#and then get it beta'd

[nikikikiko]

Procrastinating while writing the fic (simultaneously! I'm multi-tasking :] ) Let's throw out some headcanons!:

At least one ""prank"" of Lucilla, Liberta and Eugene's was an organized attempt at a concert for a very early morning "i-just-woke-up" Gavus, and it consisted of Liberta playing the pots and pans (banging them together at random intervals), Lucilla somehow got her hands on an instrument and that was getting played (she was not talented, Gavus is pretty sure she was playing it wrong) and Eugene simply dancing badly in the background (he knows how to dance, he simply chose not to)

Eugene says it's a celebratory welcome back, Gavus says his ears have not felt true pain until that day

Lucilla has a pet spider!! another one !!! her name is Mountain Destroyer of Gods and Mortals but everyone calls her Cupcake

Liberta does not choose to be part of the mischief, he's just dragged into it

Gavus has a beer mug with 'dad of the year' etched into it and he has never put it down ever

it's his favorite mug

He's 99% sure it was stolen from a nearby pub but it's his favorite mug

Lucilla has, on multiple occasions, brought home:

a snake

another spider

a scorpion

a lizard

two lizards

a frog

a mouse

a puppy

a cat

and at one point she managed to get her hands on a horse but then GaGene realized she stole it by accident and that was a conundrum in of itself

either way, she has tried and failed to get more pets but Gavus is partial to a cat or a dog, mostly both. A dog to help protect their home and a cat to keep mice out of the house.

So he and Eugene are planning on surprising her and Liberta with a dog and a cat respectively (so they get to name each one)

Liberta complains about the pranks and Lucilla's immaturity at times but he cannot help but get sent into orbit whenever someone else falls victim

It takes EVERYTHING in his arsenal to not laugh and his thought process is "Don't laugh it's not funny don't laugh it's not funny don't laugh it's not funny" and he laughs anyways because it was pretty funny

Kadrin !! He makes visits when he can , or the family will come to visit him, but they try to make sure he's not seen with Lucilla or Eugene too often since, well, Hypogeans are still bad for business unfortunately. Kadrin is referred to as "Uncle Kadrin" by the kids and it makes Kadrin feel ridiculously old

How did he get a nephew and a niece.... how did his life turn out to be this way

and why is it the fault of a Rubik's cube ?????

He gives the kids gifts when he can and pointedly ignores Eugene's argument that HE [eugene] should get a gift too because no Eugene, your existence in Kadrin's life does NOT mean you deserve a present

Eugene and Gavus do have pretty sweet and tender moments together, mainly they spend a lot of time just quietly enjoying each other's presence. After being separated for so long, they aren't quite ready to let each other go, and that's okay.

[wisteriagoesvroom]

you just got me started (i don't think i can stop it)

🧡 a landoscar ficlet 🟢 rated G/T ✏️ 1.8k words 🎨 inspired by ki's beautiful art that just went up. + silverstone weekend 'cus apparently i'm still in my feelings about it. 🔗 read on ao3

preview:

“You sure you’re okay.” Oscar says.  “If you ask me again, I’m whacking you with the frickin’ console.” “Good to know you’re back to normal, then. Kind of.”  “Ha. It’s just.” Lando wriggles around a bit, but still doesn’t look up at Oscar. ��Today was…”  Oscar understands this. How hard it is to put into words. But he kind of secretly likes it, too. When Lando relies on him to fill the blanks, put into words what he wants to say. It’s like they both operate on the same wavelength and Lando puts full trust in Oscar to carry him through when he can’t find the right frequency, when he can’t land the words to express the enormity of feeling he often carries inside himself. Oscar doesn't mind being his codex sometimes, because it is nice to be needed. “Incredible.” Oscar supplies, tangling one hand in Lando’s hair. He rubs his fingers in a slow, easy pattern, the way he knows Lando loves. Lando nods. And it wouldn’t seem possible for Lando to burrow deeper into Oscar’s touch, but he always does. 

[johnslittlespoon]

what if. i said tough and sweet ch7 is done. and accidentally ended up being 20k words with two Large nsfw scenes

[jester089]

…Can I have the digital circus gang with an s/o who kicks Jax’s a$$ when he goes too far in his ‘pranks’. So like, they’ll let a few remarks, jabs and ‘lighter’ pranks through if they don’t actually hurt anyone. But things like infesting Ragatha’s room with bugs, tormenting Pomni about her situation/mental state, breaking Gangle’s mask, stealing and hiding Zooble’s parts, demolishing Kinger’s impenetrable fortress or even royally messing up Caine’s adventures or shows for a laugh will get him in all sorts of trouble.

Sorry for the long request, rewatched TADC after Helluva Boss’s newest episode (omg so gooooood) and wanted some revenge for how much of a prick Jax is to everyone.

A well deserved A&% kicking

FINALLY! I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS REQUEST! I HAVE WANTED TO KICK JAX'S TEETH IN SINCE HE TRIPPED RAGATHA AND PUSHED GANGLE IN THE MEET THE CHARACTERS TEASER! Don't take that as I don't want fluffy requests for him. Cause I do. I've just waiting for enough reason to write about this concept for a little while. Jax x Reader who fights back

Jax hated you. Well more then the others at least cause you were the only one who wouldn't just let him get away with any and everything. And he despised you for that. Because of his track record you don't trust him, and can come across as a little protective over the others when it comes to him. You all are literally trapped in a digital circus. You don't need more problems. And Jax is just a walking problem. One time he found a pair of scissors and cut up Gangle and hid her in a box that he buried outside. When you found out about it you comforted Gangle and helped her get Caine so she could be in one piece again. You kicked the absolute s&@# out of him once you were sure Gangle was at least kind of ok. You wish you could do some actual damage but sadly that isn't possible in the circus. So you left him tied up and with tape over his mouth quiet corner that no one visits. He deserves it. And the week and a half he was gone was really calm and enjoyable only reinforcing the fact that he makes living here so much harder then it needs to be. In the time he was gone you broke into his room to make sure he didn't have anything else he could use to hurt others. You took everything that could be a problem as well as all his keys, so he couldn't get into everywhere anymore. But good news is you have made the circus a much safer and calmer place. And Jax's "pranks" have slowed a ton cause he can't just do anything whenever he wants anymore. He actually has to think about it and be careful not to get caught. Bad news is because of you his more sadistic tendencies have spiked since he can't constantly vent them. So the "pranks" he does do are much more messed up. His "pranks" can be awful at the best of times, and with you he actually has a reason and want to cause problems and pain. So watch your back. Cause you've made enemies with the most sadistic person there. (I wrote this in like a minute. I get it's kind of short but I thoroughly enjoyed writing this. Thank you for the request! And I hope you enjoyed!)

(Little heads up I updated my request rules so please check back before you request something. Thank you again!) xoxo, Jester

Edit: I'm so sorry. I didn't see TADC crew's S/O. I thought you wanted just like my ideas. I can re write this if you want.

[boxfullaturtles]

Things That Are in Adagio in Green That Only Exist in My Head Because I Never Bring Them Up in the Fic:

- There is a full bath attached to the hospital room where the Hamatos are staying, including a tub/shower designed to be accessible for patients. Hospital staff stocks it with soaps and cleaning supplies for all types of fur, scales, and skin.

- Raph is medically cleared to use the tub/shower on his own. Leo is not and he's very cranky about it. Leo is still getting sponge baths/wiped down with a washcloth and whines about it every time.

- Leo is allowed to use the toilet but has to be assisted there and back since he's not cleared to walk on his own.

- I'm not talking about the catheter situation because they're teenagers and I feel weird just thinking about it thank you and goodbye

- Mikey's room is also in the VIP Ward, sort of kitty corner across the hallway from the Hamato's room. It's smaller as it's for a single person and has its own private bathroom. He gets his meals delivered but is not cleared to use the bath yet on the account of his bandages.

- CJ isn't actually eating much as a lot of modern food makes him queasy. He's actually terrible at taking care of himself. Wonder where he got that from. :|

[the-hyper-fix]

Op turned off reblogs but I 1000% agree

[howdygravytrain]

FFXIV Write 2024 - Prompt #19: Taken

i'm not a writer by any means, but i absolutely had to take part in the ffxiv write 2024 challenge. this drabble is super rough and i may come back and expand on it later, but i'm just happy that i managed to write anything at all :^3

here's the link to the fic on ao3 if you wanna check it out there, otherwise continue below the break! many apologies for spelling/grammar/whatever errors, i don't know how to manage time efficiently totally not obvious by sharing something a day later UwU

PROMPT: TAKEN

Premise: He knew Gravy would dance with others at the ball, but Aymeric can't help but feel taken with jealousy as he watched person after person steal a dance with his Warrior.

-------------

“You can just go up and dance with her, you know,” a voice said, having successfully interrupted Aymeric’s state of brooding and startling the poor elezen. Quickly composing himself, the Lord Commander turned to the perpetrator to apologize for appearing so glum, but his shoulders sagged in relief when he saw it was only Stephanivien. “I wasn’t joking, go on and ask the girl to dance before you glare everyone to death,” the eldest Haillenarte added, making Aymeric wince.

“Is it really that noticeable?” Aymeric stated more than asked, already knowing the answer.

“My friend, I had to convince Artoirel that you weren’t going to pull out your sword and skewer the next poor sod who asked Gravy’s hand for a dance!” Stephanivien exasperated dramatically with a wave of his hand. “I personally think it’d be hilarious if you did; it’d certainly bring more excitement to this absolute waste of time.” The machinist ran a hand through his blond hair and huffed in annoyance, his pale blue eyes scanning the room. “Ugh, this is the last time I let Art coerce me into attending one of these. He knows I have much to work on at the shop, I don’t have time to be stuck with these pricks and their hors d’oeuvres! And I have to wear this ridiculous garb that father insisted– ”

Aymeric tuned out Stephanivien’s ranting at that point and graciously accepted a glass of wine from a servant. He didn’t bother with a sip and threw his head back and downed the entire drink in one go, promptly returning the glass to the stunned server. His eyes trailed back towards the center of the dance floor and landed on the lone lalafell of the entire room…and the bastard she was dancing with. He couldn’t quite place who the man was, but Aymeric immediately disliked him for how Gravy obviously struggled to keep up with the elezen’s much longer legs.

The Lord Speaker frowned as he watched the Warrior try to tell her dance partner something, presumably to shorten his steps. He replied with yanking her harshly by the arm and pulled her up to his chest with a wicked grin, making the dancers around them gasp. Rage filled Aymeric as he marched his way to the pair, ready to beat the ever living shit out the fiend, but stopped a few steps short when Gravy, in all her gracefulness, slapped the man’s face with a resounding SMACK.

All noise immediately ceased in the ballroom as the man cried out in pain and dropped Gravy to clutch his cheek. She got up and nonchalantly dusted herself off as her dance partner’s companions came rushing to his aid. With one hand on her hip and the other pointed to wailing elezen, Gravy loudly said,

“That ain’t NO way to treat a person, ya pompous fuck! You oughta be ashamed of yerself!”

Aymeric stood there in disbelief as the ballroom erupted in laughter as the offender was dragged out before he let out a small chuckle himself.

[massharp1971]

mcshep and 16 for that kiss ask game 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

16…lazily. “We’ve been walking for hours. Just admit it, we’re hopelessly lost, and we need to just stop and wait til they come res- retrieve us.”

John glowered at Rodney. His sense of direction was atrocious, but his ability to admit this was non-existent.

“Which is fine. It’s…actually quite nice here,” Rodney tried to reassure him.

They were in a never-ending meadow. Full of flowers that Rodney was strangely unallergic to. The temperature was a still, soft 20 degrees Celsius and the sun was low in the sky at this altitude and non-burny. There were no people on this planet and no large predators in these parts. Close to paradise.

“When was the last time we got to just stop and chill out for a bit?”

John gave him an odd look but shrugged and dropped himself fluidly into a nest of long grass, sprawling there unnecessarily prettily. Rodney folded himself next to John with considerably less grace.

“You see?” Rodney said, “this is nice – we can watch the clouds. I haven’t watched clouds since grad school.”

“That one looks like a giant snail riding a pony,” John said, pointing upwards.

“What? No, it doesn’t. Oh…. Well okay, I can see it now actually.”

He turned to look at John and John grinned at him. They were lying awfully close, and since when had that happened? Rodney usually kept more distance with people he wasn’t dating but John had for a while now stepped into his personal space and made himself at home.

Well, the man was more than half cat.

“The marshmallow man from Ghostbusters on a skateboard,” Rodney pointed out.

John chuckled, turning to him again, his breath the only air movement on the so-still day. The surrounding flowers had a clean, soft scent, but it didn’t obscure the disturbingly delicious odour of John’s sweat.

Rodney fidgeted, more out of habit and a little bit of not knowing quite what to do with himself than real discomfort.

“If I had a pillow, this would be perfect,” he said, grumbling for the sake of it.

Instantly, John extended his arm out.

And oh, John just offering himself up for other’s benefit was right on brand but this? This was something Rodney didn’t know how to name but was powerless to refuse. He let John slip his nicely muscled bicep under his head and it really didn’t make anything more comfortable but was still strangely perfect.

“There’s a dragon smoking a hookah, right over there,” John said, as if nothing monumental had just happened.

And so it went. Check-in and retrieval would be in three hours, and the slow, soft day stretched out for them deliciously. Purple butterfly-ish things flitted round their heads and managed not to be annoying about it. Cyan bell-shaped flowers nodded with well-deserved vanity amid the grass. The cloud-spotting became typically competitive, but their voices got softer and slower.

Somehow, Rodney’s head eventually crept along John’s bicep and onto his shoulder.

“Damn,” Rodney said, an hour and half in, “I need to go water some flowers.”

John chuckled.

“Me too,” he said, an inaudible sigh moving through his body.

They extricated themselves reluctantly and strode a few paces in opposite directions, backs turned but not really shy after years of being out in the field.

Rodney talked down his semi, did the necessary, and turned round to find John heading back to their little nest, flicking his eyes over to Rodney just in time for their gazes to lock. Rodney could feel his cheeks heat – what the hell was going on with him today? Was there sex pollen in the flowers or something?

But he knew that wasn’t it, he could feel his mind and body’s languor from the long walk, the soft day, and the rare magic of nothing-to-do, but there was nothing altered about his state. Unfortunately, slowing down had enabled some feelings to catch up with him, and any intoxication was all the John Sheppard Effect.

As if by some unspoken agreement, they lay back down on their sides, propping heads up on bent arms, perfectly mirrored, facing each other conspiratorially close.

“Stolen time,” John said thoughtfully. “We can do what we like, right? Forced to play hooky from... all of that.”

The last word was so heavy and full of meaning Rodney would give anything to take its burden from John forever. Instead, all he could do was lean forward and press a slow, careful kiss to John’s mouth.

John’s lips parted gently as his body lost all its tension, melting back down onto the grass in a delicious slow-mo that eventually had Rodney’s body covering his. It felt oddly like the continuation of a long conversation, a natural, unhurried progression of an inevitable trajectory. There was well over an hour left until check-in and Rodney knew every moment was going to be taken up with the slow slide of their lips, the lazy probing of their tongues.

Kissing John Sheppard like they had all the time in the world. And maybe they did, because he couldn’t see them wriggling their way out of this entanglement now it had them in its delicious hold.

Nothing else was needed, as they kissed slothfully in the stupidly perfect meadow Rodney knew that they had been heading to this for a long, long time and now there was no hurry at all to find out what was next.

Except he was committed to making certain to dedicate a whole area of study to making John as soft and relaxed and loose-limbed as he was right in this moment. Thankks for the ask @acrowbyanyothername

[monimolimnion]

I FINISHED WRITING A FIC AGAIN 🎉🎉

[vivacia-18]

I'm about halfway to two thirds through You Feel It Just Below the Ribs, and asdjasdlkajsadjal

The reveals, the implications, I can't even - mentally I'm rolling on the floor frothing at the mouth. I want to go back and listen to season 3 and season 1 all over again, holy shiiiiit

[coulsons-left-arm]

I had a brain worm, and then not even halfway through writing it I realized a bit of information wasn't canon, but... Who cares at this point. I just needed to write it. [Spoilers for season 5 below the cut, angst, emotional hurt/some comfort, major character death]

May calls Daisy with the news that he finally passed. It feels like the air gets sucked out of the room, and she can't breathe. Mack overhears the phone call and tells her to go be with May, but Daisy can't. Their mission is too important, and she can't leave the team high and dry… but Mack insists she needs to go. With the hysterical state she's in, she's going to be useless… 

So she goes. But not before the team sends her off, getting hugs from everyone, and Jemma telling her to give May the team's love.

Daisy shows up, and immediately breaks down, May rushing to hold her in her arms. It could've been minutes, it could've been hours, she's not even sure. All she knows is May is a sturdy frame for her to cry into and curl around.

His body is covered under a white sheet. She wants to see, but at the same time she doesn't want that to be the last thing she sees of him… yeah, maybe it's for the best. She lays a hand where she assumes his chest is, giving a moment of silence. No tears this time. Just silence. And May’s hand holds her free hand. After an ample amount of time, May eventually guides her away.

He was cremated (“He said he already had a grave I desecrated, so he wanted to try being dead a different way this time,” May explained with a small scoff), his ashes put into a bag and inside of a small wooden box. Where were they gonna spread him? He had given a few suggestions before he passed. The beach, his old grave, somewhere at the Lighthouse, really anywhere. It sounded like he didn't mind where.

So May decided some on the beaches of Tahiti, and the rest at the Lighthouse, the team's newest home. 

They waited until sunset. The colors in the sky and on the water were beautiful. They were near where he took his last breath: on the lounge chair in the sand under a nice canopy. They set his little wooden box on the chair while facing the ocean. Daisy could stop the constant flow of tears. She grabbed and interlaced her fingers with May. May squeezed her hand. 

May spoke, words just above the sound of the light breeze traveling through the fresh, salty air. Spoke about all the missions they had together, how she wishes they had more time, how she hopes he rests easy on the other side. She was quiet, stoic. How was she not breaking?

Daisy on the other hand was a blubbering mess. Barely getting a word out in edgewise over her tears, she told him how much he meant to her, how he's the closest thing to family she had and she lost him. May squeezed her hand again before letting go and wrapping an arm around her shoulder and squeezing her into her side. Daisy curled into May's chest while almost incoherent words still spilled out. Something about how she's still so mad at him for not telling the team, and how they could've saved him and had more time with him, and how maybe… maybe it isn't too late and they'll find a hail Mary somewhere, somehow… Daisy was quiet for a moment, turning around in May's chest (still holding onto her for dear life though), facing the little wooden box. She said her last, “I love you,” to him, making it one of a pair of times she actually vocalized it. No actions. Just words, for once. May did the same, making Daisy's breath hitch. She knew – not to a full extent, but enough – how much he meant to the older agent, having gone through the academy at the same time, and participating in many missions over the years, including Bahrain.

Their words hung in the air as the sun was barely visible above the horizon. May made the first move, untangling herself from Daisy. She picked up the box, taking out the plastic bag with the remains of their beloved Director. Opening it made a bit of dust poof out, like he was ready to go and be free on the winds of the beach. May walked towards the water. She took a small handful of him in her right palm, holding it for a moment, before letting it go gracefully. The dust flew in the air, a little part of him mixing with the sand and the ocean and the breeze. She knelt and brought her same palm to the sand, holding a moment of silence. The older agent got back up, and returned to Daisy, gingerly handing her the box with the open bag.

Daisy took it and walked to the spot where May went. She repeated what she saw, but in a more tearful and snotty way. Holding the box close, she grabbed a small handful of ashes in her left hand. Tears dropped to the sand.

“I guess this is goodbye for real now,” she somberly choked, her voice cracking looking at her cupped hand. “I started missing you when you walked off the Zephyr –no, even before that. Back when Jemma told us. But this feels <em>final</em>. And I think I may miss you more after this than right now.” Daisy brought her closed fist of ashes to her lips, letting them rest on her knuckles. “You were the closest thing I had to a real father, and I'll never forget that. Thank you.” She shut her eyes hard, heavy tears falling down her cheeks and onto her knuckles. Bringing her fist out in front of her, she let him go, letting him float on the wind and be one with the beautiful, serene environment. 

Daisy knelt down and flattened her palm on the sand, feeling the mixture of ash and sand. She gave herself a moment to grieve, to actually stop and feel the loss deep in her bones. A gut wrenching sob left her body. It was loud and pitiful. The little wooden box made its way safely to the sand, spilling no more remains. Tears were actively streaming down in a gushing waterfall almost as if she could add to the ocean. It was like her heart was splitting into two, and then being smashed into a million more pieces. Her cries kept coming, a convulsive gasp the only thing filling her lungs between the painful wailing.

She's not sure when, but a hand started rubbing lines up and down her back. 

<em>Not all was lost.</em> 

Though it may have felt like it, the sentiment seemed to calm something in her. It felt like it was something that Coulson would say on the other side of things. 

<em>You still have May.</em>

The thought was enough to help her catch her breath and uncrumple her practically prostrate form. Through her watery vision, she could see the sun was missing from the horizon, a tiny nip in the air chilling her bones. Her body trembled. She should probably leave.

The hand left it’s comforting spot on her back and was replaced by an arm hooking itself around the front of her chest, pulling her up to her feet like it knew she should be going. 

Daisy was exhausted. She stood motionless as the waves lapped at the shoreline. The little wooden box was placed in her right hand, closed and sealed up.

<em>May.</em>

She was now on the left side of her, slipping her hand into hers and intertwining their fingers into a mess. Her right hand in Daisy’s left, both hands having remnants of the sand and ash. The rough texture was something to focus on other than her tears and the fatigue starting to overtake her from the depths of her soul. 

“Let's bring him back home,” May whispered with a squeeze. Daisy nodded.

He needed to be home.

[tinyarmedtrex]

Thanks for the tag @onthewaytosomewhere. Here's a bit from part 2 of my priest au!

His feet carried him along a familiar route and before he knew it he was standing in front of a Catholic church that he'd walked by but had never entered. He'd felt the pull many times but had always resisted, knowing that nothing good would come from it. Today though, he pushed open the heavy wood doors and entered. There were a few people on the pews, heads bowed in prayer. Henry considered sitting amongst them, praying to God for help, but before he reached a pew, he noticed that the priest was in and taking confession. Before he realized it his feet had carried him to the confessional.

He went inside and ran a hand along the wood paneling, somehow not surprised how similar it was to the one he'd spent so many hours in. Being here, even if it was the opposite side he was used to, felt comfortable, like coming home.

"Hello, my son, how long has it been since your last confession?"

Not tagging anyone because it's latteee (but if you want to consider yourself tagged)

[ittyybittybaker]

Rating: Not Rated

Relationship: Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard

Characters: Neil Josten, Andrew Minyard, Betsy Dobson

Tags: POV Andrew Minyard, Andrew Minyard Has Feelings, Andrew Minyard Loves Neil Josten, Established Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard, Soft Neil Josten Andrew Minyard

Summary:

The problem was, Andrew didn’t know what he wanted. Wanting something was such a foreign concept to him. His whole childhood, he just wished he would disappear. The only thing he wanted was for his next foster home to not be as bad as his current one, and that never happened. When he finally found his family, all he really wanted was to keep them there with him at all costs. And if he was being really honest with himself, he had dug his claws in so deep that he had almost pushed them away entirely in the process.

He had wanted hookups, but only on his terms, and it was always just a means to an end. He wanted Neil. He wanted him so bad Andrew had thought it was a side effect of the drugs. But after Easthaven, Neil was still there and Andrew still wanted him. Getting to have Neil and his family should be enough, he never thought about wanting anything beyond that. But ever since their conversation on the roof, it was all Andrew could think about and it was driving him crazy.

or, Andrew thinks about Wanting and has a (very Mild) crisis about it.

My entry for @aftg-mixtape is a gift for Vievie_333 and also my very first fic! I hope y'all enjoy!!

Inspired by This Boy by Franz Ferdinand

Title from Guilty Pleasure by Chappell Roan

(See also: a mix of songs I listened to while writing!)

[fruitybashir]

two small chapter two teasers for the lovely people who follow me here hehehe ✌🏼

[gentil-minou]

a hop, skip, and a jump to you

Something about Wei Ying feeling safe in a place Lan Zhan regards as his own makes him flush, and his bunny ears turn pink again. But strangely, when Wei Ying gasps at the sight and reaches one of his hands over to run a gentle finger across the edge of one, Lan Zhan doesn’t feel embarrassed or ashamed by his ears at all. He feels something else entirely, something he doesn’t know what to call. Something equal parts terrifying as it is extraordinary, like the warmth from his mama’s hugs or praise from his brother. But more, somehow, and all thanks to Wei Ying. Just two soft magical bunny boys being soft together

Tags:

Alternate Universe - Magic

Witches

Shapeshifting

Rabbit Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī

Rabbit Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn

Fluff

Childhood Friends

Tooth-Rotting Fluff

Wangxian | Oneshot | 6K | Rated G

Based on this official merch art!

Preview under the cut

The back hills behind Cloud Recesses are a place for tranquility and rest. When cool mountain air kisses the soft blades of bright green grass and the sound of leaves rustling like wind chimes, one can feel at total and absolute peace. With only woodland animals for company, friendly white rabbits hopping around and squirrels darting from one tree to the next with their hauls, it’s Lan Zhan’s favorite place in the world and his most prized secret. A space away from the pressures of being a Gusu Lan heir. Away from all the near-constant staring and placing of expectations on his still small shoulders.

It’s a place for Lan Zhan to let himself rest and think, to be free to fail in the one thing he shouldn’t be failing in. But at least, here, no one will judge him for those failures.

All witches are born with a hybrid form that they must learn to control by age ten. At that time, they’re given their formal witch's name and may join the coven officially as a fully-fledged witch. It’s the goal of every young witch and the Gusu Lan pride themselves in teaching exemplary witches year after year.

But this year, Lan Zhan is afraid he will become the black spot on the otherwise perfectly pristine record.

Because Lan Zhan is nine and a half, his naming ceremony is only a few short months away, and he still can't control his large white bunny ears in his hybrid form. The rest of his bunny traits had been easy to control. He’d learned to suppress his hopping instincts and figured out how to tuck his fluffy cottontail away on the first try. Even his stubborn whiskers had receded after a few hours of diligent practice.

But for some reason, Lan Zhan hasn’t been able to manage his ears, and they continue to torment him with their perpetual floppy nature.

And if he can’t control his ears, then he will disappoint his family and his entire clan. He’ll never be the witch he’s spent his entire life working towards.

Today, his usually outgoing and curious critter friends give him a wide berth, as if they know Lan Zhan is not in the mood for pets and cuddles. Instead, he kneels in the soft grass with only the gentle wind for company, along with his unkind thoughts and his vexing bunny ears that are the root of all this mess.

They're big and unseeming, and Lan Zhan has always been embarrassed by the way his ears give away his feelings no matter how hard he works to keep his emotions regulated and controlled. It doesn’t help that as the only rabbit hybrid in all of Cloud Recesses, he is constantly the victim of teasing by the elders and older witches. Even Ge enjoys tugging on his ears, cooing at how “fluffy and adorable” they are, and taking obvious delight when their tips turn red.  

It makes Lan Zhan puff up with anger and pout. He’s almost ten years old! He’s not a little baby bunny anymore, why won’t the others see that?

He knows it’s in part because of the rarity of his species. Rabbits aren't common hybrids, and he's the only one in the family since his mother passed away. It also means that he has to learn the complexities of shapeshifting and form control on his own, spending hours studying ancient text after ancient text in the library while his peers attend more practical classes.

Even his brother, an elegant snow-white crane, learned how to control his form at only seven years old! The elders were sure that with Lan Zhan’s talent in all other magicks, he would follow in his older brother’s footsteps as a child prodigy worthy of the title of Second Jade of Lan.

Except, clearly their hopes were misplaced, and Lan Zhan is going to be the first Lan heir in over a century to never learn how to control his hybrid form.

But he cannot let himself fail, so every day after his midday meal, he heads to the back hills to practice in quiet seclusion. He goes through a series of meditations designed to allow one to focus on their internal structures and self-regulation. He follows every step perfectly, exactly as the manual states, including envisioning his long fluffy white ears changing form into something more human-like.

He casts the spell, following the instructions he’s gathered exactly and precisely...but for the fifth time that day, nothing happens. He lifts his head and sees his bunny ears flopping mercilessly in his periphery, the same as they ever were and seem to always be.

Water wells up in his eyes and it takes every ounce of self-control he has left to hold them back from falling. Tears not filled with sadness but with immense frustration and anger towards himself. Lan Zhan is at the top of everything! The best in his class, an accomplished musician, and a talented student. He can perform spells older students still struggle with. He’s even been scouted to teach the younger fledgling students once he becomes a proper witch.

But, how can he, when this one spell keeps holding him back? Why is this one spell so impossible for him?

His ears droop down and Lan Zhan uses them along with the curtain of his long hair to block out the rest of the world, focusing on the ground he's sitting on. He wishes desperately that he wasn’t so alone, that he had anyone else to talk to. He takes his emotions out on the grass, heedless of the Gusu Lan precepts to Be kind to all that is living, and starts ripping up the grass in front of him. He’ll punish himself later, but for now, this is all he can do to keep from letting his tears fall.

But then, another child’s voice calls, "Hey! Don't do that, you're hurting it!"

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