#i’m so angry there is potential for me to write a fix it fic but i’m too upset turn tbh

[mydirtyvalentine]

okay so i’m gonna yap about oscar, and blind faith by proxy, for a bit cause once again i am deep in my feels about him.

i wanted to start my rambles by saying that i absolutely love fix-it content in regards to oscar. fics or au’s where he isn’t left behind after the events that took place at the allan farm. post canon scenarios where arthur returns back to new york and oscar and him make amends. hell, i’m writing my own fic rn where oscar and arthur get the chance to share tender moments together and will get their happy ending.

its why i love fics like lighthouse shepard’s no sweeter innocence, or potato lord’s holy ghost au. tea from the microwave’s boykissers au, any and all ourthur content, and don’t even get me started on golden crosses / au’s and fics that explore oscar and john bonding.

i adore oscar as a character and want him to be happy and to share that happiness with others.

that being said,

i am truly obsessed with au’s or fics where oscar gets significantly worse after arthur leaves.

oscar aligned himself to arthur, he idolized arthur when he assigned his purpose to be arthur and a drive to help him as far as he possibly could.

that type of dedication, that vein of faith in another, is an incredibly beautiful thing. but can turn sour so rapidly if broken.

i really enjoy seeing content where oscar is miserable after arthur leaves. not because i think he doesn’t deserve happiness and i revel in his suffering, but i also feel that oscar, outside of a happy ending, deserves to be angry, deserves to grieve the loss of arthur, and messily too.

arthur’s parting from oscar was not a gentle thing and i typically don’t see oscar’s life afterwards being a gentle thing. that type of grief turns people bitter.

canonically oscar has never been one to rationally and healthily deal with feelings of anger, guilt, betrayal, and fear. i don’t see oscar easily accepting the fact that his purpose left him. i do believe that, especially given his religious occupation, oscar has great potential for forgiveness. that being said, i do not see oscar easily or quickly arriving to a point, if he even arrives to that point at all, where he forgives arthur.

one of the most devastating posts i saw after part 49 came out said something about how sad it would be, if in oscar’s letter, he was angry. that idea really stuck with me cause out of all the takes i saw about oscar’s letter, it made the most sense. it makes sense for oscar to be angry and for that to bleed into his letter to arthur. angry at being abandoned, angry and grieving at the loss of his arm.

i love when i get to see post-arthur oscar painted as angry, as hesitant to forgive, as working past his (potential) feelings for arthur and no longer idolizing or tying himself to him.

the point that i’m getting at, is that i adore all portrayals of oscar and interpretations and representations of his character and his relationship with others. portrayals where oscar is bitter after arthur leaves hold a special place in my heart, as it means a lot to me to see oscar deal with his feelings and face life after arthur and that process not looking pretty. he deserves to be angry and to grieve, and as much as he deserves that bitterness, he also deserves a happy ending.

an ending where he isn’t aimless, an ending where he is fulfilled and pursuing a purpose. (regardless if that purpose remains arthur or not)

[the-witchhunter]

DP x DC: Oops

Here’s an idea As part of my agenda to remind people that Danny is a teenage boy prone to acting impulsively and without information, and in canon causes a lot of his own problems

Pit rage Jason and how a lot of people like to write him with something funky going on with ectoplasmic Lazarus water. It’s good but I feel like we got a little stale with how easily Danny tends to fix the issue. To the point it’s a bit of a non-issue when it comes up

But, what if, and bear with me here, Danny fucks up?

Danny is not a medical professional, for ghosts or humans, and things only get more complicated when ectoplasm is getting integrated into human biology. The fact it’s corrupted only makes it even more complicated. 

I’m not saying he wouldn’t try and fix Jason, but I am saying he would do it without actually knowing what he’s doing.

What kind of effect does that have? The man suddenly has someone messing around with the weird ghost bullshit that makes him like that, and that’s got to do something?

Possibilities

-Jason reverts to the physical age he died. Doesn’t fix the pit, so now we have a tiny little Jason Todd, just as angry with just as many guys, but now his shirts are big enough to almost touch the ground on him. Dick would think it’s adorable

-The rage is replaced with another emotion. Instead of going berserk when he gets too worked up, he feels intense joy. Criminals are shitting themselves when the Red Hood starts Laughing manically while shooting at them. What would his family think? That he’d been dosed with Joker Venom? Now he’d be trying to track down Danny to fix this while his family is trying to catch him for treatment

-The ectoplasm pulled from Jason is alive and now causing chaos in Gotham as some kind of angry feral ghost adjacent animal, and now Danny and Jason have to try catching it. Potentially while Jason is dying since it was keeping him alive

I just think there’s stories to be had by Danny fucking this up. It’s such a common thing for Danny to try and fix Jason, but there is a level of weird chaos we are ignoring by just letting him fic it with no issue

Jason should be able to look at Danny after and contemplate suing him for medical malpractice

[ghouldump]

HIIII I was wondering if you have any writing tips?? I’m in awe of your work and you make it seem so easy!! Don’t feel obligated to help if it’s too much to ask I just would love to know!!

hey, yes, of course, i'd love to help 🩷 i would assume every writer may have their own way, but i’ll give you a rundown on what has helped me:

— music to set the tone. this is more personal; i love music and i listen to anything, as long as it sounds good. during this time, is usually when i decide if i will do angst, fluff, etc and a general idea.

— imagination. this is the fun part, i’ve joked about maladaptive daydreaming, but i was kind of serious (lol). you have your general idea from the music, and you can start imagining how you want things to go.

— turning the vision into words. this part can be frustrating, but you don’t have to have everything figured out, starting writing. beginning to form the same imaginative thoughts into words.

— grammar checking. i think it is helpful to have something like grammarly to try to fix as many errors you can spot, or if you want to improve your wording.

— limitations can be well limiting. i think one of the most important tips, i would say is, don’t limit yourself, especially if you plan to write something as interesting as gothic horror. not only should you find the beauty within these characters, but darkness. if i’m writing about vampires, the scariest thing they could is not just drink from a mortal, but could potentially be as sinister as you allow because they are literally damned.

— fiction is fake at the end of the day. no matter the fandom, you don’t have to stick to an exact plot. you could easily make up anything with your desired characters because, in the end, it is all fake. (example, lestat is a human explorer, on a voyage for treasure when he discovers the beautiful newly crowned king of the fae, louis)

— patience. the draft option is like my best friend (lol) sometimes you will only have an idea of what you want to write about and sometimes you will take days to come up with something, so give yourself grace and have patience because there will be times when you can't think of anything to write.

— comparison is the theif of all joy. lastly, i struggled with this years ago, when i first started. worrying about my mutuals who also wrote, this or that, because i felt like they wrote better, had a better plot, or had more interactions. however, as i continue to write, i fall in love with the craft more and more, so much so that while i enjoy to read others writing, i can appreciate my own. all of my fics that have the least votes are my favorite, while the ones that have done well, i didn’t like too much.

i hope these tips are helpful for you, and if not, then i hope that you are able to find your own methods. you can do it! you think of your idea and let it flow from your brain as you type it. as easy as it looks, i still struggle with things, one of them is becoming deeply emotionally invested in my stories, and depending on the genre i am writing, i am left feeling gloomy, angry, frustrated, etc. feel free to message me again, if you have anymore questions, because i don’t mind helping in the slightest. 🩷

[littlestsnicket]

witcher wip amnesty 2023

summary: there was a post going around ages ago about an AU where geralt went to get jaskier before A Grain of Truth, so he's there when geralt refers to nivellen as a friend. and i had a 'oh jaskier would not react like that' moment and started writing fic. and then i thought 'do i really need to rehash why i think large parts of fandom are misinterpreting jaskier and geralt's fight on the mountain?' and i thought 'no' but it turns out i already had.

word count: .8k

[also on ao3]

I know someone nearby, an old friend

“Geralt, it’s fine. It was a joke.”

“It’s not fine,” Geralt growled.

“You don’t need to get all self-flagellate-y. I said it’s fine.”

“I’m not self-flagellate-y. That’s not why it’s not fine.” Geralt deliberately did not comment on Jaskier’s tendency to make up words, he did not want to give Jaskier the opportunity to derail the conversation.

“I said it was fine.” Jaskier’s voice dropped to a lower register. He was actually angry. Geralt wasn’t backing down on this though. 

“You do this to me all the time.”

“Well, I am a bard and you are an emotionally constipated Witcher. I’m allowed and you’re not.”

“Jaskier, shut up and let me finish.”

Jaskier’s face scrunched in exaggerated displeasure, but he sat there studying Geralt with uncomfortable intensity for a very long moment. 

“Geralt.”

“What?”

“I’m trying very hard here, but you’re going to have to actually say something.”

“Fuck,” Geralt sighed and pressed the heels of his hands into his browbone before forcing hmiself to speak. “If you hadn’t had some doubt, if it didn't weigh on you in any way that I kept denying we’re friends, would you have left or would you have squawked at me about being a needlessly cruel Witcher and talked in circles until I was too irritated to be properly mad anymore?”

“Oh, that’s...” Jaskier trailed off looking away.

“You mean more to me than I know how to say.”

Jaskier’s mouth quirked like it always did right before he said something he thought was funny but was actually incredibly irritating. But his expression shifted the moment his gaze settled back on Geralt. Geralt could see the gears in Jaskier’s mind downshifting as he forced himself to properly engage with the conversation they were having. It had taken Geralt a very long time to understand that, for all his fast talking and nearly uncanny observational skills, it sometimes took Jaskier a while to really process and integrate new information. 

“I know. And you’re my best friend.”

Jaskier dropped his gaze to stare at his hands, fidgeting with his fingers. Geralt was privately glad he did, Jaskier’s intensity discomfited him as much as he also craved the attention.

Suddenly, Geralt found himself fixed with Jaskier’s blue eyed stare, “Do you really think that little of me, that I would let you get away with that for decades if it bothered me?” 

Jaskier’s smile went wobbly but sincere. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. I guess I shouldn’t claim it wouldn’t have made any difference to have that reassurance of you having said it, but it wasn’t that. I made it pretty clear you were really hurting me and you just kept going. And I—I get it, I’m not mad anymore, but I can’t just let you do that. Yen hurt you, and you—”

“I wasn’t—”

“No. Yennefer reminded you how easy it is to hurt someone who cares about you and you decided to deal the decisive blow first before I could hurt you too. It’s not fine, but I do understand. You haven’t lived this long by ignoring potential threats.”

Geralt sighed. Sometimes Jaskier was impossible, mostly because he was right. 

“Why didn’t you tell her you didn’t wish for that? You didn’t wish for that, did you?”

“No. It wouldn’t have mattered.”

“Exactly,” Jaskier replied, his voice pained. 

Geralt, unsure what else to do, rested his hand on Jaskier’s shoulder. 

“Just, you know, do better next time. And for what it’s worth, though I made no secret of how much I hated her, I am truly sorry the two of you won’t get a second chance.”

They were both quiet for a long time, at least by Jaskier’s standards, before Jaskier did the imitation of a hyper-alert squirrel he did when his attention caught on something he was uncertain about. “You know, I don’t like this place. There’s something off about it. It’s... creepy? But not in an oooo spooky old house way. You get used to that. This gets worse the longer I’m here. It’s... whatever is in the ceiling is not a cat.”

Jaskier was right. Geralt refocused all of his senses. Cats did not make subtle clicking noises. He remembered the barefoot prints vanishing suddenly in the snow. “It’s a bruxa. We have to get to Ciri. Now.”

“Tell me what you need me to do,” Jaskier said as he tailed Geralt down the hall.

“Go with Ciri and get to Roach. Watch out for her. She doesn’t trust me yet and might not listen.”

“Ok. Yes, easy. This will be fine,” Jaskier mumbled to himself. Geralt didn’t snap at him to be quiet like he once might have. He was used to Jaskier, his murmuring wasn’t distracting as much as it was a reassuring reminder that he was there.

[dreamyautumns]

A friend of mine gave me a fic idea for Giant!Deuce and Human!Ace so I think I’m gonna write about these two buffoons for today😎

~~~

Ace grabs hold of a ladder standing just outside Heartslabyul dorm and begins to ascend it. He's holding a large box of cookies, a scowl across his face.

"Ace Trappola! YOU made Deuce Spade angry enough to the point he broke half my dorm, so YOU shall be the one to fix it! Now, go make up with him this INSTANT!"

The ginger took a nervous gulp and looked up at his... "friend". Deuce, one of the only sizeshifters at NRC, had gotten so heated after arguing with Ace to the point he grew out the dorm and broken down half of it. The blue-haired boy sat, slumped against the building, a frown sketched across his face. Ace couldn't really tell what Deuce was feeling. Was it guilt? Anger? Fear?

Ace shook off this thought and looked down at the cookies in his arms.

He better like these... or else he's just another ungrateful asshole...

Ace climbs onto the roof and slowly walks up behind Deuce. The giant holds a rose bush in his hand, banging it against the soft earth besides him. Fallen petals scatter in the wind as the ginger clears his throat and looks up.

"D-Deuce! Down here!"

Deuce stops swinging the bush around and drops it, a heavy thud echoing off the walls. He turns to face Ace, his sea blue gaze piercing right through Ace's ruby red eyes.

"Ace... you got me in trouble with the House Warden! I lost my temper and crashed through the roof because of YOU! You're the last person I wanna see right now, so just beat it you ginger ant!"

"Is that really the best you could come up with?" Ace asks. This provokes Deuce, as the blue haired boy glares daggers down at him.

"You're a real douchebag, y'know that, Trappola? You're obviously not here to make up with me if you keep making me upset."

Right. Be nice to him, or else you'll hurt his "feelings"... Ace mocks Deuce within his mind.

"My bad, dude."

"My bad"? Is that ALL you have to say?" Deuce asks, cracking his knuckles. Each pop sounds like the crackle of thunder as the ginger backs up.

"N-no, actually. I did come here to apologize..." Ace rubs the back of his head. "Clover-senpai told me to bring you these cookies to... demonstrate how "sorry" I was, or something like that. Y'know, you REALLY gotta stop losing your temper like that. You almost squashed like, 20 people! Our House Warden included! What if-"

Deuce's eyes widen, his face contorting to a look of rage. Ace shuts up and sets the box down on the roof.

"You ever learn when to keep your mouth shut?" Deuce asks.

"You ever learn to stop taking everything someone says as something negative? I'm just providing... hmm, what's the word? Insight."

Deuce snatches the box off the roof and points one of his gigantic digits at Ace in an accusatory manner. "Keep running your mouth and I'll flatten you under my thumb, got that?"

"Whatever! Keep yappin' like this and the House Warden's gonna lose his-"

Ace has no time to finish before Deuce grabs him in a gloved hand and stands up to his full height (for now, at least; he could potentially get bigger...). Ace, for once, can feel his heart pounding in his chest as fear sets in.

"I told you to stop mocking me, and WHAT did you do?! HUH?!"

Ace covers his face as he prepares for the worst until someone's voice calls over the commotion.

"ACE TRAPPOLA AND DEUCE SPADE!"

The two first years look down to see Riddle standing on the roof. Deuce immediately sets Ace back down and stands with his arms at his side.

"T-thanks... House Warden-"

"Don't thank me. You continue to insinuate arguments with Deuce, and for that, he nearly crushed you into oblivion. Trappola, apologize to Spade this instant."

Ace looks up at Deuce, who folds his arms and glares at him. "Ugh, fine... Deuce? I'm... sorry." Ace chokes out the word sorry like a stale piece of bread.

"Now, Spade. Squishing your fellow dorm members is STRICTLY forbidden. I want you to shrink down and apologize to Trappola."

Deuce nods his head, and slowly, he begins reducing his height. In mere seconds, he's now Ace's exact height as he jumps down on the roof.

"Ace, I'm sorry for almost flattening you. It'd be great if we could just put this behind us, yeah?"

Ace scoffs but reluctantly nods his head. "Sure, whatever. Can I leave now?"

Riddle nods. "You may. Oh! Actually..." The House Warden picks up the cookie box and shakes it up and down. "How about you two share these? Together?"

"WHAT?!" Ace and Deuce ask in outrage. The two boys instantly begin to clamor over one another as Riddle turns around and sighs.

"They'll never learn, will they?"

With that, Riddle climbs back down from the roof as the two freshmen begin their bantering once more.

[glaivenoct]

🎃 trick or treat 🎃

Ask Box Trick or Treat - Fic Edition

Thank you for sending one in! Sorry I'm answering these so late too, but at least Halloween is still around the corner! (Its not the 31st for me quite yet)

Have a peek at a very old word dump that was always meant to be a part of a NyxNoct World of Ruin/fixit AU! It was directly inspired by the instance in FFXV Comrades when you pass by an NPC in Lestallum, who talks to another about how the search for Prince Noctis has been called off. I couldn't stop picturing this moment between Nyx and Cor the moment I heard it.

(Pls don't mind the way the first few paragraphs are written before the dialogue kicks in. I started this when I was having a writing slump, and sometimes I try writing a little differently just to get words unstuck. I haven't touched this in well over a year and just never bothered to fix it.)

(Pls also note I'd probably rewrite the hell out of this now, but it's not a bad start for just trying to get the words out.)

-

He will be returning to Lestallum from a mission. He will be bruised, sore and weary. He will overhear it in passing by chance - and it will drive him to the edge of hopelessness. 

“They called off the search for Prince Noctis! Without our King - ”

He will freeze in place, feeling suddenly hollow and as if a rug has been pulled from beneath his muddied boots. He will contemplate whether or not he is hearing things. If the phantoms in his nightmares have somehow found a way to haunt him the waking world. He will think that can’t be right. That the civilians don’t have a clue what they’re talking about, and it is nothing more than frivolous gossip to give the survivors of a dark, broken world something to do. 

He’ll know exactly who he needs to find to confirm the truth. Cor.

He’ll find Cor tucked away in a tent,  standing over a map and marking off areas on it. Cor will look up at Nyx, confused at the frantic manner he entered in. Nyx will be huffing both breathless and frustrated, dropping his backpack to the floor and looking at Cor in frustrated bewilderment.

“What the hell do you mean the search is off?”

Cor’s brows rise, eyes slightly widening in shock. Just as quickly, his jaw clenches and he glances off to the side, closing his eyes to sigh quietly. It’s all the confirmation Nyx needs. 

“You heard…” He says slowly, looking back up at Nyx.

“Not from you.” Nyx glares.

“I was going to tell you as soon as you returned.”

“And I’m here to tell you to call the search back on.” He shakes his head. “You can’t do this.”

“It’s been months and we’ve exhausted all traces of potential leads. The crystal is nowhere to be found. It brings me no comfort to do so, but we must move on.”

“He’s our King!” Nyx snaps, knowing Cor knows as well as he does that, for him, it’s more than that. Noctis might be everyone’s King, but he is solely Nyx’s whole heart. “We can’t just give up on him!”

“We’re not!” Cor snaps back, circling around the table to come toe to toe with Nyx. They both glare at each other, angry and frustrated with everything but each other. Angry and frustrated with the current state of the world and the choice it’s causing them to make. “You think I want to do this? You think I want to feel like I’m going to outlive another King after I failed the last one? I don’t! But take another look around you. We’re the last line of defense this world has. The last line of defense the people have. Noctis would want us to focus all our efforts and resources on protecting them. You know that as well as I do.”

Nyx knows. Really, he should know better than anyone, but he’s not ready. Not ready to take that step just yet. Not ready to put Noctis on a backburner and spend his days hoping he returns by some crystal given miracle or prophecy. There has to be another way. There must, but he won’t waste his time trying to convince the Marshal of it any longer. He doesn’t even necessarily fault him for this line of thinking. 

Cor, much like everyone else, is simply doing his best. Nyx knows he should respect that. 

Which is why the only thing he has left to say when he turns to swiftly leave the tent is, “I’m taking a walk.”

“Ulric –”

“I just need some time, alright? Don’t even think about sending Highwind after me.”

((p sure he's supposed to send Highwind after him eventually))

[wander-wren]

this post is so funny to me bc all the notes about how much harder established relationships is is EXACTLY how i feel about getting together. it’s so bad. pls let me tempt you to the established relationship side we have

misunderstandings thinking the other person is tired of you/wants to break up

ex partner (or just really good friend!) (or ex crush!) comes on the scene, cue jealousy/insecurity

one hurts the other (physically or emotionally) and the hurt one hides it bc they don’t want to cause trouble, but oops…..

related to the above or not: the partner who did the hurting is upset and punishing themself and potentially even tries to leave bc theyre a Danger

big blowup fight where they’re both wondering if they made the right choice at all but they cant stand to be mad at each other but also neither wants to give ground. angry domesticity. you get me

presumed death trope. not specific to established relationships but i love it and it goes so hard

tbh a lot of tropes you used for getting together can still go here, you just get to use different feelings. ahem, kidnapping

oh no you missed our date/anniversary/special event and now i’m pissed/heartbroken

external pressures keeping them busy/away from each other, they’re stressed and snappish when together, the spark seems to be gone and theyre just going through the motions, how will they fix this…

past relationship (or any) trauma coming up and tangling in things

but also, when the relationship is established that means that USUALLY the plot doesn’t revolve around the relationship itself. it for sure can, but a lot of the appeal, To Me, is that after a big ol fight with a snake monster or, like, a rough day at the office depending on genre, they can come home to each other and be the only thing that ISNT in complete turmoil.

anyway sorry i went off on your post, op, but uhh like i said writing getting together fic feels like trying to fight god with a spoon to me, so um, if you feel like giving me any wisdom in return,,,lol

why is established relationships so fun to read yet writing it is similar to fighting god with a spoon

[winchesternova-k]

i’ve decided that 15.20 didn’t happen.

dean, sam and jack got cas out of the empty. sam reunited w eileen. and jack went home w his dads (+ new mom) to the bunker. he can be God from there or whatever. dean told cas he loves him. they still kept the dog. they looked for his humans but miracle is a stray. everyone lives happily ever after (including that v boring ending for sam if u want but yuck personally)

see writers? it’s that easy

*WINC*ST SHIPPERS DNI*

[welcometothehouseofhades]

*Spoilers for Lore*

Reading Lore by Alexandra Bracken and my PJO obsessed ass is sobbing at all the losses and what it means for the slain gods.

Most of the book came off- meh, to me? But that doesn’t mean certain things didn’t stick out to me because they did. There were certainly bright spots, so. 2 stars maybe? Maybe this is all due to my attachment to certain figures from pre-existing works and mythos and the way this doesn’t just, hit me the same way?

*2 stars as a personal rating. Viewing it from an impartial way- I’d give it 3.5 maybe.*

But on the other hand- false Dionysus/Iason and Hermes, I need to know MORE. Like??

I have so much curiosity about these two. The old gods hating the new gods but Hermes still fell in love with one? And loved him to the extent that he protected him from Athena’s wrath by giving her information he would feel guilty about giving. The fact that they were lovers for DECADES. That Iason is the only mortal Hermes would go to such an extent for??? They would hide together in the Agon- and Hermes so clearly shared all his hiding spots with Iason bc when they eventually fell apart, Iason mentions that Hermes had to find a NEW place.

And just. The pain of the break up??? They split over Iasus’s alliance with Wrath/False Ares but Iason so clearly had regrets over that. Like. Okay Iason is clearly an asshole but he’s also a GRIEVING asshole who loved Hermes and made a deal that Hermes would be safe from Wrath. He managed to find Hermes when Hermes was hidden bc he knows him that well. The fact that he believed, even after Hermes’ death, even after Hermes wouldn’t talk to him after their split (bc Iason!! Allied!! With!! Wrath!!) that Hermes wouldn’t abandon him. That Iason was so angry, so grief stricken, that he wouldn’t ally with Athena and Lore because he wanted to be the one to kill Wrath, to avenge his lover. And we’ll never know, how they could have ended, because he died before he could find what, if anything, Hermes left him, and he died before he could avenge him- and Hermes died before he could listen to Iason’s apologies, before he was willing to listen to his apologies.

I can’t write fics bc I struggle with committing to them. However I so badly want to write a fix-it, where when Hermes is about to be killed at the start of the Agon, Iason manages to save him. Bc the potential of exes who are still in love on the run together is so good. Hermes being all, I’m helping lore. And Iason is so jealous but goes along with it bc he needs to properly apologize to Hermes and he hopes actions would speak louder than words- that, and he now has to stay with him bc Hermes almost died and he’s terrified of it actually happening. The fix-it should also have Artemis ascending bc damnit I am NOT splitting up the twins that’s just cruel 😭

[valenhell]

From the studio that brought you “I can’t find good Byler fics in the ao3 tag”, comes:

"The Definitive Byler fic rec list"

Literally no one asked for this but because I spent the majority of last year (...and 2019, and 2018...) reading byler fics and coping with life, I thought I’d make a list of some of my absolute favorites. 

The other day I was basically starving for some byler fics and the angel @magicalfairy provided me with some of her faves so I thought I’d do the same, because I love reading, and I love all of these fics and I appreciate their writers💗 And fic writers in general, come on!

- This is a mix of long works and one-shots/short stories. - Everything is mostly fluff with a tad of angst and a lot of internalized homophobia conflict.  - Every fic is completed, except for the ones I mention that they are not. - I try my best to lay out the stories in a way that I won’t spoil you the plot but also warning you of some stuff you might don’t like. Either way, all of these fics are correctly tagged by their respective authors/owners, so read at your own risk. For better understanding, in between brackets I denote Rating, Words and quantity of Chapters. - I feel like I should clarify, none of these are narrated in the singular first person. None of that “And I told him...”, no. 

Long fics

a dream always the same (T, 99k, 35 chapters) What happened in those few weeks between the Battle of Starcourt and the Byers leaving Hawkins. Literally a satisfying and very needed fill in of season three, with a good dose of Mike’s thoughts and conflict. Mike’s characterization is specially amazing in this one. The writing style is amazing and I know the author put everything into making it historically accurate, and it was really sweet. You probably read it, it’s by the amazing sevensided here on Tumblr🧡

Spring Break (T, 120k, 14/15 chapters) The slowburn of my dreams. Lots of internalized conflict and conflict with each other. Conflict within the Party (uhh kind of), conflict with Mike and Will. Byers family has moved and the kids are visiting! Chaos. Characterization is on point. Yeah, I know it’s unfinished, but the fourteenth chapter actually serves as a pretty nice ending. 

This is where it starts (M, 148.8k, 24 chapters) Aged up characters. The Party is in college and Will disappears again, but now it’s different. Mike knows he didn’t vanish from thin air, and the discovery he and the Party end up making is pretty insane. Mystery solving/fantasy/third dimension, throw in a bit of D&D and Mike realizing some shit, and you get this marvelous fic. It’s a breath of fresh air. The world building is definitely one of the elements that stands out the most, because it’s very nicely described, it sounds like a dream and it’s completely immersive. Absolute gem of a fic. 

there’s a Starman waiting in the sky (M, 30.6k, 8 chapters) Do I need to say anything? Will is out there living his best life and Mike realizes that wow, umm, maybe his best friend looks a bit too nice with that costume... and wait, is he getting horny? It’s actually really fun and sexy.

The Evening Speaks (T, 23k, 7 chapters) In where Mike is a late-night college radio host and Will is the art student that stays up till late to catch up with Wheeler on the Mic. They flirt through songs y’all, this one is really sweet. 

heads or tails? (E, 24k, 3 chapters) Aged up characters. I know most people don’t enjoy sex in fics and with specific characters but this one is insanely well written. It’s a slowburn that commits to the tension and with every word you are grasping and anticipating their next move. I think you can find the author here on Tumblr as yousaidyes🧡

The Man of Average (M, 56.7k, 5/? chapters) Aged up characters. No but you don’t understand, the writing here is absolute gourmet. The story is exciting as well, it’s super interesting. Weirdly enough, for being very aged up characters, they are well characterized but they don’t feel like teenagers. They are naturally Mike and Will. The author really captured Mike and Will’s essence. I know, it’s unfinished and it’s updated very rarely, but this is the typical fic you can’t believe someone just posted on the internet for free. I will say though, I think it’s definitely not for everyone. Read at your own risk.

Heartstrings (E, 82.8k, 24/? chapters) Aged up characters. By the same author of The Man of Average. A collection of memories, the road to Mike and Will’s happy ever after. And fucking hell!!!!! You’ll cry and get angry, you’ll cheer for them, then you’ll want to crash their faces together because god dammit you love each other!!! But yeah, same thing here. The writing and the way the story is laid out as a nonlinear narrative is brilliant. And I also think this is one of the best Will versions I’ve read. The author might as well be the og creator of this two characters tbh. You can find the author here as mylesimeblr🧡

Sinners behind the walls (T, 1.5k, 1/1) And because I can’t stop recommending this author, a little thing of Mike tormenting himself but also being too deeply committed to Will. 

The Red Envelope series (T/E, 167K, two completed works) Something happens that Will thought was impossible and from there, pure drama and romance. Anything by this author has the potential to become your absolute favorite fic, but this series in particular is amazing. I doubt that any of you haven’t read this, but it doesn’t hurt to put it in this list. I’m pretty sure the author is serendipitous-magic on Tumblr🧡

A New Fight series (T, 91k, two completed works, one WIP) And finally the Star Wars AU that we all needed. But this isn’t your typical “Mike is Han”, “Will is Leia” and “El is Luke”, it’s way more interesting than that, and the author has appropriated the Star Wars world like no other. I’ll admit I’m not a 100% fluent in SW lore but this is amazing to me either way. This author is also on Tumblr, tea-for-one-please🧡

- Yes, most of these are (if not all), in a way, canon compliant/canonverse/canon continuation into fanon. (In a way)

One-shots and short stories

Sundae for Two, Please (G, 4.8k) Steve being the supportive friend and older brother these kids collectively need. (not Jonathan erasure, we love him). Steve is very sweet himself, and this little cute thing through his POV is gorgeous. Yes, it’s byler.

Backstage (T, 10k, 2/2) Jonathan, you forgot to mention to Will how hot your new band’s guitarist is, dude. Now he’s hyperventilating and weirdly flirting with him in the corner. Background Stonathan because why not.

102 Peach Street (G, 3.8k) Established relationship, but not only that, they are married :’’))) PURE fluff. Extreme fluffiness. Diabetes. 

sweatshirts and bottled up feelings (T, 3.2k) Or, Mike thinks that the sweatshirt Will wears looks insanely good on him. And kitchens are for lovers. 

kiss it better (T, 16.3k) Basically one of the best character studies of a few precise moments of Mike and Will’s relationship and feelings. 

will wonders ever cease (T, 11.3k) #i ship will and happiness. Omfg what a beautiful piece of fanfic. Will centric, this kid really deserves all the good in the world.

The Calm After the Storm (T, 1.6k) Tooth rotting fluff, boyfriends in love. Boyfriends being lazy, cuddling, love words, kisses. Boys loving each other’s company... Basically, Mike and Will in their element. What more can you ask for?

neither of us ready to let go (T, 4.8k) That scene from season three, but a bit of a fix it. 

Still in love (G, 1k) Domestic, married life au fluff. Y’all, I’m a sucker for established Byler, even if I can’t find many fics with it. But this is very sweet. It takes place in 2020, but I don’t think there are any mentions of the COVID-19 crisis that I remember.

I Nver Find Out ‘Til I’m Head Over Heels (G, 12.5K) Classic 5+1 fic. If you haven’t read it, where have you been? This is your moment. In where Mike keeps inviting Will to the school dances and Will thinks it’s just a joke until he realizes it’s not. 

Before You’re Gone (T, 5.9k) Will is leaving Hawkins and Mike thinks this is a great moment for a confession. This one I discovered last friday, thank you friend @magicalfairy 💗

You’re weird Wheeler (M, 4.5k) Mike unintentionally starts a tradition of going to each other to talk about their sexual encounters just after they finish. Will keeps getting more explicit with the details he shares, and he makes his best friend interested. This one is really fun y’all.

Out-Of-Town Friends (N/R, 4.6K) It’s not rated. I haven’t re- read it but I’d say it would probably fall in a T rating. So cute!! Will has new friends and sneaks off every friday and the Party doesn’t know where he is going, so Mike decides to follow him and is surprised. 

Snowed Under (G, 1.3k) By the same author of The New Fight series. Mike is spending christmas by himself in college because a snowstorm hits Chicago and Nancy can’t drive to see him, but then he has a surprise visitor. Ahhh just a lil sweet holiday fic. Super cute. 

you love me anyway series (T, 7.1k, three completed works) Literally just the cutest thing ever. Established Byler. Will loves to take pictures and he loves taking pictures of Mike. It’s adorable. 

you wanna be friends forever (i can think of something better) (T, 9k) This one is so amazing. So. Amazing. From Will’s POV, my kid deserves the world and he gets it. 

okay not to be okay (T, 4.9k) Mike is a bit sad but then everything is okay. 

can’t hold out forever (G, 18.4k) Y’all!!!!! 5+1 sweetness. Mike has been falling in love since kindergarten. And it’s long af, you’ll enjoy it. 

even if it takes forever (G, 1.3k) College short AU, they miss each other, they love each other, they promise all to each other. It is sappy y’all.

clear as day (N/R, 18.4K, 4 chapters) It’s not rated, but I’d say it falls in the T category. Strangers to friends to lovers. And also, everyone is pretty gay; we have our dynamic trio Mike, Max and El as disaster lesbians (and gay). Will works at the library and he is also gay. Lucas and Dustin and Will are the best friends we needed. It’s very sweet and the Party is kind of formed here!

I went overboard with the one-shots, so you must have realized how much I love long one-shots and I favor them over long works lmao but they are all amazing!!! If it’s on this list, I probably read it at 2 am, sobbing in my bed. So. Hope you enjoy it☺️🧡

[teaandinanity]

Tag game!

Tagged by @quilleth​

Not tagging forward but mutuals are all invited to do this and say I tagged them because I love knowing useless facts about people. :D

slow burn or love at first sight // fake dating or secret dating // enemies to lovers or best friends to lovers // oh no there’s only one bed or long-distance correspondence // hurt-comfort or amnesia // fantasy au or modern au // mutual pining or domestic bliss // smut or fluff // canon-compliant or fix-it // reincarnation or character death // one-shot or multi-chapter // kid fic or road trip fic // arranged marriage or accidental marriage // high school romance or middle aged romance // time travel or isolated together // neighbours or roommates // sci-fi au or magic au // body swap or gender bend // angst or crack // apocalyptic or mundane   

and some conditional/qualification nonsense under the cut because like. Me? make a DECISION? be CONCISE? No.

slow burn or love at first sight: I actually love both of these but the second one is SO FREQUENTLY ‘welcome to Allo Nonsense O’Clock’ and I’m sorry but my aroace ass is just not here for that. I do, however, love ‘oh my god what are these feelings do I have food poisoning do I hate them WHAT IS THIS.’ Instant Feels accompanied by confusion and mortification and rage? Oh yes, love that, good shit.

fake dating or secret dating: I do not actually have super-strong feelings for either of these but the first is more likely to involve idiots in mutual pining and I LIVE for that shit.

enemies to lovers or best friends to lovers: Both of these have excellent pining potential but the first one includes more ‘and I’m ANGRY ABOUT IT’ and I do, as mentioned in the first item, LOVE that shit. Yes, please be furious about these horrible feelings while also being powerless against them. [hellmo.gif]

oh no there’s only one bed or long-distance correspondence: This was literally just because I’ve read more tasty fic with epistolary segments. The first one is good! The second one is just slightly more in line with my very niche preferences.

hurt-comfort or amnesia: I fucking LOVE hurt-comfort so almost anything else put into this bracket would be losing to it but also I just don’t really vibe with amnesia most of the time. Like, I’ll read it, it’s not a Hard No, but it’s not a plot point in any of my top ten or indeed in like... the top fifty.

fantasy au or modern au: FANTASY AU MY BELOVED but also why are modern AUs so much a thing, they’re everywhere, I filter them out and it wipes out like 1/3 of the fic for a fandom. I live in this reality because I don’t have a CHOICE why would I want to stay when fiction can instead take me to places with dragons or spaceships or magic or literally anything other than More Goddamn Capitalism????

mutual pining or domestic bliss: Mutual pining is the one thing that could have beat out hurt-comfort. This wins against literally everything. Also established relationship is another thing I usually filter out because it’s about the Yearning.

smut or fluff: Yeah I said what I said. I’m here for yearning and sometimes also for porn. Fluff does not usually contain acceptable levels of Yearning. Smut, on the other hand, is surprisingly compatible with it as long as the principles are idiots who can’t communicate.

canon-compliant or fix-it: fix it, always, I am a weak little marshmallow and canon likes to kill my faves.

reincarnation or character death: Neither of these is My Jam but if they have to die at least they don’t have to STAY DEAD okay?

one-shot or multi-chapter: porque no los dos? But also if we’re talking about writing it’s 100% one-shot because I’m an ADHD disaster gremlin.

kid fic or road trip fic: Honesty time my first impulse was ‘eh, neither?’ And then I remembered that I love road trip fic actually it’s just that my favorite settings do not have CARS. Travel is great! Travel stories are great! Reality is boring and I would prefer not to be here!

arranged marriage or accidental marriage: Okay TECHNICALLY I think arranged wins this but I don’t really go in for the traditional ‘they’ve never met before and other people are forcing the issue’ thing that the term usually signifies. At the same time, I can enjoy an accidental marriage thing if it’s not a farce but that’s ALSO usually not what people mean. So I’m not picking one because if we’re going by The Usual Meanings I tend to actively avoid both. If you’re wondering what the fuck I’m talking about I was trying to decide if I’m too ashamed to explain myself but then I realized you had to click under a cut and then keep reading after I was like ‘porn > fluff’ so you know what you’re in for and the answer is ‘I enjoy a good warprize fic because I am a trash panda who deserves to live in the dumpster.’ I don’t like strangers making them get married. I like one of them making them get married and probably the marriage goes unconsumated for ages and they fall in love and neither realizes the other has feelings and-- yeah.

high school romance or middle aged romance: What do you want from me here, you can fit SO much more yearning into several decades than you can into several years. See also: my conviction that Persuasion is the best Austen novel.

time travel or isolated together: Both of these can be Good Shit, but time travel wins it by a smidge because Isolated Together can feel like what is actually happening is they are breaking under psychological torture and like. I would prefer they have actual feelings. I say this as someone who loves a good fictional codependent relationship; they still need to talk to other people sometimes.

neighbours or roommates: I was all ‘I don’t care whatever’ and then I remembered that Carry On exists and went ‘oh right, I do in fact care; roommates.’

sci-fi au or magic au: magicmagicmagicMAGIC--

body swap or gender bend: I love the ‘I’m desperately trying to be respectful and it’s weird to check out the body I’m in but ALSO--’ Like, it can get stupid if they’re trying to hide it for whatever reason (I swear I have a sense of humor it’s just that I also get CRIPPLING SECOND-HAND EMBARRASSMENT from like, everything in the universe), but it can be pretty great when handled well.

angst or crack: My entire fic preference can be summed up by that ‘I want them to fall SO far and then land on something soft’ thing someone said which I cannot find because google’s algorithm no longer actually tries to find you what you ask for and instead tries to anticipate your wants which is hard to do with me because I don’t know what’s going on in my head 90% of the time. Anyway. Angst. I can very occasionally be in the mood for crack but usually that’s a No.

apocalyptic or mundane: See: my answer to fantasy or modern. I do not like reality and I only live here because the emigration options fucking SUCK.

[starkerhead]

So like, I woke up this morning and was like Oh hum, Jasper had a post about wanting prompts! So combining what we talked about, I'd be very interested in seeing!!! A teacher/student au where Professor Stark is harder on Peter than anyone else (maybe unintentionally? Maybe he just sees Peter's potential and wants Peter to push himself 🤔). So Peter sees Tony as this serious and stern figure who doesn't let him get away with anything (but maybe Tony's softer to other students?)

What I'm getting at is mixing teacher au with enemies to Lovers (if it can be called that here 😂) and THENN Peter finds out that Tony's a total sub and starts seeing Tony in a much different light 👀

First of all, you can’t just LEAve this here and expect me to be OKAY WITH IT. I was honestly expecting to write drabbles, but this clearly deserves a full fic.

Secondly, I’ve been sitting on this for a week and finally figured out how to write it, so here, have a snippet while I format the rest (2K).

Edit: full fic is now up here  ♡

———

“That’s enough, Mr Parker,” he barked, flashing Peter a warning look. Peter stood his ground and glared right into Tony’s eyes.

“I’m sick of you telling me what to do.”

Peter strode across the room towards his teacher, making his eyes widen as he stopped just in front of the older man’s face.

“I’m sick of you acting all high and mighty.”

Tony reached his arms back to brace against the desk just as Peter shoved harshly at his chest, pressing his back onto the hard surface. His face was hovering inches above Tony’s, eyes fixed on Tony’s quivering pupils.

“And I’m sick of seeing your revolting face. Every. Single. Day.”

Before Peter could process his own actions, he was reaching out to pull Tony’s head towards him, crashing their lips together. It was harsh and angry and all teeth, and Tony’s hands were frantically trying to push Peter away, but Peter was stronger, easily pinning his shoulders onto the desk. His head was swirling with a whirlpool of anger and frustration and arousal that he didn’t know what to do with except to unleash them on the man beneath him.

———

Coming soon…

[kalee60]

I wish you would write a fic where stucky are mad at each other for some reason but get forced into the same tiny escape pod and spend a very interesting hour pressed so tight together on their way back to the surface...

Not going to lie Bec - when I first saw this prompt, my mind immediately went one way, and one way only - and I'm pretty sure you just played me like a fiddle with this idea of yours and knew exactly what I'd write.

So please take this humble offering, you are literally my greatest support and I would not be here without you gorgeous ❤️ my adoration for you is endless for our unique and special bond x

The fic is just over 4k and also on ao3 here (with all tags necessary) if you prefer to read there instead, it'll be part of my stucky bingo fills - Truth or Dare and rated M for mild sexual content 😉

If you'd like a fic - here's the post - I wish you'd write a fic... (It might take me a little bit to write - but I will get there!)

"Are you freaking kidding me right now Rogers?" Bucky shouted as he tried to wrest control of the tiny submarine, or whatever the fucking contraption Stark had purpose built for underwater expeditions, from his meathead best friend who never had a plan. "What the hell was that?"

Steve glared over at Bucky, who scowled back. "I had it under control."

"Under control, my ass. You ran us into a goddamn rock, a rock so sharp we now have a leak - and guess what? We just happen to be about three miles under the sea!"

"I - " Steve started to say then stopped abruptly to slam at the controls before him in the dim lighting, trying to unwedge the small vessel off the rock.

"Don't! Fuck Steve, leave it, don't get us off the rock - we'll tear apart if you do." The sharp edge of panic amidst his anger was clear.

"I know what I'm doing, Buck." Steve ground out.

The panic immediately disappeared leaving only ire behind, "I highly doubt that by looking at the trouble you got us into. I thought partnering up with Sam was a pain in the ass for those few months, but I'd somehow forgotten what you were like."

Bucky heard Steve grinding his teeth, and satisfaction filled him that Steve was at least angry at their hopeless situation, one he was solely to blame for.

They’d been tasked to go to the Raft - one of the inmates had managed to escape - Namor, and although Bucky thought it was way out of their scope of skills to be chasing a literal being that came from the ocean, who had super strength and a huge advantage by, well, being able to breathe underwater, the Avengers assembled and it was left to Cap, no, Nomad and Bucky to sort it out.

At first, the mission was fine and on track, they were given the craft from Stark, Steve assuring both Bucky and the cocky self-appointed head Avenger, that he'd used it many times over on missions, and away they went. Bucky had realised after an hour at sea as they dove deeper and deeper, Bucky wide-eyed at all the sealife and fish that swam into the lights from the craft, that Steve looked a little peaky, a little sweaty. Apparently, after some hard prodding, Steve admitted he'd only taken it out for a few runs in the East River and had never been in the ocean with it.

Bucky was fuming.

He became even angrier when they found Namor, and Steve without any hesitation hit a button that harpooned a weapon from the undercarriage, missing the man completely and hitching it on a nearby rock, careening them towards it. Bucky was certain he saw a smirk and a laugh from their quarry as he swam off - uncaptured. Free.

It was, in fact - quite humiliating for two usually competent supersoldiers.

So now they were fixed tightly onto a jutting rock bed, water leaking slowly into the vessel and Steve was acting like a massive stubborn child about their situation. Especially when they realised they couldn’t call for assistance - they were too deep for a signal.

As a starfish floated by and suckered itself to the window, making a home there, Bucky was starting to wonder if they'd get out of the situation in one piece. They may have the serum running through their veins, but he was certain drowning was still on the scope of things that could kill them. He glanced at Steve who was still pressing buttons - that and along with an irate best friend who had a penchant for knives.

The urge to strangle Steve and his handsomely stubborn face rose with each and every breath, and he couldn't fathom why he was in love with such an imbecile. Bucky, glad that Steve wasn’t aware of where his feelings lay, not wanting to openly tell such an idiot he loved him; though Bucky hadn’t really had an opportunity to approach Steve about it, unsure if he ever would find the courage to bring it up.

Plus right then... right in that moment as they floated and bobbed in the undercurrent while beady eyed fish approached them curiously, Bucky was livid and was certain that even if Steve turned to him to profess his undying love - Bucky would punch him in the face.

“What do you propose we do then smarty pants?”

Bucky’s mouth formed a tight line at the old taunt.

“I suggest we get into the escape pod and head for the surface.”

“What? And give up?”

“Give up Steve? Of course we give up. What the fuck do you think we can do?” Bucky exclaimed, as Steve grumbled into the small space. “For a brilliant strategist you sure are an absolute ninny sometimes.”

“A ninny?” Steve burst out in horrified disbelief.

Bucky felt his lip twitch and almost laughed at Steve’s expression and the absurdity of their situation that by calling Steve a ninny, is what pissed him off the most.

“The only way we can do anything of any use now, is if Namor comes back and surrenders. And I don’t think he’s about to do that, considering he sped off laughing when you marooned us on this damn rock. One I might add that has more strength and the ability to stay calm and think more rationally than you.”

“Are you seriously comparing me to a rock?”

“If the Cap fits.”

“Really?” Steve deadpanned at Bucky’s admittedly terrible attempt at humour.

And before Bucky could say anything further, potentially offer a simple truce, a large shadow loomed above them and Bucky was instantly caught in the beauty and grace of the huge marine animal swimming overhead, close enough Bucky could reach out and touch if there wasn’t glass between them. It looked to be a shark of some type and Bucky was captivated by the smooth skin, the sheer mass and the tail that flicked; until that same large tail hit the vessel on one of it’s sweeps, dislodging it from the rock.

With a triumphant yell, Steve pushed on the accelerator as Bucky yelled at him to stop, and suddenly the whole craft shook and groaned, creaking as the very structure started to unhinge.

“Jesus fuck, Steve. Get in the escape pod now!”

Steve for the first time since they entered the vessel listened to Bucky, and they both jumped up and scrambled for the pods that were situated behind their seats, opening the escape hatches - only to find one empty, and the other thankfully still in place.

“Shit, Tony.” Bucky swore. “Don’t you know about the Titanic? Always have enough damn life rafts. Fuck.”

“We can fit.” Steve said matter of fact and opened the hatch door, just as the thick glass from the front of the craft splintered, water spurting through and a loud cracking filled the space. Bucky’s heart thumped hard and fast at the danger they were in, his Soldier training all but useless in the face of this new terror.

Bucky pushed Steve, who yelped at being manhandled into the small space, and Bucky jumped right in, landing on top of Steve, their faces only inches apart - and that face did not look happy.

They had just enough room for Steve to hit the big red button that closed the pod, and an automated voice immediately filled the area.

“Releasing in three, two - one.” 

The voice went silent as the capsule whooshed out of the craft, and Bucky was on the correct side to see through the glass over Steve’s shoulder, the lights of the vessel flickering as it tore apart from the pressure of the water. Bucky let out a shaky breath that they’d escaped in time.

“Calculating your trajectory and location,” the voice began, then went silent for a few seconds, “you will breach the surface in just under two hours.”

“Two hours.” Bucky griped and wiggled, Steve hissing for him to ‘quit it’. The voice continued on in its modulated voice.

“Due to your depth, the emergency pod has been slowed to ensure you rise at the correct rate so you do not suffer any complications.”

“Complications,” Bucky said under his breath, knowing with the serum it was unlikely they’d get sick. “I’ve got a big bearded one right in front of me. I think that’s complicated enough - just get us to the surface quickly.”

The voice droned on about protocols and safety features for a few minutes and mentioned when it came into range it would send a distress call to FRIDAY for assistance. Finally some good news, because all Bucky could think about was the fact the enormous shark was not in sight. He hoped it was long gone.

“Can you move your damn leg?" Steve hissed, shaking Bucky from his contemplation of why he insisted on watching Jaws a few weeks earlier.

But it was the tone Steve used that irked Bucky further, and ever helpful, he moved his leg back and forth like a petulant kid. “That enough movement for you?”

“Buck, your damn knife is digging into my thigh. Actually why in the hell are you wearing it on an underwater mission in the first place?”

“Why did you bring your shield?” Bucky countered, not wanting to tell Steve about the other seven knives in his pants.

“That’s not really comparable.”

“It is.” Bucky replied sullenly, knowing it wasn’t at all. 

Steve sighed heavily, and they spent a good fifteen minutes without conversing, not even daring to look at the other in the soft green-tinged light from the control panel where Bucky could read their glacially paced progress as they headed for the surface. They were still so far down.

“Truth or dare? Steve suddenly asked, breaking the awkward silence.

“Are you for real? Now?” Bucky asked incredulously. “Look, I know that game worked when we were kids - but read the damn room, well, pod.”

Steve didn’t respond as the charged air between them rose in silent intensity.

“Truth.” Bucky finally bit out after a long minute.

“Why did you bring knives on an underwater mission?”

“Jesus Christ, you don’t let up, do you? Why am I even surprised, it’s Steven Grant Rogers asking. Because Steve, I take them everywhere. You know this. I might have had to stab some seaweed for being rude to your delicate sensibilities or something. And don't you dare try and say they haven’t gotten us out of tough spots before.”

Steve harrumphed, “I’m hardly delicate.”

“Sure thing.”

They fell silent again, until Bucky gave in and sighed heavily. “Truth or dare?”

“Truth.”

“Why did you lie and say you knew how to drive the boat?”

“Bucky, you don’t drive a boat.”

“Yeah, well you proved that without a doubt.”

Steve tensed up, Bucky experiencing Steve’s muscles bunching together against his body from being so close, he swallowed heavily. 

“I thought I had it handled. How difficult could it be?”

“Steve…” Bucky started, stopped then sighed, “Steve, you need to actually be truthful with me, to the Avengers, especially if you need help. You don’t have to prove that you have it together all the time, every time. That’s what I’m for.”

“So you’re saying you could have piloted the boat?”

“Is piloted correct? But in answer - no, I couldn’t have. So we would have found a better way.” 

“Buck, he’s an underwater being, what else were we going to do but try and follow him down here?”

Bucky remained quiet thinking over the options. When the call went out, only Steve and he were available for the mission, so in a way Steve was correct, but he wasn’t going to admit that.

Steve moved suddenly in an unintentional grind, and a spark flew down Bucky’s spine, shit, they were close, really close, and through his initial fear and anger, Bucky hadn’t really thought about the situation he’d inadvertently put himself in. Pressed up against Steve’s body in a way he’d never been before.

Oh shit…

“Truth or dare,” Steve asked, breaking Bucky’s thoughts on the bulge he could feel just slightly higher than his own.

“Truth,” Bucky gritted out, looking over Steve’s shoulder at the murky water surrounding them. “It’s not like we can do any dares down here.”

Steve paused for a moment, looking directly at Bucky, and Bucky finally gave in and glanced his way, holding Steve’s gaze, and knew immediately that he shouldn't have. Steve’s eyes had taken on a greenish-blue tinge, making them pop and they softened at the edges once Bucky was in their snare. Bucky let out a long exhale. He hated when they fought - but he was still annoyed that Steve hadn't listened or been truthful.

“Are you dating anyone?”

Bucky jerked in surprise, wincing straight away, as rubbing up against Steve wasn’t going to help him remain impassive. “What kind of question is that?”

“A simple one I would have thought,” Steve replied curtly, and Bucky saw the slight tick in Steve’s cheek, and he caught his breath. For some reason Steve was invested in his answer, but why? Could it mean..?

“We live together Steve. You know I’m not.”

“Not even Darcy,” Steve countered.

Unable to stop it from bubbling up, Bucky started to laugh loud and heartily before realising that the motion was doing nothing to stop the friction between them, and Bucky started to worry that the knives on his person weren't the only hard thing Steve could feel pressed up against him.

When he’d composed himself, he saw that Steve had tilted his chin up proudly, and Bucky knew he’d hurt his feelings.

“Uh, that’s a negative. Darcy and I are not dating, she’s like Becca. You know - a little sister, an annoying one too, and yeah I love her, but not in the way you think. To be honest I’d like to date…”

Bucky trailed off, realising he was about to give too much away.

“You’d like to date?” Steve coaxed, eyes riveted on Bucky as he looked slightly down at him, and Bucky wasn't sure he'd ever really get used to the change in Steve's physique. Having to look up to his once small friend, shoulders wide enough he was a literal tank.

“Tall, blonde people,” he admitted, face immediately heating; not meaning to let that particular parcel of words out.

“Oh.” Steve replied, face slack and wondering as he stared at him, the gravity in his eyes not letting Bucky look elsewhere. So Bucky shut his eyes to escape, berating himself for being an obvious fool.

“Dare,” Steve husked.

Bucky snapped his eyes open to find Steve unblinking, attention directly on him, and there was something lurking behind his gaze, something dark and delicious, Bucky uncertain if what he saw was real or not. So he thought about his response carefully before answering.

“Okay, Stevie,” and Steve inhaled sharply through his nose at the nickname, Bucky pleased at the response. “I bet you can’t get your hands to the control panel to turn on the exterior floodlight so we can see the fishes.”

Steve narrowed his eyes. “You want to see the fishes?”

Bucky nodded slowly, having a gut feel Steve already saw through his game, considering where Steve’s hands were positioned in the first place. Between their bodies.

Steve wriggled his fingers, and a live wire burned through the very structure of Bucky’s cells, remaking them into something different, something primal as Steve continued to move and pushed his hand between them towards the panel, inadvertently pressing hard up against the front of Bucky’s pants, right over his dick in the process. A dick that was suddenly much more interested in their predicament. 

Bucky might have made an error in judgement as he slipped out a strangled gasp.

Steve’s face lit up in a grin at Bucky’s unintentional response, deliberately mimicking the same movement again.

Bucky’s eyes fluttered shut, enjoying the touch through his tac pants, wishing for no obstructions between them, and before he could lose himself completely in the sensations, Steve's hand pulled free to touch the control panel, light suddenly flooding outwards. Tufts of seaweed and darting fish fled past the glass as they continued to slowly climb for the surface. 

And before he knew what he was saying, Bucky was pressing his hips the scant inch forward into Steve's body and whispered, "I dare you to do that again."

The ragged and shaky exhale from Steve was gratifying in its sheer emotion, and the 'Buck' that tore from his throat made Bucky look up. The moment his eyes met Steve's he was gone.

"Can I?" Steve asked, and Bucky could do no more than nod as Steve's lips came crashing down on his.

It was the kiss Bucky had been waiting a lifetime for, and he couldn't believe as Steve's tongue slipped in between his lips, a low deep growl erupting unbidden in his throat, that the catalyst was a failed mission where they were stuck together angry in a cylindrical tube in the middle of the ocean.

Steve's hand forced itself back between their bodies, and Bucky moaned as Steve made the best of the small space, rubbing over and over until Bucky grew thick and hard in his pants, all while Steve kissed the very breath from his body. Bucky was stunned that Steve was an exceptional kisser, partly impressed and partly jealous at the realisation that he'd had experience, more than Bucky first thought.

"Jesus Buck, you taste so good."

"Yeah?" Bucky husked back, leaning up as far as he was able, capturing Steve's lips again. What started as chaste, soon became hungry and insistent and Bucky tried to move his hands, but there was no room for two sets between them, Steve’s all that could fit; so Bucky let Steve take control, do what he wanted. And somehow, without even speaking about it, Steve gave Bucky exactly what he needed, what he craved. And if Steve wanted, Bucky would spend his lifetime taking care of Steve in return.

"Your fucking knife," Steve husked into his cheek as he pulled away, lips wet and thoroughly kissed. It was a spaced out look Bucky wanted to see more often.

"That's not a knife," Bucky sassed back.

"Well unless you're extraordinary and have two dicks, then yes, I think the one pressing just above my knee is a knife."

Bucky tried to adjust his stance to lessen the pressure from the weapon, and at Steve's wince, he knew he'd not managed to do it.

"Well to be fair, I wasn't expecting to end up in this predicament."

"Predicament?" Steve asked as his fingers pressed against Bucky's groin again, pushing and sliding to create extra friction.

"Oh shit," Bucky breathed, hating and loving the knowing smirk on Steve's face. "Maybe I've been wanting this for over a hundred years and you know, since nothing has ever happened before, how was I to know that being trapped in an escape pod, while seething in anger would do it for you?"

Steve looked blankly at Bucky, mouth open, shock clearly written over his face. "Over a hundred years?"

Bucky realised he had no filter when Steve had a hand on his dick, and flushed at the long kept secret, now a confession, but kept going, confirming it. He was all in by that stage.

"Give or take a year."

"Buck, why the hell didn't you say anything? I've been waiting since…"

Steve trailed off and Bucky couldn't help it.

"Since..?"

"I was sixteen."

"Fuck," Bucky surged forward, kissing the breath from Steve, and Steve's hand movements became more insistant. Suddenly Bucky felt the zip of his pants loosen and he couldn’t stop the wanton moan from escaping and he wriggled his hips in anticipation. Between one breath and the next Steve had somehow, miraculously snaked his hand into Bucky's pants, and now, now, there was only a layer of thin underwear between them.

Why the hell hadn't he gone commando?

"God, Buck, you feel amazing - knew you would.” Steve said as he looked into Bucky’s eyes while stroking him, and the sheer power behind his gaze pushed all of Bucky’s buttons. “Want to get my mouth on you."

Bucky gasped, vibrating at the imagery and Steve chuckled, nipping at Bucky's lips, kissing him again and again and it hit Bucky that Steve was able to feel every single quiver and sharp intake of breath he made. He was no longer able to hide his reactions, even if his face gave nothing away - Steve was so close that all of Bucky's tells were like a neon sign emblazoned above his head. Steve had him at his mercy.

And Bucky loved it.

"I want that," Bucky whispered back, "want your mouth everywhere. Want my mouth all over you too pal, I can't wait to get you naked."

"You're too much," Steve ground out and suddenly Bucky was being kissed deeply, thoroughly and he lost all concept of time and space. Steve's fingers gripped his dick, squeezing and making short jerky motions, it wasn't the greatest angle, and Steve didn't have full motion - but it was perfect. Bucky was so turned on, his dick weeping into his underwear, and he knew that if Steve kept going, kept kissing him, touching him, he was going to come in his pants like he'd done too many times when they’d slept next to each other before the war.

"Oh fuck Steve, keep doing that."

"You like that?" Steve husked, complying when Bucky nodded his head limply, rubbing in tight circles, fingers tangling in Bucky's underwear as he tried his best to get Bucky off. And Bucky, well he wasn't easy, it usually took him a while to get in the right headspace to feel comfortable enough to let go, to let himself be free in the moment, but with Steve he knew he could be. He trusted Steve, wanted him by his side always, and he knew he'd catch Bucky, protect him as he fell. Steve would never let go again.

"Gonna make you come on my dick," Steve rasped into Bucky's mouth, making Bucky forget everything sweet and hopeful in their future to concentrate on how filthy Steve’s lust driven words were, "going to fill you up, and I'm never letting you out of my bed again Buck. You're mine - you hear that?"

"I… yes… yours," Bucky said as his knees buckled, and Steve had him, gripped him tight, pinching his dick in a way that made Bucky white out and he came apart. Bucky spurted into his pants, underwear soaking up his release and he jerked and whimpered as Steve held him through it, mouth hovering over his, whispering words of want and desire. 

"You're gorgeous Buck, the prettiest fella I ever saw."

"Jesus Steve," Bucky breathed as he came down from his orgasm, legs still twitching. "You're going all Brooklyn and sappy on me."

Steve kissed the corner of Bucky's mouth delicately, as if he hadn't just got him off in the tightests of spots, and removed his hand from Bucky's pants. "Always felt sappy with you Punk."

Bucky grinned back, sated, happy and languid - until he felt it.

"Have you got a fucking bludgeon in your pocket?" he exclaimed when Steve shifted, and awed, Bucky realised exactly what Steve was packing in his plain navy shorts that were often tangled with his black briefs in the dryer at home. Steve's cheeks tinged pink and Bucky was gone, so gone on this man who was sweet and commanding all at once.

"Oh shit Steve, am I going to have fun with you."

"Yeah?" Steve grinned back, suddenly a little shy, a little hopeful and Bucky smiled.

"For the rest of our lives if you want."

Steve sucked in a breath, "I'd like that."

"The surface is less than twenty metres away, a rescue shuttle has been dispatched and will meet you on the surface."

The automated voice fell away, and Bucky and Steve looked over each other's shoulders at the lightened water, having completely ignored the sea of fish and marine animals around them. It was stunning, there was so much life just under the surface.

And before he knew it, they were blinded by sunlight as the pod popped up on the surface, Bucky finding Steve on top of him, all of his weight pressing him down as the cylinder floated in the ocean on its side. The sheer bulk of Steve was phenomenal, a portent of things to come.

"Far out, you're heavy." Bucky commented with a grin.

"Sorry, the serum… well you know."

"No, I like it." He said as Steve kissed him again, leaning down to take Bucky's mouth under his in a passionate but short taste. "But you're still an ass for getting us into that position in the first place."

"How did you know I didn't plan it this way?"

Bucky laughed just as the lid opened and he squinted into the bright light, the quinjet hovering over them, finding himself staring directly up into Clint's grinning face.

"Looking cozy there boys, need a hand?"

"I think we have that handled," Steve replied with a smirk, staring at Bucky, and Bucky could only gaze up into the brightest blue he'd ever seen, the eyes of his best friend, his soon to be lover and hopefully so much more.

It took some maneuvering to get Steve off him without toppling them into the ocean, but soon they were inside waiting as Bruce and Clint secured the pod to take back to Tony's lab.

Bucky made his way to the front of the jet as Steve called in their failure to Fury, and greeted Natasha who was in the pilots seat, stretching his arms up and over his head, popping his muscles from having been cramped up too long. 

She looked him dead in the eye in the unnerving way only Nat could, and remarked, "your fly's undone."

Red faced, Bucky looked over at Steve who'd heard Nat and was silently laughing, telling Fury that 'no, he didn't think losing Namor was amusing', before hanging up and motioning Bucky over.

"You really are a jerk." Bucky hissed as he pulled up his fly, finally realising how wet and uncomfortable he was. He needed a shower. Preferably with company.

"But I'm your jerk though."

"Gee, aren’t I the luckiest guy in Brooklyn," Bucky snarked back at Steve's playful wink, and for the entire trip home, neither of them could keep the grins off their faces.

A day later - Natasha brought Namor in.

[the-infamous-coat-of-baron-zemo]

The Plot Bunny is LOOSE

Please feel free to comment and let me know your thoughts or which one is your favorite.

I wanted to write a drabble tonight, but honestly, I'm too tired for my brain to focus and invest time into dialogue writing, etc...

-----

These are kind of prompt ideas, with a choose your own adventure ending? I don't know. It's my brain rambling, that much is certain.

Also, if anyone becomes inspired, please take any of these prompts/ideas and run with them.

Helmut Zemo x Reader

You are in the safe house at Riga, researching possible sites for the next attack by the Flag-Smashers and Zemo decides to join you on the couch and help with his knowledge of the area and what may be good targets.

You end up falling asleep against him.

He's caught by surprise that you would leave yourself so unguarded around him, and he's unsure of himself as it's been the first time someone has willingly and essentially cuddled up against him. So outwardly he may be tense, but internally, he's an emotional mess and is having an existential crisis on what to do.

He has never allowed himself to entertain the idea of ever letting someone get close to him since the passing of his family.

So. Does he silently remove you from your position and let you sleep on the couch alone, covering you with his coat?

Or does he give in and eventually fall asleep with you. Only to have Bucky and Sam discover the two of you fast asleep later on.

Because.....of course that would happen. Drama!

(I just love exploring Zemo's internal turmoil)

-----

Helmut Zemo x Reader

5 times you were un-expectantly trapped between a wall and Zemo and the 1 time you meant to be on purpose.

That's it. That's the prompt.

(I think this could be a fun fic to write re-telling certain events from TFATWS)

-----

Helmut Zemo x Reader

An earthquake hits Riga, trapping you, Zemo, Bucky and Sam in different parts of the city.

Who gets to you first?

This could be an interesting internal character study for Zemo as I believe it would cause him to relive the trauma of losing his family all over again. As we know he spent two days trying to find them after the events at Novi Grad. Maybe he's not even in a relationship with the reader yet, but realizes how much time he's wasted not expressing how he feels, so he scrambles to locate you and hope you aren't dead.

(This is a prompt, I might be tempted to write at some point)

-----

Helmut Zemo x Reader

Dr. Strange pays Sam, Bucky, Zemo and you a visit informing Sam he has to leave their universe and attempt to fix the multiverse mess that Loki has created. So he gives him an enchanted device should he need to get ahold of him.

The Cloak of Levitation is quite fond of you. Zemo unassumingly gets jealous.

(This is pure crack!fic. LMAO. Only because I would love him to throw a fit that only you are allowed to wear his clothes *cough* coat *cough* and he doesn't like the fact that the Cloak of Levitation keeps wrapping itself around you like your it's property.)

-----

Laszlo Kreizler x Reader

Laszlo asks you to go to the opera with him. At first you are quite touched Dr. Kreizler has asked you to be his companion for the evening, only to realize by intermission he is using you to attract attention from a wealthy aristocrat who may have ties to the killer.

Hurt by his underlying manipulation, you have an argument with him afterwards, raising doubts that you don't know whether there was a part of Dr. Kreizler that actually wanted you there with him genuinely or not because he never shared his plan with you. Too upset to let him explain, you storm off.

You roam the streets aimlessly and wind up in a part of town you aren't familiar with, not realizing you strayed so far from the opera house.

When you turn back you notice an abandoned building with the name Baxter written across it, which sparks recognition of possible locations the killer may be using to murder his victims before dumping them in various odd places around the city.

You thought about calling Dr. Kreizler to inform him of your findings, but you're too emotional and angry with him, so you decide to go snooping around the building on your own.

What happens to the reader? And does the reader make it back to Laszlo in one piece?

(A fic prompt I am also potentially intrigued to write, but haven't had time)

-----

Niki Lauda x Reader

You are a long time friend of Niki's. You don't work for his team, but you show your support whenever he's close enough for you watch him race.

You strike up a friendship with James Hunt, much to Lauda's dismay. He doesn't show any jealousy, but obviously tries to steer you clear of Hunt knowing his reputation off the track. He sees him as reckless and dangerous.

Niki is unaware you have been in love with him for quite some time, but he never seemed to show any interest, so you kept your unrequited love to yourself.

It wasn't until you had to drag Lauda and Hunt back to the hotel they were staying at that started to shift how Niki really saw you.

You were being incredibly cautious with your new car and driving at the normal speed limit the road called for. Hunt was in the backseat arguing about how his grandmother could drive faster than you, and that they would never get back to the hotel in time to make a party he intended going to.

He may or may not have also invited you.

Lauda starts bickering with Hunt as he has no problems with driving at a reasonable speed back to the hotel.

You decide to shut them both up by showing off your own set of driving skills, which promptly caused all chatter in the car to cease.

You basically leave the boys speechless and get out of your car without so much as a passing glance to either one of them.

Hunt ends up being grateful and attempts to persuade you to attend the party with him, but you decline.

Niki, however has different plans in mind as you have left him impressed and slightly turned on at how well you maneuvered your car through the outskirts of the city, causing him to re-evaluate his feelings for you over time.

Where do we go from here?

(I kind of like this prompt. I'd like to think Niki would be obtuse to some degree and need some sort of action to jolt him out of his stupor having known you for so long. There are a lot of different directions this idea could go in.)

-----

That's it for now! If you've gotten this far, thank you for reading my silly rambles.

[skellebonez]

Stop Lying To Me (Monkie Kid Cursed AU fanfic)

I was super inspired by @winterpower98 's Cursed AU and the fanart @kitkat1003 did for it soooo... I kinda wrote my own interpretation of this revelatory scene in an anon and now I am rewriting it here as a fic. I'm going off all the info in the masterpost and the hints in tags combined with my own flair so I'm probably off in places, but hey I had fun writing it and I hope you all have fun reading it and that's what counts! (also I have never posted fanfic to Tumblr before so if the formatting is off I apologize.)

Warnings: mild but vague depictions of some nasty injuries. And angst.

EDIT: I forgot to add the Read More! I fixed that!

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

"You LIED to us."

Macaque looked up, eyes wide at the amount of venom that should not have been held in that voice. "Kid I-"

"You LIED TO US!" MK yelled, words tapering off with a disbelieving laugh as his tail swiped the air violently behind him. "You lied to Monkey King, to- to ME! You used me! Again! ... you used me again..."

Oh. He didn't realize his chest could hurt as much as it did when he heard that. That second again, soft but somehow like breaking porcelain against a hard surface. Macaque didn't realize he could hurt like that. He watched as MK slid down to sit on the ground, turning away from him to check on the still resting Monkey King. "Kid..."

"Was this your plan the whole time?" MK refused to turn, busying himself with checking on his mentor's injuries, injuries he was now fully aware were caused by his own claws thanks to Macaque's confession. "Pull a harmless 'prank', come up with an excuse to get us all away from everyone, pretend to start coming around, make me think you actually liked me this time?" He turned, teeth bared in a half smile half grimace. "Wait for me to start losing control so I could do the dirty work of getting revenge against Sun Wukong for you? What did you tell me last time? 'You are the weapon'? Is this what you wanted? A weapon!?"

There it was again, that pain in his chest. Macaque looked away, unable to keep eye contact with the kid. Not when he could see the shimmer of moisture starting at the corner of his eyes. Heaven, he was going soft! When had he started going soft? "It... I wanted..." Why were the words so hard now? Words were never hard before, he could let them flow like sweet honey at any time he pleased but now they stuck on his tongue like tar. "... yes."

A confirmation. The silence between them was thick, and from the edge of his vision he could see the tears as they finally started to roll down MK's face. "I thought you could change, Macaque."

"I am changing!" Macaque insisted, turning back to look at the younger with what he hoped with a gentle smile. "Yes, I had a plan originally, but it's changed! I don't want that anymore!" He took a step forward, not missing the flinch back and the way the kid curled into himself. When MK said nothing he took another step forward, slower this time, and another. "I'm going to stop this, WE are going to stop this, you won't be a weap-"

"Stop lying to me!" He had messed up. Gotten too close, too fast, pushed too far. When he reached for MK the kid swiped instinctively and his claws made contact, just barely, slicing into the side of Macaque's neck as he made to dodge just a bit too late in shock. Everything froze for a moment.

"I..." MK's eyes widened in horror as he looked at Mac's neck, then his hand. "No, I. I didn't. I didn't mean to. To hurt. I." His eyes flooded more red and as he looked to Macaque his breathing grew faster. He let out a sob. Then a yell. Then a scream.

"Shit!" Macaque took a quick few steps backward before stopping and going forward again, holding his hands up in front of him. "MK, MK listen to me please. You have to calm down ok? You just recovered from the last time, your body cannot handle another transformation without you being hurt!"

A step forward, a step back, scream growing strained and more red but this time from the lengthening claws digging into MK's own arms. The kid was trying to fight it, he could tell, but Macaque had messed up too much. He knew about the plan, that he had hurt Wukong, that he had been manipulated. He didn't know everything but he knew enough. And Mac knew MK wouldn't be able to stop it, even as tempered by exhaustion as it was.

So he did the only thing he could think of that wouldn't hurt him. He leapt forward and held MK. Knelt on the ground and wrapped the kid in his arms as tight as he could. The kid fought harder, both at the transformation and at the hold, grabbing Macaque's arms to pull them away and slicing his sleeves to ribbons and grabbing at his back when he failed.

Macaque did not let go. Not when those claws ripped through his clothes and drew more and more blood, not when MK smashed his forehead into his mouth and split his lip, not when the kid twisted and grabbed his arm and widened his own mouth and BIT, hard and furious and tearing into his bicep down to the bone. Not when the power radiating off the kid scared him more than he would ever admit. Macaque did not let go. 

"I'm not lying kid," he whispered. "Not anymore."

Eventually, too long for comfort, MK stopped fighting. It was like a switch was flipped. One second he was fighting and then next he just. Stopped. Had he not been breathing so hard Macaque would have sworn he has simply ceased entirely. 

They stayed like that for a moment, Macaque getting his own unsteady breathing under control before he gently maneuvered the kid to pick him up. He walked them back to where Wukong was fitfully resting, no doubt disturbed by the recent events, ignoring how his back was rapidly growing warm (but somehow cold) and wet and how one arm shook with effort it should not have needed. "You're gonna be ok Kid. You're gonna be ok. I promise."

"N.." So he wasn't completely drained. Yet. "No more... lying...?"

"Yeah. Yeah, no lying," Macaque said as he laid MK down, wincing as he turned in such a way that the worst of his injuries would be hidden away, if the kid was aware enough to see them that is. "Not about this, not anymore. I promise. Get some rest kid, you're gonna need it."

MK let out a halfhearted chuckle, nodding his head. "K. I... I won't. Give up on you yet." And with that he finally passed out.

Mac sat and watched, afraid to move lest the kid just suddenly transform. But he didn't. He rested and Macaque knew he had a lot to fix. He had gotten attached. Damn it all but he got attached to the kid.

That was the last thought he had as his body finally gave out, sending him sideways into the dirt. He thought he heard a yell, a voice more familiar to him than MK's, angry and scared sounding. Why was it scared? He was the Six Eared Macaque. He would be fine, he always was.

Even if that was potentially another lie.

[aliensunflower-fics]

In Defense of Salt AND Sugar: Aka ML Fandom pls chill out.

So I don’t talk much as those who follow me will say I tend to just stick to myself and my own things. HOWEVER, Ive gotten a lot of asks about why I write both Salt and Sugar for Miraculous Ladybug.

The short answer: Both salt and sugar are valid, fun, intriguing things to read and write and the point of writing is to entertain and be entertained.

The long answer: Salt isn’t inherently someone hating on your fav show and sugar isn't someone necessarily giving it a free pass either. Ya’ll are just dramatic as hell.

The LONGER answer:

I write salt because I LIKE Miraculous Ladybug, BUT the show has not lived up to its potential AT ALL. The show could be so much better and the characters are so flawed or full of holes that occasionally I feel FRUSTRATED and mad!

I hate that Alya a character who I was so excited about, gets shafted ignored, sidelined, or written like a jerk! She could have been this great detective working alongside her friend to unmask the villain, but instead she often comes across as pushy, obsessed with Ladynoir or Adrinette, and so damn easily tricked. Not to mention how when shes not gushing over her ‘ships’ shes pushed to the side and ignored. [or you know... LILA]

I hate that Marinette’s crush makes her do things that are so cringy and awkward i feel ill I hate that she’s constantly the only one making mistakes and ‘learning lessons’ when the show has all these other great characters that could use the spotlight and be the ones learning lessons. I hate that she’s so jealous and that she cant ever seem to catch a break as if the show is punishing her constantly.

I HATE that Adrien is a mary sue, how the writers say hes perfect and treat him as such, I hate that he gets to guilt Marinette into fixing everything and dealing with bullies, I wanted a funny, Ron Stoppable, naive boy who learns about real friendships and grows into a great partner. Instead he gets to be pushy and downright a jerk as Chat Noir ignoring his responsibilities, guilting Ladybug with his feelings, never taking no as an answer. He’s not a good role model for kids.

I hate that Chloe got built up to have a redemption arc several times only for the writers to decide that Chloe a teenage girl who needs some serious therapy [and actual reasonable punishment for her actions] is worse than Gabriel child abuse Agreste. She could have been a great lesson on compassion and growth and dealing with your own pain without hurting others. Instead the writers wrote her off completely.

And dont get me started on how the show treats Nino, Kagami, Luka and the rest of the cast. They may as well be a backdrop for the forced love square that we NEVER get a break from. Seriously I’m a sucker for romance but does it need to be EVERY damn episode?! Can’t we just get some wholesome friendship between everyone including Adrien and Marinette at this point like COME ON.

And i’m not even touching on the white washing, awful lessons on responsibility and forgiveness, awful lessons on well so much other stuff really, the guilt trips, the teacher, the fact that she show could be used to teach kids how to better handle negative emotions and the importance of open communication and not keeping quiet about injustice and/or your feelings but instead decided that the main priority should be a love square that gets force fed to us EVERY SINGLE EPISODE.

My point is the show has FLAWS. That doesn’t mean its the worse show ever and it doesn’t mean its not fun, and has a great premise and characters, and so when I write Salt I write it because i’m frustrated! Im frustrated with the show, with the characters, with the writing and so I vent that out with salt I write those characters as their worst selves because I cant stand how the show has decided to treat them and Im ANGRY and disappointed.

It feels good to write salt and to read it. It’s nice to see characters get called out for bad behavior, its nice to read about Adrien not getting the girl. Its nice to occasionally indulge in salt because it validates that the show is flawed and lets you get out that frustration.

BUT ON THE FLIP SIDE

Miraculous Ladybug is a lovely show. It’s a show that decided to give little girls a FEMALE HERO. And not just as a side kick or background character! No they made her the protagonist! Its so important to me that little girls see good well rounded female characters in media.

And even if the show is clumsy about it they are TRYING to build an expansive lore that tickles the theorist brain. And gets people invested in the world.

The show also made Marinette shy, and awkward, and clumsy something a lot of girls deal with during puberty as growing up can literally make you clumsier as your body adjusts. Having a character who tries to be positive and tries to find solutions who solves things with creativity instead of pure violence. Thats LOVELY for young girls to see.

Growing up I loved and admired Kim Possible, and probably would have loved Marinette, even if the shows not perfect I can admit its trying and I can see why people love it as much as they do! And why they write these fluffy sugary fics its the reason I WRITE fluffy sugary things.

Because even though I am frustrated and angry and disappointed with the show, I still see Alya’s potential and how great she is as representation to little girls who want a black female superhero so I write fluff where Alya’s loyalty, compassion, cleverness and her pursuit of justice are center stage.

I see how Adrien could be better and I want him to be better and I WANT him to be the naive funny comic relief the Ron Stoppable to Marinette’s Kim Possible. I want Adrien to grow and learn and spit in his dad’s face I want him to overcome the abuse and be happy. To show people that neglect and abuse doesn’t mean you will get stuck like that forever, that you can overcome that and be a better kinder person.

I want Nino and Kagami, and Luka and Chloe and the class to grow and get attention and have funny moments I want to laugh and make other people laugh! So I write prompts focused around comedy and shenanigans and where the characters get to be fun and silly and make decisions for themselves!

SO IN CONCLUSION:

I write salt AND sugar. I see the value and merit in both sides of the coin, and I respect how other people see the show. I know its easy to get angry with other people in the fandom who see the show differently then you do but please can we put down the weapons and just BREATHE.

Someone who writes salt might LOVE the same show as you, and they might in fact love it so much that they vent their frustrations in angst and salt and cracky fics. Let them vent about how they wish the show was better, leave their tags alone or block them if you cant stand to see it. But dont attack salt writers for ‘hating on your show’ when they might love it just as much as you do but want a way to vent out their feelings.

On the flip someone who writes sugar might NOT be forgiving the show for its flaws, they might see all the same flaws as you but decide to take that frustration and write fluff and fix it fics and sugar because they want to indulge in a version of their favorite show where everything is just... OK. Where everyone is well written and happy and the character development sticks. Stay out of their tags let them have their sugar, they aren't writing it to hurt you just like you don't write salt to hurt them.

So ENOUGH. Enough hunting each other down, enough sending each other hate, enough filling each others tags. Let people write SALT if they feel angry and vengeful and disappointment, let them have their tags, let them explore the dark side of the characters, let them rant and rave and be HURT when the characters they love upset them with their actions. Its not your place to tell them to stop, to tell them their feelings are invalid, to tell them that ‘adrien is sweet sunshine boy how dare you’ or ‘alya would never’ or ‘i hate your marinette leaves dupont au’. Just leave it be, heed the tags, and let it go.

AND ENOUGH. Enough hunting each other down, enough sending each other hate, enough filling each other tags. Let people write SUGAR if they just want something to feel happy about. Let them makes coffee shop au’s, let them make fix it fics where everything is just happy without needing 8 pages of backstory for why everything is just happy. Let them squeal and gush and talk about the ship they like and the fluff they see. Its not your place to argue with them that the show is flawed, its not cool to ruin their fun by accusing them of not understanding the flaws, to tell them ‘umm actual this character shouldn’t get to be happy’ or ‘wow this is so shallow’. Just leave it be, heed the tags, and let it go.

PS: Now with that said and done. I do have one final message for everyone - If you write/enjoy pedophilia, if you sexualize KIDS. Then get the fuck out of fandom spaces, stop fucking following me, and do everyone salt and sugar a favor by LEAVING. Your pedophilia and child sexualization aint wanted, aint ok, and I will fight you.

PSS: IF YOU HATE WHAT IVE SAID ABOUT SUGAR AND SALT FINE OK I RESPECT YOU REGARDLESS. ENJOY THE SHOW, STAY CLASSY, DONT HURT PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT OPINION.