#I’ve moved house 6 times in the past 7 years

[leviiackrman]

I am fighting for my life to be mentally stable and it’s not working

[rentenwins]

silly little excuses (newneighbour!leehan x reader)

ch 1 • ch 2 • ch 3 • ch 4

synopsis: who goes there? a silly little story of your fish-loving neighbour. with a little egging on from your friends, surely a few hints would’ve been dropped on his head right? right?

content: slice of life, fluff, (a lot of) banter, (eventual) idiots to lovers, f!reader, university-aged characters, leehan’s love for fish, mild cursing(?), the bnd members <3

a/n: my first multi-chapter fic on tumblr after being on this site for… 6 years? please be nice to me >.< a lot of love for bnd here ofc hehe

wc: 1268

chapter 1: a new neighbour?

It is a typical Thursday with your classes not starting until past midday. It meant longer mornings in bed, and in this case it was to sleep in. Well, at least you planned to.

There was an unknown dull thud near your door. You groan as the thuds made itself known in succession and you know your sleep was ruined for the morning. You check your phone, a mocking 7:34am flashes and you groan louder. The next sane thing for you to do was to check the commotion outside.

Your apartment building was oddly peaceful for a complex near the university. Your luck skyrocketed when you realised your floor was filled with students from a couple of your classes, so it added extra peace of mind. They weren’t noisy either, it helped on nights where working on your portfolio actually seemed feasible.

Slippers on and a jumper on, you shiver a little because of the chilly morning air not yet warmed by the sun. Unlocking the door proved a challenge in the morning, but the door swings open nonetheless and you peer your head outside. Across the hall, you see a stack of boxes, suitcases and eco-bags plopped into the corner haphazardly. You jump as you hear another thud and a huff from someone down the walkway from the elevator, the rolling of wheels louder as it approaches you.

Your eyes might have been deceiving you but a man, around your age with a kind face, strolls in with a dolly, carrying yet another cardboard box and a tote bag on top of it, but also a bucket on his free hand. He sets the bucket down as he rummages through all his jacket and jean pockets before pulling out a key to open the door to the apartment across your floor. He opened the door with a sigh of relief and began to carry in the lighter bags inside, never letting go of the bucket on his left hand. Barely you can see the barren inside of the apartment, the sign of a house about to be made into a new home. The man comes out, no bucket in hand, but locks eyes with your head peering out your door.

In your curiosity and tiredness you forget that you probably looked psycho, your tired resting face the only thing peering out the door essentially looking at a stranger and suddenly knowing of his new address. The man stiffens and lets out a small “Oh.” as you come to your senses. In a near-frantic state, you fly the door open and stand outside your door, properly looking at the man now.

“Sorry, was I making too much noise?” the man says as he sheepishly looks at you.

“No! no, no not at all, I usually get, um, up at this time anyway,” You lie casually, though he makes no telltale sign that he didn’t believe you. “Well, I see you’re just moving in. Are you from around here?”

His face soothes when you ask the question. “I’m actually from Busan, but I moved here for university. I’ve been to Seoul a couple of times before but this is my first time staying here for longer than a few days.”

You hum in response, now fully straightened up outside your door. You two continued talking for a while, albeit not so comfortable but you had to be friendly nonetheless. You find out each others’ majors, the boy revealed he majored in marine biology while you studied interior design.

You swore you saw him blush when you mentioned you went to the university near the apartment complex. But you paid no mind. It might’ve been the morning daze, but his hair was pretty, tied up in a small ponytail on the back of his head. His face was pretty too, proportionate and screamed friendliness. The way his mouth tilted upwards as he spoke and eyes crinkled as he spoke was attractive, though to be polite you managed to catch all he said with equal enthusiasm.

You asked the boy, “Oh I didn’t quite catch your name? What was it aga—“

“LEEHAN!”

An unknown voice echoes through the hall towards the elevator along with dragging footsteps. Oddly enough, you recognised the voice. There was no way…

You peer down the hall as you see Taesan and Sungho carrying what seems to be buckets in their hands. Your new neighbour, apparently named ‘Leehan’, peered over too and smiled at the two boys.

“Oh! Fancy seeing you here?” Taesan teases as you roll your eyes and Sungho gives a friendly wave behind him, “I see you’ve met Mr New Neighbour?”

The dots seem to connect in Leehan’s head as his eyes widen, “Hey, you know these two? You know y/n too?”

“Of course!” Sungho beams, “We’re all at the design school. Just so happens we live here too.” You and Taesan nod in agreement as Leehan looks at you two, a glimmer of bewilderment in his eyes still. It was kind of endearing.

“Hey, why are you up so early?” Taesan looks at your comfy form.

“I heard noises outside. Had to make sure it wasn’t any trouble. Turns out I didn’t have to worry all that much.” You reply, in the corner of your eye you see Leehan bow his head in embarrassment again. God, you couldn’t stop thinking how adorable it was, and it makes the corners of your mouth tilt upwards.

“Well, you don’t need to worry about any noise at night! After all, all this dude ever cares about are his co—“

Leehan quickly shoves a hand over Sungho’s mouth, “Okay!! That’s enough!! Come inside. Now. Please.” he stutters as he pulls Sungho towards the door, taking the bucket out of his hands. The bucket left a water mark on the concrete. Odd, why would they be carrying wet buckets around—

“Oi, there’s still stuff in the truck downstairs!” Sungho protests from inside Leehan’s apartment.

“It was nice meeting you, y/n!” Leehan quickly gleams, taking the other bucket from Taesan as Taesan smirks at his friend. Leehan sets the buckets inside his apartment and grabs Taesan's arm, about to pull him down the hall to the elevators.

Taesan’s eyes gloss with humour at Leehan’s behaviour as he smiles and waves at you, ��See you later y/— WOAH!” and Taesan and Leehan are down the hall again, footsteps echoing.

That was odd. The sound of a clearing throat brings your eyes back to the front of Leehan’s apartment, Sungho leaning against the doorframe.

“Just between you and me, nothing gets in the way of Leehan and his fishes.”

“I’m sorry, his what?” Your face contorts in confusion as Sungho giggles and takes the buckets again, beckoning you to look inside. You didn’t expect to see puffer bags of water with around three decently-sized fishes.

“Are those…?”

“Corydoras apparently,” Sungho explains. “I don’t know what’s so cool about them, but he seems to love them a lot. Brought them all the way from Busan to here. It’s a miracle it got here in one piece.” You swallow a laugh as you back up towards your door and tell Sungho you’ll see him later after class.

“Oh and,” You turn back from your door, “Make him feel welcome, yeah? Don’t want him thinking I’m friends with a prickly heathen.” Sungho teases. You flip him the bird as he throws his head back in a laugh as he greets you goodbye just before the door closes.

Great, a new friend. A good-looking one. You wonder how many more of these people Taesan and Sungho know.

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - It's the Dog Days of BL Again

Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top.

May 2024 Final Week

Ongoing Series - Thai

Wandee Godday (Sat YT) ep 5 of 12 - The side couple is so damn pouty and adorable. So far as Yak and Dee are concerned, I love that they kept up with the cosplay stuff and didn’t just drop it as a one off. I'm just genuinely enjoying seeing how much fun they have together and watching them accidentally falling in love with each other and trying not to.

Linguistic corner!

I don’t normally watch any BTS stuff, but for reasons known only to my serotonin-seeking brain, I’ve been watching a few for this show. And I MUST talk about the way Great speaks Thai. It’s so different from all of the other Good GMMTV Boys. He’s way more casual. Not rude, but definitely not as formal or as polite as any of the actors around him. It’s difficult to describe but just LISTEN to the way he hops registers and pronouns pretty consistently. Sometimes in the same sentence. He even softens his polite particles. I've never heard an actor do that out of character. It’s fascinating. I wonder if it has to do with the fact that he is older (then most of his costars) and comes outta the Bangkok club scene, and was older when he joined GMMTV. Frankly, it’s the closest I’ve ever seen on TV to the way people actually talked in Bangkok. 

My Stand-In (Thai Fri iQIYI) ep 6 of 12 eps - honestly these two shows are neck and neck for my favorites running right now and Wandee got the edge because it left me smiling, but yesterday, Stand-In would have come out on top. Such a great show. It’s so sinister. So not romantic. Which makes me feel like... it's not really a BL. And, yet, I DO NOT CARE. Because I’m enjoying its little evil soul so much. “Poor Joe” is pretty much all that goes through my head the whole time I'm watching, and I'm enjoying poking at that pain.

We Are (Weds iQIYI) ep 9 of 16 - I love all of the 3rd wheels. Kluen is kinda great. And I’m not just saying that 'cause I have a crush on Title, it’s because Kluen is so open and genuine. (Unless they fuck up his character.) I even enjoyed the backstory for Fang and Tan. Honestly, the friendship group is the reason to watch this show, they’re great and funny, and make everything enjoyable. It’s a soap opera, like Only Friends, but gentle with its characters and us watchers. Which is what I really want from my BL. I don’t want all of this Friend Zone backstabbing bullpuckie. 

Knock Knock Boys (Thurs Gaga) eps 1-2 of 12 - I like it, frankly more than I expected to. It’s a bit slow moving, but the characters are interesting and the dynamic of everybody living in the same house together is fun. I haven’t seen this style of housemates centered Thai BL in years. I identify FAR too closely with the crass-talking bug-killing pansexual. On a completely different note, I really hope Best and Seng have an NC scene together. Last week I would never have said that, but now I think they have good chemistry. Am I crazy?

Only Boo! (Sun YouTube) ep 8 of 12 - They are sickeningly sweet boyfriends, and Moo is such a brat and so demanding. It’s charming. There was even a little bit of dancing together which I’m sure made @heretherebedork happy. Dancing okay but NO SINGING. 

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

At 25:00 in Akasaka AKA 25 Ji Akasaka de (Japan Thurs Gaga) ep 7 of 10 - Asami's past was cool to see. I enjoyed that his character finally got fleshed out and given some solidity. However, it felt like it came a little too late. Even though I know this is the way Japan tends to roll with BL timing. I wanted to like him sooner then this. Now I'm not really that invested.

Living With Him AKA Kare no Iru Seikatsu (Japan Thurs Gaga) ep 8 fin - It was an extremely good and very satisfying ending for a JBL, which we cannot expect, so I'm disposed to dole out top marks for that. Also we definitely have a new contender for Namgoong award for best wingman. (Japan's favorite: the bespectacled variant.)

Summation:

Kindly Ryota goes to uni and ends up rooming with his former childhood bestie, Kazuhito. Kazuhito doesn’t have a girlfriend for, as it turns out, cute roommate reasons. Same director as Old Fashion Cupcake, the framing is gorgeous and it is a stylish piece. As a friends to lovers cohabitation narrative this was a classic 2000s sweet yaoi. I enjoy that kind of tradition out of Japan even if it (and the characters) come off as a little slow as a result. Still, it's nice to get a traditional BL out of Japan that is satisfying, not slapstick, AND did not hurt us. 8/10 recommended

Blossom Campus (Korea Thurs Gaga & iQIYI) ep 5-6fin - gonna have to wait until next week, for mysterious hotel wifi reasons.

It's airing but...

You Made My Day (Thai YT) ep 1 of 5 - mini series staring the I Will Knock You couple Tar & Bom, started but I couldn't find it. I also didn't try very hard.

The Time of Fever AKA Unintentional Love Story 2 (Korea movie) trailer released to Korean theaters 5/25. HoTae & DongHee, side couple from Unintentional Love Story are back! Same actors, same character names. I love them. I NEED TO SEE THIS. How?

OMG Vampire (Thai Sun ????) ep 2 of 10 - yeah I can't find it. Comments from last week suggest this is not my thing anyway, but Lee Long Shi very much IS my thing, so... maybe I'll put it on hold for a bit and y'all can let me know.

In case you missed

VBL (Taiwan) is released 'Special Episode' epilogues to their 4 2023 series on Gagaoolala, Viki & Viu - watch each on the respective shows' page: You Are Mine, VIP Only, Stay By My Side, Anti Reset.

My Biker 2 (Thai movie trailer) suposedly released somewhere, search me.

The Time of Huannan (Taiwan movie) went to theaters, not sure if we will get this, and it may not be BL.

And here's a 2023 that I missed and finally watched:

After Sundown AKA Saengrawi

ZeeNunew vehicle from 2023, recut into a movie on YouTube. It's from Mandee and horror, yet I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

Pronoun use is ter/chan or rao (no nai or pom) because of the historical setting + softness of the relationship.

It's oddly sweet and wholesome, for a ghost story. Phloeng and Rawee enter into an arranged marriage for confusing prophetic reasons and a twisted fate, solving a mystery of the past that is haunting Phloeng's family and harming Rawee. Honestly, it makes no actual sense, but it's kinda historical, and very pretty, so I enjoyed it more than I should. 8/10

Next Week Looks Like This:

Upcoming BLs for 2024 are listed here. This list is not kept updated, so please leave a comment if you know something new or RP with additions.

June Releases

6/7 My Love Mix-Up (Fridays Thai Adaptation not sure where this will air) - I do love G4 and I did like the original and maybe this time these characters will actually kiss? I'm actually fine with this pick-up. I kind of enjoy seeing different countries remake the same IP. Especially if it's IP I'm mostly unfazed by.

6/7 The Last Time (Thailand Fridays YouTube?) - Convoluted story of loss and possible reincarnation or something?

6/9 Love Sea (Thailand Sundays MAME warning iQIYI - New characters to the Mameverse. While travelling, a writer has a one night stand with a very irritating man. YES I WILL TRASH WATCH THIS. Drinking will happen on Sundays I guess. (Look, I do usually travel on weekends, so it may end up being Monday Mame Trash - which jives.)

6/14 Let's Eat Together Aki and Haru 2 AKA Aki wa Haru to Gohan wo Tabetai 2 Haime! (Japan movie Gaga?) - Continues the (frankly) lackadaisical story from part 1.

6/15 Sunset Vibes AKA SunsetXVibes (Thailand Saturdays) Star Hunter and MosBank on iQIYI so if nothing else it's gonna be a wild and sexy ride. A one night stand but "uh-oh he’s my boss," adapted from a web series. I’m game. Maybe it’ll have a better story than Big Dragon? Maybe it will have a plot? We can but hope.

6/26 The Rebound (Thai Weds VIU?) - MeenPing are back in their 3rd BL together, a basketball based romance (Meen was a national basketball player, so yay for that). I like this pair better than most (I still do miss Meen with Est but Est has a fantastic looking new BL coming from GMMTV so yeah...) Anyway I'm up for a sports romance starring a man who, yah know, actually played that sport so... I'm game (pun intended).

(Speaking of, why can't Est be a merman? This... I ask you?.)

Why You? (Khmer movie - Billed as a horror romance BL this is supposed to release this month.

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

In my world we call this smug. (Only Boo!)

LOOK AT HIS ARM?! This has been your Goodness Gracious Great Guns Of Huge 2024 moment.

(All Wandee Goodday)

(Last week)

Streaming services are listed by how I (usually) watch, which is with a USA based IP, and often offset by a day because time zones are a pain.

The tag BLigade: @doorajar @solitaryandwandering @my-rose-tinted-glasses @babymbbatinygirl @babymbbatinygirl @isisanna-blog @mmastertheone @pickletrip @aliceisathome @urikawa-miyuki @tokillamonger @sunflower-positiiivity

@rocketturtle4 @blglplus @anythinggoesintheshire @everlightly @renafire @mestizashinrin @bl-bam-beyond @small-dark-and-delicious @saezurumurmurs

Sigh, Tumblr in it's infinite wisdom doesn't like too many tags.

There's these tricks, remember.

[linos-luna]

His baby (My Baby) pt 6 🥀🔪

Yandere!Bang Chan x Fem!Reader x Lee Know

♡ (Pt. 1) (Pt. 2) (Pt 3) (Pt 4) (Pt 5) (Pt 6) (Pt 7) (Pt. 8) (pt. 9) (pt 10)

Warnings: trauma, Yandere, obsessive behavior

—————————— 🎀 ——————————

It’s been a year since you left your ex boyfriend. A whole year of freedom. You moved in with Minho, your new loving boyfriend. He makes you feel safe, loved, and secure.

Since moving in, you’ve been able to get some help to work through trauma. It wasn’t easy but you were slowly getting better and more independent.

Minho made sure to help you with that. You always felt better when near him but he’d encourage you to go out on your own for periods of time. To see your friend Jeongyeon and enjoy yourself.

Sometimes he would leave you at the house when he runs small errands. At first it was hard and you’d end up calling him in a panic but it’s better now.

Although being alone can still sometimes make you nervous, but Minho was always a phone call or text away.

~~~~~~~~ 🔪

For the past few nights you’ve been waking up with nightmares. You couldn’t even remember them. It wasn’t abnormal for you to get them every once in a while but not consistently like this.

“No… no… no…” you were muttering in your sleep, shaking your head lightly. This only made Minho stir lightly but not fully wake up.

It wasn’t until you started getting louder and moving more that’s when Minho woke up.

“Baby?”

“No! Stop!” You cried, eyes still shut as you shook your head as you kicked your legs.

“Hey, it’s just me.” Minho said calmly while grabbing your hand. “It’s okay…”

You opened your eyes to see your worried boyfriend looking down at you.

“I’m sorry oppa…”

“Don’t apologize.” He sighed while letting you sit up. “I’m just a little worried… you’ve been doing this more often… Is something wrong?”

“I don’t know…” you replied while looking down at your hands. “I’ve just… being having a bad feeling lately…”

“What do you mean?”

“Something just feels… off?”

Minho wondered what exactly you meant but let you get back to sleep. Perhaps you’d discuss it more in the morning.

You were right to have that feeling because something was definitely wrong.

Your ex boyfriend, Chan, is now out of prison. The justice system is broken and there was some overcrowding. Plus, paying off a judge definitely helped out as well.

So now he was back to his mission: finding you, his baby. But he needed to be smart about this. The year locked up gave him plenty of time to think on how to get you back.

He needs to be cunning and perhaps a bit manipulative. Anything to get you back in his arms.

Unfortunately, he already had an idea of where you were…

~~~~~~

“Y/n, are you sure you’re okay being alone for a bit today?”

“I’ll be fine. Go get what you need.” You nodded. “I just want to take a nap while you’re gone.”

“Okay.” Minho said, still a bit uneasy about it. “I’ll only be gone an hour at the most.”

“Okay.”

“Alright, I’ll see you in a little bit.” Your boyfriend said while grabbing his keys and giving you a quick kiss on the lips.

You giggled and blushed at that like a little school girl before heading to the bedroom.

~~~~

You had fallen asleep on your side while petting one of Minho’s cats, who also fell asleep. You slept in the middle of the bed, no sheets or covers on you. Only a pillow to lay your head.

Something made the cat wake up. She seemed to hiss at something before leaving the room. You moved a bit at the loss of the cat’s warmth yet continued sleeping.

But again you had that sudden feeling. The feeling that something wasn’t right.

Just as you started to wake yourself up, you heard a familiar voice that made your heart skip a beat.

“Hi, babygirl…”

In a state of panic, you nearly screamed and backed into the pillows and headboard. It was him. Your ex boyfriend. How was he here??

You were frozen in place as he moved closer, standing next to you where the nightstand was.

“Don’t be scared…”

“W-what are you doing here?!” You managed to say, shaking when he got closer.

“I just came to see you.” He said with a smile. His voice was eerily calm as he reached to hold your hand. “I miss you, baby.

You instantly pull your hand away and try scooting away from him.

“Don’t you miss me…?”

“N-no… no! I-I…” you didn’t know how to get words out and he sighed.

“Baby… I never meant to hurt you…”

“Chan, how d-did you—?”

“But I’ve changed.” He said, completely ignoring you and taking your other hand.

You tensed up and couldn’t pull away as he firmly held it.

“I’ll never hurt you again.” He said with a sigh. “I just want to protect you… because I still love you.”

A tear rolled down your cheek as he let go. Was this real or a hallucination?? How did he get in?? Why is he so calm??

Chan reached to wipe your tear away but you flinched and backed away, making him pause.

“It’s okay.” Chan said and put his hand down. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

It took everything in him not to throw you over his shoulder and run out, taking you home. But he must resist.

You then hear a noise from the main room. It was the front door. Minho must be back!

“I’ll see you later, okay babygirl?” Chan said as he started to go towards the door.

“Don’t tell anyone I was here.” He said while looking back and putting his finger to his lips. “It’s our little secret.”

He blew a kiss to you and left, leaving you confused.

Minho came into the room soon after to put his wallet and keys away.

“I bought some of your favorite snacks!” He said happily while kissing your cheek.

“Thank you, oppa.”

“Hey are you okay?” Minho asked curiously. “Looks like you seen a ghost. Did something happen when I was gone?”

“… no.” You lied while looking away. “Nothing happened…”

———————————————————————

Sorry it took forever yall. I was stuck for a while and a lot of life stuff happened. 😅

Thank you for waiting tho! I love and appreciate you all 🥰

[mintywolf]

(I wrote this on the train coming home on August 26th although I am just getting around to posting it now because time is a weird soup.)

So okay.

****

I haven’t written a personal journal post in a long time but I want to write down EVERYTHING I can remember about my adventure to NYC to see the Critical Role cast so I don’t forget. It was SUCH a moving experience and I’m so glad I went even though I was scared.

So okay my big goal for this year was to finish the first chapter of my C3 prequel fan comic A Long Road Home (southerngothiccomic.com), have a print edition made, and meet Laura and Marisha at a convention so I could give copies of it to them in person. When the CR cast announced they were going to be at Anime NYC this year I figured that was the closest they were probably going to get to me in Virginia. (And getting autographs at NYCC is reportedly like hunting a unicorn so I figured this would be my best chance.)

I was also terrified, and almost talked myself out of it because I was nervous about giving them the comic, even though I already had a badge and it was what I really, really wanted to do. I know the cast loves to see fanart — and also, it has been revealed, reads the fanfic — but it’s also a pretty well-known taboo for a fan to show their fanfic to a creator and a graphic novel is an unholy hybrid of the two. I was also worried that it would seem presumptuous of me to present them with a fanmade prequel graphic novel because there’s almost certainly going to be an official one at some point, and afraid that at best they might politely tell me they couldn’t accept it (for the reasons that comic writers aren’t “allowed” to read fanfic), and at worst they might be kind of annoyed that it exists. Either way I’d be REALLY sad, and in the weeks leading up to the con I worked myself up into an irrational panic about this. Fortunately my friends managed to talk me into not backing out (and spoilers: it turned out okay in the end!) but I was still very scared.

Also I was so focused on the comic stuff that I forgot until after GenCon earlier this month to think of what I wanted to actually have autographed. I decided to get a big print of the chapter one cover from INPRNT, assuming that since I ordered it two weeks in advance with an eta of 5-7 days that would be plenty of time for it to get to me. Well, reader, it was not. (But please do not let me dissuade you from using INPRNT! To their credit when I contacted them and asked if I could upgrade to rush delivery, they expedited it for free. Unfortunately even with rush shipping it just missed me, arriving at my house while I was on the train to NYC.)

Pâté on the train going to see his biological parents. (Laura and Marisha.)

When I saw that it wasn’t going to arrive in time I was starting to panic because there is nowhere near me to have art prints made. It’s a 15 minute drive (past the alpaca farm) just to get to the nearest grocery store. Grasping at straws I was kind of like Should I . . . draw something? On paper?? With real media that I haven’t used in like 10 years??? I only have 3 days!!!

Fortunately my life was saved by @emphaticembroiderer who had the brilliant suggestion of sending my art ahead to a print shop in NYC and picking it up before the convention. There are indeed MANY of those in New York and I managed to find one that was open on Saturdays and able to make my print on short notice. (567 Framing on W 14th street. The owner, Jack Hu, did excellent work and was very kind!) By that point I was frazzled and didn’t want two of the same print so I decided to be self-indulgent and had this one made. Not my showiest piece but it is one of my favorite things I’ve drawn. (This turned out to be the correct decision.) It’s a 6 1/2 hour train ride from here to there (and it got a little delayed along the way) so by the time I got there it was after 5 and the print shop closed at 6:30 so I zoomed over there straight from the train station to pick it up. It turned out BEAUTIFULLY, and the owner was pleased with how happy I was with it and that he’d been able to help.

He enjoys that he is included.

Then I went and checked in to my hotel and that point really just wanted to lie down on a bed but I had plans to take Pâté to see Hadestown on Broadway that night because I wanted to make the most of my trip. (Also it’s important for our scrungly son to receive a cultural education.) In keeping with the theme of the weekend I wore the Laudna-themed sundress I made for GenCon with one of the poppies in my hair. An usher told me they liked my ensemble. :) I had decided to go for a front row mezzanine seat because I didn’t know when I’d ever have this opportunity again and I didn’t want to risk my miniature self being stuck behind a tall person. It was perfect; I could see everything and the performance was AMAZING. Pâté had a very good time too.

The next day was the CR panel and autographs!! I decided to wear my 1950s Laudna cosplay from GenCon. I had some doubts about it when I got there because without the rest of 50s Bells Hells the theme isn’t as clear and outside of a DnD-focused convention the recognizability of a CR character is kind of low, let alone an AU variant on one. But once I found the Critters my Pâté poodle skirt was appreciated. :)

This is Rach @dadrielle, Astoria @astoriacolumnstaircase, Abby @overnighttosunflowers, and me as 50s Hells at GenCon!

And okay I know this said a lot but it’s true, CR fans are the NICEST fandom to be a part of. <3 If you’re ever standing in line for a CR thing by the time you get there you will have new friends. (For comparison the other-fandoms cosplayers I saw at the hotel and on the way to the con didn’t even return my smiles, even though we were all clearly going to the same place.) I fell in with a group of people who were near me in line (including an amazing Owlbearman cosplayer) and we decided to all sit together. The panel was really great. I don’t remember everything that was asked because of everything ELSE that happened later that day but they hinted that Big Things are coming (including multiple live shows!! Please come to Richmond! Or DC! Or at least somewhere on the East Coast!) for the 10th anniversary and Momlan stepped up to the mic during the Q&A segment and revealed that Sam has achieved his childhood dream . . . to become a minotaur. :D

With the mindset of making the most of this trip I had intended to try to get a spot in line to ask a question but I was hesitant about being on camera (even in cosplay) and while I was dithering about it like 50 people got in line. (I was also Suffering by that point because my rockabilly Laudna shoes have like 3 inch heels and after walking from the hotel to the convention center I didn’t have the fortitude to dart over to the line in them.)

My question, which I hope to submit next time there’s a Q&A opportunity, was this: For Marisha. We’ve seen Delilah’s influence manifesting in Laudna’s fashion choices recently. Now that she has the means and the freedom to do so, what kind of clothes would she choose for herself?

(Because I am a little sad that — until a possible post-campaign oneshot — we’ll never get to see a high-level Laudna costume that’s totally of her own design and I’m really eager to know what it would look like! Let her be spooky and free!)

Afterwards the cosplayers were being rounded up for a photo shoot but I was anxious to get a good spot in line for my autograph with Laura at 2pm so I stealthed away with Ken (@elissabrat), a Jester fan I had met in line, who knew where they were and had one with Travis at the same time. When we got there we were told No, go away and come back in an hour and a half, because it was still only 12. So we went to the Artists Alley where we found a girl named Lea whom we had also met in the panel line and collected a few other stray Critters (Ken has a boisterous and inviting personality and importantly, is very tall, preventing the rest of us from getting lost in the crowd) and we wandered around seeking out all the CR fan artists we could find. (There were a lot! It was great. I got some prints.)

by Cait May and Maliveth

Around 1 we decided to go back and see what the line situation was. Before we parted ways I exchanged twitter handles with Lea, who looked at my profile and said “Wait . . . this is you?”

She told me she was a big fan of my comic and looks forward to it every week! and we were both kind of like !!! at each other for a moment. I had never met someone who recognized my art in the wild before. (On ANY other day this would have been the most amazing thing that happened to me, haha.) I was so touched to meet her. <3

I took out the two books I was carrying and explained why I was there and we all got hyped up about it. And it made it feel a little less daunting, to know that there was someone there who understood the quest I was on and how close I was to the end of it.

I was like 5th in line for Laura and since it was still early I got to participate in that bonding experience integral to every con, sitting on the floor in cosplay, with a very good Vex behind me. (Hilariously, even after the dig at them — or maybe unaware of it — in the most recent episode, there were a lot of Funko Pop resellers around us, haha.)

I sent word to Southern Gothic Discord to remember me fondly in case I died here. In fact I'm not entirely sure that I didn't.

It felt like there was a disproportionate amount of fanfare revealing my print because I kept it how it was packed by the printer, wrapped in paper in between two pieces of cardboard so it wouldn’t get bent, so there was this whole ceremony of peeling back the tape, turning under one of the cardboard protectors, unfolding the paper, and turning over the print. But Laura loved it. She made like a happy sob when she saw it (it was really cute) and she looked at it for a long time taking in all the details and said it was beautiful. <3 <3 <3 (No matter how much we love and ship Imogen and Laudna, NO ONE loves them or is shipping them harder than Laura Bailey. She asked if I was going to bring it to Marisha too and was careful picking out a spot so there'd be room for both of their signatures. :))

I told her I was really happy to meet her because I’ve been a fan since BloodRayne (so, um. 20 years) and she said “oh wow, that was OG days!” And she gave me just a really kind look like she understood how much it meant to me to be there.

Then I gave her the comic. You all were right, I was worried about nothing! because she is the sweetest and she loved it. I very nervously pushed it across the table and said it was a comic I had made and wanted to give her. She picked it up and started turning the pages and was surprised when she saw what it was. “Wait, this is a whole novel! You made this?”

I confessed that I had, and she asked how long it had taken, I told her about a year (it was actually longer; in the moment I kind of forgot not how many pages there are in the first chapter but how many weeks are in a year) and she looked just really impressed that I had made it and touched by how much work had gone into it. She said she couldn’t wait to read it and seemed really excited to hear that it’s still going online! (So no pressure on me there if she's keeping up with it now, haha. o.o) And she kept looking between the book and me like she couldn’t believe it.

Then she asked me if I would sign it for her. :')

Somehow I survived long enough to do so! (a little wobbly because my hands were shaking) and someone (I think it was the ticket scanner) made a joke about how I was the first person to give an autograph at a signing, haha. And then she came around the table and gave me a hug. <3 <3 <3

After that my soul was still on the ethereal plane but the rest of me managed to find my way (after a brief wrong turn) to Marisha’s line. (There was a really good Keyleth and Caduceus in line behind me and they kindly noticed and returned the Pâté sticker that fell out of Marisha’s book).

She recognized my cosplay as 1950s Laudna right away! which was very validating after my earlier indecision haha. She loved the Pâté skirt and thought the scissors embroidery on my collar was adorable. She really liked the art too and was kind of like “Awww” about the book like in an “aww it’s an Imogen and Laudna thing” kind of way (she also liked the glass bottle windchimes on the cover and I love that she noticed that detail because Laudna’s penchant for turning things other people have thrown away into arts and crafts is one of my favorite aspects of her character) until she opened it and started looking through it.

Then she said, “Wait, this is actually really good," and she asked me seriously if Liam “Art Dad” knew about it (I said he had liked some of my other art on Twitter but I didn’t know if he knew about the comic) and then she said — still looking at it, more to herself than me — “We’ll have to add it to our art catalogue.” I don’t know exactly what that means (and I don’t want to get my hopes up too high by speculating; I was too !!! in the moment to ask and now I’m going to be wondering) but . . . it sounds . . . exciting??

They also both enjoyed Pâté and his lil sunglasses. :)

I had gone up with the intention of asking my other burning question: How does being cold-blooded affect Laudna in cold climates? If she gets too cold will she enter a state of brumation like a lizard? Will she freeze solid?

But I forgot. And it really wouldn’t have been the right moment. Maybe when I come back with Volume Two. :)

You’re supposed to pay extra to get a quote put on there but they both did it anyway without even asking. I think they must be really pleased when someone brings them something personal that they’ve made to have signed and not something they’re planning to sell.

After that I just kind of floated away from the con even though it was only like 2:30 haha. Nothing else could have happened there that would have equaled or improved upon that experience. Although I did adopt a Tentacle Kitty. The vendor (correctly) guessed “you look like you’d vibe with our spooky collection” so I had to get a new buddy for Pâté. (50s Laudna, still readily identifiable as a witch wherever she goes.) Also I saw a very chill emotional support pomeranian in a backpack.

(On the way back I saw the mark of the Traveler graffiti’d in green on the sidewalk. Truly a blessed day. :P)

Afterwards I just sat on the bed in my hotel room amid the floof of my crinoline wondering what even is my life for the next few hours and being like !!!! at Discord. Then I met up with Abby (whom it was wonderful to see again!! thank you so much for coming to see me) for dinner and had a really lovely time going over the What Just Happened of it all and talking about Imodna over strawberry pancakes. As one does. Perfect ending to an amazing day. <3

It was SUCH an incredible, exhilarating experience, thank you everyone who pushed me into not giving up out of fear. Laura and Marisha are SO nice and gracious in person and it was just so rewarding, after all the work and love and time I’ve put into this comic, to be able to finally bring it to the people who inspired it! And to see it appreciated and admired by them! It was more than I ever could have imagined.

This fandom is the best. My heart is so happy and full of love right now. <3 <3 <3

[jenyifer]

Hum I realized I haven’t shared any of my book recs on here. I know I should watch new bl. I plan on finding something in June.

Since I got broken up I’ve been reading lgbt books. My ex gf had been showing me things about being lgbt that I had never imagined before and without her I still wanted to learn to experience different stories. So I used my love of fantasy and sci-fi and started listening and reading as much as I could. I don’t really care for overly spicy things but I like when the characters are realistic adults. So keep that in mind with this list.

1. The House in the Cerulean Sea 10/10 Fantasy great characters and mc growth. Found family always gets me. The ending was perfect. I’ve listened to it 15 times and forced my parents and uncle to read it. I’m excited for book 2.

2. The Darkness Outside of Us. 10/10 Sci-fi Space. This book made me feel so much. Surprised me. Had me gasping for air in my cube to the point people had to ask if I was okay. Had me running to the car to cry as I listened to the last part. Go in blind and enjoy the space and gay of it all.

3. Dark Rise 10/10 Classic Fantasy It is incredibly rare any book surprises me. Most of the time I can guess the plot a mile away. Dark Rise hit me over the head a couple times had me crying. But it was so epic and adventurous reminded of the feeling I had reading David Eddings as a child. (Not that lgbt as I would have liked but… it was there I assume book 2 a lot more)

4. Iron Widow 10/10 Sci-fi Mechs Fantasy Post Apocalypse I adore a mechs and history. It was extremely exciting. I adore the main couple even though main girl is actually mentally unstable but you love her anyways.

5. The Extraordinaries 9/10 Superhero. The main character is lovably stupid aside from his ADHD which I can relate on. I loved the lesbian side couple. The story was fun felt like it was written for the early college me who loved superheroes.

5. Adam Binder Series White Trash Warlock 9/10. Urban Fantasy. It gives me flash backs to Harry Dresden and Iron Druid but not in the obvious way just in vibe. I love main characters being country. I’m from Mississippi not Oklahoma but I can relate to being a gay in a small town moving to a big city. I love the main couple. The mystery magic system was interesting. I wish it had a bit more romance actually. Just because I love the main couple and side characters a lot and want happiness. I wish I could get more people to read this one it’s wonderful a lot better than a lot of urban str8 fantasy I’ve read and it was my main category for years. The mystery element was decent. I need to start book 3.

6. Ocean’s Echo 8.5/10 sci-fi mystery the main characters are… so wonderful. They are extreme but I love them so much. I’ll protect them to the end of days. I have this book over it’s… I guess in the same universe book Winter’s Orbit because I think the mystery suspense is more intense in Ocean’s echo also much more spacey sci-fi. Romance is also arranged marriage but is VERY different from winters orbit. I wish… I wish this book wasn’t associated with the other because it gets unfairly compared because the narrator is the same etc but Ocean’s Echo is great in its own right and is definitely not a copy

7. Winter’s Orbit 8.5/10 MYSTERY sci-fi edging on fantasy. Arranged marriage. Slow burn. These characters are also 10/10 I love them. I have experienced an abusive relationship before and appreciated seeing a character with the scars a similar past. Often if a character is portrayed as in an abusive relationship they focus on the event but it effects Everything in your world. Even now I have these scars after 8 years. I loved the mystery it was the main focus which I liked. The romance felt natural.

8. Fragile Remedy 8/10 one of the first books I read it made me cry and was a good single dystopian gem. Had a real… divergent hunger games kind of vibe to the world from what I remember.

9. Lightning struck heart 7/10 classic fantasy this is what I said on my insta at the time “It is an extremely comedic fantasy adventure with wizards, unicorns, knights, and dragons. Right up my alley! However the ending was disappointing. I'll listen to the next book in the series and hope it improves. Just found character arch unbelievable in last chapters.”

10. A wish upon a star by tj klune ^follow up books I read like 4 of them 5/10 I did stop listening to it this is what I said on my insta “Well I continued listening the tales of verania series and made it to the original end of the series. I'd say if you want a gay fantasy comedy without too much thinking Listen to the audio. Narrator is the biggest part of why I didn't quit. Idk if I'll read the other books though it is very friendship is magic smooth brain ideas I've read”

Unable to finish (been desperately trying to find a lesbian story and finding nothing)

Girl, Serpent, Thorn 4/10 my review from insta “Unable to finish it. The world is interesting. The first 3rd seemed promising but after major conflict the writing goes way down. But the MC doesn't grow. The f/f is so shallow it made me roll my.eyes until I had to stop listening. Wanted the bad guy to win and kill everyone”

The Midnight Girls. So intensely annoying and childish. I couldn’t do it I think I made it to chapter 3 but it was a struggle.

In the ravenous dark. I got to one third of the audio book and had to stop. The universe was okay but main girl was very annoying. Was kind of hoping her and the ghost would be together not… not the weird bullshit that was going on. Idk what the end of the book was going to be but it was not for me.

I’ll post another with my current to read list. I’m really going through them now because I have to drive two hours a day to and from work. Give me your suggestions though please thank you.

[lavenderstobins]

Here’s a masterlist of all the Stranger Things fics I’ve posted! Mostly Robin/Nancy and Steve & Robin 💜

Last updated: 09/11/24 | AO3 | Twitter | ☕️ Ko-Fi

🪻Highlights

➤ love will tear us apart Steve & Robin | T | 12k Robin gets Vecna'd. ➤ leave the speaker on and stay Steve & Robin | T | 8.6k | stobin month 2023 Steve and Robin meet in 1984 instead. ➤ through the years we all will be together (if the fates allow) Steve & Robin | T | 19.6k Steve and Robin work on Christmas. Everyone brings a little bit of Christmas to them.

🌿 Multichapter Fics

➤ you're out of touch, i'm out of time Steve & Robin, Robin/Nancy, Steve/Eddie | T | 12/12 | 75.5k Steve and Nancy travel back in time to 1983 and try to fix things.

➤ in the web that is my own, i begin again (WIP) Steve & Robin | T | 6/11 | 32.5k Steve struggles to balance his superhero identity with his regular life.

➤ one more or one less (WIP) Steve & Robin | T | 1/? | 2.5k After Starcourt, Steve realises that Robin's missing.

➤ holding my last breath (WIP) Nancy/Robin | M | 1/12 | 3.6k | Scream AU There's a killer targeting teenagers in Hawkins. After the killer takes the life of one of Nancy's friends, she'll stop at nothing to get justice.

➤ chasing visions of our futures (WIP) Stevie/Eddie, Stevie & Robin, Robin/Nancy | T | 2/7 | 4k Stevie's dead set on nudging Robin and Nancy together. She's not expecting to realise her feelings for Eddie along the way.

➤ separation brings us awfully close Robin/Chrissy, Robin/Nancy, Chrissy/Nancy, Chrissy & Eddie | T | 3/3 | 9.8k Chrissy learns the hard way that Spider-Woman can’t save everyone.

➤ you’re someone (who knows someone i once knew) (WIP) T | 1/3 | 4.4k Steve Harrington dies. Decades later, Dustin Henderson resurrects him. This is not that story. That story’s already been told. No, this is about what comes after.

🍊 Oneshots

➤ you got light in your eyes Steve & Robin | T | 7.2k | Sequel to Out of Touch Steve can't stop thinking about what Mr. Hauser had told him about Robin.

➤ the pleasure, the privilege is mine Steve & Robin | T | 7.6k Robin won’t let Steve go alone. Not even at the end of the world.

➤ share the same space for a minute or two Robin/Nancy | G | 2.4k Nancy isn’t yet sure what to do with herself now that the world isn’t ending. Robin helps.

➤ the future's unwritten, the past is a corridor Nancy & Eddie, Steve & Robin, Robin/Nancy, Steve/Eddie | T | 26.3k Robin and Nancy have just moved into their new house with their son, next door to Steve, Eddie and their daughter.

➤ guess i'm a coward (i just want to feel alright) Steve/Eddie, Eddie & everyone | T | 7.2k When the bats attack, Eddie sticks to the plan, and he runs, and he lives. He thinks, maybe, that he’ll hate himself forever for it.

➤ cracks in your ceiling Robin/Nancy | T | 9.9k Nancy has a movie night with friends, invents a new disease, and quite possibly has her life ruined by Sigourney Weaver.

➤ in war, in peace, in death Steve/Eddie, Steve & Robin, Robin/Nancy | T | 7.8k Steve realises Robin's alive, trapped in the Fade. (A Dragon Age AU)

➤ now i've found a real love  Robin/Nancy, Nancy & Mike | T | 8.7k Nancy Wheeler deserves a good Christmas. In fact, they all do.

➤ used to be you but now it's you and me Steve & Robin | T | 2.4k | twin stars stobin zine contribution It's only natural to cry on your birthday.

➤ 'cause i'm gonna be free and i'm gonna be fine Steve & Robin | T | 7.5k Two decades after the Upside Down closes for good, Steve's daughter goes viral on TikTok, and things quickly escalate from there.

➤ this dream isn't feeling sweet Lucas & Robin, Robin/Vickie | T | 13.1k Lucas finds himself struggling at the post-championship game party.

➤ there’s joy not far from here (i know there is) Steve & Robin, Steve & Robin & the Party | T | 3.7k Steve, Robin and the party have an important discussion about homophobia.

➤ HOW TO SURVIVE THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE: A GUIDE BY DUSTIN HENDERSON Dustin & everyone | G | 2.5k Dustin's guide to the apocalypse.

➤ this is how we'll dance Steve & Robin & Eddie, minor Robin/Carol, Steve & Dustin | T | 1.8k Prom night 1985 from Robin, Eddie and Steve's perspectives.

➤ hold onto hope if you got it Wayne & Eddie, Wayne & Everyone | G | 2k When the trailer park is destroyed, Wayne loses his mug collection of twenty years. Eddie decides this is unacceptable and must be rectified.

➤ you will surely be the death of me  Steve & Robin, Steve & Robin & the Party | G | 4.4k When Eddie plans to go out of town, Robin and Steve finally agree to play a D&D campaign, on the following conditions: 1) it’s one session, and 2) Robin’s the DM.

➤ life among the dead  Nancy & Robin & Steve, Robin/Nancy | T | 1.3k A Pushing Daisies AU in which Nancy can resurrect the dead.

➤ tonight i'll dream while i’m in bed Robin & Steve, minor Robin/Nancy | G | 4.1k Steve and Robin met, once, long before Scoops Ahoy and Starcourt Mall.

➤ sing me to sleep Robin & Steve & Nancy | T | 1.5k Nancy goes searching for Robin in the Upside Down after Steve dies.

➤ caught up in the motion Robin/Nancy, Robin & Steve, Robin & the Party | T | 3.2k Robin accidentally wears Nancy's Emerson t-shirt to work. Problem is, nobody apart from Steve knows that they're dating.

➤ kiss and (don't) tell Steve/Eddie, Eddie & the Party | T | 1.8k Eddie has a hickey. The party try to figure out who gave it to him.

🩵 Josieverse

➤ bright as the morning sun Steve & Robin & Josie | G | 1.4k | stobin month 2024 A slice-of-life oneshot revolving around Robin, Steve and Josie.

➤ here's to my future (here's to my yesterday) Steve & Robin & Eddie | T | 3.3k Robin’s three months pregnant and still only two people know. They’ve been invited to Dustin’s Halloween party, though. She can keep it a secret. Probably.

➤ all for freedom and for pleasure Steve & Josie & Eddie | G | 0.8k Eddie discovers that Robin’s daughter has learnt how to blackmail people.

➤ what you fear the most Steve & Robin & Josie | G | 1k Steve comes home to find Robin and her daughter Josie seemingly trapped.

➤ somebody that you used to know Robin/Valerie, Steve & Robin | M | 1.9k Before Josie was born—before everything changed—Robin had had something with Valerie. Nothing serious, nothing labelled, but it mattered all the same.

➤ when you touch the stars, hold my hand Steve & Robin & Josie | T | 3.3k Josie is confused about why she doesn’t have a dad.

🌹 Smut fics

➤ if this feeling flows both ways Robin/Nancy | E | 9.1k Nancy accidentally receives a sext from Robin and can’t stop thinking about it.

➤ i’d suffer hell if you’d tell me Robin/Nancy | E | 8.8k It’s been a while since Nancy’s had time alone with Robin. She intends to make the most of it.

🌸 Rarepairs

➤ every time it rains Steve/Kali | G | 1.6k Kali wouldn't class herself as someone fond of walks, but she is fond of Steve.

➤ neck full of mockingbirds (WIP) Robin/Carol | E | 9/? | 7.5k Carol and Robin, from start to end.

➤ i wanna be adored Nancy/Eden | G | 1.9k Nancy's lonely. Eden's there.

[lighten-up-no-one-died]

How I think Race and Spot will end up after the strike.

Well first of all, once they are old enough, which technically they are, they will find better jobs. Spot later on will have enough money to get Race a promise ring. That would be like maybe 6-7 years after the strike. They decided it was best to move to Paris, since France decriminalized same sex acts in 1791.

Race has quit smoking during his time in France. But after around 9-10 years of peaceful life in France, the Great War happened. They of course fought in it, plus, U.S and France fought together. So either way they won’t get called a traitor.

Once Race and Spot reached to their 60-70s, Spot has passed before Race because of WWII. But Race didn’t have enough money for a grave. So later on, Race of course went back to Manhattan with the cheapest ticket. Manhattan itself of course has also changed. Jack still stayed in NYC, Davey became a banker or something, a few other newsies either left New York, lived a better life, or passed away in WWI.

But Race will still visit the lodge house because that’s technically one of the few place he remembers. Everyone was still slightly terrified of Spot, but not as bad as in the past. Race was always willing to share about Spot, and whenever someone brings him up, he would say, “Spot Conlon? I’ve heard of him…” and even though Illinois decriminalized same sex acts in 1962, Race was already 81 years old.

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for telling my parents that they should stop trying to get my brother out of the psych ward?

(Tw/Cw, mentions of self harm & suicide)

I (f) live with both my parents and my older brother. I cannot move out yet (due to a plethora of reasons). My brother has been known to loose his temper and become violent, and has hurt me when he was mad before. This was reported to my parents who said that this was normal for a teenage boy, (at the time) I was having a hard time feeling safe in my house and own room previously, as he also had no sense of privacy. For the past 6-7 months, my Brother has been going through a lot of mental health struggles and recently tried to off himself, and was put in a psychiatric hospital, and had been there for two days. My parents are currently trying to get him out and my dad has joked about literally breaking him out. Last night, I told my dad that I don’t want my brother in the current hospital, which is more of a holding cell, but I don’t want him to stay at home, because I don’t feel safe, and in the past two days he’s been gone, I’ve felt the safest that I have felt in almost a year. My dad (and mom) are now mad at me because I “should care more” and I’m “being selfish.”

AITA for telling my parents that they should stop trying to get my brother out of the psych ward, because I will again feel unsafe if he is at home?

What are these acronyms?

[blouisparadise]

Upon request, today we have a rec list of A/B/O fics with touch deprivation! If you enjoy our rec lists and want them to continue, please be sure to like and reblog this post to help spread the word.

1) Get Nesting & Soft Knots | General Audiences | 5,714 words

Note: It is also locked and can only be read by AO3 users.

AU where Omega Louis who runs a nesting materials Youtube channel meets Alpha Harry who knits his own blankets.

2) Every Time We Touch | General Audiences | 5,806 words

Note: It is also locked and can only be read by AO3 users.

Louis laughed when he heard the term professional cuddler for the first time. His doctor let Louis laugh and then explained the purpose behind the profession and how it could help Louis. It took a few weeks but Louis finally scheduled an appointment, now all he had to do was leave his car and walk into the house.

3) Tearing Me Apart | Not Rated | 6,079 words

Louis knew his heart was breaking and there was nothing he could do about it. He knew the day his best friend finally presented as an Alpha that he was his alpha but Harry kept breaking his heart. He kept bringing random omegas into their shared apartment and Louis just cried each night with a hand over his mouth to stifle the noise. His touch deprivation was getting bad but his alpha didn't know.

4) Everything Comes Back To You | Explicit | 8,643 words

Harry and Louis are childhood best friends. What happens when Harry has to move towns just as they are starting their secondary gender presentations? What happens when fate brings them back together years later in the most unexpected of ways?

5) Night Out | Explicit | 9,741 words

Note: This fic is the prequel to fic #xx on this list. It is also locked and can only be read by AO3 users.

Symphony hall was the first place Louis had felt at home in this city, and he always had the box to himself. Until tonight. Symphony hall was the first place Louis had felt at home in this city, and he always had the box to himself. Until tonight.

6) Unfortunate Fortunes | Not Rated | 9,793 words

There are three stages of touch deprivation. Stage one is very mild, stage two leads to itchy skin and restless nights, but stage three is the worst. Omegas with stage three touch deprivation, rarely survive because the only cure for it is finding your true mate. Louis Tomlinson is an omega with stage three touch deprivation and Harry Styles is his new alpha neighbour who also happens to be a famous boxer-not that Louis knows.

7) Breathe Me In, Breathe Me Out | General Audiences | 14,263 words

Louis is drawn into a quaint candle shop in his desire to find ways to soothe himself while struggling with touch depri. It takes him two more run-ins and with the lovely alpha sales assistant, and a drop, to figure out the source of the scent that imprints upon him and calms his omega. Idiots to lovers.

8) Just Let Me | Explicit | 14,714 words

Note: This fic is locked and can only be read by AO3 users.

The party was going well. So well, Niall had already sworn undying love to one multi-tiered chocolate cake, two friendly corgi-poodle mixes, Zayn’s hair, and the entire population of Los Angeles. So well, Zayn had only laughed and ruffled Niall’s hair and not even twitched towards a cigarette. So well, nearly everyone had spilled far past the boundaries of the night’s original plans, extracting bottles of vodka from the cabinets and losing a lot of clothes. Harry had proclaimed that he was finally going to throw a small and very grownup dinner party and of course here they were three hours later, fifty people half-naked in the pool. Soon to be full-naked, if Louis had to guess. Everybody in LA loved a heated pool. Everybody loved Harry.

9) Captain Cupid | Not Rated | 15,331 words

“Right,” Niall started, finally getting the opportunity to unleash his horrible plan. “Well, as you both know, I’m an excellent matchmaker. A human Cupid. The best of the best at finding one's mate. And I’ve decided it’s time to make money doing it.” “Oh, God no,” Louis groaned, picking up his empty plate and placing it in the sink. He needed to escape as quickly as possible. Or the one where Niall enlists his friends to help start a speed dating side hustle. Things don't go as planned... or maybe they do?

10) Your Touch Is The Only Thing I Feel | Mature | 15,979 words

Liam. Liam was finally here. Louis kept his eyes closed and cuddled farther into Liam’s side, revelling in the pheromones Louis’ body desperately needed. He wasn’t sure how long Liam had been holding him, but Louis figured it had to have been at least an hour by the way his body had loosened. The need of an alpha’s touch seemed to have been temporarily lifted from his mind. Louis listened to the sounds of the pub around him. It was louder than before he had fallen asleep and he briefly wondered why Liam hadn’t just woken him to go back to their flat. “Who the fuck are you?” Louis’ eyes flew open at the sound of Niall’s voice, and the arm that had been around Louis shoulders lifted in the same instant. He missed the warmth immediately. Louis looked from Niall’s stormy face over to the person who was definitely not Liam. The alpha Liam impersonator, who smelled a lot better than the actual Liam now that Louis was alert, looked back at Louis with wide eyes and familiar furrowed brows.

11) Etched In Salt (Is A Cathedral Of The World) | Explicit | 24,417 words

Note: This fic has mentions of BH.

Louis asks for very few things in life, and they are: to solve cases, to keep bad people from doing their bad things, to get good coffee, to go home to a spacious apartment with nobody else in it, and to manage his stupid telempathy powers with minimal interference. And now he's stuck in a tiny cabin in a snowstorm in the middle of god-awful-nowhere with Harry Styles. Because of course he is. Louis asks for very few things in life, and they are: to solve cases, to keep bad people from doing their bad things, to get good coffee, to go home to a spacious apartment with nobody else in it, and to manage his stupid telempathy powers with minimal interference. And now he's stuck in a tiny cabin in a snowstorm in the middle of god-awful-nowhere with Harry Styles. Because of course he is.

12) You Go Undercover (You Cross Your Fingers) | Explicit | 25,815 words

Louis didn’t think that motherhood would be easy, but he certainly wasn’t prepared for just how challenging it would be. He also wasn't prepared for a certain alpha called Harry appearing each time he needs help until accepting is no longer a difficult thing to do.

13) Dont Know Its Lost Til You Find It | Explicit | 30,614 words

Maybe it’ll be better this way. Maybe Louis just needs to distance himself, get over his crush so Harry doesn’t have to worry about his obsessive friend who feels too much and says too little. He wonders what this girl is like. What she looks like, what conversations they had to make Harry fall for her in three days. If maybe she’s just stellar in bed. If she smells like heaven or if it’s just the fact she’s a girl. He wonders and wonders, resists the temptation to stare at the alpha, and gets exactly no work done.

14) Compass To My Soul | Teen & Up | 31,439 words

Harry Styles, alpha, is 1/4 of the perfect pack, and 1/5 of world famous boy band One Direction. He spends his time touring the world with his best friends and family. Louis Tomlinson, omega, is 1/5 of world famous boy band One Direction. He spends his time hoping his bandmates don’t notice him.

15) Here, And Where You Are. | General Audiences | 32,852 words

In a world where astrology is real and advanced, Harry finds out that Louis is his soulmate. The catch? Louis’s at the heart of a protest for omega/soulmate rights against the very case Harry is representing at court. Before they pass each other too many times, the universe takes it upon themselves to make them meet.

16) Too Young To Know | Mature | 35,412 words

Louis blinked awake and quickly wiped the tears from his eyes. This was the second morning in a row he had woken up after dreaming about Harry. “Babe, what’s wrong?” Eric asked as he held Louis tighter in his arms. Louis liked being the little spoon, except for when he’d rather be holding someone else. Which were the past two days.

17) Picking Up The Pieces | Explicit | 37,607 words

Louis returns to his hometown for the first time in ten years for his high school reunion and is faced with memories he’s long since tried to forget.

18) Give Me Love | Explicit | 41,041 words

Louis doesn't feel like a good omega, Harry doesn't remember how to be an alpha, and they figure it out together.

19) All I Want For Christmas Is You | Not Rated | 43,248 words

A Christmas AU in which a soft alpha with gorgeous green eyes and an even prettier smile moves into Louis' apartment complex and turns the omega's world upside down during his most favourite time of the year - featuring christmas decorating, christmas markets, cookies in the making, and copious amounts of mulled wine (and kisses).

20) Your Touch Shouldn't Make Me Feel Like This | Explicit | 48,883 words

Uni AU in which Alpha Harry has been in love with his omega friend for the longest time and one motorbike trip to the countryside with Louis made him realize that he could no longer hold back his feelings.

21) Hold On To Your Heart | Explicit | 54,183 words

The Proposal AU, where Louis is the no-nonsense editor in chief of one of the largest publishing houses in the country, and Harry is the unlucky assistant that gets roped into a fake engagement to prevent his boss from being deported. Things don't go as planned.

22) Your Gift is Wasted On Me | Not Rated | 54,472 words

Omega Louis has severe touch deprivation and is averse to touch. But he’s fine. Really. Alpha Harry is the new neighbor who loves to bake cookies and is very curious about the omega across the hall.

23) Lost & Found In Oblivion | Explicit | 74,779 words

Omega Louis decided to hire an alpha for his heat to ease his touch deprivation, but little did he know everything would grow into so much more.

24) Invisible String | Explicit | 84,911 words

Louis swears on his life that that man came out of literal nowhere and he thanks each lucky star for having good breaks in his car. This strange alpha also happens to be the most beautiful being Louis has laid his eyes on. For some unknown reason, the omega feels safe around the alpha. It might seem strange, but you can't always explain why or how things are the way they are. All you can really be sure of is that they happen for a reason. There's a higher power (call it what you want) that knows better and definitely knows more than you do.

25) Saving Symphony Hall | Explicit | 124,766 words

Note: This fic is a sequel to fic #xx on this list. It is also locked and can only be read by AO3 users.

“I think I have an idea,” Louis said. Slowly, and reluctantly, but with a growing sense of the inevitable. “God damnit, I think I have a really good idea.” “Oh christ, that's the problem-solving face,” Babs said. “Last time we saw that face, he sold a company.” “Wait, what?” Zayn asked. “Right place, right time,” Louis said. “Also, fuck my life,” “What?” Zayn repeated. Niall patted his hand. “I usually just roll with whatever Louis is about to do,” he said. “It’s better for us all.” “That’s the attitude,” said Louis, “I’ll tell you tomorrow. Tonight, I need to do some research. Zayn, give me your number. I’m gonna save our symphony.”

26) The Longer the Waiting the Sweeter the Kiss (It's Better My Darlin' I Promise You This) | Explicit | 160,589 words

It all started with a letter from his grandmother's Executor of the Estate. His life had been just fine in New York, he'd had a great internship, more friends than he knew what to do with, and a powerful family name to provide a million opportunities for him. But the minute he'd received that letter a desire for more was born. That was how he wound up here, stranded on the side of a dusty old road with a broken down car and a carry-on full of dreams.

Check out our other fic rec lists by category here and by title here.

[acewritesfics]

Do you Believe in Ghosts? | Eddie Munson

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Reader

Request: From Anon

Warnings: Mentions of drug use. Established relationship. Swearing. Attempted stripping. Been awhile since I wrote for Eddie and I feel bad about it. 

Word Count: 663

Stranger Things Masterlist | Main Masterlist

Eddie Munson, at this moment, feels like he’s in heaven. He’s relaxed, stretched out on the tattered couch and watching the angel in front of him rocking out and singing along to AC/DC’s Highway to Hell in nothing but her blondie t-shirt and a pair of black lace panties. Y/N had lost her jeans about an hour ago claiming that her legs felt like they were on fire. 

A bright light began to grow around her. It shone brighter than any other light he’s seen before. He's pretty sure it's the weed he smoked with her earlier that's making him see the glowing light but he couldn't care less. It made her look even more angelic which he found hilarious because of the song she was currently singing and dancing too. 

“86 is definitely my year,” he mumbles to himself as he becomes further captivated by the woman in front of him.  

He tries his hardest to keep his eyes focused on her upper half of her body but occasionally caught himself focused on her ass, and thinking about how her panties perfectly complimented it. 

“I’m so fucking hot,” she says as she grabs the hem of her shirt and goes to lift it off when he scrambles up off the couch, stopping her. 

“I don’t need the whole show tonight, sweetheart,” he removes her hands from the shirt, stopping her from stripping it off. 

“I think it’s time to sit down,” she says pushing past him and throws herself down on the couch. Leaning over the coffee table, she grabs a slice of pizza that they ordered around the time Y/N lost her jeans. She takes a bite of her slice and looks as though she’s contemplating something. “You’re awfully quiet today.” 

"It seems I don't have much to say today," he smiles lazily at her.  

"You, Edward Munson, have run out of things to say?" she asks, pretending to be stunned by his admission.  

Placing her slice of pizza back on the coffee table, she climbs across the couch and on to his lap after he sits back down. She sits on her knees with her legs on either side of his thighs. Resting her hands on his shoulders, she moves one to the back of his head to run through his curls. He leans forward and places a soft kiss to her lips tasting pepperoni, weed and the beer they just finished drinking. 

“Do you believe in ghosts?” she asks after the kiss ends.  

“In ghosts?” Eddie asks making sure he heard her right as his hands move under her shirt and grips her hips. 

“Yeah!” she exclaims. “I saw one once, when I was 6 or 7, I think. I was staying at my Nan’s house and I woke up in the middle of the night to a lady sitting on my bed. Scared the piss out of me.” 

“What happened after that?” He asked, genuinely curious as his thumbs starts rubbing circles into her skin. 

“I told my nan the next day and she said she use to see her when she was a little girl and that the lady was her friend and wouldn't hurt anyone.” She explains. "But I never saw her again after that." 

“I’ve never seen a ghost,” he tells her. “I’ve seen an angel though.” 

“You have?” She asks, her eyes widening with amazement as she moves to lay down on the couch. “What was she like?” 

“Beautiful,” he stares at her. 

“I bet she was,” she mumbles, placing a cushion under her head and wriggles her body around to get more comfy. 

Eddie in his haze, lets his eyes linger on her for a few seconds before he's hovering over her, kissing her hungrily as she pulls him against her, wrapping her legs around her waist. He mumbles against her lips, "I love you, angel." 

She grins from ear to ear as she kisses him back, "I love you too, dragon slayer." 

[piedpiperart]

Phantom in Gotham 7

Chapter 6

In no time at all Danny found himself in a nightwing t-shirt with black and gray bat pajama pants, hair a bit damp, and sitting on a soft couch across from Alfred with a cup of warm cocoa in his hands. “I assume you have questions?” Alfred prompted after a moment, setting his teacup down on the matching plate on the coffee table. 

“Um, yeah,”Danny stammered, looking from his cup to Alfred. He sighed,”Sorry, um. I’ve never been kidnapped by a vigilante before, so I’m not exactly sure… what to do here?”

Alfred sighed, not at Danny, but he assumed Alfred hoped the Red Hood might’ve explained a bit more before dropping him off with the man. “No need to worry, Red Hood informed me of your situation, young man. You are welcome to stay here, at the very least until the snow subsides,” Alfred informed him. “Beyond that, please make yourself at home. You may find a few familiar faces around the manor, even.”

“Who? What do you mean?” Danny asked, tilting his head and reminding Alfred of a puppy. 

“You’re residing in Wayne Manor, and I am Master Bruce’s butler,”Alfred winked, and Danny’s eyes widened. “I assume you might know the many children he’s adopted from the news. Currently Masters Damian and Timothy are home, but the others may show up at a later date.”

“The Wayne Manor?” Danny repeated absently. He vaguely recalled Tucker ranting about WayneTech. “Are you sure it’s okay for me to be here? I don’t want to cause any trouble.”

“Nonsense,” Alfred waved gracefully,”You’re welcome to stay as long as you like. There are plenty of empty rooms in this place, and it’s been feeling entirely too empty since Master Jason and Dick moved out.” 

“Well… if you’re sure,”Danny relented, sipping at his mug again. “Are you the only butler here? This place is huge.”

“Quite,” Alfred inclined his head,”There are a few other hired hands, but I am in charge of most things within the manor, such as mealtimes.”

“I could help?” Danny offered, perking up. Living in the Pizzeria left little time for cooking in an actual kitchen, and his core hummed at the prospect of helping the old man. “My parents weren’t great at cooking so my sister and I did most of the cooking around the house.”

Despite no one else but Jason allowed in his kitchen, Alfred’s heart warmed at the offer. “I’d enjoy some company, if you’d care to join me,”Alfred smiled, and Danny’s core hummed happily. Danny smiled back, and Alfred could only hope the boy was better than Dick had been in the kitchen. The poor boy somehow had found a way to set a bowl of cereal on fire that one time. 

Before anyone could add anything else, a small boy about eleven years old walked past the room with an apple in hand. The boy in question halted in his tracks and approached the two on the couches. “Another one?” The boy scoffed, and Danny took a moment to take in the kid’s cat t-shirt and nightwing pajama pants. “Pennyworth, doesn’t Father have enough children? Where is he? I must talk sense into him.”

“Master Danny here was sent for us to look after by the Red Hood,”Alfred forewarned as Danny fidgeted on the couch,”He will be staying with us while the snow is hampering his living conditions. Master Danny, meet Master Wayne’s son, Damian,” Alfred added, turning to Danny. 

“H-hi,” Danny waved awkwardly, unsure of what to say to the kid whose house he’s staying in without Damian knowing. “Nice to meet you?” Danny offered.

Damian just scoffed,”Of course. I bet Hood found him on the streets, didn’t he?”

“Hey, it’s not like I wanted to be here,”Danny shot back, exasperated,”Hood threw me over his shoulder and dragged me here. I’d leave if I could but this place is so big I don’t think I’d be able to find the door.”

Damian frowned, thinking,”You wouldn’t survive the blizzard outside even if you managed to find the door. Besides, you’re here now, might as well take advantage of the manor while you can,” Damian squinted, almost like he was testing Danny.

“I’ll have you know that I would have been perfectly fine out there,”Danny sniffed, and Damian’s eyes narrowed at him. “I’d make an igloo and burrow into it like a polar bear. So don’t worry, I’ll be out of your hair in no time.”

“Tt. Your sense of self-preservation is worrying, and I doubt your ability to make a structurally sound igloo,”The kid concluded, looking out towards the windows covered in snow.“Are you implying the snow is preferable to the manor? Why do you desire a cold death out there over warmth here?”

Danny waved his concerns off,”Your giant castle is nice, I just. I had a space to hide out in, and being kidnapped to stay here was not on my list of things to do today.”

Alfred tutted,”An abandoned building with no heat or water was not adequate housing for this sort of blizzard, young man.”

Damian ignored Danny’s mumble proclaiming that he would have been fine, and stated,”I have concluded that you may be stupid or suicidal, so I will allow you to stay here until the snow lets up, if only to not have your death on my conscience,”Damian nodded, then scowled threateningly,”If you try to leave before I or Pennyworth say so, I will make sure you stay by less than pleasant means.” He stated, then turned on his heel and left the room.

Danny made a face at that, wondering if the kid was joking or not about the ‘less than pleasant means’ that he’d go through if he tried to leave. Did they have cameras here? He wondered if he’d be able to go ghost without anyone noticing. “Do not worry,”Alfred stated, standing up gracefully. “Master Damian has a soft spot for strays, you’ll be welcome here.”

“Um… okay?”Danny said incredulously. He wasn’t even sure he wanted to be welcome here, yet his core had latched on to the frail old man like a starving cat to a tuna sandwich. He knew he’d only be able to leave once he’d made sure Alfred, and possibly Damian too, were safe during the blizzard. This day just got weirder and weirder. 

“I’m sure you’re tired. If you’ll follow me, I can show you to the guest bedroom,”Alfred offered, and Danny scrambled to his feet. He wasn’t tired in the least, and he doubted he’d be able to fall asleep at all tonight given his fucked up sleep schedule and his need for less sleep than usual anyway, but he didn’t realize that Alfred was probably tired, and needed to rest for the night. 

“Uh- sure, yeah,”Danny rambled, and the two made a detour to the kitchen to put away the cups before Alfred led Danny down a corridor with some decorations and nameplates attached to some of the doors. 

“You’re right next to Timothy, who should be asleep as of now, but if you have any issues he will be able to help you,” Alfred informed him, opening the door to the biggest room Danny had ever seen (not including Vlad’s). “I shall leave you to retire for now, master Danny, but do try and get some sleep. Breakfast starts at 8am sharp, and is mandatory for all those residing in the house tonight.”

“Do you want any help making breakfast?” Danny offered sincerely. He’d try to go exploring in his ghost form, but he knew he’d be bored and restless most of the night as he decided not to go out patrolling. Might as well try to get an early start on the day, he figured. 

“I don’t see why not,”Alfred conceded. “I usually start around 6:30, but feel free to show up whenever you wake.”

“I’ll be there,” Danny smiled brightly. It’d been so long since he’d been able to cook something with Jazz, despite his lack of appetite, he’d missed it. 

“Goodnight, Master Danny,”Alfred nodded, a soft, fond smile on his face. 

“G’night Alfred,”Danny waved as he left the corridor. He sighed, making his way into the room and face-planting onto the bed. 

What a day, he thought. 

Chapter 8

[stilespeters]

SALVATION (series)

(part 1) (part 2) (part 3) (part 4) (part 5) (part 6)

pairing: colin zabel x reader

words: 3501

A/N: sooo i had this idea in my head and I’ve written it out. I haven't written a lot the past year, but now that i joined the evan train, i thought: why not.

It's a crossover AU of mare of easttown and ahs cult, where Kai Anderson is the bad guy:) The first chapter is more of an introduction so im sorry if it’s a bit boring. Reader will meet Colin in the next chapter. If things go as planned, there will be around 12 chapters. I got 9 chapters planned out already. If the chapter is too long then I'll shorten it, feedback is always appreciated:)

Anyway, lmk if u like it. I have fun things planned. Otherwise it’s also fine. Happy new year btw!

summary: 7 years after the reign of terror caused by Kai Anderson, a detective is called to Brookfield Heights to solve a string of murders. In the meantime, a girl who struggles to find her place in the world, tries her best to move on from an incident that happened years ago.

warnings: description of violence, swearing

Part 1: the ice cream man

“This is the third one in two weeks.” Crime scene investigator Janssen explained to Detective Colin Zabel. They both looked at the crimson smiley face that stared back at them inside of a home in Brookfield Heights, Michigan. It was dark outside, and the red and blue hue of the police cars were lighting the room.

“Next door neighbors recalled hearing commotion at around 11 in the evening. The neighbors tried to call the victim’s cell phone, but there was no answer. They called the police at 12:13 who arrived at the scene at 12:34. They did a welfare check but no one opened the door. After calling for reinforcements and forcing their way in, they found the bodies of Marie Allen and Bernard Allen in the living room,” he explained. “The fibers on the chair indicated that Bernard was tied up before his death, which matches with the marks on his wrists. Marie’s neck was bruised and they both got stabbed in the chest. ”

“Any signs of forced entry?” Colin asked, but Janssen shook his head. “The front door was locked. The window on the second floor was open, but it’s impossible to reach, since there is no way to climb in from the outside. Another window on the first floor bathroom was open as well, but it only opened 10 inches. However, the door that leads to the backyard was ajar, and there were also footprints visible on the mud in the backyard.”

“Has the podiatrist examined it yet?”

“He’s on his way.” Janssen planted his hands on his hips as he analyzed the smiley on the wall again and narrowed his eyes. The nose of the smiley was smeared. “What kind of sick fuck do you have to be to finish what someone else started.” Colin raised his eyebrow.

“Started?”

“In 2016 the terror happened. Councilman Kai Anderson started a group called fear is truth. They wanted to spread fear amongst the residents of Brookfield Heights by leaving a mark; the smiley face. If it appeared in your home, it meant that you were next to be targeted by Kai, which meant you were next to get killed,” He continued. “They began their spree on October 11th. They killed 5 people in 3 months time, and they went on to kill another 4 people after that.”

Colin remembered hearing about it on the news. The man who confessed to 11 murders in total including a few of his own loyal followers, gave him chills along his spine. His charisma and intelligence made him menacing and when Colin saw him speak in a court video, it made him very uneasy. At first glance you wouldn't think he was a dangerous man.

“What stopped him eventually?” He inquired and Janssen stepped aside for a forensics photographer who wanted to get through.

“Kai and his gang targeted the wrong people. A teenager who was smoking upstairs set the house on fire whilst Kai and the others were busy killing her parents. She managed to stab one of Kai’s followers, and as he bled out, Kai left him for dead and shot him, but he managed to survive. After his recovery he demanded immunity if he were to rat out Kai and the rest. Turns out he had physical evidence of the crimes Kai and his group had committed. The surviving girl and the ex-member of Kai’s group testified against him and it was enough to lock him and his followers away for good.”

Colin felt bad for the girl. She must’ve been traumatized. She was only a teen at that time. Losing one parent is already hard enough, but losing both of your parents at the same time is something that must be devastating. Especially when it was at the hands of a sociopathic sadist.

“We did find traces of DNA,” Janssen said. “They’re running it through the database right now but it could take a while to find a match, probably 2 to 3 days.”

“Good,” Colin said and he looked at the smiley face again.

“You really think the people who did this are finishing what Kai started? Like some worshippers? They don’t look like amateurs to me.”

Janssen looked puzzled as he sucked his teeth.

“The man who got immunity for ratting out every one of the group might have left someone out, although that is not most likely. The profiler should be here soon, so he can answer your questions better than me.”

Colin nodded and Janssen looked outside. That’s when he saw a man pull up the crime scene tape. “Speak of the devil. I’ll be right back. The sooner it’s done the earlier I can go home to my wife.” He patted Colin’s back and walked to the front door.

Colin also wanted to go back to his motel room. He awoke 20 minutes prior, and immediately rushed to the crime scene.

He’d be lying if he said he wasn't exhausted, but he knew that this was a huge step up in his career. Plus, he already drunk a cup of coffee on the way to the crime scene, so he’ll manage.

Colin looked at the window and saw that a few people from the neighborhood were gathered at the other side of the pavement. He figured that it was best to see if they witnessed anything. He walked outside and a patrol officer pulled up the tape for him.

He approached an older woman who had a concerned look on her face. Her eyes were red and puffy and her glasses were pushed to the far end of her nose. It was obvious that she had just awoken, due to her bathrobe that was wrapped around her body, and she shivered.

“Hello ma'am, my name is Detective Colin Zabel,” Colin said and the woman frowned in worry.

“Oh lord, do I have to provide a statement or something? You people scare me, my husband used to be one of you. I live over there,” she pointed at the house around the corner. “I just woke up to loud noises outside and saw a bunch of people at Marie’s house.”

“It’s alright, I just want to ask a few questions,” he reassured.

“Did something bad happen to Marie? If there’s this many of you it must be bad, right? Is it the same person who killed a couple and an older couple a few weeks ago? The one who leaves those creepy paintings? I read it on the news.” Her voice was shaky and she pushed her glasses back up her nose bridge.

“We don’t know precisely, but we're doing everything we can to catch the person who did this. He won't get away, we’ll try and make sure no one else gets hurt.” She let out a sigh and she rubbed her forehead.

“I trust your word, youngman.”

She gave a weak smile, to which Colin grabbed a notebook and a pen from his pocket.

After Colin asked the woman several questions, she tried to answer them as best as possible. He tried to write the most useful information on the notepad, but the woman spoke really fast which made it hard for him to keep up.

“I remember hearing a car or something, was it at 10 pm, or was it 11pm? It could be between 10 and 11. I don’t know exactly-”

“-Grandma?” A voice interjected and Colin looked down to see a girl dressed in a pink pajama, rubbing her eyes while holding a teddy bear. Whilst Colin talked to the woman, he hadn't noticed a child coming up to them. “Adelaide honey, go back to bed.” She tried her best to not sound panicked but she couldn't help it. Her granddaughter shouldn't have to see a crime scene unfold.

“Is that the ice cream man?” The girl’s eyes studied Colin’s face and she smiled widely as she pointed at him. Colin couldn't help but smile back. A child's innocence was one of the purist things on earth. He often wished that they would keep their innocence forever and not get stained by the cruel world.

He crouched down to her height and his hands were on his thighs to hold him up.

“I’m a detective,” she frowned and he tried to explain it as best as possible. “My job is to make sure that the world is free of bad guys. I team up with an amazing team of heroes and together we make sure that the bad guys can't hurt anyone else.”

The girl’s frown faded quickly and turned into an even wider smile, and her eyes were filled with adoration. “I want to be a hero too, like you.” His heart melted as she spoke in glee.

The grandma placed her hands on the girl’s shoulders as she stood behind her, and she played with a few of the hairs that stuck out of her short ponytail.

Colin saw her yawn as she brought her teddy bear closer to her chest. He wanted to question other neighbors and he realized that he wasn't gonna get any more useful information from the woman so he wanted to leave them be. “It’s really late, Adelaide. It’s almost half past 2. Maybe it's best if you and your grandma go back to bed.”

The girl immediately shook her head frantically.

“I’m not tired at all, I can go without sleep just like adults can. Besides, I will not go back unless I get ice cream. Can we please wait a little longer till the ice cream man comes back? Please?” She prolonged the last word as she looked up at her grandma, and she squeezed her shoulders.

Colin however, froze as his smile faded. Ice cream man?

“What did you see, Adelaide?” He asked carefully and the little girl looked up at the sky for a few seconds before answering. “I heard the ice cream song. I looked outside and saw a big car with ice cream on it. A clown was driving it. I love clowns.” She explained before rubbing her eyes. “Were you the ice cream man?”

Colin flipped to the new page of his notebook.

“Can you maybe describe him for me?”

…………

“32… 34… 36… Finally.” You exhaled in glee and relief.

For over thirty minutes you had tried to find the destination of your new psychiatrist. Turns out you had taken the wrong turn a few blocks ago, and it felt like you were in a maze. It didn't help that you had no clue how this car worked, since it was Cordelia’s. You may or may not have crashed yours into a traffic sign while trying to parallel park.

Once you drove in the parking spot next to a BMW, you rushed your way to the front door. You were already late due to sleeping through your alarm clock, and getting lost only made you lose more time.

You pressed on the bell, and after a while a man opened the door with a friendly smile.

“Hi Y/n,” He stepped aside for you to come into the room and as you hung your coat on the coat rack next to the door, you followed the man inside of another room; his office.

“Sorry I’m late, I just never had sessions in the morning and I slept through my alarm clock.” You held out your hand to shake his. You were kinda nervous since you didn’t know how he’d react. Teachers used to despise you for your tardiness in high school, and ever since you had always arrived everywhere on time. Luckily, he didn't show any signs of irritation. “I’m dr. Vincent. And it’s alright.” Vincent had a firm handshake and you took a seat in the armchair that was facing another armchair.

“I was just making tea, do you want some?”

You shook your head politely. After he set his own tea cup on a card on the table he sat down in front of you.

“As you know, Michonne is on maternity leave, so from now on I’ll be taking sessions with you.”

You nodded and he grabbed a notebook with a pen, and wrote something that looked like the date. He folded his hands on his knee.

“So Y/n, how are you?” You cleared your throat and let out a small sigh.

“I’m fine, actually. I feel better than expected at least. Today marks the 5 year anniversary of his death, which feels…” you sighed and rubbed your temple with your fingers. “I don’t really know what to feel about that. It’s surreal. I mean, I’m happy that he got what was coming for him, but I just don’t really feel the satisfaction of his death. I’m not a violent person, not at all. But I just wish he suffered more. Is that a bad thing to feel, or say?”

He shook his head and gave you an understanding look. “What happened to you was traumatic. Of course it’s reasonable that you want justice for yourself, and for your family.” He took a sip of his tea.

“It's just so confusing. Like, I know he felt pain in his last moments, and that is something that really calmed me after everything that had happened. I mean, while he was serving his lifetime prison sentence, his face was bashed in beyond recognition by another cellmate. It’s a cruel way to go. Yet I still don’t feel satisfaction for some reason. It’s like a book suddenly ends in the middle. Like it ends with a cliffhanger and the story doesn't come full circle.” You tried to explain as best as possible, but you didn't understand exactly what you felt so it was hard to explain it to someone else.

He however, nodded and intertwined his fingers into a fist on his lap. “I understand, and it’s totally normal. Your mind has suffered so much that your brain hasn’t accepted it. You haven’t found closure yet, which leaves you with an unsatisfied feeling.”

“And that’s the frustrating part,” you groaned. “There are people who have gone through the same thing I have, and they’re doing much better than I am doing. I don't understand how other people do it.”

“You are a unique person. No one will react the exact same way you do. Everyone deals with it in a different way. Some learn to give it space faster than others. Need I to remind you that you were the only person to survive Kai Anderson? Plus, you were 17 at the time. Your brain was still developing.” he explained. “It’s not nothing, going through something like that at that age.”

You let out a sigh, somehow talking about it was still difficult.

“I just… He is haunting me. Even after his death he is still torturing me,” you pinched your nose bridge while closing your eyes. “I used to see him in my nightmares, but now I see him in physical form. He just watches me from a distance. He doesn't say anything, he just stands there. I know it’s not possible, I know it’s not real. But it looks real, it’s like I can touch him,” you explained and he wrote everything you said in his notebook while listening thoughtfully.

“And what do you feel when you see him?” you shrugged.

“I don’t really feel anything. It’s like my mind is blank, like I’m in a trance. All I know is that everytime I see him, I want to smash the smug expression off his filthy face,” you balled your fists.

“When did this start, how often does this recur?” He inquired and you kissed the back of your teeth while thinking back.

“It actually started recently, I think two weeks ago. After that, I saw him everyday. When I go to work, when I visit a friend, when I stand in my kitchen looking outside,” you shivered when you thought about it. “I remember when I first saw him, that I felt like I was losing my mind. I didn't want to leave my house for a while. When I told people what I saw, everyone looked at me like I was crazy. I really felt like I was.”

Vincent clicked his tongue and cleared his throat.

“Do you have disorganized thinking?”

“No.”

“Abnormal motor behavior?”

“No.”

“Any signs of delusions?”

“I don’t think so.”

He scribbled something down again and you waited in anticipation. The only sound that was in the room was the sounds of his pen on paper, and the clock on the right side of the room that was ticking in a nerve wracking manner.

It was as if you were waiting for the result of a test you didn't study for. It was a gnawing feeling.

“Alright,” he started. “Even after all these years, he still has a hold on you. The mind is a powerful thing. It can’t process everything all at once; the grief, the anger, the pain. It’s too much, which is why your brain is playing tricks on you. Especially after the recent killings that have been tormenting Brookfield Heights. Maybe it triggered something again.” You knew about the recent killings, hell this morning you saw the news where yet another couple was found murdered in their home. But you weren't really afraid. Your house was protected and you weren't alone.

“I just don't understand why I see him, I pushed everything behind me.”

“that's the problem, you’re pushing it away. The harder you push, the stronger it comes back at you.” He interjected.

“What do you want me to do?” you asked.

“Whatever keeps your mind busy. Do you have any hobbies? Anything to take your mind off?”

“I help at my mom’s bar, the Supreme Dominion. She is in France now, so me and my sisters are in charge. It’s really stressful sometimes, but it does keep my mind from wandering.”

“Good. Just try to be as busy as possible, it’s a distraction for your brain,” he kept writing on the notepad, and you noticed he was already on the next page. “I’m prescribing you a different antipsychotic, paliperidone. In the meantime if you see him again, I want you to try and convince yourself that he isn’t real. Now, I know that sounds easier than done, but just try. Slowly take control again, over your mind and your life.” He gave you the receipt of the medical prescription, and you nodded friendly as you walked out of his office.

“I’ll try. Thank you Vincent. See you next week.”

After you left his office, you immediately drove by the pharmacy and got paliperidone. You figured the sooner you got it, the sooner things would finally go back to normal. Because that’s all you wanted, to put everything behind you. You didn’t want to see his face ever again, and you hoped that he was rotting somewhere in hell.

The sooner Kai was out of your mind and life, the sooner you could finally breathe in peace again.

But what you didn't know was this week would be one of the last peaceful moments in your life.

Because as you walked out of the pharmacy, bag in hand, and no clue whatsoever what was happening around you, a certain blue haired man was standing on the other side of the street, watching you intently as you made your way towards your car.

He wanted to jump you, right then and there, but he composed himself and placed his hands in his pockets as he watched you drive away.

He was going to hurt you, both mentally and physically. And oh boy, he had fantasized about it ever since he faked his death.

The murders of Marie and Bernard Allen he committed yesterday evening, and the previous murders in Brookfield Heights were only to feed his rage, but it didn't satisfy him in the slightest. No, he only wanted one thing. And that was satisfaction in watching you suffer. He wanted to watch life leave your eyes as you breathed your last puff of oxygen. He was determined to kill every last person you cared about.

He found joy when he saw the look of fear in your eyes as you and him made eye contact for the first time since 2016 three weeks ago. In fact, he enjoyed it way too much to mess with you. Making you think you were losing your mind hallucinating him was only the beginning.

There was nothing more dangerous than a man who wants revenge.

And he would break you in every way possible, if it’s the last thing he’ll do.

[thgfanfictionlibrary]

Friends to Lovers Fics Masterlist (13)

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5 / Part 6 / Part 7 / Part 8 / Part 9 / Part 10 / Part 11 / Part 12 / 

Created: June 6th, 2024

Checked:---

That Time We Took Over the World-Gamemakers (ao3) Summary: Being a session guitarist pays well, but Katniss Everdeen’s always wanted a taste of the spotlight. Enter Peeta Mellark, whose boyband fame faded twenty years ago, and a not-quite-dying wish from an old friend, and she’s in for way more than she bargained for. The Dance of the Color Guard, Op. 64-populardarling (ao3) Summary: Katniss and Peeta used to be best friends when they were kids, but now in high school, they're barely on speaking terms. It isn't until they are forced together as the titular star-crossed lovers for their marching band's field show that they will have to face their past mistakes and try to get along if they ever hope of defeating the notorious Capitol Height's Imperial Marching Crusaders in competition. It's all about winning and if that means pretending to be in love with Peeta Mellark, so be it. But a lot can happen in six months. The Ghost of You-JLaLa (ao3) Summary: Katniss Everdeen thought they were just her imaginary friends. Turns out, they were very real—and dead. An Everlark take on the movie “Heart and Souls.” The Great Panem Christmas Bake-Off-JLaLa (ao3) Summary: Aspiring baker Katniss Everdeen finally gets her chance when she's chosen for The Great Panem Christmas Bake Off. Too bad, she's already managed to piss off famous baker and Bake-Off judge, Peeta Mellark. The Holiday Stand In-LemonLuvGirl (ao3) Summary: Katniss Everdeen needs a guy to pretend to be her boyfriend for the holidays, and when she meets Peeta Mellark she thinks he's the answer to her Christmas prayers. Peeta also happens to need a significant other to take home to show off to his folks. So Katniss proposes that they pose as each other's dates for the holiday season. Just to get their families off their backs. But pretending to be in love is a dangerous game, one that Katniss might not end up winning unless she plays her cards right. The Hoodie-LemonLuvGirl (ao3) Summary: Based off the prompt: I’ve been wearing my boyfriend’s hoodie around the house for the last week. I tried to give it back last night. “That’s not my hoodie.” He said. I then realized with horror I’ve been wearing our builder’s hoodie. In front of our builder. The Long Weekend-JLaLa (ao3) Summary: Two assistants who barely tolerate each other. One snowy cabin. One very long weekend. Oh, and one bed. The Marrow of the Story-hutchabelle (ao3) Summary: Written for the Everlark Fic Exchange Springtime 2020 Edition Prompt 17: Everlark enemies to lovers, a long-standing grudge (could be anything, even simple) but somehow it is discovered that Katniss is a bone marrow match for Peeta. If she doesn’t donate he will die. The One She Left Behind-Xerxia (ao3) Summary: Everlark modern AU Weeks after moving to New York, Peeta Mellark encounters a woman he thought he'd never see again. The Pact-endlessnightlock (ao3) Summary: prompt: best friends everlark!pact on marrying each other when they turn 30 and are still single. now both are 30 and very much married. what comes after? (surprisingly good sex, awkward kids talk, explaining to families and friends) its up to you☺

[janicho88]

I Got You - Chapter 4

Pairing- Jake 'Hangman' Seresin x Female!Reader

Word count- 2,225

Warnings- Language, mentions of domestic violence, injuries, and abuse, abusive boyfriend, hurt reader, protective Jake. If I missed something, please let me know.

A/N- Before we get any further into this, there will be a few differences from the movie. Ice was sick, but beat it, the aviators are there for a six-week training, not three. I'm sure there are going to be Naval inaccuracies. This one has been sitting in my WIP since last fall. First Jake story, I hope I can do him justice. The first few chapters will be a little heavy, but we will move past that. Thank you to @slightly-psycho-multifan for beta'ing!

Summary- When you have finally reached a breaking point, you call the one person you trust for help. He’s never seen you as more than a friend, but he is the person you know you’re safest with.  It’s been months since he has had so much as a text from you, but Jake Seresin would do anything for the Navy princess he met years ago.  The pilot knows she means more to him than he ever will to her, but he will do anything for her.

Series Masterlist

Unsurprisingly, it’s the quickest you have fallen asleep in a long time.  Sometime during the short night, you moved over closer to Jake.  It’s the weight across his chest that stirs him from the little sleep he has gotten.  It takes a minute for everything to register back with him, and what he felt was your casted arm moving across his chest as you curled into his side.  Taking a glance at his phone on the table to check how much time he has before his alarm goes off the exhausted aviator sees 6:40 glares back at him.

He yawns as he closes his eyes once more. 6:40, okay I just have to be in the briefing room at 7, I’ve still got twenty minutes, he thinks to himself.

“Shit,” he hollers while quickly sitting up.  His alarm should have gone off at 6, he must have forgotten to set it with everything else going on last night.  At Least he remembered to plug in his phone. 

His shout has you jerking awake and cowering away from the noise.  Jake immediately feels guilty when he sees the worry in your eyes. Then he notices you holding your wrist.  That was the arm you had draped over him, and he must have aggravated it when he shot up so fast.

“I’m sorry darling, I shouldn’t have done that.  I forgot to set my alarm, I have to get going before I’m late.”

While he rushes into the bathroom, you sit in bed trying to calm your racing heart. He comes back out in his boxers and a black sleeveless shirt.  Grabbing a green flight suit off his dresser, he starts talking to you as he stumbles into it. 

“I’ve got to get to base. I’m sorry, but I don't think there’s much here for food other than what we picked up yesterday. We should get some kind of a break for lunch, I’ll grab something and bring it back for you.  I’ll drop your prescriptions off then.  I shut your phone off last night, just in case there was any tracking app on there.  I will check it over later before you turn it back on.  I’ll go grab the motrin, you might want to take one to help calm the wrist back down.  I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt it.”

Your brain is too foggy to quickly grasp everything he is throwing out at you. When it all catches up, you just nod.

“It’s still early, after you take some medicine, why don’t you try and get a little more sleep.”

You try to respond, but your throat is pretty sore, so you just nod.

He disappears out the door, and is back a few minutes later with pills, a bottle of water and the crackers from last night.

“You shouldn’t take these on an empty stomach.  Help yourself to anything in the house.  Keep the door locked, and I will be back as soon as I can alright, darlin?”

“Alright.  Thanks Jake,” you whisper out.  The water helps coat your throat, but time will probably be the best remedy.

There are two stop lights between Jake’s house and base, and he manages to hit them both red.  Pulling in the first empty park he finds, he grabs his bag and is racing inside.  There is no running inside the buildings, so he is speed walking to the locker room to throw the bag on top of the lockers.  No time to mess with getting the locker open right now.  Then down the hall to the briefing room.       

Jake pauses before he opens the door taking a deep breath, he slips into Hangman.  A mask of arrogance he has perfected over the years.  Very few truly see the real Jake. Standing tall he opens the door and heads inside.

“Hangman.” Maverick calls out from the front of the room. “So good of you to join us this morning.”

Jake takes a quick inventory of available seats, and finds the only empty row is his usual spot up front. He doesn’t say anything as he walks up the aisle.

“Can you tell me the time Lieutenant?” Maverick questions. 

Stopping at his seat Jake glances down at his watch.  “7:05 sir.”

“Your watch works, so what is your excuse for arriving late?”

“I don’t have one sir.”

He can hear the snickers of his fellow aviators.  A few of them are thrilled to see him in trouble. 

“You don’t have one?”

“No sir.”

“Tardiness is not rewarded, or tolerated,” a voice from behind Jake says, “you’ll sit out the morning hop, Lieutenant.”

Hangman turns around to face his superior.  “Yes sir Admiral.”  Of course Cyclone had to be in here already.   

Maverick picks apart their dog fights from yesterday, before telling them he expects better today.  The pilots are dismissed to change into their flight gear.  Jake doesn’t bother putting his on since he won’t be flying yet, then they move to the ready room.  The first group is in the air when Coyote comes over.  

“Man, what happened this morning.”

“I didn’t set my alarm.  Won’t happen again.”

“How could you forget that?”

“Had a long night.”

“Did you even get her name this time?”

Hangman rolls his eyes at his friend, “wasn’t that kinda night.”

“Well then…”

Jake notices Rooster and Phoenix listening in, so he quickly cuts Coyote off.  “Javy, could we please just let it go right now?”

“Fine.”  His friend gets up and moves back over to listen to the radio.

Rooster smirks just before he opens his mouth, but Hangman is ready for him too.  “Bradshaw, don’t even think about opening your mouth.”

Of course the other pilot ignores him.  “The too good to be true Hangman, finally starting to fall apart?”

“I swear Chicken, if you keep talking I will…”

“You will what Hangman?” Cyclone questions walking in.

Jake closes his eyes, quickly running his hand over his face, “Nothing sir.”

“Next two should be getting ready.  Hangman come with me.”

Jake follows the Admiral to his office, and stands at attention in front of Cyclone’s desk while the senior officer tears into him.

He leans forward in his chair to emphasize the end of his rant.  “This mission isn’t a joke Lieutenant.  If that’s the way you are going to be approaching it I should just send you back to Lemoore right now. One more toe out of line and you’re gone, do you understand?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Back to the ready room, you're grounded for the day.”

“Yes, sir.”

When he returns, the second group is already in the air. He walks in taking a seat in the corner, doing his best to ignore everyone around him right now.  He wouldn’t be in this mess if he just remembered to set his damn alarm.  

When the last group finally lands, Maverick dismisses them for their break.

“You all have 45 minutes to grab lunch and report back to the briefing room.”

While the last group of aviators heads to the locker room to get out of their gear, Jake runs in for his phone and keys.  Heading out to his truck, he is stopped by Maverick.

“Where do you think you’re going, Hangman?”

 “I have to take care of something, I’ll be back before the briefing.”

“You’ve already demonstrated this morning you can’t be trusted to be on time, I don't think you should be leaving base right now.”

Hangman clenches his teeth in frustration, “is that an order sir?”

Maverick thinks it over for a minute.  “Yes, it is.  Get back to the mess hall.”

“Yes, sir.” 

He turns around and heads back toward the building, but stops shy of going inside.  So now he can’t pick you up anything, or take your prescriptions in.  Worse, he doesn’t have a way to get a hold of you to tell you what’s going on. 

Pacing around outside, he finally thinks of who he could ask.  He’s going to owe her big for this.  Picking up his phone, he hopes she answers.

“The Hard Deck.”

“Penny?”

“Yes, can I help you?”

“It’s Jake  Seresin.”

“You disappeared very quickly last night. I’d ask if it was the blonde, but she was still pouting in the corner when I checked.”

“Yeah, something came up.  Penny, I need a huge favor.”

“You know I’m not open yet Jake, and I can’t bring you alcohol on base.  No matter how crazy Mave drives you.”

“It’s not that exactly.  I was planning on running home during our lunch break, but now I’m stuck on base.  There’s…a…um…I…um…have…a…friend at my place.  She can’t leave right now.  Is there any way you could run her over something for lunch?  Just knock on the door, and tell her you know me, and I asked you to drop it off.”

“You could Doordash it from someplace.  I’m not a delivery service for your hookups Seresin.”

“It’s not like that.  I don’t want to send some stranger she doesn’t know coming to my house and freaking her out.”

“But you want me to go?  You could call and tell her what’s going on, and you were sending her food.”  Penny responds.

Too late Jake realizes that while you do know Penny, she can’t know that she knows the person staying with him..  You don’t want anyone to know you are here yet.

“I know you.  Please Penny, my dear.  I wouldn’t bother you if this wasn’t important.  I can’t call and tell her, her phone isn’t working.”

“Fine, because I have a few errands to run anyways.  You owe me Lieutenant.  What does she eat?”

“I know I do. How about a turkey sandwich, no onion.  Maybe a side of soup if you have it.  If you just let her know it’s there and leave it on the front porch she can grab it from there whenever.”

“Alright, I’ll get this over there in a little bit.”

“Thank you so much Penny.”  

After making sure Penny knows where she is taking it, Jake heads back inside.  He never noticed Maverick back inside watching him through the window. 

Hangman picks at his lunch, not much of an appetite even though he only grabbed a protein bar for breakfast.  Coyote tries to get him to talk about this morning, but he keeps avoiding the questions.

While the aviators are back in the briefing room with Maverick, Penny is about to pull into Jake’s driveway.  She decides at the last minute to go past and come back around.  She parks her car on the other side of the road facing Jake’s place and walks up to the front porch. 

Penny tries to peer in the windows as she moves closer to the house, but can’t see anything with the curtains pulled. This all just seems a little off to her.  Once she’s outside the front door, she can faintly make out sound coming from a tv.  Knocking on the door and ringing the bell, she waits for Jake’s guest to answer.  After a minute or two, no one comes, but Penny can no longer hear the television.

“Hello, I’m Penny.  I know Jake, or Lieutenant Serisen, he asked me to drop off some food here because he got stuck on base,” she calls out to whoever is in the house.

Curled up on the corner of Jake’s couch, you are frozen in place once the knocking starts.  You mute the movie, hoping whoever it is will go away thinking no one is home.  Then you hear the visitor call out and identify herself.

Your heartbeat starts to slow back down when you realize the person outside isn’t a direct threat, but you still don’t want her to know you are the one inside.  Penny’s friends with your mom, so there is a chance she could tell her about seeing you.  Why did Jake do this?  You could have just waited for him to get home.  Although your rumbling stomach disagrees, especially with the thought of something Penny made you.

A few more minutes go by, and you hear your favorite bartender call out again.  “Okay, well if anyone inside can hear me.  I’m going to go, but the food is sitting outside the door.”

You give it a few minutes and slowly move toward the front window and pull the curtain back slightly.  There isn’t a car in the driveway, so she must be gone already.  Moving toward the front door, you check out the peephole to be sure before unlocking it.  Sliding onto the porch you pick up the bag in your good hand before locking yourself inside once again. 

Penny is still sitting in her car, watching Jake’s front door, trying to figure out what is going on with the aviator she’s grown fond of.   It has been a few minutes and she just about gave up on anyone appearing, when a woman slowly steps out the door in a too big Navy sweatshirt, and leggings.  It looks like there is something on her left hand, and even from the road, Penny can make out bruises on her neck and face.  It isn’t until she really looks at the face before the woman slides back in the house that she realizes she is looking at Y/N Kazansky.

Thank you for reading!

Chapter 5

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[astheskycries]

Accepted- 7

Planning a wedding with the man she loves and working small jobs with SHIELD seems like an easy task, but now that Jonathan is dead, Maggie and Steve have to continue tracking down HYDRA and cleaning up the mess left behind- which is easier said than done when the Winter Soldier has returned.

1 2 3 4 5 6

Masterlist Buy me a Coffee

“What do you mean it was compromised?” Steve demands, jacket gone and the tie loosened around his neck as he paces his floor, Bucky and T’Challa listening.

Steve’s previously perfectly gelled hair is mused from the frequent hand running through it, with the top two buttons undone and his sleeves haphazardly shoved up to his elbows. He’s barely managed to change, sounding more and more concerned since returning to the room Tony arranged for Bucky to stay in. “Why would they be ambushed in one of Tony’s warehouses?”

“The warehouse was an ambush,” FRIDAY calmly repeats from the ceiling intercom, having reached out as soon as Steve returned. “The warehouse was sold by Mr. Stark years ago once the company changed. The HYDRA drive was recovered, but not without casualties.”

“Maggie?”

“… She was the main target. I have not heard from them since Agent Romanoff gave emergency treatment-“

“Emergency?” Steve demands, heart dropping to his stomach. He was so worried, so focused on recovering the piece of his past he had left, the only family he could rely on since he became Captain America, and now he was paying the price. Maggie was paying the price.

“She was hit by a bullet, Maximoff tried to keep the wound closed but there was still significant blood loss. After Romanoff consulted Dr. Banner and Mr. Stark they went dark as the safe house was considered compromised.”

Of course. “Keep me posted as soon as you know where they are. I want to see Maggie.” He lets the call end before releasing a heavy breath, leaning against the back of the couch. “This is my fault…”

“No,” Bucky says firmly, watching his every move. “You couldn’t have known it would have been an ambush.”

“No,” Steve sighs. “But I also haven’t been trying. I’ve been pushing off everything Maggie says, from missions to the wedding to everything she’s faced with HYDRA.”

Bucky nods slowly. “So basically what I warned you about?”

Steve ignores his friend’s slightly smug dig, lost in thought. “I really messed up.”

“Maybe,” Bucky grips his shoulder, just like he used to before the serum changed them both. “But even if you’re a stubborn punk, you two will get over this. Just talk to her.”

Steve sighs before reaching into his pocket, pulling out the engagement ring from his pocket. “I don’t think that’ll work this time…”

Bucky raises an eyebrow. “She gave it back?”

“Found it on the dresser in my room.” He examines it, lost in thought. Though it’s simple, it’s perfectly Maggie in its subtle charm. “I deserve it… But I’m going to get her back. Whatever it takes.” He nods to T’Challa. “I’m going after them. I’m bringing them home.”

…

The first thing I’m aware of is a musty smell, an almost damp heaviness that takes more effort to breathe through and hurts my side with every deep breath. The air is cool and clammy against my skin, and when I open my eyes I can see the dampness making the dark ceiling shine. I wince a bit as I turn my head, trying to see as much as I can despite the sharp pain in my ribs and how the room spins when I move my eyes. “Natasha? Wanda?”

“Here," Wanda gently takes my hand, hers feeling almost uncomfortably warm. “It’s ok, you’ll be ok.”

“Where are we?” I manage to croak out, mouth feeling like dry cotton and throat almost raw.

“We found a cavern to stop in,” Natasha is on the other side, and I manage to turn my head to see her gathering bloody gauze and shoving it in a section of her bag. “You rest, we managed to stitch it up but you still lost a lot of blood.”

I cringe a bit as I swallow, trying to focus. “Steve?”

“We dropped contact,” Natasha says softly, looking over at me. “It’s safer until we know we aren’t followed.” I manage to nod, and she passes me some water and a straw. “How are you feeling?”

I take a sip, some of the sharp throbbing in my head easing. “I’m ok.” Everything hurts, but we’re safe and alive. “As soon as I’m able to move, we can get to a safer area.”

“Don’t force it,” Wanda rests her hand on my head, easing some of the pain. “We can accelerate some of the healing, but the blood… Well, we need to make sure you’re well enough to travel before we move again.”

I grunt a bit, managing to turn to look around the cavern. There are two backpacks resting by my feet, in close reach for any other emergencies. I notice the frown on Natasha’s face before the gun appears, and I try to sit up when she shifts. “Natasha-“

“Stay here.” She doesn’t look away from the entrance, silently padding into the open as Wanda checks my gauze. Though Wanda seems unconcerned, I can only imagine how exhausted she must be between the mission and trying to help me heal faster.

“Don’t worry about me,” Wanda says quietly, magic still floating around the wound. “I’m keeping you stable until we return to the compound- Banner’s machine should be able to regrow the cells and help you recover faster.”

Natasha returns, and seconds later I see Steve in uniform and rushing to my side. I blink, sure it’s a dream, but he gently takes my hand and strokes my knuckles as he kneels beside me. “Steve…”

“Shhh, rest baby,” His voice is soft and gentle, grip flexing before he leans over and presses warm lips to my temple.

“What are you doing here?” I frown, trying to move my hand free and a bit overwhelmed. “Why now? Why after all this time?”

“Did you think I would let you go?” I make a face, opening my mouth to argue, but he continues on before I can speak. “I love you, Maggie. I’ll never let you go again.” I try to move, but nurses move as Wanda lifts me with her powers, bringing me into the jet and a machine before the pain in the shift takes over, bringing me back to the darkness.

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