#in any case I thought of maybe commissioning someone for an oc fic

[ghoul--doodle]

No more doodles for today I got migraine

[treasureswordsgirl55]

What I Gotta Do

Character: Sam Wilson

Pairing: Sam Wilson / Fem!Reader (OC)

Inspired by (song): What a man gotta do? - Jonas Brothers.

Warnings: Nop. Fluff. First meetings. Mentions of COVID-19. Flirting. Post!TFATWS.

Author’s Note: Hello! Hello! I hope everyone’s well 😃

Ok, this is the first fic that I write with our new Captain America, Sam Wilson.

Short story: I heard that Jonas Brothers song and think in Sam in the moment. And I thought: Why not?

That moment I realized that I love write with Sam. It's a lovely character that deserved the world.

This is the first part of the fic, so at night maybe post the other part.

I hope you like it and thanks you for your replies! Always are appreciated!!! XOXO 😘😘

bbb-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Part 1

You ain’t tryna be wasting time on stupid people in cheap lines, I’m sure, I’m sure…

I’m not tryin’ to be your part-time lover. Sign me up for that full-time, I’m yours.

I’m yours.

- Excuse me, My friend sent me on a commission - I hear that voice in the distance and I feel that deja vu as if I had heard it before. I even have the feeling of knowing it.

- Name?

- James Barnes. The girl who always serve him knows him as Bucky.

Jenny laughs and mutters something I can’t hear. Wasn’t the sad-eyed boy outside? I focus on the cake in front of me, trying not to make mistakes in the new colors that identify Captain America, who was now the new obsession of all the children of the country.

- Charm, they are looking for you - Jenny enters my field of vision and I just raise my hands showing her that I have the shield in them and I was not going to leave it to deliver an order - It’s no excuse. You must go.

- Would you do me the favor of delivering it yourself?

- Nope. Go and then you’ll thank me.

She gently takes the sugar shield from my hands and hands me the package with Bucky’s order.

I shake my head as I leave the kitchen and look around for the avenger’s possible delivery, but none of them fit the guy. Most of the men were keeping an eye on the people they were chatting with, and there were none waiting on the other side of the bar for the order.

- Tam? - My best friend turns around and as soon as I show her the package, she is simply pointing to the door with a “happy birthday” smile.

What the hell is wrong with her?

The sound of the door bell makes me look and as I put the green package on the table, I feel my cheeks start to heat up. The object of my deepest desires was there.

Captain America was at the bakery looking for a damn cake for his friend.

Oh my god … I think as I try to remove my blue apron, which is full of traces of cream of white and red colors, but I feel that the knot in my back becomes impossible to remove and I give up with a sigh.

“Ok, Charm. You have to calm down. He is the man you dreamed of the last few months, so you must behave like a decent woman since he will not respond as he usually does in your dreams”

- This is mine? - I lift my head quickly as Sam sees me with a smile and nodded at my apron - Nice color combination. I like it.

God save me from that. Why do I feel like the world is reeling?

- Sure, if you’re here to pick up Bucky’s order - I push the two small boxes towards him while he puts the cell phone in the pocket of the brown leather jacket he wears and walks a little closer to the bar. Hell, he was even more attractive in person, and I wished for a second that the image of him in his suit didn’t invade my thoughts.

That was my damn weakness.

People knew who he was but we all knew that he was too private a person to bother him on the street. That’s why they only came over to pat him on the shoulder or simply bowed their heads to him.

- Yes, I’m babysitting.

We both laugh and I bite my lip, hesitating whether to ask. It was customary for Bucky to spend his mornings here, and that he didn’t come is very strange to me.

- Is James okay?

Sam laughs as he leans calmly and confidently on the bar and lets out a heavy sigh, as if something about that question bothers him.

- I could say yes. He has the “cold” - I nod when I notice that he refers to the Covid, that disease that kept us on edge for so long and that today was considered just another cold - He asked me to come for his order on my way home.

- Shouldn’t you be isolated?

That question comes off my lips like I’m talking to Jenny, and I shrug at that rush of confidence.

- No, because contrary to what many people believe, I do not live with Buck.

I laugh as I feel Sam’s gaze on me and that attention makes me even more nervous, in a way that I find charming.

- It’s not exactly what he says. If you are that friend that he talks about so much, he says that you are not one of those who share things.

I hear him curse as he looks away and waves to those watching him at a table in the distance. The four young women who see him smile at him as if it were a trophy they want to get, something that I notice makes him feel uncomfortable.

- I’ll rip off that bastard’s arm.

I barely pushed me away with my hands up and he tries to get closer, perhaps preventing me from walking away if he could get past the bar. Which wouldn’t be difficult for him if he’s used to jumping off a building.

- That does not sound good at all - I approach while I extend my hand towards him, who takes it without even hesitating and a spark seems to jump in the place where our hands are joined - I’m Charm, by the way.

- Sam, Bucky’s “tight-fisted” partner.

- It’s hard not to recognize you.

I wanted to let go of his hand but he wouldn’t let me apart.

- So you know who I am?

That dazzling and shy smile made me realize that Sam Wilson is not one of the men to be good for popularity. Rather, they escape from it.

- It’s hard not to know when a man with a bionic arm comes to breakfast every day and talks proudly that his partner is Captain America - Sam drops his head while smiling and I feel my heart melt like butter in contact with fire. That gesture seemed to me the most adorable - Besides that you are the new obsession of everyone around here. Children love you.

- Just the kids? - The tone of his voice changes and I feel that he becomes softer when pronouncing those words. Was that some kind of flirtation? - You’ll make me feel really bad if it’s just childish fanaticism.

- That’s what the cakes I decorate every day say. Your admirers range from 2 years to 15 - I admit while trying not to laugh at the expression of feigned disappointment that appears on his face, I even maintain the image would be regarding my childish analysis and in a moment, I push my hand away for more than wish the warm contact - My nephew Katriel loves you. And he’s only 3.

He nods as he looks around.

- Buck always talks to me about this place, especially how well they treat him … And sometimes, he only talks about you sometimes - He approaches over the bar, as if he wants to keep that between us - I think he wants to have you alone for him.

I blush at his words and shake my head.

If you knew ….

- If that were the case, it would be a shame if he is getting his hopes up, since I’m interested in someone else.

I play with a small envelope of green tea in my hands and if I even doubt it, Sam takes it from me, he approaches to ask Tam for a pen, who sees him as if he were a delicious sweet as he hands it to her, and write something on it before putting it back in front of me.

- I would like to continue with this but I feel in my pocket Bucky’s insistence on why I’m not in his department with the blessed cake.

I looked down for a moment the paper and I see a number. His number.

- Actually, they’re cupcakes.

I see him roll his eyes as he smiles at me and indicates the tea bag between us as he takes the two boxes in one of his hands.

- In fact, tomorrow maybe I’ll try again these delicacies that have enchanted a certain white wolf.

- They will be waiting for you.

I respond by trying not to get my hopes up about seeing him here tomorrow and even try to appear indifferent, but something gives me away because he gives me a mischievous smile as he walks away from the bar.

- I’ll only come if you are here, darling.

- And why are you so sure I’ll be waiting for you?

- Instinct. I think there may be something important between us.

- That’s how they all begin … - He frowns at my words and I shrug as he remains still.

- I’m not like the others.

- I don’t know you.

- But you will.

- Whatever you say, Mr. Trust. Or should I say, Mr. America.

Tam, who is pouring coffee next to me, lets out a laugh and mutters under her breath “America’s Ass” that makes me choke on my own laugh.

- I heard that, girl - We both blush at that proposal he makes to Tam and after pointing her out to her, he indicates to me as if I were guilty of something - You remain as a witness, Charm will marry me.

I gasp for words to rebut that, but my brain fails for a second and I just shake my head. I sure look like an idiot.

- Whatever you say, Captain.

- You will do it. You’ll see - Something in his words makes me shiver and I don’t doubt that. It seemed like a promise he was willing to keep.

And worst of all, instead of freaking out, I liked the idea.

- Didn’t you have to go, Sam?

- I’ll come for you, darling. As many times as it takes - he walks to the door after saying goodbye to Tam and just gives me a smile that could melt any woman on the road - And one more thing, don’t make plans after work. You already have them with me.

His scream is heard all the way to the kitchen, which makes Jenny come out of it with some pieces of candy tangled in her hair that I don’t even want to ask how they got there and for the first time in a long time I feel the stares of everyone present about me.

- Is that what I think it was? Did Sam Wilson just ask you out?

- I never said yes - I try to avoid looking Jenny in the eye because unfortunately she knew of my infatuation with Sam and she would see that the idea of ​​a possible date was very tempting for my mind and my heart - Besides, he will give up easy .

- I don’t believe that him is the type of men who give up the first time. It seems one of those who insist until he get what he want.

- I don’t see it that way. Maybe it won’t even get anywhere. Besides, he doesn’t know that tomorrow is my day off.

Jenny rolls her eyes as she hands me another sugar shield she just entered the kitchen and indicates the shield as if it were a spellbound object.

- Don’t forget you’re talking about the new Captain America. Giving up, we both know, is not an option for him.

And time would prove her right.

[poi-bigbang]

Art Claims

(Thank you @caviezeldaily​ for this amazing banner!)

Here are the remaining summaries up for claim in the POI Big Bang: 

1. Title: Carbines and Capacitors

Relationships: Gen (Joss & Cheyenne, other Team Machine friendships); background John/Joss, brief Harold/Grace and Laskey/OFC, brief unrequited Shaw/Cheyenne, mention of past Joss/Cal and Cheyenne/Irene Travers, two staged scenes that are explicitly not preludes to romance Characters: (in order of appearance) Cheyenne Bodie, Joss Carter, Mike Laskey, Lionel Fusco, John Reese, Harold Finch, Bear, The Machine, Sameen Shaw, Zoe Morgan, Patrick Simmons, Raymond Terney, Genrika Zhirova, Timothy Sloan, Root | Samantha Groves, Peter Collier, Anthony Marconi, Carl Elias, Peter Yogorov, Grace Hendricks, Andrew Monahan, Alonzo Quinn, Fermin Ordoñez, Arthur Claypool, Tom "Sugarfoot" Brewster, Bronco Layne Rating: Teen Summary: A routine day for Team Machine turns into anything but when a cowboy from 1880 falls out of thin air and lands practically at Carter's feet.  Getting him well and acclimated to life in 2013 is only half the battle.  Computers are out of his line, but he does have other skills Finch can use… so the best laid schemes of Greer and Quinn are about to run into a 6'6" tank named Cheyenne Bodie. (Season 3 AU, crossover with Cheyenne, with cameos from Sugarfoot and Bronco)

(Wikipedia links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheyenne_(TV_series); https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugarfoot; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronco_(TV_series); Fandom wiki: https://cheyenne.fandom.com/wiki/Cheyenne_Wiki; IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047720/) Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply; References to historical atrocities, uncomfortably timely conversations, canon-typical violence, canon-typical threats of violence, crude remarks by Shaw, Cheyenne comes from a 1950s Western and speaks/thinks/acts accordingly (but as in canon, he hates racism and injustice) Art Wishlist: Open to any media, although traditional/digital might be more suitable than manips because most available images of Cheyenne are B&W--as was the show, so vids and gifs might have the same problem.  Podfic would be welcome, and the story is finished (and long!), but recording could be a challenge because Cheyenne's voice is lower than John's and because there are lots of footnotes and a few words in the Northern Cheyenne dialect, Dutch, Spanish, Sioux, Russian, and Hebrew.  Cheyenne wears a very distinctive hat (brown with silver arrowheads around the band) that could be drawn as part of a still-life banner or divider, possibly with a Colt Peacemaker and a Desert Eagle (crossed?).  Also, if you're interested in illustrating a scene, there are... rather a lot to choose from, but I think I'd go for one of Cheyenne with John, Joss, and/or Shaw.  I will happily work with any artist to find what source/reference materials are needed--I don't know where Cheyenne is available to watch outside the US, but there are at least clips posted on YouTube.

2. Title: Spare Me Relationships: Lionel Fusco/John Reese Characters: Lionel Fusco, John Reese, Lee Fusco, Harold Finch, Bear, Root, Original Characters Rating: (use AO3 system) T (for a kiss and Fusco's bad language) Summary: (<100 words) "I don't need a genius to tell me that you're lonely." Fusco invites John to join the NYPD bowling league to give John something normal and fun to do for once. But soon Fusco realizes that John isn't the only one who's lonely. Warnings: (use AO3 system) None Art Wishlist: (what media you're open to, hoping for, any ideas) Anything is fine by me! I've never had someone make art for a story of mine, so I'm easy to please! 

3. Title: Kingfishers

Relationships: Harold Finch/John Reese/Grace Hendricks

Rating: M at the moment, maaaybe E by the time I’m done

Summary:

One morning, a handsome stranger walks up to Grace Hendricks in a park and introduces himself. His name is John, and he likes her paintings.

That afternoon, Grace meets a wealthy insurance executive who offers her a sizable art commission. He’s intelligent, interesting, and easy to talk to. His name is Harold.

(A different-first-meeting story, in which Harold ignored the Machine’s attempts to set him up with Grace in 2006, only to receive her number in 2012 after he and John have been working together for over a year.)

Warnings: inexplicit references to child abuse and alcoholism

Art Wishlist: Grace’s paintings and sketches, and her feelings about the art and artists she admires, are pretty important to the story. There are passages where I describe pictures and paintings she’s created, or beautiful objects of various kinds that she and Harold both admire. An illustration of any of that stuff would be amazing, or maybe a kind of Pre-Raphaelite picture of the characters. Also, kingfishers are kind of thematically/symbolically important, and very beautiful, and would make lovely art.

Two requests: please don’t make art of Harold and John that excludes Grace, and please no NSFW art.

4. [Fic previously claimed! Should not have been here! Apologies!]

5. Title: More Than Words Relationships: John Reese/Harold Finch/Grace Hendricks Characters: John Reese, Harold Finch, Grace Hendricks Rating: General Audiences Summary: John and Harold have a lot in common. They've loved. They've lost. They've done their best to help people. And now they have a matching pair of soulmarks- tattoos bearing the first words your soulmate says to you. The marks aren't what bring John and Harold together. But they might end up tearing the two of them apart. Warnings: Choose Not to Use Archive Warnings (this fic should be tagged for some of John's suicidal ideation pre-season 1 and in the fic) Art Wishlist: Looking for visual media/graphic design. Since this is a soulmate/soulmark AU, I would be very happy if someone could design the tattoos I have in mind, in their medium of choice. I am willing to collaborate, or just see what they come up with. But while that is my ideal art pairing, I am open to anything!

6. Title: Untitled Relationships: Harold/John Characters: Harold, John, Bear, Shaw, Fusco, Carter, OCs, *possibly* an appearance by Root Rating: Teen & Up Summary: When a number goes wrong and Harold is stabbed, his entire life is thrown into disarray. Seriously injured, he's left with no choice but to rely on someone else as he recovers. He chooses John (or, rather, John chooses himself) and invites John into his home and his very private life as he slowly heals from the trauma and the wounds.

What happens when he realizes he wants John to stay close? Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply (additional warning for panic attacks and memories of a violent attack) Art Wishlist: I'd especially love illustrations (traditional or digital), but I'm game for anything.

7. Title: Bonds Not Broken - Maybe??? Relationships: John Reese/Harold Finch Characters: John Reese, Harold Finch, Sameen Shaw, OCs, Elias, Heralds of Valdemar characters, Rolan, Weaponmaster Hersch, King Jesse, Bear the dog, a cast of thousands Rating: Adult M/M Summary: An AU Person of Interest/Heralds of Valdemar crossover. John is not only a Herald, but the King's Own. The story begins with the death of the king, and this is John's journey to find his place in Valdemar. Warnings: Author Chooses None Art Wishlist: I like most styles of fanart except chibi. I love a good photo manip but really anything! If the artist is interested, I have an Instagram where I put pictures that helped me write this monster. The instagram is blackchaps with a Hawkeye icon, easy to find.

8. Title: Untitled (for now) Relationships: Harold Finch/Lionel Fusco, Lionel Fusco & Sameen Shaw, Harold Finch & Sameen Shaw Characters: Harold Finch, Lionel Fusco, Sameen Shaw, Bear, Leon Tao Rating: E Summary: One year after the death of Samaritan, Harold Finch returns to New York City and reunites with his old friends. Sameen Shaw and Lionel Fusco, who have believed him to be dead for the past 12 months, are not exactly eager to trust him again. As Harold handles mysterious cases on the outside of their new organization, he works to repair his relationships with both. Sameen, who doubts his commitment, will be hard to convince. Lionel, who bears deep emotional scars, will be impossible. Warnings: Canon typical violence, drug/alcohol use Art Wishlist: I’m super flexible re: medium. I’m very into the idea of space-centric or detail-centric art, as opposed to character-centric art, if that makes sense. Re: space-centric, a lot of the fic is about loneliness and puts the characters in empty, uncomfortable, or sad rooms and the vibe is very like these Edward Hopper paintings, I think. Alternatively, it’s Finch POV and he’s doing a lot of focusing on tiiiiiiny details and significant objects, and I’d love some fancypants studies or edits of those.

9. Title: Degrees of Separation Relationships: Gen (but the whole point of the story is that they’ve all been separated, so there are no relationships in action) Characters: John Reese, Harold Finch, Sameen Shaw, Root, Lionel Fusco, Bear Rating: Teen and Up (due to a limited use of common profanity) Summary: The lives of the members of Team Machine in their new identities during the first months of Samaritan’s full operation, from the separation of the team at the end of “Deus Ex Machina” through the events that take place in “Panopticon.” Warnings: Choose Not to Use Archive Warnings Art Wishlist: I am open to any medium.  It would be great if the art focused on the separation that the characters are experiencing.

10. Title: If I Could Tell Him Relationships: Harold Finch/John Reese; Harold Finch & Root; minor Root/Sameen Shaw; past Harold Finch/Nathan Ingram Characters: Harold Finch, John Reese, Root, Nathan Ingram (mentioned) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Summary: Harold manages to tap on the fourth wall of 4x17 “Karma” and has some thoughts about the mirroring of himself with the victim counselor vigilante Shane Edwards. He and John go on their walk with Bear, but Harold keeps what he’s feeling to himself. Years later, after all of Team Machine survives the defeat of Samaritan, Harold comes across Edwards and realizes he never talked with John about all of the emotions that number still fosters, specifically regarding Nathan. Root gives him some advice, and they all work on a happiness that encompasses the past, present, and future. Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Art Wishlist: I’m open to anything, from digital art to fanmixes and anything else, really. This is a rinch fic but it’s also basically a Harold character study (entirely from his POV and a lot of internal narrative) so any art could probably focus on him.

11. 

Title: The Mysterious Human Heart in New York Relationships: Jessica/John, Harold and Jessica, Harold and John Characters: Jessica, John, Harold, Fusco Rating: Teen Summary: Agent Jessica Reese has managed to claw her way back from Ordos after being betrayed by her partner and the CIA. Gutshot and purposeless, she spends her days haunting the hospital in New Rochelle, watching her ex, John. John has his happily ever after: got his nursing degree, married a great guy, lives in a beautiful house. Jess is glad. He should be happy with Peter.

When she bumps into the mysterious Harold Finch, who knows too much about everyone, he tells her the unpleasant truth about John's dream marriage. Jess must face up to the fact that John needs her help to find safety and happiness. Warnings: Show level violence, some medical detail as John is a nurse. Art Wishlist: I am open to any medium except audio.  

12. Title: To my God, I sacrifice Relationships: John Reese & Root, John Reese/ Kara Stanton Characters: John Reese, Root, Sameen Shaw, Hersh, Kara Stanton, Harold Finch (mentioned) Rating: Mature Summary: Former soldier and CIA agent John Reese has condemned himself to a slow death after being burned by the agency. After witnessing a strange woman answering a forgotten payphone, he suddenly finds himself entangled in a web of secrets, zealotry and violence. Warnings: Canon typical violence, canon typical torture, mentions of suicide and rape, abusive/unbalanced dynamics, alcoholism Art Wishlist: I don't have any particular requests in regards to the art, I'm curious about what will the artist choose to interpret. If I had to choose, a scene illustration or a cover would be very cool :)

If you’d like to make art for any of these fics, the sign-ups for artists are here: 

https://poi-fanworks.dreamwidth.org/27461.html

And the claim post is here: 

https://poi-fanworks.dreamwidth.org/31548.html

[rinnysega]

Charlie & Lovejoy Fic Commission - “The Basement”

First off, I love writing for Charlie. 

Second, I completed my first fic commission since the early 2010s it feels like. I can’t keep track of time anymore.

This was really fun to do @pascalls, thank you for commissioning me and helping me get through this hell diet by giving me a fun project to work on! I hope you like it, and I encourage others to read this too if you want to see a really unique Simpsons OC that I again love wholeheartedly. 

Hope you enjoy it!

The worst part about living in the reverend’s basement was hearing all the clatter going on upstairs - the normal sounds of daily living for suburbanites of Springfield, of which Charlie felt no part of. Every one of Helen’s laughs, every clink of silverware on a plate, every moment Timothy Lovejoy spent without him, just echoing through the ceiling and in every vibration through the wall. Charlie once again found himself trying hard to not let it get to him as he concentrated on a project he’d started earlier that afternoon.

A few days ago, Lovejoy came to him and explained he had to go out of town for that weekend, and that Charlie would have to stay behind on his own. Charlie wasn’t one to feel dependent on others - in fact a few days to himself sounded like a much needed period of rest to him - but he did find himself sad when he was told the news. He would miss him, that reverend.

He put his tweezers down, finishing up the last touches of his masterpiece. He looked it over, wondering if there was any need for improvement, and despite there being many, he decided it would have to do. In his contemplation, the voices of Tim and Helen came in through the window to the lawn, and he assumed they must be packing the car. They’d be leaving any moment now to make it to Missouri by 11pm.

Whatever. He held his little gift in his hands, and he smiled to himself, hoping the reverend would like it.

Just as the thought crossed his mind, he heard footsteps coming down toward the basement, and he slipped the figure into his pocket, slipping into the shadows out of habit.

Reverend Lovejoy came in, peeking through the door as not to startle him. When Charlie saw he was alone - as always these days- he came out from beside the work desk.

“Hey.”

“Hey Charlie,” Lovejoy said. “Thought I’d stop by and say goodbye before we left.”

“Oh, isn’t that nice?” Charlie replied. It might have come off as sarcastic, but he meant it...kind of. Deep down he did. Whatever, best stick with your choices, he thought. “Well, what kind of holy man would you be if you didn’t come mingle with the vagabond before going back to your basic, Wonder Bread wife.”

“There’s no need for hostility, Charlie.” He glared at him with that smug arrogance said vagabond had come to love so much. Though in all honesty, he should have seen some kind of snark coming, regardless of what he said. It seemed to be his nature, even with others beside himself. Whatever the case, it was something Charlie craved in their interactions.

“We’re only going to be in Missouri for a few days. You should be fine on your own until Monday afternoon.”

“I don’t see why you have to go to a church retreat when your church is literally next door.”

“It’s a...thing.” Even for a preacher he didn’t feel like explaining how stupid it was. Still, he sighed. “Part of being in my position is to go on these weekend retreats with other leaders of the community and -”

“Yeah, yeah, look, you just go and have a good time.” Charlie finally approached him to straighten up his navy tie against his salmon pink shirt. “I’ll watch over the house in case you get robbed and you know.” He made a throat slit motion. “Take care of any problems that may come up.”

“Charlie, if I come back and there’s police tape on my-”

“Relax, Timmy.” He patted off a few bits of sheepdog hair from his shoulders. “If I kill someone it’s not going to be on your property. We’ve been over that already.” He continued to get the staredown. “Okay, fine, I won’t kill anyone at all.”

“That’s better.” His scowl turned into a small, endearing grin as he began to count his points on his fingertips. “Now, I went ahead and put the frozen steaks in the fridge to thaw, and the DVR is set to record a few shows Saturday night - do NOT erase them.”

“Okay.”

“And you’re welcome to sleep on the couch and use the television as long as you pick up after yourself. Last thing I need to do is explain anything to Helen if something’s misplaced or filthy.”

“You can’t blame it on the dog?”

“He’s staying with the Flanders’ until Tuesday.”

“Okay.”

“And-”

“Tim, I think I can handle two whole days on my own.” He backed up and hoisted himself up to sit on top of the Lovejoy Junction table. He knew Tim hated it, but it was comfortable and he’d just have to deal with it. Besides, he should count himself lucky he kept control of his tail as not to break anything. He continued on, “Shouldn’t you be going then? Isn’t your wife wondering where you’re at?”

It pained him to say that ‘w’ word sometimes, and that moment was definitely one of them.

“I told her I was putting up my trains in the order I like them kept in before a big trip. I already did it last night, but I just wanted the extra time to...come see you.”

Charlie’s ears perked a bit at that statement. He tried to play it cool.

Lovejoy coughed a bit before finishing his thought, “-and of course to let you know the rules of the house while we’re gone.”

His ears wilted slightly before perking up again when he remembered the little project he’d been working on.

“Hey wait.” He got up from the table and dug his hand into his pants pocket. “Before you go, here. I made you something.”

Charlie pulled from his pocket an ill-crafted wooden figure and set it down on Lovejoy Junction beside the steeple. It was a small pastor, and although crude in its shape and design, Lovejoy could tell who it was supposed to resemble.

“Aww. You made a little me,” he said.

“I tried.”

“No, no, I think it’s good.” He walked over beside him and picked it up to hold in his hand, letting it lie across his fingertips. “Really good.”

“Well...thank you.”

Lovejoy continued to smile at the little thing before he set it back down where Charlie had put it. He turned to him. “You know, you surprise me.”

“Huh?”

“You surprise me. I came down here thinking you’d be listening to swear music or smoking out of the window, but you’ve been productive. I’m very proud of you.”

“Proud of me?” he questioned. “Mmm, what’s the catch?”

“No catch. I think my company has started to rub off on you. You’re getting creative and into some new hobbies by the looks of it.”

“Don’t flatter yourself. I just thought it was stupid you didn’t have a Reverend Lovejoy for Lovejoy Junction. Imagine if Lard Lad Donuts didn’t have a Lard Lad outside. It’s chaos.”

“Well thank you, Charlie. I really appreciate it.”

“And you’re not just saying that because you have to? You really like it?”

“Why yes, I really really like it. You’ve got a talent.”

“Please don’t butter me up before you leave. You’re embarrassing us both.”

“I wasn’t trying to, but if you’re feeling humble, then please, take the compliment. Maybe you could do a few more this weekend until I get back.”

It was something Charlie considered. “Well, what’s it worth to you?”

“The satisfaction I helped guide you to a more appropriate pastime than whatever debauchery you get yourself up to out in Springfield.”

“Come on, you can at least buy me dinner.”

“What, those steaks upstairs not enough for you?”

“Fine. What else you got then?” That smirk came back. This was getting fun.

“Well...how about I spend the night?”

“With who?”

“With you!”

“With me? You mean down here with me?”

“Sure.”

Well, that caught him off guard a bit. “Okay...and you won’t be on your train set the whole time?”

“Not the whole time, but most of the time I’d like to take the choo-choos out for a spin.” He giggled a little to himself. “If anything, just to get the noises going to give Helen the idea I’m pulling an all-nighter.”

“I mean if it’s noises you want…” Charlie slipped over to rub against him but as usual, the man backed off with a hand to block him.

“No.”

There was a car honk upstairs.

“Your carriage awaits, my liege.” Charlie brushed past him to see him out the door, but stopped when he saw how Tim hadn’t followed. It was as if he were hesitating, looking down at the floor while rubbing the back of his neck.  

“Yeah, I’ll get going...umm…” he trailed off.

“What is it?” Charlie asked.

He didn’t say anything at first, but opened his arms for a hug. “For the goodbye.”

Charlie smiled and immediately bounced over into his arms, enjoying the warm embrace from him he often craved as well.

“You’re being so nice to me tonight. Really, what’s the catch?”

“No catch. I’m just…”

“You just what?”

“...I’m just going to miss you. That’s all.”

Charlie’s fingers tightened against his shirt, enjoying the smell of him, but it wasn’t enough. It was never enough. Without anything to say back, he took the opportunity God gave him that moment, and he leaned forward to kiss him.

Nothing special, he figured. Just the same old kiss he usually gave him. Something he did on occasion whenever words couldn’t express how he felt. And at this point it went one of two ways. Lovejoy would either push him away out of anger or annoyance, or he’d hesitate those actions and let him finish - to get it out of his system, he’d say. Sometimes whenever he did that, Charlie would imagine maybe those lips were pushing back, even though he knew they weren’t. But it was a comforting thought on those lonely nights in the basement. What he’d give to crawl into bed with him and kick Helen to the floor. Surely Lovejoy had to know how hard he’d been restraining himself not to hurt her or anyone else he liked more than him. Surely he’d be proud of him for setting aside his vices of jealousy and dependency on him. But, another day would pass, and there would be more cold silences where Charlie longed for something warmer. And in those times, he would believe he was kissing him back, even if it was foolish to think so.

And tonight he was prepared to feel that same let down.

But then, a miracle.

A hand grasped his lower back, the other the back of his neck. Charlie didn’t open his eyes, afraid perhaps he was imagining such a feeling, and reality would let him down again.

But it was real. He felt the reverend’s fingers grip his ginger hair. He felt him pull his waist closer to his body. He felt his lips parting, and he felt his hot breath that preceded his tongue. His mouth was open, and he was willing. Timothy Lovejoy kissed him back. Not only that, but if Charlie’s mind wasn’t deceiving him, it was with the same passion as Charlie would show him on occasion. Could this mean…?

Maybe.

Oh, how he didn’t want it to stop. He could feel burning tears trying to bubble up, but he forced them down and held the reverend tighter until there was no gap between them to fill. He even went beyond as such to slide his leg up the leg of his holy man. The friction, the touch, the soft sensuality of it, it was setting him on fire.

But almost as suddenly as he got his wish, Lovejoy pulled his lips away, leaving Charlie’s behind to remain open, tongue outstretched, begging for the man to return to him.

He opened his eyes, but the smudges on his glasses from their feverish embrace blurred Lovejoy’s face in streaks of color. Even in that distortion he could tell he was nervous. Perhaps even sad, or worse...ashamed.  

“I...I need to go.” He said.

His hands slipped down to Charlie’s hips and he pushed himself away from his grip.

Charlie stepped forward, desperate. “Don’t go.”

He hated how weak he sounded, but how could he not when his defenses were broken down so easily with just a hug and a kiss.

“I’m sorry.” The reverend said again. He kept stepping back with every one of Charlie’s steps forward until Charlie had no other option but to stay and watch him back away, hoping that by staying his distance, Lovejoy would remain here with him.

Lovejoy himself could see the battling emotions of despair and hope that were at war inside Charlie, and he had no one to blame but himself. He thought by coming down here to say goodbye, it would only be out of kindness of his heart for him...but now he feared the worse - there was more.

“I’m sorry,” he repeated and he turned around and left.

“Wait-” He went to rush after him, but Lovejoy slammed the basement door shut. By the time Charlie reached it and tugged at it to budge, he heard the heavy click of the lock.

Charlie pressed himself against the door and clawed at it pathetically, like a dog scratching at the door for his master. He hoped maybe this would change the reverend’s mind, emotionally manipulate him into opening it again. Then, he begged, maybe he would hold him in his arms in grief and apologize for his outburst.

Yet, the sounds of footsteps going upstairs pushed that idea from his mind. It burned it to the ground in ashes.

Charlie backed away from the door and leaned against the train table. He glanced up at the windows that led to the lawn. He’d crawled in and out of there a million times, and Lovejoy knew he could do it. He knew he wasn’t trapped in here, that Lovejoy knew there was a means of escape for him. But even if he managed to squeeze out of the window in time, chances are he and Helen would be long gone down the road…

As that thought crossed his mind, the headlights shone through the basement - tires scraping against gravel - and then they disappeared, along with his beloved.

His lips still tingled where they kissed. If there was ever anything to pray over, he’d hope this feeling could last him through the weekend until he could see Tim again. But he’d never pray for such a thing. It felt useless to beg love from a God who kept Tim at bay with his moral conscience. He’d never give him or Tim what they both wanted.

But maybe...knowing Tim wanted it too, deep down...that could be enough...maybe.

In the meantime, Charlie removed his glasses to wipe on the edge of his shirt as he made his way over to the tool box. He took out another wooden figure piece and sat at Lovejoy’s workstation, pushing those thoughts from his mind as he worked. He chipped away at it for the rest of the evening.

The minutes turned into hours, and those long hours passed through the night while nothing but a dim lamp kept him company as he whittled and smoothed out as many rough edges as he could. He painted carefully, as carefully as he could with his claws, and after a while, he just had to accept that it was his best. And that thought saddened him.

He stared at his creation in begotten woe. Even his best was ugly.

Maybe it was a good thing Tim wasn’t here to see him this way. He’d never forgive himself for being so weak. He could barely forgive himself for how soft he acted before Lovejoy ran away from him.

Charlie moved away and stood before Lovejoy Junction, staring down at the reverend he made by the steeple. He looked at the piece in his hand, and then back to him.

What are you doing this for? He thought.

He didn’t belong beside him as he wanted. He didn’t fit into this perfect little world. No matter how much he told himself through the reverend’s actions, there was no way in Heaven nor Hell that Timothy Lovejoy would ever choose him.

And with a sigh that solidified his acceptance of that reality, he placed his hard work on the far side of the valley - behind a mountain, almost hidden completely by a lop-sided bush. No one but Lovejoy would ever see it when he cleaned his table top, and he figured even then he’d probably overlook it. It was so small and out of the way.

But he knew it was there. He knew.

A little wooden Charlie.

[jjba-arni-reblog]

Connection

Alright! This is a bit different. This is a special gift from me to @rasasvavda - an incredible artist who I commissioned an amazing piece. This is my part, my appreciation for the author and her work. The story follows DIO and her OC Akali. The artist provided me with quite some information to work with. This small fic reflects on key moments in their relationship as the two of them slowly realize one’s feelings. There are also soulmate themes established at the start of the work.

@rasasvavda there ya go!~~~ I HOPE you’ll like it! It was a pleasure and a challenge to write for such interesting character! I appreciate your work and support and I wish you only the best!

Words: 3K (damn, I got invested)

A world where not only stand users are connected, but also lovers. Soulmates. While the regular people could feel each other’s soulmate’s emotions, for stand users it was quite different. Being connected by the stands, the soulmate connection wasn’t as prominent and could be easily missed. No wonder they are so little stories of two soulmates finding each other. Their emotions affect their soulmate’s stand, changing their attack power, speed and sometimes even appearance. One could only hope to find the connection between a person and one’s stand changing. So, it was rare, yet not impossible. And those who succeed to find one’s soulmate, found the connection between one another even stronger than stand users might feel. All it takes is to realize one’s feelings and show the stand.

~ ~ ~

“Introduce yourself to me, DIO” the man on the throne commanded.

“My name is Akali, in Punjabi it means The follower of the Immortal One“ the woman explained to the man before her.

“That’s quite ironic knowing who is standing before you” he noted.

“Certainly” Akali answered, trying her hardest to not roll her eyes at the ego of the blonde.

“What do you search for? What does one crave?” DIO asked eyeing the woman, trying to find any sight of fear or reluctancy. None were present, which made the lord smirk.

“For now, these is no pain or revenge in my heart, I am a simple follower, searching for the luxuries of life. By serving you one might obtain such privileges” Akali explained, still no fear present in her eyes.

“Then join me, you could be a great addition to my followers. I can give you wealth, power, anything your soul desires” the blonde confidently proclaimed.

“But don’t expect me to kiss your ass, lord DIO” Akali replied, hoping to establish herself early in this working relationship.

“Ho?~ What a sharp tongue you have. One does not refer to me, DIO, in such way, but I’ll let it pass this time as I could see that your sharpness comes from the passion and strength within you. This once, I will ignore such comment. I can’t wait to witness your power and dedication, Akali.”

“Likewise” the woman smirked. It is going to be an interest work.

~ ~ ~

“Tell me about your culture, Akali. I have noticed that you take great pride in it” the man suddenly spoke out one evening.

It seems like the Lord Dio has heard of Kali’s encounter with some of his fewer notable servants, that deemed themselves appropriate enough to try and discourage you from longing for culture. Unfortunately for them, they were quickly shut down by woman’s sharp remarks as she wasn’t too keen on letting some scumbags put stereotypes on her.

“I respect your strong desire for the connection with your culture, in contrast with simple-minded peasants that can only retort to seemingly pointless arguments and even less intelligent opinions” DIO pointed out, unusual praising words leaving his mouth.

“Why such interest, Lord Dio?” Kali raised her eyebrow, not trusting the man before her. After all he was also known for his cruel and sharp words, not mentioning punishments.

“It is a simple interest of mine to educate myself. Learn about other talented individuals as well as simply acquiring knowledge of other cultures” he answered while approaching the cupboard to find a bottle of wine together with two glasses.

“So, the lord Dio thinks of me this highly?” her teasing tone didn’t go unnoticed by the blonde as the man let out a deep chuckle, finding himself in a rather interesting situation.

“Perhaps, who knows?” lord DIO answered, not bothering to elaborate further.

The two of them didn’t need to worry about getting drunk as both had high alcohol tolerance, instead drinking to relax and continue with intellectual conversations. As Akali told DIO about her culture, sometimes even switching to German when needed, the time went on quickly, the pair surprisingly maintained the conversation on equal terms, being respectful and even understanding of each other opinions, even if they didn’t always match.

After some time, the conversation switched to makeup products, in this case – lipsticks.

“May I ask you, lord DIO, about your taste in lip products, since I have witnessed your unique appearance and tastes” Kali asked a bit unsure if the man before her will even consider her question. Yet she had to try her luck.

“You may. I am a man of diverse interests and lip products are one of those things, I have couple of products in my collection, you may have seen me wearing a particular green one around the mansion. Such colour is one of those that I, DIO, tend to prefer” he explained then continuing “But I have also noticed that you seem to share interest in lip products as well, as your usual appearance is complimented by a dark lilac purple lipstick. Frankly saying, such colour choice has also sparked my interest as it is not the usual tone one might wear daily, however…it does suit you” lord DIO has surprised Kali, earning a look of confusion from her as she couldn’t believe his positive words.

“It is the highest praise to hear such words from the Lord DIO” she commented, taking a sip of her wine to cover her smirk. The man mirrored her movements, letting out a chuckle.

“Of course”

~ ~ ~

“Dio……” she almost whispered, shaking at the movements of the bug that has now started crawling towards her, making the woman panic slightly, praying that the bug would change direction. The said man was reading a book while sipping some wine, clearly not present mentally in the situation occurring next to him.

“Mhm?” he simply mumbled, not noticing Kali’s state, not looking up from his book still.

“Fucking kill it!” the woman screamed, jumping on the table to escape the crawling monster.

Being startled by her sudden move, Dio was quick to find the source of Kali’s panic. Spider was slowly but surely crawling to the stand user, making Dio smirk at such bizarre behaviour.

DIO took the small knife situated on the table (for whatever reason it was there) and in the matter of seconds, threw it, instantly killing the bug. Turning to Kali, DIO raised an eyebrow trying his hardest not to chuckle at the woman. Noticing this, she quickly jumped down.

“DON’T” she simply stated, knowing fully that once the man had started, there will be no stopping him from his teasing commentaries.

“What an interesting sight to witness…Perhaps I, DIO, have a luck on my side today, allowing me to see another side of my precious servant” the blonde said, noticing the annoyed yet a bit flustered expression of Kali. He took in her form, hoping to remember every single detail about her embarrassed yet sharp features. This side of her was new to him and DIO was more than happy to discover more.

~ ~ ~

“What is going on?” was the first thing DIO said when finding Kali cuddling with her stand, cigarette in her lips. She was sitting on the couch with the balcony door open, not wanting to smoke indoors but still wanting to enjoy the softness of the couch. A cup of expensive coffee was situated on the cupboard next to the couch, making it easier for the stand user to reach without necessary breaking the hug. However, the bottle of stronger liquor was placed right next to the cup, implying that the last mission might not have been a complete success.

“Nothing really, lord DIO” the voice tried to reassure the man…rather unsuccessfully as DIO could feel that the tone was false, fake. The tone that tried its hardest to lie about being okay, about not needing help, about current situation.

“If I may note, this coping behaviour is unhealthy for one to have, especially in the presence of me, DIO, himself” his words came out strong, perhaps too strong as he could see the woman letting out a deep sight, making her stand disappear and quickly finishing the cigarette.

“I apologize, lord DIO, this won’t happen again” Akali reassured him with an unemotional tone. No snarky remarks, no comebacks. Nothing. As she was about to stand and leave the room, DIO motioned her to stop, instead getting himself a glass of wine then returning to the couch.

“Speak”

“What about?”

“Whatever bothers you. Or anything. Just speak. It is better than drinking your problems away. I do not wish to see my servants in such state, especially one as strong and useful as you, Kali”

“I…” she thought for a minute, trying to come up with any excuse not to reveal her anxieties. Yet the presence of her lord brought her comfort rather than fear. So maybe this once…maybe she’ll allow herself to be honest.

“Alright”

It was the first time DIO called her Kali, yet it wasn’t the last…

~ ~ ~

“Lord DIO, may I request something?” Kali approach the man as he was reading a book, quickly turning his attention to the visitor.

“What is it?” DIO asked, however there wasn’t a sharp edge in his tone. Not when she was around.

“May I request someone to train with me? Someone from your other servants perhaps. My stand requires attention to offence so having a partner to help with improving my attacks would be beneficial to my work” the woman stated, waiting for the answer of her lord.

“That is very thoughtful of you, Kali” the nickname resonated with her soul, making her feel flustered hearing how her name sounded coming from her lord’s mouth. Pleasant and almost hypnotizing.

“Sadly, I recall that no stand users are present today in this mansion, seemingly trying to find more information for me, DIO” The blonde explained then pausing for a moment “However, I, DIO, am willing to help you with the training. After all, I should be aware of any progress or weak sides my servant may have.”

“I….thank you, lord DIO I don-“ Akali excitedly answered before being interrupted by the lord.

“But I won’t reveal my stand. No matter how much I trust you, I furthermost need to take precautions. Practically no one knows about my stand’s ability and I’d rather leave it that way” DIO explained, crossing his arms after finishing.

“I understand. I am thankful for your offer to train with me. Thank you, DIO” she finished, quickly realizing her mistake “I mean LORD DIO, I apologize I-“

“DIO is fine, after all, you are one of the closest servants of mine and I could say that I trust you enough to allow such change” the blonde smirked at the panicked expression “however, one shall refer to me, DIO, only in private as to not let the speculations appear” he finished.

“Of course, DIO. Shall we start?” Kali asked. The man nodded.

Maybe having her use his name isn’t such a bad idea…

~ ~ ~

A pleasant smell could be noticed as DIO walked past the kitchen. Getting curiosity overwhelm him, DIO opened the door, noticing as familiar figure softly singing as they gathered ingredients.

Kal’s hair was now put into a high ponytail, making her appearance even more noticeable to DIO. He continued to stare at her back, not quite knowing what to do in such bizarre situation yet also not wanting to interrupt the singing.

“Is there anything you need, lord DIO?” the voice cut through the song, surprising DIO as he was known for his stealth and quiet, almost silent steps. The woman turned towards him, motioning him to enter the kitchen.

“What is the reason behind this?” straight-forward as usual the lord was.

“I simply decided to cook, to relax and enjoy good food” Akali answered as the matter of fact, not pausing to explain further to DIO, instead getting out other ingredients for the dish, carefully unpacking them. Then she spoke again “Also, since I know that you are not too keen on eating, I got you wine and blood” she motioned to the countertop where the two bottles were situated.

Hearing the reasoning DIO felt something within him clench. Homemade dishes, it was a while since he had them…it was too long ago, memories hidden somewhere within the lord as he never thought to have felt such atmosphere again. Not here, not now.

Yet a small part of him wasn’t complaining as the blonde eyed the figure concentrating on the task before her, not noticing the sharp gaze of her lord. DIO could see the small smile grace her strong feature. It was a rare sign, to see Kali this relaxed, this content with her situation, this…happy.

This familiar feeling…this long forgotten comfort and warmth

~ ~ ~

Not everyone was loyal to the lord DIO and at some point, the traitors reveal themselves. However, one could expect them to team up, trying to overtake the mansion to find all the gold and treasures hidden within it. Trying, that is.

However, the teaming up surely worked in they favor, as they succeeded in surprising the lord and his servant. Akali was quick to get ready into position, fully prepared to protect the man from the attackers. However, as the feeling of annoyance came (due to realizing that another useless group of wannabe killers is needed to be taken care of), the stand wasn’t

“Stop this, immediately” DIO ordered, however the woman didn’t seem to hear anything or didn’t want to.

“You can’t me tell what to do, let me handle it” she responded growling at the attackers.

“It seems like I can” the blonde then said, his voice sounding confused at a sight before him. Her stand, it has changed. Slightly but nonetheless it changed. Der Maister attacked carefully as if not to drain its stand user too much, trying to figure out who to attack first in order to not hurt its user. Der Maister seemed to be slightly anxious despite Akali looking confident, meaning that such emotion had a different source. DIO. This small amount of worry for the woman manifested itself in her stand, using precise movements that DIO was known for. As if reflecting the man need to make sure that his servant is alright, the stand changes its approach accordingly.

Noticing the change and realizing what is happening, DIO couldn’t help but to look at the scene in bewilderment. So that does exist? And the universe was kind enough to allow DIO himself to find his soulmate? As a slight worry came, Kali’s stand started to drain her energy more, prompting DIO to make a crucial decision.

“Kali” the voice called from behind, surprising the woman with the note of happiness that could be heard.

“What-“ she turned around, stopping in her tracks as she saw a new figure next to DIO. His stand. For the first time he let his stand out, in front of others, in front of her. The stand radiated the same powerful energy that the lord had. It suited him. However, something was off. There wasn’t a need to let the stand out, she had the situation under control as her stand quickly took care of the traitors. Yet here it was, standing next to lord DIO, eyeing the woman before him.

“There’s no need, DIO. I could handle this” Akali said, still not believing that she has the luxury to finally witness the strongest stand there is.

“I let it out to observe. Say, Kali, what are your feelings about me, DIO?” came the question.

“What’s this question out of the sudden?” the woman asked confused at the change of topic.

“Just answer me, Kali”

“I am devoted to you, DIO. As a servant and…as a friend, if you’ll allow me to call you such. I look up to you, hoping to protect you from any useless attacks of your enemies. I feel….content being by your side, in one way than another. That’s the truth” Akali said, feeling the slight worry overtake her. Maybe she said too much, revealed too much even though she tried her hardest to act reasonably, to not let personal feelings get a hold of her.

Feeling his stand to get stronger, DIO couldn’t help but to smirk. This has fully confirmed his theory. They have found each other. Letting his stand approach the remaining attackers, DIO continued.

“It seems like the universe has different plans for us, Kali” he let his stand take out the attackers, making sure that the woman’s stand didn’t use too much of its energy.

“My feelings are mutual, Kali. And it seems that our stands’ reactions reveal another interesting aspect…” DIO continued before Akali interrupted him.

“Soulmates…We are soulmates” the realization hit her as she reflected on her stand’s changes as well as DIO’s words “I…” she didn’t know what to say, how to react towards the new acquired information.

“As I said, the feelings are mutual” DIO said now approaching the woman. The attackers were defeated as expected, making the two of them withdraw their stands. Feeling the lord DIO put his hand on her neck, she couldn’t help but to feel slightly nervous yet excited. DIO shared her feelings…

“Kali, do you wish to stay by my side, not as a servant…” he chuckled tracing soft patterns on her neck, waiting for her response.

“I do, if you’ll allow me” she answered with a small smile on her exotic features. Such small beautiful moment wasn’t unnoticed by DIO, who now started to lower his head towards the woman. Even with her wearing high heels, the difference in the height was still present. Kali could feel her cheeks redden slightly, meeting DIO’s strong gaze as she could feel new feelings overtake her. Those feelings that had built with time, with each interaction, small remark and comfortable silence. Those feelings that one could finally reveal not being afraid of rejection.

In the world of soulmates and stand users, the universe isn’t too kind on letting the both aspects meet. Yet there is always a small chance, a small glint of hope in one’s soul longing to find its soulmate. And today, two more were allowed such luxury. Two souls, connected at last.

[rikumorimachisgirl]

Okay, let's try this one more time. This story was given feedback by the talented @cailannuesugi and @voltage-vixen. Thank you, ladies, for your help and encouragement when I felt like giving up.

Title: Meeting the Mogul

Ikesen Modern Day AU

A/N: This is my first fic, so please don't expect it to be perfect. I also don't own Ikesen Nobunaga and the other characters except my OC. Cybird owns them.

This is inspired by the artwork I commissioned from @shrimpalompa 💕

With her eyebrows furrowed, Mia allowed her feet to drag along the length of Manhattan's busy streets. Despite the crowd of busy professionals hurrying to buy their lunches from the food trucks lined up along 50th Street, and the incessant honking of cars and taxis stuck in traffic, all she could think of is how badly she messed up her last interview.

The delightful scent of sauteed garlic and onions wafting in the air made her stomach growl slightly louder than usual. There was nothing she wanted more at that moment than to eat a nice gyro sandwich at Lil Zeus Food Truck, but with only fifty dollars to tide her over until she finds a job, she took a deep breath, turned away from the food truck, and continued to walk. She took one step after another, until the concrete pavement was replaced by a patch of green, and the sound of car horns was replaced by the catchy melody of a marching band practicing nearby.

Central Park was beautiful at this time of day - mostly because the afternoon crowd and the throngs of tourists don't frequent the place at this hour.

She sat on the grass, defeated. She had one shot at getting employed as a clerk in the prestigious firm, and she totally screwed her interview. "Seriously, who asks about the President's background during the interview anyway? " she wondered out loud still feeling bitter about her failure at the hands of Azuchi Inc's, Vice President of Human Resources, Hideyoshi Toyotomi. She sighed again, took out her mobile and typed in the keywords 'Nobunaga Oda, Azuchi Inc'. Pages upon pages of news articles about the President and CEO appeared on her screen, much to her surprise. As her finger hovered over one of the articles, she silently cursed herself for not having thought of doing this yesterday before she finally gave in and pored over the details on the mysterious mogul.

***

He watched her as she sat on the grass with her back turned to him.  He winced at the last thought; then again, she didn't seem like the type who'd pick out her dates online.From where he stood, it appeared like she was playing a game on her phone or browsing one of those social media sites his employees are so fond of... Or maybe checking out a dating site. Though she didn’t seem like the type to rely on other sources to help her find a date. His thoughts drifted to their first encounter yesterday, and he smirked.

In an attempt to avoid the possibility of listening to his Vice President of Human Resources' complaints about his decision to ride his bike to work, he opted to enter the building through the ever-busy and usually crowded Talent Management Hub. Donned in a black button-down shirt, which he wore untucked with a pair of dark denim jeans, he handed his helmet to the seemingly dumbstruck guard and made his way to the exit leading to the main lobby. Just as he was about to step into the main lobby, he felt someone grip his wrist tightly.

"Excuse me, where do you think you're going?"

He turned and saw a girl - not more than twenty-four if he had to guess - looking sternly at him while she gripped his wrist tightly.

He heard collective gasps around them, but she didn't seem to have noticed. From the corner of his eye, he saw one of the managers make his way towards them, but he stopped him before he could get any closer. The clock on the wall read 9:25 am, so he had a good five minutes before his weekly meeting with Marketing, but the girl holding on to him intrigued him so much, he didn't mind canceling. Just what was she trying to get at by stopping him, he wondered.

"Didn't you just arrive, Sir? You don't have an ID, so you must be an applicant, too," she said gently, as she tugged him to follow her to the waiting area. Still confused, he glanced at the other people who were quietly seated, trying to avoid his gaze. "It's unprofessional to cut the line, you know. Let's wait for our turn here."

He chuckled at the realization that she didn't know who he was. He decided to humor her by sitting beside her, but it didn't take long until she was called for her initial screening. It was at that moment that he decided they needed to hire her. However, when Hideyoshi dished out his infamous rapid-fire "Oda Fast Facts" on her, there was no doubt she wasn't going to be signing a contract with them.  The dashing dark-haired mogul frowned as he recalled the report he was given on the status of her application. He recognized potential when he sees one, and knew they had just let this one slip away. He left word that he was having lunch elsewhere, and took off with his Vice President of Operations following closely at his heel.

"You know what you should do next? You should buy that Lil’ Zeus food truck. Have you seen the line? It felt like ages before I got us some of these!" A familiar voice brought him out of his thoughts and he glanced sideways to see that his executive had just arrived carrying a gyro on each hand. "It's about time you got here. What was the matter, couldn't charm the ladies to get ahead? You must be losing your touch, Mitsuhide, " he teased.

The silver-haired executive smirked as he handed one of the gyros to his boss. "I'll have you know I snaked my way to the front of the line in less than 2 minutes. The cook ran out of oregano and they had to get a fresh batch." He paused for a second or two to take in the scenery before him. "So is there a reason you wanted to have lunch here?"

"No reason, " the dark-haired debonaire responded, his carnelian colored eyes sparkling with mischief as he stared at the girl whose back was turned at them once again. "I see, " Mitsuhide said, thrusting the other gyro at him. "Good luck, boss. I'll see you at the office." He flashed the young executive a dazzling smile before he turned and made his way towards the unassuming girl.

***

"That's funny, he has no pictures, " she mentioned, after opening yet another news article about the mysterious Nobunaga Oda - the sixth since she started - and there still wasn't any photos of the man in question.  

"Usually that’s the case when the person's not very good looking."

Startled at the sound of his voice, she jumped and turned around. Standing a few feet away from her was the man she met in the interview. Though she still didn't know his name considering she never asked in the interview, and he never introduced himself. Today, he was wearing a white button-down shirt, which was still untucked and a pair of khaki trousers. She never noticed how attractive he was until today - more like a model, with his tall and well-toned physique, which was evident in the cut of his clothes.  

"It's you, " she said. 

"Yeah. Me, " he replied. "Had lunch?"

"Yes, " she nodded, but her stomach wasn't having it. Her face flushed red as soon as her stomach growled. 

He snickered. "You know, I happen to have an extra gyro."

"Do you always happen to carry a spare gyro around?"

Her retort made him laugh, as he really didn't see that coming. "Did anyone ever tell you that you're hilarious, " he asked. He plopped down beside her in the grass and handed her one of the gyros. "And to answer your question, I carry them around in case I get lucky and see a pretty girl who is in desperate need of lunch." 

"My hero, " she smiled. "Thank you for this. I'm Mia, by the way. And you?"

He shrugged, ignoring the fact that she had introduced herself. "So, what were you doing on your phone, looking for a date or something?"

"Of course not, " she said, as she munched on her sandwich. "I was curious to see what Nobunaga Oda looks like."

"Why would you want to know how he looks?" 

She took out her phone with one hand and showed him the search results. "See these? I've read six articles about him, and not one of them contained any pictures of him. Isn't that strange?"

He scanned the titles and frowned. "Maybe he doesn't want his picture taken." 

"Why though? I think he's amazing. I mean, he's not even from here, yet he made a name for himself and he's been helping boost Japan's economy even from offshore. He's made a name for himself in a place where people least expected him to. His achievements are known all over Japan, and that's why I wanted so badly to come to New York and work at Azuchi Inc."

He cocked an eyebrow at her passionate response. It sure wasn't the first time he's heard people sing praises about him and his organization, but it felt different hearing it from someone who had nothing to gain from sharing this with him because she absolutely had no idea who he was. 

"Speaking of which, whatever happened to your application?" It was her turn to ask. For a moment, he almost forgot that she thought he was an applicant, too. She cleared her throat. "What's the matter? You know you don't have to be embarrassed if you didn't make it. I mean, I didn't -"

"Why did you fail?"

She frowned. That was twice he ignored her questions, yet he had the gall to ask her such a rude question. What kind of person is he exactly, she silently wondered. 

"If you're done trying to assess whether I'm trustworthy or not, would you mind answering my question?"

Rude. This man was just plain rude, she concluded. "Why do I need to answer that?"

"Because I gave you a sandwich, " he said, as he lay carelessly on the grass with his hands behind his head.. "And because you look like you're going to tell me anyway."

She sighed. Well, he wasn't wrong, she thought. "I suppose it was it because I didn't know a thing about the President and CEO of Azuchi, Inc, " she said, hanging her head low. "Except for his name, I didn't know where he came from, what his philosophy was, his advocacy, why he prefers to drink tea from Japan…"

"Don't you think that information is useless?"

"I used to. I'm not gonna lie that I felt really bad after the interview with Mr. Toyotomi. I felt bad because I thought those questions he asked me were ridiculous, " she said, as she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "But I realized something while I was reading through the articles about Nobunaga Oda. I now understand that Mr. Toyotomi only wanted to make sure I knew and understood Mr. Oda's vision because it is only when you understand that you can actually contribute to that vision by working hard. I didn't really know that this morning, but now, I'd do anything to get another shot at that interview."

His eyes never left hers as she spoke, and with each topic, he found himself more and more entranced by her - perhaps it was the way her face lit up and her hands moved as she spoke about the things she was passionate about, or her wistful smile as she stared at the lake in between topics. He was captivated, so much so that he hadn't noticed that time has gone by until he felt his phone vibrate. 

Frowning, he took out the sleek gadget from his pocket and was briefly surprised. It was 3:00 pm - way past his supposed lunch break. Hideyoshi would have a fit, he silently thought, smirking. 

Sighing, he sat up and brushed the dirt off the back of his shirt. "As much as I'd like to stay and talk some more -"

"You have to go, " she said, cutting him off. She watched him quietly as he straightened his clothes up and ran his hand through his messy black hair. She had never been so drawn to a person before, but there was something about him that spoke to her - maybe it was the way he listened to her like what she was saying was important or the way he challenged her opinion every now and then… or even the way she saw her reflection in his eyes when he smiled. 

The light clapping sound that resonated in the air as he dusted off his clothes faded, and she suddenly felt her heart grow heavy - like all three weeks worth of homesickness had finally kicked in. 

"You look like you're gonna cry, " he teased, as he stood and offered his hand out to her. "Are you gonna miss me?"

"Am not, " she replied while he pulled her to her feet. "But did I get you in trouble?"

"I'm late for a meeting. Nothing I can't handle, " he winked. "I'm just gonna tell them that I met an interesting girl in Central Park."

"You make me sound weird."

He snickered. "Okay. How about I say a cute girl held me hostage?"

"They're not gonna believe you, " she replied, her face turning slightly red. 

"Here, " he said, handing his phone over to her. "Let's take a picture, in case they require proof."

"And make me the laughing stock of your team, "she retorted but allowed him to take a picture anyway.

"They wouldn't dare laugh, " he assured her as he checked their picture and smiled. "This is a good picture."

"Yes, it is." She peered at his handsome face in the picture and smiled.

"I don't like having my picture taken because I always seem to look strange, but I like this one, " he smiled back. "Well then…"

"Yeah, I guess this is goodbye."

"I'll see you tomorrow at 8."

"What? Here?"

He laughed, and the rich sound tickling her ear. "At my office, silly. Tell Mr. Toyotomi I sent you there. He'll be able to give you an orientation, " he said casually and then turned to leave. 

"Mr. Toyotomi - as in the guy from Azuchi, Inc? I'm confused… Whom should I say sent me, " she called out as he started to walk. 

"Oh. Tell him I sent you, " he turned to face her once again and exaggerated a bow. "Nobunaga Oda. I never told you before, but it's a pleasure to meet you, Mia. I'll see you bright and early tomorrow."

Her heart pounded loudly in her chest as she watched him disappear in the distance, she almost failed to notice a new text message that read: 

'We are pleased to offer you the role of Assistant to the CEO. Please report to Mr. Hideyoshi Toyotomi's office at the 41st floor of Azuchi, Inc tomorrow at 8:00 am sharp. - Mitsunari Ichida, Director of Talent Management.'

End. 

[profound-boning]

Author Interview

tagged by @casskellington ! This got long so there’s a read more cut. I’d like to hear from: @jhoomwrites @formidablepassion and @ozonecologne

1. What inspires your work most? (The show it is based on, the actor who portrays a certain character, maybe the character itself…? It could even be an experience.)
 Uh, pretty much myself and my experiences? Or, in the rare event I'm writing something in canonverse, I'm trying to say something about the situation the characters are in, make a nod at something I like, or point out the horrible flaws in something I dislike. (Looking at you, bucklemming!) But yeah in general I'm writing about myself; any time Dean or Cas is a teacher, that's me. High school and college stuff? I'm probably referencing something I did or heard about someone else doing. Those three things especially I always get so WTF over when I read something written by someone without those experiences. (That and writing dean or cas as a child and like really really fucking it up. Middle class five year olds speak in generally complete sentences. Speech and motor skills development is very well established!) I don't mean to say NO ONE WHO DIDN'T GO TO COLLEGE SHOULD EVER WRITE A COLLEGE!AU because that's just elitist bullshit, but I would suggest to anyone, even United States-eans to DO RESEARCH on your setting. If you don't have direct personal experience, find someone on tumblr or another blogging site who does. Bring them on as a beta or just kind of interview them about what's what. There's a reason that if I'm writing Dean The Mechanic I will stay FAR AWAY from anything that sounds like direct knowledge of that job… it's because I do not in any way shape or form understand vehicles. So why would I try to write in Dean's voice about his work?? It would fall flat for any reader with a comprehension of cars. Related to that, something else I do intentionally avoid is writing about someone with an identity that is not my own. That being said I do write a fair bit about two dudes, and I am not male, but I am cis and I do write Dean and Cas as cis. One time I wrote Cas as questioning and Dean as trans and in those cases I stayed firmly in another POV—aka not putting words into the mouths of those characters/identities—and got help to make sure I was staying in my lane.



2. What is your favorite fandom to write for?
 This in particular got super fucking long I apologize.

I have created fanworks in precisely three fandoms. My very first fic was for How To Train Your Dragon, I have a plethora of Supernatural works, and I did a podfic for Star Trek: the Alternate Original Series (Films). For HTTYD and SPN I wanted to write a story that gave a conclusion to two relationships I feel are not being given proper closure in canon. Until I got into actual fandom I didn't know what "shipping" was but now that I do, I totally ship Hiccup and Astrid. That was some of the first fanfiction I ever read, over on fanfiction.net. I did read some other stuff in the Frozen fandom because I wanted more of the Anna and Kristoff relationship. Both of these pairings are canon in that they have a kiss and they're TOGETHER when the credits roll, but I wanted… more. I couldn't really put my finger on it, I just… needed to know where they went from there. How did their relationship change? Turns out fanfiction was the answer—people wrote the happily ever afters that I was envisioning and, I'll be completely honest, THEY WROTE ABOUT SEX. I had never seen such a thing outside of porn/erotica. It was this strange like "oh, good, other people think about this, too." (Both the happy endings and the sex.) And then in 2013 my sister got me to start watching Supernatural, and the unresolved anger re: John Winchester and the mounting sexual tension between Dean and Cas brought me to the same place. What the hell would happen if Dean and Sam actually accepted their abuse? (A topic of personal catharsis, for me.) And when Dean and Cas finally fuck?? Oh, yeah. Gimme it. So right now I'm exclusively into Supernatural (Star Trek was a commission and I LOVE IT but I don't seek it out) because we're at season thirteen and I need these two to get over themselves and bone.



3. Which perspective do you prefer writing in? (First-person, third-person) Always third person! I can't read first person, so I wouldn't try writing it that way.

4. Do you prefer writing reader fics or OCs?
 I... assume this was supposed to say "reader insert" and the answer to that is a SOLID NO. Therefore, most OC fics are too because those are just proxy reader inserts. The only exception would be for Original Winchester Child(ren). (Note that if you love these please don't be mad that I've said this, I just genuinely dislike reading them, as you may dislike any number of fics, too. That's life.)



5. Do you prefer writing longer works or one shots?
 Well... everything I've ever written is a one-shot, in that there's nothing that literally needs to be continued. I can't really handle reading WIPs and I don't write them either. I do have longer works (9k, 24k, and close to 40k) but again, they're all "one-shots" as I define them. A couple of multi-chapter works, yes, but still wholly completed works. 


6. Do you take requests? 
I would like to! I've done one work specifically as a request, another is coming soon, and another was like heavily inspired by someone's comments/thoughts/headcanon! But I've never really had anyone drop in and be like "look here's a plot bunny" and then I've gone "hell yeah ..." and written about it.



7. Do you enjoy getting random Asks? 
Haha I would love that but I don't get asks! Or very rarely. They're usually just the chain lovey dovey asks which are AMAZING and it's so nice to hear from my friends. :) But yeah nobody just, like, messages me out of the blue. Some ask games get one or two responses, not too often though. I'm not a very big blog though so that's to be expected!



8. What inspires the names for OCs (or extra character names) in your works? Do you pick them from real life or just select them at random? A mix? 
The only actual OC I've ever done was a side comment in a destiel fic about Jess and Sam having a little boy named Bobby. It was like three sentences total so not a whole lot of development, and the name choice would be obvious to anyone in the SPN fandom. I did also do a Single Father Dean to Baby Emma once but again that (more or less, haha) happened in canon.



9. If your story(ies) have OCs, are their appearances based on real people or celebrities? If so, who? 
Again, no OCs or not enough of an important character to merit description.



10. How long have you been writing?
 Since summer 2015!

[of-suns-and-guns]

You have a couple very well developed original characters in Just Come Home To Me. Even the minor characters without any major parts (yet) feel like real individuals. Not a lot of fic writers do them that well. How did you develop yours so well? Do you have any advice for other fic writers who want to do the same thing?

Hi, thanks, I’m glad you enjoyed them

Okay, writing advice.

First, my OCs could use work, and I’m not done growing as a writer, so anything I have to say should be taken with a grain of salt.

Second, things like this are often subjective, and stuff that works for me, won’t necessarily work for everyone. Which is absolutely a good thing, because diverse writing processes yield diverse stories, and anyone that tries to tell you different is probably a really boring writer.

So with that in mind…

Driv’s Guide to Writing Side Characters  :D

Write them as people who exists beyond the roles you’ve given them:

Someone once told me to write all your characters as if they believe they’re the main protagonists of the story, because they are the main protagonists of their own. That doesn’t change just because they happen to also feature as a small role in your story.

This means that when you’re writing them (original and borrowed characters, alike) you need to remember that each one of these characters:

- has their own points of view of the situation that likely aren’t motivated by, or responsive to, the main protag’s feelings/goals

- have thoughts, feelings, and lives that continue to exist, even when the main protag isn’t concerned with/thinking about them

- have motivations, goals, and priorities that will out weigh/won’t necessarily account for the main protag, the main plot, or the reason they’re connected to the main protag at all

In short: they’re their own people, and the main protagonist of your story is not the main protagonist of theirs.

How I develop my original characters (OR, figuring out the balance between your beloved OC and the integrity of the plot):

The only meaningful difference I have ever found between writing original characters, and borrowed characters, is that borrowed characters come with a ready-made list of traits, and original characters do not.

There are a thousand different pieces of advice floating around out there for developing your OC, each one as valid as the next. The method I use is difficult to put into words, because it’s like they’re an impression of a person that I don’t even know yet, that I shave down and carve out until I can see who they’re trying to be.

Take Emily Dolan, for example (for those who’ve read and remember jchtm).

The first iteration her character was named Emily Tolliver, she was maybe 24 years old, and she was setting up to be Alex’s protege/friend/second-in-command.

But by the time I started doing the third major overhaul of the main plot, I realized I’d started writing her character too young for her age and her role, and that Alex was too lax, too motherly, and too familiar with her to play off as a best friend, so something had to be changed.

There were two options; re-work the story and her character to keep her true to the original intention I’d had for her, or let her be who she was trying to be and write the story to give her the room to do that.

The problem with the first option was, by that time, she’d become too integral to the plot, too necessary for Alex’s humanity, to try to re-work her character back into the confines I’d given her to begin with, and the original character just doesn’t fit the role she now needed to fill.

So I split Emily Tolliver’s roles into three different characters;

- Emily Dolan, the teenager who needed Alex in a way that kept Alex’s despondency from spiraling beyond the point of no return.

- Agent Mackenzie Noble, who could stand as a way to put Alex’s arrival at the Chicago base in context of the other characters and eventually fill the friend-role.

- And Agent Aliah (which got auto-corrected to Alias and I didn’t catch it, but need to fix), who is less personally important to the plot, but is Alex’s acting-director/second-in-command, when she’s out of commission. (His family also breeds champion pit bulls in Arizona, but that’s not important, just a fun fact.)

Sometimes this happens with OCs; they become people you didn’t expect. And sometimes you have to reign them back in, because, even loving who they were, they’re not doing what you need them to do, and the integrity of the story has to take precedence.

And other times, like in this case, you have the room to let them be who they want to be, as long as you’re willing to rework other things and people to let them do so.

It just depends on what you want out of the story.

Thanks for the ask, and I hope that 1) made sense, and 2) helped, maybe?