#elemmacil writes

[elemmacil]

A Bit of Earth

Hades Game | Achilles & Zagreus | Chapters 7/7 | 58k | Rated M

Before the young god-prince learns of his mother and plots his escape, Zagreus wishes for a bit of earth to plot a garden.

Achilles recalls the olive trees, the mighty oak in its courtyard, the willow by the river. Campanula in their earthy beds. Never could he have imagined he would understand them: their peace, their patience, their bliss.

[Ao3]

[darlingpoppet]

WIP Wednesday

I got tagged by @johaerys-writes & @baejax-the-great … tysm guys! <3 I’m currently putting the finishing touches on the next chapter of Liminal Spaces, and we’ve made it to the part of the story where I have given the blorbos my own incredibly cringe-but-free niche internet interests. I’m considering even making direct links in the fic text to make the whole thing a bit more interactive, hmm… thoughts? Anyways I’m tagging @calyxcurl @zorthania @elemmacil @sonderlivra & @levislattes in case there’s anything you wanna share! <3

“Lifetime by Surfing,” Achilles says suddenly to Patroclus when the song in question appears in the playlist rotation. “Tell me which song it is sampling and by whom, or pay the penalty.”

Patroclus closes his eyes to listen, brow furrowed with concentration.

“That has to be Eugene Wilde,” he says after a while. “The song is called ‘Personality’.”

Achilles clicks his tongue, perhaps lamenting the missed opportunity to playfully torment Patroclus for a bit. “I thought for sure that would get you… it was a modest hit only in the UK in nineteen eighty-four.”

“Who is Eugene Wilde?” Zagreus asks. “I’ve never heard of him.”

“He had a couple of number one hits in the eighties,” Patroclus says.

“On the R&B charts,” Achilles clarifies. “He never charted above seventy-sixth place on the US pop charts.”

“Oh, interesting,” says Zagreus, who can only nod along. He listens as another song begins to play: Boot, by Macintosh Plus. “I have to admit, I don’t really understand the appeal of this music. They just slow down old random pop songs to make them sound distorted and creepy, and anyone can do that. It takes no effort or imagination whatsoever.”

“What do you mean!?” Achilles exclaims, once again so loudly that it makes Zagreus jolt with the shock of it. “So by that logic, do you think a literal toilet bowl with a couple of words scribbled on the side couldn’t become one of the most influential and thought-provoking works of art of the twentieth century just because ‘anyone could do it’?” Achilles taps pointedly at his temple. “It’s the ideas behind the art that make them brilliant. If everyone could do it then someone else would have done it first, and then it wouldn’t have meant anything!”

Even frivolous arguments like these between Zagreus and his father had always felt like life-or-death—fraught with tension, fear, and anger, a thing that he had to survive. But despite his passion, there is no anger in Achilles’ tone or expression—his wide, toothy grin flashes with amusement—this argument is a game to him, and even if he wants to win, the stakes are low. It helps Zagreus to relax, to meet such friendly sparring in kind.

“All right then, tell me,” he scoffs back. “What sort of ideas are they trying to get across?”

[wesleytreehouse]

my contribution to trigun fanfic appreciation week

been going back and forth over whether to share some of my faves from last summer but yk what you only live once.

a tide of tender mercies by gloriousporpoise (vashwood, 23K, E) -- the ultimate post-canon tristamp fix-it, genuinely such a lovely self-contained story arc. if you're up for the emotional investment and a slightly longer fic this one is so worth it.

good lord, i feel like i'm dyin' by elemmacil (vashwood, M, 1K) -- I don't read AUs like at all but this is my exception. super short modern rock band AU that just hits all the right notes.

everything by goldenglitz, who writes some of my favorite t4t vashwood and just nails the trimax dynamic. a lot of vashwood tends to kind of smooth down their rough edges and these fics really embrace it instead.

... and I think that's how much I want to out myself on favorite fics for today. go check some of these out!

@trigunfanfic

[somereaderinblue]

It's already Day 6 of Trigun Fanfiction Appreciation Week. I don't want any regrets so here goes: I give you a VW mpreg rec list. If this isn't your cup of tea, that's fine. If it is:

what I am trying to cultivate… by Altered-Havoc (Altered_Karma)

100/10, I've lost count on how many times I reread this. Both of them have suffered & after everything, they finally get a soft epilogue. Angst? Who dat? This is 80% comfort to me.

Surprise, Wolfwood! It's A Bouncing Baby Plant! by @attackofthezee, rated T

WW returns from the dead & there's a surprise waiting for him. 3 guesses as to what it is.

Until The End by squishycake, rated E

“Someone has to leave first. This is a very old story. There is no other version of this story.” – Richard Siken A bittersweet fic wherein an aging WW makes peace with his mortality but not before Vash two new lives.

Innocent Souls by NaughtyJacks (JackalJamboree), rated T

In a quiet moment, Vash asks WW to bless the two blessings he carries. Vash knows WW is still keeping secrets from him, but he also knows that he's decided to choose Vash & his kids over them. And that only makes him love him more.

o' light, won't you shine (upon souls of youth) by seventhgiver (fifthgiver), rated T

Another bittersweet fic wherein WW still faces his canon death, but Meryl & Milly are there to support Vash through thick & thin. There's angst, but it really does have a happy ending.

dear star and spring bud, my preachers by elemmacil, rated T

Post-canon AU where VW have a child. Does a great job at depicting their awe over the fact that they were allowed to make this dream their reailty.

I've Taken to Calling Him Nico by mak000000, rated G

Short one-shot wherein Vash tells WW that the little boy he assumed to be Lina's baby brother is in fact someone's kid. 3 guesses as to who's the father.

i’d give you the sun (i’d give you the sun) by justotherdays, rated M

Set post-Trimax, full of nothing but tenderness & a much deserved happy ending.

This is not humanity's song, this is ours by O_ToJoy, rated M & T

An AU where Knives's victory is short-live & WW has to pick up the pieces, one of said pieces being Nikolai. He's 16 years too late, but that won't stop him from trying.

Talk About Timing by lucifergooseifer (Lucifergooseifer), rated M

A small detour causes everything to NOT go according to plan. BUT! Nothing (too) bad happens, I swear.

A Black Angel at Your Side by hazeltea (madlovescience), rated E

I would've listed this at the top but then I read it, cried, & slapped it here. I want to devour this but also throw up. On a side note, I like how this fic depicts Livio's still somewhat religious view on Plants & how said view is deeply embedded in NML's culture, which causes conflict with the Earth Federation. There's also a Meryl POV chapter where she justifiably remains wary of Livio/Razlo, which really individualizes her. Also has fanart.

Flower Dew, Deep Waters, Desert Thirst & Use My Heart by cloudbureiku, rated E & M

Aside from smut, there's also tender caring & non-sexual intimacy, all of which are three of many reasons why VW is our bread & butter.

Lavender by @vaporame

Gotta love it when Plant pregnancy involves markings & telepathic bonds. Totally makes breaking the news to your s/o less nerve-wracking. Their other VW works are also recommended.

Modern AUs

To Build a Home by hielhue, rated G

Everyone is alive & happy, and WW narrates how he met Vash, fell in love & started a family.

cause everything else is a substitute for your love by @sascake, rated M

VW have a bad history when it comes to using protection despite one of them ironically owning a sex shop. They're not perfect but they make it work.

little moment verse by justotherdays, rated G & M

VW's journey as parents. In the second fic in the series, the author isn't afraid to write how some parents, no matter how much they love their child, still inevitably struggle. Which is why it's important to have support.

devil on your shoulder (or the angel laying on your tummy) & paint the town red by cloudbureiku, not rated & G

The former guest stars the one & only Kuroneko while the latter shows us why it really isn't advisable for heavily pregnant parents to sit on the floor.

[elemmacil]

if you're looking for a sign: this is it

Trigun | Vash/Wolfwood | AU | Chapter 4/6 | 33.2k

Nicholas D. Wolfwood has taken over sign duty for Saint Michael’s. Across the street, Vash Saverem is giving out free hugs.

When he’s through with it Saint Michael’s sign reads WHOEVER IS PRAYING FOR RAIN PLEASE STOP. From where he’s hobbled up to the opposing curb, Vash is smiling with all his teeth. “What if I told you I’d been hoping for rain for a while, now?” he calls cheekily.

[Ao3]

[elemmacil]

the fair wizard and the salmon of praesidis

Critical Role | Caleb/Essek | 4.3k | Rated G

On their second trip into Aeor, Caleb and Essek just wanted to end a long, tiring day by curling up in bed together. Maybe in another reality.

“Herr Shadowhand,” he intones as flat and long-sufferingly as possible while the curl of his mouth trembles traitorously, “I thought we agreed, no more arcane bullshit today.” If Essek were currently capable of speech he’d have something endearingly bitchy to say about that, no doubt.

[Ao3]

[elemmacil]

"Blaspheming Rhapsody" | Trigun | Vash/Wolfwood | Explicit | 8.1k

Vash does have his priorities in order, thank you. Wolfwood will come to learn this. Or maybe he’ll just come.

For all the lambasting he’s wont to do about battlefield tactics and triage and self-preservation and whatnot, Wolfwood is the one awfully preoccupied with the contents of Vash’s coat. “You packed your strap,” he hears Wolfwood mutter behind him, aghast, as they move quickly across yet another rooftop, “but not even a single bullet?”

Edit: new link because I accidentally deleted this fic and had to repost it completely. RIP to me.

[elemmacil]

WIP! From the next upcoming chapter of “if you’re looking for a sign: this is it.” 🤲🏼🥰

Knowing Vash, that could mean anything from a ten minute walk to an hours-long trek by foot, bus, and steamer.

Sighing sharply through his nose, Nicholas bats the knuckles of his loose fist against the side of Vash’s jaw. Barely hard enough to move him, but Vash lets his head go a little with the motion. A cute wrinkle forms between his brows.

“Blondie. Cut it out.” Before Vash can think about protesting, Nicholas forges on. “I wouldn’t offer if it was gonna be an imposition, or whatever else you’re worried about. ‘Sides, I’m Catholic. I love a charity case, didn’t you know? Earns me some of those get-outta-Hell points. Lord knows I need ‘em.”

Vash softens visibly, lips parting on a breathy little laugh. Nicholas won’t hold it against him if he still declines; but at least the way Vash’s mouth has quirked now is almost warm.

[elemmacil]

dear star and spring bud, my preachers

Trigun | Vash/Wolfwood | 2.9k

After all is said and done, Vash and Wolfwood have a child.

Vash doesn’t need to see Wolfwood’s face to know what is there, naked and raw and irrevocable as a gut wound. He is caught, the same as Vash is, in a place between awe and devastation. Where joy is so sharp it cuts. Grief’s twin, Vash thinks.

[Ao3]

[elemmacil]

For WIP Wed! <3 This is from one of the very first Vash/Wolfwood projects I started, several months back. It may well wind up being a work that gets absorbed into other works, but. Mainly I wanted to write about Vash and Wolfwood both being aware of but deciding not to acknowledge their feelings for one another because of how much more complicated and fraught it’d make their lives. Except, then they’re put up by somebody from Vash’s past, who is still pining away for him many years later, and it stirs up all that gunk in their hearts, and [handwave] something something

“Not often we get a view like this, huh.”

Without waiting for permission, Vash joins Wolfwood on the gently sloping roof. Folding his long legs under himself and leaning back on his prosthetic hand. With a gentle sigh, Vash smiles.

So that he doesn’t get caught up on tracing the slope of Vash’s nose or contemplating the softness of his hair like a sad sack, Wolfwood follows the direction of his gaze. Below them is the flat stretch of Jaye’s property, where thoma are curled up and slumbering peacefully. Away beyond the edge of Goldcrest’s plateau is what looks and feels like an endless expanse of gently rolling waves of sand under an even more endless expanse of velvety dark sky flecked with stars. To the north, a cluster of glowing worms moves across the sky like a ribbon caught in the wind.

If Wolfwood were the sentimental type he might admit that it’s as close to beautiful as things really get, on No Man’s Land.

“Mm,” Wolfwood agrees.

Quiet settles between them for a while. Not exactly the easy, comfortable kind that Wolfwood’s grown accustomed to. With a stifled sigh, he stubs out his cigarette against a roof tile.

“So what’s the story, there, hm?”

Vash doesn’t startle or feign ignorance. He’s been expecting the question. Unless Wolfwood is misreading the way Vash’s shoulders dip, he might even be relieved to finally answer it. Huh, Wolfwood thinks without humor. That’s a first.

“Jaye’s a good person. A little rough around the edges, some would say,” Vash’s lips quirk. There’s a joke there that Wolfwood is missing. “But kind. She, uh. I was in a bad way when we met. Didn’t exactly make a good first impression, but… But she helped me when she didn’t have to, and didn’t want anything in return. I convinced her I could help around the ranch for a while, anyway, which went fine until there were a herd of thoma running amok through town. Ugh, it was a nightmare.”

Covering his face with a hand, Vash laughs. Nightmare or not, the memory is obviously fond. Wolfwood forces a smile.

[elemmacil]

if you're looking for a sign: this is it

Trigun | Vash/Wolfwood | Chapters 3/5 | 21k | Romcom 'Modern' AU

Nicholas D. Wolfwood has taken over sign duty for Saint Michael’s. Across the street, Vash Saverem is giving out free hugs.

“Nosy, ain’tcha.” Nicholas snorts, ignoring Vash entirely. “It’s my…friend. Vash.” Eyla’s curiosity ripens into disbelief. And with all the merciless, guileless honesty only a kid he’d lay down his life for could get away with, declares, “But you don’t have any friends.” On the other end of the line Vash chokes back a laugh. “Ouch,” he squeaks. He sounds way too amused for Nicholas’ liking.

[Ao3]

[elemmacil]

I'm in the middle of a few Trigun & Vash/Wolfwood WIPs right now, one of which is posting ("if you're looking for a sign: this is it"), but I'm really pumped to write a sequel to "blaspheming rhapsody." So here's a snippet from "BLASPHEMING RHAPSODY: THE REMIX" ! In which there's twice the shenanigans and strap fucking 🤲🏼✨

Wolfwood catches a glint of something in one of his side views around mid-morning that, in the time it takes for him to wipe some of the yellow dust off the mirror with his thumb, multiplies into two somethings. Then rapidly into four. “Oh, fuck me,” he mutters. Over the wind and the purr of Angelina’s engine, he calls, “Look alive, spikey. We’ve got the Horsemen on our tail. Hey. I said rise and shine, you!” Wolfwood lifts his foot off the peg to aim a kick towards Vash’s knees, where he’s been curled up in the sidecar like a swaddled baby snoring away the past hour. Really, Wolfwood hates to wake him. Lord knows the guy hasn’t gotten much more than spare fifteen-minute power naps in days. For that matter, neither has Wolfwood. Groggily, Vash stirs. Blue eyes cracking open behind his sunglasses before wincing closed again. He wriggles and turns over, pulling the collar of his coat up to hide his face. “Wha—hey! Are you ignoring me, you little shit?” Wolfwood scoffs. Vash says something he doesn’t catch. “Huh? Gotta speak up.” “I said,” Vash raises his voice, all petulant and irritating, “if they start shooting, I’ll get up.”

[elemmacil]

if you’re looking for a sign, this is it

Trigun | Vash/Wolfwood | Chapters 3/5 | 21k

Nicholas D. Wolfwood has taken over sign duty for Saint Michael’s. Across the street, Vash Saverem is giving out free hugs.

“Nosy, ain’tcha.” Nicholas snorts, ignoring Vash entirely. “It’s my…friend. Vash.” Eyla’s curiosity ripens into disbelief. And with all the merciless, guileless honesty only a kid he’d lay down his life for could get away with, declares, “But you don’t have any friends.” On the other end of the line Vash chokes back a laugh. “Ouch,” he squeaks. He sounds way too amused for Nicholas’ liking.

[Ao3]

[elemmacil]

"IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A SIGN: THIS IS IT."

Trigun | Vash/Wolfwood | Chapters 1/5 | 3.8k

Nicholas D. Wolfwood has taken over sign duty for Saint Michael’s. Across the street, Vash Saverem is giving out free hugs.

When Nicholas finally looks up, it’s to find a tall blond in an oversized red coat waving frantically at him from across the street. So, that’s who’s been yelling variations on ‘hey!’ for the last two minutes. He cups a gleaming metal hand around his mouth to shout. “I like your sign!” The sign in question is Saint Michael’s. And it now reads HAVING TROUBLE SLEEPING? TRY ONE OF OUR SERMONS.

[Ao3]

[elemmacil]

“BLASPHEMING RHAPSODY”

Trigun | Vash/Wolfwood | Explicit | 8.1k

Vash does have his priorities in order, thank you. Wolfwood will come to learn this. Or maybe he’ll just come.

For all the lambasting he’s wont to do about battlefield tactics and triage and self-preservation and whatnot, Wolfwood is the one awfully preoccupied with the contents of Vash’s coat. “You packed your strap,” he hears Wolfwood mutter behind him, aghast, as they move quickly across yet another rooftop, “but not even a single bullet?”

(I accidentally deleted this whole fic off ao3, am a little devastated about it, but here is the re-post. I hope everyone who bookmarked it before is able to find it again ♥)

[elemmacil]

ok ok one more for WIP Wed! This is from my Achilles & Zagreus fic “A Bit of Earth.” 🤲🏼

“I take it the new decor is your doing?” Achilles guesses, next he sees Zagreus. Freshly returned from Elysium, and in good spirits despite this latest failed attempt at breaching the surface.

“You’ll have to be more specific, I’m afraid.” Zagreus tips his head, a mischievous smile pulling at his lips. “I’ve kept the good contractor very busy lately.”

“To your lord father’s chagrin, I’m sure.”

“Someone puts together the requisitions, and it isn’t me. Well, it’s not always me.”

In a low, conspiratorial whisper, Achilles says, “You aren’t suggesting that Lord Hades is who asked for such a remarkable glittering skull to be displayed in the lounge?”

Delighted, Zagreus’ smile broadens into a grin. “Suppose there’s no way to know for certain he didn’t.”

“Tell me, how are you managing it, anyway? The flowers.”

“I’ve had some help.” Now Zagreus moves to perch on the edge of one of the pedestals bracketing Achilles’ post, settling in for a longer conversation. “Eurydice, she loves to talk about trees. Obviously, what with being a forest nymph and all. She found a way to grow things in Asphodel.”