#au wheres she’s related to Sol in some way

[triffany-lottablog]

Cute design potential

[juniorig0327]

Revamped God swap AU Pt. 2

After thinking it out, I think this is the main AU I want to focus on. It isn't gonna be a full god swap AU, it's gonna be only the characters I want because I'm self indulgent like that.

Percy - Keeping Percy as a Son Of Poseidon but his family has deep connections to the Greek world way back to the ancient times, so he's also a legacy.

The two gods I decided that I wanted to give him connection to were Athena and Sol.

At first I opted for Helios but after realized that one, he's faded and that I wanted the connect to Sol to be rather strong I decided to go roman. And two (if I ever read trials of apollo lol) I could possibly have him conflict with Caligula which I think was Neo Helios. Now unlike him being a legacy of apollo, he doesn't get the things like archery or plagues, just pure sun. I think I'd want him to have a blessing sort of like Frank to always have a part of the sun with them. Some of his family members had stronger connections than others however.

Secondly, the main heritage I wanted to give him was Athena. The main reason for this is purely epic the musical related. I was listening to it and thinking about how much Odysseus reminded me of Percy and so here we are. I think I'd want him to be a first gen legacy. Sally never figured out she was a demigod until Poseidon came around and an incident happened where she found out. I feel like instead of the normal wisdom and smarts, Sally just ended up with emotional wisdom and maybe a bit of telepathic abilities.

This being said I feel like this would make Percy and Athena's relationship complicated. Athena would probably keep her distance and maybe slightly aid him sometimes from afar. She has complicated feelings. I can already imagine Athena and Poseidon fighting over him because he embodies both of their aspects surprisingly well. Poseidon with the unpredict ableness and wildness of the sea but the wisdom, knowledge, and battle strategy in a fight.

If I wanted to make this very much more canon divergent than before then maybe Athena comes to accept Percy publicly after TLO and they actually have somewhat of a relationship and then HOO happens and he's basically disowned out of nowhere and sent to follow the Mark of Athena. After he finds out about his role in the seven he's sorta pissed. The weight of the world is on his shoulders again, if he fails this means their screwed. And this time he doesn't have anyone to share the burden with, he's all by himself and has to do it all alone (which he does, and then he falls into Tartarus so uh thats gonna go well lol).

So yeah. Thats how I feel about that. I feel like its an interesting dynamic and it doesnt really change Percy that much I feel like except more angst (lol) and a new set of powers which I think I'll have fun balancing around.

Luke - Yeah, I already basically explained the Hades thing so yeah, I'm definitely keeping him as a son of Hades. But I think I can seriously use this to strengthen him and Percy's relationship to make the betrayal hit harder for him imo.

They're more chthonic gods and I feel like they're be somewhat feared, or at least Percy is. Luke was before but he just gained the trust of the camp slowly so they don't really fear him. It would just be another way they'd bond over.

Thalia and Nico - I'll be keeping these two the same respectively, just a bit more stronger probably. I think I could come up with some cool legacy heritages for them I think the only one I could really see being a legacy is Nico soo..

Annabeth - Annabeth is going to be an Apollo kid, but similar to canon she doesnt really have any useful powers. Her main weapons would be her dagger and then a bow gifted to her by Apollo that produces arrows out of light but I think thats it. She still keeps her intelligence thing because Apollo is the god of knowledge lol.

I do think like Will Solace that she'd eventually unlock plague powers, but also like Will Solace that would be a Tartarus thing because I believe they both deserve to go dark and apeshit in Tartarus so. Percy will probably have his Poison/Blood Bending and Annabeth will have her Plague Powers.

Leo - Decided midway through this post that I wanted to combine the AU of Luke just having a bunch of runaways with godswap because like why not so. Thinking of a Leo godswap is suprisingly hard. I'm personally thinking maybe Hermes but like chthonic Hermes. So like he'd have the typical Hermes abilities but could also like shadow travel. He'd still embody most of his canon traits I feel like and he'd be afraid of his chthonic abilities because of the incident with his mom but by the end he'd probably have overcome it.

Magnus - I think the idea of Magnus going to CHB surprisingly well and I've been thinking about a godswap for him because like why not. And so despite me have only read the first magnus chase book up to the point where he dies I'm thinking maybe Thor?? If you guys have any better suggestions please comment and tell me. Could have a cool arc of him and Thalia training together, some sort of Norse crossover, maybe an arc sort of like Jason's where he's just trying to figure out where he belongs. Also does anybody know if like, Norse demigods can use their powers before they die and go to Valhalla or if its like a after they die thing do they awaken them??

Last thing but I've also been considering making an oc for this. They'd be related to Percy but they wouldnt be like a sibling or like a child of Sally. They'd either be like a child of Poseidon or something or a child from maybe Sally's uncle's side which also somehow got roped into the greek world. I'm just a killer for sibling and family relationships and atleast in the original PJO series it's done SO GOOD. So if you would be interested please comment! I really like when you guys like and comment so please. If you have any ideas on this OC I want to make or maybe Magnus's godly parent I'd appreciate it so much!

[boabel]

An au where Iphigenia bonds with all the tributes not just sol, at first she is doing it to get revenge on her father because what's the best way to make him angry then use his food recourses to feed ALL the tributes not just her own , so she brings food for all the tributes and she notices that some of them have scars and she asks if their fathers beat them? The answers are either:

1- no I was hurt while working my father is really nice

Or

2 - my father is dead

Or 3- no that was from the Peacekeepers

And some share their stories about their lives which makes Iphigenia empathize with them especially when she notices some of them trying not to cry when mentioning their parents and expressing how much they miss them and she also realizes that there are parents in the districts who are way better than her own and it makes go from feeding the tributes to get revenge on her father to doing it because she genuinely started caring about all of them she brings dill some herbal teas and bring mizzen and wovey candy and hey maybe she and sejanus become friends because they both care about feeding all the tributes and she's realizing maybe he has a point

(this is purely my headcanon but I do headcanon Facet as having an abusive parent so maybe he and Iphigenia relate to one another but that's just my headcanon)

aww this is so sweet!!

i love the idea of iphigenia slowly becoming more empathetic over time, its really realistic to her character!!

and her bringing herbal tea to dill?? and candy to wovey and mizzen?? crying 😭.

also her becoming friends w/ sejanus is really interesting tho it's not something i'd considered!!

tysm for sending this !! 💓

[asterssunzephyr]

LORE. GIVE.

NOTES AS I GO: 1 I tried to finish this in one night however I have to be up at 5am 8/24. 2 I am watching Shelby Shubble's shubathon for her birthday. 3 If said shubathon is still going when this post is uploaded, go watch it :) 4 It is now 1:56 am 8/24, I am still watching the shubathon and have since showered.

Okay!! Im so sorry has taken me forever, I did not have the energy when you sent this last night. ANYWAY...

I tried to finish this in one night however I have to be up at 5am 8/24

You were very loose with this, I hope youre aware, so I will start at the most basic, with the gods I have bc I have NOT figured everything out for all the empires. This is a WIP au at all times of the day. All of this lore, at one point, does tie into the Crystal Cliffs: Academy for Magic (CC:AfM) au lore! Specifically with Scott and Xornoth.

Rivendell - The easiest

Rivendell has two canon gods, and one original god I made. This, ironically, reflects the royal family. There's Oytix - Goddess of Stars, Aeor and Exor - Twin Stag Gods. This reflects the royal family with three children being born since Alinar and Cohnal. They had a sister – Naexi. In this lore, Naexi was considered the champion of Stars, while Alinar the champion of Aeor and Cohnal the champion of Exor. Naexi lived the longest of the Riven siblings – being the one to live on and provide for the next generation of Rivendell royals.

This is seen later, in Scott & Xornoth's generation with a sister as well. In this au, Lauren (LaurenZSide) is canon to the empires universe. She's the older sister of Scott and Xornoth – as well as the champion of Oytix.

The Overgrown

The Overgrown has one god, which is The Spring – God of Fae. This is a nameless god, preferring to be known as "Spring" to everyone around them. Spring went into a slumber after the death of Alinar and Cohnal. The Spring that Katherine talks to in s1 is their concious, who wants the best for their land and leads her to the right answers no matter how cryptic they are. Every ruler of the overgrown has been handpicked by The Spring, regardless of how theyve behaved in the past.

Grimlands

The Grimlands has two gods in technicality, sharing one with two other empires. Sol - Goddess of the Sun and Diana - Goddess of the Moon. Theyre not related and Sol has a . . . complicated relationship with Exor. I can and will explain if asked about it. The grimlands also refers to Sol as the Goddess of Redstone (Grimlands corruption).

Crystal Cliffs

In the ancient days, the Cliffs once worshipped Diana, the goddess of the moon. As many people began finding logical and magical explanations, they ditched the idea of godly intervention for basically everything. Some people remember, but Diana is not worshipped like she once was in the cliffs, much less taught about in the Academy. Gandalf the cat remembers the most, he's been in the cliffs for just over six hundred years - he will not disrespect Diana, and he says goodnight to her when he goes to sleep if he can see the moon. The Cliffs doesnt get very cloudy, so he seems the moon almost nightly.

Gilded Helianthia (why isnt there a yellow on desktop?)

Gilded Helianthia has always and will always worship Diana, goddess of Moon. You'd think the farming queen and her empire would worship Sol, or A goddess of Harvest1. They worship the moon, Diana, because with out Diana and the moon then they would not sleep. If they do not sleep, then they do not have harvest days or a way to provide as they'd be consumed with fatigue. 1 The land of Gilded Helianthia becomes the building blocks of Sanctuary, where the Harvest Goddess - Madre de Girasoles (Later referenced as Santa Perla)

Mythland (look I only have so many colors to work with)

The start of Mythland worshipped one deity, the god of war Fern. Is ironic that a god of war is named after a plant? yes. Do I care? No. Up until the canon appearance of Xornoth, Fern was the only god in mythland worshipped. While people of Mythland considered Xornoth a god of corruption, he is not and they were worshipping Exor. Fern did not like the division of his people, much less did he like Exor. He has a rocky relationship with Sol, due to her relationship with Exor. Often times, Fern would butt heads with Sol, Exor, and Oytix.

Lost Empire

Zaerus, the god of pride and life. While the only one who has an official title amongst the pantheon. He loves his land, and has always done whatever it takes to save his people and the royal family. Zaerus will go to whatever lengths he must, including siding with Exor if he must. This caused issues during the first Prophecy, as Zaerus refused to let the then emperor help Alinar, as he prophesized that in doing so, the empire (one of great wealth and many people) would be lost to time. The emperor helped Alinar and Aeor anyway, which caused Zaerus cursing his bloodline and the empire to become lost within the jungle. The bloodline is now the one we canonically see as the Tiger Blood Prince and Princess.

Pixandria

Rhamus, God of Prophecy. Rhamus was the one to originally prophesize about Alinar and Cohnal; about Exor's betrayal to the pantheon. Although he knew virtually nothing about the betrayal, he knew Rivendell twins would have to pick a side - Aeor, or Exor. After the prophecy, Rhamus began to have scribes, or oracles, for his prophecies. The one to repeat the prophecy Rhamus had was the great grandfather of Pix, and after his great grandfather, he became the scribe of Rhamus. He knew the prophecy of war, and of the rapture.

Oceanic and Swamp Empires

This is the second easiet empire to work with, because Lizzie and Jimmy are gods themself, in technicality! Theyre the children of two gods, their father being an Axolotl and their mother being a Cod.

Kingdom of Mezalea

Also one of the easiest empires, as Mezalea as no gods. Joel himself becomes a god, but thats not until the end of season one and the start of season two. Mezalea has no gods, as they have no faith or souls to believe in gods. Other than Joel, Mezalea is simply an empire of dolls.

The Undergrove

Gnomes have strict belief in their deities, however as Shrub is away from her family and with the empires more they adopt the deity of the Wolf Spirit and eventually, under the guise of the wolf spirit when facing Xornoth, Joey and Sausage, the pantheon accepts Shrub as the wolf spirit - This leads to many confusing dreams for Shrub, as they are spoken to from the Pantheon during sleep. Shrub has not mentioned these "dreams" to anyone, and yet Pix knows. The Wolf Spirit is seen as a deity, whether or not Shrub is one.

[bonefall]

sorry I;m new and it's a lot to catch up on but can you briefly explain your better call mapleshade au?

Sure thing! As long as you don't mind that I'm gonna hijack your ask to answer a few other meta things at the same time! @katiek101 Rounding up your replies over here.

Btw never be afraid to just ask me questions about stuff, I need to update my Masterpost because I haven't added to it in a couple weeks but I'm always willing to just link people to stuff when asked!

What is the Better Call Mapleshade AU?

I summarized it in this reblog, which also contains @nightly-ruse design for BCM Mapleshade!

"Mapleshade is able to get into StarClan through a very slim ruling out of sympathy for the loss of her kits. She’s a prosecutor/defense attorney motivated by her own desire to be highly revered, playing as a literal “devil’s advocate“ against the awful choices we see StarClan make in canon.

In contrast to StarClan being the ‘council of well-meaning angels‘ who cause bad outcomes, Mapleshade is a self-concerned demon who makes good ones. Because of that, she looks somewhat out of place. An opposer for StarClan, a devil for a good cause.

The AU was born out of some joking with “Snowbird Anon” (hence the name #Better Call Mapleshade AU) and then evolved into an actual premise because my followers are literally the coolest"

It is separate from the #Bonefall Rewrite, but was inspired by aspects of it, namely a trial scene that is going to happen in Darkstar's Commandment.

though to be fair, I am considering just absorbing it into the rewrite. but for now they are still two separate, but related concepts

Do you plan to write/publish any aspects of the Bonefall Rewrite? Where would it be posted if so?

I WISH. Unfortunately I'm chronically unable to finish anything and only motivated by talking directly to people (I actually write first drafts of college essays in discord DMs). In a perfect world I would love to make full multi-chapter fics of the Super Edition rewrites such as Darkstar's Commandment and Firestar's Quietus, though.

Maybe one day, if I can speak to a psychiatrist! **laughs in undiagnosed neurodivergence**.

SO for now, everything is notes! Notes notes notes and rough drafts. The things I AM able to finish. If I ever wrote out anything, I would upload it to AO3. I promise I would make a post if that ever happens.

THE CURRENT NOTES I'M EDITING: Darkstar's Commandment, a follow-up story to Mapleshade's Vengeance, following Darkstar as she establishes the law about protecting kittens.

Blackstar, Russetfur, Rowanclaw

I powered through all of the "History Has Its Eyes On You" series in like 3 days between bus rides! I really like the take on them being a complicated couple (I keep thinking of that line, "their nests were as close as could be without being close at all") and my favorite story was the one where Russetfur went to bury Smokepaw.

Things are really different in my take, though! I see Blackstar as exclusively MLM and Russetfur is his WLW bestie. If Russet has children, they'll be honor dammed and raised by someone else.

I think you will quite like what I'm planning for Russetfur's death. It's a moment of deep pain for Blackstar that makes him relapse into some old, bad habits, leaving him wide open for Sol's influence.

Blackstar's sister Fernshade is going to have surviving children with Wolfstep (Ivytail is one of them, who eventually has Gullswoop), and I'm considering giving Flintfang a kitten or two as well. So there won't be a need for Blackstar to have kids anyway, besides, I like the idea that he's sort of Ivytail's embarrassing uncle, in a ShadowClan way where he's super intimidating to other clans.

And so Rowanclaw won't be part of that family... he is a son of Brokenstar. Same litter as Littlecloud, from Newtspeck. He will be bonding heavily with Tawnypelt over a shared experience of inheriting something VERY heavy.

Firestar's Quest with Brokenstar Details

The good deets are in this ask over here, but I really need to sit down and make a draft of it sometime soon. I'm held up on Darkstar's Commandment first, lmao

In a nutshell, Brokenstar was actually a nature spirit the whole time, the ghost of the 5th tree at Fourtrees. After the exile, the oak tree was blighted, fell over, and cracked on the highstone. It broke in the shape of Broken's tail; an omen of the curse that would befall them, revenge for the greatest sin of the clans.

This is (Brokenstar's Cataclysm)

After his death, he reconnects to these memories. In order for his restless spirit to finally be given peace, SkyClan must be resurrected. Runningnose enlists Firestar to help because he's such a little goody-goody two shoes and could never let an ancient wrong go unrighted. Hilarity ensues.

This is (Firestar's Quietus)

[chromaji]

ever since i saw a post about the idea of sonic (jokingly) being a sort of wind god, i’ve had so many thoughts in my head abt an AU that goes like:

Ok so an AU where Sonic IS a wind god who lives up in, idk, God Land w/ some other gods.

Anyway, one day he decides to drop down to the mortal plane for fun and to experience the world he’s helped create, bc sitting around blessing mortals n stuff gets boring after a while.

Basically, mans skydives outta god land without telling anyone & its all fun and games until he crash-lands in a field head first (& surprisingly does not lose his memory).

From there, he’s found and rescued by Tails and his magical golem. Sonic wants to hide the fact that he’s a god, so he feigns complete amnesia… until Tails decides he wants to try and help him recover his memories. Then Sonic claims to have recovered some memories the next day. He makes up a very odd yet mundane story abt his life. Is his tale believable? …Ehhh if you squint hard enough🤨.

And eventually a plot begins where someone in the story needs, or is trying to get, the 7 Chaos Emeralds or something. idk. Is it Eggman trying to get them for nefarious means? Is it one of the good guys getting a prophecy to gather the 7 emeralds? Someone else entirely? Dunno.

Anyway some lore stuff I have cooked up:

This is basically a fantasy rpg-like setting with magic and kingdoms and all of that. Technology would probably exist, but it’d be magically fueled u know? Like a “phone” being a specific crystal fueled by mana that allows voices to travel long distances or smth.

Tails is a self-taught magic scientist. He’s gone as far as to create a Golem from scratch in his off-time by the name of Emerl. Emerl is seen as odd for a golem, as he wasn’t built with a personality or directive in mind, rather, he was built to form his own personality & directive by observing others. At the start, he mostly takes after Tails & Tails’ friends. Now he also gets to take after this odd, lackadaisical, cocky, yet soft-hearted stranger by the name of Sonic. Yippeeee!

Amy is a paladin (thanks SF:SB) who is the retainer to Princess Blaze of Soleanna. She’s got an eye for strategy (shoutout to whatever Forces was trying in that regard) and presents a more level-headed exterior in the public, but is truly just a peppy, bubbly girl on the inside (& off the clock). She hangs out with ppl like Tails & Cream when she can.

Silver is a mage and oracle-in-training who’s the retainer to Princess Elise of Soleanna. He’s usually cheerful, naive and optimistic, but also has low tolerance & respect for people who bother him (stares at the Sonic Rivals Duology Silver. I love that little punk).

So yes, Blaze & Elise are related here. I mean cmon SOLeanna? SOL dimension? SOLaris??? BOTH CHARACTERS RELATE TO FIRE IN SOME WAY???? CMON!!! Anyway Elise & Blaze are step-siblings & Elise is a bird.

Anyway, there could possibly be a “kingdom” for each of the gods?? I could see characters who’d fit as important royal-like figures corresponding to each elemental god, but im not sure of that yet. At the least, we got the Soleanna Sisters

There are mortals who’ve been blessed by certain gods. Some examples are Tails being blessed by “Sonic” [whatever Sonic’s god name is], Blaze + Elise by Solaris, & Knuckles by Tikal.

Speaking of, so far, the gods I’ve thought of are:

Sonic (Wind), who looks like Super Sonic in his god form & any mortal depictions of him. However, he disguises himself in a different form (that’s just his normal blue self in-game/media) when dropping into the mortal realm.

Tikal (Earth), who looks like her usual in-game self. Also, those blessed by the Earth God are the only ones with notable healing capabilities. While anyone who’s blessed by a god has better self-regeneration than those not blessed, only those blessed by Tikal are can directly heal others.

Chaos (Water). aka the God of Gods. Almost never seen by the other gods unless its something important. Sonic, being the youngest of the main gods, has never actually seen Chaos in any way shape or form. VERY picky about who gets their blessing. Probably doesnt even bless people anymore, actually.

Solaris (Fire), who im not sure what looks they’ll have. Maybe literally how they look in 06 (which i think is just some weird… bird-like shape of light? Or maybe they look like Crystal Mephiles? Or a bird anthro? Maybe they shapeshift when they feel like it? Can Solaris split themself into Iblis & Mephiles or is Solaris just one entity? Much to think about.

??? (Light). There’s a “Fallen God” who was once known as the God of Light. After a certain incident, they were branded as the God of Destruction and banished to the mortal realm with his memories wiped. The God of Light is hardly known or worshipped in the mortal realm after most traces of their existence have been removed. These days, those blessed by the God of Light are few and far between, to the point where it’s become a mark of misfortune to have such power. Hmmmm I wonder who this Fallen God could beeee 🤔

& there may be another character or two who could fit the role of a god but idk off the top of my head.

…& I think thats all i’ve got for now. Listen this has been cooking in my head for days and especially last night for some reason. lmk what yall think bc its a fun little story idea thats been swimming in my brain hgkgh. Or if yall wanna shoot off some ideas n stuff that’d be fun too.

[guynamedultimax]

Obligatory Friday Night Funkin’ fighting game AU post (part 2 of idk how many)

Even though I’m a lazy fuck I know there’s people out there who wanna read this so let’s just get it over with

-AGOTI: Trapped in the Void like in his own mod’s continuity, has tentacle-based powers that allow him to raise pillars from underneath the ground like he did in the Void. Usually freestyles and is pretty damn good at it. Chaotic neutral, hangs out with Tabi and Ayana when not busy.

-Aldryx: AGOTI’s older brother, they’re mostly the same but he is more composed and responsible...even if you can barely notice it. Has been scouting for AGOTI ever since he disappeared in the Void under the “orders” of Solazar. They have the same powers, but Aldryx prefers a more aggressive rock beat in comparison to his brother’s freestyling.

-Solazar: Solazar is a unique type of fighter, a Composer. They’re exceptionally well-versed in most types of music and have their own unique fighting style that can’t be easily imitated. Most of the times Composers are figures of great wisdom and/or power. DD is also secretly a Composer but rarely uses all of his powers. Sol is to this day one of the few other people who is actively fighting off DD’s rise to power and is trying to push his adopted screen demon sons to cooperate with GF and BF’s efforts to stop DD (despite the fact that one of them is friends with Tabi, who still has beef with GF).

-Nikusa: Not doing anything for her until her part of the FNF Entity mod drops but she exists in this universe.

-Tabi: Before Funkin Fightin’ was a thing, GF was in love with Tabi but nonetheless used him to try and conquer her father’s empire. When he turned music into a form of fighting, Tabi didn’t know how to hurt a fly, and so GF ditched him to DD, who turned him into what he is today. He is now out to personally get GF, DD and anyone who might get in his way for revenge. Uses a fight style similiar to BF’s but isn’t afraid to play dirty against someone who he feels has wronged him. After the restaurant incident he’s a tournament member who is wanted by the authority.

-Ayana: Before Pico, BF dated her, and while she still clearly loves him, it’s clear for her that he moved on. Still, she knows GF’s up to no good and is repeatedly trying to warn BF about it. She and Dalia have Tabi hidden in their house. Has a fighting style similiar to that of Mommy Mearest, although unlike her she actually fights fair and doesn’t try to seduce her opponents.

-Dalia: EDM has been less and less mainstream as time went on, but Dalia still isn’t afraid of spewing out good tracks. EDM artists are known for being glass cannons in the Funkin Fightin’ business, and she’s no exception, she’s the second strongest EDM artist on the block. Is in a relationship with Ayana. She is also prone to stopping her sets to help her friends back at Apollo against demons.

-Miku: In-universe she’s BF’s older sister, and due to her working specifically in the Vocaloid industry, GF’s parents can’t lay a single hand on her. More often than not she insists on protecting her brother as if he was still little. Has Camellia as musical backup during her Funkin Fightin’ fights due to her being mostly a martial pacifist.

-Sarvente: Nuns shouldn’t fight, am I right? Sarvente is one of the few people who is in DD’s tournament to promote her church. Still she knows in the moment she’s going to go full power she’s going to scare away literally everyone in the arenas. Has been costantly receiving funds by a mysterious sponsor alongside Ruv.

-Ruv: As a former hitman, he knows exactly how to fight. He just needs to learn to do it to the rhythm of the typical Russian ballads he listens to in his free time. Has refused to fight Sarvente even in her demon form. Is also in the tournament for the church, but also to avoid other hitmen sent to kill him for his retirement. Also has been receving funds by a sponsor.

-Selever: The mysterious sponsor. Has found a way to enter this universe (and is doing money with cryptocurrency), but if he interacts directly with Ruv or Sarv, or if he gets found and defeated by a being of higher power like Composers, Updike or Auditor, he’s sleeping with the fishes. Annoying as ever, half of the tournament opponents have beef with him due to him behaving like an annoying asshole. Also calls for Rasazy’s backup with some attacks and plays dirty like hell. His goal is to defeat DD so he can live with his parents in peace.

-Shaggy: In this continuity the entirety of Mystery Incorporated is alive and well and not dead of old age. Not even Shaggy knows how he has his powers, but he isn’t really complaining, as long as his friends are left in peace by the supernatural. Is fascinated by Funkin Fightin’ and is choosing a musical style on which to base his rhythm.

-Matt: Originally trained other people in various sports, but after his loss with BF he became obsessed with trying to defeat him in Funkin Fightin’. Trains under Shaggy to achieve this goal. Still, he has a code of honor and wants a fair fight by any opponent. Doesn’t have a specific musical style yet and is not willing to use Wii Sports music like one would expect from him.

-Zardy: Isn’t partecipating in the tournament and interacts with nobody. There is only one rule: don’t enter his maze for absolutely no reason. He’s going to wreck you with Halloween songs and by swinging around his farming tools. The only ones allowed in are Tricky, Monster and Starecrown for the Friday night poker game, where he is prone to winning at least against Tricky; Starecrown and Monster are just too 300 IQ for him to face head-on.

-Camellia: Remember when I said Dalia’s the second strongest EDM artist on the scene? Guess who’s first. His techniques as a Composer are known for breaking many body parts, so Masaya Oya only ever works as backup for BF’s sister Miku. But if you actually manage to bring him to a Funkin Fightin’ fight on his own you’ll regret it deeply. Dude is as strong as Shaggy and Matt COMBINED.

-Sky: BF’s number one fangirl and leader of his two-member fanclub, her beef is mainly with GF, but to beat her she has to go through BF first. Behaves a lot like Knives Chau from the Scott Pilgrim franchise. Writes fanfics. Has a very...weird fighting style, and does it to the beat of anime openings apparently.

-Starecrown: The, erm...OTHER member of BF’s fanclub. Is unironically best friends with Sky due to their shared interest in BF and usually carries her around as if he was her pet. Is very polite and tries not to come off as scary with his stares, but it’s beyond his power. Nobody ever even understands his fighting techniques, only the musical screeches he emits when he does it to the rhythm.

NEXT TIME: Hopefully everyone related to Bob, Undertale/Underverse characters, Eddsworld cast, CJ & Ruby, ENA, Nonsense, if possible even more

[azure-seadragon]

Things I Like RP Partners to Know

(i saw some people doing muse pictures and some doing mun pictures so i figured- why not both. a little comparison i guess lmao) I like to be called: I usually use ‘Cobalt’ as my online alias, though on discord or in game i will respond to Sol

Also if we’re friends/mutuals or on the same rpc group chat, using my IRL name is fine too! i won’t put it here, but im sure its out there and if you know it, you know it lol

One thing you should know about me:

I have a LOT of free time at present, but also have major adhd. This means that while im online a lot, i can alternate between instant replies or taking some time- i do not control what my brain hyperfocuses on sadly. so basically, i apologize for times where i might send a lot of things (feel free to tell me if im overwhelming you!~ odds are i got excited or something and didnt realize i was being a lot.tm ) AND i apologize for times where i may be a little quiet. I promise the latter never means I’m not interested in interacting anymore <3

One thing you should know about RPing with my character(s):

Solana has a lot of baggage and is extremely flirty. i’ve touched on these things before, but it means that sometimes some dark topics will come up- and that she will likely come across fliratious at least every once and a while. while the majority of dark subjects are not avoidable since they’re in her backstory, as far as the flirting goes i am more then willing to tone it down for a specific mun/muse- and the flirting never has to be reciprocated (in fact it doesn't even usually mean shes trying to date/sleep with them)

First language: English.

Age range: under 13  |  14–17 | 18–22 | 23–25 | 26–29 | 30+ | 40+ | 70+

Am I okay with NSFW?: yes | no | some nsfw

My favorite/most common thing to rp is: angst | fluff | smut | crack | action | plots | AUs are fine | Violence | Darker themes |  I dunno.  *

*Character development - i love seeing characters grow and change and experience things, so this is a big one for me *Romance - listen. i’m a hopeless romantic dork at heart, who thinks about writing romance and stuff all the time. i obviously LOVE platonic relationships too, but i adore writing some good pining/slow burn/yearning/other romance tropes. though if we write ships/romance together be prepared for fanart and for me to jump into dm’s randomly to throw ideas and affection at you lol

Canon Character RP Friendly?: yes | no | depends *

RP blog: does contain ooc posts | doesn’t contain ooc posts | occasionally contains ooc *

*i post OOC sometimes, mainly things that still involve sol or other rp related topics- or important info regarding why i may not be online,ect. but this isnt a personal blog, so i keep most of it to myself. that being said though, im 100% down with OOC dms and becoming friends outside of rp <3

Tagged by Taken from: @spotofmummery​ (it looked fun and like a good way to put info out I hope that’s ok lol)

Tagging: @kolak-magiya​, @ashenbun​, @protection-and-pleasure​, @halcyonic-aether​ and anyone else interested <3

[miss-smrxtiee]

-Vacationing with Distance-

Ch.4 - frustration & ice cream.

Open Heart AU

Ethan x F!Mc (Eliana Valentine)

Ch. Summary: Ethan’s trip makes its second stop and Bryce and Eliana have their first checkup. Will the baby be healthy or will Eliana’s health take a turn for the worst?

Warnings: Pregnancy, illness.

A/N: I hope you all enjoy chapter 4 of VWD! I’m really sorry it took so long I’m working a lot on new fanfictions and this got pushed back but it’s here now and I hope you enjoy! -Sol

-Masterlist- (other chapters are here!)

***

“Now Landing in San Francisco, California. Thank you for choosing Delta Airlines.” The flight attendant’s voice rings out through the plane as people start collecting their things. Ethan takes his personal belongings and lays them inside his carry-on before grabbing his phone to shoot a quick text.

Ethan: Hey E, we just landed for our second stop, I haven’t heard from you in a bit and I really miss your voice. I’m gonna call you when we get checked in ❤️

Ethan lets out a frustrated sigh, she had her read replies off so he had no way of knowing if she was actually seeing his messages.

Ethan and Naveen get up out of their seats and make their way down the cramped isle. Harper had an unexpected emergency at the hospital with one of her patients who needed a surgery from her as soon as possible, so she ultimately cut her time on the trip short.

Wish I could could just leave too...

“Ethan, hurry!” Ethan heard Naveen call from the exit of the plane. Ethan runs a hand through his hair before following Naveen out.

_____———_____——-______——-____

“I’m sorry to say but, you have gestational diabetes.”

“Oh nononono” Eliana paced around the room while Bryce tried to calm her down

“Diabetes?”

The doctor nods.

Meanwhile, Eliana’s mind is running a thousand miles a second...

I’m pregnant, I’m actually pregnant! I have to get medical attention now, great. Me and Ethan had never talked about kids... I don’t even know if he wants kids! WAIT! What if he doesn’t want to have kids!?! I’m so dead. If I call him he’s gonna know...

“Eliana? Hellooo! Earth to Dr. Valentine!”

She hangs her head in defeat.

“Gestational diabetes is a very common diabetes found in pregnant women.” The doctor explained.

“Will she be okay?” Bryce asked. He didn’t know a lot of terms for pregnant women, he was a surgeon after all.

“I assure you, it’s very treatable. You do need to keep your blood sugar in check which might be the hard part.”

“Don’t tell me...” Eliana started.

She gives a sad smile and nods.

Needle pricking...

“Here is your portable machine that detects the levels of your blood sugar, you need to do this 2 to 3 times a day, preferably 10 minutes or so after a meal, but that part is not one-hundred percent necessary.”

“Meds?”

The doctor nods and hands over a prescription paper. They go over the antibiotics for treatment and eventually leave the room to schedule another appointment. They give their thanks and goodbyes and find themselves driving in complete silence a few minutes later.

“Soooo...” Bryce begins. “Eliana, you need to tell Ethan. Everyday that goes by is hurting the baby, you need to stop stressing.”

“I know.” She sighs. “I want to hold off for a few more stops on his trip. He needs to do this, and I don’t want to pull him out of it. He would be able to do so much good with making hospital alliances and discovering the newest medical treatments. I don’t want to ruin that for him or the hospital.”

Bryce agreed it would be beneficial for the hospital but at the risk of Eliana going through this whole pregnancy alone without Ethan, worried him.

I mean she had him, but he wasn’t the father, Ethan was and he deserved to know he was having a child.

The rest of the car ride is silent. Bryce didn’t completely agree with her way of thinking about everything. But it’s not his place to tell Ethan something as big as a pregnancy. That should come from Eliana.

Suddenly, Eliana’s phone lights up. She quickly hides it and he furrows his brows at her.

“E, Don’t tell me you’re ignoring Ethan...”

She doesn’t respond and he lets out a sigh. This could be very bad for both of them. Bryce gives her a death stare and she slumps her shoulders.

“I don’t know what to say without blurting out I have basically pregnancy diabetes, let alone that I’m pregnant in the first place.” She looked so vulnerable and tired in that moment, Bryce knew he had to convince her to at least call him. Baby steps. He thought.

“Can you at least call him when you get back? He’s probably worried sick by now.” He pleased and she sighed.

“I’ll do it once, I don’t know how well I’ll do with keeping the baby from him. But I’ll try.” She replied shifting lanes onto the highway.

“Thank you.” He briefly said before shifting the radio channel and Eliana’s favorite song pops up and she smiled, bopping her head to the beat of Backyard Boy.

“-Backyard boyyy, lookin’ super fine in a corduroy! Drive around the block, we can go in a loop!” She smiles while lip syncing and Bryce joined her. She exited the highway and drives down before reaching the apartment complex Bryce stayed at. He turns back to her after grabbing his things.

“Hey, please call him when you get back...” he stared intently at her and she nodded before flashing him a smile and a small wave as he turns to leave. She lets out a sigh before turning out the parking lot and making her way down the partly busy street.

She tried to put together a conversation in her head that she could use when she contacted Ethan. He knew her to well and would practically see right through her in any situation where she was stressed, sad, or angry and the conversation wouldn’t be the easiest.

Oh yeah hey Babe, yeah I just wanted to let you know that I’m pregnant and stuff heh, oh and I’m almost 2 and a half months along and have a disease to go with it because I’m not taking care of myself.. He would probably be so mad at her. She did feel bad for not returning his calls or texts,

Ugh is hopeless. she thought before shifting lanes once again and rolling into their condo a moment later. She ran her fingers through her hair and walks inside grabbing her phone from her purse.

Here goes nothing... she hits the call button on Ethan’s contact. After a few rings he picks up

“Eliana! Where have you been?! I’ve been trying to call you for the longest time!” Ethan said through the speaker.

“Hey, I’m okay, things have been really busy with patients and cases at the hospital and I’ve just been sleeping a working mostly. I really miss you though and I’m sorry I haven’t talked.” That wasn’t a lie. she thought.

“I got seriously worried! I just about called Bryce to check on you!” He sounded frustrated and her own pregnancy hormones weren’t helping the situation.

“I said I’m sorry! I’m perfectly fine, jeez.” She retorted and he let out a annoyed sigh on the other side of the line.

“Just.. ugh, text me or something when you won’t be available to talk.” His voice was tired and angry.

“What’s up with you?” She arched a brow.

“What’s up with you!” He replied, clearly reaching his breaking point. “I tried calling you ten times Eliana! And God knows how many times I texted you! The least you can do is say goodnight or good morning to let me know you are ok!”

Eliana was starting to get mad.

“I said, I was busy. Sorry I can’t devote my very breathing second to you mr. grumpy pants.” She growled back and quickly hung up before plopping down on her couch, longingly staring at the freezer which contained her secret ice cream stash. She picked up her box and took out the instructions for her needle pricking, she already knew how to do it but she wanted to be sure...

for the baby.

Ethan

He lets out a frustrated sigh as the call abruptly ends. He walks over to the bed in his hotel room, laying down on his back staring up at the ceiling, he hated being away from her. He thought something was wrong but maybe she just was really busy and tired...

Two days later...

Eliana yawned as she stepped out of her car, grabbing her bag a second later. She was headed into her morning shift at Edenbrook. She knew she needed to go on maternity leave soon because of her high stress levels in relation to work, but she couldn’t let Ethan know yet. Eliana was still frustrated with Ethan for being so overprotective, she still loved him but long distance was never a strong suit.

Bryce walks up to her as soon as she steps inside.

“Did you talk?” He asked with his brow quirked.

“Good morning to you too.” She mocks back.

“I’m serious E.”

“...yes.”

“And? Elaborate.” he requested

A sigh escaped her and she just slumped, she knew she wasn’t going to win an argument against him so why try..

“We...we got in a fight, I didn’t tell him about... ya know.” She gestured to her stomach while she spoke and Bryce just shook his head.

“You gotta do this at some point, you’re going to end up hurting you and the baby. And I know I’ve said it a million times but that doesn’t make it any less true for you. You heard what the doctor said!”

She just shook her head and balled her fists.

“I’m not going to stop Ethan from flourishing while he’s away! This is an amazing opportunity for him! I know it was last minute for us and that I need to slow down I just... I just can’t do that to him Bryce, I love him to much to be the reason he’s held back.” She looked beat, depressed, stressed...

“Well I’m absolutely not helping unless you tell him Eliana!!” Bryce was fed up himself.

“Fine! Go then!” She exclaimed, grabbing the attention of a few nurses nearby who just started whispering softly to each other before Eliana shot them a look causing them to scram.

When she turned her attention back to Bryce, he was already walking away from her with annoyance radiating off of him.

“Great..” she sighed before walking away...

***

Thank you all for reading!

Tag squad- I’m honestly so confused on my tags rn so if you do not want to be tagged then just lmk! -Sol

I @choicesstan1 I @gryffindordaughterofathena I @rookie-ramsey I @kinkypot I @drariellevalentine I @theinvisibledreamergirl I @fluffy-marshmallow-heart I @rookieoh I @vampireblissblog I @itsjustamesshonestly I @kaavyaethanramsey I @ohchoices I @ramsey-lahela I @monsoonblooms12 I @aestheticartsx I @pixie88 I @mrs-raleighcarrera I @romewritingshop I @ezekielbhandarivalleros I @vampireblissblog I @herarmoredheart I

[alectology-archive]

SJ/M’s unacceptable and lazy usages of real world places/cultures

I’m aiming to make this the most comprehensive list of SJ/M stealing bits and pieces of world history and pretending like she came up with them. Feel free to comment down below or send an ask if you can think of anything.

The addition of adaptation of names from some real-world places is included either because of insensitivity (Hybern and Prythian) or mostly because SJ/M doesn’t try to represent any of the cultures she takes from.

Note that this post will keep getting updated as I discover more evidences of unacceptable usages of cultures. Also note that there is every possibility that some resemblances are purely accidental and/or unintentional. So take it with a grain of salt.

T/HRONE OF GLASS

- Most of the cultural activities mentioned in Tower of Dawn are rip-offs of Mongolian culture and seem to resemble the Dothraki from Game of Thrones very closely.

- Pagan holidays mentioned in the books:

Yulemas* is celebrated in Erilea despite there already existing an established religion consisting of 12 gods and goddesses.

Samhain* is a festival celebrated by Irish and Scottish people.

Beltane* is a festival celebrated historically in Ireland and Scotland.

- Nehemia is probably derived from the Jewish leader Nehemiah who helped rebuild Jerusalem. Instead of trying to work that into Nehemia’s narrative, SJ/M killed off Nehemia to serve a white woman’s narrative.

- Mycenae is a historical site in Greece.

- Illium is an actual Greek city as well.

- Ravi in KoA is named after a Hindi word which means “sun”.

- Strangely enough Ravi’s brother is named Sol after the Roman god of the sun.

- Suria, where Ravi is from, is also a synonym for sun in Hindi.

- Mab is from the story of “Queen Mab”.

- Maeve is a sexual goddess in Irish mythology who was actually raped. So making Maeve a rapist in the books was hurtful.

A/COTAR

- Nagas belong to Hindu/Indian mythology included in a book that’s clearly a very western fantasy and has little to no PoC representation. 

- Illyrians were an actual indo-european tribe with close relations to modern day Albanians. S/JM is not the first person to feature them in her work but other authors have used versions of the name like “Illyria” by Shakespeare, “Ilirea” by Paolini, “Valyria” by GRRM etc. which are acceptable.

- Calan Mai is actually a celebration of spring in Welsh culture. As @gemorsedd put it so eloquently, SJ/M turned it into a festival about Tamlin being unable to control his hormones.

- Hybern is derived from the classic latin name of Ireland which is “Hibernia”. 

- Prythian is a modified version of the ancient name of Britain “Prydain”. COINCIDENTALLY, Prythian VERY closely resembles the UK. It’s also possible that she plagiarised the name from Anne Bishop’s Daughter of Blood.

Note for further reading: Read @blakeseptember’s about why SJ/M was especially insensitive in including Prythia and Hybern in the ways she did: https://blakeseptember.tumblr.com/post/187088853587/hybern-as-ireland

- Bharat is actually the Hindi name for India which is mentioned in ACO/TAR. Not only is it mentioned that Feyre’s father was sailing to Bharat to trade in cloth and spices (which was exactly what British colonialists and traders did when they sailed to India), it’s also said, quite clearly, that Feyre’s mother died of Typhus while her cousin died of Malaria (IN BHARAT). By doing so SJ/M is blatantly promoting a very colonialist view of India. 

The Malaria mention: “My mind was void, a blank mess of uselessness. Could it be some sort of disease? My mother had died of typhus and her cousin had died of malaria after going to Bharat. But none of those symptoms seemed to match a riddle. Was it a person?”

The Trade of cloth and spices: “I swallowed. ‘Eight years ago he amassed our wealth on three ships to sail to Bharat for invaluable spices and cloth.’”

- Myrmidons feature in A/COWAR. The Myrmidons is actually a nation from Ancient Greek mythology (led by Achilles in the siege of Troy). 

- Harem pants which are worn in parts of South and Middle-east Asia feature in the books where they’re introduced into a court consisting of white people only.

- F/eyre’s floral tattoos are very reminiscent of mehendis which are very important to Indian, Arabic and North African cultures but it’s a trait given to a white woman here. Read this post.

C/RESCENT CITY

- Danaan is from Tuatha de Danaan (celtic mythology) / Danaans is another name for Greece in the Iliad, used interchangeably with “Argives” and “Achaeans”.

- Avallen is Avalon (the legend of King Arthur). Ruhn’s story also bears a very close resemblance to the legend.

- 6 point star = Star of David

- Lehabah = a word in Hebrew meaning "a flame" (להבה)

- Mount Hermon = an actual mountain place in the northern part of Israel.  In Hebrew: הר החרמון.

- SPQM’s full form is Senatus Populusque Midgard. Which is awfully close to the SPQR of the ancient Roman empire which is Senatus Populusque Romanus

- The river Tiber mentioned in CC is actually a Roman river.

- Midgard, in Norse mythology, is the home of mankind. In Norse mythology.

- Sandriel: Comes from the angel Sadriel, the angel of order. S/JM added an “n.”

- Orion “Hunt” A/thalar: First name is pretty obvious, Orion as in the hunter which is where his name “Hunt” comes from. Probably from the god Attar called Athtar in Southern Arabia. Attar is sometimes considered a storm god explaining his lightning powers, but also linked to the Morningstar aka Lucifer. No explanations are given regarding as to how the constellations of our world are the same as that of SJ/M’s fantasy AU.

- Shahar Daystar: From the dawn deity Shahar. Also linked to Lucifer.

- Jesiba Roga: A Croatian respelling of Baba Yaga. Jesiba Roga, is quite literally just a combination of Ježibaba (a figure closely related to Baba Yaga in West Slavic folklore) and Baba Roga (the Croatian version of of Baba Yaga). 

- Danika Fendyr: Danika is a Slavic dawn deity. Fendyr comes from Fenrir a wolf in Norse mythology. 

- Isaiah: Taken from Isaiah 14:12-15 which details the fall of Lucifer. It’s also easily accessible from Shahar’s Wikipedia page (which may imply that SJ/M uses Wikipedia for research and just steals/lazily incorporates whatever she finds along the way.)

12 “How you are fallen from heaven,

O [a]Lucifer, son of the morning!

How you are cut down to the ground,

You who weakened the nations!

13 For you have said in your heart:

‘I will ascend into heaven,

I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;

I will also sit on the mount of the congregation

On the farthest sides of the north;

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,

I will be like the Most High.’

15 Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol,

To the [b]lowest depths of the Pit.

- Fury Axtar: Hunt is likely related to Attar or maybe even Ishtar or Ashtaroth. It’s unclear right now. Ishtar is sometimes linked to Lucifer as well. It’s possible that she’s named after the Furies in Greek mythology, deities of vengeance.

- Micah Domitus: Micah is a prophet in Judaism.

- Syrinx: A chimera in this book, a nymph known for her devotion to Artemis.

- Urd: The god of flame and shadow possibly the name comes from Urðr one of the three Norns in Norse mythology.

- Luna: A Roman moon goddess

- Cthona: “Chthonic”, in English, describes deities or spirits of the underworld, especially in Ancient Greek religion.

- Vanir: The Vanir are actually group of Norse gods.

- Asphodel Meadows: A section of the ancient Greek underworld where ordinary souls were sent to live after death.

- Hel: Hel is a goddess but also a location in Norse Mythology for the dead. Depictions of Hel depend on the source of the information. It’s strange that Hel and Asphodel Meadows belong in the same place, translating to lazy world building on SJ/M’s part.

- Midgard: In Norse Mythology basically the plane of existence of humans.

- Laconic Mountains: Named after Laconia the administrative capital of Sparta.

- Nidaros: Where Bryce grew up. It’s the ancient name of Norway’s capital when the Christian kings ruled. It’s now called Trondheim.

- Istros River: Taken from Istros of Ancient Greece

- Valbara: Taken from the super continent Vaalbara

- Pangera: probably Pangea, the huge supercontinent on which dinosaurs lived

- Crown of Thorns: In reality it’s a symbol of Jesus but in the book it’s branded onto the foreheads of angels who rebelled in a war some decades ago.

- Keres: Phillip Briggs’s terrorist gang is named after the Keres who are “goddesses who personified violent death and who were drawn to bloody deaths on battle fields.”

- Sailing: A Norse funeral custom for Vikings as seen in movies like How To Train Your Dragon 2 and Thor: The Dark World. Here’s more information on it, but it seems SJ/M got it wrong. Most Vikings were usually cremated and it was mostly used for Kings and Chieftains (Danika might fall into the Chieftain category).

- 33rd Imperial Legion: Could be a reference again to Jesus who was 33 at his death.

- The Ophian rebels (of which the the Keres rebels are a subgroup of) are named after Ophian, and elder Titan in Greek mythology.

Sources I’ve derived some facts from so far:

- Sapir Englard on Goodreads via @spaceshipkat’s tumblr post using Hebrew in CCity.

- @bittenwrath for basically everything in crescent city. 

- @blakeseptember’s tumblr about Hybern’s origins.

- An anon dropped by with “Hel”

- @chenmighty and @tavithelibrarian pointed out the Illyrians.

- @sylphene and @omourningstar for Prydain

- @ok-boomer pointed out that Yulemas, Samhain and Beltain are all pagan holidays.

- @gemorsedd For pointing out Calan Mai

- An anon pointed out the Norns, Danaan and Avalon.

- @mimiofthemalfoys for the Bharat, malaria, typhus, spices and cloth mention.

- @kryingkardashianz for Danaans being another name of Greece and Myrmidions.

- an anon pointed out Nidaros

- @shurislut for mehendi and harem pants

- @sanktaalinaa for Jesiba Roga

- @croissantcitysucks for the Ophian Rebels

[ancientechos]

stories you want to write -

but haven’t yet for one reason or another

I was tagged by @fistsoflightning and unfortunately they will regret this because

Sadly

It’s 99% Emet/Ari AUs and I’m very very vERy sorry 

Tagging @fheythfully @earthlystar @under-the-blood-moonlight @amiahvalroux-ffxiv & whoever else wants to do this! Tried to tag people who haven’t been tagged yet!

Okay stares blankly at my drafts

1. The eldritch Emet AU I started?? Yes, yes, I’m going to continue it...since everything I write turns to fluffy SoL no matter if it even should be slice of life...it is.......slice of life and probably very boring but it gives me an immense amount of serotonin so That Is What Matters. I think. I actually have a short (?) Halloween fic planned around this AU so I guess I’ll post that some time soon rip.

More under a cut because I kind of rambled.

2. Mmmmm some random fantasy AU where Emet is a powerful wizard/sorcerer, of course, embroiled in a prophecy that some girl is going to put an end to his reign. By some coincidences he comes to the assumption this girl must be Ari, so he locks her in a tower in something that’s vaguely Rapunzel-esque but also not. There’s also a Hythlodaeus cursed to be a shoebill, for some reason. This is one of my most actually plot-filled ideas and I’m kind of surprised tbh.

3. A long...time ago...I had an idea...where Ari was a goddess of wishes/dreams? And Emet (probably called Solus in this AU) summoned. I’m not sure whether it by accident or design -- yet -- but in the end he winds up using her to subtly influence his power and position until he becomes Emperor. Similar to my other Solus AU, there are no Ascians in this AU.

4. Speaking of Solus AUs with no Ascians, I have to finish my revenant AU. The first fic ends off with Solus realising that Arianna is not really what she seems, and despite his better judgement he ends up helping her keep a low profile and avoid detection by the rest of the Garleans who don’t really appreciate her...kind. It grows more into some weird kinda nature conservation-y themes and Hythlodaeus has a pretty big role for once.

5. Amaurot fic Amaurot fic Amaurot fic I need to finish my Hades/Persephone Amaurot longfic...that basically spans their entirely relationship (bar the few shorter standalone fics I’ve written) until the fall of Amaurot. There is vague slowburn, there is fluff, and then there is angst and sadness as befitting of (almost) all Amaurot fics. They were actually Bonded before...things happened and never officially annulled partially because, I don’t think they could have gone through with it, and also because things snowballed way too fast. But that’s another ramble for another day.

6. Are we going back to AUs? Okay lets go. SO consider, Ari actually managed to start publishing some books...but...her literary agent is...Emet... .... Yes that is the extent of the AU, there’s some bits with Emet helping her deal with anxiety in a very Emet way of course, and it’s mainly just? My excuse for? More fluff?

7. Last one for now...similar to the one before...but Emet is a mafia boss....who likes some of Ari’s writing...when he learns that she’s writing a new book that concerns the mafia, he decides, for shits and giggles, to help her do “research”. At first they just have some email correspondence and when they finally meet in person, he doesn’t believe Ari is the actual author of those books. Other Things Happen, some mafia-related things happen, and  it’s not really all rainbows and sunshine but it starts out that way.

Honorary mention goes to my Hades-is-a-WoL AU which is almost done hence why I haven’t dumped it here...and also my Emet/Ari fae queen Illya 3-part fic, because the third part is almost done so...yeah.

Thanks for slogging through that text wall and sorry 

[hide-in-imagination]

Kaleidoscope Of Views // an excerpt of the Gary is her father AU

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

Because an anon asked me to write everyone’s reactions to finding out Gary is Ámbar’s father, and because Taylor Swift’s folklore album fed my inspiration. 

I dedicate this oneshot to the anon who wrote me, obviously, and to my friend @theuniversezecho because she loves dissecting every line on my fics and I feel like she’ll have fun with this one doing just that. 

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

Nico was there for it all.

His uncle’s presence had always had some kind of double effect on him. On one side, it made him want to avoid him as much as possible, but on the other, it kept him hyper-aware of everything he did when he was near. Maybe all of it could be summarized in apprehension. In wanting to be ready for whatever he did.

That’s how, when his uncle started talking with a woman he had never seen before, with an expression he had never seen in him either, Nico almost by instinct gravitated toward the scene, keeping a distance but completely tuned in to the conversation.

He hadn’t even noticed Ámbar was in the middle of it until it became evident. He couldn’t believe his ears and eyes as everything unfolded. It was like a scene taken out of a soap opera. It didn’t seem real, but the dawning, heavy feeling in the pit of his stomach was disturbingly real.

Ámbar left the Roller as if her life depended on it. Nico could only imagine what it must have felt like for her. Maybe it really was like she’d collapse onto herself if she stayed there a second longer.

The woman— Silvana, her mom— tried to go after her, but his uncle grabbed her before she could get far.

“You have a lot of explaining to do,” he told her.

Silvana didn’t look like she wanted to talk. She told him as much, that it wasn’t the time, but his uncle roared at that.

“The time passed eighteen years ago, I’m not waiting any longer!”

Silvana looked around then, and her eyes met Nico’s for a fleeting instant.

“Not here,” he heard her say.

His uncle all but dragged her outside after that.

Around the Roller, conversations resumed— or maybe they never stopped— and everything was as usual again. Normal. Calm.

As if nothing had happened.

 ***********************

Pedro noticed Nico had stopped working.

That wasn’t unusual, unfortunately. His friend wasn’t a bum, don’t take him wrong, but he did have a tendency of getting distracted. It could be over anything— a pretty girl, a notification on his phone, a song beginning to play through the speakers of the Roller making him go ‘Bro, this is my jam!’

So, when Pedro saw him standing in the middle of the Roller staring at nothing in particular, he didn’t think any of it at first. He just walked up to him, intending to snap him out of it as always and get him back to work.

When he reached him though, two things became instantly apparent.

One, he hadn’t been staring at nothing as Pedro had thought. The appearance of a wandering, unfocused gaze was just a cover, an attempt at hiding the fact he was actually quite focused on something.  

Two, the scene he was witnessing, and now, in turn, Pedro as well, was very important.

He could tell by the tension between the three, by the tones of their voices and their body language, even before he heard the words that actually changed everything.

Ámbar ran out of there, Gary and the woman quickly followed, and Pedro could do nothing more than stare agape.

He turned to his friend. “Nico?”

Nico looked positively shocked.  

“Did… Did that really just happen?” He asked, meeting Pedro’s gaze. “You heard it too, right? Right? It’s not just me, I’m not hallucinating, right?”

“No, I heard it too,” he confirmed. It was really crazy though. Gary? Ámbar’s father? “Did you know any of this?”

“No! I had no idea!” Nico snapped, distressed. “Oh my god…”

Nico ran a hand through his hair and paced, his face scrunching more and more in confusion.

“So, Ámbar is my cousin? But- But she’s Luna’s cousin. Does this make Luna my cousin too? I- What the fuck is going on?!”

“Okay, slow down, slow down,” Pedro said, placing calming hands on his shoulders. “First of all, there’s no real blood relation between Ámbar and Luna so, no, technically Luna’s not your cousin. Ámbar though... yeah, it appears she is.”

“But- how?! How could we not know any of this before?!”

“Judging by the looks of it, it was a very complicated situation,” Pedro said. It was all he could say, really. Nothing was very clear; not even to those involved, apparently. “Now that I think about it though,” he commented after a pause, “you’re both blond and have fair eyes. It does make kind of sense.”

“You have fair eyes too!” Nico countered. The ‘you idiot’ at the end was implicit. “Are you my lost cousin as well?!”

“Lost cousin?”

Both boys turned to find Simón looking at them with an amused expression.

“What did I miss?” He chuckled.

Pedro and Nico looked at each other.

This was going to be a hard one to explain.

 ***********************

People could say anything they wanted about her, but Jazmín Carvajal was talented.

Perhaps not at studies, or at board games, or at videogames, or at cooking, or at chores, or at swimming— but who cared about any of that? Her talent was better than all of that together, it was the Louis Vuitton of talents. And no, she wasn’t talking about her impeccable fashion sense or enviable good looks. Although, she had been born with both. But whatever, her other talent was still better than those.

Now, people would probably wonder: Jazmín, what could possibly be better than having a great fashion sense? Well, at first, she had thought so too. But then she realized that there was something even better:

Being in the right place at the right time for gossip.

Whether it was arriving at just the right time to see new couples form, or at just the right time to hear juicy secrets, Jazmín had a talent for being there.

And this? This was the juiciest secret to ever juice.

Gary was Ámbar’s father? And her biological mother was not only also in the picture but she was way prettier than Sharon. Now she understood where Ámbar had gotten her beauty from— with those parents there was no way to be anything less than gorgeous. She had to admit, she was a little jealous. But then she remembered she was Jazmín, the Roller’s second prettiest, owner of Ja-Jazmín, and luckiest girl in the world because this news was going to be a HIT.

Right when the Sol Benson drama was starting to subside, life gifted her with this pure gold scoop. Her talent really was the best. Even Delfi, her best friend and biggest competition in the media world, hadn’t been there to see it due to a Uni class. No one had, except Jazmín. If you asked her, it was a divine sign that this was her calling. Being a star/influencer was her destiny.  

Sadly, by the time she realized what was going down, most of it had already been said. She was a little slow at pulling out her tablet discreetly, so she only got to film Ámbar’s storm out and the tense exchange between Gary and Silvana before they left as well. But whatever, she’d just recount the rest. Storytelling was her specialty after all.

Once the coast was clear, Jazmín stood rapidly and walked out of the Roller. Normally, she’d record in the lockers, but she didn’t want anyone to overhear her and find out about everything before she could post her video.

She found a quiet place next to some trees, lifted her tablet and began filming.

“Guys, you will not believe what just happened.”

 ***********************

 Simón could not believe his ears.

Ámbar knew her biological mother? She had never mentioned that. He thought she didn’t know who her real parents were. Well, no, at the time they all thought she was Sol Benson, but then that had turned out to be a lie. When had Ámbar met her real mom? It couldn’t have been in Cancún, unless the woman followed her all the way here. Maybe it had happened shortly after they came back.

Silvana— that’s what the guys had said her name was. They’d also said that, apparently, Ámbar didn’t get along with her at all. That made sense. If the woman had appeared out of nowhere after 18 years of absence— years in which she had to live with Sharon— Ámbar had valid reasons to be resentful.

Simón wondered how it must’ve been for her to see her for the first time. To finally be able to put a face to the empty space.

Then the guys finished their recounting and he didn’t have to wonder anymore. He could picture it better than he wanted to.  

“She ran out.”

“It was too much.”

“She was very upset. I honestly had never seen her like that.”  

Simón had.

He had seen her sad, had seen her lost, had seen her trying to act strong with tears in her eyes.

If it had been like that or worse…

Simón found himself wishing he had been there. But for what? What would he have done? Run after her? He didn’t do that anymore. They weren’t like that anymore.

Wanting to be by her side was almost nostalgic, except the feeling was too wrapped in barbed wire to be remotely nice.

(And could it really be nostalgic if it had only been two months? If he still had flashbacks in dreams? If he hated himself for seeing her sometimes and not hating her as much as he wanted to?)

Simón got back to work along with the guys. But as he delivered orders or wiped tables, the image of Ámbar remained in his mind; sad, lost and broken as those times before, but this time alone. It came with the anxious thought that, if he wanted to, he could find her. He knew he could. If he just walked out that door, he’d know where to find her.

But he stayed where he was, because he had promised himself not to go near her again.

She probably wanted to be alone anyway. She’d want to pull herself together before having to face anyone again. She had a lot to think, a lot to come to terms with— surely the calm of solitude would help with that. And even if she wanted someone… it surely wasn’t him.

And so, the minutes ticked by. He wouldn’t be able to say exactly how many, but it had been a while when Gary returned.

Simón saw him immediately, but he didn’t notice him. He was by himself. His conversation with Ámbar’s mom must have ended and she left. Would she come back another day to see Ámbar? Simón wasn’t sure if he wanted that or not.  

His thoughts, though, focused on the one that was there. Gary. Gary López. The new representative of Vidia and manager of the Roller. The creator and manager of the Red Sharks. Ámbar probably had a good image of him due to that, before. Then she’d had to watch that image corrode into the man that should’ve but was never there.

Simón knew Gary was arrogant and selfish. He had swayed Vidia into dropping the music business because he wanted to pursue rollerskating instead. He had dismantled their skating team for deeming them not good enough and forbidden them from using the rink. All of that he’d done it without the slightest empathy.

But one thing was to be a business obsessive man willing to push everyone aside in order to get what he wanted, and another very different one was to be the kind of man capable of causing an irreparable damage to a person that was his responsibility and carry on with his life as if it was nothing.  

If Simón didn’t like Gary before, now he hated him.

“Nico,” Gary called the instant he spotted his nephew. “Come here.”  

Nico left the table he had been cleaning and went to his side obediently. Simón stood close to them, watchful.  

“Yes, uncle?”

“Ámbar’s not picking up her phone and I need to find her, any idea where she could’ve gone?”

“Um, I don’t know. Her house, maybe?”

Gary pulled out his phone. “Send me the address.”

Nico pulled out his own phone and began searching for it.

Simón moved towards them.

“Nico, don’t.”

Both turned to him as Simón stood next to Nico and put a hand on top of his phone, pushing it down. “Don’t give him anything.”

Gary glared at him. “Who told you this was your call? Mind your own business,” he spat.  

“If Ámbar’s not answering your calls then she doesn’t want to talk to you,” Simón reasoned firmly.

“Well, I need to speak with her, I’m not asking for your opinion.” He turned to his nephew. “Nico.”

Nico looked nervous at the threat in his voice, but Simón kept his hand stubbornly over his phone. He stood in front of Gary and stared him down.

“Do you even realize how hard this must be for her?” He said indignantly. “Have some empathy and give her some space—”

“The one who doesn’t understand anything is you!” Gary roared, taking Simón by surprise, but he managed not to back down one centimeter. “I didn’t know any of this, I didn’t even know I had a daughter walking around somewhere— So don’t come telling me to have some empathy because the only one who knows exactly what she’s feeling right now is me!”

Simón was left as if in pause.

He hadn’t been expecting the outburst. No; that wasn’t exactly right. Gary was known for being short-tempered. He could be calm and then screaming at some poor soul the next second. Simón had been prepared to stand his ground against that.

But, the thing was, those outbursts were always based on anger, on annoyance. And while this one had much of that too, there was an emotionality, a raw anguish in his eyes and voice that Simón had never seen or expected to see in Gary.

And so, against all logic and all he thought he knew, Simón found himself forced to accept what was in front of him.

He does care.

Gary seemed to realize his slip. He squared his shoulders and lifted his chin, straightening the scarf over his chest. Simón recognized the gesture, the physical display of putting his guard back up. His heart skipped when he realized from where.

Ámbar does the same.

“She needs to know I had no idea,” Gary stated, serene now but with the same firmness of steel. “So, Nico,” he said turning to him again, “hurry up.”

Simón saw Nico glance at him out of the corner of his eye. A question.

Simón lowered his hand.

Nico lifted his phone and typed on it for a while. He looked at his uncle and said, “Sent.” Gary checked his phone and turned to leave.

“I don’t think she’ll be at her house.”

Gary stopped in his tracks and turned. Simón met his gaze.

“Check the park around the corner. That’s where she used to go when she was upset.”

Gary didn’t say ‘thank you’, but the feeling was there in the one courteous nod he gave him before heading out.

Simón watched him go, clenched fists and anxious heart.

He hoped he had done the right thing.

 ***********************

Luna, Nina, Jim and Yam had just finished P.E class, their last class of the day, when they found out about everything through Jazmín’s video.

Luna had been the last one to finish changing from her gym clothes back to regular ones. When she walked out of the dressing rooms, she saw all her friends were already on the schoolyard and hurried towards them.

“Sorry I’m late, I’m ready now,” she said as she reached them. “What are you watching?”

They were all glued together looking at something in Jim’s phone. They turned to her and there was an expression in their faces Luna couldn’t pinpoint.

“Luna, you need to see this,” Nina said, at the same time as Jim passed her the phone.

“What is it?” Luna frowned, receiving it. It was open on a video in Jazmín’s channel. All girls gravitated toward her as Luna tapped ‘play’, watching it along with her over her shoulders.

At first, it was just Jazmín’s typical blabbering, but as the video went on Luna’s eyes widened, and by the time it ended, she was totally agape.

“What?” She uttered, blinking rapidly as if the video she just watched would disappear from the screen and prove to be a figment of her imagination. “Wait, wait, wait, wait, is this real? Gary is Ámbar’s dad?”

“Well, there’s not much video of the moment but, why would Jazmín lie about something like this?” Nina reasoned, who also looked taken aback.

“Yeah, I mean, Jazmín may want to make her channel popular but, she wouldn’t just make up something like this to achieve that,” Yam said.

“Yeah, Jazmín is not a liar,” Jim agreed, “so we can only assume she’s saying the truth.”

“Wow…” Luna murmured. It was the only thing she was capable of saying.

“‘Wow’ is cutting it short,” Nina said. “Statistically speaking, this is something near impossible. I mean- Gary didn’t get here because of Ámbar, he came because Vidia hired him and he happened to get interested in the skating business. If none of that had happened, he and Ámbar would never even have crossed paths. This is like— less likely than getting struck by lightning.”

“And if Ámbar’s mom hadn’t appeared and Gary hadn’t recognized her, they never would’ve even known either,” Jim added, just as surprised as the rest.

“The worst part is that, if we look at their actions, it makes sense that they’re related,” Yam reflected. “I mean, Ámbar has done nothing but harm the Roller lately, and in the short time Gary’s been here he’s done exactly the same. Except worse because he’s the manager and therefore he can do whatever he likes.”

“You think they’ll join forces against us?” Nina asked worriedly.

Luna shook her head.

“No, no, no, stop. You’re getting way ahead of yourselves,” she reproached. “Ámbar just found out that he’s her father— Do you really think she even cares about the Roller or us right now? Finding out about something like this is very shocking. Didn’t you see how she ran away? She must be very upset.”

The girls looked shamefaced.  

“Yeah, you’re right,” Jim said. “It must be very tough.”

“Yes,” Yam expelled reluctantly. “Although it’s a little hard for me to feel sorry for her after all she’s done.”

After some coaxing from Luna, the girls continued with their daily routine of dropping off their bags and then meeting again at the Roller as usual.

As Luna walked home though, she thought that nothing was ‘as usual’ anymore. Her whole life had changed in the last couple of months, and now things kept changing around her at a dizzying speed.

Luna didn’t want more things to change. She wanted some sense of normalcy back into her life, like the warm feeling of happiness and belonging that washed over her whenever she was with Simón.

The Roller team didn’t exist anymore, they weren’t allowed to skate in the rink she loved so much, her given name was Sol Benson which meant everything was different and her biological parents were long gone… She didn’t know how she would be dealing with all of it if it wasn’t for Simón accompanying her all summer, the unconditional love of her parents, the grandpa she didn’t know she had, and the girls, who were always there for her.

Now Ámbar knew who her real parents were too, but, unlike hers, Ámbar’s were alive, which meant she actually had to face them.  

And, unlike her, Ámbar didn’t have that many people around.

Well, it’s her own fault, a little voice protested in her head, but Luna couldn’t help but feeling sympathy for her. After all, she knew very well what it felt like to uncover your past, and no matter what bad things she had done, no one deserved to be alone during a time like that.

She could only hope that the Red Sharks would act as a support for her, although she doubted it with the kind of people they were. Ramiro perhaps would want to help, although he and Ámbar were never really close.

Luna was the one farthest from Ámbar, they always had been, but at the same time, she had moments in which she felt like they were the ones who could get the other the most. At least on some level. If only they could understand each other… but Ámbar had never wanted to get along with her.

Luna sighed, half from tiredness and half from frustration.  

She was gonna try to be nice to Ámbar during this time— like she always had, to be fair— but if Ámbar kept pushing everyone away, there was nothing she could do.

 ***********************

 Juliana looked at her watch and back at the three teenagers in front of her.

“Still no news from Ámbar?”

Benicio lowered his phone from his ear. “She’s not picking up.”

“Something must have happened,” Ramiro said. “Ámbar has never been the kind to skip training sessions, and she’s always on time.”  

“Well, what do we do?” Emilia asked. “Do we train without her?”

Juliana looked at her watch again, seeming troubled. She was probably thinking of how to adjust steps that required couples to just three people. For Ramiro it wasn’t an issue because he was paired up with Emilia, so he was more worried about why Ámbar hadn’t appeared than about the training session.

“Juliana.”  

Ramiro looked to the side and saw Simón standing near the entrance of the rink.

“Can I speak with you?” He asked.

With a slight frown, Juliana nodded. “Yeah, sure.” She turned to the trio. “Try contacting her one last time,” she told them and walked toward Simón.

“As if I hadn’t sent her a bunch of messages already,” Emilia said with a roll of her eyes, but she unlocked her phone anyway.

Ramiro focused his gaze on Juliana and Simón. He couldn’t hear what they were saying from he was standing and Juliana’s back was to him, but he could see Simón’s face and he looked serious as he spoke. Juliana must have asked something because Simón shook his head no. He looked somewhat... unhappy? No. Worried, maybe. Ramiro wondered what it could be about.

It was over as soon as he formed that thought though. Simón walked away from the rink and Juliana returned to their side.

“Ámbar is not gonna come today.”

“What? Why?” Benicio asked, voicing Ramiro’s thoughts.

“I don’t know, but she’ll tell us whenever she comes back,” Juliana replied. Ramiro frowned. If that’s what they had talked about, why didn’t Simón tell her? “In the meantime, today we’ll—”

“I think I know why.”

Everyone turned to Emilia. She tapped on her phone and positioned herself so everyone could see the screen. Juliana protested at first, claiming they were already behind in their training and it wasn’t the time to watch silly videos, but then, as Jazmín’s tale went on, even she was left speechless.

The video came to an end and there was a collective silence. Ramiro felt it as one of those moments during skating when you connected with your partner on a level so instinctual that you almost became one mind. At this moment, they were all processing the same.

Benicio was the first one to react.

“I gotta go see her.”

He attempted to skate away, but Juliana stopped him immediately with a hand on his chest.

“You will do nothing of the sort, you’re staying right here,” she declared firmly. “All of you.”

“But Juliana,” Emilia said, looking bothered, “this is…”

“I know,” Juliana said, more softly now. “And I’m sure Ámbar is going through a lot right now, so if really you want to help her, give her time to process all of this. Okay?”

Ramiro understood the logic of what Juliana was saying, and if Benicio’s and Emilia’s deflated stances said anything, they understood it as well. And Ámbar was not his friend by any means or even someone he had talked to that much. But…

“Does she have to process it alone?” He had to ask.

Juliana looked at him.

“This kind of news?  …Yes.”

That afternoon, Juliana put them up to do individual training. Ramiro loved perfecting himself so it was an almost ideal outcome for him, but even though he tried to focus wholeheartedly on his footwork, his thoughts kept jumping back to Ámbar intermittently.

Like- First they had convinced her that she was Sol Benson when in reality it was Luna –that alone was enough to merit an existential crisis— and now she had to deal with this? If Ramiro had to deal with a life like that then, fuck, he’d be burning things down too.

He had said that he didn’t care about his Red Sharks teammates, only about their skating abilities and the chances the team had at succeeding and making it big. His friends were the Roller guys, even if they were mad at him, and that wasn’t going to change. But maybe he’d make an exception.

After all, Ámbar had been part of the Roller Team once too. And from the look of things… She was gonna need a friend.

 ***********************

 The instant the video ended, Delfi was already marking Pedro on her phone.

“Hello, my l—"

“Is it true?” She fired instantly.

“What is?”

She could perfectly picture his frown of confusion but she had no time for it.

“Is Gary Ámbar’s dad?” She quickly clarified.

“Wh- How do you know about that?!” He asked, stunned.

“So it is true!” She replied agape. “Oh my god!”

She was speed-walking through her campus, meaning to take a cab the moment she was outside. She had to go to the Roller asap.

“Delfi, seriously, how did you find out? I thought you were in class.”

“Jazmín made a video about it and posted it on Ja-Jazmín.”

“What? I didn’t even see her there. Oh god.”

“How is Ámbar? Is she there?”

“No, she never came back. Gary either. Her mother even less, she looked like she didn’t want to be near Gary for another second.”

“Wow… I can’t believe all of this, it’s so crazy. I mean, what are the odds that precisely her biological father would be put in charge of the very place she had frequented all her life AND the new skating team she is now part of? This is insane.”

“Tell me about it. Nico is freaking out.”

“Oh my god, Nico! Right, this makes them cousins! Wow…” She finally got to the street and turned her gaze to the traffic. “Now that I think about it, they do look quite alike.”

“I said the same thing!” Pedro jumped, maybe a little too excited, but it warmed Delfi too that they had thought the same. “At least genetically it adds up.”

“Was anyone else there when it happened?”

“Only Simón. Although he didn’t see it first-hand, Nico and I told him.”

Delfi told him to hold as she climbed into the cab and gave the driver the destination.

“And what was his reaction?” she asked once she was settled. “I mean, I know he’s still mad at Ámbar for what happened, but he did have a thing for her at one point…”

Pedro sighed. “I think that thing you mention may not be as in the past as we thought,” he said worriedly.  

She frowned. “Why do you say so?”

“You should’ve seen how he confronted Gary when he returned asking for Ámbar’s address. He blatantly told him to leave her alone and have some empathy.”

“Oh wow. Was Gary mad?”

“Super mad. He yelled at him, told him he had no idea what it was like and that he had no right to meddle. Simón had no other choice but to let him be.”

Delfi sighed, staring out the window as the streets passed and blurred together.

“Yeah, I think the only ones who really know what it feels like are Ámbar and Gary.” The rest of them could imagine it but… No, scratch that, she couldn’t imagine it.

“You know Ámbar is not my friend anymore,” she continued. “And truthfully, I’m happy it is that way, but… I don’t know, I think this whole thing is awful. I hope she and Gary can talk and figure things out. I hope he’ll be nice to her. Although, it’s very unlikely because Gary it’s a brute. I mean, neither of them are very good people but… I still hope they can clear things up, get along, bond… It’d be awful if Gary denied her. Or if he ran away; she doesn’t deserve that. I mean, sure, Ámbar it’s no innocent flower but, as much pain as she’s caused, I don’t want Gary to treat her badly…” She paused, going over her own words. “…Is it silly of me to think that?” She asked, feeling unsure.

There was a small silence before he answered.

“No. It just goes to show the amazing, beautiful girl you are.”

Delfi could hear the smile in his voice, see the tenderness written in his expression as clear as if he were with her, and it made a thousand butterflies flutter in her stomach.

She smiled warmly. “You are the amazing one. The best boyfriend any girl could ask for.” She looked out the window again. “I’ll be there in a couple minutes, talk to you there?”  

“I’ll have an apple juice ready for when you arrive.”

God, could he be any sweeter?

“Thank you. See you soon. I love you.”

“Love you too.”

Delfi put her phone back into her bag and let out a long sigh.

Yeah, she was quite content with her life right now. She wouldn’t change it for the world.

 ***********************

 When Matteo arrived at the Roller after some long classes at University, he had been hoping for some peace. Studying Business Administration wasn’t as boring as he had feared, made even more bearable each time he imagined himself owning his own record company. The classes could be very tedious though, and the amount of information his teachers could shoot his way in one hour and a half was as impressive as it was tiring.

Matteo wanted to relax, but just walking into the cafeteria, he realized that wouldn’t be possible.

Tension hung heavy in the air as everyone was gathered talking about something. Matteo heard them mention Ámbar and Gary and he immediately prepared himself for the worse.

“What happened?” He asked as he joined the group.

“You didn’t see Jazmín’s video?” Yam asked.

He frowned. “No, I haven’t seen anything, why?”

There seemed to be a silent conversation between everyone. Luna looked at Simón. He didn’t seem happy, but he sighed and made a gesture as if saying ‘go ahead.’ Matteo felt the usual jab of jealousy he got each time he watched them together, but he pushed it down. He was more worried about what Gary and Ámbar could’ve done this time.

He expected to hear some new, unfair prohibition, like they couldn’t be in the Roller for more than two hours at a time or something.

He did not expect what they actually told him.

“What?” He looked at everyone, searching for signs that they were messing with him. “Are you serious? Gary?”  

“Yeah, we couldn’t believe it either,” Pedro said.

“I still can’t believe it,” said Nico. “I mean- Ámbar is my cousin. This is so weird.”

It was weird. It was very weird indeed. Just with Luna turning out to be Sol Benson, Matteo thought he had met his quota of coincidences for the rest of his life. Apparently not.  

He was still getting his head around everything Nico and Pedro had told him when, suddenly, many voices rose at once.

“Jazmín!”  

“Where have you been?”

“We called you many times!”

Jazmín looked absolutely ecstatic and unconcerned as she entered the Roller and came up to them.  

“I was doing some celebratory shopping!” She said cheerily, showing off the shopping bag in her hand. “What are you doing all gathered like this? Ah, I know, you’re talking about my video, right?” She grinned. “Isn’t it the best? I totally made it in a rush but it’s such a hit, guys. You have no idea how many comments I’m getting. Everyone is so shocked by the news!”

“Jazmín…” Delfi said in a disapproving tone, but she didn’t seem to notice.

“Now tell me, what were your thoughts? I mean, besides the fact I look gorgeous in this outfit,” she said with a flip of her hair. “Do you think Gary will take a paternity test? Many people seem to think so, but I think that with how alike they look it’d be a joke to take one– I mean, how do you deny that?”

“Jazmín.”

Simón’s voice finally stopped her. He stood in front of her and looked at her seriously.

“You need to delete that video right now,” he said in a polite but rigid manner.

Jazmín snorted. “What? Are you crazy? Is my biggest success so far!”

“What you told in that video was something private, not something for everyone to find out about,” he reprimanded. “It wasn’t right for you to upload that.”

Jazmín’s smile finally fell and her posture turned defensive.

“And was it right when she burned down the rink?” She demanded. “Was it right when she gave our choreography to The Sliders? Or when she bought dislikes to my video in the Vidia competition? Guys, it’s Ámbar,” she reminded them, in a tone that suggested it was silly to be even talking about it. “She has done worse things.”  

No one jumped to contradict that and Matteo could understand why. Everyone had been affected by Ámbar in one way or another.

Which is precisely why it was so telling when Luna, the one who had been targeted the most, was the one to intercede on her behalf. She told Jazmín that Simón was right, that even though Ámbar had done bad things, those had nothing to do with what was happening now.

Not a day went by that Matteo wasn’t amazed by how big Luna’s heart was.

Jim was the next one to say she agreed, and it was written in everyone else’s faces that they did as well, even if begrudgingly.

With one last “please” from Simón’s lips, Jazmín finally gave in and deleted the video. She moved to one of the chairs and sat down, sad, holding her shopping bag to her chest as if it was a plush toy. The pout remained on her face even after everyone else carried on with their day.

Unfortunately, it didn’t matter much now if the video was gone. Deleting it was more a nice gesture than anything else considering the ton of views it had. Everyone who knew Ámbar probably knew everything already.

Matteo settled down at one of the tables with an orange juice, and his thoughts went back to their dating days. Ámbar used to love having videos made about them, showing off how perfect they were. Or just about her, to bask in people’s love and attention. To be honest, he couldn’t completely blame Jazmín for not having thought twice when Ámbar used to be like that.

But she was not that Ámbar anymore, just as he was no longer the same.

There was a shift that occurred in the mind of a person that used to live for praise when they realized image was of no help when they needed it most. When they realized they couldn’t get what they truly wanted because they didn’t know how, because in the world of appearances it was never taught how.

Something happened at that moment. Something that Matteo knew very well because he had been through that too.

The visibly defined lines in the world seemed to fade, like a chessboard with no squares, leaving you in doubt of how to move. You had to rebuild your sense of self, but without the polished, beautiful vase of glass that had always been there, water had no shape.

Matteo had slowly found his way thanks to the people around him. His friends had shown him there were other scales to weigh his worth. Luna taught him that not being bound by fixed contours could be a good thing— it allowed new, better things to come in.

Matteo was a slow learner. He still had times when he felt that to lose or win defined if he had worth or not. He lashed out when he felt insecure. He lost Luna for it. But he had a sense now of who he was and what he wanted. He was still like a clay figure made by a kindergartener, but he was getting there.

Ámbar though, seemed to had collapsed without a direction. From the spilled water had risen a storm, still shapeless and chaotic, but strong enough and deathly enough to keep any harm from ever touching her again.

Matteo wondered what she would do now that her past had hit her and her present had changed. Now that everyone knew what was happening, turning her storm into no more than a snow globe, displayed for everyone to see.

Would she become even worse? Like a vengeful hurricane destroying everything in its wake?  

Or would she finally subdue her waves into a less hostile tide and allow someone to try to reach her?

Knowing Ámbar, he feared it would be the first. From his experience, he hoped it would be the second. But if she let someone like Gary in— would that be a good or a bad thing?

After everything Ámbar had done to the Roller and the team, he doubted anyone else would want to get near.  

But maybe…

He looked over to the side and watched Simón as he took the orders from one of the tables.

Maybe the one who tried once would be willing to do it again.

After all, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right?

Matteo took a long sip of his drink and leaned back in his chair.

Only time would tell.

 …

..

.

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

This was a very fun writing exercise for me. I had to get into a lot of character’s minds and, sometimes, it was like I wasn’t even the one writing anymore. There are some lines here that make me proud, but I feel like I can’t take the credit for them because they came to me almost as if something had possessed me. 

In my experience, though, that’s the best kind of writing. 

I hope you liked this and thank you for reading ♡  — C 

[wildselkie]

Top 10 Scenes in TDP Season 1 (pt. 1/3)

Top 10 Scenes in TDP Season 1 (pt. 1/3)

*not ordered in which is better or worse, but it will be in chronological order*

Also some things are worded weirdly. I have a pain in the ass time trying to get my thoughts across in words so... I thank you for your patience :))

_________________________________________

1) The scene where Callum, Ezran, and Rayla find the dragon prince. Ep. 2

I think this is one of the more pivotal moments in the show. I mean it is literally the scene that sets the story in motion after all! Two human princes, an elf assassin, and the lost dragon prince (who was thought to be dead/gone/egg destroyed(?)).. this is just IT.

*also i’m aware that Ez probably found the egg first cos he already knew about this secret area but still

2) Viren (attempts to) proposes the idea to trade his life in for Harrow. Ep. 3

Now there are other well thought and well written posts on this scene with Viren and Harrow, so I won't waste your time with all the gushy stuff. I find this scene important because it shows the lengths that Viren would go for his friend. Whether he's doing out of the goodness of his heart or some other selfish reason... maybe both(?)..

!WARNING! MINI VIREN POST ALERT EVEN THO I SAID I WOULDN'T GET INTO IT

In the book Moon, it dives deeper into the plot along with expressing the characters' thoughts and feelings. As for Viren, it's stated in the book that he wanted to:

"offer his life for Harrow's, but he wanted him to understand that this was more than just a sacrifice of a subject to his king. This was personal"

"... he would need to be straightforward. He wanted to say simply I love you and I will die for you" (Ehasz 80).

I have no doubts that Viren didn't not love Harrow or anything of the sorts, but at the same time it feels like there was another motive. Maybe there was, who knows.

All we know about Viren is that he's a father of two (Claudia & Soren), divorced/ separated from his wife, and he's a dark mage. Of course there's some more (like he's taller than Harrow according to the character line up)... also his staff... like if you look at it, it's the same one as the mage who faced Sol Regem all those centuries (?) ago. Maybe he's related to him, or possibly descended from one of the followers. I'd imagine that teaching dark magic may be a thing within his family and ancestors... he taught Claudia dark magic. That doesn't prove anything but it's a small thought.

ANYWAY-- this scene is one of many scenes that show Viren in a vulnerable state. The book gives a look into how he felt when he decided to sacrifice himself and everything. It's just interesting and I'm here for it. 

3) Amaya and her weapons grade baguette Ep. 4

On a less serious and more fun note, the fact that Amaya is a breakfast connoisseur is just perfect. Amazing. Fantabulous.

"As a breakfast connoisseur, she was offended that Ezran would neglect a hearty morning meal" (Ehasz 120).

I only emboldened and italicized "offended" because in the show YOU CAN LITERALLY SEE HER FACE WHEN EZ TELLS HER.

Bruh she was so offended lmaooo

It's right at 13:36 time in the show... the slow zoom in and all 😂

4) Amaya and Gren meeting Viren at the statue Ep. 5

I’m trying to see if I should have paired this with the first scene where Amaya arrives first. That scene is pretty calm but has a somber feeling. It introduces the relationship of Amaya and Sarai without having to directly say it. 

But this scene here is... interesting. Not in a good way or bad way, but we see they’re reminiscing of the past. At some point, they all got along nicely. Callum even noted in his spellbook that Viren’s family became like a second family to him when he moved to the castle. 

This interaction was cute tho. It started out positive (sort of) with them joking about Viren eating the last jelly tart which pissed Sarai off lol. But then Viren went on to apologize to Amaya and reassured her that what he does is out of the goodness of his heart and love for Katolis. But...

“Aaaaand, he’s back, Amaya thought” (Ehasz 150). 

And then went on to sign that he’s on a bunch of bs. See? Even Amaya knows he’s full of shit lol. But really tho... it makes me wonder how much of bs Viren goes on even before the events of the current story line. 

5) Rayla saves Bait from the sea monster Ep. 5

Let us give a round of applause for Rayla going against her fear of water to save Bait, the grumpy frog who hates her. I think this just goes to show how compassionate Rayla really is. This would include the time when she goes back to grab bait back in the banther lodge in episode 4. 

6) Viren giving his kids their *secret* missions Ep. 6

Okay this isn’t just one scene. I cheated yeah yeah whatever >:3

When Viren is telling Soren what he must do when he finds the princes, at first he doesn’t fully get it, but then.. OH n0

Viren’s intentions are starting to unfold and come together as one. Like, this man just told his own SON that should he find the princes, he should kill them. This 18 yr old bby 

bruh

And Viren didn’t say it aloud, but he heavily implied it. Only to then gaslight him later on when Claudia confronts him in prison. 

As for Claudia, Viren tells her that she must retrieve the egg. And do everything in her power to bring it back, even if it means that she’ll have to sacrifice Soren... her own damn brother ;-;

7) When Callum finally lets Rayla hold the egg Ep. 6

This scene is pretty big. Rayla knows that Harrow is long gone and is trying to find a way to tell them. Obviously she doesn’t choose the best time to try it.

They were in a dire situation that could potentially kill them (even tho they had plenty of those moments already). The reason why this scene is so big is because it shows her struggle to break the bad news (ever since the right binding fell) as she continues to grow closer to them. Here you can see Callum passing the egg to her, despite her hand being in the terrible state that it is in. It is also the scene where right before passing it, he finally tells Rayla that he trusts her. 

8) Human Rayla!! Ep. 7

Human Rayla is so corny but it’s the good kind of corny. One of the best comedic jokes in the series! 

That is all cos human Rayla needs an AU of being a nighttime tv host or smthg

9) Viren and Runaan Ep. 8

yo this is alot okay. The scenes with these two introduced some Moonshadow philosophy and such (ie. not being scared of death). Runaan being the stoic and serious assassin that he is. And Viren not having any of this shit. 

There are three major things here:

 Runaan knows about the mirror and is most likely aware of who Aaravos is. He literally says, “That mirror? You have found something worse than death.” Goddamn...

And then Viren just... trapped his soul.. his essence into a goddamn coin. Just like that? wow. And hold it, almost admiring it in front of Gren. 

Also this is the first time we officially see Viren in that form. In the beginning of episode 5 we are given a darkened silhouette of Viren and the butterflies. But here we see the damage resulted from years of having done dark magic, and it’s horrifying. He is the high mage and all but goddamn. I mean with every action there are consequences so- 

10) Callum destroying the primal stone Ep. 9

I feel like this is one of the “of course it’s this one!” scenes but it really is! Callum realizes that only a sky dragon can be hatched in the eye of storm and there he is with a literal storm in his hand. By now, Callum has come to understanding what feels right and that being a mage is his destiny. But he also understands that he needs to sacrifice some things for new beginnings. This whole journey was to get the lost dragon prince home and restore balance and peace and with the egg starting to die... well you can’t really do that without the egg. 

It’s at 18:50 where he realizes all of this. It’s one of the big boy moments in the show. Seriously, it’s a big moment and the suspension helped get the feels in. And we got a cute baby dragon!! 

End, begin. it’s all the same. (pls someone get that reference ;-;;;)

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

Some honorable mentions:

- Episode 7: Claudia and Soren interacting. I love their sibling bond; it’s so silly and sweet and I love it. It makes me wish I had an older brother of some sort. 

Ellis and Ava,, I like the flashback story given when they meet the dragang. I just like it, okay? Smol chiald w/ smol wolf pup and a hippie Lujaane seeing the beauty & strength in Ava. 

CGI Coran. That all I have to say about that guy lmao

- Episode 8: When the group is going up the cursed caldera and they encounter that giant leech. Like can we just appreciate Callum’s funny way of making out a plan? Fat respect for that. 

Another is when the group split up and waited for the leech to leave. The conversation between Ellis and Callum were sweet as was the one between Rayla and Ez. I loved Ellis’s admiration for Callum being a mage. And her expectations of what a mage was is pretty hilarious. So wholesome. The same goes for Ez when he gave Rayla that daily fill of positivity. 

Like... Ellis is telling Callum how smart and confident and cool he is. And meanwhile Callum is like... it’s not me, it’s this. *whips out primal stone* And she goes on to tell him that she believe he’ll be amazing with or without the stone. 

And Rayla is telling Ez how she failed in her job of killing the enemy. And Ez is telling her how she’s awesome at everything she does.

this is the positive wholesome shit I come for like... this is parallels but GODDAMNIT it’s so.. ;;;;-;;

Yo this is long ENOUGH! Thank you so damn much if you read to the end. You’re the real beauties. Anywho... uh parts 2 and 3 will be up soon. 

 It’s 11 now so I need some sleep. goodnight kids

[gunnerpalace]

YourIchiRuki (Neapolitan Ice Cream): The BattleTech AU

SUMMARY

A very slow burn (500,000+ words just for setup) of Yoruichi, Ichigo, and Rukia trying to figure out how to deal with feelings and making a relationship work in a universe beset by war and political intrigue, as complicated by the fact that they are A. mercenaries, B. members of the nobility, and C. more than a little incredulous as to how they wound up in this mess in the first place, as set within a Bleach-y adaption of the BattleTech setting.

SETTING OVERVIEW

It is the year 3016. The Inner Sphere, a region approximately 1,000 light-years in diameter encompassing some 2 million stars and 2,000 inhabited planets, is split among five Successor States of the defunct Star League, each ruled by a Great House:

The Lyran Commonwealth, ruled by House Kuchiki

The Draconis Combine, ruled by House Shihōin

The Federated Suns, ruled by House Shiba

The Capellan Confederation, ruled by House Fujita

The Free Worlds League, ruled by House Hasegawa

The Periphery and Deep Periphery beyond their reach remain comparatively disorganized. Earth and the Sol System are ruled by ComStar, currently headed by Primus Sōsuke Aizen.

The Third Succession War, one in a series of conflicts waged nominally to restore the Star League, rages onward and is entering its 150th year. It is fought through all available means of combined arms warfare, but the premiere platform of the conflict is the BattleMech, an armored walking war machine piloted by a MechWarrior.

The young Archon of the Lyran Commonwealth, Byakuya Kuchiki (26) has come to learn of the acquisition by the Federated Suns of the so-called Halstead Collection, a trove of Star League-era documents recovered during a military strike against a Draconis Combine staging area that was under construction. Realizing that House Shiba is nearing completion of their New Avalon Institute of Science to study the collection, he devises a plot to infiltrate the institution and gain access whatever secrets might have been found.

The linchpin of his plot is the world of Edo[1], a massively developed commercial and industrial hub. The cosmopolitan nature of Edo provides an easy means of inserting an agent into the society of the Federated Suns who can assume the identity of a native and then work their way onto the staff of the NAIS without raising suspicions. To this end, Byakuya dispatches his "adopted" younger sister, Baroness[2] Rukia Kuchiki (22), on an infiltration and reconnaissance mission, in order that she might prove herself. She is afforded a BattleMech[3] painted in Draconis Combine livery for the sake of additional deception and self-defense should anything go wrong (the Draconis Combine long having had designs on Edo).

After analyzing available data, Rukia decides that the best method of completing her mission and winning his approval is to infiltrate through what she reasons to be the soft underbelly of Edo: its countryside (or what passes for one). She selects the relatively sleepy city of Karakura, on the continent of New Tama, as her entry point.

Unbeknownst to either of the Kuchiki siblings, or indeed anyone in the Federated Suns, this is exactly where a former Duke of the Federated Suns, Isshin Shiba (from a branch of the main Shiba line, and now going under the adopted surname of Kurosaki) chose to flee from his responsibilities and raise a family. Although his wife died tragically some years prior, his son Ichigo Kurosaki (21) is in college, while his daughters (and fraternal twins) Karin Kurosaki and Yuzu Kurosaki (16) are in high school.

Likewise an unknown factor is that Kisuke Urahara (29) and his mercenary company (the Urahara Wild Cards) are in the same place. They have been reduced to the sorry state of having only two pilots, his chief officer (and former Coordinator of the Draconis Combine!) Yoruichi Shihōin (28) and Tessai Tsukabishi (34), as a result of most of the others having decided to go their own way (to form a company of their own called Visored). His company is actively recruiting.

The stage is set for a most curious complex of circumstances to unfold...

INITIAL PLOT SUMMARY

The idea behind this is that, although the setting features mecha, war, and political shenanigans (especially what with at least three people from the Great Houses about), I really wanted to use that as a framework for developing interpersonal relations. So, the general gist of the timeline would be that it starts off sort of like Bleach. 

Rukia shows up in Karakura and starts conducting her mission, but things quickly get out of hand. The canonical Federated Suns present themselves as being as honorable and democratic (or, at least as much so as an aristocratic system could be) but there are still vast wealth inequalities and social stratification in their lands, so my feeling is Rukia sees something or other which flips her chivalric and noblesse oblige switches, and she gets involved (eventually using her 'Mech), which draws the attention of the local military forces.

This results in a Fishbone D-style fight, which Ichigo and his family get dragged into. (Perhaps Rukia's 'Mech winds up being pushed into a residential area as she tries to retreat?) Rukia takes a hit to the cockpit while trying to shield Ichigo, getting injured by some shrapnel, mostly in her right arm. (Whoever she's fighting gets knocked down by her counterattack at the same time.) Ichigo clambers up into the cockpit (probably one side of it being torn open) to try and get to her, and finding her injured, decides he's got to fight in her place after getting her out of the ‘Mech[4].

Since he's the child of a Shiba, Isshin has probably subtly been training him to do something like pilot a 'Mech over time somehow, even if it wasn't obvious that's what it was training for. So, Ichigo is fairly naturally able to work with the 'Mech despite no prior official experience, and manages to take out the opposition without destroying the entire neighborhood in the process. He then passes out from heat exhaustion because Rukia's 'Mech is overheating and he doesn't have any kind of cooling gear on.

This is when Kisuke shows up (as in Bleach), having observed this battle from a distance and sensing an opportunity. He and his team scoop up Rukia and recover both her 'Mech and the Federated Suns one that continued pursuit, basically scouring the place for obvious evidence. Things go from there.

Ichigo wakes up the next morning in bed. Isshin, Yuzu, and Karin are fine (maybe they were knocked out through concussion or falling debris or being thrown against walls or something, but are alright; this is a bit handwavy but whatever, no one really cares that much) and seem to think it was a gas main explosion or something. The authorities are basically covering it up as exactly that. Ichigo remembers, but dismisses it as some kind of nightmare.

Until he meets Rukia on his college campus.

She's been patched up enough to be ambulatory but her arm needs time to recover and she can't pilot properly, and so she enlists Ichigo to help her with her infiltration mission by helping her with school and generally blending in and pretending to be a Federated Suns citizen. He refuses at first, but as she saved his life (and he is rather politically disaffected) and he finds there to be a charm in her notions of what honor and chivalry mean, he eventually comes around and grudgingly assists her. (It later turns out her 'Mech is in the care and repair of Kisuke, who is essentially billing her for the services and making her trade on token favors in the meantime.)

A month passes, much as in Bleach, with Rukia living out of Ichigo's room. During this time they converse quite a lot and grow close (as in Bleach and more especially its live action movie). Rukia comes to appreciate the comparative freedom of life in the Federated Suns (even compared to being a noble in the Lyran Commonwealth) and starts to genuinely doubt her mission and cause, finding them to be incompatible with how she interprets chivalry. During this time, she assists Ichigo in getting revenge on a criminal who was responsible for the death of his mother years prior (Grand Fisher equivalent, probably personal combat rather than a 'Mech fight). This is the final straw in her deciding to desert her mission and go native. She stops sending reports back to the Lyran Commonwealth.

Although Kisuke technically owns the Urahara Wild Cards, the reality of the situation is more complicated. He and Tessai were formerly retainers and subordinates of Yoruichi’s from her time as the Coordinator of the Draconis Combine; when she deserted her post to save them from certain execution (due to a convoluted conspiracy), they all wound up as dishonored ronin. Still, he shows her all due deference (if sometimes playfully) from their former lives. He prefers to take an administrative and executive role, leaving day-to-day operations to her, and logistical matters to Tessai.

It is around this time that Yoruichi returns from elsewhere on the planet, her own independent recruiting efforts in more populated areas not having yielded any results. Finding out what's been going on in her absence (with Kisuke having determined Isshin's real identity in the meantime), she's pretty stunned. (As the former leader of the Draconis Combine, finding out that both the sister of the Lyran Commonwealth's Archon and a plausible claimant to First Prince of the Federated Suns are present on such a world is pretty wild.) She joins Kisuke in taking an immediate interest in this situation, but takes care not to make her presence known around Ichigo or Rukia, reasoning at least the latter might be able to deduce who she is (or rather, used to be).

There is growing involvement from Ichigo's college friends and acquaintances (i.e., Chad, Uryuu, Orihime, Tatsuki) who get drawn into matters for personal reasons. (I'm leaning toward including them for contrast, use as sounding boards and interaction for the mains, additional pilots, and for side stories and subplots.) Of these, Uryuu might have his own (Light) 'Mech[5] already, with the Quincy perhaps being some sort of independence movement or armed militia group. (I find it debatable whether Keigo and Mizuiro should be included, but for once they rather plausibly could be.)

Another month passes, and Rukia decides it's time to leave, having come to reason that her mere presence puts Ichigo and everyone else in direct danger. Unfortunately for her, she is too late: shockingly, Byakuya himself arrives on Edo, along with a rising LCAF military commander, Renji Abarai, in order to retrieve her (again with Draconis Combine-styled 'Mechs). Byakuya has come to view her "failure" as a matter of personal honor.

This is where things start to diverge much more heavily from Bleach. Although Uryuu and Ichigo intervene, their ‘Mechs are no match for Renji's 'Mech[6], let alone Byakuya's[7]. All hope seems lost until Yoruichi, Kisuke, and Tessai deploy into battle in heavy and assault 'Mechs[8]. Suddenly outnumbered 2:5, Byakuya and Renji are forced to withdraw and retreat. However, this skirmish draws the attention of the local military much more heavily than even Rukia's initial actions.

The Urahara Wild Cards immediately make ready to leave the planet, and extend an offer to Ichigo, Rukia, and company to join them. Faced with little choice given the attention about to be brought to bear, Ichigo and Rukia choose to leave, prompting the others to join them too. (Rukia having already been prepared to leave, and Ichigo really not wanting to be apart from her but openly reasoning he was planning to leave home anyway after college. The others perhaps view it as more exciting and amenable than staying behind)

They all depart the planet and, after returning to Kisuke's orbiting DropShip (the Geta-Boshi[9], which is too large to make planetfall) soon also leave the system behind. Although Rukia initially finds the idea of becoming a mercenary distasteful for cultural reasons, a speech by Yoruichi[10], who chooses this moment to properly "introduce" herself, results in the six (or eight) deciding they might as well apply their skills as mercenaries under Kisuke's employ, bringing Urahara Wild Cards up to (at least) two full Lances worth of pilots.

The next several months are spent training and taking odd jobs. The young adults from Edo (Ichigo, Tatsuki, Chad, Orihime, and Uryuu [and maybe Keigo and Mizuiro]) come under the supervision of Yoruichi and Tessai for proper basic 'Mech training. Rukia, having received LCAF training, also gets roped into this as a co-instructor. Ichigo winds up being the star pupil of this program by virtue of his history, although Uryuu is not at all far behind.

They settle on a force structure that roughly balances out relative skill while still affording a strong main team and a good reserve team, yielding Alpha Lance (Yoruichi, Rukia, Ichigo, Chad) and Bravo Lance (Tessai, Uryuu, Tatsuki, Orihime). (If Keigo and Mizuiro are there, they're basically backbenchers until the Urahara Wild Cards get at least two more pilots[11] to form a third Lance, Charlie Lance, which would bring them up to Company strength.)

Rukia and Ichigo continue on much as they had before, on Edo. Although they both, along with everyone else, are issued fairly comfortable and private quarters (owing to the size and nature of the construction of the Geta-Boshi), more often than not Rukia chooses to spend her time in Ichigo's quarters, often falling asleep there. It relatively quickly becomes common for them to share a bed, although their relationship remains nebulous and unofficial; almost everyone else treats them as though they are a couple, but they remain very emotionally and personally intertwined rather than lovers.

The Ichigo-Yoruichi and Rukia-Yoruichi reactions are from the outset established on the basis of mutual respect, but as time goes on admiration, care, concern, and physical attraction start to creep into them. Ichigo winds up often getting additional training and instruction from both Yoruichi and Rukia, though more often from the former. He winds up becoming good friends with Yoruichi off-duty as much as on. They have sort of similar interests and approaches to things, and often wind up talking shop about hobbies or knowledge. Yoruichi and Rukia become fast friends due to a mutual background and lifestyle focus; although the Kuchiki and Shihōin are nominally bitter enemies, it turns out they have a lot more in common than it might first seem. They swap more advanced piloting techniques and train together frequently to keep each other sharp. They also spend time together when off-duty, and in the process also become closer with Tatsuki and Orihime, as there are relatively fewer women aboard the Geta-Boshi and the MechWarriors tend to stand apart from the ship's crew and the engineering staff.

A bunch of little incidents also take place that heighten their growing closeness. Two examples: 1. Ichigo winds up walking into Yoruichi's quarters to ask her a question and accidentally catches her in a state of undress; he retreats in (appreciative) embarrassment, but Yoruichi also realizes she doesn't mind that he saw anything. 2. Yoruichi, deducing during an R&R stop on a planet that Rukia is more than a little repressed, and inexperienced to the point of not even knowing how to please herself, offers to show her how as a fellow woman, then reveals she didn't know what she was doing either the first few times she tried.

If the initial time in Karakura were to take roughly 75 chapters (at about 4,000 words each), then this all would probably take at least another 75 chapters, and probably more.

Eventually, one evening Ichigo winds up joining Yoruichi at the only bar on the Geta-Boshi and they trade stories and talk about themselves and each other (although only he drinks). Yoruichi gradually realizes over the course of the evening that she enjoys the sense of connection they share, and that she genuinely finds him attractive, and has the sense that he feels the same about her. Although she's (very) well aware of Ichigo and Rukia's "not-a-relationship," she's also discerned they're not actually lovers, and although that leaves her a bit conflicted, she still chooses to act on her impulses, reasoning she's not doing anything wrong by pursuing him.

After they leave together, she gets him alone (in his 'Mech rather than in either of their quarters, not wanting to make it about power) and reveals her attraction toward him. Her understanding of her feelings is often physical, and she comes onto him, even though she knows that what she’s feeling isn’t purely lust; it’s something more emotionally meaningful and leaves her vulnerable, and the way she takes control of it is by being a bit forward. Ichigo has a kind of similar attraction and doesn’t fight her, having a sense of her perspective and emotions. They have sex, both wanting and needing it, but it’s not just that, and it’s great. Feeling awkward about just doing it and then going their separate ways, Ichigo goes back to her quarters with her, where (despite some innuendo) they probably just shower and fall asleep together (with maybe more in the early morning). This has been prototyped out as about two chapters.

Although Yoruichi initially only considered the idea of it as being a one-time thing, despite her feelings, it keeps occasionally happening over the next few weeks (maybe about every 3-5 days or so) as both of them enjoy the physical comfort of their connection, and the pillow talk afterward.

Meanwhile, Ichigo often spends his other nights finding Rukia asleep beside him, and starts to think about how deep his emotional connection to her is, and how comforting that is too. It leaves him more than a little conflicted and he starts to focus that feeling in on himself as he tries to figure out what to do.

POINTS OF DISCUSSION

This is where my sense of the plot becomes a bit less certain, and where I felt that input could be particularly insightful.

My sense is that Rukia, smart cookie that she is, would figure out what is going on very quickly. (Probably having a sense of it almost immediately, and piecing it together within a week.) Considering the undefined nature of her relationship with Ichigo, I don't think she'd be mad at him or upset with him. I do think it would also make her reflect on her feelings toward him, and together with her own growing recognition of her sexuality, would lead her to be curious and to want to try and have a physical connection with Ichigo too.

So, I think that she would prepare herself mentally and wait until a night when he was in his quarters, and make the first move. And Ichigo would not resist and quickly start to cooperate, wanting to make Rukia feel good. It'd be different between her and him than with him and Yoruichi, but just as intoxicating.

Probably the next morning, Rukia would slip out early and go to see Yoruichi to try and discuss things, having some sense of Ichigo's emotional turmoil and not wanting it to go on further.

I think they'd talk in Yoruichi’s quarters (as I don’t think Rukia would be intimidated by talking there), but they might also go somewhere private on the ship, maybe a kind of industrial or disused area as neutral ground.

Rukia would begin with just a frank admission of, "I've slept with Ichigo," not wanting to make the talk confrontational or anything.

Yoruichi would say something like, "Good. It's about time."

"That's all you have to say?" Rukia would be surprised more than anything.

Yoruichi might maneuver closer and get in her personal space, assessing her carefully and critically. Rukia might tense up a little but would hold her ground, not afraid.

Eventually Yoruichi gets closer still and leans in to just softly kiss her.

Rukia's stunned, then like, "What are you doing?!"

Yoruichi would pull back and consider her, then cross her arms over her chest as she looked away. She'd say something like, "I know you will, but make sure you take care of him," making it clear she approved.

Rukia would be stunned for a moment, giving Yoruichi the opportunity to begin to gently quiz her on the experience. Did she like it? Did Ichigo? Was it good? Where do they want to go with their relationship?

I think Rukia would see through it, and although she would answer, she would press Yoruichi on her own feelings. It would turn into a kind of Self-Sacrifice Olympics because Yoruichi would be willing to step aside, and Rukia feels bad about that because she can tell that it wasn't purely physical on Yoruichi's part, and back and forth.

They would talk through things for longer than they might have thought they would, with Rukia discerning Yoruichi's care for Ichigo and Yoruichi truly grasping how considerate Rukia is.

I think Rukia would be moved, personally, and she'd eventually return Yoruichi's initial smooch but for a different reason, to make it clear how heartfelt her respect was.

Now, of course, the goal here was to set this up together gradually, so I think that given their shared history to that point, Yoruichi would return it and it would turn into something more, more mutual and a bit handsy.

By the time they pulled apart and looked at one another, they'd both have expressions like, 'Well. What do we do now?'

I think it'd be Rukia who said, "We'll have to see what he says... together."

I don't think they would immediately become a trio from there, it'd be a lot rockier than that, with each having their doubts about the matter before them. 

Ichigo would be worried that they were just doing this for his benefit and that he didn't deserve either of them. Rukia would be less confident in her newfound sexuality and lack of experience and might have a bi crisis (or recurrent bouts of it). Yoruichi would be secure in her sexuality but be worried about hurting them and how that could affect them all professionally (to the extent of even getting them all killed).

I also think it'd take them a fair amount of time to try anything all together, even just cuddling. So it'd be a drawn out process of discovery rather than them all just jumping into it. Movie nights, hanging out, going on dates in pairs and as a trio, and splitting off to take turns as duos (Rukia and Yoruichi at first having an understanding, and eventually taking the step of trying being with each other). It would probably take almost as much time to process through as it did to set up before they finally fully settled in together. 

Meanwhile, the surrounding situation would also obviously be growing more complicated...

In addition to mercenary adventures and dealing with the continuing wrath of Byakuya and the Lyran Commonwealth, there is an even larger picture owing to the Third Succession War.

While, obviously, this does not slavishly follow BattleTech's history as it is, nor will it going forward, taking elements and using them seems prudent. In BattleTech canon, the Third Succession War ends in 3025 with the Lyran Commonwealth and Federated Suns signing a defensive pact (in 3022) which is ultimately designed to unify them (into the "Federated Commonwealth"). The Free World League, Draconis Combine, and Capellan Confederation then ink their own agreement to counterbalance the threat of this.

My feeling is that the FedCom pact could have an interesting basis in Ichigo and Rukia coming together (and, because I'm a basic and predictable bitch, Byakuya and Kuukaku getting involved), although Yoruichi's presence would make things more interesting and complicated. Regardless, I think that with three Great Houses being represented (by Yoruichi, Rukia, and Ichigo) the crew would wind up playing some sort of role in the Third Succession War's resolution.

Other characters can be integrated variously throughout in different ways as well.

FOOTNOTES

[1] Likely standing in for Robinson in the actual BattleTech setting. [2] Rukia's official title of nobility is quite low considering her relation at this time. [3] Rukia, operating on behalf of her brother, has a rare customized 'Mech: an FS9-H Firestarter with 3/4 of the Flamers replaced by Medium Lasers, changing its BV (2.0) from 694 to 883. The rear-facing Flamer is the one retained. This would give it decent staying combat power for something so light. Looks something like this. [4] In BattleTech, the Successor States lost the knowledge of many Star League-era technologies ("lostech"). One of them was cooling suits for MechWarriors; "typical" garb is instead a cooling jacket and as little clothing as possible, usually a sleeveless leotard. So this could be a kind of funny scene if that's kept. (How hard is it to turn a vest into a suit though...) This would make Yoruichi's preferred taste in attire in Bleach fairly normative, though. Alternatively, the standard could be more like what was envisioned in one of the latest video game adaptations. [5] Probably a bog-standard LCT-1V Locust, the most common sort around. Looks something like this. [6] Perhaps an HBK-4G Hunchback. Looks something like this. Renji can have an ugly 'Mech to start with. [7] I'm thinking of a stock VTR-9B Victor. Looks something like this. [8] I think Yoruichi might have a TDR-5SE Thunderbolt (looks), Kisuke might have a MAD-3R Marauder (looks), and Tessai might have a BLR-1G BattleMaster (looks). [9] Kisuke, Yoruichi, and Tessai have somehow found (and renamed) the Argo. [10] It's notable that the Draconis Combine hates mercenaries, so that Yoruichi is here (with Kisuke and Tessai) doing mercenary work also Says Something. [11] As I am constantly saying Fullbring should’ve been introduced early in Bleach, maybe they meet (and beat) rival mercenary group Xcution and take on the remnants (probably Jackie, Yukio, and Riruka) as pilots?

[critroleing]

If Campaign 2 went Live in the Middle (like Campaign 1)

Since you guys liked it so much the first time, let’s run through the real world AU where campaign 2 was the one we started in the middle of, but more in depth this time.

There would be a backstory/introduction vid that played in the beginning of episodes and in the break. This is more or less what it would say:

Caleb: All of his backstory will be explained in one chunk, including stuff like the residuum crystals in his arms, his past name, and the concept of scourgers, stuff that was plot twists that came along the way for us. No attention will be paid to how this backstory came out to the characters. Nor who among the characters actually know any of this. We will assume by default that everyone knows.

Nott: this is the story of Veth, mostly. The story of how she got bullied as a child, had a marriage and a baby, got kidnapped and transformed into a goblin but regained her family and now they’re waiting for her in Nicodranas. The story of how she regained them is kind of like the story of how Pike died. Technically it was in game, but it’s so far away it’s essentially backstory.

Beau: The lore we’ve gotten from her is much more sporadic, but they’ll take the pieces of what we have gotten and treat it like the Lore Drops we’ve gotten from people like Caleb and Nott. Her childhood in Kamordah will be explained, along with how she got kidnapped by monks, has a baby brother and mentor named Dairon will all be given as if everyone knows these facts and not like they were carefully dished out to one person here and one person there. (Because of this the fandom’s view of her will be slightly off from who she actually is, and that will lead to a good chunk of fans disliking her, at least until they get the hang of her character.)

Jester will probably be the least affected by this change. We knew her backstory early and met her mother later, which is how this turns out. Her backstory does reach all the way up to include the gnoll follower she met in Asarius and preparations for Travelercon. The Traveler will inevitably turn up somewhere and talk to Jester. He will seem super shady. In other words, nothing much will have changed.

Fjord: Huge changes here. During the time we wouldn’t have seen Fjord has learned who Uk’otoa is, followed him, almost set him free, stopped working for him, lost his powers and started working for another power. That is a lot of developments to be relegated to backstory, and this is on top of the backstory he already had. There will be a brief mention of Fjord having had a different accent in the past, the fandom will not pick up on how big of a deal that is.

Caduceus: His backstory might include the story of the Clays, the Dusts and the Stones, in which case he will feel a lot like Keyleth did. He will sound like he has a Plan, in a way that he did not seem to, watching it episode by episode. We don’t actually know all that much about Caduceus’ personal life, so his backstory presentation might have to go for the big picture stuff.

Yasha: She’ll get her own presentation. We know this because Ashley wasn’t there for the first few episodes of c1 but Pike’s presentation was there anyway. Explanations of her backstory will include Zuala, blacking out and coming to again, the Stormlord, mentions of Obann but not her current situation. That will be explained in the very beginning by Matt, with interruptions form the rest of the gang. The fandom will not understand how serious it is until Yasha comes back.

Molly will not get a presentation. He, in fact, will not be acknowledged until someone makes a reference to him and suddenly the cast will remember that, oh, the audience doesn’t know who he is. The audience understands that this was Taliesin’s previous character, but the extent of his influence on the party will be lost as we have no real feel for Molly’s character or what he could have inspired in others.

Male pronouns will be used when explaining Molly, people will immediately forget that and it becomes pretty common to see and hear Molly depicted as a woman and then people correcting them. The Ruby of the Sea will take some explaining, but she’s definitely one of the people we have to meet as soon as possible. “She’s the best lay ever, you guys,” Laura informs us. We do not get the joke.

Someone remembers Pumat Sol exists. They try to explain him. It’s really hard. Matt does an accent and the fandom enjoys it.

The fact that the Mighty Nein are already established in Xhorhas feels alienating to a lot of viewers. Apparently they’re heroes of the Dynasty? And have a house? With a tree on it? And Beau’s mentor Dairon is there?

So the reason they are heroes is because they gave the Bright Queen some sort of artefact. The fandom is unsure of what it was or where it came from, but it may be that the Empire has another one. The larger lore of how the Dens and Beacons work is largely lost, and with it a lot of understanding about the larger world and the war.

At some point far in the future it comes out that they’ve already met Trent Ikithon, Caleb’s main bad guy. Nothing much seemed to happen. Lots of meta about how that meeting was going to happen has to be thrown out.

Jester has pets. Sprinkle doesn’t get mentioned a lot, but at least he’s on adventures with them. There is also Nugget, who lives Marion and we eventually get to meet. We don’t know where they came from, presumably Jester had them the whole time, like childhood pets.

They also adopted a baby bird for a while. They say it could mimic speech? The people who know what kenku are have their suspicions, everyone else thinks it’s another pet.

Beau has some trauma related to some academic by the name of Professor Thaddeus. Much meta has been written about who he is and what happened between him and Beau.

They know a gentleman who’s blue and sweaty. He is also maybe Jester’s dad. Jury’s out on that one.

The Empire feels so far away, and so Other. People praise Matt for making the humans the bad guys and the Drow the good guys.

The fact that they were pirates once comes up in conversation. A joke is made about it. Nothing is explained.

Eventually it comes out that it had things do do with Fjord’s patron, there was a sexy cult leader pirate with a French accent who Fjord slept with, and they got banished from the pirate island within a day.

They still technically have French accent pirate’s ship. It’s called the Ball Eater. They go there once and we meet the Tortle bagpiper tattoo artist who runs it. His name is Orly. The fandom loses its’ shit.

The ship is named that because of Fjord apparently. He ate some orbs once, so they say.

Fjord also ate a sword once? Was he in a circus? Yasha and that Molly person were in a circus, was Fjord there too?

Jester carries around a an erotica book. Where it comes from no one knows, but it doesn’t seem out of character for her so we roll with it.

They have had an encounter with a dragon, an ancient white one, but they haven’t killed any.

Except maybe they have?

Beau has slept with two (2) whole guest characters.

Jester casts Sending to talk to a guy. Matt answers in a very sexy voice. We think the guy is an NPC. He’s not.

A sweet lady once sent actual letters with actual, physical gifts to them.

After that there are more than a few bets on what other NPC’s are actually guest characters being jaegered for the moment.

Why are they even called the Mighty Nein? The cast explains that it had to do with a session in the early levels when they were rolling a lot of nines, and it sounds funny when Caleb says it. It was probably funny if you were there, but for the fandom it just sounds kinda dumb.

Nott might get some more shipping attention, given that she’s actually a halfling. She also might not, because she’s both married and ugly.

Fjord and Jester still share a deep bond, but the more overt parts of Jester’s crush that were prominent in the earlier episodes seem to have mellowed out by the time we meet them. Fjord and Jester also haven’t, percentage wise, spent more time together as a pair than a group, so that dynamic isn’t really seen. Fjorester exists, but has a very different vibe to it.

Widomauk does not exist.

Beauyasha might exist, if only because they are the only two confirmed wlw in the group. It’s more of an idea until they meet and chemistry can be measured of course.

Beaujester exists, but very much in the ‘look at their emotional chemistry, wouldn’t it be nice’. In a way, not much has changed, you just have less of a basis to ship on.

Fjorclay might be big for a while, given how important Caduceus has been for Fjord’s journey lately.

Videos resurface of the cast playing at home before this campaign became public. Fjord has a Texan accent. Nott calls herself a little goblin girl. That is a really weird Caduceus voice. Life feels strange.

Sam asks Liam on their podcast what would be the worst character to play in D&D, just the worst. Liam suggests goblin. Seems like he was thinking worst as in most morally dubious.

Nott rolls a natural 1 and shoots herself in the foot with her own crossbow. That’s not good, the fandom thinks, what if she got killed doing damage to herself? Besides, that would look really dumb.

We will never know about Spurt.

Jester, Fjord and Yasha got kidnapped by slavers once, we find out alarmingly late. They seem fine though, so that turns into another trivia fact.

Actually no, that’s probably mentioned in passing when they’re explaining how Molly died. It doesn’t really hit home with most if the fandom though.

Unclear where Caleb can teleport to. Generally assumed that he knows at least one teleport circle in the Empire.

In this world Vox Machina probably doesn’t exist at all. At least not online. Maybe they played all of that campaign at home, so we get occasional references to ‘their first game’ or ‘their home game’ but have no context for that either.

In which case you could make a whole category for references to the first campaign we wouldn’t understand.

Like why Taliesin is explaining how the guns work.

Or the ruins of Draconia down south.

Or why the team were so hyped to go to Whitestone.

Or maybe this was their first campaign after all, and none of these things have any additional context.

Nott will be looked at mostly as a halfling mother. Instead of discussions about if she’s even old enough to be an adult she’s considered older than the rest, and a large contingent of the fandom is mad at her for adventuring when she has a child waiting for her at home.

Caleb has at least two homebrew spells. They are eventually referred to as Dunamancy. The fandom realises the level of worldbuilding Matt’s on in that he’s made an entire new school of magic.

Feel free to add more. I’m sure there’s stuff I haven’t considered out there.

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Hi ! I recently read the fics "Uphill" and "A Hundred Crimson Sols", and I also remember reading "Perfomance in a leading role" a while ago, and I really loved them so I was wondering if you new other AUs where they have another job than in canon ? Especially ones where one of them is famous ? I love your blog btw, and you're so nice with everybody

Anonymous said to inevitably-johnlocked: Hi! Sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if you could recommend any true AUs? I feel like getting away from the canon setting. Thanks!

Anonymous said to inevitably-johnlocked: hi, do you have any coffee shop/different first meeting au fic recs? thank you! (:

Hi Nonnies!!

I hope you don’t mind that I put y'all together, since y’all are looking for pretty much the exact same thing! Funny because these all came in around the same time, LOL. I’ve SO many AU’s, but I’ve those ones sorted too, and Nonny 1, you’ve got a good suggestion here for today’s AU list, so we’re gonna go with Other Professions, which works great for Nonny 2′s request as well!! 

And Nonny 1, thank you very much for your kind words! I’m not THAT nice, but I try, LOL

Nonny 3, I’ve added in the “see also” some fics you may also enjoy! Believe it or not, I’ve never read a coffee shop AU fic. I think it’s because they’re mostly Unilock and I don’t really care for unilock :P (I like my John and Sherlock older because I can then relate to them :P)

I’ve also added some fics on my MFL list since I like making long lists LOL LOL.

ALTERNATE PROFESSIONS

See also (for First Meeting Nonny):

Fairy Tales and Fantasy

TV, Movies, and Books AU (Fantasy Pt. 2)

Magical Realism Where John is the Powerful One

Lumberjack John / Botanist Sherlock

WWII AU’s

Faes / Faeries

Alternate First Meetings (Canon-Feeling)

First Meeting Via Internet / Phone / Letters

Angel John 

Ghosts / Figments

School Fics

Soul Mates and Soul Bonds

Omegaverse

where the good things grow by anchors (M, 7,066 w. || Tea Shop AU || Alternate First Meeting, Magical Realism, Gardens, Tea, Friends to Lovers) – “I have a magic garden.” As come-ons go, John’s heard worse.

He’s Not Paid Enough to Deal with This Shit by janonny (T, 9,828 w. || Personal Assistant AU || Humour, First Meetings, Snarky John) – One of the first things John did was to write up step-by-step instructions on how to conduct a proper job interview before handing it over to Mycroft for his perusal. There were no kidnapping, deserted car parks or stolen therapy notes anywhere on that list. (Or the one where John returned from the war and ended up working for Mycroft as his personal assistant slash doctor on retainer. Everything was fine, until he was sent to post bail for one Sherlock Holmes.)

The Nutcracker by Odamaki (T, 13,758 w. || Nutcracker AU ||  Christmas, Dark Magic, Dolls) – Sherlock is unimpressed with Uncle Rudy’s present. A doll? What does he want with a doll?

Software Malfunction by tiger_in_the_flightdeck (E, 16,679 w. || Android Sherlock, Love Story, Unhappy Ending, Angst) – “You think I can’t love you? Just because you’re made with metal, and detailed programming?” The doctor propped himself on his elbow, and looked down at it. “I am nothing but blood and bone, and tissue. Things just managed get mashed together in a manner that made me like this. Just like you were put together to make you how you are. When I kiss you-” he did so, briefly, to prove his point. Then more deeply, and lingering, because he could. “When I touch you, or smile at you, does it make you feel different from when others have done it in the past?”

Pleasure to Burn by scullyseviltwin (E, 17,863 w. || Firefighter AU, Firefighter John / Arson Investigator Sherlock, Slow Burn, Pining, Case Fic-ish) – “If you’d kindly stop knocking about in there and destroying all of my evidence, it would be most appreciated!” John groaned and for a moment rested his head against the side of the truck. Of course he was the only captain left on the scene, which meant he would have to be the one to deal with the arson investigator.

Uncharted Territory by J_Baillier (T, 19,603 w. || Dystopian Future / Black Mirror AU || Angst, Drama, Homophobia, Bisexuality, Technology, Humour, Romance, Near Future, Happy Ending) – The System puts people through a series of assigned relationships in order to determine who their Perfect Match is. John believes that it works; Sherlock really, really doesn’t. One of them is probably going to be wrong.

Hellfire by testosterone_tea (E, 28,596 w. || Fantasy / Magic / Mages / Elementals AU || Mage Sherlock, Elemental John, Developing Relationship, Torture, Powerful / BAMF John, POV Alternating, Dark / Blood Magic, UST, First Kiss) – Sherlock is a Mage that gets involved with a case involving Dark Summoning rituals, leading him to John Watson, a man with Berserker blood. The only thing is, Berserkers have been extinct for centuries. And of course, nothing involving Mycroft and his interfering ways is ever simple. This time, even Sherlock may have bitten off more than he can chew.

Love or What You Will by miss_frankenstein (T, 31,987 w. || College/Uni AU || Professor John, Ph.D Student Sherlock, Pining John, Poetry, Falling in Love / Slow Burn, Light Angst, Happy Ending) – John is an English professor who specializes in War and Post-War Literature and Sherlock is the brilliant yet impossible Ph.D. student assigned to be his TA because no one in the Chemistry Department is willing to put up with him. And - somewhere between Waugh and Plath, e-mails and takeaway, novels and villanelles - they fall in love.

Classified(s) by blueink3 (E, 36,153 w. || Wedding Date AU || Fake Relationship, Jealous, PIning, H/C, Idiots in Love, Happy Ending, Mary is not Nice, Escort Service) – Clara’s American father is the ambassador to some such territory that Great Britain probably used to own, but she (and Harry’s undying love for her) is the reason John is getting on a flight at 12:30pm, flying across the second largest ocean in the world, and pretending to be in a perfectly happy, healthy relationship with an undoubtedly perfectly coiffed stranger. See, Clara is not only American (and wealthy to boot), she’s also best friends with John’s ex-fiancée. Whom she’s placed in the wedding party. As Maid of Honor. And John just happens to be Best Man. Bloody brilliant.

The Boy Who Drank Stars by kinklock (E, 36,157w. || Howl’s Moving Castle AU || Witches and Wizards, Slow Burn, Magic, Jealous John, Happy Ending, Bed Sharing) – “I’m looking for a castle,” John informed the scarecrow. “A moving one.”Except that, as it turned out, it was not a moving one at all.

The Soul Remembers by i_ship_an_armada (E, 43,636 w. || Oblivion AU || Post-Apocalypse, Movie Fusion, Science Fiction, Action/Adventure, Angst, Dreams, Bittersweet Ending) – John Watson is the lone security repairman stationed on a desolate, nearly-ruined future Earth. His dreams are plagued by a tall, dark-haired man, and when his dreams meet reality, he will be forced to question everything he believes is the truth about his life.

Spare Change by Ermerness (E, 51,966 w. || Rich Holmeses AU || First Kiss / Time, Holmes Family, Virgin Sherlock, Anal, First Meetings) – The Holmes family is one of the richest and most powerful in England. Sherlock spends his time flying around the world on the family’s private jet drinking a lot and shopping at expensive boutiques as a way of trying to alleviate his endless boredom. His mother decides it’s time he settles down with someone powerful, wealthy and well connected. John Watson happens to be none of those things.

Coventry by standbygo (E, 52,020 w. || Dollhouse AU || Case Fic, Slow Burn, Sci-Fi / Fantasy, First Kiss / Time, Attempted Rape, BAMF John, Falling in Love) – “Let me get this straight,” John said, wondering when his life had become a science fiction film. “Some guy orders up a personality, a person, to his specifications, and they program this into a real live person, who has consented to do this, and she goes to this person and acts as his wife, or lawyer, or Royal Marine, or Navy Seal or what have you, and she has all the skills, all the knowledge, everything? Then you say the magic words, and she follows you back to The House, and they erase it all until her next appointment?”

A Hundred Crimson Sols by elldotsee (E, 55,536 w. || Astronauts AU || Mars Exploration / Space Travel, Slow Burn, Shy Sherlock, Scientist Sherlock / Biomed Engineer John, Alternating POV, Mutual Pining, UST, Angst with Happy Ending, Domestic Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Injuries, Suicidal Ideation, Zero-G Sex) – Will Holmes is a chemical researcher recognized widely for his contributions to the new Mars exploration program. Thanks to his ground-breaking developments, the IMMC (International Mars Mission Corporation) is one step closer to Martian colonization. Will and his team of scientists are headed out on the first of three manned missions before the first group of settlers arrive. Three days before launch, one of the crew has to be replaced. Will panics because…new people. The replacement is of course one John Watson, biomedical engineer and space hottie who was pretty sure he had retired from actual space exploration and was now content to work in the nice, quiet research lab. Can the crew survive this TOTALLY ROUTINE trip? Will they be able to endure each other for the looooooong trip in close quarters? Gonna be a wild ride… prepare for blast off. Part 1 of the SpaceBois go to Space series

floating through a dark blue sky by Lediona (M, 58,966 w. || Notting Hill AU || POV John, Celebrity Sherlock, First Date / Time / Kiss, Past Drug Addiction, Angst with a Happy Ending) – Of course, I’d seen his films and always thought he was, well, brilliant – but, you know, a million miles from the world I live in. Or, when John is the owner of a travel book shop and the famous Sherlock Holmes stops in one day.

This Thing All Things Devours by cypress_tree (E, 63,844 w. || In Time AU || Science Fiction, Dystopian Universe, First Meetings, Action / Adventure, Romance) – In 2169, time is money—literally. Humans are genetically engineered to stop aging at 25, when the numbers on their arm start counting down from one year. When that time is up, they die. The only way to get more time is to earn it, borrow it, or steal it.John Watson lives day-to-day in the crowded slums of Zone 13. He never imagined living any differently—until he meets the practically-immortal Sherlock, and helps him on a case to track a local time-thief…

Uphill by scullyseviltwin (E, 77,750 w. || Olympics AU || Sherlock POV, Skier!Sherlock / Medic!John, Rivalry, 2014 Olympics, Happy Ending) – Sherlock Holmes is striving for gold in this, his fourth and final Olympics as a downhill Alpine racer.

Summit Fever by J_Baillier (M, 78,802 w. || Mountain Climber AU || POV John, Angst, Tragedy, Suicidal Ideation, The Himalayas, Mountain Guide / Doctor John, Mount Climber Sherlock, Loneliness, Drama, Suspense, Slow Burn, Injured Sherlock / Sherlock Whump, Pining John) – After graduating from medical school, John Watson followed his heart to the Himalayas. Ten years later, he’s a haunted cynic working for his ex-lover’s trekking and mountaineering company. Will leading an expedition to Annapurna I—the most lethal of all the world’s highest mountains—shake John out of his reverie, and who is the mystery client added to the group at the last minute?

The Baker Street Nativity by SwissMiss (E, 99,662 w. || Nativity! AU || Teacher Sherlock / TA John, Pining, Sherlock POV, UST, Angst, Christmas, Music/Song Fic, Anal / BJ’s, First Kiss / Time) – Fusion between Sherlock (BBC) and Nativity! (2009 movie starring Martin Freeman). Sherlock is a primary school teacher and John is assigned to be his classroom assistant. Together, they are charged with putting on the school’s Nativity play. What could possibly go wrong? Part 1 of The Baker Street Nativity Verse

The Cost of a Wish by slashscribe (E, 102,493 w. || xxxHolic Fusion || Spirits / Ghosts and Magic, Love Confessions, Slow Burn, Soul Mates / Fated Lovers, Adventure, Immortal Sherlock, Powerful John, POV John, Frottage, Wish Granting, Angst with Happy Ending, Nightmares) – John has been plagued by a secret his entire life that has made him feel hopeless until he meets a mysterious, seemingly omniscient man named Sherlock Holmes who owns a wish-granting shop. Their meeting sets off a series of inevitable events that will change the course of both of their lives forever.

Maintenance and Repair by patternofdefiance (E, 106,650 w. || FutureAU, Augmentation || Augmented John, Depression, Body Modification, Slow Burn, Worldbuilding, Sci-Fi, Self-Care, Body Dysmorphia) – John wants to explain the rush of sensation and data, which is just another form of sensation (or is it the other way around?). John wants to say:Augmentation circuits report temperature, pressure, various forms of quantitative input. Sudden changes are reported as pain, since sudden changes are dangerous, and pain is the quickest way to encourage reflexive extraction. But all John can manage is, “Nng.” Because this sudden touch is not reporting as pain. Part 2 of STATIC

A Study in Winning by Jupiter_Ash (E, 106,658 w. || Tennis AU || John POV, Dirty Talk, Mutual Pining, Misunderstandings, Happy Ending, Sherlock Speaks French, Switchlock, Wimbledon) – John and Sherlock are professional tennis players and it’s Wimbledon. One is a broken almost was at the end of his career, the other an arrogant rising star tipped for greatness. It should have been a straightforward tournament. It really should have been. How were they to know that a chance encounter would change everything? Part 1 of Tennis

Eyes Up, Heels Down by CodenameMeretricious (E, 107,845 w. || Sports Equestrian AU || Fluff, Angst, Humour, Rider!Sherlock, Groomer!John, Show Jumping, Slow Burn, Happy Ending) – Sherlock is a top eventing rider currently training at Baker Farms. John is the new groom who’s been told to steer clear of the surly rider and his horses. Part 1 of Baker Farms

The Swan Triad by Pennin_Ink (T, 121,660 w. across 3 works || Swan Lake AU || Magical / Fairy Tale AU, Romance, Falling in Love, Pining, Psychological Torture, Transformation) – Sherlock and John grow up spending every summer together. Their mothers’ attempts to play matchmaker only fuel their mutual resentment and scorn. But then, one summer.

A Further Sea by i_ship_an_armada & ShinySherlock (E, 125,492 w. || Historical Pirates AU || Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Doctor John / Pirate Captain Sherlock, Sailing, UST / RST, Masturbation, Action / Adventure, Mild Angst & Peril, Romance, Shaving, Molly/Janine, Bottomlock, Hand / Blow Jobs, Past Drug Use, Slow Burn, Mild Violence, Happy Ending) – Here be a tale of adventure for both body and soul, but beware if ye be not of stout heart, for this be piratelock, ya savvy? Luckless ship’s surgeon John Watson takes a chance, and finds himself eye to eye with The Ghost, the scourge of the seven seas and a definite thorn in the side of the blaggard, James Moriarty. But when John finds there’s more to this most cunning pirate than be meetin’ the eye, he has to choose… is it a pirate’s life for him?

The Horse and his Doctor by khorazir (T, 129,003 w. || Horse / Vet AU || Magical Realism, Horses, Vet John, Horse Sherlock, Implied Alcoholism) – Invalided after a run in with a poacher in Siberia, veterinary surgeon John Watson finds it difficult to acclimatise to the mundanity of London life. Things change when a friend invites him along to a local animal shelter and he meets their latest acquisition, a trouble-making Frisian with the strangest eyes and even stranger quirks John has ever encountered in a horse.

Performance In a Leading Role by Mad_Lori (E, 156,714 w. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Actor / Hollywood AU || Slow Burn, Falling in Love, Secret Relationship, Coming Out) – Sherlock Holmes is an Oscar winner in the midst of a career slump. John Watson is an Everyman actor trapped in the rom-com ghetto. When they are cast as a gay couple in a new independent drama, will they surprise each other? Will their on-screen romance make its way into the real world? Part 1 of Performance in a Leading Role

Gimme Shelter by SinceWhenDoYouCallMe_John (E, 159,368 w. || PODFIC AVAILABLE ||70′s Surfer AU || Period Typical Homophobia, Hawaii, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Professional Surfers, Gay John / Sherlock, Angst with Happy Ending, John was a Sailor, Misunderstandings) – All John Watson wants is the feeling of a freshly waxed surfboard under his feet and the hot California sun baking down onto his back. To finally go pro in the newly formed world of professional surfing and leave the dark memories of his past behind him as he rips across the face of a towering blue barrel. To lounge beside the beach bonfire every evening with an ice cold beer tucked into the cool sand beside him and listen to Pink Floyd and the Doors while the saltwater dries in his sun bleached hair. That’s all he wants, that is, until the hot young phenom taking Oahu and the Hawaiian shores by storm steps up next to him in the sand in the second round of the 1976 International Surf Competition. (PUBLISHED AS ‘The Sea Ain’t Mine Alone’)

Mise en Place by azriona (M, 161,004 w. || Restaurant (Kitchen Nightmares) AU || Sherlock is Gordon Ramsay / Celebrity Sherlock, Restauranteur John, Harry Plays Prominent Role, Alternating POV, Mutual Pining, Cranky Sherlock, Bed Sharing, Slow Burn) – John Watson had no intentions of taking over the family business, but when he returns from Afghanistan, battered and bruised, and discovers that his sister Harry has run their restaurant into the ground, he doesn’t have much choice. There’s only one thing that can save the Empire from closing for good – the celebrity star of the BBC series Restaurant Reconstructed, Chef Sherlock Holmes. Part 1 of Mise en Place

MARKED FOR LATER

(these are fics I have in my MFL list for future reading and have not read them yet. Read at your own discretion).

My, She Was Yar by blueink3 (M, 5,313 w. || Cinema AU || Teenlock, Mention of Sex for Drugs, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending) – YAR: adjective; (nautical term, of a sailboat) agile, quick, easily manoeuvred. Or, the exact opposite of what Sherlock Holmes is when he stumbles into John Watson’s cinema and turns his life upside down. Part 7 of the Tumblr Prompts series

come be my april fool by a_different_equation (M, 6,473 w. || Great British Bake Off AU || Writer!Sherlock, Est. Rel., Fluff / Humour, Baking, Marriage Proposal, Military Kink, Domestics, POV John, Romance, Sherlock Wears Glasses, Sweet Sherlock, Bookstores, Queer Themes) – After leaving ‘The Great British Bake Off’, Sue Perkins has written a book about Victorian baking. Tonight, on April 1st, she is reading at ‘The Bard’, Mike Stamford’s bookstore in central London. It is the exact same spot where John Watson, battered and bruised, had learned all about his magnificent bastard – one Mr. Sherlock Holmes, famous gay crime fiction writer – for the first time. A story about found family, DRAMAtical lesbians, how to react when your boyfriend has a military kink but he doesn’t want to act on it, oh, and popping the question. Sequel to ‘i read your book, you magnificent bastard’. Part 2 of Magnificent Bastard!AU

Idle Hands by kinklock (E, 7,226 w. || Deaf Sherlock, Phone Sex, Alternate First Meeting, Dirty Sign Language) – While working as a video sign language interpreter for the deaf, John’s last client of the day asks him to interpret a highly unusual call. (aka deaf Sherlock wants to call a phone sex hotline AU)

What To Do With An Atypical Animal Within by HarveyDangerfield  & swimsalot (E, 7,804 w. || Harry Potter AU || Animagus, Porn With A Little Plot, Tail Porn) – Sherlock is determined to be an animagus. But what happens when it isn’t a fox or a horse or a dog he’s turning into?

Dead Letter Office by a_different_equation (M, 20,364 w. || ‘Bartleby’ Fusion / Office Setting AU || Different First Meeting, Epistolary, John’s Blog, Angst with a Happy Ending, Pre-Canon, John Watson is Sherlock’s Boss, PTSD John, Military Backstory, Writer John, Drug Use, Texting) – John Watson comes home from the war, gets a new job and meets Sherlock Holmes through Mike Stamford. Same tale since 1891, except this time it’s 2008, John is Sherlock’s boss, and they work together at the Dead Letter Office in London. It’s not a love story, until it finally is.

we have never seen a greater day than this by Lediona (T, 24,904 +w. || WiP || Royal Night Out AU || WWII / VE Day, Meet Cute, Prince Sherlock / Soldier John, Alternating POV) – Peace. At long last. It’s VE Day and Prince William desires to join the celebrations. It is a night of excitement, danger and the first flutters of romance.

Aquiver by Junejuly15 (M, 25,852 w. || Fashion Designer AU || PA John Watson / Fashion Designer Sherlock, Sherlock’s Feelings, Romance, UST, Arrogant Sherlock, Drug Use, Confessions, Protective Mycroft, Parties, BAMF John, Misunderstandings, First Kiss / Time) – Sherlock Holmes is a successful and arrogant fashion designer and John Watson his new PA. Of course, sparks fly between them.

False Advertising by ravenscar (E, 27,722 w. || Office AU / Devil Wears Prada Inspired || Victor Trevor, Flashbacks, Hurt / Comfort, Angst with Happy Ending, Younger John/Older Sherlock, Marriage Proposal) – Sherlock is John’s boss and mentor at an advertising agency. Can they find love in the cut-throat workplace?

Out and Loud by paradigmfinch (M, 28,233 w. || Popstar AU || Dancer/Ballet Sherlock / Singer John, Fluff, Falling in Love, Mutual Pining, Jealousy) – John Watson is a 22 year old pop star who’s about to come crashing out of the closet.Sherlock Holmes is a reluctant fanboy auditioning to dance in his next music video. Part 1 of Out and Loud

Looking Glass Cabaret by lymphadei (E, 30,874 w. || Cabaret AU, Alternate First Meeting, Drag Queen John, Fluff and Smut, Drama, PWP) – Lady Grey leant up on her toes, her hands on either side of his neck to steady herself as she pressed her lips against Sherlock’s ear. “I wouldn’t say a devil, Mr Holmes, but I’m definitely not on the side of the angels.” Then, she pulled back slightly to place a lingering kiss on his cheek. Part 4 of the Interpersonal Affairs series

Through Dangers Untold by hogwartswitch (E, 32,003 w. || Labyrinth AU) – The Goblin King has fallen in love with John Watson and visits him in dreams. But the evil wizard who cursed the Goblin King cannot allow that to continue. Will John survive the labyrinth? Or will he become a lost goblin like all the rest?

An Everlasting Inferno by thatawkwardfriend (M, 35,011+ w. || WiP || Criminal AU || Different First Meeting, Minor Character Death, Gun Violence, Sherlock Whump, Friends to Lovers / Enemies to Lovers, UST, Mutual Pining) – Sherlock and John are both men who operate outside the law. John works for Mary and her hitmen in order to keep a roof over his head. Sherlock does anything his drug dealer asks of him in exchange for free drugs and housing. They meet one night in a darkened garage to negotiate a deal. But they soon find out that neither of their bosses are being entirely honest with them about their goals or motives. With a little poking around, they stumble upon something much bigger than themselves and discover that perhaps, it might be in their best interests to work together. (Loosely inspired by StartUp and Little Favour)

Leveling Up by philalethia (M, 36,961 w. || Video Gamer AU || Different First Meeting, Epistolary, Gaming, Internalized Homophobia, Sexuality Crisis, Past Drug Use) – John plays video games, Sherlock writes a guide on GameFAQs, and they get on quite well together… eventually.Told entirely through emails, text messages, and voice chats.

Learning Curve by thpontiacbandit (M, 41,422 w. || Teacher / Parent AU || America, Fluff and Smut, Parentlock, Frottage) – John is a Kindergarten teacher. One of his students, a boy named Henry Holmes, refuses to speak in school. John is determined to get to the bottom of it, and that is how he meets Sherlock Holmes.

Fly Very High by yalublyutebya (E, 46,533 w. || Formula One AU || Rivalry, Permanent Injury, Hate / Angry Sex) – John Watson was born to be a racing driver, and even a crash isn’t enough to keep him out of a car for long. But coming back is not that easy, especially when he meets his new teammate, Sherlock Holmes.

Anchor Point by trickybonmot (E, 49,856 w. || Truman Show AU || Psychological Drama, Suspense, Slow Burn, Dark Characters / Fic) – The world tunes in nightly for Sherlock, the ultimate in reality TV: Sherlock Holmes, a real person with a legendary name, unknowingly lives out his life in a staged setting contrived by his brother. Things get complicated when a retired army doctor joins the show to play the part of Sherlock’s closest friend. This fic borrows its concept from the 1998 film, the Truman Show. However, you don’t need to have any knowledge of the movie to enjoy this story.

The Doubtful Comforts of Human Love by PoppyAlexander (M, 61,500 w. || Ballet / Rugby AU || Ballet Sherlock / Rugby John, Est. Long-Term Relationship, Marriage, Case Fic, Blow Jobs, Implied Infidelity, Angst, Dirty Talk, Violent Outbursts, Arguments, Relationship Discussions, Love Letters, Grand Gestures, Hopeful Ending) – UK Ballet principal dancer Sherlock Holmes and assistant rugby coach John Watson met and fell in love as ambitious, optimistic teenagers. Twenty years on, they are entering midlife, facing the break-down of their bodies and the ending of their careers, and contemplating what the future holds for two middle-aged men forced to start over. With a frightening crisis unfolding at the Ballet, Sherlock must balance the demands of his career, his friendships, and his marriage with his own struggle against bitterness and discontent, while John takes a long-overdue glance from the outside, in, and stutter-steps toward making a kind of peace.

The Craving in Between by love_in_mind_palace (E, 69,349 w. || Wedding Planner AU || Infidelity, Romance, Angst with Happy Ending, Misunderstandings, Sexting & Texting, Alternating POV, Mary is Not Nice) – Sherlock Holmes, The wedding Consultant. Picky about his projects and a nightmare to work with. Rejects ninety percent of the couples after just having a look at them and can predict how long a marriage will last. But when unassuming, plain, John Watson reluctantly limps his way in his office, with his more than enthusiastic fiancée, Mary Morstan, instead of dismissing the ill-assorted couple on the spot, he promptly decides that the project, and the groom.. are definitely worth working on.

Philia and Eros by distantstarlight (E, 84,660 w. || Historical AU || Friends to Lovers, Time Travel, Kilts, Possessive Behaviour, Love Confessions, Slow Burn, Implied Rape/Non-Con) – Love is timeless but time isn’t necessarily linear. John Watson and Sherlock Holmes are about to embark on an unintended adventure that will take them far away from the comfortable confines of 221 B Baker Street. Part 1 of Strange Paths

Northwest Passage by Kryptaria (E, 95,157 w. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Canadian AU ||  BAMF!John, Canadian John, PTSD, Anal / Oral Sex, Rimming, Emotional Hurt / Comfort) – Seven years ago, Captain John Watson of the Canadian Forces Medical Service withdrew from society, seeking a simple, isolated life in the distant northern wilderness of Canada. Though he survives from one day to the next, he doesn’t truly live until someone from his dark past calls in a favor and turns his world upside-down with the introduction of Sherlock Holmes.” Part 1 of Tales from the Northwest

Cake and Other Sins by Indybaggins (E, 100,670 w. || Great British Bakeoff AU || Alternate First Meeting, Angst, Baking, Desire, Disability, Incest (Holmescest/Holmescest with John), Masturbation, Falling in Love, Oral, Outdoor Sex, Past Drug Use, Poisoning, Voyeurism) – Sherlock and John meet as competing bakers on The Great British Bake Off. There’s intense baking, lush recipes and enticing food. Mycroft, guilt, past sins in chocolate and gingerbread. And love. That too.

The Bang and the Clatter by earlgreytea68 (M, 137,049 w. || Baseball AU || Slow Burn / Dev. Rel.) – Sherlock Holmes is a pitcher and John Watson is a catcher. No, no, no, it’s a baseball AU. Part 1 of Baseball

Emperor Tales of the Frozen South by cwb (M, 153,444 w. || Penguin AU || Adventure, Rituals, Fluff, Sherlock’s Mind Palace, Gay Rights, Bonding, Antartica) – At the bottom of the world, two intrepid explorers make their way in the harshest of environments. An important journey must be taken, and prophecies fulfilled, but not before family meddling, political interference, and self-doubt threaten to alter the future of an entire species.If you know me at all, you know that this had to be done. Part 1 of Emperor Tales of the Frozen South

The Jewel in the Tower by PoppyAlexander (E, 207,079 w. || Dystopian AU, Violence, Rape/Non-Con Elements, Mild Dub Con, One World Government, Class Issues, Assassin John / Geisha Sherlock, Self Esteem Issues, Slow Burn, Espionage, Miscommunication, Sexual Fantasy, Masturbation, Letters/Texting, Phone Sex, Infidelity, First Time, Blow Jobs, Dirty Talk, Injury Recovery, Panic Attacks, Frottage, Scars, Misgendering, Happy Endings) – In a contemporary dystopia, Unity is peace – despite the fact unsanctioned information, illicit currency, and every sort of danger flows unchecked in the world’s pleasure districts. John Watson, a weary hired gun, is assigned by the mysterious Mentor to investigate a subversive element lurking in the Icehouse, the world’s most famous House of Repose. As accustomed as he is to dealing with the unexpected, John is nevertheless woefully unprepared to meet the gem of the Ice house, Xie, the world renowned “drashaskaya,” the living work of art after which all other drashas are modeled. In sumptuous suites, amid trailing puddles of silk and fervent whispers in the night, John soon learns that nothing is as it seems in the floating world of London’s pleasure district. (PUBLISHED AS “At Night in the Floating World”)

You Go To My Head Series by 7PercentSolution and J_Baillier (E, 257,765+ w. across 8 Stories, WiP || Surgeon AU || Medical Realism, Doctor John / Doctor Sherlock, Friends to Lovers, Pining, Addiction, Angst, Slow Burn, PTSD, Pining, Insecurity) – This series is an alternate universe one, featuring the exciting medical and romantic adventures of doctors Watson (senior neuroanaesthetist) and Holmes (neurosurgeon).

Enigma by khorazir (M, 289,667 w. || Codebreaker / WWII / Imitation Game-Inspired AU || Case Fic, Espionage, Period-Typical Homophobia / Sexism, Pining Sherlock, Inexperienced / VirginSherlock, Implied / Referenced Drug Use, Non-Graphic Violence) – It’s the autumn of 1941, war is raging in Europe, German U-boats are raiding Allied convoys in the Atlantic, the Luftwaffe is bombing English cities, and the cryptographers at Bletchley Park are working feverishly to decode their enemies’ encrypted communications. One should consider this challenge and distraction enough for capricious codebreaker Sherlock Holmes. But the true enigmas are yet waiting to be deciphered: an unbreakable code, a strange murder, and the arrival of Surgeon Captain John H. Watson of the Royal Navy.

Deflowered - Director’s Cut by Lorelei_Lee (E, 328,535 w. || Mafia / Mob AU || Rape/Non-Con, Dub-Con, Boss John/Rentboy Sherlock, Bottomlock, Virgin Sherlock, Pining Sherlock, Jealous John, Prostate Milking, Sounding, Anal Beads/Plug, Anal Sex / Fingering, Spanking, Begging, Blow Jobs, Riding Crops, Begging, Romance, Desperation, Minor Character Death, Implied Self Harm, Violence) – It should have been strictly business. Being a Mafia boss with a sadistic sexual streak, John had long since realised that his playthings were in it for the money only. Being a masochistic rent boy, Sherlock seemed too good to be true. Little did they know…