#and everyone go check out journey-to-the-au their art its amazing

[sixteenthchapel]

Sun Xinshu for @journey-to-the-au Thank you so much for letting me draw her! Her design is incredible Here's hoping she gets up to lots of trouble (and causes a lot of problems for Erlang Shen

[narukoibito]

Fic Recs: Angst

Sure thing, Anon! Glad you are enjoying my lists! Though a lot of my recs in general are angsty, so many of these will be repeats from other lists, but I decided not to re-rec every angsty story since that would be too much. Everything I’ve rec’ed before is indented in case you are only looking for new stories. Saddle up, this is a long one. Enjoy!

Anything with * is a WIP.

Canon-Compliant

Realising by @floreatcastellumposts

Missed Moment: Harry realizes he loves Ginny. It’s so painful and heartbreaking. Note that I also list a bunch of other favorite MM by Flo in my All-Time Favorites List though not all are angsty.

22 by @floreatcastellumposts​

Harry realizes he has outlived his parents.

the train station by @ink-splotch​

An absolutely chilling story of Ginny’s near-death experience in the Chamber of Secrets. The writing, like most of dirgewithoutmusic’s work is riveting. This is Ginny-centric rather than Hinny/Harry-centric.

Post-War Canon

gone was any trace of you by @annerbhp​

Amnesia, Married: Again, one of my all-time favorites because I can’t not rec this for angst. Harry loses his memories. Counting this as post-war canon since there’s nothing in this that contradicts it being part of canon.

i just really need you here right now by @annerbhp

Harry and Ginny, like all couples, have things they need to work on. That doesn’t mean they give up.

as the morning steals upon the night by @could-have-beens

My favorite canon reuniting after the battle story.

Chambers by starfishstar

After the war, everything isn’t okay, but maybe eventually it can be. A Ginny-centric post-war story.

Ghost of You by blacktag189

An incredibly angsty story of Ginny suffering from mental health issues after the war and how she comes to recover (with a lot of challenges to her and Harry’s relationship along the way). The author does a good job depicting mental health issues and long-distance relationship challenges. 

A Life Closed Twice Before Its Close by tosca

Halloween comes around again, and Harry can’t shake a feeling of unease. I loved how tosca depicts an established Harry/Ginny in this story.

will you stay by NaruKoibito (me)

“So? What was the verdict? Any Veelas?” Harry and Ginny after the war.

Next Gen

Between Walls and Harvest Moons by @ellizablue​

During Albus’s third year in Cursed Child timeframe. It’s heavily focused on the Al’s disconnect with his parents. Ginny pays him a visit. There are heartbreaking moments of Harry angsting over his relationship with Al, but I have such a soft spot for Ginny & Al stories, and this one hit all of them.

Put Your Curse In Reverse by @ellizablue​

The second part of the amazing It’s Tea Time* series. It is not heavily Harry/Ginny focused, but there is a lot of angst, great Hinny marriage moments, an epic moment where Harry encounters a Boggart that ripped my heart out, and much, much more.

Alternate Universe

The Changeling and Armistice Series* by @annerbhp  

You all must know by now that this is my all-time favorite story, but if you need an angst rec, this is it, my friends. There’s angst everywhere, really, but in my head we do everything right has some of my favorite angst ever.

Keeping Even the Broken Promises* by Summer Potter

Amnesia, Harry/Other is a part of this story: Four years after Harry wakes up with no memory, he begins a journey to discover what he left behind and the promises he inadvertently broke. 

you will bleed to death from the pain of it by lullabyknell 

Soulmark: This painful, amazing story inverts the trope in the best way. 

take what i took and give it back to you by fairytiger

Soulmark: Harry decides to breakup with his soulmate.

The World I Leave Behind by NES85

What if Voldemort hadn’t killed Harry in the forest but everyone thought he had? He traps Harry in the Chamber of Secrets – but what happens when Harry escapes? Oh Harry being Harry in this and his scenes with Ginny definitely are gut-wrenching.

Unravel Me* by NaruKoibito (me)

FWB: My canon-divergence story where Harry and Ginny never got together in HBP. After a drunken night, these two angsty idiots wind up in a friends-with-benefits relationship full of agonizing mutual pining.

Angst-Without-A-Happy-Ending

Okay. Okay. Sometimes I dabble in the dark arts. Sometimes I read stories of such pure, unadulterated angst, just to cry my heart out. 

Warning: There are several stories below that contain a major character death. I oscillated between marking them or not, but some of them it’s better that you’re not spoiled. So...you’ve been warned that at least these stories below do not clearly end with Harry and Ginny together. Nothing but PAIN ahead! 

Without Love by @captainyellowsturm

Every time I read this, I cry. Every time. It’s such sweet, torturous angst. (No, seriously, I really go to reread this when I want to cry.)

Perpendicular by akissincrisis

AU Harry never goes to Hogwarts. This story. THIS story. Ugh, it packs such a punch. Harry never attends Hogwarts, but meets Ginny through a Muggle party. It’s beautiful, so full of hope and possibilities, the what-ifs, the why, whyyyyyyy... I forever wonder why at the ending. But I love this story (even if I imagine a happy ending).

When the Timer Pings by Alchemilla

I read this story 10+ years ago and it still gets me every time. Ginny is about to get married and runs into her ex-boyfriend, Harry. She’s hoping for closure, but is that what she finds?

Lacking by pinkdigi

If Ginny didn’t wait for Harry. Ugh, so painful. I love the author’s style, the hardness of their Harry and Ginny. My heart breaks and breaks, yet I keep coming back.

Couldn’t Keep Him There by Mad Maudlin

Ginny finds Harry after the war. The mood and tone of this really gets to me. This one moment where she puts a wrapper in his hand kills me every time.

Wednesday Dates by fizzmonkeys

I’m not sure whether this is just angst or angst without a happy ending, so to be safe, I’m putting it here. I loved this story so much that I printed and saved it from 10+ years ago.

–––

Want more recommendations? Send me an ask or check out my:

All-time Favorite recs

Muggle AU / Coffeeshop AU recs

Post-War Canon recs

Missed Moments recs

Pregnancy recs

Outsider Perspective recs

Amnesia recs

In Every Universe recs

[hellothirteenhere]

Jujutsu Kaisen x Harry Potter

I feel as though every fandom has that obligatory multichapter Harry Potter!AU. Of course, that’s not to say that our amazing writers hadn’t been writing fic within this universe. (For example, check out seadawnn’s ‘Conquest of Hearts’ - Wholesome™ Itafushi that makes me smile every time I read it.) But I’m interested in seeing how a full-blown Jujutsu Kaisen universe would be like in an alternate Harry Potter-setting. So! I’ve been thinking long and hard about how it would play out and here are my headcanons for our very own Golden Trio! Couldn’t quite place them definitively in their Hogwarts Houses, so I would love to hear your opinions on where each of them should go, as well as your own personal headcanons.

Yuuji Itadori | Gryffindor/Hufflepuff (5th Year)

Ok, so here's the thing: typical shonen protagonist conventions tells me to put Yuuji Itadori in Gryffindor. And it makes complete sense! We see that he's brave - fucking demon possesses you and all you say is "What are you doing with my body?"?. But he's also willing to admit when he gets scared, like when he first faced a Special Grade. GryffindorJock!Itadori who is the captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team is a mental image I'm not willing to let go of anytime soon. However, Yuuji is also an incredibly kind individual who just wants to save other people. Hufflepuff!Yuuji is that guy who is popular with everyone at Hogwarts, he cooks meatballs in the kitchens at midnight as he talks to the house elves as though they were close friends, and he would definitely take a curse or two in order to save his friends if the situation calls for it.

Background

Yuuji grew up as a mostly normal kid. Sure, there had been strange (almost magical, somehow) instances here or there but he was an energetic enough child that it never really occurred to him to dwell on them for too long. 

As long as he could remember, it was just him and his grandfather. Supposedly, Yuuji had an older brother. But for some reasons that his grandfather refuse to tell him; he had to go away when Yuuji had been very young. He doesn’t even remember what his older brother looked like. But then again, Yuuji can’t even remember what their parents had been like - so he doesn’t really feel as though there was anything lacking in his upbringing. After all, how can you miss something you never had? 

On his eleventh birthday, his grandfather solemnly sits Yuuji down and tells him that he was a wizard.  He was a “Pureblood” - and potentially very powerful - wizard. His grandfather had been born a squib but he had known enough to explain to Yuuji the basics of the world that his parents had once belonged to. 

Imagine: “Yer a wizard, Yuuji.” “….Sweet.”   

His grandfather then hands him two things: 

First, a letter from some Hog-Wash-Hagwarts?? Warthog? School of Witchcraft and Wizardry that he was to attend. His parents had gone there as well to learn magic. 

Second, a long, sturdy piece of polished wood. When grandfather had taken it out of its box, Yuuji had looked at the wand skeptically - almost a hundred percent sure that the entire thing was one huge joke. But his grandfather was no prankster, after all, because as soon as his fingertips touched its surface, he felt a warm glow rush into his fingertips. 

According to his grandfather, the wand had been his mother’s, passed on to his grandfather for safekeeping after she had died all those years ago. 

When asked about the whereabouts of his father’s wand, his grandfather’s face turned dark. It was with Yuuji’s older brother, he said. His older brother who had also been attending the same school that he would be. 

Headcanons

Itadori is one of the best Defense Against the Dark Arts students of their year. He also gets great grades for Charms and, much to everyone’s surprise, Potions. A Chaotic Good™ through-and-through, Itadori tends to forget to follow the very strict instructions that Potions Master Kento Nanami wrote at the blackboard, and yet despite eyeballing the ingredients, his Potion turns out great every time. HOW? No one knows.

His dorm room is filled with Muggle posters - it just feels too weird to have a magical poster of a tall woman with a big ass greeting him every time he woke up or entered his dorm room. He learned the hard way that there is such a thing as too much of a good thing when Todo gifted him a moving poster of Jennifer Lawrence.

He tries his best to collect Chocolate Frog cards, bless his heart - but he always tend to lose them in the journey between Hogwarts and his home every summer. Little does he know that Kugisaki and Toge pilfer the ultra-rare ones that he somehow manages to pull in a semi-regular basis. 

Megumi Fushiguro | Hufflepuff/Ravenclaw (5th Year)

Primarily, I want Ravenclaw!Megumi Fushiguro as an aesthetic. We already know that he likes to read non-fiction books in his spare time (babes, i love you but that is nerd behavior), and he's shown that he's very sharp and intuitive when it comes to battles. He is also very knowledgeable about the Jujutsu World. Also, pretty boy looks damn good in blue. I can just imagine Megumi as the quiet, brooding Ravenclaw who is somehow friends with every insane person in Hogwarts. However, Hufflepuff!Megumi embodies who he is as a character. He's loyal to his friends and family, selfless when it comes to protecting the others, and he's willing to work hard behind the scenes even if he doesn't get recognition for it. We also saw how Megumi was willing to be the sacrifice bunt if it meant that Kugisaki had the chance to move forward during the baseball scene.

Background

Megumi came from an aristocratic Pureblood family, the Ancient and Most Noble House of Zenin. An extremely powerful wizarding family rumored to be distant relatives of Salazar Slytherin himself. Only - his father Toji had been born a Squib who married his mother just to spite his conservative family. Much to his surprise, however, Megumi was born not only an incredibly talented wizard but also the first parseltongue of the Zenin family in years.

Professor Gojo - back when he was still an Auror and not the DADA instructor at Hogwarts - came to the Fushiguro family household after he had apprehended Fushiguro Toji or, as the wizarding world commonly knows him as: the Sorcerer Killer. Much to his surprise, he doesn't find Toji's wife nor his stepdaughter - instead, he finds tiny Megumi talking to his pet garden snake, Orochi. He ended up taking Megumi under his wing, letting him live at the Gojo family’s home and later taking him to Diagon Alley a week before he started in Hogwarts. 

Gojo buying Megumi his pet owl, Nue. 

No, YOU’RE crying. 

Of course, the Zenin family kick up a fuss about custody. It's only Gojo's status as the strongest wizard alive - as well as his well-placed threat to make the knowledge that the notorious Sorcerer Killer had once been a Zenin known to the wizarding world - that keeps them quiet.

Headcanons

Megumi's best subject is Care of Magical Creatures - though he’s also great at Defense Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration. Students are, by school regulations, only really allowed one (1) pet (an owl/cat/toad). And legally, Megumi has his horned owl, Nue. It is, however, an open secret within the Hogwarts community that Megumi Fushiguro walks around the castle with his pet snake Orochi wrapped around his wrist under his cloak. No one questions that Megumi arrives at Hogsmeade, conveniently trailed by the same black and white dogs every weekend. His roommates learn to turn their heads the other way when the bunnies under Megumi’s bed escape their cage.

He used the expansion charm in order to house his ever-growing collection of pets. Imagine Newt Scamander’s suitcase but, instead of a large sprawling space, it’s a cozy room filled with books and pets and pet paraphernalia.   

He’s not competitive enough to play Quidditch, but he attends every game to support his friends. He also attends their practices sometimes but just sits at the pitch to read his book, do homework, or take a nap. 

Half-Veela!Megumi make brain go brrrrr

Kugisaki Nobara| Slytherin/Gryffindor (5th Year)

Out of everyone, I had the hardest time placing the Kugisaki. I feel as though Slytherin!Kugisaki is the girl who dropped everything in order to go live in the city - the girl who was willing to do anything, even join a career with a high possibility of dying, just to follow her dreams. She is unapologetic about being herself, highly resourceful, and is one luxurious queen. But Kugisaki is also incredibly brave - unafraid to stand up for the girl who was being ostracized by everyone in their part of the countryside. I implore you to imagine Gryffindor!Kugisaki pulling the Sword of Gryffindor out of the Sorting Hat in order to save other people. 

Background

Kugisaki is a Muggleborn who used to live in the quiet countryside. She’s an incredibly talented witch who started showing signs of magic at an early age - something that had frightened her, especially because it was clear that it also frightened her parents. She tried to suppress her abilities, trying to fit into society for a while - that is, until a girl named Saori moved in from the city.

Saori had been a Pureblood witch who had grown up in the Wizarding World. She had been the first person told Kugisaki that her magic was a blessing instead of a freak of nature or something that she had to hide. Saori talked to Kugisaki about the wonders of their world that she would one day get to take part in. She told Kugisaki about Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, and all these wonderful places that she would get to go to. 

However, because they were a Pureblood family, Saori and her family did not know how to integrate within the Muggle community. Not too long after their arrival, horrible rumors about their family started spreading - that they were cultists, satan worshippers, etc. Eventually, they decided to move away from the country. Before leaving, Saori made Kugisaki promise to find each other one day and to never turn back on who she truly is.

When Kugisaki first received her letter from Professor Shoko Ieiri who mysteriously appeared in their doorstop the night of her eleventh birthday, the professor explained to her parents about magic and the wizarding - only, Kugisaki was only half listening. 

Unlike her parents, she wasn’t surprised one bit - it was only a matter of time, after all, and she was finally going to get to go to Hogwarts. Surely, Saori had already graduated by the time she entered but it was definitely one step closer to finding her childhood friend. 

Headcanons

Kugisaki has pretty good grades all around - but she is definitely known as the best in their year at Charms. She also has great grades at Defense Against the Dark Arts. She and Yuuji definitely almost failed History of Magic, though. They have too much energy to just sit quietly and take notes in class - especially one taught by a ghost. 

Every store owner in Hogsmeade knows Kugisaki by name - and by extention, they know Yuuji and Megumi too. She has long since mastered the art of dragging her friends all around the shops and still not paying a single Knut by the end of their Hogsmeade visit. At the end of every visit, Yuuji and Megumi swears that it would be the last time and yet, every visit, she still manages to wrangle both of them into coming with her 

In Potions, Kugisaki is a force to be reckoned with. Her cauldron always appeared to be on the verge of exploding and yet, somehow, a supernatural force (or by the sheer strength of her own willpower) seem to keep her from completely fucking up every time. 

BeaterNobaraBeaterNobaraBeaterNobaraBeaterNobara  

COMING UP

Slytherin!Sukuna Ryoumen

Ex-Auror-turned-DADA-Professor!Gojo 

Potions-Master-not-Professor!Nanami

Slytherin!Maki Zenin

Ravenclaw!Inumaki Toge

Hufflepuff!Panda 

[maxbegone]

AND WE ARE BACK! 

Part two of the Schitt’s Creek Community Fic Rec is here! This time, we focused on celebrating our favorite AU’s! Once again, this is dedicated with love to the the authors of this community! Every participant chose one AU (which was a little hard to do for some) to share and why they enjoyed it.

Thank you to everyone who submitted!

@bestwisheswarmestregards​ // @brighter-than-sunshine​ // @danieljradcliffe​ // @devilstelephone​ // @fishyspots​ // @imargaery​ // @justwaiting23​ // @patrickbrewsky​ // @rockinhamburger​ // @roguebabyinyourstore​ // @rosebuddsmotel​ // @stuck-on-your-heart​ // @the-13th-wheel​ // @thedidipickles​ // @thisbuildinghasfeelings​ // @yourbuttervoicedbeau​

And a very special thank you to anyone who has ever written anything in this community! 

Everything is posted below the cut, and you can check out part one here! 

**As always, if I missed an author’s tumblr handle, please let me know! 

@bestwisheswarmestregards​

Odd Man Rush by @samwhambam​

It’s David and Patrick and Hockey! Three of my favorite things! Also the ending is one of my favorite endings. It’s so sweet! It’s part of the series score and all of the stories are so cute but this one is my favorite!

@brighter-than-sunshine​

Thanks For Choosing Bagged! by dinnfameron

I love this one because the dialogue is so adorable, and true to David and Patrick! I can totally see the characters getting involved in something like this, like a different version of a rom-com.

@danieljradcliffe​

Going Down by concannonfodder

This is one of the best stories of NYC!David and recently out Patrick while they're both trying to find themselves. It's beautifully written and my favourite part is that each chapter switches between David and Patrick's POV. It does a great job of highlighting the aspects of their personalities that we know and love but shows them to us in a new light.

@devilstelephone​

sustineo by @rockinhamburger​

The contemporary art discussions between Patrick and David are interesting and important to the story. Patrick still cares for and emotionally connects with David In a world that is so different than Schitt’s Creek. I liked that Sebastian Raine was the evil force without being included as a character.

@fishyspots​

Welcome to Cabaret by @vivianblakesunrisebay​

It's lovely from start to finish! In this 'verse, Christmas World didn't pull out, so David didn't get the lease for the general store. Instead, he gets roped into helping Moira with Cabaret, and meets Patrick (kind of) through that. I love the way this author writes. The dialogue is in-character, and the plot is wonderful and pulls out moments from canon and reimagines them in some truly inspired ways. I'm such a fan of all of this author's works; this was the first one I read, and it remains my favorite.

@imargaery​

David.; or, a Tale of Misapplied Sense by Siria

A Jane Austen D&P AU and it is BRILLIANT. If you're an Austen fan, you will be able to immediately pick up on how well this author adapted Austen's style, wit, character descriptions, and ability to whack you over the head with romance when you're not even ready for it yet. Siria is a very experienced fanfic writer, but writes for many fandoms, so I think that's maybe why it doesn't have that many hits? I'm so glad I clicked on it. I want to wrap myself up in this story. I want to make a podfic out of it. I want to put it on a t-shirt and wear it every day. Also, it's in a regency AU where homophobia isn't a thing, so you don't even have to worry about that. I want to tell you more, but that would spoil it. Just read the damn thing and thank me later.

@justwaiting23​

You Were the Ocean, I Was Just a Stone by @al-ex-an-d-er-hamiltons​ 

The image of a curly haired fisherman Patrick is enough but this whole fic is such a sweet concept. Their interactions in this are so reminiscent of the show but also so different because they already know each other vaguely, and I come back to this fic over and over just because it's the perfect mix of angsty miscommunication and fluff.

@maxbegone​

Known and Be Known by ahurston

As someone who tends to lean toward canon/canon-divergent stories, this was a refreshing take on an AU. Beautifully written and wonderfully raw, ahurston conveyed the vulnerabilities between both David and Patrick so wonderfully. “The mortifying ordeal of being known,” personified in fanfiction format. With humor and some wonderfully hot scenes peppered throughout, this fic was just brilliant from start to finish. I love when authors explore Patrick's insecurities and vulnerabilities - they aren't written about as often as David's are. I implore you to read this, if you're able.

@patrickbrewsky​

Bound by Symmetry by barelypink

They say write what you know. I instead read what I know. David is the accidentally fantastic teacher we all wished we'd had in high school, and some of us wish/hope we are or might be one day. This fic is a great exploration of combining everything David knows he is (creative, bright, v.knowledgeable about art) and all the things he thinks he's not (empathetic, a role model, great with kids, selfless, kind, & big hearted) The selling point quote: "And it feels good, David realizes, to have a job that means something, a purpose beyond himself. A place where he feels like he belongs, just like his students." (David Rose proves he is both a good and nice person).

@rockinhamburger​

Blackbird, Fly by distractivate 

This is a post-apocalyptic story about love, connection, and hope, with a central theme of growth from destruction. I could not put this one down; I read it feverishly in one sitting, desperate to soak up every word. I love this fic because it is what I like to think of as an exemplar for transformative works (one of ao3’s top values). I love the way the fic stretches toward the light in the dark. It makes me think: about the quintessential elements of these characters, what remains the same despite changed circumstance, and what inevitably shifts when these characters we know and love are faced with a situation far outside their experience or comfort. This story likely hits differently in 2020, when post-apocalyptic narratives feel much less distant than they might have just a year ago. And yet, all the more reason to read an incredible work about hope and resilience and transformation.

@roguebabyinyourstore​

Fifteen Hundred Miles by MoreHuman

Where do I even begin with this fic? I was at first skeptical about what reason David Rose would have to willingly subject himself to a trek through the wilderness out of his own volition. Well I’m so glad I ignored that admittedly stupid part of me because this is one of the mostly beautifully crafted stories I have ever read. Patrick and David are individually on their own journeys of self-discovery, but the way they help each other find what they sought... It’s breathtaking. Their feelings for each other bloom so organically over their time together that despite the circumstances laid out before them, the miles that they stumble and walk and run bring them miles closer to each other. Closer to the love that they both didn’t know they needed. The characters come alive and are identical to their canon selves. The dialogue and banter are spot on David and Patrick. The writing itself is superb. The tropes are incredible, the pining and *oh no there’s only one tent.* The slow burn is tantalizing but in a way that feels true to a genuine love story. The way the setting somehow breathes in tune with the characters, the way they leave messages behind in the trail register—conveying more than they can utter aloud— and the way their families communicate with them throughout their time on the trail through letters. All of the elements of this story ground it in universal truth, in feelings that are not only relatable, believable but demand to be felt. I can wax poetic until I am blue in the face, but really... Read this story. And then reread it a million times.

@rosebuddsmotel​

I Carry These Heart-Shapes Only to You by @ladyflowdi​ and @ships-to-sail​

There are over 180,000 words in this WWII AU, but not one of those words is wasted. It is gorgeous in its prose, and incredibly romantic without romanticizing the very real pain and tragedies of the era in which it exists. It's not an easy read by any means, but it's the kind of cathartic emotional journey that is more than worth it in the end.

@stuck-on-your-heart​ 

kiss from a rose by mihaly ( @davidroseshusband​ )

What can I say about this very special fic that would do it justice? In this story, Alexis stars in a Bachelorette-style dating show and it’s every bit as brilliant as it sounds. On top of the incredible characterization, there are little surprises at every turn, there’s pining, and of course, there’s love. Secret love, even. This fic is truly addicting – I promise you won’t be able to stop once you start reading, and it will leave you feeling so satisfied (and if you’re like me, a little misty)!!!

@the-13th-wheel​

Hold Me Like You’ll Never Let Me Go by @mooodlighting​

It is a wonderful short AU where Patrick and David where they meet at an airport after they get snowed in. It is cute, there is longing and pining that just make it a wonderful read!

@thedidipickles​

Beneath the Winter Snow by Distractivate

The writing is so utterly gorgeous all the way throughout that I frequently needed to take breaks to breathe. The author *perfectly* builds an Olympic world that I can totally see my favorite characters inhabiting, and the resolution is gorgeous. All of Distractivate's AUs are amazing, but this one still stands out.

@thisbuildinghasfeelings​

How Do We Get Back by @unfolded73​

This one deals with a literal alternate universe, which is the first thing I loved about it because I had never read a fic quite like it before. It's a beautifully written 60,000+ word masterpiece that definitely makes me feel ALL the feelings. In addition, it is absolutely riveting. I could not stop reading until I got to the end.

@yourbuttervoicedbeau​

Make It To Me by figmentof ( @rosesdavid )

Epistolatory fic is SO hard to pull off and the author does such an incredible job with the way the characters shine through even though we only see them interact via text message. This fic is my comfort food and I reread it regularly <3

Anonymous Recs:

Just Breathe by olivebranchesandredwine

I love this one because it's got Patrick as a yoga teacher (hot!) and shows David being proactive about anxiety and it's just such a lovely story.

Shall I Stay? by alladaydream ( @maybewecandreamalittle​​ )

This is so worth the 100k wordcount. 18-year-old David and Patrick sweetly leaning into first love, a lot of angst and pining in the middle that allow them both to heal and grow, and a heartfelt reconciliation. Plus, two bonus cherries on top with artist!David and a beautiful epilogue in which they (spoiler) live happily ever after. The tone and pacing of this fic is so good, and I always go back to it when I want to read something comforting.

Your Heart is Keeping Time with Me by @yourbuttervoicedbeau​

I haven't seen 50 First Dates, but this fic is better than the movie could ever be. The author's writing is so beautiful and her David who has amnesia and her Patrick who wants to help him are just PERFECT. I want more and more and more of this.

Once again, thank you to everyone who participated and thank you to every single person who has written something in this community! It would be wonderful to do a part three, but for now, enjoy some alternate universe fics! 

[wolf-pearl]

Yet more eternatus-sympathetic au content. Fun fact, I have already posted art about this AU before. Additionally, this au is actually related to another AU I have a post about. They both started with the same base concept but went in two different directions.

The short summary is basically eternatus escapes after being revived, ends up in the wild area and hangs out with a backpacker, gets befriended by Hop, eventually joining his team.

The full description is under the cut:

Anyways let's get to the AU. It starts off with eternatus reviving in a secure storage facility of macro cosmos. Eternatus has enough wishing stars to revive but not enough to rebuild itself at full size, resulting in eternatus becoming an unstable melty version of the skeleton it is in game. However before eternatus can reconfigure itself into a more stable form, chairman Rose and security guards arrive. Everyone freaks out and in the ensuing chaos eternatus escapes. Eventually eternatus ends up running to the wild area due to it being the place with the most wishing stars and pieces,  something eternatus really wants to so it can grow/rebuild itself. At some point during all of that eternatus turns back into a blob due to not being able to maintain a large form with the current amount of wishing stars it possesses. So eternatus reconfigures itself into a form it can actually support in its current condition. That happens to be a much smaller, younger version of it's true form.

A problem that eternatus runs into quickly is that the legendary can get hungry. And eternatus doesn't really know how to get food. What eternatus does know is that the backpackers that hang around the wild area keep food in their bags. And that the backpackers will give food to other humans in exchange for stuff.

This leads to eternatus making nightly raids on one specific ingredient vender's bag. Some would say that's stealing. Eternatus would argue it's not stealing if you leave shiny rocks as presents.

So after about a month of the poor dude being confused about waking up to his bag rummaged through and freaking gold nuggets being left in his lap, he comes up with a plan to catch whoever or whatever has been doing this. He didn't know what he was expecting, but a glowing pokemon the size of a wooloo was not it. The dude's response to this realization is to cook a massive pot of curry for eternatus. He immediately wins eternatus over with his amazing curry, and over time he gives eternatus a nickname based on it's favorite food: Noodles.

Eventually backpacker discovers that OH BOY Noodles is actually really strong. This leads to him being really worried for Noodles' wellbeing because what if a trainer encounters Noodles and tries to catch him and Noodles freaks out and then people come after the lil noodle child? What if Noodles get caught by a mean trainer?? Etc etc etc. eventually the backpacker decides to call up the best person in the region when it comes to strong pokemon- the champion Leon- for advice on what to do to protect Noodles.

Leon: what? an incredibly strong pokemon? Count me in I wanna meet it!

Sonia, overhearing Leon: what? an unidentified unique pokemon of unknown origin? Count me in I wanna meet it!

Hop, oblivious to the entire previous conversation: what? Leon's going somewhere? Count me in I wanna go wherever Leon is going!

Leon: wait, no-

After convincing Hop to stay home and then arriving at the wild are, Leon and Sonia meet noodles. Noodles is at first weary, but warms up to them. Mostly because Leon is a living ray of sunshine. Part of the solution that the backpacker and Leon come to in regards to protecting Noodles is having Leon and Sonia routinely checking in on Noodles.

Over time Hop gets extremely curious as to why Leon is spending so much time in the wild area, and one day decides to sneak into Leon's baggage to go with him. Literally. This leads to hop meeting Noodles, and the two instantly bond while Leon is still processing the fact that his little brother snuck into his luggage. Leon decides to let Hop continue to come with him (officially, not hidden in a bag) to see Noodles whenever Leon is checking in with them.

Fast forward to Hop getting a starter. Hop, who is now very close with Noodles, decides that the first thing he needs to do is introduce his new partner to Noodles and tell them the good news about getting Leon's endorsement.

Noodles' response to finding out that Hop is going on a journey is to go with Hop. Noodles makes its intentions very clear. Hop asks the backpacker for permission to catch Noodles, which he does give after making Hop swear on his life to take amazing care of Noodles.

From here the au follows Hop and eternatus (who in renamed Victor) as they go through the gym challenge.

Notes:

Victor/Gloria don't exist in this AU.

The Backpacker still calls eternatus Noodles after Hop catches them, and Hop calls them Noodles when the legendary is being a dork.

Rose is collecting wishing stars in hopes of finding eternatus. He isn't evil, he's just extremely concerned about the unidentified pokemon he accidentally unleashed on the world.

This AU does end with Hop becoming champion.

Bede calls Noodles a menace. Considering that noodles did in fact rip open his bag to get at the wishing stars he had in it, I can't really blame him...

I haven't come up with a name for the backpacker. I'm open to suggestions.

[sonicringbond]

Sonic Ring Bond: The Journey - Scene 42

With character mindsets out of the way, it’s time to set the stage. Well, Blister’s mindset still needs to be set, but right now they have arrived at the peculiar city in the sky. What will they find there? Well, find out for yourself in...

    “Really, a creepy place like this would do a lot better with some ghosts,” Rosy teased as she jumped from Blister’s ship to the stretch of concrete and asphalt that they docked at, “then we could make a test of courage out of it!”

    “I’d rather not have more ghosts after the last time we met some,” Draw tried as per usual to put a damper on Rosy’s enthusiasm as he walked down the gangplank with Sonic and Blister. For his efforts Rosy stuck her tongue out at him.

    “You’re being no fun today,” Rosy teased her koala companion and he rolled his eyes.

    “Whatever, you weirdo girl.”

    “It’s Rosy!”

    There was a comfort that Rosy found in the exchange with Draw and she smiled brightly even in the dreary place. Sonic and Blister were both being more careful than Rosy was though.

    “Be careful while having fun,” Blister warned as she tested the weight of her backpack. “My instruments were acting weird as we approached. I couldn’t rely on them to dock at all.”

    “You were able to dock an airship on your own? That’s amazing!”

    “Well, I don’t really have any choice with a golem hunter on board,” Blister gave Draw a weary glance. “It’s not like I can use my autogolems if they just get broken for coming out.”

    “So, the Engineers do use autogolems too,” Rosy acknowledged thoughtfully, before switching gears and spinning over to place her hands on Draw’s shoulders. He gave her a look, but Rosy continued unbothered. “But I’m sure Draw wouldn’t break yours. Well, as long as they aren’t powered by fairies.”

    “Everything the Engineers make are powered by Rings or steam, so no exploiting any mythical creatures,” Blister assured Rosy, Draw, and the fairy in the group, Mote. “Besides, the way Preserver autogolems work is a total mystery. It doesn’t make sense how the energy of a living thing is converted into a kinetic energy.”

    “Sounds like the type of guys Eggman would get along with,” Sonic finally added his voice to conversation as he strolled off the gangplank and looked around.

    Rosy noticed Sonic was rubbing the underside of his nose with his pointer finger and wondered if he was sensing danger. She couldn’t leave him worried though and risked getting teased herself to lighten his mood. “Oh~, forget that mean old man. I’ve gotten over being embarrassed by you talking like that about us and want to hear more! Come on Sonic, say something romantic~♥”

    “Keep dreaming, kid,” Sonic winked at Rosy and made her puff up her cheeks as she knew exactly what he meant.

    “Ooh~! Why couldn’t you play along nicely this time now that I’m ready for you!”

    “Instead of play, perhaps we could get to work looking for a Ring Radio for my ship,” Blister suggested, walking away from her vessel. Sonic eyed her curiously and took up pace beside her.

    “I’m all for getting this over with, but I thought we were supposed to do the dangerous stuff while you stayed back on the ship?”

    “Don’t worry, I won’t slow you down.” Blister smiled at Sonic confidently. Her confidence did not last however as she lifted her left hand up and stared at it as she flexed the flat fingers of her clockwork arm. “Though I haven’t gone for a run myself since before I lost my arm. I hope I’m not too rusty.”

    “You don’t mean to say you can keep up with us, do you? Sonic asked having a hard time believing it. “There aren’t too many who can, and even out of those with my speed few who can match my pace.”

    “Just check your radio for a signal and I’m sure we’ll be fine. I think I might actually be excited for the first time in a while. A shame it’ll be best to split you flowers up for this little trip.”

    “Flowers?” Sonic asked while checking his wrist device. The detected signal on the device told Sonic all he needed to know, and he was distracted from his question. “Well, sure enough there is a signal here. And not one we recognize.”

    “I wonder if there’s anyone using it?” Rosy pressed her finger to her cheek and mused a moment. That moment was short lived and quickly followed up with her deciding to check as she worked her wrist device and cheerily called into it. “Hello~! Is there anyone home!”

    “You’re going to get us killed, you weirdo girl!” Draw snapped at Rosy.

    “Don’t say that!” Rosy chided him, but as her energy was spilt between her wrist device and him, she wasn’t overbearing. The lack of a response from her device though made her puff up her cheeks. “Phooey! I guess no one lives here either.”

    “Gotta admit, it’d be kind of hard too.”

    ~Sonic wasn’t wrong. For the first time since I had been exploring the lands under Yolk, there were no plants growing over everything. They had been at one point in time, but they had all withered and died, only a thick layer of yellowed leaves that lined the streets and building floors showing they had once lived. It was kind of creepy in a different way than the rest of the weird little city as well since leaves don’t usually last like this. They crumbled easily enough to the touch, but the wind left in our wakes as we ran through the twisted city streets didn’t seem to hurt them and they simply would settle back down were they had last been.

    ~The leaves weren’t the only creepy thing. Yolk seemed even bigger from the city than Blister’s airship, and no matter where I ran it seemed to watch me from behind the clouds just above the horizon. And the storm clouds didn’t bring rain and thunder, but rather a snow of ash. I’m starting to think this place might be cursed. At the very least, it’s weird and unnatural.

    ~How unnatural? I wanted to check the size of the city when we first set out, so I ran a lap all the way around it with Draw clinging to my back and the location of the horizon never changed. And I came back around from what should have been the city’s underside. It’s not right here. It really isn’t.~

    “What now,” Draw asked as Rosy stopped atop a skyscraper that tilted a full thirty degrees off its axis.

    Watching the storm clouds and the ash that fell silently from them, Rosy puffed up her cheeks and exhaled sharply from her nose. “This place is way to dreary to be any fun. So how about we see if we can’t find any beneath the surface. Does that sound good, Sonic?”

    -Just keep your radio channel open,- Sonic’s voice came across Rosy’s wrist device. -This place is a lot larger than it looks. Like several places are trying to fit in one spot and not pulling it off.-

    -I’ve also seen signs of golem activity,- Blister’s voice came across after Sonic’s. -Probably more than enough for our little hunter to earn his keep.-

    “Don’t talk like that about me!” Draw complained from Rosy’s back. “I’m not a kid!”

    -Yet you were clinging to Ms. Rose’s back when we agreed to split up…-

    “That’s because it’s the easiest way to not lose her.”

    “I’m not that bad,” Rosy laughed, but she smiled brighter as she looked down at the decayed city that awaited her challenge. “But at least it sounds like this adventure is going to be exciting!”

Scene 42 · CLEARED Snowflake, to be continued

-----

On the shorter side, but now the exposition is done and it’s time to start elevating the series of events. A Ring Radio is here, and it’s on, but why? And Golems here as well. Mysteries, mysteries. If I do this right, this set of “episodes” will be some of my most important at this stage of the story yet. I hope everyone is as excited for them as I am!

-----

Special Thanks to Cutegirlmayra Story by @JoshTarwater/SonicFanJ Inspiring Song – Lost in the Snow – Yoshitaka Suzuki – FINAL FANTASY XV Original Soundtrack (Volume 2【1/2】)

Fair Use Disclaimer

Sonic the Hedgehog and all affiliated characters and logos are the express property and Copyright© of SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS used without permission under Title 17 U.S.C Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976 in which allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. “Fair use” is use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be considered copyright infringement. The Sonic Ring Bond: The Journey alternate universe (AU) consumer written work of fiction is a non-profit transformative work primarily for personal use and can and will be taken down without warning or prior notice at the request of the copyright holder(s) should it not be recognized under “fair use”.

*Sonic Ring Bond logo created by DEE Art – twitter.com/daryliscute.

Sonic Ring Bond AU and Sonic Ring Bond: The Journey are the creation of Joshua David Tarwater/ynymbus/sonicfanj/@Joshtarwater and is to be, including all contents herein considered for all legal purposes the property of the Sonic the Hedgehog intellectual property (IP) and copyright owners, SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS. All story contributors via prompt, suggestion, written scene, art, and all and every other contribution acknowledge that all contributed material is forfeit for legal purposes to SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS upon official request from SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS.

[knifehecker]

undertale day [long post]

it’s the 15th!! happy 4th birthday undertale!!! normally i try to do a little art or something but this year i decided to do something a little different. there’s a lot of content that’s become core tenets of my experience with the fandom -- changed the way i thought about the characters, how i engage with the fandom, opened my eyes to new ways of writing -- and i thought it’d be neat to compile some of those into one post to share with other people. so without further ado!!!

40-minute Deltarune Piano Medley - FaceImplosion [MUSIC]

ok, i know this is deltarune and not undertale, but this medley incorporates songs from both games so i’m gonna say it counts. and honestly, i could say a LOT about this piece!! i’ve watched and listened to a lot of ut/dr medleys, and this has to be the most lovingly crafted of its type that i’ve ever seen. Ever. a lot of care has been put into the order and combination of the songs (some funny, some sad, some mindblowing, ALL amazing) and the art is so good that every time i listen i find myself watching along. there’s a lot of easter eggs, especially for the attentive listener/watcher, and this medley deserves far more than the 6k views it’s gotten so far.

Undertale Album Project - Various Artists [MUSIC]

Songs From Mt Ebott is a collaborative album project that contains dozens of tracks from a score of different artists. i have a lot of favorite tracks from this album, not to mention the individual track art created for each, and if you’ve never heard of this project before, i really recommend giving it a listen! (FaceImplosion also did a piano track for this album, by the way, which i’m linking separately because it’s one of my aforementioned favorites.)

Chara - tigerblossom [MUSIC]

im not gonna lie. this was my favorite piece of fan music for a long time. it’s a medley mashing a few different songs together, short and sweet, but it comes together in such an incredibly heartfelt way at the end that whenever i end up listening to it i find myself wishing the track was about five minutes longer. they also have an underfell version of your best friend that i recommend giving a listen!

Photographs - FuriousPoplar [FIC]

in terms of “post-paci everyone lives au”s, there’s been a lot of ground covered by a lot of different people, and after a while the concept feels almost a bit...same-y? but this fic covers a sorely-needed conversation between an alive chara and asriel in a way that i’ve never seen approached by anyone else before. it’s cathartic, it’s extremely well written, and it doesn’t shy away from the ugly sides of trauma and recovery, which is so greatly appreciated. it also hit me...REALLY hard, which i think is a testament to how amazing this piece is.

Turn Back - foxsgloves [FIC]

i read this one pretty early on in my time in this fandom, and it’s continued to influence me long after. the premise: frisk keeps loading over the brief time asriel has his body in the epilogue, and simply spends time with him as they both prepare to move on towards the end. it’s sad. it’s cute. it’s amazing. it’s something i go back to reread sometimes late at night when i want to reread something friendly and familiar and a little sad. and its been one of my favorites ever since i read it.

You Wear Your Grief Like a Badge - Draikinator [FIC SERIES]

how do you even TALK about ywyglb? do i talk about nate’s impeccable voice in their writing? how true to character they are with the kids? how they set the scene of a post-pacifist world still shaking with the echoes of the past? the series starts with flowey taking frisk’s soul captive while chara and sans form an uneasy alliance in order to get them back, and then spirals into a tense, sweet, funny, awful, heartbreaking experience that reshaped how i viewed the boundaries of my own writing. draikinator’s writing has been and continues to be a huge inspiration to me, and i heartily recommend giving any of their stuff a try.

A Numbered List of Things That Aren't as Badass as They Sound (ex. Monsters, Suicide, Burning in Hell) - rosyy [FIC]

a brief glimpse into chara and asriel just before It Happens, While It Happens, When It Happens. the prose here is the sort of flowery delirious feverdream you’d expect from a kid dying of buttercup poisoning, and i love it to bits. i also want to mention a dr who crossover by the same author, because it has kris as the doctor and frisk as the stray they adopt, and its also the perfect antidote to the angst the first fic provides.

Risen Up (or, Of Fallen Children and Mountain Kin) - paradoxpangolin [FIC]

oh jeezums, how do i even start with this one? post-paci, frisk comes to the conclusion that the best way to ease the tensions between human and monsterkind is to put on a musical about their time in the underground!!!!.....except this leads to its own host of complications, and things get a bit Messy. this fic hasn’t updated in a bit, but it contains so much in its 140k of already published writing that i feel the need to urge you to read it anyway. i’m really partial to autistic frisks, and this fic has what’s got to be my favorite portrayal of that in ... probably the entire fandom? honestly, most (if not all) of the characters in this fic are autist, and it’s just. very good. i love.

you’re like a mirror, reflecting me - batterytriplicate [FIC]

a daemon au exploring what frisk and chara’s journeys might have been like with the extra distinction between monster dust and daemon dust. i completely forgot about this fic until i was trawling through my ao3 history for this post, and i’m really really glad i found it again. i think i was in the middle of trying to figure out this exact au when i first found this fic, and it did everything i was thinking of (and more) so much better that i felt more than content leaving it at that. so if you like his dark materials and want to see a fantastic little daemon au, give this a shot!

soulless-pacifist - vsemily [ASK BLOG]

soulless-pacifist..... if you’ve never heard of this askblog, you’re in for a treat. i wasn’t with it from the very beginning, but i started reading towards the  middle of its main story arc and stuck with it to the end, and suffice it to say, it has to be my favorite fandom askblog to date, purely for how well its written, how well its drawn, and how it’s one of the....only askblogs i’ve ever seen come not only to a FULL conclusion, but to a satisfying one! the mun also worked with a programmer to create a fangame for its final arc, which is so above and beyond that im still kind of in disbelief. in short: this askblog followed frisk and their passenger after the events of a soulless pacifist route, and continues on with them as they grow together and find their place with a whole host of twist and turns in store.                also, memes.

Shine your light with me, chase all the dark away - FancifulRivers [FIC]

this au follows frisk and chara after the events of the game. unlike most post-paci runs, though, chara has their own body back, while they and frisk are hiding back in mt ebott after the monsters have left to avoid the complications of being runaways and also.... incredible guilt and trauma. things don’t really work out like that, though, and i really recommend this read. fancifulrivers has also been an incredibly prolific writer who’s uploaded a lot of really good ut fics, so this is a great starting point to jump off of for their other stuff!

repercussions - proximally [FIC]

this fic... i think this one fic is the one that’s impacted me the most during my early days of this fandom. it’s short, and sad, and is a twist on the soulless pacifist ending that i was left thinking about literally for months after i first read it. instead of saying any more and risking spoiling it, i’ll just leave the author’s desc:  “You made a mistake, and you pay for it with your life. “

The Great Boondoggle - Masu_Trout [FIC]

the premise of this fic is pretty simple. post paci, frisk is walking home. they come across a Bad Guy. hijinks ensue. but what sets apart this fic from others for me is the way frisk is written here. when this fic was published in early 2016, most frisks i came across were the...sweet harmless woobies that were pretty typical from the fandom. this is one of the first frisks i came across that was kind of mean, and a little cold, and had very obviously had a long upward climb to being the sort of person who chose mercy instead of fight. this portrayal is a lot more common nowadays, which i’m super grateful for, but since this is one of the first fics i came across that really nailed this portrayal, i felt i should leave this here. i also recommend their pokemon/ut au, which is toriel and frisk centric and i also love to bits.

and....well, i was gonna say “that’s it”, but i honestly had to cut quite a few things from this list to keep it from stretching the dash too much. there’s been a lot of incredible content created by this fandom over the years, and this is by no means a comprehensive list of my favorites. but these are some of the ones that impacted me in a really special way, and if you were kind enough to check them out and maybe even liked them, please consider leaving a kind comment for the creator! if you’re the author of one of these pieces reading this right now: thank you so much! im looking forward to finding even more favorites in this year and the next.

[gg-astrology]

🌊 bts fic recs pt. II 🌊

hello if ure here for astro pls bare with me i rarely do this promise ;; 💕❤️ since its been a while, I kinda wanted to do another fic rec and show u all these cool fics ive been reading that impacted me in some ways 💕❤️

If you’re new, hello! 💕❤️ I usually rec fics that gives me a lot of cool atmospheric feels, interesting take on the trope/genres. So to start, here are two fics that are Amazing and Kinda Scary But Is So Good (and Kinda Changed My Life/Stayed With Me Still) 

Ps. The top part of this list is pretty heavy -- as in, heavy topics/subjects, read the tags and warnings on the fic as well so you don’t go in unassuming ;;. If you’re not into the first 5 i recommend on here --feel free to scroll down and just see what you like! 💕❤️ I promise I also have like, lighter stuff in here too! 💕❤️ Also: most of it’s very taegi and yoonkook heavy i know skjnsk i didn’t realize how much of them i actually read/accumulated over the years but here we go! 💕❤️

It Happened Quiet by hobimo - not sure if i rec’ed this before. But this is by far one of the most soul-impacting, life-changing fic I’ve ever read. I don’t think I’ve ever read something so true to the horror genre? But at the same time, there’s such a beautiful plot and time-travel and mystery/lore behind it. The characters are so interesting, I know it says taegi, vhope, and taegihope but it’s a lot less about the romantic side of things and I’d definitely recommend this for the *wriggle hands* entire fic. It’s amazing. Please give it a read (maybe when it’s not dark) 💕❤️

Bodies of Water by themarmalade - yoonmin, siren/horror theme and this one kept me on my toes as well 💕❤️ it’s such an interesting story and take on the fantasy/horror genre, I definitely recommend this one just as much as I do to the one above. Also, themarmalade writes alot of amazing fics-- there’s a masseur/cuddle-therapist minjoon one and also Scowl at the Moon is an amazing angsty namkook one 💕❤️AND a taejoon t’hat one weird city where the dj/narrator talks about carlos who’s so handsome’ au.. something ville??forgot the name rn... I recommend their entire body of work tbh ;; 💕❤️

Singularity by PrettyBoysTaegi (GetOutOFMyTreeNovice) - taegi, supernatural, coming back to life. DEFINITELY do not take the major character death lightly - BUT before you look away, it’s SUCH a good fic. I can’t recommend this enough, it kinda kick started by overall love and fascination for horror-themed fic and aus. There’s something to appreciate in feeling something so fully and so much, like that feeling when you’re overwhelmed with love and you can’t hold it in. It’s in your eyes, nose, pores, mouth. You’re overflowing with it and it’s just rolling out of you. Anyways I love this so much  💕❤️

in all dishonesty by fruitily - taegi, i foam and go full feral thinking about this fic sometimes. It’s so fun, so entertaining. So fucking great, I don’t. I can’t even explain. It’s light, fun, something to break you from all my heavy fic recs so far. 💕❤️

Satie by paperhearts - taegi, this one is an old one but it’s definitely an Experience. war fic? kinda? reincarnation? it’s amazing n I can’t even spoil it. Please check it out 💕❤️

Murmuration by fringecity (indiachick) - I know I rec’ed this before, but the author just said they finished the last chapter and it’s been SUCH a long ride I want to rec it again for those who wants a good, long, read. One of the best fic on ao3 honestly? So well researched, so detailed. Plot driven and I just appreciate how the different element/tropes all fits together on here. It’s a mystery/thriller fic-- and it’s amazing. Yoonmintae but this aint about them this is about what’s happening. They’re in this together, and the characters themselves are so good. If you’re looking for a fic that develops and keeps you on your toes-- this is the one 💕❤️ Action, mystery, thriller, gang, magic? science? amazing.  

The Things Worth Going to War For by softlyblue - sope, I know I recommended this before but this is BY FAR the most fleshed out, understandable and digestible fantasty/adventure fic. It’s so RICH with lore and culture and PEOPLE. Even the ocs feels authentic and aren’t intrusive at all. It’s on lock so you’ll need an account, but I recommend getting an account JUST to read this fic to be honest. It’s THAT good. Also: mind the warnings! 💕❤️ OH and the fighting scenes and anticipation for war is SO good. One of the BEST fic honestly. 

And I Fall by spudcity - not sure if I rec’ed this before, taegi, constantine au, I don’t actually know what constantine au is. But the setting, the environment, the social setting AND also just the plot development and story is so captivating. It’s something else to think about like-- you coming in with nothing in mind and being able to understand the world and all of it’s expansive element just because of this fic. It says a lot about how good the author is, I hope you like this fic alot too💕❤️ 

golden haze by CaptainButts - vmin, alien au. Amazing, one of the best vmin I’ve ever read? 💕❤️  Captainbutt is amazingly good at characterization as well, so you’ll definitely see more fic recs of their stories from me for sure. Plus -- this fic definitely spiralled me into fulfilling my full aquarius mercury nature and getting into that good alien contemplation. Amazing. 

like real people do by notyoongs - yoonkook, space au and also robotic/AI au 💕❤️ This is such a nice, slow-burn, fleshed out fic. Especially in terms of characters, and also inclusion of the rest of bangtan/their subtle involvement in making the main pairing go through their development. Anyways, one of the best AI au I’ve ever read 💕❤️ It’s not angsty as well, so!! 💕❤️

everyone brave is forgiven by notyoongs - yoonkook, spiderman slash avengers au. words can’t describe how much i love this fic. Frustration at the character, dread at what’s about to happen, heart-breaking sadness at the resolution. BUT the entire ride is such a beautiful journey full of sunset-washed colours. This is definitely not of the fic you’ll have to read and it reminds you that the present is the most important, to enjoy the ride. To enjoy every emotions that you’ve faced and is given, it really makes you feel so full and grateful. I love this fic 💕❤️

Inside a sinking feeling by CaptainButts - jinkook, amazing art heist vs police au 💕❤️ Not only is the plot so good, the twists and turns, the dialogue is amazing -- plus, it has alot of actions and good old romance. Even if you don’t normally read this pairing, it’s an amazing fic I definitely recommend. They also wrote another jinkook au that’s equally amazing-- its a lifeguard/childhood crush au, but this one -- the art heist one-- is amazing. 💕❤️

From Apogee to Perigee by Namib - taegi, holiday town au. As in, there’s christmas town and there’s halloween towns. Inclusion of all members, and we trek tae’s journey in getting gifts for yoongi. It IS light and fluffy, but this story is so interesting because there’s a lot of interactions that adds onto the story. Lots of flashbacks, interactions with each member of bts adds a layer to the story in a different way. We see more and more of the relationship through tae’s interaction with others, It’s so beautiful seeing variety of emotions and depth and you have to pick up on different things here. Because taehyung as a character and narrator is oblivious or still nervous about yoongi’s affection for him. So. This is such a cool fic and interesting trope and it’s amazing I recommend it lots 

You’re My Home by heyyyjude - taegi, this is a sequel but this one hits so hard. A lot of people -- me included -- likes to think of ourselves as very giving and very demonstrative of that. That we definitely love something more, as we should, socially. But when confronted with how we actually treat/act long term and what our subconscious actions say. Sometimes we have to re-evaluate ourselves. This fic really digs deep and makes itself a home in my life because of this idea of -- re-evaluating yourself and how you love someone, the idea of prioritizing and learning how to take care of others-- knowing you’re allowed to have passions and hobbies you live and breath for outside of that. Relationships really are like that sometimes, where you do need to step back and think about things like this and how you act sometimes. Definitely recommend this lots. 💕❤️

Sweet Music Playing in the Dark by GinForInk - chaptered, namkook, a really cool take on abo dynamics and relationships plus its not as angsty as it sounds it’s actually really nice! thought provoking if you put yourself in namjoon’s shoes and think about privileges n postering. Something to think about, but overall just a really nice fic 💕❤️

Chasing the Sun by almostsophie1  - oneshot, taegi, long-fic 💕❤️there’s a lot of soulmate connection tropes out there but this one actually teleports you physically to where your soulmate is which is really interesting bc you actually. do know your soulmate + have that security a lil (in knowing its not a dream) and it’s a sweet, overall, very nice fic that doesn’t really play with my emotions 💕❤️

together we’ll count our stars by czar (cmajorchords) - namgi, radio station au. Lots of good, good feels. This one has a lot of feelings. It came at a time where I was going through something that really resonated with it, but even without my personal experience -- there’s something so sleepless and timeless about it. I recommend this for the soothing quality it has, the feeling of going through something hard and coming out on the otherside alright again 💕❤️

Kiss me hard before you go  by 77735  - sope, roommates, misunderstanding but so so so shock full of love 💕❤️ so soft, reading this was such a pleasure, a very good plot AND very good characters, lots of pining 💕❤️ Miscommunication, all the good stuff 💕❤️ But so so much love in between the lines, love it 💕❤️

You love a stone by roebling  - taegi, medusa but spin it on it’s head as in there’s a happy ending 💕❤️ love this take on it so much, actually roebling writes alot of really cool recreates of fairytales/myths like dragons and stuff -- makes me think of the holy grail but like, nicer. Definitely digestible, such a cool fic i can’t rec enough 💕❤️💕❤️ light and good 💕❤️

In each place (oh you remain) by misspamela - minjoon, hades/persephone, consent has always been a thing with hades/persephone adaptations. So this is another interesting fic on that 💕❤️ Short n sweet, but amazing 💕❤️ 

And my heart is set on you (You better shape up) by Bandit4Life - taegi, theatre au, enemies to lovers, lots of pick up lines 💕❤️ Grease au? But make it gay. The fic I didn’t know I needed until I read it and then realized its a part of my life now. So good 💕❤️

mind if i slytherin? by notyoongs - yoonkook, hogwart teachers au. Love the involvement of student and just-- the social dynamic here. Also love a happy ending. This is definitely an ‘open for surprise’ kinda deal but like-- a nice surprise. A present. C:  💕❤️

Open the Floodgates by soft_bro_fun - namjin, so good, explicit but it’s such a cool take on self-esteem thing and just. perspective, y know? how you can see yourself a certain way but through third person or in another’s eyes there’s a different narrative going on. Anyways this is good fic 💕❤️

let love get the best of us by czar (cmajorchords) - taegi, so good. 💕❤️ not as angsty as it seems, very reassuring and like--it’s just so nice. Especially when you think about -- like, the fear of being in love, it’s very valid to feel this way. I think a lot of people often choose to say no as a self-preservation. It’s something to explore 💕❤️

sucker by notyoongs - yoonkook, werewolf/supernatural au. Roommates? just very nice development and trope and just overall how it plays out. 💕❤️ A lil bit of miscommunication but not much. It’s overall a really really enjoyable fic 💕❤️

How much to give and how much to take by Aguacates - I love a lot of fic by this author so you’ll see more recs about them ;; ksjnjnsk namkook, arranged marriage au 💕❤️ please give it a read, it’s SUCH a good fic. Amazing writing and characters, I love how they have like-- a trope/plot we see around alot but they really just dig into it and made it WORK so well 💕❤️

Moonshine lovers by bedroomdemos -  taegi, taehyung as vampire, truth serum 💕❤️ honestly such a great and interesting fic! first of all i love the premise, second i love how it all played out and just -- I want more, this is a fic that makes me love it so much I keep going back to read it bc it hits different 💕❤️

Pull me Under by Oh_Hey_Tae - namseok, with yoonjinkook and vmin, cruise/life-guard au and a lot of rich frat boys 💕❤️ Along the same lines as fruitily’s taegi -- this is also a very summer-y, flirty, light hearted but v v nice fic 💕❤️ Love how the audience can see joon being flustered even tho we’re in hoseok’s narrative, but like-- it’s so nice to just, see things from hobi’s side bc we’re usually on joon’s side when he’s interacting with hobi (in namseok fics) 💕❤️ So yeah!! 💕❤️ A great read!! 💕❤️

Slytherin Your Heart by softyoongles - taegi, hogwarts au. One of the thing that really hits me is the inclusion of other characters.How in the middle of that. It elevates the main pairing without isolating them from the rest of the cast/crew. This one hits 💕❤️

the planets bend between us by sharpa - taegi, space explorers, kinda established relationship BUT i’d like to point you towards the AMAZING narrative style and how when we do time-skip/replay into the past it actually makes so much sense AND adds onto the dynamic between these two characters 💕❤️ I love it so much, it’s a fic that leaves my stomach feeling full like I’ve just had a very good meal. 💕❤️

a hold on me by CaptainButts - junghope, single-father au, amazing to see namjoon as hoseok’s kid and also junghope’s past relationship together. Embarrassing dads, also side vmin and yoonjin. Love it 

Paint by Minverse - vmin, amazing fic that explores gender/sexuality, relationships and the lgbtqa+ spaces/subjects so well? Literally one of the most well-done fic I’ve ever read that incorporates these areas PLUS all of it’s complexity. It doesn’t lose an INCH of complexity. And like, it’s NOT SAD it’s actually pretty light (?) bc we’re seeing it from -- tae’s side most of the time which is great. 💕❤️ Anyways I can’t rec this enough 💕❤️💕❤️ It’s so good!! 💕❤️ 

yellow red AND blue purple by baekyun (baruna) - namkook+namminkook royalty au AND taegi royalty au. Basically taehyung’s a bodyguard to yoonji. Kook gets married off to namjoon but he’s like-- namjoon’s fan and supporter. Jimin’s jungkook bodyguard and “some” -- it’s a complicated thing. But it’s an interesting take on world building, history and politics as well. Particularly with the taegi one, and then further in the namkook one. Anyways it’s refreshing to read, it’s on lock so you’ll have to register for ao3 to have an acc ;; 💕❤️ Having an acc is so good tho bc u can also bookmark stuff and its all in one place 💕❤️

Some classics I’d like to rec!!! 💕❤️ These ones below are fics that are probably multi-chaptered, or I just really really enjoyed. 💕❤️

If i wanted to (i do) by kaythebest - vmin, marriage au. The goodest slow burn, the best story about developing relationships and just. Ugh. I can’t recommend this one enough, it’s just so fucking good. Kept me on my toes for ages, definitely one of the best vmin i’ve read ;u; 💕❤️

Fake Sugar by minverse - jinkook, sugar daddy au but NOT what you expected. The background of these characters are so good. This is actually one of the more light-hearted one from the author, but it’s still so amazing and so good. Especially since the dynamic between jinkook has a lot of domestic stuff instead of sexual things we were expecting, and a lot of corporate/shady fun in the social atmosphere they’re in. 💕❤️

tea house special by baekhyun (baruna) - yoonkook, avatar the last air bender au. Sugar daddy as well? Kinda? Fraternizing with the enemies? Kinda? But this one’s a classic. Amazing, I love it so much. One of the best bts avatar crossover. There’s also a sequel that focuses on Jimin as an earth fighter too. Definitely check it out! 💕❤️

an inhabited world by misspamela - namseok, this one’s so good. Jump started my love for namseok fic. There’s explicit stuff as well, but I just. I love this fic 💕❤️

unfinished by fruitily - yoonkook, ghost au. Love this, love the supernatural. One of the best yoonkook ghost fic. I recommend this one like, please press the link and see for yourself!! 💕❤️

Just Skins by syubology - taegi, i dont even know what it is but it’s amazing.  Fwb au? The author said they want to do re-writes of Just Skins so!! skjsnkjsn let’s be patient. In the meantime, there’s war-fics from the author that they’re updating/currently working on? 💕❤️ 

you are my bravest everything by 777335 - vmin, long-distance. I love this one so much, it’s SUCH a good read if you haven’t read it yet. 💕❤️  Relationships are hard enough already, but when you teeter the lines between wanting to be a supportive friend but also are you interested in Them? -- it’s something that’s so *clench fist* gets me in the feels wow. 💕❤️ 

Will you B Minor? by ohdizzy - taegi prequel to Blow me like your French Horn jikook fic (its a series)  both are incredibly good. amazing. funny! i recommend reading both. You get a hefty amount of taegi in bmlyfh too.The Jikook fic is so nice💕❤️

Black&Gold by marchdahlia - yoonkook, camboy au. But guess what? The dynamic and power structure is different from their cam persona vs irl. This is such an interesting take. I love this so much tbh 💕❤️ 

Baby girl, I can’t breath by hoars - MY FAVOURITE LESBIANS!! 💕❤️taegi, but also other pairs.  This is a CLASSIC and no matter if you prefer mlm or wlw or just, idk. Anything. The plot and characters surpasses expectations and boundaries. It’s so enjoyable to read. Note that it’s very old, so some of the issues are things in the earlier days of bangtan fandom.

too cute to hurt by mimiforce - taegi, fem. This is the sweetest, softest fic ever you don’t even have to like f/f it’s just. really nice. Short and light read. Sneaky kisses.

love does(n’t) hurt by artaemin - yoonkook, one of the most beautiful fic i’ve ever read? I recommend other fics by artaemin as well. But this one -- wow. For those who wants to experience emotions for the first time, and also it’s actually like. A happy ending!!! 💕❤️

large, extra cheese, extra sauce (extra you) by vminism - taegi, pizza deliver au. This pre-dates bon voyage 2, so basically the start of the taegi resurgence and rise of taegi. Amazing fic, I love it so much. Alot of cute, soft, cheesy stuff 💕❤️

disappearing act done poorly by kyungchul - taegi, movie theater au. Past vhope, but this is very very nice and so amazing to read bc of the plot, the moments, the trope. I recommend you read something that remind you of bridget jones diary era once in your life. It’s amazing

describe your ideal type here by fruitilys - yoonkook, this is once again, a classic and an amazing yoonkook fic. Matchmaker tae. Incredibly entertaining writing. I have nothing else I would wish for 💕❤️

True or False, Taehyung? by clumsy_taegi - taegi, this one is explicit but it stuck with me because of the characterization of Taehyung. I love this characterization of him so much because? it’s not like, predictable at all. As in, if you put other characters in this situation -- you might have someone bursting into tears, but he didn’t. And it’s? that’s something amazing. And makes me think about just-- like, how emotional every other fic I’ve read has been which is like!! great too. But it made me pause and think.  

p.s. i love you by notyoongs - yoonkook, the ‘pretend relationship’ trope but-- this is so fucking heartaching and romantic. I can’t recommend this enough, it’s so good 💕❤️

of monsters and me by notyoongs - yoonkook and later, a brief rapline x kook monsterfucker fic. This is a series, it’s all explicit. Basically, there’s a lot of sex. BUT the idea of monster under your bed and relationships between kook and yoongi is so cool? Because realistically, there’s a lot to consider and also just-- the dynamic in the relationship. The power play. Like,, this is a demon we’re talking about. Anyways it’s so cool.

here comes the sun by fruitilys - yoonkook, i don’t even know how to describe it. But its amazing, this is one of my favourite fic of theirs -- and in the bts ao3 site tbh. It’s so good. I love it. 💕❤️

[ronniesqueen]

A Journey To Find True Love

We start off with Archie as the bachelor, Ronnie is in his season. The story progresses, and she becomes the next bachelorette after he finishes his season. Both of them go on their journey to find true love.

I will be writing this AU in the form of a tv show. Since, we all know that “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette” are reality tv shows.

Previously on “The Bachelor”

 Archie and the remaining women had fun at the Riverdale Performing Arts Center for their group date

 Betty told a sweet story about wanting to be a writer

 Cheryl’s bold move surprised everyone

 But it was Ronnie who really caught his eye after a deep conversation about her home life

 Ronnie got the group date rose

 Ethel got the first one-on-one date with Archie, opening up about a trauma in her life as well

 And Archie gave her a rose, after seeing her kind heart

 Midge and Melody got sent home at the rose ceremony.

 Cheryl, Ronnie, Ethel, Betty, Josie, and Valerie remain.

 Who will win Archie’s final rose?

 Okay. Without further ado,

 Buckle up, buckaroos!!!

Week Three.

(setting: Bachelor Mansion, in SINGAPORE! Living room. Ethel, Josie, Cheryl, and Valerie are sitting on the couches. Betty and Ronnie were laying down on the carpet next to each other.)

         “It kinda sucks that Midge went home. I really liked her,”  Ethel said.

        “She was pretty cool,” Josie said in agreement.

        “Quiet peasants, there was a knock on the door. I think it’s a date card. Valerie go check,” Cheryl said.

        Valerie rolled her eyes as she got up, walked over to the door and picked up the date card.

        She instantly got choked up. “It’s....a one-on-one.”

        All the women gasped in unison and ran towards her.

        (setting: Confessional Booth)

                  “I know I told Archie that I wanted to take this relationship slow. But I didn’t mean it as like, oh hey let me give other girls attention except you. You know what I mean?” Valerie said, and sighed. “I don’t know. I just don’t want to feel like I’m falling behind. I know he’s already developing a really strong connection with Veronica, Josie, and the others.” 

                 She tucked some of her hair behind her ear, as she looked down. “When I saw the name on that date card. I just....I lost it. This is so discouraging because, he is literally getting distracted by all these shiny objects. I’m starting to think that all he really wants is a fucking trophy wife. Someone who is shallow as hell, and has NO depth whatsoever.”

(setting: Bachelor Mansion. Living room)

               “Who is it?” Betty asked, giggling.

              “Tell us!” Ronnie said cheerfully.

        Valerie did her best to hold herself together.

             She took a deep breath. “Cheryl.”

                 Cheryl screamed.

           “Awww, congrats girl! Hope you guys have fun,” Josie said, hugging her.

          “Oh we will! What am I going to wear? Oh my gosh I need find my favorite red heels,” Cheryl said, running up the stairs.

(setting: Confessional Booth)

              “Cheryl got the one-on-one. I hope they have a good time,” Ethel said. She smiled. “Oh geez, I’m sorry, I can’t say that with a straight face” she laughed.

             “Cheryl just seems like the type of girl who gets what she wants all the time. And that makes me nervous because I really like Archie a lot. But I guess I just, have to trust him.”

(setting: Outside Bachelor Mansion)

             “Hi!” Cheryl said, running towards Archie, tackling him with a hug.

           “Hey Cheryl!” He said, picking her up. “How are you?”

           “I’m good! How are you?” 

          “Good,” Archie began. “So, listen. Don’t freak out. But I did a little bit of lurking on your Instagram profile.”

          “Why would I freak out?” Cheryl gushed. “I’m flattered.”

          Archie grinned. “I’m glad. So, I found out a few things about you” he said, twirling her around and hugging her from behind. “Some of them were things I already knew. One, that you take the color red very seriously-”

        “I am red,” Cheryl giggled. “Sorry, continue.”

      “It’s all good. Two, you live near these really beautiful mountains.”

      “Also correct.”

     “Three, that you look absolutely gorgeous in every selfie.”

     Cheryl giggled, “Proceed.”

     “And lastly, that you love to shop until you drop.”

     Cheryl raised her eyebrows. “I’m impressed.”

     “So today,” Archie said, taking her hand, leading her to the limo. “I realized that there’s nobody else I’d rather spoil today, except you.”

    “Awwww Archie,” Cheryl swooned. “You are such a gentleman.”

    “What do you say we get out of here and go shop?” 

    “I say, let’s do this!”

(setting: Confessional Booth)

        “I was outside having some coffee,” Ronnie said. “And I couldn’t help but overhear Archie and Cheryl’s conversation. He’s taking her shopping?!”

(setting: Bachelor Mansion. Kitchen. Betty was making pancakes. Josie, Ethel, and Valerie were sitting at the table, waiting for Betty to finish to all have breakfast together.)

            Ronnie entered the room. “So, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. But...”

            “Oh gosh,” Josie began. “Spill it, girl.”

           “He’s taking her SHOPPING,” Ronnie said.

           Ethel almost choked on her coffee. “Oh my goodness. That is so...”

          “It speaks volumes. Doesn’t it?” Ronnie laughed.

          Betty turned around. “I mean,” she began, flipping the spatula. “What else are they going to do?” she laughed.

          “I bet she’s gonna love that,” Ethel said. “She is going to LOVE being pampered.”

         “Well damn Ethel,” Josie laughed. “Tell us how you really feel.”

        “I’m not saying it to be mean,” Ethel continued laughing. “Cheryl Blossom is going to LOVE being pampered.”

         Betty turned the stove off, and served breakfast to all the girls. She glanced at Valerie. “Hey Val, are you okay? You’ve been kinda quiet.”

        “Huh?” Valerie asked. “Oh, yeah I’m fine. Thanks Betty. Um, if you guys don’t mind, I’m actually going to take my breakfast outside.”

         Valerie got up and walked away.

       “What was that about?” Josie asked.

      “Maybe it’s just getting to her,” Ronnie said. “I mean this experience, as fun as its been so far, it’s not easy to watch him fall for other girls.”

     “True. But the way I see it, it’s more about wanting Archie to be happy at the end of the day,” Betty said.

     “You’re right B,” Ronnie said. “As much as I want to be with Archiekins at the end of this, I’ll still be happy if he chooses one of you. Because I know his heart will be in great hands.”

     Josie, Ethel, and Betty smiled.

(setting: Mall in Singapore)

         Cheryl was in the fitting room, trying on multiple dresses.

         Archie sat outside, chatting with the sales associate.

         “This your first date?” she asked.

         “It’s our first date...without other women.”

         She laughed. “Awww. I can tell, you’ve already bought her a ton of things.”

         Archie smiled. “I just want her to be happy today. Besides, every time she comes out of that fitting room, she looks amazing. And I’m like okay, you need that dress.”

         “Awww, why can’t there be more men like you,” the sales clerk said. “Then again, you are the bachelor.”

          Cheryl came out of the fitting room, wearing a black strapless dress with fringe across the bottom.

           “You look stunning,” Archie said.

           “Thank you love-muffin,” she giggled, giving him a kiss. 

           “What’d you think of this one?” the sales associate asked Cheryl.

           “I love it. Classy meets edgy,” Cheryl said, looking at herself in the mirror.

          “If you wear that to the cocktail party tonight, I won’t be able to keep my eyes off you,” Archie chuckled.

           “Then I shall,” Cheryl said with a wink. She turned to the sales associate. “Add this to his tab.”

         (setting: Confessional Booth)

               “I don’t want to think about Archie and Cheryl,” Valerie said. “I really don’t. But I can’t stop. It’s just so irritating for me.”

(setting: Restaurant in Singapore)

              Archie pulled out Cheryl’s chair as she sat down. “I just want to say thank you so much for today,” Cheryl began. “You really made me feel special. And that’s not a feeling I have every day.”

              “I’m glad I helped with that. You deserve to smile and be happy, every single day,” Archie said. 

              “As do you,” Cheryl said, taking his hand. “Archie, I think that in any relationship that I have, it’s really important that I share with you every part of who I am.”

              “I want you to,” he said, smiling. “I want to know as much about you as I can.”

             She took a deep breath. “My brother, Jason, passed away recently.”

             Archie immediately pulled her close for a hug, as she buried her face in his chest, crying.

            “Cheryl, I am so sorry. I’m so sorry,” Archie said, rubbing her hair.

     She looked up at him. “It’s the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to go through in my entire life.”

             “You don’t have to explain-” Archie whispered.

        “But I want to,” Cheryl began. “I want to allow myself to be vulnerable with you. This is what’s always stopped me in my previous relationships. I tend to push people away because in my life, all I’ve ever known is abuse from my mother. I live in an environment that is just...cold. Every day, I’m so cold. Just from being there.”

        He hugged her tighter. “I really appreciate you trusting me enough to tell about this. I just hope you always know that with me, you’re in safe place. I won’t ever judge you, or think less of you. Especially not for being open about things you’ve gone through.”

        She smiled. “I do feel that. And that just makes me like you even more, Archie Andrews,” she said, wiping a tear from her left eye. 

         He picked up the rose that was by the candles. “Cheryl. I think you know by now that you are someone who, I was definitely excited about. Ever since you first stepped out pf that limo on night one. And I really do see a lot of potential in our relationship. I’m glad that we established trust in each other tonight, and that I know the side of you that’s bold and fearless, and the side of you that’s sensitive and vulnerable. You are absolutely strong, and I admire you for it.”

       He gestured towards her. “Cheryl, will you accept this rose?”

       “Of course I will.”

       They leaned in for a kiss. 

(setting: Bachelor Mansion.)

             Cheryl arrived at the mansion, carrying twenty shooping bags, could barely even open the door. She stumbled inside the living room, to find all the women sitting in the living room, watching The Lion King.

              “Hey guys!” Cheryl greeted them.

(setting: Confessional Booth)

             “So Cheryl walks in and she’s got like a million shopping bags. Like I don’t even get that many presents on Christmas,” Ethel said. “He was excited about their date. It was obvious, he couldn’t stop buying her things.”

(setting: Bachelor Mansion.)

                       “Archie picked these out himself!” Cheryl cheered, showing the women a pair of diamond earrings. “He was so cute. He was just like, whatever you want it’s on me. And well, I couldn’t say no that that!”

           All the women were.....smiling. 

          Ronnie took a giant sip of her wine.

(setting: Confessional Booth)

          “I’m so mad,” Ronnie said, tears streaming down her cheeks. “It just sucks, knowing that someone I’m dating, is doing that for someone else.”

          She paused. “But Cheryl’s a good person. She has a good heart. I’m...I’m so happy for Cheryl.”

          She put her face in her hands as she continued to let the tears fall.

(setting: Cocktail Party later that night, at the Bachelor Mansion)

               Archie raised a glass. “You are all so beautiful, and so special to me, in your own ways. This upcoming rose ceremony might be the hardest one so far because I’ve already gotten to know all of you. I appreciate those of you who have been so open and honest with me about things you’ve gone through. It just shows me how much you put your trust in me.”

               Ronnie, Cheryl, and Ethel smiled.

        “I’m looking forward to tonight. And, as you all know, next week is Hometowns. And, I do want all of you to do me this one favor. Before I meet any of your families, I want to know that you feel confident in where our relationship is at right now,” Archie continued. “So, cheers to us being here on this journey to find true love.”

              Everyone raised their glasses, and took sips.

         “Arch,” Betty said. “Can I steal you away for a bit?”

      “Of course Betty,” he said, taking her hand as they walked away together.

            “Well that escalated quickly,” Ethel chuckled.

                Josie glanced at Valerie. “You okay boo?”

       “I just haven’t had any time with Archie,” Valerie said. “It’s really upsetting. I’m scared I might be going home.”

           “Honestly Valerie,” Cheryl said, putting down her glass of champagne. “I really think you need to just, get out of your own head. I had to talk to him about something that was really hard for me, but now I feel really great about it. Just pull him aside to talk to him, like Betty did just now. The only thing really stopping you from having more time with him....is you. You can’t make excuses, you just have to act. Because if you don’t, it’s not going to be good for your relationship.”

          “I’ll just be patient. Eventually, possibly, I’ll talk to him,” Valerie said.

(setting: Outside on the porch swing.)

           “You’ve been pretty busy,” Betty chuckled, playfully nudging Archie’s shoulder.

          “I have. And I feel good about it. But my wallet doesn’t,” Archie laughed.

          Betty laughed.

          Archie gazed at her. “I love your smile.”

          She giggled. “I like the way you look at me.”

          “Well I can keep doing that for you.”

           She laid her head on his shoulder. “So,” she began. “You don’t seem like the type to really have any skeletons in your closet.”

           “How do you figure that?” Archie chuckled.

           “Because I see it. You have so much optimistic energy, lighthearted smile, and a really pure heart. You’re honestly a big ball of sunshine. I don’t picture you having any deep, dark, secrets to hide.”

           “I’m an open book,” Archie said, putting his arm around her. “The one thing about me that could scare you or any of the other women away, is how loudly I play my guitar at midnight.”

          She laughed. “Night owl?”

                  “I sure am.”

          She looked down. “What’s wrong? Are you an early bird?” he asked her.

             “I do...have some skeletons in my closet, Archie.”

             He kissed her hand. “Betty, whatever it is, just know that you’re safe here with me.”

              “My dad is a serial killer.”

         Archie was at a loss for words...

        “Or was, at least. He got arrested recently. I was honestly terrified to tell you, because I didn’t know how you’d respond. This isn’t something that I just freely talk about with anyone who will listen. But it’s something that...really changed me. It made me start to see the world for what it is. A place that, can be beautiful. But can also be a dangerous, scary place.”

         He hugged her tight. “I’m so sorry Betty. How did you...?”

        “He confessed it to me and to my mom. I called the cops on him, and they took him away. I haven’t seen him since.”

        He rubbed her shoulders. “How do you feel?”

      She sighed. “This is the first time I’ve ever talked about it, with anyone besides my mom and my sister Polly. And it feels...okay to talk about it. At first I was just so ashamed of myself...but I don’t need to be. They were his actions, not mine. But I do feel so much hatred towards him.”

      “It’s understandable,” Archie said. “I think that’s so mature of you to realize that you aren’t the one to blame, for any of it.”

      She smiled. “Thank you, Arch.”

     “I can’t imagine.....going through anything like that,” he whispered. 

     She sighed. “It’s a topic that I always stay away from.”

     He turned to look her in the eyes. “Thank you for opening up about this. I know this must have been extremely difficult for you. But I’m honored, I really am, that you were able to trust me with something so personal.”

     She smiled. “You made it easier on me. You always make everything so easy.”

       “Betty,” he said, pulling her closer. “When I first met you, that night. You reminded me of home. You’ve always been such a calming influence on me.”

       “You still give me butterflies,” she giggled. 

      “I see how phenomenal you are,” Archie began. “And sometimes I worry about, not being good enough for you.”

      She rested her hand on his cheek. “You are more than enough, Archie Andrews.”

        They leaned in for their first kiss.

(setting: Ballroom, at the Cocktail Party)

                Archie sat down on the floor, playing his guitar.

                “Hey stranger,” Josie said, entering the room.

                               “Hey you.”

                      She sat down next to him.

              “You know what I just realized?” Archie asked.

                    “What’s that?” Josie responded, smiling.

            “I don’t know enough about you,” he chuckled.

     “Well maybe if you gave me a one-on-one,” she said playfully.

          He laughed. “I wish every date could be a one-on-one.”

                    Josie leaned her head on his shoulder. “My mom is the mayor of Riverdale. And my dad is a rockstar, currently on the road with his band.”

                     “Your mom is Mayor McCoy?”

            “Mhm,” Josie giggled. “So, hope you treat me right.”

                 “I think I’ve been doing okay so far,” he winked, kissing her.

           “Maybe you should work a little harder,” she laughed, kissing him back.

            (setting: Living room.)

                       “Did everybody already have time with Archie?” Betty asked.

           “I certainly did,” Ronnie said.

           “So did I,” Josie said.

           “Ditto,” Ethel said.

           “I haven’t,” Valerie said.

           “People are already having double time, so you should probably go talk to him now because-” Ronnie began.

           “Who’s having double time?!” Ethel asked.

          “Cheryl,” Ronnie responded.

            Valerie’s jaw clenched.

(setting: Confessional Booth)

                         “Is she serious? She already had a one-on-one date with him! What, was that not enough? I’m so annoyed,” Valerie complained to the camera. “Not only was Cheryl a big part of the reason I didn’t even get time with Archie last week, but now she’s doing the same shit this week. AND...I literally just told her I was upset about not having time with him.”

(setting: Ballroom.)

            Valerie entered the room, “Knock knock.”

            Cheryl was sitting on the floor by herself.

            “Archie’s gone?”

           “He went to the kitchen to refill his glass,” Cheryl said.

           Valerie sat down next to Cheryl. “Veronica told me that you were over here talking to Archie.”

           “Yeah I just wanted to tell him thank you for the date we had, and that was it,” Cheryl explained.

           Valerie paused. “I don’t understand that.”

           “What don’t you understand?” Cheryl asked.

           Valerie took a deep breath. “I was open with you, about being upset about not having time. You seemed genuinely concerned-”

           “And I was,” Cheryl said. “And then I told you for like 20 minutes to go talk to him. And instead of getting that time with him, you just continued to sit there-”

             “You decided that what you needed to say was important, that’s the bottom line.”

             “I didn’t even think twice about you in our conversation because of how good-” Cheryl began.

            “See that’s the thing, I feel like sometimes you DON’T think.”

          Cheryl scoffed. “Because I’m not here for all of the girls, I’m here for Archie.”

       “How old are you again?”

       “Oh, stop it.”

      “I just feel like your actions solidify a maturity level. And I feel like someone who had a higher maturity level would’ve taken those things into consideration.”

        “You have the right to feel that way, and I have the right to not care,” Cheryl said, getting up, and walking away.

(setting: Confessional Booth)

                “I am so NOT in the wrong in this situation,” Cheryl said. “She had every chance to go talk to Archie. For crying out loud, there’s only six of us! Most bachelors, they have 15 women to talk to in one night. She has no excuse for being so prissy and lazy. She is not putting in any effort for Archie and it SHOWS.”

              She did a hair flip. “I think she’s intimidated by the fact that Archie is establishing serious connections with all of us, not just me. She’s dug her own grave at this point, and if she goes home then....is anyone surprised?”

(setting: Rose Ceremony)

           Ethel, Ronnie, Josie, Betty, Valerie, and Cheryl entered the ballroom. 

                  There were three roses on the table.

           Archie entered the dining room. “Hey ladies. This decision tonight was really hard because, I really like all of you. But I do feel confident in decisions, as usual. So if you don’t get a rose tonight, please understand that you’re amazing, and your person is definitely out there.”

            He picked up the first rose and took a deep breath.

                “Betty.”

        Betty walked over to him. “Betty, will you accept this rose?”

            “Of course, Arch.”

         He picked up the second rose. 

               “Josie.”

        Josie walked over to him. “Josie, will you accept this rose?”

      “Guess you’re meeting the mayor next week,” she said, playfully.

             Archie laughed as he picked up the final rose.

       Ethel, Veronica, and Valerie intently stared at him.

              He smiled. “Ronnie.”

      Veronica walked over to him. “Ronnie, will you accept this rose?”

            “Absolutely, Archiekins.”

       Chris Harrison entered the ballroom. “Ladies, I’m sorry. Take a moment. Say your goodbyes.”

         Ethel walked over to Archie. “Thank you so much for everything. You made me feel hopeful for love,” she said, giving him a hug. “Your wife is in this room.”

       Valerie walked over to Archie. “You’ve been making a lot of easier choices with the people you are pursuing. And if that’s what you want, then great. Go for that. But... I was at a cross roads because I do want something real, magical, everything you’re looking for. And I don’t regret any of my time with you. There’s a great group of girls here. Find them. Figure out who they are. Don’t get distracted by the shiny objects.”

        Betty, Josie, Ronnie, and Cheryl were shook. Their jaws dropped.

          “Goodbye Archie Andrews,” Valerie said, exiting the mansion.

                  Archie narrowed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Uhh….okay. So, next week is hometowns. I’m really excited to meet your families. And deepen all of our connections.”

            -------END CREDITS--------

[ananke-asteria]

BOTW AU: ZELDA THE HERO

BECAUSE HONESTLY IT’S THE LEGEND OF ZELDA AND IT JUST MAKES SENSE!

First of all full credit. This headcanon is inspired by many wonderful works of fan art and mods, specifically the Zelda Conversion Project, nearly all of my screenshots are from their youtube chanel. This whole idea of Zelda as the hero made me freak out because it is just steaming with potential! 

I am not the first person to come up with this idea and  I will be crediting all fanworks that insipired this headcanon. Please check out the links because frankly these works are amazing. I will not be reposting their work. 

-Chronologically all the memories are the same upt to Memory 16: Despair. Zelda and Link are running away, tears in Zelda’s eyes as she laments that everyone she knows is dead and it’s all her fault and she breaks down into tears, that’s all the same 

BUT THEN

-Memory 17: Zelda’s Awakening is where things go differently. Link is fighting against a Guardian. There is a moment where it looks like the Guardian might get the best of him and Zelda runs in front of him in a desperate bid to protect him but just as she lifts her hand up...

Link recoveres enough to get back in front of her and, with a final strike, cuts the Guardian down. There’s a moment of silence while he and Zelda catch their breath before he hears it. A voice inside the Master Sword, a voice that Zelda (and the audience) can’t hear, he turns to look at her with sadness in his eyes. Before Zelda can ask Link what’s going on two Sheika... Young Purah and Impa because honestly it should have been THEM and not some random Sheika males in that memory.

FOR REAL THO it would have made such a strong impact on the game to see Young Impa and Purah, to have a direct comparison to what they look like now in the game. That the impactof 100 years can be felt in these two characters still being alive and looking WAY different. The emotions would be so much stronger. And YOU Nintendo just gave me too random dudes when this memory so OBVIOUSLY needed young Impa and Purah considering they say that they were the ones who put Link in the shrine in the first place. Just UGH missed opprotuintiy so now its in my AU. bitterwhosebitternotme. 

ANYWAY

-Purah and Impa come forward and Link tells them to protect Zelda and keep her somewhere safe. Impa tries to stop him at first, stating he is abandoning his duty to the princess before Link reveals that the Master Sword itself told him to go. Impa reluctantly lets him leave and Link gives Zelda one final glance and whispers “I’m sorry” before dashing off towards the castle.  Zelda screams at him to come back, that she doesn’t understand, while Purah and Impa take her away. 

-Memory 18: Wounds. As Impa, Purah and Zelda run through the woods Impa tells Zelda to trust her knight, that even if he’s leaving her he’s doing it to protect her. Zelda wipes her tears away, stating she hates it, hates that others are dying for her when she hasn’t accomplished anything. Impa gives her a knowing look and says “That is not why Link-” But Impa is cut off as the three of them get ambushed by a rogue Guardian. Before Impa can react Zelda gets gravely injured by a Guardian beam. Zelda passes out and Purah holds her in her arms as Impa quckly takes the Guardian down. Impa begins to panic before Purah suggests that the Shrine of Resurrection might just save her. Impa agrees and together they carry the girl to the shrine.

-Thanks to the “Sword that Seals the Darkness” Link is able to keep Ganon contained in the castle for 100 years.

-The game starts with Zelda waking up to a voice, soft spoken but clear in the Shrine of Resurrection. 

-“Open your eyes.” The voice continues to speak. “We never spoke much in life. My fault, not yours. I thought that staying silent gave me strenght, though now...I wonder...”  Credit to the aformentioned dialouge to http://a-perplexing-puzzle.tumblr.com, seriously the work is beautiful as is the quote. Check it out! 

-The voice also encourages Zelda to take the Sheikah Slate and to start her journey. Zelda has lost her memories. Making her way out of the shrine she finds her old prayer dress, still covered in dirt, in one of the chests and makes her way up to the Great Plateau. Cue cinematic of a young confused princess staring at her kingdom, a kingdom she doesn’t even remember. Title drop. 

-There is also amazing fanart by http://jujuthevuvu.tumblr.com/ of this moment. Go check it out!

-In the corner of her eye she sees an old man who looks familiar and thus the tutorial begins! 

-The fighting mechanic is basically the same but all of the tutorial clues are in Link’s voice “Parry,” “Keep your guard up” “Use a sneak attack” stuff like that, Zelda isn’t sure who she is hearing, if it’s some sort of memory of someone teaching her to fight or there is a voice literally inside her head, either way she picks it up fast.

-The old man at the end of the tutorial brings Zelda to the Temple of Time and asks her to pray at the goddess statue, Zelda does as he asks and nothing happens…the old man sighs in disappointment but Zelda just looks confused.

-Then in a dramatic reveal the old man presents himself to be the King of Hyrule and gives Zelda the backstory of how this young knight named Link kept Ganon away for 100 years using the “Sword that Seals the Darkness.” He also explains how he is the ghost of her father and how he wished he hadn’t been so hard on her in the past, he also tells her to go seek out Impa as she was the one who put her in the shrine, and right before he fades away he tells her he loves her.

-Zelda despite not remembering him, is shown to have a single tear running down her cheek before clutching her fist and diving off the tower. 

-She may not know much about this Ganon fellow but that ghost says she is a princess and that logically means she has a duty to her people. It also hurts to hear this man who says he’s her father be so sad, she doesn’t know him but she wants to make him proud. 

Look at her go!

-And it’s at that moment that Zelda hears a voice in her head, it’s the quiet one from the shrine, and he only says one thing “I believe in you.”

-Zelda has no doubt that it’s Link, and feels a bit of comfort in this strange new world.

-She makes it Kakarioko village and seeks out Impa, Impa is shocked to discover Zelda has lost her memories but mumbles that perhaps its for the best as Zelda was so hard on herself 100 years ago. She tells the “Legend of Reincarnation”,  “The Triforce” and how Zelda is the “Force of Wisdom” and has the power to seal Ganon away.

-Zelda asks if she has that power why didn’t she do it 100 years ago.

-Impa gets quiet for a long time and then finally states that Zelda got very injured before she had a chance to use that power. 

-Zelda nods and says she’ll find a way to use this power, she just needs to remember. 

-Impa smiles knowingly and agrees. “Of course you will Princess.” She then tells her to seek out the three springs of the Goddess to help her unlock her power.

-Impa also tells her to go see Purah to get her Sheikah slate upgraded.

-She also also tells her that once she has recovered her sealing power she can free the Divine Beasts and release her friends from their prison.

-To get to any of the springs Zelda must first pass a series of trials. There are encampments of monsters that test her courage, shrines and puzzles that test her wisdom and mini-bosses that test her power. When she gets to each spring and begins to pray nothing happens. However at each spring there is a memory to unlock. 

-At the Spring of Courage it would be Memory 5: Zelda’s Resentment. If she finds this memory, by the place where Link would stand watching over her when she prayed. Once she prays again he gets a a third of her triforce. One triangle. With just a third of her sealing power she can now sense when Blood Moons will rise. It’ll be a menu icon that shows a mooncycle. 

-At the Sprng of Wisdom, Zelda can now witness Memory 7: Blades of the Yiga. Again once she recalls this memory she can now activate another third of her triforce. She can now stun enemies with a blinding light before getting a few attacks in. 

-At the Spring of Power Zelda finally recalls Memory11: Shelter from the Storm This memory makes her pause, uncertain if she should pray, if perhaps she is unworthy. But Link’s voice cuts in and states that she has come so far and accomplished so much on her own and that of course she is worthy. Reninvoigorated by his words Zelda prays again and completely unlocks her sealing power. She now has the ability to drain monsters of HP. The power is weak at first, no stronger than the Master Sword with attack damage of 30 but Zelda states that with time and practice she can make it stronger. 

-Not to get all ZeLink on you but it’s Zelda’s recollection of her love of Link, the knowledge that he is proud of her and the experience of facing all these trials alone is what allows her to unlock her sealing power. Basically Zelda’s memories got taken away to give her a chance to rebuild her confidence. 

-Link tells her after the final Spring that while she has unlocked her power the Master Sword is telling him that it is unfocused and that if she were to find the Great Deku Tree in the lost woods she would find something to help her channel her power. 

-Link also tells Zelda that she now has the power to free the Divine Beasts and save their friends. 

-If Zelda goes back to Impa she can now unlock all the other memories in the game, since she now has her sealing power reflecting on these memories won’t break her self confidence but renew her resolve to defeat Ganon. 

-Finding all 19 memories will make her sealing power stronger and will make the cool down slower. 

-Going to the Great Deku tree will reveal the Bow of Light trapped in the ground, it will take 13 hearts to pull it out of the ground. The bow will never break but if Zelda uses 10 light arrows (not a collectable they just come with the bow) in a row, another arrow won’t respawn until a designanted cool down time. Then she can use them again. Using the bow also raises the damage to 60 per arrow instead of 30 when she just uses the power without the bow.

(Dot Voice) Pretend it’s a bow okay?

-And at the Great Deku tree Zelda gets to see the AU version of Memory 17 and Memory 18. That’s right we’re tossing out the mechanic that the memories are tied to location, in this AU they are tied to story progression. 

-Using the Bow of Light will increase her damage of sealing power and also decrease the cool down. Without the bow Zelda can use five blasts of sealing power in a row before a cool down,  with the bow she can shoot 10 arrows before a cool down. 

-So Zelda’s now on her way to every Divine Beast and instead of some random boss like “Fireblight Ganon” it is now the body of the champion possesed and corrupted by Ganon. This is totally based off this super cool fanart by https://roposhipin.tumblr.com/. So the emotional toll in battle is higher, Zelda has to fight through her guilt as well as shock of seeing her friends so mutilated. Also these corrupted figures use the powers of the Champions against Zelda. Basically corrupted!Revali can fly high and avoid your attack, corrupted!Daruk can block your attacks, corrupted!Mipha can heal quickly and corrupted!Urbosa can emit blasts of lightining against you. It’s hard for Zelda to fight against them but Link tells her that if she wins she will save them and that gives her the strenght to fight back. It takes a combination of Zelda’s sealing power, fighting prowess and words of FRIENDSHIP to break through.

-Stuff like “I’m sorry I let you die.” “Your father is so proud of you.” “You were the best warrior in your village.” “You are stronger than this.” Basically, WEAPONIZED EMPATHY and closure all wrapped into a cool battle.

-At the end of each sequence Zelda apologizes for letting them die and wants them all to know that she will defeat Ganon. Each champion presents their gift and says something along the line of being glad that Zelda helped them be free. 

-And the final fight at Hyrule castle aka ZELDA TAKING BACK HER HOME!

Get out of my house!

-Zelda fights Ganon using her weapons, the help from the Divine Beasts, and her sealing power, either raw or concentrated with light arrows. During the Dark Beast Portion, Link appears before her with the sword to seal the darkness. He looks around confused and Zelda is about to speak, “Link! I-” when Dark Beast Ganon appears. Sharing a nod of determination they both get on the same horse and as Link cuts holes in the beats’s defenses with the master sword Zelda fires arrows into those hoes to seal it away, you have to avoid the beast blasting you but eventually together with Link, Zelda seals Ganon away.

And stay out!

-The final cinematic is Link saying “I’m so proud of you” goes to bow “My Queen.” And then Zelda with happy tears in her eyes runs towards him and throws herself into a hug, both of them falling to the ground.

-Final post credit scene, Zelda asks Link what the sword said to him that made him face Ganon in the castle. Link is hesitant but eventually says, “The sword knew you could never unlock your sealing power when you felt that you were in my shadow, never living up to your potential the way I had. It said that I had to leave and trust you to survive on your own in order for you to gain access to your sealing power.” Link looks away from her and then back again. “Leaving you that day was the hardest think I’ve ever done but I’m glad I did for I got to see your journey and see you flourish and grow into the great Queen I always knew you could be.”

-Zelda smiles with tears in her eyes and then shakes her head and says “Thank you.”

-They make their way to Vah Ruta, it’s not working and the credits fade to black.

-And yeah the rest of the game is pretty much the same, it’s about Zelda’s arch of redemption, exploring her kingdom, helping her people with side quests and training herself to fight Ganon and become the Queen she was always meant to be.

This is my kingdom and I shall defend it!

-Oh and because I know some of you will ask instead of an elaborate trick to get into Gerudo Town, Zelda has to dress up in that thick Flame Breaker armor and do a side mission with some of the young Gorons and pretending to be a “brother” in order to find Yunobo and begin the Vah Rudania quest.

[lenfaz]

Sea Squad, ch. 1 (1/14)

Summary:  Killian Jones has always managed tough spots in his con life... but never like this one. His brother is out of jail and convinced the only way to win his name back is to heist the casino of a major Vegas mogul, leaving Killian to do the planning. He now has to deal with a half-brother desperate to gain a name of his own, an ex-fling that carries her own torch against the casino mogul, his brother losing his mind over his ex-wife,  his former mentor's depression and the one woman he can't get out of his mind giving him chase. Ocean's Eleven AU

Rating: M

Content warnings: semi-explicit sexual content, law-breaking (they are thieves, liars and con men), mild violence (someone will get punched), mention of former relationships (for the main pair) and cheating (but not for the main pair)

Banner  (link to banner post) and art by the amazing @clockadile Go check her art tag for the fic here!

This fic would never exist without the wonderful @sambethe who convinced me to do over hot chocolate on one cold Chicago afternoon and virtually held my hand and betaed this fic for months. thank you SO much for everything you do.

A/N: A long time ago there was talk about Hook & his sea friends and a few collective posts shaped the idea of a Sea Squad. This fic is the attempt to bring that creativity to life. Tagging @queen-mabs-revenge   @thesschesthair   and @jvosketches as they were part of that initial thinking back in the day. If a few things sound familiar, it’s because they are based on the movie.

Link to  FFnet & AO3

Chapter 1

“Court Case #358765”

Three men sat behind a table, a manila folder lay open on it as they passed the sheets of paper that made up his file between themselves. They seemed to be taking their sweet ass time, reading thoroughly through each of the pages as if he were not sitting there, waiting for his life to change based on their decision.

Part of him wanted to huff in impatience, but he knew he shouldn’t. He had to be on his best behavior, as he’d been all this time. If this didn’t come through, it would be a long while before he got another chance at this. He’d endured so much without losing his temper, he just needed to hold on a little bit more. Just a little more and he’d be out of this godawful place and back to where he needed to be.

“Mr. Jones, this meeting is to determine whether or not you’re likely to break the law again if you’re released on parole. While we have your records of good behavior here and note this is your first convicted offense, your records indicate that there is reason to believe you’ve taken part in other fraud schemes. What do you have to say for yourself?”

His lips curved in a smug smirk. “I would say that allegedly I’ve taken part in other schemes. There has been no proof or conviction, darli- ma’am”. He caught himself at the very last moment and forced himself to lose the smirk and put on a sheepish smile. He needed these people on his side. He needed them to believe him.

He cleared his throat, lowering his head a little before he faced the panel again, a self-deprecating smile coming to his face. “I know you’re wondering why I did the things I got convicted for. I trusted the wrong people. I thought I was walking into an honest deal and I found myself in the middle of a crime I hadn’t meant and didn’t want to commit. Everything spiraled downhill from there - my wife left me, I had ended up in a dark place. The first few weeks in prison were not easy. But I’m doing better now and I want to redeem myself. I want to do better, get my life back on track, see my brother.”

He paused for a moment, letting the words sink in, trying very hard to build a momentum. “I - I want-” his voice faltered and he cleared his throat, tilting his head to the side in a lopsided smile. “I want to do the right thing.” He delivered the words with solemnity, as if he were taking a vow for a life commitment… he could only hope they’d buy it.

They did.

A few hours later, he stood in front of a mirror, tugging his cuffs and adjusting his shoulders. He felt as if the suit was bringing him back to the man he once was. The small gold band sitting in his jacket pocket felt inordinately heavy though, and he took a beat to look at his reflection in the mirror. His chin was now covered in scruff that he’d taken to grooming only every few days, and his brown hair seemed darker now and was clearly in need of a trim as it curled at the ends. But his money-making smile was still there, and his blue eyes still were able to pull the earnest puppy stare that had brought him so many good moments in his life.

With a deep breath, he pulled the ring out of his pocket and slid it on his finger, where it belonged. It has always belonged there, and he had every intention of keeping it that way. Turning around, he knocked on the wall and then slipped his hands into his pockets.

A guard came down and escorted him to the exit, his steps dragging next to him. He faced him before opening the final door between him and freedom.

“Ready for your new life, Mr. Jones?”

“I’m ready.”

Stepping out of the minimum security correctional facility, he vowed to himself that he’d never come back. They caught him once, shame on the ones that had betrayed him. If they caught him twice, it would be a shame on him. And he’d make damn sure that would never happen. He had plans for his life, and they didn’t involve another stint in jail.

Liam Jones was going to get back what belonged to him.

And a few other things that didn’t.

/-/

There was always comfort in the little details. Standing in the middle of one of the many casino’s main floor in the city, he took a moment to close his eyes, take a deep breath, and let it all sink in. The buzz of hundreds of whispered conversations, the clang of the coins pouring from the slot machines, the roll of the dice against felt, the distinct sound of the ball skipping along the roulette wheel. They each came together in a perfect cacophony. Combine them with the smell of liquor, cheap perfume, sweat, and cigarette smoke that not even smoking restriction laws had been able to completely eradicate, it produced an ambience that Liam loved like the second home it was to him.

Opening his eyes, Liam scanned the room trying to find what he was looking for. He couldn’t find it, but it was ok… he could kill some time at one of the tables and let the story unravel itself. He was sure that if he didn’t find her, she will find him.

He sat at one of the tables, reaching into his pocket to pull a couple of crumpled hundred-dollar bills. He had beaten a poor fool at pool in one of the pit stops on his journey to Atlantic City, getting himself a few hundred bills that he now needed to put to work if he wanted to have some sort of steady petty cash to support him for the next few weeks.

His fingers traced a pattern on the felt and the feel of the soft texture under his fingertips send shivers down his spine. He was home. Or as closer to home as he’d ever been. He tilted his head, letting a lazy smile coming to his lips as he looked at the croupier calling for the bets. He tossed a few chips and waited.

The croupier smiled to the table - that flirty I’m on your side half hidden smile that had naives fooled - and she started to deal the hand.

Liam’s mind woke up, sharpening with each whir of cards shuffling and being dealt on the felt. His eyes zeroed in on the table, his brain analyzing every bit of information about the game, every possibility and most likely outcomes. Like breathing, his mind drifted over different tactics and he made his move.

Nineteen. The house pulled eighteen.  Win.

Fourteen. The house ran over.  Win.

He put all his wins on the next bet. Black Jack.

Bloody hell, it was good to be back.

It wasn’t long until a second dealer showed up, a pit boss circling nearby like a vulture waiting for its prey. The new dealer smiled, arranging her hair to the side and showing up her cufflinks to the table before speaking. There was only a hint of nerves on her voice, but Liam could feel it. “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, my name is Tina and I’ll be dealing for you.” Her eyes darted quickly in Liam’s direction, a warning hint passing fleetingly before she was back to her professional self.

Liam played with the chips, dropping them one by one on the felt as everyone else on the table made their bets. It was only him left.

“Sir, in or out?” Tina called, an eyebrow rising slightly at him.

Liam tilted his head and made tsk sound with the corner of his mouth. “Out. The table is cold anyway.” He flipped a chip with his thumb and the croupier caught it, a smile gracing her lips.

“You might want to try the lounge at the Olympus. I heard it gets interesting around one.”

Liam smiled as he stood up and buttoned his suit jacket. “I’ll be sure to check it out, thank you for the tip.”

At precisely one clock, he was nursing his glass of straight Macallan when he felt someone sitting next to him.

He smiled and tilted his head as he took a sip of his whiskey. “Fancy meeting you here, Tina.”

The woman next to him gave him a feline smile, her hand signaling to the bartender. “Ursula Mount couldn’t pass a gaming board. Tina Matthews definitely can.” She nodded to the bartender that placed her drink in front of her and took a sip before her eyes focused on him. “When did you get out?”

“This morning.”

“I see that you’ve come out a new man and all that,” Ursula offered sarcastically, her eyes drifting to the drink in Liam’s hand and his whereabouts.

Liam shrugged nonchalantly and tapped a finger on the newspaper that laid open next to him. “Just having one drink and catching up with current events.”

“I can save you some time on that: Gold tore down the Nautilus.” There was a hint of regret and sadness in Ursula’s voice, her eyes also dimming as she spoke the words.

Liam’s own eyes reflected that sadness, his head lowering down and he ran a hand through his hair. “How’s Nemo doing?”

“As bad as expected, an even a little worse. Dad called him, tried to get him to come here for a few weeks, but it was a futile attempt. I wouldn’t blame the man, as Dad is going through his own set of past-midlife crisis.”

“Is he?” Liam asked concerned. Things were not looking up for him with this news.

“He retired.” Ursula shivered as if the words were harming her. “Spends most of his time at the horse’s race, eating walnuts and claiming he’s going to buy a condo in Boca next year.”

Liam pondered her words. “That’s bad.”

“That’s beneath him… but he doesn’t seem to care anymore.” Ursula gulped down the rest of her drink and order another. “But I don't’ blame him. The business has changed for us. Too much technology at the ready, too many variables to control. Tangible assets are hard to find unless you want to start embezzling regular people out of their hidden savings.”

Liam shivered in disgust. “That’s just plain bad form.”

“I know… but banks are highly protected and even if you can get there, it’s all electronics any way. Other than the Federal Reserve… what’s left?”

“Casinos.”

Liam waited for two beats before he locked his eyes to Ursula’s. Her eyes had widened in surprise before she gave him a mischievous smile. “What are you up to, Liam Jones?”

He feigned offense. “Me? Nothing. I’m just a man who’s been given a second chance and intends to be a law-abiding citizen.” He cocked an eyebrow at her and Ursula, catching his meaning, quickly nodded.

Good. One done, more to go.

“All I care about at this moment is to reunite with my beloved family.” Liam played with the edge of his glass. “Do you know where he is?”

“Last I heard, he was down in L.A., teaching celebrities how to play cards.”

“You’re bloody kidding me,” Liam blurted out without being able to hide his contempt.

Ursula sighed and her eyes dimmed again. “He all but disappeared, and has made himself hard to keep track of. After Tuscany, he seemed to have lost his edge. And then you got caught and it seems he only went downhill from there. Without you, he’s been lost, Liam.”

It seems everyone - his friends, his mentor, his own brother -  and everything had fallen apart while he was sporting orange suits and mopping floors.

“Well, good luck I’m finally here to make you all find yourselves again.” He placed a few notes on the counter and stood. “I better get to work then.”

“Heading to L.A.?”

Liam nodded. “Right after I call my parole officer and promise not to leave the state.”

Ursula shook her head, a smile coming to her lips. “I’ll see you again, soon.”

Liam took her hand and kissed it. “I’ll send word.”

He turned around and left the bar.

Hang on, little brother. I’m on my way.

/-/

This could not be his life.

That was the mantra Killian Jones kept repeating to himself, his fingers working over the knots and numbness licking across the scar that wound along his left wrist and forearm. He massaged along the lines of the tattoo that covered the worst of it, but there was still some scarring visible.

Sweat slicked down his skin, pooling at his throat and along his brow. The heat and the humidity here were going to kill him. That was not an exaggeration, no matter what Liam might have said about him having a penchant towards the dramatic. His shirt was sticking to his skin, causing an itch to ghost at his neck and the small of his back. It was enough to make him want to book the first plane out of town. It didn’t exactly matter where, as long as it led to a chillier location where at least a thick sweater and a leather jacket would be needed to be near the ocean.

But he reminded himself that none of that mattered now.

Taking a deep breath that probably qualified as more of a sigh, he crossed the posh bar - with its dim lights, black lacquered furniture and chromed steeled decoration -, making his way into the back VIP room. He stretched his head to the side, straining the muscles of his neck as he took a seat at the round table. Five up-and-coming Hollywood celebrities sat around it, each of them smiling as they waited eagerly for his lessons on how to play poker magnificently.

Killian would be lucky if they remembered to deal to the correct side and how many cards made a hand by the end of the night.

“Alright lads and lasses, let the game begin.” He smirked at the table, his eyes scanning each of them as he dealt the first hand. One of the women - Katie? Zoey? They all look the same to him these days and none of them seemed worth the effort - batted her eyelashes at him.  She played coyly with her hair, curling a strand around her fingers as she leaned towards him, her eyes hooded and her voice laced with intent as she bent over the table and asks for the tenth time that night if he felt himself lucky.

Not a chance, lass.

For the next forty minutes, Killian tried - and failed - to teach any of these bloody buffoons the basics of poker. It was as if they couldn’t retain even the simplest of information or even attempt the most basic calculations. It was a miracle their agents hadn’t embezzled any of what they’ve made, and Killian was seriously considering a massive scheme of his own on them when they collectively decided it was time for a break and ordered a round of martinis.

Kale Martinis.

What hell had he entered when he agreed to this?

Unable to get away fast enough, he made his way to the bar on the main floor where he ordered a glass of rum with two ice cubes, swallowed it back in one gulp, and asked the bartender to refill the glass with a wave of his hand. He took a moment to hold the drink to his temple, willing it to soothe away the pounding headache that was forming above his right eye. He really needed to walk away from this dreadful existence. He lifted his eyes to the stage across the room, but not even the sight of the dancers, their sculpted legs, tight abs, and bright smiles, made him feel anything at all. He was numb. Everything in his life staking up as one dull moment after another, all blurring together with the flashing lights of the endless row of nightclubs and the stale smell of private poker games.

He needed out. He just didn’t know how.

The walk back to the VIP room felt like walking towards the gallows, his feet leaden, each step a monumental effort to take. His head hurt, his scars itched under his tattoo, and he simply didn’t want to be there. The voices within drifted through the open door, and he realized he must have been more tired than he thought because he was clearly hearing things. There was no possible way someone else would have joined the table. But when he finally entered the room, the sight before him made him freeze in place.

Liam.

It couldn’t be. Killian blinked - slowly, deliberately - just to be sure. But Liam was still sitting there when he finished, perched on a chair he’d pulled up to the end of the table, the smirk resting on his lips in only the way his older brother could do.

Bloody fucking hell.

Taking a moment to compose himself, Killian swaggered to the table. “I see we have company.”

“Oh, yes.” Tyler pointed to the ‘stranger,’ showing his cards to the table in the process. Killian shook his head in defeat.

“I hope you don’t mind,” Liam drawled. “I was told it was ok if I joined.”

His brother was up to something, and it only took Killian a second to catch up. “Not at all.” He reached for the deck of cards and leaned back, cutting and shuffling it with one hand in one swift move. He cocked an eyebrow at Liam. “It’d be good to have some competition.”

He dealt the cards and took a quick look at his hand. Two beats later, Liam made his initial bet of five hundred.

“Now, lads, remember rule number one of poker.” He looked around at the table, only to find all of his students looking blankly at him.

Oh, for fuck’s sake. He was done with this shit.

“Leave emotion at the door. The game should never be personal.”

“Your teacher here has a point.” Liam countered, tilting his head and giving the table his trademark smirk. He could see Katie/Zoey and Lili instinctively leaning closer to him, causing Killian to have to reign in the laugh that threatened to burst past his lips. “Neither should be pulling a job for the wrong reasons.”

He had him there, and Killian could only nod in turn. “Now… if I were to read this table at the moment, I would tell you that our friend here is diverting the attention. He made a big bet and now is sitting there waiting for you to call it. The question is… is he bluffing? A bet this strong in the beginning makes me think he is.”

“Maybe you should call it and see.” Liam’s soft voice carried a challenge that could not be denied.

Oh, his brother had always been good.

Killian called and the rest went in turn, some of them following his lead but a couple took the bait and raised the bet. At one point, Liam had to make KJ fold - even they couldn’t let someone who needed to change out four cards continue betting, there was such a thing as good form after all - and then raised the bet one more time. Heavily.

“Now,” Killian continued, “he could have a very good hand. Or he could be trying to buy his way out of his initial bluff.” He cupped his cards and tapped the bottom of them against the table. “I’m not going to tell you what to do, but let me tell you something my older brother once told me: A man not willing to fight for what he wants, deserves what he gets.”

Liam raised an eyebrow at him. “Your brother is a wise man.”

“More like a self-righteous wanker,” Killian retorted. “But he’s family.”

He didn’t miss the way Liam’s eyes flashed before the action at the table broke the moment. Soon the pot was in the tens of thousands and everyone showed their cards.

Liam was the last. He seemed to fidget for a second before fanning his hand out across the table.

Four nines and an ace.

Killian grinned. Damn, brother, it’s good to have you back.

The game ended, the budding celebrity dilettantes exiting quickly out of the VIP room to take selfies, update their Instagram status, and work their social media footprint. Killian’s glare was enough to put off any requests for him to join in the pictures they wanted to post. After a few more handshakes and a promise that he’d let them know when the next game would take place, Killian finally left the club via the back exit. He didn’t want any more attention on himself. Craning his neck to the side and letting the tension lift from his shoulders, he searched the surrounding area until he found what he was looking for.

Liam was standing a few yards away, his hands in his pockets, artfully leaning against the stucco wall of the building across the way. Killian slipped over to stand beside him. Without even a sideways glance, Liam took his hand out of his pocket and handed him a stack of bills. His cut for tonight’s job.

“Teaching poker to celebrities? Really, little brother? How low have you fallen…” The humor in Liam’s voice almost brought tears to Killian’s eyes. He’d missed him so much, and it had been hell to stay away while he was in the joint. Liam had been adamant, though, that he didn’t want visitors. Not even Killian.

“I’m bored, Liam,” he sighed, running a hand through his hair.

“I know you are and I have just the thing to snap you out of your funk.” Liam clasped his hand on his shoulder. “Let’s get out of here and I’ll buy you a drink.”

“Coffee,” Killian amended and chuckled at his brother’s raised eyebrow. “I assume I’ll want all my wits about me for whatever it is you’re about to tell me.”

“Probably.”

/-/

Killian sat across from his brother, the two of them occupying a hidden booth in the corner of a deserted dinner while he waited as patiently as he could for Liam to tell him the plan. But after a few minutes, it seemed his brother was still pondering how to start.

“Just bloody tell me, Liam.”

Liam sighed and ran his hand through his hair and Killian smiled at just how much he had missed watching that trademark Jones move. “It’s tricky and it would require a large crew that I need your help gathering together.”

“Of course you do.” Killian shrugged, as he leaned back and played with his saucer, rotating it on the plate with one finger. “I’m the charmer.”

“And I’m the brains.”

“I wouldn’t do that far, but let’s say you’re a tiny bit better than me at planning the big picture.” He held up his hand, holding his thumb and forefinger together. But only just a tad.” He wasn’t cowered by Liam’s glare. His brother could take the hit. “What’s the target?”

“Been to Vegas lately?”

Killian’s smile dropped. Surely Liam didn’t mean…. “You want to hit a casino.”

Liam shook his head, taking a sip of his coffee. “Not one. Three.”

Killian choked. “Are you out of your mind? We can’t take on three casinos.”

“Yes, we can, little brother. And we will.”

Liam pulled a folded-up piece of paper from his jacket and spread it open on the table. Killian leaned over to take a look. It was a floorplan. Killian studied it with the keen eye he was known for in the business.

“If I’m reading this right - and you know I am - this is the least accessible vault I’ve ever seen.” Killian’s fingers traced the floorplan, his mind scanning all the possible ways to bypass the security measures. “And this is only one casino.”

Liam pointed out two main ways in on the blueprint. “These two feed into the cages of The Gold and The Dagger. Every single dollar ends up in this vault. The vault of The Baelfire.”  

“The Baelfire, The Gold and The Dagger.” Realization dawned on Killian. Bloody hell. “Liam these are Gold’s casinos.” Leave it to his brother to go this route.

“It’s about time we hit him, don’t you think?”

Yes, beyond time as far as Killian was concerned, but he wasn’t convinced it was the best idea at this juncture. But a part of him couldn’t help himself, already jumping into planning mode and seeing the picture unfold in front of his eyes.

“How many people do you think we need? Seven or eight?”

“Hell, no. We need at least ten. And we need a variety of things happening at the same time.”

Liam crossed his arms over his chest.  “A Boesky.”

Killian mirrored his brother’s stance and tilted his head as he saw it all play in front of him. “A Jim Brown, two Jethros.”

Liam seemed to be envisioning the same picture he was. “A Miss Daisy and a Leon Spinks.”

“And the biggest Ella Fitzgerald in the bloody history of cons.” Killian sighed. “Unless you tell me you met a rich widow via letter while in jail, we don’t have the start-up capital to back this.”

“We don’t… but you and I know someone who would love to help us fuck Gold over.” There was something somber in Liam’s voice and Killian knew he had to address that eventually, but his mind was already going to the same place Liam was trying to steer him to.

“Nemo.”

It made sense that their former mentor would want to be part of this. Gold had managed to get Nemo out of the business, and tore down his beloved casino, The Nautilus, once he had. Nemo had spiraled down into depression ever since and not even Killian’s outrageous tales of the teen celebrities he was teaching were able to bring a smile to the man’s face. Maybe this was a step in the right direction.

But Killian still needed more. Something was not adding up. “I need a reason, Liam.”

His brother shrugged. “Eight figures each. That should be reason enough.”

No, it wasn’t. Not if they were going to risk so much. “Come on, Liam. Don’t tell me this is about the money. You and I can play safer schemes and make decent money. Probably not eight figures, but enough to grant us a good life.” His eyes bored into his brother’s. “Tell me why.”

Something dark flickered in Liam’s eyes and Killian had a keen sense of the man his brother had to become while surviving in jail. “Because I walked out of prison after losing two years of my life. Because you’ve gone adrift and it has gotten so bad that you’re teaching the latest TMZ headliners how to play cards. And you’re not even succeeding. Because it’s time we make Gold pay… and we hit him where it will hurt.” He paused. “Because no one messes with the Brothers Jones.”

Silence. One beat, two, and then three.

“Did I rush it?” Liam asked, his voice hesitant.

“No, it was a good speech. You were always good at motivational speeches.”

“What do you say, Killian? Shall we do this?”

Killian smirked. “Let’s go talk to Nemo.”

[aq2003]

so apparently i just found out it’s tony stark week at marvel and also the person writing this article has no taste recced all the basic stuff so here’s a list of good iron man arcs that marvel doesn’t want you to know about apparently

-side note, some of the recs in the article are actually valid. tales of suspense #39, demon in a bottle (iron man vol 1 1968 #120-128), and armor wars (iron man vol 1 1968 #225-232) are classics.

-iron man season one. it’s a relatively recent take on tony’s origin story and while the plot might not be a masterpiece the art is GORGEOUS and you guys should seriously check it out

-iron man vol 3 (1998), #8-12: the one where tony gets the shit beaten out of him and has to be saved by natasha and carol. (if you have time, you should definitely read the entirety of busiek’s run, which is issues 1-30 and not just the first 10)

-vol 3 #50: tony is soft and many things explode. what more do you want from an iron man comic, honestly? 

-vol 3 #59-61 “in shining armor”: tony builds a time machine and so much shit goes down it;s so wild please read this

-vol 3 #65-69 “manhunt”: MYSTERY. ACTION. TONY BEING FRAMED FOR MURDER. IT’S ALL HERE FOLKS 

-iron man vol 4 (2005), #1-6 “extremis” and #7-12 “execute program”: everyone talks about extremis and how it’s the greatest iron man story of all time. well it is! but also they keep forgetting about the follow-up issues where there’s more MYSTERY and ACTION and TONY BEING FRAMED FOR MURDER

-DO NOT READ CIVIL WAR (2006) #1-7. ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW IS THAT A) STEVE AND HAPPY DIE and B) TONY BECOMES DIRECTOR OF SHIELD. if you’re looking for more pain, however, you can read civil war: casualties of war and civil war: the confession

-vol 4 #19, the first world war hulk tie-in. hulk fighting tony makes me sad, but this issue has one of the most iconic tony monologues in iron man history and it’s a crime that no one’s brought more attention to it

-vol 4 #21-28 “haunted”: (you might need to read #15-18 for extra context but i think this can stand on its own) there’s so much that goes on and it’s probably the best arc in the director of SHIELD series. featuring tony being haunted (haha) by the ghosts of his past

-iron man noir (2010): hey you know indiana jones? yeah that dude slaps. hey you know what would be so fuckin cool? tony stark AS indiana jones. 

-iron man fatal frontier (2013): tony becomes governor of the moon and befriends a soviet robot. this comic radiates iron man 2 vibes. it’s good shit

-invincible iron man (2015) #1-5: tony is a goof for 5 issues. yes that’s all that happens. yes the art is gorgeous. yes you should read it

-iim 2015 #7: tony and rhodey team up with peter to fight an evil ninja warrior and it’s a LOT of fun

-international iron man (2016): listen, this comic retcons a lot of what was considered to be solid iron man lore™ and the writing’s iffy at best but the art is amazing and it’s just really. nice to look at guys idk

-tony stark: iron man (2018) #12-13, the war of realms tie-ins: tony fights a dragon and acquires mage status 

these are pretty much the highlights of each of the volumes/runs, and there are plenty more in-between issues (esp in vol 1/3/4) worth reading. also i didn’t rec any arcs from invincible iron man (2008) or iron man vol 5 (2013) but feel free to read them if you don’t mind bad art (or occasionally bad writing). alternatively, read the rest of tony stark: iron man (2018) for amazing art and occasionally good writing

some other non-tony-centric-but-have-tony-in-them-and-i-like-them are:

-avengers prime (2011): steve, tony, and thor basically go on a dnd journey and it’s great

-fear itself (2012): the serpent (evil norse monster) attacks earth and earth’s mightiest heroes are the only defense (THIS IS THE URU ARMOR ARC)

-marvel 1872 (2016): basically a western au of marvel. think of the noir series but with multiple avengers instead of just tony

-invincible iron man (2016), ironheart: riri williams said it’s MY TURN on the iron man title and by god is it a masterpiece. tony is an AI and “mentors” riri and it’s rlly cute

oh yeah also stay away from superior iron man (2015). it’s about evil tony and i hate him

[resbang-bookclub]

AMA Transcript: Close Your Eyes

Next up, @redphlox​ & @mrsashketchum​ stopped by to chat about their Resbang, Close Your Eyes. Here’s some of what went down:

Q: What inspired the concept behind the fic?

redphlox: WELL, I've had the idea to write a left-at-the-altar fic for a while, but I never quite had it envisioned in my mind scene/plot wise. I only had the premise. Then this year I decided to research wedding planning and ask my married friends [about] their wedding planning experience, and after brainstorming/talking it out with @professor-maka​ I had a solid idea finally. I love writing about emotions, especially coming-of-age/working through difficult situations, but writing this was difficult because I've never been in that situation (being left at the altar) so it was a journey.

Q: Mak, what went into how you chose which scenes to art/gif?

Mak (mrsashketchum): I actually had to work closely with Julie on what scenes to art and for the animatic :D But for the first piece, I really loved the bathtub scene and I thought it was such a unique challenge for me to draw the backgrounds and to bring the scene to life visually :0 If it makes sense?

redphlox: Mak drew the bathtub scene first right after she read the first chapter, like she mentioned, and we worked on picking out the scene for the icon collage together! I had the characters closing their eyes during specific moments and wanted to highlight those, and Mak brought them to life!

Q: Jackie/Soul brotp is a thing that you've created in not only this fic but some of your past ones as well! What inspired that? :D

redphlox: I LOVE Jackie so much, I think it's because I see her as a snarky, quietly sarcastic type that I relate to, so writing her with grumpy ass Soul just makes sense to me. They both are so reticent in canon, it just fits to me to put them together and have them be BFFs :D

Q: Mak, what made you decide to do an animatic?? It was so cool I looooved it.

Mak (mrsashketchum): I enjoy making animatics so much and I've always wanted to be a storyboard artist. I've also been planning to make an animatic anyway for Resbang, but when I saw Julie's fic summary I knew that the animatic was absolutely something I wanted. And I thought a trailer-like thing would go very well with the story? (This is definitely not because of watching so many wedding themed movies before, nope, lol).

Q: For Julie: There were a lot of feelings spread out through the fic, some that nearly brought me to tears. Did you have the same reactions to writing it? What emotions exactly were you trying to bring out in the reader? (because you brought out a lot).

redphlox: Hmmm, well... I wanted to bring out a sense of loss in reference to relationships, and rebuilding, and growing together after the trust is lost or the other person seems to be changing in a way you aren't. I also wanted to touch on Soul and Maka's separate and individual relationships with other people outside of their relationship, if that makes sense? I also aimed to highlight all sorts of love, so it was important to me to talk about everyone's relationships with each other. Friendship, lala, haha. My reaction to writing it was... ahh, frustration, because certain scenes were beyond reasonably difficult to write.

Q: What brought about the Soul and Wes conflict? Because like I was telling you in DMs, that wounded me ahahaha it was way too real.

redphlox: The Soul and Wes conflict was something that came up as I writing. Originally Wes was supposed to be the all-knowing, all supportive and understanding brother, but the more I wrote the more Soul started to resent Wes's blind optimism, and it makes sense - Soul can be a negative person, and it seems like he needs to sulk to process, and Wes just wasn't having it. Their personalities are too different, and showing that was important because it's okay to love someone and not know how to comfort them.

Q: That felt so real julie I loved it. As the owner of many siblings it read as absolutely true. Did your life influence that?

redphlox: Wes and Soul's relationship issues are inspired by some self-reflecting I've been doing, and taking the Love Languages test and comparing it to my loved one's results.

Q: For Mak: What inspired your color palette for the bathroom scene? It was very warm and it brought out as much emotion through visuals as the words themselves did. Was that intentional?

Mak (mrsashketchum): Yes it was definitely intentional! Like I said in my previous answer, I worked so closely with Julie (we fangirled so much over everything honestly), she helped me with colors and their poses and if there were tiny details I missed. She sent me a lot of references too which is very helpful for me since I tend to make use visual references more. It's always helpful to work closely with the author so that the feeling of the artwork doesn't wholly overwhelm the feeling of the writing style? Like I wanted it to match as well :") I'm glad it turned out amazingly.

Q: I was wondering Julie how you came up with the concept of the radio confession. I loved that Jackie's show was commandeered.

redphlox: Well, I was thinking, what's the opposite of having Soul be constipated with his feelings?? Blurting them out in public of course, haha, so that's how I came up with that scene. It's the first scene I had actually, and I plotted the fic for that ending. I also have Jackie as a public figure in many of AU's, she was a blogger in my model au, so the role seems a running gag in my writing.

Mak (mrsashketchum): Constipated was the best way to describe him with his feelings.

Q: So weird question for Julie: There's a movie I remember watching years and years ago, that I was reminded of when reading the radio confession scene, unfortunately for the life of me I can't remember the name of it. Did you draw that scene up from what would have fit into the story, or were you influenced by an outside source, like perhaps that mystery movie?

redphlox: I like to listen to the morning radio and always wonder how people are brave enough to go live on air and talk about their relationships or embarrassing moments etc, so that kind of inspired the radio scene too!

Q: I really enjoyed TsuWes btw, and it's not a ship I've really seen. What made you decide on it?

redphlox: AHHH well, they're both Tall, and I love both of them so.... I made them love each other. Also the ship name WesTsu Bestu got me.

Mak (mrsashketchum): I always thought that Tsu and Wes love to tease Soul and Maka together, so the ship happened like that haha.

Q: Btw Tsubaki owning a flower shop is greaaat was that always the plan?

redphlox: Tsu owning a flower shop was also one of those things that just came about because I needed someone to deliver those "I still love you" flowers, but it fit so perfectly because of how Soul fit into learning flower arranging from her and thus getting him to stay in Death City. It was one of those things that fell into place.

Mak (mrsashketchum): Those stuff in AUs that fall into place are the best accidents, if u can call it that.

Q: Question for Mak; the animatic, that collage, the illustration; how did you manage to capture the fic in its entirety, while still giving each piece made its own personality so to speak? For example; the bathroom scene with your color choices made it warm, melancholy, touching, the watercolor for the collage was deep and soothing at the same time, intense, and the animatic, the monotones give it a blank canvas for each viewer to create their own emotional interpretation. How are you absolutely amazing I guess is my overall question??

redphlox: This is the most important question of this AMA tbh. I love the lighting in that piece akfdsgnfkdfdss. I felt it in my heart.

Mak (mrsashketchum): Oh my god. Thank u for the question!!!! I... actually honestly have no idea haha. I guess it's just that when you love a concept so much and completely have a wonderful connection with your partner that it just flows? I wanted to really make the artworks fit into the theme and the feel of the writing. I made sure that while Julie checked if my artwork had the feel she was going for, I also wanted to make sure that what I was feeling was gonna reflect on it as well. This is for the bathtub scene btw haha. The collage was actually supposed to be monochrome as well but I wanted to give it some color too? Like the fic in its entirety is just blasting with emotions? And yet it's generally so soft to me. The animatic was really supposed to have that gray background because I've seen a lot of animatics drawn that way haha. But I did make it work to my advantage that it wasn't too overwhelmingly dark but it's so that you could see the tears as well? It would be hard if the background was white and the tears were white too, right? :0

Q: By the way I loved the weddings in the fic. Like I wanted to attend them they sounded gorgeous. How did you decide on those elements?

redphlox: I have an aesthetic/personal blog where I reblog a lot of pictures of flowers and I came across one that was a ball room covered in flowers and I thought - yep, Wes and Tsu would be married here. As for Soul and Maka's wedding, I LOVE being out at night, and I love soft lighting and would like a night wedding if I ever get married, so yeah. Aesthetic, haha.

Q: How did you manage to capture a canon-like Soul in an AU?

redphlox: Ahhh I just... plot out the fic centered with feelings first and go from there.

Q: I wanna know more about this fantastic partnership. it sounds like you guys were a great team and worked so well together - any tips on communication for anyone out there who may have felt shy? Also, give us the beta comments >:)

redphlox: Okay I LOVED working with Mak! Even though we're like, what, twelve hrs time difference??? we still managed to be online at the same time and work on our projects together. She'd draw line art and show me and I'd write a scene and show her and we'd keysmash at each other. It was soooo rewarding and fun!

Mak (mrsashketchum): I would like to say that Julie and I are the Angst Twins actually. I love working with Julie too???? Like everything just really worked out.

redphlox: It wasn't even planned tbh, I would see her online and go like :eyes: and she'd be like "im working on the collage!" or vice versa. It really felt like it was OUR resbang and not just MINE y’know? Tip wise, I'd say find a platform you really enjoy being on/are available on the most and communicate through there, that really worked for Mak and I.

redphlox: Since this was a srs fic most beta comments were of surprise and like, offended bc I did something Bad.

Jaded [@jaded-envy​] made a lot of silly comments! She is amazing. Like when Maka is at the bookstore and looking up self help books for looooove, jaded titled them after some fics i've written.

Q: Question for both Mak and Julie; your partnership sounded like it flowed like a dream. Did you guys ever feel like you were overpowering one another? I know alot of partnerships struggle with the "am I bugging them too much" or "what if i'm doing it wrong" mindsets, so how did you guys get past that, for anyone who suffered from those feelings.

Mak (mrsashketchum): Oh that's actually an interesting question!  I never thought of me overpowering Julie or her overpowering over me? It's more like I want to be able to do as much work as she does? Since we're partners we must work hand-in-hand and not with one of us being the overpowering one? So to speak.

redphlox: SAME what Mak said, I always offered her to give suggestions for the fic and she always asked me for advice on colors and we listened to each other. Basically we were considerate of each other, it was/is amazing :' D

Mak (mrsashketchum): aaaaaaa true ;w; Since it is technically a partnership, we treated it as if it were like something we needed to work on together, and doing stuff at the same time really helped put it into perspective in a way?

Q: Where did the inspo from the bathtub scene came from? Did you draw from a specific experience/influence for that?

redphlox: Hmm... well, no specific experience influenced that, it just like, happened? I thought like, "ok where would Maka be if she were crying?" and it made sense to put her in the bathtub after she spilled the ink on herself, and she prob had no energy to leave, so there she stayed until Soul found her.

Q: Also Julie, I know you suffered from writers block I kicked your butt into gear once, lol. How did you overcome it? When I get to a sentence or idea that I can't exactly word or find a way to explain, I usually drop it for weeks and then come back to it. Can't do that with Resbang to an extent so how'd you get past it within a limited amount of time without rushing the pace, or glossing over an idea that was meant to be incorporated into the fic?

redphlox: ahhhh WELL, I wrote 40kish between Jan 1st and Jan 16th, so a deadline kicks me into high gear. A lot of the block was not knowing what happens in weddings and doing research tbh x) I died a little but it made me stronger.

Q: Okay you broke my heart a number of times, can you explain the thought process of why Maka never texted Soul?

redphlox: Maka was just too shook to think rationally :0 Have you ever been so anxious it feels like you're going to die? That's basically how it was for her, the emotion was too strong. She realizes later she could have done better and coming to terms that she makes mistakes is also a lesson she had to learn.

Q: How long did recording voices for the animatic take? And did you have any silly moments while doing so? haha

Mak (mrsashketchum): I actually had the weirdest time doing every voice, it's crazy. It took half an hour to be honest? It didn't need to be perfect, it just needed to have the right emotion. I had to channel every angsty fiber of my being for crying!Maka.

Q: For Mak: Do you feel like you grew in your art skills through this bang? If so, how?

Mak (mrsashketchum): I actually did grow a lot in my art skills with this bang! I felt that giving myself more challenges in backgrounds helped a lot in dealing with drawing perspective. And also with hair. I learned so much with color as well and how each shade and palette is definitely super important.

Q: What are you most proud of for the piece/pieces you did?

Mak (mrsashketchum): I’m really proud of all my pieces! But if i could only pick one then it would be the bathtub scene for sure! I spent most of my waking hours for it and I even made a 3d model for the perspective just for a reference.

Q: What are you working on next?

Mak (mrsashketchum): I’m definitely working on some more animatics and animations and my Vday art will be super late haha. Also SoMa Week is near and I'm planning really big things!

Q: Favorite/least favorite moment/scene to write?

redphlox: Mmm my fave scene to write was all of them, I felt like I looked forward to all of them now that I look back to it, if that makes sense?

Q: Hardest scene/part to write?

Redphlox: A difficult scene to write was the very end where Soul and Maka finally talk it out bc I felt that I had gotten them in SO MUCH TROUBLE that I was like "how the fffff do I fix this?" But luckily I had the best betas, jaded and proma, there as I wrote it and we were all on the doc at the same time and we were all just, live writing/betaing. I’m v happy to have explored Soul and Maka's friendships and family life. One of my favorite scenes was the scene where Liz talked Maka through some Hard Truths. I love Liz. I think there was a scene I had to delete bc it just wasn’t fitting, it was with Kim and Soul, but I ended up using bits of it later.

Q: Tell us about your writing process.

redphlox: My writing process was basically writing like a turtle at the beginning/struggling to find inspiring music to write to/plotting, and then the last bit was writing 7k daily and going !!!! internally. Lots of keysmashes to my betas.

Q: What are you most proud of this Resbang?

redphlox: Im really proud of writing and finishing this resbang tbh, I had an amazing partner and had fun with my betas, and I pushed my writing speed/abilities because I explored some feelings I hadn't ever experienced before (being left at the altar) I'm happy with the outcome!

Q: Was music important to your process at all, and if so, are there any songs/playlists that were relevant?

redphlox: Yesssss so jaded made a playlist! Lemme get it. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7rssdV2CkoNRl4-cPWuqm7ocC-QxP0Vn

Q: What are you working on next?

redphlox: Next, I'm working on plotting this year's Resbang, finishing Siren AU, writing and posting my longfic Sailor Moon AU, and aside from writing I'm working on being a better reviewer/commenter and beta :D

[ikonislife]

Better Together.

-Bobby x Reader

-Expecting parents au, fluff

-Here for You is another dad!Jiwon request I had. This request came in right after so I guess in a way, they’re in conjunction with one another. You don’t really have to read them together since they’re pretty much stand alone pieces but it’s nice to have a small continuation. Anyways, here ya go! 10 years late but I did it!!!

The world suddenly seemed so much bigger now that your range of mobility was limit to three feet out your front door, and occasionally down the street for a short walk with your dog, in which you’re no longer allowed to hold the leash. As per your doctor order? God no! In fact, your doctor always commented on how well taken care of you were at every single appointment. This preposterous house arrest is of course, as per your husband ordered. 

Jiwon had been beyond amazing throughout your whole pregnancy despite missing nearly every single parent-in-training class due to iKon’s hectic tour schedules. Possessing the vast knowledge of one book on pregnancy for dummy he once read before realizing that nothing the books offered could possibly save him from your fifth mood swing of the hour, nor the guilt he constantly feel watching you cried from the sheer endless aching of carrying a new life. Yet there he was every time your eyes glossed over with a new insane craving or another hormonal whine fest about how unfair it is that you’re the only one looking like a duck had swallowed a planet waddling around whilst he, dashing and breaking heart as ever. Every time you panic, every time you’d freak out over every little thing, he’d be there holding your hand, calm as a swan to guide you through. Even if only moments later you caught him on the brink of tear, rapping at top speed on the phone with Hanbin, no doubt letting lose all the worries he held back for the sake of your peace of mind. Poor Hanbin, bless his soul for being therapist/consultant for whatever it might be that Jiwon is ringing him up about now. He probably has it harder than you will ever experience because Jiwon has to be taking all that emotion somewhere. He sat through an hour of you ugly crying while sobbing because you lost the allan wrench that came with your new shelf. Even when Jiwon had presented another shiny allan wrench from another set of table he had saved after putting it together the week before, you were still bawling like a baby that it weren’t the same. The collection of bags under his eyes were at this point more extensive than your designer one that he had gifted you through the years. He took it all with the grace and braveness of a new dad, without ever letting you hear his complaints. 

Jiwon, your dear husband, he’s god sent, best you could’ve ever ask for so why was it you were screaming his name off the top of your lungs, muddling it with a strings of obscene curses? Well because it’s well into your 2nd hour of labor pain, which will only get worse from here as informed by your kind team of nurses. The insane hours of pain feels much like the wave crashing the shore, except, instead of the soothing water of the ocean and sunshine of the beach, it was waves of fire, and knives, and molten lava because all you could feel is searing pain. Jiwon sits beside you, his face had contorted into something so twisted he might as well check himself in for some surgery to morph it back to the handsome face he possessed before dropping all his schedule to rush to your side.

“Baby, does it hurt mu-” His whisper chopped off as quick as it had surfaced by a small yelp elicited by your nails digging into his palm. Now he had braved probably just as much pain as you had letting you clawed at him, pinched him, hold him to a point of bruising yet not even a whimper of complain. He knows whatever discomfort he might feel will never, ever be worthy enough to compare to what you’re about to go through.

“Does it hurt, Jiwon? Does it HURT? Are you seri- Oh my fucking shit. Are you being serious right now?” The audacity of this man to sit here and question whether or not you’re really in pain. Does he still not know how it work after the half an hour of you going into an hysterical rant, explaining in excruciating details of how babies are born?

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I know it hurts a lot. What can I do?” 

“Do you, Jiwon? I just had three different people shoved their hand up my damn vagina in the last hour alone while humming “not ready yet” like I’m a freaking pie in the oven all the while being display like a freaking 150 pounds piece of really shitty art made by someone with no artistic sense whatsoever for everyone to see. Do you really know?” Damn, Jiwon would be proud with how fast and powerful you had just gotten that sentence out in one single breath if he weren’t so scare, being married to a rapper really has it perk.

“I’m sorry. I’m here, hit me, scream at me all you want okay? But you gotta calm down baby... The doctor said getting upset isn’t good for little Y/n. What can I do?” Instinctively, just as he had all these years when the world becomes a little too much for you to handle, Jiwon pulls you into his arms, never mind your harsh words or that his left palm is now bleeding from how rough your hold on his hand were. He places a kiss on your sweaty forehead, with the good hand running through your matted hair. If Jiwon could be pregnant instead, he would. 

He had always been the one bugging you to get pregnant, although never quite mad, Jiwon had gotten short with you once before when you expressed your nonchalantness with having kids. He wants to take it all back now. How could he be so selfish, how could he make you carry a life just because he wants a mini Jiwon or mini Y/n when you weren’t ready. He had forgotten seeing Hanbin and his wife went through so much trials and tribulation with their twins, or how hard it was on Chanwoo’s wife when she had complication with their first born so he so selfishly blamed you for still not having someone to call him “dad”. What a screw up he is for blaming you, the only person that was willing to take him at his best and at his worst without ever questioning his intention. 

“Get me some water... as much ice as you can.” You whimper out and he nods furiously, not knowing how else to help. A heavy sigh left your lips just as his shadow bolts out the door behind him. You know how harsh all this was on him, and of all his fears but the pain had blinded you for the past few hours.

“Baby, here.” He rushes back to your side, thankful to see a more rested form of his wife smiling back. Lifting a few spoonful of cold salvation to your lips, he settles happily when you lean into him as you satisfyingly crunches on the ice.

“Jiwon... I’m sorry.” You mewl out, much to his surprise. 

“Whatever for, honey? You did nothing wrong.” Eyes widen, for the first time since arrival he was met with your tearful features even with the gut punches your body was preparing to welcome the baby are still rolling in with full force.

“I-I know all I’ve been doing is yell at you. First all I do is complain, now I just yell and hurt you. I don’t want you to think this is me now... I said it before, I’ll say it now. I’m happy to be able to welcome my child with you, our child. I know I don’t say it enough, or at all, but Kim Jiwon, you’re an amazing person.”

“Stop it, love. I’m far from perfect. I always expect this thing to be easy breezy, you know? I’ve seen Jinhwan hyung did it, then Yunhyeong hyung... Even Hanbin, and June, and the maknae. I just, I don’t know. I guess it’s not as easy when we do it ourselves, huh?” That strange chuckle, signature of your husband rings out so dearly and suddenly your heart is at peace. You snuggle further into his chest despite the strange position you both had taken on with the soon to be gone bump in between. “Like I said before, you’re the most beautiful person in this world and I thank God everyday for giving me you.” 

You must be looking like a rag doll after a tsunami but his words and those loving eyes just make you feel like a million dollars. His fingers find their way back to your face pushing away a few stray strand of hair as they would always do before he so tenderly presses a gentle kiss on your lips. Jiwon holds it there for what felt like eternity as he lets his heart and soul sear you with all his love, only parting way once the footfall could be heard leading to your room. 

Once more you experience what could only be describe as a frog prepared to get dissected during bio class, what’s with being prod at, poke, and examine. Another 4 excruciating hours and a few laps around the maternity ward later to loosen your muscles, you were prepped and primed for the main event. The world feels like such a blur, as if suddenly the Earth had decided to go on a race with its sibling planets. Blurs of people running in and out of the room, blurs of faces telling you to push, blurs of the incessant beeping of all the machineries, blurs of pain. In the blurry faded world flashing in front of your eyes, his face remains clear as day right beside you. Jiwon has his arms around you like he always had been when he walked you through rough spots in life. 

For God knows why, your memories rushes back to the day you had thought your journey with him was to end, back to the days of being young and being careless. You had gotten tired of waiting, angry at him for always leaving but too foolish to realize there were millions of other solutions before separating. “Let’s break up” you had said simply and watched as he said simply, “No.” Before you had realized what was going on, he already had his arms around you before repeating one more time, “No.” You were angry at first, the blatant disrespect he was showing by refusing to hear you but then you broke down crying in his arms and held him the tightest you’ve ever held anyone. “My naive girl, what make you think pushing me away will be the answer to your pain of never having me around? Did you think that parting way forever will help you get over how much you miss me? Because let me tell you right now, if you love me as I do you, that’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever come up with because i can’t even fathom how much it hurt not to have you in my life.” And he held you for the next hours as you both snuggling up on your old worn couch, then the rest of the night when you buried your head in his chest while listening to his sweet, sweet voice. “When you’re thirsty, you drink water. When you’re hungry, you eat. When you miss someone, you should be with them. I don’t get your ass backward logic, missy. Tell me right now, would you rather me leave right now, and I will if you do. I don’t want to force you into a relationship if you’re already decided you don’t need anymore.” Your response was to pull him closer and never let go.  Just like that night, Jiwon is right where he needed to be and he protects you in his arms even when he doubts that it will help, he holds you anyways. Through the exhaustion and through it all, you smile because you’re all each other got and simply, you’re better together as 3 and counting. 

Then the world stops. A single cry tears through the musty sweat filled air like the clearest bell and all either of you could hear was that cry. The weight of the world lifted off your shoulders when you see the smile on his face, a smile that said you had just been demoted to second favorite as the nurse hands over your bundle of joy. 

“She’s so perfect. God,  I said I wouldn’t cry. Look at me now.” Jiwon half guffaw half chokes on his own tears as he delicately places his lips on her forehead, finger gently caressing her fluffy cheeks. 

“She’s perfect, just like her dad.” You lean back, forgetting that stitches were being placed, that your lower half felt like it had been through a meat grinder. Watching Jiwon holding your sleepy baby close to his chest as he coos “Hi baby, I’m your dad”, you’d go through this again and again. There is nothing more precious in this world than bringing a new life into this world and nothing will surpass the joy of doing it with Jiwon. You’re sure the weeks to come will be both painful and exhausting but seeing the excitement in his eyes as he shows off your daughter to the boys, you know you’re in good hands. 

[thebluegrasstraveler-blog]

  New Orleans, a city steeped in rich history and its vibrant celebration of life! This year for Christmas, instead of buying each other gifts, we decided that since travel is our passion, this was the city we wanted to visit. Two days after Christmas with bags packed, off we went. No journey is ever exactly how you think it will be but for us, plenty of pre-planning helped to insure that we would enjoy a wonderful time in New Orleans without breaking the bank! We have another big trip that we are planning for later this year that requires a lot more of our resources than usual and we didn’t want this trip to interfere with that in any way.

Travel lodging: As a military member there are quite a few travel options that are available to those in uniform if you know when and where to look. Every military base that has billeting in the Department of Defense offers lodging on a Space Available basis. Since this was not peak season for tourism (or so we thought, more on that later) we decided to take book at the Reserve Naval Air Station, New Orleans for accommodations. At $65 a night and only a 20 minute drive to anywhere in the city, this was by far an easy decision for us. The rooms where very large with Queen size beds, walk-in showers, refrigerator and WiFi. if you have animals with you, they are pet friendly as well. They have a full commissary, Base Exchange, fitness center etc. all of which makes for a very safe, secure and super nice place to stay. They also have an RV park right on base with full hook-ups! We had already winterized the RV so that really wasn’t an option for us on this trip. In comparison to nearly $400 a night downtown this was by far a bargain! If you are a military member, Active Duty, National Guard, Reserve or Retired, I highly recommend looking into this option for you and your family.

Inside the Crescent City:

Belle Chase:

Our journey began the night we arrived into town. Staying outside the downtown area is an advantage for travelers because you get out of the immediate tourist areas and into the local community. We ate our first meal at Salvo’s Seafood and it is definitely the place to go! Our waiter (his name escapes us) was super friendly and the food as you can see was off the chain!  All you can eat (Yup, I said it!) Blue Crab, Shrimp, Sausage, potatoes and corn in a seafood boil. A local eatery that was actually the culinary highlight of the whole trip.

Also located in Belle Chase is Town View Cafe. a local eatery/bakery that has been in business at the same location for over 50 years. Open 24 hours a day and serving breakfast at anytime day or night. Almost everyone who walked in knew each other (except us of course) and chatted up with warm welcomes and small talk with each other. The ladies behind the counter welcomed us with open arms and we felt immediately welcome! Awesome experience for sure!

The French Quarter:

The oldest part of New Orleans and the place where the party literally never ends! We thought we were booking during a slow time in New Orleans but I don’t think there is ever a slow time in this city. The Sugar Bowl was being played in the Superdome and Clemson and Alabama football fans descended upon the city by the thousands!

Every street is loaded with bars and restaurants every few feet combined with alcohol at any time, in any flavor 24/7.  We tried Absinthe for the first time and realized that you have to be very careful. At 110 proof it needs to be handled with kid gloves otherwise it’s gonna bite you hard!! There are no open container laws (except no glass) and this guarantees a good time by all. Drink while you walk and see all the sites! Street performers keep the entertainment alive and live music from nearly every open door add to the festive air and celebration. From street musicians, escape artists, fortune telling, and artists the city’s vibrant charm is sure to please everyone.

DCIM100GOPRO

DCIM100GOPRO

The next morning, we got up and decided that we wanted to go to the world famous Cafe Du Monde. Now for travelers, here is a big tip, DO NOT stand in line. We ended up first in a line waiting to be seated in the main area, Two nice young ladies came by and informed us that we just needed to step around the corner and go inside to a smaller area. We walked around the corner and ended up in another line for carry-out (our mistake). Finally after a few minutes, Tiffanie walked into the Cafe Du Monde and immediately called me to meet her in a smaller room away from the main room, she had a seat! Did we cut line? Nope, just walked past unnecessary lines that people themselves created. It is strictly a first come, first serve area! The Cafe Du Monde serves one food and one food only. Beignets which are small, deep fried square donuts covered in confectionery sugar. Enjoyed with a dark roast coffee and chicory blend mixed with hot milk that make up the their Cafe Au Lait you quickly realize why the place is as famous and as busy as it is.

Jackson Square is a local landmark surrounded by some of the most historic buildings in the country. Buildings such as the Pontalba Apartments. The oldest apartments in the United States and St Louis Cathedral, where Pope John Paul II worshiped during his visit. On a whim, we stepped inside an old building that sold tickets for the haunted tours. The first floor was modern and very nice and inside a very nice lady let us explore the other three floors of this old home. She advised that the owners were fixing the upper floors up to Air BnB the rooms but we were more than welcome to look around. During our self-guided tour we discovered that it was rundown, in disrepair and absolutely beautiful.

Birthplace of Jazz and so much more:

New Orleans is known for its artistry and culture. We took a haunted tour at night narrated by a enthusiastic young actress known to us only as “Lucy”. who expertly wove history with myth, the paranormal and superstitions and made it a good learning experience into the cities past.  Local artists paint, draw and display their work on the square’s iron fence. Here is where we found a talented young man playing his trade performing a Houdini straight-Jacket escape for the people.

We have a sweet spot in our hearts for street performers and artists. As a young man on occasion I too played guitar along with friends on the streets of Bardstown and Lexington looking for tourists and passer-byes to throw a bit of spare money our way. These folks are living their art form and many are very, very good at it.

  Outside the Quarter:

On Frenchman Street is where to true party is. Open air markets, Jazz, blues and funk music pours from every bar and restaurant. Take note though, very few are free. Most require a substantial cover or tickets to get in and all have at least minimum one drink requirements. We had dinner at the Snug Harbor and where treated to the live sounds of legendary Jazz pianist Ellis Marsalus Jr. playing in the next room. If your like us and travel on a budget though, if you really want to hear and see great art in all it’s forms, Just walk! You can find the best shows as you just walk along and see amazing contortionists, skilled poets and talented musicians that rival the greats as well as visual art that could be displayed in any fine art gallery in the world and its all free!

The absolute highlight of the evening was the performance on the street corner of the Young Fellaz Brass Band! A talented group of young men performing their unique style of music that covers many genres, including traditional jazz, hip-hop, R&B, rock and pop tunes . All in an old style Dixieland jazz brass band!! they tore the music up and had everyone dancing in the streets!

  National WWII Museum:

Next up, the National World War II Museum. Here they have done an awesome job of telling the story of a nation that came together during one of the darkest times in history. There we met 92 year old WWII veteran, Reid Sonnleitner who served on a tug during the war. The fact that the few men and women still with us of the Greatest Generation are there and willing to volunteer to tell their story is so awesome. Small children can meet people of a generation that literally saved mankind.  In just a few short years those first hand accounts of the the most devastating war in human history will be lost to time and the world will will never be the same. Because of them we enjoy the freedoms and liberties granted to us as Americans and as a nation, we are forever in their debt.

      During one of our short lulls in the action while sitting in our room, we turned on the TV and began watching the news. After a few minutes we realized that all with all the  negativity that you hear in this world about how divided we are and yet no matter where we have traveled across this nation from the subways in New York City to Venice beach, to the Gulf of Mexico and the deserts of the American West and everywhere we go everyone is always friendly and accommodating and New Orleans was no different.   We shook hands, asked for pics and delved into complete strangers personal pasts to learn more about the great people that make up this amazing world.  We can’t wait until the next adventure to see who we will meet next. 

Check out Facebook or Instagram.

You can find much of what we saw and discovered at the websites below.

http://www.salvosseafood.com/

http://www.dodlodging.net/

https://www.hauntedhistorytours.com/

http://www.snugjazz.com

Happy Travels!!

Craig and Tiffanie

The Bluegrass Traveler

The Big Easy New Orleans, a city steeped in rich history and its vibrant celebration of life! This year for Christmas, instead of buying each other gifts, we decided that since travel is our passion, this was the city we wanted to visit.

[ylla]

Friday Night Gurus - Chapter 5

Series: JJBA Ships: josuyasu, koichi/yukako (others will eventually happen too, but im tagging as i go) Tags: celebrity au, modern au, pining, recreational drug use (smoking that wacky tabaccy), meeting some of the fam, dirty talk, dicc succing, josuke and okuyasu go on a learning journey together Rating: E (YEAHHHH TIME FOR SOME SEXY STUFF)

AO3 link

LONG TIME, NO SEE. Sorry for taking 10000 years to update. I’ve got a 20 hour unpaid internship, 20 hour work week, and a full class load on top of it all. I’m slowly losing my mind! :’D But, I’ve been plugging along at this for awhile, and now it is bearing fruit, so I hope that you all will enjoy the new chapter. I can’t give a time frame of when I’ll have the next one up, as I absolutely have to update TMBTP and also finish a commission, but hopefully it will be sooner than later!

Also, fair warning, this chapter is where the fic earns it’s explicit rating :’) I hope the smut isn’t awfully written, and if it is, it’s due to me hooting like a 12 year old the entire time I wrote it.

A FEW THINGS OF NOTE:

- manxom has given me the good content, and helped me flesh out FNG so much, that i gave them co-author status! They’re real, and strong, and my friend, and has really helped me shape the AU!

- puffle-tuff who is a friend and boi drew Oku and Josuke watching RHoA together! FOLLOW THEIR ART BLOG, THEY’RE SO GOOD! 

- emberandcelica made a spotify playlist for FNG, and it’s really good! So go check it out when you get the chance! 

As always, remember to comment on the fic, kudos the fic, and bookmark the fic to see more of the same fic content.

The worst part of being a world-famous musician, in Josuke’s opinion, was the tedious amount of boring business shit you ended up sitting through. Contracts, scheduling interviews, planning photoshoots; it felt endless at times. Really, being in the business of being yourself could be so dreadful, and Josuke avoided as much as he could. He was a busy man, with a 3 week young relationship with an amazing guy and a load of other horseshit to take care of. The only way Koichi could get him to stay in one place long enough to go over everything was to corner him while they ate at a restaurant, which was exactly what was happening at that moment as they waited for their significant others to appear. “Morioh Records wants you to come by sometime in October to talk about your contract with the new CEO,” Koichi passed Josuke the email he printed out. Josuke made a face while reading it before sliding it back across the table. Morioh Records was his label, and while they had always been good to him, Josuke hadn’t heard anything great about the new guy in charge. He scowled, “I’m good through the next year, why does he wanna talk to me about it already?” Koichi shrugged, “He wants to get all of his ducks in a row, I guess.” “What’s his name again?” “Kira Yoshikage.” “Never heard of him,” Josuke sniffed. “He was some anonymous board member that somehow got appointed as CEO when the other guy retired.” Koichi pulled out another piece of paper, “Last thing, I swear,” he quickly added when Josuke rolled his eyes so hard, they looked like they were about to pop out of his head, “Calvin Klein called, they wanna do another underwear ad campaign with you.” Josuke perked up at that, “Really? Hell yeah, I’m down.” “Thought you would be. I’ll email them and say you’re up for it,” Koichi looked at his phone with a slight frown, “I figured Yukako and Okuyasu would be here by now. Wonder where they are…” As if summoned by magic, Okuyasu and Yukako blew into the private room they were in. Oku had a strange look on his face as he plopped down in the chair beside Josuke, “Keicho has a girlfriend he didn’t tell me about,” he said in lieu of a greeting. Yukako pressed a kiss on Koichi’s forehead before sitting in the chair beside him, “He doesn’t have a girlfriend.” Okuyasu pointed a finger at her, “They go on dates. And you should’ve told me.” “They aren’t official, and it’s none of my business,” she replied, inspecting her nails. Josuke furrowed his eyebrows, “Wait, what?” Instead of responding, Okuyasu fished his phone out of his pocket, and opened up a text message before handing it off to Josuke, “It’s easier to just read it.” Clearly, it was something that was bothering his boyfriend; Josuke turned his eyes to a group chat titled DICKHEAD. Okuyasu: yooooo who wants to get wings with me tonight????? Okuyasu: keicho u gotta come with Big Bro💣: No. Okuyasu: well y the fuck not??? Big Bro💣: I’m busy. Okuyasu: too busy for ur little brother??? breakin my heart over here ;)n(; ☠Fungi☠: oku what the fuck is that face Okuyasu: ITS ME!!! IM SAD!!!! Okuyasu: bro what r u doin thats more important than eatin food ☠Fungi☠: yeah keicho, way to be transparent with your bros Big Bro💣: It’s none of your concern. Go eat gross shit with your boyfriend and don’t annoy me with it. :| A bunch of text messages were Okuyasu and Yuuya needling Keicho, with him responding with various ways of saying ‘shut the fuck up’, until Yukako spoke. YuYu Kakosho👊💥: He’s probably seeing that girl I caught him with back in March. Okuyasu: WHAT ☠Fungi☠: oh shit Toilet Hazmat🚽☣: kek Okuyasu: U DIDNT TELL ME??? Big Bro💣: Goddamn you, Yukako. You said you wouldn’t say anything.  YuYu Kakosho👊💥: I’m tired of having my phone blow up. Get it out of your systems now. ☠Fungi☠: you got a girlfriend, keicho?? Someone strike up the band Okuyasu: Y DIDNT U TELL US Big Bro💣: 1) She’s not my girlfriend, and 2) You two screaming is exactly why I didn’t. The rest of the messages were just Yuuya sending suggestive emojis and Keicho threatening to inflict violence upon his person. “Sooo, he’s seeing someone?” Josuke asked. Okuyasu scowled, “Yeah, that blonde-haired fuck. He didn’t tell me.” He sunk down in his chair, face sullen, “Why would he hide that from me?” “Because Keicho never tells anyone anything about his personal life,” Yukako interjected, face neutral. “I’m his brother—” She raised an eyebrow, “I’ve only known you people for three years, and I can see why Keicho Nijimura keeps everything close to the chest.” Koichi had busied himself with his phone, “Don’t take it to heart, he most likely has his reasons.” “Still, we’re all the only family we got left. I don’t wanna hear about things in his life from other people.” Yukako sighed exasperatedly, “If it makes you feel better, the only reason I know this is because I happened to see him with her at that coffee shop.” “What were they doing? What does she look like?” Josuke leaned in. He didn’t care about Keicho or his love life, but he sure did love hot gossip. “Talking. He had his hand on her arm, she was blushing and giggling. Typical flirting.” Yukako took a sip of Koichi’s tea, “She’s not like any of the other girls I’ve ever seen him with; no tattoos or piercings. Has long, curly brown hair, blue eyes, petite. I’d put her at about 5'2 or 5'3. Very pretty."  "Damn girl, you really have an eye for that kind of thing,” Josuke said thoughtfully, “How did he find out you knew and how did he buy your silence.” “Took a picture of them together, sent it to him later that night. Got a promise that he’d do me favors in exchange for me not repeating what I saw.” Josuke whistled, “Cold-blooded.” Yukako merely shrugged, “That’s the nature of the beast.” Okuyasu sighed, but said nothing. Josuke frowned a little at him, “Since you don’t really have plans, do you wanna get pizza with me and some of my family tonight?” Oku waved a hand, “Don’t need ya to take pity on me.” At that, Josuke rolled his eyes, “I’m not, I want you to come out with us. You gotta meet them anyways.” “Hmm…who’s gonna be there?” “Polnareff, his boyfriend, my nephew, his husband, and their daughter. Pol’s sister may be there too.” “…Does this place have wings?” “All you can eat.” Okuyasu smacked his hand on the table, grin replacing his scowl, “I’m sold.” “Good shit, I’ll let them know,” Josuke brushed his hand over the one Oku smacked down onto the table, “You’ll like 'em, they’re good people.” “Josuke,” Koichi interrupted, “I emailed the Calvin Klein people. They’re going to get in touch with us to schedule the shoot.” “C-Calvin Klein?” Okuyasu stuttered. “Yeah, doing another underwear ad campaign for them.” “O-oh. That’s…good…” Okuyasu’s face was blood red.  Before Josuke could ask what was up, a waiter sprang up to take their orders. Questions for another time.

Meeting at Pineapple Larry’s Pizzeria for dinner, followed by a couple hours at the arcade was a tradition that dated back ten years. Originally it had just been Polnareff, his boyfriend, Josuke’s nephew, and his now husband, but then grew to include Pol’s little sister, Josuke’s niece, and Josuke himself.  When he and Okuyasu breezed in, Josuke was in the process of warning him that his nephew was taciturn, his niece would bully him into playing Street Fighter II, and that everyone was great, save for the fact that they liked to put pineapple on their pizza. Josuke couldn’t give anymore heads up when his 5 year old niece went flying into his boyfriend’s arms. “Oku!!!"  "Hey, it’s my favorite bunhead!” Okuyasu caught her in a hug, “How you been, Jolyne Cuisine?” “Good!” “Uh, what?” Josuke asked, perplexed.  Jolyne waved at her uncle, “Hi, uncle Josuke!” Okuyasu did a double take, “Uncle?” She looked between the two of them, “Uncle Josuke, do you know Oku too??” “Yeah, he’s my boyfriend–” Jolyne gasped and hugged Okuyasu harder, “Really?? Wowie, that’s awesome!” She grinned, her front left tooth missing, “Now I’m gonna have two cool uncles.” Josuke felt his face go crimson, and was only mildly relieved when he saw the same color mirrored on Oku’s face. A man with flaming red hair, cherry earrings, and tattoos strolled up to them, “Jo, don’t choke him.” “'Kay, daddy! I’m gonna tell pops that Oku’s here!!” She hopped down, and took off towards the back of the restaurant.  “Sorry, Okuyasu,” Noriaki Kujo smiled, “You know how she can get.” “S'fine, I uh, didn’t know you guys were related?” Noriaki laughed, “Yeah, Josuke’s technically my uncle.” “What the fuck, dude, why didn’t you tell me you knew Oku??” Josuke asked incredulously. “Where would the fun be in that?” Noriaki responded with a toss of his singular hair curl. Josuke learned as they walked to the table that Okuyasu had been patronizing Hierophant Green, Noriaki’s tattoo parlor, for a long time. “He did me and Keicho’s memorial tattoos for our mom,” Okuyasu explained as they followed Jolyne to the back. “Not to mention all those cover-ups,” Noriaki shook his head, “Whoever allowed you two to get those monstrosities should be hanged.” Jotaro, Jolyne, and Polnareff were already at the table; Jotaro was reading through a thick stack of papers, but threw up a hand in acknowledgement that he was aware of their presence. “Bonsoir,” Polnareff greeted them, “Mo is running late, but he’ll be here soon,” his face turned into a grimace, “And my precious little sister will not be joining us today, as she has a date with some man she has yet to introduce me to.” Noriaki took his place beside Jotaro, “Is it the same one she’s been seeing all this time?” “Yes!” Polnareff groused, hands up in the air. “They aren’t even dating! She says it’s 'casual’ and 'non-exclusive’,” he used air quotes while talking. Josuke and Okuyasu sat down. “Not to change the subject or anything,” Josuke started, “But the fact that all of you have met Okuyasu before really took the wind out of my sails.” “He hasn’t met Av yet.” Jotaro pointed out, eyes not leaving his paper. “That is true,” Okuyasu said helpfully, “I ain’t met him yet.” He rubbed Josuke’s shoulder, “It’s all gravy.” Their orders were taken and well on their way on coming out before Avdol showed up. “Apologies,” he said, while kissing the top of Jolyne’s head, then Polnareff’s cheek, “Had a student with a crisis, but it’s all resolved now.” He turned his attention to Okuyasu, “And this must be the boyfriend I’ve heard so much about,” Avdol stuck a hand out, eyes twinkling, “Mohammed Avdol, pleased to make your acquaintance. Everyone calls me Mo or Avdol, so feel free to address me as either.” “Uh, likewise,” Okuyasu shook his hand nervously, “Polnareff talks about you alot.” Josuke snorted. That was the understatement of the century. Avdol elbowed Polnareff as he settled down beside him, “Hopefully you’ve heard nothing, but good things.” Polnareff was affronted, “Excusez-moi? I’ve done nothing, but sing your praises to everyone. Perhaps I should start revealing the truth.” “And what truths do you have to reveal, Jean?” “That you are mean to me, you insult me, you don’t appreciate anything I–” Jotaro rolled up his substantial pile of papers and started smacking Polnareff in the head, much to Jolyne’s amusement, “Shut up, no one cares.” The Frenchman would not be silenced, “Betrayed by my own flesh and blood!” “We aren’t related, jackass.” Thankfully, the pizzas and Oku’s wings picked the right time to come out.  Josuke made a face at the Pineapple Larry’s Pineapple Larry Special, which was a Hawaiian pizza. Which Josuke hated with an almost irrational passion, so he scarfed down his little margherita pizza (Oku tried the pineapple. Final verdict: pretty damn good). “Hey Oku, when’s ya birthday?” Jolyne asked between shoveling huge bites of pizza in her mouth. Okuyasu was on what was probably his 27th wing, “October 10th.” Josuke spat his drink all over Polnareff, who immediately started shrieking and ran off to the bathroom, “That’s literally two weeks away! Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” “It never came up.” “We gotta throw ya a party,” Josuke whipped his phone out. “Nah nah, don’t worry about it,” Okuyasu put his hands up, “S'fine, dude.” Josuke rubbed his arm with one hand while texting with his other, “Don’t worry about it, we’ll get you and a bunch of other people shitfaced.” Okuyasu was about to protest, but Noriaki waved him down, “Might as well accept it, Okuyasu.” He stood up and stretched, “You guys ready to head to the arcade?” Jolyne hopped up and posed, “I’m ready!” Avdol followed suit, “I’ll go coax Jean out of the bathroom.” As Avdol walked away, Okuyasu leaned over to whisper in Josuke’s ear, “Hey, let’s go back to my place after we get done here.” “Sounds good, sunshine."  "Come on guys, I gotta beat you in Street Fighter!!” She started tugging on their shirt sleeves, “Losers have to buy ice cream!!” “You’re on, kid.” Josuke challanged.

“How the fuck did she get so good at Street Fighter?” Oku asked as he finished their shared joint, blowing the smoke into Josuke’s mouth. Josuke held it, then blew it out before answering, “Noriaki is a big nerd. He’s rubbed off on her.” “She’s five.” Josuke shrugged, “I beat Super Mario World when I was five.” They were sitting on a bench underneath a large open window facing out towards the back of Okuyasu’s apartment complex. The arcade trip had been a lot of fun, if you didn’t mind getting schooled at Street Fighter II by a 5 year old playing Blanka. This was the first time Josuke had been to Oku’s apartment in the entire time they’d know each other. It was nice, but didn’t feel like anyone lived in it. 'I hate being alone, so I go sleep in one of Keicho’s spare rooms, Yuuya’s couch, or with you. This place don’t really feel like home, ya know,’ had been Okuyasu’s explanation. The major upside to this place was that the Official Head Roadie and Weedman of Arrowhead, Hazamada, lived directly below Okuyasu. The two of them collaborated on a sick beat while pounding on the door to Hazamada’s apartment, inadvertently pummeling him in the face when he poked his head out to see who was knocking. Josuke almost pissed his pants from laughter; they got a shitty little joint, two middle fingers, and door slammed in their faces for their trouble.

When they lit up, Josuke straddled Oku’s lap and taught him how to shotgun smoke. It took a couple of tries, but eventually he got the hang of it. What followed was intense grinding and sloppy kisses. Josuke was very away of the problem poking at him, but was content with letting Oku twist in the wind for a bit. Then they fell into comfortable conversation, interrupted by the occasional tongue action. “Speaking of games,” Okuyasu stood up and stretched, his shoulders popping in a way that sounded painful, “let’s play something.” “What you got in mind?” “Hmm…” Okuyasu tapped his chin, “How about Metroid Prime 2? I never finished it.” He walked over to his entertainment stand, “I’ll get the Wii hooked up, could you go get my strategy guide for it?” “Why not just look up a FAQ for it?” Okuyasu kept his back turned to Josuke as he sat down to fiddle with the cords, “That guide’s got pictures. Sometimes reading a lot makes my head hurt, so they help.” Josuke nodded, but spoke when he remembered Okuyasu couldn’t see him, “That’s fair. Where is it?” “There’s a big box with "Books stuff” written on the side, filled with old magazines and shit in my spare room. It’s probably in there.“ Okuyasu’s spare room was were odds and ends went to die. The room was full of boxes and clutter that needed sifted through. At first, Josuke thought locating the box Okuyasu had indicated would be an impossible task, but miraculously, he was able to find it lickity-split. The box in question was filled with well-worn magazines and tattered strategy guides. It took a minute, but Josuke was able to find what he was looking for quickly. However, curiosity got the better of him, and he couldn’t help but sit on the floor, and peruse a few of the magazines. Guitar World, Kerrang!, Alternative Press, Rolling Stones; Okuyasu had quite the catalogue. There was a Rolling Stone in particular that, for whatever reason, drew him in. He picked it up and made to flip through it, but noticed that there were some pages stuck together. With care, Josuke peeled the pages apart to find his very first Calvin Klein underwear ad. The ad spanned two pages: one page featured him in nothing but briefs, biting his lip while staring into the camera, arms behind his head. The opposite page was more or less the same, except he had one hand on his chest, the other on a lollipop stick; his tongue peaked out of his open mouth, curled around the lollipop. The pages were covered in some residue. What the fuck did Oku spill on— he thought to himself, until a voice in his head interrupted. It’s semen. He masturbated to your undie ad. This was his spank bank. Josuke became very aware of how sweaty and red-faced he had become. Gently, he rose from the floor, guide and magazine in hand, and returned to the living room. "About time,” Okuyasu said, tongue slightly poking out of his mouth as he struggled to kill an Ing Warrior, “Was gonna go send a search and rescue party to find ya.” Josuke said nothing in response. Instead, he held up the spunk-covered pages, “I see you were a fan of my ad work.” Okuyasu’s face went on a journey from confusion to terrified. “Uhm…” he fidgeted nervously, already starting to sweat, “I can explain…” If he was about to explain it away, Josuke didn’t even give him a chance. He all but leapt onto Oku, shoving his tongue down his throat. A sloppy, heated makeout session ensued, with both of them groping at each other like a pack of horny teenagers. “You know,” Josuke panted, pulling away long enough to catch his breath, “We never cashed in that raincheck.” Before Okuyasu could respond, Josuke slid out of his lap, down in-between his knees. “I wanna make good on it,” Josuke rubbed the pronounced bulge in Okuyasu’s pants, “Can I suck you off, babe?” It seemed that Oku had been rendered completely speechless by that question. After a few seconds of processing what Josuke said, he could only manage to nod dumbly at his boyfriend. Josuke flashed him a wicked grin before pulling Oku’s basketball shorts and boxer briefs down in one go. A slight moan fell out of his mouth when he saw what awaited him. Okuyasu had a huge dick, and Josuke was delighted. It was long, thick, and throbbing; he couldn’t tear his eyes away from it. “Oh fuck, baby,” Josuke bit his lower lip. “Wh-what?” Oku found his voice again. Josuke glanced up at him, and found that his face was puce and covered in sweat. “You look tasty.” With that, Josuke swiped his tongue all the way down Oku’s shaft, pleased at the whimper it elicited from him. He wrapped his hand around Okuyasu’s cock, pumping it roughly, “Is this what you thought about when you jerked it to me? What my mouth would feel like? How I’d sound when I’d beg for your cock?”

“God, yes,” Okuyasu gasped, covering his ruddy face with his hands.

“No baby, look at me when I fuck you with my mouth.”

Okuyasu didn’t remove his hands, but he peaked at Josuke through his spread fingers, eyes wide. Good enough, Josuke thought to himself as he took Oku’s dick into his mouth. Unfortunately, Josuke wasn’t blessed enough to not have a gag reflex, but he made up for it by harshly jerking the inches of Okuyasu he couldn’t fit into his mouth.

Not that his boyfriend seemed to mind. He was too busy moaning and cursing as Josuke prayed at the altar that was his dong.

Either his succ game was too strong, Okuyasu hadn’t known the touch of another person upon his penis in a long time, or the fact it was just Josuke Higashi-goddamn-kata giving Oku’s dick the business, Okuyasu panted out, “I’m close,” after a few minutes.

Josuke pulled back off his dick, still working the shaft, “Where do you want to cum, beautiful?”

“Your mouth,” Okuyasu grunted, voice rough.

Josuke pressed his tongue against the head of Oku’s cock, “Be a good boy and fill my mouth up. Coat my tongue.”

The dirty talk sent Okuyasu over the edge; he let out a single “Fuck!” as he spent himself in Josuke’s mouth.

Hot cum glazed Josuke’s tongue. He waited patiently until Oku was done spurting before showing him the load, and then making a big show of swallowing it. Unable to help himself, Josuke licked the head of his cock clean, revealing in the shudders that he felt pass through Okuyasu and the winded expression on his face.

Josuke stood up, feeling triumphant, “I’m gonna get a soda. You want some water?” He didn’t bother to wait for a response, as he walked into the kitchen.

As he pulled out a can of soda, he was acutely aware of his own boner. It was a problem that needed to be taken care of, but he just sucked the soul out of Okuyasu through his dick, so Josuke felt that it might be poor form to demand a blowjob. Perhaps later—

He was brought out of his thoughts when he felt Okuyasu press up against him from behind, palming Josuke’s dick through his sweats, teeth on his neck. Unconsciously, Josuke hissed, arching his back into his boyfriend. “I’m not the kinda guy to leave someone hanging,” Okuyasu spoke into his ear, voice like sandpaper, “I’m gonna suck you off, angel. Turn around.”

Josuke didn’t need to be told twice. He spun around, pulling his dick out; Oku backed him up against the counter, before kneeling in front of him. As if hypnotized, Okuyasu gently wrapped his callused fingers around Josuke’s cock, slightly stroking. Josuke’s breath hitched at every stroke. After a couple of minutes he groaned, “You’re killing me, dude.”

“S-sorry,” Okuyasu whispered sheepishly, “Jus’ appreciating the view.” As if he was ravenous, he dove down onto Josuke’s cock, taking it all the way to the back of his throat in one go. “Jesus H. Christ, do you not have a gag reflex,” Josuke stuttered out, completely taken aback. He didn’t get a response, only a devilish look from his boyfriend.

Curling his fingers into Okuyasu’s unmade hair, Josuke just tried to enjoy the ride. He was unable to keep his hips still; the longer he felt Oku’s hot tongue or throat clamp around his cock, Josuke thrusted more and more into his mouth.

Okuyasu pulled his dick out of his mouth for a moment, “You can facefuck me if you want.”

“You sure?”

Yet again, he received a response in the form of a look and the feeling of Oku’s throat against the head of his dick.

Not one to deny such a polite request, Josuke snapped his hips, fucking Oku’s mouth. His eyes rolled up into the back of his head; he wondered if this is how he’d fuck Okuyasu’s ass eventually. The thought of it made Josuke’s inside clench, and he couldn’t stop himself from groaning out Okuyasu’s name over and over again while he shot jets of cum down his throat. If he wasn’t so spent, he would feel embarrassed how quickly he came, but goddamn did that feel good.

Okuyasu waited like a good boy until Josuke pulled out of his mouth before he swallowed and stood up. Both of them eyed each other with worn out expressions. Josuke was the first to break the silence, leaning over and softly kissing Okuyasu, who returned it, “Metroid?”

“Metroid.”

“You know, if I went back in time and told myself a year ago that Josuke Higashikata would suck my soul out through my dick, I’d whoop my own ass for being a liar.”

Josuke snorted, eyes trained on his phone’s screen as he organized Okuyasu’s birthday party, “I ain’t a succubus, Oku.”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night, demon.” Oku was brows were furrowed, trying to not die while fighting Quadraxis.

“So, you jerked it to that ad of me, like, pretty frequently?”

Okuyasu sighed, cheeks going pink, “Yeah. I bought that issue when I saw those pictures in there. It gave me a lot of inspiration.”

“Man, that really feeds my ego.”

“Don’t be getting a big head, Higashikata. It’s already massive.”

“Fuck you, there’s nothing wrong with my head!!”

Okuyasu cackled, which quickly turned into a groan of frustration as he was squished to death by Quadraxis, “Fuck this robotic piece of shit. I’m gonna go to his house and burn it down.”

“He lives in the game, you can’t do that.”

“I know, I know,” he rubbed his face, “Still wanna though.” He looked over at Josuke, “You know, you don’t gotta throw me a party.”

“I want to,” Josuke replied, “It’ll be a good time. I’m inviting cool people.” At the apprehensive look on Oku’s face, he continued, “All of them know about us, so no worries there. You’ve already met most of them, and my family will be there.”

“Okay, then that’s fine. I think. Jus’ make sure to invite Keicho and all them too.”

“Don’t worry, I will,” Josuke said soothingly, “This will be a lot of fun, I promise. Nothing bad will happen.”

He hoped that his promise would ring true.