#if you want to write them in a romantic relationship you have the whole road already paved for you but you DO have

[pandorascripts]

Family Reunion

Uhm... hi... guys!!! Yes, I did go MIA for like a whole year, but I got better at writing and my gay ass got extreme motivation from Agatha and Rio soooo I'm here!!! Not sure if this is permanent, but I really wanted to write Agatha as a mother. Feel free to send in requests (platonic or romantic, either works), who knows if I'll get around to them, but they might motivate me!

Summary: Rio and Agatha begin to heal, too absorbed in familiarity to remember just how bad they were for one another. The Road decides to leap out of Rio's control, thrusting their young daughter away from the underworld and back into their lives.

summary shortened: you're pretty much Nick, except the road decides to throw you back onto the mortal plane for an unknown reason. warnings: some grief, mainly fluff, big smooch scene that we deserved, and me using my Spanish-II class for nefarious acts online (making rio and reader speak Spanish). Written before the shows ending, and I was going off of my theory of Rio controlling the Road! relationships: Agario/plantonic!reader

all spelling errors are mine, and I apologize, but I'm too excited about writing again to care <3. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Agatha listens as the other coven members cheerily laugh about past experiences -- each letting the burning weight of the trials slip off their shoulders for a moment. The past centuries of her life have been held as a solo journey for Agatha, coven-less, loveless, family-less, and yet, analyzing the people around her, she can't help but wonder if that had been the wrong choice. How is it that these "failed" witches can form a coven far more accepting than the last one she was in? Agatha's not sure, but that spark of humanity she swore died when her coven betrayed her is fighting against the brutal self-taught lessons of apathy. She finds herself drawn into the conversation with a question directed at her. Far too surprised that she's been included, Agatha doesn't clock who it came from at all. Her weight shifts on the log beneath her, fingers anxiously spinning the flower Rio's been harboring since she darkened the road with her soul. Agatha risks a glance at her, then turns back to the coven. Her elbow buzzes with a reminder of a rather bland battle, the hard knitting tool piercing her skin replaying in her mind again. Rio seemingly knows where she's going with this when Agatha hikes up her shirt, lifting her elbow with a small smile.

"You ever heard of the Daughters of Liberty?" her hoarse voice rings out, a faintly muffled chuckle coming from the woman on her right. Agatha smiles at her for the first time in years.

The group enthusiastically shakes their heads, all curious about where Agatha is directing her story. Well aware, Agatha knows she needs to seemingly open up to these women and keep her animosity for them. Letting them in on her past isn't going to do that, so with a snap of her hand the shirt is back down to her wrist, cocky eyes darting around the circle. "Exactly."

Despite how chilling this should be, the group just smiles and laughs at Agatha's story. Agatha won't look into it because that off-putting "joke" just got her respect points with the coven she may or may not choose to betray. That's a win in her mind that is immediately taken away when her old counterpart speaks up.

"I have a scar."

Her tone is a little dry, her face so blank as usual. Naturally, the coven is a little uneasy at Rio's presence, all still deciding if she's trustworthy or not.

Agatha's jaw is sharply outlined as she glares. With a hard breath her nostrils are inflamed, knowing Rio's antics far too familiarly. "No, you don't."

Rio sends her a glare, as if to tell her to shut up. "Yes, I do."

Agatha knows she cannot interrupt again, the coven would be far too suspicious of just how well they know one another. Who Agatha falls in love with is her business -- her weakness is her business. With a taste of defeat that's absolutely disgusting, Agatha lets Rio speak.

"A long time ago, I loved somebody," she starts softly, if not a little too apathetic for a claim like that. The coven is immediately a little interested -- most thinking that Rio is quite the psychopath. Agatha knows they're wrong.

"I had to do something I didn't want to do, and it hurt them," with these words spilt out, Rio gets a little angry at the next part of her speech. Agatha knows what this is going to, her eyes shooting away to look at the stars instead of the stars in Rio's eyes. "But it was my job."

Agatha glares down at her purple pants, the fire a couple feet ahead casting them brighter than their original color. The avoidance is choking her out, but even when Rio speaks again, Agatha is too pained to look.

"She is my scar."

Rio looks over and up at Agatha, not caring that the coven has certainly understood the depth of the relationship between them. For a moment, weakness allows Agatha to breathe in deep, her head softly turning to glance at Rio. The moment the exchange is made, Agatha's body heating up with utter embarrassment, her head snaps. The crack of her knees is deafening, fingers flexing as she tries to loosen the hold on this flower. This damn flower -- why is it still in her hands? Agatha feels grossed out by the question, but more so by her internal response. Rio's face is still burned into her head, the parted lips, eyes open and unafraid of being known by the coven. Rio's look of pure, unaltered love that Agatha swore never truly existed between them.

"Well, I'm gonna take a walk," she snaps out, sending what's supposed to be a condescending smile to the group. Everyone sees through it, more so when Rio sighs annoyedly and rushes after.

Rio would be lying if she said she wasn't slightly pissed, the only thing easing that being the sway of Agatha's hips as she practically darts away from Rio's penetrating gaze. Her eyes remain narrow, watching Agatha fifteen feet up with no objective other than having her back again. Death is lonely, figuratively and literally. She's not found one person who's soul can ease her lack of besides Agatha. Years have blurred together, broken cries of rejection chipping away at the humanity Rio used to harbor, and everything over the millennia she's existed for has undeniably forced her to adept into stone cold apathy. Agatha healed that. During their fleeting time together, Death felt things other than her frozen over hell, she felt desired, understood, she felt human and she understood why humans hate dying so much. Agatha made Death feel like living. So yes, even after this time apart, she's angry that the one soul she refused to take could end up leaving her.

Agatha stops a couple feet ahead now, Rio's gaze running over her body to fully cement the fact that they're back together now, even if not emotionally. Testing waters which have laid still for so long, Rio's chipped nails faintly feel the back of Agatha's spine. When her fingers make contact again, she remembers every night they rested there too -- during walks along the Norwegian beaches despite how freezing it was, fooling around when Agatha was first dabbling in black magic, to nights when Agatha was falling asleep holding their kid and Rio asking hesitantly to take her instead. It's so much, Rio notes, and she understands that it must be for Agatha too because a sound so hauntingly familiar falls from her aching lips -- a moan rippling those waters untouched for years.

Silence is only exchanged after that, Agatha turning around to relent into Rio's care. Seeing her divine face this close again after so many years of punishment, is like allowing a sinner a breath of heaven for Agatha. Her nails rake along Rio's soft face as she soaks in this moment. Her bones are aching to crawl back into the grave she spent so long being comforted in, they're pleading Agatha to just allow them this reprieve, and so she grants it. Rio knows what's coming, her hands clinging onto Agatha as her face dives into her neck. Both their noses dip into the skin, smelling each other, holding each other, for the first time in years. That comforting smell of flowers, dewy earth, and the beguiling scent of death fills Agatha's nose, tears slipping down her face with familiarity.

Rio feels Agatha's hands gripping her head, her own chest stuttering as she struggles with the fleeting emotions entwined with humanity. It's so overwhelming and it's been so long since she's felt it again. Desperate to capture it, Rio grips Agatha's back, nails digging into her shirt as she feels her soul back where it belongs. Still, silence. There's nothing they need to say to her that isn't being felt -- love, security, a hint of forgiveness that Rio hopes won't be nipped in the bud.

Agatha pulls back, Rio tilting her head to analyze her features. When looking isn't enough, they both hold one another's faces, thumbs memorizing the skin along their paths. Rio can feel her eyelids droop, soulless brown eyes moving to the pair of lips in front of her. Agatha's filled with the same desire, darting forward before she can properly judge what's happening, nose bumping against Rio's. The latter pulls away, a soft hum leaving her lips.

"Agatha..."

There's a subtle nod from the addressed, eyes moving off from her mouth to Rio's eyes. It's there Agatha finds that she wasn't stopped out of hesitance or unwillingness, so she leans in again. Rio lets her, invites her when she tilts too.

Agatha hasn't felt a kiss like Rio's kisses in centuries. The moment she feels it again, she lets out a sweet moan. Rio notes how different it is from the ones she usually pulls out -- whether from pain or pleasure. Agatha's was slow and sweet, as if she had been longing for this all her life. It's comforting and full of love. Rio wants more -- she needs to know that this isn't one sided -- that Agatha has started to forgive her for a pain they share. Her hands move to support Agatha's jaw, pulling her into her furthermore as if she wants to swallow her with a kiss. Agatha's giving everything back, lips in tandem with Rio's as they refuse to part for anything.

They're like that for far too long, only stopping when Agatha rests her forehead against Rio's, trying to stifle her panting. Their eyes remain shut, soaking in the physical feel of being loved again.

"I can't -- I can't accept what happened, but -- but I want you to know, I know it hurt you too," Agatha softly speaks, the vulnerability something she rarely shows. It's been years and years of animosity because of their shared grief.

Rio's completely silent, her eyes opening to see the tears slipping down Agatha's cheeks. It takes her a moment of confusion before she realizes that she's crying too -- something that hasn't happened since she held that lifeless body in her heavy arms, crying as she pretended to be tucking her in her crib like she had so many times over the years. Rio's choked up as well, nodding her head as she desperately moves Agatha's hair behind her ears, needing to busy her hands with something.

"I --" Rio can't get anything out. Her thoughts are wilder than a tornado, each one fleeting and escaping her brain before they can be shoved out her mouth. For someone so witty, she can't speak. Rio nods again, lips pressed thin as she leans back in to feel Agatha's lips. There's no denial from Agatha, just like how there never was any all those centuries ago.

The next couple of minutes are spent exchanging sweet kisses, lips slowly and barely moving away just to reconnect seconds later. Rio's hand slips under Agatha's shirt, feeling the taut fabric against her hands when she pulls it out from the waistband of her purple pants. Malleable flesh against her fingertips makes Rio moan against Agatha, a small smirk on her lips when another moan follows -- but not from her. Rio's nails rake along Agatha's stomach, enjoying the feeling after being denied it for so long.

Lost in familiarity, they don't notice the tree cracking behind them -- not until it drops a couple feet out, a hoarse shriek coming from Agatha. Rio's back is turned to her now, hand on her waist as she keeps Agatha close. There's something under the rubble, her eyes thinning down as she glares at the rustling wood. Eventually, Rio steps away from Agatha and kicks over the wood, an unconscious face all too known in front of her. With a hard smack, Rio's knees are digging into the floor, hands grabbing out the sweet face she swore she wouldn't see ever again.

Agatha's stood behind, eyes slightly wide and confused before a soft, "hija" is echoed out in the cold air. Haunted, Agatha stumbles forward to drop down next to Rio, hands moving out to grab at your face. The moment she thinks she can, her hands shoot back and away, knees popping when she abruptly stands. In a hard panic and a heavy breath, her face is whipping around and looking around the road.

"Is this some sick trial?" she screeches out, her lungs aching as she sobs to whoever is controlling this.

Rio's still sitting, cradling your body as her hands touch your hair. The road bends to Rio's will -- after all, Rio only designed the road to bring her more souls -- but this isn't her. This is something else, something far more evil that's infiltrated her dimension. Rio doesn't understand how this is happening, who's behind it, or what the consequences are going to be, but she needs to just soak in this moment.

Rio hasn't seen your chest move in hundreds of years.

Shaky fingers press along your chest, feeling it rise against her hold, then fall, and repeat.

"Agatha," she calls out, turning her head to look at the panicked woman in front of her.

Bewildered and terrified, Agatha meets your sleeping face and freezes. There's a sick part of Agatha that reminds her she had forgotten certain aspects of your face, the guilt eating at her and choking her out. With a shake of her head, Agatha trips over herself as she tries to get away. The sobs are muffled by her vibrating hand, vision blinded by overwhelmed tears. There's too much happening for Agatha to even try regulating herself, so caught up in the face that has haunted her for centuries being thrusted against her in such a short time.

Rio gently picks up your body, head slack against her hard shoulder. The last time you were like this Rio was tightly holding you away from the Ferryman. Her hands rub your back, shifting to make adjustments for you. Centuries ago when you died, you were no more than six, now it seems as if something changed that -- you look like you're ten now. Rio doesn't understand how you managed to "age" if you hadn't had a beating heart in a long time, but she doesn't care.

"Agatha," she tries again, wanting her to see her daughter even if you'll get tugged back onto that old boat soon.

Whipping around, her hands still pressed against her mouth, she gently meets Rio half way. The tears won't stop, shock and disbelief on her aged face. "Oh God," she mumbles, hand slipping over to brush some brown hair away from your face.

You're still you, if not a little pale and older now, but Agatha can't register that. Her baby is back, in some sick way, her baby is back. Rio holds you tightly, feeling so confused as your body is warm against hers.

"What is this?" Agatha hoarsely questions, eyes darting away from yours to Rio's face.

"I don't know -- I didn't do it -- I swear," she sputters out, stopping only when Agatha presses her tear-soaked lips against Rio's own again.

"I know, I know."

Rio calms down at the belief, her arms heavy as Agatha starts to lift you into her own arms. There's a shift from you, Agatha's eyebrows pressing deeply together as she almost glares at you. Still convinced this isn't real, she's as stiff as a board against you. Up until you press into her shoulder, rubbing your nose twice before halting, Agatha doesn't believe it. That single act performed crushes her reluctance, heart stopping at feeling something you used to do all the time against her.

"Oh, baby," she cries out, nose pressed into the side of your hair as you stir. Rio watches with wide eyes, lips parted as she watches how easily Agatha slips back into her motherly tendencies.

Agatha cries until she can't anymore, eventually finding herself sitting down and just holding you against her. Of course, she doesn't want to wake you up but she also can't stop touching you. Desperately aching for the constant reminder that you're tangible -- that you're here -- Agatha's hands constantly touch your face, your waist, your hips -- gently running over your body as she shakes.

Rio sits down in front, hand resting just under your lower thigh, thumb rubbing against the side of your knee. With all this touch, you wake up slightly annoyed, pushing yourself farther into Agatha. Her tears only increase tenfold, fleeting attempts to stop it doing nothing.

"Momma, stop," you quietly whine as she plays with your messy hair, your nose crinkled up just like hers does. The similar aspect makes Agatha tear up, head nodding as she stills her hand on your waist.

"Sorry, baby."

Rio notes Agatha's cracking voice, and so do you. Tiredly, you look up at them both, confused as to why your parents had been crying.

"Why you guys crying?"

"Just really happy, honey," Agatha sniffles out, rubbing your face again. You don't fight against it, eyes darting down to look at Rio.

"Okay." Your soft tone makes Rio's lip tremble, her hand coming out to move some of your curly hair -- so alike to Agatha's -- out of your face. There's a small shake of your head as you adjust your big glasses -- the ones Rio always adored.

"I don't want you to cry, it makes me sad too," you softly admit, moving your face to rest alongside Agatha's sternum. Habits don't die, as proven when Agatha already moves to take off your glasses for you so they don't get bent by how you're laying. Rio acts on impulse too, taking the glasses from Agatha's hands and setting them on her shirt.

"Nosotras sabemos, hija," Rio speaks out, her eyes trained on your face. For a fleeting moment, Rio wonders if you've forgotten the language she taught you, her heart breaking in her chest before you respond with a nod. Agatha's a little behind before understanding what Rio means.

"We know," Agatha reiterates, letting you know that she understood the conversation and agrees.

"Where are we?" you ask, finally looking around to notice what's happening.

Rio can't think of anything to say, not until Agatha comes up with something. "Road trip, dear."

Trusting your mom, you just confusedly nod your head.

"¿Cuándo planeamos el viaje?" you ask out.

Agatha can't respond right away, but Rio does. "You were sleeping, Mama and I wanted to surprise you."

Turning her head to face the speaker, Agatha is a little confused at the question but goes with it. The answer isn't upsetting you, if not just making you a little confused, so she doesn't really care to figure out what was spoken.

"Can I sleep now?" you ask, yawning just after.

"Yeah, baby, of course."

Rio turns to look at Agatha's expression, her heart lurching at just how well motherhood suits her. Brown eyes watch Agatha's gentle hands -- hands that have slaughtered thousands -- sweetly caress your kind face. With a hum, you lean into your mama's hands, eyes shut as you try to sleep again. Agatha is completely lost in having you back, soothingly tracing along your face and down the slope of your nose, touching something she never thought she would again. Rio is too nervous to touch you again, the last time far too devastating for her liking.

As if a mind reader, Agatha brings up Rio's hand to your stomach, setting it there before looking back down at you.

Complete silence falls over you all, Rio's hand stiff before she hesitantly brings it to flatten against your stomach. Apathy is long gone from her usually conniving features, everything overtaken with terrified love. After a minute or two, Rio manages to calm down her anxiety and let her knuckles run against your shirt, remembering the nights when you'd both be sent into fits of giggles when she'd blow raspberries against your stomach. Much to Agatha's dismay, only because it'd rile you up before bedtime. Truth be told, Agatha let it happen a couple times, observing contently from the bedroom door before she'd break it up so you could sleep.  

You're knocked out again minutes later, a soft chuckle coming from Rio's lips. "God, she always was a hard sleeper."

Agatha silently nods, tears slipping down her face again. Rio brushes them away with her free hand, letting her knuckles trace against Agatha too.

"You know we don't have her back for long, right?" Rio asks quietly. In a hard, choked out response, Agatha nods her head. "I know, I know. I just need her for a bit longer."

Rio's lips are tugged taut before leaning into a frown, her forehead against Agatha's as they sit in silence together.

[wandaslittlelove]

Heyyy I don’t know if you write for Protective!Agatha Harkness but if you do

Can I request Agatha x reader?? Maybe they in a romantic relationship before the road. In the final battle, Agatha asks to reader to close her eyes for her because everything is too violent. Also, indicate Reader to run when she orders without looking back but Reader stays because she wants to help Agatha 😭😭

Close Your Eyes

Pairing: Agatha Harkness x Reader, Agatha harkness x Rio vidal (In past) Warnings: Fighting, blood, I think that's all

“Close your eyes” Agatha whispers gently as her hands come up to your face. She’s injured and bleeding. The tiny cuts all over her body aren’t enough to do any real harm but they’re enough for her to feel them. Her fingers wipe away the tears that fall down your face. “Close your eyes and when I tell you to go you run. You run and don’t look back, do you understand?” a whimper made its way past your lips as you gripped her shirt tightly. You both knew it was only a matter of seconds before Rio came back.

Billy stood a few steps back ready to blast Agatha whenever she was ready. He had never seen her like this. The closet would be when he was almost about to die while on the road but he thought it was all a show. But now seeing how gentle she was with you and the way she was scared he knew that she had a heart. 

Rio made her way out of the home ready to strike. Agatha quickly moved you out of the way.

“Close your eyes. Now” You did as told. You could hear Billy grunting a bit as Agatha drained his magic. After a moment of fighting and lots and lots of insults being thrown back and forth a single word escapes Agatha’s mouth. “Run!” She yells. Your mind tells you to obey. To run and not look back. But suddenly it’s like you can’t move. Instead your eyes fly open. Agatha looks a lot better. She’s no longer covered in so many cuts but she is very clearly worn out. She isn’t used to battling anymore. Not after the three years she spent powerless. Before you know it you're throwing your body infront of Agatha’s. Rio stops as her posture stiffens. As much as she hates you for stealing Agatha’s heart. From taking her from her this fight is between the three of them. She does not want to face whatever consequences would come from taking you before it was your time. For a moment everything is silent. Your brain moves so fast it’s hard to keep up with all the thoughts. You can feel Agatha trying to pry into your mind. To figure out what you're thinking and planning but you block her out.

“Take me.” You say desperately. You honestly didn’t care that much for the teenager. He had caused such a mess. Gotten two of your coven members killed. But Agatha liked him. Agatha cared for him and you would be damned if she lost another son. Agatha quickly grabs onto your arm as she pulls you back.

“Absolutely not. You will take me and leave them be.” Rio looks conflicted for a moment before her face hardens once again. She brings her hands back and then with a harsh punch forward green magic goes flying towards Agatha. A scream escapes you as you shout.

“NO!” Quickly you jump in front of the incoming magic. The force of it sends you flying backwards harshly into a tree. Your whole body aches as you attempt to move. Once more trying to get up and defend Agatha. But her magic wraps around you holding you down.

“Stop Stop! Let’s… Let’s make a deal.” Her eyes shoot over to you as her magic continues to hold your place. There is blood running down the side of your head and your blink slowly at her. “You leave us be. And when a long time from now when I die. You can have me.” You go to say something but her magic keeps you quiet. Rio seems to ponder this all for a moment. Her eyes scanned all three of you. Billy had come to your side by now making sure you were okay. The air thick with tension as you all awaited Rio's response.

“Okay. When you die, which you will. You’ll be mine. Maybe I'll let you keep the pet.” Her words are venomous at the end as she glances at you but there is a bit of curiosity in her gaze. “Till then my love.” With that Rio plants a few flowers and then walks away. The sky that was once green and dark goes back to normal as she leaves.  Agatha lets out a sigh of relief as she quickly rushes to your side.

“You are so stupid” She hisses as she crouches next to you. She inspects the wound on your head and when she decides it’s not as bad as it looks she picks you up carefully. Your body screams in protest and you let out a whimper from the pain. “I know doll but I need to get you inside and cleaned up.” She carried you slowly towards the house and Billy helped to fix it up with his magic. 

Later that night you both lay in bed. Both clinging to each other tightly scared to let go. One hand is softly stroking your hair while the other rests on your heart feeling the steady beat of it. Your head lay on her chest listening to the beat of her heart and you focused on the rise and fall of her chest. You both were safe for now. You both were alive. You knew tomorrow she would go about packing and leaving. Rio knew where she was. You both would run far away. She would find a nice house and place runes around it. She would place runes on you. Anything to keep you safe.

[darylbae]

hiii! could you write something fluff with daryl and a Latina reader? they are in a established relationship and she always rumble things or talk to herself in her language and daryl really wanna know more about what she saying and also wanna know more her culture but is really shy to ask plss🥺💕

spanish for dummies — daryl dixon 🩰

in which daryl wants to learn more of your language, but he is far too shy to admit it

note: i made it a lil drabble because i don't know a lot of spanish, if i got anything wrong please correct me!

You and Daryl had made it exclusive very recently, so it was all very new to you. But the two of you were so infatuated with one another, that it made everyone sick. He'd always have an arm around you, or coming to find you at random points in the day. People would even see you whispering to each other and laughing. It was all very sweet. You'd been at Hilltop for a few days, helping Maggie with running things day to day, and beginning to build a few things. Of course, Daryl had accompanied you from Alexandria to Hilltop, and promised to stay with you.

“Y/N!” One of the Hilltop residents called out, and you’d turned to spot them waving you over. You had quickly separated from Daryl, who had his arm around your waist as you spoke about potentially making shields. Although he had followed you over.

You’d run over to see the new water system installed. You’d selected a group of people to start making an easier way to get water into the community, and to see the large basins of water finally come to life, you were amazed.

“Es asombrosa,” you whispered, mainly to yourself in bewilderment that the plan you’d made together worked. Things were really starting to come together now, and you couldn’t be happier. “Well done, guys.”

As you’d started to walk off, Daryl had caught up to you and smoothed his hand over his jaw. You’d come to notice it was a nervous tick of his. “What does that mean?”

“What does what mean?”

“Whatever you just said.”

“Oh, es asombrosa? It means it’s amazing. It’s a good thing.” You smiled, only now realising you’d have to translate some things that were natural to you.

Daryl just nodded, still curious about all your little phrases you’d come out with daily. You don’t really notice yourself doing it, but Daryl does.

Staying at Hilltop, you’d made some progress, you’d spent the whole of today tending to the crop just outside the walls. Whilst a small group had gone out on a run, Daryl included.

It wasn’t until you heard the roar of a motorcycle that you’d looked up to see your gorgeous man riding in, slowing as he approached the road next to you. His tough, brooding exterior shortly disappeared with a sweet smile, and you couldn’t help but throw your arms around his neck.

“Te extraño,” you sighed into his ear, breathing in the smell of his musk. You quickly translated for him, “I missed you.”

“Missed you too, sweetheart. Now let me take you home.” He cooed, taking your hand and helping you onto the back of his bike. To ride the extra few meters back into the gates.

That night, you and Daryl had settled into one of the rooms Maggie had allowed you to stay in whilst you were here. You’d crawled into bed long before Daryl did, as he was sitting through his backpack secretly.

“What you hiding in there?” You questioned, putting your book down and folding your arms. It was a playful prod but you weren’t expecting him to be so secretive.

“Nothin’.”

You huffed. “Come on, Dar. No secrets.”

“Just somethin’ I found today.” He admitted, throwing his backpack next to the bed.

“Ooh. Is it condoms?”

“No.”

“A stuffed animal?”

“Absolutely not.”

“A Halloween costume?”

“What? No.”

“Come on! Tell me!”

Daryl sat down next to you, an arm around you as you settled on his chest. “Fine”.

He reached into the backpack and pulled out a small book, and turned the title page towards you. Spanish for Dummies.

“Stop! Really? I think that’s the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me.” You squealed, pressing kisses all over his cheek and jaw.

“Just wanna understand ya more.” Daryl reasoned, brushing hair from your face, “so ya don’t have to translate everythin’.”

[aerialflight]

another fic rec list! (march edition)

I read so many good fics this month that I HAD to recommend. And again, I wildly pingponged between fandoms, though some still stuck around so you're in luck. Enjoy!

[Star Trek] (found some more! and reread old favorites)(also, fell in love with multiple ships)

Manner of Attraction by LiterallyThePresident

Ship: Spock/Leonard McCoy

“Spock, you think I’m sexy, right?” McCoy laughed “Yes.” Spock said honestly, and all three of them seemed to stop short

(short, sweet, and sparked my interest in this ship! it's my gateway drug fic and was what made me curious enough to hunt for more. definitely recommend! XD)

Anything You Can Do by igrockspock for ictus

Ship: Jim Kirk/Hikaru Sulu

'Anything you can do, I can do better' is not a healthy relationship philosophy - unless you’re Jim and Hikaru.

(listen, LISTEN, i love rarepairs and my god, this was written so fucking well and made me laugh multiple times. also, hikaru sulu is a bamf and i love when people portray him as the competent man he is! seriously, please give this a try, you won't regret it!)

freefall (flying) by tantamoq

Ship: Jim Kirk/Hikaru Sulu

Kirk is used to falling - what he isn't prepared for is the moment when he might actually hit the ground.

(again! a must read for this rarepair that i've fallen in love with nfewiofewa. seriously, i'm in a hole and i WILL drag people down with me! the potential of this relationship is too much! too powerful! please give it a go, i swear you won't regret it! this fic is fantastic!!)

Quirks and Their Side Effects by highschool-facelesshellion (orphan_account)

Ship: Jim Kirk/Leonard McCoy

Jim Kirk's always been a weirdo. Leonard could use some more weird.

(YES! LET THEM BE WEIRD!! truly, i accept every headcanon and everything this fic has spoken into the world, it's too good not to be true. i actually cried at some parts, you'll know which just from reading it. their friendship/queer-romantic or whatever the hell these two have here is so fucking good and i love it so so much!! seriously, please please read!!)

Long Road Home by EternalSheWolf for eyres

“It’s the greatest ship ever built.” His voice cracks, and he tells himself it’s because he’s been speaking for probably days now and he’s thirsty and his throat is probably bleeding and Bones will kill him, goddamit, Jim – A tear leaks out of the corner of his eye. “I want to go home.” He whispers.

(every time. every fucking time god damn it. *sobbing*)

Houses Made Of Earth by nsmorig for oneatatime

Ship: Spock/Leonard McCoy

In which Spock moves in with, uses the first name of, and falls in love with, Leonard McCoy. More-or-less in that order.

(okay, i just love the author and how they write. full stop. the slow building relationship and understanding between bones and spock was so rewarding and sweet. it's very introspective on both sides and explores what troubles and life changing things they're each going through, while also changing what they thought about the other. it's slow and thoughtful and pulled me in bit by bit. i absolutely recommend both the fic and this author in general, it's so good!!)

Pavlov's Cuddles by InsaneSociopath

Ships: Jim Kirk/Spock, Philip Boyce/Christopher Pike

Chris decides the absolute best way to get Jim to behave is to classically condition him using candy. Because. Um. That's perfectly normal and acceptable right?

(the entire premise of this fic sounds so weird but it works! jim is autistic and chris is deeply, truly weird. his whole relationship with boyce made me cackle so much! boyce has to suffer through chris's shenanigans and yet enables him constantly so he only has himself to blame lmao! and spock! is so cute and every time he showed up it's amazing haha! if you just want to have a good time and watch a successful trainwreck of a man try and adopt jim kirk, this is 100% for you lol)

-

[The Witcher] (yup! again. these idiots won't leave me alone)

The Neverending Jaskier by TheSilverQueen

Ship: Geralt/Jaskier

Geralt goes fishing for a djinn to solve his sleeplessness. He is not expecting to fish up a man instead. Especially not a cursed, eternally doomed to resurrect bard of a man.

(i know this sounds ridiculous, but the author is just so good at making it believable. i love how geralt slowly starts to fall for jaskier, it's gradual and heartfelt and he doesn't want it lol. and so many of his problems are solved just because of sequence of events and how ridiculous jaskier is, which amuses me a lot. please read!)

in the belly of the beast by TheSilverQueen

Ship: Geralt/Jaskier

On the fifth day after Jaskier is swallowed alive by a lake monster, he meets a Witcher.

Part 8 of The Witcher Flash Fic Challenge

(the concept was so funny that i had to read it. and i was right, it's hilarious! seriously, please read! it made me laugh like a hyena and i never once thought someone can draw inspiration from fullmetal alchemist like this. the fact this is the same author right above has me believing they're just really good at making wild premises work lol. it's amazing!)

no reason to run by SummerFrost

Ship: Geralt/Jaskier

"You'll change your mind one day," says the innkeep. "The road can't love you back." What a strange way to flatten something so beautiful, Jaskier thinks. What a small way to love. Or: When Jaskier is hit with a curse that prevents him from having sex, he's lucky that the first person he meets is a Witcher. It's even luckier that Jaskier is used to hitting the road, because Geralt isn't waiting up.

(this fic has everything! it's hilarious, it's soft and tender, and it makes me want to hang it up on a wall for posterity. it's romantic, in the sense that jaskier sees the beauty of everything around him and geralt can't help but be drawn in by it. i couldn't help but be drawn in by it. also, it's so incredibly poly and i love that aspect of the fic, it painted love as such a giving yet selfish act and it's beautiful because of it. as geralt said in this fic, jaskier is a poet, ergo, the author is a goddamn poet and it shows. seriously, please read, it's so damn good!)

Keeping Crows by Castillon02

Ship: Geralt/Jaskier

If it was some kind of weird religious thing, it was for a god Geralt had never heard of. Probably it was just a weird Jaskier thing. Crows, of all creatures! Corpse eaters. Grain stealers. No one liked crows. But Jaskier was voluntarily traveling with a Witcher; maybe he just had poor taste.

(the metaphor!! geralt is a crow! jaskier loves things that aren't meant to be loved and is loved back for it! also, i personally just love crows so this love letter for them had me kicking my feet in delight. seriously, please please read! i want to hug this to my chest and sleep with it, it was so warm.)

-

[Harry Potter & Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them] (yeah, i know, what?? i don't know what to tell you fnewpfwa)

Preantepenultimate by lonerofthepack

Ship: Original Percival Graves/Newt Scamander

Newt Scamander had not intended to return to New York, much less the Woolworth building. Nevertheless, he arrived on the second of May, bedraggled and soaking from the spring rains with his arm trapped in a junior auror's grip, and just in time to make himself useful. Percival Graves has survived Grindelwald, with the scars to show for it, and returned to his role as Director of Magical Security despite a newly developed difficulty in speaking aloud. When Theseus Scamander’s younger brother gets dragged into the bullpen at precisely the right moment to be helpful, Graves seizes the opportunity to bring in a magizoologist for a sorely needed fledgling Beasts division, and a battle-tested asset into the MACUSA fold. Perhaps he should have expected chaos to follow in the path of a dragon rider.

Part 4 of Reticence 'verse

(*buries face in hands* fnewiofae it's so goddamn jane austen. the slow building romance, the respect they have for each other, the fact there's a freaking marriage of convenience plot that isn't contrived and makes sense, all of it! a victorian romance? in 1920s new york?? more likely than you think. god, i got so obsessed while reading this and flew through it in 2 days, it's so good!! and the fact that they show! real actual repercussions of graves imprisonment by grindlewald! he's selectively mute and the author expands how he now manages to live with it in a world where he went through something so traumatic is *chefs kiss* brilliant! and newt is so competent and graves recognizes that and is competent himself and i just, god, GOD, this is the best characterization for this ship i've ever seen, i love it so so much nfiewopewa. seriously, please please read this! i'm obsessed!!!)

Ad Sistendam Furto Magicae by InsaneSociopath

Ships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley

Hermione is all out of fucks to give. Ron and Harry reluctantly approve.

(time travel fic! a solid, fantastic read and i loved every minute of it! and the fact there's a tag specifically saying they stan ron is all it took to win me over lol. god, it's so hard to find a good ron in fics, drives me mad. if you want to have a fun time and watch as the trio run wild through hogwarts, this is definitely for you :D)

-

[Buffy the Vampire Slayer] (look it's just one series that i immediately got obsessed with. but it made my month so i NEED to recommend it NOW.)

wouldn't it be nice? (in the kind of world where we belonged) by SummerFrost

Ship: Spike/Buffy

Spike is still beneath her, so hard he's vibrating, and a second ago she was living in this amazing, perfect, fresh piece of Dubble Bubble bubblegum world. A second ago, she loved him. Or: The thing about Willow's will-be-done spell is that, yeah, obviously it sucks that it happened with Spike. But now that all those totally fake lovey-dovey feelings are gone, Buffy is starting to worry that she'll never get them back—with anyone. Too bad the only person who might understand is her mortal enemy.

Part 1 of wouldn't it be nice?

(*deep breath* i need this like i need air. i don't really go for buffy fics but fuck, this is incredible. it's the same author who wrote one of the witcher fics on this list and their writing is just as beautiful here. it really looks at the aftermath of the episode something blue and what it means for both spike and buffy. and as for the rest of this series, it continues on to later seasons of buffy and how spike and buffy being an established relationship changes things in the future. this is the most healthy version of the buffy/spike ship i've ever seen and it's honestly heartbreaking to think about what could've happened if they had just talked to each other. this has become one of my favorite buffy fics ever and i absolutey recommend this to people, it's brilliant!)

-

[Dimension 20] (i'm so random. also, currently watching unsleeping city s2 so i'm probably gonna rec more fics in the future, not sure)

the i love you fic by jorjudje

Fandom: Fantasy High

a scenario for each and every bad kids duo in which they tell each other they love them.

(this is the sweetest fantasy high fic in the fandom, i will die on this hill!! they love each other so much! the most friendship fic to ever friendship!! god, this made me want to watch fantasy high all over again, i love the bad kids so much fneiwofpewa)

everyone's a pessimist, I see a future painted in pink by HighAsAFlyingFish

Fandom: Fantasy High

Early Freshman year the newly formed Bad Kids run into themselves from the future. Or maybe a future? Who knows, time travel is weird, have another ice cream.

(time travel time travel time travel!! seeing how much the bad kids have grown up compared to freshman year always makes me feel teary eyed. and also cackle like a hyena, the freshmen have NO context on ANYTHING and it's hilarious XD)

Modify Memory by foxfantasma

Fandom: The Unsleeping City

“Pete,” the first man says slowly, like he’s trying to calm a spooked child. “What’s my name?” “Kingston,” Pete answers automatically, the feelings of trust and home and a fragment of being shouted at in a bodega he’s never been to all conflicting and coexisting in his skull. He hasn’t tripped this bad since the episode that had gotten him on the antipsychotics in the first place, and even this makes that look like a walk in the park. He can’t afford to get sent back to the hospital, not without insurance, and he really needs to get it together before someone calls an ambulance, or worse, the cops. “You’re Kingston Brown,” he says firmly, hopes to everything there is that he’s right. Or: Pete doesn’t remember being awakened to the Unsleeping City and has a rough time //Chapter two is Kingston’s pov

(i just finished watching s1 and immediately started hunting for kingston and pete friendship fics cause i NEEDED it. and then i found this and wow, it's such a great character study for both pete and kingston, i loved it! please read!!)

-

[Deadpool and Wolverine] (we're back bitches)

Rotten Ones by atimefeeler

Ship: Logan | Worst Wolverine/Wade Wilson

“Oh my god,” Wade said. “I’m an idiot.” “Yes. And?” Logan snapped. “I forgot Logan died in 2029,” Wade said, horrified. “It’s 2024." ... (It's okay, Wade. The writers forgot too.) Deadpool and The Worst Wolverine join forces with the X-Men to save Laura and the kids from Project X-23, stop the Westchester Event, and prevent mutant extinction. Oh, and they also fall in love while they do it.

(i combed through so many fics and found this gem among the rubble of my search. it's soft and full of hurt/comfort, yet also plot driven and full of character interactions and moments between wolverine and the x-men of deadpool's timeline. and i have so much respect for the author's attempt to make sense of fox's bizarre timeline of events for the x-men series lol. i'm so invested in this fic and the slow burn between logan and wade has me kicking my feet in delight, it's wonderful! seriously, please read! i'm so glad i found this!)

Harvest Moon by SlugSniffing

Ship: Logan | Worst Wolverine/Wade Wilson

Logan still can't recall anything from his past, no matter where he goes or who he speaks to. He's at the end of his rope when a mercenary crash-lands at his feet in Bobby Drake's kitchen. (set during the events of X2 - consider this X2 featuring Deadpool-movieverse Deadpool, complete with Origins-era Wade backstory.)

(i'm not fucking kidding when i say i think the author is deapool, their end notes always has me fucking cackling, they sound exactly like him it's amazing. truly, this fic is so damn good and the writing is stellar! there were so many moments where i actually started crying because the emotions the author managed to convey got too fucking real, my GOD. and the plot! wow!! deadpool is inserted in the plot so seamlessly that i honestly wish i could watch this version of events play out on the big screen, it's so much fun! and heartbreaking! seriously, please read this, i'm so so excited to see what happens next and so will you!)

Mr. Forgettable by Arwriter

Ship: Logan | Worst Wolverine/Wade Wilson

Wade’s off the couch, moving slowly until he’s standing right in front of Logan. He’s eyeing him carefully, thoughtfully, like he can piece together a solution to whatever the hell is happening right now. “You’re not just doing this so you can get out of buying dinner, are you?" “Fuck you.” Or: Even if he can't quite place his face, Logan doesn't think he could ever forget Wade Wilson.

(i both want to punch and hug logan, he's really going Through It. this fic is both incredibly angsty yet sweet at the same time, amnesic logan deserves a damn hug! and wade is Suffering and just as bad as him. god, they're so dumb nfewiofpewa)

[lullabyes22-blog]

I recently re-read your fic Mal de Mer—it was just as incredible the second time—and I LOVE the way you write intimacy between Mel and Silco, especially because trust is such a perilous concession for both of them. The ending was sweet and full of promise for their new life together, and it left me craving more. Absolutely no pressure to sate my incessant sweet tooth, but I would appreciate your thoughts if you want to share them :)

You’ve written a lot about Silco’s capacity for “true” happiness. The romantic in me wants to imagine that these two will continue to fight for their “happily ever after” until they’re old and gray. Something about the princess choosing the dragon compels me—and Jayce losing that five-year bet despite the odds of a monster getting a fairytale ending being slim to none. In this AU, do most of Silco’s softer moments remain hard-won battles, or will he allow himself to enjoy aspects of domesticity more freely? (One of my predictions is that Silco becomes the Reluctant Cat Dad meme with Scriker.) Do they ever reach a point where Mel is able to comfort Silco in the way he comforts her when she faces her demons?

Conversely, does Mel’s marriage to Silco lead her to embrace her inner wolf on occasion? How does she fare as wife to the Eye of Zaun? We get a taste of it during the top-secret eldritch horror portal debacle on their politically-charged honeymoon. The impending doom had me on the edge of my seat, though they came out stronger on the other side because of it. As they settle into their role as a power couple back on land, how does that power manifest among the glitz of Piltover’s elite versus the murkier dealings of Zaun’s underworld? How did they come to a consensus on what skills Melike will need to navigate her birthright?

And Jinx! I love the way she is present throughout the fic even though she is not actually aboard the SS Woe Betide. Silco is first and foremost a Girl Dad. The scene where Silco talks about braiding his little girl’s hair charmed Mel (and me). Despite her initial reaction to their marriage, does Jinx come to develop a closer bond with StepMel? How does it measure against the intense nature of Jinx’s existing relationships with others? How do you imagine Jinx’s role as a big sister to Melike as she grows up?

XOXO

Thank you for sharing your love for Mal de Mer. It means so much to me that you enjoyed it, given it was such a self-indulgent shippy story.

T_T<3

I love writing intimacy in different forms - especially when it's hard-won and fragile - so I'm thrilled that this was your takeaway. Mel and Silco are both such wounded characters and love is a powerful balm, but the road to healing is not easy or without pitfalls. I often mention that I write them, on the surface, as that couple who have nothing in common beyond the bedroom, but underneath there is a whole world of shared trauma and a desire to heal, so even basic sex scenes take on a much deeper significance because trust is so rare and difficult for either of them.  Physicality itself becomes almost a bridge, a way for Silco and Mel to share a space and connect outside their usual boundaries.

I think happiness, as a concept, is where both of them differ. Silco, especially, is not someone who sees happiness as a goal, nor does he subconsciously believe he has earned the right to experience it. His drive is the success of his city and his child, and anything that gets in the way of that is not worth his time. 

100% the type to die with a scowl on his face, and teeth bared, because that's what life taught him to do.

In contrast, Mel's capacity for happiness is innate. She is an empathetic, compassionate soul and a joyful one too. She will not be crushed by life, no matter what happens to her. She will always find a way to rise again, with grace in her spirit, and steel in her spine. Her greatest challenge will always be finding her place in a world that does not fully understand her unique gifts.

But she will be happy and loved, because love is simply part of who she is.

In her company, I think Silco can sense the far-off possibilities. In FnF and Mal de Mer, he often compares her to the sun, and there's some truth to that, as her presence subtly alters his perspective on the world. He is, at his crux, a creature of shadows, but he's not afraid to walk towards the light, as long as his hand is firmly clasped in hers.

That's not to say it'll be a straight trajectory towards Happinessville. Both of them have a long way to go and the challenges will never be over, but I think Silco sees Mel as walking proof that not all hope is lost. She makes him feel human, in a way he'd long forgotten. As for domesticity, I imagine they'll get better at it with practice.  From a purely technical standpoint, sharing a home will take some getting used to, as their schedules are polar opposites: his very nocturnal, hers all daytime. They're both people who value privacy and the sanctity of their personal spaces. So I see their relationship as a balance between together and apart.  Most of the time, they'll be out in the world, fulfilling their respective duties, but when they return, it'll be a reconnecting to the center of each other.

I can see Mel painting in the sunroom, while Silco idles on the chaise and reads out loud to her from a political treatise. Or sharing a hot soak in the tub as they scheme together to pull off a political heist. And of course, the sex will always be a pretty integral part of their relationship, whether it's a lazy morning romp in bed or a frenzied fuck in his office.

 (Silco totally becomes a cat dad with Scriker. Also, hilariously, they project their own feelings for the other onto the cat. Silco finds it impudent, sly and ungrateful. Mel, meanwhile, finds it standoffish, moody and volatile.  But when Mel's off on a business trip and Silco misses her, the impudent cat transforms in his eyes into an endearing little sprite.  He'll let it drowse on his lap, and feed it choice scraps under the table, and in indulgent whispers, refer to it as his Little Princess. Then the minute Mel returns, he'll immediately start bitching about how the cat scratched up his favorite chair, or threw up a hairball on his desk. Similarly, Mel, when Silco's away, will call the cat her Little Devilspawn, and spoil it with endless cuddles and treats. She'll also talk to it the way she does to Silco: as a sounding board for the plots she's hatching, and her frustrations with the Council, and her mother's latest meddling. And the minute Silco walks in the door, Mel will pretend like the cat is the most fiendish creature in existence, and complain about how it keeps following her around. She'll say, "She's like you. Always underfoot," or, "I don't know why I bother. You've brainwashed the poor thing into hating me," or, "It's you she's madly in love with. Maybe you should marry her instead."

Poor Scriker.

All she wants is snacks, and the affection of her two humans. Instead she gets all their emotional turmoil projected onto her.  No wonder she barfs in Silco's boots and scratches up Mel's gowns.

I do see Silco, as time goes on, becoming more open with Mel about his past. He won't be as guarded around her, and she'll be able to read him a little better, not because he's suddenly transformed into an effusive open book, but because they've developed a level of incognito trust between them. He'll still be secretive and tight-lipped during the course of the day, but at home, in the sanctity of their bedroom, he'll be more willing to talk about the things that haunt him.  And of course, he'll remain a listening ear to Mel's traumas, in that patient, silent way of his.

 I think a true tipping point happens in their relationship around the five-year-mark, when he's felled by a severe illness- an offshoot of his infected eye triggering a brain bleed -and nearly dies. Mel, who'd been halfway out the door after an epic row (infidelity, fudged finances, and misplaced loyalty on both sides), comes racing back and stays with him throughout the month, refusing to leave his bedside.  All her duties at the Council are put on hold; her mother is stonewalled from inquiring into his condition; their servants are told not to disturb them; their guards are told not to let anyone into the room.

Only Sevika, Jinx and Elora are taken into her confidence. Together, they become a buffer between Silco and the outside world. It's actually around this time that Mel, confronted with the knowledge that Zaun needs Silco to stay stable, and Piltover needs Zaun to keep the peace, begins to understand her dual role as the Queen of the Underground, as it were, and not just the Councilor of Piltover.  Zaun's political landscape is very different than that of Piltover. Where the Council has a strict hierarchical structure and a rigid set of rules, Zaun has no formal leader, but a consortium of cutthroat gangs who are constantly out for blood. Silco is not just a kingpin, but a unifying force, and without him, all hell would break loose.

 It's around this time that Mel learns to embrace her inner wolf, and begin wearing her claws and teeth with pride. Jinx, by then in her twenties, takes over on the showmanship front, while Mel becomes the power behind the throne, and Sevika serves as the liaison between the Eye and the chem-barons. It's also around this time that Mel and Jinx finally strike a tentative truce and form an alliance based on their love for Silco.

Mel will never be Silco's equal in terms of ruthlessness, nor would she want to be, but she does become his mirror. She's extremely canny at outmaneuvering threats, and keeping the big picture in sight. And when she's backed into a corner, she can be just as fierce as he is, but will find ways to undercut the obstacle without bloodshed. Sevika begins to look at her with a newfound respect,  and the two women end up developing a relationship that's a weird simulacrum of Sevika and Silco's own: Mel's the one weaving a web, but Sevika's the one who knows what each strand is for.

And in private, Mel will be at Silco's bedside, keeping him apprised of the current political climate. It's also the first time she's ever truly seen his vulnerability, and been confronted by the prospect of life without him. It will haunt her as she spoons broth down his throat, and wipes sweat from his brow, and tells him stories about her childhood. She will come to terms with the fact that she does love him, and that despite his many flaws, he is the one she wants.

He'll recover, and she'll never speak of the tenderness. He'll never thank her for saving his life. They'll go back to their regular sparring, and sniping, and sex, but they'll be a stronger unit, and he'll trust her implicitly, because he knows that even if she's strayed in the past, her heart's in the right place, and that's a precious gift to him, one he does not take for granted. Likewise, he'll cut way back on the idle dalliances, not because his body is starting to fail him, or his energy levels are not what they used to be, but because the only person who can give him the kind of solace he craves is her.

 As for Melike...

Growing up, she'll certainly enjoy the best of both worlds: de facto royalty in both Zaun and Piltover, and catalyzing a zeitgeist of unification to boot. But I wouldn't expect her to have an easy time navigating her precarious spot between Piltover and Zaun. Nor do I think Silco would ever be a coddling fusspot; he's not built that way.

If anything, he'll have incredibly exacting expectations for her and won't let her slack on a single thing.  She's his, and Zaun's, and therefore she must be the best version of herself. It's a lot of pressure, but he will have a very hard time accepting any less from her, no matter how much he loves her.

 Suffice it to say, this will evoke a jarring deja vu for Mel, who is daring to let herself be a softer mother than her own ferocious parentage.  She wants Melike to grow up a polished and proper Piltovan, yes. But she also wants her child to be granted the small joys that were denied her. She won't let her daughter be a slave to propriety or a tool for the benefit of House Medarda. Mel is a fighter, and she will make sure that her daughter has the strength to fight for what is important to her. She is the product of two people who are not afraid to go after what they want and make it their own. And this will be the case for Melike as well.

 I imagine she'll grow up quite the Daddy's Girl, largely because her nature thrives on challenge, and her father is the ultimate challenge. She'll spend a great deal of time at his side, learning the trade of ruling and the art of the backstab. As she gets older, however, she'll also begin to see the merit in Mel's diplomacy, and will strive to be a good mediator between them. This will please Mel greatly, because it'll mean Melike has inherited the best traits of both her parents. And it'll make Silco proud, because she'll be following in his footsteps. 

 Ultimately, I do think the girl will be far more like Mel than Silco. Her relationship with her father will be one based in mutual adoration, and her relationship with her mother will be based in unconditional love. But her heart will be a tender one, and her mind will be a curious and thoughtful one. I see her as  being a very Danaerys Targaryan type character, but with a far greater capacity for mercy. She will understand the importance of forgiveness, and the need to make peace in the midst of strife. She'll understand that you can't rule a city by violence alone, but you also can't rule it by benevolence alone. 

There is a middle ground that exists, and she will carve it out of the bedrock if necessary. She will do so by being clever, by being compassionate, and by being cunning. And she'll be a far more successful ruler for it, because she won't make the mistakes of her predecessors. But it won't come easy, because she will be the one forced to make the choices that keep a city alive and thriving. She'll have to make deals with her mother's kin and negotiate with her father's enemies.

And she'll have to find a way to balance the scales between them: a lifelong mission if ever there was one.

As for Jinx...

Jinx is a complicated mess, and her relationship with both Mel and Melike is going to be similarly complicated. On the one hand, Jinx loves Silco with all her twisted little heart, and she can see that his love for Mel makes him happy, and so she's willing to try and tolerate her stepmother. On the other hand, Mel is a Piltie and therefore, by association, is an enemy, and someone who's hurt her and her family. Worse, she's Noxian by birth and the daughter of a warlord, so that means she can't be trusted.

In short, Jinx has a lot of feelings about her stepmother, most of them negative. But regarding Mel herself? The person, not the symbol? There's a weird kinship fizzing between them. A strange understanding that neither one of them really expects or welcomes. Mel has a lot of sympathy for the girl, and sees in her an echo of her own childhood: a girl abandoned by those who should have loved her the most. Similarly, Jinx can spot a fellow misfit in Mel, and implicitly senses that she's been through her own share of horrors. (In the FnF verse, they're both also Mages by birth, which gives them an added layer of connection, since they're part of an endangered and isolated species.)

Closeness it will be a slow and stilted dance for them, as neither one of them wants to give too much or take too much, so instead they'll circle each other, and test boundaries, and occasionally clash in a way that will leave Silco pinching the bridge of his nose and wondering what he's gotten himself into.  Ultimately, they'll bond over their strange love for this silly, bitter, broken old man.  And, more broadly, bond over art, and a mutual disdain for idiocy, and the need to survive in the face of adversity. By the ten-year mark, I can see them having their own weird little inside  jokes, and sharing outings without Silco, and even giving him the cold shoulder together, when he's being particularly boorish.

So no, it'll never be a conventional relationship. But it will be a genuine one. Especially as Jinx gets older, and needs a mature adult to confide in. Mel will never take the place of Vi. But she'll become a surrogate guardian, and a good one, with sage wisdom to impart on everything from boy troubles to life troubles. And, on the flip side, Mel will value Jinx's unorthodox advice on the political scene. She'll come to view the girl, not as a daughter, but as a younger sibling, and treat her as such.

 As for Jinx and Melike...

Jinx, despite her early reservations, will be thrilled that she's finally got a little sister, and will make sure Melike's initiation into the family goes off without a hitch. I can see her teaching the girl the finer points of pranks, and painting, and how to get away with murder, or at least petty misdemeanors. In turn, Melike will idolize Jinx, and try her best to mimic the older girl's behavior--to disastrous effect because Jinx's brazen, impish personality is not meant to be worn on a gentle soul like Melike's. Jinx, naturally, will be flattered by the attention, and will try to be a good role model, and the two will fall into a strange relationship that's equal parts admiration and exasperation.

The two girls will be very close, and Jinx will teach her everything she needs to know about surviving in Zaun. But their biggest bond will be over the fact that they're both Mages. Mel will teach her daughter the basics of magic, but it's Jinx who will teach her the ins and outs of using her powers in a practical setting. Melike will have a bit of a harder time with the craft, but Jinx will be perky and encouraging, and the two will learn a great deal from each other, both as students and teachers.

 I imagine, once Melike grows into her full potential, Jinx will serve as her shadowy Trickster: the dark counterpart to Melike's role as a Sun Queen. Where Melike is out in the public eye, dealing with the Council and the various political entities, Jinx will remain a secret weapon, a dark omen, the knife in the back that keeps Piltover and Zaun kissing-close. Occasionally, she will also manufacture crisis in order to spur Melike into action. It's a delicate balancing act, but a necessary one, given that the two cities are intertwined.

<3

[vigilskeep]

I've been going through your Keir Hawke tag because the character absolutely fascinates me and I keep seeing glimpses of Varric and Anders' friendship in that world state (especially something you mentioned about the book originally going to be about Anders) and it's making me feral

What do you think Varric and Anders' relationship is like? What does Varric think about Keir refusing to kill Anders and running off with him?

the thing about varric and keir is that even if they manage to get along in their way, their relationship is basically one of necessity. keir never trusted him in act 1, and varric vastly preferred bethany’s gentleness to keir’s whole uh attitude, but after the deep roads expedition they for various reasons both feel a level of guilt and obligation that sticks them together. you might say they’re more like family than friends, in the sense that with family you don’t have a choice. whereas varric and anders are actually friends, they get along, they joke together. varric finds anders hard to deal with in the later acts but they’re still at the hanged man together, varric is still trying to reach out in his way during banters, anders is trying to leave his possessions to him, etc. and that’s not like with varric and keir where something specific and insane happened to lock them together. he genuinely just likes anders

and varric is creatively interested in anders from the beginning; he’s talking about writing “an epic poem about a hopelessly romantic apostate” in literally the first banter they have. (why did he say hopelessly romantic. why did he say that.) i don’t think it occurs to him that keir even might be material for the protagonist of anything until... maybe the arishok duel, by which time iirc he’s already publishing his serial inspired by, like, aveline and donnic of all people. before that, keir is pretty obvious rags-to-riches plot inspiration but tbh i think varric thought that part was a bit cliché and that even if he did want it, he’d swap out the actual character for someone more likeable, lmao. god knows how or if he was thinking of writing the love interest in the anders-focused version of the book

i don’t think it would have occurred to varric that keir would spare anders and run off into the sunset with him. varric has a very surface-level read on keir, he kind of just sees the red hawke front. i think it’s umm... how do i put this. i think it’s integral to the severity of varric’s reaction to anders in dai that it doesn’t make sense in his head that he himself was more angry than keir, and that he was closer to agreeing with sebastian, the guy who went on to attack kirkwall. i think a lot of people including himself act “out-of-character” in that moment from varric’s perspective, and he finds that very distressing. the rewrite of the book that suddenly centres keir is also him rewriting his memories until everything “fits”. he never liked anders that much, it was hawke, hawke was always really the protagonist and varric has always been on his side, incidentally varric also totally always hated sebastian and is nothing like him, also anders’ actions are 100% sudden and crazy and varric’s anger over them is 100% normal impersonal and justified, etc etc. (to be clear i’m not saying this affects everything we see in da2 and that anders is Maligned in it or whatever. varric’s narrative in da2 is not the same as the book. a very significant amount of the truth slips back in when he has to talk so long, and talk for his life. anders’ sympathetic qualities and their friendship, for example, i can’t imagine that comes up a lot that’s in a book that canonically doesn’t even mention what happened to anders after the explosion.)

varric does not feel particularly normal about any part of the life anders and keir are currently living and he does not like to think about it. he had to rewrite the book into a tragedy to make sense of everything, which conflicts upsettingly with the reality that those two are... honestly simply not tragic. obviously they went through hell. but the mage rebellion is achieved. anders and keir are both visibly better in body and mind for being out of kirkwall. they do get married! it was varric’s home (a city keir hated) that got destroyed (by anders). and varric’s the one left on his own. and the one audibly kind of miserable and guilty and homesick and generally Doing Bad during a lot of inquisition. i think he finds that comparison very hard to even think about. it’s easier to see and analyse tragedy in other people like an impartial observer, than reckon with the fact that it was actually you it happened to and the people you miss and blame and feel bad for in equal measure are kind of just... doing fine? (without you. better the moment they left your city behind.)

(note: i am never arguing “the book was meant to be about anders” as a general headcanon, i just know it to be true in my worldstate)

[taylorklosscomeout138]

Hello! What are your thoughts on the mass coming out theory and comingoutlor? xx

Hi! I reposted almost all my coming out lore theories so if you do have the time to scroll through my feed you will find them all! I would absolutely restate everything but it is a LOTTTTTT there is so many moving parts and sub groups of interconnecting theories. However, I will briefly summarize current and touch on New Romantics.

I'm still a firm believer in Dec 13th coming out on her birthday. I have thought for some time it'll be the Reputation TV release with KARma as the vault tracks (KARma the album will be how she comes out initially, it is explicity about KARlie and that is why she was not allowed to release it in 2016, instead we got tracks born from Karma which is why Rep is her shortest album to date only 15 tracks. It will be the full album and likely be rock of some kind in honor of Carly Simon and all of that implemented lore, which there is a ENTIRE rabbit hole of Carly Simon and James Taylor/James Hart but that's for another time, but she tested this type of album structure with TTPD / The Anthology)

Right now the storyline is the Wizard of Oz, the yellow brick road, with the destination being emerald city. I believe she will arrive at the emerald city a day after the final eras tour date, Dec 9th, which is also the first day after she ghosts a Chiefs home game for the first time. If you look at the eras dates compared to home game dates, she has always planned around them, even in upcoming, just 1 day off, but Dec 8th she directly overrid that game, that's her goodbye to "Kansas" bcuz in this story, she wants to stay in Oz. Oz is the secret garden in her mind, the planet where they can all understand it, the great escape. And she is the Wizard behind the curtain. The Wizard doesn't leave Oz. As the story goes, after arriving at Emerald City, the curtain is pulled on the Wizard revealing that the Wizard was entirely something and someone different than the initial facade, the brand facade. So that would allign with Dec 9th, emerald city, Dec 13th, curtain pulled.

I think at first Taylor will let the music speak for itself, then release a statement in the coming days. But the actual public step into the daylight WITH Karlie will be a little longer. I don't have a specific date for that at this time, but I wouldn't think too much longer after. Time will tell

I have a whole Bejeweled theory too that explains this same timeline with "she ghosted" and everything that is worth the read! I'll repost my older theories as well after this that are not on my feed currently.

As far as New Romantics project, yes this is absolutely happening. This is the Chely Wright prophecy. It starts with Taylor and she has to be the big name to lead it, but it does not nearly end with her, there will be many coming outs. There is a common misconception in the industry in terms of what it means to be out. Even celebs who were able to come out as LGBTQ+ are not out in the way they want to be. You'll notice even those people do not have queer public relationships. They can be explicity writing in their music that they are in one and yet they are still not allowed to go out in public and hold their lovers hand in front of the cameras. Some queer celebs aren't allowed to come out in any way shape or form, others can but only to an extent, but the one that remains consistent is that majority cannot have a public queer love relationship, and THAT is the major break out. So don't just expect to see confirmation of labels, expect to see confirmation of muses.

The reason this takes a big name like Taylor to initiate it, like Chely Wright said, is because of how many queer celebs are afraid and don't have the power to do it on their own and withstand not losing their career within the industry. So someone who is a huge world wide name must first set the precedent and normalize this. The world must understand queer love is not only normal in general, but it is extremely normal in the celebrity scene. And this is specifically how Chely Wright said it must be done. "I'm gay. And I'm normal."

So yes, that is honestly only scratching the surface but that's my best way to sum up the main events going on right now. Please feel free to ask any further questions, and as I mentioned my in depth takes of each component and more will be on my feed for all to read!

[yuurivoice]

easiest and hardest part in the writing process for each of your projects? like maybe the earnestness of bittersweet or the world building of eoe, etc. idk if my question makes sense lol

I think across the board, the hardest part is undoubtedly just getting the work done. Battling with myself will always be the biggest pain point of the creative process, but I can identify a few particulars.

BitterSweet's best part in regards to writing has been the beauty of tapping into these kegs of creativity and discovering what was actually in there. I have ideas, bullet points, etc, but when the rubber hits the road it becomes magical. For example, realizing that so much of Alphonse's motivation is related to his grief. When working on the Director's Cut and going over chapter 1 specifically, I see these gaps where the grief I figured out later on fit so perfectly. It was always there, I just didn't want to pull back that particular curtain...for reasons that I probably don't even need to sit with my therapist to figure out, I can tell you EXACTLY what that was lol

The hardest part with BitterSweet was the handful of voices that I felt tried to invalidate my work. I let it bother me, a lot. It left a very sour taste in my mouth. To reduce this story about love to the very narrow viewpoint of only being valuable if the trio explicitly kiss and declare with very deliberate and specific language that it's deep romantic love is a garbage thing to do, and the anger I felt was nearly enough to get me to walk away entirely. But this challenge made me better as a writer, because it taught me to trust myself. I accomplished this much by listening to my heart, and my gut. I will accomplish even greater by continuing to do the same.

With Echoes of Evalas there is a bit of that same anxiety, because there are similarly bold choices being made in different ways. Antagonistic relationships, a general moving away from the heavily romance based influences in favor of a broader scope, etc. but a bigger challenge has been making tasteful, thoughtful, considerate choices in relation to how serious subjects will be handled. We're dealing with fantasy colonizers, displaced peoples, implied genocide. That shit is heavy, but the goal isn't to treat it as window dressing, but calling out the wickedness that those same acts are built upon in our world. The thing about it is, it's EASY to handle that with taste and care, but I feel the pressure to get it right and be responsible with my writing. So I do a lot of analyzing as I write.

For example, there was a situation recently with a fantasy race that has some tribal implications, and someone would absolutely throw around the word "savage" carelessly because there are facets of their culture that are violent in nature and opposed to the "normal" way of life. So as I began to delve into it, I recognized that it's on me to express how it is viewed within the culture itself, some of the reasoning, the way of life. You don't pluck the character out of that culture and then just make them the angry, bloodthirsty one, ya feel me? So rather than "x character is a killer with a grudge, he's just really angry and wants to murder the oppressors", we're looking at how the oppressors MANIPULATE and create that image to further that systematic oppression through fear of a culture unlike their own.

Said character is righteous in their anger, as are those who were wronged, but you can't just treat them as "oh they're big scary and violent" and leave it at that. Because that's literally pushing the same agenda that has been used to oppress peoples here in reality, and that's fucked.

So there's a WHOLE LOT of self analysis going on as I write, but I feel like I'm doing the best I can to ensure that what ends up being put to screen is made with the care and thoughtfulness that the fantasy genre has historically lacked.

The thing that I hope comes through loud and clear is that Evalas' stories specifically speak to the wicked thing in people's hearts that make them believe they have the right to oppress and lord over those who are different from themselves, in my pitch I've written for potential collaborators on the project, I specifically call this out:

"In summary, I think I’ve got something to say about whatever wicked thing finds its way into people’s hearts that may make them feel entitled to erase and rewrite that which makes another so different from them. It rears its head in ways broad and narrow, but they share the same ignorance and fear of otherness. Some that I’ve experienced personally, some that I’ve witnessed and stood in allyship against, and certainly more that I’ve yet to understand and consider."

There are many ways I cannot ever experience oppression, but I can identify the systems and hate that fuel the machine, and imagine a world where we put our faith in each other to overcome that hate. It cannot be perfect, or without failure and misunderstanding, but we can find our way towards being greater as a whole in our path to purge that wickedness from the world.

Saying alllllll of that to say, the hardest part of Evalas may also be the easiest, because these are core to my beliefs. It is work that feeds my soul and makes me consider my fellow man, and seek to understand and empathize and learn. If I stumble along the way, I hope I am afforded the grace to learn and continue that pursuit.

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 5/5

Book Blurb:

A witty and deeply romantic modern reimagining of Disney’s Tangled, by the New York Times bestselling author duo Christina Lauren, part of the acclaimed and bestselling Meant to Be collection. "I dare you to not fall wildly in love with Ren and Fitz! Christina Lauren as a writing duo is a national treasure." — Jesse Q. Sutanto, National Bestselling author of DIAL A FOR AUNTIES and VERA WONG'S UNSOLICITED ADVICE FOR MURDERERS

She has a dream. He has a plan. Together they’ll take a leap of faith.

Ren has never held an iPhone, googled the answer to a question, or followed a crush on social media. What she has done: Read a book or two, or three (okay, hundreds). Taught herself to paint. Built a working wind power system from scratch. But for all the books she’s read, Ren has never found one that’s taught a woman raised on a homestead and off the grid for most of her twenty-two years how to live in the real world. So when she finally achieves her lifelong dream of attending Corona College, it feels like her life is finally beginning.

Fitz has the rest of his life mapped out: Graduate from Corona at the top of his class, get his criminal record wiped clean, and pass himself off as the rich, handsome player everyone thinks he is. He’s a few short months from checking off step one of his plans when Ren Gylden, with her cascading blonde hair and encyclopedic brain, crashes into his life, and for the first time Fitz’s plan is in jeopardy.

But a simple assignment in their immunology seminar changes the course of both their lives, and suddenly they’re thrown out of the frying pan and into the fireon a road trip that will lead them in the most unexpected directions. Out on the open road, the world somehow shifts, and the unlikely pair realize that, maybe, the key to the dreams they've both been chasing have been sitting next to them the whole time.

Review:

A modern day retake on Tangled?! I am all in (and it was so cute!!). Ren is a girl who has been homeschooled her entire life and kept away from people, technology, and everything in between ... but now she is finally getting her chance to be in the real world and starting her first class at Corona College. Fitz has spent his life playing the part, pretending to be the most charming, wealthy, and attractive guy around, his entire life has been mapped out and he's determined to keep it that way... or he was until a certain ball of sunshine completely takes him off his tracks. Ren and Fitz end up in the same class and when Ren discovers that her family isn't really her family and that her DNA matches someone else, she is determined to go meet him, and when she catches Fitz cheating she makes a deal: she wont tell on him if he takes her to meet her biological father. Fitz hopes that he can just take her on the trip and get her out of his hair as fast as possible... but the more time they spend together the more he's beginning to realize that he is very much tangled up in her. Ren is everything Fitz's isnt, she's so true to herself, so kind and honest, and unjaded... and if he wants to make a relationship with her it means he'll have to take off his persona and truly let her in to know him or risk losing the only girl who has actually ever seen him. Oh I had an absolute blast with this book!! I love Tangled so much so hearing that it got a modern day romance remake I couldn't wait to pick it up! It's absolutely such a fun read and and I think the authors did a fantastic job of keeping the elements of the original story while adding their own take on it. The romance was really well done and I just fell in love with both characters! I would highly HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of the movie!

Release Date: June 25, 2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Hyperion Avenue for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[polyamzeal]

X-Men '97, Episode 5 - Writing Mature Jealousy

               I want to go over episode 5 of X-Men 97, titled Remember Me, because it has a very good portrayal of how to write jealousy well and in a mature way. Now since this a polyamory blog I know everyone is just going to assume I am going to say, “All their problems would be fixed by polyamory.” As tempting as that is I am not going to do that! Well the X-Men comics have recently touched upon actual polyamory representation I don’t think it works for this incarnation in particular but I do think by looking at it through a polyamorous lens we see some very interesting stuff going on that deeply monogamous folk might miss. So I want to take this opportunity as a lesson we can all learn from about how to write portray jealousy as a more nuaniced and interesting complex emotion rather than a one-note toxic trope we often see it reduced to. Obviously spoilers below the cut.

               So going to assume you have seen episodes 1-4 up until this point so not going to spend long on setups but quick setup. Rouge and Gambit have have had an unofficial relationship that everybody knows about for some time now. But as Rogue’s old flame Magneto enters the scene she has been tempted by him. Meanwhile, Cyclops just found out that the mother of his child is actually a clone of the woman he loved instead of actually her and doesn’t know when the swap happened. Plus the original and clone share memories to make it even more complicated. Now that the clone, Madelyne Pryor, has left, Cyclops is unsure how to feel about the real Jean Grey.

                I thought I would be starting further along in the episode but let’s talk about Gambit’s arrival in Genosha. Right away we get Magneto subtlety exerting superiority over Gambit yet Gambit stays cool and doesn’t show that it bothers him. He makes a comment about two being better than three though to show that he doesn’t like Magneto interfering in his relationship. But the character drama really begins when Nightcrawler talks to Gambit. He urges Gambit to marry Rouge but Gambit replies about how he knows that Rogue wants somebody other than him and he basically says that he doesn’t deserve love. You see, Gambit has done a lot of shady stuff in his past and while he may act cool deep down he feels like Rogue deserves someone better than him. So we have a dichotomy between Gmabit’s brain that approves of Rogue hooking up with another man and his heart who does still want her all to himself as selfish as that is. This internal struggle makes up the entire character arc for Gambit this episode.

               But let us move on the first of many big shockers of the episode! Jean Grey kissing Wolverine! As Jean is reminiscing about what to do about Cyclops and how they have been distant, Wolverine tries to give her advice as a friend. But he also slips up and lets out some of his own romantic feelings for her. Unexpectedly she returns them with a kiss! I get the vibe that a lot of fans might have cheered in celebration, “Wolverine is going to get the girl like he should unlike that jerk, Cyclops!” But as Wolverine just reminded us, he is far more mature than that. In an act of true selflessness, he instead forgives her for her cheating and tells her to instead go patch things up with Cyclops. He made it clear that he loves her but also he has been down this road before and knows that he isn’t the best man for her and if he really cares about her then she needs to be with the right man for her, Cyclops. This is actually very similar to the dichotomy Gambit suffers but with a 100 more years of experience and maturity, he commits to his brain over his heart and without the same hesitation.

               We get a quick cut back to Rogue and Magneto who gives this great line, “As with Gambit, loving you makes broken men whole." But let us have them on pause for just a little bit longer.

               Instead let us focus on Cyclops having a touching intimate moment with who we think is Jean but instead it is the clone, Madelyne, having a psychic affair with him from half-way across the world. Not related to the topic of this article but a nice little extra detail is that Emma Frost, another telepath, totally 'saw' everything that Madelyne was doing. But back to the affair, Jean interrupts them and a drama-bomb explodes! Cyclops admits that he loves both Jean Grey and Madelyne Pryor but again I am not resorting to “non-monogamy is the answer here.” Afterall a psychic-powered clone is involved here, more than just a twin, so not exactly normal real life situration. But it does bring up hard questions of how to choose just one. Again Cyclops’s brain is probably telling him the one he loves is Jean Grey, that seems like the right answer. But his heart loves his son and therefor loves the one who he knows is the actual mother, Madelyne. As such we have the 3rd brain-heart romance dichotomy of the episode except this one has the most uncertainty and confusion involved. On the other side with Jean, we get into the philosophical question of having memories of loving someone versus feeling love for someone. It is deep! The Phoenix urging Jean to travel the cosmos might also seem unrelatable to real-life but I think you can equate it to someone that has a job opportunity to travel and make more money but they would need to leave behind their lover, something lots of people do struggle with.

One last thing I want to address is again I am sure some fans are extra mad at Jean in this scene. She just cheated on Cyclops and now she is mad at Cyclops for cheating on her. This level of hypocrisy might rub me people extra rough. But I want to ask this question, would she have been more or less mad at Cyclops’s cheating if she did not just cheat herself first? I think either has its arguments but I honestly think less. She knows she cheated and messed up so now she is putting in effort to mend and fix that. Just to see that Cyclops is also cheating but not repenting like she did. This anger she is taking out on him for cheating is amplified by her own guilt and shame for having just cheated as well. Maybe even more fueled by being rejected by Wolverine as well. It is spicey but also very realistic.

               Back to Rogue and Gambit. How is Gambit going to find about Rogue’s relationship with Magneto? In what way will he discover them in the act and cause drama? Actually, she comes right out and confesses to him. I love them avoiding that trope and instead giving us a brutally honest heart-wrenching confession scene instead. And again, Gambit does not react like a 13-year child, instead he calmly asks if she is going to accept it. Explains how he has respected her wishes to not be official but this still hurts. Rogue unloads her heart upon him explaining her unmet needs, the physical incompatibility they have together. And we are given the very realistic question of physical needs versus non-physical needs. Are physical needs a deal-breaker in a relationship? The scene concludes with Gambit being as smooth as always by saying he bets Magneto will break her heart but until then he will respect just being friends with her and givers her permission to pursue Magneto. He maturely wants what is best for her even though it hurts him.

               As we transition to the Gala itself we see Rogue living it up in her full splendor! Magneto joins her and they make a big spectacle of the two touching which Gambit sees. This is another scene I have seen some people have very weird takes on Gambit’s emotions here. Many read anger and jealousy as I am sure many in the same shoes would feel. But I see more of the dichotomy at war again. He wants best for her and sees outright that Magneto can give her something he can’t. He even says as much to Madelyn right beforehand. He is happy for her but it still hurts and is just too much hurt for him to handle so he has to step away to protect his own feelings out of respect for Rogue.

               By the way, the animation on Rogue is beautiful here! There is so much visual storytelling going on with her feelings that shown more than told. We get the sense that she really wants this and indulges in it to the fullest. But there are still doubts in the back of her mind. Is it all for real or just a performance that she has bought into. She enjoys it and had fun but decides that she actually does want Gambit more.

               Rightful so the rest of the episode from this point on does not have much time for romantic drama. What I do really like is we get to see the Gambit-Rogue-Magneto love triangle function under an emergency. A terrorist attack happens and they all put on their work face, because this is the work that they handle. Any romantic squabbles are set aside. Magneto asks Gambit the situation without any of previous boosting over him or even hard feelings that Rogue just admitted to choosing him. And then immediately they form a plan as a team to take care of the threat like they always would. They are professionals. We do get a scene of Rogue trying to save Magneto and Gambit needing to hold her back. Then Magneto protects not just Rogue but both of them as he sacrifices himself. Again understanding that feelings can’t get involved here, they have a duty to protect people.

               Some people find the final scene extra tragic because Gambit died thinking Rogue choose Magneto over him. But I don’t think it matters. He would have sacrificed himself to save her regardless of what she choose.

               To summarize they are some many scenes in this episode where I expected characters to follow troupes and throw jealousy-fueled temper tantrums. Instead it was one of the most refreshingly mature portrayals of adult jealousy I have seen in any show. No, the answer is not “Polyamory would have fixed all of this.” But instead we get, “Toxic monogamy is not the only way to write a story.” It makes the characters so much more relatable and enjoyable to watch just to see them not drown in toxic monogamy and petty jealousy. I hope more stories can learn from these examples.

[davekat-sucks]

the funny thing is with pesterquest trolls, you can track the quality of writing and accuracy of sprites inversaly with the amount they show up in the routes/stories. Tavros and kanaya are the most accurate sprite and writing wise IMO and they are also basically non-existent!

also I will say in theory, doing FLARP with Vriska is actually a fun choice of story to do, with the whole getting your class and shit being enjoyable at least on a first go 'round, but it suffers from basically everything else in it. though that being said being able to ditch Tavros to do stuff with Vriska *was* funny as an ending. Very fitting.

Not sure if this is a controversial take on pesterquest but I think that the Alpha Kids shouldn't have been included at all, flat out. It should have been the Beta Kids, then the Trolls (with a similar overall goal of probably getting them all together and helping them get over their shit.) and then act 3 should be getting the trolls and the humans to interact in person as well (With possible interspecies makeout sessions in the implied but not shown future. headcanon what you want), and *not* doing the Davekat shit like the dream sequence leading into the Alternia stuff that the VN actually did (admittedly as a one-off gag, I'm fine with it. A reference to Davekat doesn't do much harm since it was just a dream and what not.) Realistically, even with Paradox Space bullshit, whats the point of having the Alpha kids in the initial batch of characters? I mean comparatively of course. If we had a complete overall story and then got Alpha Kid stuff post-launch maybe, then I guess that could work? I mean what do you even do with them overall, in a sealed off timeline? Its not like the Beta Kids or the trolls have any actual connection to them, especially when compared to the Kids and Trolls in the main story. at least when the timeline diverges in pesterquest the trolls have been trolling for years (from the kids POV at least) even if the Trolls didn't actually experience any of that. plus regardless of the circumstances you can't do a Pesterquest style game and *not* include the B kids and the trolls. Obviously.

I'll admit I'm not sure what the result of the Trolls pre-SGRUB should or would be with the Beta kids, since they don't exactly have a connection to them individually unless MSPA unlocks those memories or something? Or Aradia Does that? You know what, if you absuletly have to have The Alpha Kids in their for whatever reason, DIRK can do that. or maybe Nepeta can with her latent Rogue of HEART Player powers! That'd be nice, giving Nepeta an important but not entirely out-of-the-ass role. She deserves that, I think.

I mean if we want to continue down the road of more fanfic-esc world building just having the personalities clash for a while would be great fun. Explore the popular ships as blank-slate relationships. How do these characters interact as their initial selves in a vaccume? I'm not as sure John would be as quick to accept Vriska as a person before SBURB. Jade would be on the Hate-Train for a long time, though might actually get along with Tavros for once! RoseMary probably happens anyway (be it romantically or in Friendship). They just seem destined to get along tbh assuming they get any exposure with the other. Dave and Karkat probably DON'T get along because thats honestly how that should happen regardless, even if they do become friends over time. ect. If you have an entire act 3 to work with, so anywhere from 4-12 episodes at minimum, you can do a lot of fun stuff with that. go buck wild (but within reason.)!

genuinely can't wait for someone to just... make a fan version of everything post Beta-Kid for Pesterquest. Gog speed with the blessing of Troll Jegus to whoever attempts such an audacious feat of "We must do better than Canon" Fanfic. We believe in you!

[jointhearumanati]

HETALIA HEADCANNONS

🇺🇲 Alfred is a not the best in the kitchen but on the Grill he makes the best BBQ I'm talking southern style meat smoked for 12 hours, Brisket, bacon, ribs, steak, burgers, hot dogs, chicken, pork, his cookout parties are the best he can bake casserole in the oven though

🇮🇹 🇩🇪Romano and Germany are best friends when black out drunk much to Romano's horror once he sobers up

🇨🇳 China cross dresses in secret the only one who knows is Poland and are secret besties

🇫🇷 France is the best cosmetologist around you need your hair or nails done he's your guy some nations even pay him and make appointments on the regular

🇬🇧 🇨🇳England and China dated once upon a time it didn't end well but England still has a small crush on him though he won't admit it China moved on

🇵🇹 🇨🇳Portugal and China had a one night stand once

🇷🇺 🇨🇳Russia has had a crush on China since he was a kid under Mongolian rule he was the only one who was kind to him he thought he was a woman even when he found out he was a man it didn't change his opinion of him

🇻🇦🇨🇳 Rome and China were in a romantic long distance relationship once upon a time it took so long to visit but Rome always made the journey when he had time China didn't find out about his death until years after he died

🇬🇧 England can play the electric guitar 🎸 and writes music notes and songs it helps him relax he lies on the floor of his room and plays for hours

🇷🇺 Russia went to therapy and came out a lot more stable he even went on a apology tour to apologize to those he wronged if he unnerves anyone it's just teasing now

🇩🇪🇧🇪🇨🇭🇱🇮 Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein are the best bakers around they make the best sweets

🇮🇹 Italy and Romano have an Vegetable and Herb garden so they always have the freshes ingredients

🌍🌎🌏All Nations have a big food party after world meeting everyone brings food from around the globe so everyone can try any food they want

🇨🇳 China is actually the best in bed he knows ancient tricks that leave his partners staring at the ceiling contemplating their existence

🇬🇷 Greece is second best in bed it's like he puts every bit of energy into pleasing his partners he falls asleep immediately after

🇬🇷 Greece is the best at giving advice though few nations actually know that

🇪🇸🇮🇹🇺🇲🇱🇹🇰🇷🇰🇵🇭🇰🇷🇺🇬🇷🇹🇷S pain, Romano, America, Lithuania, the Korea twins, Russia, Greece, and Turkey are the best dancers around Spain and Romano are good at Salsa, Flamenco, Tango, Argentine tango, and Tarantella. America and Lithuania are the best at Swing. The Korea twins are good at more modern dancing freestyle even throwing some break dancing and acrobatics into their routine. Hong Kong is the best break dancer even throws acrobatics into his routine often dances with the twins. Russia is the best ballet dancer and does traditional Russian dances it's impressive with his size. Greece and Turkey are the best belly dancers.

🇰🇷🇰🇵 The Korea twins meet once a year at China's place they make up for lost time with a bit of bickering, speaking at the same time, and finishing each other's sentences

🇭🇰 Hong Kong is the best clothing and jewelry designer you'll ever meet he makes all his clothes and even has his siblings model his designs he even has either Japan or Taiwan take pictures for him with lights props and everything and puts it on Instagram he sometimes gets commissions from other nations they pay him and make appointments sometimes even modeling his designs he even teams up with France for hair nails and makeup he has a whole studio he's also a great DJ

🇨🇳 China is the best babysitter around he gets payed by the hour and China adores children he missed the pitter patter of tiny feet on his floor the kids always come back full of good food and toys and presents to take home they aren't his kids so he can spoil them rotten even snacks for the road because growing children need to eat

🇨🇳 China always brings tons of snacks to world meetings he even gives America and Germany extra because they are the youngest

[bellysoupset]

I’d love a story with sick Angie (it doesn’t matter what it is) with the emphasis on Jonah as her caretaker. And I’d love it if you could write about what Jon said in that vertigo fic, were Luke was the only caretaker, about feeling like he doesn’t know Angie.

Hi there! I had a lot of fun typing this up, it's a bit more tender than my usual stuff, since Jonah's is slightly off his element!

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

There were things Jonah knew how to do: read Leo like a book, feel Wendy’s annoyance from across a room, suture a wound with an eye closed. And then there were things that he didn’t… 

Currently the issue was understanding what was going through his little sister’s mind. 

It hurt to say out loud, but Angie was half family, half stranger. She had been only ten when Jonah left for college, however during five of those ten years they supposedly shared, he had been away in boarding school, coming home only three times a year. In sum, he had truly known Angie only for five of her seventeen years. 

It had been a pleasant surprise to learn she didn’t think of him as some stranger, but as her brother, and that she wanted them to be close. Or, as Leo had put, “Jon, she worships you.”

Since Christmas last year, they had been chatting much more frequently and she had come over to Welton at the end of January, staying over at Jonah and Leo’s place for three days. 

This time around she was supposed to stay all week, which Jon was equally nervous and excited about. 

“I’m the one who should be nervous,” Leo had joked as they drove to pick Angie up at the airport, “not you.” 

However Jonah was nervous, because despite never wanting to say this out loud — and not needing to, Leo knew it already — he was terribly invested into making this new relationship work out. 

Normally Angelina was a bubbly, chatty teenager, never quite managing to contain her excitement. During her last visit, she had pestered JD so much that the cat had all but vanished during her last day over, hiding in Leo’s side of the closet. 

Tonight she was sullen and Jonah was nearly crawling up the wall trying to figure out what had changed. 

After picking her up at the airport, they had opted for having dinner in Portland instead of doing the full one hour and a half drive back to Welton without eating. Dinner had gone smoothly, Angie was a little quieter than usual, but Jonah had jolted this as her giving Leo time to gush about the proposal, something she seemed very interested in. Her whole face had lit up as she saw the engagement ring and she had pushed her chair closer in order to inspect it, pulling Leo into a hug that had the blonde’s face turning beet red, much to Jon’s amusement. 

The drive back had been even more quiet. 

“Why don’t you connect your phone with the radio, Angie?” Leo asked, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. He was mortified of getting carsick in front of his future sister-in-law, so he had insisted on driving both ways, “pick some music for the ride.”

“No, it’s fine…” Angelina answered, curling up on the backseat, “I think I’m just gonna nap, if you don’t mind…” 

“No, that’s alright,” Jonah turned on the passenger seat, “there must be a neck pillow stuffed behind my seat, is it there?”

“Yeah,” she retrieved it and kicked off her sneakers, spreading out in the back, “thanks, Jon.” 

He turned back to face the road. Something was off and he wasn’t sure what. 

“Relax,” Leo poked his side, a couple minutes later, whispering, “chill.”

“I am chill,” Jonah lied, not putting any effort behind it and once again looking over his shoulder, to where his sister had curled up in the backseat. 

They got home without a hitch, Leo had put on one of his ultra romantic songs and was drumming along with Michael Bolton’s Missing You Now, much to Jonah’s eternal amusement. His fiance couldn’t keep up with the beat if they paid him. 

“Baby I just can't wait! Till I see your face,” Leo leaned in to sing to him, as they parked, a cheeky smile on his face, “chase awaaay this loneliness insideee!” 

Jonah snorted, shutting him up with a kiss, “oh God, shut up, Leo,” his cheeks heated up as the song ended and the initial lyrics of the When A Man Loves a Woman started playing, Leo getting ready to serenade him, pointing at Jon’s chest as he said, “When a man loves a woman. Can't keep his mind on nothin'else-”

“Leeeeo,” Jonah groaned, pushing his door open, but not getting out. Instead he turned on his seat to shake Angelina awake. He half expected her to be awake and giggling at the whisper concert Leo was making, but no, she was still sleeping soundly, “Angie. Angie, we’re here.” 

It took him shaking her once more, before she woke up, looking completely lost for a minute.

“Where-”

“Let’s go inside so you can sleep in a proper bed,” Jonah circled the car, helping her out and raised his eyebrows, letting out a surprised noise when Angie collapsed against him and made no movement to pull away. He hesitantly lowered his arms around her in a makeshift hug, unsure of what to do. 

Leo grinned at him, getting out of the car as well and going to retrieve Angie’s bags. 

She barely let go of him, putting only enough distance that they were able to walk to the elevator, but snuggled back once they were inside. Jonah felt like his face was tingling and he couldn’t bring himself to meet Leo’s eyes, extremely embarrassed. 

This time around, Angelina paid no mind to JD. The cat came running to greet them at the door, only to stop once she saw the girl and sniffling her suspiciously, serpentining between Angie’s legs and settling for meowing at Leo’s feet as if asking who this was. 

Jonah fully expected his sister to grab JD like she had done last time, but instead she only yawned and waited patiently as he guided her to the guest room. 

“You know where’s everything, right?” Jonah hung awkwardly at the door, once Leo put the bag inside and Angie sat down on the bed. She yawned again, nodding. 

“Yeah…”

“There’s extra towels in the bathroom if you feel like taking a shower,” Jonah grimaced at his inability to sound as warm as he was supposed to, “and you don’t have to ask to go through the fridge…”

“I’m fine, Jon, thank you,” Angelina dismissed him easily, “I think I’m just gonna sleep, though.”

“Okay…” he glanced at the television, “there’s Netflix and Prime and Max-”

“Jon,” Leo grabbed his elbow, chuckling, “let the girl sleep. Goodnight Ange.”

“Goodnight,” Angie smiled at them, clearly agreeing with Leo and Jonah sighed, relenting and allowing the blonde to pull him out of the guest bedroom. 

“It’s only nine o’clock,” Jonah complained as they entered their own bedroom, Leo already ahead of him in the bathroom, stripping for a shower. They were both still in work clothes, “what type of teenager falls asleep at nine?”

“Your sister’s type,” Leo shrugged, getting under the shower stream, “relax Jon, she’s probably just tired after the flight.”

Jonah didn’t quite believe that. 

They ended up going to bed around eleven, so Jon was surprised when he woke up at only 6 AM, an hour before his alarm. He wasn’t sure why he was up. It was a Thursday, which meant Leo had court and would start working later, but would also be held up until whatever hour. The blonde was passed out next to him, head buried in the pillow. 

Jon’s shift only started at 9… 

He yawned, rubbing a hand over his face and getting up to pee. He was getting back in bed, when a noise down the hall caught his attention. Something falling?

It wasn’t JD, because the cat was happily asleep on Leo’s side. 

Jonah got out of the bed to investigate and wasn’t surprised when he found the guest bedroom door open, or the guest bathroom door closed. He knocked on it softly, “Angie, you alright? I heard something falling…”

“Urgh…” was the pitiful answer he got, “Jon…”

Well, shit. 

“Can I come in?” he asked nervously, biting the skin of his thumb, “Angie?” 

“Hmmm…yeah…” 

Jonah didn’t wait for an answer and pushed the door open. 

Angelina was really skinny with long limbs, like a model, and currently she was folded like an origami project in front of the toilet. Her rich, dark skin looked damn near ashen, and she had a trembling hand on the porcelain, the other pressing to her lips.

“Don’t… I don’t feel good…” 

“Oh darling,” Jonah sighed, feeling a selfish wave of relief wash over him at finally being able to pinpoint what was wrong and that it wasn’t him. He crouched down, “have you been sick yet?”

Angie shook her head, gulping down, “soon…” she leaned in, squeezing her eyes shut, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to- To-” she got interrupted by a hiccup and Jonah scoffed, scooting closer so he could rub her back. 

“Don’t apologize, it’s all right,” he cringed as he realized her really long, curly hair was getting near her mouth. They didn’t have a single scrunchie in their place. 

At Bella’s advice, or rather, order, they had stocked the guest bathroom with pads, just in case — that had been an interesting little grocery trip, given neither of them had any idea of what they were doing and Leo looked positively mortified —, but the ginger hadn’t said anything about hair ties.

“Jon-” Angie whined, oblivious to his thoughts and leaning further over the toilet. Another sick hiccup shook her entire frame, this one turning into a gag at the end and Jonah cringed as he saw clear saliva hit the water. 

“You’re okay,” he carefully pulled his sister’s hair back with one hand, the other staying firmly on her back, “just get it up, don’t fight it-”

She retched once more, before getting up to her knees, and burying her head in the bowl as vomit gushed out. The movement was so sudden that Jonah had to move as well, so he wouldn’t pull on her hair. 

He gagged as he heard the horrible noise of his sister bringing up last night’s dinner, his stomach souring considerably as she pulled back, clumsily trying to flush, with vomit clinging to her bottom lip still.

“God-” Jonah pulled back the hand that was on her back, slapping it over his lips and biting down a retch of his own. Angelina let out a little hurt noise, much like JD did when they accidentally tripped on her.

“I’m sorry-” his voice came out husky, “shit, Angie, I’m sorry-”

“You’re sick too?” she managed to flush and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, causing Jonah to gag once more. He shook his head, gulping convulsively to keep his stomach in check.

He was so used to Leo, that someone else puking around him was news to his body. The routine was different, the noises too. Worse.

“No, I just-” Jonah cleared his throat, “I get sympathy sick.”

“Oh,” Angie’s big chocolate eyes were dazed and he suspected she was burning up a fever, “I’m sor-”

“Are you done?” 

“I dunno,” she rubbed her stomach, uneasily, “don’t wanna risk going to bed and- And getting sick…” 

“We can sit on the couch and watch TV,” Jonah offered, getting up to grab her a glass of water and Angie took it with her hands shaking. Jon took advantage of the fact her hands were busy, in order to feel his sister’s forehead. 

Surprisingly, she didn’t flinch or pull back at the sudden touch, leaning completely on it. She was really warm.

“Not a high fever, but a fever,” he pulled back after a second, as Angie gulped down the water and hung over the toilet once more, letting out a sickly burp, “you’ll be okay on your own for a second?”

“Uh-hu,” she nodded, gagging but not bringing up anything. Jonah rushed out before his stomach decided to join the party as well. 

He put together a little nest in the living room, grabbing her a set of blankets and a pillow, a bowl, meds, water and thermometer. After a couple minutes he heard the bathroom flush and the tap running, Angelina brushing her teeth, then she stumbled in the living room. 

“Come lie down,” he pulled her to the couch, unsure of what she liked when sick. To be left alone or dotted on? So far the dotting was proving successful, but Jon was scared at any minute she’d snap at him. Or worse, cry. 

Instead of doing either, Angelina curled up on the little nest he had created for her, tugging on his arm so he’d sit alongside her and then scooting up, resting her pillow half on his leg, “I feel horrible, Jon…”

“I’m sorry, darling,” the nickname slipped out, as he stroked her hair back and Jonah froze for a second, but Angie didn’t seem bothered in the least. In fact, she cuddled up even more, turning on her side and shivering, “I need to take your temperature,” he said, leaning to grab the thermometer and passing it to her. 

He was genuinely surprised by how easy of a patient Angie was, after dealing with Leo and their friends for years now. They were a crew of stubborn people, while his baby sister seemed to be the most docile person ever.

She took the thermometer without complaining and didn’t whine when he fed her medicine, barely paid any attention to the television, seeming content just cuddling and shivering like hell, no matter how many blankets she had. 

“Jon,” Leo woke him up, pressing a kiss to his temple, and Jonah realized he had drifted back to sleep with Angie’s head resting on his lap. It was hard not to feel sleepy when she was a little furnace, “you okay?”

“Uhm?” he rubbed his eyes and frowned. Leo was almost finished dressing for the day, which meant it was nearly 9 already. His tie wasn’t done and Leo was holding a coffee mug. 

“What happened…?” Leo gestured to their current situation and Jonah darted out a hand, so his fiance could help him slip from under Angie without waking her up. The young girl only stirred, grimacing and curling up even more. 

“Woke up with her throwing up at 6 AM,” Jonah whispered, following Leo to the kitchen and sitting by the counter, while the blonde got the coffee maker working, “I’m gonna have to call in sick at work.”

He wasn’t happy about that, Jon was on a quest to not miss any more work days, since he’d take the month off for honeymoon, probably at the end of the year or as soon as they stopped to settle on a bloody date. 

“I’ll do it for you,” Leo planted a mug of coffee in front of him, squeezing Jonah’s shoulder, “should I worry?”

“No,” Jonah yawned, leaning to rest his head on Leo’s shoulder, “she’s alright, it’s just a 24 hour bug.”

“I don’t like this,” Leo sighed, “I’m going to be offline all day, I have no way of knowing-”

“I’m the doctor,” Jonah said smugly, grabbing the blonde’s chin, “I can handle one sick teenager. Relax.”

“Look who’s talking,” Leo smiled at him, rolling his eyes, “text me updates anyway, alright?”

“Yes, sir,” Jon’s tone was sassy, but he meant it. He yawned in his fist, pulling Leo closer by his tie and starting to do the knot for him, “you’re gonna be back for dinner?”

“I’ll try to,” Leo wrinkled his nose, “but I doubt. You think she’d like balloons? Popsicles?” 

“She’s seventeen, not five,” Jonah snorted, lifting himself up on his seat enough to kiss him, “bring us something yummy for dessert.”

Once Leo had left, promising he’d not forget to call the hospital to let them know of Jonah's absence, Jon had nothing but time to dedicate to his sister. It was so weird.

He took a shower to get ready for the day and fixed her up with some soup — well, ordered some soup —, then crouched down in front of the couch, pushing a curl away from her forehead, “Angie. Ange,” he shook her gently, “Angelina.”

“Uhhm?” She still had a fever, he could tell. The previous round of meds had lowered it, but not eradicated it, “what time is it?”

“Almost eleven,” he helped her sit up, “how’s your tum- stomach?” he was going to kill Leo.

Angie frowned, yawning, “sore. Kinda queasy,” she blushed, “did you say tummy?”

“No,” Jonah scoffed, sitting on the foot of the couch, “I got you some soup, think you can handle it?”

She hesitated, before nodding. Jonah eagerly shot up, he hadn’t been expecting a positive answer, and put everything on a tray, the soup, bread, some water and juice because he didn’t know what she preferred…

“I’m sorry, I don’t know your favorite flavor, so I just ordered mine,” Jon grimaced, settling the tray down on Angie’s lap. 

She squinted at it, “is it pumpkin?” 

“Yeah, and some chia seeds,” Jonah looked away, “Leo hates it, so we have plain tomato soup if you do too-”

“No,” Angelina shook her head, “I like it. My favorite is onion cream, just so you know,” she curled up her feet, in an invitation for him to sit closer and stirred the warm meal, “but I don’t think I could handle it right now.”

“I don’t think so either,” Jonah mentally stashed the information in his growing file of facts about his sister. So far he knew she really loved anything artsy, that she was attracted to Wendy’s colorful clothes and style like a butterfly to a flower, that she adored cats and that she got quiet and withdrawn when sick, “uh- Do you like popsicles…?”

Angie giggled, rolling her eyes, “doesn’t everyone?”

Well shit, he’d have to apologize to Leo.

“I don’t,” Jon shrugged and she frowned, starting to eat very slowly. 

“Are you a robot?” Angelina inspected him up and down, “no type of popsicles?”

“I’m partial to gelato,” Jon shrugged, “or frozen yogurt.”

She shook her head in a tired manner, reaching for the juice instead of the water, “you’re so very weird, Jon…” then she frowned, blinking slowly as if trying to process some information, “don’t you have work today?”

Originally, Angie had planned to visit the museums and the university, that was the guise behind her visit. At least to Jonah it was, he was pretty sure she had openly told Leo she just wanted to visit them. 

“I called in sick,” Jon pointed at her bowl, “staying down?”

“Yeah,” she yawned, “but it’s a lot.”

“You don’t have to eat all of it. Get as much as you want, then we can watch something or you can go back to sleep-”

“Can we go out to the park? With JD?”

He paused, “aren’t you sick?”

“I’m not dying,” Angie pouted, “and I already won’t be able to do everything I had planned so…”

“Yeah, uh- Sure. I don’t know where Leo keeps her leash, he’s the one who walks her, I just- I have to look…” He felt so incredibly out of place, “yeah, lemme go look-”

JD let out an indignant meow at being trapped in her leash and swatted at his hand with all little kitty force, trying to draw blood. Jonah sighed, scratching the kitten behind her ears, “I’m sorry, but you’re gonna take one for the team and be a good kitty.”

The cat didn't feel like being nice and once they got outside, walking to one of the benches since Angie got breathless not even five minutes after they left, JD simply crawled up Jon’s lap and tried to hide in his coat. 

“She’s not outdoorsy at all, is she?” Angie grinned, leaning on his shoulder and trying to pet the animal, JD pointedly ignoring her. Jonah shrugged, leaning back and enjoying the fresh air. 

“She’s a bit of a prick just like me,” he answered truthfully, hissing as he felt JD’s claws sink through his sweater, “she’ll get used to you.”

“I hope so,” Angie sighed, leaning against his side and resting her face on his shoulder, uninvited. She was so… Tactile. Clingy, even. Jonah pressed his cheek to the top of her head, “I hope she’ll grow to love having me around.”

He had the distinct feeling she was no longer talking about the cat. Jonah rolled his eyes, kissing the top of Angie’s head, “I’m certain she will, darling.”

[the-haunted-office]

❤️ SHIPPING PITCH SHEET

(For Ed and Oleander, as one potential direction they can eventually go in. Thinking of this in more of a platonic context.)

❤️ What does your muse see in mine? Assuming they ever get to the point where they're not purely antagonizing each other? A friend with similar interests, mostly,

❤️ What do you think my muse might see in yours? A friend, someone with a very similar dry and sarcastic sense of humor.

❤️ What kind of relationship do you see these muses having? A friendship that confuses the hell out of everyone else. They're constantly snipping at each other but it's no longer antagonistic and more... friendly teasing, but also if anyone actually does that to either, they'll be the first to defend the other. Maybe eventually Ollie trusts Ed enough that if anything happens to their code, they trust him to fix it. Ed eventually gets the hint that Oleander wants to learn to program better, and starts talking him through whatever project he's working on, teaching him what he knows, until eventually they're programming things together. Ed lets Oleander write their own programs on his computer and gives them tips when they get stuck on anything. There's a night where Ed's up coding and falling asleep at his computer, and Ollie tells him 'go to bed, old man' or something like that, and Ed responds 'what are you coming with me?' and that's how they end up cuddled in Ed's bed. They also have their whole, hack into shitty loan companies and billionaire bank accounts scheme. Maybe Ed and Ollie wrote the hacking program that gets added to Oleander's code together.

One-Sided / Unreciprocated | Noncommittal | Unbalanced | Mismatched Priorities | Mismatched Expectations | One Using the Other | Using Each Other | Transactional | Hidden Incentive | Transformative ( Positive / Negative / Neutral ) | ‘I Can Fix Them’ | ‘I Can Make Them Worse’ | Codependent | Committed | Casual | Friends with Benefits | Fling with Consequences | Nebulous Situationship | Together for Appearances | Arranged Partnership | Partners in Crime | Rivals / Enemies Who Got The Wires Crossed | Cross-Alignment / Cross-Faction Romance | Slow Burn | Mutual Pining | Fairytale Romance | Soulmates ( Wholesome / Tragic / Condemning ) | Cold | Warm | Passionate | Chaotic | Stable | Unstable | Nurturing ( One-sided / Mutual ) | Protective ( One-sided / Mutual ) | Obsessive ( One-sided / Mutual ) | Possessive ( One-sided / Mutual ) | Toxic ( One-sided / Mutual ) | Masochism Tango | Other ( specify! )

❤️ How often do you think they see each other?

Only by Chance | One Avoids the Other | They Avoid Each Other | Infrequently, by circumstances outside of their control | Frequently, but for strictly nonromantic reasons | Occasional Meetup | Planned Dates | Frequently, for romantic reasons | Living Together | Other ( specify! )

❤️ What struggles do you see them having together- both within the relationship, and outside of it? There's the whole thread we have with their unplanned road trip for struggles, but also getting them to actually understand and make up is going to be tricky... Figuring out each other's boundaries is going to be... interesting.

❤️ What might keep them together in times of strife?

❤️ What future do you foresee for these characters?

Haven't thought that far ahead! | Domestic Bliss ( with children / without children ) | Committed & Content | Complacency / Settling ( with children / without children ) | Amicable Exes | Bitter Exes | Restraining Order | Tragedy | Mutually-Assured Destruction | Other ( specify! )

❤️ Are you willing to write…

Marriage Threads | Pregnancy threads | Parenting threads | Sex Scenes (related/fade to black/suggestive stuff) | Love-As-Redemption | Love Triangles | Open Relationships | Polyamory | Jealousy | Heated arguments | Break-ups | Cheating | Divorce | Toxicity | 

❤️ Is there anything else about this ship idea you’d like to mention before we discuss it further? I keep thinking about Ed potentially looking after Ollie in the aftermath of The Past is Like A Virus plot, and Ed just going, we're going to find somewhere you feel safe, and then you're getting mandatory cuddles to help cope with the trauma and being incredibly stubborn about it. That depends on how that plot pans out however...

❤️ SHIPPING PITCH SHEET

Aaaahhhhhh, THIS. I love all of this! I think this is pretty much the same as what I have in mind for the two of them, or what I'd like to see happen between the two of them. They are both being quite stubborn at the moment, and I think that's only to be expected with how guarded they both are for their different reasons. For what it's worth, I think at least on Ollie's end, I do see them loosening up, especially knowing what's going on in the Virus plot stuff, how desperate they're going to be for help and knowing that Ed is the programmer in the Office and likely the only one who can truly help them.

They haven't said it yet, but the really are grateful to Ed for helping them get out of those handcuffs. They just haven't figured out a way of saying "thank you" without hurting their own pride too much and in a way that isn't invasive to Ed. And now it's like, too much time has passed for them to say it without it being too awkward, so now they're like, eh, may as well not say it. >> xD

But we still have the date thread going too so it might come up there.

This shipping pitch sheet has inspired me to work more on the Virus plot, actually! I think soon I'll write some more on it. It's kicking around in my brain now. :3

[banditywrites]

20 questions for writers

Thank you for tagging me, @adelfie !!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

48

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

560,158

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Oh. Gosh. Now it seems to be Batfam and Voltron. But I have also written Fullmetal Alchemist and I can see myself going back there someday.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

A Lonely Mind- Lance struggles with depression, choosing to hide his problems, he starts down a dangerous road alone.

Luminous Beings- Jason has the ability to see a light around people that are going to die. Tim is the brightest kid he has ever seen.

The Drifter- Lance picks up a "hitchhiker" without realizing it.

O Come Let Us Adore Him-Lance finds himself stranded on a planet that has a hidden danger. It's a good thing he has such welcoming hosts to keep him safe.

Rules and Other Broken Things-5 Times Tim's anxiety took the wheel and 1 time he reached out for help when he needed it

5. Do you respond to comments?

I do now! I didn't used to. I try to get to comment responses within a few days.

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

Hmmmm. I do my best to make sure my fics have peaceful endings at least. But maybe The Drifter. That one still felt quite sad in the end.

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

That's hard to judge too. My characters go through so much... Maybe Luminous Beings actually. Because people were only mildly traumatized.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Once. On my fic: Upon the Road.

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

No. lol. If I write characters holding hands in a romantic way, I blush super hard. I just can't write those kind of interactions.

10. Do you write crossovers?

No. But back in the day there was almost a Voltron and Fma fic.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

No. I had someone say they bought my fic online, but it turned out they confused me with icypanther. So it was all good.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

One time! But I don't think the translator finished working on it.

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

No, but that is intriguing.

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

Platonic relationships are what I love. I will read ships, just haven't really written them .

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

The third installment of the O Come Let Us Adore Him series.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Dialogue maybe? Also, being succinct.

17: What are your writing weaknesses?

Describing environments. If I say there is a room, just picture any room you would like basically

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

I'm rewriting this answer because I realized I didn't read the whole question. Writing in another language is always hard if you don't know the language. I've tried it out. Not really my thing. But I was more comfortable writing about sign language than any other language.

19. First fandom you wrote for? 

... Pokemon. lol

20. Favourite fic you've written?

For Voltron: O Come Let Us Adore Him

For the rest: Foul Depths (FMA)

I don't know who would like to do this, but anyone who follows me, feel free! Thank you again for this opportunity!

[elliegoestodownton]

As an anon asked about my hopes for this season's PD, I'm gonna write down my wishes for both Fire and PD (I don't watch Med actively though I may start now that Sarah Ramos and Darren Barnet have joined the cast...).

Fire 🔥🔥🔥

What I wish for every year: no drama for Stellaride. I know Severide's brother will cause clashes and there's gonna be tension over the whole baby thing. If they're going down that road, then let them go through it in an organic way. Let them talk, not fight.

New Chief. It would be nice if they went for something different than the usual "new guy challenges 51 but after 3 episodes he understands how great it is, submits to the 51 way and everyone loves everybody else". We've seen that billions of times. It would be much more interesting to see how instead 51 adapts to a different leadership style.

Also the new Chief has an ex-wife (so pumped for KaDee!). I would absolutely love a sort of "comedy of remarriage" thing. I'm a sucker for second chances.

Novak is super fun and it would be great to see her develop as a character on her own, not on the basis of a romantic relationship (already rolling my eyes at the whole vibe with young Severide). Let us see her be good at her job and have loads of fun.

Speaking of Novak. A true party girl, who I feel would get along very well with Trudy (who, we have established, had a certain reputation back in the day). I am hoping for some short interaction at some point. Imagine that! Throw Violet (aka the captain of Trudy's fanclub) into the mix and I'd be very happy.

The return of Annabelle Herrmann. That's it, that's the wish. I love that menace to society.

More quality screentime for Ritter.

Kylie coming back and staying on Truck.

Mouch, my beloved! Of course, I haven't forgotten you! Just keep him alive, doing stupid things with Herrmann, but I also want to see him study and prepare for the Lt. exam. Study session with Trudy anyone? 😏 She, of all people, would know how to make him pass that test.

Plouch being Plouch.

PD 🚨🚨🚨

We might be getting patrol back with Kiana. Our prayers may have been answered. I'm hoping for less character-centric episodes and more of a balanced, choral vibe where there's also space for levity. I will be disappointed, I know, but dreams never go out of business, right?

Let Kiana stay on patrol a while. I don't want her to jump right back onto Intelligence. It would be the same as they did with Torres and we need patrol.

A recurring Petrovic, if not a regular. I like her.

It would be time for people to get promoted. I think both Kim and Kevin would be ready at this point, although it seems there will be one promotion only.

More quality screentime for Kevin. Let his centric episodes/cases go beyond race.

More girl!dad Adam.

I hope we will get to see the Burzek wedding. Keeping my expectations low on this and certainly I don't think we will get a crossover (not even Mouch as much as I'd like to), but I'd want to see some bits of the ceremony with everyone from PD there.

Also hoping for a throwback to THE wedding planner and Kim chucking down vodka at Trudy's wedding. Maybe Kim can get those $20 back.

I would still kill for a scene between Trudy and Mack.

As I wrote ages ago, and as I say every 3 seconds, more 👏🏻Trudy 👏🏻 on screen! 👏🏻 For Trudy to be involved more in cases, but also for her to have a more focused episode since she hasn't had one since friggin' S4. As I wrote here, I'd LOVE for Intelligence to pick up a case that links back to an old one Trudy worked on when she was in Robbery and Homicide and explore a bit of Trudy's career and past.