#just for the excellent sibling shenanigans

[fandomforg]

i love star wars time travel fix-it as much as the next guy, but we need to be thinking bigger! none of this ‘clone wars obiwan goes back to his childhood’ nonsense, let’s see how far we can rocket some unsuspecting force sensitive back in time

now, i’m not familiar with anything outside of movies/tv shows, so someone else could probably rocket them further, but i wanna send like rey, freshly skywalker’d, back to like pre jaster mereel’s death. yes i want her to be like 10 and feral and adopted by jaster. because he’s my favorite and i said so.

so she’s just standing there with her yellow lightsaber that is now far too big for her child hands, suddenly she has a shiny new buir and an eight year old brother that seems vaguely familiar??? like his name rings a bell?? but what could this little kid possibly do that would have such an effect on galactic history that she would know of him like 90ish years in the future???

so basically rey’s wracking her brain for that one pre-imperial history class she took that one time for anything useful she can do to help save the future. all she’s able to come up with is pretty much ‘palpatine bad’. rey would totally just go off on her own to kill him (and make sure he stays dead, the crafty bitch), but jaster seems strangely reluctant to let his ten year old daughter take a ship by herself to assassinate an extremely small-time politician from a peaceful world without any sort of explanation.

but regardless, rey kinda just ends up butterfly-effecting stuff as she grows up a little bit. like preventing jaster’s death and galidraan. in turn, leading to jango not building his revenge army and a generally more stable mandalore system, maybe?? all the while, she’s is getting some sick mando training and super cool armor, like any self-respecting jedi-adopted-by-mandalorians would.

actually, at galidraan, rey’s able to meet up with some jedi for the first time! hooray! dooku’s not quite sure what to do with this strange, unknown, armored, force sensitive teen with a weird, jerry-rigged lightsaber.

rey takes this opportunity to lay out every bad thing palpatine has done/will do in the most incoherent way possible. when asked how she knows this, rey panics and answers that the force told her so. unbeknownst to her, this is actually a completely valid answer to give these jedi masters, and the incoherence of her explanation made it seem even more plausible to be a string of confusing force visions, rather than being completely made up. the masters, particularly dooku, promise to look into the possibility of a sith and ask rey if she’d like to come to the temple with them.

she, of course, goes ‘yes, absolutely! i’ll go tell buir and jango that we’ll all take a trip to coruscant together!’ and the masters just grimace and go ‘yeah for sure that’s definitely what we meant’

they go to the temple, and amongst talks about the sith, and jaster just having a delightful time in the jedi archives (rey has a delightful time too, just think of how master skywalker would react to all these jedi texts!), rey gets to meet a preteen obiwan! fresh off of child soldier-ing on melida/daan! he’s a little traumatized at the moment, but rey is just so excited to finally recognize a historical figure other than her shitty grandpa. she then obviously latches onto little obiwan and like. vibes with him. obiwan is a little baffled by this cool older mandalorian teen that seemingly wants to be his best friend, but he’ll take all the friends he can get after the stressful few months he’s had. rey scares off anyone (padawan, knight, or master) who might give obiwan any shit for melida/daan related stuff. or just anyone that gives him any shit at all.

eventually, palpatine is arrested for tax fraud. he actually is pretty new at the whole ‘sith machinations’ thing at this point, so he didn’t hide his simple tax fraud very well and after his arrest, the jedi are able to get him for the more sith-y crimes. so then the jedi go on the hunt for the sith master.

while they do all that, rey is able to go back to mandalorian space with jaster and jango, making sure to have weekly holo-calls with obiwan and his friends. rey may really miss all her friends and the whole support system she left behind in the future, but she’s got a pretty good support system here as well. hopefully because of her, those friends she left behind in the future will be able to live full, free, and peaceful lives.

[shutuperce]

your fall 2023 byler reading list 🍂🍂

BIG BYLER FIC REC DUMP cause i haven't been writing a lot but i HAVE been reading and y'all need to read these! hope u enjoy as much as i did <3

got your spell on me, baby - @astrobei -Stranger Things (TV 2016) [Archive of Our Own]

Words: 7,919

TW: none

'To be fair, Will’s costume is great, now that Mike knows what it is. And, okay, wait-

“Oh, this is so good. This is so good.” Max points at Mike, wheezing. “Because you’re dressed as-”

Will’s still looking straight up at the sky. The length of his neck is very, very flushed. Mike can feel his entire face going redder than Vader’s lightsaber. He clenches his hands into tiny little fists, and says, around a groan: “I’m not Han Solo, guys.”'

THE halloween byler fic. the party at college, bi lucas sinclair content, halloween party shenanigans.

these nerds, using star wars to flirt 🙄

background lumax & their amazing couples costume, el & will power sibling duo!!!

bowie references to heal the soul

all in all one of my favourite getting-together fics for this time of year :)

what a match: i'm half-doomed and you're semi-sweet - @perexcri - Stranger Things (TV 2016) [Archive of Our Own]

Words: 28,150

TW: guns, blood, gore (just demodogs though no human gore)

'One month ago, if you had asked Will Byers what he’d do if Mike Wheeler threaded his fingers through his hair, looked him dead in the eyes, and started leaning in for a kiss, he wouldn’t have said this.

He wouldn’t have said he’d be staring right back into those yawning dark eyes, one hand on Mike’s waist, the other against his cheek. There wouldn’t have been any lightning in his veins or blood rushing in his ears.

He wouldn’t have said that Mike Wheeler would be tilting his head in the opposite direction, eyes widening just the slightest as if asking permission, his mouth slightly parted.

He wouldn’t have imagined it at all.'

SO SO GOOD. apocalypse post s4, background jancy and platonic stobin, interruption trope x10000 so it's SO SATISFYING at the end.

WILL WITH A GUN.

jonathan & mike solidarity <3

all in all amazingly well written mike and will being blushing messes. love them. fluff in the apocalypse.

take my hand, wreck my plans - @parkitaco - Stranger Things (TV 2016) [Archive of Our Own]

Words: 6,297

TW: discussion of past trauma

'"I am not taken," he says out of habit, even though he kind of is. He and Will aren't together - he blushes at the thought - but they do spend an awful lot of time together, and Mike doesn't ever find himself wishing he was anywhere else. "Will and I are-"

"Ooh, I didn't even say anything about Will!" Max crows. "Oh, this is excellent."

Mike hides his face in his hands even though she can't see him. "Oh my God. Can you put Lucas back on, please?"

Max cackles in to the receiver, the sound fading as Lucas presumably wrenches the phone out of her grip. "We gotta go, Mike," he says, laughing a little. "Max has class and I'm driving her."

"Tell her she's the worst," Mike grumbles, fiddling with the phone cord.

"Say hi to Will for me!" Lucas sings, and hangs up before Mike can protest.

Mike groans and flops back on his mattress. It's going to be a long year.'

part of a series!! byler college au, friends-to-lovers, background party friendship, AND THEY WERE ROOMMATES. OH MY GOD, THEY WERE ROOMMATES??

taylor swift title... do u really need any other persuasion

the whole series is just AMAZING. mike & will getting a break, living together at college and figuring shit out <3

i might be hoping about this - @astrobei - Stranger Things (TV 2016) [Archive of Our Own]

Words: 15,321

TW: none

'Will lets out a small squawk as Mike’s hand— his very cold, very freezing hand— finds its way around the blankets and under his sweater. “I’m sick, you weirdo,” he says, half-laughing into the side of Mike’s head, “I have a fever.” 

“I don’t care,” Mike mumbles, “you’re warm and I’m cold. This is nice.”

“You’re going to get sick,” Will tries, for the umpteenth time, but it’s pointless. Mike Wheeler is stubborn and hardheaded and he never does anything halfway— not even this.'

established byler at college!! so yeah i have a love of college byler and this is one of my top fics for sure. 2nd astrobi fic on this list because i love their writing <3

will gets sick, mike takes care of him. need i say more?

silly goofy guys living together & doing silly goofy domestic shit

this fic makes me SOFT.

accidentally on purpose - @itsromeowrites - Stranger Things (TV 2016) [Archive of Our Own]

Words: 5,019

TW: none

'It starts out with a kiss. An accidental kiss. Because Mike is sleepy and Will is pretty, and who can really blame him? And then there's another one, just as accidental. But the third? Well, that may be a little more on purpose.'

literally smiling so hard at this fic. like hello. soft secret boyfriends and loads of party content, all the kids are okay <3

established byler, how the party finds out. all fluff all the time. jonathan attempts the Talk. mike has no idea what's going on. et cetera.

background lumax, lucas & dustin being lil shits together, and el using her powers to cheat at splashing games. all in all a good time!

and if I get burned, at least we were electrified - anonymous - Stranger Things (TV 2016) [Archive of Our Own]

Words: 14,958

TW: none

'“I’ll leave you be until lunch,” Max starts negotiating, nodding at him as if that’s a good deal. Which—considering it's Max, it is, but Mike doesn’t want to give in just yet. She sighs. “I won’t laugh about the sweater anymore. Or the weak disposition that gives you stupid allergies all the time.”

Mike’s frown deepens, but she wasn’t as mean as she could have been, so he’s gonna take it. He needs to get this out anyways, or he’s going to keep running in circles as if stuck in a hamster wheeler—an accurate representation of his brain when it comes to Will, really. He presses his lips together and tries to figure out a subtle, non-funny way to say it, but he comes up blank.

Fuck, whatever: “I almost kissed Will. Again.”

Max actually has to cover her mouth with her hand, disguising a worryingly loud snort with a cough. The teacher turns their way and stares, then goes back to explaining the exercise on the board. Mike scribbles it down while Max gets herself under control.

Screw his life.'

senior year, post-vecna. the party being friends but also little shits to each other.

madwheeler bandmates!!!

will steals mike's entire closet

they are Dumb Idiots who are mutually pining from afar

and other lovable tropes. takes place in november so good fall vibes :)

[i-cant-sing]

Saya want know how Qasim look,are you have proposal?(≡・x・≡)

(pics below) Qasim, the brother, is older than reader by 5 years. He has chocolate brown hair, thick messy locks, and green eyes. He's gifted with eiditic/photographic memory which made him excel in school and he obviously had a high IQ as well. Doesnt mean reader thinks he's intelligent. Sure, Qasim is book smart, but he's not- street smart. Y/n has been the one to often make him realise that his friends were taking advantage of him by making him do their homework, or that they were laughing at him not with him because of his intellect. But reader chalks it up to his sweet nature, her goody-two-shoes of a brother who was hafidh (memorised the Quran) would always be the forgiving person. Its not that he was a pushover, he just... preferred to be the bigger person. Always. He'd chuckle and ruffle your hair "so what if I cleaned up their mess? it only took me 5 minutes and the job was done. Its okay, Y/n." He's always so selfless. You used to worry that he'd get hurt because he's too kind, you used to think he couldnt stand up for himself because he just didnt know when to- but no. Qasim was quite protective over you. When he saw you trying to tackle one of his so-called bullies, the boy towering over you (but you dont consider the height advantage, not when youre a raging kitten), Qasim stepped in and landed a single punch that knocked him down. (then big bro had to spend the rest of the day consoling u because you made him fight someone- and in ur head, that was the biggest sin u made him commit).

Qasim in Arabic means "the generous one" or "the one who shares", and being the older bro, he took his name quite literally. You were the younger sibling, the spoiled brat, the princess! But Qasim never had any problems with sharing anything with you, be it materialistic things or advice or even knowledge. You memorised Quran by his help (because u were competitive) and he had the extraordinary patience of a saint. You two would often participate in competitions at the local mosque just to get the cash prize and help your parents a bit (they never took ur guys money, encouraging u to either save it or spend it on something). Since both of your parents worked long hours, you two were left unsupervised for a long time and that only meant genius yet chaotic shenanigans, including prank calls to the pentagon hq.

Qasim grew up to get a lot of full ride scholarships from top colleges, and once he did his masters (a STEM major), he decided to start his own travel agency, surprising everyone because it seemed like something he wouldnt do? Everyone expected him to go into sciences, but he said he liked to travel and see the world, and Qasim told you that he enjoys running his own business, being your own business.

You supposed it made sense because he was a polyglot and he did enjoy learning new things and seeing new places, their history, etc. Due to his job, he would be gone for long months at a time, but he never returned empty handed. His arms full of souvenirs and sweets and BOOKS! Its not that he bought them for u, no. He bought those books for himself, but once he read them- he's already memorised it and he doesnt have anymore space in his home for more books, so he's always dropping them by your place (as kids, u made him memorise the phonebook before hiding the entire neighbourhoods phone books and had people pay to use your brother's memory for contacts, which was a good business until your father busted it down).

Qasim is the softest, kindest, most generous person. Even though he has a busy schedule due to work, he always made time for you. Whenever he came by, especially during your finals season, not only did he help you study, but he would also stock up your fridge and made sure to do some maintenance around your house. Fridge not working? Qasim has the tools, and if you werent so tied up with studying, you wouldve freaked out over him disassembling your fridge like lego. Sink clogged? No need for the plumber, Qasim knows the right potion of chemicals to unclog it. He's always been the one to prefer to do things himself, by his hand rather than relying on help.

what do u guys think???

[complete-clownery]

my new OCs (both of them nameless)

This is actually how they look like

Hahaha yeah so now that I can finally talk about them (since they're still nameless I'm just going to call them Tarsier and Pygmy)

Here's little backstory for them and how they got to know eachother:

Both of them a street rats with no families,

Pygmy's been a wanderer since their childhood, they were found by a wanderer human woman who was traveling with her small troop, they took them in for a while but eventually left them in a random village the troop was passing trough, when Pygmy was around 10, they got fucked up over that obviously but adapted to the situation pretty easily. Now they're 26 and never really feeling the need to settle down anywhere, they just have to keep on moving for some reason. Oh yeah also Pygmy is born mute (maybe that's why they were left behind by their biological parents) they never learned sign language cuz there was no one to teach it to them, they got their own version of it tho,,, manedged to get them this faar, so that's good enough. They also like to keep a low profile

Tarsier is a bit different, he had a family. He lived together with his mother, but they were poor and after a particularly cold winter his mother died from an illness, he was around 6 years old at the time and now on the streets alone. He somehow survived living on scraps and learning the art of theft. Actually later on when he was 12 and a decent pickpocket some demon gang took him in, but due to complications (that he definitely did not brought up on himself) he had to leave the troop (more like flea). Now he's 24 and goes from village to village now being an excellent pickpocket and a snarky bitch gets in a lot of fucking trouble wherever he goes. he also doesn't know when to shut up, and has made a lot of enemies throughout his years (his extremely annoying too)

His first encounter with Pygmy was pretty funny too.

Tarsier took their wallet, tho not so long after Pygmy being just as streetsamrt as Tarsier is, noticed the missing purce and chased down Tarsier.

Tho Pygmy isn't really a fighter, they learned some tricks while constantly on the road, beat up Tarsier who is an even worse fighter (and massive coward), or more like was about to beat up Tarsier but he promised he would make up for Pygmys troubles by navigating them thought the particularly big village and getting them a place to sleep.

Pygmy was sceptical at first, but been dying for a real bed so they took the offer, tho they were rightfully sceptical cuz that night they got in trouble for breaking in an inn and stealing food, Tarsier obviously tried to put the blame on Pygmy, with no luck tho, cuz others have recognized him as a thief, so they had to run for their lifes

They ended up getting out alive of the village eventually. Pygmy was extremely fed up with Tarsiers shenanigans, but they ended up going in the same direction, also for some reason Tarsier decided that Pygmy is his new favorite person and stuck to them like a leech (much to Pygmys displeasure)

And I have no idea how did they manadge to warm up to eachother, but that happend and now they're sworn broths/siblings, partners in crime, trouble makers, fuck yeah

That's about all the info I can give to you about them

[thejosiebird]

I really am hoping that Leola might come back in season 7. Not just because she’s an autistic cutie who didn’t deserve what happened to her, but also because think of the potential her character could have! Especially if arc three gets green lit and we get another time skip?!

Leola could still be adjusting to a world that’s changed in the last thousand years, she’s also still coming to grips with the fact that she was freaking dead for that whole time, and that her father lost himself in his grief and became someone she wouldn’t even recognize.

And unlike Claudia, who follows in her father’s footsteps, Leola is afraid of, and trying her absolute damndest to avoid going down the same path her father did. And whereas Aaravos excelled at creating rifts between entire nations, Leola works towards building bridges between people. Hell, she might have already gotten a head start on doing just that if she hadn’t been executed for trying to help humans! Aaravos said so himself that she befriended people regardless of their race of species.

And think of the intersections Leola could have with the main cast members as well!!! She could be like a little sister to Callum and Ezran, and be the mischievous youngest sibling using her magic to try and help them keep in touch with their inner children. Same with queen Aanya. If she can’t take their royal duties away from them, she figures she can at least make them easier to handle with harmless shenanigans. And if she ever comes in contact with Claudia (assuming she lives to see the timeskip) I could see Leola trying to guide her towards a path of healing and recovery from the dark path she’s followed up to that point, if that’s even possible. Even if it’s not, Leola strikes me as the type of person that would try to help Claudia at least, even after learning about her history with the Katolis royal family and how it fell apart.

Like I said, Leola’s character has some juicy potential if she’s revived next season. Here’s hoping!🤞🏼

[bridgeportbritt]

St. Peter's Cathedral | Belomisia, Selvadorada

Gianni somber: Thank you all for coming. I'd like to say a few words.

Gianni: I wish I could stand here today and say what an honorable man my father was. I wish I could say that we had the best relationship and that my siblings and I could say he was someone we looked up to. I really wish I could say those things but unfortunately, that's not our reality.

Gianni: To know my father is to know that he had a lot of faults. I mean, he died in prison after being sentenced to 20 years, for senseless crimes that affected everyone around him. As his son, he made it impossible to stick beside him. It took him finally paying for his crimes to start taking accountability for any of his actions. Talk about frustrating.

Gianni: Even though my dad left behind some complicated relationships with each one of us, I am forever grateful for the brothers he gave me. Grayson was nothing like my dad. Every trait he possessed was good-natured. He was the first of us to forgive him. He's a stand-up man and husband. My younger brother's Guy and Garrett are two of the coolest kids you'll ever meet. Understandably, Guy didn't want to be here today. The way those two stand by their mom, how they excel in school, I'm just really proud.

Gianni: So, when I was asked to speak on behalf of my brothers, I thought about how difficult it would be to talk positively about my dad. But while it's not the cleanest, he does have a pretty great legacy he's leaving behind. While I wish things could've been different, I wouldn't change a thing about who I get to call my family and that's in part to my dad. May he rest in peace.

As usual, here's some gameplay shenanigans as well. Had everyone stay in a Selvadorada Rental while they were in town for the funeral. Gave the girls a chance to get to know the younger brothers!

[eleanor-bradstreet]

Let Me Be Your Anchor

Chapter 17: The Country Visit

Benedict Bridgerton x Sophie Beckett An Offer from a Gentleman reimagined Chapter rating: G Word count: 9.5k

Masterpost Previous chapter

Author's note: Thank you for your incredible patience, dear readers. I am still alive. Life has been life-ing me pretty hard but I think about finishing this fic every damn day. This chapter and the next one are the two big exposition bois that I hadn't written, hence the long wait for them but after that, several chapters are fully completed. I hope you enjoy the family shenanigans in this one. Also, I fully recognize that every time I mention Kate I simp for her ethereal beauty, for which I shall not apologize because she is a goddess and should be described as such. 😜 Enjoy! 💙

The endless procession of carriages marking the arrival of the Bridgerton family at Aubrey Hall brought with it an array of feelings for Benedict. An anxiety and sadness that his family would serve as a wedge between him and Sophie, and an undeniable eagerness to embrace them all, having been apart for so long. A familiar warmth flooded his heart as their voices began echoing in the entry hall and he dashed to meet them.

Anthony was the first to reach him, smirking. “Ah! Our invalid.” He hugged his brother tightly, leaving a possessive hand cupped behind his ear as he looked him over. “Are you alright?” The concern in his eyes betrayed how deeply the steely-faced Viscount truly cared.

“Never better,” Benedict grinned.

“Good,” Anthony clapped him on the shoulder and began to drift toward his study. “I’m pleased to see you haven’t burned the place down. I’m off to meet with Dewitt.”

His sister-in-law Kate glided along behind her husband, resplendent even in traveling clothes. Flashing Benedict a warm smile, she squeezed his arm as she passed. 

Daphne and Simon had joined the throng and Benedict paused a moment to observe everyone. There was comfort in the chaos of the reunion. Seeing them felt like snapping back into reality, as if he had been living in a fantasy world tucked away with Sophie and her faerie-like enchantment over him. He wondered if anyone would be able to detect something amiss. Though he had managed to be discreet about all manner of outrageous activity in the past, he had never attempted to hide something so close to home. 

“Benedict, dear.” His mother extricated herself and approached him with open arms.

“Mother,” He folded into her embrace.

“I have missed you.” She rested a hand on his cheek. “You are feeling quite well again?”

“Perfectly,” he smiled. “I’m the picture of health.”

She pulled back and appraised him, her eyes brightening. “I should say so. You wrote that you had hired a nurse to help you? We owe her our thanks, no doubt.” 

Benedict felt the color rise in his cheeks. “Yes, well, not a nurse exactly. She is a very skilled maid and…”

“Well how serendipitous!” His mother exclaimed. “I must ask you, do you know if she has experience as a lady’s maid?” His stomach clenched, already apprehensive of where this may lead. “I don’t know. Possibly?”

“Oh, I do hope she does.” Taking him by the elbow, Violet moved to a corner of the hall and dropped her voice to the exasperated tone Benedict knew was reserved for bemoaning his siblings’ misdeeds. “Just before we left, Eloise’s lady’s maid took ill and stayed behind. Though in truth I wonder if she did not bow out so as to avoid your sister’s moods.”

Benedict couldn’t help but snicker, unabashedly proud of his sister’s obstinance. 

“What is her name again?” Violet asked.

“Sophie,” Benedict tried to keep his voice from wavering. “Sophie Beckett.”

His mother’s face lit with a smile. “Excellent. I shall call for her during tea.”

“Oh…um…perhaps…” A dozen half baked protests swirled in his mind and he stuttered as he tried to land on one. 

Her plan already happily cemented, his mother began to shoo him down the hall. “You should go and help Anthony, dearest. Oh, and make sure Colin stays away from the kitchen as best you can. We’ll need to have some biscuits saved for our guests. Plenty to do, dear. Off you go.”

Anxiety spiking through his every nerve, Benedict stumbled away blindly. He fought to find composure, reminding himself that if he and Sophie were to remain undiscovered, he must not get flustered over the details of her employment. He must act as if she were any other maid, though of course she was anything but.

___

The Bridgertons had only just arrived and Sophie was already second-guessing her decision to remain at Aubrey Hall. She had been so wholly focused on Benedict that she had failed to consider what risks there were in being seen by his family. When all of the servants had formed their customary lineup at the front doors to welcome them home, she had tucked herself behind Lizzie and admired each well appointed carriage and each handsome brunette Bridgerton that stepped out of it. Then he appeared and her blood ran cold.

Colin Bridgerton. The only other person with whom she had interacted at the masquerade ball. Living on gauzy dreams of Benedict for years, she had forgotten about it entirely. What if he had a keener eye than his brother? What if he remembered her voice? Would he be able to recognize her from that brief, masked encounter in a shadowed garden so long ago? Reason told her it was highly unlikely but she resolved to avoid him nonetheless. She turned her face as he jogged up the steps and he took no notice of her. Once everyone had gathered inside Sophie was introduced to the housekeeper Mrs. Wilson, an older woman of stern stature but kind eyes. Accepting Mr. Dewitt’s explanation of her employment, Mrs. Wilson’s first task for Sophie was to iron more linens for the guest bedrooms. 

Hard at work in the belly of the house, Sophie’s mind raced. While in proximity to the Bridgertons she was at twofold risk of discovery. Discovery not only of her scandalous relationship with Benedict, but of her trespassing into their London home years ago. How would Benedict react if either came to light? Surely it would be the end of their trysts, the end of her employment, perhaps the end of her freedom if they chose to prosecute her. Perhaps she should remain in the servant’s level for the entirety of the country visit which effectively ended their dalliance anyway. She began to wonder if she had already shared her last encounter with Benedict. Had already felt his caress for the final time, had already tasted their last kiss…

“Staying on then, are you?”

Anne suddenly appeared in the doorway and startled Sophie out of her thoughts. Even after weeks of working alongside one another while Sophie extended every kindness, the fellow maid had never warmed to her. She wore a perpetual grimace and seemed immune to any kind of cheer.

“Yes,” Sophie swallowed and turned back to her ironing. “The family has permitted me to stay and assist with the visit.”

Anne smirked. “You mean Mr. Benedict has permitted you to stay.”

Sophie ignored the flutter in her stomach and answered matter-of-factly. “Yes, it was his decision initially.”

Blocking the exit, Anne crossed her arms, leering. “He seems quite taken with you. I’ve never seen any member of the family so invested in a maid before. Kindnesses exceeding what is customary.”

Sophie knew the steam from the iron was not the reason she felt flushed. But she had a lifetime of experience dealing with manipulation. She wouldn’t be shaken so easily. The trick was to answer with ruthless exactitude; never lying, but never giving her tormentor what she knew they wanted. “Well, my hiring was anything but customary. He was in need and I was available to assist. I believe he is only trying to express gratitude.”

“Gratitude, yes.” Anne arched a brow. “You spend a lot of time upstairs…accepting his gratitude.”

Stiffening, Sophie forced a breezy tone. “I am on hand if he should require anything. He often requests that I read to him.”

“I know how to read and in all these years he’s never once asked me.” Anne’s pout and petulant tone assured Sophie that she was none the wiser to the actual truth. She may have been ready to brandish threats but had no proof. This line of accusation was fueled purely by jealousy which she had been riddled with from the day they met.

Sophie pursed her lips. “Well, it does require a degree of wit and character to truly make the passages come to life.”

Before Anne could respond, Mrs. Wilson appeared at her side.

“Miss Beckett, if you would follow me.”

With a nod of assent Sophie brushed passed Anne, flashing her a warning look that dared another challenge.

Sophie’s nerves rose steadily as she walked silently behind Mrs. Wilson, the both of them winding their way through staircases and halls until they reached the closed doors of the drawing room. Sophie swallowed hard, wondering what awaited her inside. An array of accusatory scowls and a note of dismissal? A fuming Viscount shaking a piece of her waylaid clothing at a shame-faced Benedict? The sins they had committed in that room…

But when Mrs. Wilson pushed open the door she was met with the lovely tableau of ladies at tea. The Viscountess and Lady Bridgerton sat in all their finery on opposite sofas, sipping lightly from china cups. Miss Francesca played a flowery tune on the piano in a far corner. The youngest Bridgerton, Miss Hyacinth, was practicing her penmanship with a governess at a table. The room was sunlit and nothing but welcoming.

Mrs. Wilson ushered Sophie to stand before the sofas and she curtsied deeply.

The elder Lady Bridgerton rested her saucer and looked up.

“Ah, you must be Miss Bennett.”

“Beckett, ma’am.” Sophie dropped her eyes respectfully. “Sophie Beckett.”

“Oh yes, I’m sorry.” Lady Bridgerton chuckled and Sophie could not help but notice how the blue shade of her eyes matched Benedict’s exactly. “Miss Beckett. I must thank you for caring for my son during his illness. How fortunate that you were at hand in his time of need. Our family is indebted to you.”

Once again, Sophie was struck by the kindness that seemed inherent to the Bridgertons. She had never been treated so well by any employer. “No, I am indebted to him, ma’am. Your son…saved me from a most unpleasant fate, then gave me employment here while I am between positions. He has been more than generous and I have very much enjoyed the hospitality of your home.” 

There was a world of story hidden behind her words, but she was confident it would remain there. Discretion was one of the many skills she had learned through the hardships of her life.

Then the Viscountess addressed her. “It sounds as if your debts have been mutually paid then.” She was so impossibly beautiful, Sophie found it difficult to hold her gaze despite her warm smile. “Miss Beckett, have you secured a new position yet?”

“Not yet, my lady.”

“Would it be your wish to remain in our employment?”

Benedict’s mother jumped in to explain. “My second daughter Eloise is without a lady’s maid at the moment. I’m afraid we are short-staffed to prepare her for the ball we are hosting. Have you any experience upstairs?”

Sophie’s thoughts began to race. She had intended to remain for the country visit, but as a housemaid relegated to the servant’s level. To work upstairs would complicate her plans to stay out of sight. And yet when she tried to dredge up the white lies she used to deceive the Cowpers, she found that she could not. The gentleness in both women’s eyes compelled her to tell the truth. “Yes, ma’am. It has been some years but I have dressed young ladies for the season.”

Lady Bridgerton beamed. “Excellent. I thought you might. You speak very well. You seem to be precisely what our family needs at every turn, don’t you? A blessing indeed.”

“If you should like to remain as a lady’s maid for Miss Eloise, we will increase your wages and keep you on during our visit,” said the Viscountess.

Lady Bridgerton nodded. “Yes, and we will provide a letter of the highest recommendation for your next position.”

Sophie paused a moment, considering their offer. Clearly Benedict had not told them of his own offer to refer her and pay her handsomely once she found a new position. An offer of employment had never materialized from the Stirling household in Scotland, something she had been quietly celebrating since mending things with Benedict. A recommendation from a Viscountess would carry more weight than that of a second son, and raised wages from a higher position could set her up nicely for the future when and if she ever needed to leave the family’s employ. Weighing the benefits against the risks, she reasoned that Colin Bridgerton and any other member of the ton were unlikely to recognize her for the same reason Benedict could not. Their own bias against her lowly position. If anyone questioned her, she had only to point at her servant’s uniform to undermine their suspicions. Who would truly believe the trajectory of her life? From faux debutante at a Bridgerton ball long ago, to a servant in the very same household. It beggared belief, sometimes even from herself.

Working upstairs also afforded her more opportunity to see Benedict, if not speak with him directly. She knew they were enforcing distance but her heart already ached to at least see him from afar. To see how he interacted with his family and how he navigated society. At Eloise’s side she could safely observe him without seeming out of place. She was resolved.

“Thank you, Lady Bridgerton.” She curtsied to the Viscountess and then her mother-in-law. “Lady Bridgerton…both of you. I should very much like to stay.”

Next she knew, she had been outfitted with a smarter uniform and marched back upstairs to the family wing by Mrs. Wilson.

The housekeeper bustled along in front of her, all business. “Mrs. Wiggin tells me that you have been of great help around the house. There will be no more cleaning and tea service duties for you now that you are to attend Miss Eloise. You will be responsible for waking her, dressing her, chaperoning her on outings and tending to her needs.” 

“Yes, I understand.”

They moved past Benedict’s bedroom and rounded down another hall before stopping in front of a door. Mrs. Wilson turned to her with a serious look.

“I should warn you. Miss Eloise is…spirited. She has had four lady’s maids since her debut, if you take my meaning.” She raised her eyebrows pointedly. “Perhaps you should count yourself lucky that you are only standing in for the visit.”

Sophie felt a pang of apprehension. Benedict had not spoken much about his siblings during their time together, and certainly not in any way that would indicate they were anything but kind and playful. She had noted Eloise’s curious absence from teatime and had also begun to recall hearing her name in the Cowper household years ago. Cressida held a very poor opinion of her but then, that did not make Eloise more notable than any other young lady of the ton. There was certainly no way Eloise could be worse than Cressida.

After a quick rap on the door, Mrs. Wilson pushed it open and they stepped inside. Seated at a large and cluttered writing desk in the middle of her well-appointed bedroom, Eloise startled at their appearance and quickly shuffled papers over whatever it was that held her focus. She stood, trying to obscure the desk behind herself. Instantly Sophie understood why Eloise may be regarded as ‘difficult’. Prim and proper young debutante she was not. She had the stance and smirk of one who did not much care for etiquette and tradition. Her hair was unfashionably short and fringed and the jacket she wore over her pale sage dress had a rather masculine crop. The room was untidy and filled with the kind of ornaments one would expect in a man’s study -  piles of books, ink stains on parchment, busts of authors, and a large telescope facing a window. 

Mrs. Wilson regarded her with exasperation. “Miss Eloise, this is Sophie Beckett. She will be serving as your lady’s maid while we are in the country.”

Sophie curtsied and smiled.

“Excellent. Pleasure to meet you.” The sarcasm was thick in her voice. She forced a grin as Mrs. Wilson bowed out of the room. Her affectation continued as she rolled her eyes. “I am so delighted that a stand-in was found to assist me with the crucial undertaking of buttoning my frocks.”

Sophie quirked her lips, entertained rather than daunted by Benedict’s rebellious sister. “I am certain you would be capable of managing such a task yourself, Miss. But is there not some pleasure to be found in conversation with a confidante throughout your day?”

The young woman cocked her head, assessing Sophie carefully. “Confidante? I’ve never had a lady’s maid describe herself as such before.”

“What are we for but safeguarding the secrets of our ladies?” From the smell of tobacco in the air, she deduced what Eloise had been doing at her desk. She jutted her chin knowingly at the mess of papers. 

A wry smile began to spread across Eloise’s face as she sat and uncovered the tobacco pouch and collection of rolling papers. Sophie felt a surge of victory at already winning a degree of trust.

Eloise toyed with the half-rolled cigarette she had been making. “I know ladies should not smoke, but if I will not be allowed more privacy while we are in the country, at least you could spare me a little indulgence.”

Sophie moved to her side and delicately plucked the cigarette from her grasp. “I believe you should roll them more tightly. Like this.” Carefully, she worked at the paper until it was shaped securely.

Eloise’s eyes boggled. “Do you enjoy them yourself?”

Sophie shook her head. “Not me, no. But I have worked with many people who do.” She handed the token back.

“Thank you.” Eloise could not seem to look away from her remarkable new lady’s maid who not only failed to chastise her for unladylike behavior, but even assisted her with it. She tucked the cigarette safely into a case on her desk. Her posture eased and she leaned back to get a better look at this rare woman. “Where do you come from?”

“North of London originally, but I have lived many places and worked in many houses.” 

Eloise’s eyes lit with recognition. “Are you the one my brother hired recently?”

Sophie tried not to blush at the mere mention of Benedict. “Yes. Mr. Bridgerton assisted me in a difficult situation then fell ill. I was able to return the favor by ensuring he recovered here.” Considering what a rulebreaker Eloise appeared to be, Sophie wondered what such a woman would think of her brother’s salacious dalliance with a maid. She would never reveal it of course, but she got the impression that Eloise may not be scandalized by the concept.

“And now I am your problem in place of him.” Eloise smirked.

Sophie chuckled. “I would not use that word, Miss. I have enjoyed his company and look forward to getting to know you and your family better.”

To demonstrate her readiness she began tidying, brushing loose tobacco dust from the desk and dropping it into the fireplace. She moved to the vanity and began straightening the hairbrushes and tincture bottles which were woefully disarrayed.

“Well I doubt there will be much time for chatter with the guests inbound in two days. This Hearts and Flowers ball always brings chaos to the house.” Eloise groaned from her seat.

Sophie already anticipated her answer but asked. “It sounds as if you are not looking forward to it?”

Eloise shrugged. “There are some acquaintances I am eager to see, but plenty that I would rather avoid. I’m not even sure I know who is on the guest list this year.” 

“Could you ask the Viscountess?”

“I fear she would misinterpret my intentions and believe I was searching for an eligible suitor, which is a conversation I’d like to avoid entirely, thank you very much.” 

Sophie had to keep from laughing at how utterly dejected Eloise looked, arms crossed and posture slumped. Then she had an idea, a way of both solving the conundrum and earning more trust.

“Copies of the list are provided to the staff so that we might prepare rooms and meals. Would you like me to secure one for you?”

Eloise brightened, once again agog at her new companion. “That would be helpful, thank you Sophie.”

“You’re very welcome, Miss.”

The smile they shared was filled with affinity. Here was another woman who kept secrets, who broke rules. A woman not unlike herself, Sophie thought, yet also similar to Benedict in her ease and good humor. Working for Eloise was a world away from working for Cressida. Sophie could not imagine two young ladies at further ends of the spectrum regarding propriety and appearances. Like her brother, Eloise’s disposition was rare within society and Sophie began to wonder if every last Bridgerton was so uniquely charming.

Sophie spent the evening acquainting herself with Eloise’s wardrobe and toilette, straightening her room as she went. She had half a mind to call Anne upstairs for the task so that she might acknowledge Sophie’s promotion, but it seemed too spiteful. She still aimed to keep a low profile among the staff and family both. She was able to procure a copy of the ball guest list from Mrs. Wiggin and on her way to deliver it to Eloise, she made sure to scan the names herself.

The Cavenders had not been invited, which she suspected Benedict had a hand in. The Cowpers were also noted as sending their regrets. Just seeing their name in print made Sophie break into a cold sweat, but she remembered that they often visited Penwood at this time of year which likely explained their absence. Fortune seemed to be on her side for avoiding any risky encounters, and there was a spring in her step as she returned to Eloise’s room to prepare her for bed.

The next day was for the Bridgertons to enjoy the estate before guests arrived. Eloise proved difficult to rouse but quick to dress in the morning. Caring very little for ostentation, she was satisfied by the simple frock and hairband which Sophie supplied. After breakfast Eloise requested her company for a walk through the grounds. Sophie took the gesture as one of generosity and trust. As they walked through the gardens where she and Benedict had shared so many passionate moments, she fought to concentrate on what was being said. Eloise was an effortless companion in that she never left a lull in the conversation. Indeed, Sophie spoke very little except to express her general support of Eloise’s many plans for reforming society and her own path in life. She longed for an education, for adventure, for advocacy. She fretted for the plight of women, though Sophie suspected she had little understanding of the tribulations faced by the working class. Nonetheless, she was impressed with the young woman’s drive and eager to have further conversations on all Eloise had read and experienced. The spirited nature she had been warned of was proving to be nothing but charming.

The highlight of the day was the family’s annual pall mall game, which Eloise explained the rules of as Sophie accompanied her to the back lawn. They arrived at the site of the game before anyone else and Eloise unabashedly outlined her devious plans. Grabbing the fifth wicket from a stack, she hitched her dress and began marching across the grass to place it in the most inconvenient location possible, somewhere between a dense thicket of bushes and the infamous ball-pit of the lake. She assigned Sophie to stand guard several paces away and then disappeared into the brambles, wicket in hand.

Sophie kept her back to Aubrey Hall, snickering to herself as she enjoyed the cool breeze. She remembered Benedict’s retelling of last year’s game and now had a clearer picture of Eloise’s ruthless, even deceptive competitiveness. She also wondered when the last time was that she assisted in any task purely for the sake of fun. It was a light, sunny feeling. Which all came crashing down when a man’s voice rang out behind her.

“You there!”

She spun and saw Colin Bridgerton striding toward her, eyes stern. Oh god, he had recognized her. She could already hear the anger in his voice, could already feel his grip on her arm as he dragged her to the Viscount to expose her. She had been a fool to think she could stay hidden. She felt as paralyzed as a deer in the sights of a stalker.

All she could do was blanch, voice wavering. “Sir?”

He stopped short in front of her, eyes scrutinizing her face. “You…”

This was it. The end of her silly dreams…

“You’re not the lady’s maid from London,” he said at last.

Sophie nearly swayed on her feet as the wave of nausea halted. He didn’t recognize her. She was nothing but another nameless maid to him, just one he hadn’t seen before. Her assumptions had been correct. He was as blinded by her class as his brother. 

“No, sir,” she affirmed, finding her voice again. “I am newly retained to see to your sister while you are in residence.”

“Ah.” A smirk crossed his face and she could see he held his hands behind his back, bouncing on the balls of his feet. He scanned the lawn around them, quipping. “Can you see her now?”

Sophie felt certain that this was all a ploy in the great pall mall rivalry. Well, her allegiance was set. Pursing her lips, she answered. “She is placing the fifth wicket, sir.”

“And she asked you to stand guard.”

“Yes.” Sophie sensed the budding good humor of their conversation. “Do you suspect me of underhanded behavior?”

Colin grinned. “I am accusing my sister of it. I’m sure you are innocent and have been lured into her deceitful enterprise unknowingly.” Once again he searched the horizon. “If you could just tell me where she is…”

“A lady is entitled to her privacy, wouldn’t you agree?”

Colin’s eyes snapped back to her, surprised at her direct tone. 

“Do you believe I am so dimwitted as to allow myself to become embroiled in a scheme against my will?”

He bowed his head in apology. “I meant no offense. Most maids are unused to dealing with Eloise’s…spirited manner.”

There was that phrase again. Now it was Sophie’s turn to smirk.

“I have dealt with far worse than Miss Eloise, I assure you.”

Colin assessed her again carefully. “Well, you are clearly strong of spirit and quick of wit. What about sweet of tooth?”

Finally revealing what was behind his back, he held out a pastry. Something covered in chocolate and delectable looking. “Have you ever had an eclair?”

In truth, she had not, but her loyalty was not so easily bought.

She arched a brow at him. “A bribe? Is pall mall victory really so viciously contended for?”

He chuckled. “You have no idea.”

Their stalemate was broken by the reappearance of Eloise.

“What are you doing here?” Shaking leaves from the hem of her dress, she scowled at her brother. “Looking for the wicket? Well, you’ll have to find it during the game, along with everyone else.”

Nose in the air, she swiped the eclair from his outstretched palm, shoved it whole into her mouth and marched onward to the house. “Come on!” She ordered, her words muffled.

Barely containing her laughter, Sophie followed her mistress, leaving Colin gaping by the waterside.

Everyone had gathered in the sprawling back garden and were buzzing with the anticipation of play. Lady Bridgerton and a contingent of nursemaids were bouncing the grandchildren in their laps on a covered dais while the Viscount, his siblings and their spouses gathered to select their mallets. Eloise dashed into the crowd and secured the orange while Anthony and his wife seemed to bicker over the imposing black mallet. Sophie skirted the scene and started back up the large stone steps into the building but paused to find Benedict among the gathered chestnut heads. He stood slightly off to one side, hip cocked and hands rested on his lavender mallet as his eyes trailed up to hers.

It was the first time they had seen each other in two days and their shared gaze was heavy with yearning. In that moment, the noise and bustle of the Bridgertons fell away and they felt like the only two people on earth. As tenuous as their arrangement was, Sophie couldn’t help but feel magnetized to him; the only constant in her ever-changing circumstances. 

Benedict stared at her as a man transfixed, his chest tightening in that indescribable way. She looked happy, light-hearted, and it made her glow from within. He wanted to capture that light, to infuse it into her portrait…

“Brother!” Anthony barked in his ear, startling him out of his reverie.

“Are you playing or lollygagging?” Eyes burning with signature intensity, the Viscount bade him follow and Benedict forced himself to plod across the grass and away from the captivating woman on the stairs. No one seemed any the wiser as to what had caught his attention, but he wondered how long he could try to ignore Sophie when a single glimpse of her caused such turmoil within.

Darting into Aubrey Hall, Sophie stationed herself by a window to watch the game unfold. Though she could not hear any of the exclamations from the field, it was evident how much joy and fierce competition it stirred. Taunts, encouragement, cheers, laughter. The grounds were alive with the fun of it all. Every sibling and spouse demonstrated their skillset, some adept at the technical approach and others more determined to settle grudges by disrupting their opponents’ efforts. They moved numerically from wicket to wicket, varying in pace, sometimes disappearing from view to find the far-flung goals. Sophie could only imagine where Eloise had hidden hers. Colin was disqualified early but seemed entirely content to join his mother for cakes and tea while wiggling his fingers at his nephew Edmund.

After nearly two hours, the finalists lined up at a hoop approximately five feet off the ground, which Sophie understood from Eloise was the last goalpost. To be deemed the victor, one had to shoot their ball through the hoop by any means other than their hands. The Viscount’s shot went wide. The Duchess’ did not achieve sufficient height. The Viscountess was prowling with anticipation for her shot but Benedict was before her in turn order. Sophie watched in delight as he took the unconventional tack of balancing his ball between his feet then jumping like a frog to launch it through the hoop. To everyone’s amazement - including his - it worked and he crowed with victory, running about and whooping in the faces of his siblings.

Sophie clapped from her spot at the window, laughing with glee. Of course she had been rooting for him and fate once again proved to be on their side. In the midst of her laughter she found that tears had begun rolling down her cheeks. Her joy was echoed by longing. Longing for siblings, longing for a family, longing for the kind of happy life enjoyed by the Bridgertons. But she wiped them away, recognizing that though she was still in the uniform of a maid, she was the happiest she had ever been. She still got to enjoy the beauty and comfort of Aubrey Hall even if she was not an esteemed guest from the ton. She still got to laugh at the shenanigans of the Bridgerton siblings even if she could not join in. And she still got to lay claim to Benedict as a lover, a man who pleasured and protected her, even in their odd arrangement. It was a happier life than she could ever have imagined while wretchedly scrubbing floors for the Cowpers. Tomorrow didn’t bear worrying about, because today she was happy.

___

At last the day of the Hearts and Flowers ball arrived. Carriages loaded with the top tier of society descended upon the house in waves. Aubrey Hall erupted with noise and movement as the guest rooms filled and the common areas became dotted with simpering debutantes, weary bachelors, drunken fathers and scheming mamas. The flower arrangements chosen by the Bridgerton women were dazzling. Garlands and swags of roses, lilacs and lilies. As she made her way to Eloise’s room, Sophie felt as if she were walking through both a verdant garden and a fine parfumerie.

As she picked out a shawl to match Eloise’s dress, trying to skillfully combat the young lady’s protestations against joining in lawn games, there came a knock at the door. When she opened it to find Benedict, her breath caught in her throat. He too seemed taken aback, stumbling over his words about lending his sister a book which he held out in explanation. Eloise sat at her vanity, thanked him and blithely waved him away. Turning to Sophie, Benedict pressed the small volume into her hands, his touch lingering too long on her bare fingers, eyes burning. Then as quickly as he appeared, he was gone.

Examining the book, Sophie saw a sheet of parchment jutting from the back cover. Clearing her throat, she slipped it quickly into an apron pocket and carried the gift to Eloise. As she finished dressing her for the day, it was all she could do to keep her fingers from trembling with anticipation.

The day passed in a blur, with the Bridgertons and guests mingling in every corner of the house and grounds. Sophie joined the cadre of ladies maids who bustled between the bedrooms, stitching loose threads, buffing shoes, polishing jewelry and trading rose water as they coordinated for the evening ball. Stealing the occasional glance out the windows, Sophie eyed Eloise chatting in an animated fashion with a young lady in yellow. She also heard through the servants’ chatter that the men had returned from a hunt with a stag and two does felled. She wondered if Benedict had made any of the killing shots. If only she could catch a glimpse of him in his hunting ensemble, with a long coat and top hat astride Danae. The mental image gave her an undeniably carnal thrill.

In what seemed no time at all, she and Eloise were stationed back at the vanity, dusk falling purple and soft outside as Sophie lit candles and proceeded to pin the young lady’s hair into a stylish coiffure. In a cluttered drawer she had found a bejeweled hairpiece in the shape of a geranium and nestled it gently within her upswept tresses. For her gown, Eloise had chosen one in a modest style, mint-toned and glimmering with silver accents. Sophie thought it suited her perfectly - beautiful but understated. Style with wit rather than ostentation.

As she dotted rouge onto her cheeks, she asked an amiable question to which she already suspected the answer.

“Are you excited for the ball, Miss?”

“Not particularly.” Eloise’s voice was tight.

“You’re not one for dancing?” Sophie wondered if Eloise was also cursed with two left feet like her brother.

The young lady rolled her eyes. “I’m not one for listening to stodgy men prattle on about how many carriages they own as if that will enamor me enough to marry them.”

Sophie grinned. Eloise’s frankness was unfailingly refreshing. But she knew better than most the discomfort of feeling out of place, and she disliked the thought of sending her off into an evening of drudgery. However, this was Eloise’s role; to attend balls and interview suitors, the same way her role was to primp her to do so, and they had to proceed no matter how much they both longed for something different. All she could offer was her own commiserating perspective. 

“If I may be honest, in my experience it is rare to find gentlemen among the ton who are both kind and interesting.” Then she caught herself. “Of course, I am counting your brothers as the exceptions.”

Eloise scoffed. “Well, I’m not certain about that. You don’t really know them.”

Sophie felt the blush rise up her neck and turned to hide it, busying herself with the face powders. But it was too late, Eloise had noticed.

“Though I suppose you’ve come to know Benedict.” She smiled wryly, now even more curious about her new lady’s maid. “I will say, it’s not a secret that he is my favorite brother.”

Sophie continued to fiddle with the contents of the vanity. “Oh? And why is that?”

“I suppose of anyone in my family I can be my true self around him without fear of judgment or reprimand. He is supportive. Since our father died it’s as if he has been the eldest brother to us all, while Anthony became our father more or less.”

At last Sophie turned and met her gaze, impressed by the first genuine show of emotion she had seen. She moved to affix Eloise’s earrings, smiling wistfully. “It is wonderful that they have been there for you.”

Eloise nodded. “Mmm. And we are quite similar. Benedict also disdains balls and playing the marriage mart.”

As she worked at the small fasteners, Sophie pondered for the first time how odd it was that Benedict remained unmarried. Considering he had been deemed the most eligible bachelor in London years ago when they first met, he must have gone to great pains to avoid the throng of ladies throwing themselves at his feet. But why?

“So the two of you do not wish to marry?”

“Well, I don’t think Benedict is opposed to marriage. But he’s a romantic.” Eloise explained. “The only thing that motivates him are his passions. So he is waiting for a love match, I’m sure. Which is even harder to find than a good dance partner.”

She snorted in laughter which Sophie half-heartedly imitated. It was no revelation to her that Benedict had a romantic soul. He was an artist after all. But the thought of him marrying for love rather than duty, of being blissfully happy with a woman of society who would carry his children and walk on his arm, it made her stomach turn. It was everything she wanted and precisely what she could not have. It was why she would eventually have to leave.

Eloise carried on, completely oblivious. “I certainly do not want to get married or bear children. Though I am struggling to determine what kind of life is available to a woman otherwise.”

With this comment compounding the sting, Sophie could not help but make a sour face and look away.

That was enough to draw Eloise’s attention. “I’m sorry Sophie, that was insensitive of me. Of course there are plenty of unmarried women who work, and working for a livelihood is…”

“It’s just that you are not of the class that is required or even allowed to do so.” After a steadying breath, Sophie turned back. Her woes were not of Eloise’s making. If anything, they made her see how they were similarly caged at either end of the social spectrum. Perhaps in the world the young woman envisioned, they would both have been able to break free.

“You have not offended me. I understand. I understand very well how the circumstances of our birth can restrict our path in life and I do not think that applies only to the lower classes.” Bending over her shoulder to meet her eyes in the looking glass, Sophie gave her a reassuring smile. “There are a great many injustices in our society, Miss Eloise. It seems like you may be of a mind to help resolve some of them.”

Tears sparkling in her eyes, Eloise’s voice was raspy but sincere. “Thank you, Sophie.”

With continued words of encouragement Sophie gave her a handkerchief, helped her to pull on her gloves and sent her down to the ballroom looking as polished as an emerald. She would wait eagerly to hear how the evening progressed, wondering if she would return as dejected as she set out. As she straightened the bedroom, the murmurs of the gathered guests grew louder downstairs, followed by the first strings of music. It was joyful, romantic, and she was instantly transported back to the night of the masquerade ball. The first and only time she had been able to experience such magic firsthand. A night where she held Benedict’s undivided attention, twirling in his arms despite not knowing how to dance. With a moment of privacy at last, she fished the parchment out of her pocket and unfolded it. It was a painting, a simple watercolor of delicate blue flowers with their name written neatly in a corner - Forget Me Not.

Clasping the paper to her chest, she fell back onto Eloise’s bed, beaming. Her mind flooded with images of Benedict and the hope that his love match would continue to elude him that night. He was only downstairs and yet he felt worlds away. But no matter the distance, she was incapable of forgetting him.

____

In the rose colored ballroom below, everything was progressing with the signature elegance of a Bridgerton event. Candles twinkled from every sconce and surface, reflecting the crystal of the champagne flutes and the embellishments of the ladies’ attire. Flowers trailed along every railing and entryway, lending a sweet fragrance to the air. Dancers twirled expertly in the center of the room while guests in all their finery moved between clusters of conversation and towers of brightly colored confections. The Viscountess, dowager Lady Bridgerton and Duchess of Hastings stood regally near the double staircase, surveying the scene with pride.

The Viscount found himself among a group of gentlemen listening to the details of a business proposition laid out by Lord Fife. It was unlike Fife to have anything worthwhile to say, but his latest venture sounded promising. Even Simon was showing interest, as he elbowed his way in and they sipped their brandies together.

“Where is my brother?” Anthony muttered, scanning the faces of the men gathered. “God knows what he’s been up to these days. He should hear this.”

Simon sighed. “You should know by now that you need to be more specific than that. Which brother?”

“Benedict.”

The Duke’s brows shot up. “Ah. I haven’t seen him tonight. Though I have some idea where he might be.”

Anthony knew to be wary of that smug tone. Tapping his eldest friend on the arm, they steered away from the crowd. “What do you mean?”

Simon kept his voice low, turning his back to the room. “It’s none of my business but…in his convalescence he seems to have taken up with one of your maids.”

“Oh god,” Anthony groaned, eyes rolling. “How do you know this?”

“We have seen it, Daphne and I. I’ve seen his eyes follow her out of a room and Daphne said she has seen…”

The Duke paused, trying to tread lightly. He knew how easy his friend was to anger.

“What has she seen?” Anthony pressed him, teeth clenched.

Simon took a deep breath. “She has seen them touching. More than would be appropriate. On more than one occasion.”

Anthony’s eyes went wide, his nostrils flared. “Unbelievable.”

Hoping to avoid a public outburst, Simon tried to calm him. “Come now, Bridgerton. He’s a man. Let him have his fun.”

Anthony’s jaw locked, telegraphing his aggravation. “True, we all have our fun wherever we find it. But it remains unbecoming of a gentleman to flaunt it in one’s own house.” His eyes darted to ensure no one could overhear them. He leaned closer, hissing. “I knew he was…eccentric, but I didn’t think his tastes would extend to the help.”

Simon rolled his eyes, knowing this was a far lesser scandal than many they had faced together. Such as the one where they found themselves on opposite ends of dueling pistols. “I didn’t mean to sour your mood, I only wanted to keep you informed.”

Hands on his hips, Anthony steamed for a moment before acknowledging that it was neither the time nor place to address the matter. In their new chapter as relations, Simon had developed a knack for dissipating the Viscount’s untimely frustrations.

Anthony clapped him on the shoulder. “And I’m grateful that you did. You are a true friend. Although, should I call you brother now?” He smirked.

The Duke pointed a wry but warning finger. “Don’t push your luck, Bridgerton.”

___ After three glasses of champagne, two hours of inane conversation, and one good-natured turn with his mother across the dance floor, Benedict had endured about all he could take of the ball. While he has happy for his family that everyone was enjoying themselves, his heart was not in the event. Indeed, it felt somewhere else entirely. As he mumbled pleasantries with the same tired acquaintances and ducked around corners to avoid the fawning advances of Miss Dolores Stowell, he began to wonder what exactly the point of his attendance at such events was anymore. His peers were all there to ostensibly find their spouses and their elders were there to supervise the chase. But he would not find his wife in that ballroom or any other. 

The lady in silver was long vanished and even the memory of her was starting to feel as insubstantial as gossamer. For how long could he keep searching in vain? For how long could he pin all hope on an imagined future with her? One full of the passion, happiness and companionship he longed for? Then Sophie flashed in his mind and he wondered if he was truly longing anymore. Thoughts swimming, he snuck unnoticed out of the ballroom and made his way to a secluded spot where he could think undisturbed. The portico roof over the front doors of Aubrey Hall rested just beneath an array of windows that one could easily climb through and drop out of sight as they sat with a panoramic view of the grounds. It had become a secret, almost sacred place for both heartfelt conversation and mischief which he had only shared with Colin and Eloise, the latter of whom he was surprised to see had beat him to the punch and was sat on a corner of the roof, smoking.

She looked up in alarm as he clambered out of the window and dropped beside her, but on recognition she smiled and wordlessly offered him her cigarette. He took a drag, settling beside her, the two of them staring out at the parade of carriages in the drive and the shadowed hills of the lawn beyond. The stars were bright and the air was peaceful, a stillness in sharp contrast to what Benedict felt within.

Eloise smirked at him. “No one catching your eye, brother?”

He handed back the cigarette and took note of her appearance. It was still odd for him to see his little sister grown and out in society. In his mind she would always be stubborn little El, smudged in dirt and tromping around with a slingshot in hand and one of Colin’s hand-me-down caps. But here in her gown and jewels with her hair pinned beautifully, she rivaled the elegance of every young lady within. 

“I should ask you the same. I’m surprised the men aren’t falling all over themselves to dance with you. You look very lovely tonight.”

She smiled, straightening a bit. “It’s all thanks to the new maid, Miss Beckett. I like her very much.”

He felt the heat rise to his cheeks and the grin that broke across his face was entirely too large and entirely uncontrollable. Perhaps his sister wouldn’t see it in the low light, but his hopes were dashed.

“Benedict?” She studied him, cajoling. “You apparently like her too.”

He swallowed, speaking the truth aloud for the first time. “I do.”

He was surprised to find that he was not nervous about dropping his ruse. Not around Eloise. If there was anyone in the family he could be honest with, it was her. While they had always been close throughout their childhoods, it was when they confessed their shared disdain for the confines of society that the bedrock of their adult relationship had been formed. Whether on the swings in the garden of Bridgerton House or here on the portico roof of Aubrey Hall, they confided in one another about their desires and their struggles. Sometimes explicitly but more often simply through a silent, innate sense for when the other needed support and they never failed to provide it, in blanket sentiments or merely in physical presence. Benedict had escorted Eloise to many a ball she did not wish to attend and had pulled her briskly from the orbit of unsavory suitors. He had sat outside her bedroom door to stave off reprimands after Lady Whistledown had exposed her unsanctioned visits to political rallies and brought scandal down upon her head. After he had left the Royal Academy in shame, fresh sketchbooks, charcoals and paints continued to appear on the desk of his bedroom though he had not purchased them. And when he sulked in heartbreak and frustration for months after losing the lady in silver, Eloise would prod him for walks in the sunshine or games of chess, anything to keep his mind off of his pain without ever ridiculing his behavior, while the rest of his family were convinced he had gone mad. If anyone would champion his pursuit of happiness despite the risks it incurred, it would be Eloise.

True to her character, she did not blink at his confessing attraction to a servant, but she did keep his feet rooted on the ground. “Be careful there. I can only imagine what the family would say about a dalliance with a maid.”

She was right, of course. If his family were to find out and reproach him, it would be easy enough to terminate a frolic that was just for the fun of it all. And yet, as he quested through his feelings, the odd sensation in his chest affirmed that he could not walk away from Sophie so easily. He was approaching something. Something he knew the name of but could not yet admit, not even to himself. But he knew it would rise to the surface soon enough.

“I don’t know if it’s a dalliance, El.”

“What?”

He twisted his fingers as he sought for the words. “A part of me feels…I don’t know. Happier than I have felt in years.”

Eloise was quiet for a moment and then bluntly asked him the question he could not pose to himself. “You’re finally ready to give up on your lady in silver, then? For a servant?”

Her shimmering image rose in his mind, smiling coyly. He’d spent the last two years with one eye on every door, always waiting for her to enter the room. He felt silly sometimes, even stupid, but he’d never been able to erase her from his thoughts. Or purge the dream - the one in which he pledged his troth to her, and they lived happily ever after. It was a silly fantasy for a man of his reputation, sickly sweet and sentimental, but he hadn’t been able to help himself. That’s what came from growing up in a large and loving family - one tended to want the same for oneself. But the woman from the masquerade had become barely more than a mirage. Hell, he didn’t even know her name. 

“Maybe,” he exhaled, feeling a barrier begin to crumble. “She is at least here. I can see her and talk to her and I know who she is. But I also know what a scandal it would all cause.”

Then he tried to envision a future with Sophie. A life with her would be different from the picture of familial bliss he had imagined, but it didn’t mean they couldn’t forge their own kind of happiness. He couldn’t marry her, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t be together. It would mean compromise, but they could do it. And they’d certainly be happier than if they remained apart.

“So what are you going to do?” Eloise asked.

Benedict’s eyes darted over the horizon, dozens of possibilities tumbling through his mind. Anxious, joyful, heartbreaking, ecstatic.

“I don’t know yet.”

His sister rested a hand on his shoulder and gave him a light squeeze before she stood, dropped her cigarette and stubbed it out with her toe. She brushed off her dress and smoothed her hair, then looked down at him. 

“A word of advice. Don’t fear what others may think. When you find someone, whoever that person is and wherever they come from, if you feel drawn to them, hold onto that feeling. Nurture it. You are a man, and I dare say it would be easier for you to get away with than me. So do it. Live your life and don’t give a damn about society.” 

Then the fire drained from her voice as it became shaky with emotion. “It’s something I wish I had done long ago.”

Turning on her heel, she pulled herself back into the house through the open window and left Benedict alone in the night air, contending with his thoughts.

Marching back through the halls, Eloise wiped a tear from her cheek as her mind replayed her own flirtation with a different life. One that would have been harder, but also simpler than the one she was born into. A life of action and activism. A life of work but fulfillment. A life as the wife of a printer, filled with literature and love.

Any chance at that life had been dashed not only by her own fear of pursuing it, but by the acid pen of Lady Whistledown who had exposed her unchaperoned excursions and scandalized her family. That had been the hammerblow of certainty that if a young lady were to step one toe out of line from society’s expectations, woe would befall her. So ever since, Eloise had done her best to content herself within her gilded cage, waiting for the day when she would either be old enough to break free without censure or meet the man who miraculously defied her abysmal appraisal of his sex.

This was her destiny, one that must find her. But with Benedict able to navigate society more freely due both to his charismatic nature and his gender, surely he had a much greater chance of defining destiny on his terms. She would never forget how dejected he had been after the masquerade ball where he alleged to have met the love of his life. As he quested for her in the months that followed, Eloise watched the light of humor and charm that she so loved in him grow dimmer and dimmer until it almost seemed extinguished. But in recent days it had undeniably returned and she felt as if she had the old Benedict back. If Sophie was the cause of this change, then she would do everything in her power to support their secret romance.

Stopping in front of a mirror she dabbed her eyes, set her resolve, and returned to the ballroom.

“Kate!” 

The Viscountess stood near a throng of mamas, graciously accepting their compliments for the hostess. Wrapped in a shimmering sari of ombre blue and purple, she matched both the colors and grandeur of the decor perfectly. 

“Are you enjoying the evening, Eloise?” She smiled as she turned to her sister-in-law.

Adopting a cheery tone, the younger exaggerated a smile. “Oh yes, my dance card is full.” She shook the card on her wrist rapidly, trying to obscure the fact that she herself had penciled in all the names, including Robert Burns and George Washington. Clasping her hands behind her back, she continued. 

“I’ve met so, so many wonderful bachelors tonight, thank you. I am here to ask you a favor.”

“Yes?”

“My temporary lady’s maid, Miss Sophie Beckett. I have grown quite fond of her and she is very skilled, as you can see.” She pointed proudly to her bejeweled coiffure. “Can I ask that she accompany us back to London? I know that the other maid will return, but she can take care of Francesca and Hyacinth.”

The Viscountess balked, stunned to hear Eloise express any praise for a lady’s maid, let alone the request to retain one permanently. Her sister-in-law was single-handedly the cause of the majority of staff turnover for the Bridgerton household. Whatever magic Sophie Beckett possessed, she was now determined to secure it for as long as possible. 

“If you both desire it, yes, we can take her on in London.”

Eloise beamed with excitement. “Thank you!”

Returning her smile, Kate wondered how far she could push her luck. “Now, would you like to meet Lord Gloucester? He is…”

“No!” Eloise nearly leapt away from her like a cornered animal. “Sorry, I’m incredibly parched. I must get a glass of lemonade.” Waving her off, she nodded her thanks once again and then disappeared into the crowd.

Tagging: @angels17324 @broooookiecrisp @secretagentbucky @eg-dr3amer3 @time-to-hit-the-clouds @lyta2323 @autumn-grace @sadprose-auroras @the-other-art-blog @goldrambutan @colettebronte @heeyyyou @musicismyoxygen84 @faye-tale @ambitionspassionscoffee @starchaser325 @malna4903 @sincere-sarcasm @kmc198n @makaylan @queen-of-the-misfit-toys @alexandrainlove @chase-your-dreams-away

[varteeny1234]

I had a great idea for an au. i dont know how often this will update but WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE LET'S GO :D

Summary:

In front of Ruby and Viking was a sunny clearing where the trees thinned, and the grass was a bright soft green. Small white and yellow flowers dotted the ground. And there, in the middle of the clearing, stood a large apple tree. Its bright red fruits were weighing down the branches, and there were dozens scattered on the forest floor. The laughing sound rang out for the fourth time, and something dropped down out of the branches of the apple tree. That something was, from the looks of it, a fairy! Had Ruby's heart been beating this fast the whole time? ~ The spacetime siblings meet a fairy in the woods: Ruby falls *hard*, Vintage is not nearly as terrifying as she looks, and Viking is the only one with a braincell. Shenanigans ensue

Chapters: 1/?

Words: 1397

Chapter warnings: light body horror (antique applesauce appearance) but nothing else

Ship: Sakura Spouses (ruby/vintage)

I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS AU I HOPE YOU ALL LIKE IT!!

Step One: Get The Pants Scared Off Of You

"Come on! This area looks familiar!" Ruby yelled. Ve skipped through the forest, watching the trees pass by, halfheartedly scanning the landscape for anything that ve could have passed before. 

Zir brother, Viking, ran to catch up to zir. "Ruby, wait up! I don't want us to get separated!" 

Ruby slowed down to a walking pace. They waited until Viking was next to them again before starting up at a jog.

"We're just getting more lost, Ruby, I swear! I don't recognize these trees at all, we should just turn back around," said Viking. "Who's the one with the excellent sense of direction here?" 

Ruby huffed. "You get us back home one time, and suddenly you have the greatest sense of direction in the history of ever! Besides, if it's so great, how come we got lost in the first place?" 

"Oh, come on! Even that one time counts! Let's just keep moving, we've got to find something familiar soon- what are you doing?" 

He stared incredulously at his sibling, who shushed him. "Be quiet for a second! I heard something!" Ey whispered. Ey'd been half-listening to Viking's arguing when a laugh echoed quietly through the trees- in the direction ey'd been leading them, too. Viking, to his credit, did actually shut up. The sound came again, high-pitched laughter from not too far away. "It sounds like laughter!" 

Viking's eyes widened. Ruby knew what he was thinking. The woods that they'd managed to get themselves lost in was widely believed to be home to a large population of magical beings: fairies, spirits, witches, all sorts of things. Neither sibling had ever personally come across any, but enough people from town claimed that they had that only people from far away didn't believe it. 

This was exciting! They might be about to meet a magical creature! 

"Let's keep going!" Ruby grabbed Viking's hand. He knew that Viking was just as curious as he was to find out if it really was a fae that they'd heard. They treaded much more carefully now, being careful to not make a lot of noise as they searched for the source of the laughter. The next time the sound came, Viking heard it too, and the two shared an excited glance before peering around a large flowering bush. 

In front of them was a sunny clearing where the trees thinned, and the grass was a bright soft green. Small white and yellow flowers dotted the ground. 

And there, in the middle of the clearing, stood a large apple tree. Its bright red fruits were weighing down the branches, and there were dozens scattered on the forest floor. 

The laughing sound rang out for the fourth time, and something dropped down out of the branches of the apple tree. 

That something was, from the looks of it, a fairy! 

The two siblings stared jaw-dropped at the creature. It took Ruby a second to remember to blink- or breathe. 

The fae stood up, their arms full of apples. They were tall, probably taller than Viking even, with shockingly pink hair and four pairs of grey-blue wings on their back. They had long pointed ears that appeared to be longer that their head- and their pale green coat, even from this distance, Ruby knew was softer than anything ze had worn. The fae sat down and leaned against the trunk of the tree with an apple in their mouth. 

When they opened their eyes, Ruby saw that they were almost the same shade of blue as their wings. It went to take another step forwards, to get closer. 

A branch snapped under ver foot, and the fae looked up at ve. Their steady gaze seemed to pierce into ver soul. 

Had Ruby's heart been beating this fast the whole time? 

One of the fae's antennae twitched, and a moment later, their whole body seemed to melt as they shifted into a new form. 

The apples that they'd picked fell to the ground, covered in the inky black substance dripping from their body. 

They screamed, sending a ringing pulse through Ruby's eardrums, and their jaw unhinged itself. Barely any of the body that they'd had only a few seconds ago remained visible, the fae now almost completely covered in liquid void. 

Ruby still thought they were beautiful, even in their horrifying-ness. It took Viking yelling in hir face to snap hir out of hir trance. 

"Stop staring, we have to go! Right now! You got us spotted!" He sounded like he was panicking. 

Oh, right, we should leave before we get attacked...

They picked a random direction, Viking dragging them even faster than Ruby had been going before. The forest around them sped past in a slightly-panicky blur, much unlike how it had been before. This time, they weren't worried about exploring so much as escaping. It was a while before they were sure the fairy wasn't following them. 

All the excitement that had been pent-up in Ruby's chest was bubbling up, and she burst into a fit of giggles. She tripped over a tree root, falling on top of Viking and knocking them both to the ground. Fortunately, they landed on a soft, squishy patch of moss.

"Haha!" She laughed. The giddiness was infectious, clearly, Viking joining in. "We just saw a fae! I can't believe it, that was so awesome!" 

"And absolutely terrifying! The way that they just, like, melted? I think I lost about five years off my lifespan. I'm surprised we're still alive," said a very wide-eyed Viking. He rolled over so he was face-down in the moss. "I'm just going to lie here for a minute and let my brain exit flight-mode."

Ruby sat up. Ve sighed, gazing up at the tree canopy. A few birds flew past, chirping sweetly. "Yeah..." Ve agreed. "Terrifying..." 

They were terrifyingly GORGEOUS!

"Why do you sound like you're about to attempt something incredibly stupid?" Groaned Viking.

"I want to go back." 

Part of Ruby was surprised at his own words. He did want to, though. He needed to get a closer look at that fairy- maybe even talk to them! 

At that, Viking shot up, brushing bits of moss out of his hair. "What? What the hell- absolutely freaking not, Ruby! Do you even know how dangerous that is?! You- you could die!" He spluttered. "Are you just not worried about that?" 

Ruby shook its head. "Of course I am! A little bit. But I still want to try and talk to them! Get to, you know, know them." It couldn't help but smile again, in spite of Viking's scolding. For whatever reason, going back to see the fairy again wasn't a scary thought in the slightest. After all, they'd only acted scary when they'd found out they'd been noticed. 

"They were just happily eating apples before we interrupted them! I don't think they mean any harm. Also, they were really pretty..."

"Yeah, they weren't trying to kill anyone then, but that doesn't mean they wouldn't- did you seriously just call them pretty?" Viking's jaw had dropped. He stared at Ruby incredulously. "I'm- I'm not letting you go back. No way! No way! We're going to go back home, and you're not going to look for anything in the woods far enough away you can't hear me yell from the house. Speaking of which, we're still very lost, and- wait a second. Why do I suddenly know exactly where we are?" 

Ruby sat up and actually looked at their surroundings- which, of course, revealed to her that the moss patch they'd landed in was the same one that they had already known was only a couple of minutes' walking time away from their house. There was the same rock that looked like a cat over by the tree with the burnt marks on it from a forest fire hundreds of years ago. The same blackberry bushes that they ate from in the summer (and always ate more than they brought back home). The same cluster of small white flowers right next to the path that was only ever used by them- the one that led straight back to where they lived.

Laughing, she got to her feet and offered Viking a hand. "I should go back and thank the fairy- if they hadn't scared us, we'd have never ran so far in the right direction!"

[butcherlarry]

Weekly Fic Recs 68

I am back from my travels and I come bearing fic recs :)

Also, today is the LAST DAY to get your prompts in for Superbat Week 2024! Here is a link to the prompt submission form:

We also have a discord!! There are many awesome people there and there is constant chatter about our beloved superhero husbands. Follow the link in this post if you are interested in joining:

You can also get updates to the event by following @superbatweek2024 tumblr blog as well :)

Now onto the fics!

Bells will ring, the sun will shine by Anonymous - Superbat, complete. Kryptonians survive and make it to Earth! There are some people (*cough cough* Amanda Waller *cough cough*) who think the Kryptonians are up to no good and ask Bruce Wayne to go check it out and meet up with one of them to gather intel. In Las Vegas. Anyway, they both end up drunk and some how married :) Shenanigans ensue.

third act twist by pomeloquat @pomeloquat - Ghostbat, Superbat, complete. A fascinating look at Bruce's past relationship with Khoa and future relationship with Clark.

Patchwork Pod by Ktkat9 @ktkat99 - Superbat, Batfam, wip. More mer Bruce! Clark is out of the hospital, hooray!!

carry me when you go forth by Anonymous - Superbat, complete. This author's note says it all: "boss makes a dollar i make a dime that's why i write superbat macro/micro pwp on company time" There is also some lovely art that @januariat created based off this fic and another fic on this list (Exponential).

I Proti Fora by Spartypants @sparkypantaloons - Batfam, complete. Jason and Bruce go on a lovely vacation to Greece :)

The Antithesis Of Magic by Ghxst_Bird @ghost-bxrd - Batfam, wip. An update to Redhood Jason adopts a child Bruce from another dimension. Lorge gremlin man taking care of smol gremlin child, I love it :D

Love and Hope Endures by littlechinesedoll @brucietales- Superbat, complete. This fic has everything that I love! It's omegaverse! It's mpreg! It's set in medieval times! It has mystery! It has the King (Clark) falling in love with a commoner (Bruce). I love it so much 💖

Little J by LilLayneeLoo - Superbat, complete. Another mpreg fic :) A very pregnant Bruce thinks he can have his child by himself, no problem. Shenanigans ensue.

The Valley of the Shadow by FabulaRasa - Superbat, complete. Bruce gets terminally sick. Clark is there to help.

guilt is a useless emotion by TheResurrectionist @frownyalfred - Batman, complete. Fic based off this post. Bruce and Hal continue their argument into the showers. Clark endures.

Don't touch my weird brother by Speechless_since_1998 @mylifeisfruk4ever - Batfam, complete. An excellent sibling fic. The only one allowed to pick on Tim is his brother, Jason. Fuck those other guys.

dead man's party by TheResurrectionist - Batfam, wip. More of the Jason sees ghosts fic!

Exponential by unbreakabledawn @unbreakabledawn - Superbat, complete. The other superbat micro/macro fic I referenced above :)

Mission: seducing Superman by Speechless_since_1998 - Superbat, wip. More of Battinson trying (and succeeding! somehow) to seduce Superman. So many shenanigans happening!

The Only Son of Themyscira by mitzvahmelting @mitzvahmelting - Superbat, complete. Clark goes to train with the Amazons after he comes back to life. Bruce deals with his emotions the best way he knows how (ignoring them).

eye in the sky by TheResurrectionist - Superbat (kinda), Batfam, wip. An update to the fic where Bruce is a prisoner of the Regime and trains other metas! Duke has finally met Clark and is not creeped out by him at all :)

Everything Will Be Just Fine by lonelynpc @lonelynpc - Batfam, wip. Goth dad Battinson being the best Goth dad he can beeeeeeee!!!!!!

willing the door open with your need by sunsh4ne - Bruce x2 (!!!!), complete. Omegaverse! Omega Batfleck somehow gets in the same universe of Alpha Battinson. Sexy times ensue :))))))))))

Exobiological Toxicology by Briarwitched - Clark & Conner, complete. After a successful mission, the League goes to an alien bar to celebrate. Clark and Conner experience the joys of being drunk for the first times in their lives. Shenanigans and family bonding ensues.

Super...Baby? by LilLayneeLoo - Superbat, complete. More mpreg fic! All of sudden, Bruce is developing the same powers as Clark. I wonder why...

prelude by TheResurrectionist - Lex Luthor, wip. Dan the Alpha my beloved. Part of the a room full of coral series. Lex goes into heat and runs into an Alpha on the property line of Lake House :)))))))

Happy reading!

[blazefirefox]

BEHOLD, MORE ENA OCS

I was rewatching the Dream BBQ announcement trailer when I noticed one of the spinning ENAs had the exact same colors as ThEna, just swapped, so I got the idea of making ENA OCs based on the other ENAs seen.

Here are my first three, the spooky siblings (based on color scheme), Enette, Enalise, and RegEna (left to right). I created GEna to complete the trifecta lol

Individuals + their "serial numbers"

Extra Info:

This group of sibs work with the ENA seen in Dream BBQ, under Froggy. They're pretty much the closest things she has to friends in her workplace, and they enjoy her company (GEna doesn't show it much tho)

Enatte (ENA-8532-01):

Orange - Efficient; the oldest ENA of any batch is expected to excel and be an example for their sibs, but this was driven into 01 more, as her batch was the first completely functional trio of ENAs that were created for a while. Unlike her sisters, 01 fully enjoys her job, even respecting Froggy a great amount. Her voice headcannon is Ben Balmaceda (specifically Kaveh from Genshin Impact, mostly just Ben himself).

Saffron - Mischievous; after years of conditioning to be a golden example for all Worker ENAs, her desires to be free and do what she enjoys culminated in her troublemaker side, which 01 does a good job repressing until she's off from work. The most important thing her siblings know about this side is that she usually goes along with what shenanigans they do. Her voice headcannon is Brianna Knickerbocker (specifically Hu Tao from Genshin Impact).

RegEna [GEna] (ENA-8532-02)

Purple - Haughty; she loves her older sister, she really does. But 02 hates how seriously she expects them to take this stupid job. Before they matured, 02 was known for her mean streak, often taking out her frustrations of the world on younger ENAs that were unfortunate to come her way. It wasn't until she accidentally hurt her younger sister that she started calming down. Now, she just a normal asshole. Her voice headcannon is Ryan Sean O’Donohue (specifically Demyx from Kingdom Hearts).

Orange - Guilty; when the sibs were assigned to work under Froggy, 02's siblings noticed that her other side became more downcast and self-deprecating, bursting into tears and continually apologizing for how she acts when her dominant side is in control, especially to 03. The youngest ENA in question does not know how to feel about this. Her voice headcannon is Erica Mendez (specifically White Lily Cookie from Cookie Run: Kingdom).

Enalise [Lisa] (ENA-8532-03)

Saffron - Thoughtful; unlike her older sisters, who either love or detest their job, 03 usually doesn't pay any mind to it, and does an average job. She actually is drawn to the oddness of the world around her, what secrets they hold, why things work like they do. She can't help but feel envious of Scholar ENAs since they have the access and knowledge 03 so desperately wants. Her voice headcannon is Khoi Dao (specifically Albedo from Genshin Impact).

Purple - Judgemental; experiencing 02's behavior before their full maturity shaped 03's annoyance into a need to reprimand everything she does and to communicate what 02's problem is in her own way, thus her snappy, but kind of well-meaning side. 03 is less shameful of this side than others think she should be, as the youngest ENA believes that "she was made the way she was, and she's going to let what emotions slip through happen." Her voice headcannon is Brittney Karbowski (specifically Mio from Ghost Stories Dub).

Next is Enaline, based on the ENA in the second picture on the right!

Alt. Outfit + her old Worker look

Extra Info:

Created as a Worker ENA, Enaline would become a Runaway after her other sibs went "missing under mysterious circumstances" and she "saw something she shouldn't have", as she puts it. Not much is known about her past other than this, as she soon becomes unresponsive after giving up too much information. She's mostly seen hanging out in the Karaoke Bar AthEna (ThEna) works at, and is very social, depending on which side is dominant.

Enaline (ENA-7450-03)

Sky Blue - Carefree; after experiencing The Horrors™, Enaline decides that she won't let her past and regrets tie her down, so she up and leaves the Sector she grew up in and ended up settling in the area overseen by The Clown. She is very jovial in this state, being more of an 'act first think about the consequences later' kind of ENA. Her voice headcannon is Kieran Regan (specifically Shikanoin Heizou from Genshin Impact).

Salmon - Existential; despite her attempts, Enaline can never fully leave behind the cause of her upturned life, and when she thinks about that, she becomes unpleasant (at least that's what she thinks). The former Worker feels a constant dread tugging at her in this state, something she can't remedy no matter what she does. All Enaline can do is not think about all of that while she's Carefree, and everything will be fine! Her voice headcannon is Monica Rial (specifically Momoko Koigakubo from Ghost Stories Dub).

@anniewuubelike 👀👀👀

[thelongestway]

Star Trek Lower Decks, s05e04, notes on the watch

Qo'nos! MA'AH! I missed you, bud- I mean, captain!

And Ma'ah can't compete with the proper farm boys, hahaha!

WAIT THE CREDITS ARE WE REALLY GETTING AN ENTIRE ALIEN EPISODE PLEASE PLEASE

who are you ignoring Ma'ah tell us

ofc it's her who else could it be XD she is going to drag your sorry ass out of depression i'm betting

i love how the music is the metal version of the Klingon battle theme from earlier episodes

Ma'ah if a girl says that she find captains hot and then uses every excuse to get to you even when she finds out you were stripped out yours is either in love with you anyway and is just practicing her poetry or is a Romulan spy

Boimler continues his efforts at growing the beard!

okay, lol, K'Elarra draws the line at Starfleet!

Ma'ah's no good terrible very bad farm day, Malor just roasting him all day long

Klowhakans is a terrible pun, writers, OUCH. but at least we finally know who you are!

but also i can't wait to see all the hot takes on the birds for whom food criticism is the highest form of scholarship and is an art and a science

"It is a chain" ahahahaha

Mariner, you really got tired of model officering and now want shenanigans? Klingon shenanigans, preferrably?

"It is better you train to fight the bear" - so do the science officers get snakes huh huh

AHAHA Ma'ah's brother just... punctures the bullshit in classic sibling way

OH NO IT'S A GORDON RAMSEY EPISODE (but also alien-focused so I'm good)

calling it now those birds are a stage persona

they also need to meet some Tellarites! Where is Dr. Noum when you need him?!

oh DAMN the Klowahkans look like they're pretty isolationist oh man this is good fanfic fodder

AHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAH

New reaction shot go!

(oh my godd Lower Decks should be given 7 more seasons just to do aliens - because yes, of course it's a parody, but it's a parody through which you can very easily see what the serious stories stemming from their additions look like, well done!)

YES DRAG THE FARM BOY INTO SHENANIGANS

When *Mariner* gives you the side-eye for Klingon enthusiasm, Boimler, you know it's gonna be fun!

THE KLOWAHKIAN DINING UTENSILS I CAN'T EVEN

Gabers Migleemo, we have a name!

The cut from "to my quarters" to the ritual with the corresponding music change is excellent

"clutch me you coward!"

Boimler genuinely saving the day the entire episode, huh?

K'Orin is just eating gagh like popcorn in his mind

Aw, Tendi and her dicing :)

farm boy background comes in handy, Malor!

"hire a targ groomer, dude!"

Oh man, the duel scene. Brutal and excellently Klingon.

THERE'S OUR WORMHOLE THROUGHLINE (wormhole wormhole hahaaha)

ok, wow, we get to see Migleemo being extremely professional and cool, amazing XD

I can really see the family resemblance with Mariner right now, captain Freeman!

that truck is going to have the best targs in the fleet huh

[dreamonseems]

Hiii, hope you're alright 🫶

Would you write skincare night with bf Erling (and maybe include Jack as well cause he's so girly pop?) With him being all reluctant and all at first but ultimately loving it

Nightly Shenanigans

Erling Haaland X Female Reader

Summary: Late night making YouTube videos with Jack and Erling.

Lol, this was fun to write, but I don't know anything really about skin care routines. I don't do them, so I hope this is good, lol also, I leave it out to your guys' imagination if you want Jack to be your full brother, half brother, or step brother.

Growing up with Jack Grealish as your older brother, a bond so strong that it could withstand any storm. From the earliest days of your childhood, the two of you were inseparable, sharing laughter, tears, and a multitude of unforgettable memories. With every step you took, Jack was there, a constant presence, a guiding light in your life.

Together, you formed an unbreakable duo, a force to be reckoned with. The mischievousness that coursed through your veins was legendary, earning you the nickname "double trouble" in the neighborhood.

There was never a dull moment when you and Jack were together. Whether it was sneaking out for late-night adventures, devising ingenious pranks, or embarking on spontaneous escapades, you were always at the center of exhilarating chaos.

But amidst the whirlwind of mischief, your bond ran deeper than the surface-level shenanigans. Through thick and thin, Jack stood by your side, a pillar of strength and unwavering support.

Whenever you needed a shoulder to lean on or a listening ear, he was there, ready to offer his unyielding love and guidance. With his infectious charisma and caring nature, Jack had an innate ability to make everything seem better, even in the darkest of moments.

As the years unfolded, Jack's passion for soccer ignited a fire within him, leading him down the path of pursuing a professional career. He spent countless hours honing his skills, relentlessly pushing himself to excel on the pitch.

And you, being the fiercely loyal sibling that you were, stood proudly beside him, offering words of encouragement and being his unwavering cheerleader. Through the exhilarating victories and heart-wrenching defeats, you were there to witness every triumph and setback, sharing in his journey with unwavering dedication.

Meanwhile, you discovered your own passion in the world of YouTube. What started as a mere hobby, capturing moments of joy and sharing them with the world, soon blossomed into a serious career pursuit.

As you poured your heart and soul into creating content, Jack wholeheartedly supported your ambitions, recognizing the talent and passion that fueled your every video.

He championed your endeavors, sharing your videos, and even making appearances to add his infectious charm to your content. Together, you formed an unbreakable partnership, inspiring and uplifting one another to reach for the stars.

In the rollercoaster ride of life, you and Jack remained each other's steadfast allies, bound by an unbreakable bond of love and camaraderie.

Through the highs and lows, you weathered every storm together, emerging stronger and more resilient with each passing day. Jack Grealish, your older brother and best friend, was not just a sibling but a guiding force, an unwavering presence, and a beacon of light in your life's journey.

As destiny would have it, Jack's journey led him to join Manchester City, and not long after, Erling followed suit, donning the same sky-blue jersey. Little did they know that their friendship would take an extraordinary turn—one that would intertwine their lives in the most unexpected and enchanting way.

Jack, being the charismatic and generous soul he was, couldn't contain his excitement at the thought of introducing his best soccer friend to his best life friend. And who better to fill that role than his beloved younger sister—you. Jack knew that if anyone deserved to witness the magic of Erling's presence, it was you, his confidante, and partner-in-crime.

Little did any of you realize that this seemingly innocent introduction would set off a chain of events that would alter the course of your lives forever.

As you and Erling laid eyes on each other for the first time, an inexplicable spark ignited, creating an electric connection that transcended all boundaries.

The enchantment of that moment unfolded into a love story that seemed plucked straight from the pages of a fairy tale. Fate had intervened, intertwining your destinies in the most wondrous way, leaving you both spellbound and breathless.

Together, you embarked on a journey of love, weaving a tapestry of affection, understanding, and shared dreams. The connection you shared with Erling was nothing short of magical—a profound and soul-stirring bond that defied logic and surpassed all expectations.

The two of you were destined to be together, your hearts in perfect harmony, dancing to the rhythm of an extraordinary love story.

Yet, amidst the intoxicating joy that filled your hearts, a flicker of concern arose. What would Jack think? How would he react to this unexpected turn of events? But just as he had been there for you throughout your lives, Jack once again proved the depths of his unwavering love and acceptance.

With open arms and an overflowing heart, he embraced your relationship, recognizing the sheer happiness it brought to you both. Jack's unyielding support only fortified the foundation of your love, solidifying the bond that now united all three of you as a tightly knit family.

In this tale of destiny and love, Jack's friendship with Erling blossomed into a brotherhood, an unbreakable connection forged through their shared love for the beautiful game. Together, the three of you embraced life's challenges, celebrating each victory and supporting one another through every hurdle that came your way.

Love, friendship, and football converged, creating a tapestry of happiness and fulfillment that would forever be etched in your hearts.

Here you are today on a saturday night unfolding, bringing with it the perfect opportunity for a unique gathering in the cozy haven of yours and Erling's apartment. As you settled down in the living room, surrounded by cameras and skincare products, a mischievous grin played upon your lips.

Tonight was the night you would embark on an unforgettable YouTube adventure, teaching the two most important men in your life the art of a skincare routine.

"Come on, Erling," you pleaded with a twinkle in your eye, trying to convince him to join in this lighthearted endeavor. Knowing well his inclination towards privacy and his reluctance to embrace activities that may seem "girly" to the world.

You promised him a reward, a secret token of affection, knowing that it would be the perfect leverage to coax him into participating. Deep down, however, you knew his true motivation stemmed from the desire to bring a smile to your face and make you happy, for his love for you knew no bounds.

Jack, on the other hand, couldn't contain his enthusiasm. With an infectious grin and a playful twinkle in his eyes, he exclaimed, "Count me in, lads! It's time for the world to see my flawless skincare routine. You know I'm your ultimate girly bestie, right?"

Laughter filled the room, a testament to the lighthearted camaraderie that defined your relationships. In moments like these, the three of you were a united force, capable of turning any ordinary evening into an extraordinary memory.

As the cameras rolled, you took the helm, guiding Erling and Jack through the intricacies of skincare. "Alright, gentlemen," you announced with a mock seriousness, "we're about to embark on a journey to radiant skin. First, we need to cleanse away the day's impurities."

Erling, a mix of amusement and slight confusion, held up the facial cleanser, examining it with a raised eyebrow. "I never thought I'd see the day when I'd be doing a skincare routine on camera," he chuckled, surrendering to the infectious energy of the moment.

Jack, fully embracing the role of the "girly bestie," dramatically gasped. "Erling, my dear, welcome to the glamorous side of life! Soon, you'll be obsessing over sheet masks and serums like the rest of us."

The room erupted with laughter as you guided them through each step of the skincare routine. You shared secrets, tips, and even a few comical mishaps along the way, all while showcasing the unbreakable bond that united the three of you.

Throughout the video, the love and friendship between you, Erling, and Jack radiated, creating an undeniable warmth that reached beyond the screen. Every joke, every shared moment, was a testament to the deep connection that had woven your lives together.

As the video came to a close, you looked around the room, an overwhelming sense of gratitude washing over you. "I'm so lucky to have both of you in my life," you admitted with a genuine smile. "You guys are my anchors, my support system, and the ones who make every day brighter."

Erling, his guard lowered in this intimate setting, pulled you into a gentle embrace. "We're the lucky ones," he whispered, his voice filled with sincerity. "To have you by our side, guiding us in everything we do even skincare routines, your a gift beyond words."

Jack, being the jokester that he is, chimed in with a playful wink. "Yeah, I know I'm the best wingman you guys could ever ask for."

Laughter and love mingled in the air as the three of you basked in the joy of the moment.

[ghost-of-ao3]

So this is going to be a list of Tim centric fics. To be clear I haven’t read very many of the comics but I love both fanon wet cat Tim and Canon feral jackass Tim. I love all the flavors of Tim and I feel like my fic recs will show that so be mindful. I’ll also try to warn for triggers as I list them but I probably won’t get everything so please please be mindful of the tags and keep yourself safe! That said here’s the list in no particular order.

The Definition of Valor by nerdpoe 10,106 words and 1 chapter. This fic is about Tim having been blinded by Ra’s after his Widower attack is forced to adapt and overcome the difficulties that comes with losing his sight. It’s a good mix of funny and serious and I personally adore the way it’s written.

The Blood on Our Hands by KelpieCodyne 8,207 words and 1 chapter. This one is about Tim getting blasted by a spell meant for the person with the highest kill count. I like how Bruce has to grapple with his kids morality and with the fact that many of them have killed before and I really love how his siblings step up and bring out their own problems with his strict moral code. If that’s something you enjoy you might like this one.

Loch & Key by jayburb (toothpasty) 12,514 words and 3 chapters. This one does have Tim being abused by his parents so TW for that. The fic itself is about a legend of Loch Gotham. It features Tim’s interactions with the Loch and the vibes are excellent. I really really loved reading this one.

In Service by smilebackwards 12,730 words and 3 chapters. This is about how Tim ends up apprenticing under Alfred instead of becoming Robin and it changes more than you would think. I really adore the interactions between Tim and Alfred and watching him learn from him. It also re-frames his relationship with Bruce which is deeply sweet because the man has an adoption addiction that can’t be stopped.

Baby Birds and Bat Caves by IzzyMRDB 30,113 words and 20 chapters. Tim goes into the cave system after a storm and it makes him weirder than he already was. It’s based on Welcome to Nightvale but Gotham style and is very fun to read. I adore watching how Tim interacts with the forces that be while the bats are panicking over a child running around Gotham and reporting on the oddities of the city. It’s just a good good fic. TW for Joker’s attack on Barbara and Jason. These are still mentioned and while I don’t find the references overly graphic others might disagree.

Growing Old with You by LilliputianDuckling This is a series with 12 works currently and 110,554 words. It’s a Timkon series where Tim and Kon are childhood friends with good father Lex Luthor, identity shenanigans, and just the struggles of growing up and falling in love. I really cannot recommend this enough if you’re a Timkon enjoyer. There is some smut in the later works and some of the vague homophobia of being 12 year old boys in the early 2010s era but nothing that’s like hate crimes, there’s also mentions of peer pressure with regards to sex but nothing happens. The warnings being said I really connected to the characters in this fic and it just felt very real in a way that was so good. This is probably my favorite Timkon series and like I said I cannot recommend it enough and no words I say will do it justice.

Where Bats and Birds Roost by Mouse_in_this_house this is a series with 26 works and 204,783 words. For warnings There is a fic in here that centers on Sexual harrasment, attempted assault and stalking all done by an original character, Ra’s also harasses Tim So for this series please be mindful of heavy themes in regards to sexual assault. There’s other warnings but I can’t remember them all so please be mindful of the tags and do what you need to do to keep yourself safe. I cannot describe exactly what this series is but it’s a focus on Tim, the Batfam and the Core Four. Tim is so Tim in this series, he’s feral and a little unhinged but also scarily competent. It feels like Tim coming into his own and building a home, building safety net after safety net and making his own. Meanwhile people are worried about him and are dedicated to trying to work it out. That and the Bats think there’s a new player on the rise and the Batfam has no idea it’s Tim. Just all in all a really cool series.

Damian Drake by InkpotSprite 6,962 words and ? Chapters. Damian gets told to find his dad without being told who it is and ends up thinking his dad is Jack Drake. I adore it when Damian ends up imprinting on Tim like a baby duck. This is very sweet and it’s very funny to watch Damian and Dick be at odds. Just a very funny lovely fic.

Alone Together by SpaceWall 22,908 words and 4 chapters. This features Batfam heavily and isn’t exactly Tim centric but I had to add it to the list because this idea for platonic soulmates changed my brain chemistry. Your soulmates are with you your whole life, as invisible forces. I cannot describe this one but it’s really really good.

The Threads That Bind by SpaceWall 5,921 words and 1 chapter. Tim is practiced in thread magic, when Jason attacks Titans tower he sees that magic first hand. I personally love fics where Tim has a special little thing that’s uniquely his, this one does that really well as it describes his relationship with his small form of magic.

Into the Brighter Night by shoalsea 162,894 words and 12 Chapters. This is a fic about Tim that takes place mostly when Tim isn’t there. It shows how his family and friends view him without him being explicitly present for most of the fic and it’s done incredibly like I’m still losing my mind over this fic. Young Justice is heavily present and is my everything. It starts with a threat against Robin and then spirals out from there. I highly recommend this one just showstopping. TW for sexual assault being brought up, it's not graphic but still be mindful.

Maybe with a Shift in Planets by SilberSkiesAtMidnigh 4,557 words and 1 chapter. For warnings there are mentions of Cassandra being abused by her father. This is a fic where Tim finds Cass on a roof before they are found by Bruce. I love how this is focused on Cass’ POV and how it makes sense of the world in her eyes. And I love the way she views Tim Just really lovely work.

To Eat Well by SilverSkiesAtMidnight 4,599 words and 1 chapter. This is a fic about Tim but it focuses mostly on Jason. When Tim is kidnapped the family is left to cope as well as they know how. Jason stress bakes. I’m adding this fic in for a few reasons, one it’s really good and super well written and two the focus is Tim being missing and the love and concern the others have for him.

Surveillance by smilebackwards this is a series with 4 works and 29,187 words. This is a Civilian Tim Au where Jason never dies and it changes things. This series is really good, I love Tim arriving late or early to the Batfam and this fic delivers it so well. Just because he isn’t Batman trained doesn’t mean he’s not competent and just really incredible as a character. A lovely series.

[weekend-whip]

Ninjago Fic Rec Week: Day 4

Prompts: Fluff / Cole Recs! (i'm sure I'll be seeing a lot of my favorite fics today aaaa)

Fluff Recs-

Good Hair Day: Kai helps Skylor do her hair, based entirely on a headcanon of Kai being good at doing hair (hey, his own style is a choice)

Little Brother: Lloyd realizes the perks of having five older siblings. Lots of sweet family fluff and young!Lloyd shenanigans <3

Nya, Kai, and That One Drink: Including this one specifically because it's probably the most lighthearted thing I've written yet that doesn't involve Jesse snknksnskn, the group goes for takeout in the X-1 Ninja Charger, only for one thing to lead to another and Kai winds up forgetting Nya's drink. What's a brother to do now?

Socks: Wu wearily but delightfully is forced to watch the ninja get way too much merriment out of a ridiculous pair of socks (I, personally, am of the belief that they belong to Lloyd, but—)

Five Times Jay Cheered Someone Up: And the one time he was cheered up in return (i am DISTRESSED that i didn't include this on my Jay list aaaaAAAA)

Five Times Lloyd Was a Pain: And the one time he wasn't. Child!Lloyd for the soul in this one!!!!

There's Insurance For That: In which Skylor gets a taste of the life of a ninja (and learning just how many places they've been banned from in Ninjago) Quite possibly my favorite lighthearted Skylor fic!!!

Cole Recs-

Sick Days: Sickfic, featuring Cole and having to contend with "Being useless", and the doting care

Passing On the Hammer: Cole has a meeting with his grandfather, while Jay tries his hand at being a fisherman and Kai thinks he can do the Triple Tiger Sashay. (Really a fic about Cole and his family's legacy, but Kai and Jay's antics are too hilarious not to mention snksnknksnk)

You're An Excellent Chef, Really *screams loudly* UGNH one of my very favorite fics exploring Cole and Zane's dynamic, will recommend every single time!!!! But, it's basically the duo bonding over cooking over the years. Makes my heart very happy <3

Quiet Weirdo: Cole and Nya friendship fic that the world definitely needs more of!!!!

Adjusting: PILOT BONDING, this time Cole flavored!! Cole's thoughts on his new budding team consisting of a chatty blue guy and the guy that won't stop staring at things. But a guy like Cole has never needed friends anyway, so he's got nothing to worry about, right?

Again and Again: MORE PILOTS BONDING but this time with Glacier! People keep asking me how Cole fell in love with Zane in Legacyverse and my mind always drifts back to a thing similar to this story! My personal investment aside, a nice fluffy fic about how Cole met Zane and they became friends with a touch of pining <3

You Worry Too Much: By the author of Chips and Salsa (another fandom Cole/Glacier classic), here we have a another tale centered around Cole's parents while he was growing up, and though it's a little more about Lou than anyone else, Cole ofc has a huge stake in the story and uwaah I love reading about Cole's family dynamics (both the fluff and the tragedy)

Some Climb Mountains: A retelling of how Cole met Master Wu, always gets me misty eyed because i am a soft soul ;v;

Cole and the Tastiest Broken Glass: S2 Pre-Child's Play, Cole and Lloyd bond over broken things, life philosophy, and candy. Cole and Lloyd sibling duo that the world also needs much more og!!

I'm Sure He Knows: More Cole + Wu bonding that speaks to me specifically, involving a conversation about a certain ghostly wind master who is no more.

Four Times Cole Helped The Guys With a Nightmare: And the one time they helped him. Cole's character at his purest in this one!!!

[thebrawlerina]

Do you have any head cannons on nita and leon? :>

Whoops I'll get to this now

Leon and Nita HCs

Nita and Leon are siblings, duh. But what most dont know is that they're actually twins! Same birthday and all.

Thing is, they themselves don't know who the older and younger twin is. Leon says that hes older cause hes smarter and Nita says shes older cause shes braver. They just tend to take turns on who leads the shenanigans they get into.

Shenanigans usually involve some mild theivery of candies and toys from other brawlers and occasionally guests. They dont try it too much.

While they are actually fairly clean, their hair is another matter (nightmare) entirely. Its not the reason they wear hats, but the hats do help in covering it up.

Bo is not related to them. He just sorta found them one day and said 'Is anyone gonna claim these children?' And didnt wait for an answer.

He has a weird tired dad/cool uncle relationship with them but they all seem comfortable with it.

Leon is a bit sensetive to light. Its why he always has his hood on. On the rare chance its off, he can be seen wearing shades. Sometimes he wears shades even underneath his hood.

Leon likes strawberry candy the most, but he'll swipe any candy he can. Nita likes all candy but prefers stuff with a gummy texture.

Nita is like a cat in which she'll only let you near her if she likes you, but then refuse to leave your side once she does.

Nita likes to refer to herself in the third person because she thinks it makes her sound more important (it does not)

Nita is a deep sleeper and a hugger. If she sleeps near you, shes gonna latch onto you and you are not gonna be able to move until she wakes up. Good luck with that since she tends to get really grumpy when she does.

By contrast Leon is a very light and fussy sleeper. Its hard for him to fall asleep and its very easy to wake up up after.

Nita's bear is named Bruce. Only Nita and Leon can call him Brucie without consequences.

Bruce's fur is thick and full of secrets. Theres usually something hiding in there from the twins.

If Nita feels too lazy to walk she'll make Bruce walk for her. Sometimes the other kids would join her, resulting in a bear that looks more like a mother opposum.

Despite what you mught think, both of them are excellent swimmers. You are not safe from them even in the water.

[zzoomacroom]

For the ask game: how about one each for Hob, Dream, and Death?

Oooohh, excellent ask, thanks anon!

Hob:

First impression: wow, this guy is kind of obnoxious. Cute, though.

Impression now: my sweet beloved blorbo, the love of my life, I think about him 24 hours a day

Favorite moment: 1789, just that whole scene. But especially his reaction to the drawing ("I look terrible. You look worse"), and when he breaks a teacup over that guy's head

Idea for a story: the wip I'm currently working on is about him being the last man on earth and going on a road trip with Delirium and Barnabas

Unpopular opinion: I think he probably just has an average-sized penis 🤷‍♀️

Favorite relationship: we don't see much of his canon relationships, but if we're talking non-canon then of course it’s dreamling. I also kind of like the idea of Hob/Johanna(/Dream?)

Favorite headcanon: I've posted about this before and the wonderful @delta-pavonis wrote a fic about it, but I firmly believe that in the Sandman universe, he was the inspiration for Nick Bottom. Think about it: low-born guy who always has to be the center of attention and acts like a jackass, but somehow won the queen's favor. Hob was salty because Shaxberd had Dream's attention, but Shaxberd was salty because Hob had the queen's attention.

Dream:

First impression: this dude is kind of pathetic, I desire him carnally

Impression now: my babygirl, my everything, my beautiful, ethereal, majestic, all-powerful loserboy. I love him so much 😭

Favorite moment: it's so hard to choose...in the show, I loved his battle with Lucifer and what he did to Rick Madoc (his dispassionate fury in defending Calliope was chilling). In the comics, I love all his interactions with Delirium. Also when Death throws the bread at him and it goes "bip!"

Idea for a story: um...well...don't judge me, but I have a retired!Dream mpreg fic I'm working on, which the amazing @kydrogendragon and some other lovely folks on discord (idk if they're on tumblr or i would tag them) helped me develop.

Unpopular opinion: hmm...I've seen so many opinions about him and I'm not sure which ones are considered unpopular. I think maybe he's a bit more slutty than we give him credit for, based on how he was immediately down to clown when Bast jokingly propositioned him

Favorite relationship: of his canonical relationships, I find Calliope the most interesting. For non-canon, dreamling all day every day forever. For platonic relationships: Lucienne (i just don't see them as romantic, sorry morphienne fans), Death, Delirium, Matthew

Favorite headcanon: based on recent conversations I've seen/taken part in on tumblr, I like the idea of him getting freaky with his helm (the helm stays on during sex). @tryan-a-bex wrote a great little ficlet about it

Death:

First impression: she's amazing and I love her

Impression now: she's amazing and I love her

Favorite moment: when she throws the bread at Dream. Also, not exactly canon, but in the "At Death's Door" manga by Jill Thompson I love when she teams up with Despair and Delirium and catches souls in a baseball mitt:

Idea for a story: admittedly, I don't currently have any ideas for stories with Death as a main character, but she does feature heavily in my post-apocalypse fic. I would like to see more of her days she spends as a mortal. We see some of that in "Death: The High Cost of Living," but I bet she gets up to some crazy shenanigans

Unpopular opinion: I don't think she's as perfect as a lot of people think she is. She's one of my favorite characters and I love her, but I think she's as flawed as the rest of her siblings and has her own struggles that we only get glimpses of

Favorite relationship: canonically she doesn't have any romantic relationships that readers see, but I love her relationships with her siblings, especially Dream. For ships, I kind of like the idea of her with Johanna, but I haven't explored it much

Favorite headcanon: I think she's a lesbian and nothing can dissuade me of that belief