#i'm thinking i'm probably going to wind up just posting these as one-shots to ao3

[ceramicbeetle]

I have posted the first snippet of this OC fic on my neocities; I'm just kind of vibing with the page colors right now, but in the top corner there's a button you can click to make it plain black on white if that's easier to read!

[jonathanspenguinboxers]

Valucelyn drabble

I haven't written with the intention of posting for a while so be gentle. I'm getting my post-worthy writer flow back. Drabble of Valentine and Jocelyn staking their claim over poor Luke (this is cannon and thats just so beautiful to me, Luke deserves to be fought over) I'll post the ao3 link which will be an extended version later!

Luke had made the mistake of laughing too loudly. 

Two heads twisted, though one had already started to walk across the lawn, leaving the accumulation of eager ears surrounding him staring perplexed. 

Michael, the offender, sighed next to Luke. “Your boyfriend's coming,” 

Luke’s eyebrows shot up, but before he could contend, Valentine was sidling up to them, a charming smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes framing his wind-flushed face, “What’s so funny?” 

“Oh, nothing,” Luke said, shrugging. Valentine leaned against the wall, an arm above his head, “Michael was just telling me about something.” 

Valentine glanced at Michael, bored. “I could hear you across the lawn,” 

Michael raised his palms in surrender, “He’s all yours. I’ll make myself scarce,” he said, “Robert probably fell into a ditch without any adult supervision.” 

Luke chuckled, “Godspeed, Michael. May your kindness be everlasting,” 

“Kind? Whoever said I was kind? I fully plan on leaving him there, after a good laugh,” Michael said, walking away and waving a lanky arm without looking back. Luke heard him mutter something intangible. 

“So you and Michael are pretty good friends, then?” Valentine asked. He was very close, and Luke could smell the sun on his skin. His gaze hadn’t left Luke. 

“Nope. I hate that guy,” Luke said dryly. 

“He is pretty funny,” Valentine conceded. 

“Are you ok?” Luke asked, squinting, “I think… I think you just complimented him. Was that your intention?” 

“Never, I’m a terrible person,” 

Valentine’s smile widened when Luke snorted. 

“So, how about we go to the city today? Just you and me. I’ve been needing new gloves, lunch is on me,” It always was on him; Luke was the less fortunate of the two. 

“Not today, sorry. I’m booked for the afternoon,” 

Valentine’s smile wavered, “Doing what?” 

“Jocelyn’s helping me with my parry,” Luke said, shyly, despite the fact that Valentine was fully aware of his hurdles regarding swordplay. 

Valentine’s face went bleak, “Oh,” he looked away for a moment, then recovered, “I’ll join you,” 

Luke raised a brow, “You don’t need help with your parry.” 

“Nonesense,” Valentine deflected, “One can never stop learning,” 

Luke grimaced. This was a terrible idea. “Jocelyn… doesn’t like you all that much,” 

“Well, we might as well get acquainted, I am, after all, your parabatai. If she wants to see you, then she has to get used to seeing me too,” 

“I don’t think this is healthy.” 

Valentine pushed himself off the wall, dusting off his leather gear. “I’ll see you tonight then?” 

Luke winced. 

It was going as well as he thought it would. Jocelyn and Valentine were shooting glares. The tension was britle and insufferable. Valentine was scrutinizing and his presence was loud. Jocelyn did her best to ignore Valentine, taking firm hold of Luke’s arm, guiding him through the movements, her fingers slipping around his, rolling his thumb to the correct side of the hilt. Valentine’s stare darkened the longer she pulled him around, to Jocelyn's apparent pleasure. 

Jocelyn’s finger grazed Luke’s knuckles, remarking on how they should flex like a wave, and Luke shivered unconsciously at the featheriness of her touch. 

“You’re doing that wrong.” Valentine interrupted. Once again. 

Luke saw Jocelyn’s eye twitch. She slowly turned her attention. “By all means, please show us how the mighty Morgenstern holds a sword,” 

Valentine stepped between them, and Jocelyn took a hefty step back. Luke closed his eyes. It would be over soon. 

Valentine’s chest was pressed against Luke’s shoulder in an instant as he took full governance over Luke’s body, and instinctually, Luke’s listened. His hand followed the line of Luke’s arm, a light knuckle caressing his skin and leaving goosebumps in its wake, straightening it, fixing his elbow. His hands were cool and calloused. “It starts at the shoulder. It doesn’t matter how well he can grip, the force comes from here,” 

Valentine pressed a hand to Luke’s core. Luke’s skin jumped, and he flushed at the intimate gesture, especially considering Jocelyn's eyes flickered disapprovingly at it. “And it extends through the entire arm.” 

“His posture was fine, that’s why I didn’t correct it,” Jocelyn said. 

“He slouches.” 

“Hey!” Luke interjected, though both of them ignored him. 

“That’s because we’re not actually fighting. The focus on his grip, thats his trouble spot, when we begin to fight, then the rest comes along,” She put her hands on her hip, and Luke internally sighed. Someone was going to bleed today. His name rhymed with ‘asinine’. 

Valentine walked over to the weapon wall, and picked a long, beautiful broadsword. His fingers swept across the silver adoringly, “Show me, then,” 

Luke frowned, “I don’t have gear,” 

Valentine grinned, “I would never hurt you, Lucian. You’re too pretty, and I have to look at you for the rest of my life,” 

“Thanks,” Luke muttered, and set himself in position. 

Immediately, Valentine fell out of his stance, pleased, “You see? Slouched.” 

Jocelyn shot Luke a glare. He shrugged benignly. 

“Maybe we should continue this another time,” Luke said, as he saw the look in her eye. 

“Fine, but I think it’s unproductive to have two teachers,” she said, leveling Valentine’s amused gaze. 

“I agree,” Valentine said lightly, “And as I am his parabatai, I will graciously take the burden off your shoulders.” 

“He was mine first,” Jocelyn enunciated. 

“I can just spar with both of you separately,” Luke tried, swallowing thickly, though his voice was drowned out by the tip of Jocelyn’s blade etching the floor as she circled. 

Valentine followed the predatory ring, lazily swinging the heavy sword, “Was he? I don’t recall any rune marking his skin that says so.” 

Jocelyn grinned, “It’s in a place you don’t have the privilege to see,” 

Luke was horrified, “Please stop.” 

Valentine laughed, “Cheeky, Fairchild,” 

“I’m sparring with Luke for now on. I appreciate your concern with him, but you wouldn’t be so ungentlemanly as to deny a girl her wishes, now would you?” 

Valentine propped an eyebrow, “Of course not,” but a smile was playing on his lips, “How about you spar me then? The victor gets to remain Lucian’s tutor—though it should be noted that I was the one to bring his grade up, despite your alleged concern for him and extensive friendship,” 

“Fine,” 

“Great,” 

“Shit.”

[tachiharastanacc]

hello fellow tachi fan, do you have any tachi fic recs, also here to say tysm for your contribution to the tachihara tag, our strongest tachihara soldier fr 🫡🫡

I be out here fighting tooth and nail (I hyperfixate on one character at a time and it's him and I need to talk abt him 24/7 actually) so ty for acknowledging my efforts for our cause.

BUT YES FIC RECS (below cut bc I've figure out how to use them)

After All, Spies Are The First To Die In A War

One of my favorite Tachi fics of all time. I'm a sucker for both post-canon and blind Tachi, and this one is great. It's Tachigin, so heads up if that's not ur thing, but I think they're very cute.

Together At Last

Unfinished, probably never going to be finished. But it's a cute couple chapters in the apocalypse. Atsushi-centric but Tachi gets cool moments.

are we there yet?

Hunting Dog road trip fluffy. Silly crack, very cute.

blocks, boy bands, bones, and birthdays

Also not Tachi-centric, but very, very cute. Baby DOA and HD at preschool.

Hunting Dogs (& Cat) Adventures

HD as Fukuchi's dogs (and cat!Jouno) except they cause chaos. Puppy Tachi is there, he's very cute.

It's Still Raining

HD (specifically sgk angst). Tachi isn't there much, but again, I love aftermath fics.

The More The Merrier

Another one of my absolute favorite fics! PM and HD meet at Tachi's apt by accident during the Holidays.

undercover (a table for three)

Ima be so fr this one is a MHA crossover and probably not gonna be updated, by Tachi was one of the main characters

lock picks and rusted metal

by @karmicpunishment

First one is lil Tachi using his ability for the first time and the second is Tachi almost missing his surgery (I'm low key in love with the whole HD surgery concept, so immediate win for me)

government projects club and blood vs water

by @starfocks are also both relatively short and sweet.

First one is most HD surgery pain but with the mafia and the second is found family meets Tachi's shit parents

Wind flower

Really well planned out Chuuya-centric ADA AU, but Tachi is a big part of it and their friendship makes me happy. Poor lil bro is a victim of the Tanizaki's tho.

Solace

by @miammey

Tecchou-centric, but I never see people write Tecchou and Tachi together and it makes me happy whenever I see them.

How to Raise Your Hunting Dog

I'm going to move my fics to ao3 at some point probably (I've been meaning to) and probably just make a Tachi one shot collection. Especially bc I have more that I haven't gotten around to posting here yet. BUT. This one is posted and if u wanna see my ao3 acc when I will end up posting them, that's where it'll be.

I might make a part 2, bc there are definitely more one shots and stuff that I'm missing, but that's what I had in my bookmarks.

I've gone thru pretty much the entire Tachi tag (Sorted by new and just scrolled back to front, it was a few months long process), so there are others. There is just also a lot of junk to sort thru (I'm looking at you skk fics that have Tachihara tagged except he's either so out of character and awful that it's unbearable or he just shows up to say one line and then leave).

[mailrebel]

Get to Know Fanfic Authors

Thanks for the tag @abbyz-elda!

1. How many works on AO3? 19

2. Total AO3 word count? 893,015 yes this is real 💀

3. Top 5 fics by kudos:

To Capture the Heart of a Hero

Love is like a Blizzard

Children of the Triforce: Retold

Silver Moon

So I'm Already Gone

I'm pretty happy that a one-shot sneaked its way in at the end there lol.

4. What fandoms do you write for? The Legend of Zelda, and occasionally other stuff like Final Fantasy VII and the Chronicles of Narnia.

5. Do you respond to comments? Yep, and I try my best to make it a fun time for everyone lol 🥳

6. Fic with the angsty ending? I have two for this one! Threads Pulled Taut (TOTK Zelink tragedy set far in the future) and So I'm Already Gone (TP Zelink tragedy). I was accused of traumatizing everyone during Zelink Week with the latter 😂 But I'm honestly quite proud of that fic as I felt I was able to convey what I wanted to 😌

7. Fic with the happiest ending? Hard to say... I think I'll go with Skies of Pink (TOTK Zelink) and I'll Move the Stars for You (OOT Zelink). Both stories are hurt/comfort and left me with a special sense of happiness by the end ❤️

8. Do you get hate? Yes, but it is nothing noteworthy. 

9. Do you write smut? HA you wish! (No).

10. Do you write crossovers? Only once! Hunting for Samurai which is a Gintama/Hunter x Hunter fic. Ahh, take me back to 2016...

11. Ever had a fic stolen? See the next answer lol.

12. Ever had a fic translated? Yes! Someone took my One Punch Man fic and translated it into Spanish on Wattpad. They never asked for permission, but I didn't mind. I was just happy to see people enjoying it 😂

13. Have you ever co-written a fic? No, but the day I do is not far off... 👀

14. All time favorite ship? I'm too invested to say anything other than Zelink at this point. What have you people done to me? 😂

15. WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? I finish everything I start! If I post chapter 1, the rest will come. Mark my words.

16. Writing strengths? Drama? Coming up with ideas that are interesting? One sentence paragraphs? Idk, I'm spitballing here 😭

17. Writing weaknesses? Action scenes. Being long-winded. Taking the words in my head and actually making them coherent and conveying the weight and emotions I want them to convey (so basically, writing lol).

18. Thoughts on mixed language dialogue? No thanks, I think the English language is confusing enough on its own lol.

19. First fandom you wrote for? Gintama. I can all but guarantee that nobody else in the Zelink fandom started out there 🤣

20. Favorite Fic you’ve ever written? Probably To Capture the Heart of a Hero. This fic is years of my suppressed thoughts and feelings suddenly springing to life. My love letter to Twilight Princess and Zelink. The story that brought me out of fanfic retirement and allowed me to meet so many wonderful people in this community. It's truly a blessing 🙏

Tagging @linktheacehero @miadearden @haste-waste talk about some fics if you want :)

[callmehere-iwillappear]

2024 Writing Roundup

tagged by @remedyturtles

Words Posted:

172,386 according to ao3. i don't think that's actually accurate because i think when you update an already existing fic in a new year all the previous words carry over (so like with cmh it's counting all 68k (?!?!?!?!?) even though most of that was Not written in 2024 lmao)

okay. update. after going through my docs and chapters to see when stuff was posted, assuming i did all my math right, the actual count is closer to: 77,657 words

Additional Words Written:

oh god. uh. lots probably

okay i went and dug through all my many many google docs. this is not an accurate count by any means because there's definitely stuff i missed but approximately: 73,575 words

Fandoms:

mostly rottmnt with a bit of isat at the end

Highest kudos + Highest Hit One-Shot:

but i can't live in a storm for both :thumbsup:

New Things I Tried:

uhhhhhhh. straight up don't remember anything new i tried last year </3

Fic I Spent The Most Time On:

iiiii don't know? probably bicls, cmh, or permafrost but. i don't keep track of how long i spend working on specific things </3

Fic I Spent The Least Time On:

again no idea </3 maybeeee the og version of bicls that was like. 3k words? which is really funny considering that the full version is on my list of 'maybe i spent the most time on it' lmaofjdskljfdlk

Favorite Thing I Wrote:

proooobably but i can't live in a storm. or one of the things i didn't post maybe. but out of the things i've posted i'd say almost definitely bicls

Favorite Thing(s) I Read:

oh god. this is such a hard question holy shit. hold on i'm just gonna go through everything i bookmarked last year and list some of my faves out :thumbsup:

firefight (ok listen Technically i bookmarked it in 2023 but also it was finished in 2024 so it still counts bc Duh) (+ side fic)

First Snow Days

Fly Our Kites in the Wind

Siblingquest 202X

take my brain or what remains

now the darkness comes alive

a bigger heart grew back

I'll let you hit me twice

remember me how i was

Goodnight til it be Tomorrow

it gets you in the end

lil_michelangelo posted an image

make this heart beat on and on

Alien Blues

stare directly at the sun (+ side fics)

hear you knocking

higher devotion

there are almost definitely more but this is already really long so ;afljdslkfjdkl

Writing Goals for 2025:

uhh. just. write anything honestly? ideally something i'm happy with. i'm trying not to put too much on myself because the spoons have been not on my side lately so. just Anything

New Works:

i have a few like. concepts? that i'm working on and/or thinking about doing something with. but also they're all isat sorry turtle gang </3 new hyperfixation hit real hard

Tagging:

anyone who wants to!

[kiwiana-writes]

2024 Fic Year in Review

I was tagged by @cha-melodius and didn't think I was gonna do it because I've already done a couple of similar ones, but I've just posted my Absolutely Definitely Last Fic Of Twenty Twenty Four and y'all know I fucking love statistics, so let's do a final round.

AO3 Username: kiwiana (also KiwianaPods and yourbuttervoicedbeau) My Page: Link Active Fandoms: Red, White & Royal Blue New Fandoms this year: The Pairing (also, technically, RWRB film) Total Number Of Completed Works/Word Count This Year: 59 fics + 9 podfics; 156,624 words + 7:03:11 audio minutes All Time: 264 fics + 29 podfics; 821,192 words (personal, not including words written by co-authors on cowritten fics) + 23:26:31 audio minutes

Most Popular One Shot (by kudos): This Year: Warm like the glow that you feel head to toe (RWRB; Alex/Henry; E; 5,131 words) All Time: Kinda think that I might be his type (RWRB; Alex & Bea, Alex/Henry; E, 12,864 words)

Most Popular Completed Multi-Chapter (by kudos):  This Year: Never want to live (or die) without you (RWRB; Alex/Henry; E; 9,999 words) - also my *only* completed multi-chapter this year, and the multi-chap that's still a WIP does in fact have it beat for kudos lmao. All Time: With so much of my heart (that none is left to protest)  (RWRB; Alex/Henry; E, 65,586 words)

Events/Challenges: Voiceteam 2024, A Royally Big Bang, Kinktober, Fandom Trumps Hate, idk do what you want exchange

More reflections, stats, and planned fics below the cut!

Additional Random AO3 Stats

Words written in 2024: 162,302

Words written in 2024 that are still unpublished: 9,367

Words written in 2023 that are still unpublished: 7,990 (whoops)

By rating: 86.44% explicit, 3.39% mature, 6.78% teen and up, 3.39% general audiences

Title sources: 83.05% song lyrics, 8.47% literature/poetry, 3.39% pun, 3.39% quote from the fusion/AU media, 1.69% no source/my brain

Song lyric sources: 14.29% Taylor Swift, 10.20% Matt Nathanson, 6.12% Sabrina Carpenter, 4.08% each The Jane Austen Argument, Bon Jovi, Hozier, Mýa.

Looking back, did you write more fic than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you’d expected? Less, for sure. I hadn't really factored in Transing My Gender and how much that was going to fuck with my creative energy.

What’s your own favourite story of the year?  Like loving the stars themselves, Doctor Who AU my beloved.

Did you complete your writing goals from last year?  IDEK what my goal was, but probably not to be honest lmao.

Do you have any writing goals for the New Year? Finish my original novel. Which mostly means editing, at this point - don't be fooled, though, this fucker was fast drafted, so it needs a LOT of editing.

Did you take any writing risks this year? I mean I quit my entire job to focus on original writing soooooooooo

Story of mine most under-appreciated by the universe, in my opinion: Also Like loving the stars themselves, as above. But also maybe all the non-FirstPrince Kinktober entries!

Most fun story to write: Life was a willow (and it bent right to your wind). The entire premise is SO SILLY and it was just a blast to present it for Kinktober.

Biggest disappointment: Oh, let's not go there lmao.

Biggest surprise: Don't think I had any big ones.

Coming soon/planned for 2025: The only thing I am actually committing to is finishing the Anastasia AU and my subscriber shindig fics. After that... idk. I'm a bit adrift at the moment, fandom-wise.

[anneapocalypse]

AO3 Year End Roundup 2024

Thank you for the tag, @crackinglamb!

Tagging: @farfromdaylight @dreadfutures @rosella-writes @myreia and anyone else who hasn't been tagged yet and wants to do this!

Words posted: 15,777

Additional Words Written: A little over 100k by the looks of it! I had at least a little of what I posted this year written in 2023, so I don't have an exact number.

Grand total of words: 121,950

Fandoms: It's been an FFXIV year! I posted my first XIV fic in February and my most recent one this month.

Works: 5

Highest Kudos: At present, it's the one from February, In Thine Arms, Ere Long, with 55.

Highest Hit Oneshot: Same as the above, with 534.

New Things I Tried: I don't think I've written phone sex before? Honestly, it's all been pretty thoroughly in my wheelhouse.

Fic I Spent the Most Time On: Without a doubt, Harsh Light, Ariane's post-Heavensward fic. I have hope of having it and its companion fic, Gentle Dark, finished and posted in 2025!

Fic I Spent the Least Time On: I'd guess Of the Depths was probably the fastest write.

Favorite Thing I Wrote: Of the ones I've posted, I think The Pursuit of Idle Pleasures is my favorite. The Starlight fic was fun too! but I just so dearly love writing Urianger's POV. Of the unposted work there is much of Harsh Light and Gentle Dark that I am proud of and excited to share, though there's a lot of work yet to do.

Favorite Thing I Read: @myreia's Divergence of the Heart (Aymeric/WoL, Thancred/WoL, Thancred/Hilda, 53K, rated E) was a really standout read for me this year. A beautifully-written fic about two of my favorite things--complicated relationships, and the Warrior of Light having a bad time in Ishgard--this story moved me in a variety of ways and has lingered with me long after I finished reading! Highly recommend.

Something I Finished: I finished five one-shots! Also a first draft of a nearly 60k longfic.

Miscellaneous Highlights: I'll give a highlight to my Starlight fic, No Sweeter Gift, started last winter and left unfinished until I returned to it this month. I'm not sorry I let it sit for a year; I think I have a much stronger grasp of both Ariane's voice and Urianger's now, and was able to make it what I wanted it to be! (Also, I've learned a lot about gpose, and it was a lot of fun doing some shots to go along with the fic.)

Writing Goals for 2025: Finish and post Harsh Light and Gentle Dark. Beyond that, I got where the wind takes me. When I set goals for a whole year, they almost always end up either not realistic or not mattering to me by the end of the year because something else seized my attention, so I'm just not going to worry about it.

Final Thoughts: I considered 2023 to be kind of a rough year for writing, and I feel like I came back pretty strong in 2024. Not just in raw word count, though that's definitely a part of it (I wrote about 40k in 2023). While I am sorry last year lost me so much momentum on the Dragon Age longfic that's currently sitting on the shelf, I cannot be sorry for having fallen so hard into FFXIV, because it truly did so much to revive my energy for writing and help me find the joy in it again.

Also, it's been fun writing so much smutfic again! In recent years I've kind of struggled with writing sex scenes, not for any conscious reason or inhibition, but I'd just start something and then get bored with it quickly and move onto something else. Perhaps falling so deep into a new ship has revived my inspiration! Whatever the reason, that's been most of what I've posted this year, and it's been a blast!

I am really looking forward to sharing more of Ariane's story as it comes together! There's also a lesson I'm hoping to take from how much fun I had writing this year, and that's that not everything has to be a longfic. I did make a lot of longfic progress this year; it's the vast majority of what I wrote, and I'm very happy with the numbers. Nonetheless, I think periodically writing a one-shot has really helped with keeping my energy up. I think I've had a bit of a problem in recent years with putting too much pressure on myself to turn every idea into a Big Story, and squirreling ideas away to use in some theoretically longfic later instead of just developing them into a perfectly workable short story today.

I do love writing longfic, and I'm pretty good at motivating myself through those long first drafts, but nonetheless... sometimes you just forget what it feels like to finish something. Also when a fic can take months or even years to finish, it keeps me living with this perpetual terror that I won't be able to sustain the interest long enough to finish the thing before my fixation moves on to something else... and leaves me feeling guilty and sad when that does happen and a big project needs to go on the shelf, unfinished and largely unseen. I love writing, and I love writing fanfiction because there's no reason to do it but love, love of the source material and love of the characters and love of the community and love of writing itself. But there are moments when that feeling starts to creep in that I'm making it a job for myself, and I don't want to do that.

It's caused me to give some more thought to how I want to structure future work, Ariane's stories in particular, because while there's lots more I want to write about her, not all of it needs to be a longfic. Most probably doesn't, in fact. Harsh Light did and does, but I already knew that the next thing (chronologically) was going to be more a series of vignettes than one long story. The big question will be how I want to write about Shadowbringers. I know broadly what I want to write about in Shadowbringers, and it's such an important part of Ariane's story that for a long time I felt like it had to be a longfic... but seeing as it pretty closely follows canon other than the ship stuff, I don't think making it a longfic would bring enough new to the table to justify how much canon I would have to straight-up rehash. (Even in the current draft of Harsh Light, there are a few points where I'm struggling with this--I think I probably need to give myself permission to pare certain canon events down to a summary or a passing mention where I don't actually have much new to say about them.) So now, I'm considering that maybe it doesn't need to be a longfic at all! Maybe simply writing the vital moments and letting the reader's memory of canon events carry the rest is enough. Furthermore, I'm pretty sure anything I want to write about Endwalker and Dawntrail can be done in one-shots.

And realizing that... honestly, it's very freeing. In addition to lifting a lot of the pressure I tend to put on myself, it also means I don't need to write everything in order; I don't need to be constantly plowing forward chronologically with no breaks. If I want to work on some Shadowbringers fic while I'm finishing Gentle Dark I can do that. I don't have to look at my character's story as a massive, daunting project that will take years to finish, but rather as a well of possibility that I can dip into whenever I want, and wherever chronologically I want, and I can leave and work on other things and come back whenever I want, and it's okay.

2024 in general was a lot about freeing myself from other people's expectations. So maybe the next step is considering the expectations I set for myself. I want to keep writing, and fanfiction in particular, a joy. I may always want to write long stories in some capacity, but I think right now opening myself to writing more short ones has been very good for me and something to embrace in the coming year.

[makoredeyes]

Keep it coming you say? 👀 I saw that tag! I'm ~quite~ bored, so here's a couple questions/whatever they're considered, lol.

Yes, flattery will get me very far here, indeed! To where? I do not know, but whatever, compliments! You deserve them. I'm rather sure my friends are tired of hearing me go on and on about destiny characters, ':)

How's your writing wip's going so far? I'm waiting very (im)patiently for any updates, I've totally not re-read everything forty-two times.. hope their all going well!

A little self indulgence here, but I like to think Andal Brask was the Hunter Vanguard when Osiris and Saint-14 were in, because.. come on, I'm rather sure the time frame adds up. I like to believe before, because their dynamic just seems really fun to me. Lots of great opportunities. (I partly blame that one fanart sylenth-l made of Andal and Osiris for this, it was really funny). What do you think their dynamic would be like?

What do you think it'd be like if the Iron Lords mysteriously came back alive? 👀 I'm talking, SIVA couldn't actually kill them because their ghosts hid in the light in their bodies, and SIVA only goes after non-organic materials right? Maybe it couldn't work it's way into the light, and as long as their ghost + light are intact, = alive. But *only* after the Warmind managed to get control over SIVA and free their physical bodies from harm? It's a thought I had, influenced by a few fics but I quite like the idea. Just imagine, a ghostless, lightless Osiris receiving word that maybe, they weren't as dead as he thought they were. Or Fel and Timur coming back only to realize what happened to Osiris?? Poor Sagira?? Learning lady Efrideet's alive? 👀 (Is that her name?)

Or perhaps, In this one fic, it's Timur and his special, take over your will little stunt he has, was keeping SIVA at bay, I think that's pretty neat too! So many possibilities! (If you were the one that wrote these, I hope you see this as a compliment cause I am not about to go dig through Ao3 to find them xD)

Either way, it'd be like a modern!au of the iron lords, for them at least, hah (I can just imagine Gheleon having a mental breakdown that their memorial involved fighting one another)

I can't really think of anything, but rest assured I will *probably* be back once I'm dome tormenting my poor boy Tevis

Ahaha yeesss YESSSS I feed me I'm such an attention whore lmao RIP XD. (fr tho bless you ;_; )

I am writing! There are longer gaps between posts rn because I have lots going on in my life, but also, because I am working on many fics at once. I counted the other day I have 26 WIPs but six I am actively working on in concert - three for Housefire that are all directly intermingled plot and timing-wise to the point where I'm not even entirely sure what order I'll be posting them in yet, another chapter for Things Found (I am trying to stay 2 chapters ahead with that to make sure I have a cohesive story for it), and two XXX stand-alone one-shots! I should fish out another teaser for everyone soon. I think it'll be one of the one-shots that makes it out next tbh they're the furthest along. But the naughty stuff is also the slowest to get written bc I yanno...can't write that stuff at work, etc. haha. But I've felt a new wind of motivation lately for writing and am picking away at these projects pretty regularly. <3

I'm going to admit I am not very well-read on the hunter squad in general, BUT iirc I believe Andal was Vanguard during the City Age. He was definitely around as I recall his presence in the comics. The problem with that time is that Osiris was largely absent. This was when the Cult of Osiris was gaining traction, and Osiris' obsession with the Darkness and the Vex was really heating up. He was neglecting his duties to the Vanguard (with Ikora often standing in as proxy for him) and he wasn't really paying attention to anyone else. Like. At all. There was a lot of unhappy tension even with Saint at that time. Andal, by all accounts, was a damn good fella though, and while I think just about everyone nettled Osiris, Andal also stuck up for him where he could. Even if Osiris couldn't appreciate that in the moment I'm sure he would come to later. I look at Osiris and see him as he is now, with some hard lessons learned and some hard losses under his belt, realizing a little too late some of the damn good souls he had in his court, Andal included. All of that said, 100% in a lighter, easier setting, a free-spirit like Andal (and/or Cayde...heaven forbid them both together!) would drive a stuffed shirt like Osiris up an absolute freaking wall with pure comical results, hands down.

(a side note, a brain storm, an insane thought that just poisoned my brain - a sweeter moment hidden from time: Andal's guitar and this gift of song Saint has hinted Osiris has....??????! I'm not melting it's just hot in here, right???)

As for Ironsbane and SIVA... I have INDEED put an awful lot of thought into this. Quite a lot. So much. I have my own ideas on ways to circumvent the disaster, O Reader Mine, but you're going to have to wait a while longer for me to write it. :3 (Housefire is, after all, ultimately, a fixit )

*but no SIVA attacks whatever it is programmed to, organic or not: and Rasputin set it on hundreds of Iron Lords and wiped them all out with the sole exception Efrideet and Saladin with the directives “REPLICATE, ELIMINATE, IMMUNIZE” it was not what SIVA was made to do but he deliberately repurposed it into a weapon. (I could go on for years about Rasputin and his darker epochs, but especially his misappropriation of SIVA lol)

** Your mention of Timur and his spooky skills DID remind me of another fic I need to get back to as well OTL TT_TT I still have requests I took in January I have yet to complete. At this rate it's going to take me all year to get them all done and by then I'll be taking more aahaha whuups.

[desert-dyke]

20 Questions for Fanfic Writers

No one asked me to do this, but I saw this from @ashenlavellan and wanted to give it a try!

1). How many works do you have on AO3?

26 works

2). What's your total AO3 word count?

78,479 words! (holy smokes!)

3). What are your top 5 works by kudos?

Nuclear Protection on a Budget (Fallout 4) - 153 kudos

Pictures of You (Mass Effect) - 135 kudos

I was Lost without You (Mass Effect) - 134 kudos

I'm No Botanist But I Think this May Not Be Entirely Natural - (Fallout New Vegas) - 133 kudos

The Years are Long but it's Always Good to See a Familiar Face (Dishonored) - 133 kudos

4). What fandoms do you write for?

I mainly write fic about various video games I love (currently Mass Effect, Fallout, Dishonored, Prey 2017, We Happy Few and Bioshock). I have in the past written fic about my dungeons and dragons OC, and very occasionaly fics based on books (one was a gift for a friend based on his science fiction series, which he liked so much it is secretly canon)

5). Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I really try to! If I don't, it's because I get overwhelmed and forget. Comments mean so much to me! Comments have motivated me to continue writing in certain fandoms and/or fics, so if you like something I do, please tell me! It 100% will convince me to write more!

6). What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Probably "Early Sunsets" (Dishonored) which is a missing scene fic of a character discovering the canon death of another character

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

I feel like my Tali/FemShep fics are the happiest, usually exploring Shepard getting more into Tali's culture and discussing their future together post war (So either "TLC", "Pictures of You" or "Free as the Dust in the Solar Wind") (omg I somehow didn't realize until now I've written THREE Tali/FemShep fics!)

8). Do you get hate on fics?

I haven't and hope to keep it that way.

9). Do you write smut?

Probably half, if not more, of my fics are smut. It's something I don't have opportunity to write outside of fanfiction, so fanfiction is my go to place for flexing that creative muscle.

10). Do you write crossovers?

No, to each their own, but I don't understand the appeal of crossovers. A lot of my fanfic is as close to canon as I can make it (while maybe changing bits of canon I dislike lol), so mostly I find crossovers confusing.

11). Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I hope not.

12). Have you ever had a fic translated?

No, but I am so down to have my work translated if anyone is interested!

13). Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

I haven't. I don't really have friends in the fanfic community tbh.

The closest to co-written I've done is when I opened up for requests and two of my published fics are prompts given by two different friends on tumblr!

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

Currently, it's Alex Yu/Dayo Igwe (Prey 2017) partially because Prey is my new shiny thing to play with, and partially because I think I am the only person creating content for this particular ship. The longer I write the ship, the more convinced I make myself it is canon. Previously, it was Corvo/Daud (dishonored) because they're just so doomed to be together and to fall apart. I also always thought Garrus/FemShep (Mass Effect) was my top Mass Effect ship but now I am seeing unrefutable evidence that actually I've written more Tali/FemShep lol!

15). What's the WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

Guys I promise I will finish "Mad About the Boy" (Fallout New Vegas) (And my most recent fic). It was supposed to be a one shot but then I got distracted after one sex scene and decided to publish what I had and work on the rest when I get to it.

I don't often do multi chapter fics. The only other published WIP I have is "Her Heart I Bathed in Poison" (dishonored) a fic of the Knife of Dunwall told from Billie's perspective with Billie/Delilah as the main ship. Definitely lack of interaction on the fic made me lose interest as well as how long it needs to be. I don't think I'll be revisiting it anytime soon, unless I replay the DLC and become obsessed again.

16). What are your writing strengths?

I think I do unique and complex inter-character dynamics really well, which is generally the focus of all my fics. I love exploring character relationships. I love making it messy and picking apart character's motivations. I think I stay in character very well.

I think I'm also good at using established worldbuilding within my fics.

17). What are your writing weaknesses?

When it comes to fanfic, I tend to rush through it. I don't edit my fanfic nearly enough. And overall, I favor working on my original fiction over fanfic these days.

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

Closest I've come to doing this was writing a Scottish accent for Ollie in Life's Little Joy's (We Happy Few) and honestly I fear I butchered it.

19). First fandom you ever wrote for?

On Archive of Our Own, my first published fic was for Dishonored. Before then, I have a regrettably long history writing and participating in the boy wizard fandom.

20). Favorite fic you've ever written?

I think "Monday, March 15th 2032" (Prey 2017) is prob the best fic I've written quality wise.

[redbelles]

twenty questions for fic writers

tagged by: the wonderful @carry-the-sky 💖

1. how many works do you have on ao3?

51

2. what's your total ao3 word count?

245,595

3. what fandoms do you write for?

i don't ever really abandon old fandoms, but so far 2024 has been all berserk (nothing posted yet, unforch) and masters of the air

4. top five fics by kudos

like a heartbeat drives you mad

the dreadful need in the devotee

and my body found the wind

stuck in colder weather

all the love you need

5. do you respond to comments?

yes! it may take me a hundred million years, but i appreciate each and every comment i get, and i often go back to them for a little jolt of "hey, people actually like your writing!" motivation when i'm stuck

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

lmao uh. known angst goblin meg redbelles here, but i honestly didn't have to do much work to the canon endings of robert baratheon (the clouds will form a crown) or judas iscariot (in the violence of our dreams) to make them even more horrifically angsty, so. one of those, probably!

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

i don't tend to go for out and out happy endings—i prefer bittersweet—but i feel like the answer is either the mercy wheel, which fixes dany’s gabarge season eight character arc, or tongue’s talkin’ riddles (sticky sweet), which gives chrissy and eddie a mostly happy future together instead of horrible deaths in deeply cursed hawkins

and! for what it's worth! the chimneys hardly ever fall down is going to end on a happy note! they're just going to have to Suffer a lot to get there! it's fine!

8. do you get hate on fics?

nope

9. do you write smut?

me, currently 3k into a m/m/f threesome scene:

10. craziest crossover:

i enjoy spitballing about crossovers, but i doubt very seriously that i'll ever write one

11. have you ever had a fic stolen?

not that i'm aware of, no

12. have you ever had a fic translated?

i've had offers before, but i've declined every time; they all wanted to host the translations outside of AO3, which is not something i'm comfortable with

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

yep! keep calling me home is a really fun little round robin fic i wrote with three other authors a couple years ago

14. all time favorite ship?

i can't read suddenly.gif

15. what's a wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

shUT UP!!!!! I'M GONNA FINISH ALL MY WIPS!!!!!! SHUT UP!!!!! LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!!

16. what are your writing strengths?

imagery, emotion, themes, dialogue

17. what are your writing weaknesses?

plot? never heard of her. also, i feel like i still suck at writing humor

18. thoughts on dialogue in another language?

to crib from a previous answer: unless you speak the language, it gets real dicey real fast. i personally avoid it unless a) it’s a canonical term/phrase, like all the faux-russian bullshit in the grisha trilogy, or b) i can check the grammar/usage with a native speaker or someone who is solidly fluent

19. first fandom you wrote in?

[redacted] way back ages ago on [redacted]

20. favorite fic you've written?

recency bias talking here, but i am so, so, so fond of the chimneys hardly ever fall down; i challenged myself to write the first chapter as one continuous scene (i feel like i sometimes abuse scene breaks to heighten tension), and honestly i think i nailed it. also, this sequence:

Maybe he is drunk. That would make sense. He’s going to wake up and find himself alone at the bottom of a bottle. Back in the cold blue, Fort shot to shit and tumbling from the sky like a wounded bird, trailing fire and screaming as she falls. Maybe he won’t wake up at all— maybe he’s dead in a potato field, a ghost who never made it back in the first place. His heart can’t fucking take it.

like, i'm sorry, but that's brutal! and i am so proud of it!

tagging: @sluttyhenley @littlelindentree @oatflatwhite @meyerlansky @ladywaffles

@charmtion @anthropologicalhands @jacyevans @thatworldinverted @thatgirlnevershutsup

and anyone elso who wants a go ✨

[fountainpenguin]

“'I'm doing this all for me!?' ... Dare say that about our love, and mister, I'll have to do away with you...” (x)

---

... 7 years ago, I put this chapter preview image in my queue and it's been there ever since. It's this plot point that the entire 130 Prompts project was built around.

We've made it.

---

New 130 Reasons Why I'm Fairy Trash update today!

Fairly OddParents || One-Shot - “Grudge”

Read on FFN || Read on AO3

Find more Purple Train story arc HERE

End Arc 2

---

Happy Peppy Gary (the teenage boy who used to rule the world) and Denzel Crocker (the school teacher who's spent years fighting to do the same) finally meet for a business proposition. It is raining.

... Where is the portal to Fairy World?

(First 1000 words under the cut)

---

21. Grudge

Saturday July 13th, 2002

Year of Leaves; Summer of the Last Berry

---

5 minutes after signing the Learnatorium off to Ed Leadly…

Passing by Dimmsdale Elementary leaves him feeling… giddy. Gary clutches his backpack by the shoulder straps, taking in the sight of empty swings squeaking in the wind. They stand like giraffes drinking from the savannah watering hole near the lonely see-saws and jungle gym. It's empty here. Dreary and chilly in the wind, even for a summer evening. And, like… There is something wild, beautiful, and free in witnessing this little slip between horror and peace. It's like peeling back a corner of yellow wallpaper to reveal life and color on the other side..

These days, Gary rarely has a reason to walk by the school. His apartment's in the other direction, closer to the downtown area (Right next to Alden Bitterroot's well). But there was once a time he walked to school five days a week, and five days back the other direction (unless Mr. Sanderson in a rare show of mercy pinged them safely home).

Years ago, back when he was only ten, he used to play on this same old equipment. The school has upgraded to a new slide (with a playful rock wall), but everything still feels so familiar. He could probably run across the playground with his eyes squeezed shut and still manage to run up every step and dive down every slide. And, you know… he'd probably scrape himself up on the woodchips if he did that, but for just two or three fleeting seconds, it might be fun.

Mmm… No. He's having second thoughts about the woodchips. He'd rather have squishy rubber underfoot (or even just grass). Woodchips can pierce skin. They aren't safe. And they're not all that wheelchair-friendly either, which no one in this town seems to think about as much as he and Betty do. There's a reason he applied for a part-time job at the Learnatorium instead of volunteering at the school.

Well. A few reasons. But the illusion of choice lifts his spirits on some of his worse days.

Gary lingers at the edge of a crosswalk. It's gray, gray, gray this afternoon. Not rainy, but threateningly close. The clouds leer downward, erasing shadows from the sidewalk. Gary rocks from heels to toes and back again, waiting for the red hand firm and staring back from him to turn into a welcoming white Cross signal. Does the little glowing figure who lives inside the signal box ever feel like he's drifting through a void? Marching endlessly, stopping often, and never advancing where he'd like to go?

It's Saturday. 7 pm. There aren't many cars out on the weekend, especially since not a lot of people have a reason to stray near the elementary school in the summer. Including him, which is why he walked right past it. Sentimental he may be, but the man he's searching for only works at the school… He won't be there today.

Cars roll past, their tires slick and firm against the street. Gary presses the signal button twice (in case the first push doesn't take) and stares at his reflection in the mounted mirror on the crossing post. It's a big, round mirror, likely put there to help drivers see around the corners, so it's probably��unsafe of him to stand directly in front of it, but… in that moment, Gary realizes he doesn't know how long it's been since he last looked himself over in a mirror. Properly, anyway. He doesn't need to very often. The short spikes in his hair don't require much attention (especially because he usually wears a hat). Thanks to his mild genie powers (probably? Maybe? Unclear), he's never had to deal with acne. Every now and then he adds a little eyeliner to his look, but it really depends on the day.

It's… it's been a few months since the last time he did. That stuff runs when you cry. It would give his thoughts away.

Still, Gary grimaces at the face staring back at him now. How long has he looked like a zombie in the mirror? Heavy circles cling beneath his eyes. Is that how Ed Leadly saw him when he came in today? No one he'd believe had authority; no one to take too seriously? (Actually, this adds up. Gary spent last night sleeping on the Learnatorium couch.)

The white walking figure on the crossroad sign blinks on.

I've really grown up. Did I really use to cross this busy street without adult supervision when I was a kid?

Thunder sneers overhead, though the lightning's yet to show its face. Gary keeps his thumbs in the backpack straps. He didn't need to check the address in a phone book. Everyone knows where to find 4158 Woodnick Lane. It's outlived just about everyone in Dimmsdale. It maybe always will.

Gary's halfway there when raindrops start plinking down. They sizzle on his hands. He glances up. Then, yanking the backpack over his head, he breaks into a run. Burn the witch, he thinks snidely, and immediately feels a swell of guilt. Betty, before she lost her memories, always was good at brushing off his self-deprecating thoughts. He brings up the old mantras, playing them through his head as his shoes smack the sidewalk and cars chug, their windshield wipers flinging droplets his direction.

"If you wouldn't say it to a sad child's face, don't say it to yourself."

The rain leaves bubbly welts across his hands. Gary huffs, sprinting for all he's worth, and leaps on a big cement planter just to avoid the gutter spray splash from a car rolling by. His skin throbs, hands thrusting their weird mix of human and genie cells into repairing what damage the water did. Over and over, again and again… one scalding patch of skin at a time. And it looks good as new, until it touches water again.

[Cnt’d - FFN and AO3 links at top]

[hippielittlemetalhead]

Inevitable

Slightly updated version of a one-shot found in my Spot-centric anthology thing I have going on AO3. The little one-shots like this will be posted separate from the actual Sparah fic I'm working on as they are technically from different universes. Some notable changes for the sake of plot and story things.

Feel free to leave constructive criticism or to just share in the brainrot of these characters with me.

Hope ya enjoy!

Pidge is a term of endearment of the time period usually used between close friends or sweethearts. Rós is pronounced (ro-ous) or alternatively (ro-ou-sh) Roíse is pronounced (ro-sha)

He figured there wasn't much he could do when she started talking about the boy who sold near the shop she worked at. He figured there wasn't anything he could really say that wouldn't give him away when she asked if he knew the boy with the cowboy hat and red bandana. But he figured he could stretch the truth a little, she knew he wasn't Manhattan, she knew he wasn't supposed to be seen on this side of the Bridge. That he broke the few rules the Newsies could all agree on just to see her. He figured he could get away with a little white lie.

"His name's Jack Kelly. Us newsies calls him Cowboy."

"Do your nicknames really follow you to every borough?"

"Some of us they'se the only names we'se gots. Most of us don't keep the names our parents gives us."

"Is Rós your real name then, or just one you've given yourself?"

"Is real enough I suppose."

"I don't think I like that answer."

"That's life, pidge."

He knows his days are numbered when she shows up to their usual spot with bright eyes and a smile he's never seen before lighting up her face. He knows this is probably the last time he'll be able to see her like this once Jackie and his boys make good on their promise of a strike. He knows it's probably time he told her the truth.

"And he's taller than I expected. I thought he wasn't much older than you, Rós."

"I'se always been kinda short fer me age. And most of us don't keep much track o' age past when we'se can't swing it in a lodge no more."

"How old are you then?"

"Maybe sixteen? I was real little when I wound up at the lodge. Lots o' times it all jus' blurs together."

"Are there no records of you coming to the lodge?"

"I suppose, under a diff'rent name pro'lly. The one Blue gave me afore he aged out fer good."

"And when he aged out, Spot Conlon took over?"

"You'se don't gots to say 'is full name. None of us do."

"I've only heard the boys around here say his full name, and even then they're real quiet like it'll make him appear."

"Well you knows what they says about speakin' o' devil's."

"Oh you're terrible."

"So'se I'se heard."

There's no getting out of it now as he makes his way through Lower Manhattan. There's a roiling in his gut as he walks head held high and cane gripped tight in his fist as some of his boys tail him. There's newsies from every Borough and working kids alike openly watching him and plenty of adults being a little more subtle about it. There's maybe half of the older Manhattan newsies watching from the shadows as he makes his way through the midday crowd like he belongs here. There's not a sign of Cowboy or The Mouth as he settles down next to an already sitting Sarah. She hands him half a light buttery pastry and he bites back the comment that their usual spot on the fire escape in the alley behind them had better shade.

"So, from what Jack says, Spot Conlon has done a world of good for the working kids of Brooklyn. And newsies through the boroughs."

"I suppose so."

"I wouldn't mind formally meeting him. Davey said he reminded him of an avenging angel."

"Your brudda said what?"

"Oh he made some long-winded comparisons between the boy who earned the loyalty of an entire Borough -and then some- and came to the rescue of the Manhattan newsies and the angels in the Bible. Beautiful to look at and fierce to behold. Warriors of God meant to protect Heaven and Man."

"Your brudda thinks Conlon is an angel o' da Lord?"

"With everything people say about him, is it so hard to believe?"

"You Jacobs are crazy."

"Why thank you."

"Sarah, I-"

"I get why you did it. Once Jack and Davey found out about Rós it was rough. Davey had concerns for my virtue. I'm sure you can guess how Jack felt about his girl spending time with another fella."

"Jacky boy never was good at sharing."

"Then the picture came out. Jack was larger than life before but now, now he was practically walking legend. And Davey was right up there with him. Davey, Les, Racetrack, Blink and Boots and- and all those boys, they were all part of somethin bigger now. But you, you were somethin' else, Spot."

"Roíse."

"What?"

"Me name, me real one, not a nickname or somethin' I chose to make a new life, it's Roíse."

"Huh, I think I like that."

"Figures you would, pidge."

"This changes everything doesn't it?"

"A bit. I'se Spot Conlon and you'se Jack Kelly's girl. We've got a Strike ta run and I think there's more than just a factory or tha docks waitin for us when we'se age out now."

"You boys are changing the world."

"We're gonna try at least."

Francis Sullivan. Spot knew most of the newsies had fake surnames or used nicknames instead of their Christian ones but he could see why Cowboy had changed everything about his. He had been the one to break the news to Sarah when she met them outside of the courthouse sans her beau. He was glad to see she had managed to make it out safe and unharmed, glad that both 'hattan and Brooklyn had listened when he barked out the order to get her to safety above all else.

She doesn't cry when he tells her about Francis Sullivan and his real folks and his sentence to the Refuge. She doesn't cry when he tells her the cause that Cowboy had gotten himself what might as well be a life sentence to kids like them for was practically ground to a halt since Denton couldn't -wouldn't- publish another article about their strike. She doesn't cry when he finds her not two days later and tells her that the one person he had thought he could stand losing a girl like her to Legendary Strike Leader, Jack Kelly had shown up in a fancy new suit and a whole stack of crisp newspapers, denouncing the very war he started. She doesn't cry when she reaches out to pull him in close and rest her head on his shoulder while they both catch their breath like they used to on that fire escape down the block from her family's apartment but he takes a small step back, more a shifting of his weight to his back foot really, enough to keep the space between them. She doesn't cry when he takes his hat off and calls her Miss Jacobs, wishing her a good day with a bow like those fancy gents give the fancy ladies they will never be.

He doesn't say anything when he hears word that Jack 'Cowboy' Kelly is back with a plan. He doesn't say anything when he hears that Mouth is sporting a shiner from one of the Delanceys, that he got it defending his sister's honour. He doesn't say anything when he and his boys make sure Denton makes it to Roosevelt without any of Pulitzer's goons getting to him. He doesn't say a word when he sees Jack Kelly standing tall and proud and bigger than life in front of thousands of young kids who had never had a voice before now, a Jacobs on each side. He holds Les close between him and Racetrack so he doesn't get swept away in the crowd.

He doesn't look for her when Jack Kelly rides away in Teddy Roosevelt's fancy carriage. He bites his tongue when the damned fool comes back, sweeping up his girl and kissing her for all the world to see. He shrugs Racetrack off when the other boy asks him if he's okay. He pretends not to see the way the other 'hattan teenagers watch him, daring him to give them a reason. He turns away when he sees her searching for him in the crowd.

They had won the day, now he had a borough to run.

[blackbird-brewster]

Welcome to another instalment of sad trash Jemily head canons! Today's song: 'Light On' by Maggie Rogers.

Rated: General Pairing: JJ/Emily Tags: Angst, open ending WC: 3400 Cross Posted to AO3 - READ HERE

Emily has trouble sleeping. She always has, but her insomnia/night terrors are really bad when she first joins the BAU because it's her first time in active field duty in a long while. and it naturally pings shit about Doyle.

They're coming back from a long case, it's a red eye flight. everyone is sleeping, but Em is just reading. JJ wakes up to use the bathroom and sits back with Em and says something casual like 'oh can't sleep?"

Emily dismisses it like 'haha, no, i never sleep. even if we were already home, i'd probably just be driving around to clear my head'

But JJ actually gets it, she doesn't sleep well most nights either. So she extends a vague invitation like 'well, if you ever find yourself in my neighbourhood in the middle of the night -- just knock. I'm probably up too'

Emily doesn't think anything of this, passes it off as a joke.

But then after Children of the dark, Emily finds herself driving. she's thinking about Carrie and that leads to thinking about Declan and she's NOT going to sleep anytime she thinks of him.

She's been in the car for who knows how long, but ends up gravitating towards JJ's although she doesn't consciously understand why.

And to her surprise, the porch light is on. She parks outside for a minute and remembers the off-hand comment JJ said sometimes last year about always being up late.

But Em realises that was a year ago, it'd be way too weird to knock at 2am now.

So, she goes home.

>>> More Below the Cut

The very next month, Pen gets shot. Emily is worried sick after leaving the hospital. But she can also still feel JJ's hand in hers even though that was three hours ago and that scares her in ways that have recently become more conscious to her, even if she's still trying to deny it.

She goes for a drive.

She winds up in front of JJ's again -- and the porch light is on.

This time, Emily actually parks. She gets as far as the front step before realising she's being an idiot and chickens out.

JJ has never said anything about this stupid vague offer to her ever since that ONE time, it'd be WILD for Emily to show up now.

She goes home and tries to forget about the whole thing.

months go by. Em finds herself in front of JJ's every few weeks in her usual night drive. The light is on every time, but she can never work up the courage to knock.

But in that same period, Emily has finally admitted to herself just how much she likes JJ. They're inseparable at work, she thinks JJ is the most amazing woman she's ever known.

And Emily knows she's hard crushing, but there's no way in hell she's going to tell JJ any of that

The team gets called to Miami.

Will is there. This random redneck guy from New Orleans who JJ laughed about the entire case the year prior. She'd tell Emily how he was hitting on her and stuff and the two of them thought he was so grating.

But now he's here. In Miami.

And the way JJ greets him -- something about it makes Emily uncomfortable.

She watches them together and it's not hard to see what's happening. At some point after the case in New Orleans, they obviously got together.

In a form of self-preservation, Emily pushes JJ towards him the whole time they're on the case. She's trying to get JJ to admit the truth.

But when it's confirmed, when JJ does go after him and make their relationship known - -Emily feels sick

She knew she had a crush, but the moment she sees JJ kissing Will at the end of the case -- she realises its SO much more than a crush.

When the team gets back, Emily is driving all night. She goes through half a tank of gas, just mindlessly driving so she doesn't have to focus on how much this HURTS.

She finds herself in front of JJ's, like she always does.

The porch light is on.

As if she doesn't have control of her own body, she parks.

She gets out.

She walks to the door.

Her hand is halfway to knocking when she pulls away.

She can't do this to JJ, not RIGHT after JJ told everyone she's in a relationship.

She's already turned to leave when the door opens.

"Em?"

She turns around and finds JJ standing there. God, how is she THAT beautiful at 3am??

"I thought you'd never actually knock," JJ says. "Come in."

Emily follows her inside and JJ points to the front window that faces the street. There's a big comfy chair there with a side table full of books.

JJ says, "I've been sitting here every night for over a year. Just waiting for you to actually do it. I left the light on, just hoping one day you'd knock. But you never have."

"No, I haven't." Emily mutters. She's so embarrassed. JJ has SEEN how many times Emily has parked outside of her house and never done anything about it.

JJ smiles and nods kind of solemnly. Of course she knows why Emily's never had the courage. She knows Emily well enough, she knows that Emily likes her. And truthfully, JJ has liked her back for even longer. But Emily never made a move, so JJ thought it was all in her head.

JJ makes them tea, they talk about the case, they talk about the weather, politics, current events, they talk about EVERYTHING except the one thing they both KNOW needs talking about.

Even then, neither of them want to name their feelings.

Emily doesn't leave until sunrise. And for once, she sleeps soundly. She's never gotten better sleep in her adult life.

Over the following weeks, she and JJ have this little middle of the night routine.

And every time Emily goes home, she sleeps for a solid eight hours without night terrors.

It's a miracle.

Then, Will shows up while the team is on a case. He's mad, telling JJ she shouldn't be in the field.

And Emily realises suddenly, that although she's known that JJ was in a relationship with him ever since the case in Miami -- in all the nights they've stayed up together, JJ has never brought him up. And it basically made Emily forget about him completely.

But here he is now, so it's hard to ignore.

It's even harder to ignore their relationship when he outs that JJ is pregnant.

She must have known for a while, Emily thinks. She must have known she was pregnant all those nights they've been staying up talking.

And it makes Emily sick. The unrequited love she's been trying to compartmentalise consumes her and she finds it impossible to think about anything else.

So she goes driving.

She finds herself naturally heading towards JJ's and there's a very big part of her that is SO ready to tell JJ to leave Will. To leave him, because he's not good enough for her. She doesn't have to stay with him JUST because she's pregnant.

Emily is more than ready to admit she loves her. To tell her she'll help in any way JJ needs, if only JJ could give her the chance.

But when she gets there -- the porch light is off.

She sits there, staring at the house, deciding whether or not to knock, but ultimately, she takes the light as a clear indicator this was a mistake.

She goes home. she doesn't sleep. she never sleeps if she hasn't talked to JJ.

Time goes by, it gets less painful to be around JJ now that Will's moved to DC to be with her properly.

Some nights, Emily still finds herself outside the house.

But the light is always off.

She never knocks.

She pushes away how much she loves JJ. She tries to ignore it, to forget it, to get over it.

But how can she when she's pretty sure JJ is the only person in the whole world Emily want's to be with for the rest of her life.

It's gruelling, painful, but Emily is the master of masking her true feelings. So she never says anything.

She never knocks.

She never sleeps.

And years pass. It's not a good routine, but it is a routine. She's so used to her insomnia, it doesn't bother her much. She stops driving by JJ's house eventually, there's no reason to. It just makes her feel worse, so she stops driving to that side of town when she's night driving.

JJ gets reassigned and it makes it easier at least. Emily doesn't have to see her every day. She misses her at work, but it's actually a blessing in disguise because it finally allows her time to get over her feelings.

Emily already wasn't sleeping, so when she realises Doyle is back, it's not too much of a change in her routine to stay up nights on end.

She doesn't drive though.

She spends her nights sitting in front of her door with a gun in hand.

Waiting for him, because she knows he'll be coming for her.

Even if she was out driving instead of just waiting -- it's not like she could talk to JJ about any of this. The team don't know about Doyle or Lauren or Valhalla.

It makes Emily realise that for how much she and JJ have talked, they really never said anything to each other.

Nothing of true substance. And that realisation hurts, because it's jsut another reminder that Emily's feelings have ALWAYS been unrequited.

Any gesture or chat or subtext she's built up in her mind, any hint that JJ might love her too, none of it's real. JJ doesn't even truly know anything about Emily.

Emily realises NO ONE knows her, not really. She's been on the team for four years and she's never let them truly get to know her. It wasn't on purpose, she's just so good at building walls, she doesn't even realise she's built them in the first place.

Before Doyle can come for her, she comes for him first.

Everything goes wrong.

She very nearly loses her life, but by some miracle, she makes it.

JJ escorts her to Paris for Emily to go into hiding, at least until Doyle's arrested.

It's the first time they've spent any real time together since JJ left the BAU.

This time, they do talk though. They really talk and Emily learns so much about JJ and to her own surprise, she tells JJ plenty about herself too.

They still don't talk about their true feelings, but they do connect in a way they never had before.

In Paris, Emily doesn't drive, but she walks. She walks at night to clear her head. It's never quiet in Paris, not really, there's always people bustling around. It's loud in ways DC wasn't, similar, but different.

But she walks, because she doesn't drive and she tries to clear her head most nights.

But she doesn't sleep.

The day Hotch calls her back to DC, the day she sees the team for the first time since they buried her. The first time she sees JJ since Paris, Emily feels so lost.

She doesn't sleep, so she drives.

She ends up at JJ's house.

And she parks, because she sees the light on.

Now that she knows where JJ's reading chair is, she eyes that window and she sees the curtains move.

She knows JJ must be waiting up for her, even though she's a mom now, she's got Will now, she should be sleeping -- but for whatever reason, she's not.

She's sitting there with the light on, just waiting for Emily.

Emily doesn't get out. She can't.

She leaves, goes home, and doesn't sleep.

Six months go by and she never sleeps. Everything is so loud and constant and conflicting and hard.

Her job never felt hard before. She's a great profiler, but ever since she came back, it's all wrong. It's difficult to focus on anything other than the fact everyone looks at her like she's a ghost, because to them, she is. To them, she always will be, in some regard.

She already wanted to leave, but JJ agreeing to marry Will was the deciding factor.

After the reception, Emily finds herself driving. She goes to JJ's, even though it's stupid, because it's JJ's wedding night. What does Emily plan to achieve tonight?

She's surprised, conflicted mostly, when she sees the light on.

It should feel comforting, to know JJ's still there for her, to know JJ's still waiting up for her. But it doesn't feel like that.

It hurts. God it hurts so bad Emily's half convinced she's actually having a heart attack.

It takes her ten entire minutes to recover enough to be able to drive again.

She gets home and doesn't sleep.

She stares at an email from Clyde. An email she's been avoiding for a week now.

She sends her reply and in doing so, she accepts a job in London.

When Hotch calls her to tell her JJ is missing, Emily is on a flight in an hour.

She barely makes it in time, but she does make it in time.

She stays in DC for a week, just to be sure JJ's alright -- even though Emily knows first hand, JJ will never be alright again after what she endured.

Emily finds herself driving her rental car at night. Haunting the same streets she's spent so many nights driving down.

She winds up at JJ's and she tells herself it's just because she's worried about her.

Emily's been living in London for nearly two years now, she's a different woman now. She's gotten over those feelings about JJ, she's really moved on.

But there she is. Right back in front of JJ's house in the middle of the night.

She's only hand surprised to see the light on.

She's a different woman now. She's braver, or she likes to think she is.

So she parks, she goes to the door, she knocks.

JJ answers and they sit in the kitchen all night long.

And when the sun rises, Emily leaves and goes back to her hotel. And she sleeps.

Not that she knows it, but JJ sleeps too. It's actually the first time in two years that JJ really sleeps through the night. Which is unexpected considering what she's just gone through.

But it's true. She sleeps.

Another two years. Emily comes back for a case and she stays an extra handful of days to catch up with the team.

It's really hard for her. Everyone asks how she's doing, is she happy in London, what's it like being the bigshot running an entire Interpol office?

She has a flight back to London at the first crack of dawn, so she doesn't sleep beforehand, in hopes she'll sleep on the plane.

She finds herself outside of JJ's house. There's no light, why would there be?

She and JJ don't really keep in touch anymore. They've grown apart like adults tend to do.

Emily gets on her flight and she spends the next eight hours not sleeping.

The next time she comes back, it's specifically to help out at the BAU.

JJ seems genuinely happy to see her and they go for a drink, they catch up in the same way they used to -- they talk without saying anything. But just spending time with JJ again is plenty for Emily. She missed this, she missed her best friend.

And late that night, Emily finds herself driving. Seeing JJ started to kick up old emotions Emily thought were long gone. And her head is so loud, she just needs to try and clear it. She's sure this feeling will pass, it's just her nerves about seeing the team again after so long.

She drives. She doesn't even pretend like she's heading anywhere other than JJ's house.

She's also not surprised when the light's off. Why would JJ be waiting for her, when Emily's barely a visitor here?

Emily can't possibly know that Will hates it when JJ leaves the light on. Early on, when he first moved in with her, he made a habit of flipping it off every night.

He mentioned it to her at the time, but she said it was just a habit, since she was used to coming home from cases at all times of night. And it was nice to have the light on to welcome her home. (It's a lie, but he believes it)

He always turns it off though, reminding her she doesn't need the light when he's right there to welcome her home now.

There would be random periods of time where she'd leave it one sometimes and he'd always flip it off. It was such a mundane thing, neither of them talked about it. Will just accepted it as one of those quirks that you get used to when you live with someone who does something out of habit and over time, it just became the routine. JJ would leave the light on randomly, he would turn it off.

It was so mundane, it's not like they talked about it. It was just about as normal as JJ closing the toilet seat when Wil left it up.

Suddenly -- Emily's here to stay though. She's taking up UC without warning and the team i shocked, but more so than anyone -- JJ is shocked.

She's shocked because this change stirs up something she had forgotten long ago. Feelings. It stirs feelings about Emily, about all the nights they stayed up talking. And it terrifies her.

She's got a whole life with Will and their two kids now. She cannot be feeling things for Emily.

She doesn't sleep anymore. She tosses and turns and spends most nights going downstairs to read in her chair.

She always leaves the light on when she does, some part of her just hoping Emily will turn up and take the choice out of JJ's hands. She wishes Emily would knock and finally, finally, talk to her and ACTUALLY say something. Because JJ knows she's never going to make the first move, not after all these years.

She never sees Emily's headlights though. Every night she sits and reads in her chair in the front window, with the light on, no one ever drives by.

The thing is -- Emily's a different person now. She loves being UC and she's good at it. It doesn't feel hard like it did after Paris.

And she actually sleeps now. Sleeps through the night with very little night terrors or issues. She owes that to years of therapy and the miracle of SSRIs.

She has no need to drive at night anymore.

Emily has her job, her career, and every once in a while, she'll date someone for a short stint to relieve her loneliness. Those relationships are only ever a temporary fix, she can never fully commit herself to any one person.

Not when she's known for years, that JJ is the only person in the whole world Emily would ever consider being with for the rest of her life. Not that it matters, that ship sailed too many years ago and Emily is okay with that. She's accepted her solitude and in actuality, she sleeps much better on her own anyway, so at least she has that. 

She and JJ find a new way to exist around each other. Mostly, they give each other a wide berth. They don't talk about why, but on some level, they both understand why it's difficult to have Emily back here, back here after so many years of late nights and talking where they never said what they meant.

And for the most part, it works for them. There are still times where one or both of them hint at the truth under the lies. But they never name it outright. They only ever acknowledge it through lingering glances, or vague conversations about the 'what-ifs' and 'if-onlys' of life.

But -- sometimes, after a really difficult case, JJ leaves her porch light on. Just in case. 

[vampire-caprisun]

We Can be Heroes CH1

Hello! Im finally going to start posting my cringe fan fiction on here and AO3, hopefully going to try to keep myself on a weekly release schedule but that might be subject to change depending on my current workload and job schedule. Thinking of making this two parts with the main story of bg3 being part one and an epilogue adventure being part 2.

Anyway this is my Tav Inala's story, shes a drow Ranger/Rogue seeking redemption and finding love and family in the process. Very durge coded without being a durge herself and I'm probably going to work in elements from the durge storyline into this fic since I love both.

Warnings: Voilence, talks of SH and suicide, talks of SA, drug use, alcohol consumption, lots of smut, mentions of past abuse, trauma and ptsd

Relationships: Astarion/named!Tav, Astarion/f!tav, Shadowzel, Wyllach, and some light implied Halsin/Astarion/Tav later on in the story if you squint.

Chapter 1: Love at First Knife

A bottle shattered next to a pair of boots. Their owner stumbled through the forest heading in no direction in particular. She was very drunk, barely registering that her poorly bandaged hand was bleeding again. It didn't matter anyway, if something in the woods didn't kill her tonight her former boss absolutely will later. 

“I deserve it.” She slurred to no one in particular. “I deserve all of this.” Her eyes began to leak fat tears again. A year ago she was a different person, ruthless, capable, on track to be one of the most in demand assassins on the Sword Coast. Then everything changed the moment that sorceress’ lips pressed against her own. The bitterness, the misanthropic behavior melted away and she was left confused and deconstructed. Was this truly who she wanted to be? Could she be more than a blade in the dark? Nyra sure thought so, before her throat was cut. Now the Dread Raven wanders the woods alone again, intoxicated and haunted by ghosts who saw something better in her. “I can't do this Nyra,  I can't.” She sobs as if talking to someone who isn't there. “I'm not a good person, I never have been. Fuck why'd you have to die I dont know what I'm doing, why’d you have to fucking leave?!” she screams into the dark, her voice going hoarse. 

“Show me what to do or let me end please.” She was begging now, begging her dead lover, the gods, anyone who would listen really. “I don't want to be alone anymore.” The drow sobs quietly as she comes to the edge of a steep cliffside, a peaceful beach below it with waves crashing into the rocks. It would be so easy, just a couple more steps…..but she stops as if something won't let her continue. “You are so much more than what they made you to be Inala.” Nyra’s words echoed in her brain as if she was still here. “Fight for it. Fight for you and everyone else this fucked up world screwed over. If anyone can change their stars its you. Fight back.” the drow crashed to her knees. 

“Ok.” She said quietly tears falling onto the rock below her. “Fuck you. You win, I'll fight.” she sighed swaying with the wind a bit as she cast her eyes upwards to the stars. “I want to live.” she whispered to herself. Then just as her drunken hallucinations had reached their final crescendo one more massive one appeared in front of her. Raw fear gripped the drow’s heart as a tentacle shot forward from the massive ship. Well so much for wanting a second chance.

____________________

Inala groaned and rolled onto her side, her head pounding with what might be the worst hangover in history. This is why she doesn't like sleeping too often. What a gods damn weird dream. Illithids, a Githyanki, apparently they drove a Nautaloid through Avernus? She wanted to just lay there for a bit longer until her head stopped screaming at her and the nausea subsided but the smell of fire and destruction had her up quickly. Oh gods. It wasn't a dream. 

She had been on this ship and crashed it into the beach. Somehow her rock bottom had just become so much worse. The drow stood up on wobbly legs, her long raven hair tangled and caked in sand, her makeup smudged across her freckled cheeks and she was pretty sure she reeked of gore and whiskey. She dared not look at her reflection right now but at least she's not a mindflayer. Well, not yet. Right, healer find a healer. Wasn't that one shadow woman a cleric? Shit maybe she lived? 

The ranger stretched and groaned, her body sore and her mind still foggy. She breathed in, taking in her surroundings searching for signs of survivors from the crash. Find the cleric. 

Inala didn't have to wander far, the dark haired woman laid on her back intact and what looked to be mostly unharmed. She noticed her hand clutched that strange artifact she had seen on the ship that had been quickly hidden away from her the moment she took interest in it. The drow thought for a moment, eyes flicking to the cleric and then to the glowing object. She decided to carefully reach out to it hoping to get a better look at whatever valuable item this half elf was keeping hidden, maybe even use it as leverage…then suddenly she was caught, the cleric sat upright holding a knife to the drow’s chest. Inala backed up hands in the air. “Sorry!” she grinned sheepishly “I was just looking!” 

“And why would I believe you?” The half elf eyed her with suspicion. Inala felt the thing in her head squirm then connect to the cleric, their thoughts and intentions shared with another. They both stumbled back. 

“That thing they put in our heads you…you have the same one?” The half elf stuttered. 

“What the hells was that? You were in my head!?” the drow snarled, her hangover not helping the trobing that came from the worm's activity in her skull.

“I…I don't know. I remember the ship I remember falling then nothing. That's all I know. They….they put something in our heads.”

The two women stared at one another in a stalemate, then finally Inala set her weapons on the ground putting up her empty hands “Look we need to cooperate if we're going to live through this. I don't want to become a mindflayer and I'm guessing you dont either. Where's the green woman?” 

“Lae'zell? She seems to have run off without us. Seems like I'm more reliable than your friend.” the half elf smirked putting her own knife away and crossing her arms.

Inala glared now rubbing her head “Well do you have any ideas on how to fix this then? Because she was the only person who seemed to have some sort of knowledge of what happened to us.” 

“No, but first things first we need supplies and shelter.”

Inala smiled at that, finally something in her wheelhouse. “Leave that to me. I've lived outdoors all my life. I can throw a camp together for us if you agree to cooperate. I want this worm out just as much as you do.” 

“Alright we help each other then. You can call me Shadowheart. That's all you need to know.”

“Fine. You can call me Inala and that's also all you need to know.” they nodded at one another both sensing the other was also a very guarded and private individual. They set off to salvage through the wreckage not encountering much but a few walking brains to fight. Finding the githyanki in this mess was going to be like searching for a needle in a haystack. What Inala would give to have her crows right about now…Wherever they are. Her poor feathered friends were probably worried sick about her. She'd find them soon and then she'd pack up and leave. Go somewhere far away where no one knew of her past alias or the horrible things she had done. Maybe join a circus or something who knows at this point. 

Hours passed until they came out through a section of wreckage that opened up to a clearing overlooking the beach below. A disoriented man stood at the edge of the cliff and the ranger paused. 

“There's someone up ahead.”

The pale elf turned to the two women. He waved frantically in their direction shouting “Help!” To them as they approached. 

“Do you see it? There in the bushes I got one of those brain things cornered. You can kill it can't you?” He pointed out towards the beach. Inala glared at him eyeing his fancy embroidery and flashy purple doublet. Her eyes traced his slender form to the dagger on his hip. 

“You seem pretty capable, kill it yourself.” Inala grumbled unimpressed with this city dwelling noble, he reminded her of the pricks she used kill for. The drow turned to leave and then with almost supernatural speed and silence she felt a cool blade at her throat as she was pulled to the ground. 

“Shhhhhhh not a sound not if you want to keep that darling neck of yours.” he purred as she struggled then turned to her companion. “And you keep your distance no need for this to get messy.”

Was this fool serious? Inala could kill him in three different ways if she wanted to and wipe that smug grin right off his pretty face. “Really wish people would stop pulling knives on me today.” She groaned and the elf pressed the blade into her throat a little more. 

“Now now I just want to talk. I saw you on the ship didn't I? Nod.” He gave the command and the drow glared at him her eyes becoming silver slits as she obeyed. 

“Good.” he purred and then twisted the knife upwards when she struggled. “You're in league with them aren't you? Those tentacled-” the drow slammed her forehead into his before he could finish seeing an opportunity in the city elf's paranoia and taking it. He stumbled back holding his head as Shadowheart ran to assist her. The pale elf snarled his red eyes going dark as he shifted his grip on his dagger “You little-AH” in that moment their heads connected. Inala could see through his eyes, the dark alleyways the noisy taverns, the fear the pain. In moments they saw into each others souls. The elf's eyes widened a bit as she flooded his mind, flashes of an arrow sailing into a body with a thud, the excited screaming of corvids, the isolation and familiarity of darkness. They held their heads and stared at each other for a beat recognizing more than just a shared parasite affliction. 

“What was that what's going on?” He demanded. 

“Those things did something to us. The worms they're connected I think.” The drow snapped at him glaring in his direction. 

The stranger straightened himself dropping his blade “You're …you're not one of them, they took you just the same as me.” 

“I'm trying to find a cure so we don't become mindflayers. I saw it happen on the ship and I won't be sharing the same fate.” 

“Turn us into mindflayers I- aha hahahaha!” He paused and began to laugh to himself while the horror and pain were evident behind his eyes. “Of course it will turn me into a monster.” He sighed sadly. 

She stared at the pale beautiful man in fancy embroidery. He wouldn't last a day out here on his own and he did get the jump on her, he could be useful potentially. 

“My name is Astarion. I was a magistrate in Baldur's Gate when those things grabbed me.”

The drow glanced up at him and considered something for a moment. “Im Inala. I'm a ranger in these woods. Do you need a place to camp? I suppose we should all stick together.” she asked him as Shadowheart looked on bewildered that her newfound companion just offered a strange man with a knife shelter. The handsome elf paused 

“I was going to go this alone but sticking with the herd might not be a bad idea.” He smiled almost in relief. The drow returned his grin and held out her hand. Astarion hesitated then extended his own before being yanked forward, the rangers grip tight on his wrist. “One more thing city boy.” She hissed and twisted his arm behind him, her own dagger coming to rest under his chin. “If you pull a knife on me again I won't be as nice.” 

Astarion audibly swallowed. “Noted.” He croaked out as he was released and shoved forward. 

“That goes for you as well cleric, next person to threaten me with a blade loses the hand holding it.” Inala grumbled and marched ahead of her two companions. 

“Feisty. I like it.” the elf rubbed the spot on his chin where her knife had been raising an eyebrow in interest. The cleric next to him groaned.

____________________

Their search for the githyanki had become much more tedious than anticipated. They had been through most of the wreckage and all they found was a tadpoled wizard in a rock formation who wasn't amused when Inala slapped his hand instead of pulling him free. Whatever he set himself up for that one. 

There was a ruin ahead,and said wizard, who went by Gale, began to insist that they investigate sensing magic in the area or something. 

“And what do you even expect to find in this dust covered death trap?” The pale elf asked as they made their way down the path. 

“Hopefully something useful to help us deal with the parasites in our brains.” Gale replied marching ahead of the group. Astarion suddenly stopped and put his hand out to the two women behind him. 

“We're not alone.” he hissed as Gale continued to talk away ahead of them. 

“How do you know?” Inala whispered back.

“I can hear them! Several people down in the ruin one on watch.”

“I don't hear anything!” Shadowheart glanced around trying to hear whatever the fuck the elf was tuned in to.  Inala also tried to listen for voices but got nothing. “I have no idea what you're on about.” she stared at him with suspicion. Either the elf was mad, or he happened to be blessed with the best set of ears in Faerun.

“Ugh we need to get closer clearly you both have abysmal hearing.”

“Or you're just a freak.” Shadowheart laughed earning her a glare. 

That's when Inala saw the smoke from a campfire above the trees. Fuck the elf was right. Acting quick she bolted ahead and grabbed the wizard by the mouth pulling him off the main road and into cover holding his blabbering lips shut as he squirmed in protest. Astarion and Shadowheart had already joined her, the four of them glancing at one another for direction. 

“What do we do?” Shadowheart whispered as gale made a noise of protest. 

“Someone needs to scout ahead and determine if they're friendly. I vote for the city elf since he seems to have freak hearing.” the ranger suggested still holding a struggling Gale.

Shadowheart snickered again. 

Astarion glared at the drow. “And I vote for the ranger since she seems to think she's in charge.”

Inala turned to him. “Well I don't see any of you making important decisions for the group.” 

“Then allow me to be the first. Go scout ahead darling.” 

Inala huffed and glared back at the rogue releasing Gale as she did. The wizard spun around at both of them.

“Well since the two of you seem to be so fond of eachother why don't you both go and take your bickering far away from here.”

They both turned their annoyance to Gale who finished dusting himself off. The ranger and the rogue eyed one another suspiciously. 

“Only if he can finally keep his mouth shut. Are you even capable of that city boy?”

“I got the jump on you didnt I? Wild girl.” He sneered back and Inala wanted to wipe that pointy smug grin off his pretty face. 

“How about the both of you stop posturing and actually do your jobs.” Shadowheart groaned in annoyance. 

“He started it.” 

“Did not.”

Gale shoved both of them back onto the dirt path “Just get on with it already! I swear the two of you are the noisiest scouts alive!” 

________________

They approached the ruin in relative silence. Inala was even mildly impressed that the elf was as stealthy as he boasted. As they crept up behind a bush they could see a man posted on lookout and Astarion made a few gestures to her with his hands. Oh good he actually knows theives cant the city elf may be useful after all. 

I count 7. 

He signed to her and to his surprise she signed back. 

8 there's one behind the door. 

They both acknowledged the old wooden door the rest seemed to be guarding. 

What do you think is behind it?

The elf asked and Inala smiled to herself as the gears in her head began to turn. She turned back to him.

If it's valuable, I want it. 

That seemed to warm him up to her. A sinister grin grew on Astarion's lips as he peered over the bushes once more to get a look at the door. “Hmm maybe you're not so annoying after all ranger.” he whispered. 

“Shall we get the others?”

“Do we need to?”

“Only if you think you can't handle a few bandits.”

“Oh trust me, I'm more than capable.” 

“Good, I'm dropping the crates.”

“The what?”

Before he could protest the drow already had her bow out and aiming for a stack of heavy crates secured in a net above the camp. With a single shot she severed the rope watching them fall through the wooden platform they were secured over, taking two of the bandits with them. Astarion had no choice but to leap into action. He took aim at the guard and landed an arrow in his gut then followed up by jumping the man and slicing his throat. Inala had leapt up onto what was left of a stone arch firing an arrow through a half elf's eye then dropped from above onto the remaining bandit driving her hatchet into her skull. She spun in time to dodge a crossbow bolt shot at her by a halfling on the second story preparing herself to counter when an arrow flew through the man's throat shot by Astarion from the other side. The ranger and the rogue both glanced at one another with newfound respect as Gale and Shadowheart caught up to them. 

“The hells happened? You two were supposed to scout ahead?!” The wizard yelled at the both of them. 

“Oops.” The drow giggled as she cleaned her ax. 

“Why are you even complaining wizard? We did all the dirty work for you.” Astarion scoffed as he began to loot the bodies. 

“You murdered five people!” Gale gestured wildly to the carnage around them. 

“Technically it was seven. I wouldn't call it murder really, I just got to them before they could kill me.” Inala rolled her eyes as she tossed Shadowheart a pouch full of food. Astarion gestured over to Inala.

“See the drow gets it!”

“Oh so you're friends now.” Shadowheart narrowed her eyes at him.

“Friends is a strong word cleric.” Inala huffed 

“More like colleagues who appreciate a fellow artist's work.” Astarion gave the drow a dramatic bow which she returned with an appreciative nod. 

“Why are all of you obsessed with violence?” Gale hissed as the door they had all forgotten about burst open with several fireballs being slung in their direction. 

“Shit!” The four of them cursed in unison.

More bandits poured out into the ruin resulting in an all out brawl. Inala rushed the first one, easily landing a devastating blow to the torso with her hatchets then spun the dying man around to use as a meat shield for an incoming volley of arrows. Shadowheart had fired a beam of light at the dwarf who had Inala pinned but was overtaken by a dragonborn with a greatsword. Inala snarled and lept into action fighting him back with a few well executed counter maneuvers. He caught her once on the side and the drow saw red, leaping at him and driving her hatchet deep into the side of the dragon man's neck. She could feel her companions eyes on her, the pale elf in particular seemed awestruck by the blood and viscera that dripped from her skin. Freak. Inala thought to herself as she helped Shadowheart to her feet. The cleric healed her quickly then turned to help Gale as a few more bandits trickled out of the ruin. Inala could have sworn she saw the elf try to sniff his blade as he pulled it out of the chest cavity of one of them. The drow began to wonder what the hells mind flayers wanted with a collection of violent weirdos like them.

 The final enemy fell with a scream in agony as their wizard delivered one last bolt of lightning straight to their back and then the battle was over. Bodies littered the outside of the old temple and blood stained the sand. The newly formed party panted and stood in the carnage glancing at one another. They'd all done well with their first test as a team. Astarion of course is the first to break the calm.

“Well it seems like we're all much more capable than we've been letting on ey?” 

“Will someone please shut him up?” Inala groaned and began to silently loot the corpses. 

Gale sighed and stretched his back “Oh believe me we are all wishing for it.”

___________________________________________

And thats chapter one! The gang is definitely going to need some team building exercises that dont involve murder but they at least work well together despite being disasters. Next chapter involves telling eachother secrets and some bonding. Hope you guys liked it!

[goddesspharo]

if i may: ✦ and ♡ [any fic you’d like]?

✦ what was your easiest fic to write & your hardest?

I'm going to go with the ao3 era because I'm definitely not looking through LJ. Although I will say I was certainly more prolific re: volume in those halcyon days, particularly for Gossip Girl and House (of all things!...as if I was not obsessed with that show for at least the first two seasons) - God, that perfect storm of excellence that the S2 finale with House getting shot leading to Cuddy and Wilson putting House in a Ketamine coma without his consent and then S3 beginning with him running??? CHEF'S KISS. Even though that show went batshit crazy later on, the mileage from some of those storylines was highway level. This show was at its best when everyone around House was doing ethically dubious things in an attempt to get him to stop doing ethically questionable things. 

But to answer the actual question: I almost never think any fic is easy while I'm writing it and questioning my decision to write anything at all, but some involve less hair pulling than others. There was a period after The Batman where I got into a nice little groove (after not writing any fic for a good five years, apparently) of feeling like the floodgates opened and I wanted to write tomes, which probably has more to do with loving Matt Reeves' distinctive Selina voice. (The effortless baby to this hot mess of a socially awkward dude she met four seconds ago works only because Zoe Kravitz has confidence for miles.) I think living in a rhythm where the minute's working overtime was relatively easy to write (and shorter after the two previous 10k+ fics I'd written) - it felt easy, breezy while I was writing it and I had a good time. 

I'm always inclined to say that the hardest fic is whatever I'm currently working on because it's not over, but in this case, I'm going with against the grain of dystopic claims. As a person who almost never posts WIPs, I'm not sure why I decided a Top Gun Maverick apocalypse AU was the perfect time to start, but I probably would've relegated it to languishing half-finished in my google docs if I hadn't posted it as a WIP so maybe past me knew the only way to get it done was to have external accountability? It was hard to write because I vaguely knew where I was going with it when I started writing it and then had to actually follow through with PLOT that made sense and couldn't go back and change things that I had previously set up. It did force me to make an outline for the current WIP just to avoid that JJ Abrams life, you know?

♡ pick a fic and I’ll pick a comment that made me really happy

Any time a person comments on fic, it makes me happy. There's nothing like that rush when you get one of those [AO3] comment e-mails because it makes you feel like you're not screaming into the void! Of course I agree with the adage that you should write for yourself, but you're also to an extent writing for others (or else you'd never post it, right?) so it's nice when you hear something back. Then it becomes a game of catch instead of throwing a baseball into a tornado and hoping that it'll return someday. I love when people leave lengthy comments with pull quotes and how things made them feel or why certain bits worked for them, but it's also really nice when you get a comment years later with people telling you they still love something you wrote. (Those comments where people are talking about re-reading your stuff? LOVELY.) All of this is a long-winded way to say that if you've ever commented on anything I've written, know that it has probably made me really happy even if it was a sentence. 

[ask me about fic!]

[pepperpuppy417]

Thanks for the tag Pooty <3 1) How many works on AO3? | Currently 10 2) Total AO3 Wordcount? | 161,028 3) Top Five Fics by Kudos Drama Llama- Honestly I have no idea how this one tops out. It's a short Four migraine one-shot I wrote a while back. Portal sickness trope my beloved. The Ocean Feels Rougher Than Before- Currently my longest fic, this is a very drawn out sickfic. Really the sickfic is a vessel for the main narrative of Wind trying to deal with an eating disorder, Four working through emetophobia, and Sky struggling to keep everyone together. This one is being rewritten. Daydreamer- A Legend Meets Gang fic exploring the traumas of Koholint Island. A lot of shenanigans ensue, including Wild eating things he shouldn't and Time being more mischievous than he lets on.

Pepper's Sicktember (LU Style)- What it says on the tin. Had a lot of fun doing this and I plan to contribute somewhat this year.

Dangerous Waters (TOFRTB 2: Plague Boogaloo)- This is what I'm currently working on actually! It's a rewrite of TOFRTB, and I am going to focus more on Wind and Warriors' relationship as well as tightening up the story. It's a labor of love but it'll be worth it. 4) What fandoms do you write for? | Linked Universe right now. I have one (1) Voltron crack fic that was the first I posted, but I definitely don't plan to write any more for that fandom unless I get a wild hair. The LU community is just so awesome and it's a joy to be a part of. 5) Do you respond to comments? | Almost always! I do my best to respond to them all because it makes me so happy to get them and I want to return a little of that love back. I will sometimes lose track of what I have and haven't responded to, however, and some get lost in the cracks. But every single comment is a blessing

6) Fic with the happiest ending? | Out of my longfics I'd probably say Daydreamer. Legend finally lets himself be loved and cared for, and I really tried to make it heartwarming.

7) Fic with the angstiest ending? | I... really am not a fan of really sad endings just for the sake of it, so the worst one iv'e got is TOFRTB, which is more just ambiguous than anything.

8) Do you get hate? | I haven't ever gotten hate necessarily, but I also haven't been posting very long, so I'm sure my time is coming eventually XD

9) Do you write smut? | No, probably won't either. Not my cup of tea.

10) Do you write crossovers? | Not currently but I'm not opposed to it, if I did it would be crack tho.

(I'm only halfway through this thing? holy crap)

11) Ever had a fic stolen? | I was not even aware that that happened, but I don't think I have.

12) Have you ever had a fic translated? | No

13) Have you ever co-written a fic? | ...yes. I wrote a Miraculous fic with a friend back in like middle school. It haunts me.

14) All-time favorite ship? | I've never been a huge shipper BUT I will always stand by Punk from Voltron.

15) WIPS you want to finish but doubt you ever will? | I hate the idea of not finishing things, but there are a few. One of them that makes me very sad for is my modern LU AU, Not a Food Chain. (Check out the blog I have for it if you're interested!) It hasn't been posted because I only have like one episode written. I really like the concept and everything and have a ton of ideas, but it takes a lot of mental power to write.

16) Writing strengths? | When I get really deep into imagery, I can go ham. And I also am really good at outlining and then WILD STEALS MY FREAKING PLOT

17) Writing weaknesses? | I've heard people like my action sequences but I struggle writing those MAJORLY, it'll take me a week just to chug through a scene and I am never happy with the outcome. Also WILD STEALING MY PLOTS

18) Thoughts on mixed language dialogue? | If I knew both languages well, I think it would be fun!

19) First fandom you wrote for? | Every once in a while I think about my Voltron sickfic collection... oh how I love/hate that document

20) Favorite fic you've ever written? | Man I love them all... if I had to choose probably Dangerous Waters even though it's not finished yet. I have so much cool stuff planned. Tagging @starwolfie @hotcheetohatredwastaken @anyone who wants to join!

Tagged by the wonderful @zarvasace

1. How many works on AO3? 8!

2. Total AO3 word count? 132k Which is, uh, more than 10k a month. How did I manage that?

3. Top 5 fics by kudos:

Two Moon Pearls and the Master Sword the chain gatecrash Legend's first quest. Honestly, I'll be surprised if this is ever surpassed. It's my oldest, but also it's a good combination in terms of length, accessibility, and story I think.

Ocarina, Oracle Sequel to the above! The chain gatecrash OoA and OoT. There's a pipeline from people reading Moon Pearls to reading this nowadays. It'll be interesting to see how it goes, it is a longer read after all.

Mandatory Puppy Pile The funniest and shortest fic I have. This was second place after Moon Pearls for a long, long time. We love wolfbrain Twi.

Reasonable Assumptions The little fic that could. This came out after Moon Pearls and it's always done... fine. It's not the funniest, or best, or angstiest or most anything else of anything I've done, but it chugs along. Hyrule, Legend and Wild meet in Hyrule's era. None of them realise time travel has occurred.

Requiem of the Wind Ghost ship and space whales. 8.5k Wind centric one shot. I feel like this one is very me lmao. I like it! It'd be nice if it got more attention. I reckon Fortuity is going to overtake it though.

4. What fandoms do you write for? Zelda/LU exclusively at the moment

5. Do you respond to comments? Yep, all of them. The authors that influenced me tended to do it, so it just seemed the normal thing to do.

6. Fic with the angstiest ending: Hero of Hyrule The fic people skip, presumably because it's dark. I wouldn't say it's an unhappy ending though.

7. Fic with the happiest ending: Fortuity Shot story, happy ending, and co-author who would happily write the fluff for me <3

8. Do you get hate? Nah. Shout out to the bookmark that called OcaOra a solid 7/10 for being complicated and not as emotional as preferred though LMAO

9. Do you write smut? I have not written fic smut 😐

10. Do you write crossovers? Nope

11. Ever had a fic stolen? Nope, not that I'm aware of.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated? Nope again!

13. Have you ever co-written a fic? @whitewinterstar and I wrote Fortuity together! It was a fun time <3

14. All-time favorite ship? I'm not much of a shipper to be perfectly honest! 'All time' is a big ask too!

Uhh, I loved Nagisa and Tomoya in Clannad After Story.

15. WIPs you want to finish but doubt you ever will? Ha haaa... I'm gonna work on Completionist again one day, really I am.

16. Writing strengths? APPARENTLY PACING??? I've had several people complement this recently so huh. Dialogue, characterisation, having a couple of genres going at once.

17. Writing weaknesses? Painting a picture of the setting, generally setting the environment, fights probably, too much telling and not enough showing sometimes.

18. Thoughts on mixed language dialogue? I don't really have thoughts on mixed language dialogue. 🤷‍♀️ Maybe I should get some.

19. First fandom you wrote for? Technically I have a single Naruto one shot out there...

20. Favorite fic you've ever written? Two Moon Pearls and the Master Sword will always be my baby.

Tagging: @needfantasticstories @nyastri @not-freyja @zolanort @somer-writes