#especially in AU fics where they’re not in the killing game

[sappy-detective]

“shuichi can fix him” oh yah? i think shuichi likes ouma just the way he is!

[starsfic]

Never too early to make a poll

Summaries:

Uncaring of timelines, several children's entertainment companies meet up during a convention, including Elliot Ludwig of Playtime, Isaac Indigo of Indigo Park, and Henry Emily of Fazbear.

AU where the TLT are all streamers- Xiaojiao does video games and motorcycle care, Red does fashion and invention history, while Xiaotian does speed paints and character design. This October, they decide to do a massive stream together of horror games.

AU where Macaque gets married to the wealthy and charming Azure Lion to support his failing theater. However, there is a darkness about his new husband and his mysterious first husband.

AU where Azure Lion sees and falls in love with Sun Wukong...and kidnaps him to Heaven in a rare burst of instinct.

Long Xiaojiao teams up with several other streamers, including speed painter Marcy Wu, conspiracy theorist Todoroki Shoto, and figurine maker Gangle, to play Mario Party for charity. Shenanigans happen, including magic outbursts, old bullies popping up in chat, and general chaos.

To boost morale for the anniversary of Elliot Ludwig’s death, Playtime Co. sponsors a happy hour at a nearby bar for the workers. However, the phrase “loose lips sink ships” rings true, especially when those lips are loosened by alcohol enough to share stories of several weird occurrences. The toys and children alike aren’t sure what to think when, the next day, they’re set free.

Based on this post, the gang is hired to investigate the rumors of a bunny animatronic ghost overnight. The truth is a little more tricky.

During a scouting mission gone wrong, the boys find themselves locked in Draxum's home, hunted by a mysterious figure.

An unsolved mystery show wishes to interview April on the anniversary of her mother's death. When Leo's invited along, he suspects that these detectives are more than what they seem.

The cycle, as it turns out, does not reset the Harbinger when the cycle resets.

When local lord Sun Wukong begs for martial help from powerful witch Azure, Azure decides to help...by killing Wukong's husband.

I make another poll of fics from 2022-2017 and rewrite the chosen one with my current writing ability.

[becauseplot]

The Oldest Story

woe, ordem paranormal au enigma twins angst be upon ye. this is a drabble that came to me as i was falling asleep last night and i've cleaned it up. might still make edits to this throughout the day but who knows. spoilers for my fic Relative, and tw for angst and character death.

qsmp x ordem au created by me and @factorialsotherfandoms. yknow. just for the funnies.

Bagi was born just three minutes before Cellbit. There were three minutes in her life where she existed without him in the world. Even when their parents died and they were separated, she held onto the notion that he was still out there, living, like a good luck charm tucked in her pocket. As she got older and her life smoothed out, she… No, never started to believe him dead, but in the few efforts she made to reach out, to track him down, the paper trails always ran cold. She had waited too long. She had lost her chance. She was forced to accept the fact that she would live the rest of her life with nothing of her twin brother but that good luck charm tucked in her pocket and that quiet sense of reaching in her chest. Besides—she learned that there were plenty of other horrible things in this world that were worth her worry.

The fact that they did find their way back to each other probably should have meant something. She at first thought it cruel (she had already dedicated her life to the Order at this point, she didn’t expect to reach the age of thirty, and now she finds him?) but also kind, in a way: they could try to make something, with the time she had left. 

In the end, though, it was just cruel. He got dragged into this deadly game despite her best efforts. (It was going to happen either way, she knew, but God. God.) They weren’t perfect, and she abandoned him and he abandoned her when they most need each other but they always found their way back, no matter the rift. They always fell back into each other’s orbit, stretching themselves across the caverns, reaching, reaching, fingertips brushing, I’m here, I’m here, twin star, twin stem, twin blood, my twin, I’m here.

…The creature, though killed, has left them both a bloody mess on the floor. Ten feet between them. They crawl. Red trails behind them, sand slipping through the hourglass. Cellbit’s body gives out when he’s just inches from her but Bagi manages to close the distance anyway, grabbing his outstretched arm (reaching... reaching…) and dragging the two of them together. She pulls him into her bloody arms, matching death-rattles in their lungs, and cradles his face. He looks especially thin with how pale he is. He hasn’t been eating enough. Neither of them have. She holds him and looks into his eyes until they’re nothing but balls of glass sitting in his head. His chest has fallen still.

Six minutes. There is a total of six terrible minutes in Bagi’s life where she is without her twin brother. The only mercy granted her is that it is six minutes and not a second more. 

~*~

“Someone has to leave first. This is a very old story. There is no other version of this story.”

– Richard Siken, War of the Foxes

[beehiveofblorbos]

ok here’s my fic concept

Kokichi and Kaito as a streamer duo, like Game Grumps, play and react to DRV3.

I don’t know why they’re doing it or what the worldbuilding is. Maybe it’s nonmonetized fan content for the V3 cast, who’re all streamers in this au, where someone made a game of them in a killing game. Maybe they just are playing it in the V3-verse, started working as streamers after they woke up from the simulation and they’re doing it as a reward for their chat for hitting really high numbers. Maybe it’s a “Watch your future” type beat where Kokichi and Kaito suddenly get forced to stream this game (bad stuff happens to them on days where they don’t, very much horror undertones). Probably the third option, but I’m just spitballing

can you imagine? the fun of these two is their opposing philosophies, especially in regards to trust. They could have such fantastic reactions to the most dramatic moments, plus it would test their bond to see each other at such stark odds

[lindsay00000008]

About Me:

🚫 MDNI 🚫

Call me Lindsay 💚 ✍🏻 🎨 🌿

Howdy! I’m new to posting on Tumblr! I’ve got ramblings and story snippets for ya (and art!). I mainly enjoy writing whump and fantasy OCs, but I write some COD fanfic too!

She/her, bi (💍➡️🤷🏻‍♂️), ‘98 (👵🏻)

Posting since March 2024 / About Me updated October 2024

Pet Whump Masterlist (in slooowww progress)

Ghost x JustAFriend/Fem!Reader

Most unique posts are tagged #lindsay00000008

Fandoms:

Whump! The OA, Hannibal (NBC), Zelda, COD, Helldivers, JJK (only for the Suguru/Satoru discourse and also Sukuna is hot) any video game where I can use a bow and arrow or build a house, booktok

Genre interests:

Fantasy (historical, historical AU, original world, isekai)

If modern, would be an AU (omegaverse, magic, multiple worlds, post-apocalypse) OR have something interesting/dark enough to tide me over (serial killer, criminal underworld, etc)

Whump: 80% hurt, 20% comfort. But I love when they’re combined (e.g. caretaker witnesses or is even somehow responsible for the whump, or intimate whumper is comforting whumpee as they whump)

Fav authors: Diana Wynne Jones (whimsical!), C.S Lewis (fantastical!), my sister (who is my mirror and notepad!)

Interacting with me:

Writers…

✅If a post does not use character names, use the scene/prompt/dialogue/idea however you like! You can even continue a snippet in your own part 2 post or reblog (even if I end up continuing it myself). I like to see where different authors take a scene or inspiration. If you’re not sure you can hop on and continue a specific post of mine, drop a comment! Please credit or [link to post] if you’re inspired by something specific, but no biggie.

❌If a post does use character names, or is a reader x character fan fic with multiple parts, I have more of an investment and I’d like to keep those as my own.

🚫Do not put my writing into any AI systems

Readers…

Most story snippets with romance/smut will be hetero but I’ll keep ramblings, whumspo, etc nonspecific

I love any kind of feedback. I especially love comments! Feel free to tag me if you think I'd like something, or send me a request! (I yearn for a stuffed ask box)

Friends…

I’m currently learning Welsh 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (did you know theres a welsh translation of Manacled?). I have a degree in Chinese 🇨🇳 (and linguistics) as well as intermediate skill in Korean 🇰🇷 (though I’m way out of practice in those). You can message me in those languages too!

⚠️Blog Content / Trigger Warnings⚠️

General - Sexually explicit and/or violent content. 18+ MDNI.

Why do I like whump? (Link)

If there's a post you think needs an extra CW, no matter how specific, let me know! I don’t tend to tag CWs, so lmk if you’d like me to for a specific topic!

My posts may include:

Smump (Smut + Whump in the same scene/event)

Non/dubcon (I enjoy finding reasons my characters should smash other than because they desire to (e.g. sex pollen, appease a God, break a curse, share life force, etc) May include consent given without full understanding of circumstances or identity (e.g. sex with the man who killed their father, who then tries to kill them etc)

Omegaverse (including hetero)

MF pairings, MMF pairings, MMMF... uh... etc

Breeding, choking, BDSM (the usual)

Monsters (But I’m picky. Yautja is probably my limit. Mostly humanoids.)

Religious trauma / Purity culture / Cults / Grooming (sexual or otherwise - never physical, always evil)

Pet/slave whump, systemic or just for fun, conditioning, dehumanization

Dad/Mom issues, loud men trauma, narcissism, republicans, being a general disappointment to guardians

Medical whump & experimentation, time gaps/amnesia, seizures, drug usage, hallucination, general illness (although I’m not into bedside caretaker stories unless a whumper is still involved)

Mental illness (anxiety/adhd specifically from personal experience, ptsd, responding to triggers, flashbacks, panic attacks, dissociation, suicidal ideation (overt or casual), self harm impulses, etc)

Torture, gore, blood, scarring, noncon body mod or surgery, sensory deprivation, food restriction, self harm (not super mutilate-y, maybe limbs lost but I’m not too into disfigurement or like infection)

Fantasy violence, damsels in distress, generally un-feminist tropes (think those old comic book covers with scantily clad women being attacked by aliens iykyk)

Born-sexy-yesterday - magically mature bodies/minds (ex. Nymph born from a flower, magical artifact awakened to serve a master, someone was turned into a cat as a child and has just been returned to human in their twenties and is very unknowledgeable of the world)

Age gap (no minors, e.g. 32 y/o x 20 y/o, 500+ y/o creature x 20 y/o Human)

Death (including minors)

Content will NOT include:

Extreme whump/maiming to MC without reason or resolution (unless done by irredeemable villains who are later violently slaughtered).

I like my MCs to have a resolution to any trauma or injury faced. I like them to be saved before the breaking point, or at least have their pain acknowledged and healed. As a writer it helps me feel in control. If I would have a hard time giving my MC a happily ever after, I'm less likely to write it that way.

Changed my blurb about “no full-on noncon”, ‘cause apparently I’m totally down with dark COD fics with stalking/ kidnapping noncon and pet play… you live and you learn!

Poor hygiene in combination with whump, smut, smump, or general intimacy. Like infected wounds, bodily functions etc (unless plot or worldbuilding related - e.g., where do pet whumpees take a leak?)

I'm a bit of a weeny and like my MCs healthy and clean, even if they're getting tortured :) If they throw up they will quickly get cleaned up etc

Intense description of injury to toddler, infant, fetus or very pregnant person

Pregnancy body horror and writing children suffering gives me heebie jeebies. Also, will not write pregnancy as a happy ending because it terrifies me irl lol

Minors in sexual scenes

Reminder that this does not include grooming by villains. If I did write something like that, it would be verbal or implied only and never physical (e.g. a woman raised to be the perfect, obedient wife might have some groomy backstory scenes)

Terrible note to end on. Anyway, enjoy my stuff!

[nonsensefromtheabyss]

Hello! I am OK1610 from ao3. I loved Riddle V.I.Z.ion so much! Such an amazing story with great characters! I loved the aliens especially! Your story inspired me to weave my own tale for these characters as well as a design element for Diz (the support beams) for my refs of the aliens (credited in the post)! I cannot wait to read more about them and their pasts!

Any chance we can get a little sneak peak of what is to come?

('Riddle Classified' sounds like a great name btw!)

Hello!! Lovely to see you again!

Literally had to spin in circles at work when you said my story inspired you, was not prepared; I’m honoured <3 and I hope you have fun creating! You art is so perfect!!! I love how the style is still reminiscent of the game art but far more detailed and much more fun to look at—it’s so vibrant! They’re all super adorable (rotating Quiz in my mind rn) and it looks like such a sweet AU—I’m an absolute sucker for stories where things end well (which I don’t think anyone would guess from my own works XD.) Would be super intrigued to know more when you’re ready to share!

(Definite spoilers for my future Riddle School fic below the cut!)

Dutifully adding a tally to Riddle Classified’s column! I swear the title is going to be the bit I decide last with this thing, it’s certainly giving me the most trouble XD

As for sneak peaks, hmmm; it’s a little early in the process for me to feel like I’ve got much that’s actually interesting to share, but I could tell you about the first chapter? It’s post defection, a few years into the V.I.Z.ion Project, and involves Quiz being kidnapped by bounty hunters/pirates. He has to stall for time, turning them against each other as a distraction, while Viz and Diz sneak around and kill off the people stationed at other outposts before picking him up. 

It’s told from the perspective of the pirates, who really have no idea who or what Quiz is, and is set in a snowstorm to really play up a theme of isolation/being trapped. Horror movie vibes. They know something is going on outside, and they know their contacts are going cold one by one, but they can’t figure out why—maybe it’s just the storm like their leader says, maybe it’s something else. They’re stuck with this unknown alien who’s sounding way too plausible when he says the roof might cave in, or there’s something outside, who talks them into telling him the scary stories they’ve heard about rogue soldiers in the area. If they go outside and try to run, they’ll definitely die of exposure, but if they stay? Unclear. And surely nothing out there could be alive. The noises are the wind, just the wind, they’re not in danger, nothing’s getting closer, everything’s fine.

It’s a good opportunity to play with Quiz’s unique skill set of appearing very harmless to manipulate people, gives me the chance to do some exposition on the alien’s species lore, and—most vitally—sets a pretty sinister tone for the V.I.Z.ion crew actually in action! A good jumping off point for what’s to come!

Another chapter I’ve got planned as a definite inclusion (though I don’t know where it’ll go yet; probably late in the collection) is them kidnapping Phil. It’s from Phil’s perspective, and I’ve honestly just been galaxy braining over it for a few nights now; he just barely escapes them when they see him first (runs through populated places they can’t follow, gets on a bus, his dog attacks Quiz when he gets home) and then spends the next few days as Dib from Invader Zim trying to convince his family that Aliens Are Definitely Real And Also After Him. They don’t believe him. One night he wakes up to find that everyone else is knocked out, and the aliens are in the house searching for him. He doesn’t get away this time. Very stressful times for Phil—I don’t think I’ve ever written a non-stressful time for Phil. I don’t think I’ve written a non-stressful time for any of these characters.

With this chapter, I’m hoping to do something with the perspective shift, which is another reason I think it should come late in the formatting. While the aliens are very much villain protagonists in this, having everything be through their eyes will eventually make them familiar—maybe not exactly relatable, but certainly comfortable. The jarring dissonance of exchanging that highly militarised, desensitised perspective to an actually human one—the P.O.V of someone we, the audience, know—when he’s terrified and being hunted by them appeals to me. Particularly as, at that point, I will have written scenes of the V.I.Z.ion aliens interacting with humans from their own perspective, and the difference between what they think and what people think can be thrown into even sharper relief.

I realise I’ve told you about the only two chapters that aren’t from the alien’s direct perspectives, so sorry about that! But I hope they made for a satisfying sneak peak <3 maybe this isn’t what you meant at all… I’ve never actually done a sneak peak before!

[thgfanfictionlibrary]

Friends to Lovers Fics Masterlist (9)

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5 / Part 6 / Part 7 / Part 8 /

Created: June 6th, 2024

Checked:---

Don't Talk To Me-hutchabelle (ao3) Summary: Katniss Everdeen hates people. Well, that’s not exactly true, but she doesn’t exactly like them either. They’re too…human or whatever. Too many acquaintances. The last thing she wants to do is get close to any of them, especially after the events of the past few months. She’s barely holding it together as it is, and introducing people or, even worse, friends could tip her right over the edge. She values her sanity. That’s probably why the new, sweet, disgustingly optimistic, overly friendly hire at the coffee shop where Katniss works irritates her so much. He’s just so nauseatingly earnest. It makes her want to punch him in the face. Enemy-HGRomance (ao3) Summary: I’m Katniss Everdeen-Snow. I’m eighteen years old, the president’s granddaughter, and the youngest gamemaker Panem has ever known. I’ve been taken prisoner by Peeta Mellark and the rebels of District 13. But I’m dangerous and trained to kill, and I’m not going down without a good, long, hard fight. Canon Divergence. Everlark Coffee & Tea-JHsgf82 (ao3) Summary: Modern AU. Katniss and Peeta, who are best friends, decide to open a coffee & tea shop together. How will it turn out? Will they become more than business partners? Oh yeah, and they were roommates! Everlark Spring Break-Xerxia (ao3) Summary: Prompt 17: Katniss can’t afford to go away on Spring Break, so Peeta brings Spring Break to her. [submitted by @hutchhitched ] For the Everlark fic exchange, spring edition on Tumblr. Falling Like Stars-JLaLa (ao3) Summary: Katniss was more than happy to cater Gale and Madge’s wedding. Until she found out she would be working with Peeta Mellark, a returning District 12 resident—and her childhood crush. Finding my way Home-Xerxia (ao3) Summary: When Peeta Mellark needs a 'plus one' for a family wedding his best friend, Katniss Everdeen is the logical choice. Isn't she? Get the Money Shot-hutchabelle (ao3) Summary: Written for Everlark Fic Exchange Springtime Edition 2021 Prompt 32: Katniss Everdeen, famous musician hates posing for photoshoots whether it’s for an album or a magazine with the exception of celebrity photographer Peeta Mellark who seems to always know the way to get the best shots. Guy Time-JLaLa (ao3) Summary: Peeta Mellark returns to his hometown to help his best friend, Katniss with her two rambunctious kids. What happens when he starts to fall for all of them? Have Your Cake and Eat It Too-katnissdoesnotfollowback (ao3) Summary: For his twenty-fifth birthday, Peeta gets exactly what he's always wanted. Written April 2017 as a birthday gift for franceschee via everlarkbirthdaydrabbles on tumblr. He Doesn't Belong Down There-oakfarmer (ao3) Summary: It’s not unheard of for a merchant’s third son to end up in the mines. But why did it have to be the baker’s third son? In a Panem without the Hunger Games, Peeta becomes a coal miner and someone isn’t happy about the Boy with the Bread spending his days underground.

[heliads]

Requesting a Clove x reader fic where the two have known each other since childhood! While Clove is an aspiring Tribute, the reader is from a super privileged District 2 family who’s exempt from the reapings, for some reason. (they were close allies with the capitol, ever since the first rebellion?? they train peacekeepers or make high-tech weapons?? Idk.) The reader always knew that Clove dreamed of participating in the games, and as her BFF (best friend-turned-girlfriend), she’s always supported her in her endeavors. Hell, her main motivation in learning hand to hand combat, even though she will never need to, is just so she can spar with Clove whenever Clove can’t train with anyone else. the reader probably still sucks though.

About a year before the 74th Game, the reader realizes just how close Clove is to being “ready.” And it scares her more than anything. She still tries to support Clove, and she still helps her practice occasionally, but she is clearly losing her enthusiasm each time Clove discusses or demonstrates her progress. Whether or not Clove has to convince her, the reader eventually spills out her fears for what will happen in the arena, verging on begging her not to volunteer next year. No matter how much she wants to trust Clove, she can’t fight down the dread that now shadows her 24/7. 23 enemies (especially the other Careers, they can’t be allies forever). Mutts. Bad weather. Dehydration, starvation, illness. There are too many things that can easily go wrong, so how could she possibly be okay with her best friend/girlfriend leaving?

This is of course an angst request, but here’s where you can decide if it stays that way! Does this become an AU where Clove later decides that she won’t volunteer, even if it means throwing so much away? The glory and her many years of preparation? The expectations of her peers, teachers, neighbors and family? (But that’s okay, the reader is willing to use her own family name to back her up if she has to.) Or is Clove just too far invested, and there’s no turning away from her life purpose? If that’s the case, then… the reader needs a big fucking hug, and she’ll be there to say goodbye before Clove leaves for the capitol.

just realized that this actually works as a prequel to my other clove request, which is dare i say iconic. also anon you must know that if you offer me a chance for angst i will never turn it down! !

masterlist

If someone were to listen to the gaping cavity in your chest, you think they’d hear the thud of a throwing knife against a target instead of regular heartbeats. It certainly feels like that, at least; you must have spent hours in the training room just today, and that’s not even mentioning every other day in your past and future.

That’s how it must be, though. Someone has to train until they’re as close to perfection as a human being can get. Someone has to be able to kill twenty-three other tributes until they’re the only one left standing. Someone must do all this, and that someone must be Clove.

The idea of prepping your girlfriend for the arena is somewhat morbid, but it’s not as if you truly had a choice in the matter. Clove made you swear to help her when you were small, and you’ve never been able to hold her in anything less than your word. If you really think about it, what you’re doing here is saving her, not damning her. By ensuring that Clove is as good as she could possibly be, you do all you can to keep her alive when she’s finally beyond your reach as a competitor.

Besides, it’s the least you can do. You won’t be in the Games, after all. Your name is not in the Reaping, nor has it been any of the other years you’ve technically been eligible. That’s the way it went for your father, and for his father before him. The Capitol does not like sparing any of the districts from the Hunger Games, but for a family they need in Two, certain exceptions were made.

The first lesson your family taught you was how to make yourself important. You should always have debts owed to you, favors that need to be paid off. That’s how you stay alive, how you stay out of trouble, and, most importantly of all, how you ensure that your name will never be called to participate in the Hunger Games. 

In a place like District Two, where volunteers are commonplace, taking part in the Games is a source of pride. Lurking in the back of everyone’s mind, though, is the sickly truth that they’re not an honor but a chance to die. Sure, you could win it, and earn your family honor and respect, but you could lose the Games and have your life ended before you even saw twenty.

Your family knew that they needed to find a way to permanently stay out of the Reaping, so they played their cards right during the war and it paid off. Your family closely allied themselves with the right people in the Capitol, and so when the Hunger Games started, the leader of Panem made a rule that the names of anyone in your bloodline would never be called. 

It was their only choice. Your family found a way to deeply involve themselves with the organization of the Peacekeepers. Without your relatives there to keep all of the branches interacting with each other in the best, most efficient way, the entire system would fall to pieces. There was a bit of dispute around that point when your grandfather was first running things, so he proved his points by stepping away. Nothing worked– the Peacekeepers in each district lost communication with each other and the Capitol in hours.

After that, they didn’t test you any longer, and your family was allowed to stay out of everything. It was an unspoken agreement that carried on no matter the leader of Panem, no matter the generation of your family. Your grandfather passed on the responsibility to your father, and you’ve been receiving the necessary training such that, when you finally come of age, you will be able to take it from him.

For the sake of pretense, all of you still entered your name on Reaping Day like everyone else, but the slips of paper would be removed before the ceremony began. That was to be expected, though. Divisions arise when people have a sense of inequality. If you want to stop the rebellions from arising, you reduce the visibility. You can’t grow outraged over unfair circumstances if you have no idea that the unfair circumstances exist at all.

To account for this, only the members of your family know that you’ll never enter the Reaping. You can play it off as good luck, and so long as you’re not obvious about it, no one will think twice about the fact that no L/N has ever entered the Hunger Games. Citizens are already distracted by the looming terror that one of their young ones could die within a month. No one’s tracking back your lineage to examine how many people you’ve lost.

You did tell one person, though. It couldn’t be helped. You and Clove tell each other anything anyway, how could you keep a secret like this? She made you swear to help her train years ago, but when the first year of Reaping eligibility finally started rolling around, Clove was confused as to why you weren’t training as vigorously as she was.

The answer you gave hesitantly, after consulting with various relatives to make sure you wouldn’t be damning most all of your loved ones. Clove took the news surprisingly well, actually. Maybe it’s because you were one fewer target that she had to take out. You were no longer a threat, which meant that you could instead be a friend. And then, later, you could be more. You could be someone she loved.

Loving her was inevitable. If you spend hours every day with another girl, if the two of you start sleeping over in each other’s rooms so as to not waste a single moment as the Games draw closer every year, if someone looked at you the way Clove did, of course you would fall. The falling was the easy part. Having to live with it was harder.

In the decades to come, you think you’ll look back on those years as the best of your life. Training always ramped up closer to the Games just in case; although Clove planned on volunteering when she was older so she’d have the best chance of a decisive victory, there was always the possibility that her name would be called before she was ready. Clove simply had to be prepared for anything, and so you cleared your schedule so you could help her out.

And so the days would pass, bleeding into weeks and months. You’d meet her at the District Two training center, or maybe the two of you would walk together. You learned combat for the sole purpose of being able to let her practice even better. You’d spot her while she was lifting weights, judge her form when she couldn’t watch her back, and do everything in your power to make sure she was going to win when the time came.

You have a thousand such memories stored in your head, of Clove throwing her first series of successive bullseyes and nearly tackling you to the ground from hugging you so hard; her exultant grin every time she could lift more, throw harder, do better; how she used to grab you around the waist with that mad laugh and tell you that she was going to do it all. You believed her, how could you not? How could you do anything but nod along, lost in her ferocity for life?

You loved her from the start, maybe. It was something you were born to do. You stood in her shadow and it did not darken your spirit, for it gave you the chance to watch her thrive and that would be enough for you, it always was. She was glorious. You were you. It had always felt uneven, but that was alright so long as you could just keep her.

The keeping her was the problem, though, as it would turn out. Clove wanted to volunteer, she always had. District Two raises golden tributes who can win better and faster than anyone else. Her end goal was always entering the Games so she could come out the other side with that title. It was her plan from day one, and you knew that, but somehow it still stunned you when she finally announced to you that it would be time to volunteer.

Your first reaction was disbelief. It was, of course, something that you were aware of the entire time, but it was wrong now. Clove volunteering was always something distant, an event that wouldn’t happen for years. It’s real now, though. It has always been real, but for once, you have to face it.

Selfishly, you had tried to talk Clove out of it, asking her not to volunteer. If her name was called, of course she would enter the Games anyway, but why put herself in unnecessary danger? You begged and pleaded, you asked her to stay out if not for her own life than for yours, but Clove just laughed and said you wouldn’t have to worry, because she would win. Of course she would win. There was no world in her mind in which she would die.

Still, you tried to persuade her otherwise. You still helped her train, but your enthusiasm flagged by the day. You were no longer protecting her from death, you were preparing her for her own demise. You encouraged this in her. You are to blame if– when– she dies. It will be her blood on your hands, and that will be something you will never be able to forget.

All of your attempts come to naught. The Reaping still comes, and although Clove has not promised you anything outright, you find it hard to believe that you’d be able to break through so many years of propaganda to make her realize that her life is worth more to you than her dying in the Games for glory that would only end up someone else’s. It doesn’t matter that you would put your family name on the line to keep her safe, this is what Clove wants, and you’ve known her long enough to recognize that it’s what she will get.

On Reaping Day, you find yourself lining up with the other District Two girls to learn who will become your tributes for the coming Games. You have never feared the Reaping; why would you, when you know for certainty that you and your family would always be safe? Now, though, your entire frame is wracked with terror. Either Clove’s name is called or she will put herself in. There is no way you win.

The designated representative from the Capitol takes to the stage, and then they reach their hand inside the glass vessel enclosing the names of all the eligible female contestants. The Capitol rep reads out a collection of syllables, and it is not Clove’s. You feel one wave of relief crash into you, and it takes everything in you to stay standing. That’s one possibility eliminated, at least.

You look over at Clove and you feel sick to your stomach, all confidence from before evaporating just as quickly as it came. She’s got that look in her eyes again, and you know what’s coming before she can form a single word. This is how it ends, then. This is how you lose her.

And then, at the very last moment, someone else could volunteer before Clove. The fate of the female tribute from District Two would only be decided because someone else was able to raise their voice faster than your girlfriend. It would be so easy for everyone to brush off the whole affair. It’s what they expect to see, after all. There’s a brilliant Career volunteering, and maybe it wasn’t Clove, but it’s still one of their own.

You, though? You were watching. It would be so simple if Clove just waited. It would have been just a half second’s pause, but it would be enough. No one would know. No one would have known but you. A thousand intricacies in one poorly timed breath, and Clove would stay alive. Easy as that.

But then Clove tugs the other girl down, shoves a hand over her mouth before she can scream, and yells that she will volunteer. This is not your imagination. This is not all the scenarios you can conjure up in your own head. Clove will never back down, and so despite your best attempts, you will never be able to escape this.

Clove is in the aisle before you know what’s going on. She’s marching towards the stage with that determined gaze she’s always worn so well. The Capitol citizen asks Clove her name and she answers, her hand is raised, the crowd cheers. You stare at her in horror, and she grins proudly. This is what she’s always wanted. You knew she would get it.

You find her afterwards. Tributes are allowed to say their goodbyes, and your family knows you enough to make room for you once they tell her to win. Your fingers find holds in her clothes, and you beg Clove to find some way out of this. Say it was a mistake. Say you said the wrong name, that you took the chance from another volunteer. Find some way to come back to me.

Clove would never listen. It’s all in her hands now, and you can see the excitement building in her chest as she thinks about it more. In moments, she will board a train to the Capitol, and then she will win the Games and you will be sorry for doubting her. Clove has dreamed of this while you were dreaming of her death. She knows exactly how this will play out.

Clove leans over to you, says I’m doing this for both of us, and then she’s across the room in the blink of an eye, telling the Peacemakers that she’s ready to go. The last sight of her is the vicious, glimmering girl you’ve always known, and then the doors slam shut behind her and she is yours no more.

You see her die when you’re least expecting it. She made it past the initial bloodbath, past the splitting of the Careers, past all the twists and turns of fate. You honestly thought she would win by that point, even though Cato was still in it. Clove had told you privately once that she would kill any of the other Twos were they to be her fellow tribute, no matter how strong an ally. She would never hesitate, and she would win. You believed her.

Clove doesn’t get the chance to prove herself right or wrong. She dies trying to kill Katniss Everdeen, that revolutionary from District Twelve. Clove was taunting her, taking her time about the kills. It was a mistake, and it haunts you to know that’s what her district will think of her. They won’t remember her bravery for joining the games, they’ll point out that one flaw in her perfect game to their children so the next generation will be even better.

You miss her night and day. You still expect the Capitol trains to bear her back to you when the Games are over, and it takes your brain some convincing to realize that Katniss and Peeta won the Games this round, not your lover. She’s yours no longer. She’s yours forever. Yours and that of the cold, dark earth in which you buried her empty casket. The grass grows over it now, thick and green. You knot your hands in it when the going gets tough and you scream at her for leaving you. She never answers.

It sickens you later, poisoning your mind against everything you’d ever held dear. This was their golden girl, their Clove, and when she died, they all tossed her aside like a bloody rag doll. She gave them everything and they can’t even remember her properly.

Another war comes soon. It brings rebellion to your very doorstep. Soon enough, they find you, and tell you that there are ways to help their cause. If you were not so foolish to admit it, you think you might even be listening.

If you were to do it, you’d do it for her. Clove always taught you to never back down. You think of her, and you enter the fray.

hunger games tag list: @w1shes43, @ilovexavierthrope

[1moreoffkeyanthem]

I have quite a few hang ups with Come Morning Light, the hunger games au I posted one chapter for back in November and have yet to update.

The first and foremost personal challenge is the fact that I, PCE, a certified Angst Wimp, am gonna have to kill off sooooo many of my faves. Like Hunger Games has some dark ass subject matter, kids forced to kill each other. I’m struggling with that, especially with what I have planned for Craig.

Along that same line, it’s gonna be a HUGE cast of characters, which I’ve had difficulty with in the past, it’s one of the reasons I primarily operate in oneshots. I love a good The Gangs All Here fic, but fleshing out 20+ characters is HARD. Bc a fluffy 2k word oneshot of Stan and Kyle in an awkward meet cute where there’s maybe one other character (usually kenny lmfao I’m a creature of habit) is a WHOLE different animal than a multicharacter multichapter. That’s something I had to figure out recently with TWITR, and character introduction held me up a lot in ATLCTS.

Okay this one may seem really inconsequential to a lot of people, but one thing I didn’t think about when developing this concept was the fact that there’s not really away for me to get around Stan eating meat lmao that’s one thing that over my time writing sp fanfiction has become ESSENTIAL to me characterizing that boy. I’ll probably just have him make a comment about how he could never kill animals himself WHICH BRINGS ME TO:

Kyle as our Katniss character. So if you’re familiar with my bs, every time I write Kyle, he’s inherently less angry until it’s called for, he’s very idealistic in his worldview and it takes something actually really pissing him off for him to snap. This is NOT gonna be the case here!!! This boy is ANGRY BY DEFAULT, the worlds out to get him? fuck the world right back! Plus, the entire story is gonna be from his perspective, bc I love writing Kyle, but it’s gonna take all my willpower not to turn him into my usual empathetic to a fault sweet people loving Kys.

Also, I usually tend to leave the adults mostly out of my stuff, but they’re gonna play quite the role in this. We got Garrison as Haymitch, Big Gay Al as Effie, fuckin Mr Slave as Cinna. I’ve never even WRITTEN the three of them. The dynamics gonna be fun tho.

Ofc there’s the problem of it being an adaptation too. There’s a fine line between just replacing hg characters with sp names and copying the plot, as opposed to making it your own. I do have some plot changes planned, but this is an issue I faced with We’re Gonna Sing It Even So, and that almost led me to abandon that fic when I felt like I was just plagiarizing Hadestown.

Also I’m not planning to adapt more than the first book. I reallllly couldn’t handle Kenny taking out Ike with his trap in the third one.

BUT!!! This won’t be abandoned, it’ll just be slow going!!! Ya wanna know the main reason?

Because the first idea I had for CML (other than Kyle volunteering for his little brother) was STAN AND KYLE IN THE FUCKING CAVE SCENES. A major change is that both of them are already deeply down bad, but those scenes??? Yeah no one’s playing for the cameras. I wanna fuck Stan up in the arena so bad lmfao that boy is my original sp whump muse and NATURALLY Kyle taking care of him I love that shit. Girl we gonna GET that prosthetic leg the movies left out (Ship In A Bottle Stan moment, I love that fic btw) as the Style Injury Dealer, I MUST deliver.

So, yeah, if anyone’s down, I’ll eventually pick it back up lmao.

[monstersinthecosmos]

Hi! I have a bit of an odd question. Do you think it’s possible to read your VC fics having zero familiarity with the source material? More accurately, how can I get acquainted enough with what’s canonically relevant in order to be able to read them? I am a long time fan of alllll your Sheith fics and have read them all so many times I can’t even count anymore. I saw you mention some similarities between Keith and Armand (?) in a comment and Immediately tried reading your latest VC fic but it went right over my head 😭. I can’t put into words how much I appreciate your writing - and how read to filth *I* feel when reading your stuff LOL - so I won’t try, but I hope you can tell it’s a lot. My latest rereading binge was set off when I saw you post about the new chapter of ttsr! on twitter and I lostttt it, I literally think about that fic every day (if you can give me any teasers at all about the next chapter, I will die and hopefully resuscitate when it’s posted). In any case, in the meantime, I’d love to read your other works. Any tips would be much appreciated. Either way, thank you so much for all you’ve already put out there. <3

dfasdhkgj oh my gosh WHAT A QUESTION AND IT'S SOMETHING IVE THOUGHT ABOUT SO MANY FUCKIN TIMES !! You're not even the first to ask! And I've answered in both directions because I've had VC people read my Sheith fics!!! OH LORD OKAY LISTEN LET'S HAVE A SEAT FOR A MINUTE. (Also thank you so much omg 🥹🥹🥹)

Okay to break this down!!! My main two ships I’ve posted about are either Armand/Daniel or Marius/Armand and they can BOTH be Sheith analogs imo, especially because I think Sheith fandom is SO fic heavy and we have so many sort of like established tropes and fanon for the way people approach Shiro! 

But starting with Armand on his own, here’s what you need to know:  He’s 500 years old but he was turned when he was 17! He’s always going to look like he did when he was 17 in 1497!!!!! He’s from the RENAISSANCE BAYBEE!!! But he grew up spending a lot of time in a monastery and he was ABDUCTED when he was like 14ish and SEX TRAFFICKED! And then he’s found & rescued by a vampire named Marius, who’s like 1500 years old and very lonely and looking for a companion! Marius is convinced that it will backfire if he tries to turn any old rando into a vampire and what he really needs is like a BLANK SLATE that he can groom for vampirism. When he finds Armand, Armand is so fucking traumatized that he doesn’t remember how to talk, doesn’t remember where he’s from, has no memory of being trafficked, etc. Marius is also feeling traumatized so he feels a connection to this person and decides THIS IS THE ONE and he takes care of him for a few years and winds up turning him. (They have a lot of sex and stuff it’s wild.) I actually wrote an AU based on it for Sheith one time on Twitter so this might also explain it!!!

((I'M EXTREMELY SILLY BC I ALSO SHARED THE ART BUT WITH RED HAIR TO BE ARMAND HAHAH))

Then blah blah a lot of traumatic shit happens, they get separated, they don’t see each other until the 1980s lol. Armand also spends like 300 years in a cult. And in the 1970s he meets DANIEL! And if you are aware the first book of this series is called INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE, Daniel is the interviewer! He’s the one who interviewed the vampire!!!! And Armand STALKS HIM LMFAO and threatens him and they play a cat and mouse game. But then they start getting used to each other and kinda enjoy seeing each other and they wind up being lovers. This goes on for like TWELVE YEARS during which time Daniel is like slowly killing himself with alcohol because he wants to be a vampire so bad and Armand refuses to turn him. Eventually Daniel is like dying of liver failure or whatever and Armand turns him because he can’t handle the thought of losing him.

What I think Armand has REALLY IN COMMON with Keith and why they’re fun to write about is that like

- They’re both orphans and their experiences being orphaned and losing people at young ages really dictates a lot of their behavior and how they treat others. I think a ton of Keith’s characterization comes down to his abandonment issues and for Armand it’s the same. There’s some added drama with Armand because he’s a vampire so like, he’s so convinced that vampires can’t have meaningful relationships with their makers (because of his own maker) that he can’t bear to turn Daniel. It’s a lot like how Keith, in his human version, can’t get close to people and doesn’t even try to. Even looking like the entire time he’s with Voltron he really never bonds with anybody,  even way later in canon when he admits he doesn’t think any of them are friends. AND HOW HE FUCKIN HAS NO ISSUE LEAVING THE TEAM TO JOIN THE BLADES BECAUSE HE’S NEVER FELT SUPPORTED BY ANYBODY EXCEPT SHIRO? 

- I think also that Keith deliberately makes himself unpleasant to people (ie: immediately stealing Shiro’s car) so that he can have some control over people coming in and out of his life. Like, if he pushes them away first they can’t leave him. And like with Armand, his cult years remind me of this too. Like in VC there’s a LOT of Catholicism in the themes of the writing and Armand was very religious when he was alive, and then he winds up indoctrinated by this cult. He spends 300 years living in filth, in rags, under a cemetery, not allowing himself any type of creature comforts because the cult believes that vampires are a tool of the Devil. In VC there’s a lot of themes of like, abstinence/absolution/penance and so I think there’s some thematic resonance here when it comes to like, forcing yourself to be uncomfortable because you think you deserve to be. And also just like, after a life of abandonment and trauma picking SOMETHING to have control over, even if it's not healthy.

- A huge theme in VC is also the concept of the vampire as the outsider, which is how the author intended it. So like all the ways vampires are on the outside of society or humanity is always kind of infused to the stories and I think same can be said for Keith being Galra!!!!! And in VC there’s always this thing about how like, the vampires all do terrible things and the stories still ask us to love them, and I think the vampires always eventually are just asking to be loved! They’re all just looking for love !!! And I MEAN. I MEAN???? KEITH????? 

- On a shallow note, smol angry bby lol 

- This is completely headcanon territory but I think they each have the same AUTISM CODING; both fandoms notice this lol. Just that they’re like, KINDA WEIRD AND PRICKLY? Don’t always understand social customs, often deadpan!  <3 Armand has a lot of sensory stuff in canon and I think we see this a TON in Sheith fic even though it’s never said specifically on the show that Keith probably gets sensory overload from his Galra traits.

So when it comes to fics, what I love about this is that like I’m sure you’ve noticed like there’s such a WIDE SPECTRUM of Sheith fic because they are so wholesome and support each other so much and are just such a beautiful ship? But then they also fit all the like smut tropes LMFAO like the size difference, the mentor/mentee, Shiro being daddy af, etc. So I think like if you were to read either of these VC ships you could sort of imagine a Sheith analog to make it make sense, whether you want it to be loving or if you just want NASTY DISRESPECTFUL SEX.  

Marius/Armand is a bit like canon Sheith in that there’s the age difference, the size difference, and it’s teacher/student. As an AU you can say: Shiro is an ancient lonely vampire who purchases a trafficked boy to be his apprentice. 

The catch here is like! Marius is a really polarizing character in VC fandom because he can be kind of an arrogant prick sometimes LOL. And he’s very obsessed with like, being patient and wise, and he tries REALLY HARD to be patient and wise but he’s actually kind of petty and has a temper. In a lot of ways, Shiro reminds me of like everything Marius WISHES he was. And like both characters are so obsessed with the concept of PATIENCE, even though Shiro is a bit better at it.

And Marius was ALSO abducted by DRUIDS 😭😩😩😩! Weird coincidence! But Marius was turned because he was taken hostage by some druids and forced into like a Wicker Man religious ritual where he was sacrificed to a vampire and turned against his will and he's real salty about it. IT JUST FEELS A LOT LIKE WHAT HAPPENED TO SHIRO, RIGHT? Except Shiro is like a modern person who knows how to do therapy or something.

So I think Marius/Armand fics could also fit the kinda Dark!Shiro trope that a lot of Sheith fics have. Like if you picture how Rifa or Aphor have written dark!Shiro LOL or even like how people characterize Kuron sometimes. Like, still Shiro, but, kind of a dark undercurrent happening. 

The other catch is that Armand and Marius get separated because they get their house raided by the cult (the one that eventually indoctrinates Armand) and they burnt the house down and it’s traumatic for everybody; Marius is severely injured and has to go into hiding for like 100 years to recover, and by the time he finds Armand again he just sees that he’s fully engaged with this cult and he decides to leave him alone and doesn’t risk trying to rescue him because he thinks Armand has like, found his place with them and he can't risk betrayal/rejection.

And like, this is never exactly in canon, but I just think it has so much to do with Why Armand is Like That, and why he has all these Daddy/Maker Issues, and 500 years later it’s why he’s so squeamish about turning Daniel and just cannot do it. 

SO I WOULD POSIT THAT THIS IS LIKE, THE DARK ALTERNATE UNIVERSE OF WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF SHIRO ACTUALLY GAVE UP ON KEITH?????? Like Keith would be fucking crushed, he’d never be okay again !!! 😭😭😭

But having said that, depending what era a fic is set in, Marius/Armand PRE-DISASTER is very much Sheith when it comes to like Daddy & Mentor stuff and that type of vibe. ALSO, IN CANON, A LARGE CHUNK OF THEIR TIME TOGETHER IN THE BOOK IS THEM HAVING BDSM LOL. So there’s that. 

Now! Armand/Daniel, on the other hand!!! imo fits really nicely into like Sheith fic tropes/fanon like FERAL KEITH and DISASTER GAY SHIRO. So the AU would be this: Shiro is a nerdy journalist trying to publish a book about vampires, and Keith is a weird creepy vampire who stalks and fucks with him for years until they start liking each other, Keith becomes his sugar daddy, Keith likes to watch him fuck people and they cry a lot because Keith doesn’t think they can be together and he loves Shiro so much he refuses to CURSE him with vampirism because he thinks of it as a CURSE! They do a lot of kinky stuff and need each other but also sort of resent each other.

And in this situation! The thing about it is that in VC canon, Daniel is the person who HEALS Armand the most!! He learns how to be a person again because he has Daniel!!!! AND SO I JUST THINK THIS TOO IS LIKE, SHIRO IS THE ONLY PERSON KEITH CAN BE HIMSELF AROUND, THE ONLY PERSON HE CAN BE VULNERABLE WITH, THE PERSON WHO GIVES HIM STRENGTH AND HELPS HIM BECOME A BETTER MAN!!!! And in some ways I think Daniel is that to Armand, as well, even if it’s in a real fucked up toxic kinda way because of all the stalking and alcohol abuse and whatnot LOL but I think imagining Disaster Gay Shiro can sorta give you a primer! It kinda reminds of that Sochi fic where Keith is a vampire ??? The “You need to eat something” and he hands Shiro a fucking TOMATO?? That fic LOL. 

Another way I would TLDR this is like, with the dynamic you want, do you want Vampire!Keith with Human!Shiro (Armand/Daniel) or Vampire!Shiro with Human!Keith (Marius/Armand) ? It changes the power dynamic significantly. I think again within the spectrum of Sheith fanon and the huge culture of fanfics we’ve written that there’s so much space for both to fit as Sheith, like if you want feisty feral Keith or if you want like vulnerable uwu bby Keith. LOL. 

One last thing that I think is important to mention LOL is that in the VC lore, the vampires are asexual! Once they become vampires, drinking blood is like THEIR WORLD and it’s so much better than sexual gratification that they lose interest in sex. A lot of VC fic doesn’t honor this but I fucking adore it as an asexual, so if you do decide to check any of my fics out they're gonna be fooling around and not often penetrative sex, because that’s how it is in canon! The vampires will still play with their food and sorta get their pets off but they don’t actually stick it in LOL. 

So I talked a lot, I’m not really sure if this answers your question LMAOOOO. If you did try to read any of my VC fics I think this kinda gives you a primer for the relationship dynamics even if misc canon events get dropped or hinted at that might be out of context. I’m always very happy to answer questions if something doesn’t make sense!

Regarding my most recent fic, what I think you’d need to know if you want to take a shot:

It takes place around part of the book where Marius and Armand have a huge fight that ends in a BDSM scene of Marius whipping him and Armand crying and stuff and then getting off lol and then they go out to a banquet and Marius kills a bunch of dudes in front of him, and all the dudes are saying lewd shit to Armand about what they want to do with him and how they want to fuck him and etc. 

For Armand & Daniel’s canon, one of the things that happens is that Armand makes Daniel fuck people while he watches, so I decided to ask like, what if this habit is something he LEARNED from Marius, and so I decided to write a fic about Marius watching people fuck Armand after the banquet incident.

Marius has sort of a group home for boys he rescues (but Armand is his fav that he’s grooming lol) so there’s a few mentions of that, and one of the boys is called Riccardo and he’s Armand’s best friend! You’ll also see a namedrop of someone called Bianca who’s this local woman that Marius is in love with lol. 

In the fic there’s also some fuckery like name drops of Andrei (Armand’s given name that he doesn’t even remember) and Ivan (his father that he also doesn’t remember) and there’s a scene with “THE PARENTS” aka Akasha and Enkil. And blah blah LONG STORY LMAO but Marius takes care of The Parents, and they’re like the first ever vampires who are so old as fuck and bored that they’re just catatonic in a shrine where he keeps them safe. And he goes to check on them and stuff and he wants Akasha’s approval so bad and wants her to give him a sign that he should turn Armand and she just is hardcore ignoring him and he’s upset lol. 

Also if this helps to know, Armand’s name is Amadeo if you see that in fics. Same guy! He changes his name to Armand later when he’s a vampire.

If you check out any Armand/Daniel fics they’re a lot more straightforward, I mostly just write porn about them LOL!!!!!! The book kinda glosses over the twelve years that Armand stalked & then bedded Daniel so my fics are just like trying to think about more details about what went on or think about individual incidents that might have happened. 

So yeah! 

THIS POST IS A MESS, I HOPE IT MAKES SENSE LOLLLLLLLLLL 

I got into VC when I was like 12 years old so it was such a blueprint for me for stuff I like and Marius has always been my favorite character so I think it’s got a lot to do with why I like Shiro so much. And Sheith fandom is such a strong community of writers and I feel like I’ve really thrived there as a fic writer, but I still make time to write about VC because it’s like my main home that I’ll never be able to get over. And I could talk about this all fucking day, I am a disaster!!! 

Anyway thank you so much, this was such a nice thing to say. :D Please talk to me about Sheith and vampires any time and if you do decide to read any vampire fics you can always ask if the details are confusing! But no pressure at all man sometimes like I just do NOT get other ships LOL. Like there are authors I love to death and it’s like I’m reading another language if I try to check out their other fics. 

And finally, re: teasers………….  flattery will get you everywhere, my friend:

“Oh,” Keith says. His temple grinds against the wall as he turns, trying to roll the stiffness out of his shoulders. And if Shiro is going to pretend to be collected, Keith can do that, too. He can be embarrassed that Kolivan walked in on him getting his ass beat later, but he can play it cool. “Hey.”

Shiro’s eyebrow quirks and he motions towards his upper lip, some attempt to be subtle and polite, but Kolivan speaks over it.

“You’re bleeding,” he says. His arms are folded behind his back and he stands straight up, yellow eyes taking stock of him, of the bots, of the mess in the room. 

Keith sniffles. He tastes the blood in the back of his throat. The tip of his nose tingles again and he tugs at the bottom hem of his t-shirt to wipe his face. Cold air hits his exposed belly, and Shiro’s smell gets stronger as he wipes his nose. Less diluted by metalic hint of his own blood. When he looks back up at them, the reality settles in. And Shiro looks small next to Kolivan, but the two of them together make Keith feel like a complete child.

Shiro’s fingers fidget against his helmet some more, and he glances up at Kolivan, watching him for a moment even as he speaks to Keith.

“We just wanted to... check on you,” he says. Keith wonders what Shiro would’ve said if they were alone. And wonder if the adrenaline slowly creeping out of his body would leave him feeling this vulnerable all of a sudden. He turns away from them, finds his discarded baton on the floor and puts it away as an excuse to busy himself. 

“I’m gonna go to the med bay,” he says, to spare Shiro the awkwardness of having to tell him to. He wipes his nose on the back of his hand and peeks at the red smear left behind. He tries to blow his nose on the hem of his shirt, not caring that he’s being disgusting. When he looks back up, Shiro’s face is that same diplomatic-neutral, doing his best not to respond. 

Being around Kolivan isn’t like being around the Paladins, though. Not like Shiro has to pretend Keith isn’t his favorite. Kolivan had called Shiro his mate last night. 

Keith hadn’t told Shiro that, though. Hasn’t seen him alone since. He wonders what Shiro and Kolivan have been talking about. What went on when they watched Keith get brutalized for hours. 

He’s still trying to be professional, though. Maybe he’s being submissive to Koilvan. Trying to show they’re not too horny to function in a fucking war. 

Your mate. Hah. Keith had been too tired to worry about it at the time. Now, he looks back and forth between them, rolling the word over and over in his head. What a strange thing to say.

The silence is awkward, and he wipes his hands on the tops of his thighs. His pajama bottoms still, and he realizes he’s not wearing shoes. He should leave, and has the excuse to, but the two of them are shoulder to shoulder in front of the door. 

“AI is never going to teach you,” Kolivan says. It’s simple, the way he speaks. The pitch of his voice crawls across Keith’s skin. “This program is not smart enough.”

Heat rises in his face. He rubs at his nose again, fidgeting, tasting the blood as it drips down the back of his throat. 

Before he can think of anything to say, Shiro is smiling, gesturing. “It’s good for keeping everyone in shape. The weapons programs help teach them proper form.”

“The whole team does this?” Kolivan asks.

Shiro looks from Kolivan to Keith, then back. Keith sniffles again and pinches at his nostrils.

“We have team exercises,” Shiro says. “Keith puts in some extra time on his own.”

Kolivan’s eyes sweep over the room. It twinges in Keith’s stomach, wondering if Shiro can tell where Kolivan is looking. He has to ask later, when they’re alone. But there’s that eerie feeling that Keith gets, in his spine, that he can read Kolivan’s eyes, even without pupils. It makes him wonder what Kolivan even sees. How he sees. 

And the idea of it dawns on him, the possibility peeling back and back that maybe one day he’ll be able to ask Kolivan about it. When they’re alone.

For a moment his mouth feels dry. He looks between the two of them again and it sets in that… he’s different now. 

Not just literally, like he’s an alien. Besides, he was an alien the whole fucking time and just didn’t know it. No, it’s the knowledge of it. Today is the first day he knows it. And it’s never going to be the same after this. Not really.

Being out here is fucked up. Getting involved was an accident. But. He’s here now. And here’s Kolivan, and Keith can ask him questions, and get to know the others. 

Shiro sneaks him a look, while Kolivan is inspecting the weapons rack. It’s an Are you okay? kind of look. 

Keith chuckles. He grabs a water as he starts heading towards the door. Claps Shiro on the arm as he passes by.

Who the fuck knows anymore. 

🫡

[dr-fic-recs]

Irouma Fic Recs

Filthy Hands by Eternal_Love_Song [CW for vague descriptions and discussions of murder] is a roughly 3k hurt/comfort post-game one-shot with vaguely pre-established Irouma. Kokichi is still struggling with his guilt over the fourth trial. Miu forces him to acknowledge her part in the whole thing. In terms of Irouma fics this is probably my favorite, the dynamic feels spot on. Not to mention it’s a rare depiction of them being emotional and almost soft with one another. Eternal in general writes some really amazing Irouma if you want to check that out this is just my personal favorite. https://archiveofourown.org/works/38941971

Saving my voice for you by roseroseto [CW for brief depictions of car crashes and child abuse and discussions of death and grief] is a roughly 11k fluff and hurt/comfort one-shot where the first thing your soulmate says to you is written on your wrist. Considering Miu has been mute since she was five, this complicates things. This fic is amazing, especially if you love Miu. Her muteness (as far as I can tell) is handled tactfully and she’s never treated poorly for it. Kokichi is very in character as well but I would definitely consider this a Miu-focused story. Kiibo, Kaito and Kaede also serve as a wonderful supporting cast. https://archiveofourown.org/works/40920114/chapters/102546612

pinkie promises & salty tears by orphan_account [CW for vague discussions or murder and death] is a roughly 2k hurt/comfort one-shot detailing pre-established post-game Irouma. They’re meant to be going to Kaede’s birthday party but Kokichi can’t help but be overwhelmed with his memories from the killing game. It’s a good thing Miu is there for him. I like this fic because it’s not very often I see genuinely emotional Kokichi, particularly when he’s paired with Miu. I just really love the idea of the two of them leaning on each other post-game. https://archiveofourown.org/works/31017872#main

there’s a fine line between love and hate by maruyaaya [CW for vague descriptions of child neglect] is a roughly 9k fluff and hurt/comfort one-shot where the first thing your soulmate says to you is written on your wrist. Miu has hated her soulmate for years so when Rantaro helps introduce her to him she isn’t exactly jumping into Kokichi’s arms. Despite her hesitancy though, Miu can’t help but feel drawn to him. I’ve read this fic a number of times as well and there are a number of meaningful quotes I think about often. Despite being a soulmate au this fic openly goes against the idea of needing an “other half” and generally has some fantastic commentary on relationships in general. https://archiveofourown.org/works/25832230#main

Unconventional by Sachi_Grace [CW for brief discussions of sex and pregnancy] is a roughly 2k hurt/comfort one-shot detailing pre-established Irouma living together years after graduating from Hope’s Peak. Miu and Kokichi have been serious for a while now but when Miu discovers she’s pregnant she worries that might change. Thankfully, Kokichi is there to soothe her worries. I’m not typically one for pregnancy fics but I adore the domestic energy this fic has. Sachi has also written a number of other very good Irouma fics that I would recommend checking out, this one was just my favorite. https://archiveofourown.org/works/24890047

[shrinkthisviolet]

🌀🌤️☔ :)

🌀: Post the fic summary for a fic you haven't written/published yet. It can be hypothetical or something you really plan on releasing…

Savitar knew exactly how far away to hold the blade, what angle to hold it at to scare Barry Allen. He knew Killer Frost would soon appear to save Barry and spirit him away—he was counting on it, even. What he didn't count on was Barry impaling himself on the blade. Savitar's bluff doesn't quite go to plan, and now he has a dying speedster on his hand and a pressing threat of disappearing from existence. (It may or may not be his salvation, in the end.)

Probably not a fic I’ll ever write, but it was a bit of a jokey concept I once talked about with a friend (tho if I wrote it, per this summary, it would be more serious in line with canon’s s3 tone):

Savitar threatens Barry so often in s3, and nearly kills him once…what if he ends up stabbing Barry for real? Then what? He’s freaking tf out, reveals himself for the sake of convincing the Team to let him help heal Barry (because they’re moving too slow for his liking)…and something something eventual Savitar redemption (and ofc in this version, he doesn’t kill Iris)

🌤️: Share your favorite piece of dialogue from your WIP

 “Listen to me. Listen, all right, because this is important. If that light—Luke’s light—flickers at all, if it comes anywhere near going out…I want you to tell me immediately. And no matter what, the two of us will go out there and get him and Han, and I don’t care what the higher-ups have to say about it. I swear to you.”

~Lucy AU ESB fic

Leia is a blessing fr 🥹 she’s so fierce in defense of her loved ones…it’s heartwarming. Lucy appreciates it too!

☔: Is there a fic concept you have that you'd like to just explain and share because you're not sure you'll ever write it? If so, what is it?

I love this question!! So many Savitar concepts, honestly 😅 but mainly this one:

So when Barry and Nora time-travel in 5x8, they go to very specific points, right? And one of them is 3x23, to get a piece of Savitar’s suit. But what if they crossed paths with Savitar at a point earlier in s3? Especially since Nora herself is a more inexperienced speedster…what if Barry lands in the right day in s3, but Nora lands a day early?

Nora mistakes Savitar for Barry at first, asks about the scars on his face with concern…and Savitar is thoroughly baffled by her existence. She, however, talks about the plan to get a piece of Savitar’s suit very freely (since, ofc, she thinks he’s Barry), and Savitar decides “well, if she’s Barry and Iris’s daughter, I’ll at least keep her locked up for now. If she disappears, all the better…if not, she’s not a threat and I might let her go”

(why doesn’t he think of killing her? Well…he’s attached already, though he won’t admit it…he covers that up by calling her a “nuisance” in his head)

At some point Barry crosses paths with them both, he and Savitar fight, Nora intervenes…and that’s where the muse stops 😅 I have this vague idea that it ends with Nora saving Savitar somehow, but…the timey-wimey of this show is so frustrating to navigate, especially s3’s whole deal.

It’s also why I’m generally hesitant to write Savitar fics in general, because…I love him as a concept, truly, but…well, I’ve talked about how I find him underbaked as a villain and his season a disaster in general.

(The Morgan AU will have an iteration of him that hopefully y’all will like when we get around to s3 💞 I’ve already gotten attached!)

wip ask game!

[lily-blue]

own fic rec game

recommend 5 or more of your own works that you would rec to someone asking what they should read first & explain a little bit about the work. these can be the most popular, the ones you think are underrated, or your own favorites! then tag five other writers!

tagged by @dat-town​

tagging @twogyuu​

13 reasons why - seventeen, 86,3k (ongoing series)

this series started out at a drabble series. after reading seventeen soulmate aus for days in a row, i was basically wondering whether i could write thirteen different stories in the same universe without repeating myself. i think it’s a success so far, but i still have four more chapters to go. anyway, it’s basically a series of (more or less) light-hearted love stories where each boy gets a happy ending and cameos in each other’s stories. thus, if you’re looking for some good old fluff, some light angst and humour, this series is being written for you

code zero - bts & red velvet, 60k (co-written with @dat-town​)

another series on the list, a finished one this time. we came up with the idea of this futuristic au after we watched train to busan with kathy. it was so much fun building a smart city for our super smart candidates and even more fun coming up with numerous ways a city could kill a person, so we wouldn’t repeat ourselves while writing! if you enjoy reading stories about people fighting to survive against all odds, this is your story! i promise, there will be survivors at the end.

the choices you give » the choices he makes - huang renjun, 22k

this fantasy, especially the second chapter, which was written from renjun’s point of view, is one of my ultimate favourites on my masterlist. the characters have their own secrets and reasons to act the way they’re acting, their relationship might seem a little shallow from the reader’s perspective, but once you get to the second chapter, the puzzle pieces will start to fall into place and that’s what makes it such an interesting journey! if you don’t hate open endings, like reading stories from two points of views and have a weak spot for mysterious boys with a traumatic childhood and a demanding father figure, this story is for you.

come hell or high water - hwang hyunjin, 16,1k

this story is peak comedy. i don’t remember i’ve ever finished such a long story so quickly, but hyunjin demanded all of my attention while i was working on this one. poor guy is so gone for the girl in this story that his one brain cell has major difficulties to function or see the consequences of his actions. he is this close 🤏🤏 to accidentally start a war between his and the princess’ kingdom, but lucky for him, our girl saves his ass with her logical reasoning. so no, it’s not him who starts the war.

blurred lines - jeon woong, 13,5k

this one is seriously one of my most underrated stories, but it was so much fun to write that i couldn’t not put it on this list. the main plot is based on a misunderstanding: woong is certain you’re his secret admirer. do you have feelings for him? yes, you do. were you do one who wrote him the letter? absolutely not. still, he falls for you and you couldn’t be happier… until the real secret admirer demands the credit that’s rightfully hers. despite the inevitable drama, it’s a light-hearted university story with lots of fluff and a pinch of heartbreak. it’s also written from both the reader and woong’s point of view, so if you like these kinds of stories, don’t hesitate to read it or save it for later.

[belabellissima]

F, M and V for the fic ask game!

F: Care to share a favorite hurt/comfort fic?

I've waxed poetic about this fic before (And the author bc all their works are amazing) but Of Death and Resurrection by TheTeaQueen/ @kale-theteaqueen is a go-to reread for me. The beats are timed perfectly, the angst is there the whole time, and the resolution is so so sweet☺️😌 I'm a sucker for Rhys and Nesta figuring their shit out and bonding too and they never disappoint in any fic. The Whole Truth is also amazing for the Rhysta bonding, and I'm so looking forward to it in Lady Death and Her Kingdom after the most recent chapter, especially knowing Nesta has seen/will be seeing his mom, sister, and dad.

M: Got any premises on the back burner that you’d care to share?

I do in fact! One of my many time travel AU's is an Azris story that I'm still working out the ending for. But it's sort of time travelers wife? (i've never read/watched it so not sure how accurate that statement is but I’m still going with it) in the sense that Eris is having a pretty bad day where he keeps getting yanked out of his proper time and dumped in Azriels past for a few hours at a time. Key scenes I'm intending/working on include Eris being dumped in Az's cell with him in the immediate days following his hands being burned, Eris trying to distract Azriel on the night Mor sleeps with Cassian, Eris and Az fighting in the aftermath bc he finally knows who Eris is, and at least one scene during the war where he can see what Azriel had to do for Rhys' dad. Its pretty much vibes right now bc i haven't figured out yet why Eris is being yanked backward in time, or how they're going to solve it, or the consequences for some of the things he inadvertently changes while he's there.

V: A secondary (or underrated) character you want to see more of in fic?

Secondary characters are always my favs tbh bc they have such potential!!! I love the idea of seeing fics from their point of view or what their live are like/how they’re affected by the choices the narrators make, so picking just one is hard! But right now, I'd love more of Lady of Autumn, Eris, Cresseida, Emerie, and Gwyn! Also I'm slightly obsessed with Andras in general - I'd love to see a fic from his pov exploring what he was thinking and feeling when he volunteered to go out and when he was waiting for Feyre to kill him. Boy knew he would die and still did nothing bc he loved his home and high lord so much! That's compelling imo!

[icypantherwrites]

Fic Roundup: October 30 - November 19

A compilation of all of my most recently updated fanfictions. Enjoy ♥

Worth(less), Chapter One

Summary: On their journey to Earth, Voltron makes a stop at a planet for supplies and are pleasantly surprised to find that its inhabitants are not only incredibly generous but incredibly powerful and they would make strong allies for their upcoming fight against Sendak. In order to secure the alliance, the king assigns a member of his high council to observe each Paladin and judge their worth of character.

Lance is delighted to find out his evaluator is the king’s own son, Prince Barin, who is a formidable fighter, pilot, and obviously someone of high importance and he’s determined to prove himself worthy and make Voltron proud, especially following the horrible game show experience with Bob.

Except the prince isn’t interested in evaluating Lance’s worth as a Paladin. His only interest is in Lance’s body and what it can offer him. And for the sake of the alliance, for the sake of the universe… Lance knows what his answer has to be.

Missing, Chapter One

Summary: Lance isn’t sure he’s ever felt this tired before. It’s not just from the lack of sleep (even though he’s getting plenty of it every night). It’s not just because of the near endless list of chores he does because everyone else has far more important things to do and he should try to pull his weight where he can. And it’s not entirely from the heavy disappointment that seems to emanate from Shiro every time he looks at Lance and has to be reminded of how much Lance doesn’t measure up to Keith when he was the Red Paladin while he struggles to be a Paladin worthy of the title. But all of those things together (although is he missing one? He’s so tired, it’s hard to focus)? They’re heavy and exhausting and Lance is so tired.

So, so tired.

Not a Joking Matter, Chapter Six

Summary: [Sequel to A Mind of His Own] Matt’s plans to hang out with Katie at the Castle of the Lions is interrupted by an urgent, but quick, Rebel mission. The mission, to Matt’s relief, goes exactly as planned.

But the being abducted and strapped down on a table for medical experimentation part? Not so much.

The Deadliest of Sins, Chapter Six

Summary: (Police/Detective AU) There’s a serial killer haunting the streets of Garrison City. Detective Lance Esposito is assigned the case, trying to solve the killer’s motive and identity before another victim shows up in a week. He can tell there’s something very personal to the killer about these crime scenes and kills. But even Lance had no idea how personal this case is about to become.

Found, Chapter Eight

Summary: Lance is alive. He’s been alive this whole time as not just a prisoner of the Galra Empire… but as their assassin. Shiro’s head aches with his own press of memories as to what Lance must have suffered, how he’d been tortured, to become a cold-blooded killer that goes against every value Lance held dear. But while there’s nothing they can do to change the past they have a way to change the future and now it’s time to find Lance and bring him home.

—

Sniper is confused. He shouldn’t know those people, he doesn’t know those people and yet… yet there’s a whisper of familiarity that makes his chest ache and his hand pause on the trigger. But Mistress’ whispers are even louder and his screams as she forces him to forget them and replace them with only the faces and feelings of enemies are the loudest of them all.

Sword and Shield, Chapter Seven [FINAL]

Summary: The Blade mission is dangerous but Keith is confident that between himself and Lance, who along with the Red Lion is integral to the success of it, they’ll be fine. However, as the mission progresses Keith is finding it harder and harder to ignore the fact that Lance keeps making himself a human shield and sacrificing his own safety for Keith’s and it's reminding him far too much of his own decision on Naxzela and what he almost did to keep the others safe.

But now that horrific pattern of self-sacrifice has come to a head as Lance is injured protecting Keith. And it's not just a terrible wound: Lance is poisoned and slowly, painfully dying before Keith's eyes. Unlike Naxzela where he could at least do something (even if it would have cost him everything) there's nothing he can do to save Lance. Except... this time Keith isn't alone. And help is coming.. if he can keep Lance alive that long.

xxx

Some stories/updates are also on my AO3 at the time of this posting. All links in fic roundups and updates on Tumblr default to Patreon as that is where all of my works are now originally published. If you'd like to join my Patreon check it out here. $5 and $10 tiers grant early release access to all of my currently publishing works :)

[landinrris]

page 10. 30, and 113!

Ah, hello! I'm going to post the screenshots here above the cut, and a deciphering of my handwriting below the cut so I don't clog any dashboards.

In order of 10, 30, and 113 (a spoiler advisory for my latest work):

Ask me about my writing notes!

Page 10: Refers to Love is the Heritage (And Cousin to Death) a.k.a. my Birdsong au

(These were notes to myself as I was just beginning the whole thing, followed by a quote Carlos never actually said directed to Lando. Probably ~mid November 2021)

Carlos is working under Lando's father from Spain to see how automated textiles work; the workers go on strike because of it

Lando's best friend in the village is Max F- they take food to the starving worker's children w/o Lando's father knowing. He's a caring dad, but he would be furious if he found out

Lando corners Carlos in the house they rent and practically begs Carlos to kiss him on like their second night there. Carlos tries to resist but it doesn't work

"I want to know everything about the youngest son who refuses his birthright in favor of taking care of striking workers' families at risk of his father finding out."

----

Page 30: Refers to Maybe I'll Adjust to Adjusting Together

(These are mostly fic tags that I had planned for the fic where McLaren has to form an intervention between Daniel and Lando in early 2021. Bonuses include a bit of writing from one of the scenes and house listings I was looking at around May 2022 that didn't pan out)

"[...] But what's worse is that the fucking Netflix crew filmed the whole thing, and since Daniel is their golden boy, that means I'm gonna be the villain."

Intervention Fic Tags

Jealousy

2021 Season

Descriptions Spa 2021

Lando is a brat to Daniel because he misses Carlos

Hurt/comfort

Surprise to Lando: Daniel actually cares

Sexual content

----

Page 113: Refers to The Calmest Slit to My Neck

(This is a bit of the outline I scribbled out a few weeks ago when plotting out my newest fic. Spoilers for that if you didn't already read the screenshot)

Lando’s all game for this, not realizing the full extent to what Carlos has done with to him until he spins three times in practice the following Friday. His reactions don’t match the car anymore. He pushes back at Carlos in a private but still way too public setting for what they’re talking about. Carlos practically pulls Lando somewhere quieter with by the scruff of his neck to get him to shut up. He promises to help Lando and it’s all he can give him right now.

Carlos shows Lando how to hunt in the masses of clubs, taking just enough to satisfy the innate urge for fresh blood without killing anyone. The alcohol and the closeness of Carlos to makes Lando giddy and feel powerful. Especially with how he sees people react to him. It leads to their own moment, Land Carlos’ bites littering Lando’s thighs even though they’ll be gone in the morning.

Just as Lando’s getting a whole handle on being a vampire, what with feeding and controlling his car, Carlos disappears. And disappears as in doesn’t make it to his hotel & isn’t answering his messages. Charles and Caco haven’t seen him either. Rupert brushes him