#Domaystic day 14

[empress-of-hugs]

Perfect

Click on the title to read on AO3

"Stop!" Sirius suddenly yells out. "Stop the car!"

James, confused and somewhat frightened by Sirius' sudden outburst, hits the brakes and guids the rental into the dirt next to the road. 

"This is the spot!" Sirius exclaims as he jumps out of the car, rushing around the side to open Remus' door and drag him out. "Can you smell it?" he asks, a wild grin on his face. "The ocean in the distance, the trees all around us, the sweet flowers in the air – it's perfect!"

Remus allows himself to be pulled under a large oak tree. "Perfect for what?" He murmurs, just as Sirius sinks down on one knee. Remus’ hands come up to hide his lips as he whispers, “Sirius… what…?”

“I love you, Remus,” he says, his earlier excitement replaced by calm adoration. His hand putters around in his jacket pocket for a moment, before he pulls out a small, grey box. “I’ve loved you since the moment I first set eyes on you. I didn’t realize it then, mind you. That weirdo in the baggy jumper couldn’t possibly be as cool as me. And as the years went by, I realized I was right; you weren’t as cool as me. You are so much cooler. So much hotter. So much more. You make me aspire to be more. More than a disowned son. More than a Black. You made me realize what it’s like to be a person. To love and to cry. Remus, you make me more human than I've ever been before. I want to continue being human alongside you for the rest of our lives. Remus Lupin, will you do me the honor of marrying this fool of a Black?” 

Remus nods barely, one hand slowly coming down so Sirius can take it, push the baggy jumper aside, and gently push a simple, rose gold band on his finger. “Yes, Sirius,” he whispers softly. “Yes, I want to marry you.” 

Sirius springs up, hands already cupping the face of the man he loves more than life itself. Soft, warm lips greet his own as Remus’ arms wrap around him. They’ll be together forever now. 

[baubeautyandthegeek]

At The Parade - Tara Lewis/JJ Jareau

A/N: Day 14 of @domaystic​ .

It’s been five long years of struggling to raise her daughter before Tara got here, bringing her to see the Parade. She’s not expecting to make a friend, much less find someone she could easily fall for. Henry, the son, befriends Jasmine in moments, Jasmine’s happy giggles charming her enough that when Henry asks if Jasmine can come with him to watch the parade, she can’t help but agree. JJ, when they meet, smiles, greeting her warmly enough that Tara smiles, charmed by how warmly JJ responds to Henry’s clear joy at finding a friend. Tara, JJ thinks, can’t possibly know how much she’s charmed if a little flustered by her. They watch the parade, then, when both children beg, agree to a playdate the next day. Later, almost a month passing, JJ will wonder how she got so lucky.

[domaystic]

Domaystic 2023 is back!

link to bigger image: click here

[Image description: a blue clothes hanger with clips where socks are drying under the sun; among the socks the word domyastic is separated in three parts and hanged as well. On the right side: the list of 31 prompts and 5 alternatives.]

Hello! This is THE post for DOMAYSTIC 2023 :D

Domaystic is the combination of “domestic” and “May” and it's a prompt event run on May based on the domestic trope: anything inside, outside, beside the house or that has that normalcy flavor of everyday life.

If any of these prompts inspire your muse, please, don’t hesitate and join!

Text prompts

01 Housewarming   02 A stash of...   03 List   04 Packed lunch    05 Learning something new   06 Under the same umbrella    07 Stained clothes   08 The things in that drawer    09 Mistaken identity   10 Bath   11 Volunteering   12 Crisis    13 Taking turns   14 Parade   15 Junkmail    16 Sleeping habits   17 Marked date on calendar    18 Discount at favourite store   19 Police at the door    20 In the nearby park   21 Handmade gift   22 S/o on the local news    23 Small couch   24 Secret language   25 Misdialed calls    26 Sounds from above   27 Passage through a fence 28 Recycling   29 Lottery   30 Feeling of doing nothing    31 Midnight snack

Alternatives

A. No, no, don't lift it!   B. There's a ... in the room! C. Stop the car, now!   D. Look, I made it work! E. Oh, I can't wait to do it!

Text prompts in German: click here Text prompts in Spanish: click here Text prompts in Italian: click here Text prompts in French: click here

Lots of text under the cut!

General rules and guidelines

All fandoms or original content are welcome.

Any kind of media is welcome: fanfiction, fanart, fanmixes, puzzles, diy art, quizzes, podfics, edits, fic recs or whatever it is you feel like doing. That’s all good.

No restrictions in ships, size, min/max word count or the language you want to write into.

As last year, feel free to mix the domestic prompt with anything you like: more drama and lots of crying? YES! The thrill of an investigation for the disappearance of your characters’ fave socks? YES!

There's one prompt for each day for a total of 31 prompts + 5 alternatives with an exclamation point at the end (predictable!).

You can share your work on any platform you like. If you share it on tumblr and tag the blog, I’ll reblog it.

Combine more prompts together? That’s fine but I will reblog the entry only once here on tumblr.

Combine these prompts with another event? Fine too.

You don’t have to do all the prompts to join the event. Do the ones you enjoy.

The event is consistently checked upon during the month of May, but in case you want to share your creation at a later date, you can. I just reblog on a lower pace after May is over.

As for the reblogs, last year I gave myself a bit of an headache, so this time I’d like to try it this way: once the day of the corresponding prompt comes, people will post their work and then I’ll reblog it when that day comes for me too. Does it make sense? I hope so. I’ll miss the world clocks but let’s just trust each other.

AO3 collection

The domaystic2023 collection is open from May, 1st: click here - all the info and prompts are also on the profile page of the collection.

In your tumblr post I ask you to:

Mention the blog in your post @domaystic - tracked tag: #domaystic2023

State clearly the fandom name or if it is original content

State clearly if it is sfw or nsfw

State clearly which prompt you used

In case of lengthy posts, use the “read more option”: ctrl-shift-k on rich text; [[*MORE*]] on html (remove asterisks)

Please, TAG PROPERLY. If there are any trigger warnings, I will base my own reblog on your tags so, please, take even a moment longer to carefully tag it. I hope all participants to stay safe in this event.

Here’s an example:

blablabla my story is beautiful, look @domaystic ! 

#domaystic2023 #day1 #[extraA - E if alternative prompt is used] #[fandom name or oc] #[sfw or nsfw] #[trigger warnings that I get from your post] tw

If you have any question feel free to send an ask, inbox is always open. :D

Hi, @thebigbangblogproject​ can you reblog this?

[73chn1c0l0rr3v3l]

Domaystic day 14! Clara/11!

[queuebird]

14. postcard in the mailbox

G, Hannibal, Will, 100 words

For day 14 of Domaystic 2022

Will traces the lines on the postcard with his finger. It's a sketch of a house—small and sweet, with stone walls and a terracotta roof. It's engulfed by lush foliage—vines climbing over the windows and bushes of flowers Will has never seen before. Behind the house, waves crash against a beach.

Will flips the postcard and runs his finger over the neat, slanted script of his name and address.

On the left side:

I'm thinking of you.

No signature. No return name or address, no date.

Will stares at that little house, then sighs and goes to book plane tickets.

[bamboo72498]

Head Up, Eyes With Pride

@domaystic Day 14: Parade Fandom: Castle (my FLM universe) Word Count: 814 Rating: G [][]

Kate tucks her hair behind her ear again as the breeze blows it across her face. She cheers with the crowd as another parade float passes them, watching as McKenna and Wyatt dash out with the other kids nearby to gather up the candy being tossed to them. 

“Mommy! Look! I got some!” Wyatt cheers, scampering through their line of camp chairs to get to his mom.

“I see, bubby! That’s awesome!” Alexis encourages, peering into the bag her son holds out to her. “Go sit with sissy and try and get some more.”

Kate helps her grandson back to his spot in his own child-sized camp chair next to his sister when a familiar black and gold banner appearing down the street catches her attention. 

“Guys! Get ready, here they come!” Kate calls, getting their family’s attention. 

Her kids’ middle school marching band comes towards them, marching in as perfect formation as a bunch of seventh and eighth graders can be. Their matching yellow ‘Eastlake Secondary School Marching Hornets’ shirts and jeans pale in comparison to the uniforms of the high schools that had come before them in the parade, but it’s good enough. 

Kate’s heart quickens with excitement and pride as they pause in front of them. She easily finds Miyana - in front with her dance class who had been recruited to be the Colorguard - waving her honeycomb patterned flag in matching choreography with the girls around her, a wide smile plastered on her face. Kate chuckles as Mia mouths the counts to her dance (a hard habit for the girl to break). 

She scans down the brass line, recognizing kids she’d seen around school and other band concerts and lands at the large drumline diving the band in half. 

The row of quad drums quickly tapping out the beats to their cadence. 

The row of bass drums and cymbals struggling to play quietly enough to not drown out the other drummers. 

And in the center of it all: the line of snare drums. Six of them are standing with their drums clipped to the harness hung around their shoulders. The seventh is seated in a wheelchair being pushed by another band parent, her drum resting on her lap as she skillfully plays the ending of their cadence and then holds her sticks in proper ‘rest’ position. Their little Nemo who had had to campaign to even be allowed to do band in fifth grade; their director not having faith in her abilities to keep up - only seeing her disability and not the determined and passionate girl in front of him. 

After surviving that year and graduating to middle school, band took a complete 180. With a new director who had complete faith in her, Finn thrived. She became percussion section leader in her spring semester of sixth grade and has kept it every semester since. Even now, during their marching season, she’s drumline section leader. 

Band is her safe place. One of the few place where she can keep up with everyone and no one treat her differently because of her CP. 

The pause in the music allows Kate to turn and look at her family; all of them have wide smiles on their faces as they cheer on the kids. McKenna and Wyatt shout as they wave to their aunts and uncle, hopping to get their attention. 

A moment later, Finn counts the drumline off and starts the roll off. Kate can hear a smattering of “Up!” as the band put their instruments to their mouths and starts to play. It’s a medley of theme songs for the different armed forces; fitting for the Veteran’s Day parade they are at.

The parade moves on, and Kate quickly spots Liam towards the back with his fellow saxophone players. She watches him skip for a beat, getting back in step with everyone. Soon enough, the band’s music fades as they continue through the parade route. 

“Wow! They were good,” Alexis comments. “Definitely better than last year.”

“Oh, yeah,” Kate laughs, recalling the memory of last year’s disaster of a parade. This time was significantly better. 

“Hey, Kate!” Castle calls to her over the heads of his mom and her dad. “What was it their teacher called the way they march? There was two of them and they do that specific one.” She sees the way his brow is scrunched, his brain working hard to remember the word. 

“The style they use is called ‘roll stepping’ the other is ‘corps style’,” she says. It had been drilled into her from both her kids and their director; how could she forget?

“Yes! That’s it,” Castle smile. “Roll stepping,” he repeats to the stranger next to him as they continue their conversation.

Kate goes back to watching the parade, her grandkids racing for more candy, enjoying the fall sunshine and light breeze in the air.

[kalira]

Fandom Year in Review (2023)

It's the very last day of 2023, which means it's time for my annual look back and some number-crunching with my AO3 stats and writing over the year!

(Before I get to setting next year's goals and back to writing before midnight, of course! ;))

I posted 142 new stories to AO3 this year!

Fewer than last year but still quite a respectable number (especially given I dropped off posting every single day after October this year - I kept it up for 1,675 days straight, or 55 complete months!).

Those stories were in 33 fandoms, 14 of them new, and featured 43 ships (not counting gen relationships), 18 of them new!

I posted a total of 319,688 words to AO3 this year!

By way of events, I participated in:

the Three Sentence Ficathon

my own Valentine's Spectacular

@domaystic

Small Fandoms Fest

@kakashiweek

@whumptober (completionist again!)

NejiHina Week hosted by @nejihinata

~

I started 3 new minific collections, those being:

Dog-sensei & Sparklepuppy (Naruto; Kakashi & Sakura)

Tales from the Fishbowl (Kingyou-hime)

Sailing in Stars and Shadow (Captain Harlock)

All three of which are mainly to corral my 3SFs for those various themes/ships.

I posted 190 minifics in total!

Minific breakdown:

Captain Harlock~ ❧14 minifics

Castlevania~ ❧5 minifics

Chronicles of Narnia~ ❧8 minifics

Greek mythology~ ❧8 minifics

Kamisama Kiss~ ❧9 minifics

Kingyou-hime~ ❧17 minifics

Labyrinth~ ❧gen - 8 minifics ❧Jareth/Sarah - 3 minifics

Naruto~ ❧Dog-sensei & Sparklepuppy - 26 minifics ❧HashiIzu - 1 minific ❧HashiMito - 3 minifics ❧KakaSaku - 4 minifics ❧KakaShisui - 10 minifics ❧MadaTobi - 35 minifics ❧SakuOro - 19 minifics ❧SakuOro (angst) - 6 minifics

SK8 ❧MatchaBlossom - 6 minifics

Tiger & Bunny~ ❧Keith/Agnes - 8 minifics

~

Fandom & Ship Breakdown

(look for the ✧ denoting the new ones)

Alexander (2004) ✧ ~ 1 story ❧Alexander/Hephaistion ✧ ~ 1 story

Aristocats ✧ ~ 1 story ❧Thomas/Duchess ✧ ~ 1 story

Avatar: the Last Airbender ~ 1 story ❧Zuko/Sokka ~ 1 story

Avatar ~ 1 story ❧Jake/Tsu'tey ~ 1 story

Boys Over Flowers ~ 3 stories ❧Ji Hoo/Jun Pyo ✧ ~ 1 story ❧Yi Jung/Woo Bin/Ga Eul ✧ ~ 2 stories

Bread, Love, and Dreams ✧ ~ 2 stories ❧Majun/Takgu ✧ ~ 2 stories

Buffy the Vampire Slayer ✧ ~ 1 story ❧Spike/Drusilla ✧ ~ 1 story

Captain Harlock ~ 6 stories ❧Harlock/Yama ~ 6 stories ❧Kei/Yattaran ~ 1 story

Carmilla ✧ ~ 1 story ❧Laura/Carmilla ✧ ~ 1 story

Castlevania ~ 2 stories ❧Alucard/Trevor ~ 2 stories

CATS ~ 1 story ❧Tugger/Misto ~ 1 story

Choco Milk Shake ✧ ~ 1 story ❧Jung Woo/Choco/Milk ✧ ~ 1 story

Epic ✧ ~ 1 story ❧Tara/Ronin ✧ ~ 1 story

Hellboy II ✧ ~ 1 story ❧Nuada/Nuala ✧ ~ 1 story

Kagen no Tsuki ~ 7 stories ❧Adam/Mizuki ~ 7 stories ❧Masaki/Hotaru ✧ ~ 1 story

Kamisama Kiss ~ 1 story ❧Tomoe/Akura Ou ~ 1 story

Kingyou Hime ✧ ~ 2 stories ❧Keisuke/Kingyou-kun ✧ ~ 2 stories

Marginal Prince ~ 2 stories ❧Red/Henri ~ 2 stories

Mary Stayed Out All Night ~ 1 story ❧Jung In/Mu Gyul/Mary ~ 1 story

Moon Child ~ 68 stories ❧gen ~ 47 stories ---specifically Kei & Sho ~ 42 stories ❧Kei/Sho ~ 18 stories ❧Sho/Yi-Che ~ 3 stories

Naruto ~ 14 stories ❧gen ~ 7 stories ❧KakaSaku ~ 3 stories ❧KakaTenzou ~ 1 story ❧NejiHina ~ 1 story ❧SakuOro ~ 2 stories

Sea Shanties/Drunken Sailor ✧ ~ 1 story ❧Drunken Sailor/Captain's Daughter ✧ ~ 1 story

Sex Pistols ~ 3 stories ❧Yonekuni/Shiro ~ 3 stories

SK8 ~ 8 stories ❧MatchaLoveBlossom (Adam/Joe/Cherry) ~ 1 story ❧Eden (Adam/Langa) ~ 1 story ❧Adam/Tadashi ✧ ~ 2 stories ❧MatchaBlossom ~ 4 stories

Suzume no Tojimari ✧ ~ 1 story ❧Souta/Suzume ✧ ~ 1 story

The Moon Embracing the Sun ~ 1 story ❧Lee Hwon/Woon ~ 1 story

Tiger & Bunny ~ 3 stories ❧Keith/Agnes ~ 3 stories

Tight-Rope ~ 1 story ❧Ryuu/Nao ~ 1 story

Underworld ~ 1 story ❧Lucian/Sonja ~ 1 story

Valdemar ~ 1 story ❧Lavan/Kalira ~ 1 story

Van Helsing ✧ ~ 1 story ❧Dracula/Velkan ✧ ~ 1 story

Xena ✧ ~ 1 story ❧Xena/Gabrielle ✧ ~ 1 story

Yuri on Ice ✧ ~ 1 story ❧Otabek/Yuri ✧ ~ 1 story

~

. . .and there's my look back on 2023! I explored new things and fell (unexpectedly deeply, perhaps) into some beloved old ones, tried to curtail my impulses on driving too hard on events while still participating and having fun. . .

Of course as always I have many things in the works (a moon-cycle-related project for all of 2024, my upcoming 7th year of doing my Valentine's Spectacular, a dark and twisty longfic. . .) and I'll be back soon! Maybe even with a new story tomorrow? We'll see!

Regardless, I'll always be around on AO3 and I'm sure not going anywhere!

Happy New Year!

~Kalira

[birdkeeperklink]

✨2022 Writing Year In Review✨

I was tagged by @lassiesspanishaccent! Thanks, Swattie! 💖

1. Number of stories posted to AO3: 11

2. Word count posted for the year: 76,818

3. Fandoms I wrote for: Psych and Gods of Egypt

4. Pairings: Shawn Spencer/Carlton Lassiter, Horus/Bek

5. Story with the most:

- Kudos: Complementary Souls (382)

- Bookmarks: Complementary Souls (107)

- Comments: DoMaystic Shassie (79)

6. Work I’m most proud of (and why):

“DoMaystic Shassie” because it was the first time I’d ever tackled one of those month-long challenges and actually followed through on it.

7. Work I’m least proud of (and why):

“Never Be the Same.” It just didn’t come out the way I hoped it would.

8. Share or describe a favorite review you received:

Oh, dear, I have so many favorites - so many people say so many lovely things 😭💖 But I guess, for recent ones, I’ll have to go with this one -

“This was super sweet, I loved when the dwarves realized WHY Bilbo complains so much, and their reactions when he started complaining again were adorable.  I loved this, loved how they all came together to make sure their Hobbit was all right!  Thanks for sharing!”

It was left on a story I’ll always have a soft spot for, and it always makes my day on the occasions when a comment is left on it. It reminds me that people are still reading those older works and enjoying them, which is a reminder I really need quite often.

9. A time when writing was really, really hard:

Mmm, September through December? 😂 This past semester really kicked my ass, mostly because one of my classes wasn’t offered online, so I ended up driving a ton and it sapped my time and energy.

10. A scene or character you wrote that surprised you:

It’s not a scene, but a whole story 😂 “5 Times Shawn Called Carlton ‘Babygirl’ + 1 Time Carlton Didn’t Freak Out About It” surprised me because I don’t usually liked 5+1 stories, with very, very rare exceptions, so I really never expected to have an idea to write one of my own.

11. A favorite excerpt of your writing:

<<The teens bolted, slipping and sliding in the snow. Carlton watched them go with satisfaction, partly just for the joy of it and partly to see that they really did stick to the trail, heading back towards the lodge, and didn’t turn off into the trees.

It was a mistake, though, because he’d forgotten that there were more than just two hooligans out here.

He yelled, flailing, and stamped around, wriggling to try to get the cold out of the back of his shirt! Specifically, his neck, and oh, God, it was going down his back now, and —

Carlton went still, whirling to glare at Spencer, who was laughing. He’d just stuffed snow down the back of Carlton’s shirt and he was laughing.

“Oh, you son of a —”

Ordinarily, he’d try to strangle Spencer, but today, he had a snowball in his hand.>>

From “Coffee on the Snow,” which I suppose was technically 2021, but I’m counting it in 2022 because AO3 does and I’m lazy, lol

12. How did you grow as a writer this year:

I don’t feel like I did, really. Sounds like a bummer downer answer, but what can you do 🤷��♀️

13. How do you hope to grow next year:

I hope to learn to let go of what other people think and just write what I want. I’ve always known that intellectually, but I have a really hard time taking it to heart, so I’d like that if I could develop that skill more permanently next year, rather than just having waves of not caring followed by long periods of insecurity.

14. Who was your greatest positive influence this year as a writer (could be another writer or beta or cheerleader or muse etc etc):

Oh, without a doubt Swattie and my bestie - those two are beacons of light.  I know Swattie is always there for everyone and always has an encouraging word, and it’s amazing.  My bestie, of course, is my bff and even has kind words for me when I write about shows or characters she doesn’t like. 💖

15. Anything from your real life show up in your writing this year:

Not that I recall. If it did, it was a tiny throwaway bit, like something I was eating at that moment, lol

16. Any new wisdom you can share with other writers:

You don’t have to take every bit of criticism into consideration.  If someone offers you “advice” and you didn’t ask for it, it’s okay to ignore it.  If someone offers you advice and you did ask for it, it’s still okay to ignore it.  Sometimes it’s personal preferences clashing and sometimes the other person doesn’t understand what you’re trying to do - that’s okay, and you don’t have to pay it any mind if you don’t want to.

17. Any projects you’re looking forward to starting (or finishing) in the new year:

I have a short Elementary fic I’m working on that I’d love to finish very soon, I’m collaborating with my bff on a Bagginshield fic that will remain between the two of us and I’m excited for that, and I went back to a really old Buffy fic that I’m really excited to rework into a second draft, even though absolutely no one else will ever want to read it but me.  Other than that, who knows?  I’m giving myself a break from deadlines and expectations this year, since college has plenty of those, and am just writing whatever I feel excited about in the moment, without guilt.

18. Tag some writers whose answers you’d like to read.

Oh, let’s see.... @stevviefox @asublimehimbo @lenievi and...I feel bad, but I can’t remember who’s already been tagged for one of these and who hasn’t among the writers in my mutuals, so...if you haven’t already been tagged and you see this and want to do it, then I’m tagging you. Although no pressure even to the three people I did tag 😅

[argyleheir]

Drabble - Yield

[For @domaystic day 14 | Prompt: Parade | Fandom: Dracula]

Jonathan does in fact dream that night…

Dreams he's called back to the same quiet room, sometime in the long darkness before dawn when dust motes might still coalesce between the bands of bright moonlight—dreams of three sets of glowing yellow eyes and three sets of blood-red lips and three sets of sharp white teeth—dreams of him—dreams of kisses, so soft and cool, in procession over all the shivering, touch-starved flesh of his body; dreams of the sharpness of pain and the lingering pleasure… of giving over and of being taken—

Though he forgets all upon waking.

[blogger360ncislarules]

Hetty and granger spend the day in bed.

@domaystic

[if-not-now-tell-me-when]

Promises

Fandom: Criminal Minds

Genre: fluff

Pairing: Jason Gideon/Dave Rossi

Jason settled into his swivel chair, breathing a deep sigh at finally being off of his feet. He rubbed lightly at his aching left knee, and regarded the mountain of paperwork in front of him.

 

Instead of reaching for the top file he looked up at the large calendar on the wall, mentally counting the red tick marks. Five more days until he could escape to the cabin. Five more days until he could escape to his other life, to the comfort and contentment of being with the man he loved.

 

His mind distracted from the looming pile of paperwork, he instead indulged in a memory of hiking through groves of fragrant pines. He smiled to himself, bringing to mind the serene stillness of early morning in the woods, the tenderness of a calloused hand wrapped around his, a thermos of dark, rich coffee, and soft kisses under the sweeping branches of an ancient maple tree.

 

Jason's smile grew, the smell of pine and rich earth as tangible as his desk's wood grain under his fingers. For a few heartbeats he simply sat, lost in the gentle glow of his memories. But before he knew it the scent of pine and the warmth in his chest began to fade, the real and immediate world of work starting to invade his consciousness.

 

Jason frowned lightly, unwilling to give it up and return to reality just yet. He slipped a hand into his side jacket pocket. Just a little longer, he needed just a bit more time. He fished a small rectangle out of his pocket - a postcard printed with an image of towering pines. Jason's smile widened as he turned the postcard over, running a thumb over its worn edge, and his eyes fell on the looping cursive.

 

Jason,

 

This book tour is incredibly dull. I keep imagining you behind me whispering snarky comments about my ass-kissing publicist, which is really the only thing keeping me from committing a serious crime so I can get out of this tour early.

 

Only seven days until this tour is over and I'm back at the cabin with you. I think we should try hiking all the way to Gorman's Hollow this time, as long as your knee isn't giving you too much trouble. And I'll bring that incredible aged bourbon I promised.

 

Stay strong and don't let the work grind you down too much. We'll be together before you know it.

 

Love,

 

Dave

 

Jason was so lost in the words and the gentle promises bound up in them that he didn't hear the knock at his office door. He startled and looked up when Aaron's voice floated over him. "Jason?"

 

"Is that the McCreary file?" Jason quickly asked, trying to shake himself out of his reverie.

 

"No, it's the 302 from your interview with George Wilson. I just need you to sign off on it before I file it." Jason nodded and reached out to take the form.

 

"You seemed pretty lost in thought when I came in, is everything alright?" Aaron asked as Jason searched for a pen.

 

"Oh, yeah, I was just reading a letter from Bruno Hawks."

 

"You had a pretty big smile on your face," Aaron said evenly as Jason initialed the form and handed it back to him.

 

For a brief second, Jason desperately wished he could share his joy. This was Aaron, after all, his dear friend. Aaron, who had been his and Dave's protégé when he first joined the BAU. The person on the team he trusted most of all. I'm in love. I'm so deeply, deliciously in love. The man I silently loved for 30 years shares my feelings. The words almost burst out before he could swallow them. It wasn't the right time - he needed to talk to Dave first, needed to settle his own anxieties before revealing anything to any other member of the team.

 

"Yeah, Bruno wrote to tell me about his grandson. Little guy is three now, bouncing off the walls." Jason smiled, knowing it didn't reach his eyes and Aaron could see right through it. But he had enough grace to nod, to pretend to buy Jason's flimsy explanation.

 

"Well, that's great." Aaron turned to leave, pausing for a moment in the doorway. "And Jason, I'm glad to see you smiling again. I missed it."

[baubeautyandthegeek]

Appliance Horror - Valak/Lea the Clown Cafe Host

A/N: Day 14 aka Prompt D for @domaystic

Valak has never really been confronted with current appliances, calling them odd appliances as she moves away from them, flushing a paler white color when Lea laughs at her.     “They are... strange.”    “To you, perhaps...”    Lea admits, smiling a little. She had been lucky, she knows, to own the right painting that allowed Valak to visit her, but she can’t help finding Valak’s confusion charming. The two had been close since Valak came to her rescue when her Cafe was attacked by Art the Clown, but Lea knew she would have always welcomed the woman’s company. Now though she’s grown used to a kind of domestic bliss with the other woman, finding peace with the slightly demonic nun.

[somekndofnature]

No Other Way #14

Another for the @domaystic prompt challenge and I’m using another alternate. This one took me a long time to write and became unexpectedly personal. I too have a strong, grumpy, over-protective guy that has a panic attack every time I’m hurt. So, this one goes out to him. A big thank you to my partner who always takes care of me.  

Day 14: alt. Will you change the bulb, please?

Fandom: Inuyasha; Modern AU

Pairing: Inuyasha/Kagome

Rating: G

AO3

Woman, Please Get Some Sleep

Inuyasha was angry. He wasn’t saying anything yet, but Kagome could feel it in the rigid muscles surrounding her body as he ran through the dark deserted streets, carrying her close to his chest. Under normal circumstances, she would be thrilled. Kagome loved being so near to him, loved snuggling into the arms that always kept her safe, but it was impossible to enjoy now. The yawning tension between them was too great to traverse; it would have to wait for home. 

He took a sharp short-cut down an alley, bumping her tender head against his arm, and she winced. Inuyasha muttered an apology before gentling his strides. Up ahead, the lights of their apartment building twinkled in welcome and she felt a bit of relief. Once they were home, he would talk or holler or growl; she would take anything at this point. Kagome was tired of the silent treatment.

Inuyasha hadn’t yelled when he came home to find her unconscious on the floor in a small puddle of blood. Nor had he yelled when the second pen snapped in his fingers as he filled out the hospital forms. He hadn’t caused a fuss when the nurse pried her from his grip for a CT scan and X-rays. He had even maintained composure when the doctor stapled closed the wound on the back of her head and placed the temporary splint around her fractured wrist. Besides a few short questions or demands, the furious hanyou had remained stoic and even surprised Kagome by thanking the doctor and nurses before they left. Once outside, Inuyasha had passed her the small paper bag from the hospital pharmacy and gathered her into his arms, sprinting into the night without a word.

His steps slowed as they approached their building and he glanced upward. Inuyasha slipped his hand into her still bloody hair and held her injured head stable. He widened his stance and leapt into the air, landing on their balcony a second later. There was a poignant pause where he gave her body an almost imperceptible squeeze before setting Kagome back on her feet. She shivered at the loss of his heat and curled in on her body, making the bag in her hands crinkle. A soft nudge from him prompted her into motion.

She had teased Inuyasha before about his habit for ‘herding’ her when he was anxious, with little touches to her body or hand, sometimes going so far as to bump his nose against her temple. One such bump came soon after Kagome toed off her shoes and lingered too long beside the open sliding door. She bit her lip to hold in a smile as she stepped inside.

“Something funny?” he asked, voice low and quiet as he followed after.  

Kagome looked up into golden eyes filled with reproach, concern, and still, anger. She sighed and clutched the prescriptions closer to her chest. “No.”

She turned toward their dimly lit kitchen and swallowed hard at the mess still awaiting them. The dark stain of her blood had congealed on the wood floor next to the upturned step stool and shattered glass that still littered the area.  

“Shit,” Inuyasha said as he took a step further inside. “Gimma sec to sweep this up.”

Kagome made a move to follow. “I can–”

“No!” he snapped, freezing her in place before he gentled his tone. “I got it.”

Kagome could do nothing except watch as he swept up the remnants of a broken bulb and righted the stool. His movements were stiff, pausing once to take a deep breath through his mouth before returning to his task. Inuyasha was absorbed in his thoughts as he meticulously checked the floor before shaking his head and scooping her back into his arms anyway.

He carried her into their room and placed Kagome on the bed, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. “Shower. I’m gonna clean up the,” he hesitated,” blood in the kitchen.”

He turned to leave and Kagome panicked; she didn’t want to be alone, she didn’t want him alone. “Inuyasha!”

He paused just inside the doorway. “What is it?”

“I know you’re angry with me–”

“I’m not,” he interrupted, turning back to face her. “I'm not mad.” His twitching ears gave away his inner turmoil, though.

“Okay, maybe not mad, but scared,” Kagome replied in a patient but firm tone. She wasn’t going to let this go.

Inuyasha managed to hold his composure for a few more seconds before it crumbled. “You’re damn right I was fuckin’ scared. What the hell were you thinking, Kagome?! That light is way too high for you to be replacing on your own. You should have asked me.”

“I did. I asked, I asked several times,” she explained while digging her phone from her pocket and flipping it open to their messages. “I even sent you a text when I left this morning.” She held it up for his inspection.

Inuyasha leaned forward, reading the exchange, but Kagome already knew what it said:  

Can you please change the bulb in the kitchen?

Sure, babe. He had even sent a little thumbs up emoji.  

He stared for several moments while grinding his fangs together. “Perfect. Perfect! This is all my fault.”

“No!”

“Fuck yes it is. I’m the one who sent you to the fuckin’ hospital,” he seethed, hitting the door with flat of his palm. It flew backwards and slammed into the wall where the knob left a four inch hole in the plaster. “FUCK!”

“Inuyasha!”

He began pacing the room with his hands curled into tight agitated fists. “Fuck, I gotta get out of here before I tear the place down.”

When he moved toward the door again, Kagome jumped to her feet. “Wait!” She swayed and the world drifted in and out of focus for a second before he was at her side.

“Careful baby,” he murmured as he helped Kagome sit back on the bed and knelt beside her.

“I can’t,” she sputtered out breathlessly.  

Inuyasha brushed strands of hair from her face. “Can’t what?”

“I can’t shower by myself because of the…” She held up her splinted wrist by way of explanation. “But I need to get the,” it was her turn to hesitate, “blood out of my hair. Help me, please?”

“Keh, of course,” he scoffed, rubbing at his eyes with one hand. “Damn, I’m a fuckin dumbass.”

Kagome shook her head and brushed her fingers through the fringe around his face. “No, you’re just worried, but I need your help, Inu.”  

He leaned into the touch and released a resigned sigh. “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.”

Inuyasha pulled Kagome onto her feet and led her into the bathroom, leaving her in the center with her injured hand cradled to her chest. Whatever medication they had given her at the hospital was beginning to wear off and her injuries were starting to ache. She released a quiet moan and tried to rotate her head from side to side, testing her range of motion. Kagome squeezed her eyes shut against the pain a second before a gentle hand cupped her face.  

“Does it hurt?” he asked, brushing a kiss over her forehead.

She hummed and rested her cheek against his chest. “A little. My neck is getting stiff.”  

“Yeah, the doc said that might happen.” Inuyasha rubbed his hand up and down her back. “You gave yourself a nice bump, baby.”

Kagome nuzzled into him, feeling another round of tears prick at her eyes. “M’sorry, Inu. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Shh. S’not your fault,” he replied, tilting her head back so he could study her face. “I should probably make you eat first so you can take medicine…” Inuyasha looked sheepish. “But if I have to smell all that blood on you for another second, I think I’m gonna hurl.”

Kagome pouted. “I thought you like the way I smell.’

“I do. I love your scent…when all the blood is inside your body, the way it’s fuckin’ supposed to be,” he grumbled while brushing her hair off her shoulders. “Right now it just smells like I really fucked up–”

Kagome rose on tiptoe and cut him off with a kiss.

Inuyasha stiffened for a second before his arm slipped around her waist, gathering her close with a soft whine. He cupped Kagome’s cheek as his lips moved against hers. She could tell he was endeavoring to be gentle, but before long, a desperation slipped into his movements. He kissed her like a warrior off to his final battle, like…like it was the last kiss they would ever share.  

Kagome broke for him with a small cry of denial but Inuyasha pulled her back and rested his forehead against hers. The room was filled with the sound of their gasping breaths as the heavy tension of the night’s events drew taut between them. They clung to each other and beneath her hand, Kagome could feel his body trembling. Inuyasha swallowed hard before releasing a shuddering breath against her lips that sounded suspiciously like a stifled sob.

“Inu?” Her fingers came up to circle his wrist.

He sniffed and cleared his throat before taking a step back. When Kagome looked up, a stoic mask had fallen over his features, hiding any of the emotions in his golden eyes. “Let’s go, babe. Arms up.”

She acquiesced even though she wanted to push. Kagome knew he was struggling with what happened. It was never nice to come home and find the person you love wounded. As the one who dealt with that fear on a more regular basis, Kagome understood what he was going through. Watching Inuyasha fight in the arena was never easy and seeing him injured was less so.

It made her sad…unbelievably sad. After all these years, after how much they had grown together, he still couldn’t let her see this. Inuyasha had shared with her his every dream, desire, and fear. All but one, it seemed: his fear of losing her.

He was shutting her out, or trying to, at least. An ache settled heavy in Kagome’s chest, matching the ones in her head and hand. She fought to keep tears at bay as Inuyasha carefully pulled the shirt over her head and extricated her injured arm. Getting her bra off was a little easier, but as she was working the strap over her bandaged hand, Inuyasha clucked tongue.  

“I’m gonna find something to cover that,” he announced, striding from the room.

Kagome blew out a relieved breath and used her single hand to shimmy her shorts and panties down her legs. They landed on the floor in a soft crinkle of fabric just as Inuyasha returned. He stopped inside the door and looked her over once before shaking his head, sendings ripples through his long silver hair.  

“This should work,” he said, holding up a plastic grocery bag.  

He helped her secure it around her hand and tucked it into the end of the splint on her forearm. Kagome tried her best not to let any pain show on her face but her fingers and wrist moved on instinct, trying to help. She hissed in a breath and his hand came up to cradle her cheek.  

“We’ll be quick, okay?”  

Kagome nodded, not trusting the stability of her voice.  

Inuyasha released her and started the shower before stripping down. Under normal circumstances, Kagome would probably be drooling. As many times as she saw his naked form and he still never failed to make stomach clench. Tonight though, her focus was on his face, the tightly pinched brows, the hard set of his jaw. Kagome could almost hear the internal beratement playing on a loop in his head.  

“Inu—“

“Come on, ‘Gome. Let’s get this over with.” He reached out a single clawed hand that she took without question, allowing him to pull her under the fall of water.  

Kagome yelped at the temperature; it wasn’t freezing but cool enough to give her goosebumps.

“I know, I know, baby,” he soothed, already drawing his claws through her hair. “It’s just until we get the blood out. Then I’ll warm it up.”

She nodded, nose brushing against his chest as she sought out his body heat.  

He took her injured hand and held it in the air. “Gotta keep that out of the water.”

Kagome whimpered, already fighting her body’s urge to curl in on itself as shivers started.

A soft whining sound emanated from the back of his throat. “I’ll be fast, promise.”

The stomach churning coppery scent of blood filled the shower stall and turned the water around their feet a ruddy brown. Kagome squeezed her eyes shut and nuzzled closer, sighing in relief when the scent of her shampoo finally smothered it. She tried to stay calm as Inuyasha washed and rinsed her hair several times before the water ran clear.  

“I think that’s it,” he said, adjusting the knob and turning so her back faced the fast warming water.

The tension drained from Kagome's shoulders and her arm almost fell before he caught it in his hand, holding it aloft for her. He allowed her a few more moments to relax before he released it, grabbing the bar of soap. Inuyasha lathered his hands, foregoing a washcloth as he ran his fingers over every inch of her body. The simple act seemed to soothe him in a way that her words couldn’t. So she allowed him the indulgence and kept her arm out of the water until her muscles were shaking.

Kagome thanked every kami could remember when he rinsed her for the final time and turned off the water. Inuyasha helped her from the stall and dried the remaining droplets from her skin with a fluffy towel before tending to his body. With her head fuzzy and feeling like it was stuffed with cotton, Kagome was all too ready to let him take control. She barely noticed as he led her from the room, dressing her in a pair of soft green flannel pj bottoms and a black tank top before sitting her on the bed.

Inuyasha returned to her side moments later after pulling on a pair of jersey shorts and t-shirt with a band name emblazoned across his chest. He tilted her chin up and searched her eyes. “You okay, ‘Gome?”

She nodded. “My head’s just starting to hurt.”

“Okay, stay here. I’ll go–”

“No, I’m coming with you,” she insisted, getting to unsteady feet.

“Kagome–”

“I’m coming with you.”

Inuyasha took a deep breath and released an exasperated breath. “Fine, but you're not walking. You look like you’re about to fall over.”

He gathered Kagome to his chest and carried her back into the kitchen, sitting her on the counter.

“There should be a cleaning solution under the sink that won’t bother your nose,” she said, grabbing the roll of paper towels and tearing off a few.

Inuyasha found the spray bottle and took them from her hand before wetting them down.  

Together, they cleaned the entire episode from their home, both relieved that it didn’t leave a stain. With that chore completed, they made and devoured six cups of ramen between them; one and a half for her, four and a half for him. Kagome sat back against the couch cushions with a sigh as he gathered their trash and headed back into the kitchen. With a full belly and heavy eyes, she smiled up at Inuyasha when he returned and grabbed her hand, placing two pills in her palm.

“What’s this?”

“One for swelling, one for pain,” he replied, handing her a glass of water.

Kagome obediently swallowed them down.

“You take them every six hours,” he said while typing at his phone screen. “So, that means your next dose is at eight.”

“What are you doing?”

“Setting an alarm. And don’t forget we have that appointment to get your permanent cast tomorrow afternoon.”

Kagome’s heart swelled. Inuyasha couldn’t keep a schedule to save his life. Normally he left that all to her, but she got one little fracture and suddenly he was Mr. Organization.

He glanced at her, flushing under her loving gaze. “Done?” he asked, motioning to the half empty glass in her hands.

She nodded.

“Good,” he said, taking it from her and placing it in the sink. “Time for bed.”

Inuyasha led her to their room and settled Kagome under the covers before sliding in beside her. He curled his body around hers, playing the big spoon and supporting his head on an upturned palm.

Kagome hummed in contentment as she snuggled closer. ‘Sing to me?”

He sighed and grumbled under his breath.

“Please, Inu?”

Kagome waited for a few long moments before the soft sound of his low voice broke the quiet night. She smiled, allowing the compounding exhaustion to finally pull her under, lulled the sweet sound of Inuyasha’s gentle lullaby.

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kagome was woken from sleep, what seemed like minutes later, by a subtle tremor in the bed and a heavy pressure around her chest. She blinked open bleary eyes and it took a moment for her drug addled brain to resolve the black shapes in front of her with those of their darkened bedroom.The pressure across her torso tightened, robbing her of a little more air.  

“Inuyasha,” she gasped, fingers falling to the arm around her ribcage. “I need to breathe.”  

He cursed and released her like she had burnt him, scrambling out of reach.

Kagome took a deep breath and sat up. The pitch black room spun and her stomach took a dive; she groaned.  

“‘Gome, are you okay?” he asked from the side of the bed. “Fuck. Did I hurt you?”

She didn’t miss the slight waver in his voice, no matter how hard he tried to mask it. “Of course not,” she replied, shaking her head. “M’just dizzy. I think it’s the meds.”

“Lay back down, baby. Go to sleep. I swear I’ll leave you alone.”

Kagome rubbed at her eye with a fist. “But I don’t want you to leave me alone,” she whined. “Come back to bed, Inu.”

“‘Gome.” She could just make out his pacing form by the swish of his silver hair.  

She reached for the lamp and his hand wrapped around her wrist, stopping her.

“Please don’t,” he whispered.  

Kagome pulled him down onto the mattress and her fingers found his face in the dark, gasping at the slight moisture on his cheeks. “Inu,” she crooned, crawling into his lap and kissing the tears away. “Did you have a nightmare?”

“No, I haven’t slept.”

“Really? What time is it?” she asked, reaching toward the nightstand for her phone.

“It’s almost four,” he replied, halting her search.  

“Why can’t you sleep?”

He didn’t answer. Instead, his arms tightened around her as his body trembled with unresolved tension.  

Kagome tucked her head into the crook of his shoulder, snuggling close. “Tell me?”

Inuyasha was quiet for a long moment and she worried that he would never speak when he finally released a ragged breath. “I can’t stop seeing you every time I close my eyes. I can’t stop seeing you on the floor–” His hand came up to cradle her head. “Fuck, I’ve never been so relieved to hear your heartbeat, Kagome. For a split second I thought…I thought you were…”

“Inu, I’m fine,” she replied, rubbing her hand over his chest. “I swear, I’m fine.”

He growled under his breath. “You’re not fine, ‘Gome. You have a broken wrist and the doctor said that you were lucky not to have a concussion. That’s not fucking fine. If I had just done what you asked me to–”

“It was an accident,” she interrupted, leaning back and cupping his cheek. “They happen to those of us unlucky enough to be born without preternatural speed and reflexes. They’re just part of being human, and I’m sorry,” she winced, “but this probably isn’t the last one.”

Inuyasha groaned. “No doubt. You’re such a klutz.”

“Ah!” Kagome slapped his chest but it held no real heat.

He chuckled and caught her hand, holding it against his skin.

“Was that a laugh?” she asked.

“No,” he said in the most sullen tone he could manage.

“I’m pretty sure it was.”

“Yeah well, you’ve just had a head injury,” he said. “Can’t blame you for hearing things.”

“Come on, baby,” Kagome cooed, pulling his head down until their foreheads touched. “You did your job. You took me to the hospital. You helped me clean up. You made sure I ate and took medicine. I’m currently pain free, clean, and safe in our bed, all because of you. You took care of me, Inuyasha.”

This close to him, Kagome could see the vulnerability in his eyes as they searched hers. After a moment, his shoulders slumped and he released a long sigh. “I don’t know how I’m ever gonna let you out of my sight again.”

“Time,” she assured him. “It’ll just take time. I have some sick days stored up at work and I definitely think this counts. I’ll call in the morning and let them know that I’m taking the rest of the week off. Sound good?”  

He nodded and rubbed his nose against hers.

Kagome yawned and smiled up at him.

“You need to sleep,” Inuyasha said, pulling her with him as he scooted further onto the bed. He lay back against the pillows and settled her on his chest where Kagome could hear the steady rhythm of his heart beneath her ear.  

She hummed and placed a kiss to the skin above it. “You need to sleep too, Inu,” she said, eyelids growing heavy. “How can I help? What can I do?”  

“Nothing,” Inuyasha replied, fingers sifting through her hair. “Just let me hold you.”  

[73chn1c0l0rr3v3l]

i finished my heart attack fic (exchange for 10k+ fic in 14 days) & my domaystic, so now my brain is just going "new project?!?!?!" & the OTHER current project ain't doing it

should i start a new project to do with this one, or do a new one?

[rockingrobin69]

Separate

It’s only been three days, and already too much; although spending time with Mother was something he wished for dreadfully, now it was mostly just dreadful. Mother was fantastic, everything he’s missed. The weather was gorgeous, the lavender fields glimmered, the air smelled of summer—still he was miserable. Mother came to sit with him in the garden, dazzling in the evening sun.

“It’s that bad?” she asked, soft. The wail that’s been choking Draco all day burned when he nodded.  

“I just...”

“This arrived today,” she smiled, laying a postcard on the table. “I think he misses you too.”

For @domaystic‘s day 14. Find all of Robin’s Domaystic Drabbles here!

[cheyla-v]

Domaystic 2022 - Day 14 - Postcard in the Mailbox Fandom: Harry Potter Series/AU: Burning Day

“You got another one of those pictures-of-places things in your inbox,” Kerry said, waving a small piece of paper in front of Harry before setting it down. A large pile of mail promptly followed. 

“Postcard?” Harry said, offering up the correct word.

The Pareya made a face. “Yeah, that. You should really check your mailbox more often. Or get a bigger one.”

Harry’s jaw dropped at the words. “I did check it!” he protested. ��Last week. Late last week at that!”

“Let’s try for every other day, hm?” Kerry said. “At least? Or at least send one of the other two to do it for you if you’re busy and can’t make the time. Anything so I stop getting messages when it starts to overfill.”

Harry blushed. “You get messages when that happens?” he asked. “Seriously?”

Kerry gave him a look. “Multiple messages,” they drawled. “It’s very inconvenient.”

“Sorry,” Harry muttered and made a mental note to change his mail notifications to Brishen. Or Ira. The Beta never seemed to mind tasks like that.

Kerry simply sniffed and ignored the apology. “So, where’s it from? Do I need to worry about any idiot setting the house on fire anytime soon?”

Harry picked up the postcard to take a closer look. “Leturna,” he said. “And that was one time. One. Drop it already.”

“Never.”