#Follow the Lights fic

[cluelessmoose]

We've reached the point in the fic (read: the END) where every chapter -all measly two of them- is forcibly ripped from my soul screaming

That is to say: I'm working on them, but they'll be much slower than previous updates because the end is so very nigh that my brain is convinced that means I should be done now and is digging its stupid heels in on inspiration

Not time to phone it in yet you lazy grey sponge, NOT YET

SO IT IS COMING, I PROMISE (AFTER THIS LONG I WOULD NEVER ABANDON IT JFC) BUT PATIENCE IS REQUIRED ON YOUR PART (NOT THAT ALL YOU GLORIOUS PEOPLE HAVE EVER BEEN ANYTHING BUT KIND AND UNDERSTANDING TO ME ILY ALL) AND VICIOUS STARING-AT-THE-SCREEN-UNTIL-WORK-HAPPENS ON MINE

[magicaltimelady44]

so like. if anyone else, like me, still has the occasional fanfic they follow on fanfiction.net, and hasn't been getting the update emails for the longest time and was wondering if ti meant the site is on its last legs

no

no they've done something stupid as fuck

you have to opt back in to getting the emails/notifications of new chapters every six months, because they automatically assume you don't want to know when the fics you followed for the updates have updated

[pibafish]

haha

[numbuh424]

shoutout to whatever L and Light had going on in Time Speaks

[glassedplanets]

still thinking about Worst Possible Timing Bodyswap AU

[alamogirl80]

Chapter 22 of "And I'll Follow the Light in You"

For any readers still out there, here is chapter 22!

They delve deeper into the abyss of the Underworld and things finally come to a head for Rex and Fox. “Maybe you should have thought of that before you let him come down here to begin with,” Rex moves past Obi-Wan, almost shoving Fox’s shoulder as he does so. If Rex and Fox need to have this out, maybe now is as good a time as any. Nothing is trying to kill them at the moment.

[kybercrystals94]

Hello, happy 333 subscribers!!!!! 🥳🥳🥳

I have a suggestion, would you do a cadet batch fic! Whatever you like, I just love cadet batch 😅

Thank you so much, friend! 🥰 I love Cadet Batch too, so this was such a fun prompt to fill! I hope you enjoy your 333 word story ☺️

Shadows

Read here on Ao3!

Rated: G | Words: 333

Their new barrack is quieter than the lab. Darker too. Strange and unfamiliar shadows lurk ominously, stretched and disfigured. Hunter’s imagination gives them monstrous faces, fangs and claws. They are the creatures out of their flash training courses about predators throughout the galaxy. Creatures that stalk, watching their prey’s vulnerabilities, then lashing out, tearing through flesh and bone. 

Hunter swallows, reminding himself another time that while those creatures are real somewhere, they are not in this room. But another flash of lightning makes the shadows lurch, and Hunter yanks his blanket over his head. He shouldn’t be so afraid. He is nearly four standard years, far too old to be afraid of silly things like shadows. But then the thunder growls, its guttural voice making the room shudder. And something latches onto Hunter’s arm.

He is too afraid to make a noise, too afraid to move.

But then a loud, trembling voice says, “I’m scared. Can I sleep in your bunk with ya? Please, Hunter?” 

Hunter takes a deep breath and peeks out from his sanctuary. Wrecker is there, fingers still curled around Hunter’s arm like his life might depend on it. 

“Okay,” Hunter says. He hopes that he does not sound as relieved as he feels.

Wrecker wastes no time clambering into Hunter’s bunk, pressing himself as close to Hunter as he can. Wrecker is already taller than all of them, even if he was the second to last decanted. Nonetheless, he is still Hunter’s little brother, so Hunter threads his arms around him, and hugs him tight.

“I wanna go back to our old room,” Wrecker tells him. 

“I know. But it’ll be better this way. You’ll see.”

Wrecker nods. “Okay.” 

Hunter wonders if Crosshair will tease them when their morning cycle comes, or if Tech will say their fears were illogical. 

But when Hunter wakes again, Crosshair and Tech are in his bunk too, sleeping soundly. Hunter smiles, sleep coming to reclaim him. 

Maybe it’s alright to be braver together.

END

Let me know if you'd like to be added to my tag list!

Tag List: @followthepurrgil @amorfista @mooncommlink @arctrooper69 @ezras-left-thumb @maeashryver @baddest-batchers @laughhardrunfastbekindsblog @omegafett99 @heidnspeak @fionas-frenzy @dreamsight73 @royallykt @blackseafoam @illogicaalbraindump @skellymom

[wangxianficrecs]

Follower Recs

~*~

One shot, teen wwx helps kid xue yang - but isn't allowed to take him in, does what he could. - Anon

A flicker of light

by sunflowerrs

M, 2k, Wei Wuxian & Xue Yang

Summary: All Xue Yang ever needed was some kindness.

~*~

(Please REBLOG as a signal boost for this hard-working author if you like – or think others might like – this story.)

[mylittleredgirl]

i have a fic that will not leave me alone, like i need to write it and have been wrestling with it since early summer but everything i put in that document is very very bad. doesn’t flow. totally tangled up. the more i mess with it the more i’m walling myself in. i’m thinking about just shelving the whole thing and opening a blank document and rewriting the whole thing from memory to see if that will turn into something.

[radioactivepeasant]

Free Day Friday: Trespasser

(From the poll: "In Which the Demolition Duo made it to the Wastelands without being banished because They Are Trespassing)

Damas was not, by and large, a religious man. He didn't worship Precursors -- there were some who insisted that his ousting from Haven was divine punishment for his arrogance -- nor spirits. If spirits could be killed, so could Precursors. That made them oracles, elders to be respected for unique perspectives on time, but not gods in Damas’s opinion.

Which made it an oddity to find him in the temple.

He sat on the shallow steps, staring up at the six carved heads meant to represent Precursors. More insectoid than Oracles, or perhaps just more elaborate. They seemed to wear headdresses over their bizarre masks.

"If you, by action or inaction, let Mar die, then at least have the decency to tell me," he whispered into the empty air.

"You always foretold a future moment of need that my House would answer. Has that need passed unnoticed that you stay silent while my bloodline ends? Or does my son live?"

The masks were silent, of course. Carved stone could neither hear nor speak.

Ungrateful wretches. Damas had a fleeting thought that perhaps they'd allowed -- or even orchestrated -- the abduction of his little son because he wasn't servile and "pious" enough for their tastes.

Damas wondered if spirits could harm Precursors. If perhaps the "Good Grandmother"*, She-Who-Hears-Them-Cry, might take an interest if something in this temple had been directly involved in bringing Mar to harm.

Má took her payment even from the hides of fellow spirits, after all.

"Even if you were capable of bringing him back unharmed, I very much doubt you would," Damas whispered harshly to the open air. His throat bobbed with a painful, bitter anger.

"But if you took him, you owe blood-debt to my House, old ones. So grant closure or sit in your realm knowing that I will seek answers among others as old as you."

Was it wise to threaten the Precursors? Damas neither knew nor cared anymore. Two years he'd barely survived having his heart metaphorically ripped out of his chest.

What more could they do to him? Really, what could they possibly do that could be worse than not knowing?

No answer arrived, not that it surprised him. Damas sighed and braced his elbows against his knees, head in his hands.

Stone grated against stone and metal to his left, and he turned his head swiftly.

There was a door there, one heavily fortified with traps. A hovering Sentinel eye kept watch for movement, designed to activate a spike trap if anyone tried to enter the lower levels without permission. And if someone managed to somehow get past that, the door would still be sealed. Whether by an enterprising ancestor of his or by meddling Precursors, that door could not be opened without an Heir of Mar. Damas was the only one who had ever been beyond it.

It should not have opened even an inch.

And yet Damas was witnessing the two mighty halves forcing themselves apart with a tortured groan born of idleness.

He was on his feet in an instant, ready for a fight. There was no chance that this heralded anything good.

"Whoa!"

That was a hu'men voice.

Damas’s hand hovered over his sidearm, ready to draw the moment he saw a face.

"And I thought this place was huge before!"

It was a young voice. High and a little squeaky.

"It just keeps going, doesn't it?" laughed a second voice, deeper, but just as young.

And then the doors were open wide enough to see the silhouette in between them.

And more importantly, to see the object glowing faintly in his outstretched fist.

Damas’s mouth was dry as he fumbled for the pouch between belt and leather armor where he kept his own amulet of Mar. He knew the shape by heart: twin comets orbiting each other, over stylized hands.

Thief-!

Pure, outraged, fury burned through his veins for a moment. Who had this scrawny figure stolen that amulet from? Heaven forbid it be Mar's amulet, lest Damas murder this boy before his very next step.

"Identify yourself!" Damas shouted, raising his gun.

The figure stepped into view. He was small, so thin his clothes hung loosely on scrawny limbs, but he held himself like a warrior.

"People!"

The animal curled around his shoulders sat upright and spoke.

"Jak! There's real people in here! We're saved!"

Odd reaction to a man pointing a gun at them.

The boy eased a step forward, hands raised as if soothing a frightened animal. He still held the incriminating amulet in his hand.

"Whoa, okay, put the gun down. I don't want to hurt anybody-"

He took a step too far and the sentinel flashed. The spikes shot up out of the floor with a faint shunk!

With a yelp, the boy leapt back -- he was surprisingly light on his feet for someone wearing boots two sizes too big. Then, as if the nearly fatal encounter was no more than a slight inconvenience, he backed up, got a running start, and launched.

He kicked off the wall, seeming to find handholds in the tiniest of crevices as he bypassed the spikes entirely.

Once on the ground again, the boy dusted himself off.

"You okay, Dax?"

"Just peachy, considering you almost dropped me!"

"Did not!" the hu'men boy protested in annoyance.

He really was small.

The general gangly sprawl of his limbs suggested he would gain an impressive height, but for now he just looked..small.

And entirely too excited.

"Who....do you- Where did you come from?" Damas demanded.

The boy pointed back down at the steps and shrugged before scratching his head.

"Exploring?"

Oh that green hair hurt to look at. It was filthy, and matted, like it hadn't been correctly washed in years. He couldn't even determine the age of the trespasser, what with the layers of grime embedded into every crevice of his face. The clothes were just as stained with sweat, dirt, and what looked to be bloodstains. From traps?

"Exploring."

Damas repeated the stranger's explanation incredulously. "How did you even get in here?"

The boy and the orange animal looked at each other for a curiously long moment. They seemed to be having a conversation merely by narrowing and widening their eyes in turn. Then, seeming to come to an agreement, they shrugged and turned back to face Damas.

The boy pointed down a barely visible flight of rough-hewn stone steps, lit by torches.

"We came up through the catacombs."

There were catacombs? He hadn't seen anything like that down there, and Damas liked to think he'd made it pretty far! He examined the stranger more closely, avoiding his eyes -- they're not familiar, you're just projecting your grief -- and avoiding looking at the talking weasel thing. He saw sunken cheeks drawn tightly against sharp cheekbones. A pale, barely visible scar across the bridge of his nose. Deep, deep shadows beneath his eyes. How large was the temple, altogether? Were there more people living below their feet?

"How...long were you down there?" he asked after a few seconds.

"Trust me pal," the weasel-rabbit said, "he smelled like this before we got in that zoomer."

"Hey!"

"What zoomer?!" Damas asked, feeling more confused than before.

"The one we took through the lava tube to the catacombs."

Damas was beginning to wonder if he'd somehow inhaled the monks' incense by accident.

The trespasser cringed as if only just noticing the bewildered and only barely softened hostility on Damas’s face. He shoved his amulet -- not his, it can't be his, there aren't any more of us left!*-- into his pocket and waved his hands placatingly.

Was there another Heir all this time? Is that why I was given no chance to protect Mar? Were my child and I expendable?

"Didn't mean to bother you," the kid apologized, "We'll just uh- huh. Actually, where are we?"

And then he looked to the door rather than Damas.

"Hey Oracle!" he shouted, and Damas was glad no monks were present to hear this and faint at the impertinance.

"Where the rot are we?"

Alright. This was now officially more of a problem than he'd first thought. Not even the monks were supposed to have found that Oracle down there.

One of the past Heirs who never inherited the throne had sealed it up the moment he discovered it long ago. After all, the discovery of light and dark eco being opposite poles of one energy might have thrown society into chaos and they didn't want to deal with the fallout. Even Damas was leery of reintroducing that knowledge outside of the Arena yet. Apparently this trespasser had no such thoughts.

He spoke to Oracles -- or pretended he did.

He held and used an amulet.

The boy was a mystery. And Damas hated not having the answers.

"You," Damas decided, wearing anger like a shield, "are coming with me. You have questions to answer."

The boy balked.

"No!"

He dodged before Damas could seize his arm, stumbling back amidst the columns.

"Uh-uh, I'm not falling for that."

"Falling for what?"

Damas was genuinely confused, and more than a little irritated.

The boy continued to back away.

"No, no I know how this goes. You're gonna take me back to the Haven Council, aren't you!"

*

"Haven?!" Damas sputtered, "Why the bleeding rot would I want to go there?! I'm taking you to my city!"

That didn't reassure the kid, who apparently was not fond of the leaders of Haven City.

Well, that was at least a bare minimum of common ground.

"You ain't takin us to no secondary location!" the orange one declared, pointing a skinny digit at Damas.

"The last time I got transported to a new place, I got kidnapped and experimented on for two years," his friend agreed.

Embleer Frith.

Damas stared at the boy. He squinted, as if that would give him insight into the unsettling response, then shook his head.

"You what?!"

What was he talking about? Experimented on?! That would explain the sudden shift from curiosity to distrust. But why-?

Damas knew. Deep down, he thought he knew.

If the boy was an Heir -- and he didn't even want to entertain the thought, but it had to be acknowledged as a possibility -- then that alone would be motive for someone like Praxis to torture even a young man -- or young boy?

If he was still obsessed with creating the ultimate war-sage, then an unclaimed and unattended Heir of Mar would be invaluable.

But if Praxis had been so focused on an older Heir, then perhaps it at least meant that he'd never gotten his hands on Mar.

That there was a stab of shame to follow that whisper of relief was an unsettling proof that he had not successfully hardened his heart as much as he'd thought.

"You came here from Haven?" he asked.

"Yeah?"

Thoughts of a breach in their defenses sickened him.

"And others will follow in pursuit of you?"

This time both trespassers scoffed.

"Only if they feel like sharpening their reaction time enough for a volcanic subrail," the hu'men said. He almost smiled.

The orange one nodded. "Jak here's the best driver there is! Also the most demolition-happy, but nobody's perfect."

Jak?

Now that was a name his spies had been mentioning a lot in their reports. An alleged juggernaut who had turned the Baron's own secret project against him and -- rumor had it -- even destroyed the metalhead nest.

Damas had been expecting someone a little...older.

* the "Good Grandmother" Damas is referencing is a spirit I made up for the Wasteland called Má Crocadeer. Fairly grisly figure with a crocadeer skull wreathed in flowers for a head, and a crocadeer's legs and tail. Her purpose is to punish those who deliberately cause or inflict harm on children. There's a lot of people in Haven who should avoid the desert for this reason.

[tipzyness]

remembering when I picked up jjk manga in 2020 the stsg content was SCARCE af and I'm pretty sure the tag is insufferable now

[babychosen]

prompt idea: vic’s pov on amangela, especially when they visited the smosh office for tntl

word count: 608

Vic’s visit to the Smosh office was short, but it showed them a lot more about the cast and crew than they ever expected to learn.

Like, how Erin orders coffee up to three times a day, and how Tommy spends multiple hours in one of the bathrooms. Or how Courtney and Shayne are the most professional and yet affectionate couple they've ever seen work together.

But there was something that went unspoken within the office: Amanda and Angela.

Sure, Vic had worked with both of them in the past, but the chemistry between the two in the office was unmistakable. Vic found themselves constantly looking around subtly in a ‘Is anyone else seeing this?’ kind of way whenever the duo was in the same room together.

Attached at the hip was an understatement. If they were beside each other, their bodies were always touching. Whether it was an arm around a shoulder or a waist, or hands intertwined, their skin somehow made contact. And if they weren't beside each other… well, heart eyes (and ‘fuck me’ eyes, if Vic's being honest) were frequently exchanged. Vic knew they worked well together on screen, but this was something else entirely.

When it came time to film the Try Not to Laugh episode, Vic watched as the pair steeled themselves for the cameras; like they put on masks for the audience. But throughout the video, the chemistry only ramped back up.

Vic could swear Angela was ready to pounce at them behind the partition after they kissed Amanda for the bit. It was a side of Angela they had never seen before—possessive, and jealous. The animosity cleared up quickly when they moved onto new bits, but it left Vic curious about the dynamic between Angela and Amanda.

They were so open about being so into each other, so surely everyone already knew?

No, no. It wasn't their place to speculate.

When the day was over and they finished shooting everything Vic was scheduled for, they said their goodbyes and started packing up their things to leave. 

In the cafeteria, Amanda approached Vic with Angela trailing behind her.

“Hey, Vic! What are you doing tonight? Would you be up for a home-cooked dinner?”

Amanda’s question threw them off. Not that it was unwelcome—in fact it was flattering—but Vic considered themselves closer with Angela than Amanda. 

“Oh, gosh, no. I wouldn’t want to intrude. It’s really kind of you to offer, though,” Vic said, an appreciative smile on their face.

“Please, you wouldn’t be intruding. Angela talks about you so much.” Amanda playfully rolled her eyes and glanced back at Angela having a conversation with a few cast members. “Plus, we’ve been meaning to have people over to our new place, and we both love cooking.”

Vic felt time stop. 

We… we?

OH.

They tried their best to mask their surprise when they came to the conclusion that Amanda was inviting them over to her apartment with Angela. As in, they live together.

“Well… I mean… why not!” Vic answered enthusiastically, their demeanor mirroring Amanda’s own excitement.

Vic’s surprise slowly turned into acceptance as they recalled all of the interactions they witnessed at the office that day; the touching, the flirtatious behaviour, the closeness—it all made sense now. Not to mention the subtle positive changes Vic had noticed in Angela’s mood over the past few months. The realization made Vic feel giddy.

Amanda beamed at Vic’s response, and Vic watched as Angela approached her from behind and proudly put an arm around Amanda’s waist. 

Angela asked what they were talking about and all Vic could do was smile knowingly at the couple.

[tenwhiteandalusians]

so no one was going to tell me if i got literally one episode further tenax drops that he’s the one who saved scorpus from his mom’s pimp AND that he’s intimately familiar with scorpus’ dick when he was younger. guys. guys.

[blossoms-phan]

will never pass up the opportunity, so! i am asking. what are your phanfic recommendations?

ask (honoured!) and you shall receive bestie! quick preface: i returned to the wonderful world of reading phanfic around the start of this year and have admittedly missed out on years of incredible work i am now catching up on! also in terms of what i read i generally lean towards current-era fics, canon compliant/fluff/smut- although i'm always taking recs from lovely moots/whoever, you may find this isn't the largest range (no aus/long chapter fics or whatever) but this is just a selection of what i've discovered/loved in the past few months and i hope to make more of these as i discover more writings!

shoutout to everyone on here for their recs, all the incredible fanfic writers and the peeps at @phanfictioncatalogue for their work and accessibility and being the reason i discovered so many new fics/tropes i now love <3 ok lets get into ittttttttt

"you look at my face a lot" by natigail: i credit this fic for getting me into reading phanfic again in 2024 <3 one of the first ones i read post-hiatus and i've returned to it countless times! it makes my heart jump, just so sweet and so them. the slittening(s) were such an iconic moment i can't believe it's been 6+ months since them but i love the little moments like dan describing phil's hair colour to a sephora worker, always wanting to know more about each other and the soft intimacy.

"the angel in the marble" by ivylakes: OHH MY GOODNESS this one is artttt. this one is my fave of the post-phlondeing fics i can just see and feel everything that happens, the loving, lazy intimacy, and following this week's t-shirt events it absolutely cements my HC that angel is a nickname for our philly. introspection, hair-kissing, body worship- i eat it up (im having a thing for mirrors in fics rn so there's also that)

"slumber party" by possumdnp: if i wasn't already clear reality-based fics really just do it for me and i love this one!! slumber party is one of my favourite recent-ish gaming vids and i just love the cozy comfort vibes of having a sleepover and getting a little flirty with your best friend/crush going on 15 years <3

"after the birthday stream" by trashcanfromgallifrey: the birthday stream ignited something in all of us but this is just such a perfect depiction of (possible) events after hehe. feels so them, just love the loving intimacy and shower activities and fluffy endings with cake <3 (shoutout hannah ily!!)

"lovers, keep on the road you're on" by possumdnp: another personal fave. japhan 2019 is EVERYTHING to me, this is so lovely and well-researched and i just go in between reading this and watching the stories from it when i want to cry and book a flight to tokyo

"welcome home! (never leave that long again)" by natigail: this one is just soooooo soft and sweet and fluffy. so heartwarming and one of the many wad reunion fics that has my heart <3

ok i'm going to end up including all 40+ of my bookmarks (not a lot. but working on it hehe) if i don't stop myself so as much as i could write paragraphs about all of these just know that my PPA test is positive and i was probably sweating/giggling/kicking my feet at all of these so here's a speedrun list of pure smut (sorry it's a lot of what i read lmao):

"juxtaposition", "slow down", "sensitive", "some kind of mood" and literally everything written by the force that is intoapuddle

"come light me up" by JudeAraya (perhap not pure smut but I loveeee the teasing and characterization in this so so dan ugh)

"appreciation" by Scuddleduck

"a little vitamin D" by Spring_Haze

"good for you, good for you" and "under my thumb" by dvp_95

"lucky" by iihappydaysii

i could keep going but for now i'm going to stop here! i'm sorry if this is messy i have no idea what i'm doing with linking and stuff but i hope this introduces at least one person to a new fic they end up loving! i lurked/read sooo many fics before finally creating an a03 account only a little over a month ago so i def might be missing some i've forgotten to go back and bookmark! shoutout to all of these writers (i could include multiple works from them all u ppl are amazing)- again i'm soo open to discovering more phanfic and want to expand my horizons, i've started to read some chaptered fics i didn't include on here but will reblog more current reads where i can! also if we're moots pls shamelessly promote your works i'd love to check them out! need to start commenting more too but ok ok wrapping it up

[inpolariis]

Fanart for Here’s A Health To Our Company by niar.art on twitter! 

[alamogirl80]

Sneak Peek - Chapter 21

I actually don't know how many followers on here still follow me for my Codywan fic "And I'll Follow the Light in You" but hey look!

I'm actually writing!

Here's a snippet of Chapter 21 which is finished and hopefully will be up in the next day or so (we got a tropical storm/hurricane Beryl slapping our asses south of me so, dunno what the internet situation will be tomorrow)

Bail sighs, apparently satisfied. “I’ll make the arrangements. I know this is hard, Obi, but it’s what's best.”  “Not for everyone,” comes a voice from the shadows.   Obi-Wan has his saber out and in his hand, but does not light it yet as the razor edged Force signature hits him. Cool silvers mixed with deep blues and blood reds.

Commander Fox steps out of the shadows, confident as he strides forward despite Organa’s hand on a blaster and the spooked Jedi with his saber out. He pulls his helmet off and raises an eyebrow at both of them. Bail puts his gun away and wipes a hand over his face.  “I knew you had a detail on me at all times, Fox, but I didn’t know you’d deign to tail me yourself,” Bail says. “You’re the chancellor,” Fox says brusquely, as if that answers everything. Then he turns his gaze on Obi-Wan and Obi-Wan feels like a sniper’s crosshairs are trained on him. He folds the saber back into his robes, and tries not to take a step backwards. “You rabbiting off into the galaxy isn’t what’s best for everyone, Kenobi,” Fox states, tone rough as the dented duracrete around them. Obi-Wan blinks. “What do you mean Commander? It will protect your brothers—”

“It will kill Cody,” Fox cuts across him --

WHOOOHOO! WRITING!!