He had less and less say in how the experiments were conducted, until one day he realized it was no longer Kurt who was doing the experiments, it was a man named Sebastian Shaw.

It started as a slow process, really.

When Kurt was doing experiments with him, Sebastian Shaw would come and watch. Then, as weeks passed, Sebastian would start giving "suggestions" on how to conduct the experiments.

Soon, Charles spent less time with his tutors, less time playing with Raven, and more time in the labs.

Raven was indignant, of course. She was eight years old and he was almost ten; she wanted to run around and play with him whenever she got the chance, especially since she could only turn into her real form when she was with him.

At this point Charles disliked the experiments, it was nothing like the mini "tasks" he had done with his father, and Kurt kept pushing his limits, leaving him worn and tired.

So when Raven burst into his room one day, complaining about his lack of attention for her ("You spend so much time with your stepfather, what's so good about him, huh? Charles, I want to know what you guys are up to, bring me along with you the next time you go with him!"), he snapped at her.

Raven was upset and fled the room, crying. Charles was too tired and aching to chase after her.

...And that's when disaster struck.

Raven's disguise slipped up, and Sebastian Shaw and Kurt Marko saw her blue form.

They wanted her.

And Charles... he couldn't let them have her.

He didn't remember what exactly happened that day. He only remembered feeling the greed in Kurt's mind and the sick curiosity in Shaw's... He remembered Raven's surprise, Raven turning an even paler shade of blue when she realized she slipped up...

He remembered seeing in Kurt's mind the things he wanted to do to her: wanting to cut her open, watch her bleed (was her blood even blue? it would be fascinating if it was...), rip her scales off, gouge out her yellow eyes (how did the corneas work? would she see things in yellow, and what about the retina?) cut her hair for samples... all the things he could do to her...

And Charles screamed. Whatever they had done to him was fine, he often told himself. He was fine with their experiments on him, after all, wasn't this what his father wanted, too?

But doing all those things to Raven... no... no... no...NO!!!

Charles could feel his mind stretching out tendrils of psychic powers to seize Kurt and Shaw's mind, rip away the image of Raven in her blue form, erase the memories. It was easier with Kurt, but Shaw's mind was difficult, was resisting--

Make him forget, forget, forget--! There! He found a sliver of thought, a small seed that was growing rapidly, and he yanked on it.

Shaw wanted him. He was filled with morbid curiosity regarding Charles' powers, the things he could do with a telepath... Changing minds, manipulating minds... it would all be so easy if he had Charles...

He wanted Charles. That thought was embedded in Shaw's mind, and he would get Charles.

What I want, I will get.

Charles, inexperienced as he was, blew on those particular thoughts. Like a dandelion flying in the wind, spreading its seeds, Charles used those thoughts in Shaw's mind to make him forget about Raven. Use his pre-existing thoughts to cover up his discovery of Raven... Make him forget...

"Get out of here," he told Raven in her mind, and for once, she obeyed. He was glad that she did. The outburst of his powers had consumed too much energy, and he fell down, bleeding from his nose and ears.

When he came to, he was no longer in his house. Shaw had paid Kurt a substantial amount of money to buy him, and he had been moved into his new quarters.

Shaw's labs.

Kurt took great care of his appearance, wanting to act like a kind stepfather to the public, but Shaw had no such qualms.

To him, Charles was not Charles. He was Subject X.

Charles could only take comfort in the fact that Shaw and Kurt held no recollection of Raven's blue form.

She was safe.

If he was the one they experimented on, it was fine.

After all, Charles Xavier was no stranger to experiments.

***

Looking back on it now, he was very naive; a man like Sebastian Shaw... How could he be fooled that easily? Not to mention he himself was a mutant (of course, at the time Charles had no idea).

Raven was safe for only a year.

That moment when he ripped Shaw's memories away, he didn't do it gently, so there were traces of his meddling... As for Kurt, Charles' telepathy scarred him, making him get into frenzies several times a month.

Shaw was suspicious, guessing that Charles had done something, so he found himself another telepath, Emma Frost, who was weaker than him but had more experience, and she pulled the memory of Raven out of the haze, making Shaw remember.

Within a few months, Shaw had captured Raven, brought her to the labs, and smiled gently as Charles hugged Raven, sobbing.

"Tsk, what a sweet reunion between siblings..." He had said.

It was a reunion under the worst circumstances. Charles, who had never begged or pleaded even when Shaw cut open his head, found himself kneeling and begging the man to let his sister go.

Shaw just laughed.

Raven cried.

Charles' heart broke.

He and Raven were close, and his mind was more attuned to hers, so when they sliced her open, when they prodded her with needles, when they beat her, he could feel everything.

Her pain, her rage, her despair, her exhaustion, her numbness... Her screams were his screams, too.

It was worse than when the scientists cut him open.

After two years of torment, he finally found a loophole and managed to send Raven away... told her to run, escape...

Charles wanted to laugh at his foolishness. What was the result?

He had sent his own sister to her death.

He was useless.

***

Back in the present, Charles' feet were numb and his arms ached from holding his baby for too long. He could hear his rough pants and heavy breathing, as well as David's small breaths against his chest.

Behind him, he could feel the team led by Shaw's right hand man, Victor Creed, getting closer. He thought that running like this would save him, would save them, or maybe if he ran fast enough, he could shake off Shaw's men.

Of course, Charles wanted to laugh bitterly. Of course, that was wistful thinking.

He was carrying a baby, running on foot, malnourished and worn down with wounds, both physical and mental, and his brain had been repeatedly drugged.

Whereas Shaw's men were healthy, happy, probably enjoying the thrill of the chase, and, most importantly, riding their vehicles.

It was easy to think of who had the upper hand here.

God, what would Shaw do to him if he caught him? Charles swallowed hard, stumbling as he continued moving.

Beat him? No, Charles was numb to that already, and Shaw knew it. Sensory deprivation then, or depriving him of his telepathy.

Or worse (and at this point Charles wasn't sure which was worse, really), hooking him up to Cerebro for months on end, his mind addled with drugs, muddling through a haze of thoughts and feelings and connecting with so many beings until he forgot who he was.

Would he forget his own name? It had happened several times before, he got mixed up with other people's minds until he forgot who he himself was.

Oh god, if that happened, would he forget David?

Charles gulped again and held David tighter, still moving, always moving. After he gave birth to David (well, it was more of a C-section anyways), he had had a period of rest, Shaw reluctant to torture him or experiment on his weak body.

He was a useful asset, after all. Not only because of his telepathic abilities and extensive range, but also because of his lovely face that Shaw loved oh-so-much, his cerulean eyes that Shaw wanted to keep ("They're like sapphires, Charles, they make you look like an angel," Shaw had said), and his secondary mutation.

Thanks to that, the past few months had been a brief, but much needed reprieve for him, where he could hug his son and kiss him lovingly without worrying that his mind would be too frazzled to operate properly.

"I don't want to forget you," he manages to whisper, tenderly brushing his son's cheek.

He's not sure if he's running, walking, or floating at this point, but it doesn't matter. He sees David's eyes flutter open and senses a small presence in his mind, familiar and welcome.

It's David, of course, and he's proud to know that his son inherited his abilities instead of his father's.

David is hungry now, Charles knows, but he has nothing to give -- no milk (his body can't produce it, much to Shaw's annoyance) -- and no formula (he couldn't have stolen some without risking getting caught).

"M'sorry love," he whispers, "I'm afraid I've got nothing for you, so just, hang on for a while, yes? I promise I'll find something soon."

He knows it's an empty promise -- he likely won't even make it 'till the end of the day, but he has to pretend. He has to pretend it'll be alright.

"It's alright," Charles whispers, his throat is raw and dry and he can't talk anymore, the wind is scratching at his throat like blades cutting him open.

"It's alright," he says again, this time to David's mind.

David gurgles and beams at him, lips curled up gently. David sends love and trust his way, and Charles receives it, wanting to cry but knowing he can't.

He hears the roar of engines -- a familiar vehicle. It must be Victor and his men. They're getting closer.

Maybe he's going to die here.

He stops moving. Cradles David's head gently and plants a kiss on his head.

"I love you," he sends, knowing David will hear it but not understand it.

He closes his eyes and a stray tear falls unto David's cheek with a 'plop'.

David starts fussing, sensing his distress, and Charles soothes him.

If this is really the end...

Charles feels a lump in his throat and swallows hard. It doesn't go away.

He hugs his son against his chest, steel resolve burning in his eyes.

Even if this is the end... He will keep fighting.

Even if he's broken beyond repair... He has to keep going.

Not for himself.

For David.

Charles runs.

***

"There he is! I can see him!" He hears a voice behind him.

If he can hear the voice, not just sense it, then they must be very close.

"Keep running, Subject X," he hears the familiar sneer in Victor's voice and flinches.

The revving of engines behind him is making his heart pound, adrenaline coursing through his veins. He can't see properly, sweat and tears blurring his vision.

Keep going, keep going, keep going--!

His legs are burning, he pushes them and keeps running. Faster, faster, please please please--!

Bang!

The sound of a gunshot.

He can't dodge it. He can only keep going.

He's going to get shot. Victor Creed never misses.

His legs collapse underneath him (useless, his mind supplies). He turns around.

Right in front of him is a bullet, stopping inches before his face.

He hears a startled cry. He hears shouting. He hears the sound of metal groaning in anguish.

He watches, stupefied, as the bullet falls to the ground. Harmless.

He feels new minds pricking in his consciousness. He blinks slowly, trying to see properly...

Mutants, he realizes.

A red-skinned man puffs on top of the vehicle -- or what used to be the vehicle anyway, now it's just a mass of metal -- and starts stabbing people.

Victor kicks open a door and emerges, roaring in fury. Another man leaps at him, claws emerging from his hands, and the two growl at each other, engaged in a ruthless fight.

"Are you alright?" He hears a voice by his side and jerks.

It's a man, wearing a black turtleneck, grey-green eyes staring at him with worry.

"Don't worry, you're safe now," the man says, voice low and gentle.

Charles just stares at him and pulls David closer to his chest. This man's mind is powerful, beautiful, enigmatic.

He wants to delve deeper.

He knows he can't.

Just because this person speaks gently doesn't mean he won't stab him to death later.

"Please stop trembling," the man says, frowning a little.

Charles looks down at his hands and realizes, belatedly, that he is, indeed, trembling. His hands are shaking so much that he has trouble holding David steadily.

"Who are you?" He asks, unable to use his voice.

"My name is Erik," the man smiles, teeth gleaming in the sunlight.

"You're safe now," he adds.

Charles just stares at him before he collapses, falling limply to the ground and losing consciousness.

"You're safe," the man repeats telepathically, and Charles tries to believe him.

The last thing he remembers is to hug David tighter, because maybe, maybe the man wasn't lying.

Maybe they're safe now.

Maybe... he can finally stop running.

[made by cherikdogfood]

[flowerparrish]

[Podfic] Cats and Cuddles by @crystalshard | Rated: G | 5 mns

DPxDC: Danny Fenton & Damian Wayne

Damian loves animals. When he discovers a young man trying to rescue a boxful of abandoned kittens, he knows he has to help.

Podded for Cozytober 2024 for the prompt: "wrapped in a soft fuzzy blanket"

[kbirbpods]

[Podfic Link] | Length: 5 minutes, 29 seconds

Original Work: Candles and Cold by @crystalshard [Crystalshard on ao3]

DPxDC: Sam Manson & Bruce Wayne | Rating: G

Summary: 

It's a quiet enough night in Gotham when Batman sees flickering orange light in a window. This time, it isn't the bad guys who hit him. It's memories of a better time.

Notes: Pod-O-Ween 2024 | Prompts: Candle & Chill & Fall

[crystalshard]

In the universe we know, Erik tried to kill Mystique to prevent Logan's future from coming true.

In this one, he thinks twice about it.

In which some things are inevitable, some things change, and it all works out in the end.

(revivecherik prompt #4: Canon Fix-It)

[prinxlegolass]

Unbelievable!

Crystalshard has recorded a podfic of my Good Omens inspired poem Sculptor's Cathedral! Get it after the bump.

Listen to it here:

.

The poem itself is inspired by my writing goals inspo @entanglednow 's beautiful fic Rivers of Gold.

Thanks @nosferatini for the nomination ❤️

[triscribe]

Top Ten . . .

List your 10 favorite characters from 10 different fandoms, then tag 10 people!

Tagged by @crystalshard

This. Took entirely too long a time to put together, but I decided to skip the big names and pull from some fandoms where I have fic ideas but not much nailed down yet:

-Twig Verginix, the Edge Chronicles -Agura Ibaden, Hot Wheels Battle Force 5 -Audrey Rocio Ramirez, Atlantis: The Lost Empire -Hua Mulan, 1998 Mulan -Astrid Hofferson, How To Train Your Dragon -Leroy Jethro Gibbs, NCIS -Connie Maheshwaran, Steven Universe -Junko, the Storm Hawks -Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden, the Dresden Files -Sergeant Hans Schultz, Hogan's Heroes

[ao3feed-brucewayne]

Jukebox Drabbles Part 1

by Crystalshard Twenty cute DP x DC drabbles based on a Haunting Heroes poll and randomly selected songs. Need fluff? Do we have fluff for you! A mix of relationships, some romantic, some platonic. Words: 2142, Chapters: 21/21, Language: English Fandoms: Danny Phantom, Batman - All Media Types, Batman: Wayne Family Adventures (Webcomic) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M Characters: Danny Fenton, Sam Manson, Tucker Foley, Damian Wayne, Cassandra Cain, Stephanie Brown, Tim Drake (DCU), Jason Todd, Bruce Wayne Additional Tags: Fluff, Romance, Platonic Relationships, Drabble Collection via https://ift.tt/cJfu6r7

[elismor]

Recent Fic Omnibus

Fortuna Redux  (kiss prompt for @brokenphoenix99) The one where Rex comforts Echo (drabble)

When the Cat's Away (5th 52 pickup written for @crystalshard) The one where Cody absolutely does NOT have a pet Tooka.

Present (and accounted for) (kiss prompt for @valkeakuulas) The one where Rex and Cody have some time to kill.

Good Soldiers Follow Orders (#100!!!  kiss prompt for @petrifiedforests) The one where you shouldn't worry about that title.

Sometimes You Need a Little Finesse (Sometimes You Need a Lot). (6th 52 pickup written for @mis-mcgifsten) The one where Tup has a bad hair day

[rec-a-fanfic]

"The Droid Wars" by Crystalshard

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/41711253

Rating: Teen, Gen

Complete; 11,648 words

Summary:

Force shenanigans lead to R2-D2 remembering several decades that he hasn't yet lived through. Armed with his knowledge of the future, he and C-3PO set out to stop the Clone Wars and prevent the Empire from ever taking shape.

(Or: Artoo and Threepio steal their dad's car, go on a road trip, incite a battle droid rebellion, kidnap Grievous, and somehow save the galaxy.)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/41711253

[cacodaemonia]

WIP game

Rules: You will be given a word. Share one sentence/excerpt from your WIP(s) that starts with each letter of that word.

Thanks for the tag, @blirzy! My word is SNOW.

S - Sometimes, the difference between life and death depended on what larty your squad boarded for infil, where you were hunkered when an explosion left a smoking crater in its wake, or whether you were off-duty when the Seppies flooded camp with poisonous gas. - from Time Was Away and Somewhere Else

N - "Not like that—not for so long." - from Time Was Away and Somewhere Else

O - Other nights, he's apparently bunked with some of the brothers who live in Muhgrek, so he insists he can do the latter tonight. - from We Make Our Own (Loves)

W - While he and Boil did manage to get security positions for a music event in one of the cavern-like open spaces on level 38… something, the contract was only for two days, and that was a week ago. - from Time Was Away and Somewhere Else

Haha, I haven't made much progress on TWAaSE, so I feel like these wip games are going to reveal the entirety of the first 1.5 chapters 😅

No-pressure tags: @bilbosmom-belladonna @crystalshard @come-chaos @northstarfan @violentcheese

Your word is RUBY.

[cherikdogfood]

To all the lovely people who have sent me asks/prompts:

@fleflafiefie

@desdemona2902

@magneticallyyours

@crystalshard

@crazylazydays

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

I've received your asks/prompts and since they're all so awesome, I'm working on it, but it might take me some time to finish because I want to do justice to your prompts. I'm sorry, and thank you for your patience!

You are all my knights in shining armor who have saved me from the curse of eternal boredom! Thank you very much!

-cherikdogfood

[flowerparrish]

[Podfic] Smoke and Strangers by @crystalshard

DPxDC: Sam Manson & Dick Grayson | Rated: T | Length: 3 mns

Dick's been a vigilante for a long time. It's a rare occasion when he turns up and the situation's already been resolved, and even rarer when he's Dick Grayson and not Nightwing. This time, the situation seems to have been very competently and slightly terrifyingly handled by a dark-haired young woman.

Podded for Pod-O-Ween for the tricks "smoke" and "fall"