#now to go break my own heart and read maka albarn's death

[beatmadness]

soul hears the exact moment maka’s stitches break. 

a hiss of an inhale, followed quickly by a drawn out, breathy fuck. 

‘ maka? ‘ he asks, sitting up in bed and waiting for her response. her answer is always a dead giveaway of if he needs to go to her or not. 

he doesn’t expect her to drift into his doorway. 

‘ some of my stitches broke. ‘ 

‘ shit. ‘ 

‘ yeah. i need help. ‘ 

‘ yeah, of course. ‘ 

maka beats him to the bathroom, but he gently moves her from the doorway with a hand on her good shoulder and the middle of her spine, slipping past to begin gathering all of the materials they’ve kept large supplies of due to everything happening in their lives. 

the wound’s deep enough that it’s begun bleeding through her shirt, one that’s not a favorite, in case something like this happens. sitting on the edge of the tub, maka scrubs her palm over her face, so obviously exhausted that it’s almost pitiful. soul certainly looks concerned when she looks up at him, drying off his hands. 

‘ are you gonna make it weird if my shirt’s off? ‘ 

a grin accompanies the laugh that moves her hair, opening a pack of bandages and sitting next to her on the floor, trying to keep everything as sterile as he possibly can. ‘ considering how many times we’ve resonated, and how long we’ve lived with blair, i don’t think there’s anything secret between us, y’know? ‘ 

‘ fair enough. ‘ turning her head as far as she can without pulling further at her stitches, maka winces when she pushes it too far. ‘ i think i was immune to nudity far before we met blair. ‘ 

‘ yeah? ‘ 

‘ yeah. sports sorta does that. i’ve seen black*star’s ass too many times, mostly because he tripped over his own damn pants. it’s why he wears pants above his ankles, by the way. ‘ 

soul decides he should let maka ramble aimlessly about her childhood more often. the idea of black*star tripping over his own clothes in a sports setting is far more amusing than he thought it would be. ‘ was his uniform too big? ‘ 

‘ of course it was. he kept saying he had to get one bigger so that his “god-like muscles” wouldn’t rip through the arms. ‘ a small huff of laughter, only remembering to not let her head drop into her hands at the last second. ‘ it took him three years to grow into it. he looked like a marshmallow. ‘ 

‘ you guys did sports together? ‘ soul asks as he opens their box of gloves, hoping to keep maka talking as a distraction. 

unfortunately, even exhausted and half-high on the pain meds, maka’s still coherent enough to be aware of everything happening to her. ‘ you’re probably going to cut through my shirt. i can’t lift my arm. putting my arm in the sleeve was probably step one in my stupid choices. ‘ 

‘ i’m also going to have to figure out how to contain your hair long enough to fix your stitches. ‘ 

‘ my hair isn’t a storm, soul. ‘ 

‘ it might as well be! it’s even starting to fall out of your pigtails now. ‘ 

‘ that’s because hair grows all the time. baby hairs aren’t going to be your downfall. ‘ 

a vague grumble makes her smile, finding a hair tie not even six inches from her and throwing it at him. 

‘ hey! i am dealing with needles here! ‘ 

‘ you’re a scythe that’s sharper than any needle ever made. ‘ 

‘ don’t make sense when you’re still high on pain meds. talk about your childhood again. sports, right? ‘ 

‘ yeah. track was my least favorite. i always ended up running faster than anyone on my team, or anyone we went up against. black*star was only able to start keeping up with me when he met tsubaki. it was boring. ‘ 

soul shifts behind her, making use of the hair tie she threw at him, gathering her hair into a bunch on top of her head, and mostly getting all of it to stay before grabbing the scissors off the counter and carefully lifting her sleeve. ‘ let me know if i cut your bandages. keep talking. ‘ 

‘ well, aren’t you demanding. ‘ 

‘ don’t make me laugh when i’m holding scissors next to your ear. ‘ 

‘ why not? ‘ 

‘ not all of us are as good as you. childhood, please. ‘ 

a sigh, trying to dig up something interesting from her childhood that isn’t dark or depressing. soul makes quick work of her shirt, thankfully, but the quiet, startled sound he makes upon seeing her bandage. 

‘ how bad is it? ‘ 

‘ uh-uh. stories. ‘ 

‘ i don’t know, my dad sucked, my mom --- ‘ 

‘ holy shit, maka. ‘ 

‘ what? ‘ she asks, regretting turning her head towards him the second she does. he’d finished cutting her shirt open enough to get it off of her, letting it fall into the tub. ‘ how bad is it? ‘ 

‘ stein obviously didn’t do these, ‘ her slight flinch confirms it, ‘ but that’s not what i’m talking about. ‘ 

‘ again, what? ‘ 

of all the possibilities, maka doesn’t expect him to poke her arm. 

‘ are you --- 500% muscle? what the hell, maka? ‘ 

‘ are you just discovering this? really? ‘ 

‘ it’s different falling asleep on you than seeing it. how did you get so jacked? ‘ 

‘ soul, i’ve been a gymnast since i was three. ‘

‘ what? how did i not know that? ‘ 

‘ you probably do, somewhere in the mush that’s resonance. i don’t know, i just don’t talk about it a lot, i guess. now stop staring my shoulders in shock and stitch me back up, you idiot. ‘ 

‘ right, ‘ he says, seeming to shake himself. ‘ it’s just surprising, you in all of your five foot glory, having more muscle than i’ll probably ever have. ‘ 

‘ do you really think i could do half of the stuff i do if i wasn’t strong? ‘ 

‘ there’s a difference between strong and entirely made of muscle. how long, exactly, have you been training? ‘ 

‘ like i said, gymnastics since i was three. ‘ 

‘ alright, all the stories, then. i’m getting started. ‘ 

another long exhale as maka half-braces herself and half-tries to figure out what the hell to talk about. 

‘ i wanted to do gymnastics when i saw my mom first actually use papa as a scythe. neither of them really wanted to let me, since i was so young, but i screamed every time they tried to gently suggest i play with dolls. ‘ 

soul’s snort interrupts her, ‘ i can’t even imagine you playing with dolls. ‘ 

‘ oh, i hated them, ‘ she agrees, smiling faintly. ‘ yeah, so, i started gymnastics, got a bunch of poles and bars installed in my room and didn’t look back until i was ten, and black*star went into karate. i guess all of his talk of becoming the greatest made me want to be great, too. that’s the beginning of seeing his ass, and has unfortunately happened more times over the years. the last time? you remember, right? ‘ 

‘ i wish i could forget. who thinks it’s a good idea to moon a teacher who throws knives at students? ‘ 

‘ only him. ‘ 

a moment of silence passes as soul finishes cleaning up her wound, looking faintly surprised that she didn’t make a sound through all of the alcohol going into it, but mostly concerned with what they have to deal with. 

‘ hey, remember when we had stein for a week as our health teacher? ‘ 

‘ please do not remind me of that. ‘ 

‘ i still can’t believe he managed to convince anyone to let him bring in two bodies for a bunch of teenagers to dissect. ‘ 

‘ are you forgetting that he didn’t bother cleaning up the bodies, either? making us all clean all the stuff that emptied out and left for who knows how long in a giant plastic bag? i didn’t even care if he’d killed them or not at that point, it was so gross. ‘ 

‘ who passed out? i remember ox did, but didn’t someone else? ‘ 

‘ at least three other kids. i don’t think we know any of them. i’m pretty sure most of them hadn’t been in the field yet, frankly. we were lucky to at least seen and smelled some of the worst before stein pulled that trick. ‘ 

‘ i’m pretty sure that’s when i became completely immune to nudity. ‘ 

‘ what, not blair with your blood all over her chest? ‘ 

‘ okay, first of all, shut up. i do still have a needle next to your heart. ‘ 

‘ yeah? and what’re you gonna do? stab me with it? i’m shaking in fear. ‘ 

‘ you’re not very nice when you’re high. ‘ 

luckily, despite their banter, soul’s still focused enough on the task at hand to have gotten most of the damage taken care of, but still making sure his not-great stitches aren’t going to pop open in the middle of the night. hopefully they can find a sleeping arrangement where she’s not uncomfortable. 

‘ speaking of, do you remember when i said it’s the soul that matters? ‘ 

‘ mm. that seems like forever ago. ‘ 

‘ yeah. i didn’t realize how true it was until a few months ago. we’ve resonated who knows how many times, and now bodies feel... i don’t know how to describe it --- ‘ 

‘ less significant? ‘ 

‘ yeah. doesn’t seem like there’s really anything special about them, now. ‘ 

a small laugh that maka can’t hold back almost makes soul jump out of his skin, with how focused he was. ‘ are you saying resonating with me has ruined your sex drive? ‘ 

‘ i can’t believe you actually just asked me that. oh my god. ‘ 

now she’s laughing harder, a hand over her face as if it’ll contain her amusement. 

‘ i thought you don’t even know what a sex drive is, ‘ he pokes at her with a gloved finger, feeling more comfortable with teasing her back now that she’s stitched back up. 

‘ i don’t! which is why i’m wondering, now, if i infected you or something. ‘ 

‘ asexuality isn’t a cold you can catch! ‘ 

‘ hey! if resonating with you however many times made me end up liking pickles because of how much you like them, i could have one hundred percent killed all of your --- what did black*star call them? “manly urges”? ‘ 

‘ i cannot believe we’re having this conversation. how high are you? ‘ 

‘ not enough. this stings like a bitch. ‘ 

‘ you cuss a lot when you’re high. ‘ 

‘ and you look very blurry when i’m high and tired. ‘ 

‘ okay. probably now’s a good time to get you bandaged up. ‘ 

‘ oh, no, let’s just sit here, while i try not to fall into the tub with only a pair of sweats on. ‘ 

‘ sarcasm is my thing. ‘ 

‘ uh huh. ‘ 

it only takes a few minutes to securely patch up the wound. the hard part is actually helping her stand again, then the small mix up of wait i need a towel so i don’t bleed on anything and okay, hold on don’t run into me i’ll get you a towel which turns into that towel sucks, which becomes then it’ll be fine if you bleed on it, now shut up. 

soul gets the towel spread out on his bed ( it took several minutes, trying to argue with her about whose bed was going to risk getting blood on, which was even more difficult to convince her of when she’s still high. ) and gets on it first, knowing she won’t be able to push herself over far enough to fit him too. 

‘ you’re acting like a mother hen, ‘ maka mumbles when he tries to fix a pillow under her head to help her be more comfortable. 

‘ you need to shut up and sleep. ‘ 

‘ thank you, ‘ she says once they’ve both settled, both of them still unfazed that maka’s still lacking a shirt. 

‘ for what? ‘ 

‘ stitching me back up, idiot. ‘ 

‘ i’m sure you’ll return the favor, eventually. i’m still annoyed that your abs are better than mine. ‘ 

‘ you’ve known this for years. ‘ 

‘ still mad. ‘ 

the last thing maka does before falling back into sleep is laugh, shifting in the slightest to get more comfortable, good shoulder pressed against soul’s chest as they both drift off. 

[somegirlsnerdywords2]

Anime i’ve Watched

That begin with a S (Part 4)!

Yep this is how i’m going to bring over all the anime and manga i’ve watched and posted about on the old blog. It’s not so detailed but it will have to do. Anything new I watch or read from this point on will have their own posts.

SoniAni: Super Sonico The Animation:

Genres: Music, Slice of Life

Synopsis:  Super Sonico is a clutzy, adorable, and well-endowed 18-year old girl. She's a complete sucker for anything cute, especially stray cats, all of which she giddily adopts. However, though Sonico should be enjoying a carefree and simple lifestyle as a young college student, her life is really anything but easy: she must balance being a professional model, working part-time at her grandmother's restaurant, and practicing guitar and performing concerts with her friends Suzu Fujimi and Fuuri Watanuki in their band, First Astronomical Velocity—all while attending college. SoniAni: Super Sonico the Animation follows Sonico as she faces daunting challenges in her search for her place in the world, even when her days are brimming with love and happiness. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 7/10

Finished airing in 2014 with 12 episodes. 

My Thoughts: For a while there I was collecting Sonico figures, still have most of them... though a few did break while moving unfortunately. About the anime though? Wasn’t all that amazing. What did you expect though really?

Soul Eater:

Genres: Action, Fantasy, Comedy, Supernatural, Shounen

Synopsis: Death City is home to the famous Death Weapon Meister Academy, a technical academy headed by the Shinigami—Lord Death himself. Its mission: to raise "Death Scythes" for the Shinigami to wield against the many evils of their fantastical world. These Death Scythes, however, are not made from physical weapons; rather, they are born from human hybrids who have the ability to transform their bodies into Demon Weapons, and only after they have consumed the souls of 99 evil beings and one witch's soul. Soul Eater Evans, a Demon Scythe who only seems to care about what's cool, aims to become a Death Scythe with the help of his straight-laced wielder, or meister, Maka Albarn. The contrasting duo work and study alongside the hot headed Black☆Star and his caring weapon Tsubaki, as well as the Shinigami's own son, Death the Kid, an obsessive-compulsive dual wielder of twin pistols Patty and Liz. Soul Eater follows these students of Shibusen as they take on missions to collect souls and protect the city from the world's threats while working together under the snickering sun to become sounder in mind, body, and soul. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 7.5/10

Finished airing in 2009 with a total of 51 episodes. 

My Thoughts: The series that reignited my love of anime once I became an adult! Which reflecting on that now seems a bit odd but whatever! It’s been so long since i’ve last watched it that I can’t say for certain how good the actual series is but i’m positive it will forever hold a special place in my heart! Which is extremely unhelpful to anyone looking for some info to aid in their decision to check this title out. Sorry! 

Summer Wars:

Genres: Sci-fi, Comedy, Film

Synopsis:  OZ, a virtual world connected to the internet, has become extremely popular worldwide as a spot for people to engage in a large variety of activities, such as playing sports or shopping, through avatars created and customized by the user. OZ also possesses a near impenetrable security due to its strong encryption, ensuring that any personal data transmitted through the networks will be kept safe in order to protect those who use it. Because of its convenient applications, the majority of society has become highly dependent on the simulated reality, even going as far as entrusting the system with bringing back the unmanned asteroid explorer, Arawashi. Kenji Koiso is a 17-year-old math genius and part-time OZ moderator who is invited by his crush Natsuki Shinohara on a summer trip. But unbeknownst to him, this adventure requires him to act as her fiancé. Shortly after arriving at Natsuki's family's estate, which is preparing for her great-grandmother's 90th birthday, he receives a strange, coded message on his cell phone from an unknown sender who challenges him to solve it. Kenji is able to crack the code, but little does he know that his math expertise has just put Earth in great danger. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 10/10

A film released in 2009.

My Thoughts: Interesting style and an enjoyable story. I film worth giving a watch! 

Sword Art Online:

Genres: Action, Game, Adventure, Romance, Fantasy

Synopsis: In the year 2022, virtual reality has progressed by leaps and bounds, and a massive online role-playing game called Sword Art Online (SAO) is launched. With the aid of "NerveGear" technology, players can control their avatars within the game using nothing but their own thoughts. Kazuto Kirigaya, nicknamed "Kirito," is among the lucky few enthusiasts who get their hands on the first shipment of the game. He logs in to find himself, with ten-thousand others, in the scenic and elaborate world of Aincrad, one full of fantastic medieval weapons and gruesome monsters. However, in a cruel turn of events, the players soon realize they cannot log out; the game's creator has trapped them in his new world until they complete all one hundred levels of the game. In order to escape Aincrad, Kirito will now have to interact and cooperate with his fellow players. Some are allies, while others are foes, like Asuna Yuuki, who commands the leading group attempting to escape from the ruthless game. To make matters worse, Sword Art Online is not all fun and games: if they die in Aincrad, they die in real life. Kirito must adapt to his new reality, fight for his survival, and hopefully break free from his virtual hell. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 8.5/10

Finished airing in 2012 with a total of 25 episodes. 

My Thoughts: Loved this season. I thought it was super freaking cool and unique the first time around... I was also pretty new to anime at this point but whatever, I enjoyed it and I won’t apologize for that. 

Sword Art Online II:

Genres: Action, Game, Adventure, Romance, Fantasy

Synopsis:  A year after escaping Sword Art Online, Kazuto Kirigaya has been settling back into the real world. However, his peace is short-lived as a new incident occurs in a game called Gun Gale Online, where a player by the name of Death Gun appears to be killing people in the real world by shooting them in-game. Approached by officials to assist in investigating the murders, Kazuto assumes his persona of Kirito once again and logs into Gun Gale Online, intent on stopping the killer. Once inside, Kirito meets Sinon, a highly skilled sniper afflicted by a traumatic past. She is soon dragged in his chase after Death Gun, and together they enter the Bullet of Bullets, a tournament where their target is sure to appear. Uncertain of Death Gun's real powers, Kirito and Sinon race to stop him before he has the chance to claim another life. Not everything goes smoothly, however, as scars from the past impede their progress. In a high-stakes game where the next victim could easily be one of them, Kirito puts his life on the line in the virtual world once more. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 7.5/10

Finished airing in 2014 with a total of 24 episodes. 

My Thoughts: And then they lost me, while mostly in the 2nd half. Not as enjoyable as the first season.

[redphlox]

2 am

i’ve risen from the ether with this post-canon more-than-friends-but-not-quite-lovers-yet drabble for day 1 of soulxmaka week 2019. thanks to @soundofez for giving it a glance and making sure I didn’t spell ‘Soul’ as ‘Soil’ <3

Parked car conversations at 2 am with Maka are usually therapeutic -- when she’s not putting him on the spot. Opening up at night feels safer, like the darkness puts distance between him and the rough edges he's not yet figured out how to soften. It's a catch-22, because the silver moonlight outlines Maka’s profile just right as she peers at him with her head slightly tilted sideways. Something about the slant of her cheekbone makes him want to pull her in and kiss her until the sun rises, until he boards a plane in a few hours and leaves her temporarily.

Yeah, that fever-like fascination with her doesn't seem like a good sign to Soul, who just sits there in the passenger seat staring back. Self-consciousness inspires him to shift his weight and tap a finger on her beloved Jeep’s dashboard.

Soul scrambles for something coherent to say, but nothing comes to mind. “Don't know,” he finally answers.

Her eyebrows knit with stark disappointment. Disbelief. Terror. Heartbreak. “What do you mean?”

How does he explain that he's a goner for her, that one day he made a mistake of realizing that he liked her a little too much and it got out of control and now he's not sure how much longer he'll be able to keep all his feelings locked away?

“I asked you if you thought we'd be together forever! I need a little reassurance, what with you leaving tomorrow for Death knows how long. It's not like I was proposing to you--”

His whole face heats up, her statement sparking embarrassment because that's exactly how he had mistaken her question the first time she asked. “Maka, forever is a long time and I can't promise that. Things change! And you know I feel weird about commitment.”

“Especially when we’re more than friends, and I’m not as brave as you,” he wants to add, but he can’t – she’s the leader in this partnership. They’ve been caught in-between for a while now, lingering between friends and lovers, Soul petrified of making the first move and scaring her away…

A hollow laugh bursts out from Maka’s lips. “Ha! If either one of us has commitment issues, it's me. It's in my blood, remember?”

Soul slumps lower in his seat, the discomfort of the door pressed against his shoulder blades paling in comparison to the guilt of inadvertently bringing up her serial-cheating and overprotective papa bear, Spirit Albarn. Ugh. Even though Maka gets along better with her dad, the divorce is still a tender spot for her and might always be.

Some things don’t change.

“That's not what I meant,” is all Soul can come up with, stumped when Maka then asks him to explain exactly what he did mean.

His anxiety is getting the best of him, yelling, “What if your forever and my forever aren’t the same thing?” But instead, he says, “Uhh… Just, like, you know… I do want to be with you forever, but what if I have to move away for longer than I thought, or if I go on a mission without you or something and I die?”

“Without me?” she challenges. Her eyes are fire, burning him alive with a fierce stare as she leans toward him. “You really think you'd go on a mission without me? Or die without me?”

The weight of her words hits him like a bullet to the skull: of course he never pictured either of those situations happening. The possibility of either coming true is zero to none. He and Maka have been together since they were eleven, so why wouldn't they continue to always be together? The implication of that thought process must short circuit Soul's brain because he can't even breathe or blink. If he does move, he might cup her cheek and seal her mouth with his.

But, despite those rosy dreams of forever-and-always, the realist in him knows nothing lasts forever, and there is no exception to this rule. He wants to point out that life is unfair; he had a life before he met her, and there'll be life after her, somehow.

“You're my partner, Soul. Not just my weapon.” She's trembling, eyes glistening with unshed tears. Now he really does have to battle with the urge to touch her - maybe if he runs a finger down the slope of her nose or trace her collar bones, he'll feel the passion buzzing beneath her skin and finally understand why they're having this conversation, where this emotion is coming from. “I mean, sure, you're a tool, but you're my tool!”

“I feel so special,” he manages to joke, though it comes out weak and self-deprecating to his own ears.

Maka shakes her head and clutches him by the shoulders, drawing him closer. “You really are special to me. Don't forget that, okay?”

He sucks in a shaky breath, not allowing himself to cry in front of her, not forgiving himself for being drawn to her like a magnet. Moments pass as Maka watches him gather his composure, disappointment playing out in her features, like there is something she wanted him to understand and he hasn't caught on yet.

Or maybe he just doesn’t want to understand… maybe this is Maka making the first move.

When they're both calmer, Soul goes back to tapping on the dashboard. “So, is this what you had to tell me?”

Maka tinges pink. “No.”

Raising a brow, he prompts her to continue by nodding. “Mhmm?”

“I just wanted to say…” She lets go of a deep, deep sigh, her eyes welling up again. “Just wanted to say that I love you. I don't know what to do with how much I love you. I love you so much.”

There is no denying it… This is Maka Albarn making the first move.

Soul breaks into a grin. He wants to say that she has absolutely nothing to worry about. His life is here with her in Death City, and he's only going back home to make amends with his parents and brother, maybe apologize for running away all those years ago and tell them he's okay, he's finally okay. He'll be back home-home with Maka in no time. Where else would he go? She's making this seem like a final goodbye --

Well, the more he thinks about it, maybe this is a final goodbye... The Soul who arrived at Shibusen was a lost kid looking for a place to belong, who somehow manage to make a makeshift family with a pigtailed girl with high ambitions, an abundance of bravery, and little hesitancy to speak her mind. The Soul who grew alongside Maka is now leaving. Now that he's going back to visit his old life, will he come back to this life different?

Oh.

Ohh.

He's stupid for not understanding her sooner.

She's afraid of change. Terrified that the two of them outgrowing one another, going in different directions, and never meeting again like they did the first time after months of getting to know each other. All those arguments, miscommunication, building trust and loyalty… it's lead up to something more, something she's ready to try, if he's reading her correctly.

Oh.

Soul swallows a poignant lump in his throat. He had thought that it would be strange facing his demons without Maka at his side, but it must be equally strange for her to watch him grow from afar, living in fear of not recognizing the person who returns. He wants to tell her that she has nothing to fear, that he's not something in her life she'll have to worry about ever leaving her for long, but all he can do is wear his heart on his sleeve.

“I love you too, Maka. I love you today and tomorrow and next week. I’ve never been surer.”

She sniffles. “And all the weeks after that?”

He nods. “Even when you're threatening to lock me out of the apartment because I don’t pick up my boxers from the bathroom floor.”

That earns him a soft laugh. He pulls her into a hug, Maka burying her head in the curve of his neck. Her hair is so soft, her skin against him feeling so right. The romantic in him starts to plan to kiss her for the first time right now, or as they're saying bye at the airport tomorrow. But maybe it's better not to leave any room for misunderstandings…

Besides, a welcome-home kiss would fit them better. Plus, it'll serve as motivation for Soul to get back to Death City ASAP.

When they pull away, Maka notices his expression and asks, “What's with the goofy grin?”

Soul gently bops her on the nose. “Just thinking about how much I love you. Things will be different when I get back - but in a good way, I promise.”

Now she's the confused one, skin between her brows rumpling the way it does when she overthinks. “Five minutes ago you couldn't even give me a straight answer to a dumb question… How are you so sure now?”

He shrugs, grinning so hard at the thought of confessing that his cheeks are beginning to ache. “You'll see when I get back.”

When she finally smiles, 2 am doesn’t seem so dark, but it's funny - he still feels safe without it, feels brave enough to cup her face and slide his hand down to caress her neck. “Wait for me, okay?”

He feels her melting in her hand, relishes her voice vibrating against his palm as she hums, “Promise.”

/FIN

[resbangmod]

2018′s Resonance Bang is a wrap!

We’ve reached the end of posting time, everyone! It’s hard to believe we’ve had six of these events already, but here we are. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for your participation, whether you’ve been a participant or a viewer.

Coming sometime in the near future will be a survey for all the participants so we can once again find out what might be improved about the Resbang experience.

Now that everything is complete, you can check out the master post on GrigoriWings, or you can click through the readmore to see all the finished works here!

Dec 8th Book of Eibon: Safe Edition

by author: SleepDeprivedFemale

with artist: Ochotona1liensi

Summary: [POST MANGA] Maka copied the legible parts of the Book of Eibon seeking answers. Instead, she comes across peculiar directories, vague musings, confounding retellings, illegible paragraphs, horrifying prototypes and two simple lists of names.

Pairings: None/Gen

Rating: G

Warnings: Vague cosmic horror stuff

Read it here: [tumblr | ao3 | ffn]

View it here: [tumblr]

Dec 10th Why Don’t We Just Dance

by author: DemonRider404

with artist: Soulheart

Summary: Small Town/Preacher’s Son AU. Maka Albarn is a fresh high school graduate, ready to leave the confines of this backwater Podunk town and make something of herself. Nothing can stop her now. Enter Soul Evans, the unmotivated, heathen son of the preacher; a perfect cliché. It’s been a few years since he dropped out, and Maka is surprised to find herself…attracted to him. She tries to talk herself out of it, but eventually gives in to a secret summer fling. But flings never end well, especially in a town like this. Could this brief escape into his arms end up being more trouble than it’s worth?

Pairings: SoMa, very background TsuStar

Rating: E (NC17 | M+)

Warnings: Strong language, mentions of divorce, alcoholism, minor recreational drug use, religious themes, blasphemy, and explicit sexual content

Read it here: [tumblr | ao3]

View it here: [tumblr]

Dec 11 Wild Hunt

by author: ADdude

with artist: Marsh of Sleep

Summary: Summary: Weddings are meant to be happy occasions. Maka’s mother is getting married and Maka and her adoptive sister Eu are trying to get everything perfect. But there is a storm on the horizon, and a new threat that might end the wedding before it starts with lives in the balance can the growing family stop the Wild Hunt?

Semi-Sequel to Lost Warrior

Pairings: Soma, Tsustar, Marie/Stein, Kid/Liz, Kami/Nene, Eu/Ayumu

Rating: T

Warnings: N/A

Read it here: [ffn]

View it here: [tumblr | nickpic]

Dec 12 Snakes, Scorpions, Spiders, and Spreadsheets

by author: Zogulesti

with artist: Bonebagroyalty

Summary: (Office AU) A nice little lab in the middle of nowhere was all she wanted, free to experiment to her heart's content. Medusa Gorgon quickly finds that life doesn't always go her way; recent troubles have left her jobless and stuck in a city she absolutely can't stand, with people she despises. A strange job offering from her estranged younger sibling Shaula leads her into the dull, mostly uneventful, life of an office worker, destined to become absolutely nothing important in the grander scheme of their corporate infighting, not to mention the overly attached secretary she's supposed to babysit. Despite this, she quickly learns that maybe she can accomplish more in this position than she ever had before, and begins her journey to bring her sisters back together again in an experiment to see if the silly saccharine concept of "familial bonds" are worth anything.

Pairings: Gorgon Sisters/Family issues, possible Medusa/Eruka, references to Stein/Marie at one point

Rating: T

Warnings: References to sibling abuse/bullying, family issues, corporate politics, language, possible relationship with unequal power dynamic

Read it here: [ao3 | ffn]

View it here: [tumblr | twitter | instagram]

Dec 13 Blood of a Lion Cub

by author: ThirteenthMurder

with artist: Baph

Summary: Witcher AU - Maka has lived with the Dryads in Brokilon forest almost her entire life, desperately trying to prevent an ancient prophecy tied to her bloodline. When a chance encounter with a Witcher entangled their fates, Maka must take down the Wild Hunt or watch the world burn.

Pairings: SoulxMaka, Implied TsuStar, SteinxMarie, SidxNygus, brief mentions of SpiritxBlaire

Rating: M

Warnings: Minor and Major character deaths, scenes of murder gore and blood, language and violence.

Read it here: [ao3]

View it here: [tumblr | twitter]

Dec 14 The M-squad: Wes is the Ultimate Heist Man

by author: Kona

with artist: Tilliquoi

Summary: Wes didn’t choose a life of crime, it chose him. A heistfic featuring Soul (surprisingly put together), Maba (the gran with the van), Masamune (makeup magician), and Maka (???).

Wes and Soul set out to steal Medusa Gorgon’s prized gem collection, but first… they need a crew. Enter: Maba and Masa, with occasional cameos from Soul’s neighbor Maka (The neighbor he’s /not/ pining for, right? The same one that maybe-probably-definitely likes him back?) and frequent shenaniganery.

Pairings: Gen, very lowkey background soma

Rating: G

Warnings: nothing except extremely brief anxiety attack in beginning of chapter 5

Read it here: [ao3]

View it here: [tumblr]

Dec 15 Black Water

by author: Sandmancircus

with artist: Marsh of Sleep

Summary: Eruka Frog is a swamp witch who was forced to take an oath to aid anyone who asks for help, a duty she reluctantly keeps - even when a wounded werewolf lands himself in her swamp, begging for her to heal him. Free has lost his immortality due to a curse that began within his own clan and, as the witch and the werewolf grow closer, the identity of the true culprit behind both their curses becomes more and more apparent.

Pairings: Free/Eruka

Rating: M

Warnings: Gore, language, alcohol abuse

Read it here: [ao3 | ffn]

View it here: [tumblr | twitter]

Dec 18 And They Were Roommates (Oh My God)

by author: Karmahope

with artist: Konoha

Summary: For Soul and Maka, moving in together when their previous roommates ditched them to live with each other was a no-brainer. Unfortunately, this might be more than they bargained for. Love/hate relationships between roommates are common, but there’s more love than hate to this one, and they can only put off the inevitable for so long before it blows up in their faces. No matter what, though, they’re there for each other – through the good, the bad … and the weird. Even when it’s four o’clock in the morning.

Pairings: Soul/Maka, Black Star/Tsubaki (mentioned)

Rating: T

Warnings: Legal alcohol consumption, implied/referenced sex, recreational drug use (mentioned)

Read it here: [ao3 | ffn]

View it here: [tumblr]

Dec 19 And the Sky Turns to Blue

by author: Flowerpcy

with artist: The-ace-place

and artist: The_noctivagant

Summary: Running an illegal dragon school with the man he’s definitely not in love with is turning out to be slightly more difficult than Stein had previously anticipated. While actively trying to avoid the new High Witch whose main objective is to eliminate dragons from the hands of all humans, Stein and Spirit spend their free time teaching students how to bond with their dragons, until rumors of the High Witch growing her army again begin to circulate. With new variables appearing at every turn, Stein soon finds himself faced with budding relationships, familial tensions, and possible treason, and none of his decisions are looking good.

Pairings: Stein/Spirit, minor Crona/Maka and Blackstar/Kid

Rating: T

Warnings: violence, language

Read it here: [ao3 | tumblr]

View it here: [The-ace-place: tumblr | The_noctivagant: tumblr]

Dec 20 The Sun Under Different Skies

by author: Kona

with artist: The_noctivagant

Summary: In the wake of a break-up, Liz is left unrooted and drifting and very much in need of a new life. If that new life happens to include a cross-country move and two quickly deepening friendships, well… she won’t complain. Friendships that soon start to seem like something more, even as Liz struggles to leave behind the still-smarting hurts weighing on her now.

Pairings: TsuLizStar

Rating: G

Warnings: Liz's depression

Read it here: [ao3]

View it here: [tumblr]

Dec 21 Cryptid II: The Night Of The Return Of The Wolfwalker From Hell

by author: Rogha

with artist: Laylanator17

Summary: Soul Evans was happy enough to live a quiet and unremarkable life with his blind wolf and his roommate and her dog. All of their entire combined friend group and his drunken, treacherous self had different plans. Prank major network television show plans.

Pairings: SoulxMaka, BlackStarxDeath the Kid, Kim/Jackie

Rating: T

Warnings: N/a

Read it here: [ao3]

View it here: [tumblr]

Dec 22 Let’s Trade Mistakes ‘Til They Fade Away

by author: Soundsouleater

with artist: Mak

Summary: Summer is Maka’s favorite season, and not because of the weather.

Every year, she looks forward to seeing Soul Evans, her best friend and summertime neighbor since she was five years old. However, this year is different because Soul desperately needs a fake girlfriend.

Everyone in their friend group turns to Maka, because who else would be more qualified to play the part than his best friend in the whole world?

With Maka’s help, Soul may be able to get out of this mess, even if that means putting his heart on his sleeve for the sake of the act. He just hopes they can get through this with their friendship intact. It’s easier said than done though, especially when Maka starts to feel like her heart is being put through the wringer.

Pairings: SoulxMaka

Rating: PG-13

Warnings: N/a

Read it here: [ao3 | tumblr]

View it here: [tumblr]

Dec 26 Unrequited

by authors: Infantblue and Kallieflower

with artist: Nori-wings

and artist: Soulheart

Summary: Maka is hit with a witch’s curse that compels her to return an unrequited love. It is not in Soul’s favor. Canon.

Pairings: SoulxMaka

Rating: M

Warnings: angst, smut, profanity, minor jealousy on Soul’s part, canon-typical violence, cavity-inducing fluff, Black Star being Black Star, and so much pining that it’s almost physically painful because Soul does not know how to use words. 

Read it here: [ao3 | ffn | tumblr]

View it here: [Nori-wings: tumblr | Soulheart: tumblr]

Dec 27 Out of the Spider’s Web

by author: AceRavenclaw

with artist: Cosmic-absentia

Summary: Arachne Gorgon gets to work quickly after her parents’ murder. With the aid of her hypnosis magic, the cult of Arachnophobia builds quickly, and sets about making its power known and setting Arachne’s experiments in weapon creation into motion. Medusa and Shaula are indoctrinated into this world as well, and Arachne seeks to turn them into the perfect soldiers and devotees to vanguard her forces. But Medusa is prideful and Shaula is fearful, and deep down neither of them wish to be pawns in their sister’s game. However, escaping Arachne’s web may be an impossible task…

Pairings: Medusa/OC, Arachne/Giriko

Rating: T

Warnings: Child abuse, torture, medical experimentation, domestic violence, emotional manipulation, the Gorgon family in general.

Read it here: [ao3]

View it here: [tumblr | twitter]

Dec 28 Unfair

by author: Innocentcinnamonbun

with artist: Sandmancircus

Summary: Marie feels her very own soul get ripped out when she hears the news. The man she loved has been murdered. Wilting away in her own grief, her troubles grow as her partner and dear friend, Dr. Franken Stein, is accused of the killing. She knows he’s innocent, but he isn’t convinced. Together they flee to find the truth of Joe Buttataki’s untimely demise. And what they find is not the conclusion they thought they’d see.

Pairings: Stein/Marie, Marie/Joe Buttataki

Rating: PG 13

Warnings: Minor character death, mentions of self harm, canon typical swearing and violence, mentions of adult innuendo

Read it here: [ao3]

View it here: [tumblr]

Jan 2 The Peace of Wild Things

by author: Fullmetalgrigori

with artist: Peregrine

and artist: Nsart

Summary: Maka Albarn is the last remaining heir of her people, a race of avian shapeshifters who have been at war with the serpiente for so long that the reason for fighting has long been lost. She is desperate to save her people and end the bloodshed, and is willing to do whatever it takes to do so - even if it means accepting Soul Evans, the leader of her people’s enemy, as her pair bond. However, there are forces within both courts determined to prevent peace at all costs. Meanwhile, both heirs begin to learn that the other is not the enemy they once thought they knew, and begin to find friendship and even love with the other. Hawksong AU

Warnings: Minor character death, scenes of violence, description of war, mild language

Rating: R

Pairing: Soul/Maka

Read it here: [ffn | tumblr]

View it here: [Nsart: tumblr]

Jan 3 Bit the Bullet (and Swallowed it, Too)

by author: Dollypopup

with artist: Blinkfl0yd

and artist: Innocentcinnamonbun

Summary: It’s a sunny, beautiful day in Aurora, Nevada the day Marie Mjolnir, 8 months pregnant and glowing, becomes Marie Stein. At least, it would be, if the little chapel in the middle of nowhere didn’t get shot up by the assassination group she was once a part of. Waking up from a coma 4 years later, Marie, labeled a Jane Doe, finds herself suddenly childless, husbandless, and determined to do just what she did when she was a gun for hire:

She wasn’t going to get upset. She was going to get even. Kill Bill inspired AU.

Pairings: SteinMarie, Nyzusa, SpiritKami

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Violence, blood, character death, kidnapping, strong language

Read it here: [ao3]

View it here: [innocentcinnamonbun: tumblr | Blinkfl0yd: tumblr]

Jan 4 Marked in Constellation

by author: Sojustifiable

with artist: Sigsegv

Summary: Summary: Soul and Maka meet in the wilderness having embarked on solo trips up the Pacific Crest Trail. They're both sorely unexperienced, and a little company and team work never hurt anyone. Between hitch hiking to buy supplies and fending off a bear, the two get close. Very close. The question is, will their relationship survive the stress of city living once the journey is over?

Pairing: SoulxMaka

Rating: NC-17

Warnings: Explicit sex, alcohol

Read it here: [ao3]

View it here: [tumblr]

Jan 6 Now the Night Breaks

by author: Lunar-resonance

with artist: Nikowl

and artist: Othernikki

Summary: Weeks have passed since Maka and Soul ventured into the Rift together and only Maka came back. Devastated and still reeling from Soul’s perplexing desertion, Maka struggles to deal with the emotional fallout while balancing her mother’s sudden reappearance in her life and her work in the DWMA. However, discovery of new, disturbing activity from the Rift complicates her journey to find Soul and hints at a much greater threat coming from the other side. Meanwhile, in Abeyance, Soul wanders aimlessly until he crosses paths with a witch and is coerced into entering a deal to protect Maka from their lingering bond, unaware he is the key in an ancient plan to unlock the Rift and bring witches into the world once again.

Sequel to Now the night rises and final chapter in the Ghost Eater trilogy.

Pairings: SoMa

Rating: T

Warnings: themes/discussion of death, mild graphic violence (similar to canon)

Read it here: [ao3 | ffn | tumblr | twitter]

View it here: [tumblr]

Jan 8 Can’t Fight the Moonlight

by author: GrigoriGirl

with artist: Nsart

Summary: Summary: All Soul wanted was a chance to build a life that was away from his parents and totally his own. So, when a swanky new nightclub sets up shop in a small town in West Virginia and extends a job offer, well, how could he refuse? Of course, all is not as it seems, and the first night in a new town, Soul winds up as some vampire’s dinner; setting off a chain of evens that nobody, including himself, could’ve seen coming. That’s not even including the eclectic werewolf pack with the feisty blonde at it’s help that takes him in, the pseudo-custody battle with the local vampire clan, the return of more than a few people long-since thought dead, and the more near-death experiences than he was comfortable with. Well, that might be over-simplifying things.

Pairings: General, background SteinMarie, SidNygus, JacKim

Rating: T

Warnings: mild-to-moderate blood/gore, canon typical violence, swearing, character death

Read it here: [ao3 | ffn | tumblr]

View it here: [tumblr]

Jan 9 The Start of Something New

by author: Toooceanblue

with artist: Nyxique

Summary: Sometimes you need to make sacrifices to get what you want. In Soul’s case, this means playing piano for the spring musical if his parents let him attend public school for his last year and a half of education. When stressful circumstances (and okay, a little bit of spite) rope teacher’s favorite Maka Albarn into stage crew, she and Soul must help each other balance extracurriculars and academics while their friendship steadily grows. High School Musical AU.

Pairings: SoulxMaka

Rating: PG 13

Warnings: n/a

Read it here: [ao3]

View it here: [tumblr]

Jan 10 Hot Tub Pop Tarts Are No Way to Live

by authors: Bones and Victoriapyrrhi

with artist: Abbey

Summary: Being trapped in Florida is a special kind of hell, the kind that drives a man to sit in a lukewarm hot tub drinking cheap beer and eating stale Christmas pop-tarts.

It's not EASY finding people in witness protection, but enough money can get you anything -- and now Soul has two assassins who seem to want to be his friends, a neighbor who may or may not have a secret hacker bunker under his trailer, and plans in the works for the kind of heist that sets you up for life AND takes down an internationally-feared crime ring.

Pairing: Soul/Maka, side of Kid/Black Star, Spirit/Wes, and Justin/Giriko

Rating: R

Warnings: canon-typical violence, foul and salty language, murder for hire

Read it here: [ao3 | tumblr]

View it here: [tumblr]

Jan 13 Found It Once, You’ll Find It Again

by author: Silly Twin Stars

with artist: Macabremermaid

and artist: Sojustifiable

Summary: When Maka goes to visit her grandmother in New England, she’s ready for a summer of relaxation, reading, and fried clams. But when she gets a job at Skully’s, the pirate-themed restaurant in town, she ends up getting more than she bargained for. Between illicit whale watching excursions, attempting to summon demons with pizza boxes, and learning to drive stick shift, it’ll be a miracle if she gets through this summer alive. At least there’s the quiet, musically-inclined waiter at Skully’s who knows his way around a steering wheel to help her navigate the road.

Pairings: SoulxMaka

Rating: T

Warnings: language, alcohol consumption, ouija board shenanigans, stickshift-centric innuendo

Read it here: [ao3 | ffn]

View it here: [tumblr]

Listen to it here: [tumblr]

Jan 17 Fake News

by author: Whinnie

and artist: KARIN848

Summary: Maka's life is all work and no play. What happens when her new coworker Soul tries to change that? [tech startup / office AU]

Pairings: Soul/Maka, with mentions of Soul/Anya, Maka/Tsugumi, and implied BlackStar/Tsubaki

Rating: T / PG-13

Warnings: mild and explicit language from time to time, occasional mentions of alcohol consumption, major self-esteem issues, discussion of biracial issues, mention of workplace toxicity

Read it here: [ao3 | ffn]

View it here: [tumblr]

Jan 20 Whispers from a Dark Corner

by author: BlinkFl0yd

with artist: Ahshesgone

Summary: When tragedy strikes and Soul stumbles upon Death Scythe murdered in his own home, he’s plunged into the aftermath of the fallout, including a hunt for a witch with a troubled past, a strain on on his and Maka’s resonance, and having to watch his meister fall onto a grief-fueled path for revenge. But, it what feel like sick twist in order to make things even more complicated, it turns out that Death Scythe never really left. And the only one who can see or even sense him at all is Soul, who subsequently becomes forced in between Maka and her father as both struggle to come to terms with what has happened, and what it means for their history with each other.

Rating: M

Pairings: maka/soul, minor background stein/marie

Warnings: major character death (obviously), depictions of murder, corpses, troubled family relationships

Read it here: [ao3]

View it here: [tumblr]

Jan 21 The Dead Tell No Tale

by author: Oblivion-Time

with artist: Darkpurply

Summary: After a charm gone wrong, Maka, Soul, Black*Star, Tsubaki, Liz, Patty, Kid and Marie end up at a haunted school. Dead bodies are around every corner and the threat of death looms over them in the shape of three ghost girls, a man with a chainsaw and other unknown threats lurking in the dark. There is no way out. No way to find each other. Only death is certain.

Pairings: SoulxMaka, LizxTsubakixBlack*Star

Rating: R

Warnings: Dark themes, gore, character deaths. Not a story for the weak-hearted.

Read it here: [ ao3 | ffn]

View it here: [tumblr]

Jan 22: Late Entry Day

Works that didn't make their deadlines but still posted before the end of the event!

Caught Dead

by author: redphlox

with artist: macabremermaid

and artist: Addie

Summary: When Maka Albarn takes the fall for a friend’s crime, she is sentenced to Shibusen Juvenile Detention Center in Death City, Nevada. It’s almost bearable thanks to a frustrating - and cute - camper who helps her dig holes under the hot sun. Despite Soul Evans’s reluctance to open up about himself or his past, the two soon bond over investigating the disappearances in Death City a hundred years ago and sneaking out to see each other past curfew. But, it turns out Shibusen’s intentions are far from pure. Will Soul and Maka be able to combat the other rowdy campers, the desert sun, and the cruel warden to discover the secret behind all those holes?

Pairings: SoulxMaka, Wes/Tsubaki, side Stein/Marie

Rating: T

Warnings: none indicated

Read it here: [ao3]

Listen to it here: [tumblr]

View it here: [tumblr]

Honorable Mention Artists

Artists who completed their work even though the stories were not completed.

Mystery Shrouded's Jewelry for Professor Maka's "Fate Loves the Fearless"

[Mystery Shrouded on Tumblr]

Bbbutterfingers' Digital Art for DryWavelength's "Backwoods Beyond"

[Bbbutterfingers on Tumblr]

InnocentCinnamonBun's Digital Art for DryWavelength's "Backwoods Beyond"

[InnocentCinnamonBun on Tumblr]

[some-cookie-crumbz]

New and Improved Fic Schedule

New and Improved Fic Schedule

Okay, gonna try and be brief with the nitty-gritty details here so I can get you all to the good stuff!

I’ll be going on a six-seven week hiatus starting the first week of April due to my school load getting heavier and the one-year anniversary of my dad’s suicide on April 21st. I will try to keep checking in on my account, but my activity is gonna be way less.

I will still be participating in Kidge Week. I have already written a good chunk of the fills for it and, as such, will schedule the posts ahead of time so they’ll release on the right days. The only day I will not be uploading ahead of time is April 22nd, since I want to take the time to make my post about all the other wonderful Kidge shippers out there myself. I will be aiming to still participate in Hance month, but I may only complete a handful of prompt fills.

All multi-chapters are being side-lined until at least June, due to school, but there are also a couple new projects in the work, so that also has an effect. Also, if I find the time to write up any additional one-shots, I’ll upload those as well. I’ll also need to see about maybe getting a Beta reader to look over the chapters for me before uploading - excluding LMv.tW, as I already have a Beta for that story – so I might make a separate post seeking one out as we get closer to June.

There are 3 categories under the “Read More”; Main Projects, Developing Projects, and Undefined Projects.

Main Projects are ones that I have already started writing/ completed the outlining process for and have defined start dates, plots, and release schedules. These are the projects that I’ll be focusing on most of the time and can be expected from me on a regular basis.

Developing Projects are ones that I would like to write, but as of now are more ghosts of a thought than concrete works. These have the potential to be scrapped or, should I decide I myself do not want to write them, will be offered out to any writer interested in taking them on themselves. If a project is dropped, I’ll make a post letting everyone know I’m offering the idea over to another set of creative hands.

Undefined Projects are projects I have every intention of writing, but are a bit wider in scope/range and I am unsure of how far ahead in development they’ll be when I start making them more public. These are projects that I have started to write/ draft, but I have done very little in the way of determining where to end the project off at. Basically, these are stories that have no end goal in sight. This projects will have no upload date or upload schedule, as such, and will be more sporadic in when I choose to work on them.

Main Projects (Fics will be listed in chronological order based on release date.)

Dress Rehearsal: Voltron (Kidge, sidelined Hance): After publically calling out the shady business practices of Galra Tech, acclaimed actor Keith Kogane finds himself the subject of both an attempted assassination and threat of blackmail. Undeterred, he feels no fear at the prospect of making an enemy of the powerful conglomerate. Worried about his safety, both physically and his privacy being violated, his agent, Allura LeAltea, calls upon the help of an old charm school friend of hers. Enter Katie Holt; renowned tech prodigy and secret hacker known as Pidge Gunderson, hired on to be Keith’s personal bodyguard. The only catch? The two must pretend to be dating to assure that Katie can tag along with him wherever he goes without cueing Galra Tech into knowing their threats have had an effect. Release Date: June 15th, 2018 Update Schedule: Bi-Weekly Note: Only thing changing for this story is that it has a finalized update schedule and a proper working title.

Lance McClain vs. The World: Voltron (Hance, sidelined Kidge): After getting involved with a charming young engineering student named Hunk Garrett after meeting at a bar, Lance McClain finds himself getting dragged into a series of events that seem to be ripped right out of a comic book. He is given a warning from the leader of something called “Team Voltron”; a group of Hunk’s ex-lovers and close personal friends, dedicated to determining the worthiness of Hunk’s suitors through various competitive means. Never one to back down from a challenge, Lance agrees to the terms and is forced to learn various new skills and talents in order to compete with the roster of powerful opponents he faces. Release Date: June 29th, 2018 Update Schedule: Weekly Note: Pushed this one back a bit but also gave it a defined update schedule, so there’s that!

Lowlife: Voltron (Kidge): Inspired by the song of the same title by Poppy. After being framed for the murder of her own brother, Katie Holt is forced to flee to the bustling metropolis of Marmora, a city where anyone can disappear in an instance. Assuming the new identity of Pidge Gunderson, she tries to settle into life, despite the constant feeling of being watched. After an evening snack run takes an unexpected turn, Pidge ends up with a roommate who goes by the moniker Blade, a young man with a story all-too-similar to hers. Together, the two set out on a mission to uncover the truth and clear their actual names… While trying not to kill each other. Release Date: August 17th, 2018 Update Schedule: Bi-Weekly Note: I decided to place a month between when any new multi-chapter fics will be coming out to avoid burning myself out. My plan is that I should be close to having finished both my other projects by the time this one drops. This project will most likely be a bit on the shorter side, as it will center almost completely on the two goofballs, but I’m really excited to work on it! Hopefully it’ll be a fun adventure for you all as well!

Story Time: Soul Eater (SoMa): Soul Evans has been struggling with life as a single father for roughly three years now; working two jobs and odd hours to support himself and his precious daughter, Harmony. Upon the announcement of his older brother, Wes, getting married, he is begged to return home to help with preparing for the ceremony and to be his brother’s Best Man. Feeling that he’ll have better opportunities with his family’s support and more time to spend with Harmony, Soul agrees to moving back to Death City. Through fate and circumstance, Soul meets Maka Albarn, the writer of his daughter’s favorite series of children’s books and intended Maid of Honor to Liz Thompson, Wes’ fiancée, and the two get along pretty well. And, perhaps from there, more will develop between them. Release Date: September 28th, 2018 Update Schedule: Bi-Weekly Note: Again, another one where nothing really changes. This story is mostly just going to be domestic, romantic fluff, but I think it’ll have some nice touches to make it stand out.

Twilight: Voltron (Kidge): One night, Matthew Holt disappeared from his room without a trace. In the time that he’d been gone, his younger sister, Katie Holt, has been frantically pushing for more action to be taken in bringing her brother home; believing he has been whisked away to the deadly mystery of the forest around their small village of Kerberos. With her brother missing, her mother’s health rocky in her grief, and her father away to help a neighboring village with a fast-spreading illness, she is struggling to maintain not only all effort to bring her brother home alive, but also keep the family farm up to its normal functionality. The Head of the Village Guard, Thace Kogane, insists that she accept the help of his two children, Keith and Allura, to assist her with the farm. Initially cold and distant, Katie slowly warms up to the duo and finds that they may be able to offer her more help in finding her brother, as well as unraveling the mysteries of the dark forest just outside the fences of their small village. Release Date: October 31st, 2018 Update Schedule: Monthly Note: Decided that I want to push this one back to Halloween for very specifics reasons. Also, because this is a project with a lot of world building and establishment to it, I want to give myself/ any potential Beta plenty of time to go over it to make sure everything makes sense.

 Developing Projects

Keidge Month Day 30 Prompt: Voltron (Kidge, potential other pairings as I develop it further): Not gonna say too much about this one, as I want it to be a surprise, but basically a canon-divergent story that would fall more inline with the headcanons I had in the very first Kidge fic I ever wrote, which Day 30 will also kind of expand on in a way. Note: If I do decide to pursue this project, it’ll most likely end up under the Undefined Projects category.

Starring Role: Voltron (Lanlura, mentions/hints of Lotura, sidelined Kidge): Inspired by the song of the same name by Marina and the Diamonds. Lance understands that, as far as things go, Allura doesn’t really need him. Gorgeous, confident, intelligent Allura Altea could have any guy she wanted at the snap of her fingers. They all trip over themselves to just catch a glimpse of her as she wanders the campus of Olkari University. But, for whatever reason, he’s the one she calls upon when the nights are cold and lonely. He knows that someday she’ll realize he isn’t worth her time, but until then? Until then, he’ll enjoy pretending that there’s more to their nights together. He’s always been a showman, after all. Note: I fell into Lanlura Hell and I am not sure I want to crawl out yet. I’ve been entertaining the idea of writing something a bit more on the bittersweet side of things (though I’d probably end up giving it a happy ending because I AM WEAK). Plus, Lance would give Allura everything, even if it could break his little heart.

A Mirror’s Edge: Voltron (Lanlura, sidelined Kidge): For centuries, the Galra have pitted the families of Altea and Terrain against one another, framing the other for assassination after assassination, hoping the two noble bloods would wipe one another out so that Galra may control the entirety of the city. Tired of the bloodshed and scorn on the streets, the Grand Duke Mage of Voltron creates a magic veil; a mirror made of illusion and incantation, to keep the two warring families from coming in direct contact with one another. But even magical bonds do not always hold against forces of a different kind, forces that songs and poems and theater have been written about. This is the tale of how two young children, belonging to House Altea and House Terrain, happen a glance through the mirror’s glamour and find the spark of something more enchanted in between. Note: I fucking hate Romeo and Juliet but damn if the stupid thing doesn’t give a lot of room to play and come up with some fun ideas! I have already started to develop a whole world for this one fic but, again, I am unsure if I want to do a full exploration of it (or, also, if I might want to use my own characters for this one).

Seashells and Scallops: Voltron (Plance or Lanlura, I swing both ways, with potential side pairings if I decide to pursue this project): After being saved from drowning by what can only be called a mermaid, Prince Lance of the Azure Isles, falls in love with his rescuer. Mermaids, however, are tricky and mysterious creatures, leaving him with almost no chance to meet his dream girl again; at least, not without taking fate into his own hands. In exchange for his voice, a witch on the outskirts of his city trades his legs out for a tail and gills. He has six months to woo the young mermaid and have his feelings reciprocated, or be fed to the witch’s pet sleeping deep in the murky depths. Note: A Little Mermaid AU with a twist! I like to subvert tropes, and this seems like something Lance would absolutely do.

 Undefined Projects

The Star Witch: Voltron (Kidge, potential others as I develop the story): A continuation of my Keidge Month Day 25 Prompt fill. Would further their relationship, probably get a little spicy, probably have an incredibly tragic end. Might warrant having a sequel series, or just being a really long running multi-chapter fic?

Copper and Indigo: Voltron (Kidge, potential others as I develop the story): It’s the Soul Eater!Kidge AU I’ve been planning out! Haven’t yet finished the finalization of everything, as I want to wait a little longer on the poll, but this will be coming! And it will be coming soon!

Time, Space, and Everything Between: Voltron (Kidge, potential others as I develop the story): A continuation of my Keidge Month Day 15 Prompt fill. I have an idea for a good chunk of the beginning, but it’s simply determining where I want to go through the middle and end. I want to have it still follow some of the series, specifically in regards to them all piloting the Lions, but then it becomes a question of to what extent and where I’d want to end things off at. But I am most certainly going to be doing more with this!

[skadventuretime]

I am shopping in your bookstore and you didn’t notice my mother was standing directly behind me when you really blatantly hit on me. - Soma

Time to bust out of that post-resbang slump. Please accept this little bit of ridiculousness as I adjust back to writing past tense and Black Star’s shenanigans.

On FFN. Edit: On AO3 too, because I was too lazy to do it last night. 

It started out as a dare.

More like a challenge, really, one to see who could ask out their respective crushes first, and Maka refused to lose to her muscle-headed nincompoop of a neighbor who still insisted on being called by his childhood alter ego’s name.

Black Star. More like Black Death the way his nonsense seemed to kill all logic and reason with the speed and ferocity of deadly bacteria.

Gritting her teeth, Maka peered around the edge of the bookshelf she had strategically chosen for surveillance purposes - it was far enough away from the checkout that the grumpy object of this godforsaken mission would have a hard time seeing her, but close enough that she could gauge both how busy the store was and how tired he seemed. If she played her cards right, she could walk up when there were few people around, dazzle him with some tried and true wordplay that she had spent all of the previous night researching, and then be done before he woke up enough to realize he’d agreed to go on a date with someone as pathetically endowed as her.

She lurked in the sci-fi/fantasy section for another thirty minutes while the lunch rush came through, nearly forgetting about her mission entirely when she overheard a couple of teens talking about Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonriders of Pern series and getting into an animated discussion about the pros and cons of being soul-bonded to another sentient being. But then they left, and the relative quiet reminded Maka she had a job to do.

A final peek around the shelf confirmed that there was nobody else in the store but her and Sir Slouches-A-Lot. Remembering the Internet’s reminder that men like confident, assertive women, she put on her competitive jiujitsu face and strode up to the counter with her back straight and her head held high. Her script was memorized. Her research was iron-clad. There was no way this could end in failure.

“Do you have a name or can I just call you mine?” she asked him in the most neutral tone she could manage. No need to pull out the sultry yet - all of the articles she’d read had agreed that pacing was important.

“Excuse me?” he stuttered, eyes wide as he half-tripped, half-collapsed onto the counter.

Maka frowned. It seemed the initial line didn’t work so well - perhaps something more poetic would get the point across. “Do you have a map? I’m getting lost in your eyes.” That should definitely provoke the needed response - his eyes were a brilliant shade of wine-red that did funny things to her stomach when she thought about it too much, but she supposed that was why Black Star teased her about him so often. That’ll stop when she wins this bet, though. Surely Star couldn’t be faring any better with Kid given his utter inability to form coherent sentences that didn’t involve some inane portmanteau of ‘bro’ and the meme of the week.

“I’m sorry, I still don’t understand?” he wheezed, red splotches making his cheeks glow in an awkward, adorable way. “Do you uh, need some help finding something in the store?”

Maka took a calming breath. Of course she’d fall for the one who couldn’t take a hint. Third time’s the charm, they say, so she summoned her most seductive smile (the amount of time she spent practicing it in the mirror the night before was borderline embarrassing) and said, “Are you my appendix? I have a pain in my side that makes me feel like I should take you out.” If he missed the subtext of that last bit, she might have to resort to some of the more drastic measures mentioned in the article, like showing up at his window with a boombox and 80s music or giving him a bouquet of roses, and flowers were expensive.

“Are you hitting on me?” he said, voice cracking in the middle and rising an octave or so while he looked at her with a strange mixture of incredulity and something a little like hope.

“It appears that way, Soul,” an amused voice said to their right, and oh god, someone else was there the whole time. She had waist length blond hair, fine cheekbones, and some of the sharpest eyeliner Maka had ever seen. With a growing sense of horror, Maka realized this must be his mother.

Soul jumped and turned to face her, groaning when he saw the satisfied smirk and delicately placed hands on hips. “Why are you here? Weren’t you doing inventory?”

“Now now, is that any way to treat family?” she chided, still smiling while moving past Soul to collect a stack of receipts by the register.

“I try to forget I’m related to you,” he grumbled, scrubbing at his face in a vain attempt to rid himself of the color in his cheeks. “Don’t you have better things to do than creep around up front?”

She laughed and ruffled his hair with an easy kind of affection that made something in Maka’s heart twinge. What it must be like, to have a mother like that.

“I’ll leave you two kids alone. I can’t be late to my modeling gig, anyway. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” She winked and, after making her way around the counter towards the door, turned and stage-whispered to Maka, “And that only involves anything without clearly negotiated safe words and boundaries, so have at it!” Another wink and she was gone, the small bell above the door chiming her exit.

“Your mom seems nice,” Maka said cautiously, not wanting to say much more because Soul already seemed like he was one wrong look away from disintegrating on the spot and she was busy trying to figure out how to steer this conversation back to dates.

“Mom?” he said, aghast. “That wasn’t my mother, that was my brother.”

Now it was Maka’s turn to blush. “Oh! I’m sorry, I guess I presumed with the hair and — do you think he can teach me how to do eyeliner like that? I always mess it up.”

Soul’s laugh was more like a whimper while he lowered his face into his arms, sinking into the small stool behind the counter like he wished he could simply fade away. “Probably. He’s always picked to do high fashion stuff like this.”

Maka allowed him one minute of embarrassed sulking before clearing her throat and asking, “So, is that a yes?”

He raised his head, confusion breaking through the pained set of his features. “Huh?”

“Will you go out with me?” she said impatiently, glancing at the clock. Kid had gotten out of orchestra almost an hour ago and she didn’t want to risk Star somehow being smooth enough to fingergun his way into a relationship before she could apply her hours of thoroughly researched technique.

“I mean, that sounds—” He’s cut off by the door slamming wide to none other than Black Star and Kid, the latter wearing an impeccable neutral face despite Star’s large bicep curling into the back of his neck from the arm around his shoulder.

“'Sup nerds,” Star said, sauntering over to join them by the counter. “This hot piece of sass agreed to go out with me just a few minutes ago, and given the awkward tension I felt from down the street, you two haven’t even gotten to the confession yet. So I’m gonna say booyah and you lose, Maks.” He raised his other hand over his head, fist formed, and didn’t break eye contact with Maka as Kid sighed and lifted his fist to bump Star’s.

Maka seethed. She’d been so close! All of her planning, her research, was for nothing after all.

“Actually, she was just waiting for me to finish my shift,” Soul said, glancing between Black Star and Maka. “She asked me out hours ago, and we’re also heading out on our first date soon.”

She tried not to look so surprised when he made eye contact with her then, that warm feeling coming back in waves and allowing her to return his smile with a genuine one of her own. “Yeah, right. We’re thinking about a movie.”

Star gaped at the two of them. “Are you kidding me? Punch Ya Albarn got a date before moi? Jeez man, we gotta be friends if this one’s nerdery didn’t scare you away. We were going to the movies, too, so how about a double date?”

“Sounds good to us,” Maka said.

“Great, we’ll meet you out front.” Black Star and Kid walked back outside, and the longer Maka looked at them, the more she saw the bashful tilt to Star’s smile and the small fidgets he made when Kid leaned into his arm. It looked like Star wouldn’t be the only one with teasing ammo.

“Thanks, by the way. For covering me,” Maka said to Soul when the others were out of earshot. “We’d had a bet about who could ask their crushes out on a date first and—”

“I’m your crush?” Soul looked dazed again, but this time with such an honest, open smile that Maka couldn’t help but indulge the melting emotion lapping at her heart.

“Yeah, you are,” she said, tamping down her own starstruck expression and remembering the need to project confidence. “I spent a lot of time looking up how to flirt. I’m glad it wasn’t all for nothing.”

“Well, that’s cool because you’ve been my crush for a while.” That wide-open smile seemed to be a permanent fixture on his face, and he held out his hand to her as he walked towards the door. “But just so you know, you shouldn’t take dating advice from cheesy pick-up line sites.”

Maka’s eyes widened. “How did you know where I sourced my information?”

Laughing, Soul enveloped her hand in his and opened the door. “Call it a hunch.”