#and the last three fics i’ve written have been historical AUs

[barisistill]

had a dream last night that i was writing a fic centered around carmen being a leader in the underground railroad with barba and carisi’s farmhouse as a stop

[stevetonyweekly]

SteveTony Weekly - November 26th

I’m traveling this weekend (at this point I’ve been in the car about 5hrs and have another 8 to go today) so I asked for a few tropes to share fics from. Thanks so much to @ishipallthings & @iwillsinkwithmyships for their suggestions. 

As evere, please leave comment and kudos for your author. 

~*~ 

Bodyguard AUs: 

it goes like this -- by Areiton 

It goes like this, really--

He wants Tony. 

He wants him like he needs air to breath, wants to wipe away all the ones who came before him with mouth and tongue and bruise tight hands. 

He wants Tony and he’s terrified. 

I could lie tangent to your curves by RurouniHime 

Steve is bodyguard to a prominent young socialite with too much genius on his hands... and who has taken an unfortunate shine to him.

(Written for royal_chandler, who won the bid for my offer in Marvel Trumps Hate 2018.)

Triple-A Rated by iam93percentstardust 

Three assassination attempts in two weeks. That's gotta be some kind of record. Three attempts - and that doesn't even count the Ten Rings. Tony's pretty sure that Stane's trying to kill him again. Fury's pretty sure of the same thing, which is why he starts sending agents to protect him. It's just that Tony doesn't like any of his new bodyguards - except one.

Safety by CSHfic, VSfic 

The suit needs repairs, and Tony thinks he's being clever when he tells the Avengers that Iron Man is away on personal business...until Steve helpfully volunteers to be Tony's bodyguard in his place.

Historical AU 

Looking for Heaven by foxxcub

When young Lord Anthony Stark learns Steven Rogers has enlisted in the army, he thinks he's seen the last of his tiny, headstrong, haughty stable boy. But four years later, Lord Stark gets an unexpected visit from Steve, whose mother has fallen gravely ill and into financial ruin. Even more unexpected, Steve agrees to a shocking proposal: they will marry, giving Steve the necessary funds to save his mother, and Tony the much-needed reprieve from harassing would-be suitors. It is a business arrangement, nothing more. But as time goes on and circumstances arise, Tony begins to learn that keeping his heart away from his husband is easier said than done.

Maybe Tomorrow by scifigrl47

Tony Stark may well be the richest man in America. In the depths of the Great Depression, that's no small claim. When a plot is hatched for him to take in an orphan for a week, everyone knows it's a publicity stunt. No one knows it better than Officer Steve Rogers, but he's got a job to do, and he's going to do it. Doesn't mean he's going to approve.

Yes, it's an Annie AU.

Yes. That Annie.

Love Match by FestiveFerret

Tony had but one goal for the season: secure a marriage proposal from an alpha with the position and means enough to remove him from his father's house. Love was wholly irrelevant to the matter.

Peep Show by BladeoftheNebula

“Alright there, Sugar?” A voice came from behind him and he whipped around to see an omega with a little box of tokens. “You know you got to put one in to start right?”

Steve felt his face heat. “Yes ma’am. I was just uhh—“

“First timer?” He nodded and she gave him an encouraging smile. “Well, don’t worry, there’s glass behind the curtain, so the omegas can’t bite.” Then she winked. “That costs extra.”

Steve’s face got even hotter. He certainly wasn’t doing that.

Steve knew he wasn't any omega's first choice, or hell, even third. But what starts as a visit to a seedy Peep Show in Manhattan ends up changing his life for good.

An Inglourious Affair by morphia

In 1944, Steve's commando team, The Basterds, are off to fight nazis in France. Tony joins their efforts after intelligence suggests that Herr Kleiser, a German scientist, has set his sights on making a massive nuclear bomb. Their mission: Get to Kleiser before he completes his evil plan. What neither of them had planned for, however, was to fall in love in the middle of the worst war either of them had ever seen.

Mail Order Bride/Arranged Marriage 

Object: Matrimony by BladeoftheNebula

Omega Tony Stark craves adventure and an escape from the life his parents have planned for him in New York. He places a listing in a marriage catalogue to seek a match with an alpha out West, and Sheriff Steve Rogers answers his advertisement. But finding a nice alpha doesn't mean it's all smooth sailing from there...

I Whisper Your Name on Each Star I See Falling by JezebelGoldstone, littleblackbow

The day Natasha first told Steve her idea, he never would have dreamed that her fool notion would land him here: watching the train roll into the station and trying to wrap his mind around the fact that somewhere in there is the man who agreed to marry him.

Steve, an alpha farmer living outside a small town in the Rockies who doesn't want to admit how lonely he is, has been exchanging letters with omega Tony for nearly a year. When at last Tony arrives in Big Eden, Steve is confronted with the fact that he doesn't know Tony as well as he thought he did - and falls for him harder than a landslide anyway.

rearrange my heart (to fit your smile) by starklystar

"You dare," Howard's chair makes an ugly noise as it scrapes against the stone floors, the chatter of the room shifting into hushed whispers and stolen glances. "I am your father and your King!"

"My King is my husband," Tony tips his chin up, defiant. "And I refuse to hear you suggest that my husband has been anything other than good to me."

Next to him, he feels Steve's shoulders stiffen in surprise.

Howard's fist slams loud on the table. "Your husband does not even love you!"

Tony jerks back, burned. He knows that. Knows that Steve did not marry him for love – does not need any reminder of the cold truth, of what he desperately yearns for and can't even hope to have – but the harshness of Howard's words was scalding, and Tony can't afford for this to go any further.

----------

Or, King Steven marries Prince Tony, Tony is pretty sure he shouldn't panic when he falls in love with his own husband, and Steve tries his very best not to cause diplomatic crises.

Keyword: try

[wander-wren]

Remodeling Power: Sex, Gender, and Consent in Dominance Hierarchy AUs

Well, isn’t that a mouthful. Breaking out proper punctuation and capital letters for today’s infodump.

Dominance Hierarchy refers to a group of AUs where people are organized into a new social structure, usually a binary or trinary. Fanlore lists three of these; there are likely more, but I am not aware of them. I’ve added a fourth that does not strictly fit the definition, but feels relevant to the discussion. These are:

Omegaverse

BDSM AU

Sentinel AU

Psychic Wolves AU

I’m going to briefly define each AU and talk about how sex, gender, and consent work within it, with some interesting tidbits about fandom history along the way. This is not a fully fleshed-out essay; I’m drawing mostly from my own experiences and memories. Part of this is because of these four tropes, only Omegaverse has been studied/written about, to my knowledge.

I also want to be extremely clear that I am not in any way making value judgments on these tropes based on my analysis here. I have read and enjoyed fic in each of these AUs. I respect them for what, why, and how they are. That said, I will be discussing sexism and dubcon/noncon at length, so be aware.

Omegaverse

An Overview

I’m assuming if you’re in the fanfiction scene you know something about Omegaverse or A/B/O. But if you do not:

Omegaverse, popularized by the Teen Wolf and Supernatural fandoms, is an alternate universe where everyone has a “secondary gender”: Alpha, Beta, or Omega. These genders are based off of the inaccurate idea of wolf pack hierarchies, and they typically come with some wolfish behaviors, but no wolf traits like ears or a tail. Biological changes can include scent glands, fangs (sometimes with venom), pack bonding, feral behavior, and, of course, wombs for omegas and knots (dicks) for alphas regardless of sex. Also included are heat and rut cycles. Usually, fics set up an alpha with an omega, although of course there are many exceptions. As far as the social strata, alphas tend to be at the top, with betas underneath and omegas on the bottom.

Themes

Like two of the other tropes on this list, Omegaverse was created/popularized as a porn genre. The main draws are the heats and ruts I mentioned above, the uncontrollable (ish) urge to breed/be bred. How strong this is depends on individual writer preference, but in general there is a lot of dub/noncon inherent to the trope, in a similar flavor to sex pollen/fuck or die fics. Just with added snarly possessiveness. The consent issues are a huge part of the Point of the trope. If this is confusing to you, I’m very sorry. Some people have rape fantasies, Susan.

One of the other main draws is, of course, the secondary gender aspect. It’s nothing special, just literally a recreation of our gender binary.

“But Wren!!” you cry. “There’s three of them!”

I know. Look.

Alphas are male

Omegas are female

Betas are a nebulous “third gender” without the special characteristics of either of the others

Alphas usually go with omegas

If betas are remembered in-story, they go with betas

G E N E R A L L Y

Similarly alpha/alpha and omega/omega relationships are typically not a thing

It’s the gender binary again

There’s something to be said about how, even in trying to create a new gender system, we just remake the old one. In fact, many fics base the oppression of omegas off of historical oppression of women. Does that play into the sex/consent deal? Abso-fuckin-lutely, my dude. I initially tried to separate all three sections, but they kept blending together.

As in real life, gender is deeply tied to sexuality. Omegas are the ones capable of bearing children; the ones who go into heat. They’re made to be fucked. And alphas, well, it’s not their fault they were in rut/smelled an omega in heat/lost control.

Interrogating the Trope

As tropes grow and change, especially in the last 3-5 years for all four of these AUs, they tend to be interrogated and subverted more by fans. Of course this can happen at any time, and it does, and I will not discount that work, but it is much more common after a trope has been around for a few years and the “basic” version has run its course.

In Omegaverse, one of these subversions of the trope includes fics that do away with the dubcon/noncon aspect, either forcing the characters to sit and struggle with it, or handwaving it away. There are also fics about transdynamic characters, who transition from one secondary gender to the other. There are also fics which focus on non-alpha/omega pairings, or a flipped hierarchy where alphas are on the bottom.

Originally, when the trope dealt with male omegas, they were still cis men, just with the ability to self-lubricate. I never read female alphas, really, so I’m not sure how they were dealt with in all honesty. Much, much more common in the last few years, at least in my experience, is the idea of intersex omegas/alphas and/or the idea of the secondary gender determining genitals rather than male/female. I am not intersex, so I won’t speak to that much, but I personally am a fan of male omegas with vaginas, as an AFAB trans person. I will say that my fetishization alarm bells are ringing, though I doubt it is intentional, and that ofc there are many many different ways to be intersex other than having both sets of genitals, so. Don’t use fanfic as education. If an intersex person wants to weigh in on this, please do!

Omegaverse has also seen tropes added to it over the years. One of the most significant, which I have only noticed from about 2020-on but may have emerged sooner, is the concept of an “omega drop.” My working theory is that Omegaverse was (is) commonly fused with BDSM AUs, where the concept of “subdrop” and “domdrop” (which are also real things, in real life) is very common. When the two tropes were pulled apart and written separately, some aspects remained stuck, creating “omega drop,” which as best I can tell is just a general depressed/anxious/bad vibes state an omega goes into if their needs are neglected.

BDSM AU

Overview

BDSM AUs are absolutely my favorite on this list, which you may know if you’ve been following this blog awhile. So I know a lot. I will attempt to be normal.

BDSMverse creates a world very similar to Omegaverse, where everyone is either a dom, switch, or sub. I could write another very long post about the history and development of it, and I GLADLY will if anyone is interested, but for now suffice to say that originally D/s was treated like sexuality, not carrying a biological component, but now is very commonly biological. I believe this also comes from the trope being combined with Omegaverse, but it’s a little hard to prove thanks to purges and the like wiping out most of the first 4-6 years of possible content. It’s kind of hard to prove anyway.

But. The two most common biological characteristics are a need for doms/subs to spend time in subspace/domspace or risk withdrawal symptoms. Additionally, doms have the ability to command subs, and commands may be some level of resistible or not. There is also, of course, the hierarchy, with doms on top and subs on the bottom.

Themes

While Omegaverse and BDSM AUs are very similar, there is a huge difference between them on the issue of consent. Of course, the biological imperative I mentioned above and the idea of commands muddies the water, but in general the real-life BDSM community takes consent very very seriously, and this carries over to fic. The very first BDSM fic took a positive light on the trope and took care to stay away from the idea of inequality or dubcon. Clearly this did not become the dominant narrative, because fic writers love angst.

Again, BDSM AUs exist largely for porn purposes. Kinky smut! Hooray! And it is unique here because BDSM exists in real life. There is definitely a lot to say about how closely tied the queer and kink community are, things I have yet to figure out how to properly articulate.

There’s something to say about dom/sub coding and how characters are cast in this AU. Typically the softer, smaller character becomes the sub, while the stronger, more aggressive character becomes the dom. This is directly because of gendered expectations around who is dominant and submissive in the world.

This trope is probably appealing for most of the same reasons that BDSM itself is appealing. For sex, of course, but also for giving and taking control and power.

Interrogating the Trope

This is a fun segment, because BDSM AUs have literally been fought over since their conception. The first fic, the positive one I mentioned? Mere months after it was published, a different author took issue with the optimism and wrote an extremely dystopian variation on the AU. Cue arguments.

In all honesty, there’s not much to say about modern subversions of the trope, because there have always been multiple camps and there has always been a theme of consent and problems with it. Every example I have typed and deleted here has kind of been around for years. I could talk about this more in-depth if/when I make a post specifically about this AU.

Sentinel AU

Overview

Based on the late 90s TV show The Sentinel, the Sentinel AU establishes a world in which some people are Sentinels, with heightened senses that can cause overload, and Guides, who help calm and tether Sentinels. It also commonly involves a soulmate trope, where every Sentinel has one true Guide and the two are compelled to meet and required to stay together, in order for the Guide to best help the Sentinel. The Sentinels and Guides will either be overseen by an organization of some kind, or form pack-bonds on their own. Then there is, of course, the hierarchy, usually with Sentinels on top.

(Sometimes there is also a spirit animal element, but I do not know much about it and “spirit animal” is appropriative, so I will not be discussing it here.)

Themes

“But Wren!” cries no one, “This trope hasn’t talked about gender OR sex yet!”

Bold of you to assume I cannot fit gender into almost anything. First off, we have a binary of Sentinels with super-enhanced senses, who are useful and powerful and often involved in the military, vs Guides, who…calm the Sentinels. Take care of them. Serve them, if you will. Their purpose revolves entirely around the Sentinels. Speaking very generally here, of course, and with zero knowledge of source material.

And, okay, technically this one isn’t about sex. But look me in the eyes and tell me “You have a One True Partner out there in the world who is designed to help you specifically and because you are special, your soulmate will be required to follow you around in order to assist you, and you physically cannot opt out of this” does not carry some Interesting implications about consent.

Like I said at the start, I don’t say this to bash soulmate tropes or this AU. I understand exactly why soulmate tropes exist and why they are attractive. The devotion, the certainty, the angst, the lack of a choice for better or worse…yeah. Anyway, this is one I almost considered leaving out, but it IS a dominance hierarchy according to Fanlore and I did have some things to say about it, so here we are.

I unfortunately have not read a ton of Sentinel AUs, so if there are any common subversions or twists on it, I don’t know them.

Psychic Wolves

Overview

Based on a concept in the Iskryne series, Psychic Wolves sets up a universe where some people (typically military) have the chance to form a psychic soulbond with a special magic wolf. The wolves can communicate telepathically with their pack and with their bonded person, and have near-human intelligence as well as enhanced strength, etc. Wolves and their bonded humans can also feel each other’s emotions and physical sensations like pain to varying degrees. Importantly, the wolves also go into heats and ruts, and when they do, their humans are dragged along for the ride. If your buddy’s wolf is in heat and your wolf is near her, yeah, you two are fucking.

For the record, I have not read the Iskryne series and have only read a small handful of psychic wolf fics, so my experience here again is somewhat limited.

Themes

Obviously straight off the bat we have some consent issues. These are, to my knowledge, inherent to the Iskryne series. What makes this AUs version of heats different from Omegaverse is the presence of wolves, the extremely small population of female wolves, and army/government’s need for strong wolves. This means you can’t really suppress heats or ride them out alone. We also have to consider that a character in this ‘verse is psychically bonded to an intelligent creature, and we have to grapple with whose consent is more important. And if we decide that is the human’s consent, there’s still the issue of the wolf and the psychic bond to deal with. It’s messy, and some fics have done a good job tackling that.

Gender also comes into play a little bit with the bonds. As I mentioned, female bondwolves tend to be rare, and in the original canon I believe soldiers were entirely male. This carries into fanfic. Bonding to a she-wolf as a guy has some connotations, because female = heat, bottoming, and then pups. Top/bottom dynamics are inherently a bit gendered, in spite of best efforts. There’s also the issue of sexuality—the wolves don’t care if you’re gay, straight, ace, etc. The wolves don’t care if you have a human partner (unless that person happens to have a bondwolf that is acceptable for breeding).

Interrogating the Trope

Psychic wolf fic is not very common. There are a few overlapping tags used, but it’s definitely the smallest trope here. All of the fic I have read, additionally, is from pre-2018. So I can’t speak to any new developments there, BUT there is a fic series from 2011-2013 that interrogates the consent issues pretty well.

(I will be making a fic reclist for all four tropes after this, don’t worry.)

In that fic, heats were mostly just being literally “thrown to the wolves” in the interest of breeding, but the aftermath did not shy away from this. The author built in systems for physical and emotional aftercare and had the characters explicitly discuss the trauma of the heat. Other parts of the series also discussed how the humans in the military technically outrank all the wolves, but the humans are very in tune with the wolves and don’t try to dominate them unless it would put someone in danger.

In Summary

I think the main draw of all of these tropes is actually not something I’ve been writing about: the hierarchy. I’m biased by my own interests, of course, but aside from just writing porn, authors use these tropes to worldbuild a lot. There are clearly defined boundaries, new social norms, systems to combat oppression or enable it depending on taste. It’s about the biological imperative, the lack of choice/control. I think a lot of people find that appealing, not having to negotiate and discuss and talk, just being pushed into something by your body, whether that’s a fugue state or a heat or something else entirely.

Some people find that bad, though, and design solutions, which is also good and cool and fun.

I think another aspect of it is how natural and normal sex is in these universes, especially Omegaverse and BDSM AUs. We live in a society that doesn’t like to talk about sex, especially kinky sex, so having that can be very appealing. Especially since a lot of fics that lean more utopian than dystopian build in new systems around sex, laws and the like. That can be comforting when you look at how sexual assault cases tend to go in our world.

I feel like I both went into more and less detail than I expected to, and I am likely leaving things out. If you made it to the end, feel free to talk about this with me! If I remember anything else I want to add, I’ll come back and make an addendum. Thank you for sticking with me through all of this!

[thgfanfictionlibrary]

Not Rated Fics Masterlist (4)

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 /

Created: September 3rd, 2023

Last Checked:--

Courting Kat-endlessnightlock (tumblr)

Summary: Part two of Kat Stuck in A Tree. Courting begins and they have a lovely chaperon-Haymitch.

Kat Stuck in A Tree-endlessnightlock (tumblr)

Summary: Historical drabble. In which Katniss, the daughter of a sheep farmer, gets stuck in a tree and her next-door neighbor with wavy blonde hair comes to assist her.

Trivia Everlark Part 1-atetheredmind/muttpeeta (Tumblr)

Summary: Katniss and Peeta are bitter rivals and fate (otherwise known as Johanna) doesn't seem to think that's a good thing.   

Trivia Everlark Part 2-atetheredmind/muttpeeta (Tumblr)

Summary: Katniss and Peeta are bitter rivals...or at least they were.  

What the Future Holds-misshoneywell (AO3)

Summary: Peeta Mellark has one final chance to convince Katniss Everdeen that he is worthy of her attentions.

Where Did You Sleep Last Night?-LolaBleu (AO3)

Summary: Blindsided, that’s how Katniss feels when she goes out for her morning coffee and runs into Peeta. It’s been two years since she talked to him, longer since she’s seen him, but there he is, standing in front of her in the sidewalk, smiling like their love story had a happy ending. Sometimes - lots of times - she wishes it did. AU based on the movie Last Night, written for PiP day 6: reconciliation

Who Let You Look So Cute Today?-endlessnightlock (Tumblr)

Summary: Modern Day AU Drabble. In which Peeta has a job interview and a rather annoying roommate.

Worth the Wait-booksrockmyface (Tumblr)

Summary: Written for Everlark Birthday gifts. Mature content. Peeta drove three hours for her birthday to remind her of this stupid deal they’d made the night she had turned twenty-three. “If one or both of us are still virgins by the time we’re 30 we’ll have sex together.” They had both signed the paper at the bottom and giggled about it. Katniss thought the paper had been tossed soon after. She barely remembered that night anyway.

you could live a hundred lifetimes-Abagail_Snow (AO3)

Summary: Compilation of my Modern Day-AU drabbles that I’ve posted on tumblr over the years…

You Watch Him A Lot You Know-everlarking_always (Tumblr)

Summary: “You watch him a lot, you know.” Prim’s words pulled Katniss from the trance she’d been in, eyes fixed on a point across the room. Not a random point, as her sister had remarked, but fixed on a person.

[astoldbygingersnaps]

HARPER’S 2022 FIC WRAP-UP

WELL GANG, WHAT A YEAR IT HAS BEEN!

first off, i know i’ve fallen off A Lot on tumblr in the last year, so my deepest and most sincere apologies for that. 2022 was a chaotic, frustrating, and overall deeply transformative year (for both better and worse) for me, and with all the changes/struggles in my professional and personal life it’s been difficult to maintain a decent posting schedule along with like. continuing to talk to people and function as a human being lmfao.

alas, another year has come to an end, and though i considered not doing my annual wrap-up, it’s become something of a tradition for me at this point, so fuck it, we ball.

without further ado, let’s talk fanfic:

projects i updated/completed in 2022:

oceans between us (shiita; 38,737 words; complete)

it’s a testament to how heinously long and strange this year was that when i sat down to draft up this wrap-up i genuinely fucking forgot i finished this fic in 2022. wild!

like a lot of fics i write (or want to write, and then do not) this fic was born from an attachment to a particular image or idea that inspired inspiration and then i had to pull a whole plot out of my ass to justify its existence. this was very much the case with the first chapter of ‘oceans between us’ aka atonement au, where the spirit of doomed historical romances and period-typical repression and sexual tension possessed me like a ghost and caused me to cough up the first chapter of that fic in like two days. i also wanted to write something that was very different than the typical character interactions and tone that existed in my previous works, and even looking back on it now i still think it’s a really unique and interesting addition to the works i’ve published thus far.

like i’ve said before, originally this was going to be a oneshot that ended where the first chapter does, i.e. with shisui going to jail and the relationship between him and itachi purposefully left without resolution. but that idea reeeeally much did not go over well when i discussed it with other people (aka my wife), which left me with the very real problem of how to conclude this goddamn fic. and that’s where itachi came in.

hilariously, i feel like this fic ushered in an unofficial (and accidental) era of itachi pov takeover where nearly everythng i wrote last year (and definitely everything i published in 2022) was in itachi’s pov exclusively. that said, after the events at the end of the last chapter, it felt necessary to have itachi tell the final chapter because i knew i needed to have a good explanation for his lack of action at the conclusion of chapter one and i also needed to get people back on his side for the end of the fic to land successfully.

in terms of structure, the switching of tenses and time periods was both incredibly fun and incredibly annoying in terms of editing and consistently, but i do feel like it added an immediacy and level of fear to the fic that enhanced the reading. if you’ve read the original book, you know that the characters itachi and shisui are (loosely) based on (cecilia and robbie) both die and never have their happy ending in real life, only in fiction. so i wanted the reader to feel real concern that these two crazy kids might not make it after all.

overall, i ended up being really, really happy with how this fic turned out, and some of my favorite scenes i’ve ever written (namely, the reunion scene between shisui and itachi in the cafe) are in this story. more than anything, it was just nice to start the year by finishing something.

lazarus taxon (shiita; 38,256 words; in progress)

quite frankly, this fic was the bane of my existence in 2022 for a variety of reasons.

first off, this chapter was an absolute Nightmare to write. as many of you may remember, initially i had planned jurassic world au as a three-part fic, whereas now it is... not quite that anymore. having written and published the first two chapters within a pretty short timespan, when i sat down to seriously work on (what i thought was) the final chapter, it rapidly became clear that there was no way to successfully wrap this shit up in one more installment. and as i was writing, it was pretty obvious that i was rushing from plot point to plot point trying to get the fic finished rather than taking the time to make it a story i was proud of and would want to re-read. once i realized that, it became a guessing game of what i was missing, and once i thought about it, the answer was obvious: conflict.

(we will have this discussion again next year when i tell the tale of how, in january 2023, i ended up scrapping almost the entire (actual) last chapter of this fic because i had to learn this lesson all over again.)

narratively speaking, blue’s injury served a few important purposes. first off, it’s a chance to see shisui--who’s been something of a handsome and charming enigma--soften up and appear a lot less composed and in control than he’s previously been. that vulnerability was necessary if he and itachi were going to push their relationship to another level, and also necessary to motivate itachi to take a real, genuine stand against fugaku and all his fugaku-ery. (it was also, admittedly, a chance for me to continue to play in the sandbox i’ve created where i get to use a lot of my real world knowledge and skills--namely, animal behavior and veterinary medicine, the two things i do for a living.)

once i unlocked that piece of the puzzle, everything started to fall into place, and then i knew that i would need an entire chapter to devote to itachi and shisui as a couple--what their relationship would look like, how dating would change them, and if, given the differences between them, it was possible to even sustain a relationship in the first place. which is why i ended on the confession scene, so everything that came after would be something of a blank slate and the finale could just be the--pun intended--evolution of their bond.

all that said, by the time i was finished with this chapter i had spent so much time, effort, and energy trying to wrangle it into something readable i was kind of drained by it, and that fact along with the knowledge that it’s never been my most popular fic (and that the reception to this update was a little quiet) left me burnt out by fanfic for a bit. it also didn’t help that, as i’ve previously discussed, this was around the time my entire life was uprooted by losing my job so there were just. a lot of factors working against me that really zapped my inspiration. if only another project could have come along and truly inspired me...

pack up (don’t stray) (shiita; 63,923 words; completed)

hilariously, i had way more Profound and Meaningful shit to say about this fic, but tumblr ate a chunk of my post when i was trying to save it and i’m too annoyed at this stupid website to try and recreate all of my previous comments in depth. 

what i will say is that, if there’s any fic that stands a chance of surpassing star trek au as the fic i’m most known for, i’m really, really happy it’s this one. i love this fic from beginning to end, i think it’s one of the strongest pieces i’ve published, and i’m honored that other people have become as invested in the sad, weird little world as i am. honestly, it’s been so touching to see how many people have connected with this story and how it’s gone from a piece i mentioned in my 2021 wrap-up as really loving but being kind of sad about the lack of traction to a fic that developed a really dedicated reader-base who provided some of the best comments and feedback i’ve ever gotten. and since the two updates were so different from one another (and the final chapter is so, so long) it only feels appropriate to give them each their own sections.

chapter two:

to be blunt, there’s a really good chance that the second chapter of band au is my favorite thing i’ve ever written, full stop. part of the reason i think i have such fondness for this chapter (besides the fact that that i accomplished all my goals for this section of the story with this chapter and i feel like the writing itself is pretty good) is the fact that i wrote almost all of it in the span of about six or eight hours like a madman. in doing so, it was really easy to stay focused, maintain a tight grip on the pacing and narrative, and let everything flow from there.

like i said in my 2021 wrap-up, part of the appeal of this story was to push itachi and shisui to the brink of likability and test how many crappy things they could do to one another while people still had empathy for them (the answer turned out to be: a lot!) i think part of why so many people have reached out to tell me that this fic affected them so much is because, in some ways, all the pain and misery is just so mundane. there’s no spaceships or magic ninjas or genetically-modified dinosaurs; it’s just two people breaking each other’s hearts, over and over again, the same terrible shit that happens every day and there’s something really relatable about that. (for more on this point, see my answer to this ask.)

(speaking of relatability--as someone who has struggled with substance abuse for the entirely of their adult life and is always working on their sobriety, the prospect of dipping into that well was incredibly daunting, and i’m happy that it felt authentic to people who were reading.)

i don’t want to gush over my own writing because that seems tacky, but man oh man. there’s just so many things about this chapter i love and i’m just so happy other people felt the same way. anyway, time for the finale!

chapter three:

in some ways, the final chapter of band au was one of the pieces i was most nervous to write. after spending two chapters taking a wrecking ball to the shiita relationship in this fic, the prospect of piecing it back together in a fashion that felt genuine and respectful of the trauma they both experienced seemed kind of impossible.

like most of my projects, i knew from the beginning what the end of this fic was going to be. i actually knew the ending to band au better than most of my other stories, because before i even finished chapter one i knew the last chapter would end with the airport scene and i knew the specific lines of dialogue that would conclude the fic itself. the problem was how to justify even the possibility of shisui and itachi considering getting back together after everything they did to one another in the last chapter.

the first step seemed to be presenting how much they’d grown (itachi is sober, shisui got married--and divorced!-- and had a kid, both of their careers had progressed in different directions, etc.) to show that perhaps they were evolving to a point where they could learn to be in each other’s lives again. i really enjoyed re-imagining this characters as, in theory, older and wiser and adding in newer characters and original details to flesh out the lives they had created when they were apart from one another. honestly, my heart is so soft for both millie and heather, and i’m genuinely so happy that my ocs--always a dicey prospect in fic--got such a warm reception. i also really loved getting to show the band as a functioning, familial unit and all the different relationships that existed amongst the four of them. and how can i not love mean little sasuke with his suburban chickens and burning hatred for shisui. 

the second step, as it often seems to be for me, was making peace with the fact that this chapter was going to have to be approximately eight hundred thousand years long if i wanted to stick the landing. if i was going to trace itachi’s journey from suspicion and lingering mistrust, to warily allying himself with shisui, to realizing he actually enjoys being around shisui again, to realizing how much he still misses and loves shisui, to taking a risk and giving shisui a second chance despite literally every reason not to do so, i was going to have to take my time and earn that decision. even though writing this one chapter ate up the majority of my writing time this year, i’m really happy with the length of this chapter and the different locations and events it followed, because i feel like it gave the story a lived-in quality that was necessary given how over-the-top the second chapter was.

on the other end of making this reunion functional and believable, inevitably this chapter also had to be the shisui redemption tour. i’ve made it clear in the past that, as shitty as his behavior was post-break-up, i don’t think he’s entirely responsible for the nuclear end to he and itachi’s relationship. that said, i knew it was going to take a lot to get both itachi and the reader back on board with Shisui and Itachi: The Sequel, which is why we get to see so much more of him than we did in previous chapters: rather than itachi quickly summarizing events or the narrative presenting small bits of dialogue, we actually to spend a lot more time with shisui the flesh and blood person now that he’s not the idealized or villainized version that lives in itachi’s head. and it wasn’t until he was a fully realized person again that there was any hope of him and itachi making things work, which... let’s talk about that ending.

i knew from the very beginning that i didn’t want to end this fic with shisui and itachi officially getting back together. considering all the shit they’d gone through, it didn’t seem realistic to have them suddenly live happily ever after. this was always a messy story about messy people and i didn’t want to give it an easy ending. i always wanted to end this story on the idea of a new beginning, of a better future, rather than a tidy resolution to this relationship, because it seemed so much more authentic to their journey and, to me, more meaningful. and, though i’ve had people tell me they wish i’d written a better ending, it’s a decision i still stand by 1000000000000% as the right choice. that and i’m writing a sequel oneshot as we speak so it’s not even really the ending anyways

i really could talk forever about this au. of all the fics i have, published and unpublished, it really does stand out as one that’s special and so very close to my heart, and i’ve spent so much time thinking about these washed up losers that i think i could keep returning to this ‘verse again and again for as long as i continue to write fanfic.

so, that’s it! it’s kind of hilarious i had so much to say given that i fell far below my own expectations for 2022 in terms of writing, but what can you do.

in the spirit of being a little more productive (and certainly a lot more positive), let’s set some goals for 2023:

i’m finishing the last chapter of jurassic world au even if it kills me

I AM ALSO FINISHING THE NEXT STAR TREK AU CHAPTER EVEN IF IT KILLS ME

after, like, three years of hibernation i actually dusted off my pacrim au and yep, you guessed it--i want to finish that sucker, too

finally, since i’m hoping to take two (2) fics off my plate, i’d like to finally get serious about publishing the first chapter of the shiita enemies to lovers vampires and werewolves au i’ve had in the works, which i’m very excited to share with everyone

if you made it this far, thanks so much for reading! if you’d like to find me elsewhere, i’m a lot more active on twitter, so feel free to stop by and say hello.

see you soon!

[shesasurvivor]

Everlark Smut by shesasurvivor

Lately, one of my first real forays into Everlark fanfic, Blue on Grey/A House United have been getting some attention for its smut, and that's exciting! Those stories hold a special place in my heart and I'm still incredibly proud of them. But I've also written several smutty stories over the last decade that, in my opinion, are also every bit as deserving as attention, and I thought I would put together a post highlighting them!

Below is, as of January 2022, a complete list of all the smutty Everlark stories I've ever written.

Blue on Grey - As Katniss Everdeen and her family deal with the painful aftermath on the losing side of the Civil War, they also must adjust when a young Yankee soldier is stationed in their house.

A House United - Follow up to Blue on Grey. Katniss Everdeen has done the unspeakable with Union soldier Peeta Mellark. Now she's agreed to marry him. But first, they must make it through a proper courtship while surviving the trials of the Reconstruction Era South. Historical AU.

Getting There - Katniss has started being intimate with Peeta, but there are still a few barriers she needs to break through to fully enjoy herself. A suggestion from Dr. Aurelius may be just what she needs. Post-Mockingjay, masturbation/mutual masturbation. This remains my single favorite piece of smut I've ever written. As one wonderful reviewer on FFN put it, its, "realistic and perfectly in character, seems almost like a natural extension of canon, and is still both INSANELY hot and sweet at the same time." Exactly what I was going for, and I'm so proud.

Rain will Make the Flowers Grow - It’s a far cry from how we both were mere months ago, broken shadows of our former selves. At one point, I believed any hope of being with him had truly died out. But now we’re here, together. And this is happening. I could cry if I weren’t so caught up in the heat of the moment. Various insights to the life Katniss and Peeta build together post-Mockingjay. Another favorite of mine. Thinking of renaming my entire Post-MJ series with this name, because it's perfect.

This Flame will Burn Forever - "'Fine,' I say, pretending to be annoyed. 'Peeta, I- ' the words become choked up in my throat, just like they always do. And I hate that they do, because it isn’t that I don’t want Peeta to know the truth. I’ve told him how I feel about him, more than once. I want him to know, because I never want to hide anything from him ever again. And really, this isn’t why I have a hard time saying it. It’s because a part of me--an irrational part of me, I’ll admit--is afraid that by saying it out loud, some force, somewhere, will pick up on it and take him away from me again." Katniss and Peeta spend a cold winter day wrapped up in each other. Not quite as explicit as some of my other fics, but still revolves quite a bit around sex so I'm including it.

Netflix and Chill - Katniss Everdeen works three jobs, and is a full time student. She really needs to learn how to chill–and Peeta Mellark knows how to help. Modern Day AU. Written for the Fall 2016 MoreS2SL fundraiser.

Everybody's Got a Dark Side - When Katniss reminds Peeta about the time President Snow visited the study, it accidentally triggers an episode. Then Peeta decides it's time to reclaim Katniss... and the desk. Hijacked!Peeta smut, post-Mockingjay. Another one I'm proud of, because this is different from the kind of thing I usually write. It was fun to do.

Cosa Nostra - Katniss Everdeen is a performer for The Mockingjay, a hotel and casino run by mob boss Coriolanus Snow in Las Vegas. Peeta Mellark is the accountant who might be a plant for the FBI in The Mockingjay’s business office. The two are instantly drawn to each other, but how can anything possibly end well when they are on two opposing sides? Especially when the mob will have no problem harming Katniss’s sister if she betrays them. 1950’s historical AU set in mob-run Las Vegas. This one is special to me, because it was inspired by my own time living in Las Vegas. Smut is only in one chapter, but oh, it's there.

The Tigers Come at Night - Forced into prostitution in the Capitol, Katniss and Peeta find a way to seek refuge in the only people who understand: each other. But when they begin to sleep together for comfort in the supposed safety of their own homes, an unplanned occurrence makes the third Quarter Quell more difficult than it already is. Catching Fire AU. WARNING: Forced prostitution, non-con sexual situations. I questioned including this story on my list, because most of the sex scenes are absolutely not meant to be taken as anything other than incredibly traumatic; they're not meant to be romanticized at all. But there are a few this story that are genuinely romantic, and the story is generally about sex. Just please note that this story is dark, and it's not meant to glorify non-consensual sex in the slightest.

And the Sea is A-Roar - The people of land aren’t supposed to interact with those who live in the sea. It’s a law that was decreed long ago. Peeta, prince of the kingdom by the sea, knows this better than anyone. But the sea calls to him, and he finds himself unable to resist. On a secret visit to the shore one day, he finds himself attempting to save a mysterious woman, only for her to save him instead. Upon discovering that his savior is a mermaid, the two strike up a deal for her to give him secret swimming lessons. However, Peeta finds it harder to keep his taboo relationship with the mermaid hidden; and worse, he finds himself falling for her. Finally, the most recent of my smutty stories, because who doesn't love a good smutty mermaid AU?

[valenhell]

From the studio that brought you “I can’t find good Byler fics in the ao3 tag”, comes:

"The Definitive Byler fic rec list"

Literally no one asked for this but because I spent the majority of last year (...and 2019, and 2018...) reading byler fics and coping with life, I thought I’d make a list of some of my absolute favorites. 

The other day I was basically starving for some byler fics and the angel @magicalfairy provided me with some of her faves so I thought I’d do the same, because I love reading, and I love all of these fics and I appreciate their writers💗 And fic writers in general, come on!

- This is a mix of long works and one-shots/short stories. - Everything is mostly fluff with a tad of angst and a lot of internalized homophobia conflict.  - Every fic is completed, except for the ones I mention that they are not. - I try my best to lay out the stories in a way that I won’t spoil you the plot but also warning you of some stuff you might don’t like. Either way, all of these fics are correctly tagged by their respective authors/owners, so read at your own risk. For better understanding, in between brackets I denote Rating, Words and quantity of Chapters. - I feel like I should clarify, none of these are narrated in the singular first person. None of that “And I told him...”, no. 

Long fics

a dream always the same (T, 99k, 35 chapters) What happened in those few weeks between the Battle of Starcourt and the Byers leaving Hawkins. Literally a satisfying and very needed fill in of season three, with a good dose of Mike’s thoughts and conflict. Mike’s characterization is specially amazing in this one. The writing style is amazing and I know the author put everything into making it historically accurate, and it was really sweet. You probably read it, it’s by the amazing sevensided here on Tumblr🧡

Spring Break (T, 120k, 14/15 chapters) The slowburn of my dreams. Lots of internalized conflict and conflict with each other. Conflict within the Party (uhh kind of), conflict with Mike and Will. Byers family has moved and the kids are visiting! Chaos. Characterization is on point. Yeah, I know it’s unfinished, but the fourteenth chapter actually serves as a pretty nice ending. 

This is where it starts (M, 148.8k, 24 chapters) Aged up characters. The Party is in college and Will disappears again, but now it’s different. Mike knows he didn’t vanish from thin air, and the discovery he and the Party end up making is pretty insane. Mystery solving/fantasy/third dimension, throw in a bit of D&D and Mike realizing some shit, and you get this marvelous fic. It’s a breath of fresh air. The world building is definitely one of the elements that stands out the most, because it’s very nicely described, it sounds like a dream and it’s completely immersive. Absolute gem of a fic. 

there’s a Starman waiting in the sky (M, 30.6k, 8 chapters) Do I need to say anything? Will is out there living his best life and Mike realizes that wow, umm, maybe his best friend looks a bit too nice with that costume... and wait, is he getting horny? It’s actually really fun and sexy.

The Evening Speaks (T, 23k, 7 chapters) In where Mike is a late-night college radio host and Will is the art student that stays up till late to catch up with Wheeler on the Mic. They flirt through songs y’all, this one is really sweet. 

heads or tails? (E, 24k, 3 chapters) Aged up characters. I know most people don’t enjoy sex in fics and with specific characters but this one is insanely well written. It’s a slowburn that commits to the tension and with every word you are grasping and anticipating their next move. I think you can find the author here on Tumblr as yousaidyes🧡

The Man of Average (M, 56.7k, 5/? chapters) Aged up characters. No but you don’t understand, the writing here is absolute gourmet. The story is exciting as well, it’s super interesting. Weirdly enough, for being very aged up characters, they are well characterized but they don’t feel like teenagers. They are naturally Mike and Will. The author really captured Mike and Will’s essence. I know, it’s unfinished and it’s updated very rarely, but this is the typical fic you can’t believe someone just posted on the internet for free. I will say though, I think it’s definitely not for everyone. Read at your own risk.

Heartstrings (E, 82.8k, 24/? chapters) Aged up characters. By the same author of The Man of Average. A collection of memories, the road to Mike and Will’s happy ever after. And fucking hell!!!!! You’ll cry and get angry, you’ll cheer for them, then you’ll want to crash their faces together because god dammit you love each other!!! But yeah, same thing here. The writing and the way the story is laid out as a nonlinear narrative is brilliant. And I also think this is one of the best Will versions I’ve read. The author might as well be the og creator of this two characters tbh. You can find the author here as mylesimeblr🧡

Sinners behind the walls (T, 1.5k, 1/1) And because I can’t stop recommending this author, a little thing of Mike tormenting himself but also being too deeply committed to Will. 

The Red Envelope series (T/E, 167K, two completed works) Something happens that Will thought was impossible and from there, pure drama and romance. Anything by this author has the potential to become your absolute favorite fic, but this series in particular is amazing. I doubt that any of you haven’t read this, but it doesn’t hurt to put it in this list. I’m pretty sure the author is serendipitous-magic on Tumblr🧡

A New Fight series (T, 91k, two completed works, one WIP) And finally the Star Wars AU that we all needed. But this isn’t your typical “Mike is Han”, “Will is Leia” and “El is Luke”, it’s way more interesting than that, and the author has appropriated the Star Wars world like no other. I’ll admit I’m not a 100% fluent in SW lore but this is amazing to me either way. This author is also on Tumblr, tea-for-one-please🧡

- Yes, most of these are (if not all), in a way, canon compliant/canonverse/canon continuation into fanon. (In a way)

One-shots and short stories

Sundae for Two, Please (G, 4.8k) Steve being the supportive friend and older brother these kids collectively need. (not Jonathan erasure, we love him). Steve is very sweet himself, and this little cute thing through his POV is gorgeous. Yes, it’s byler.

Backstage (T, 10k, 2/2) Jonathan, you forgot to mention to Will how hot your new band’s guitarist is, dude. Now he’s hyperventilating and weirdly flirting with him in the corner. Background Stonathan because why not.

102 Peach Street (G, 3.8k) Established relationship, but not only that, they are married :’’))) PURE fluff. Extreme fluffiness. Diabetes. 

sweatshirts and bottled up feelings (T, 3.2k) Or, Mike thinks that the sweatshirt Will wears looks insanely good on him. And kitchens are for lovers. 

kiss it better (T, 16.3k) Basically one of the best character studies of a few precise moments of Mike and Will’s relationship and feelings. 

will wonders ever cease (T, 11.3k) #i ship will and happiness. Omfg what a beautiful piece of fanfic. Will centric, this kid really deserves all the good in the world.

The Calm After the Storm (T, 1.6k) Tooth rotting fluff, boyfriends in love. Boyfriends being lazy, cuddling, love words, kisses. Boys loving each other’s company... Basically, Mike and Will in their element. What more can you ask for?

neither of us ready to let go (T, 4.8k) That scene from season three, but a bit of a fix it. 

Still in love (G, 1k) Domestic, married life au fluff. Y’all, I’m a sucker for established Byler, even if I can’t find many fics with it. But this is very sweet. It takes place in 2020, but I don’t think there are any mentions of the COVID-19 crisis that I remember.

I Nver Find Out ‘Til I’m Head Over Heels (G, 12.5K) Classic 5+1 fic. If you haven’t read it, where have you been? This is your moment. In where Mike keeps inviting Will to the school dances and Will thinks it’s just a joke until he realizes it’s not. 

Before You’re Gone (T, 5.9k) Will is leaving Hawkins and Mike thinks this is a great moment for a confession. This one I discovered last friday, thank you friend @magicalfairy 💗

You’re weird Wheeler (M, 4.5k) Mike unintentionally starts a tradition of going to each other to talk about their sexual encounters just after they finish. Will keeps getting more explicit with the details he shares, and he makes his best friend interested. This one is really fun y’all.

Out-Of-Town Friends (N/R, 4.6K) It’s not rated. I haven’t re- read it but I’d say it would probably fall in a T rating. So cute!! Will has new friends and sneaks off every friday and the Party doesn’t know where he is going, so Mike decides to follow him and is surprised. 

Snowed Under (G, 1.3k) By the same author of The New Fight series. Mike is spending christmas by himself in college because a snowstorm hits Chicago and Nancy can’t drive to see him, but then he has a surprise visitor. Ahhh just a lil sweet holiday fic. Super cute. 

you love me anyway series (T, 7.1k, three completed works) Literally just the cutest thing ever. Established Byler. Will loves to take pictures and he loves taking pictures of Mike. It’s adorable. 

you wanna be friends forever (i can think of something better) (T, 9k) This one is so amazing. So. Amazing. From Will’s POV, my kid deserves the world and he gets it. 

okay not to be okay (T, 4.9k) Mike is a bit sad but then everything is okay. 

can’t hold out forever (G, 18.4k) Y’all!!!!! 5+1 sweetness. Mike has been falling in love since kindergarten. And it’s long af, you’ll enjoy it. 

even if it takes forever (G, 1.3k) College short AU, they miss each other, they love each other, they promise all to each other. It is sappy y’all.

clear as day (N/R, 18.4K, 4 chapters) It’s not rated, but I’d say it falls in the T category. Strangers to friends to lovers. And also, everyone is pretty gay; we have our dynamic trio Mike, Max and El as disaster lesbians (and gay). Will works at the library and he is also gay. Lucas and Dustin and Will are the best friends we needed. It’s very sweet and the Party is kind of formed here!

I went overboard with the one-shots, so you must have realized how much I love long one-shots and I favor them over long works lmao but they are all amazing!!! If it’s on this list, I probably read it at 2 am, sobbing in my bed. So. Hope you enjoy it☺️🧡

[fuckingyrs]

100 fics recommendation list!

today i hit 100 followers here on tumblr! i’ve had this account for over a year and a half, and i never really thought it would go anywhere when i made it. i really only made it because i had spent a very long time filling up my main tumblr with rwrb content that i had a feeling my irls who followed me where probably getting bored with the lack of variety. so i made this account and now rarely use my original.

in celebration of hitting 100 followers, i felt like it would be amazing to recommend 100 of my favorite rwrb fics! this is a long post so hold on!

warning: there are over 1500 fics in this fandom, i could not possibly get to all my favorite fics into one list.

key: [general tag, rating*, word count, chapter count]

* G - general audience, T - Teen and Up audience, M - mature, E - explicit; only for adults

first: my own fics. i have seventeen rwrb fics, sixteen of which are completed and one being posted as it’s written. i started posting rwrb fic may 1, 2020 and still do to this day.

elleterates

a different kind of feeling [Junora + Pez, G, 980, 1/1]

a long walk to london [Childhood Friends to Lovers au, G, 11k, 1/1]

growing up and going home [Alex & Ellen - Moving Out, G, 969, 1/1]

it’s quiet in the world tonight. [Kid fic, G, 3k, 1/1]

we've ridden the stars (seen everything from satarn to mars) [Breaking Up & Getting Back Together, T, 500, 1/1]

everything from this point onward is in alphabetical order!

here are five fics from a few of my favorite rwrb authors!

allmyloveatonce has thirty rwrb fics and has been posting fics within this fandom since march 21, 2020! twenty-nine of said works are completed plus one is currently being updated but completely written. 

Countdown [Reminiscing, T, 2k, 1/1] 

Race You to Forever [Marriage Proposal, E, 17k, 1/1]

Someday We'll Know If Love Can Move a Mountain [Angst with a Happy Ending - Canon Divergence, E, 60k, 22/22]

Somewhere We Can Be Alone [Medieval AU, E, 25k, 10/10]

What Do I Know? [Amnesia au, E, 83k, 25/25]

bibliosoph has thirty-one rwrb fics and has been posting fics within this fandom since january 31, 2020! twenty-five of said works are completed. 

Anamnesis [Memory Loss au, T, 3k, 1/1]

As You Wish [Princess Bride au, T, 33k, 19/19]

The Boy With a Storm in His Brain [Cancer fic, T, 32k, 18/18]

Mythology, Huh? [Greek god au, E, incomplete (39k as of now), 19/?]

Two Sides of the Same Coin [Merlin au, E, 86k, 43/43]

bleedingballroomfloor has sixteen rwrb fics and has been posting fics within this fandom since october 10, 2020!

A Mind That Never Sleeps [5 + 1 things, T, 3k, 1/1]

A Picture on Your Corkboard [Memory Loss au, M, 23k, 5/5]

Camp Llwynywermod [Summer Camp au, E, 56k, 8/8]

Eyes Blue, Like the Atlantic [Titanic au, M, 16k, 1/1]

(our last summer) memories that remain [Mamma Mia inspired, E, 91k, 20/20]

cmere has twenty-one rwrb fics and has been posting fics within this fandom since december 20, 2019!

A Tiny Shred of Hope [Canon Compliant, T, 1k, 1/1]

give yourself away sometimes, sweetheart [Canon Compliant, M, 3k, 1/1]

Heaven is You [Post-Canon - Emotional Hurt/Comfort, T, 2k, 1/1]

If You Hold Me Without Hurting Me, You’ll Be the First Who Ever Did [Smut, E, 2k, 1/1]

Truth [Smut, E, 21k, 4/4]

DemonPoxHerondale has eight rwrb fics and has been posting fics within this fandom since february 3, 2021!

A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes [Henry sees his future, T, 2k, 1/1]

Duchess of Albany [Fluff and Crack, T, 1k, 1/1]

I Feel Forever [Post-Canon, T, 1k, 1/1]

it's a little bit funny, this feeling inside [Post-Canon, T, 1k, 1/1]

You carry my love/Forever and always [Historical au, T, 38k, 11/11] 

floatingaway4 has seventy-four rwrb fics and has been posting fics within this fandom since june 30, 2020!

Baby grand [Kid fic, T, 575, 1/1]

Big sister [Sibling Relationship, T, 1k, 1/1]

The last letter [Afterlife, T, 2k, 1/1]

Three fights Alex and Henry never had [Domestic Fluff, E, 2k, 1/1]

Too quiet [Fluff and Angst, T, 1k, 1/1]

ifigo has nineteen rwrb fics and has been posting fics within this fandom since novemeber 23, 2020! eighteen of said works are completed.

A Kingdom for a Stage [Catherine/Arthur, M, 8k, 2/2] 

Cobweb Hearts, Empty Places [Soulmate au, M, 2k, 1/1] 

From Henry, To Arthur [Angst - Grief/Mourning, M, 1k, 1/1] 

Beautiful Indifference [Kidfic, G, 3k, 1/1]

The Crocodile Letters [Fluff and Crack, T, 2k, 1/1]

indomitablelove has eighteen rwrb fics and has been posting fics within this fandom since may 15, 2021!

The B Was Never Silent [Post-Canon - Fluff, T, 2k, 1/1]

brother, brother (let me love you) [Sibling Relationship - Grief/Mourning, T, 4k, 1/1]

into the spotlight [Actor au, E, 40k, 11/11]

lifelines [Canon Compliant - Outing, M, 27k, 8/8]

what we might do (if we stop keeping a secret) [Fix-it - Coming Out, M, 8k, 1/1]

schmulte has fourty-two rwrb fics and has been posting fics within this fandom since december 19, 2020! thirty-two of said works are completed.

Floating Lanterns and Frying Pans [Tangled au, T, 16k, 12/12]

Something About the Sunshine [Starstruck au, G, 11k, 4/4]

Tattoo Guns & Roses [Flower Shop & Tattoo Parlor au, M, 18k, 10/10] 

You Gave Me a Forever (Within the Numbered Days) [The Fault In Our Stars au, M, 27k, 11/11] 

Zeitgeist [One shots - Inspired by Hozier Songs, M, incomplete (4k as of now), 5/?]

here are five fics from a few of my favorite tags!

angst

- as with any fics on this list, please check the tags before reading. in the fandom, about 20% of fics are labeled angst. some may be categorized as angst but not even tagged it. it’s a popular tag in every fandom, and rwrb is no exception. we can’t allow ourselves to be happy apparently

and the heart i know i'm breaking is my own by Princecess_Nales [Post Break up, E, 2k, 1/1]

don't you call him baby (don't you call him what you used to call me) 🍒 by 8glassesofmilkin3minutes [Canon Divergence - Break up au, T, incomplete (4k as of now), 5/7]

God Save the Blessed American President Mom by zipadeea [Assassination Attempt(s), T, 31k, 8/8]

How wonderful life is (while you're in the world) by Mlvdybug [Hurt/Comfort - shooting, M, 34k, 3/3]

Life on Mars by scorpiusalone [Death of an animal, G, 1k, 1/1]

alternate universes

- set either in an entirely different world than our own, or simply in on different than canon, alternate universe fics place our beloved characters in situations, unlike anything they’ve experienced. 

a pillar i am, upright by Inmoonlightigetseasick [Historical au, M, 18k, 1/1]

A Sporting Chance by clottedcreamfudge [College/University au, E, 126k, 7/7]

Heartaches and Cupcakes and Sunshine Boys by everwitch [Write/Model Turned Photographer au, M, 54k, 12/12]

Hetkeksi by Neuqe [Fantasy & Magic au, T, 13k, 1/1]

Texan Rhapsody by DracoWillHearAboutThis [High school au - angst, E, 37k, 9/9]

emails

- the emails between alex and henry are a huge part of the book, as we all know. these fics are takes on emails not shown in the book

My Dearest, Alexander by rooftopkisses [Canon Compliant - Email Drafts, G, 813, 1/1]

Subject: Re: more bad metaphors about maps, but this time i mixed in a few about various musicals by lotsofregurtsactually(adykecalledCJ) [Late-night emails, G, 726, 1/1]

the one with the e-mails by sanjariti [Fluff, T, 873, 1/1]

To Love Another, Is to Cherish Life Itself by acuppaJo [Hurt/Comfort, T, 3k, 1/1]

Whiskey drunk by imasleepytea [Fluff, T, 1k, 1/1]

fluff

- sweet, heartwarming, typically wholesome. fluff. gotta love it. it’s the tag to choose when you don’t want pain and you just want is to see your favorite characters happy.

A Lover's Embrace by septemberleaves [Post-Canon, T, 2k, 1/1]

your love is sunlight by youlostpleiad [Post-Canon - Important Conversations, G, 1k, 1/1]

in wildest dreams (i never dreamed of this) by millsx [Domestic Fluff, T, 8k, 1/1]

your love is better than ice cream by i_m_disappeared [Comfort, T, 1k, 1/1]

Yes/No (Please Say Yes) by stardisnight [Domestic Fluff - Alternate Universe, T, 2k, 1/1]

fun

- do you like fluff but want more than happy feelings? these fics will make you laugh and smile while still holding onto the warm feeling fluff gives you.

Keeping Up with the Alternate Hell Timeline of 2020 by ashspren & sconelover [Crack Fic, T, 4k, 1/1]

playing the game by laurentknows [Post-Canon - Trolling the Press, G, 1k, 1/1]

Thirst Tweets & Mean Tweets [FOR APPROVAL] by loveonpurpose [Post-Canon - Twitter, T, 2k, 1/1]

What happens in Vegas (doesn’t always stay in Vegas) by TheAmberFox [Las Vegas Wedding, T, 5k, 1/1]

17 Firstprince Moments That Remind Us How Single We Are by peppermintpatties [Post-Canon - Social Media, T, 3k, 1/1]

hurt/comfort

- do you like angst but want to feel good at the end? hurt/comfort is the place for that. commonly paired with the angst tag, you know these fics will break your heart and attempt to fix it again.

and i hope the sun shines (and it's a beautiful day) by betwecouldmakesome(softcinnamonroll) [Post-Canon - Break Up and Getting Back Together, M, 8k, 3/3]

i don't know about you, but i'm (not) feeling twenty-two by nopunintended [Post-Canon - Insecurity, T, 2k, 1/1]

My Rose Has Thorns (But They're Not Meant For Me) by absolute-worst-idea(cxptained) [Panic Attacks, T, 2k, 1/1]

The First Daughter and the Prince by totheworldwedreamabout [June and Henry friendship, T, 3k, 1/1]

the sadness you carry, it hangs like a ghost by 14carrotgold [Missing Scene - June POV, T, 2k, 1/1]

junora (+pez)

- t h e y. we need more fics with them. we need more junora fics. we need more june/nora/pez fics. but in the meantime, here are some great ones.

being good (it runs in the family) by demigodbeautiies [Smut, E, 3k, 1/1]

holding onto feelings i’m not used to feeling by ljghtswood [Getting Together, T, incomplete (5k as of now), 1/?]

i cannot fall in love (with you) by orionseye [Self-Discovery, T, 22k, 10/10]

My algebra equals you every time by PaulaLovelace [Canon Compliant, M, 11k, 1/1]

she is my all, she is the one, she is by captainegg [Marriage Proposal, T, 1k, 1/1]

kid fics 

- kid fics are very popular in this fandom, and for good reason! authors like myself, floatingaway4, ifigo, and allmyloveatonce all have amazing kid fics, but here are some amazing ones by authors not yet mentioned!

A Quiet Evening Alone by great_turkey_calamity [Domestic Fluff, not rated but probably G/T, 3k, 1/1]

Grown-Up Names by webeta123 [Kid’s Understanding of Names, G, 1k, 1/1]

Knights, Sword fights, and Whatever Else by Quire [Kids Play Swordfighting, G, 1k, 1/1]

Polaroids by MamaG [Child Meets the Queen, G, 2k, 2/2]

We'll Get Together Then by absoluteaudacity [5+1 Things, G, 3k, 1/1] 

proposals

- casey said it themself, they will get married, here are some ideas on how they would start that process. after all, who doesn’t love a good proposal!

a thousand, a million, billion thoughts, (all under the form of a letter to you) by CrayolaRainbow [PowerPoint & Lists, M, 4k, 1/1]

(baby) don’t make me spell it out for you by extasiswings [Light Lack of Communication, T, 2k, 1/1]

keep most of your heart in london by cresswells [Double Proposal, G, 4k, 1/1]

I'd Cross Oceans by 14hpgirl19 [Sick Fic, T, 5k, 2/2]

Take My Hand, Take My Whole Life Too by hazeleyedwriter [Fluff and Humor, M, 697, 1/1]

smut 

- please note that all fics under this category are rated E. 

check-in closes at too-early p.m. by coffeecatsme [5+1 Things, E, 8k, 1/1]

how simple life is by demigodbeautiies [Soft sex, E, 1k, 1/1]

I Love You I Love You I Love You by absoluteaudacity [Crying due to Overwhelming Love, E, 928, 1/1]

Love You In the Morning from Anonymous [Early Mornings, E, 1k, 1/1]

this life, this love by railmedaddy [Fluff - Frottage, E, 945, 1/1]

bonus fic!

- have you seen the netflix original Young Royals? if not, watch it, if so i recommend this young royals x rwrb cross-over! 

i’m all ears, take your time (we got all night) by ljghtswood [found family, T, 2k, 1/1]

i had a lot of fun doing this! if i get to two hundred followers, i want to do another one of these so i can shout out more fics and authors! i’ve read almost every fic in this fandom, having been here since august 2019. i know just how talented everyone in this fandom is. fanfic writers, you are loved. thank you for sharing your words <3. fanfic readers, thank you for supporting us!

[ifimayhaveaword]

@0celestialbitch0 and @softanon tagged me in a get-to-know-you meme on my main, but I hope y’all don’t mind that I’m putting it over here instead! tysm bébés!

Rules: tag a few people you want to know better; make a new post, don’t reblog!

Favorite color: long-term it’s always been green, but I’m having a yellow & dusty pink moment 💛

Currently reading: uhhhh not much! I got struck with the desire to re-read Sabriel by Garth Nix, and then actually read the rest of the series. Gotta see if it’s available thru Libby, as a text or audiobook! (Also gotta catch up on Anything that Shines by @thosewickedlovelies 👀 and read the next part of hey batter batter! by @ohheyitsokay 😍)

Last song: Take me Home Country Roads!!! It was the last song we sang in rehearsal last night and it’s the last thing I listened to 😅

Last series: …..I think tbobf?? If you count YouTube series then I caught up on Tasting History with Max Miller the other day!!

Last movie: Encanto! Watched it with my lil nieces 🥰

Sweet, spicy, or savory: I have a pretty low spice tolerance, but I do enjoy what I can handle! Sweet>savory>spicy usually, but like. I love food don’t make me pick.

Coffee or tea: usually coffee in the morning, tea in the afternoon & evening, but it all depends on my mood☕️

Three ships: (oh god how much of an embarrassment do I want to out myself as??) Hmm. Me x all my faves 🥰🥰🥰

First ever ship: Zelda/Link from LoZ! I used to watch my brother play Ocarina of Time ALL THE time when I was a kid— watching him play video games was like watching TV for me- legend of Zelda imprinted on me as a wee lass. I shipped them before I knew what shipping WAS.

Currently working on: batting a ball of yarn in my brain thinking about some prompts that Dia and Elle sent me ages ago (I didn’t forget!!) but not actually writing or plotting or recording anything rn :(

Favorite piece of clothing: I don’t think I have a favorite! But I have a pair of dark wash, high waisted, flare-leg jeans that I l o v e

Comfort food: uhhhh cheese n toast, moms turkey soup 🥺

Favorite time of year: spring & autumn 🌱🍁

Favorite fanfiction: Hmm. again, I can’t pick a favorite— I’ve been reading fic for too long now— but one that I always think about and go back to listen to is an AU supernatural fic! An exercise in “worthless” (I don’t recall the author rn) was one I read in college, and then later found the podfic of, and I just. Yeah. I love how it integrates some stuff from canon, how the characterizations are written, and the way the podficcer voices them…. -swooning sigh-

But in another way, if we’re talking tropes? Idiots to lovers, fake dating, historical/fantasy AUs!! (and a/b/o is a guilty pleasure don’t look at me)

Idk who hasn’t been tagged yet, so I’m sorry if you’ve done it/been tagged and don’t wanna do it! Zero pressure!! @corvueros @oloreaa @pettyprocrastination @moonlight-prose @miraclesabound @cinewhore @iamskyereads @scribbledghost 💛💛💛💛

[im-auntie-social]

time for some fic recommendations!

The @jaime-brienne-fic-exchange wraps up in less than four hours so I’m getting these in just under the wire!

Disclaimer/warning/whatever: I did not read all 1.3 million words :( I really was going to try, but it started to feel like homework after a while and these 102 writers deserve a better audience. So I took a bit of a break and as a result I had to triage a bit, choosing to read more but shorter stories. Sorry prolific multichap writers! You’re amazing and I will get there soon! I’ll even try to comment on every chapter to make it up to you! I also still have a hangup when it comes to talking about smutfic (I’m working on it, because it’s kind of dumb, but midwestern quasi-puritan conditioning is a real pain) so there won’t be any of those in my recs. Again, sorry smut writers! You’re great! Also, this is only main-exchange recs, because I haven’t read any of the Lil’ Oathkeepers yet.

And finally, I am reccing a few stories that I’ve been speculated to have written (and I’m not reccing the one I *did* write), so I’m sorry if that gives away too much information? But see also: less than four hours until author reveals. (also can I just say I adore the handful of people who guessed me as a writer-- I don’t even know what my style is but it’s really cool to know that other people do!)

So here we go!

Part 1: Stories aimed directly at my face (mostly metaphorically)

First and probably most obviously: Queens of Love and Beauty (T, 6k, modern AU) is my gift and I love it! Brienne runs a body-positive portrait studio with vintage glamour vibes. The author even threw in a reference to my abiding love for the calming power of spreadsheets as a special treat for me. There’s a wonderful interplay between historical and modern that highlights the contrasts within and between characters that I absolutely adore. It’s all so warm and pretty and it makes me extremely happy. AND THERE’S CORSETS.

Then we have the modern AUs that I didn’t personally request but still hit so many of my favorite things. Funny Way of Showing It (T, 3.5k) features our heroes as academic scientists (be still my heart!), with a wonderful cast of supporting characters as their grad students. It’s told from Pod’s POV too, which is an absolute delight. Unrestrained Summer Fun (T, 4.7k) has them meeting as children when Genna and Cleos rent a vacation house next door to Selwyn and Brienne. I love Brienne and Cleos being friends before Jaime comes onto the scene, and I adore the dynamic between the three of them once he does. Cleos, my boy! The canon stuff is done really well (I laughed so hard at one bit in particular that I don’t want to spoil) and the childhood-summer vibes are pitch-perfect. The beginning of devotion (T, 11k) features Brienne inheriting a decrepit Evenfall Hall and deciding whether to keep and restore it, and as someone working on a project house at the moment, I found this one very relatable. But on top of that, the slowly-unfolding backstory between our heroes is so SO well done, and everything’s woven together in an incredibly satisfying way. And finally, Climbing Mountains (G, 3k) starts with a Mary Oliver quote so I’m already sold. But then it goes on to spin a beautiful story of Brienne’s approach to risk, and how that relates to Jaime, and I am entirely made of heart eyes.

Finally (for this part), a couple of my favorites from the bounty of space-themed fics. As an avowed and die-hard fan of this kind of AU I was so happy to see so much fun genre work this year! And I haven’t gotten to some of the longer ones, so I’m looking forward to that and will rec as needed. It is not in the stars (T, 3k) is a Dune AU that I just felt in my whole body. I haven’t read Dune in ages but it’s a huge part of my genre-childhood and this story really captured the atmosphere. I would have happily read 100k of it, yet at the same time there’s something really magical about the economical storytelling. Absolutely the best use of Brienne’s blue eyes I’ve ever seen in an AU. And finally, I have to shout about show me where my skin begins (E, 41k), one of the only 30k+ fics I’ve read and one of the only E-rated, but the giftee was so effusive about it (and I trust their judgement) so I loaded it up before my long car trip and holy shirtballs folks, it is incredible. I will say that it doesn’t become E-rated until the last chapter, but also the E-rated stuff is incredibly beautifully done. The story takes place in an original space/sci-fi setting and it blew my entire mind. So much creativity, so much fantastic character work, so atmospheric (no pun intended). (just a note: space and/or genre fics seem to be getting a bit less attention at the moment, and while it’s cool to have preferences, I’d really suggest giving them a shot this year!)

More to come in part 2, this time with THEMED SUBGROUPS!

[springday-aus]

SVT’s Jeonghan: Love, War, and Everything Between || part two

—

Fic Piece Written By: Admin Grandma of @springday-aus​

Moodboard Link: Created by Admin Grandpa

Character Pairing Y/N [fem. reader] and Seventeen’s Yoon Jeonghan

Other Characters: Nu’est [Jonghyun and Minhyun (mentioned), Baekho (known as Dongho)], Blackpink’s Jisoo, APink’s Namjoo, Seventeen [Seungcheol and Jisoo, along with idiot squad!Soonyoung, Seokmin, and Seungkwan], and more to be added along the way! 

Genre: historical, romance, drama, royal!au, arranged marriage!au + gender role reversal

None of this is historically accurate! This is purely fiction!

Type: series

prologue || part one || part two || part three → to be available! check the progress on our upcoming page! 

Word Count: approx. 4.7k

Plot Summary: Korea’s most distinguished military general arrives home, carrying back glory and honor from the war. However, the general has been revealed to be a woman! Due to the prominent military accomplishments you have made as the highest ranking general, by orders of the Empress, you are arranged to be married to the second-eldest prince, Yoon Jeonghan. Only one problem lies between you two: your reputation as a ruthless killing machine, which scares the living daylights out of your new husband.

→ Inspired by: the Chinese drama called Oh My General (also known as General Above I Am Below)

Warnings: graphic violence, glorified war, murder, sexual harassment, sex discrimination (mainly against women), poly-relationships (i.e. concubines), political corruption, and homosexual tendencies

The brothel is especially crowded today, both in customers and the women. The atmosphere is bustling with excitement and laughter as drinks are being passed around. The music lifts the mood, providing more entertainment for the drunken males as they chat amongst themselves. 

Unfortunately for them, however, most of the ladies are rushing to the center of the main floor to get a glimpse of Prince Jeonghan—who’s preparing a special performance. While it’s not rare for him to make an appearance, there are few occasions for him to perform. 

He openly gets undressed from his royal robes, which are made of the finest silks, down to his undergarments. Underneath the bright pastels is nothing but pure white. His skin shines against the sunlight that pours in from the balcony and it highlights his facial features. 

A woman gushes from the sidelines. “Oh, gosh. I’ve only heard of how pretty he is, but now that I’ve seen him in person…” She covers the bottom half of her face with her fan in shyness as her words trail off. “I don’t think I could ever recover.” 

“His fingers are so delicate,” another whispers, almost fearful of the Prince overhearing her. 

“Forget his hands!” A woman nudges her, shaking her fan towards his figure. “Just look at those lips. They’re absolutely perfect.” 

Another sighs in content of the view. “His jawline was sculpted by a greater divinity. That divinity wanted us to worship that jawline.” 

“That jawline is meant to cut diamonds, not just worshipping.” 

At a separate table, a few feet away from the balcony and the crowd of women, there sits three men—friends of the Prince. Upon hearing these comments makes Seokmin gag from his seated position, so much that he leans over and pretends to retch under the table. Soonyoung’s face wrinkles in disgust at the sounds and Seungkwan simply looks away, fanning himself. 

“My Prince,” Seungkwan calls out. “To what is the aim of all this?” 

Prince Jeonghan smirks to himself as he pulls on the shabby, bright red robes. He has been adorned in much more expensive fabrics—with much better quality, bound to last for centuries—and yet, every once in a while, he lowers himself down (as his mother likes to put it) to connect with the common folks. It might be demeaning for others, but, for him, it’s a chance to express himself, his talents, and his abilities to show his connections with the citizens. 

But of course, he is deemed as nothing more than a shallow prince. 

The Prince swallows, almost as if to push down the brief moment of sadness, before he turns to the trio. He raises his smirk higher, much more smug than before. “Attention, I suppose.” 

Seungkwan’s jaw drops slightly from the audacity of the Prince. However, while disappointed, the man cannot say he is surprised. 

Seokmin simply rolls his eyes, but doesn’t respond—knowing it’s smarter not to bite at the hands of the Prince. Considering how long they’ve all known one another, Prince Jeonghan’s words are the ones that bite the hardest. 

However, Soonyoung never learns his lesson. He shakes his head at the Prince’s words, before pouring another drink for himself. “My Prince, I must say that the cheap fabrics oddly suit you.” 

Seungkwan nearly chokes on his spit at the words, holding his fan between him and Soonyoung. “You shouldn’t say that,” he says, without bothering to be quiet. “You’re only going to feed his ego more.” 

The Prince raises his hand, as if to playfully hit him with his own decorated fan—a similar shade of red that matches his robe. “You’re one to say, considering how often you provide more compliments for yourself rather than receiving them from others.” 

Before the latter can respond, Prince Jeonghan makes his way through the tables and towards the front, where there is an open stage awaiting for him. He makes his place in the center, in the middle of a rose pile that is swept across the floor, where he sits elegantly. 

The wind begins to blow softly, enough to swirl the petals around him—with the additional cherry blossoms flowing from the open balcony and into the room. The band immediately begins, playing a soft melody to calm the hearts of all within close proximity. 

His body begins to move with the music, as if he were part of the winds that drift in the air. The balance and poise his body demonstrates would leave the female dancers envious had it not been the fact that they were too busy admiring his beauty. He is more than calm and collected—but still manages to display elegance and sentiment. 

There’s a collection of satisfied sighs that can be heard from the ladies as he loses himself to the music. With moments like this, he forgets it all: the royal status, the scrutiny—he just becomes another mere dancer with talents of his own. 

As the last note is held, he bends down and folds himself towards the ground as if to thank his audience. Applause fills the air and the ladies begin to throw their handkerchiefs to the stage. 

“Absolutely beautiful!” 

“Spectacular, my Prince!” 

“A man of many talents, Prince Jeonghan!” 

Their praises continue to fill his ears as he steps down, making his way back towards his table—where the trio greets him with a standing ovation and slow claps to applaud the Prince and his talents. 

“But, of course,” Soonyoung says. “What else did we expect from our Prince himself?” 

“What he means to say,” Seokmin intervenes. “Was that it was a wonderful dance, as per usual, my Prince.” 

They take their seats again, making more toasts and snacking on the plates presented on their table. Their conversation is interrupted by the brothel’s owner, who comes with more women and numerous plates full of food and drinks that only one can imagine. 

“Prince Jeonghan,” she says with a bow. “Thank you for visiting our humble brothel. I can only gift you with my ladies and food to fill your stomach.” 

“That is more than enough,” Prince Jeonghan says. “Thank you for allowing me to dance.” 

“It’s our honor, my Prince.” She gives another bow of her head, giving time for the women to set up the additional food and drinks, before making herself scarce. 

Prince Jeonghan turns his attention back to the table, making more toasts with the trio and engaging with the conversation once more—allowing the rowdy setting to activate again. 

However, a snicker from a few tables away catches the ears of the Prince. A few men, clearly in a more drunken state that is less than appropriate given the time of day, entertain themselves with rather reckless comments in front of royalty. 

“Can you believe,” one begins to speak, “that he is a prince of our country? My chickens set a better example of leadership than that frilly pansy.” 

The other man hums, only to let out a small burp as he opens his mouth. “If he were to run the country, we would be in ruins.” 

“That’s why he’s only a mere prince,” another responds. “Prince Jonghyun is the only one who will successfully obtain the kingdom and there shall be no worries.” 

“Well,” the second man replies. “Prince Seungcheol is another option. Either one is a good choice. I wouldn’t mind being under Prince Minhyun’s rule either.” 

“Prince Jeonghan is more of collateral damage,” the first man hiccups. “A worse case scenario, if you will.” 

The Prince frowns underneath his cup as he takes another sip of his alcohol, but doesn’t say anything. While knowing some part of it is true, it doesn’t mean it hurts any less. His train of thought is interrupted as a familiar face noisily enters the room. 

He stands. “Chan!” 

The young boy looks a bit startled, but relieved to see the Prince. “My Prince!” He quickly makes his way over to the table of recognizable faces. “My Lords,” he says, bowing his head to greet the others. He turns back to the main man. “Prince Jeonghan, I have urgent news from the palace.” 

“Chan,” Soonyoung says. “Would you like some water first?” 

“Yes, have some first,” Seokmin adds. “You look like you ran from the palace itself.” 

There’s a moment of silence as Chan catches his breath, silently accepting the glass Seungkwan presents to him. After swallowing large gulps from the glass, he wipes his mouth and practically slams the glass back on the table. 

Seungkwan clears his throat. “Chan, you may now proceed with the news.” 

Chan gives him a look, almost amused as to how Seungkwan presents himself as above him—even in the presence of royalty. With a shake of his head, he chooses to ignore him. “Prince Jeonghan, your mother has requested your presence.” 

The Prince frowns. “Why is that?” 

“Because you’re to be wed in a week.” 

All chatter dies—from the ladies in the arms of others to the actual guests themselves. The trio has frozen, unsure as to what it was exactly that they had heard. A pin has been dropped. 

“Come again?” The Prince asks. “I am to be what in when?” 

Meanwhile, the trio seems to have come to their senses, as they all stand in unison. 

“To who?” 

Chan seems more nervous at the question, now that he has the full attention of everyone in the room. “I know it is out of my place, my Prince, but I believe you should discuss this with your mother. I’m unsure as to whether I am authorized to disclose this information, considering the conditions we are currently in.” 

There’s another moment of silence with the eyes of many silently pushing the young boy to release the new gossip of the week. If he’s already stirred the pot, what’s wrong with letting it boil over a little? 

“I’ll pardon you if my family threatens to behead you,” Prince Jeonghan offers. At the sight of Chan’s pale face at the mention of capital punishment, he immediately rushes to fix his own words. “Although, I highly doubt it would extend that far.” 

Glancing around, Chan hesitantly steps closer, only to be pulled into the small circle. Their heads join together—however, all of their eyes are locked on him, along with the ears of those still within the brothel. 

“According to my sources,” he whispers. “I hear Prince Jeonghan is to be wed to…” 

“Oh, to who?!” Seungkwan bursts. 

Soonyoung pulls him back in. 

Chan’s voice gets smaller. “To General (Y/L/N).” 

“THE GENERAL?!” Seokmin shrieks. 

With that, the guests partake in their chitchat once more. The second prince is to be wed to the General? There were some rumors of the General being female, but were they true? What is to be of the military, nevertheless of the royal family? Will Prince Jeonghan end up destroying his family line? There were also rumors from the palace maids themselves who said he often had trouble… performing—despite his many whores who are now palace concubines. 

The trio seems to have already processed this information—moving on to try and find some rationale as to why or what it was that led to this. Meanwhile, Prince Jeonghan has personally felt as if his soul has been sold to the literal devil. He has officially become a shell of a man. 

Should he feel betrayed by his family? Or angry at the thought of being wed to someone he doesn’t know? 

“Isn’t the General a man?” Soonyoung asks. He turns to Chan. “How could they let the second prince marry a man?!” 

Chan can only open his mouth, attempting to provide some response to the lord. 

“I think the bigger question is whether or not the General is even part of the human species,” Seungkwan slyly comments. “Do you know how many people he’s killed? He’s literally called the Devil from all the bodies he’s collected on the battlefield.” 

“Not just the battlefield,” Seokmin adds. “My father told me that they executed one of their own soldiers with a whip, which had been personalized with blades.” He shudders at the thought. “I’m glad he’s our general rather than another’s. Can you imagine the horror?” 

With his words, the trio slowly turn their attention back to Prince Jeonghan, who looks as white as a ghost—sheer horror apparent on his face as the news officially sunk in. 

Chan takes a step forward, lightly tugging on the Prince’s robes. “Prince Jeonghan?” 

There’s no response. 

“I’ve been ordered by your mother to bring you back to the palace. There’s a carriage outside waiting for you.” He turns to the trio. “I shall head back downstairs to wait for him as he changes.” 

He bows in respect to the trio and the Prince before making his exit—not before taking another glance at the Prince, gauging in the royal’s response once more. 

It’s not until after the young messenger boy has left that Prince Jeonghan eventually comes back to his senses. Although, it did take a good few minutes for the information to be fully processed. 

The guests are still chatting away at the news and he can feel their eyes on him more than ever. He preferred their scrutiny rather than their overcurious eyes that want nothing more than to pry him in his most vulnerable state. 

He’s starting to feel sick. His legs can no longer support him and he can feel himself collapsing onto the table. He turns back to the trio with eyes filled with fear and apprehension. Surely, his mother can do something, right?

“Your highness,” Eunuch Gok calls from outside the doors. “Prince Yoon has arrived.” 

The words hit the ears of all those within the room, with the maids and other servants sharing knowing glances towards one another—but none of them dare to stop themselves from completing their tasks. 

In the center of it all, the Princess Dowager sighs, feeling the exhaustion hit once more at the mention of her son. With a wave of her hand, she dismisses the maid by her side. “Bring him in.” 

“Yes, your highness.” 

The maids scurry, almost scrambling to move out of the way for the storm that’s about to hit—positioning themselves to form a line behind her highness. 

It’s not even a second after that the Prince bursts through the doors. 

“Mother!” 

She doesn’t flinch, feeling rather familiar with her son’s dramatics. “Greetings first, Jeonghan. Manners make a man.” 

He makes a face, but still bows to her with his head lowered. “Greetings, mother.” He stands up straight, immediately dropping the polite act. “What is this I hear about marriage?” 

The Princess Dowager slowly picks up her teacup, taking a slow sip from it. The Prince, however, is still feeling antsy at the news. 

With each second passing, the dread of this ill-fated marriage is getting more and more realistic. His foot taps impatiently on the expensive rug that decorates the room. 

“Mother?” he calls. “Please say something.” 

She places the cup back on the plate and signals the dismissal of her maids. They quietly make their exit, shutting the doors tightly behind them as they all leave the royals to their personal business. 

“Mother!” 

She immediately shushes him with a finger to his lips, pulling him closer to her. He’s practically on his knees, knees knocking against the brightly painted chair—only to kneel at her feet as if she has the answers to his prayers. 

“Keep your voice down!” she whispers. “You know how much the servants like to gossip and, if they are to see your panic, they will not hesitate to share this information with the others!” 

“I thought you had good relations with Dowager Choi and Dowager Hong.” 

“I do, but it would make for awkward talks if they were to find out through the servants’ gossip.” 

The Prince doesn’t understand the point of it all, but, when does he ever understand royal relations? 

He shakes his head, almost as if to physically clear his head of his lingering questions. “Mother, we’re getting off topic.” 

“Right,” she says. She grabs her son’s hands tightly, afraid to know what would happen if she were to let go. “Jeonghan, the Empress is the one who decided to wed you to the General.” 

“The Empress?” 

“Yes, the Empress.” 

This implies she has no power—no say—in what is to happen afterwards. His shoulders slump from the little faith that he had of being saved: all hope has been lost. 

Prince Jeonghan tries to think. Why would the Empress do this? What’s the grand scheme of things? How is this supposed to benefit the royals? Is this for military security? But, with that, comes the risk of further damage to the reputation of the royals—were they really going to risk that? 

“Jeonghan—” 

He snaps out of his thoughts. 

“You must listen very carefully and you may not disclose this information to anyone.” She paused. “At least, not yet.” 

“Yes, mother.” 

“It seems that the General is a woman.” 

He couldn’t stop himself from the question that slips. “Are you sure?” 

His mother’s hesitancy doesn’t help the building nerves. 

“Mother?” 

“Well,” she says. “That’s what the General has disclosed.” 

“Huh?” 

“The details don’t matter,” she says. “I have limited information based on what the Empress’ servants know and what my servants have heard.” She tries to think. “Just know you are to be wed in a week once the General arrives. There will be a parade in his—her? Their?” She shakes her head. “There will be a parade in the honor of the General, followed by a celebration amongst the surviving soldiers, and the wedding will commence after.” 

The Prince’s head is running with a million questions, yet his mother hasn’t answered any of them. 

He sighs—the grip tightening on his mother’s hand. “Is there anything you can do?” 

“My son, I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do.” She lifts her hand, softly caressing his face. “Had your father been alive, I would have more power.” 

Prince Jeonghan fully sinks onto the floor—hands fallen down onto the rug and he ends up running his fingers on it, to distract himself of the current situation. 

“Well, what happens now then, mother?” 

The Princess Dowager sighs once more, softly petting her son’s head to comfort him. “Now, we wait.” 

The dreaded week passes and Prince Jeonghan finds himself at the brothel once again—but this time, he’s alone. Well, alone as royalty can be. With a few guards outside the door, he sits in an isolated room with a sole glass in hand. The third floor’s open balcony provides fresh air, which is much needed regarding the stuffiness he feels from within. 

The Prince lets out a heavy sigh, pouring another glass for himself and instantly drowning it down. Too much has happened throughout the week that it all felt like a blur. He’d felt as if he were a cow who knew when he would be shipped off to the slaughterhouse. Considering his current condition, he’d prefer to be an actual cow. 

This so-called useless groom leans closer to the window, feeling the warm summer breeze shine on his skin. This is the closest to freedom he has been throughout the past week. And probably the last time he’ll feel this way. 

As the matriarchs from his side of the family prioritized the wedding details, he’s been used and tossed aside as if he was some type of doll—due to his “uselessness as the groom” (as one of the officials had commented). The palace servants have been bombarding him with this-and-that—from fabrics for the royal attendees to menus as for what shall be served and down to the details of the cloth napkins. If the Prince is presented with another royal blue shade, he’s going to flip a table. 

With the Prince’s internal struggle three flights above ground, below is where the peasants are rushing to prepare for the General’s return—flags are waved and flowers are prepped. The children are excited, playing amongst themselves, while the adults gather together to catch up and converse with one another. 

“Have you heard the news?” 

The Prince’s ears pick up on the conversation. Picking up a fan, he covers the lower half of his face as he leans out the window, despite how little it actually does to disguise his face. 

“The General completely obliterated the Chinese army—killed their general and their second-in-command barely managed to escape.” 

“Didn’t he meet his end as well?” 

There’s a staggered huff before the person responds. 

“Considering how the General is practically inhumane with his killings, I wouldn’t be surprised if the body count was higher.” 

“I would fear for my life had I faced the General on the battlefield.” 

“Or in person.” 

There’s a snicker. 

“Well, you do have to acknowledge his skills.” 

“The General is titled as a general for a reason.” 

“Yes, this is a joyous occasion. We must celebrate Korea’s success!” 

They skip off into oblivion that the Prince can only imagine. It’s in this case that the peasants are living in the luxury that the royal yearns for once more. To the commoners, their hero was to return home—whereas Prince Jeonghan’s hell begins with the General’s arrival. 

Speak of the devil and he shall appear. The beat of the drums is faint and distant, but still present. Everyone scrambles as the sound of galloping horses by the hundreds approaches closer and closer towards the gates. Even the Prince is flustered, the sudden arrival of his fiancee prompting him to scatter and flee out of his private room. 

“My Prince!” A guard calls, chasing after him. 

“My Prince,” another yells. “Why are you running?!” 

“To escape my problems!” 

“At least use the carriage, my Prince!” 

“No!” 

The Prince runs, passing by various groups of guests and their companions—practically jumping down the numerous flights of stairs and nearly diving into groups of strangers as he makes his way out of the brothel. 

Meanwhile, the street has been cleared to create a path for the most distinguished general of Korea. Rose petals have been prepared and spread throughout, creating colorful layers to welcome the heroes back home. The flags are up, flapping against the wind and shining its beautiful colors in the bright, warm sunshine. The horses are approaching much closer—leading to much excitement with the townspeople. 

At the main gates, you rest on your horse, pulling its reins to stop its tracks. Your army follows afterwards—Dongho, Jisoo, and Namjoo behind you. For a moment, everything is still. The blue fabric blows lightly against the wind, in contrast to the shiny black armor that remains tightly wound on your body. 

With your approach (and a glimpse of the signature colors of the flag and your armor), the head guards open the main gates to allow your entry. You and your army make its way through the gates, eventually moving past the countryside and closer to the capital. 

A shower of petals greets you and you have to hold back a smile at the sight. The townspeople are greeting you with shouts of greetings and praises, tossing grains as you and your army pass as a congratulations and welcome back home. With your head held high, you lead your way through the flowery path laid out for your army and head towards the palace, where you know your punishment awaits. 

As you move throughout the town, your men quickly navigate their ways back to their respective homes—their families, wives, children, and whatnot. Even Dongho makes his way back home (saying something about setting back into his hut for tranquility and peace). 

You know you should pop in to check with your grandfather, but you have more pressing matters on your hands. It is the King after all. 

The nerves start to get to you as you approach the palace gates, leaving you with Namjoo and Jisoo at your side once more. Your jaw clenches: the threats of a beheading are becoming more and more realistic as you make your way past the palace guards. The anxiety must have been obvious to have the paternal twins notice. 

“General,” Namjoo softly calls from her horse. “After what you have contributed, you have nothing to fear.” 

You nod, trying to convince yourself that it will not be as bad as it can be. She’s right: you have many accomplishments and the aftermath of a war can easily lead to another. They need you. The worst case scenario is the death penalty… 

… And the dread has returned. 

“I know it’s a lot to process,” Jisoo says. “But, we’re right here besides you.” She holds out her hand, which you take and hold onto. “Through thick and thin.” 

“Through thick and thin,” you repeat. 

The hand isn’t dropped until you can make out the stairs of the main court, where the King is seated outside—awaiting for your return. 

You pull on the reins; your horse whining a bit, eventually calming down as you shush him. You and your guards climb your way down your horses, walking towards the Emperor to properly greet him. On the third step, you kneel on your knee (followed by Jisoo and Namjoo) and bow your head down.

“Greeting to your majesty.” 

“Accepted,” the King says. “Welcome home, General (Y/L/N).” 

“Thank you, your majesty.” 

“Congratulations on your victory.” 

“Thank you, your majesty.” 

“On that note,” the King says. “Let us get straight to business.” He stands up, his hands folded behind him, and walks through the open doors, where the throne is present. 

Without a word, you three follow him into the court—keeping a safe distance. The King makes himself comfortable on the throne and you keep your head low, awaiting for his decision to be made… or announced. You’re still unsure as to where this is all going. 

A moment of silence passes and he speaks once more. 

“I have kept the court calm for now,” he says. “However, as some of the officials are still upset, we have come to a decision for your… announcement.” 

Your heart stops with each second he pauses, unaware of the chaos about to be unloaded onto you. 

“You are to be wed to my second-nephew, Yoon Jeonghan.” There’s a pause. “Consider it a gift from the royal family, who is forever in your debt for your military contributions.” 

You feel your heart actually dropping to your stomach. Your eyes are the only indicator of your internal panic, considering how they move around—unsure as to where they go. 

“Thank you, your majesty,” you manage to say. “I will forever remember your generosity for my crime.”

He holds up a hand, stopping you. “You have to remember that with this generosity, it is also your punishment.” 

“Pardon, your majesty?” 

There’s a sad smile on his face—a look that was similar to your father’s. “It’s generous for your deception, but it is still a punishment nevertheless. While he may be my nephew, I’m afraid he’s rather useless.” He sucks in a breath, trying to pick his next words carefully. “Your punishment is a pretty, but useless husband.” 

Your confusion is still apparent, considering how the King continues to speak—helping you understand the reasoning behind the court’s logic. 

“(Y/N),” he says. 

You freeze at the use of your first name. 

“You are the most distinguished general of our time, but you are still a woman. You have to be wed, especially at your age. Consider the repercussions had this happened at a later age.” 

You hear him make his way down, but you don’t dare to look up. 

He places a hand on your shoulder. “This is a good thing, (Y/N).” 

Yes, you think to yourself. 

This is a good thing.

A/N: Thank you for reading! Please don’t ask about updates. If you would like to see when the next part will be updated, check out the upcoming works post. 

[everydayescapeartist]

JB Fic Exchange Recs - AU Oneshots

Well, I’ve gotten through about half of the @jaime-brienne-fic-exchange fics at this point, which is both not nearly enough for my liking and also pretty impressive for me, lol. I wanted to get some recs out ahead of the reveal because the wealth of talent in this fandom should be celebrated and shouted from every rooftop...and here we are down to the wire.  Haha!  Obviously, there are SO many more awesome fics available, so take this as just a lovely sampling.  Thank you dear authors for sharing your talents with us all!

Bug Juice: Jaime and Brienne's Summer at Camp - THIS IS MY GIFT FIC!  READ IT NOW!  Okay, even if this wasn't my gift fic, I would absolutely love this fun romp of a fic.  My prompt was basically summer camp with JB flair and my author took that to such a level of creativity and snark, it was just beyond perfect!  This one is in Myrcella's POV...I didn't even know I needed this, but I really did!  She's watching the season finale of a reality tv show that's set at summer camp.  Everyone is riveted by Jaime and Brienne's will-they-won't-they, enemies-to-lovers subplot, Myrcella included, even though she does have a bit of insider knowledge naturally.  I love the way this is written like reality show segments, with Myrcella's brilliant reactions/commentary/texting of her uncle from her couch.  There are commercial breaks that will crack you up.  A very serious discussion about Capture the Flag is had.  The GoT show digs are fantastic.  Really, this is the fic you need to read if you like smiling for long periods of time and laughing potentially so hard you spew your drink.  Oh, and also if you enjoy a good ole reality show HEA.  Excerpt 1: “When Daenerys took over as Camp Director mid-session, I was worried,” Jaime says to the camera, running his good hand through his hair. “I have a complicated history with her father and she doesn’t trust me. The young Starks don’t exactly either, but Brienne has fought for me. She insisted that I am good at my job—good with the kids. She said that I am a good man.” Jaime’s eye twitches just a touch as he stares straight ahead, his face otherwise a mask of calculated neutrality. Myrcella picks up her phone, about to text her uncle to make fun of how sappy he is when the scene switches to Brienne. Excerpt 2: Brienne takes a long sip, eyeing Jaime skeptically over the rim as she lowers her cup. OMG, when are they going to make out? Just kiss him! Ugh, they better kiss or I’m going to lose my damned mind. “You keep it warm enough in here,” he complains with a sigh, brushing past Brienne, who slowly sets her cup down and turns to him. She wipes her wide palms on her shorts and watches his back as he struggles to shed his hooded sweatshirt. Excerpt 3:

“Nooooo!” Myrcella screams and falls off the couch. She lands on the ground with a thud. She scrambles to untangle herself from her blanket and clamour back up onto the couch to grab her phone. She sends Jaime a shouty text.

Score - Jaime, Brienne, and bar trivia!  Also, face-sitting goodness...what's not to love?!

Excerpt: “And because I was right and you were wrong, I demand you two go on a date.”

“Excuse me,” Brienne squeaked. Was Tyrion trying to humiliate her? How could he suggest something so absurd without a cruel intention?

To Jaime’s credit, he had the decency to look mildly embarrassed. He even blushed. “Stop it, Tyrion,” he said, annoyed.

“I’m serious,” his brother replied. “You two have been flirting all night. Do something about it or this trivia arrangement will not work out in the long run.” Privilege - Jaime coming up with ridiculous lawsuits so he can keep spending time with his lawyer, Brienne (and a couple not-so-ridiculous ones too).  This one is hilarious and clever and also very sweet.  Do yourself a favor and read it!

Excerpt: “Jaime. At this point, I have known you for eighteen months—”

As their drinks appeared, he tapped his mochaccino against her tea. “Cheers!”

“—we have never not been in court! Seven Hells, Jaime, last month you had me sue Stoneheart Press because you didn’t like the representation of Goldenhand the Just in their line of historical fiction novels.”

He took a sip of his coffee. Anyone else would look ridiculous drinking what was essentially a dessert in a three-piece suit. But not Jaime. Jaime just…looked good. “And you won all those cases, Tarth. You’re good. Occasionally graceless while dealing with opposing counsel, but good all the same.

I hope our paths will croissant again - the way to my heart is baked goods...no, really, my hubby's a good and generous baker.  So, any story where Jaime has baking skills is going to appeal to me.  That said, this one is sweet and funny and has some pining and dare I say it was delicious?  Go enjoy it!

Excerpt 1: “She didn’t hire me,” Jaime says. “She’s holding me hostage, actually.”

  She stares at him for a moment, and then realizes he’s joking, and he laughs uproariously at the look on her face. 

“I’m good at my job. Why’d she hire you? ” 

Excerpt 2:

When Jaime comes back to work, he teases her again, though lightly, and she assures herself that whatever she felt in his apartment that evening is something that he can’t possibly reciprocate and nothing is ever going to come of it, so they can just be coworkers and it will be fine. She scrubs the kitchen countertop very aggressively when he comes to help her with a batch of coconut cake and hopes he doesn’t see her blushing. Thankfully, he then spills coconut flakes all over the kitchen floor and she has to get the broom and by the time she comes back her heartbeat has slowed down properly. She tells herself she’s being very, very stupid. The stupidest, really. Absolutely top tier stupidity. 

On Paper - Addam is wingman extraordinaire, guiding is best friend through some unintentional sandwich wrapper flirting.  

Excerpt:

He knew better than to bring a date to Tarth’s. It was a surefire way to ruin a good thing in case of nasty break up.

Bringing his best friend along should have been safer. Less risky.

It would have been if his best friend wasn’t Jaime Lannister, that’s for damn sure.

Meet Me Cute - J & B are bodyguards to Sansa and Margaery and are forced to be around each other following their charges’ meet cute and all that follows.  This is told through multiple POVs and is so fun!

Excerpt:

“Margaery, can you tell Jaime to stop using ‘our’ when referring to me,” Brienne replied, opting not to engage with him directly.

Margaery sighed and turned towards her girlfriend’s bodyguard. “Jaime… why does Brienne hate your guts?”

“Not what I said.”

Jaime shrugged, “Don’t know.”

“Don’t know?” Brienne exclaimed, snapping her head up to glare at him. “You don’t know?”

“I don’t have a clue,” Sansa chimed in. “And Jaime has told me a lot about you.”

“You shush,” Jaime said. Sansa simply laughed.

vellichor - This mesmerizing story of a world-renowned violinist and a used-bookstore owner is told via before & after segments that reveal the development of the characters and of this beautiful relationship.

Excerpt:

So he does not let himself falter as he surveys the audience, sketching out a half-bow before lifting the violin and settling it against his shoulder. His bow is still loose in his right hand, and it trembles when he goes to raise it, the scars protesting a motion he has done a million times.

Those watching will see his hesitation as part of the show, the spectacle—a prolonging of his grand return is what the articles will say tomorrow morning. They will not see the terror that jolts through his body, the fingers of his left hand pressing harder against the strings. They will not see his eyes wandering over to a box on the left side of the hall, the box where a few people he has carefully chosen sit, leaning forward along with the rest.

They will not see how he searches for a tall woman sitting among them, nor will they see the ache that takes hold of his heart when the spotlight blinds him and he is unable to push through the curtain of brilliance to see if she is there.

[fedonciadale]

Tagged by @nusaran, thank you!

How many works do you have on AO3?

32.

What’s your total AO3 word count?  

  612 053 Words in total.

How many fandoms have you written for and what are they?

Three. Game of Thrones/A song of Ice and Fire, Harry Potter, and Lucifer

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

The Phoenix Potion  - 1172

To go South  - 1080

Mutually Beneficial - 740

Judicatrix - 407

Bittersweet - 399

Do you respond to comments, why or why not?

I love, love, love comments and I usually answer, even if it’s only with 😘. I especially like if people share their theories with me.

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

My “A thousand eyes and one” has the angstiest ending, and “The Last Touch of Winter” is the sadest.

Do you write crossovers? If so what’s the craziest one you’ve written?

I’ve started a GoT/Silmarillion crossover and it was funny in my head, but to be quite honest, I don’t think it really works.

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

No real hate fortunately. Someone did not agree with my Hermione, but that was all..

Do you write smut? If so what kind?

My only fic rated M is “The Perks of Casting a Patronus” a Panville fic and I included the sex because I thought it was necessary for the story. So, definitely not an expert on smut here. 🤣

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I don’t think so.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

No, I’m thinking about translating “Phoenix Potion” into German but I’m not sure about that.

What’s your all time favorite ship?

Oh, oh, oh. I have so many..... Faramir and Eowyn was my first ship, then Tuor and Idril, then John Sheridan and Delenn from Babylon 5 and I have written for Jonsa, Dramione and Deckerstar.

Whats a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

I want to finish my drabble series “A thousand eyes and one” and I have happy ending in mind and a creepy ending. I also plan to finish Bittersweet. I really want to finish that. It’s all finished in my head. But I have been unable to write Jonsa after the show ended (apart from my Historical AU Judicatrix - which I finished after the show).

What are your writing strengths?

I think my strength is dialogue. And plotting and foreshadowing.

What are your writing weaknesses?

I am very self-conscious about my action scenes and I’m not a very poetic writer. 

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

I’d love to do that, but I haven’t had an opportunity yet, only some Latin in Phoenix Potion.

What was the first fandom you wrote for?

GoT and Jonsa in 2016 I’ve been writing for five years now!

What’s your favorite fic that you’ve written?

Phoenix Potion - this had been in my head for years and then I started and just wrote it down.

Bittersweet - comes second. If I ever manage to continue it might become my fav!

Tagging: @riane-b13, @heyjude19-writing, @incognitotoro, @amymel86, @esther-dot, @cappymightwrite, @kallypsowrites

and whoever wishes to join!

[dayseternal-blog]

If you ever finish answering all of yours awaiting asks...

45 questions for you 👀

https://myaekingheart.tumblr.com/post/650107314353897472/fic-writer-ask-game

Lolllll BADLUCKBREBIS, you are so funny.

Inspiration and Reading Asks:

1. How long ago did you start reading fanfiction? Writing fanfiction?

It looks like I started writing in 2017. I've been reflecting recently on how there are so many regularly active writers now compared to in 2017-2018. It was the tail-end of some of my fave writer's activity within fandom. Utsus was posting less and less. The Tumblr NaruHina fandom seemed to disappear, a whole community of writers left for other things (matchaball, nekomamoru, magmawrites, cherryjutsu, spyder-m, tenney-shoes, eliphya, among others). 2018 was a very quiet year, but! I avidly read katarinahime and bunnyhoodlum's works! In 2019, quirrrky restarted things with NaruHina Week!

2. How do you spend your time when it comes to fanfiction? Are you primarily a fic reader, writer, or a perfect 50/50 split of both?

Recently I’m primarily a reader!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Because there's so many writers now!!!!!!!!

3. Are there any fics that inspired you to write what you do?

Yeah, let’s list them.  “A Special Friend” by agitosgirl inspired “Nightdreams.  “Medicine” by @grimmjowkurosakidrake​ inspired “White Lilies.  “Torch Song” by @mmmbuttery inspired “About You.”  The language in “Unless the World Were to End” by @bunny-hoodlum​ inspired the language in “That was the plan.”  “In Between Drinks” by @peppercornpress inspired “In Between Drinks NH.”

4. Link your three favorite fics right now.

“Operation: Bring Home Naruto” by Dragonwannabe - Rated T, Canon-Divergent, Multi-chapter, Complete. Hinata's been assigned the mission of getting Naruto back home safely after his last dangerous assignment. But can she handle the undercover identity as his girlfriend that she’d been given without revealing her true feelings for him?

“The Mission” by Lunawraythe - Rated M, Canon-Divergent, Multi-chapter, Ongoing. It wasn't that Hinata never expected to work with Naruto, just never on a mission quite like this.

“The Loving Type” by @peppercornpresses - Rated M, Canon-Divergent, Multi-chapter, Ongoing. A few years have passed since the Fourth Shinobi War, in which...Rookie Nine steadily advances in rank. Naruto gets engaged. Hinata leaves Konoha. And Kakashi schemes for days.

5. What are your fanfic pet peeves? Do they have a huge effect on whether or not you decide to read something?

ahhh.  I do have quite a few pet peeves.  If the fic is Canon-Compliant or Canon-Divergent, I expect Naruto and Hinata to behave like Japanese people.  Say what you want, but the Naruto Universe is definitely Japanese in my book.  So that means no shoes in the house.  Nothing rattles me more than reading Hinata taking her sandals off before climbing into bed.  Like, what?  she was wearing her outdoor shoes indoors this whole time??

mmm... another pet peeve is when the writer describes Hinata in a kimono, but it sounds like an American Halloween costume, like the slutty version, instead of an actual kimono.

mmm... and the other big pet peeve I have is when it’s Hinata’s first time eating ramen because Naruto is showing her the wonders of ramen.  lol.  why.  how.  in what world would a Japanese person make it to their teenage years without ever eating ramen.

I have a bunch of other little pet peeves regarding Japanese culture in fanfics.  But in general, it doesn’t stop me from reading the fic if I'm already in the middle of it.  I’ll continue reading it and will probably recommend it to other people anyway. If I can tell based on the summary, then it's not for me, and I don't read it. If this makes anyone feel nervous about writing fanfiction, that's not my intention! I would also be happy to be a sensitivity reader if necessary.

6. How do you find new fic to read? Where do you primarily read fanfiction?

I primarily read fanfics on AO3 and ffnet.  I find new ones by constantly checking the Hyuuga Hinata/Uzumaki Naruto tag on AO3 or looking into a writer’s favorites list on ffnet.

7. Do you prefer to read short fics or long fics?

Short fics.

8. How often do you reblog/comment on fics that you like?

I reblog pretty often. I don't comment as often as I used to😕 I used to comment on every fic I liked.

9. Tag 3 fic writers you think are underrated/unknown in the fandom/fanfiction community.

Uhh?? Idk. I think recently the writing group here is pretty tight, everyone seems to know everyone.

10. What’s your favorite fandom, pairing, or character to read fic for?

Naruto fandom and NaruHina.

Fanfiction Writing Asks:

11. How do you come up with your fic titles?

I usually take it from words used in the story or from the prompt.

12. Tell the author your favorite fic title of theirs (not the fic, strictly title). Author: what’s your favorite title you’ve come up with and why?

I think...maybe "Tell Me of Forevers" or "Nightdreams." I like those because they aren't taken word-for-word directly from the story, but touch on a theme in the story.

13. Do you outline your fics? How much of a headache would someone get if they just looked at an outline of yours without reading the fic?

Yes, I outline. They wouldn't get a headache, I think. It's usually just a summary.

14. Do you have a personal word minimum that you hold yourself too? Why or why not?

Nope. I didn't know people do that.

15. Tell the author your favorite fic of theirs. What’s your (the author’s) favorite fic you’ve written?

My favorite fic continues to be "It's No Secret."

16. Do you research for your fics? If so, how deep of a rabbit hole have you gone down by accident when researching?

Yes, I do. I've done historical and folktale research for "Little Samurai." I did area/location research for "Last Chance." I did historical research for "About You." I did fairy tale research for "Catskin." I did a ton of astronomy research for "The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl." And I did lighting research for "Inspo." I go pretty deep.

17. How obsessively do you sit and stare at your fic after you’ve just posted and wait for feedback?

I don't. I usually have something else I need to do or I go to bed.

18. Do you have a WIP that you keep telling yourself you’ll eventually get back to, but deep down you know that’s probably a lie?

I actually think I can finish all of mine if I just try.

19. Do you edit your fics after you write them, or do you prefer to just hit post and run (because it’s someone else’s problem now)?

I always edit before posting to AO3. Anything I post directly on Tumblr might not be edited.

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

Posting!

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

Starting a new chapter.

22. Do you take fic requests? If so, for what characters and why?

On occasion. If someone sends me a request, I'll think about writing it. Sometimes I do write and post it, sometimes I leave them in my drafts for a better day.

23. What’s your absolute favorite trope to write?

From what I already have posted, probably friends-to-lovers, secret relationship/forbidden love, or high school au. I don't think I have an intentional favorite.

24. What’s a trope that you’d like to never hear about as long as you live, let alone write?

Public humiliation / public degradation.

25. Do you listen to music as you write? If possible, link your writing playlist.

No, not usually.

26. What’s your biggest distraction when writing?

Tumblr feed, all the pictures to scroll through mindlessly.

27. Do you like to give your readers some warning of what might be coming or just slap them in the face with content at random?

lol, whatever is fine.

28. How do you deal with writing pressure (ie: pressure to update, negative comments, deadlines, etc)?

Well, pressure to update is not a big deal to me. I do this for fun, so I don't think I unnecessarily pressure myself too much. With negative comments, I don't get too many of those, and I think I do my best to avoid situations where I might get negative feedback.

29. Have you ever written for an exchange or event of some kind? Which one(s)? Did you enjoy it?

Yeah, I like the events. My favorite was NH2020, the year-long one last year. I also enjoyed the Secret Santa last year since @badluckbrebis was my giftee.

30. Post a snippet from your current WIP without context - no more than 300 words.

haha😈

Ecstasy slides through his veins, blooming over his mind, cocooning him in pleasant sensations, cum shooting out in eager twitches against hot, milking flesh.

31. Of the characters you write for, which is your favorite? Has that choice been swayed at all by your followers/readers’ reactions to certain ones?

Naruto Uzumaki, always.

32. Copy and paste your top three favorite lines/jokes/sentences you’ve ever written. What fics do they come from?

Top 3 faves in order:

That was the plan: "She shifts in his arms, and cloth and cleavage come pillowing up to his face, and he’s certain that she’s scooped from the same puffy stuff his adolescent daydreams were made of."

Tell Me of Forevers: "What he wouldn’t do to inspire every blush, every smile of hers for an eternity when such moments already only speak “forever” to him."

White Lilies: "Whether at his feet, in his eyes, ears, mind, if not reaching his heart, she never landed anywhere. (It’s okay.)"

I consider "White Lilies" to have my technically best writing, so it was kind of hard to choose just one line from that fic! But I decided that one's my favorite line from the whole story.

33. What do you like writing better: one shots or multi-chapter stuff?

One-shots.

34. How much of yourself and your life experiences do you put into your writing? What do you think your readers’ image of you is?

A lot of my life experiences are in my writing. Hmm, I think readers probably think I'm...hmm...either empathetic or really perverted?

35. How much has writing fic changed your life?

I spend a lot less time on real-life social media than before.

36. Are there any fics or fandoms you’re embarrassed to have written or been part of?

I'm kind of embarrassed of "Honeymoon at the Hot Springs" lol. It's fine.

37. Give an update on your current WIP - if you don’t have one, give a sneak peek to a title or idea that you have and would like to write.

My current WIP is that A/B/O fic I started for February Smut Month Prompts: Sweet as Candy or Love Bites. I'm going to title it "Sweet As," and it'll be about how Naruto and Hinata become Alpha/Omega mates. It's really kinky, really smutty, and totally what I would want to read.

38. What does your writing process look like? How chaotic is it on a scale of 1 (very tame) to 10 (you can’t handle this kind of chaos)?

uhh???? a 1?? I've never once thought of my writing process as chaotic. Ahh, then I think of bunnyhoodlum's multiple drafts for the same chapter, and I realize that there exist types of writing processes that I would not be able to handle...

39. What’s something about your writing that you pride yourself on?

My smut.

40. How did you come up with the idea for [x fic]?

41. What’s your most popular fic (with the most notes on tumblr, most hits/kudos on ao3)?

Idk about Tumblr,,, maybe White Lilies got the most attention here. My most popular fic is Nightdreams on AO3.

42. Asker: pick three of the author’s works. Author: rank them 1 (the best) - 3 (the worst) based on whatever criteria you want - this could be something totally random that isn’t quality related (like simply ranking fics based on how many trains appear in them) - have fun!

43. Talk about a positive experience with fanfiction or the fanfiction community that you will always remember.

I will always remember how people congratulated me for finishing White Lilies😭 Also, when peppercornpresses made that FIRST art of my story, I just, I just stared at it all day.

44. Rant about something writing related.

hmmm, I don't feel like ranting about anything. I just recently ranted about my pet peeves above.

45. Fic specific questions - if you have any weird questions about specific works, here’s your shot to ask them!

I did them all! Nice questions.

[salty-ironstrange-shipper]

captain america: the first avenger - what’s your fanfic reading pet peeve?

iron man 3 - underrated fanfic trope?

ant-man - send a few headcanons of your favorite characters!

captain america: civil war: what’s your favorite relationship to write? to read?

guardians of the galaxy vol.2 - create a playlist for one of your fics!

spider-man: far from home - share something about yourself!

Wandavision - try to draw dan art for one of your fics. (It doesn’t have to be good!)

captain america: the first avenger - what’s your fanfic reading pet peeve?  

What ISN’T my fanfiction pet peeve? Y’all don’t know this about me, but I am VERY picky. My worst one is probably when sentences are too long. Not just long sentences in general (if you’ve ever read my writing, you know that I use long sentences all the time) but when they include too much information that should have been broken up. Like, the sentence tires you out reading it because it goes past its natural endpoint. Literally one of the only things that will make me automatically back out of a fic.

iron man 3 - underrated fanfic trope?

IMO, arranged marriage au (esp. with fantasy/historical au). I find a ship I love, search for arranged marriage, and get like. 5 options. 2 are good. One of the two is 3000 words. I live in hell.

ant-man - send a few headcanons of your favorite characters!

I’ve talked a lot about my headcanons before, but here are just a few for some of my faves:

Stephen: Loves horses and was taught to ride by his sister, Donna. Tony surprised him with a couple of his own after they got married (Stephen never actually told him he liked horses; Tony just knows his husband that well)

Tony: the only language he speaks that Stephen doesn’t is Italian. So when he’s annoyed with Stephen, it’s all he speaks in. Stephen could learn, when he’s in a mood, he doesn’t really want to listen to Tony.

Sam & Bucky: Bucky brought Sam flowers for their first date. Sam’s family teased him for days afterwards, but he found it so surprisingly sweet that he ended up getting Bucky flowers the next time they went out. Now they always get each other flowers and try to top each other by leaving them in increasingly improbably places around the house.

captain america: civil war: what’s your favorite relationship to write? to read?

This is a weird one because for me it fluctuates. Right now, I’m not actually reading a lot of fic, but I’ve been on a cherik high. But my tastes tend to come in waves. My favorite ship to write ever is ironstrange - even though I’m on a break for writing them right now, I’ve written more than 30 ironstrange fics, way more than for any other ship. Legally I don’t think I could give any other answer.

guardians of the galaxy vol.2 - create a playlist for one of your fics!

I do this all the time, so here are some of my favorite ironstrange songs for From the Top:

“broken”, lovelytheband

“Sex (With My Ex), FLETCHER

“I’ll Be Good”, Jaymes Young

“In Our Bedroom After The War”, Stars

“Lamb’s Wool”, Foster The People

“Someone To You”, BANNERS

“Wish That You Were Here”, Florence + The Machine

“I Like (the idea of) You”, Tessa Violet

“Saturn”, Sleeping At Last

“This Love”, Taylor Swift

“Strawberry Blond”, Mitski

“Immortal”, MARINA

“Your Song”, Elton John

“Mary”, Big Thief

“Sick of Losing Soulmates”, dodie

“Sweetest Devotion”, Adele

spider-man: far from home - share something about yourself!

When I was in High School, the only class I got a grade below an A for was Intro. to Art. I am not an arter at all, and it can actually be very frustrating for me because I have no patience for practice and get upset about not being good at things. Why am I telling you this? Well-

Wandavision - try to draw dan art for one of your fics. (It doesn’t have to be good!)

Thanks for this one, Margaux.

Ok, I started to do something online, but I hated that. So instead I sketched this monstrosity in my journal:

This is supposed to be Jean at the end of Part Three in my fic, A Treatise on Evolution and Extinction. I only had, like, three pen colors, so the purple is supposed to represent glowy-ness. She’s wearing Erik’s jacket from X-Men: First Class and a nightgown (not that you can tell). Symbolically, I liked the contrast of the soft, innocent-seeming white fabric/gown (because Jean herself is kind of innocent, she’s just also Losing It) with the tough fabric associated with Erik and his Nazi-hunting days. I also think that it’s a nice mental image. Like, I would buy that as a poster. Or actually good fanart. (actually, if anyone wants to fanart that, hit me up and we’ll see if we can work something out)

OK, this is something a little different - this is a map I made of Genosha to serve as a reference for my fic, I still check it sometimes when I’m writing something that requires me to know where something is.

This is the only thing that’s kind of good (I can draw shapes ... mostly). It’s a Genoshan flag. I like simple, neat-looking flags. From my notes, here’s the color symbolism: “A flag with black (determination, ethnic heritage, the defeat of enemies, death, mourning/Erik), white (peace and harmony/Charles), purple (rarely ever used before the 1850s due to its expense; purple symbolizes nobility, power, wealth, dignity, devotion, pride, mystery, independence, and magic/Mutants)”. I didn’t have to put this or the map, but I put effort into these things, goddamnit.

[dw-writes]

Trektober 2020 - Day 7: Soulmate AU + Interspecies Relationship - Leonard McCoy x Alien!Reader

Ooof thats a long title. This is a little longer than the other fics ive written for trektober, and it’s actually for Day 7 because I missed it yesterday. Based on a uuuuuuh fic that I may or may not eventually write for McCoy later, because I love Asterlites and I’ve done them before for Marvel and never really got to explore what I wanted to do with them on that fic so /shrug

ENJOY

Trektober Day 3 - In Uniform (Bones x Reader) || Trektober Day 4 - Aliens Made Them Do It (Bones x Reader) || Trekober Day 5 - Pining (Bones x Reader) || Trektober Day 6 - Captain’s Chair (Jim Kirk x Reader) || Trektober Day 7 - Soulmate AU + Interspecies Relationship (Bones x Reader) || Trektober Day 9 - Sex Pollen (Jim Kirk x Reader) || Trektober Day 10 - Historical AU (James Kirk and Leonard McCoy) || Trektober Day 11 - Stars (Leonard McCoy x Reader) || Trektober Day 15 - Shuttle Crash (Leonard McCoy x Reader) || Trektober Day 18 - Waiting by Bio Bed (Leonard McCoy x Reader) || Trektober Day 31 - Holiday Celebration (Leonard McCoy x Reader)

You’d always wondered about your starmate mark, always questioned what it meant. Everyone else’s marks were beautiful, lovely things on your planet – intricate swirls of gaseous nebulae and streaks of bright colors reminiscent of the stars that sat in the chests of every Asterlite you knew. They adorned cheeks and crested eyebrows and sprawled over wrists and chests and ribs and the mates of every Asterlite would recognize them in a heartbeat.

Yours, though, yours was different. Your starmate mark outlined the delicate bones of your dominate hand, as though someone had x-rayed it. You often stared at it as you worked, the thin black lines that traced your bones sometimes distracting enough to catch your attention for minutes at a time. No one else recognized it – not during your years in Asterla’s prestigious academies, or during your time interning at the nearby Federation Starbase. By the time you left your home planet to join Starfleet, you had taken to wearing gloves: it hid your odd starmate mark from prying and pitying eyes, at least.

You flew through Starfleet Academy – your knowledge of star systems and interspecies relations helped launch you through courses in both Command and Science tracks. During your second year, the third-year cadets were assigned to starships in an emergency dispatch to Vulcan. The following week, you watched an energy drill pierce the bay outside of Starfleet Academy, and finally learned about the starship Enterprise and it’s new, daring captain.

You vowed that by your fourth year, you would be on that ship.

During your third year, Starfleet archives in London were attacked, and the Enterprise was roped into another adventure that had your heart racing with every detail you heard. The Enterprise was all put destroyed during the interaction with Khan, leaving the crew grounded for months – months during which the funeral for Admiral Pike took place.

You were there, of course, along with every cadet and every member of Starfleet that was in San Francisco at the time. A girl you knew, an officer you had made friends with while the Enterprise was grounded – Uhura – helped you with your dress cap. You fussed at her as she produced a series of Bobbin pins.

“You are not sticking those in my hair!” you hissed at her, scrunching your nose as she forced the cap into place with her hand.

“Hold it there,” she commanded. You pursed your lips but did so. She eyed the gloves you wore – grey, to match the dress uniforms – as she delicately pulled the long points of your ears out from under the cap. “Those aren’t standard issue,” she pointed out. She glanced over her shoulder as someone called her name, another officer from the Enterprise that you recognized – Commander Spock. Your heart raced a little in excitement: he was the First Officer, after all, and if you could get in his good graces, you could get a recommendation onto the ship.

“No,” you finally answered, focusing your eyes on her. Once the hat was secured to your head, and your ears bent unnaturally away from your head, you pulled the cuff of one glove down to show the delicate outline of your wrist. Uhura started to walk as she took your hand, pulling the glove up more and revealing more of your starmate mark. “It’s something everyone on our planet has,” you explained, pulling your hand away. “A mark that my mate would know.”

“It’s beautiful,” she said.

You fixed your glove as you approached Commander Spock, inclining your head towards him out of respect. He returned the nod. Uhura introduced you as the three of you continued your brisk pace towards the crowd.

“I remember you,” he said at the sound of your name, “You’re an excellent student. I imagine there will be captains vying for you to join their crews at the end of your term.”

“I actually want to join the Enterprise,” you blurted. Heat crawled up your face when Spock arched an eyebrow. “It’s been a dream of mine since the Enterprise faced the Romulans during her maiden voyage. A stellar crew deserves a stellar crew mate.” You flapped your hands and gently swatted Uhura’s arm. “I can’t stop talking, Nyota, please—”

She caught your hand and smiled, slowing down as a group of finely dressed men started to approach. “Top of the class in both Command tracks and Science tracks. An excellent negotiator for interspecies relations and a top-notch stellar cartographer,” she said, rattling off your credentials like she had already memorized them. Her smile crew at the approach of a man you instantly recognized. “I’ve already told Jim that if he doesn’t accept the application when it appears in his inbox that someone will jettison him into space in the middle of the night,” she added.

“I hate you,” you whispered.

“You’re welcome,” replied Uhura.

Captain James T. Kirk smiled when he approached, flanked by a man that you had seen a few times in recent weeks. “The academy is willing to wave your fourth year, since you seem to already be taking those classes,” he said when he approached. He held out a hand. “Jim Kirk. Once Uhura told me about you and we got handed the five-year mission, it only made sense to make sure you were on the crew.”

You took his hand with a dry mouth and a nervous smile. “I’ll be sure not to disappoint, sir,” you said.

The man next to him cleared his throat and with a voice that made the warmth in your chest double, said, “It’s starting.”

You were separated from the crew after the ceremony – you needing to finish the required tests for your remaining courses and them being asked to attend the burial of Admiral Pike.

You didn’t seem them again for weeks.

When you did, you were standing in the middle of the bridge leading towards the entrance of the Enterprise, holding your bag over your shoulder, wearing Science blues. Two unbroken gold rings encircled your wrists. Your gloves were black.

Uhura met you as soon as you boarded with a wide smile. “Commander,” she teased, holding out the emblem you’d wear on your chest for the foreseeable future. You took it, fumbling it around as you followed her, trying to pin it into place. “You’ll have to go to the Med Bay for a physical before we leave,” she said as she took your bag. “You’re the last one to arrive, you know.”

“I know, I’m sorry,” you said as you jogged to keep up with her excited pace. “I got lost and then when I found it I was just,” you took a deep breath, “Floored. This ship, it’s gorgeous, and I’ve been trying for years to get here, and—”

She stopped you with a hand on your shoulder. “I know,” she said. She squeezed it. “You’re here.” Her smile grew soft and small and she repeated the words so gently that you thought you would cry. “Hurry with your physical. You’ll wanna be on the bridge when we take off.” She lifted your bag. “Then, I’ll show you to your room.”

You nodded and swallowed the lump in your throat. She turned to your right, while you headed left, following the signs down to the Med Bay at the end of the hall. It was bustling with staff that were preparing to leave and other officers and crew members who, like yourself, had been running late.

The man you had seen before, at the funeral, turned when you entered, eyebrow arched as he called your name. You straightened. “You’re late,” he pointed out. He waved to a bio bed, silently ordering you to take a seat.

You complied. “The ship is still docked,” you said with a small, teasing smile, “So, I’m not that late.” You glanced up in time to see him roll his eyes. “It’s Dr. McCoy, right?” you asked.

“That it is,” he said. He frowned at the readings on the bio bed, then said in a softer voice, “Your heart rate is awfully high, darlin’. Nerves?” He stepped in front of you and held out his hands. You set your gloved ones in his palms. “Mind if I take these off? Wanna check your fingers.” He glanced up at your face, “They speak to circulation.”

“Oh.” You tugged on the fingers of your gloves and said, “I have a mark.”

“A mark?” he asked. You tugged your last glove off and held out your hands. He took your dominant hand with an interested, “Huh.”

“They’re—”

“Bones!” called Jim from the entrance of the Med Bay. Dr. McCoy rolled his eyes and turned, his fingers still clasped around your hand. You stared at him, heart thundering in your chest, eyes roaming over the gentle curls of bright colors that peeked over the zipper of his uniform. “We’re ready to go,” said Jim as he approached. He grinned when he spotted you, and added, “You should come up, too. See your first warp.”

“I’m in the middle of something,” pointed out McCoy – Bones.

Bones.

The name echoed in your head and you stared at the bones on your skin.

“You can do finish it when we’re on the way,” Jim said, slapping his hand against McCoy’s shoulder before turning and leaving. “I’ll hold the Lift for you!”

Bones turned to you with an annoyed sound, glancing down at your hand still held in his. “We’ll need to continue this later, darlin’.” He smoothed his thumb over the detailed lines of your knuckles.

“That’s fine,” you whispered, “I don’t mind.” As he looked up and met your gaze, you got the feeling that he didn’t mind too much, either.