#and since Jon is the only one that can hold on to him/won't just let him go he has to be content with offering up cheers from the sideline

[justmymindandstuff]

Promise - Jon Snow x Y/N (Reader)

Summary: You are a Lady from House Tully and Catelyn Starks ward. But you love her husband bastard son Jon and he loves you. Your relationship is a secret, but you don't care. But then Jon makes the decision to go to the Wall.

Warnings: implied first time, fluff, forbidden love

Words: 2.876

Gif not mine

English is not my frist language, so forgive me for my mistakes; not proof read. 

You sit in the warm room and work on a handcraft. Sansa sits next to you and you both listen to the Septa's words. She explains something about housekeeping and numbers to you and Sansa, but you get bored and Sansa also prefers to concentrate on her stitches. Lady lies at your feet, her eyes are closed and she makes a quiet hum every now and then. Arya, fortunately for her, had hidden before the lesson with the Septa began. She's probably wandering around Winterfell or watching her brothers training with their swords. You are jealous of her.

"Septa, can you please tell us something about the Prince?" asks Sansa. Since Lord and Lady Stark shared with you that the royal party are one their way to visit Winterfell Sansa can only think about the golden Prince Joffrey.

"No, you have more important topics to learn my dear child." the Septa answers.

There's a knock on the door and Jon pokes his head in. Sansa rolls her eyes at the sight of her „Bastard-Brother“.

“Excuse me, Lady Stark sent me to get Lady Y/N.” You put your work aside and stand up.

"We will make up for the lesson." says the Septa.

"Of course." You say, but know you won't mind hearing such boring facts again. "Shall we go for a walk with Lady later?" Sansa asks. The Direwolf opens her eyes when she hears her name, but doesn´t move.

"Yes, I'll come straight to you after I've been to your mother." you answer. You are Catelyn Stark's ward, the daughter of a distant cousin of the Tullys. After your mother died giving birth to your brother and your father was called to Kingslanding by King Robert, Catelyn and her family let you in their house and raise you like you are one of them.

Jon closes the door behind you and smiles at you. You both walk through the corridors.

"Do you know what Catelyn wants?"

"Nothing. It was a lie. Do you really thought Catelyn will send me to get you?"

You laugh. "You can´t do things like that." you say but you smile. "It´s dangerous."

"Is it?" he asks, grabs your hips and press you gently against the next wall.

"Jon no." you giggle but then you grab his hand and kiss him, his grip at your hip tightens. Suddenly you hear steps, you and Jon jump apart and he takes two steps back.

"Because of you we will get caught." You say, Jon holds his arm to you, and you rake under it.

"You kissed me My Lady."

"I am sorry my Lord." Jons gaze is a bit sad now and he opens his mouth but you already know what he wants to say.

"I´m not a Lord.” You are faster than him and he smiles. “I know but I don´t care."

"Do you want to go for a ride?" he changes the topic. 

"Of course."

"Good, meet me at the gates." Jon presses a light kiss at your lips and walks down the floor. You take a deep breath to calm down your heartbeat. Everytime you see him you have the feeling that your heart jumps out of your chest and in your stomach fly butterflies. You are madly in love with this man and you have the luck that he loves you too. You know it´s dangerous. He is a bastard and you are a Lady. Your Love is forbidden but you don´t care.

You walk through Winterfell, your home, to the gates. Ghost comes to you and nudges his snout into your hand. Behind the gates waits Jon with two horses. You take the reins from him and get on the horse. Jon also gets on his horse and together you ride off into the forest. It´s a bit cold, but you don´t care. You just enjoy the time you spend with Jon.

Jon stops in a clearing. "Let's take a break." You look at him a little confused, you two usually ride for hours through the forests around Winterfell. And it's usually you who ends up barely getting off the horse because your legs are stiff and hurt. Jon gets of his horse and comes to you to help you, but you don´t need his help. You jump from the horseback and land bevor your Lover.

"Not really Ladylike."

"Shut up Snow." you laugh, and he takes your hand in his.

"Usually, your word is my command." he kisses your hand. "But today I have to talk to you."

You look at him worried. "Something happened?" you ask. Jon sighs, taking your hand in one hand and the reins in the other. Then he starts walking, Ghost runs next to you. You're still waiting for an answer. "I spoke to father today. After the king came to visit, he allowed me to go to the wall."

You stop, forcing Jon to stop too.

"What?"

"It has always been my dream to go to the wall."

"You want to put on the black? You want to leave me?" you can´t believe what you´re hearing.

"No! No Y/N of course I don't want to leave you. But father says the king wants him as his hand. There is no other reason why he should travel north otherwise. And then I can't stay here."

"Robb wouldn't send you away."

"Of course not. But you know what Catelyn thinks of me, when father is gone it will only get worse and besides, what else do I have other than the wall?"

Tears come to your eyes. "You have me. But that doesn't seem to be that important to you." you pull your hand away.

"No! Y/N please. Listen to me okay. Please let me explain."

"What do you want to explain? Why you are leaving me? I don´t want to hear it." You say angrily, you don't want him to leave you. "You said you loved me!"

"I love you."

"You don't leave the person you love."

Now tears come to Jon's eyes too. "What choice do I have?"

"You can stay here with me."

"And then? Continue to hide? Continue to meet in secret? Secret kisses and always being afraid of being caught? In the worst-case Catelyn catches us and she will demand my head."

"No she won't! I'll explain to her that we love each other."

"You know her, she will not listen to you."

"Is that what you care about? Is it fear? Do you not want to see me anymore? But please, don´t leave our home."

"I love you! I can't even spend a day away from you without it tearing me up inside." He pulls you towards him and presses his lips against yours. The kiss is full of passion and love and you cling to him like you'll never see him again. You break apart breathless. Jon rests his forehead against yours and looks deep into your eyes.

“Please believe me that I love you and that I don't want to leave you. But I'm a bastard Y/N, there's hardly a place for me in this world. But I will have a place and a task at the Wall."

"I believe you. But I don't understand why you want to leave. You have a place in Winterfell. Your place is at my side. Isn't that enough for you? Am I not enough for you?"

"Of course." Tears run down your cheeks. Jon carefully wipes them away with his thumbs. “But we both know, someday you will leave Winterfell to marry some old Lord. And then I have nothing left. The Wall is my only way out, even if I have to leave you for it. It is better like this, for both of us.“ It feels like he's leaving you already “Please Y/N please don’t be mad at me and try to understand why I have to leave.”

"I'll try it."

"Let's ride back. You have a meeting with Sansa."

"Now I don't feel like walking anymore."

"I'm sorry. But I just wanted to explain my decision to you."

You nod and you head back to Winterfell. You stay silent the whole way back, you have a lot to think about. Shortly before you arrive, you part ways and you are the first to ride into the courtyard of Winterfell. Jon will follow you after a while.

Sansa comes towards you. "There you are." she calls. "We wanted to go for a walk."

"I'm not feeling so well, Sansa." you say, getting off the horse and walking past her. Sansa looks at you a little confused, but she doesn't say anything else.

Your thoughts revolve around Jon and his decision to go to the Wall.

You try to understand why he wants to leave. And even if you don't really want to admit it to yourself, you can understand his reasons.

You walk towards your room when Arya approaches you.

"Hello Y/N." Arya says happily when she sees you.

"Hello little wolf." You say, forcing a smile on your lips for her. "You weren't at the class with the Speta this morning."

"Yes, I managed to escape." laughs Arya.

"You shouldn't neglect your classes."

"I know."

"I won't tell your mother under one condition."

"What do you want?"

"Come with me and read something to me. You read so well, please Arya."

She rolls her eyes. She hates these things, actually she hates everything that has nothing to do with swords and bows. "Fine." she then agrees. The two of you make your way to your room, you take the book you are currently reading and give it to Arya. It's a silly fairy tale about love, but when Arya starts reading you close your eyes and imagine it's your story. Your love story with Jon.

--

And then the day comes. The worst day of your life! Today the royal Party will leave Winterfell and with them Lord Stark, Sansa, Arya and Jon. Originally you should travel with Lord Stark and his daughters to Kings Landing, but after Bran fell from a tower, you stay behind with Catelyn and Robb. 

You are awake long before the sun will rise, but you couldn´t stay in bed. You get dressed and leave your room. You walk through the corridors up to Jons room. You are not often here, the danger of being caught is far too great, but today nothing matters anymore. You knock at his door, it takes a moment and then he opens the door. He stands in front of you and looks at you in surprise.

“Y/N, what are you doing here?”

You try to ignore his bare chest and step inside his room.

“I couldn´t sleep and I wanted to say goodbye to you. Before we doesn´t have time for us anymore.” Tears well up in your eyes. You had prayed to the gods that this day will never come, but now there is nothing you can do anymore than watch the love of your life leave.

Jon smiles at you. “I am glade, that you are here, but what if someone sees you?”

“I don´t care.”

“You should.”

“No. Everything I care about is that we only have hours left together.” You reach up to him and kiss his lips.

Jon kisses you back for a second, but than he pulls away. “Y/N.” he sighs and looks at you with sad eyes.

“No. I don´t want to be sad now. Please. We only have a few hours left together. I don´t want to waste them.”

Jon strokes your cheek and smiles. “I love you so much.”

“And I love you. Forever.”

Jon kisses you again, you wrap your arms around his neck. Jon wraps his arms around your body and pulls you closer to him. The kiss is full of love and affection. You know he loves you and he know you love him. Even if your love is forbidden, even if everything speaks against your love. Nobody can take this away form you. Not a King, not a Lord or the Wall.

Your hands run over his bare chest.

His lips move to your neck, and you have to suppress a moan. His touch sets a fire inside you. You know this feeling, Jon has triggered this feeling in you again and again.

His hands roam over your back and then in front and over your arms. Jon pulls away from you, breathing heavily. His eyes sparkle and his lips meet yours again. Just for a second and then he pulls away.

"You have to go."

"Why."

"If you stay any longer, I can't promise anything anymore."

"I don't want you to promise me anything." you kiss him again, this time demanding and passionate. Your hands bury themselves in his hair and Jon groans.

"We can´t." He whispers against your lips and then kisses you again. His hands roam over your body and you get goosebumps all over your body.

"I know what you're afraid of, Jon. But don't worry."

Jon looks at you for a moment. You can see in his face that he is thinking.

And then he kisses you passionately. His hands are all over your body. You snuggle up against him and moan under his touch. "Are you sure?" he asks breathless.

"Yes. I've never been so sure."

You turn around, Jon kisses your neck as he undoes the laces of your dress. It falls to the floor and you shiver.

You've never experienced anything like what you had with Jon that morning. It was loving, tender and beautiful.

You lie together on his bed. The sun rises and you hear the first servants walking across the hallways. Jon’s hand gently strokes your bare shoulder.

"We have to get up." you say.

"I don't want this moment to be over."

"I don't want it either." You turn to him and press a soft kiss to his lips.

“I love you Y/N.”

“I love you Jon.” It's just a whisper in the room, but to you it means everything. No one can take your time with Jon away from you, even if he leaves you today.

“Y/N.” Jon's voice is suddenly serious. "I will travel to the Wall today and I will put on the black. But I want to promise you something. I promise you that we will see each other again." He kisses your forehead and now you can't hold back the tears. "Don't cry my lady."

"I'm trying My." you interrupt yourself. “My Jon.”

--

You stand next to Catelyn in the courtyard to say goodbye to the king and his entourage. And to say goodbye to Lord Stark, Sansa, Arya and Jon. You hardly dare to look Jon in the eyes. You try to hold back the tears, but you can't quite manage it. A few tears roll down your cheeks, but you can blame it on the fact that you're going to miss Sansa and Arya so much.

The royal party starts moving and Jon also turns his horse towards the gate. But before he leaves Winterfell he turns around again, and your eyes meet. You look into his eyes one last time. He nods slightly at you and smiles. It's a sad smile, but you know what it means. I love you and this farewell isn´t forever. You will see each other again.

The gates close and you stand alone in the courtyard, and for the first time since you have been in Winterfell, you are actually cold. For the first time in your live you feel lonely. Caytlin says something to you, but you don´t hear what she said. You turn around and run into your room. You lock the door behind you and fall weakly onto your bed. Tears immediately stream down your cheeks, and you feel like your heart is tearing apart in your chest. He is gone. He is really gone.

--

The cold wind blows around your ears and you pull the fur collar of your cloak further up. You take a deep breath and ride towards the gate of Castle Black. You stop just before the gate and get off your horse. Your steps slowly carry you forward.

“Who are you?” a strange voice came from behind the gate.

“Lady Y/N, from Winterfell. I want to see Jon Snow.” Your voice trembles, but you´re almost there. You´re almost with him.

It takes a short moment and then the gate open and you can step into the courtyard of Castle Black. A lot of strange man look at you. You look around nervously. Your hair is messy, and your dress is covered in dirt and the hem is soaked in blood. Robbs blood.

“Y/N.” his voice flows through you, you turn around and looks at him. Jon comes down the stairs and runs across the yard to you. Before he even reaches you, tears are running down your cheeks. Finally, he wraps you in his arms again. You take a deep breath. His scent, so familiar and yet so strange, envelops you. For the first time since you left the Twins you feel safe.

“Please never leave me again.” You whisper in his ear.

“Never. I promise.”

[dairy-farmer]

Holy shit the pecking order normalised incest au got my brain thinking in a frenzy!!

so. imagine. tim's pretty fucking tired being in the bottom rung for so long and when damian came he initally thought that maybe, just maybe, he won't be the bottom ranks. but!! jay and dick are helping damian!! so unfair!! he just wants to be the one setting the pace sometimes! and not get roughly fucked to oblivion every other days!!

and hey, would you look at that, his emantipation still applied, who wouldve thunk? so technically. the wayne family has NO jurisdiction over him. he's a free man! he doesnt have to put up with them!! but he likes having sex tho, so he's still conflicted over staying with the waynes or not...

in comes. conner. offering tim to just join the kent family! they've got a pretty healthy dynamic (compared to the bats), and conner's pretty sure clark has eyed tim behind bruce's back, and jon has definitely oogled tim once or twice when tim was visiting the farm. and conner has been itching to get it on with tim (and secretly having fantasies of tim seducing him like in those step sibling porns). with a couple paperworks he can be a kent in just a week! no more getting forcefully bent over during work, dinner, or patrol!!

and tim is !!!!! that sounds great!! he's never been fucked by kryptonians before but hey! it wont be as taxing as having been railed by bruce, jason, dick, and damian in a row for a days! right? right????

(wrong. he gets. fucked to oblivion with massive kryptonian cock and endurance. but hey, at least he gets to top sometimes)

bonus: not pictured the waynes utterly seething at this and the chaos that ensued when tim left the family

(i'm probably gonna send more asks around this au. its just. -chefs kiss- delicioso.)

😍😍😍😍 tim deciding to join the kents because his family is full of cheaters who don't even give him a chance to move up or when they do put up a fight it's mostly them mocking tim and showing him they can overpower him. tim is the brain of their operations, he knows that and has normally never let it get him down but its started really souring his relationship with them because he just. can't. get up.

and they never give him a break either, there is hardly a day that goes by where someone isn't fucking him, even if tim wants a break he doesn't get it. sometimes tim has been getting fucked all day and passes out with jason fucking him only to wake up with damian on top of him because he found tim unconcious and decided to use him when the oppertunity presented itself.

tim is stuck at the bottom in his family and when he finds out he IS emancipated he gets hit with a stroke of genius. pecking orders only apply within families. your boss can't just fuck you to show you your place and so since tim's not legally family with the waynes they can't actually do this anymore!!

so when kon offers him a nicer, healthier dynamic because the kents (unlike the waynes) take turns being on the bottom well then of course tim jumps at the opportunity. fucking kon, jon, and clark is exhausting but not anymore than tim having to be fucked by his whole family. and for the first time tim gets to top even though he wouldn't have won a fight against any of them unless he had kryptonite.

but at least with them he actually enjoys it! he likes being fucked because he knows he'll get his turn being on top eventually and that living and being with the kents isn't some constant power struggle where he needs to remain vigilant.

meanwhile the waynes are furious because tim leaving has completely destabilized their structure and they're all fighting to avoid being on the bottom and not only that, it was pretty much unanimously agreed that fucking tim was the most fun. he was small and easy to hold down and lithe and he made such a pretty face and sounds he always tried to muffle. even for bruce who mostly treated it as a chore, he always enjoyed his time fucking tim. but now tim has left and they're stuck constantly watching their back for each other. them getting a taste of what it was like for tim living in the manor with them

[klm-zoflorr]

Now let's talk about Georgie in the superheroes AU! And wtgfs, and jongeorgie. Strap on!

I was just thinking, since I like her a lot and and her whole shtick in canon is to not feel fear (=not be influenced at all by them) but mostly that I like her a lot and I want her to have nice things, why not give her the ability to temprorarily erase other's powers? Like... Well let's not lie there are literally SO many people with that set of powers in media. Rogue, Alexia Tarabotti, Leech the mutant, Eraserhead, Amon, Number Seven,... Buncha cool people basically.

So, extremely powerful. But since she's Georgie... She doesn't want anything to do with that superhero business. Not at all. Nope. Categorically not. Forever civilian. That also means that while she has one of the strongest powers, she is entirely untrained in hand-to-hand combat and is actually kinda weak against anyone/villain/supe who doesn't rely overly on their powers or has like. A weapon.

Also the irony that the only person that might have a shot at taking down Dr. Magnus/The Watchman, the only person he fears (probably) has dated both of his ex-teammates is... not lost on me. I think it's kinda funny! So is the fact Georgie could take him down if she wanted but doesn't because she doesn't want to get involved, period.

Since she won't be doing much actual fighting, I dare think I'm allowed to give her very few drawbacks to her powers. So like, there will be someone else in the AU who can "steal" powers with a touch, I think (this really is one of my fav powers to give out, uh) (suggestions?) but for Georgie it's just. Area effect. She activates it and suddenly everyone in a certain distance of her can't do shit no more. It does tire her though. I'm thinking if she trained she could expand her "area of effect", control the distance she wants better, and work it for longer? But she's not interested in any of that. So!

Or maybe it's only one person at a time. Mmmh. But I also don't really need to give her limitations, so. We'll see, depending on what the plot requires when I actually get around to thinking about that particular can of worms.

Nowadays, she is dating Melanie, obviously. There's a certain poetry in knowing your partner is the only one that makes you vulnerable, the only one who could kill you if you asked. I think Melanie equal parts fears and respects her for it. It's a bit of danger in her life that she loves because adrenaline junkie but also she doesn't wholly trust Georgie even though she has no reason not to. It's... She's got complex feelings about this, man.

She used to be dating Jon, which went about the same as in canon I suppose. There's an added layer there though, with Georgie being the only one capable of giving Jon a reprieve, of sorts, from feeling/being harrassed by all the emotions of people around him. Did I say already that's something he struggles with a lot? He really does. He's having a terrible time. Puppy just wants a break from it all. And Georgie could give him that! And quite happily too. Although not all the time. Jon used to feel quite awful about it though, like he was using her for her powers. He questionned more than once if he was only with her because of what she could do for him. He wasn't, he truly loved her, but yknow. Jon's gonna Jon.

Georgie has complex feelings about her powers not being treated as a curse that removes people's abilities for once but instead a blessing with Jon. She has complex feelings about making Melanie human, about holding so much power over her life. Yadda yadda yadda, I'm sure you can imagine what all those feelings are.

[daenerystargaryen06]

" we have ample evidence from the books that there can/will be a Targ Restoration, but it won't end with the Targs on the throne"

could you tell me which ones?

The evidence for a Targ restoration is laid within small hints and foreshadowing within the books. It is subtle and not easily caught, but if you take a moment to go through the books with a careful eye and speculate over the reasons GRRM has written certain things in Dany and Jon's chapters, it can be led as a potential hint/speculative potential of Dany and Jon to be the ones to carry out the Targ legacy/restoration.

Let's begin with the beginning foundations of Dany and Jon being set up to meet:

"A blue flower grew from a chink in a wall of ice, and filled the air with sweetness. . . . mother of dragons, bride of fire . . ." -A Clash of Kings - Daenerys IV

"We should have twenty trebuchets, not two, and they should be mounted on sledges and turntables so we could move them. It was a futile thought. He might as well wish for another thousand men, and maybe a dragon or three." -A Storm of Swords - Jon VIII

"Sometimes she would close her eyes and dream of him, but it was never Jorah Mormont she dreamed of; her lover was always younger and more comely, though his face remained a shifting shadow." -A Storm of Swords - Daenerys II

"All in black, he was a shadow among shadows, dark of hair, long of face, grey of eye." -A Clash of Kings - Jon I

Jon and Daenerys are meant to meet, and a relationship will spark between them, as hinted at within the books. GRRM has also stated to D&D (as said by them) that the main point of GoT/ASOIAF is Jon and Daenerys meeting. Two people who struggle with politics, leading, and coming to terms with their true identities. Daenerys just wants peace and a home, Jon just wants to know who his mother was and a home for himself as well.

Now where does Targ restoration come into play and is hinted at? We have a few select lines within the books that give us some subtle cues:

"Drogon killed a little girl. Her name was … her name …" Dany could not recall the child's name. That made her so sad that she would have cried if all her tears had not been burned away. "I will never have a little girl. I was the Mother of Dragons." -A Dance with Dragons - Daenerys X

"I would need to steal her if I wanted her love, but she might give me children. I might someday hold a son of my own blood in my arms. A son was something Jon Snow had never dared dream of, since he decided to live his life on the Wall. I could name him Robb." -A Storm of Swords - Jon XII

Both Jon and Daenerys think of having children, but both resign into accepting that they may never have children of their own. Daenerys due to believing she was cursed by Mirri Maz Duur, and Jon due to being a sworn brother of the Night's Watch along with thinking that he is a bastard.

There is also the fact that when Daenerys is out upon the Dothraki Sea, she has a miscarriage:

"When she woke, gasping, her thighs were slick with blood. . . For a moment she did not realize what it was. The world had just begun to lighten, and the tall grass rustled softly in the wind. No, please, let me sleep some more. I'm so tired. She tried to burrow back beneath the pile of grass she had torn up when she went to sleep. Some of the stalks felt wet. Had it rained again? She sat up, afraid that she had soiled herself as she slept. When she brought her fingers to her face, she could smell the blood on them. Am I dying? Then she saw the pale crescent moon, floating high above the grass, and it came to her that this was no more than her moon blood. If she had not been so sick and scared, that might have come as a relief. Instead she began to shiver violently. She was bleeding, but it was only woman's blood. The moon is still a crescent, though. How can that be? She tried to remember the last time she had bled. The last full moon? The one before? The one before that? No, it cannot have been so long as that. . . As she splashed her face, she saw fresh blood on her thighs. The ragged hem of her undertunic was stained with it. The sight of so much red frightened her. Moon blood, it's only my moon blood, but she did not remember ever having such a heavy flow." -A Dance with Dragons - Daenerys X

When Daenerys has the miscarriage, she thinks it's her menstrual cycle. But the blood is too heavy, and occurs after she has eaten green berries and drank polluted water upon the Dothraki Sea- which could have resulted in her losing the pregnancy. This is a subtle hint that Daenerys can get pregnant, and likely will get pregnant again with Jon's child in the future, and will carry it to full term.

There are also hints within the books of Viserion exhibiting nesting like behavior, which can also result in bringing more dragon eggs into the world, that would eventually hatch and bring a new age of dragons:

"Viserion had shattered one chain and melted the others. He clung to the roof of the pit like some huge white bat, his claws dug deep into the burnt and crumbling bricks." -A Dance with Dragons - Daenerys VIII

"For a moment he saw only the blackened arches of the bricks above, scorched by dragonflame. A trickle of ash caught his eye, betraying movement. Something pale, half-hidden, stirring. He's made himself a cave, the prince realized. A burrow in the brick. The foundations of the Great Pyramid of Meereen were massive and thick to support the weight of the huge structure overhead; even the interior walls were three times thicker than any castle's curtain walls. But Viserion had dug himself a hole in them with flame and claw, a hole big enough to sleep in." -A Dance with Dragons - The Dragontamer

Dragons are mentioned within the book to be genderless, truly, and they can switch their gender at will. Which means that any one of Daenerys' dragons could lay eggs and bring more dragons into the world, but Viserion might be the one to do so first.

"No one ever looked for a girl," he said. "It was a prince that was promised, not a princess. Rhaegar, I thought . . . the smoke was from the fire that devoured Summerhall on the day of his birth, the salt from the tears shed for those who died. He shared my belief when he was young, but later he became persuaded that it was his own son who fulfilled the prophecy, for a comet had been seen above King's Landing on the night Aegon was conceived, and Rhaegar was certain the bleeding star had to be a comet. What fools we were, who thought ourselves so wise! The error crept in from the translation. Dragons are neither male nor female, Barth saw the truth of that, but now one and now the other, as changeable as flame. The language misled us all for a thousand years. Daenerys is the one, born amidst salt and smoke. The dragons prove it." Just talking of her seemed to make him stronger. "I must go to her. I must. Would that I was even ten years younger." -A Feast for Crows - Samwell IV

As for Jon and Daenerys not winding up on the throne, that is mere speculation. But Jon and Daenerys both long for home, and even though their arcs are centered around ruling, leading, politics, etc. they necessarily don't want the burden of ruling as well. Both are thrust into their positions of power and are doing the best they can with being so young and having to deal with all of this going on. Which means that in the end they could very well turn away from ruling to lead their own lives of peace within a home they find for themselves with their future potential children.

"If I were not the blood of the dragon, she thought wistfully, this could be my home. She was khaleesi, she had a strong man and a swift horse, handmaids to serve her, warriors to keep her safe, an honored place in the dosh khaleen awaiting her when she grew old … and in her womb grew a son who would one day bestride the world. That should be enough for any woman … but not for the dragon. With Viserys gone, Daenerys was the last, the very last. She was the seed of kings and conquerors, and so too the child inside her. She must not forget." -A Game of Thrones - Daenerys VI

"Meereen was not her home, and never would be. It was a city of strange men with strange gods and stranger hair, of slavers wrapped in fringed tokars, where grace was earned through whoring, butchery was art, and dog was a delicacy. Meereen would always be the Harpy's city, and Daenerys could not be a harpy." -A Dance with Dragons - Daenerys X

"We will have it all back someday, sweet sister," he would promise her. Sometimes his hands shook when he talked about it. "The jewels and the silks, Dragonstone and King's Landing, the Iron Throne and the Seven Kingdoms, all they have taken from us, we will have it back." Viserys lived for that day. All that Daenerys wanted back was the big house with the red door, the lemon tree outside her window, the childhood she had never known." -A Game of Thrones - Daenerys I

"Of the ride back, Jon Snow remembered little. It seemed shorter than the journey south, perhaps because his mind was elsewhere. Pyp set the pace, galloping, walking, trotting, and then breaking into another gallop. Mole's Town came and went, the red lantern over the brothel long extinguished. They made good time. Dawn was still an hour off when Jon glimpsed the towers of Castle Black ahead of them, dark against the pale immensity of the Wall. It did not seem like home this time." -A Game of Thrones - Jon IX

"Thunder rumbled softly in the distance, but above him the clouds were breaking up. Jon searched the sky until he found the Ice Dragon, then turned the mare north for the Wall and Castle Black. The throb of pain in his thigh muscle made him wince as he put his heels into the old man's horse. I am going home, he told himself. But if that was true, why did he feel so hollow?" -A Storm of Swords - Jon V

"When the dreams took him, he found himself back home once more, splashing in the hot pools beneath a huge white weirwood that had his father's face. Ygritte was with him, laughing at him, shedding her skins till she was naked as her name day, trying to kiss him, but he couldn't, not with his father watching. He was the blood of Winterfell, a man of the Night's Watch. I will not father a bastard, he told her. I will not. I will not. "You know nothing, Jon Snow," she whispered, her skin dissolving in the hot water, the flesh beneath sloughing off her bones until only skull and skeleton remained, and the pool bubbled thick and red." -A Storm of Swords - Jon VI

There is also the fact that apparently GRRM told D&D that Bran would become King. Now, I don't exactly believe that myself as stated in another post made by me here. And there is also the fact that GRRM could change Bran's ending/role, or make him King of something else (such as King of the North). But if Bran DOES become King of the 7k as stated by D&D for GRRM's planned ending, Jon and Daenerys bringing a Targ restoration together within their own form of home away from ruling is another ending I can imagine for them. We have the groundwork and subtle cues/hints/foreshadowing for such a thing to happen. Of course, I do want Jon and Daenerys to wind up ruling together as equals over the 7k with a family of their own and their dragons, but in the end- I'll accept any ending just as long as my babies wind up together and happy. Thanks for the ask! :)

[spider-jaysart]

My friend @theredheaded-stuff showed me this panel of Damian carrying this giant sword around and then I just came up with this whole scenario lol😂

Damian just walking into the Justice League base with Bruce, while carrying his giant sword around like in the picture above, just shocking everyone in there with it

Clark: Bruce???? You just let him carry that around with him?????

Bruce: Well, it's what he wanted, so I said it was fine with me

Hal: ARE YOU SERIOUS???? JUST LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THAT THING!! HOW DOES HE CARRY IT AROUND WITH SUCH TINY ARMS????!!!

Damian, points sword at hal: DON'T CALL MY ARMS TINY!!!

Barry: DON'T HURT HIM!!!!

Oliver: ....Now I can see why my son Connor was begging me to let him get a giant sword last week. Good thing I said no to him CAUSE THAT WOULD JUST BE CRAZY JUST LIKE YOU RIGHT NOW!

Bruce: Hey! Don't tell me how to raise my kids!

Oliver: WHERE DOES HE EVEN PUT THAT THING WHEN HE'S TIRED OF HOLDING IT OR WHILE DOING SOMETHING???? IN HIS BACK POCKET????!!!

Bruce: You know what? Yes he does, CAUSE I BUILTED ONE FOR HIM! AND IT'S CALLED THE BAT POCKET!! And maybe if you would get your son a giant sword too, than maybe he would feel just as cool as my son right now, because just using arrows to fight crime is nothing new and it's just boring!!!!

Oliver: Take that back right now

Diana, suddenly walking into the room: (GASP!) OH MY! WHAT IS HE HOLDING????

Bruce, with his arms crossed in annoyance: A sword. Are you gonna start giving me some judgey comments about my parenting skills too?

Diana: Absolutely not! I believe it is one of the best choices for being used as weapons!! Let me see! (Runs over to Damian to get a better look)

Diana, examining it: Oh, it is just very marvoules!

Damian: Thank you

Diana: You've made the right choice setting him up with such a wonderfully and beautifully crafted sword that would protect him very well in combat! It is even big enough to destroy dangerous beasts during battle as well!

Bruce: Why thank you (looks at the rest of the League with a smirk)

Everyone else: ????

(Both Damian and Diana bond over their love for swords after this)

Damian showing it to Jon during a fight on patrol in Metropolis:

Jon: OMG! What is that?!

Damian: It's a sword, Corncob (=_=)

Jon: Well, yeah, I can see that for sure, I'm just wondering about how are you even carrying it???? And where did you get it from???!

Damian: Simple! I'm just that strong enough to carry it! And it was gifted to me! Now watch this!

(swings sword at a random tree behind him, making it fall on top of an incoming giant Lexcorp robot as he turns around to face Jon with a confident proud smile)

Jon, jaw dropped: (GASP!).... I'VE GOTTA ASK MY DAD TO GET ME ONE TOO!!!!

Damian: You should

Later:

Bruce, calling Clark: Clark? My son said that he left his Twizzelr pack at your house during a sleepover

Clark: What? Which one?

Bruce: We'll, he only brought one with him. They were specificly the red cherry Twizzelr's that he had with him-

Clark: No, I mean which son?

Bruce: The older one

Clark: Dick?

Bruce: No

Clark: You don't mean Jason than, do you?

Bruce: Of course not, I'm talking about my smaller one

Clark: Damian????

Bruce: No! Tim! How could you not know???? He was having a sleepover with Conner yesterday, remember????

Clark: I-....Ugh, It's just that I'm having a hard time focussing today since Jon keeps begging me and Lois to get him a sword after seeing Damian with it and I keep telling him no

Bruce: Get it for him

Clark: Absolutely not! He could hurt himself with it

Bruce: You and your son are both invulnerable, Clark, so I think he'll be just fine

Clark: I'm not getting him a sword!

Meanwhile with Jon:

Jon, flopping onto his bed with annoyance, talking to Damian on his phone: Aughhh! Damian, you wont believe it! My Mom and Dad won't let me get a sword! They say it's too dangerous!

Damian: -tt- Nonsense! It is a perfectly fine weapon to use in combat as long as you have enough training with it!

Jon: I know! It would just be so cool if I could have one! But they think that I won't be able to actually use it properly! Hmph!

Damian: Well, that stinks

Jon: Totally!

Damian:

Jon:

Damian:

Jon: Is it okay if I could maybe try out yours-

Damian: No, you're not touching my sword

Jon: :(

[froot-batty]

Hello! I am in love with your AU, it tickles my brain just right and I adore everything about it. So I just have a couple questions:

1. Why is Jervis so eepy all the time? Does she have narcolepsy? Is it a side effect of his brain damage? Or is she just like that?

2. So this Jon is aspec, right? Who does he love/care about, and how does he show his love and affection to him? (Also bonus: does Jon go by "it" exclusively when Scarecrow?)

Thank you!!!! And have a lovely day ^^

Thank you very much !! I'm always glad to know my AU is infecting people like a little brain parasite

Jervis is permanently eepy mostly because of the brain damage, yeah! She liked to sleep before the bump to the head (it was a kind of coping mechanism - to sleep through her problems - and it has been ever since she was a kid), but it only got worse as a result of that

One of the symptoms he experiences is a whole ton of fatigue. Chronic migraines paired with muscle weakness make a lot of activities physically exhausting for him, so sleep is one of the ways he recharges or escapes from particularly painful days

Also, sometimes it's just a good excuse to cuddle up with your friends :]

---

Jon is both Demiromantic and Demisexual :]. As of right now he doesn't have a partner, and he's quite content with that, but he's got lots of people he loves - even if his emotionally stunted ass won't admit it

His closest friends are Ed, Jervis as of right now, and Waylon! He also has a soft spot for Harley, as they were former coworkers! How he shows his affection differs depending on the person:

With Ed, they're both really emotionally distant guys, and neither of them seek physical touch (with Ed disliking it), so he's all about actions with them. Busting them out of Arkham, reluctantly answering riddles or testing out their puzzles, things like that. Ed is much the same way. They are a very snarky pair of guys.

Jervis' main love language is obviously physical touch, so the easiest way for Jon to show his affection is by letting Jervis cuddle up with him or hold his hand. He also will NEVER admit it, but he worries about her physical condition. When she gets tired, he'll let her sit on his shoulders (He also does tend to consider Jervis weak and in need of protection, and often underestimates him)

Waylon and him are SOUTHERN BUDS. Jon likes being around Waylon because he's just a genuinely nice guy. They have nice chats and look out/do favors for each other! Another example of Jon's love language being "busting your pals out of an insane asylum" though

When he worked with Harley, he thought of her as an overconfident, naïve, but well-meaning little sister. They're still friendly after Harley turned over to the dark side, but there's a part of Jon that resents how the Joker stole that glimmer of real promise that Harley had. Jon shows his affection for her by not injecting that annoying clown with a lethal dose of fear toxin

And to answer your bonus, yes! It came from the news articles written about the Scarecrow when Jon first started out, which used it/its for it because nobody really knew what the Scarecrow was. Jon liked it so much he adopted it into the Scarecrow persona (he probably wouldn't mind being called it/its in his normal life, but he ain't opening that can of worms, no sir)

Thank you for your questions !! I hope this satisfied >;}

[wishihadatimemachine99]

Ok so here is how I think the next couple Bridgerton seasons are going to play out:

Season 4- Benedict's Season * Mama Bridgerton and Agatha throw a masquerade as the first ball of the season and Benedict meets Sophie -> Proceeds pretty similar to the book. *Pen and Colin move into Featherington house and they have a conflict with trying to get Portia out. She's having issues letting go of control of the estate because of all the work she's put into it. *In a turn of event Eloise is now always the one across the street to avoid her family (her mother is trying to get her back into the courting life). Here El realizes she doesn't actually hate babies and kids (thank you baby Eliot). *Pen is still writing her papers but is struggling with the pressure of people knowing it is her now. This causes her and Lady Danbury to grow close because she seeks her advice. (restoring the book friendship) *Francesca's Struggle with Fertility or maybe decision to try and have a child is touched on. *At the end of the season being the head of the Featherington Family Colin and Pen get word that Marina has passed. Maybe they go to the funeral/wake and Eloise tags along to get away from a ball and she meets Philip. OR maybe Eloise starts writing to Philip because Colin and Pen don't really know how to respond. (they both had a love-hate relationship with Marina)

Season 5- Eloise's Season *Pen and Colin are in the country for the season instead of London because Pen's pregnant. *El goes to stay with them for the season because she wants to help Pen, get away from bores of the courting season, and she hopes that she can maybe run into her pen pal Philip. *She does run into him and it's pretty obvious he's not doing well especially with the kids. El who has grown to like kids because of her nephew starts helping out with the twins. She ends up telling Colin and Pen she's going back to London but in reality, she goes to the Crane Estate. *On their way to their Estate to through a ball the Bridgerton family stops in to see Collin, Pen, Eliot and Eloise only to find Eloise is not there. * The Brothers go to get El and the story continues as normal *Pen has her baby girl and names her Agatha after Lady Danbury *Francesca and Lord Kilmartin announce they're finally expecting!

Season 6- Francesca's Season *Francesca has her baby boy *At the ball in honor of the new Earl Kilmartin Jon starts complaining of a headache. Cut to a scene sometime later of Francesca dressing morning clothes holding her baby boy or something. *The baby is now the Earl but Francesca has to be in charge of handling the estate and is completely lost. Cue Michaela... *The two wrestle with their feelings for each other both out of respect for Jon and because well... the obvious. *Maybe there's another Stirling adjacent family member who didn't become the next Lord Kilmartin because of the baby and he's trying weasel his way in by courting Francesca...

Anyway, with the clues and all the (overdone) side stories this season that's just how I would have the next couple seasons play out. You could probably flip Francesca and Eloises seasons too with little change. Obviously there would still be Pen and Colin and Mama Bridgerton and Lady Danberry and other stuff going on too. Maybe we get a mention of the Duke and Duchess and their family has move to France or some crap since someone's too good to ever come back and they won't recast him. :(

[thaliaisalesbian]

i get myself twisted in threads

Chapter 1: to meet you at the Alcott

Chapters: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

“Run!” Steve shoves at Nancy, then at him, hard.

The same way he’d forced the kids out earlier.

“Get out of here!”

“We’re not leaving you!” Jonathan isn’t sure what makes this worse: that the three of them have finally fallen into an easy friendship, no one left out, or that conversation Steve had walked in on, at the absolute worst moment, with no time to explain because Dustin and Lucas had found something in the woods.

Even after what he’d heard, he’s still putting them before him.

Nancy’s still holding his arm, just a little too tightly, so when she falls through the gate, he goes with her.

And they both get to watch as it closes, Steve still on the other side.

continue under the cut or on ao3

He doesn’t regret it. He can’t regret it, not when it means his the kids are safe, that Nancy and Jonathan are safe, that someone is there to explain this to Hopper and Joyce and make sure no one else gets sucked in.

They’re safe. The kids—the kids are all smart as fuck, if anyone can find a way to get him back out of here, it’ll be them.

If he even survives that long.

He can’t afford to think like that, though. Not if he wants to survive.

It would be easier.

He can’t let the kids down like that.

He won't.

At this point, Steve just counts himself as lucky that he has his nail bat. 

He watches the place where the gate closed up, trying to forget the looks and Nancy and Jonathan’s faces as he'd shoved them through instead of letting them get trapped here with him.

He'll be fine.

Mike would have to explain his sister's disappearance to their parents, and Joyce doesn't need to worry about her eldest being stuck here.

He’s got the bat, he’s only bleeding a little, and since this place is Hawkins, just… creepier and monster-y, he even knows his way around.

As he walks, heading back in the direction of the main road, Steve makes a checklist in his head of all the things he’ll need.

One: Food and water.

Can he trust any food he finds, though? He’s pretty sure Will didn’t eat anything, holed up in this world’s version of Castle Byers, but he hasn’t exactly asked. 

Maybe another gate will open up right in front of him, and that won’t be a problem.

Two: Shelter.

All the buildings will hopefully be empty, shouldn’t be too hard.

It’s not a long checklist, but maybe it will keep him alive.

“What do you mean, Steve’s still in there?” Dustin’s red in the face, yelling, but it seems like he’s trying not to cry.

“Dustin, please.” She sighs, trying to hold it together herself. Steve’s got good survival instincts—she thinks, anyway, he’s always good at protecting the kids—and he’s got his bat. He’s not on the baseball team for no reason, and she knows sometimes he’ll go to the woods behind his house and whack the shit out of trees with it.

“We have to go get him!”

“We will.” Jonathan says, quiet as always, but it’s enough to get Dustin to stop yelling. “But we need to tell Mom and Hopper first. We’re not going looking for it alone.”

They shouldn’t have this time, but none of them thought this would happen.

“I’ll call Hopper,” Nancy squeezes her eyes shut, trying to get the image of Steve, dirt streaked on his face, hands a little bloody, out of her mind. “Jon—”

“I’ll call Mom.” He nods when she looks at him. “Kids, get blankets and pillows and set up on the floor. I don’t care if you actually sleep, but try and rest. We’ll need it.”

Will is the only one who listens right away, and she immediately misses the way all of them listen to Steve, despite complaints and protests.

“We’re going to find him.” Jonathan tilts her head up and makes her meet his eyes. “We’re going to find him, and he’ll be okay.”

“Maybe he won’t get a concussion this time.” She laughs, though it’s not that funny.

She’d pay to have a concussed Steve here, safe on this side of the gates, and not in there.

Jonathan calls Joyce first; he keeps his voice low for the kids’ sake; none of them will admit it, but they’re tired. Max and Lucas are half-asleep against each other, while Dustin, Mike, and Will lay in the circle, heads together as they whisper.

Getting through Flo to Hopper is a little harder, and for a minute, she regrets saying she’d call him.

“Hopper, it’s Steve.” That could mean any number of things, she knows: Steve’s at the quarry again, his parents are in town, or he’s having/had a panic attack and is refusing to let the kids out of his sight. Usually, it doesn’t mean that Steve’s gone missing in the Upside Down.

She wishes it were a simple problem like that. Something Hopper might even be able to fix with a few words over the phone.

“What happened?”

“He’s on the other side of a gate.”

“You went looking for one?”

“Lucas and Dustin found something in the woods and came running to Steve. We all went out. He just—” At the gate, they’d entered, he’d shoved the kids out right away. At the next one, he’d shoved them out. And they let him. “He did what he usually does.”

“I’ll be there soon.” He doesn’t have to ask, he knows they’re at the Byers’— as small as it is, it’s become their gathering place.

“What about El?” Nancy jumps, not expecting Jonathon’s voice in her eye. “She’s at the cabin, right?”

“I’ll go get her.” She says. “Steve and I have been alternating afternoons with her.”

Since Steve is still benched because of his concussion, it’s really been more him than her. “I’ll be back soon.” She kisses his cheek and grabs his keys off the counter.

“Nancy? Where are you going?” Mike sits up, like he’s going to come with her.

“To get El. Stay here. Sleep, or maybe come up with a plan.”

It doesn’t take long for him to realize there’s no way he’s going to be able to tell time here.

He heads into town first. If they’re going to have food anywhere, it would be in town, right?

The school, maybe?

He goes there first.

He finds bags of crackers, but pretty much everything else is worthless. Cans that he can’t open, perishable food he definitely can’t take with him, and that looks half-rotted anyway.

“Come on, Steve.” He says, just to hear something other than silence. “You can come up with a better plan than this.”

He opens one packet of crackers, and shoves the rest into his pockets.

He’s always been better at thinking when he’s moving, so he walks around the school, trying to figure out where he should search next. Should he go to his house? Or the Byers’? Will figured out a way to communicate, right? Maybe he can do that, too. The kids are certainly there by now, and maybe Nancy and Jonathan too.

Steve doesn’t let himself think about them for too long.

Maybe El will be able to find him. Maybe he got hit over the head and he’s going to wake up and find out this was all some shitty concussion dream.

If only it could be that easy.

Deciding to try somewhere else for food before something comes looking for him in the school, he walks to Melveld’s.

It’s the same there. Nothing refrigerated is trustworthy. He’s reaching for a can opener—maybe he can get a little variety, even though he doesn’t think he’ll be able to cook anything while he’s here—when the growl behind him sets panic ringing in his ears, his heartbeat almost covering it up completely.

There’s a demodog at the end of the aisle, and when he looks out the window, he can see another one waiting.

Are they smart enough for that?

Steve brings the bat up in front of him, wincing at the sting in his palms. 

He manages to back out of the aisle, the demodog hardly moving, but he’s not lucky enough to make it to the back door.

It charges, snarling, and for a minute he’s back in the tunnels. It’s only the fact that he doesn’t have Dustin’s weight to hold up that he remembers that he’s not in the tunnels, he’s somewhere far worse.

And he’s alone, this time.

Not concussed, though. Probably.

There are more than two once he stumbles outside, nearly right into them. He doesn’t take the time to do a headcount, but even he isn’t good enough with a bat to fight them all and come out alive.

So he does the next best thing: hits the ones close to him as hard as he can.

He runs, ignoring the bites at his ankles and legs and swinging wildly in any direction.

He gets out, but they keep following him, and then he remembers: Blood.

He’s bleeding.

From his hands, his ankles now, probably—he can’t feel the pain yet, too hopped up on adrenaline, but they’ve been biting.

He shoulders the bat and runs as fast as he can, heading for the woods.

Up is probably his only option.

Steve hasn’t climbed a tree in years, and the bat in his hands just makes it even harder, but he gets up high enough that the demodogs can’t reach him.

He rips his shirt, using the pieces to wrap around his ankles. Now that he’s relatively safe, he can feel them throbbing. It’s hard to look at them properly, eyes blurry with tears.

He ignores the flash of white that he thinks might be bone and pulls the makeshift bandages just a little too tight.

They don’t bleed through immediately, so maybe he did something right. It’s hard to get comfortable in a tree, but he’s not leaving until all the demodogs below him have left. If it means sleeping here, it means sleeping here.

By the time he wakes up, just moving his ankles makes him want to cry. But he can’t stay in a tree forever. He needs to find a way out of here.

The Byers’ place is closer than his; he's comfortable there, too. He knows Joyce keeps a shotgun in the house, just in case. He’s not the greatest with them, but he’ll manage to figure it out.

Despite the strangeness of this version of the house, it’s still familiar. Normal, almost. If he tries hard enough, he can picture everyone sitting around the table, laughing. Or maybe planning. He’s not sure which, but it feels real either way.

Are demodogs venomous? Poisonous? Steve’s not sure which word would be used to describe them.

Fuck, he doesn’t even know anything about them and he’s got multiple bites on his ankles.

Sitting on the cleanest spot on the couch, he opens another packet of crackers.

This time, he only eats half.

2 ->

[jackoshadows]

What do you think will be the political ramifications of Jon's death? I think the free folk won't have it. It will be really chaotic.

The Freefolk are most definitely not having it. At this point Jon Snow is more or less their King Beyond the Wall. They are ready to fight for him. The last Jon chapter makes that clear.

“The Night’s Watch will make for Hardhome. I ride to Winterfell alone, unless …” Jon paused. “… is there any man here who will come stand with me?”

The roar was all he could have hoped for, the tumult so loud that the two old shields tumbled from the walls. Soren Shieldbreaker was on his feet, the Wanderer as well. Toregg the Tall, Brogg, Harle the Huntsman and Harle the Handsome both, Ygon Oldfather, Blind Doss, even the Great Walrus. I have my swords, thought Jon Snow, and we are coming for you, Bastard. - Jon, ADwD

Jon has not only let the Freefolk this side of the Wall, he has also let them keep their Gods (Unlike Stannis), not asked them to bend the knee and given them charge of some of the castles on the Wall and leadership positions at Castle Black. When the assassination happens, Jon hears the Freefolk leaving the Shieldhall behind him:

Men poured from the surrounding keeps and towers. Northmen, free folk, queen’s men - Jon, ADwD

Jon has given Oakenshield and Queensgate - the two castles on either side of Castle Black - to Tormund Giantsbane and Morna White Mask. Tormund and his men are already there when the mutiny happens. Morna and her spearwives are on their way and are most probably already there when everything goes south. So are Iron Emmett and his spearwives. Add Borroq and his giant boar and Wun Wun to the mix and the mutineers don’t stand a chance in the immediate aftermath.

The only obstacle I can see to the Freefolk going berserk is an obstacle that Jon Snow himself created - the child hostages. These children have been send to Eastwatch and the Shadow Tower. With Cotter Pyke at Hardhome, it’s now Ser Glendon Hewett who holds Eastwatch.

Though the last part troubles me. Glendon Hewett was a seasoned man and a strong one, a sensible choice to command in Cotter Pyke’s absence. But he was also as much a friend as Alliser Thorne could boast, and a crony of sorts with Janos Slynt, however briefly. Jon could still recall how Hewett had dragged him from his bed, and the feel of his boot slamming into his ribs. Not the man I would have chosen - Jon, ADwD

I am not sure which way the Queensmen will move. On the one hand Wun Wun ripping apart Ser Patrek. On the other hand, the current Lord of Winterfell is threatening Queen Selyse, Shireen and Melisandre and the Lord Commander was actively helping their king and protecting their queen, going against his NW oaths for which he just got murdered.

Jon’s death is going to further complicate Northern politics. We know there are Northern houses who are aware of Robb’s decree and see Jon Stark as the next King in the North. As GRRM says in this SSM,

Q: I have a question, since Robb actually  legitimized Jon and named him his heir for Winterfell and the North  before the Red Wedding (granted no one knows about this and is still  alive or free, the Greatjon knows as does Edmure, but I dont see them  getting out of the Twins any time soon and Catelyn would probably die  before telling anyone) does this make Jon’s rejection of Stannis’ offer  moot?

A: Edmure and the Greatjon are prisoners, true… but you are forgetting  the envoys that Robb sent to Howland Reed… Galbart Glover, Maege  Mormont, Jason Mallister… they are all alive and free…

There’s House Thenn, newly created because of the marriage brokering Jon Snow did and the Freefolk holding land this side of the Wall. Alys was aided by Jon Snow and her uncle is still imprisoned at the Wall.

It’s possible Edmure Tully and other prisoners are getting freed in the next book by the brotherhood without banner and Edmure is a witness and signatory to Robb’s decree that legitimizes Jon Snow and names him Lord of Winterfell.

We know of two possible ‘envoys’ from Riverrun send by the Blackfish to the Wall - Robin Ryger, former Captain of the Guards and Desmond Grell, former Master at Arms. Both experienced men who chose to take the black after Jaime ends the siege of Riverrun and ask to be send to the Wall. Raff is supposed to have escorted them to Maidenpool, from where they travel to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea. Considering that TWoW has Raff in Braavos, it could very well be that these two gents have reached Eastwatch. How are they going to react?

Then there’s Justin Massey with Jeyne Poole who will pass through Castle Black on his way to Eastwatch and Braavos. What is he going to do with what happened? Will word get back to Stannis? However, according to the Pink Letter, Stannis has apparently lost to the Boltons. The time lines are a mess.

The main thing is that the famed neutrality of the NW has shattered, and there’s going to be infighting amongst crows, wildlings, queensmen and northmen. There will most definitely be political ramifications in terms of who it is that will end up holding the North by the end of TWoW.

[anysin]

Fic: After Wonders End

For an anon who wished for "terminal illness" AU for JonElias, here is an angsty piece set in S4 where Jon's encounter with Jared led to major eye gore and therefore to slow death from lack of Beholding! SFW but with sexy implications.

After Wonders End

The Eye has long since abandoned Jon, but he knows there is only one person in the world who would bother to come to his flat.

"Elias," Jon says, smiling into the darkness. "I suppose I should be shocked that you're out of prison, but I'm not. I'm really not."

"Let me in, then." Elias doesn't wait for him to agree; he grasps Jon by his shoulders, moving him gently to the side as he enters the flat, closing the door behind him. Jon can hear him start to take his coat and shoes off, pace around a bit once he lets Jon go; Jon lets him, turning his face towards the direction of the sound, hoping that it bothers Elias. Hoping that the sight of him bothers Elias.

"I am here to express my condolences, of course." Jon will give it to him; Elias does a good job of sounding apologetic. "I knew Jared Hopworth was a brute, but I didn't think he had the power to mangle your eyes like this."

Jon snorts. "Do you ever get bored with your own crap?"

Something like fear flutters in his stomach when he hears Elias march towards him, but Jon stays still; he grunts when Elias grabs him by the arms, pulls him close. He can feel Elias's breath on his lips, hear its fast rhythm. For once, Elias is agitated, and Jon will take it as a victory.

"You have no idea what that creature took away from me," Elias states. "What wonders he robbed from me."

Elias's grip loosens a bit, and he pulls back. His hand raises up, his thumb stroking along Jon's cheek, catching onto the few worm scars on the otherwise smooth skin.

"And you were a wonder, Jon." Elias's voice has gone soft, reverent. "Even now, you are."

Jon shudders, reaching up to grasp Elias by his wrist.

"You have no right to speak to me that way," he says. "Your god has condemned me to death."

He knows he has been getting weaker and weaker ever since the Eye left him; he was in too deep, relied on it too much, and now he can no longer survive without it. It's only a matter of time until he withers away for good. Elias has no right to talk about wonders to him.

"I know. That's why I'm here." Ignoring Jon's grip, Elias cups his cheek fully, his other hand curling tighter around Jon's arm. "I failed you, Jon. The least I can do is not abandon you too."

A hiss escaping from between his teeth, Jon tries to pull away. But Elias holds onto him, yanking him close until Jon can feel his hot breath again, and a second later, his even hotter mouth.

None of this should matter.

Jon grunts, trying to pull away again, but he knows it's for the show; when Elias persists, his arm winding around Jon's waist, Jon gives up, his hands rising up to Elias's shoulders. He pulls back from the kiss just enough to bite Elias hard on his lower lip before kissing him again, hoping that the kiss stings. Hurts.

"You abandoned me already, though," Jon remarks when the second kiss ends, when Elias wraps his other arm around him too and embraces him tight. "How do I know you won't do it again?"

Elias says nothing first, resting his face into Jon's hair.

"See, Jon," he says, "I have nowhere to go, either. Nowhere but to you."

Jon grits his teeth together. He wishes he could cry.

"Come then," he says, shrugging free from Elias's embrace so he can take his hand, and take him to the bedroom.

In a way, Elias's words could even be true. But they don't have to be; at this point, Jon will take them anyway.

[f1-disaster-bi]

😩😩😭😭

Did you just kill him?

Poor Eloise. This is 💔 surely you wouldn’t do that to her.

Pleading that you finish than leave it ambiguous

I did not kill him and to fix things, here you go ❤️

Daniel felt as if he had been in a daze for the last few hours since he had stepped out of the car. With only a few laps left and how extensive the clean up was, they had ended the race five laps from the end.

There was no way Daniel would have gotten back into the car. He knew his team knew that when they had looked over to see him on the ground, Eloise tucked into his chest as she sobbed, asking for her Daddy and clutching at him. Not one of them would have asked him to step into the car, not after she had seen Lando's crash.

Currently, Eloise was sleeping in his arms. Michael and Jon had both offerred to hold her, citing that his arms must be sore after the race weekend and holding her for hours but Daniel had shook his head. A kind nurse had brought them a blanket to drape over her as they waited in the hospital's private waiting room.

"He's still being examined. He hit his head pretty hard a few times, and as a result we want to make sure he has no brain bleeds or is suffering a servere traumatic injury to the brain", a doctor had explained to them when they had amanged to get through the crowd of journalists at the track to go to the hospital.

Daniel wasn't sure how long it had been since then. Zak had come and gone, asking Jon to keep them updated. Andreas was sitting in the corner, he had refused to leave, too concerned about Lando and about Daniel and Eloise. Michael had left briefly, running to get them snacks and drinks and to grab Daniel a change of clothes that weren't his McLaren gear, but Daniel had refused to let go of his daughter.

Her ran his fingers through her curls softly, dropping kisses on her head from time to time. His hands and arms holding her close so she could relax. His heart broke a little every time she sniffled in her sleep or he looked down to see the little tear marks that were left from when she had cried herself to exhaustion.

"Mr Ricciardo?", a nurse called softly, her head peeking through the door, "You and your daughter can see him now if you like"

Daniel swallowed hard as he stood up. His limbs stiff and his heart hammering.

"Do you want me to take her?", Jon asked softly, taking the blanket from them.

"No", Daniel managed to get out before he was moving, following the nurse passed a series of rooms until they were met by a doctor coming out of one.

"Ah there you are. Mr Norris is resting. He has a pretty severe concussion, and a break in his hand from the impact of the crash. We will be keeping him a few days to monitor his head injury, and he won't be able to race for at a minimum four weeks", the doctor explained, gesture to his chart but Daniel wasn't really listening. All he wanted was to see Lando.

After a few moments, the nurse opened the door for him and it took a momet for his eyes to adjust to the dim lights but then he saw him.

"Hi babe", Lando managed to get out, wincing as he spoke and closing his eyes.

"Hi", Daniel swallowed back tears, moving to the bed and sitting down with Eloise still tucked in his arms, "You scared us"

"Is she okay?", Lando asked and Daniel could hear the guilt in his voice.

"She will be, and so will you", Daniel promised, reaching out a hand to take Lando's in his, his eyes noticing the absence of Lando's ring before spotting it on the bed side table.

For a moment their fingers entwined, and Daniel just soaked it in. Soaked in the fact that Lando was still here. His heart was still beating, he was just banged up and bruised right now.

And then Eloise was moving, grumbling just like her father did when woken too soon and she pulled away. Her eyes blinked up at Daniel softly, a small hand rubbing her eyes before she leaned her head against his cheek and then she was gasping.

"Daddy!", Eloise whispered, she'd gotten much better at it as she'd gronw older.

Lando, depsite the pain he must be in and the cast on his left arm, reached out for Eloise as Daniel gently helped her crawl into his arms. Her own going around Lando's neck as she kissed his cheek and Lando hugged her. It made Daniel wanted to cry and he had to look away for a moment to push it all down.

"Papa, come here", Eloise's demand made him look at them again as she patted the bed at Lando's side.

"Sweetheart, Daddy needs rest, not me squishing him", Daniel tried to laugh but it broke a little in the middle.

"Danny, just come cuddle us. I'm okay, I promise", Lando whispered, holding up his right arm and Daniel didn't resist. He allowed himself to strech out on his side and wrap an arm around the two most important people in the world to him as Eloise curled into Lando's chest.

They'd be okay, Daniel reassured himself, they were together and that was all that mattered.

[waitingforwinterwinds]

A Clash of Kings - 68 JON VIII (pages 850-861)

After giving it a good effort to escape pursuit, Jon and Qhorin find them selves surrounded, and under Qhorin's orders, Jon changes teams.

-

When night fell, the Halfhand had told Ebben to take the squire's garron as well as his own, and ride east for Mormont with all haste, back the way they had come. The rest of them would draw off the pursuit. "Send Jon," Ebben had urged. "He can ride as fast as me." "Jon has a different part to play." "He's half a boy still." "No," said Qhorin, "he's a man of the Night's Watch."

sorry, hang on... was Qhorin planning for Jon to go 'under cover' the whole time? Like that wasn't just a last minute plan after they'd been captured, he was actively planning for it as soon as they started their retreat, or since he let Ygritte go?

"Is your sword sharp, Jon Snow?" asked Qhorin Halfhalnd across the flickering fire. "My sword is Valyrian steel. The old Bear gave it to me."

Valyrian steel = 🥛

"We may escape the, yet," the ranger said. "Or not." ... "If we are taken, you must yield." "Yield?" He blinked in disbelief. The wildlings did not make captives of the men they called the crows. They killed them, except for... "They only spare oathbreakers. Those who join them, like Mance Rayder." "And you." "No." He shook his head. "Never. I won't." "You will. I command it of you."

Yeah, Qhorin has definitely had this Plan B brewing for a while now. I would love to be in his head right now, just to know, is it because he thinks this is Jon's best/only chance at survival, or because he wants a spy on the inside because this whole thing is so much bigger than the normal crow vs wildling stuff?

Also: kinda mean to give him this order right after having Jon recite his oath with him.

... darn it Qhorin, you're hitting right in the sweet spot of the vibes, I can't tell if it's one or the other re:motivation. Like, Qhorin could even be giving Jon this 'mission' just so Jon will agree to the effort to save his life. Cause, like, at the same time, I get that Qhorin has been keeping Jon for this as they fled, but it's equal amounts, "Jon's the only one that could get undercover/pull of the faux defection" and "Jon's the only one Qhorin can save."

Beyond, the walls pinched in sharply, and the stream led them to the foot of a tall twisting waterfall. The air was full of mist, like the breath of some vast cold beast. The tumbling waters shone silver in the moonlight. Jon looked about int dismay. There is no way out. He and Qhorin might be able to climb the cliffs, but not with the horses. he did not think they would last long on foot. "Quickly now," the Halfhand commanded. The big man on the small horse rode over the ice-slick stones, right into the curtain of water, and vanished. When he did not reappear, Jon put his heels into his horse and went after. His garron did his best to shy away. the falling water slapped at them with frozen fists, and the shock of the cold seemed to stop Jon's breath. Then he was through; drenched and shivering but through.

WATERFALL CAVE!!!!!!

Ahem, I'm fine. It is a Rule: if there is a waterfall in your narrative, there must be a cave behind it. I do not make the rules, but that ^ is one of my favourites.

... OMG this freaking bird! quick, someone, make a pun about twitter and followers, I'm sure this eagle has one in it somewhere.

On either wing, archers notched shafts to the strings of small wood-and-horn bows, but did not loose.

I notice he didn't say they drew either. Nice.

It will remain, to my dying day, a pet peeve when archers in movies draw and hold the full draw for several minutes at a time. Look, I'll let Elves get away with it, because mystical BS reasons, but humans? No, gtfo, you're breaking my suspension of disbelief. What am I upset about? I think I've mentioned before, even Olympic level archers can't hold a full draw on a bow for very long, I've seen one person claim they can hold a full draw for a minute or two, and on a composite bow with the pulley system holding the draw weight, yeah, maybe? But a non-composite bow? Bullshit you can go longer than 20 seconds if you aren't fully trained for it. And they are never composite bows in the movies (Except Hawkeye in the Avengers, i think?) it's always long and/or recurve! Also yes, draw weight can and will affect how long you can hold the full draw, but again: long and/or recurve bows, typically things that are supposed to be in the war bow range which have some of the heaviest draws! for several minutes a scene! If the prop bows didn't have the draw weight of a licorice strap, the extras would be so screwed.

Ahem, sorry, I think I'm done being oddly passionate about things now... yep, I'm good, let's move on.

Oh! Oh! It's happening!

Oh my gosh, Jon just suppressing his feels and doing his best. His acting right now... You're doing great sweetie. Qhorin's doing a damn good job of selling this too, he is not making it easy.

The ranger was leaning away, and for an instant it seemed that Jon's slash had not touched him. Then a string of red tears appeared across the big man's throat, bright as a ruby necklace, and the blood gushed out of him, and Qhorin Halfhand fell. (...) The light was already fading from Qhorin's eyes. "... sharp," he said, lifting his maimed fingers. Then his hand fell, and he was gone. He knew, he thought numbly. He knew what they would ask of me.

Yeah, and that's why he asked twice if the sword was sharp. A moment of silence for Qhorin Halfhand, he was a pretty alright fella.

...

Ruby = 🥛 I'm adding it because the word keeps popping up this book. (now watch it not show up again for the next few.)

I do not care for this Rattleshirt fella. He's kinda whiny, very quick to disavow Jon and Jon's win... or try to steal the credit.

[wrestlingisfake]

All Out preview

Orange Cassidy vs. Jon Moxley - Cassidy is making his 31st defense of the AEW international title. He has not lost a one-on-one match since September 21, 2022, but this is easily his toughest opponent yet.

These two were scheduled to meet for the first time one-on-one in November 2021, but that match was canceled. Other than that, these two had very little to do with one another until July 21, when Cassidy and the Best Friends confronted Moxley's partners in the Blackpool Combat Club. Moxley wasn't there, but on July 26 he made up for lost time with an ambush on Cassidy. The two factions and their allies have been feuding for weeks, including a ten-man brawl last week at Wembley Stadium, where Cassidy scored the winning pin. I wouldn't say these two in particular have had a personal issue, but they're the biggest stars on either side, and sooner or later they had to face off.

This is the biggest match of Orange's career. You wouldn't expect a guy with a comedy gimmick to last two minutes against a protected badass like Moxley. But a win, or even a well-fought loss, would prove Cassidy can hang with the tippy-toppy guys despite (or because of) his silliness. Beating Chris Jericho in 2020 meant a lot, and an 11-month title reign helped even more, but this match can take him to the next level.

It's pretty clear at this point that CM Punk vs. Ricky Starks was supposed to headline this show, until Punk was suspended last week and fired yesterday. Now this match has to close the show, in Punk's hometown. Both guys are making this match about which of them will carry the company through troubled times. We know Moxley can handle that kind of pressure. Cassidy has a chance to prove he can too. The best case scenario for AEW would be if Moxley makes his opponent a bigger star, so that people remember this week for Orange stepping up to make chicken salad out of Punk's chicken shit.

I could see this match going either way. Moxley has expressed a desire to "give back" by putting over younger guys; that doesn't mean he'll always do the job, obviously, but he's looking for the right time and place to do it. On the other hand, Cassidy's storyline for months is that he's fighting hurt and refuses to take a break, and that clearly won't end until someone breaks him, so he can return stronger than ever. I'd kinda like to see Moxley hold the international title just to add to its prestige, so I'd be cool with him winning here to set up Orange winning a rematch later on. But under the circumstances, you've only got one chance to headline a PPV with this matchup, for this title. So there are plenty of reasons to just let Cassidy win the big one.

MJF & Adam Cole vs. John Silver & Alex Reynolds - Max and Cole won the ROH tag team title at Wembley Stadium last week; Silver and Reynolds, representing the Dark Order, won a battle royale to earn this title shot.

I expect both sides to get a babyface reaction. The fans love MJF and Cole, even though the entire basis of their friendship is that they bonded over being pricks, and we'll never be sure one won't betray the other. I think the Dark Order is supposed to have turned heel, but they're still so lovable and cuddly that I'm not sure anyone really buys it. Their whole deal now is that they resent Adam Page for "abandoning" them to reconcile with the Elite, so now they're ruthless and looking out for themselves. But it's not going to be easy to get over as selfish heels in the ring against MJF of all people, even if he is a babyface.

It's pretty clear this match is just a pit stop for Cole and MJF, on their way to a reckoning with Cole's former friends Roderick Strong, Mike Bennett, and Matt Taven. Unless those three guys interfere somehow, I don't see any chance of Silver and Reynolds winning the belts. Actually, even if there's a bunch of interference, I'd say the champs are heavy favorites to retain.

Kenny Omega vs. Konosuke Takeshita - Omega and Takeshita have since clashed in various tag team matches, but this is their first singles encounter. As Don Callis has helpfully pointed out, Kenny has not won a singles match since Don betrayed Kenny on May 10.

When Callis arrived in AEW in late 2020, he was symbolic of Omega's heel turn. Once Kenny basically went babyface in 2022, it was only a matter of time before Don turned on him. By November 2022 Callis was scouting Takeshita, raising questions about whether he was looking to replace Kenny. It seemed like Takeshita was too pure of a cinnamon roll to become a ruthless enforcer for Callis, but that's exactly what happened on May 28.

Omega does need to get some payback against Callis and Takeshita, but I don't know that he needs it right now. If he just beats Takeshita clean in the middle of the ring, the storyline's over. That doesn't make any sense when Don has spent months talking about building a new "Don Callis Family," and despite working with half a dozen heels he hasn't actually recruited anyone except Takeshita. We need more guys in this faction, which makes this the perfect opportunity for a new recruit to run in and cost Omega the victory.

Bryan Danielson vs. Ricky Starks - This is a strap match, so the participants will be tied at the wrist to either end of a long leather strap. The goal is be the first person to touch each corner of the ring in succession. I hate strap matches, because the build is "dudes whipping the shit out each other" but then the payoff is "dudes tangled up and reaching for turnbuckles." They always try to lash each other with the strap, but with both ends tied to the wrestlers it's hard to get your body in the proper position for the strappation, dudes.

The setup for this was when Ricky Steamboat refereed CM Punk vs. Starks on August 5, and Starks took Steamboat's belt off and whipped him with it. That was probably going to set up a Punk-Starks rematch on this show, but once that was off the table Starks issued a challenge to Steamboat. Steamboat produced a contract, except it was for Starks to wrestle Danielson, who unexpectedly returned from breaking his arm ten weeks ago. I assume Danielson let Dr. Proper know, and Dr. Unger know, and Dr. Hughes know, that the release forms have been signed, so those guys aren't responsible for the last couple fractures in the forearm, brother.

I assume Danielson will play babyface and get the big comeback win. But I'm rooting for Starks, because he did an amazing promo on September 2 about starting over after the rug was pulled out from under him. Danielson needs to be protected but not nearly as much as Starks needs to be elevated.

Luchasaurus vs. Darby Allin - Luchasaurus is defending the AEW TNT championship, even if his mentor Christian Cage is the one carrying the belt and all but calling himself the titleholder. Cage will be in Lucha's corner, and Allin will be cornered by his young ward, Nick Wayne. Last night Cage told Nick he'd have to throw in the towel for Darby, which may be telegraphing the finish. I suppose it'll be interesting seeing Allin fight someone the size of Luchasaurus, but this feud has been ice-cold for me and so has the Nick Wayne storyline, and combining the two hasn't made either of them better. I get the feeling Luchasaurus retains to drag this out further.

Kris Statlander vs. Ruby Soho - Statlander's AEW TBS title is on the line. Soho is 2-0 against the champion. I vaguely remember that after one of those matches people were outraged because Statlander deserved to win, but honestly that happens so often nowadays that I'm not even sure the match I'm thinking of was these two. Anyway, I don't see much point in a title change right now so I'm sure Statlander will get one of her wins back.

Samoa Joe vs. Shane Taylor - This is for Joe's ROH television title. Taylor was the runner-up to Dalton Castle in a July tournament to earn a title shot, but after Joe defeated Castle they immediately booked another tournament to choose another contender, and this time Taylor won. I have not been terribly impressed with the storytelling in Ring of Honor.

This is a huge opportunity for Taylor. He was with ROH for years, and Tony Khan brought him after the buyout, but he's not one of the ROH guys that got an AEW contract or time on AEW television. This may be the biggest crowd Shane has ever worked in front of, and I think he can deliver at this level. I mean, Joe's still going to beat his ass and retain. But I still think Taylor will turn a few heads.

Miro vs. Powerhouse Hobbs - I decided not to attend this show (last time I went to see wrestling I got COVID) but this is the one match that gives me second thoughts. I don't know what the hell these guys are fighting about but I don't care, and I don't think they do either. They're both huge and mean and they're gonna have a MEAN GUY MATCH~! and I am here for it. Well, not as "here" as I could be, I guess. I am on my couch for it. I'm always gonna root for Hobbs, but honestly it doesn't matter who wins as long as both guys pound the stuffings out of each other.

Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler & Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson vs. Jay White & Juice Robinson & Austin Gunn & Colten Gunn - FTR (Dax & Cash) and the Young Bucks (Matt & Nick) continued their rivalry last week, and the Bucks were salty that they lost. They were trying to have a civil conversation about it on August 30 when Bullet Club Gold interrupted and suggested an eight-man tag match.

Last night's Collision (in the same building as tonight's show) ended with the Bucks saving FTR from Bullet Club Gold, and the Chicago crowd was hostile to CM Punk's top enemies asking for handshakes from CM Punk's top buddies on CM Punk's show, on the night where they announced CM Punk is fired. Thew show went off the air with the Bucks smugly shaking each other's hands, which seems like a ballsy thing to do in Punk territory, when so many weirdos think the Bucks set him up somehow.

Anyway I expect Chicago to be radioactive for the Bucks for years to come, but if they are they'll just love FTR all the more. So the crowd reaction here could be complicated. Kinda thinking White's team should win.

Eddie Kingston & Katsuyori Shibata vs. Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta - Claudio vs. Eddie and Shibata vs. Yuta were two top matches on Ring of Honor's April pay-per-view, so I guess we're running those back as a tag match. We have to be getting back to Claudio-Eddie for the ROH men's world title at some point, but they don't seem to be in a hurry. The babyfaces should win, and it'd be nice if one of them pinned Claudio to set up a title bout.

Billy Gunn & Max Caster & Anthony Bowens vs. Jeff Jarrett & Jay Lethal & Satnam Singh - This is scheduled for the pre-show. Last night Jarrett's group gave celebrity guest star Dennis Rodman a hard time, so the Acclaimed and Billy offered to give them a shot at their trios title, with Rodman in the champs' corner. Billy and the Acclaimed just got new custom pink title belts, so there's no way they're going to lose the championship this soon.

Athena & Diamante & Mercedes Martinez vs. Hikaru Shida & Willow Nightingale & Skye Blue - Another pre-show match. I heard Tony Khan wanted to book Athena vs. Billie Starkz for the ROH women's world title, but Billie's not medically cleared. I don't know why that means Athena can't defend her title against one of the other five women in this match, but whatever. WIllow has has been feuding with Diamante and Martinez of late. Skye is a local girl so she always gets a good Chicago pop. Shida should probably be higher on the card, but maybe she can get an ROH title shot out of this if she wins. Actually, I think Athena's side will win.

Over the Budget Battle Royale - It's a battle royale for the pre-show, and that's all I've got. No participants have been announced, as far as I know. The winner will get to donate $50,000 to the charity of his choice. I assume that's 50k of AEW's money, not the winner's. Literally anything could happen with this, but I suppose a babyface needs to win.

[rauchendesgnu]

It has been 752 days since they arrived Somewhere Else, broken and bloody, gasping for air and crying out for help. It has been 752 days since Jon betrayed the people who used to be his friends for one last time. Since he betrayed Martin. Since he made Martin do the one thing he'd never wanted to ask of him.

It has been 752 days. He has counted. The Eye is silent now, but Jon's thoughts are not. There is a storm inside him, tiny and seemingly harmless, but relentless, wearing him down until he's scared he'll break. He hadn't known that there was anything left of him to carve away. But he's been wrong about himself before. Look where that got him.

Jon sits up in their--his and Martin's--bed. The duvet pools around his hips and the moon bathes the room in a cold blue light. Martin makes a soft sound at Jon's movement, his arm tightening around Jon's thin waist where it had been dislodged, and settles again. It can't be comfortable, but Jon would like nothing less than to wake his husband.

He leans back against the headboard and tries not to think. It's harder during the nights, harder than he thought it'd be without the Eye witnessing his every thought and decision. His thoughts are less sharp now, murky with uncertainty where they had once been of eldritch crispness. They don't hurt any less, of course, and Jon has always been a cruel man, especially to himself.

Martin grumbles in discontent when Jon slips out from beneath his arm and goes to stand by the window overlooking the street below. The moon illuminates the pavement and the roofs of their neighbours' houses. It's quiet. Peaceful. It's exactly how it's supposed to be. Jon can only hope that their own world does now resembles it. Because if it doesn't--if somehow he and Martin escaped, but the entire world did not--

"Jon?"

Martin. Sweet, beloved Martin. Jon's heart aches, not from the knife wound, but from all that which he cannot express properly. He doesn't deserve Martin's love. And yet he's selfish enough to take, to greedily soak it up like a parody of the patron he so long unwillingly served.

"I'm alright, Martin. Go back to sleep," he whispers. Outside, a group of drunk students call out to each other, walking by slowly due to their intoxication. Once, Jon might have taken their statement. Once, he would have known which one of them had an encounter and what it had been about.

A hand settles at the small of his back, over the old band shirt he wears to bed. It's warm. Martin is always so warm. He doesn't ask what's wrong. He knows. When it comes to Jon, Martin always knows. The hand snakes around his waist and pulls him against Martin's front, soft and warm and safe. One hand comes to rest on his chest, just above his heart. He doesn't think Martin knows he's doing it, and Jon is afraid that if he brings it up, his husband will stop. So he says nothing and leans into the offered embrace.

Martin presses his lips to Jon's greying temple. "It's not your fault," he says softly. It's not the first time he's said it. And it won't be the last time. Tonight, though, Jon is too tired to argue, so he says nothing. "I know you feel like you're to blame," says Martin. "But you're not. You didn't know. You tried to stop it. You saved the world."

"Martin..."

"I love you, Jon. I always will. And I know it will take a while for you to love yourself as well, but that's okay. I'm here for you, and I can love for the both of us until you've relearned how."

Tears burn in Jon's eyes. He rarely cries anymore, not like he did in the beginning, when they'd first tried to live in this place so similar to their own and yet fundamentally different. But Martin tightens his hold around him, and Jon allows himself to let go and feel all that grief. It hurts. But Jon is used to pain now.

"I love you, too," he whispers when he can speak again. "Martin, I--I know I haven't been the best spouse recently. I--"

"It's okay," says Martin, sweet, beloved Martin, and kisses the top of his head. "It's okay. You'll be fine. And I'll be there for you. Always."

They go back to bed, and Jon curls towards Martin's warmth and allows himself to be held. To be safe. Because it's been 752 days, but Martin says it's not Jon's fault, and Martin knows about these things.

Perhaps it is time for Jon to believe him.

did anyone tell jon that it wasn't his fault? did they tell him? did he ever have that thought cross his mind that it was time to let go of the blame? did he ever forgive himself? i would. i want him to know that i would.

[spider-jaysart]

And now it must be asked

SuperSons vs Grimace Shake?

@paladin-of-nerd-fandom65

Jon, who unfortunately just had to stumble upon the trending videos about the shake while on his phone one night, watched most of them before bedtime and was unable to sleep at all for the rest of that night and very much regretted not turning off his phone when his parents had told him to before telling him Goodnight

The next day during patrol, him and Damian both went to the nearest McDonald's for a lunch break. Jon just orders a big Mac burger and a regular vanilla milkshake, while Damian orders fries and surprisingly a Grimace shake for himself to try

This terrifies Jon once he hears this at the counter and once they finally walk outside with their food, he tries telling his best friend about what's been happening to the people in the videos that he had seen after they drink the Grimace shake, becoming poor defenseless victims to the mascot Grimace himself

While hearing this, Damian thinks that Jon's just being silly, believing that he's just letting his childish imagination take over his head and tells him that he's only exaggerating, because all of the videos that he saw are actually fake and that the crimes would have been all over the news if they weren't

This made Jon feel a little better but also a bit ridiculous for believing that something like those scary staged videos could be real, but he didn't feel like he could really be blamed for thinking so in the first place though, since they were pretty realistic for fake homemade videos, that it can just make things hard for a young kid like him to just be able to tell the difference between reality and just made up stuff like that. But after thinking about what Damian had said, Jon just decided to let it go and stop being so scared of something that was actually nothing

A good 30 minutes later after their lunch break, they got an alert about something suspicious happening at a nearby warehouse, so they both got up from their seats on the rooftop that they were eating on and quickly got going

Once they got to their destination, they began to carefully look around inside the place to see if anyone was hiding somewhere, but just as they're both walking in the dark with eachother (using the flashlight on Damian's Robin patch), Damian begins to start coughing harshly, immediately making Jon concerned for him

Damian tries telling him that he's fine, but begins to suddenly start choking at that moment, spitting out a purple liquid from his mouth as he tried leaning on the wall for support due to sudden weakness in his body

This made Jon panic as he quickly realized this was the Grimace shake that his best friend was coughing up everywhere. He immediately then held up the shorter one by the waist and threw his arm around his own shoulders to help him stand properly and told him to cut it out, telling him this was not the time to be pranking him right now

Damian told him he wasn't though, as he just continued to keep coughing up more of the sweet liquid, getting it all over his chin and messing up his suit with it

This was when Jon began to become even more worried for his best friend, thinking about what he should do as he tried to keep holding him close by his side so that he won't fall over

All of a sudden, he then hears a deep low laugh around him somewhere in the place with his Superhearing and tried looking around for the source of who could possibly be doing it, feeling a bit of fear crawl up inside of him as he does so

He hears it even more closer this time and follows the sound by immediately turning to face the view in front of him and suddenly grows widened, terrified eyes as he spots a round purple being standing near the dark shadows in the middle of the place, revealing to be....Grimace himself

Jon just stands there in horrified shock now, wondering what the heck was even going on anymore at moment, since none of this was supposed to even be real at all, just as Damian had explained to him earlier about this kind of thing only actually being in made up videos for fun, not in real life

Before the young Kryptonian could even react at all to what was happening at that moment, due to the shock of the whole crazy situation, long dark purple tentacles sprout out of Grimace's back and went straight towards the young duo, tightly grabbing Damian by both of his legs, pulling him away from Jon's hold of him, since he was now the brand new victim in this situation, due to being the only one that had drank his famous Birthday shake earlier, as the Boy Wonder tried to reach out for his Super friend while being snatched away in the air

This wakes up Jon from his original frozen state, making him quickly catch Damian by both of his wrists with his Superspeed before he could even get taken away from him. As Jon struggles to keep the older boy with him, anger starts building up in him, taking over the previous fear inside of him, causing his eyes to glow red with his heat vision at that very moment so that he can use it to laser off all three of the tentacles that were holding onto his friends legs, swiftly slicing them in half as they finally let loose of his ankles and fell limp to the ground, while the rest of it backed off into the distance feeling pain, going straight back to Grimace

Jon then grabbed back onto Damian, who was already losing his ability to stay awake due to the side effects of the shake, before his friend could fall onto the ground and quickly lifted him up, carrying him bridal style to make things easier

Jon angrily yelled at Grimace to back off and leave them alone, but Grimace just laughed wickedly in response and began walking up to them both

Jon knew he couldn't really fight back much with Damian in his arms but he definitely wasn't planning on putting him down at all after what just happened, so he tried flying back out of the place's entrance to get away safely, planning to take Damian to the Batcave to get him checked up by Alfred and Bruce and then go bring back some help to deal with this "Grimace" problem. But just as he was trying to make his move, Grimace uses his extra limbs once again to pull back Jon by hooking them around his arms and legs, dragging him backwards as the half Kryptonian Boy struggled to keep going forward to escape

The young Super curiously looked behind himself to see where Grimace could be at that moment and if he was close or not, which he definitely was, with his mouth all wide open, sharp teeth spiking out, ready to eat and chew the Supersons up

This terrifying sight frightened Jon so much, causing him to let out a scream as he used his heat vision to once again slice in half every annoying limb that was gripping onto him and used his ice breath to freeze up the monster and kicked him away with his foot, using his Superstrength to make sure that he lands very far from him and Damian so that they can finally leave

Soon after, he quickly then took Damian to the Batcave to make sure he was okay and reported to the adult heroes about what had happened to both of them at the Warehouse that they were in

The Grayson family and Clark, plus Conner, were sent to go investigate the Warehouse. They weren't able to find Grimace, stating that he was gone, but got to discover that a whole stocked up stash of Grimace shakes were all hiding in a locked up freezer room in the place.

After taking them all back with them to see what's inside of these hidden shakes and to also get to get rid of them, so that no one will be harmed by them again, they theorized that this "Grimace" creature was most likely inspired by the videos online and thought that it would be a great way to get their "meals" delivered to them in an easier way, by somehow swapping their original ordered drinks in with the fake ones at McDonald's everytime, replacing them before the customer would actually grab it and go, so that they could fall into his traps and go through what happens to the fake victim's in the made up Grimace videos

Both the Batfamily and Superfamily made sure to hunt down this new hungry monster until he was finally caught and wasn't able to hurt anyone anymore and made sure that McDonald's stopped selling the Birthday shakes to keep civilians safe until this was all finally handled by them

Also, a little bit of fluff so that this post won't feel so dark:

Damian was fine the next day after getting a lot of rest during that stressful night and Jon, who almost couldn't contain his tears, hugged him tightly (fortunately not enough to crush his bones with how happy he was though, which was good). But since he wasn't completely able to just go back out and start dealing with missions again, since he was still healing from that shake, they both spent the rest of the new day just hanging out in the manor with eachother, both eating ice cream, while laughing and playing video games together like the besties that they are and later had a fun sleepover too!

The end

Thanks very much for the ask, buddy!! :D

Hope it was good! This was my first time writing something like horror lol

Tagging:

@camo-wolf @theredheaded-stuff

[jcryptid]

The Magnus (fic rec) Archives

This one has been literally years in the making and a true testiment to the power of hyperfixation and what I could maybe do if my brain decided something like graduating highschool was actually really interesting.

I'm sure my fic preferences will be made very much clear as you read this, so do keep in mind said preferences might not allign with yours. I have included a lot of Whump, H/C and angst in my list, so if you're not into that sort of thing, that's fine, have a nice day. I've also got some content warnings in my descriptions as well for the more... intense....whump?... yeah let's go with that.

(Most are all Jmart, but there's some JonTim, some LonelyEyes on the side, and the occassional OG archivist squad polyamory, anything tagged as Jon/Elias is 100% in some kind of whump scenario)

Rec list and key under the cut (^o^)/

Key:

Bold = 11/10 fic, very much had me thinking about if for way longer than I should have, recommending it way too many times than is necessary and pretty regularly rereading it

Purple italics = didn't quite have the same earth shattering effect as the bold fics, but very much worth a read all the same

Plain text = it's up there fam, but not quite on the same level as the purple italics or bold fics

The garden of forking paths - by bibliocratic

After killing Elias and presumably setting the world back the way it was Jon and Martin find themselves falling through the doors of the distortion, holding each other tight and doing everything they can to not let go. It's only when Jon wakes up later to an archivist named Sasha and the Tim he used to know waving an axe in his face that he realizes that wherever somewhere else was, he came through alone.

First fic I ever read for TMA that I connected with really, written midway through season 5 so we pretty much ignore any canon ending, but I don’t think any of us are particularly complaining about that one considering the sheer amount of fix its. (Completed)

Out There, Somewhere - Artyphex

Jon wakes up, blind and alone and bleeding out having been spat out of the crack between realities after the end of the world and now finds himself alone, alone and in pain, entirely alone in a way he's never felt before, in a world that is not his with no one he knows and loves beside him. And he is left to search, with unseeing eyes and shaking words for the one person he needs to know is okay. (Completed)

They keep trying to row away (series) - by assigned_Jon_Kin_Again (sparrow0), blackwood (transjon), radula (stickpenalties), screechfox, skvadern

Body horror mermaid fic that breaks my heart in the best way, feat. Archivist Sasha and maybe a polyamory between the 4 main archivist crew? Either way a hurt/comfort mermaid fic that I can't stop coming back to. If you're a big fan of Whump and excessive angst with the sweat relief of comfort this is the fic for you, but please for the love of god pay attention to the Trigger Warnings. (Series complete)

Family, Found - Dribblescribbles

Basira was there for the unknowing, she was there when Elias told them all to their faces that he was a bastard who was using them for something none of them could understand, and ever since the unknowing she's been doing whatever she could, taking whatever scraps of investigations she could to find the answers. And of all the people it had to be Helen who helped her figure it out. Because Jon is not a monster, but the Web and the Eye are doing their damn best to make him one, and she's going to make sure that the others working for the archives aren't doing the same. (One Shot)

My witness brings me Into existence - by driflew

A take on Not!Jon au with an exploration on what happens if he comes back and the experiences he has to deal with as someone who cannot be physically remembered but still wants to help out Sasha and the others, even if Elias, the one person who seems to know him, won't let him.

This one has me feeling a lot of things, currently existing as just a One shot but I'm still crossing my fingers from some extra additions to the series, and boy does this one have me coming back on the regular. (Completed fic, Series ongoing)

Not a Second Thought - by i_can_do_fics

An alternate take on Not!Jon, specifically involving the web instead of the stranger. Where people aren't replaced, but thin unseeable strings of spider silk force his hand and his tongue and his body in no way he can resist. And after everything that'd happened since this all started, he's not quite sure it's a bad thing. (One shot)

Miles to Go before I sleep - by AuralQueer

Sleep Dep. Hurt Comfort Set S4, feat. A Jon who is putting himself through way too much crap but honestly that's just par for the course. (One shot)

Beastly Behavior - by Prim_the_Amazing

Martin is a man struck by a curse, a curse that is vindictive and cruel and cast by someone he will always love despite everything she's done to him. Jon is a man on the run from a monster of his own, a man with all the power in the world to take everything he has left of himself for his own entertainment. Two men with two tasks, a mother and a grandmother, both dying in their beds and both losing a part of their freedom and themselves trying to save them. Both terrified of the world they live in, of the person they grow to love, of the people they may be becoming.

A Beauty and the Beast au with a bit of a twist, and a happy ending well worth the wait. (Completed)

The Sea Calls Me Home - mothjons

Martin Blackwood takes a job at Peter Lukas's estate in exchange for his mother's care and

their housing for his service. It's not a pretty job, it's not anything Martin would have picked for himself but nothing he'd had ever would be and he's resigned himself to that fact, no matter how much it hurts. And then he meets a strange man by the sea, and god knows all the secrets and the pain of loving someone is the one choice he knows for certain he'd never give up.

Not going to lie this one had by ugly crying by the end. A great and honestly very angsty take on Mer Jon x Martin but also set during the height of WWI and I promise you there is of course a happy ending they both deserve. (Complete)

Head in the Lion's Mouth - by renwhit

Au where Danny is alive, damaged goods but alive. So when a certain archivist, possibly delirious and in pain, narrows his eyes and tells him he looks familiar in a way the other uncanny circus members don't, it sparks something in him he can't explain and for the first time in over a decade the ringmaster has a name. (Series is ongoing)

Maybe they'll leave you alone, but not me - by ghostfrog

A cute ongoing fic where Jon becomes a teacher after Martin singlehandedly stops the apocalypse at the end of S4, and because they're both trying to move on with their lives Jon becomes an English teacher for a local school, where he has a class that are a bit too observant, and maybe just a bit too into cryptids.

There Are Monsters In These Woods - by DoilySpider

Once upon a time there was a prince of a kingdom named blackwood, with a wicked stepfather who wanted him dead. One day the prince asked his stepfather what he could do to claim the crown that they both knew was rightfully his, and the stepfather told him that a king must be brave, and to prove it he must then slay the beast of eyes.

Once upon a time there was a man named Jonathan Sims, a man who sought whatever knowledge and magic it would take to be able to protect those he loved from the monsters that took everything from him; and so he went to see the Mage Magnus, who would only be making him just one more.

Dark Fairytale au? Well that's what you get I suppose when the fandom is based around a horror podcast. All I can say really is that I love the world-building on this one, and the writing, featuring a happily ever after we all know they all deserve and some Jon/Martin/Tim/Gerry Polyamory. (Complete)

A Weather In The Flesh - by cuttooth

An emotionally devastating one shot about touch starvation that may or may not have made me feel a lot of things (One shot)

One of these birds, is not my bird - by updownandsideways

Just a good ol' Not Jon fic, a bit predictable in places but the gist is Jon is taken by the Not Them and Martin's feeling a bit different about Jon since he got back from the Prentiss incident, it's only when he re-reads some of his old poetry that he finds out why. (Complete)

Thresholds (series) - by bubonickitten

At the precipice of finding out he's changing into something inhuman, Elias decides to give Jon a push, with the perfect bit of information to leave him a wreck, and makes him know the story of a young man he remembers all too clearly being taken by dear old Mr. Spider. (Complete)

Chamomile - Dribbledscribbles

Chamomile is a mischievous little creature who finds its delight in seeing how many times they can give the people in this safe house a heart attack. It's attempts on Martin have been successful to a fault, pushing him as far as it can to scare the living daylights out of him before he comes at him with a broom and scuttling away before he can come close. It's a fun game they have, but when they try it on Jon it just doesn't work. It's not fun, because Jon lets it win, Jon names it, Jon gives him cuddles and lets it rest on his shoulder, and this little creature is rather determined not to give up.

Aka a cute fluff fic where Jon and Martin are living in their cottage in Scotland and end up adopting a few of the spookier residents. (Completed)

Go softly - by doomcountry

Martin brings home a jug of bleach, sets it on the counter with an eyedropper for when Jon is ready, and even if both of them know it will hurt, that is has to be done, but no matter what they are going to get through this together.

TW for eye mutilation (Oneshot)

Terror Management Theory - by prismatical

Jonathan sims was eaten by a spider when he was eight, he died, but then he came back. Since then Jon has a very interesting relationship with death, one that terrifies him more than anything else, more than any other fear, and it's going to take a hell of a lot to earn his right to death back. (Completed)

Nature has taught her creatures to hate - thepolysyndetonaddictsupportgroup

Many times Jon has tried to run, sometimes it even worked, sometimes he got barely made it out alive at the end of the day, but it never worked when he was running from the Magnus institute, from James Wright or Elias Bouchard, or from the horrors that have never let him go since he was eight and stupid enough to pick up that damn book. The powers that be had taken him as a child, wrapped him in tight cobwebs of contracts and kidnappings and under a bruising hand on his shoulder that guided him down the path of inhumanity no matter how hard he tried to run. And even now, when he's failed again and facing losing another of a short line of close connections to the curse that is the Magnus institute, he can't back out.

NGL this one is depressing at times, but it kept my eyes glued to the screen it was so thrilling. Featuring a Jon who was chased to the Magnus institute by a book and a boy overflowing with spiders, and then claimed by something even worse, lots of child abuse and Elias being a manipulative bastard. (Ongoing)

Reflection - by LazuliQuetzal

There's something haunting Jonathan sims, something that looks just like him, but different all the same. Something inhuman that he cannot allow himself to trust, no matter what it says or claims to know about him. Something that keeps telling him with every moment they have to stay away from the archives, no matter what.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Sims, the monster and remnant of a ruined world, is rapidly forced to reconcile with living in the past as something no one is able to see or even notice as anything out of the ordinary, not even with the power of the eye behind them, and as fun as getting some small sense gratification from being petty and messing with Jonah as much as he can, the only person he can really talk to is quite literally himself.

And he's a fucking idiot.

This fic is great if you just want a little giggle and some catharsis. Pending alternate title is currently tied between "Two Jons in an archive, what will he do?" and "Jon would be the first person to tell you that he is absolutely insufferable". (complete)

See the Line where the Sky meets the Sea - by The_Floating_World

Jon has always had a fascination with things vastly incomprehensible, staring out from a dock out at the ocean and marveling at the infinity of everything before him. How the sky can be perfectly reflected in the ocean, how everything is endless and so vast in such a beautiful way, and I need not tell you that fears have never been loved in the way Jon loves infinity. After a probably not so chance encounter with Simon Fairchild, Jonathan Sims begins his slow evolution to becoming as an avatar of the vast, but he's different in a way the others aren't. Asking questions with no answer and living on that threshold between the vast and unknowable and madness in a way the other's haven't seen before, and by virtue of his own strangeness, even in the face of the other avatars, he is known as the philosopher, a man who isn't a man that seems content to hide just how powerful he really is.

At least until he makes some friends of his own and they come under threat. (Complete)

Starving Gods - by sevansa

Jon is in a really, really bad place when he decides to go through with it, knowing with a certainty his future doesn't have that if he were to follow in the footsteps of Eric Delano, he wasn't going to allow himself the luxury of a chance to back out, not with so many victims at stake.

Needless to say the shock of finding Jon in his office like that, unconscious and mutilated is something none of them will ever forget.

TW eye mutilation but you already knew that, first fic i the series is complete, but the sequel is still ongoing.

The Unknown Watcher - by authureameslove

Martin knows the rules as well as anyone else. You do not stay out past dark, not for anything, lest you fall prey to monsters and madness more potent than any ghost story or relentless creature cooked up by gods bigger than anyone could have imagined. So on a dark night, chased by monsters a plenty and his own stupid decision to chance it Martin Blackwood stumbles upon an estate filled with its own monstrosities. Two killers stalking the woods that weren't there before, a stranger in the night, two who cannot leave lest they be unmade with wooden splinters where there should be skin, and a man with two glowing green eyes and a face that no one can see. Each with their own stories to tell, each bound to this place by powers out of their control and choices they have made and each playing their own part in the end of both themselves and the world.

And of all things, they seem to think that Martin just might be the only one who can save them.

Inspired loosely on Beauty and the Beast with its own unique and captivating TMA Spin, this fic had be glued to my seat in anticipation, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys tales of vengeance, Jmartin and that classic ghost story style mystery. (Complete)

Déjà Vu - CirrusGrey

What do you even do with yourself when you are given a second chance? What does it mean to truly feel your death, being unmade or destroyed or unwound or stabbed through the heart by the man you love, and waking up alone long before you would have come to know any of it. Remembering everything, every pain, every choice that led to it and everything that you can't bring yourself to believe hasn't happened yet, and to do so all alone?

Sasha James was unmade, Tim Stoker was destroyed, Martin was unwound, and Jon was stabbed through the heart by his love. They all woke up alone on a day long before even the thought of Prentiss would touch them, and they all think they're the only one.

The Watcher's Bargain - arthureameslove

Fae au says what?

Martin hadn't known freedom since he was a child, when the witch Mary Blackwood took him in and bound him with silver threads and promises. So when she lays sick and dying in their house he makes a bargain with her. The Death's book of names and her life in return for his freedom. He should have known stealing from the Fae would have consequences beyond death, should have known the witch would have been vindictive enough to only allow him to leave her if it meant trading one prison for another, and this time, surrounded by the high court of the Panopticon, with Fae and tortured humans in chains, bound to one who speaks in half-truths and secrets, hope has never been so far from his eyes.

At least that is, until the fae proposes a bargain of his own. (Ongoing)

This Lonely Knight - arthureameslove

Martin doesn't remember why or how he came to join the knights of the Lonely, nor does he remember any of a life before that point. Like the many other heartless knights he cast away his memories and the pain they carried with them with his choice and that was just the way it was. It's not until he's sent to escort a strange man from the beholding to be the Watcher's betrothed that he begins to find what he'd been missing, what being of the Lonely had kept him from, and more importantly that he can't go through with his suicidal mission to see the death of his charge.

Honestly, this is classic fairytale knight and royal in an arranged marriage romance but with another perfect Magnus Archives twist from arthureameslove. (Complete)

What Belongs to the Sea - TwoDrunkenCelestials, WhyNotFly

When Jon first meets Elias he's dry as a bone and still smelling of thick salt with wild hair, knocking on his door with fury in his eyes and blood roaring in his veins as he demands back his stolen skin. For all his grandmother's warnings though, he still ends up in a gilded cage of his own making. Soon Jon, against his better judgement and consent is swept up into the path of the unblinking, newlywed and bound by powerful magic and paraded around in ceremony and unfeeling shows of affection and control. It's only after an admittedly prickly encounter with Martin, that he begins to hope.

TW there is abuse here, and alot of iron burns (Complete)

The Path of Least Resistance - chermit

Martin, Sasha and Tim go into what they think will be a normal day of work in 2016, and it is anything but. They arrive to find a crime scene, swamped with police officers there to inform them plainly that everyone in the institute is dead, except for them. Elias in his office clutching his head as if in pain, Jon shot three times in the chest with an empty look in his eyes and the rest of them from apparent cardiac arrest. Needless to say they want answers, they want justice, and if it means involving themselves in a world of monsters and fear a mysterious someone had tried so hard to keep them safe from, then so be it. (Ongoing)

The Sweetest Thing - JoyHeart

Martin has always been warned away from humans, his mother took great pains to plant that fear firmly within long before she and all of Selkie kind seemed to turn their backs on him. It isn't until he's rescued from some particularly nasty flesh worms by the Magnus Institute for Oceanic Research and Rescue that he finds an alternate perspective. Unfortunately, even if he doesn't yield his form, Martin's about to find that humans have more than one way of keeping a selkie under their grasp, even if completely unintentionally.

A martin selkie au that had me cackling, in suspense and squealing with just the right amount of fluff (for my tastes at least) featuring Marine Biologist Jon who's just as insufferable when it comes to his skepticism as he is incredibly sweet. (complete)

Heavy angst and whump warning for the sequel (which is ongoing)

A deeply annoying child - ajkal2

A oneshot (that I will defend until my dying breath) where Jon reads a Leitner that turns him into his 8 year old self right after his encounter with Mr Spider and Tim is there to help him pick of the pieces. (Oneshot)

Antigonish - softlyblue

Martin inherits an the Blackwood house from a woman he's never heard of sharing his last name and very quickly finds it inhabited by something trying to kill him, something that is not the four friendlier ghosts that inhabit the place, and something that goes a hell of a lot deeper than cold spots and whispers in the night. It's not so much a choice then to call in the cavalry when a portion of the very well-built roof tries to crush him for the third time in a row, so he sends a reluctant email to three ghost hunters under Basira's recommendation, with one of which being a man reportedly most adept of seeing and reaching out to things that are not there. (Complete)

The Reverb in These Holy Halls - Wolftraps (AlwaysBoth)

After a distinctly unwell day at work Jonathan Sims comes to awareness and marches in to the archives without so much as a word and declares himself to Elias and Martin both as the new head archivist. A lot of people are confused by this, a lot of people suspect Jon of murdering Gertrude and a lot of people want to know what the hell is going on with him. With a bargain made, and an eye and a Spider in his heart Jonathan Sims is going to save the world, and this time he's going to do it right.

Very generic premise of a Timetravel TMA fix it but it comes with some added flavor thanks to some clever writing from the author/s.

Two Graves - SupposedToBeWriting

In saving the world singlehandedly Jonathan Sims honestly thought he was going to die, so it was more than a surprise when he didn't, and even more than his plan actually worked. Now, with nothing but the remnants of fear and a broken heart he flees London, along with everything and everyone to do with the Magnus institute, but quickly finds himself a new purpose with a garden and connection to some avatars who need some help finding themselves after their patron's disappearance.

And then his world shatters when Martin and Basira finally manage to track him down.

This one got me through a particularly rough patch, a fic about reconciliation after the end of the world was... well, ended, and about reconnecting and forgiving the ones you love. TW for some implied sucidal thoughts and ideation. (completed)

The Archivist and the Adventurer (series) - paperdream

There are few things for a human that is worse than to be considered lovely by the Fae, and that is a lesson Jon, like so many things, had to learn the hard way. Ensnared by the wild hunt and bound to the high fae Elias and forcibly changed by the Mother of Spiders, all Jon has left to hold on to is his name, spending his days confined to the Archives to serve and be subject to the whims of the fae, whatever they may be. At least that is, until he finds his solace in helping an adventurer escape the cruelty of the fae unscathed, no matter how foolish he may be. (Ongoing)

Auspex (Series) - faridsgwi

(Victorian AU) The year is 1841, and Jonah Magnus is ready to begin building his archive in London. Now it's just a manner of going to the workhouse to find a child that won't be missed to serve as his repository.

Highly recommended au for you guys, as of now it's still ongoing but my god is it keeping my rapt attention in hopes for updates to the series. Featuring our good old Victorian asshole and resident child abuser Jonah Magnus, as he builds up his new archive and apprentice Jonathan Sims in preparation for his uses. Assistants will be traumatized, friends will be made along the way, and as always remember the apocalypse is always much closer than you think. (Ongoing)

The Kindness of Strangers - theOestofOCs

What's that saying? That Hindsight is 20/20? After a rather delicately arranged meeting in eye neutral terf (read as not in the institute) on Tim's request, Jon is finally able to get the chance to really talk to Tim since… well everything. So when the two find themselves snagged by Breekon and Hope and handed over to Nikola Orsinov, let's just say Tim being in the wrong place at the wrong time was the least of their worries.

Content warning for disassociation, forced nudity and non-consensual touching (not sexual), this one is heavy on the angst, but if you, like me, really wanted Jon and Tim to get the chance to actually reconcile before the unknowing, and love seeing Tim's protective older brother side, then this is the fic for you. (Completed)

Stag Story - With_the_Wolves

Stag's are notoriously hard to capture in the wild, using magic to flee and disappear before any bullet comes close to touching them. As a results hunts are often drawn out and tedious in search of trophies, and notoriously difficult to pull of successfully, at least until one of the most respected of the Hunter's alliance, Elias, comes up with something of a solution.

A solution he keeps under lock and key and threat of iron burns and torture should he disobey. His precious bait stag, cowed and shaped to his will, and he's going to use him to finally kill the Beast of the Northern Forest. (Oneshot)

The Fates Design - theOestofOCs

Kept hidden, starving and without any memory of a time before Elias saved him, the Archive had resigned himself to a life under his care and in his service. He was the Archive after all, a danger to himself and the world, this was what he was for.

So when a thief climbs in through the window of his tower, and gives him a story to ease the pain of hunger and asks him to come with him, at least until Elias's return, he accepts. The want for the pain to end winning out over the safety of his tower and unfortunately, the knowledge that this is where he should be for the safety of the realm.

And then he meets a ginger haired man he couldn't be sure he'd only ever seen in his dreams, and things change.

Alternately titled by the author as the Tmagled au (which I absolutely love), this one puts a really intriguing TMA twist on the classic Rapunzel set up, with some added mystery that had me desperate for more.

As it stands it is still ongoing, and pretty new, but as of posting this has actually been updated fairly recently.

The Lives We've Shared - The OestofOCs

Jon finds something he shouldn't have, something someone took great lengths to keep hidden, and something Elias Bouchard doesn't want him listening to. A tape from Gertrude, hidden below a loose floorboard in his office, speaking with certainty of death and leaving a warning for her successor.

Needless to say Elias will do anything to make sure a secret like that doesn't come to light, so after a short flick of a blade across his throat, all he needs to do is clean up as much of the blood from the office as he can and start again with one of his assistants.

What no one accounted for though, was Jon coming back.

Completed fic where Jon dies and comes back as a ghost, with the single goal to protect his people as much as he can from Elias and others like him.

Fold, Fallow and Plough - theOestofOCs

Jon is a marine conservationist researcher, so when he sees the net squirming and rolling on the beach with something impossible inside, he does what he always has and cuts it free, regardless of any praise or recognition he might have gotten from the discovery.

So when the head of the Magnus institute of Marine discovery arrives moments later, fuming and demanding to know what happened to his catch, Jon certainly isn't going to apologize for doing the right thing. No matter what earning the man's ire might bring upon himself.

He just… he didn't expect this.

Have I mentioned I'm a big fan of Mermaid Body Horror? TW for abuse, non-consensual body modification and a lot of whump, featuring Mer Tim, Danny and Sasha as they try to walk their unexpected charge through a new life under the waves, as others above continue to search for the missing researcher. (Ongoing)

Darkling I listen (half in love) - theOestofOCs

Jon had never had a good feeling about their newest client Jonah Magnus, but it's not until he sees him one night crawling down the side of his castle with spiderlike grace that he truly comes to realize he's not human, and Martin needs to survive this. So, throwing caution to the wind and what he knows has to be all sense with it, he makes a deal with Magnus. Martin will be sent back to London under the guise that Jon will be continuing their work here, and Jon's life is forfeit.

But Magnus has far greater plans for his new pet, and no intention of letting him go that easily.

If you're me and you've read the original Dracula by Bram Stoker this is one hell of a treat. Just the right amount of TMA and Dracula plot points with some very well written body horror as Jonathan finds himself slowly turning into a creature of the night. (Ongoing)

The Archivist's Moving Castle - Hallali

In a world full of magic and monsters a plenty, Martin's life on its own has thus far been profoundly uninteresting. But dreaming of adventure in the hills was never a way to stay safe, and Martin has always been quietly content, if a fair bit lonely, tending to the town's library under the employ of one Peter Lukas. At least, that is, until a strange man full of magic of his own seeks his sanctuary and promises to help him escape, a hope Martin can at least hold onto for now even as his world twists beyond the limits of what he thought possible and he is cursed and forced to flee before Jon could even have the chance to return. Which is all well and good he could suppose, he needed to get out anyway, he just wished there were less monsters trying to kill him involved. (Ongoing)