#also there are a lot of normal original works on wattpad

[webawee]

I've been trying so hard to get people to start using ao3 instead of other sites but it's just

Not working??

Some people say ao3's not that user friendly

Which okay, fair

But I haven't used wattpad since like 2018 and I don't remember at all how to navigate the place

Like um how???

How do I use it??

The only thing I see when I open the thing is a bunch of y/n bts fics and I don't know how to change that because I don't remember how to

But back when I was using wattpad I genuinely enjoyed and wrote a bunch of y/n bts fics so I don't think I ever knew how to??

My memory's spotty but idk

Imo wattpad's less user friendly because um what

Someone please tell me how to use wattpad because I clearly don't know how

But at least ao3 is clearly labeled and you know exactly what you're looking at

I don't see how it's user unfriendly because it's so clear and logical??

But anyway, the other half are afraid of the smut on ao3.

Like huh??

Afraid?? Of the smut??

Why????

Just filter it out if you don't want it bro

The tags and filters are there for a reason 😭😭

This was really fucking long so congratulations for making it to the end

[bonbonchocolates]

Obsession

Yandere Taehyung x Reader

Summary: When you are hired to babysit a 26 year old but he is not as innocent as he seems to be.

Warnings: yandere Tae, obsessive behaviour, forced pregnancy, baby trapping (tae is basically a red flag here)

A/N: Again originally from my Wattpad account. Hope you like it.

Masterlist

____________________________________________

You were hired by Kim Namjoon and Kim Sihyeon as the babysitter for their son Taehyung. Although he was a 26 year old but he used to behave like a 5 year old.

It has been three months since you are working for Mr and Mrs Kim. They are really friendly and kind. They treat you like a family member. The only problem is their son Taehyung, well though he behaved like a child but sometimes you felt like he is not what he seems to be.

Though he was not a troublemaker but sometimes the stares that he would throw your way didn't make him look like a innocent child anymore. He would sometimes look at you with lustful eyes but when you caught him looking your way he would turn around. Then again he was back to the innocent child again.

Sometimes you felt like leaving the job but you refused to do it because you needed money. It was not that your father was an alcoholic person and your mother was sick. Your father passed away when you were only 10 and from then on the whole responsibility was on your mother. Your mother worked day and night just to feed her children.

You just got this job because you wanted to get admission in a good university and wanted to help your mother. Your elder sister also works at a Italian restaurant. You have two more siblings who are in middle school.

You didn't wanted to leave the job because the salary was quite high. Your received almost 3 times more that of a normal babysitter. There are two reasons for this. First, that Taehyung was not a kid but a grown up adult who behaved like a child. Second, none of the previous babysitter that Taehyung had could last for more than a week because they couldn't tolerate Taehyung. Mr and Mrs Kim both were surprised when you didn't left the job after a week. They thought Taehyung has taken a liking on you but you felt it very weird.

____________________________________________

It was a normal day at Taehyung's house, babysitting him. You were currently doing your homework. Yeah homework, you were in the last year of your high school. While Taehyung was playing with his fur friend Yeontan.

Suddenly you felt a pair of eyes on you. You turned around and saw Taehyung staring at you. At this moment he didn't seem like a innocent child at all. You thought that like always he will turn away when you caught him staring but he was still staring at you with a smirk on his face. You turned away and decided to ignore him.

_________________________________________

After a few hours you finally completed your homework and was just waiting for Taehyung's parents to come home. So that you can go home and get a peaceful sleep.

"Noona"

Taehyung called you. 'Noona' yes, thats what he calls you, though he was older than you.

"Taetae wants to play"

"Then go and play"

You didn't wanted to play with him because you were tired and you didn't feel comfortable around Taehyung.

"No, Taetae wants to play with Noona."

With that he dragged you to his room. You couldn't even free yourself because he was a lot stronger than you. Though he behaved like a child he had strength of a fully grown up man.

He took you to his room and gathered all his toys and came to you. Yeontan too followed you both and came inside the room. You quickly picked him up in your lap.

_________________________________________

An hour passed this way. Taehyung was playing with his toys while you were petting Yeontan. You looked at the clock it was 10pm and still Taehyung's parents didn't come home. It was very strange because from the past three months you are working they were never late. Maybe it's because of their work but you still decided to call his parents.

You tried to take out your phone from your jeans pocket but it was not there. Then you remembered that you forgot it in the living room downstairs. You got up and took a step but then you suddenly started to feel dizzy. You don't know what is happening. You stumbled backwards and fell on Taehyung's bed.

"Goodnight, my love"

Was the last thing you heard before darkness consumed you.

_________________________________________

The next morning when you got up you found yourself in your room. You were confused now. As much as you remember you were at Taehyung's house last night so who dropped you back to your home.

You sat up but then suddenly felt a terrible pain at your lower area. With the pain you still got up and went downstairs. You saw your mother making pancakes and your younger brother and sister were at the table doing their breakfast.

"Momma"

You called.

"How did I get home last night?"

"Actually, Jimin dropped you home."

Well Jimin was Taehyung's one and only friend and your crush. After hearing his name a blush made its way on your cheeks.

_________________________________________

Two weeks later:

Lately Taehyung has been behaving weirdly. He takes a lot of care of you. He always asks you if you are ok or not or if you are feeling pain somewhere. Even if you were not at work he would still call you to ask about your whereabouts.

For about a week you also feel sick and tired. You really don't know why. One day while your class was going on suddenly you felt the urge to throw up and you quickly got up from your seat and ran to the washroom.

At first you ignored it but then later on you told your mother about it and she suggested you to go to the doctor.

____________________________________________

You visited the doctor to know what is wrong with you. You expected to hear something normal but the news the doctor revealed turned your world upside down.

"Congratulations, Ms Y/N you are pregnant"

You were totally shocked after hearing it. You couldn't believe it because you never dit 'it' with someone so how is it possible. The doctor gave you the next appointment date and with that you left from there.

When you reached your home, you quickly went to your mother and hugged her tightly and cried your heart out. You told your mother everything she too cried with you. She assured you that everything will be fine.

_________________________________________

You didn't went to the school or at work for the next few days. You didn't know that if you could ever go back to school or not.

You didn't wanted the child because you don't know whose it is but some part of you wanted to keep the child. It doesn't matters if you keep the child or not but your life was still spoilt.

Your mother and elder sister were the only two people who knew this. At first you thought that your mother will throw you out of the house but instead she accepted you and told you that everything will be fine.

Mr and Mrs Kim also called your mother as to ask why you were not going to their house. Your mother told that you are not well. They told you to get well.

_________________________________________

After a few days you attended your school and went to Taehyung's house for babysitting him.

Taehyung was acting a bit weird. Most of the time he was around you when you were at his house but today he was nowhere to be seen.Today he was the one who opened the door at your arrival.

When you came to his house couldn't see any maid and it was quite strange to you but you ignored it. You you more concerned with finishing your job here and going to home.

"Noona"

A voice called you. You already knew who it was and you turned back and found Taehyung standing there with a pout on his.

"Come with Taetae"

Before you could say something he dragged you with him. You thought that he is taking you to his room but he took you to a different room where you have never been. Taehyung opened the door of the room and you both entered inside. It was a

Nursery.

You were so confused now as to why did he bring you to a nursery.

"This is for our unborn baby."

Taehyung announced.

What?

"Taehyung what are you saying?"

You turned back to see Taehyung standing behind you. He didn't look like a cute innocent kid anymore.

"Yes love. This is for our baby."

"Taehyung I can't understand anything. I am leaving now."

You were about to leave the room when someone caught you by your waist and your back was met with a hard chest.

"You are now mine love. I love you so much."

"Taehyung let me go. Plzz...."

Tears already gathered your eyes.

"No, can't do love. Do you know how many years I waited to have you? And now when I finally have you I won't let you go away from me."

"Let me go otherwise I'll say this to Mr and Mrs Kim."

He just chuckled.

"Do you think they don't know about this?"

"Wha....."

"They know all of this from the beginning. Well, it was my plan afterall. At first when I told my parents about my plan they refused to do anything but when I continuesly urged them they finally agreed."

A drop of tear left you eyes.

"Awww.. don't cry my love. I promise that from now on we will live like a happy family, just you, me and our little baby."

He said the line with a hand on your belly.

"But if you don't behave like a good girl or try run away. I'll have no choice but to kill your family. I know you don't want that, right?"

You were so shocked to even say anything.

"Do you promise to be a good girl?"

You didn't want to but hesitantly you nodded your head.

"Good girl"

With that he kissed you in the forehead and now yow let your tears fall.

"What about we decide a name for our baby?"

You knew that now you were trapped with him for the rest of your life.

_________________________________________

Borahae 💜

[colorfullpaperbird]

Characters in Ace attorney that i believe are aware of fanfiction✨ ( and fandom )

Warning i haven’t played all the games yet, in fact my apollo justice trilogy is crashing every time i try to open it, so all the characters from after aa3 are based on fandom osmosis

Miles Edgeworth - writes Steel Samurai fanfiction on ao3 and has been doing it for some time now (the living embodiment of the ao3 writers curse) would rather die than anyone finding that out tho, doesn’t have a lot of free time so only posts once in like 3-4 months, fics are pretty good and distinct since he writes them with so much formality, so he is relatively popular in some fandom spaces;

Maya Fey- fanfiction reader only, runs an account on Tumblr for Steel Samurai news and fanwork, famous in the fandom and runs a discord server, one of those people that lowkey have their own fandom mostly bc of the insane revelations she drops about her own life from time to time ( “ lmao guys sorry for being absent but i got accused of murder for the 4th time and that really sucked ANYWAYS did you guys look at the leaks for the new reboot… “ ) Shes also way too open about herself on the internet;

Simon Blackquill: Sasuke fan ( derogatory ) also steel samurai fan tho, dont think he goes out the way to read fanfiction ( i think if he did he would read them in fanfiction.net ) but its pretty funny to think hes edgeworths beta reader ( AN: sorry for the delay, unfortunate circumstances came to light that my beta reader was arrested and is now on death roll ) He ran an AMV account on youtube before going to prison;

Trucy Wright: Shes 16 and her only friends are her dads coworkers, she opened wattpad AT LEAST once, probably accidentally read one of those “got sold to one direction (gavinners)” fics and immediately closed the app;

Klavier Gavin: opened wattpad to see what type of fanfiction people were writing about him, he runs a secret fan account and shares fun facts about him and his bandmates as “hcs”, also pretty popular but most people hate him bc they believe his depiction of the gavinners is “too ooc”. He is actually pretty impressed by the quality of most of the works and alludes to their existence constantly in his main on twitter, the fans go insane everytime;

Franziska Von Karma: I don’t believe Franziska is a fanfiction reader nor is she into any fandom, i do however believe she has notifications turned on for Edgeworth’s ao3 account, he doesn’t know that of course, what a foolish fool to think he could hide such a thing from his big sister, she will sometimes quote his work back to him and find amusing seeing him freeze. He thinks its a coincidence because he is too secretive about his hobbies, he’s wrong, she’s been following him online since she was 13, that’s how she knew he wasn’t dead in JFA.

Extras: Phoenix is technologically illiterate, he couldn’t read fanfiction even if he wanted to. Apollo is way too normal for that, he has the law autism not the fandom one. Athena knows of fanfiction bc she is young and in the internet but she wasn’t very interested in it. If you ask Gumshoe about fanfiction he would give you a smile and say “Of course im a Fan of Fiction Pal!”. I do believe Pearl has wattpad but only reads original works on there, so in my opinion she doesn’t count.

Im sorry for any spelling mistakes, english is not my first language

[yoonia]

— Hello and welcome, 2025!!

I’ve already written my reflection and recap from 2024 on my 2024 Tumblr Wrapped post so I won’t say a lot more about the past year except to say, “Thank f*ck it’s over,” and, “I’m glad I survived...for now.” 

I’ve also shared my main goals for 2025 on the same post, but overall, I’m really looking forward to be able to get as many WIPs out as possible this year and finish a ton of series that have been on hiatus for a long time. I also have some new ideas that are begging for me to write and release, and I’m really looking forward to it. I hope you’ll stay tuned for my future plans as well. 

How to follow/keep up with my updates

On Tumblr — you can follow my updates and posting schedule through my “Schedules & Progress” post. I also share monthly psa posts to share what fics I’ll be working that month and sneak peeks of my WIPs 

On Patreon — I post monthly writing journal which details my overall WIP plans, progress tracker, and my daily writing progress (with daily written word count and details of what I’m working on that day). This is also where I would usually rant while I write, whether it’s about my writing process or my day to day life, so you can get a closer insight of how I work and write and keep up with my daily progress and maybe get a glimpse of what's happening in my life to know why I'm not around lol. I also share teasers of my WIPs that I don’t share on Tumblr. I might start doing this on Ko-fi as well this year as I’m prepping to open my Ko-fi shop

On social media — I post sneak peeks and links to my updated fics on X which you can use to keep up with my writing, either those updated on Tumblr or other platforms (AO3, Wattpad, Inkitt). I’ve also created an account on Bluesky to specifically share my writing progress. I might also use this account to share sneak peeks of my original stories instead of X

How you can support me and my writing

Like, kudos, comment, reblog — pretty much any of these basic ways you can do to support a writer on Tumblr will be much appreciated. Seeing you in my notifs and reading your comments and feedbacks have been extremely helpful to give me the motivation (and oftentimes, the inspiration) to continue writing. Please don’t stop. And I’m not just talking about me. Please support other writers the best way you know you can

Say hi — it's so easy. My ask box is always open. Just talk to me from time to time and let me know there's someone there and that I'm not (always) talking to a void lol. I know that, due to timezone differences and my hectic life outside Tumblr, I might get back to your message rather late. But I'll be there to answer and say hi back

Patreon subscription — your monthly subscription on my Patreon account will help me A LOT. In return, I always share exclusive contents that you can only find here. You’ll find spoilers, deleted scenes, explicit scenes, fic teasers, a glimpse of my storyboards and inspiration boards. This year, you will also get access to my Writing Class (with downloadable practice sheets) and a first look at my original stories

Ko-fi donations and commissions — I have been limiting my commissions due to the fact that I still have a couple commissions need to be done, but I’ll be opening it up again this year. I might not open as many slots as I usually do with the amount of work I have in line and many writing plans scheduled, so feel free to contact me if you’re interested. Or, you can simply drop by and send me donations through my Ko-fi account here

What I’ll be working on this year

This is normally where I show you some teasers of my WIPs. But I have so many WIPs to catch up on and I’ve also learned that I don’t always get to keep up with my own plans and I don’t want to leave you hoping and hanging while I’m suddenly inspired to work on other things. If you haven’t caught on with the WIPs hinted on the banner above, here are some visuals to show you what will be my main focus in 2025.

Note: they will not be released in chronological order and some may take time to finish. Let’s see if you can guess which fics these visuals represent and if there’s any of the fics you’re excited to see listed in this.

[cloveroctobers]

DANTE TORRES | FOLDER TWO: SLIPPIN’

A/N: Not me keeping a story going! Is this going to give, *Sidney’s voice*, “Don’t f-ck with the original!” Or what? I haven’t done chapters or books since my wattpad era 🤭 Guess you have Dante to thank for that! If you’re just tuning in, hope you’re somewhere comfy and you can start here.

S/N: premiere night gave what it needed to give! I’m enjoying learning more about Kiana, she’s cool in my book! I’m most interested in seeing the one Chicago crossover episode—which may or may not inspire some more content…who knows as of right now? I also originally had no plans of writing something new until February but consider this a new year’s gift? 🩵

WARNINGS: Doing what I do best! delivering angst, lots of dialogue in this one, kinda lengthy, most likely language, talks of health risk, revisiting the past, and some reconciliation?

<- need a refresher? Read the previous piece here.

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Seraphina stands in front of the window, fingertips kept warm with a cup of tea as she zoned out on the view of Kansas City. A town that just felt temporary, a place where she would solely be a visitor passing through without leaving any marks behind. It’s been six months since she decided to take a leap and move to Jersey City to begin again. Unbeknownst to her she wouldn’t realize that her time elsewhere would possibly be short lived, receiving a disturbing call that brought her back to the Midwest.

She feels her phone buzz in her back pocket, breaking her out of her gaze from the pelts of rain that flicked against the glass. Blinking Seraphina pulls her phone to see a text from Manny, checking where she’s at and if she’s okay, which lets her know that she’s been on her walk for a while now. The woman lets out a soft exhale, quickly typing out a reply that she’s on her way back now. Yet she stands at the window for a minute longer, dreading the fact that she’s even here and that this will be another mountain to climb.

Sipping at the herbal tea, which warms her, she takes that as a step of courage before she turns, somewhat prepared to continue to get through this and of course be supportive to the man who always had a interesting way to teach her about love.

If one could call it that.

There’s a heat that appears in her throat at the thought that isn’t granted from the tea but she fights against it. Seraphina is aware that now isn’t the time to be selfish about the past, since she’s come a long way in this relationship. Once her eyes lift and connect with familar spring green’s, her breathing gets caught in her throat at the sight of the man.

She speaks first, “Dante?”

They’re both frozen in place in the eerie hallway, his hands are in his pockets and he almost appears like a deer in headlights, removing one hand from his pocket to rub at the back of his neck but manages to breathe out, “Hey, Nina.”

It’s that normal quiet tone of his voice that almost feels like a whisper, which somehow makes her feel like all will be fine against the sudden chill that whips from the back of Seraphina’s frame. Dante can see her shudder, whether it’s from his presence or the mere fact that she’s here in a hospital, he’s not quite sure.

He’s the first to move and Seraphina allows him to come to her. He still gives her some space but he’s close enough to see that her hair is different, much different, shorter and a light brown—almost caramel—compared to her usual dark hair, that she stopped letting grow too long awhile ago, becoming tired of having to tend to so much hair especially working as a chemist. Dante can also see beneath her beauty that there’s worry right in between her brows, she’s always had the best poker face but he can only imagine what she’s holding onto when no one’s watching.

“You changed your hair,” Dante points out, a small smile playing on his lips as he attempts to keep things light.

Seraphina begins to breathe normally, “I did. You like it?”

She’s not sure why she’s asking, she’s never been one to dwell on anyone’s opinions on what she did—except for her father and her old best friend.

The ones that seemed to matter the most.

Dante’s nodding, his eyes moved from her new hair to her face, “It suits you well.”

“Thank you,” she dips her head playing with the lid of the cup, making Dante quickly run his eyes over her fingers, purposely ignoring her nails on a particular hand, yet still wondered what else might have changed in these agonizing months before she tosses in, “…Got any new tattoos I need to know about?”

He laughs a little as he teases, “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

The brings a smile to her face as she shrugs her shoulders but says nothing more. They would meet each other’s eyes again before one chose to break it and stare over the other’s shoulder instead. It was tense being face to face after all this time but the two have been through enough storms together to weather it.

“So what brings you to Kansas City?” Seraphina questions, assuming that it must be a case.

Dante moves his hands back into his pockets, “I um…your mom called my ma and told her what’s happening. My ma said a prayer for her—not just her but your family. Then she told me.”

Her throat feels thick at the new information. She hasn’t spoken to Dante at all since she got everything set up in Jersey City before taking her official leave. He was in denial that she actually wanted to leave until he started noticing moving trucks and boxes some time later. After Seraphina found out about the passing of Gloria, she decided that letting go of their friendship might be their best option to move forward in life, they went almost two weeks without speaking after their debate in her bedroom but Dante cracked first.

He apologized and begged her to stay, to not leave him but once Seraphina’s mind was made up, it was almost impossible to change it. Dante had to accept it and it added another mountain of grief he had to deal with on his own. He would call and text just not to receive any response, only to learn that Seraphina was still talking to his mother every so often, which definitely made him want to crash out multiple times.

That was a difficult time and he learned what space really means and from the one person that he never wanted out of his life, was a tough one to swallow. And now he was here.

“You drove all this way for—

“You.” Dante’s response is instant and it makes Seraphina let out a deep breath, “I’m sorry if I’m doing too much but I figured through all of this…you would want someone else here in your corner.”

Dante and Seraphina’s father never had the best relationship. Sure the pair became friends at a young age which was once full of playfulness, bright futures, and adventure before it all quickly changed for the worst. Mr. Coty was big on image and believes that who you surround yourself with said a lot about you and once he realized what Dante’s stepfather was like, he only assumed the worst for Dante. Instead of providing guidance, he brought on preconceived notions of what Dante could be.

He started acting different towards the young boy and once Dante started getting involved with that gang, Seraphina brought home those pills, and Dante beat his step-father so bad that his injuries were unspeakable, Mr. Coty began to despise a young Dante Torres. Years later Dante was here while the older man was at a high risk of declining but Dante could honestly say he wasn’t really here for him—but he would keep that to himself.

“…just tell me what you need from me?” He says after his old friend most likely has so much on her mind that she may not know what to say.

Seraphina’s eyes shine with a number of emotions, for one Dante was here after she went completely cold turkey on him. She set a boundary yet at the same time she still had a piece of him because she didn’t feel right completely cutting momma Catalina off as well. After all Dante had the woman’s first name, “Laura,” tatted on his forearm as a means of always having her near. He wanted to be angry and maybe he was that his mother still had Seraphina around and he was out of luck. Momma Catalina would push just a little until Seraphina had to be firm with her decision to her second mother figure. If you asked Seraphina six months ago what she needed from Dante, her answer would be much different.

Her dark eyes meet his and she finds that he still cares. It was heart warming to witness, honorable even and she wouldn’t forget it. He showed up for her when he didn’t have to and that meant something.

The doors behind Dante flap open, revealing a bearded Manny who looks up from his phone, doing a double take himself. Seraphina catches his questionable eyes first, making Dante the last to peer over his shoulder. Manny gives a single wave but it’s not a beaming smile attached to the usual expression where his eyes crinkle at the corners.

Dante honestly didn’t think the guy would still be in the picture. He did his best to keep his attention on his cases but he couldn’t help but to crack every now and then to get any bit of information he could on Seraphina’s new life now. He already knew that Seán, the still going strong engaged lawyer and good friend of Seraphina’s was now collecting the rent on her property for her so she wouldn’t have to constantly make trips back to Chicago. Dante only wondered if they were on better terms, if he would have been the one tasked with this instead.

There were a bunch of what if’s circulating and it only amplified now, seeing Manny Castillo being here for his Nina instead. Seraphina watched Dante’s jaw tighten at the sight of Manny before he turned back to face her. His eyes quickly shifted back to over her shoulder, rubbing at his jaw in irritation.

A pang of jealousy swirls within his frame because it felt like he was replaced.

“Hey,” Seraphina gently says making his heated stare meet her’s but it softens some, “Thanks for coming when you didn’t have to. It means more than you know, Tay.”

Dante gives a sharp nod.

The short haired woman takes another breath. Something she’s been doing a lot more since she’s been back in the Midwest. Seraphina closes the space between the two, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek and wrapping one arm over his shoulder, waiting for him to hug her back. The tension seems to erase with Seraphina pressed against him, his hands go right to the small of her back, squeezing her as if she’ll slip right through his fingers again.

It’s Manny’s turn to bring his gaze elsewhere. He pinched at his nose but gives the two their moment after seeing Seraphina close her eyes in Dante’s embrace. The hug is over much quicker than Dante would have liked but she touches his face tenderly, offering him an appreciative smile before she walks away from him once more.

Dante is determined to make sure that it’s not out of his life. Six months was more than enough and the time prior, he knew that this isn’t going to work for him. They made promises to each other and sure they were much younger then but devotion wasn’t like dust in the wind.

This relationship couldn’t be swept away.

And Dante was going to show her exactly that.

﹉﹉﹉﹉﹉

﹉﹉﹉﹉﹉

﹉﹉﹉﹉﹉

﹉﹉﹉﹉﹉

﹉﹉﹉﹉﹉

Dante had no intent of staying in Kansas City for a lengthy time, it was a spur of the moment action in all honesty. One that Voight could tell it was something Dante needed to take care of so he let it slide for now. Would a weekend be enough to get back on track if the childhood friends could? Part of him knows the focus should be on Seraphina’s father, which he didn’t get the chance to talk to her about before Manny came and whisked her away. He wouldn’t push it but it was most definitely on his mind as he sat alone in the hotel room.

He’s already spoken to his ma, who wanted all of the details but there truthfully wasn’t much to say, which meant he did more listening to the woman than what he revealed. Dante didn’t want to apply too much pressure given the unknown circumstance with Mr. Coty’s health but he would be damned if he left here without trying.

Dante’s stared at her contact name for some time until it appears across his screen on its own, spinning along the top of his phone. He takes time answering it, not wanting to appear too eager that the woman took him off block but hearing her voice may just ease his anxieties. She apologizes about it being so late calling him, informing him that she’s staying the night with her father but asked if Dante would be interested in meeting up in the morning at union station to mainly clear the air, which Dante agreed to.

He just didn’t expect union station to be as huge as it was, something he should have researched before he finally fell into slumber, instead of one hour before the meet up time. (the pictures did it no justice) However with his skills Dante was positive it wouldn’t take him long to find her in the detailed building. The high ceilings made Dante feel almost like a child and the intricate chandeliers were pleasant enough to lead the way as he found his way through to the mentioned coffee shop.

Seraphina had just beat him, taking a seat at the circular table, setting her iced coffee and flaky pastry of choice on the table before checking her phone and using both of her hands to massage at her neck. Soon Dante is making his way over to her, heart thudding in his chest. He tells her not to get up, kissing her cheek in greeting before she tells him he should order something inside before the rush starts.

“Iced mocha?” Dante quizzes as he pushes himself closer to the table.

Seraphina nods before lifting her chin at his hot beverage, “Boring cappuccino?”

He scoffs as he takes a sip at his creamy espresso, “Don’t be a hater so early in the morning, Nina. It’s not a good look.”

She playfully glares at him before she sits back against the chair, eyes deciding to people watch.

“Manny didn’t want to attend this meet up?” He slides that in, voice gentle but there was a hint of bite in it that she would obviously pick up on as he peered over at the woman underneath his eyelashes.

There’s a spec of amusement in Seraphina’s eyes, “No. if you must know, he brought my mom back up to the hospital to stay with my dad and he’s working from my parents’ house.”

“Good for him,” Dante mumbles sarcastically.

She shakes her head at him, “This isn’t necessary you know? He’s a good guy.”

“He better be.” Dante informs while Seraphina tilts her head at him in warning, “Just because I’m not around like I would like to be, doesn’t mean I’ll let anyone get away with treating you less than you deserve.”

She stares at him then, finding his words to be genuine. They’ve been around each other enough to know when their protectiveness was warranted. It was nice to see that this was still true.

“Well…you don’t have to worry about Manny in that department.” Seraphina defends.

“Good.”

“Do you want this entire conversation to be about him…because I can tell you more about him if you like?”

Dante’s quick with it, “I’d rather sit on the train tracks while waiting for a train to come by.”

“…That’s dark.”

A crooked smile plays on his lips, “Sorry.”

“Don’t be, not if you mean it.” Seraphina answers, “…Is it bothering you that much?”

“That you’ve moved on without me?” Dante asks, pushing his lips out in thought, “I just…don’t want you to forget me. These six months have been less than great without you, Nina. It’s not something I really got used to. I even thought about driving to the east coast.”

She presses her elbows onto the table, resting her cheek against her clasped hands, “I think you’d like Jersey city. At least the blending in part.”

“Yeah?”

“It’s not Vancouver but I feel optimistic there…at least for now.” Seraphina admits, reaching for her drink.

‘You should visit someday,’ part of her thinks this but she keeps it only as a thought.

Dante watches her for a moment, taking in her words and how she still thought of him. Perhaps it wasn’t all the time like he often did with her but it brought him comfort to know that she hadn’t forgotten him despite her cutting him off. There were plenty of talks between the once young teens when they snuck into each other’s rooms to lay side by side, staring up at one another’s ceilings as they talked about the future, talked about seeing the world together or even a piece of it that didn’t cut like chicago did.

Back then that was just talks but now Seraphina was taking that step…except Dante was behind her instead of beside her in their adulthood.

“Are you in a house?” Dante keeps the conversation casual, having a feeling that it wouldn’t remain this way.

Seraphina tells, “Back to condo living for me. It just doesn’t make sense for me to get back into buying something when I’m not sure JC is going to be my forever home.”

Dante perks up at this.

“I mean I’ve seen Indiana, KC, Rhode Island, Philly, JC, and of course Chicago—which absolutely is the best city in the world,” she teased with a roll of her eyes which makes Dante grin, “I just don’t want to be stuck anymore, ya know?”

Dante can understand that. He’s spent years growing up beside Seraphina but he’s suddenly starting to realize, being left behind by the person he loved dearly, hurt more than he thought it would.

“Was I…part of what made you feel that way?”

Seraphina swallows, “I can’t say that’s fully on you. I made the choice to keep fighting for more from you when you’ve told me countless of times you couldn’t give me that. You didn’t want that. So part of that is my fault so I won’t solely put the blame on you…I can see that now. It took me leaving to process that, Tay.”

Dante blinks in that way which lets the woman know that he has a lot on his mind too. Something she said in this revelation has him slightly spinning, “It’s not that I didn’t want you. It’s just that I knew I had the potential to hurt you more and I know you didn’t deserve that but I ended up doing it anyway.”

Seraphina deeply inhaled and exhaled, “But don’t you think I should be the one that gets to have a say too? I was willing, I’ve seen you at your worst and your best. Shit, your demons are basically buddies with mine and I still chose to love you. Any chance I took it there, you slipped away, it was only on your terms and it just wasn’t fair.”

“Fair?” Dante pressed his elbows into the table, “What isn’t fair is everything that we’ve been through? Getting shot at, me constantly coming to you to clean me up, the drugs, the accident…me going to juvi? The cards told us all that we needed to know. We wouldn’t make it, Nina. Somewhere if we tried…who knows where our futures would be? It wouldn’t be normal. It would always be something else that ruins us.”

Seraphina chews on her bottom lip, looking away from Dante as he spoke his truth. It really stung to know that he thought so little of the two, of what could be. This was part of his demons, of letting circumstances get in his head. Any time the word future was mentioned, Seraphina automatically thought of her ill father. She went to war with that man over Dante, he would tear him down right in front of her whether Dante was in their home or not. Nonetheless Dante never wanted to be seen as the victim, although he’s never had it easy, he still chose to fight and prove himself.

Why couldn’t he keep that same energy with Seraphina?

When it came to love past the platonic, it only felt like defeat. He was anchored in the past and it was no secret to her, never has been.

“So…now that this friendship is on pause…do you still feel that way? Ruined?” Her words stun Dante as she spun it back on him.

Dante didn’t think it was a vindictive move since there were many factors as to why Seraphina made her big move. She was always the type of person to dance to her own drum, much like Dante who had his impulsive moments but he wasn’t sure how to take this.

“Was that part of the plan?”

“Of course not.”

“Then why say that to me?”

“I’m trying to prove a point,” Seraphina sighs, “You didn’t want to try romance because of fear but we tried friendship, your way and I’m the one who put distance between us. You said it hasn’t been easy and newsflash, it hasn’t for me either but I’ve coped. Learned how to exist without you.”

Dante feels his brows furrow. The woman before him was not entirely the same, she was stronger and harder to reach.

“And I’m sure Manny helped with that.” He finds himself snapping unintentionally.

Seraphina laughs in disbelief, hands going up in the air, “Oh this again! That demon is coming out to play huh? You don’t get to do that. Every small chance that I’ve tried to move on, you’ve had a problem with, when it always could have been you, should have been, you could have solved that but you let your insecurities get in the way.”

Dante lifts his shoulders not denying it, “I can’t help it. I’ve always wanted you to be happy but you and I both know they’re not worth your time.”

“…and why’s that?”

Dante blows out a breath, letting his back hit the chair, “Because we belong together…probably in every lifetime but I failed this one by giving my love to someone else.”

Seraphina felt like her heartbeat was in her stomach at Dante’s vulnerability. She didn’t think this conversation would be a walk in the park by any means but she also didn’t expect Dante to say this.

“Now you say that?” Seraphina managed to get out around shaky breath, “And I’m just supposed to accept this after all this time?”

Dante shakes his head, “I’m not asking you to be okay with this. You’re my person too, always will be. I’ve been to hell and back with you…I just can’t let you go anymore. It wouldn’t be right.”

“For who? You?” She fired off.

Dante argued, “Mi ma told me at the beginning, every other week that you called her, you cried over me.”

“It wasn’t just you.” Seraphina hissed, “Sure you were a big part of it but starting over by myself is terrifying but I did it. Just like I kept picking myself up every time you rejected me.”

“I didn’t—

“You did.” Seraphina asserts, “You wanted me as your safe space and needed me as your shadow.”

He winced at how blunt she sounded and how she truly believed that’s what he needed her for.

His elbows rest on the table as he leans a little to peer into her eyes, “You’ve never been a shadow, you’ve always been my right hand, my best friend, my soulmate, half of me.”

Seraphina tossed her head back, feeling her eyes burn. “…Dante…you know what they say about having someone be your everything…you won’t know what to do once you lose ‘em.”

“Is that what you want to hear? That I’m lost without you?”

Robin thicke is gagged!

“I don’t want to hear what you think I want to hear.”

“Good because i haven’t done that, not once since I’ve been sitting here. I love you and that’s not ever gonna change. You wanted time, I gave it to you but it’s my turn to fight for us and I’m tapped in.”

“What exactly are you fighting for? A friendship that no longer serves its purpose?”

“No.” Dante feels as if his heart is breaking again, “T-That’s not true and I know you don’t believe that either. You love me too.”

“Course I do! I wouldn’t have thought about raising a child with you after finding out I was—

Her eyes go wide at her rambling and Dante almost forgets how to breathe. He dips his head, trying to catch her eyes but suddenly she finds her iced mocha more interesting.

“You were what?” Dante pried bringing his up knuckles by his mouth, “Don’t try and slide by that, Nina. Tell me.”

Seraphina takes her time meeting Dante’s eyes, “I was pregnant and I miscarried.”

Dante drops his head against his fist. All the background noise was drowned out by the ringing in his ears and his legs began to shake—it was a good thing he was seated. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing, how long has she been keeping this a secret from him?

“When?” Dante croaked out before clearing his throat and trying again, “When was this?”

“Some years ago…back when you were in the academy and I was working at the aquarium until I got hired at the lab.” Seraphina explains, playing with the sleeve of her shirt, but the weight didn’t feel completely lifted, it just felt like she shifted it off to the one person who was the last to know.

Should have known.

Dante pressed his fist to his mouth, just gazing at a sadden Seraphina. She thought about that part of their future, creating a family together, and seeing as much of the world as they could. It was right at her fingertips but it just wasn’t meant to be.

“I’m so sorry. I’m sorry you felt like you could never talk to me about our…baby.” There’s tears in his throat and he has to close his eyes since they stung.

He feels her touch against his wrist, patiently waiting for him to meet her eyes.

“…And I’m sorry that I’m adding more to your grief.”

This she means, as she offers him a small smile.

He takes it, freeing one hand to grasp her’s.

They squeeze each other’s hands so tightly, almost as if they were attempting to take away each other’s pain. He wasn’t completely okay with this, he was mixed with so much right now he didn’t know the proper response or if he had a proper one in this moment. Yes this felt like betrayal because she didn’t trust him enough to let him know, that they had the potential to create life together but at the same time she must have felt so alone going through it all.

His voice comes out strained, “You could have told me, you know? You know I would have been there for you but…you left me in the dark for years, Seraphina.”

Seraphina nods, “I…didn’t know how. I thought I was protecting you—us. You already constantly blamed yourself for the accident when we were kids and I just…didn’t want you to beat yourself up anymore over the loss.”

He laughs almost bitterly although his chest aches while he pulls his hand from her’s, “Protecting me is not lying to me. This all makes sense now, you know? Why you’ve held on all this time when you could have shared that with me? I would have been there and I hope you know that now. I thought we were better than that.”

“Well maybe we’re not,” Seraphina scoffs, “This back and forth is always constant. I finally got tired. I’ve always been sure, always wanted more. A baby wouldn’t have fixed your uncertainties even if a part of me hoped it would then.”

Dante sharply turns his head to her, “Who says I’m not sure? If I wasn’t sure I wouldn’t still be here but it was no problem for you to not only walk away but shut me out on that part of your life.”

Seraphina’s shoulder slump at this. She had to take accountability for this and ultimately she regretted holding onto this for so long. She had fear inside of her as well, it was her way of trying to protect Dante like he’s been doing all this time—in his mind. Perhaps it was all a huge chunk of miscommunications and striving to shield each other from more hurt.

Her voice is hushed that even with Dante sitting across from her, he could have missed this, “I’m sorry for that…I think I didn’t want to be more of a burden to you.”

Dante feels his head jerk back at this, “You never were. I just didn’t know how to make you understand that loving you past our friendship could make things worse. I didn’t want that for us. And now learning this…”

He stops, the blended emotions hitting him again as he struggled to clear his throat.

“I wanted to tell you but if I did…I was scared you’d leave me for good.” Seraphina feels her eyes water but she doesn’t dare let them fall.

He’s reaching for her hand again, her other going to wipe at her damp nose, quickly looking away from her old friend, “I would have never left you if you told me that. Yeah, I’ll always feel like it’s my fault that…you’ll never be able to carry but I wouldn’t have left you alone when you needed me the most.”

There’s a deep throbbing sadness in the air but it softens some with a sort of understanding sprouting amongst them. Their friendship was not only full of love but also great fear.

A sob threatens to escape her lips, “I—I started to feel alone in this for some time. Which is why I thought letting go was the best choice. I made it this time.”

Dante hates to hear Seraphina say this to him. However maybe he’s felt the same, in a different way. He knows he loves Seraphina but wouldn’t allow himself to be in love by shutting himself off to that idea. They were supposed to be so much more but years of hurt clouded their judgment in many ways.

“You were never alone,” Dante’s gaze is raw, open, and just as afraid as she is, “I’ve always been right here. I let hurt lead the way and since you’ve been gone…I don’t think we’re the same people we used to be.”

For the first time in years…it feels like Dante isn’t hiding from her. He’s no longer slipping and although there’s evident distance, he’s no longer shielding himself from what this is.

A smile sits on the corner of her full lips.

This finally feels like they’re getting somewhere and maybe this is what it takes.

“We were never going to be perfect,” Seraphina starts, “That wouldn’t be the Nina and Tay way.”

“Why does your name get to go first when I’m older?” Dante rests his hands on his chest in feign offense, a frown appearing on his face.

Seraphina rolls her eyes, her tone light and playful, “By six months boo-fucking hoo.”

Dante snorts with a crossing of his arms, “I think I’m starting to hate that number now.”

Seraphina can’t help but feel a bubble of laughter rise in her chest, a small, soft laugh that feels almost out of place after everything they’ve said. However something is there, a tiny relief, that reminds them of the easiness of their dynamic that once made their friendship so effortless. It’s like a wave of cool presses down the tension in her neck, freezing it away, making her feel as if they might be okay despite the heaviness at the start of their day.

“It’s just a number, Tay. Not a lifetime.” She tries to persuade, laughter lingering in her tone as she picked at the now cold pastry.

Dante looks at her with a growing softness, his grin reaching his eyes and that faint dimple that isn’t seen so much with others, appears at the apple of his cheek, “Maybe that’s what I need right now. A little more Nina and Tay and a lot less... all of this."

Seraphina nods along as the buzzed hair man who sported a growing 5 o’clock shadow motions to what they’ve been battling.

“That’s your gift you know,” Dante continues, “You’ve always had a way of making me strive for better…like I can do anything. Be anything, be lighter underneath it all.”

The light haired woman can feel herself dissociating as Dante’s words fill up the air. The dark of her mind threatens to bring up the uninvited voice of Gloria Perez, who she had the pleasure of meeting briefly weeks before her final departure from this earth.

“I can see why you have such a hold on Dante.” The brunette approached Seraphina outside of the lab one night as she stands at the doors, tossing her work keys into her tote bag in exchange for her car keys, her head snaps over to the voice that greets her, “He may not have talked about you much, but I’ve always known there was someone much more important. Someone much more real for him, the good against the bad. He should loosen his grip.”

Gloria’s words are like an itch Seraphina can’t get to, taunting her and ready to pull her back to stay in that moment where she met the woman that didn’t deserve Dante. She never wanted to be compared to anyone else but sometimes that’s just not the way the world works. She briefly glanced at Dante who’s still staring at her, a tenderness in his now moss colored eyes across from her. Seraphina can still hear Gloria and it was starting to piss her off—healing takes time okay! She wants to be present with Dante, this was their moment and not anyone else’s.

Seraphina steadies herself, closing her eyes and shaking Gloria’s voice away so it slips somewhere to the back of her mind because those doubts don’t define her anymore as she decides to reply, “…I think we both need to remember the Nina and Tay way a little more."

The hint of wonder mixed with just living in the moment the best way they knew how was reminiscent.

Don’t think Dante didn’t notice the shift in her expression but he doesn’t push it like he knows she would have done him. This was all a lot especially since Seraphina’s plan was to slip in for Mr. Coty and out (things took a turn) yet still found time to make this work.

“…how is he?”

This is the first time Dante’s asking, although it’s been on his mind long before he entered the hospital yesterday evening.

Seraphina tries to put on a smile but it’s weak and doesn’t reach her eyes. “Chemo doesn’t work for this kind of cancer so it’s a 30% chance of survival but they’re starting him on meds soon.”

“Oh, Nina…” Dante breathes while she sniffs and takes a sip from her straw, “What can I do?”

She lightly shakes her head but there’s appreciation on her pretty face and he wants to reach to caress her cheek in hopes that she’ll lean into him. However times are different and they’re rebuilding.

“Just sitting here with me is nice,” She lifts her shoulders, folded by a forced smile and watery eyes, “You did mean it when you said you’d be in my corner right?”

“Always.” Dante nods, “I—

He wants to say it, that he loves her, always would love her but it sits on his tongue.

She knows.

“I needed that.” Seraphina whispers, “You know more than anybody the nature of our father and daughter relationship. When he and mom came to KC, I felt like I got a piece of me back. And now to hear that his life is at risk in his sixties…that’s another thing I didn’t want to dive into but I know at some point I’ll have to.”

Dante can sense that she’s struggling with this. It’s been better, honestly as a friend looking in that her parents decided to move away to Missouri because it allowed Seraphina to just be herself and not her mistakes.

“I don’t know how to be there for him, Dante.” There’s a slight glare on her face as she peers off to the right yet it’s not directed at anyone, “There were plenty of times I needed him growing up and he did nothing but shame me for every little thing. I was such a nervous wreck around him back then. The distance between us three: mom, me, and dad worked. Now that he’s sick I’m just supposed to let everything go? Doing that feels wrong to my inner child ya know?”

His heart aches for her, but his presence remains calm as he knows how much she’s carried when it comes to Mr. Coty and even Mrs. Coty. He’s also been on the receiving end of her father’s hurtful words and anger.

Dante’s voice is careful and gentle, a nature that she can rely on, “You don’t have to have the answers Ms. Know it all,” he winks at the common nickname which makes her smile with a shake of her head, “it’s okay to just be in the now. You have every right to be angry at what he did. I was there for half of it, what he did to you—us.”

From the vile and abusive language when Seraphina wouldn’t obey him, to the sneers at just the sight of her, the neglect, the over strictness where she simply couldn’t be a kid, defying her dreams, the attempted drowning—she couldn’t remember the last time her father even held her hand or told her he loved her.

Her chest works with the storm of the past. It wasn’t only the fact of how he treated his own daughter but it was also the way he treated her friend. Mr. Coty was even harsh towards Dante and belittled him, doing things he didn’t deserve either.

Then there’s this other side of him now, fragile and wanting to make things right if God intended to take him out. Seraphina feels like maybe she should feel guilty for having a bit of bitterness in her as stood in front of his bed, watching him sleep. He was supposed to be the first man that taught her how to be loved.

“I should be there now because you never know with time right,” Seraphina laughs a little, “I could walk away for good but the little girl in me still wants to be there for him and let him know that I do love him and not just because I’m supposed to. But I can’t forget everything. The things he said. The way he treated you.”

Dante nods, knowing this has always bothered Seraphina and seen how Mr. Coty’s ways shaped her, how it’s influenced everything from their relationship to how she views the world. But he’s also seen the strength in her. He knows her better than anyone. And he knows this is part of her growth, part of the painful process of letting go and figuring out what she needs, not just from her father but from the people who care about her most.

Dante’s voice is low but echoes the weight of the history, “Seraphina, I can’t tell you what to do. But I can tell you this—what he did to us, what he did to you, doesn’t have to define your choices now. Be there for you, you have the power.” There’s an intensity in his eyes that feels like reassurance, “You don’t have to fix his sins or anyone else’s. You’ve got this.”

She realizes that’s she’s been holding onto what her father has done for years. How it’s been avoidant since they both moved, buried like most things tended to be in Chicago. It’s a move on and you’ll live moment and frankly, Seraphina Coty’s had enough.

Then there’s a sadness that sits still in her chest at the thought that she could really lose her father. There’s also another presence that’s been on her mind, her patient but blossomed relationship with her new boyfriend of two months, Manny. He on the other hand, learned the dynamic of her relationship with her parents, tried to encourage her to keep an open mind and that closed mouths don’t get fed. Manny was used to constant conversations and was in the works of putting together a sit down and then…this happened.

It was the first time they butted heads.

His intentions were good but he wasn’t there to witness it all. He probably would never truly get it since he had a fantastic relationship with his parents, almost squeaky clean, something completely different than what Seraphina was used to.

She feels the push and pull between what’s expected of her and what she needs. She can’t stop herself from thinking about the differences between him and Dante. Which is ironic since she never wanted Dante comparing her to Gloria.

Seraphina’s voice is firm, pulling herself back from the brink of uncertainty, “I hear you I do but it’s never that simple. I’ve got someone else in the picture now and Manny feels like I’ll regret it if I don’t help out. He’s trying to be there for me too through all of this.”

Dante slightly scrunches up his lips while studying his old friend. So her and Manny were serious now? Only makes sense since he’s here with her but it doesn’t stop the sting of hearing it so plainly. “Screw what Manny thinks. He can be here but he has no idea, he wasn’t there so he shouldn’t be pushing you to do something you’re not sure of yourself, Nina. I would know, I was there first and I’m not going anywhere this time. Even if you push me away.”

It’s petty sure but Dante feels the way that he feels and he can’t change it. He wasn’t here to cause problems between Nina and Manny but he was going to say what he felt. Dante could respect that Manny was here during Seraphina’s time of need but he couldn’t get with the overstepping.

He’ll learn his place soon enough.

Dante says this with quiet conviction, as though he’s making a promise to himself, to her, that this—what they are—isn’t something he’s willing to give up again, not without a fight. He let her go twice before but this time taught Dante everything he needed to know.

He can fight harder for her and that he will.

Clearing his throat after finding Seraphina observing him with her eyes, in a way that he was almost like an experiment made him a little uneasy. Sometimes she didn’t realize she was even doing it, her eyes low but focused with curiosity.

Dante continues, “I’m not here to compete. But I’m here for you. I always have been. And if you need me, you don’t have to hide from that. Especially when it comes to him.”

His statement is bold and lets Seraphina know, this whole ordeal has unleashed something in him that she’s seen in Dante before.

She exhaled with her eyes closed and says, “I don’t know what I need right now. But I do know that I’m not ready to shut you out again.”

And those words alone works just fine for Dante.

After all maybe he was beginning to see the art of letting go in order to rebuild. But some parts of him still wondered what that rebuild would look like, after they departed and went on about their days with a new found acceptance of each other.

What would they look like now?

The future, it seemed, wasn’t clear but they were still a puzzle that they intended to piece together and not let slip through their hands, this time.

﹉﹉﹉﹉﹉﹉﹉﹉﹉﹉﹉﹉﹉﹉﹉﹉﹉﹉﹉﹉﹉

TBC…?!

[takabinaryy]

The Wolf's Kit

Originally posted on June 23rd 2023

Request made by RonnieMidnight on Wattpad Caregiver Derek Werefox Little Stiles Also a reminder not all littles talk with a lisp or like a toddler. Even if they are mentally a toddler in that moment)

Normally Stiles has an okay day , remarks from other teenagers and hanging out with Scott and their other friends. But today was a little different not by much though his day started with him taking his ADHD meds. Getting dressed in his usual choice of clothing denim jeans , black tank top and one of his flannels. Then having blueberry pancakes with his dad before they both had to leave for work and school.

His beloved jeep was in the shop so Erica and Boyd had so generously gave him a ride they of course had made a plan to do a, Batman marathon with both the classic cartoons and the movies next Friday night.(Erica actually likes DC like stiles does and Boyd can't say no to his girlfriend or Stiles's puppy eyes) But unfortunately halfway through the end of the school day he was shoved against the lockers by some one on the team (it was Gerrett) , most definitely bruising the side of his face.

And this is what he hated about high school the bullies that will bully anyone because they either want to for fun or , because their beaten at home and take their emotions out on other teenagers. Danny had Jackson deal with the other asshole while Danny had actually taken Stiles to the nurse to get the injury looked at , incase it was more then just bruising even if it was just going to heal in a few hours anyway. Surprisingly when the bell had rang and all the students were flooding the halls making their way outside and to their cars , the bus , bikes or some just walked home. Anyway when Stiles walked outside Derek's car was in the the parking lot a few cars away from Lydia's to be exact.

Derek was leaning against it with those stupid sunglasses he had worn a year or so ago when Erica was in the car. The Werewolf of course spots his boyfriend and waves him over making the fox less confused as he makes way to Derek. And to be honest he's had a day so as soon as he's in arms reach he gives the slightly taller(by like two inches)male a hug. Derek hums wrapping his own arms protectively over the younger stilinski , already sensing that Stiles has had a somewhat bad day.

"Bad day kit?"

"Mmhmm got pushed in the lockers , Jackson took care of the douchebag. Danny took me to the nurse even though it wasn't necessary"

"Oh I'm sorry that happened to you Mischief. You know he only took you to see the nurse's office , because he cares about you"

" yeah I know. "

"You wanna be little hu? I'd be more than happy to take care you , you know I don't mind "

"Please?"

And just like that Stiles gets a kisses to his forehead before his bag is taken off his shoulder and put in the back and he's buckled into the passenger seat. Derek rounds the other side to the driver's seat , getting in and opening the glovebox grabbing the plastic container and gives it to the other. Letting him choose what teether , chewelry , or even pacifier he might want while the older of the two pulls out of the parking lot and drives on to his own house.(the hale house had been rebuilt and it's Derek's now)

During the drive Stiles had chosen one of those clear colored teethers and had actually shifted into his slightly small fennec fox form when the light turned red. Thankfully no human saw because of Derek's tinted windows , he gently bit and chewed on the teether as he was given soft scratches to his ears for a few seconds. Another hour goes by and finally they are at the hale house , the car gets parked in front of the house. Stiles gets carried out of the car and into the house gently set on the couch in the living room as Derek gets Stiles's little stuff out. Stiles himself stayed a fox for a few more moments before he went up , the stairs and into the main bedroom. Where Derek is getting his stuff layed out on the bed and of course the fox shimmed under the covers and shifted back to normal making the other smile in amusement.

" Hello sweet pup , how old are we right now?

" Hm three"

" Such a small kit , wanna choose what you wear? "

And just like that the little looks at the layed out clothes, there's two choices layed out. A black snap crotch onesie with white lining on the collar and short sleeves , with fluffy white socks on top of them. The second choice is one of Derek's T-shirts and a pair of Stiles's sleep shorts. There's a pair of batman themed underwear and there's something next to it. A pull-up on the bed to, incase the werefox needs it or wants to wear it.

"Can I have the the shirt and um maybe the pull-up? "

"Of course honey. Do you want me to change you or would you like me to give you some privacy and you can change yourself? "

" Change by my self"

Derek kisses his forehead and gets up and slipping out of the bedroom giving his little one some privacy. So that's what Stiles does he moves the covers away from his frame. And puts the onesie and shorts away before getting dressed into the T-shirt , pull-up and the fluffy socks. Once dressed he finds his favorite stuffed animal "Sour-Apple" the stuffed turtle, Peter had actually gotten the plush. For him at a festival the pack had went to last summer , Stiles opens the door and makes grabby hands(well grabby hand more like cuz his stuffie is in his left hand) wanting to be held , in a split second he's hoisted up on to Derek's hip.

" Would you like a snack, jellybean?"

"May I have apples and peanut butter?

"Cut in slices right? "

" Yes please Der-Der"

"Such good manners my kit has. "

Giggles fill Derek's ears when Stiles gets kisses pressed all of his face as they make their way back down the stairs. Passing the photos of the pack and some of the Hale family members along on the walls. Stiles is set on the countertop and given a sippy cup full of his favorite juice.(it's just peach Snapple but stiles counts it has juice) While the other male peals and cuts up two apples , making a circle with them on a plate. And uses a silicone cupcake liner to put the peanut butter in and sets it in the middle of the circle of apples. Stiles slightly jumps off the counter and walks to the living room putting on Max and Rudy.(he's on Amazon) Derek follows him of course and sets their snack on the coffee table and sits on the couch, pulling his little one in his lap. Reserving a soft relaxed hum from said little as Stiles takes one the apple slices and munches on it as he and Derek watch cartoons and just relax.

[crow97street]

─── ⋆⋅it’s not just nostalgia, is it?⋅⋆ ───

part 1

synopsis ✦‧₊˚ chan discovers age regression and he finds comfort in indulging in light agere, also deals with not being ashamed/embarrassed about it^ - ^

warning/tags ✦‧₊˚ light age regression (not in this part), caring skz members, overworking, self-deprecating thoughts, also silly skz doing silly things

notes ✦‧₊˚ haiii!! this is my very first fic:) it will probably suck cos my only experience is a klance fic on wattpad 3 years ago… but anywho! i got sick of the only fics i enjoyed being member ship fics </3 so i made my own!! this fic is solely focused on chan’s agere journey with platonic relationships with the kids :) no i do NOT hope chan struggles with any of this i just find comfort in somebody i love being the same as me! OH AND THIS WILL BE MULTIPLE PARTS!! okay enough yapping i hope you enjoy!

word count ✦‧₊˚ 1,464

song rec for this ;)

⋆ ̊。⋆୨♡୧⋆ ̊。⋆

The familiar sounds of his ringtone woke Chan up with a grunt. He made some unintelligible noises before groggily opening his eyes to check the time. 2:31 it read.

“Shit.”

Chan cursed as he quickly swiped his fingers across the screen accepting the call.

“Channie-hyung?” Chan assumed it was Felix by the unique deep timbre in the voice, realizing he didn’t bother checking the contact.

“Mhm ‘lix?” Chan sleepily replied.

“Hyung? Where are you? You said you’d be home by midnight.” There was a worrying undertone to Felix’s voice that made Chan cringe.

“Sorry lixie, I fell asleep at the studio. I’m packing up now, I’ll be home in fifteen.” Chan answered as he began powering off his monitor and packing his laptop.

“It’s alright hyung, get home safe.” Chan heard Felix sigh near the end of his sentence.

“Course lix, see you soon.” Chan couldn’t keep the tiny smile from growing on his face at his dongsaengs concern. He hung the phone up and finished packing his things. Chan stood there staring off into the distance. Unable to shake the deep emptiness he’s felt lately. It feels wrong. Why is he lonely? He has so many friends and his members are always around. Why does he feel empty? He’s happy, he’s made it. Chan sighs once more trying, and failing, to pull himself together as he swings the door open.

⋆ ̊。⋆୨♡୧⋆ ̊。⋆

Chan heard as incoherent whispers died down at his arrival. He turned the corner to be met with, expectedly, Felix’s face. Unexpectedly, Changbins.

“Hyung! Your home.” Felix kept his voice soft spoken as he approached, Chan assumed to not wake the other kids sleeping.

“Hi lixie.” Chan warmly smiled at Felix before accepting his embrace with a content sigh. There was a cough leading Chan’s attention to the other person in the room.

“Hey Changbin, what are you doin’ up? Normally you're out by like, ten.” Chan laughs to hopefully ease the suffocating tension in the room. It didn’t work.

“Felix told me you keep coming home late.” Changbin clears his throat as he speaks , clearly trying not to come off too aggressive. Too bad Chan knows him better than himself.

“Oh, yeah uh sorry I fell asleep again.” Chan awkwardly replies with nervous eyes. Felix and Changbin share a discontent glance and Felix sighs before he speaks up again.

“H-Hyung we don't want to sound overbearing or anything but, you’ve been staying late kind of a lot lately and we uhm” a pause. “We just want to make sure you're sleeping enough and taking care of yourself.” Felix rambles on with nervous gestures and fidgets that make Chan’s heart squeeze with guilt. Why does he keep doing this to them? Just because he felt a little lonely? Chan was wracked with deep guilt and frustration towards himself.

“Yeah channie-hyung, everyone’s sorta noticed but lixie made us realize it was a bit more.. Concerning than originally.” Changbin sighed out with guilt in his gaze. No, that wasn’t right, Changbin shouldn’t feel guilt. Chan should.

Wait, ‘everyone’? Fuck chan really did it this time. He broke his gaze and shook his head lightly to clear his thoughts.

“I’m really sorry guys, I didn’t mean for this to become a recurring thing, I just got so focused on work and making sure we kept up with our schedule.” Chan confessed avoiding the twin pair of worrying eyes.

“It’s alright hyung, but try not to let it happen again yea? We aren’t mad or anything, we just want to make sure you're okay.” Felix gave him a tiny smile. Changbin nodded in agreement.

“Yeah of course, let’s get you to bed though sorry I kept you both up.” Chan returned the small smile before walking further inside, moving their shoulders along with him. He received two small nods before he led them into their respective rooms.

Walking into his own room he let out another deep sigh. How many is that by now by the way? Before turning to his bathroom to brush his teeth.

Chan let his thoughts run as he auto-piloted his night routine. How could he let it get bad enough the kids realized? Gosh he can’t believe he’d worried them so much, he needs to get over whatever this weird feeling is so he can be there for everyone, he's the leader for god’s sake, shouldn’t he know better?

“Fuck.” Chan muttered as he stared at his reflection in the mirror. He looks terrible, no wonder they all noticed. Chan shook his head and returned to his bedroom flopping onto his bed and pulling out his phone. He’ll scroll on twitter for a bit before he sleeps.

Chan mindlessly scrolls, a few posts making him chuckle lightly, STAY’s were funny. He paused as he saw a post talking about the nostalgia of childhood cartoons. Chan felt himself smile imagining little Chris watching spongebob and adventure time in his living room. Chan felt a yearning grow in his chest. He wishes he could just be a kid again. Harmlessly watching cartoons and chugging down pineapple juice boxes, gosh he wishes. Chan feels his eyes tug, letting sleep consume him as thoughts of legos and car toys fill his mind.

⋆ ̊。⋆୨♡୧⋆ ̊。⋆

Chan’s eyes flutter open to a loud thud. He swiftly picks up his phone to read the time displayed, 11:21. Shit way later than he wanted. He begrudgingly dragged himself into a sitting position on his bed sighing. Fuck hes not 10 years old and watching cartoons is he. Why is that still on his mind? Whatever, no time to dwell. He took a deep breath before standing and making his way to figure out what the thud was.

Chan walked out of the hallway to, well, quite the sight.

Jeongin and Hyunjin were playfully arguing and pushing each other over some rpg game on the screen. Felix and Jisung were frantically running around the kitchen with - what Chan assumes is - pancake batter smeared and splattered in various areas. Timers and blenders are going off along with the pancake mess too.

Finally, Chan drags his eyes to Changbin and Seungmin lying on the carpet going through bags of old clothes. Wait where is-

“Leeknow?” Chan asks aloud, scanning his eyes across the room once more to be sure he didn’t miss him among the chaotic scenery. All eyes snap to him immediately causing him to tense.

“Bathroom!” He hears a distant voice call out in monotone from down the hall. Ah, there he is. Chan gives the kids an apprehensive nod before backing up and spinning on his heel down the hall.

“Soooo why are you in the bathroom and not joining the- well, i don’t know what it is exactly. I don’t think ‘hangout’ quite captures whatever is happening in there.” Chan drags his eyes around the bathroom as he speaks, finally landing them on the other boy.

Leeknow pauses brushing his teeth to give Chan a long glance before spitting out his toothpaste.

“I escaped.” He stated blandly. Fair enough. Chan cleared his throat to speak again before he was interrupted by a yell from the not-hangout in the living room.

“Channie hyung!! We need help!” Chan couldn’t decipher whose voice it was, it might have been multiple? Nonetheless he sped down the hallway to see what the dilemma was.

“What’s going on?” Chan asked as he reached the kitchen. Although it seems he doesn't quite need a verbal reply. Felix is trying to stop the electric mixer from spinning as it tosses even more pancake batter around the room. Chan’s eyes widen and he rushes over to look for a solution.

“We just wanted some pancakes..” He sees Jisung cry with a pout out of his peripheral vision. Chan sighs - fondly but he won’t admit that - before quickly running to pull the plug out of the outlet, stopping the mixer.

He gets multiple odd blinks before Jisung speaks.

“Why didn’t we think of that?” He asks dumbfounded as he shares a glance with the other boy in the kitchen.

“Thank you channie-hyung you’ve saved our lives!!” Jisung dramatically exhales as he drapes himself along Chan. Chan rolls his eyes and pats Jisung’s head.

“Yahhh, look at the mess you two have made.” Chan sighs as he scans the kitchen. The two boys' expressions grow sheepish as they nervously chuckle.

“Well get to cleaning!” Chan yells out as the two scramble to get rags and towels. Chan chuckles and helps them all begin to clean. The whole situation just reminds Chan of the time he caused a huge mess cleaning pancakes with his mom when he was young. Chan pauses his motion of swiping the towel. Huh, there it is again.

[the-six-that-thrive-if]

So, uh... I have a normal question and I'm not sure if that's allowed here. 😬

I'm curious what some of your inspirations for this story?

Dear Anon. This is a big question, long story short. I've had this story idea since 8th grade, when I read a monster Wattpad fic that was x reader.

I'm 19...

I loved the story so much that I wanted to write something inspired by it, which I ultimately lost. There were various different plots but originally, for TSTT, MC was supposed to work at Eclipse Facility but a horrible accident happened with the subjects. The illness wasn't a thing and the main plot was MC just taking care of two subjects.

And the idea with Districts was originally different but also involved subjects. Instead involved a revolution type beat.

Ultimately I scrapped both those ideas and smashed them together for TSTT. A lot of the IFs I make are old stories ideas from middle school and early highschool.

[punchdrunkdoc]

Part 4, Chapter 3

Summary: After the events of S3, Matt Murdock is trying to once again balance life as a lawyer and a vigilante. But he’s been scarred by loss and betrayal - will a mysterious new neighbour help him heal? Or will her secrets drag him back into the darkness? Notes: This is a slow burn romance with an original female character, told in 4 parts. There is mystery, intrigue, action/violence and angst - all the good stuff!

Also available on AO3 and Wattpad

Masterlist

Reference pics

————–

PART 4

Chapter 3

Several days later…

The streets were quiet. Again.

Matt perched on the rooftop of one of the new residential buildings on West 49th street, and took the pulse of the city spread out below him.

It was quiet. Eerily so.

The drug pushers that usually worked the streets near the convention centre were gone. The network of muggers and pickpockets around the bus terminal had been disbanded. The smugglers and traffickers who ruled the docks were out of business.

Matt had spent the the last week intercepting the odd car jacker and petty thief, but the organised crime gangs that used to keep him busy on patrol were just…gone. According to Karen, a mysterious figure named Ronin had cleaned up the neighbourhood - and the rest of New York - soon after ‘The Vanishing’. He’d been so effective in his methods that no one had dared rekindle any sort of criminal enterprise in the years since.

Which meant Ronin had done in 6 months what Matt had failed to do in 3 years: make Hell’s Kitchen safe.

Unfortunately, he’d done it through a whole lot of brutal slaughter and intimidation. And no matter the end result, Matt could never condone those sorts of means.

Besides, he knew it wouldn’t last. Not now that all of the career criminals and would-be underworld rulers who’d disappeared five years ago were back. Once they figured out the lay of this new land, they’d start trying to claim their piece of it. They’d fill the voids left by those before them, undeterred by urban myths about a hooded samurai. Criminals would once again infect this city, and Matt would be there, ready to stop them.

Including Landon Cross.

All the money and influence in the world hadn’t stopped him from falling victim to the random fate of Thanos’ snap. He’d disappeared five years ago, upending the entire timeline of his grand plan of revenge against his family. The criminal empire he’d been building had tumbled down without him at the helm…but he’d be back too. Once he licked his wounds and found his new footing, he’d be back. Men like him - entitled, narcissistic sociopaths - didn’t have the capacity to admit defeat and slink off into the night.

He’d be back. And in the meantime, Matt would wait. And use the time to re-familiarise himself with his home.

His first venture out as Daredevil had been disorientating. He was used to New York real estate changing - it was constantly in flux, with buildings being demolished and new skyscrapers being erected all the time - but those changes were slow and gradual. Easy to adapt to.

They didn’t usually happen in the blink of an eye.

Right now, Hell’s Kitchen felt like a stranger. The streets he’d grown up on, lived on, worked on, walked on…they were all alien to him now. Storefronts were boarded up. Dozens of new businesses had replaced the ones he’d frequented his whole life. The silhouette of the skyline had drastically changed, as if someone had picked up buildings like they were lego blocks and shifted them around. 

Earlier tonight, Matt had ventured beyond the streets of his neighbourhood, too ‘see’ for himself how much New York had altered. Citi Field - once home of the Mets - was now weather-beaten and crumbling, with hundreds of rusted cars abandoned in the parking lot around the vacant stadium. The harbour around Ellis Island was filled with boats, their waterlogged cabins sloshing with the tide, and the rotted wood of their hulls creaking. The normally manicured gardens of Central Park were overgrown jungles. Times Square - normally buzzing with tourists and the sounds of thousands of neon lights - was vacant. Silent.

Everywhere he turned, there was decay and neglect. As if life hadn’t moved on at all after 2018.

As if the whole world had ended, instead of just half of it.

Matt found it all depressing as hell. This wasn’t the resilient, irrepressible city he knew.

Where was the fight? Where was the tenacious spirit? The unbeaten strength?

Had everyone really just…given up…five years ago?

———

There was one bright spot among the grey and lifeless remains. A small beacon of vitality and warmth that had escaped the apathetic, subdued and defeated air that seemed to permeate the rest of the city. It was the house that Karen shared with her daughter, Izzy, in a quiet residential area just north of Brooklyn.

Matt visited for the first time just over a week after his return. He stood on the porch, gift in hand, shifting on his feet as he waited for Karen to answer the door. He touched the paper in his pocket, smoothing his thumb over the now barely perceptible ink as if needing to take strength from the words. And he did need a bit of strength - he felt nervous as hell.

Which was ridiculous. Karen was one of his closest friends. They’d had dinner numerous times over the years. And when she’d called him up yesterday to invite him over for a home-cooked meal, the offer had been a casual one.

But he was still nervous. Because he wasn’t just having dinner with Karen - he was meeting her daughter for the first time. And, for some reason, it felt vitally important that the almost 2-year-old girl living in this house liked him.

The door opened before he could psych himself out any further.

“Hi! Welcome!” Karen’s happy greeting sounded a little too forced, her voice pitched a touch higher than normal. To his relief, Matt realised she was just as nervous as he was.

“Hey, Karen.” Matt stepped closer and brushed his lips against her cheek. “Thank you for having me over,” he replied.

Karen frowned. Then she covered her face with her hand and laughed. “This is weird, isn't it? We’ve had dinner so many times, and we’ve been in each others’ apartments loads other times, but suddenly we’re acting all formal with each other.”

Matt shrugged as she ushered him inside. “This isn’t like before. Not really.”

“I guess. But I want it to be. I don’t want there to be any weirdness between us. I want us to be friends again.”

“Hey,” he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. “We’ll always be friends.”

“I know. I didn’t really mean it like that. I just…I feel like we need to re-learn our rhythm. To get back to how we used to be.” She shook her head. “Sorry, I’m not explaining myself very well.”

“No, you are. I get it.”

He did get it. And ‘re-learning the rhythm’ was a good way to put it. It described the way Matt felt about the whole world these days - like he was slightly out of step with everything around him.

Off kilter, and out of place.

Dancing to a beat that hadn’t been heard in five years.

He touched the note in his pocket again, knowing it was part of the reason he felt so disoriented by this new reality. One of the other reasons - the literal personification of the changes that had taken place in his absence - chose that moment to make her presence known. “Momma?”

Karen looked up as the small voice called out to her. She smiled. “Someone’s awake from her nap.”

Matt swallowed, the nerves returning. He’d faced off against gangs of thugs and an army of ninjas. He’d taken down a cabal of immortal tyrants, and a Kingpin who’d terrorised the city. And yet he was scared to meet one little girl. “I’ll wait down here while you see to her,” he said.

“Don’t be silly,” Karen replied, grabbing his arm. “Come on.”

She led him up the stairs to the small nursery at the front of the house. She pushed open the door, and an excited squeal sounded from inside. Matt could sense a crib up against the wall and a tiny figure gripping the bars, bouncing up and down on her little legs. “Momma!”

“Hi, Izzy-Bizzy,” Karen murmured lifting the little girl into her arms. “Oof, you’re getting so big.”

“Big!” Izzy repeated.

“Soon you’ll be able to climb out of this thing yourself, and then what will I do?” She nuzzled into the toddler’s neck and Izzy laughed. The two of them seemed lost in their own little world, a world of coconut-scented hair, and stuffed bears, and the stars that spun on a mobile above the crib.

Matt felt so out of place, a lumbering shadow in the corner of the room. He tried to edge towards the door, but Karen noticed before he could escape. She turned around and brought her daughter closer. “Izzy, this is a friend of mine. He’s called Matt. Can you say ‘hello’?”

Matt expected the little girl to shy away. To bury herself in Karen’s arms, safe from the dark figure looming over her. But she was as fearless as her mom. She reached out one arm and waved at him. “Hello! Hi!,” she greeted him, not a hint of fear in her piping little voice.

Matt smiled and touched the tip of his finger to her outstretched palm. “Hi.”

She grabbed his finger and wiggled it up and down. Karen laughed. “She just learned about shaking hands,” she explained.

“Oh, in that case” - Matt arranged their hands until they were clasped together properly, his large hand swallowing her fragile little fingers, and gently shook up and down - “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Isabelle.”

The little girl burst into giggles, and Karen joined her laughter, pressing a kiss to her sleep-tussled curls. Karen shook her head at Matt, and smiled. “Another female charmed by Matt Murdock.”

Matt smiled, knowing he was the one who was thoroughly charmed.

———

The charm offensive continued throughout dinner, and afterwards when they all retreated to the cosy living room. As evening bled into night, and as Matt reclined in one of the softly-cushioned sofas, comfortably full from Karen’s cooking, Izzy toddled over to him. “Read?” she asked, thrusting a large book at him.

Before he could respond, she scrambled up onto sofa and wriggled into the space beside him, getting comfortable for what must be her nightly routine.

Matt smiled ruefully as he turned the book in his hands. “I can’t read this to you, I’m afraid.”

“Why?”

Karen saved him from having to try to explain the concept of blindness to a toddler. She entered the room, coffees in hand, and noticed his predicament. “Oh honey, Matt can’t read books like that. His eyes don’t work like yours and mine do.”

Matt could sense Izzy looking up at him. Then she clambered into his lap, reached up and removed his dark glasses. Pudgy little fingers pressed against his face as she tilted it one way and another, inspecting the eyes in question.

“Izzy!” Karen admonished. “Sorry, Matt, she hasn’t grasped the concept of personal space yet. Let me get her off you.”

“She’s okay,” he replied, submitting to the little girl’s scrutiny. He didn’t mind the weight of her on his lap, or the none-too-gentle exploring fingers. Warmth radiated from her skin and her breath smelled like the tinned peaches she’d had for dessert, and he had the sudden urge to take her in his arms and cuddle her close.

He’d never seriously thought about having children. Growing up, it had seemed like too far-off a possibility to contemplate. Then, when he reached the age of contemplation, his lifestyle had been too dangerous and chaotic for children. And when he discovered Calina couldn’t have kids, he’d put any and all thoughts of fatherhood away.

But sitting here, with this bundle of energy and sweetly mischievous innocence in his lap, he finally understood the impulse. She was a little miracle. He could sense fragments of Karen’s character within her, but she was her own little person, bravely exploring the world around her.

Having finished her exploration of his ‘different’ eyes, the little miracle grabbed the book from his hands, and turned around to face Karen. “Momma?”

“You want me to read instead?”

Izzy nodded.

“Do you want to come sit with me?”

She shook her head, and flopped back against Matt, settling into the crook of his arm.

“Okay then,” Karen smiled. She sat back in her own chair and started reading the tale of Kevin the Koala. Her voice took on a soft, slow, lilting tone - one which had a dramatically soporific effect on the little girl in Matt’s arms. Within minutes, her eyes fluttered closed. Her little breaths got deeper and her negligible weight got a little more tangible as she drifted off to sleep. 

“Is it always this quick?” Matt whispered. The only thing he knew about babies and sleep was that it was usually a struggle.

“Not always. But she had a swimming lesson this afternoon and that tends to wear her out.” Karen’s voice was shaky as she replied. A little broken. As if she was holding back tears.

“Are you okay?”

She laughed quietly. “Just a little overwhelmed, I guess. Seeing you two together, it’s kind of surreal. I thought about this so much when I was pregnant, and when Izzy was a baby. Of how you and Foggy would be with her…I just never thought I’d get a chance to find out.”

Matt smiled sadly, the spectre of those missing five years raising its head again. It was impossible to escape, even for a moment. Everything around him was a haunting reminder of the time he’d lost. From this house, and the journey here earlier tonight - down streets he didn’t recognise - to the toddler asleep on his lap, and the note burning a hole in his pocket…

“How are you adjusting?” Karen asked, as if sensing the direction of his thoughts. “We haven’t had a chance to really talk about that - Izzy takes up a lot of the air in the room.”

“In a good way,” Matt smiled.

“In a very good way - it’s hard to be depressed or worried when she’s around. But I want to know how you’re doing.”

Matt huffed out a laugh. “I’m still waiting to wake up, if I’m honest. It doesn’t seem real.”

“It’s a lot to take in. But it’s only been eight days - it’ll get easier.”

Matt wasn’t so sure. He felt like there was only one thing that would make this easier, and it wasn’t time.

“Have you heard from Calina?” Karen asked, reading his mind again.

Matt sighed and fished the note from his pocket, careful not to wake Izzy. He held it up to show Karen.

“What is that? Braille?”

Matt nodded. “I found it shoved under my apartment door a couple of nights ago.” He rubbed his thumb over the raised dots on the piece of paper. He knew the pattern of those dots - and the short message they conveyed - by heart now. “‘Calina is alive and safe. She’ll be with you in a couple of weeks’,” he recited.

“Why does that sound like a badly written ransom note?”

Matt laughed. “I’m hoping it was written by one of the more…socially inept…Widows, and it wasn’t meant to come across so-”

“Vaguely threatening?”

“Yeah.”

“But its good news, though. Calina’s alive. She’s safe.”

That had been his first thought too, when he’d discovered the note in his hallway after returning from a night of patrolling. He’d collapsed to his knees with relief, his head bowed as he fought back tears. The confirmation that she was still out there, still breathing, her beautiful heart still beating…it was all he’d been praying for after returning to this strange world to find her gone.

But over the next few days, as he carried the note in his pocket - his fingers constantly drawn to it like a talisman - he realised the message carried with it far more questions than answers.

“If she’s so safe, why didn’t she contact me herself?” he asked Karen, voicing one of those questions.

“She could be on a classified mission, way off the grid. That wouldn’t be unusual for her.”

Matt nodded. It was one of the possibilities he’d considered. Although the idea of it just served to remind him how different her life was now. She’d been on missions - dangerous ones - multiple times over the past five years. She’d risked her life God-knows how many times.

And she was still off somewhere unknown, instead of here with him.

“What was she like, after it happened?” he forced himself to ask, not sure he wanted the answer.

Karen sighed. Then she was silent for several long moments, as if trying to order her thoughts - which made Matt even more hesitant to hear the truth.

“She struggled at first. A lot,” Karen finally replied. “I worried about her those first couple of years. She tried to hide how much she was hurting, but not very well. Then…”

“Then what?”

“Something changed. She seemed to get better. Stronger.”

Something in Karen’s voice worried Matt. “What aren’t you saying?”

“She became…not cold, exactly. But…more reserved. More remote. She was still kind and caring - you should see her with Izzy, the two of them adore each other - but a large part of her seemed walled off. I think she took all her pain and grief and buried it so far down inside that that she ended up burying some of her heart along with it.” Karen winced at what she must have seen on his face. “I’m sorry. I’m not saying this to hurt you-”

“I know.”

“But I think…when you do see her again, you need to be prepared for the change in her.”

“I don’t care how much she’s changed. I just want to see her. Talk to her. I need to. I miss her so much, Karen.” He felt like he was floundering in this new world. Adrift without his anchor. He could put on a good act when he needed to - like tonight - laughing and talking as if he was adjusting to this upheaval. But in reality, it felt like only his body had returned a week ago…

His heart and soul were still missing.

————–

Chapter 4

Tag list: @hollandorks @stilldreaming666 @sio-ina-bottle @tearoseart-blog @acharliecoxedfan @freckledbabyyy @chezagnes

If you’d like to be added - let me know!

[amelias-zelda-calamity-quintet]

Mark of a Hero | Post-Part 1 Q&A

First of all, thank y'all so much for the support on Mark of a Hero! This is the first fic I've actively been posting to AO3, I was/am previously on Wattpad when I was originally writing Goddess of Secrecy and MoaH, and the welcome here has been fantastic getting back into MoaH. Y'all are amazing. And here we are! Post part 1! So let's get into it.

When will MoaH continue?

Part 2 - Farona will start releasing February 4th with a full release week to get y'all started. I'll leave you with the new MoaH blurb at the bottom of this post as a teaser.

So you really mean it's 9 books long?

Yes, I really mean it's 9 books long. Plus a possible prequel, but I can't talk about that until book 3 is starting to release. You'll understand.

What are the odds you finish a 9 book series?

Considering that, as this is going out, I have just begun book 4 having written everything post the first 23 chapters as of coming back in May '24, pretty good. I will say support goes a long way to boosting those odds. Kudos, hits, bookmarks, visible support that people are enjoying my work enough to recommend it to other people/let me know. A big part I'm writing this for me, but I do also like to watch numbers go up and it gives me a lot of motivation when I hit milestones. And I'm a storyteller! I like to know people are listening, you know?

If you're looking for an easy comment thread I'm always interested in reading, I love people diving into theorycrafting and I've left a number of threads for y'all to explore. Easy one here, you all obviously know Farona is book 2 now, but what do you think the order of adventure the rest of the series will be and why? Let me know in the comments and reblogs of this post, or drop it in my ask box!

Will the release schedule stay the same/two chapters a week?

Very likely it will remain 2 chapters a week with the occasional week long release. Right now, the upload schedule gives me a good buffer to get ahead on MoaH without a lot of pressure to write on a "schedule." If I need to take a break, I have a backlog to fall back on. Staying ahead of it serves as its own kind of motivation. It may eventually speed up, but for now, I don't want to get ahead of myself and then fall behind on that backlog. And when I eventually get around to going back to do beta reading/second round edits, it means less chapters will be released having not had that pass. You can see more about my editing process below.

Is Ambrose really a normal old man?

Yes, of course, he's a normal old man.

What do you think of fanworks of MoaH?

Give.

No, but seriously, it's the biggest compliment to hear MoaH has inspired people. That I've already gotten fanart and fanfics of my fanfic is crazy to me. I have resources for most of the cast, and I will absolutely answer any questions y'all have (barring future spoilers). I'm happy to keep it in my folder too if you don't want to post it and cherish it forever on my own.

But to resupport the "how likely am I to finish the book" one of my early readers sent me fanart just like a week ago of the main cast and I cracked out 50k in three days for them because I was so motivated after to finish the arc and book 3 after. Food for thought.

What does your editing process look like?

So my editing process has three general stages: my pass, early readers, and then heavy edits/beta readers. Let's break that down.

First, my pass. This is my writing and editing MoaH on my own. Heavy edits can be a huge momentum killer for me and fic writing for me is primarily a hobby, so this is a pass of light edits for most typos, grammar, and easy worldbuilding catches. All chapters of MoaH get this.

Next is early readers/early book club. This is a process I have open on the Expanding Hyrule Discord if folks are interested (though probably not very many more folks), but it is a slightly more extensive version of the first pass: questions about overall story structure, pacing, and any glaring plot holes, but not really heavy edits. My early readers (shout outs again to @doubtfulloser and @the--voided) get the arcs as I finish writing them, and then give me feedback while I press on with the next arc. And I call it early book club because in big part it's getting to talk to someone about what's actively being written while chapters are so far ahead from what's releasing. They're wrapping up with book 3 right now!

Last, is heavy edits/beta readers. I would like to, eventually, go back through MoaH as I plan to with GoS with a fine tooth comb and really iron it out. But, like I said, heavy edits kill my momentum and I need to get this series drafted first as a whole before I can go back to refine. And a half decent first draft with the chance of support to finish the rest is better than squirreling this story away to myself while I get lost in perfectionism to make it the best thing ever. Right? This process will begin when all of MoaH is written, at current pace, probably when book 3 is releasing. This is also part of why I want the buffer, few chapters that will release without all three passes.

What can I expect from the rest of MoaH?

More adventure, more magic, more monsters! Part 1 ends with the massive quest of traveling seven new nations and tackling their dungeons. But much like entry into the Temple of Inverted Time, this will not be such a simple task. New friends and foes await on the path ahead!

There is also, rest assured, a long-term relationship left to build between our recently proclaimed love birds. More Zelink straight ahead as these two learn to balance their romance between the distance and the responsibility of their new titles. Along with exploring the mysteries of Link's already established party members as the quest tests their friendships! Saddiqah and Ambrose are along for the ride as well.

What would you recommend to tide me over to read while I wait on MoaH?

Oh man, first, big recommendation to anything in @expanding-hyrule if you're looking for more original legend stories like MoaH. I have read a lot of the lists or been recommended on the rest, and I guarantee you'll find something you like in there. Currently something like 50 works on AO3 already, plus some FFN works and some great comics and art projects to check out linked in the art archive on the blog too. And we're looking for more!

If you're looking for more from me, might I recommend diving into the story of the Hero of the Convergence and this Link's Shade with Goddess of Secrecy? This work is complete and being imported over from Wattpad in small bursts every week. While you don't need to read it to understand MoaH, they do share some connected lore, largely in minor nods and references but also in some worldbuilding notes, like the Horned Goddess. Kind of a OoT to TP/WW kind of connection. And maybe some hints on our favorite normal old man buried in there. It also happens to be sitting in Wattpad's top 20 or so most read LoZ fics, so I'm a little proud of it even if it's due some revisions.

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Mark of a Hero (Updates on Tuesdays & Fridays, 2 of 9)

A new champion draws the Master Sword, and the legend begins anew. But the door beneath the Temple of Time remains sealed, lest the Hero can open it once more. Link Sayre, Saddiqah El Amin, and Ambrose head west to Hyrule's forested neighbor, Farona, to seek out the first of the Sealing Stones. But perhaps their quest is not as secret as they'd like to believe.

[revoltpark]

open at your own risk warning this is long

this is just the whole fuckinf story

here’s the wattpad but I have it written below

Brace yourself, bear with me and yea.

So to start it off, Revolt park is a South Park au made to take place in 1848. The characters live in this kingdom named southshire, with a tyrant of a ruler. The king is Lucifer Thorn, royal by blood. His wife, Beatrice Thorn, died of some sort of disease but there were some rumors that she was a witch. And their son, Damien thorn.

Damien is often kept in the castle, far from the outsiders, kinda like rapunzel. He had never really met anyone is age, he mostly was around the two royal servants, Josh and Leslie. Well that was until one day, while he was out at the royal garden, he saw some poor underclass boy through the gates. Therefore how he met pip.

The revolution was another part of this little kingdom. Gregory, a upperclass boy, who had never really dealt with the unfairness of the classes. Had somehow started a revolution to take down the classes. He was a privileged boy, always or mostly got what he wanted yet he still did this revolution thing. Mark, a middleclass boy, being his right hand man. And Gregory’s younger brother by two years, Herbert, also decided to help. The revolution consisted of mostly teens and mostly boys. Barely any upperclass, some middleclass, and A LOT of underclass. Gregory’s sister, younger by one year, Estella, was somewhat apart of the revolution. She was a feminist, she wanted equal rights for ALL, especially women. Rebecca, marks sister, younger by a year and Wendy were also somewhat apart of the revolution, just to make sure it had feminism. 

Christophe, Kenny and pip are all underclass. Christophe works as a grave digger, pip at the bakery and Kenny as a newsboy. All somehow apart of the Revolution, mostly half-assed. Pip rarely shows up to the meetings. Yes, he wants equality, he is in the working class after all, but he just doesn’t seem to have interest for the meetings, especially since he met Damien. Kenny shows up every once in a while, he thinks the upperclass are rich snobs and he wants equality for the underclass, he also just hates Gregory. Christophe shows up to basically every meeting, for two reasons. He believes in the cause, throughout his skepticism. He just thinks Gregory’s ideas are a little too far fetched. But he also likes to go because Gregory’s basically eye candy to him. 

Lexus, cosette and dogpoo(DP) don’t really have a big role in the story, they’re friends with Christophe,Kenny and pip. Cosette who loves Christophe, Lexus who lusts for Christophe, and Dogpoo who often picks a fight for Christophe. The underclass was a cruel and dog eat dog place, filled with thieves and prostitutes and dying people, Lexus being a prostitute herself. Cosette was almost pressured into becoming one, but she still has some self respect. 

Anyhoo, back onto the royals. Josh and Leslie were originally underclasses, until beatrice(who was alive when she found them), saw potential in the two poor kids, brought them back to the castle. They’ve been there ever since, both intelligent and cruel. Josh, himself, also has a blonde underclass boyfriend, Trent. Nobody really knows about Josh and Trent though. 

The castle is most LITERALLY filled with magic, Whenever someone in the castle gets sick, they use magic to cure it. They only use the magic for their advantage, they never use it for the citizens. There are also, some cannibals. The castle life seems so unreal. Leslie,Josh and kinda the king are cannibals, it’s not like they eat eachother or anything. Whenever a underclass dies, or someone gets executed, they get brought to the castle and the chefs cook them. It’s seems as a normal thing to them. Damien on the other hand doesn’t like the taste of human flesh, he never thought of it as wrong due to how he was raised. He’s just a bit of a picky eater, plus they never even told Damien where they got the meat from until he was maybe 13.

Back to the revolutionaries, Estella and Rebecca were alone one night after hanging out with their friends. There happened to be some rogue guards. They at first started arguing with Estella, mainly because they were weirdos and wanted to get closer to her. They eventually realized she and Rebecca were apart of the Revolution. What sad night for feminism, Estella and Rebecca both got shot on the spot, due to the anger of the guard. Their parents were paid to keep quiet. That pissed mark and Gregory off even more.

A few months later, the royals had realized Kenny kept dying and just kept coming back alive, Leslie, decided to take the case. She managed to kidnap Kenny and brought him to her,,,dissection room? It was a room she used to dissect the dead people before they ate them, to make sure there wasn’t anything weird in their intestines. She was going to take some blood, well a lot of blood from Kenny, check it out, hopefully use it to help the castle. Well Gregory and Christophe found out about it. And they weren’t happy. They managed to do a little break in to the castle and went on the find Kenny. They found him already strapped down to the table, Leslie getting ready to do what she was gonna do until Gregory and Christophe stopped the whole thing. Gregory went on to unbound Kenny to the table while Christophe went to fight Leslie. Now Christophe and Gregory both brought a weapon of their choice, Gregory bringing his cutlass while Christophe brought his shovel, Gregory doubted him at first but he was FLABBERGASTED when he saw that Christophe had pierced the shovel right in Leslie stomach, ultimately killing her. The boys left the castle with Kenny having trauma and Gregory and Christophe growing a somehow stronger bond.

A few months after that, pip and Damien were basically dating. Since Lucifer was rarely in his child’s life, Damien often snuck pip into the castle. Those two were probably the luckiest out of all of them.

Sooner or later, one night, the revolutionaries decided to raid the castle. That turned out not so good. The revolutionaries were getting killed by the guards. Josh, being the maniac he is, decided to help the guards. Poor Herbert found himself cornered by Josh, and Josh, recognizing him as Herbert, the leader of the revolutions brother, decided to kill Herbert. Josh was overly cruel to the poor boy, Josh had pulled a dagger out on his and chased him around the castle until ultimately killing him, brutally. He left Herbert for a moment and noticed mark wasn’t to far, mark had witnessed the whole killing of Herbert and lucky mark, he was next. Josh spared him, simply slicing his neck and stabbing him somewhere in the abdomen. Josh had gotten shot a few times, decided that was enough and left the castle. 

Gregory had managed to sneak up to the kings study, finding him there, and shooting him right in the back of the head. Gregory hurried out of the study, he found Christophe and they both looked for a exit in the castle. Gregory had passed by a bunch of the dead revolutionaries bodies, a disgusting sight to say the least. He passed by mark and Herbert’s body and felt a horrible grief hit him immediately. Seeing his little brother and best friend dead really hurt him. Atleast he had Christophe, well barely before they made it to a exit, Josh who was exiting the castle, shot Christophe, THREE times, then made his way out. Gregory was absolutely devastated.  First his sisters death, then his brothers and best friends and his love. Christophe was alive for barely enough time, he died in Gregory’s arms and Gregory lost it. I guess you could compare it to Achilles reaction to patroclus’ death. Screaming, loud. Sobbing, pulling hair out, All that. Eventually, his impulsive self grabbed his cutlass, he had nothing else to really lose. without a second thought, he stabbed himself right through the chest. 

Well, during this whole thing. Damien had locked himself in his room. And pip had went to the castle to basically get Damien out. He managed to catch Damien from the window and went to the woods to hide. Afterwords it was a horrible sight to go back to the castle. Everyone’s dead, there’s no longer a king. Damien, being the prince, unfortunately had to fill in as king. Josh wasn’t even there to help out, turns out he straight up ran away from the kingdom with Trent.

Kenny and pip weren’t involved with the raiding of the castle, they decided to stay home. The only really three ones who made it out of the Revolution alive was Kenny,pip and Wendy. 

Years later, Damien and pip are the kings, living happily ever after ish. AND THEY HAVE KIDS DOMINIC AND CHARLIE YIPPEE. Only downside is that the ghosts of the revolution haunt the castle, Womp Womp. 

So that was revolt park explained in I guess the simplest way I could think of? Idk. But yea, I may or may rewrite it but that’s the whole story for now. 

[jillsandwhichs]

Golden

A Cleon Story, Chapter 2, Expansion is abloom

Masterlist

Pairing: Claire Redfield & Leon Kennedy

Summary: Leon picks Claire up for dinner and they discuss some things of importance

WC: 4.5k

Type: SFW

A/n: Hi! Hope you all enjoy. Please check out my masterlist, there's a lot of stuff there. You can get to know me, you can see the rules of my blog and then you can see all of my fanfictions. You'll be able to find the previous chapters to this fic and upcoming ones. You'll also be able to find my Wattpad & AO3. Comments, reblogs & likes are appreciated. Thank you

Over the course of the past couple day's, Leon and Claire have been speaking via email and number. For Claire, it's been hard. Trusting Leon was something she thought she could always count on. She's doesn't completely trust him now. What does he even have to hide? He's acting like he'll get assassinated if he gives her the chip. His whole "I can't tell you about it!" Stick is getting old and she just wants to get to the bottom of it.

As for Leon, he's his normal oblivious self. Maybe it's because Claire hides her feelings so well, but he thinks she's doing just dandy. Of course, he feels guilt for the fact he has yet to give her the chip; That's if he ever even does. Little does she know, it is truly for her safety, and for his, the President's, etc.. She doesn't work for the D.S.O therefore it's so surprise she doesn't fully understand. There's a chance she may never will.

For both sides, they believe they're in the right. Classic.

Although, tonight's events are much different. Claire agreed to finally go on a dinner 'date' with Leon. Ever since he sort of 'pitched' the offer the last time they seen one another, they've both been clearly thinking about it. Claire wants to do it for the food and learning more about Leon and his line of work, maybe that way she can find a hole in his words. Leon just wants to go out, and it just so happens to be with her. Claire is a sweet girl, they've known one another for some time now, so why the hell not?

It's about to enter the time of evening, Claire is spending the last remaining minutes before he arrives to pick her up just touching up on her makeup. She didn't go all out, she never does, it's beautifully bland. She's only wearing mascara, light blush and some lip tint. How come women have to be the ones to get all pretty for the men? Claire's always hated it. Her mascara causes her eyes to pop out more, her blush being a rosey color and her lip tint making the shape more prominent. She'd say she looks lovely.

And for attire, she's also keeping it classy. All she's wearing is a light, flowy beige blouse with mom jeans. It was quite the combo. Her shoes were just boot heels, ones she's never even worn. Her deep amber hair is slicked up into a ponytail, looking gorgeous per usual.

Claire has confidence in her appearance. She's never viewed herself as 'ugly', no, she believes everybody has some beauty to them. What truly makes a person ugly is what's inside - Their soul, their morality. For example, Claire thinks Leon is ugly right now! Of course, he's not actually. Claire thinks it's some sort of phase. He's truly handsome. Ever since R.C he's had this golden aura to him. He's a sweet guy just strolling down the wrong path it seems.

Leon said he plans to take her to some fancy restaurant in the city. She's nervous about it. Not only that, awkwardness will be present, most likely. It seems there's been a collision in their relationship, a dent in you will, that'll take time to reform. Claire just doesn't know how much time.

Claire was elated with the fact she'd be able to go out today. Dinner near the center of the city will be lovely. Leon's always been a city boy, her more countryside, so it's nice to switch it up every once in awhile. Although, Claire is originally from New York with her eldest brother, Chris. But once they moved to R.C before it blew up, they never even traveled back to the state. Now Claire is living here and Leon just so happens to live nearby as well.

She slipped her shoes on, tying the black laces attached to them. She definitely has to break these bad boys in, she has had yet to wear them. All she remembers is ordering them offline a few weeks ago. They're cute, but very specific attire for certain occasions. Claire also hasn't been on a 'date' in forever. She doesn't even know if this should be considered a date. It's not necessarily meant for romantic intent, but then again, is that how Leon feels too? Maybe for now she'll think of it as a friendly date.

Just so she would have the time, Claire went all throughout her house, switching off all of the lights and blowing out each candle. She doesn't want her bills to sky rocket and for her home to burn straight down. Plus, she has no clue how long they'll be out together, most likely a while.

But until Leon even arrives, which shouldn't be too long, Claire plans to just double check everything and chillax.

-

Only seconds after Claire was able to finally take a seat, the front door was being knocked on. It sounded loud, but that was due to a large lack of furniture in the house. Claire doesn't have much, she spends most of her time on missions anyways. "Coming!" Claire yelled, standing up and quickly recuperating herself. She adjusted her hair, wiped down her outfit, just making sure she looks nice.

She opened the front door, a tall and lean Leon was standing right before her. He was wearing his usual clothing, only difference is that his clothes looked a bit more expensive than usual. "Hey," He smirked at her. "You look great." Leon chuckled. Claire felt her body heat go rapidly up when he said that. It's like he can captivate any woman under his spell. "Thank you. You look nice too." Claire responded, clutching her purse closer to her.

"Why're you bringing that? Claire, I'll be paying for you, put that away." Leon stated, referencing her purse. Wow, he could be such a gentleman. It's too bad he's an ass sometimes. "Are you sure?" "Very, put it down." Claire bit her lower lip discreetly as she leisurely put the purse down onto the table pushed against the wall. She would usually set her purse, keys and other tedious items down onto it.

"Ready?" "Ready."

Leon pulled open the car door for her. Immediately, Claire could feel the cooling air releasing from the AC; Her damned AC didn't even work. It's not false to believe Leon is more wealthy than her, hell, he works for a high governmental agency. That's really all she knows.

Claire sat down, fixating herself to become more comfortable. The black leather of the cars seat felt plush & plump against her body, making her ease in easier. The music playing from the radio was quiet, but she could tell it was an ACDC song. She's well aware that her and Leon share somewhat of the same musical pallette, it's one thing they've bonded over once or twice.

He also eventually got into the car, adjusting himself just as Claire did. "Seatbelts on." He sounded like a father speaking to his children. With a small giggle, Claire pulled the strap over her chest, pressing it into it's holder. Leon began to pull out of her long driveway. Claire lives in the more subtle side of town, the woods if you will. It takes a couple seconds to fully get up to her house via off the road. She prefers the quiet life over the rowdy one.

"So, what's the restaurant you plan to take me too? You were never specific besides it being in the city." "Oh, you're right. The Pearl, that is where." He officially stated, his eyes occasionally taking looks at Claire as he drove down the street. "Never been there." "I'm a regular, I already have spots reserved for us too." Leon added on. Well, wasn't he just on top of everything? "Sounds great."

The Pearl is a very fancy, elegant and expensive. The wealthiest of the rich go there. To Claire, it isn't much of a surprise that Leon is a regular. Just the outside of the restaurant is that of high taste. Usually, she just orders takeout or goes to an outlet restaurant. The ones downtown are to die for, but none of them are expensive. They have that homey, cozy look to them and always taste so good, even for being on the cheaper side. As for the Pearl, it is smack dab in the city, lights are flashing all around it too. It gives of Casino vibes but nope, just a place you can eat at.

Claire twisted her head to gaze outside of the car window. On said window, there were marks and faded finger prints. It was foggy out - Rather gloomy. The night was still young though, and will remain that way for quite a bit. In the city, the night is even more lively than the day usually is. Claire won't be very surprised if there are tons of people roaming the center of town, and if there are a good chunk of customers at the restaurant.

"Are you comfortable? Too cold? Want some music?" "Uh, no thank you, Leon, I am fine." Claire reassured him. She was fine. Plain Jane just that. She wasn't happy. Maybe the night ahead will change that for her. She'll demand a real answer from Leon tonight; She yearns for one. Leon can't keep the reasoning behind not giving her the chip forever. If it was up to her, she would have interrogated him way sooner. But alas, I'll just have to do it for dinner, in a positive manner though, no need to cause a dispute.

"Just so I know before we get there, is there any chance you'll be drinking tonight? Like wine or champagne?" "I don't plan to." Claire replied, her voice low and soft as ever. "That's right, you never really drink, so you?" "Rarely, depends on the occasion." "Why not this occasion?" "Because..." Claire gave no reasoning; Leon was left curious and full with his thoughts.

His hand reached down to the volume, turning it up a little bit. Claire didn't recognize the song that was now playing, but she liked the tune of it. It had a nice calming, soothing feel to it. It was one of those songs you could fall asleep too with some earbuds in. Claire simply rested her head against the leather seat, her hands in her lap and her eyes focused on the outside world as they passed it by quickly through his car.

-

Eventually, Leon pulled into the parking lot and parked his car diagonally, letting out a sough when he did. His dark and torched eyes took a glance at Claire, his lips curling slightly. "Let's head on in." He grunted, opening up his side door, Claire doing the exact same. The immediate night breeze hit Claire like an anvil, causing the loose strands of hair sticking out from her ponytail to blow against her face. Leon made way towards her, making sure to help her across the street.

Claire was right though, the streets are packed full of people. At this time, in this part of the city, everyone was here, even children who probably have school tomorrow. In the center of the square, there is a large water fountain, coins dazzling at the bottom of it, one to many have made a wish. And on the outskirts, there are tons upon tons of stores and cafés for people to visit.

This was definitely the most busiest part of town.

Two men standing outside of the restaurant opened up both pullable doors for Leon and Claire, allowing the couple to enter inside of the restaurant. Claire soon got the smell of delicious food roaming up into her nostrils; She could practically taste the food herself. Right beside where they both stood, a hostess took Leon's jacket for him, hanging it up onto a clothing rack for him to retrieve later.

"Table for two, under Kennedy." Leon mumbled to the worker, his hands in his pockets. Claire just kept to herself, standing a foot or two away from Leon, having her arms crossed against her front. The hostess gave Leon a nod and pointed at a fine table over in the corner of the restaurant, near one of the larger windows that had a classy chandelier right above it, it's light casting down onto it. It was a nice little area.

The two of them took a seat, their eyes catching ganders of one another whilst doing so. Claire sat on the other side of the wall whereas Leon was against it. This is good. And only a few seconds after they took their seats, a new hostess came by and handed them two menus. "Take all the time you need." Was all she said before treading off to her next table. "They're rarely that quick." Leon chuckled, picking up his menu. "I think I already know what I'll be getting so please, take your time and look at what you want, Claire." He said with his regular deep tone.

Of course he already knows what he wants.

"Okay." Claire whispered, taking the menu in hand and begining to scan it. Everything on the menu was so pricy, just as she suspected. She honestly felt bad even ordering anything but then again, Leon did chose to take her here. "Wow, there is so much to choose from." Claire chuckled, biting her inner cheek. Leon's eyes fixated on her, watching her face as she took in all of what's on the menu. "Yeah... Pick whatever you'd like though, okay? Nothing on the menu is restricted." He assured her kindly. Claire liked that about him.

There was a lot to choose from. There was Alfredo, Steak, Shrimp dishes and even meals that were from all around the world and cultural.

Ultimately though, Claire decided on mushroom ravioli with sauteed green beans on the side. It wasn't very expensive and actually looked yummy.

"You sure that's what you want?" "Yes, I am." Claire nodded, setting her menu on top of Leon's. "What do you want to drink? Water? Soda?" "I'll probably just have water." "Me too then." Leon replied with a smile, looking back down. Claire was correct about her senses earlier, this did feel a little off - Awkward even. Claire's never felt awkward around Leon so this is completely new to her. If only he would've give up the fucking chip.

"Leon..." Claire began, "You need to tell me why exactly I can't have the chip..." "Claire." Leon groaned. "Why can't we just have a nice dinner? No need to ruin it." "Ruin it?" Claire spat out, causing some other people to look over her way. An embarrassed look washed over her but Leon quickly diverted her attention. "Okay, wrong use of the word. What I mean is, I just want to have a pleasant time with you without worrying about the chip." "I feel differently." "Elaborate." Leon hummed out to her, sliding back in the black chair.

"Leon, I don't like the fact you're hiding something from me, I mean, don't you trust me?" Claire pleaded out, upset she's made the entire situation more awkward than it was before. "Claire, you know I trust you, c'mon now." Leon laughed softly, "It's just... There's more than meets the eye and I don't know how well you'd handle the info." "Greatly." "It's easier said than done." He finally stated, his voice a bit more demanding now. Claire knew she should back down before an even bigger scene is caused.

Why can't he just be honest with her?

A waiter came over with a digital pad in his hands, ready to take their orders.

"Firstly, what can I get to drink for the two of you?" "Just two sparkling waters." Leon said friendly to the worker. "Got it... And have you guys decided on your meals?" "We have. The beef wellington meal and the creamy mushroom ravioli meal, please." Leon handed both menus to the man, in which he took gracefully. "Okay, great choices, should have those out shortly." The worker commented, giving the couple a smile before ambling off wards.

Claire rolled her eyes, just wanting to be home now. Her nerves were making her feel as if she was going to puke at any given moment. "I'm sorry Claire. There's just not much I can do for you." "It's whatever Leon, I give up." Claire heaved out, her eyes staring outside of the large window, the massive city being flashed directly outside of it. People walking, billboards shining, performers performing... It was all so lively and in a way, it lifted her spirits.

"Hey, I promised you I'll eventually release some information, I'm not standing you up on that. But seriously Claire, you cannot push this. It takes time." "I know... Guess I just show more sympathy than most, hm?" "I actually agree with you on that, you're a wonderful, kind and selfless girl. I admire your efforts but there truly isn't much else I can do yet, okay?" Oh how convincing and sweet he sounded when saying that. Claire does get it but that doesn't mean she's not going to be upset with him.

"Alright fine, fine." Claire tossed her hands up in defeat playfully. "I trust you'll hold up your end of the 'deal'." She responded. "Thank you, you're a smart girl." Leon teased. She really is though.

The waiter came back with two glasses full of sparkling water. He set both glasses down, one in front of Leon and one in front of Claire. "Thanks." Claire gave the worker a slight nod, the worker getting her one back before treading off. "Never had sparkling water before..." She picked up the glass, sniffing it before drinking some of it. Surprisingly, it didn't taste all that different, it has a sweet tang to it. "You like it?" "It's not bad." Claire responded, setting it back down again.

"Our food should be here soon, is there anything you wanna do afterwards?" "What do you mean?" "Y'know, take a talk, head down to the dock or I can just take you home... Whatever you want." "We'll see." Claire shook her head whilst giggling. "Good." He uttered out, leaning up more now. "Any plans for the upcoming weekend?" "Visit Chris and clean my house," Claire snickered, "You?" "Similar. Definitely clean up a bit but I also plan to get a new gym membership, the one near the mall is closing down." "Sucks to hear, but at least there are like thirty in the city." Claire let out a breathless laugh, along with Leon. "You aren't wrong there."

"I usually just work out at home, in the backyard." "Get in touch with your chakra?" Claire laughed at his remark, 'chakra', sure. "You're funny Leon." "So I've been told." He shrugged whilst raising his eyebrows in a cocky, egotistical way, but he was clearly just joking around with her. "I do Yoga too though, guess I am a little spiritual." She played along. "You gonna get some tarot cards next? Spread sage around the house?" "I actually do the sage thing already, so hah." Claire puckered her lips cutely. "Course you do." Leon huffed out.

Eventually, whilst the two were speaking, a waiter, a new one, came back with their dishes. Claire was enthralled with the fact they have so many employees working all at once. Despite the restaurant being so fancy, it wasn't as big as you'd think. Same size as an Olive Garden and a half. "Thank you, Sir." Leon said kindly, making sure their orders were both right. "No problem, enjoy." He walked off, going to the table behind them.

Claire took a look at her meal, a spout of water forming as a pool in her mouth. It smelt amazing. Steam was still tracing into the air and off of the food, it was straight up fresh. "Looks so great." Claire complimented the works of whomever made her food. The Ravioli looks wonderful and she can tell, despite there only being four, bigger sized raviolis, that she'll be full; There is even a basil leaf on the top of the centered one.

The sauteed green beans look delicious too. Just by the smell, she could tell they were cooked in garlic, which to her, smells exquisite. She was also happy they didn't give her the chunky, long beans and rather the smaller, wrinkly ones; They always have more flavor to them.

Claire took a glance at Leons food and it looked tasty as well. She recalled he did order the beef wellington meal.

"Both look good." Leon voiced lowly, taking his fork and digging right in, Claire doing the same; She is immensely hungry.

The first bite was so heavenly. It felt like the meat was just melting in her mouth. The mushroom taste also wasn't very strong, it was just a tint and it was perfect. She also took a quick nibble of a string of green bean, the flavors all bursting in her mouth. "Wow, better than anything I've had in awhile." Claire nodded, clearly chipper with her order. Growing up, Claire was a simple gal - A burger with fries. That was always her order. Chris always teased her about it. Then again, Chris always orders Pizza so he should shut up!

"How's your food, Leon?" "Amazing, as always. I see you're enjoying yours." "Very much." She giggled, taking yet another bite and washing it down with the cool water. Claire was enjoying this night moreso than she was earlier. She's upset with Leon, sure, but as long as he keeps his promise and eventually releases some helpful information, that'll do it for her. "Do you really promise?" "What?" "Do you really promise that you'll eventually release some info?" "I swear on my life." Leon spoke softly to her, but differently than usual. His tone was so serious but in a gentle way.

She's putting complete faith in Leon. He'll go through with it. She just knows it.

"We can change the subject for good now, but we can discuss it another day." "Agreed." Leon nodded, taking another bite from his plate. Claire didn't really know what to talk about though, a tinge of uncomfortablity still within her. "After I go home tonight, what do you plan to do?" "Workout a little, then sleep, I have a big day ahead of me tomorrow." "Oh, what's happening tomorrow?" Claire wondered aloud. "I have to investigate somewhere out East, shouldn't be gone too long." "I see... Well, I wish you the best of luck." "Thanks Claire." Leon shot her a grin.

He once again seemed quite vague with his answers, she didn't really know what to think of it honestly. "Do you know what you'll be doing specifically?" "Not really, just that I'm being sent out East and that I have to meet with some people for further instructions. Graham said he'll give me more intel soon." "Well, that's good for you." Claire cooed to him, eating more of her food. She was really enjoying the food itself. It was delicious. Great descion on Leon's end to take her here.

Claire leaned back in her chair, setting her hand over her stomach and letting out a cute noise - Like a groan. Leon looked up at her from his plate and let out a chortle, "You gettin full?" "Little bit." Claire giggled, sitting back up and hastely taking another bite of her beans. "You eat slower, therefore you'll get fuller easier." "That a fact?" "It is." Leon stated softly, sipping his beverage. "Guess I never knew that... The more you know!" Claire chuckled. "Does this place allow you to take your unfinished meals home?" "They sure do... Just let me finish up mine, then we'll play it by ear, sure?" "Sure Leon." Claire nodded swiftly, allowing him to continue dining.

She was quite full. The dinner was excellent, tasted better than any dish she's had in some time. She'll definitely have to come here again, maybe when taxes come in. While she does live alone and only has herself to support, she still doesn't really have the money like Leon does. Maybe he's just smarter with his cash though. He has mentioned before how much he tends to save money rather than spend it. Claire supposes that smarter to do but for her, it's easier said than done.

It was hard to peel her eyes away from Leon. He didn't even notice her admiring him. He looks handsome while he's just doing the most normal things. Claire was boy crazed in College, sure, but as she got older, she controlled it so much better. She doesn't tend to think of men the way she thinks of Leon - Loyal, Noble, Kind and Caring. All of the above. Most men to her are belittling and selfish... It's rare to find good ones it seems. Leon is just one of a kind, she hates how their relationship has been lately.

Once Leon finished his food, he stacked the plates along with their empty glasses, pushing them to the side to make the waitresses jobs easier. He was also able to obtain a takeout box for Claire, which she was evidently grateful for. He also carried it out for her, such a kind man.

The two of them reached his car, but Claire stopped in her tracks, watching Leon as he hadn't even took notice of her sudden halt. He set her food in the car, expecting her to be right beside him, but she was a few feet away. "What's wrong?" Leon said softly, instantly going up to her. Claire looked down at her feet, her boot heels were in contrast of his black dress shoes. "I just feel bad for how I've been the past week." She began. "I've been mean to you, just nasty, you know that's not how I am Leon, I just want to help people." She whispered with tranquility.

She felt his smooth hands, both of them, cup her thin face, tilting her upwards to look at him. "Hey, you've done nothing wrong." He reassured her. "I know where you've been coming from and you've had absolutely every right to act out, okay Claire?" Leon then wrapped his arms around her neck, her face nestling against his chest. Claire hooked her lanky yet built arms around his torso, embracing him lovingly. Yeah, she seriously needed this.

She could feel herself wanting to break, the blueness overcoming her. Being held by Leon was a feeling she's never got to feel outside of it being to say goodbye and even then, it maybe lasted no more than three seconds. She could feel his hefty hand stroking her hair, his chin on top of her head as well. His comforting touch was just so meaningful to her. Feeling him against her was one of the best feelings she's had in so long. It's like he's a cure.

"I'll do better." "You're okay." Leon hummed, then pulling away.

Claire blew out, scratching the top of her head. "You okay?" "I'm fine now, thank you Leon." "Anything for you, Red." Leon uncupped her face, slowing walking backwards. "How about I take you home now? You need to rest up." "That would be great." Claire cackled, making her way to the passenger side door.

[lunadreamscaper]

VT/P.I.E. Headcanon list!!

This is all my personal takes and opinions, I guess also are canon in my “au”/spin off.

If there’s any you like from this you can take inspiration or adopt any of these if you like them I will not mind <3

But if you don’t like some of these (which is fine bc you don’t have to), please be kind, especially since some of these are based off/inspired by personal experiences as well as some of my Headmates experiences (that I got permission to use as headcanons 🙏🏻) I just hope people won’t find some of these upsetting? I don’t think they are upsetting but sometimes difference of opinions can be distressing so I understand 🫂

Anyways here goes:

Toast and Ghost have a queer platonic relationship (this one might be a hot take but also we need more rep like this Imo 🙏🏻)

The Level 25 demon from Spooker’s debut video is the one that turned Ghost into the Puppet. (And was probably the one who put those FNAF ghosts in Swift Taylor’s house lol)

Another lvl 25 demon one: I like to think it pulled “a Bipper” (Gravity Falls reference yes) and used Spooker’s body, that’s why you see Spooker as a “ghost” but then later on was normal/living again. Also why we see Spooker in the dimension where Housekeeper is trapped and later towards the end of the Puppet arc in the crypt where Ghost sees him. (Also watch the Haunted by Pennywise video 😭) I don’t think the demon lives in Spooker’s body like how people think demon!Jimmy does though.

Speaking of Jimmy, he’s a very traumatized alter (I’m a system in case anyone is concerned by that 😭🙏🏻 )

Ghost has some supernatural abilities? And is sensitive to dimensional shifts that happen (which happens a lot considering how unstable their world is) as well as understanding lower level paranormal entities, and sometimes visions of specific events (reference to Spooker’s debut video and “Johnny Ghost meets Freddy the dinosaur” video) and a few others that Jimmy also takes advantage of. Also dreams. He gets weird dreams sometimes.

Gavin Toast speaks in an American Accent sometimes, originally to separate himself from his twin.

I’ve already mentioned Ghost being intersex and demisexual I think but still adding it.

Dark Pit’s disappearance after joining P.I.E. In its early days has something to with Darth Calculus…

Ghost had a fear of umbrellas as a kid.

The Lvl 25 Demon and Stardust Sprinkleshine are a divorced couple/hsrs

Toast paid Josh to keep an eye on Ghost during his retirement arc (reference to my comic Heart Attack xD)

Timothy Casket and Chakalata Soup may have been business partners… before ending in disagreement.

Gavin maybe an Acalacam experiment that was only found out later by Darth Calculus (Gavin and Johnny T.’s father never learning that it actually sort of worked.)

Toast’s mother hates Ghost, except nowadays tries to hire people to kill him so he stops spending time with her son but ofc he keeps coming back like a damn revenant lmao

Spooker and Colon are boyfriends (sorry this is a ship but like they literally kissed in the 5 yr anniversary stream and I dreamt about it so I have to acknowledge it)

Spooker did used to have a crush on boyfailure Johnny Ghost though

The reason the VT world is so scuffed and has so many dimensions is bc they all live in the shattered remnants of a broken world.

My fan comic Supernatural Crossover, and Sherlock crossover on wattpad are technically canon to my spin off (except for the Gravity Falls one that one is retconned but fun fact Timothy Casket is in that one and I’m reusing the ideas from it for other things)

Timothy Casket totally wasn’t a serial killer and also totally didn’t get his kid(s) involved traumatizing them and changing the course of their lives forever.

Ghost has a twin brother but that’s mostly for Strive SMP shenanigans

Cardboard Friend is made up of many souls of children that possessed a cardboard toy creation made by Gregory…

There’s a cult out there somewhere with significant importance.

Johnny Ghost also has lead poisoning and some other issues bc of the old mansion’s condition (the one from the first Cardboard Friend video)

Johnny Ghost is also really pale because Cardboard Friend ate off his life force and sanity but got away probably in the Nick of time probably bc of some permanent effects?? (probably why that video made no fucking sense bc it was from Ghost/Gregory’s perspective)

It’s actually really traumatizing to separate twins from each other while they’re young. So if you take into consideration that Johnny Toast and Gavin were probably not allowed to interact and Ghost being separated from his twin too, that makes Ghost and Toast two twinless twins that trauma bonded to each other which is probably why they have a lot of separation issues.

Colon is a witchcraft practitioner (reference to “Moving didn’t go as Johnny planned” video)

I also used to believe Colon is a retired undercover cop or detective but also like ACAB and I barely remember why I came up with that so idk if I’ll keep it but I definitely need more Colon headcanons

Josh is also hired to babysit Woah for Spooker and Colon from time to time :3

Josh also makes really good pumpkin pie (since she was a pumpkin farmer) Ghost also really likes this pie.

Also Spooker is trans and pan while Colon is gay (these ones are special bc it was from a dream)

I’ll also add the universally accepted hc that Toast is bisexual (and demiromantic??)

Josh is also bi and polyamorous (maybe a demi girl but not sure yet)

Ghost is on the Spectrum, (most of pie probably is but the one I’m confident on is Ghost at least)

Sometimes paranormal entities can sort of fuse and/or mesh together to sometimes become stronger (but can separate… sometimes) *cough cough the paranormal tornado cough cough and CBF cough cough*

And lastly Ghost is 5’4, Toast is 6’6, Spooker is 5’7, and Colon is 6’1 (Gavin is the same height as J. Toast and Josh is either 5’3 or 5’5 I haven’t decided yet 😭)

Okay I’m gonna stop there for now but if I remember anything that’s important to me I’ll add them in like a reblog to this post.

Sorry it’s so long! Also had to keep some of these vague to avoid… spoilers ig?

If you’re curious about any of these tho feel free to ask and I can talk more about ‘em!! :3 <3

Maybe I’ll share some more Acachalla related headcanons but not today

[toastspirit]

I spend an unfortunate amount of time wallowing in self hatred but y’know I’ve got a pretty interesting set of character traits once I get past that!!

-scared of people and being perceived + has poor social skills, does acting whenever possible

-specifically does improv comedy despite not really being funny and again, being very anxious

-constructed a whole plan/persona pretransition to make myself incredibly unnoticeable to avoid being remembered as a girl, planning to become more outgoing after coming out. It kind of worked! (Also still did theater despite The Plan)

-was almost given a Christmas themed name (my birthday is Christmas in some cultures, including my parents’)

-chose the second name I liked for my first name. Which was just the first name I liked but more normal. Routinely lies to people when asked of the origin (which is rare anyways!!! Let me lie more it’s funny)

-chose middle name as an attempt to pacify my mom, who was unhappy with my name change. Unsure if it was successful (?)

-sang in chorus by choice for ~eight years straight, suddenly stopped post HS and never did it again (tbf it hasn’t been that long)

-occasionally forgets how to spell simple words/what previously known words mean. Is an English major

-despite playing Minecraft for a significant portion of my childhood, I’ve only beaten it once without cheating and that was as a tag-along player (I was not helpful!)

-has forgotten both my chosen name and deadname before

-refuses to tell anyone my pre-ToastSpirit online name since it’s attached to my wattpad account

-on that tangent, wrote a Percy Jackson fic in middle school (sometimes on my school chromebook) which has 90k+ reads. It was never finished rip

-my parents have cardboard cutouts of me and my brother in the kitchen. I am afraid of them

-I have spent almost all of my money on plushies and at one point the majority of my floor space was Squishmallows. (I no longer collect Squishmallows)

-was briefly an (unsuccessful) animal jam YouTuber but showed up in some more popular people’s videos

-has thrown up blood repeatedly and never mentioned this to a doctor

-was a Girl Scout from kindergarten to sophomore year (?) of HS. No longer a girl, did not identify as one for all those years. (Stayed until the dysphoria was unbearable to use as college application filler. Came out to troop leader via email and disappeared without telling anyone else, and hid from other members whenever possible)

-also never tried all the GS cookies due to refusing to eat peanuts. Not allergic, just picky.

-potentially allergic to the cold, lives in a pretty cold US state, was born in winter, was my favorite season for most of my life

-can drive, shockingly

-family begged me not to tell anyone what my first job is as it’s embarrassing or something (they also begged me to quit for the brief time I worked there. I lasted a couple shifts?)

-scratched and hissed at people as a child. Did perhaps not fully grow out of this (this started before reading Warriors, surprisingly)

-was introduced to Pokemon as a small child, every other aspect of who I am changed, became more obsessed with Pokemon somehow

-started reading a manga series at eight years old, owns all the books now, has not finished it

-can barely remember anything but knows every single Pokemon + lots of other Pokemon stuff

-forgot the vast majority of my childhood, dad is convinced I am purposefully repressing it for gender reasons. Legitimately just forgot it

-submitted Pokemon drawings in art class, art teacher randomly put it in the yearbook once or twice

-had two nosebleeds total throughout my life (trampoline accidents at the same friend’s house), until my nose would randomly start bleeding in my first semester of college (after being sick)

-constantly needs to be doing a bit/chronically unserious due to being terrified of vulnerability

-was at one point only staying alive to finish my part for a Warriors MAP on scratch. It was NOT good

-has made it to almost-20 despite not developing emotional regulation much better than the “im going to kms but need to finish this shitty animation” period of my life mentioned above. A true miracle.

-primary social media was quizup for several years

-took Latin due to being too into mythology… Still suffering the consequences of this middle school choice

-name was mispronounced by Latin teacher for multiple years. Never corrected him

-just remembered this one. Everyone had to submit drawings for a Latin assignment, which were displayed in class for months. Drew some furry shit. Did not get bullied for this (but was bullied previously!)

-straight up said “I’d rather die than live as a woman” in college essay, was shown to two HS teachers, somehow ended up in the final draft anyways????

-ended up going to a college I was certain I would not get into, after applying to it a couple hours before the deadline. Only applied because my dad asked me to. Typing this while lying in my dorm! :P

-probably not a binary trans man but hasn’t told anyone this

-and other stuff~!

[goatunderthebridge]

Fanfic Writer Review!

Ahh thank you for the tag @artisticxlly !!! I love to yap so this is perfect, thank you my lovely <3

How many works do you have on Ao3?

I have 4 works on there since September 2024! I'm primarily using ao3 to get back into writing, get used to finishing stories, and improve my storytelling, so there's not much on there yet! I adore writing but I'm not great at finishing anything I write, especially not longer-form ones, so I'm extremely proud of the works I've got on ao3 - they're the proof I can finish things. I've written other things in the past but they've mostly been short stories or published and never finished (I often get flashbacks of the y/n attack on titan fic I wrote when I was 13 on Wattpad...) so I'm glad to be trying new things and collating a small archive of them on ao3 :) I'm working on other WIPs / tidying up past haikyuu works I've written so watch this space!

Your top 5 stories by kudos:

1. Goodnight, Sweet Prince - ushiten

Ah, we love sleeplessness. This was just a fic I started writing in my notebook before bed because I craved ushiten and I thought it would be fun to project some of my inability to sleep onto the boys! The vision of Ushijima waking Tendou up to tell him he couldn't sleep, similar to a kid saying they threw up in the dead of night, possessed me. I really liked writing this, it was fun trying to get better at handling their characterisations and how they would approach something like insomnia and nightmares. I did, in fact, listen to whale sounds as I wrote it and I honestly don't understand how it can make people sleepy, I was so tuned in to the different communication styles I could hear (but that might just be the biologist in me talking!!).

This fic is also a prime example of wanting to finish stories but never getting around to it - I honestly wouldn't have finished this one if people hadn't actively spurred me on so thank you!! I owe it most to my beloved supporter @tinyrainbowshark-deactivated202 - hope they know how grateful I am for them <3

2. pet names - ushiten

You don't understand just how proud I am of this fic. This is the first thing I've ever finished that is longform - 19k is a lot of words for someone who has never completed something that long before! I'm normally used to just yapping in my stories so they can reach upwards of 30k with no ending in sight until I lose my motivation and abandon it. So, super proud! I remember reading an ushiten fic in June/July and feeling so enamoured by the characters that they just didn't leave my mind and I knew I had to write something for them to get them to leave. Thus, I outlined the plot of pet names and promised myself it would be written by the end of August. I started and finished the fic in mid-September in a week (thank you, lack of Wi-Fi!). I loved the experience but I should've known that ushiten has a much stronger hold on me than that because now I only want to write about them haha!! They're just such a brilliant pairing and I want to give them as many happy endings as possible.

Besides all of that, I loved writing about a mischievous cat and how something unexpected would disrupt the duo. I like the idea of the cat as an allegory for crushes which is why a lot of her behaviour syncs up with how Tendou and Ushijima react to each other's accidental/purposeful confessions. I normally indicate dogs as a metaphor for love (if you ever see me write "Somewhere, a dog barks.", there's love in the air) so it was super interesting for a cat to take this precedent. It was fun, 10/10 love writing about the Shiratorizawa dynamics, and you can never take ushiten being each other's safe space away from me, I feel so strongly about this. Quick fun fact: this fic was originally called Nobody Puts Baby in Shiratorizawa (Dirty Dancing reference)!

3. Super Glue - ushiten

I actually forgot to delete this one! This was written in a spur of the moment as a writing exercise because I missed ushiten (can you sense a theme here? lmao) and I wanted to note down what my own 'emotional crashes' looked like so this is very much just self-indulgence. I posted it because I wanted to get used to creating things that were not perfectly crafted but just things I enjoyed writing and wanted to archive. So this fic was just a little something for me but I'm surprised by how many people liked it! Probably goes against my desire for internal validation over external validation, but hey I am absolutely not going to complain - if anyone can find something they resonate with or need to take away from my fics, then I'm happy to provide. Sharing is caring and all that!

4. Pride & Hysterics - fukutora

We LOVE fukutora in this household! This was super fun to write and every joke in it is something I laughed out loud at so I love it. It was interesting to explore non-ushiten character headspaces, particularly when I'm not as funny as Fukunaga or as gutsy as Tora so this was a great lesson! This was also inspired by Epic's The Vengeance Saga because the idea of Tora deciding revenge is an appropriate way to deal with his feelings is such a funny concept to me. This might not be super in character for either of them, but I liked exploring the Nekoma characters and getting them wrong means I can improve so I can get them right in the future! This is mostly how I'm approaching writing in general so bear with my characterisations - I'll improve!!

5. .... tumblr stories?

Right, so I don't have a fifth posted work on ao3 BUT I do have small stories (drabbles..? ficlets...? I need a guide on tumblr and what to call things) that seem to hit on here! I love love love writing and posting these, it's something I've been doing all of my life. I am very inclined to having an idea about something and just writing as small as possible about it, keeping it self-contained, which is why I post a lot of those on here. These are ideas that could theoretically be made into a longer piece, but sometimes small is just as good. The beauty of the microscopic, right? That isn't to say some of the small stories I've written here won't be taken to produce a longer fic (cough, the ushiten monster au, cough cough), but I like exploring characters and getting to know them better in these small stories. The most liked so far seems to be the ushiten hugging one but the ushiten cold v warm one is my secret favourite. I'm so normal about these characters, I promise (lies).

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I try to respond to every comment I can! I don't really know what to say other than express my love for people so I often feel like if I could just send a gif of a dog wagging its tail very excitedly, that would do a better job of getting my responses across than what I comment back! But I am always excited to see comments (I thrive on praise) and love connecting with people over my silly stories :)) I might take some time to reply because I need a recharging period after socialising but I'll always try to carve out some time to do so!

What's the fic you've written with the angstiest ending?

The angstiest ending? Honestly, I don't believe I've written one like that - maybe Super Glue would come across like that since Ushijima is technically still calming down from his overwhelm by the end of it? I try to write happy endings because I'd rather be filled with contentment and insights into life taken from a more hopeful outlook than an angsty one. I'm not opposed to writing an angsty ending, but I don't think this would crop up a lot for me in my stories.

What's the fic you've written with the happiest ending?

It depends on what you think is happiest! If characters getting together is your thing for a super happy ending, then pet names and Pride & Hysterics are your guys. For me, the happiest endings are often just characters feeling safe, secure, and comfortable by the end (romantically or not), so Super Glue and Goodnight, Sweet Prince are the happiest for me.

Do you write crossovers?

Not currently, and I probably won't unless it was in a fic with crossover characters that make a scene funnier! I love it when TV shows have crossover episodes that are never mentioned again so my fic crossover would probs be a chapter featuring a random character that shows up and is never mentioned again. Think the B99/New Girl crossover where Jake Peralta takes Jess's car and she tells nobody about this cop who took her car lol (my memory isn't perfect so that might actually be wrong but that is all I remember about the episode from both of the shows' perspectives haha!)

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

I don't think so! Unless we count my sister finding my aot fic on my phone when I was younger and laughing in surprise at me (which I DO count). She commented praise though from her account so, hey, a win is a win.

Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Mm sometimes as a writing exercise? I think it's interesting to portray another side of the character, to see how they would react in a sexual context, because sex is just another opportunity to explore deeper into a character and their relationship with others/themselves! I do have a kuroken wip that explores kuroo figuring out his sexuality that has chapters fitting this bill so maybe I'll finish and publish it at some point!

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Also don't think so! I'm a very, very small-potatoes writer so I wouldn't expect this but hey, I haven't checked if anything has been stolen either so maybe.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Also nope but would be super cool!!

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

I haven't but I've definitely helped out on editing/proofreading/collaborating on ideas for creative projects! I love sharing ideas and adding onto premises so I wouldn't be against co-writing a fic but we'd have to be super clear on expectations and how we'd go about it, otherwise the writing process wouldn't be super productive (thinking about the idiom: too many cooks in one kitchen...).

What's your all-time favourite ship?

Oof, big question. When I was a young teen, I was obsessed with ereri because I loved how people wrote about them more so than either of the characters themselves or their relationship. Judging from my Pinterest pins, I'd say it's gone from ereri to ruby/sapphire (steven universe) and then the current perfect pairing: ushiten, the beloved boys <33 There's something about them that just won't leave my head or heart or soul so I'd probs class them as my favourite.

What's a WIP that you want to finish but don't think you ever will?

Oh I have a lot! I have multiple personal novels I've written upwards of 30k for that I would love to finish but might not. Maybe one day as a little treat for myself - they were stories I was very attached to and needed when I was younger, so maybe it would be nice to finish them. But they're also not urgent and perhaps I might leave them behind haha! In terms of fanfiction, I have a fic about the captain squad boyfriends taking a train together to see the captain squad but the trip gets stalled by a jewel thief on board and they have to work out who it is because the thief has framed one of the boys. A super silly idea but very fun to write! Might never get around to finishing it though haha

What are your writing strengths?

Hmm, I'm not sure! I love coming up with ideas and daydreaming scenarios, but that's not fulfilling the technical, "writing" aspect of writing. So... maybe adding a bit of flair into my prose in terms of metaphors? (I've always been complimented on that in school but that might've been lost with university stress haha). Not super sure... I've been told how I write is easy to read, so maybe that!

What are your writing weaknesses?

I'm not super strong at every aspect of storytelling just yet, but I'd say being more concise and shortening scenes is a big one for me! I love to yap and let things unravel in a scene, so I defo let them go on for longer than they need to! I'm also not brilliant at phrasing things in the best way, extending from dialogue to introspective narration to just descriptions, so I'm excited to see how that changes a year from now. Oh, and scene descriptions. They bore me when I read them so I have an awful habit of just straight-up skipping them lmao

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

If I knew the language and thought it fit the fic, hell yeah I'd include dialogue in another language! I'd prefer to fit it in a way that it makes sense in the realm of an English-written story though since that's what I primarily write in (i.e., the dialogue's translation would be obvious within the story itself to any reader or however else I needed the dialogue's purpose portrayed).

What's a fandom/ship you haven't written for but want to?

I'd probs only write for a fandom/ship I'm obsessed with enough to study the characters on a fine scale, so nothing really springs to mind because I am very dedicated to haikyuu right now haha! I did used to write for attack on titan and death note (not on ao3) but I don't see myself writing for those again until the obsession comes back around. I got very into demon slayer this past year and I have been mulling some thoughts about a fic for it since I adore Inosuke and he would be fun to write about! In terms of ships, I haven't written anything for kyohaba and I love Mad Dog so I would defo think about writing something about them!

What's your favourite fic you've written?

I love all of them but Super Glue has to take the cake for now. It's such a personal portrayal of my own emotional crashes and it helped me reach out to people to support myself when I recently got overwhelmed so I'm devoted to it <33

Tags: @anoant-haikyuu-dump @eurydicees @forestmossling (<- some writers I admire!! Just wanted to take this as a way to say I adore how you write so no need to do a review if you don't want to!!)

I also don't know who else to tag that hasn't been already but if you're reading this and would like to, feel free to jump on!

[harukamitsuki]

Hi, can you elaborate on your other rewrites besides MHA? Can you also give me tips on how to write well in a series that you intend to rewrite? Also sorry for posting this question on your MHA rewrite focused tumblr.

Hello!

-

So, my other main rewrite is called 'Rewrite The Stars', and it's a rewrite for Voltron: Legendary Defenders. It's being written on Ao3, and is a complete series rewite.

Each book in the series is a season. I have only written two thus far, but every chapter is planned out, and has been for a year.

The rewrite for Fairy Tail is pretty basic, mostly serving to create more world building within Fairy Tail, and build up on characters who either didn't do anything or whose characters had a massive downfall.

The rewrite for Sword Art Online is more complicated. It takes inspiration from SAO: Progressive, and takes more from the light novels rather than the anime. (Because way too many people believe Kawahara wrote all those perverted scenes in the anime when he really didn't).

It follows Kirito, but also explores other characters and, as it would be written in 2024 and not 1980, it would have more accurate gameplay and culture.

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As for tips on rewriting your own series...

My main tip would be to remember that rewrites are very different to normal fanfiction.

Ordinary fanfiction don't need a reason to exist. They don't need a message, or a theme, or even good writing. I started reading and writing fanfiction when I was eleven, so I'm very much of the opinion that fanfiction does not have to be written well to be good.

Fanfiction in general is just a story someone made directly based off of another work. I've seen a lot of people, particularly on TikTok, express this idea that fanfiction has to be good in order for it to be anything, and that's wrong.

My first fanfiction currently has over 100k reads on WattPad, and tens of thousands of votes. It was horrible: the characters were all 2D and OOC, the plot was haywire, nothing made sense, I turned the MC into a Gary Stu... But it doesn't change the fact that people read and enjoyed it.

This is a large reason why I continue to read fics that don't have a solif foundation, where the grammar is a mixed-bag, the characters are off, the plot is wacky, and the wordcount is under 500.

Fanfiction, no matter how bad or small it is, is fanfiction.

Rewrites are different, however.

Fanfiction can exist without any sort of meaning. You don't need a reason to write fanfiction.

Rewrites should. Rewrites need that message or theme to feel valid. Because it's not a fanfiction - it's a story.

So, my main tip would be to treat the rewrite like it's own story, not a fanfiction. This isn't a message of love to the author, it's a message to your audience.

For example, for My Rewrite Academia, one of the messages I want to say is that one of the strongest weapons you can have is kindness. A theme I want to portray is that of the Old vs New Generation.

Do you have a message and/or theme for the rewrite? If not, then that should be on your to-do list before you formulate any sort of plan.

Another tip I have is to have, at the very least, a loose plan before you start. This will help with setting up foreshadowing early on, and getting a good idea of how to pace yourself.

As it's a rewrite, changing characters is completely fine. If you'd like a character to be more confident, more anxious, more creative, more dumb, that's fine. It would be awkward in an ordinary fanfiction, but the rewrite is your canon. Characters can act differently if it fits with your characterisation of it.

Finally: it's perfectly fine to change things or add them as your write it. Many successful authors do this a lot.

The biggest example I can think of is Oda, the mangaka of One Piece. Franky was only created after Bon Clay's voice actor, the same as Franky's, was cast, and Oda created Franky because he loved his voice.

Mashima, who wrote Fairy Tail, wasn't originally going to bring back Lisanna - she was supposed to stay dead. (Honestly, I prefer her dead because she didn't do anything after she came back, but I liked Edolas so it was fine).

If an audience member says something like, 'Oh, I wonder if this will happen!', and you think that's a great idea, you can put it in if you want to. Not only will it make that audience member excited to be right, but it's basically free ideas you know will make at least one person happy, and if it makes you happy too, all the better!

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No worries about sending that ask to MRA - it wasn't too out of line, and mistakes happen all the time. Thank you for sending this to my main blog! I wish you good luck on your rewrite, and I hope my tips are able to help you!