#plus this fic idea ive been planning for a long time

[candyunicornsateme]

Kenny may die all the time but he really do be smelling the flowers

[littlebluentebook]

Alastor x Sewing!Reader

Hi everyone! This is my first ever fic but I have read far more than anyone should in a lifetime! Please let me know if theres any criticism. Im open to other ideas and fandoms (that I will eventually make a list for.) I'm merging some chapters I have just because they're short or make better sense that way and tried tot keep things gender neutral. If I slipped let me know and I will go back and edit! This is probably super out of character but I did my best! Hope you all enjoy :)

Chapter 1 <3

You and your husband had always gotten along like a house on fire.

Every other week a client would come in asking for costumes and repairs for a speakeasy she sung and danced at.

"-just say Anne invited you love n' they'll be bound ta let you in!" she exclaimed while picking up her newest order for the night ahead.

"Well darling I'll just have to see if I've got any sort of plans." You said knowing full well you were going to come up with new patterns until eventually falling asleep.

"Come on Y/N, Ive been coming to you for months! Don't you want to see where all your heard work goes to?" Anne was definitely pulling your strings taking advantage of your curiosity. She had a point.

"I suppose you've gotta point Anne. What time are you starting tonight?"

"Nine!" She was bouncing up and down in excitement. " I've got to get going now doll! See you tonight!"

The jingle of the bells on the door signified she was gone. You started to realize what you agreed to and panicking.

"Oh my goodness gracious!" you stressed out loud, "what even am I going to wear! Im going to look ridiculous- I don't know a single soul there! What if I make a fool of myself?!"

Your thoughts battles for longer than you would like them to eventually grabbing a paper riddled with measurements no longer needed and started writing pros and cons of visiting Anne.

Pros: Cons:

Meeting new people! Showing up alone

Can make friends Looking like a buffoon!

New possible clients

Deducting that embarrassment is temporary, your cons list could easily be eradicated by breaking out of your shell and talking to others. Plus, Anne would be there and she was your friend... kinda? You considered her a friend but was unsure if she felt the same way. Well, she did invite you to visit her tonight, at the very least she will introduce you to her friends! There shouldn't be a worry.

With your mind finally set you heard the clock strikes four. Ashamed of how long you let your thoughts get the better of you, you got back to work. The task was to complete a keepsake blanket from a wedding. You created the dress for the newlywed, sitting for hours with her finding the perfect materials and creating patterns and designs for her. In the family, it was a tradition to create a quilt from the dress of the bride using the grooms suit as a border. All the pieces were cut and you could not wait to sew them together and create a stunning memento.

Chapter 2 <3

you knocked on a door two streets over from your shop. A short lady opened the door raising an eyebrow.

"And who might you be?"

"Im Annes... friend," you tried. "She comes to me for her outfits and graciously offered me the opportunity to come a view her performance tonight."

The lady's gaze hardened, staring at you intensely.

"It looks like I have got the wrong place then, I am so sorry to waste your time," you stammered taking a step back away from the door.

"Oh Mimzy! You mustn't be giving anyone trying to see me a hard time now!" Anne's bubbly voice spoke from behind the short lady who must be Mimzy. "Y/N is a good friend of mine! Works far too hard for me and deserves a break, plenty of time to relax!"

Mimzy bursted into a smile and reached for a hug. "of course! Welcome! Sorry for being all prude- just had to makee sure you weren't anyone coming tottery and ruin what I've got going for me here" she drawled.

"No ma'am of course not! Im just here to watch my friends performance then I'll be outta your hair, away from your 'do," you explained to Mimzy while she dragged you from the door to the bar.

"Nonsense my dear! Please have a drink and stay awhile!" you sat at the bar with Mimzy talking about how difficult it was to be a female business owner. No one takes you lot seriously!

The lights dimming and shinning on stage caught the room's attention effectively hushing all conversation. Anne sauntered to the center of the stage, dress shimmering. You recognized it as the most recent dress that you crafted for Anne. It was stunning on her.

"My oh my! Look at the handiwork that went into making that dress. Must of taken days!" a familiar voice chipped. You were unable to put a name to the voice but luckily Mimzy did it for you.

"Alastor," Goodness! The radio broadcaster! You had always loved his voice, you would have his station playing while sewing- waiting patiently for songs to end just to hear him speak. "Our dear friend Y/N made that specifically for our lovely Anne!" Mimzy exclaimed.

She admired your work while Anne sung and waltzed around the stage. You were incredibly proud of your work. Every detail of that dress took so much time and effort and turned out beautifully. The fringe was all hand cut, the lace took countless hours of stitching for the perfect design and finally the beads. Each bead had to be placed individually in the right spot on the dress to shimmer. It was a fine dress indeed.

"Y/N, how would you like to make dresses and suits for the rest of those who preform for me?" As soon as the song ended Mimzy had dropped the question, ensuring she wouldn't tale any attention away from Anne.

"Oh my! Why I would be honored and ecstatic to! Thank you so much for the opportunity Mimzy!" You were so excited! Sure the flapper dresses were hard work and time consuming, but now, seeing how they looked on a stage, in front of an audience, made you realize you didn't mind all the time and effort it took into making them.

Mimzy left her seat in an excited hurry to go get paperwork for you.

"You know," the broadcaster- Alastor leaned over Mimzy's now empty seat, "she goes on and on about how beautiful Annes dresses on stage are." The comment caused you to blush but he continued, grabbing your hand gently. "I must agree with her, although the lady behind the creation of this wonderful attire is much more beautiful than what she creates."

With that Alastor kissed the back of your hand with his lips. You were speechless.

Mimzy came back with paperwork and Alastor smiled at you. The three of you spent hours conversing, telling both jokes and stories.

"Oh my!" You glanced at the nearest clock- almost one in the morning. "I have got to get going! I have to open the shop in the morning."

"Do you ever take days off darling?" Alastor asked softly.

"Only Sundays. No one is out on Sundays!"

"Goodness! -at least let me walk you home. You know its not safe for a lovely person such as yourself to be out alone this late."

"Are you sure? I don't want to inconvenience you at all Alastor."

"Of course I'm sure dear, its not an inconvenience if its you." The words were rolling off his tongue and you blushed so hard it could have matched his vest.

"Your performance was amazing Anne! You are so talented, I have definitely been missing out, I am going to come back to watch you! " Enthusiasm and pride towards your friend took over. You wanted to let her know what you thought before you suddenly ran off.

"Thank you for coming out tonight for me. Sure was nice seeing a friend in the crowd!" A jittery wave of happiness washed through you at her last statement.

"Im so glad to hear you enjoyed yourself!" Mimzy gushed to you giving a farewell hug. "Blessed to know you'll be coming back doll."

"Of course! You have an amazing place Mimzy. This is a pleasant change of scenery compared to what I'm used to!"

With your goodbyes concluded you walked out the door arm in arm with Alastor.

[wordsbyarwen]

hello! ive been keeping up with your writing for a while and i was just curious, do you have any plans to continue stone in your water? no pressure ofc, just wondering :)

If it takes another 6 years it will be completed, yes.

The more complicated and slightly more serious answer (although i am very serious about finishing the fic) is that as we wind closer to the end, i find it more taxing to make sure all the pieces are in place to bring the story to a close without leaving any ends hanging. There are also a lot of emotions going on that need careful consideration given certain recent events - so along with navigating their new bond and sorting out how to address some other issues - as well as the just bringing it to a satisfying close in general (i know what's going to happen ultimately, but weaving the story around it is blah), things have just been going a bit slowly.

plus tbh i though writing in past tense for the Hades & Persephone au would be a good exercise and now i keep giving myself psychic damage every time i try to write in present tense again.

anyway here's a (very long) segment from the next chapter, where i explain Rita taking over as Headmistress and Tissaia and Vilgefortz seizing control of the Chapter

Yennefer is not the only guest at the meeting, of course. Rita's warm presence alone is enough to tell Yennefer that her ponderous thoughts this morning were accurate: Tissaia is stepping down as Rectoress.

"You seem weary, Tissaia. Have you come to vacate your Chapter seat as well?" Artorius drawls when the announcement has been made, voice dripping with feigned boredom.

"Yes, the running of your little school is hardly reason to call another meeting so soon—particularly after you were so quick to depart the last one," Stregobor complains. "Why have you gathered us here?"

A flare of annoyance from Tissaia shoots across their bond, and Yennefer furrows her brows slightly. She wants to bite back—she’ll only be able to take so many of Stregobor’s disingenuous comments—but she holds her tongue and focuses instead on reassessing the barriers around Tissaia's mind.

All seems well. 

"Quite the contrary, Artorius," Tissaia is saying, ignoring Stregobor’s interruption for now. “For too long I have been torn between the duties of two different stations. Henceforth I intend to dedicate my full attention to the oversight of the Brotherhood. I think we can all agree that these are trying times indeed, gentlemen; the Brotherhood needs guidance.” 

A breath of silence—and then, from nowhere, someone laughs. 

Vilgefortz, Yennefer realises when he clears his throat to speak. "Well said, Tissaia; after all, it was the efforts of our mages which kept the Nilfgaardian horde from crossing the Yaruga. Might I be so bold as to suggest that the Brotherhood requires not only guidance but… a new direction, even?” he muses. A beat. He makes a thoughtful noise before continuing, “The Archmistress has my support.”

[...]

“I knew it was a bad idea to fill Vanielle’s seat with this—this sword-slinging whelp,” Stregobor grumbles. In her mind’s eye, in the disturbance of chaos near his seat, Yennefer sees him wave his arm dismissively.

The absolute gall, saying this in front of the man! Yennefer has little love for Vilgefortz, but she finds herself distracted once again by musings of how Stregobor has maintained his seat in the Brotherhood’s leadership for so long when all he does is provoke the people around him. 

Terranova hums quietly in amusement. “In all fairness, they were right. The Blackclads arrive after all—and two days early at that? Had Tissaia and Vilgefortz not rushed to defend Sodden, we’d already be neck-deep in a war we were too complacent to stop.”

“Back to the point, gentlemen,” Tissaia begins in the ensuing silence. “Now is the time for unity, not for infighting.”

Not one to be drawn from his protestations so easily, Stregobor makes a disgusted sound before grumbling, “I still don’t understand why you could not have put this in a letter.”

Tissaia does not quite sigh aloud, but Yennefer is well-familiar with the pinched expression she associates this feeling of irritation with. “Aretuza produces nine out of ten of the mages who serve as advisors on the Brotherhood’s behalf,” Tissaia snaps. “One would hope this Council has significant interest in the future of the school.” She puffs out a breath before continuing in a more casual tone. “Of course, your personal lack of interest hardly surprises me, Stregobor: as much time as you spend peacocking around Thanedd, it’s a wonder your boys even recognise their Rector’s face.”

“<i>Now—</i>”

“Remind me,” Tissaia continues over Stregobor’s interruption, “when was a Ban Aard graduate last chosen for a court assignment?” A moment of tense silence. No answer comes. “Then I trust you have no other protestations regarding the discussion of Aretuza’s future in this hall.”

Growing more irritated (and more unbearable) by the minute, Stregobor makes a sudden noise of frustration. “Margarita Laux-Antille has no interest in politics!”

“That’s the first thing you’ve got right since calling this meeting to order,” Rita interjects blandly, speaking up for the first time.

“Ha! You see—!”

“But, while I have no interest in playing at intrigue as you do, I assure you I am more than capable of staying abreast of the political landscape here in the North and abroad, as is necessary to guide Aretuza and its students. Besides, we have experts for a reason,” she adds in a lightly scoffing tone. “You take for granted that Tissaia has long been part of this Council. I take precisely as much interest in the political sphere as the position of Rectoress necessitates.”

“And it is for that reason that she is here,” Tissaia continues smoothly, cold steel underneath her placid demeanour. “In future, I will act as liaison between the Council and Aretuza. For now, I move that we review the current status of our relations across the Northern Realms. After all, the Headmistress should know precisely where the Council stands—should she not?”

It is not, in fact, a question.

[viscerawrites]

status update 9/28/2024

just a lil post to announce what fics ive worked on/tasks ive crossed off my checklist today! its mostly for myself rlly fcngnhkk buuut its here if anyone's curious ig? Im just chilling

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what ive accomplished today:

wrote 492 words for chapter 2 of where love didn't exist

today was the first time ive been able to work on this fic (w/o anxiety) since i first posted it in january, so that's pretty nice! tbh i lost so much confidence in it after i lost my therapist since i was hoping to use it as a coping fic while i processed shit. but who knows, maybe it'll still help me learn things abt myself. regardless, im excited to be back at it!

wrote 156 words for my sleep token oneshot wip, the body as a temple ; got it to 913!

i havent worked on this one in a while either lol, mostly bc i started it right before The Anxiety started hitting me every time i sat down to write. i was honestly rlly nervous to return to it cuz i was scared I wouldn't be able to keep writing it at all. but im giving myself the grace to move slow, so. rare W for me.

retyped/sorta edited 582 words for chapter 1 of my hollywood undead wip the exorcism of jorel decker

i actually posted this 1st chapter a long while ago! then i deleted it, tried to rework into original fiction, realized i was having much more fun writing it as bandfic, and then foolishly orphaned the original version instead of just deleting </3 but the good news abt that is. idk if i still have it in my google docs at all. so at least i have that to reference LOL.

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soo.

today is saturday september 28 (this month is going by way too fast fr) and it's just past 6pm rn. got a late start today bc i was exhausted as shit for a while, then i talked to my mom incessantly for what was apparently hours. So i only got started around 3pm (but i still needed to warm up, soo it took longer. Bleh).

didn't set my checklist goals at the start of the day like i planned to bc i was having The Anxiety and a bit of decision paralysis. and was also worried abt.. Various things. so it doesn't feel as successful today, but ive still gotten shit done and that's what should matter to me.

out of everything ive typed today, ive done abt 1,230 words in total so far. Most of that was unfortunately just me retyping shit ive already written and am now moving from google docs to ellipsus (which i highly recommend btw). i typically prefer to retype into new software instead of pasting; it gets the brain flowing better.

but i did still write some new words, and a lot of what i retyped was modified and added to. or cut. Whatever it needed rlly.

im still trying to find the proper schedule for myself + the best way to juggle my millions of projects/ideas. I need to allow myself some wiggle room while still having some structure. adhd is making this a bit difficult (as it so often does), but it's rlly just trial and error rn. Plus a lot of self-acceptance and focusing on making things easier and more fun for myself - instead of worrying abt the "most reasonable" way to do things. Or anything others might recommend.

I do still plan on writing some more before the night is done, so I might be back w/ an update for this before I head to bed. I got distracted by my brother while writing this post so it's now just after 6:45 LOL.

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gonna close this post off w/ music ive been rlly liking today! bc,, why not.

Animals - Ice Nine Kills (maroon 5 cover)

Disturbia - The Cab (rihanna cover)

What I Never Learned In Study Hall - Ice Nine Kills

[lonewolflink]

non chronological scene collage….oh you are speaking my language…..i love love love (plus jihyo!!! ahh!!!! jihyo!!!!!!!! <33333) 2yeon was the ship that got me into kpop fic and therefore they will always have a special place in my heart

as for fanart. i cannot promise it will be good (harken back to the bit where i have NOT practiced drawing the itzy girlies yet) but ive been thinking abt all of them all day so. who knows!! potentially incoming!!!!

also every time you talk about all the arcs and whatnot i want to get a corkboard with red string and deduce like. i am so excited. no 1 wsc fan here. i watched a hockey match yesterday and ive never watched a single sports game in my life. i think it’s taking over like some sort of infectious mold. -hambbyong

keep asking about 2yeon and i'll probably do it lmao they're so fun (irl, in fic, in every universe, i just love that dynamic. and especially when jeongyeon had the fluffy blonde hair. oh my god. not to be thirsty on main but, uh, ma'am)

my twice research for writing hockey au made very clear to me early on that the ships i gravitated to were michaeng, 2yeon, and to a lesser extent dahmo. can't quite tell if those are sort of the OG favored ships that are now outdated, but those are the ones that made most sense to me! we already have a little 2yeon in hockey au and an easter egg of michaeng with them as a d pairing...i'll have to see if i want to do anything more than that with the twice ships. i'll say nothing about sana until we meet her in chapter 3 ;)

the thought that anyone is enjoying my au enough to even think about drawing fanart for it, no matter the quality, is incredibly touching (and makes me feel so motivated to keep writing tbh). can't wait to see what you come up with if/when you commit to doing it, and i'm sure it'll be amazing :)

also LMAO with the corkboard you have no idea i literally have 4 planning documents, one of which is over 100 pages long. i have an entire excel spreadsheet tracking season stats for every named player in the league (aka the members of literally EVERY MAJOR GG IN 3RD/4TH GEN KPOP because i'm fucking nuts), many of whom probably won't even appear in the fic (...though quite a few...will...keep an eye out ;) ). i...went completely insane on this one idk it just GRABBED ME and i couldn't stop, blame my adhd hyperfixation, i hope it never ends

me writing hockey au (shouting at @ddeongies and @snowddeong):

[wholemleko]

updates ig???

(reposted from my deviantart)

so i guess this is like. my plans for the future or at least where i feel like im at when it comes to comics and such.

tl;dr - bird of death is my main project now and everything else is in uncertain limbo

details under the cut:

first thing is just, the state of my projects. bird of death, which im posting now, has completely taken over my brain and its something i enjoy working on much more because its part of a bigger project that im working on with a group of 6 other people and ultimately i think art is a social thing for me. at this point ive also got a 115+ page buffer which ive never even come close to before, so i feel very much at ease about being able to put it out into the world without the months long hiatuses ive gone on with my other comics. plus, it has elements in it that are largely influenced by ideas from my previous projects which i guess leads me to my next point...

which is that im growing burnt out of my older comics. i had for a long time. i occasionally experience moments where i really love my old stories again and give myself the impression that im ready to get back into them, but then it always ends up being temporary and fizzling out again just a week or so later. like venturing. i spent years working on it and theres so much left of the story for me to tell, things that i am still excited to show. but at the same time, its a story i started when i was 16 and i guess this happens to a lot of creators, but my writing style is so different now and when i look back at it i cringe. theres also the factor that felix is almost like an undercooked version of my protagonist in bird of death (for reasons that have only vaguely been revealed). so when i think about writing his story it just feels like. he's the same guy but more poorly put together by a younger me.

this same thing goes for another comic project that ive never shared publicly but which ive been working on for just as long as ive been working on venturing. its actually the story im using for my final project for my degree lmao. the characters in it that im most invested in feel like early drafts for characters from bird of death... the catharsis of writing them has moved to this new story. my old projects just feel like early drafts of this new one but wearing different clothes. they are all born of the same train of thought.

then theres the matter of my fancomics. children of decay is so early on and undercooked that i barely have anything to say about it except that i still love the idea of having a warriors comic, but man i am just not invested in it the way i am with bird of death. (also the fact their titles are so similar... feels silly lol).

my moomin fancomics are a whole other matter... im not the writer for them, and theres still a ton of content that i wanted to cover. im still only in the first chapter of blackthorn tree, and i wanted to adapt 4 more fics afterwards. they are stories that i love, and which continue to be very dear to me, but the inspiration that gave me is, again, now being channeled into my newest project. i guess that makes sense, given that my protagonist was originally made to be a moomin oc. ive also felt increasingly disconnected from the moomin fandom, not because i like the series itself any less, but the fandom landscape is just very different from what it was. another factor is that i did actually have the rest of chapter 1 almost finished, but i lost all those files when my old ipad got fried and this really bummed me out, just a further discouragement.

putting all these things on the backburner feels bad. i dont like saying that i dont know when or even if i will come back to certain projects. i know lots of people enjoyed what i was making, especially venturing and the moomin comics. but i just cant find it in myself to commit to them again now that this new project has pretty much overtaken me, and i dont know if that commitment will ever come back. this isnt to say that i am putting an end to any of them or that im quitting them. just that they are not the thing i am committed to, and i am putting them into uncertain limbo. it feels smarter to concentrate my energy on a project i am much more devoted to now, which is very developed, and which i am making alongside other people who are also very devoted to the greater project.

if u got this far thanks for reading, and thanks to all those who've supported me over the years in my creative endeavors

[obsequence]

hi so this is for if you care about my writing ! my new blog is @suturism and im gonna be posting updates about my wips on there alongside my other mainblog shit :) i also have a twitter by the same username but i really just tweet abt random shit on there lol , but feel free to follow me if u want !!

im about to ramble a bit so if tail lights is your concern that's below here

obviously , i barely wrote last year , especially compared to the year before that . i didnt really make an effort in my writing at all after about march or so . and it wasn't lack or motivation or ideas

for a lot of people , it's really easy to write TO cope with like difficult situations but for me that's just . not it . im a very tunnel-visioned person and i can really only focus on one goal at once , and my goal for 2023 was literally like: survive . because of life situations plus my own health . i also didnt know whether id have to get extended care , so i didnt want to start any like big fics or anything during that time because i didnt know if id be able to update . thats the primary reason i didnt write much

the second is literally just insecurity and posting anxiety which sounds stupid LOL but it's super real for me . im really trying not to be so self conscious about what i post and to be content with the fact that i have progress to make , but it's hard at times . esp because (imo) tail lights was lackluster and i REALLY want my next multichapter to be better and something i can be proud of . so up to this point ive kinda been too anxious to post much if im being honest ! but i can feel that ebbing and it's simultaneously exciting and scary !

the third reason is just that like up til recently i didnt see a point !! my perspective towards writing has been really negative for a while but now im like rediscovering my love for it in my own and others' works and im just so . it makes me gush and also ANGRY because i feel stupid for neglecting it for this long LOL

so yeah with that: tail lights haha . im sorry but this the official funeral :| better now than holding out hope .

its status is basically: i have no PLANS to finish part two and i dont WANT to finish part two , so dont anticipate anything . not saying it wont ever happen if one day my feelings change but like i really dont see that happening so

i just have too many ick feelings associated to continue it and also enjoy it , so i really am sorry about that

BUT just because i am less invested in tail lights doesnt mean it isnt important to me still !! i appreciate everyone who read it/kudosed/commented/holds it dear 🖤 more than you can ever know . writing that showed me that people WILL actually read what i write , and that they care about it too , and thats a priceless sentiment i cherish

and with THAT: new writing !

so i dont wanna say anything super concrete but what im posting next is PROBABLY going to be yellowjackets related , but it may be saltburn or even tlou !! ill probably write a fic or two related to tlou after the remastered comes out depending on how much content we get and if its anything i can work with :)

but yeah if u read this far thank u for caring about my writing i love you

[ceilingfan5]

2 3 18 29!!! :0

2. Do you plan each chapter ahead or write as you go?

OKAY so like. with chapter fics i usually start out with a garbage outline and then upgrade to a numbered outline, usually when it gets out of hand? the garbage outline is the like, general life and main beats of the fic, and then the numbered outline just sort of puts events and like, bits, or even some important dialogue vibes, in a way i can reference, but i cannot stress enough how like. dog shit rube goldberg my writing process is, i thought the cruise fic was going to be like 20 k. im serious. the marbles are traveling and where are they going on their little journeys? who knows but there sure are bells and whistles and funny little trick jokes

which is to say: yes. there is a "plan" and also the fic truly does just happen to me. i am less of a farmer and more of a truffle piggie. im gonna go find the stupidest possible thing for taako to say brb

3. Describe the creative process of writing a chapter/fic

i feel like the above says a lot already but legitimately like. if im vibing with an idea, i go off my few little bullet points and let the spirit take me? i write in order, i have a hard time doing things out of order, and it really does just happen as if you turn a page in a book and now instead of blank there is story there. or like. i imagine the story and then i make it happen, and usually especially let the dialogue take it where it wants to go! plinko baby

for a whole fic, i start with the spaghetti process, usually a prompt or au or setting, and then go "you know what would be so fucking funny" and escalate from there, usually with a friend i can bounce off of like thie or noodyl. and i make the garbage outline with a shitload of bullet points in a document with a stupid title. and then i just fling myself into the abyss and hope the words will catch me! trust fall <3 and when it gets too big to wrap around the initial outline, i make a Slightly more detailed one, and bounce some more ideas with friends. it helps to have someone who is as insane about your writing as you are <3 <3 <3 <3

18. Do you title your fics before, during, or after the writing process? How do you come up with titles?

truly last fucking minute usually, altho like, revenge plus one was the working title i defaulted to after absolutely the most painful titling process ive ever been a part of. i've just been calling it cruise fic so long, it's kind of like the goose game in my head. Untitled Cruise Fic. i thought that would be confusing tho. maybe i should have had more guts. i love a good reference or a pun or even like, part of a line from the best bit, like sticker stars

29. What’s your revision or editing process like?

ailem is right, that's between me n god

[backslashdelta]

Oh hi. I just reread Dont Say You Miss Me! Ive read that one several times—no idea why i never smashed the love button. Probably because i was too gutted. 😢 (I know Ive read other things of yours, because I know ive trolled your author page looking for more. More than once.)

I love your style — your bare honesty and willingness to leave us hanging in the heartbreak.

This passage:

In the end he opts for silence, peels his eyes away from Kurt and turns back to the shelf, slowly continuing to sort through the contents of the bathroom they used to share, picking out the things belonging to him and trying not to linger on the things that don't. Eventually he hears Kurt's soft sigh, hears the footsteps as he walks back out into the open area of the loft, talks quietly to Sam for a moment, and then slips back out the front door to leave Blaine and Sam to the task at hand.

is lovely in its truth… such a completely real and relatable end to a relationship. It feels like it could be any one of us standing in that bathroom.

You definitely should be writing. If you’re anything like me, you need an idea to grab you, and if it doesn’t, it’s hard to get going. (And/or you pick apart every single damn syllable you write until you drive yourself distracted.)

So, are you working on things? Or are you stuck in the “I want to write but nothing’s speaking to me” place? Or…?

Thanks for responding to my note! Go write all the things!

Okay ohhhhmygod this is such a lovely ask thank you so much! So sweet of you to take the time to ask me what to read and then go read it RIGHT AWAY and send me such a lovely message - I really really I appreciate it 💜

Now, on to the actual contents!

First of all - honoured that you've read this and some of my other writing before!! And to have had multiple rereads is just gkdhsksks to me. Like realistically I know people reread fanfiction all the time, but I forget that that's true of my fics as well you know? So that's a very welcome and needed reminder!

And also that comment on style THANK YOU. I love angst and I love stories that leave me heartbroken so it's definitely something I try to incorporate into my own writing, and that's some of the best praise I could receive honestly. And the particular passage you pulled out is so interesting to me, like I definitely do really love it but it's so cool to see that other people appreciate the little moments like that as well, it's not big and dramatic or anything but that it still has an impact is just so lovely to hear. And here's a link to the fic in case anyone else wants to read it.

Now, for my current predicament! It's not really an ideas issue - I have ideas, I have a wip that I've been posting since summer 2021 that I would love nothing more than to finish. I'm really invested and interested in the story, and I can spend time thinking about it and what I want to happen, but just about any time I sit down to write I just can't. Not sure if you've read it (or even if you'd want to since I'm not sure your stance on wips and also on Sebastian/Kurtbastian, but it also involves Klaine and is Blaine/Klaine friendly so maybe that's a plus), it's very angsty and it has a couple of my favourite ships so it should be everything I love to write but I just can't do it.

So I guess it's "I want to write, I know what I want to write, I just can't write," lol, which is possibly the most frustrating place to be of all.

I'm not really sure what the solution is, so my plan is to try not to stress too much about it, and hopefully I'll feel inspired again before too long.

[unoriginalmess]

A Second Mask: Chapter 4

Did that just happen?

Hello guys! It's me. I'm finally writing again. Sorry about the delay. I'm going to explain more at the end of the chapter, but I'm just going to keep the beginning short. So here is chapter 4:

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To say Adrien was concerned would be a huge understatement. He was downright disturbed. Its been weeks and still Marinette hadn't changed back to the happy, peppy, nice girl that he knew. AND SHE WOULDN'T EVEN TALK TO HIM ABOUT IT!

He tried to talk to her for a whole week after her original trasformation, but after the repeated firm rejections, he stopped altogether. He figured that maybe with some space, she might be able to work through whatever she was going through, but at this point, he's losing hope.

When he is feeling this distressed about something, he usually turns to his lady, but she has been acting weird too. Ever since she suggested they start sparring, she's started to show that she is going through kinda a rough time as well. She is the same ladybug when everyone is watching, but when it's just the two of them, she looks sad and tired. She has also started saying some concerning things while they are sparring. She has started talking about how she has started taking being Ladybug and the Guardian more seriously, and how she has less distractions now, which would be a good thing if she didn't say them so sadly.

The good thing is, the sparring has given him a chance to get out his aggression because of the whole Marinette-situation and his anger at his father in a safe environment. He didn't like the idea of hitting Ladybug at first (especially in the face) but with her not holding back on her hits, he felt more comfortable doing the same. It has helped them fight better too. He hopes that whatever Ladybug is going through in her civillian life will work itself out soon, but until then he will be there for her. He just needs to figure out how to be there for Marinette.

•••

Felix was making good progress with Marinette. After they first asked marinette about (insert fashion question of your choice here, I legit know nothing and I didn't have time to research anything for this chapter), she had started answering their questions on a daily basis. After a couple of days of that, she had started to rant to them about different things in the fashion world that were bothering her, exciting her, or confusing her that particular day. In response to that, they had started to respond to her rants with their own opinions on the subjects and even start their own rants.

It had gotten to the point where Felix would now consider them to be friends, though they know that Marinette would never call them as such, it was fine with them. They know she has trust issues, and they can understand why, so they are fine with being friends in everything but a name.

Felix was looking forward to their daily banter as they waited in their seat for Marinette to arrive. When she did, she was followed by a very pissed-looking Alya. Felix turned to look at her and noticed that she had what looked to be tears forming in her eyes. What they didn't notice was the little black butterfly that had entered through the window in the back of the room, and was making a beeline towards her.

•••

Marinette walked to school in yet another one of her newest fashion creations: a pair of oversized grey ripped jeans and a navy blue sweatshirt. She was actually really liking her new look, and the comfort that it offered was just an added plus.

She was actually feeling excited to talk to Felix about Gabriel Agreste's newest fashion flop. They were the only person that she had met that actually cared about fashion as much as her. It made her happy to talk to them. It kind of scared her how excited she was. Shouldn't she be distancing herself from everyone? she thought to herself. No. Felix isn't my friend, they aren't close to me, they are just someone I talk fashion with. Like a coworker, yeah. Totally. Felix is just a coworker. ("Liar" says the inner voice in her head)

She was shocked out of her thoughts when she was pulled to the side by someone as she entered the courtyard. Her mind immediately thought of an akuma, when the person spoke.

"Marinette! Girl," Oh it's just Alya. Wait Alya? "How long are you gonna keep up this cry for attention? Are you really THAT jealous of Lila? I know that Adrien likes her, but that doesn't give you the right to act like this! And you are hanging out with Felix, who accused her of sexually harrassing Adrien on their first day here-?" She looked absolutely furious at her, but Marinette had heard enough. She cut Alya off in the middle of her presumably long rant.

"ALYA!" Said girl jumped at both the inturruption and the tone of voice used, "First of all, this isn't a cry for attention, if anything its a cry for leaving me the fuck alone. Second of all, I'm not jealous of Lila. I'm not in love with Adrien anymore, and haven't been for a while. You knew that I was dating Luka right? Why would I care who Adrien likes? Lastly, I am allowed to hang out with whoever I choose, whether you like them or not. It's none of your fucking business Alya, and if you think that I'm just some jealous, attention-seeker why do you even care?" With that last question she stormed off to the classroom, leaving a speechless Alya behind her.

When marinette sat down in her seat, she just kept thinking about how Alya was just talking to her. How could she think that about her? They used to be best friends, and Alya wasn't even concerned about her not talking to her anymore, she was just concerned about her being "jealous of Lila". It made her so furious that she could feel tears trickling down her face. She sees the black butterfly out of the corner of her eye and without hesitation grabs it out of the air.

(Next part is taken from this post by @bigfatbreak)

"Go ahead and akumatize me- See what happens, Hawkmoth!" She screamed the words with a slight madness that the energy of the akuma was giving her, "Every leash has two ends! I just have to pull until I find where you're holding it!"

At this point, the entire class was frozen in place watching her and listening to her crazed-sounding voice threaten an actual terrorist. Marinette felt Hawkmoth's confusion and terror through the bond. What in the- She's sensing me through the Akuma?! The akuma then started to fly away, and when it couldn't it zapped her hand like it was made of lightning and fluttered through the same window it came from. Marinette felt like she had failed yet again and collapsed down on her desk, muttering, "Uuuuggghh. It escaped anyway... What a waste. I didn't realize that Hawkmoth was such a coward. He usually likes grandstand..."

She was startled when her hand was picked up by Felix's, "You likely scared him off by managing to locate him like that... A risky move, I should mention. I would ask that you not attempt that a second time. No one knows what his akuma is truly capable of. You'll want to keep off of this hand for a while, too."

"Oh, are those the doctor's orders? Why, Felix, it almost sounds like you care about meeee." Marinette was all too amused by Felix's concern for her. She also liked to tease them... AS COWORKERS DO.

"I have an investment in your presence. Now don't be cheeky and let's get you to the nurse's office," They said while holding her wrist and gently pulling her in that direction.

Marinette scoffed, "'An investment in my presence'??"

Felix chuckled while still semi-dragging her by the wrist towards the front of the room, being careful not to hurt her injury even worse, "What did I just say about being cheeky?"

On their way out of the door they passed a VERY distressed-looking Adrien. He seemed to be sharing the sentiment with the entire class of: Did that just happen?

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And thats chapter 4. It is VERY LATE! I know. I've been swamped with work, and when I went to write it, I had zero ideas on how to write this chapter. I never ended up getting those ideas. I just went where my writing took me, so if it doesn't really match the characters that's why. I will try to be better at updating regularly, but it probably won't happen. Sorry to everyone with a normal sleep schedule, but this is the time that I write things. Also I didn't have my outline with me while writing this chapter, so it might not have everything I planned to write in it.

I would like to thank you all for all of the support I've been getting on this fic. Despite all of the chapter delays, you guys have stuck with me through all of it, so thank each and every one of you. I love seeing so many people loving this au as much as I do. Without you guys this story wouldn't exist, and I would've stopped writing it after the first chapter.

As always, constructive criticism is always accepted. I love being able to improve my writing whenever possible.

Thank you for reading. Have a nice day/night/whenever you are reading this. See ya next time guys, gals, and non-binary pals.

Taglist

@queer-illusion @apasponsor @heckinggremlin @1-ahiro-1 @hewantedbeefintheparkinglot @sassakitty @lennauts @rianoel @dorkus-minimus @khneltea @welp-that-was-unexpected @mlnchlymrshmllw @lovelyautumnsunflower @chariphrasis @lovesbooks @komatsuna-yuki @polyvirnl @innocentlyguiltyfrenchfry @qhobias @ive-tumbled-down-a-rabbit-hole @hammalammadamdam @cloudydaysomewhere @alcoholic-barney @basenikon @xxbehindthemaskxx @corporeal-terrestrial @shadowymemoirs @moonlight-densetsuu

[anotherhellchild]

📁❤️ I really like your head canons and wanted to see if you had any about Bakugou’s home life

oh boy okay well, tbh im in camp 'mitsuki and masaru bakugou are assholes' so disclaimer right away: This is not a mitsuki/masaru friendly post.

also, i got most my inspiration/ideas from Sif, her hc's and fics are amazing.

This is gonna be very general probably and also pretty messy/ all over the place but if anyone wants me to elaborate or clarify then just lmk. 

ALRIGHT SO, first and foremost, i think the bakugou’s r really neglectful. Theyve always worked very busy jobs together in the fashion industry and they go on lots of work trips and stuff. i think that from the moment they deemed it possible, mitsuki and masaru have been letting katsuki stay home alone for long periods of time. as katsuki kept getting older and more independent (which he had to be) I imagine theyd gradually start leaving for longer and longer. 

also, i think that the communication in the house is TERRIBLE. like, often times mitsuki and masaru would just not inform katsuki of their whereabouts and katsuki wouldnt inform them of his either cause,, nobody ever asked/cared. So most of the time katsuki’d just find out his parents are gone whenever theyre literally not there and then its just like, ‘shit, nobody made dinner’. or smth. 

and, obviously, the bad communication does not stop there. I feel like especially when he was younger, mitsuki would contradict herself on lots of things (as lots of parents do) like ”you are the child and i am the adult, therefore you must listen to me” but then she’s also like “You are not a child, stop acting like one and get your shit together”. Little katsuki would get so frustrated at this and so confused. I imagine that eventually he’d realize he can never be in the right with her, and thats when he starts resenting her a lot which builds up.

oh btw, I should mention; i dont think katsuki was planned at all. I dont think that mitsuku or masaru wanted to have a kid but then they did and it kinda threw their life around (obviously). mostly for mitsuki i think this effected her career quite heavily for a time and she’s blamed that on katsuki ever since. so she’s always resented him on a level.

But yeah, as i was saying, i think mitsuki and masaru r those types of people that were just never fit to be parents. they dont have the patience or care that u need for a child and it shows. I think masaru is the type to ignore and mitsuki is the type to get frustated too easily and lose her cool. So whenever katsuki was being ‘annoying’ or ‘bad’ he’d immediately be shut up or ignored. No time for explanations or reasoning.

Now, if we go back a step,, katsuki is a super independent kid. a consequence to this is that he’s had to teach himself a lot of things and sometimes those things just arent right. He doesnt know that though because he’s had to collect his knowledge from all over the place, which he thinks is normal. so then for example: maybe he’s fought with a kid at school and the bakugou’s are called. They’re both extremely mad at him but he doesnt understand why. If he gets hit, why would he not be allowed to hit too? Is that not how it works? WOuldn’t that be unfair?

but yeah, because he’s basically had to figure the world out himself, with mostly bad influences to look up to. he’s got a pretty messed up worldview. 

Now, i ALSO think that despite mitsuki and masaru not really caring about katuski in general, they DO want to have that ‘we have a good kid’ status, yknow? like, they cant have katsuki embarrassing them or something. I think he’d be dragged along to a lot of places he never wanted to go (dinners, fashion shows, whatever) and forced to wear all fancy clothes and act all neat with no reward. consequences for ‘being a little bitch’ as his mom puts it, are not pretty.

he’s a smart and talented kid too though, and it seems, even to masaru and mitsuki, like he doesnt have to do much for it. which makes them think he’s lazy and stuff and thats not good. so they expect him to work for everything he does at 100% . again, consequences are not pretty.

generally as well, i think there are so many fights in the house. katuski speaks up whenever he disagrees with bullshit and even though he’s never won an argument, he’s always wanted to. so he’s not going to stop. 

so yeah, basically theyre strict, neglectful and abusive. There are extreme’s they go to, and because katsuki is just the type to disobey shit he doesnt agree with, those are often used.

It’s been said by Sif before, but i really like the idea that todoroki and bakugou both had bad childhoods but in opposite directions. Thats probably the best way to describe it.

Actually, Ive had a fic in my head for a long time that would partly focus on katsuki’s entire childhood and kinda explain my thoughts on it

But anyway, this is getting ridiculously long and i probably have more i could say plus i can definitely go into more detail. as you can see though, my thoughts are a fucking mess. hopefully this made some sense. again, let me know if u wanna know more! :)

[ad1thi]

2020 fic recs!! [Part 2]

part 2 of my 2020 fic recs!! as before, ive limited this to five fics per month; and fics are ordered by the month they were published. This spans fandoms and ships, and hopefully you find something you like!! credit for the idea goes to @iam93percentstardust

***

July

this is the start: @capnwinghead

Clark and Bruce continue raising the Wayne children and encounter a number of challenges along the way.

great minds (love alike): @starklysteve

Steve’s eyes flicks down to Tony’s knees on the floor.

“Are you – are you proposing to me with my ring for you?” Steve asks incredulously, eyes wide and confused.

---

Or, Steve finds Tony’s ring for him, Tony finds Steve’s ring for him. Panic happens.

Marvels Unsolved: @iam93percentstardust

Marvels Unsolved was never supposed to be this popular. It started off as a novelty web-series about Tony trying to convince Bucky about the existence of the supernatural—he firmly believed that if science could turn Uncle Steve from an actual shrimp to the god of muscles, then magic had to be out there—and then they’d started talking about an unsolved crime from the early 20th century after filming an episode one day, forgetting that the camera was still rolling, and had ended up with enough footage to make a second episode about real crimes. They had stayed pretty unknown throughout that first season but then true crime podcasts had exploded in popularity and Unsolved along with them.

it’s a small world after all: @maguna-stxrk

“Great speech.”

Smiling at the compliment, Tony turns around. “Thank y—”

And nearly drops his champagne flute.

His world comes to a stop.

They had only spent a night together, but Tony would recognize those baby blues anywhere.

It’s Steve.

Steve from Tony’s London business trip. Or, as Rhodey has become accustomed to calling him—The Soulmate That Got Away.

you’re in my blood, you’re in my veins: @nethandrake

Tony always figured that if they ever were to break up, it would be like a blaze. Scorching and hot and all-too blinding. Intense like the two of them have always been.

Instead, they break up on a Tuesday, with the rain pelting the windowpane and the midnight silence stifling.

August

Five Times Danny said he’d marry Steve (plus one): @five-wow

Danny humphs. “Look, all I’m saying is, I think I’d probably have married you by now.”

“I’d marry you, too,” Steve says.

Or: An experiment in how many times you can say something before you have to put your money where your mouth is.

Family (You’ve Always Had It): @/SunnyQueen

A black Camaro and a scowling blond was not what Junior had been expecting.

“Hi, sir. You didn’t have to pick me up.”

The blond looked up from the screen on his phone and groaned, completely ignoring Junior's statement. “You are right, I didn't have to."

Ode To Yoga Pants: @riotfalling

OR the continued terrible mating dance of Bucky and Tony, AKA when betting on your friends stops being fun

Through The Years: @hawkbucks

Tony brings home Natasha one day, proclaiming her to be his new sister.

Natasha takes this all in stride.

The broken road that led me home to you: @just-fandomthings

A documented list of conversations between Steve and Danny via text and phone call following the events of 10x22 "Aloha." (Where, even thousands of miles apart, Steve and Danny can't go without talking to each other.)

September

someday, we’ll pass it on to you: @starklysteve

Steve smiles.

Reaching up, he flattens his hand against his son’s far smaller one, curling gently around it. “You wanna be like him?”

“Da!” Peter agrees again.

One year old, and you already know who’s the best of us, Steve pauses to reflect, all his fears chased away by a fierce pride. “Your Dad’s coming home real soon,” he promises, “you should tell him that.��

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

Or, five times Peter did the repulsor pose as a toddler

+ one time he used the repulsors as an adult

Classic Sci Fi: @notdoingsohot

Bucky wakes up to Steve telling him he's lost his memory, but not to panic, it'll only last a few days. Easier said than done when the last thing Bucky remembers is fighting Hydra with the Howlies in WWII.

He tries to make the most of it however, and there's this guy... Tony Stark. It's pretty clear the guy hates Bucky's guts, which is unfortunate because god damn is he a sight.

He tries to figure out what he did to wrong Stark, but everyone just tells him he doesn't want to know.

They were right.

Blooms in Frost: @/Diomedes

Tony coughs up his first petal on the sixth of July. He has been married to the love of his life for two years.

Bury a Hanahaki corpse in earth and it will beget the most beautiful garden. All that love, it is said, must go somewhere.

Hanahaki AU: Established relationship

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

A Single Thread of Gold: @lovelyirony

Rhodey doesn't believe in love at first sight or any of that cheesy shit. He just wants someone who is nice, dependable, and safe.

Tony Stark is Housing Service's little problem for the school year, and now he's stuck in Rhodey's room because he's exploded the last two dorm rooms he's been in and won't live off-campus.

high roller, place your bet: @machi-kun

“Would you kiss Stark for a hundred bucks?”

“I would pay a hundred bucks to kiss him.”

October

press my luck: @omg-just-peachy

But... Steve is almost ten years his junior, and he could be with just about anyone, looking and acting like he does. And then there’s the not so small fact of Tony’s name and net worth and the fact that, okay, Tony had paid for Steve’s grad school tuition, and now he’s worried Steve feels obligated to stay. Or something.

Or, Tony is a billionaire, Steve is a grad student, and they learn to let themselves be taken care of.

see it with the lights out: @starklysteve

Tony goes on a business trip, and he does not - not at all - get jealous of Dodger hogging his husband's chest, a territory otherwise known as Tony's pillow.

(or, Steve goes on an Instagram spree and Tony misses home)

adulthood is looking both ways before you cross the street and getting hit by an airplane: @starkslovemail

It was a perfect plan, if Peter did say so himself.

The Buy In: @dracusfyre

For the ImagineTonyandBucky prompt: Mafia AU with Tony as the Boss (except he's a really good one, making the streets safe, keeping drugs away from kids etc) and Bucky as the detective sent to go undercover to catch him out but ends up realizing he's actually doing more good than harm and they end up falling in love

trinkets of your affection: @starklysteve

Kissed him once for every year I loved him, Steve had written.

By that count, Steve owes him five more kisses now.

Tony traces the words, hands trembling, and tips back a shot of Howard's ancient whiskey. None of it burns anymore.

One day, he'll have lived more days without Steve than there are words in the diary.

For the first time since he'd woken with shrapnel in his chest, Tony fears the future.

----------

Or, five things Tony keeps to remember Steve by, and one thing Steve gives him to remember.

November

“Hey Tony���: @riotfalling

Steve points out that Bucky never calls Tony by his actual name. Bucky doesn’t believe him, until he does.

Remembering You is Hard to Do: @lovelyirony

“The future’s crazy, honey-bear.”

Jim looks up.

“Why do you call me that?”

“Call you what?”

“Honey-bear. It’s weird.”

“Inside joke we have,” Tony says, chest tightening. “We thought those couples that have the lovey-dovey nicknames were ridiculous.”

overheard your heartbeat (calling me yours): @starklysteve

"Tony - "

"I wish I could promise to come home this time," he feels the armor crawl back down his arm, continuing unnoticed over Steve's red gloves, then up the blue uniform as Tony fights to keep Steve's gaze firmly fixed on him.

The last eyes Tony might get to see, and he wants to be lost in them.

In the end, his entire life boils down a few simple things: "JARVIS, take care of him for me."

----------

Or, Tony overhears a phonecall where Steve proposes, a battle happens, and a paper ring settles some misunderstandings.

i (really, really, really, really, really, really) like you.: @nethandrake

For as long as Steve can remember, he's been crushing on Tony Stark. The thing is, he's pretty sure Tony doesn't know Steve exists. And how could he? Steve's scrawny and little. He's a nobody compared to Tony who's Mr Popular and the son of a billionaire.

Or at least he thought so until Tony swings by the bakery Steve's mother happens to own to enlist Steve's help in finding the perfect Valentine's Day card.

The perfect Valentine's Day card for someone who isn't Steve.

One Song (My Heart Keeps Singing): @iam93percentstardust

When Thor is old enough to understand what a Heartsong is, he goes to his mother to ask her why he can’t understand the language his is in. He listens as she tells him about the first soulmates who couldn't understand their Heartsong until the day they meet, excited by the thought of a grand adventure, one that will take him across the cosmos in search of his One.

He’ll search all the Nine Realms if he has to.

December

Swiping Right: @s-horne

“Ouch. Definitely a hard pass for that one?”

Steve startled at the sudden comment from the row of chairs behind him and turned around. He’d been passing the time in the airport lounge by swiping through Tinder and had gotten lost in his own world. It was almost jarring to be pulled away from the screen of hot men and back into reality where the PA was screeching and there was noise everywhere.

Adjusting to the difference, Steve frowned. Wait, he knew that face. Oh, shit… he knew that face.

“No, no, it’s fine,” the man said before Steve could get out anything other than an embarrassed sort of yelp. Waving his hand through the air, the stranger smiled ruefully. “I get it. It’s the beard, isn’t it? True be told, it was a weird winter choice that year and I knew it would come back to hurt me.”

Steve didn’t know what to say. He knew it must have shown on his face and could feel himself flushing, panicked and embarrassed all at once. What were the odds of swiping left on someone literally sat behind him?

set your flight path home (to me): @starklysteve 

Tony puts down his welding torch. “I’m building you a plane.”

Stepping carefully over the gears and tools scattered about, Rhodey slowly makes his way to him.

“And when did you become an expert on how to build a plane?”

“Last night,” Tony grins.

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

Tony builds a plane, and Rhodey teaches Tony how to fly it. Or he would be teaching Tony, if Tony didn't distract him so much.

I Want A Man With A Slow Hand: @thefourofswords

“Can I ask you a question?” he asked on their way to a crime scene, because no time like the present, and Danny believed in ripping off band-aids.

“Why not?” Steve replied, eyes on the road. “You’re gonna even if I say no.”

“What do you like in bed?”

*

Danny undertakes a very important mission to get Steve laid. For his health. Ahem.

same time next year: @omg-just-peachy

“I forgot to ask. When’s your flight home?” Steve asks, draping his arm over Tony’s shoulder and settling in against him.

Tony ignores the knot that forms in his chest at the idea of it, leaving Steve again for his own impersonal apartment, his piles of books and projects and the nights without sleep.

“Day after tomorrow.”

Steve huffs a little sigh, then brings his lips to Tony’s neck. “Well, we’ll have to make the most of it, won’t we?”

Or, four (4) Christmases with two (2) idiots who can't admit they're in love.

rearrange my heart (to fit your smile): @starklysteve

"You dare," Howard's chair makes an ugly noise as it scrapes against the stone floors, the chatter of the room shifting into hushed whispers and stolen glances. "I am your father and your King!"

"My King is my husband," Tony tips his chin up, defiant. "And I refuse to hear you suggest that my husband has been anything other than good to me."

Next to him, he feels Steve's shoulders stiffen in surprise.

Howard's fist slams loud on the table. "Your husband does not even love you!"

Tony jerks back, burned. He knows that. Knows that Steve did not marry him for love – does not need any reminder of the cold truth, of what he desperately yearns for and can't even hope to have – but the harshness of Howard's words was scalding, and Tony can't afford for this to go any further.

----------

Or, King Steven marries Prince Tony, Tony is pretty sure he shouldn't panic when he falls in love with his own husband, and Steve tries his very best not to cause diplomatic crises.

Keyword: try

[ktheist]

story time: best friend’s best friend.

the fic: best friend’s best friend | m (kth)

!! spoiler alert !!

i didn’t think i would be doing a story time tbh.

mainly because i want to keep the secrecy of why certain characters act a certain way to myself so that my readers would be free to interpret it however they like.

but i don’t think i can keep my mouth shut. this is possibly the very first long, elaborated fic i’ve written. and 23.9k words is huge for me. i think my last longest fic is 18k. not to mention, i took 4-5 days writing this fic non stop. i didn’t lose sleep over it but i ghosted everyone and take breaks only to eat and sleep.

background.

i don’t remember what triggered the idea but what i know is, i wanted to write about two best friends who are so tightly knit that no even time and space can break their friendship. but then once they reunite, there’s bound to be differences and they’re bound to grow into different but familiar people. 

ironically, the fic diverges from that plot and focuses on how oc whose walls have grown high enough to touch the skies, navigate through the change as well as the exposure to the new people who are almost as close as she is to jeongguk. and since jeongguk is always including her in his plans, she’s forced to interact with jeongguk’s friends who aren’t the typical fake people she associate herself with.

she approached jennie, jisoo, lisa and rose because they’re daughters of rich families but over time, she realized she didn’t mind hanging out with them, but she wouldn’t exactly call them best friends. they consider her theirs though. that’s just how she is, she keeps a distance with everyone and once someone pushed past that boundary, they’ll be her forever person. first it was jeongguk and then taehyung. but the others (hoseok, yoongi, and the girls) follow closely by. in the distant future, they’ll also be her favorite people.

characters.

i. oc

i think what made it so special for me is that i finally took that leap to write an oc that wouldn’t fit your minimum standard of a decent human. she’s below that. she’s self-aware and knows what her words could do to someone but she does it either way. but her redeemable trait (as every main character should have) is that she doesn’t do it for herself but for what she thinks is best, and often, for someone she cares about. and she can still be dead wrong or absolutely right for making doing what she did though.

she’s also the kind of person that’ll stare karma in the face and a second later, brush it off and move forward to mend whatever karma ruined for her. you know, the kind of person that keeps moving no matter what yet somehow is stuck in a certain space in time (particularly her want for revenge against her stepmom which illustrates her being stuck in the Kang mansion, in her play room where the abuse would happen - this isn’t explicitly mentioned in the fic).

i think she’s what you call a morally grey character who’s neither wholly bad or wholly good. but i’m not sure; all i’m sure is, i want to continue writing characters like oc who doesn’t fit your standard of nice, friendly and ‘guaranteed to receive everyone’s pity if something bad happens to them’ like what main characters are supposed to be (or maybe nice characters were so 2020?).

and at the end, she said she didn’t want to have any connection with her dad anymore but things don’t always go her way. taehyung can start slowly persuading her to go to dinners with her dad with the excuse that he wants to get to know his father-in-law and oc would follow taehyung’s whims because he’s her soft spot.

some may have noticed that oc isn’t as expressive of her love for taehyung. but i’d like to think i did well to portray her love through her actions. like how she stood her ground in front of taehyung’s mom and she also trusts taehyung to know he wouldn’t break up with her because of the mom’s opposition. (even if the mom isn’t really opposed to their relationship bc oc didn’t have much after losing her legitimacy to the inheritance, but more about maintaining a good relationship with oc’s fiancee’s company).

and in the college arc, oc is scared of ruining her ‘cool’ image in front of taehyung bc she already really really likes him and his opinion is one of the few she really cares about. maybe even more than jeongguk’s.

so yeah, she’d do ridiculous things for jeongguk like climb a whole ass mountain and trek the amazon but she’d do realistic things for taehyung to be with him. this is just a small contradiction i toss in to show the types of love she has for her best friend and her boyfriend.

ii. jeongguk

as for jeongguk, he kind of got slapped with reality. he’s been trying to get oc and taehyung to get along by including them in every hang out but it backfired after he realized there are lines that he’s comfortable with having between oc and taehyung - that kinda disappear or change after oc and taehyung get together.

now, he’s the third wheel. before, oc treated taehyung as the third wheel and jeongguk being jeongguk (bfbf-context) didn’t notice that and was comfortable with where they are before oc and taehyung got together.

in my head, oc and taehyung told jeongguk to get lost at some point because he’s always around whenever they’re supposed to have their “date”. it sucks but it is what it is lmao.

iii. yoojin and yena ; the mean girls

yoojin actually didn’t like yoojung because their names sound similar. so that’s why she picks on the latter and yena got influenced by yoojung. later on, yoojin grew distant with oc and yena bc she’s jealous that oc and yena are getting closer (after yena constantly contacted oc to check up on her). oc realizes yena isn’t so bad so that’s why yena was also a bridesmaid while yoojin wasn’t even invited to oc’s wedding lol.

iv. yoojung

she’s a character that was necessary to show oc’s shortcomings but also plus points. it’s true that she feels a bit inferior for her lack of fortune compared to the people she wants to befriend. after she starts working and start hanging out with better people, she slowly gets over her inferiority complex. she and jeongguk met at a client’s meeting and they hit it off from there.

v. jimin

he’s pan and sleeps with everything with two legs. he and yoongi were on and off fwb’s but are still friends even after they stopped. they’re both just not interested in a relationship.

vi. thank you

for those who have read the fic and somehow found their way to here; thank you. i wish you all the most wonderful day ahead. please stay safe and take care <3

[unjest]

i love rei. my shady lil blorbo!! and i love thinking about them in different situations lmao. every time i see/think of one of those aus where volo in present day offers to guide emmet + elesa to ingo while being Clearly up to no good, i just subconsciously replace him w rei, who is NOT as sinister and smug but would prolly come off as off in a different way. (picturing them having learned by the end of pla to read after the professor realizes they can't and teaches them, only to get back to present day, go to unova, and realize, hey... the written language in this region is different from hisui...!!) plus suffering from culture shock from being in a different, more urban region than sinnoh/hisui.

plus if they still have hunt, yomogi, and whoever's on their future team (hehe future when they are stuck in the past...), and then they get famous for being the hero of hisui + their pokemon teammates (tho the fame MIGHT be lessened in unova?), ppl might almost definitely side-eye rei in whatever new guise they've taken up (bc come on they ARE gonna learn at some point that they're in the form of lucas, sinnoh champ, or otherwise make the connection like 'i turned into this dude and then got roped into rescuing this whole other region - bc hisui is sinnoh but VERY DIFFERENT bc PAST - so i should prolly NOT be the dude when i get back to the future' right?) for having such a famous lineup w some hisuian variants. (maybe u will have hunt and everyone else stay in hisui while rei alone - plus prolly floatzel, until he is confirmed to not go to hisui and bother rei THEN I WILL KEEP THE HC OF HIM ALSO BEING TRANSPORTED TO THE PAST IN MY HEART - goes back to sinnoh... but i just want the friend group to stay together forever!! like those fics where lady sneasler goes back to unova w ingo lmao.)

anyway i'm having fun specifically thinking about how rei, wild pokemon who lives in sinnoh, a region NOT KNOWN FOR ITS TRAINS, is gonna react to the concept of the battle subway and unovan trains in general.

HIIII it's very late at night when I'm answering this but I just want to say. I had to work a 12 hour double shift today but I read this ask right at the beginning of my shift and it REALLY made my day. I only just got off of work but I've been thinking about this ask ALL day so thank you anon for making my day significantly better!!

and just aaaahhh I'm so happy that you're liking rei!! sorry if I don't have too much to add since I'm very tired right now but I just love hearing about ur thoughts and speculations and such c:

I def have SOME plans for how certain things work out (like rei's reading/writing skills, for one) but i love the idea of rei being like. ok yeah ive figure this reading thing out no problem. and then they get sent back and it turns out that they learned how to read the Pokemon equivalent of Latin or something. VERY good very funny love it

I'm also still toying around with some of the derails on rei being sent back to modern sinnoh, but I DO have a decent chuck of it already figured out. for now I'll refrain from going too much into my ideas in the chance that they change since. man. as of right now I'm almost at 100 pages in the document I'm writing history offers on and it's over 50k words and rei hasn't even done the kleavor fight yet. I've given up on believing that this is gonna end up almost absurdly long lol. but ANYWAYS once I get a LITTLE further in I might be persuaded to discuss late game stuff a bit more but I still LOVE hearing about other ppl's thoughts about what might happen!! like I am rotating everything u wrote in my mind like a microwave oven

and yeah. does rei even KNOW what a train is. now I have to think about whether rei would've ever been in a situation where a train would be relevant. and man it WOULD be really funny if rei had no clue what they were

[murdertoothpick]

Do you have any tips for someone who's trying to write because I don't know how you do it, I've got so may ideas but I can't seem to finish any of them and your writing is so compelling and good but mine just doesn't seem to work and every time I start to write something good it ends up way too long.

brb hardcore gonna cry and i hope you know how warm this made me //// here's my two cents i guess.

writing is hard, period. even if some people make it look easy. (sometimes it can be). ive always been better at writing essays and textual analysis, and i'm very much still learning the ropes to creative writing.

most of the time, ill be working on 3-4 fics at once. i have them lined up in my drafts and i try to add at least 1-3 small paragraphs to each one every day. maybe that's chaotic, but it prevents me from focusing too hard on a fic i might scrap or need to take a break from. plus, it always helps to step away and return to a wip with fresh eyes!

sometimes ill have an idea as to how i want my story to go, but maybe as im writing ill reach a point where im like,,, actually, this is a good place to end it,,, not because the story is getting long or i just want to finish it, but maybe it just felt right or better to end it at that moment. sometimes things don't go to plan, and i could always put aside a really good idea for future use.

and to me- writing longer works are hard so i guess props to you! obviously length isn't everything though. but maybe try writing drabbles? I've only recently opened myself up to writing drabbles (<200 words for me but it varies for each person) more often and I've really enjoyed it! it's a great challenge and a lil quicker (and you can do it as a warmup) and it gives me just as great a sense of accomplishment as if i were to write a longer piece.

how do i do it? with all the self doubt a person can have. look, it's totally normal to not be confident in your writing or unsure of its delivery. i have a few works on here im not proud of, but i also acknowledge that I've grown as a writer and have improved. (surely, right?). so those fics (under my tag murder toothpick archive), are not representative of my writing, especially not now, but more indicate me trying to find my footing here (and we'll all stumble sometimes). when you consume fanfic (if you're like me, then its a lot), be aware of some good phrasing and writing styles or features. everyone's style is unique, of course, and most of the time we're figuring out how to shape our own. find out what you're good at, and what you're not good at. don't be afraid to draw from personal experience, or do research if your knowledge is lacking.

and this community is really supportive! ask for help, feedback or suggestions maybe? my dms and inbox are open (and im a hs eng and lit tutor, though that's pretty irrelevant when it comes to creative writing)

if anybody has other things to add please reblog or comment !!!

anyways, good luck! and take your time figuring things out

[iamdunn]

Miraculous Flash Forward part 4: Emelie Agreste

A Miraculous Fan-fic

Written by 

AJ Dunn

Adrien made his way through the hospital to the private wing. He hadn’t slept as he rushed out of his apartment with nothing but an overnight bag. Which, he was now carrying because he couldn’t be bothered to stop at the Graham De Vanily manor before seeing his mother. How long had she been in a coma? He was still wearing his Loashi uniform, his yi-fu. 

“Adrien,” Amelie called from the hall. “She’s been slipping in and out. The doctors want to try an experimental procedure but you have to be the one to agree to it.” She rushed her words as Adrien took a minute to process them. 

“They think they can flush her bloodstream with your blood.” Felix stepped in. he maintained his calm demeanor as Amelie babbled on frantically. “They say there is some sort of… pollutant in her system and they might be able to but we needed you here being her biological son and all.” Adrien gulped.

“Is she awake now.” he peeked through the crack in the partially opened door. He could hear the beeping of the heart monitor and the pumping of the tubes pumping air into her lungs. 

“No, she came alert only a few times since I called you.” Felix stiffened as the doctor stepped up behind Adrien. 

“Let me take your bags, honey.” Amelie snatched his bag and went to sit down in the room. 

“Mr. Agreste?” the doctor asked 

“Adrien,” He corrected “I don’t care my father’s name.” he hoped his mother couldn’t hear him. She had no idea what has been going on since she went into a coma. The things her husband did. A stone of emotions hardened in his heart. 

We would like to take a blood sample to make sure you are a match.” The doctor said looking confused as his eyes switched between him and Felix. “And you two are twins right?” Adrien let out a small chuckle in his throat.

“Cousins,” Felix said flatly

“Let’s get a sample from each of you, it’s possible because your mothers are identical twins, that you two could have reverse DNA.” Felix lifted an eyebrow. “This is very complicated but the simple explanation is, your mothers each share 100% of your grandparents’ DNA. Amelie doesn’t have the same blood type as Emelie, but they both carry the same genes, meaning you could have either or. Emelie has B, Amelia has A.” 

“So you’re saying, that even though she is my mother, I might now be a match but Felix might.” Adrien fumed.

“Or you both might be.” He looked, “You two look more alike than Amalie and Emelie.” he seemed amused at the striking resemblance between the cousins. “Come with me, I’ll take you to the lab. Adrien hated needles but at least he didn’t nearly have to strip for the phlebotomist to have access to his veins as did the sharp-dressed three-piece suit Felix. He chuckled to himself as he watches his cousin buttoning up the shirt and restoring the tie to its proper fit. It would have been so much easier if his shirt would have been a bit looser he could have lifted one sleeve up over his elbow, but no, Felix demanded his shirts to fit nearly skin tight. 

“You might as well be wearing a Cat Noir suit with how tight your suit is.” Adrien laughed

“Shut up.” Felix fastened the sleeve buttons. “I left that at home.” He lifted a smirk to his cousin who, he knew hadn’t gotten one yet as they weren’t yet on the market. Adrien’s face fell.

“How.” He demanded.

“Apparently Luka and I have the same measurements, I have the model one.” He smirked walking past Adrien. Wait that means him and Luka as well. Adrien was a bit more muscular now than his cousin, so he might not be the same size anymore. 

They walked back to the room in silence. Just outside the door, he grabbed Felix by the arm.

“What do I say to her?” he asked his cousin. Felix wasn’t run on his emotions as Adrien was. He had a more practical mind and Adrien needed that right now. Felix put his hands on Adrien’s shoulders.

“If she wakes up, you say nothing about Gabriel,” he demanded. “He was on another business trip and we were unable to reach him.” that sounded just like him too. They walked into the room. The hum of the machines and the dimly lit room felt ominous to Adrien. His heart stalled in his chest as he watched hers rise and fall. Her frail frame lay under a thin blanket with her hands crossed peacefully over her waist. With an IV in her right arm. 

He walked closer to her sitting in the chair to her left he rested his head on the edge of the mattress. It seemed like forever as they sat there in silence before a noise came from Amalie. 

“Well, you look…” Amelie smiled as Adrien looked up at her. “Nice in that what is it called?”

“Yi-fu.” he told her. “I have been made a Laoshi, a teacher.” he rested his head back down.

“What do you teach?” She continued. Amelie never was one to sit in silence for long. It made her nervous.

“Kung Fu.” Adrien sat upright in his chair knowing more questions would come.

“Ah, I see.” She looked up at him then shifted her eyes away. “You look like you have filled out in the shoulders, you must have built up some muscles.” Indeed he had. “I bet your teacher is very proud of you.” She smiled. Adrien hadn’t even told Felix yet.

“He died. Yesterday, as I sat by his bedside.” he looked down at his mother laying so cold beside him. He missed his mother, though he didn’t remember much about her except her kindness and care for him. Amelie got up and left the room after another long stretch of silence. 

“It’s been hard on her,” Felix said. “After years of believing her sister dead, only to find out…” he stopped himself knowing the direction this conversation would lead.

“Do you think she can hear?” Adrien asked. “Do you think she knows what he did to her?”

“If she can hear us now, then she could hear him then,” he said coldly. “So no Adrien, I don’t think she knows. Otherwise, she would have died of heartbreak years ago.” Hours passed in silence before the doctor returned.

“May I speak with you two privately?” they both followed him to a small empty waiting room. “There’s no easy way to say this. But you have the right to know. You are twins.” the words came out but they felt foreign as Adrien and Felix exchanged confused and shocked glances. “Your DNA is identical and you are identical twins, and I compared your DNA to Amelie and Emelie and…” 

“What are you saying, Doctor?” Felix demanded. “Amelie is your mother, both…”

“I can explain.” A shattered voice came from behind them as Amelie stepped into the room. “I…” tears began to fall down her face. “I never wanted you to find out like this.” 

“I’ll excuse you for a moment.” the doctor turned to leave before Adrien grabbed his wrist.

“My mother.” He said sharply. “Emelie, are we a match?” the doctor nodded. “Then get everything ready.” The doctor left the room. Amelie took a seat on the couch as both boys took seats in front of her. Felix weaved his fingers together as he sat upright and stiff. Adrien slouched forward his face dropping to his hands before looking up at her again. 

“You see Adrien, my husband was never home.” Her voice trembled in her throat. “Emelie wanted a child and so did I.”  Tears began to well up in her as she dabbed a hanky to her eyes. “I didn’t want to do it but because Emelie was the face of the Agreste brand he would never allow her to carry a child.” Adrien nodded as he recalled how his father controlled everything about Adrien’s life ensuring he was the picture of perfection. “So she came up with a plan because we were so good at switching places.” Adrien felt his jaw tighten. He sensed the unease in Felix as well.

“Enough mother, we don’t need the details.” Felix snapped. He sounded more and more like Gabriel and now they both knew why. “You are telling me that my father is that man who terrorized the world for his own selfish maniacal means?” Felix’s words slapped like a cold wet hand on his face. His eyes shot up to his cousin. Felix bore a look of utter horror as he realized what he had said. Adrien pursed his lips and nodded, they both shared the emotion. 

“We agreed that if it was twins, we would each take one. Or try again for another one. But we were sure, we would have twins.” right the Graham De Vanily twin curse. Every generation bore twins. Adrien hung his head. Felix froze in disbelief. 

“Why did you wait until now to tell us mother!” Felix snapped. “Were you ever planning on telling us?”

“Yes, until…”

“Until father was arrested?” Adrien snapped up. His words stolen from Felix’s own mouth. They both huffed. 

“You two have always been so much alike even now, I see so much of myself and Gabriel in you… 

“ENOUGH!” Felix stood up. “I don’t want to hear another word about that monster.” He stormed to the door. He caught himself at the doorway and cast a look back to Adrien, who looked up at him. “I’m sorry, you knew him better than I did, I am sure this hurts you just as much as it does me.” then he left.

“Adrien,” she reached a hand out placing it on his knee. He pulled away from her. “I never wanted you two to find out like this.” 

“As soon as they perform the procedure, I will return to Shanhai.” Adrien said coldly. “Don’t concern yourself with me anymore.” He stood and left the room hoping to catch up with the doctor to rush this plan of his. 

The good news was, since both the boys were a match for Emelie, the doctor could take equal amounts from each boy rather than draggin the process out over time. Taking more than a quart of blood from one patient wasn’t done. Plus, he could return and Felix could offer more in a month or so. 

“I’ll be returning to Paris in the morning.” Felix said after he once again had to remove his shirt. They sat side by side in the lab as two technicians worked on them. 

“I’ll be heading back to Shanghai tonight.” 

“So soon?” Felix sounded surprised. “I figured we could use a night out.” weird it wasn’t like Felix to consider a night out. 

“A night out?” Adrien asked curious about his thought process.

“We’ve never gotten drinks together and well.” Adrien could hear him inhale air sharply as the needle penetrated his arm. “Frankly after today, I feel like getting messed up.” 

“So you’ll need someone to carry you home.” Adrien teased. 

“That’s just it, I don’t want to go home.” Adrien couldn’t blame him, he didn’t want to go there either. “It wouldn’t be wise to get a flight while drunk Adrien, so join me.” Adrien smiled at him and nodded. 

They found a small pub and slipped inside. It wasn’t a high ranking spot, but it had beer on tap and annoying music playing off key. Adrien noticed why immediately, it was a karaoke bar. A group of girls were on stage singing an old Spice Girls song. The 5 girls sung and danced to a song about lovers and friends. Something about it reminded him of Marinette and their mutual friends from class. 

They took a table where they could see the singers and the bar, but was in the darkest corner they could find. A barmaid came around and took their orders. They had never gone into a bar like this before and had no idea what to order, so they asked for the most popular drink the house sold. 

“And some fish and chips.” Adrien called after. He felt a sudden jab in his side as he stood up. He was still wearing his Yi-fu. He went into the bathroom and locked the door. 

“You can’t drink.” Plagg said, “If you don’ you won’t be able to transform”

“I wasn’t planning on it.” Adrien said.

“Drink? Or Transform?” Plagg floated in the air near him with his hands on his hips.

“Either.” He said. “Come on, we can’t leave him out there by himself in his condition.” they were brought a pitcher of beer and two drinks. Great. Felix finished off his first drink as Adrien pretended to sip on his. He waited for his cousin to not be looking then switched cups with him and poured more in. 

The waitress caught him one time while Felix was in the bathroom.

“Should I be concerned for your brother?” she said wryly. 

“He needs to drink, I don’t, but he doesn’t want to drink alone.” Adrien smiled. “I’ll cut him off before I have to carry him.” 

“What’s with the outfit.” 

“It’s a long story.” He smiled again as Felix returned to his seat. The waitress took the pictures and left to refill it. By the time the bartender made the last call of the night, it was two in the morning. Felix had drunk, danced and even attempted to sing an Elton John song. Adrien had to get up and help him with it lest he fall off the stage. He even turned Felix’s mic off so no one would hear him burping. To his surprised he must have sung circle of life rather nicely as the whole bar cheered when they were done. It was a weird choice of song but Felix was in a weird mood. 

Adrien nearly carried his brother up the stairs of the hotel to the room he rented for them. He tried to keep as low of a profile as possible. Imagine the scandal of carrying an incapacited CEO into a shady motel. He dropped him onto one bed then set his carry bag on the other bed. He pulled out a pair of shorts and went into the bedroom to change. 

The next morning Felix was already awake when Adrien scrambled out of bed. 

“What did you do?” Felix scowled before Adrien could even through back the blankets. He looked up at him confused. “We are in a shady motel. I hope to tell no one saw us come in here.” Felix was livid, but Adrien laughed. 

“I was careful, remember I don’t want to be seen in public either.” 

“That’s right, Adrien Agreste doesn’t exist, so he can’t be seen dragging a man into a motel. Never mind the scandal.” 

“Would you ratherr I had taken you home?” Adrien asked standing up. Felix’s eyes froze on him. 

“Damn put a shirt on. What are you trying to do give me a complex?” Felix darted his eyes way suddening aware of the toned ab muscles Adrien had mastered in his time with Chao Sifu. 

“Come to Shanghai, I’ll whip you into shape in no time.” He laughed. 

“I have far to much to do,” Felix snapped. “Remember who does all the work in this family?” 

“I work too.” Adrien pouted. 

“Occasionally participating in fashion competitions doesn’t count.” 

“Hey you still need to get Marinette to make me a costume.” 

“She’d need your measurements.” Felix’s mouth contorted into a hethanous smile. “And an address where to send it.” This gave Adrien an idea. He picked up his phone and dialed up Cheng Sifu. 

“Mr. Graham,” Cheng only called him that when Marinette was nearby. 

“Can you ask Marinette for a favor,” he stalled a minute, “Say a secret admirer of her work wants to commission something for her.” He filled Cheng in on the details. He agreed to ask her and let him know. 

“Really are you going to start sending her flowers too.” 

“Not a bad idea cousin.” He smirked. 

“Funny I thought we were brothers.” Felix tossed the cold hard truth at him. It was the first time either one had acknowledged it. Adrien’s eyebrows narrowed as he thought.

“We’re still cousins too.” He snorted. 

“Considering we shared the same womb, I think that trumps cousin any day.” 

“You do have a point. Brother.” Adrien dropped a hand on his brothers shoulder, “Should we schedule a press conference?” Felix stiffened with anxiety at the idea of yet another Agreste based scandal. “That’s what I thought. Let’s stick to cousin unless these thin walls have ears.” he left Felix to dress in the bathroom. He put on a plain pair of blue jeans and black t-shirt with a Red short sleeve button down that he left open in the front. It was one of his favorite shirts as he had Chao order it for him from Marinette’s online store. 

He couldnt’ use Chao Sifu anymore, so Cheng was his only other friend in China. He brushed his teeth as he heard the front door open and close. Fine, it was best they not be seen leaving the hotel just incase people get the wrong idea. He checked his phone for the return flight time. He had missed the earlier flight but he could get on the next one. He quickly booked and grabbed his bags. 

“Forgetting something?” Plagg groaned. It must have been a long night for him. Despite Adien smuggling fries for him off the table. It still wasn’t cheese. 

“We’ll check the market at the airport for snacks.” Adrien hurried out the door leaving the hotel key on the table and secured the door behind him. The housekeepers were already making their rounds as he rushed down the stairs to the street to catch a cab. 

“Hey, isn’t that Adrien Agreste.” Someone called down the street. He quickly pulled the hoodie from the short sleeve button down over his face in case they were inclined to snap a picture. He slid into the cab closing the door just in time for the fan girls to catch up demanding a photo and answers. 

“Where have you been.” 

“Why are you here.” 

“What happened with your father.” 

“The air port please.” He said but the cab didn’t move. The driver got out of the car and Adrien tried to look without lifting his head as he locked his door. 

“Get off my car, I don’t know who you think is in my car, but get off.” The cabby was yelling at fan girls who, in an attempt to keep him from leaving had actually climbed on the hood trying to get a view of his face. 

“It’s Adrien Agreste.” 

“No, it’s not, I gave Adrien Agreste a ride earlier and he was no where near this dump.” the man yelled. He got back in and put the car into drive. 

“Thank you.” Adrien whispered.

“Your brother asked me to come get you, told me to lie if anyone saw you.” the man offered back. “He also told me you’d be going to the air port and prepaid your fair.” 

“Thanks again.” 

“If’ it’s not too bold, can I ask why you two lied about Adrien Agreste being nothing but an alias for Felix Graham De Vanily?”

“You heard about that?” 

“Of course, Paris’ Sunshine boy disappears after his fathers arrest.  Only for some identical slick haired pretty boy to take his place.” He scoffed. “My teenagers were mad with rage when they watched the press release.” Adrien felt a little bad for his fans who couldn’t understand. 

“I had to do it.” Adrien sulked

“I know, it must have been hard for you in those earlier days after the incident.” If only he knew. They pulled up to the air port and Adrien got out, giving the man a smile and bid him farewell. 

The flight back to Shanghai felt like going home. It wasn’t his permanent home, but it felt right, for now.