#Fourth Wing Birthday Bash

[skyfallscotland]

Fourth Wing Turns 1! 🎉🎈🎊

To celebrate a whole year since we crossed the parapet, here’s the prompt challenge we promised!

It’s a super casual, low stakes, community event—it’s meant to be fun! So no stress. @justallihere & I thought it would be fun if the prompts were like a lucky dip, so here’s how it’s going to work:

There’s three prompt categories: fluff, angst, and smut. Choose which one you’d prefer to write for, pop it in my ask box this week (May 2-9, 2024) and I’ll send you back a short dialogue prompt—make sure you’re not on anon! 🙂

You’ll then have the rest of the month of May to write your piece and post it either here or on AO3 (or both)! Minimum 500 words, no maximum.

Or, if you’re an artist and prefer to draw, you could do that too, totally up to you!

You can write gen or any pairing you like. The prompts are open to interpretation or paraphrasing, don’t feel like you have to use the exact words if you don’t want to, if you just use the general vibe that’s ok too. We really just want everyone to feel comfortable giving it a go, even if they’ve never posted anything before 🥹

When you post it, add the hashtag:

#FourthWingBirthdayBash

So everyone can find your work!

Finally, the prompts are some I’ve collected from across tumblr, they’re free for anyone to use but it would be very appreciated if you also tagged the original prompt creator (which we’ll send with the prompt) so people can find them too 💖 if you’re so inclined, some also have a ko-fi and you can buy them a coffee.

(Pssst, if you don’t finish it by the end of the month, that’s ok too, we’re super chill here)

Can’t wait to see what you come up with 🥰

[hoeelliexx]

I'm writing something for the first time in like ten years and I'm trying to stay motivated to finish it. So here I am publicly posting a snippet with the promise to have (at least) part one published in the next week... enjoy

Brennan Sorrengail was not hot. He was not. No matter what anyone said. And Naolin did not spend a good amount of his teenage years thinking about him and his hands and his tiny waist and his back… he did not.

“I was too distracted by his evil to be turned on by him. And anyways-” Lie. Naolin was lying liar who lied which was obvious as he immediately lost his train of thought as the fucking devil himself walked into the bar laughing.

[olympialogy]

Finally finished my Fourth Wing Birthday Bash fic! It's called A Letter A Day (Keeps You Ready To Mingle), which is a play on both An apple a day keeps the doctor away and I'm single and ready to mingle. The ending is open-ended, though ;)

Here's a snippet:

“I’ll remain standing, thank you very much,” she snipes back, and I cringe back.  (Sloane Mairi collapsed with quiet wails by her boyfriend’s deception. He’d told her that she was his first love. It wasn’t true. He had lied.  He had loved Liam Mairi, her older—and now dead—brother.)   I’m not an inntinnsic—  “Thank Dunne for that,” Cuir snorts.  —but even I can tell what kind of thoughts are running rampant in her head.

Read Here On AO3, below on tumblr! x

More information: thank you to Alli @justallihere and Amy/Hurricane @skyfallscotland for hosting the Birthday Bash!

the prompt "Do you care at all?" came from @creativepromptsforwriting, so thank you Jana!

roughly 3.7k words of angst; please pretend that Eya died at Resson instead of in the bathroom!

I’ve figured out my life, somewhat. 

Mostly. 

It’s kind of hard, right after losing the love of my life, but I’m making due. I don’t even have anything of his to keep—except for the little, white lotus carved from wood we found in his pocket—due to Basgiath’s tradition of burning a cadet’s items. 

It’s been less than a year, and I’ve been tossed right into war school—Basgiath. 

And everyday, I watch people I feel responsible or I care for in some shape, way, or form, die—during school or in my nightmares. 

I’m separated from Xaden, Garrick…Garrick, who’s my best friend, a close confidant; Xaden, who’s my literal cousin; and even Eya, who is practically my sister due to our years being fostering together. 

This isn’t even mentioning the nightly weapon runs I do. 

It’s all unfair to Sloane, but…but there’s nothing I can do. Poromiel needs to help and Xaden’s gone, meaning the responsibility has fallen to me. I get to my room most nights past midnight, and fall asleep, wishing I could hold Sloane in my arms. 

The nights I don’t go on runs are spent with Sloane, normally. We rarely fuck anymore—not that we don’t give in to our “guilty pleasures,” as Cuir calls it, as if she doesn’t still have an occasional escapade with a random dragon—but we stay in one of our beds, curled around each other, her back arched into my stomach, her hair spread over the pillow and smells heavenly, her arm bent to rest over my back, a comforting weight. She says that my arms around her stomach are comforting. 

I’ve learned that love is complicated. 

And it requires effort—it cannot be done from will alone. 

Less than a year ago, I would imagine my future with Liam Mairi—tall, muscular, blonde, blue eyes, and the sweetest heart. Less than a year ago, I was riding the love boat, clinging onto the distant dream of happiness. Less than a year ago, I knew myself less than I know now. 

It doesn’t mean that part of my heart won’t forever be held by Liam. He’s part of me, a part that won’t—can’t—go. 

I’ve accepted that. 

At least, I think I have. I hope. 

I really fucking hope. 

Unfortunately, today isn’t one of those days I get to fall asleep with my head buried in Sloane’s hair. It isn’t a night I can fall asleep without Cuir’s pestering. 

I’ve just gotten back from a weapon run, and along with the blood staining my leather jacket (dammit), my eyes are fluttering with exhaustion. Cuir’s presence is a gentle breeze in my mind. My conversations with Syrena and Catriona are barely tolerable and there’s no denying the fear that was pounding through my veins hours earlier—fear I can’t be as good as Xaden. 

“I wouldn’t have chosen you if you were weak,” Cuir scoffs. 

I don’t thank Cuir, but still, she chuffs easily as if he knows what I’m thinking—well, she should, considering we basically share a mind. 

“Though with how you act with the girl…” I can imagine Cuir’s eyes narrowing in her cave in the Vale. 

“Not now,” I fling back, shrugging my flying coat from my shoulders and tossing it onto my chair, trying not to wince, knowing that if any blood got onto it, it would stain the wood. My eyes try to close again, and I have to forcibly pull them open with my fingers to keep from falling asleep. 

I’d like nothing more than to take a soothing, warm shower, but it’s multiple hours past midnight and I have, A) important classes tomorrow; and B) Sloane is still gone with her squad training. I won’t be able to relax anyways, and there’s a higher chance of me falling asleep than actually getting clean. 

“Not my fault all humans are weak,” Cuir scoffs in my mind as I strip down to my boxers. “But you.” 

I can’t stop the response that I don’t speak but he understands. “Yet you bonded one.” 

“For reasons humans wouldn’t understand. Besides, I said, ‘but you’.” Cuir doesn’t hold a high opinion on humans—and riders—and she’s reassured me multiple times that other dragons think the same. I wouldn’t know. As she thinks, I’m a measly human, the only one worthy of bonding with her. Me and some random female rider decades ago.  

That’s always her response when we get to dragon stuff. Humans can’t know. Apparently Sgaeyl and Chradh say the same thing, so it’s not exclusively a Cuir-doesn’t-want-to-tell-her-rider event. The Empyrean is hidden, I know, so I never push. 

I close my eyes as I curl under the uncomfortable black blanket, wishing, not for the first time, that I could go back six years to when we were younger, things were simpler, and everyone was alive. But those wishes are fucking futile. 

There are people we won’t get back. 

Eya. 

Her name echoes in my head, the stunning reminder that even if something seems secure, it’s gone. 

Liam. 

Xaden’s brother. He had a connection to Xaden that even I didn’t have. 

Ciaran. 

A marked one all the same, even if I didn’t know him well. 

“You are being self-deprecating again,” Cuir chuffs, as if it doesn’t bother her. It does, though—evident by her notion—but I close my eyes and try to fall asleep. 

Sleep doesn’t come easily, but it comes calling. 

It comes calling like Garrick did when I first stepped off Parapet, how Eya, behind a tree, had thrown her arms around me. 

It comes calling like a friend I can’t see, but it’s not a nice friend. 

Lately, it’s been wrapped in nightmares—nightmares filling the gap of dreams. The dreams had been soothing; new memories taking over the burning fire of General Melgren’s dragon that swallowed my mother and uncle. The memories were good ones of Basgiath: surviving the Gauntlet, seeing Xaden and Eya and Garrick again, teasing Imogen about Garrick…meeting Liam. But the nightmares overtake it, again and again and again. 

Resson and Athebyne have been on my mind more than ever. 

Like tonight. 

When the cascade of sleep finally washes over me, it isn’t pleasant. My eyes are flooded with memories of Resson, flashing behind my eyes so quickly that it merges with the wood landscape from so little months ago. 

Resson, Resson, Resson. 

Deigh to my right, the thunderous red daggertail flying, his winds pounding the air. Compressions, I remember from some useless class I’d had to attend back in Aretia. My own hair is ruffling back in the wind, floating just over my eyes as the quick air we fly through presses it back, far, far behind my eyesight. 

“No one yet,” Cuir reports, though, if you’d ask, she would say that she was simply scouting. 

I love my dragon. 

The dream is the same every time. 

I hear the yell before it happens. Soleil is the first one down. Always. Fuil falls and then Soleil dies, and there’s nothing I can do about it. Nothing to stop the gut-wrenching pain that I know has overtaken Xaden. 

The 107 scars on his back. They don’t go away when one of us dies—and plenty of us have. Each one remains, as if to remind Xaden of a failure that doesn’t exist. Sometimes, I wish they’d disappear—but then I wonder: 

Would it hurt Xaden more to see each one disappear, to know each one of us is failing and dying…or does it hurt more to have our souls, our names, carved onto his back? 

I won’t ask him, but the question lingers in the nooks and crannies of my mind. 

“Wyvern incoming!” Cuir’s screech is off. I don’t even blink as dream-me goes into battle, fighting the wyvern. The venin will come soon, I know. Cuir’s voice is like a whisper of her true power. That was the only way I knew it was a nightmare, the first time around. 

But…something was off. 

Normally, by this time, another wyvern would come, trying to knock me off of Cuir. I knew this. I knew it well. Then Xaden would come, trying to help me. 

Where is it? When is it? 

Xaden should be coming to my rescue, but—Liam and Deigh touch the ground. They’re touching too early. They only drop later, not now. Liam leaps off of Deigh’s spine with such a well-practiced maneuver that my brain can’t help but think, that’s second year stuff. 

“Hey, Bodhi!” he yells. Something about his smile is off, but I’ve never been in this dream before. Ever. I don’t know what to say or do or react. “The ground is safe!” if this was what had actually happened in Resson…I’d be confused out of my mind. 

It was only after Liam died that we understood that the venin sucked from the Earth, like Soleil and Fuil when they’d landed. 

“I…” 

Cuir’s voice has gone silent in dream!Me’s head. Obviously, she can’t respond…I’m alone. 

Fuck. 

The dream version of me climbs off of Cuir. I—the real me—doesn’t exist here. I’m just a soul, watching from the corner. 

Liam is smiling and when I finally reach the ground, the “wrongness” clicks in my brain. 

There’s a red ring around Liam’s eyes. 

Fuck, fuck, fuck. 

I haven’t had this dream, ever, and no dream similarly like it. 

Liam’s gone venin. How? How, how, how? 

Xaden lands behind me. I don’t see him, but I feel the familiar, gusty exhale that Sgaeyl gives when she lands. Dream her is a good imitation of the real her. 

He’s also the first to speak again, reaching forward to mess with my hair as he walks around to stand next to Liam. Maybe Sorrengail and Imogen are still in the air. I don’t know. 

“Hey brother,” Liam says, and the two of them shake hands. I stand awkwardly in front of them, mind racing at the lack of Cuir’s presence. 

Xaden turns to me. Something in his eyes is sharp, so sharp that it hurts more than the dagger I was stabbed with on the first-ever day of Challenges. “You,” he hisses out. It’s cold. Freezing cold. Just like his shadows, I distantly think as I stare at him. 

“Me.” My voice is shaky. I’m scared…and I’m willing to admit it. Not to this Xaden’s face, though; only to mine, the one who doesn’t judge me. 

Or, at least, I hope he doesn’t judge me. There’s no guarantee, but Xaden keeps his promises, and he promised to protect me. 

“You,” he repeats, walking closer. And closer. And closer. And closer, until he stands just in front of me. His skin is surprisingly chocolate-y in the beating sun. Why, why, why. 

This wasn’t what happened. 

This isn’t what’s supposed to happen! 

“Me,” I say yet again, my voice shaking even more. 

Xaden raises his hand as if to cup my face, and that should’ve been my first sign that something was wrong. He doesn’t cup anyone’s face but Sorrengail’s. His hand falls on my face, a backhanded slap. 

Fucking Malek. 

My eyes well up with tiny tears that I push backwards. My cheek stings with the remnants of Xaden’s hit, and as he backs away, I see the palms of his hands are surprisingly light, lighter than even my skin. 

My skin is described as a toasted coconut, and Xaden’s is more chocolate-like—the only person that I’m related to with that skin tone is…my heart jumps into my throat, clogging it. My goddamned dead father.  

And Xaden knows how I feel about my father—fuck it, that’s why my brain chose to depict Xaden like this. It’s all one bad dream, getting longer and longer. Cuir! 

It’s not fucking fair, is all I can think as I realize that in this fucking terrifying dream, my own dragon can’t respond to me. I try to reach out to her, pushing deep, but there’s no sign of Cuir. 

Please. 

“You are a disappointment,” Xaden hisses out, eyes narrowing. 

No. 

No. 

I’m not. 

Right? 

This time Liam approaches, swinging his arm around Xaden’s shoulder. Xaden doesn’t look bothered—no, in fact, his eyes light up with love. 

“You suck the oxygen out of the air with your attempts at jokes; you make people feel worse, not better.” His lip curls upwards distastefully. “Loving you was a mistake.”  

No. 

Garrick, this time, joins in. He stands over Xaden and Liam, and he looks so “part of the family” that the tears threaten in my eyes again. 

“You just copy Xaden,” he says. His lips move; his eyes are hollow when he looks at me. “You try to mimic him in every way and everyone knows it. No one appreciates it, too, because you aren’t nearly as close to his power as you think you are.” 

No. No. No.  

I don’t mimic Xaden. 

Imogen and Masen both say something, but I’m too caught up in Garrick’s words and the tears falling down my cheeks in free-flowing rivers. 

Next is Soleil, who I used to be close to. She swings her arms over Imogen and Masen’s shoulders so she’s hugging both of them at the same time, as if to say, you’re not welcome. 

“We all know you're trying to walk into shoes that are too big for you��Xaden’s, Auntie’s, your dad’s…we all know you’re failing at it, too,” Soleil says. 

Soleil—I want to yell out her name, demand she take it back, because she knows it’s not true. 

Right? 

Eya’s hollow eyes stare into mine, the piercing in her eyebrow glinting in the sun. I can barely make her out, my tears bubbling up and gliding down my rough cheeks, dropping from my chin to the edge of my ripped shirt collar. “You…” she starts. It’s so close to what Xaden said earlier that I flinch, expecting a physical blow, but none comes and Eya acts like nothing happened. “You are failing,” Eya delivers the final blow. “You… 

“You are failing so badly, and everyone around you is too polite because you make everyone feel awkward with your horrendous jokes—” I can’t resist the part of my brain that says, you don’t complain about Garrick’s jokes. I’m the polite one “—and we all see you drowning in responsibilities you aren’t ready for.” 

Eya. Please. 

I can hear soft footsteps behind me, but I don’t turn around, figuring it’s just someone’s dragon…until a pale hand lands on my tensed arm. 

Violet’s sweet voice rings in the air, apposing, clear and loud. 

“He’s none of that,” she declares…and I feel a flare of appreciation for Violet Sorrengail. Xaden really did pick well with his girl. She’s gusty, I give her that. But she’s only a dream. Would she stand up to Xaden if he was actually hurting me? 

Xaden’s lips curl, as if it’s all amusing to him. 

Something is amusing to him, something about Sorrengail defending me. 

“Really,” he purrs out. He himself doesn’t span the small distance to us, but his shadows reach out to Violet and I can see her heart tugging to be closer to him. “Really, Violet? After what he’s done?” 

What did I do? 

But Violet steps forward as if Xaden struck a blow, and I can see Xaden’s cockiness spread over his face, even if no one else can see it. I slip a glance to Liam; nevermind. I’m not the only one. 

Fucking Liam Mairi can also see it. 

Something warm spreads in my chest—warm and uncomfortable. 

Welcome, Jealousy, the green-eyed monster. 

Or maybe it’s not jealousy, I can imagine Cuir’s chuff so realistically that for a moment I imagine she’s back, but when I reach out, she’s not. 

Violet still looks stricken. “I—” she seems to choke, as if not talking, not confessing, will help both of us. “You’re—” 

No. 

If she tells Xaden “you’re right,” this dream is going to go to shit real quickly. Xaden has an ego, something we all know, and we also know that we’re the ones who have spent time pulling it down. He gets too cocky. But Violet strokes his ego. Too much. 

She doesn’t say the words, but she still steps to Xaden, standing between him and Garrick, declaring her alliance loud and clearly: she’s not with me. Sweetly, full of genuine meaning I can’t comprehend, she says, “Sorry.” 

My only hope of allegiance in this dream is gone, crumbling away into a chasm beneath my touch. 

“Bodhi.” The yell slams into my dreamscape. I ignore it. 

“BODHI.” Now it thunders, and it sounds like Cuir in a way I can't describe. 

“WAKE UP!”  

My eyes flutter open with the final call of my dragon. I’m hesitant to leave the dream, as down-putting as it was, because it meant I could see the people I loved. 

“Cuir?” even in my head, the question sounds too unconfident, as if I’m completely, utterly lost. 

“Bodhi.” I can imagine the way Cuir purrs the sound, a deep rumbling filling her chest as her tail sways just a bit. “There’s someone at your door.” her tone means he knows who it is, but I’m too focused on a different part: it’s probably five in the morning, an hour before we have to be in formation, but also half an hour after curfew ends. Who in the world would want to talk to me at this time of day? 

I only register the fact that the only clothing I’m wearing is black boxers when I open the door. Then I realize my hair is a mess, my breath probably smells bad, and I’m in a horrible mood—but the person who decided to open my door better have a good fucking reason. 

I don’t see anyone. 

What…Oh.  

Realization comes a bit slowly. 

I tilt my head down. 

When I make eye contact with the person there, my heart stops. 

Fuck. 

“So,” Sloane Mairi says, “when were you going to tell me you loved my brother?” 

No, no, no. 

No, she’s just joking. I wait for it to come, but it doesn’t—Sloane keeps standing there, hands on her hips, right fingers crushing small slivers of paper. 

Papers that… 

“Uh…” my response is not, in fact, eloquent. “Sloane—” 

“Shut up,” she barks out, stomping the four steps forward and placing a firm hand on my chest, as if trying to physically stop me. Or maybe she’s feeling my muscles. 

Her eyes close, as if she’s trying to count to ten. 

Fine, maybe twenty. 

It doesn’t work, though, and she opens her eyes with just as much fury in them as before. “Why did I have to find out from letters?” her voice cracks. 

There’s nothing I can say. I can only remember that Sorrengail had rescued Liam’s letters for Sloane from his room before they burned all his belongings. Some of my letters to him had been…obviously kept in the same pile. 

The tears have started, small, slick pearls running down her face. “W—why,” she gasps out. 

“Sloane—” I cut myself off. There’s no easy way to approach this, not with the memories that are pounding through my head as I remember. 

Me and Liam, Liam and I. 

Fuck, Liam. 

Sloane forms fists, scrunching the papers even more. “Why, Bodhi?!” and this time it’s more of a howl. 

I bite my bottom lip anxiously. “In,” I ordered, moving out of the doorframe so she could enter. With a glare, she does, and I close and lock the door behind us. 

“Why.” 

“Because…” my gaze wanders to the window. There’s so much I can’t tell her, so I say nothing. 

Sloane takes it personally. Not only do her fists bawl even more—I doubt the paper is even readable, now—but she draws a sharp breath in, pouting her cheeks adorably. 

“Was I just a replacement?” She beats me with the questions, each one hammering into me harder than the last. “Do you care at all?” 

Fuck. 

The thing is, I do care. And I always thought she knew this. But if she really thought I was just using her as a replacement for Liam, then I’ve been doing stuff seriously wrong. 

Like, seriously seriously. 

“Sloane—” Her eyes burn bright, as if she’s daring me to contradict her. “Sloane, of course I care.” 

“Really?” she fires back, “Because the letters give the impression that you don’t.” 

Unfortunately, Cuir takes Sloane’s side, the massive fucking green she is. “She isn’t wrong,” Cuir is too amused for my liking. 

“Shut up,” I fire back. 

“Sloane…” my eyes close. “Those letters feel like that for a reason. They were written while I was riding on the waves of love.” 

“And you aren’t now?” She challenges. 

She’s got me there. I sit down on my hastily-made bed. I pat the space next to me— “Sit.” 

“I’ll remain standing, thank you very much,” she snipes back, and I cringe back. 

(Sloane Mairi collapsed with quiet wails by her boyfriend’s deception. He’d told her that she was his first love. It wasn’t true. He had lied. 

He had loved Liam Mairi, her older—and now dead—brother.)  

I’m not an inntinnsic— 

“Thank Dunne for that,” Cuir snorts. 

—but even I can tell what kind of thoughts are running rampant in her head.

 “Sorry.” It’s probably the fakest apology I’ve ever uttered. 

“Right,” she raises her eyebrow. 

“Look, Sloane—” I try, but she cuts me off. 

“Look, Bodhi,” she states clearly. “I love you. I fucking love you. But you’ve literally rocked my world upside down, denying that you love me—” No! That’s not true… I want to yell. But she’s on a roll. “…and I don’t know what else you’ve lied to me about. About Ar—home, about here, about your position. This isn’t a right-now thing, but I need you to know that most of my trust in you has completely evaporated.” 

My heart stops. 

Trust. Evaporated. 

Everything is going by so fast I can’t register the words except two: trust. Evaporated. 

Sloane, Sloane, Sloane, my heart calls. 

Sloane turns around, hiding her furious face from me. Sloane. 

“I’m going,” she tosses over her shoulder. “When you figure your shit out, come to me.”  The door slams shut and Cuir’s voice fills my head, her voice short and sweet. “I am sorry, Gentle One.”

[empyrean-thrones]

“…Names hold a lot of power where I’m from; the one I used to go by — the person I used to be — is gone. The one I use now is symbolic of the path I must stride: to move forward without looking back on past sorrows. Thus, I am Naolin.”

Tiny snippet of my fic for @rq-gift-exchange. It should be uploaded later today

[essjaywrites]

a must read but maybe grab a tissue

Update: I Don't Feel Safe Chapter 2!

Chapter 2 of 5

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2

Word Count: 2,651/3,946

Fic Summary:

"What makes a dragon abandon her rider?"

It's been five days since the Battle of Basgiath and Xaden still hasn't heard from Sgaeyl. The dragon left the college, needing time and distance to reflect on and process the changes to their bond since Xaden reached for power. Xaden is determined to give her that space, even as his magic drains the longer she stays away. He fights the urge to channel from the earth with everything he has but being a rider, his body is no longer compatible with life without magic.

He can wait for her to come back. He can hold out.

The alternative is unthinkable.

Chapter Summary:

At Violet's urging, Xaden heads to the dining hall to meet his friends for breakfast, setting up a confrontation with his cousin. Bodhi doesn't understand why Xaden's been acting weird since the battle, but he's had enough of it. It's time for some action.

Excerpt:

Everything is cold and the world is disintegrating around him. He’s losing himself. He expected to fight with Garrick, but not with Bodhi. Never with Bodhi. He’d never seen his cousin lose his temper like that before. Garrick had, Imogen had. Amari knows, once Violet entered the picture Xaden himself was barely in control. But Bodhi was always the calmest, the most controlled. It seems he’s reached his breaking point. “You don’t know what his intentions are. You can’t trust him,” Xaden says. Immediately he knows the words were a mistake. The urge to channel increases tenfold as Bodhi, shaking with anger, subconsciously rallies his power.  “I trust him a hell of a lot more than I trust you right now.” Bodhi’s words cut deep and Xaden doesn’t need his signet to know that he’s lost him.

Publishing Schedule:

Chapter 1 - May 23rd

Chapter 2 - May 30th

Chapter 3 - June 6th

Chapter 4 - June 13th

Chapter 5 - June 20th

Part of The Fourth Wing Birthday Bash Celebration Thanks to @sarahydeart and @housetomte for Beta

Read now on AO3

[we-were-beautiful]

Marry me

Xaden x Sorrengail!oc

WC: 816

Warnings: None just Fluff

A/N: Well I decided to take part in a small writing Challenge. I had fun writing this little blurb and while it has the potential to turn into its own series; I am going to show self restraint by not doing that. The prompt was "I can never say 'no to you" From Jana over at @creativepromptsforwriting

Also fair warning; I didn't send this to any of my betas. So we die like men at this point

Thank you to @skyfallscotland and @justallihere for putting together the Fourth Wing Birthday Bash

Last but not least tumbr is being dumb and won’t let me post from my laptop so apologies about the formatting

“We should get married” I comment wrapping my arms around my beloved’s shoulders, fingers gently tracing along the scars at the top of his shoulders. I look up into his gold flecked onyx eyes and smile widely at him. Was the flight field after lessons the best place to have this conversation, probably not, but I couldn’t help myself. It had been an interesting lesson with a storm about to roll in; the thunder off in the distance rolling. But now with the rest of the third years and Professor Kaori heading back to the citadel, I figured given Xaden a small heart attack would be fun.

Where I would expect to see shock and hesitance on his face I only see a fond smile as he wraps his arms around my waist to pull me into his chest.

“When do you want to get married and how do you want to tell your mother and sisters?” I hadn’t thought of that.

It would be pretty easy to tell Violet. If I could get her away from her squad it would be as simple as that. Mira I could just write a letter too. Shed be pissed at first; she had specifically told me to stay away from Xaden. That didn’t work out since we ended up in the same squad with mated dragons; but Mira could get over it. She’d be happy for me eventually.

My mother; however, I completely forgot about. General Sorrengail hadn’t been a fan of the relationship and she had made it known to me once the word had made it to her office. That had been the only time I had formally gotten called to her office to make her displeasure known; but its been three years. Xaden and I work well together and we have been in love with each other for awhile now. Not to mention we are kinda stuck with each other until one of us dies so at one point or another she’s just going to have to learn to live with it.

I feel Tairn’s amusement in the back of my mind. The old curmudgeon had been riding my ass this last week about acting like a love sick puppy around Xaden. Like his grumpy ass isn’t the exact same way around Sgaeyl.

‘I heard that’ the rumbling voice flows through my head.

‘You were supposed to.’ I felt Tairn’s snout push at my back sending me further into Xaden’ s grasp ‘Tairn!!!’ I can hear Sgaeyl chuckle in my head.

‘I think I shall go get some sheep’ I’m not sure if it is the mighty beat of our dragons wings or thunder, but as the two dragons fly off the heavens open up above us and cold rain begins to pour down. Xaden lets out a hearty laugh squeezing me tightly.

“When do you want to get married love.” He leans down to whisper in my ear repeating his earlier question.

“Want to grab Garrick, Bodhi, Liam and Vi and sneak down to Chantara.” I would do it; grab our family and secretly get married today if he agreed.

“How about we wait until graduation. We can get our family together, before we fly to our post, and have a small ceremony.” He pushes a soaked strand of hair away from my face. “Then it gives you time to let Mira know, so she can try and get leave” leave it to this perfect man to remember that I wanted Mira there when I got married. While Brennen had Mom and Violet had Dad it had been Mira and I against the world. I still had all of the letters we had wrote to each other while she was in the quadrant and then when I started second year. She had to be there on our special day; she would kill me if I ran off today and got married.

“Ok Graduation it is then.” He looks even more breathtaking in the rain as water droplets roll down his skin.

“Alright then lets go Mrs.Riorson.” He lets go of me and moves towards the hidden tunnel entrance.

“Wait.” I call grabbing his hand to stop him. “Kiss me?” Is it cheesy and straight out of the romance books that I brought into the quadrant, yes. But I had always wanted to be kissed in the rain.

“Have I ever been able to say ‘no’ to you.” He gently cradles my face in his hands tilting my face upwards; his lips crash into mine is a passionate kiss. It starts out innocent enough but my hands quickly find their way to his hair and one of his finds its way to my ass. When we break apart we are gasping for breath; Xaden rest his forehead against mine and hazel eyes meet onyx “Marry me?”

“Yes.” I laugh and pull him into another kiss.

[duchessonfire]

Savior Carl!AU re-read Part 1 Chapter 1

In honor of the Savior Carl!AU celebrating its fourth birthday this week (on Thursday 9th to be precise), I'm re-reading the whole series with a running commentary for anyone who might be interested in it. If you're not interested and don't want to have your dashboard spammed, you can block the tags Duchess reads and Savior Carl AU reread.

Commentary for Part 1, Ch 1 below the cut (spoilers for part 1 ahead):

First of all, it always blows my mind that I never realized the first thing Negan says to Carl in the Savior AU is... that he finds Carl hot. I wish I was kidding but this is literally what Negan says to Shane when he offers himself and Carl as Saviors:

"Hey, no offense, big guy. That's a good looking kid you have here, must take after his mama, that's all."

Like... That man noticed Carl the second he laid eyes on him. Iconic. And as if that wasn't enough, Negan throws in another compliment about Carl's eyes:

"Same goes for you, kid, if you don't want Lucille to bash your head in, eyes first. She likes ‘em baby blues, and you're just her favorite shade."

Jesus, Negan, just go down on one knee and propose, why don't you.

Something that's also hitting me as I'm re-reading the chapter is how frayed Carl and Shane's relationship already is when the story starts:

As Carl lies on his bare mattress in the Saviors' compound, Shane sleeping soundlessly on the bed, he reminds himself that it all rests on him. Shane is a gun always ready to go off. As long as Carl can point him in the right direction, it can all be alright. It has to be.

Shane lets Carl sleep on a bare mattress on the floor like a dog at his feet, while Carl thinks of Shane as a weapon he can use for his own survival. They are both dehumanizing the other, seeing the other as a mere tool. Shane's death at the end of part 1 was inevitable and all the elements for it are foreshadowed from the beginning:

Suddenly, Carl doesn't just long for his gun, he longs for a knife. A machete. A hatchet. This is the man who killed Abraham. This is the man who killed Glenn. Suddenly, he longs for a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire.

It's especially telling that Carl already wants to wield the bat (even if here he's thinking about killing Negan with it). I think it's Chandler Riggs who mentioned in an interview that when Carl sees the Sanctuary for the first time with Negan, part of him is attracted by the power Negan has. This is very much present here. Carl already wants *to be* Negan here, to have the same power he has, to be able to inflict pain and vengeful retribution the same way Negan did in the clearing.

Okay but now that we've talked about Negan's first words to Carl, we need to talk about Carl's first words to Negan:

After spending all day being shown around the Sanctuary, after being fed and brought to a cozy room with a kitchen area and a comfy bed, Carl feels the sudden need to correct him. "He's not really my dad."

AKA, "Should you want to be my new daddy, just know that this slot if available" lmao

Okay no, but for real, this is especially interesting that Carl's first words to Negan are used to distanciate himself from Shane. This is due to what happened at the clearing. Shane was humiliated, brought low on his knees, submitted by a more powerful Alpha male. And here, this is Carl distanciating himself from Shane's defeat. In my mind, Carl is a sub craving male authority and power. He needs to be by the side of the most powerful man around, it's how he feels safe and protected in the apocalypse. He needs to be under the wing of someone stronger to protect himself and baby Lori. Until the clearing, this used to be Shane. But the second Negan entered the picture and made Shane kneel, Carl's allegiances shifted, whether or not he's aware of it. This moment is Carl sending Negan a very important subtext: "We both know Shane lost, and I need you to know I'm not like him, I'm not a loser." This Carl is a savage and I love him forever.

"Then why in the hell are you calling him that? Fuck, wait, tell me this ain't some kinky baby/daddy shit. A few of my wives call me that and I'd really like to be able to get laid without thinking about Shane's ugly mug while I'm balls deep in pussy."

Right, Negan, because that's the most logical explanation and the first one your brain should arrive at. It's for sure not related to the fact that you think the kid is hot. This being the first thing that comes to mind is no doubt purely a coincidence and not at all fueled by your already raging lust for him. God, he was probably thinking about tumbling Carl on the bed right here and then in Carl's new room.

Back on a more serious note, it blows my mind how much foreshadowing there is in chapter 1 (yes, I know I wrote it, but sometimes I realize something is foreshadowing *after* writing it):

“I’m not leaving you alone with these people,” Shane says darkly once she’s closed the door and her footsteps have receded down the hallway. “They’re trying to split us up. Weaken us. We won’t let them.”

This is almost prophetic. Shane knew exactly what Negan would try to do because it's what *he* would do. Divide and conquer. But Shane here is only thinking in physical terms: separating Carl from him physically so the Saviors have them isolated and can easily be overpowered. He didn't realize Negan would be driving a wedge between them by connecting with Carl. And by the time he did, it was too late to stop it from happening.

Conclusion; tldr: I really like this chapter. It's short, compact, non-linear, and yet everything is already here. The frayed relationship between Shane and Carl, Negan's interest in Carl, Carl's interest in Negan, Carl's utter loyalty for his little sister and no one else's. My favorite thing, though, has to be the ending with the boat. I'm really really happy that I thought of taking this element that was part of Rick and Aaron's storyline and that I managed to use it as a test of loyalty for Negan to put Carl and Shane through. Not to toot my own horn, but I'm proud of myself on this one. I love playing with canon and reusing it in a different way.

Also, I mentioned in my 2024 fic wrap Tumblr post that when I first posted this story on AO3, the engagement with it was very low and the Cegan fandom was pretty much dead. To give you an idea, I posted chapter 1 on January 9th and didn't receive a comment until January 14th. The second comment was posted almost a month later in early February (by no one other than the wonderful @reallygreatblogname222!!). It took me a month to get 2 comments on this fic and I didn't get another one until June, 6 months after posting. As discouraging as it can be to write a fic with very low engagement, always remember to find the joy in your own writing and to persevere regardless of what sort of feedback you get on it. 4 years later, Part 1 has over 900 kudos and 151 comments. None of it would have been possible if I had let myself be discouraged and stopped posting before finishing the story. It takes time to build a community but know that your people will find you eventually <3

PS: boy did I love commas back then. I'm cleaning them up as I re-read the chapter but, wow, 2021 Duchess, ease up on the punctuation.

You can find the commentary for chapter 2 here.

[taumoebaa]

A fic for the Fourth Wing Birthday Bash 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩 in which Xaden and Violet go to couples therapy together.

“We’re going to start with sixty seconds today. No distractions. No words. Just gazing.” “What’s this supposed to achieve?” Xaden grumbles, having grown sick of listening to instructions. “It’s an exercise to build intimacy,” the therapist explains, scratching away on his notepad, as if he’d gleaned some vital information from Xaden’s resistance to comply. “We’re intimate,” Xaden says, deadpan. “Xaden! Just let him do his job,” Violet whispers to him, eager to have the session go smoothly. Her voice is laden with shame when she turns to the therapist and says, “I’m sorry about my husband. I know it doesn’t look like it, but we do have sex on a regular basis.” “That…was not the sort of intimacy I was referring to.” “Oh.”

Thank you to @skyfallscotland and @justallihere for running the challenge, and to @creativepromptsforwriting for the prompt!

[littlefirefox]

Just posted this for Fourth Wing Birthday Bash!

Prompt credit: @deity-prompts for the prompt used!

Credit to @skyfallscotland and @justallihere for the Birthday Bash that gave me the opportunity to write fanfic again! This was a blast 😊

[justallihere]

Are you gonna participate in the fourth wing fic exchange?

I haven’t decided yet! It’s a longer challenge and I do good to keep up with my sitq updates, plus I’ve already committed to the birthday bash with Amy. And I don’t do great with being told what to write unfortunately 😂😂 If I feel like I have enough time to pull it off I might sign up later 🫶🏻

[alanaever]

I made my choices.

For hurricane, JustAlliHere. For the Fourth Wing Birthday Bash!

Thank you to @justallihere and @skyfallscotland (tumblr) for organizing!

Dialogue prompt:"How does it feel to not get your way?"from Jana-@creativepromptsforwriting.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Brennan Sorrengail, Type of death: violent Age: 24 Sex: male  Date of death: assumed 1st July

Comments: shot through the chest with an arrow, death immediate. However unnecessary physical trauma was exerted on the body after death; the lungs, liver, intestines and stomach were fully removed cut up and scattered around the body. The heart and brain are partially removed and the head is partially attached. Blood had been drained and used to paint phases and depictions of Lilith Sorrengail’s other children in similar states of disembowelment. 

This is a brutal mutilation suspected conducted by Fen Riorson himself, one that goes against Tyrrish respect for the dead on a great account allowing it to be known the Tyrrish have lost all respect for human life. We all know the gods don’t allow incomplete corpses to enter their kingdom. The corpse was burnt on sight. There was no pressing need to burden a family that has given so much to Navarre’s cause with those images. 

Unnecessary physical trauma exerted on the body… heart and brain partially removed… blood drained. 

Brennan was dead. 

We read the reports, we weren’t supposed to not after Dad’s first heart attack upon reading them. A heart attack I didn't know about till I read the reports and the medical advisement underneath for them not to be shown to the remaining siblings.  

I was in battle brief when I heard 20 to his 24. “Squadron 6 of Summerton engaged in battle against the Tyrrish forces on Tuesday evening… they were successful in pushing back the Tyrrish forces to Aretia,” the cheers. God the cheers. 

Granted there were Tyrrish in the room and a brawl nearly kicked off but god I cheered not knowing… “During this battle, all members of the squadron were killed. Most notably a siphon and a mender two of the rarest signets in our arsenal.” I remember the dread then, the desperation, the hope that it was someone else anyone else. I sat wishing death upon every one of the five menders in Navarre’s military desperate that this one wasn’t mine. 

“The Mender is suspected of being in close combat with Fen Riorson and managed to push him back into the boarders, however, he left himself exposed when he put himself in the way of one of Fen’s arrows to protect a group of civilians both Navarrian and Tyrrish… all of the civilians survived thanks to this. The syphon died channelling power into the mender to aid him in repairing the damage done by the arrow unfortunately it wasn't enough they both died in the process.” 

I knew, I don't know how I did but I just knew. Devera’s voice had somehow conveyed some kind of knowledge of my Brother’s demise. I sat staring at my desk not daring to look up and meet eyes with the professors fearful that they would confirm what I already knew. Brennan was dead and so was Naolin the person who meant everything to Bren even if he would never tell. 

Brennan was dead. 

But someone else asked for me. “Who were the members of the squadron,” a shaky voice, likely another younger sibling. 

“The Squadron was comprised of: Antonia Hows - an ice welder, Mayra Rice - an air wielder, Jaxson Wixinstien - a visual manipulator, Brax Sahali” There's a sharp intake of breath from one of the fourth wing squads “- an astral projector, Naolin Velasco” there are whispers with this name Tairn, Tairn’s rider. But all I can think of is the certainty that Brennan is gone. “- the siphon and Brennan Sorrengail - the mender.” I remember breathing in deeply through my nose and swallowing. Eyes were suddenly on me with force the name Sorrengail means something in these parts it always has. 

Brennan was dead.  

I asked for the report and was told it wasn't being distributed to cadets, I asked if it was being distributed to family. I was told it was at the desecration of the general. The General said no. 

That night I crept into the archives I searched high and low until I found it and her. It seemed Violet had got there before me. Her features had changed in the year we’d been apart but they were distorted now through tears as she sat reading long reports. We held each other tightly as we read the autopsy, the battle logs everything. That day burned into my soul the words etched into my brain like I was Violet capable of repeating every word I’d ever read i will never forget it. 

Brennan was dead. 

Brennan was dead.

Brennan was dead. But he isn’t any more. 

Brennan was dead or is alive or was dead or is dead. 

Brennan was dead. 

I don’t sleep that night. But I wake in the morning from a dream I’m scared to examine. Brennan was dead. 

I dress slowly in the unfamiliar room and open the door slowly to find a guard at my door. 

“Lieutenant Sorrengail,” I nod. 

“Is there a Lieutenant Colonel Brennan here? I don’t recall the surname,” there's a desperation in my voice that I wish I could mask.

“There is no Brennan here Miss. That is a Navarrian name, not a Tyrrish one.” Brennan is dead. “Can I take you to the lieutenant colonel perhaps he can aid you,” 

“Yes… please,” the desperation won't go and the guard looks at me with something akin to pity. 

I walked through vast hallways that reminded me of Castle Calldyr but I barely paid attention till the guard was rapping on an ornate wooden door and a muffled voice was saying enter. 

The guard is pushing open the door and gently cajoling me inside before stepping back and closing it gently. The figure at the desk doesn’t look up from the paperwork on their desk as I enter so I don’t speak I stand still and wait.

Brennan was dead. 

The room is familiar it reminds me of Mum and Dad’s office back home in Calldyr but it’s all whites and pale browns and marble where as there had been black and deep mahogany with onyx granite surfaces. It’s sleek and modern Navarrian in styling not Tyrrish and a contrast to the rest of this estate. I wonder if he put it together himself or if it was done as a reminder of who he is by someone else. I like it. 

Brennan sits up after about 20 minutes his eyes locking with mine. He stands up but doesn't move. 

“You shouldn’t be her Mira,” he says covering paperwork with blank pieces of paper, I’m a Sorrengail after all and he is not. 

“What’s your name,” it’s a strange ask, but if there’s no Brennan here then he’s changed his entire identity. The only child of two loyal parents of the Tyrrish Apostasy that kind of thing.

“You’ve known me for 26 years, Mira,” 

“You used to be Brennan Sorrengail, no Brennan of any kind exists in Tyrrandor.” He breathes a sigh.

“Damien Aiserigh,” I laugh hollowly and he raises an eyebrow. 

“Very clever, Aiserigh - Tyrrish for resurrection, Damien - Tyrrish for loyalty but originating from the name Damon which is Navarrian for Silver, with the letter D meaning 30 in numerals. 30 pieces of silver traitor to Navarre, loyal to Tyrrandor,” I laugh again.

“I thought you never paid all that much attention to Dad’s teachings but you got it as quickly as Vi and she was the first person to ever figure it out.” 

“Don’t speak to me about our father, Violet might be happy to reminisce with you but I’m not.”

“Violet won’t discuss it either, you’re not unique in that way Mira.” His tone is dry and I hate it it speaks of boredom and having better. Things to do.  “What are you doing here Mira, who brought you there’s sensitive information all over here and I have a meeting in five minutes,” 

“Shall I go, find someone to shove me in the dungeons I'm sure there are some promises diplomats around to lock me up or some Tyrrish ones,” 

“Mira.” The voice is short.

“Yes, Damien,” 

“Don’t call me that,”

I’d have said something else in the past but the idea of getting into a petty name argument is to siblingy to Bren and Miry, not Mira and Brennan.

“don’t you care how many people you’ve killed, don’t you feel remorse for the families you’ve torn apart.” He accuses. 

“It happens on both sides of the border Damien, they killed my friends as well,” 

“You don’t have friends Mira, you never have,” 

“I had friends. Had friends. Get it because they're dead. I’m not ashamed of what I did to avenge them and protect myself,” 

“You killed innocent people, innocent flyers,” 

“What’s the difference between a flyer and a rider Brennan do explain it to me, they fought to protect their home we fought to protect ours we didn't have the full story that’s the only fucking difference,” I’m raising my voice now his disregard for me, for his fucking sister hurts.

“You killed civilians Mira, battle of Strythmore, I read the reports,” 

“So did they, attack on Draithus, a school was blown up with their explosive arrows,” 

“It’s propaganda Mira use your fucking head.” 

“I WAS THERE. Don’t you fucking tell me to use my head? You use yours there is no good and evil not with soldiers were weapons used by the elites to fulfil their agendas, they killed civilians to Brennan.”

“You personally, singlehandedly slaughtered a village. They did not.” 

“I have never laid hands upon a child don’t you dare accuse me of such a thing.” “You have killed more children through your strategies with the flyers than I ever have. Read the fucking report at Strythmore if you know it so well I didn’t do it for Navarre I did it because they killed my friend, stripped the skin of her back and burnt her to death, I killed them for it. I have no remorse.” 

“Mira,” 

“Don’t you Mira me, don’t pretend to care.” 

“I do care,” 

“No you fucking don’t, if you did your first words to me this morning would have been an apology or asking me if I’m alright but instead it’s ‘Why are you here,’ let me cover up my paperwork because I don’t trust you,” 

“Do you blame me,”

“Who else is there to blame, you left us Brennan, you destroyed our lives for what? This is not a successful revolution in a thriving city you’ve accomplished nothing in six years but destroying your own family,” he shoves me hard and I smack my head into the wall. 

“Scared of the truth, don’t want to hear it. You killed our father,” 

“He died two years later,” 

“He died six months later after a series of heart attacks that followed reading your gruesome death autopsy,” 

“Six months,” “well that autopsy was a fabrication as well so that’s hardly my fault,” 

“You stayed dead Brennan, you choose strangers over your family,”

“Yes because our mother was such a good-” “Don’t you fucking pretend to be hard done by her your not Vi you can’t claim that accolade, she loved you more than anything in the fucking world Brennan,”

“She sent me to die,” 

“She fought on the front lines all her life Brennan she was there up until you left the quadrant or did you forget this in your desire to feel mistreated and betrayed,” 

“We were your family, we mourned you,” 

“I mourned you, I missed you,” 

“You didn’t miss me enough, didn't miss Violet enough,” 

“Violet is not acting like this, she gets it,” 

“Is that what you say to let you sleep at night, you don’t know anything about Violet. You don’t love her like I do. I’d die rather than leave her, rather than betray her.” I take a shaky breath. “You are ten years older than her Brennan anything you know is outdated information, you are four years older than me but six years changes people a great deal you know. You’ve changed beyond recognition. Have I?” 

“I made a choice Mira I weighed the odds, and I chose what was right for the continent,” 

“No Brennan you choose the easy option don’t kid yourself stay in Tyrrandor have a cushy job making treaties and patting yourself on the back with your fucking assembly that you're doing the right thing. Well, I’m sorry the right thing would have been to come home and use your social standing as the eldest child of a dynasty descended from the first 6, as someone from one of the wealthiest Navarrian households to make a fucking stand. Violet has made more of a stand in the last 3 days than you have in three years by forcing Riorson’s hand and making him tell the cadets.”

“You know who had social standing Fen Riorson,” 

“You know who had more YOU.” “We like to pretend that were an honest good military family, we had more fucking resources at our disposal than the Tauri dynasty. Nobody had really heard of the Riorsons until the succession unless you were Tyrrish or involved with the aristocracy, everyone has heard the name Sorrengail. So get the fuck off your high horse,”  

“I’m late for my meeting Mira we can finish this another time, I’ll find you later,” 

“Please don’t bother Brennan, you made your choices I made mine, Violet made hers. You just made shitty ones, but you won't admit it. Go to your meeting you chose them after all not us. Riorson and Tavis and the rest there your replacements for me and Violet goes strategies with them instead of cleaning up the mess you made of your family,”

“Your acting out Mira like a fucking spoilt brat,” 

“You acting like we mean nothing to you Brennan and that hurts.” 

“You mean something to me,” 

“Not enough, you were everything to me and you abandoned me,” 

“Mira,” 

“How does it feel to not get your way, Brennan?” 

“I never pretended this was an easy decision,” 

“No, you didn’t you implied it, GO on get to your meeting fuck off,” 

“I can’t leave you in here with my paperwork,” 

“Why because I’m a Sorrengail, well Brennan you are too,” 

“I wish I wasn’t every day,” 

“Glad you finally admitted it so I’ll leave and let you get back to the city you loved more than us,” 

“I did miss you, Mira,” 

“Don’t kid yourself,” 

“Mira,” 

“Miry,” I turn then and smash my fist into his jaw. 

“Don’t you fucking call me that, you're not my brother or my sister you can’t call me that,” 

“I’m your Fucking brother,” 

“My brother died a long time ago,” 

“Mira, let me make it right. Sit down we can talk we can do anything please,” 

“I wanted to talk earlier you didn’t, thank you for your time Lieutenant Colonel” I walk out the door to the panicking shout of: 

“MIRA”

[skyfallscotland]

Not me taking a smutty little prompt and building a whole damn world around it—very on brand. The prompt was: "I’ll take good care of you, I promise." from @nightprompts and let me tell you, he does, in fact, take good care of her 😉

“So you’re the one who gave me that scar.” I stare, uncomprehending. “What?” I manage to bite out. He lifts a hand, tapping his finger over the scar trailing from his ear to his collarbone, a match for the one I’d had clawed into me by a gryphon just like his. I bite down on my tongue as I think about the mirror of a burn long-since healed, that mars the skin of my torso. A scar that every man or woman I’ve ever taken to bed since has commented on. And he’s worried about a line on the side of his neck? My blood boils.

— The State of Rider-Flier Relations, now up on AO3, xf

[hoeelliexx]

Finally posted part one of my Fourth Wing Birthday Bash 2024 (organized by @skyfallscotland and @justallihere) Fic!!! No idea when the next chapters will be out but well here is my word vomit bahahahah

My prompt will stay secret until the last chapter so stay tuned!

Special thanks to @yanny-77 and Astro for beta reading!

[chocolatecakecas]

To Infinity and Beyond: baby!Jack truthing Birthday Ficlet

Today already looked like the perfect day. Warm weather, the sun shining, the birds singing, all the usual qualifications for "perfection". And if Dean had anything to say about it, it is also going to be, the perfect day.

Because Dean had planned out everything. Tents and tables spread out in the backyard of their new house, enough hamburgers and hotdogs to feed an army, a giant sheet cake in the freezer, and it looked like a Party City catalogue threw up all over their house, both inside and out. Hell, he and Cas even got a bounce house.

Yup, today was going to be perfect, Dean thought as he surveyed the backyard. He was going to make sure of it, nothing was going to go wro-

"To infinity and beyond!"

And the next thing he knew, he had a recently turned four year old, barreling into his legs almost knocking him off the porch.

(read the rest under the cut)

He looked down to see Jack already dressed in his outfit for the day. A shirt with Buzz Lightyear's costume printed on it, complete with little cardboard Buzz wings (Cas made them), purple shorts with a purple tutu, and of course, his favorite Buzz light-up sneakers.

"I'd say that was a bit of a crash landing there, Mr.Lightyear" Dean laughed, as he bent down to right Jack's scribbled cardboard wings. Jack just ignored his reference, instead letting out an excited shriek as he took in the backyard.

Every tablecloth, plate, napkin, cup, balloon, and cardboard decoration was covered in Toy Story characters.

Toy Story, was the end all be all in their house, because they were Jack's favorite movies. So everything, was 100% Toy Story, 100% of the time, hence the party theme. And his favorite character was Buzz Lightyear, hence the costume.

"Dee where's your costume?" Jack questioned, after he finally recovered from the shock of seeing the, probably, overdecorated backyard.

"Yeah Sheriff Woody, where's your costume? It's almost one thirty" Cas called as he stepped out the backdoor. Cas was already dressed in t-shirt with Jessie's outfit printed on the front, her matching red hat, jeans and of course, cowboy boots which Dea-wait shit they only had a half an hour left.

And he hadn't even double checked th-

"The backyard and inside of the house already look incredible. Go on and get ready before everyone starts arriving" Cas smiled sweetly, knowing how worried Dean was about today.

"I will, after I chec-"

"Dean, I promise, I'll double check all the decorations, and the food. Me and the little space ranger have got it covered, right baby?" Cas supplied, looking fondly over at Jack.

"Yeah me and Da got it! Get dressed Dee" Jack cheered, as hopped down the steps and raced "flew" across the grass cardboard wings flapping behind him.

"Go get changed, cowboy. Everything already looks perfect" Cas teased, pressing a quick peck to Dean's lips. And then he was bounding down the steps towards Jack, warning him not to go near the bounce house.

So Dean reluctantly walked inside, forcing himself to ignore all of the things he wanted to check on, and instead making a beeline for their bedroom. He quickly pulled on his costume, but unlike Jack and Cas it was the real deal, not just a graphic t-shirt, Dean had the actual shirt, the vest, whole nine yards. Jack had asked if Dean would wear a real Woody costume and, hey who was he to deny his kid on his birthday?

So with a sigh, Dean made his way back to the living room so he could reorganize the snack table.

He wanted everything to be perfect today. Perfect for Jack because, this was his first real birthday party after all. And because Dean's oldest memory was of his fourth birthday, his last birthday party actually since it wasn't like they were throwing big family bashes on the road. No, birthdays were a box of cigarettes from his Dad (if he even remembered), or Dean sometimes scraping together enough money to get a cake for Sam's birthday.

Which is why today had to go smoothly. Because Jack deserved the world, he deserved to have a good life filled with memories of big family parties with fun decorations and food and laughter. And Dean could give it to him now, give him what he and Sam never had. So today had to be special, it had-needed to be perfect.

"Dean, I don't think Jack is going to care if the clouds are a little crooked" Cas pointed out, amusement dancing in his voice as he walked into the living room.

Dean huffed a laugh, but didn't stop his mission to straighten out the paper "Andy's Room" clouds taped to the wall above the table. Cas just sighed as he gently pulled his hand away from the wall, turning Dean towards him.

"Dean I know how much you want to make this day absolutely perfect for Jack, believe me I do too. But he's going to love every single second of it. He's practically bouncing off the walls already, and the party hasn't even started yet" Cas assured as he squeezed Dean's hands.

"I know, I know. But he deserves to have the best damn birthday. Especially after everything and he's just- Jack shoul-" Dean started, only to be cut off by the sound of the doorbell.

"It's Uncle Sammy and Aunt Eileen! Can I open the door, please?" Jack called from down the hall, asking for permission.

"Yeah buddy, you're allowed to open the door. Let them in" Dean shouted back, unable to help the smile pulling at his lips when he heard Jack enthusiastically telling them about "all the cool decorations".

"See? Jack is already loving it! Now relax, and enjoy the party, cowboy. Everything is going to be perfect" Cas smiled as he made his way down the hall to greet Sam and Eileen. But not before giving Dean's ass a little smack.

A few hours into the party everything was smooth sailing, and Dean had only been scolded for readjusting some decorations four times. The kids Jack invited from his class were having a great time, as where their parents, which was especially great because not a single one of them managed to see a member of Dean and Cas’ family discreetly place their weapons in the spare bedroom (Dean wasn’t a fool, it was a party full of hunters, he wasn’t just gonna make a no weapons rule because what if something happened?). So then Dean and Eileen manned the grill like champs, Cas and Garth kept an eye on the kiddos in the bounce house, Sam had handled the Buzz Lightyear shaped piñata perfectly, while Dean organized the kids, making sure Jack was the one to break it. The sun stayed shining, the birds kept singing. Everything was perfect.

Until it wasn't.

And it was all Dean’s fault.

Dean's stomach dropped as he stared down at the now smudged faces of Woody, Buzz and half of the green aliens. Because Dean just smooshed the entire left side of the cake while trying to take lid off.

He just destroyed the most important part of the party, the part Jack was most excited about. Now Dean just ruined everythi-

"-come in star command, do you read me?" Cas joked, completely startling Dean, because how long had Cas been standing there?

"Dean, what's wro-oh" Cas sighed as soon as he caught sight of the cake. 

"I friggin smooshed the whole thing with the lid. It's destroyed we can't-the party and Jack and-" Dean rambled, heart pounding against his chest, while Cas took the life from his hands and gently set it on the other side of the counter.

"Dean, stop it's okay breathe for me. It's just the cake. It's not your fault. It's still edible, we can fix this" Cas soothed as softly cupped Dean's cheeks in an attempt to ground him.

"Hey are you guys alri-oh shit" Eileen gasped as she and Sam walked through the kitchen door, which caused Dean’s heart rate to pick up again.

"It's okay, it'll be fine. We can try to scrape some of it back together with a knife" Sam offered, quickly moving Dean and Cas to the side so he could get at the cake.

But it only made the faces look completely unrecognizable.

"Damnit, what are we gonna-"

"Dee! Can we have cake now?" Jack asked as he came racing into the kitchen, and Dean, Cas, Sam and Eileen quickly huddled in front of the counter to hide the cake from sight.

"In a few minutes squish, we're still uh-getting it ready" Dean managed plastering a wide, hopefully convincing smile on his face.

"Why don't you go jump around the bounce house again, buddy?" Sam suggested, which had Jack nearly bolting out of the kitchen again with a nod

"Make sure one of your aunts or uncles, or your friends' parents are watching you!" Cas called after him, which only got a tiny "okay Da" in response.

They all let out a breath when they heard the backdoor slam, and quickly turned to look at the offending cake again.

"It's not that late, what if one of us runs to store and see if they have ano-"

"They won't, we ordered this specia-"

"And there seems to be no sign of intelligent life anywhere" Claire joked as she entered the kitchen and quickly surveyed the mess before her, eyes widening when she spotted the cake. And Dean normally would have teased her the reference but he was too busy, freaking the fuck out, so he chose to ignore it.

"What do we do? We can't fix this, there's no time it's completely rui-"

"Wait, dude calm down. I have an idea, hold on a minute" Claire proclaimed, and swiftly exited the kitchen, which did pretty much nothing to calm Dean's panic. In fact he was getting desperate.

"Do you think Rowena might have a spell-"

"That's not how magic works. But honestly Dean, I'm sure Jack won't even notice-"

"The kid can recite the entirety of Toy Story 2 from memory and you don't think he's gonna notice Woody is missing his entire head?"

"Alright, start grabbing the Toy Story figures and wash them off. Then we can put them all over the cake instead, and cover up the horrifyingly smeared faces" Claire ordered as she came back into the kitchen with Kaia in tow, and box of Jack's toys in hand.

And Dean could have cried from relief (he did).

"Holy shit Claire you're a genius" Dean praised, as he quickly began sifting through the box.

"I know, I know. Now c'mon, I want cake"

And a few minutes later everyone was gathered around the dining room table, singing a completely off key rendition of Happy Birthday. Jack was seated in the center of it all, with a half smooshed, slightly lopsided, plastic figure covered cake, with Dean and Cas crouching on either side of him. Jack hadn't even commented on the completely smeared face of Woody or Ham, he was just clapping along, bouncing in his seat. In fact, he the biggest smile Dean had ever seen on his face, and he teared up at the sight.

"Blow out the candles and make a wish, baby" Cas encouraged, and Jack attempted to do just that. Only succeeding when Dean secretly helped blow out the candles for him.

"Yay! To infinity and beyond!" Jack shouted again, as he stood up and jumped on his chair. The room easily erupted into laughter, while Charlie and Jody each snapped pictures from across the table.

"Alright Lightyear, let's not fall with style into the already smooshed cake" Dean joked, as he quickly stabilized Jack, which only caused everyone to burst into more laughter.

So, Dean scooped up Jack, sitting in his chair and placing him on his lap, while Sam offered to cut up the cake. And Cas took plopped down in the chair next to them, sliding him and Jack a plate.

"Are you having fun at your birthday party, baby?" Cas questioned as he handed Jack a plastic fork.

"Yeah! Claire jumped in the house with me! And Danny and Sarah and me played in the sandbox! An-and we played tag, and Aunt Donna played too! And the cake has all my friends on it, see!" Jack rushed out all in one breath, stopping to point at the now sliced cake. By "friends" he of course meant his actual Toy Story figures of course. But before Dean could even react to any of that, Cas was whispering in Jack's ear, and pulling away.

"Thank you for all the party things, Dee!" Jack beamed as he turned and threw his arms around Dean's neck.

And Dean's heart clenched as he tightly wrapped his arms around his kid, feeling a tear roll down his cheek. He looked back up to see Cas smiling widely at them, so Dean whispered something in Jack's ear too. And then Jack was off flinging himself around Cas' neck.

"Why doesn't all the family get together, I can take the photos" Marissa, the mom of one of Jack's friends offered.

And soon the three of them were surrounded by their family on all sides. Everyone laughing when Marissa suggested they all say "yeehaw" instead of cheese. Jack giggling when Claire zoomed over, and bent down so she could smoosh their faces together for the obligatory "silly face" picture. Dean quickly swiping icing on both Cas and Jack's noses, causing Cas to tip Dean's cowboy hat and Jack to shove a handful of frosting on Dean's cheek.

So maybe it wasn't the flawless, smooth sailing birthday party Dean had planned. But the weather stayed warm, the sun still shone, the birds still sang. His family laughed, and ate and had a blast.

And Jack looked about as happy as they had ever seen him, as he ran around the yard with his friends and played games with his family. Dean would even go as far to count it as a complete success. Especially since Jack asked Cas, "when can we have a big party again?", as they tucked him into bed later that night.

So as far as Dean is concerned, it was the perfect day.

Tag list:

(please let me know if you'd like to be added or removed!!💛)

@wormstacheangel @smiledean @shelikestv @chaoticdean @midnightwings-deancas @jellydeans @sunshine-jack @archervale @wikiangela @organicpurplepants @you-cant-spell-subtext-without @writtendevastation @tkdwolf2012 @doemons-blog @sinnabonka @rolling-stoned-girl @skylerkernaghan @icefire149

@shadowywerewolfqueen @the-cookie-navy @thelahatiel @thefantasyfiend @castielle-deanna @aestheticflyer26 @multi-fandom-imagine @x-mypeopleskillsarerusty-x @wellofwoes @becky-srs @multi-fandom-dark-lord @perfectkoaladream @castiel-for-lunch @it--hurts--to--become @bowtiesandneckerchiefs

@dakiaty @feraldean @teamfreebees @keshetcas @hrh-princess-bea @martymar1963 @midnight-sparks-studio @slipper007 @misha-moose-dean-burger-lover @winchester-novak @lyonessrampant @angelic-bee-enthusiast @nguyenxtrang @idiot-on-the-hill @ethicalbitch @fandoms-and-things @doreschary @confix @milfcodeddean @seraphcastiel @seraphlm

[funky-boat-zone]

the lighthouse chronicles: part 10/10

big birthday bash

how often do sapient vehicles celebrate their birthdays anyway? depending on how they process time, having their birthday/build date celebration every year could get excessive/tiring. 

in one episode, there’s a really loud audio glitch that scared the shit out of me the first time i heard it. the problem is that i can’t remember what episode it was, just that it happened in a scene involving zorran (because of course it did)

top hat’s voice sounds really off fsr

ffs otis, you’re a grown adult. quit being so pouty to the literal child who gave away the surprise by accident.

never thought i’d say this, but i genuinely feel really bad for ten cents here. he’s just a kid who just made a mistake, and what do top hat and otis (adults) do? top hat rats him out to sunshine, and otis acts all passive aggressive towards him. 

and even sunshine gets mad at him and says that they may as well just cancel the party!

“it’s okay, you can throw me a surprise party another time” or you could at least pretend to be surprised and try to enjoy the party because it’s the mature thing to do, otis? 

“what do you want me to do, sink myself?” “not a bad idea” hey sunshine, what the fuck

the other tugs (seemingly) only forgive him because captain star told them to

and so the party happens and all is well except for the fact that no one apologizes to ten cents for being so awful to him over an honest mistake

stop the music

it’s a whole episode of singing. help

and yes, this is the episode where zorran raps

i am going to outlaw the snugboat harbor song fest

grampus sinking into the water and going “blblblblbl” is a mood

zorran no. zorran please don’t do it, i know you’re evil or sth but-

i thought you were better than this, zorran

“do you want to be famous?” “you mean i’m not already?”

unfortunately, this episode is where i got my headcanon that top hat can sing. i sincerely apologize

grampus dismisses top hat’s singing when he’s the only boat who can remotely carry a tune

sunshine’s voice is at its absolute most grating in this scene jfc

“i’ll never be ready for the song fest :(” (triumphant music playing in the bg)

hooray, “work together” or something, no moral is worth a whole episode of singing

let’s wing it

oh no, vegetable puns

zak’s voice is almost as cursed as zip’s

i never want to hear zorran say “mayonnaise” in any context for any reason ever again 

why do the boats know what salad dressing is?

big stack, quit singing

“wish i could help” i appreciate the sentiment izzy, but you are a steam tramper, not a tug, and your dream of helping with the ocean liner can never be 

and so we end on a vegetable pun

no strings attached

another music-themed episode?? oh no

another log jam? 

are tugboats an instrument?

no patrick, tugboats are not an instrument

coast guard boats are not an instrument either

top hat using his horn/whistle to play the first few notes of the theme song implies that he’s aware of the fourth wall

ten cents, don’t bother cappy. he has important coast guard stuff to do

dammit ten cents, you pulled a coast guard vessel away from his job. people could die

love how ten cents talks abt cappy’s whistle and cappy is represented by a completely different boat.

the rhyming brings up memories of miller-era thomas. and that’s not a compliment

the song sounds like sth out of an obscure 16-bit game that’s only remembered for one song and only because that song was used in a meme

guilty gull

how rich are salty’s parents to get him a working, driveable toy car for his birthday?

you know an episode’s gonna be interesting when it starts with zug getting blamed for something he says he didn’t do 

again with the fire barge! i’m banning zip and zug from having any contact with fire barges unless it’s an emergency

do you think billy’s aware that the tugs only really talk to him when they need him for arson?

i think he is, and he’s cool about it. billy, you deserve better. get some friends who see you for more than your skill at arson

f in the chat for zug, the snugboat harbor scapegoat

i know that it’s just tradition to refer to ships as she/her, but in the context of this show it sounds like the stuck tanker is sapient and the tugs are going to destroy her anyway

sl!zug deserves better 2k21

bivalve blues

sunshine’s voice sounds really strained fsr

“wanna hear my new riddle?” “not now. bye” same, ten cents. same

sad boat hours

honestly ten cents has every right to be sad and upset after the events of “big birthday bash”

that’s not why he’s sad though, he’s upset bc he feels unappreciated or sth

a fire?? that escalated quickly, holy shit

love how bluenose is just sitting in the background with no one noticing/acknowledging him as ten cents takes the fuel barge 

also that split second of bluenose twitching/shaking at the end

honestly i’m more interested in whatever the hell’s going on with him 

i’m sad because they had to incorporate and re-dub that emotional ending scene from “munitions”

ten cents gets cheered up, the other tugs appreciate him, sunshine finally tells him her riddle, and bluenose is presumably scarred for life because this the last episode and we never see him again after this.

[suebswrites]

Best chapter yet. Sorry if you like keeping your heart intact. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Chapter 4: I Don't Feel Safe With You Anymore

Chapter 4 of 5

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4

Word Count: 2,782/9,090

Fic Summary:

“What makes a dragon abandon her rider?"

It's been five days since the Battle of Basgiath and Xaden still hasn't heard from Sgaeyl. The dragon left the college, needing time and distance to reflect on and process the changes to their bond since Xaden reached for power. Xaden is determined to give her that space, even as his magic drains the longer she stays away. He fights the urge to channel from the earth with everything he has but being a rider, his body is no longer compatible with life without magic.

He can wait for her to come back. He can hold out.

The alternative is unthinkable

Chapter Summary:

Garrick confronts Xaden about his suspicions.

Excerpt:

“Fuck you, Xaden.” Garrick’s pounding grows incessantly. “I didn’t interrupt Ridoc and Bodhi going at it just for you to ignore me.” He feels Violet jolt and he knows she’s awake now too. She buries her face into his chest and breathes deeply. Her breath tickles and raises goosebumps across his skin.  “You have no idea the things I’ve seen,” Garrick whines. “Xaden!” Violet groans beside him. “Just go see what he wants, Xaden, and then you can come back to bed.” She trails her hand down his body in a sensual promise. With a sigh, Xaden slips out from under the blankets. He doesn’t bother with his shoes or his shirt but he slips on his sweatpants before opening the door for his friend. The light spilling in from the hallway hurts his eyes. He squints at Garrick. “If you’re so concerned about your innocence, why’d you interrupt them?” He tries to be nonchalant but he’s so fucking tired that he’s not sure he manages it.  Garrick looks anything but nonchalant, despite his casual stance. He leans in the doorway, arms crossed over his broad chest. Frown lines wrinkle his brow. He’s dressed for sparring. “I wanted to know if they’d talked to you before I did.” “No, Bodhi never wants to see me again.” Garrick doesn’t deny it and Xaden shifts uncomfortably, wanting this conversation to be over already. The last thing he wants is a long, drawn-out goodbye. Not that Garrick knows he’s dying yet. He’ll probably kill Xaden himself when he eventually finds out. “What do you want, Garrick?” “First, for you to put on shoes and a shirt,” Garrick teases. For a moment, things feel light between them again, but then Garrick’s face darkens. “And then we’re going to the gym.”

Read Now on AO3

Publishing Schedule:

Chapter 1 - May 23rd

Chapter 2 - May 30th

Chapter 3 - June 6th

Chapter 4 - June 13th

Chapter 5 - June 20th

Thanks to @housetomte and @sarahydeart for beta.

This fic was written as part of the Basgaith Birthday Bash. See chapter notes for credit.