#especially hyde i need to update him

[fox-guardian]

What'd you do before tma?

I drew Jekyll and Hyde mostly, and occasionally other gothic lit stuff. I should redesign my guys at some point, they could use a real refresh.

[blueparadis]

꒰ WHEN WE COLLIDED ꒱ ⋮ RAN HITANI.

───❪ SYNOPSIS ❫ ⋮ A decision always changes the course of one's life but mainly it affects just one person, the one who takes the decision. However, an accident doesn't, it affects more than one person. Ran seems to believe he can have both in his favor if he plays his cards at the right time.

───❪ TAGS ❫ ⋮ MDNI, 18+ & M RATING.

(sub!)ran haitani x (switch!)fem!reader, one sided pinning, manipulation, death via accident ( MCD ), fruity!ran agenda, yandere themes, mention of implied cheating, domestic violence ( not by ran ), bad marriage,slow burn, eventual smut.

───❪ PLAYLIST ❫ ⋮ stay by stephan, too close by sir chloe, million dollar man by lana del rey, i am the dog by sir chloe, me and my husband by mitski, movement by hozier, don't you know by james young, do i wanna know by arctic monkeys, sex with a ghost by teddy hyde, stuck on a puzzle alex turner, cherry waves by deftones, the witch by Rosenfeld & khemis.

part one.

summary: The monotony in the life of Ran Haitani has a flicker of excitement. It turns up for a second and then goes out. But, for a hungry animal to denounce the prey, even if it is a slice is nothing but a mockery of the ways of nature. word count —2,5k.

part two.

summary: Ran starts to gather pieces of his puzzle even barely has any piece of it, he could see a glimpse of the final picture. He has never been taught not to play with his food when he was a child and he never did unless the food feels stale and tasteless on his tongue. word count — 2,6k.

part three.

summary: Ran's heart starts to unwind, starts to overlook all the possibilities of obstacles he might face to have you. With his heart in a bind, he starts to seek ways to connect, ways to have you, see you, taste you, feel you. word count — 1,6k.

part four.

summary: There is a jinx that Ran heard when he was eight years old, from his nanny. "You lose the people with whom you share your handkerchief." Now, he is not much of a superstitious person but when he saw his favorite handkerchief in the fist of his father who was intimately clung by his mother in the newspaper picture, he started to believe; he started to experiment word count —1,1k.

part five.

summary: It has been almost half of another month since his last encounter with you. Ran has thought of his second encounter with you way too many times that it lies heavy on his eyelids, on his fingertips, creating goosebumps on his skin. It tingles his soul. He replays that particular memory in a loop until he gets drunk on it, until he gets what he is promised. word count —0.7k.

part six.

summary ~ to be updated soon.

───❪ NOTES❫ ⋮ read on ao3.

blog navigation.

dividers by @benkeibear. banner art by me. for better quality you need to view the image seperately.

This is for my beloved dawnie. @lalunanymph . ( kindly check her rules if you wish to read her works. )

Dawn baby, I have read your works when I'm happy, when I'm sad, when I'm angry, and whenever I missed you. I have kept coming back to read your works, again and again, especially during my exam season. And one day I reaslized that you and your writing has become an integral part of my Tumblr. Not only that, it has also shaped my writing and reading experience. Needless to say dawnie baby that I admire you a lot. So, this is a little gift from me to you for creating such a brilliantly bright trajectory in my writing journey. Tokyo Revengers has always been my staple fandom. Even being a multifandom blog it is the tokyo revengers’ masterlists which is most stacked. At first I thought I should write on Kakucho for you but didn't feel confident about it so I went with Ran Haitani. This is probably the third long fic on him and second series work. I don't generally write on my favs because I don't know what to write and how to write. It is always a struggle but I hope this scratches the right parts of your brain. Take your time, read it in a one fine afternoon all of a sudden or somewhere in next million years. I'm not in rush :’))

Love you,

paradis.

[danieyells]

I apologize if this was already asked or if you mentioned it already, but what are your thoughts on the dynamic between the chancellor and Ed? Ed seems to be able to bulldoze the chancellor and I'm not sure if the chancellor particularly fears Ed for being a powerful vampire or something else.

Gdi something updated and threw out my whole response. OOPS. This hasn't been asked before, no--even if it had, no harm in asking again, anon 💕

I feel like Cornelius is barely maintaining the power he has even over the faculty, let alone the ghouls. It's no surprise to me that he'd get pushed aside by Ed. From the beginning, even Hyde does whatever he wants for the most part, much to Cornelius' complaints. Yes, he can dock their pay and refuse to raise their budgets and maybe even report them to the Institute itself and get them fired or relocated but also. . .he kind of needs all his people. So he's kind of helpless even in his position of power.

It's no surprise that a ghoul, let alone a ghoul who's also the most powerful vampire in the world, would be able to push him aside and run his show for a moment.

I don't know about fear--I think Cornelius knows Ed has no desire to harm humans because if he did he would've done to the entire faculty what he did to that building on his mission and there'd be nothing left of them and he'd go back to fuckin. Serbia or wherever he was before he went on vacation to Japan. But Cornelius is [probably?] just a human. He's a small human at that even though he's like 57. What's he gonna do, call the faculty? Call the Institute? If all the ghouls worked together they'd steamroll them too. Ed could probably do it himself but he cares so little he wouldn't bother.

I love their dynamic lmao. Ed acts like he doesn't care but really I think he does want better for the ghouls and the anomalies and the PC especially. Meanwhile Cornelius sort of acts like he cares and he's not even giving his own staff the budgets they need to do their jobs. Ed does a great job of taking over a situation and saying "you are not doing your job so I will do it for you and make sure everyone sees how incompetent you are--it's up to you if you want to make changes now" which Cornelius really needs someone to do because he is kind of irresponsible or careless or indifferent in some fields he shouldn't be. And I understand that he has a lot on his plate but still, if he wants to stay in charge and not eventually have the ghouls riot against him he's going to have to step the fuck up. Ed is just pointing that out for him. Because he can't punish Ed in any way that matters.

[lovelypink2005]

OKAY SO TODAY'S UPDATE WAS SOMETHING—–

So lemme break this whole page down because I could never sleep without saying anything about it so spoiler alert for The Glass Scientists Chapter 15 Page 17‼️‼️‼️

So first of all, we need to apreciate how far these two, especially Lanyon, has become. From Robert's point of view, it was as if Jekyll is once again shutting himself down from "the shame. The fear", quoted by Lanyon, because it was just YESTERDAY that the whole exhibition day happened, the day it felt like everything changed, the day he was able to finally TALK to Jekyll and got him BACK. " But not this time. This time, i'm staying right here-" is such a STRONG WORDS. He's trying his best to get Henry back, to made up for all of those years, making up for the day he left him, assuring Henry that he won't leave him again, not this time, not after 15 years of yearning, thinking that it has been one sided, not when he just got him back.

AND THEN WE FINALLY GOT THE "I LOVE YOU" BOMB!!!!

THis one is surely a HUDGE character development, knowing that throughout these years, and throughout the whole comic, he had always been the type of huy to show his affections through action instead of words, hoe it "pains" him to say nice things to people, how it's hard for him to be open about his feelings, especially in PUBLIC. This is Lanyon at his moment of desperation, finally showing his love towards Henry with his words to win him once again, hoping that it'll get through him, hoping Jekyll would let him in once again, Knowing that's what Henry wanted. Honestly. And the fact that he seems like he would BREAK at any second if Jekyll did not respond at all, the face of a man holding back his tears perhaps....

And second of all, I'm sure we all collectively agreed that this was NOT Jekyll. The Jekyll we knew would lock himself out, he can't just see a meltdown as "haha it was silly so nevermind that! Just come in!" In the middle of a crisis he's him, when his body condition is absolutely UNSTABLE with the little things that could trigger any types of transformations. This is most definitely Hyde, especially Hekyll (Green-Eyed Jekyll/Hyde in Jekyll's body), and judging by how quickly Lanyon buys it, I'm pretty sure it was probably still Jekyll's voice, which makes me believe in "Hekyll is behind that door" possibility way more. What concerns Me the most is, what would Hyde want from this? What's his goal out of it?

Well, to me there could be 2 possibilities on what is going to be Hyde's intention.

From Chapter 14 Page 12 and 13, we got these panels where Hyde told Jekyll that Lanyon wanted him instead, wanted the "Doe-eyed sweetheart". In moments of desperation, he could be planning to win Lanyon, to " steal" him from Jekyll. This could ruin absolutely everything that Jekyll and Lanyon had done the other day. As much as I don't want this to happen, I am excited to see where this is going.

On the other hand, a few pages back, we know that Hyde was having his panic attack, wanting to go out, to get out, desperately wanting to run and hide. Jekyll had requested Frankenstein that whatever she heard do NOT open the door, knowing Hyde could take them elsewhere and got into yet another trouble, or getting themselves caught by the police or the angry mobs surrounding their society at the moment. If this was Hyde's intention, he could probably ran out immediately the moment Lanyon opens the door.

On the very last panel of today's update, we can see that Frankenstein was trying to somehow warn Lanyon. Her body language seemingly stiff, probably ready to do something to prevent Lanyon from opening the door, remembering what Jekyll told him, probably knowing that it doesn't sound like Jekyll at all. Or she could just be worried that Lanyon is going to found Jekyll in a middle of a transformation, which would be a disaster.

Hopefully Frankenstein could at least do something, although knowing Lanyon, he would probably insist into going in knowing that "Jekyll" allowed him to go in, saying that he's the one who's close to dear Henry, that they both had worked things out that if Jekyll allowed him to go, he won't let anyone stop him from doing so.

Overall I am just SO EXCITED AND NERVOUS FOR NEXT WEAKKDKDBXKDBXKDJ-💥💥💥

[nasuversekinkmeme]

Weekly Roundup: Prompts (I fucked up but that's like from one week ago)

Tsukihime

Diferent Anon than the current Tsukihime petplay one, I offer the oppisite: Arcuied puts Ciel down like old yeller, is delighted that she can old yeller her over and over again.

Arcueid is convinced she's a kitty girl and thus gets deeply offended when every "what animal are you" quiz she takes tells her she's a golden retriever (which she is)

Arcueid becoming Neco Arc played completely straight as some sort of horrofic Jekyll and Hyde style transformation.

Kohaku starts a recruitment drive for new maids for the mansion, and everyone (regardles of gender or even species) in Misaki Town finds themselves drafted - whether they like it or not

Fate/Zero

Waver gets a break for once

Fate/Extra

Smut, Someone attempts to hack BB, but the super AI is far too above such petty human tricks. She definitely resisted all the attempts to change her personality and her perception of normal, as you can tell by the fact that her panties have massive dildos spreading her vagina and her ass at any and all times, just like she definitely always has and didn't suddenly start doing the day of the for sure failed hacking attempt. She's also definitely always loved having her face fucked by men and women and enbies alike, as is perfectly normal. Her face is meant to pleasure anyone and everyone who wants her to! Gosh, that's just logic. It's why she has a mouth and throat and tongue in the first place!

Smut, Mostly I just have a hypnosis kink and enjoy the idea that a machine can only do what it's programmed to do, regardless of what it was programmed to do yesterday. Anyway BB gets a software update and "remembers" that it's polite for her to eat her Master out every day, especially because her Master for sure didn't make her think that was normal, because it just always was.

Kama and/or Kiara face their greatest challenge yet: someone who is asexual. The Beasts of Lust lose and lose hard.

Smut, Nero bondage (I think it still counts if it's something that prevents them from moving) where she forces another character into the Roman Candle Execution Method they pioneered IRL - aka trapping them in a wax coating that restricts their movement (here with the exception of the various body holes) with the caveat that holes are unsealed so Nero can have sex with them. May or may not involve the person/ candle actually being set alight or suffocating in the wax during being fucked The person doesn't actually have to die.

Fate/Stay Night

Archer grows tits. He's still male. He's still a dude, he's masc, he's comfortable being called a man. But now he has tits and he likes them. Anyways now instead of fourth place for biggest chest he's second only to Passionlip.

Hopping off of the archer spontaneously grows tits anon from earlier- he is now the first axis man to get a swimsuit alt because of it.

Guinevere gets summoned, and Lancelot tries to leave her alone to avoid starting any drama, only for Guinevere to demand to see him because she never stopped loving him

Fate/Apocrypha

Astolfo, in a rare moment of lucidity, congratulating someone on their transition. Ideally, phrased ambiguously enough to make it unclear what sort of trans they are, or how far in the transition they are, just that Astolfo is happy with the progress and glad for them to have moved closer to their truth.

Sieg, having been alive and independent for less than a week and whose closest friends are Jeanne and Astolfo, thinks that wearing feminine clothing is completely normal. Upon being summoned to Chaldea, promptly tries on those cute skirts Asolfo likes to wear.

Sieg and Astolfo sleep together. Not as in the euphemism-for-sex sense, they just fall asleep in the same bed cuddling each other, high emphasis on them being physically affectionate and tender and also adorable.

FGO

Smut, Several servants whose claim to fame includes "good at sex" decide to try and figure out who is best at it. They need an impartial judge to agree to get fucked silly by all of them. Gudao/Gudako "mysteriously" goes missing not long after (spends the next weeks getting fucked into the ground by all of them).

Guda finally after everything gets a nice peaceful-ish death! Unfortunately instead of immediately being sent to any after life they have to be isekai'd (again seriously for real this time) so the various afterlife reps can have a custody battle over their immortal soul...

Smut, Nitocris under her Medjed sheet, maintaining the perfect poise and bearing of a pharaoh, exactly the same as all days. Which is rather impressive, seeing as the only thing she's wearing under it is a dildo up her ass. Heavy emphasis on how genuinely nobody else knows anything is any different than usual, with the possible exception of her girlfriend Scheherazade. Who might've been involved in the escapade.

I wanna see Blackbeard covered in blood. Whether it be defending his collection, saving his master, reenactment of his death or that one Black Sails scene, getting his red wings etc I don't care. I just want that nerd drippin in the red stuff

we have fairy knights of the round. but there should be a round table of dogs , naturally lead by Sir Cavall II

There's only room for one loud angry trans man in Chaldea! Mordred and Caenus duke it out! Whether or not the "sparring match" devolves into furious sex afterwards is up to the writer.

BB decides to host a reality show with challenges.. but every challenge is cruel one way or another, like facing your worst fears… BUT IT IS TEN TIMES WORSE. The prize for winning is getting to bed Gudao AND a grail

WG Scenario where after Flauros possessed Lev, he started losing weight from not eating as much as his host used to. Roman points this out during a checkup and it makes Flauros paranoid that this sudden change will make the Chaldeans suspicious of him and realize their coworker has been taken over. So he starts eating more to gain back the weight but overdoes it and winds up as big as Goredolf. Bonus points if a Chaldean hits on him as he gains more but it just makes him think they're onto him.

Smut, heeey maybe the watsonian reason why shiva isn't available for summoning is because there's quite a lot of woman at chaldea interested in pegging him , in addition to teaching Kali & Durga about femdom.. and you have gudako , who is gonna put him in a mating press or die trying.

Morgan and Mash have been in a sexual relationship for a bit now, which they excuse as just being a casual thing (Not the right way to court a queen after all, that’d be incredibly improper…), except Mash has started accidentally picking up her fashion cues with the black lace, occasional blue lipstick, and- oh that’s a collar. Nobody wants to say anything, even if it’s congratulatory, as they don’t wanna get Berserker-looped.

Smut, Everyone has their own sexual rhythm for providing penetration, but Lancelot (Saber)’s is Rock Your Body by Justin Timberlake, and it really weirds Raikou out, because he legitimately doesn’t realize.

the realization that kadoc has fully grown accustomed to chaldea's chaos did not occur when he started a pirate radio station with jalter in order to put BB channel out of buisness, instead the realization hits kadoc when he accidentally calls archer moriarty Dad. and to make things even more funny , fran is cool with having kadoc as a foster brother.

Woodwose somehow ends up at a furry convention

The reason why Blackbeard hate for fighting and actually working is because his thirst for piracy was what made him abandon his wife and lose his life. So in a Dodrinya type situation Chaldea summons Edward Teach(B.B. true name), the greatest pirate who has ever lived, and it's Blackbeard's wife and they have an awkward reunion

all the doctor servants just fucken die due to the amount of apples gudao/gukao consume in this up coming lotte events. they then respawn after the two weeks are up and promptly beat they to death with medical supple.

Consider, Sex Pollen, but Guda is allergic to pollen.

Oberon gets fucked until he starts calling himself Titania.

All the lostbelt kings are lamenting the loss of their lostbelt together, except for Qin who just came back from their own perfect recreation of their lostbelt and is confused on why they’re all sad

since gudako and Morgan are married this means Sith becomes an sibling older due to gudako's kids(kid Gil, Illyea, nursery and jack). Jack super happy to have an older sibling but Sith is against this until jack brings her black-beards head because he was talking mad shit about her older sister. Sith now responds when jack calls her big sis and calls her litte sister from that day on.

Kiara tries to tempt an ace Gudako with garlic bread. Gudako can't eat gluten so the attempt fails miserably.

Noncon, incest, I can't take this anymore I need to see Duryodhana's stupid loser ass get nonconed by Bhima or by a mob I don't care he just deserves to get put in his place (bonus points if you use his line for getting hit by np)

Its Mother's Day in chaldea and in a bit of a twist Morgan gives presents to her phh children since she feels bad for what she did in their timeline

someone be insane about hanahaki with me, theres a botanical fucking garden in ritsuka fujimaru's lungs and people who some of the flowers grow for are dead aaaaaahhh. none of that "its only curable if they love you back" or "removing the flowers kills your ability to feel" though. guda has to get rid of the flowers in their lungs and they gotta confess to do that but again, many of the people they grow flowers for are dead by gudas own hand from the lostbelts going down.

Bradamante is the de facto straightman of the Paladins of Charlemagne, but when left to her own devices/is without any of her ilk, she’s as much off a silly bimbo as the rest of them

Now summoned as a servant rather than a full fairy, Barghest discovers that she no longer gets sick from eating chocolate, and that she has an INCREDIBLE sweet tooth. In order to satiate her appetite, she gets Medb to channel Knocknarea’s spirit origin for access to her chocolate fields, in exchange for Barghest now serving as her Hound and Brave. Cue a Petplay/Weight Gain scenario about their treat-based relationship economy.

Smut, Koyanskaya’s tail isn’t real, it’s a buttplug (of egregiously large proportions, but that’s beside the point), and she’s started selling them. If you keep it in however, a set of Fox ears begin to grow, and your teeth begin to sharpen… hey, what do you mean Gudako just got gifted one?!

Silly omegaverse courtship between master and castoria where guda is desperately trying to court this beautiful fairy idiot with elaborate rock art that is too circular for her tastes, all the food they can make safely while severely impaired from rutbrain, random objects they think she would like, and eventually when they manage to create cool rock art that pleases the lady a sick ass breakdance. Whether or not they fuck in the end is up to you I just like versegm's ideas

Kingprotea practicing to control her strength so she can safely give her Master a headpat. Lots of practice dummies get varying degrees of comically destroyed as she carefully dials it in.

All the Sakuraface servants get summoned all at the same time sharing Sakura's body. Sakura's many many new headmates get up to comedic hijinks as they spend so much time fighting each other for control that Sakura's actually not really stopped from doing anything.

FGO again

Smut, Tai Gong Wang valentines but he actually goes through with what he was alluding to and we are treated to him and Guda having steamy outdoor sex (Guda's gender,.kinks, who tops, ect. is up to the writer)

Smut, Post Valentine's Gudako confronts Oberon over his shitty return gift. The two argue ending in hate sex. What happens next is up to the writer but it's gotta end with Oberon, completely sucked try, exhausted, and questioning if Gudako is related to the Merlins in some way (i.e part succubi)

Smut, You think Gudako is a top? WRONG! She's actually a hardcore masochist that loves being dominated. The crueler the partner, the better.

Let’s stop putting the pining on Mash, let Morgan be the one who has to search endlessly for her first knight whom she no longer remembers.

Okita, noticing that her coughing has only gotten worse to the point that she can no longer fight, begs Nobu to take her head. Nobu does not know what to do

Nightingale, known magic denier, is summoned under the caster class on accident, and is forced to learn how to do wizard/magical girl stuff. She gains a couple ranks in the Insanity skill by proxy.

Artoria stops Medb from consuming a pot brownie, finds out it's "forever weed" laced and has to try and hide the fact that she's super high from Merlin, every member of the round table in chaldea, Morgan, guinevere and other who have somehow been summoned by medb just for this occasion and the master themself

Due to their bond Gudako ends up seeing Angra's memories in her Dreams, specifically who he was before becoming the incarnation of all evil and the torture they did to turn him into that

guda this explaining pronouns to an older servant(whoever you want) while jack is in the room minutes later jack says they want to be non-binary because it represent all the kids that make them up and it sound cool.

loli, Sherlock begs Helena to put him on a leash and collar and walk him around and Helena decides to overperform by taking him out through the Chaldea halls late at night. Humiliation and being out to the writers discretion

Smut, Tamamo and her Master (Hakuno, Gudako, I ain't too picky) engage in BDSM for the first time, with Tamamo as the dom. Tamamo has the experience, though, and so teaches her Master about how it usually goes and how safe words work and such. Lots of emphasis on the process of teaching a newbie how to engage in the kink safely.

The trauma of the Lostbelts actually gets to Ritsuka. They end up repressing the memories of certain events (Mash's death, the destruction of the Lostbelts, fight with ORT, ect.), and would have moments where they disassociate. It gets worse after the Olympus lostbelt as they then would occasionally lay in bed unresponsive for hours to even days.

(writer chooses how the servants deal with this, and wether they want to go full angst, hurt/comfort, ect.)

columbus rolls the worst joint ever witnessed by man god and demon and is immediately executed for it

Canonically not understanding how to treat mental health issues, Nightingale prescribes Gudako bimbofication pills

oberon gifts morgan a gift of just bugs. Now he’s being chased by the faerie knights and now gudako must at least stop them from murdering oberon for his antics

kriemhild wants sieg to change his name. the next day, turns out his name is Hans Schmidt now. And kriemhild has to tell sieg that ‘no, he didn’t have to change his name’

ABDL - Raikou gets fed up with how pervy and non-innocent Gudako acts, and decides she'll have to fuck her until her mind regresses to a more innocent age.

Izou and Ryouma get stuck in myhouse.wad

Fujimaru gets summoned in Requiem, recognizes Erice who is extremly confused about it.

Cu gets into an argument with salter rider maid supreme, decides to one up her at maiding. Not one hell of a butler, one hell of a MAID. He is wearing a MAID dress and doing maid stuff to be clear hear. Shenanigans ensue. He can fuck around along the way if he wants. But he must defeat Salter at maid shit. Any version of cu but setanta is cool for this.

Any fandom

Any character getting turned into a small dress up doll and then being dressed up.

not quite a prompt fill but like, as to how mutting could work(reverse bitching that was requested a while back that mod named) i think it could happen if you just kept your face in peoples holes for long as you can as frequently as you can. eat pussy/ass like you get paid by the hour to do it. probably through someone elses heat or even your own. until you grow a cock to fuck them with. or just become an alpha. whichever is cooler for you.

Some sort of mystical force gets fed up with all the various non-berserk, completely coherent berserkers and decides to rectify that. As practise, it drains Jalter's mind and sanity and increases her physical fitness to the point she makes Heracles look like a reasonable little shrimp

[withleeknow]

all I've done for the last 24 hours is hyperventilate bc everyone decided to post their album previews (you truly are my solace bc I need to get this off my chest + this ask is solely just brainrot) . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖

my entire tl last night was this jay - THE CAPTIONS: tinyurl.com/yc4wdkp6 + tinyurl.com/2445p6jf I didn't realise I could be even more enamoured by this man but there we are. i'm srs, this moment is a repeat of 230107 gda lee know + will be my hyperfixation for july 🙃

also to fuel your heeseung rotation: tinyurl.com/2wn37njd ♡

my stomach did multiple flips watching skz's unveil today - THEIR VOICES! THE REFERENCES! MIMO CENTER LOOKING LIKE A GREEK GOD! *🍙 hc - wrapping your fingers around and tugging on that necktie to beckon him forwards until he's entirely flush so ofc his hands and arms naturally find their place around you /cutscene/ - goodbye <3*

tldr; RIP microwave 05/07/24, you'll be missed.

P.S. speaking of ldn, will report back if I make the trek for skz next sunday 👀 no I don't have a ticket yes we might just vibe out of designated areas w/ a picnic and megaverse/topline as ambience

1 2 dear god what the hell is that?! i started out looking at heeseung and i never would've expected to slowly slide down a jay rabbit hole but alas, here we are. mainly bc of you too 😭 crazy how he looks so good in a simple ass white t-shirt 😭🔫 ngl you're like my sole source for enha updates now lmao i never would've known about anything they're putting out if not for you lol

hee.............. looks like a lil gummy worm i want to chomp

why would you send me that hc jesus why would you sit down and type that and send it to ME 😭 i didn't let myself mull over that mimo too much bc i cannot afford to get more Ideas™️ but i have not stopped thinking about the hc. if i come back having written a little something something know that it would entirely your fault :)

yeah microwaves just aren't gonna cut it anymore. when they first revealed the album name, i was telling my friends lol it would be kinda funny if the album is called ate and they don't eat. but they do. they're eating this shit up. they ate with every single thing that's come out since and i feel like i'm losing my mind over here.

also, look at himmm 🥹 looks like he's in the studio cooking up something already :((( i can't wait for more jin music especially if it's a full length version of super tuna

ahhh bst hyde park is already next week damn. i hope you'll still have a nice time if you do decide to go! having a picnic while listening to hyunjin's Ne SoNiM~ growl somewhere in the background isn't a bad way to spend the weekend lol. and i cannot believe skz is gonna meet one of my favorite artists (maisie peters) when she opens for them :(( she opened for coldplay at my show and i fell even more in love with her and now skz is gonna meet her and i'll be able to say they'll indirect meet me as well lmfao

[tinywitchgoblin]

Clone OCs

I’ll update this with more info as I come up with it; this is what I have as of  right now

339th Regiment 

Color: green

Made of troopers whose previously assigned groups had been killed in combat (like Cut Lawquane)

Commander Pine

Visual: eyebrow slit; shaved slit runs through his hair to the back of his head. His head is buzzed otherwise. 

The Dad™ of the group

“I don’t care if you drink, as long as you can do it in the house where I can supervise you”

Any clone needs adopting? Guess what, they just found themselves a new dad

Also a plant dad

Would literally die for his boys

Hart

Visual: his hair is based on the basic clone haircut, but he buzzed off one side. Has a tattoo of the medical insignia on his shoulder underneath where it is on his armor

Official medic and unofficial therapist

Pronouns he/they

Any dumbass who misgenders them ends up with a serious ass-whooping

A sweet boi, a cinnamon roll, too pure for this world

Likes to visit his vod’ika in the “nurseries” on Kamino and watch them grow

Doesn’t always understand Hyde’s sarcasm, especially at first, but he eventually gets used to it

Hyde

Visual: wears his hair in two French braids & loves every second of it (Hart is usually the one to do the braiding); has “339th” tattooed on his chest above his heart

A chaos gremlin

Has ADHD

Chaotic bi

Learned from his dad Pine to adopt anything and everything, but Hyde likes to adopt pets

Whenever he sees a loth cat, he  m u s t  stop to pet it

Regardless of how badly he may get scratched up, he always enjoys himself

It drives Hart crazy 

Jokes/sarcasm as a coping mechanism, but is emotionally unwell- definitely needs therapy

ARC Trooper Jade

Visual: serious scarring on his throat and upper chest; standard clone haircut

Typically on the more serious side, but not in a mean way

That’s just how he learned to cope- by not letting himself get caught up in his emotions

Has a very dry sense of humor

Was caught in an explosion that damaged his larynx to the point where he can’t talk (he can still hear, but can’t speak)

The others in the 339th learned space sign language to be able to communicate with him and make him feel like he belongs

Spends a lot of time with Hart in the medical ward doing bacta treatments on his throat; this allowed the two to grow very close

Eventually, with Hart’s help, he learned to open himself up to his emotions in a healthy way and begin to heal in that way, too

Let me know if you want to hear more/want fics dedicated to one or more specific clones listed above! 

[beautifulletdownfics]

Terrible to Meet You - A Harry Styles One Shot - Act 4, And love blooms in hearts not fields

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Harry wants to get out of the house. Alex wants to get home.

Alex meets Harry at at crossroads. Harry meets Alex on a one way street.

A coffee shop OU fic feat. lattes, lamingtons & that Great Unfathomable Feeling.

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Story Page Here Terrible to Meet You Playlists My Masterlist Here

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7 Minutes 'It doesn't seem like long, but my whole world has changed'

Harry's insides were shaking.

He could feel it vibrating up and down his spine, circling his ribcage and then settling uncomfortably at the back of his throat. The nerves and anxiety sped around his body the closer to the Heathrow they got.

Tears threatened to pierce his eyes each time he looked over at Alex beside him. She was staring out the window saying silent goodbyes to London as they drove. 

Harry really didn't understand how this moment came so quickly. He knew that Alex's feelings were as mixed as his. Harry wanted her to go home, she'd been trying all year. Heartsick and homesick, she'd pushed through living on the other side of the world to her family as the world suffered through something horrifying.

After getting the email, her last week in London was bittersweet. It was spent packing up her room and saying goodbyes for the second, third times. Harry helped her organise herself, and then put himself in isolation with Alex for her final 48 hours. She needed to present a negative COVID test to Australian officials before she could fly. Getting tested and locking themselves away together for two days was a special kind of magic, really. They didn't have to share each other.

After Harry, Alex was saddest to say goodbye to The Daily Dose. 

She was going to miss Paul. Despite his eccentricities, he somehow managed to always keep the tone light and playful with her, and generally, the days passed quickly. Alex left Sydney for London after a gruelling university course left her feeling unmoored and unsure of herself, her time working for Paul had been an enormous time of discovery and healing for her. 

He'd been a source of comfort and support for her, especially in the last year, and he was the shoulder she'd cried on far too often. Alex loved making coffee despite how most people saw the job. There was a satisfaction in the process, even in the daily grind—the cleaning, the busyness, the dead patches—and Alex liked leaving the cafe in the afternoon with the smell of coffee seeping out of her but a clean shop locked up ready for the next day. 

She was going to miss that. But at the same time, Alex felt ready to go on and do more with her time now. The university degree hanging in her parent's study didn't feel like a straight-jacket anymore, and she was looking forward to finding work in her field. 

 London had been home for four years, though. She had many great memories here, not the least of which it was the city she flew the coup and found herself in. And the magic she thought was lost seemed to have redeemed itself in the final months of her being there.

She found herself, and then, she'd found Harry.

&&&

Saying goodbye to Harry was the hardest thing Alex had ever done. 

They'd both cried the night before, but when it was time to part at the airport Harry was steadfast in his encouragement of her leaving. (Despite himself) He'd never once said he (seriously) didn't want her to leave, or that she shouldn't. He'd never implied it would spell doom for their relationship. Harry was 100% sure that Alex going back home to Australia was just the next line in their story, and certainly not the last one. 

"You get home safely, okay?" Harry told her sternly, holding her face between his hands at the drop-off line. Both their masks were down around their chins, and Harry hated the tears he couldn't stop Alex from shedding, "This is a good thing, Al, you need to be home right now."

"I know," she nodded bravely, frowning as her chin wobbled, "But I don't want to leave—

"Shh, no," Harry shook his head and leaned closer, "You're not leaving me, you're going home.”

"When am I going to see you again though," she cried out, finally giving in to the (slightly) hysterical emotions that were bubbling just below the surface. 

Harry's heart rattled watching the wave of doubt hit her. He pressed his lips into her hairline and held her for another long moment.

"You'll see me in Dubai on your stopover," he'd said, rocking her against his chest, his words hurried against the material of her shirt, “You'll land, use the bathrooms, and then FaceTime me. That's when you'll see me next. And then, you'll see me when you get to Sydney and call me again. Okay?

"Okay," Alex parroted quietly.

"Okay … You really have to go now," Harry looked behind her to where the doors to the terminal were.

She nodded and reached up onto her tippy toes, letting Harry press his warm lips against hers once last time. Alex squeezed her eyes shut, trying to hold in tears but also the feel of him. His smell, where his body began and ended, how it measured up next to hers. 

Their hearts reached out, trying to feel the other pressing through their chests from the other side. You're mine, you're mine, they said to each other.

"I love you," Harry told her, not for the first time.

Seeing the red wetness around Harry's eyes, Alex threaded her hands through his hair, "I love you, too."

He pressed a quick kiss to her lips again, "Go."

Harry's belief that they were going to be okay was unwavering. 

If 2020 taught him anything, the whole world could change in a matter of weeks, so why not the entire outlook of his life as well? Why couldn't his meeting Alex change the course of both their lives moving forward? Something about meeting her felt like a one-time event, like something worth risking everything for. And he would, Harry told her numerous times that last week.

And as she walked away from him and into Heathrow, and Alex believed him.

&&&

Alex cried as her flight landed at Sydney International Airport. 

She'd watched the harbour out her window as the plane circled the city, that perfect Sydney turquoise blue gleaming back up at her and it made her chest ache with relief. 

Home.

Sydney airport was a stark change from the Heathrow she left behind. Their flight was met by police, abundance and army officers. It wasn't frightening though, Alex found herself swallowing back tears this time because she was so soothed by the fact she was back in Australia. Everyone was friendly and helpful, getting the flight of returning citizens through the airport and onto buses to the quarantine hotels. Alex's drove straight into the city centre and as soon as they started going by familiar places and landmarks she wasn't the only one teary in their seat. 

"Well, here it is," Alex said to the phone screen not long after, tilting it around to show off the hotel room around her, "Home for the next fourteen days."

"Snazzy," Harry whistled as she pulled back the sheer curtains to reveal a staggering blue sky and then bright green treetops. He was sitting at his kitchen table with a cup of tea and a drizzly London morning just beginning, "And a view! Is that a balcony? Or a window?"

"A balcony but it's locked. I did get to smell the salty, beautiful harbour in the two-second walk from the bus into the hotel though." Alex settled on the bed in the middle of the room, the bedding crisp and clean underneath her, "I am literally inside this room for two weeks. No outside time. But I can see people outside walking around and having picnics in Hyde Park without masks on, so it'll be worth it."

"That seems unreal."

"It's like another world here," Alex agreed, yawning and finally feeling her body start to relax. "Anyway, how was your day yesterday? Wait, no, today?"

Harry laughed, "You've lost two days, I think. But it was good. I went and saw Paul, we had a cry together."

"Don't," she warned him, feeling the combination of over-tiredness and emotion simmering in her throat, "I've just travelled thirty-six hours, and I fucking miss you already, I'm not beyond completely losing it right now."

He smiled gently, "Have a shower and get into bed. I'm so glad you're there. Does it feel good to be home?"

"So good," Alex admitted, almost feeling like it was a dirty thing to be admitting to Harry, "Jess is going to come and wave at me from the park tomorrow with Noah. My mum's already sent a bunch of food to my room."

"You're exactly where you need to be," Harry told her. 

Alex couldn't hold back her tears any longer, the guilt she felt—the pain of leaving Harry—wasn't any match to finally being where she'd wanted to be all year, "Yeah, I am."

&&&

Figure 8 'Lovers hold on to everything'

Four days into her quarantine, Alex started training herself to do headstands.

"It's harder than it looks! But I'm getting there now," She laughed, propping her phone up against the leg of the bed and crawling to the wall opposite. She was now on Day 11, and Harry had been getting an update daily.

"Please don't injure yourself," Harry moaned, getting a great view of her bum as she crouched down facing the wall and then rose up, kicking her legs up with her palms flat on the floor.

"See?" The blood all rushed to her head, and Alex's hair fell down over her face at the same time her t-shirt moved, revelling her belly and bra to Harry. 

"Much better than yesterday," he told her, "Maybe tomorrow we could lose the bra?"

Alex laughed, her arms shaking as she came crashing to the ground. She was still working on the landing. 

Just as she was about to reply, she heard a knock on the door, "Oh!" 

"Dinner?" Harry guessed, watching her leap to her feet and disappear from view. A moment later, her legs walked across the screen, and Harry rolled over in bed to try to rid his phone screen of the glare coming from his windows open to the new London morning. "Oi!"

"Calm your farm," Alex tutted, retrieving her phone and grinning at Harry, "You'll never guess what I've got today."

"Hmm," Harry hummed in mock thought, "Let me guess, chicken and rice. A cookie and a ridiculous allotment of fruit?"

"Two bananas, an apple and four apricots."

"S'practically a fruit basket!"

"Tomorrow I get a glass of wine," Alex was already chewing, "Friday night drinks!"

"Friday date night?" Harry suggested, his fingers twitching with the want to be feeling her body between his sheets again, "You're fun when you're a little tipsy."

"Excuse me, I'm always fun!"

Harry laughed, "I can't believe you're so upbeat still. I'd been expecting a dip at some point. I would think a lot of people don't do so well in isolation for two weeks."

"I've got Australian daytime TV and a boyfriend who sends fun gifts,” she eyed the collection of books and puzzles Harry had organised, “I am looking forward to Sunday though."

Harry couldn't imagine how much Alex was looking forward to getting to see her family and friends when her time in quarantine ended, "Did you get tested today?"

"Yes," Alex screwed up her face, the memory of the swab up her nose still fresh, "Fucking hurt."

"Last one," he encouraged. "What's the first thing you're going to do with your brother when he picks you up?"

She halted before putting the next mouthful of warm, lacklustre dinner in her mouth, "It's supposed to be sunny and warm on Sunday, but I don't get released until the evening. So I think we'll just go to mum and dads for tea. Jess and Matt are going to be there."

"A large gathering in the home!" Harry looked scandalised, but he was smiling. 

"I know, it's all very 2019," Alex joked. 

Harry let out a long sigh from his chest, "I'm so happy you're there, but I miss you."

"You too," she said quietly.

"Hey," Harry called out, not having meant to dampen the mood, "Three sleeps until you get to meet Noah."

The mention of her nephew made Alex smile, "I'm gonna squeeze him so hard."

"Will you FaceTime me there?"

"O'course," her mouth was full, but she nodded emphatically. "My mum asked if we were going to have live music at all family events now."

Harry's laugh exploded out of him, he liked Alex's family very much already, "Happy to oblige."

"Because of you she's also back on Nathan about giving up the trombone in Year 8." Alex told him, "He was previously the musical hope for the family, but he stopped when the girl he liked at fourteen said she would only date a rugby player … Consequently, that girl is also responsible for how Nathan broke his nose."

Harry could sympathise with Alex's older brother, "We do crazy things for love."

&&&

"Could you say that again?"

"Were you not listening?"

"No I was, I just like hearing it in your accent."

"Harry," Alex complained, "I'm already shit at this."

"You're not!" He insisted, trying desperately to keep the grin at bay. 

Alex frowned at him and pulled the hotel duvet up to her chin, crossing her legs and slipping her free arm across her chest. Harry's heart was racing, hearing her talk about how his words were making her feel was incredible. Almost as good as physically having her. Almost.

"Al," Harry stilled at the defeated look on her face. His smile disappeared, "Sorry, I wasn't teasing."

"I'm no good a phone sex, it feels weird."

"I know it does at first," he tentatively reassured her, hoping not to draw attention to the fact that over the years Harry had become sort of good at phone sex. By virtue of necessity, such was his regular travel schedule. "I promise it can be great, and we can only get better at it. You're not no good. On the contrary, I'm enjoying myself very much."

She was finding it difficult. And even more so, trying to learn Harry and what he liked—how his body responded—without actually having his body physically there felt impossible. Phone sex was awkward and difficult, and Alex was more self-conscious then she'd ever been, trying to navigate intimacy with Harry through a phone screen. There was a divide there. He was right though, the undercurrent to what he said was that they'd have to get better, there was no other choice. It was all they had.

"Show me what you were doing," Harry beckoned gently, sensing Alex relaxing back into the moment. "And just imagine I'm there, don't apologise for angles or lighting. I don't care."

It was her last day in the hotel, and Alex had woken up with an ache between her thighs. Harry Facetimed her the instant he got the photo of her lying in the sheets, her torso exposed and wishing for his touch. He'd been sitting at home on his Saturday night, watching the first five minutes of half a dozen things on Netflix yet not finding his mind was able to focus on any. 

Alex he could focus on though. 

Her five seconds of bravery felt far away now, but Alex slowly pushed down the bedding again, "I was thinking about you going down on me."

Harry smiled, "Go on."

&&&

Nineteen 'I felt you in my life before I ever thought to'

Three months passed. 

The dreaded milestone ticked over which meant Harry and Alex had been separated the same amount of time they'd spent together in London.

It hadn't ever felt like this for Harry before.

He'd never known what this kind of missing someone was. Previously, he'd missed people, but not with a yearning or a longing that made his chest ache. Not with the kind of force that had him lying in bed at night unable to switch off the channel tuned to Alex.

What time was it in Sydney? Had he already sent her that link? Did she say she was spending the day with her dad? What could he say to get her back in that bikini from the day before? 

Missing Alex felt like having an itch inside his mind he couldn't scratch.

But in a sense, how much he wanted to be with her only made his consequent decisions easier. 

"You're hopeless!" His manager laughed him from LA, the whole team on the weekly check-in Zoom call. Generally there wasn't a lot to report between them, projects were on hold or cancelled. Harry had decided not to go back to the States to work on a few smaller things—a fashion shoot, a TV guest appearance and a small role in a film—giving his legal team some work in getting him out of contracts, but that was mostly sorted now. 

If he was going anywhere, it sure as hell wasn't across the Atlantic. 

"Not hopeless," Harry replied diplomatically, "It's something else … But it's not hopeless. It almost feels like having the answer and being the little kid jumping up and down on the spot, dying for the teacher to hurry up and ask the question."

A series of blank looks came back at him. Harry sighed. He'd never been bad at explaining his personal life before. It was always so rational, the relationships made sense or happened in a usual way. He just couldn’t shake the notion that all along, people had been right. 

When you know you know. 

He'd found Alex. 

That was as simple as it was to him. But it didn't settle everyone else the way it settled Harry. 

Alex. 

Did the name not tick a checkbox in their heads too? 

"So, you're going to Australia?"

"I just want to know what it could look like," Harry amended the assumption, but yes, he was going to end up wherever Alex did, and if that was Australia then that was that. 

"Who's in Australia?" 

The question wasn't to Harry, it wasn't about who he was going to Australia for., they all knew who Alex was. The question was about the industry—about Harry's career. It was who was in Australia for him to work with? Frankly, he didn’t see why the same people he worked with now couldn’t also be the people he continued working with either remotely, or with short trips abroad when travel allowed. 

"Obviously, it's not like everything can be done there," Harry offered diplomatically, "But at least for the foreseeable future, with the world how it is … Music as the primary focus, I want to write the next album there. Spend some time seeing the country too, I've always wanted to."

He got a collection of nods, and a few spoken agreements, assurances that it could work.

"This isn't a temporary thing," he said of Alex, looking at the faces who helped him run his life, "We're going to be navigating this for the rest of my career. So everyone's going to need to add Sydney time to their Clock app."

&&&

When he met Alex, Harry knew. 

When he landed in Sydney, Harry knew again. 

It was the right choice, it was the right place for him to be. All he wanted was to be moving in her direction; in the same direction as her. 

It was warm despite the late hour, the air was fragrant with it, in stark contrast to the London he left behind. 

He tried to think back to the last time he’d been in Australia, to what it felt like back then. 

If only he’d know then …

Harry opted not to apply for any special considerations or circumstances. He didn't want anything to jeopardise him being able to enter what was likely the world's most difficult country to get into now—especially seeing as Harry wasn't a resident, much less a citizen. Harry didn't want to hit the news. And despite evidence of people he knew in the industry being able to dictate where they quarantined on arrival, Harry requested nothing. He just wanted to fly in, go to whatever hotel they told him to, do his two weeks quarantine and then be with her. 

"Have you landed?" Alex's voice was urgent and tinged with excitement. 

Harry laughed, "Yes, how do you think I'm calling."

She squeaked, "You're here!"

"I'm here," he smiled under his mask, following the flow of fellow travellers walking through the empty airport, "Who ever heard of an International Airport having a curfew though? The pilot made the joke that if we were projected to land even a minute after 11pm, he'd have to turn around and go back to London. Which was like, a joke, but also not funny?"

Alex chortled, "You'll have to get used to the sense of humour here."

"Hang on," Harry saw a checkpoint of sorts ahead of him, "I have to go. I'll call you back."

"Call me from the hotel," she said, "I love you."

"I love you, too."

&&&

"Go to the window."

“Hi. What?" Harry could barely move his head off the pillow as his eyes struggled to open.

"Go to your window," Alex repeated, "Were you asleep?"

He sat up, heart thrumming quickly at the possibility of what he was going to see. A second before his mind had only barely been able to scramble together the cognitive function to swipe to answer the call. 

When he got to the window, Harry pulled back the curtains—he'd ended up at the same hotel Alex had been in too—his room looked out over Sydney's Hyde Park, the fountain and cathedral framing his window. Although his top floor room with a (locked) balcony was a little bigger than hers had been he still felt as if he was living in their FaceTime calls. He was sure he'd become more acquainted with the trees and greenery out his window as the days passed. 

"What am I looking for?" He asked, but Harry knew.

"I'm down here, can you see me? Blue jeans shorts … Yellow top? I've got a sign!"

Harry's eyes scanned the footpath opposite the hotel, there was a main road between him and the park. He'd been in the room less than 12 hours though, so he wasn't familiar with the foot traffic. 

"I can't… Wait, I see you," his mouth opened in a huge smile, "Hi!"

Harry waved and pressed his hand to the window as his heart waved down at Alex's. He felt like his insides were being swapped around inside him as he took his first look at her in the flesh in nearly thirteen weeks. She had sunglasses sitting up on top of her head and a The New Yorker tote bag over her shoulder. He bit his lip at all the exposed skin he was looking at, feeling it a cruel injustice in the fact he would be touching his girlfriend for a fortnight.

Alex was squinting up at the hotel, one hand to her forehead, blocking the sun while the other held her phone to her ear, "How high up at you?"

"Next to the yellow and red flag," he said, looking for a distinguishing feature. He'd fallen asleep to the sound of the rope flapping against the building.

Alex's voice took a teasing tone, "Oh, who's that sexy man with his shirt off in the hotel window?" 

"I can't read your sign."

"I only had a Biro," she lamented, shoving the makeshift sign under her arm, "It just says Hi."

"Hi," Harry leant his forehead into the window, "You look beautiful."

"So do you."

"You going to stand out there for the next two weeks?"

"Would you like me to?"

"Yes, please."

Harry watched her take a step back and lean against the wall to the park behind her, "I'd better get comfy then."

&&&

There was a couple in the room next door to Harry.

"I'm telling you, it's relentless," he implored Alex with his eyes, pausing for a second to listen to the sound of their bed hitting the wall, "They're at it constantly."

"Embrace it, some people are into that," Alex giggled from her parent's kitchen. She was making dinner for the whole family, with her AirPods in and Harry chatting to her as she chopped vegetables. "Let it get you in the mood, Harry. Is that voyeurism, or exhibitionism? I can never—"

"—Okay," He rolled his eyes, "Thank you, Comedian."

"You're just jealous you're not getting any."

"I really am," Harry said seriously, "If I have to wait, so should they."

Alex's laugh filled his ears, "It's alright, less than a week to go now."

"I cannot wait to be holding you," he said, longing in his voice. 

Harry had mixed feelings leaving London. He didn't know when he'd be back, but at the very least he was going to miss his first Christmas with his family. With England in lockdown, it was unlikely that even if he had stayed, he would be able to spend it with them anyway, but Harry would miss them. He already missed them. 

It wasn't like he missed Alex, though. And in all the conversations he'd had with his mum, or his sister, or anyone else, they'd all told him to go for her. They saw it in his eyes and heard it in his voice when he spoke about her. Or maybe their hearts knew as well, as though Harry meeting Alex had been locked away in them all and now the light to that room was switched on. 

So there he was, in Australia. To be with his love.

&&&

Ten Days 'Time has changed nothing at all, you're still the only one that feels like home'

Harry asked the nurse who took his last COVID swab to help him.

He hadn't requested anything up until that point, but he knew, even behind her protective gear, she was a friendly face. And he also knew that there were rumblings online that he was in Sydney. (All those spare and jet lag hours, he'd tried to stay off the internet, he really had) 

The good news was it was just rumblings, because why on earth would Harry Styles be in Sydney.

All it would take was one photo to confirm it though, which in a sense, was fine, he didn't care.

But Harry didn't want that photo to be of any of his first moments back with Alex.

Let someone snap a picture in a couple of weeks, on a random beach or coming out of a cafe somewhere. Just not his first day. Not when he hadn't seen her since the beginning of September almost three months ago.

He asked if the nurse could help him arrange Alex for access to the hotel car park because the discharge information pack he'd received directed him to organise pick up on the street. 

The next two days went slowly, those final 48 hours, waiting for a negative result and trying like anything to bat away fears that it wouldn't be the same. That somehow Harry and Alex would've lost the something that lit the spark in London. 

He hated that feeling—the doubt—and when he confessed it to his sister, she batted it away as nerves. She said life was always full of uncertainty and risks, the idea was to choose the ones you thought were worth taking. 

&&&

Alex stared at her legs as she sat, waiting for Harry in her dad's car.

It hadn't taken long to get the colour back to them, although mostly she was fixated on how she should have dressed a little nicer for the first time seeing Harry in months. She didn't even have proper shoes on, just the thongs that she'd kicked off the night before after coming back from the park with the dogs. 

Harry hadn't seen this side of her. This casual, probably more Australian sounding Alex. The one with bare feet and sunglasses holding her hair back. He'd met her family over video calls, but what would Harry think when he was in a room full of them? They were loud and could have distasteful senses of humour. There were family jokes that Alex had never thought twice about before but now worried Harry wouldn't appreciate. 

She'd slipped back into the comforting hum of life in Sydney so easily. Her friends, her family, her city. When she left Sydney hadn't felt like home, but as soon as she stepped back into it something in Alex let out a sigh of return. It was strange, leaving London just at the end of the summer months and falling straight into the beginning of a new summer here. 

In front of her, Alex sensed movement. The door she'd been instructed to park in front of opened, and a very tall man in an army uniform stepped into the underground car park, propping open the door with his foot. He pointed to Alex in the front seat and said something to Harry, who was the next person to appear, followed by a nurse in full PPE.

Alex felt an explosion in her chest, an electric shock or a bolt of lightning. Two hearts jumping up and down in excitement. 

She cracked the car door open and heard Harry thanking the two people escorting him, his hands moved as though they were itching to add a handshake to the gesture.

As soon as Alex was in his eyesight though Harry didn't think about anyone else. 

She emerged and hovered by the front of the car, waiting for Harry to approach her, as if unsure what she was allowed to do. The sight of her in an oversized hoodie and small athletic shorts warmed him instantly. She looked perfect, with a tan that evaded her in London and a brightness behind her eyes Harry was addicted to already. He liked the thought that he was an errand, that picking up her boyfriend was on a list of things for her to do that day. The word 'normal' flashed in Harry's mind, and any worry he'd had about her or him or them together being different from how he remembered it disappeared.

"Hi," he smiled wide as he tugged down the mask covering his face and stepped right into her personal space, his bag and suitcase abandoned behind him. 

Speechless, Alex breathed Harry in deeply through tears as she was tightly wrapped up in his arms. She couldn't bring any words to the surface, and so they just stood in silence, holding each other. 

After a moment Harry turned his face into her neck and pressed a slow, warm kiss below her ear, "Hello, hello, hello," he said between kisses. 

It only made Alex's crying increase, and she squeezed him tighter while leveraging herself higher up his body, not yet willing or able to step away. 

"Alex," Harry said her name gently, "Let me see you, please."

She leant back but covered her cheeks with her sleeves, peering over at Harry through blurry eyes, "Wait a sec."

He smiled and pulled her hands away by her wrists, "Give me a kiss."

&&&

"You're such a tourist," Alex laughed as she drove, watching Harry lean forward in the passenger seat and try to take a photo through the windscreen of the Sydney Harbour Bridge above them. 

"You know bridges are my passion," he said dryly. 

She smiled as he sat back and slipped his hand back into hers. 

"I quite like you driving," Harry said, eyeing her in the drivers' seat, "Look at you knowing your way around."

Alex grinned under her sunglasses, "We're in my city now, baby."

&&&

Harry's mouth hovered hotly over the skin below Alex's breasts. 

"Harry," she ran her fingers through his hair, hating the anticipation. 

His lips upturned at the impatience behind her saying his name. He pressed a kiss to the skin there, then another half an inch further down her tummy, "M'not in a hurry."

"I am," Alex urged.

"Oh?" Harry stopped and looked up at her, his elbows on either side of her hips as he held himself over her, "You are?"

"Yes."

"Going somewhere after this?"

She whined, whined, "No, Harry."

Alex hadn't taken him home to her family. Not yet. 

She drove an hour out of the city to a beach suburb with what Alex had deemed the nicest Airbnb. It was private, and without Sydney's usual cohort of international tourists, the area was deserted except for locals. They could hear the ocean from the bedroom and see if from the kitchen. She'd booked them two nights; two nights to reconnect and just live in the presence of each other without her family stepping in and inevitably stealing Harry's heart.

(Except, of course, it was Alex's heart who has his, all this time)

"Look at you, fuck," Harry said, tilting back up to take her lips in his, pressing his torso, his thighs, his stomach, his hardened crotch into her. "Fucking gorgeous."

"We can do slow later," she all but begged, her fingers digging into his exposed back, "Please. Just … Just please, Harry."

Alex felt his hand brush over her thigh, deliciously trailing over the sensitive skin just below her hip bone and down between them. His eyes dipped down between them only briefly before Alex was feeling the tip of him pressing into her exactly where she needed it. 

"Yes," her body relaxed into the feeling, remembering the London nights, the mornings and that first time in his living room. 

"Alex," Harry said her name like he could hardly believe it, and at the same time as wanting to savour the moment he was thinking of their first, hurried time as well. His hips snapped forward, remembering that time the rush came from wanting to taste, to experience something new and to have Alex's body for his own the first time. 

The urgency behind Harry's movements this time were for want of something had and sorely missed, something already claimed but given up for a time.

Alex's head was stretched back onto the pillow underneath him while she felt her body shift and squeeze around him. She wrapped her arms around his chest to feel him closer, wanting to hold onto him as he pumped in and out, sighing against her neck, trying to regulate himself.

"God, Al."

"Harry."

&&&

Four nights later, tucked into the spare room at her parent's house, Harry rolled over and took her hand. 

"I think we should get a place here."

"A what?"

"A flat, a house, we should rent something in Sydney." 

"Sydney?" Alex's tone elevated, almost touching the spinning ceiling fan above them.

"Yes, Sydney," Harry repeated, "You mentioned a job you liked the look of a few weeks ago, did you apply for it? "

"But what about London? That's where you live, God, what about your work, Harry."

"I want to be here, I'm not in any hurry to go back to what normal was. Normal didn't have you," Harry said, throwing out the script he'd built in his head the last month. His heart was doing the talking, extempore, "I've watched you this week, Alex, it's like you're a whole different person here. You're so happy and settled and joyful, which, by the way, I already thought you were but here … Do you really want to go again? Could you leave your family again?"

Alex felt her chest going into overdrive like everything was whirring around too quickly. She felt had to be honest, though, despite the way it made the fear climb further up her throat, "No. I don't want to leave."

Harry brought her knuckles up to kiss, "I don't want you to leave, either. So, what if we stayed? For as long as it's where you need to be?"

"But your family—

"—Doing this means one of us is always going to be away from someone," Harry told her, "I can handle missing my family, Al, I can't handle missing you. You're it."

"It just seems like too much to ask you to do, Harry."

"You're not asking," he insisted. "I can figure out how to work from here. London was my home base, I spent a lot of the year away anyway. And it's not that much further to LA for stuff, I … I'm saying I can make it work here, Alex. I want to make it work with you."

Alex's heart did a cartwheel, "You want to stay in Sydney?"

Harry's somersaulted, "I want to stay with you, yes."

The End.  &&&

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Thanks for reading, everyone! x Kate

Tag list: @afterhoursharry​ @beautifuleclipses​ @bumbershots​ @coffee-doodle-doo​ @decadentdonkeyflowerzonk​ @elemayox​ @ficsthatmakemeswoon @finelinesupremacy @greatestview​ @hatnightin2008 @ifiwereaboy2323 @ihearthemcallingforyou​ @just-damn-bored​ @kakaym​ @kara-246​ @lifeandsomethingelse​ @luminescencefics​ @micurq27​ @miorni​ @monpetitchouchou16​ @morethanamelodyy​ @piawhat @rubytersteege @staceystoleyourheart​ @stepping-into-the-light​ @steppingonoranges​ @stylesfics-xx​ @stylishmuser​ @toalltheboyswhowastedmytime​ @tpwkhoney​ @ursamajor603​ @veryplatoniccircunstances @wanderlustiing​​ @whatevarandomlygoes

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[zeppelin-and-unicorns]

Fanfic recommendations part four: Missing scenes/Hidden moments

Stories with missing moments from our favorite couple. They are all canon compliant of sorts.

Bad Ass by AdriDee

How Jackie and Hyde are such badasses...especially when it comes about each other. 2 missing scenes between episodes Trampled Under Foot and You Shook Me also, some missing scenes beforeduringafter episode Christmas from season 6.

Complete.

18k words, 7 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Daydreams: Missing Scenes by Bunny1

Missing scenes from some episodes. They’re all very well-written and in character.

There is a post-season 8 chapter, a fix-it, and it’s real cute.

13k words, 25 chapters.

Rated M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Devil’s in the Details by scorpiosun

A series of missing moments - one for every episode of season 5. Because we deserved to see more of Jackie and Hyde behind the scenes.

This story is a WIP.

22k words, 7 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Also Available on AO3

Dolled Up Zen by Weasley’s Revenge

Summer is hot. That's part of the reason she loves it. And the wicked things he can do to her skin with an ice cube. That's definitely an added bonus.

3k words, 3 chapters.

Rated M. Very M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

It Must Be Love by That-Maria-Girl

What happened after the Valentine’s dance.

4k words, 2 chapters.

Rated M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Summer Lovin’ by scorpiosun

Donna and Kelso run to California, leaving behind 4 of their friends...two of which form a bond no one saw coming. Not even themselves. But that doesn't stop them from making the most of it. The story of how Hyde and Jackie got together over the summer between seasons 4 and 5.

79k words, 13 chapters

Rated M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Also Available on AO3

Summer The Price is Right by holograma309

The story we didn't get to see: how Jackie and Hyde began dating that summer everyone was in California. Takes place between seasons 4 and 5. Doesn't ignore their earlier storyline. Just trying to fill in the blanks for my favorite couple.

13k words, 8 chapters.

Rated M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

The Love I Need by myboygeorge

Everyone knows when Jackie and Hyde first hooked up. But when did they become lovers? Set as an extension of Season 5's 'Over the Hills and Far Away'.

3k words, 3 chapters.

Rated M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

The Renewal by yabookreader96

Kelso and Donna are away in California. Eric spends his days sleeping in a stupor of self-loathing and depression. Fez meets a new foe, named Fenton. This leaves Steven Hyde and Jackie Burkhart together all summer in the Forman basement. One of many things Jackie and Hyde fans have never gotten is a story for what led up to that fateful kiss on that seemingly normal day. Well...

This story is complete.

71k words, 18 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

One-shots:

Absolutely Better than Pot by galnkay

Steven Hyde has never been one to use the dreaded 'L' word, but he might have to to win her back. Sleeping with nurses and losing your girl can really bring you to your lowest point.

Angsty, but very well written.

1k words.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

body language by j. alfred prufrock

Of course, it helped that Hyde didn’t pull his hand away and sort of let it rest there with hers.

Jackie and Hyde in the POV of a random person from school.

999 words.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Coming Back Around by EnchantedWorlds

"But right now, Jackie really wanted to tell him. Not, that he ever said it back. Apart from that one time in Donna's bedroom, that Jackie would rather not think about, except to remind herself that Steven did love her." [Jackie, Hyde and words that are exchanged once Fez leaves them alone in the basement in 'Down the Road Apiece.']

1k words.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Country Music by LucyLenn96

After Hyde's disastrous initial meeting with his biological father, Jackie spends some time trying to cheer him up. In the process, she learns something she never knew about him, and he is reminded of just how deep Jackie's affection for him is.

2k words.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Fireworks and Shooting Stars by Raven33

Takes place right after “I Can’t Quit You, Baby”. Jackie deals with life being complicated. Fluffy as hell.

2k words.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Five Scenes from Season Five (and one that’s mine) by TeaTimeAllOverTown

Five moments from Jackie and Hyde's relationship in season 5 that we didn't get to see - and one with a new twist on the season's ending.

I know, not 100% canon compliant but... It’s cute and fluffy and everyone should read this.

10k words.

Rated G.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Four Love Confessions Jackie Never Heard by j. alfred prufrock

Or, four times Steven Hyde almost told Jackie Burkhart that he loved her and the one time he did.

2k words.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Heal This Hurt by kaitiebee89

A flashback of the night Hyde found out Jackie's mother still wasn't home.

5k words.

Rated T. 

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Jekyll and Hyde by Mistiec

The students at Point Place High knew senior year meant changes. They just weren't prepared for how many there actually would be.

6k words.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Never Gonna be Alone by letmefallasleep

Hyde's thoughts as Jackie lays asleep in his arms after her dad gets arrested, and her mother abandons her. Why does the pygmy sized brunette mean so much to him? Implied past abuse and neglect.

1k words.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Of Friendship anf Familiarity by zpplnchick

Jackie's hanging out in the basement with the gang and looks around with a sense of contentment. Set shortly after 6x08. Short and fluffy oneshot.

2k words.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Eric/Donna

Picking Battles by nannygirl

In "The Acid Queen" Kitty advises Jackie about 'picking battles' and both Kitty and Jackie end up sending Red and Hyde out to buy some magazines. When Red and Hyde end up meeting at the drugstore, Red has some of his own relationship advice to pass on to Hyde.

3k words.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, Red/Kitty

Picking Petals by scorpiosun

Set during the course of season 6. After Jackie and Hyde get back together, things go relatively smooth for them. And they're happy - mostly. But Jackie can't stop thinking about whether or not Steven really meant it when he said he loved her. And if he did, will he ever say it again? These glimpses into their relationship show her moments of clarity, doubt, and finally, closure.

5k words.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Also Available on AO3

Plan G From Point Place by c00kiefic

Jackie has urges… Takes place during “I’m Free”.

6k words.

Rated M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Seven Scenes from Season Seven by TeaTimeAllOverTown

Seven missing scenes from Season Seven. Part 4 of my missing scenes series.

8k words.

Rated G.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Six Scenes from Season Six by TeaTimeAllOverTown

Six Jackie and Hyde scenes from season 6 - filling in their gaps. Canon compliant. A continuation of my missing scenes series.

6k words.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Six Scenes from Summer by TeaTimeAllOverTown

A collection of Jackie and Hyde scenes from season 4.5 - the ones we never got to see.

9k words.

Rated G.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Summer Fling by mrs.salvatore39

What happened before 'what really happened'. Set during the summer after Kelso and Donna leave for California. Prior 5x02

4k words.

Rated M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Surprise by SerenitySparrow

Set during the episode when Jackie bakes Hyde some cookies and tries to cheer him up after they learn about Kelso and Angie.

2k words.

Rated M, very M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

The Speech by yabookreader96

When Jackie's friends all blow off her graduation party, she decides that maybe they're not her real friends after all. So when a week passes with no sign of Jackie, they all begin to wonder if they've lost her for good this time. Can amends be made?

1k words.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

That Whole Sleeping Over Thing by KendraA

Jackie wasn’t letting Hyde pretend to fall asleep before she snuck over." Post-'The Acid Queen' fluff.

4k words.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Also Available on AO3

Wish You Were Here by zpplnchick

How Hyde may have found out about Jackie's parents abandoning her, and moments following. Set during Season 5, sometime after 5x16.

4k words.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Without a Friend by EnchantedWorlds

"It's good. Just because it's Jackie. It wouldn't be good, if it wasn't her. It's so fucking good. So of course, it only stands to reason, that he completely fucking torpedoes it." Jackie makes a habit of visiting Hyde at the hotel, when he's at work. Until she doesn't.

2k words.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

I believe this is all. Feel free to reply to this post if you think I left out a good story!

I’ll repeat this at the end of every single post (seriously, I literally copy and paste this every single time): Speaking as someone who writes, it would be really cool if you guys decide to leave a review (or a comment, if the story is on AO3) in the stories you read, especially the unfinished ones. It really motivates the authors, and receiving a compliment is always a mood lifter. I’ve seen some authors updating stories after years because of nice reviews, so… yeah, this is just an idea.

The next category is probably one of the biggest ones so far: Alternative Universe (canon divergence). Will post it soon!

[bansheeoftheforest]

A Moment Of Glory

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Chapter 1; A Devil’s Disguise

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Second chapter babeeeeeeeyyy!! At this rate I think I’m more excited about posting these than y’all are to read them, which also makes me very sad as I have to wait to like... 15 CEST time to actually post this so people actually can read it. Oh weeeeeellll.... 

Also! Please do tell me if you all want me to update more! I have a lot of chapters to go so I would not mind to update more often!

———————————————————

Wordcount: 6351

Chapter summary: Henry Jekyll knows what he wants because Hyde tells him. Hyde also reminds him that, for once in his life, he also wants revenge.

CW [for this chapter]: No warnings apply.

[Ao3]

————

Chapters:

[Prologue] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [Epilogue]

———————————————————

Four days and three nights had passed since Henry’s misery had gotten unbearable. Four days and three nights had passed since Hyde managed to convince the doctor to fake his own kidnapping. Four days and three nights had passed since Henry was left with such an overwhelming excitement, rage, and sorrow that made it feel like he was bursting at his seams. Four days and three nights since Henry began to isolate himself. Four days and three nights since he gave in. Four days and three nights.

 Four days and three nights lost his senses and sensibility.

 He was used to ignoring Hyde, tuning him off and turning the other cheek when the other tried to pester him, torture him, swirling around him like a starved vulture to get his attention, and yet, somehow, his two years of getting used to and ignoring Hyde had been hurled straight of the window. His attention span disappeared and his focus crumbling under Hyde’s fingertips, allowing the blond to continue his endless manipulation. Henry could only be thankful for his dreary isolation, as it gave him more security in not having to worry about people seeing him as a lunatic. Hyde, too, seemed especially pleased by the doctor’s sudden change of schedule, as it gave him free rein to continue to brew the little plan of theirs, the one that would render them both free.

 This, however, was merely one of the many steps.

 During the last four days and three nights, Henry had to admit that he had been neglecting his work and his friends, not putting a single ounce of his already diminishing focus on either of them but instead opting to tippy-toe to the beginning of that little secret of his. Much like when he first created Hyde, he had silently bought a one-bedroom apartment in the Lambeth district; far away from the Society and across the Thames from SoHo to eliminate many of the chances of accidentally meeting someone he knew. Once his temporary home had been secured, he had taken a long walk down Oxford street and bought a new set of clothes for his future endeavors; nothing lavish, nothing like the twin-like set of clothes that he and Hyde had, but instead an easy set of wardrobe that would easily match him in within the large crowd of commoners. He liked to be prepared and prepared he was. He had even begun to dig through his old alchemy books for any kind of serum to change his appearance. He was not looking for anything drastic, just something that would cover him, hide him, and it did not take long until he found exactly what he had needed, now having already started to collect the ingredients for the potion.

 That would have been quite the sight, ey? If he faked his kidnapping and was found in commoner’s clothes walking down a slum district.

 Right now, however, Hyde watched as Henry leaned over his desk; his cold, thin hands pressed flat against the nearly empty workspace as he seemed to be trying to do his hardest to gain motivation. The heaps of paperwork that had once occupied the mahogany desk had been moved over to its temporary residency on the couch by the fireplace, making way for the single newspaper that was carefully placed upon the hardwood, as neatly and carefully as you’d expect the police to place the weapon of murder upon an examination table. The doctor continued to hold his head bowed, avoiding his alter ego’s gaze, eyes held tightly shut as his hands pulled into fists over the cold wood. He took a deep breath before he let his red eyes open once more, letting his gaze move over to the newspaper, its single photograph upon the front page being the only thing that caught his interest. They both knew why the newspaper was here. They both knew, and yet they both stayed silent.

 Henry lifted his gaze after only a short moment, tilting his head as he watched Hyde in the mirror. Hyde had not looked away from his counterpart once but instead opted to flash him a grin once their glances met. A grin, so very tempting and wicked. A man-made devil waiting for its victim.

 Henry’s hand silently traveled from the glazed wood of the tabletop and down to a drawer by his side, grabbing its knob and pulling it out. He did not have to look at what he was doing before his fingertips caught the protected shaft of a pair of scissors, silently pulling it out as he grabbed the newspaper with his other hand. He did not bother to tear out the single page he needed, but instead let the scissors glide through the coarse paper, cleanly cutting out the photograph he was out after before he placed the scraps upon the table once more, the entire newspaper but it’s frontpage untouched, unwanted.

 He placed the scissors back into its drawer, pushing it shut with his knee without letting his attention fall from the picture so securely held between his thumb and index finger. His eyes did not move away once, not even as he took a step back from his desk and turned around, leaving his back turned to his alter ego as he continued onward to the single space of wall that was not occupied by a cabinet or window, but instead by a single corkboard. The board’s original content --schedules, reminders, to-do’s, and miscellaneous planning-- had been torn down and placed into an unorganized heap on the already messy couch, getting mixed in between the stacks of paperwork. He had torn down and replaced the board’s original content with a handful of other, less meaningful photographs and incoherent notes, barely understandable by Henry himself after having come down from his energy induced high and completely undecipherable for anyone else who would have the misfortune of witnessing the mess of Henry’s office and corkboard. It was the scribblings of a madman, to say the least.

 The doctor took a pin from a tiny metal container by the nearest cabinet and carefully pinned the new picture on the only empty spot on the board, right over the other photographs and notes that now went around it in a chaotic semi-circle, right before he leaned back to observe his work and the sole focus of his attention for the last four days and three nights. He nodded to himself, one of his hands reaching into the pocket of his coat to take out a small ball of red thread. He did not bother to go back for the scissor, as he only needed a handful of pieces that he easily tore into the necessary lengths, before leaning forward once more. Every single note, every single photograph in such an unorthodox display lead up to the newest addition; the newly cut-out picture in the middle, and the alchemist wasted no time in visualizing its connection with the red thread, such a stark contrast from the neutral tones of the board, a vast difference, clearly showing it’s intent.

 He took a few steps back, letting his gaze move from the handful of pictures by the bottom of the board and up to the single photograph in the middle. The photograph displayed a torso-up shot of a pale man with black, pulled-back hair, a chinless beard, and a twirled mustache, the little skin that was shown revealing a deep frown upon the wearer’s face, a face Henry had seen one too many times. The man, by the name of Rick Crawford, was --much like Henry-- one of the most influential men in the entirety of London. He had his puppeteer strings in every corner, in every company, in every gang, and every part of the aristocracy in the entire city, although such facts were rarely known. Once a man that Henry had respected, Crawford was now a man he could only feel hatred for. Crawford was one of many who opposed science, but one of the few who had actively tried to shut down the Society for Arcane Sciences ever since its construction was announced; he would sneer and dismiss anyone and everyone who tried to convince him that science was a great thing that could improve so much, that had created so much, and he would gladly sink most of his savings into campaigns to keep London a “safe city without scientists to change and destroy what the city had been built upon, built for”. He was a hypocrite, benefitting from the advancement of scientific engineering and yet refusing to acknowledge it, acting like it was natural occurrences untouched by the men and women whom he claimed to be mad. Without science, there were no steam engines, trains, medicine-- everything was built up by one key ingredient and that was science, which Crawford actively gained from and yet, no matter how many times Henry tried to change Crawford’s mind during the handful of times they met during banquets, the other man would twirl his long mustache and do his best to ridicule the doctor for the rest of the evening. Crawford slandered Henry’s work, his legacy, his Society, and his Lodgers, and he could not let that slide by. Crawford’s photograph was, ironically, taken out from an article about his latest attempt to shun science, to shun the Society for Arcane Sciences, and even without the support of its remaining article, the man’s disgust of such a topic was made quite clear by the facial expression alone. Having seized the news of the Grand Exhibition’s postponement, Crawford seemed to have seen that as a golden opportunity to turn the people of London against the Society and in its turn, against Henry Jekyll.

 “They clearly can’t be trusted,” The article had quoted the man, “they have can’t even organize their own show-and-tell. How can we see them as safe and trustworthy?”

 Oh, Crawford... If you only knew what you had just gotten yourself into.

 Crawford was nowhere near the only man who had insulted the Society, insulted Henry’s work and the doctor himself, but he was, by far, the only one that Henry found worthy of putting his attention to. He was the mastermind, the orchestrator of most of the campaigns against science, while most others whose photographs were on display upon the corkboard had merely resided in slander, rumors, and lies, but made no actual effort into stopping it.

 Rick Crawford was on top of the food chain and Henry wanted him gone, and yet, he couldn’t help but hesitate.

 As Henry let the doubt grip his body, Hyde continued to watch his counterpart, silently getting closer, silently floating through the air. Edward watched as Henry stared at the photograph of his rival, he observed how the doctor gulped, and he watched as the other man’s hand twitched by his side, aching, longing to take the picture down, to remove the whole board and forget about the whole thing, to toss the entire plan aside and act like nothing had happened, like he hadn’t just planned to fake his own kidnapping and like he hadn’t just planned to frame his rival for it. 

 Hyde could not let that happen.

 ‘He will deserve it, you know,’ Hyde whispered, allowing himself to slink through the thin air and allowing his ghostly form to come closer to the doctor. He grabbed his shoulders, towering over the other man from behind, and yet Henry did not acknowledge him at all. He continued to stare at the picture, and so Hyde continued;  ‘After everything he has done to you, don’t you think he serves a punishment?’

 Henry continued to stay quiet, his eyebrows furrowed softly upon his forehead. He tried his hardest to ignore the way his heart beat so quickly within his chest, to ignore the way his breath was lodged into his throat, to ignore how the corners of his eyes darkened and the room began to spin so very softly. He tried his hardest, and he did his best to distract himself by just continuing to stare at the photograph, and it almost felt like the photograph stared back at him. The twisted frown upon Crawford’s lips taunted him, dared him, tempted him, mocked him. Hyde did not make the sensation any better.

 “...Don’t you think it’s going too far?” 

 ‘Not at all, dear Henry. On the contrary, actually. Don’t you feel like he deserves worse, after everything he has put you through? After all, you are letting him off easy. You could very well have made him responsible for your murder.’ 

 ...

 “What if he denies it? What if someone finds out that I framed him?”

 ‘Of course he will deny it, but who will believe him? Everyone knows about your feud, everyone knows he wants you and the Society gone, but if you play your cards right, no one will find out. He will be gone and out of your way when you decide to return, too. After all, when the evidence points to him and when you tell everyone it was him, how would he prove otherwise?’

 Henry took a deep breath, although it quivered ever so slightly. As much had he did not like to admit it, Hyde was right. No one would believe the accused if Henry managed to make everything believable enough; if he fabricated a story and stuck with it. It was to kill or be killed, and Henry was sure that if he did not get Crawford out of his way, Crawford would get Henry out of his. Crawford was a cruel, wicked man not only to Henry but to so many in the common class, the workers of his factories, the servants of his estates, and the less fortunate he met upon the streets, spitting onto their faces metaphorically and literally every chance he got. Even without his and Henry’s personal affairs, he deserved what he was about to get. He did not deserve to be such a high-standing man, he did not deserve such power. But who was Henry to decide such a thing? Who was Henry to take that away from him, forcefully, on the accusations of a crime he hadn’t committed? Did Crawford deserve something as severe as the accusation of another’s kidnapping? What crimes and sins could he possibly have committed that made him worthy of such a thing? Was it not hypocritical for Henry to decide his fate after all the horrible things he had done himself, that he forever would keep hidden under the surface and would take to his grave?

 ‘Who cares if he actually deserves it or not? You want him gone, why do you have to justify it? Do you not deserve the one pleasure of ridding yourself of an opponent?’ 

 Much like a few days before, Hyde’s hands moved from Henry’s shoulders and up to his hair, loosely gripping at the tuft locks of brown curls while he continued to hover over the doctor, peering over him and observing his every move. The normally affectionate gesture of hands in his hair was nothing but a manipulative and intrusive tactic when it came from Hyde, and yet Henry could not be bothered to wave him off. He was far too gone to try to fight Hyde, to fight his temptations, his reasoning. The small touches that Henry normally craved from his peers were only used to get him weak and unresponsive, unargumentative, and allowing of what Hyde wanted him to do and be. Henry knew Hyde’s tricks, he knew his intention, and yet he remained so very naive, so very well-behaved, and so very obedient.

 ‘Do you really think that Crawford hasn’t tried to get rid of his own enemies? Do you think his rivals going bankrupt is a coincidence? Do you really think he would not try to get rid of you if he was in your shoes?’

 Hyde’s hands moved once more, but this time they traveled down to Henry’s jaw, cupping and holding him in place, not very different from when he first convinced Henry to fake his kidnapping. He held Henry in place and forced him to look where he wanted him to, making the doctor adhere to his own will, his own desires. He held Henry in place and continued to make him stare at the photograph, continued to make him watch Crawford’s vile face, his deep frown, and humiliating gaze. Henry’s hands twitched by his sides. He did not often let himself harbor rage and hatred within him, such a disgustingly wicked emotion that he often refused to associate with, instead opting for sorrow or envy while leaving the anger to Hyde. Hatred was a strong word and yet not strong enough for him to be used in his description of Richard Crawford, deeply wishing the man had chosen another shortening for his first name.

 He would deserve it, would he not? Why was he hesitating?

 “What if I regret it later?”

 ‘Then you simply say that it was a mistake.’

 He did not like the way Hyde was so fast in answering his questions and concerns, but as much as he wished he could shake everything off of him, he had no time to think about that right now. He had no time to be worried about Hyde’s intent or the things he kept from the doctor, but instead, he merely allowed himself to step forward to his corkboard, feeling Hyde’s hands leave his face as his twitching hands went up and began to dig through his pockets once more, but instead of red thread, he took out a red pen. Despite the slight quiver of his hands, he took off the cap and brought the tip up to the top left corner of Crawford’s photograph, when he then drew a long, uneven stroke down to the bottom right one. He moved the tip up to the empty corner at the top and moved the pen in the opposite direction, down to the last empty corner, before he pulled the pen away and took a step back, breath hitched into a lump in his throat.

 It was decided.

 Crawford was as good as gone.

 ‘There you go. Was that really so hard?’

 Hyde finally moved closer, but instead of grabbing the doctor from behind like so many times before, he let his specter float in front of the doctor to cover his view, to hide what he had just done, what he had just decided. The blond man towered over Henry, cradling his face in his hands as he grinned, thumbs stroked over the doctor’s cheeks and yet Henry could do nothing but sigh, trying to turn his way but like many times before, Hyde would not let him. He kept him in place, forcing him to look at him, not to face what he had just done, but to face the cause of his actions.

 ‘Does it not feel good to be a god? Does it not feel good to be the one in control? You like control, don’t you, Jekyll? Does it not feel good to have it?’ 

 A soft breath, quivering so loudly within the silence. Henry did not want to admit it but he felt how he relaxed within Hyde’s palms, closing his eyes as he gave a slow nod. It did feel good, it felt so good to be the one in control, completely in charge, even if it was about something as horrible as this. He decided on his own accord, his own rules, his own desires. It was shameful to admit but he craved control, he craved to be the leader, he craved to control every single aspect of what was happening. He knew exactly what was going on, he knew exactly what would happen, he was prepared and he had the authority. No one to stop him, no one to overrule him, no one to ruin what he had worked so hard for, no one to betray him.

 No Lodgers, no Frankenstein, no Moreau, no Scotland Yard, no aristocracy.

 Only him.

 Only Hyde.

 ‘Taste it on your tongue, Jekyll,’ Hyde murmured. The alter ego was so close, far too close for Henry’s liking, but even with Hyde’s hands on his face, he made no move to stop him from leaning in by his ear, like so many other times this week, ‘taste the freedom, taste the control, the command. You are in control now, Jekyll. You are your own god now.’

 He could taste it, he could taste it so vividly, burning his tongue and slipping down his throat like a strong whiskey, and yet he craved it and he craved so much more. The bitter taste of relief, of power, so easily intoxicating and exhilarating and making him tippy-toe on the same madness so many fell victim to. Great leaders and authorities who got blinded with power, with control, and demanded more and more; greed consuming them as much as they consumed every ounce of control they could get their hands on, fear of powerlessness that sent their empires and legacy into ruin. It was such a dangerous game and yet Henry could not get enough. He used to be happy with what he had, because what he had used to be enough, but then Frankenstein came, and Moreau soon after, and then Hyde had caused the fire and Henry felt helpless, vulnerable, hopeless, and he craved the control he used to have, a fix of the drug he slowly watched himself get addicted to. Hyde knew exactly which buttons to push and where it hurt, he knew exactly how to get Henry vulnerable, defenseless, powerless in an attempt to get him to think that he had the control. Henry was addicted, and Hyde was his solution.

 ‘Do you know what to do now, Henry?’ Hyde asked. He had not moved an inch further away and despite his lack of physical form, Henry could feel his ghostly breath tickle his skin, and yet he had no choice but to feel how his body tensed and his eyebrows furrowed further in discomfort, allowing himself to nod, slowly, ‘You have to go through with this now, and you have to find things to plant on the scene.’

 “...I know.”

 ‘But don’t worry, I can help you with that.’ Hyde murmured, ‘Just take our little serum, let yourself melt away, and sit back and relax as I do the dirty work for you.’

 “But... Are you sure that’s a good idea? The police-”

 ‘The deed will be done and I’ll be back right here, on this very spot, before the police will have picked up my trail. No one will know it was me in the first place, and even if they will, I’d be back here, in this office, and let you take over once more.’

 Henry knew full well that the various searchers of Hyde were far from over, and Hyde knew that too; Such a large amount of arson was hard to forget and they were only lucky that no one got seriously hurt. It would take a long time until the Scotland Yard would forget about it and stop to actively search for the culprit, not to mention that there was no doubt that the various merchants of the Blackfog Bazaar would do everything to get to skin Hyde alive. To let Hyde out into the open, to run the risk of making his criminality impossibly worse... Henry knew it was a bad idea, and yet... It wasn’t like he had much of a choice. It wasn’t like he could get any evidence himself. What was he supposed to do, try to pickpocket Crawford during banquets?

 “...Promise you will only get the evidence, nothing more?” 

 ‘Of course.’

 Henry did his best to take a deep, calming, soothing breath; completely ignoring how it trembled, completely ignoring how Hyde got closer and closer, and completely ignoring the way the only thing that kept him from falling backward was Hyde holding him in place. He ignored it, just as much as he ignored all the previous warning signs that displayed itself upon his and Hyde’s plan. He ignored it, just as much as he craved it. He took a deep breath, and nodded.

 “...I will prepare the HJ7.”

 ‘Good boy.’

 A soft shudder ran through Henry’s body once Hyde finally let go of him. He took a step stumbling backward but quickly caught himself and his balance, only sparing a slight --although irritated-- glance at his alter ego as Hyde began to swirl around him, looking at him from every angle possible. It was moments like these where Henry wondered if Hyde’s form really was just a figment of his imagination, or if the other man’s form much more resembled a ghost, a spirit, so easily being able to physically manipulate Henry and Henry alone but nothing else without possessing the body. He shook his head and stumbled over to his desk. No, he had no time to think of that. He had to set his plan in motion, time was running scarce as every moment gave him second thoughts, and yet such incredible excitement. He could not allow anyone to start to suspect anything, either, which reminded him...

 He looked back at his corkboard, knowing full well that anyone who would take a single step into his office would see his plan on clear display, although they would most likely not be able to understand or decipher its content. His empty desk and the otherwise messy office were a clear sign that something was not right, that something was up, and yet he knew better than to expect the Lodgers to barge in and start searching his office while he was gone. He had to get rid of it, somehow, and quickly... 

 His eyes darted over the room, trying to find a good place to hide the evidence. The trash can would be too obvious, and so would throwing it out the window be... However, it did not take long until his gaze was caught by the fireplace, the little space of comfort where he often found himself spending the cold winter days but often neglected during the warmer months. Its current contents of wood coal and ashes were long since burnt to nothingness, completely useless, but he still had dry wood in the holder next to it. He glanced at the corkboard once more, then at the scraps of newspaper upon his desk, and then back to the fireplace. 

 ‘Start the fire and burn the evidence,’ Hyde suggested, giving words to Henry’s silent thoughts, ‘It will be nothing more than ashes once I’m back.’

 Henry did as told, as obedient as always. He turned back and stepped forward to the corkboard, wasting no time in pulling out the pins and gathering every note, every photograph, anything remotely related to his plan, and anything remotely burnable. He stacked the papers over each other in one hand and pulled out the pins in the other, although he did not let his gaze wander down to either until the corkboard was clean and empty once more. He took a last glance on its dotted surface before sighing softly, dropping the pins into the same tin before making his way back to his desk where he quickly gathered the newspaper and continued over to the unlit fireplace, sitting down on his knees while he placed the papers on the floor next to him to free his hands. Another sigh was the only sound he let out before he began to collect the new wood from its holder, stacking them into the fireplace to prepare for the burning. Mindlessly reaching for the papers, he quickly stopped as his gaze turned from the firebox and caught the photograph at the top; marked like a sacrificial lamb with red ink, its depiction clueless of its fate. The photo of Crawford practically stared back at Henry, unsuspecting, unaware, and yet so accusing. Henry cowered every so slightly, glancing around him. Hyde was still watching from the reflection of one of the glass cabinets, mimicking a pose of laying on his stomach with his elbows against the metaphorical floor, head resting upon his hands. Hyde watched, quirking a questioning eyebrow at the gaze he and Henry shared, but Henry glanced away quickly. He grabbed the photo of Crawford and tore it between his pinched fingers, turning the pieces upside down so only the scattered words of what used to be the photograph’s article were visible. His hand shook ever so slightly, and yet he wasted no time in scattering the pieces in the fire-to-be, not bothering to tear up the other notes, photographs, or even spare the pieces of red thread; only tearing up the newspaper before letting it all follow suit under the stacks of wood. He opened a tiny compartment on top of the fireplace and got out a box of matches, not hesitating for a single second before he lit a match and held it to the dry wood. The fire took immediately, allowing the doctor to drop the match into the glowing coals before he closed the metal screen, securing the fire as it began to take glow. 

 No more faces, no more guilt. Only a mortal fire to hide his tracks.

 Well, he had no more time to lose. 

 He attempted to stand up with a miserable groan, feeling his weak knees aching and giving in under him as he grabbed after the mantle of the fireplace to support himself. His joints popped with a pathetically loud ‘pop!’ and he felt sick just hearing it, and yet he just took a moment to hold himself against the fireplace while he let the dizziness wash away. His legs felt sore and yet he pushed on until he could stumble away from the blaze, making his way towards that one cabinet where he kept the pre-serum for the HJ7, as well as a small package of the elixir salt. He felt Hyde’s continuous stares and yet he did not spare him a single glance this time, almost in shame, almost in fear, as he reached for the beaker with the glowing red liquid and the tiny paper container. Barely a moment passed before the salt was dumped into the red fluid, making it bubble up and turn into a sickly shade of brown as the salts began to dissolve, vapor and smoke already spilling over the edge of the beaker’s neck. He reached for a stirring rod and began to coax the salt into dissolving, watching the shade turn cooler and cooler until a neon green appeared and the salts disintegrated, just as quickly as sugar in normal water. He allowed himself to glance back for a moment, to the reflection where he had last seen Hyde, but he was in the same position, but grinning, watching.

 ��Go on, take it. You can trust me.’

 Henry knew he couldn’t, he knew he shouldn’t trust Hyde and yet he continued to blindly follow him, a lost puppy trying to find shelter. He wasn’t sure what had gotten into him; Hyde used to be the last person he would trust, but things changed. After all, he could never have imagined there would come a time where he would not be able to trust the Lodgers, that there would come a time where he would only be able to look at them with sorrow, with betrayal, and yet... 

 He did not allow himself to continue the thought, taking a step back so as to not hit the cabinets before he took the beaker to his lips, turned his head back, and began to chug. He lost his grip around the beaker immediately, sending it falling and smashing against the floor with the little contents that were left as he doubled over, screaming. He fell to the floor, narrowly missing the shards of broken glass as he curled up, clawing at his skin as the sensation of his organs and body turning inside out filled every and all of his senses. Twitching, clawing, crying for mercy to any god that would listen, yet letting his spirit melt away and give place for Hyde’s control. They felt how their fingers, legs, and spine grew down and shortened to give away for the smaller, more flexible stature of Hyde, and they felt how their organs mixed and matched and shaped like clay within them to match those changes. Their hair grew longer, thicker, wilder, and the brown color slowly washed out into a natural yellow. The scream never left, even under the threat of choking on the thick, sickly green liquid that spilled out of their mouth and eyes, but instead it merely turned into a dry laugh, loud and yet just as haunting, blood-freezing. 

 Hyde opened his eyes, fingers twitching as he heaved, trying so desperately to catch his breath. His sweaty hair fell into his eyes as he crawled up from the mess on the floor, drops of the green liquid and shards of the broken glass clinging to the too-big clothes that hung loosely against his thin body, and yet he paid no attention to them, even with the risk of getting injured. He was used to this, after all. Far too used to this.

 Henry watched from the shadows as Hyde, still cackling, brushed off the grime and glass from his body, trying to do the same with the spills of the green liquid but without much success, only rubbing it into the fabric instead. After an irritated huff, Hyde turned his attention towards his next destination and soon made his way over to the lone door that led into Henry’s bedroom. The doctor followed after, watching hesitantly, silently. Hyde opened the door and immediately went to the wardrobe, tearing the closet door open to begin to dig after his own clothes. He would need something to fit his own body, lest he want to risk messing up their plan by tripping on the too-long pants or have one of the too-big shoes fall off of his feet when he tried to escape. Good thing that everything was already prepared. Anyone who had spent more than five minutes in the same room as Crawford knew how much the man adored his nightly walk through the finner neighborhoods every evening, so Hyde would not need to search far or long to find him. He was practically at their porch by this point, falling right into their trap.

 ...

 “Y’know, Jekyll,” Hyde started then, sparing a short glance to his shadow as he collected his fittings through the mess of their shared wardrobe, “You can just go to the mindscape, take a moment to relax. I won’t do anything else than we have agreed to.”

 ‘...You won’t hurt him, right?’

 Hyde cackled once more.

 “You are planning to frame him for your kidnapping, are you really worried about hurting him?”

 Henry cowered, yet he merely glanced away and scratched his neck-- a useless thing to do as he had no physical form and therefore could not feel it, but the reflex was still there. Hyde observed him but only sighed softly, rolling his eyes as he knew Henry was not watching him.

 “Don’t worry, I won’t pull a hair from his head-- or-- no, actually, I definitely will do that, but I won’t break a bone in his body... Intentionally, at least.”

 ‘Just be discreet, please.’

 “Of course, don’t worry.”

 Hyde stripped from Jekyll’s clothes, tossing them over to a hamper next to the closet before he began to take on his own, keeping his back turned to the doctor. Henry averted his gaze and let his counterpart get dressed in peace, finding the scarce furniture in the room awfully interesting. They might be the same person and they might share the same body but that didn’t make Henry any more comfortable about starting a half-naked man. Hyde had no shame, of course, but he already knew that. Hyde rarely had any shame for anything.

 “Cross your metaphorical fingers for me, Jekyll.” 

 Henry took the risk to glance back at Hyde and was relieved to find that the other man had gotten dressed awfully fast, and yet Hyde grinned at him with such a grin that Henry had learned the hard way to fear. Instead of commenting on it, the doctor merely sighed as Hyde made it to the window. The blond man pulled the screen panel open, taking in and savoring a deep breath of the cold evening air before he vaulted his legs over the windowsill, waiting for just a moment with a single glance back at his counterpart.

 ‘...Good luck.’

 Hyde gave Henry a salute and a smirk before he swung himself over from the open window and onto a pipe drain, where he proceeded to climb onto the roof. Henry did not follow, but instead took a deep breath and trusted that Hyde would fix this by himself. He could always call after Henry, after all, now that the doctor was used to tapping in and out of the mindscape as he pleased. Closing his eyes, Henry allowed himself to wash away from reality, feeling lighter, weightless, almost like he was floating in the clouds. He opened his eyes and was met by the eternal blue of his own mind, its layout so confusingly complex that he could not even start to wonder what he should do to pass time. Instead, he did as Hyde told him; sat back and relaxed, allowing everything to pass on by him.

 He should not trust Hyde and he knew that, but he did not want to watch as Hyde did whatever he was going to do to Crawford. All he could hope was that whatever Hyde would do... He would leave no evidence or witnesses, but no corpses or victims, either.

 Forget being the devil’s advocate, Hyde was merely a devil’s disguise.

———————————————————

...Yes, Richard Crawford is very much inspired by Crawford Starrick from AC Syndicate, I won't even try to hide it. TO BE FAIR I had no idea who else to have Henry frame because there was no character I could put the blame on in the actual comic, soo... Yes, very self-indulgent, I know, but I'm trying to make it work!

———————————————————

[ofieugogyshz]

Fic;; This Will Get Better, ch. 7 - Rotomdex

Chapter content warnings: none

Word count: 3500

Chapter Summary: Having cleared the first Trial with ease, Mustard gives the students of the Master Dojo and its guests a few hours before starting the next one. In that time, Sarah decides to update her Pokedex, and meets Hyde, the son of Honey and Mustard. When everyone comes back for lunch, Mustard announces what the next trial is!

(Fic Masterpost)

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

Mustard announced that there would be a short pause before the second trial. I decided to take the time to look into getting my Pokedex updated. I didn't need it to be upgraded to a full, complete transfer over to a new device-- in fact, I hated that idea. I wanted to update the information in mine with that of Galar's, so that I'd know about any other regional variant Pokemon, like those three Slowpoke from earlier. I was going to need at least that much while we stayed here and trained.

“Do you know if there's any way that I can update my Pokedex while I'm here?” I asked Miss Honey. “Those Slowpoke didn't respond to Pika's Thunderbolt like I expected, and if we're going to be here for a month, I'd like to be able to know more about the local Pokemon.” While I spoke, I dug my Pokedex out of my bag, one that dated over 20 years old. I saw the surprise on Honey's face and let out an annoyed sigh, expecting yet another comment about its age. “I know, I know, it's old, but I've been able to keep it upgraded; the insides are far more up to date and have more memory than the original model did. Honestly, this is just a shell, but it's the same shell that I've had since I started out as a trainer.”

“Why... That's amazing that you've managed to keep it functioning after all this time!” The unexpected praise caused my face to warm up. “I wouldn't know how to upgrade that myself, but if there's anyone on the Isle of Armor that could, it'd be my son Hyde!”

“Hyde?” I tried to think back on everyone that I had met so far. No one introduced themselves with that name, and no one had said anything about being Honey and Mustard's child, either. She must have caught my confused look and nodded, as though remembering something.

“Yes, of course. You haven't had a chance to meet him yet-- he doesn't like to come out of his room often, and prefers to play with his inventions instead. If you go over here...” Honey pointed me towards his room. “...you'll probably find him inside.”

I went down the path she pointed, until I found a nameplate that said “Hyde”. I knocked on the closed door; there was no immediate response. I thought about knocking again when the door opened, and I had to look down to see a small child, maybe around age 8 or 9, looking up at me with an almost condescending face.

“What do you want? I'm kind of busy right now, so make it quick.”

“Oh, um. Uh... I'm looking for Hyde. Do you know where I could find him?” As soon as I said it, I knew that I had asked a dumb question. I had expected someone much older, given Mustard's age. Was Honey just that good at hiding her age, or... I did not want to think about that.

The little boy let out an annoyed sigh.

“Yes, that's me. Geez, why are you even knocking around if you don't know who you're looking for.” He started to close the door, and before I could stop myself, I put my hand on it to keep it from closing.

“Wait! Sorry, I just... Didn't know that you were going to be.... Um....”

“A kid?” He rolled his eyes at me. “Did you need something from me or what?”

Rude little shit. He was quickly getting on my nerves. But if his mom thought he could help update my Pokedex...

“Yes, actually, I did need something from you.” I held out my Pokedex. Hyde's grip on the door loosened and he adjusted his glasses to look at the device in my hand.

“What is that?” he asked incredulously.

I let out an annoyed sigh.

“It's my Pokedex.”

“I've never seen a Pokedex like that.” He motioned if he could take it, and I handed it over. He looked it over, opening it to look at the screen that had been replaced more than three times over the years.

I was attached to the old model of Pokedex. I felt bad when I had to scrape the insides out in order for someone to build a new computer inside of it, when times changed and technology improved far more than it could keep up. When information began to take up too much space, I paid someone to change its storage capacity, along with everything else. I had invested so much into it. Time. Money. Emotions. Experiences. It was my pride and joy as a trainer, having that model; where others had upgraded as soon as they could, I still clung to it, glad to relive memories that were forever etched into the casing. It wasn't just about the data-- data could be saved, duplicated, and moved. It was about the attachment, the memories it held for me. And upgrading to a new shell meant that I wouldn't have that connection to those old days anymore.

“It's a little bit older than you,” I said after a few moments of letting him look.

“Looks older than my dad.”

I could hear a snort of laughter from behind me, and I turned around, seeing Lance standing there, trying not to laugh. I crossed my arms, frowning at him.

“I'm sorry; I came to look for you, and--” he began.

“You're in no position to talk, mister 'listens to music from the 1800s',” I scoffed.

“1900s. And that's not even that old!”

“It may as well be the 1800s, old as your soul is!”

“Can you two stop your married bickering?” Hyde interjected. The small child looked annoyed: he was tapping his foot, arms across his chest, waiting for his presence to be noticed again. “I want to get back to work on important stuff; I don't have time for your old people nonsense.”

I couldn't tell whether I should have laughed or been appalled at that comment, while Lance seemed amused.

“Is this... is this how you treat people who want to ask you for favors?”

“You came to me; I don't see why I have to help you.”

I puffed out my cheeks, trying to hold back any rude comments. Kid or not, I wasn't above telling them off. But he was the master's kid, and my husband was there now, too...

“What's going on?” Lance asked.

“I asked Honey if she knew where I could get my Pokedex updated, and she suggested that I ask her son.” I jerked my head in the direction of Hyde. “But I'm starting to think that this was a waste of my time.”

“Look, I don't know how to update something that old. But I can give you a Rotomdex for you to use. I feel a little bad giving it away since my mom got it for me to use next year, but I'm not interested in doing the Gym Challenge. You want it or not?”

“Not particularly.”

“A Rotomdex would make it a lot easier to get around here,” Hyde began saying, as he continued to look over my ancient device to understand it. “They have maps, camera function, voice-based communications, and they're controlled by a Rotom, who are able to talk by using the installed voice libraries. And it's lot quicker for me than trying to figure out how this thing works.”

I thought about it. A Rotomdex sounded interesting, for sure, but the thought of using it felt off. It would be too different from what I was used to. Like I'd have to give up using my old Pokedex because of the new one.

“You'd just need a Rotom to put into the device. Trust me, out here you'll want a Rotomdex for the map system. It'll help guide you around the Isle and provide you with information on the area. It's really easy to get lost here.”

“Yeah... I won't need that. I've never gotten lost. I have a pretty damn good internal GPS; I can intuitively find my way to the place I need to be.” It wasn't even some sort of sixth sense developed over years of travel; I had always known the quickest way out of a route, cave, or forest. Even a trip to the distortion world in my younger years was disorienting at best, but I hardly got lost while in it. Still was not on my list of favorite places to go.

“That doesn't happen around here. Lots of overconfident trainers think that they don't need to use a map, and then they wind up getting themselves lost, especially in the forest. We usually have to wind up sending out a search party, like we did with you when you got here.”

“Excuse you, we were not lost!” I crossed my arms and huffed. “We were misinformed on how to meetup.”

Hyde handed back my Pokedex. It seemed that he was done with me if I wasn't going to take the offer for a Rotomdex. There was a quiet pause as we waited for the other to speak.

“If you're done here...”

“Ugh, fine, I'll take the d—stupid Pokedex.”

“It's a Rotomdex,” he corrected. Hyde opened the door to his bedroom all the way and invited both my husband and I inside.

It looked more like a workshop than a bedroom. There were many computers, all sorts of machinery scattered about. Cables were bundled up together, but that didn't stop the few spare ones creating tangles across the floor. There were boxes around the room used to house different components he kept.

“Sorry about the mess. Mom's always telling me to clean up, but I don't see the point if I don't usually have people over.”

Hyde went over to a cabinet in the corner and began to rifle through its drawers, trying to find something.

“Right...” That felt familiar to me. I was the same way when I was a kid, though I certainly didn't have the vast array of mechanical and computational skill as he did. I looked around and noticed something that was near his computer; it looked like a machine that he was working on, blue in color, and shaped like some sort of bird that I wasn't familiar with.

“What're you working on over there?” I asked, both curious and trying to be friendly with the kid. He was giving me a free Pokedex, after all.

“Oh that? That's my Cram-o-Matic. It's the invention of the century! It's my very own brilliant take on recycling. But it doesn't do a thing right now, since it's out of power. If I just had enough Watts...” He paused. “Hey, actually--! I can give you this Rotomdex if you can do a favor for me!”

I knew there was gonna be a catch. I sighed.

“Sure kid. I can try; what do you want?”

“Watts. All it would take is a measly 500 Watts to get the Cram-o-matic up and running!”

“Watts?” I looked at Lance, and he shrugged. He didn't seem to know what it was either.

“The two of you don't know?! Watts are the energy that you can get from the Pokemon Dens in the Wild Areas. Your Dynamax bands can absorb it whenever you're near one, and then we can transfer that energy into the machine or a battery with a cable!”

I looked at Lance; he was the only one between the two of us that had a Dynamax band.

“We don't have any right now, but would it be possible to pay you back later?” he asked.

Hyde tapped his foot against the ground as he thought about it.

“What are your names again?”

“I'm Sarah, and this is my husband Lance.”

“You're the Champions that my parents invited over for training, right?”

“That's right.”

“You guys are probably more the outdoors type, huh? Well, I'll loan this Rotomdex to you for now, Sarah, so long as you guys promise to pay me when you get the watts. Then it's all yours.”

“Yeah, that doesn't sound like an issue for me. Though, it might be a little bit before we get any. That okay with you, Hyde?”

He began to dig into the drawer again, and finally pulled out a flat, red device, about as wide as the Switch I had packed in my bag. He waved it at me. “No problem. Well, let me know when you've got a Rotom to put into here, and I'll help set you up.”

“If you guys had a PC, I could get that done right now.”

The kid lit up, as though proud to lord this incoming fact over me.

“It just got delivered this morning, while you guys were out doing dad's first trial! I watched the guy set it up.”

Hyde showed me to where the dojo's PC was. I connected to my account and withdrew a Rotom-- one that I had caught back in Sinnoh many, many years ago. It zipped around excitedly when I let it out, like an old friend who hadn't seen me in a long time. I directed it into the Pokedex. The screen lit up a light blue, and two large blue eyes, much like a Rotom's, appeared on the screen.

“Hi? Hello? Hello! It is I, your trusty Rotom, Plasmastar! So good to see you again, Sarah!” The Rotomdex floated around; not nearly as fast as the zippy Ghost-type Pokemon typically was. But it seemed overjoyed nevertheless with its new home.

Hyde grabbed the Pokedex, causing the Rotom inside to give a startled cry. “If you don't mind, I'll help talk your Rotom through proper installation, so it's familiar with how to use all of its components. It'll take at least an hour though.”

“An hour?!” shouted my Rotom, and it tried to pull itself away from Hyde's grip. “I don't have time for that! Please, please, don't leave me with him!”

“Sorry Plasmastar. But please bear with it, so you can help us. I heard you'll be able to read the map really well and be super helpful to us, if you do!”

It stopped tugging. “Super helpful? Say no more, I am glad to be of service!” I'm not sure what it was trying to do at that moment, but there was a flash that went off, temporarily blinding Hyde.

“Oops! Sorry about that, small human! I'll listen, but you better make it quicker than an hour! I want to go explore with Sarah again!”

Lance and I went outside to look around the dojo. Pokemon played in the grass; the groups of Jigglypuff and Buneary from yesterday saw us and ran up, excited to see us again. I reached into my bag and let out the two that I had caught so they could see their friends.

“Ellie, Bunbun! C'mon out!”

The Jigglypuff and Buneary appeared. They looked around while their friends stood in awe for a moment, before clamoring all around them excitedly. Ellie puffed herself up with pride, and began to tell her audience about her battle. She mimed out what happened, eventually getting Bunbun to play the Mienfoo. Though Bunbun was reluctant, she eventually joined in. She got so into it that she was suddenly going off script, including a lowkick when Ellie was supposed to dodge another punch, causing Ellie to bounce into the ground. Angry, the Jigglypuff began to yell at the Buneary, while the other turned around and stuck up her nose. Their audience didn't know what to do at this point, so they wandered away, going back to playing in the grass.

As amusing as it was, it wouldn't do me any good if my two newest members were fighting amongst each other. I walked over and pushed them apart.

“C'mon guys. Bunbun, apologize to Ellie; and Ellie, calm down. You asked her to do something she didn't want to do anyways. This is a consequence of that.”

Ellie huffed and turned away, crossing her arms while Bunbun continued to do so. I sighed.

“Please? If the two of you make up, I'll give you each a treat.”

At the promise of a treat, the two of them looked at me, before turning around and looking at each other. Bunbun smiled and apologized, and Ellie smiled and puffed herself up, as though proclaiming that she was in the right anyways. Bunbun looked away, pretending not to be annoyed by the display. Both of them looked at me, holding out their hands expectantly.

“Hey-- wait, I never said I was going to give you a treat right away! They're back in the Dojo; you'll have to wait 'til later for one.”

Both of them gave me an angry look and turned away from me, arms crossed. Well, at least they were in unison on that.

“Eheh.... Alright, how about the two of you c'mon back.” I held up my Pokeballs and they both went back inside.

“Trouble with your new friends?” Lance asked. He had let Zweilous out while Ellie and Bunbun entertained their audience, and the two-headed dragon was biting onto sleeve of his uniform.

“Nothing that I'm not used to.” I motioned to Zweilous. “On the other hand, I think I should be asking you that, except I know that's just how Zwei is. Did he break through the fabric already?”

Lance laughed and pet both of their heads in sequence, causing each one to finally let go of the loose fabric. He brought up his arm, looking at the sleeve. “No, not yet. He's just hungry. We should go back inside and get something to eat for lunch.”

Everyone had gathered in the dining room once more, with plates and bowls left out in the Dojo's main hall for our Pokemon. Zweilous ran over to the nearest bowl, both of his heads fighting over bites. Pika ran up to the bowl next to him. We let out the rest of our Pokemon, leaving them to eat while we headed towards a spot at the table where we could sit next to each other.

“Thank you, Ms. Honey!” everyone said before digging in. Chatter filled the dining room between bites, and everyone felt so warm and welcoming. No one seemed to begrudge us for having defeated all three Slowpokes, including those who never even got to catch up to one. In fact, many were excitedly speculating about what the next trial might be. I looked around the table, wondering if Hyde had joined everyone, or if he had missed the call to lunch. I couldn't see him. The din of the dining room began to lower as everyone filled up on the food made by Ms. Honey and the students who helped with meal prep. The final peals of laughter and conversation were silenced when Mustard stood up and addressed everyone.

“A-hem. I'd like to congratulate everyone who did their best this morning with the first trial. To those of you that weren't able to pass—may you have better luck next time. Take this time to train up! For those of you moving on to the second trial, I will take the time to explain what your next trial is. Now that you're all energized from lunch--” Mustard paused mid-thought, as though something came to mind.

“I think our second trial should be something to welcome them with. You know what would sound good for dinner tonight? The Master Dojo's secret recipe: Max Soup! Since we have two special guests, I'd love for them to have a bowl of Max Soup full of Max Mushrooms for tonight. And that's why your second trial shall be mushroom picking!” A collective, confused reaction, interspersed with some groans, went out among the students. I blinked, confused myself. How was gathering dinner ingredients supposed to be a trial? If anything, it sounded much easier than the first. Someone whispered to another student that they were glad they hadn't passed.

“Students!” The dining room quieted once more at Mustard's raised voice. “That's better. In case you forgot, or you aren't aware, Max Mushrooms are the key to Gigantamaxing, and I'm tasking all of you with finding three!”

Honey stood next to Mustard, explaining what we were looking for. “Max Mushrooms are red with a spiral pattern. You can usually find them in dark, humid places, such as the forest or Warm-Up Tunnel.”

Mustard, “And with that, your next trial begins! I'm countin' on ya!”

[thelightofthebane]

Fanfic Recommendation - WIPs

It’s Fic Rec time! It has been a while, and more stories (more authors!) should be read and praised! ❤

This list will be a bit different. It has only WIPs, and while I know many people are a bit wary to read those until they are completed, some stories are totally worth the wait, I promise 😉 Some of them are being steadily updated, while others haven’t for some time, but all of them have been last updated this year, so you don’t need to worry about a story last updated five years ago 🤭

I’ll split it into three parts:

WIPs with a defined number of chapters

For Every Bird There Is A Stone by lawsofchaos

Winged Shadowhunters, Consular High Warlock Magnus Bane (which is a wonderful position of power that Laws created), ands lots and lots of tension. (3/4)

From Behind the Stars by @cloudburst-ink

A retelling of Beauty & the Beast at Omegaverse. Omega!Alec and Alpha!Magnus ❤ (11/30) (or 12, if you prefer to read directly at Corvus’ website 😊)

A Mutually Beneficial Arrangement by @arialerendeair

Prince of Edom Magnus Bane and winged Alec Lightwood living together in Edom due to a contract. A very different first meeting 👀 (7/16)

in the palm of your hand by @cuubism

TWI!Malec. Because there isn’t enough TWI out there. (5/10)

The Reason My Heart Beats (I Can't Live Without You) by @brightasstars and @phoenixstar73

A canon-divergence of 2x18 involving a curse and the power of true love. (5/9)

Mirror, mirror on the wall.. by  Better_Than_Chocolate

Human AU. Alec goes to another dimension where things are not that good between his other self and Magnus. It’s angsty, but I believe in their happy ending ❤ (7/12)

The Monstrophagus by @the-ghost-of-william-herondale​

Soulmate AU mixed with horror. Shadowhunters are monsters with a second mouth who sing the song of Angels and eat demons. Downworlders are absolutely terrified of them. In a world where you dream about your soulmate’s true form, one Magnus Bane only has nightmares. (22/37)

A Mark on the Heart by @fanfic-fugue

An adorable story where Alec and Magnus meet after years of not seeing the other. Alec was deruned instead of Izzy for protecting Meliorn; now he is a tattoo artist and lives with his mother, who also was deruned. Meanwhile, Magnus became the single parent of two adorable warlocks. (62/65)

WIPs with undefined number of chapters, but with less than 10 chapters until now

Magnus and Bane by Adaline_Blooms

A kind of Jekyll & Hyde AU. We come to know about two sides of the same High Warlock of Brooklyn, while Alec acts as his temporary bodyguard to protect Bane/Magnus from constant demonic attacks. (5/?)

Losing Control by @facialteeth

Soulmate AU mixed with a very dark universe. The Clave is even worse than canon and enslave Downworlders. Alec is trying, Magnus is paying. Very angsty. (9/?)

Within Lurid Lands by @vaguelyrotten

A Guild Hunters AU. Shadowhunters are actually Angels. Alec becomes the new Archangel of NY, and Magnus is wary. Who could blame him when Downworlders, especially Warlocks, are treated more as possessions of said angels? (6/?)

Idris Tour Sweethearts by @myulalie

Pokémon AU! Alec goes on a journey to look for dragon types, Magnus is a coordinator for beauty contests 🥰 (2/?)

Very, very long WIPs with 10+ chapters

A Dragon's Bond by @skylar102

DRAGON!!! That’s it, that’s the story 🐉 Jk ~ Come fall in love with Mira, a wonderful dragon that bonded with Alec as a canon-divergence of 3x20 (15/?)

You Are The One (I Was Meant To Find) by Skyffable

Omegaverse AU. Alpha!Alec and Omega!Magnus. Alec is a midwife who goes to a small town to help with a very pregnant (and very single) Magnus Bane. Well, it has Mpreg, so if it’s not your cup of tea, it’s totally fine. But if you like it, it’s a wonderful story! (29/?)

The Collector by @jaackkitty

The story happens in canon-verse. If you like whump!Alec and BAMF!Magnus, this one is amazing! It’s very angsty, and the story is very interesting. I know it hasn’t been updated in a long while, but I believe the story is almost ending, so it’s really worth to read all the chapters already posted ❤ (37/?)

[punchdrunkdoc]

Updated K-drama list (3)

4 more shows DONE and there’s been some changes to the rankings...

FAVOURITES

1. Crash Landing on You

He’s from North Korea. She’s from South Korea. They never should have met, but they’ll change each other’s lives.

This was my first K-drama, and its still my favourite. The full cast of characters is great, the lead romance is ANGSTALICIOUS and its genuinely, laugh out loud funny (when its not making you cry or swoon).

Male lead: Officially the best boyfriend ever. With added dimples.

Tear-jerk factor: 4/5

2. Healer

The lives, and pasts, of a hot shot reporter, a spunky young tabloid journalist and a mysterious thief-for-hire intersect.

This was so addictive - the plot was tight and engaging, and this is one of the few shows I’ve watched where there didn’t seem to be a lot of filler. I loved the central 3 characters, and the romance was amazing. I especially loved that the male lead started off such a brooding loner, but he became super-affectionate as soon as he admitted his feelings. So many good hugs and lots of face-cradling in this one.

Male lead: Effortlessly beats up 2 henchmen while comforting his girl over the phone. What more do you need?

Tear-jerk factor: 1/5

3. Itaewon Class

A young man’s life is forever altered when he runs afoul of a powerful family.

This felt like a big step up in quality from everything else in this list, in terms of the production, soundtrack (which was brilliant), the lack of annoying sound effects, and just the overall ‘real world’ feel of the show. All of the characters were fleshed out and 3-dimensional, and they all had their ‘moment’ to shine. The story itself was gripping and so well done - some of the twists and reveals had me gasping! And what can I say about the 2 leads? I love them, both separately, and together. He is so wise beyond his years, and his journey will break your heart and inspire you. She is borderline sociopathic, but I adore her.

Male lead: Tenacious, principled, kind, innocent, caring, driven, loyal…and he can cook!

Tear-jerk factor: 2/5

4. Descendants of the Sun

A special forces Captain meets a capable and beautiful trauma surgeon. They feel an instant bond, but their jobs and philosophy on life get in the way, threatening to tear them apart.

Halfway through this show, I seriously thought this might overtake CLOY as my No. 1 fav. I absolutely LOVE the male lead character, and the romance was beautiful…but it didn’t quite nail the angst and the last minute was a bit twee which dropped it down the rankings a bit.

Male lead: A cocky, charming, absolute BADASS with the most adorable, cheeky smile.

Tear-jerk factor: 2/5

5. My Holo Love

A lonely woman falls for a holographic AI and then meets his creator...

I love the concept of this show (I’m a big sci-fi nerd), and it was beautifully shot. The lead relationship is well developed and it doesnt fall into a typical love triangle. I’ve come to realise it utilises a lot of K-drama tropes (face-blindness! shared childhood trauma!), but it does it really well, imho.

Male lead: Tortured loner genius. My catnip.

Tear-jerk factor: 2/5

6. Goblin

A 900yr old immortal guardian finally meets the ‘bride’ who will end his existence

Once I got over the slight ick-factor of the age difference between the two characters at the beginning, I really fell for this show and it’s world. It had me in tears. And I especially loved the secondary character of the Grim Reaper.

Male lead: Surprising innocent and funny for a 900 year old

Tear-Jerk factor: 5/5

7. What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim

An personal assistant decides to quits her job in order to get a life. Her boss has other ideas.

I loved the female lead in this - I’m a sucker for uber-competent people, and the actress is STUNNING. Her boss is self-centred, entitled and vain...but over time, somehow that just becomes endearing! This show also has lots of very good kissing scenes...and when he started to unbutton her shirt during one encounter, I was SCANDALISED (did I mention these shows are usually very PG!!)

Male lead: Like I said, somehow makes vanity and narcissism endearing. Also not afraid to get his shirt off and flash his 6-pack. Bonus.

Tear-Jerk factor: 0/5

8. Legend of the Blue Sea

A mermaid comes onto land to find the man she loves

The (literal) fish-out-of-water scenes in the first half of this show were hilarious - the actress is a comic genius! The romance was nicely done, and there wasn’t a lot of extraneous plot or too many characters. I couldn’t stop watching this one!

Male lead: Cocky, arrogant conman with a soft mushy centre

Tear-Jerk factor: 1/5

9. Fight for my Way

Two life-long friends decide to go after their dreams

I found this during my Park Seo Joon binge and, even though I fast-forwarded large chunks of it (I wasn’t interested in the secondary couple at all), it still made my favourite list because I love the leads - both as separate characters and as a couple. This is one of the best friends-to-lovers stories I’ve seen, mainly because you truly buy that these 2 have known each other their entire lives (their  bickering and teasing feels so natural). And then when they take the next step, they’re so affectionate and refreshingly open with their feelings.

Male lead: I love his contradictions. He’s goofy and childish…but can really turn on the sexy charm; he’s a badass MMA fighter…who loves when his girlfriend sticks up for him and protects him.

Tear-jerk factor: 0.5/5

10. Suspicious Partner

A young, hardworking lawyer has her life turned upside down when she is put on trial for murder.

This has been officially bumped up to my favourites list - partly because I’m now a massive Ji Chang Wook fan, and partly because I’ve rewatched scenes with better subtitiles and it made everything10x better. Its still overly long, but the serial killer plot had some nice twists and it was central to the story, so it didn’t feel extraneous like some of these types of plots do. I really enjoyed the central romance - the 2 characters sparked off each other well and I loved their evolution from sort-of enemies to lovers.

Male lead: Its Ji Chang Wook! He’s so good at playing serious guys who are secretly big dorks

Tear-jerk factor: 0.5/5

Notable mentions

These are shows which I completed and enjoyed but they didn’t set my world on fire. Usually because they were overly long, or the plot got in the way of the characters/love story.  

1. The K2

An ex-mercenary takes a job as a bodyguard protecting the illegitimate daughter of a politician. A sort-of Snow White retelling.

This started off really well, with some amazing fight sequences (hello, shower room scene!). However, the back half became too bogged down in double crosses and manipulations, and it focussed too much on the politicians. The writers did well to give these characters some layers, but they were all essentially doing bad things for the wrong reasons, and I just didn’t care about them. The show was much better when it was following K2’s journey. The romance also started off well, but was a bit underdeveloped (mainly because they barely interacted).

2. I Am Not a Robot

A man who is allergic to human contact finds companionship with a robot…or does he?

I honestly thought I wouldn’t make it passed a couple of episodes of this - the concept was just too ridiculous. But I’m glad I perservered, because it developed some real depth and some proper good angst towards the end.

3. My Love from the Star

Alien stranded on earth meets an actress soon before he’s due to be rescued.

I finally gave this another chance, and I’m glad I did. The female lead got a LOT less irritating, and I enjoyed the present-day romance and all the flashes back to the past. However, the ending was really abrupt and disappointing (which kept it out of my favourite list). There should have been 1 less filler episode in the middle, and a decent, fleshed out finale instead.

4. Her Private Life

A talented art curator tries to keep her professional persona separate from her fangirl obsession with a pop idol.

This was cute and I loved the central relationship - he was so supportive of her, and their interactions were refreshingly mature and their banter felt really natural. Ultimately, it was a bit forgettable (I’m not dying to rewatch any of it), and the last minute tacked-on childhood trauma subplot was really unnecessary.

5. Strong Girl Bong-Soon

A woman with inherited super-strength gets a job as a bodyguard for an eccentric young CEO

The lead couple in this are AD-OR-ABLE and I loved their relationship. But there was a weird tone issue in this show. The romance is super cute...but there’s a whole dark sub plot involving multiple women being held captive by a psychopath. I ended up fast forwarding most of that, and just concentrated on the romance.

6. Touch Your Heart

Star actress rocked by scandal works at a law firm to prepare for her comeback role

This starred the secondary couple from Goblin and I really like them, even though they are playing very different characters in this (more opposites attract, than doomed lovers). At first I found this too ‘cutesy’, but I’ve since realised the sound effects/graphics are a K-drama thing and not unique to this show, so I’m not as down on it as I was. I still had to fast forward a lot of the secondary romances which I wasn’t invested in.

The others…

1. Hyde, Jekyll and Me

A woman becomes involved in the lives of 2 men, who share one body

This stars Hyun Bin from CLOY and he is sooo watchable, especially as the slick-haired, glasses-wearing, uptight Seo-Jin. And the show started well...but quickly went off the rails into a convoluted, dragged-out revenge plot.

2. Melting Me Softly

Two people are accidentally cryogenically frozen for 20 years. They have to navigate the modern world and their new lives together.

Another good concept, but it ultimately descended into little more than a light work-place romance. Had a couple of good kissing scenes, but it was overall a bit forgettable.

And the DNF:

My Secret Romance

I started watching this because I was looking for something a little less PG - the characters have a one night stand in the first episode! But I couldn’t get passed the bad acting and cheap production.

Master’s Sun

I liked the premise but the 2 leads weren’t very attractive (at least in comparison to the insanely beautiful actors/actresses in the shows listed above). Call me superficial, but I couldn’t see myself spending 17 hours watching them and willing them to kiss.

[fixxofvixx]

TEACHING VIXX - CHAPTER SEVENTY-TWO

Hello! I think it's been forever since I updated a story! I have 8 days left in Korea 😭😭😭 I'm currently battling between excitement for seeing my family and depression for leaving the Korea that I like so much. Today was a holiday so I'm sitting here watching scary YouTube videos (alone.....help me) and writing.

Somehow I finished a chapter for Teaching VIXX! I hope you enjoy it!!!

Please let me know what you think!

I love hearing your theories!!!❤❤❤❤

🐱🐱🐱🐱🐱

"Taekwoon......I can see. It's all back to normal!" You looked at him and just stared at his face; his eyes.

You waited but you didn't feel another kick. Taekwoon mirrored your confused expression.

"How in the hell did they do that?"

"Well, JangPil said they would be powerful hybrids. I guess....they knew something was wrong? I honestly have no idea." Taekwoon smiled.

"Well, for whatever reason they did that, I'm grateful. Now I don't feel so helpless. I can actually watch TV and check my phone. You have no idea how difficult it was to call my Mom earlier."

You looked at the phone in your hand and went through your messages. There was one from a number that you didn't recognize. It was from yesterday. You clicked on it and your heart dropped.

**Hello, y/n~ Remember me? It's Brian. I couldn't get your number from your mom so I had to pull some strings. You know, if you know the right people, it's so easy to find what you're looking for. As chance would have it, I have some business with some clients in Seoul. It would be great if we could catch up~ See you soon....**

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

You immediately blocked the number that was attached to the message. You were not going to deal with that kind of shit again. Old memories of HaeJeong's various forms of torture settled into your mind again. Taekwoon was instantly on alert. His eyebrows furrowed and he grabbed your phone, reading the message. You watched as the red filled his eyes.

"Just ignore it, Taekwoon. I blocked the number and we won't have to worry about it."

"I can't help but worry about it. If he's a lawyer then maybe our lawyers can get more information on him. He's not even going to get close."

"I know. He's not worth worrying about. I don't remember him having different colored eyes so I'm sure he's just human. He's just a bully. Definitely no match for a panther." You wrapped your arms around Taekwoon's waist but laughed.

"What is so funny?"

"I can't hug you anymore."

Taekwoon chuckled in response. "You will soon. But I'm not sure how much time we'll have to hug after these two start running around."

"Well.....we do have five built-in babysitters."

"I'm not sure how much I would trust them with babies. They can barely take care of themselves."

"Oh, I'm sure they would be fine."

"Hmm....maybe. I'm going to take a shower." He rose from the couch before smoothing his hand over your hair. "Think about what you want to eat."

You nodded as he walked away. Switching on the TV, you suddenly had the urge to watch old VIXX videos. Using the playstation, you brought up a few stage performances and settled into the couch. During the time you couldn't see, you thought about all the things that you missed watching. Before you met Taekwoon, you would bring up music videos or performances on your TV for a nice background soundtrack for your day. It was especially helpful if you were at home cleaning or cooking.

After a few performances you were silently wishing Taekwoon would hurry up. Seeing him performing on stage with such provocativeness, you wanted him near you. Finally, you heard the bathroom door open and you waited for him to come back into the living room. It seemed like forever before he emerged. Your eyes traveled from his legs, which were clad in thin pajama pants, up until you noticed that he decided to forego a shirt. His hair was still damp and your breath hitched.

Sensing the change in your emotions, he stopped and turned to you. He looked at you and his eyes widened. A quiet gasp escaped his lips and he stepped closer to you. He crouched down in front of you and just stared in amazement. You were quickly becoming self-conscious.

"What?"

"What exactly are you thinking about right now?"

"I'm thinking about how weird you're being."

"No, before that. Right when I came in here."

"Oh.....nothing much.....why?"

"You're lying."

Your cheeks flushed at his accusation. You knew he could sense your emotions but that didn't mean you wanted to admit it. A knowing smile appeared on his face as he came closer.

"Your eyes are glowing, my love."

"Glowing? L-Like... "

"Like mine." As if to prove his point, a beautiful glow took over his eyes. "So, tell me.....what are you thinking about?"

"My eyes can't glow Taekwoon. I'm not a hybrid."

Taekwoon stood and grabbed your hand, pulling you from the sofa. He dragged you to the bathroom that he had just emerged from. He turned you towards the mirror and you gasped. Sure enough, the green rings around your eyes were glowing. Taekwoon's lips found your tattoo and his arms wrapped around you.

"Now, tell me what you were thinking."

"I.......oh my goodness this is so embarrassing." You hid your face in your hands and you heard Taekwoon chuckle. "How did this happen?"

"You always seem to like it when mine glow. What is the difference? I usually know what you're thinking about anyway. This just further proves your thoughts."

"But the others....."

"Will know what you're thinking.....or rather, WHEN you're thinking it. I personally love it." He turned your face to his and placed a lingering kiss on your lips. He kept the kiss simple and pulled away, smiling.

"Do you think it's permanent?"

"I certainly hope so. I can ask JangPil if you want."

"No! Oh my God that would be horrible." You escaped his arms and hurried back to the living room. Taekwoon was right on your trail, chuckling the entire way. You flopped down on the sofa and glared at him. Taekwoon sat down beside and then looked at the TV. The screen was paused on a stage performance of Hyde. He turned back to you and smiled.

"Reminiscing while I was taking a shower?"

"It was just to pass the time. When I couldn't see anything I started thinking about all the things I missed looking at. I used to watch stage performances and such all the time before I met you. I just happened to think about it."

Taekwoon moved closer to you and pulled you into his arms. "What did you think about when you watched them?"

Another blush creeped up to your cheeks as his fingers created patterns over your skin.

"What everybody else did, I suppose."

He pulled you down until your head rested on his legs. You had no idea if your eyes were still glowing so you avoided eye contact with him. He put his finger under your chin and forced your head up to look at him.

"I don't want to know about everybody else. I want to know about you. We never really talk about how you were before you met me. I've read your stories but that was it."

"You should be able to tell from the stories. Whatever thoughts I had, I put them in there."

"Did you ever imagine meeting me?"

"All the time. I hoped that when I came to Korea I could somehow go to a fansign or a concert. I had seen you all at the Dream Concert once. That's when I became a fan. When I got home, I started watching a bunch of videos and fell for VIXX very quickly. That's it!" You tried to get up but Taekwoon placed a heavy arm over your chest, preventing your escape.

"I was very quiet back then. Did you think I was weird?"

"Of course not! Because you didn't talk much allowed me to see what was underneath. Your eyes always give you away. No matter what was happening in the video, you gave yourself away with your eyes. I began to look for you in the background of the videos and noticed that if you didn't realize the camera was on you, you acted completely different. Bit once the camera panned around to you, you froze. At first I thought you were unsure of what you wanted to say and you were shy. Then you changed completely when you were on stage. I was completely surprised by the music videos and stages."

"Surprised in a good way?"

You laughed at Taekwoon's constant need for reassurance that he put on a good stage.

"Yes, of course in a good way. You're very alluring when you're on stage."

"Oh, really?"

"Taekwoon, you know very well how you are perceived on stage. The plethora of fansites and comments on social media should tell you that much!" You rolled your eyes at him but he shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know.....maybe I--"

Whatever Taekwoon was going to say was cut off by the doorbell. You looked at him, confused. He helped you up and then you followed him to the screen on the side of the wall that showed who would be at your door.

Goosebumps rose quickly on your skin as you stared at the face you never thought you'd have to see again. You grabbed Taekwoon's hand to prevent him from going to the door.

"Taekwoon.......that's Brian."

[ofcloudsandstars]

Life Update:

I have been away for a BIT but a lot has happened since then. Aside from some crazy energy shifts (some early spooky spirit-level vibes coming from Pluto coming out of Retrograde on the 3rd) having wild vivid dreams and bizarre experiences, there's some that took the cake and also I needed some time to just be quiet and spend my little free time not chatting to anyone or being online.

Anyway a story I wanted to share is the on going saga with that rich man who spent his years saving and conserving a rain forest in Tanzania. We met on Autumn's Eve to discuss his project he was trying to raise money for. He is going through a lot right now cause it's his second Saturn return and this huge farm he owns in Tanzania that he made a shit ton of money from is falling apart due to climate change and corruption. It turns out this man has dabbled in/has interest in the occult (as all bored white rich people do) and was interested in my craft. He's an American born and raised in Louisiana that moved to NYC for a while to write for a magazine, had some wild experiences with a vodou church there and moved to England when he got married but now has been divorced for like 17 years and is still not over it. Anyway I felt comfortable opening up about my practice and that evening anyway I was going to go to a friend's house to do some autumn eve magic and had some stuff in my bag. So he asked for a tarot reading for insight in his future and we like hang out in Hyde park which is GORGEOUS in fall colors right now and I do a reading for him. This is the beginning of a very long story so if you are interested in reading another episode in my hot mess ass life, get a nice cup of tea and click the read more lol. 

Essentially we can summarize his current life as his job is going through a tower card phase due to saturn return shaking up all that foundations are weak or no longer serving him. He's supposed to resurrect the rainforest conservation project and he already knows this answer deep down inside. I am like cool that's great we connected cause I have been making a lot of friends recently that are getting involved in forest conservation or are buying land to grow forests on with native trees so its cool we created this friendship.  Nice. Now he wants a love reading which I just feel reluctant to do. I already had that feeling you know when someone wants a love reading when they really shouldn't be focusing on that? Its fine though cause Tarot is honest as hell and validates my feelings. He essentially wants someone to distract his current troubles and saturn return lessons to get whisked away in a romance and dump his issues on from the failure of the farm and his divorce of 17 years he's still not over. 

He's still unsatisfied so to placate him I do a lenormand reading of what type of lover could suit him now in his troubling time. Lenormand just shows someone that is ambitious and working in the same field but also a side kick. Cool so you want a cheerleader to support you when you are down that’s nice don't we all. He then says the reading is vague and doesn't everyone want that? And I am like no not at all like for example, I currently don't want any relationship I want to work on myself but if I were to have an ideal relationship I'd love it to be with someone who is a home maker, someone who is emotionally available, who's love language is like smothering me physically with affection, definitely not someone who fucks off for two weeks to months at a time to the other side of the hemisphere, but anyway it’s all hypothetical so it doesn't matter. Anyway with his lack of satisfaction I am like, look sir, next week is the Libra new moon, it's a great time to ask to find a partner that will be a great match in this trying time.

I completely forget that I gave him this information. We smoke a blunt he was keeping in his nifty dressy blazer inner pocket and I go off to see my good Aries witch friend and have an INSANE NIGHT where we nearly BURNT down her fucking apartment in an episode of  ✧ *:・ﾟFire Magic Gone Wrong *:・ﾟ✧. 

I was trying to make some candles for autumn's eve with carved green apples and when I melted the wax we didn't realize how powerful her oven was. Plus my stupid lazy ass left the wick in there. So when we tried to open the oven cause we were smelling the intense smoke, a fucking PLUME of dark smoke would come out BURNING THE SHIT out of our eyes and choke the shit out of us. We tried to open the windows and vents, I tried to quickly pull it out and some wax splashed out and burned the shit out of my leg and arm and I have little burn mark scars now, but with the wick in there with that heat it IGNITED there was a burst of flames coming out, My friend was NOT HAVING IT like imagine an Aries hollerin and a Fire Ablazin and the fire alarm is louder than a fucking rave EDM beat like I was trying to think as clear as possible and see if she had a fire extinguisher she was like: BITCH DO I LOOK LIKE A RESTAURANT TO YOU and so I call the emergency line to get the fire department while she fucking, just, gets a massive fucking cauldron of water and dumps it in the oven and wax is oil so you know what happens when you throw water on flaming oil it fucking EXPLODES so she's like fucking James Bond slow motion running away from a ball of Fire and fortunately the fire is out cause it gets smothered by smoke and water 

...so I am like: Oh thank you mr. police sir but the fire is gone no need to come, but as my friend is still HOLLERIN in full panic mode in the background and the police on the phone still hear her Panic and is like: Uh no we are still coming.. 

Its a bit comical and surreal at this point cause I try to calm my friend down with some water as I air out the apartment and she goes from Hollerin to   q u i e t   real quick when she hears all these LOUD ass sirens. She's like.. Alex.. What are we gonna tell the police when they arrive?? I am like damn bitch why you acting like we did something contraband like its just an oven fire we extinguished it. But she was having that Black Moment of Fear™ like we were two hot mess black witches gonna have the police up in her apartment due to some dumb ass witchcraft gone wrong like I was still trying to be calm but she was like whispering my name like Aleeexx those sirens, they are coming for us!! And I was like oh my god you are panicking they are probably just police cars for something else we are in London shit happens here all the time. 

Anyway the loud sirens just STOP in front of the building and she's like: a l e x... All of a sudden we hear a Bing! And its the fire department outside. We see the windows in the hallway outdoors and this MASSIVE ASS FIRE TRUCK THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING'S WIDTH is just parked there y'all.. The neighbor across the hallway opens her door to see what the fuck is going on and she was not pleased. Since her windows face the street her whole living room looked like a rave disco with red and blue flashing lights she was like what the fuck were you dumbasses doing and my friend is like ohh my god.. 

So next thing we knew there were 5 Fully geared firemen in the apartment and like.. Miraculously with the power of all that is good in the world there is like no sign that there was ever anything that happened?! So the firemen of course were wanting some explanations. Of course they can smell a little bit of smoke but I am like: Oh yeah sorry it was a grease fire gone wrong it was the first time we used this oven but we managed to squash it, it was just overwhelming and we wanted you guys over just in case it escalated. So one fireman is like snooping around for some further answers like: haha cooking sausages usually kicks up a lot of grease, what were you cooking? And my friend who is guilty as hell is like: its just oil but so sorry wejustletitburnintheovensosorryitwasjust and I am like taking the conversation by the horns like: We were trying a recipe to bake the apples over there (yes the ones still hollowed out on the kitchen counter,) but it went wrong. Anyway the firemen noted that there was like no damage ("don't even mention it to your land lord! Haha!" one says) and they just install two fire alarms for free and leave. So me and my friend who are Shaken from this Drama especially when after the firemen left there was no trace of like anything even happening and this all escalated and deescalated in less than an hour so we just scrap any magic we had planned that night and watch The Craft instead. Autumn’s Eve completed..

Ok so I have a blissful and amazing Mabon then a few days pass and I am back at work with the shenanigans of the weekend out of my mind and I get a text from the old rich guy again. He wants me to come over for dinner on Sunday and chat some more about the forest conservation project. I am a bit annoyed as it's Libra new moon but maybe I could balance dinner with him and go home and do some spells (balance, see what I did there? lol.) So I say yes, it's Libra new moon afterall and maybe its nice to make a new friendship revolving around helping the planet.

 He's texting me like: Do you like Oysters? And I am like.. that's so random why Oysters? And he goes on about how he's from Louisiana and he gets homesick so he likes eating them I am like ok I guess.. But he's also like: let me get some Gavi (white wine) and I am starting to get that feeling of unease but I am like: I got to work early the next day so I am not going to drink. He's like ok fine. 

I mention it to some of my coworkers and they are teasing me about how this old man wants to 'play in my rainforest' and it makes me want to gag. Like I am hoping that its a case of me misjudging some man like surely this is a sensible old man that is lonely and just is happy to find a friend that cares about the earth and his project? Anyway Sunday night comes and I am on my way to his house. He lives in some gorgeous townhouse off a main street. The stairwell spirals up the 3 floors of the house with exotic trees growing in between the landings and reaching up through the center of the spiral stairs. There are pictures of artwork he's collected as well as some chameleon named after him in the rain forest in Tanzania as a thankyou to his conservation efforts. I get to the second landing before his kitchen and I hear to my DREAD some fucking jazz music. Oh hell no. I immediately am like: I need to use your toilet. So I go to his immensely large bathroom which also has little trees growing in there in between the large sink and deep teal painted clawed foot tub. I am texting my Aries witch friend cause she lives around the corner like: GURL GET ME THE FUCK!! OUT OF HERE!! and she's like: Oh no baby you's in danger, let me know if you need help. So I gather my strength like: Ok he can't be this delusional especially after the Talk and the Tarot on his lovelife and the fact that he's old enough to be my dad, so let me keep the convo friendly and hopefully this will be a big misunderstanding.

I mean by now you know my fool meter is immensely high, but anwyay I go into his kitchen and I ask him boldly what's the occasion for this dinner? So he skirts the question by saying how he designed his home after stuff in Louisiana that he misses blahblah and stuff from the rainforest I am like: Cool, whats the occasion for this dinner? And he's like: You know, celebrating friendship, you want wine? I don't want wine cause I told him I need to go home early I have to work, and he mentions the spare bedroom on the top floor. I tell him I'm uninterested in staying over even though yes it's conveniently 10 minutes walk from my job but I have house plants to take care of (yeah I use that house plants excuse I don't give a fuck! lol).  Anyway he steers the conversation to the fresh oysters he just shucked. So we are eating oysters, I try not to put any energy on the nature of him eating his oysters and I direct the conversation to how he came about conserving the rainforest, his networking skills and how he raised money to buy that much land and plant millions of trees. I end up gleaning a lot of helpful and not so much helpful info (I mean, it just helps if you are a wealthy well connected white man lmao), and we even talk about other interesting stuff like I get him to talk about how the stock market works, his daily routine at the members club I work at, William Kamkwamba who built the windmill in Malawi from some inspo from library books (his ex brother in law made a film about it which he suggested I stay over to watch with him, which I declined cause of my house plants I needed to get back to at home), his divorce he can't stop talking about cause he's not truly over it. Anyway dinner is nice, we eat some very unseasoned gumbo he made that reminds him of his childhood and throughout the dinner I am doing shielding energy exercises and channeling the power of Saturn to re-affirm my boundaries and practice the glorious power of "No". So with Saturn's channeled influence I am ready to put an end to the night and I am like: thanks for everything I think I'll go now, but before I go should I help with the dishes? He says no cause: It's a one-man show. I ask him to Elaborate, and instead he offers me to get some chocolate so I am like.. ok... 

Anyway he is standing at the other side of his kitchen so I get up to get some and he turns around to embrace me, and y'all... it's a LONG and UNCOMFORTABLE hug complete with 1. back rubbing, 2. neck sniffing, 3. aura invading, so I pull away to ask about what chocolate it is and it's dark chocolate oh god. Anyway this is actually the beginning of the climax of the tension of the night to my foolish self cause this man who is unwillingly ignoring my discomfort has the fucking audacity to ask the question: Do you like dancing? I literally answer him with the same boldness that he asked that question: I hate dancing and never danced in my life. lol. He wasn't taking No for an answer so he decided to be like: Let me show you music I like to dance to. So he puts on some old 70s-esque rock and starts dancing alone in his living room like: Dance with me! I am like No. He says something like: I love dancing it helps to open you up. We all just got to get over our embarrassment and let loose! I am like: Ok I gotta let loose in your toilet again be right back.

So I hide in his bathroom again texting my witch friend like: S.O.S. BITCH let me come over to your apartment and she's like: Oh sorry I am in a party in north London .............. 😭

So I go out to face the mess and he's now trying to get another song I could potentially relate to so he's like: Let me play this song my 13 year old picked out for me.. Great..  Next thing my Ears are hearing is: Mr. Brightside by the Killers and I am dying y'all.. I am over it.. He is taking my laughter as an invitation to get me to dance but now with the full power of Saturn I was like: No. I am going home, I don't feel well, I have been having some kidney issues ("Oh is that why you were always in the bathroom?"- "Yeah that's.. why.. definitely..") and I gotta get up early. So he looks sad. I am like it's ok, we can hang out in the day time, outside of your home next time and talk more about the rainforest conservation. He's like, ok but before you go we have to do this? I am like: Do what?

NEXT THING I KNOW TO MY HORROR I SEE HIM LEAN IN, TAKE MY SIDES AND TRY TO KISS ME AND I AM LIKE: 

NO!!

I Push him away, and FLY down his 3 flights of stairs, spiraling down his house, and he's chasing me like fucking No-Face chasing Chihiro saying: I WASN'T GOING TO PUT MY TONGUE IN YOUR MOUTH!! The fact that he said that I could feel my fucking bootyhole clench with dismay. I was mortified. I grabbed my shoes and was like.. see you around I guess (He is a regular at my job lol), and I fly down the street. 

When I get home he texts me if I have a moment for a chat so I am like ok fine why not? He fucking VIDEO CALLS ME and on top of it is eating something fucking nasty and I have misophonia so I am fucking disgusted and I turn off my video (I mean its like modern millenial tech etiquette but video calls are pretty intimate or you have to prepare for them, just springing up a video chat is a bit violating?) and he's like: Oh should I turn off my video too? I don't answer.. so he does..

So he calls to essentially apologize. He admits that I at MANY TIMES have expressed that I was not interested in any relationship other than friendship and that he just wanted a friendly kiss on the mouth and it wasn't supposed to be sexual. Ok... He also says that he doesn't understand why we can't be intimate and be friends.. With my DEAD SILENCE he then fills it like: Ok yeah that's true there is a massive age gap and different comforts with intimacy.. He then admits he has a sexual attraction to me and it would be dishonest to say otherwise but we should still be friends.. I am like: I wouldn't mind being friends but I can't trust someone who doesn't respect my boundaries like I have boundaries. We end with him saying: I understand, you have your boundaries then.. Lol.

Anyway as a blessing I haven't seen him since..

It took me like a full several days later after seeing another witchy friend who asked me about my new moon libra rituals I realized I didn't get to HAVE ANY cause he fucking Eclipsed my night with his bullshittery, that it was actually my fault as I gave him an idea to use that evening to try to find a partner when I did his tarot reading on Autumn Eve but instead he was trying to use all kinds of tricks of seduction for me to be his unwilling cheerleader. Goes to show that a man can spend years of his life planting 16.7 million trees and still be trash lol.

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Other than those recent drama episodes not much has happened to me other than some resurfaced trauma and closure from years ago in college that ended a chapter in my life for me once Pluto came out of retrograde. Other mildly exciting news, I also worked my Alchemist friend's bar yesterday on Sunday for a Fungi Fest in Hoxton. (Look up her work she's Mama Xanadu she does cool shit.) She made non-alcoholic cocktails potions with spirits based with roots and herbs like damiana, maca, passion flower etc that makes you feel energized but also mellow (three spirit is one of the partners that work with her their stuff is kind of nice though you do feel like you're drinking some type of brew) and her brews were made from different mushroom infusions like one was a delicious turkeytail brew made with hibiscus and douglas fir and another was with kombucha and seabuckthorn juice and one with a mushroom named amethyst deceiver and hops. She also makes her own essences and made some mushroom essences (like flower essences but with the vibrational influence of mushrooms) to add in there. I met some interesting and Strange people like you do at any alternative spiritualish wholesome event. I met a beautiful boy who is sadly in a relationship that we vibed very hard to the unfortunate dismay of his disgruntled girlfriend and I met a couple from poland who looked like a lost boys vampire couple (one was dressed in a black iridescent latex trenchcoat with one long earring with playing cards attached to it with long hair and his girlfriend had like layers of black scarves and coat like some mori grunge style with a black bowl hat on) who were trying to convince me how MDMA is the same as medicinal mushrooms and that it's its own type of spiritual ritual now. (I was like, sure Jäan..). Now that I have had a moment to like rest and reflect, and accept that I can't save some of my house plants and my life's direction still seems so uncertain and Hot Mess I am like ready to focus on my craft again and interact with my blog lol.

Anyway if you read until the end wow, thanks so much. I hope you had a great new moon.

[zeppelin-and-unicorns]

Fanfic recommendations part two: Stories that take place during season 8 (canon divergence)

This is a smaller category than the previous one, but I promise that those stories are amazing. I’ve read and reread every single one of them, and I love them all with all of my heart. I hope this post is useful to you. Lots of love ❤️

(And yes, they are in alphabetical order. I wish I’ve done that with the post season 8 post too, but it’s up for a while now and it would be just too much work to edit the whole thing)

All These Things That I’ve Done by c00kiefic

Story based on the sexual tension between Jackie and Hyde during season 8.

This story is complete.

26k words, 9 chapters.

Rated M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Don’t Stand so Close to Me by c00kiefic

A story when Eric came back way earlier than he planned to because his friends were being dumbasses and needed some direction. Gotta love Eric Forman.

This story is complete and it’s a super fun read, 10/10.

95k words, 24 chapters.

Rated M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, Eric/Donna, Kelso/Brooke, background Red/Kitty

Fear and Loathing in Wisconsin by elphabacan

What if Jackie had decided enough was enough after the slumberparty with Donna and Sam and recruited Brooke to go to Vegas? And what if turnabout is fairplay when they run afoul a charming lounge singer named Jude?

Lots and lots of love for this story. It’s amazing and it’s complete.

42k words, 15 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, Brooke/Kelso

Get Away From The Edge by BlueZeppelin

Jackie has been down for a while and it leads her to the Water Tower, alone and depressed. She wants to jump but will Hyde let her?

This story is kind of sad, but it’s still good. I just wish it gave us more details. Don’t read it if you’re triggered by depressive thoughts. It’s complete.

5k words, 3 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

I Think it’s a Real Waste by Jaded

In which Fez and Donna are decent friends to Jackie, and Hyde knows he fucked up. There’s a lot of J/H, but the story also focuses on all the gang. This is a really good story, please read this.

This story is complete.

120k words, 13 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, Eric/Donna, Brooke/Kelso, Fez/OC

Into the Woods by c00kiefic

Once upon a time, there lived a beautiful princess with long raven hair and enchanting eyes, whose only desire was to be loved by the handsome, yet distant prince…

I absolutely adore this story, I really, really do. It reminds me of fairytales and it makes me want to cry at the same time. Also, both Hyde and Donna get an not so pleasant “wake up call”, that they rightfully deserved btw.

This story is complete.

41k words, 10 chapters.

Rated T

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde mainly, some background Eric/Donna angst

Pain Without Love by YouLivexYouDie

This story made me cry so hard. It has a happy ending though, so it was worth it.

Jackie Burkhart is about to experience something life changing. She will never be the same afterwards, nor will the people who love her.

This story is complete.

12k words, 3 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Confession by heavinly-vixen

After the torture Hyde had been inflicting upon Jackie since the arrival of his 'wife', Jackie just needs to talk to someone who's on her side.

This story is complete and it has a sequel! It’s called Reconciliation and it’s also complete.

12k words, 9 chapters.

Rated T. The sequel is rated M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Made Bare by MistyMountainHop

A heartbroken Hyde considers his relationship with Jackie kaput. Too bad Jackie sees it differently. She intends to get a proper resolution with him, but breaking through his hostility — and getting past his wife — may well prove impossible.

This story is complete.

50k words, 8 chapters.

Rated M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Eric/Donna

Also available on AO3

Someone To Love by Bunny1

Hyde comes back from his 3 month bender to the unexpected.

This story is complete.

6k words, 7 chapters.

Rated M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

The Birds and The Bees by c00kiefic

Jackie’s pregnant and the father of her child is married to someone else. Amazing story, what I love the most about it is Jackie and Donna’s friendship.

This story is basically complete, the only thing missing is the epilogue.

22k words, 6 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, Eric/Donna

The Right Road Lost by zpplnchick

After a car accident, Hyde wakes up to a twisted version of reality he comes to find is actual hell and with no memory of how he got there, a hell that Jackie's been living in for the past few months. Set during Season 8, shortly after "Sweet Lady".

This story is complete.

43k words, 20 chapters.

Rated M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

The Road to Redemption by Hyde’s Bride

Jackie leaves the group because of Hyde and Donna's behavior. Eric comes back early to find how things have changed. When he forms a new bond with Jackie, will it force Hyde and Donna to fight for them? Or will they lose their loves forever?

This story is complete.

33k words, 12 chapters.

Rated M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, Jackie/Eric, Eric/Donna

When The Leeve Breaks by zeppelinandunicorns

What would've happened if Jackie and Donna left Point Place when Eric moved to Africa and Hyde married a stripper?

Donna and Jackie moved to Chicago once they realized that they've sacrificed themselves enough for the sake of their relationships with Eric and Hyde. Will it be too late to fix things once the boys realize what they're missing?

This story is a WIP.

So far, 125k words, 23 chapters. This story will be 54 chapters long so... yeah.

Trigger warning: Depression, past eating disorders, child abuse

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, Eric/Donna

Zen Vision by Ultrawoman

A series of one-shots turning each and every episode of the horrendous Season 8 into a happy Jackie and Hyde love affair!

This story is complete.

37k words, 22 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

One-shots during season 8:

Being Here by UnfitWriter

Set in season 8, after Sam's departure. Jackie and Hyde can't stand each other, but when something horrible happens to Hyde, Jackie will try to console him in only way she knows how.

5k words.

Rated M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Here Comes Goodbye by nannygirl

Sometimes you just have to say goodbye. Or not.

5k words.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Red/Kitty

Reconnecting by SerenitySparrow

During the party at WB's house in season 8. Jackie and Hyde hook up in a coat closet during the party.

3k words.

Rated M. Very M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Tipping Point by janus_74 (tanner)

How a different Perfect Man list could change the end of Season 8.

4k words.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

So far, this is all.

I’ll repeat this at the end of every single post: speaking as someone who writes, it would be really cool if you guys decide to leave a review (or a comment, if the story is on AO3) in the stories you read, especially the unfinished ones. It really motivates the authors, and receiving a compliment is always a mood lifter. I’ve seen some authors updating stories after years because of nice reviews, so… yeah, this is just an idea.

If you think I left out a good story, feel free to reply to this post!

Next category: Season 7 fix-its.