#and technically no archive warnings do apply

[sleepyorchidmonster]

If Amphoreus is a doomed world that's fated to repeat its downfall over and over, and Remembrance Trailblazer has a quill, does that mean we're writing a fix-it fanfic for Amphoreus?

Traiblazer is the writer (GalacticBaseballer_Racoon02), Dan Heng is the beta reader (he has nothing better to do and also wants to encourage Traiblazer's writing), Mem is the mascot/ Ao3 pfp alongside Clockie.

The Hertha is that one genius friend you ask when you need to make sure something could actually work in real life (Dan Heng can help, but sometimes they need to call Hertha to understand how paradoxes and Samsaras work, the whole thing with Coreflames or whether the Trashcans are a memetic virus or not).

Everything that's happening in Amphoreus is just the Ao3 writer curse, like, can you imagine the notes and tags for this fic?

My very bad, NO GOOD, Time in Amphoreus

by GalacticBaseballer_Raccon02

No Archive Warnings Apply, Traiblazer (HSR), Mem (HSR), Dan Heng (HSR), Phainon (HSR), Mydei (HSR), Aglaea (HSR), Tribbie (HSR), Anaxa (HSR), Hyacine (HSR), Cipher (HSR), No beta we die like the Watchmaker, wait dan heng found this fic LETS GOO, yes beta we die like my will to live, pain, swearing, slow burn, friends to lovers, acheron we need you, third wheeling a gay couple that doesn't know they are a couple, anaxagoras? I only know anaxa, trianne is NOT DEAD, I can't translate this to Kremnoan cause their dictionay is nonexistent, shot out to genius society for explaining things to me, actually I'm dead sooo, yes beta we die like me, author wrote this instead of sleeping,

And the notes are all like: "Sorry for the delay, I was fighting Nikador and the Wi-Fi in Kremnos is awful so I couldn't post this chapter in time", "Sooo I'm technically dead (I'll be fine don't worry). Dan Heng will be posting the next chapter soon", " So everyone in the Grove died and both Anaxa and Cerces are reviewing this fic as a way to cope (they found SO MANY TYPOS)", "THE CHIMERAS STOLE MY PHONE AND ORPHANED THE FIC (thank you Silver Wolf for helping me get it back)".

[phdmama]

.

[meirimerens]

rated Mature | No Archive Warnings Apply | M/M

45.859 words

selected other tags:

Character Study | Sand Plague Character Study | Mythologizing | Metanarration | Slow Burn | tending to the other's wounds | Colleagues to Friends To Something Else To Enemies To Lovers | Chekhov's Steppe Herbs Cigarette With Average Effects | Dissection | is it dissection if the person is technically dead but also speaks to you (which the dead do not do) | Weird and Unusual Caves | Weird and Unusual Houses | Implied Sexual Content

hi o/ i wrote a 45k Dankovsky-centric Burakhovsky fic that folds itself as a mythified study of the plague and how one might (have to) deal with it… among other things. 🫀

i started it in 2023 and then procrastinated for two years before it went from 9k to 45k words in 19 days because i didn't want p3 demo to mess with my lore. necessity is mother of action and all that.

[Check Out My Text] (or click the link on the screenshot above)

[beneathsilverstars]

A traveler and a researcher meet at a Vaugardian inn. Siffrin has never been the type to get close to strangers, but maybe that can change. When in Vaugarde, right?

Rating: Mature No Archive Warnings Apply Category: Other Relationship: Odile/Siffrin Additional Tags: Pre-Canon, Pre-pre-canon in fact, What if we talked about anthropology and our elbows touched and we were both strangers here 🫣😍, Touch-Starved Siffrin (In Stars and Time), Touch-Starved, And I do mean absolutely starving for it, One Night Stands, Except not really. Except technically yes? Except technically no., Ace character pushing their own boundaries, Communication, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Overstimulation, Unprotected hand-holding 😳 Words: 7,896 Chapters: 1/4

[mammalsofaction]

FIC MASTERLIST

Because I worry about losing track of them

Very First Perryshmirtz wedding drabble (Rated G, a comedy of errors)

Heinz in the Virgin Killer sweater (Rated M, but very nearly explicit)

Save a horse ride a platypus (Rated E, straight-up sex, Human Perry)

We love an Oh moment (Rated G, Perry realizes something literally everyone else figured out forever ago)

Outline of Seeing Double (Rated G, Perry gets hit with the Molecular Separator)

Body Worship drabble (Rated E, yeah what it says on the tin.)

Mind Control (Rated E, set during Remains of the Platypus, the butler inator, implied non con.)

Do it like they do on the Discovery Channel (Rated E, hunger as a form of love, very small breeding kink at the end)

Found you (Rated G, non graphic descriptions of injury. Heinz got into a spot of trouble, and Perry welcomes him home.)

When We Didn't Get Along (Rated G, POV outsider, what the Flynn-Fletcher sees during the infamous Panda related breakup)

I Hurt You (Rated G, second part of the breakup arc series)

Wedding Adventure (Rated T, Perryshmirtz rewrite of Candace's Big Day with human perry. Part 1)

Doof in Perry's shirt (Rated M, highly suggestive)

It'd be weirder if they didn't, right? (Rated T, social media AU) Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, part 4

Wet Shirt Train (Rated T, slightly suggestive, flustered Heinz)

Momentum (Rated T, Outsider POV, OWCA Files)

First Impressions (Rated G, MML/PNF Crossover)

Missing You (Rated T, MML/PNF Crossover)

I Fell For You (Rated T, introspective)

Soap Opera (Rated G, introspective)

Happy Accident (Rated G, poll based fic, another Chio banger)

Same Day Delivery (Rated T, shipping inator)

Slippers (Rated G, peter the landa mentioned)

May I Touch You? (Rated M, my absolute FAVOURITE Chio art work so far, Absolutely obsessed)

Disarmed (Rated E, its yeah. Its smut)

SIKE! GET LOVED IDIOT! (Rated G, chibiverseplat perry, fix it fic)

Early Days (Rated G, non graphic depiction of Injuries)

Sugar, we're going down swingin' (Rated T, Angst, ambiguous ending)

Pushing All My Buttons (Rated M, steamy angry frotting on the stairs)

Bring Me A Dream (Rated G, lazy kissing)

Forbidden Fruit (Rated M, kisses in secrecy)

Domestic (Rated T, Doof 101)

Pop Shop (Rated T, pre-slash sorta)

His man (Rated G, inspired by shippy Perryshmirtz disney t-shirt merch)

I'm gonna need some collateral if you're borrowing Ferb (Rates G, also inspired by Disney merch, just the Flynn-Fletcher siblings one shot crackfic)

A New Perspective (Rated G, reverse POV of the Perryshmirtz Wedding Drabble [1])

Technically Legal (and not at all a crime) Rated G, chibiverse Perryshmirtz, spoilers for S3 chibiverse, oh no now theres two. Ambiguously established Perryshmirtz

The Rizzler (Rated M, speaking Perry, Inator mishap)

Selfish (Rated M, for non-graphic violence and implications of torture, established relationship)

Posted on my AO3

Coffee Stains and Creaky Floorboards (Rated T, no archive warnings apply)

You snuck your way right into my heart (Rate T, no archive warnings apply)

You Must Be New (Rated T, Graphic Depictions of Violence):

Don't Need a Dictionary- (Rated T, no archive warnings apply)

Don't Leave Me Here Alone (Rated E, No archive warnings apply)

Lunch Break (Rated M, No Archive Warnings Apply)

Cupid, Cupid Shot Me 5 Times in the Heart (Rated T, No Archive Warnings Apply)

Merry Fuckin' Christmas (Rated M, No Archive Warnings Apply) [SECRET SANTA]

MY HUMAN AU LORE POSTS

1. Human Perry Lore [Part 1] [part 2]

2. Human Sergei Lore

3. Human Pinky Lore

LINKS AND POSTS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO ME (AND ALSO MY FOLLOWERS AND MUTUALS)

1. Leaked, possibly now deleted song from CSG of Heinz wanting to be a Good Guy

2. Talk to Him, Extended and with Different Lyrics

3. Perry's technically a clone possibly

[antimony-medusa]

You Blew Me Into Stardust

Kristin laughed, the sound emerging too-loud in the half-empty bar. She hung her head in her hands. “Oh yeah,” she told the bar top. “I mean, the mechs—they were originally designed to battle sculk anyways, and it’s not like anything bad happened to the people who built them, so we’ll be good.” “Oh yeah, all those ancient cities still goin’ strong today.” Techno ran a finger around the top of his glass. “Civilization standin’ strong overall. Whole situation went so well, I don’t give us more than a 50% chance of someone dyin’. Maybe 40% if we’re lucky.” “Oh god.” Kristin emerged from her hands laughing, and pushed her hair out of her face. “No worries, it’ll go great to go back there. We’ll all do great. Happy about this, actually.” Ponk came over with the bottle and refilled her glass, and she nodded to them. “Thanks.” “And if only one of us dies—” Techno grinned at her, tired. “Then the other person just has to deal with it. And that’s easy. I’m doing great.” “I’m doing great,” Kristin echoed, a little choked up. She straightened fully and looked down at her drink, turning the stem of the glass between her fingers. “I miss him.” She cleared her throat. “I miss my husband, Techno. I miss him a lot.”

Status: 9/9 chapters, updated 9 August, 42,846 words

Fandom: Dream SMP

Rating: Teen Audiences

Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Characters: Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Kristin Rosales Watson, Phil Watson | Philza, Ranboo (Video Blogging RPF)

Relationships: Technoblade & Kristin Rosales Watson, Kristin Rosales Watson/Phil Watson | Philza, Technoblade & Phil Watson | Philza, Technoblade & Kristin Rosales Watson & Phil Watson | Philza

Tags: Alternate Universe - Mecha, Technically Post Apocalypse but that's kind of background, Benchtrio is also here, Syndicate is also here, Dream is also here, Endersmile hand in unlovable hand, while I'm tagging duos, Peerpressure, Wardens (Minecraft), Alternate Universe - Sculk Kaiju Defense, Grief, Happy Ending, 40k of chanting Let Kristin Kill at higher and higher volumes, Inspired by Art, We fridge Phil but then we get him back, Hospitals, Needles, Body Horror, Really abysmal management, MCYTblr Summer AU Fest 2024, Marvel-movie levels of violence throughout, Queerplatonic Relationships, Queerplatonic Technoblade/Kristin Rosales Watson/Phil Watson | Philza

And it's time for the second fic I wrote for @mcytblraufest! Inspired by art by the incredible @errs-other-other-blog-again and betted by the invaluable @droidofmay, this is slightly more than 40k of mech au that contains a lot of terrible jokes about grief and death, because well— gestures to the main characters. This fic has put me through the wringer due to the time constraints, but I love it a lot and am delighted to be able to share it with you. Enjoy!

[sb-essebi]

(Dark)vision | Xedgin | 2.3k | Mature | Complete

No Archive Warnings Apply | Tags: #Fluff #Established Relationship #Self-Worth Issues #Flirting #Making Out #Sharing a Bed #(technically it's a bedroll but. yeah.) #this is *barely* M all there is is some very polite and poetic dirty talk #Dirty Talk

Their little camp is pitch black. Ed can’t see a thing with the moon one day away from new, and even that sliver of light is covered by thick clouds along with most of the sky. “Fire’s gone out,” he murmurs, figuring the others must still be asleep if Simon and Holga’s snoring is anything to go by. “Yes,” Xenk acknowledges, voice just as low. “My apologies. I should have noticed that the embers were dying out. I was… distracted.” Xenk Yendar. Was distracted. By him. They’ve been doing the courting thing for a few months now, but the idea doesn’t get any less heady. That Xenk wants him. Loves him. Doesn’t get any easier to believe, either. “You can see like this?”

Or: Xenk is very very in love. Ed has quite a lot of trouble dealing with that.

[Read on AO3]

[smallsinger5901]

Lowercase society (24310 words) by SmallSinger Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Death Note (Anime & Manga), Death Note: Another Note Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Stephen Gevanni | Stephen Loud & Raye Penber, Misora Naomi/Raye Penber, Near | Nate River & The SPK (Death Note) Characters: Stephen Gevanni | Stephen Loud, Raye Penber, Near | Nate River, Misora Naomi, Halle Lidner | Halle Bullock, Anthony Rester, Ill Ratt | Carl Darlingbin | Shawn Danrevey, original characters- the Penber family Additional Tags: THE GEVANNI BACKSTORY FIC, Almost all headcanon, Canonical Character Death, Bad Parenting, Canon-Typical Sexism, (thanks raye penber), Minor Original Character(s), Origin Story, technically, Canon Compliant, Missing Scene, BAMF Misora Naomi, Raye Penber Bashing, a healthy amount <3, Headcanon-centric, career criminal Gevanni

Summary: 'Do you want me to ask God and Raye Penber for forgiveness before I commit a fucking sin?' AKA The Gevanni backstory fic

[batwingsandblackcats]

the sweater curse

Read on Ao3

1/1 15,764 (complete)

Rating: not rated

Archive Warnings: no archive warnings apply

Fandoms: Critical Role (Web Series)

Relationships: Laudna/Imogen Temult

Characters: Laudna (Critical Role), Imogen Temult, Deanna Leimert

Other Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, when you realize you're in love with you best friend and have a crisis about it, Laudna Needs a Hug (Critical Role), Imogen Temult Needs a Hug, Love Confessions, Winter's Crest (Critical Role)

Summary: "Laudna?" Deanna said, waving her hand in front of Laudna's face. "Yes?" Laudna said, her voice slightly manic as she was shaken from her thoughts. Deanna gave her a long look. "You and Imogen aren't dating, are you?" "What?" Laudna asked, her voice going from manic to nearly hysterical as she took a half a step back. "No! No, no, not at all, Imogen could do much better than the likes of me," she said, her tone almost insulted as her words tripped over each other about as fast as her thoughts were rattling around. They were just friends! The best of friends! Sure, they spent nearly all of their free time together, constantly stayed over at each other's apartments—to the point where they'd both, admittedly, entertained the idea of becoming roommates more than once—and, sure, they loved each other, deeply, but they weren't...they weren't dating. That would be absurd. ...right? Deanna watched Laudna in silence for a long moment. "Do you...want you and Imogen to be dating?" or It's almost Winter's Crest, and while making a sweater for Imogen, Laudna has an epiphany. And then a crisis. (Technically a fic for @imodnovember day 10 - Cold)

Notes: Happy Winter's Crest y'all! I hope whatever holiday you celebrate is lovely, and if you don't celebrate, that you have a nice, cozy day! This fic has been in the works for a while--it started out as a fic for the Imodnovember prompt "Cold" but then spiraled out of control like usual. It wasn't originally supposed to be a Winter's Crest fic, but then November came and went and I always like to post a story for the holidays, so I decided to go through and do a little retrofitting. This also wasn't originally going to be modern with magic either, so this fic has gone through quite a few adjustments lol. I may actually come back and update this down the road--I just realized that I didn't add any scenes with Pâté like I wanted to. Oh the hazards of writing on your phone in the middle of the night. Anyways, thanks so much for reading and I hope y'all enjoy! (Also just wanna say that the next chapter of Once & Formerly Haunted is in the works--I've been slowly chipping away at it. Thank you for all of your lovely comments, reading them makes my day!)

[steddieunderdogfics]

They Were Roommates! by steviewashere

@steviewashere

Rating: Mature

3,476 words, 1/1 chapters

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Texting, Dialogue-Only, (Technically because it's a text fic), Humor, Sexual Humor, Bad Flirting, Mild Angst, Stardew Valley References, Steve Harrington is a Sweetheart, Steve Harrington is a Little Shit, Eddie Munson is a Little Shit, Robin Buckley is a Little Shit, Chrissy Cunningham is a Sweetheart, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Robin Buckley is a Chappell Roan Fan, Steve Harrington is Chronically Offline, Eddie Munson is Chronically Online, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Sex, Gay Disaster Eddie Munson, Alternate Universe - No Upside Down (Stranger Things), Alternate Universe - No Supernatural (Stranger Things), Neurodivergent Steve Harrington, Neurodivergent Eddie Munson, Neurodivergent Robin Buckley, Implied/Referenced

Summary:

"Robin has created a group chat with two other people Robin: the next time you guys resolve the issues you two idiots create for each other, can you let me know ahead of time? you’re lucky I didn’t bring Chrissy home with me from class. Eddie: I don’t know what you’re talking about nothing happened Robin: I thought somebody brought home a girl, but it was just Steve. Steve: Do I sound like a pretty girl at least? Robin: the prettiest, but seriously. Robin: I don’t need to hear you guys getting it on while I’m trying to eat my after school taco. Eddie: don’t you need Chrissy for that ?? Robin: I’m going to put nair in your shampoo." OR A text fic nobody asked for where Robin, Steve, and Eddie are roommates. Oh, and Chrissy moves in at the end <3

This is a MOD rec as a part of our Fic Fridays.

Know a fic that deserves extra love? Submit through our asks or the submission box!

[ev-arrested]

Not-So-Private Show (1159 words) by ev_arrested Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Nightwing (Comics), Grayson (Comics), DCU (Comics) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Dick Grayson/Tiger, Tim Drake & Dick Grayson, Stephanie Brown & Tim Drake Characters: Dick Grayson, Tiger (DCU), Tim Drake (DCU), Stephanie Brown Additional Tags: Eavesdropping, technically voyeurism but they're not trying to hear all that, Missing Scene, an unnecessary amount of f bombs, how many helpful tags do you really need when you're writing for a rarepair, Awkward Sexual Situations, Implied/Referenced Sex, no beta we die like Dick Grayson didn't Summary:

“What happened,” Steph deadpans. It’s not said like a question. Muffled, Tim says, “You don’t have clearance.” “I have ex-girlfriend clearance. What.” She gestures for him to continue. Another sigh from Tim. “He is sooooo fucked.” Tim throws his hands up. “He’s fucked! We might as well start mourning his death again, because he’s fucked and he has precisely zero interest in getting himself unfucked!” Or: The missing scene on Duff's ship has two unexpected eavesdroppers.

[theyonlyhadeachother]

i have so many bookmarked midam fics its insane. i dont know if i've read all of the midam fics on ao3, but i've def read a very large majority of them

just a few of my absolute favorites are below the cut. none of them are rated E, but if anyone is interested in some of those, shoot me an ask and let me know

----

Gen, 3,693 words, No Archive Warnings Apply, 1/1 chapters

bound to the marrow of how it feels by paradisecas

Summary: Ask any kid what their superpower would be, nine times out of ten the answer will be flying. Adam, son of a nurse and a bit of a goody-two-shoes, was always the odd one out choosing the noble imaginary superpower of healing people. If Adam could go back in time—and technically, he could—he’d change his answer. Not to flying, and not from healing; he knows now that he can have it all. He’d like to kneel down in front of baby-Adam and say, hey kid, someday you’re going to have everything anyone could ever want at your fingertips, and you’ll be sharing it with the love of your life. You’ll fly straight through the atmosphere and fix broken bones with a snap of your fingers and sit invisible in the corner of a room you’re not allowed in. You’ll eat until you can’t anymore and still have room for seconds. You’ll be able to pick up a car to save a baby, if that situation ever arises, and it won’t even be adrenaline that does it. He wants to say, no matter what nightmares come your way, something good is waiting for you too. You’ll share your body with someone who loves you. You won’t ever be alone again. You’ll always be warm.

Tags: Michael/Adam Milligan, Michael (Supernatural), Adam Milligan, Sam Winchester, Dean Winchester, Lucifer's Cage (Supernatural), Post-Canon, Michael Possessing Adam Milligan, Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, michael dies but he gets better tho

hook and eye series by thishazeleyeddemon

Series rating of Mature, 19,945 words, No Archive Warnings Apply, 2 fics (2/2 and 1/1 respectively)

Tags: Michael/Adam Milligan, Michael (Supernatural), Adam Milligan, Sam Winchester, The Empty | The Shadow (Supernatural), Witch Adam Milligan, Episode Fix-It: s15e19 Inherit the Earth, Post-Episode: s15e19 Inherit the Earth, Grief/Mourning, Bitterness, Men of Letters Bunker (Supernatural), Break Up, would you all like to hear about Michael essentially getting his ex to get back together with him, of course you would, Emotional Manipulation, Self-Esteem Issues, Adam Milligan is Not Forgotten, Adam Milligan is So Done, Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Adam is such a bitter bitch in this one, it's okay y'all they'll get through it, I just was like Adam can have a little Being Mean and Unreasonable. As a treat, Men of Letters (Supernatural), more tags for Part 2!!, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Gaslighting, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, THE PROMISED. HAPPY ENDING., I REWROTE THIS SO MUCH I AM GOING TO BED, prays the rewriting paid off, Michael Steals From The Rich, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Angelic Grace Kink (Supernatural,) arguably - Freeform, Body Horror, although Adam would gut you for saying such things about Michael, obviously Michael is beautiful and perfect no matter how many eyes, Consensual Possession, Making Out smidgeon of angst. just a spicy dollop, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, by virtue of being a hook and eye-verse fic

Summary of the First Fic: you fit into me like a hook into an eye a fish hook an open eye - Margaret Atwood Michael succumbed to his Father's manipulations. He never wanted to destroy the Earth, but it was so hard, so hard, to find the words to fight back against his father when he was all alone. He never wanted to do that. He never wanted to leave Adam. Adam doesn't know that.

Two Weddings and an Engagement by lumpy_space_princess

Teen, 7,812 words, No Archive Warnings Apply, 1/1

Tags: Michael/Adam Milligan, Gabriel/Eileen Leahy/Rowena MacLeod/Sam Winchester, Michael (Supernatural), Adam Milligan, Gabriel (Supernatural), Sam Winchester, Eileen Leahy, Rowena MacLeod, Kevin Tran, Charlie Bradbury, Claire Novak, Kaia Nieves, Dean Winchester, Castiel, Post-Canon Fix-It, Minor Castiel/Dean Winchester, Midam at the Destiel wedding, Midam at the Saileen wedding, Everybody Lives, This is crack so don't think too hard about it, Adam & Kevin & Charlie & Claire & Kaia Michael & Gabriel - Freeform, Fluff and Angst, Didn't Know They Were Dating, Seriously everybody knows it but them, The Love Is Requited They're Just Idiots, They work it out in the end though

Summary: Adam massages fingers over his temples, and tries not to look morose. "Listen. You're not exactly telling me anything I haven't told myself. But there's just - there's baggage there, ok? It's been hard to look at the future when we've barely gotten used to having a present again." He huffs. "Anyway, I don't think he'd even want that. He's an-" "-an archangel, yeah, you've said. It was crap the last time you said it, too." Kevin props himself on his elbows, gazing intently at Adam. "How will you know if you don't try? How is it fair to him, that you just decide what he feels without asking him about it?"  Charlie nods. "Would you want him to treat you that way? It's obviously weighing on you. How would you feel, if he was keeping something this important from you?"  ----------------- Or: Michael and Adam, bless their hearts, are mutually in love. Strangely, they're the only ones who can't seem to see it.

the past is made of stardust (the future's shifting sand) by Anonymous

Teen, 30,461 words, Creator Chose Not to Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply, 1/1

Tags: Michael/Adam Milligan, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Castiel/Dean Winchester, Adam Milligan, Michael (Supernatural), Sam Winchester, Dean Winchester, Castiel (Supernatural), The Empty | The Shadow (Supernatural), Lucifer's Cage (Supernatural), Post-Lucifer's Cage (Supernatural), Post-Episode: s15e08 Our Father Who Aren't in Heaven, Post-Episode: s15e19 Inherit the Earth, Non-Chronological Fix-It, Post-Canon Fix-It, The Empty (Supernatural), Adam Milligan Saves Michael from the Empty, Michael Possessing Adam Milligan, Hurt/Comfort, Grief/Mourning, Angst with a Happy Ending, Established Relationship, Kinda Fluff, Temporary Character Death, i am going to rewrite this. i mean it.

Summary: Adam knocked on the door and waited. And waited. And waited. He knocked again, and then it opened to Sam brandishing a gun, Dean behind him with a knife and a bottle of whiskey. When they saw him, they didn’t relax, but they didn’t attack either. “Adam?” Sam asked, hesitantly. “Or… Michael?” Adam knew he had to look ridiculous. Before, they’d seen him while he still had an archangel maintaining his body, but after the last day and a half? He was sweaty and sunburnt and dehydrated and he could almost feel the bags under his eyes. But another gift of the Cage was losing the ability to give a fuck what he looked like. “Michael isn't home right now,” Adam said. “And I’d like to know why.”

Mirror Of Change by QuicksilverCastiel

Teen, 2,127 words, No Archive Warnings Apply, 1/1

Tags: Michael/Adam Milligan, Serafina (Supernatural), Michael (Supernatural), Adam Milligan, Raphael (Supernatural), Serafina is going through it, Or at least she's bluescreening on account of Michael's heart-eyes at Adam, Also Heaven ecology yay!, they/them pronouns for Raphael

Summary: When all is said and done, God defeated and the world righted again, Serafina takes on her biggest challenge yet: Going back to Heaven. Not to stay, but to see if the rumour of it 'changing' have any truth to it. Turn out, at least some archangels have definitely changed. And it may be because of another Adam.

your mother's son by darkmillennium

Teen, 10,633 words, No Archive Warnings Apply, 1/1

Tags: Michael/Adam Milligan, Michael & Adam Milligan, Michael (Supernatural), Adam Milligan, Alternate Michael's Grace-Enhanced Monsters, POV Adam Milligan, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Slice of Life, Fluff and Humor, Post-Episode: s15e08 Our Father Who Aren't in Heaven, Michael Possessing Adam Milligan, Adam Milligan is So Done, Developing Relationship, Romantic Tension, listen they're in love with each other we've all seen it, this is just 10k words of michael and adam living life, Enochian-Speaking Adam Milligan, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence

Summary: Adam wants a normal life. He really does. He wants, at least, as close to a normal life as he can get after spending ten years—a thousand years—in the Cage. And he’s got it, mostly. He’s got an apartment and a job and a closet full of clothes that aren’t the clothes he went to Hell in. He thinks he’s been managing pretty great, all things considered. But one day, Michael warns him that he’s sensed a pack of werewolves move into the area, and then people start dropping dead with their hearts ripped out, and.. Life isn't going to be as relaxed as he'd like it to be, is it?

[eris090]

Title - Delicious Defeat

No archive warnings

Relationships - Gabriel/V1 (ULTRAKILL)

Tags - Verbal V1, Degradation, Gabriel has a new god now, (It's gay sex), V1 has bodily fluids somehow, Fluff and smut, only a little fluff though, Anal sex, Anal fingering, Rough sex, Praise kink, Bottom Gabriel/Top V1 (ULTRAKILL)

Description - Basically my version of what happens after the second Gabriel fight.

Words - 1,666 (that wasn't on purpose)

A strange sort of shame filled Gabriel's complex as the machine knocked him to the ground for a second time.

He was ashamed to have lost, yes, but a separate emotion that he could not identify overwhelmed that ten-fold. Whether it was anger, joy, hysteria, or anything else, he found himself laughing. His trembling form on its hands and knees, facing away from the wretched machine was laughing weakly, a warmth filling his gut that made him want to cry for no apparent reason.

His eyes burned as he tried to keep tears from escaping, too focused on that to hear the metal clanking behind him as the machine approached. "Gabriel." The machine spoke in its voice that would be unnerving to anybody, except Gabriel apparently. Not that he noticed. Not until the machine planted its feet on either side of Gabriel's body and grabbed hold of his head, roughly pulling it up to get his attention.

"Gabriel." V1 repeated with the same cadence as before. The angel's attention had certainly changed subjects, however not to V1.

Gabriel had already felt it during the fight, but had then opted to ignore it. Now however, it was simply impossible to ignore. His armor made it near impossible to see, but his cock was straining in his bodysuit, the cold metal of his crotchguard pressing against it and making Gabriel see stars.

The angel arched his back, pressing his hips against the marble floors of the cathedral in a futile attempt to apply more pressure to himself through his armor, shuddering at the heat filling his gut and tipping his head back slightly into the machine's grasp.

V1, seemingly having noticed the angel's strange reaction to its touch, dropped Gabriel's head, a loud clank echoing through the room as his helmet hit the floor. The machine used its foot to roll Gabriel onto his back, leaving the angel feeling exposed.

Although it was near impossible to see underneath his armor to the human eye, V1 wasn't human. Nor was anything else in this wretched world anymore technically. The bulge in his crotch was visible between the plates of armor that had been damaged during the fight.

The machine crouched down to inspect Gabriel closer, gripping his crotch guard and ripping it off with one strong pull, causing the angel to shudder as his cock was relieved of most pressure, only the thin fabric of his bodysuit containing it.

"Machine, what in the lord's name do you think you're doing?" Gabriel questioned, his voice shaking. Instead of responding, V1 opted to quickly grope Gabriel's bulge forcing a truly horrific sound out of the angel's throat. “May the lord forgive me-” Gabriel whispered as he could not help but grind up into the machine's cold touch, at which point V1 quickly retracted its hand.

The angel elicited a profoundly pathetic noise at the machine's rejection, covering his face with his hands as if the robot could see his face either way. V1, in turn, began to emit a mechanical noise similar to a laugh as it grabbed the angel's wrists and pinned them either side of his head. “Bad boy.” The machine scolded and in that moment Gabriel was certain he belonged in hell because those two simple words did something to him.

Before the angel knew it he felt tears rolling down his cheeks and onto his neck where they could be seen by the machine. “No, no…” Gabriel repeated through ragged breaths as he felt his body react physically to the degradation. “I can be…good.” Promised the angel, hesitating before deciding he wanted to be called a good boy more than anything else. “Please…” He whined, back arching off the ground slightly. V1 responded with a content sounding noise before using its sharp fingers to cut open the angel's bodysuit, sliding it off of him tantalizingly slowly.

The angel squirmed but did little else in fear of the machine stopping again. His patience was rewarded when V1 had fully removed his bodysuit, Gabriels cock springing out of its confines and into the cold air of the cathedral, making him shudder. V1 surprisingly however did not throw the ruined clothing to the side, instead deciding to use it to restrain the angel, tying it around his wrists above his head.

Gabriel tugged at the fabric, more for show than an actual attempt to break free before V1 finally wrapped its cold hand around his member and gave it a slow pump. “Machine! Machine, oh lord- forgive me!” The angel moaned, the one simple action showing how truly touch starved the man was. V1’s singular pupil dilated, becoming larger as it stared down at the fallen angel as it repeated the motion a few more times, turning Gabriel into a writhing, moaning mess on the floor.

“More, more, I can take more- please!” Begged the angel, leading V1 to let out another cold laugh. Despite its assumed cruelty however, the machine took pity on Gabriel, prodding at his hole with its sharp fingers before suddenly shoving one inside up to its knuckle. V1 found it incredibly amusing how whenever it would do sudden, unpredicted motions like that Gabriels moan would sound more like a scream, a noise that the machine found much more familiar.

The machine did not slow down after that, pushing in one finger after the other until it deemed the angel stretched enough to take it. By this point Gabriel was crying once again, internally begging for more as whenever he actually opened his mouth the only noise he could manage was a scream as the machine destroyed what little dignity he had left. Changing its position to a more comfortable one, V1 lined a phallic metal object attached to its pelvis up with Gabriels waiting hole.

A few seconds passed of the machine just sitting there, not putting it in, and Gabriel, now slightly recovered energy wise, was becoming irritated. “Machine, I am the angel Gabriel. I can- I can fucking take i-” The angel was cut off of his complaining when the machine pressed all the way inside of him, filling Gabriel to the brim with cold metal that pressed against the angels walls exquisitely. “Mrrrrr…” V1 let out a mechanical purr as it felt the cold metal of its body warm up slightly. Though, the noise was barely audible underneath the echoing cry that Gabriel emitted at the movement inside of him.

Gripping uselessly at the marble floors as he writhed underneath the machine was Gabriel, wanting to beg for more but only able to let out cries of ecstasy as he felt his angelic system flood with euphoric sin. After what felt like hours to Gabriel the machine began to move, sheathing and unsheathing its member from Gabriel, progressively making its thrusts harder and harder.

“Hmmmm…” The machine continued its mechanical purring at the feeling of pleasure as Gabriel screamed, eventually adjusting its hands beneath both of Gabriel's thighs and pushing him back into a mating press, its purrs becoming more intense as it sped up its thrusts.

“Machine- Machine! I-I Feel like I’m going to ex-explode!” Gabriel screamed and V1 responded by sliding its hand down and onto the angel's cock, beginning to jerk him off in time with its thrusts. “Good boy.” V1 said, the words layered on top of its now constant mechanical purring. Gabriel was humiliated that those words are what did it.

Bucking his hips up into the machines hand in sudden, erratic motions as it continued to fuck him Gabriel came for the first time in his life and didn’t want to ever stop. At least until his orgasm eventually passed after about 20 seconds, then he definitely wanted it to stop. The machine was still fucking him, its movements becoming less calculated like they were in battle and more erratic and fast.

The angel couldn’t manage a single thought as overstimulation flooded his brain, the machine's eye now closed although the yellow light of it still shined through the gaps around it and Gabriel couldn’t help but admire the beauty of the golden light, similar to that of gods. He hadn’t even thought to think of how sacreligious that mere thought was until he felt a hot liquid fill him, and somehow make him cum again as he felt like he was being used for the machine's pleasure.

When the angel came to, he saw the machine slouched above him, its internal cooling clearly doing some hard work as Gabriel listened to the sound of fans as he laid his head onto the floor. A minute or two later the machine had quickly lifted him off of his feet and sat him up straight, beginning to clean the already drying semen off of the angel using the ruined bodysuit.

Now even more ruined, V1 threw the bodysuit to the side and sat itself next to Gabriel, who despite himself clung to the machine like it was god's light. Its surprise turned into amusement as Gabriel seemed to be cooling himself off using the machine's internal cooling fans. They sat in silence for a while, Gabriel clearly not knowing what to say and V1 just not being a very big talker.

Eventually Gabriel spoke. “V1.” The machine quickly directed its attention towards Gabriel, surprised that the angel even knew its name, let alone would say it. “For so long the council has been chasing a god that disappeared a long time ago. In fact, I think your creation is what made him finally give up on humanity.” Gabriel glanced out of the cathedral doors and into the raging inferno outside “He was right to, look where they ended up. But…” The angel paused, “I think you’re at least a little bit human. In some ways anyways…” Gabriel presumably finished, not saying a word for the rest of however long they spent there. though he looked like he had something more to say, he didn't say it.

[inquisimer]

dragon age oneshot fic recs

@dreadfutures said that we should do more fic recs and she's absolutely right, so I'm starting what will hopefully be a series of fic rec lists, leading off with some oneshot recs! These are just standalone stories that don't require a big time commitment and definitely stuck with me after I read them.

Check them out! and leave a comment or kudos to let the author know you did 💜

Feel free to reblog this post and add your own oneshot fic recs! Or make your own fic rec post and tag me in it so I can read and promote your awesome recs :3

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My Lover's Phylactery by FrodaB

Cullen Rutherford/Female Inquisitor | G | 1472 words | No Archive Warnings Apply Author's Summary: She doesn't destory it Mer's Rec: this is an excellent piece that fills the gap DAI left (imho) about Trevelyan's phylactery! There's some excellent introspection from the Inquisitor and a bittersweet but somft and heartfelt ending between Cullen and his love.

Bent, Not Broken by spirrum (@spirrum)

Fenris/Female Hawke | G | 1595 words | No Archive Warnings Apply Author's Summary: In which Hawke doesn't run off to Weisshaupt, and an angry elf turns up at the Inquisition's door. Mer's Rec: this is a little slice of interpersonal relationships that beautifully captures Hawke's spirit! It starts with some platonic Hawke & Varric, perfectly encapsulating the exhaustion both of them feel after HLTA, and transitions smoothly into the heart-tugging reunion between Hawke and a frustrated Fenris who's very much in love.

last man standing (perhaps) by havvke (Wintertree)

Charade Amell & Carver Hawke & Female Hawke | T | 6749 words | No Archive Warnings Apply Author's Summary: Hawke’s teeth glinted when she grinned, except for the gap of her missing left dogtooth. Funny how they did that, even in such poor lighting. Glinting. Hawke barely seemed real. They’ve gone on a mission or two together since that initial, embarrassingly disastrous meeting, and it was still shocking that the woman lived up—if not surpassed—her nearly legendary status. Compared to the other missions Charade led with the Jennies, this was somewhat easier than her normal fare. But while Hawke was a known figure, and by technicality kin, Charade still didn’t know her. Mer's Rec: Okay, I'm admittedly biased toward this piece, because it was a gift for me as part of the 2023 Platonic Ideal Exchange. That being said, it is an INCREDIBLE work of sibling dynamics and I think of it whenever I think about Charade Amell. Havvke explores the relationship between Charade as a Red Jenny, Carver as a Grey Warden, and Hawke as...Hawke, in a beautiful web of complicated choices and found family. Over a year later, it still holds up as one of the best exchange gifts I've ever received.

Doggone by leggywillow (@leggywillow)

Alistair/Female Warden, Alistair & Anora Mac Tir, Alistair & Warden's Mabari | T | 3042 words | No Archive Warnings Apply Author's Summary: Alistair and the Warden are no longer together, but they still exchange letters - through Dog. Alistair struggles to find happiness in his life as king, but he isn't entirely alone. Mer's Rec: I read this one just recently and oh my GOODNESS it both made me laugh and also pulled at my heartstrings. Leggy alters the canon breakup between a King Alistair & the Warden to be somehow even more heartbreaking and the way that he talks to Dog is just so essentially Alistair, I could hear every line in his voice. Add to that several well done bits between Alistair & Anora and this piece absolutely delivers on the "sad" and "heartache" in the additional tags.

That Word You Call Me by thewitchofthewilds (gossamerstarsxx) (@saiyanshewolf)

Female Lavellan/Cullen Rutherford | T | 1768 words | Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Author's Summary: The first time she tells him she loves him is the time he needs to hear it the most Mer's Rec: I love this piece for the intermingling of angst and fluff between Lavellan and Cullen. It leads in with one of the better descriptions of nightmare panic that I've seen and the way that Lavellan grounds Cullen from it is smooth and heartfelt, as is his reaction to her comfort. It caps off with some sweet fluff and a taste of human/elf relationships dynamics, for which I am a sucker, and which end the fic on soft, heartfelt note.

[bylersisendgame]

i just looked at your profile AND OML YOU ARE SOOOO COOL !! i was wondering if you have any byler fanfic recs and how you think they are going to kiss for the first time in st5 ?

no but genuinely YOURE SO COOL !!

AHHHHHHH THANKS!!! <3

byler fics;

god loves you (but not enough to save you) (10437 words) by frrogy Chapters: 2/2 Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Will Byers/Mike Wheeler Characters: Will Byers, Mike Wheeler, Henry Creel | One | Vecna Additional Tags: Churchgate, Internalized Homophobia, Derealization, Possessed Will Byers, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, sorta but not really, adding it just in case, Protective Mike Wheeler, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, slight suicidal ideation but also not really, I Wrote This While Listening to Ethel Cain's Music, Album: Preacher's Daughter (Ethel Cain), Will Byers Can't Catch a Break, Will Byers Needs a Hug, Post-Season/Series 04, Love Confessions, First Kiss, Minor Violence, Choking Summary: And maybe it’s the way the streetlights flicker, or the way the town is too quiet, but Will suddenly feels the weight of everything pressing in on him again. The truth clawing at his throat. The things he wants to say but can’t. He takes a breath. “Mike.” Mike turns to him immediately, eyes sharp, attentive. Will grips his own wrist, fingers digging into his skin. He hesitates—just for a second—before finally, barely above a whisper, he asks: “Can—” He swallows hard. “Can you promise me something?” … or: churchgate inspired by author listening to a shit ton of ethel cain title from: Sun Bleached Flies - Ethel Cain

where is my mind? (66295 words) by ciders Chapters: 14/14 Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016), Stranger Things - Fandom Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Will Byers & Mike Wheeler, Will Byers/Mike Wheeler Additional Tags: Internalized Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Angst with a Happy Ending, the upside down is a feeling, Not a place, Memory Loss, Aged-Up Character(s), being revised Series: Part 1 of losing will, and other fatalities Summary: On November 6th, 1985, Will Byers crashed his bicycle while riding home from the Wheeler household, damaging his head and waking up two days later with no recollection of who he was. Plagued with the absence of his memories and a dark haired boy who refuses to tell Will his name, all Will Byers has to do is remember. That's the hard part.

Better Than Me. (Throw your hands up if you agree with me) (2483 words) by kitty_jam Chapters: 2/2 Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016) Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Major Character Death, Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Eleven | Jane Hopper/Mike Wheeler, Will Byers/Mike Wheeler, Maxine "Max" Mayfield/Lucas Sinclair Characters: Will Byers, Mike Wheeler, Eleven | Jane Hopper, Maxine "Max" Mayfield, Lucas Sinclair, Dustin Henderson Additional Tags: Gay Will Byers, Questioning Mike Wheeler, Will Byers Loves Mike Wheeler, Angst, Angst and Tragedy, Hurt No Comfort, Unhappy Ending, One-Sided Will Byers/Mike Wheeler Summary: Will is hurt. Mike doesn't help. It's clear something is bothering Will. He goes to Max, and she says that they've all felt like this and to get over it. He then goes to Lucas, who says they have more important matters than this. He goes to Dustin, who's too busy with Suzie to care. He goes to El, and she kindly tells him that she's technically been through worse and Will shouldn't be complaining. When Will finally reaches the end of the rope, he reaches out to Mike. So much for that.

Teenage Blues (227002 words) by ThornyWords Chapters: 35/35 Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Will Byers/Mike Wheeler Characters: Will Byers, Mike Wheeler, Dustin Henderson, Lucas Sinclair, Maxine "Max" Mayfield, Eleven | Jane Hopper, Jim "Chief" Hopper, Joyce Byers, Lonnie Byers, Jonathan Byers, Nancy Wheeler, Holly Wheeler, Ted Wheeler (Stranger Things), Karen Wheeler, Eddie Munson Additional Tags: Fake/Pretend Relationship, Strangers to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Angst, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Mike Wheeler Loves Will Byers, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - High School, Family Issues, Family Drama, POV Will Byers, POV Mike Wheeler, Period-Typical Homophobia, Mutual Pining, Coming of Age, Slow Burn, Internalized Homophobia, Warning the slow burn is slow burning, Making Out, Mike Wheeler & Cars(vroom vroom), Injury, Angst with a Happy Ending, Mike is not going to have a good time, this is your warning, cars are the real menaces to society(especially to mike wheeler), Sad Mike Wheeler, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Mike gets molly rocked, Will Byers is the best boyfriend, Siblings Will Byers & Eleven | Jane Hopper Summary: Mike's parents have an agenda for him, one he wants to avoid following. He doesn't want to go to college. He doesn't want to get a girlfriend or get married. Mike wants to sit in his room all day and play his guitar. That is until his mom forces him to bring a date to a family celebration, and he thinks of a brilliant plan to piss his parents off. He forms an alliance with the new kid, Will Byers, in which he agrees to go with Mike to his family dinner, and they pretend they're dating. They planned the fake dating part at the dinner party, but what happens when they keep the facade up to help Will? What happens when Mike and Will start becoming good friends? Or even scarier…What happens when Mike starts catching feelings?   Or Mike and Will start a fake relationship to piss off Mike's parents but they end up becoming more---Slow burn.   Modern-high school AU inspired by clowncultcentral

I have so many more so just ask if you want them.

how I think the kiss is going to happen:

Well this is just what I hope happens so, they’re fighting in a scene that parallels the season three rain fight scene and Mike is fed up so he just grabs Will‘s face and kisses him.

And then you know what happens after that lol😭

[librivore42]

Poker face

Yet one more secret withers fic! This is for @benicemurphy. The people on Tolna's Vault are really handing me the most fun pairings to do. Ao3 link below, full text under the cut!

Poker face (1058 words) by Librivore42 Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Baldur's Gate (Video Games) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Aradin/Rugan (Baldur's Gate) Characters: Aradin (Baldur's Gate), Rugan (Baldur's Gate), Remira (Baldur's Gate) Additional Tags: rated teen mostly just for Aradin swearing, and aradin/rugan is also mostly a technicality, I love being vague about everything Summary: Aradin's had a bad day. But a free drink and the prospect of beating someone at cards might be just what he needs to turn it around.

~~~~

Aradin was pissed. Not the pleasant, drunk kind of pissed, which he always wished he was more of after a bad day, but the much more usual ‘ragingly angry’ kind of pissed. A few drinks had been enough to quench his fire just enough that he didn’t feel like cracking the nearest person in the face, but he was still complaining to anyone who would listen. Or who wouldn’t listen. Or who - listen here you bastard I paid good money for that pint and now it’s-

“Slow down lad,” another man at the bar said as the offender who’d spilled Aradin’s drink beat a hasty retreat. “Stop looking for excuses to lose your temper.”

Aradin scowled, locking his attention to whoever had the nerve to interrupt. “Ain't your lad, mate,” he said tightly.

“Ain't your mate.” The man shrugged, gesturing to the barkeep. “Get him another, it’ll keep him quiet.”

Smug asshole. Getting him a drink to keep him quiet. Who did he think he- Aradin reached for his newly delivered drink, which of course he was going to take, and buried his quiet grumbling into it. He glanced over out of the corner of his eye, flicking quickly over the bright blue eyes, the weathered face, lingering a little too long on his arms as the older man leaned back and stretched. Handsome and definitely knew it, which just made him even more of an asshole.

Still, the interruption and the new drink had smoothed things over somewhat. At least Aradin was feeling less inclined to complain. He felt Remira visibly relax beside him, and felt a little twinge of guilt at how tense she’d been up to now. She needed to relax as much as he did, and she didn’t really need him bellyaching at her elbow all night.

She’d said as much an hour ago. He’d just been too annoyed to listen.

Right. He could try being a little calmer. Taking a breath, he tried to focus on his drink. Definitely not on the fact that the guy who bought it for him was definitely watching him.

‘Course he was watching him, Aradin was right handsome if he did say so himself. Feeling a little smug, the eyeing-up doing wonders for his mood, he started to make his way down to the bottom of the mug. Buying him a drink wasn’t subtle. The man would probably ask him up to his room by the end of the night, and Aradin might say yes if he was feeling generous.

After a decent amount of silence, wherein Aradin would have almost reached a state of calm had he known what it was, the man spoke. “Got a Talis deck.”

Rugan leaned back a little to look at him properly, eyebrows raised.

“Fancy a game?”

Oh he fancied hi- er- a game alright. Aradin quickly tipped the rest of his drink down his throat, nearly choking in his hurry, and wiped his mouth as he stood up to join the blond man at an empty table off to the side, Remira watching his back with a concerned frown the entire time. It wasn’t like he was going to start smashing the furniture, he did know how to behave himself in a public setting thankyouverymuch.

… it wasn’t like he was going to smash any furniture here.

Anyway that had been an accident. Clearing his throat, he settled down at the table as the man pulled out the deck of cards

“Sure,” Aradin said cockily “I can take your coin.”

“We playing for coin?” The man raised his eyebrows a little, as if that hadn’t been the intention all along.

Aradin smirked, too pleased with himself to notice how skilfully the man cut and shuffled the deck, twirling cards between his fingers like he was born to do it.

“I’ll leave you a little to buy yourself a drink.”

The man grinned and started to deal.

“You’re too kind. I’ll try not to bore you.”

Twenty minutes later, Aradin was ready to launch himself over the table. Remira grabbed him by the shoulder, her warning squeeze quickly turning into a full-bodied grip around his waist as he tried, unsuccessfully, to rip the man’s head off.

“Aradin, what-”

“He’s cheating! He’s feckin’ cheating!”

The target of his accusations continued to look thoughtfully at his cards, as if the younger man wasn’t physically being held back from throttling him and yelling his head off, attracting attention from the whole tavern. “Don’t need to cheat with you, lad.”

“Then how are you getting all the cards, eh?” Aradin managed to tip his chair over as ‘lad’ lit another fire under him that he’d like to bury from his fist into the man’s gut. Remira, who had just been getting a nice, warm buzz, winced as the unholy crash of the chair toppling over echoed in her just-drunk-enough-ears.

“Stop smashing the furniture, this is a nicer place than the last one-”

“You’re shite at keeping your face still,” the man said, though he did give Remira a half-pitying glance. Aradin was a whole mess of tics and tells, with every thought stamped across his face for good measure. Anyone could have told the young man that for free, and probably had plenty of times, but he just hadn’t been listening over the sound of his own ego.

Loud egos were the norm for the young lads, though. Especially ones who were so shite at cards.

Rugan was having a much, much better evening than he’d expected to. The lad was listening now.

Was that his listening face or his ‘imagining punching Rugan in the face over and over’ face? He was an interesting shade of red and looked like he might pop something, so probably the second one. Another prod and he might explode. Rugan put down his cards, another perfect hand, and smirked.

“And you’re a sore loser.”

“Oh that’s IT-” Cards scattered as Aradin flung himself at where the man had been exactly a second ago. Instead he sailed past his shoulder and collided with the ground as Rugan gave him the cockiest grin he’d ever seen, sweeping his hand over the table to make all Aradin’s coin disappear like a magician.

“Asshole!”

“Barkeep.” Rugan smoothed down his sleeves as he headed for the door. ��Get him another. It’ll keep him quiet.”