#i've been pondering this ship for ages

[bam-stroker]

I got possessed by the opportunity for silly in @keferon's Texaid mech au and ended up with a slice of serious as well. Oh well, Bone Apple Teeth! - - - - -

Every muscle and joint in First Aid’s body aches. Flopped over the official break room lunch table, his face has been buried in his arms for at least twenty minutes. He’d taken one tired bite from a sad little sandwich at the start of his break, and now it’s just wilting beside him before he officially decides to just trash it. To be honest, he can’t find the energy to actually care. After months of cleaning up the messes left behind by that thing, lunch has become a “me time” escape for him as opposed to an actual meal. 

Well, to an extent. It can only be so much of a solo time with the cross over of employee lunch breaks. 

“You know, it’s not good to skip a meal when you work as hard as you do.” 

The sentiment is entirely sincere. Even face down, he can see the exact sad little face across from him. Those familiar blue eyes always twinkling with feeling. First Aid only grunts in acknowledgement. Why does Tailgate always have to be so… caring? He thinks to himself. Somewhere in the back of his mind, the memory of harsh laughter echoes at his thought. But it’s mechanical. As if that… machine is now a part of him. Haunting him. Or maybe it’s like a disease? But he can’t think of any illness where something like that can listen and watch to see the world through his eyes. Haunting it is then.

Whatever. He’ll take more time to care about that when he’s able to lift his head back up. Below his breath First Aid mutters, “I bet you like that, huh? Wearing me out. Must be so funny.” 

The voice in his head has nothing to say. 

First Aid huffs. Jerk.

Tailgate on the other hand, continues to pry. “So… Were you talking to him just then?”

Great. He’s saying shit out loud. Stellar! Amazing! This is going to do great things for his crumbling people skills. First Aid musters up that one sandwich bite’s worth of energy left in him to sit up. The popping of his joints should be concerning, but on the priorities list—stepping into a death trap daily as a new career—it’s hardly the top of it. 

“Look, Tailgate, I’m sorry. Yeah… I was talking to—” he starts to reply, and then cocks his head in confusion. “Wait, did you just say ‘him’?”

And there goes the old Tailgate big wet eyes shine. He nods his round little pale face, the short crop of his bleached white hair bouncing with the movement. “Well, yeah! Vortex is the one haunting it, right?” 

First Aid can’t help but sigh, slumping back into the uncomfortable break room chair. “Come on,” he replies. “Don’t tell me you’re another ghost believer?” 

He tries to keep the shake out of his voice. He tries to keep up the act, because if he admits it… if he admits it then it all becomes real.

Tailgate nods, giving a thoughtful hum as he eyes the sandwich waiting patiently to be eaten. “There’s a lot of stuff I don’t understand. But, it feels easier to talk about it like that,” he says. Looking back up to lock eyes with First Aid, there’s a weight behind his gaze. “You’re not the only one cleaning up the messes around here. So let me be a little superstitious to help me get through the job.”

With a heavy sigh, First Aid breaks the eye contact. It’s too much. 

He crosses his arms, staving off a shiver from the memory of the first time he ever cleaned up the mech. Of the look on Tailgate’s face, so scared, when he’d handed him the remnants. 

The janitor and the wannabe medic. What a sad sorry pair.

All First Aid can offer is a nod of his head in acknowledgement, before he changes the subject. “So yeah, I’ve been talking to…him. It’s about all I can do, since he’s the one, ugh, actually driving.” 

Tailgate gasps loudly, as he leans forward. “It’s like reverse Ratatouille!”

“What??” 

“He’s the rat, and you’re the chef.” Tailgate continues, an entirely too excited smile on his face. 

“No!”

“Yes!!” 

First Aid groans, rubbing his palms against his eyes. “Tailgate. Please. How is this anything like ratatouille?” He pleads.

Between the cracks of his fingers, he watches Tailgate gleefully lay out his vision. “Everybody thinks it’s you—but it’s really him driving. So you’re like the chef, but instead of being on the outside, you’re on the inside—that’s why it’s reverse—because the rat is in the hat driving the guy like some kind of chef mech suit in the movie. But the ghost mech is driving you. So you’re reverse ratatouille!”

There are no words. There’s absolutely nothing he can say in response to the nightmare of his new life being summed up as accurately as “reverse ratatouille”. 

With a weary sigh, First Aid leans forward on the table, staring down as if some other answer to what his life has become will appear like a magic eight ball in the scratched up countertop. 

No such luck. It’s the same table he’s looked at day after day. 

“Reverse Ratatouille…” First Aid murmurs. A haunted look in his eyes.

“Reverse Ratatouille.” Tailgate chimes back chipperly.

Far off in the haunted abyss of his mind, First Aid hears the crystal clear laughter of the mech at the revelation. 

Reverse Ratatouille.

[piratefalls]

welcome back to the latest edition of biweekly fic recs! as always, mind the tags, if you can't leave a nice comment don't leave one at all, and happy reading!

masterlist.

There's No Problem That San Diego Can't Solve by @historicallysam

Alex doesn’t even bother knocking; he simply twists the knob on the door and shoves it open. His eyes narrow as the door bangs against the wall and he sees Henry on the phone. Maybe (definitely) it’s rude but his blood is fucking boiling so he doesn’t really care.

All the Ocean was Sleeping by @sparklepocalypse

The worst part about being a siren in the modern era, Henry ponders as yet another ship flies past his cove at a speed that he knows will disturb the anemone gardens below, is the yacht bros. Between the sound of their vessels’ motors and the dissonant noise the humans call music, Henry’s singing has no chance of attracting anyone’s attention.

cause you're a classic, and i'm reckless by @firenati0n

“I've, actually, uh. I've never done this before.” At this, Henry stops short, takes a second as his gaze moves up and to the left, trying to recall something. “I've seen your films. You most certainly have done intimate scenes.” Alex clears his throat. He hopes his nerves aren't completely obvious, the slight waver in his voice about to give him away. “Yeah, well. Never with a man, so. Not at this scale, anyway.” “Would it help to, er, practice?" Henry winces a little as he says it, which does not inspire confidence. But Alex is shocked nonetheless. What the fuck?

Over Land and Sea by SatinBirds

Alex and Henry come from very different worlds, and still, they manage to find each other.

Clean Slate by smc_27

“Henry.” Pez comes over, puts both hands on Henry’s cheeks and looks him dead in the eye. “You are not a sad man who’s gotten dumped. You’re in the prime of your life, and I quite desperately need you to act like it.” “The prime of my life,” Henry scoffs, more incredulous than questioning. “I’ve just gotten out of a 15 year relationship, endured a divorce, am suffering an almost impressive case of writer’s block, and your hands are like bloody icicles.” Pez grins, doesn’t take his hands away. “Explain to me how this is my prime. Please.” Pez tilts his head, and sounds entirely serious when he says, “Literally anything can happen from here.”

in bloom by stutteringpeach

Yoo, can u hook me up with some flowers?? It's the busiest day of the year for florists. Alex texts Henry with a last minute request.

here is a map (with your name for a capital) by @alasse9

That day at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, Alex comes across the very same Prince Henry who just dismissed him having a panic attack in a bathroom. The choice Alex makes then has ripple effects neither of them could have ever expected. What's the story like, when they actually are friends all along? “So, you’re going back to England tonight, and you’ll spend the next three days pretending you two are the closest and best of friends until we can put this mess behind us.” And there are reasons he hasn’t told anybody this, good reasons, even though he’s sure June and Nora saw through him ages ago. Faced with his mom’s disappointment, though, and with the realization that the entire world apparently thinks he hates Henry and would willingly shove him into a fucking cake, he can’t stay quiet. “But we are friends,” he says, vehement and serious. “We have been for years. He’s—he’s probably my best friend, actually, along with Nora.”

thoughts of you consume by yrsonpurpose

Henry sees Alex appear on the red carpet in a blue suit that screams sex on legs and is ready to throw away all attempts at concealing their secret relationship in the name of dropping to his knees at the first available opportunity.

eyes on me by matherine

Alex’s hips buck back against Henry’s mouth the moment his tongue does more than tease, and Henry squeezes his hip in gentle consternation. But before he can say anything, Alex is already rambling. “Sorry, I’m — I’m sorry, I know you said not to move, and I’m trying, I — I’m trying to be good, I promise,” he blurts, voice shaking ever so slightly from something that certainly doesn’t sound like pleasure, resolutely refusing to turn his head so that he can meet Henry’s gaze from where he’s positioned behind him. Henry’s heart aches. “Alex — love, it’s alright. Where’s your mind?” Or: Sometimes, Alex needs a distraction. Something to take the edge off, to scrub away at the stress of the day. Some days, it works better than others. 

the evolution of intimacy by Poutini

There’s no spontaneity anymore. One might think this boring. That the novelty had worn off. The spark snuffed. Absolutely not

Want Me by OrchidScript

Henry had always been weak for a nice smile, but his was impossible to ignore. Blame it on summer heat and a fresh flush in his cheeks. Blame it on sunset painting the outdoor bar sweltering, romantic colors. Blame it on two healthy glasses of albariño thrumming in his bloodstream, or the good music floating on the air. Henry could blame it on anything liked if he thought long and hard about it, but that didn’t change much at the end. The core remained the same: he had been gone from the jump. -- Henry and Alex hook up on a vacation in Spain. Henry falls a bit deeper.

fill my lungs with sweetness by @priincebutt

Henry George Edward James Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor wakes up at 3 AM on his birthday to an empty bed. What could Alex possibly be getting up to at 3 AM the night before his birthday? The possibilities are endless.

got myself in quite a tangle by coffeecatsme

"It seems I've gotten myself in quite a tangle." "Tangle?" Henry's voice is hoarse, eyes darkened as they travel over Alex's body. They stop at his crotch, and Alex can see it even under the dim lights—Henry's growing hard too, a visible bulge pushing at his sweatpants. Alex's cock gives a desperate twitch. "Y'know, I was trying to put them around the tree," he starts, gesturing at the plain tree at the corner. It's clear he didn't even attempt to touch it. "And somehow I've managed to completely trap myself. Can't even move my hands." Henry makes a desperate noise at the back of his throat as his eyes snap up to Alex's face. Alex flashes him a suggestive grin, teeth biting down on his lip. "Seems I'm completely at your mercy."

The Forces of Chance and Coincidences by @stellarm

Bad weather leads to a late flight that leads to no one being where they wanted to be, but maybe everyone was where they needed to be.

I've never felt safer (than when I'm with you) by viciouslyqueer

Alex takes the bag and opens it slowly, careful not to rip it, and gasps quietly as he sees what’s inside. “H, you didn’t…” Strong arms wrap around his waist from behind, Henry’s chest warm against his back. “Do you like it?” Henry asks in a whisper, resting his chin on Alex’s shoulder. Alex doesn’t know what to say. Gingerly, like he might ruin it with even the smallest touch, he takes out the silky fabric and holds it up in front of them. It’s a gorgeous dress, fancy too, in a deep red color with thin straps and an open back. It’s long, almost touching the floor even as Alex holds it up and has a slit on the left side that would probably end a little above Alex’s knee.

An Amateur's Guide to Professional Gift-Giving by anincompletelist

Alex, a former-law-student-taking-some-time-off turned professional part-time gift giver, is tasked with finding a gift for the most high profile client he's ever worked with, both in and out of the world of law. It turns out finding the perfect gift for the Prince of Wales might be easier than he'd anticipated.

Love At First Bark by everwitch

“I still don’t know your name, do I?” Henry watches Alex where he’s crouched down in front of David and gently scratching David below his chin. David absolutely loves Alex. Henry can relate. “It’s David,” Henry supplies. “Cool,” Alex says. “And what’s the dog’s name?” Henry blinks at him. “... David?” “What?” Alex exclaims. He looks from David to Henry and then back at David again. “Wow, okay, that is a choice.” Henry wants to sink through the earth and never come back up again.

don't let me get drunk again by headabovethewater

Alex had never wanted to cancel plans as much as he had while watching Henry pull a pair of light wash, tight jeans over his stockinged legs and bare ass. Christ, he’s getting hard thinking about it now.

The Beginner's Guide to Floristry by clottedcreamfudge

As if there's anything romantic about it; as if it's not the most humiliating death Alex can imagine. This is why he doesn't do relationships. This is why he never will. The risk, as far as he fucking sees it, is too great. -- Hanahaki Disease is a fictional disease where the victim of unrequited or one-sided love begins to vomit or cough up the petals and flowers of a flowering plant growing in their lungs, which will eventually grow large enough to render breathing impossible.

Everything you take, you make it better. So go on, take forever by @hgejfmw-hgejhsf

It's 2024, and nobody knows they're engaged. But they will, just as soon as Alex can decide what to wear to his birthday dinner. Henry has an idea and a special gift to match.

false pretenses by rizcriz

Henry spins around, glaring at Alex. “For christs sake,” He hisses, holding a hand out between them. “Can we just not? I do not have the capacity to pretend to hate you today.” Alex splutters as Henry turns on his heel and starts to walk away. He stares after him helplessly. “Pretend?” After a beat, he starts to follow after him, “What the fuck do you mean pretend?” Three years of breathing down each others necks, fighting every time they come in contact with each other. And if Henry is saying every single thing on his end has been pretend, Alex Claremont-Diaz is going to have a fucking breakdown. Because he has been harboring this stupid fucking crush and burying it beneath false antagonism, meeting Henry where he’s at, for three years, and if Henry is implying that they’re both faking it— -- or, Alex learns better.

turn the desert to glass (you would be the one) by @taste-thewaste

Henry and Alex's domestic bliss has lead to some changes in Henry's body. Henry doesn't really mind being a little chubby, but he wonders if Alex does. Alex, it turns out, does not. Not one bit. He does not mind one bit, and he is more than eager to prove it.

coming on fast like good dreams do by cricketnationrise

When Henry recovers from his unexpected factory reset, he still can’t really breathe properly and somehow Alex is still standing in front of him with a hopeful and excited expression on his face. “Run that by me again?” he asks faintly. “I need your help.” “Right…” “I need you to edge me. Like a lot,” Alex says with a shrug. Nope, it’s not any clearer a second time around.

as always, let me know if you want to be tagged in future lists, whether you're a reader or writer!

tagging @starkfridays @stilesgivesmefeels @midnightsfp @sarahjswift @enablelove

[normalenjoyer-png]

while i have this open help me out here. i've been pondering this image for weeks because arguably, each stan shown here is an example of shame (hence. wheel of shame)

stan with the money could be argued to be a reminder of shame; he failed to get his parent's approval, he's failing to buy his way back into the family because he hasn't made a fortune, a constant reminder of his failures.

stan with the perpetual motion machine is obviously a source of shame. he accidentally destroyed his brother's science project and they both payed the price for it.

but the ship one is getting to me. at that age, i don't see why stan would view it as a source of shame. the best i can come up with is feeling ashamed about wanting to leave, of not appreciating what he has, but that doesn't feel very...complete. i don't think that's what stan's about, i think that's ford's problem actually. and i know it could be argued to be a point of shame later in his life but not at the age he's portrayed with it i don't think!!

so anyways. open to interpretations here, both about that last point and/or the whole thing in general. i know im reading way too much into this but idc im the seriouser. i take everything way too seriously.

[urfavnegronerd]

percy jackson brain-rot as i begin the books again

as someone whos hopelessly devoted to the workings of rick riordon i absolutely never understood percabeth

like,

they're literally 12, children, CANNOT LEGALLY DRIVE OR CONSENT TO SEX at the end of the og series (chalice of the gods) and niggas really out here shipping the fuck outta them

shit dig hard enough on a03 and there's prolly smut of the two of em

never understood it, like i get a cute lil mutual pining thing where they both like each other but a whole ass ship never made sense. like no, the two don't make babies. why? CUZ THEYRE BABIES THEMSELVES

edit:

okay to clear things up cs people are in the comments saying i don't know what a ship is (i'm literally a fanfic writer on here but okay)

i'm just saying that these are literally little kids in middle school. i'm not saying that middle school kids don't have relationships, but it's still weird. and from, i'm boutta geek out about this incredibly obscure topic i'm sorry, a developmental standpoint middle grade children are nowhere near psychologically ready to be in a relationship which is why it's extremely rare to see couples who have been together since middle school (that one episode of abbott elementary). if you go on tiktok and look for people who broke up with someone they were in a relationship with from middle school- high school, those breakups are traumatic

all breakups are traumatic in some way, but there have been several people who have developed traits of borderline personality disorder because they broke up with someone they had been romantically involved with since middle school.

also let's not forget how warped your view on intimate relationships go (fucking. imma say it the way you think about fucking is skewed). the people i've spoken to who broke up with their middle school partner in their older parts of high school have recounted just how awful their view on sex was, some have even pondered if they were asexual because they couldn't picture themselves up under anyone else.

like i get it, it's cute to see little kids who like each other, but most of this fandom are of age to drive, to study for the SATS/gsces, some are able to legally drink in the united states, or applying to college. these are little baby children that high school students and young adults should not be playing match maker for. ALSO WALKER SCOBELL IS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL/ HIS FIRST YEAR IN HS HE WAS BORN IN 2009.

anyway,

i get it, we all have head canons, but shipping two middle schoolers who a) may or may not have started puberty b) did not stay at one school for too long c) don't know trig formulas d) may or may not have had their first period/ voice dropped/ you get the picture.

SO

i don't understand percabeth as a whole romantic ship, but mostly as a fluffy little middle school flirty thing (prolonged eye contact, stealing hats, asking if they can hug/kiss at a certain time, etc.)

i love love love the concept of seaweed brain and wise girl, smartwater, percabeth, whatever, I THINK THEY'RE ADORABLE but i don't understand the draw of why people feel the incessant need to make it extremely romantic. like why why whyyyyyyy. can we js let them be kids, because lets be real a lot of the newer additions to this fandom only know about the show (and its okay we love you guys anyway its just that some of us have read the books too, its not required for you to love the show that you need to read the books) and are already talking about 'annabeth and percy need to just kiss already' no they don't. cs percy just lost his mom (i know something you dooonttttttt) and our cutie patootie annabeth is still lowkey a mystery (i'm guessing?? idk i haven't watched the show yet i think im gonna pirate it soon or smth, im js assuming because idk what point the show is at in relation to the first book), etc. can we maybe not make them a whole ass ship until the show is in relation to the last few books of the series. lets js let them be kids for now.

AND THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT I DIDN'T LIKE WHEN THEY WERE AN ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIP IN THE LATER BOOKS OKAY ITS NOT TO SAY THAT im just saying that i didn't understand the concept of percabeth within the first few books because it was a little wonky to really really want two twelve year olds to be in a relationship. they're cute when its in the last few books but come on yall. lets not ship them yet. also report any smut you see of them that's not cool or rick riordon approved.

theyre still babies, even if some of the fandom has read all of the books and others didn't.

does this make sense?

xoxo,

rae <3

[wrongcaitlyn]

Genuine question, but do you have any idea why people ship Apollo and Percy together?

Like I’ve been pondering this for weeks now but I don’t want to end up offending someone bc idk if that ship tag is a safe space for inquiries because we should all be able to have our fun yk.

And I totally understand like ship whoever you want, I don’t really care, it’s not the end of any of our worlds. But nosiness has officially gotten the best of me and now I’m just too curious.

Like I’ve been trying to piece it together myself and see what they’re seeing but maybe my glasses just arent up to date on its perscription.

OKAY SO. when i first like joined the fandom i used to think the exact same thing. since then i've kinda gotten used to the fact that everyone's gonna ship pretty much anything, and even if you think it's the most absurd ship, someone has it as their otp. and tbh i just dont like bothering myself with stuff i don't like/have interest in, so i just filter out that stuff and call it a day - but honestly, the curiosity is valid!!sdkfjf

i don't ship them, but i think it comes down to two versions of the ship (and yeah, i know this because i accidentally once clicked on this social media fic that was perpollo and didn't read the tags, and then i got curious as WELL and so i scrolled through the tag for a while looking at the summaries. i GET THE NOSINESSSDKJF i have the exact same problem)

apollo as lester and percy seeing another side to him. i think that it's probably something to do with lester immediately going to percy after getting cast down from olympus? and then percy coming to save the day at the end? honestly, any ship can be done with even the slightest interaction, and they did have some interactions there.

percy accepting godhood/being turned into a god and apollo showing him the ropes. sometimes these two are combined or smth, but i think that since percy was this close to becoming a god, it kinda blurred the lines on like, "oh, i can ship a god with another god, and so if percy was a god, then maybe he'd get along a lot with apollo".

again, it's really not my preference, you know im a pollen shipper (though i also love apollo/hyacinthus, apollo/naomi, and the angst of apollo/commodus - i can even see apollo/lit which was pointed out to me), and also, i am just VERY picky with my age gaps. i find it really weird for percy to still be 17 in most of these fics, and apollo's. well. thousands of years old.

so i can't answer this question as well as someone who'd actually ship it, but that's the answer that i've come to!

[jiminthestreets-bonesinthesheets]

Love Beyond the Black - CH 1

Fandom: Ateez Rating: Mature Pairing: Jung Wooyoung/Choi San, with a little bit of Kim Hongjoong/Park Seonghwa sprinkled in AO3 Masterlist

Summary: Wooyoung is the son of a merchant sailor for the King, one of his best. He is coming of age to prepare to take his fathers place as the captain, and so his father takes him on his first sail. After nearly facing death in a raging storm at sea, Wooyoung and his father make port at their destination. Not long after their arrival Wooyoung finds a boy washed up on sea, still alive, and the most gorgeous thing he has ever laid his eyes on. He is instantly entranced by him, taken by this boy with no memory of where he came from or why he had been washed up on shore. Wooyoung couldn't have cared any less about the unanswered questions, but how will he feel when he finds out the boy he has so very quickly fallen in love with turns out to be one of the most revered pirates to have ever sailed the seas?

A/N and Warnings: I added them to the bottom of the post, just because it's a bit long, so if you'd like to see the warnings just head to the bottom :)

*** MY WORK IS NOT TO BE POSTED ON ANY OTHER SITE WITHOUT MY EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION. THOUGH REBLOGS AND COMMENTS ARE SUPER LOVED AND APPRECIATED! THANKS FAM!***

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter One

     Wooyoung's favourite thing was the sea. Not being on it, no, that wasn't quite the life for him, but just being near it was enough. He loved the smell of the salt on the air, and the feel of the misty ocean breeze hitting his face as a wave crested upon the rocks below the cliff. He loved the sound, the ebb and flow of the waves as they washed upon the shore and retreated again. Wooyoung could fall asleep to it, completely at peace with his eyes closed laying in the tall grass, his arms outstretched and his fingers weaving through the blades. 

     But the ocean was more than that. It was also full of new beginnings, of hope and purity and strength. With each day the sun rose upon the horizon and brought with it a fresh start, no matter the storms and turmoil of the day before or how dark the night had been, the sun always rose without fault and cleansed the world of the past. For a moment each day, as Wooyoung sat upon the cliff by his home on the edge of town, he could feel those few seconds of tranquillity as the new day began untouched and untainted, completely pure. The sky would be painted in beautiful hues of pink and orange, his skin tinted with it like the sky's own canvas, reflected upon the calm surface of the water. It was the only thing Wooyoung could think of when he pondered upon perfection, even now as he sat on the same cliff looking out.

     “Wooyoung, darling!” He turned to find his mother walking toward him from the house. She had the skirt of her dress gathered gently in her gloved hands, her hair done in an intricate updo with not one single hair out of place, even with the breeze. One of the housemaids followed closely behind her with an arm outstretched, a paisley coloured lace parasol held above his mothers head. She was as beautiful as she always was, the very definition of class and elegance. Every time he laid his eyes upon her, he could see why she was envied by the women in town, and desired by the men. 

     “Yes, Mother?” He smiled at her as he answered.

     “Come,” she waved a hand at him, “your Father’s ship is returning to port today, I've been told they've been spotted on the horizon and should be here shortly. Shall we greet him?”

     He nodded and stood, then turned to walk back to meet her, and held his arm out for her to take as they walked back to the house.

~~~~~~~~~~~

     The port was a flurry of activity by the time their carriage made it through the busy town streets and pulled up at the docks. It was full, each ship docked was a part of his Majesty's royal merchant navy, and all delivering goods to be brought to the King himself. 

     Since his father was head of his Majesty's merchant navy, Wooyoung had been to the palace many times. He had attended lavish parties, elegant dinners, summer gatherings in the gardens. The King's palace wasn't too far from where his own home rested just outside of town, but Wooyoung much preferred his solitude as opposed to the large crowds that a king’s parties would amass. And now that his father had returned from yet another successful voyage, there would surely be another invitation from the King arriving soon. 

     "Wooyoung, my son!" His father called to him from down the dock where he had just stepped off the ship's ladder. "How were things while I was gone?"

     "Perfect," he answered as he hugged his father, then turned and let him sling an arm over his shoulders as they walked back to his mother.

     "I'm glad to hear," he smiled, then when they reached his mother, he said to both of them, "tonight we will have a special dinner prepared. I have some news I would like to share and I feel it requires more than a simple meal."

     "I'll have the chefs informed as soon as we return home then." His mother returned his smile and lifted up for a quick kiss, before she turned and got back in the carriage.

     The two of them followed her, with Wooyoung sitting across from them inside, his leg bouncing with anticipation as the carriage left the docks. "What's the news, Father?"

     His father chuckled, always impatient his son was. "I will tell you at dinner, so you'll just have to wait until then. Though I know that will be difficult for you, patience is a virtue, Wooyoung. Trust me, it will be well worth the wait."

~~~~~~~~~~~

     Waiting for dinner felt like a lifetime for Wooyoung, but finally he was sitting at the table in his usual spot, across from his mother with his father at the head. There was a king's feast worth of food laid out before them, and Wooyoung could wait no longer.

     "Father, can you tell us the news now, please?" He was practically vibrating in his seat.

     His father chuckled, a deep rumbling from his chest as he dug into the pocket of his jacket. “The news is that I have already been assigned another route for his Majesty, this time as a direct request from the King himself that me and my crew are the ones to make the trip, a delivery on his Majesty's behalf to a neighbouring kingdom.”

     “Already?” His mother asked, her brows furrowed. “You've only just arrived home, when did the King have the time to approach you about another route?”

     Finding what he was looking for in his pocket, he pulled out a rolled up, and now crinkled, piece of parchment bearing the King's seal. “There was a messenger from his Majesty waiting for me at the port when we docked the ship, I spoke with him just before the two of you arrived.” He handed the parchment over to his wife, who opened it and read it, but he turned his attention to Wooyoung. “I know that this is fast, as you said I've only just arrived home, but I do believe it comes at the perfect time as there is something else I have wanted to discuss with you both for a while now.”

     “What's that, darling?”

     “Our son’s future,” he answered, his eyes never leaving Wooyoung, who now stared back at him with both worry and confusion clear in his gaze, “Wooyoung, you are of age now where you should be seriously considering your career, and it only makes sense that you would take my place in the coming years as head of his Majesty's merchant navy.” Wooyoung lifted a hand from the table, about to voice his apprehensions on the matter, but his father stopped him. “I understand that it is a very high pressure job, but I trust you will do well, Wooyoung, and that is also why I would like to take you along with me on this assignment. I can start teaching you the ropes of sailing, of managing a crew as well as all of his Majesty's shipments both in and out of our ports. It will be the beginning of your apprenticeship, and when I am ready in a few years I shall retire, and you will be ready to step in and take my place. And the last thing I wished to discuss, is that I believe it is also time that Wooyoung be married.”

     “Father, no, I don't think-”

     He was stopped again by his fathers insistent tone. “It is a wise decision, son. Many men your age are already married and starting families, it is time you did the same. Upon our return we will start the process. Your Mother will arrange for some meetings and see if we can't find you a nice girl from a suitable family that catches your eye, and hopefully by the fall we will be planning a wedding. Are you on board with all of this, Wooyoung?”

     Though it was phrased as a question, Wooyoung knew it really wasn't. It was a warning, more like his father was saying, you will be on board with this whether you like it or not, because that is how it always was. Wooyoung may be a child of a high class family, always been given exactly what he wanted and grew up in a very wealthy lifestyle, but when it came to things like this, his future or his career or even who he would one day marry, he was not so privileged. He knew this would be coming soon, as his father said he was of the age where it should have already been done, but it still angered him deeply that his entire life had just been laid out and decided for him in less than the time it took to eat dinner. But what could he do except agree, nod his head and accept his fate. The last thing he wanted to do was disobey his parents or disappoint them. So that's what he did, nodded his head and accepted it.

     “Excellent!” His father beamed and his mother squealed with excitement across from him. “Be sure you're ready in three days, that is when we shall set sail, and just like that the first leg of your bright future begins, my son.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

     Three days came and passed in the blink of an eye, and Wooyoung suddenly found himself standing on the overcrowded dock wishing he was anywhere else. There were crew members bustling past him, hauling all kinds of barrels full of who knew what, all of them shouting and cursing, not paying any mind to how many times they nearly ploughed him over. He was even less impressed when one of them passed by, dragging a barrel full of something that smelled god awful, bumped right into his side and scuffed a large dark stain onto his new white shirt. 

     “Wooyoung!” His father called to him from down the dock, and Wooyoung turned an annoyed look at him, just finished rolling his eyes at the man who ruined his shirt. “Come here, I want to show you how to ensure the proper inventory makes it onto the ship.”

     “Oh, sure.” He waved and faked his best smile at his father, grumbling to himself as he stalked over. “Exactly what I wanted to do.”

     As soon as he reached his father he instantly pulled him into his side and started going over the inventory parchment with him. But Wooyoung could honestly say he did not retain a single thing his father had told him, he wasn't even really looking at the parchment as his father pointed to this item or that. He had no interest in this whatsoever, frankly if half the items never arrived he couldn't have cared any less then he already did. 

     “And this must be the special item we are delivering for his Majesty, the final piece we were waiting for before we could set sail.” Wooyoung finally snapped to attention as a beautifully carved wooden box passed by them, carried by a man with much more grace and decorum than the other ruffians running around the docks earlier. It was stained in the carved crevices and highlighted with pure gold, he knew whatever was inside must be worth its weight.

     “What is it?” He asked.

     “A gift from his Majesty to the King of Nero.” His father answered, and he baulked at him.

     “Nero!?” He shook his head, his mouth opening and closing a few times before he was able to speak again. “That's a two week sail across the sea!”

     “In good weather,” his father added, absently re-checking the inventory sheets before passing them off to a waiting deck hand, “if we hit any sort of storms or even simply rocky seas, it could take double that. Which is why you always have to prepare for the worst, pack extra supplies just in case your trip takes longer than planned. Not only is your inventory a top priority, Wooyoung, but so is your crew. They need to be fed and well taken care of, because without them the ship would go nowhere. Now, get on board, I'll show you how to set off and then we will meet in my chambers later this evening for dinner.”

     His father left him with an aggressive pat on the shoulder that had him lunging forward a step. Wooyoung cringed as he stood frozen in place. Two weeks at sea, minimum, pending an easy smooth sail, which was highly unlikely. And once they arrived in Nero, it would only be to turn around and spend another two weeks or more sailing back home. Wooyoung loved the sea, but this was ridiculous. He was more than happy just watching and listening to it from the comfort of his little cliff by the edge of their home, he was not thrilled about this at all. Merchant sailing, or sailing of any kind was not the life for him, and if he didn't find a way to tell his father that, he was going to be stuck with it for the rest of his life. 

~~~~~~~~~~~

     Seven days in, not even halfway through the journey yet and Wooyoung had lost count of how many times he'd been sick. It was starting to ease now, but the first few days it had been so bad that more often than not he wasn't even able to attend his lessons with his father, not that he minded that part, but hanging over the edge of the ship for hours at a time had been less than appealing. So far, merchant sailing had turned out to be just as horrid an experience as he had expected.

     “Wooyoung.” He lifted his head as his father approached him and landed his hand on his back. He was still slung over the edge of the ship, still sure his face was as green as seaweed, but he hadn't thrown anything up in at least a few hours.

     “Father,” he panted, closing his eyes tight to stave off a sudden wave of nausea, “I don't know if sailing is for me, I don't-”

     “Don't worry about this,” he gestured to him, sweating and limp on the railing, “I was the same as you on my first sail, perhaps even a tad worse. But it eased eventually and now look at me, head of his Majesty's merchant navy, spending weeks at a time at sea without so much as an upset stomach. You will get there after a few sails.”

     “If you say so.” He shook his head and hung it low over the railing again.

     “I actually came to ask if you would like to join me for dinner.” Wooyoung couldn't help the heave at the mention of food, but his father continued anyway. “The chef is making a special sushi dish, I've even managed to sneak some caviar aboard to celebrate your first voyage as an apprentice, and the chef agreed to make san-nakji just for you-” 

     His father stepped back and laughed, full and straight from his chest, as Wooyoung lunged further over the edge and threw up. 

     When he was finished he groaned and wiped the back of his now soiled sleeve across his mouth, eyeing his father with a deviled look. “Really, Father? Was that necessary?”

     “Just helping you get it all out of your system, son.” He reached out and gave his back another pat, this time lingering and rubbing gently. “You'll be alright soon, I promise. But you really should eat something to replace everything you're tossing over the side. I can have the chef make you something easy, some rice perhaps-”

     Both of their heads whipped up toward the front of the ship as a massive crack of thunder rumbled across the open waters. It was the first time Wooyoung had looked at anything besides the water below him all day, and though the storm wasn't too close, it was moving quickly.

     “Those clouds look really dark,” he said to his father, “much darker than any storm I've experienced on land. What do we do?”

     His father stood still for a moment, watching the storm with a focused look, before he answered, “Our best course would be to avoid it as much as we possibly can. We can change our course to head north east and sail around the islands, put them between us and the storm, and hopefully come out behind the storm on the other side. If not, our next best course of action would be to hunker down on one of the islands. The last thing you want to do is get caught in a storm like that in open sea.”

     Wooyoung looked back at the storm again as a second ear shattering rumble of thunder hit him. It shook him to his core, seeing clouds that black, and he swore it was already much closer then it had been only minutes before. 

     His father turned and began barking orders to his crew, all of them instantly jumping into action, but Wooyoung found he couldn't move and not because of the nausea. He had a bad feeling about the storm, and even more than he already did, he regretted ever stepping foot on this ship.

~~~~~~~~~~~

     The sky around them was so black one would have thought it was the middle of the night. The deck was so shrouded in black Wooyoung could barely see his own feet as he stumbled across the ship. He was soaked completely, both from the rain and the never ending mists that came from the waves crashing against the sides of the ship. His nausea was gone now, replaced with gut wrenching fear with every dip and jerk of the ship being whipped around by the storm. He knew his bad feeling had been right, and how ironic it would be for him to die out in the middle of the ocean, killed by something he loved so deeply, something so beautiful and yet as deadly as the wrath of the very gods that controlled them. 

     “Father!” He screamed above the raging turmoil around him, but he felt drowned out by the thunder, the screaming crew mates, and Poseidon's rage. “Father! We need to do something, we're going to die like this! We're lucky we haven't capsized yet, and we've already lost crew over the sides!”

     A flash of lightning illuminated his father at the wheel above him, and seeing him only made Wooyoung panic even more. He had never seen his father in such a state, washed out in worry of his own and his eyes seemingly lost in the vast darkness around them. “All we can do is keep pushing and pray we make it through! Tell the crew to batten down the hatches and secure themselves!”

     All he could do was stare up at his father, how could this be all they could do? Why did he ever agree to getting on this ship? He did not want to die at sea!

     “Wooyoung!” His father called out to him, a new fear taking over his features, one more intense than it had been moments ago, then Wooyoung found out why.

     Lightning lit up the sky, along with the wave that was hovering over their ship, as tall as the mast and heading right for Wooyoung. All he could do was stand stock still and watch as his fate curled over him and readied to crash down. This was it, this was where it ended for him. A life spent gazing out at the ocean would now end at the bottom of it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A/N: So I was going to wait until I had some chapters stocked up before posting, but I was just too excited and I couldn't! Also the writing is flowing right now, so the chapters are coming quickly lol So I gift you chapter one! In this chapter we get a little insight into Wooyoung's life and his expectations. And as a slight heads up, I'm just going to say that after this chapter, things are going to start heating up real fast… and I'm going to leave you with that, enjoy!! <3

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A/N and Warnings:

First, yes, I ship kpop groups, but no, that does not mean I am crazy about them outside of their groups. It's hard to explain but I see them in their groups as almost characters in a sense, but whatever my boys decide to do in their real lives outside of the groups, I fully and completely support them as long as they are happy :) And with that being said, if this isn't the kind of fic for you, it's okay if you don't read it!

Second, this is going to be a very different fic from anything I have ever written before (I think). It's not going to be super dark or anything, perhaps a tad bit more angsty then usual, but it is a fic about pirates so there will be fighting, and blood, and violence, some homophobia because of the time period. Though keep in mind there will be a happy ending for our boys, and that the major character death in the tags does not apply to either San or Wooyoung. There will be NO rape or non-con, I do not mess with that, but there will be lots of smut, as promised.

And third, this is my first Ateez fic, so please be kind XD

And I think that just about sums it up. Please enjoy this if you do decide to read it, and I thank you for coming along on this journey with me <3

[thefirstknife]

Lightfall quest is also really good. Seems to be something that will go on for a bit, I think, since the point was to get Golden Age files and we heard only one file. Osiris said there's more but that he needs time to decrypt them.

Files are Chioma Esi's logs! She is a voiced character now! Massive win for the lesbians. Osiris also directly mentions her having a wife, just in case there are people who wanted to be in denial until now.

But before that, really interesting dialogue between Nimbus and Osiris towards the end of the quest. I'll transcribe it and add a link to the video later when it gets uploaded by Destiny Lore Vault:

Nimbus: You know, ever since we defeated Calus, I've been wondering a lot more about the Veil. I think... I think we take it for granted. It's always been here. We always assumed that the Ishtar Collective brought it with them on the Exodus ship, but... Osiris: But now you question that assumption. Nimbus: Nezarec seemed to know something, didn't he? When we were inside the Vex network, he said something about... Savathun. Osiris: My memories cast shadows of Savathun's. Echoes of the time she and I were bound by her dark magic. The more time we spend here, the clearer the outline of those shadows become. The Ishtar Collective didn't bring the Veil here, Nimbus. Savathun stole it from the Witness and left it here... quite possibly for the Ishtar Collective to find. Nimbus: Why? Why would she do that? Isn't she our enemy? Osiris: She is. And yet, at times, she is our ally... when it is convenient to her, and in that convenience, we find common ground. Or as a friend once said, the line between Light and Dark... is very thin. Nimbus: [grunts] I kinda hate that. Osiris: As do I.

That's really good information and an interesting angle to understand the Veil situation better. First, Neomuni clearly don't even know how the Veil got there. They either assumed (as Nimbus said) that it was brought by the founders or perhaps the founders told everyone they did so, to keep the situation in control. It's easier to build a civilisation on this power if you tell people you brought that power here, rather than telling them that an alien entity placed it there during the time when alien entities were destroying the solar system.

But outside of that, ever since that time, people took it for granted, as Nimbus put it. They didn't really question it or wonder about it. The Veil is there, it's powering Neomuna, it was brought by the founders to make the civilisation, that's it. There's nothing really to wonder about for the average citizen. Not to say that they don't care about it, but they don't view it as something that has to be explained or pondered. As I've said before, the Veil to the Neomuni is a power source. They're not into it because of strange paracausal powers or whatever the hell is going on with it and the Witness. It's nice to see that reading was the intended one; to Neomuni, the Veil is a power source and one that is taken for granted aka isn't being actively researched. Meaning, they can't answer our questions about what the Veil is.

And now transcript of Chioma's first log (very VERY likely that more will be coming throughout the season, maybe on a weekly basis? They wouldn't voice her for one message is my main assurance). The log is accessed in the big room overlooking the Veil:

The log transcript (link):

Chioma Esi, personal log: incidental. Maya arrived yesterday with the Exodus Indigo. I should be relieved, but... in light of the current situation, I... I don't feel much of anything. We're presently en route from Hyperion to the terraformed surface of Neptune. I'm scared. I'm so scared! We don't even know what we've lost. Comms are dead. It's just silence everywhere. We might be all that's left. Maya was right about everything. The cult, the end... how we'll survive. [sighs] I hate this.

Some interesting points right away! Hyperion has been long established as a place where Chioma Esi was working. This is also giving us the Exodus Indigo route: Maya was on the colony ship which made a stop at Hyperion to pick up Chioma (and possibly other people). Shortly after they left Hyperion, the events of Winterbite lore happened where the colony ship was attacked by an unknown entity which left Winterbite in the hull.

Another neat point is that Chioma mentioned that a part of Neptune's surface was already terraformed. This gives us some crucial details; Exodus Indigo was going to Neptune on purpose and didn't just have to land there as an emergency escape. Going there was deliberate which also makes sense given that previously an ECHO ship crashed on Neptune. This makes it's more likely that Maya knew about the ECHO ship crash and about Soteria's possible survival and that Exodus Indigo followed that trail deliberately. The mention of surface being terraformed already also means that the colony was well underway of being established following the ECHO ship crash. Neptune was being hard-prepared to fit a colony.

This also means that Exodus Indigo was most likely a very well known mission and that Neomuna was not originally planned as something secret. They only went dark after making an assumption that they may be the only ones who survived the Collapse, which Chioma mentions in this log! Comms went silent and they had no idea what was going on; if they wanted to ensure the survival of the human species, they had to also assume that they're the only ones left and hide.

Chioma also mentions that "Maya was right about everything." She specifically mentions "the cult" which is Future War Cult, founded by Maya in the Golden Age. FWC was investigating something called the Device, a Vex-tech based machine capable of predicting the future. The cult would eventually regain access to the Device and use it well into the present day for the same purpose. Chioma also mentions "the end" as she muses about Maya being right about everything. Strange and possibly concerning. What exactly did Maya see through the Device?

This is some wild stuff, especially to me now after I've made a really long post about some curious connections between the concept of the history and mind of the universe and how it tends to be adjacent to Vex predictive technology. I mentioned Maya, Future War Cult and the Device in this post as well, trying to see if there's anything worth connecting in an analysis. Chioma alluding to the cult again the first time we've ever heard her voiced is intriguing. I'm not sure if this is something that will continue to be explored and if these connections are important, but it definitely felt like an important point to add into this fairly short voice line that specifies about Maya having been right "about everything," "the cult" and "the end."

I'm really excited to see if we'll get more and I assume we will. Osiris was very direct about us having to protect these logs and that there's a lot of them, but that he will have to decrypt them first. If we genuinely get more logs, it will be an incredible treat to hear actual voices from the Golden Age and the Collapse, of people who founded Neomuna and their first encounters with the Veil and possibly their original research into it.

[spicybylerpolls]

Quoting an anon ask on the bylerconfessions antisex discourse blog:

"Ok, so I decided to bring a point of view that from what I've seen hasn't been brought up yet. The fandom has a lot of adults and we already know that. Some of these adults experienced adolescence in very complicated times, similar to the 80s. Let's not forget that even today in 2024 we have cities where being LGBT is still a huge problem. It wasn't easy for us to live our adolescence in such an environment and I'm sure many of us didn't have a good experience. So, some look for NSFW content related to Byler and not because they are fantasizing about them, but rather to see a better experience than the one they had or even in a more positive way with a ship that they really like and support. I believe there is no problem with this and it does not mean that the person has sexual desires for teenagers, as some people on the tag have said. I myself was the same age as them when I lost my virginity."

Yes!! But, this anon went on to say this:

"However, and here comes my other point, this doesn't mean there isn't a limit to it. Discussing fetishes openly, who has the bigger member between the two or other worse things that I've seen lately is really unnecessary. I've seen people saying that it's normal to talk about sex and I agree, but it's not like the topic is about problematizing sexual relationships between gays or something like that, or representation in the media, but really unnecessary things like "who gives the better handjob?" there is a limit and people are crossing it and using a shitty excuse."

and i couldn't help but agree.

'it's fine to project through fiction, but please don't use that as an excuse to make polls on "who's toes curl more" '

i love the freedom of this blog, but some stuff sadly slides into weirdness. someone should make a freakybylerpolls blog for the gratuitous stuff, and leave the pondering about actual possible healthy sex for byler in s5 to this one.

I understand this as a concept, but I think it would be strange for the fandom safe space for "spicy/problematic" questions to also become filtered and policed. I think it's a slippery slope and a very thin line when it comes to determining what falls into the category of okay and reasonable and what falls into the category of "too far." Especially if one blog is serving as the border control. Everyone has different tastes, everyone has different standards, everyone has different lines, and everyone has different comfort levels. And that's all okay!

I've received asks that are all over the spectrum. Some, like the "Who has more internalized homophobia?" question, aren't even spicy, and some are... um... very far on the other end of the spectrum. On my pinned post I do ask people to use discretion when submitting polls, but as a poll blog, I stay completely neutral. I'm not a preacher, I'm a messenger. I don't endorse or unendorse any specific question.

This blog is for fun! The purpose is for our fandom to explore the potentially taboo without shame. I get that not everyone may be comfortable with every poll even if they support the blog overall, but that's honestly what the "see results" button is for. If someone doesn't want to engage with a specific question, they can scroll past it or press that button to opt-out. Or if they're not feeling the blog as a whole, they can block the tag or block the account. No hard feelings!

Anti-censorship and freedom for all!

[oediex]

"What if we call it Akina?"

My parents bought a robotic vacuum cleaner. They're getting on in age, so it's a good addition to the household. It and I met last week, so I asked what its name was. Turned out they'd just named it after our family name. Boring. "It needs a name," I said.

Today my dad says unprompted, "I think we need to give it a different name. Our last name is a bit stupid." My mum says it's fine, but I agree. I'm drawing a blank, though, until my dad suggests the perfect name.

"What if we call it Akina?"

I like to think he's been pondering on this for two weeks.

In the early 2000s, my parents bought a GPS system for the car. I dubbed her 'Akina'. She was named for an AI system in a space ship in the Yoko Tsuno comic album series that I'm still obsessed with twenty years later.

It stuck. When my parents were going anywhere new, we'd say, "Don't forget Akina." "Akina will guide you." "Where is Akina?" I was sad when new cars with built-in GPS systems replaced the old ones. I always kind of felt like she was my baby.

I've missed Akina. I'm glad she's back.

[chiropteracupola]

tagged in '20 questions for fic writers' by the esteemed @verecunda — thank you very much!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

62.

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

102,035.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

at the moment, I think Sharpe, Flight of the Heron, and Kidnapped are getting most of my attention? altho' there are of course quite a few others.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

you'd be my best friend, you'd be my lady (Hornblower)

sleep in it slowly (if you can) (Hornblower)

illuminating all, in time (Hornblower TV)

here in your arms is cured (Kidnapped)

as in a mirror dimly (The Mummy 1999)

...huh. that is not what I thought the top five were going to be. but then again, I think a lot of the work that I myself like better is both newer and more niche, so I guess that does make sense.

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

I typically respond to comments on fics I posted after April 2022, which is when I started replying to comments. not sure why that's my routine but either way it's what it is.

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

hm, a lot of breaking left to do, perhaps, being as it's just solidly Horatio Hornblower Is Sorrowful right from one end to the other. I'd lean toward this one rather than any of what I've written on the theme of being lost in undeath, even though there are quite a few more of those (and better written ones to boot!), since I tend to end those with something calm and a little restful even in decay.

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

I think that's probably got to go to Shaking Off Our Shadows, which is basically two thousand words to the effect of 'what if these two fellows from a very grim book full of disease and death and ruin and general misery had a really nice beach epilogue wherein Everything Was Fine.'

8. Do you get hate on fics?

eh, I've gotten a few weird comments on one, mostly people voicing their hatred for one of the characters it's about. I personally think it's all very silly to come to the doorstep of a fellow who likes to write about romantic dissection and say that a kiss exchanged with mutual interest but without previous discussion is 'fucked'. methinks the problem lies not with me.

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

...on occasion. not a great deal of it has actually made it into finished fic at present, mostly because I'm not very confident with specificity in those matters, and so it's more likely to be heavily metaphoricized (see above about the romantic dissection...)

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

most of them are things that I'll draw about or merely ponder rather than writing, but a particularly silly one that I've actually gotten some words in on is Hornblower and Animorphs — look, if the Animorphs team is canonically at Trafalgar, I don't think I have a choice but to crack open a space to play with in the Age of Sail!

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

as far as I know, no.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

a few of my RLS-based ones have been translated into Russian!

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

sort of! when it comes to actually both writing in the same document, no, but the larger expanse of Flintlock Fortress is done in close collaboration with @dxppercxdxver, and we're discussing a great deal even if we're actually writing on separate parts of the story.

14. What’s your all time favourite ship?

I think when it comes to sheer years-long staying power, that badge has to go to Livesey/Trelawney.

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

I really would like to finish some of my earlier Treasure Island and Hornblower attempts, like the selkie au and the tattoo-sorcery story. I was definitely biting off more than I could chew plot-wise at the time and I'm more confident writing at length now, but I really don't have a ton of enthusiasm for the almost complete rewrites those stories would need to feel right to me, and so probably not.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I really do pride myself on my ability to Describe poetically and to spin an interesting sentence. enough of my fics are extended versions of things that I couldn't make work as a single drawing that that's become quite an important thing for me.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

plots, and overall forming a story to have a solid structure and not just be a vaguely interesting selection of scenes... and I'm definitely not very good at imitating authorial voice, even when I'm trying very hard to do so.

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

like most everything, it's good when done with intention — I really wish I'd gotten quite good enough at Latin to do what I'd been intending and write some Hornblower fic entirely in Latin.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

I'd guess Stand Still Stay Silent, altho' I never ended up finishing any of the stories I began, and that was long before I had such a thing as an ao3 account (or even my current file-keeping system,) so where that all ended up I've got no clue at all.

20. Favourite fic you’ve written?

well, I think it's got to be the wormsfic... I'm just beyond proud of it even in its currently unfinished state and I think it's excellent proof of the fact that I've actually grown as a writer over the last few years.

and I shall tag... @dxppercxdxver, @cedarboots, @baronetcoins, @kigiom, @bishakespeares, and @lacomandante, if you're interested?

[wolfawaycamp]

name: Elijah

tumblr/AO3: @electricdecades X everywhere

age: 19

signoff emoji: 🌦️

NSFW?: sure

things I'll write: all counsellors, rylan, lauramax, ships, friendships, qprs, rarepairs, polyamory, hurt/comfort, angst, fluff, furblygstos, blygbank, neurodiversity/disability, trans characters, crack treated seriously, alternate formats (e.g. transcripts, letters, chatfics), vers/switch agenda, nsfw, kink (with boundaries), mlm/wlm/wlw, honestly a Lot of things

maybe/I'll do my best: darkfic (with limits— esp rather not do sexual darkfic), x readers???, full on crack fics, Travis?????????

things I won't write: incest, ships with one of lauramax without the other, probably the same for rylan, dylan/women (romantically), pregnancy, ddlg/the like, severe OOC

hi I'm Elijah...... I've been writing terrible fanfiction since a young age and now I'm writing pretty okay fanfiction! nice to meet you all.... I'm pretty sure I also joined in October 2023 which is kind of an insane coincidence. I'm aggressively AuDHD and enjoy intentionally/unintentionally projecting that onto characters :3 basically if I can find a flow on it I'll write a massive range. submit your rarest pairs and I'll ponder them..... or submit the least rare pair (rylan) and I'll consume them

note: I write in British English (other than a few words that I prefer to spell in the American way, and word choices when it comes to American characters' POV/dialogue)

[franstastic-ideas]

Hm.,, Arven, maybe? And Juliana, if you’re okay with doing two at once!

~Arven~

First impression

He was a little spicier in his introduction than I expected!

He wasn't Bede 2.0: Electric Boogaloo, but that, "I wasn't talking to you. You two can shove off." was pretty rude.

Impression now

The himbo was inside of him all along, Arven just needed a friend to bring out that side of him.

He's... also very possessive of that friendship. But with everything he's been through, how could he not be?

Favorite moment

YOU KNOW WHICH ONE: 🤝🏻

Idea for a story

I'm refraining from writing any SV stories until after I've played both parts of the DLC, but I have pondered more than once about how he might react after learning The Treasures of Ruin are in Juliana's possession.

Or her having returned to Area Zero not only without him, but alone.

Unpopular opinion

I feel as though sometimes people project their own parental issues onto Arven and ignore how he really feels in canon.

Favorite relationship

His and Juliana's, of course~

I had a feeling there was shipping potential in those two even before the game was released, and I was RIGHT.

Favorite headcanon

"And of course everybody knows me, Arven! My loves include cooking, my Mabosstiff, and-"

I am entirely convinced he was about to say 'and my little buddy' before he was cut off.

~Juliana~

First impression

As soon as I knew about the academic setting and got a look at her design, I immediately decided she would be a straight A student.

Impression now

She's still a straight A student as well as someone who carries this attitude out of the classroom, and I do appreciate how the game actually gives me the choice to make this part of her personality with unique responses attached.

Favorite moment

When Juliana saves all of Paldea, but can't ever tell anyone about it because she and her friends were in a restricted area.

Idea for a story

Since Arven's grades seem to canonically be in the toilet, I think a fic where she tutors him could be fun.

Unpopular opinion

Concerning her canon age, I don't believe she's that much younger than Arven and Nemona, maybe two years at most.

Favorite relationship

Hers with Arven, if that wasn't obvious enough already!

Favorite headcanon

I like to think that Gloria is her cousin since it's heavily implied Juliana moved from Galar, as well as the strong resemblance they share with one another.

[b1ueoff1ine]

Captured - Part 3

Otto Octavius x Reader

Dark!Villain!Otto x Avenger!Reader

Summary: You get captured by the evil Doctor Octavius- but he captures your heart as well.

Warnings: Age Gap. Mutual pining. Enemies to Lovers. (Let me know if I missed any!)

A/N: I love how the first two came out! here, have a third. Halfway through there is no plot lol my brain went blank.

WC: 1k

__

He chuckled. "You heard me."

"I- I dont understand."

"You better understand soon. Or I'll have to play this game again. I personally don't think I like this game, being away from you for so long."

"You're saying you love me? But-"

He cut you off. "Just don't hate me for this. Well, dont hate me anymore than you already do. I'm a villain, you're a hero, after all." Doctor Octavius replied.

"They're scared of you-" You said, looking at the frightened people below in the city streets.

"But your not scared, are you?" He asked.

"... No, I'm not."

His actuators brought you in close to him, close enough for him to kiss your cheek. You were too surprised to even blush.

Then all of the sudden you were in his facility again, sitting in a cell.

Then you blushed. Your face scrunched up as you remembered what he had said just minutes before.

"What, I can't be a villain and love a hero?" Doctor Octavius had told you.

You opened your eyes as a knock sounded on the door of the cell.

Doctor Octavius was standing in the doorway, his actuators posed behind him.

To see him in the door, menacing as he was, you couldn't help but want him more.

"Did you need something?" You asked him.

"Earlier, you said you weren't afraid of me. What did you mean by that?"

You nodded. "I did say that, didnt I? And it's true. I'm not afraid of you like the others. In fact, I was relieved to finally find you."

"What? You were relieved? Why?" Doctor Octavius questioned.

"Because I couldnt forget it. The kiss. I've been searching for you ever since you left me there on that ship."

Doctor Octavius had a blank expression on his face. "You mean... you like me? But I'm your enemy. You shouldn't like your enemy."

"So you can and I cant?" You inquired, thinking of how unfair it seemed.

"That's not what I meant- nevermind. Fine, it's just wierd to like your enemy." Doctor Octavius sighed. "Sorry, I didn't expect this outcome to this problem."

You stood, and, using your speed, arrived next to him. "I don't care what you expected or not. I like you. Is it that hard to understand?"

"What- I-" He was speechless.

Your love for him had bloomed since you saw him last, from when he had let you go.

His eyes were closed, as if he was processing the information.

You took the opportunity to kiss him, and he seemed even more confused at this.

He kissed you back, and then all of the sudden you were pinned against the wall on the inside of the cell.

"Doctor-" You were cut off by a deep, passionate kiss. His hands wrapped around your waist, gripping you tightly.

So tight it hurt. It was what you wanted, what you desired from him. You had missed the pain.

You broke the kiss to breathe. When you had regained your breath, you spoke.

"I- I cant love you, Doctor Octavius. I just..."

He cocked an eyebrow at you. "What do you mean you cant? You can love whoever you want."

"Unless..."

"Unless what?" He was kissing your neck.

You moved away from him for a few moments. When you turned back to him, a tear fell from your eye. "Unless you or I are willing to give up everything."

"I'm willing to live in a cell so long as I'm able to see you."

You pondered on if it could work. But you shook your head as you came to one conclusion: "If I am to continue to love you, we must stay apart as long as possible."

"But-"

You cut him off. "No buts. I hate it just as much as you do. Either that, or you cant be a villain anymore."

"But-" You cut him off by putting a finger to his lips.

"What did I just say? Just take your pick."

"I- I..." He trailed off, his words telling you everything.

He wouldn't give up being a villain. Nor would he give up you. So the only answer was to secretly meet every now and then. You hated it, but it was the only answer.

"Then let me go and I will see you when I can."

"What do you mean?"

"You wont give up villainy, nor me. It-It's the only answer."

He sighed. "Fine. But I dont like it."

You frowned. "I dont like it either." You sat on the one seat in the cell to ponder.

Doctor Octavius came and stood next to you, an intent gaze falling upon your features.

"Doctor Octavius- let me go for now. I promise I will be back, just let me go."

"But I don't want you to leave..." he practically whined.

"I dont want to leave either... But I must." You stood, and Doctor Octavius grabbed your shoulders tightly.

"If you must."

You turned to him, a longing in your eyes.

He pulled you into a big hug, then let you go. You rented a motorcycle from a local dealer, and you sped through the streets of New York.

You arrived at the Avengers tower and parked the bike. Climbing off, you turned and were met with Thor's confused face.

"Holy- you scared me."

"I scared you? You gave me a heart attack when you said 'not again' and were ripped through the side of the ship."

"Relax, okay. I said that because that's what happened last time."

Thor looked confused.

"When I was captured for days? And yall didn't see me over the course of those days? Then I came back and went through a phase of depression? Any of this familiar to you?"

Thors features quickly changed, his confused look disappearing and his brows lifting innocently. "I knew that. Are you sure you are not going to be depressed after this?"

"I cant promise anything, okay? I went through some rough shit when I was captured."

__

Taglist:

@imwithyoutiltheendofthelinebucky

@invaderzim13

[mynamesaplant]

Gaeric Week: Ship

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Thanks to @gaeric-appreciation for putting this together. Thanks to Mons too for betaing all this work, it is always appreciated. This has been really fun and I've really been looking forward to it! Each ficlet is between 500 and 1,000 words so they're easy reads.

Please note: In solidarity with Palestine and the global strike called by Bisan Owda, I will be pushing the release dates of these ficlets up to avoid conflict with this strike.

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‘My joints are creaky, so I need you to go to the swamp in my stead. Think of it as a good learning experience.’

Half-grumbling, half-raving to the two Snorunt that refused to leave him alone, Gaeric made the journey from one settlement to the other in two days’ time. Lady Sneasler, still without a warden since the passing of her last, accompanied him through the mountains until they reached the marshy, red clay mireland. That was when he met up with Calaba, who snorted at the knowledge that Shion couldn’t make it due to creaky joints.

“My joints have been creaking for ten years. What an old bum.”

She didn’t say it unkindly, just an old friend who had earned her privilege of playful name-calling.

Gaeric hadn’t left the icelands, only a few members of the clan did when they had extensive training and knowledge of Hisui. Wardens were the exception as they were often picked by old wardens or by the nobles themselves. This was his first time in Diamond clan territory, and he couldn’t say he was impressed. The air was muggy, pressing on his skin and mouth like a wet blanket so he felt as though he couldn’t breathe. The only benefit to the place that he could see was the abundance of food from the rivers and streams, the trees, and the plants littering the ground.

Well, that and one other thing.

Diamond clan’s settlement was set up in a large circle around a monolith, Gaeric couldn’t make out its purpose, but there were a few people waiting for him and Calaba. Some were in familiar white and pink adornments of their clan, the other wardens he had yet to meet, and the others were in the blue and black of Diamond clan.

A man stood before the assembled group, tall, proud, and flanked by children on either side of him. The ages of the children varied wildly, but he saw a few who were around his age. A teenage girl came up to Gaeric, a relaxed smile on her face when introducing herself as Mai. She extended her hand expectantly and he hesitated, unsure what to do.

You didn’t touch strangers in Pearl clan. Even if the action was meant as a friendly one, Gaeric felt uncomfortable with the idea of shaking her hand. He didn’t see any of his fellow clan mates doing it, so his arms stayed at his side as he offered Mai only an aborted nod. Her dark eyes narrowed ever so slightly, like she was mentally cataloging a slight, before offering him another smile.

Mai took it upon herself to introduce her to the children around her, those who she called her siblings, even if they did not resemble her. A small boy she called Adaman clung to her leg. A boy of ten or eleven named Melli turned his nose up at Gaeric with an imperious sniff.  A girl of the same age named Arezu smiled sweetly, complimenting the luster of his hair.

“Maybe I can braid it later like I do for Adaman and Melli…”

She almost seemed to ponder, a humorous glint in her eye as Gaeric spluttered, protectively covering his hair.

“And this is Iscan.”

Gaeric would have liked to think that the heat rising to his face was from Arezu and not from the shy looking boy who offered him a half-hearted wave. Gaeric blinked, lifted his hand, and offered him a wave back. Unsure of what to do with his hands, he fumbled with them nervously with Mai talking at him about Lord Wyrdeer. He caught just enough to know that she was in a similar situation as he was with the transition between new and old wardens.

Iscan’s soft, dark eyes darted up to meet Gaeric’s gaze, offered him a fleeting if nervous smile, and just as quickly tore his gaze away. It made his chest hurt… Why did it make his chest hurt?

Mai asked what noble he would be warden of and Gaeric tried to answer like his face wasn’t breaking out in a sweat because he was choking on something in his trachea.

“Avalugg,” it came out more like a cough than anything. Gaeric cleared his throat, feeling embarrassment now flushing his face, “Lord Avalugg.”

He was spared from having to say anymore as Calaba summoned him with a look and a motion of her hand. Quick to excuse himself, Gaeric tore himself from the little group, but unable to pay attention as he watched the Diamond children from the corner of his eyes.

He didn’t understand the pang of envy he felt when Melli dramatically latched onto Iscan’s arm, the owner of the arm looking unimpressed with his antics before easily shaking the boy off.

He couldn’t explain his total disinterest in Arezu, who seemed to have a slight crush on him as she chatted nonstop when she cornered him and insisted on braiding a few strands of his hair. Although, Gaeric had to admit she did a nice job.

He only understood that his heart soared higher than Lord Braviary when Iscan approached him just before he and Calaba were heading back to her tent for the evening and told him he’d see him in the morning.

Gaeric lay awake half the night but he chalked it up to the stifling air and unfamiliar noises of the swamp, rather than the frantic, excited tattoo of his heart.

[rollercoasterwords]

i have a theory and it's kind of two parts but it revolves around the fact that jegulus is a relatively new ship (at least in popularity)

1. jegulus has not been popular for long and therefore there are less fics than other popular marauders fics (wolfstar) which makes people feral for jegulus content (which ofc does not justify this behavior)

2. jegulus got popular during covid/post tiktok blowing up both of which really reduced people's attention spans and i really think got so many people used to instant gratification/a never ending stream of content to consume

2a. because a lot of this happened on tiktok a lot of younger people engaged w fandom in a way we (older people) didn't at their age and they dont really grasp how fandoms usually function and expect to be catered to with the fics they read and think thats normal when it's just. not. at all.

no bc u literally covered so many of the points i've been thinking about like !!!

1. ok this is a new point that i have not considered in this specific way like just the relative lack of content compared to wolfstar leading to people really wanting more content...i definitely think this could be coming into play w people like. demanding writers write faster and stuff. gonna have to incorporate this into my pondering thank u for giving me another point to consider!!

2. yes one of the biggest things ive been thinking about is the way there was this explosion of jegulus popularity specifically via tiktok over 2021/2022 and i think people like....approaching fanfiction with like "tiktok mindset" leads to a whole host of problems which. i simply need to write an essay to encompass

2a. yeah i will say i don't necessarily think this is exclusively younger people although i do think there's sort of a generational gap just bc i think the common denominator is people who got into fanfiction via platforms like twitter and tiktok who interact w it as if it is Content for Consumption and not...like. art that people are making as a hobby. ive talked abt this a lot on my blog already lol but it truly is such an interesting phenomenon

2b. mmmmhmmm algorithmic social media is the root of much evil i fear 🤠 i think this is very true even outside of like. jegulus and fanfiction. we're all being brainwashed to expect catered algorithmic Content and i think it's eroding lots of people's ability to engage with things that make them uncomfortable or even just. things they don't like. we're all so comfortable in our feedback loops and it's bad for us!!!

[imaginationlandtrilogy]

9, 12, and 14 for the ask list lol

Thank you! <3

I answered 9 here

12: Is there an unpopular arc that you like that the fandom doesn’t? Why?

For sure. Season twenty is right there! (It's not just because of Gerald, I promise.) So, season twenty offered a lot of interesting subjects to ponder that I enjoy thinking about - primarily the way social media is perceived as a different world, so people misguidedly treat it as such, and the drug of nostalgia. I thought the ideas were very creative, as well as the symbolism throughout the season. Obviously, it could have been more steady in places, but given what happened, it's understandable why there was that rumble mid-season. I guess that's a multitude of different arcs, though, but they did intertwine. I love, love, love talking about nostalgia and how people use it as a coping mechanism, ultimately, because it's comfort to them, so I liked the arc pretty much exploring some of the negative consequences of that, because so much now truly is rooted in nostalgia. There's reboots of everything, and I feel like past trends coming back are becoming more prevalent than ever because of that nostalgia - something like generational superiority in believing how you grew up is the best way. It's really interesting to me.

14: Unpopular opinion about your fandom?

I'm not sure if this is an unpopular opinion (and if I really want to stick to the "salty asks" theme), but I feel as if too much importance is placed on ships, particularly those of the kids. I can never, ever find fan content of a romantic pairing of the adults, and it's exhausting! I've scoured the Sheila/Gerald tag on ao3 and I came out with hardly any scraps (I am prepared to fill that tag if need be, though. This is my service to the fandom). I think the older I get, the more I want to read about adults, and not like, yet another high school au, but it seems like that's all fanfiction is just because the fandom puts so much focus on the kids, and people really do romanticize those years of your life. Can I just read about a middle-aged man in love for once, please? I want to see fan content about a couple that's been married for twenty years, not another fic of sixteen-year-olds underage drinking and awkwardly grinding on each other at prom.