#fic: fate/postscript

[hirazuki]

Hi! Re: the WIP folder game, please could you share more about...

Fate/Postscript

lemon balm and salvia, blue, mairon & maedhros

tsukuyomi (curious about this one bc i've also got a scene coming that mentions tsukuyomi-no-mikoto skdjas)

Hii!!

Fate/Postscript is a Fate series (TYPE-MOON) fic that follows the universe of Fate/Zero and Fate/Stay Night, and veers a little into the El-Melloi II Case Files territory. Not sure how familiar you are with this franchise (always happy to give you more details!), this is basically an OC/Sasaki Kojirō | Assassin story, because my favorite character from this franchise is, once again, a minor side-character with precious few fics to his name and needs some love nevermind that this has been languishing in my drafts since like. 2017, let's ignore that

“At any rate,” he said after a few moments, “I really do recommend that you keep your visiting hours with me late at night.” She looked over her shoulder at him, confused. He pointed to the crowds of people walking up and down the stairs. “It does not do for a young woman to appear to be talking to herself.” She cackled, loudly. “Why should I care what people think? I’m not even from around here. And besides,” she continued, after a few more swings with the sword, “some of us actually sleep at night.” “A pity,” he said, closing one eye. “When there are other things you could be engaging in.”  She spun around again, attempting to take a swing at him. Before she even knew he had moved, Kojirō leapt up, drew his sword and, flicking the tip under her sword’s edge, cleanly disarmed her. Her blade went flying vertically in the air, and he caught it easily. He flipped the edge towards himself, and held it out for her to take. “Come now, allow a man a little harmless flirting.” She snorted, amused, as she took back her sword from his outstretched hand. “There is nothing harmless about you.” “Maybe so,” he conceded as he sat back down. “But I am bored, and you are the only one I converse with.”

lemon balm and salvia, blue, mairon & maedhros ... ahaha *hides face in shame* This is a tumblr writing prompt that @celebbun sent me... over a year ago... *weeps* T_T

First Age, 465 He's bleeding out. How will he go back to Angband, in such a state and with such news? Himring... Himring is not far. Closer than Angband. Perhaps... perhaps he could -- He shakes his head free of the delusion a moment later. He cannot. Even were Fëanor's eldest inclined to humor his plea after everything, his own loyalty and sense of duty will not allow him. He curls up tighter, further into the dark tree hollow, and closes his eyes and falls into fitful sleep, to thoughts of red hair and white fire.

Tsukuyomi is a Naruto fic! (this probably won't be its final title). Again, not sure how much you know about this series, but basically at one point, almost all characters are put under a virtually unbreakable illusion (the name of this technique is Infinite Tsukuyomi, hence the name of the WIP) where they are trapped in their own dreams, and they experience their perfect world as though it was their reality. We get to see a good number of these dreams, and they give us a really neat window into the supporting cast, for instance, with whom we don't necessarily spend too much time with in the main story, getting to see their hopes/fears/what makes them tick, etc. We don't see everyone's obviously, and Orochimaru's (one of my faves) tsukuyomi dream is skipped over, so this would be my take on what his ideal world would look like. I've got some ideas jotted down as to what it would include, but don't have anything actually written down yet ^^

[kakasaku-week-2023]

Thank you everyone for participating in this year’s KakaSaku Week and making it such a success! Don’t forget to reblog all the art, and of course co scream at the authors in their comments on AO3. Hopefully we’ll see everyone next year!

For future events and more KakaSaku goodness, be sure to give us a follow at @scarecrowsandcherryblossoms!

Here’s the 2023 Master List, under the read more!

Day 1: Historic AU

Trapped in a Small Space—Innocent—"Never cruel or cowardly."

Art 🎨

a barmaid and a pirate by @mayskalih Innocence, the language of flowers by @aerie-skysinger historic au by @this-is-my-canon WWII trapped historic au by @xenea-aesthetic

Fics 📝

Shield by @tsume-inuzuka Undone by xylazine Salvation and Slaughter by @petriikore My Fate is in Your Hands by fusionblitz28 Hey Princess, Let’s Go by kaoruhana08 Ruination Be Damned by @sakuradeservedbetter91

Never cruel or cowardly by Crystalina The Lady and The Coward by @alittlewooy Midnight Stranger by FeralSaturday My Cruel Lady, My Cowardly Samurai by Fountain_pen Sharp Tongues and Foolish Daydreams by @twofortea Stuck in the Middle with Pakkun by @mrssakurahatake (every chapter is a different prompt of the week, still in progress!)

Day 2: Someone Else’s Show

Domesticity—Wingman/Wingwoman—"Should I stay or should I go?"

Art 🎨

an earthbender and a waterbender by @mayskalih someone else's show-bleach by @aerie-skysinger pretty woman by @this-is-my-canon

Fics 📝

My Cruel Lady, My Cowardly Samurai by Fountain_pen The Battle in the Underground by @goldfishlover73 What Trembles Underfoot by @twofortea The Intricacies of Pokémon Breeding by Fusionblitz28 Healed with a Kiss by heartensoul Stay by @alittlewooy

Day 3: Modern AU

3 A.M.—Missed Connections—"You have my sword."

Art 🎨

assassins modern au by @mayskalih 3 A.M. missed connections by @aerie-skysinger

Fics 📝

When I Saw You Standing There by @tipsyraconteur Kill for Me by @this-is-my-canon An Ocean Away, A Moment Away by Fusionblitz28 Like To Get To Know You by @twofortea Morning Fix by xylazine Pretext/Postscript by @ax31s2 Missed Connections by @alittlewooy A Four Week Class in Flirting, Seduction, and Bagel Making by @goldfishlover73 the booty call that wasn’t by @sakuradeservedbetter91

Day 4: Fantasy AU

Hot Springs—Seduction—"I'm just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her."

Art 🎨

seduction fantasy au by @aerie-skysinger

Fics 📝

My Cruel Lady, My Cowardly Samurai by Fountain_pen Say What You Wish by @twofortea What The Sea Wants, The Sea Shall Have by @rosebrided Lady of Dreams by @alittlewooy

Day 5: Swap AU

Booty call vs. Butt dial—Beach—"Oops."

Art 🎨

oops by @aerie-skysinger swapped, beach by @this-is-my-canon office hours by @twofortea gender swap by @princessxgarbage

Fics 📝

One Long Mission by @goldfishlover73 Office Hours by @twofortea In Between My Legs by Fusionblitz28

Day 6: Mythology AU

Soulmate—Morning After—"Not if you were the last person on Earth."

Art 🎨

soulmate by @aerie-skysinger

Fics 📝

through violence by @this-is-my-canon On Wings like Wakinyan by by Fusionblitz28 Death and the Maiden by @twofortea

Day 7: Canon Divergence

Pakkun Makes a Startling Discovery—Arranged Marriage—"Why are you in my house?"

Art 🎨

Pakkun Makes a Startling Discovery by @aerie-skysinger married by @this-is-my-canon

Fics 📝

Dwindling Dreams and Infinite Nightmares by Fusionblitz28 What You Don’t Know (Sure Can Hurt You) by @twofortea a scent of floral by @goldfishlover73 From the Imperfect Start to the Finish Line by heartensoul

[bbnibini]

Author’s Note & Newbie’s Guide to PSISLY: An Obey Me! CYOA

I'm bad with announcing stuff but here it goes(!): this blog is currently under construction! I am currently making the necessary preparations to get Hamartia ready for crossposting.

Of course, I'm not the best person when it comes to technology so if you ever notice there's some errors or hiccups, please feel free to tell me on DMs or asks! (Asks are currently closed for now though! It will open again soon. :) )

For new readers of Hamartia, here's what you should keep in mind once it's posted!

1. The main story is called P.S. I Still Love You. It's styled as a hyperlink-dependent mystery CYOA where you can get unique endings or routes upon choosing specific dialogue options. You might need to take notes since this story has mystery aspects to it. I left some hints here and there so you'd uncover what actually happened before the events on the fic transpired. Although you can also read the entirety of what happened once you unlock all routes! :) 

Saying that, this story will feel more immersive if you experience it yourself so please don't ruin that experience for someone else. DO NOT POST SPOILERS FOR OTHER CHAPTERS IN THE COMMENTS SECTION. You can still discuss and even theorise in the comments, but please make sure your comments are about the chapter thread you're commenting on. For spoiler heavy comments that contain spoilers for more than one chapter, please make use of the spoiler thread.

2. As it is a hyperlink-dependent fic, interacting with every hyperlink IS ENCOURAGED. Reading PSISLY with a registered tumblr account is also encouraged for better immersion and access to restricted content.

3. Spoiler comments are DISCOURAGED. A dedicated thread for spoiler comments and theories will be posted in a masterlist for people who want discourse. You may also direct spoiler-related asks in my ask box if you are a registered user and I will answer you in private.

4. As this is a crosspost, please expect earlier updates on the original AO3 version.

5. PSISLY has supplementary content accessible through private posts:

*MEMORIA (Hamartia 3 - - An archive of memories for a person who wants to never forget. Most entries focus on the perspective of other characters besides the reader. )

*chat log (A certain author's DDD chat log. Contains text conversations of Christopher Peugeot and the people he associates with. May also have an "Eye See You" feature from time-to-time)

*????? (Spoilers)

*Hamartia 0: ▇▇▇'s Postscripts (Endgame content. Spoilers.)

Each of these supplementary content will be given hyperlinks for specific chapters/route progression.

6. Please note that the stats/parameters/affection meter of each capture target won’t stack. Meaning, even if you choose an option multiple times, it will only give a set affection point.

7. Good Ending ---> 90 affection points or higher (100 is the MAX)

    Normal Ending ---->89 affection points and below

    Special Ending -----> ???

**Satan's route is a special case where his Good Ending (95 hearts) requires less affection points than his Normal Ending(100/MAX hearts).

8. Unclickable hyperlinks/hyperlinks with the word (WIP/Soon) next to them means that the content cannot be accessed at the moment. Please be patient!

9. To have a deeper understanding of the story, please try to read EVERYTHING including the bad endings.  

10. Ever wondered what would happen if you read this story in an unconventional way? You might just have a fateful encounter. :)

If you have any more questions, please DM me or send me an ask/anon! Hopefully with that, you will enjoy this silly little project of mine. :)

[lurking-latinist]

1, 14, 23, & 25 for the fanfic end of year asks!

Thanks for the asks!

1. favorite fic you wrote this year - I think my favorite might be "The Strands of Fate," a lightly shippy Four/Romana comedy piece that subverts the sex pollen trope by riffing on deep lore. Come to think of it, I think all of those are hallmarks of my writing. It's, uh, very me.

14. a fic you didn't expect to write - Well, I didn't expect to write fic at all--I only started this year--so sort of all of them! But specifically... I wrote "Postscript" because I didn't think it could be done; I wanted to see if I could make Seven/Romana work. And, well, I convinced myself.

23. fics you wanted to write but didn't - I have several WIPs and 'written down to do later' ideas, but the only one I've really given up on is an epistolary fic told in the form of letters between Brax and Innocet. I sort of reworked the concept into "The Wrong Idea," though.

25. a fic you read this year that you would recommend everyone read - It's from 2010 but I only read it this year: "Let's Do It" by Charamei. It's got Four/Romana and riffing on romance tropes, so clearly it's my sort of thing!

But it also has 153 kudos, which is so many for Classic Who, so statistically a lot of you probably have read it. So a couple actually posted in this year:

"Rewind and Repeat" by @nostalgia-tblr, which is angsty timeline-crossing Ten/Romana;

and just to prove that I can, one that isn't Doctor/Romana at all, ready for the future by couldaughter, which is Three & Victoria. (And not even timeline-crossing!)

[ears-awake-eyes-opened]

Now or never

(Hayffie ff ❤️. I initially shied away from this prompt because I didn’t think I could write it in a way that felt interesting. But I ended up having a great time with it, so much fun that this became one of my longest one-shots. — I make no apologies for the length of my posts in the feed or in the tags. I don’t apologize for any aspect of my free expression. For personal reasons, I write on my phone using the tumblr app, and the limitations are what they are. Like the limitations of my disabled body are what they are. For prompts, I reblog the prompt along with the link to my fic in case anyone wishes to reblog something shorter. — I write for myself, for my love of the characters and the process. When people comment on, like, or reblog my posts, I view those interactions as unexpected gifts. I have such love for writing that I’d do it old-school like Anne Frank, without any audience beyond my journal itself. This blog has been that for me for over 5 years, my space for coming of age and processing intensities in a strained and oppressive midlife. — I’m inspired now by prompts much more than I have been in past fanfiction efforts. So, thank you to everyone who offers them. And when people are willing to slog through my long fics and other posts, that is fabulous devotion to the characters/issues that are important to me, and I feel good to know I’m not caring alone. — 💛 Kim)

***

His facial hair was rough against her lips. The sensation triggered fantasy which played out more readily if she didn’t have to look at him. So she kissed him with her eyes closed whenever they fucked around. He was the same height as Haymitch. When she wore 5-inch heels, those added to the feeling of intimacy. It wasn’t entirely real, but it felt better than loneliness.

Their relationship was discrete, of course. Mutual discretion was a condition she established before getting involved with anyone, especially someone as high-profile as Seneca Crane.

As far as Capitol society was concerned, their connection was primarily professional, with occasional dinners at expensive restaurants. It was an image they’d been comfortable projecting, and it wasn’t far from the truth.

In moments that weren’t overly physical, she enjoyed his eyes. Blueish-grey with a streak of emotion, they were familiar enough to help her pretend. That’s why she’d first invited Seneca up to her apartment in the fall — to have sex with Haymitch in fantasy.

The sex was good enough. He was gifted with his hands, though he smelled too much like her. She wondered if he wore the same cologne as she did. And his body frame was smaller than the one she actually wanted intimacy with. By November, they’d become a regular *good enough* thing.

A dozen years earlier, they’d been schoolmates at the Academy. He graduated two years before her. She was softer then but already a force to reckon with. He was shorter in those days, sharp, obsessed with tech design. Ambition was an attribute they shared, perhaps the only one.

By 30, he’d become one of the youngest Head Gamemakers in history. He enjoyed the rush of adrenaline he experienced when executing the Games, and he relished the opportunity for artistry. The thrill and beauty he saw in death made Effie uncomfortable, but she viewed it as part of the job. He carried out the president’s wishes, though he confided in her that he didn’t fully agree with the way Snow ruled Panem.

On an evening in late December, they walked along a garden path covered in trellises draped with strands of fairy lights. Effie kept her hands warm in her pockets. It had been a long day, and she was ready to be home in bed, asleep, alone.

“What do you think about marriage?” he asked. The question was slightly more inspiring than if he’d asked her what she thought about the weather.

“I haven’t given it much thought,” she answered honestly, leaving out her occasional ludicrous fantasies about having babies with tiny purple wigs and predispositions for alcoholism.

“A union could be advantageous for both our careers. The publicity could improve your chances of promotion to escort for an inlying district.”

“And what do you stand to gain from a *union*?”

“You’re iconic, Effie. You represent the Capitol with style and positivity, and you execute your work flawlessly. You’re in good favor with the president. You could be a wonderful ally for me,” You could be a buffer for me, he didn’t say.

“Is there anything more?”

“Like what?”

“Really, Seneca, is THIS how you’re proposing??”

“Well, our families would support us. And there’s the matter of sentiment.”

“Sentiment?”

“I like you. I care for you, of course.”

She thought of Haymitch’s words from last summer, the night they almost... but didn’t.

‘I like you too much,’ he’d said, ‘I can’t fuck around with you and pretend it’s nothing. And that’s how it would have to be. That’s the only way it could be.”

Venia and Octavia insisted Haymitch loved her, but she believed that was still a pipe dream. She could keep waiting in vain, or she could choose a more sensible path.

“And there’s this...” From his coat pocket, Seneca pulled a black velvet box and flipped it open. Effie’s jaw dropped. The diamond was huge. It was far and away the loveliest ring she’d seen. She looked in those blueish-grey eyes that reminded her a bit of everything she wanted that wasn’t accessible to her.

Seneca pressed, “Say yes, and the wedding can be one of the biggest events of the year, rivaling even the Games.”

She imagined what her dress would look like. He was saying the right words to tempt her. They didn’t love each other, but maybe she could look past that inconvenient reality. Sometimes people married for other reasons.

“The press would go crazy,” he continued, “There would be red carpet interviews. We could invite everyone who’s anyone: stylists, victors, even Snow.”

Victors... Would he show up to watch me get married? 6 months ago, Haymitch had asked her what she wanted. He’d unzipped her dress and touched her body. He’d taken off his shirt and shown her his scars. Then he effectively told her a relationship between them was never going to happen, and he held her hand as she fell asleep.

Damn him.

She took her left hand out of her pocket. “Let’s see how it fits.”

Seneca had investigated her ring size, so the fit was perfect.

“Let’s show him,” she said.

“Show who?”

“Them. Let’s show them all.”

“Is that a yes?”

“Yes. Let’s get married. ...This spring.” She could plan a wedding in 5 months, no problem. Isn’t this the time couples usually cry and leap into one another’s arms? Shouldn’t this occasion call for a show of passion?

“This spring it shall be then.” When Seneca kissed her, she closed her eyes and embraced the same fantasy as usual.

***

Haymitch rarely received mail beyond his compensatory income from the government. In March, when the post delivered an envelope addressed to him in gold ink, he almost tossed the thing straight into the trash, recognizing it as an invitation to a Capitol party. Then he saw the name “Trinket” and the return address of Effie’s family home.

What’s this? He opened it right there on the porch with uneasiness gnawing at his stomach.

“You are cordially invited to celebrate the marriage of

Euphemia Rosalind Trinket -and-

Seneca Lucius Crane

Saturday, the first of May

At 3 O’Clock in the afternoon

Palazzo Annaeus”

What the hell is THIS! His stomach churned, and he vomited up a pint of white liquor on the ground beside the porch.

Memories flooded in... tracing up the seams of her stockings, unhooking her garters, feeling her body without a corset, running his fingers through her hair as she curled up in bed, so soft. So damn soft. Fear had screamed warnings about getting attached to her. Fear was always screaming.

When those Games were done, he’d left the Capitol with a strained sadness between them, like a rubber band stretched too long. Today it snapped and smacked him in the face. He felt the sting of annoyance and regret.

Damn her.

He couldn’t fix this. The only thing left to do was decide whether or not he was willing to watch it happen. He would have burned the invitation in the fireplace if not for the P.S. in her obnoxiously perfect handwriting.

***

Seneca had been right about one thing. Effie’s parents were thrilled that she’d decided to marry one of *the Crane boys,* especially the Head Gamemaker. Historically the Cranes had been part of the old guard of the wealthy from the Capitol, and they’d successfully diversified their financial interests in the years following the Dark Days.

Her parents spared no expense for *the wedding of the decade.* Effie spent the winter so caught up in the comfort of validation and the thrill of event planning that most of the time she evaded the sense of dread that nagged her when she startled awake in the mornings.

When she’d addressed the invitations, she considered adding a postscript to Haymitch’s, either “Fuck you” or “I love you.” Both feelings were nonsensical and nonetheless true. In the end she’d written,

“H — Please come. — E”

She checked the mail each day for his response card among hundreds, but it never showed up. Figures. He probably threw it away.

She didn’t need anyone to *rescue* her from the fate she’d chosen. If she wanted to call off the wedding, she’d simply come up with a logical explanation to save face; she’d apologize to Seneca and her parents; she’d put a stop to all plans, and that would be that.

The phrase “Mayday mayday mayday” was a distress signal used by Capitol troops during the Dark Days. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she’d subconsciously scheduled her wedding on the first of May because, apart from the fine details, opulence, and attention, her heart wasn’t in this.

***

“We’re here at Pallazo Annaeus,” Claudius reported from the red carpet which had been rolled out along the walkway to the galleria of the Crane family mansion. “Just a short time from now, fashion icon and District 12 escort, Effie Trinket, will wed two-time Head Gamemaker, Seneca Crane.”

“Isn’t this exciting!!” Caesar was in typical form. “The air is positively electric!”

“So much so that my hair is standing on end!”

“As is mine!! Thank goodness for hair products.”

“And wigs! We’re seeing all of the ABOVE as the guests arrive. What a crowd!”

Their interviews with attendees were concise, asking which stylists designed their gowns and suits, and if they had particular wishes to share with the couple.

“Now here comes... Is that?... It is! Haymitch Abernathy, victor of the second Quarter Quell.”

“How touching. One advisor for District 12 supporting the other on her special day.”

“I LOVE it!! Haymitch, do you have any words for the happy couple?”

Haymitch stomped past them without pause. He hadn’t entirely sobered up from the bottle of whiskey he drank on the train, and he didn’t even try to resist flipping Caesar off when asked the question.

“A man of few words,” Claudius covered for a shocked Caesar. “We never know what to expect from that one.”

“He certainly does keep us on our toes.”

“Well, it’s a good thing we have stylish shoes!”

“Indeed!” Each of them spun around on tiptoe, and the cameras zoomed in on their footwear as a distraction from Haymitch’s persistent middle finger.

Just beyond the entryway, the galleria was packed already. Guests were dressed in yards of fabric and large hats. Floral arrangements lined marble walls covered with paintings, some of which were probably older than Panem itself. Haymitch slipped into the first empty chair he spotted, ignoring the usher who asked him, “Are you here for the bride or the groom?”

The question pestered. The bride. Shit. I’m here for the bride.

***

With every detail attended to, Effie curled her fingers around her father’s arm in the vestibule. Flower girls and bridesmaids entered the galleria first, then it would be her turn.

“My princess is getting married in a palace.” Her father kissed her cheek.

“Daddy! Careful of my makeup. Photos aren’t being taken until afterward.”

“Of course. It’s YOUR perfect day.”

Effie had certainly made everything perfect, except for this unrelenting nausea and desire to run away. She forced herself to breathe slowly. The last thing she needed right now was to throw up, ruin her white gown, and have the press start a false rumor about pregnancy. She had no desire to have children with Seneca. She’d made that clear, and he agreed.

“Are you alright, sweetheart?”

Her father calling her “sweetheart” made every discomfort worse. Clearly she thought of Haymitch.

“I’m trying to be alright... but I don’t know,” she confessed.

Her father wasn’t sure what to say. “It’s almost time to walk down the aisle. Is that what you want to do?”

He asked it like she had a choice, but it was too late for choices.

“Let’s go pay the piper!” As Effie started down the aisle on her father’s arm, she didn’t notice the splendor and fullness of the room, nor the oohs and aahs from standing friends and family. She didn’t notice the rose petals on the floor, nor her fiancé sweating like a pig about to be roasted alive with an apple in its mouth.

All she saw was Haymitch.

He stood at the edge of the aisle, in the middle of the room. In the years that she’d known him, he’d been clear about his disdain for Capitol events, yet here he was, no RSVP and very much himself in his regular clothes from District 12. She’d probably be irritated if she hadn’t missed him so much. He was standing right here, and she was still missing him. It took every ounce of restraint to not tell him so.

“Great dress, sweetheart.” He offered a subdued smile as she passed.

She looked back at him once, and her eyes felt like old glass, holding tears too hardened to fall. Then there was nothing to do but look forward.

***

Fear was screaming different words now at Haymitch. Stop this. This wedding. Stop this!

As she walked away from him, he could see that her dress had an open back from her waist to the top of her shoulder blades. The gap was bordered in ornate jewels, stitching, and fancy shit. But he couldn’t take his eyes off her skin, and he couldn’t stop thinking about touching her.

She glanced at him again as she handed her bouquet to a bridesmaid. Her eyes were pleading. He knew the look because of all the times he’d tried to ignore her feelings for him ...and his feelings for her.

The officiant addressed the audience, “We are gathered here today to join Effie and Seneca in matrimony. Family, friends, and honored guests, do you support this union and affirm that these two should be married today?”

Haymitch looked around as the audience responded in unison, "We do."

I don’t.

The officiant continued, “Will you surround this couple in love, offering them the joys of your friendship? Will you support this couple in their relationship? At times of conflict will you offer them the strength of your wisest counsel and the comfort of your thoughtful concern? At times of joy, will you celebrate with them, nourishing their love for one another?”

The automatons responded together again, "We will.”

Like hell I will.

“If any of you has a reason why these two should not be married, speak now or forever hold your peace."

Haymitch sighed and shook his head. Someday he’d be the death of her, or she’d be the death of him. Maybe today was that day.

This felt like now or never. The bit of whiskey still in his veins helped it be now. He stood up and moved quickly down the aisle to the sound of gasps and murmurs all around him.

***

“What are you doing?” Effie was stunned as he gripped her wrist.

“Excuse us,” Haymitch said directly to Seneca, then he pulled Effie out of the room down a long hallway.

She went willingly, chastising him in hushed tones along the way. “Haymitch! This is highly inappropriate!”

“More inappropriate than us having this conversation in front of the entire Capitol?”

“What conversation?”

He pulled her into a room down the hall.

“Not so tight!”

He loosened his grasp on her wrist but didn’t let go.

“What are you doing, Effie?”

“Do I need to state the obvious?”

“Marriage?? Why are you even WITH him?”

“I don’t owe you explanations — or anything else for that matter.”

She was right. She owed him nothing. His edge softened, and he stroked her wrist with his thumb. “Why are you marrying somebody you didn’t even look at as you walked down that aisle?”

“I LOOKED at him.”

“For about five seconds, and what did you see?”

She hesitated, “He’s wearing a tie, not an ascot. We had a dispute about it this week, and I insisted he wear the tie.”

“That’s what you’re thinking about on your wedding day when you see the man you’re about to marry — a goddamn tie?”

“Why are YOU giving ME the third degree! What are YOU thinking about on my wedding day?”

“I’m thinking about how much I hate Seneca Crane. I don’t want him marrying you. I don’t want you fucking him.”

“Well, that ship sailed! We’ve been having sex for months, not that it’s any of your business!”

“Not my business?”

“Absolutely not!”

He was burning with a mix of emotions: anger, jealousy, frustration, confusion, desire, fear. “If it’s not my business, then why did you ask me to ‘please come’ today? What am I doing here? ...If it’s not my business, then why did reading your wedding invitation make me puke. Why can’t I stop thinking about you? ...If it’s not my business, then why do I want to be the one to take this dress off you. I keep holding your wrist because if I let go, I’m gonna touch you, and what would your *fiancé* think about that? What would YOU think about that?”

He’d never confessed so much to her all at once, and she was in a mild state of shock about it. “Last summer you told me if we ‘fucked around’ then you’d have to pretend it means nothing. You told me you can’t pretend that, so where does that leave us?”

“I don’t know, honey.”

“I think you do. ...Let go of my wrist.”

“I told you what’s gonna happen if I let go.”

“Then let it happen.”

In a duality of reluctance and eagerness, he let go of her wrist and caressed her through the open back of her dress. She shivered and leaned into him. He wrapped his arms around her, touching every inch of skin he could reach.

The wig she wore resembled her actual hair color, light golden, like wheat before harvest. In this moment, she was an angel. He’d kiss her if she’d just shut up, but she had things to say too.

“If it’s not your business, then why am I still here with you instead of out there marrying Seneca?” Her tone softened. “Why do I close my eyes and picture you every time I kiss him and every time we have sex? ....If it’s not your business, then why do I miss you so much?”

“Jesus, Effie. What are you doing to me?”

“I don’t know, honey.”

“I think you do.”

***

From the doorway, Seneca cleared his throat. He’d been listening awhile. Effie tried to pull away from Haymitch, but first he had to untangle himself from the back of her dress.

“This isn’t quite what it looks like,” Effie laughed nervously.

“It looks like unfinished business,” Seneca said.

“Then it IS what it looks like,” Haymitch told him.

“Will you please excuse us?” Seneca asked, proper as fuck. “Effie and I have some things to discuss.”

“I’m not leaving.” Fear and desire for her wouldn’t budge.

“I’ll handle this,” she insisted. “Please wait in the hall.”

This was the Gamemaker’s house, his wedding, and his girl for god sake. What else could Haymitch do? Pull out his knife and slit the guy’s throat?? This was Effie’s world, not his. Without another word, he stepped out of the room, and he hated that she closed the door behind him.

Seneca confronted her, “I’ll say this quickly because our guests have already waited long enough. A marriage of convenience is prudent when the motivations for such a union are stronger than the desire for love. I’ve realized that’s not the case here. For me, and apparently not for you either.”

“Are you in love with someone else?”

“Someone my family regards as unsuitable. I’m sorry I didn’t speak about it sooner. I was afraid you wouldn’t understand.” He glanced at the door, “But I see that you do. Frankly, this interruption is an enormous relief.”

Effie was slightly miffed to realize that Seneca would not be pining for her, but the interruption did lift her feeling of dread. “I apologize as well. I haven’t been forthcoming with you, or with myself. What do we do now? The Capitol is expecting a wedding.”

“The Capitol is expecting a show, and they’re getting that. Let’s walk out there together and announce that we’ve decided to cancel the nuptials and move straight to the reception. It can still be the party of the year.”

“But my parents...”

“I’ll reimburse your father for his investment in this. It’s the right thing to do. I do care for you, Effie, but I should never have discussed marriage as a hypothetical, let alone proposed and let it get this far.”

He held out his hand. “Shall we? Before any more time passes.”

She threaded her fingers with his in solidarity.

When the door opened, Haymitch was still there in the hall, fuming now at the sight of them holding hands.

“Seneca, give me another minute,” she said.

He let go of her and took several steps away.

She touched Haymitch’s arm and spoke into his ear, “The wedding is off. But we need time to appease our families and everyone else. Meet me at 9 o’clock at The Popina on 6th St. Do you know the place?”

He’d never been there, but it was a good call. He doubted the press would look for him at a swanky wine bar. “I know the one.”

She whispered, “I said I don’t owe you anything, and you don’t owe me anything either. Regardless, this feeling between us isn’t going away.”

Seneca told him, “Keep following this hallway as it bends to the right. You’ll eventually reach a side door you can take out of here if you want...”

Haymitch didn’t trust him and didn’t want to leave.

“...Unless you’d prefer a walk back down the red carpet with the other guests.”

I don’t.

Effie urged him to go. “I need to set this right. Please don’t make this harder for me than it already is.”

“I don’t wanna run out in the middle of a pile of shit.”

“Language! This wedding is not a pile of anything. It’s an event we need to finish differently than expected. Will you trust me?”

“Fine.” He answered without conviction, turning away so he wouldn’t have to watch them link hands again. Holding the handle of the knife in his pocket, he followed the hallway to the side door and left all that nonsense behind him. Did he trust her?? If she walked into that bar tonight without a rock on her finger, then maybe he just might.

***

Afterward, the red carpet commentary indeed made for a more interesting show.

“The only thing more exciting than a wedding,” said Caesar, “Is a kiss at the altar between the bride and groom after they’ve CALLED OFF the ceremony!”

“You may now kiss the woman in white who is no longer your bride!”

“Oh, Claudius, you’re so cheeky!”

“I can honestly say I’ve never seen a couple more happy to be NOT married.”

“Did somebody bring the sun INSIDE the palace? Because they were positively glowing.”

“The reception is still on, and did you hear their words about it?”

“Caesar, I was on the edge of my seat, and I couldn’t miss them, but say them again.”

“Seneca began, ‘May 1st, May Day, is not just one of folktales. Mayday was a cry of distress during war, terrible war. The Capitol responded and transformed that distress into peace.’

“Then...”

“Then Effie continued, ‘Instead of celebrating a wedding, we’ve decided to transform the reception we’d planned into a festival honoring the glory of the Capitol. Panem today, Panem tomorrow, Panem forever.’”

“Don’t you just love that?”

“I DO! I absolutely do!”

“Well, that’s the only ‘I do’ that we’ll be hearing this afternoon!”

Hysterical laughter ensued between the two.

“Claudius, the question on everyone’s mind revolves around the influence of a certain mentor from District 12.”

“Yes. Haymitch Abernathy interrupted the ceremony.”

“He pulled Effie away, and Seneca followed. When the couple returned hand-in-hand, they called off the wedding. The mystery is, what happened in between?”

“As you said earlier, we never know what to expect from Haymitch. That one is a wildcard.”

“We’ve been waiting for him to emerge from the palace so we can ask him, but as we noted before, he is a man of few words.”

“Maybe we’ll catch him at the reception.”

“The festival!”

“The festival, of course!”

***

By 10 o’clock, Haymitch had read the sign on the wall a hundred times. “Hedone says, ‘You can drink here for one; if you give two, you will drink better; if you give four, you will drink Falernian.”

‘Hedone’ he recognized as the Roman goddess of pleasure. He thought pleasure would be a fine devotion if it wasn’t pursued at the cost of other people’s lives or pursued to chase away demons. He was already chasing one bottle of Falernian with another. “Damn Capitol wine doesn’t get you drunk unless you chug two bottles. And this is the best they’ve got?”

He’d been there a couple of hours. During that time, his attention was divided between that sign reflecting on hedonism and the screen showing footage of Effie’s non-wedding reception.

They were *saving face* alright. Haymitch had rarely seen Effie kiss anyone, and tonight he’d watched her kiss her *former* fiancé every time someone clinked a glass. The kisses were pecks mostly, a game they were probably playing to host a fun party and show the Capitol there were no hard feelings between them. But as the kisses added up, Haymitch’s dislike for Seneca Crane became more palpable.

“Slide a bit,” she said, showing up beside him. She was hiding in a simple dress and a light layer of makeup. Her hair was pulled back beneath a scarf instead of a wig.

He scooted over, making room for her at his booth in back. “You’re late, sweetheart. Did Crane kiss all that makeup off your face?”

“And you’re drunk.” She caressed the back of his neck, content to be with him right now, drunk or not.

“Wasn’t drunk an hour ago after the first bottle of this Falernian shit. But the more you drink, the better it tastes.”

She drank from his glass, and he didn’t object. From his perspective right now, she could drink straight from his mouth or off his body.

He encircled her waist, pulling her as close as the setting allowed. He was relieved to see that she wasn’t married. His inhibitions were reduced, so she could do just about anything to him right now, and he wouldn’t object. He tried not to think about her having that kind of power.

She stroked his arm wrapped around her. “There’s a rumor circulating about you.”

“Oh yeah? What is it?” He kissed her neck after each question. “Do they think I’m fucking you?”

She giggled because the hair on his face tickled her skin and because she was anticipating his response. “Not quite, honey.”

“What then?”

“They think you’re fucking Seneca.”

“What the hell?!!”

“Caesar and Claudius predicted ‘the mentor from District 12 is having a torrid affair with the Head Gamemaker,’ and you pulled me away from the wedding in the hopes of taking my place at the altar.”

“They’re lunatics.”

“It’s a risky move breaking up a wedding. Who knows what people will say.”

“What do YOU say?”

“I say you look at my breasts far too often for you to be interested in Seneca Crane,” she chuckled.

“And what do you say about me breaking up your wedding?”

As she looked into his eyes, there was no approximation, no almost. It was a relief to not have to *pretend* that he was the one she wanted, but to just KNOW it. “I say, thank you. ...Sweetheart.”

What fantasies and real desires would be accessible with him? She’d know more in time.

[kaisooficrec]

hiii and welcome! I’m very happy and hopefully you’ll like this list of fics I compiled (pls accept it as a welcome gift hehe)

Summer Rain - mama!au, royalty au, prince!soo, celebrity!jongin, Jongin finds a distraction in the rain–Prince Do from El Dorado ;u; (i beta-ed this for my friend, it’s one of my personal fav famous!aus ♥)

Good News - jongin is a fansite master, has taken up its role as the young rising actor’s hero (jongin can cook here it’s adorbs hehe) 

postscript - Jongin writes fan letters to his favorite actor Do Kyungsoo, pouring out his heart and soul. He never expects Kyungsoo to actually read the letters and remember Jongin when they finally meet. But he does. (jongin also uses cute stickers of his poodle Monggu which you can find in all the letters there and they’re just kgfkgkf)

something up fate’s sleeve - soulmate au, enemies to lovers, jongin can see the string between two people that symbolizes a soulmate bond, he’s shocked when he sees one between him and the cocky actor kyungsoo

Catfish - jongin’s a famous youtuber and he and kyungsoo are in a relationship but have never met before, one day jongin’s manager contacts him telling him he was catfished and the real jongin is trying to find out who kyungsoo has been texting with

Well-Loved - Kim Jongin, a quiet young man who likes to spend his time lost in books, attends a book signing for his favorite author, Do Kyungsoo (fluff alert!)

Behind The Scenes - Kim Kai is known for being a talentless brat among the acting industry. For him to be able to work with Do Kyungsoo, award winning actor, should be an honor, and yet the young actor does nothing but infuriate Kyungsoo to no end. Kyungsoo is determined to change things. 

Dreamwalking - both are famous, model!jongin who is also a playboy, actor!soo

Lights On, Minds Off (Fall Into Me) -  Idol-turned-actor Jongin and rising star Kyungsoo have their problems but maybe the set of their new drama isn’t the best place to solve them.

let’s play - both are famous (idol!kai, ballad singer!soo)

bonus: when the lights are taking us suggested by catellena @ fanboard (thank you!)

 EXO Limelight Fest: 

Would You Let Me Catch You? - Famous actor Kim Kai is addicted to PokémonGo but he can’t go outside to catch Pokémon because his fans are surely going to catch him instead. So, to solve the problem, he disguises himself and meets the PokémonGo enthusiast Do Kyungsoo. Will Kai catch Pokémon or geoD.O.de’s heart instead?

#I’mSoInLove - famous insta boyfriends kaisoo!

You Belong With Me - jongin is a famous model (who turns out to be a shy cute baby when talking to his bestfriend soo) gkfkg

I Found You - singer!soo + dancer!jongin meet each other prior to very interesting circumstances (call it fate maybe? ^^)

Quote, brat. - kyungsoo is a famous writer and jongin is his admirer (and a cute nerd hahah)

Frozen Happiness - family au-ish, jongin is a famous idol who married his childhood sweetheart kyungsoo despite having to hide their relationship first

Can You Keep A Secret? - When turbulence hits and Kyungsoo, a nervous flier, believes he’s going to die, he blurts out all of his inner secrets to a stranger on the flight.

Man Behind The Mirror - soo’s bff sehun aka his wingman makes soo meet kai who he met on a dating site and kyungsoo very nervous; then the person who he expects turns out to be a celebrity. fluffy fluff!!!

Best Days of Our Lives:

Sweet Escape - ksoo mourns his bff’s death, he’s a famous singer but takes a week off and meets his host jongin who accomodates him, airbnb au ish hehe

Off Screen - kyungsoo is an actor and jongin his bodyguard, however jongin gets jealous when soo has an on screen kiss

House of Cards - both happen to meet in the hospital, jongin because he’s tried to hurt himself while kyungsoo a rising actor injured himself during a filming, jongin is his big fan and desires to help kyungsoo to overcome the trauma and depression

Fanboy + Fanboy part 2 - jongin is a huge fanboy of idol named D.O but when he’s invited on stage for one of the songs, he’s so nervous infront of his idol crush that he faints

more celebrity / famous au requests here! enjoy ~ Admin J

[hirazuki]

✧Main Tag✧

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Bleach ✧6 [AO3] Grimmjow Jaegerjaques/OC (Utagawa Hoshi), Ulquiorra/Orihime | post- Arrancar: downfall arc through end of series | canon divergent/adjacent | ongoing ✧Here to Stay [AO3] OC (Utagawa Hoshi) | pre-series | backstory, canon compliant | one-shot

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Fate Series ✧Fate/Postscript [AO3] Sasaki Kojirou/OC (Jean Blair Fleming) | post-canon | canon compliant | multi-chapter but not actively writing

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Final Fantasy XIV ✧A Step Faster [AO3] Zenos yae Galvus/Warrior of Light (Altan Malaguld), Estinien Wyrmblood, Aymeric de Borel | post-StB and post-ShB patches | canon divergent | one-shot ✧Forge Ahead [AO3] Zenos yae Galvus/Warrior of Light (Altan Malaguld) | post-Endwalker | canon divergent | ongoing

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Hakuouki ✧A Fleeting Dream [AO3] Hijikata Toshizou/OC Yukimura (Koume), Shinsengumi | throughout series | canon compliant, missing scenes/alternate POV | ongoing

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Naruto ✧Different Bonds [AO3] Haruno Sakura & Akatsuki | post-Tenchi Bridge mission | canon divergent | one-shot

✧Dog Days [AO3] Hoshigaki Kisame, Uchiha Itachi, Deidara, Sasori, Orochimaru, Yakushi Kabuto, OC (Inuzuka Mayu) | chunin exams arc | canon divergent | multi-chapter but not actively writing

✧For Now [AO3] Haruno Sakura /& Sasori, Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, Sai, Yamanaka Ino, Hatake Kakashi, Kankurou, Tsunade | blank period | canon divergent | ongoing

✧Meanwhile, in Konoha [AO3] Haruno Sakura & Team 7, Yamanaka Ino, Shizune, Tsunade | post-Tenchi Bridge mission | canon divergent | one-shot

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Tolkien ✧What Mercy Means [AO3] Mairon | multi-Age | canon compliant, character study/introspective | one-shot ✧A Terrible Game [AO3] Melkor & Maedhros | Year of the Trees 1497 | canon compliant, missing scene | one-shot ✧Of Silver and Stone [AO3] Celebrimbor & Maeglin | Fourth Age | post-canon | one-shot ✧What We'll Find [AO3] Mairon & Maedhros | Fourth Age | post-canon | one-shot ✧Worth While [AO3] Mairon & Eönwë | post-War of Wrath | canon compliant, missing scene | one-shot ✧Something in the Darkness [AO3] Eöl/Aredhel | First Age | canon compliant | one-shot ✧To be Made of Fire [AO3] Mairon & Arien | Years of the Trees | canon compliant | one-shot

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Voltron: Legendary Defender ✧Allies [AO3] Lotor & Shiro | between S5 E1 & E2 | canon compliant, missing scene | one-shot

• ────────────────────────────────────────── • * I've got only one setting, so literally everything is hurt/comfort, angst, canon-typical violence/themes, and hovers somewhere from T through M. Specific tags are listed on each individual fic.

[hirazuki]

Would you do ❤️, 🥴, and 🏆 for the fanfiction ask game, please?

Of course!

❤️- The fanfiction that holds a special place in your heart

6, no question about it -- it was my first real fanfic, other than some snippets I wrote for DAO, as well as my first attempt at a multi-chapter fic and fully developed OCs + associated lore. It may be on indefinite hiatus because of what happened with Bleach, but it will always be my baby ♡

🥴- Your weirdest fanfiction

Hmm... idk! Maybe Fate/Postscript? I didn't really have any clear idea of where I was going with it, I just wrote out ⋆˙⟡ vibes ✧˖°. lmao

🏆- The fanfiction you are the most proud of

For Now. I haven't attempted a proper longfic since '6,' but I'm updating fairly regularly and it's over halfway done; I may actually fully finish this fic, which is mind-blowing, I've never finished anything but oneshots lmao. It's also got subplots and themes that I'm carefully tracking from beginning to end, and making sure they get developed along the way; it's wild XD

[hirazuki]

Might as well update everything in my writing tag while I’m at it :D

[lurking-latinist]

While trying to figure out how Dreamwidth works exactly (I’m over there too now, same username, come say hi!) I found this fun titles meme on @thisbluespirit’s blog. (She always has the best question memes.) I am perhaps slightly resurrecting it but it looked fun!

You’re meant to look at your 20 most recent titles. Other than exchange things that haven’t been revealed yet, mine are:

Never Too Late

Nitro-Nine

Death, the Lady

Dernier

Ersatz Genremixer Microfic Collection

The Wrong Idea

Time Flies Like an Arrow (Witches Fly on a Broomstick)

a mile or two, from my first love

Powers

“History Will Be Kind”: Ten AUs for Six and Evelyn

Aubade

Blazon

True Love and Time (go on forever)

That Which We Call

The Strands of Fate

“Why Is It Always You Three?”: Ten AUs for Eight, Charley, and C’rizz

“She’s Already There”: Ten AUs for Iris Wildthyme

Excuses, Excuses

Ms Smith

Brainstorming

1. How many are you happy with? 15! For a broad definition. I’m very happy with “Ersatz Genremixer Microfic Collection” because it communicates exactly what it needs to. 2. How many are... not great? Five, I guess. “Time Flies Like an Arrow...” doesn’t thrill me, but that was an exchange fic and the recipient mentioned the title in their very nice comment, so I suppose it served its purpose!

3. How many did you scramble for at the last minute? I generally title at the end, and most of this fic was not on a deadline, so I just sort of sat there until I came up with a title. There’s actually only four I can remember struggling with, which surprises me. 4. How many did you know before you started writing/creating, or near the beginning? None, unless you count drabbles where the title is basically part of the story.

5. How many are quotes from songs or poems? Four, assuming you count Shakespeare plays (“That Which We Call”) and the character’s own theme song’s lyrics supplied elsewhere (“She’s Already There”). The other two are “a mile or two, from my first love” (Henry Vaughan) and “True Love and Time” (a folk song sung by Liam Clancy, if I remember right).

6. How many are other quotes? Several are references to common phrases, but it’s hard to draw the line between quote and pun there. 7. Which best reflects the plot of the story/content of the fanwork? Most of the drabble titles basically amount to instructions for understanding the context of the drabble, so those I guess? “Brainstorming,” “Excuses, Excuses,” and “Nitro-Nine,” for instance.

8. Which best reflects the theme of the story/fanwork? “True Love and Time (go on forever).” If you know the song, it very much fits the melancholic yet romantic tone I was trying to set. (The next line is “but love and distance cannot agree.”) 9. Which best reflects the character voice of the story/POV of the fanwork? “Death, the Lady.” She is the POV character. 10. Which is your favorite? They’re all my babies! XD Nah, I do really love “Aubade” and “Blazon,” which form a set with “Postscript,” which isn’t in the twenty most recent. They’re all literary or textual terms, and they’re all Seven/Romana fics. I set up the pattern by accident with “Postscript” and “Blazon,” noticed it, started thinking “what other literary terms would make good titles for a Seven/Romana fic?” and that’s how “Aubade” happened. Actually, I’ll issue a challenge: send me a literary term you like and I’ll make it a Seven/Romana fic. I realize I may not get a lot of takers for this.

I think “Blazon” is my favorite of those three, though. It sort of describes what’s happening in the fic (a blazon is a poem praising the beauty of the beloved one body part at a time; the fic is a series of drabbles focused on different body parts, eyes, hair, hands, etc.) but it also obliquely references some of the literary-historical context that gave me the idea in the first place. Short version: Andrew Marvell’s “To His Coy Mistress,” which I love, offers what is essentially a prompt for a blazon for immortal lovers:

An hundred years should go to praise Thine eyes, and on thy forehead gaze; Two hundred to adore each breast, But thirty thousand to the rest; An age at least to every part, And the last age should show your heart.

I thought of this for some reason while I was also thinking about Seven and Romana being pretty much the same height and how odd that would be. And I thought, well, my OTP are practically immortal barring accidents, so sure, why not. The time element ended up getting elided, but I was still in that seventeenth-century headspace and so I called the fic “Blazon.”

That was probably more information than anybody wanted but this is my blog and I can ramble if I want to.

“She’s Already There” is also pretty brilliant because not only is it a line from Iris’ theme song, it’s also a description of my experience trying to write AUs for her: everything I came up with was a situation she’d already been in canonically.

I’m proud of restraining myself from giving “Dernier” an unbearably soppy, angsty title. Instead I just put the word “Last” in French, which is only sad once you’ve already read the fic (or thought of its concept independently).

Consider yourself tagged if you want to, and I’m specifically tagging @swinging-stars-from-satellites and @strange-destinations because I think they might enjoy this. No need to do 20 unless you like--it was over half of mine and it was kind of a lot!