#i want jon whump

[rookfeatherrambles]

tonights mood is fantasizing about killing jonathan sims in fun ways. I MUST STRESS I MEAN THE CHARACTER, PEOPLE.

[whumpninja]

whumper who’s actually whumpee’s boss (it’s me I’m whumpee)

[gingerhastoomanyobsessions]

the lords in black are so interesting to me because. they’re so us. we’re watching the citizens of hatchetfield suffer for our own entertainment just as much as they are. we’re their accomplices in all of it

pokotho made hatchetfield into a musical because musicals are entertaining. and we ate that shit up! it’s soooo fun watching a little man scramble as the world around him bursts into song. the musical genre is satirized because pokey knows how the genre conventions work just as well as we do. we like watching musicals so much that black friday and npmd are musicals, too, even though they don’t revolve around pokotho’s plans as much as tgwdlm. we want them to sing. pokotho does too.

bliklotep is the audience and the audience is bliklotep. trail to oregon calls the audience “the watcher with one thousand eyes” and that’s not all, in watcher world blinky seems to be able to see through the eyes of anyone and everyone who loves spectacle. he wants to see the characters go through angst because WE love angst. it’s fun to watch alice and bill express their buried frustrations. blinky wants it to end in bloodshed because he loves tragedy, and let’s face it, so do we. it’s like that one post about how hamlet is aware of the audience and is angry that we don’t do anything to intervene because we want to see how it plays out. personally, I think blinky could have stopped the woodwards if he really wanted (he’s an elder god, after all) but alice shooting him shifted the narrative so that the emotional payoff would be more fulfilling if they escaped. and blinky loves a good story.

t’noy karaxis has blorbos. we joke about it, but that’s really what it is, isn’t it? he’s the fan who watches the movie again and again and again and again to see his favorite character’s dramatic death scene. he’s the guy who writes and reads angst fics by the hundreds because he likes to see his faves cry. he’s the hatchetfield enjoyer who’s on the edge of their seat waiting to see how ted kicks the bucket this time. the bastard’s box is pretty much just an ao3 account filled with whump and hurt no comfort. he’s sadistic AND he genuinely adores ted, because we fans are often cruelest to the characters we love the most. he puts ted through character growth— the realization that his life went the way it did because of his own mistakes, his inability to be vulnerable with jenny before it was too late— and he does that by writing a 56-chapter angst fic that’s still updating to this day

nibblenephim is the fan who voraciously devours every scrap of content that a creator produces and demands more, more, more. let’s face it, the fandom will never let starkid rest until we see this story through to its end. and then someone will demand a sequel series. nibbly is hungry because we will never stop yearning for more stories. he’s simple because that desire itself is simple— as humans, we need creativity like we need air to breathe. nibbly wants more because we want more. and we will never be satiated.

wiggog y’rath is the ruler and the king because he’s the self-inserting writer. I think jon matteson plays paul *and* wiggly for a reason— wiggly is the only lord in black to be played by the same actor in every single show, and that actor also plays the protagonist of tgwdlm. wiggly wants to be the protagonist. he tries to force himself into the human world of hatchetfield because he wants to participate, dammit! he wants to be the bestest ruler that the earth has ever seen! everyone has to love him because he’s going to be their bestest fwiend! when he appears in human form he’s gonna be the prom king! he’s the ebony dark’ness dementia raven way of the hatchetfield multiverse. he wants every human character to bend to his whims and to love him and to put him at the tippy-top of planet earth because he’s the writer and the writer’s main character, you fuckheads, and he can make whatever story he wants, whether the other characters like it or not! if you’ve ever written a self-insert story? congratulations! you’ve been wiggog y’rath.

and the funny thing? I don’t think the lords know that they, too, are as fictional as anyone else in hatchetfield. maybe blinky knows— he sees through the audience’s eyes, after all— but I don’t think the others do. if they did, maybe they’d be a little less tyrannical. a little bit nicer.

but then the starkid writers wouldn’t have much of a story to tell, would they?

[thlayli-ra]

That list of whump prompts you’re using for the ficlet requests is so long and varied, I love it. I have so many evil thoughts swimming around in my head but the first thing that floated to the top for me was gunshot, beacause woah, that could be so interesting.

Then I tried to come up with a pairing and I immediately went to Dick Rick and Jon Moxley, HWA days you know, because god knows what they were getting up to in their spare time living together. I don’t have a preference for who is getting shot but I would prefer if it wasn’t shown or implied that they died. On all other fronts, go nuts. Do what you feel.

Good luck with the tricks and treats!!

I was SO excited to do this prompt!!! So thank you so much for sending it my way Tagz - hope you enjoy it!

(Note - I couldn't call him Dick Rick with a straight face so he's referred to as Shaun in the ficlet 😂)

Trick - 'Gunshot'

Characters - Shaun Ricker/Dick Rick, Jon Moxley

Rating - Teen and up

Warnings - Gunshot wound, threat of violence, internalised homophobia

The hour was late but the night still young. Shaun had a pleasant buzz going and a smug grin on his face. The pretty little thing at the bar he'd been working his charm on was giving him goo-goo eyes back, and who could blame her? Nobody could resist his boyish smile, his smooth-as-silk talk or, above all, the impressive pair of guns he had practically bursting out of his short shirt sleeves. So what, if he'd added a tiny sliver of baby oil to give him some extra shine? In these dingy nightclubs, he needed a little something to help his... personality shine through. In a literal sense.

'So,' the young lady tilted her head cutely to the side, sliding a finger down one of those very bulging biceps, 'you know, my place isn't far from here. You wanna come back, have a drink?' She leaned in close, may as well has sidled right into his lap. 'Get to know each other better?'

'Well, that sounds real nice, sweetheart,' Shaun placed his hand around her waist, coaxing her in, 'but I gotta warn ya. You're playing with fire but if you don't mind singeing those pretty, little fingers of yours then-'

Bzzt! Bzzt! Bzzt!

'Oh, sorry about that,' Shaun picked his phone off the bar and cancelled the call from Moxley. Shoved it quickly into his back pocket. 'Now where were we?'

'You were about to give me an answer,' she fluttered her eyelashes cutely.

'Thaaat's right, I was,' Shaun grinned. 'How's this for an answer?' His large hand cupped the back of her head and tempted her towards him, their lips meeting in the middle. Soon, she was groaning against his tongue and he quirked his brows. He knew it, she knew it, everybody knew it. He was irresistible, like he had some kind of animal magnetism, some kind of... undeniable-

Bzzt! Bzzt! Bzzt! Bzzt!

Go away, Moxley!

He let it ring out. Turned his full attention back onto the cutie linking her slender fingers in his thick ones and guiding them to her upper thigh so he could-

Bzzt! Bzzt! Bzzt! Bzzt! Bzzt! Bzzt!

Goddamit, Moxley!!!

The pretty thing pulled back abruptly. 'Uh Shane?' she said with a cocked brow. Took him a beat to realise she meant him.

'Yeah, Jess?'

'It's Carly, actually. And you're buzzing.'

Yeah, yeah, don't I know it! 'I'll be right back,' he said with an apologetic grimace. 'Don't you dare go anywhere, alright toots?'

'I'll be waiting,' she replied breathily, stroking her hand down her stunning cleavage, making Shaun groan with want as he forced himself to walk away and call his irksome room mate. Jon Moxley answered within the first ring.

'Shaun...?'

'You'd better have a damn good excuse for cock-blocking me, man,' Shaun grumbled down the phone. He was answered by a pain-filled grunt. Shaun's brow furrowed. 'Hey, you alright? What's the matter?'

'I need you to come find me.'

He glanced around the club, trying to find his fellow wrestler. The pair of them had arrived together but now there was no sign of him. 'The hell are you?'

'Outside. Alley behind the hrrk club.'

'Right, hold on, hold on. I'm comin'.'

The pretty thing at the bar was immediately forgotten about as Shaun headed down the stairs, out the front doors, past the security guards, and the line waiting to get in, and the littering of patrons who'd had far too much and were now sprawled across the sidewalk - one nearly spewed on his shoes - and around the side of the building.

The narrow gap between the two buildings was dark and eerie. 'Mox?' Shaun called out timidly into the gloom. 'Mox? You there?' Nothing. So he made his way further in, ears pricked for any clues as to his roommate's whereabouts. 'Mox?'

'Over here.'

It came from around the corner. Picking up the pace, the wrestler followed the husky voice and eventually found the subject of his search. 'Holy shit,' he cursed, running towards his roommate who was sprawled against the far wall, panting and covered in bruises. 'The hell happened to you?'

'Ok, don't freak out on me here,' Moxley warned, 'but I've kinda, sorta... been shot.'

'Wait, WHAT?'

'I said not to freak out!'

'Where?' Shaun began to search over Moxley's limp body. 'Who the hell did this to-?' It didn't take him long to find it. One slight pull on his friend's jacket lapel and he found the gruesome trail of blood staining his white undershirt from his neck all the way down to his waist.

'Oh, shit...'

The creep had approached Moxley in the men's room. First red flag was that, despite there being plenty of free urinals, he chose the one directly beside him. The second was that he addressed him mid-flow.

'Hey.' The actual fuck? 'So that guy you came in with, you two buddies or something?'

Mox grunted a reply, finding his own prick suddenly lacking inspiration, leaving him hovering there awkwardly as the guy did not take the hint and kept on speaking.

'Cause he's who I think, right? I mean... I'm right, right?'

'The hell you on about, man?' he retorted, wishing for nothing more than the guy to shut the fuck up or at least for his piss to finally come so that he could get out of there.

'You know, the smug little shit? He's Dick Rick, right?' The mere mention of his roommate's ring name and Mox started to tense up, but then the guy added, 'from that porno wrestling website?'

Now he had the sandy blonde's full attention!

'Who's askin'?' he said with a snarl in his tone.

'Just a fan,' the creep replied cryptically, then leaned right into Mox's personal space and why the fuck was his prick suddenly acting like it was empty or blocked or something? 'So I am right? What's the deal then; you two fucking or what?'

'What?' He turned to face the stranger, his expression scary enough to make him back off an inch or two.

'Oh, no offence or anything, dude. I just saw you both and put two and two together.'

'I aint some queer!'

'Ok, ok, I'm sorry.' He turned back to his own stall and Mox hoped that was the end of it. Only it wasn't! 'But he is, right?'

'Far as I could see, he was flirting with some broad the whole night,' Mox bit back, failing miserably to hide the bitter edge to his words.

Oh, come on!' the creep scoffed. 'I know a 'beard' when I see one. I also know a twink when I see one! Those tiny little panties he squeezes himself into, just so he and some dude can get all hot and sweaty with one another, grabbing each other by the-'

Jesus fuck! I'll trade you my soul for just one single drop of piss right now so I can walk out that door! 'Look, man. Plenty of straight dudes do these kind of things. It's only another wrestling gig at the end of the day and it pays the bills.' Maybe, I should take him up on his offer some time seeing as I haven't got two cents to rub together.

'Yeah, yeah, man, whatever,' the guy gave himself a shake and Mox could finally see some light at the end of the tunnel. 'But you know, sometimes all these guys need is a little nudge to step out of the closet, know what I mean?'

No, now piss off! 'Sure guy, whatever you say.'

The creep finally left. The second the door swung shut and he was alone, his dick came to life. 'The hell happened to you?' he muttered down to his anatomy as it began to flow fast and hard, 'get stage fright or something? Jesus...'

But something about that guy in the men's room didn't sit well in his gut and for the rest of the evening he watched him closely. Good thing too, because the creep barely took his eyes off of Shaun the entire time, pretty much ignored the two other guys he was sitting with other than to point across at the wrestler sitting at the bar and whisper in his friend's ear. Once or twice, he even went up to the bar, practically brushed Shaun's shoulder with his own when he ordered his drink but the dark-haired man was too engrossed in his pretty lady friend to even notice and the so-called 'fan' walked away without saying a word.

Yet, the feeling of dread kept gnawing at Mox's gut and when he saw the guy whisper one last time in his friend's ear then get up to leave, he decided to follow him out, keeping a short distance behind him to not betray his intentions. Leaning against the wall outside to light a cigarette, the sandy blonde wrestler watched the creep out the corner of his eye as he walked a few paces down the street then ducked into an alley down the side of the building.

Mox narrowed his eyes, that gnawing in his gut biting in deeper. He dropped his untouched cigarette, squashed it underfoot then headed in the opposite direction, finding to his relief a similar alley down the other side of the nightclub. Carefully, he edged his way through the narrow, shadowy gap, an old familiar tightness in his lungs. The nerves of a pending fight, before the adrenaline had time to hit his system.

Peeking around the corner, he found the guy crouched in the darkest shadows, watching the door to the club like a hawk waiting for a mouse. The anger started blaring against Mox's eardrums right before he stepped out to sneak up on the creep. If he'd only waited a moment longer he would have noticed how the guy's hand was lodged deep into the lapel of his jacket...

'Is it bad?'

Shaun chewed the inside of his cheek, nervously, making Mox fear the worst. 'Take a deep breath,'he instructed.

Mox did as he was told and inhaled deeply, but it all came back straight out again though his gritted teeth when Shaun lifted his arm and tried to thread it through the sleeve of his jacket. His face twisted with agony, his lips turning the air blue until, after a lengthy struggle, his arm was finally freed from his sleeve and his roommate could properly inspect the grisly wound.

'Well?'

Shaun answered with a rush of air whistling through his lips.

'Well?'

'Just a flesh wound,' he answered, the relief shaking in his voice. 'Bullet caught you on your shoulder. Took a decent chunk out though, you'll need to go to the hospital so they can-'

'No!'

'Mox! You've just been shot in the goddamn arm!'

'No hospital. No doctors. I'm already behind on the rent, been eating boxed macaroni for weeks. I can't afford to get slapped with a huge medical bill on top of it all.'

As much as it didn't sit well with Shaun, he could understand the man's logic. He knew Mox had been relying on his paycheck from the show that night, but then the promoter had made some pathetic excuse, saying they would all get their cheques in the mail, which, all wrestlers knew, meant they wouldn't. Or, if by some miracle they did, then they'd just bounce.

'Fine,' he acquiesced. 'Then I'll take you over to Dave's - he could probably stitch you up.' Dave was a medic they knew from the circuit who lived in town. The kind of guy who never asked questions.

'Sounds good,' Moxley said and tried to get up when a firm hand on his chest pushed him back down.

'Nah-nah,' Shaun scolded, shaking his head.

'What? What's the big-' Suddenly, Moxley's snarky comment was murdered dead in his throat, his eyes nearly popping right out of their sockets at the sight of Shaun grabbing the collar of his own shirt and yanking it up over his head.

'I aint havin' you bleeding all over my car,' he explained, bunching the shirt up in his hands and pressing it down on the bloodied crevice. Mox went deathly pale, his whole body rigid as stone. All of a sudden, the pain no longer mattered. All that mattered was that his gorgeous room mate that he'd had a schoolboy crush on for several months now was virtually rubbing his Adonis-like, half-naked torso against him and he could smell the cologne Shaun was wearing, an intoxicating scent that made his eyes flutter with lust and he could feel his breath on his face and his fingers on his shoulder and, oh god, now he was looking right at him with those massive, blue eyes of his.

'So you gonna tell me how exactly you got yourself shot?' Shaun asked, raising a brow at the sandy blonde. Moxley shuffled awkwardly, lips and eyebrows twitching the way they always did when he got a little riled up.

'Got into a fight.'

'Well duh, I figured that much out. You wanna tell me why?'

More shuffling. More twitches. No, no he couldn't tell him. How could he tell him that he'd caught some pervert who'd seen his pornos waiting for him in a dark alley with a gun! The sight still haunted Mox and he couldn't stop imagining what might have happened if he hadn't listened to his gut.

And how could he explain that the thought of anybody hurting Shaun terrified him. Terrified him more than any other horror in the world possibly could and he didn't even really understand it himself because he hadn't lied in that men's room, he wasn't some queer. He wasn't! And even if he was, what did that mean? Didn't that change... everything?

Especially if the man he maybe, sorta, kinda, possibly loved wasn't some queer either? Just some straight guy taking on another wrestling gig to get another pay check?

'Guy was an asshole,' he mumbled out, eventually.

Shaun sighed with exasperation. 'You're an asshole! Now come on, take another breath.'

Getting to his feet sent a shockwave of pain down his whole body but it didn't matter, not when Shaun's arm wound tight around his waist to pull him in close to his warm, and still very much half-naked body. 'Keep applying pressure,' he instructed Mox as they began to hobble their way down the alley.

Before leaving, Mox kicked something away with his boot. A chunk of metal clanked its way into the hidden depths of the shadows. 'What was that?' Shaun asked.

'Nothing,' Mox shot back. 'Let's go.'

Least he'd taken that fucking gun off the creep, least he'd taught him a lesson he'd never forget, even after the bullet had taken a chunk out of his shoulder. Least that bastard would never even think of trying to hurt his roommate again.

For as long as he was here, by Shaun's side, he would do whatever it took to keep him safe.

[angstyaches]

The Hexagon: Part Three

Parts One-Two

CW: prolonged hunger, insomnia, anxiety, hopelessness, fear of never seeing loved ones again, paranormal whump.

___

48 Hours

They were quiet for a long time. The night was not.  

Shayne knew his restlessness was only making Charlie's anxiety worse, but staring up at the shimmering warded walls towering above them was making him feel incredibly nauseous. That, and the stillness, while the world was so active just beyond the hexagon, was unbearable.

He pulled himself upright, bringing his knees most of the way up to his chest. 

And looked. 

A few evenings ago, while he and Charlie had been walking, Shayne hadn't noticed a lot of demonic activity out here. Before the trap had activated, he'd been starting to think they'd made a mistake coming out here. They had, obviously; but for different reasons.

It was possible that the demons had all hidden, inherently sensing the danger that Shayne presented for them, or maybe he was known amongst all of them, not just the Mulberry inhabitants. But with their predator trapped, they shifted in and out of pockets of darkness at leisure.

Shayne had never had the chance to see them like this before – peaceful. He’d only ever seen them curious, furious, or terrorised by his presence.

Hunger bit relentlessly at his stomach, uncaring of the fact that he would have had to burn himself alive just to get to the creatures that it wanted him to chase down and devour.

In a way, being trapped freed him from that instincts, or, at the very least, knocked it on its ass.

The night air cooled the back of his damp shirt and set him shivering. His jaws ached from clenching his teeth and screaming. He rubbed at the sides of his face with both hands, then at his eyes when he realised how sore they were from looking through the wards. 

But he wanted to see. He wanted to watch the demonic dark in which he didn’t exist.

Buried in his mind were vague memories of staring into a large fish tank as a small child; Dahlia holding him close to the glass so that he could put his hand to it and imagine he was touching the colourful fish on the other side. This felt a bit like that.

Instead of appearing as pools of light-sucking shadow like the Mulberry demons, the demons here seemed to glisten as they shifted through the night. Like an animal's fur when damp.

Occasionally, two glistening puddles would come close to colliding, but the demons would simply observe one another, reveal a vague outline of a form using whatever remnants they’d consumed ,and then move along amicably.

Charlie rolled closer to him, still curled up on the ground. He let out a confused hum as he noticed Shayne’s upright position. 

Shayne cleared his throat but didn’t have the words to explain the morbid curiosity that had come over him. Lucy might have told him it was a defense mechanism, a way of wrapping up his sadness so he didn’t have to deal with it.

But that didn’t sound like the kind of conversation to burden Charlie with. Not now. Not here. 

Instead, he carded his fingers into Charlie’s hair. His skin crawled as he felt the blonde strands rise to meet his touch. He felt the misshapen horn that had sprouted from the left side of Charlie’s forehead, shorter and a little more gnarled than usual. When Shayne swept back the hair, the spiraling roots of the horn left their impression just beneath Charlie’s skin, but had taken on a pale, grey pallor rather than striking strokes of black. 

The effects of the wards were getting worse. If Charlie Too had been trying to fight through them, they weren't anymore, and Charlie himself definitely didn’t have the energy to spare.

“I wish I could have spoken to my parents,” Charlie said. 

Shayne gritted his teeth at the thought of Ingrid and Trevor.

“And Rin. And Jon and Nicole. And Belle. Just one more time, to...” Charlie sounded choked up, but he didn't cry. Shayne wished he would; the absence of tears was worse than a flood of them. “To tell them...”

Beyond the wards, a formless demon took momentary notice of the hexagon.

“That you love them?” Shayne asked.

Charlie exhaled sharply in agreement.

“Charlie...” Shayne blinked against the sting in his eyes and throat. “Those people already know you love the shit out of them.” 

The demon outside shifted into a vaguely arch-like shape and faded into nothing again. Shayne wondered if CT would be able to live like that soon, if they would be able to escape the hexagon, or if they’d still be trapped here... 

Shayne’s fingers tightened slightly around Charlie’s hair.  

... After. 

“You’re so good at making people feel loved. And warm. And safe.”

Shayne realised it hadn’t even occurred to him to reassure Charlie that he would see his family again. Neither of them would have believed it. Of course, people would realise they were missing, but even if they came looking, they wouldn't know where to look.

Despite all of that, Charlie didn't flinch, or look up in despair. There might have even been the trace of a smile straining to lift the corner of his mouth. “Thank you, lovely.” 

Shayne swallowed, unsure that he deserved any thanks. How? How had he been so careless with something as precious as this beautiful blonde boy who would follow him into Hell itself if he was asked?

His stomach sank violently. The space, the space. The space you take, little monster – 

Shayne steeled himself against that voice. The tickle at the back of his neck was just the wind. It had to be. He needed it to be. The very nature of the hexagon was that it was just him, and Charlie, and CT. Maybe. 

She didn’t get to be here now. 

“Shayne,” Charlie whispered. The word sounded as though it were being passed through time itself. It carried nothing but the plain fact that it existed. 

“Yeah?” 

“Nothing. It's stupid.”

“What?”

“I just wanted to hear your voice. Make sure you're...” Charlie gulped audibly, his entire body flinching from the effort. “Really here with me.”

It felt as though Shayne's stomach might fall forever and never stop.

“You know I'm here with you, right?” Charlie whimpered.

“I-I know. A-and I'm... I'm here.” Shayne fumbled his hand out of Charlie's hair to brush a thumb against Charlie’s cheek, accidentally catching the lobe of his ear first. And because it had been nice, hearing Charlie say his name, he swallowed even more of his fear and whispered, “I'm here with Charles Benjamin Waters.” 

Eyes shut, arm tucked under his head, Charlie smiled again, but these weren't true smiles. They were consolation smiles.

Shayne’s lips parted, then shut again. Nothing he could say would make the moment any easier. He tore his eyes away and absently rubbed circles into Charlie’s scalp until he knew that Charlie had fallen asleep.

The certainty that he was alone set off a cold, writhing spasm in the pit of Shayne’s stomach. His breath quivered as he looked down, tempted to wake Charlie back up, but that... that would be selfish, and – 

The space. 

With a jolt, he realised he was about to dig his fingernails into Charlie’s scalp. He slid his hands across himself, holding his sides. No. He couldn’t let himself wake Charlie. There was no point in both of them being awake and afraid.  

Besides, if Charlie was able to sleep, he should sleep. Neither of them had really slept.

Charlie let out a gentle, questioning noise. With trembling hands, Shayne stroked his hair again. He found CT's horn a little longer, a little less knotted. It seemed like too much to hope for, but maybe sleep had brought some kind of relief to them both.

And you thought about waking him, Shayne thought to himself with a twinge of guilt. It wasn't the last sound Charlie made in his sleep, and every time, Shayne rested a hand on his head until he settled again.

56 Hours

He didn't realise he'd stayed up all night until liquid lavender started creeping into the sky, drinking up the dark and swallowing the stars. Not that it mattered in the hexagon, where everything was dipped in sickly pinkish purple.

This was Elliott’s favourite time of day, that hazy limbo just before dawn, and the thought hit Shayne like a fist to the centre of his chest. Thanks to countless hours of combat training with Elliott, Shayne knew exactly how such a blow felt, but that wasn’t what came to mind now. It was the way Elliott’s eyes could hold onto a scowl even as his mouth grinned. It was the rumble of his laugh.  

He had to pull his hand away from Charlie’s hair, clamping both palms over his mouth to keep the clawing pain in his lungs from bubbling up into a cry. Shayne couldn't convince himself that Elliott knew, truly knew, how deeply Shayne had forgiven him. Or how much he appreciated having Elliott and Felix in his life. 

He braced himself to swallow another sob, but something else stilled it in his chest. 

A movement. Different from the others. 

Shayne lowered his hands from his mouth. The shock took the tremble out of his fingers.  

“What the fuck?” he whispered. 

The ground was drenched in dew as he pushed himself to his feet. Pine needles stuck to his hands, irritating the damaged skin on his right palm, and he didn’t even think to brush them off. He staggered up close to the north-eastern-facing wall of the hexagon.  

The rising sun had put a couple of inches between itself and the slanted horizon. Golden sunrays scattered between the tree trunks. 

And highlighted a figure standing amongst them. 

Shayne’s knees buckled slightly. Only a shred of self-preservation stopped him from pressing his hands up to the ward. 

The figure wore a dark garment that fell all the way to the forest floor, but beneath it was the shape of a person, far more clear-cut than the average demon could have conjured up from their remnants. They raised a cloaked arm and unfurled their hand. 

Shayne turned away to shield his eyes from the glare released into the morning haze. The effect was like dizzying spots in his vision, only the spots were bright purple, just like the wards.

But when he looked out again, the shadows of the trees were all that lay ahead of him, and for once in his life, Shayne’s eyes actually struggled to adjust to the gloom. He hadn’t really considered how the wards’ glow might mess up his senses, not until the walls had dissolved, leaving behind a sickly off-yellow hue that stained everything in their absence. 

The hexagon had vanished, and for a moment, he thought the figure had, too. Maybe this had all just been a weird head rush, his mind finally breaking from the stress, the hunger.  

When Shayne took a step forward, hands outstretched, there were no wards to stop him, no new burns on his palms. Nausea squeezed at his stomach as he tried to make sense of it all, to force this new information into a brain that had pretty much accepted its fate and didn't know what to do with anything else.

Downhill, a cloak billowed and disappeared through the trees. The figure picked up speed, their footfalls heavy and solid on the ground.

“Hey,” Shayne gasped.

And he suddenly knew exactly what to do.

He gave chase.

[002yb]

Your last ask about the reverse Robin's au was just so interesting . Please, could you tell us more about Tim and Damian in that au. Also, poor baby Jason. Bruce why are you always like that with Damian? 🥺 I just love how both Jason and Tim have this respect for Damian. Oh and what would happen with Dick?

Of course! Thank you for your interest in them. Damian and Tim's relationship in that reverse robin AU is one I'm so happy with, so I'd love to share more. (˵ •̀ ᴗ •́ ˵ ) ✧

Damian + Tim (ft. Superboyfriends)

In that period of time where Tim bounces and Damian is left to mind Jason's becoming of Robin (+ Bruce), he gets a lot of grief from Jon about how Damian went about everything

And Damian is so stubborn about it. Because his feelings might be a bit hurt over Tim abandoning him, but also because in his mind, Damian isn't wrong: Tim is more than Robin; always was.

Jon understanding where Damian was coming from, but insisting there's better ways to go about it

Which Damian refuses to entertain, come off it. Jon does if only for a time; if only because Damian is genuinely sore over how everything fell apart

With time though, Jon dropping in little anecdotes on how Tim is doing at Titans Tower. Because Jon hears about Tim from Kon.

And Damian plays aloof, but he hangs on every word on how Tim's doing, what he's been up to, what amazing feat he's accomplished.

Damian feeling the same pride, but it's tinged by a painful melancholy because he misses the bastard.

With more time and a lot of interference, Damian coming to realize how he should have handled matters. Not that he makes an effort to right them. Damian writes himself off, resigned to reap what he's sown. Not that he was entirely wrong. Jason still proves to be a tremendously capable Robin, it's just...it would be nice for Tim to have been here to be part of it all.

Kon relaying similar stories about Damian to Tim. Who always clicks his tongue and scowls but gives himself away by looking expectantly at Kon whenever he stops talking.

Just two proud boys doing the classic bat brooding and miscommunications. But it's chill because they've got their supers there conspiring to bring them together again.

Because fr Jon and Kon are so over having to schedule around when they sneak over their boyfriends overnight, y'know?

Also idk, just Damian and Tim wanting to reach out but doing the dramatic deleting of a text or dropping their phones to their chests without making a call. Turning away from their phones outright. Good stuff.

These two eventually running into each other on missions that happen to coincide. An initial standoffishness that falls away as they fall back into old habits with each other, only to realize the mistake and get all sulky/broody about it again.

But they do start to talk at some point. It's stilted at first, but soon enough the usual banter returns and it's all quiet shoulder checks and ornery, playful torments.

Damian ultimately eating crow about the whole situation. Tim brushing it off because he knows Damian cares for people in extremes. Not that Damian was right about anything. Just - talk to Tim next time.

Which leads to another step towards proper partnership for these two and it's sweet. ;U;

As for Dick's introduction in this AU... I'm admittedly torn between who seeks him out. It'd be cute if it were Jason reaching out after the tragedy at Haly's, but like... Jason whump opportunity so:

It's Damian who takes Dick under his wing and wants to give him the Robin mantle

Only he's learned from his mistake with Tim, so this time he talks with Jason about it, first.

And the thing is - they were all there to see the tragedy happen. Jason was right there beside Damian as he comforted this inconsolable boy, orphaned by Gotham's turpitude and their family's inability to ever get ahead of it.

So Jason would see in real time as Damian makes this decision and it would be the most devastating thing.

Because months/years later, Jason is still recovering from Ethiopia. He's trying so damn hard, too. He's almost okay, almost ready... but the truth is that he'll never get back to that level he was before he was beaten so terribly. Even if Jason can push himself, there are times his hip still gives out, or his ankle collapses under him. Psychologically he's as sound as the next bat, but physically? Jason can't recover.

Even still, Jason clings to Robin like a lifeline. That's his hope. His connection to Damian and Tim and Bruce; his family.

So to watch as Damian sees Robin's future in someone else is painful. There's nothing Jason can do to stop it, either. Whether Damian asks for his opinion or not, the choice is made.

'He needs this.' Damian would tell him, compassionate and cruel all at once. And Jason would hate him a bit because, 'what about me?'

Just Jason joining the ranks of the middle children with Tim, y'know? ;u;

Something something Jason withdrawing from Damian. A chasm building and all the insecurities and resentment festering. Bargains about how Dick can stay with Bruce, but Jason can be Damian's [Robin].

Jason fighting tooth and nail for his place in the family, but maybe hurting himself because he pushes too hard? Which sparks concern-induced-rage!Damian who snaps at him out of worry, but Jason takes it as a personal attack and it's sadness as they fight and fall out

Meanwhile Dick's out here completely enamored with this boy that tries so hard and fights so viciously and has so much passion. So he follows Jason around and wears him down and soothes the hurt of whatever abandonment/betrayal Jason feels somehow. Something like Dick promising to take care of Robin & Damian until Jason can do it himself. Or wanting to fly beside Jason - two Robins! Ahhhhhh, these two boys finding the essence of Robin in each other and that being their foundation.

[feelinkeeli]

* Rex and Cody are the same age according to info released on the characters. In TBB, Omega even notes Rex is first gen. So everything depicting Rex looking significantly younger than Cody is fanon.

** Jon Antilles, Feemor, various clones, etc. that showed up once. Quite a few of them are basically OCs with preset looks and names.

Important Note: I'm only allowed 10 options, I couldn't include all fanon. (Like I couldn't get into all the Mandalorian culture fanon, Montross being a traitor all along, Jedi Healer Bant, etc.)

Also I am not trying to make a positive or negative remark on fanon. Like, Rex being Cody's little brother probably the most universally popular and beloved fanon. Yan Dooku and Cody = Kote are fun. Various writers and readers enjoy all the angst, H/C, and whump that come from woobie-wan or Coruscant Guard whump. I just want to know what's fanon you enjoy most.

[bellysoupset]

Soup, Soup, you can't just post about Jon's burps right after mentioning Wendy kept sliding him the drinks after the party at her place...could we have any of the aftermath with him and Leo? 👀 just striking the iron while it's hot, don't mind me @writing-whump

This was too cute not to type immediately.

Burpy Jonah in the morning after Wen's bday.

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

Leo had fallen asleep on the couch. Not on purpose, but after dropping Jonah off at Wen's apartment at 1 AM and coming home alone, he had stopped to breathe in the couch, unbuttoning his shirt- And then woke up with the sun streaming in and JD nibbling at his fingertips.

"Uhm, what is it?" Leo grumbled, sitting up and picking up the cat, pressing his nose to her little triangular one, "it's too early for food, baby. You're gonna turn into a round cat if we keep feeding you at all times of the day."

JD let out a pitiful meow at that and Leo sighed, collapsing back against the cushions and yawning, "is Jonah back yet?" he smoothed her fur, grinning when his cat rolled on her back, exposing her tummy for him. She knew exactly how to be terribly cute and get herself treats when he said no, "you manipulative little cat."

Leo got out of the couch, stumbling to the kitchen to grab JD's treats, the cat running ahead as if to show him the way. He rolled his eyes at her, crouching down to grab the plastic packet and grimacing when he caught his reflection on one of the pans. His hair was sticking out everywhere and he was still wearing last night's clothes.

After a long shower, Leo walked back into the living room, only to find JD had climbed his work suitcase and was in the process of trying to open the zipper.

"You are terrible," he groaned, reaching to grab her and she let out a pitiful meow at being pressed against his naked, humid chest, "yeah, meow all you want, my work suitcase is not for-"

He interrupted himself when the door opened and Jonah stumbled in.

Leo raised his eyebrows, pressing his lips into a line as he saw Jon press against the door, raising a hand to his mouth to muffle what he thought was a yawn, only for a loud burp to cause Leo to jump and JD to hiss.

"Oh shit- Sorry!" Jonah blushed as he realized he wasn't alone, collecting himself, as he was sliding down the closed front door, "sorry. Excuse me."

"You're excused," Leo giggled, "what time is it?"

"Eight something..." Jon rubbed his face and Leo raised his eyebrows as he took in exactly what his boyfriend was wearing. These were certainly not the social clothes he had left wearing last night.

"Are those Vince's?" Leo smiled, inspecting the orange hoodie that was very large on Jon, as well as the grey pants that were covering his toes.

"Yeah," Jonah grimaced and walked further into the apartment, "I'm starving."

"Wendy didn't feed you? Some host she is," Leo couldn't help the jab and Jonah's shoulders shook with a chuckle as he entered the kitchen area and started grabbing everything in the fridge.

"Apparently Vince is down with some biblical plague, they all rushed to Luke and Bell's place, Barbara drove me home..." Jonah stuffed his mouth with a croissant that Leo was pretty sure was a day old and thus normally untouchable by his boyfriend's standards, "uhm, this is good. My tummy hurts."

"Your tummy hurts," Leo repeated, lowering JD back to the ground and leaning against the fridge, terribly amused, "are you still drunk?"

"Maybe," Jon nodded, sliding down and sitting on the kitchen floor, chugging juice straight out of the carton and causing Leo's eyebrows to raise even more, "probably, Wendy kept pushing me her drinks."

"I see," Leo nodded, crouching down on the ground as well and crawling to him, pressing Jon against a cabinet as he stole a kiss, "just how drunk?"

"Uhmmm," Jonah hummed happily, pulling back with a dazed smile and running his fingers through Leo's humid hair, "not drunk enough we have to stop, no."

"No?" Leo grinned, tugging on Jonah's borrowed orange hoodie and dumping it on the ground next to them, practically on top of JD, "c'mere-"

He leaned in to kiss Jon, all but sitting on his lap on the kitchen floor, only for the pressure on his boyfriend's tummy to be too much and Leo ended up jumping back, startled as Jon let out a loud burp.

The other man whined, scrambling to cover his mouth with both hands, while Leo threw his head back, cackling.

"Not funny!" Jonah groaned, lowering his forehead to Leo's naked shoulder and the blonde shook with giggles.

"No, hilarious," he corrected, kissing Jon's cheek, "does your tummy at least feel better?"

Jon groaned, then Leo felt him muffle another huge burp, his cheeks ballooning comically, "a little. Stop laughing at me."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he grinned, wrapping his arms around him, "we can still make out, I don't mind."

"Freaky," Jonah scoffed, hugging him back and slotting his chin on Leo's shoulder, "I think I just... Just wanna stay like this."

"Okay," Leo smiled, melting into the hug, "whatever you want, Jon."

[initial-lime]

you’re like the first Buried blog I’ve found so I’m a wee bit excited, and I have a few questions that I need an opinion on

1, opinion on the Vast? It and the Buried are practically opposites but they share the ocean (Drowning & the Deep), so could a Vast avatar and a Buried avatar technically collab on making some poor fools live a miserable wet hell?

2, top 5 favorite episodes?

3, favorite avatar/avatars?

Hiiii welcome!! This is where I go insane about the dirt, glad to have you! (:

1. For the bit of it I like to be antagonistic towards the vast, those damn sky loving bastards. In actuality though I think they should be considered two sides of the same coin, they share a lot of attributes (the ocean, and also space if you think about it) and in many ways they’re both the fear of something large and inescapable (wether it be a literal colossal beast or the weight of all existence keeping you trapped)

Where they differ is the approach to getting out of the situation, the vast is an endless attempt to escape and the buried is a failure to escape at all. To stand still and be crushed.

Which is exactly why a vast/buried “collab” wouldn’t be possible,,, you can’t escape forever and also never escape at all, going far and going nowhere is just a bit too,,, spirally if you get me lol

2. My personal top 5 episodes are!

132 - entombed (the look inside the actual coffin was incredible, it stars my two favorite characters, I just really enjoy this one)

142 - scrutiny (mostly for the image of Jon being creepy but the victims statement was also outstanding)

172 - strung out (aside from the buried the web is also one of my favorites and I can appreciate the simple entrapment of social connections and substances)

152 - a gravediggers envy (because Hezekiah’s perspective is actually. Eerily relatable, I too want a nap in the dirt)

91 - the coming storm (I’ll be honest I didn’t much care for mikes statement but I’m a sucker for the Jon whump AND I get Daisy in action? Sign me up)

3. I am. Predictable and perhaps a little unoriginal but my top 3 avatars are Jon, Daisy and Hezekiah wakely (in that order) I like them all for different reasons but in general they’re just characters I either relate to or have an unhealthy fascination with

This is already a kinda long post so I wont go in detail on this one now, but I’m always open for (more) questions 👁‍🗨 if there’s one thing it’s that. I love questions, absolutely yap-maxxing, I am allergic to shutting up ever (:

[hell-heron]

Day 3 - Childhood/Pre-Canon recs!

As this is a genre I very cheerfully enjoy/devour I feel like it could be useful to have a little reclist of these that are pleasing to the Throbb population...

Canon Divergences/Elaborate Scenarios

Carry Me Home - Theon gets a chance to escape Winterfell, but is forced to choose between doing so and saving Robb's life. Very high-angst but a very insightful idea on how they came to be so close even as that's an incredibly painful existential choice to Theon, and foreshadows their future theme of impossible choices and uncomfortable loyaties so well.

Pretty Little Thrall - Maron instead of Theon is the hostage sent to Winterfell, but a year into his captivity he escapes taking little Robb as a thrall. This goes from childhood to their adult romance and has a lot of excellent Robb angst/whump, as well as a more innovative setup for the role-reversal trope

Wolf or Kraken? - Another role reversal, this one has a more classic setup with Balon demanding Robb as hostage after winning the rebellion and has a lighter/comedy-fluff tone. It's 10 lovely chapters of slice of life and friendship and something I really love is how it's not more miserable/dreary than it was for Theon to be a Winterfell, it just is.

First Meetings/Very Early Precanon

Hey, Brother - Ten year old Theon attempting to figure out how he's expected and how he wants to relate to his new foster brothers. Very insightful about Theon's past baggage with brotherhood and Robb and Jon are such two adorable little brats.

without a sudden calm will overset - Very shortly after Theon's arrival to Winterfell, he has to deal with the Stark family in full festivity as the birth of a third child is celebreated. My own fic so no compliments for this one.

Executions Angst

By The Sword - Robb and Theon are taken to see their first execution and Theon has a little panic attack. Introspectively very beautiful and great contrast with Robb's innocence and attempts to understand, OT this also has a very lovely nugget of joy for Greysnow shippers.

Don't Lose Your Head - A character study of Theon's trauma with beheadings not limited to pre-canon nor to Theon&Robb's relationship, but the conversation Theon and Robb have in this is strikingly beautiful and atmospheric, and I love the detail of Theon having the fantasy of Robb mourning him once he's executed as coping mechanism

Miscellaneous fluff

both are windy - Once again my fic, no compliments. Theon receives a letter from home informing him his sister has become a captain and vents all his baggage on Robb

Puppy Love - More recent pre-canon, Robb ropes Theon into taking care of bb!Grey Wind and the two reluctantly develop a bond. Super sweet.

with grace in your heart and flowers in your hair - Theon wins a little mock-tourney at Winterfell and crowns Robb his queen of love and beauty. Delightful bit of little-baby-pining and very fun look into how Theon navigates the North's suspicion of him

[agerefandom]

10 Favourite Regression Dynamics

I’ve made lists of some characters I headcanon as regressors, and characters I headcanon as caregivers: and I love a good ‘character and reader’ dynamic, but here are some canon dynamics that I LOVE to add age regression to! 

Important note: these aren’t necessarily romantic ‘ships’ and they might not be healthy age regression dynamics but they’re dynamics I find it rewarding to write about! 

1. regressor!Will and caregiver!Hannibal (NBC Hannibal) 

Starting strong with a regression dynamic that is not healthy but it is such an interesting thing to add to their existing codependence! Will gives me such agere vibes and Hannibal’s existing trauma around his big brother history make this such an interesting dynamic to explore. It definitely tilts the power balance faaaar in the direction of someone who will take the opportunity to do terrible things with it, but that’s basically what you’re signing up for with any story about Hannibal Lecter. 

2. regressor!Jack and caregiver!Bitty (Check Please!) 

No one exudes stronger caregiver vibes than Bitty: I’m definitely a supporter of this as a double-flip pairing (with both regressing and caregiving) but I want the sad hockey man to get cuddles, goshdarnit, and you know that Bitty would just be the sweetest most thoughtful caregiver and I just gah they’re already such a good pairing with such canonically developed communication as a couple and I would love to see that skill applied to something as vulnerable as regression 

 3. regressor!Harry and caregiver!Sirius (Harry Potter) 

If anyone deserves a chance at a second childhood, it’s Harry Potter. And I think that when he connected with Sirius as a young teen, he really saw that possibility. I think it would be so sweet to see Sirius actually able to give Harry that full parenting: both at the age he is now, and all the ages that he missed. I just strongly feel like Harry is a regressor, and as much as I like writing him with peers supporting him, I feel like he deserves a real parent figure who can support him in that role in and out of regression, especially in his teen years. 

4. regressor!Jon and caregiver!avatars (Magnus Archives) 

Okay, this is more of a whump thing than a good dynamic, but I just want to see little!Jon dealing with avatars when they’re being nice to him, and it’s like 90% manipulation but it’s also a bunch of monsters being sweet and you can kind of read it as genuine if you squint. I’ve got a vision and it includes literally any of the not-quite-human characters of the Magnus Archives, ranging from the mostly-sweet (End!Gerry) to the completely-terrifying (Bouchard). 

5. regressor!Tony, caregiver!Pepper (Marvel) 

This is the first pairing that ever made me run to write regression fanfiction, and I do believe that I would not be an agere writer without them. Ironically, I’ve never finished and published any of my fics about them, but they have my whole heart. Taking Tony’s earlier unthinking dependence on Pepper and bringing it back in a healthy way, with limits and negotiation and emotional vulnerability, showing how much they’ve grown as a couple? Yes please!! 

6. regressor!Cullens, caregivers!Carlisle and Esme (Twilight)

I am such! a! sucker! for immortal beings finding a way to reclaim the concept of time and childhood. Carlisle and Esme canonically find a lot of value in being parents, and considering that they’re such a range of ages, I think that regression is a neat way to create that dynamic, and I just like big groups of regressors in a family and it scratches all of those interests in one!! 

7. regressor!Morty, flip!Rick (Rick and Morty) 

It’s the toxicity for me!!! I make no claims that this would be a good thing, but also I enjoy writing about the things that trigger Rick’s ‘oh shit I have feelings’ mode and you can’t tell me that regression would not key into that, both in his own experiences as a flip and then having to face it as part of Morty’s trauma. And Morty simultaneously trying to get away into independence but getting drawn back by Rick’s kindness in this single circumstance ties into all of the terrible themes of the show. 

8. regressor/caregiver flips Dean and Sam (Supernatural) 

Speaking of codependence, I cannot choose which of these boys is more symbolically resonant to have as a regressor, and both of them certainly have enough trauma to make it a viable coping mechanism. I think they have the art of balancing each other down to an art: especially in the early seasons, you can really see that process in the way they take turns being the Angry one. Writing about that balance in the context of regression is an interesting concept, and then the way that Dean relates to caregiving versus needing care, and Sam’s desperation to be the reliable one... it’s just a lot of tasty angst to play with alongside the sweet opportunity for a childhood without the war they were raised to fight. 

9. regressor!Erik, caregiver!Christine (Phantom of the Opera) 

Okay, this one is like ninety percent for the aesthetics, because you do need to do some handwaving over canon to make it fluffy. But Erik needs reparenting, and flipping the relationship from the original dynamic with Erik as a kind of father-figure is a nice way to reclaim the story from the original gothic maiden themes. 

10. regressor!Dave, caregiver!Roxy (Homestuck)

All hail my Ride Or Die regression dynamic!!! It’s basically canon and I stand by that! Dave called her mom and said that it feels nice to think of her as a mom because he had such a mixed experience with his own parental figure. And she’s got her own complicated feelings about parenthood and guardianship, but says that she likes it when Dave calls her mom, and it all just makes me very happy.  

This has been my TEDtalk on my favourite regression dynamics!! Thank you for coming!! 

[aceofwhump]

I saw your bridgerton jonathan bailey gifs and I just watched Fellow Travelers where the entire thing is jon bailey whump with the saddest wettest puppy eyes! Wonder if you've seen it yet and what are your thoughts?

Ahh I haven't watched it yet no!! I want to though! It looks so good and I love both Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey so I just gotta watch it. I just haven't had the emotional capacity for a new show yet. One day I will though! Especially if there's sad eyes whumpy Jonathan Bailey!!!!! I NEED THAT IN MY LIFE!!

[queenie-ofthe-void]

I love Nancy fics where she gets to be kind of a bad person. Let her trauma affect her dammit! So I’m requesting Nancy’s confession

Ahhh yes thank you for asking!!

Same I hate her being in a love triangle because her character could be so much better without it, so this is how I think it should've been handled in S4.

Nancy never really got closure with Steve. Their breakup was messy in the middle of UD shenanigans.

So after S4 she goes to Steve's late at night, confesses her "love" for him, how she misses him. Steve turns her down, and she finally has a breakdown (she deserves it!)

She snaps at him, lashes out like she did at the party. Eddie and Max getting hurt is his fault. Big Steve-whump energy except he GETS her now. He doesn't take it personally because he knows this is just her struggling. He's firm, she pushes, and he's basically like come talk with me when you actually want to talk about it. Go home to Jon etc.

Cue part two: Eddie and Robin hiding in the hallway bc it was movie night. All Eddie hears is Nancy saying she still loves Steve. He panics and bails, thinking Steve will leave him.

[blackkatmagic]

I was so caught up in ‘more Kat writing, yay!’ that I forgot it was Feb-WHUMP. Then I got hit directly in the feels.

:D

“For the Guard?” Fox asks, slow. Assessing, Jon thinks. He doesn’t know what there is to assess, though. “You good at picking up on assassination attempts, General?”

“Of course he is,” Dark Woman says. “And he’ll do whatever he must to stop them, too.”

Jon nods, though he can't quite bring himself to look up. Dark Woman is just a pace away, and all he can feel is dread, tangled up in the thought of her reaction when Fox says no. She won't give up, because she never does, but—

“If it helps, Commander,” Ki-Adi-Mundi says, “I can vouch for his training. Dark Woman trained my own padawan for a while, and she’s without compare.”

Mace looks rather like he just bit into a lemon, Jon thinks, and contains a wince.

“Thank you, sir,” Fox says, though it’s brusque. He glances at Mace, and Jon can just see out of the corner of his eye when Mace raises a brow, then tips his head. “All right. General Antilles, was it?”

“He has no name,” Dark Woman says, folding her arms over her chest. “Just a mandate of service to the Order and the Force.”

Fox looks at her for a long second, then says, “Of course, sir. General, if you’ll come with me, I’ll show you to the Guard barracks.”

“Thank you, Commander Fox,” Mace says evenly. “I’ll have the papers filed and copies sent over. Master, if you’ll join me for the Council meeting, I believe we could use your insights.”

“Of course,” Dark Woman says, but instead of leaving, she comes to a stop in front of Jon, and he swallows, straightens. Her eyes are narrowed, cold, and she says, “Padawan. There's a Sith in the Senate. Find them and dispose of them. Understood?”

“Yes, Master,” Jon says, and it’s almost a relief, to have a clear, direct order like that. Not the vague, open-ended lead an army that he spent the whole trip here, but—something concrete. Something to follow when it’s felt like everything else has left him twisting and uncertain. He’ll follow the Force, find the Sith, try to keep the men depending on him alive. If Fox is who he’s serving with…it’s not a good start, but maybe it will get better.

It doesn’t need to, as long as he does what he’s required to. But Jon doesn’t want to be hated, even if that’s weakness, sentiment.

[deepdisireslonging]

Broken Negotiations

Bullet Club Gold kidnapped the Reader as a bargaining chip to worm Jay White into a championship match with Ricky. He’s supposed to have back-up. Family and friends that the Reader called in for such an occasion. But things go terribly wrong.

Pairing: Ricky Starks x Moxley!Reader

Warnings/Promises: canon-level hostage situation and violence, ANGST, choking, unhappy ending, whump in general

Word Count: 1040

Note: Yes, writing the reader as Jon Moxley’s cousin is my favorite trope. There’s just so many opportunities for angsty family situations that way. I’m not about to change now. Also, Ricky is really pretty when he's in distress. And I was in an angsty mood earlier this week. Happy, or unhappy reading!

The thin padding of foam under the ring’s canvas did nothing to protect your knees. You grunted when Juice Robinson dropped you, pressing a heavy hand onto your shoulder. On either side of you, Jay White and the rest of the Bullet Club Gold chuckled at your distress. You wouldn’t flinch. Wouldn’t budge. They could make all the demands they wanted, but you wouldn't let them use you to achieve their goals.

Still, tears burned behind your eyes at the scene in front of you.

Ricky’s chest was heaving. The dark bags under his eyes made him look like he hadn’t slept in weeks, much less the six nights since you’d been kidnapped. The championship dangled worthlessly in his hand. Like he’d drop it in a second.

You couldn’t let him do that.

As for the figures standing with him, they didn’t reassure you as much as you’d hoped. Your cousin, Mox, looked ready to hurl himself across the ring to bludgeon his way through your kidnappers. But Claudio’s hand on his shoulder kept him nervously in place. Yuta stood on Ricky’s other side. Cold. Calculating. Watching the ramp and the audience behind them for any tricks. But the way they stood apart from Ricky… The back-up was there for you. If things went south, you would be the only one looking out for him.

“You ready to… negotiate, Starks?” Jay laid a hand on the top of your head. Before his fingers could dig into your hair, you pushed it away. Juice’s grip tightened on your shoulder. “Here she is. Undamaged. Mostly, give or take a bruise or two. As promised.” Jay angled his head as a challenge. “You gonna hold up yours?”

Ricky looked down at the championship in his hand. Then he looked at you. Exhausted.

You shook your head. Not like this.

You yelped as Jay jerked you to your feet, hugging you close. His tight grip around your rib cage didn’t waver as you struggled for more room to breathe. “You don’t have to hand it over. Just agree to the match. Just you and me. Everybody else stays backstage. Your pretty one here,” he dug his nose into the space under your ear, “she can be on commentary though. Where we both can see her.” He passed you back to Juice, who held a hand over your mouth to keep you from interfering.

Still, you shook your head. Glaring at Jay, then at Mox, you did your best to signal to everyone you could that, under no circumstances, was Ricky to agree to any of these terms. Which would change the second that Jay needed them to whether that was now, or during the match.

You bit down on Juice’s finger, making him shout. “If you wanted a match so badly, why didn’t you ask Tony for a contract signing?” With a grunt, you continued to struggle to get out of the arms around your waist. “I know why. It’s because you don’t deserve one. There are better wrestlers with better winning streaks than you right now, and you’re not at the front of the line. So you’re trying to cut. It won’t work. I won’t let it-“

As Juice’s arm wrapped around your throat, you squeaked. Angling his body back, your feet left the canvas. He muttered “now I gottcha.” His mocking laugh buzzed in your brain as your oxygen depleted, and your struggling lessened.

“Alright!” Ricky tossed down the championship. Jay’s eyes greedily watched it crumple in the space between them. “She’s right, you don’t deserve one. But you can have a match. Right now. I don’t care.”

“No-“ Your vision began to spot.

“Let her go. And call a ref. For every bruise you’ve given her, I’m gonna break two bones in your body.”

The horror had only just begun.

While Ricky threatened Jay with every pain known to man, Claudio inched into his space. Juice released you just enough for your vision to clear in time to see the following struggle. Ricky’s mic dropped to the canvas with a bouncing thump. He flailed. His eyes bulged, then shut against the panic as the grip around his throat tightened. His nails clawed into Claudio’s forearms and shoulders where he could reach. Yuta watched on, glancing between Ricky beginning to fade and you. Finally, when Ricky stopped moving, Claudio released him. You cried out as his body landed in a heap.

“Alright.” Mox stepped forward, over the championship, into Jay’s space. “You gonna uphold your end?”

Jay grinned. Slowly, he looked at Juice.

You shoved him away when released. “What? Jon, what is this? Ow!” You were unable to dislodge his grip on your arm as he dragged you out and under the ropes. “No. Stop.” You glanced at the ring. Claudio and Yuta had left, working their way around to meet up with Mox. Inside, the Bullet Club Gold circled around Ricky as he started to stir. “Wait. We can’t leave him!”

“You shouldn’t be here to see this. Now come on. I’ve got you.” He nodded for Claudio to grab your other arm.

“You promised! You promised you wouldn’t do this. I asked for your help, to have his back like you’ve had mine. You promised!” You managed to break loose from Mox’s grip at that. In a terrifying mirror of your earlier position, Claudio wrapped his arms around your waist and began to carry you out of the arena. “NO! Please. Ricky!”

In the ring, the Gunn brothers had Ricky on his knees with his arms outstretched. He glanced up, his head lolling side to side as his brain tried to figure out which direction your voice was coming from. Looking for you, he didn’t see the danger. He didn’t see Jay with the championship in hand. He crumpled again as the metal plate on the belt crashed against his forehead. They backed off as a referee entered the ring.

Your vision began to spot again. Screaming for Ricky, so close after Juice had toyed with choking you out… it was too much.

The last thing you saw was Ricky on his feet, knees wobbling, fists up but punch drunk. The bell rang. And your world went dark.

[22degreehalo]

It's finished!!!!!!! \o/

Many thanks to @ficreadingchallenge for running this - it really did encourage me to seek out fics I wouldn't have otherwise, and it was overall a lot of fun! :)

New recs below, and then I'll post a Masterpost with all of them together!

Take Your Fandom to Work AU aching to find who they are by preciousthings (11.1k, Jon Favreau/Tommy Vietor)

I’m not normally one for RPF, but when I stumbled upon this I decided to give it a go since it fit the square, and I enjoyed it! :) It’s very sweet and low-conflict, but somehow never feels boring or overly idealised? I enjoyed the gradual reveal of the world’s mechanics and the characters’ backstory and the multimedia epistolary elements!

Enemies to Friends/Lovers The Web of Life Woven by Havoka (6.2k, Symmetra+Lifeweaver)

I’m frankly in love with this author’s writing of Symmetra, and I agree completely that Lifeweaver was exactly the change-up her character needed! This fic is so delicate and thoughtful: Satya and Niran are so fundamentally different people, but their personalities and points of view are expressed with such care and sympathy. Satya provides an outsider POV of Niran’s crisis of faith with Vishkar, and it works, keeping the fic from getting too bogged into details, and allowing for a peek into Satya’s own doubts, which are buried deep even when she’s the protagonist. I’ll definitely be reading more by this author!

Whump Kintsugi by brightly_lit (4.6k, Sam+Dean)

This hurt :’) (as it should have!!) I don’t want to say too much because the exact nature of the AU is itself a spoiler, but it’s certainly something that could have happened if canon went a little differently and boy is it upsetting :’)))

FREE Only as Young as the Minute is Full of it by angelheadedhipster (2.8k, Torrence/Missy)

I happened to rewatch Bring it On recently, so of course I had to look up the fic out of curiosity, and I stumbled upon this little gem! It’s short, but it fits so perfectly into the canon that it just feels like it belongs there. As far as I’m concerned, this is how the story really went :P

Reread an Old Fave Strangetown, Here We Come! by strange-tomato (very long, various Sims 2 pairings)

I was reminded of this old fic recently and knew instantly that it would be my choice for this square <3 To this day it’s still one of my favourite poly stories ever, with a perfect slow burn build (so slow it wasn’t even initially intended!) and plenty of other fascinating sometimes-queer side stories as well! Re-reading it now and it’s just as great as I remembered it being; time will only tell if I get so attached to these characters again that I end up being really tempted to reinstall TS2 like last time!

Secret Relationship [podfic] not to listen but to hear read by Podsayers, written by Misandrywitch (47:29, 9k, Holmes/Watson)

This is a sweet fic!! It covers a large swathe of time between these two men, including after Reichenbach, so the progression feels completely natural. Sherlock’s POV is always something different, and this one delivers on giving it a really distinctive feel!