#pre-epilogue fic

[jq37]

neme(sis)

Summary: The Rat Grinders actually fight the Bad Kids on the Hangman instead of just sending dragons and Adaine has to do some quick thinking.

"Adaine Abernant."

Adaine winced, clutching her head as Raulothim's Psychic Lance pierced her mind. It figured Oisin knew the spell. Raulothim was a dragon after all. She wondered if he learned it in class like her or if he'd come to school already familiar with the spell because of his dragon ancestor who was currently trying to swallow Gorgug, axe and all. She didn't wonder for too long though. There wasn't time.

"See what you can do with access to proper spell components?" Oisin called from the other side of the room, his tone mocking.

"That spell doesn't even have material components!" Adaine called back in spite of herself. Insulting her was one thing but getting basic spellcraft wrong while doing it? Unacceptable. She ignored his expression, smug from getting a rise out of her no doubt, and surveyed the battlefield. The Rat Grinders had caught them on their back foot. Things were going OK but they were playing defense. And no one was where they needed to be. Spellcasters too close to melee, fighters out of range. Only Gorgug was arguably in the right place but he was far too close to being dragon food for her liking. Fabian needed to be closer to the action, Riz needed cover, and she…

Adaine suppressed a smile, idea forming in her mind. She needed to be in punching distance.

"Scatter," she said, raising a hand. Five creatures: Gorgug, Riz, Fabian, Kristen…and Oisin.

Her party members didn't fight the spell, well used to the feeling of her magic working on them mid-battle and knowing that it never meant harm. As she moved them to more advantageous positions, she was hit with a flash of the future: Oisin resisting the spell. She reached out and nudged fate just a bit. Nearby, Ivy walked dangerously close to a breath weapon attack. Oisin startled, moved to grab her, and--pop. Suddenly, he was standing right next to Adaine who was already rearing her fist.

"Counterspell!" Oisin called, runes on his forearms glowing. The expression on his face was even more smug as the blue energy charging on her fist fizzled.

"Predictable," he said.

"Gullible," Adaine thought, halting her fist without following through on the punch and stomping her foot on the ground to activate the teleportation circle they were both now standing on. Because of course the boy with the empty house and unlimited funds would have a teleportation circle installed so he could have his friends over as often as possible. Teleportation via spell needed a willing creature but a Circle? That just needed proximity.

As the spell went off, she concentrated. The benefit of a teleportation circle was that it couldn't go wrong like a normal Teleport spell could. It wasn't supposed to anyway. But any magic could be tweaked if you pushed hard enough. She remembered winding up in the wrong room in the twisted version of Mordred inside Riz's briefcase and concentrated on that feeling. She was sure she was going to have a headache in the morning but that was more than a fair price. She wrenched control of the spell, just enough to force the circle to spit them out a little bit outside of the paired circle in Mordred. There was a flash of light and--forget having a headache tomorrow. Her head felt like it had been bashed in with a pickaxe the moment they landed on the floor of her bedroom. She didn't think she'd be able to get back up for a minute or two--she didn't even try. Oisin didn't seem to have that problem though. He got up and stood over her.

He smirked. "I thought the elven oracle was supposed to be more of a challenge. I knew we'd come out on top but I didn't think it'd be so easy." He raised his hands, readying a spell, but the sparks at his clawtips died as quickly as they were produced. He tried the spell again to the same result, too focused to notice the sudden subtle sheen to the patterns painted on her bedroom walls.

A Sending spell pinged in her mind. "Ten seconds, dear sister."

A smile played on Adaine's lips.

"What?" Oisin demanded.

"Just that you all have been so obsessed with being our nemeses this whole time. But that was never gonna happen with you and me. That position is already filled."

There was another flash of light and before it even cleared, Adaine felt the tingle of magic settling over her like a second skin. Her sister's abjurer's ward extending to cover her reflexively. Just beyond the ward, she could feel the temperature in the room start to drop--a side effect of the Cone of Cold that was about to erupt from Aelwyn's outstretched hands.

"You're familiar with my bitch of a sister, right?"

[solradguy]

I got so mad today I grabbed my notebook, went into the woods, and began working on the next Interlude chapter

[endlessnightlock]

Thank you for taking prompts ☺️🥳

How about a story with Buttercup and Peeta baking together? Or any bonding time really. Fun times!

For my friend @buttercupeatscheesebuns 🤗

Thank you so much 🙏❤️

@dandelionlovesyou thank you! I hope you and @buttercupeatscheesebuns both like it. I wrote this quickly (best way to do a drabble!) so excuse any errors

Standing at the kitchen sink as I wash my hands, gazing out the window at Haymitch's place, I realize I'm no longer alone in the kitchen. There’s a ticklish brush against my ankle, all fine bones and silky fur, a long tail curling around my foot. Buttercup has proven to be as silent as Katniss. Unless that cat wants you to know he's there, you don't.

"Morning, buddy," I greet, my voice a low hush to keep from waking Katniss. She's still dozing in the living room. She and I were up late last night and ended up falling asleep together on the couch. I woke before her, and instead of going home like I thought about doing, I decided I'd get up and make breakfast for us instead.

I'm full of nervous energy as I retrieve ingredients from the cabinet over my head, thoughts and feelings running wild as I complete the simple task of gathering flour and baking powder, sugar, and salt and setting them next to the mixing bowl. I'll make us pancakes since Katniss doesn't keep yeast in her kitchen. I'll have to bring her some of mine and put it in the refrigerator if I decide to do any baking over here.

Out in the living room, I hear Katniss stirring on the couch. I keep my face averted, my stomach fluttering with nerves at the thought of facing her this morning. She asked me to stay, and I can't quite settle on how sleeping with her last night leaves me feeling today.

All the while, Buttercup loops between my legs, rubbing his face against my intact leg. I know he's trying to get my attention. When he nibbles on my ankle, I flinch. It doesn't hurt; I'm jumpy, thus the cooking. Preparing food is a surefire way to settle my nerves. "That's not very nice," I scold that cat when he meows plaintively at me.

"Who isn't?" Katniss asks, yawning as she walks into the kitchen, shooting me a sleepy smile. It does something to me; that smile, it settles my nerves a little. She's not upset I'm here, and I'm not upset I'm here either. So it must be okay.

"The cat," I say, catching myself from calling Buttercup her cat. We both know he was Prim's cat, not hers.

"He's an asshole," Katniss agrees, and I laugh.

"I wasn't going to go that far."

She pulls out a stool at the counter and sits, gratefully accepting the mug of tea I fix her. "Suit yourself," she says, lifting the rim of the cup to her lips, pausing before taking her first sip, "he likes you better than me."

"Maybe," I murmur, rubbing his side with my foot. Buttercup purrs contentedly, a low vibration against the sole of my foot. Katniss never pets him. She does feed him raw meat, though, so it's hard to say for sure.

[bookishjules]

just saw a post from a while ago that implied that jace and alec would have comforted isabelle with sibling cuddles after the events of cohf and idk i just.. like if you honestly think isabelle would allow that.. we must have read different books.

this is the girl who shut herself in her room after her brother died, refusing to talk to anyone. this is the girl who reached for distraction when the emotions got too deep. and add on top of that the fact her emotions after losing simon are tied to romantic love? something she's famously scared of in its own right? imagine how embarassed she would be.. giving her heart away after guarding it her whole life only to have it torn in two..

by receiving cuddles, she'd be admitting (to her brothers!) that she needed help. that she was weak. and while the boys are aware that izzy isnt a fortress, that intrinsic reaction doesn't just disappear for them. hugs and cuddles are a nice way of showing support and sympathy, but that's not natural for someone like isabelle, not when its her who would be on the receiving end

[sweatermikewheeler]

I hate having the idea for a fic and having it completely planned out, and then sitting down in front of the word document with no idea on how to start it. The first paragraph is always a struggle 😖

[lepidopteragirl]

🦅 and 👀 !!

HIIIIII!!!

🦅 Do you outline fics or fly by the seat of your pants?

hm i think this one depends for me on the fic, honestly. some of my fics v much start as a super vivid vision of one particular part and i just kinda go from there until i have a full fic lol, (those tend to be the shorter character studish ones) but ones that are longer and more plot focused, i usually need a stronger mental outline!!

👀 Tell me about an up and coming wip please!

oh gosh ive been jumping around so much lately but i think the ones ive been working on the most recently lol is cquackity to all the boys au ( i have not seen the movie and am only vaguely familiar with the concept ). basically all of quackitys old letters to his many bitches get sent out on accident, featuring karl as quackitys longtime, ctntduo as weird little friends who quote my chemical romance music videos at each other, csapnap who well hes had a crush on quackity forever and accidentally ends up getting one of quackity's letters that was not meant for him due to address mishaps and whatever and then they start to fake date etc etc. also its a high school au im so sorry please forgive me ive posted cringe <- this was supposed to be a half hour worth of goofy nonsense then posted 😭

the other one im working on rn is supposed to be the first fic in a loosely connected series of oneshots with my perfect cquackity cksq endingbc well they got screwed over in canon you know. anyways due to dubious circumstances that i haven't figured out yet and a falling out with ckarl, csapnap comes back to las nevadas and he and cquackity move into the apartment cquackity built for the three of them and try to grow back together its a lot sadder than i thought it was going to be but i rly like how its going so far :]

[just-absolutely-super]

Lan deserves lots of headpats after mmbn 3.

Megaman too, but I think Lan got emotional scarred thanks to his brother.

Listen, Lan gets major separation anxiety thanks to MMBN3, I will die on that hill

Like can you imagine how lost he felt without Megaman? How emotionally drained he must have been trying to accept his twin was gone forever and he should move on and fake a smile to let everyone know that yes, he's fine, he's gonna be fine, everything is fine!

But it's not fine

Can you imagine how much of a gross sobbing mess Lan ended up being when he saw Megaman again? He probably made Mega swear up and down to never do that to him again you hear! but he's gonna be a reckless idiot again of course he is

Mega probably let Lan do whatever he wanted for a couple days to make up for all the emotional turmoil he caused. If the copybot had been invented earlier there would definitely have been head pats and brother hugs

[koushirouizumi]

Meanwhile with Digi-02's Daisuke+Co. [and some O.C.'s]

O.C. Shane: So you've said you've been here before some times, but you never really talked to me much about it. Daisuke: We didn't HAVE TIME to "Talk" About It. (You almost never "talked"!!!) Daisuke: (And /you're/ "'NOT-'HAUNTING''" ME *NOW*) Shane: Soooo tell me what you know Daisuke: (AAGH) Daisuke: Well, the 'first' time, it was because we had to land here while travelling the world to return enemies to the Digital World. The times 'after' we ...often?? landed back here too. You all in general are known for your theme parks?? But they're much further *up* from 'here'. But... Shane: "BUT"... Daisuke: (CHILL--) Uhhh, I guess there's that *almost complete blank space* in my memory from *before* I was, like, 5, or so, I guess-- Shane: That young, huh? Daisuke: What about it? Shane: It's nothing {just around the "timeframe "I first met your *new* "partner"} Keep Going Daisuke, Not Picking Up On The Context: Well, anyway, so my family moved at one point, then moved /again/, I think, but I /know/ *I* was? ?? 'here' at least *once*. And I was excited to be 'back' here when I came back!! It was kinda strange, actually. I still don't know *why* we didn't stay longer... Shane: (I KNOW Why. The ""bombing incident"") Shane: (I don't know how much Koushiro and the rest got to relate to Daisuke about that...) Well, thing is, I've lived here *almost* my whole, entire life. Just to clarify. Because I didn't 'move' to your location until "recently", and that was only for a short time, too. Less than a year, even. {It's why me and "Hikaru" had to part ways, even if we stayed friends... for as long as we *could*} Daisuke, Acquainted with Hikaru, Not Even Hearing Unspoken Context: Shane, Totally Casually & Unbothered: Until "that" happened, but, you know (*shrUG*) Daisuke: (...I feel kind of bad now. Even if they're "'NOT-'HAUNTING''" me.) Shane: (Well, the moving part, of both your family and mine and *everyone*'s wasn't your fault, that "just" "happened") Anyhow, don't worry about it. Shane: (Because of Hikaru my "life" was 'fine'.) Daisuke, Who Is Now Dating Said Person KIND OF But Doesn't 'Hear' Unspoken Context: ...?? Shane: OK, so what else do you know? Or remember? About this place. Daisuke: Daisuke: Uhhh. The weather. It's *always* rAINING in the *summer*, isn't it SUPPOSED to "ALWAYS BE SUNNY"-- Oh, but it was still kind of neat to learn the weather ("climate") is similar to a place from my country. Shane: (Check.) Anything else? Daisuke: Where I stayed was fun. I made lots of buddies! Shane: (The community here.) What about 'favorite things', like, to do, to ea--- Daisuke: The food here is Good Shane: (Guess that's the specific I'm getting.) But like things you did? Daisuke: Wellll, there were the other rides, too, and... Shane: (Huh, we did often have that 'fair'. Hikaru really enjoyed those too.) Yeah, I guess if someone was here long enough, you'd get to try that. Daisuke: Oh! I remember now!! SHANE: Daisuke: *Football*. I got to practice a lot here!! Except, it's not even called "football" here. Shane: (Actually, yeah, this makes sense. Daisuke would have played a lot whenever Daisuke got the chance. I never really cared for sports much on a personal level myself. But) Shane: Those sound like nice enough "memories", but it looks like I might have to "show you around" some more. You know, to jog more "memory"... Daisuke: ...?? Sure, I guess, it's been a while. I do have to visit Hikaru in-between too, but Shane: (By the time we're done Daisuke's probably going to be getting a kick out of it. Or at least I will be.) Shane: Thing is, though, you're *not* just getting shown the "tourist-y" stuff again. We're going *all out*. Daisuke: Shane: Daisuke: Shane: (I can't wait to see Daisuke's reactions.)

[penvisions]

by the grit of sandpaper {masterlist}

Pairing: Jackson! Joel Miller x F! Reader

Summary: Joel Miller is a gruff as they come, the world having changed him for the worst. But settling in Jackson with his brother changed him for the better. He's known around town as someone to help, whether it be with home repairs, construction, and hand carved trinkets. An offhand comment from you inspires him to branch out and create helpful kitchen wares. And it seems everyone has been gifted one from him, except for you. It makes you rethink the casual friendship you had developed with the man that had just begun to expand beyond patrols.

Word Count: 57.8k - finished

Warnings: canon typical violence, canon typical language, pining, unrequited feelings, joel a little mean in this, heart of gold joel, carpenter joel, woodworking joel, artisan joel, patrol partnership, mild injuries, confessions, lots of feelings, angst, hurt and comfort, joel miller's hands need their own warning, arguing, heated interactions, smut, p in v, unprotected p in v, oral (f and m receiving), jealousy, more to be added as the story develops!

A/N: now finished! this fic means so much to me, it's allowed to bare a bit of my soul with y'all and it's been received so well. thank you, from the bottom of my heart for the continued interaction with this, i love y'all

ao3 link || main masterlist || ko-fi

fic teaser || fic teaser no.2 || olive's song || artwork of olive and joel *NEW

the conversations we have -pre-series one shots:

sweetening the deal || how we pass the time || weather permitting

main series:

chapter 1 || chapter 2 || chapter 3 || chapter 4 || chapter 5 || chapter 6 || chapter 7

epilogue

[gingernut1314]

The Water's Cold Embrace Masterlist

Content: Female reader x Slico, pre-Arcane season 1, will go into season 1 but much later, young Silco, Vander, Sevika, Felicia, Connol, & baby Viktor, Vi, Powder, Viktor's parents, canon typical descriptions of violence & death, reader has water manipulation powers, sex (further warning in individual part), drugs, smoking, revolution, unrequited love...or is it???, friends to lovers, slow burn, slight Arcane season 2/League of Legends spoiler (Janna, Felicia/Connol)

A/N: since season 2 came out I was reminded that I had some bits and pieces of this story I made while watching season 1 and thought, hey, now is a good time as any to put them out there into the world. I wanted to write for the characters pre-season 1 cause how fun would it be to write for all their interactions before everything went to complete shit? It's so much fun and thus this fic was born lol. I hope you all enjoy!

↞ to Arcane Masterlist | Request Rules | Blog Navigation ↠

Guide:

⏳ = Coming Soon 🖋️= Ongoing 🧨 = NSFW

Setlist: (Full Playlist)

Blood//Water

Love and War

Living in the Shadows

Snakes

On And On

The Water's Cold Embrace: 🖋️

Prologue:

ᥫ᭡ Chapter 1: The Winds of the Undercity {1.2K}

Act 1:

ᥫ᭡ Chapter 2: Turkey and Cheese {2.7K}

ᥫ᭡ Chapter 3: Sack of Potatoes {2.9K}

ᥫ᭡ Chapter 4: Just a Bedtime Story {3.7K}

Act 2:

ᥫ᭡ Chapter 5: Don't Jinx It {4.5K}

ᥫ᭡ Chapter 6: Bit of Friendly Banter {4.1K}

ᥫ᭡ Chapter 7: The Water's Embrace {5.9K}

ᥫ᭡ Chapter 8: Head On {5.6K}⏳

Act 3:

ᥫ᭡ Chapter 9: .... ⏳

ᥫ᭡ Chapter 10: .... ⏳

ᥫ᭡ Chapter 11: ... ⏳

Act 4:

ᥫ᭡ Chapter 12: .... ⏳

ᥫ᭡ Chapter 13: .... ⏳

ᥫ᭡ Chapter 14: ... ⏳

Epilogue:

ᥫ᭡ Chapter 15: ...⏳

[emjayewrites]

what's up, jude? what's up, lila? (hey there, delilah epilogue) • jude bellingham

SYNOPSIS: Real Madrid football star Jude Bellingham has had a big crush on Delilah "Lila" Hamilton, the younger sister of Formula 1 legend Lewis Hamilton, for a while. As their budding romance unfolds, will they be able to navigate the pressures of fame and family dynamics?

PAIRINGS: Jude Bellingham x Delilah "Lila" Hamilton (face claim Rayan Xasan)

WARNINGS: cursing, f1/football b.s., overly protective siblings, light smut, adult jokes (18+/minors dni)

TAGLIST: @dreamingjude @foreverisntenough @nichmeddar @lettersofgold @judesvirtual @perfecttrashface @alika-4466 @cocobutterqwueen @leilaxaliel @ispywithmylileye @vile-harlot @bellinghaalands @certifiedlesbianbaddie @yeea-nah @empressdede @saturnville @pinkcatcus @shepgurl @ffenthusiastt @serpenttines-library @judesprincess @bbgkoo @enretrogue @liamundi

A/N: This series is officially finished! Thank you for your support, comments, and appreciation for this fic. I will be doing two more one-shots for Jobe. Please keep in mind that this is set before my recent Jobe oneshot and around Chapter 3 of FBF (August 2024). You will see more of Lila and Jude in my other series, Fouled by Fate, which picks up literally the same time as this finishes. Jude and Lila are my babies, and I'm so happy you guys loved them, too!

The air in the Olympic fencing arena buzzed with anticipation. Lila sat between Snoop Dogg and Nina Dobrev, trying to focus on Miles' match while being acutely aware of the camera shutters working overtime behind them. As usual, they seemed more interested in her brother than the actual competition.

"There go the vultures," Lila muttered as another burst of flashes erupted, no doubt capturing Lewis and Amara's every move. She could already imagine tomorrow's tabloid headlines: "F1 Champion's New Love" or something equally dramatic.

"Let 'em talk," Snoop said beside her, his laid-back drawl carrying a hint of amusement. "They gonna do it anyway, might as well give 'em something to talk about."

Lila smiled, grateful for his easy-going presence. "True. Though I think they've got enough material with those two," she nodded towards Lewis and Amara, who were engrossed in conversation with Shaun White.

"Speaking of headlines," Snoop continued, "saw your Versace previews. Looking fire, baby girl."

"Thanks," Lila beamed. The campaign had been a dream come true, though she couldn't wait to show Jude the final results in September. "Just hoping I did the brand justice."

"Please," Nina chimed in from her other side. "You're killing it."

Snoop nodded in agreement, then his expression turned more serious. "Now, what about that soccer boy of yours? He treating you right?"

Lila felt warmth spread through her chest at the mention of Jude. He was back in Madrid, throwing himself into pre-season training with Real Madrid, while she was set to join him in two days. "He's perfect," she said softly. "More than perfect, actually."

"Good," Snoop said, satisfaction evident in his tone. "'Cause you know we got your back if he ain't."

A cheer erupted from the crowd as Miles scored a point. Lila jumped up, clapping enthusiastically. From the corner of her eye, she caught Amara squeezing Lewis' hand in excitement, and she couldn't help but smile. Despite her initial reservations, she had to admit - they looked good together.

As she sat back down, her phone buzzed with a message from Jude:

Miss you. Madrid's not the same without you x

Lila's smile widened as she typed back a quick reply. Two more days, and she'd be back where she belonged - in Madrid with Jude.

The crowd collectively groaned as Miles lost his chance at gold. Lila slumped back in her seat, disappointed for her bonus brother but proud he was still in contention for bronze.

As people began to shuffle out of their seats, Lila stood to hug Snoop goodbye. "Thanks for coming, Uncle Snoop."

"Anything for you, baby girl. Keep killing it out there."

Lewis approached, that easy smile of his in place. "Unc, you good for dinner tomorrow?"

"You know it," Snoop replied. "Hit me up with the details."

While Lewis got caught up chatting with what seemed like half the arena, Lila and Amara found themselves standing off to the side. Camera shutters continued their relentless clicking behind them.

"Watch this," Amara muttered, doing a spot-on impression of Lewis' media voice. "'Yeah man, just trying to support my bestie Miles, you know what I mean?'"

Lila burst into giggles. "Oh my god, that's exactly how he sounds!"

As they shared a laugh, Lila couldn't help but think how naturally Amara fit into their world. She had an ease about her that made everything feel less intense, less serious.

Finally, Lewis made his way back to them, immediately pulling Amara in for a soft kiss. The cameras went absolutely mental, the rapid-fire clicks almost deafening.

Amara pulled back with a smirk. "You're doing this on purpose now, aren't you?"

"Maybe," Lewis grinned, not looking the least bit apologetic.

"You two are ridiculous," Lila said, rolling her eyes fondly. But watching them together, she felt a surge of happiness for her brother. He deserved someone who could handle both his world and his heart with equal grace.

"Says the girl who's about to run off to Madrid to be with her footballer," Lewis teased.

"Speaking of," Amara added, "when does your flight leave?"

"Day after tomorrow," Lila replied, already counting down the hours until she'd see Jude again.

"Well then," Lewis said, wrapping an arm around each of them, "let's make the most of our time together. Dinner?"

As they made their way out of the arena, dodging photographers and well-wishers alike, Lila felt a sense of contentment wash over her. Everything was falling into place - her career, her relationship, her family. Even her brother's love life. Who would have thought?

The restaurant was one of those impossibly chic Parisian spots, all soft lighting and understated elegance. As they settled into their round table, Lila couldn't help but notice how everyone had naturally paired off - Lewis with Amara, Nina with Shaun, even Spinz had brought his girlfriend along. She felt like a sixth wheel, acutely aware of Jude's absence.

Her brother caught her pout. "Aw Peanut, what's wrong?"

"Probably misses her lil' boyfriend," Spinz commented, making Lewis roll his eyes, though without his usual bite.

"Li, you'll see him soon. You know co-dependency isn't healthy."

That made her scoff. "I'm perfectly capable of fending for myself, Lewis. I don't need Jude all the time."

Both Lewis and Amara cocked their heads to the side, clearly unconvinced.

"Okay, Peanut. We could go shopping tomorrow, okay?" Lewis offered, and Lila instantly perked up.

"For my Birkin?" she asked hopefully, grinning so wide all thirty-two teeth were on display.

"Yes…" Lewis said, taking a sip of his water. Amara nudged him playfully. "What? You want a Birkin too, baby?"

"No, Lewis," Amara shook her head with a light chuckle. "You're crazy."

Why was she in her business? Lila's eyebrows shot up at Amara's intervention. She was ready to shut this down if needed - brother's girlfriend or not.

But Amara surprised her again. "But if you want to properly get the job done, I say give her a car as well. What's going on with that?" She winked at Lila.

"Yeah, Lew, where's my new Benz?" Lila added.

The whole table erupted in laughter.

"I thought you wanted a G Wagon?" Lewis noted.

"That too. Now that you 'bout to be making Ferrari money, you can afford two cars and a Birkin," she mused.

"Don't you have money?" her brother countered. "Matter of fact, didn't your footballer sign a new contract with Louis Vuitton and Real Madrid?"

"Yes," Lila stated proudly, holding her head higher. "But I already ran his pockets. You're next, big brother." She held out her hand, beckoning for money.

"You're fuckin’ rotten," he said, shaking his head.

"You made me like this," she retorted, earning a chorus of "oohs" and "she got you there, bud" from around the table.

"Damn, if this is you with your sister, I can only imagine a baby," Amara joked.

Lewis turned to look at her, his expression softening. "The baby is going to be worse, especially if it's a girl."

The tender moment between them made Lila smile despite herself. Maybe Amara wasn't so bad after all. Still, she made a mental note to call Jude later. Paris was beautiful, but it would be even better with him here.

Jobe was feeling good, riding the high after a solid win against Cardiff City. The locker room had been buzzing with energy, and the post-match celebrations were still fresh in his mind. And now, with the next day off, he was looking forward to a chill weekend with Justine. It had been about a week into their friends-with-benefits situation, and things were going alright. They’d kept it simple—texts, memes, and a couple of calls to talk through some stuff. Both of them knew what it was, and with her teaching placement starting next month, they were trying to squeeze in as much time together as they could.

Jobe's phone buzzed just as he heard the knock on the door. He knew it was Justine before even checking the message.

Opening the door, he saw her standing there, a smile on her face, overnight bag in hand. "Come in," Jobe said, grabbing the bag from her and stepping aside to let her in.

"Thanks," she said, stepping into the flat, her eyes taking in the space.

Jobe’s place was pretty much what you’d expect from a guy his age who was constantly in and out because of training and matches. It wasn’t dirty by any means, but it had that "organized mess" vibe. The living room had a couple of plates stacked on the coffee table, a few empty water bottles scattered around, and his PlayStation controllers tangled up in their wires. A couple of framed posters of his favorite musicians were hung up, alongside signed football jerseys—one from his own club and another from Jude’s time at Dortmund. His football boots were near the door, and a pile of laundry sat on a chair near the kitchen, waiting for attention. But amidst the mess, you could tell he had his routine. His boots were always in the same spot, the dishes were stacked neatly, even if they weren’t washed, and his training gear was laid out for the next session in a tidy heap.

"Nice place," Justine commented, though her tone was playful. She set down her handbag and glanced around. "Bit of a bachelor pad vibe, though.”

Jobe chuckled, shrugging. "I like to call it 'controlled chaos.' I know where everything is." He dropped her overnight bag near the sofa and then looked over at her, catching the way she was taking it all in.

Justine kicked off her sneakers, making herself comfortable as she wandered around. "So, you’re sure you don’t need to tidy up a bit? I mean, what if your mum drops by?" she teased, her eyes landing on the pile of laundry.

Jobe smirked, running a hand through his hair. "Mum’s not coming all the way up here, trust me. And besides, you know how it is—footie, eat, sleep, repeat."

He stepped closer to her, catching her wrist and pulling her into him. "But if it bothers you, I could clean up… or we could just pretend it doesn’t exist." He grinned, his tone suggestive.

Justine laughed, rolling her eyes. "I think I���ll survive. For now."

Jobe grinned back, his eyes lingering on her a bit longer. He was enjoying how easy things felt between them. They weren’t exactly all over each other every day, but the dynamic worked. They could spend time apart, shoot a meme, and laugh over random stuff, then meet up when it made sense. It wasn’t serious, and that’s what made it feel good. With Justine’s teaching placement starting soon and his season about to kick into full gear, they both knew things would get busier. That was why this weekend together felt important. A little downtime before life got crazy again.

As he led her further into the flat, Jobe motioned to the sofa. "Make yourself at home. I’ll grab us something to drink." He headed toward the kitchen, glancing back at her as she settled in.

"Where’s Jude these days?" Justine asked, leaning back on the couch, her eyes following him.

Jobe grabbed two bottles of water from the fridge. "Madrid. He’s getting ready for the season training and all that." He tossed one bottle to her, watching as she caught it easily. “His girl, Lila, is in Paris for the Olympics. She’s been sending me pics of all the events she’s been going to, living her best life."

Justine smiled, twisting the cap off her bottle. "Lila is so cool. Must be amazing being around all those athletes."

Jobe nodded. "Yeah, she’s loving it. Said she’s planning to send me a signed jersey from Team USA’s basketball squad. Gotta say, I’m a bit jealous, but happy for her." He sat down next to her, stretching out his legs and letting out a content sigh. "So, how’s the teaching stuff coming along?"

Justine took a sip of her water, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Placement starts next month. I’m excited but nervous. It’s gonna be intense, but I’m ready for it."

Jobe nodded, appreciating her drive. "I bet you’ll smash it." He gave her a playful nudge. "But until then, you’ve got me all to yourself for the weekend.”

She smirked, raising an eyebrow. "Lucky me.”

Jobe grinned, leaning in closer. "Nah, lucky me," he said, brushing his lips against hers in a soft kiss. The kiss deepened quickly, the heat between them intensifying. Jobe's teeth gently nibbled on Justine's bottom lip, and he couldn't help but look at how great her lips looked. "These lips of yours would feel much better wrapped around me."

Justine pulled back just slightly, catching his gaze with a sharp look. "I could say the same about those pussy-eating lips of yours. You better be good for it, Bellingham."

Jobe smirked, his fingers hooking under the waistband of his joggers. "I'm definitely good for it, Jus." Without breaking eye contact, he yanked both his joggers and boxers down in one smooth motion, letting them ball around his ankles. His erection sprung free, the tip already glistening with arousal.

Justine’s eyes flicked down, and instinctively, her hand wrapped around him, her touch firm yet teasing as she stroked him slowly. Her fingers moved with precision, using the wetness already there to aid her in her movements. Jobe let out a soft groan, loving the way her hand felt on him.

"You swallow, right?" he joked, his voice low and breathy, unable to resist teasing her. Justine's hand tightened around his shaft in response, causing him to release a shaky breath. "I kinda like that rough shit though. Just fair warning."

She shot him a deadly glare. "You wouldn’t like it if I bite it off," she replied, her tone sharp but playful, matching his energy.

"Ooh, is that a promise?" Jobe continued to joke, even though the tightness of her grip had his head spinning. "You’re a lil’ freak, aren’t ya?"

"Shut the fuck up," Justine snapped back with a smirk, then bent forward, her lips parting as she took him into her mouth.

The warmth of her tongue and the wetness of her mouth wrapped around him sent a jolt of pleasure through Jobe’s entire body. He sucked in a breath, his hand instinctively moving to the back of her head, his fingers tangling in her hair. "Fuck," he muttered under his breath, his hips rocking slightly forward, pushing deeper into her mouth.

Justine worked him with skill, her tongue swirling around the tip before she took more of him, bobbing her head slowly at first, then building a steady rhythm. Jobe’s head fell back against the sofa, his hand tightening in her hair as his mind went hazy from the pleasure.

For the first time in a while, he felt like he could just relax. Football was going great, things with Justine were fun and uncomplicated, and he had the whole weekend to look forward to. Life, for now, felt pretty good.

Lewis lay sprawled on his back, the sheets loosely tangled around his legs, the night air from the open window gently sweeping across the room. Paris glimmered outside, a soft halo of lights casting the room in a muted glow. Beside him, Amara was curled into the crook of his arm, her body warm and soft against his.

Their last night together before she would head back to LA.

He exhaled quietly, staring up at the ceiling as the weight of his thoughts settled in. This season so far had been a blur—races, podiums, media appearances. And now, just a few days in Paris before he headed off to Africa for his summer break then he’d finished out the rest of the F1 season. But this wasn’t what had him distracted. It was Amara. The way things had shifted between them.

Casual wasn’t casual anymore.

They’d made it official. He had never thought it would feel so different, yet it did. He liked it—liked her—but now there was something heavier on his chest. At thirty-nine, Lewis couldn’t help but feel like time was slipping through his fingers. Racing had always been his focus, his purpose. But as the years went by, he started thinking more about what came next. His future. And whether Amara was part of it.

"You're quiet," Amara’s voice broke through his thoughts, her head lifting slightly from his chest to look at him. She wore that smile he had come to like—a mix of warmth and curiosity, like she could read him even when he tried to hide behind silence.

Lewis chuckled softly, his hand brushing through her hair. "Just thinking."

"About what?" she asked, her fingers lazily tracing circles on his skin.

"About you. About us." He paused for a moment, then added, "About where things are going."

Amara shifted, propping herself up on one elbow to get a better look at him. She studied his face, her brow furrowing slightly. "You nervous or something?"

Lewis exhaled, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Not nervous. Just… thinking ahead, I guess."

"About what?"

He hesitated for a second, then let the words spill out. "I’m almost forty, Amara. Racing’s not gonna last forever, and it’s got me wondering what I want when that’s over. Who I want."

Her gaze softened, and she remained silent for a beat, letting his words hang in the air between them. They had been together for a while now, but making it official had added a new layer. It was no longer just about having fun or being in the moment. There was something more real about it now. Something that required them to actually consider the future, together or not.

"I get it," she said finally, her voice soft but steady. "I’ve been thinking about it too."

Lewis glanced at her, slightly surprised. "You have?"

She nodded. "I mean, I’m not getting any younger either. And with so much going on with my modeling career, I’ve been wondering how we’re going to balance this. You’ve got your races, your whole F1 world, and I have my career. It’s a lot."

He ran a hand down his face, feeling the weight of her words settle in. It was a lot. Their lives were worlds apart—him on the road, jumping between cities and circuits, and her life in LA. They had been good at keeping things light, making it work, but now they were both staring at the reality of what this would look like long-term.

"I don’t want to be the guy that holds you back," Lewis said quietly. "Or the one that’s never around because I’m chasing the next race."

Amara looked at him, her hand resting on his chest. "And I don’t want to be the woman who can’t keep up with you, or who’s left behind because your life is moving at a hundred miles per hour."

They both fell silent, the truth of their situation sinking in. There was no easy answer here. No neat solution to make things fit. But at the same time, neither of them was ready to walk away. They were in it now—official, committed—and that meant figuring it out together.

"I’m not saying I’ve got it all figured out," Lewis said after a moment, his voice thoughtful. "But I want to try. I want to see where this can go."

Amara smiled softly, her eyes glimmering in the dim light. "So do I."

They kissed again, a slower, deeper kiss that spoke more of reassurance than passion. When they finally pulled apart, Amara rested her head on his chest once more, her fingers idly playing with the chain around his neck.

"So?" she asked quietly.

Lewis exhaled, staring at the ceiling again. "I'm off to Africa then I have to finish out the season. After that… I don’t know. I guess we figure it out."

Amara nodded against his chest, her voice growing softer as she spoke. "Well, I’ll be here, figuring it out with you."

They lay like that for a while, wrapped in each other’s warmth, letting the weight of the conversation settle into something lighter. The future still felt uncertain, but for now, they were in this together, and that was enough.

As Lewis’s thoughts drifted, he couldn’t help but think about Lila. She was in Madrid right now with Jude and Lewis had to admit, he was starting to like the guy more than he expected. Jude had surprised him—calm, focused, and deeply committed to Lila. It was something he could respect.

He had always been protective of his little sister, especially when it came to guys. But Jude had earned his approval, bit by bit. And now, seeing how happy Lila was, it made him wonder if maybe this thing with Amara could be the real deal too.

"You're thinking about them, aren’t you?" Amara’s voice pulled him back to the present.

Lewis chuckled. "How’d you know?"

"I can tell when your brain’s somewhere else. Lila and Jude, right?"

"Yeah," Lewis admitted. "I didn’t think I’d like him at first. Thought he was too much of a dickhead for her. But now… I don’t know. He’s been good for her. They’ve been good for each other."

Amara smiled. "Sounds like you’re coming around."

Lewis nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "I guess I am."

He thought about how happy Lila seemed with Jude, how they made it work despite their different worlds. It gave him a little bit of hope, knowing that maybe he and Amara could figure things out too.

"You know," he said after a moment, "watching them makes me think about us. And I’m starting to think… maybe we’ve got a shot at this. Even with everything going on."

Amara looked up at him, her eyes warm and steady. "I think so too."

They shared another kiss, slow and tender, before settling back into the comfort of each other’s arms. Tomorrow, Amara would head back to LA, and Lewis would leave Paris to enjoy the rest of his summer break. But tonight, in the quiet of their last night together, they had each other. And for now, that was all that mattered.

Jude wiped the sweat from his forehead after another grueling day of training in Madrid. As intense as his sessions were, nothing compared to the way his heart soared when he thought about Lila. Waking up and going to bed with her these past few days had been pure bliss, and the fact that she’d be with him for a few more days and joining him in Poland for the UEFA Final against Atalanta kept that dopey grin plastered across his face.

There was also plenty of tea from the day that he couldn’t wait to spill. Shit had been wild recently—Trent broke up with that girl he’d been seeing, an actor's daughter, and was already on the rebound. His barber, Adam, was thinking about having another kid, which seemed crazy, but Adam was in his thirties, so Jude guessed it was expected. Jobe was hanging out with Justine nonstop, even though his little brother swore he wasn’t trying to be in a relationship. Jude wasn’t buying it, though—it sounded like Jobe was real close to the deep in. And then, there was Aurélien and his crazy-ass arranged marriage. It was wild as fuck to Jude.

As soon as Jude got home, he kicked off his football boots at the front door and padded inside, calling out, "Lila!"

"In the kitchen," came her sweet voice, and Jude headed straight there, chuckling. Lila had been spending a lot of time in the kitchen lately, and he wasn’t complaining one bit, especially since her cooking was amazing. Plus, with his mum back in Birmingham for the week, home-cooked meals felt like a luxury.

The delicious smell hit him as soon as he entered the kitchen. "Lila, babes, shit's really hit the fan today," he said, walking up behind her as she stood at the stove. Her petite frame barely cleared the stove itself. He kissed the top of her head and gave her a playful smack on the ass as he made his way to the fridge to grab a Gatorade.

"Jude! Jesus Christ!" Lila yelped, scolding him, but Jude just scoffed as he took a swig of his drink.

"I don’t know why you’re complaining. You damn sure weren’t last night when I had you—"

"Jude Victor William, I hope you aren’t about to say what I think you are?" his mother’s voice suddenly interrupted, shaking him to his core.

"Mmmhmmm, see?" Lila pointed to her phone, which was propped up against a jar of peppers on FaceTime with his mum.

"Li, what the hell? Why didn’t you warn me?" Jude sputtered, quickly closing his Gatorade and trying to put on his most innocent face. "Hi Mummy. How’s Dad?"

His mother rolled her eyes, but there was a smile there. "Your dad’s taking a nap, love. How are you?"

"Can’t complain. Ancelotti’s been working us hard, but you know we’re gonna kick ass on Saturday."

"Language, Jude," she lightly scolded. "But yes, Lila was just telling me how excited she was to visit Poland."

Jude squinted at Lila. "Why’re you chatting with my girl, Mum? Something wrong?"

"I can’t talk to my daughter-in-law now?" his mother asked with mock offense, clutching fake pearls.

"Come off it, Mum," Jude groaned, but then something clicked. "Wait, daughter-in-law? You plottin’ something?"

"Maybe," his mum teased, "but Lila wanted my recipe for pepper steak, so I decided to hop on and give her a step-by-step. We got to talking about other things. Anyway, Lila, just let it simmer for twenty minutes and you know how to plate it with the rice and plantains?"

Jude’s eyes widened at the mention of plantains. "She made plantains too?" He glanced over at the other burner, where a pan of freshly fried plantains sat.

"Wait until dinner is ready, you pest," Lila scolded, swatting him away. She turned back to his mother. "Thank you so much, Denise. I’ll talk to you later."

"Later, Li," his mum said, then directed her goodbye to Jude. "Bye, sweetheart."

"Bye, Mummy." Jude blew her a kiss before she hung up. "Daughter-in-law?" Jude teased Lila as she put the lid on the pot.

Lila laughed and pointed at him. “Didn’t you have something to tell me?”

"Oh right, yeah," Jude said, leaning against the counter. "Remember how I told you about Aurélien and that crazy-ass arranged marriage set up by his parents?"

"Yeah…"

"And that his fiancée’s been living with him in Madrid?"

"Yeah, Jude, this is old news."

"Well, get this: he’s bringing her to Poland with him."

"No fucking way!” Lila’s jaw dropped.

"Way. Told me he doesn’t want her to ‘feel lonely or some shit’.” Jude put up air quotes and tried his best to mimic Aurélien’s French accent. "But he’s not slick. Apparently, her father’s a nightmare, and you know how Aurélien gets when he’s protective, so she’s tagging along. He even wanted me to ask you if you’d hang out with her in the stands."

"Wow, that’s major!" Lila said, wide-eyed.

"Right?” Jude laughed.

"Her name’s Zuri?"

"Yeah."

"Wait, hold on a second." Lila grabbed her phone, pulling up Instagram.

Jude leaned over. "Are you stalking her?"

"Well, you’ve met her before. I don’t even know what she looks like, so of course, I’m stalking her."

Jude chuckled, letting her logic win. After a few taps and scrolls, she finally found Zuri’s profile. "Oh, she’s pretty! I love her tooth gem."

"Yeah, she’s a real nice girl," Jude said, sneaking over to grab a plantain from the pan.

"JUDE!" Lila pinched his side, making him flinch and giggle.

"Stop it, woman! You know I’m ticklish there!" he protested.

"Serves you right for trying to eat all my plantains. Dinner’s almost ready," Lila scolded, smiling.

Jude couldn’t help but pull her close, kissing her deeply. "I love you, Lila," he murmured, eyes soft but full of intensity.

"I love you more, Jude," she whispered back, her gaze never leaving his.

Jude held Lila close, her warmth enveloping him in a way nothing else ever could. He couldn’t help but smile as he pressed his forehead to hers, his heart swelling with something far deeper than affection. It was as though every moment they spent together reminded him just how lucky he was to have her in his life. He never thought that after all those months of pining over her on social media, she would become his entire world. But here they were. His girl. His everything.

Jude thought back to the way he’d once daydreamed about what it would be like to hold her, to kiss her, and now it was his daily reality. And he still couldn’t get enough. Her laughter, the way she danced around the house in his oversized shirts, how she always knew just when he needed to be comforted or teased—it all felt surreal.

He couldn’t imagine his life without her now. Training, matches, and everything else seemed like background noise when compared to her presence. Lila was the one thing that made sense in all the chaos. The grounding force that kept him centered when everything around him felt like it was moving too fast.

Pulling back slightly, Jude cupped her face in his hands, his thumb brushing over her cheek. "You know you're it for me, right?" he said quietly, his voice tinged with a vulnerability he rarely showed. "I don't need anything else. Just you."

Lila smiled up at him, her heart-shaped lips curving into that sweet smile that had him hooked from the beginning. "I'm not going anywhere," she whispered. "You're stuck with me, Jude Bellingham."

As they stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, Jude realized this was what he'd always wanted. Not the fame, not the attention, but the quiet moments like these. The ones where he could just be Jude, not a football star, not someone always in the spotlight. Just a man, hopelessly in love with the woman who made his life feel complete.

This was it. His endgame.

And for the first time in a long time, Jude felt like he had everything he needed.

THE END......

PLEASE CHECK OUT FOULED BY FATE BUT FIRST....

June 2030

Six years had passed since Jude Bellingham first fell in love with Delilah Hamilton, but he hadn’t been able to wait until he was twenty-eight to marry her. Miraculously, he made it to twenty-seven, although Lord knows he wanted to marry her the same year they got together. Instead, they’d spent their years soaking up every bit of life: endless vacations, family gatherings, navigating hard times together. Jude had won two Ballon d'Ors, led England to two Euro championships, and they’d watched Lewis claim his rightful eighth and ninth World Drivers’ Championships (really his ninth and tenth, if you know you know) before retiring three years ago—but he's still involved, serving none other than Chief Strategic Partnerships & Marketing Officer of Formula 1. He even helped led Real Madrid to another UEFA Champions League win last year and then he finally proposed to Lila on Valentine’s Day.

Now, months later, today was here—their wedding day.

The setting was perfect: Lewis’ villa in Tuscany, Italy, where the sun cast a golden glow across the vineyard-covered hills. Jude smiled to himself, grateful to his future brother-in-law for footing the bill for this extravagant celebration, though he swore he’d pay him back—maybe by babysitting his and Amara’s three kids, which would be a task in itself. Lewis had married Amara just before Jude and Lila celebrated their second anniversary, and now their family was complete with three lively little girls whom Lila adored. She always played with them, spoiled them with gifts, and Jude loved watching her transform into "Auntie Lila" whenever they were around.

As for their own wedding, Jude didn’t care about the details—he just wanted to marry her. The flowers, the decorations, the grand design? All of Lila’s ideas, every last touch, from the romantic white rose arrangements to the silk drapery, yet Jude counted down the minutes until she became his wife.

In the groom's room, Jude was getting ready with his closest mates and his brother—Jobe, Trent, Camavinga, Aurélien, Odin, Toby, Noah, and of course, Lewis. The atmosphere was a mix of excitement and banter as they adjusted their tuxedoes, smoked cigars, and exchanged light banter.

Just then, the door creaked open to reveal Zuri, Aurélien’s wife, her baby bump noticeable under the flowy gown she wore. At seven months pregnant with their second child, she still moved with the quickness of a New Yorker. Zuri whispered something to Aurélien, and his brow furrowed.

"Another blowout?" he asked, kissing his teeth in exasperation. It was clearly about their 10-month-old son, Etiénne. "I’ll be right back," Aurélien sighed, "Eti had another blowout."

"Damn, what are you guys feeding him?" Trent joked as he tightened his bow tie.

"Seriously," Jobe added with a laugh. "Give him some medicine or something. Poor lil' dude has to have tummy issues."

Aurélien just shook his head and left the room. Zuri was about to follow him, but Jude caught her wrist, his eyes full of curiosity.

"How’s Li doin’?" he asked, the nervousness finally creeping into his voice.

Zuri gave him a pointed look and folded her arms over her bump. "No, I can't tell you anything."

"What? Not even if she's okay?" Jude added, flashing her his signature puppy dog eyes. "Please, Zu, just tell me."

"Fine," Zuri groaned dramatically, then leaned in. "She’s eating… and crying because your Mum gifted her something blue. It was your grandmother's earrings."

Of course, she was crying. Lila had been an emotional wreck all week, but Jude felt warmth flood his chest knowing his mum had gifted Lila such a meaningful heirloom.

"At least she's eating," Jude mused.

"Yeah… weird stuff too… like she’s—" Zuri stopped mid-sentence, cutting a sharp glance at Jude. Leaning closer, she whispered in his ear, "She's pregnant?"

Jude just nodded, unable to hide the smug grin that spread across his face.

"Wow, wasted no time, did you?" Zuri teased, her eyes widening in disbelief.

Jude shrugged with a grin. "They both have my last name, so it doesn’t matter."

Zuri shook her head, laughing softly before she slipped out of the room. Jude couldn’t help but think about the promise he’d made—how he wouldn’t get Lila pregnant before they hit their first anniversary as husband and wife. Well, so much for that plan. But as far as he was concerned, it could be worse. At least by the time Baby JB made his or her entrance, Lila would officially be Mrs. Delilah Hamilton-Bellingham.

With final adjustments made to their tuxes and a few snaps from the wedding photographer, the guys made their way to the ceremony’s venue–a small, recently renovated church located on the tail end of Lewis’ estate. As Jude walked down the aisle, shaking hands and receiving well-wishes from guests, his heart raced faster with every step. His friends and family were all there—teammates, coaches, Lila’s family, and more. But his focus was on what came next: the moment he'd been waiting for.

The groomsmen filed down the aisle, followed by the bridesmaids, with Jade, Lila’s best friend, as her matron of honor. Then the air shifted. The anticipation grew as every guest stood to witness the bride’s arrival.

The French doors opened, and there she was.

Lila walked down the aisle, arm in arm with her father, Anthony, who kept wiping tears of joy from his face. She looked radiant in her princess-style wedding dress, lace veil, and the long train reminiscent of Princess Diana’s iconic gown. "Ave Maria" filled the air, and Jude’s breath caught in his throat as he saw her. She looked every bit like an angel—his angel.

A single tear slipped from his eye, and he quickly wiped it away, only for more to follow as Lila got closer. Finally, she stood in front of him, the woman he’d loved for years.

"Who gives this woman away?" asked the priest.

Anthony, overcome with emotion, was bawling, unable to speak. Lewis stepped forward from the groomsmen to comfort their father as the murmurs in the crowd grew. After hugging both his son and daughter, Anthony finally managed to choke out, "I give her away," before placing Lila’s hand into Jude’s.

Jude looked down at Lila’s veil-covered face, her eyes brimming with tears, her cheeks stained from the emotions of the day. He couldn’t stop himself from whispering, "I love you, Lila Bila."

"I love you more, Judey Bear," she whispered back.

They barely registered the priest’s words about marriage and its tribulations. All that mattered was this moment—just the two of them, standing together, ready to start the rest of their lives.

[koushirouizumi]

{Also, Takeru AT SOME POINT eventually gets sent This}

M E: (*TAKES DEEP BREATH*) Someone: Hey, why do you ship something so unusual, you know it'll never be canon righ--- m E: YES, I love TAKEMIYA aka MIYAKERU, I GET IT OK, I love TAKEMIYA, TAKEMIYA is a Brightest F*cking Starshine CRACK-SHIP aka RARE PAIR in My Life since my childhood days in this fan base, I f*cking ADORE THEM (+UNTIL THE END OF TIME AND WHEN THIS SERIES IS TRULY 'OVER'), YES okay y E S, I love TAKEMIYA, I DO also love Takeru and Miyako SEPARATELY, but I also love them TOGETHER, HOW many times are We Gonna Go Through This, I F*CKING LOVE TAKEMIYA BECAUSE WHEN I WAS YOUNG ME I WROTE THEM INTO AN 02 O.C.s based fic once AND I NEVER GOT OVER THEM AND THIS WAS BEFORE I EVEN GOT TO SEE THE 02 FINALE, yes I KNOW what happens in it, I do NOT dismiss that ship, in fact, if anything, I think it makes Take+Miya even more hilarious when you involve poly-ship dynamics and Shenanigans involving that character AND others, anyway all you need to know about the Take+Miya I once wrote is they initially act like the "Love-Love {Rabu-Rabu} couple" trainer class in that other Monster battling franchise after temporarily getting together during in-between years or just like any of the generally mushy battle duos and it confuses the f*ck out of EVERYONE else how they even came to form that dynamic and its HILARIOUS, meanwhile once amicably broken up with Takeru on good terms Miyako is making eyes at a certain Someone Else from afar in between and that person is just like only partly Oblivious all the way up until "The Beginning" era and possibly a little beyond, meanwhile Takeru is realizing Takeru's Very Not Over Miyako but then Takeru's also having OTHER Realizations about Self-

[punkshort]

'the way we were' masterlist

18+, minors please do not interact, warnings/tags included for each chapter

Paring: Joel x F!Reader, pre-outbreak and post outbreak (no Y/N)

AU (I kept was the outbreak and common characters. Joel's backstory is different, and the way he finds Jackson is different. No Ellie... yet.)

Fic Summary: You worked for Joel and Tommy a few months before the outbreak. When the outbreak happens, you and Joel get stuck traveling the country and keeping each other safe. Neither of you spoke about the feelings you had for one another pre-outbreak, and in a post-apocalyptic world, it seems like survival should be your only focus. But feelings can't be ignored forever.

Fic tags: Explicit Smut (18+ MDNI), Smut, unprotected sex, creampie, oral sex (m and f), fingering, masturbation (m and f), Language, Themes of death/depression that can be graphic at times, Canon-Typical Violence, Alcohol Use, Age Difference (Reader is 10 years younger than Joel), slow burn, mutual pining, angst, trauma, SA referencing later but I will put a big warning on those chapters

Status: complete

Look What We've Become - sequel

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen - Extra Scene

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Epilogue

I think most of these could be read stand alone, I tried to add a brief backstory to these if it was necessary

Chronological Order:

Moving Day

The Contractor

All Yours

Listen

Three Days (part one)

Recovery (part two)

credit to @cafekitsune for the dividers

[goldsbitch]

masterlist

** personal favorites! the queen of typos is here

Lando Norris

**That one Christmas flight part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7, part 8 epilogue p1 (complete)

summary: Y/N and Lando Norris are seated next to each other on a long flight. Innocent little Christmas tradition that Y/N does every year brings them just a little too close. fluff, cheesy, meet cute, angst, slowburn and smut later on

///////////

Right? part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7, part 8 (complete)

summary: Y/N is a photographer for McLaren F1 team. Hard working, goal oriented professional who would never put her career in jeopardy for some stupid crush, right?

That is until a photoshoot gets out of hand and there is no way to go but forward. teasing, flirting, little smutty, work fling

///////////

Just don't talk p 2, p 3, p 4, p 5, p 6, p 7, p 8, p 9, p10, p 11, p 12

summary: Enemies to lovers on steroids. Lando can't stand Y/N, the first female driver in F1 in a long time. He also can't stand having her with her clothes on. enemies to lovers, fake dating

warnings: swear words, minors do not interact, just generally don't take this one too seriously, smut

Charles Leclerc

**I gave so many signs part 2 , part 3, part 4 (complete)

summary: First unrequited love is not the one to ever leave your mind. Y/N looks back at her missed connection with Charles Leclerc, from the time they were just teenagers and regrets having him slip away. Song fic. friends to lovers

one shots and short fics

LN -** My Name - pre-proposal fluff LN - BEEP - first evening in their own apartment fluff LN -**You texted... - making up after a fight, angst LN - The hair thing - fluff LN - Hypochondria , p2 , p3, p4- soulmate au, angst LN - short king - short blurb about a tiny height difference LN - **the last time I pick you up - moving apartments, nostalgia, smut LN - remember that - first time Lando nearly ends up sleeping on the couch, miscommunication LN - **Fire. - incident at McLaren sparks a confession, fluff and fun LN - I'll drive - Lando is not a good passenger princess, fun LN - Four times I bumped into you and one time I fell - delayed meet cute, fluff LN - Open your eyes - best friends help each other out, insecure reader, light smut

F1 grid - **Light Roast Mosaic - coffee shop AUs blending into each other

CL - **Past Lives - soulmate au, romantic

OP - Ah... - soulmate au, words written on wrists

FC - Not on the menu - playboy Franco breaking hearts, smut and angst

[regulusrules]

Guide for: What Tags to Add to Your Fic

Do you guys have the same problem of how when you're about to post a fic and reach to the tags section you're like .. what r werds 🫠

It's also why some works don't get any visibility even though we're blessed by god almighty for no algorithm in ao3

And I kid you not, I found some of the best goddamn fics out there by sheer coincidence because they weren't tagged right and they remain overlooked because of this fact

So here's a small classified guide for you!

This post is solely based on observation, the ao3 tag search, and my own personal system for tagging! I am not, by any means or sorts, an ao3 fandom moderator, but someone who's read nearly 30 thousand of the fics out there and struggles to read the rest

General tags for any fic

For fic forms: Art - Fanart - Digital Art - Drabble - Short - Complete - One shot - 5+1 Things - Poetry - Podfic - Songfic - Text Fic - Prompt Fic - Case Fic - Ficlet - RPF

For plot: Fix-it - Pre-Canon - Canon Era - Post-Canon - Canon Compliant - Not Canon Compliant - Everybody Lives/Nobody dies - Everybody dies/Nobody lives - Alternate Universe: Modern / Canon Divergence / Historical / College / Fantasy / Soulmates / Royalty / Powers / No Powers / Roommates - Kid Fic - Sickfic - Future Fic - Reincarnation - Time Travel - Plot What Plot (PWP) - Epilogue What Epilogue (EWE) - Slow Build - Missing Scene - Flashbacks - Crossover - ANY triggering topic you are writing about (eg: death, rape, violence, suicide, etc)

For vibes: Hurt/Comfort - Comfort - Hurt No Comfort - Humour - Fluff - Domestic Fluff - Fluff and Angst - Angst - Light Angst - Heavy Angst - Angst with a Happy Ending - No Happy Ending - Happy Ending - Whump - Crack - Cute - Humour - Dark - Sweet

For relationships: Slow burn - Romance - First Kiss - No/Mild/Explicit Sexual Content - Specific kinks (eg: Praise Kink) - Smut - No Smut - Feels - Getting Together - First Time - Pre-Relationship - Developing Relationship - Established Relationship - Mutual Pining - Pining - Friends to Lovers - Enemies to Lovers - Friends With Benefits - Love Confessions - Unrequited Love - True Love - Forbidden Love - Falling in Love

For characters: POV (insert character name) - Pining (character) - Hurt (character) - Jealous (character) - Worried (character) - Protective (character) - Dark (character) - BAMF (character) - Possessive (character) - Caring (character) - Top/Bottom (character) - Good/Evil (character) - Oblivious (character) - Manipulative (character) - Soft (character) - (character) lives - (character) dies

For tropes: Christmas - Sharing a bed - Weddings - Jealousy - Misunderstandings - Secret Relationship - First Meetings - Scars - Aftercare - Arranged Marriage - Kidnapping - Blood - Blood and Injury - Injury - Magic - Panic Attacks - Amnesia - Bathing/Washing - Soul-Identifying Marks - Touch-Starved

[mollywog]

I was thinking about this Fic again today. This is definitely how I picture the Katniss and Haymitch dynamic: gloriously petty

"He expects me to be happy,” she blurts after bursting into his messy, stale and quiet living-room like a God-damn mini-blizzard she is.

He cracks one of his eyes open and glances up at her with a grimace.

“You don’t look happy, sweetheart,” he states the obvious.

“Not now,” she says impatiently, ignoring his sarcasm. “One day. Apparently, one day I’m going to be happy again and he’s willing to wait for that as long as it takes. Until then, he’s ready to just be there for me if I need him.”

She grinds out the words but somehow still manages to emulate the Boy’s mannerism well enough that Haymitch has to bite back the treacherous smile that threatens to slip on his face and destroy his sulky façade.

“Look, it’s not the boy’s fault that he’s an optimist,” he concedes, turning the last word in his mouth as if it was a name of a nasty disease. For a second their eyes meet in a shared look of distaste, “but it’s not the end of the world. And while, judging by your sour face, not very likely at the moment, technically it’s not entirely impossible that he might get his wish in some distant future.

Came across Not so easy in my Post Mockingjay/Pre-Epilogue phase. I really like Katniss and Haymitch’s canon dynamic and this feels like a very in-character dialogue between the two: it’s funny, sweet, and also a quick read (~2k words),

(Don’t let the tags deter you, I promise it’s Everlark)