#i know there’s one fic with just 2 chapters left before it’s complete that im procrastinating on starting specifically because of that too

[sitten1115]

i’m officially down to 10ish isat fics i want to read, that is fics i havent already read or caught up on. Plus one comic. but the comic and 2 of the fics are crossovers (children of the light, undertale, and fear and hunger). Gotta be in the right mood for a crossover, and also I want to see the end of Fear & Hunger before I read that specific fic.

Maybe I can at least try to whittle them down one a day until only the crossovers are left.

[astarionancuntnin]

Die For You

summary: the ascension changed the person Astarion was, or so you believed. you broke up and parted ways after defeating the netherbrain, thinking it was for the best, but when you see him again 6 months later at the reunion, you realize you never truly moved on.

and it seems neither did he.

rating: E

word count: 3.9k

pairing: astarion x you (fem!reader) (fic wide), shadowheart x you (chapter 1 specifically)

cw: 18+. angst, smut, porn with plot, porn with (some) feelings, ascended astarion, bad breakup, awkwardly avoiding your ex, alcohol induced sex, rebound sex (in the sense that youre trying to forget about your ex but you might have feelings for that other person too), oral sex, fingering, stalking, kidnapping, mild violence.

a/n: i have been working on this for over a month now, i have 2 other chapters also ready BUT im undecided on which ending i want for this, so yall get chapter 1 as a teaser, let me know whatcha think :eyes:

a/n²: this is the start of a long fic (my first one, phew)! i intend to update it weekly-ish, i GREATLY appreciate comments as it helps me test the waters on whats to come with it

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I like (I like) what you like (what you like) Long hair (no bra) that's my type (that's right) You just told me, want me to fuck you Baby, I will 'cause I really want to

-

The ascension was complete. He actually went through with it. 7000 souls, gone. 

Astarion, The Vampire Ascendant.

He convinced you that it’s what was necessary. You thought this would bring him peace. It’s what he wanted. You loved him, and you would’ve gone to the ends of the world for him; in your eyes, after everything he'd been through, it's what he deserved.

“I can hear it at last, how all the lowly creatures of this plane are begging to serve.”

But now that it was done, you couldn’t tell if he was still him. If the vampire before you was still the same you spent that first night in the woods. That same one who admitted to have fallen for you. The same one who thanked you for taking a stand against Araj at Moonrise Towers. And if he wasn’t, who was he now? Did he have anything left from his previous self? And could you still love him if he didn’t?

"The world will stir in fear."

The walk back to camp that day was dreary. As Astarion walked ahead of everyone with his newfound confidence, you were dragging your feet behind the rest of your party. The weight of what you had done, slowly setting in. Your friends asked about your well-being and you reassured them all that everything’s fine! It was just a big day! And you simply couldn’t wait to finally rest. You didn’t have the heart to admit that you were regretting what you had encouraged Astarion to do.

Back at the Elfsong, you wave to your companions an early good night as you are heading to bed, before Astarion pulls you aside.

“My consort, we are so close to our triumph, I can almost taste it.” Even his tone was different. What you used to qualify as theatrical was now leaning towards dramatical.

You freeze and look at him dead in his eyes. Every part of you is looking for any proof at all that he was still himself. After all, you had no way to know if the 7007 souls sacrificed also included his own.

“I think we need to talk,” your voice comes out colder than intended.

“Little love, whatever could be the matter?”

“Just– what in the Hells happened to you in there?” The words come out of their own, tainted with sadness.

“It's quite simple, really: I became a better version of myself. The very best, dare I say. And I have no one else but you to thank for it.”

You cross your arms and evade his eyes, your shame for your actions creeping up on you. “I don’t feel great about it, honestly.”

“Well, what’s done is done, and there’s simply no point in dwelling on the past, is there?”

His disdain for the enormous sacrifice that was made makes you scoff, incredulous. “You’re nothing like the Astarion I knew before.”

“I know. I’m better, stronger than he ever was. Finally free of my past.” He smiles, satisfied. “I’m who I always wanted to be. I have everything I ever wanted, except you, by my side.”

His hand reaches out to you and you quickly understand the offer he’s making: to make you a spawn, his spawn. The whole situation is bittersweet to you; of course you’ve always wanted what he wanted, what was best for him, and you would've spent your lifetime with him in another context, but with how he turned out following the ascension, this future isn't something you can imagine yourself in. Now that this choice is given to you, you know better than to accept. 

You shake your head as you step back, “No… I won’t do it.”

He sighs, dropping his hand to his side, “Seems I misjudged you. I thought we might have a future together, eternity, even. Perhaps you’re not worthy.”

His condescending tone sparks a fury within you. “We’ll defeat the elder brain together. But after that, I want nothing to do with you,” you say as you try to contain the anger rising in your chest. His brows furrow, matching your energy. “So be it. You will regret leaving me, more than anything you live to regret.”

You give him one last angry look before walking to your bed, muttering to yourself as you feel tears swelling up. 

“I regret letting you go through with that damned ritual.”

—

You follow through with your promise. With the Netherbrain gone and your tadpoles vanished, nothing kept you together anymore. You parted ways with all your companions, going out on your own, wherever your next adventure guided you. Finally, a normal life, or something closer to it, anyway. You did miss most of them, for what it’s worth; you considered them your family. You often wondered how Wyll and Karlach were faring in the Hells, and how Lae’zel’s quest to take down Vlaakith was going; you even considered offering your help at one point, but after ending things with Astarion, you needed to be alone. The breakup hit you harder than you expected, it left your heart with a void. He looked happy following his ascension, so why couldn’t you be happy for him? Why was this so hard on you? It’s not something you had ever experienced in your past relationships, usually able to move to the next one rather quickly. You didn’t naturally get attached to people, you used to think that nothing lasts forever, and relationships weren’t an exception. This damned vampire proved to you once again that you were right, although you wished for once you weren’t. He took up all your thoughts, and you had to do something to wash him away.

You occupied your time best by helping people in need, taking bounties left and right, roaming the lands and fighting monsters. When you could afford it, you’d spend the night at the local inn, drinking to numb the feelings. On nights when you were most drunk, you ended up sharing someone else's bed, whoever proposed it to you on those nights. With the alcohol in your veins and your eyes closed, your mind let you believe that you were in his arms again. That it was all a bad dream, and you would wake up next to him, only to be hit by the harsh reality the next morning.

You did anything that you thought would help keep your mind busy. It did work for some time; as long as you were actively doing something – focused on the task at hand – you didn’t think about the past, but the moment night fell and you laid to rest alone, you were back at square one. 

You felt guilty about Astarion’s ascension. Guilty of the impact it had on him and your relationship, guilty of the power you let him have and the consequences that it meant. Even guilty of how you felt about it; it was a vicious cycle that plagued you.

It had been your one and only mistake. You let yourself be blinded by the rose-coloured glasses of your love for him, and although you meant well, you’re very conscious of the damage this decision had on him and potentially the city, but also the 7000 souls sacrificed in the process. Granted, they were already spawns and there was no way to save them from this fate, they could’ve at least have had a chance at living in the Underdark. Yes, you had saved the city – damages aside – lifted a curse, freed everyone and yourself from the Absolute, defeated the chosens of the Dead Three, bla bla bla, but your mind always drifted to Astarion’s fate. What if you had stopped him? Surely, your life would be different now. You would be roaming the streets with him, probably. Maybe living together in the Underdark. He would’ve stayed himself. You would’ve been… happier.

When you receive Withers’ invitation to the reunion, it’s the first time in months you’re actually happy, excited even, to see your friends at long last, but also anxious. Your mind drifts to the vampire you used to love. Would you see him at the reunion? Would he have changed at all? How has he been?

Did he still think about you, too?

Looking forward to the night, you treat yourself out to a nice outfit from the local seamstress. You settle on a simple, yet elegant, black long dress with an open back. The summer night is nice and fresh; you’re glad you went for a long sleeved dress. Your hair, which you decided to let down, also partially covers your exposed back, covering you from the breeze. You reach your old campsite to find out you’re the last to arrive, as you see all your friends already mingling. You decide to talk to Shadowheart first, as she was the one you missed the most, as you had grown particularly closer to her during your adventure. In another life, you would’ve been together, you think. You felt bad about not contacting her sooner, but her joy upon seeing you washes away all guilt. She greets you with a smile and a large embrace.

“Come here you! Gods, I missed you!”

You hold her tight, enjoying her strong hug. 

“Tell me everything! How have you been?”

“Oh you know, a few killings here and there, little shenanigans all around, I’m sure whatever you have to share is much more interesting.” You wish you could say something different, but your adventures really had been that bland. 

She rolls her eyes playfully at your deflection, “And how have you been feeling?”

“Greaaat, every day is a new adventure for me to discover.” You give a poor excuse for a laugh as an attempt to convince her.

She tilts her head forward and raises her eyebrow at you. She knew you better than you gave her credit for. “You know what I meant.” Her gaze points to the side behind you and you give a quick glance to see Astarion disdainfully looking at his surroundings, a silver cup in hand.

You sigh as you turn back to her, the facade falling at once. “I try not to think about it. I… hated what he became, and felt guilty about it. I did take part in it, I could’ve stopped it, but I didn’t.” You cross your arms, recollecting your thoughts. “But I’m starting to think that maybe I jumped to conclusions too quickly when I left him. I miss him and it’s… frustrating. Maybe I shouldn’t have come. Seeing him again so soon is more difficult than I originally thought.”

“Did you talk to him?” “I was actually trying to avoid him,” you confess.

“And you think that's healthy?” “It's the only way I'll be able to move on.”

“And how’s that been going?”

“I–” You’re unable to answer her, the truth being that it was going horribly.

She grabs you by your shoulders, bringing your attention back to her, “Hey, you know if you need anything, I’ll be there for you.” You smile, sheepishly, as she brushes your hair behind your ear, softly cupping your cheek. “And if you’re looking for some company to take your mind off of a certain vampire, well, I would be glad to offer mine.” You get lost in her eyes, with her hand soft and warm against your skin. Her invitation is tempting, and your gaze falls on her lips as you speak up.

“Yeah,” you breathe out. “I wouldn’t mind the company.”

“Come meet me when the party's over.” She smiles back, giving you a quick peck on the cheek before walking away. 

You spend the rest of the night catching up with all your friends, always keeping an eye on Astarion, who you notice has been eyeing you as well, as if he was expecting you to approach him, but you never do. You’re convinced nothing good will come out of it and even if you did talk, you’re not sure where you would even begin, so you keep your distance.

As the night settles down, you bid your close friends farewell and sneak out two bottles of wine to share with Shadowheart as she walks you to the inn she’d been staying at. The road is peaceful, and you reminisce about the past with the cleric, indulging in the leftover drinks you stole from the party. When you finally reach the inn, you're both a giggling and stumbling mess, empty bottles of wine still in hand as you enter her room.

As she closes the door behind her, you hear some patrons through the walls yell at you to shut up – it was late and your entrance had been pretty noisy – and you mockingly hush your friend, pressing a finger on her lips.

“Shadoooow, shhhhh” you whisper, your speech slurred. “You’re bothering people.”

“Oh, I’m bothering people? Care to remind me who stumbled their way up the stairs?” She says, laughing, her cheeks blushed by the alcohol.

“Hey– it’s not my fault their steps are so high and your room is so far,” you pout.

“Oh, my apologies,” she takes on a chivalrous tone. “Does my lady require assistance to reach her bed for the night?” 

You answer, matching her tone. “That would be most welcome, dearest.”

You squeal as she picks you up in her arms with an impressive strength, and carries you to the large bed. You giggle when she drops you off, and she leans over you.

“Is my lady satisfied with my service?”

You fail to keep a straight face when you answer. “Most definitely. Thank you, my liege.”

She smiles back softly before crashing next to you, both of you staring at the ceiling, taking in the first moment of silence of your night. A second later and your mind is already thinking about Astarion and you sigh heavily. Your companion instantly notices your change of mood.

“It’s him again, isn't it?”

You groan, grabbing your hair in frustration. “Was I wrong? To let him go through with that damn ritual? Why does he get to live his best life and I’m still feeling awful abo–”

She cups your cheek and pulls your face close to hers, cutting you off with a kiss. 

“How about we get to work on ‘forgetting about him’, hm?”

You nod slightly as you stare into her eyes, and she grins, her hand curling around your neck before crashing her lips against yours once again. You moan into the kiss, feeling the heat spread across your face and to your chest. Her kisses travel from your jaw down to your neck. She pulls your dress down, gradually exposing your flushed chest, before pulling back to take a good look at you, her own face matching your colour.

“You blush so beautifully.” Her voice is soft like velvet, each word making your heart pounce, as she continues to kiss her way down your navel, eventually discarding your dress on the floor.

You hide your face between your hands, trying to conceal the warmth coming from your cheeks and she comes back up to take your hands in hers, revealing your flustered state.

“You’re too pretty to hide yourself like that,” she reassures you with another kiss. “Let me admire you.”

You struggle to keep eye contact as one of her hands makes its way between your legs, teasing your entrance. Her fingers slide easily between your folds, earning her a moan out of you. She finds your clit and rubs you softly, your entire body twitching in reaction to her touch, and you shut your eyes to focus on the feeling, throwing your head back. Shadowheart takes this chance to trace the curve of your breast with her tongue, closing her mouth on its peak and sucking over it. Her tongue works wonders on you, and you whimper as she lightly bites you. 

“Keep singing for me,” She says between kisses, her voice thick with lust. “I love the sound of your voice.”

Her name on your lips is like a prayer as she ravishes your breast, leaving a few love bites over your chest. She pulls back temporarily to remove her own clothing before climbing back in bed, resting between your legs. You barely manage to raise yourself up when she pushes you back down against the bed.

“Lay down love, and let me take care of you. Just the way you deserve it.”

She throws your legs over her shoulders and kisses the inside of your thighs, leaving more love bites and she makes her way to your cunt. Her tongue finally finds its way between your folds and she laps at your juices, making sure to lick you clean.

“Gods, you taste divine.”

Her hands dig in your thighs as she devours you and you arch your back at the sensation, taking in the feeling of her tongue entering you. Your hips soon follow the movement, wanting more contact, and she takes the hint, moving to your clit to give it the attention it deserves. You whine when she enters you with a finger, and a second one, slowly thrusting into you, as her tongue circles your sensitive bud. Your chest rises higher and faster as your breathing quickens, and she knows you're close. Your eyes are long gone, but she looks up to you, admiring your state before she speaks up.

“Let it go, love. Come for me.”

She sucks once more on your clit, her fingers pushing harder against that sweet spot inside of you. You throw your head back, grabbing the bed sheets at your sides as you scream her name with the remaining air in your lungs and a crashing wave of sensations washes over you. For a moment, your mind goes blank, there's nothing but pure bliss. You want to stay like this forever; finally at peace, content. As you come down from your high, your legs give out and you pant excessively, trying to catch your breath.

You feel the bed shift beside you and open your eyes to see Shadowheart lazily making her way next to you.

“But– what about you?” you ask, breathless and tired.

“You don’t think I enjoyed myself just now?” She laughs and kisses you. “You’re simply adorable.” She cups your cheek lovingly, brushing your hair away. 

“Tonight was all about you. Plus, I doubt you'd be able to accomplish anything in the state you're in. You can always make it up to me another night,” she grins and boops your nose, smiling tenderly, before snuggling against you.

You watch her as she drifts to sleep next to you, moments before you cave into your own exhaustion. For the first time in months, you get a good, restful night of sleep.

When morning comes, you’re awakened by a god-awful headache, the consequences of last night’s drinking catching up to you. On the bright side, you find Shadowheart wrapped around you from behind, with her face nuzzled in your neck. You smile and hold on to her arm around your waist, linking your fingers with hers. She awakens soon after and greets you with kisses on your shoulder. You turn around to properly kiss her good morning, but the pain throbbing in your head has you groaning and holding your head instead. She catches on quickly and casts lesser restoration on you, fixing your headache instantly.

“Thank you, doc.” You sigh, content, and turn your head to face her. “How will I ever repay you?”

“I'm sure you'll think of something.”

“Mmh, I might have an idea.”

“Oh?” She chuckles. “Colour me intrigued.”

You flip yourself above her, pinning her down before kissing her lovingly. When you pull away, you find her looking at you with the same lust she had for you the night prior. Her eyes fall on your lips before she speaks again.

“You should follow me on my next adventure. I think it would help you clear things up.”

You pull back, now sitting on her, as you take a moment to answer. “I have a few errands to run, but I might take you up on that offer.”

“I still have the room for a tenday,” she raises herself up on her elbows and gives you a pensive look before continuing her thought. “Let me know when you make up your mind.”

You get dressed up and kiss her goodbye, eager to go back to your own inn to get changed and take a much deserved bath. Since the room you had rented was yours for a few days, you might as well take the chance to shop around while you were there; you were in dire need of new equipment for your next adventures. You spend those days getting upgrades for your gear, and visiting the city. Day after day, something felt odd; you had the weird feeling that you were being watched. Every time, nothing would happen, and neither did you see anyone suspicious, but the feeling never left. One night, as you were making your way to your inn, that feeling only got stronger. The streets weren’t busy per say, but everyone you could see was minding their business, discussing amongst themselves. You pressed ahead to reach the inn faster; maybe it was all in your head, but just in case your intuition was right, you didn’t want to take any chances.

As you turn the corner to take a shortcut in a back alley, two figures block your path. In the dark of the night, you can’t make out their identities, but their threatening auras are enough to make you back away. You bump into two more imposing shadows, somehow having managed to sneak up behind you, who quickly grab your arms before you can think of escaping. You try to fight against them but their combined forces pin you down almost completely. You were strong, you shouldn’t have had any issue fighting them off, but their strength almost felt… surnatural. If you had learned one thing during your misadventures, it was that when brute strength wasn't an option, you had to aim for their egos.

“Come on, four against one? How's that fair? Are you so weak that you can't face me alone? Let me get the chance to fuck you up, one after the other.” You smile cheekily, your blood running hot, ready for a fight. Karlach would be proud.

The bandits remain unphased by your taunting, with only one of them answering to your banter.

“We won't fight you. Our Master requested that you be brought alive.”

“Aw, poor lil pup can’t do anything without its master's permission,” you say, mocking them, and you laugh disdainfully at them. “You’re fucking pathetic.” 

The figure moves towards you and you’re slapped with a strength that would’ve made you fall to your knees, had you not been held by the two other goons.

“ENOUGH!” Another figure speaks up. “Remember the Master mentioned that she be left unharmed.”

You lift your head back up, your breathing ragged by your furor. “How about you bring me to that master of yours so I can show him who he’s messing with?”

You wish you could take back your words as another figure appears, stepping out from the shadows, this one all too familiar.

“Hello, my sweet.”

-

I bet they planned it all out like the shows Went everywhere I go Walked in the store right behind me Stood in line right beside me and followed me to my home I'm sure they figured it out early on That I would never run That they could shoot, but that's no fun 'Cause then they're killing the stolen son, oh

[thegalaxysedge22]

After Ever (Chapter 2)

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pair: sylus x MC (named)

tags/tw: cannon adjacent, made up medical shit, lowkey hippa violation, cursing, death & grief

word count: 7.3k

song rec: taste by sabrina carpenter (has nothing to do with this chapter but it is just so good)

taylor song rec: I Know Places (it's the arctic)

a/n: this one is gonna be a bit choppy cause we have so much to get through BUT we get to meet Pie, so ur welcome. also, please leave feedback or comment 🥺

important: if you want to follow this fic and updates but don't want to follow me bc im annoying (understandable) check out the tag #after ever fanfiction

Kore arrived at the Hunter’s Association’s headquarters exhausted. She got on the crowded elevator drinking the last of her coffee while she waited for the elevator to arrive on her floor. With a ding, the doors opened. She pushed her way through the few people left and stepped out onto her floor, business as usual. 

Upon arriving at her cubicle the first thing she did, primarily out of habit, was plug in her laptop. She brought her travel mug to her lips, hoping it would revitalize her energy only to find that the thermos was empty. Grumbling, she made her way to the breakroom.

Being the first person on her floor to arrive, or at least first in the breakroom, she was forced or cursed to brew a fresh pot of coffee. While waiting for the coffee to brew, Kore leaned back against the countertop with her head back and eyes closed, rubbing her temples.

“Wow, you’re here early,” a voice said. Immediately Kore’s eyes snapped open to find Tara on her way to sit at a table.

“Yeah, I couldn’t sleep so I thought I might as well come in and get some work done,” Kore said, her voice gravely from lack of use. She cleared her throat and went over to sit down by Tara. “What are you doing here this early anyways,” she questioned her friend.

“Oh, I always get here this early. I find it nice to be able to get settled before everyone comes in. Plus I think it gives a good impression to the Captain being here early,” Tara responded, eyes sparkling while talking about Jenna, their boss. 

“But are you alright,” Tara asked, reaching out across the table, “I mean this with all of the love in the world, but you look like shit.”

“Well thank you for that,” Kore chuckled. She hadn’t bothered to look in a mirror after her all-nighter. Although she was no stranger to lack of sleep, Kore’s sleep schedule had been becoming more regular and socially acceptable, that is until the accident.

“I mean it’s a good thing we have this long weekend, am I right,” Tara said reassuringly before a spark of anxiety met her eyes, “You do have the weekend off right, you’re not one of the poor hunter’s that got stuck working over the holiday are you?”

“No, don't worry, I’ll be able to get some rest this weekend,” Kore reassured her friend. The coffee maker beeped, signaling that it had completed brewing. “Oh thank God,” Kore said in relief, getting up and pouring half of the pot directly into her large travel mug. She chugged most of it, burning her tongue in the process, but she didn’t care, she was too desperate to get more caffeine coursing through her veins. She was in the middle of refilling her thermos when Tara spoke again.

“Jeez, I’d say to chill it with the coffee but you look like you might need it,” she said jokingly. Kore offered her a playful glare in return. They heard the elevator to their floor at the end of the hallway ding through the open door. “I’m just saying. Anyways, I gotta get going, I think Capitan Jenna is here,” Tara said with a little wink before exiting.

Kore rolled her eyes before putting the pot back so it stayed warm. She exited the break room making a B-line for her cubicle. Upon arriving the computer’s screen caught her attention. Opened was the blank draft of the email she was going to send last night to Dr. J Higgins, the metaflux researcher. Sitting down at the desk, Kore rolled out her shoulders before typing out a message.

Hello Dr. Higgins, this is Kore. I work for the Hunter’s Association and was wondering if you would be available to answer some questions about the recent metaflux explosions that we are currently looking into.

She continued drafting the email leaving her contact information at the very end and hit the send button before she could second guess herself. Kore leaned back in her chair stretching, hoping that the day would be busy so she had something to occupy her busy mind.

By the time lunch had rolled around Kore was bored out of her mind, work had been slow and it was just one report after another. The appearances of wanderer had been minimal enough that other members of the UNICORNS team— she always found that to be a dumb acronym — were able to take care of it, which was strange because recently wanderer sightings had been on the rise. 

Earlier in the day she had sent a message to Zayne asking if he knew anything about what was in the documents that he had given her the day before. She hadn’t heard back from him until late afternoon.

“I had my suspicions about what was in them but I couldn’t be certain.” - Zayne

“If you would like we can go over it together later tonight” - Zayne

“That sounds wonderful. I’ve been confused” - Kore

“Okay. See you soon then.” - Zayne

Before she knew it, the day was over and Kore was packing up her stuff. After taking the stairs down to the lobby, Kore was shocked to find Zayne standing off to the side looking the other way. She ran over to him and tapped him on his shoulder. He jumped a little before turning, a look of relief flashed across his face for the briefest moment upon seeing who it was.

“Kore, where did you come from? I thought you were coming from over there, he said, slightly confused, pointing at the other set of elevators on the other side of the lobby.

“I took the stairs, you know, for my health and all,” Kore responded with a cheeky smile.

“Ahhh,” Zayne said trailing off. He looked off into space for the briefest moment before shaking his head and snapping back into reality. “Should we get going then?” he asked, gesturing ahead, which she nodded to.

The two fall into step on their way out the door. On the way to Kore’s apartment they had decided to stop and grab some take out for dinner. They fell into a comfortable conversation about each of their days, Kore being particularly interested in the research Zayne was working on. The pair stepped off the elevator onto Kore’s floor and walked together to her door.

“...and that’s how Protocore Syndrome type N works,” Zayne concluded as Kore unlocked and opened her door. What met them was a disaster, her apartment was still an absolute wreck from last night when she had torn it apart looking for her charger.

“Um… It doesn’t usually look like this,” Kore said to Zayne sheepishly. She guided him into her home and cleared off the table, moving the box of documents to the countertop. She then went to grab plates and silverware so that they could eat. Zayne unboxed the Thai food. They both dished up their food and sat down to eat. An awkward silence enveloped the atmosphere. Unwilling to wait, Kore got up and grabbed the documents to go through while they ate.

“Okay, so here they are, it says some things about how my heart has an Aether Core in it, but I don’t even know what that fucking is, and it says something about me being tested on but I don’t remember that at all, but it also says that my Grandma was involved somehow, her name is all over those papers, but that just can’t be right,” Kore started all in one breath, spilling out the thoughts that had been consuming her mind. She took a deep breath and continued, handing the folders over to him, “I just can’t imagine her doing something like that at all. I’m just confused, I mean what does this all mean?” By the time she ended her speech she was near tears.

“I am not that knowledgeable about aether cores, but I know someone who is. Let me read the documents and see what I can find before we go any further,” Zayne said, pushing his plate away and opening the first folder. He put on his glasses that he had pulled from his suit pocket.

Kore was so nervous that she could no longer stomach eating, so she took her plate and put the food in the trash before setting it in the sink. She grabbed the to-go boxes from the table and put them in the fridge for safe keeping. Looking over at Zayne his eyes were uncharacteristically wide so Kore pulled up a chair next to him and sat down.

Zayne looked over at her before positioning the papers so that they could both read them. The words that she read last night staring back at her almost mocking her. Zayne cleared his throat before speaking, pushing up his glasses.

“It’s saying that the reason your Protocore Syndrome is so different, unlike anything I have ever seen before, is because it was intentional,” Zayne explained, an atypical aura of uncertainty shrouded his words. “If this is to be believed, the condition in your heart is the product of an aether core being placed there.

“A good doctor knows his limits and there is more in these papers that I can’t fully comprehend, but my mentor Dr Noah would likely be a better resource when it comes to this. 

“However the excessive redaction in some of these documents,” Zayne said, pulling out a few from the pile, “could make it difficult for even Dr Noah to understand. I can’t offer you any guarantees, but I can provide you with some contact information if you would like.”

“Dr. Noah?” Kore questioned, “He was my old doctor, before you were. Didn’t he go to the Arctic to study something?”

“That’s right, I am surprised you know that, Kore,” Zayne responded, “He’s currently in Snowcrest studying the ways in which-” Zayne's eyes went wide and he cut himself off. He straightened his tie to regain his composure before continuing saying, “Actually I am not allowed to discuss his research. But I go and visit him sometimes to assist him.”

The gears started turning in her head, completely glossing over Zayne’s slip of tongue. I have a long weekend, I could go up to Snowcrest tomorrow and be back before work. That way I can get answers and that can lead me to closure. I know I promised Tara I would rest, but that can happen later, this is more important.

“I recognize that look in your eyes from when we were kids. I don’t think that it is a good idea to go up to Snowcrest, Kore,” Zayne said somewhat sternly, “The weather up there is often unpredictable, it wouldn’t be safe for you to go to a place you’ve never been all by yourself.”

“Then why don’t you come with me,” Kore said excitedly as if it was the best idea in the world. 

“You’re not going to give this up are you?” Zayne questioned after a moment’s pause and long sigh. The look in her eyes is all the answer he needs. “Alright, we can go tomorrow, you need to get some sleep, it is a long journey.” 

With that he stood up and went to the door, Kore following behind him. Before he left her apartment, Zayne hesitated at the door before turning back around.

“However Kore, there is one more important thing in these files that I think you need to know; it seems that your Grandma was one of the researchers involved with the Aether Core being placed in your heart,” Zayne said in his usual even tone, but his eyes were filled with empathy.

“Oh,” Kore responded meekly. After a beat she continued, “Well, I’ll see you tomorrow, right? Meet at the train station?”

“Right,” Zayne said, looking concerned, but nodding anyways “have a good night, Kore.”

Ignoring the doctor’s advice, after he left she returned to the files at the table, pouring over them until the words lost all of their meanings. At this point she had been awake for well over 36 hours, and she was struggling to keep her eyes open. 

Kore woke up to a streak of sunlight directly on her face. The confusion of why she was plastered to her dining room table lingered until she remembered she was reading late into the night.

Shit, I am supposed to be meeting Zayne at the station soon, Kore thought to herself. Checking her watch she realized it was much later than she thought it was.  In a panicked state she quickly grabbed all of the papers, placing them back in the box and packed a bag for the weekend. If asked about it she probably couldn’t tell you for certain what was in there, but she made it out the door on time so that was all that mattered. 

Once she arrived at the train station, Kore put her hands on her knees, taking a moment to catch her breath. She looked around for Zayne and spotted him at a nearby cafe. He somehow spotted her at the same time and waved her over with the faintest hint of a smile. 

“Hi-” Kore says at the same time Zayne starts speaking. 

“I was worried you weren’t going to make it on time,” Zayne said as he stood up from his seat, placing a large tip on the table.

“Sorry about that, I woke up a bit late,” Kore said apologetically. Zayne gave her a single nod in return as if saying her response was acceptable. The two of them started walking over to the platform to wait for their train.

“I did some digging into aether cores, but there wasn’t too much literature out there on it, as far as I can tell they are a type of modified protocore, but as for how they are modified or to what extent I do not know” he said, cutting right to the chase. “I also alerted Dr. Noah of your presence on this trip,” he added

“What do you mean ‘my presence’?” Kore questioned him as they walked over to the train.

“He was already expecting me.” Zayne calmly said, “I was going up this weekend to assist Dr. Noah in his research, he said he had something important to show me.”

“Zayne, how do you know Dr. Noah again?” Kore asked. 

“Dr. Noah was one of my professors when I was in medical school. When I arrived at Akso Hospital he was about to retire from his position as Chief Medical Officer, but despite that he still helped me adjust to the new setting. He became a mentor to me while I was in my residency, and I owe a lot to him. Now that he has retired I do what I can to help him.” 

While Zayne talked the train to Snowcrest pulled up to the platform and they boarded the train, managing to snag a private compartment. Kore plopped down onto the seat and Zayne looked at her closely for the first time that morning. He saw the prominent dark circles and bags underneath her eyes and sighed in clear disappointment.

“I see you didn’t follow my advice last night,” Zayne said, shaking his head, “It is not wise to ignore your doctor’s orders, you know.” Kore could only give him a guilty smile.

Zayne sighed again, “It will be a while before we arrive in Snowcrest. Rest until then and I will wake you once we arrive.”

“Kore,” a voice said, while a hand shook her shoulder gently. Her eyes opened and she blinked groggily, once her eyes got into focus she saw Zayne crouching in front of her. “We arrived,” he continued, standing back as Kore stretched.

“Alright, let’s get going I suppose,” Kore yawned out. 

Outside of the station, in the dim light, they were met with a sparkling white landscape of snow. A small fox-like creature came bounding up for them, which scared Kore, who hadn’t noticed its presence prior nor did she expect such a thing to occur. 

The fox ended directly in front of Zayne and eagerly wagged its tail. Kore raised an eyebrow to the man, who took some food out of his messenger bag to give to the animal.

“This is Pie,” Zayne said, turning to Kore. “Pie, this is Kore,” Zayne introduced her to the animal, to which Kore sent him a curious glance. “Pie’s intelligence is on par with that of a nine-year-old child. Remarkably, he is able to recognize faces and remember names. Dr. Noah rescued him from Mount Eternal a few years back while he was doing some important research.

“It looks like Dr. Noah was unable to greet us at the station so he sent Pie in his stead,” Zayne explained further and Kore nodded in understanding.

Together they trekked in relative silence to the outskirts of the village to where Dr. Noah was residing. Upon arriving at his house, Zayne opened one of the back doors as if it was a regular routine and beckoned Kore to follow.

“Dr. Noah’s health isn’t what it used to be. Sometimes when I or some of my colleagues come up he has us let ourselves in,” Zayne said, navigating the home’s hallways with familiarity, “If he doesn’t show up at the station that means that we should let ourselves in.

“Here is where you will be staying,” Zayne said, stopping at a door on the second floor. “I will be in the room right across from you,” Zayne said, pointing to another door behind him with his thumb. He turned around, heading to his room but hesitated. Kore’s hand was turning the doorknob when Zayne turned back.

“You should really try to get some rest tonight, Kore,” Zayne said with full sincerity, “I am not saying this as your doctor, but as your friend.” 

“I’ll try,” she responded with a faint smile, “Goodnight, Zayne.”

“Good night, Kore,” he echoed.

At that, Kore entered her room and plopped down onto the twin sized bed, ready to get some sleep, but sleep wouldn’t come to her. She tossed and turned for what seemed like hours. Her mind was so preoccupied with questions about everything that had happened to her recently. She couldn’t help but wonder if the files had any connection to her grandma’s death.

Eventually she abandoned all hope of sleep. Deciding she might as well be productive if she couldn’t rest, she plucked a box from her bag and sat down at the small desk by the balcony, which she just noticed.

She turned on the small lamp, illuminating the room with a dim warm light. She finds a pad of paper and a pencil at the desk and realizes that it would be wise of her to take some notes and not just reread them, that way she can ask better questions of Dr. Noah.

Hours past and she had obsessively written pages of notes that would be incoherent to anyone but her when there was a tap in the balcony window. Jumping in her seat, Kore turned to see what had caused the noise only to see Zayne staring back at her from the other side of the door. 

Kore rose from her seat and went to the balcony. It was the earliest hours of the morning, when the sun was still shy and the stars are still shining bright. Zayne gave her a charming smile when she opened the door, moving aside to let him in.

“I had a feeling you would still be awake,” he said, stepping into the room. His gaze drifted over to the mess of papers on the desk and he raised an eyebrow knowingly. “Late night studying I see,” he said, reaching for the papers.

“Yeah, I have been trying to make sense of it all,” Kore said, picking up her pile of notes, handing them out to him “But it’s been exhausting and I don’t even know if I’m looking at the right stuff.”

“Okay, let’s see what you have so far,” Zayne said, grabbing the notes she held out to him. He attempted to read them, eyes squinting, but either because of the dim light or him not having his glasses he wasn’t sure.

“Hold on,” Zayne said before he stepped back through the balcony, returning moments later with his glasses in hand. “Alright, let’s take a look at this,” he said as he put on his glasses.

Kore giggled lightly at his demeanor, reminding her more of an old man than that of a young doctor. Zayne looked up at her confused as to what was so funny. She shook her head, refusing to elaborate on what she found to be humorous. He just gave her a weird look before directing his attention back onto her notes.

Reading them closer to the lamp this time with his glasses on, it turned out that the notes were just illegible to begin with, incomprehensible chicken scratch coated the page. The frantic, overlapping scribbles sent alarm bells off in Zayne’s mind, afterall, it was only natural for a doctor to be concerned about the well-being of their patient.

“Kore, what does this say,” Zayne asked without the hesitation that would be typical of not being able to read someone else’s penmanship. Grabbing back the notes, Kore looks over them, eyes becoming wide.

“I-I, I honestly don’t know what this says,” Kore admits, “I guess I was so wrapped up in my mind I wasn’t even looking at what I was writing.”

A brief pause circled between them before Kore bursted out in laughter, after a brief moment Zayne joined in and the atmosphere shifted. They end up dropping the important conversation and talk late into the night like old friends would. Kore talked about becoming a Hunter and the pressure of taking the exam, which brought them to discussing Zayne’s time in medical school, which led into stories about his time up here helping in research and anecdotes about Dr. Noah.

Soon enough morning arrived, beams of sunlight slowly crept their way across the room. Kore and Zayne’s conversation slowly started to dwindle with the appearance of daylight. Zayne notices the clock across the room and stands up.

“It looks like it might be time for breakfast, we should probably get ready” he said moving towards the balcony door, “I’ll meet you downstairs.” Before he left her field of view he stood there and calculated something in his mind.

“It was nice talking to you again, Kore,” Zayne said with a small, unsure smile. A large, genuine grin spread across Kore’s face, the biggest since her grandmother had died.

“I really enjoyed it too, I will see you in a bit, Zayne,” Kore said, shutting the door behind him. Zayne nodded and disappeared into his room.

Kore arrived in the kitchen after she had made a few wrong turns. The sight that met her was unexpected. At the stove Zayne was cooking something that smelled delicious and at the countertop Dr. Noah was chopping vegetables. 

Before she could officially make her presence known a small ball of white fur came rushing over to her. Stopping at her feet, Pie sat wagging his tail and let out an excited yelp of sorts.

“Pie, not inside the house,” Dr. Noah scolded the fox. Looking up at the noise, he noticed Kore’s presence.

 “Ah, Kore, I see you’ve already been introduced to Pie,” Dr. Noah said with a warm smile, his fondness for the pup clear in his voice. “It is nice to see you again. Come and join us, breakfast is just about ready,” he continued, passing the vegetables off to Zayne. He moved towards the small table in the corner of the kitchen and gestured for her to sit.

“Did Zayne tell you how Pie got his name?” the elderly man asked once they both sat down. Without waiting for a response he continued, “When I first rescued Pie, one, no two, no three winters ago, he was a weak little thing, and was practically on the verge of starvation. 

“Well, the vet said that he was perfectly healthy but I don’t know about that,” he interrupted himself, wagging his finger. Zayne came over with the pan of food and divided the contents into three portions at the already set table. It was clear from the bored expression on his face that he had heard this tale many times. Dr. Noah paid no mind to him and kept on talking.

“The little thing was so hungry he ate not one, not two, not even three, but six whole meat pies at once,” the doctor said, making a bunch of exaggerated hand gestures, “At that point I knew for certain what his name would be, there was no question about it.

“After I nursed him back to health, I tried to release him back into the wild, like you’re supposed to do, but this little bugger kept coming back. It was clear he wanted to stay with me, so I kept him. It turns out that he is a smart little fella and mighty good with directions, so he has become my little guide. Visitors and the folks in town absolutely love him, and how could you not, he is such a good little boy.”

He showered the small fox with love while praising him, giving the animal scratches under its chin and some of the food off of his plate. Kore cleared her throat, sitting up straight as she did so. The old man looked at her with curiosity in his eyes, weaving his hands together and resting his head on them.

“Dr. Noah,” Kore started trying to gather some courage, “I have some questions about my heart condition and I think you might be the best person to ask.”

“Oh, my dear, it is much too early to talk business. There will be plenty of time for that later, for now let’s just enjoy each other’s company,” he said with a dismissive wave of his hand.

“Dr. Noah believes in a strict separation between his work and personal life.” Zayne leaned in and said to Kore, “It is best to follow his wishes so you can stay in his good graces.” Kore noded in understanding.

“I haven’t seen you in so long, tell me, how are you doing, Kore,” Dr. Noah questioned her. She was about to form a response when he continued, which seemed to be a pattern for him these days, far from the patient man she once knew. 

“I heard about Josephine, dear, and I want to offer my sincerest condolences,” he said, grasping her hands across the table.

“Thank you,” Kore responded, mildly uncomfortable. Zayne stayed as stone faced as ever, as if this was usual behavior for the man.

“You know, your grandmother and I used to good friends back in the day, we were two of the few students picked to intern at Ever, even back in the day they were a big deal, not quite the global behemoth they are today, but it was still a very competitive prestigious internship,” Dr. Noah recounted fondly. “Your grandmother was a phenomenal researcher, one of the best I’ve ever seen, and back then she had to be, I think she was one of the first women to get an internship at Ever too.

“But you should have seen her in the lab, well you technically did when you were younger, but I don't know if you remember that, either way I was disappointed when I learned she had decided to leave the field. Josephine was one of the greats , it really was a shame to have her leave, as far as I am concerned, science lost one of its best that day.”

“Thank you for telling me that, Dr. Noah,” Kore said, tears welling up in her eyes, the reverence that he held her grandma in being clear.

Zayne glanced at his watch and pointed out the time. “We’re going to be late if we don’t get going now,” he said.

Dr. Noah turned to the clock on the wall confirming the time.

“Well gee golly, you are right, thank you my boy,” the eccentric old man exclaimed while slapping his knee, “Let us all meet back here in let’s say 20 minutes, yes?” Dr. Noah turned to Kore, “Oh you are coming with us aren’t you, Kore?”

“Um… sure,” Kore said questioningly

“Great” he said with a genuine smile, patting her on the back and leaving.

“Um Zayne,” Kore said, anxiety creeping into her voice, “what did I just sign up for.”

“Don’t worry, you will be alright. We are going to Mt. Eternal to take some measurements. Just be sure to dress warm, it gets cold out there.” Zayne said before leaving her all alone in the kitchen.

Zayne hadn’t been lying, Mt. Eternal was practically a tundra. Kore learned about SnowDogs, a robotic replication of an old fashioned sled dog that was faster than real ones and was used by tourists and locals alike. Pie had tagged along as well and was yipping with joy as the SnowDog brought the team from checkpoint to checkpoint. The pair of doctors collected measurements for who knows what, not Kore, as they went along.

“Dr. Noah, I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions,” Kore said, having to shout of the wind as the sled was being pulled to a new location.

“Yes, Kore,” Dr. Noah said, an aura of professionalism had enveloped him since they had reconvined, this was yet another side different from the  friendly doctor she had known growing up.

“I was wondering if you could tell me a bit more about my heart condition, I never really understood what was wrong with me,” Kore questioned, picking the doctor’s brain.

“Well that is a bit of a complex answer. You see Protocore Syndrome is a unique disease that is still being studied, there is not a lot of literature currently available. Most of what we have on the disease comes from small sample sizes and because each case presents so differently, studies are difficult to replicate,” he answered distractedly, as they had arrived at another of the data taking points.

“Although there are different established subcategories of Protocore Syndrome, namely types A, E, and Y, there have been proposals of a few more types. I have written papers about what I believe to be a distinct type of Protocore Syndrome, type H, which is the type that I believe you have. When you were a kid Josophine authorized the scientific study of your unique condition, which was why you were always in the hospital, as she knew how important the research was, especially in the early days of the disease.”

This new information had surprised Kore, her grandma had never told her about being the subject of a scientific study. Quickly, complex emotions developed on that, Kore understood that it would’ve been important, but she couldn’t help but feel betrayed by being used as a guinea pig without her knowledge.

“Your unique subtype presents various difficulties with your heart and nervous system, difficulties that are only exacerbated under pressure, which is why I warned you against becoming a hunter. But boy did Josophine give me a talking to after I did that. She had wanted you to have the ability to live a normal life and pursue your dreams, plus she said that you were ‘too damn stubborn’ to back down from becoming a Hunter.”

Dr. Noah continued on with more medical jargon leaving Kore lost. This man was clearly a genius, but he was communicating with her as if she was a peer of his rather than some clueless patient that had no idea what he was talking about.

“You were, excuse me, are an interesting case both medically and scientifically. In fact you were one of the reasons that I stayed a doctor for years after reaching the retirement age. Sometimes I wonder how you are doing. If you were to ever give me the honor, I would love to be able to see some of your more recent medical records,” Dr Noah admitted, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

“Umm… sure, yeah,” Kore said, stunned.

“If you would be comfortable with it Kore, I can pull up your records once we return to Dr. Noah’s house,” Zayne said. Kore was slightly taken aback that he even had remote access to her records, but Dr. Noah was beyond delighted with the news.

It was early in the evening, around dinner time, when the group returned from the mountain. The numerous layers that they had on for warmth were quickly discarded at the entryway. Ever true to his word, Zayne was quick to grab his tablet and pull up Kore’s recent medical records.

Before placing the tablet in Dr. Noah’s outstretched hand, Zayne said to him sternly, “As a former medical doctor I assume that I can trust you to only look at Kore’s files and not any other patient.”

“You have known me long enough boy to know that I would never do something like that,” Dr. Noah said with a trustworthy smile before waving the younger doctor off, “Now go and take your shower, I know the sweat bothers you. No need to suffer through it, besides Kore might want to hear some of what I have to say privately.”

Zayne looks between the two and gives them a stark nod before heading off.

“Now that we got him out of the way, we can get down to business,” the doctor joked before his eyes combed through her file. “It looks like your recent results have been changing a bit, but considering your position as a Hunter and your, uh… unique condition, that is to be expected.

“Would my unique condition have anything to do with what resides inside my heart,” Kore asked him, unsure of how much he truly knows.

“Ahh…” he said with a knowing smile, “It seems that you found out about the aether core. Am I right in assuming that?”

“Yes, I did learn about the aether core. How long were you and Grandma going to keep that from me,” Kore asked, the feeling of betrayal in her voice clear.

“It was not my decision whether or not to tell you about it. When I saw you, you were only just a kid. It was up to Josephine, your guardian, to decide to tell you what you needed to know,” he said with a sympathetic smile.

“Did Zayne even know about it?” Kore questioned accusingly

His smile dropped, a serious look overtaking his face, “No, he did not.”

“Don't you think that this would be important for, I don't know, my doctor to know about,” she said, her voice raising.

“Aether cores are considered to be top secret. I could not tell him even if I wanted to-” Dr. Noah was cut off.

“So you wanted to keep him in the dark, just like you kept me?” Kore growled.

“Look, my hands were tied, there wasn’t much I could do,” he said, attempting to pacify her. “If I was able to tell you I would, it wasn’t up to me, the same thing with Zayne. I am sorry, Kore, but there is more at play here than you know. That is all I can say on it.

“Would you like to return to your records and we can discuss it in more detail now?” he asked.

“Yeah, fine, whatever,” Kore said as she crossed her arms, clearly still upset from the whole ordeal.

“Alright, so it is important to understand a bit more about Protocore Syndrome to understand why you are such a special case. You see, Protocore Syndrome is usually caused by exposure to protocores, but that isn’t the case for you,” Dr. Noah started.

“You have a modified protocore, an aether core, inside of your body. I am not quite sure how it got there but your grandma had told me that you were attacked by wanderers during the Chronorift Catastrophe fourteen years ago. You were among the first people ever to be attacked by them, especially attacked by them and survive. Quite frankly you are lucky to be alive from that alone.

“Josephine also told me that you were saved by someone who took out the wanderers that were attacking you, which, again, is a miracle considering we had no idea how to deal with them at the time.

“With this information I have always hypothesized that when the wanderer attacking you was killed, that fractured its protocore, and somehow part of if ended up residing in your heart. I cannot be for sure how it happened as by the time I had first seen you, any external injuries from the attack had healed.”

For the first time, probably since Kore met him, Dr. Noah seemed to be uncertain about what he was saying, almost as if he knew more than he was letting on. Unsure what to make of that, Kore filed it away in her brain for later. Nonetheless, Dr Noah continued on.

“There is also an issue with your Evol. It is relatively rare for someone with Protocore Syndrome to have. But, it is seen more in those with aether cores.”

“You mean there’s more people like me?” Kore asked, intrigued for the first time.

“I only know about a handful of people, but yes there are more like you,” the doctor said reassuringly, however he was quick to walk some of his statement back, “Of course I cannot share much about them with you, and even I am not privy to such knowledge.” The doctor chuckled a little as if he was trying to make her forget his slip up.

“Well, anyways, I should probably be starting on dinner soon,” he said, changing the subject.

“Do you need any help Dr. Noah?” Kore asked, standing up.

“No, no, no. Sit back down. Besides, you are a guest here, I wouldn’t dare make you lift a finger,” he said while pulling out a large stockpot and potatoes.

“Well, what about Zayne, wasn’t he helping earlier with breakfast?”

“Oh, no, he doesn’t count. He has been here far too many times and he needs to start pulling his weight around here,” Dr. Noah said, struggling to carry the pot full of water to the stove.

“If I can’t help with dinner then what can I do,” Kore asked, getting antsy.

“My dear girl, didn’t you hear what I just said? You are a guest here,” he said before pausing, “If you insist on doing something why don’t you sit and listen to an old man’s stories? But you have to stay seated.”

Kore sighed defeatedly, but nodded in agreement. Content with her response, Dr. Noah smiled at her as he pulled out a cutting board.

“Would you like to hear some stories about your grandma?” he asked, seeing Kore’s face change to one of interest he continued, “Where to start… Ah, I know..” As he cooked, the old doctor told Kore stories about how he had met her grandmother and the antics they used to get up to.

He continued to speak, cutting vegetables haphazardly as he went, causing them to be in all different sizes and shapes. Kore wasn’t sure if he knew what he was cooking, or if he even knew how to cook. He would use the large chef’s knife that he was wielding to make wild gestures as he talked.

“... she always had a soft spot for you and Caleb, even before she adopted you when the experiment was forced to stop,” his eyes went wide as he realized what he had just said, “Whoops, sorry I can’t talk about that. I mean it’s just the ramblings of a silly old man, pay me no mind.”

Kore’s eyebrows furrowed. What the hell is he talking about? Grandma adopted us after we were orphaned during the Catastrophe. Is his memory okay? Kore thought to herself, confused and concerned. But there was already a seedling of doubt in her mind from the fact she had never told her about the aether core.

It was just then that Zayne made a reappearance. Dr. Noah sighed in relief as he walked in and the focus was shifted away from himself.

“Perfect timing, Zayne,” he said with a big smile, “Dinner is just about ready, why don’t you get out some bowls and spoons to set the table.” Zayne did what he was told. “Oh, and grab that loaf of bread over there, and some butter too, it will pair well with our soup.”

Zayne had an uncharacteristic look of horror that flashed over his face, which was missed by Kore and Dr. Noah alike. He hadn’t even thought about the doctor cooking by himself; he had been so used to helping him in the kitchen the realization that Kore wouldn’t be never crossed his mind.

Humming happily to himself, Dr. Noah ladled large servings of the soup, into each bowl. He insisted that both Zayne and her start eating right away while he returned the pot to the stove, continuing to mess around in the kitchen.

Beyond hungry from the long day, Kore eagerly started to eat. The soup, or was it a stew, was an otherworldly experience, just not in a good way. Stunned that the elder man was able to create something that was practically a non-Newtonian fluid, she wasn’t sure what to make of it.

She had no idea that something could be bland yet overwhelming. The last time she had tasted something this salty it was when she was a kid making cookies and Caleb switched the salt and the sugar. Caleb had found his prank hilarious… until he got excited about the cookies and stuffed about three in his mouth. Grandma, who had intended to punish him for the prank, found the whole thing funny and decided that he had punished himself enough. Although annoying at the time it was now a fond memory, even more so now that they were gone.

“In his old age, Dr. Noah’s taste buds have gotten dull,” Zayne whispered leaning into Kore, “don’t worry about actually eating it. If you would like, you can just pretend to so you don’t have to worry about hurting his feelings. After dinner I will clean up and make it seem like you ate the entire bowl.”

Noise radiated from the kitchen, clearly Dr. Noah was looking for something, there was a small grumble of curses before he gave up and returned to the table, clearly upset.

“Oh, there’s the bread!” he said joyously. The old man chuckled to himself and sat down. He was quick to devour his bowl of soup and did so eagerly. He even went to go and grab seconds.

“What did you guys talk about while I was away?” Zayne asked, folding his hands on the table. Kore found it to be a thinly veiled attempt to avoid eating the soup, Dr. Noah, however, paid it no mind.

“I was just telling Kore over here some stories about Josephine and our time back in school. She was quite a riot,” he said, seemingly delighted to share. “You know, come to think of it, she isn’t the only/first colleague of mine who interned with me at Ever to die recently. There was also James Higgins -”

Kore looked up at that name and her stomach dropped. “James Higgins? As in Dr. James Higgons, the professor at Linkon University studying metaflux?” she asked worriedly.

“The very same, did you know him?” Dr. Noah responded.

“No,” Kore admitted dejectedly. Zayne gave her a questioning look to which she mouthed ‘later’ to.

“Ironically enough it was a metaflux explosion that killed him,” the doctor continued, glossing right over Kore’s response. She sat quietly for the rest of dinner.

Next >

[dramioneasks]

Hello lovelies, I just wanted to thank you fir your incredible service to this fandom and also ask a question :) I just finished detraquee by hystaracal and absolutely fell in love with the story. Are there any other similar stories with some of the elements I loved? What I loved about it:

1. The fact that the characyers were young and acted such. What I mean is that they partied, had hangovers, gossiped etc. even when they left Hogwarts. Im tired of fics where once they leave hogwarts they become full blown adults immediately. As a 21 year old I can tell you that irl that is not the case xd

2. The struggles of stepping into adulthood not exactly knowing what you want abd finding your path through trial and error. Character growth (dramiones character growth in detraquee *chefs kiss*)

3. Dracos and Hermiones relationship being gentle and loving while still retaining their wittiness and bickering. I just love their love was reflected to the reader and how real it felt :)

4. Lastly girlhood or female loving friendships.

Thank you already!

Accidental Proposal By: CJRed - M, 37 Chapters - Hermione finds out that she is really a Nott, and there are so many rules to being a Pureblood, too bad Draco Malfoy seems to have forgotten one of the most important rules of all! Hermione/Draco. Theo and Hermione are siblings. Ignores epilogue and off canon in some other places as well. Set in 8th year. Language, Fluff, and Lemons. Complete.

Three Wizards and a Baby - Lizzie_carlile - M, 35 chapters, Words: 138,847 - “I happen to live in a manor, alone. You and Lyra will come and stay with me until you sort this shit out.” “Theo…” “Before you even say oh theo I couldn’t possibly impose, you two would practically have your own wing. There is too much room at Nott Manor and I for one would be glad for the company of two beautiful women.” What happens when Theodore Nott takes in his best friend, single mother Hermione Granger? Chaos ensues. Draco, Theo, Blaise, and Pansy are in for the time of their life as they help their favorite Gryffindor Golden Girl navigate motherhood all while trying to figure out just who is Mini Granger’s father.

DEAL By: Cristy1994 - M, 21 chapters, Words: 146,099 - Just two weeks before graduation, Pansy Parkinson and Hermione Granger decide to put aside their differences to help each other in a common goal: to get the best friend of the other to pay attention to them once and for all.

Boardwalk - In_Dreams - M, 19 chapters - Living in the aftermath of war, Hermione Granger didn’t realize she was looking for anything on the beaches of California, but she discovers a new side of herself through the eyes of Draco Malfoy.

Becoming Mrs. Malfoy - Rumaan, T, 27 chapters - A curse has been revealed affecting both Gryffindor and Slytherin. The Ministry of Magic has to act and enforces a marriage law. Hermione is paired with Malfoy but the Ministry will have to drag her dead body up the aisle before she marries him EWE AU

Wildest Dreams - CosmicallyYours - M, 10 chapters - Finding a mystery outside of work is the last thing Hermione Granger expects. Given her past, she should really know better.

A Jersey - tealitful - T, 23 chapters - All she wanted was a jersey and a little revenge. Rated T for tubular.

-Lisa

[ssuperficialspacecadett]

W o w

2 more stellar chapters!!!!! I can’t wait for our fav receptionist to try out being a ring girl! (Is the asshole guy gonna try something and we get to see Frankie/the guys jump in? Bc protective men is 😭😭)

Anyway I love love love how you wrote the guy’s relationships with each other!!!!

If and only if inspiration strikes, I would love a scene from a “guys night”

Either before our girls comes into their lives or after, just then having fun and being them 🥹 bc I feel a lot of fics over look the importance of their friendship esp in regard to Frankie like Frankie fics will sometimes act like he has had no support until the girl comes in his life but yours just shows how much they all love each other

Doesn’t gotta be long (or even at all!) maybe just a nice lil thing 🥰

Ily have a wonderful day!!

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Best Friends, Beers, and Bets - Through the Scope Drabble

Rating: everyone (just the boys being silly and goofy together)

Word Count: 1K

Notes: hi everyone ! i know i have been gone for a hot minute and i am deeply sorry about that. there has been a lot of not so fabulous things going on in my life and in my mental state that has left with with little motivation to write. the worst part is? im 3/4 done with chapter 11 ... like girl plz just finish that hoe DAMN ! but i found the motivation today to write for this lovely ask i received a little bit ago (: i love the idea of getting to take a peak inside how the TF boys are before Estrella came into the picture. so a very big thank you to @romanarose for this !! chronologically, this takes place before chapter one.

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Frankie, Will, and Santi sit together in the back of The Barrel at their usual table. The bar isn't particularly full this evening, but the comforting hum of conversations emitting from the regulars fill the empty chairs. They talk and laugh amongst each other as they wait for their last member to arrive: Benny. It had been only four days since his receptionist quit, but the hurt was apparent to everyone. Usually, she was the one to help him clean up after they close the gym down for the evening. Both of them managed to get it done relatively quickly too. Unfortunately, in her absence, Benny had to do it all himself. The other guys had repeatedly offered to give him a hand in the evenings, but Benny refused. He said that he had it covered and that they should just wait for him at the bar. Not wanting to press him further, the trio would retreat across the street. 

“Here he is! We all thought you fell into the washing machine and couldn’t get out.” Santi claps Benny on the shoulder as he makes his way to buy a round for everyone. 

“You were 15 minutes slower than yesterday.” Will says, tapping his watch while his brother takes a seat next to him. 

“Gee, that makes me feel great! Fish, do you want to rub salt in my wounds too?” 

“I’m just happy you’re finally here, man.” Frankie’s eyes convey sincerity. “But you’re going to run yourself ragged doing all that clean up by yourself. Why don’t you let us help?” 

“Yeah.” Santi rejoins the table and passes out the bottles. A few seconds of silence go by as each man takes a moment to wash away the stress of their day with deep gulps of chilled liquid. “We are offering to help you clean. It’s not like you’re forcing us.” 

Will nods in agreement and tips his bottle in both Frankie and Santi’s direction.

“I just hate the idea of y’all doin’ work I’m completely capable of.” 

“It doesn’t make you any less of a man if we help you clorox a few work benches, Benny.” Frankie says gingerly.

“I know, I know. To be honest with y’all?” Benny scoots closer into the table. “It’s kinda lonely there without someone to talk to in between clients.”

“My bed is going to be kinda lonely too if it makes you feel any better.” Santi offers. 

This manages to get a laugh out of the very tired looking Benny. “Oh is it now? Poor you.”

“Poor me is right! Your receptionist may have kept you company during the day but she kept me company during the night. Now that she's quit, that means I have to as well.”

“That’s not what that means at all, Pope.” Will says with a raised eyebrow. “You can still see her even if she doesn’t work at Brass Knuckles anymore.” 

“Well she also started talking about getting exclusive…”

“And there’s the real reason!” Will laughs. 

“Can we get back to my issue?” Benny begs. “What do I do? No one has answered the ads I’ve posted online. I don’t know how much longer I can handle juggling training clients and taking care of the in between tasks.”

“What about good old fashioned paper flyers? You could give some to me to hang at the auto shop. Will could take some to the VA?”

“Absolutely not.” Santi says with conviction. “I will not have a man take this job and ruin my chances of meeting another beautiful woman.” 

“Fine.” Frankie rolls his eyes. “What about a bookstore or a coffee shop? Does that sound better to you?”

“That’s not a bad idea, but do people even read those flyers? I know I don’t.” Benny shrugs.

“Well you’re not the one that's desperate for a job. I would just make sure you print out the ads on bright paper so it catches peoples eye.” 

“That’s not a bad idea either.” Benny says to his brother. “Still, who knows how long it's going to take before someone calls about it?” 

All four men are quiet as they brainstorm possible solutions to the problem that's currently plaguing them.

“I’ve got it!” Santi snaps his fingers. “I bet you that you can’t find another receptionist within a week of the last one leaving.” 

“Pope, what the fuck?” Benny looks shocked.

“Yeah, why are you actively saying he can’t do it?” Frankie questions. 

Santi only chuckles and Will shortly joins him when he puts the pieces together in his head. 

“You cabrons aren’t listening to me. I bet you that you can’t find another receptionist within a week of the last one leaving. You’ve never backed away from a bet as long as I’ve known you, Benny.” 

“He does love to prove you wrong, Pope.” Will has his arms crossed over his stomach and they rise and fall easily as he begins laughing again. 

A look of realization settles over the two other men.

“Alright, I’ll take you up on that.” Benny and Pope shake hands across the table. “You’re a dick though. She’s been gone for four days now. I only have three days to find someone else to hire.” 

“Damn.” Pope takes a sip of his drink. “I guess you better get your ass into the printer shop tomorrow and make some flyers. If you don’t, drinks are on you when the clock runs out.” 

Will and Frankie cheer knowing that no matter how this bet ends, they will be getting free beer. 

“What happens if a man calls before a woman does?” Benny looks smugly at Pope. “I’m not goin’ to tell him no if it’s in my three day window of search time.”

“Won’t happen. I can feel it in my bones.” 

“Even if, what did you say before, a beautiful woman calls about the job, that doesn’t mean she’ll want to immediately hop into your bed.” Frankie states playfully.

“You think she’s going to want to hop into yours, Fish?”

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{tag list: @cutesyscreenname @rsquared31 @smol-beb @bitchwitch1981 @avastrasposts @hoeslingz @saltybutteredtoast @javicstories @c-justhere @pimosworld @modernperplexity @beboldbebravethings @mxtokko @moonliqhtszn @tanzthompson @megcads @myloveistoolittle @casa-boiardi @jitterbugs927 @partyofone3413 @pedrit0-pascalit0 @golden-library @pati-et-vivere @mashomasho @lilmizmoz @angstylittlepascal @sofiparallel @selflcontrol @adriennemichelle98 @painitemoondust @pedritosgirl2000 @tpwkmera @romanarose @missbabyjay @missgurrl }

[twipsai]

heyoo! just wanted to say love your rewrite comic of sonic forces!! tis very cool :)

if you don't mind me asking, is anything else going on in this rewrite which you could let us know about? or tis a secret?

ok first of all this ask, the two reblogs you added tags to, and the comment you left literally made me wanna write so much more for this rewrite you have no idea. genuinely such a large motivation burst TYSMMMM

SECOND OF ALL! this rewrite is kind of vague rn, i have an idea for a four or five chapter fic that takes place in the month gap between forces and idw, but (glances at my 2/3rds finished wip thats 32k words rotting in my gdocs) well. im trying to finish something else for the time being, so i have no idea when thats gonna happen

in terms of actually rewriting forces itself, i have quite a few ideas for it but not a lot of concrete things written down -- my main problem with the game, especially after fully playing it (5 hours of my life fucking WASTED), is that it is simultaneously such a serious story, but doesnt take itself seriously in the slightest -- you have, on one hand, Sonic being tortured for six months in a tiny prison cell, but on the other, you have Sonic walking out of there completely fine and it's never acknowledged again. you have, on one hand, two teenagers leading a resistance in a war, but on the other, you have those two teenagers acting bland and uninteresting the entire time. theres so much that could have been done with this story, but instead of grabbing hold of that spark, the writers, instead, decided to write something bland, boring, and worst of all, disingenuous. this is worse than writing something thats bad, in my opinion.

my rewrite takes a lot of notes from my buddy Chip's rewrite called Reinforced (which theyve only really posted about on artfight here), so much so that sometimes i talk about them interchangeably lol, one of the biggest changes in the story is that Tails and Rouge work together. also Infinite is a much bigger threat, specifically to Sonic, and his death is much more intense

this might sound like a deranged thing to say but ive been tossing around in my head what i want Sonic to go through during his time in the death egg, whether i want it to be a white room torture sort of deal, or if i wanna torment him with visions (illusions), so ive sorta been trying to figure out in exactly what way hes fucked up LMAO

additionally, like most other people, im cutting the avatar and Classic Sonic from the script -- theres something to be said about Sonic going through something that fundamentally changes both him and the world, and fighting that threat along side his younger self, but the source material isnt interested in exploring that, so im not either (i actually am, but not in this rewrite,,,, not in this rewrite.) and im cutting the avatar from this in favor of bringing Tails back into the story beyond him being scared and smart for like 10 minutes of the total runtime and then saying "true dat" at the end. i mean cmon!! he watched his big brother presumably die right in front of him! the unbreakable bond, well, broke! thats fucking important! Frontiers and IDW explored this, and i want to as well. its very interesting to me. and he should have been playable. i will die on this hill

also, Sonic doesnt get rescued at the start of the story, it happens wayyy later into the story (right before the climax probably). i hated how they found him practically two seconds after they lost him

a lot of this may be influenced by Sonic Forces Overclocked, which i have plans to play (once i have. free time), since ive heard a lot of good things about it and am very interested in the story it has to tell.

"wheres shadow" idk :( probably brooding in a cave i havent thought that far ahead

[curiousaromantic]

Ghost of Tsushima Fic Recs

Oh boy, this is me coming to save the day. It’s been months since I finished Ghost of Tsushima (+ the lovely Iki Island extra) and as an avid fic reader, ofc I searched through the depths of AO3 to find decent fanfics.

Most are gen, because I loved the vague vibe of friendship within the game. And I think that the beauty in GoT is about reflecting upon everyone’s stories—it honestly gives so much potential for writing. Give me all those character studies in your fics, does it have hopeful romance canon divergence due to the what-ifs implicated throughout the game? great

So here I offer you, my Ghost of Tsushima fic recs, some gen, some centered around ships

GEN FICS

follow the white trees home by boltlightning | 6.3k words, 3/3 chapters, post-game spoilers, jin & everyone having some closure

Through solid and well-structured drabbles, we find comfort in final conversations between Jin and his allies in this fanfic. I personally loved this because we start right after the final duel, and Jin must say goodbye to Omi Village. I think this was written before the author played Iki Island, but still, it is really beautiful. We have so many nostalgic scenes and everyone caring in their own way for Jin—yes, this was the end of a wonderful journey, but as a reader you know (and reassured) Jin will be seeing everyone again.

Political Wisdom by Judopixie | 1.4k words, one-shot, spoilers, pov outsider, bamf jin

A noble from the mainland narrates the events of Ghost of Tsushima. Very soon, he realizes that Tsushima has a guardian, a vengeful spirit. I love how the author portrays Jin determination, nothing can stop Jin at this point. badass motherfucker

brighter shores by boltlightning| 1k words, one-shot, iki island spoilers, yuna & jin friendship

As soon as he returns to Tsushima after completing his quest on Iki Island, Jin reflects upon how he has learned to accept the heavy legacy his father left behind. He also reunites with Yuna and talks about his adventures on Iki.

JIN/YUNA

on sturdy ground, we retreat by penhaligon | 4.4k words, one-shot, post-game spoilers, yuna & kenji & jin friendship

In the aftermath of a failed conquest, Yuna and Kenji talk. Also, Kenji is a clever guy and he does not miss the way Yuna and Jin are sweet on each other. My girl Yuna is in loveeeee

Kitsune by danceswithronin | 4.4k words, 2/2 chapters, fluff, supernatural elements, Inari blessed Jin

Yuna thinks Jin is more than just a mortal man, and Jin finds himself amused by her superstition. Maybe she is not wrong?

KAZUMASA SAKAI/CHIYOKO SAKAI

The Fox Bride by 2kimi2furious | 5.2k words, 3/? chapters, backstory for minor characters, magical realism

Chiyoko, Jin’s mother and Lord Shimura’s sister, was actually a fox spirit. Kazumasa still marries her of course, and although Lord Shimura grows up being skeptical about his sister’s nature he is far too busy to think too hard. This whole fic is endearing, honestly.

JIN/RYUZO

The Gods, Laughing by manic_intent | 10.2k words, one-shot, part of a series, soulmate au of the red string

I don't read much of these two, im not into this ship much, but i couldn't help but read a soulmate au because god knows this fandom needs it. anyways, jin is a sweetheart as always, and i loved the writing here.

[slightlystupidhun]

Skating Around Us

Summary: An Asher x Baabe Fic. Asher is a hockey player and Baabe is a figure skater. @itsdaifuku is the reason for this fic!!!

*sorry this chapter is a bit long, I’m planing on having only one more chapter*

CW: Cursing, Suggestive

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

It was 11:00 and their warm up period had just begun. Everyone there for qualifiers were on the ice warming up their tricks. Skates, skated around the ice looking in the crowd for a familiar face. They met eyes with William, he waved and smiled. They returned the gesture before skating the ridge. They practice a few spins that they had set up to get a feel for the rink. After that they began working on their jumps. They were already feeling the nerves but what really sent them over the edge is when they fucked up a few of their easy jumps. True it was only warm ups, but they were a firm believer in precursors. As soon as the warm up period ended they changed out of their skates and ran to their car.

They paced back and forth headphones in their ears as their song played. They were panicking, they tried not to, but they were absolutely losing it. There was a lot of pressure on their shoulders not only to uphold Williams reputation, but also with the Alexis situation. They couldn’t let down their team. They had to be good enough. They felt their lungs compress, never able to fully fill up. They began shaking their hands to try to ground themself before leaning on the car, arms stretched out in front of them.

“You ok?” A voice broke them out of their thoughts. It was then that they saw a new figure in front of them. They were wearing grey running shoes, black sweats, and a black hoodie with the Dahlia Wolves logo, on the arms of the hoodie the word manager could be made out. Ah this was the infamous manager of the Dahlia wolves. They were often times called Sneaks because they were so elusive. Of course they were present to do what they had to, but they never really stick around after wards. And if they were sent on a task, good luck finding them before it’s fully complete.

“Yeah,” they looked up from where they were sitting against the car, wiping tears they didn’t know they had. “I’m fine! Just a tad bit nervous is all.”

“Can I?” Sneaks said gesturing to the side of Skates. When they nodded Sneaks sat down next to them. “I get… nervous too… so I know what this looks like… I mean don’t get me wrong. I know it’s different for everyone. But. Sometimes it helps to talk it out, and I’m here to listen if you wanna just get it out…” They offered a soft smile.

“You sure?” They looked over at Sneaks waiting for approval. When they finally got it they sighed. “I guess I’m just nervous because, we’ll it’s qualifiers, if I get out now I’m out ya know. And I just… I have to make it. And I can’t let William down, or Angel, or Vince, or Lovely. Especially since Alexis left last year. I can’t let the team tank. I have to qualify! If I don’t…”

“Then you’ll have next year.” Sneaks cut in placing a hand on their shoulder. “Listen, I saw you on the ice. I’ve seen you perform before. You have got raw talent that I haven’t seen in a long time. And typically I believe in ONLY hard work, not talent.” They joked. “But you’ve got it. Im sure you already know this but, the only way you could probably disappoint your team, is by not performing. You know this routine. You know the ice. You know yourself. It’s ok to feel nervous. It’s natural, but it’s also important how we deal with it. Nerves can be good, they can help you if you let them. So, chin up, let’s go inside because you need to get ready and support your team.” They stood reaching a hand out to help Skates up. By now it was 11:40 and time for Lovely and Vincent’s skate. Skates and Sneaks walked in together, only separating to join their respective teams. Skate took their spot beside William, shooting Vincent and Lovely a thumbs up. Sneaks took their seat beside Milo, wrapping their arm around his and interlacing their fingers.

Vincent and Lovely take to the ice, skating to Dreaming Of You, Selena Quintanilla. Vincent was dressed in all black. Black skates, black fitted high waisted pants that have a boot cut bottom, a black long sleeve shirt with an open collar, the front of his shirt was beaded, and his hair gelled back. Lovely was in an all white leotard with long sleeves. It had a long stretched of ruched fabric on the back. The front of their garment and their sleeves were covered in diamonds. Their skates were all white and the pair looked absolutely gorgeous together.

For their whole piece they were perfectly in sync. Even their footwork had perfect timing. The moment when Vincent lifted them up their back over his head, arms spread out, one leg bent, the other straight, had everyone cheering. They both looked so elegant. When the final chord played they held a pose of Vincent on his knees, arms wrapped around lovely’s waist, the side of his head pressed against their stomach. They were standing straight looking at Vincent, hands in his hair. After they held the pose for about three seconds they stood up and held each other in the warmest embrace. Lovely kissed Vincent’s cheeks and they smiled at each other. When they got off the rink they were greeted with cheers and hugs from their teammates.

They walked back to the locker room, Angel was getting ready for their piece at 12:30. They would go on the ice at 12:25 before their slot began. They were wearing a black leotard with wide sleeves that imitated a butterflies wings. The colors on the wings were lavender, baby blue, and mint green. Their eye makeup had gems stretching from their under eye around the crown of their forehead. They had on skin tone leggings that stretched over their skates to give a nude illusion.

“You look beautiful!” Skates chimed in.

“I know,” they joked before taking in a deep breath.

“You nervous?” Skates asked.

“Who wouldn’t be?” They smiled over at their friend. “But I’m confident in myself. I’ve got this… right?” They looked over for confirmation.

“Yes. You are one of the most amazing skaters I know! You are going to kill it!” They hugged their friend as they led them out to the ice. It was time. Angel entered the rink skating around it in circles a few times.

They would be skating to Butterfly by BTS. They got in their starting position on one knee arm wrapped around themself. As soon as the first few notes played they pushed off forward and demanded the space. They were so gentle, and fragile, yet so strong. They always emoted so well. Everyone in the stadium could feel the story they were telling.

David couldn’t take his eyes off of them. They practically glowed, they were the only person in that room right now. A small smile etched its way onto his face as he watched them. The entire team stared in shock. Wow, their very own, hard ass captain, David Shaw, was sparing a soft smile, a lovesick glance for the person in-front of everyone. Angel nailed all of their jumps, and their footwork was exactly what you would expect from someone under Williams teaching. They finished arms reaching up hands holding onto one another as they stared at the ceiling. They painted heavily before returning to themself. They quickly jumped up cheering, knowing they did amazing! They looked at the stands as they skated for the exit finding David’s gaze. They sent him a quick wink and blew him a kiss. The captain quickly rolled his eyes and averted his gaze, but they knew he reciprocated.

It was 1:15 and babe had 10 minutes before they needed to be on the ice. They had in black skates, with a green partial leotard, the left leg was a pant leg whereas the other wasn’t, the right leg had no pant. The left arm had no sleeve whereas the right arm had a sleeve that connected to their middle finger. Along the green garment there were swirls of diamond, as if someone had cast magic on it. They had black eye liner and green eye shadow paired with red lipstick. Their hair was pulled back out of their face but a strand was curled up around the edge of their face wrapping around their ear. They walked out over to the ice, hugging their team before they stepped on the ice. They skated around the rink a few times before skating back over to William.

“You got this.” He spoke up a gentleness encompassed his voice. “I am proud of you.” He smiled at them. They returned the smile back.

“Thank you,” they grabbed his hand before pushing off to the center of the rink.

“YOU GOT THIS BABE!!” Asher yelled out from the stands. Standing up with his hands cupped around his mouth. Milo immediately pulled him down, and Skates shot him a flustered, shy smile.

As they reached the center of the ice they draped one arm over their head, the other was dropped to their left side. Their head was facing down on the left as their left knee was also pumped. The crowd waited in anticipation. As soon as the first note from the brass rang out they looked up. Eyes lidded and a seductive grin on their face. Asher sat back hands folded in his lap and a grin on this face. They skated around the rink the cold wind brushing cross their face. They began their camel spin back leg pushed out hands behind their back, before turning upright and crossing their arms in front of them. They zagged along the ice swaying their hips, moving a hand from down their leg up their chest. They quickly moved down the ice perfectly completing a triple axel their leg whipping around behind them before they followed it with a double toe loop. They skated around the rink lifting one leg up and weaving down the side of the rink in a line. They demonstrated a perfect execution of the layback spin, their arm gracefully resting in the air. They began weaving again before moving to do their quad lutz and triple toe loop.

Asher watched in awe. They looked like a completely different person. They were so ethereal on the ice. Every movement from them radiated seduction, like they were actually putting a spell on him.

Finally it was time for their final leap, a quad flip, the same one that had messed up their wrist earlier that week. They lead up to it, had a good execution, great rotations and, and!!! They stuck the landing completing a perfect quad flip. Finally they concluded with a flying sit spin, ending leaning back on their knees, one hand on the ice, the other grasping their neck and jaw. They painted heavily, their lungs working overtime. The rink was quiet for a moment before all breaking out into cheers. They stood up, body exhausted and skated over to William and their team. Angel jumped up embracing them in the biggest hug.

“HOLY CRAP YOU WERE AMAZING!!” Angel screamed helping them back to the locker room.

“I’m very proud of you… see you on Monday,” William smiled at them breaking off into another direction.

“Ok where the hell did that come from!!” Vincent gawked at them ruffling their hair!

“You did amazing Skates!!!” Lovely added pulling Vincent away.

Angel and lovely hurried over to their bags. Angel changed long ago, now they were determined to help their friend change. They grabbed a cloth and wiped the sweat from their forehead before pulling of their friends skates. They threw the skates in their duffle bag. Skates then grabbed their running shoes and shoved them on. Angel left the room for a moment before returning back as Skates just finished taking a sip from their bottle.

“You got a visitor ‘Babe’” they teased laughing at the blush that crept on their friends face. Skates quickly threw their bottle in their bag, throwing the bag over their shoulder. Angel linked arms with them and walked out towards the exit, so they could finally see some sun.

As soon as the pair made it outside Skates saw the hockey team gathered together.

“We’re here!!” Angel yelled out. Immediately a blonde head of hair popped out and looked over at the pair. He immediately locked eyes with Skates and ran over to them. He picked them up embracing them in a hug. On instinct they wrapped their legs around his waist holding on tight.

“You were so fucking amazing!!” He said, face buried into their neck. They smiled shyly and moved to kiss his cheek as he set them down. They both had had many dates since their first date on Monday. They had grown so much closer and they were both falling for the other hard.

“Thanks…” they wrapped their arms around his neck.

“You got this babe!!” Milo mocked

“I love you Baaaaabe.” Tanker replied, dramatically placing their hand on their head.

“I can’t wait to see you tomorrow Baaaaaaaaaabeee.” Sweetheart joined in.

“Shut up! You don’t even want me to bring up how you guys act!” Asher said embarrassed.

“Oh and how do I act?” Tank said glaring daggers at him. “I’m single. I don’t act like that, you’ve got nothing on me.”

Asher laughed staring at them in the eye. “Oh Dr.Collins, come save me!!” Asher mocked and Tank ran around Milo to get to him. Asher hid behind Babe using them as a human shield. “Dr.Collins, can you please fix my ankle? Dr.Collins you’re so funny!! Oh Dr.Collins!!!”

——

When the ice skating team arrived at the rink the Hockey players were already warming up. They were skating around the rink practicing shots.

“So which ones yours?” Vincent asked leaning into Angel. They smiled pointing to him

“Number 2…. David Shaw!” They replied

“Woah!! The captain, woow ambitious…” Lovely added on.

“Yeah, well, it would be ambition if I wasn’t such a catch!” They winked.

“And how about you? What number is yours Skates?” Lovely asked peering over Vincent to see Babe.

“Number 27…” They smiled to themself.

The game started about five minutes later and both teams got off to a pretty physical start. They were friendly rivals, but still rivals nonetheless. The first lineup saw Ash as left wing, Cristian as right wing, David as right defenseman, Tank as left defenseman, and Milo as goalie. It wasn’t long until the puck was on the Dahlia wolves side. Luckily Tank went in for a hefty check on the other player, sending them against the glass. The puck was then freed and David passed it up and over to Cristian who then sent it over to Asher. A breakaway. It was just Asher and the goalie. He quickly moved the puck to the side, causing the goalie to slide to the wrong side. He hit the puck in the net.

Babe jumped up and cheered along with Angel.

“LETS GO ASH!!” Babe yelled out as Asher sent them a toothy grin and a thumbs up.

“GREAT JOB DAVEY!!” Angel yelled, the nickname having the man flinch as his team slightly laughed. That was when they noticed the man to the right of Skates. It was Dr.Collins. Tank looked at him and waved and he gave them a small wave back and a smile before fixing his glasses.

The first period ended with a score of 2-1. Asher’s team was winning. The fifteen minute break between periods began giving them an option to talk to the doctor.

“Hey Sam!! How are you doing?” Vincent looked over at Sam.

“Im doing good and you?” Sam smiled back at him.

“Great!! We all made it passed qualifiers.” He paused. “Alexis made it too though.” He said huffing.

“I heard.” He said flatly.

“What happened between you two?” Lovely asked. “Not that you have to answer.”

“Nah it’s fine… she cheated on me. And in my own house so, I’m not really on talkin terms with her.” He rolled his eyes.

“Im so sorry Sam…” Angel spoke up.

“Yeah…. That’s horrible.” Skates added in.

“It’s whatever now… I got the chance to meet someone else… and I’m startin to feel better.” He smiled at them glancing at the players heading back out on the ice. Tank waved at him and he gave them a small wave back.

“Aww they are so sweet to you!!” Lovely added looking at the scene.

“Heh, they’re a goddamn menace.” He crossed his arms as the ref blew the whistle.

On the ice Ash bent down waiting for the puck to drop the Keaton player staring back at him.

“Hey, that hottie in the stands they yours?” The Keaton player asked.

“They don’t belong to anyone, but we are seeing each other, not that it’s what we’re supposed to be discussing right now buddy.” Asher replied.

It wasn’t long until Asher scored again. The second period ended with a score of 6-2. The players were being switched out and in through out the game. There was now five minutes left in the final period.

They fought for the puck and got it onto the Keatons side before one of the Keaton players hit the puck away to the other side. Icing. Ok, now the puck was paused on the Keaton side ready to be dropped.

“Hey pretty boy, I’m gonna make your partner mine tonight.” The player made a lewd gesture with his tongue and Ash growled. As soon as the puck hit the ground it was hit away behind the net, both Asher and the other player racing for it. Before the player could get to it Asher, who normally never commits any fowl, ran right into him. And hit him to the ground. The ref immediately blew the whistle and Ash got two minutes in the box for roughing. He smiled at the man now on the ground and skated over to the box.

“Wooow that was so attractive.” Vincent said following Skates eyes.

“Shut up!” They pushed him.

“It won’t be very attractive if I end up having to stay late due to someone coming into my office.” Sam sighed.

“Unless that someone is Tank.” Angel said and Vincent whistled suggestively. Sam sighed and rubbed his face. Asher watched the game from the box, now pleased with himself, despite David and his coach, not being pleased with him.

Finally when three minutes were left in the game Asher came back out onto the ice. He skated over to the bench as the coach subbed him out. He was subbed in one more time where he was able to score one final goal, leaving the score to be 8-3. Angel and Babe jumped up and cheered.

“Let’s go!!!” Angel yelled.

“Go Wolves!!!!” Babe continued.

After the team got out of the locker room Babe walked over to meet Asher, hugging him from behind.

“Great Job baby.” They smiled against his neck.

“You ok Ash?” They asked him.

“Yeah! And I don’t regret it. Getting in the penalty box I mean. He made a comment about you that I didn’t like, so I taught him manners.” He smiled and said that in a deceivingly sweet tone.

They walked together, hand in hand, to Skates car. Maybe they would get pizza tonight. Maybe some wings…. Maybe something else. All they knew is that they both had a great shot at finals.

[h0n3yk1tt3n]

4 17 22

4. How many fic ideas are you nurturing right now? Care to share one of them?

I think for simplicity's sake I'm gonna say.. three. Tales From The Lagniappe, Pink Foam on Play Night, and the newly renamed freshman fic My Kingdom For a Whole Lotta Bullshit. TFTL is still pretty loose, MKFAWLB is still mostly comprised of old ass crumbs from 2018-2020, so here's a snippet for PFOPN

A simulated hand gave him a pat on the shoulder. “That’s your cue, slugger,” the SQUIP almost sang. Jeremy swallowed thickly, voice wavering. “She’ll do whatever I want.” “That’s what I promised.” It sounded so innocently proud of such a horrific feat, like a cat that'd brought a dying bird to the doorstep, the poor creature’s blood staining the concrete as it struggled to cling onto each weak breath it took. But the cat didn't know that its act of affection wouldn't translate the way it thought it would. Or it didn't care; you could never really tell what was going on in the cat's head. 

17. Do you write your story from start to finish, or do you write the scenes out of order?

Oh out of order as fuuuck. The Swamp Fever campaign (ch 14-17) of L2C was closer to being finished than Dead Center (ch 2-5) for a looong time before I finally focused more on finishing the chapters chronologically so they'd be done in time for posting.

22. Choose a passage from one of your earlier fics and edit it into your current writing style. (Person sending the ask is free to make suggestions).

Um. Funny story, that's like. Exactly what I'm doing with PFOPN and MKFAWLB lol. Pink Foam is a spiritual rewrite of The Play-centric chapters of my first fic and My Kingdom is going to completely overhaul what I was planning to do for this. (I was debating on whether to add onto this fic like it hasnt been 6yrs since ive touched or to just start over and rewrite the first couple of chapters. For archival purposes, im leaning toward the latter) So. Uh. Lemme see what I've got!

The SQUIP didn’t even need to actively fight Michael to make it difficult to give Jeremy the Red Dew, as his pained writhing was more than enough to make the task near impossible. It might’ve been easier to wrap him in a blanket burrito just to keep his limbs from flailing around, like he were a skittish cat that needed to be held still for a vet. But Michael didn’t have a blanket or some readily available equivalent, and straddling Jeremy wasn’t getting him very far, so the best he could do was try and restrain him from behind. This was more effective at keeping Jeremy still when it was a full body effort, but it didn’t give Michael the freedom to actually get the bottle open, so the victory was hollow.

A recently familiar clickity clack caught Jeremy’s ear, and thankfully Michael’s too, as he was waving a hand trying to flag down a certain popular kid on crutches. The context of Jeremy being locked between Michael’s legs on the ground was clearly lost on Jake, but they couldn’t really complain when he hobbled over to see what all the commotion was about.

“Jake! This is gonna sound weird, but if I hold down Jeremy, can you make him drink this Mountain Dew Red?” Michael tossed the bottle up to Jake, watching him catch it out of the air.

Jake looked between the bottle and the two of them for a moment, then flashed an annoyingly charming smile that anyone attracted to guys would swoon at. “Actually? That doesn’t sound weird at all.”

Thank fuck for chaotic theatre nonsense expanding Jake’s horizons on what constituted ‘weird.’

“Up, up, down, down, left, right, A.”

Jake hissed and winced at some internal pain - one that Jeremy immediately knew the cause of when he felt it too - bringing one hand up to his forehead. He grinned unnaturally wide and unscrewed the bottle's cap with just his thumb and index finger. Carbonation escaped with a fizzy hiss as the lid clicked against the ground and rolled under a prop dresser. Pastel soda foam poured over the lip of the bottle like a baking soda volcano before Jake turned the capsule upside down, letting all the Red Dew come down like a bloody waterfall with several glugs in rapid succession.

[quitefair]

Fanfiction Writer Questions!

Was tagged by the very lovely @optiwashere some time ago, and I've only just had the chance to sit down and take a crack at this!

Not gonna tag anybody, but if you read this and want to do it, consider yourself tagged!

(Also this is talking about a lot of fics that I've written but not published because well... that's just how it's been lmao...

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

13 at the moment. I’ve deleted a few things that I’m not entirely proud of/works that I’m planning on rewriting and improving upon.

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

26,031 (my WIP folder has almost 100k words, if we want any comparison)

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Mainly Dragon Age! Although AO3 is misleading… I’ve only got 7 fics on there for Dragon Age. But these don’t include the ones I’ve deleted and also the literal hundreds of WIP documents in my writing folder. It’s become quite a problem. I’ve also been writing for Baldur’s Gate 3 a bit more recently, but those fics are on hold because of lack of time/motivation/the fact I’ve not finished the game yet and want to do my research and understand characterisation and plot better.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

1. a lesson in grief (T-rated, Vi/Caitlyn from Arcane) 2. slip away (G-rated Gen-fic from Hades 2020) 3. Names (G-rated Fenris/Female Hawke from Dragon Age) 4. Anxious Grief (T-rated, Cassandra Pentaghast/Male Cadash from Dragon Age) 5. Fear and Forgiveness (G-rated, Dorian Pavus/Male Adaar from Dragon Age)

5. Do you respond to comments?

I try to! Every single comment I get is like fuel to my brain so I love and appreciate each one!

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I think I did toy around with a fic where I left Hawke in the Fade. The process of getting into Fenris’ headspace during that was way too painful for me to continue.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Most of my fics tend towards happy endings, even if they pack a lot of angst in the body of em. Of the ones I’ve got published, I’d say Names.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I haven’t, but then again I post so rarely and sporadically so people forget I even exist huhu.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

… Yes… (and that’s all im gonna say)

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

I’ve not written crossovers per se, I’m more of an AU kinda guy. Though there’s definitely an ancient story I wrote back when I was like 13 that had like, every single bit of media I’d ever loved merged into one, and the excuse was that I’d just read His Dark Materials and wanted my own universe where everything I loved existed at once. COMPLETELY self-indulgent shit.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not as far as I know…

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope! At least not that I know of.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Again no… I’ve not done a lot of stuff huhu!

14. What's your all-time favorite ship?

It’s the one and only. The girls that live rent free in my head. The girls that deserve everything. (It’s Josephine Montilyet/my Inquisitor from Dragon Age Inquisition)

15. What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

It’s the Dragon Age Inquisition rewrite I’ve been complaining about for the longest time. It’s become the pet project I keep poking at whenever I have the energy to. All my Tashak/Josephine fics are set within this, and honestly at this point, instead of making one large fic, I might as well just post the disjointed chapters separately even if they don’t make sense. I’ve got WIPs in the folder from 2016. It’s out of control.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I’d like to think I’m good at descriptive writing, at drawing the reader into the scene and pulling them along with the story.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I’m so bad at dialogue it’s not even funny. Also, my writing can tend towards too much rambling – I guess that’s just because it’s the way my brain works.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

The only other language I’m fluent in is Malay, and I really can’t imagine myself writing in that unless in very specific circumstances.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Dang, I think it was probably for BIONICLE. Way back when I was like, in secondary school.

20. Favorite fic you've written?

Published? Names. There’s stuff in there I still feel jealous of, even today. Unpublished – a bunch of stuff for Aforementioned Dragon Age Rewrite. I should really post stuff from there at some point LMAO…

[hyuckswoman]

hii im just gonna throw my opinion in bcs !! i honestly dont think the way you write it is bad and i like the slowburn and i definitely can see it there. like how theyre getting closer and everything, a lot of things obviously wouldnt happen in the start before they got to know each other and yeah !

so im loving it, its one of my fav works on here as of now and i think youre doing the slowburn just right ! i think the main “problem” here is that the updates ARE a little slow considering most of the fics are one shots you can read in one go so i understand why waiting 2+ days for an update with 8 screenshots might be annoying for some people but i dont really mind ! just maybe could be a little longer so its worth the wait 😅 and its a little annoying sometimes when it FINALLY seems like theyre getting somewhere and then they just act like nothing happened like damn😓 couldve made a move already

ALSO someone mentioned hanbin seeming shady but i think thats because there are a lot of characters and you cant just be so detailed about everyone so it might seemed like it but its not the case. like when he left her at the park (?) i think.

i really hope this doesnt come off as mean, i actually wanted to back YOU up because i think youre doing the slowburn right and i like it like that ! just yeah could be longer updates but its still all good. my roommate knows ab this smau too because i be going around the apartment like “damn i hope theres an update tonight” LMAOO so yeah keep going at your pace, ill eat it up anyway ! :) sorry for rambling too much haha

duuuuuuuuuuuuuude i can't believe some people view down bad so highly?? first of all thank you for taking the time to type such a thorough answer i really really appreciate it and second of all, I swear i'll try to be quicker with the updates but i'll admit it's kinda tough sometimes since exam season is approaching but I'll do my best so you guys can enjoy down bad fully lolllll and i'll also try to make the chapters longer (since i only recently discovered that on pc you can upload more than ten images loll)

I admit at first i was kinda confused on how long this was supposed to take as other smaus on here took like a couple of months to be completed but i ended up taking soooooo much longer and about them not acting on it, don't you worry i kinda rearranged the chapters and we are soon entering their era where they realize they have feelings for one another lolll

about hanbin's character, i basically just needed an excuse to make y/n and jeno have some alone time but i think it's kinda fun how some of you are reading into it and speculating and stuff

also this did not come off as mean AT ALL i literally wanted to sob reading this you're much too nice and i'm glad you enjoy reading down bad and thank you for reading my posts even though they're not story updates lollll

anyway all of that to say thank you soooooo much i really appreciate you and people's feedback like it really doesn't go unnoticed and i really try my best to take everything into consideration!! have a great day/night/morning to you anonnn

[philtstone]

Writer asks! 3, 6, 10, 16!

im soooo late to replying to this but. thank you beloved and here we go

#3 What’s your favorite fic that you’ve written?

this is such a hard and mean question but here are some top contenders:

"easy, easy (my man and me)" - claire and jamie build a treehouse in the backyard. it came to me so effortlessly and i am still proud of the prose. also i sent it to my beloved high school english teacher and he loved it which makes it special! i don't think he realized it was fanfic lol

"hopeful." - sam and bucky accidentally adopt a bunch of super kids in the sort-of apocalypse. not prosaically perfect necessarily but my first ever completed chapter fic! i put a lot of myself into this one and it got me through a pretty tough year emotionally, and on top of that im actually proud of it!

"my daddy was a prominent frogman" - frodo baggins and his friends try to save their hippie summer camp from the evil industrialists. listen. this au is evergreen. 5 years later i have been inspired to write for it again, because it was just that good.

#6 Are there any fics from others you reread all the time?

Yes! of course!!! a staple of the genre! i say this and immediately forget every fic i've ever read!

I think the true brain changing fics are ones that i reread once a year or every few years. alternatively, i'll read one fic 10 times in a month. i read "let our joys so multiply" by @fallofrainblog 5 times in a week once so that gets a shoutout. every so often i have to go back and read irnan's star wars fics for personal reasons. also, the legendary anne fic catching moonlight which i go back to about once every 2 years. hilarious how 2 of these are ancient ffnet gems but there u go

its weird bc a lot of fics i'll forget about for years and then suddenly be like "oh yeah that one changed my brain irreversibly. i wonder if it holds up" and then i go find it again and am generally confirmed that it does, indeed, hold up.

#10 Is there a fic that got a different response than you were expecting?

Hmmm! many of them, frankly. there are some fics i write as throw aways with no expectation they will get traction, like "shut your mouth, hold your breath" or the very silly ponniyin selvan road trip au. there are others which I know are niche but still wish they had more traction so i had more external drive to finish them, because in theory i love the concept but just don't have the internal juice to see it through to the end. the force sensitive claire au is one of those i think. there are still others which are for huge fandoms and i am left wondering why they feel totally lost to the void. but that's all part of the deal, i guess, and quite often more related to my own ignorance of what is currently trendy

#16 At what point in the process do you come up with titles?

it really depends on the fic but very very rarely is the title conceived before the story. maybe for original fiction -- actually exclusively for original fiction do i do that. for fanfics i write the fic and then in the seconds before i post on ao3 i hail mary a title out of whatever divine inspiration is in that moment directly beamed into my brain from the heavens. usually in the form of song lyrics.

[enchantedlandcoffee]

unrelated but how do you as a writer like REALLY get in ur element and focus, because im pretty sure i have adhd and it makes it hard to focus and everything i try besides classical music (sometimes) doesnt work

and my second question how do you get people to view your work/participate in it, i've been writing for 3 years in the fandom and a few people notice, and i know im supposed 2 be writing just for myself and i am, but i wanted it to kind of be a whole family thing like everyone being excited for updates and its a whole thing... idk if maybe no one cares anymore or no one really knows me

anyways sorry for my REALLY long winded ask, tysm if you read it

also here's this larry gif for you're troubles

all the love, louiscarrotsxoxo

hey!

thank you for reaching out and asking me this! I'm going to try my hardest to answer the best that I can (I thought I'd answer it before I left so I could help <3)

Getting focused and into the element

So I have ADHD as well and I know that getting focused can be tricky. Things that I do/have to help keep me focused are:

Writing Sprints - I sprint in Discord Servers with my friends and we all keep each other motivated and encourage each other

Discord Servers - So I'm in some really wonderful servers where we're all happy to cheer each other on writing wise (I'm going to link them in another part)

Inspiration- So, for most of my fics, I have a playlist that suits the theme and I try my hardest to make moodboards for them to get the feel of the fic. I'll also plan dialogue or even the layouts of flats/houses so I feel inspired to write about them.

I asked some friends in my Discord Server for help as well and this was their responss:

@chai-hat-tea said:

I don’t know about others, but usually having a deadline freaks me out enough to make me wanna complete my fic, even if it’s on the day of posting. And for that, I join fic fests. How that also helps me is because I also tend to tell myself that I owe it to the mod to complete the fic or else they’ll feel disappointed (and not tell me), so for their sake I need to complete fics. Joining fic fests also helps in the viewership of your fic, so once you have participated in a few fests, you might find it easier to build a somewhat decent enough crowd that enjoy your writing and want to read your stories. So once that happens, you can plan a long chaptered fic and then post chapters as and when you’re done and ready. So then you can guilt trip yourself by saying that now you have those people who are waiting for your story and you delaying is just making them wait longer and feel more disappointed lol

@loveislarryislove added:

Yeah I think a lot of it is building community, to pump you up or keep you accountable or help circulate things etc.

Getting people to view your work/participate in it

The first thing I'd like to say here is that you shouldn't define your work by statistics/interactions (a bit like what you said). Having said that, there are a few ways to try and increase your circle:

Make mutuals - There are some amazing people on this site who go out of their way to support each other. Try and get to know new people and interact with them.

Join Discord Servers - The servers I am currently in are amazing servers. My two main ones are @1d-library (ran by @larrysballetslippers and @larry-hiatus ) and @new-writers-discord (ran by me, @red-pandaaa @larrysballetslippers @hellolovers13 @babyhoneyheslt and @rockstarlwt28 ). 1D Library is a place for readers and writers to hangout, discuss fics, writing or day to day life. The New Writers Discord is a recent Discord server where we have New Writers, Writers and Mentors who write all types of stories (fics, original works, etc.). We have sprinting parties, workshops and are always there to help if need be.

Tagging Systems - this post contains all the tracked 1D tags where certain accounts will reblog posts with those tags. This is extremely useful for people who make things in the fandom.

Have fun - Try and enjoy yourself in the process. Interact with new people and make friends, create things for yourself as well as others.

I really hope this helps! I am not going to be online after today, but if you do have any more questions, feel free to email me on enchantedlandcoffee@gmail.com.

(and I love that gif 💕)

Ash <3

[betweenthings2]

hello!!!! i hope you are well ohmygod i’ve been meaning to send an ask for a while but my life has been so rudely busy (i’ve had like one task a day to complete💀 and have failed to complete the single daily task for more days than i’d like to admit💀). today i spent all day in bed and did nothing but nap and scroll on my phone and listen to music much to my family’s displeasure. it was meant to be healing but i fear it did the exact opposite. oh well. hopefully i’ll be more productive tomorrow but it’s not looking good right now… it’s way past my bedtime and im drinking green tea which i thought was decaf but i don’t think it is. i very famously cannot handle caffeine so good luck to me with waking up at a decent hour tomorrow. anywayssssss.

loads of crisps. yeah🩷. i live there you don’t understand a picture of a cat is my HOME. so snuggly and cute and real this has gotten me soooo hyped for the next instalment. i don’t know how to describe it but it just felt so true (???) when i was reading it. i feel like we have such a good idea of who your version of matty and george are and every time something happens to one of them im always like “why of course!!!” you paint such a picture i will never stop praising you for it. fun fact about me but i HATEEEE house animals (criminal i know but unfortunately i can’t hide it even if i try). i just can’t deal with the mess of fur and the smell and the scratched floorboards and the yucky food they eat and the greasy residue that gets left on your hands after you pet one. but since turning 21 a few months ago i have this ungodly maternal instinct towards all cats and the rare dog that enchants me. i just want a little cat so badly and then i want a second cat so no one gets lonely. and i want to name them ridiculous names like timmothee chalamet or pistachio or eras tour melbourne night 2 (these are all very real names from my notes app list. im really set on pistachio). all of this to say i really loved a picture of a cat😭😭 sorry for giving you my whole life story. but it’s your own fault the fic was so good it forced me to overshare.

(ok im proofreading and realised i didn’t even say my point about the chapter. what the hell. what i wanted to say was that i loved how it was so domestic and mostly very fluffy but there was just the perfect pinch of melancholy. i really feel like that’s your signature in these shorter forms of writing that are for the most part quite light hearted. your characterisation of fic!matty is just so compelling because you can always tell that he’s trying and working on himself but these little cracks of sadness and doubt peak through. it just makes my brain melt i love it.

also "Mm, when I was thirteen," George agrees, pulling Matty back into his arms, back against his chest. "You're still just as tall as you were when you were seventeen and," George places one hand on Matty's belly and splays his fingers, pressing gently as if to emphasize the way his fingers reach from hipbone to hipbone, "you're little." YOU ARE A GENIUS I LOVED THIS THE MOST!!!!!

one word was also really really good you have been spoiling us soooo much. i’m really enjoying these shorter works in between the masterpiece that is the big light universe. just like loads of crisps it has the perfect amount of ☹️. the maid of honour asking for demanding coke and george’s half hearted confrontation after just squeezed my heart because poor fic!matty☹️ addiction is so hard especially when it’s what people expect of you☹️

i have not been able to read five yet (or before now that i think about it) because i don’t want to make myself too sad but im going to give you and the anon that requested it a little kiss in advanced because i know it’s going it HIT once i read it. it’s such a perfect concept i yelled when i read the summary.

ok last thing maybe but the prompts have been amazing as always!!! i have the biggest soft spot for my fictional babies being called sweetheart it really pulls on the heartstrings so naturally im obsessed with the recent nightmare one🥹. the smut prompts have been insane too i can’t believe you still say you aren’t super confident in writing them. you are crazy.

i know this one wasn’t necessarily new but ive been reading the “what now🤬” prompts a bunch which is probably not a good idea because ouch. just like fic!matty (and let’s be honest irl matty) i too don’t know how to shut the fuck up💀💀💀 its debilitating for everyone but i just loveeeee to talk so they hit a bit close to home hahahahaaha. but they are so good that don’t even care that they slightly hurt my feelings.

i did have one last thing today but im going to save it for talk shop tuesday because i always miss it and it drives me crazy. so this is my promise that you will hear from me again on tuesday��🩷🩷🩷🩷

🍵

Hello, Matcha Anon!!! 💚💚💚

I am doing well, I spent my weekend looking at apartment buildings in the city I'm moving to in August and I'm so excited about it, but honestly, who gave life a right to be busy?? It's just rude, you're right. Sometimes you need to bed rot, though. I fully support that. Also, Productivity is not everything in life. Sometimes you just need to vibe. If it makes you feel better, though, it's 8:00 pm for me and I'm drinking an energy drink, so you're in good(?) company for late-in-the-day caffeine =)

I'm so glad you liked the first chapter of Loads of Crips--thank you so much!! The next chapter is in the works. I'm not sure when it will be up, but it's one of my open documents right now. I'm thrilled the characterizations feel real or true to you. As I continue to say, I really don't know what I'm doing, so it's really nice to hear that what I'm doing works.

Honestly, I don't blame you for feeling like that about inside pets. I love my inside dog and she has good manners, but I do get kind of tired of dog hair on things at a certain point. I'm just too soft to have firm boundaries because she looks at me with big, sad puppy dog eyes and I go, yeah, you can have whatever you want. I love the idea of a cat, but I'm allergic and I'm not cleaning a litter box. I'm simply not, but I do think Pistachio is a great cat name. I have a barn cat named Mickey. She just kind of showed up one day and now she lives in my barn.

I'm trying really hard to be able to write fluff when I work on shorter things, especially in relation to my bigger and more angsty projects and it doesn't always work out for me, but I am trying. So is fictional!Matty. He's doing his best. It's really interesting that you see something in my writing as a kind of signature. I'm not at all surprised and I'm very touched that you've paid enough attention to what I write to pick something out, so thank you!!

Genius?? Really? I love it, thank you for that, too!! The self-titled/ I like it when you sleep... Matty/George size difference in insane and I can't help but touch on it when I write something in that era, and fictional!Matty (and real Matty, let's be honest) is absolutely the type to remind fictional!George he was taller once upon a time. He doesn't care that it was ten years ago, he was taller once.

I'm thrilled you liked One Word! I wasn't too sure about it, especially when it comes to my timing. I do feel like I need to clarify, I had the idea before any engagements were announced. It wasn't supposed to be quite as angsty as it was--it was supposed to end with smut and be a little bit higher energy, if that makes sense, but fictional!Matty was too busy feeling sorry for himself. Poor fictional!George knew exactly what was going on, he just didn't want to believe it, and poor fictional!Matty was, again, doing his best. He doesn't want to lie to fictional!George, but he's also thinking like an addict and if his own family (not to say that family is everything or that you're bound to the people you're genetically related to forever) writes him off as an addict and nothing more, how can he find the support to ever do better? Not to mention that he's doing exactly what everyone thinks. Poor fictional!Matty. He really doesn't win much in this fic.

And Five.! I actually haven't thought to much about this fic lately, but I will say that it's really kind of very sad, and made more so by its relation to Learning How to Lose a Thing I Never Laid a Hand On. I look forward to hearing what you think of it, if you chose to share, though! I have, however, been thinking about fleshing the series out with some one-shots between the two things that are up right now. There will probably be a poll about that eventually.

I'm also thrilled that you've liked the prompts I've posted recently! I had fictional!George call fictional!Matty 'sweetheart' once and now it's going to be a staple in all my fics. It's such a sweet and soft pet name. I love it so much, especially in smut. My big hang up with smut prompts is that I worry I get redundant, but I'm glad you've liked them! I have a bunch of prompt lists I want to reblog and I'm trying to work through what's in my inbox, so there will probably be more prompts soon =)

I think you're in good(?) company in terms of not being able to shut up, because I will talk forever if someone lets me, too. My poor roommate used to come home and just be accosted by me and all the thoughts I was thinking. I wasn't always like that, but I have many, many ideas that I need to do something with and that's part of why I write. Fictional!M+G get a lot of my traits projected onto them, and this was no exception, even if there was real life inspiration, too.

I look forward to hearing from you on Tuesday!! You did prompt me to schedule the Talk Shop Tuesday post to be reblogged, so thank you for that! I almost forgot this week and we can't have that =)

[littlelambdrgnfly]

Ok since you reblogged that one post I hope you know I reread The Sum of Them for the 3rd time, maybe like a month ago, up until the last chapter and i never finished it cause i didnt want to experience it ending again (if that makes sense), i wish it never ended. I wish they could play baby games forever but its so important it does end because the ending is soo beautiful but so devastating, and it's beautiful because its so devastating, and my heart cant take experiencing that again :'-(

i already sent a message on here saying that your fic was the first fic to make me cry, possibly the first piece of LITERATURE in general to make me cry (i could be wrong but i cant remember any piece before that), and it made me cry 2 times when reading it for the first time. It is truly my favorite piece of McLennon fanfiction, but the only reason i dont fully consider it mine is that if someone were to ask me, it'd be too taboo/freaky to say but its truly one of the most heartfelt and complex ways ive ever seen anyone portray John and Paul while also feeling completely accurate and realistic. My god. And i love so many of your other fics too but The Sum of Them really means so much to me and I cant even say that enough. i wish you could just live as me and be inside my mind to fully grasp how much of an affect it had on me, I dont think i will ever be able to explain it sadly </3. But just know out of every McLennon fic ive ever read (and ive read many), THAT one is my very favorite out of like 100+. The way you characterize them is just so completely different from any other fic ive read and its so intimate and raw and holy shit i dont even have the words. Sorry i know im rambling at this point but I just think about it a lot! Also your fics are the only fics i enjoy anymore, (recent) beatles fics have gone down the drain in my opinion and yours are the only ones i can be satisfied with because, as far as im concerned, anything you write is automatically in-character for them after reading The Sum of Them lol x) thank you so SO much for writing cause it's truly exposed so many of my own desires and hidden , sensitive parts of myself that couldn't be excavated any other way without your work 💖

Dude... this is legitimately one of the best comments I've ever gotten. I wish I could memorize all of this and replay it for myself whenever I'm feeling blue. Thank you so so much, it means the world to me! I think all writers insert their own thoughts and emotions into their work, and I definitely do that in all of mine, but especially The Sum of Them. This fic is basically my wishlist of things I would do with a partner, as well as coming to better terms with my own kinks, so I'm glad it's been able to resonate with people. I'm also glad that I managed to keep John and Paul in character, even if John is crying every other paragraph lmao! I totally get what you're saying about wishing I could experience what you did, I wish I could too. Sometimes I reread my fics with the mindset of someone reading it for the first time, but it's just not the same. I'd give my left tit for more writers on my level or higher who wrote bottom!John or even ABDL fics, I swear. I don't read a lot of fics these days, but I'm usually disappointed whenever I check the Beatles tab. I'm also really really bad at remembering titles and author names, so I never remember what fics that I like! Thank God for bookmarks. I definitely understand not wanting to tell people that this is your favorite fic though, lol! I've been writing Beatles fics for a long time, but I created a new account on AO3 when I started writing these fics. I'm comfortable talking about this stuff, but only with the help of an alternate profile. I'm really really happy to help people explore this side of themselves though-- too often fics like mine are just really gross over-the-top and completely unrealistic portrayals in my opinion, and I guess I wanted to bring something sweeter and more realistic to the table. <3

[ppenguinpperson]

oh wow!!! its been a whole year since my first pafl fic!!! guess i should say some stuff :]

i dont care if ill be cringe rn or whatever - i wanna tell you all, thank you!!!

i never expected to get so much love on my fics!!! especially with the pafl fandom not being the biggest out there !! you guys show so much support, thank you really truly! your nice and cool and sweet comments make my days! there's some comments i think about even now, months, almost a year after i got them!! <33

sorry about swap 💔 i think the only way ill complete it is if i completely restart, rewrite it - but i dont wanna do a longfic rn teehee... at least not one of such size. while on the topic of swap! im happy ye lads like it:) i still get comments on it !!! its only been a few months since the last update, but ya know how it is!! if i finish it, i wanna do it justice, ya know?

something ive shared before, about swap, is that i made most of it while at a hospital. the night before i was to be admitted, i rushed out chapter 1 and 2 - got scared, so, i just rushed - published them, went to sleep, read some niceys words from ye lads, and went off to get better!!

whenever i got access to my phone id check ao3 and read the new ones, whenever i got access to my pc i started rushing out new chapters. like, literally, id spend most of my time home writing hehe!! and it was fun!! good!! it gave me something to focus on!! and boy did i!! there's so many scrapped versions of the early chapters. dima was gonna live in abandoned train car at first. tsar and arthur were gonna find him in the basement, then. katanya wasn't planned but then, a now buddy of mine, someone left a comment about katanya crumbs. and so i wrote it in:) they're gonna have suchhh a bad end if it ever gets written hehe..

i think, at first, dima was gonna stay around longer. around the same time katya did, not just a week. but he didnt 🧡i didnt plan the plot out that much tbh, but i still like it.. its neat and i can see i enjoyed doing it for the most part. i remember wracking my head over some stuff ehee!! ive gotten better too, i think.. its nice looking back on my old stuff. yea sure i cringe a bit when i see something i could have worded better. but i can see that i liked doing it!!! what i was aiming for!!! and i remember the joy (and frustration dear god the frustration) i felt when writing it.. silly goofy... were getting emotional in the club tonight ‼‼‼

point is! thank you all!! for all your support <33 i wouldnt still be writing were it not for you. MWAH!!!! thank youuu .. here's to another year of fic!!

if you'd like, you can send me asks on swap!! and i'll respond.. have a wip:) this is pafl believe it or not

trans anya real 🤝 trans dima real