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grogwrites · 16 days ago

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Frost on the Pines - D.R. 3

Summary: After being dropped by RB, Daniel finds himself in Midwest America amidst a midlife crisis, when he meets an intriguing stranger

Pairing: Daniel Ricciardo x Fem OC

CW: just some swearing, very slight suggestive content (blink and you’ll miss it), depictions of an anxiety attack, dual POV, and some angst, but generally just fluff. I absolutely hate YN, so for the sake of the fic, I used the name from my book which is Sadie. You can imagine how you please, though.

A/N: my first fanfic!! Please be kind 🥹🩵 I am an author on the side and am currently writing an F1 romance book. This fic is essentially a one shot/fanfic version of my book hehehe * no part 2 to this one

Word Count: 5.3k

* DISCLAIMER: I do not know any of the people in this fanfiction personally, these are all just the works of my imagination.

Daniel didn’t mean to get lost.

Well, okay, maybe he did, but not this lost.

He had been driving down this dirt road for what seemed to be hours, but each time he glanced at the clock on his car radio, only a handful of minutes had passed. There wasn’t a landmark in sight—nothing but grasslands with the occasional cow or two as he drove. Finally accepting defeat, Daniel pulled the rental car off to the side of the road and promptly shifted it into ‘park’. He dug for his phone in his pocket, when much to his dismay, there was no cellphone service.

“Of course,” he let out a soft scoff to himself as he discarded the device on his passenger seat. Running a hand through his hair, he began sorting through his options.

1. On one hand, he could keep driving. He filled up with gas not too long ago in a small town with only one gas station. He had enough in his tank to last him through another few hundred miles.

2. On the other hand, he could turn around and head back to that town where he would have cell service again to call someone—anyone—for help.

The prior sounded much more appealing to him than the latter. Daniel wasn’t sure he had the dignity in him to ask for help when he made the decision to go off the grid to begin with. It was bad enough that RB dropped him, but now he was lost. Figuratively and literally. Formula 1 had been his life for thirteen years. While the posts that fans were sharing online were bittersweet and heartfelt, he couldn’t help but feel sick to his stomach as the reality of his situation settled in.

Shit. Shit shit shit shit shit.

He needed to calm down, but his chest felt tight. He felt hot, and cramped—like the world was slowly caving in on him. He didn’t even remember when the tears started welling up in the corners of his eyes, but when his lips grew wet and tasted salty was when the floodgates suddenly burst. He fumbled for the handle on his door, stumbling out in a desperate need for fresh air. In a heated fit of rage and anxiety, he kicked the car a few times. He didn’t hear the pickup truck slowing beside him until an older gentleman called out to him.

“You need a hand?”

Daniel was quick to dry his face of any sort of evidence that he had been crying, then turned to look at the stranger. He was older, probably in his early eighties. His face was wrinkled, with a full grey beard on display. He wore a tattered, old cowboy hat with a red flannel and a pair of jeans. His window was rolled down, while a soft, unfamiliar country song played inside.

“Um, no,” Daniel’s voice was hoarse from crying. He tried to cover it up by clearing his throat, though it didn’t do much. “The car is fine. I’m just—“ his voice trailed off. He wasn’t sure exactly what to say, especially to a stranger.

“Where are you headin’?” The man’s voice had a thick, Midwestern-American accent as he spoke.

“Nowhere,” Daniel shrugged, leaning against the rental car. “Just…away.” The man laughed gruffly, when Daniel heard him shift the truck into ‘park’.

“Away from…what, exactly?” The man asked.

Now, Daniel knew he shouldn’t trust the strange man so easily. But something about him felt safe; like he was actually there to help. It brought ease to his mind knowing that the man didn’t know who he was—or didn’t seem to know, anyways. He needed a break from recognition.

“Life, I guess,” Daniel answered sheepishly. “I don’t know where I am—literally, that is. I just got the rental car and drove, but I drove a bit too far.”

“Hmph,” the old man grunted, as if to judge him for his reckless decision. Daniel knew it should irritate him, but instead it warmed his heart. It felt like home a bit, having his dad harness a similar reaction whenever he would say or do something stupid (which, quite frankly, happened often while growing up). “I’ve got a farm just a few miles down the road. Why don’t you follow me there? I’ll fix you up some lunch—you can stay as long as you need.”

Sadie wasn’t sure what she was expecting when her grandfather returned to the farm, but it certainly wasn’t a second vehicle—or the stranger who drove the vehicle. It wasn’t beyond her grandpa to try and sell the farm, as he had done on several occasions now; each one was intervened successfully by her. The family farm, as much of a headache as it was to maintain, held too much sentimental value to her to watch him just try to pawn it off to a rich bastard who didn’t know the first thing about caring for a farm.

“My favorite girl!” Her grandfather beamed as he and the stranger made their way towards the barn, where she was currently feeding a bottle to a baby calf. She smiled at first, not seeing the man behind him.

“Hey,” she responded softly before turning her attention towards the animal again. The calf was sick earlier in the week, so having it finish off a bottle of formula was a win in her book. “She’s better. Not one hundred percent, but she’s eating.” Her grandpa bent over, planting a soft kiss on the top of her head.

“We have a guest,” he announced. She glanced over her shoulder again, now noticing the tall stranger behind him. His dark curls seemed a bit disheveled. He had a five o’clock shadow growing in along his jawline. A few tattoos made themselves known on his arms and legs as he shifted his weight behind him. She frowned, turning her gaze back to her grandpa.

“What’s going on?” She questioned. As the calf finished her bottle, she stood from the small stool she sat on. “You’re not trying to sell again, are you—“

“Not at all,” he quickly interrupted. “Just being a Good Samaritan. The young gentleman is simply passing through.”

Her and the stranger shared a moment, each staring back at each other. It felt like they were trying to figure the other one out—like studying a book, or unraveling a mystery of sorts. Though, when their gazes met, his shoulders seemed to sink—like a weight was lifted off of him. His eyes cleared from a cloudiness that she didn’t even realize was in them to begin with. She knew him from somewhere, but she couldn’t place where from. His jaw clenched the longer her gaze lingered. Whoever he was, she had a bad feeling about this. He needed to leave. Change was hard on Sadie, but it was even harder on the farm.

“For how long?” She finally interrogated. She took a step towards him, becoming defensive. “What’s your name?”

“Sadie…”

“Um, it’s Daniel,” the stranger quickly interrupted her grandpa as he stepped forward, offering her his hand. “But most people call me Danny.” His Australian accent was a surprise. Not many Australians traversed the South Dakota plains, but then again, hardly anybody did in general.

“How long will you be here?” Sadie asked again, refusing his handshake. His arm lowered once more as he cleared his throat. Her grandpa stepped forward, placing himself in between them.

“He will stay as long as he needs,” he told her sternly. “This is still my farm at the end of the day, Sadie.”

She could laugh, but that wouldn’t get her anywhere. Sure, his name was on the paperwork; but he didn’t do jack shit to help her half the time. She didn’t bother trying to ask him, either. It wouldn’t be fair. He was getting too old to do most of the work around here, but still—she was tired. Her gaze trickled back to Daniel.

“Do you know how to milk a cow?” She asked him, with a passive aggressive lilt to her tone. Despite her abrasive demeanor, Daniel smiled.

“I know a thing or two,” he responded softly, which almost perfectly evened out her negativity. “I’ll do whatever. Just ask, and I’m there.”

It had been about a week since Daniel arrived at their little farm, and he was obsessed with her from the moment they met. At first, he followed her around like a pathetic puppy—eagerly learning all the ins and outs of their daily chores. She had scolded him on a few occasions for not listening, but she didn’t know it was because of her. He was so distracted by her all the time, but by watching her, he quickly learned all of her little quirks: the way her eyes crinkled when she laughed, how she would sway her hips to an inaudible song that only played in her head, how wine typically made her emotional, how her heart had a soft spot for the horses…there was so much to her that made his own heart stutter. Unfortunately for Daniel, she still didn’t seem too fond of him in return. He really couldn’t blame her, either; she had a lot of responsibilities on her shoulders, and to have an additional mouth to feed thrown into the mix certainly didn’t make life easier. That was why Daniel came up with the perfect plan. Hypothetically, the plan was easy. Executing it? Not so much. It’s been a while since he tried to pursue anybody romantically, so he felt quite a bit of pressure to make sure this was perfect. She seemed to hate him enough as it was, and he didn’t want to add gasoline to that fire.

The morning of his plan execution started off relatively normal. Usually, Sadie would be awake at the crack of dawn to make eggs, bacon, and pancakes for everyone. But today, Daniel was awake sooner. Just as he was finishing the bacon, he heard her shuffle into the kitchen.

“What are you doing?”

He looked over his shoulder at her. She still wore her pajamas, which was a sight he had yet to be graced by. Her grey sweatpants and white camisole could’ve made his heart explode. Her brown hair was tied back in a bun, that was now messy due to her falling asleep in it.

“Breakfast,” he held up the hot skillet to show her, before setting it in the sink to allow the grease to harden. “Are you hungry yet?” She was quiet, which he couldn’t tell if she was grateful or angry at him.

“What time did you wake up?” She questioned. Her voice was still groggy. She was so cute. He pushed his thought aside as he glanced at the clock. 5:45am.

“Um, four, I think?” He looked back to her. “I wanted to make breakfast for you all—to thank you.” She hugged her arms around herself, as if she had suddenly become aware that she was still in her pajamas. She shifted her weight to her right leg, leaning against the old, wooden doorframe. Daniel’s mind began to race—he could hardly keep his thoughts straight right now. This was the longest they seemed to have spoken since he arrived, and it was civil. He felt like a boy on Christmas.

“That is…” she trailed off, completely caught off guard by his gesture. So far, his plan was off to an excellent start. “Thank you. That’s really nice.” Daniel reached for a paper towel to dry his hands. He turned to face her, then leaned against the counter.

“It’s really the least I can do,” he commented slowly, making sure she understood that he meant it. “You have all done so much for me. If your grandpa hadn’t driven by me that day…I’m just not sure I’d be in as good of a place. You know?”

“Who are you, exactly?” She countered, leaving no beat or moment of hesitation. Daniel inhaled deeply, wondering if he really wanted to tell her or not. He was enjoying not being known—not being recognized. It had to be hard for her, though, to justify a total stranger staying there.

“That’s complicated,” Daniel dropped his head as he laughed, but struggled to find the words. There was a deep pit of guilt in his stomach. He knew he needed to tell her, but he didn’t want to. “Um, well, my name is Daniel—but you know that already…” That prompted a smile from her. A genuine one, too—not a phony sympathetic or sarcastic one that she typically offered him. He caught his breath.

“I mean, like, where did you come from?” She rephrased. She walked over, then leaned against the counter next to him. Her arm lightly brushed against his, which could’ve killed him on the spot. He was grateful that her attention went to the wall in front of them, rather than his face, as his eyes began trailing down her body. She had faint freckles that dotted from her cheeks to her collarbones, with a few outcasts on her arms and hands. If she never got this close to him, he probably would’ve never noticed them. “Who are your parents? What do you do for work? Stuff like that.”

“Ah,” he laughed again, but this time it was strained. Her attention averted back to him. He folded his arms across his chest, then sighed. “I’m from Perth, Australia. But I used to travel the world quite a bit for work. I’m not stranger to the states, but I’m a stranger to South Dakota.”

“Getting paid to travel the world?” Sadie hummed dreamily. Her voice was softer than he had ever heard it before. It typically held an accusatory, aggressive tone to it, but now? She sounded like an angel—more than she already did. “What kind of job grants you that privilege?”

“One I no longer have,” Daniel nudged her slightly, trying to play it cool. But in reality, there was a swarm of butterflies filtering through his arms, his legs, his chest…he knew if she asked, he’d do anything for her. It felt silly, but when he first saw her a week ago, all the noise from his reality seemed to vanish. There was nothing, now, except the quiet hum of the wind and the bright song of the birds that chirped around the property.

When the chores for the day were done faster than normal, Sadie knew Daniel was up to something. Between waking up before her to cook and beating her to her own work, she could sense he planned this…whatever this was. Their dynamic around the farm was like a jigsaw puzzle to her, except none of the pieces went together. It was like a plethora of memories and emotions that clashed—that didn’t make sense together—but still made a beautiful picture at the end of the day. When late afternoon rolled around, she found him in the vegetable garden with the farm dog, Lucky, picking a few tomatoes. He was talking to Lucky in a baby voice, before laughing at the retriever’s reaction. He was always so happy—so nice. She didn’t think there was ever a moment he wasn’t smiling. She paid attention to him even in moments when he didn’t think anyone was watching. She’s picked up on a few of his traits, or the things he does when he thinks he’s alone. Sometimes he’ll start dancing when doing a job he particularly enjoys—shucking the corn, riding the tractor, feeding the cats. Other times, he’ll talk to himself when working through a rather difficult job such as repairing the riding lawn mower or grooming the horses. But through all the horrible jobs that came with the farm, she’s never seen him get upset. Each thing she asked of him, he happily completed.

As she continued to observe him, he looked up at her from the tomato plant. His grin grew wider…if that was even possible. He hurriedly dropped the last few vegetables into the small basket he had, then dusted the dirt off of his shorts.

“Hey!” He exclaimed, quickly jogging over to her. Lucky trailed behind, with his tongue lolling out of his mouth happily. Clearly the dog loved him, judging by the look of utter admiration in his eyes as he stared up at the Australian. “Since we are done early, I was wondering if you wanted to do something tonight?”

“Like what?” Sadie questioned, furrowing her eyebrows. Definitely up to something, she reminded herself. “I don’t get off this farm very often…”

“I know,” he smiled. “I was thinking we could go dancing?”

Dancing. Sadie had mixed feelings about the idea. More so, she had mixed feelings about dancing with him specifically. She couldn’t quite tell what Daniel’s intentions were behind this, but judging by the hopeful glisten in his eyes, she thought that maybe—just maybe—this could be a date. She hadn’t been on a date since high school, and she wasn’t completely sold on having the first one be with him. Sure, breakfast was a nice gesture, along with the chores…but there was still so much about him that she didn’t know. She didn’t know his last name, for crying out loud. She’d be lying, though, if she said the mystery didn’t excite her even a little bit.

“Dancing?” She repeated, primarily for confirmation from him. He reciprocated with a small nod. She licked her lips, thinking of how to respond. If this was how he wanted to play, then maybe she could pry some more information out of him. “Tell me more about yourself, first—then I’ll go out with you. How do I know you’re not going to kill me?” Daniel laughed, which—even though she’d never admit it aloud—was a sound she was beginning to grow fond of. His laugh was intoxicating. It was enough to make her smile, even if she didn’t think the cause of his laughter was funny.

“I’ve never killed anyone before,” he teased in response. “I really don’t think you’d be my first choice, though. I’ve got a list to work through, first. Then maybe I’d consider you.” Sadie rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t fight off the smile that was slowly being painted across her lips.

“What’s your last name? Can I have that much at least?”

“Ricciardo,” he answered, without missing a beat. “Daniel Ricciardo.”

“Okay,” she took a few steps closer to him. As she did so, she could see a faint tint of red wash over his cheeks. “Wasn’t so hard, right? Now, what time are we going dancing?”

There was only one bar in her small, South Dakotan town. She couldn’t remember if it had a name, frankly, because the sign had disappeared years ago as a result of a senior prank. It wasn’t a fancy joint by any means, but on a Saturday evening like this, it still managed to feel crowded. She sat next to Daniel at the bar, watching him intently as he finished off his beer. A disgusted expression seemed to wash over his face, prompting a laugh from her in response.

“You got something against Bud Light?” She teased before pressing the glass to her lips. The Aussie gagged exaggeratedly, before smiling.

“It’s cheap beer,” he explained. “It just reminds me of high school. Though, I’ve become a bit spoiled with my expensive palette.” Sadie’s eyes widened at his cockiness. Was he really insinuating he was rich? She was dying to know what he did for work, but that was the only question of hers that he was continuously dodging. She played with the idea that he was a drug dealer, but he didn’t seem like the type. Then again, her only reference to go against that theory were the mafia dealers in her romance books that she read every night.

“Expensive how?” She finally managed to ask. “Like, what, Monaco expensive? Dubai expensive?” Daniel shook his head in amusement, before standing from the bar. Once again avoiding the question, he sauntered over to the source of the music—the bar’s beaten up jukebox. She took a swig of her beer again, observing him as he flipped through the log of song choices on the screen. He had changed before they left the house into a black t-shirt that seemed to hug his body in all the right places. The dark wash jeans he wore with it just tied it all together. Sadie quickly finished off her beer, trying to evict the admiration from her mind. He was still a stranger with unknown intentions. She couldn’t fall for his act that quickly—it would be rather pathetic if she did.

She didn’t know how Daniel knew what her favorite song was but when the jukebox clicked to the next song, she immediately knew what was playing. Daniel had a mischievous look on his face as he turned around, further confirming her theory that today was planned. She watched as he did a horrible (absolutely horrible) shimmy back over to her, before grabbing ahold of her right hand with his and pulling her to her feet. He led her out to the dance floor, where his free arm wrapped around her back, pulling her closer to him. As he began swaying to the music, Sadie realized she was as stiff as a board.

“Dancing is a two way street, dear,” he hummed.

“Keep Me in Mind?” She asked him. “How did you know I liked this song?”

“Lucky guess?” He winked at her, but he knew that she knew he was lying. He wasn’t a very good liar, she had come to find out. Sadie took a deep breath, before allowing herself to relax into his touch and dance along to the music. Daniel was attempting to sing along, but he didn’t know the words—so it all spilled out as some kind of unrecognizable gibberish.

“You barely even have one drink in your system, and you’re already drunk,” she laughed as he held his arm out to spin her. She did so, but as he pulled her back into his embrace, her chest hit his. She caught her breath, realizing how close they now were. He held her closer, with his grip tightening on her waist. They stayed like that for a moment, both of them unsure of what to do or say next. Despite feeling incredibly overwhelmed by him, Sadie knew deep down that it was no longer a negative feeling. Whatever had transpired over the last week between them slowly dissolved. It felt like time slowed around them—like they were the only two in the bar. Just as Daniel opened his mouth to speak, she stepped away.

“I don’t feel good,” Sadie lied, though her voice wavered a bit, ultimately giving her away. “I just…I think I need some air.” Before she could listen to his response, she was quick to turn on her heel and exit the bar.

She wouldn’t speak to him for a few days after that, and it drove Daniel mad. The plan was going perfectly, but she shut it down. What made him feel even more stupid, was that he thought just for a moment that she felt the same. He could see it in her eyes—that hopeful glimmer that often gave himself away, was reflected in her gaze as well. He couldn’t stop replaying it in his mind, the way her body felt against his. He watched her as she made her way from the barn to the garage, carrying two large buckets of milk from the cows. Her expression was strained; she seemed to be in a daze since they left the bar. He couldn’t figure out what was holding her back, and just as he tried to sort through all the possible reasons, his phone rang.

He didn’t reach for it at first. He hadn’t had any service for the past week and a half, so he almost forgot the device even existed. When it rang again, he dropped the hose he was holding immediately to grab it from his pocket. Notification after notification began pooling through, as the last several days finally caught up to him. Every article about him, every text message from former teammates, every call from his family members—it all rapidly hit him at once. He felt the familiar tightness in his chest that he felt the day Sadie’s grandpa invited him over. He slowly lowered himself to his knees as he read through each message.

Max: Hope you’re well, mate. No one has heard from you for a while. We’re all worried

Lando: Heard you left the country? Hope you were smart enough to bring your phone. Your mom’s been having a fit since you left the airport.

Seb: Hosting a retirement party for you next week. What’s your schedule look like?

“You okay?”

The noise quickly faded as Daniel looked up from his phone to find Sadie standing over him. The expression she wore was laced with layers of concern as she watched him reading his screen.

“Shit,” he sighed, locking the device again. “I, uh, think I need to be honest with you.” She hesitated before sitting beside him on the ground. She hugged her knees to her chest, then offered him another genuine smile.

“I’m all ears.”

So, he told her everything. He told her about work, about being dropped by RB, about running away…and she listened, just like she said she would. It was weird, having someone there to just hear his thoughts. Not to interject, not to tell him what to do or to say…just to absorb his words as they spewed out of his mouth. He had this same feeling when he first met her—that despite the storm inside of him that welled with doubt and fear of the future, she managed to ground him. The clouds cleared, and the sky was blue with her. In his world of winter, she was summer.

“I’m sorry I didn’t say something sooner,” he finished, as he finally grew the courage to meet her gaze again. “I should have told you but…it was nice to be nobody for a while.” She pressed her lips into a thin line as she thought for a moment. His phone buzzed again, but before he could look, she placed her hand over his.

“I’m not angry,” she stated. “I’m sorry you’ve felt like you had to hold that in to keep your peace, but…we’re all nobodys here. That is something you can count on. It’s, like, the one perk to living off the grid.” Daniel laughed at her last comment. There was truth to her words. It was really nice to be nobody. But as the notifications kept rolling in, he knew he needed to answer some of them—to go back to being a somebody.

“I should probably make a few calls,” he looked at her. As the sun was beginning to set, the glow of its light seemed to shine perfectly on her face. As if instinctively, he reached out to her, pushing her hair behind her ear. At first, she pulled away slightly. Then, before he could drop his hand, she leaned in to his touch. The next words to leave his mouth seemed to spill before he could think, “I love you.”

The house felt empty when Daniel eventually left. There was a somberness that filled the air that nobody dared to address, because addressing it made it real. Sadie didn’t want it to be real. Not yet, not ever. She should’ve said she loved him back before he left, but she was scared. In all truthfulness, he scared her. Not in a bad way, but in a way that felt like if she were to allow herself to fall, the repercussions afterwards would damage her completely. What if it didn’t work out? What would happen to the farm if she left with him? Daniel had reassured her profusely that she didn’t have to say the three words back, but he simply wanted her to know where he stood before he left.

Six agonizing weeks later, and Sadie hated herself for not saying it back.

The weather was beginning to cool in South Dakota, as she made final winter preparations around the farm. She was adjusting the heat lamp in the chicken coop, when she heard a soft knock on the wall outside.

“Sadie?” Her grandpa called. “Can we talk?”

“I guess,” she mumbled as she turned the lamp on, then crawled out of the coop. Her grandpa wrapped an arm around her, holding her close.

“Distracting yourself with chores won’t make your feelings disappear,” he told her gently. “You know, he’s tried calling.”

She did know, but it was a horribly ironic feeling that stirred inside of her. He called, but she couldn’t talk to him regardless of how much she ached to hear his voice again. His goodbye was still so fresh on her mind that she couldn’t face the reality just yet. It was part of the reason she stayed outside all of the time—to avoid being available when he calls.

“He just left so soon,” she finally managed to say, though her voice was strained. Her grandpa placed a soft kiss against her temple as he continued rubbing her arm lovingly.

“Come inside,” he insisted, though she didn’t have the chance to argue as he began walking with his arm still around her—ultimately forcing her to walk with him. She let him, though. She was too tired to keep her composure anymore. As they grew closer to the house, she heard Lucky barking at the front door. Sadie stopped in her tracks, frowning.

“Lucky!” She called to the dog, but he ignored her. He started to whine over whatever was happening on the other side of the door. She whistled at him, when the door opened. Lucky darted inside, and as Sadie got ready to chase after him, she finally saw the culprit of his obsession: Daniel looked over to her cheekily, with his familiar smile plastered across his face. His hair was a bit longer, but the scruff still lined his jaw. A soft gasp escaped from her. He stepped outside.

“You, uh, wouldn’t return my calls,” he said casually as he stuffed his hands into the pockets of the winter coat he wore. “I really had some important things to say, and I just didn’t feel like waiting anymore—“

Before he had the chance to finish, Sadie ran over to him. She could feel the tears running down her cheeks, but she didn’t care. She acted on her feelings, and shut him up with a desperate, emotional kiss. Daniel wasted no time engulfing her in a hug, spinning her around happily. He kissed her back reverently, as if she were a sacred prayer to be memorized and answered. Her hands were tangled in his hair. She could taste the wine that her grandmother was more than likely giving him inside. Part of her wondered how long he had been here, but she didn’t care, because he was here now. She broke the kiss momentarily, bracing herself to finally say to him what she has wanted to say since he left.

“I love you,” she whispered. He brought a hand up, gently brushing the tears away from her eyes. “I’m sorry I took so long to—“

“You don’t have to be sorry,” Daniel interjected before quickly stealing another kiss from her. “I love you, too.” Sadie buried her face into his chest. Despite the icy breeze that pricked at her face and at her hands, she practically melted in his arms. There was an unspoken agreement between them in that moment. That despite what the future held for either of them, the other was going to be in it.

* None of my writing is available for reposting on other platforms. Reblogs, likes, and comments are appreciated.

©️ grogwrites, 2024

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aiscapades · 17 days ago

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thinking out loud abt recent discussions in the touchstarved/obscura fandoms :) literally just my own personal opinion !!!!!

i can't stop thinking abt cirrus bc he's honestly what i want so badly for the touchstarved LIs. it's what i wanted for count lucio.

i was reading y'all's opinions abt the touchstarved marketing and your concerns abt how the game is gonna turn out, and while i was understanding, i also was so confused abt .. where this sudden concern was coming from. and then i played obscura and i was like oh! i didn't know a game could be like this! i didn't know a demo could be like this! i had entirely different reactions to the obscura demo than i did the touchstarved demo

—and yeah that's comparing two totally different games, different studios, different projects. the touchstarved demo served to introduce the characters and the world and it did that wonderfully. it's satisfactory. it's not that they did anything wrong?? but i cannot deny they gave me two insanely different reactions. i was YELLING when cirrus was doing his shit. it was like what i imagine watching trashy reality tv is like. or like watching one of those poorly-made TV movies and just enjoying the ride. i was hollering and jumping out of my chair and GAWKING at the screen. like cirrus was real and he was really saying this insane shit and i was SO ON BOARD and selecting every insane option the game gave me. it was just so wild. and it was so, so fun.

so i thought abt it more and i was like yeah. i actually see where this concern is coming from. rss keeps their stuff so close to their chest that it's hard to tell what routes they're taking, how they're dealing with certain issues, how deep the character arcs go, etc. i have no idea how fucked up their version of monstrosity gets, and for a game that is ENTIRELY about monsters and monstrosity, that definitely gives me pause. we don't know anything. they drop hints and we guess and theorize, but we don't know anything. we know leander is fucked up. we know they're all fucked up. in what way? who knows. does mhin murder people as a giant crow beast every night? we don't definitively know. we kinda assume that based on lore drops, but we don't know. but then other studios are doing semi-regular q&as and dropping information into the laps of their fans on a daily basis (lost in limbo??? hello? every day i get a notif that they've told us something new, either abt ALL the characters or about the world). idk how early obscura devs have been answering questions but they're also doing something similar. but for rss you can send in questions and you're probably never gonna hear back. you can't just ask them what song the m5 LIs would sing on karaoke night and get a response 🧍🏼 they don't do that. which isn't to say it's WRONG of them—i'm not saying they're being bad game devs by any means—but it's definitely a different way to handle game development compared to these other studios we follow.

that lack of fan involvement and information sharing is where the concern comes from, i think. at least on my part!

i mentioned count lucio earlier and i want to elaborate why. firstly, he's my favorite character of all time. i've been writing a fanfic for him for 2 years, and it's nearly 200k words (i'm taking a break from it rn). like i love lucio as a character so, so deeply. is it because of the arcana game? no, actually. it's because of the POTENTIAL his character has. it's because of what the FANS have pulled from him and shaped him into.

the arcana was on the app store. it had such strict rules about what it could and couldn't be. and yeah i can rant about how dumb nix hydra is for taking the mico-transaction phone app route, but my point in all of it is that the devs failed lucio. i think they fumbled a lot, with the other characters as well, but lucio was their watch mojo top 10 biggest anime fails of all time #1 spot.

his bad ending shows him as the new DEVIL and dictator of the world??? and we got to see none of that. his whole route woobified him to pieces. he's just a lil meow meow. he's Baby. he didn't know better. he just made some Oopsies 👉🏻👈🏻 uh oh!!

like he was the main VILLAIN of the story and they turned him into a manchild. the wasted potential of this guy is insane. and i guess i saw that and thought "i can make this motherfucker so much worse" and i did that and will continue to do that. so have his other fans. people have rewritten his route altogether because it was so unsatisfactory.

there's overlap from the arcana in the rss dev team. do i think touchstarved will be the new arcana? nope!!!! but am i also worried they'll play it safe because they think the fanbase wants conventionally loveable love interests? yeah. i absolutely see the concern. it's very real and very there. does red spring studio KNOW we want truly monstrous characters? do they? we're just hoping they do.

leander doesn't have to be just like cirrus. none of them have to be anything. but i do want them to be monstrous. i want to FEEL something the same way i feel something when cirrus orders me onto my knees. like not even in a kinky sexual way. i want to be shocked. i want to hesitate and think "what is this character doing right now? what will i do right now?" i want to be confused and shocked and pleasantly surprised and also horrified. i want the adrenaline high i got while playing cirrus's first chapter. it was like my cptsd was triggered in the best possible way (lmao).

and it's not even about that.

lost in limbo is more fantasy romance than it is horror (save for the goddamn voidbound holy fuck!) but i know that i'll enjoy the game anyhow because i love all the characters. why do i love all the characters? because the devs tell us about them. they don't even have to spoil the game. i know amon smells like chocolate and has a fake southern accent (HELLO?) and that ara can't sing. lost in limbo could be the corniest fucking game and i would still love it because i'm already so attached to the characters.

the reason i turned to lost in limbo and obscura is because my excitement for touchstarved waned. because there's just a once in a blue moon post and it's likely it'll just be a "backers have new updates!" post. which isn't said to shame rss or backers !!!! that's normal and fine and valid!!!! do that!!!! i just mean rss is BARELY giving us what we want. we're stranded in the desert dying and rss is trickling water droplets one by one to each of us. lost in limbo devs are pissing fresh spring water into our mouths at firehose speed. is rss bad for this? no. they're not doing anything wrong. but a natural consequence of their marketing strategy is that fans will move on. i still love touchstarved. i'm going to play it. i'm reblogging fanart and fanfics. i'm posing the mormon leander theory. like i'm still here and still very much active but touchstarved isn't on my mind the way lost in limbo & obscura are.

ravenstar games tells me gael would fail the trial in the tale of orpheus and eurydice and i'm like holy fuck??? holy fuck!!!!!!

would ais? would mhin? i don't fucking know.

and what about elyon and sen? i know they're DLC bonus LIs and they don't need to be fleshed-out as soon as the main LIs. they can be on the back burner until touchstarved comes out. this is fair. but what about them? we know nothing other than 1. elyon is rich because of brothel money and 2. sen is an undead warden? (like a prison guard? like the ppl who watch over vere? i don't even know that for sure) (we also know their flowers but that's barely anything). meanwhile lost in limbo is sharing info about cécile and lázaro as often as their main love interests. they're not forgotten about. i can't even make a mc for sen's route because i know nothing about her!!!!!! which hurts my heart because i love sen. i love the idea of sen. it's the first time a female love interest in one of these games is 1. my type but also 2. not exactly like me (ara i love you but we are twins).

they're impersonal. they are 2D concepts we try to fill out.

maybe rss will tell us the LIs go-to karaoke song after the game releases. or maybe they won't. but there are just so many benefits to sharing that kinda thing and bonding with your fans in that way. that's my whole point. it's not "i need a steady stream of touchstarved content pumped directly into my veins 24/7 or i lose all interest" it's not that!!!!! obviously not because rss doesn't do that and i'm still here. this is my most active blog! i'm having a blast here because the fandom is sick as hell. we're vibing, doing our own thing, and it's great. but rss feels very distant. they are the senobium and we are residents of lowtown wondering when or if things will ever be different. if we're going to have a good day (lore drop or new art) or if things will just continue on as expected.

to reiterate: this post isn't about how rss is doing something wrong or bad or that ravenstar games/rotten raccoons are sososososo much better than rss. rss doesn't have to do everything other studios are doing. that's not what i'm saying. this is just the reality of what rss is doing vs other devs and how i PERSONALLY feel about it. i love them i would literally strap a bomb to my chest and demand my loved ones' credit card info to disarm it for any of these studios/games. i am a fan and i'm hopeful and i want to trust in rss so so so so badly. i want the very best for them. i want them to create a great game and be successful. i want them to be creatively fulfilled and proud of their game. on their own time, their own way. really and truly!

#touchstarved game #tldr: nah i see what y'all mean now 👍🏼#i know nothing abt game development and marketing but i do know how i feel as a fan. thats all this is #if anything i said was inaccurate pls lmk!!#this is just me thinking out loud. don't read this as anything too serious. please

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osiiiris · 4 months ago

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About problematic ships

I know this post and it’s consequences will probably end up pissing me off, but I’d really like to have a serious conversation about “problematic ships.” Like, an adult conversation.

I know we can do it.

Precondition

For me, most of this opinion doesn’t involve the Copiiia/Copiia/Cop1a ships because I think the incest factor isn’t the main thing with that ship. The Papa x Papa ship involves Copia on 99.99% of the time for the simple reason that he was introduced as not being part of the bloodline, and six (6) years passed before he was officially and undoubtedly confirmed as part of it (I have my opinions about this change, too). It seems totally reasonable to me that some people just chose to stick to that first statement and create the pairings they liked with him through all this time.

I have never personally seen a Terzo x Secondo fic, or a Primo x Secondo and so on. Most Copiiia/Cpiia/Cop1a authors are simply not interested in creating an incest story.

That said, since people associated Copia x other Papas with pure incest from the beginning, I think we can at least gain something interesting from all this discourse.

/Precondition

Many “nasty” stories (books, fanfics, movies, songs… whatever) provide an opportunity to discuss “taboo” issues. Some can serve as case studies for reflecting on human behavior in specific contexts. I know fanfictions are mostly meant to entertain, to fantasize, even to get horny or just to imagine ourselves in a romance with our favorite characters, but this would be underestimating the work of fanfic writers. Some fanfictions are deep, offering interesting analyses and portraits of human behavior, and some may choose unusual topics to explore very dark and complex (also frivolous, why not) aspects of human nature.

If an author decides to choose a “problematic” topic to express their creativity, it is none of your business.

Even if a relationship is considered morally unacceptable, authors still have the right to write about it, and interested readers have the right to read it. Otherwise, no author should be allowed to write about murder, which I think is the most morally unacceptable act one can commit.

A relationship can be nasty even if it is between two complete strangers. It can be abusive. It can be violent. It can involve rape (a topic I personally despise with every fiber of my being, but STILL, I read about it and sometimes even write about it). It can be dysfunctional, toxic, unbalanced, boring… people still have the right to explore it in whatever way they like. By the way, somehow if a fictional relationship is so bad but it’s between two regular people it is still accepted, but it becomes absolutely unacceptable if it involves two siblings.

I’d like to bring up some examples of famous incestuous or problematic stories:

The Dreamers, by Bernardo Bertolucci: Not sure how many of you know about this movie. I watched it when I was a little girl and never for a moment was I grossed out by the story. I was rather fascinated by the relationship between the twins and how it becomes a refuge and a way to escape reality. You can interpret that relationship in so many ways. It was strange, even poetic, but it was interesting to explore. The movie is still one of my favorites.

Lolita: Nabokov himself asked not to romanticize the story (which was inspired by a real event, btw). That book doesn’t make him a pedophile or a nasty person; it was just his imagination, a sad dynamic he felt was worth exploring and telling.

Dogtooth, by Yorgos Lanthimos: This is another example of a very particular situation where explicit incestuous situations occur (more than one, to be fair). It is one of the most interesting movies I have ever seen from a “what humans do when put into a very singular situation” perspective.

Nymphomaniac, by Lars von Trier: nothing less than an equally upsetting and poignant creation. Many people here would go absolutely crazy at the scene where the protagonist reacts to her father’s death, I’m sure of it. I’m still trying to interpret it.

No, I won’t include A song if Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones, enough people have done that already.

Try discussing those works by saying, “That movie was bad because they are siblings and they can’t do those things!” Ok, legitimate, but try to imagine how you sound from the outside if that is really the ONLY critique you can make.

Witch-hunting creators who are brave enough to explore the nastiest parts of human nature doesn’t make you a good person. It makes you a person who wants the world to conform to your image, making you unable to face and analyze what you find unacceptable.

When confronting a topic you don’t like, you have two choices: enrich your knowledge or allow your boundaries to limit your artistic consumption, but never, ever bully someone else because they are simply interested in that subject.

#As per usual I made it bigger than necessary #Copiiia #copiia #cop1a #Papa x papa #problematic ships #Many other things to say but let’s see how this goes first

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foone · 8 months ago

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weird thought: I think if I was a teenager now (or anytime in the last decade or so) I think I would have written (and read!) a lot more fanfic than I did in reality, where I was a teenager in the 90s.

See, I've never been hugely into fanfic. Never had anything against it exactly, but it just wasn't something I was into. But I think that has to do with an interesting combination of how my brain works and what time I was first really getting into being a fan.

I've got a "librarian" brain (I'm literally typing this from within a library, WHERE I WORK). It wants to know things like "what are all the works in this series/by this creator?" and "are they all accessible?" and "what info is available about how it was made?"

I'm the kind of person who will watch a show then go look it up on wikipedia to see how many seasons it has, who made it, if they're still making it, check tvtropes for any more info, etc. Or I hear a song I like by a band I've never heard of, so I go listen to their entire discography while researching them. I just focus on things I'm into that way, you know? I don't half-ass my interest. (this is probably related to my autism, of course)

So what does this have to do with fanfic? like, do I go read some fanfics as part of this process? No, and I think the reason for it is when I specifically first got into fandom, as a teen.

See, this sort of fandom-librarian was harder to do in 1997, you know? You couldn't just pull up the wikipedia for that new show and see how many episodes it had. You also couldn't just listen to the whole discography of that band! Forget Spotify or Google Music, even Napster didn't exist yet.

So my interest in fandom focused a lot more on very basic questions: How many episodes/albums/books/whatever are there? Where can I see/hear them all? Like, I remember getting excited because I found some fan magazine that had a list of all the Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes. Just a list! Not even descriptions or anything. I finally could take that list and see how many I'd seen, so I'd know when I saw them all in late-night reruns.

So I'm focusing on these very basic parts of being a fandom-librarian and I stumble across some fanfic. I'm like "oh, is this a transcript of an episode I haven't seen yet?" and I realize it's not, it's a story written by a fan, and I get a knee-jerk reaction of "that's not helpful to my quest to know and find all the episodes". It's like I am on a quest for the holy grail and I found a fake cup. It's not helpful to me, and at worst it's a distraction from my goal.

And the thing is, I think the fact I had that reaction is entirely due to the time and situation in which I first encountered fanfic. It was in that environment of "I can't even find a list of the episodes, let alone a way to watch them all!" and that anxiety that colored my response to finding fanfic.

I think if I instead was first introduced to fanfic NOW, where those fandom-librarian drives aren't so difficult to fulfill, I'd be way more positive about fanfic. If I could get a list of episodes with a quick google search, and watch them easily on netflix/prime/whatever, I'd be less "THIS DOESN'T HELP! I AM STRUGGLING WITH THE BASICS HERE!" and more "yay, more content for the fandom I'm obsessed with!"

Like I said, I'm not anti-fanfic, I never have been, I just never got into it. From the beginning I had this reaction that was "this is not useful" and I never developed any real interest in it. Which is a shame, honestly. Fanfic is great. It just never became one of my interests, and while I've written it and read it from time to time, I imagine I'd be way more into it if I didn't have the weird reaction to it due to the worries of the time in which I first encountered it.

I don't know how many other people have brains that work anything like mine, but if they exist, I'm glad they're now growing up in a world where they won't have these problems. They can get into fanfic without this weird baggage caused by a lack of information.

#fanfic meta

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punchbuggie · 10 months ago

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hiiii more bakugou head canons bc i love that silly goober

dimples

i love the idea that he has dimples but no one but like the bakusquad and deku know

like imagine if you will: bakugou getting comfortable around 1A and genuinely laughing at something and they all see cute little dimples in his cheeks

then like todoroki pokes his cheek and is just like “you have dimples.” and then everyone freaks out and theyre like “AWWWW BAKUGOU!!!!” and tackle him in hugs

and then he tries to fight them off and is like “ugh i hate you people” but in reality he really loves the affection from his class and appreciates them and their constant reassurance that they genuinely like him for him and not because of his quirk

this more of a 1A head canon but i think if anyone AND I MEAN ANYONE were to start calling baku a villain or something theyd go F E R A L

i read a fanfic on ao3 about it and I LOVE IT

it was so incredibly cute and i 100% think it would happen (i’ll try to find it and add the link at the bottom)

baku totally loves to cook and bake for everyone especially eri

he would def be a big brother for her and be so incredibly soft with her but like only 1A and the erasermic fam would know

he’d totally still be >:( on the outside, but so incredibly soft for eri and she knowsss

she knows she has him wrapped around her finger but she’s a little angel and would never use that against him

maybe if she wants an apple but she deserves it!

honestly i think mitsuki wouldve taught katsuki to be a feminist from a young age (as shown by him fighting fairly against uraraka)

the girls would totally find this out after training with him in class and like sure theyre nervous at first, (who wasnt?) but they slowly learn that he’s one of the only ones in 1A to fully treat them equally

they probably start voluntarily partnering with him with kiri doesnt

after the other boys realize this, they feel bad for not treating their classmates equally and apologize and promise to fight fairly

i love all the comparisons to bakugou being a pomeranian so i think his friends (we’ll say denki) figured it out and tease him mercilessly about it

every single one of the bakusquad members has his pfp as a pomeranian

mina and denki have matching photos of pomeranians with bakugou’s hero suit editted on

sero has one with a chef hat that’s been posed to look like he’s mixing a bowl

and kirishima has a photo of the happiest pomeranian ever with so many little hearts messily drawn around it bc he loves his boyfriend

ofc they all know when they need to stop teasing him, they are his best friends after all

they never take it too far and have learned how to read his subtle facial expression and body language changes so they never upset him or push him too far

bakugou secretly thinks the pomeranian jokes are funny but refuses to let any of his friends or boyfriend know

anyway!! i hope you enjoyed more of my hc about the silliest boy

heres part one: https://www.tumblr.com/punchbuggie/734569823080677376/my-favorite-bakugou-headcanons-mamas-boy-like

#baku no hero academia #bnha #bnha bakugo katsuki #katsuki bakugo mha #katsuki bakugou #mha #my hero acedamia #bnha headcanons #bakugo katsuki #mha bakugou #bnha bakugou #bakugou katsuki

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1toreyouapart · 1 month ago

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The Lies We Tell

***FANFIC THAT INVOLVES REAL PEOPLE. 18+ ONLY. MDNI. DO NOT READ IF YOU DON’T LIKE FANFIC THAT INVOLVES REAL PEOPLE***

Summary that tells you nothing: Sometimes everything you ever wanted has been right there, within reach, all along.

CW/TW: Angst, fluff, swearing, friends to lovers, jealousy, smut, fingering, PinV, pet names, friends with benefits, more to come as I actually get things written out.

Just Friends

It's funny how life works sometimes. Someone can tell you they love you in one breath and in the very next shatter your entire reality. One wrong move while driving down the road can alter yours and another person's life forever. A brief conversation with a stranger over a drink and exchanged phone numbers can bring people into your life that you now can't imagine life without them. The latter was exactly how Quinn now found herself in this house, surrounded by the best friends she could have ever hoped for, their banter in the living room bringing a smile to her lips as she dumped snacks into bowls.

The boys had all gotten home from tour a couple days ago, and as always, they had to have a movie night. It sort of became tradition even before Noah had invited her to move in with them. After every tour there was a big family dinner, followed by a movie night where none of them actually paid attention to the movies they chose, too caught up in catching up on everything that happened while they were gone.

"Quinn! Hurry your ass up! I'm starving here!" Folio hollered from the living room.

"Untwist your panties! You're welcome to come help, ya know!" She hollered back.

Truthfully, she should have had someone come help her. The downside to living in this particular house full of guys was that they all were much taller than her. Well, all of them that actually lived there. Which meant everything was up high and she had to climb to reach most things. Meaning it took her longer to get even just snacks together.

"Fucking tall ass motherfuckers," she grumbled, climbing up on the counter to reach some more bowls. She probably should have actually counted how much she needed before starting. Her fault, really. A long tattooed arm wrapped around her waist, hauling her off the counter.

"I swear to God, Quinn. You're going to break your fucking neck one of these days. What do you need?" Noah's voice behind her, somewhat panicked, almost made her giggle.

"Well, if you didn't put shit up so high I wouldn't have to climb to get it! And some more bowls."

Noah shook his head, chuckling. Her best friend and roommate. The person that found her in that bar seven years ago, drinking away the pain of her boyfriend at the time breaking up with her, and somehow took all those broken pieces and put her back together.

When Noah was home they quite literally did everything together. From rock climbing to going to gigs for small local bands. Movie nights up in his room, just the two of them. Shoot, when he was home she barely slept in her own room. Every night, without fail they would fall asleep in his room. It was enough that Jolly had asked them more than once if there was something else going on. And was never satisfied when they told him that they were just friends.

"You could also use the step stool I bought you."

"Step stools are for old people and children. I happen to be neither."

"You're impossible."

"You love me!"

Noah glanced down at her with a smirk as he grabbed some of the filled bowls. Quinn ignored the way her stomach flipped as his dark eyes met hers. Ignored the way her heart began to race. He was her best friend. That she definitely had a crush on. But he could never know that. It would make things weird, and she was happy with the way things were. Truly.

"Come on, my little terror pixie."

Huffing she followed him into the living room. Noah had called her a terror pixie from the night they met. However, the calling her his little terror pixie was something new. And she absolutely hated how warm and fuzzy it made her feel inside. Best friends weren't supposed to feel like that towards the other.

"Fuck off, Bigfoot."

With fake indignation she found her spot on the floor with him, settled right between his legs. Long arms wrapped around her, pulling her back against him, settling loosely around her waist. Quinn didn't miss the look everyone shared, or the way Jolly smirked at them. Like they all knew something she didn't. Or maybe they were, once again, reading too much into the way her and Noah were together.

#noah sebastian #noah sebastian fanfiction #bad omens fanfiction #noah sebastian smut #noah sebastian angst #angst #noah sebastian fic #fluff #noah sebastian fluff #roommate!noah #bestfriend!noah

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kittyball23 · 1 year ago

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Could you make a fanfiction of when Poppy surprised Branch that she was expecting to have a baby? And they tell all their friends and family the news? How would Branch react? And how would their family and friends react to the news too? I always imagine that they're excited to become parents, and so do their loved ones!? Could you do that? I also love the idea that their little girl had blue eyes, like her father's, Branch, indigo hair, and I imagined she looked like her mother, Poppy.

Hi! I wanted to break this up into 2 parts, this first one will be the siblings’ reaction to the news - I think Branch’s deserves a separate oneshot (I can’t say when I’ll have it ready for, as I do have a couple other requests from my Inbox to fill, but I hope you enjoy!)

Taking the News (a Trolls fanfic)

“AAAIIIIIIIYYYYYYYAIIIII!!!!”

Viva’s excited scream burst through the air, the Putt Putt Queen leaping a good couple feet up in an uncontained joy. The energy only doubled once she landed, waving her hands wildly about and gushing while she paced about and spoke a mile a minute. “OMIGOSH, OMIGOSH, OMIGOSH, I CAN’T BELIEVE IT!” She zipped over to Poppy and gently patted at her belly.

“Hello in there! It’s your Auntie Viva! Oh, I just know you’re gonna be so itty, and bitty, and cutie-wootie just like your Mommy was! AND I’M SO EXCITED TO MEET YOU!”

The Pop Queen giggled at her sister. “Veevs, I’m only a couple months. I’m not even sure if they can hear you yet!”

Branch on the other hand differed on this viewpoint. “After that scream? Yeah, they probably did.” Viva grinned sheepishly when she noticed the blue Troll rub his ears.

“Oh! I’m so sorry, Branch! It’s just that this is so, SO fantast-amazing!! Actually, it’s better than fantast-amazing! It’s fantast-AMAWESOME!” She squealed and bounced off to the side, expending her energy in one of the best ways she knew how - braiding! By the time her feet were back on the ground, it was Clay who was donning a brand-new French-braided hairstyle, topped off with little bows and glitter of all sorts of colors.

Clay groaned at how silly it looked. “Viva! Why me?” he whined.

Viva sprang to his side and gave him a playful punch on the shoulder. “Because you need to stop being a serious-boy grumpy-poo and get loose! My sis is gonna be a mom!! And your brother’s gonna be a dad!!” She celebrated by grabbing Clay in a tight hug and twirling him around.

When he was released, the lime-green-Troll found himself taking her advice, forgetting all about his hair and grinning broadly at Branch.

“Congrats, bro! I’m real proud of ya!” He fist-bumped the bashful blue Troll. Branch readied himself to reply, when he suddenly heard a sniffle. It came as no surprise that the Troll who had burst into tears was none other than Floyd.

“Oh, Branch, this is such a special thing! I’m honored to be an uncle, and I’m so happy for you…” He trailed off, a sob taking place where words failed him. He easily wept into Branch’s shoulder when his younger bro pulled him in for a hug.

“Thanks. I’m pretty psyched, too,” Branch agreed, smiling as he pictured their child. What would they look like? Perhaps they’d have his dark, indigo hair and sparkling blue eyes. Or they could be all Poppy, in gorgeous appearance and stunning personality. Or maybe their kid would inherit King Peppy’s orange skin tone, or Grandma Rosiepuff’s teal button nose. Branch’s head spun with all of the possibilities, each and every one perfect and plausible, until the reality of the situation weighed down on him. Being a father was a big responsibility. A flicker of doubt seemed to flash across his face right at that moment, which did not go unnoticed by Bruce.

The purple-haired Troll approached him and patted a hand on his back. “Hey, man, I know it can seem kinda scary at first - I know I was a little nervous for my first kid - but trust me, it becomes a breeze. And when it’s not, just call me for help! I got your back, bro.” He winked at Branch, making him feel a lot better. Bruce, after all, was an experienced dad, having fathered 13 kids of his own - all of who would become cousins to the new bundle of joy entering into his life.

John Dory suddenly swept in alongside them. “And me, too!”

Branch and Bruce gave him a curious look. “Wait… John, you’re a dad?”

JD’s jaw dropped. “Uh, yeah! You forgot? Man!” He strolled over to his caterbus, Rhonda, and patted her side lovingly. “It’s okay, girly,” he cooed, “they didn’t mean to forget about you, darling. Who’s the cutest caterbussy in the whole wide world? Huh? You are!”

Rhonda trilled in appreciation at John Dory’s sappy words, while Branch exchanged a look with his other brothers. While he wanted to point out that taking care of a caterbus was not all the same as it was taking care of a little Trolling, Branch couldn’t help but feel his own bout of appreciativeness towards his bro’s offer to help. Feeling playful, he grabbed JD with one arm and noogied him with the other, the pair of them laughing by the end of it.

Poppy and Viva in the meantime were having their own share of sisterly love, hugging and shrieking, and jumping up and down over the elation of it all.

“Ohhh, I can’t wait to tell everyone!” Poppy cried. “I’m gonna tell Bridget, and Biggie, and Mr. Dinkles, and Guy Diamond, and Satin and Chenille, and - “

“And Dad!” Viva cut in with a grin.

Poppy squealed. “Oh, my gosh!”

She and Viva shouted at the same time at the top of their lungs: “DAD’S GONNA FREAK!” Both girls burst into a fit of giggles just picturing the look on the elderly king’s face once the news hit him full force.

Viva bounced up and down once again and wrangled Poppy and the boys together.

“Aw, come here, guys! Group hug!” Arms enveloped Poppy and Branch from all sides in a flurry of limbs, letting the two happy parents know that they - along with their new kiddo - were indeed loved very dearly.

**********************************************************

A/N: Happy Thanksgiving!!

#trolls #trolls 3 #trolls band together #broppy #dreamworks #branch trolls #poppy trolls #viva trolls #brozone #john dory #spruce trolls #clay trolls #floyd trolls #fanfiction #kittyball writes #thanks for the ask!#kittyball answers #100+

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hochsleep · 3 months ago

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This'll be the day that I live (series masterlist)

• Plot: The world is in chaos. Humanity's past is forever erased. The future is now like a thin thread that is about to break. Death has triumphed and now the living are in the minority. You wish things were different. Maybe not for yourself, but for your little sister. The reality is that now you both have to survive in this world on each other and chance. But there's a silver lining, right?

• Pairing: Daryl Dixon x Reader

• Reader's pronouns: She/Her (female anatomy)

• Era: Season 1-11

• Rating: 18+

• Warning: profanity, typical TWD violence, obscenity, character deaths, themes involving psychological abuse.

• A/N: I started something...

I don't know what will come of it, but I really wanted to write something for the reader. Something big. All those of you who saw in the introductory post that I wasn't going to write something big for Tumblr, please let's all pretend together that I didn't. I just acted spontaneously when I finished my favorite Daryl Dixon x Reader fanfic. And I felt like I actually had a story to tell too.

This is my first experience writing a Y/N fanfic and I'm going to have to learn as I go, but I'm going to really try. As for this Y/N, that is, you as the reader: I won't use a detailed description of appearance, use first and last name (obviously), so you can imagine absolutely any appearance you want. But there are a few things that suggest things already in place regarding the reader. Here's what you need to know: the reader's age is spelled out, there's a backstory and it's assumed that the reader was born and raised in America, the character and growth as a character is spelled out. Also, the reader will have blood relatives appear, and I'll give them names, but I'll also refrain from sagging on appearance details. I'll leave that to you. We'll try to mold it into something together.

I would encourage you to read the post pinned to my profile to get more information about me as an author and to understand how my writing works. It's optional, but if you have any questions while reading it, you'll probably find them there.

We will move smoothly through the story from season 1 to the end (season 11). I can only see this way of telling a great story in this fandom. That way I can really bring out the plot and characters to their fullest potential. It's also how I like it. And the first seasons are really special. So it's up to you and I to recap the entire plot of the series, but with my plot inserts. But I'm sure it will be exciting!

That's pretty much all I wanted to say. I really want to share this work with the Tumblr world and I hope you enjoy reading it.

P.S. as time goes on, there will be useful links to additional fanfic material here. You know, like a playlist and a board on Pinterest.

Enjoy reading!

DISCLAIMER: The rights to the original plot and characters belong to the creators of The Walking Dead. I only own my fictional plot twists, my characters, and my vision of the original characters. This work is protected by copyright. You may not distribute the text of this work to outside resources without consulting me. If you use any materials from this work, please credit the author. CONTENT IS FOR ADULTS ONLY.

SEASON 1

Chapter 1: Just survive somehow

Chapter 2: First day in the quarry

#daryl dixon #the walking dead #twd #daryl dixon x reader #twd fanfiction #daryl dixon x y/n

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emiliosandozsequence · 10 months ago

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okay i'm gonna be very frustrated and angry probably but none of this is directed at you guys i promise!!! i'm just!!!! upset!!!!!!!!!! (tagging you so you see this emily!! 💕 @thesparrow1996 )

let me start off by saying i am not a book purist by any means, but when visual media is being made from a book, i would like it to, at the very least, be telling the same story and that isn't what happened here. it wasn't even telling the same story as the first film in the series.

in the last film, it seemed pretty apparent that paul's visions were going to become a reality and then in this one they Sort Of did that, but Not Really but that isn't even my biggest gripe with it. my biggest gripe is that the last film was telling the story of the book and this film was telling a different story altogether.

my other issue is how chani's character was completely changed. and think is probably because i've been obsessed with her character and the lovestory between her and paul (which is CENTRAL TO THE PLOT OF THE WHOLE SERIES BTW) since i first discovered dune when i was in high school.

in the book, she's supporting paul. she agrees with everything he's doing. she and the fremen all support him because the fact that the bene gesserit are controlling things from the shadows is NOT!!!!! a well known thing!! in fact no one knows that except the bene gesserit!!! OF WHICH CHANI IS CANONICALLY ONE!!!!!! (and even then the bene gesserit are very much a 'knowledge divided' kind of people so no one knows everything about the society) she and irulan are literally narrative foils!!!! like the entire reason i made this web weave was because of how much i fucking LOVE chani's storyline, and because i really love how it shows even the most well meaning of people can fall into the trap of doing the wrong thing for the right reasons. but i suppose it makes less sense to anyone else who hasn't read the book because they also entirely erased the existence of paul's first son.

in the books, paul has a son before he has his twins and that son is murdered by the very last of the harkonnens in a last ditch effort to erase the atreides bloodline. before this, paul is refusing to take the water of life because he has a family and he doesn't want to jeopardize that!! after his son is murdered, he takes the water of life, so he can enact revenge on the harkonnens and start his holy war. by then, he his so distraught that he really doesn't care if his visions become a reality and, while they tried to do this with the destruction of sietch tabr in this film, it does not have anywhere NEAR the same emotional impact because of how it was done (without paul really ever spending any significant time among the people there).

also, as you can imagine, i've got an issue with how they leave this film especially since this isn't even really the full first book and chani and paul's lovestory seems to not be anywhere near as central to the main plot as it is in the books.

all of this is an issue if they want to make further films because they've literally wrecked the storyline with this film. as i said: paul and chani's lovestory is central to the plot. everything happens the way that it does because paul is in love with her and treasures her above everything and, without the existence of his son, without him really seeming to truly care about her, the rest of the story is just going to come across as cheap by comparison.

i wouldn't have had as much of a problem with this if they'd started out the last film by steering it in this direction, but they so very much did not do that. this film really feels like denis villenueve was writing his own fix-it fanfic and that's what i hate about it most.

as for things i did enjoy:

everything on geidi prime; the black sun was so fucking cool. i completely forgot that was a thing from the books. i also loved how the fireworks looked like ink blots

stilgar!!! he's not really like that in the books, but i didn't even care bc it was genuinely funny and i had a good time whenever he was onscreen.

the way chani refused to bow to paul because they're supposed to be equals (you deserve so much better, babygirl, i'm so so sorry for what they've done to your story)

florence pugh did exactly what i thought she would and made me like irulan a WHOLE lot more than i do in the books and the miniseries.

crazy paul and jessica and alia!!! deeply obsessed with their evil family slay

also all the weird family stuff in general, including when feyd and harkonnen made out in front of the whole population of geidi prime

the whole bit with paul learning to ride the sandworm!! that was so fucking good

the part where paul is walking toward rabban out of the fog of the sand on arrakis after he tells muad'dib to come face him. that literally was my fav scene and it was only a few seconds long.

#BUT IT'S WHATEVER!!!! IT'S WHATEVER!!!#I'VE ONLY WANTED THIS PART OF THE BOOK TO BE FILMED RIGHT SINCE I WAS 17 BUT IT'S WHATEVER #dts #txt

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morverenmaybewrites · 7 months ago

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Hi! I'm so glad your back, Pizza Girl is my favorite fanfic of all time!!!

I have a question, about Jason's life as a adopted son of Bruce Wayne, particularly his relationship with Batfamily (especially Dick and Barbara).

During Jasons POV, he often reflects on this time as being warm and homely, easly more comfortable than his previous conditions of living (duh, but still, positive aspects). Buuut, while thinking about his relationship with members of the family, as much as he appreciates the company and patience, he often remembers feeling scared of being thrown away if he makes a mistake, and rarely mentions bonding time with his siblings.

But on the other hand, from Dick's POV, (that I think is more reliable, because Jason's POV is influenced by his abandonment related trauma), it's painfully, heartbreakingly obvious that he loves Jason like a little brother, and that both before and now he still cares and wishes to have a better relationship with him. Similarly Barbara, who's uncondicionably there for him.

So i was thinking, do you have any headcannons for how was their time together before the kidnapping? Its mentioned that it was hard for Jason to open up, but was there time when they managed to do this? What did they like about each other, did they have favorite activities to do together in their civilian lives?

(I feel like I'm asking for fluff but in reality it's tragedy knowing what inevitably happened)

Ayt, I had been putting off answering these for a while because I had a hard time articulating my thoughts on the matter. I still have a hard time articulating my thoughts, so I'm going to try and break it down.

Jason's Relationship with Bruce

I think for the most part, Jason's relationship with Bruce was informed by the fact that while Bruce deeply loved Jason, he didn't love him in the way Jason needed.

By the time the two of them met, Jason was already deeply scarred by his experiences. He was born into one of Gotham"s poorest districts, to two parents who were neglectful at best and abusive at worst.

So when he was plucked off the grimy streets of Park Row and placed into the Wayne Manor, and got told that now, he is another man's son. I imagine the change would have rattled anyone, let alone a street rat who was used to just barely surviving.

Suddenly, there was food whenever he wanted.

Suddenly, he had a bed, the sheets warm and clean and the mattress so soft that he's scared it will swallow him.

Suddenly, he had a family.

And oh, how deeply hard it was to believe that it was all for him.

I imagine he spent most of those early days waiting for the rug to be pulled out underneath him. For him to wake up one day to find himself back in Crime Alley, an orphan once more.

So a lot of his time in Wayne Manor was actually colored by paranoia that, eventually, they will get bored of him, like a rich socialite getting bored of a yapping dog when it goes out fashion.

He spent most of his time trying to prove himself to Bruce, being the best at what he can be, because you don't throw useful things away.

(It does not help that during this time, Bruce was still reeling from his fight with Dick, and ended up comparing Jason to Dick a lot, something that deeply damaged Jason.).

I think that while Bruce deeply Jason, he just wasn't able to provide the sort of loving environment one should provide to a damaged child. He gave him a home, he gave him food, and shelter, and I imagine that if Jason was the type to ask for things (he wasn't), Bruce would have given it to him without a second thought.

But he also gave him the Robin suit, and a responsibility that was, in truth, far too heavy to place on the shoulders of a child. I think Jason probably treated being Robin as a way to "earn" his position into Wayne Manor.

Batman, after all, needed a sidekick.

And Jason was desperate to give them a reason to let him stay.

But I think, that Jason's time with the Joker also colored how he perceives Bruce (how can it not). It made him forget that they had good days, too. And a lot of them.

Because Bruce did care about Jason. He was patient whenever Jason would explode into fits of anger, he let him have the run of the library, they'd talk about their favorite books, ways to better their arsenal. If they had time, I think the relationship would have turned into something beautiful.

If they had time, I think they would have been the two people in the family who understood each other best.

(But sadly, they did not have time. And these days, the memory of him makes Jason run cold.).

Jason's Relationship with Dick

They actually didn't have much of a relationship! It's something that Dick regrets and wishes to fix.

I headcanon that Jason was adopted shortly after Dick's fight with Bruce and his subsequent departure with Bludhaven. During this time, I think that Dick was busy trying to establish his own life, find his own identity. He didn't have much time to come back to Wayne Manor and get to know his new brother.

Whenever he did come by though, Dick did make an effort with Jason, and I think that mattered.

It mattered too, that he and their father were as different as night and day. While Bruce was subdued and muted, Dick was animated, chattering constantly. Asking questions.

On rare occasions, he'd take Jason out to someplace fun, joking that Bruce's idea of fun would be going through the criminal files.

He was a good big brother, when he was there. But most of the time, he was not. And that made it easier for the Joker to make Jason believe that he didn't care.

Jason's relationship with Barbara

I think that, aside from Alfred, Barbara is the closest to Jason.

While Dick was busy trying to establish himself as Nightwing and Bruce was being...Bruce, it was Barbara who took it upon herself to be Jason's mentor.

She'd often look out for him during patrols, give him pointers during training, and she'd also make it a point to make sure that Jason would be able to relax.

If the Batfam ever organized a movie night or an outing to the city park, it was because of her.

A part of Jason definitely remembers this, which is why at the start of the story, Barbara is the only one he bothers keeping in contact with.

#Ask #Batfam headcanons #Jason todd headcanon #Anon #God but it's hard to condense their relationship into short paragraphs #This 100% something I'd rather incoporate into a story but here you go anon

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emma-m-black · 26 days ago

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Through the Mirror - Chapter One

Stargate SG1 - Daniel Jackson/OC FanFic Romance w/ a Jack O'Neill/OC Found Family plot.

I've had this idea rattling around in my head since I started rewatching. So thought I would get the first chapter out here and see what people thought of the idea. I figure it will be a longer fic, as I want a bit of a slow burn.

Plot: What if in Season 3 Episode 6: Point of View, a third person came through the mirror. Amelia Brown, Step Daughter of Doctor Carter and real Daughter of Jack O'Neill. However after watching the events of her father being killed as he helped them to escape, Amelia struggles with the reality of going back to the place where both her biological parents are dead, and instead intends to accept the offer of staying in an alternate reality to her own.

Rating: Teen/Mature ish.... I don't have much written yet so I'm undecided if it will get spicy at any point, but I have to imagine that the fan base for this franchise is probably past the age of 18 by now haha.

Chapter One

Amelia sat stiffly on the hard medical bed, her legs dangling over it’s edge, the sterile chill of the infirmary gnawing at her nerves. Across the room, Sam paced relentlessly, her long blonde hair swaying like a pendulum with each step. The sharp tap of her boots against the tile floor only added to the tension thickening the air.

“Sam, please,” Amelia said, her voice strained with both exhaustion and worry. “Just sit down.”

“Yeah, you’re making even me nervous,” Kawalsky muttered, shooting a weary look at Sam as he shifted on the bed opposite Amelia. His tone was casual, but his jaw tightened in a way that belied his unease.

Before anyone could respond, the infirmary doors swung open. A group of Airmen filed in with the precision Amelia was coming to expect of this military world, followed closely by two figures who commanded the room immediately. She recognized them instantly: Jack O’Neill and George Hammond. Her stomach twisted in an unfamiliar mix of relief and apprehension.

“So, what’s the big emergen—whoa!” Jack’s casual stride faltered as his gaze landed on Sam. He froze, his brow furrowing. “What happened to you?”

“Jack?” Sam’s voice was soft, fragile even, as she stopped pacing. The change in her demeanor was startling. Amelia watched her stepmother’s face, a mixture of disbelief and hope softening her usually sharp features. The way Sam looked at this Jack was so... lovingly. It made Amelia’s chest ache.

“It’s me. It’s Sam,” she said, her tone trembling as though the words might shatter.

Jack’s eyes narrowed. “Uh... yeah.”

Sam stepped closer, her hands trembling slightly. “I never expected this variation. You’re alive.”

The words hung in the air, heavy and raw. Amelia shifted uncomfortably, her gaze flicking to Kawalsky. He was already moving, easing himself off the medical bed with a crooked smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“Don’t feel so bad, Colonel. Everybody around here is telling me the same thing,” Kawalsky said with a short laugh, his voice deliberately light.

“Kawalsky?” Jack asked, his tone incredulous as he studied the man before him.

A voice interjected, calm and clinical, “in a manner of speaking, sir. Actually, in a manner of fact, this is Major Kawalsky in almost every physical respect—blood, dental records—” Spoke Doctor Fraiser.

“But I’m not supposed to be alive in this reality any more than you are in mine,” Kawalsky interrupted, glancing between Sam, Amelia, and Jack. “Sorry, ladies.”

Amelia glanced at Sam. There was a deep sadness in her stepmother’s expression, a mourning for something unspoken. Sam nodded slowly. “It’s not the same with us here, is it?”

The question was rhetorical, Amelia realized, but the pain in Sam’s voice gnawed at her. The weight of what they’d lost—what they’d left behind—settled over them all like a heavy shroud.

Jack’s exasperation broke the tension. “Does... anyone wanna let me know what the hell’s goin’ on here? Anyone? How about you, whoever you are?” He gestured toward Amelia.

“Whoever she is?” The words stung more than Amelia wanted to admit. Her chest tightened, and her voice wavered as she whispered, “Do I not exist here?”

Hearing the tremor in Amelia’s voice, Sam moved protectively closer, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. “She’s your daughter, Jack,” Sam said firmly. “Or at least, the daughter of the alternate version of you. Do you not have a kid in this reality?”

Jack’s gaze lingered on Amelia, his scrutiny making her shift uncomfortably. Did he see it? The same similarities her father used to point out so fondly? He was constantly struck by how her features resembled his, especially her eyes, nose, and stubborn chin. The thought made her heart ache.

“I had a son...” Jack’s voice was soft, barely audible.

Amelia lowered her gaze, unwilling to meet his eyes. The rawness in his tone made her throat tighten.

General Hammond cleared his throat, the sound cutting through the emotion in the room like a scalpel. “They appeared a few hours ago in a Nellis high-security lockup,” he explained crisply.

Kawalsky chuckled, stepping toward Jack. “That quantum mirror you got locked up at Area Fifty-One? You guys never figured out how to use it?”

Amelia shivered, the memory of the mirror sending a chill down her spine. Sam’s arm tightened around her, grounding her.

“Is he talking about that alternate-reality thing Daniel futzed with on P3R-233?” Jack asked, his eyes narrowing as they flicked back to Amelia.

“Who’s Daniel?” Sam asked softly, stroking Amelia’s long brown hair in a way that was unexpectedly soothing. The small gesture made Amelia want to bury herself in her stepmother’s embrace.

“Let’s hold off on any more questions for the moment,” Hammond interrupted. His tone brooked no argument. “I’ve sent the order to have the device brought here under heavy guard. Our guests will be escorted to quarters until we can verify their story. We’ll come and speak with you after the briefing.”

Amelia barely registered the words. Her thoughts were a chaotic swirl of grief, confusion, and fear. She let herself be led out of the infirmary along with Sam and Kawalsky, though her steps felt disconnected from her body.

When they arrived at the guest quarters, the Airmen moved to separate them. Kawalsky and Sam immediately stepped in front of Amelia like twin shields.

“Guys, it’s fine. I’ll be okay,” Amelia said, forcing a smile to her lips. It wavered under their scrutiny, but she held it. “I’m not a child. I’ve lived on my own for almost ten years now. I think I can handle being alone in a guest room here.”

“Are you sure, Al?” Kawalsky’s tone was stern, a reflection of the father figure he’d been in her life for as long as she could remember.

“I’ll be fine,” she lied.

The door closed behind her with a soft thunk, and the silence of the room was deafening. Amelia sat down heavily on the bed, curling into herself as the weight of everything she’d lost finally crashed over her. She tried to keep it together, but silent tears slipped down her cheeks as she stared blankly at a chipped edge on the bedside table.

She didn’t hear the door open or the soft footsteps that followed. It wasn’t until someone cleared their throat that she realized she wasn’t alone. Startled, her head snapped up to find a man standing just inside the doorway.

“Hi,” he said gently. “I’m Daniel Jackson. I’m part of this reality’s SG-1 team.”

“I don’t know who you are,” Amelia said cautiously, her voice hoarse as she pushed herself up from where she had been lying. She studied the man standing before her, taking in his disheveled brown hair, round glasses, and the faint crease of exhaustion lining his face. He seemed out of place in his rumpled blue Air Force uniform, like someone trying to fit into a role that didn’t quite suit them.

“Yes, I’ve heard that I never joined the Stargate Program in your reality,” the man said, his tone hesitant. He scratched the back of his neck, a nervous habit, Amelia assumed. “Here, I, uh, did much of what Captain Carter—well, Doctor Carter—does. It’s weird that she’s a Doctor in your world. See here I was the one that figured out the gate address, and I went through to Abydos…” He trailed off, then shifted his weight awkwardly. “So, um, your Sam said you’re Jack’s daughter?”

Amelia blinked at him, momentarily thrown off by his rambling explanation. She reached up and wiped at her damp, puffy eyes with the sleeves of her sweater—a once-beloved piece of clothing that had been reduced to a grimy, threadbare shell during her escape. “I am,” she murmured, her voice barely audible.

Daniel took a tentative step toward her, and before Amelia realized it, she had instinctively scooted further back on the bed. The movement caused him to stop abruptly, concern flickering across his face. He raised his hands in a gesture of reassurance and took a deliberate step back, slipping them into his pockets. “I won’t harm you,” he said softly, his tone measured. “I’m just... curious about you. You seem, uh, quite a bit older than Jack’s son would’ve been.”

Amelia stiffened at the mention of Jack’s son. Her pulse quickened. “That’s the second time Jack’s son has been referred to in the past tense,” she said, her voice edged with unease. She watched as Daniel’s expression shifted, his gaze darting momentarily to the corner of the room—toward what she now realized was a security camera.

“It’s not my story to tell,” he said carefully, his words deliberate. He hesitated, clearly weighing what to reveal before he added, “But Charlie passed away when he was eight. He’d only be around twelve now, and, well...” His voice faltered, and his eyes flickered over her as though gauging her reaction. “...you appear to be, uh...”

“Much older than twelve?” Amelia offered with a forced, weak smile, trying to lighten the air that had grown stifling with unspoken grief. “I’m about to turn twenty-five.”

Daniel blinked, visibly doing the math in his head. His lips parted in a muted expression of surprise. “That would mean... Jack would’ve had to have you when he was—what? Sixteen?”

“Yup,” Amelia said flatly, her tone both bitter and resigned. “Teenage pregnancy is a real life-changer.”

“But he still enlisted,” Daniel said, the awe in his voice betraying his admiration. “And he still ran your version of SG-1... but you don’t have a brother?”

Amelia shook her head.

“Did Jack still marry Sara?”

“Who’s Sara?” Amelia asked, tilting her head.

Daniel’s brow furrowed, and his nose twitched like he was trying to suppress an itch. “Obviously not your mother,” he muttered.

Amelia sighed, the weight of the conversation pressing down on her. “Please, sit down,” she said, gesturing to the edge of the bed. “Your nervous pacing is making me even more nervous.”

Daniel froze, much like a child caught sneaking cookies, then hesitated before carefully lowering himself onto the far edge of the bed. He turned to face her, his posture stiff, but the tension in his shoulders slowly eased.

“My mother was Amy Brown,” Amelia began, her voice soft but steady. “She and my dad were dating when she got pregnant with me. Dad enlisted as soon as he could to help provide for us. My mom married my stepdad when I was three, but Dad was always there when he could be—sending postcards, letters, and little gifts from wherever he was stationed. Eventually, I enrolled in a military school and I got to travel a lot with him around the world, but before graduation, I was accepted to Stanford’s archaeology program. So... I never enlisted.”

Daniel’s face lit up with sudden enthusiasm, his eyes widening behind his glasses. “You’re an archaeologist?” he asked eagerly, his earlier nervousness melting away.

Amelia nodded, her gaze distant for a moment, as if the weight of her words pulled her under. “I just finished my Master’s and was about to join the SGA, much against my father’s wishes.” The corners of her lips curled slightly as she recalled the memory. “I remember telling him I’d been accepted into the Stargate Alliance program as a civilian researcher. He was so furious, he spent the next two hours lecturing me on how dangerous gate travel is.”

Amelia let out a quiet laugh, the sound hollow but familiar. “Do you know, he actually tried to explain the physics behind the wormhole to me? My dad, who barely passed physics in high school, thought he could ‘science’ me out of joining.”

Daniel chuckled softly, the humor failing to fully mask the underlying sadness in his voice. “Who would have thought, Jack’s daughter, becoming an archaeologist?”

Amelia’s smile faded, replaced by a bitter acceptance. “And now it’s all over.” Her words came out barely above a whisper, carrying the weight of finality. “Now my father is dead. The Goa’uld have taken over my home. And here I am.” The reality hit her like a wave, and before she realized it, her tears were spilling over. She instinctively brought her hands to her face, wiping them away in a futile attempt to stop the flood. “Sorry...” she murmured, her voice breaking.

Daniel’s expression softened, his gaze understanding but not pitying. “Don’t apologize,” he said soothingly, his voice a comfort amidst her heartache. “I know it doesn’t mean much, but I know what it is like to watch a parent die... I want to help in any way I can. We want to help.”

Amelia lifted her tear-streaked face to meet his eyes. Daniel watched her with a quiet, empathetic intensity, his lips pressed into a firm line. “So, if you want, you can cry, or scream, or hell, destroy the room if you need to,” he said with a half-hearted chuckle. “I’ll say I saw nothing.”

A sob broke free from Amelia, but it was cloaked in a laugh, as if her body couldn’t quite decide how to release the tension that had built up. She shook her head, trying to regain some composure. “Are... are we going to be allowed to stay here?” The question came out barely above a whisper, the uncertainty hanging between them like a shadow. She was afraid to ask, too afraid to hear the answer.

Daniel paused, his expression softening. “We can’t very well send you back to die,” he said, his voice firm yet gentle. “But I don’t know the details yet. Your Samantha and Kawalsky are being interviewed now. So how did you end up here, through the mirror? I figured if your Jack is anything like mine, he would’ve sent you off-world the minute there was trouble.”

Amelia’s throat tightened, but she forced herself to answer. “I was supposed to go to the Alpha site, but I had... issues getting to the base. By the time I arrived, the gate on Alpha site’s end would have already been buried. Dad died trying to get us to the mirror. Do you know,” she paused, her eyes clouding with a mixture of regret and disbelief, “I’ve never actually seen the Stargate. I finally had clearance to physicaly enter the lower levels, to enter the Stargate... and now—”

“Do you want to see it?” Daniel interrupted, his voice unexpectedly urgent. He stood up abruptly from the bed, his eyes alight with an unexpected spark of enthusiasm.

Amelia blinked, caught off guard by his sudden shift in energy. She tilted her head, confusion furrowing her brow. “Do you want to see the gate?” he repeated, his excitement palpable.

“Is that... allowed?” she asked, her voice laced with skepticism but also a flicker of hope.

Daniel shrugged nonchalantly, a mischievous grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Probably not,” he said with a wink, “but let’s try it anyway.” He extended a hand toward her, an unspoken offer of escape from the tension of the room, a chance to see something—anything—beyond the bleakness she’d been trapped in.

Amelia hesitated for only a moment before reaching out to take his hand, the warmth of his gesture a small comfort in the midst of the storm she found herself in.

It took Amelia a moment, but she finally reached out, slipping her hand into Daniel’s. His grip was steady, warm, and unexpectedly reassuring as he helped her off the bed. The thought that struck her immediately wasn’t about the situation they were in, but the warmth of his hand, the grounding comfort in it. He didn’t let go, even as he guided her to the door with a determined pace.

When they stepped out into the hallway, the two armed guards stationed at her door immediately snapped to attention, stepping forward to block their path.

Daniel released her hand reluctantly and placed a firm, calming hand on her shoulder. “Amelia’s not feeling the greatest,” he said smoothly, his tone laced with concern. “I’m taking her to see Dr. Fraiser—”

The taller of the guards stiffened. “We were ordered not to let her leave the room.”

“It’s fine, officer,” Daniel replied, his voice measured but insistent. “I’ve got her. You can stand down.”

The guard shook his head, unmoved. “We were given a direct order.”

“It’s okay, officer. I’ll take them,” came a familiar voice from behind the guards. Jack O’Neill stepped into view, his expression unreadable but his tone authoritative.

The guards exchanged a look before reluctantly stepping aside. Jack’s gaze flickered between Daniel and Amelia, his suspicion evident. He didn’t say a word, but his expression did the talking: What are you up to now?

Daniel placed a gentle hand on the small of Amelia’s back, guiding her forward. She kept her eyes down as they approached Jack, who fell into step ahead of them, leading the way to the elevator. Inside, as the doors closed, Jack hovered his hand over the buttons, his sharp eyes cutting to Daniel.

“So,” Jack asked, his tone dry but laced with curiosity, “where are we really going?”

Daniel hesitated, his hand rubbing the back of his neck. “Uh... the Gate Room,” he admitted sheepishly.

Jack quirked a brow, his lips twitching with restrained amusement. “To the Gate Room, then.” He turned, hitting the button for Level 28. His gaze lingered on Amelia for a moment longer than necessary, studying her as though trying to piece together a puzzle.

The elevator ride was brief but steeped in an awkward silence. Amelia tried not to fidget, aware of Jack’s subtle scrutiny and Daniel’s quiet nervousness. When the doors slid open, Jack took the lead again, guiding them through the stark, sterile halls. Finally, they stopped at a set of heavy metal doors flanked by armed guards.

“Men, you can stand down,” Jack ordered, his tone casual but firm. “We’re just giving our guest here a tour.”

The guards exchanged wary glances before stepping aside. Jack swiped his keycard through the scanner, and the doors groaned open. Amelia followed Jack into the room, her steps faltering as she crossed the threshold and finally saw it. Her breath caught in her throat.

The Stargate.

The massive ring loomed before her, its metallic surface glinting under the overhead lights. She stopped abruptly, staring up the ramp at the thing she’d only seen in photos and fleeting video clips.

“It’s amazing...” she whispered, the words spilling out before she could stop them. Her gaze remained fixed on the Gate, her awe palpable. “Can I—?”

“Go ahead,” Jack said with a sweeping motion of his arm, a rare smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

Without hesitation, Amelia rushed up the ramp, her steps quick but reverent. She reached the base of the ring and paused, raising a hand toward it. The warmth of its power seemed to radiate in the air around her, but she hesitated, turning back to look at Jack and Daniel. Both men were watching her intently, their expressions a mix of curiosity and amusement.

“Can I touch it?” she asked, her voice almost childlike in its wonder.

Daniel chuckled softly.

Jack smirked. “Go ahead. It’s not gonna explode—probably.”

Tentatively, Amelia reached out, her fingertips brushing against the smooth, etched surface of the Gate. Her eyes widened in surprise. “It’s warm,” she murmured, her voice filled with quiet amazement.

Daniel nodded, stepping closer. “It’s from the power required to keep it operational. We’re constantly running—”

“The iris, so you can close it immediately when an incoming wormhole connects,” Amelia finished, cutting him off.

Daniel blinked, impressed. “Yeah...”

Jack raised a brow, rocking back on his heels. “Doctor Carter mentioned you were joining your version of the SGC?”

Amelia traced the edges of a glyph with her fingertips, her back still to them as she spoke. “I was supposed to, yeah. I’m an archaeologist, though, so—civilian, not Air Force.”

“Ah,” Jack said, his tone mildly skeptical. “No Air Force, huh? And your dad was fine with that?”

“Yeah actually,” she admitted, a small, bittersweet smile on her lips. “He never wanted me in the military. But dragging me from base to base my whole childhood, he accidentally gave me a love for culture and history. When I got accepted into Stanford’s archaeology program, he was thrilled.”

“But you were going to join your version of the SGC?”

Amelia nodded, finally turning back to face them. “Yeah, dad wasn’t happy about it, though. I only ever had clearance on the need to know of what Dad and Sam did—until recently, that is. I had just began-”

Her words were cut off by the sharp, no-nonsense voice of General Hammond coming through the intercom. “Colonel O’Neill, Doctor Jackson, what are doing in there?”

Jack froze, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Busted,” he muttered, his lips twitching with reluctant amusement.

Chapter Two

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