#b: a kiss for midwinter

[thetonsource]

@thetonsource presents: a victorian holiday novella selection ❄️

“there’s this man. he’s had his eye on me for months, but i haven’t always treated him kindly.” her words faltered. “he gave me the truth for christmas. the first time—and the second time—and the third time he offered it, i couldn’t take it. how do i let him know…” her voice faltered. “how do i let him know that i want nobody but him?”

a kiss for midwinter by courtney milan

“i might not have the same body you became acquainted with, the same scars or history. i don’t have the hands that touched you. the mouth that tasted you, not exactly. but i have the soul that adored you from the first moment i laid eyes on you.”

the earl of christmas past by kerrigan byrne

“i’m not a man given to great expressions of emotion. it’s not how i was raised. it’s not how i’ve lived my life. but i do feel things deeply. i may not always show it, but i do.”

a holiday by gaslight by mimi matthews

[bookcub]

TRCC Readathon 2025 update

i didn't post about this earlier because a. i didnt know if i would participate and b. once i started reading, i was like mmm social media break would go well with this but since the 15th, i have read:

a kiss at midwinter by courtney milan (121 pages)

what happened at midnight by courtney milan (104 pages)

the duchess war by courtney milan (270 pages)

the countess conspiracy by courtney milan (309 pages)

witch hat atelier by kamone shirahama (92/190 pages)

the year i flew away by marie arnold (audio, 10%)

soooo i think im doing well ;)

[mischievouslittlecreature]

Part 19: In the Bleak Midwinter

Summary: Tommy begins to recover and Lucy visits a church--but not for absolution.

Word Count: 6,599

Warnings: Violence, mild sexual content, and references to sexual assault.

Previous Chapter • Series • Fic • Next Chapter

Chapter 15: Sinful Rosary

She didn’t leave his side until he could stand on his own, watching anxiously from her chair when he braced his hand against the doctor’s, the other pushing down on the bed, face hardening with silent determination as he rose to his feet. Steady. 

He’d made great improvements over such a short amount of time. It really shouldn’t have been that surprising. It was Tommy after all.

They’d removed the halo brace, though they’d kept the patch of hair on his head shaved until the stitches from his incisions were ready to come out. But he looked considerably better; the shadows around his eyes had retreated, color returning to his face. He’d lost maybe a little weight from his time laying in the hospital bed, but not enough to lose too much of his muscle definition. When he caught her staring at his naked torso from where she was folded into her chair, he shot her a smirk, eyebrow raising smugly.  

Handsome bastard. Even with that ridiculous bald spot on his head.

But he wasn’t cleared for sex yet. Nor would he probably be for a while. Which wasn’t that much of a problem while he was still in hospital, but it might prove to be once he was allowed to return home. They never had been particularly good at keeping their hands off each other. 

Okay, it was a little bit of a problem even with him still in the hospital. But that was only because he’d apparently decided to forgo clothes during his recovery. She was pretty sure he hadn’t put on anything besides his white cotton boxers the entire time he’d been there.

“I can feel you staring at me,” the rumble of his voice brought her back to herself, pulling her out of her lewd daydreams while she watched the muscles in his back flex when he lifted his cigarette to his lips, head tilted upwards towards the windows. Imagining how those muscles in his back would flex when he…

She shook her head, forcing herself to stop that particular train of thought before it got out of control, even as her thighs squeezed together. “Sorry.”

He looked over his shoulder at her, smirking. “I don’t mind.” 

Rising from her chair, she went to join him, humming happily when he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer until her head was resting on his chest. She looped her arms around his torso, still handling him gingerly even though he kept insisting that he was fine. 

“You’re sure you’re feeling alright?”

“Better than I have in a while actually, love.”

“That’s just ‘cos you’re still on the morphine.” 

“Probably,” he kissed the top of her head. “You said once I was able to stand on my own you would look into if anyone talked.”

“Mhm. I had some of our boys look into if there was any suspicious contact made to Hughes or any of his associates within the few days before you tried to kill him.”

Tommy loosened his grip on her, sitting down on the edge of the bed, tapping the ash of his cigarette into the tray on the bedside table. She sat down beside him, taking the cigarette when he offered it to her. 

“Scudboat says that he spoke to some people who were attending church on Good Friday. They told him that there was a woman that came in who insisted on being seen for confessional even though they weren’t holding any that day. Figured I’d start there. The priests who work there are associated with Hughes.”

Tommy nodded slowly, bringing the cigarette to his lips after she passed it back to him. “I don’t want you going down to that church all on your own.”

Lucy frowned. “I’ll be careful–”

“So was I and I got my head smashed in.”

Okay, fair point. “I’ll take Johnny Dogs with me.”

The idea seemed to relax Tommy somewhat. “Okay. Good.”

“Ada said she would be coming by later.”

“You mean to babysit me while you’re off gutting a priest?” but he smiled good naturedly when she opened her mouth to argue. “It’s fine.”

“It'll make me feel a little better.”

“I know.”

She kissed his cheek before standing, halfway to the door when he called after her. 

“There are some reports from last week that need to be reviewed and signed. If you wouldn’t mind stopping by the office while you’re there.”

She glanced back at him from the doorway. “Yes, boss.”

His eyes snapped up to hers, and even from across the room, she could tell his pupils had dilated a little. “Careful,” he growled, tone playful. Lucy grinned, trying to ignore the flutter in her core, and stepped out into the hall. 

∗ ∗ ∗ 

She met up with Johnny a few blocks away from the church, laughing when he pulled her into a bear hug. 

“Lucy, you little demon! How are ya?”

“You know, I’ve had better years, Johnny.”

His smile wavered. “How is he? Really?”

“He’s recovering well. Doctors are saying that if he continues improving at the rate he is, he can come home soon.”

Johnny nodded. “Good. Don’t know what we would do without the bastard.”

“Yeah,” she jerked her head. “It’s this way,” she started to guide him down the road that would eventually lead them to the church.

“So what is it that you wanted me to do?”

“Ideally? Just stand there while I talk to him. Watch the doors and make sure I don’t get ambushed by any soldiers for hire that may or may not be lurking in any corners.”

“I don’t mean to be rude, Lucy, but isn’t this something you could have just done on your own?”

“Probably, yeah. But Tommy didn’t want me to go alone after what happened to him.”

Johnny’s lips pulled into a grin, a knowing twinkle entering his eyes. “Ah.”

Lucy rolled her eyes, stuffing her hands into her pockets and looking away so he wouldn’t notice the slight pink blush blooming across her cheeks. Johnny had always been enthusiastically accepting and encouraging of her particular relationship with Tommy. It made sense, considering that Johnny himself had multiple wives. 

“So does that mean that Tom’s alone over there at the hospital?” Johnny asked. They’d rounded the corner, the church at the end of the road coming into view.

“Ada’s with him,” reaching into her pocket, she plucked her revolver from its holster, checking it. Satisfied, she put it back, snug against her ribs. When they got to the church steps, she hesitated, staring up at the huge doors disdainfully. 

“Lucy?” Johnny asked. She sighed, taking a deep breath, and stepped forward onto the consecrated ground, letting out a small sigh of relief. Johnny looked at her in puzzlement. 

“Sorry. Bad memories,” she explained. All churches, especially Catholic churches, inflicted the same queasy feelings of uneasiness within her. Less than happy moments from her childhood dredged up to haunt her. That and the always enduring fear that stepping inside one would cause her to burst into flames. Johnny’s expression turned sympathetic, following closely behind her up the steps and to the doors leading into the church. 

Flexing her fingers once, Lucy rolled her neck from side to side, drawing herself up to her full height, clearing her throat. Then she slammed the doors open with a resounding boom that echoed throughout the entire building, ensuring that she stepped with enough force that every footfall thundered loudly. It was the middle of an afternoon on a weekday, so there weren’t that many parishioners; the few that were kneeling or sitting in pews looking up at the comotion. 

“Get out,” Lucy ordered, voice loud and echoing like an explosion in the otherwise silence of the church. “Now!”

The people in the pews scrambled, grabbing at their coats and bibles before filing out towards the doors. 

“Check the confessionals,” Lucy told Johnny, stalking to the altar, where a priest was standing, frozen with his mouth half open in shock. She could hear Johnny opening the doors to the confessionals, glancing in to make sure there was no one hiding in the dark shadows of the little booths. She waited until the big wooden doors swung closed behind the last of the parishioners, coming to a stop in front of the priest with her hands clasped behind her back. 

“Hullo,” she smiled sweetly. The priest finally gained back enough of his motor functions to close his mouth, swallowing harshly. Lucy cocked her head. “Were you the priest taking confessions here on Good Friday?” 

“There were no confessionals offered on Good Friday, miss,” he spoke in a shaky voice. Good. Scared was good; useful. 

“Ah, but there was, wasn’t there? One, according to our boys. A woman. She came here and demanded a priest take her confession.”

The priest pressed his trembling lips together. Lucy looked him up and down.

“So. Was it you who saw her? Or was it one of your fellow clergy? And don’t lie,” she added when he opened his mouth to answer. “You won’t like what I’ll do if I think you are.”

“It was me,” he straightened his back. Trying to be brave despite the slight tremor she could see in his hands. With Johnny Dogs there watching her back she could focus her full attention on the priest, picking apart each and every one of his little reactions to use against him. 

“Hm,” she pressed her lips into a small smile, eyes narrowing. “Who was she?”

“I can’t-I can’t say–”

“Oh, yes you can. And you will. It just depends how much pain you would like to go through before you do,” she considered whether she ought to use the razors sewn into her hat, or the blade sheathed in her belt. The razors would allow her to slash as she pleased, but the blade would let her be more precise in her cuts…

Decisions, decisions. 

She took a step towards the priest, and he cringed back. 

“You can’t…not here…” he said. Lucy raised an eyebrow.

“No?” she drew the blade from her belt. In one quick movement she slashed out with it, slicing through the air and catching him across the cheek. Not cutting deep enough to do any real damage, just enough to draw blood. The priest yelped, jumping away with a hand flying to his face. “Hm. It seems like I can.”

“I cannot divulge what was spoken to me during confession!” he cried out. 

“Ah but you already have, haven’t you?” with every step he took back she took one forward, carefully angling her movements so she was beginning to back him into a corner. “You told another priest, didn’t you?”

He stared at her with steadily paling skin. 

“Yes, love, we already know about that,” she purred. They hadn’t really. Though he had just as well confirmed it through his reaction. And it was the only thing that made sense: the woman who’d come for confession had said something that tipped them off, and this priest had informed Hughes.

“Please, please, I didn’t know what he was going to do…” his back hit the wall, eyes widening. Lucy paced back and forth in front of him.

“Tell me who the woman was that came to confess..”

He whimpered, and she twirled the knife between her fingers. 

“Or I’m going to have to start hurting you.”

The priest jammed his eyes shut, mumbling a prayer under his breath for forgiveness. Lucy rolled her eyes, but waited until he finished.

“I think she was drunk. Or…off her head with something, at least. She came in staggering, demanding to be seen for a confession,” he began. 

Lucy had her suspicions of who it was. But she needed to be sure before she did anything about it.

“What did she tell you?” she demanded. Maybe the woman had just rambled and said nothing useful. Maybe what happened with Tommy and Hughes really had just been bad luck. 

“Many things…many things that didn’t make sense. Something about killing a policeman. She said he was a bad man. That she felt no regret. Something about…about hearing a voice…um…”

“What else?” Lucy asked, even as her shoulders tensed at the mention of a murdered policeman. The priest stuttered. She sighed, flipping the knife in her hand and raising her eyebrows, watching the way his gaze tracked the glint of the lights and candles off the blade.

“She said something about…about there being a plan in place for the death of a holy man.”

Lucy felt her nostrils flare, jaw clenching. “And you relayed that information to Father John Hughes, yes?”

“Yes.”

She took a few steps forward, until she was standing directly in front of him, dagger still clutched at her side. Using the tip of it, she pressed it to the underside of his chin, forcing his head to tilt up from where it had fallen to bow against his chest, so he was looking at her. 

“What was her name?” she asked, even though she already knew the answer. The priest hesitated, and she placed a little more pressure on the blade. Not enough to puncture the skin, but enough for him to know she wouldn’t hesitate to if he annoyed her.

“At first she just said her name was Shelby. But later she said it was Elizabeth Gray.”

Lucy let out a long, slow exhale of air. Her grip tightened on the dagger. Fucking Polly. It was because of fucking Polly that Tommy had nearly died.

It had been her suspicion since the beginning, but she’d forced herself to keep the rage that the thought created at bay until she knew for sure. No use getting all worked up over something and making accusations without having confirmation that she was right. 

But with it now confirmed, there came other questions.

Because Polly had always been jealous of Tommy. Ever since he came back from France. While the boys were away, she had enjoyed a much larger amount of power and control over the company than she’d ever gotten before. And then the men came back, and she was pushed into her old position while Tommy seized control over everything. Lucy had seen, time and time again, the bitterness and frustration behind Polly’s eyes when things weren’t done her way. The contempt and buried resentment she held towards her nephew for taking the place in the family she believed should be hers. 

It was possible that her visit to the priest had not been a drunken mistake, but a calculated, purposeful warning.

Lucy found it hard to believe that Polly would actually want Tommy dead. For all their arguing and disagreements over how the company should be run, she’d always figured that somewhere, deep down, Polly really did care for her nephew. At the very least she acknowledged that without him, the entire thing would fall to fucking pieces. 

No, no. It did not seem right. And while she did not think that the suspicion was wholly unfounded, it made no sense. There was no real reason for Polly to suddenly decide she wanted Tommy dead now. Besides, if she did, there were far better ways to go about it than a contrived, risky visit to a confessional booth that could easily be traced back to her. 

And Lucy had no doubt that Polly was smart enough to know that if she was going to kill Tommy, she would need to kill Lucy too. Otherwise she would never stop coming after her.  

With that possibility omitted, the pieces started to come together in her mind.

The priest said that Polly seemed drunk out of her mind, and Lucy remembered the sight of her, laid up in a chair the day following Good Friday. 

So Polly had staggered into this church, drunk off her ass, demanded to be seen for confession, and then proceeded to spill the beans on not only her past murder of Campbell, but of their plans to kill Hughes.

Intentional in the pain it had caused or not, it was stupid and careless. And she had not come forward to admit what she had done even as Lucy had their men running about trying to find the source of any leaks in their organization. 

And no matter what Polly had meant to accomplish when she stepped foot inside this church, the outcome was the same: Tommy, laid out on a surgical bed while doctors worked feverishly to save his life. He would spend months recovering. Even if it had just been a simple mistake, it had been a colossal one. 

She had almost lost Tommy. All because fucking Polly couldn’t keep her fucking mouth shut. 

No better than any of the others, even though she thought of herself at a higher standard than them. Careless. Reckless. Stupid. 

The wrath she had managed to keep at bay while sitting watchfully at Tommy’s bedside whilst he recovered was foaming up. She and Polly had never been friends. And while at first she hadn’t actually held any ill will towards her, years of being on the receiving end of nasty, backhanded comments and passive aggressive attempts to drive a wedge between her and Tommy had planted multiple seeds of bitter animosity in Lucy towards the woman. 

And now she had almost been the cause for Lucy losing the most important person in her life. 

She wanted to strangle her with her own bare hands.  

“Now, listen, I’ve told you what you wanted–” the priest began. Lucy’s face snapped towards him. She’d had just enough of these fucking priests and their holier than thou dispositions. Their leery looks to the choir boys and girls as they passed them by. How they preached about love and forgiveness, and then exposed their hypocrisy through acts of violence, oppression, and rape, and somehow thought that because of the white collar and rosary around their neck, they somehow would be exempt from burning in hell like the rest of them.

She hated them all. Every last one of them. 

Before the priest could finish his sentence, her arm holding the dagger slashed outwards and cut a clean, horizontal line across his eyes. Whatever words the priest was going to say were swallowed up a scream, hands flying to his face, clutching at the bloodied sockets where his eyes had been but a moment prior. 

Seizing him with one hand around his shoulders, she pulled him to her, driving the knife into his torso, just below his ribs, and twisted it. The priest’s wails echoed throughout the empty church. Drawing the dagger back, she stabbed it into his stomach again, and again, and again. Steady, sharp jabs that had blood spurting from his abdomen. His hands clawed at her, but she batted them away with ease, sliding the knife one final time into his chest, directly into his heart, just holding it there, hands shaking with rage. She pulled it from his flesh like one would slice through butter, taking a step back and letting him crash onto his front on the ground, a burbling, whimpering sound still whining from his lips, body twitching until he finally went still. 

“Jesus Christ, Lucy,” she heard Johnny mumble behind her.  

Wiping her hand across her brow, she sighed, head tilting up, fishing around in her pocket for a handkerchief to clean the blade of her knife with before returning it to its sheath. 

“Clean that up, will you, Johnny?” she asked, adjusting her coat on her shoulders, turning to begin to walk towards the door.

“Yeah, but…wait!” he moved to follow her, hand out like he was going to grab her arm, though he pulled it back when she cringed away from his touch. “Where are you going?”

“To the betting shop.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s the most likely place that Polly will be.”

Johnny’s eyes widened. “Do you think that’s a good idea right now?”

She sighed, head tilting up. “Look, I’m not going to kill her, okay?” she huffed again at his unconvinced expression. “I’m just going to talk to her. Then I have to go take care of a few things at the office, and catch the train back to London,” reaching into her pocket, she pulled out her cigarettes. “Thanks for coming with me, Johnny.”

“Ah, it’s no problem, Luce.”

She pointed to the priest. “Weigh him down and throw him in the cut.”

“You don’t want your handiwork put on display?” Johnny asked. Sometimes they did that. As a warning or a message. She shook her head. 

“No. The last thing we need is for them to try to retaliate. It’s better if this one just disappears.”

Johnny nodded, stepping over the priest. “Alright.”

“And Tommy wants to speak with you. After he’s recovered. He has a job for you. You and your wives and kids can camp out near the valley by Arrow House. No one will bother you.”

Johnny’s eyes sparkled at the suggestion that his family could relax in peace without fear of being chased off by angry landowners. “What sort of job, Lucy?”

“He’ll tell you when the time comes,” she promised. “For now, just enjoy the land and some peace.”

He flashed her that famous Johnny Dogs grin in response. Satisfied, Lucy nodded to him once gratefully, turning on her heel and walking to the door.  

It wasn’t a terribly long walk back to the betting shop, one hand stuffed in her pocket while the other periodically brought her cigarette to her lips. All the while rage continued to simmer in her veins. She was well aware that she probably wasn’t the safest person to be around at the moment. The smart thing to do would be to just go to the office and then catch the first train back to London. But she had to get out what she needed to say to Polly. Or else it was going to eat her alive.

Stomping out her cigarette on the street, she pushed open the door to the shop, almost instantly hearing the buzz of Polly, John, and Arthur’s voices from the kitchen. 

She didn’t bother taking off her cap, fingers twitching and flexing at her sides, walking slowly through the front sitting room towards the kitchen. Taking deep breaths to remind herself not to completely lose it.  

When she stepped into the kitchen, it was to find that the double doors leading into the betting shop were closed. John was leaning against the wall, Arthur seated at the table in the center of the room while Polly stood near the counter.

The moment she saw her, any of the fragile self control Lucy had managed to cobble together evaporated in one single breath. 

Every time she blinked, all she could see behind her eyelids were the stitches still in Tommy’s head, the blood running from his ears while she cradled him in her lap.

She strode across the room in a handful of quick strides, seizing Polly by the front of her blouse and slamming her back into the nearest wall, face crowded in close to hers. “You fucking bitch! Do you have any idea what you did!? Do you!?” she roared it in Polly’s face, giving her a small shake. “Do you know what you did!?”

Polly let out a small, surprised yelp when she first seized her, staring at her, mouth half open in sock. Lucy could vaguely hear Arthur and John shouting at her, grabbing at her shoulders and trying to pull her off of their aunt. She was practically shaking with anger, unable to think of much else aside from Tommy laying still in that hospital bed, the way that the doctors had told her about how they had to cut open his head and piece his skull back together. How heavy he’d been when he went limp in her arms on Ada’s stairs.

Her hands were dangerously close to Polly’s throat. She could feel her face twisting in a snarl.

“You fucking–”

“Lucy, stop!” 

She was finally yanked away from Polly, John and Arthur shoving her away, placing themselves between them. 

“What the fuck!?” John shouted, looking like he was seconds away from pulling his revolver on her. 

“Lucy,” Polly had a hand on her chest, smoothing down the fabric of her blouse where Lucy had been clutching her. “Lucy, why…?”

“I know it was you who tipped off the priests,” Lucy growled. Polly froze, eyes widening. John and Arthur shared puzzled looks with each other. 

“What?” Arthur asked. Lucy ignored them, not taking her eyes off Polly, who’s lips had thinned into a firm line, jaw clenching.

“Now, listen–” Polly started, drawing herself up to her full height as she prepared to defend herself.

“He almost died!” Lucy continued to rage. “He almost died because of you!”

She could have sworn Polly paled a little at the statement.

“You were drunk. Right?” wiping her mouth with her hand, Lucy started to pace from side to side across the small kitchen, her body desperately needing something to do with all the furious energy burning through her. 

“Yes,” Polly said, voice steady despite the odd expression that had passed across it. Something that Lucy thought may have been guilt.  

A scathing scoff passed Lucy’s lips, smiling humorlessly and shaking her head. “How could you be so fucking stupid?”

Polly’s face hardened. “You don’t get to talk to me like that–”

“Tommy’s in the hospital because of you, I can speak to you however the fuck I please,” Lucy spat, stopping her pacing with her hands on her hips, rocking back and forth on her feet, unable to fully stand still for fear that she would lunge at Polly again if she did. “God,” she laughed humorlessly, shaking her head, staring upwards. “You were supposed to be one of the smart ones,” she sighed, and when she looked back at Polly, she saw that that was probably the most hurtful thing she could have possibly said to her, the Shelby matriarch's cheeks turning pink, anger and humiliation building behind her dark eyes. 

A sudden flood of tears welled within Lucy’s eyes, and she blinked them rapidly to try to keep them from escaping, shrugging her shoulders helplessly to Polly. There wasn’t much more she could do or say, she realized. The rage within her had not dissipated, but it had suddenly lost its activeness. No longer did she feel the need to scream and kick and snarl. Instead she just felt rather numb. 

She realized, with a considerable amount of surprise, just how crushingly disappointed she was in Polly. Certainly she didn’t like the woman, nor did she often agree with her ideas or way of going about things, but fuck…

She at least had thought her competent enough to not stagger into their enemy’s lair and spill their secrets.

It was going to hurt Tommy to know it was Polly. He may not have always been the most obvious about it, but he cared greatly for his aunt. And he thought a lot of her. There was a reason why he allowed her such a high place in the company and family business, after all. 

“You were careless and you were stupid,” Lucy said, drawing in a shuddering breath. “And now Hughes is still alive. Tommy will spend months recovering from his injuries. So I hope you’re fucking happy,” she could feel John and Arthur also staring at her, but she kept her eyes trained on Polly’s. 

“Pol, is that true?” Arthur asked, turning around to stare at her. Polly didn’t look at him, continuing to glare at Lucy. But just beyond the hardness within her eyes, Lucy could see a flicker of shame and regret. Her jaw remained tightened defiantly. Lucy glanced briefly at Arthur and John, both staring at Polly expectantly as they waited for an explanation. When she gave none, Lucy looked back at her, cocking her head.

“Nothing to say?” Lucy asked. She doubted that Tommy would ever get an actual apology from her, let alone any of the rest of them. Polly was too proud for that. Lucy shrugged. It was more or less what she’d been expecting. “Okay,” she let her hands fall to hang loosely at her sides, giving one last shake of her head and a scoff. “This is why we don’t tell you things.”

None of them said a word as she stalked out the door, slamming it ragefully behind her.  

∗ ∗ ∗ 

By the time she got to the office, she had calmed down a considerable amount. Getting out what she’d needed to say to Polly had certainly helped, though there was no doubt that it wouldn’t exactly help improve her relationship with the woman. 

Whatever. There was nothing on earth she would be able to do to change Polly’s mind about her anyway. 

Rubbing the heel of her hand against her eyes, Lucy pushed open the doors, slipping off her cap and stuffing it into her coat pocket.

“Hey, Lizzie,” she mumbled. Lizzie looked up from where she was sitting at her desk, typing away at her typewriter. 

“What are you doing back in town? I thought you would still be at the hospital.”

“Needed to run a few errands. Could you get those reports from last week for me? Tommy wanted me to review and sign them before I catch the train back.”  

“Sure,” Lizzie stood to go to Tommy’s office.

“Thanks,” pulling another cigarette out while she waited, she swung around while lighting it at the sound of one of the doors opening, Michael stepping out, hands sliding into his pockets.

“Lucy,” he looked nervous. She raised an eyebrow.

“Hullo, Michael.”

“Didn’t expect you to be back yet.”

“I’m not. Not really. I’m just doing a quick thing for Tommy and then catching the next train back to London.”

Michael nodded, looking down at his shoes. Lucy frowned.

“Is…uh…” he cleared his throat. “Is he taking visitors yet?”

“Not unless it’s an emergency.”

“Oh,” Michael wasn’t meeting her eyes.

Tommy hadn’t been in a particular mood to see anyone besides her and Ada. But as she took in just how nervous and jittery Michael seemed to be, she felt her curiosity being piqued.

“...Is there something wrong, Michael?” she asked gently. He looked up at her, then around the office. Taking a step back, he pushed open his door with one hand, standing back in a silent invitation. Lucy’s brows pinched. 

Well now she had to know what was on the kid’s mind. Walking into the office, she took a seat in the chair across from his desk, a sudden, unnerving feeling washing over her when he closed the door behind them. 

“I…um,” he leaned his hip against the desk, twiddling with his thumbs. “There’s something I need to talk to Tommy about.”

“Okay…” Lucy said, waiting. Michael sighed, looking everywhere but at her.

“It has to do with the priest.”

Shifting in the chair, she fiddled with her cigarette. “I’ve already dealt with the leak, Michael,” she didn’t offer any further explanation. He would probably hear about it all soon enough anyway.

But Michael shook his head. “It’s not that. It’s…” shoving his hands back into his pockets, his shoulders heaved when he sighed, suddenly looking far younger than he was. Like a lost little boy. “Father John Hughes, right?”  

Her fingers tightened around the cigarette, jaw clenching at the name. “Yes, that’s right.”

“I know him.”

She went still. “What?”

“When I was…” he still wouldn’t look at her. “When I was a boy, before I was adopted, for a time I was in the care of the holy fathers.”

Lucy felt her stomach drop to her toes.

“I know…” he was struggling to get the words out. “I know things about him, Lucy. Things that might be useful.”

Her lips parted, nodding slowly. “Okay. I’ll tell him,” her voice was soft, but it suddenly seemed very loud in the quiet of the room. “You can come by the hospital tomorrow.”

Michael’s hands pulled free from his pockets, fiddling with each other, his eyes finally meeting hers. 

“When you and Tommy killed the men who hurt you…” he trailed off, frowning. Lucy waited patiently for him to finish. “Did it help?”

She blinked slowly. “Yes,” she was surprised at how sure her voice sounded when she said it. “The nightmares didn’t stop,” she coughed. “Or the flashbacks, or…any of the rest of it, but knowing that they were out there, walking around, living their lives, and that at any moment they could show back up and…” she trailed off, biting her lip and unable to finish the sentence, instead looking down at the wooden floor. “It helped knowing that they couldn’t hurt me anymore. Or anyone else. They got what they deserved. And they died afraid and in pain. And I get to sleep at least a little more soundly at night knowing that.”

Michael was staring at a space on the wall across from him. “I want to kill him, Lucy.”

She knew all too well the rage she saw within his eyes. It was the same wrath she’d seen reflected back at her in the mirror every day since her ex-fiancé and his friends dragged her into that alleyway in the dead of night, her screams useless thanks to the roar of the thunderstorm booming above them. 

“I know,” she said. “But we have to be careful. And it has to be at the right time,” glancing at the clock on the wall, she stood. “I’ll talk to Tommy.”

“Thank you,” he looked back at her cautiously. “I don’t want my mum to know.”

“Okay.”

He nodded, grateful, hands going back into his pockets. “I’ll come by the hospital tomorrow. Unless I hear otherwise from you.”

“Sounds like a plan,” moving to step around him, she stopped, gingerly resting her hand on his shoulder in what she hoped was some semblance of comfort. “I’m sorry.”

Michael looked down at the floor, a small pained sound coming from his throat, shrugging his shoulders. Lucy gave him a little pat; there wasn’t much else she could say, and slipped out the door. She glanced hastily over and signed the files Lizzie had set out for her, handing them back and bidding her goodbye, heading out the door and beginning the short walk to the train station. 

∗ ∗ ∗ 

Tommy didn’t say much when she reported to him everything she’d found out. He didn’t seem all too surprised when she told him about Polly. He was carrying the same suspicions that she was, after all. But he’d been quiet ever since. Not even her reminder that the doctors finally said he could go home soon seemed to improve his mood.

Poor Tommy. He was clearly trying to hide just how hurt he was over the knowledge of what Polly had done. 

Sitting on the edge of his bed, she watched him where he was standing in the middle of the room, cigarette in one hand, eyes focused upwards at the dim, bluish light filtering in through the windows.   

She couldn’t wait to be out of this place. It was far too dark and dingy for her liking.

Reminded her of being underground.  

In his other hand, Tommy clutched a spoon, pouring helpings of morphine from a little bottle onto it, sliding the silver utensil between his lips. His features relaxed, eyes closed and features relaxing into bliss.

He was higher than a fucking kite. 

Lucy frowned, not taking her eyes off him even as the door opened a nurse announced Michael’s presence to them. She knew that the morphine was necessary at the moment to keep him from being in insurmountable pain, but she’d heard about the addicts who’d gotten hooked on the stuff when they were taking it while healing from injuries during the war.

He needed to be careful to not over do it. 

Michael said his piece, nothing particularly new from what he’d already told her, which she in turn had relayed to Tommy. And Tommy himself wasn’t much use, eyes still focused up at the windows, not even turning to face Michael when he spoke.

“We’ll let you know when it’s time,” Lucy assured Michael before he left. When she spoke to Tommy about it earlier, he’d been agreeable to the idea of Michael getting a chance at Hughes. 

Would probably be best to talk about it when he was more lucid, though. His pain had been bad today. 

He took another spoonful of the morphine, and she stood, watching Michael leave and close the door behind him.

“Give,” she held out her hands, taking the morphine and the spoon from Tommy, cupping his chin gently and angling his face so she could examine his pupils. “I think you’ve had more than enough, love.”

His eyes blinked at her lazily. “I feel like shit, Luce,” he mumbled. 

“I know. Come lay down,” she guided him back to the bed, ushering him to lay down while she sat down on the edge of the bed again. “Doctors said some days will be better than others,” she glanced at the stitches in his head. No puss or other signs of inflammation or infection. He was healing well. 

Tommy just closed his eyes, head resting heavily against the pillows. Lucy looked him up and down, unable to fight back the feeling that his sudden drop in mood didn’t just have to do with how he was feeling physically. 

“I’m sorry about Polly,” she said, touching his hand. Tommy grunted, eyes downcast. Her heart broke for him a little bit. “I’ll get to take you home soon,” she tried again to raise his spirits. “We’ll get to see Charlie. And Asher. And the horses. Get to sleep in a real fucking bed rather than this piece of shit,” she poked the lackluster mattress for emphasis.

“Yeah,” Tommy was just staring at the ceiling. Lucy tried not to be too put out at his reaction, considering he wasn’t really all there with her at the moment. But when she stood, his eyes snapped to hers, hand reaching to loop around her wrist. “Don’t leave me.”

Her eyes widened at the sudden desperation in his voice. “I’m just gonna put these down, love,” she held up the morphine bottle. He let go, albeit reluctantly, and she set the bottle and spoon on the bedside table. Sitting back down at his side, she smoothed his dark hair away from his forehead, giving him a gentle kiss there. “Try to get some rest.”

“Mm,” he closed his eyes. “You could lay down,” one hand patted against the center of his chest. “Right here.”

Lucy fought back a smile. “We tried that, remember? We got scolded by one of the nurses.”

Tommy made a face, mumbling something about getting the woman fired while he readjusted himself against the pillows. Lucy snorted.

“You get better fast, and then we can go home and I can lay on you as much as you want.”

He hummed like the thought pleased him greatly. “You promise?”

She raised an eyebrow. Jesus, he really was out of it. She wondered if he would even remember anything come morning. 

“Yes, love, I promise.”

Whether her agreement brought him enough peace to fully relax, or he simply was that exhausted, it only took a few moments until he was sound asleep. 

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Thank you for reading! Please consider leaving a comment, reblog, or like. I always appreciate feedback and love getting the opportunity to interact with you and hear your thoughts!

[3pirouette]

Fic: Give Him My Heart (2/2)

Title: Give Him My Heart

Chapter 2 of In The Bleak Midwinter

By: TriplePirouette/3Pirouette

Disclaimer: They're not mine.

Distribution: AO3 Anyone else please ask first :) 

Story Summary: The surprise part 2 to In the Beak Midwinter. Thesokovianaccords likes Rom Coms, So I needed to give her the Rom Com AU ending we all want. 

A/N: (or, not so much of a surprise if you looked at the AO3…) @thesokovianaccords: I couldn’t leave it bittersweet for you, and knowing how much you like the Rom Coms, I decided it needed a better AU ending. I had hoped to have this done MUCH sooner, but what better excuse than Steggy Week? 

For Steggy Week 2k23 Day 4: Family and Friends. 

Readers, you can decide if you want this to attach to In the Bleak Midwinter, or if you want it to stand as it’s own AU. Insert your own “Steve didn’t get frozen and all is well in 1946” head canon. 

Title is the last line from “In the Bleak Midwinter” by Christina Rossetti

~*~

It was a raucous mess. It was tight, she could barely slide through the bodies, hands up overhead to try to make her way. Someone was playing piano in the next room, and the every-so-often off-key plinking of holiday music kept ringing in her ear. 

“Looks like the only seat left is Stevie’s lap, Carter!” Bucky winked at her, bringing his mug to his lips. 

“James Buchanan Barnes!” Bucky nearly choked on the mouthful of beer he had, looking up, comically panicked. “You get up and offer that woman a seat like the gentleman I raised you to be!” Mama B’s voice rang out clear over the din of the party. 

Steve started make a joke, but he was cut off by the loud, warm woman as well. “And if you think for one minute, Stephen Grant Rogers, that you’re immune from your manners, well your Mama would be rolling in her grave right now!” 

Steve and Bucky both stood, jumping from their spots on the couch as Mrs. Barnes entered the room, dishtowel in one hand, glass of wine in the other. “Miss Carter, have a seat. Don’t you mind these boys.”

Peggy sat gently, warmed by the welcome of the matriarch. “Oh, I don’t mind them at all. I’ve gotten very well acquainted with their shenanigans.”

Mama B shook her head but smiled, her thick gray hair attempting to escape from her bun. “Well acquainted or not, they’ll behave when they’re here.”

“Yes,  Ma’am,” Steve and Bucky both chorused, as if they’d said it over and over their whole lives. Bucky sat on the arm of the couch, to which his mother raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything, as Steve and Peggy sat on the small loveseat, pressed together. 

“Now, isn’t that nicer?” Mama B asked, smirking. She took a long drink of wine as she moved over to Bucky, holding him close to her. “You’re so grown, I remember when you were just a boy, running around at my feet.”

“Ma!” He whined halfheartedly, only faking trying to pull away from her. 

She smiled when he did eventually wrap his arms around her. “If you’re well acquainted with their shenanigans overseas, I’m sure you won’t be surprised to hear about all the times they were little holy terrors right here in this house.” She smiled at Peggy like she was telling her a secret instead of recounting stories she’d told over dinners for decades. “The messes! The yelling! Oh!” She leaned over, pinching Steve’s cheek, “The fights!” She shook her head. 

“A handful from day one, I see?” Peggy asked, pinching Steve’s other cheek with her free hand much to his dismay. 

“Indeed!” Mama B pulled Away from Bucky, pressing a kiss on his head. “Now, dinner will be ready soon, and James I’ll need your help setting everything out.”

“Course, Ma,” he agreed, smiling. 

Steve had his eyes on Peggy, though, as Bucky and his mother continued to talk about the dinner layout. Her shoulders were tight, even if there was a smile on her face as she watched a group of small children run through the room, party hats askew and Sunday best askew in the way only little kids could do so that it seemed charming. “Peg?”

She hummed as she turned to him, eyes meeting his. 

“You ok?”

“It’s so different,” she replied softly after a second, huffing a laugh through her nose as a smaller child lagged behind, running through the room after all the others had already gone. “We were always so formal, so quiet.”

Steve smiled, wrapping his arm around her waist. “Told ya it was a sight to see.” He paused, setting his mug on the table. “Is it too much?” He asked, suddenly concerned. “Do you want to go?”

“No, no. I-“ Peggy paused, setting her hand on his. “It’s just a little overwhelming.” She sighed, leaning into his shoulder. “Our holidays were… solemn. Quiet. I didn’t so much as look forward to them as endured them. Long, quiet traditions that made me feel like a nuisance for wanting to have fun. This?” She smiled. “I could get used to this.”

“Ya ain’t never gonna get used to this,” Bucky interrupted, patting her on the shoulder. “But you might get used to the food. Ma’s food?” Bucky smiled, standing and kissing his mother’s cheek. “Heaven!” He turned, heading out to the kitchen. “Steve, give me a hand!”

Steve looked at Peggy, but stood and Kissed Mama B on her cheek as well after Peggy nodded for him to go, that she’d be just fine on her own.

“Those boys,” Mam B muttered, her voice full of happiness. She reached out and took Peggy’s hand to pull her to standing. She set har wine down and took both Peggy’s hands in hers. “It is, truly, so nice to have you here. Steve wrote about you all the time.”

Peggy tried her best not to squirm under the older woman’s earnest gaze. She felt her cheeks going red as she blushed, looking away. “Only the good pieces, I hope.”

She looked like she wanted to joke, like she would have if this hadn’t been their first time meeting, but instead she dropped Peggy’s hands and gently framed her face. “Thank you for bringing my boys home to me. Thank you for keeping them safe.”Before Peggy could stutter out a reply, The older woman’s lips were on her forehead, laying a gentle kiss. “Welcome to the family, dear.”

She turned a left, the serious moment gone as soon as she reached the hall, her voice loud and yelling that the potatoes couldn’t go int he middle of the table because that was for the hams. She left Peggy stunned, heart beating in her chest. Even through the crush of people, she could see the way they bickered, good natured and from love, as Mama B made Steve and Bucky completely reset the table to her desired plan. The children ran through again at her feet, bouncing with the excitement of the impending feast. 

It was, absolutely, a family she wanted to be in, and one she no double would need a little time to get used to, but with all of the love in this house, she was sure it would take no time at all. 

Bucky leaned into the room, body half concealed by the doorway. “Carter- hurry up before-“ He stopped, sentence falling out of his throat before he could finish, shaking his head. “Ma! What’d you do to Peggy’s forehead?”

“Nothing! I welcomed her to the family!” Her voice called fron the kitchen. 

Bucky held out his hand, pulling you through with him towards the dining room and then into the kitchen by the sink where Mama B was starting to pile the dishes. “Yeah, and you gave her a Maybelline tattoo, too!”

She turned, licking her thumb and smiling. “Just a little smudge…”

Bucky turned, pulling the rag from the counter and running it under water. “Ma, she’s not your kid, you can’t take it off with spit.”

“She’s my kid now just as much as Steve is,” she smiled, running her thumb over Peggy’s forehead. 

Peggy, shocked and charmed, didn’t move even as Bucky pulled her from his Mother’s hands, running the wet dishcloth over the spot. “Still,” he sighed. “Let her get to know you before you’re putting spit on her face.”

“Who spit in Peg’s face?” Steve asked, coming in the kitchen, only half hearing the conversation over the din. 

“No no,” Mama B muttered, pressing her hand to Steve’s chest to placate him. “Just a little leftover love on her forehead is all.” She leaned up and kissed Steve’s cheek before moving past him, picking up another dish and hurrying it out to the table. 

“Not him too, Ma!” Bucky called out, moving over to Steve’s face, pulling the dishcloth over the red lipstick left there. “She’s gonna be the death of me,” he muttered, pressing his lips together. “No one would blame you if you left, never to be seen again, Carter.”

Peggy leaned into Steve, smiling up at him. His thumb ran over her forehead, wiping away the last bit of lipstick. “Oh, I think I’ll stick around.”

Bucky tossed the rag back on the counter, tipping his head towards the dining table full of steaming dishes. “Well then, grab a plate. The whole place is gonna be worse than the Mess Hall in a bout 5 minutes and you're gonna have to fight for every spoonful.”

Peggy followed Steve, holding his hand tight as they took their place in the noisy, messy, barely organized line to plate themselves Christmas Dinner. Her heart was full in a way she hadn’t been able to anticipate, with mama B’s voice ringing through her head over and over. Welcome to the family, dear. 

Welcome to the family, dear.

[chaosgremlinmunson]

Alright, here goes nothing (Deeeep inhale to calm my nerves)

The Raven Queen

Ravena sat amidst the wreckage of her library, her heart full of sorrow. She couldn't believe it have been seven years already since Sabine had passed away. She missed her best friend, and it was hard even today as duty called to her for her to focus on this day. Sabine had been a beautiful and poetic person who Ravena had considered a close ally and her truest friend.

Ravena let her long dar hair fall around her face, her silk gowns flowing around her like the sea and her gossamer black wings splayed beneath her as she lie in the only open space on the floor. Again she had allowed her anger to get the best of her, and she was not proud of where she now lay nor the image of the destruction she'd caused around her. Her eyes shone blue like a bright full moon in midwinter glimmering with unshed tears.

She felt her presence in the room before she saw her, a woman approaching from shadowy alcove of the library's door. Long copper ringlets fell gracefully around her face while sea green eyes floated on the porcelain skin of what Ravena was sure had to be an earthbound angel.

"M'lady." Was all the woman murmured softly as she remained in the doorway watching her queen with great concern. Her own rose gold wings lying close to her back in timidness.

"Yes, Selena?" The queen answered as she stood brushing the dust from her gown. She took in the appearance of the younger woman who was her most loyal confidant and had become her closest friend since Sabine had passed on. A small smile formed on the queen's lips as she watched her. She knew her feelings were growing beyond a simple friendship and she pondered if Selena would return her feelings or turn from her in shame should she ever deign to speak them aloud. But Ravena was a brave woman, she had come to her throne for a reason and that was not due to her cowardice.

Selena moved closer to her, her hands clasped nervously in front of her. She looked to Ravena's eyes full of care and concern. Ravena knew why she loved the younger woman, it was due to her kind heart and warm soul. She smiled at Selena as if to assure her it was okay, and Selena's only response was to hug her queen holding her closely.

"M'lady," Selena began, " Sabine would not want you to mourn her forever, she has been gone from us for seven years now and would rather see her friend happy and filled with joy, laughter and light." Selena immediately stepped back her hand flying to cover her mouth and eyes wide as though shocked at her own nerve. Ravena simply giggled lightly at how adorable she thought it was and stepped closer to Selena placing her finger beneath her chin to raise her gaze back from where she'd looked to the floor in embarrassment. As they made eye contact again Ravena decided in that moment to be brave and take action leaning toward and kissing her gently.

"M-m-m'lady?" Selena stuttered voice unsure as her face lit up the prettiest shade of pink Ravena had ever seen.

"Yes, my dearest Selena?" Ravena kept her voice even and clam though she felt as if her own heart might burst from her chest.

"Y-you kissed me... I am not worthy of such affections." Selena whispered her face going even more scarlet and eyes darting once again to the floor.

"That is not for you to decide, my love." Ravena said as she pulled her close for an embrace, "I have loved you for many moons now, and I decided today, in the moments when you stepped beyond your boundaries and treated me as simply a friend instead of your unreachable queen. That was when I decided I wanted you by my side forever.

Selena looked up slowly her eyes shining with tears though a small smile was on her lips, "My queen, nothing would make me happier but are you sure I am the one you desire?"

"For always Selena. No other soul could ever compare to your beauty or kindness, and I am the queen I may have any laws I desire. We are not constrained by the silly laws the humans live by about their marriages. I want only you as my bride, for now and for always, until the very sun no longer rises in the skies. So will you do my the honor of spending our lives together, wed, as one?" Ravena held Selena's gaze her own eyes filled with hope and longing.

"Of course Ravena, it would be my waking dream and greatest honor." Selena held her close and brushed her lips against Ravena's collar bone, down her shoulder and back up to her lips. She felt such joy in the depths of her soul unlike anything she had ever known.

This was all I had written at the time I wrote this in 2013 at 24 years old, myself being single and so worried I would never find a love worth remembering. I was hopelessly depressed and forlorn, amidst a sea of messy hookups figuring out my own sexuality and coming to terms with being a queer woman. I dreamed I would find my own Ravena, or maybe my own Selena as both are pulled from the duality of my own personality.

@anzelsilver @apomaro-mellow @a-wilde-oscar-appeared @corrodedbisexual @dwobbitfromtheshire @epiclazershark @henderdads @i-less-than-three-you @ladykailitha @madamonsieur-silvrene @nburkhardt @piratefishmama @writer-in-theory

[chaosride]

Ten Random Lines Tag

Thank you for the tag @potatowitch

Rules: Pick any ten of your fics, scroll to the midpoint, pick a line (or three) and share it.

1- From talk sweet to my cat (if not to me) (Fenris/Anders) - Modern AU, my first ever fic for this pairing ♥

Part of him ached to try and stay, to just be asleep in Fenris’ bed when he finished with his shower. But he was sure that it would shatter his heart if Fenris came out and asked what Anders was still doing there, as he had the first time they had met at Fenris’ and he had done something similar. He had foolishly assumed that he was welcome to stay at least until morning, and had been swiftly corrected in that assumption. So instead of lingering, he returned to his small chilly apartment and Pounce. He tried not to be upset that he didn’t get to hear Fenris saying sweet things even if they weren’t to him.

2- From I’ll Be Gone In The Dark  (Fenris/Anders) - true crime inspired murder mystery, I love this fic so much still. I worked so hard on it

But the elf had already strode away from him, shoulders tense with rage. Anders stared in shock at his back, one hand still raised, reaching for him. The late afternoon sun turned his pale hair into a halo and shone off the pommel of his greatsword. Anders abruptly felt like he was twelve again, clawing desperately after his father’s retreating back as he left his son with templars without a backward glance. Only this time there are no templars holding him back, he was alone in the baking heat with only the gulls and the buzz of the insects around him as yet another person saw that Anders was more trouble than he was worth.

3- From I Could Walk Forever In My Garden (Fenris/Anders) - Hanahaki fic

The healer barely managed to stumble away from the doorstep and around the corner before blooms and thorny stems came pouring from him like all the things he wished he had said to Fenris. Even speckled with his blood, Anders could distinguish the new white, red and purple buds and petals mixed with his normal bouquet of misguided feelings.

4- From A Divine Appointment (x7) (Fenris/Anders) - kid fic!

“The sailor stared at him in shock. Fenris stood and forced the man back, away from Raelnor and towards the other end of the ring. He regarded Fenris with a bloodless, frightened face- like he had seen a ghost. 

Good, Fenris thought vindictively.

“The boy said he was done. However, I also fight to the death if you would prefer to continue,” Fenris said.

5- From heat waves (sometimes, all i think about is you) (Fenris/Anders) - A/B/O

It was… nice. It was more than Anders ever expected to have; an alpha who doted on him, even if that alpha wasn’t his. He knew he should be happy with what he had been given but some primal part of him still wanted more. Fenris was kinder to him since they started spending his heats together, going out of his way to protect him in battle and bringing him food and treats while he was working in the clinic. Anders suspected Fenris did it out of long buried instincts and was unwilling to point it out to the elf. He didn’t want the treatment to stop, didn’t want to give up the fantasy where an alpha like Fenris was willing to be bonded to an omega like Anders.

6- From In The Bleak Midwinter (Fenris/Anders) - mine and Sav's Wintersend collab, modern AU

He tried not to fall in the pond as he was pulled - gently; Maker he would never get over that - back towards the farmhouse, but all Anders could feel was a fizzing kind of excitement that filled his chest, bubbled up his throat and manifested itself as a giddy grin that he was helpless to suppress. He’d just made out with Fenris! The most gorgeous, dangerous, prickly elf in the whole of Kirkwall! And he, Anders, had just kissed that mouth! He’d had Fenris’ actual tongue in his actual mouth and the man tasted wonderful. And he hadn’t even had to pay in bruises! It was a Wintersend miracle!

If only- he sighed, the fizzing dying down slightly. If only the elf wasn’t acting.

7- From Test Of Freedom (Fenris/Anders) - sequel to Divine Appointment (x7), also known as the Home Alone fic

Fenris turned the small ornate vial of what looked like dust in his hands, looking for a label. He didn’t see anything marking what it was and while he was almost scared to know, he asked anyway.

“Tanner, what’s this?”

“Oh, those are some of Andraste’s ashes.”

“THOSE ARE WHAT?!”

8- From The Light Of All Lights (Fenris/Anders) - established relationship reveal, cave-in fic

There had been a ramshackle door, deeper into the cave system that was now partially blocked by fallen rocks. Where Anders’ voice came from had been a small alcove with no outlet, and it didn’t even have the luminescent rocks as they had found in similar places to illuminate the space. In addition to that, Anders was being much too quiet. The healer was always making noise of some sort, humming and singing under his breath to himself as he worked in the clinic, cracking jokes and telling stories when they were out, always filling the silence anyway he could. The man even talked in his sleep most nights, as Fenris had discovered and eventually grown accustomed to.

9- From animal (take a bite of my heart tonight) (Fenris/Anders) - sequel to heat waves, A/B/O

Anders turned away from the door after waiting for any kind of acknowledgement. The romantic side of him still dreamed for a moment of Fenris bursting through the door and begging Anders to stay. At worst he expected Fenris to be mad, to call him an abomination or a blight on mankind. Instead, he received nothing.

10- From Maybe I Dreamt You (Fenris/Anders) - kinda soulmate AU?? "A Fade spirit told me you are the love of my life" AU??

And then Fenris saw him; a man, tall and leanly built, gleamed like a beacon amongst the sea of slavers and demons. Blue oozed from cracks in his skin and a single spell launched in the direction of Fenris’ doppelgänger dissipated the shades sent by Hadriana into ash and dust.

Tagging (sorry if I double-tag anyone) - @kerfanna @glowing-blue-feathermage @sulky-valkyrie @syrupwit @only-slightly-terrified

[puckwritesstuff]

10. loki and sigyn

10. A wants to hibernate. B won’t let them

Do snakes hibernate in the winter? I don't know, but I do know that both Sigyn and Loki are absolutely exhausted by their jobs.

Not exhausted enough to, you know, not, but still very tired.

Thank you for the ask!

---

Sigyn got out of the tub, materializing a towel and robe around herself to protect from the cold air that was just outside the bathroom. She stepped into her slippers and out of the bathroom.

As she got ready for bed, she considered whether taking a half-hour bath was self-indulgent.  She had finished her schedule for the day, certainly, but there were precious few days until Midwinter and she had done nothing to prepare the house, she found that she was spending less and less time with Nari and Loki, and she had, instead of doing either of those things, gone straight upstairs and into the bath, ignoring the mess she knew was in the kitchen and stealing that half hour for herself. And on top of her guilt for her selfishness, no one had seen Loki all day, either as himself or as Eris. She hadn’t seen him herself since she’d gotten out of bed that morning. That concerned her deeply.

Or, at least, it concerned her right up until she pulled the covers back on her bed and found a large, dark green python coiled up, asleep on the mattress.

“Oh, absolutely not!”

Loki did the best approximation of a snake looking up bleary eyed at Sigyn and tilted his head. Sigyn pushed his coils and he shifted back to his regular form so that he could have hands to keep himself from falling off the bed.

“Sigyn, darling, please, I am exhausted…” he said.

“No one has seen you all day!” Sigyn said. “Have you been up here sleeping this entire time?”

“Of course not, I just… sorry, what time is it?”

Sigyn scoffed. “Unbelievable.”

“Look, I have been working,” Loki said. “And you can see in the morning, and you can decide to be mad at me then, but it’s so cold, and I just want to sleep for… I don’t know a day or so—”

“Loki, this is the first Midwinter we’re having as a family together!” Sigyn said. “And you’re Jotun— you should be able to handle the cold.”

“I am Jotun, yes, but the snake—”

“Is a form you take,” Sigyn said. “That you can just as easily not do. I am not letting you hibernate through your son’s first Midwinter with you!”

Loki heaved a deep and heavy sigh. He got out of bed and put his hands on Sigyn’s arms. He kissed her forehead.

“Come with me.”

He led her downstairs to the living room. She gasped when she saw what Loki had done.

A large log lay in the fireplace, ready to be lit. On the mantle, several candles and straw goats were intermingled with a garland of mistletoe and holly. Fur blankets had been spread out over the couch and floor. Another straw goat, about the size of a small dog, was on the coffee table, along with more holly and a blow of oranges, pomegranates, and dates.

“It is the main duty of the Queen of Asgard to run the royal palace and plan the cultural events of each season,” Loki said. “I’ve been with Boða all day, working out final details for Midwinter, and got home not long after you did.”

“Where’s Nari, then?” Sigyn asked.

“With your mother,” Loki said.

“Oh,” Sigyn said. “You did all this in..?”

“All this took weeks,” Loki said. “The first few goats were… not exactly ready to pull a chariot, let’s say. But I finally got it all out just now.”

Sigyn’s anger and annoyance finally melted, and she laughed softly.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “It’s just been a long day.”

“It’s been a long six years,” Loki said. “And you’ve had to be king and queen through all of that. As your husband, I think I’m entitled to easing some of that burden.”

“Of course you are, my heart,” Sigyn said. “Of course.”

Loki nodded. “Oh, also, after you left this morning, I noticed that we’d completely forgotten to clean up after dinner last night, so I got everything washed and put a—”

Sigyn cut him off with a deep kiss. Loki kissed back, smiling against her lips.

“I’m assuming that was the correct thing to do?” he said.

“Absolutely,” Sigyn said. “Is Nari staying the night at Mother’s?”

“She’s open to it,” Loki said. “Thinking of lighting the Yule Log a little early?”

“I’m thinking of how fur feels on my skin,” she said. “But I thought you were exhausted.”

“Pretty sure I can summon up the energy,” Loki said.

[jojo-reader-hell]

Dude, can I request something for Rohan’s innocent, small, kind, little sister dating josuke? Could be Headcanons or an imagine. Be it when he finds out or jusg in general. But it’s totally fine if you don’t want to or can’t do this request too. Thanks

This. This right here. This is what made me love Josuke.

I didn’t know if you meant that Josuke found out who she was, or if Rohan did, so I just wrote it as Josuke finding out. (Also isn’t this gif the cutest? Imagine he’s there with you drinking coffee at the cafe 🥰)

“Hey Miss! You forgot your Moomin!”

You’d never let him live it down, not even years later down the line when you’d be expecting your firstborn together in college. The image was burned in your mind of your meeting: Josuke in all his Elvis pomp glory, running after you in the train station, holding hands with a fluffy and fat white hippo toy, waving it around like a dork. Little did you know you’d look back on this day as him being your knight in shining armor, or more like knight with fluffy Moomin. Often you would tease him about his childlike exuberance, meanwhile he didn’t let you live down the high pitched noise you made when you saw him holding your plush toy, nor did he let you forget your delightful cry of “Moomee!” when he finally gave it back to you.

“Thank you! Thank you for bringing back my Moomee!” You cried, “I didn’t know I dropped him.”

“Heh, no big deal! I thought he was too cute to be left behind, and it’s easy to see he belonged to you.”

You smiled at the insinuation, noticing that he was also pointing to the charm of a funny little man in green on your backpack. As naturally as love can progress, the next thing you knew was that he was following you to your destination, gushing about the show and the books. Moominland Midwinter, which you later found out was his favorite book, launched the both of you into an hours long discussion of a mutual dream to live in a bath house by the sea. You took your conversation to a local sweet shop. It was nice to chat Moomins over an ice cream sundae. Especially when you’d never actually been asked out on an impromptu date by a cute boy before. Even better was the fact that every time you said something nice, he reached out to pet your hand with a smile.

You found out a lot of things about Josuke that day. It was all things no other girl would ever have the privilege of knowing. His favorite character was Too Ticky, and he confided in you that the character he related to the most was Ninny.

“Sometimes I feel like disappearing.” His voice dropped to a low hum, his nimble fingers rubbing the back of your hand as he walked you home. “So many things happen at once, often the majority of them are bad, and I don’t know how else to stop it. I feel like maybe if I could disappear like she could, it would be easier. I just wouldn’t want anyone to find me, so the bell around the neck is out.”

“But remember... All she needed was a little kindness to help her face the bad times.” You smiled, stopping just a short ways from your street. “And I think that’s what you need too.”

Josuke was just so enamored, his heart beating a mile a minute as you kissed his hand and told him if it ever got depressing that he could call on you. That is if he ever wanted to talk about more than just Moomins and the like. It was like a dream, you slipping your telephone number in his hand, him asking if he could please lean down to hug you goodbye, and especially the quick peck he had to sneak on your cheek before you took off for your house.

The day would have been almost perfect. Almost, he says, and this always makes you upset when he says it was almost perfect, because no sooner did he turn around to ride Cloud Nine all the long way back home, tiny Koichi’s gaping fish face assaulted his line of vision.

“B-b-b-bRUH?!?! D-DO YOU KNOW WHO THAT WAS THAT YOU JUST KISSED GOODBYE?!” Koichi squealed.

“Huh?!”

Yep. It was an almost perfect day, because that was the day he decided that the surname Kishibe just wouldn’t suit you at all. Higashikata was far better.

[brawlingdiscontent]

Took @widgenstain’s invitation and tagged myself in this meme! Thank you! (Because it’s a lot more appealing than my revisions right now). This was super fun and also hard--I’m glad my url is long!

Spell your URL only using song names

B - Back to Black - Amy Winehouse

R - Rasputin - Boney M 

A - Alejandro - Lady Gaga

W - Willow  - Taylor Swift (narrowly beat out ABBA’s Waterloo) 

L - LA Devotee - Panic at the Disco! (had to have a PATD! song here, if only because of how central it was to my youth)

I - In the Bleak Midwinter - Gustav Holst (I like how sad it makes me feel!)

N - No Scrubs - TLC (this song forever!!!!)

G - Genghis Khan - Miike Snow (bonus points for the music video!)

D - Danzon #2 - Arturo Marquez

I - I Wanna Dance With Somebody - Whitney Houston

S - Send in the Clowns - Stephen Sondheim (linking to the Judi Dench version because she is the queen - also the delicate balance of the light tone of the lyrics and Desiree’s pain *chef’s kiss*)

C - Case of the Ex - Mya (WHAT IS IT THAT SHE WANTS???)

O - Only Murders in the Building Theme Tune (It’s such a bop! Also I did not expect to really love this show)

N - New Rules - Dua Lipa

T - Truth Hurts  - Lizzo 

E - Ex’s and Oh’s - Elle King 

N - Nine to Five - Dolly Parton (a beautiful socialist anthem AND a bop!

T - Think About Things - Daði og Gagnamagnið (felt the need to end thins off silly)

What does this reveal about me as a person? I had so much fun, and now I’m going to try to bribe myself with this playlist to get my revisions done.

I’m actually going to tag some people this time! No pressure folks I tagged, and others please feel to tag yourself! Tagging: @gerec @akasanata, @duchessofvodka and @subtilior

[fandom-puff]

Arthur Shelby Fluff Alphabet

as requested by @beautifulfigment​ ! 

Arthur is my absolute fave, and I’ve had a few requests to do the smut alphabet for him too :)))

Warnings: some mention of arthur’s issues (PTSD, alcholism) mentions of suicide attempt

A = Attractive (What do they find attractive about the other?)

Arthur adores your laugh, the way your whole face lights up and your eyes twinkle. He especially loves it when you’re trying to hold back laughter, rocking silently with the giggles at the most inappropriate moments (normally when Tommy’s doing one of his lectures)

B = Baby (Do they want a family? Why/Why not?)

He wants children. Aside from Finn, he’s the last of his siblings to have kids, even though he’s the oldest. there’s always the worry in the back of his mind, however, that he would be a terrible father, just like his own. You tell him, firmly, that that is utter bullshit, and he’d make a brilliant dad. 

C = Cuddle (How do they cuddle?)

He is a GANGLY man, all long limbs. So long as he’s close to you, he doesn't really mind how you cuddle. His favourite way to cuddle is with his face buried in your chest and his arms wrapped around your waist.

D = Dates (What are dates with them like?)

He very rarely takes you to posh nightclubs or restaurants. They’re loud and busy, and he hates feeling like everyone is staring. Instead, he’ll take you on drives through the country, spread out a picnic blanket in a field and have a proper little picnic (thank God for Aunt Pol). 

E = Everything (You are my ____ (e.g. my life, my world…))

You are his little angel.

F = Feelings (When did they know they were in love?)

He knew he was head over heels in love with you when you kicked some bloke in the balls in the Garrison. He was behind the bar, pouring drinks, noticing the man bothering you. Until then, he had all of these feelings for you that he couldn’t put into words. But when the man tried to grab your waist, his anger flared and he was about to shout and jump over the counter when your foot made contact. You walked away as the man fell to the floor, brushing your hair out of your face, and ordered yourself a drink. Arthur simply stood staring, mouth slightly agape. Tommy grinned. “Oi, Arthur. Get the lady her drink and invite her to the pictures,” 

G = Gentle (Are they gentle? If so, how?)

He is so gentle. He knows how much damage he can cause with his bare hands, so he makes every touch as light at possible. You have to tell him off eventually, saying that you’re not made of porcelain and would very much like him to hold your waist in public, as well as other public displays of affection. He also speaks much quieter with you as opposed to his normally booming voice- it often seems as though you two are in your own personal bubble as you talk

H = Hands (How do they like to hold hands?)

Arthur ALWAYS grabs your hand when you walk by him, unashamed to hold it in front of everyone. You’re his girl and he loves you, so of course, he’s gonna hold your bloody hand (fuck off John, go see to your own woman). When he starts getting angry, you tend to slip your small hand into his, and it mellows him out fairly quickly. You both have a system of squeezing one another’s hands for encouragement, reassurance or a code for ‘shall we go home?’

I = Impression (What was their first impression?)

That you didn’t belong in Small Heath. It was too industrial, too dangerous, too dirty for you. You seemed to innocent for the drunks and the whorehouses and the dodgy bookies like him. 

J = Jealousy (Do they get jealous?)

Yes. If he’s sober, he’s more likely to close up and become distant as his brain goes into overdrive; what if you leave him? what if he’s simply not good enough for him? 

When he’s drunk, he’s more likely to speak up, though he doesn’t throw fists straight away, unless you’re clearly uncomfortable. More often than not, the situation defuses to him holding you proudly to his side saying (rather loudly) “That’s my girl! My YN!” 

K = Kiss (How do they kiss? Who initiated the first kiss?)

You initiated the first kiss. he was walking you home after your second date as an official couple, and it was clear he was apprehensive about something. He eventually admitted his true feelings, how he had loved you for a long time, yet he was nervous and didn’t want to wreck it. 

You cupped his cheeks in both your hands, forcing him to look at you. “You can’t wreck it, Arthur,” you had murmured. “Because I feel the same way about you,” the first kiss had been sweet, no tongue, and you stroked his cheek gently. 

In general, his kisses are tender, even the chastest ones filled with passion and longing. Often, he’ll be in a rush and press hurried kisses to your cheek or forehead while you’re in the middle of getting ready. 

L = Love (Who says ‘I love you’ first?)

Arthur. He’s hungover and you get him water and aspirin, before settling next to him. He grabs your waist and snuggles close, kissing you (but missing your mouth slightly) and mumbling “I bloody love you,” 

M = Memory (What’s their favourite memory together?)

When he asked you to marry him. It was by no means a perfect proposal, and it took him ages to pluck up the courage but seeing realisation and happiness spreading across your face as he got on one knee was worth every second of apprehension 

N = Nickel (Do they spoil? Do they buy the person they love everything?)

Arthur loves to spoil you... the only problem is he’s useless at picking stuff out, always worrying whether or not you’d like it. He often ends up getting Ada and Polly to help him pick something out, though he always makes sure he goes with them. 

“What about that frock? She likes them pretty patterns,” 

“Arthur, that’s a maternity gown,” 

O = Orange (What colour reminds them of their other half?)

sky blue. It was the colour of the dress you wore on one of your first proper dates. He was speechless when he saw you, unable to believe how lucky he is

P = Pet names (What pet names do they use?)

Love, darling, my angel

Q = Quaint (What is their favourite non-modern thing?)

He loves when you send him letters when he’s off for work- you never send telegrams, or use the typewriter for the notes. He keeps them in his breast pocket, and when he’s stressed, he holds the paper close to his heart, inhaling the wafts of your perfume to calm down

R = Rainy Day (What do they like to do on a rainy day?)

Stay in bed with you, slipping in and out of sleep, All spft caresses and gentle kisses, huddled up under the blankets

S = Sad (How do they cheer themselves/others up?)

Whiskey and snow used to be his go to. But with you, he has other ways.

T = Talking (What do they like to talk about?)

Anything and everything with you. He’ll ask questions, genuinely curious about all sorts, cooking, your family etc... one evening you ended up showing him how to crimp the pastry at the edge of your steak pie because he asked how you got it so pretty.

He talks about work, often glossing over the worst of it. Even with the glossing over, he feels much better, like he has someone who understands how the war and the business effect him, especially as his closest brother never seems to listen

U = Unencumbered (What helps them relax?)

Laying in your arms, holding your hand... generally just being close to you makes him feel calm

V = Vaunt (What do they like to show off? What are they proud of?)

You. You’re his girl, and he wants everyone to know it. If you tell someone to piss off, he’ll grin like mad, leaning to his brothers and saying ‘that’s my girl’.

He’s also proud of how far he’s come with you, how much more mellow he is as well

W = Wedding (When, how, where do they propose?)

He proposes a while after you start dating, once he is certain you’re the one. He proposes on your birthday (read this!!) and you have a quiet wedding, just close friends and family, in a quaint little church. Tommy let’s you use Arrow House for the reception, and Arthur stays sober the whole night

X = Xylophone (What’s their song?)

‘In the Bleak Midwinter’ is every Shelby’s song.

But his song with you is Moonlight Serenade by glen miller (I know the dates don’t quite match up). He remembers being the last two in the garrison, slow dancing with you, your head on his chest as he swayed with you

Y = Yes (Do they ever think of getting married/proposing?)

Once he is sure you’re the one, he knows he wants to marry you, and he wants to do it properly. Nothing arranged like John and esme, not because you’re pregnant like Tommy and Grace and Lizzie. He wants it to be because you love eachother deeply, wholly, truly.

Z = Zebra (If they wanted a pet, what would they get?)

Arthur wants a great big dozy dog who’ll just trot behind you and nearly knock him over when he comes through the door. He’d give it a human name too, like Dave. This makes you giggle like mad.

Tag list: @the-makingsofgreatness @peakyswritings @haphazardhufflepuff @diksy1112 @zodiyack @theunderlier @soleil-dor @hiddensapphic @fckingpeakyblinders @snugleo @alittlebirds @satanxklaus @glamsaturn @thegirlwithoutaname87 @queenofmankind

[earnestly-endlessly]

Do you mind doing a list of your favourite modern AUs? A mix is powered and non-powered fics is okay :) TY!

I'm so sorry how late I am with this, but here’s my looooong list of my favourite modern AUs. I hope that you like this list and can find some fics in there that you haven’t read before. Enjoy!

*******

Cherik Modern AU Fic Recs 

Sprich Mit Mir | Talk To Me – dreamweavers

Summary: When Charles meets Erik on a midnight train to London, it’s like all of his Christmases and birthdays have come at once – until Erik opens his mouth, and reveals he cannot speak a word of English.

It isn’t easy to pursue a relationship with someone you need to play Pictionary with just to chat to, but with a little help from Charles’ telepathy, the two language-barrier lovers are determined to make it work.

Come as you are – scarlettblush

Summary: Hospital AU. The one where Charles unknowingly woos a coma patient with Pride and Prejudice. Years later, they meet again.

The Man on the Train – Sophia_Bee

Summary: Charles is heading home from a shift at the busy emergency department of the urban hospital where he works as a nurse. He meets Dr. Erik Lehnsherr on the train, who is clearly interested in Charles, but Charles has a rule. He does not date doctors. Not at all. Never, ever ever. But he does shake his ass at Erik, which might be his downfall.

Eyes on Fire – Black_Betty

Summary: Every once in a while, fashion tycoon Emma Frost invites her favourite male models over to entertain her. And by "entertain", I mean she makes them have kinky consensual sex in front of her....Emma never touches herself when she watches, but she always has a glass of wine with her. Emma likes it best when they eventually forget that she's watching.

Charles and Erik meet each other through Emma...

(I've taken some liberties with the prompt, but all the sex is still there, and it's wholly consensual...and gradually, becomes more than just sex...)

Paper Monsters – Clocks

Summary: Fill for this prompt: Charles meets Erik Lehnsherr, his favorite novelist of all time at a coffee shop, but doesn't know it's him, and Erik just criticizes his own writing in front of his biggest fan.

Order Up - ikeracity

Summary: Charles has a terrible habit of multitasking, and that is probably why he absentmindedly tells the pizza man that he loves him when hanging up. Then the pizza man says it back. And Charles is pretty much smitten from there.

Some Things Are Meant To Be – Ikeracity

Summary: Erik is a famous singer. Charles is a closeted fan. When Raven drags him to Erik's concert, the last thing Charles expects is for Erik to single him out of the crowd, for Erik to look right at him as he sings. And the last, last thing he expects is for Erik to personally serenade him and pull him on stage and kiss him senseless, because some things are meant to be and Erik knows it.

Rumor Mill – Ikeracity

Summary: Erik is the grumpiest, most foul tempered worker at Stark industries. His grumpiness is the stuff of legends. So it's obviously the talk of the office when Erik is being made to go to the company party and he's bringing his husband. There's rumors flying round about how much of a masochist or equally antisocial bastard Erik's husband must be to put up with him. Others think he must be a meek mouse perhaps bullied by Erik.

What they weren't expecting was the confident, charming, adorable and unbelievably nice Charles that turns up on Erik's arm. What they certainly weren't expecting was how much Erik obviously adores his husband and how happy he is to let others see this.

Serendipity – humanveil

Summary: Charles sends a text to the wrong number.

[10:22 AM]

Can we meet for coffee? I just got dumped.

[10:30 AM]

I think you've got the wrong number.

[10:31 AM]

Unless you make a habit of texting people you don't know about this sort of thing?

A Nice Boy (The Family Matters Edition) – pocky_slash

Summary: Erik's not sure whether the problem is that he doesn't want his parents to meet Charles or that he doesn't want Charles to meet his parents. Either way, he never invites Charles to brunch. Why should he? It's not like they're dating.

Frosted Hearts – aesc, palalife

Summary: Emma Frost has 99 problems, but a date ain't one. Specifically, she has no time to play the dating game--which is fine with her, because she'd much rather run it instead. From a set of sleek, silver and white offices on Fifth Avenue and with her trusty, stylish, and silent partner Janos Quested, Emma has built Frosted Hearts into New York City's premiere dating service, built on the principle that money, and a sufficiently rigorous psionic scan, can, in fact, buy you love.

Somewhere in Frosted Hearts's server is one Charles Xavier, genius and geneticist, with the kind of nicely-starched good looks that sell well on brochures for New England prep schools. He's also a telepath who's decided to give up pursuing serious relationships and instead spend his thirties doing what he should have done as a teenager: have a lot of sex with random people. Fortunately for him, Erik Lehnsherr, metallokinetic and engineering executive, has absolutely no time in his heart or his schedule for anything more serious than... well, absolutely nothing romantic at all.

Work/Life Balance – pocky_slash

Summary: As teens, Charles was the star of a super popular tween/teen television show and Erik was his best friend. As adults, they're a frighteningly domestic married couple and Alex, Darwin, and Sean are Erik's nosy co-workers.

Impulse Decisions – listerinezero

Summary: Erik wakes up in Las Vegas with a hell of a hangover, a telepath in his bed, and a ring on his finger. Now what?

Fools Rush In – LoveSupreme

Summary: Erik owns a cafe on the edge of campus and accidentally starts maybe-stalking a Biology Professor there.

The Proper Care of Actors – afrocurl, Clear_Liqueur, Clocks, Etherei

Summary: Erik is an A-list action star who is notoriously difficult to work with, until the day he gets cast alongside Charles Xavier, rom-com darling who can charm the pants off movie audiences the world over and apparently even one Erik Lehnsherr. The paparazzi catch them out and about soon enough, and their real-life Hollywood movie romance becomes instant tabloid fodder.

In the Bleak Midwinter – keire_ke

Summary: It is not easy to find out, well into the second decade of the twenty-first century, that your mother arranged a marriage for you. It is even less easy to convince her that you have no interest in the very fertile Magda, she of the wide hips and lustrous auburn hair. Fortunately, with a good friend at his side over the holiday weekend, Erik is sure he will prevail.

Curve Fitting – kianspo

Summary: The weird thing is, Charles always introduces Raven as his sister, but he never calls Erik his brother. Erik would be bothered, except he prefers not to think of Charles as his brother, either. He can’t figure it out for four years, and then suddenly he can.

Or. A non-powered AU in which Sharon Xavier never remarries, and Charles 'adopts' not only Raven, but Erik too.

Right Person, Wrong Time – PoppyX

Summary: "TL;DR Charles is an insecure high school student who loses his virginity to the right person at the wrong time, and Erik makes it up to him in a romantic manner."

Favorite Mistake by endingthemes

Summary: Charles Xavier doesn’t think anything of it when he sneaks out without even saying goodbye to his latest one-night stand. What he doesn’t expect is to walk into his new position in the Xavier Industries marketing department and find that his latest hook-up is now his new boss.

I ♥ NY (It’s My Friends I’m Not Sure Of) by oddegg

Summary: For a 1stclass-kink meme promp: Erik is a single, successful man who likes quick sex with no strings attached. Then, he meets college professor Charles and it's love at first sight, at least for him. Charles, who heard of Erik's notorious ways, wants nothing to do with him besides being friends. Cue Erik bending over backwards to steal Charles' heart.

From Westminster With Love - thehoyden

Summary: NATO intelligence says there’s an omega-class telepath who sleeps under Westminster. Major Erik Lehnsherr is about to find out the truth for himself.

Accidentally Welcome to the Rest of Your Lives by kianspo

Summary: Non-powered college AU. Erik and Charles have nothing in common until they end up having sex at someone's party. They don't have much in common after that, either, but find each other a hard habit to quit.

irreconcilable differences (make for surprisingly good bedfellows) – pocky_slash

Summary: Tonight on The Evening Report with Malcolm Stevens, noted geneticist and mutant equality proponent Dr. Charles Xavier faces off with the infamous mutant rights activist Magneto in a live televised debate over the Genetic Nondiscrimination Act.

(At least, if they can stop flirting long enough to stay on topic.)

Mutually Beneficial Transaction – Pookaseraph

Summary: In his sophomore year at Columbia University, Erik, feeling slowly strangled by his mounting college debt, places an add on a sugar daddies website. He doesn't know exactly what to expect from it, but when he's contacted by a man named Charles who seems less creepy than the other people who have responded to his profile, he decides to give it a shot. Charles is nothing like what he expected, and Erik finds himself slowly falling in love with his sugar daddy while trying to find out exactly what caused this amazing guy to buy his emotional and sexual intimacy when he clearly deserves so much more than that.

Made To Be Broken - Yahtzee

Summary: Charles makes a New Year's Resolution: “No more straight men,” Charles repeated as he began scrolling through the apartment directory for Emma’s name. “No more futility. No more pointless hoping and heartbreak. In 2013, I never want to hear the words ‘exception,’ ‘experimenting’ or ‘phase.’ If, God forbid, I hear ‘bicurious’ even once, I may take a hostage.”

Then he goes into the party, and Erik is there.

Anarchy In The U.K. – Yahtzee

Summary: "Good God, Erik thought. The Prince of Wales is gay."

Charles lives in the unceasing glare of the public spotlight, yet keeps his sexual orientation a closely held secret, afraid he could lose his throne and force his deeply troubled younger sister into a role that would crush her. Erik, journalist and world traveler, has been a loner most of his life; he has little patience for closet cases. But a chance meeting in Kenya brings these two opposites together and sets in motion a love affair that will challenge the British monarchy -- and their most deeply held beliefs about who they are, and who they should be.

An Ideal Grace – afrocurl

Summary: Erik Lehnsherr is a visiting professor at Columbia University, as well as an acclaimed and award winning poet. Charles Xavier is a lead researcher with the Genetics Department who is well on his way to tenure. But what happens when Charles has to cancel a class because half his students abandon him in favour of a mysterious new English Lit professor? Naturally he ends up sitting in in the class, where Professor Lehnsherr mistakes him for a student. It's really too bad Erik has such a strict policy against dating students. It's also too bad Erik doesn't seem to know how to use Google.

An absence which could not be more there – aesc

Summary: He prepared to shift another half-step over to the Current Events section (which would, of course, enrage him) when the teaser positioned by the model's left elbow caught his eye: DATING WHILE TELEPATHIC: WHY I DON'T DO IT.

rooms/shares – pocky_slash

Summary: Erik is single, working a cube job he hates, letting his master's degree in mutant studies collect dust, and living on his best friend's couch. When she kicks him out, he's forced to trawl Craigslist for the least-offensive rooming option within his meagre budget. He never expects a response from the persnickety, high maintenance ad he replies to as a joke, but it's possible this too-nice apartment and mysteriously absent roommate might be the answer to all four of his problems.

Heli Cases –Black_Betty

Summary: "Heli Cases" is a program on PBS whose aim is to educate on the rapidly increasing occurrence of genetic mutation in the general populous by breaking the complex science down into palatable, easy to digest pieces.

It is also the only thing that helps Erik get his fussy daughter to fall asleep.

(Featuring Dadneto, baby Lorna and the struggles of single fatherhood, and Charles as the host of a late night show about genetics.)

Simple and Uncomplicated – Pookaseraph

Summary: Erik and Charles had been fuck buddies for some, but when Charles is in an accident he figured their relationship would be over. Erik's visit to his bedside in the hospital changes his assumptions even as he has trouble believing Erik is sincere.

Guilty by Association – Regann

Summary: While investigating the homicide of a John Doe who he suspects might've been murdered while working the streets as a prostitute, Detective Erik Lehnsherr finds an unexpected ally in a hooker named Charles who seems as determined as he to solve the case. As they become more deeply involved both with the case and each other, there's just one thing that Charles neglects to mention -- that he's really an investigative journalist, one quickly convinced that what they're dealing with is more than simple murder. cop!Erik, fake-hooker-slash-reporter!Charles, Modern AU.

This Is Not Comedy – baehj2915

Summary: Written for amarriageoftrueminds' prompt for a Cherik version of Louis CK's tangent about the fuckability of Ewan McGregor.

Naturally the similarities end there. I made this about Erik's full on public lust-filled gay revelation, and the chaos that spirals from there.

Politico – cygnaut

Summary: Modern Genosha Politics AU. In which Erik is l'enfant terrible of the mutant National Assembly, and his staff just wants to get him laid.

Conspiracy of Kisses –  Alaceron

Summary: Seven-year-old Erik needs to keep his telepathic best friend Charles from finding out that he wants to kiss him. But that's okay, because he has a plan - he'll put on a tinfoil hat.

The Pretender – Clocks

Summary: Charles is sick of having his best friend Erik drop to one knee and fake-propose to him in restaurants, just to score a free dessert. He doesn’t know which is worse: the complete embarrassment, or the likelihood that Erik doesn’t mean a word of it.

Bound – FuryRed

Summary: Is there anything worse than someone else’s wedding? Well, perhaps your sister’s wedding- where the groom just has to invite his boss and that man just happens to be your ex-boyfriend; a person you had an extremely passionate and tumultuous relationship with that ended badly.

Charles hadn’t seen Erik for a year by the time Raven had told him about the wedding. He wasn’t looking forward to the occasion, particularly when Raven explained that they would be celebrating the event with a two-week extravaganza at a luxury hotel, meaning that Charles would be forced to spend a whole fortnight with the man who he’d given everything to; the man who had ultimately broken his heart…

Lonesome On the Shelf – ikeracity

Summary: After three years of marriage, Charles has to admit that his relationship with Erik has significantly cooled off. These days, they're barely ever home at the same time and it seems like every conversation they have turns into an argument. Charles misses the way they used to be, misses the spontaneous dinner parties and the surprise morning sex and the wake up calls in the early mornings to catch the sunrise. But it's going to take two of them to fix this marriage, and some days, it seems as if all Erik wants is to be rid of him.

A fic about rekindling marriage.

Math Reasons – pearl_o, pocky_slash

Summary: "Mom says Erik always knows what he wants, it just sometimes takes him a little while to actually realize it," Ruth said.

Charles fell in love with Erik the first night they met, the first week of freshman year. Two years of friendship, adventures, arguments, hijinks, secrets, and summer visits later, Erik is starting to catch up.

Melted Ice Cream and Macaroni Art – pocky_slash

Summary: Everybody likes Charles. Nobody likes Erik. And that's really the source of Erik's doubts. Also, there's ice cream and a baby.

Watch Your Back – swoopswoop

Summary: Bodyguard AU where Erik is overly protective and things aren't as simple as they seem.

Dress Your Family in Plaid and Skinny Jeans – cygnaut

Summary: Erik and Charles meet at the mutant playgroup/parenting support circle and they instantly hit it off. And so do their kids, Lorna and David.

Continue firm and constant – aesc

Summary: Moira hasn't seen her old partner in saving the world from threats human and intergalactic, Erik Lehnsherr, for a few years. When she finally does see him again, she finds a man different from the one who's been with her down in the dark and the dirt and the blood... or maybe he isn't so different after all.

cradles you and connects you to everything – pocky_slash

Summary: Charles and Erik spend a chilly November afternoon in Manhattan doing not much at all. Also, there are cupcakes, chess, and Feelings.

[firesign23]

Minigolf AU -- Auction! For the meme, of course. And if I can be greedy, also Cocks and Robbers, because it sounds disturbingly Guy Ritchie :D

Minigolf AU -- Auction is, unsurprisingly, the bachelor auction with platonic (they swear) neck kisses and friendship and one of them getting hit by the Oh Shit Stick of Feelings. It comes after the Midwinter fic, but there's more of it written.

@sapphire-lion asked about Cocks and Robbers too, so tagging them!

Cocks and Robbers is the classic procedural drama trope of "Character A is held hostage while Character B is outside, and they must both acknowledge feelings in the face of mortality while remaining stoic and competent externally." Mostly notable for the fact Addam Marbrand is Brienne's captain and my repeated notes to self that I can't make it an ot3 with this emotional setup 😂 Oh, and the amazing clip art fanart @aurora-australis-tumbles made that makes me giggle every time I see it.

[libraryscarf]

promare 2019 was all *destroys my retinas and eardrums* and i was all “i must immediately make this tender as fuck”

^ ^ ^

until someday ( ao3 )

^ ^ ^

It was midwinter, and Promepolis—a city of devastating extremes—was frozen over. It was a miserable, huddling time for anyone who wasn’t Burnish.

Which, of course, was now everyone. Including Lio.

“D-d-does your landlord know the heater isn’t fucking functional?” he chattered from amidst two comforters, a picnic blanket, four pillows, and a tablecloth.

Galo kicked the radiator twice. It made a sad clunking noise and a single screw clattered to the floor.

“No,” he admitted. “I’m not sure it’s ever actually worked.”

Galo, unable to bear the sight of his boyfriend in so much distress, knelt down to gather the whole shivering bundle into his arms.

“I can be a heater,” he suggested hopefully. Lio gave a derisive sniffle.

“You’re sweaty,” he mumbled, then squawked as Galo hoisted him and the pile of blankets into his arms.

“Would you rather be warm and happy and a little sweaty? Or cold and sad and by yourself?”

Lio grumbled incoherently. It sounded like maybe he had part of a pillow in his mouth.

Galo gently deposited the blankets on the hard couch and began the laborious process of de-burritoing Lio, who had so thoroughly cocooned himself in fabric that it took Galo a solid five minutes to pry him out, rumpled and hissing like a very cold, very pissed-off kitten.

“You barely produce any body heat,” Galo noted, rubbing Lio’s blue hands between his. Lio felt himself sigh, and tucked his head beneath Galo’s chin. Galo’s hands weren’t soft, but they were exceedingly careful as he massaged the sluggish blood back to the ends of Lio’s fingertips.

“I guess having little fire aliens living inside you would made it pretty easy to stay warm,” Galo mused, half to himself.

Lio snorted. The way Galo spoke sometimes—as though every thought in his wonderful, stupid head took a straight shot out his mouth without checking in at Logic Station A or Social Filtration System B. But all Lio said was:

“You’re right.”

Galo, satisfied that Lio’s hands weren’t in danger of frostbite, wrapped his arms around him and snuggled him ruthlessly to his chest. Lio grunted, his wrists trapped at a wrenching angle against Galo’s hard stomach. The air left his lungs with a wheeze.

“But now you have me!” Galo crowed. “Me and my burning soul will keep you w—”

“Ga…lo,” Lio gasped. Galo’s grip on him loosened at once, his expression mortified.

“Shit, sorry. You’re just…so cold. I didn’t want your feet to freeze while I’m working on your hands, so I figured I could. Y’know. Cover all bases.”

Lio’s lips twitched. “No, I get it.”

There was silence for a few moments, except for a quiet rustling as Galo pulled Lio into a more comfortable position against him. Lio nudged his head up, tilting Galo’s chin upward so he could put cold lips to his throat.

“You know what we could do?” he whispered.

He felt Galo’s pulse against his cheek. It was speeding up. A lot.

“Um.” Galo suddenly seemed to be having trouble using his tongue, and Lio chuckled.

“Well,” he said quietly. “That too, I suppose.”

Galo shifted him in his arms, so Lio could prop his elbows on his chest and look him in the eyes.

“We could start a fire.”

Lio could nearly hear the gears in Galo’s brain shriek to a halt. His face went so absolutely white that for a moment Lio thought he might faint. Galo’s jaw worked a few times before he managed to choke out:

“L-Lio! Holy shit, no! We can’t set anything on fire! I’m a firefighter—I can’t be an arsonist!”

Two bright red spots appeared on his horrified face. Lio looked on in silence, taking a measure of cruel delight in Galo’s torment.

“I mean, not that—not that all arsonists are bad,” Galo said quickly. “Like—like you, I mean. And I guess one time I did start a fire, but that was different, way different…and also not really fire…? Wait, no, arson is bad. Really bad. The most bad. But…shit, you really are cold, huh?”

Galo rubbed Lio’s back vigorously, as though through friction alone he could raise his core body temperature. His handsome face was the very picture of conflict. Then, he set his jaw.

“No,” he said firmly, eyes shining with an unbreakable resolve. “Lio, I can’t. Not even if you asked me to.

Then, just as quickly, his expression shifted to betrayal. “But…but Lio!? I thought this was over! I thought…”

He trailed off as Lio, barely holding back his laughter, pointed to their right. Galo’s eyes followed his finger, straight to the wall, and the—

“Oh,” he said, deflating.

“I meant,” Lio said through his giggles. “In there.”

^ ^ ^

As Galo thumped around the kitchen looking for matches, Lio re-wrapped himself in a blanket and sat cross-legged on the floor in front of the dusty brick fireplace. The thing looked like it hadn’t been touched in several decades, and given Galo’s living habits, Lio had no reason to think it had seen recent use.

“If you take much longer I might freeze to death,” he called out after a few minutes of waiting. There was a muffled thud, and a yelp as Galo tripped over something in the kitchen.

“Hang on! I can’t find the—oh.”

Galo hurried back, matchbook clutched victoriously in his fist. He looked almost nervous as he handed them to Lio, who raised an eyebrow.

“My firefighter’s soul doesn’t really like using matches,” Galo offered by way of explanation.

“Galo, I’ve seen you use a lighter.”

Galo shrugged, lowering himself to the floor next to Lio. “Different.”

Lio’s lips quirked up, and he struck a match.

Instead of tossing it into the bed of newspaper and firewood, he let the fire tongue its way up the stem of the match. It was no live, infant flame. It was no Promare. But it played at Lio’s fingertips: a bright, lovely kiss of heat that was as familiar as it was foreign.

“Lio...” Galo said nervously.

“I know.”

He set the match against the newspaper, leaning back to watch the flame lick a hungry path up the paper to the firewood. Before long, the blaze was orange and healthy, the heat from its glow prickling at Lio’s frigid skin.

Galo scooted behind him, one leg on either side of Lio’s hips. He wrapped his arms around Lio’s stomach, pulling him snug and tight into his body. Lio grunted as Galo’s heavy head sagged onto his shoulder, face buried in the blanket.

“This’s’n’ce,” Galo mumbled. Lio hummed in agreement, leaning a little deeper into Galo’s arms.

Between the roaring fire and the warm, gentle arms wrapped around him, Lio felt the kernel of ice in his chest slowly begin to melt. It was easy, he thought sleepily, to partake of Galo’s heat. Especially when he had so very much of it, and when he was so willing to share.

^ ^ ^

They woke up at the same time.

Galo had somehow strangled both of his long legs in the blanket. Lio’s arm had gotten under Galo’s back and was numb from shoulder to fingertip. His mouth tasted bitter, and his head was full of soupy fog.

“Whattimezit?” Galo yawned, wiping away the string of drool connecting the corner of his mouth to Lio’s shoulder.

Lio craned his stiff neck to peer out the window. All he could see was dark gray sky. When he looked at the fireplace, there were only embers left. They winked like rubies in a bed of ash.

“Eight?” he guessed.

“Shit.” Galo crushed his face into the back of Lio’s neck. “We went to sleep.”

Lio chuckled. “Yes, you are correct. We did.”

“Are you hungry?”

“Not really.”

Lio squirmed, twisting himself around to face Galo. They looked at each other like that for a little while, cheeks resting on the blanket, eyelids still heavy. Lio wasn’t quite sure how they ended up kissing, but he welcomed it eagerly. He cupped Galo’s cheek in his palm, fingers splayed wide to hold his face still. He felt Galo sigh into his mouth and echoed it, opening to the shivering hint of Galo’s teeth against his bottom lip.

Galo rolled them over, pulling Lio bodily onto his chest, keeping their mouths firmly connected. Lio tightened his grip on Galo’s jaw, prying it farther open so he could fill Galo’s mouth with his tongue. Galo groaned hoarsely, burying his fingers in Lio’s hair and raking hungrily across his scalp.

When Lio suddenly pulled away from his lips, Galo whined. The weak, needy sound had an almost frightening effect on Lio. He wasn’t used to it. He might never be. He wasn’t used to the way his starving, bruised heart craved Galo closer, closer still, even when they were as close as two people could be without sharing a single skin.

Lio had never needed anything so ferociously, and it terrified him.

Galo felt the tension in Lio’s body and opened his eyes.

“You okay?” He murmured, stroking Lio’s sides with his hot hands. “Cold again?”

Lio didn’t respond, just looked down at him. Galo’s cheeks went pink at the naked, almost savage adoration in Lio’s face. Slowly releasing his grip on Galo’s jaw, Lio traced a thumb across the curve of his chin, catching on his lower lip. He drew his index finger down the bridge of Galo’s nose, softer than breath.

“What are we doing?” he whispered. His fingers played on Galo’s face, stroking his cheeks, the firm angle of his jaw.

Galo’s eyebrows knitted. “Lying down? Well, we were kissing, but…”

Lio’s lips twitched as he smoothed out the wrinkles in Galo’s forehead with soft fingers. Then Galo made a soft noise of comprehension.

“Oh. You meant like…what are we doing.”

Lio felt the air between them change. Galo’s arms tightened around him.

“I don’t know,” Galo said, almost sheepishly. “Do you?”

Lio felt the threat of a smile on his lips before quickly banishing it.

“Yes,” he said firmly. “We’re kissing.”

So they kissed. Ardently, and so entirely without finesse that by the time they separated to gasp for air they nearly laughed at the sight of each other. Lio’s chin was slick with saliva, and Galo’s lips were bitten red, and so swollen he looked like he’d been making out with a beehive. They had rolled across the floor until they bumped into the couch. They lay there, still tangled in the blanket with Lio neatly pinned under Galo’s chest.

“You feel warm now,” Galo said, practically radiating satisfaction. “I told you I’d be a good heater!”

Lio let him bask in his accomplishment. He grunted when Galo happily buried his face in his neck, nuzzling into the curve of his throat like it was home.

What are we doing? his hands asked, re-mapping the comfortable architecture of Galo’s ribs, his strong shoulders.

Is it important? Galo’s replied, pulling Lio’s legs around his waist, slotting them effortlessly into each other’s negative space.

It might be, someday.

Galo’s body answered his.

Then let’s wait until someday, and you can ask again.

If the air was still cold somewhere, far, far outside their shared fire, Lio had long forgotten.

[mattschues]

Discussion || Schanderson

Tagging: Matt Schuester and Blaine Anderson ( @doveportblaine​ ) When: January 6, 2020 Where: The parking lot and then Matt’s house Notes: This is a continuation from this text thread. 

A meeting was held at Matt and @jacienpuckerman‘s fire station where the Australian bushfires were discussed. The chief asked for volunteers and if any of them wishes to go they will leave Wednesday for an undetermined amount of time. As of now more than 100 firefighters have been sent from across the nation and more are desperately needed. 

In this para Matt and Blaine have a discussion about what’s to take place. 

For more information on ways to help, check out this link.

Matt

Ever since Matt became a firefighter he promised he'd be there to help people no matter the risks. Were there fucking scary situations? Uh yeah. Many. Most of those he didn't talk about with people outside of is work family because he knew it would worry others. Matt knew the trip his chief proposed would be one of the scariest things he's ever encountered but he still felt that pull to go. To do what he felt was the right thing to do. However, there was also a part of him that thought of Blaine. They were still so new to their relationship but he knew his boyfriend worried of the things he encountered in Doveport. The bushfires were massive and many people and animals have lost their lives due to it. Matt couldn't make this choice, not without talking it through with Blaine. He felt a terrible boyfriend for putting him in this situation. He never wanted to cause Blaine any worry and now he here was. Thinking about doing something insane. Matt drove his car to the front, as promised, and waited for B to meet him. He didn't know if they were to stick around here or drive to one of their houses. Or elsewhere.

Blaine

With his work apron neatly folded and tucked under one arm, Blaine squinted against the glare of the midwinter sun as he left work. He'd been operating mostly on auto-pilot for the last half hour of his shift -- taking orders and making drinks was mostly automatic anyway, and he'd been trying to ignore the hollow ache in the pit of his stomach ever since Matt's last few texts. He hadn't even fully gotten a handle on Matt running into burning buildings on purpose yet, but this? This was so much bigger than anything he could have ever imagined. Blaine spotted Matt's car right away, and crossed over to tap gently on the driver's side window. He managed to muster up a wan little smile as he wiggled his fingers in a silent wave.

Matt

Sometimes when Matt was able to come around and pick Blaine up, he’d have his 80s playlist on and singing to The B-52s or Mike and the Mechanics. Right now the silence weighed on him. When Blaine’s tap jostled him out of his thoughts Matt grinned. He unlocked the doors and motioned for B to come around.

Blaine

It was never going to feel normal, seeing Matt so subdued. Even with the grin there was an edge to the way he held himself, and that did nothing for the anxious little knot in Blaine’s gut. He skirted around the car quickly and slid in, leaning across the center console for a kiss as he pulled the door shut behind him. “Hey stranger – I think somebody promised me a hug,” he murmured.

Matt

Matt’s hand went to the side of Blaine’s neck and held on while they kissed. It helped ease him some but he kept with his lips against his a beat or two longer than usual. “Hey.” He said, kissing his lips again. “Didn’t your parents teach you not to get in stranger’s cars?” Matt teased. They have a heavy talk ahead of them and wanted to feel this small bit of happy before. “Let’s go to my place and I’ll hug you the whole time we’re there. How does that sound?”

Blaine

Blaine closed his eyes and leaned into the kiss, grasping at that small little thread of normal. He gave a small huff of laughter at the joke, as mild as it was, and pulled back with a nod. “Sounds good. We can come back for my car later, but I’d rather be able to sit down and talk without interruptions.”

Matt

“If this was any other kind of talk I’d say I would struggle not distracting you. Even in public.” Matt’s hand went down Blaine’s arm and as soon as he reached his wrist he brought his boyfriend’s wrist to kiss. “I really am sorry about this.” There was some hesitation but Matt pushed through it. “If this feels like it got too real too fast I get it if you need space.”

Blaine

“I don’t need space, Matt. I need you to talk to me, so I can understand what’s going on and what your thought process is. But I’m not walking away from this, not now,” Blaine insisted, his fingers curling around Matt’s. “Just because it’s been easy so far doesn’t mean it’s less real — now we just have to figure out how to navigate the hard parts.”

Matt

He knew Blaine wouldn’t just up and leave, it wasn’t like him considering the talks they’ve had before. Something like this however was so damn heavy that not everyone can handle it. Especially with a semi new relationship. “We’ll figure that out. As best as we can.” Matt lowered Blaine’s hand and as soon as he was buckled in Matt took his hand once the drive started. Less than 10 minutes later they pulled up to Matt’s house and he let Blaine in. After a quick check Matt knew Evan was out so they were alone. But, before sitting at the kitchen table, Matt pulled Blaine into a hug and wrapped him tight within his strong arms. They may have been new but this man meant everything to him

Blaine

Being engulfed in Matt’s embrace made the anxiety in Blaine’s chest loosen just a little. He looped his arms up over Matt’s shoulders and buried his face against the sharp curve of his collarbone, holding on for dear life. He couldn’t shake the feeling that no matter how this conversation ended, their relationship, new as it was, was about to change. Whether that was a good change or a bad change — Blaine was afraid to find out, but avoiding it entirely wasn’t an option.“Do you want me to make coffee?” he asked, his voice muffled against Matt’s shirt.

Matt

Matt hated himself in that moment for putting Blaine through this. It was easier before when he kept relationships at a distance. That being with him only caused pain. It caused people to leave and he knew if he chose a different career it’d be different. “You’ve been making coffee all day, baby. Take a break.” His lips, buried into Blaine’s hair, and did his best to try to save this memory in his head. That if he goes through with this that he’ll have one of this to think back to. Matt broke the hug and thought about talking at the table but changed his mind and went to the arm chair, where he encouraged Blaine to sit on his lap and keep his close throughout this talk.

Blaine

Blaine followed without resistance – Matt seemed to get a kick out of having him curled up in his lap even on a good day, and Blaine was reluctant to deny them both the comfort, even if it made it a little more difficult to watch Matt’s face. He settled himself sideways so he could tuck his head against Matt’s shoulder and just breathed him in for a long moment. “Okay. Let’s start at the beginning,” he said quietly, when he couldn’t avoid it any longer. “I’ve been watching the news – I have an idea of what’s going on, at least. How bad are we talking, and what exactly did the chief ask people to volunteer for?”

Matt

Matt was glad he went for the facts because that’s what it came down to. “Right now the priority is to stop the flames from spreading. Many people’s homes are ruined. Not many in the way of human casualties, which is good though there are millions of animals. There’s been some relief with rain, which is good but then you’ve got these fire storms that make it worse since the lightning from it sparks new fires. You’d think we’re in the middle of some insane disaster movie.” He said and took a moment to look at Blaine before continuing. The fire’s expected to worsen this weekend since temps are climbing fast. The need more manpower to provide relief to the men and women who’ve been fighting this things around the clock. Granted these bushfires have been an issue for months but it’s getting out of control. And the chief, well he wants to send us along with volunteers from Georgia, Tennessee and Kentucky to South Wales. It’s risky. All fires are but there haven’t been any reported death amongst the crews and they’ve got all the equipment needed to try to get the upper hand on this nightmare.” Matt didn’t know if this answered much but he continued. “There’s talk of volunteers staying anywhere from a week to a month. To give you an idea how long it can go for.”

Blaine

Whatever relief Blaine felt at the assurance that there hadn't been any reported deaths among the crews faded quickly at that last bit of information. "A month?" he echoed, lifting his head in shock. A month away would be... almost Valentine's Day. And how small and selfish did that make him, that his first thought was that Matt might not be around for their first Valentine's Day together? He took a deep breath, steadying himself, before refocusing on other things. "You said it's expected to get worse this weekend because of the rising temperatures. That means they need people before then, doesn't it?"

Matt

“I know. It’s a long time. But if the NIFC, which is the National Interagency Fire Center, keeps getting more stations involved it could be less time than that.” Matt didn’t want to miss Blaine’s birthday. He just started to plan it...If he decides to go he may need to find a way to make sure the plans keep going while gone. “Yeah. It does. We’ll have to fly out Wednesday.” Matt quieted after that and moved his head over to look at him. “I want to help. I feel that pull to go. They really need experienced fire fighters, especially those with wildfire experience. Which I have from when I volunteered in California.” Matt frown after he spoke and sighed. “I feel like shit for doing this. For even considering this. I get my family cares about me. After Betsy I didn’t date at all and then you came into my life one day and all I wanted was to see you laugh and smile whenever I’m around. And now, now we’re together and you’re learning about the hard part of my job. Or of me I guess because I can tell the chief no. It’s not like it’s mandatory.” A but lingered heavily after he spoke and Matt’s frown deepened. “Sometimes I hate this need to help.”

Blaine

"Don't hate that part of yourself," Blaine said quietly. He looped one arm up around Matt's neck, linking them together. "You can hate the decisions it forces you into, but don't hate something that's a part of you." He turned his face into Matt's shoulder with a shuddering sigh. "Wednesday. On the other side of the world." It didn't quite seem real, but he should have known things were going too smoothly. "If it weren't for me," Blaine murmured, "you'd already have your name on that list. Wouldn't you?"

Matt

He wanted to say no. He wanted to tell Blaine he would have talked it over with his family first but he knew the truth. He told them his plans but not as a means of a discussion. Matt nodded his head after a few passing moments and dropped his eyes from Blaine’s. “I love my family. But they’ve accepted this is how I am. It doesn’t mean they agree with it.” His eyes raised slowly to those hazel eyes that held such pain. “And I feel strongly when it comes to you and what we have. I couldn’t agree to it without talking to you. It wouldn’t be right.”

Blaine

Blaine leaned forward to touch his lips to Matt's gently. "If you ever agree to something like this without talking to me first, I will never forgive you," he whispered into the kiss. After a moment he pulled back, his eyes serious. "But I'm not here to change who you are or hold you back, either. If there's proper safety precautions, and the need is genuine and immediate -- if you need your name on that list, add it tomorrow."

Matt

This was different from when they talked about Bets and what happened with the little kids. Matt knew there will be other emergencies, it was his job to be there. Yes, this was something he had a say in but..but this was him. This will continue to be the man he is. Matt’s hand went to Blaine’s cheek and kissed him, just as gentle as Blaine was before. “I’ll check in as much as I can. And take extra precautions. I have to come home and annoy you after all. I can’t let you go too long without seeing my handsome face or feeling my lips against yours.” Matt’s forehead pressed to Blaine’s. “And please write me too while I’m gone. Even if it’s to tell me you’re worried or scared or you think I’m insane. I just want to know you’re thinking of me and not trying to find a way to end this.”

Blaine

"I'm always worried," Blaine assured him. "I'm definitely scared, you're almost certainly insane, and I will absolutely be thinking of you. But there's no way in hell I'm ending this." He tilted his head into Matt's as well, an uncertain look flitting across his face. "I'll try to message you. I don't want to distract you when you need to be focused on your job, and I can't be the reason you make a mistake, but I want to make sure you remember I'll still be here, too."

Matt

Was Matt scares about what he was about to volunteer for? Yes. Very. He was scared with all the dangerous calls he went into but his drive and heart kicked in, along with a surge of adrenaline, and he did his best. Blaine was so good to him, Matt lucky to have such an understanding man who he grew to love more and more with each passing day. How, especially now, he wanted to tell him. “I’m sure I’ll find a free moment where I’ll send you a video of me butchering another song.” Matt’s arms went around Blaine’s body and hugged him as his lips found his. “When I come home I may go to the coffee shop and throw you over my shoulder and tell everyone they’ll hear from you after a couple days.”

Blaine

"If you send me any song with the word 'fire' in the title, you'll live to regret it," Blaine countered. He snaked both arms around Matt's neck, fingers tangling in the back of his hair. "Big talk there, Schuester. Implying that you could actually throw me over your shoulder or keep me busy for two solid days."

Matt

Matt cocked his head to the side and grinned. “Don’t think I’m strong enough or you plan to fight me on it? Because I’ll have the element of surprise on my side.” He slid a hand underneath Blaine’s knees and wrapped his arm around his back before he scooted to the edge of the chair and stood with Blaine in his arms, shifting to get him in a proper hold. Never has he carried Blaine this way and such a proud looked crossed his face. “You’ve seen how I am after two days without you. My needy ass will need a minimum of two days with you when I get back. I’ll have no trouble keeping you busy.” He said as he headed to his room. “Besides, I doubt you’ll fight me too much if I lock us away from the outside world since I’m your favorite person and all.”

Blaine

Suddenly finding himself hoisted into the air startled a sharp cry out of Blaine, and his arms locked around Matt's neck purely out of reflex. He honestly hadn't thought that he was small enough or Matt strong enough to lift him -- there was only a couple of inches difference in their heights, after all -- but he probably shouldn't be surprised that Matt felt the need to prove it. He recovered quickly enough to crane his neck and plant a kiss on the side of Matt's neck. "I think I might need a preview. Just so I know what I'm in for. Since I'm your favorite person and all."

Matt

Blaine's surprise sound only caused Matt's smirk to grow. The countless hours at the station's gym kept him in awesome shape, as he'd had to carry people heavier than him on occasion and didn't want to be stuck in a situation where he struggled with someone in need of rescue. Matt looked to Blaine as he walked and said, "No duh, Anderson. Been telling you all this time you are. Glad you've finally listened to me." Matt joked, walking him to his bedroom. Matt didn't know what will happen during his time in South Wales but he'd do everything in his power. For his family and for this man he held to his body. Their story was just getting started and he intended to create more and more chapters with him; however long Blaine will have let him.

[teaespensonawards]

Official 2019 T.E.A. Nominations

Yet again, CONGRATULATIONS to all of our nominees!

Since the list is hella long, it’s below a Read More. Look around, discover new fics, art, and authors, and consider long and hard what you might vote for in the next few days! 

(Note: The rule about a fic only being allowed on the ballot twice has been suspended this year as a result of tired/dumb/overwhelmed mod issues. This rule will return next year.)

Voting will begin on January 25th.

FLUFF

Family

Gold's Adventure in Parenting, by @ethereal-wishes Precious Moments, by @jackabelle73 Belle's water breaks at a party, by @lotus0kid Tuesdays at French Theater, by @prissyhalliwell The Naming of Dinosaurs, by @worryinglyinnocent Blue Christmas, by @ishtarelisheba Espresso Shots, by @thestraggletag  Hear Me Still, by @betweenpaperpages 

Comfort

Walking After Midnight, by @nerdrumple Belle notices she's going gray, by @lotus0kid The Bond Between Us, by @sarashouldbestudying Sleeping Arrangements, by @mariequitecontrarie Ever After, by @boushh2187 True Nature, by @thestraggletag

Fix-It

The Life You Save May Be Your Own, by @thatravenclawbitch Reprise, by @little-inkstone Mother Knows Best, by @mariequitecontrarie It All Ends Well, by @worryinglyinnocent If Tomorrow Never Comes, by @mariequitecontrarie

Reunion

Home Again, by @ifishouldvanish Knight in Shining Armor, by @thecompletebookworm The Bookshop Owner, by @imgilmoregirl  Until Last I See You, by @magnoliatattoo Five Days in Hell, by @celticheartedfangirl Marbled, by @worryinglyinnocent Leaves of Memory, by @0ceanofdarkness

Best Child Fic

Old Friends, by @rumbellegem15 The Naming of Dinosaurs, by @worryinglyinnocent Babysitting Debacle, by @ryik-the-writer The Mayor's Chair, by @worryinglyinnocent

SMUT

Kink

In Heat, by @prissyhalliwell The Party, by @worryinglyinnocent Best Seat in the House, by @timelordthirteen  A First for Everything, by @magnoliatattoo Closing the Circle, by @emospritelet

Romance

Making A Splash, by @ifishouldvanish Gold in the Afternoon, by @nerdrumple Soapy Water, by @mariequitecontrarie Life in Detail, by @ishtarelisheba Baby It's Cold Outside, by @timelordthirteen  Deseo, by @thestraggletag

Comedy

No Satisfaction, by @thatravenclawbitch You're Fired, Miss French, by @poca-staks SENT, by @poca-staks

Threesome

Love and Trust, by @emospritelet Room for Three, by @worryinglyinnocent

Best First Time

Dripping in Gold, by @maplesyrupao3 Gold in the Afternoon, by @nerdrumple The Wolves Were Always Lurking, by @ishtarelisheba Bravery Will Follow, by @emospritelet Storybook Romance, by @standbyyourmantis

Best Afterlife Smut

The Heart of a Hero, by @mrs-stiltskin Coming Home, by @scribbles-by-kate

PWP

Midnight Rides, by @maplesyrupao3 Take Me Lost, Make Me Found, by @thatravenclawbitch Off Duty, by @emospritelet Parent Teacher Conference, by @timelordthirteen Ask Me No Questions, I'll Tell You No Lies, by @standbyyourmantis The Fire Down Below, by @woodelf68 Yes, Your Honor, by @celticheartedfangirl

BDSM

A Dozen Roses by @ladybookwormwithteeth The Spinner in Chains, by @mrs-stiltskin Tell Me About It, by @lotus0kid The Ring, by @timelordthirteen 

ANGST

Why?

Love Makes Us Sick, by @thatravenclawbitch The Unresolved, by @of-princes-and-savages Cogs, by @maplesyrupao3 Fairy Tales & Happy Endings, by @standbyyourmantis

Death

Belle and Gold meet at grief counseling, by @lotus0kid Ghosts in the Snow, by @theoneandonlylittlebird We'll Have to Muddle Through Somehow, by @thatravenclawbitch Things Unknown, by @bellegold Cogs, by @maplesyrupao3

Oops

Spoils of War II, by @bad-faery 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, by @justanoutlaw All I Want for Christmas, by @timelordthirteen 

Hurts So Good

The Unresolved, by @of-princes-and-savages Things Left Unsaid, by @emospritelet XVII (I Do Not Love You), by @thestraggletag Enchanted Tales with Belle, by @bad-faery Fever, by @celticheartedfangirl

ROMANCE

Best Date

The Worst That Could Happen, by @thatravenclawbitch Bottle Episode, by @standbyyourmantis Dripping in Gold, by @maplesyrupao3 Swipe Right, by @standbyyourmantis

Best Courtship

Walking After Midnight, by @nerdrumple The Pages in Between, by @thatravenclawbitch A Match Made in Heaven, by @worryinglyinnocent Bellissima, by @standbyyourmantis

Best First Meeting

Gold in the Afternoon, by @nerdrumple A Princess in Theory, by @elanorjane A Match Made in Heaven, by @worryinglyinnocent Best Failed Date Ever, by @barpurplewrites Swipe Right, by @standbyyourmantis A Life Unexpected, by @celticheartedfangirl Bottle Episode, by @standbyyourmantis

GENERAL AWARDS

Best One-Shot

Who Says Dark Ones Don't Dance?, by @ifishouldvanish Vows, by @maplesyrupao3 Take Me Lost, Make Me Found, by @thatravenclawbitch The Plant Sitter, by @mrs-stiltskin Where the Sea Takes You, by @thecompletebookworm Why Not?, by @betweenpaperpages S.O.S., by @celticheartedfangirl

Best Drabble

I Won't be Home for Christmas, by @thatravenclawbitch The Ornament, by @timelordthirteen 

Best Post-Ep fic

The Life You Save May Be Your Own, by @thatravenclawbitch Marigolds, by @mariequitecontrarie It All Ends Well, by @worryinglyinnocent Our Better Decisions, by @theoneandonlylittlebird

Best Comedy Fic

Spin Me a Tale, by @ifishouldvanish The Pages In Between, by @thatravenclawbitch Receipt in the Bag?, by @ifishouldvanish Mistaken Identity, by @thestraggletag

Best Movie AU

The World is Not Enough, by @wierdogal Bellissima, by @standbyyourmantis Zootopia AU, by @thestraggletag Elevated Hearts, by @b-does-the-write-thing Life in Detail, by @ishtarelisheba

Best Book AU

221B Avonlea Street, by @wierdogal

Best TV Show AU

Black Roses, by @ifishouldvanish Storybrooke Hyperion Teaching Hospital, by @wierdogal

Best AU Inspired By Other Media

Bellissima, by @standbyyourmantis This Secret is Safe, by @thatravenclawbitch I Must Be Warmer Now, by @ifishouldvanish

Best Historical AU

A Night to Remember, by @tinuviel-undomiel The Image of Her, by @mareyshelley Vows, by @maplesyrupao3 Behind the Eight Ball, by @ishtarelisheba Once Upon a Time in the West, by @joylee56

Best AU

Kiss of Life, by @emospritelet How Soon is Now?, by @nerdrumple Nothing Ever Changes in Storybrooke, by @standbyyourmantis A Face for Radio, by @b-does-the-write-thing Dark Heart, by @emospritelet

Best AU!OUAT

Ties of Blood, by @thestraggletag Writing Our Own Stories, by @wierdogal Outside In, by @lotus0kid Passing Inspection, by @mariequitecontrarie

Best Series

Alterations 'verse, by @ifishouldvanish Ruins and Battles, by @toseehowthestoryends Love on Ice series, by @elanorjane Fake Fiances and True Love, by @of-princes-and-savages The Fairy Belle series, by @prissyhalliwell The Lynchpin Universe, by catspook The Gold Family, by @mariequitecontrarie The Floofy!verse, by @woodelf68 Where is My Mind? 'verse, by @thatravenclawbitch

Best Holiday Fic

A Card for Mr Gold, by @timelordthirteen The Midwinter Lady, by @lotus0kid Selective Santas, by @of-princes-and-savages Let It Snow, by @standbyyourmantis A Visit from St. Nick, by @betweenpaperpages

Best Remix

The Housekeeper, by @b-does-the-write-thing

Best Crossover

Through the Vortex, by @wierdogal Warmth and Desire, by @celticheartedfangirl

Best Dark Castle

The Sorcerer's Apprentice, by @standbyyourmantis Mirrored Memories, by @mareyshelley Terrific, by @lotus0kid When the Clock Strikes Twelve, by @mariequitecontrarie

Best Storybrooke

Kiss of Life, by @emospritelet No Rest for the Wicked, by @elanorjane Nothing Ever Changes in Storybrooke, by @standbyyourmantis The Moment of Truth, by @leni-ba

Best Travel

A Life Worth Living, by @woodelf68 Going Back to the Great Wide Somewhere, by @wierdogal

Best “Missing Years” Fic

Who Says Dark Ones Don't Dance?, by @ifishouldvanish A Life Worth Living, by @woodelf68

SPECIAL CATEGORIES

Best Golden Lace

So a Lawyer Walks Into a Bar, by @ifishouldvanish Command Me to Be Well, by @magnoliatattoo I Must Be Warmer Now, by @ifishouldvanish

Best Woven Lace

Vodka and Peppermint, by @thatravenclawbitch Things Left Unsaid, by @emospritelet

Best Woven Beauty

What the Heart Wants, by @mareyshelley Vigilante Rose, by @elanorjane Doppelganger, by @celticheartedfangirl The Awakening, by @joylee56

Best Rumbelle Poly Ship

The Darkness Within, by @worryinglyinnocent

Best Background Swanfire

The House (Castle) Always Wins, by @wierdogal Bae, Emma, and Henry live in their car outside Belle's library, by @lotus0kid Flip A Coin?, by @wierdogal

Best Side Pairing

Ruby/Ariel, This Secret is Safe, by @thatravenclawbitch Tiana/Merlin, Once Upon a Time in the West, by @joylee56 Astrid/Leroy, The Unresolved, by @of-princes-and-savages

Best Afterlife Fic

The Heart of a Hero, by @mrs-stiltskin Coming Home, by @scribbles-by-kate Partners Beyond the Grave, by @wierdogal First Christmas, by @boushh2187

Best Crack!Fic

Receipt in the Bag?, by @ifishouldvanish Everyone Needs a Hobby, by @woodelf68

Best Drama

Walking After Midnight, by @nerdrumple Outside In, by @lotus0kid Heartstrings, by dragonbat Fairy Tales & Happy Endings, by @standbyyourmantis

Best Supernatural

How Soon Is Now?, by @nerdrumple Dark Sight, by @maplesyrupao3 Lack of Reflection, by @barpurplewrites The Darkness Within, by @worryinglyinnocent

Best Creature AU

The Sounding Sea, by @mareyshelley Heavenly Bodies, by @maplesyrupao3 The Pharoah and His Priestess, by @wierdogal The Wolves Were Always Lurking, by @ishtarelisheba Storybook Romance, by @standbyyourmantis

Best Unexpected Twist

The Bartender, by @timelordthirteen An Unknown Road, by @lotus0kid A Real Hero by @lotus0kid The Image of Her, by @mareyshelley

Best Dark One Lore Fic

Forgotten Lore, by @thestraggletag The Darkness Within, by @worryinglyinnocent

Best Bobby Squared

Dark Halves, by @worryinglyinnocent First, Do No Harm, by @iatethebiscuit

Best Trope

Finishing Stitch, by @ifishouldvanish The Worst That Could Happen, by @thatravenclawbitch Swipe Right, by @standbyyourmantis Wrong Room, Dr. Rush, by @theoneandonlylittlebird

Best Meta

Rumbelle Ethics, by @ifishouldvanish 25 Fucking Stupid Writing Choices OUAT Made, by @celticheartedfangirl

Best Prompter

@anonymousnerdgirl

EVENTS

(All fics in these categories are limited to 2018 events only.)

Rumbelle Secret Santa

Wishful Thinking, by @rufeepeach The Great Storybrooke Christmas Bakeoff, by @spottytonguedog Alone for Christmas, by @winterswanderlust Beauty and the Baker, by @little-inkstone Picture Perfect Bride, by @idesignedthefjords How Soon is Now?, by @nerdrumple Never Too Late, by @wierdogal

Rumbelle Christmas in July

No Satisfaction, by @thatravenclawbitch Mission: Storybrooke, by @of-princes-and-savages California Soulmates, by @elanorjane Behind the Eight Ball, by @ishtarelisheba The Plus One, by @joylee56 Notes, and Lines, and Letters, by @sieben9 Cruising Altitude, by @applejackcat Puffin, by @beastlycheese

May Day Menagerie

Aillte, by @lotus0kid The Pharaoh and His Priestess, by @wierdogal Merfolk Rumbelle AU, by @nropay

Fluffapalooza

Gideon chips the teacup, by @we-aim-to-misbehave I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, by @worryinglyinnocent With This Broom, I Thee Wed, by @joylee56

Monthly Rumbelle (Non-smut)

Please Don't Leave Quite Yet, by @rumbellegem15 The Thing Between Us, by @worryinglyinnocent Best Failed Date Ever, by @barpurplewrites The Naming of Dinosaurs, by @worryinglyinnocent If Tomorrow Never Comes, by @mariequitecontrarie

Monthly Rumbelle (Smut)

Patience is an Overrated Virtue, by @worryinglyinnocent Dreamy, by @mariequitecontrarie After Party, by @timelordthirteen  The Fog of Mars, by @barpurplewrites

Rumbelle is Hope

Hope for the Hollow, by @itssandgirl Rumbelle planting their roses, by @rumbellecomic The Domestic Life of the Dark One and His Lady, as observed by Emma Swan, by @worryinglyinnocent Car Kicking Reduces Stress, by @wierdogal

CHARACTER AWARDS

Best Belle

Heavenly Bodies, by @maplesyrupao3 Spin Me a Tale, by @ifishouldvanish Her Heart, by @lotus0kid Ties of Blood, by @thestraggletag

Best Dark One!Belle

Through the Veil, by @theoneandonlylittlebird The Spinner in Chains, by @mrs-stiltskin

Best AU Belle

The Sounding Sea, by @mareyshelley  The Pages In Between, by @thatravenclawbitch

Best Lacey

So a Lawyer Walks Into a Bar, by @ifishouldvanish Command Me to Be Well, by @magnoliatattoo Vodka and Peppermint, by @thatravenclawbitch

Best Detective Weaver

Vigilante Rose, by @elanorjane First, Do No Harm, by @iatethebiscuit Doppelganger, by @celticheartedfangirl The Awakening, by @joylee56

Best Dark One

The Sorcerer's Apprentice, by @standbyyourmantis Kiss, by @nerdrumple Deseo, by @thestraggletag Soul Deep, by @barpurplewrites

Best Mr. Gold

Belle and Gold meet at grief counseling, by @lotus0kid Disrupted, by @theoneandonlylittlebird Dark Heart, by @emospritelet A Visit From St. Nick, by @betweenpaperpages

Best AU Gold/Rumple

Counting Stars, by @galactic-pirates Nothing Ever Changes in Storybrooke, by @standbyyourmantis Closing the Circle, by @emospritelet

Best Spinner!Rumple

Fractured Blue, by @maplesyrupao3 The Spinner in Chains, by @mrs-stiltskin The Plus One, by @joylee56 Finding Home, by @thecompletebookworm

Best Woobie!Rumple

Brimstone and Mistletoe, by @thatravenclawbitch Hear Me Still, by @betweenpaperpages Home Again, by @ifishouldvanish Fractured Blue, by @maplesyrupao3

Best Wish!Rumple

Echoing Hearts, by @mareyshelley

Best Baelfire/Neal

The Exchange, by @rumbellegem15 Bae and the Bear and the Bow, by @wierdogal

Best Gideon

Babysitting Debacle, by @ryik-the-writer  Lion!Gideon, Zootopia AU, by @thestraggletag Best Beloveds, by @woodelf68

Best OC Rumbelle Child

Olivia Rose Gold, Star-Crossed, by @celticheartedfangirl Jenny Gold, Accidental Magic, by @woodelf68 Tabitha, A Life Worth Living, by @woodelf68

RATINGS

Best of General Audience

Handprints, by @timelordthirteen 

Best of Mature

Let It Snow, by @standbyyourmantis  Something Old, Something New, by @winterswanderlust 

ART

Best Fan Art

Rumbelle on the Beach, by @ripperblackstaff Teacup Garden, by @staypee Don't worry pop, i'll take care of mum/we'll meet again, by @nropay Peace ooot Dearies, by @delintthedarkone Jedi Master Rum Gold and Jedi Knight Belle French prepare for battle, by @galactic-pirates

Best Cover Art

All of Me, by @wizzygold The Fairy Gardener, by @timelordthirteen 

Best Graphic Art - Gifs

Detective Weaver - then and now, by @virgidearie Rumbelle: Have You Ever Been In Love?, by @timelordthirteen  Color, Brilliance, and Strangeness, by @ifishouldvanish Telephone speech from 2x16, by @agentsphilinda

Best Graphic Art - Still Images

Teacup Garden, by @staypee Taking a break from building their home, by @staypee Papafire art (i'll find you bae), by @nropay

Best AU in Art

He watched his wife in the mirror, by @virgidearie Belle and Ogilvy, by @virgidearie Mer!Rumple with a Mer!Belle, by @foxmurphy

Best Fluff Art

The Pretty Librarian, by @virgidearie Happiness, by @virgidearie Teacup Garden, by @staypee Taking a break from building their home, by @staypee Rumbelle Sims, by @celticheartedfangirl Dark castle, magic mishap, blankets, by @jenitosam Where it allllllll began, by @delintthedarkone

Best Angsty Art

Not much longer to wait, darling..., by @delintthedarkone I miss you - We miss you too son, by @virgidearie Because of course he kept her bones, by @staypee

Best Smutty Art

I knew you'd make it home, by @virgidearie Love, by @virgidearie Trust, by @virgidearie

Best Comic/Graphic Novel

In most fairy tales they said third time is a charm, by @nropay Because of course he kept her bones, by @staypee Belle Protects Rumple AU, by @nropay

Best Dark One Form

Rumplestiltskin's 5 different personas, by @ripperblackstaff Glitch!Rumple, by @nropay

Best Use of Color

Detective Weaver, by @ripperblackstaff Papafire art (i'll find you bae), by @nropay Rumplestiltskin's 5 different personas, by @ripperblackstaff

Best Video

The Rumbelle Movie, by @poca-staks Shut up and Dance, by @darkinerry Tale as Old as Time, by @wondertwinc The Dancing (Queen) King, by @poca-staks

Best Artist

@virgidearie @ripperblackstaff @staypee @nropay 

BEST AUTHOR

@b-does-the-write-thing @of-princes-and-savages @timelordthirteen @mariequitecontrarie @wierdogal

BEST NEW AUTHOR

@sieben9 @idesignedthefjords @elanorjane @mareyshelley

BEST RUMBELLE FIC

Dark Heart, by @emospritelet This Secret is Safe, by @thatravenclawbitch Enchanted Tales with Belle, by @bad-faery Echoing Hearts, by @mareyshelley

BEST ANYELLE FIC

Wrong Room, Dr. Rush, by @theoneandonlylittlebird Homecoming, by @emospritelet Aillte, by @lotus0kid Cell Block Tango, by @smartgirlsaremean If Only for a Moment, by @ifishouldvanish Rival strip club owners, by @lotus0kid Morning Glory, by @mariequitecontrarie

BEST ANYEM FIC

Let's Spend the Night Together, by @ifishouldvanish Lacey has concerns about Danny's suits, by @lotus0kid The Worst That Could Happen, by @thatravenclawbitch Bloody Lace, by @of-princes-and-savages

Rumbelle Fandom Lifetime Achievement Award

@standbyyourmantis @ifishouldvanish @timelordthirteen

Newbie Spotlight

[Newbie spotlight will be announced along with category winners.]

[collectorscorner]

CC Blogger - New Arrivals @ Collectors Corner : Wednesday - 11/06/19

Complete list of items shipping to the stores, some items may be limited in availability. If you see anything you want to purchase on the list and are not a subscription member at Collectors Corner, just contact us and let us know if you want an item held at the stores. email - collectorscornermd@comcast.net

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NEW ARRIVALS : WEDNESDAY - 11/06/19

ABSTRACT STUDIOS Five Years #5, $3.99

AFTERSHOCK COMICS Animosity Volume 2 Year Two HC, $39.99 Shoplifters Will Be Liquidated #2, $3.99

AHOY COMICS Bronze Age Boogie Volume 1 Swords Against Dacron TP, $17.99 Dragonfly And Dragonflyman #1 (Of 5), $3.99

ALTERNA COMICS Actual Roger #5 (Of 5), $1.99 Cyko Ko Volume 2 #2, $1.50 ICYMI #10, $0.99 It Came Out On A Wednesday #9, $1.99 Midnight Mystery Volume 2 City Of Ghosts #3, $1.50 Red Koi #2 (Of 2), $1.50 Void Walker #1, $1.50

AMULET BOOKS Diary Of A Wimpy Kid Volume 14 Wrecking Ball HC, $14.99 Supergirl Novel Volume 2 Curse Of The Ancients SC, $8.99

ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS Betty And Veronica Jumbo Comics Digest #278, $7.99 BANTAM/SPECTRA George R.R. Martin's A Game Of Thrones 20th Anniversary Illustrated Editon Volume 2 A Clash Of Kings HC, $40.00

BOOM! STUDIOS b.b. free #1 (Of 12)(Cover A Royal Dunlap), $3.99 b.b. free #1 (Of 12)(Cover B Natacha Bustos), $3.99 b.b. free #1 (Of 12)(Cover C Brittney Williams), AR Bolivar Eats New York A Discovery Adventure HC, $14.99 Buffy The Vampire Slayer #9 (Cover A Marc Aspinall), $3.99 Buffy The Vampire Slayer #9 (Cover B Kevin Wada Spotlight Variant), $3.99 Buffy The Vampire Slayer #9 (Cover C Goni Montes Connecting Variant), $3.99 Buffy The Vampire Slayer #9 (Cover D Ryan Inzana), $3.99 Buffy The Vampire Slayer #9 (Cover E Cara McGee), AR Buffy The Vampire Slayer #9 (Cover F Miguel Mercado), AR Hellmouth #1 (Eleonora Carlini 3rd Printing Variant Cover), $3.99 Magicians #1 (Of 5)(Cover A Qistina Khalidah), $3.99 Magicians #1 (Of 5)(Cover B Alexa Sharpe), $3.99 Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Shattered Grid Deluxe Edition HC, $75.00 Once And Future #1 (Of 6)(Daniel Bayliss 7th Printing Variant Cover), $3.99 Over The Garden Wall Soulful Symphonies #4 (Of 5)(Cover A Keezy Young), $3.99 Over The Garden Wall Soulful Symphonies #4 (Of 5)(Cover B Missy Pena), $3.99 Planet Of The Apes After The Fall Omnibus TP, $39.99 Something Is Killing The Children #1 (Werther Dell'Edera 5th Printing Variant Cover), $3.99 Steven Universe Welcome To Beach City TP, $14.99 Strange Skies Over East Berlin #2 (Cover A Evan Cagle), $3.99 Strange Skies Over East Berlin #2 (Cover B Gabriel Hernandez Walta), AR

DARK HORSE COMICS Art Of Super Mario Odyssey HC, $49.99 Berserker Unbound #4 (Of 4)(Cover A Mike Deodato Jr.), $3.99 Berserker Unbound #4 (Of 4)(Cover B Christian Ward), $3.99 Black Hammer 3 For $1, $1.00 Complete Elfquest Volume 6 TP, $24.99 Crone #1 (Of 5), $3.99 Disney 365 Days With Winnie The Pooh HC, $24.99 Everything #3, $3.99 Grendel Devil's Odyssey #2 (Of 8)(Cover A Matt Wagner), $3.99 Grendel Devil's Odyssey #2 (Of 8)(Cover B Gabriel Ba), $3.99 Isabellae Volume 2 HC, $29.99 No One Left To Fight #5 (Of 5), $3.99 Ruby Falls #2 (Of 4), $3.99

DC COMICS Batman #82 (Cover A David Finch), $3.99 Batman #82 (Cover B Travis Charest Card Stock Variant Edition), AR Batman Universe #5 (Of 6), $4.99 Crisis On Infinite Earths Hardcover Box Set, $500.00 DC Holiday Knightmares TP, $16.99 Deathstroke #49 (Cover A Stephen Segovia), $3.99 Deathstroke #49 (Cover B Skan), AR Dollar Comics Batman #497 (Replacement Copy), $1.00 Dollar Comics Flashpoint #1, $1.00 Doom Patrol Weight Of The Worlds #5, $3.99 Dreaming #15, $3.99 Flash 80 Years Of The Fastest Man Alive HC, $29.99 gen:LOCK #1 (Of 7)(Cover A Dan Mora), $3.99 gen:LOCK #1 (Of 7)(Cover B Jim Lee Card Stock Variant), AR Green Lantern Blackstars #1 (Of 3)(Cover A Liam Sharp), $3.99 Green Lantern Blackstars #1 (Of 3)(Cover B Darick Robertson), AR Harley Quinn #67 (Cover A Kenneth Rocafort), $3.99 Harley Quinn #67 (Cover B Frank Cho), AR Infected King Shazam #1, $3.99 Inferior Five #3 (Of 12), $3.99 Justice League #35 (Cover A Rafael Albuquerque), $3.99 Justice League #35 (Cover B Tyler Kirkham), AR Legion Of Super-Heroes #1 (Cover A Ryan Sook), $3.99 Legion Of Super-Heroes #1 (Cover B Jim Cheung Card Stock Variant), AR Legion Of Super-Heroes #1 (Cover C Ryan Sook Card Stock Variant), AR Legion Of Super-Heroes #1 (Cover D Blank Variant), AR Lois Lane #5 (Of 12)(Cover A Mike Perkins), $3.99 Lois Lane #5 (Of 12)(Cover B Mirka Andolfo), AR Luthor TP, $14.99 Nightwing Burnback TP, $16.99 Superman Action Comics Volume 1 Invisible Mafia TP, $17.99 Superman Action Comics Volume 2 Leviathan Rising HC, $24.99 Superman Up In The Sky #5 (Of 6), $4.99 Superman Year One HC, $29.99 Teen Titans Go Giant #1, $4.99 Wonder Twins #9 (Of 12), $3.99 Young Justice #10 (Cover A John Timms), $3.99 Young Justice #10 (Cover B Nick Bradshaw), AR

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT Barbarella Volume 3 Burning Down The House TP, $17.99 Black Terror #1 (Cover N Jorge Fornes Virgin Variant), AR Black Terror #1 (Cover O David Nakayama Virgin Variant), AR Black Terror #2 (Cover A Rahzzah), $3.99 Black Terror #2 (Cover B Jorge Fornes), $3.99 Black Terror #2 (Cover C Tyler Kirkham), $3.99 Black Terror #2 (Cover D Jorge Fornes Virgin Variant), AR Black Terror #2 (Cover E Rahzzah Blue Virgin Variant), AR Black Terror #2 (Cover F Jorge Fornes Black & White Variant), AR Black Terror #2 (Cover G Rahzzah Blue Hue Variant), AR Garth Ennis' ERF HC, $6.99 KISS Zombies #1 (Cover A Arthur Suydam), $3.99 KISS Zombies #1 (Cover B Stuart Sayger), $3.99 KISS Zombies #1 (Cover C Rodney Buchemi), $3.99 KISS Zombies #1 (Cover D Photo), $3.99 KISS Zombies #1 (Cover E Ken Haeser), AR KISS Zombies #1 (Cover F Photo Virgin Variant), AR KISS Zombies #1 (Cover G Ken Haeser Black & White Variant), AR KISS Zombies #1 (Cover H Rodney Buchemi Sneak Peak Pencil Variant), AR KISS Zombies #1 (Cover I Rodney Buchemi Virgin Variant), AR KISS Zombies #1 (Cover J Rodney Buchemi Black & White Virgin Variant), AR KISS Zombies #1 (Cover K Rodney Buchemi Virgin Green Tint Variant), AR KISS Zombies #1 (Cover L Rodney Buchemi Black & White Variant), AR Red Sonja #10 (Cover A Amanda Conner), $3.99 Red Sonja #10 (Cover B Joseph Michael Linsner), $3.99 Red Sonja #10 (Cover C Khoi Pham), $3.99 Red Sonja #10 (Cover D Mirko Colak), $3.99 Red Sonja #10 (Cover E Cosplay), $3.99 Red Sonja #10 (Cover F Roberto Castro), AR Red Sonja #10 (Cover G Andrew Pepoy Seduction Variant), AR Red Sonja #10 (Cover H Roberto Castro Virgin Variant), AR Red Sonja #10 (Cover I Cosplay Virgin Variant), AR Red Sonja #10 (Cover J Amanda Conner Black & White Variant), AR Red Sonja #10 (Cover K Amanda Conner Red Tint Dressed Variant), AR Red Sonja #10 (Cover L Joseph Michael Linser Red Tint Dressed Variant), AR Red Sonja #10 (Cover M Joseph Michael Linsner Black & White Variant), AR Red Sonja #10 (Cover N Khoi Pham Virgin Variant), AR Red Sonja #10 (Cover O Andrew Pepoy Seduction Black & White Variant), AR Red Sonja #9 (Cover P Amanda Conner Virgin Variant), AR Red Sonja Volume 1 Scorched Earth TP, $19.99 Vampirella Red Sonja #3 (Cover M Frank Cho Fiery Red Lineart Variant), AR Vengeance Of Vampirella #1 (Cover R Frank Cho Virgin Variant), AR Vengeance Of Vampirella #1 (Cover S Ben Oliver Virgin Variant), AR Vengeance Of Vampirella #1 (Cover T Lucio Parrillo Virgin Variant), AR Vengeance Of Vampirella #1 (Cover U Joshua Middleton Red Foil Variant), AR Vengeance Of Vampirella #1 (Cover V Frank Cho Red Line Art Variant), AR Vengeance Of Vampirella #2 (Cover A Lucio Parillo), $3.99 Vengeance Of Vampirella #2 (Cover B Ben Oliver), $3.99 Vengeance Of Vampirella #2 (Cover C Buzz), $3.99 Vengeance Of Vampirella #2 (Cover D Cosplay), $3.99 Vengeance Of Vampirella #2 (Cover E Buzz Virgin Variant), AR Vengeance Of Vampirella #2 (Cover F Ben Oliver Tint Dressed Variant), AR Vengeance Of Vampirella #2 (Cover G Lucio Parillo Sketch Variant), AR Vengeance Of Vampirella #2 (Cover H Cosplay Virgin Variant), AR Vengeance Of Vampirella #2 (Cover I Ben Oliver Black & White Virgin Variant), AR Vengeance Of Vampirella #2 (Cover J Michael William Kaluta Icon Edition Variant), AR Vengeance Of Vampirella #2 (Cover K Ben Oliver Black & White Variant), AR Vengeance Of Vampirella #2 (Cover L Ben Oliver Tinted Variant), AR

FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND Famous Monsters Ack-Ives #2 (The House Of Hammer)(The Curse Of Frankenstein SDCC Variant Cover), $16.99 Famous Monsters Gallery Dark Arts #2, $16.99

FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS Devil's Dictionary HC, $0.00 House La Casa HC (English Language Edition), $19.99 House La Casa HC (Spanish Language Edition), $19.99 Now New Comics Anthology #7, $9.99 Prince Valiant Volume 20 1975-1976 HC, $34.99

GALLERY 13 Two Dead GN, $29.99

GRAPHIC IMAGING TECHNOLOGIES Valiant Classic Digital Comic Book Collection, $75.00 Valiant Complete Digital Comic Book Collection, $60.00

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