#and i think the best part of that particular type of processing in this au is that theres someone

[eggbagelz]

Gonna be so honest my favorite way to write traumatized characters is when they're finally in a safe environment and start to process everything like oh my love. The worst is over but its also just begun

[beardedjoel]

closer | part fourteen

joel x f!reader. non-apocalypse au  

series masterlist | main masterlist | ao3  

chapter summary: a run-in at the local bar almost ends in disaster, but luckily joel knows just how to make it better afterwards. 10k words.

warnings: 18+ MDNI, age difference (joel is 42 and reader is 25), soft!dom joel, posessive!joel, vibrator usage, unprotected piv, dirty dirtttty talk, praise kink, cockwarming for two (2) minutes exactly, orgasm denial, insecure idiots who help each other, consumption of alcohol (both reader and joel), reader is threatened (not by joel), reader’s outfit is described (black dress and sneakers).

You chew on the end of your pen, tapping your fingers on your desk impatiently before reaching back down to your keyboard and typing, releasing a little sigh.

“Somethin’ wrong?” Joel calls from the bathroom. He’s been working on retiling the shower in your bathroom at your parents’ request all morning, and you’re keeping him company while getting some work done.

“Just this… desk. It’s so small,” you gripe, hovering your hands over it in frustration at the amount of things you have laid out on it that simply don’t fit. Along with your laptop, you have notebooks, office supplies, your planner, and a few knick knacks spread onto the small surface. If you have your laptop out, everything else feels so cramped and it’s starting to grind on your frayed nerves. You’re getting increasingly more anxious about starting this job full time, hoping you can live up to whatever expectations they have of you to hire someone straight out of school for a relatively important job.

“I see that,” Joel says, smiling a little to himself at how cute you look when you’re mildly frustrated like this as he takes a few moments to watch you. “I’ll make ya a new one,” he says casually, as if he’s commenting on the weather. Your eyebrows fly together in confusion, and you swivel in your chair to look towards him in the bathroom.

“M-make me a desk? What?” you ask him, blinking a few times. There’s no way you heard him correctly.

“Yeah, darlin’.”

“A whole desk?”

“Yes, what aren’t we gettin’ here?” he asks, standing and leaning on the doorframe of the bathroom, looking at you. The sight makes your knees want to wobble, and you’re already sitting down. “I like woodworkin’. Pretty good at it too,” he tells you with a modest shrug.

You gape your mouth open a little, processing his offer. “No Joel, I don’t think I can let you do all that for me.”

“And why not?”

“That’s too much, okay?”

“C’mon, darlin’. For your new place when you get it,” he pleads, a hopeful look on his face.

You press your lips together, bite your lip quickly and find yourself lost in his dark eyes, looking at you with ease and expectation. “Fine,” you say, crossing your arms. You don’t want to sound ungrateful, but it feels like so much work to let him do for you, even if he does enjoy woodworking as a hobby.

“Oh, ‘fine’? You’re too much, girl.” Joel shakes his head and starts taking steps closer to you. “Ain’t gonna say ‘thank you Joel’, ‘you’re the best, Joel’?” he says as he stands above your chair, grasping the back of your head and leaning down, his lips hovering right above yours.

“Thank you, Joel,” you say quietly, and he smirks, his lips pressing onto yours for a long moment. “You’re the best, Joel,” you add on with a smile of your own.

“Good girl. You’ll love it,” he concludes about the desk, stepping back and heading over to the bathroom again, where you hear him start to work on pulling tiles off once more.

You turn back to your computer, sorting through some emails - from your new coworkers, department, bosses. There is an energetic buzz to all of them, everyone excited to finally be hitting the ground running with the company and opening up the office. One particular one catches your eye from the CEO of the company, inviting everybody to a mixer coming up in a few days for everyone to begin meeting in person and get to know each other. People will be slowly moving into the office as early as next week, you remember, so it’s probably a good idea to have everyone start to get on good terms with each other.

“There’s a mixer thing happening soon for my work, so people can meet,” you announce out loud to Joel, who gives an attentive hum in response.

“Sounds fun. You gonna go?” he asks as he works.

“Maybe…” you trail off, suddenly feeling nervous at the prospect. You stand up and walk over to the bathroom, pausing in the doorway and watching Joel work. “Seems like it could be a lot of people,” you say, nervously fiddling your hands.

“Well, you’re gonna be workin’ with those people, right? Gonna have to meet them sometime,” Joel says casually, not taking his eyes off the tile wall he’s working on.

“Very true,” you sigh, stepping a bit closer to him. “I just want to make a good impression.”

Joel shoots you an incredulous look. “I’d say it’s impossible for you to not make a good impression.”

“I don’t know about all of that,” you say with a chuckle.

“Worked on me,” Joel replies with a smug grin.

“I was a total mess when we met, and still am most of the time,” you say.

Joel shrugs again. “I liked it,” he says simply. “Don’t worry, darlin’, you’ll be just fine. People will like you, I promise,” he adds on more reassuringly. You give him a small, tight lipped smile, still feeling nervous, but appreciative of his words.

Watching him work has been a slippery slope for you. It’s enough to just feel his presence in the other room while he’s been doing work on your parents house, but to watch him is something else entirely. He’s wearing a plain white undershirt and light wash jeans, worn with age and construction sites. There’s always a bead of sweat glistening somewhere on him when he’s hard at work, and you get to see his muscles strain and pop as he angles himself in all different kinds of ways. It’s mesmerizing, and you can hardly stand to stay and watch him for very long before feeling a bit too worked up.

You close the gap between you two before placing your hands on his shoulders, and he stiffens before quickly melting into the touch as you start kneading lightly.

“Sweet girl…” he coos quietly, trying to continue prying tiles off of the wall despite the major distraction you’re imposing.

“You work too hard,” you tell him, deepening your massaging of his shoulders a bit. Joel groans in pleasure as your hands work his shoulders. He’s learned that the simplest touch from you can set him off completely, and then he can think of nothing other than getting you naked and moaning in one way or another.

“Baby…” he says, taking a breath. “Gotta get this work done.”

“It’s my bathroom, I don’t care,” you say alluringly in a half whisper, wrapping your arms around his chest.

“Your parents’ll think I’m a delinquent if I don’t make any progress on this,” he says jokingly, a little twinkle in his eye.

“Aren’t you one, though? Fucking their daughter in secret, making her come every chance you get?” You lean down and kiss his neck, and he groans out through gritted teeth.

“God, so fuckin’ needy, baby. Bet you’re already wet aren’t ya?” Joel breathes out, evidently already losing control.

“So wet… fucking soaked, and I need you,” you whimper near his ear, and you can see him warring with himself on what to do next as he shuts his eyes with a long exhale.

“Stop it, sweetheart,” he finally says sternly, his eyes flying back open. “Be a good girl and control yourself while I finish what I gotta do in here.”

You twist your lips to the side and pout lightly, giving him a final peck on the neck and pulling back. You understand where he’s coming from, but it doesn’t mean the rejection doesn’t sting a little. You really have a love/hate relationship with how god damned horny Joel makes you all the time.

He’d fucked you on his quick break up here yesterday, leaving you still panting in your bed before he headed back to work, so you thought today could have a similar outcome. You don’t want to be a distraction and upset him, though, so you slink out of the room and head back over to your pitifully small, cramped desk and try to focus on work. You hear Joel aggressively pulling tiles, a few frustrated sighs escaping him. Not even a few minutes later, his voice calls out.

“Go to your drawer and get yourself a toy,” he says simply, and you stiffen in your chair before standing up.

“Uh, okay…” you say hesitantly, rushing over to your nightstand and opening the drawer. You pick a vibrator with a large head, feeling like you need the extra power right now.

“Come over to the doorway,” Joel says as his next command, and you blindly follow. As you stand anxiously peering at him, he throws you a glance and then a small smirk as you hold your vibrator, awaiting his next words with spellbound eyes.

“Get yourself naked, darlin’, and lay down right there where I can see you.” His eyes motion to the ground right where the main room meets the bathroom, a perfect angle for him as he works next to the bathtub.

You gulp, anticipation overtaking you as you pull down your shorts and underwear clumsily before tearing your shirt over your head and getting down on the ground. You lay with your legs open, dripping pussy on full display to him. He sighs painfully as he sees it - swollen, throbbing, and ready for him. He wants nothing more than to rush over and bury his cock in it, but for some reason he’s feeling the shame today of needing to get this job done for your parents. Maybe it’s his way of making it up to them for secretly fucking their innocent little daughter and turning you into such a cock obsessed fiend. The thought alone sends another twitch into Joel’s pants, his jeans tightening.

“Okay, baby, let me see you come for me, I’m gonna keep workin’, but come as many times as you can with your little toy. I’ll be right here, listenin’ and watchin’ every bit.”

You lick your lips, and lay back, not completely satisfied with this arrangement but you’ll take what you can get. He can always make it up to you later, you think with a coy turn of your lips.

“Can you… uh,” you start, feeling a bit awkward and self conscious in the harsh lighting of the bathroom that’s spilling out onto your bare body.

“Yes, darlin’… what is it?”

“Maybe say some stuff to get me going?”

Joel chuckles heartily, and you hear the noise of another tile coming off.

“You tellin’ me you need help when your pussy looks so pretty like that already? Fuckin’ drippin’ for me,” he tuts and you feel a slight rush of desire at his words.

“It is, Joel. Just for you. What do you want to do to it?”

“My girl, gettin’ so much more bold with her dirty little mouth,” he says with a smile in his voice. “Wanna stuff you full of my cock, baby, fill you up and fuck you good. Make you scream my name.” Joel ends with a small, husky grunt, and you can tell this is paining him just as much as it is you.

You let out a small moan and turn on the vibrator, moving your hand down between your legs and pressing it against your aching clit. You spill out a sound of relief at the feeling of any stimulation on your pulsing cunt, and push your hips into it.

“Fuck,” you breathe out. Another pop of a tile catches your ears. And another. Somehow your distraction seems to be making Joel work faster.

“God, baby, so pretty right now. My naughty little thing, look how desperate you are for me,” he whimpers, and you hear another tile come off of the wall.

“Fuckin’ d-do anything for your cock,” you cry out, pressing the vibrator harder onto yourself and your legs shake a bit with the oncoming climax. You moan out, hips spasming and writhing as you come, your pussy clenching around nothing, desperately missing Joel’s thickness right now. You breathe heavily, laying back and giving yourself a moment.

“Keep goin,” Joel says casually, scraping at the wall again. You press the vibrator back in place, holding the head of it more lightly to your clit, small moans coming out of you as the pleasure ramps right back up. “You know what happens when you’re a good girl and do as I ask, right?”

“Mhm,” you nod through despondent whimpers. A second orgasm quickly follows the first, and through hooded eyes you can see Joel watching you, writhing on the floor and bucking your hips up into the vibrator as you moan. Your whole body goes limp, and you set your hand to the side of your body with the vibrator, taking a few deep breaths.

“Tell you what,” Joel says, somehow managing to work through all of this despite his cock aching and screaming at him. “If you can make yourself come once more, I’ll give ya what you want.”

You perk up a little despite the pleasure ridden haze you’re in right now. “I-I’ll try,” you push out, doubting it’s even possible right now.

“C’mon baby, by that time I’ll have finished this wall and deserve a break,” he says smugly, and you nod, clicking up the speed on vibrator and bringing it back down. You reach around it with your other hand, burying two fingers inside of yourself and pushing in as far as possible. It’s never the same as when Joel does it, but if you push yourself you can just reach your g-spot.

Yes, you think as the pleasure of finding that spot overwhelms you. You have the head of the vibrator resting just near enough to your clit to give yourself vibration without overwhelming the currently oversensitive nerves.

You moan out strangled cries as you press on your g-spot, and Joel looks on, mesmerized at what a whimpering, moaning mess you are with your hand buried deep inside of yourself.

“F-fuck,” he stammers out, barely able to contain himself. “Christ, baby,” he breathes. In that moment he decides to break his own rule and give you what you want before you complete what he’s asked of you. He can’t take another second of watching you leak all over your own hand instead of his cock.

He sets down his tools, quickly undoing his pants, freeing his throbbing length, and rushes over to you. His hands roughly grab the vibrator, tossing it to the side and he grabs your wrist, your fingers pulling out with the movement. You whimper, the sudden loss of pressure on your g-spot feels devastating, but it’s quickly replaced as Joel positions himself over you and buries his cock inside of you, pushing as deep as he can on the first thrust. You cry out, a loud, strangled noise as he fills you so unexpectedly.

“Oh, Joel, god,” you whine, “You feel so fucking…” you trail off. another moan passing your lips as he pushes into you again and your body adjusts to him.

“Finish the sentence, baby,” he says, thrusting into you again.

“Amazing. You feel perfect,” you manage to stammer out, completely lost in pleasure now.

“My cock fits so perfectly in there, doesn’t it, my perfect girl?” he coos, leaning his body over you to kiss your neck and move his mouth down over your chest.

“Mhm.” You manage to make an affirmative noise, your eyes fluttering closed as you enjoy the rhythmic thrusts of Joel’s cock inside of you as he toys with your nipple with his tongue. This is pure heaven, you’ve decided - you could be happy underneath this man forever. You don’t think it’s possible to belong to anyone else now that you have what he’s given you, and you show it to him now with your body, matching his thrusts with equal vigor, pushing your hips up into him with every one of his movements. Your arms snake around his neck, clinging on and drawing him close as he fucks you into oblivion. You’ve lost track of anything else as his cock angles just right to pick up where you left off on your g-spot, sending you further down the hole of ecstasy you’re falling deeper and deeper into.

“Yes,” you cry out with a whimper, feeling the sweet release of tension quickly approaching in your core. Joel’s arms tuck underneath your knees and bring your legs up higher, and you wrap them around his back, slamming yourself into his hips.

Joel quickly finds release along with you, both of your bodies tensing with the pulses of pleasure as you ride them out together. You moan his name while you feel him coming hard into you, only serving to heighten everything as you feel his warmth spilling into you. He’s buried as deep as he can, up to the hilt, and your cunt squeezes every bit out of him that it can as you continue to spasm around him.

Joel collapses slightly onto you, breathing heavily with his eyes shut. When he opens them and meets your gaze, he smiles before pulling out of you and starting to collect himself. You lay there, a completely undone, sloppy mess because of him, and his smile turns wry at the sight of you below him as he stands.

“Can’t resist ya even when I try,” he says with a small shake of his head.

“You did try,” you say pragmatically. “It’s the thought that counts.” That gets a laugh out of Joel as he runs a hand over his face.

“Christ, baby, what’m I gonna do with you?” he asks, eyes shining with a relaxed haze from his climax. You could answer Joel’s rhetorical questions many ways, but you keep your mouth shut. You stand up off the floor and clean yourself up, getting dressed and letting Joel get back to work.

You bring your laptop over to the entrance to the bathroom, propping it on your lap and sitting your back against the counter in there, just to feel close to him. You two don’t talk much for a while, a few comments here and there while the both of you get your separate work done. Something about it, though, feels perfectly comfortable and natural, and you realize that somehow along the way Joel has become your favorite person to be around.

You two haven’t talked at all about the intimate moment you had on July 4th, but it’s been lingering heavily in your mind for the last few days. You decided that even if your feelings for Joel only seem to keep developing, you just want to try to enjoy these moments with him, be present and not worry about if he feels the exact same way as you. It seemed like there were plenty of unspoken words between the two of you that night, and you feel confident that with time, they’ll manage to work their way out into the open. Patience, you remind yourself, as you glance up at the gorgeous man who by some miracle enjoys spending time with you just as much as you do with him.

A few nights later, It’s the evening of your work mixer, and you’ve debated not going a dozen times, yet here you are, standing in front of the small event center they are hosting it at. You decided to dress relatively casually, putting on a black cotton dress and white sneakers, as it seems like your new company is encouraging a more relaxed work environment.

You stand for a few extra moments, collecting yourself before heading inside. You really do want to meet people from work, but you also want to make a good impression on everyone there since you’ve only communicated via email up until now. Joel has been so supportive over these few days, making sure he tells you over and over just how lovable you are to all of these strangers you haven’t met yet. He offered to be “on call” in case you have some kind of melt down and want to leave early. He said he’d drop whatever he was doing and come pick you up if that was the case. You smile to yourself now as you think back on how intent and serious his eyes had been when he said that, and it gives you a little more courage to step inside the room and face everyone.

The room they’re hosting the mixer in is an open concept with little cocktail tables scattered around and a beautiful, modern bar with warm mood lighting. It feels comfortably cozy, despite the fact that the room has more of an industrial vibe with big columns on the ceiling and cement floors. You immediately head to the bar, scanning the room discreetly as you go, just getting a feel for the atmosphere. They have a wide selection of drinks, so you decide to get a cocktail, something fun and delicious to calm your nerves while you try to start conversations with people.

Everyone you see is wearing a name tag, which was admittedly a great idea to help calm your nerves - this way you’ll know who you’re talking to without any awkwardness. You fill one out for yourself at the bar and slap it on your chest. You spot a young woman, a bit older than you, gorgeous brown curls and olive skin and in a stylish blazer and jeans. You finally get close enough to read the woman’s name tag, spotting the name Rayna Peters, and you smile. She also works in the marketing department, you know, and you’ve spoken a few times through email to bounce ideas back and forth for running the team smoothly together.

“Er, hi,” you say tentatively, clutching onto your glass for dear life. Rayna takes a quick glance at your nametag and breaks out into a huge, warm grin.

“Oh my gosh!” she calls out your name, “So great to meet you.” She extends a hand and you shake it firmly, a smile tugging at your lips now, too.

“You too,” you manage to get out, feeling nervous. “Really cool to meet everyone, isn’t it?” you ask timidly.

“Yeah, this was an awesome idea,” she says, glancing around the room, the epitome of positivity and sunshine. You have a feeling you’ll really enjoy working with Rayna after seeing her personality in the flesh.

“Hey, didn’t you say you moved to Austin for this job in an email when we were introducing ourselves? How are you liking it so far?” she asks you.

“It’s, uh, good so far,” you say, pondering. “I haven’t gotten to do a lot yet, but I bet I’ll explore more when I actually work downtown.” Too busy fucking my incredibly sexy neighbor to really get out much.

“Oh, yeah. I’ve lived here for seven years now, I can tell you all the good spots to go,” she offers, and you’re happy it seems like you’ve made a fast friend, or at least an ally.

“Do you live close by?” you ask, fingers fiddling with your cocktail glass nervously.

“I’m about ten minutes from where our office is, so it worked out perfectly.”

“I still haven’t managed to find an apartment yet,” you tell her, and she cocks her head. “Been starting to look though, so that’s exciting.”

“That’s right, you said you were helping your parents? So you live pretty far out in the burbs,” Rochelle confirms, and you nod.

“Oh! My building has some vacancies, you should totally check it out. It’s a really nice place, and definitely affordable with our pay,” Rayna tells you, beaming at the prospect of you living in the same apartment building as her.

Her words leave you conflicted, debating if you’re really ready to move away from Joel now. You should have known the longer you waited, the worse it would be to not have him right next door to you.

“Yeah, I’ll have you email me the name and I’ll look into it. I guess I’ll want to find something sooner than later when we start working in the office, huh?”

She smiles and nods, then goes to answer when another woman and a man come up to you both. The woman looks to be in her thirties and the man appears closer to your age. They both smile as they introduce themselves despite the name tags - Heather and Cade. They’re part of the marketing team as well, and you instantly recognize their names from emails shot back and forth as well. This is getting a bit overwhelming, but it’s nice to put faces with the names you’ve been hearing.

You run to the restroom a bit later on, finally able to check your phone and see a text from Joel that he’d sent about twenty minutes ago.

Joel: How’s it going baby? Let me know if you need me to come rescue you

You: As much as I’d like that I think I’m making friends

Joel: Proud of you sweetheart. Told you everyone will adore you 😉

You: Talk later?

Joel: Come over if you’re up for it. Taking out the work crew for a few drinks but I’ll be home later on

You: Fun!! Be good 😇

Joel: That’s my line

You smile down at your phone and let out a tight breath, not releasing how much you needed to release a little tension. You step back out and rejoin the small group of coworkers you’d been chatting to, picking up where you all left off. They’re encouraging you to check out the apartment in Rayna's building, saying they all live relatively close by the office as well and it’s going to be a real lifesaver. You feel a small pit growing in your core, though, at the thought. Not even all about being away from Joel, you’ve just grown accustomed to this smaller, simpler lifestyle you’d been living since you moved back here, and you’re worried that downtown might be a larger upheaval than you’re ready for. But you know they’re right, it’ll be good for you to get out, be nearby work, and live on your own.

You meet so many more people from different departments tonight that your head feels like it’s spinning, but maybe that’s just the alcohol, you wonder to yourself. Everyone seems friendly, supportive, and encouraging of each other, and it makes you excited to be entering this new phase of your life, albeit a little sad to officially leave behind your college days and life in Chicago.

A few hours later, it’s getting late by corporate standards, and everyone is starting to trickle out of the event center and head home. You’re ready to call another Uber to take you home to see if Joel is back from his outing yet, but you see he’s texted you again recently.

Joel: Change in plans. come meet me out

You: With everyone from your work? You’re sure?

Joel: You’re too pretty to keep hidden away baby

You: Oooh someone’s tipsy

Joel: If you keep teasing me I’ll smack that pretty little ass in front of everyone here

You: Who says I’m even coming?

Joel: Funny girl, we both know what you’re going to do

You: Head home and go to sleep?

Joel: Think you’re so clever

Joel: Won’t be laughing with my cock shoved in that pretty mouth will you

You gasp slightly, smirking, then take a moment to recover with your smirk quickly fading into a lovesick smile before replying to him. He’s being extra bold through text tonight, he must be a few beers deep at this point.

You: So overdramatic 😉

Joel only responds with the address for the bar he’s at, and you sit and debate for a few moments despite knowing of course you’re meeting him there. This man has the most inexplicable hold on you, and despite your teasing in the texts, there was never really a question in your mind. You need to see him, to feel him, and if he’s asking, you’re not going to say no. So you end up catching an Uber to the location Joel sent you, feeling a nervous flutter at all the possibilities for this night. Is Joel really going to show you off in front of all these people? You honestly aren’t going to complain about getting to spend this time with him unless it was your parents finding out - that you’re not sure you’re ready for just yet.

You open the door to the bar and immediately you can see why they like coming here - it seems relatively low key and easy to unwind together after a long day of work. You think it’s great that Joel spends so much time making sure his employees feel valued by spending this extra time getting to know them, and it’s just another thing about him that makes your heart feel like it’s doing a little flip.

It’s dingy and dark here with cozy lighting and wood surfaces everywhere. You spot Joel sitting at the bar, his back turned to the entrance, and plenty of people who look like they could be his employees scattered around the bar and at nearby tables and booths. Everyone looks to be already having a good time, and you feel completely out of place interrupting them, especially knowing that Joel seems to not care about keeping you a secret tonight. You blow out a breath and clutch your purse a little tighter to your body as you make your way over. You stand behind Joel and face the bar, but he still hasn’t noticed you. You decide to mess with him a bit, and flag the bartender down before ordering a drink. Joel’s head snaps towards you so quickly that you’re concerned for his safety when he hears the sound of your voice.

“Baby,” he murmurs sloppily, and while you’ve never seen Joel completely drunk, a few beers usually loosens him up enough to act a little different than his normal self. You love watching how carefree and relaxed he seems when he’s like this, like the weight of his world is off his shoulders. He tries to hide it, but you can see how the pressure of running his business and keeping his life together affects him sometimes.

You offer up a shy smile, but Joel goes all in, wrapping his arms around you and spinning the barstool back towards the group he had been talking to, pulling you along with him. His smell envelops your senses and it feels so damn good after the long day you’ve had. You have to fight the urge to completely melt into him after only one second in his presence. He tugs your body so that you’re practically on his lap, your ass right in between his legs as he rests his chin on your shoulder and turns his attention back to his coworkers surrounding you. Unfortunately, the conversation they were having is grinding to a screeching halt when they see the way you’re pulled tightly to Joel’s body now. You feel your skin start to warm immediately and wriggle slightly in discomfort despite always loving the way any touch from Joel feels like heaven.

“Hi,” you squeak out after managing to clear your throat. The several men standing there gape for a few moments before offering up their own quiet hellos to you. You tell them your name and receive several awkward replies of their names in return, and you feel your face heat up even further. This has to be the first time they’ve seen Joel act like this with a woman because they’re all maintaining a look of skeptical concern, like they have no idea how to act right now.

“Nothin’ to act weird about, fellas,” Joel says casually, sipping the bottle of beer next to you two on the bar.

“S-sorry,” one of the men who introduced himself as Jeremy stammers. “Nice to meet you,” he says with a more relaxed tone. The others nod their agreement and you all try to fall into a more comfortable flow of conversation, but you can tell that seeing Joel with a woman your age has been startling for them, and they still have an air of walking on eggshells about the situation.

Joel barely seems to notice, keeping his attention half on the conversation as he nuzzles your neck and takes a deep breath in.

“Fuckin’ missed you, sweet little thing,” he says quietly right next to your ear, and it feels like a zap of lightning travels up your spine as you shiver slightly.

You tilt your head slightly towards his and smile timidly at him. “Missed you,” you say back just as quietly.

Another whisper from Joel in your ear makes your knees go slightly weak. “You want me to hold true to my word, right here in front of everyone?”

“J-joel, of course not.” You can feel your cheeks heating all over again. The last thing you want is for Joel to show everyone in this bar your bare ass, although you would be alright with him doing it in private right now with the way he’s already turning you on.

“Hmm, suppose I’ll spare you for right now,” he says, a growing grin coming onto his face and you tense a little at the implication of him doing those things to you later. “Could find another punishment for being such a little brat in those texts, though,” he says, voice low and amused . You feel your toes curl a little and you have to fight to not start grinding into his half hard cock right behind you.

“S-stop Joel,” you reply, your words contradicted by the little smirk on your face. You try to pay attention to the conversation happening right in front of you but it’s hard when Joel is being… well, Joel.

“Okay, baby, just for now,” he says sweetly, resuming his place with his chin on your shoulder, his large arms wrapped completely around your waist not giving you any room to budge. He’s clearly intent on showing this room just who you belong to, and you have absolutely no qualms about it - Joel’s protectiveness and possessiveness is one of the things that turns you on most, even if you worry that it’s not normal just how much you love it. You’d be lying if you said that just the idea of his staking this claim on you to show the whole bar you’re his didn’t have you getting wet already.

Fuck, what a god damned mess you are.

Joel must sense it, because one of his hands begins rubbing your thigh as if to make you feel even more crazy right now. You don’t know if he means to, but it reminds you of one of those first nights you went over to his house, when him touching your thigh had worked you up so much you’d almost wanted to yell. As his fingers brush over the material of your dress and you can feel the warmth of his hand seeping through to your skin, you realize not much has changed in that department. You’re half tempted now to yank him into the bathroom like he’d done to you at Cowgirls and let him have his way with you.

Once his coworkers loosen up a bit, they seem more relaxed and able to make conversation with you - they’re all good natured and funny as far as you can tell. When the topic of your relationship inevitably comes up, one of them even decides to crack a bold joke about the two of you, asking if Joel is your sugar daddy. Joel growls near your ear, but lets it slide with a lighthearted chuckle.

“He is,” you reply brusquely. “Joel makes the big bucks. Even bought me a car last week.” You wiggle your eyebrows in their direction to add effect to your words. Between the drinks you had at the work mixer and the beer you’ve almost finished, you feel pleasant and warm, laughing hard when all the guys surrounding you howl at your joke.

“Yeah, probably some used hunk of junk,” another one of Joel’s employees, Sean, retorts. Joel frowns and narrows his eyes at him, but when you turn your face to glance at him, his eyes have a mischievous sparkle in them as the others continue to chuckle at Joel’s expense.

“Enough teasing my girl, fellas,” Joel concludes, and they all try to quiet down through their laughter. It’s clear that Joel is close with these people, despite being their boss. They feel comfortable enough to poke fun at him like this, and you can appreciate his good attitude about all of it.

“For real, it’s nice to meet you. We didn’t know Joel was… seeing anyone,” Jeremy says. His words give you pause, not really sure if you and Joel are seeing each other. You guess that would be the simplest explanation of it, and from their perspective it sure looks like you and Joel are rather cozy with each other, maybe even in a relationship.

Joel squeezes you a little with the one arm around your waist, his other hand still on your thigh, rubbing rather distracting movements along it. Just as you let out a small, hopefully indiscernible sigh, you catch Chris, Joel’s employee who had worked on your parents’ bathroom, across the way, staring daggers at you two. Shit, you hadn’t even thought of him being here. You swallow uncomfortably and avert your gaze from his as quickly as possible, unsure if you should bring it up with Joel. When you dare to glance back, it seems that he’s torn his gaze away from you and Joel, but he seems to be stewing about it, silently drinking a beer across from another employee of Joel’s.

You forget about Chris’ stare for a while, getting to chat with a few more of Joel’s employees for the next few hours before the night starts to wind down for everyone. Once the awkwardness had fully subsided, everyone was more than kind to you, half of them desperate for any gossip you had on Joel, the other half just interested in trying to hustle you at darts.

When you’ve had enough socializing for the night, you excuse yourself to the bathroom before getting ready to head out, refusing to make eye contact with Chris as you pass in his general vicinity. On the way out, however, he’s waiting impatiently in the hallway right outside the restroom, arms crossed with an indigent expression. He immediately corners you, an intimidating energy radiating off of his large form, causing you to promptly feel like shriveling up.

“You’re not serious, right?” he spits out, looking down on you.

“W-what?” you say, shrinking further onto yourself.

“That’s what was going on huh? Joel? What a fucking hypocrite,” Chris says, rolling his eyes aggressively.

“Chris, I think you n-need to relax,” you say, proud of yourself for trying to de-escalate the situation. Instead, he presses in on you a little more, his brows furrowed tightly.

“Tell me, was he already fucking you when I tried talking to you? That’s why you got all squirrely on me?” His hand reaches up and thumbs your chin, forcing you to tilt your head up as you try to avoid eye contact with him. You don’t like these rapid fire questions one bit, his light slur from drinking only adding to the anxiety rising up at the way he’s getting more frustrated.

“I - I - yes,” you squeak out, “It was b-before all of that, please… s-stop,” you try to explain, although you know that you owe him absolutely nothing. You don’t know what he wants to hear from you or what will get him off your back.

“What do you even want with someone like that? You got a thing for older guys or something? Just a slut for that older dick?” Chris asks with a scoff, looking down at you with an expression that reads as disgust. You scrunch your face up, feeling about half your size as tears creep into the backs of your eyes, desperate to fall. You know what he’s saying isn’t true, but your whole body burns with shame as if you’re doing something completely wrong by wanting Joel the way you do.

“S-stop, I don’t - I don’t have to answer that,” you say, straightening yourself up a bit, but he scoffs again.

“Whatever you want to tell yourself. Can’t believe you’d rather fuck some old, lonely loser,” Chris says, and you realize that this is the real him, the one that comes out when he’s drunk. You’re suddenly very thankful you’d had a good reason to not go out with him, anyways.

“Fuck you,” you spit out, deciding that talking about Joel like that is where you draw the line.

“Would you like that?” he says with a cocky smile now, pressing a bit closer. You feel trapped, willing anybody to walk down this hallway and see how uncomfortable Chris is making you and stop him. You start to squirm more aggressively, trying to slip out from the way you’re pressed against the wall now and squeeze your eyes shut, bracing for whatever might come next.

“Hey! What the hell is this?” you hear from afar, a familiar voice cutting through your rising panic.

You open your eyes and look over to see Tommy standing at the start of the hallway leading to the restrooms, hurriedly approaching where you two stand.

“T-tommy,” you say, wide eyed. This isn’t the first time Tommy has caught you in a compromising position, but luckily this time it’s clear this one is very unwanted.

“Alright, kid, let’s back the hell off before you regret it,” Tommy says, grabbing Chris by the shoulder and tugging him hard. You finally have some room to breathe as Chris’ body moves from yours, and your shoulders and chest sag in relief.

“Let’s go talk,” Tommy adds on, trying to give Chris a chance to calm down as he begins pulling him down the hallway. You stand for a few moments, catching your breath, and it hitches as Tommy shoots you a sympathetic look over his shoulder. As you go to follow them and head back over to Joel, he appears in front of Tommy and Chris, looking concerned.

“The hell is goin’ on?” Joel asks, and when he glances past the pair and sees you looking distraught with a heaving chest, tears brimming in your eyes, his fists ball up tightly at his sides. “Oh, I see,” he adds darkly, eyes flicking to Chris’ smug expression. Joel’s pleasant and cheerful mood has sobered up the quickest you’ve ever seen as they just stare at each other for a few seconds.

You sense that this could get messy very quickly, so you hastily make your way to them and try to step in. “It’s alright, Joel, everything is fine,” you say, although you honestly wouldn’t mind seeing Chris a bit shaken up by Joel. You make your way to Joel’s side and place a calming hand on his bicep.

“We were seeing each other before everything, okay? P-please just stop this,” you plead to Chris as your eyes scan all of their faces, feeling extremely caught in the middle of this testosterone fueled standoff.

“Ridiculous,” Chris murmurs, finally casting his eyes down in defeat.

“I’m s-sorry you’re disappointed, or whatever, but you didn’t need to f-fucking harass me, okay?” Your voice comes out shaky but you stand your ground, and can feel how tense Joel is next to you, ready to jump into action at any moment if needed.

“Listen, I know it was wrong of me to give you a talkin’ to when I was doin’ what I was doin’, but I promise it all happened before the job was offered to me, okay? S’complicated, kid,” Joel says, his voice controlled despite the adrenaline buzzing on his skin. You have hope for a moment that you’ve both gotten through to him, and this doesn’t have to end in some kind of disaster. Chris only scoffs a little and shakes his head for a few moments.

“Whatever, you’re a fucking pervert, man. Don’t deserve someone like that,” Chris mumbles, and before Joel can jump at Chris’ words, you try to step slightly in front of him.

“You should leave,” you say sternly to Chris, and Joel blinks hard and looks over at you. “Or I truly think you’re going to get your ass kicked,” you add on, and you can see Tommy trying to hide his growing smirk.

Chris’ eyes meet yours one last time, full of the kind of unfiltered emotions that alcohol can give you. Unfortunately, the ones shining through in his eyes are hateful and disgusted, and it’s starting to make you feel small all over again. Thankfully, he chooses not to speak again and he rushes to the door with heavy, outraged steps the entire way out.

Joel seems to slacken his body a little as he whirls to you, wrapping you up in his arms. You press your face to his warm chest, hearing his rapid heartbeat through the fabric of his soft shirt. You silently will it to slow down, hoping that the feeling of you sinking into him will help quiet the storm you know is brewing inside of him right now.

“Y'alright, sweetheart?” Joel asks softly, and you nod into his torso.

“Fine. I’m fine,” you answer quickly. You feel a bit shaken up, but mostly lingering anger and frustration courses through you as you answer Joel’s question.

“Want me to take ya home?” he asks, and you pull your head off of him, looking up to see his eyes soft and glistening under the dim lighting. You nod again, and he smiles sullenly at you.

“You can drive?” you ask, brows knitting in concern. Joel gives you a small nod. You suppose you had probably noticed him cut back on his intake a while back, but you'd been having your own fun, not particularly paying attention.

“Cut myself off over an hour ago, like I always do when we come here. I’ll get ya out of here safe, baby, go treat you right,” he replies, turning out of the embrace he has you in, putting an arm around your shoulder to guide you out of the bar.

The ride home is quiet, but Joel’s hand never leaves your leg, tracing along between your knee and upper thigh, with a few reassuring squeezes periodically. You can tell that Joel has a lot on his mind from the encounter with Chris, and you wish you could open up his thoughts and read them all right now. You’re still coming down from the rush of adrenaline from being pinned against the wall by Chris, can still feel the remnants of pure fear that only a man is able to instill in a vulnerable woman. You shiver slightly at the memory, brows drawn together, and Joel’s grip tightens before slipping his fingers under the hem of your dress slightly.

“S’okay, baby,” Joel says, quiet and reassuring. Another shiver passes over you as the rough, calloused pads of his finger brush on your bare skin again. What a fucking mixture of emotions you’re feeling right now, you think with a long sigh.

“Are we… wrong?” you ask quietly, and Joel breathes out loudly through his nose. The way Chris’ eyes had bored into you, begging you to be ashamed, to feel regret about you and Joel was sticking with you still. You want to refuse to be affected by it, but the fact that the first time you’d gone more public with things it had turned into an argument, and almost a physical altercation, made you feel uneasy.

“Honestly, sweetheart, I don’t know. Been askin’ myself that for a while,” he replies, and while it’s not the answer you wanted to hear, you’re appreciative of his continued honesty with you.

“It doesn’t feel wrong…” you say, keeping your eyes out the window as you start to pass by familiar streets on the way home.

“No, it doesn’t,” Joel says simply. “Don’t really care what anyone else thinks about us. S’why I wanted you to come out tonight. Sick of actin’ like I can’t be with who I wanna be with.”

Your eyebrows twitch in surprise and you look over at him now. You can hear the frustration in his voice - clearly these thoughts have been weighing on him recently.

“I - yeah, I feel the same way.”

“Doesn’t mean I ain’t insecure about it sometimes, though.”

“Insecure?” you echo, feeling taken aback. Joel never seemed to be the insecure type to you.

“‘Bout what people might think of what I’m doin’ to you. The way you’re givin’ all your time to someone older like me, someone who isn’t just startin’ out in the real world like you.”

You purse your lips, frustrated that this is coming up again for him, and you’re not sure how to convince him that he isn’t wasting your time. It seems like one minute he’s completely on board, ready to forget about what anyone else says about you two, and then the next he’s reminding himself that he’s no good for you.

“You already know that none of that matters to me,” you tell him, and he nods slightly, but you can sense his apprehension. “Just need you with me, and I’m perfectly capable of figuring out the rest of my life.”

Your words manage to crack through Joel’s melancholy attitude as he smiles slightly, glancing over at you with adoring eyes.

“And you know I don’t agree with any of the things that Chris said, right? About you not deserving me, or being a pervert. It’s total bullshit,” you add on, desperate to make sure Joel doesn’t latch onto any of those lies.

“I know, baby. Maybe thought about it at one point or another, especially ‘fore I got to know you. Felt like an old creep ogling a young girl,” he says, a little bit more light hearted.

“You’re not that old, Joel,” you say with a little chuckle. “And if that’s true, I was a creep too, so maybe we’re meant for each other.” Joel cracks another smile and laughs at your comparison.

“Sweet girl,” he murmurs with another stolen glance at you before turning his eyes back to the road. You want to cheer him up, to make him feel good, so you quickly concoct a plan you think he’ll like.

“Where’s my jealous Joel, hm? The one who will take me home and show me I’m his after a night like this…” you dare to say, and Joel’s eyes immediately change, glazing over as he lets out a rumbling chuckle.

“Oh, that’s what you’re lookin’ for tonight, is it?” he asks, turning the car into your neighborhood.

“Can’t hold me and touch my leg all night and expect me not to be,” you say, breathy and low now. Joel’s hand tightens possessively on your leg as he slides it up higher, pushing far past the hem of your dress now. Your legs instinctively part slightly as he reaches higher, and he lets out a small hum at the gesture.

“Bet you’re all wet, aren’t ya? Thinkin’ about me bein’ jealous? About me ready to fuck someone up just for disrespectin’ you?” Joel’s face is twisting into a smirk, ideas of what to do with you running through his head as he’s only a few houses down from his.

Your eyes flutter shut for a moment as you nod, breathing heavier now. “Let you do anything to me after all of that,” you say, and Joel’s hand tightens on the steering wheel while he speeds into his driveway, impatiently waiting for the garage door to open.

“Fuck it, get out and go in the house,” he demands as the garage is inching it’s way up. It feels like an eternity when his cock is already getting excruciatingly hard from your few sultry words and the feel of the plush, supple skin on your thigh. You slide out of the car silently and hear the slam of his car door behind him as you make your way to his front door. He barely even fumbles with the key despite his haste as he unlocks the front door, shoving you inside by gripping your ass and pushing you forward. His hand is on yours now, pulling you along into the kitchen, silent and clearly on a mission.

Next to the counter, he spins you and crashes you against it, forcing the front of your body half down onto the cool surface of the linoleum before pulling your dress up your ass and promptly ripping your underwear from your body. You cry out a complaint to protest the sudden destruction of your panties, but Joel pushes himself harder into your hips, silencing you.

“I’ll buy you new ones, quit your whining, girl,” he says roughly, the insecure, unsure voice you’d heard from him in the car completely gone now. You hear him fiddling with his belt and pants zipper behind you, clearly already very eager to get inside of you.

“I liked that pair,” you say with a frown.

“I said quit it. You ain’t gonna care once you’ve got this cock in you, are you?” he says as he reaches in between your legs, now having easy access to your dripping cunt. “Already fuckin’ soaked, filthy fuckin’ thing,” he comments, pulling his hand out, and your hips shudder backwards at the sudden loss of him before he could even begin to pleasure you.

“N-no fair,” you whimper, already losing yourself to him. Your heart thrums in your chest as he pushes onto you, the feel of his throbbing cock right on your ass making your mouth water and insides ache for him desperately.

“Said I could do anythin’, darlin’, so keep your pretty mouth shut and let me show you that you’re mine,” he says, but his gentle, loving strokes along your back and ass are contradictory to his harsh tone.

You stay quiet, but push your hips back slightly into him. Your silent invitation is all he needs to push into you, the thick length of him entering you quickly and not stopping until he’s completely buried in your cunt. You moan out in pain from the sudden stretch on your walls from him. Your face contorts slightly at the feeling of it as you’re pushed down onto the counter, your cheek now touching the smooth surface.

“Shh, c’mon baby, you can do it. Open up for me, take this cock nice and pretty for me,” Joel coos, settling himself deep inside of you and grinding his hips the tiniest bit. He brushes your hair off your neck, stroking gently to try and calm you. You let out a shaky breath but feel your body starting to relax into it, quickly finding that pleasure you’re so familiar with from him when you grind your hips forward and then back enough to give Joel some movement.

“Yeah, atta girl, good fucking girl,” he breathes out when he feels you loosen up enough for him to move comfortably as he starts thrusting his hips in and out of you. “My pretty little thing, gonna show you how to take this cock so good tonight, remember you’re all mine.” Joel’s words have an instant effect on you, and you can feel yourself clench around him as you moan.

Joel picks up the pace of his hips, pushing you into the counter with each thrust into you. You can hear the sloppy, wet noises with each movement he makes while you leak around him, already coating every bit of him as he grunts in pleasure.

“So fucking wet baby, all for me,” he groans. “Noisy little pussy all soaked for this cock.” Joel smirks in satisfaction as he watches you fall apart in front of him, your body leaned over the counter, a line of sweat already coating your hairline and forming along your neck. He grasps tightly onto each side of your hips, allowing him to hold you firmly as he thrusts completely into you, each movement pressing his cock as deep as he can, and you cry out when his angle starts to hit your favorite spot deep inside of you.

“P-please,” you cry out, whimpering and writhing underneath him as your back arches. It’s a sight to behold, Joel thinks to himself as he sees you losing yourself to the pleasure, eyes fluttering and mouth parted as your cunt clenches around him over and over, so close to release.

“Beg me some more, sweetheart,” he says airily, his breathing ramping up even more as he thrusts over and over onto that same spot.

“Joel, please, I need to - oh my god,” you moan, pressing your forehead down onto the counter

“What do you need, baby?” he asks, one of his hands snaking along your back and up to your neck.

“N-need to come, it’s feels so fucking good.” You’re melting by the second, already so close to finding your release, amazed at how quickly he’s able to bring it out of you sometimes.

Joel teasingly slows his movements, and you instantly make a loud noise of protest, hips bouncing as quickly as they can under his hold, trying to get back the speed he was at moments ago. Joel tuts and grips the back of your head, wrapping your hair around his hand.

“Mm-mm,” he scolds you, tugging slightly on the strands of hair he’s holding. “Don’t you dare try to make yourself come yet,” he says, feeling you continue to try and move your hips more quickly than he wants to allow.

You breathe out a shaky breath, legs trembling with anticipation and need while your cunt aches for him to move more quickly.

“Please, Joel, let me come, I’m being so good,” you say after another whimper, and Joel strokes your head lovingly, debating for a moment on his next move.

“Prove it. If you can keep these pretty hips still for two minutes and not come, I’ll give you what you want and more…” Joel offers, and you swallow hard, begging your body to still as he stops his thrusts completely. You breathe out, shaking, knowing how good he feels inside you but being unable to move is already torture. Joel lets out a little devilish chuckle as his hand reaches around you and his fingers drag along your pussy lips, and you bite hard on the inside of your cheek breaths coming out in quick, staccato bursts.

“N-not fair,” you push out through clenched teeth, curling your toes so tightly you feel like they could break.

“Never said it was gonna be fair. Just need you to be a good girl and do as I say, hm? Can you do that?”

You nod the tiniest bit, being careful not to jostle any part of your body unnecessarily. Joel’s enjoying this way too much, you think spitefully, but you can feel the rushes of wetness flowing out all over his cock seated inside of you when he continues toying with your pussy. You could deny liking this, but what would the point of that be? You’d only be lying to yourself.

“Baby, so fuckin’ swollen and wet, don’t it ache right now? Need me movin’ inside of you?” Joel teases, and you clench your teeth, trying to not whimper too loudly. His finger brushes over your clit and you let out an animalistic growl, squeezing your eyes shut. Joel rubs slow, deliberate circles near your clit, barely touching it but allowing the finger to brush it every so often, sending a shooting explosion of pleasure every time he does, little whimpers escaping your lips each time he does. But you’ll be damned if you move your hips at all and don’t get your reward at the end of all this, you think with solid determination.

“Love playin’ with you baby, my little play thing, aren’t you? Fuckin’ whimpering mess for me to make you come,” Joel says, his enjoyment of this clear as day in his teasing tone towards you. You make a strangled sound of agreement, completely unable to verbalize anything right now. You feel right on the edge, an orgasm threatening to tear through you as his fingers brush over the sensitive nerves over and over.

“P-please, I’m not gonna m-make it -” you cry out, trying to ignore the feeling of him touching you that your body typically craves at all other times.

“Time’s up,” Joel says with a quick squeeze of your ass, and you can barely breathe a sigh of relief before he begins moving his hips again, the sensation of being full of him hitting you all over again as he pumps in and out of you. A shaky moan passes your lips, your whole body starting to tremble from the entire ordeal Joel just put you through.

“Shh, good girl, you did so good. Love teasin’ you, baby,” Joel says, “So good at followin’ my orders,” he adds with a smirk in his voice that doesn’t go unnoticed by you.

He picks back up a steady pace of slamming his cock into you, starting to push even harder than before, your cunt fluttering around him as the pleasure overwhelms you again and you feel the sweet release building in your core, a small flame growing into a toe curling fire as he hits your g-spot again.

Joel’s hand suddenly reaches around your head, wrapping his large fingers around your throat. You gasp lightly in shock, feeling the minimal pressure he’s applying on your throat to start with as he tilts your head up off the counter slightly.

“F-fuck,” you manage to choke out, and Joel increases the pressure just slightly, testing the boundary.

“Like it when I handle you like this, hm, baby?” he asks and you let out a soft, moaning “mhm” in response to him. He squeezes a little harder, the perfect amount of pressure to feel everything you wanted from this as he asserts every ounce of dominance he can over you. You’re splayed out over the counter, your entire body at his mercy now as he grasps your throat and bucks his hips into you.

Another small squeeze of his thick fingers sends you over the edge, and you let out a stifled moan from your throat, Joel feeling the vibrations of it on his hand and groaning at the power he’s feeling over your pleasure. Your entire body rocks into Joel’s with the pure bliss running through it, surges of pleasure from your core radiating out and making you tense up.

“Fuckin’ squeezin’ my cock so good, baby,” Joel purrs, loosening his grip slightly on your throat so he can hear the noises he brings out of you completely unhindered.

“F-fuck, Joel,” you say, calling his name several more times as you writhe and continue to feel your climax pulsing through you. Finally, you come down slightly, just as Joel pumps into you several more times, finishing himself off inside of you, spilling his warmth as deep as he possibly can inside of you. He grunts out expletives and curses, quiet moans flowing from his lips as his hips stutter against you.

“God, darlin’, how’re you so fuckin’ perfect every time?” Joel breathes out, leaning his body onto yours as he recuperates for a moment.

“No that’s you,” you grumble, slurring your words slightly as you feel completely out of it from the intensity of this latest climax.

“You make me that way, couldn’t come like this for anyone else, swear,” Joel concludes, pulling his cock from your entrance and shaking his head in disbelief.

“Here, darlin’,” Joel says, scooping your body from its stiff position leaned over the counter and pulling you upright. He pinches your cheek lovingly and you blink softly up at him. “Let’s get you in the shower, hm?” he says, putting an arm around your waist and guiding you towards the stairs.

“Only if we can do that again in there,” you tease, and Joel laughs heartily, his chest rumbling your own body as he holds you close to him.

“Insatiable girl… we’ll see what we can do.”

taglist: @paleidiot​​ @mumma-moonchild​​ @soph55​​  

[heavenfell-au]

✦ Memory Lane contest results ✦

First off, I want to thank the people that partook in the contest ! I can hardly imagine having to pick only one scene from my own story, so kudos to each one of you for managing to do it !

Now, without further ado, here's the first submission that was submitted on Discord, realized by Arplenoon !

« TW: Blood, injury, disturbing imagery

I got into Undertale and read Heavenfell back around 2020 and early 2021. There were a lot of things that happened to me in that time that deeply hurt me, separate from the anxiety of the pandemic, but probably had been brought on by it's pressures. Needless to say, I was having it rough. Abandoned, stalked and harassed by my former friends, I let my mind escape into Undertale AUs. Undertale AUs let me forget about myself. Going to work was hard. I'd sit in the breakroom, curled up, trying not to let my thoughts consume me- and often failing. It was during that time, huddled in one of the bigger chairs at work, I read Heavenfell every day for a week.

It was cathartic for me, and helped me process a lot of what I was going through. Even though I wasn't anywhere close to the same situation Frisk found themself in, the scenes where they spiraled in thoughts about their life on the surface resonated with me- Because that was me, tormented by the same demons. Someone knew what I was going through, and I wasn't alone.

I can confidently say that because of that I'm still here today.

Thank you. »

I can already tell you that this hits hard. You've selected a scene from Their Wings that hits very close to home, and I absolutely adore the way you've depicted Frisk's torments, which each bone digging into them carved with words that the ghosts of their past said, cutting them through and through. I love the fact that those bones, along with the vivid red of their clothes, blood and their soul tearing apart pop out against the darkness that surrounds them, all that that giant skeletal hands are craddling them in their palms, giving the sensation that they're at the mercy of death itself as they scream in absolute despair, or in that case, Sans if not both of the skeleton brothers. I really appreciate that we can also see the remnants of Flowey, illustrated here, reminding us the impact of his loss in the story, that he was Frisk's guardian but also their best friend, leaving them stranded in their time of need. There are so many little details here and there that tell about that specific part of Frisk's story, making such an impactful delivery of the message, alongside with the silhouettes that haunt them in their turmoil, ever so faded and yet, very present.

For the technique, it's an amazing artpiece made with watercolors. It's such a difficult media for me to handle, and it's always so mesmerizing to see you realize one of them, and this time, having to handle with so many shades of black. I wish I had an ounce of patience and technique that you have when handling that medium, making me all the more admirative of your craft. The execution is great, for the colors are vibrant against the deep shades of black, and I'm always admirative of people that are able to use that paint type without their paper curling, which requires some type of preparation and knowledge ! The result of this gorgeous illustration, with that particular attention to the red and white colors clashing with the deep black makes it absolutely chilling and nerve-wracking, even more so with how well you illustrated Frisk's agony. You could almost hear their screams. Gorgeous, I'm devouring this work of art. It is delicious.

Next submission is from Cao-the-Dreamer on Tumblr !

« « More like “Adorable Dog” for me ! » you said.

My entry for #HeavenfellContest2024 by @heavenfell-au ! I choose the scene in chapter 15 (Sweet Brothers), where Frisk meets A.D. :3 Whenever I think of Their Wings, it is the first scene that comes to my mind. Is it because I love animals? Because it was a moment of fluff and peace amidst Frisk's painful journey? I think it's both. And yes, the dog is adorable <3

I've been working with shadow puppets for a while now, and I decided to try my hand with Eowyn's characters. I really liked the result! (I've been inspired by Michel Ocelot's works) :3

Here is le théâtre d'ombre in broad daylight: »

You know what ? Seeing your submission made me smile so much ! A.D is such a good pupper and I'm so glad it got to get the spotlight ! (badumtss)

It is such a lovely take on their proper encounter, and the way you portrayed it is so simple, yet so effective and I absolutely love it, for it provides that vision of their bonding experience, as A.D remembered what Frisk did to save its life, and was willing to give them a chance in return. And the way they're staring deep into each other's gaze is so precious and tender, you know what the energy it gives me ? How to train your Dragon vibes, with Hiccup and Toothless having that very unique and special bond. That's what it makes me think of, and the fact that you picked that very tiny scene, for the reasons you mentioned, I'm fucking tearing up at this. I just adore your portrayal of their friendship, and how you selected a simple moment of peace and love in that dark and painful story of Their Wings.

You know what else amazed me ? The medium you used for your submission ! I love how you took the risk to use another type of media, to experience with shadow puppets. Looking back at Michel Ocelot's work, I can definitely see the inspiration, and it's such a nice way to make a tribute to another amazing artist ! I have never experimented with shadow puppets myself, to be honest, I've never thought of it being an option, and that submission was a very pleasant surprise ! I'm very happy you got to choose that medium, despite your drawing talents, I absolutely love people trying out things and taking the risk in a contest itself even  ! As I stated above, it is even moreso unique, and the execution is fantastic. The simplicity makes it all the more enjoyable, for such a simple scene, putting all the energy into the characters and the formation of their friendship, all put together thanks to the light source that gives into that intimate atmosphere. Plus, I can tell that while it is a simple looking result, it must have taken a lot of time having to carve and assemble all the pieces together, without counting the measuring, the placements and the light play. Un grand bravo for this artwork, it definitely lingered on my mind for the rest of the day when I've laid my eyes on it.

Last submission by victenSam !

« The illustration in Chapter 5 – Sweet Trap was one the first scenes that stuck with me, I enjoy the happy vibes. I brought it to life with minor dramatic liberties taken to spice up this short cutscene while still maintaining the overall feel. A paragraph done old-school video-game style, all recorded within a game engine. A happy moment that preludes the turning point of the story.

Reading through Heavenfell felt really inspiring to me. They really put it all in not just the writing, but in all the illustrations, character designs and singing. Not to mention how they’re rocking it in 3D modelling outside Heavenfell as well! This sincere multimedia externalization brought into the fan-work amazed me and helped me give myself a bit of a push to keep pursuing and learning things to hone my own craft. Unfortunately, due to the nature of both game development and making, it became quite a solitary effort on my part. And so, as both a way to honor their work and apply what I’ve been learning, I decided to make a game related entry within the schedule and theme of this contest. I honestly didn’t think I could pull something like this off; I’m glad I tried and I’m happy with the results.

There’s modelling, texturing, sound design, music, coding and directing all creatively put together only by myself just for this piece of animation. I leaned a lot of new things and tested whole new methods and theories in the making of the cutscene. I could go into a lot of details on how every element came together, but I’ll leave that open for any questions that come my way to avoid huge tangents. I hope you all enjoy this little piece of memory. »

Wow.

Just... Wow.

For sure, that one got me gobsmacked. And if the previous submission hadn't gotten me smiling like an idiot, I found myself in absolute awe and I hardly repressed the giggle at the end ! I was breathtaken by the pressing atmosphere until the very moment that those two friends finally let go of the fear and laughed it out, finding myself to do the same, letting go of a breath that I hadn't realized I had stuck in my throat. The fact that you've taken so much time to not just illustrate, but make an entire animation had me floored !! It definitely reminded me of that one illustration that I made myself about that specific scene where Flowey and Frisk were laughing in relief, laying in the snow. That was such a nice little reference, and that made me smile even more! That was a very interesting scene that you picked, all the more heartbreaking knowing what comes afterwards, and that makes me cherish that moment all the more. There was so much nostalgy that I felt there, even felt myself mourning all over again, that was a very strange experience, but I welcome it. Thank you so much for showing Flowey the love he deserved <3

Oh god, there's so much to tell. It is truly a work of art. There's so many mediums put into play there, as you said, there was modeling, there was texturing, sound design and music, and even coding. I also can imagine the storyboard to create the scenes, and all of those details that we happen to forget at times, just so you can render a cutscene of my written story. Truly, I was not only floored by the story telling through your eyes, but by the amount of work you put into this ! It was an amazing surprise to see that kind of work appear for this contest, you're a very talented content creator and this animation is proof of it, knowing that it was made in a game mechanic mind. I lack the words to say how good the technique is for it exceeds anything that I ever imagined. Watching it over and over again, I keep hoping that someday, you get to make an entire game, or even to be hired because there's an incredible potential in you ! It's inspiring seeing how much of your blood and sweat were put into this in record time, I could never hope to do anything like that myself, making me all the more admirative. My best kudos to you, Sam, and thank you for honouring my work this way. <3

That's all for the submissions for Memory Lane. I'm extremely glad that you three had participated, though it feels unfair now to judge your creations when there were only so many participants, which made it harder for me to make decisions, as curious as it is. I've been wondering whether I just let go of the Prize system to give you all the same one, but it kind of goes against a contest, doesn't it ? So I'll still announce the results. Know that each one of your creations made me feel a certain type of way, and I cherished every single one of them. For different reasons, you all deserved the first place, but rules being the rules, I had to be realistic, which is why the importance of technique was there.

So comes to third place, Arplenoon, with his heart-wrenching painting !

To the second place comes Cao the Dreamer, with a very moving shadow puppet !

And the first place goes to victenSAM with his breathtaking cutscene !!

Since I wanted to thank you personally for giving my contest a chance, you all will have an extra in your prizes, as a way to find a middle ground with my prior tug of war <3 Thank you so much for the amount of love you gave to this project. I'll come in contact with you so we can discuss the prize shipping and all the like !

I'll also be reblogging the artpieces posted on tumblr for everyone to enjoy !

[ominouspuff]

hello!!! :DD seeing your tags on the Rex piece made me immediately (and very) curious; would you feel comfortable talking a bit about your process? *___* that piece is stunning (I love that petals are your art signature :)!)

You mentioned it took some time, was it because of the composition or the colouring? Anything specific you had to learn as you went (for the piece?)

Does it fit within the ‘RepGar armour AU’, or were you thinking of a specific Rex feel (especially as it’s the companion to Cody’s rain piece)?

Were you listening to something while illustrating?

and bonus question!!! Possibly not art related :3 does Rex ever met Corrie!Fives??? *___*

Feel free to answer one, some or none of those questions! Love your art (and AUs!) best vibes!!!

Hi @lesquatrechevrons !! Your tags often make my day, so this seems very fitting. I’d be happy to answer questions! (Hoho thank you for noticing — it is indeed a predilection; I love most drifting particle effects quite a lot.) ;)

You mentioned it took some time, was it because of the composition or the colouring? Anything specific you had to learn as you went (for the piece?)

Ooof. The rendering itself, without question. It is difficult to explain, but usually my rendering is a bit more blur effect with up to three colors, with very little painstaking detail work. In the piece you reference, by contrast, almost every part of Rex has been rendered by use of a pencil-tool and very fine blurring. In most of my pieces I will only have a few layers for base colors and lighting, and then quite a lot of layers for accents to the piece or detail work. For this one, almost all of my layers were several coats of ‘paint’ layered on top of each other, like a classical acrylic or oil painting, as I went back to adjust lighting for each part at least twice with a completely new application of color.

Does it fit within the ‘RepGar armour AU’, or were you thinking of a specific Rex feel (especially as it’s the companion to Cody’s rain piece)?

Good question! Like Cody’s companion piece, it was separate from that AU, supposed to be a character-study view with themes inspired by this song and SW canon. The theme of falling leaves, golden petals, and the symbolism of comparing them to the lives of warriors striving and falling and striving overtop each other with weary feet and doomed by the narrative/reduced to being seen as inconsequential (especially given all the golden leaves/petals are identical) seemed appropriate for Rex in particular to be meditating on. The piece would only fit within the AU by accident, because they don’t directly contradict each other so they’re technically compatible.

Were you listening to something while illustrating?

I very often do (I am incredibly vibe-focused whilst in creative mode) but usually it’s just the background-type music, very vibey and mood-setting. This time it was the above song, for sure, but also Space Man by Eurielle and Tokyo Rain by Marcus Warner.

and bonus question!!! Possibly not art related :3 does Rex ever met Corrie!Fives??? *___*

Hoho — a very fun question, and one I’m still working on in the written fic for the RepGA AU. They do meet, and it is a mess, but like everything in that AU I try to focus on there being a point to the pain, and there will definitely be a happy ending. There is conflict surrounding how both of them have changed since they last met, including what they’ve since heard about the other.

As I’ve mentioned in pieces here and there, Fives ends up on Fox’s side of an altercation between the Republic itself and a revolutionary group (essentially the Rebellion, but jumpstarted by a Rogue Marshall Commander CC-1010 and all the resources he has been collecting to do precisely this for the latter duration of his command on Coruscant). This would all be well and good, but the GAR is still serving the Republic. So Rex and Fives, among others, find themselves on opposite sides of some battlefields — and both with very understandable reasons for being there, which is much more difficult to reconcile.

Thanks so much for asking! I’m delighted you like the piece, and I’m always down to talk art-techniques if you want to. Also, feel free to ask if you’re curious about anything more. For the AU fic I will not give too many spoilers as a rule, so you can ask but I might not answer some questions yet.

[mcu-fan-fics-blog]

Remember a Time XI

Series:  (Pt.1), (P.t 2), (P.t 3), (P.t 4), (P.t 5), (P.t 6), (P.t 7), (P.t 8), (P.t 9), (P.t 10) Wanda Maximoff x Fem! Reader, Natasha Romanoff x Fem! Reader ;) (High school Au ) No Powers Word count: 1904 A/n: Things are starting to get serious. I am trusting the process, everything will fall into place, hopefully. I hope you peeps enjoy the story so far I appreciated you all. Some love to the annon that sent me a message. (U know who you are <3)

Your first year of college was rather uneventful. Well that's what you liked to tell people, but in all honesty it was absolutely horrible. You and Natasha had entered this new chapter of your lives together and on the same page. You couldn't help but feel that by the end of the first semester you guys were reading two completely different books. Natasha was a go-getter she was impeccably amazing at everything she decided to put her mind to. She had chosen a very demanding Law major and on top of that she would give her all to train and practice to be the best. You didn't choose the easiest major, but it was lax compared to Natasha's 3 hours worth of reading each night. Business management was something that you felt somewhat passionate about. Your father had a somewhat large company that he built from the ground up. And you were fond of the idea of picking up the mantle when your time came. But you also had fun, a lot of fun. 

Once your mother found out you would be attending UCLA she made sure that you got everything in order to pledge to her old sorority. You'd never been the type to think that you would try out let alone fit in and thoroughly enjoy being a part of. You only pledged to your mothers old sorority and once the fact that you were a legacy came up you were welcomed with relatively open arms. "How's pledge week going, please tell me you're not being hazed by some weak blonde bimbo." Natasha said as you walked into your apartment. "No... I'm being hazed by a hot blond bimbo." You joked, chuckling at Natasha's disgruntled look. "Not cool.." She huffed "People don't do that anymore, but I think that I really like it there." She smiled. "I'm glad that we’re both finding our place." She said walking towards you and engulfing you in a tight hug and giving you a chaste kiss on the lips. 

That would be one of the last moments you had with her that didn't end up with the both of you fighting. You absolutely hated having arguments with her but the universe just seemed to want to pull you apart. Freshman year was a year of discovery, you learn a lot about yourself and your limits unfortunately sometimes you can get caught up in all that freedom to grow and and honestly lack of adult supervision. You'd become an avid party goer and maybe a tad bit of an alcoholic. Natasha was busy most days, her schedule was packed and you couldn't complain all the contrary you admired her dedication. But the lack of seeing each other was creating friction because when she could see and spend time with you, you were at a party or hungover, or busy yourself trying to catch up with school work. "We can't keep going like this Y/n what's happening to us?" Your tears were muted, you felt her sadness and yours. This was only going one place and you both knew it. 

Natasha was having a hard time. It took a long while for her to adjust to not being near her family, then it took her even longer to adjust to being with you in this new phase of her life. School was stress inducing to say the least of course she had things under control but that didn't mean she didn't stress all the contrary she only had it under control because she stressed. Soccer was as good as it could get. She only really pushed herself so hard because it relieved some of the stress she was feeling. All of her teammates were likable and trust worthy. There was one teammate in particular though that she could really see as a good friend and that would be Maria Hill, team captain. She had taken Natasha under her wing and taught her the ropes. There was something more there and she could feel it. A small wince or a clench of the jaw every time she mentioned you. There was something there and it was driving Natasha crazy. She'd promised Wanda and herself she wouldn't hurt you, and here she was considering it. 

It always came down to Wanda didn't it.

"I-i Natasha, maybe we should..." Your phone rang in your pocket with the last number you'd think would call you. It was Pietro, you were shocked to say the least. "I think that I should take this..." You motioned to the phone in your hand. Natasha nodded, wiping a tear from her eye too busy trying to compose herself to notice who was calling. "Is this Y/n's number? " The voice on the other end sounded unfamiliar. "Yes, I'm sorry but who is this and why are you calling from my friend's phone?" The person on the other end sighed. "Um, Y/n It's me Vision. Listen, you might want to take a seat or something." Your heart rate picked up and your shoulders tensed. Natasha noticed and she herself began to brace. "Pietro he um, he's been in an accident Y/n." Your heart ached, your hand moved to your chest, tears immediately welling in your eyes. "It's not looking good." His voice was heavy with sorrow. "She told me to call you..." Your heart broke at that, Wanda. "I'll get the next flight out, I'll be there as soon as I can. Please keep me updated." You urged. "I will just please come."   

The line dropped and your eyes finally met Natasha's. "Pietro's had a- He's been in an accident." You barely managed to get out. Natasha tried to step forward with her arms reaching for you. You moved back, your mind still reeling with what was about to come out of your mouth before you answered that phone, and the phone call itself. "I need to call Tony, He'll get me there in no time." Natasha's surprise was thinly veiled. "Y/n you're in the middle of the most important part of the semester, finals are around the corner, you can't just up and leave." Your eyes pierced hers. "I can, and I will. My friend could very well be dead right now." Calling him that felt wrong, he was more than a friend, sure things were rocky after Wanda. But you still cared immensely for him. You left her standing there in the tense silence you'd created. You dialed Tony he answered on the first ring. "Finally, my jet's waiting for you and Nat." You winced at her mention. "Just me, I'll be on the plane within the hour." Natasha drove you to the hangar, the drive was silent. It was uncomfortable, but you appreciated her being somewhat reasonable and not bringing up your conversation right now.

"I'll let you know what happens when I land." You said when you'd finally pulled up to the plane. "I think maybe you shouldn't." She said quietly, her eyes on the ground in front of you. You scoffed out a laugh, wiping the tears in your eyes. You nodded. "Noted, Goodbye" You didn't give her a chance to reply boarding the plane as quickly as possible. That flight was the longest four hours of your life. You weren't mad at Natasha you'd seen this coming just not like this. Never like this. It hurt but It would've hurt more if you'd both waited until it was too late. Tony was there when you landed . He gave you a crushing hug, which you returned. "What happened?" You asked, your voice breaking slightly. "Pietro was hit by a drunk driver on his motorcycle." You winced. "He's still in surgery. They're trying to stop all the internal bleeding." You nodded already trying to steady and strengthen yourself. Either way it was going to be hard. "Wanda, how is she?" In any eventuality it would be a lot to deal with. "No one thought this would happen, you never think something like this is coming." You only nodded. The drive there again was incredibly silent. 

Your eyes searched frantically for her, you definitely looked worse for wear no sleep and a prior maybe relationship break up was definitely taking a toll on you. When your eyes landed on her you knew she needed this... you. She looked pale, her eyes were dull, she was a ghost. You didn't look or feel any better but you knew she definitely was feeling it. Vision saw you first and quickly motioned you into the seat next to her.  He didn't bother stopping you for a greeting, he just let you be. Seating next to her was overwhelming to say the least, she still hadn't knocked out of her mind. Only thing you could think of doing was reaching for her hand. When you finally built the courage to, you reached out for her, her head barely turned to acknowledge you, but when she did it was almost an immediate her reaction. It was like the dam had finally broken and her breathing was erratic and her tears were overflowing. You pulled her up with you and into you. You put as much force as you could into the hug until she calmed down. You were just holding her. "It's not a dream..." She said into your chest. 

Your eyes watered. "It's not, but everything is going to be alright. Pietro is strong, he'll pull through." She nodded. "He has to be okay, You're here. He has to be okay." You could only hold her tighter.

Something had changed when you went back to California. Your apartment felt empty, it didn’t feel the same. It was hard to pinpoint at first but then you noticed it. Her things that were always somehow splayed in your apartment were gone. Even the most mundane things that she’d leave there were gone. Her drawer and closet space were empty. That’s when the dread came back. She'd left… 

Christmas was as bleak as it could be, it felt wrong to feel happy. You kept your word and celebrated with your parents. There wasn’t much to do, you and Tony spent a lot of time together during the month you had off of school. Surprisingly you survived and passed the semester. Things were grim, and Tony respected your space and left it alone as much as he could. Which meant that you third wheeled Tony and Pepper for the better part of a month. You avoided any and all contact with the Romanoff’s and they seemed to understand. Well all but one. “I told you not to fuck up.” You sighed. You were currently trying to open your front door. “I didn’t.” It angered you that she was letting this narrative run. You turned to look at her. “I came back, and she was gone.” You were about to continue when you heard the steps coming up behind Yelena. “I told you not to bother her.” Her voice washed over you like a bucket of cold water. 

Yelena was about to argue with her but quickly shut up when she met Natasha’s gaze. You didn’t bother shifting your gaze from your keys. Instead, you choose to turn and finish opening your door. You could hear Yelena talking from behind you. “You’re just going to let her walk away like that?” You closed the door before Natasha could answer, but you still managed to hear what she said. “Yes…”

Tag-List: @when-wolves-howl, @alyciaddict,​​ @username23345,​ @arixxxxxxxxa, @justyourwritter69, @picnicminded, @swiftdazer, @alphawolfchicago1124,​​ @sojo154, @xxxtwilightaxelxxx, @marvelogic, @wandasmistress, @alwaysgoodnight, @chickenlittlsblog

[ursafootprints]

I’m really feeling the range of emotions with the upcoming conclusion of YNYD: anticipation on seeing the next phase of Tony and Peter’s relationship, sadness that it’s the closing of one of the best introspective fics, and more. Overall, it has been such a fulfilling year and a half! Can I ask what excites you as an author in how you want to explore Tony and Peter’s relationship — whether in YNYD or another work?

This is such a sweet ask, thank you so much! I've been in a writing rut recently (no worries, I will come out of it, I go through stages haha) and this really made me smile. 💖💖💖

This might be more broad than you were looking for, but I feel one of the themes I come back to over and over again with Starker in general is that idea of navigating the shift in dynamics that comes with redefining the relationship from mentor-mentee (or other unbalanced dynamics in AUs) to potential love interests/sexual partners. Tony is older, more experienced, and has more resources than Peter-- how well do they navigate that in the particular context of XYZ set-up/story? Where and how often does Tony fall into paternalism instead of treating Peter as an equal (potential) partner, and how does he balance that against his attraction? (What kind of contexts are there where that could be valid?)

What does Peter do to try and signal to Tony that he's Grown Up Enough on his side? What things would Tony actually see/acknowledge as effective signals? When does Peter slip up and show his age? How actively do they talk about it, how aware are they of the potential pitfalls, and where will they have conflicts anyway? Which things can they smooth over and which things are bigger sticking points? (External and internal-- obviously one of my very favorite things is making Tony really grapple with that change in perspective towards Peter, and that's what shows up most often out of these in my stuff since it fits in the scope of shorter works as well as longer ones!)

I think that's part of why I'm so drawn toward dubcon scenarios with these two in particular, because adding in sex pollen/bad guys made them do it/identity porn/etc. means that the process is ushered in by a more abrupt paradigm shift that they have to scramble to cope with and that heightens the intensity of that journey, even if the journey itself is a slow burn like YNYD instead of a faster process like Naturally.

And I love that there's so many different angles to look at these questions through, depending on canonpoint, Peter's age, AU-type, etc.! It's something I never really get tired of turning around in my mind and why my other potential (potential!!) longer-term projects-- the omegaverse child bride AU and the omegaverse teenage pregnancy AU-- are ones that examine those questions just as closely as YNYD, just through different lenses.

[thelordofgifs]

Fanfiction writing ask: 4, 25 46?

(fanfiction writing ask)

4. How do you choose which fics to write?

Just inspiration really, tbh! I have six currently-active WIPs (and one that’s been put on the back burner for now) so deciding which of those to work on on any given day is just a matter of which I hate least at the time. When it comes to starting a new fic, I have SO MANY ideas jotted down that I’m really excited about, so I am constantly restraining myself from not starting another WIP! Sometimes I use them to bribe myself: “finish this one and then you can start that really exciting one I promise”. But sometimes I fall to temptation and the list gets longer.

25. What’s your favorite part of the writing process (worldbuilding, brainstorming/outlining, writing, editing, etc)?

It’s got to be the actual writing. Researching and outlining can be very fun, especially when I get excited about a particular idea (the tfs page in my notes app has so many random caps locks and exclamation marks), but they also just feel like whetting my appetite for the actual thing. Which is often horrible and painful and the worst, but when it goes well and you’ve produced a lovely profound sentence or a very moving interesting scene or whatever it’s the best feeling in the entire world! a controversial take, but I like editing, too! It’s definitely a lot easier than writing a first draft, but it also requires me to be more ruthless with myself.

46. If you could only write one type of AU for the rest of your life, what would it be?

What are the types of AU? My own categorisation is into “setting change” AUs like modern AUs etc and “canon divergence” AUs – is that the usual mode of division? Anyway, it would have to be the canon divergence AUs. I think setting change AUs are fun and very creative and I’d love to try my hand at one someday, but especially in the silm fandom the canon divergence ones are SO MUCH FUN and make you think SO HARD. I have three going at the moment: tfs of course, in which Beren and Lúthien steal two Silmarils, the Maedhros doesn’t swear the oath AU, and the Maedhros dies in the Nirnaeth AU, and they all have to be so strongly in conversation with canon and examine character dynamics so carefully, I love it.

Thanks for the ask! These questions are great, do keep them coming :)

[lajulie24]

22, 24, 54

22. Are there certain types of writing you won’t do? (Style, pov, genre, tropes, etc)

I tend to say “never say never” about most things, but in general I won’t write noncon, or the whole a/b/o thing. (I’m not necessarily averse to writing something in which past abuse or trauma or its effects are mentioned, but I’m generally not going to write the actual thing happening.) Again, never say never, but I generally don’t write modern AUs either — I like staying in the GFFA. And this isn’t so much a style thing, but I’ll write to a prompt if I request prompts (or if I’m doing a fic exchange and writing according to my giftee’s prompts) but I don’t really take requests. I did one once that was a full-on request and I think I learned that when someone requests a fic they have a very specific idea in their head of what they want, so even if you write the best fic ever it’s never going to meet those expectations. And really they should just try writing the idea in their head themselves, even if it wouldn’t come out perfectly.

24. Worst writing advice anyone ever gave you?

Oh, that’s a tough one, I think because if I realized it was advice that didn’t work for me, I usually forgot it. One example I do recall is someone saying in a post that you should never use adverbs, and that you should try to avoid repeating the word “said” and giving like a bajillion synonyms for “said.” I use a ton of adverbs, and I did try substituting for “said” and realized that it makes no sense to do that. Sometimes it works — like you want to get across a particular way someone is saying something — but a lot of times it feels like it distracts from the actual dialogue. So I went back to just using my ear to decide when “said” feels right or when some other verb sounds better to me.

54. What’s your favorite part about the fanfiction writing process?

I really do enjoy a lot of things about the writing process, but one thing that feels so good is when I’ve been envisioning some scene in my head for a while and finally manage to write it out, and the act of writing makes the scene kind of change and morph as I’m writing it, but that turns out to be a GOOD thing. That, and when I get into a groove with writing and all the sudden one of my characters does something or says something that I was not actually planning on. Just, something pops into my head and I’m like “ooh but what if Leia said THIS instead?” I also love the act of bouncing ideas off other people and then one of us is like “oh, I’m gonna write that” and then we do. Or the bouncing ideas around thing makes me come up with something that was even better than the idea I was originally planning.

Thanks for the ask!

Get to know your fic writer asks!

[catflowerqueen]

Another important thing I'm thinking about in terms of a "Moon gets lost in the security cams" au is the ramifications that experience would have on him after he gets back. Specifically:

(spoilers below)

-Moon would have trouble with tasks requiring a lot of dexterity--and even walking, at times--due to a combination of his endoskeleton getting a bit rusty (and it taking some time to do full repairs) and him no longer being used to doing tasks that require that type of fine motor skill. ...Meaning that Sun will then become the default "best sewer" for a while, even if Moon still has better procedural knowledge of what to do, simply because Sun is the only one with nimble enough fingers in the aftermath to attempt it. Therapy for this problem would involve Moon doing a bunch of those 3d puzzle things with the small moving parts. Doing Rubiks cubes or making bead bracelets would also help, except...

-...Moon's vision and sensitivity to bright colors and lights would also be out of whack due to how grainy security cam footage tends to be--even at a location like Fazbears--and he would almost develop a sort of farsightedness due to being more used to how things look through cameras. This would be solved basically just via time and exposure, and gradually introducing more light and bright things back into his life.

-The biggest problem, however, is that he would have a lot of memory issues, at least partially stemming from minor corruptions in his programming. I mentioned before how his reprogramming from being a theatre bot already would have left him more vulnerable to issues, and this whole thing would just magnify that. And since he wouldn't be using his normal memory banks and would have a lot less processing power as a camera, some of his stored data and memories would just get outright deleted/corrupted beyond recovery simply to make room for the incoming data from the cameras. Not to mention the fact that he would have been running pretty much 24/7 after attaching himself to that charger, so things like autosaves and back-up creations would get messed up.

Then there is also the issue of trauma and how that interacts with memory formation and retention, and how for some of his memories while he would retain the knowledge of what happened, he wouldn't really remember the emotional context for it, or the reasons behind it. So while he might "know" something and be able to recite the facts back to you, he wouldn't really feel "connected" to it.

Which is going to cause a lot of heartache for multiple people, as well as some conflicted feelings about what lengths they should go to possibly helping him get some of his memories back--because as terrible as it is that he forgot a lot of good and happy things, he also forgot a lot of upsetting things? Or at least the emotional context behind it? And in some ways actually seems a lot happier than he used to, especially in the recent months leading up to his foray into the cameras?

On the plus side, in this particular au Fazbears got some new management in the wake of the Security Breach stuff who actually recognized the moral and ethical ramifications of the fact that most of the animatronics in the pizzaplex have some form of sentience--if not outright sapience--and so everyone is getting a lot more breathing room, help, space to heal, and is not under threat of decommissioning if they are deemed unfit to do their jobs down the line.

There is actual retirement in the works, for one, rather than that just being another euphemism for death when the kids ask questions about why their favorite animatronic isn't around anymore.

[bukojuiice]

— genshin boys and how you take care of them when they’re sick.

ೃ ft. childe, diluc, kaeya, zhongli, and xiao x gn! reader

ೃ tags: modern au, headcanons, and tooth-rotting fluff.

ೃ 200 to 300 words per character.

ೃ genshin masterlist  ♡ mha masterlist  ♡ aot masterlist

ೃ note: if you enjoyed this, please do reblog! and if you want to be a part of my taglist, answer this form! ♡

CHILDE:

Childe has a very strong immunity system. No lame flu could ever get him. Mayhaps it's the below 0-degree temperature in Snezhnaya that helped his body grow accustomed to certain climates and temperatures? Because according to him, he "takes colds and kicks ass." However, after having too much fun and getting too competitive with Scaramouche at the Dragonspine Ski Resort, he's struck down with a terrible fever. From Sneznaya's Greatest Love Machine to sick babie in (y/n)'s care. He's not necessarily the whiny type but Childe is very helpless. Whether it was intentional or not, he couldn’t help himself at all. He forgets about the cough drops he has to drink and you have to remind him about it, when he refuses to eat Goulash fresh from Dragonspine and demands for alphabet soup, or when you're doing work in the living room and he comes up to you wrapped in a burrito blanket, asking for cuddles because "hugs are the best medicine." to which, you would reply with a hard "no." because you couldn't risk the both of you getting sick. (Even though you were craving hugs from him too.) Due to your boyfriend's stubbornness, it took a week before he could fully recover. And when he did, you bet he rushes to you, screaming, "I'm cured!" peppering you with kisses on your cheek and enveloping you in hugs that you've longed so much from him.

DILUC:

Colds are Diluc's worst enemy. Whenever he got remotely sick when he was a kid, whether it be a runny nose or a small allergy, his immune system literally betrays him. So, when he gets sick, he literally gets sick. Since then, He vowed to maintain a healthy body. You've never even seen him get a headache! It's always been Diluc taking care of you whenever you’re down with a cold. You had always wished for a moment where the tables would turn and it would be you taking care of him for once. That would soon happen on a particularly normal day. Diluc approaches you and asks if you could check his temperature. You bring out a thermometer to check if he has a fever, and it read 38 degrees. Diluc suddenly panics. His face red as a tomato and feeling woozy and lightheaded, your boyfriend wraps his arm around you for support as you bring him to your bedroom. Then, he suddenly sneezes. An adorable sniffle you did not expect to hear from your boyfriend or from anyone as handsome as him at all. It was the cutest "achoo." you've ever heard. You giggle, reaching for his neatly folded pajamas in the closet and handing it to him. "Pretend you didn't hear that." He says coldly, trying to not act embarrassed. Since that night and until he became well, you barely left Diluc’s side. He's wrapped in a blanket, his usual well-dressed get up is replaced with a dark gray hoodie and joggers, your stuffed plushies are cuddled up beside Diluc to keep him company whilst he's bed-ridden, and you're bringing him healthy and delicious meals to help him get better soon. When he had finally recovered, Diluc thought that maybe getting sick wasn't all that bad. Especially if the the one most dearest to him could love and care for him so well while he’s at his weakest.

KAEYA:

Kaeya tries to hide his cold at first. He doesn't want to make you worry too much. After all, he's not the type to get so sick easily anyway. T'was the cursed downpour of rain on that particular Wednesday night after his evening classes to blame for all of this. When you're around him, he clears his throat every time he has the urge to cough, He tries to sneeze as quietly as possible so you wouldn't hear, and he takes his daily medicine for colds behind your back. It wasn't til you accidentally hear his loud coughs whilst he was on his phone when you realized that he had a cold for the past few days now. You were a bit sad at first because Kaeya shouldn't have hid this from you, and yet, you quickly understood when he told you why. Since then, you've been taking care of him. He would lie on your lap as you apply a fever patch on his forehead, massaging his temples, as he coos adoringly at your gestures of affection. In fact, he loved the special treatment that he was getting from you  so much, that even if he was getting better, he still asked if you could rub his temples to ease the pain he's been feeling from his common colds. Although it is very clear that he's already free of his illness, you chose to play along with him. and so from then on, giving Kaeya a loving massage became a part of your daily routine, and he was loving every minute of it.

ZHONGLI:

As a herb and tea enthusiast, Zhongli is able to keep a healthy mind and body. Chamomile tea before the two of you go to bed and a scented humidifier wafting around your house to rid of the germs. However, after eating something he had ordered for the both of you on Postmates and not knowing there was seafood in it, his mild allergies suddenly strike him with a severe cold. Zhongli hates this feeling. He hates not being able to get up, water the plants, read his books, or stroll around the city with you. He had no physical energy to do anything. He kept your house as clean and as influenza-free as possible. Yet here was, on your shared bed, speaking in a nasally but cute voice, a glass of orange juice on the bedside table, and tuned in to the Discovery Channel because it was the closest he could get to the wonderful world around him whilst he was sick. "I miss hearing your soothing voice." You say jokingly, drying a hot towel so you can pat and place it on Zhongli's forehead. "I'm afraid I can't do anything right now, my love. I'm sorry. A-Actually... my body feels hot. I think I need to take a  shower." Wearing a bathrobe or else he'd shiver and have his condition worsen, you help your boyfriend take a hot bath by washing his hair and help dry it right after. Zhongli wasn't the type of boyfriend to ask for these kinds of things, but it was such a sweet gesture. You gingerly wash his hair, spread shampoo around his auburn streaks and small upward curls, and massaging his head in the process. He hums in delight whilst you giggle at his utters of praise, leaving him once you're done with your deed. After a relaxing bath that had probably defeated the colds that was plaguing him, Zhongli is back on his feet the next day. Unfortunately, you were the next victim of this stupid flu and now, it was Zhongli's turn to take care of you and making sure you would get the love and treatment that you had given him.

XIAO:

Calling your boyfriend stubborn when he's sick is quite an understatement. As a very productive person, Xiao always sets a certain amount of things to do as his goal for the day. Going to the skate park, hanging out with you, playing sports, or playing video games were just many of the activities he would do in a span of a day. But, when he catches a cold after staying up too late (sleep is for the weak! According to the Vigilant Yaksha as the mad lad had stayed up till 7 AM) after getting too invested in playing Resident Evil Village, he comes down with a flu that same afternoon. And so, his usual routine of going to the skate park, hanging out with you, and playing video games were soon to be replaced with lounging in the bed, taking medicine, being reprimanded by (Y/N) for moving too much, and feeling like shit because he can't do anything at all. You will literally shoot daggers when you see your boyfriend dashing around because he's supposed to be in bed, getting all the rest he can get. You were very strict with him, simply because you had to. Xiao was very careless after all. You were cooking dinner that same night when Xiao comes up to you, resting his chin on your shoulder, wrapping his arms around your waist and whispering, "I can go to school with you tomorrow." "Xiao... no you won't. Go to back to bed. I'll bring you the Veggie Radish Soup there." You reply harshly, paying no attention to him at all. His tsundere tendencies were showing when you deliver the soup to him and he grumbles, "Y-you don't have to take care of me like this. It was my fault as to why I got sick in the first place. I can take care of myself, you know." You raise an eyebrow, giving him a knowing yet loving look. "I know that. But, I'm doing this because I love you. You're my freaking boyfriend for petesake! Why would I not care for you like this!?"

ೃ taglist: @mignonextte @inlovewithadeptusxiao @duhsies @qimiie @kozu-zumi @volleybloop​

[myherowritings]

PART 4. HOW THE RICH SUCK THEIR OWN DICKS

SUMMARY. Todoroki Shouto was a wealthy, young CEO who inherited his father’s enterprise. You were a barista at a local cafe who wouldn’t mind some extra cash. One day, Shouto came in during an early morning shift and tipped you such a large sum of money, you were certain it had to have been an accident. To your surprise and complete pleasure: It was not.

PAIRING. ceo!todoroki shouto x barista!reader

WORD COUNT. 2.9k

GENRE. ceo/barista au, fluff, eventual smut

WARNINGS. enji makes an appearance bleh, enji being classist, enji...ew, okay i swear most of the chapter is shouto and y/n being cute though 

A/N. ngl i have genshin brainrot real bad at the moment but i still have motivation for ceo!shouto and ceo!shouto only u.u there are only 7 parts to this series so we’re at the halfway mark already AHHH i hope u enjoy reading and lmk what u think!! :3 xx sof

SERIES MASTERLIST

© myherowritings — all rights reserved. reposting, modifying, copying, or translating of any kind is not allowed. do not read my writing as asmr. do not plagiarize.

Shouto’s day went from good to bad faster than it took to pull an espresso. 

It started off with a good morning text from you and having a brief, but pleasant, interaction at your work. Actually, the past few weeks have been going along a similar routine that he found himself settling into all too comfortably. You even upheld your promise of stealing him away one weekend to walk around the park, get food, and just have time to relax and be happy for once. 

Getting to be in your presence almost daily became so normalized in his life that even some of his employees heard about the cute barista with the best pastries. Yet, although he saw you often, he found himself wanting to talk to you more and more.

But for now, Shouto told himself to settle with starting the mornings off with you. They were the best mornings he’s had in a while and he didn’t want to sound ungrateful. 

Today, however, went sour fast after he heard his father was coming up to the top floor for a meeting with him. He didn’t find the idea of Enji visiting to be the most abhorrent thing, but the moment his father opened his mouth, Shouto quickly took that back. 

As expected, his father reminded him about the annual charity gala Todoroki Enterprises was expected to attend. Handfuls of galas ran through the year, but the once hosted by Naruhata Industries under the guise of raising money and awareness for the charities of choice.

In theory, a charity gala ball sounded humanitarian and a way for the upper class to give back, but in reality, most of the funds collected didn’t go to the actual charities, instead they went to paying for the venue, live bands, entertainment, the most expensive catering, decorations, and more. What presented itself as a charitable event in the eyes of the public was really a way rich people could flaunt their wealth and feel good about themselves for doing absolutely nothing to benefit society. A way for the rich to suck their own dicks, if you would. 

Shouto absolutely hated it. 

It was also a press opportunity and, in his father’s eyes, a way to gain public favor for the Todoroki business. Today, Enji attempted to tell him that bringing a date that fit the mold of high society was the best way for him to establish rapport through media coverage. Apparently, the image news outlets have placed on Shouto were either a heartbreaker and playboy with no care for other’s emotions, or a monotonous stoic who seemed like a robot with no care for other’s emotions.

In either cases, there seemed to be a theme of Shouto not caring for others. 

He sighed. 

“You can’t keep that image, Shouto,” said Enji with his arms folded across his chest. “If the media sees you with someone—a nice girl with a good upbringing—then your likeability will increase tenfold. If there’s no one you like, I’ll have to set up a date for you.”

For a while, he was torn between telling his dad to fuck off and trying to do as he said to keep peace within the family. But then, an image of you popped into his head.

“Actually, there is someone I like.” 

Enji narrowed his eyes. “Oh? An educated girl with wealthy parents?”

“There’s someone I like,” he simply repeated, the tone in his voice growing cold. 

He didn’t know anything about your upbringing or family nor did he exactly care. Shouto didn’t want to bring a date to the dumb gala, but if he had to, he would want it to be you. Only if you agreed, of course. But if you weren’t willing, then he had to face the facts that his father would most likely force a date of his own choosing upon Shouto. 

“That’s good you like someone, son,” Enji said through his teeth, “but we have to make sure it’s not some sort of...loose woman. That’d be even worse publicity—”

“I like someone and if you really cared about my happiness like you said you did, that’d be enough.”

There was a tense silence in the air. Shouto didn’t have enough fingers to count the number of times Enji had told him and his siblings that he would try to be a better dad. A caring dad who only wanted what was best for his children. A better husband for Rei. A better example for the public. The first few times, Shouto believed it. But Enji said the same things over and over again with no lasting change and Shouto was just fed up. 

After hearing the same lie told to him over and over again, it seemed to lose its weight. He seemed to lose his hope in his father ever changing.

Still, Shouto had to deal with him for as long as he lived. That much he knew as a son living in this society. 

But he hoped Enji at least had enough guilt to let him have this.

“Fine.”

Shouto blinked in surprise. 

Enji stated, “If you think your date can help your public image and not be a complete embarrassment to the business, you can bring them.”

That was the closest thing to approval Shouto would get today. He nodded and listened along to whatever else his father had to say, the only thing actually on his mind was thinking about how he would ask you out on a date to some stuffy gala. And hope that you’d say yes.

— ✩ —

“Wait, so, let me get this straight— You’re the CEO of Todoroki Enterprises and even after almost two months of knowing you, I had no clue?”

He inclined his head, looking solemn. “Yes, I’m sorry. Are you upset with me for not telling you sooner?” 

Initial shock aside, you couldn’t say that you were too surprised at the revelation. You knew Shouto was wealthy and probably in some high-up position in the business industry, but you never knew to what extent. A CEO? That had to be the highest rank in a company! And a company as well known as Todoroki Enterprises? 

The thought made you a little nervous. The guy you slowly befriended over the course of short cafe visits and silly texts was Mr. Todoroki? Or worse— The guy you stole away from doing work for a whole weekend was someone as busy as a CEO? You internally groaned. That had to be against laws of the universe or something. 

“I’m not upset, no,” you said with a shake of your head. “I just...can’t believe it I guess.” Eyes widening, you were quick to amend your words. “Well, I can believe it. You seem very intelligent and well-put together and, uh, rich! But I guess I just didn’t think a CEO would be so funny and kind.” You winced. “Oh no, is that mean to say?”

“I don’t think it’s mean.” He shrugged. “You’re right to say most people in this field aren’t known for their delightful temperaments.” 

You absentmindedly drummed your finger against your thigh, trying to process this new information. “So you’re Todoroki Shouto...and you want me to be your date to the Naruhata Charity Ball?” 

“Yeah. I know it’s a huge favor to ask, and I promise you can say no if you choose,” said Shouto in earnest. “I don’t want you to feel obligated to agree.” 

With a hum, you stretched your legs out under the table before crossing one over the other again. It was a Saturday afternoon where you had no work and Shouto managed to escape from his for a few hours of the day. You took him to your favorite ice cream place nearby and the two of you ate at a dining area outside the establishment. 

Just a mundane day as two friends hanging out with each other where you found out one of those friends was the chief executive officer of a billion dollar business headquartered in Japan. 

Totally normal, everyday occurrences, obviously. 

“And you need a date for this event?” you asked. In all honesty, you would be more than happy if Shouto asked you out on a date. He was fun and you enjoyed getting to know him. But these particular circumstances made you a tad bit more nervous.

“I normally wouldn’t need to bring one, but my father insists it’d help my public image and in turn the image of the company.” With a pinched look on his face, he took a bite of his ice cream. “In other words I bring a date or he picks one for me.” 

You weren’t the most caught up on super rich people drama, but it was almost infamous how estranged the Todoroki family was. Again, you didn’t know much but you did know enough to say that Todoroki Enji seemed like a Class A asshole. If you could help Shouto out with his weird dilemma, you saw no reason not to. 

“So this charita gala is like where they have those live auctions and silent auctions and get tipsy on fancy wine and champagne for hours right?”

He tilted his head to the side. “Yeah. Have you attended one?” 

“Not quite,” you said with a sheepish smile. “I’ve volunteered at one in school though. As one of those runners? It was fun. I got a bunch of those tiny complimentary candies!” Your mouth watered at the memory. “What kind of drug were in those candies? I’ve never had candy so good before!”

“The tiny, circular candies with the excessively big wrapper? The fruity ones?”

You shot up in your seat, excited he knew what you were talking about. “Yes! That’s the one!” 

The corners of his mouth quirked upwards. “I always see those at these types of events.”

“So… The candy will be there at the gala you want me to accompany you to?” 

“Most likely.”

“Can I take a bunch of those from candies there…?” you asked with an optimistic grin.

“I’ll be your accomplice in sneaking them out.”

“It’s a date!” you said before Shouto could get another word out. 

You’d be reunited with those yummy, fancy candies you’ve been separated from for far too long. What other reason did you need to agree? 

With a determined look on your face, you held your hand out for Shouto to shake to seal the deal. 

He blinked. “Wait. Did you want to discuss it some more? Maybe have a few days to think it through? I’m grateful, of course, but I don’t want you regretting anything.”

“No. I won’t regret it. I’d do anything to taste those candies again.”

Shouto looked unsure what to say. “Isn’t there some parable warning people not to be bribed by candy?”

“Not to take candy from a baby?”

“No. Not that one.”

“That’s the only one I know.”

“Never mind then.” 

The two of you exchanged confused looks before letting out fits of laughter. You weren’t sure if either of you knew exactly what the other was laughing at, but the moment was an enjoyable one nonetheless. 

“Yet another reason to bring me to that fancy event— I’ll make sure you’re entertained all the way through,” you playfully bragged, smoothing down the front of your shirt. 

“The event will definitely be more bearable with you there.” He licked a small bit of his ice cream from his pink spoon, making a sound of approval. “But you can change your mind about coming at any time, Y/N.”

“I won’t,” you said, holding a pinky out. “Pinky promise.”

With what seemed like a bashful expression on his face, Shouto extended his own pinky to interlock yours. You sealed it with a kiss and a heart, like you were a kid again. 

“Now, am I supposed to be in love with you at the gala?” you asked nonchalantly, finishing off your last bite of ice cream. He offered you a spoonful of his and you tried not to grow too flustered at Shouto feeding you his dessert. You murmured a quiet, “Thanks.”

He gave you a small smile. “You’re welcome. As for being in love… I don’t think that’s necessary. Just pretend you like being around me, I think.”

Under the table, you nudged his shoe with yours, pulling a face. “I don’t have to pretend about that, silly.” 

“Ah, well,” he paused, offering you another spoonful of ice cream, “I don’t either.”

“I’m glad.” Then, “Is this strawberry? I was never a big strawberry ice cream fan but for some reason this tastes so good.” 

You ignored the nagging voice in your head that said maybe it wasn’t so much the ice cream flavor but who you were enjoying it with. 

The two of you finished his dessert in peace and after cleaning up the area with a napkin, Shouto turned to you with an intent look on his face.

“Before the gala, would you mind if I talk you shopping so you could pick out what to wear?” he asked. “I would pay of course— It’s the least I could do to say thank you.”

You shook your head. “You don’t have to thank me! You’re my friend and I want to help.” You thought about it for a moment. “And get the candy.”

“Anything for the candy.”

“Exactly,” you said in complete seriousness. “But I wouldn’t mind going shopping with you. You could help me decide what to wear! I’m not exactly sure how to dress for an event as fancy as this.”

“You could wear anything to the event and still look amazing.” His words were ones of flattery but his tone sounded completely genuine. 

Heat rose to your cheeks at the compliment. “Look who’s talking— You’re practically runway ready no matter what time of day.”

“I’ve never walked a runway before.”

You stifled a laugh at his literal interpretation of your words. Cute. “Me neither.”

He looked confused at why you were grinning, but it still brought a smile to his own lips.

By now the sun had begun to set and Shouto was walking you to the train to see you off before you went home.

“Can I pick you up next weekend in the morning?” he said. “So we can get your outfit for the gala?”

“Sure! I’ll text you my address.” 

He nodded in contentment. “And again, you don’t have to worry about any costs.”

“Is this why my friends have called you a sugar daddy?” you teased, bumping your shoulder against his as you walked down the street, side-by-side. “But thank you. Shopping will be fun— We can even match colors!” 

“Mn.” He looked between the both of you, as if trying to picture what colors would complement each other. 

You crossed the sidewalk in a comfortable silence, enjoying the scenery by Shouto’s side. A few times, you even felt his knuckles brush against yours and you had the undeniable urge to hold his hand. Would that be weird? you asked yourself before deciding against it. 

Just because he asked you to be his date for the Naruhata Charity Ball didn’t mean he actually liked you, right? It was just a favor from a friend to a friend.

Something about that though made your stomach unsettled. Maybe part of you wanted it to be a real date— Wanted this to be a real date. 

“So I won’t be seeing you tomorrow,” you said after a moment’s silence, trying not to look too dejected. 

You knew he’d still text good morning and good night and ask you random things throughout the day (all of which you found really endearing, by the way), but it was still different from seeing him in person. Even though your time together in the morning was small, they still were enough to make your day. The thought of your waking hours being so entwined made you nervous, but for some reason it didn’t bother you as much as you thought it would. In fact, it was sort of...nice. 

“I’ll see you Monday morning, right?” you asked hopefully, though you were already fairly certain of the answer.

Shouto nodded. “Of course. It’s already marked on my calendar.”

“Ever the flatterer, hmm?” 

“Not flattery, just the truth.” He pulled his phone out and showed you his (rather packed) calendar app. To your surprise, a little reminder that said ‘See Y/N :)’ was marked on his Monday schedule. 

Unable to stop the beam from spreading across your lips, you hid your face in your hands. Gosh— Did he have to be so cute? He was making it harder and harder to only like him as a friend. And even now, you weren’t sure if you liked him only as a friend.

But you pushed those thoughts away.

That was something to deal with at a later time.

When you reached the train station you normally took home, you turned to Shouto, giving him a big hug. He was tall and warm. You could feel his lean muscles through his button-down shirt as you rested your head against his chest and arms around his waist. 

“Thanks for today,” you mumbled. “I’ll see you again soon.”

After a pause, he gave you a hug back, hands rubbing hesitant circles on your back in a way that made you smile. “Text me when you get home safe,” he said as you both reluctantly released each other from an embrace.

“I will,” you promised. “You do the same! Later, Shouto!” 

And with that, you waved goodbye and boarded the train, unable to shake the unwavering grin on your face all the way home.

a/n: when shouto started feeding y/n spoonfuls of his ice cream i cried (Ｔ▽Ｔ) that’s so cUTE OF HIM LIKE PLS SIR STOP BEFORE I FALL MORE IN LOVE WITH U !! >:O he’s such a sweetheart ahhhh,, i hope all the fluff made up for the brief appearance of endeavor ಠ╭╮ಠ  FHDJKF 

what to expect in the next part:

shopping for the gala time !! 

y/n struggles with their fEeLiNGs~ part 2

oh my, y/n has to try on dresses? oh my, it’d be a shame if they needed help putting it on :o *fake gasp* 

yeah things get just a lil steamy but shh

[purrincess-chat]

Hi, same anon about the outline ask. I'm writing fanfic but it's an au so there's a lot of setting up I have to do before I get into the "fun stuff". I'm 20k in and I'm starting to feel like either I'm going too slow with how everything is happening or I'm not making sense as to what's going on. I WANT to write this story but I find myself thinking I'm not able to do it.

Going to assume this is also you.

I’ve compiled a few tips that might help you, but to avoid making this post any longer than it already is going to be, I’m going to just lightly touch on all of these, so if any of them seem helpful, let me know, and I can go into more detail. 

I’ve done a few AUs in my day, and even started to set up some bigger, more involved AUs (think pirates, fantasy, etc), but I ended up scrapping the more involved ones as fanfic because I felt they were too original, and I decided to just turn them into original stories with original characters instead. SO, I’m going to approach this from that standpoint because if you have this massive AU that diverges from the canon source material A LOT, then you’re basically writing something original with established characters. Since you’re writing fanfic, I’m going to skip talking about things like characterization and how to establish characters because theoretically, anyone reading your story is going to already be familiar with the characters. (I call this the fanfic shortcut)

That being said, in my first reply I talked about plot structure because even as a pantser, you need to have certain landmark points in your story to keep it moving and give yourself something to work towards. There are several other plot beats that I left out that you can read about here if you’re so inclined. You don’t necessarily have to plan out each of these beats since a big part of pantsing is not doing that, and I will say that fanfiction is pretty forgiving. People will read 200k of their blorbos running around like idiots and love every minute of it, so don’t feel like you have to come out here and write a masterpiece, which brings me to my first point:

1. Just do it. Have you ever heard of the shitty pot analogy? It’s one of my favorites that I’ve seen, and it has really helped me on my writing journey. Basically, there is a pottery class, and the teacher divides the students into two groups. Group 1 has the entire semester to make 1 pot, the perfect pot, all of their time is going to be devoted to this one pot. Group 2 can make as many shitty pots as they want and submit their best one at the end. At the end of the semester, people in Group 2 actually submitted better pots than Group 1. The moral of the story? You get better at things by practicing and doing it shittily. Especially because you’re writing fanfic, who cares if your prose isn’t perfect or if you miss some commas, or if your story is just 200k words of your blorbos building up the courage to hold hands. So make your shitty pot. You’ll learn a lot in the process, and the next pot that you make will be better. Accept that your story isn’t going to be perfect and just write whatever the hell you want. 

2. Read. No seriously. This is a legit writing tip. If you want to write a particular genre or type of story, you should absolutely read other people’s stories that accomplish what you are trying to do. That doesn’t mean copy other people’s work, but learning to read through a writer’s lens will help you improve your own craft. How does this person world build? What do they do successfully? What areas need work? What would I do differently?  How do they structure their plot? This sounds like you’re nitpicking their work, but the objective isn’t to critique someone else and determine if they’re good or bad. You’re studying and learning. If no one else out there has a story like yours in your fandom, branch out to other fandoms, or look for an actual published book that has a similar type of world/topic. Seeing how a story like yours is told successfully can help pull you out of places you are stuck. 

3. Build as you go. A big, big mistake I see people make in original works or AUs or even in fanfic in general is a thing called info-dumping. Info-dumping is exactly what it sounds like. You’re dumping all of this worldbuilding and information during the exposition portion of the story, and let me be the first to tell you: Your readers are bored. You’ll probably hear this a lot in writer spaces but it’s the age old debate of show vs tell. Info-dumping is very tell-y. Instead of setting up every little detail about your world and AU, put that shit into a food processor, and sprinkle it throughout your story instead. Let your readers explore the world with your characters and only bring up information as it becomes relevant. Find ways to integrate the information into the story naturally. 

Going back to the Hunger Games as an example, Suzanne Collins doesn't just tell us the Katniss is a skilled archer. She shows her going hunting and bringing back things that she killed with her skills. We aren't just told that her family is poor, we're shown by the sheer fact that she has to hunt for their food to survive. Find ways to show the information to the reader rather than just telling them that things are the way they are.

Also, be mindful of what information your readers actually need to understand the story. It’s unlikely that they need to know what type of money they use in your world or the detailed innerworkings of the political system (unless those things are extremely relevant to your plot). Think about what information your characters would know and what is relevant to them in the moment. I mean, how often do you walk around thinking about how the grass grows? Probably never unless you’re in a botany class or something. You shouldn’t reveal all of your world at once. Pick the few things that are absolutely necessary in the beginning, then sprinkle the rest throughout. It will be more rewarding and more interesting for the reader to be able to slowly explore the setting than if you dump it all on them at once. Let them sip it like a fine wine. 

4. Approach writing as if you were a reader. That sounds confusing, let me explain. The point of writing a story is for it to be read, correct? Oftentimes, we tend to separate the writer from the reader in ourselves. When you pick up a story or a book to read, you are usually doing so to be entertained. So, when you’re writing or editing, put on your reader glasses for a minute and ask yourself, if this was someone else’s story, how would I be feeling right now? Would I be bored? Would this make sense? Sometimes as writers we miss little things because we know exactly how the world works, so we may gloss over something because to us who created this world, it’s obvious, but to a reader it may be confusing. Asking yourself if you’ve sufficiently tied certain points together or explained things from a reader’s standpoint can be helpful. So, yes, branching off of a previous point. You should read other people's works as a writer (if you're specifically trying to learn and get better), and you should read back over your own work as a reader. Not all the time. Just every now and then to make sure everything still makes sense.

5. Find a beta. If you’re struggling to identify bits in your writing that don’t make sense, then it’s time for someone else to look at it. All great writers have betas. It’s just a fact. Every published novel you’ve ever read has had multiple eyes on it long before it ever hit the shelves. Writing is not as much of an individual thing as people might think. A lot of writers are part of a team because as the writer, it’s easy to miss things because you know everything. Having someone else that isn’t in your head that can tell you things like, this doesn’t make sense, this part is slow, I don’t think you explained this well enough, etc. is so helpful.

My beta usually picks up on things I never even thought about or points out things I completely missed. Betas can be hard to find, well, good betas that you work well with. Just as a word of caution, some people in fandom will say they are betas, but they may not work well for you. I’ve had betas give me straight up wrong or unhelpful advice in the past. Always know that at the end of the day, you are the one that gets to decide if their advice applies or is actually helpful. And once you do find a beta that works well for you, your writing will improve. Oftentimes now, I can usually pick up on things my betas have pointed out before while I’m writing, and I can correct them before I even send the piece off. Betas have a good way of opening our eyes to mistakes or habits that we have that we aren’t even aware of. 

Betas are also helpful if you get stuck. Lord knows I talk @avrilmaria​ to death in DMs about all of the ideas I have swimming around in my head. Sometimes when I get stuck, I can explain everything that I have to her, and either she can offer me suggestions that help get the creative juices flowing (even if I don’t end up using her suggestions, sometimes you need to think through why some ideas won’t work in order to find the one that does), and also, sometimes as I’m typing it out, I think of the solution in the moment. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been like, “Hey, I’m trying to figure out the ending to this part,” and then I start explaining what I’m considering and end up coming up with the solution as I’m typing it. Then my beta is like... What are you stuck on? You literally just told me what needs to happen. 

6. Identify the areas that are tripping you up. Pinpoint what exactly you’re stuck on. Is it worldbuilding? Is it characterization? Is it plot points? Is it lack of conflict? Is it just not knowing how to connect two points of the story? Knowing exactly where you’re stuck can help you find a solution to a specific problem.

If it’s characterization, go back to the source material. If it’s worldbuilding, maybe sit down and explore your world more and create an outline of important things you want to remember and explore. If plot is tripping you up, check out the beat sheet I included above and consider ways you can fix the structure of your plot to flow better. If you’ve written yourself into a corner that you don’t know how to get out of, back the truck up and try to figure out why this direction isn’t working. Scrap it if you need to. Keep in mind where you want your story to end and what your characters need to do to get there.

Again, fanfic is especially forgiving of this. You can run off on random tangents just for the hell of it, and so long as the blorbos are doing things, people will generally be okay with it, even if it doesn’t add to the plot or detours from a proper story structure. Seriously, fanfic is just here for a good time. 

7. Find some writer friends. This is so, so important! Writer friends will be able to help you so much because they will understand exactly what you are going through, and can usually offer encouragement, tips, and advice. If you don’t know how to make writer friends, I suggest joining discord servers for your fandoms, participate in events or zines or Big Bangs or whatever you can do to get yourself around other writers. Ask for advice. Exchange ideas. Hang out and talk about your favorite blorbos. Having other writers in your circle will be beneficial for everyone involved. We grow by supporting and helping each other. 

8. You need to plan at least a little bit. I know you don't like planning, but especially if you are getting stuck, having some concrete plans can help you. From what you described, if you change your mind a lot, that can contribute to why you are getting stuck. I know it seems like plotting will mess up your writing process, but as someone who used to be a pantser until I learned how to outline effectively, it really is game changing (for me). You might feel like you're taking a step backward, but once you figure out a way that works for you, you'll develop an even better writing method that prevents all of these stumbling blocks you're facing.

I used to do the same thing you did. I'd have a general idea for a story and maybe get a few chapters out, but eventually I'd hit a wall because I suddenly ran out of ideas and ways to keep going, or I'd write myself into a corner I didn't know how to get out of. Learning how to outline in a way that works for me completely changed all of that. My writing sessions go so smoothly now, I'm hardly ever stuck during the writing phase because I spent a lot of time on the planning phase. You don't have to be a meticulous planner and plan every single plot beat to a T, but even having a barebones outline can help you tremendously when you get stuck. Even during my pantsing days, I would do at least a barebones outline and write a single sentence for each chapter of what the most important events of the chapter were. But there is a reason I'm so pro outlines now because they have completely changed the game for me and eliminated writers block almost entirely.

To touch specifically on your situation, if you want to get into the action, just get into the action. As I said, you can worldbuild as you go, and I can tell you especially if you’re writing fanfic, people probably care less about the setup of your AU as they do about the characters they clicked to read about. Fanfiction readers are very character focused as far as what stories people are going to read. If your story follows two randos that appeared in the background of an episode, people probably aren’t going to read it no matter how interesting the plot is. That’s just the truth of fanfiction. 

People want to read about their favorites getting snowed in or having a meet cute at a coffeeshop or getting married or checking into a hotel to find out there’s only one bed or becoming roommates. It’s the wild west out there, and the world is your oyster. You’d be surprised how much readers can pick up on and how many blanks they can fill in themselves. Or what blanks they’ll even notice or care about. If they have questions, they'll ask in the comments. And most fanfic readers (unless they just have some ego they need to stroke) will be perfectly polite if you tell them you're still learning or trying to figure stuff out. Fanfic readers have seen it all, the good, the bad, the really bad. They know what they signed up for.

Don’t beat yourself up over your story. Writing fanfic should be fun, so don’t stress. Just cut to the fun stuff. Make a shitty pot. Have a good time. You’ll learn more about storytelling and your own writing when you look back on the finished product. Authors that write multiple books tend to improve more than those that take 20 years to write one single book.

If that AU is too daunting right now, write something else. Something shorter, something different, something more fun. Then go back to it. You’ll also build up a readership. Fanfic readers care less about quality (to an extent) and more about volume. The more works you put out, the more people will see your name and be intrigued to read. People will get familiar with your style and be more inclined to come back. Building a readership takes time, so don’t be discouraged if your early works don’t net as much attention as someone who’s been writing in the fandom for 4 years. And don’t let it inflate your ego if your first fic gets a lot of attention. Take it from someone whose most popular story has over 200k hits, but whose most recent story has less than 1000 hits. Wild, wild west, babe. 

I will leave you with a pep talk by one of my favorite Authortubers that I have personally learned a lot from. I recommend checking her and other authors out on Youtube, they are literally out here giving writing advice for free. Hopefully this all made sense to you. Again, if you have any more questions or want me to talk more specifically about any of these topics or if you have any other more specific questions about something I didn’t cover, hit me up again! Good luck!

[whosscruffylooking]

The Purest Things-First Day Jitters (Aaron Hotchner x Female Reader)

Word Count: 2k

Warnings: None.

A/N: There will be a Part 2 to this piece based on S3E10 in order to give some groundwork to the dynamics amongst the team once the reader joins them. Enjoy reading! I had so much fun making this piece. 

The Purest Things Masterlist

au! october 2007

"Criminal profiling is more of an art than a science. Modeling a criminal profile demands the precise marrying of psychological and rational instincts with the crime scene's particulars. What steps would you take in the process of analyzing a suspect to form a solid profile," the stoic BAU Section Cheif asks.

"First, I would want to accumulate all attainable information about the crime to help explain the "how" and "why" of the offense," you counter.

"What kind of information?"

"I'd want to acquire knowledge on the victim to examine the victimology. For example, I'd determine the victim's career and place of employment, friends, family, social status, criminal records, and daily routines and habits. Then, I can look at the connection between the victim and the unidentified subject. Did they know each other, or are they strangers? Why was the victim targeted, and was it them specifically, or are they just one quarry in a tangled web of attacks?"

You look for some signal in Cheif Strauss's attitude as to whether or not you should continue. 

Let’s ramp this up a notch. 

Taking the liberty of doing so regardless, you continue.

"Then, I want to know more about the attacker. I want to classify him...or her, as well as the offense. Why did it take place at a specific location? What is the motive? Is the suspect an amateur or a professional? This collection of data helps to assemble a proper crime assessment. I can now paint the picture of what happened before, during, and after the attack. Next, I can start to hypothesize and formulate a complete profile; I can deduce the kind of person we are dealing with. This assessment includes the age range, social status, what type of career he or she may hold, their I.Q., anything that describes the attacker. Now, I can give the profile to investigators and work to capture the assailant. The profile not only helps track him down but also helps refine the interrogation process."

Pausing the video recording, David sets the remote on the table.

"Academically, she's perfect for the job, Aaron. But will she fit in with the team? She seems too well trained, too straight from the textbook."

"That's why I wanted you to see this next part."

They both watch you in expectation.

"If I may Section Chief Strauss...as much as academic training benefits a student in laying the foundations for their selected career field, all of the studying and laboring over perfect grades becomes virtually obsolete once on the job. Instead, implementing the mechanics and learning through experience, trial, and error is far more beneficial. Executing what you've learned in the real world and refining your expertise in the field is the only way to accurately reveal whether or not you are capable of doing your job."

Rossi snickers at your straightforwardness. Aaron crosses his arms, struggling to fight back the urge to smile.

"Care to expound on that?" Strauss proposes.

"You don't trust the current...organization within the BAU. You feel as though Unit Cheif Hotchner and his team pose a threat to the unit. However, I think you put more emphasis on the chain of command. Specifically, you don't trust Agent Hotchner. In the entirety of this vetting process, you have continually undermined the Unit Chief's role in selecting a new agent. He has not been included in any of our telephone calls. Never once have you cc'd him on our emails. Nor has he been invited to sit in on our in-person interviews. I think the only time I've set eyes on him was in the lobby. He seemed to be completely unaware of my presence and purpose here. I'm sure that were I to be hired TodayToday, I could walk right into his office, and he would be blindsided entirely by my arrival and position on the team. Now, if I am to be apart of this renowned group of individuals, I want to know that I will be a part of it. I do not intend to be an outsider in my field or a pawn for higher-ups' ulterior motives. So, with all due respect Cheif Strauss, I would like to withdraw my application. If any of the aspects that I have touched on prove true and impact my role within this unit, I have no interest in undermining an established team that has no place for me."

Rossi claps Aaron on the shoulder, "She'll do just fine."

**********

You step inside the lobby of the FBI Academy. Although the sight is not new to you after your intense vetting process, it now takes on a new meaning. You have a new purpose. Processing your surroundings, you regard the entryway's clean efficiency. Considering the darkness that looms over this bureau, the lobby is welcoming all the same. 

So this is what my tax dollars have been paying for.

Noticing that an elevator has arrived, you call out to the person inside one of the many lifts. They hold it open for you. The sound of your clipping heels progresses as you run across the glossy tile floor. High heels may not seem like the most logical choice for your first day of work in the FBI, but when wearing them, you feel elevated. As if the world is your stage and you are the ballerina dazzling the crowd in her pointe shoes. Sure, they are uncomfortable at times, but wearing them can almost be considered a superpower. A quintessential accessory of the iconic femme fatale.

The woman in the elevator gasps as you climb on board, startling slightly.

"Are those Jimmy Choos?" She squeals.

You laugh and shake your head, peering down at the patent leather footwear, "No. I wish, though! They're just some old Steve Madden's I got on the clearance racks." Seeing her shoes, you imitate her enthusiasm, "Those are unique! I've never seen a green...quite that color on shoes before."

Chuckling, she thanks you, "Shoes are one of the many ways I express myself. I'm pretty sure at this point I have a pair of shoes in every color for every mood. Today I was feeling a little envious, so I chose this lime green."

"Envious?" You ask.

"There is a Doctor Who convention going on this weekend, and I have meet and greet tickets for the entire cast, but I've been called in on a case. Meanwhile, three of my friends from counterterrorism are on their way to meet David Tennant as we speak. So yes, I am envious."

"Oh my gosh, I heard about that! Catherin Tate is going to be there too. God, what I would give to meet Donna Nobel in the flesh."

"You watch Doctor Who?" Her eyes widen.

You shrug my shoulders, "I'm a bit of a self-proclaimed Whovian."

Shoving her bags underneath her shoulders to free her hands, she stretches them to you, "Penelope Garcia. We are going to be the best of friends."

Taking her hand in yours, you introduce yourself, "I'm Y/F/N/ Y/L/N. I look forward to having a best friend in the building. Today is my first day."

"Oh sweetie, you are going to do amazing," she looks up at the floor number as the elevator dings, "Well, this is my stop."

Stepping off alongside her, you notice her slight surprise. "Mine too," you announce proudly.

"Wait," she whispers, holding a hand up to your face in a stopping motion, "Today is your first day. Oh! Are you the newbie?"

"Today is my first day as a profiler at the BAU, yes."

Stomping her feet repeatedly, she cheers, "Oh, this day keeps getting better! My darling, you will fit in just fine. Now come with me. There's another fellow Whovian I'd like for you to meet."

Following her through the enormous glass doors and into the department, you can't help but feel slightly overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle. "Welcome to the bullpen," she turns around, beaming, "Oh! Spencer, come hither, the new girl is here!"

The young man spins around in his chair and raises his eyebrows, giving you a once-over; he strolls across the office to meet you. You can't tell if he is too tall or too thin. Perhaps, his head is just considerably big for his body, or his lengthy hair gives that illusion. When he nods at you, holding his hand out to greet you, he looks slightly like a little bobble-head doll.

"Dr. Spencer Reid at your service!" He melodically sings.

Nerdy pipe cleaner. I like him.

"It's a pleasure, Dr. Reid. I'm Y/F/N Y/L/N."

"I read you got a full ride through college and graduated from Berkley with a semester completed at the University of Kent for Psychology of Criminal Justice, and you have a degree in Forensic Psychology."

You nod, impressed by his research—time to dazzle him with yours.

"And you, Dr. Reid, attended Caltech. You completed your undergraduate degree at 16, and you hold Bachelor's degrees in Psychology, Sociology, and Philosophy. Very impressive."

"You forgot PhDs in Mathematics, Chemistry, and Engineering," he adds.

You nod, "My apologies."

Breaking a tiny smile, he shifts his gaze to the floor as you notice the light tint of pink shading his cheeks. Unable to resist, you feel the heat rise to yours as well.

"Ah! You must be our newest recruit—Benvenuto nell'esperienza della tua vita," a gentle voice echoes from behind you.

Turning around, you see a familiar-looking, dapperly dressed older gentlemen gliding down the stairs to greet you.

"And you are Agent David Rossi. I attended one of your guest lectures at Berkley three years ago," you reach your hand out to meet his.

"Call me Dave, and you can thank me for inspiring your career choice later. Right now, we have a case. It looks like it'll be a first day via baptism by fire for you kiddo," he lifts his thick eyebrows and winks at you. David motions for you to follow his lead, and you eagerly journey behind him.  

In the conference room, you are met with the eager faces of four other new colleagues. The first to catch your eye is the herculean adonis, whose attention fixates on you. You watch as his eyes scour you top to bottom, taking your whole body in.

Four words. Sculpted by the gods. Where has he been all my life?

"Where have you been all my life?" The statuesque man purrs, running his thumb across his bottom lip.

Ha. Jinx. You can buy me a drink anytime.

"Hiding from men who lead an introduction with that," you strut over to shake his hand. A knot swirls in your stomach as your finger-tips touch, but you quickly dismiss it as mere infatuation.

Throwing his head back in laughter, he responds, "I like you already. Derek Morgan."

"It's nice to see you again," the bright, blue-eyed young woman you recognized as the media liaison smiles, "I'm Jennifer Jareau, but you can call me J.J." On the day of your first interview with Strauss, she offered you directions to the Section Chief's office.

Next, Agent Prentiss introduces herself. Her thick, raven-colored hair elegantly falls to her shoulders and encompasses her diamond-shaped face. There is a spirited as well as clever expression in her eyes.

Finally, Agent Hotchner stands up. You are taken aback by his astute and severe manner. He's taller than you recall, although you have only observed him from afar. Like most men, he seems to have become an automaton of the modern workplace, measured and valued just for his productivity and obedience. He is tense, most likely swallowing intense trauma and concealing it so he can get up each day and do the same tedious job again and again. Most men display these traits in the way they parent, becoming domineering companions, stacking decay over destruction until their home-life collapses. What remains is a mass of bitterness resentment.

Yet, he exhibits none of this. Beneath this rather tough exterior, you can discern that he is the kind of handsome that infiltrates your bones, that exudes an air of olden times before he's even said a word to you.

Tag List:

@chellybear98​ @destiny-tsukino​ @wanniiieeee​ @sweetiecake180 @vampiracontessa​ @weexinling​ @spaghetti-dad187 @hothskies​ @star-stuff-in-the-cosmos​ @mac99martin​ @clairedragonessbaker @cecemariee7302​ @halloweenwithreid @megans-txmblr​ @theoldestguard @purpledragonturtles​ @chazubagi​ @frogrrylovebot @agentaaronhotass​ @obsssedwithjustaboutanything @mcntsee @ssagube @softhetixx @kenzies-mr-j @peachyotps @cat11-2 @prettylittlemoonlight @ravenmoore14 @gubs-boobs @spencerreidsoulmate

[villainsandvictimsalliance]

Nowhere near as exciting as your ex-agent Dabi and Mafia family Tomura idea, but what about a bakery AU starring:

Kurogiri, as the owner who hires people shunned and maligned for their quirks to give them a sense of belonging and worth

Tenko, as the anxious, angry young man forced by his dad to find a job or be kicked out onto the street

Touya, as the lead baker with mysterious burn scars who teaches Tenko the trade while teasing/challenging him constantly

Toga, as the energetic pastry chef who loves her crushes, blood, and the art of food in that order

Spinner, as the barista who no longer hides his mutation quirk and is fiercely protective of his friends

Magne, as the manager who's more like a big sister to the staff than their supervisor

Twice, as the prep cook with a sad past but hopes for the future

Mustard, as the high school student working the counter part time and always coming up with "experiments" when no one's watching him

Atsuhiro Sako, as the supply salesman with a flair for the dramatic

Plus, Moonfish, Muscular, UA kids/teachers, and others appearing as customers

Basically, Tenko applies for a job as an assistant baker because 1. It's at night so he won't have to deal with people, 2. It doesn't require any previous experience, and 3. His dad threatened to kick him out of the house if he doesn't "stop wasting his life on video games and either get a job or go to school". He nervously shows up for the interview and is surprised at how kind both Kurogiri and Magne are to him despite his awkwardness, scars/skin, and his quirk. In this AU, people with quirks considered "potentially villainous" are closely monitored and treated as if they're destined to become criminals (a lot like the reactions to Shinsō's quirk). His father often brings up how Tenko accidentally killed the family dog when his quirk activated for the first time at the age of four or five. Years of mental and emotional abuse like this reinforces the idea that his son must have been born bad and any attempts at striving for something will end in failure.

To Tenko's pleasant surprise he gets hired. His first night on the job starts with Kurogiri teaching him how to mix dough and put it through a machine that turns it into bagels. (BTW, I work as a baker at a bagel shop, which is how this silly idea came about.) Tenko tells himself it's just like playing a video game, and quickly starts getting the hang of things.

Then he meets Touya, who's supposed to teach him the actual baking process. Tenko's immediately annoyed by Touya's attitude and teasing ("You Decay any of this equipment and it's coming out of your paycheck, mophead"). He throws himself into the task, determined to shut Touya up. And secretly, Touya's impressed by his show of determination and tackling something new. He hopes to himself that Tenko lasts unlike other people who fell by the wayside.

And Tenko does stay, getting to know the others who've come to form a sort of family at the bakery. He becomes close with Himiko and Shuichi in particular, empathizing with the isolation they endured and the harsh demands Toga's own parents put on her. These new friendships make putting up with Touya every night worth it.

Then Tenko overhears an angry phone conversation and realizes Touya's not all smooth confidence and devil may care attitude. That his home life may be just as messy and painful as his. Bit by bit, Tenko learns more about his coworker and opens up in turn, each seeing they have quite a bit in common. Rivalry turns to friendship (though it still has a healthy streak of competition). Over time, however, things between them start to shift yet again. The usual jokes ("Aw, did you burn your fingers? Want me to kiss them and make it better?") cause awkward silences and flustered backpedaling. The number of accidental hand touches and bumping into each other increases ten fold. Eventually, it gets to a point where they can't deny romantic feelings snuck up on them when they weren't looking.

Like I said, not exciting or action-packed. Most of the conflict would be about the characters dealing with unhealthy family relationships, overcoming the terrible things they were taught to believe about themselves, and society's crappy treatment of them, I think. And they'd fight both by sticking together and supporting one another rather than being forced to become villains. It'll take on a clearer shape as it's written.

Thanks for letting me ramble! I just wanted to share so maybe my mind will settle down and let me work on this.

LISTEN FIRST ANON, NEVER— AND I WANT TO MAKE THIS VERY CLEAR— UNDERESTIMATE YOUR ABILITY TO MAKE ME SCREAM LIKE A MAD MAN HAVING THE BEST DAY OF HIS LIFE.

Anon, please you need to write this. We all have different ideas, different approaches, different portrayals and points of view. THAT'S NOT BAD. In fact, that's the opposite of bad. That's why we get a great range of fanfics, that's why we can enjoy new things and cry with new genres or enjoy new content.

And I absolute adore whenever people bring their knowledge about something into an au. I could have never come with anything so well written or so complex because I have never worked in a bakery, but you have! You have the ingredients, you have the tools, and look at what lovely au you have created!

I'm obsessed with this. I'm obsessed with the softness of this. This is like a butterfly kiss on your cheek on a summer afternoon while you watch a lake reflect the sky.

I want to know more about this. I want you to tell me more about your fanfic ideas and even if you want, I can help you write this, but please, let others enjoy this as much as I enjoy it. Because it's so so so so good.

A lot of villains fans are looking for this type of comfort. Damn, it is a dream to see a bakery filled with people who are getting better and finally having a chance in life, becoming a family, finding love, fighting their abusers in their own ways.

You even gave them the specific jobs. I'm— 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺 this is so well thought. Really, please write this. Please.

[kojinnie]

Of Levi Ackerman!

Based on the request by an anon (whose ask I accidentally deleted), @weepinglevi​ and @thebubblybakery​​ for the 24/7 Writing Event from a loooong time ago.

Sorry for taking so long, hope you enjoy!

08.00 - Things he wished he could change about himself 11.00 - Their choice of music and their favorite musicians 20.00 - How do they sleep at night with you

.:24/7 Writing Event Masterlist:.

08.00 – things he wished he could change about himself

One of the best things about Levi is the fact that this is a person, who was born unfortunate, and had to overcome a lot of grievance in his life, yet still he managed to persevere and had his heart to the betterment of humanity with no ulterior motive. He had fought and lost a lot of things close to his heart for what he believed would bring them to ‘peace’, despite the fact that he was never acquainted with the idea of peace itself ever since he was born. Imagine how pure this man’s heart is by the fact that Levi could persevere that long for nothing but an obscure idea in his mind that he never had grasped before.

So, naturally, in order to keep fighting, Levi had come to the point where he had a lot of self-acceptance for himself. He had grown past the need to change himself, for he already understood that the energy he spent grieving for things he could not change, were energy wasted when he could use it to do better things for the humanity that he cared for. Sure, there were years in his life where he wished he wasn’t mocked for his height, or his uptight nature. But to be humanity’s strongest soldier, one has to have the utmost awareness of one’s strength and weakness, and Levi was very well aware of his qualities as much as he had embraced it. He knew where he lacked, so he could devise moves and strategies to patch the areas where he would be susceptible in. And that’s why he always excelled against someone like Zeke, because Levi accepts his flaws and learns not to ignore or deny it, but rather makes adjustment in form of strategic thinking and hard work to make up for it. Levi is far from being conceited, he knew the goal of his effort was not himself, but rather the world around him, so he’d learned to accept of who he was and who he will always be.

11.00 – their choice of music and their favorite musicians

We knew that Levi had dreamed of having his own tea shop once the war ends, but he also had the dream of building a warm, comfortable home he never had growing up. He’d always dreamed of a breezy home, with sun rays shining through large windows – something that was nothing but imagination for a man growing up in the underground.  And with the idea of a homely dwelling, also came the idea of melodious tunes that would seep throughout the room of his cottage-like house. Tunes that he’d listen to serenely, as he sips his self-brewed tea. He’d want something comforting. Music as sweet and as temperate as his tea.

In the modern!au, he would listen to classic jazz or big band jazz when he’s feeling upbeat, but overall it’d be old-timey songs that evoked a keen sense of nostalgia. If you visit him in his home, you’d be greeted with the likes of Nat King Cole, and Billie Holiday, or even older tunes from Bessie Smith, while Levi’s around and about in the house; cleaning, cooking, or working on a new project – the music would never stop playing. It would take a while for Levi to open his front door when you come visit, because he’d be so kept-up with his work and with the music playing all through the house.

Levi is definitely the type to have a particular song that he’d play every day at specific time of the day. He does not have a lot of expression, so he’d need some kind of output to display how he’s feeling, and he does it through the music that he listens to. When he wakes up feeling giddy, he’d put ‘Those Lazy, Hazy Days of Summer’ by Nat King Cole, and probably dance a little with his broomstick, but only strictly when no one is around except his cat to watch. Levi would also have a specific tuned he’d play when he’s cooking, mostly Bessie Smith’s songs. Levi would never sing it though, for he knows he’s not good at carrying tunes, he’d just hum, as he stirs the stew in the pot. If Levi had any song to play during intimate time with his significant other, he would definitely choose ‘I’m A Fool to Want You’ by Billie Holiday and ‘The Very Thought of You’ by Nat King Cole.

He’s the type of person who’d like to put his hands into good use – he brews his own tea, builds his own furniture, and plays music exclusively on turn-table’s vinyl. Not because he was pretentious (like Zeke), but he’d enjoy the process of it. He would have a closet dedicated to store all his vinyl collections that no one knew before. In fact, no one would ever guess that Levi’s big with music for he never talked about it. They’d just assume that this seemingly cold man finds music irritating, when actually his heart is full of tender melodies – he would just never utter it out, because music is his personal enjoyment, not his outward hobby and interest. In conclusion, Levi is alike to a cat, he might appear mean and cold, but inside he is awfully domestic.

Click here for the music: Those Hazy, Lazy, Crazy Days of Summer - Nat King Cole I'm A Fool To Want You - Billie Holiday The Very Thought of You - Nat King Cole

20.00 – how do they sleep at night with you?

This man is so meticulous about the arrangement of his sleep, especially when you’re in an established relationship, before you spend the night, he would want to know whether this is the type of sleep that’s meant for sleeping cause, or is this another alternative where one of you’d end up panting and coming. Whenever you inform him that you’re coming over, he’d be blunt and asked, “Should I prepare?” which by any means, he’s asking whether he’s gonna get laid or not. Answering no would be the answer he looks forward to most times, because you’re dealing with a very busy man with very little amount of sleep – he’d like to keep you around, to have your scent and warmth lingering around his bedroom for days on end, but not so much on having sex. Before you come over, he’d make sure to change the sheet, open new reed diffuser, and stock up your favorite snacks. He’d cook a little too, maybe small finger foods that you’d munch on as the two of you watch your favorite docuseries.

When the two of you sleep, most often you’d go to bed earlier than him, because he’d sleep very late at night and wake up very early as well. Sometimes it can feel lonesome when you’re about to drift off to sleep and he’s still not by your side, pacing around doing work or cleaning stuffs. You’d call out for him, and he’ll just hum acknowledging or yelling over from the other room, “You go sleep first.” Just when you’re about to fall deep into your slumber, you can hear him entering the room, and go on with his nightly ritual. He’d clean himself up in the en-suite bathroom, washing his feet (something he’d always do before climbing up to bed), brushing his teeth, moisturizing himself (because’ he’s got dry and flaky skin). He’s got this odd habit of re-ironing his pajamas before bed although they’re neatly hung already. He just likes to feel the warmth left by the iron slate, and the smell of Fabreeze on the garment he sleeps in.

He’d turn off his alarm when you’re sleeping over because he wakes up at dusk and he doesn’t want to ruin your sleep. He’d always sleep on the bed side by the window, and you’d already know not to roll over to his space. Levi likes to see you sleeping, hearing the soundly noise of your breath makes him feel at ease and it may be one of those few times in a day where he smiles. Standing by your bed side, he’d run his fingers through your hair and leave a small peck on your eyes and nose. You’d scrunch up your nose because sometimes his kiss tickles, and he’d chuckle. Once he finally decides to go to bed, he’d immediately glide his arms to wrap your waist and be the big spoon to keep you warm. He’d kiss your shoulder and keep his face there for a while, breathing to your neck. He’d draw a very deep exhale, as if he’s glad to retreat to your embrace after a hard day. When you mumble, “Go to sleep, Levi.” He’d hum and bury his face in your neck and hair as he mutters, “I love you.”

A/N: I’m sorry I had to skip the request for NSFW parts, I have been feeling very off with all things sexual and didn’t wanna force it. Sorry again :(

[spurious-result]

H, K, J, S & T from the fanfic meme! I'm greedy and love your writing, so eager to learn more about your process :3

Aaaa, that's very sweet of you! Thanks very much for the ask. ❤

H: How would you describe your writing style?

Oh, that's a tough one to answer! I think one of the major challenges of writing any type of fiction is figuring out how to get impressions and feelings across without being too "on the nose" about it - so I end up using a lot of imagery, and little snippets of past scenes, and sometimes stream-of-consciousness type passages to try and capture what I want to say. I like third-person limited POV for the most part, and I usually pick one particular character to stay with for the duration of the story.

K:  Do you have a guilty pleasures in fic (reading or writing)?

So many, lol! I'm a huge h/c junkie - so in the MGS fandom, I'm always a sucker for a good post-tanker fic. Or anything dealing with post-mission patching up... Reivalk's wonderful Red Collar Job hits absolutely all of my buttons, there. (Highly recommended!!)

First-time sex is also another surefire winner, for me. There are SO MANY ways you can go with that - and I love the awkwardness, and the trust issues it raises, and the whole dynamic you get between the characters. I could literally read 500 different takes on this for Snake/Otacon (or any pairing I've ever enjoyed, in any fandom) and be absolutely delighted with every single one.

J:  What’s your favorite fanfic trope?  Have you written it?

There are LOTS that I reliably enjoy. 😂 I'm pretty easy to please as a reader, honestly.

The ever-popular "OH NOES this deserted cabin has only one bed!" is one I haven't written, but am always thrilled to read.

"X character in jeopardy and needing to be rescued" makes me swoon. Some of the stuff I've written incorporates this a bit, but to date I've not done a fic centered around it. (Hmmm... musing. 👀)

Also a huge fan of showering or bathing together. All that delicious, naked vulnerability on display. The intimacy. The TRUST. *fans self* I... may have done variations on this more than once, in my own fics. 😳

S: How do you feel about fan art inspired by your writing?

It is literally the best thing ever. ❤ I am absolutely hopeless at any kind of visual art, so it's a huge thrill to get to see a representation of something I've written "in the flesh", as it were. For real, it's SO INCREDIBLY COOL to see, and I love it.

It also makes me really happy to know that someone else had *feelings* about something I wrote, so much that they felt inspired to create a piece of art based on it - I mean, how absolutely awesome is that?? That's what writing is about, more than anything else.

So, yeah. Basically, it makes my entire year anytime it happens.

T: Any fanfic tropes you can’t stand?

Ah... yes and no, I suppose! "Can't stand" is such a strong way to put it - there isn't much that I really hate with a fiery passion, but there are certainly some things that aren't my cup of tea.

I don't tend to read major character death, unless I'm in a very particular mood - I definitely don't mind angst, but I prefer my angst to have some bright spots and an ending that's not unremittingly bleak.

As a rule, I'm also not a huge fan of AUs that are wildly different from the source material - so, stuff like time travel, or high school/college AUs, or body swap fics. Etc., etc. That being said, I've certainly read a few AU fics that I liked very much, so a lot depends on the specific details of the set-up.

Honestly - if I'm familiar with the author's work and I know it will be well-written, I'll give almost anything a chance.