#i needed them to interact more in mcd

[mangotelevision]

lovers

[my-castles-crumbling]

📝🦊Cas🏳‍🌈🎵 - they/them/she/he - queer - married

Click to view only Marauders/Harry Potter content Click to only view asks/advice

Decorate my tree!

Age: Over 21

Fandoms: Marauders with a side of drarry.

Ships: Jegulus, Jegulily, wolfstar, rosekiller, pandalily, dorlene, drarry.

Music: Taylor Swift, Conan Gray, Olivia Rodrigo, Lana Del Ray, Hozier, Renee Rapp, Chappell Roan, Gracie Abrams

AO3: my_castlescrumbling

Writing: Requests open!

Link to list of crisis hotlines for many different countries Link to Marauders Knowledge Quiz Link to list of requests (requests are open)

***Please allow me 3-5 days to get back to advice asks! Remember to check back if you write anonymously, you won't be tagged. If I don't reply after 5 days, please resend, sometimes tumblr eats my inbox messages ����

(Also please note that I am not a professional. All advice is just one random person's opinion. When you send me an ask you are acknowledging I am not liable for whatever happens if you chose to listen to a random person on the internet 😋)

Please do not post any of my work on fanfiction.net/wattpad. I welcome collaboration, podfics, and translation with permission. I do not support the use of AI in fanfiction/fanart. I do not want to join any websites that involve writing fanfiction for pay.

If you are a minor, please do not interact with any content I mark explicit-minors DNI. This is for both my protection and yours.

Below the cut:

My ao3 Fics

My Microfics

Fic Recs

Request/reading boundaries

Advice/ask boundaries

LGBTQIA+ resources

Writing tips

Song covers

My ao3 Fics:

Note- I am writing all fic ratings. If you are a minor, please take heed. If the fic is rated E and you are a minor, do not interact with it.

AHHHH this got to long! Click here to go to my google doc version of my masterlist!

My Microfics:

Jegulus Microfic Archive

Wolfstar Microfic Archive

Rosekiller Microfic Archive

Jegulily Microfic Archive

Explicit Microfic Archive - Minors DNI

Kinktober Microfic Archive - Minors DNI

Fic Recommendations:

AHHHH guys this list got too long! Please click here for a link to a google doc I made with all recs!

Request/Reading Boundaries:

A lot of people have asked to send me things to read or requests for writing. I LOVE when people send me these things, but just a few boundaries:

No MCD

No incest

No illegal age gaps

No noncon, in any sense

No EDs, SH, or SI

Advice/Ask Boundaries:

Advice about sex (how-to, positions, etc)

Personal topics like my own intimate life, my own personal information (IRL name, names of family members, etc)

Topics that I am not educated on, or do not have a right to give my opinion on. While I am happy to talk and give advice about LGBTQIA+ issues, I am uncomfortable sharing my opinion on issues that I am still working to learn about, because I don't want to spread false information or be unintentionally hurtful. Also, since I hold a lot of privilege, there are certain topics that I would rather amplify the voices of others about, rather than taking up my own space.

LGBTQIA+ Resources:

Here are the websites I often link to when giving people advice. I'll add to these as I find more!

Need help? The Trevor Project has Crisis Counselors

The genderbread person- (sexual attraction versus gender versus romantic attraction)

List of nonbinary identities and definitions

List of ace identities and definitions

A highly-reviewed chest binder that ships to like a hundred countries

Pronouns explained

LGBTQIA+ travel safety guide- world

LBGTQIA+ rights/safety by state in US

United States LGBTQIA+ student rights

The Trevor Project- Sexual Orientation Information

The Trevor Project- Gender Identity Information

Pronoun closet (try different pronouns)

Writing Tips:

Write a lot.

Don't worry about mistakes or editing. Just write a lot to get your ideas out. Practice makes better, and writing a lot will help you gain confidence. You don't have to post it anywhere of you don't want to!

2. Try microfics!

Microfics are a great way to practice writing certain ships, or just practice in general. They're also lovely for getting a feel of posting! They're low-pressure and low-commitment, which is lovely!

3. Find people to write with.

Whether it's people online or in person, find people to talk about writing and write with. It's very motivating and helps hold you accountable.

4. Be gentle with yourself!

This is supposed to be fun. Don't beat yourself up or be too hard on yourself.

5. Write down your ideas.

Ideas come at weird times. Write them down, because you'll forget them.

Song Covers

Sometimes I sing...

People Watching - Conan Gray

Gravity - Sara Bareilles

Blank Space- Taylor Swift

Idontwannabeyouanymore- Billie Eilish

Sparks Fly - Taylor Swift

So Long, London - Taylor Swift

[needfantasticstories]

Hi again, @twistedstoryteller!

Okay, LU recs off the top-ish of my head in a sort of organized-ish order:

AUTHORS!

Angst, Action, and Mixed:

Faerule and the No Good Very Bad Road Trip by ImperialKatwala, PolynomialPandemic is a great "Chain Meets Hyrule" fic.

@gintrinsic-writing is phenomenal. A gem. I love all of it, but check the tags to find ones you're comfortable with. AO3 Blood Like Yours is my personal favorite, and the sequel Like Fire in Your Veins by @pocketramblr are both about Hyrule's Blood Curse from Adventures of Link. M for Violence for most of them, but check tags to be sure. If you like it, consider also...

Protector of the Golden Power by Sillus Hyrule centric but he has a different secret.

@somer-writes has a lot of great short one shots, some darker than others. My personal favorite is a sort of character study of the boys at their lowest and how they recover called "Depletion"

For a Sliver of Sunlight by tirsynni: Warrior's dedication to his brothers makes him question his title as Hero.

What are You to a God Slayer by Secretlysheikah BAMF Sky

Brethren in a Cradle by Skyward_Arpeggio BABY!!!! It is adorable, if a bit sad at the start.

Always Darkest Before the Dawn (Linked Universe Whumptober 2023) by Skyward_Arpeggio because in general they don't go above T ratings and write excellent fics.

this year it taught me (lost and ambitious) by qar Also EXCELLENT writer. "Sky has a separate moment with each member of the team"

Whumptober 2023 by Arecaceae Great fics! Plus, "Each story will have warnings in the tags and the story notes as well as a 0-5 whump rating. The ratings will be relative to my writing, so my 5 might not be equivalent to someone else's 5. I don't write MCD, extreme gore, non-con, or extreme emotional angst."

Major's Whumptober 2023 by major_de_speed Major's are also quite clean despite the M rating which is more about the violence.

Linkeduniverse Shorts by Skyward_Arpeggio LU Short fics

A Royal Castletown Wedding by Skyward_Arpeggio This story is so good!!!!!!!!!

Whumptober 2022 by Arecaceae more great fics, rated T.

LU Whump Dump by UnexpectedStormy (ArtemiStorm)  need AO3 account to read, but worth it! Linked Universe Whumpy One-Shots, rated T.

There's one I'm missing, and when I find it I'll add it here. It involves a cursed magical artifact that Legend messes with... it's intense.

Fluffier Fics:

Frosty Reception by Skyward_Arpeggio "Four’s glad to finally be home again, and he’s not the only one happy at his return." Cute fic!

S’more Stories by Ginger375 "A collection of drabbles and mini-fics for LUtober! Day 31: Costumes"

Sentiment by Arecaceae

nine heroes, one spirit by Imjustherefortheangst, uncleskyrule (unclemoriarty) tons of great short fics, all with G-T ratings

Finding Family by Tashacee "AU where Wild's scars are a lot worse and he isn't used to interacting with people. The Chain think their new brother is dope af and are determined to make him feel at home."

My Heart's Forsaken Me by sister_dear "Four looses his sword in the heat of battle, and it's picked up by someone else... Time’s aren’t the only secrets coming to light, and the gang discovers they still have a thing or two to learn from each other."

Ambush at the Bridge by JinxedRuby Very action and healing oriented fic, multiple perspectives on one event.

Dark Clouds on the Horizon by CubanCracker62 "he Chain ends up in Wild's era shortly before the events of TotK."

There are worse ways to stay alive by EliotRosewater one shots rated T.

Crack Fics:

Misplaced Heroes by notOK this had me busting out laughing SO MANY TIMES!

Peak Gremlin Energy by defenestration_nation "Fics focusing on various Links being chaotic gremlins"

Not Necessarily LU, but Adjacent or just LoZ:

Blood of the Hero by Skye_the_Lofty_Nutcase: (Wild) Link's parents have to step in to save him when the Shrine of Resurrection gets damaged. His parents are so well written, and Abel makes appearances in LU-related/adjacent fics, The Many Misadventures of Dad Squad and Dad Squad AU by Nancyheart, Silver_Captain82403, Skye_the_Lofty_Nutcase

which is part crack and part angst, mostly lighthearted.

Don't Worry Man, I'm from the Yiga Clan: Link makes a Yiga friend due to being a delightful chaos gremlin.

Feature MCD... but might be worth it:

And Still the Cradle Blooms by Solistrix: GORGEOUS literary masterpiece. The writing is unreal. It's descriptions and emotions are incredible. This is more like finding the meaning in eventual death, so of the three here I suspect you'll like this one best as far as not being too hurt by the character's mentioned end.

This is an Adjuration: I'll be real, this is full of action and excitement but yes, it has MCD and is making me cry, but it's also REEEEAAALLY good!

Blood Drops on Roses by HotCheetohatred Fantastic storytelling! Wild centric, Twi is big brother but from day one of Wild's journey. Unreliable young Wild as narrator is an absolute delight. Unfinished, no MCD yet, but it's in the tags so no promises.

Modern AUs for not-big-on-modern-au fans:

As a fellow not-seeker of modern AUs, I personally have enjoyed the following

@skyward-floored Incredibles AU

Wild’s Wolf by HotCheetoHatred "Modern AU where young Wild is a feral forest child, raised by Wolf Twilight. He is captured, separated from Twilight, and put under observation. Time helps him escape." Unfinished, and I admit personal bias here because HotCheetoHatred is my BETA reader.

ARTISTS!!!

@ovegakart: amazing action, gut-busting humor, and captivating storytelling! Does comics

@la-sera: beautiful, ethereal, and gorgeous illustrations and a great storyteller, loves downfall duo but does every one of the boys justice

@dfanart: HILARIOUS and such heartfelt emotions on them boys.

@kikker-oma great art from fluff to whump to action

@1caru has so many fluffy LU gems!

@linderosse has a Zelda's meet AU, does LU, and much more!

@lele5429 great illustrations and abstract pieces of LU fanart.

@theecholegend hahaha... arson.

@ikaishere has so many cute LU ones.

@thepinklink fabulous LU character sketches

@hiimgin BIAS! I got to work with them and they are FABULOUS!

@pluviatrix has art for their fic And Still the Cradle Blooms

@cherrypaii has fantastic illustrations of these boys!

AND MANY, MANY MORE!

(Commenters, please add artists I forgot. I know there are a ton Im missing!!)

Hope this helps you feel welcome!

[soupthatistohot]

A rant about why BSD is hard to enjoy right now (in my opinion)

Originally posted this on twitter but I think tumblr folks will sympathize, as well. So, here goes!

The stakes are simultaneously so ridiculously high and also nonexistent. I can't shake the feeling that everything is going to return to normal after this arc is over (everyone we care about will be alive, the world will have been saved), so why should I care about anything that's happening?

To that point -- no one (I care about) stays dead!! So what if Kunikida "died" in the chapter today? I'm sure he'll be back. Dazai also didn't die in Meursault, neither did Fyodor (who actually literally CAN'T die!!). Akutagawa is now alive and well, too! As much as I hate excessive MCD (like in JJK), you need to actually kill off characters sometimes if you're gonna threaten it so often, because then every death lacks emotional impact. I've been, like, numbed to it atp.

There are so many characters I do not know enough about to care about. Who even are the hunting dogs? Bram? Sigma? Asagiri hasn't put as much time and care into characterizing them as the main cast, so when things happen to them I kinda don't give a shit long-term. They were introduced in the middle of a convoluted plot that has taken such precedence over the characters who are supposed to be driving the story.

BSD originated as a character-driven story, and that's what drew myself and so many others to it in the first place. It was bizarre in a charming sort of way. It was about the characters growing and developing as people as much/more as it was about the external conflicts going on. It almost feels like Asagiri has been trying to be too clever about this that he's lost the core of BSD: it's heart.

Similarly, there's a reason this is such a ship-heavy fandom, we live for the character dynamics! But our beloveds have been scattered to the winds for literal years in our time that we've lost most of that interaction we love so much. Give us back our found family dynamics!!

Kind of back to the point about the convoluted plot -- it eels like the characters' intelligence has outgrown us and Asagiri, to the point of seeming impossibly ridiculous. Like what do you mean Chuuya was faking it the whole time and then stopped a bullet from entering dazai's skull and got away from it because of the security camera angle?? what do you mean Fyodor dying by a vampire's hand actually means that he subsumes bram and then he sets off a tripolar singularity to create god and this was his plan all along????

Obviously I don't speak for the whole fandom and these are just my opinions. I'm not saying you have to agree with me or even that BSD is horrible. I just feel like it's kinda lost its way the past few years and I miss the animanga I fell in love with :(

[kinkandkreep]

Could I request a Miguel x Spider!reader where they died in Miguel’s universe but is alive in Miles’s universe?

Lost and Found

♡︎ Pairing: Miguel O'Hara x Fem!Spider-person!reader

♡︎ CW: MCD, major injury, mention of blood

♡︎ "__" represents your name

♡︎ A/N: Hey hey! Thanks for sending this in! I haven't watched the movie yet and am subsequently unsure of how the multiverse hopping...situation works, so this is kind of short, but I hope you enjoy! I'll most likely come back after I've watched the movie and update it.

Miguel wasn’t normally one to cry. 

He could become emotional, yes, and he certainly knew how to express that emotion. Maybe not always in the healthiest manner, but still, he knew how to let others know when he felt strongly about something. 

Arguably, the thing- or rather, person- Miguel felt strongest about was you. 

You, who barged into Miguel’s life like a freight train smashing straight through a buffer stop. 

What with all his responsibilities, Miguel was in no way looking for love when you appeared. Initially, he was cold and even somewhat rude towards you, something you found irritating but nevertheless, you disregarded him and his tomfoolery. You had a job to do, one you couldn’t afford to let be hindered by an, admittedly, very handsome man in need of a serious attitude adjustment. 

The two of you skirted around each other for the longest as you worked to keep the multiverse in check. Over time, he warmed up to you; slightly at first, but eventually as he begrudgingly began to notice how capable and dedicated you truly were, he came to respect you. 

And as the amount of time you two had to spend together increased, it grew into something else entirely. 

Miguel found himself looking forward to patrols with you. He wanted to see you smile more often, and hear you laugh despite your situation. 

He appreciated that you could appreciate silence, but also knew how to appropriately fill the silence when the occasion called for it.  He found it fascinating that for the most part, you were reserved and calm, but also seemingly able to flip a switch, becoming more outspoken and boisterous. That particular quality of yours came in handy when interacting with the public and especially children, of whom you seemed fond, if the extra care you took with them was anything to go by. 

He liked that you could make him laugh, whether intentionally or not (Miguel was also not one to laugh very often) and he hated seeing you cry, whether because you failed to save someone or even because of a particularly sad film or video you found on Youtube.

Before he knew it, you and Miguel had spent a majority of the hours out of everyday together, and had grown very close. Almost inseparably so.

So, he couldn’t say he was entirely surprised when one night, after a particularly bad fight with a drug and rage fueled criminal, Miguel nearly blurted out his feelings suddenly. He’d gone berserk when the thug threw you through a wall, and he was forced to watch your body limply land on top of a mountain of rubble. 

Miguel swiftly dispatched the thug after that, now fueled by his own rage. 

You had been knocked unconscious by the impact, and Miguel quickly checked you over for signs of anything being broken or potentially fractured. He breathed out a sigh of relief upon finding that everything seemed to be still intact, and carefully lifted you up, speeding off into the direction of his apartment. 

.・゜-: ✧ :-.・゜-: ✧ :-.・゜-: ✧ :-.・ ✧ :-.・゜

It took some time for you to wake up, and Miguel spent a majority of that time pacing about his living room, a nervous habit of his. 

When you finally ambled dazedly out of his bedroom- yes, his bedroom- he rushed up to you, starting to bombard you with questions, before remembering that you had just been tossed through a wall and were probably very confused at the moment. 

It took you a little while, but eventually you seemed well enough to walk more steadily. Once the dizziness you were experiencing wore off completely, you thanked Miguel for taking care of you and apologized for any inconvenience. 

“No need,” he’d said, shaking his head with raised hands. “It was no trouble at all.”

With a nod, you were preparing to leave when he suddenly blurted out, “Wait!”

You turned, a bewildered expression etched across your face. 

“Yes? Is something wrong Gigi?” 

There was an awkward expanse of silence. 

“Um, it’s…it’s nothing. Sorry. Good night.”

“Uh, goodnight.” 

With that, you were off, and Miguel mentally kicked himself upon realizing that he had missed his opportunity and managed to make himself look like a weirdo at the same time. 

Sighing frustratedly, he moved to begin his night routine, intending on calling you the next day. 

.・゜-: ✧ :-.・゜-: ✧ :-.・゜-: ✧ :-.・ ✧ :-.・゜

The next day came and went, and somehow Miguel never ended up calling you. 

He would say he was too busy to do so, and it simply slipped his mind, but in reality he was too scared to say anything to you just yet. 

He thought you probably would want space from him as well, but was proven wrong rather spectacularly when you came barging through the door to his personal gym while he was in the middle of completing his at home fitness routine. 

“Gigi! You wanna explain why-...” You paused upon seeing him, shirtless and covered in a light sheen of sweat. His eyes are wide as he stares at you, body frozen in the middle of a crunch. 

“Uuuuhhh, anyway, you wanna explain why I didn’t hear from you all day yesterday?” You try to maintain eye contact with him, so as to keep your eyes from inappropriately wandering. Now, Miguel is standing, using a towel to pat himself down. 

“I uh…I was busy yesterday.”

“Too busy for me?” You don’t mean to sound so pouty, but you manage to anyway. 

At this, Miguel internally startles. Externally, he averts his eyes, using his towel to cover the lower half of his face. 

“I-I’m sorry.”

Fondly rolling your eyes, you approach him, playfully punching his peck. “Nah, you’re fine. But seriously don’t leave me hangin’ like that again. I was worried, but figured you needed some space so I left you be.”

Turning, you begin exiting the gym, throwing up a hand over your shoulder. “Come on, get cleaned up and let’s go out. We’ve got a whole day’s worth of catching up to do.”

With that you’re gone, and Miguel smiles despite himself. 

.・゜-: ✧ :-.・゜-: ✧ :-.・゜-: ✧ :-.・ ✧ :-.・゜

The remainder of the day is spent pleasantly, the both of you enjoying your time together. Miguel feels, for the first time in a long time, free and unfettered by his seemingly innumerable responsibilities. 

As the two of you sit perched on the edge of the rooftop of a random skyscraper near the middle of the city, and as Miguel watches you laugh around your mouthful of fries, he realizes that he also feels something else he hasn’t felt in quite a while.

Love.

The thought strikes him suddenly, and he’s left a little winded. 

He considers, really considers for a moment, telling you as soon as he realizes he’s in love with you, but ultimately decides against it, instead taking a bite of his burger and swallowing it and the lump in his throat. 

It’s a decision he soon regrets.

.・゜-: ✧ :-.・゜-: ✧ :-.・゜-: ✧ :-.・ ✧ :-.・゜

“H-hey. __?”

Miguel watches, petrified as your body begins falling. 

He wasn’t sure what exactly had happened, but he knew that one second the both of you were fighting a villain and the next, you were…

“__?!” 

Miguel runs, catching you just as you hit the ground. 

There’s blood pouring from a gaping wound in your abdomen, and Miguel’s not sure how much time you have left, but he knows it’s not much given how quickly the awareness is fading from your eyes. 

He can’t move, can’t even register what’s happening around him as he gapes at you, finding that the words won’t come out no matter how much he wills them too. 

You, on the other hand, seem to have accepted the situation for what it is, managing a small, bloody smile at Miguel and weakly grasping his hand where it rests on your chest. 

No words are exchanged between you, and as your hand goes limp and the final breath stutters from your lungs, Miguel finds he regrets it for a very long while after. 

.・゜-: ✧ :-.・゜-: ✧ :-.・゜-: ✧ :-.・ ✧ :-.・゜

It’s years before Miguel sees you again.

He hasn’t been the same since he lost you, and his temperament has suffered greatly following your loss. Miguel’s heart hardened after losing you, the previously opened doors guarding his emotions slamming shut and sealing themselves tight. 

His run-in with one Miles Morales and the subsequent fallout from that ordeal surely hadn’t helped. 

That is, until he saw you.

You, who gaped at him with wide eyes, surprised by his sudden tight embrace. 

“G-Gigi? Are you ok?”

Oh, how he’d longed to hear that name fall from your lips one more time. 

Pulling back, he studies your face, slightly unbelieving. But that feeling is quickly overridden with joy as he realizes that yes, it is you. Alive, and in his arms. 

Miguel wasn’t normally one to cry. 

But in that moment, reunited with his lost love and refusing to ever let you go again, he sheds genuine tears of relief. 

.・゜-: ✧ :-.・゜-: ✧ :-.・゜-: ✧ :-.・ ✧ :-.・゜

ᵇᵘʸ ᵐᵉ ᵃ ᵏᵒᶠⁱ?

[stellisketches]

Random MCD Headcanons that have nothing to do with anything (Part 5???)

Sorry I haven't made any real posts in forever. My drawing phone broke and college has been a bitch so i haven't really gotten the chance to make anything (though I finally made some more progress on the next chapter of my rewrite). In any case, please accept this next installment of head canons I wrote like 10 months ago and completely forgot about in lieu of anything that requires actual talent. Love y'all:

Laurance lost an incisor tooth in a fistfight when he was 19

When he got turned into a shadowknight it grew back, now he purposefully goes out of his way to loose teeth just cause he knows he can grow back an unlimited supply

Hayden has a cat named Bog Butter. He’s the color of butter and he found him in the bog. 

Vylad’s favorite vegetable is avocado

There are three major guard academies in Ru’aun: one in O’Khasis, one in Scaleswind, and one in Bright Port. 

Bright Port’s is the largest and most well known

O’Khasis’ is the most prestigious

Scaleswind’s academy is the most difficult

The bare minimum age to join is 14, though most people join between 16-19

Every guard must have a minimum of 2 years training to earn the actual title of Guard, however to serve in O’Khasis you need a minimum of 4 and for Scaleswind a minimum of 5. 

Part of that training includes apprenticeship, so they do get some in-field experience with their mentors (think unpaid intern)

Technically you can train for up to 8 years, however most people only train for 2-5.

Garroth was in academy for 3-4 (although to be fair he had been trained in sword fighting since he was like 9)

Laurance went for 5 years and Dante went for 6 ½ 

Dante lied about his age when he enlisted though

He was barely thirteen

Both went to the Bright Port Academy however they were in different divisions at different times since Dante is younger, so they really only saw each other in passing and never actually talked to one another

The only personal interaction they ever had was one time at the academy Laurance was trying to get back to his dorm after a night of copious drinking and partying and could barely walk out the front door of the bar. Dante (who was pretty tipsy himself) ended up half-carrying back to Laurance’s dorm before going back to his own. Neither of them remember this. 

Katelyn’s two older brothers’ names are Kaj and Khareem

Khareem is the oldest, then Kaj, then Katelyn, then Kacey

Occasionally, when he is absolutely, positively, 100% sure he is alone, Zane will sing to himself sometimes

Dante once did a Zane impression in front of everyone and Garroth got so freaked out by how realistic it sounded he made Dante swear he’d never do that voice around him again. 

The worst argument Kenmur and Emmalyn ever had during their marriage was whether their system was heliocentric or geocentric (Kenmur argued the former and Emmalyn argued the latter)

In most colleges across Ru’Aun, there is usually some statue of Enki that students will leave offerings to before their big exams

Offerings vary, but it’s usually something like food, money, trinkets, or paper. It varies on how important the exam/how desperate the students are

Kenmur went to one of these colleges for a few years

One time he fell asleep the night before his final exam and he woke up like an hour before his exam was supposed to take place and in a fit of panic he dumped his entire wallet in front of the statue. He passed with flying colors.

One time at the Narhakan college someone left a life-sized horse statue made out of gold. No one has any idea where it came from or who left it. It’s become kind of an urban legend among all the colleges

Zenix never learned how to read and by god he isn’t about to wimp out now

Garroth tried to teach him once and it… did not go well

Let’s just say Garroth still owes Emmalyn a book from that incident. And a new table. 

Zianna came from the same region that Esmund was native to

Katelyn absolutely despises the feeling of sand in her shoes

Dmitri and Nekoette raided the Bright Port guard academy kitchen the first night they got sworn in

Dmitri also had to go to the infirmary after getting shot in the arm by one of Nekoette’s loose arrows

Laurance can play the piano and used to play it at some of the taverns in Meteli

Levin and Malachi both know a good bit of Elvish thanks to spending so much time in Yggdrasil

They switch to Elvish for the majority of their arguments

[the-martyrfication-of-the-matron]

I do really think we need to talk about fanon vs canon in this fandom. Not because of anything really specific, but rewatching it just makes me realise how things are so different in the way we talk about it vs how they are

And I’m not saying we can’t have fun with fanon… just that sometimes canon is more interesting and we’re missing out on that by not interacting with the actual media

Like, sure, MCD is long as hell but in the earlier episodes at least, ut tends to be segmented into chunks of 5 episodes (Ep5, Visher explosion. Ep10, Brendan Shot. Ep15, Garroth Shot)

And so you just gotta figure out what arcs you’re trying to talk about and WATCH THEM. And then talk about them, because like and this is mostly about me and my ass yapping on about shit I don’t know, but it’s a lot different to actually watch it than to try and recall it. And not only are nuances lost by refusing to watch it, but you’re also just… not having the experience… which is weird bc were meant to be fans isn’t half of that experience actually just watching the series??

[captain-mj]

Portals

So Soap from Zombies and Ghost from campaign meet. That's the plot

CW: MCD I suppose? More they talk about the people that died before the fic starts

Ghost was drinking silently. He could feel how Price and Gaz were looking at him. The pity. The guilt. 

“Simon. How are you feeling?”

“Captain. Please.” Ghost shut him down. Johnny’s ashes were probably still in the wind and they wanted him to talk. 

Gaz tried a different approach. “Lieutenant. I miss him too.”

Ghost scoffed. Not because he doubted Gaz. He knew the two were best friends. It just… it wasn’t the same. There was no way they felt how he did in this moment because if they did, they wouldn’t look so fucking calm about it. It felt like he had finally found it. The piece that had been missing for so long. And once again, it had been ripped from him. 

His heart felt frost bitten. Rotting. 

“I know you loved him.” Price said softly. 

“Doesn’t fucking matter. He’s gone.”

“Doesn’t mean you have to be at square one.”

Ghost slammed his drink down. “I’m heading back to base. Have a nice night.” He got up and left, simply shutting them all out. He hated talking to them sometimes. 

The grief hit hard, making him regret every ounce of liquor he had drank. Ghost got into bed and just laid there to think. Behind his eyes, he could feel the emotions bubbling and boiling. There was this tension in his chest that made it impossible for him to breathe in properly. 

Simon missed Johnny. 

He missed him a whole lot. 

Ghost showered and then tried to sleep. Sleep was never easy. Ever. But tonight, he knew it was going to be particularly difficult. He sat there until morning came, just staring. 

Price had Ghost and Gaz for an emergency meeting a few months later. Ghost had not… improved very much, but he was still working and acting normal, so no one had suggested he retire. They all knew how much he needed work. “We’ve received some… orders.”

Gaz smiled. “Oh, it’s never good when you phrase it that way Captain. What’s going on?”

“There has been a strange amount of… interference we’ll say. Apparently, there’s a shiny purple light emitting from the ground and when civvies go in… they don’t come out.”

Ghost tilted his head. “Doesn’t sound like something we’d handle, sir.”

“Not usually. But I’ve been told we’ll be handling it by a higher up.”

“How high?”

“I was told their identity was classified.”

Gaz whistled. “Must be intense.”

“You can say that.” Price sighed. “We live at 0800. Get dressed, get your gear, and go.” He rapped his knuckles against the table once and then left them alone. 

Gaz looked to Ghost, clearly trying to get some form of interaction. “What do you think it is?”

“Probably some natural disaster. Deadly gas in the air causing a reflection of light. People getting blinded by some form of solar event and then getting themselves killed. Could be a few things. 

Gaz looked… less than satisfied by that answer. 

In a dimension slightly to the left, Soap had spent two years of his life dedicated to Deadbolt. Ever since the zombies had taken Ghost from him, he had to. The memory was still painful even after all of this time and some days it felt like it only got bigger. For a few days, he didn’t kill Ghost. He should’ve… He knew that now. Their existence was painful. 

But it was unfair. He had went to him and found him while he was still changing. 

Ghost had slammed his head into the wall, gun out of bullets. Soap had no doubts that Ghost would’ve killed himself if he had been able. 

All it did was break Ghost’s jaw though. Maybe that was his plan. To at least make sure he couldn’t hurt anyone else. 

Soap had eventually told Samara who, thankfully, shot him. It had been one of the worst days of Soap’s life. She handed him his tags and asked the worst question ever.

“You loved him didn’t you?”

“I did.” 

“You never told him.”

“I didn’t.”

Samara smiled sadly at him. “I hope you find peace, Sergeant.” She walked away from him. 

Soap wanted her to stay, but they weren’t friends. He knew she didn’t leave out of cruelty, just a belief that he wanted to be alone. So he broke down alone, looking at Simon’s body. He let out wails that would’ve killed banshees. Cried enough to drown himself. 

Eventually, he found routine. One day, he’d kill all of these bastards and fix everything. Maybe it would be too late, but it was something. Revenge since he couldn’t protect Ghost. 

Soap received the call telling him something was happening on the F4 quadrant, possibly something going on with the mercs. So he got dressed, grabbed a trusty gutter knife and a longbow, and set out. 

He could’ve spent that entire morning guessing what’d he find. An eternity of guessing even. 

This possibility would never cross his mind. 

Ghost. Wandering around the wreckage of the Urzikstan. 

Ghost was there. Or at least a man in his exa-

“Johnny?”

Nope. Definitely Ghost.

“Simon.” Soap said softly but his gun was already coming up. “Stay where you are. Have you been bitten?”

Ghost stared at him. Big beautiful brown eyes that almost made him want to melt. A year ago he would’ve. His gun would be on the floor and he’d be throwing himself at Ghost. But he had learned things in the past year. 

“No.”

“You drank anything?”

“No. Johnny… How are you here? You’re dead.” 

Soap frowned. “You’re dead.”

They stared at each other silently. “Price and Gaz are nearby.”

“Haven’t seen those guys in ages… We’ll head back. My gun is going to stay trained on you. Nothing…” Soap noticed Ghost’s gaze staring at his mouth before trailing back to his eyes again. “Nothing personal. I swear.”

“Your accent. Not as thick as I remember it being.”

“Been here a long time.” He moved slowly so Ghost was now in front of him and then he started walking forward. “Call your buddies.”

Ghost got on his radio. “Hey. Gonna need back up over here. When you see us, don’t shoot.”

Price and Gaz both answered affirmative. 

Gaz saw Soap and froze, just staring. “Sergeant MacTavish.” Something about the tone. 

“Captain. Captan MacTavish.” Soap smiled tightly. “Stay in front. I’ll walk you back to base.”

Price tightened his jaw but he walked forward with the rest of them. 

The three of them were held at gunpoint by Soap the entire time until he got them into a metal room. 

“Decontamination room. Get out of your gear and put it in the buckets over there. Jackets too. If you’re comfortable, I’d take those pants off too. Anything that’s touched the outside.”

Ghost kept staring at him and Soap kept staring back. The two acted like planets that were just orbiting around each other. Any moment, they’d crash and smash to bits. 

Ghost only took off the bare minimum where Gaz and Price were just fine taking off more.

“The mask.”

“I’m not taking it off.”

Soap smiled a little. “Aye. Not asking you too. I have a replacement though. One that hasn’t been… out there.”

“Those things we saw. The people that weren’t people.”

“Zombies. Yes. They’re caused by something in what we call the aether. It’s complicated. I know the chemical compounds in bombs down to the atoms. I understand the physics of a bullet and I took calculus. Doesn’t mean I know shite about what’s out there. Barerra has explained all of it more times than I can count and I still don’t get it.” Soap shook his head. “Mercs think they’ve cracked it every other week and they usually end up making something worse.”

Gaz pulled on some of the spare, clean clothing they were given. “There’s something worse than those things?”

“Much worse. But we’ll get to that.”

Samara grabbed Gaz and Price to make sure they were showered of the radiation, but when she went to take Ghost, she actually stuttered in her movements. Her eyes were so large as she stared at him. “Lieutenant Riley.”

“Ma’am?” He sounded confused but he kept glancing at Soap.

“I’ll take care of him.” Soap muttered and she looked at him, her eyes giving a clear message. Don’t be stupid. 

Whether she meant don’t fuck up this clear second chance or don’t be stupid because he looks like Ghost was remained to be seen. 

Soap had Ghost stand and he sprayed him with the gas. It was some cocktail Barrera and Ravenov made that seemed to get rid of the lingering aether on people. Soap looked away as Ghost silently took his mask off before hand and quickly pulled on the replacement he had been given. It was a ski mask that gave Soap just a slightly better view of those eyes. 

Those beautiful eyes. 

Soap felt like he was going insane. This should be impossible. But so was… everything else. Zombies were walking the earth. Maybe the universe had decided Soap could have this one thing. Ghost. 

Eventually they were allowed into the base. The three of them kept looking at Soap with this… lost expression. Grief and confusion and joy and something weirdly close to sorrow. 

Gaz managed to drag Soap around for just a little while. He was talking to him as if they were old friends but he’d occasionally reference something or say some inside joke and it would go over Soap’s head. Not all of them. Some he smoothly responded to and it felt like his friend Kyle had been able to visit. 

From what Soap had been told, Gaz was simply told he was on a covert mission. They exchanged letters, but Soap’s letters were analyzed and half the time so much was redacted he told them to forget it. He explained this to Gaz, who of course understood, but it did leave Soap feeling even more isolated after Ghost’s death. 

Price was… well. Soap didn’t know. He assumed he simply got a new sergeant and moved on. 

It was all so difficult. All of it. It drove him mad some times. But he was doing good so he marched forth. 

Gaz eventually smiled at him. “I assume you want to be alone with Ghost, right? Where’s yours?”

Soap felt his stomach drop. “Dead and buried. Those things out there got them before we even understood them. 

“I see. Me?”

“Alive. You were needed elsewhere when this project started and then you just weren’t given the choice. I keep hoping they’ll accept new people so I can put in a word for ya but sometimes… think it’s better you’re out there.”

Gaz frowned. “You were shot in ours. Makarov.”

“That guy huh? Damn shame.”

“Yeah. Sure is. But I’ll get you alone with Ghost. Think you could both use it. He took your death hard…” Gaz suddenly hesitated before just moving forward. “You two in love in this universe as well?”

Soap’s face falling must’ve been enough. “Did we ever…”

“No. Don’t know why. But it was obvious. Whatever is going on here, I don’t know how long it’ll last. I think it might be good for you though. Both of you.”

Soap nodded. “Thank you… Kyle.”

“No problem Soap. Sorry, Captain MacTavish.” The two words were thrown with so much mocking in them a weaker man would’ve flinched. 

“Sorry for correcting you.” 

“Good.” Gaz walked off and in an astonishingly short amount of time, Soap and Ghost were locked in a room. 

They kept staring at each other before Soap turned and looked out one of the windows. “So…”

“So I’m dead here.”

“And I’m dead there.”

“How strange we’d end up here.” Ghost muttered. “Two halves missing a piece.”

“You think we’re two halves?”

“Nah. You’ve always been better than me. Never got a chance to tell you that.” 

Soap wondered what Ghost meant by that. “You never told me. I guess I should say him. You never told him. Why?”

“He came to me that day. He grabbed my hands and I knew. I Knew.” Ghost closed his eyes. Soap felt like he had lost the last tether he had to Ghost’s emotional state until he kept talking and Soap could hear the actual anguish in his voice. “Knew you… he was going to confess. I grabbed his face and told him to can it. He said if we died, he didn’t want to die with the regret of never saying it. I told him I knew what he was going to say. That after this mission, once we both came back alive, I’d let him say it to me but he had to wait. I don’t know why. I guess I just didn’t want to go into that mission with his love hanging over me.”

“Regret it?”

“I found his sketchbook of me. Not of everyone else. Just me. There were tons of notes. He could never get my face right because he only saw it once.”

“He got to see it?” Soap straightened, suddenly so viscerally jealous as to make him sick. 

Ghost looked surprised but he took his mask off. “Not pretty. I know. But if I am your guys copy the way you’re mine, this is wha-”

Soap kissed him. It was so stupid. So juvenile. But he needed it. He held Ghost’s face and he was pleasantly surprised by Ghost wrapping his arms tight around him. “Johnny…”

“Simon…” Soap kissed at every inch of bare skin. “Ye’r so hot. Cannae help ye hid this from me.” 

“Fuck i missed you speaking nonsense.”

Soap bit him and Ghost laughed. Fucking laughed. It was musical. 

“I love you. I know I’m not him.” Soap muttered. “But I love you so much.”

“Johnny. I’m not your man either.” 

“I know. I know but I need to say. I was supposed to say it that night. You came to me and you told me you loved me and I didn’t say it back. I do. I did. I just… I didn’t expect it.” Soap started to sob. “And then you were gone. And some fucking zombie was in your place and I held on I swear I did but there was no bringing them back and I’m…” He sobbed into Ghost’s soft company issued shirt. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.” 

Ghost held him tighter. “I love you too Johnny. I love you too.” 

[shadowgast-recs-weekly]

Older Favourites 6: A Shadowgast Rec List

For the end of the month, it's time for the 6th list of older favourites. Check under the cut for 9 (nein!) fics updated over two years ago!

the mortifying ordeal of being known by idontreallylikebutterflies (5754, Teen) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

The Mighty Nein love each other, but they also spend most of their time between insults and teasing. Essek wants to know them, and wants to understand their contradictions, but mostly Essek wants to deserve to be known by them.

Reccer says: A great classic Essek learns more about the Mighty Nein (and their lack of boundaries) fic. Extremely soft

sleeping in the shadow of an other self by nonwal (32857, Teen) Reccer's Content Notes: Major Character Death, references to torture

In which Essek is resurrected by the Mighty Nein and framed for innocence.

Reccer says: This is one of the cleverest fics I’ve ever read. You need to go in spoiler-free the first time because the reveal is glorious—and artfully foreshadowed, so you just might guess right along the way. The MCD is NOT permanent.

Creature Comforts by mousecookie (4645, Teen) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

Essek doesn't realise that the cat sitting on his lap isn't Frumpkin

Reccer says: Such a fun premise and generally so sweet!

A Favor In Kind by literalfuckinggarbage (4208, Explicit) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

Yussa spends an evening in Widogast's Nascent Nein Sided Tower alongside Essek, and they discuss with Caleb the repayment of favors. (Or, what if all the wizards blew off some fucking steam during the Eiselcross arc)

Reccer says: Not only is this exceptionally hot PWP, it’s a depiction of a “fully” transitioned trans man the likes of which is painfully scarce and we very desperately need more of.

Somewhere Only We Know by DotyTakeThisDown (3803, Explicit) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

Caleb and Essek, now married, meet in a demiplane created just for them.

Reccer says: This is short, sweet, HOT, and optimistic.

Mishap by ThreeGremlinsInATrenchcoat (29285, Teen) Reccer's Content Notes: Mentions of fantasy racism

Separated from rhe Mighty Nein, desperate, and almost beaten, Caleb grabs Essek and a trinket and Teleports them to safety. Except the destination they land in is not the one he had chosen.

Reccer says: Prepare to cry! This author really knows their way around a grief monologue!

Lay Your Bones by LadyOrpheus (53587, Teen) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

On a mission to capture Essek, Verin relises his brother and Caleb have a child and a life together

Reccer says: I love all the feelings Caleb goes through, and the interactions with the nein and Yuna are amazing

A Flumph for Your Thoughts by toneofjoy (3715, Teen) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

During his Aeor trip with Essek, wild magic transforms Caleb into a flumph.

Reccer says: I liked it!

Aeor is for Lovers is an 18+ Shadowgast Discord server. The above fanfic recommendations were pulled from our community for this weekly event. All fics, unless otherwise specified, will primarily feature Shadowgast. Have any questions about what this is? Check out the FAQ! Next week, we’ll be back with poly ships!

[kokomifan24]

INTRO!

!hello!! this is my first time doing this so keep that in mind!

my name is bunny I'm pretty active and always looking for knew friends! so don't be shy i love making knew moots!!

I try at least to make fanfics mainly oneshots and i take requests. i don't really like writing smut or want to so please keep that in mind

ALSO, I DO X READER!!

fandoms I write for:

MCD + MID + My street

genshin + star rail (maybe ZZZ soon)

KNY

JJK

MP100

wakfu

blue eye samurai

nanbaka

death note

troll hunters

theres a LOT more so just ask and ill probably know it!!:3

DNI LIST

homophobic people

transphobic people

racists

ableists

people who have MDI on there account then interact with minors

people who SUPPORT aphmau, and hoyo (its ok if u are in the fandom just as long as u dont support the creators)

proshippers

what i will NOT do (protentional TW):

Smut (im OK with make out stuff but thats it.) 1nc3st, S@, R@p3, p3d0 stuff,

what i WILL do:

im ok with pretty much anything but id like to say if you request a mp100 fic with like mob or something ill ONLY do platonic if there under 18 ill only make platonic fics for them!!

some extra notes id like to say rq:

i want to mainly write of small fandoms/ underrated characters cause they need fics to</3 I dont mind any age on my blog cause im not writing smut as long as you are not creepy everyone is welcome!! i THINK thats it but ill probably update this a lot

:3

[bourbon-ontherocks]

20 questions for writers

I was tagged by @pia-writes-things (ty!!! ❤️)

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

46!

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

703,271. Which is, um, a lot.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Good Girls (formerly), HPI (formerly), and l'Art du Crime. There's also a random bit for les Combattantes, and one GG fic has a shared universe with Graceland. I'm very mono-fandom lol.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Take A Dip

It's All Coming Back To Me

It Hurts When I See You Struggle

Love And War

We're Living In A Powder Keg And Giving Off Sparks

Unsurprisingly, these are all GG fics, although I don't think my kudos ranking is accurate because most of these were impacted by the great kudos-bombing gate from 2020 so it's hard to tell what's actually my most kudo-ed fic.

5. Do you respond to comments?

Absolutely. My secret goal is to keep the conversation going back and forth for the longest possible time because I love the opportunity for a good ramble about my writing 😈

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

I wanna say Ad vitam æternam (L'art du crime)? I mean, it's literally an MCD fic, so, not that merry... Also if I remember correctly, Always lost in the sea (HPI) doesn't end on a very hopeful note either.

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

I don't know? All of them? None? I generally tend to go for happy open endings with that extra bit of bittersweet so I really couldn't tell. But hey, maybe the ending to that thing I'm currently writing actually is the happiest of it all, because oh boy, things do get cheesy at some point 🥺

8. Do you get hate on fics?

No at all! Unless you count that one person who commented on several chapters of whichever long GG fic I wrote just to point blank hate on Beth character lol

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

Of course I do (in English only), I like my porn toxic and desperate and angsty with just the right amount of power play and mutual hatred. Basically, I write hatefuck 😂

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

Not really, no... I've tried a couple of times, but I think I'm better at/more interested in mimicking existing interactions than inventing a dynamic between characters who never met canonically (and also, boy the kind of SETUP you need to justify some characters crossing paths... it's just too much work). I'm more of a cameo/easter egg kind of writer, so once in a while I'll allow a character from another fandom to pop up in a fic and say hi, but it's really a blink-and-you'll-miss-it kind of encounter.

I guess my craziest attempt would be that Crazy Ex-Girlfriend / Good Girls crossover that I never finished though, cause like, super different moods?

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I'm aware of but I don't really attempt to know

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes! By myself lol. I once posted a fic in two languages before acknowledging it was a hell of an additional work 😭

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

Kinda? We never finished nor even posted it but at some point we shared a quite unhinged co-writing story with @whiskeyjack and @00gangfriend00 and it was a lot of fun 🥰

14. What’s your all time favorite ship?

You... you guys have that? You don't just live by your Ship of the Moment just to instantly forget about it and hop on the Next Ship when it shows up? I'm sorry but I don't think I have one of those.

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

What a trap question!!! 😂

It's All Coming Back To Me, obviously. Look, I really really want to finish it, not even for me at this point, but for the 120-something people who subscribed to it, for the faithful readers who still leave me comments every now and then hoping for closure. I know how it ends. I have it partially written. I just don't seem to know how to write for Good Girls anymore, and getting my head back into it feels like such an insurmountable load of work, I just- I'm trying, ok?

But like, if someone's interested in helping, or even writing that ending based on my notes (and getting full and proper credits for it obvi), just let me know! I'm really open to it 🥲

16. What are your writing strengths?

Probably dialogues? I've been told many times that my dialogues feel very close to the original, and the thing is, I write about TV shows and I have a very good ear so I think I catch quite easily the actors' voices and tones and mannerisms in my head, so every time I write down a line, I play it several times in my mind with the character's voice to determine whether they would say it like that or not. Looks like it's not working so bad.

Also I *think* I'm not too bad at stream-of-consciousness inner monologues. At least it's one of my favourite things to write so there's that.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Action scenes (that includes sex lol). Filling the gaps between the important parts. Descriptions. Setting up the scene.

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

Like, featuring two different languages inside the same fic, or writing in different languages? I'm not sure I've ever really written the first one? I guess I find it a bit clunky, occasionally I've written scenes that included a character whose native language wasn't the one of the fic, and I'd give them a line or two if that's relevant to the plot (for instance, if characters are lost somewhere in another country, I can add a line/dialogue in another language for comedic effect. Or it can be a way for a character to whisper something for themselves), but the logistics are quite nightmarish, you gotta either assume your audience knows the second language, or translate the lines in the author's note, or have another character translate it in a way that doesn't sound too articifial, that's really really tedious haha

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Good Girls.

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

You think I know that? Out of FOURTY-SIX??? Lol. Get out.

Tagging: @sdktrs12 @joeyjoeylee if you're around @riosnecktattoo @humanbra @hemerae-ramblings @sothischickshe @asteraceae-blue

[mangotelevision]

it's just one kiss, right?

[royal-ruin]

red, white, and royal blue fanfic rec (part 3)

other rwrb fic recs here personal favorites are starred, by the way. everything is complete unless stated otherwise.

the too much that you aren't by DemonPoxHerondale (~2k)

Henry has always been an introvert. High energy situations can get overwhelming, and as much as he loves his boyfriend, it's impossible to deny that he's high energy. Back when they were sneaking around to see each other, the short bursts of interaction meant that they never really clashed. But now that they're living together, well, it's another story.

as an introvert, i get it

champagne problems by alec_rhee (~3k)

Henry’s eyes are otherwise occupied as he closes them, planting a kiss to Alex’s head, but Alex sees Benjamin’s eyes move to Henry’s lap. Where they stay for at least five seconds.  Alex knows; he’s counted. “Look, Benjamin,” Alex begins. “I know we just met but if you look at my man like that one more time I will not hesitate to punch you in your fucking face.” “Alex!” Henry yelps, withdrawing his lips from Alex’s curls. “What on God’s earth are you doing?” “Look,” He says again, his attention still focused on Benjamin. “He’s damn gorgeous. I don’t blame you for looking. I truly don’t, but he’s taken. Happily.” OR Jealous!Alex

jealous/protective alex made my entire day

don't go where i can't follow by coffeecatsme (~4k

Henry turns away, hair silvery under the moonlight. He doesn’t even bother to look at Alex, and something like anger flashes in Alex’s gut when he sees him reach for his backpack, like it’s that easy to abandon Alex, like Alex didn’t bare his heart to him just a day ago. “You could’ve fucking said goodbye,” he whispers before he can think about it; his voice is quiet through the knot in his throat, yet it echoes in the room like a gunshot, stopping Henry in his tracks. Alex wakes up at the lakehouse before Henry leaves.

angsty, but i swear it gets better

in violent symphonies by saltfics (~16k) part 2 of a series (doesn't need to be read)

“So that’ll be a fun surprise. Any chance your brother’s friends are actually… you know… any fun?” Henry halts to a stop halfway out the door, his mind screeching like a shaken record. He can feel the pull of his memory towards things he doesn’t want to think of, feels the heavy weight of it as he forces himself to focus on something else, fast so he won't acknowledge towards which twice locked door his thoughts are wandering.  Sequel to In White (but could potentially be read without it).  When Henry and Alex return to England for the christening of the new baby prince, Henry finds out his nephew's new godfather might be a terribly familiar face.  Sometimes it doesn't matter how deep you lock away a memory if it insists on showing up at your door. (But maybe you can ask for help to keep it out.)

i love henry angst :)

those markings on your skin by saltfics (~62k) incomplete

Originally a collection of one-shots based on Tumblr Prompts, but now a series of interconnected prompt-based chapters regarding a series of assassination attempts towards HRH Prince Henry, and the effect on their relationships with each other that comes with it, featuring most of the main cast. (Plus a few standalones in between).

fair warning, i haven't read it all, so i don't know everything it contains. please beware of the tags.

Home Safe by HMS_Chill (~2k)

Alex is out later than normal, and Henry is left home to worry.

as you can see, after i read God Save the Blessed American President Mom by zipadeea i got just a little obsessed. no mcd here though.

*lifelines by indomitablelove (~27k

Shaan is told by a woman from the press office. Zahra is asleep when he calls her. She calls Ellen. Liam is in the library. Oscar finds out from Twitter. Catherine hears it from her equerry when she gets the morning papers. It's Leo who tells June. --- or, the emails. From everyone else's point of view.

Lockdown by bibliosoph (~4k)

Alex and Henry have a fight before Henry leaves to go to England for a bit. While in England, there is an attempted assassination and Alex loses his mind because he can't get in touch with anyone and he left things with Henry up in the air.

don't worry, there's no mcd, just alex angst.

*Soon You'll Get Better (Because You Have To) by wafflesandkruge  (~4k)

Two nights after the shooting, Henry receives an email with a pre-recorded video from Alex. He gets one every night, and although it breaks his heart to see Alex happy and alive, he's terrified of when they'll stop coming.

i wasn't lying when i said i was obsessed. no mcd.

[laughroditee]

Hello. My name is Laughroditee, and I am just a silly little tart on the internet. I like to write and draw stupid things for my own amusement and/or to exorcise my demons. 

This is my NSFW sideblog, and as such, minors should not be here. If you interact with my blog or my work and are a minor, know you are going against my wishes. 18+ only!

My SFW stuff is on my main blog, @momokeen, and most of my fanart will be reblogged from there. (Sometimes, I just post it here or as responses in reblogs because I am my own lord and master.) All likes and asks will be from my main blog, but reblogs and comments will be from here.

I am also on AO3 under the same name (laughroditee).

🤡 What to expect:

Silliness, angst, fluff, some smut, and some horror. I aim to keep my fandom experience silly-funny because I am here to have a good time. That being said, I also love a good emotionally scarring fic. So think of candy-coated psychic damage, I guess. That's the vibe here.

I write canon x reader AND canon x OC because making characters, figuring out their psychology, and then breaking them apart is one of my favorite things to do. 

At this time, I write gender-neutral!Reader, afab!Reader, or female!Reader if I’m doing a x Reader fic. 

🤡 Fandoms I like:

Call of Duty, Devil May Cry, Dragon Age, Stardew Valley, Fallout: New Vegas, (and more)

🤡 Currently, I write for:

The COD fandom

🤡 And draw for:

The COD fandom

My Works

Content warnings will always be listed before the meat of the text, so please read those.

🟢 Fluff

“You're Coming With Me” - Simon Riley finds a kitten. (My first fanfic.)

Simon has a rat (Drabble or something? Headcanon?)

🟡 PG-13

"Repossessed" trailer script ft. necromancer!Graves - Phillip Graves offers to resurrect a loved one... for a price.

Cowboy Price imagine (PG-13 for suggestive themes)

“Best friend!Soap / Roommate!Soap x gender-neutral!Reader x Gaz” (no title for this yet) - You and Johnny bicker like children, and he's surprised to hear you're going on a date with Kyle.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

"Queen Behavior" - short fic about little Simon witnessing his father abusing his mother (read the warnings)

🔴 18+ MDNI

“Your Ghost” (female OC x Ghoap, features MCD. This is an exploration of grief, trauma, and healing.) - An American tarot reader finds herself inextricably linked to John MacTavish, whose ghost needs a favor from her before he can rest.

Part 1 - Knight of Swords Part 2 - XIII Death Part 3 - Three of Swords Part 4 - A Love That Bleeds Part 5 - First Contact Part 6 - Death at the Door

Headcanons

Weird Domestic Habits of the 141

TF141 and their favorite ASMR types (with links!)

Simon is a penguin

Analyses

Closer!Price analysis

⚠️ WIPs

Closer

Buried Alive

Your Ghost, Ch. 4 - A Love That Bleeds 

Priest Soap

Random Poetry

"My Heart You Have/ And Yours I Crave"

Nocturne

Fanart

“Lt., let’s take a photo together!” 📸

Magical Boy Soap

Magical Boy Soap in the style of “The Rose of Versailles”

My COD OC Jesse “Jester” Donovan (kind of a shitpost but…)

Captain Price doodle wearing an elephant trunk g-string, and proof that I made it.

Tags (under construction)

Personal stuff is tagged under #laughroditee rambles

Asks are tagged as #ask laughroditee 

And works I've created are tagged with #laughroditee

Unless it’s fanart, then that is tagged under #momokeen*

*working on updating tags...

[gaybae1021]

Continuation of last week’s post. This week I’ll talk mcd. Art at the end.

Garroth and Zane’s relationship is complicated. For a few years as kids they were very close, but as Garroth got older Garte decided he needed to focus more on his duties and began separating him from Zane and Zianna. Garroth, though unhappy, went along with it. This of course upset Zane, and there were several years with the brothers barely speaking to each other.

I’ll get into it more with a dedicated post, but when Garroth turned twelve there was an event that seriously shook his faith in O’Khasis, his father, and his role in everything. Big existential crisis time. Zane was too young to quite understand what was happening, but despite the rift between them, still went to comfort Garroth. Sibling relationship reformed! Though they still have to hide it.

Garroth wasn’t initially planning to escape O’Khasis. Despite how much he hated it he still thought the best plan was become king like intended and try his best to improve things any way he could. It was only once he met Nicole that he began contemplating the idea of running away.

After a few more years Garroth decided to leave O’Khasis. Due to some events with Nicole, he knew he wouldn’t have much time before O’Khasis cracked down and increased security on him, so his plans we’re definitely rushed, including him just waking Zane up in the middle of night and dragging him along still half asleep.

Once Zane was awake enough to understand what Garroth was doing he, of course, freaked out. This wasn’t the plan, they were supposed to fix O’Khasis, not abandon it. It may not have been perfect, but it was the only home Zane had ever known. The idea of seeing the rest of the world was just, too much.

It didn’t help that Garroth was too focused on rushing to get out to actually stop and explain things better, instead getting frustrated by Zane’s protests. Knowing their fighting will draw attention he finally gave Zane an ultimatum.

“You can come with me, or you can stay here, but my decision is made. What are you going to do?”

Zane didn’t answer. It was too much.

Garroth, taking that as a no, turned to go. Something snapped in Zane. Garroth was going to abandon him again! All the times he had been there to comfort him, and Garroth was willing to leave him behind like he was nothing.

Zane grabbed him, and a fight broke out between them. Not that it lasted long, as Garroth is significantly stronger than him. In a fit of rage, he threw Zane off of him harder than intended. Zane crashed into one the oil lamp stands lighting the hallways, and I think we all know what happened next.

If the sound of their fight didn’t alert any guards Zane’s scream certainly did. Garroth of course was distraught and tried to help Zane, but hearing the guards coming, made the choice to leave Zane there. Zane watched his brother disappear down the hallway.

Garroth’s escape was the first time Garte had felt out of control since becoming king. He had done everything to prepare Garroth, to keep him away from any distractions, to mold him into the perfect heir. That ungrateful traitor had gone and ruined it all. Worse yet, he had no idea where Garroth could be.

But Zane might. He had hardly interacted with his second son, spending most of his time preparing Garroth for his responsibilities. But now? All of a sudden Garte had a use for him.

In the infirmary, Zane receives a message to go to Garte’s study, alone.

[cuephrase]

all the penance ✨lore✨

i say "all" i will probs forget stuff lmao. if you had any questions or this posts spark some, feel free to send me an ask!!

so okay. one of the things i absolutely delight in doing as a writer is like attention to detail for oomph and drama and sometimes that comes through very clearly, like the chapter names each being a different stage of grief (which was technically not planned, as in i didn't know that from the jump but as soon as i titled chapter 1 i knew what they were all going to be), and other times it's more subtle. basically, i overthink everything but uh i have fun and now i'm going to share all that with you!!

if you are most interested in how i came up with the ending, scroll to the bottom of this post 🫡

⚠️ SPOILERS AHEAD ⚠️

cw: the fic is tagged with MCD and deals extensively with grief and mourning, however, !big ending spoiler!: everyone lives :)

the pov rule(s)

the pov could only ever be someone who could see ghost!tim. so ch1 and 2 are strictly tim and jason (and why we don't get jason pov until after he sees tim again). the first time we get dick's pov is after ghost!tim gets the bracelet that makes him visible to everyone!!

that being said, the reason why we don't get bruce pov until he's making the trade with tim is because i...i wanted bruce to look bad. listen, unreliable narrator is extremely important to me, okay? and the second we got bruce's pov we would see how he's actually doing vs how the boys were perceiving him and it would've ruined everything.

i wanted bruce to be incredibly frustrating, what can i say? it's relevant later, bookmark this for when i get to the Ending.

why touching hurt

okay i never found a convenient way to work this into the fic, but there is a reason why touching the ghosts was physically painful.

basically, interacting with the ghost of a loved one brings all of the grief they're feeling front and center.

this is why it hurts dick the most the night that tim dies, bc the grief is intensely fresh and raw. however, years later when he hugs ghost!tim it doesn't hurt as bad, although it still hurts a ton, bc he's had time to process his grief and heal in some ways.

this is why bruce seemed unaffected, bc he is wallowing in his grief on a regular basis but doing his best to function through it. he breaks when he's standing outside of jason's room bc he was already vulnerable in that moment and didn't have anything to cover with.

this is why it doesn't hurt jason when ghost!tim touches him, until after they've started the unwinding process.

jason and tim's relationship in this fic is very...unique. they don't mean anything to each other until after tim has died. his death wasn't really something that super affected jason for tim's sake- like he was mainly bummed for dick and bruce. and then, once jason comes back to life, tim is the same to him. ghost!tim is the only way he really knows tim. the way that ghost!jason feels about tim is very much so like, he's in Robin-mode and tim is a civilian-in-crisis.

and they trauma-bonded, but also they were only ghosts together for a month so like their relationship is this haphazard blend of intense vulnerability but still only kind-of knowing each other. plus like, ghost!jason is different than resurrected!jason and ghost!jason is who tim has a connection with- it's a mess, it's so fun. but anyways!!

jason isn't grieving tim's death until they start the unwinding process, bc for him, that is the moment that tim's death becomes real to him. and at that point, he's no longer just a civilian-in-crisis to jason- he's the last person jason promised himself he'd save and he's failing him.

the reason why touching hurts less over time, specifically prolonged contact, is bc it forces them to kind of sit with their grief and feel it and accept it rather than just shove it all down. in a way, it's helpful. extremely uncomfortable tho.

why alfred was in england

he functions too well as a buffer. i needed them to be forced to deal with each other and alfred being around gave them too many outs. also, after the trade, i didn't want dick to have anyone to lean on.

about dick

idk how many of you will agree with me, but i really think dick had it the absolute worst out of everyone. no lie, the whole thing that sparked this fic was stamp (@a-canceled-stamp, darling if you see this ilysm, and also you should def check out her fics if you haven't, cardboard box destroyed me) mentioning how much anguish dick would suffer if tim died, okay, so like dick having a Horrible Time was the origin and yet. seeing him struggle was...i was sitting there like "who could do this to him" as i typed merrily.

although!! fun fact!! the scene where dick and tim hug is one of two scenes that made my cry. it was not pretty. i get like really into the pov character's headspace when i write and so like i knew that the scene was going to be sad obviously, but holy fuck it hit me so hard. i tried to like give myself a second to cry and re-group, but the tears persisted so i had to just type and blink and power through. the scene was actually going to be a bit longer and more painful, but uh. i physically could not continue.

this dialogue exchange wrecked me, i tell you- wrecked me:

“I missed you so much.” He should really shut up now. “And I’m so sorry that I couldn’t save you. I know you said it wasn’t my fault, but it was, because if I was faster, or if I hadn’t left you alone, if I’d been the hero you thought I was-” “But you are.” “I failed you.” The words are sharper than stomach acid in his mouth. “No, you didn’t.” Tim says. He edges closer. “Without you, I would have died alone. But you saved me from that.”

omfg it's making me tear up again, help me. *scrolls so i can't see it*

i did bum myself out with that tho, bc ch 3 was bargaining and i lost a moment of bargaining bc of my weakness.

dick was supposed to plead with tim to stay, to put off moving on for even just a day. and tim was going to be like conflicted but say something like, "if you really want me to, i'll stay an extra day. for you." and dick would realize how much the request was hurting tim, even if he was willing to give dick what he wanted, and know, awfully, that even though he just got his brother back, if he loved him he had to let him go again.

which yk. ow. but ultimately, i do think it worked out for the best!! i think i was able to cover all that emotional anguish later.

fun parallel

cw: vomit/throwing up

so penance is a sequel, but bile is sweeter is 100% optional. however, if you did read bile is sweeter you might have noticed this fun callback:

Tim didn’t need to ask Jason which was worse anymore. The bitter taste of failure in his mouth made the bile sweet in comparison.

bile is sweeter

Sour and sharp, the leftover bile burns in his mouth. It’s still a sweeter flavor than failure.

penance, ch 5

now i point this out, not bc it's an easter egg (this post would be miles long if i was doing all that), but bc it's actually a really fun, depressing reversal. in the first fic, tim feels like a failure bc he knows he's dying. however, in the second, tim feels like a failure bc he's alive.

i was super hoping i'd be able to twist that, and it was super satisfying. honestly all the body horror with tim was incredibly fun- at the beginning when he's a ghost and in denial about it but can't help noticing all the things that are missing. this line in particular was really fun imo:

Tim crept closer, the terror in his chest building. It was such a quiet terror without his heart pounding. 

and then, hopefully, bc lacking a pulse/heartbeat had been reinforced as a trait of ghost!tim, i was able to immediately signal what the results of the trade were when ch 5 opens:

He can feel his heart beating in his chest.

which. opening ch 5 was a Challenge. i wanted it to be very in the moment and even though tim was alive, i didn't want there to be any sense of like relief or peace. i also didn't want to flat out say "Tim is alive and Bruce is dead!!", partially bc i knew people were expecting a twist, like even if i brought tim back i might've done a fake-out as far as who traded with him. i don't drag it out very much, and i don't think it's a surprise for anyone who wasn't guessing a fake-out. but that is also why the chapter opens the way it does- one by one you get a name, so you can confirm who's alive.

but back to the body horror!! tim having a hard time re-adjusting to being human again was so much fun to write. partially bc of like all the little details, all those small things about existing that you might not notice, but also bc all of those things were working together to remind tim that he was alive- which he was not happy about. like. everything was a trigger for the poor kid.

oh!! another really fun parallel/reversal, that i can explain now bc i explained why touching the ghosts hurt- ghost!jason is the one who has to explain to tim that he's dead, right? he's the one that helps tim figure that out and learn the ropes of being a ghost. and he's comfortable in that role. however, despite that, jason is the one that has the hardest time coming to terms with the fact that tim is not alive. this one makes me !!! because like if you notice, ghost!jason never actually says "You're dead" to tim. i mean, it is implied often and evident via context clues, but yeah!! like look:

“Am I…? I’m-” The word stuck in his throat. He tried to say it again and only succeeded in making that hollow feeling inside him expand. “Aren’t I?”  He stared at Jason helplessly. He understood what Tim was asking, didn’t he? Oh god, why had he asked him. He didn’t want to know.  Jason glanced away, blinked rapidly. Nodded.  “Yeah.” He moved as if to pull Tim towards him, then stopped himself. “You are.”

even in this moment, jason can't bring himself to like fully admit that tim is dead- neither of them say the word, partially bc they don't need to to know what they're talking about but also it's like a fun lil speck of foreshadowing that jason wil really struggle to grasp that the tim he knows is a dead kid.

which, if you're like, hey wait a minute cue, but jason knew that there was a second dead robin and it was part of what made him upset with bruce, sooooo. correct!! so the reason for this is bc of jason's memories getting all messed up. he doesn't super associate the ghost he knew to the robin that died after him, mainly bc he didn't think the ghost memories were real. his fury over the follow-up robin's death is more about the Principle of the Thing than 'you're actions lead to the death of someone i care about'. plus like, there is no robin when jason comes back to life- robin is someone who has died. but tim? tim is exactly like jason remembers him. so they just kind of exist as like separate entities for jason. which is-

don't get me started on the character's headspaces, okay, we will be here for hours. i was having the absolute time of my life working out their reactions and relationships fr

tim's memorial case (or really, the lack thereof)

remember how i said earlier i was going to cycle back to wanting bruce to look bad? well. obviously the lack of a memorial case was a big strike against him.

highlighting that particular detail was really fun, even if i felt manipulative af for it bc i knew that the only reason there wasn't a memorial case is bc it was too hard for dick to have that.

fun fact: within the scope of the fic rn, i don't think tim ever finds out about this? this gets revealed when dick and jason are fighting (gah also super fun) and in the whirlwind of shit that happens just does not get brought back up.

it's also one of those things that really emphasizes that to dick, bruce, and alfred, tim was dead. a couple things may have happened here and there that made their skin prickle, but overall they were just...grieving. they didn't suspect any ghosts. bc really, the lack of a memorial isn't that heinous- yes, it's hurtful to tim, but they have no way of knowing that. and to them, they know how much tim means to them and the different ways they carry his memory with them every day.

like, tim thought they didn't do anything on the anniversary of his death. he thought bruce went out like it was any other night. which just showcases how being geo-locked inhibited ghost!tim's awareness. like, he thinks he's omniscient to an extent when it comes to bruce and alfred, bc he's in the Manor- he sees them when they think they're alone. but he isn't with any of them 24/7, even if he is seeing them in situations he wouldn't have when he was alive.

truly so many misconceptions in this series- i love it sm.

the ending

look. there were a lot of ways i could have ended this fic. however, stamp had mentioned not really liking sad endings, and i took that as a personal challenge. how could i write this fic about grief, in all of it's messiness, and deliver an ending that felt tonally and thematically in line that wasn't sad? honestly? i had no clue. before i started writing the first chapter, i knew that i wanted everyone to live, but i had zero clue how i was going to achieve that.

now, in general, i do not plot. i had 5 scenes in mind when i started writing this fic, and none of them were in the last chapter. i started that last chapter blind. well. sort of. i had a sort of mental checklist- i knew i didn't want the end to feel like a cop-out or contrived, so i had these three things i wanted to establish before there was proper hope for bruce's return:

the boys could not save bruce

tim accepting the fact that he was wanted and loved

jason accepting them as his family

and even tho we do get bruce's pov before all of these get established, they do occur before bruce is offered the deal and there's like a tangible, in-story plausibility that he might live.

the only other thing i knew for certain was that bruce was going to have to choose his kids over his parents. but i didn't know how that was going to get set up.

when the shadow-spirit came onscreen, that's when i saw how bruce could get his loophole.

the shadow-spirit is a soul guide, it's whole entire job getting bruce to the Afterlife and it's super fed up with bruce bc he's not going. time isn't supposed to keep looping the way it is. it thought that by giving bruce his parents, the transition would be quick and easy and yet this one is struggling. it doesn't offer the deal to bruce out of kindness, but cruelty. it thinks it knows how to out-think and break bruce, and kind of wants to punish him for making its job so difficult.

fun fact about the shadow-spirit: it looks the way it does for two reasons- one bc i couldn't picture a person and decided to stop trying and two so that i could get this line:

The darkness rushes at him, consumes him.

which tickles me bc darkness is literally rushing at him, but also the metaphor?! so much fun.

i also needed bruce to get his memories back bc it was Very Important to me as the writer that bruce knew exactly what he was doing when he chose his sons/chose to live by letting go of his parents. bc in that moment, bruce is accepting the fact that they're gone and he can't save them, even if he wishes he could. which is such a big deal for bruce bc his grief over losing them motivates him sm.

but i truly believe that he loves his kids so fiercely that as much as he would want to choose the happy life he never got to have with his parents, he would give that all up if he got the chance to continue being their father. bc he knows what it's like to be a son and lose your parents. but it’s still a hard sacrifice for him. so hard.

bc his parents are the easy choice, yk? who would blame him, really. and the boys already think he’s dead and can’t be saved, and as we see, they’re a mess but they’re coming together. they would never know that bruce could have come back to them if bruce decided not to. and bruce would forget that he ever knew them, so he wouldn’t even have to mourn them. so it’s tempting.

which is why i think it’s so !!!!!!!! when he chooses his kids bc i think it’s like believable that he might not choose them. within the story, and also outside of it, bc readers trusted/expected me to be evil and last we saw the boys, things were rough but they were coming together.

the boys could heal. bruce could be free.

but that’s not the story i wanted to tell. it’s not about accepting death. it’s about accepting life.

this is also why you don't see how the trade with bruce and tim goes down until the very end- it wasn't just so i could leave things off on a cliffhanger. it was so i could end it on this sentence:

He accepts the trade.

yes, bc it reflects the title of the chapter, fun, but bc by accepting the trade, tim is accepting life. which in some ways, is still me making commentary about the grieving process, bc in my experience, one of the hardest parts is accepting that you yourself are still alive. you've got to find some way to keep going despite the loss.

but it's also me making commentary about superheroes and the genre, bc yk, they're typically pretty damn willing to die for others. they'll make that ultimate sacrifice. but in some ways, the harder sacrifice is not dying, is choosing to live and deal with the aftermath of tragedy.

the title

penance: voluntary self-punishment inflicted as an outward expression of repentance for having done wrong.

and that’s kind of what they’re all trying to do the whole fic, sacrifice themselves as punishment for their perceived mistakes and shortcomings.

but their basic premises are wrong. death is not their fault. they are not mistakes. there’s nothing they need to atone for. all they need to do is be there for each other.

anyways!! i think that's everything i can think of rn, shy of like dissecting the whole entire fic. if you read through all this (and/or the fic itself), tysm for entertaining my ramblings!!