#bonus oneshot

[starry-bi-sky]

tales of the passerine - danny fenton being bruce wayne's first kid

okay okay. so this is like a continuation/elaboration of my oneshot/prompt i wrote about the idea that Danny was the first batkid. We have a lot of aus where he joins the family after the rest of the bats do, right? So hey! Lets shake things up a bit. Danny is the first to be adopted by Bruce Wayne.

Danny's parents and unfortunately Jazz die shortly after the events of TUE -- how so? I was gonna say an ecto-filter explosion, that would call back to the TUE explosion and trauma behind that. But lets do something new! Carbon-monoxide poisoning.

It's not too unexpected for something to break in the Fenton house, especially with the Fenton parents' questionable understanding of proper weapon handling and lab safety. The water heater broke from a stray shot by one of the weapons, and was promptly MacGyver'd incorrectly. Danny went to stay with Tucker for a guys' night, and came back to a dead silent house.

(Danny's neighbors got a very unfortunate shock when he ran to the next house over in hysterics.)

There was a lot of shuffling around with CPS, the police. People had to be called in to handle the equipment in the lab, and the GIW was rumoring to show up in aid to clearing the scene. When Danny heard of that, he immediately went and dismantled the ghost portal to the best of his abilities. He burned the physical blueprints of all his parents' inventions, their blueprints on the ghost portal, and their most dangerous weapons were destroyed beyond recognition. Anything to prevent the GIW from getting their hands on his parents' tech.

It opened up another investigation, but he was not under the list of suspects. He was placed in the care of Vlad Masters, where they then went back to the rebuilt castle mansion in Wisconsin. Danny, terrified of the future that has once passed and may do so again, shuts down in his grief. Inadvertently, he ends up somewhat repressing his ghost half. Something Vlad, who is grieving Madeline but relishing in Jack's demise and his custody of Daniel, is not very happy with.

Vlad's... gone into a bit of a mental health spiral. He's becoming increasingly possessive over Daniel, the final remnants of his friends and a liminal being like him. He doesn't like that Danny's repressing his ghost half -- both out of genuine concern as a ghost, but also because of his desire to control Danny and groom him into the perfect son. If you ever had a phase where you read Dark SBI found family fics, first off; me too bro, and second off; those are the vibes I'm thinking of.

Danny's mentally shut down from grief! And fear. He's dropped into a bad depressive state -- paralyzed with grief and the terror of the inevitable. Clockwork saved his parents because he believes in second chances, but what's the point of that when his family ended up dead anyways? Danny doesn't wanna believe that he's destined to become evil, and he's holding out onto that hope, but it's a thin line, and he feels utterly hopeless and trapped. He hasn't used his powers or ghost form since he trashed the lab, and Vlad has alarms set up to prevent him from trying to escape.

He's also unintentionally cut off Sam and Tucker -- both of whom are so scared and concerned for Danny too, and are trying their damndest to reach out to him. He keeps ignoring their texts. Danny basically haunts Vlad's manor. He goes out to eat if he has to, attends parties Vlad drags him to, and stays in his room all day if he can.

At parties, Vlad doesn't allow Danny to leave his side, or really talk to anyone -- not that Danny wants to. A product of Vlad's increasing possessiveness. Well, he almost doesn't let Danny leave his side. Danny has a habit of slipping off to hide somewhere for the parties whenever he can, and Vlad reluctantly allows it so long as he stays alone.

This becomes an advantage when eventually, Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham after missing for years, and holds a bright charity ball to celebrate the return. Vlad has been chomping at the bits to get his hands on Wayne Industries, and with the return of its owner there is no better opportunity to wipe out his rival. He goes, and he as normal, brings Daniel with him.

Vlad thinks Wayne will bleed his little heart out for Daniel's poor orphan sob story -- he's a fellow orphan himself, after all. He's not wrong; Wayne's little heart will bleed, just not in the way that benefits him.

Bruce sees Vlad and Danny approaching before they're even close enough to introduce themselves - and like with many of the children he will soon come to care for, it's like someone set a mirror into the past right in front of him.

Danny Fenton's suit is tailor-made for him, and despite the fact that it's his perfect size, the sag in his shoulders, the ducked down head, and the way he hunches into himself all pictures the image of a child in shoes too big for him. There's a far away, glazed over look in his eyes and grief marble-cut into the lines of his face. There's not enough makeup in the world that will hide the dark circles under his eyes.

("My nephew, Daniel Fenton." Vlad's hands are possessive on Danny's shoulders. Bruce immediately notices the way the boy tenses under his touch. "His parents passed recently, and as his godfather I was designated his guardian.") ("I'm so sorry, the loss must've been terrible.") ("Yes, carbon-monoxide poisoning caused it. Daniel was out with friends, when he came home... they had already passed.") (Bruce immediately dislikes that Vlad shared the details of their death unprompted -- he likes it even less when Danny flinches at the reminder and hunches into himself.)

Danny runs off at some point earlier into the charity. At this point, parties are still being held at Wayne Manor (because iirc google search mentioned that was a thing at first before it was changed), so he disappears and hides in one of the empty rooms nearby. It just so happens to be the same room Bruce Wayne hides in when he needs a break from all of the socialization.

Thus begins a long, long process of trust. Bruce can't reveal his hand as being smarter than he looks, but he can be compassionate. Kindness needs no measure of intelligence. He keeps Danny company for as long as he can before he runs the risk of being found.

Rinse and repeat. Vlad insistently wants Wayne Industries, and he'll go to as many Wayne parties as he can to get his hooks into the man. The problem is that Bruce Wayne is never alone, and getting him alone is impossible. Finding him too. It's like the man never stops moving. Always talking to someone, always circling somewhere. He orbits around the room as if he isn't the sun of the Gotham Elite's solar system.

Danny's had such repetitive behavior that Vlad never thinks to believe that Bruce Wayne is disappearing to go talk to him. That "Vlad's" son is even interacting with him at all. Danny never gives him a reason to think so, and neither does Bruce.

Danny doesn't actually acknowledge Bruce until a handful of parties in, where he hands Bruce a small slip of paper he smuggled in that says; "don't trust Vlad". Danny's face stays carefully blank, but he's so tense that his hands are trembling, and he's purposely looking away from him. Bruce plasters a smile onto his face, slips the paper into his pocket, and tells him "okay".

(he's been busy with his own goals with the mafia, but he sets aside time to investigate Vlad Masters. He was holding off. Until now.)

Danny does eventually start speaking to Bruce, he's starting to really like the guy. He's starting to see a little hope, even as Vlad is starting to get more and more agitated with him the more he refuses to use his powers.

He reaches out to Sam and Tucker again, and starts trying to reconnect with them. Vlad has spyware on his phone, and he limits the amount of times he can talk to them. A weird parental control lock of some sort that leaves a time limit on how long he can talk to them for. 30 minutes. Danny doesn't tell them anything about Mr. Wayne.

Danny, slowly, wants out of here, and he's slowly gathering the motivation to do it. Vlad is genuinely scaring him -- and Danny wonders just how truthful the past-future Vlad was when he told him that Danny wanted his ghost half separate. He starts trying to come up with an escape plan.

Vlad has anti-ghost wards everywhere around the mansion, and while they're always on, they boost to full power at sunset. The doors and windows are always locked, all main exits have alarms set on them. The only reason it's not super extensive is because Danny hasn't tried leaving at all yet, so Vlad hasn't had to tighten anything.

At night, Vlad locks the door to his room and puts up an anti-ghost ward around the room. The mansion is on the outside westward side of Madison, more entrenched in rural Wisconsin. The closest town is a four-way stop sign with one house on three corners, and an open bar on the fourth. Not much to go.

He refuses to go to Sam and Tucker; Vlad would look there first. It's too dangerous. Vlad would sound alarm bells and have a manhunt looking for him, Danny can't risk going just anywhere. Too much risk of being found, sold out, or caught. There's really nowhere for him to hide.

Until there is. Bruce is telling Danny about the history of Wayne Manor, and says, as casually as saying the weather; "The manor has dozens of empty rooms, I'm sure Alfred wouldn't mind filling another one if he could." And quietly, hesitantly, Bruce places a careful hand on Danny's shoulder, unrestrictive and gentle; "He wouldn't mind getting one ready for you if you need one."

And there it is. There's his out.

Danny, just as quietly, replies; "I'll keep that in mind."

The ball starts rolling.

Now I've been trying to summarize this au as much as possible for length convenience, but Vlad has been steadily growing more and more controlling. More emotionally manipulative. More agitated at Danny for not using his powers.

He wants Wayne Industries under his thumb but he's been steadily growing more and more concerned with Danny. He's started grabbing him, yanking him around, shaking him; trying to goad him into using his powers. He gets angry when Danny doesn't react, or tells him he doesn't want to use his powers. He hasn't outright attacked him, but he's getting there. This has been happening over the time it takes for Bruce to indirectly offer Danny sanctuary at his home.

It all comes to a head when Vlad stops going to parties at all -- something Danny has to pretend he isn't upset about -- because Vlad doesn't want him around other people anymore. Vlad rarely goes now without him, and only leaves to go to a Wayne function or to handle something at VladCo.

Danny can't wait for Vlad to leave long enough to escape. So he leaves during the night of a big storm. Vlad's locked him in his room, but Danny doesn't bother trying to go for it; he goes to the alarmed window instead. Danny's been repressing his ghost half so long that he can't access his powers immediately anymore -- he can feel it, he knows its there, but he can't quite reach it.

He breaks the lock by hand.

Immediately the alarm goes off through the entire castle, filling the room with red, and he scrambles for the rope the Wisconsin Ghost left for him a few months back. Danny's already out and climbing down the side of the castle before Vlad even reaches his door -- the only good thing about the entire room being ghost-proof is that Vlad can't get in that way.

The rope ends before it reaches the bottom, and he's still twenty feet in the air. It won't kill him if he lands it right. Danny takes his chances, and drops. He breaks his ankle, but he survives.

And he fucking books it to the back garden. He hears Vlad shrieking over the thunder and rain.

I'll save the full experience for a future oneshot, but Danny makes it out into the nearby woods and forcibly experiences what it's like to be in a horror game, trying to hide from the thing that's hunting you. There's only one thing going through his mind; "i'm going to die"

I have this mental image for this scene. Very stereotypical horror imo. Where Danny is hiding behind a tree, with a hand over his mouth, and Vlad is a few feet away from him, glowing ominously red through the trees, trying to search for him.

Danny doesn't get away from this unscathed, but he does get away alive. That's all he could ask for. He gets away by getting his ghost half awakened long enough to transform into Phantom and fly to Gotham.

But he gets to Wayne Manor, he gets to Bruce. Or, at least, Alfred answers the door from his insistent pounding. Danny's just in tears and Alfred gets him in the living room, wrapped in a towel, with ice on his swollen leg before he has to step out and alert Bruce.

Bruce already breaks multiple traffic laws on a nightly basis. And that's just with the sheer existence of the batmobile itself, not including the speeding and military artillery attached. He breaks double the amount trying to speed back to the cave and get out of the suit.

Right off the bat: Bruce will know, at least before Dick enters the picture, about danny's powers. He'll figure out something considering the fact that Danny traveled from Wisconsin to New York in a single night. That'll be a bit of complicated affair, but I've already got something in mind.

Actually it'll probably be very soon after Danny joins the family, because Bruce tries to offer to fight for custody for Danny - the state Danny was in at arrival is clear enough evidence for a trial. But Danny immediately shuts it down, says it's not going to work and then Vlad will know Danny's with him and he won't be safe. He tells him that Vlad cannot know Danny was with Bruce.

Danny's biggest regret was not telling his parents he was a halfa, and while he doesn't want to tell mister wayne (yet), he does tell him about Vlad being one. He needs to know why Danny can't be seen with Bruce. So he tells him, and Danny's current plan is to just hide out from Vlad until he turns 18. That way, he has no more legal jurisdiction over him. After that? He's not sure.

And to wrap this up, since this has already gotten very long and I can make more posts about this au later; I've thought about it, and I'm going to say that Danny does become a vigilante before Dick enters the scene. He goes by, as you probably guessed; Nightingale. "Gale" for short.

[codenamesazanka]

rereading Oumagadoki Zoo oneshot!

Unfortunately, because I am this tweet:

I will drawing comparisons of it to bnha. specifically, Shigaraki and the League, because the parallels are pretty obvious.

If you haven't heard of the oneshot Oumagadoki Zoo before, it's one of Horikoshi's earlier works, a oneshot that became his first serialized manga. Premise of both the manga and the oneshot is the same: Aoi Hana, a high school girl, applies to work at a zoo, only to discover too late the zoo is a magical one where the animals can turn into humans, while the zoo director, Shiina, is a human cursed to look like a rabbit-man; she then gets dragged along into crazy adventure as the director attempts to break his curse.

The oneshot is much less zany-comedic in tone, with Shiina a more serious and ambitious character and leader, but still deeply caring for his friends, who are all outcasts animals he helped. I've compared Serialized Manga Shiina with Shigaraki before; but I've always found Oneshot Shiina to be even more similar, especially with later series Shigaraki.

In the oneshot, the first mission we see Shiina and his team go on is to rescue a talking alligator that's been captured and smuggled by people wearing skull-masks. Obviously these guys are not the good guys. They acknowledge that the talking alligator might as well be considered a person, but are still keeping him caged and ready to be sell him.

So I always wondered if they were the basis of the bnha's CRC - skull-mask wearing criminals who looks down on Spinner, a person whose quirk make him looks like a lizard. But this time they're even more evil.

In the manga, it's due to Shiina's cursed magic powers that allows the animals to turn into human form; in the oneshot, however, the animals are born with magical energies that transforms them into human form - and Shiina is only someone who finds and gathers them in order to harvest their magical energy to break his curse.

If this sounds kinda selfish, it is - which Shiina acknowledges. Shiina didn't save the talking alligator out of the goodness of his heart - he needed the alligator's magical energy, and says so bluntly.

But when Hana accuses Shiina of using the animals to his own ends, Uwabami, a snake woman, says no, all the animals are here of their own free will.

The explanation Uwabami then gives Hana about why they stay with Shiina, why they follow him, actually mirrors Spinner's last dialogue with Deku on bnha a lot:

Uwabami describes the animals that have magical energy as beings whose forms have bent away from normal and turned 'grotesque'. In Japanese, the word she uses is 'igyou', which is the same word used to describe people like Spinner - translated as 'heteromorphs' in MHA. Uwabami implies that these 'grotesque' animals had suffered, had stood out with negative consequences, and that was how Shiina was able to find them. Similarly, Spinner says that he was oppressed for being a heteromorph, for having a quirk that altered his appearance.

The context is of course different, but I think the underlying feeling is still the same. Uwabami explains Shiina and the animals' situations are similar, that in helping Shiina break his curse, the issue of the animals' magical grotesque forms may also be solved as well. Shiina's mission aligns with their desires as well. In Spinner's case, Shigaraki told the League that he'll destroy everything, which at first also seemed like it was his specific dream; but within that destruction is also promised the changes and goals each of the League wants - Shigaraki represented him.

For the animals of Shiina's zoo, they were never able to fit in, they were unneeded and unwanted - and yet Shiina would still consider them comrade and friends, and gathered them together. Much like Shigaraki did for the League: he gave someone like Spinner a dream, a chance to be someone. Gave a bunch of strays, the dregs of society, a place to be.

So both Shiina and Shigaraki - leaders loved and respected by their friends so much that those friends - Uwabami and Spinner - are both willing to so straightforwardly spill out their hearts and feelings to near strangers.

anyways, I recommend the oneshot a lot. Read here at mangadex.

[thisblogisaboutabook]

Solstice Tree Farm

(Christmas Tree Farm)

Azriel x Reader

A Taylor Swift inspired ACOTAR fic

This can be read as stand alone but is a follow up taking place on the solstice before the epilogue of this one shot: Part 1: Ivy (Covered in You)

warnings: sexual content, suggestive language, language, alcohol

Az held my hand tightly, warming the chill of my freezing hands. “Holidays can be hard. Five hundred years later and I still get hit with pangs of sadness when memories of my childhood creep their way to the forefront of my thoughts.”

“Yeah,” I frowned. “That makes sense. Trauma never really disappears, we just learn to cope with it.”

He nodded, giving me a soft smile that didn’t quite meet his eyes. “I’ll always be here to help you through the hard times, Y/N. Whether you need a listening ear, space, or words of understanding.”

My eyes lined with silver as I leaned my head gently against his shoulder “I love you, Az.”

He brushed a kiss to my forehead, his plush lips warming me from the inside out. “And I love you. Always.”

My steps halted as I spotted a new wine bar lit up with the sound of its patrons friendly laughter rolling out the front doors. “Oh, I need to get Mor a bottle of wine and I hear they have a perfectly spiced mulled wine here that is imported from Winter.”

Az put his hand on the small of my back, guiding me toward the door. I browsed the selections, snagging the wine Mor had raved about. We had started an annual tradition of wrapping gifts together while each downing a bottle of wine. It was no surprise that the more gifts we wrapped, the sloppier our wrapping jobs became. The special tradition between my friend and I both filled Az’s heart with warmth and…. made his eye twitch just a little bit. Ever the perfectionist, my mate. His wrappings were always the neatest of the inner circle.

As we browsed the aisles of the wine bar’s shopping section, something caught my eye. A Chardonnay imported from Vallahan - the same wine that was shared between my former husband and I at our wedding.

Nausea roiled in my stomach, the room suddenly feeling too hot. “Az, I… I need to get out of here.” His brows furrowed with concern but he asked no questions as he quickly stepped with me out of the store.

My heart raced. I loathed my husband, his death at my hands was deserved, and I did not miss my life in Vallahan at all. However, there was still blood coating my hands and I was not a violent person.

Az looked to me and I knew that his shadows, my favorite one in particular, noticed the wine too. “Do you want to talk about it?” he asked gently.

“No, I just needed air. I can find mulled wine for Mor elsewhere I’m sure.”

Az offered to go back into the store to get it but I gripped his hand tightly, needing his presence to keep me grounded.

Digging through my mind for any other topic, I asked, “Have you ever seen the bears from the Winter Court?”

Az smiled as we resumed our walking, “I have several times over the centuries. They were also a valuable resource during the war with Hybern.”

I thought for a moment. “I’d like to see them some day.”

We walked for another fifteen or so minutes before I finally asked to return home, fatigue overtaking me. Az swooped me up in his arms and flew me back to the townhouse. We’d occupied it as our personal residence for years now, thanks to Rhysand and Feyre’s generosity.

We could have purchased another house in the city but this one held so many memories to Az, memories of our family, staying there made me feel like I had been a part of their lives for much longer.

~~~~~~~

The next morning, I slept in longer than normal. Azriel had to leave early for a meeting with Cass and Rhys. He left a note stating he’d be home with pastries from our favorite bakery in a few hours.

He’d been so busy recently with work. I had been busy too. I’d taken to assisting Feyre and Ressina at the studio. The children warmed my heart and while I was not good with painting, I loved working with my hands. Each year at solstice, I’d taken to offering crafting classes for the littles to make gifts. It filled my heart with even more joy than I thought possible.

I stretched, as I awoke from bed. My body aching from whatever odd position I seemed to fall asleep in last night. Az and I had every intention of “heating things up” after we’d shopped but I fell asleep while he rubbed my back. He must have sensed that I needed the rest - the reprieve from the depths of my mind - as he let me be.

While I definitely appreciated his thoughtfulness, part of me wished he would have woken me. Tiredness aside, I was hungry for his touch, every nerve in my body screaming out for him. Just thinking about it made my breasts heavy and aching to feel him on me, my thighs squeezing tightly together to relieve the ache if only slightly

I thought about taking the time to scratch that particular itch myself but I had to get ready for my afternoon class.

~~~~~~~

The class went well. Feyre had stopped by to see the children and do some painting in her office. She’d squeezed me tightly, placing a kiss on each cheek in greeting. Gratitude filled me for how accepting she’d been of me when I first came to Velaris from Vallahan. The whole family instantly made me feel welcome, we’d grown so close over the past 10 years.

After the class, Feyre and I decided to visit a nearby tea parlor - chatting about everything from art and politics to Nyx and holiday plans. I laughed as she shared a story of Rhys sneaking off with Nyx to “attend court business” with Kallias and Viviane - but instead it was just to have the pair and their children train Rhys and Nyx on the latest snowball fighting techniques. Anything to gain a competitive edge for their own annual fight at the cabin.

After a while, Feyre reached across the table to squeeze my hand. Her blue-gray eyes meeting mine as she asked if I was doing okay. Daemati abilities aside, she was naturally very perceptive of emotions. I finally confessed to her that I hadn’t been in the holiday spirit this year when normally it was my favorite time of the year. She’d offered comfort in return and shared her own stories of times that she had struggled during the season as well, adding that Rhys had especially struggled after returning from under the mountain

It was reassuring to hear that my family understood the underlaying feelings of melancholy that could rise to the surface during such a joyous season.

When I arrived back to the townhouse, I was greeted with a box of pastries and a note from Az apologizing that we’d missed eachother.

I definitely needed the visit with Feyre but felt a bit guilty for missing him. In true Azriel fashion, there was an arrow pointing to the back of the note:

“Don’t you dare feel guilty for not being home. I’m glad that you and Feyre spent time together.”

Momentarily confused by how he knew where I’d been, the glazed look Feyre had gotten at one point during our tea time came back to me. Gods, daemati powers would be convenient.

~~~~~~~

Azriel didn’t return home until late that night. I’d dozed off while reading on the couch, waking up to him carrying me back to our bed. I gave him a sleepy smile and informed him there was food from our favorite take away spot in the kitchen.

The strong hold of his muscled body pressing into me reignited the fire that had burned inside of me that morning. Clearly scenting my arousal he gave a feline grin. “I’m hungry for something else.”

Our joining that night was hard and fast. I came quickly which only fueled his male pride, by the time he was through with me I was completely and utterly satiated. I all but fell asleep on my mate before he lifted me off of him, curling into me. I awoke briefly in the night to find his wings encompassing us - the warmth and darkness quickly soothing me back to sleep.

~~~~~~~

Once again I woke to an empty bed. I couldn’t help the frown that formed at his departure. We always had an understanding of the unexpected absences that occurred with his work. Selfishly, I had just hoped to spend the morning in bed with him.

I leaned to my side of the bed to find a note reading,

“Don’t hate me for taking off so early. You just looked too beautiful, I couldn’t bring myself to wake a sleeping angel.

Rhys needed Cassian and I at the Hewn City, I promise I’ll be home soon.

I love you.”

I was loved and I was grateful. To go from a loveless marriage to a mated pairing so full of love that the only hint of sadness came from the absence of his presence. And then, even in his absence, he still made his love known. The thought made my stomach flutter.

The fluttering quickly went away as nausea rolled in. I’d forgotten to eat the take away food I brought home last night, falling asleep full of Az instead. I hadn’t eaten since scarfing down a pastry when I returned home from tea with Feyre.

I ran to the bathroom, dry heaved, and then made my way to the kitchen - instantly feeling better after reheating the leftovers from last night.

I took a bath and got ready for my afternoon class when I heard the door open, shadows greeting me before I even heard Azriel approach. He gave me a mischevious look, eyes gleaming.

He was up to something.

I smirked. “That look means trouble. What did you do?”

He just smiled, taking my hand and nodding his head toward our bedroom. “Come here.”

We entered the room and he snapped his fingers. Shadows taking it as a cue, they began swirling into a funnel of darkness. They cleared and two suitcases appeared in their absence. Mine had a gorgeous knee-length cobalt blue wool coat hanging next to it along with a matching scarf and hat, and lined leather gloves.

I looked to Az, filled with excitement and confusion. “The coat and accessories are absolutely gorgeous, and in your color! I couldn’t love them more. Thank you.” I nodded toward the suitcases, “What about those though?”

“We’re going on a trip.” He smiled. “I talked to Feyre and she’ll cover your classes while we’re gone.”

“You packed my bags?” I asked.

“I’m your mate. I know what you like.” A playful look of arrogance masking his face.

��Alright, Spymaster, I’m at your disposal.”

Before I could follow up with questions the luggage disappeared and Azriel took my hand launching us into a winnow.

~~~~~~~

My jaw dropped. Before me in a snow covered clearing surrounded by large mountains and spruce trees of all sizes was a barn transitioned into a home. It was absolutely stunning with twinkling fae lights outside, a warm glow shining from within. The house was decked with spruce and evergreen branches, boughs of holly, each window and door donning wreaths.

“Az? Is this where we are staying?” I marveled.

“Welcome to the Winter Court, my love. Kallias and Viviane are letting us use their evergreen farm as a getaway.” His smile shone brighter than any of the twinkling fae lights. He gestured toward the door, “Come, take a look around.”

Once again, my jaw fell as I took in the inside of the barn turned lodge. A fire warmed the room from the massive stone fireplace, illuminating the reclaimed wood accents filling the place. Huge fur rugs blanketed the floor of the open loft. In a corner of the space, situated in front a wall of windows was a spruce tree that had to be twenty feet tall, decked with ornate trimmings.

“This is……. It’s incredible, Az. I don’t know what to say.” I leaned into him, sending waves of adoration and gratitude down our bond, to which he sent back a surge of love.

Taking my hand, he walked me to the plush sectional couch in front of the fire where warm mugs of cocoa, mints, and a tray of various Winter Court delicacies for grazing awaited.

“I’m sorry…” he sat, pulling me down into his lap before continuing, “for leaving this morning. I know the past few weeks have been difficult for you and after our excursion into the city the other day,” he cut off, eyes filling with empathy. “Well, I thought maybe we could use a pre-solstice getaway. I came here to prepare everything for us beforehand. There’s no better place to get into the holiday spirit than the Winter Court.”

My eyes teared up as emotions flooded me. Gods, I am such a sap. But this male, he never failed to amaze me. His love and devotion to me was euphoric. Nothing in the world could match the high of being with him.

“I love you, Az,” I choked up. “Thank you. This is incredible.”

He wiped a lone tear that fell onto my face and replaced it with a kiss.

The single kiss relit that flame smoldering inside me as I straddled his lap, pressing my mouth to his, tongues and teeth crashing into eachother. In between breaths he managed to get out “Do.” kiss. “You.” Deeper kiss. “Want to” a kiss to the column of his neck. “Go out t-.” a nip to the neck and a heated kiss to take away the pain. “Fuck it.” he ground out before ripping my top off and pinning me underneath him. I snapped my fingers and the rest of our clothes disappeared completely.

~~~~~~~

One hour? Two hours? Three, maybe? blissful hours later, he carried me to the bathroom where a hot bath awaited us. My body ached for it. Az stepped in, setting us both down and situating me between his legs. He rubbed my tense shoulders, a particularly deep knead making my eyes roll back into my head and an involuntary moan escape my lips. “Fuck,” he cursed. “That moan.” He repeated the motion on the opposite shoulder, garnering the same involuntary response. “So. pretty.” He said, voice low, dripping with lust.

Those words alone caused me to rest my head back on his chest, looking up into his eyes. His renewed arousal incredibly evident against my back. He firmly placed a calloused hand on my neck, leaning down to kiss me. Hard. Before I could turn around, he gripped my hips. Strong arms lifted me up before sinking me down onto him, inch by torturous inch bringing the sweetest pleasure back to my body.

~~~~~~~

After a long bath that may or may not have needed to be reheated not once but twice, and sliding into the most comfortable bathing robe to ever grace my skin, we padded to the bedroom.

This room was the type of room that one could enter and be totally content never leaving. A massive four poster bed situated on top of a fluffy white rug called to me. Its blankets and pillows could swallow myself, my large Illyrian mate, and his massive wings. A fire warmed the space and the floor to ceiling window overlooked a hillside at the edge of the clearing, city lights burned brightly down below as coin sized snowflakes fell lazily from the sky.

Candles were lit around the room and fae lights softly illuminated the space. A knock from the outside door interrupted my moment of awe. Az pointed toward a box on the bed, stating he would be right back.

Not sure who could possibly visiting us, I padded over to the bed and opened the gift wrapped box. Inside lay a silken robe and matching sheer night gown. My heart fluttered as once again, the gown was dyed a gorgeous cobalt blue. I dropped the heavy robe I was wearing to dress myself in the see-through gown barely reaching below my ass, the new robe, and matching thong. I sighed at the luxurious feeling of silk lightly caressing my more intimate areas.

“Gods.” Az spoke lowly from the door behind me. “You’ve always been devastating in my color, but this…. I’m starting to think that this is YOUR color. You’re an absolute goddess.”

I turned as he carried in a tray of steaming food. “I had this delivered from the city’s Solstice Market.”

My stomach rumbled at the sight of the stuffed bread, potato pancakes, and sausages on the platter before me.

“Oooh, Az, this is incredible! You’ve really thought of everything.” I looked at him intently. “Thank you, my love, truly.”

He smiled and placed the tray on a table for two set up in the room. I grinned as the smells of the food wafted toward me, “let me run to the kitchen and see if there’s a wine cabinet!”

“Sorry darling, it seems that is the one thing that I didn’t think of. But we do have hot apple cider.” He motioned to a kettle on the large tray that I’d somehow overlooked.

“That’s perfect!” I reached to the kettle and poured a mug of it. The absolutely divine smell of it filling my nose.

~~~~~~~

I awoke the next morning in Azriel’s arms. His wings cocooning us protectively. I turned around to face him, peppering kisses to his lips, nose, and cheeks.

His eyes slowly fluttered open and my heart nearly stopped at the sight of his gold-flecked hazel eyes and long, dark eyelashes. Nearly ten years in and the full effect of him never failed to awe me.

After dinner the previous night, we had cuddled on the bed as his fingers lifted up the hem of my nightgown. He traced lazy circles and lines up and down my waist, the dips of my hips, my abdomen, he spent extra time and attention on my breasts: tracing, tweaking, and gently pulling my nipples, as if he’d never touched them before. I, of course, encouraged the behavior by arching back into him and letting out an occasional soft moan.

At one point, he just stopped all motion, staring deeply into my eyes. Wonder and adoration shone as he stared, as if he too had never lost his awe toward me. We had eachother three more times during the night. Something about the intimate getaway felt like accepting the bond all over again.

I snapped from my thoughts as Az playfully nipped at my ear, retracting his wings from around us.

I looked toward the outside, snow capped mountains gleaming under the sunlight. “What’s on your agenda for us today?”

“That is a secret for me to know, and you to find out later.”

Running a single finger down the length of his chest, torso, lower - I cooed. “I hear that I can be quite convincing, Spymaster.”

His only response, a smack to my ass, “Come on, greedy. That would spoil the fun.”

Begrudgingly I got out of the bed, the warm rug beneath feeling like heaven on my feet.

~~~~~~~

After a delightful breakfast at a cafe in the city, Azriel led me toward a massive building on the outskirts of it, on the opposite side of the palace grounds. Several males posted themselves outside of the structure - one of which recognized Az immediately.

“Azriel, it’s good to see you.” The burly white haired man boomed. “Is this your lovely mate that I’ve heard so much about? I heard that your High Lord and High Lady are quite smitten with her.”

Az greeted the male politely, “Hello Klaus, yes, this would indeed be the exquisite Y/N.”

I smiled as the male shook my hand. “A pleasure to meet you Y/N. Did Azriel tell you what you’re here for today?”

I rolled my eyes tossing a mock glare at Azriel. “No, this Spymaster seems to be quite full of secrets.”

The male laughed, a loud jovial sound. “Let’s not waste time then! Come and see my pride and joy.”

I stepped into the building and my eyes filled with wonder. What was already a massive building outside was truly enormous inside, clearly some kind of glamour hid the true size from onlookers. What really caught my eye, however, were the acres upon acres of training, feeding, and sleeping quarters, along with the armory - none of it on the ground level designed to house or clothe fae, but for animals. Throughout the building were soldiers and animals training side my side, working in unison. White foxes, antlered deer, and there…. Toward the back of the building, my heart skipped a beat, giant white bears! Some wearing armor, some lazily lounging along indoor pools, trainers even brushed the creatures to which they seemed to enjoy the feeling of bristles running through their thick fur.

Klaus spent hours walking us through the grounds of the facility. I teared up when given the opportunity to brush one of the bears. I felt like a child next to such a large creature. I was aware of the danger they posed, but how could anyone resist the opportunity to spend time with a creature with cute little ears like that. They couldn’t be THAT much of a threat to me…. so long as I wasn’t an enemy. The bear seemed to agree as it tilted its head toward me in a pleading manner, as if to say: “Ah yes, right there. Scratch behind my ear just there. That’s the spot.”

It turned out that Klaus was the head of the Winter Court’s animal forces. A highly revered position in their armies, essentially a step below Cassian’s rank in the Night Court. When we were leaving, Klaus told me to come back anytime, kissing my hand in parting. Azriel instinctively sidled himself closer to me, if Klaus noticed, he didn’t show it.

Fae mates. So territorial.

~~~~~~~

After our tour of the training facility, Azriel took us on a reindeer drawn sleigh ride through the remainder of castle grounds. We cozied up together under a blanket, sipping hot cocoa and taking in the beauty of the court.

It turned out that Mor pulled strings with Viviane as such tours were a rare privilege. I teared up yet again, thinking of the effort my mate and best friend put into making this Winter Solstice so special.

I was sure to thank Azriel thoroughly that night. Five times to be exact.

~~~~~~~

The next morning came too quickly, Azriel and I refusing to leave the bed until our stomachs grumbled in unison.

We headed to the Solstice Market for the remainder of our gift shopping. I found a gorgeous bracelet for Amren, the gems mined from a frozen over cave in the heart of the Winter Court. For Feyre, I purchased paints with unique pigments inspired by the terrain of the court. I continued checking names off of my gift list, until all that was left was Mor.

It may have been strange, but what were boundaries between two best friends - I was able to acquire a similar set of lingerie to the one Azriel had purchased for me in a shade of red that would perfectly compliment her features. Azriel rolled his eyes at me in amusement.

I’d also found a particularly smutty sapphic novel for her thanks to the recommendation of a friendly shopkeeper - I picked up a copy for myself too.

Azriel and I then strolled to the wine vendors - this was where the trip took quite a turn.

I bought several bottles of the mulled wine Mor adored along with boxes of decadent chocolates. The vendor was kind, and rather chatty. We talked for twenty minutes or so and were about to leave when he offered us complimentary glass mugs of the spiced wine to warm us on our walk back toward the lodge. Az quickly declined…. For both of us. I playfully huffed stating that I had no objections to such a kind offer. Azriel’s expression grew concerned as he once again waved off the offer.

The male working at the stand watched as I stood disregarding Az’s strange objection. I kept my hand held out waving Azriel off with the other. The vendor clearly knew better than to deny a lady who was clear about what she wanted and handed over the glass.

Azriel then growled. GROWLED.

I turned around to walk away, Az on my tail. I lifted the glass to take a sip when one of his shadows, not just any shadow, my FAVORITE one - restrained my wrist.

Little traitor.

“What the hell, Az!?” I asked. Quietly enough to not cause a scene but loudly enough to convey my frustration toward him. He paused for a moment - a rare show of conflict troubled his face. “We…. We need to talk.” he said and winnowed us straight back to the lodge.

~~~~~~~

Upon arrival, I stormed into the lodge. “Do you think I have a drinking problem or something? What is it, Az? It’s so unlike you to act like this. First the territorial bullshit when Klaus kissed my hand, now taking away my choice in what I want to drink?” My traitorous body let tears slip.

Az said nothing. He stared at me for a moment, before walking up to me and grasping me into his arms, his warm embrace enveloping me. I wanted to pull away but couldn’t. His scent and warmth were intoxicating, placating me.

He kissed the top of my head, his arms still embracing behind me and moving upward, brushing his fingers through my hair before pulling back. His arms released as he took my face in his hands, hazel eyes filled with an emotion I’d never seen before.

“Baby.” He got out. Voice cracking.

“Yes? What?”

“Baby.” His eyes rimmed with tears.

“What Az? What is it? Just tell me.”

His face cracked into a smile full of wonder, the tears spilling. “You’re pregnant.”

Oh?

Oh!

“Ohhhhhh.” I managed to get out. Everything clicking into place. The emotions, the random bouts of nausea, fatigue, the mild aches in my body…the constant need to have Azriel buried inside of me.

“Gods.” I muttered next. “This explains so much! How did you figure it out? WHEN did you figure it out?”

Azriel maintained his composure, resting a hand on each of my arms while running his thumbs soothingly up and down them. “I think my body knew first. I was waking up with my wings around you protectively - normally that only happens intentionally but this time it was involuntary. And then, you started showing signs similar to those when you’re approaching your cycle but… it’s been less than two months since the last one. I couldn’t sense the shift in your scent yet but something deep within me kept telling me to observe.”

Running a hand through his hair, he continued: “Then we came here and it felt like the mating bond snapped into place all over again. The night that we were laying in bed and I was tracing my fingers along your body… your curves felt just slightly more enticing - I don’t… I don’t know how to explain it, but when I ran my fingers to your breasts they were so full, so heavy. Initially I closed my eyes and took a deep breath in trying to stave off my arousal, to allow you to rest but then it hit me. The softest hint of rose. The same scent Rhys described when Feyre…”

I cut him off. “The look, the one you gave me of wonder and awe - that’s when it hit you, isn’t it?”

“Yes.” Az replied. “Are you upset?”

“Upset? No! Never! Azriel,” I choked out. “This life with you is the most incredible gift. Having you as my mate, our chosen family, and now this life growing inside of me - this beautiful life created of the love you’ve so wholeheartedly given me. It’s so much more than I could have ever dreamed of.”

Words evaded Azriel as he embraced me, sobs wracking his body- pure joy and unconditional love flooded from him through me. As his sobs settled he pulled back to look at me, eyes filled with promise. “I swear to love and protect the two of you until the end of time. My heart was already wholly yours but now, somehow it’s been filled so much more than I knew possible. Our child will know only love from us. A beacon of hope shining from the darkness of our own childhoods.”

I looked up to him, reciprocating the feelings of joy and love through our bond.

“I love you.” I vowed.

“Oh baby” he kissed my lips.

“Oh baby” he knelt down to kiss my still flat abdomen.

“Happy Solstice. I love you.”

[thebutterleftoutatroboticsstate]

Ok, imagine,

It’s the morning after Max’s housewarming party in Monaco, he’s invited basically the whole grid, and most of them come. Everyone gets horribly drunk and many just pass out in his apartment instead of going home. Max has planned for this, and everybody has blankets and things. He has also planned for the morning after, for which I have though if two equally funny scenarios I think. Either he’s hired a mismatched group of musicians including someone on the bagpipes, accordion, trumpet, etc. the grid wakes up to chaos and max filming it all on his phone. Someone fell off a chair. Or, he has hired a classical band or choir, and the grid wakes up to an ensemble in full concert blacks and playing it as if they were in a theatre. He is still filming it.

[thebestofoneshots]

BONUS FEATURES

Gilded Constellations | wolfstar x reader

Masterlist

Chapter 22: Long Long Way From Home

Little Sneak Peak of Wedsnday's chapter!

Art made by AI

[paperbridge]

if you could recommend only one (non-smut) poto fic to someone what would it be?

[howdoichooseablogname]

i have a fic idea that takes place post season 7, to early season 8 (buck and tommy are dating. this is important for the plot) where josh told his parents that he has a boyfriend, caus they worry, and his cousin is having a wedding. his parents, and cousin, insist that josh bring his boyfriend

he gets maddies help in getting a fake boyfriend. she asks eddie, who's single and living alone while waiting for his son. eddie declines cause he doesn't want to fake date josh

so, she asks buck. he talks to eddie about it, but not tommy who is his boyfriend. he tells maddie that he'll fake date josh for a weekend

the weekend is full of typical romcom tropes (such as fake dating, only one bed, etc) but they stay platonic throughout all of it

personally, i'd like to think buck and tommy break up sometime during the weekend (probably before the wedding for that drama). but, buck is texting a lot and everyone's worried he's cheating on josh

after the weekend wedding, some of joshs family/friends start stalking buck and tell josh that clearly buck is cheating! look how close he is to that other firefighter!

anyways, there is a whole fake breakup where buck actually confesses he's in love with his best friend. and josh is like "i knew it!"

it either ends with buddie getting together, or the implications of it

[cubedmango]

birthday wish

(rest of the comic under the cut)

[imtrashraccoon]

Been a long time coming but I was too busy with Bad Sansuary to finish this last one up. I had originally planned two more bonus chapters but I think the story ends nicely here. Besides, I'm ready to wrap up this project.

This chapter happens immediately after Chapter 30: Souls btw.

First Day & Previous Day.

Bonus 3: Respite

You let Papyrus go with Sans so they could talk with Gaster on their own. It just seemed fair to you somehow.

Instead, you turned your attention to Frisk who was still standing near the King and Queen. While you were still a bit lightheaded, you were able to stand up and walk so long as you were careful.

Frisk glanced over as soon as you approached and a bright grin immediately broke out over their face. They turned and practically went to tackle you, except you scooped them up into a fierce bear hug and embraced them.

"I'm so glad you're safe..." you whispered. Your voice trembled and you couldn't manage to hold everything together any longer. While you normally hated crying in front of strangers, you no longer cared if anyone thought badly of you.

It was finally over. Against all odds, you'd both survived. Surely, this was the best possible ending... You couldn't imagine how things could be any better at least.

Frisk loosened their hold on you and lightly patted your shoulder to get your attention. When you let go slightly and pulled back, you could see that they had been crying as well from the tear tracks running down their cheeks. They vigorously wiped their face on their sweater sleeves and smiled weakly.

"I tried so hard..." they signed slowly. "This is it now... We can't go back anymore."

Your eyes widened slightly at the realization of what they meant set it. This was permanent and there would be no more resets. Now it was your turn to get them through the days ahead and, while you were a little anxious, you were glad to put this whole difficult journey behind you.

"You did so good, Frisk. I couldn't have done any of this without you," you responded. "Thank you..."

They seemed relieved to hear that and smiled more genuinely. "I love you..." they signed.

With a slight chuckle, you ruffled their fluffy hair and pressed a quick kiss on the top of their head, much to their embarrassment. "I love you too, kiddo."

Your self awareness suddenly kicked in and you glanced up to find the three goat monsters just quietly watching you and Frisk's reunion. You swallowed nervously and out of habit pulled Frisk a bit closer again, except they resisted and pushed off your chest much to your surprise.

"This is Asriel, my best friend," they signed and motioned to the little goat monster you'd never seen before.

The goat child glanced at Toriel before approaching you apprehensively. He had similar scruffy white fur as his parents did, long floppy ears, and a pair of fangs that slightly poked out of his mouth. He also had a pair of sharp but stubby horns on the top of his head and his eyes were yellow with a red ring around the black sclera. You couldn't be sure of his age, but from his green and yellow striped sweater and black overalls, he seemed older than Frisk, maybe eight or nine?

"Um, hi... It's nice to meet you properly this time," he said. His voice was a bit gruffer than you'd initially expected and while he seemed rather shy right now, there was a bit of a teasing lilt in his tone.

"Sorry, we've met before?" Turning to Frisk, you asked, "And when did you make a best friend?"

Frisk grinned in a mischievous way before responding. "He was trapped in a flower until now. Remember Flowey?" When you nodded, they added, "Well, I gave him a small piece of my soul so he could return to his true form."

To say you were concerned was a bit of an understatement. While you still didn't know much about souls in general, even you knew that a person's soul was not something that could just be given away carelessly.

Glancing between both children, you couldn't help the slight frown that flickered across your face. "Frisk...how? Are you okay...?" You had no idea how to respond to this situation and your tongue couldn't seem to form any substantial sentences at the moment.

While Asriel couldn't maintain eye contact with you, Frisk seemed confident with their decision. They nodded vigorously and quickly tried to reassure you. "I had a lot of Determination, much more than most people do, so I gave Asriel some of it to form a soul for him. Which is why I can't do that...thing anymore. We'll be fine, okay?"

You didn't really understand what they meant but if Frisk was so sure that everything would be okay, then you would do your best to trust them. They had been responsible for freeing everyone after all, the least you could do was believe them, right?

"Alright then. While I don't fully understand all this, I'm glad you both seem to be fine." With a smile, you turned to Asriel again, "Nice to meet you then. I apologize but I had no idea you and Frisk were so close."

"It's alright..." The goat child smiled sheepishly and rubbed the fur on the back of his neck. "I'll be honest, I didn't know they thought of me that way either. They're really amazing, aren't they?"

You grinned and moved some stray hair strands out of Frisk's face. "They really are..." you murmured.

Toriel placed a furry paw on Asriel's shoulder and squeezed him in an affectionate way. "I... Or rather we, are so, so grateful to have our son back. Thank you, Frisk..."

Asgore had been very quiet after everything that had happened. If you were to guess, he seemed to be the strong and stoic type who rarely showed any emotion. Still, he had shed more than a few tears earlier when first reunited with his son, so he wasn't completely heartless at least. You still didn't like him though and that probably wouldn't change any time soon.

He knelt down in front of Frisk and bowed his head slightly, but he was still much taller than them even like this. "Thank you...Frisk, for bringing Asriel back. And thank you for breaking the barrier when we could not," he said solemnly.

Frisk smiled sweetly up at the now humbled king. They lightly patted his massive furry paw with their much smaller hand before answering. "You're welcome!"

The King turned his gaze to you, his yellow eyes still glistening with emotions, but that air of solemn duty he had been exuding earlier was back. "I want to do what is best for my people and I believe right now peace with your kind is the right thing to do. Forgive me, but would you be willing to help with the negotiations with the human government? Like an ambassador of sorts?" he asked.

Frisk nodded excitedly but you frowned and put your hand on their shoulder, which got their attention. Squaring your shoulders, you addressed the King of Monsters for the second time today.

"I am going to have to decline your offer on the basis that neither of us have any experience with politics and Frisk isn't even seven." You held up a finger before he could interject, "However, I am willing to help for the sake of all the friends I've made and to make a better world for everyone."

While he seemed a little disappointed, Asgore seemed to take your rejection pretty well. He stood up again and gave you a firm nod. "Very well... I suppose it was presumptuous of me to ask, especially after everything you've both been through."

He pressed his furry paw against his gold plated chestplate before adding, "I will make a decree that no monster is to harm a human. If there is to be true peace, we must prove to your kind that we are willing to put aside our past grievances."

"For the sake of our son and our people, I will assist in negotiating with the humans," Toriel stated. Her tone of voice had turned cold as she turned to address Asgore but there was still a spark of hope in her eyes, despite the obvious tension between them.

The King seemed momentarily taken aback and he started to say something, but stopped himself. "We should sit down and discuss how things will be going forward," he mentioned with a bit of an awkward cough.

Toriel only let out a low hum in agreement and narrowed her yellow eyes at him.

You felt incredibly awkward all of the sudden, wanting to be anywhere but next to the bitter former couple. You didn't want to just walk away, although you didn't know what or if you should say anything.

Fortunately, you were saved from making a fool of yourself when Undyne scooped both Frisk and Asriel up in each arm. The goat child let out a startled bleat and flailed his arms for a bit until he realized he wasn't going to fall. Undyne then shifted both children so they were sitting on each of her shoulders and chuckled, flashing a sharp toothed grin at you as she did so.

"I don't know how you did it, but congrats! The barrier is gone!" she exclaimed. Her grin faltered a little and in a quieter voice she added, "I wasn't so sure I'd ever get to see it for myself and if I did, never like this."

Frisk attempted to give the fish lady a hug but could only wrap their arms around her head. They ended up just leaning down and resting their upper body and head on top of hers, earning a quiet chuckle from her.

You couldn't help but smile at the adorable sight. "I don't understand it myself but I suppose it doesn't really matter. We're here and we managed to do so without much bloodshed. I'm just so happy..."

You trailed off as you felt your throat start to close up again and the familiar sting of tears at the corners of your eyes. Taking a deep breath, you managed to blink away your tears before they could flow down your cheeks. Alphys then appeared next you and placed one of her clawed hands on your arm in a reassuring manner.

"I don't know how to begin to thank either of you for being willing to support us. The chances of our plan even working were slim and if we'd failed, I know it would have cost both of you greatly," you finally said, doing your best to keep your voice even, although it was a bit difficult.

Undyne carefully set the kids back onto the ground and scratched the back of her neck. "Ah, well, of course we'd help. Friends stick by each other..." she murmured in a much quieter voice than she usually did. Her gills and cheekbones seemed to become a deeper blue and she was having a hard time actually looking at you all of the sudden.

For once, Alphys didn't seem like the more shy one of the two women and she gave you a gentle smile. "I'd been working on finding a way to break the barrier for my whole tenure as Royal Scientist. I'm just very glad it's all over and that we can finally have peace." She grew thoughtful for a moment before adding, "Even if this hadn't worked, it was worth a try I think. I'm just glad we could help you and put an end to the violence."

"Me too," you hummed.

When the skeletons eventually rejoined the group, you began to sense a sort of anticipation in the air. You felt a similar sense of excitement as it had been months since you'd seen the sun and had all but given up on seeing it again. You thought the monsters actually seemed a little hesitant though, as if they were afraid to take the first step outside in possibly a millenia or more.

Frisk tugged at your sleeve and motioned to the opening in the cave. You gave them a gentle nod and they instantly grabbed one of Asriel's paws, beginning to pull him towards the fading sunlight. That seemed to be the push the others needed and they began to follow the children to the surface. The older monsters followed at a slower pace and you noticed how solemn their expressions had become.

Papyrus glanced back at you and tilted his skull. When you realized he was waiting, you darted over and gave him a hug. He smiled and pressed a skeleton kiss against the top of your head, before wrapping an arm around you and guiding you towards the sunlight.

The sun had sunk halfway below the horizon, colouring the sky with a canvas of reds, oranges, and yellows. You took a deep breath of the crisp mountain air but instead of focusing on the sunset, you turned to see the reactions of your friends instead.

Asgore and Toriel still seemed solemn and you could see their eyes once again glistening with tears of joy. You couldn't help but wonder what the world had been like back before the war that had trapped them Underground. Hopefully, things would be better now.

Asriel had a small frown on his face and you noticed he seemed a little sad. At least Frisk was quick to comfort them but your heart went out to the poor goat child. No one deserved to be sad, let alone children, and you hoped he would be okay.

Undyne was completely silent for once but you swore you could see her good eye sparkling with unbridled excitement. There was a wide grin plastered across her face and while her body was tense, it was as if she was trying to desperately contain herself while everyone took in the view.

Alphys seemed awestruck as well and her jaw dropped which she quickly covered with her hands. The glow of the last few rays of sunshine reflected off her round glasses and you couldn't look directly at her for very long. She caught your eye and you saw her cheeks flush a bright pink, although she quickly looked up at Undyne rather than try to duck away from embarrassment.

Gaster's expression seemed rather clinical and he had propped up his chin with one hand in silent contemplation. You couldn't imagine what was going through his skull right now and you weren't about to ask either. Maybe he was thinking about the future? You would have to sit down and have a proper conversation to get to know him at some point.

Sans wore the widest grin you'd ever seen on his face. His hands were stuffed into his gray hoodie's pockets as he slowly rocked back and forth on his heels. You realized he'd noticed you staring at him when he turned his skull slightly to look at you out of the corner of his eye sockets. His crimson eyelights seemed to glitter with an almost childlike wonder and you couldn't help but smile back at him.

Papyrus' scarlet pinpricks were similarly sparkling but the expression he wore was more serious than that of his brother. He couldn't seem to tear his eye sockets away from the sky or the sunset even for a moment. His arm was still wrapped around your waist but his grip on you had slackened as he took in as much of the beautiful sight as he could.

"Sans..." he finally murmured. "Is That...?"

His brother hummed quietly in agreement. "yep, that's the sun..."

"I Never Thought I Would Actually See It..."

You slid one of your hands up his back and leaned against his chestplate in an attempt to get even closer together. "You can see the real stars too if we wait long enough," you remarked softly, although your voice was still loud enough for the others to hear.

There were quiet murmurs of agreement, although some were more enthusiastic than others, and you couldn't help but smile to yourself.

It didn't take long for the sun to finally dip below the horizon and the last of the brilliant colours to give way to twilight. By then, everyone had gotten settled into various groups on the mountainside to wait for the first star to make its presence known.

You took this moment to have a bit of a silent reflection. So much had changed over the last several months, you'd made several new friends, learned a ton about an entirely new culture, helped set a civilization free to rejoin humanity, found out you actually had magic, and now you were technically engaged with a monster. Your life had definitely taken a turn for the better and while the reintegration of Monsters into Human society likely wouldn't be easy, you were ultimately hopeful for what the future held.

At some point, Frisk made their way back to you and Papyrus trailed behind them. You smiled and made room so they could sit in the soft grass next to you. Frisk was all to happy to sit in your lap and sprawl out on top of you, which you didn't mind in the slightest. Papyrus on the other hand seemed content to just hold you close and rest his clavicle on the top of your head.

You could hear quiet gasps of surprise from the other monsters when the first stars appeared. It didn't take long for the sky to be dotted with hundreds of little twinkling lights and even you found yourself in awe at the sight. The light pollution in the city had never allowed you to see nearly this many, even on clearer nights like this one.

Frisk suddenly patted your arm to get your attention and when you glanced down at them, they grinned up at you. "Thank you for being there and always encouraging me...Mom..."

For a second, you wondered if they'd made a mistake and used the wrong sign or if you'd misinterpreted them. But no, they had tapped their thumb to their chin with an open hand and by the way their cheeks had flushed a light pink, you realized it wasn't that kind of mistake.

You didn't know what to say for several long seconds. Once you'd managed to find your voice, you gave their fluffy hair a gentle pat. "Do you see me like that, kiddo? As a parent...?" you asked quietly.

They looked surprised for a moment before slowly nodding.

"Do you want me to be?"

"Yes! I would!" they signed excitedly as a wide grin broke across their face. "I love you so much!"

You smiled and moved some stray locks of their hair out of their face. "Alright then, I'll try looking into seeing if your parents will allow me to become your guardian, okay?"

Papyrus let out a soft chuckle and pulled away from you a little bit. "I Told You So, Precious," he teased.

You huffed and gave him a bit of a playful swat. "Yeah, you did, multiple times in fact! I didn't want to promise something I couldn't make good on, okay?" You sighed and looked away from both of them before adding, "I'm not even sure if your parents will agree to this, but I'm going to try my hardest. I guess...after everything, I've come to see you as my own... I love you so much, Frisk."

Frisk wrapped their arms around your waist and buried their face in your sweater. You gave them a gentle hug back as best you could in this position.

Glancing back at Papyrus, you furrowed your brows slightly as a realization occured to you. "Are you okay with this? I know in the past you expressed that you don't like kids very much..."

He shook his skull and gave Frisk an affectionate pat on their back. "I Like Frisk And I Would Be Willing To Try Being In Their Life. Whether That Means Being An Actual Father Figure Or Just Continuing Supporting Both Of You Like I Have Already," he said.

You smiled and put your hand on top of his. This seemed like a great arrangement and you couldn't help feeling a little excited at the idea of having a family.

Things would turn out okay.

[rohirric-hunter]

Okay, actually on a second run of the Well of Forgetting I did the first boss fight in one try, so maybe it's not so bad once you get a hold of the mechanics. I can't imagine soloing it on a melee character, though

[astralscrivener]

new oneshot going up later tonight 🫡

[weirdestbooks]

Bonus Scene From Chapter 5 of Secrecy and Deception (Wattpad | Ao3)

"Okay, you guys can try to listen in, but you have to be quiet. You can't let Dad know you are listening," America said to the states, eager to hear him make fun of his dad.

"Sure thing, Dad," Massachusetts said. America raised an eyebrow.

"I mean it, Mass." He said. Massachusetts groaned.

"Do you not trust me to be quiet?" He asked.

"Do you want me to answer that?"

"No, not really. Just call Britain and make fun of him already."

America rolled his eyes and called Dad.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Dad! Remember how Winston Churchill was coming to my country to give a speech?"

"Yes, why?"

"So in his speech, he starts talking about important documents in the English-speaking world and how they proclaim freedom and the rights of man."

"Okay, does this have something to do with...uh...your independence?" His dad said hesitantly.

"Well, he did say Magna Carta, the Bill of Rights, the Habeas Corpus, trial by jury, and English common law find their most famous expression in the Declaration of Independence," America said. There was silence on the other end. "Dad, I never knew you thought so highly of the document I disowned you with."

"Seriously? Do you have to do this?"

"I mean, I know it's an absolutely amazing document, and my people and I love it, but you? I never knew you liked it."

"Winston Churchill doesn't speak my opinions."

"But he does think it's such an amazing and important document that really changed the English-speaking world."

"I'm never going to hear the end of this, am I?"

"Nope!"

"Good night, America," Dad said before he hung up. America snickered.

Massachusetts said, "If I ever meet him in person, that's going to be the first thing I mention."

"Please do it, he'll hate that."

[thebestofoneshots]

BONUS FEATURES

Gilded Constellations | wolfstar x reader

Masterlist

Chapter 17: Tonight’s What It Means To Be Young

The boy’s Halloween costumes

Made with AI

[arsenicpanda]

lawmane happening right in front of Light with the thinnest veneer of deniability while Light is completely oblivious because all indicators of romance and sexuality go right over his head (repressed or aroace: take your pick) is one of the funniest versions of lawmane

[inkandpaperqwerty]

Through the Gate is complete!! Whooo!! I posted the last chapter on 10/16, bringing the story to a close, and I’ve finished the next story in the Building Bridges saga, Lay Your Bets and Pay the Price, which will be posted on 10/30 (along with some fanart my cousin drew of Xal 'straight up not having a good time,' in her words)!

Then… Rehearsing Tragedies. Let the spiteful, angry, kicking and clawing and biting Slave!Castiel vibes begin. Also working on that oneshot for the old fandom from my past, got an idea for a Loki story to add to the Restitution Bonus Features, and I’m working on the next chapter of Sparkling Eyes and Cigarette Burns! That will be the second-to-last chapter, but honestly, the last chapter will be more of an epilogue, so this chapter I’m working on now will kind of be the ‘end’ of the story.

As always, you can find my book Cataclysm on so, so many platforms, like Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Thalia, Smashwords, and so on. If you want to check out some stories that take place in the Cataclysm universe to see if you’ll like it, you can find them on my AO3, wattpad, or Substack.

Thanks for reading!

[the-one-who-lambs]

The Risen/Fallen chapter lineup so far...

Inspiration hit me like a fucking truck today, so I might have Chapter 2 up tomorrow or the next day, much more quickly than I anticipated for a brand-new chapter!

Anyway, my plotting document for this series revival is an absolute monster right now. I'll share the current list of chapters I have planned out. New chapters with new content are bolded.

How Narinder Takes His Tea (posted on Tuesday)

Crown

Ray

Not Quite Paradise

Daydreamer

How to Be a God For Dummies

The Apple Murder Case

Satisfying ASMR: Cat Purring to Help You Fall Asleep

A Friend and a Catnap

I'm Jelly Baby

Shine

Ordinary Happiness Is Not Enough

Dice-Roll Observation

Until You Wake Up

With You

To the Endless Blue Sky

Coloring

Break

Scars

Our Love Song

I'm pretty sure I'll keep it to twenty, but with a plethora of details/character interactions/a couple subplots I want to add, we'll see. Once I have a chapter posted, how quickly I post the next chapter will heavily depend on whether or not it's a rewrite of a chapter I wrote for the first publication of this series. Newer chapters will obviously take more time. Though there's much more I want to add to existing chapters, the rewritten ones will probably come out more quickly.