#cs magic au

[mlb-a-rewrite]

The Guardians

They are cool in concept but don’t make, like, any sense in the actual show. Fu starts off as just some dude with miraculous and then we see the Celestial Guardian and the Miracle Eating senti-monster thing and it just gets confusing and contradictory.

So I am running with the concept but editing it heavily and I’ve decided that I’m going to explain who The Guardians are by explaining Fu’s backstory.

The Story

Fu was born to a rural, Chinese farming family in the mid 1900’s. He had many older siblings and a few younger ones and was prone to getting lost in the crowd. The family struggled to survive, having to sell of their products to keep their land leaving them with virtually no crop for themselves. As a result, the older, more able-bodied members of the family got most of the food.

So Fu starved and he suffered.

He tried to help around the farm, to earn his keep, but he was too weak, too malnourished to lend any real aid. Even if he did manage to help to any substantial degree, he was ignored and forgotten.

So one day he left. It wasn’t a big deal, those who noticed his departure from the family didn’t care, and neither did he. He was determined to find a better life for himself.

In his free time, Fu often wandered through the countryside, occasionally visiting the village, and during his visits, he had heard about a distant and reclusive vihara of monks who took in starving children. Fu himself wasn’t particularly religious, having never meditated or prayed, but he wasn’t going to pass up the chance of a full stomach.

Fu hiked through mountains and forests, scrounging for any food he could find and sleeping in trees. Eventually, he stumbled upon a path, strong and sturdy that ran through the forest. It was out of place in the lush surroundings, tan and solid and level, but it was a sign of civilization so Fu took it.

Eventually, Fu met other travelers, all children like himself. They journeyed up this path together, slowly growing in numbers, until they stumbled across it.

The vihara was large and made primarily of stone, with smooth and imposing pillars laid in a large clearing. In the vihara, Fu and the other children were clothed and fed and housed. The clothes were coarse and itchy, the food only coming once a day and tough and tasteless, he slept on hard, wooden floors, but wood was better than dirt and any food was better than none so he stayed. The monks gave him and the other children free shelter and sustenance for a few days, but that soon changed.

One day Fu and the other children who had arrived at similar times to him were gathered and told they were now required to earn their keep. This was the moment that Fu and the other children realized these were not monks.

The first thing they made the children do was work; hard, laborious, back-breaking work. Fu had watched his family perform this kind of work his whole life but had never been healthy enough to fully appreciate how exhausting it was. Still, Fu remained determined, knowing this was his only real option. Other children left in search of another place to take temporary refuge in, but some remained.

With time, the strenuous labor morphed into learning to fight. They still labored, but it was no longer purposeless. They worked to build strength so they could fight better. If the children failed to perform to the expected standards, they were sent away with a pack of food and water.

Fu did not leave. He was not sent off. No, he remained, determined to see this through.

By this point, Fu was a teenager and his education began. Him and the other teens still worked and trained, but this was interspersed with history lessons on the vihara, which the children learned was actually the central base of a group of people known as The Guardians.

They learned how The Guardians formed, how they had slowly spread out across the world, and formed satellite facilities. They learned that this temple remained the base of operations. They learned what The Guardians were guarding.

They were magic jewelry pieces called “miraculous”. They learned the basic functions of the miraculous and were told that further details would only be rewarded by those who proved themselves. They learned that miraculous were scattered about the world. They learned that the miraculous had been used for evil throughout history. They learned that people were not to be trusted with such power.

They learned that The Guardians collected miraculous and stored them in a secure facility. They learned that only Guardians who completed the trials were allowed to know this location. They learned that only Guardians who were worthy were allowed any access to the location.

The children trained until they became teenagers and the teens trained until they became adults and the adults set out into the world on their trials.

The trial was how a follower became a Guardian. Followers were tasked with finding any artifacts relating to a miraculous or a miraculous itself and bringing it back to the vihara. If they succeeded, they were granted status as a Guardian and given new, more important responsibilities.

When he was old enough, Fu was sent out with a group of 5 other monks, many of them far older than him who had been searching for Miraculouses the majority of their lives. He spent a long time on the road, traveling in search of these mystical pieces. They tracked down every rumor of unnatural occurrences, but still, nothing. It was years since he had been back to the temple, he had grown older, harder, more calloused, but still, he was determined to only return when he had found a Miraculous. His compatriots who started the journey with him slowly dwindled in numbers, all returning back to the temple to rest and recollect their thoughts, but Fu refused. He would not fail.

Eventually, Fu’s determination paid off in England. He had found a girl, no older than he was when he first set out to the temple, with hair so blonde it was white radiating around her. She came from a family with a long history of importance and she adorned a piece of jewelry Fu knew had to be a miraculous. 

So he stole it. Swiftly and deftly he removed it from her person and with the piece first pressed in his palm, he returned to the vihara he hadn’t seen in a decade.

When he returned to the temple with the miraculous and was immediately granted the title of Master Guardian, a title only rewarded to those who discovered an actual miraculous. No other Miraculous had been found for decades, he was the first in so long to find one. 

As such he was informed of immense knowledge. He was told that those who found miraculous related objects became Guardians, those who found second-ring miraculous were Master Guardians, and those who found first-ring miraculous were Celestial Guardians. He was told that The Guardians were in possession of 19 miraculous from around the world and that they were in possession of the only complete miracle box that remained. This miracle box was born here, in this temple, when human civilization in modern-day East Asia was first forming. The vihara was built here in honor of that and protected the box. It was now Fu’s turn to play a role in that protection.

Fu was allowed to train with the turtle miraculous, a powerful miraculous from the original miracle box. He trained diligently, quickly befriending the kwami Wayze and picking up on the properties of the miraculous swiftly. He trained with it during the day, practicing so he would be familiar with it should the need to use it arise, and returned it to the First Miracle Box stored in the vault at night.

It was a simple yet rewarding routine. Fu had never felt a greater purpose or sense of fulfillment. 

But then the vihara was attacked.

An army of miraculous wearers swarmed the temple at night. The followers and Guardians held off the attackers while the Celestial and Master Guardians rushed to the vault, but when they arrived they realized they had been followed.

The attackers spoke in accented Mandarin about how The Guardians had failed in their duties. They thought they were protecting the world of the dangers of miraculous when in actuality they had been stripping people of their ability to protect themselves. They were erasing history cultures never knew existed. They were playing God.

Every Guardian of every rank fought. It was bloody and primal, a fight where anything went. Fu had managed to get ahold of the First Miracle Box and as he looked over the carnage, he realized The Guardians would not emerge from this fight as victors. His best course of action was to flee, to keep the First Miracle Box, the most important item The Guardians had in possession safe.

So he ran. He ran far, never stopping until he couldn’t run anymore. His body gave out in Riquewihr, a small rural town in Eastern France. He took some time to recover, to eat and rest uneasily as he devised a plan.

Fu would need to hide. He didn’t know if other Guardian temples had been attacked and couldn’t risk reaching out for fear of revealing his location. For now, he needed to lay low and keep the First Box safe.

He thought that hiding in plain sight would be his best opportunity. An old Chinese man with no knowledge of the French language would be conspicuous in rural settings. He had a better shot at blending in if he was in an urban setting.

So Fu left for Paris.

Notes

Okay that was long and there were a lot of words so I’m going to do an overview of all that here as well as add a few more details/clarification. I’m getting tired so this will be bullet-pointed sorry not sorry.

The Guardians are a centuries-old cult organization that trains members to collect Miraculous and protect them

They collect miraculous objects that relate to them or insinuate their existence

So this could be a dormant senti-monster or a text that mentions a miraculous holder

They are trying to wipe all knowledge of miraculous existing from the public’s minds so that they remain a secret since people cannot be trusted with this kind of power

The Guardians take in young children under the age of 10 to start preparing and testing them

Those who are being prepared for or are trying to become Guardians are simply called followers

Guardians refer to followers who return an object referencing a miraculous

Master Guardians refer to followers who return with a first-ring miraculous

Celestial Guardians refer to followers who return with second-ring miraculous

Guardians/followers collect miraculous and Master/Celestial Guardians train with miraculous so they know how to use them in case of an emergency. They do not permanently hold onto a miraculous, rather only wearing it for a few hours at a time and exclusively for training purposes.

The group that attacked The Guardians vihara attacked all the other ones

I’ve been referring to this group in my head and notes as the “Anti-Guardian League” which is a dumb as hell name I have been workshopping for 2 months so please if you have a better idea lemme know

The placeholder name is pretty spot on in explaining them though. Basically the Anti-Guardian League wants to destroy/abolish The Guardians because they think people should have access to miraculous. Miraculous formed all over the world as a representation of cultural beliefs and The Guardians have no right to take that away

Basically basically The Guardians are the British Museum and The Anti-Guardian League is all the countries that want their shit back

Fu became a follower under the age of ten (idfk his exact age man its irrelevant)

Fu was questing to become a Guardian and returned with the miraculous in the very late 1990’s, like 1999 or smth

The vihara (temple) is attacked a few years later, so like 2002ish

Fu flees to Paris immediately and is in Paris for the rest of his life

He is old but not unrealistically old when he meets Marinette/Adrien and all that

He doesn’t reach out to The Guardians on his own because he doesn’t know if it is safe to so he diligently protects the miracle box himself

Fu was basically raised in a cult highly religious sect and was brainwashed raised into believing that The Guardians are infallible people

He trust(ed/s) everything they say to a fault and accepts their knowledge as fact without questioning it ever

That was how he survived, that was how he was accepted into their ranks, was through his unwavering and unquestioning loyalty

[snowbellewells]

CS Fic Rec Monday: "There's Magic in This Town" by: @midwestwind

This story had been around for some time, but I only just recently read it. I loved all three parts and had so much fun with the cozy mystery and this modern au version of Storybrooke and all of our beloved characters! There are wonderful shades of Practical Magic in this (which if you love that book and movie as much as I do, is only a further plus!) The author makes some brilliant twists and turns and casting choices in this, and if you haven't experienced this story yet, you definitely should now!!

I am not sure if midwestwind is on Tumblr, or only on AO3, but I hope somehow they will see this and know what a great read their story was!! I also attempted some fic cover art for it:

"There's Magic in This Town" by: midwestwind

[aomiiine]

𝐇𝐈𝐆𝐔𝐑𝐔𝐌𝐀 𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐈

jujutsu kaisen w HIGURUMA HIROMI format. headcanons + scenarios warnings. fluff + nsfw. mdni. fem!reader. oral(reader receiving). fingering. pretty tame and domestic stuff. summary. unorganised thoughts ab higuruma.

author’s note. this is literally just me yapping ab all the possibilities w higuruma cs i love the man and i’ll probably reblog this w a continuation of my thoughts + non-sorcerer au so he’s just an overworked lawyer here

PART 1

Similar to nanami kento, he’s a busy man, perhaps even busier since he’s a lawyer. Being at the office most of his time made him a stranger to the mundane pleasures of dating—especially so when you suddenly barged into his life.

A stranger as he is, he tries his best. Sending delivery flowers to your own workplace when he finds himself staring at his phone, waiting for a lightbulb to go off in his head to find an idea on what to do or say to you after hours of no contact.

He wanted to talk you, he truly did, but he didn’t what to talk about exactly. He was the best at the finding the big words to get his point across when presenting something to the judge in court, and yet here he was, as speechless as ever with you.

If it wasn’t flowers, then it’d be a short voice message that he begrudgingly made when he finally had the words to say to you at the busiest of moments he was in. As deep and dismissive his voice may be, his words expressed enough when you heard him say your name. In fact, you would always notice how he keeps calling your name in the audios he sends you, like if he was yearning for you and lazily keeping it under wraps. He was too unbothered to truly hide his affections for you, admitting to whatever accusation you made on him.

You thought he was down bad? He won’t deny it. You called him out for his lack of subtlety of being infatuated with you jokingly? He’d say yes to it immediately without realising you were just teasing.

He picks you up from work whenever he could but most of the days he’d come home later than you do so you’d have to go home on your own. Though when he gets home late at night to you, he’d take off his suit jacket and have his sleeves rolled up, ready to curl you up in his arms and drag you to bed with him.

He’d have one arm firm around your waist, his hand hold your side once he has you on top of him on your shared bed. His cologne would wash over your nostrils, making you playfully complain why and how he still smelled so good after so long at work. It’d make him scoff, his eyes closed and the corner of his lips curled to a smirk.

Once he has you in his arms it’d be hard for you drag him out of it. You knew for a fact he was baiting you with his closed eyes, ignoring all you excuses and pleas to get out of bed and shower, maybe even have dinner you kept for him. Higuruma would ignore them all, waiting for you say the magic words—i’ll bathe with you.

Only then would he finally release you from his grasp, loosening that arm he had around you, patting your hip as he got up from the bed with you.

With a tug on his tie, he’d take slow steps into the bathroom, watching you walk into it first and the lights open. He’d tilt his head to the side slightly, a faint smile of amusement making it’s way to his face at the sight of you failing to hide that hint of excitement as you got the faucet on your bathtub running, your movements quick and rigid despite your best efforts to act natural.

PART 2

The silent process of helping him undress was awfully suffocating, the tension and stolen glances with only the sound of water running in the background making you hold your breath against your will. Your hands up against his chest untying the now loose tie around his neck made your body heat up, the soft yet short breaths leaving your lips not going unnoticed by either of you. Looking up at him was impossible but also so fucking irresistible. You’d flicker your eyes up at him only to find out he was already looking you, the sight of his own gaze fixated on you alone made your thighs rub against one another, the slick of your arousal beginning to coat your panties.

You finished untying his tie and took steps back, checking up on the bathtub that was now near full of water. While you went to close the faucet filling up the bathtub, higuruma would start unbuttoning his shirt, shrugging it off his shoulders and carelessly letting it fall to the floor. He’d innocently tease you by making the sounds of the metal on his belt louder than it should be, purposely making you hyperaware that he was stripping.

Finally, he’s naked and bare in the bathtub with you. He’d have his head thrown back against the curved rim of the tub behind him, letting out an exasperated sigh that he knew would catch your attention. When your head finally turns to him and your pretty voice utters his name, he lift his head off the cold rim of the tub, leaning forward to you and slithering his arm around of stomach under the water. He’d give you a short hum, his voice hoarse yet still curious.

While you went on talking about your day at work all that he’d be thinking about if how perfectly your soft body fits against his hard one, like a puzzle piece he’d been missing for the entire day, and the years he lived before you. He’d have his thumb gently rubbing the side of your rib, nuzzling his chin onto the top of your head and letting you feel the reverberations of his gravelly voice through his neck that he had so close to the back of your head, his adam’s apple bobbing and all whenever he acknowledged you.

Higuruma would have his hands wandering as you speak, you words progressively being reduced to incoherent mumbles when you felt his fingers moving down your tummy, fingers rubbing circles on your pelvis before slipping lower to the fold between your thigh and your hips. His calloused fingers would be cupping your heat under the water in no time, his eyes following his hands and looking down at you with soft hums to keep you thinking he was still paying attentions to your mutters. Higuruma’d point out how your voice was getting quieter and quieter with each second that passed, exhaling a brief chuckle when you retorted him in return, blaming him for distracting you.

You’d have your legs spread further in the water, your thighs pressing up against his to give him access to your cunt, shivering when he scissored your folds, his middle finger making slow strokes up against your slit. Higuruma would have the length of his middle finger ground up against your slit while he teased you, revelling at the sight of you squirming in the water between his legs. Fuck, he was tired, he’ll admit. But what would be better rest than the sleep he’d get after fucking you, after making you feel good.

PART 3

Sundays. A day that was supposed to be his day off was spent by being in his office completing paperwork and sorting documents from last night. Being the menace you were, you bothered him. Coming in and out his office, whining and complaining about how he should spend some time with you on his day off.

After hours of convincing, he gave in. Higuruma thought that maybe if he gave you what you wanted so bad, you’d be sated and leave him alone for a while. But oh fuck, he was so wrong.

It’s been God knows how many minutes know and he still had his face buried between your legs, your skirt hiked up to your hips and your body sprawled on his desk. He had your legs hung on his shoulders, your heels burying into his back whenever his hooked nose ground against you clit, your hips rolling forward to seek more friction from him however you could.

His desk was a mess now, your hands flinging and pushing some stacks of his well-organised files off the table unintentionally. You muttered some apologies but he shut you up with deliberate strokes of his tongue up for entrance, lapping up your juices shamelessly. His eyes remained as stern before, though they were more fixated on the view of your body that he saw from his perspective. He loved it, the sight of you with your back arched and writhing for him, your hands gripping onto whatever you could of the table to use as an outlet for the onslaught pleasure he was giving you.

Higuruma would have you cum on his tongue once and continue on his assault on your sopping wet cunt with his tongue all up until he made you reach the brink of another orgasm only to pull away, sitting upright in his chair and licking your juices that he had smeared on his lips, using the back of his hand to wipe your cum dripping down his chin. He’d leave you panting and aching for more, mewls and pleas leaving your lips to let you cum just one more time though you knew he wouldn’t—he’d break your pretty mind instead.

[childotkw]

Hi Jordan, I'm just starting out writing my fic and I am a bit stuck so I'm seeking for some advice. How do you plan your fics? I have a few specific scenes in my head and I'm not sure whether I should write those and build my fic around it? Or I should plan out all the vital plot points

Hello darling! Sorry about the delay in getting to you!

Most of my stories are born out of one cool scene or concept, and then I create the branching storyline for either direction from that one moment in the plot.

I don’t have a specific method that I follow - each story’s development is different and I’m very much at the whim of my muse and imagination. But one structure that I have found helpful is this:

Identify your main characters and their details (e.g., their backstories, their traits, their flaws relevant to your fanfiction world / environment / AU). For example - in a non-magical AU, how would this impact the lives of character who were canonically magical?

Order your current scenes into a rough timeline and identify the gaps between them. For example - label them ‘Scene A’, ‘Scene B’ and ‘Scene C’ once you know what you’re working with.

Starting with your earliest scene, figure out how much build up you want until you reach it and then start working backwards until you’re satisfied with your story’s new initial starting point. For example - your original ‘Scene A’ might end up becoming your new ‘Scene H’. Relabel and reorder them as you go!

Think of potential in-between scenes that could occur to propel the story and characters along, and mark them down (these in-between scenes don’t have to be super detailed, but it will help you to flesh out your order). For example - “I know that at some point before ‘Scene F’ I want these two characters to have a fight, so I’ll just put it down as ‘Scene D’ for now”.

Repeat the above steps for all of your original scenes, until you have a tentative sequence of events between all of them.

Once you have a rough outline, identify your moments of conflict - and outline how these moments will impact the growth of your character. For example - ask yourself things like: Will they grow stronger or weaker because of this conflict? Will their previous progress continue or will they be stalled? How does it affect them emotionally as well as physically? Does their flaw play into this conflict at all? Have I foreshadowed things to my satisfaction?

Characters drive your story events forward, so consider what their motivations are at each point in the story. For example - ask what they want and how you, as the writer, can stop them from getting it.

Start planning how each conflict will be resolved. For example - did the character’s growth from a previous moment of conflict help them learn a new ability or piece of information that lets them overcome this next challenge?

These are just some small tips but I hope they help! The important thing about setting out your plot is understanding that everyone’s process is different, and that even if you don’t know all of the in-between moments just yet, you’ll discover them along the way.

Some people are super detailed in their outlining, others figure it out mid-way through. I had the ending of CS planned out pretty much from the beginning. The plot-twist to ybtm only came to me as I was writing it, and I had to go back and rewrite the first chapter to make it make sense.

Writing is very fluid, and you shouldn’t be afraid to start just because you don’t have all the pieces perfectly arranged.

[hollyethecurious]

CS AU: The Witch in the Woods (3/?)

Summary: “If it’s aid of a magical sort ye seek, then you’ll be wanting to find the witch in the woods.”

A/N: Marking off another bingo square - shhhhh, I don't care if it isn't spooky season any longer. I go where the muse leads.

Shout out to @kmomof4 for giving this a once over and for putting up with my wild ass plotting for potential future installments.

Rated T (for now?) / Also available on ao3 / add to tag list / Curious? Come Ask Me! / Part One / Part Two

Part Three

Begrudgingly, Emma pulled her lips away from the pirate's. Though she would love nothing more than to give in to the temptation that had been simmering between them since he strolled into her cottage, she had to keep her wits about her. She had been burned by charm and guile before and could not risk being wrong about the man currently making promises with grand gestures of his own, regardless of what her instincts were telling her.

“That was…” the pirate murmured, chasing her lips with an eager and desperate need to claim them once more.

“A one time thing,” she told him, vanishing from his grasp and rematerializing on the deck below where she could look over the side to the shimmering water they were currently sailing over in midair.

“Have I done something to vex you?” the pirate - Killian Jones - inquired, not quite able to mask the disappointment in his nonchalant tone.

“No,” she replied, her attention still set on the waters below. “I just cannot afford for either of us to get distracted. There is too much at stake. For both of us.”

A moment of silence passed before the pirate hummed and said, “Too right, love. Forgive me.”

“You hardly need my forgiveness,” she said, turning around to finally face him and startled by the fact he was no longer at the helm but casually leaning against the mast with his arms and ankles crossed. How had he moved without her notice? She must be more distracted than she thought.

“Perhaps not.” He shrugged and uncrossed his arms, his fingers toying with the tip of his hook as he added, “But what I do need--” he hedged, his eyes flicking up and connecting with hers in a way that had her breath stilling in her chest. “--is an explanation.”

“An explanation?” she parroted. “An explanation of what?”

Pushing away from the mast, he sauntered towards her, the movement of his hips and the sway of his great coat mesmerizing her as he approached.

“An explanation of how your boy ended up in Pan’s clutches,” he said, shaking her from her fascination. “If I… we… are to get him back, then I need to know your past dealings with Pan.”

“Why?” she asked defensively.

“Pan is cunning,” he reminded her. “I must know his motives for taking your boy so I can be prepared for any and all scenarios. Any tricks he may have up his sleeve. Plus,” he added, his gaze intense and earnest, “the reason for why Pan took him may well help narrow down where on the island he is keeping him. The more I know, the better chance we have in finding and rescuing the lad.”

Emma scrutinized his features and demeanor, her eyes flickering between his, looking for any sign of duplicity between his words and his intentions. Finding his motives to be pure, she let out a heavy breath and confessed, “It’s a bit of a tale.”

Glancing up at the constellations above them, Killian assured her, “We’ve got some time.” Bringing his eyes back to hers, he suggested, “Perhaps it is a tale best shared over fortifying spirits? I have a wide variety of night cap offerings in my quarters.”

Emma arched her brow and tilted her head at him in an accusatory fashion. Raising his hand and hook in supplication, he professed, “I swear to be on my best behaviour, love. Nothing untoward, I assure you.”

Again, she waited for any hint of deception or ulterior motives to make their way to the surface, but her waiting was in vain. It seemed the pirate meant what he said and he only wished to hear the tale that had led to her acquiring his services. So he might be sufficiently equipped to meet his end of their bargain.

Their bargain, she scoffed silently to herself. Another bargain. Another deal. Another accord made with an unsavory sort.

She just hoped that by the end of their journey, the story they would make along the way would not become yet another cautionary tale.

“It all began with my own folly,” she told him, gesturing towards what she assumed was his cabin and following after him, only continuing after she’d crossed the threshold into his quarters.

“I was young and foolish. Only thirteen and new to my powers with no one to train me.”

Killian poured them both a portion of spirits then invited her to take a seat at the stateroom table. Sinking down into his own seat beside her, he turned his body into hers, and encouraged her to continue.

“Worried what I might do if I did not get my powers under control, I sought help from the one person I knew I should not.”

“Who was that, love?” he asked.

His gaze was tender, his posture open and relaxed. He must have sensed reliving this tale would take its toll on her and was, therefore, doing all he could to make her feel supported and secure. She appreciated it more than she could say, which was why it pained her to see the change in him when she answered.

“The Dark One,” she stated, hollowly. “I made a deal with the Dark One.”

~/~

Fifteen years ago…

The frigid, winter wind sliced through Emma, chilling her to the bone and making her teeth chatter. She tightened the thread-bare shawl around her small frame and mustered the courage that had waxed and waned many times over on her way to the clearing.

She knew it was mad, but what other choice did she have?

Drawing in a deep breath, one that set fire to her lungs and nearly froze her vocal chords, she closed her eyes and cast all caution to the biting winds.

“Dark One, I summon thee!”

The ground beneath her began to shake. Birds that had been roosting in nearby trees squawked and screeched as they took flight, fleeing the area on quick wings as scampering sounds of creatures rustled through the brush made their own escape. From the dais, a black, viscous mire began to seep up from the grates and form into something the approximate size and shape of a man. When the dark ooze receded, a cloaked figure remained.

The figure of the Dark One.

Pulling back the hood of his cloak, the vessel of the Darkness appraised her for a moment before snapping in a sharp, irritated tone, “I haven’t got all day, dearie.”

Repulsed by the unnatural shimmer of his skin and the way his eyes seemed to pierce into her very soul, it took Emma a moment to find her voice.

“I… I’ve come to seek your help. I’ve come to make a deal.”

“Believe it or not,” he quipped with a disparaging and scornful expression, “I had worked that out for myself.” Stepping off the dais, he began to circle her as he questioned, “What makes you think I would be interested in making a deal with the likes of you?” When he stopped in front of her, his serpent-esque eyes searching the fearful jade of her own, something in his demeanor shifted. “Oooooohhhhhh,” he drawled, his interest sharpening in an unsettling way. “I see. Finding it difficult to wield all that new found power, aren’t you, dearie?”

“Y-Yes,” Emma stammered, finding it difficult to maintain eye contact and dropping her gaze to her feet.

“And you have no one to train you? No one to take you under their wing and care for a whittle cygnet such as yourself?”

The beast’s taunting tone ignited a spark of anger within her and before she could do anything to try and stop it - not that it would have mattered, seeing as her lack of control was why she was there in the first place - her magic pulsed and caught one of the trees on the edge of the clearing on fire.

“Oh, ho!” the Dark One cheered, clapping his hands together in a maniacal fashion. “You are a wonder!”

“No!” Emma shouted in parts fear and frustration. “No, I’m not! I’m a danger! I don’t know what I’m doing! I didn’t even know I had magic until--”

“Until you came of age at your last birthday?”

“Yes,” Emma replied, chewing on her lip briefly, before sharing, “I turned thirteen this past fall, and suddenly…” She held up her hands, the glow of her magic always present within her palms, like a powder keg ready to explode at even the slightest spark. “I was turned out of the place I’ve been raised since I was an infant and have nowhere to go. No way to make a way for myself, unless…”

“Unless?” the Dark One prodded, his countenance coiling like a snake ready to strike, his nose twitching as though he could smell the desperation coming off of her.

“Unless I can find a way of harnessing my magic so I can use it to make a living. Please,” she begged. “I’ll give you a portion of my earnings for however long you wish if you’ll help me master my power.”

The Dark One brought his hand up and placed it thoughtfully against his face, giving off the appearance that he was considering her proposal.

“As much as I would love to take on another apprentice,” he began in an insincere tone. “I’m afraid my dance card is full.”

“Wait!” Emma cried when he lifted his hand in preparation of whisking himself away. “Please! There must be something you can do. Some magic you can provide that will help me. Name your price. If it is within my ability to give, then it is yours!”

“Anything?”

“Yes!” Emma agreed. “Anything.”

“Well,” the Dark One dramatized. “There is something I could give you to help bring your magic to heel.” A swirl of dark smoke with shades of deep purple and maroon manifested in the Dark One’s palm. When it dissipated, a small scroll, tied with a black ribbon, was left in its wake. “This,” he said, holding up the scroll and shuffling it through his fingers, “contains an incantation that will immediately calm your powers and give you mastery over them as though you’d spent decades in training, but,” he clipped, tossing the scroll into the air and catching it tightly in his fist. “I warn you. It comes with a steep price.”

Wetting her lips, Emma eyed the end of the ribbon peeking out from the Dark One’s clenched fist and asked, “Whatever it costs, I’ll find a way to pay it.”

The Dark One’s face contorted as a wild, sinister grin spread across his face. “I do love a desperate soul,” he sneered, holding out the scroll for her to take.

“What about the price?” she asked, taking the scroll and holding it tightly within her grip.

“When the time comes,” he said, a disturbing gleam shimmering from his reptilian gaze. “I will come to collect.”

“Why can’t you collect it now?” she asked, wishing to be done with the entire affair and not relishing the idea of ever having to see him again.

“You’re not yet ready to provide me my price,” he told her, his eyes flicking downward then hurriedly back up again. “I dare say it’ll be a few years, but fear not…” He backed away, slithering towards the dais as he gave her one last promise, “I always keep my bargains.”

Smoke engulfed the Dark One, leaving behind only the echo of his impish giggle and the sinking feeling with Emma that she may have just made a terrible mistake.

~/~

“What was the price,” Hook inquired, knowing it had to have been something horrible, something reprehensible if the crocodile had refused to disclose it at the crafting of their deal.

Throwing back the reminder of the drink he’d poured for her, the witch sucked in against the burn it likely left in her throat and replied, “My first born child.”

“What?” Hook exclaimed, shooting up from his seat so he could pace the length of his cabin. He never considered that her son was a mere infant, nor that the Dark One would have enlisted Pan to--

“He’s not a baby anymore,” Emma told him. “He turned ten this past summer.”

Unaware that he had said those things aloud, Hook scratched at the back of his ear and sheepishly apologized.

“I am sorry for my outburst.” Resuming his seat he asked, “If the Dark One did not come for the boy when he was born then--”

“I learned of his scheme and managed to hide myself away before he was born,” she said. “Despite his attempt to manipulate and entrap me into paying the price.”

“I do not understand,” Hook responded, his confusion pinching his brows and underpinning his words. “How did the Dark One manipulate and entrap you?”

Emma reached over and picked up the decanter he had placed upon the table and refilled her glass. After setting it back down, she stared at the way the amber liquid swirled in its container before imparting, “I suspect he kept tabs on me somehow,” she said in a faraway voice. “It’s the only way he could have known of all the proposals and propositions I’d received and rejected. The only way he could have discovered that I had no intentions of ever marrying or having a child, thereby making it necessary to send someone with the intentions of wooing me, bedding me, and impregnating me so he could claim his precious price.”

Seething, Hook inquired between clenched teeth, “Who? Who did he send? Who did that to you, love?”

“His son,” she supplied, her eyes still lingering on the swirling amber.

“Baelfire?” he blurted out, absolutely stunned.

A sentiment she also shared, evident from the way she blanched and flicked her gaze up to his.

“Y-You know him?”

“Aye,” he told her. “That is… I knew him. Once. When he was a boy not much older than yours.” Shaking his head, he poured himself another drink and mused, “I often wondered what had become of him after Pan let him go, but never would I have imagined--”

“Let him go?” Emma interjected. “What do you mean, let him go?”

“From Neverland,” he answered. “Bae landed there some time after his father had abandoned him in a portal. He remained for many years until, one day, Pan instructed me to return him to the Enchanted Forest.”

“When was that?”

Hook shrugged and tried to calculate the time. It was difficult to keep track of such things when time stood still in one realm and moved differently between others.

“Nevermind,” she said, waving off her question. “It does not matter now, I suppose.”

“Aye,” Hook agreed. “Although, given what I knew of what Baelfire thought of his father, I find it difficult to believe he would work with him to betray you in such a way.”

“I know little of their relationship,” she told him, hollowly. The wall he’d seen her erect several times within their brief acquaintance was once more established upon its foundation in an attempt to separate herself from the emotional turmoil threatening its ramparts.

“All I know is…” She swallowed heavily then took a fortifying breath so she could continue on with an unaffected tone and composed countenance. “He took me for a fool. Made me believe his declarations of love were sincere and his desire to spend our lives together was real.”

In spite of her efforts, he could see her struggling, her eyes glistening with angry tears she refused to let fall, her last few words choked off by the tight ball of emotion forming in her throat.

“When did you learn the truth?” he asked, keeping his tone as gentle as he could despite his own feelings of outrage.

Clearing her throat, she turned her face upward and blinked back the treachery blurring her vision before bringing her gaze back to his. “I overheard him one night,” she began in a clipped tone of rancor. “He was talking with someone in the other room, but when I peered around the corner, I did not see anyone. It took me a moment to realize he was communicating through mirror magic.”

“Mirror magic?” Hook replied in surprise. “The Bae I knew abhorred magic.”

It struck Hook that this fact should have been the tip off that there was something fishy about their relationship. The lengths to which the lad had gone to flee his father and avoid Pan, both powerful purveyors of magic, not to mention his wariness of Tink, a former fairy, had made the boy’s feelings on the subject quite clear.

“Yeah, I, uh… learned that later,” she told him with a slight shake to her head as she mused, “I still don’t understand how he was able to deceive me for so long.”

“You mustn’t blame yourself, love,” Hook replied, a pang of guilt stabbing him in the gut. “He was an excellent pupil whilst in my charge and I can only imagine the lessons Pan and his father taught him after he left my tutelage.” Running his tongue over his teeth, he shifted in his seat and confessed, “I taught him all I knew of piracy and… duplicity and skulduggery are part and parcel of a pirate’s life.”

The feel of her hand over his snapped his gaze from the floor to their hands to her eyes, bright green and swirling with understanding, forgiveness, and a measure of amusement.

“You mustn’t blame yourself, Captain,” she parroted back to him. “I’m normally very good at knowing when someone is lying to me… even pirates.” With her other hand, she reached into the front of her bodice and produced a pendant etched with a swan motif. “And after Baelfire’s betrayal, I made sure to never fall victim to whatever tactics he used to skirt that skill.” Holding out the pendant between them, she said, “So, I enchanted this charm to alert me of when people aren’t being honest. To remind myself never to trust blindly again.”

Hook watched the pendant swing from her grip with sad eyes. “I’m sorry, love.”

“Don’t be,” she responded, tucking the pendant back into her bodice and pulling her other hand from his. “It’s kept me and my son safe… or rather, it did for a time.”

“Aye,” Hook sighed, grieved at the loss of her touch. “Tell me more about that. You said you overheard Bae communicating with someone over mirror magic. Who was it?”

“His father,” she told him with a heavy dose of disgust on her tongue. “Although, I did not know the Dark One was his father at the time. I simply heard him telling Rumplestiltskin that the deed was done, and in a few more months, my debt would be paid.”

“Tell me you turned the traitorous bastard into a toad,” Hook sneered, taking Baelfire’s treachery personally for a number of reasons.

Emma snorted and scoffed, rolling her eyes before admitting, “I was tempted, believe me, but… I knew I needed him to think he’d won. I needed time to plan my next move.”

She went on to tell him how she had played dumb and waited for the right moment to make her escape. During that time, she’d discovered the lengths he’d gone to, the depth of his depravity and deceit. He’d slipped her a tonic that had rendered her efforts to avoid pregnancy useless; he then used a rudimentary spell - created by his father, no doubt - on her to hide the truth of her condition from her until it was too late.

“By the time I ran, I was nearly seven months gone. It was quite a shock when I finally removed the glamour and could see things for how they truly were.”

“I cannot even begin to imagine,” Hook attempted to empathize. “How did you manage to stay hidden from them? The Dark One’s power is--”

“Blinded by its own hubris,” she told him. “I simply defied his expectations and relied on the common distrust and scorn of the people to assist me.”

“I’m not sure I follow what you mean, love.”

Reaching into the pocket of her cloak, she pulled out a leather cuff and placed it on the table. “The Dark One expected me to use magic in order to conceal myself. Wards, glamours, maybe some blood magic, so… I chose to do none of those. Instead, I used the scroll the Dark One had given me long ago to fashion this-” she tapped the cuff with her finger “-then slipped it on.”

Picking up the molded leather piece, Hook inspected it closely as he inquired, “What does it do?”

“It makes the wearer incapable of using magic by absorbing the power into itself.”

Astonished, Hook’s eyes snapped to hers. “What? You… You…”

“Gave up my magic?” she replied. “Yes. I did.” Taking the cuff from his hand, she put it back in her pocket and added, “I changed my appearance and hid us in plain sight, without my magic giving me away.”

“What of your boy? Surely the Dark One would have means to suss out his own blood.”

The witch gave him a cunning smile before sharing, “I fashioned a similar cuff for him as well. One that concealed his identity from dark magic and grew with him.”

“Did the cuffs not exude a power of their own that may have alerted the Dark One to--”

“Many people own enchanted objects,” she reminded him. “You, yourself, own an enchanted pirate ship and…” raising her hand, palm outward, she focused on his person, the corner of her mouth lifting in a smirk as she said, “a flask that never empties?”

Hook reached up and scratched behind his ear. “Well, one never knows how long between errands one might be. Would be a shame for the rum to run out.”

“Indeed,” she chortled. The two of them shared a moment of myrth before sobering once more.

There was still more of the tale to be told.

“For nearly a decade we evaded detection, but just before my son, Henry, turned ten years old we were warned that the Dark One and his son had enlisted the help of one more formidable.”

“Pan,” Hook spat out in disgust. Schooling his features, he asked, “Who gave you this information?”

“The Blue Fairy,” Emma answered. “She was the first I called upon for help after I left Baelfire. It was she who instructed me on how to fashion the cuffs.” Taking in a deep breath, she exhaled on a heavy breath, “And it was she who told me the history and connection of the members of the perfidious family I had entangled myself with. The one my son descends from and will forever have to contend with… assuming we are successful in retrieving him.”

“We will be,” Hook vowed emphatically, earning him a sad smile that mirrored the melancholy in her eyes.

Eyes that quickly became piercing as they swirled with a desperate sort of pleading. “Tell me you have a plan.”

“I’m working on it, love,” he promised her. A promise he knew would likely give her little comfort. “I need to know more, though,” he prompted. “How and when was your boy taken? Have you had any contact with him or Pan or Bae or the Dark One?”

“Henry was…” she began, her words strained and choked. “He was taken the eve of his birthday. His entire life, I remained vigilant. On the lookout for any hint of Baelfire or the Dark One. Any spy. Any scout. Any sign that they may have found us or had succeeded in turning one of our neighbors against us. I was focused on people. I never even considered the threat a shadow might pose.”

Hook shuddered at her words. Pan’s shadow. His spectre of an errand boy, an umbra assassin, and silhouette spy. He’d had his own run-ins with the being; ones he would rather not dwell upon. No boy should ever have to face the manifestation of something so unnatural.

“When I went in to check on Henry before turning in that night, all I found was an open window, his leather cuff, and a note.”

“What did it say?”

“The Dark One lies, the Dark One tricks, but Pan always wins.”

An errant tear managed to slip past her lashes and slowly began to trail down her cheek. Catching it with the pad of his thumb, Hook took her face in his hands and vowed, “Not this time, love. I can promise you that. Not this time.”

Part Four - Coming Soon!

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[wangxianficfinder]

In the mood for...

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1. Hi Mods, I hope you're doing well. Do you have any more Non-Yunmeng Wei Wuxian fics. I've read all the ones in the compilation you have.

Thank you so much! @iseverelydislikeeveryone

Crimson Promise by IceQueen95 (T, 148k, wangxian, JC/WQ, JYL/JZX, wen WWX, fem WWX, angst w/ happy ending, sunshot campaign, canonical character death)

🧡 Resplendence by FrozenMarVel ( E, 166k, WIP, WangXian, CS Lives, Rouge cultivator WWX, Crossdressing, Canon Divergence, Fix-It of sorts, Fluff, Explicit smut)

Heart of the Beast by WaitForTheSnitch (E, 132k, WIP, WangXian, WWX Isn’t Adopted by the Jiāngs, Adopted WWX, WWX is a Niè, Canon Divergence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Oblivious WWX, Protective NMJ, Scheming NHS, Protective NHS, Soft NMJ, NMJ is So Done, NHS Is A Little Shit, Pining, LWJ Has Feelings)

The Phoenix embraced the Sun by Lament_4Piligrim (M, 21k, WWX/WRH, Female WWX, Canon Divergence, No Sunshot Campaign, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Time Travel Fix-It, Donghua WRH, Good Person WRH, Past wangxian, Older WWX, Six Great Clans, Wei Clan exists, Wei Clan practises demonic cultivation and world being ok with that, Wei Ying becomes Madam Wen, She loves and is loved, Sentient Burial Mounds, Wei Ying adopts Wen Ruohan's sons and teachs them love, Protective Wei Sect, Protective Wēn Sect, WRH has some mental issues, CSSR & WCZ Live, ,Family Feels, Slow Burn, Sect Leader Wen bashing, WWX's got a little brother, Dark Past, Self-Sacrificing WWX, WIP)

When Flowers Spring from Killing Things by windsweptice (B0redaf) (Not rated, 100k, wangxian, Wen WWX, Demonic Cultivation, WWX Has No Golden Core, he's got a resentful one instead, Yīn Iron, WRH pov, LWJ pov, WWX pov, WWX Isn't Adopted by the Jiāngs, Sentient Burial Mounds, XY Is A Little Shit, WQ pov, Protective WWX, Protective WQ, Cinnamon Roll WN, Protective WN, LXC pov, BAMF WWX, Burning of the Cloud Recesses, Fall of Lotus Pier, Cultivation Discussion Conferences, BAMF LWJ, BAMF WN, BAMF WQ, Good Person WX, WWX Has a New Golden Core, Cloud Recesses Shenanigans, Weddings)

With you is all I need to know by mocheng (M, 47k, wangxian, Bottom LWJ/Top WWX, Dom WWX/Sub LWJ, Older WWX, Rogue Cultivator WWX, POV Multiple, OCs, Curses, Light Dom/sub, Embedded Images, Case Fic)

teeth pushing together, hands clasped by SpeedingCheetah (T, 24k, LSZ & WWX, wangxian, LWJ & WWX, Canon Divergence, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Suicide, POV WWX, YLLZ WWX, WWX Adopts LSZ, WWX is BSSR's Disciple, Rogue Cultivator WWX, highly implied lwj/wwx during the war, Post-Sunshot Campaign, Pining WWX, triggers are in the notes)

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2. Hey there, lovely people! There are plenty of fics where WWX time travels into the past, but I'm wondering if there are any where he travels forward in the timeline (not just as some sort of 'glimpse of &/or conversation with his future self' deal, but actually ending up in the future). Like maybe something where his 13/16 years of not being around is because he literally skipped over those years? @thispatternismine

Confusion by Vrishchika (Not rated, 5k, wangxian, time travel)

Would You Come Home? by s6115 (Not rated, 46k, WangXian, Junior Quartet Centric, Time Travel Fix-It, Canon Divergence, Junior Quartet Dynamics) this story doesn't feature a lot of actual wwx (tho he very much plays a part) but technically it fits the prompt and it's a great fic

Through The Abyss by bluesloth (T, 53k, WIP, WWX & JL & JC, Time Travel, Canon Era, Friendship, Drama, Humor, Explicit Language, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death)

忘不了你的爱 (can't forget your love) by PorcupineGirl (G, 25k, WangXian, Time Travel, Modern with Magic, Modern Cultivators AU, Canon Divergence, Time Traveler WWX, discussion of canonical character deaths, a whole lot of handwaving, conveniently localized fires, Discussion of Canonical Suicide Attempt, mostly happy but slightly bittersweet ending)

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3. Hiiiii! I’m in the mood for stalker WWX and/or LWJ aaand age difference/power dynamics btw wx :)

Obelus by Celestios (Not rated, 167k, wangxian, rape/non-con, non-con elements, NO rape, Non-Consensual Spanking, Non-Consensual Punishments, Spanking, Punishments, Dubious Morality, Dubious Consent, physical discipline, Physical Abuse, Toxic Relationships, Abusive Relationship, Kidnapping, Stockholm Syndrome, mention of violence, mention of drugs, Mention of alcohol, Possessive Behavior, Obsessive Behavior, Unhealthy Relationships, dark LWJ, Baker WWX, Bodyguard WN, Mentions of weapons, Gun mentions, Slow Burn, Long, Doctor WQ, Self Medicating, WWX has ADHD, Trauma Bonding, Psychological Manipulation, Gaslighting, Organized Crime, underground crime, Underground business, illegal business)

~*~

4. Hi! a) any canonverse fics where wwx pretends to be a woman?

b) might be overlap with above but fics where identity of yll is a secret? wwx can be though dead or doing a double life, i just wanna see ppl being afraid of this new super powerful player on the board @chellsky

4A)

By Any Other Name by ShanaStoryteller (Not Rated, 31k, Wangxian, Canon Divergence, Crossdressing, Misunderstandings, Identity Porn, Identity reveal)

Fruit-Bearing Pool by rei_moon (T, 46k, wangxian, Mpreg, Crack Treated Seriously, Magical Pregnancy, Magical Pool, Out of Character, Inspired by Journey to the West’s Motherhood River, Historical Inaccuracy, WWX became a business mogul to feed his growing family, Minor OCs, Slow Build, Attempt at Humor, Crossdressing, For disguise purposes, Fix-It of Sorts, WWX and JZX being human disasters together, Misunderstandings, WIP)

crushed ceramic by doyeorem (pomellogranate) (T, 10k, JC & JL & WWX, Twin Prides of Yúnmèng Feels, Yúnmèng Siblings Feels, Yúnmèng Jiāng Sect, Family Feels, Genderqueer WWX, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, i think, Misunderstandings, re: lxc, Disguise, Crossdressing, Whump, but it’s more mentioned/implied then detailed, Sibling Bonding, uncle bonding)

My Leaves Reach Ever for the Sun by nonplussed (T, 26k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fix-It, Crossdressing, Idiots in Love, Sharing a Bed, Happy Ending, Mutual Pining)

deeper than the ink by loosingletters (M, 44k, JC & WWX, LSZ & WWX, WQ & WWX & WN, JYL/JZX, wangxian, Canon Divergence, Fix-It of Sorts, Hurt/Comfort, Family, WQ Lives, Not Everyone Dies au, Sibling Bonding, Good Sibling JC, Good Sibling WWX, Yúnmèng Jiāng Sect, Cultivation Sect Politics, Communication, Secrets, Lies, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Trans WWX, Crossdressing, Child LSZ, Pre-Relationship, WIP) first in the series of in the name of love

今非昔比 Jīn fēi xī bǐ by XieJianRou (Not rated, 119k, wangxian, time travel fix-it, fem WWX)

4B)

The Scarlet Lotus by rainbowninja167 (M, 137k, WangXian, Marriage of Convenience, Secret Identity, Fix-It, Angst with a Happy Ending, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, Canon-Typical Violence, canon-typical war crimes, Yunmeng Bros, the mortifying ordeal of getting seduced by your own husband, nonlinear chronology we die like cql, just kidding nobody dies in this fic, Slow Burn, Mutual Pining, Miscommunication)

only the dead (have seen the end of war) by comforting_monachopsis (T, 42k, WangXian, Temporary Amnesia, BAMF WWX, Sad LWJ, Grief/Mourning, Mild Gore, Medical Inaccuracies, Secret Identity, Loss of Identity, Identity Porn, The Science of Cultivation, This Is Not Going To Go The Way You Think, Angst and Humor, Crossdressing, WWX is Bad at Feelings)

if you can’t beat them, recruit them by moeblobmegane (T, 228k, Time Travel Fix-It, Conspiracy, Spies & Secret Agents, Team as Family, Found Family)

~*~

5. A) wwx older than jyl n jc

B) wwx taking care of/being responsible for jc n jyl

C) anything that fits the song ' we have each other - Alec Benjamin '

5A)

a decade more to breathe by loosingletters (T, 2k, JYL & WWX, JC & WWX, Canon Divergence, Older Sibling WWX, Fix-It, Family, Hurt/Comfort, WWX is a Jiāng, just a bit of sect politics)

After We Say This series by TiredAndTired (T, 10k, wangxian, LXC & LWJ, LXC & WWX, JC & WWX & JYL, Age Swap, Age Reversal, Good Parent YZY & JFM, Pining, First Dates, NHS Ships It, Give LWJ Friends, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Family Feels, Secret pregnancy, Implied/Referenced Sex, Mpreg)

~*~

6. For the the itmf can we have some classic there is only one bed / stuck in a tiny space wangxian? Can be canon or au just put them boys in situations!

The Look You Give by alightbuthappypen (dairyme) (E, 8k, wangxian, Sharing a Bed, First Time, Cloud Recesses Study Arc, Anal Fingering, Bottom LWJ, PWP, Porn with Feelings)

Three Days, Two Nights by ScarlettStorm (E, 21k, WangXian, modern au with cultivation, Canadian Shack, only it's in rural china so the shack is not canadian, Comedy, Pining, snuggling for warmth, Getting Together, Trans WWX, Food as a Metaphor for Love, Kissing, Vaginal Fingering, Frottage, only wwx is a dude so it's not really cunnilingus, it's getting his dick sucked, switch rights) Stuck in a cabin, UST, trans male WWX, good stuff!

~*~

7. For your next itmf I'm looking for fics that features a petty lwj and people, especially wwz and juniors calling him out on it

~*~

8. Helloooo I sent an ask a while back about fics that go into Wei Wuxian using his "A-Xian is three years old!" Phrase as a way to cope with his childhood trauma (like him actually reverting to three sometimes or using it as a way to avoid things...etc). It's been a while since I sent it in and someone did write a fic based on that ask if I remember correctly, but I was wondering if any new fics popped up about it? Please let me know! (Also no sexual age play pls)

~*~

9. hello! thank you for your hard work, and the followers for the help. ITMF a long wwx-centric fic where he is appreciated, and there's very little romance (not much pining and mooning from wwx)

~*~

10. Hey mods ~ A) can you suggest me any fics where Lwj is extremely obsessed with Wei ying ...

B) or Any college/ university Au wangxian but with fluff @selflovingmedj

10A)

A Matter of Time by mrcformoso (E, 44k, WangXian, Time Travel Fix-It, POV LWJ, POV JC, Dark LWJ, Manipulation, Grooming, WangXian Get a Happy Ending, Consensual Underage Sex, Except problematic please read warning in first chapter, Blood and Violence, Insane LWJ, Manic LWJ, Conditioning, WWX is a Lán, Minor Character Death, Confused JC, Golden Core Reveal, Good Friend NHS, WWX Isn’t Adopted by the Jiāngs, Abusive Jiāng Family, Jiāng Family Bashing, Jiāng Family Critical, POV NHS, Dark NHS, Anal Sex, Marathon Sex, Dual Cultivation, Qīnghéng-jūn Lives, LWJ Has a Big Dick, WWX Self-Lubricates, Plot Twists, Porn With Plot, Scheming NHS, Manipulative NHS, BAMF LWJ, BAMF WWX)

Obelus by Celestios (Not rated, 167k, wangxian, rape/non-con, non-con elements, NO rape, Non-Consensual Spanking, Non-Consensual Punishments, Spanking, Punishments, Dubious Morality, Dubious Consent, physical discipline, Physical Abuse, Toxic Relationships, Abusive Relationship, Kidnapping, Stockholm Syndrome, mention of violence, mention of drugs, Mention of alcohol, Possessive Behavior, Obsessive Behavior, Unhealthy Relationships, dark LWJ, Baker WWX, Bodyguard WN, Mentions of weapons, Gun mentions, Slow Burn, Long, Doctor WQ, Self Medicating, WWX has ADHD, Trauma Bonding, Psychological Manipulation, Gaslighting, Organized Crime, underground crime, Underground business, illegal business) link in #3

10B)

But really, why? by Scrippio (T, 52k, wangxian, modern, college/university au)

how to fall in love with a catfish: a guide by wei wuxian (disaster rat) by bwyn, Yuisaki (T, 54k, WangXian, Modern AU, College/University, Actors, Multimedia, Online Friendship, Drunken Shenanigans, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Underage Drinking, Drinking Games, Families of Choice, Fluff and Angst, Slow Burn, Catfish AU)

we’ll get him falling for a stranger (or a catfish) by sweetlolixo (T, 38k, WangXian, Modern AU, College AU, Catfish AU, Eventual Happy Ending, Crossdressing WWX, Pining LWJ, Fluff, Humor, lwj is a grade A+ SIMP, Identity Porn)

The Twin Jade Problem by bonyenne (T, 22k, WangXian, LWJ & LXC, Getting Together, Modern AU, College/University, comedic misunderstandings, Miscommunication, Yes a little bit of angst BUT IT IS RESOLVED (relatively) quickly, POV Multiple, POV Third Person Limited, Happy endings for all involved, Humor)

(Planning the Day) To Meet You by Bettydice (E, 61k, WangXian, Modern AU, College/University, Mutual Pining, WWX raises A-Yuàn, minimum angst, MAXIMUM GAY, Self-indulgent fluff, Slow Burn, Eventual Smut, POV LWJ, Happy Ending, Getting Together, Falling In Love, Masturbation, Blow Jobs, Hand Jobs, Anal Sex, Intercrural Sex)

the earthquake in the room by phnelt (E, 39k, WangXian, College/University, Modern: No Powers, Canada, Getting Together, Mentions of lwj/others, inter-faculty romance, strangers to lovers to frenemies to lovers, mostly book characterisation)

Stumbling Into You by Magnolia822 (E, 39k, WangXian, College/University, Modern AU, Getting Together, Friends to Lovers, Practice Kissing, Bisexuality, Coming Out, New York City, Denial of Feelings, Mutual Pining, Hand Jobs, Jealousy, Light Angst, Fluff and Smut, Slow Burn, Past WWX/MM, Underage Drinking, Recreational Drug Use, Family Dynamics, Falling In Love, Found Family, Unsafe Sex, Minor Character Death, Grief/Mourning)

The epic college romance between Wei Ying and Lan Zhan by KizuKatana (E, 58k, wangxian, modern, college/university au, Guest-starring the belated but incendiary sexual awakening of Lan Zhan, 3rd person pov, Su She is hyperfixated on Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan does his best to pretend Su She doesn't exist, Wei Ying isn't even pretending he really doesn't notice Su She exists, MianMian exists and is awesome, implied offscreen wangxian sex, First Time, Lan Zhan's Horny Grip, Lan Zhan does not know what hit him and yet somehow he still realizes it before Wei Ying, canon wangxian dynamics, Lan Zhan starts off annoyed at Wei Ying, But quickly discovers both his competency kink and a caretaking kink, Genius WWX)

in ever deepening degrees by typefortydeductions (E, 26k, wangxian, modern, college/university au, Mutual Pining, Fluff and Angst, Dom/sub, Non-Binary NHS, trans LSZ, Smut, lil bit of genderplay)

~*~

11. (disclaimer: i appreciate the effort it takes to write every fic, and regardless of /my/ personal preference, the authors and many people love all kinds of fics obviously) so! may i ask for stories that contain some switching, but still have ****good**** novel characterization of lwj and wwx? i usually filter them out entirely due to preference (i mean yeah yiling laozu hot but he's still wei ying) and i feel like im missing out on some good stuff. thank you! (if d/s then dom lwj ofc!)

Not sure if these fit the bill, but they always read as cql but with novel characterizations. And they are so good. Post-cql setting for both:

out in the garden, there's things you hid away by saltyfeathers (E, 121k, WangXian, Possession, Animal Death, mass death event, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt(s), lotta hurt lotta comfort, wwx-centric, unfortunately there's also a bodily fluids warning, just like a lot of bodily fluids, there is sex and it is all in the last chapter, Serious Injuries, Angst with a Happy Ending, Post canon)

and

Boy Trouble, We've Got Double by saltyfeathers (E, 59k, WangXian, Post-Canon, Case Fic, betrothed to someone else, Pining, Unresolved Sexual Tension, WWX POV, Protective wwx, WWX centric, explicit stuff only happens between wangxian, (or wwx and his own hand), Masturbation, Alcohol, Consensual Non-Consent, Additional Warnings In Author's Note, straight boy WWX) both by saltyfeathers. A lot of angst in these! All of their Wangxian fics I've read are soooo good.

The Strength to Hold Him by Toshokanin (E, 7k, WangXian, Post-Canon, PWP, Porn with Feelings, Tender, horny, Bottom LWJ/Top WWX, Rimming, Blow Jobs, Light Bondage, Anal Sex, A hint of sex magic, Dual Cultivation, Overstimulation, a soupçon of sex tears, Aftercare, Established Relationship)

~*~

12. in the mood for fics where the whipping caused lwj to suffer permanent consequences (more severe than the three years of "seclusion" + permanent scars). bonus points if he dies because of it

Despair by AmiraAlzilu (M, 3k, wangxian, LXC & LWJ, LQR & LWJ, LXC & LQR, major character death, Angst, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Grieving LXC, Grieving LQR, LQR Is So Done, Dead LWJ, Dead WWX)

Restart from the End by EmBlu (IcyDeath) (G, 72k, wangxian, major character death, resurrection, role reversal, canon divergence, yiling wei sect au, angst, hurt/comfort,  hurt LWJ, angry WWX, WIP)

the map of days by everythingispoetry (M, 20k, wangxian, canon divergence, angst, hurt/comfort, permanent injury, recovery, disability, parenthood, character study, 13 years of WWX's death)

the anteroom of golden age by everythingispoetry (M, 92k, wangxian, Canon Divergence, Disability, Recovery, Mental Health Issues, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Families of Choice, Developing Relationship) Ah I just realised for #12 that the story I recced is actually the sequel to the map of days which you already had listed 🤦‍♀️ however it can be read as a stand-alone which is what I had done as I didn’t realise it was part of a series. anteroom focuses on wangxian and is set after mo manor, whereas the first story is lwj-centric and set during the immediate aftermath of the whipping and takes place during the 13 years of wwx being dead.

~*~

13. Do you know any fics similar to concord by deastar??

~*~

14. Hello! ITMF any canon-era stories which focus heavily on spells or the more magical side of cultivation? Could be a curse gone awry, WWX creating a bunch of spells, the juniors attending a mysticism class, etc. Thank you thank you!

~*~

15. Hello, itmf for heavy angst due to misunderstandings between WWX and LWJ like something where LWJ doesn't trust WWX which upsets WWX. Would you please suggest 3 or 4 fictions like that? Thank you in advance. @paraffin22

我的皇后是農民 | sowing seeds in the cold palace by sweetlolixo (E, 78k, WIP, WangXian, Imperial Palace, Emperor LWJ, Imperial Consort WWX, Farmer WWX, Angst, Romance, Wingman LJY, Wife-chasing-LWJ, Arranged Marriage, Best Boy A-Yuan, not LWJ friendly) not bcuz trust issues b/w them, but super agnsty; i cried so much

Concord by Deastar (T, 41k, WangXian, Arranged Marriage, Gūsū Lán Sect Rules, Depression, Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending) This is a seriously angsty fic because of LWJ's misunderstandings of WWX and he definitely doesn't trust him. Not sure if that's what they're looking for but it broke me quite a few times.

~*~

16. may i ask for fics similar to this one? (It's we that you are for by Vir_Abelasan)

to quote the author's note: One of my biggest kink is for CR study arc wwx to have a teacher like post-timeskip lwj - just someone who would actually take his curiosities and ideas seriously and build a structure around that instead of just trying to stuff him into an ill-fitting, existing structure. [doesn't have to be teacher lwj]

In Walls of Glass by Comfect (T, 43k, LQR & WWX, WangXian, XiCheng, Good Uncle LQR, Teacher LQR, Canon Divergence, Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Fix-It, Butterfly Effect, JC friendly, Family Feels, Cultivation Theory, POV LQR, Seriously the only WWX Bashing is in the first chapter or so and is canonical in LQR’s head, Initial WWX Bashing, Eventual WWX Appreciation, JC appreciation)

~*~

17. hello!!! hope you’re having a great day!! for the next ITMF, I would like to see if there are more fics like Confusion, with the immortal cultivators in modern era! @darlingjunebug

不忘 | Don’t Forget by dragongirlG (E, 50k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Time Travel, Reincarnation, Fix-It of Sorts, Identity Porn, Social Media, Devotion, Reunions, Feelings, Family, Angst with a Happy Ending, Light Bondage, Names, References to Canon, Modern Era, Artist WWX, Sexual Content, Pining, POV Multiple, Additional Warnings In Author’s Note)

A Grand Immortal Made Me Soup by s6115 (G, 5k, JC & WWX, wangxian, canon divergence, Immortal JC, LWJ, Immortality, Alternate Universe, Yunmeng Duo Days, Twin Prides of Yúnmèng Feels, JC & WWX Reconciliation, Jiang Cheng used his immortality to grow and mature, Wei Ying finally reincarnates and the immortal Jiang Cheng isn't going to fail this time, Jiāng Yànlí's Pork Rib and Lotus Root Soup, Good Sibling JC)

Guide by Rainewritesfanfics (G, <1k, LXC & WWX, LXC & LWJ, wangxian, modern, reincarnation au, Immortality, Brothers, Immortal LXC, Immortal LWJ, Reincarnated WWX, Family)

~*~

If you didn’t get an answer to your ask here, don’t forget to make use of @mdzs-kinkmeme and MDZS KINK MEME on Dreamwidth. Authors actually do use them for ideas. You may get what you order!***Your prompt doesn’t have to be kink! Fluff, crack, whatever - it’s all good!***

[kmomof4]

12 (Actually 13) Days of Captain Swan Fic Recs !!!

And we are back with Day 5 of my 12 (Actually 13) Days of CS Fic Recs with another writer that I found in my very early days of fan fiction reading, @whimsicallyenchantedrose!! Jen is the absolute QUEEN of fluff and her fics are my go to when I need my spirits lifted.

She is also the final co-writer of our Girls Vacay Fics, so once again, those fics are at the top of my list of favorites of her fics!! And included in that series, is the fic she wrote last year for her travel companions bdays - mine, @jrob64, and @snowbellewells, then ending with her bday last April - The Girls' Trip Fairy Tale Ending - Rated T - Four fandom friends are nearing the end of their annual girls’ trip when they’re suddenly visited by Isaac, the author before Henry. He gives them an each a gift--an opportunity to jump into any scene in the storybook they want and fix it.

And boy did we ever fix those scenes!!! A&E REALLY should have hired us as writers for the show...

But now to the rest of Jen's fics that I've read multiple times over the years.

A Pirate's Christmas Carol - Rated G - CS Christmas Future Fic. With only a month to go before the birth of his and Emma Swan’s first baby, Killian begins to fear he doesn’t have what it takes to be a good father. Three ghosts—from Killian’s past, present and future help him see that he is ready for the adventure that is fatherhood.

The Girl That I Adore - Rated T - Emma wakes from a nightmare one night and finds her husband, Killian Jones, missing from their bed. Emma has a pretty good idea where to find him. Another beautiful blonde has captured his heart-and Emma couldn't be happier.

Until the Stars Are All Alight - Rated T - Written for CSSNS19. CS LOTR au: When Emma Swan steals a yellow Volkswagen Beetle, she has no idea it will lead her toward an adventure filled with danger and intrigue, sacrifice and a love stronger than anything she could imagine. Tasked with bringing the Savior home, the elf, Killian Jones of Misthaven travels to the Land Without Magic. Can he convince Emma to fulfill her destiny before the Dark One regains power and takes over all of the Enchanted Forest?

Under the Apple Tree - Rated T - An Outlaw Queen fic, Jen wrote this one during the summer between s6&7. This fic gave me my OQ happy ending, so it had to be included in the list.

After being hit by the Olympian Crystal, Robin is transported to Seattle, unable to return to any magical realm. When it becomes clear he has no way to return to his family, Robin finally decides to bury his broken heart in work–founding a landscaping business, Sherwood Forestry. Fifteen years later, Robin receives an order from the last person he ever thought he’d see again.

Taking Back Neverland - Rated T - Originally written as a part of Jen's Fluffy Fridays Collection, this fic takes the Neverland arc from the show and puts a FABULOUS twist on it!!

After actress Emma Swan's lead role in a popular TV show is at an end, she is offered the leading role in the Regina Mills film, Taking Back Neverland, a fresh retelling of the Peter Pan story. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity. Only problem? She'll be starring opposite Killian Jones, who she positively can't stand.

By Land or Sea Series - Rated T - A canon divergent series after 3x11.

A new villain has invaded the Enchanted Forest-the wicked witch of the west, but she is nothing but the lackey of a far greater evil. When Captain Hook hears of an ancient prophecy that details the defeat of the new villain, he knows the prophecy refers to him and Emma. Can he find Emma? Can he restore her memories and make her fall in love with him before it's too late?

And finally, as an Honorable Mention, I can't call Jen the Queen of Fluff and not mention her Fluffy Friday collection. Started as a way to combat the angst left by the s4 finale, the collection now stands at 176 chapters of the fluffiest fluff to ever fluff. I hope you enjoy all these! See you tomorrow for Day 6!!!

[brucethegirl]

I've been reading a lot of fics lately, I want to read more. But here's some of my favorites I've read recently:

Complete

Dark Hook Comes to Storybrooke

Moments before the Evil Queen’s Dark Curse whisks our beloved fairytale characters to Storybrooke, Captain Hook finally gets his revenge on the Crocodile. AU Dark Hook in original curse

Make A Wish

Stuck in the Enchanted Forest after her wish was granted, Emma seeks out Killian. She doesn't expect what she finds. Canon divergence from 6x11 on

Christmas Wars: A New Hope

The last thing Emma Swan expects when she shows up for her sister's destination Christmas wedding is to find an irresistible groomsman with all the right looks and all the wrong opinions - about everything. But there's something beneath the bickering, something a lot softer than it seems on the surface, and Emma and Killian both find a new hope after heartbreak and loss. AU contemporary

No More Interruptions

She hadn't seen him in five years. Five years since her parents had interrupted them when they both had been on the cusp on moving beyond just being friends. Five years of wondering if he ever thought of her or even cared anymore. Now it was her birthday and he was back, making her question everything. (Captain Swan AU, Lieutenant Duckling verse. One-Shot)

Breathless

Emma and Killian share more than just a heart. Smut that turns really emotional and intense trauma discussion Canon divergent season 5.

The Legend of Captain Killian Jones

Cursed three hundred years ago to take on ghost form and haunt his family estate, Killian Jones receives a reprieve once every hundred years to take on corporeal form in order to try and break his curse. A renowned restorationist, Emma Swan takes on the project of bringing the three hundred year old Jones Manor back to its former glory. A manor that is reportedly haunted by the notorious Captain Killian Jones. Good thing Emma doesn’t believe in ghosts. AU Contemporary and ghosts

A Case of You

A "Practical Magic" AU in which Killian is a twice-cursed witch who's home after a murder, Emma is a single mom and deputy that's new to town, and their paths cross in ways they never expected.

A Gentleman Never Tells

Right after saving Henry in Neverland, Pan puts Emma under a Sleeping Curse that only romantic love can break. Hook's kiss wakes her, but in the confusion of the moment, it appears to everyone else, including Emma, that it was Neal's kiss that woke her. As the group celebrates and Hook empties his flask alone, he can't help thinking it is better this way.

Incomplete

When I Saw Your Face

Emma escapes the castle at night to experience the kingdom she will one day, reluctantly, rule and meets a pirate captain who might be more than he seems. AU princess/pirate

like if cleopatra grew up in a small town

Henry needs a dad. That's fine. Emma can deal with that. The problem? Neal wants more. The second problem? Emma keeps running into Hook and, despite trying to keep it friendly between them, finds herself falling in love.

You, Me, and Who You Used to Be

After getting her parents back on track, Emma’s magic returns. But before she can conjure a portal home, Killian is abducted. Alone in a world she knows nothing about and with no idea how to find Killian, Emma enlists the only person—or rather, pirate—who would be as motivated to save Killian as she is. However… Killian’s past may just be what destroys the future. CS Movie Divergence

Darkness Will Be Rewritten

A delay of five minutes can alter someone's destiny entirely. Imagine what a delay of eighteen years might do. The first eighteen years of Emma's life is a black void. And after ten years of having no memories for those years, a boy shows up at her door, claiming he's her son. He takes her to Storybrooke and she finds herself staying, trying to deny the connection she feels not only to the boy, but also to the fisherman he hangs out with that smells like rum and has eyes that remind her of a home she can't even remember. (While this is complete, the sequel is not)

To Read

Uncharted Neverland

Princess Emma swan saviour to her people is trapped in a dangerous island with no escape, were she meets Captain Hook known pirate, his mission is to find a lost fortune on the uncharted island, this treasure may also hold the key to escaping Neverland. CS AU princess/pirate

[princess-and-the-swan]

CS Fic Recs: Bridgerton-Inspired AU

While I anxiously await the arrival of the second half of Bridgerton S3, I'm absolutely DEVOURING these 3 Bridgerton-inspired CS fics I've found:

A Scoundrel... Or a Gentleman? by @kmomof4

Killian Jones has been in love with Emma Nolan since the day he met her - the day before she married his brother Earl Liam Jones. That was six years ago, and Liam has been gone now for four years. Emma and Killian have both arrived in London for the season - her to seek a husband so she can hopefully bear children, him to finally take up his duties as the earl, including finding a wife. Will they succeed in their respective desires? Complete. Inspired by Francesca Bridgerton's story, this is the fic that sent me into my Bridgerton-fic frenzy. While there is a little bit of Liamma in the beginning, this is very much a Captain Swan fic and it's so much fun to follow along with the evolving relationship dynamic between the two.

A Mistress to No One by @kmomof4

Bastard Emma Swan enjoys one night of pure magic and romance in the midst of a life of drudgery and abuse- attending a masquerade ball and meeting aristocrat Killian Jones. Two years later, the same man she met on the best night of her life reappears, saving her from a dire fate in the process. Now, she must keep herself from falling in love with a man she can never have. But when that proves impossible, is there any hope for a happy ending between two people from such vastly different worlds? Complete. I will admit, that I have never read Benedict Bridgerton's story, so I had no idea what to expect. This story reminds me of Cinderella but if Cinderella and her prince had an actual connection beyond a single dance.

The Duke and His Swan by @hollyethecurious

Dearest Reader, the ton is abuzz with speculation that the new Duke of Ironhook will be remaining in town for the duration of the Season. Second born of the illustrious Jones family, Killian Jones has quite the legacy to live up to now he has inherited the dukedom from his late elder brother. Also entering Society for her first season is Miss Emma Swan, ward to the Viscount Nolan’s family. Gifted with a respectable dowry, Miss Swan’s financial worth and uncommon good looks will surely make up for her rumored prickly disposition in the eye of more than one fortune seeking suitor. Stay tuned, Dear Reader, for this author has it on good authority His Grace and Miss Swan shall cause quite a sensation, perhaps even resulting in… scandal! Complete. If you haven't already read this fic, I HIGHLY recommend it. Loosely inspired by Daphne Bridgerton's story, this is very much a friends to lovers trope that so many of us adore. After I read this fic, I binged several of this author's other works as well because her writing is absolutely addictive :)))

These fics are the bane of my existence and the object of all my desires and I really hope more Bridgerton-inspired fics will begin to pop up--especially a Colin Bridgerton-esque fic to commemorate the Polin season! If you've found any others that you enjoyed, please please please let me know! Happy reading!!

[star-my]

Ateez Fic Recs ☆ Ao3

These are all available on ao3 as of April 2024. Some may require an account to view them. Some are likely crossposted on tumblr as well.

~TUMBLR RECS HERE~

Almost all are complete works, those with “+” after WC are incomplete.

Most of these are Mature or Explicit (usually because of smut) ~ mdni ~ italicized titles rated G or T ~ Please read responsibly

OT8/Multi

☆ Raise, Protect, and Hope by SinisterSound | Found Family, Mafia/Assassin AU | Platonic OT8 | 49k

☆ He's a Pirate series by pearlypearlypearl | Pirate AU, Magic AU | 70k

☆ The So Unknown series by themoonlightfae | F2L Vampire AU, Found Family AU | 110k+

☆ sticky by maganxx | FWB2L Roommate AU, Uni AU, Omegaverse AU | PSH + KHJ | 15k

☆ A Fever You Can't Sweat Out by to_shinestar | F2FWB Roommate AU | CS + JWY | 12k

Kim Hongjoong

☆ <<Do you believe in fate?>> by LettersFromAphrodite | Magic AU, Soulmate AU | 42k

☆ Plug & Play by bangtanintotheroom | Band AU | 10k

☆ Say My Name by twinmoles | Demon AU | 8k

☆ Hearts Over Clubs by starryjeekies | S2R2L Mafia AU | 28k

Park Seonghwa

☆ Kiss of Chaos by tenelkadjo | Magic AU, Witch AU, Annoyances/Enemies with Benefits to Lovers? | 40k

☆ Arrow in the Dark by tenelkadjo | S2F2L Fake Dating AU, Chaebol AU | 66k

☆ Properly by tenelkadjo | BFF2L Fake Dating AU | 10k

☆ Addicting Kitten by tenelkadjo | S2L Goth AU | 34k

☆ hearts & spades by wooyunhwa | S2FWB2L Mafia AU | 30k

☆ My Precious Pet series by yungidreamer | S2F2L Vampire AU | 26k+

Jeong Yunho

☆ the summer series by honeyhotteoks | F2FWB2L Roommate AU, Quarantine AU | 16k+

Kang Yeosang

☆ lessons in intimacy by honeyhotteoks | Camboy AU | 14k

☆ Gemini by HoneyAteez | F2L | 9k

Choi San

☆ forever and a bit. by the7thcrow | Demon AU, Mafia AU | 5k

☆ Control by Destriny | F2L Demon AU, Uni AU | 29k

☆ Sunrise by thecarnivaloflies | F2L Military AU, Dystopian AU | 30k

Song Mingi

☆ All In by tenelkadjo | BFF2L Vegas AU | 10k

☆ Steamroller by fallinforgyu | BFF2L Uni AU | 11k

☆ September, I'll Remember by I_Dont_Write_Fics | F2L Road Trip/Camping AU | 33k

☆ Love to Keep Me Warm by themoonlightfae | S2F2L Hallmark AU | 28k

☆ Diversity Hire by superbumpy | PA AU, Office AU | 13k

☆ Synesthesia by themoonlightfae | S2F2L Neighbours AU | 15k

Jung Wooyoung

☆ Midnight Kisses by mingigoo | BFF2L Single Parent AU | 28k

☆ Steady Opposites by PeachzensBread | R2L Uni AU | 12k

☆ For The Longest Time by themoonlightfae | BFF2L/S2L Tinder AU | 5k

Choi Jongho

☆ {Unavailable}

[new-revenant]

Have an unfinished fic! It was supposed to be a monster au thing, but whatever. I don’t know what I was thinking anymore. I don’t really like this that much, but it isn’t terrible. Putting it under the cut so I think about it less lol. It’s 2,372 words, not that bad.

“Day 3, July 13, 2004. I have been…dead for three days, hence the ‘Day 3,’ you know?” Danny solemnly chuckled, sadness seeping through his voice. Why was even doing this? For the sake of his sanity? Must be something like that. For his sanity, he continues.

“Us Fenton-Nightingales have monster-hunting in our blood. Although, my parents only believe in ghosts, not all those other magical creatures. But my parents also thought that ghost were monsters from another realm, so guess what-they know jack SHIT!

“Heh heh, ‘jack,’ that’s my dad’s name,” He paused, closing his eyes before inhaling sharply, continuing his meaningless spiel. For his sanity, he speaks into the recorder.

“I died, I died…three days ago, and now I’ve somehow fled to a town FULL of MONSTERS. And they were so nice, so nice because they think I’m one of them. They’ve let me live-live, ha-in a house that they couldn’t find a buyer for since I guess there aren’t too many of them living in the damned town!”

“So now I’m staying here. A not-quite-living not-quite-ghost boy with monsters. A monster hunter living with monsters.”

“My name is Daniel,” -he paused, he sighed, he continued- “Daniel Vladimir Fenton-Nightingale. And I’m half ghost, half human, and full on confused about just about everything I guess. Signing off!“

        ☁︎Two Days Earlier☁︎

Danny knew he was about to be doing something stupid. It would not be the first time he’d do something stupid. But this time, this time he was prepared. He had looked over the blueprints and notes for his parents’ machine thousands of times, he knew what it was supposed to do, and he knew that his parents failed.

A portal to the realm of ghosts, right in their basement. Their life goal, their lives’ work. And it failed. Jazz, his sister, took them both out to get some fresh air and groceries once it did. Danny engraved the looks of despair they bore as they dragged themselves out of the house into his mind.

Danny was smart. He had mostly straight As in school, getting only Cs in math. God he hated math. The Fenton-Nightingales-or just the Fentons-were a family of hunters, of geniuses, and he was no exception. Two heads were better than one, so three heads were even better. He could-no, he should help. He was going to make them happy.

Danny noticed the flaws in the wiring, in the circuits, in the paneling. They were minor, barely noticeable even to him, but even small holes can sink a ship. So he put on a hazmat suit-and took off the giant sticker of his dad’s face on it-and set out to work. It didn’t take too long, and Danny managed to fix every single thing he could find. He had worked with machines with his parents as soon as he learned how to solve those putting-the-right-shape-in-the-right-hole puzzles. He had worked with his parents with hunting ghosts, he knew how they worked, how they acted, how they faked human emotions to gain sympathy. He was born for helping his parents with this machine. And he would fix it no matter what it took.

So Danny turned on the portal again, waiting for something to happen. Seconds passed, nothing did. He sighed, and sat down on the floor. But he did something, and he would help even more when his parents came back. It could be one of those fun bonding moments between them all. He was sure even Jazz would love to help them, wanting to make their parents happier as much as Danny did.

Taking his hazmat suit off, he carefully and neatly put it back into the storage he got it from. Danny didn’t know what to do now, his parents wouldn’t be back for another hour at the very least.

So Danny was going to do something even more stupid-going inside of the portal. Since it didn’t work, maybe Danny missed something that he could fix later. The portal was spacious, going back several yards and being more than twice his height. He was awestruck at it all, loving every moment of scouting around the machine.

Then he saw it. A lone wire sticking out of the paneling. Without any thoughts in his head that weren’t focused on helping his parents, he took the panel off, and with his left arm he grabbed the wire and connected it to another.

He never turned the portal off.

The next thing that Danny remembered after moving the wire was his senses being invaded by an agonizingly bright green, by the smell of his own burning flesh, and by his own pained screams. Then he was on the ground, that green light pooling at his feet.

Danny could only blink. Danny tried to breathe, before quickly realizing a stomach churning fact-he didn’t need to breathe. He always had a feeling that his parents’ theory that ghosts were actually monsters from another world were a bit…off. And now he could see the truth.

Danny Fenton, the son of two ghost hunters, was now a ghost. He had an idea of what this meant. He could be next. No, he would be next. His parents wouldn’t even think he was their son, wouldn’t even think twice about ripping him apart. He tried to scramble to his feat, but instead ended up hovering a few feat above the ground. He was upright though, so that was a plus. A small, small plus.

A second plus was that the portal was on. It worked, his parents’ machine worked and Danny made it work. It only costed him his life. Danny started to laugh, laugh at how he was now the very thing that his parents hated. It was a crazed, depressed laugh. A laugh that echoed throughout the basement. It quickly turned into a scream, a shriek, more like. He barely registered the tears coming down his face as he mourned his own horrifically ironic fate.

But Danny had to move on, move on for his own twisted survival. Wading through the air, Danny went over to flip the switch for the portal, attempting to turn it off, failing to not pass through it multiple times before the green, swirling mess of the portal disappeared. He heaved out a sigh of relief. His parents would come home, and they would try to turn on the portal again, and then they be happy. He looked in the portal, a ghost of a smile on his face. He saw the panel he took off on the floor, and put it back without a second thought. Only after a lot of spinning around in the air and failing multiple times to even pick the stupid thing up.

Then Danny thought about something-where was his body? His body wasn’t there, not even any ashes. Oh god, it probably fell through the portal. But if it fell through the portal, why was the panel still there? Suddenly, outside of his control, Danny gasped, a breath of air coming out of his mouth, like he was out on a cold winter day. But it was mid-July and he was dead. Danny looked around and saw something-blob ghosts, many of them surrounding an ectopuss. That’s when he learned that ghosts can have adrenaline.

Danny zipped to one of the tables in the basement, grabbing the Fenton Thermos on it. Turns out, it was much easier to move as a ghost when you ignored your legs. The thermos was a ghost catching device that his parents were working on, that they were almost done with. Danny pointed it at the ectopuss, which now noticed him, shrieking at him. Danny pressed the capture button, half expecting it not to work. And it didn’t. He passed it to his left hand to examine it further, before seeing that his fingers were charred, with lightning-shaped scaring starting from his palm that went up his arm, probably going even further across his body. A lightbulb went off in Danny’s head, and he pointed the thermos back at the ectopuss as it scuttled closer to him. Danny pressed down the capture button yet again.

His scar lit up green, and he could feel it from the left side of his face, his chest, and back down to his arm. A beam of circulating blue light erupted from the thermos, sucking in both the ectopuss and all of the ghost blobs. Then the cap closed with a snap, leaving Danny alone in the basement lab. He hovered there for a moment, stunned.

Danny quickly came to a conclusion as to what to do now. He obviously had to leave. His parents couldn’t know that he was a ghost-that he was dead. Danny flew up the stairs, flew up all the stairs to his room. He grabbed a travel bag, focusing on making himself more solid as he did so. It worked, and he was able to shove a bunch of clothes in it. He didn’t think he would actually need any of it, but he’d rather have his parents think he had ran away.

Actually, that was a great idea, he should do that. He grabbed another bag and put some miscellaneous items in it, like toiletries, a headband, a voice recorder, and an unopened bag of glow-in-the-dark stars. He was going to put them all around his room eventually, but now that was never going to happen. Danny even put one of his goggles in there, the lens being the same pale blue his eyes were. But were his eyes still blue now? 

Usually ghosts didn’t look much like humans, typically having green, blue, or blueish-green skin. But as Danny looked at his hands, they looked...more human-like. His skin did look a bit tanned, a bit burnt, but it didn’t have any green or blue coloring to it as far as he could see. Maybe a very, very slight green tint if he stared hard enough.

Maybe he could try phasing through the wall to get to the bathroom. His parents probably would’ve put up something in the walls to make sure ghosts don’t-and holy fuck they didn’t Danny just went straight through it. Why didn’t they have anything to stop ghosts from phasing through the walls?! Wait, was that even possible? Danny didn’t dwell on that for too long, trying to just focus on looking at his reflection. His black hair was now a snowy white, his once white shirt with red accents now black with blueish-green accents, and his blue eyes now a bright green. His lighting scars were glowing the same green, albeit very faintly, reaching all the way up his face to just below his left eye. Danny himself was emanating a very faint white glow, which was the most normal ghost thing that was going on, but it’s not like he even knows what’s normal anymore.

Danny groaned, dragging his hands over his face, scowling into the mirror. His eyes and face were stained with his tears, and while looking at his reflection just a bit more, he noticed that his hair was longer. He had a bit of a mullet now, and his bangs almost completely covered his face, even though he could see through it perfectly fine. Another lightbulb went off in his head, remembering something. He went back to his room, picking up a book. It was an encyclopedia about ghosts that his parents did not write but he loved anyways. Flipping through the pages, he found quickly found what he was looking for.

“‘The Banshee,’” Danny read the passage aloud, “‘an Irish spirit that foretells the death of a family member by wailing, screaming, shrieking, or keening.’ What is keening? Whatever. ‘They are typically perceived as a young woman or an old hag, with pale skin, long hair, and a long dress, ’” Danny skimmed the rest of the page until he found something else that caught his eye.

“‘In some Irish mythology stories, the Banshee is the ghost of a young girl that suffered a brutal death,’“ Danny muttered. Would he…would he count as a Banshee? He was definitely similar in some aspects, especially with that brutal death part. Would dying in the portal count as a brutal death? Probably. 

Danny groaned, he was going to think about this later. Him being a banshee or not wasn’t  as important as booking it out of here. He stuffed the book and the working Fenton Thermos he used into his bag and closed it. He needed to go now, before his parents came back. Before then, he grabbed a spare piece of paper and a pencil, racking his brain for what to write. Soon enough, he figured out what to do.

Dear mom, dad, and Jazz,

I can’t stay here any longer. I hope you’ll understand one day. I hope I’ll be able to come back.

But I need to leave. I’m so sorry. I fixed the portal and I’ve seen things no one should ever see. I love you all and I’m so sorry.

With love, Danny

Danny sighed. Maybe he should just come clean and tell the truth. But that would be risky, and Danny could barely write without his hand slipping through the pencil. He’ll come back one day. He had to. And he had to leave.

Danny phased though the walls, carrying his bag with him. Now he knew that he could make objects intangible along with himself. But where would he go? Then, he remembered an old folk tale that his parents told him.

Amity Forest, a place where once someone goes in, they are never seen again. Monsters were said to eat those inside, or that the trees came alive and feasted on your flesh. Jazz had told him that those stories were just that-stories, used to prevent kids from getting lost in there. She was always a sceptic, but there was definitely a chance the stories could’ve been true. So that’s where he’ll go. It was nearby, so it wouldn’t be too much of a hassle. With that in mind, he took off towards Amity Forest, clueless and hopeless as to what to do next.

[divinecomedyproductions]

Fandom Woes: Self-Righteousness of Modern Tragedy

I think I want to explain my case better about my beef with modern tragic/more-bitter-than-sweet fantasy/sci-fi, such as RWBY, Code Geass, and D.Gray-Man and it’s not necessarily the stories in of themselves

It’s the Self-Righteous Martyr/God-Complex of toxic contingent within these fandoms, to me they seem to ultimately not care the message the tragedy and suffering of these stories are trying to convey, but rather enjoy them and flaunt them for their own self-righteous megalomania

And I know that sounds hyperbolic, but it’s the tone, attitude and behavior of these people that give me that impression

For example with Code Geass and RWBY and the tragic deaths of Euphemia Li Britannia, Shirley Fenette, Lelouch, Pyrrha, and Penny respectively

As soon as that happened, many among the fandom would come out and theatrically proclaim the necessity of these tragic deaths, how it is so realistic an shows “thats life”, and brag how ultimately hopeful the stories still are and how it taught them how to be oh-so hopeful despite the odds, and I can see them act that way towards the burden of Allen Walker if the fandom was still active today as it was back then.

In any these cases, these people act as if they themselves were righteous martyrs, prophets of God,Life,Reality, usually the latter two because they claim "that's life" or "that's reality" all in a tone that reeks of holier-than-thou arrogance and vanity...

"Of my virtue, I am justly proud..."

Or worse, they speak with ghoulish glee and bragging about it gives them a feeling of power over these fictional characters as if they themselves are God almighty and it bleeds into how they treat real people who didn't like it by passive aggressively or belligerently belittling, judging, shaming, gaslighting, and sneering at them, implying the worse reasons of their distaste, and tell them to go watch a sitcom or slice-of-life anime or something

Then they are quick to condemn other fictional characters like Suzaku from Code Geass for being such a SOB and cheer on Watts putting Cinder on Full Blast, all while implying themselves to be such better people than both

Then they brag about what story was told with these ideas and concepts to be the end-all-be-all of these concepts in any fantasy/sci-fi epics that have even the slightest tinge of darkness and conflict and, lock them down into little theories, formulas, dogmas, and rule out everything else as a corruption, heresy, or a worthless little parasite, because they themselves are the infallible, all-knowing, and all-seeing “literary experts” who got everything all figured out and everyone else, wether the majority or minority, as peon reprobates.

Which then they pressure onto creatives with less power than them, especially when they disagree. All while they themselves can do whatever they want and do whatever they want with things they are unhappy with because “we know better than you”

I have experienced this expressing my ideas of what RWBY could have been instead, AU and Original work and been told it could only work as a slice of life anymore or a sitcom, or otherwise what I do with this stuff is ultimately meaningless and heresy and spiteful

All while they supported things like His Dark Materials Trilogy which is the Anti-Narnia written by a Atheist who hates CS Lewis and Christianity with a passion because he made the concepts more “interesting”

Or how making a sexy magical Captain Marvel with her own sailor scouts like Kamen America and her Kamen Corps because the creators were unhappy with what was done with the concept of Captain Marvel is nothing but a "Porno Captain Marvel Rip-Off"

while making an evil superman like Homelander and other nasty rendition of superheroes in "The Boys" by a guy who despises superheroes is totally fine because he knows what's the "interesting" end-all-be-all of these concepts.

All these things I describe can be summed up to figures in the Bible, The Pharisees

“They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.”-Matthew 23:4

They brag about the virtues and necessity of tragedy at the expense of fictional characters and real people, and boss around other creatives on what they do with this stuff, especially when they are unhappy, all whilst they themselves do whatever they want because they are supposedly so “objective”, they don’t need to follow the rules like everyone else

These prigs will tell others to “broaden their horizons” and give them the benefit of the doubt, but will refuse to give others the exact same courtesy because once again, “We know better than you.”

These self righteous people seem to only enjoy these stories not because of the message the tragedy and suffering is trying to convey, thats just a shield for them, but rather for their moral superiority and the thrill of power over others and being the measure of all things, for they know how life exactly works for specific individuals in specific genres and they know how to carry it out exactly.

They know with a "G"(gnosis) what's the end-all-be-all of specific concepts in ideas in specific genres and how to carry them out and they alone are the alchemists who can turn lead in to gold and everyone else is subjective and suffer from false consciousness.

In fact, I compare them to Digory’s Uncle Andrew in The Magician’s Nephew who though he could control other people by using their values against them to get them to do what he wants, while he himself doesn’t need to follow the rules, and basked in self congratulation of being a “great magician”

“Men like me, who possess hidden wisdom, are freed from common rules just as we are cut off from common pleasures. Ours, my boy, is a high and lonely destiny.”

And while we’re at it and Code Geass is on the table, let me point to one of the antagonists of Akito The Exiled, Gene Smilas

He was the mentor and surrogate parent of Lelia Macal who sought to bring Europe to a brighter future, often invoking the tale of the venerable St.Joan of Arc.

But when the time came to supposedly save EU, did he bet on his own life like the Saint did?

No.

He decided to position himself as God and Lelia as Joan of Arc, planning for her to die as a martyr for his own gain and become Emperor of Europe, because she happened to be a young lady with good morals who wasn't afraid to fight alongside her troops.

Like Uncle Andrew, Gene was nothing more than a peddling magician, but worse, he saw himself as God who controlled Lelila's destiny all while basking in delusions of righteousness in his quest for power. While Uncle Andrew was at least scared straight by Narnia.

To use a description of the Pharisees from the TV Series Jesus of Nazareth(1977) but slightly tweaked,

He bowed before the Story of Joan of Arc, but violated the heart of it.

And that's why I am so irritable about Tragedy in these kinds of stories, it feels like they are no longer enjoyed out of humility, compassion, truth, goodness, and beauty.

But rather out of pride, vanity, power, cruelty, and moral superiority

and sometimes it tempts me want to write my inspired stories in a way that gives them all the finger rather than for what I saw these ideas and concepts could have been, just so I can give them a taste of their own medicine

I know that's wrong, but these people test my patience, especially when they keep invading other people's spaces, bypass other people's "curations" because "there's nothing subjective about this, I need to correct and educate you", and getting away with this kind of nasty behavior

Because they are perfectly “objective” and everyone else is “subjective” therefore “subjected” to their “objective” will.

@beatricehawthorne @vitamaeternum

[whimsicallyenchantedrose]

Fluffy Fridays--Chapter 176: The Intervention

Fluffy Fridays—Chapter 176: The Intervention

Summary:   A series of unrelated, fluffy one shots featuring Killian Jones and  Emma Swan and the relationship that makes us all swoon. Will contain  both canon and AU stories. My contribution to Operation Rainbow Kisses  and Unicorn Stickers (aka, my attempt to drown out the season 4 finale  angst with ridiculous levels of fluff.)

Other Chapters: (from the beginning) (previous chapter)

Tagging a few people who may be interested (Let me know if you want to be added or taken off the list): @sailormew4 @annaamell @flslp87 @emmateo26 @bethacaciakay 

@ultraluckycatnd @effulgent-mind @ilovemesomekillianjones @kat2609 @brooke-to-broch 

@missgymgirl @galadriel26 @the-lady-of-misthaven @charmingturkeysandwich @jennjenn615 

@laschatzi @kimmy46 @snowbellewells @iamanneenigma @daxx04 

@nickillian  @gillie  @britishguyslover @ginnyjinxedandhanshotritafirst @kmomof4

 @linda8084 @golfgirld @captain-swan-coffee @searchingwardrobes @hollyethecurious 

@laughswaytoomuch  @allyourdarlingswans  @winterbaby89 @facesiousbutton82 @therooksshiningknight 

@lfh1226-linda @tiganasummertree @jrob64  @anmylica @booksteaandtoomuchtv

 @i-will-sing-no-requiem @bluewildcatfanatic @laianely

(ao3) (ff.net)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Notes:  A little over a year since my last installment of fluff?  Sorry about that!  All I can say is that the muse has been a fickle mistress.  Happy (belated) 4th of July to all that celebrate it.  Enjoy some holiday themed CS-enjoying-their-happy-beginning fluff!

Emma swiveled back and forth in her chair at the sheriff’s station before bringing her mug of hot cocoa with cinnamon to her smiling lips.  She couldn’t seem to stop smiling.  She was so happy it almost–but not quite–scared her.

Two months ago she’d won the final battle with the Black Fairy, and the next day, she and Killian had headed out on their honeymoon.  With the town finally at peace, she and her brand new husband decided to take a long overdue and much needed break for some of the steamiest and most romantic R & R she’d ever experienced.

They’d had no real destination in mind, no specific plans.  They’d simply boarded the Jolly Roger and set sail (after Emma had once again put a cloaking spell on the magnificent vessel.  After all, they might get some stares sailing an eighteenth century vessel around the Land Without Magic.)  They’d largely followed the East coast, Killian after all, being fascinated to learn of the journeys and stories of this realm’s pirates of old, and had ended up in the Caribbean.

Emma’s smile widened as she remembered the couple of days they’d spent in Savannah, and in particular, Killian's reaction to the famous Pirate’s House restaurant.  He’d been fascinated with the history and pirate memorabilia, of course, until he’d learned that the institution bragged of its connection to Captain Flint.

“That absolute ponce?” Killian had scoffed. “He’s the one they idolize?  He makes bloody Blackbeard look like a worthy opponent.”

He’d been so adorably flummoxed by the reaction to Flint, that she’d immediately taken him back to the Jolly and had her wicked way with him.  (Not that she really needed much of an excuse.  This was their honeymoon after all.)

They’d returned to Storybrooke last Friday, taken the weekend to settle back in and returned to normal life this morning.

Normal life.

They actually had a normal life.  They’d had a full two month honeymoon with no frantic calls from Storybrooke talking about a new villain in town.  They’d returned to a normal, sleepy little town that wasn’t under a curse, a memory spell or any other enchantment.  Life was just…normal.

In fact, it was so normal that Regina had instituted monthly town meetings, and in the last one, the town had made plans for Storybrooke’s first annual Independence Day celebration, as the Fourth of July was right around the corner.

“If we’re gonna be a part of the Land Without Magic now,” Granny had argued, “we best start doing normal Land Without Magic things.”

“Maybe start by not calling it the Land Without Magic, sister,” Leroy had grumbled.

There was to be a parade, a big town festival, fireworks.  The whole patriotic thing.

Emma had so much work to do in order to coordinate security for all of it, but she couldn’t be happier.

(Maybe a certain husband who she couldn’t seem to get enough of had something to do with that happiness, but who could blame her, really?)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Two days later, Emma was awoken by a sweet and rather passionate kiss from her husband.  Outside their window came the boom of a firework exploding.

“They’re still at it?” Emma asked, pulling slightly away and shaking her head.  “I don’t know who’s setting off those fireworks, but this is getting to be overkill.  The whole big display last night–and the night before–were kind of understandable given the time of year, but it seems like they never stop.”

“Aye,” Killian agreed.  “It would seem we have a veritable pyromaniac within our midst.”

“Well at least the 4th is tomorrow, so maybe they’ll knock it off after that.”

“Perhaps so,” Killian said with one final, lingering kiss, punctuated by another loud boom from outside. “At any rate, we’d best be up and at ‘em.”

Emma gave him a heavy lidded look.  “You sure about that?  I was kind of thinking we might need a little more….rest…this morning.  After all, last night was pretty….acrobatic.”

His grin turned wicked, before he leaned down and kissed her again. (Boom! from outside)  “Something tells me if I returned to our bed, we wouldn’t be leaving it until noon–but we wouldn’t be getting much rest.”

She shrugged and grinned.  “What’s wrong with that?”

He laughed.  “What’s wrong with that is that Regina will have our heads if we don’t attend the mandatory town meeting she called for nine a.m. sharp.”

Emma pushed herself up and tossed off the covers.  “I suppose you’re right,” she grumbled. “But I say, the minute we’re free, we pick up where we left off last night.”

“You’ll have no complaints from me, love.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The first thing Emma noticed when she and Killian arrived at Town Hall hand in hand, was that someone had strung a big sign over the raised podium that said “Intervention.”

Was it just her, or was this town getting even weirder?

The second thing she noticed was that when they sat down beside her parents, David and Mary Margaret wouldn’t even meet their eyes.

“Okay, you guys, what is going on?” she asked.

Her mom gave her a big–way too big–smile, and simply said “Guess you’ll…I mean we’ll…find out.”

Emma was on the point of asking for further clarification, when Regina walked briskly to the podium and banged the gavel.

“I think we all know why we’re here,” she said grimly.  “We have a problem, and something needs to be done about it.”

Emma and Killian gave each other a bewildered look.

“Are we missing something?” he asked.

“The fireworks,” Leroy said.  “We’re here about the constant, round the clock, fireworks.”

For some reason, the dwarf glared at them ferociously while saying it.

Yeah, this town was definitely getting weirder.

“We were just talking about that this morning,” Emma said.  “Please tell me we don’t have some new, patriotic villain in town.”

“Nothing quite so dramatic, Mrs. Swan-Jones,” Regina said.

“So you found the culprit?” Emma asked.  “Why not just confront him–or have me arrest him?  What’s with the whole big town meeting?  And what’s with the ‘intervention’ sign?”

“That’s why we’re here, honey,” Snow said, her voice far too sunny.  “We…um…we think we figured out what’s going on.”

For some odd reason, beside her, David groaned, loudly, and muttered something like “I don’t want to be talking about this!”

“Okay….” Emma said, drawing out the word.  “Anybody want to elaborate?”

“It’s quite simple,” Rumple said, from the far side of the room. “We’ve noticed that you and your pirate have been exhibiting nauseating levels of affection.  PDA, if you will.  We believe the results have been rather magical and explosive and, in short, have led to our dilemma today.”

“You believe we are to blame for the festive displays all day and night?” Killian asked.

“Wait, this is an intervention for us?” Emma asked at the same time.

“We first noticed the fireworks after you came home from your honeymoon,” Aurora said.  “Small things at first–sparklers when you kissed her cheek, escalating up to…well…”

“What precisely were the two of you doing last night at approximately 10:15 pm?” Regina asked crisply.

Emma’s face flamed while Killian’s grin turned positively sinful and David…well, David turned a sickly shade of green.

“We were… we were,” Emma spluttered.  “Come on, Regina! We’re newlyweds!  What do you think we were doing?”

“Would you like all the sordid details, Your Majesty, or would a summary suffice?” Killian asked cheekily.

Beside them, David put his head in his hands muttering “Make it stop!”

“That’s what we thought,” Regina stated matter-of-factly, ignoring Killian’s question altogether.  “And did you notice when the fireworks display started last night?  Did you notice how it grew in intensity about half an hour later?”

“Oh my gods,” Emma muttered, imitating her dad, and burying her face in her hands, wanting nothing more than for the floor to swallow her and her husband whole.

“We aren’t blaming you, honey,” Mary Margaret said, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.  “We all remember what it was like to be newlyweds.  Your dad and I couldn’t get enough of each other.”

Surely this had to be in the most awkward town hall meeting in the history of the world.

“But,” Zelena said, “we need to find a way to put a stop to it.  If my toddler is awoken in the middle of the night, one more time, I might have to turn wicked again.”

“If I’m understanding correctly,” Killian said, “you believe that when my wife and I show each other physical signs of affection–when we’re intimate–we create magical fireworks?”

“Indeed,” Regina said.  “And thus the intervention.”

“Ridiculous!” he stated.  “Surely my wife would realize it if she were performing magic.”

“Maybe not,” Granny said, reaching into her bag for a fresh skein of yarn to continue her latest knitting project.  “You both seem so consumed with each other, you don’t notice anything else around you.”

“There is a way we could test the theory,” Belle suggested.  “An experiment, if you will.”

Killian’s eyebrows rose.  “Surely you aren’t suggesting we engage in…relations…right here in town hall?”

Belle’s face flamed.  “Of course not!  A simple peck on the lips would do.”

Leroy began tapping his water bottle with his pen in the way wedding guests do when they want the newlyweds to kiss at a wedding reception.

Killian gave her a glance, and she shrugged.  “I guess it couldn’t hurt.”

He leaned down and gave her a quick, chaste kiss.  At the front of the hall, a sparkler materialized and began buzzing through the room.

“Whelp, I guess that gives us our answer,” Leroy said.  “The question is what are we gonna do about it?”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Later that night, Emma lay in Killian’s arms, idly stroking his bare chest.  “Well that had to be one of the most embarrassing mornings of my life,” she said.

Killian nodded and then chuckled.  “Did you get a gander at your father’s face throughout the ‘intervention’?  I thought he would keel over from apoplexy.”

Emma laughed.  “Serves him right after my mom’s comment about their own activities as newlyweds.   So, do you think the town’s solution actually worked?”

Following Leroy’s question this morning, Killian had stated vociferously that under no circumstances would he stop making love to his wife, short of her refusing his advances.  Emma had then further traumatized her father by insisting–equally vociferously–that she didn’t see that happening any time soon–probably never.

Several rather ridiculous suggestions had been tossed out, including Zelena not-so-helpfully stating she’d have been more than willing to curse Killian’s lips again if only she still had her magic.  

Finally, a workable solution had been agreed upon.

Regina would put a magic dampening spell on both Emma’s and Killian’s lips until they had left the honeymoon period behind.

“Just their lips?” Leroy scoffed.  “I think you ought to curse their nether regions too, just to be sure.”

Fortunately, Regina had stated in no uncertain terms that she had no intention of getting anywhere near either of their “nether regions”.

And as soon as the spell was applied the town hall meeting had mercifully come to a close.

“Pardon, love?” Killian asked, bringing her back to the present.

“The magic dampening spell,” she said.  “Do you think it worked?

“There’s only one way to find out,” he said, swooping in with a kiss for the ages, the kind that made her knees weak and had her forgetting her own name.

When the kiss ended, he pulled away, and they both listened closely.

Silence.

“Looks like we’re in the clear,” Emma muttered, reaching up to bring him back to her.  “And now that we don’t have an entire town of voyeurs knowing exactly what we’re up to, I’d say it’s way past time we get back to the fun.”

[siobhanhazel]

Sparkles, Moonlight, and Tuna Sandwiches - HP Rec Fest 2024

Podfic of Sparkles, Moonlight, and Tuna Sandwiches multi-voice podfic (see cast/team below) written by ebbet Luna/Ginny. Rated: T. Words: 5,000 (30 to 45 min podfic). Alternate Universe - College/University, Getting Together, Texting, Friendship, Football | Soccer, Alcohol, Past Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Bisexual Ginny Weasley, Lesbian Luna Lovegood

Day 16 Prompt: a podfic

Since I ADORE podfics (and have recommended a tonne already during HP Rec Fest) I decided I better up my game and recommend a MULTI-VOICE podfic. This is the best edit I've ever heard for a multi-voice podfic, and it's a HILARIOUS and sweet, touching portrayal of Ginny/Luna in a non-magical AU. If you manage to listen to this without having your cheeks ache from smiling, you are an inferi with no heart!

Sparkles, Moonlight, and Tuna Sandwiches

written by ebbet

read by: kitsunerei88 as Ginny kittona as Luna mangotart_reads as Angelina blackglass as Alicia Cailynwrites as Cho horchata as Katie wilfriede0815 as Robin reveriepi as George patientanxiety as Cedric Tipsy_Kitty as Moustache Dude Silvernightwalker as blonde kid kisahawklin as Chadley FanFixation as additional chat text narrator thedramionearchives as narrator

edited by wilfriede0815

cover by mangotart_reads and thedramionearchives Excerpt from the written fic:

Angelina curled her hands around a paper cup of coffee and blew across its surface. Cho had crossed her legs on the tiny stool and was balancing her tea on one knee. “So, how did this happen, exactly?” Ginny rolled her eyes and tugged the sleeves of her college sweatshirt down over her hands. “I don’t know,” she said in a strained tone. “Like, I was one minute late and the only seat left was right at the front of the auditorium so I was going to stand in the back, and then the prof like, gestured for me to come down there so I was like, going, right?” She paused and scrunched her nose up. Katie and Alicia leaned in. Ginny took a breath, relieved that her teammates were always supportive—even if she suspected they’d troll her about this. “But the seat was next to this girl who’d like, put a bunch of like, shit on it? Like, proper weird shit, like a branch? Of leaves? And like a big pair of heart sunglasses? And then, I don’t know, I guess I was looking at the shit too much, because I fucking tripped over someone’s bag and fucking—” Ginny buried her face in her hands. “Gin,” Angelina said. “It’s ok. No one noticed. I guarantee.” Cho nodded, her face serious. “Yeah, once I went into a CS lecture with toilet paper on the back of my pants. No. One. Said. Anything.”

★★★ Check out my other HP Rec Fest 2024 recs ★★★ @hprecfest

[wangxianficfinder]

In the mood for...

~*~

1. itmf a fic where lan zhan interacts with wei ying’s mom. ty!!

Cartwheels In Cloud Recesses Series by ShanaStoryteller (Not Rated, 23k, WangXian, CSSR/WCZ, CSSR and WCZ Live, Cloud Recesses Study Arc, Cloud Recesses Shenanigans)

💖 Magical Marriage Ribbons Series by starandrea (Varies, 1m, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Accidental Marriage, Fluff, Happy Ending, Telepathic bond, Kink Negotiation, Family Drama, Magical Pregnancy, Dual Cultivation, Shapeshifters, Modern with Magic, Immortality, Yilling Wei Sect) the later part of the Magical Marriage Ribbon series

the world will follow after by dottie_dramas (dottie_wan_kenobi) (E, 8k, wangxian, CSSR/WCZ, modern, humor, smut, love at first sight, CSSR & WCZX live, meet the family, genderqueer WWX, shotgun wedding, fast burn, fluff) and the second part of the world will follow after series

in case of fire, break glass by Jenrose (T, 65k, WangXian, Time Travel, Established Relationship, Hurt/comfort, Everyone loves/nobody dies)

Wújī by FairyTaleDreams (M, 50k, WIP, WangXian, Canon Divergence, WCZ & CS Lives, Rouge cultivator WWX)

From the Warm Sun by sunshine_sparrow (T, 58k, WangXian, CSSR & WWX, CSSR & LQR, Discussion of Rape, Period-Typical Sexism, Mostly CQL but probably some MDZS too, CSSR Lives, Madam Lán Lives, Qingheng-jun lives, But WCZ Still Dies, Fix-It, Happy Ending, All Soft and Very Little Angst, the wens live, Yīn Iron, Good Person MY, Good Person LQR)

mother of mothers by SpeedingCheetah (T, 11k, wangxian, CSSR & WWX, canon divergence, fairytale elements, implied/referenced self-harm, implied/referenced character death, BSSR is WWX’s grandparent, LWJ pov, LWJ centric, WWX centric, trans WWX, curses, curse breaking, LWJ’s grief & unresolved feelings about his mother, triggers in notes)

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2. Hi, I have no idea if this even exists but do you know of any fics involving a time loop/groundhog day kinda situation?

Wearing Down Every Bone by CSHfic, VSfic (E, 30k, WangXian, Groundhog Day, Time Loop, Temporary Character Death, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Canon, Case Fic, Curses, Pining, Getting Together, Time Travel, Night Hunts, Hurt wwx, Mystery, Angst with a Happy Ending, Use Your Words, Mutual Pining, Depression and Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, gratuitous use of empathy)

the cycle of regret by KouriArashi (T, 14k, WangXian, Groundhog Day, Fix-It, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Alternate Canon)

see you yesterday by glyphic (M, 138k, WIP, WangXian, Modern with Magic, Ghost Hunters, Time Loop, Case Fic, Hurt/Comfort, Memory Loss, Angst with a Happy Ending, Slow Burn) it's incomplete, but glyphic's 'see you yesterday' is an AMAZING russian doll/time loop AU

A Necessary Evil by GravityWinsAgain (M, 8k, Wangxian, Major Character Death, time travel, hurt/comfort but mostly hurt, I’m not going to lie this is all angst, not a happy ending) we only see one iteration of the loop, but it's definitely a loop

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3. Hi, I'm looking for fics that give Wei Wuxian a good childhood, time travel fix it or just retelling, either with the Jiangs or adopted by another major sect

Do you know any you can recommend? @forestandstardust

Hope Series by RoseThorne (G/T, WangXian, Transmigration, Time Travel Fix-It, Memory Loss, Angst, Sharing a Bed, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Good Parent YZY, Referenced Sexual Slavery, Sexual Tension, Arranged Marriage, POV Alternating, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Good Parent LQR, Butterfly Effect, Kid Fic, Epistolary, Cultivation Sect Politics)

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4. for itmf, could i ask for ppl's time travel recs, specifically where:

A) other characters travel than wangxian (even OC if there's a fic like that)

B) its "a glimpse of future happiness" type of deal rather than erasing the timeline (basically time travel to the future or characters temporarily going to the past) - i would love if it leads to actual written payoff in the new timeline <3

thank you! @danmeiireader

4A)

Lessons relearned by Iamnotawriter (T, 44k, WangXian, LQR & WWX, Not Madam Yu Friendly, Time Travel Fix-It, Angst with a Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Inventor WWX, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, No Golden Core Transfer, YZY Bashing)

Lynchpin by ShanaStoryteller (Not Rated, 103k, WangXian, ChengQing, Time Travel, Fix-It)

i told you when i came i was a stranger  by Caramelized (M, 70k, LXC / OFC, minor wangxian, canon divergence,   Isekai, transmigration, fix-it, Butterfly effect, sunshot campaign, not everyone dies au, no golden core transfer, dimension travel,   self-insert, angst w happy ending)

With Surgical Precision by metisket (T, 20k, WQ & WN, WQ & WWX, WangXian, Time Travel, Families of Choice, sibling bonding through murder, Z chirurgiczną precyzją (podfik) by tehanu, [PODFIC] With Surgical Precision by Gwogobo, With Surgical Precision [PODFIC] by Opalsong)  

4B)

A Wedding For The Ages by pupeez4eva (Not rated, 6k, wangxian, time travel, humor, everyone lives au)

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5. hii for the next itmf do you know any fics where wwx disappears for some time and then comes back kinda changed and everyone is shocked? pls wangxian and preferably modern au

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6. Hi!! Do you guys know any fics that are alternative takes to the scene in the untamed where WWX drinks the wine for LWJ?? or anything that expands on that scene, really?? Many thanks!!

At the bottom of the bottle, you're the poison in the wine by KatAnni (T, 11k, WangXian, Fainting, Angst, Poisoning, Golden Core Reveal, Fix-It, Hurt/Comfort, POV Multiple, Attempted Murder, hinted Chengqing, Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Fix-It of Sorts, Canon Divergence)

every breath that comes before by tardigradeschool (T, 10k, WangXian, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Poison, Golden Core Reveal, Sharing a Bed, Hair Brushing, very very background 3zun, Angst with a Happy Ending, PTSD)

Blackouts by GravityWinsAgain (M, 11k, wangxian, modern, date rape drugs/roofies, but nothing bad happens, JZxun & SS & WC being assholes, hurt/comfort, Mojo’s post) starts with a modern au of that scene

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7. do u know of any fanfictions where the avatar movie crossed with mdzs? The one with the na'vi in it. @chrystalstitch

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8. Are there any protective wen Ning fics? Wn protective for wwx

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9. Itmf a)scholar wwx fics

b) lxc bashing

9A)

🧡 Stunted, Starving Juvenility by TomatenMark (E, 644k, WangXian, WIP, Fix-it of sorts, Talisman master WWX, Not JFM Friendly, Study Arc, Getting together, Fluff and Angst, Engagement)

Truths Laid Bare For All by Preludian_Staves (T, 42k, wangxian, arranged marriage, not Jiang friendly, truth serum, love confessions, golden core reveal, implied referenced abuse, getting to know each other, genius WWX, falling in love, courting, WIP (hiatus))

In Walls of Glass by Comfect (T, 43k, LQR & WWX, WangXian, XiCheng, Good Uncle LQR, Teacher LQR, Canon Divergence, Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Fix-It, Butterfly Effect, JC friendly, Family Feels, Cultivation Theory, POV LQR, Seriously the only WWX Bashing is in the first chapter or so and is canonical in LQR's head, Initial WWX Bashing, Eventual WWX Appreciation, JC appreciation)

🧡 One Can Keep A Secret (If He Does Not Know It's There) by H_Belle (T, 5k, WangXian, Modern Cultivators, Inventor WWX, Secret Identity, Identity Reveal, YLLZ WWX, Rogue Cultivator WWX, Pining LWJ, POV WWX, Background Wangxian Getting Together, Jiangs are only mentioned in the passing, inspired by a tumblr post)

To Respect a Scholar by FlautistsandPeonies (G, 5k, wangxian, LQR & WWX, WWX's canon genius, not JC friendly, author WWX)

Lessons relearned by Iamnotawriter (T, 44k, WangXian, LQR & WWX, Not Madam Yu Friendly, Time Travel Fix-It, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon-Typical Violence, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Inventor WWX, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, No Golden Core Transfer, YZY Bashing) (link in #4A)

the roots in my heart (also grow in yours) by halfdemonvash (M, 16k, WangXian, Modern AU, Plants, Botanist WWX, Botanist LWJ, the burial mounds are a greenhouse, Fluff, Mild Smut, WWX POV, Getting Together, Falling In Love, Sexual Content)

🧡 i really want to know (who are you) by Stratisphyre (M, 19k, WangXian, Modern with Magic, Golden Core Reveal, Single Dad WWX, Reasonable Authority Figure LQR, Allusions to violence and murder, Hospitalization)

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10. Hello! Thank you so much for all you do - your posts bring me joy. 🥰 For the next ITMF post, any fics where WWX or LWJ (or both) are circus performers? Thank you! @youhideastar

Flying High and Falling Hard by UseMyMuse (E, wangxian, circus au, silk aerialist WWX, ring master LWJ)

🧡 Faire thee well by Scrippio (T, 77k, WangXian, ChengQing, XuanLi, 3Zun, Modern AU, Renaissance Faire, Mutual Pining, Fluff, Domestic Fluff, Slow Burn) They don't work at the circus, but they do work at the renaissance faire, and I think there's some overlap

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11. Hello! I dont know if I should label this as fic finder or ITMF or maybe both.

its a fic where lwj and lxc compete for wwx's heart. i know that ive read one like this but i cant find it anymore [its a series where wwx died right, then when he came back, lxc said to lwj that if wwx chose him before, lxc will stand beside him (talking about the siege)] but i also want to read some fics like this. Added also to FF ~Mod L

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12. Hello, I want to request some fics for the next ITMF. Is there fics where everyone (the jiangs or whoever his family/friends is) is being overprotective over a naive, oblivious and spoiled wei ying that they regarded lan zhan as a thief who wants to steal away and defile wy? Thanks you in advance ppl ♡

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13. Hey! Thanks for all you do! I was wondering if you know of any really good CSSR-centric fics for the next ITMF post. Thank you in advance!

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14. Hi! For the intmf, do you have any recs for where wangxian gets together early like during the Cloud Recesses Arc? Preferably WWX's POV, and the relationship is mostly kept as a secret. But I don't mind them being shameless abt it either lol.

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15. ITMF where Lan Wangji is cradling his husband Wei Wuxian's unconscious body @yupkook​

Talismans by brooklinegirl (E, 10k, wangxian)

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16. ITMF the lans found out about the whip marks at the back of wwx. It can be jiang bashing, good lans, anything like lans rescued wwx / give him sanctuary or any.

💙 Holding shreds by barisan (T, 5k, WangXian, Cloud Recesses Study Arc, No Sunshot Campaign, Body Swap, Not for sexy shenanigans, Chronic Pain, Hurt WWX, Hurt LWJ, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Abusive YZY, Bad Parent YZY, Bad Parent JFM, Good Uncle LQR, Hurt/Comfort, Medical Inaccuracies, POV  WWX, Angst with a Happy Ending, Jiāng Family Bashing, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Getting Together, Smart WWX)

Warming up (to him) by barisan (T, 9k, LQR & WWX, WangXian, Hypothermia, Cloud Recesses Study Arc, Temporary Character Death, Medical Inaccuracies, YZY Abuses WWX, JFM Bashing, pre-wangxian, Good Uncle LQR, Angst with a Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort) this one and "Holding shreds" from the same author, but they are both locked

What If..... Jiang Cheng Understood? by ToxicAngel13 (M, 45k, WIP, WangXian, Cloud Recesses Study Arc, WangXian Get Married in the Cold Springs Cave, Protective JC, Confused WWX, Angry LWJ, Fix-It of Sorts, Good Uncle LQR, Implied/Referenced Child Abus, ePOV LQR, YZY Bashing, POV JFM, Not JFM Friendly, Hurt/Comfort,Protective NHS) Just caught up on this last night, so good timing!

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17. are there any wangxian fics where post canon (any time period is fine really) where they find out wwx and lwj are actually blood related? @sentientcongee

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If you didn’t get an answer to your ask here, don’t forget to make use of @mdzs-kinkmeme and MDZS KINK MEME on Dreamwidth. Authors actually do use them for ideas. You may get what  you order!***Your prompt doesn’t have to be kink! Fluff, crack,  whatever - it’s all good!***

[stormbreaker101]

Music(ology) headcanons! Part 2

My friend @klaraflamez and I have been writing a shared story based upon the wizard101 AUs we made independently. Things go somewhat off the rails, and so these headcanons that we made for Music absolutely do not work for canon, which is part of why I'm making this post separate.

An overview of our AUs:

In both Corrupted Spiral (my AU) and the Cleaved AU (Klara's), the Spiral learned so heavily on its dependency upon its Wizard that it led to the Wizards' demises. In CS, before Arc 4 could properly begin, Nora lashed out in fury, sick of being Nothing but a title and weapon, and abandons the Spiral. In Cleaved, Scarlet was killed in the final fight of Lemuria, a 1v8, abandoned and alone because the Spiral assumed she would have handled it.

The main characters of the next generation after the two Wizards (~0-5 years after Nora's departure and 25 years after Scarlet's death) each realize that even though they're not The Wizard, they still have a duty to serve the good of the Spiral.

Overall there's a major theme of destiny and responsibility not falling on just one person's shoulders. The Wizard is not the only Paradox, and the primordial magics of Light, Shadow, and Music are no longer reserved for the Wizard and the gods. They become proper schools, integrated with the other ten (7 playable schools + 3 Astrals).

I've written and come up with spells for the Music school, as one of the characters I'm writing ends up as the Scion of Music, while Klara's writing the revamped Shadow and Light schools because her OCs become the Scions for those.

More details on Music as its own school in CCSAU (both lorewise and mechanicswise because i am gamerpilled), and all the spells themselves plus their explanations (where I derived inspiration from) are under the cut!

Music is the magic of creation. 'Outgoing' mechanics are the name of the game. It is a major hitter like Fire and Storm, but also has access to heals like the more defensive Life magic that came from the Song of Creation. Music's greatest weakness is that it is a major glass cannon, with no spells in its repertoire able to mitigate incoming damage.

The reason Music is tied to Fire and Storm alongside Life lorewise is because the Scion of Music first studied Fire and Storm magic alongside Musicology, before Music was its own school. Our Scion shaped Music as much as Music shaped him.

Now onto the spells themselves!

MAINLINE (primarily ATTACKING) SPELLS:

1 pip - Lyrebird - 90-130 damage. Based on the lyre instrument, and also a nod to Lyra, the fanon Music school tree in the Cleaved AU.

2 pip - Trombun - 220-260 damage. A pun on trombone and bunny.

3 pip - Earworm - 500 damage over 3 turns. Colloquially, earworms are catchy bits of song that just stay in your head and WON'T GET OUT, which is the inspiration for making this spell a pesky overtime. Also, taken from the Earworm/Brainworm mobs in Empyrea.

4 pip - Melodeer -  465-525, + 20% heal OR damage blade to self. Melody + deer. Here we begin to see some utility and niche poke its way into spells so that they're not plain and pure damage. Also, just to balance Music against the other 'hitter' schools a little bit more, it doesn't get a 4-pip AoE.

5 pip - Volta Bracken - 400 damage AND 400 health to self. A reference to volta brackets (an element in musical notation), with language nodding at Storm and Life magic (volt as in electricity, bracken as in a kind of plant). Yes this spell is an objectively better version of Beary Surprise. I hate Beary Surprise so much why is the bear both anthro and nude. why does he fucking smile like that. why can i see the whites of his eyes. WHY THE HUG?

6 pip - Resonance - 525-610 damage + remove all blades on 1 target. A single-target version of Myth's dreaded Earthquake.

7 pip - Horschestra - 700 damage to all enemies. Your classic 7-pip AOE. Horse + Orchestra, taken from a song in the Homestuck OST because it made me laugh tbh.

8 pip - Revivace - 1200 Heal to all allies. Name derived from Revive (synonym of Rebirth) and Vivace (musical mood). Meant to be a parallel to Life’s Rebirth spell, since Bartleby is the closest thing to a Music school tree in CS. However Rebirth gives an absorb-shield, which counts as temporary HP even if the spell heals someone to full, while Revivace has no extra defense.

9 pip - Crescendo! -  100 damage turn 1, then a DoT for 200, 300, then 400 damage, to all enemies. Crescendo is a musical term for "get gradually louder"

10 pip (Azteca) - Ceramic Drake - 1000 damage to 1 target, then 625 damage to all enemies over 3 rounds. The first of Music's spells that take on aesthetics derived from the world they're learned in. It takes inspiration from the tlapitzalli, an Aztec flute-like instrument made of ceramic.

5 pip + Shadow (Darkmoor) - Rehubution - 810 damage + 25% Music trap to all enemies. The spell's name comes from the word Retribution and the rehu, an instrument made by the Māori of Aotearoa. All of the canon Darkmoor spells are actually Khrysalis themed, and @chrono101 (now deactivated) made a really cool post about how the Hoppers had Aotearoan references that I remembered while coming up with this post. The effect in combat is derived from Fire from Above before it was nerfed and then slaughtered.

6 pip + Shadow (Polaris) - Luphilymn - 1260 damage, +1 turn to Damage over Times (DoTs) on enemy and +1 turn to Heal over Times (HoTs) on self. Luphilim + Hymn.

4 pip + Shadow (Mirage) - Spirit of the Groove - 900 damage, divided between targets (like all other Mirage spells). This spell is less a reference to something Miragian, and more a nod to a character who had a major impact on the Scion of Music's development. Ceramic Drake, Luphilhymn, and the upcoming spells of Ramalong and Jungle Drum Jam also are nods to characters that the Scion of Music was greatly supported by.

X-pip + Shadow (Karamelle) - Ramalong - 220 damage per pip. A blend of sing-along and the candy rams. This spell is an X-pip because there are a handful of songs/lullabies about counting sheep. Count your pips up!

6 pip + Shadow (Lemuria) - Jungle Drum Jam - 850 damage to all enemies, +40% Music blade AND +40% heal blade to self. Taken from this once-off moment in Lemuria where Bantam says that he and the Koolakamba just casually use advanced musicology for the sake of boogieing.

The effect is taken DIRECTLY from the far superior path of the Life Lemuria spell, Lord of the Jungle, before KI nerfed it to bits. I am so fucking mad about the nerf. I fucking liked having a decent shadow AoE on my Life and now it's useless again. <- had to get my gamer rage out sorry.

1 pip + Fire pip + Storm pip (Novus) - Tempo Inferno - 800 damage, gambit 1 blade into a DoT for 500 over 4 turns, gambit 1 trap into a HoT for 500 HP over 4 turns. Tempo refers to the speed of a musical piece, and both pieces of this spell's name are nods to Storm and Fire as well (Temp- for tempest, Storm's most iconic spell, Inferno for fire). This spell would also hold visual reference to that one sidequest about how clocks don't work on Novus.

1 pip + Death pip + Myth pip (Wallaru) - Crab Grave - 575 damage to all enemies. A reference to the extinct Juggernaut crabs of Wallaru, the still living Tasmanian giant crab, and the legendary Crab Rave meme. Given that all of the Wallaru spells' archmastery pips are the ones backwards from the Novus spells' pips, it made sense to make Crab Grave's pips the roshambo opposite to Tempo Inferno's. Myth is the roshambo opposite of Storm, and Death is the roshambo opposite of Fire. Don't believe me on Death and Fire? Look at how Balance's Novus gear has 3 variants that pair Ice-Life, Storm-Myth, and Fire-Death as its archschools. No I don't know why the Balance Wallaru spell is Death-Storm instead of Death-Fire I don't get it <- gamer raging again.

UTILITY SPELLS:

There are some utility spells that every school gets access to, simply changed per school: the basic Blade and Trap and Shield are simply named Music Blade, Music Trap, and Music Shield, because they're standardized for all the schools (Except Ice Shield, which is actually Snow Shield, for whatever reason?). Though, to put a wrinkle into things and keep with Music's theming as hyper-outgoing, Music Trap is the only ward spell (a spell that affects incoming damage rather than outgoing) that Music gets permanent access to. Music Shield would be TC only. Traps get special treatment because of Maulwurf von Trap existing. I like the guy don't @ me.

Then there's the utility spells that are just about the same for each school but with unique names. These include:

the 2 pip damage bubble - Circle of Fifths, after an important element in music theory. +25% damage to all outgoing Music spells AND +25% to all outgoing Music heals (the boost to healing alongside damage is unique to Music. Life gets Circle of Thorns (+25% damage) and Sanctuary (+60% healing) as two different bubbles.)

the 4-pip critical and pierce bubble - Acoustic Arena, +15% Music critical and +20% Music pierce.

the dispel - Mute

the Taunt/Pacify - Soloist, Taunts the enemy for 2 turns, making you the only target they can hit. Yes, having a glass cannon school gain taunt is a bit poor in game design, typically you want your glass cannons to have some form of Pacify so that they're not killed as quickly, but thematically Music becoming a loud center of attention makes more sense to me.

the complementary triad shield - Eclipse Shield, -70% incoming Light and Shadow damage. The parallel to Storm's Thermic Shield (-70% Fire and Ice) or Death's Dream Shield (-70% Life and Myth). Like Music Shield, because this spell is both a staple piece of utility that every school should have access to and a defensive ward that goes against Music's school identity, it would only exist as a treasure card.

The level 75 minion from The Professor - Baronness Webberfeld - 5 pips, summon a minion of Music. She is a reference to Baronness Elberfeld, a minor character from the Sound of Music. Because I had to get a reference to that in. Because I am normal about Maulwurf von Trap and his source media.

And then we get to the unique utility spells, the gimmicks that gives Music its identity in-game or give it thematic support.

Tune Up - 0 pips, +20% accuracy to the next outgoing Music spell. A parallel to Storm's Lightning Strike (which back in my day only gave +10% accuracy, not +25%). Music spells have a base accuracy of 70% like Storm, so the accuracy buff would be greatly needed at lower levels.

Bangsnap! - 2 pips, Confuse or stun each enemy for 1 turn.

Gurdy-hurdy - 3 pips, Confuse or stun each enemy for 2 turns.

Bangsnap and Gurdyhurdy go together, I'm thinking of them being from the Grizzleheim and Wintertusk spell quests at level 35 and 55. Bang snaps are small explosives that only release a loud sound but do no damage. Gurdy-hurdy is a reference to another in-game moment.

(The hurdy-gurdy, un-reversed, is a kind of musical instrument.)

And, yep! Myth is no longer the only school with the Confusion mechanic! Yippee! (I can hear the gamerbro players scream.) This is because before Music became a standalone school in CCSAU, Klara had the idea that, the way some Wizard101 spells are musicological despite not being in the school of Music, some Pirate101 abilities are inherently musicological as well, namely Blast of Discord.

And this is an ability that our Scion of Music was able to learn before Music became an independent school, so rather than take that ability away from him, we decided to incorporate it into Music's entire repertoire.

Leitmotif - 2 pips, 305 HP to 1 target, then 305 more HP 3 turns later. A leitmotif is a snippet of a musical melody that comes back later in a piece or in another piece (Toby Fox, one of my favorite composers, uses leitmotifs to the MAX.)

Sonatyr - 4 pip, 650 Health + 30% Healing Blade to all. Satyr + Sonata. Does less health than Life's Satyr because I don't want to completely upstage Life, but giving an extra blade to everyone is useful. It buffs every healer, and would count for any blade-based gambits/secondary effects.

Adagio - 1 pip, +1 turn to a HoT on an ally or to a DoT on an enemy. Adagio means for a piece of music to slow down.

Allegro - 1 pip, -1 turn to a HoT on an enemy or to a DoT on an ally. Allegro means for a piece of music to speed up.

Adagio and Allegro are spells that go together. If they were to be implemented in-game, I'd have them be learned at the same time. Having a spell that does different things depending on whether it's on an ally or enemy is really interesting to me, though it would be a pain in the ass to code.

Encore - 5 pips, force your target to cast the same spell for the next 2 turns. Encore, of course, means "to play again". Taken directly from Pokemon because why not?

Baton Pass - X pips, give your blades to an ally, universal and at half-value, (1 pip per blade). Also derived from Pokemon because why not? The half-value gimmick comes from Bantam's cheat of "I'll be taking that, thanks!" Where he replaces a blade you cast on someone else with a universal blade of half value. The devs intended that cheat to be annoying and discourage buffing one player to the max, but it's actually a REALLY HANDY mechanic when used correctly. The half-value blade would count as a unique blade that therefore stacks with whatever other blades your ally has.

Perfect Pitch - 1 pip, +20% accuracy to all allies. Perfect pitch is defined as the ability to tell exactly what note(s) a sound is without any reference. This spell would be copy-pasted over from Life, and also derived from the Pirate101 abilities Call to Arms and Esprit de Corps, which both boost your team's accuracy. (Esprit also gives dodge, a stat that I cannot find any way to translate into Wizard101 that wouldn't be a defensive ward, which Music does not do). The animations for those two powers feature musical instruments (a drum and a trumpet), which makes it feel very musicological to me and therefore fitting for Music itself.

Fortissimo! - 2 pips, +15% Critical chance to all allies. Fortissimo is music speak for "BE FUCKING LOUD!" This spell is derived from the Pirate101 abilities Discipline and Enduring Discipline, which (are supposed to) give +5% and +10% critical chance to all allies. (I have heard that the abilities that purely increase critical chance rather than another stat simply don't work because Pirate101's code is made out of silly string, but that's besides the point). There are very few spells that affect critical, so it's a niche that Music could fill in if it wanted to.

This probably isn't even enough utility, Wizard101 has a SURPRISING amount of spells it throws at you. It's such an in-depth game. I love it. I am normal about Wizard101.

Also, Klara was absolutely AMAZING and drew some of the spells!