#rare pair roundup

[sorbetowl]

Leave your titles by the door

My contribution to the Rare Pair Roundup event held by the @everybodylovesaloy server. These two deserved some appreciation. 🧡

Bonus:

Sneaking out of the Sun-King's private chambers undetected afterward can be tricky. Aldur keeps getting exposed to the love lives of his Captains against his will.

[everybodylovesaloy]

RARE PAIR ROUND-UP MASTER LIST

Thank you SO MUCH to everyone that participated in the round-up!! We had some really amazing contributions, I recommend literally every single one of them. PLEASE give some love to these authors if you enjoyed their works, it's tough to get eyes on rare pair fics so toss some kudos and comments their way!

Fic:

Radiance by @mehoymalloy (Regalla/Nasadi)

Always by @pikapeppa (Fashav/Vanasha)

Steady by @garbage-dono (Atekka/Hekarro)

Sacred Lands by @bluntblade (Talanah/Nakoa)

One day we'll meet again by @melikochan (Tom Paech/Charles Ronson, Tilda van der Meer/Elisabet Sobeck, Alva/Federa, Chekkatah/Ikkotah)

Heavy in Your Arms by littleboxofwonders (Fashav/Ritakka)

bury these old knives by @foibles-fables (Atekka/Ritakka)

A Meeting of Ice and Sea by @dinokieranmadness (Ikrie/Seyka)

a wanderer, now by @souls-that-have-senses (Hekarro/Rost)

Art:

Leave Your Titles by the Door by @sorbetowl (Avad/Ersa)

Accompanying Art for Heavy in your Arms by @murmart (Fashav/Ritakka)

Thank you SO MUCH again to all the talented participants! You all did amazing!!

[foibles-fables]

bury these old knives [horizon, ritakka/atekka]

Horizon series, rated T, 2K words

 “I will never display baseless valor. Any mark on my body, I want to have earned through blood and brawl.” A seething beat, and then: “And not worn as someone living a falsehood, weighed down by shame. Earned as myself. Only myself.” “So you have.” Drifting close to her ear, Atekka’s voice disarms her, breaking low through the agitated clamor. The shift in proximity brings on a shiver that has nothing to do with the balm. “And so you are, Ritakka.”

Ritakka earns new ink after her squad returns from their scouting expedition to the Burning Shores. Renewed doubt comes to the surface.

Written for the Everyone Loves Aloy Discord server Rare Pair Roundup!

See notes/tags and read the rest on AO3:

[mehoymalloy]

Radiance (Horizon; Regalla/Nasadi)

A one-shot of pseudo-drabbles for the Rare Pair Roundup, organized by the Everyone Loves Aloy discord server. Check out the whole collection of fic entries on AO3 here: ELA Rare Pair Roundup

[pikapeppa]

Fashav/Vanasha (post-Burning Shores AU): Always

This is a companion piece I wrote for Here Come The Dreams of You and Me (my Aloy/Kotallo post-Burning Shores fic)! Thank you to the ELA Rare Pair Round-Up event for planting the rarepair seed in my head 🥰❤

~10k words. Only an excerpt is here; read the whole thing on AO3 instead.

******************

It was late evening. The sun had set hours ago, leaving the sky a velvet-smooth canvas sprinkled with stars, and Vanasha was wandering slowly around her suite after her bath, rubbing on some lotion as she hummed idly to herself.

She went out onto the balcony and gazed at the city below for a bit. It was a very nice night: humid as usual, but not too much so, and cool enough that she was comfortable in her silk dressing gown, but not so cold that she couldn’t sleep naked if the occasion called for it.

She smirked to herself, then went into her bedroom. She dabbed on some of his favourite orange-blossom perfume, then went to straighten out the bed linen. She smoothed her palms over the already-smooth and neatly-tucked duvet, then patted her perfectly-plumped pillows.

Then she huffed and sat on the bed. Calm down, girl, she told herself. There’s no reason to be as fluttery as an unhusked consort. But it was one thing to remind herself that she logically had no reason to be nervous, and another thing to ignore the hummingbird-buzzing feeling in her belly: a feeling she hadn’t experienced in years — a whole decade, now that she thought about it.

Her Focus trilled. Her breath caught in surprise, and she exhaled a little laugh before tapping it to answer the call. “Hello?”

“It’s me,” Fashav said. “Are you decent?”

“Never. But you’re welcome to come over anyway.”

“Good,” he said, with a curl of humour in his voice. “Because I’m just outside your door.”

She grinned, then ended the Focus call and went to open the door. “Why didn’t you just knock?” she said.

“I’m practicing with this new little weapon,” he said, and he pointed to his Focus.

“Weapon?” She stepped back to let him in.

“Yes. Apparently when you scan machines with it, it breaks the machine down into weak points and harvestable resources, then marks those points so you can target them more easily.” He arched a brow as he kicked off his slippers. “Almost sounds to me like it makes machine hunting too easy. I can see why Aloy and her squad want to be careful about who they give access to these things. Imagine if the Hunter’s Lodge were all equipped with such things?” He clicked his tongue. “The arguing that would arise. It would be like going into an Oseram tavern five minutes before last call.”

She laughed as she led him into the sitting room. “Oh, worse than that. Hunter’s Lodge egos being thrown into chaos by a trinket that lets any old person off the street pick out weak points on a machine? I imagine we’d have another Sun-Ring-level debacle on our hands.”

Fashav barked out a laugh. “You did not just say that.”

She made a little face. “Too soon? Ugh, I know. That was distasteful. Pretend you didn’t even hear it.”

He chuckled and sat on the couch, and she sashayed over to her small dining table. “Would you care for some wine?”

“I would. Is it dry?”

She laughed. “Fashav—”

“I know, I know, I’m a philistine who knows nothing about wine,” he said drolly. “I’ll take whatever you have, thanks.”

She chuckled as she poured two glasses of wine, then set one glass on the coffee table for him before settling across from him on the chaise-lounge. “This one is a sweeter wine. Just so you know.”

He swirled the wine and peered at the glass. “Oh, yes. I can see the legs.”

She laughed again, and he looked up. “What? Am I wrong?”

“No, you’re right. That’s why I’m laughing.”

He smirked as he brought the glass to his lips. “I should hope I’m right. I learned that stuff about the legs from you.”

She grinned, then idly swirled her glass as she watched him drinking his wine. Fashav didn’t gulp his drinks like a slob, but he had always been more of a large-and-unpretentious-sip type of man with his wine. Vanasha found it as charming now as she had twelve years ago, back when she and Fashav used to meet each other in the city during her ‘errands’ for Marad and Fashav’s spare evenings during his military training.

He set his glass on the coffee table and met her eye, then lifted a quizzical brow as he settled back on the couch. “What’s on your mind?”

“I was just thinking about our meet-ups in the city, back when you were still just a captain.”

He smiled. “Ah, yes. Back when you were still doing double-duty as a dancer and a novice spy.”

She sighed mock-wistfully. “Oh, my days of being ridiculously busy and only sleeping four hours a night.”

“You never looked like you were lacking sleep. Fresh as a sun-dewed blossom no matter the hour.”

She treated him to a slow smile. “You wicked man, with your golden tongue.”

He smirked, then folded his arms. “Remind me again, what was it that I caught you doing that first time we met in the marketplace?”

She scoffed. “What you caught me doing? Nice try! I spotted you giving some poor little urchins a hard time, and I distracted you to get them off the hook.”

He snapped his fingers. “That’s right. They had stolen some shards from a merchant’s stall.”

“Yes, from that nasty carpet-seller who used to run his stall where Cantarah’s booth is now,” she said archly. “You remember, the one that Marad and I took down for running an underground slave-trading ring?”

“I do remember,” he said. “That was how you stole my heart.”

Her heart flipped, and she grinned. “Excuse me?”

He gestured at her. “A woman who walks as though she’s dancing and smells of orange flowers, who managed to steal the knife from my boot before we’d said a single word to each other? And it later came out that that same woman helped the royal spymaster to eliminate a slave-trading ring in her spare time? Of course you stole my heart.”

The hummingbird in her belly rose up toward her ribcage. Meanwhile, Fashav was still talking as he picked up his wine glass. “I would like to point out, in my defense, that I wasn’t trying to give those children a hard time. I was just following up on a claim of theft.”

“I remember, Fashav,” she said playfully. “And you saw reason enough to give up the chase in the end. Even if I had to threaten you with your own knife for you to see it.”

He chuckled and set his glass on the table, then sat back and stretched his arms along the back of the couch, and Vanasha eyed him appreciatively. He was wearing a belted sleeveless tunic and silk pants with embossed leather wrist cuffs: a casual outfit, but one that was clearly bespoke, and which showed off the intricate pattern of Tenakth tattoos that covered his left arm from shoulder to wrist. His legs were spread comfortably wide in that typical man-at-ease way, and as Vanasha admired him, a long-dormant but familiar interest started to simmer in her belly.

There was no point denying it: Fashav was a delicious specimen of a man. She had always thought so, even before they’d made their official acquaintance during that memorable first encounter in Meridian’s marketplace. During her dance performances with the royal academy, then later when Marad took her under his wing, she had often seen Fashav around the palace, both as a member of the royal family and as the celebrated-soldier son of a high-ranking military official. Even during those quick glimpses around the palace, Fashav had always stood out to her as being a uniquely handsome man: not only in the conventional sense, with his broad shoulders and his hard soldier’s physique, but because of how boyishly sweet he looked when he smiled, as though a sunnier and more carefree side was glittering through that neutral-faced military mask that he usually wore.

As she and Fashav got to know each other more, her attraction to him only grew stronger. By the time she retired from the dance academy to work full-time as a ‘lady-in-waiting’ — and as an assassin-spy for Marad, to very few people’s knowledge — Fashav had risen through the ranks from captain to commander, their colourful first acquaintance had grown into a close friendship that defied his nobility and her merchant-class upbringing, and she was so painfully attracted to him that her body would start heating up like an Oseram forge whenever she and Fashav were in the same room.

This wasn’t to say her attraction was a one-sided thing, however. She had always had an uncanny intuition for sniffing out sexual and romantic threads between people, and she had always been aware that Fashav was as drawn to her as she was to him. But the key thing was this: he never acted on it. Oh, they flirted, certainly, and shamelessly so. But Fashav never made the sort of bluntly lecherous offers or remarks that Vanasha had become accustomed to deflecting by the time she was fifteen years old. Fashav was a charmer and a flirt, but not a lewd or pushy one, and during the first almost-three years of their friendship, he never once crossed the line. He bantered with her and teased her and flattered her, and he always insisted on paying for their meals and drinks when they met up. But he never propositioned her during those first few years of friendship — and this fact set him apart from other men to a stunning degree. Fashav was safe in that way, safe in a way that few other men had ever been — and ironically, the fact that Fashav had never tried to fuck her made her want to fuck him all the more.

Then, finally, when Vanasha was twenty-one and Fashav twenty-seven, their years of mutual desire and friendship had culminated in the best night of her young life. The treasured memory flickered across her mind, polished jewel-bright from being recalled over the years: a seemingly-innocuous little daytrip to Brightmarket, the innkeeper’s surprise when she boldly requested a room with a single bed, Fashav’s warm and knowing gaze — What now, Van? — and this feeling, the very same feeling she was having now: this hummingbird-buzz of anticipation in her belly that made her blood feel like it was growing warmer in her veins…

By the Sun, she was making herself horny by thinking about this. She forced her gaze to her wine glass as she took a little sip, then set the glass on the floor beside the chaise-lounge and gave him an appraising look.

He tilted his head. “A shard for your thoughts?”

“You just said I stole your heart.”

His smile softened a bit. “Yes.”

“You’ve never said that to me before.”

“I know. But…” He sat forward and rested his elbows on his knees. “I felt that way, Van. I know you did, too.”

Of course she knew. She had always known that what she and Fashav shared was more than friendship and more than sex. But she had never said so, and neither had he. Strangely enough, for all the things they talked about during their intense conversations that lasted into the depths of night, for all the things they shared, the true nature of their feelings for each other was the only thing that had always remained unspoken — unspoken, but not unfelt, not by any means.

She gave him a frank look. “What were you going to say earlier today? Before I kissed you?”

“I was going to say that I want to be with you.”

Her heart stuttered. She had hoped he was going to say this — by the Sun, she had hoped — but it was still a shock to the system to hear him saying it.

He went on. “To be totally honest, what I was going to say in the marketplace is that I want what we had when we were younger. But I had the afternoon to think about it — thank you for giving me that time, by the way—”

She shot him a quick grin. “You’re very welcome.”

He smiled too, but his expression quickly became serious again. “I don’t want what we had when we were younger. I don’t want to just… meet in secret. All that sneaking around so my father wouldn’t find out.”

“Well, we don’t have to worry about him anymore, at least,” she said wryly. “The Sun bless his spirit.”

“You know what I mean,” he said. “This isn’t just about sex. Not that it was ever just about sex. But I don’t want to put up a front anymore. I don’t want to pretend that what we have is less than it is. The reasons that we… that we kept things casual before? They don’t hold up anymore. And not just because my father is dead.”

She gave him an apologetic look. “I know, Fashav. I am sorry for saying that — it was insensitive.”

He waved her off. “It was blunt, but true. He was the main reason we never…” He clicked his tongue and shook his head. “It seems ludicrous now. To base so much of our lives around something so petty as the family we’re born into?”

“You know that wasn’t all of it,” she reminded him. “The politics were complicated. He was loyal to Jiran, and with you being a general of Jiran’s army and me being a double-agent—”

He interrupted her. “I still wanted you. Even after we agreed to end things.”

“I know,” she said gently. “And you know that I’ve never blamed you for… our decision to end that side of things. It’s just the world we live in. Even now with Jiran dead, even with all of the reforms that Avad is pushing through, class divisions are still what this society is built on.”

“Fuck that.”

She grinned. “Well, hello to you too, Tenakth-Fashav.”

He didn’t smile. “You can laugh, but the Tenakth have it right when it comes to this. They don’t restrict who can partner up with whom. There are no merchant-class and noble-class boarshit barriers out there in the west. I saw what it can be like when people are free to be with the ones they love, and it’s — that’s how I want to live now, with you. I refuse to hide the way I feel about you just because of this nobility-must-marry-nobility boarshit.”

Sun and shadow, her heart was racing. She took a deep breath to try and ease her pulse, then spoke in the calmest tone she could manage. “What about your mother? She’s not going to like seeing you traipsing around with a merchant’s daughter on your arm.”

“I don’t care.”

“Are you sure about that?” she pressed.

“Yes,” he said. “I’m sure. Her opinion about this doesn’t matter anymore. The only person whose opinion matters here is yours.”

His gaze was steady and his tone was very firm, and Vanasha believed him. Really, she did believe him. But everything he was saying was so… perfect, really, that she almost couldn’t trust it. It was so close to what she’d secretly wanted when they were younger, so very uncannily close to the tightly-guarded fantasies she would play through her mind after he snuck out of her quarters in the middle of the night, and she needed to be absolutely sure that he was sure about this before she gave herself to him completely.

“Are you sure you’re not rushing into this?” she said seriously. “If it was Aloy and Kotallo’s shenanigans that got you thinking about this, then maybe you—”

He interrupted her. “It’s not their shenanigans that got me thinking about this. Their whole… carry-on brought it to the front of my mind, but I’ve been thinking about this for years.”

That was unexpected. “Years? Even while you were away?”

His expression softened and became chiding at the same time. “When Hekarro told me he was sending me back to the Sundom, seeing you again was the first thing on my mind.”

No fucking way. It was like he had read her mind. She would never forget the dizzying surge of excitement when she’d heard he was coming home from the Forbidden West. Then there was the absolute gut-wrenching fear when she’d heard he was close to death. Then, when he’d finally been transported home to the palace, he was so weak and delirious at first that he kept calling Avad ‘Kadaman’ — but even so, despite the weeks of delirium and the pain, he had always recognized her.

Van? Baby, are you crying? Don’t cry. Her throat thickened at the memories, and she sipped her wine so she could take a second to collect herself. Then she gave him a coy look. “You flatterer. You know just what to say to get a girl’s panties melting off.”

A quick grin flashed across his face. “Don’t go talking about your panties, now. That’s dirty tactics when I’m trying to be serious.”

She laughed, and he smiled at her before becoming serious again. “I’ve been going on here about what I want. But what do you want? From me, I mean, or from this?” He gestured between himself and her. “I know you never wanted to get married, and I’ll tell you up-front that I will never ask that of you if it’s not what you want. But I do want—” He broke off with a scoff. “By the Ten. I keep talking about what I want. You should talk now.”

“Are you sure?” she teased. “You seemed like you were getting on a roll there. Don’t let me stop you.”

He smirked. “Come on, Van. Tell me what you think of all this.”

She sobered. “Well, first off, you’re right about marriage. I don’t want anything to do with the trappings that come along with being someone’s wife. But…” She gazed affectionately into his hazel eyes: eyes that she’d known and trusted for a dozen years. “I want to be with you, too.”

His shoulders loosened with obvious relief. “You do?”

“I do. And not just for the sex.” She cocked her head playfully. “Though the sex had better still be on the table.”

He quirked a brow. “Figuratively or literally?”

“Both, if you’re offering.”

“I think I can manage to offer that.”

She grinned, then sipped her wine before speaking again. “So what are you proposing, exactly? Since it’s not marriage we’re looking for here.”

“I’m proposing that we be together, openly committed, like Varl and Zo or Aloy and Kotallo,” he said. “No politics, no pleasing-society shit, nothing to do with legacy or family lines. I want…” He exhaled hard and ran a hand over his hair, then fixed her with another intense but warm-eyed stare. “For once in my fucking life, I want to be selfish. I want this for real. And I don’t want anyone making the mistake of thinking that my feelings for you are less than what they are.”

Sun and fucking shadow, her heart really was thrumming like a hummingbird’s tiny wings. She kept her voice as even as she could as she replied. “And what are your feelings, exactly?”

His expression softened. “I love you, Vanasha. I’ve always loved you. But you know that already.”

Read the rest on AO3!

[hssrarepairs]

☃️ Week 1 Roundup ☃️

Happy 1st week of gifting!! We've had so many WONDERFUL AMAZING SPECTACULAR gifts this week including lots of fic, some art and moodboards, and even a SCULPTURE. Go check out these superb rare pair works and don't forget to leave the creators some love <3

More roundups: Week 2, 3, 4

View all gifts on AO3 ✨

—

🎁 for p0intless_p0et

ART + FIC: Lunch? (Remus/Severus, T, Digital Art, 240 words)

FIC: In Pursuit of Honesty (Neville/Draco, T, 2.4k words)

🎁 for @maraudersaffair !

FIC: All I want for Christmas is you (Teddy/Harry, E, 2.8k words)

ART: between you (Sirius/Harry/Severus, T, Digital)

🎁 for @knotsnuffles !

FIC: speeding through red lights (into paradise) (Sirius/Harry, E, 10.0k words)

FIC: Heir Ritual (Sirius/Harry, E, 3.4k words)

🎁 for @jinrosemoon !

POETRY: Should Have Known Better (Hermione/Abraxas, T, 700 words)

MOODBOARD: Yule Ball (Hermione/Tom, G, Digital)

🎁 for @flagsfiend !

PODFIC: Luna and the Hippogriff by flags_fiend (Luna/Draco, T, 8:37 min)

FIC: Look What We Found (Luna/Pansy, T, 3.0k words)

🎁 for @sugareey-makes-stuff !

FIC: From Chaos Comes Love (Percy/Oliver, T, 3.5k words)

SCULPTURE: Lazy Sunday (Percy/Oliver, G, Polymer Clay)

🎁 for @jadedandconfusedao3 !

FIC: I carry your heart with me (Luna/Theodore, M, 760 words)

FIC: Like Champagne Fizzes Over (Sirius/Lily, T, 3.2k words)

🎁 for RandomReader32

ART: Victory Kiss (Viktor/Ron, G, Digital)

ART: Weasley is Our King (Draco/Ron, G, Digital)

🎁 for @superfriction !

FIC + MOODBOARD: The Joy of Giving Chase (Draco/Ginny, E, 3.0k words, Digital)

FIC: Found (Neville/Pansy, T, 1.5k words)

🎁 for @elisedonut !

FIC: The Heat of the Moment (Marcus/Percy, E, 8.6k words)

FIC: Bound by our scars (Lavender/Luna, T, 1.7k words)

🎁 for @jamiemoonymarks !

FIC: Gemstones (Draco/Lucius, E, 3.2k words)

COMIC: Kiss Me if You Can (Cedric/Harry, G, Digital)

🎁 for @digthewriter !

ART: Fuck. Babe. (Neville/Charlie, E, Digital)

FIC: animal instinct (Hermione/Pansy, M, 5.3k words)

🎁 for @blackpromises !

FIC: the bride (Sirius/Narcissa, T, 1.0k words)

ART: Messy Eater (Alice/Narcissa, E, Digital)

🎁 for @emilyrickman !

FIC : meet me under the mistletoe (Neville/Pansy, E, 2.1k words)

MOODBOARD: Frame Job (Rosmerta/Severus, G, Digital)

🎁 for @holliday-inn !

FIC RECIPE: A recipe for Blackbones (Amelia/Bellatrix, T, 210 words)

FIC: I’m predictable, and you are not (Amelia/Bellatrix, E, 2.4k words)

🎁 for @sillylittlebeans !

FIC: Hold onto this lullaby (even when the music's gone) (Sirius/Harry, E, 8.3k words)

FIC: Unaware Familiarity (Albus/Harry, M, 2.8k words)

🎁 for @ultramarineorchid !

FIC: Is love really real? (Remus/Tonks, T, 6.9k words)

ART: Mine (Hermione/Tom, M, Digital)

🎁 for @nightfalltwen !

FIC: On Repeat (Pansy/George, T, 3.4k words)

FIC: A Wild Snake Chase (Pansy/Harry, M, 6.4k words)

🎁 for @alyceofthetogas !

COMIC: So... Thank You (Harry/Bill, G, Digital)

FIC: A House Elf's Plan (Harry/Theodore, E, 5.3k words)

🎁 for MomentoVirtuoso

FIC: Shadows in the mist (Helena/Tom, E, 11.6k words)

FIC: Kenning (Rowena/Salazar, G, 1.7k words)

🎁 for @zoomiezoomie !

FIC: Every Little Thing He Does Is Magic (Neville/Harry, Neville/Ron, M, 12.4k words)

FIC: You Look At Me The Way You Look At The Stars (Lavender/Padma, G, 3.0k words)

🎁 for @sliebman10 !

FIC: Holly-Daze (Fleur/Tonks, M, 3.5k words)

FIC: sleeping arrangements. (Harry/George, E, 3.0k words)

🎁 for Istarbel

FIC: i want you to want me (Neville/Pansy, E, 5.2k words)

EMBROIDERY: so sweetly (Neville/Pansy, G, Felt and embroidery floss)

🎁 for @anaxandria-writes !

FIC: Live For Today (Marcus/Oliver, M, 2.2k words)

CROCHET: Meet Me Outside (Marcus/Oliver, T, Yarn and stuffing)

—

So many amazing works already! Next week we'll have even more rare pair goodies. Stay tuned! 🥰

[smash-the-champagne-bottle]

Midway Roundup

Hey all! A little late, but here we are for the midway round up!!

Well done to all who have submitted so far. There's still time for those who haven't - a little under two weeks - so keep on writing! 

A quick look at the bottles we've smashed so far:

Anime, Manga and Webcomics:

新しい上司はど天然 | Atarashii Joushi wa Do Tennen | My New Boss is Goofy

機動戦士ガンダム | Mobile Suit Gundam (TV 1979) 

機動戦士ガンダム0083 STARDUST MEMORY | Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory 

Gundam F91

休日のわるものさん | Kyuujitsu no Warumono-san | Mr. Villain's Day Off 

忍たま乱太郎 | Nintama Rantarou

Shiritsu Horitsuba Gakuen

ワンパンマン | One-Punch Man

나 혼자만 레벨업 | Solo Leveling 

Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle

RWBY

TV Shows and Cartoons:

The Bold and the Beautiful

Buffy the Vampire Slayer 

Chicago Med

大唐女法医 | Miss Truth

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Community

General Hospital 1963

Glee

Star Trek: The Original Series

Teen Wolf

Cartoons & Comics & Graphic Novels:

Danny Phantom 

DCU

Jackie Chan Adventures

Superman

Books:

The Collective Series - Louisa Masters

Lot No. 249 - Arthur Conan Doyle 

魔道祖师 - 墨香铜臭 | Módào Zǔshī - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù 

天官赐福 - 墨香铜臭 | Tiān Guān Cì Fú - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù 

Video Games:

英雄伝説 空の軌跡 | Sora no Kiseki | The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky Series 

英雄伝説 創の軌跡 | Hajimari no Kiseki | The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie

英雄伝説 閃の軌跡 | Sen no Kiseki | The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel Series 

英雄伝説 黎の軌跡 | Kuro no Kiseki | The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak Series 

Lkyt. (Visual Novel) 

Paper Mario Series

Pocket Monsters - MVGS and EX

リズム天国 | Rhythm Heaven 

Wolfenstein 

Please do have a look at the collection and give these very very veeeeery rare ships a little love! Thanks to all of you for joining us, and if you still have more ships coming in, please continue writing and submitting to the collection! 

See you guys again just before we close!

[hp-poetry-fest]

April round-up

Unheeded (Three Sonnets) by NoFlyApterygidae || 343, G || Albus/Minerva

Dumbledore's spirit occasionally appears within Hogwarts, not a ghost but a sort of echo of devotion. Now, he considers an almost-romance with McGonagall that never was in the form of three Shakespearean sonnets.

Ouroboros in Tribute by @serenaew || 790, T, Podfic || Snape & Harry

Blood, I have learnt, is thicker than water. The life of a fallen Prince, as remembered by the father he had never known. Severitus(-ish).

Great Wine, Beautiful Sentences by @patriceavril || 4k, M || Wolfstar

The war outlook is bleak, but Sirius and Remus remind each other of all the joy left in the world.

it's complicated by @wavingfromtheside || 143, G || Greengrass family

A haiku and a free verse poem on mothers and daughters.

Engulf by @maesterchill || 216, T || Drarry

Gathering potions ingredients in the Forest, trainee Professor Draco Malfoy stumbles across the Resurrection stone. Whilst examining it, he unwittingly Summons the shade of his former lover. Engulfed by grief, he begs Harry for a way for them to be together again. It will take ancient elemental water magic to achieve that which he craves so desperately. But can Draco conquer his lifelong fear of the Black Lake and all that lies within her to do what needs to be done?

A bouquet of kisses by @patriceavril || 10k, T || Jily

There was a glint of indignation in her eyes, and a flush bloomed in her cheeks, contrasting with the smudge of earth. James had never wanted to kiss her so badly in his life – quite a feat, considering he had spent a good part of the last few years daydreaming about kissing her. Five times James wants to kiss Lily and one time he does.

Don't Go Into The Library by @acanadianmuggle || 600, G || Vikmione

Viktor Krum's Impression of the Hogwarts Library. Inspired by Alberto Rios' Poem "Don't Go Into The Library".

Vertices, Or Something by @floydig || 1k, NR || Drarry

Harry is a hitman who can’t die. Draco tried to kill himself last year. Harry returns from a mission, Draco wears bright pink boxer briefs, and Harry calls Death a cunt because he can. Or: we’re taking a deep dive into Harry’s head. Malfoy asks if I died this time. It’s a joke because I can’t die. Turns out when you cheat Death too many times, the cunt doesn’t want you back. What does that mean for me, that not even Death wants me anymore. Yeah I call Death a cunt. Malfoy wants Death and Death doesn’t want me and we’re in a fucking love triangle like in the movies.

Deathflight Blues by @autumnsup || Tom Riddle

When Tom Riddle dreams, he dreams in green.

Desiderium by @thehoneybeet || 6k, E || Drarry

Their club, their loo, their writing on the wall—it has to be enough. Until it isn’t.

Sunny skies look dreary when you’re far from me. by @mkaugust || 0.3k, NR || Wolfbucks

All my firsts are with you, Even still, even now With you hidden from my view.

[setokaibapetty]

5 + 1 Fic Friday Roundup: Rarepair (2)

Once more with feeling - some rare pairings.

Din Djarian/Dr.Pershing from The Mandalorian in Cin Vhetin. Set to Private.

SQQ/YQY from Scum Villian's Self-Savings System in hey, share the weight a little. Set to Private.

Sakura/Shikamaru from Naruto in the chosen fruit.

Elia Martell/Stannis Baratheon from A Song of Ice and Fire in Stannis the Black Stag.

Elia Martell/Robert Baratheon from A Song of Ice and Fire in The Sun Rises Again.

Bonus: Alec Lightwood/Jonathan Morgenstern from Shadowhunters in Challenge. Set to Private.

[allwaswell16]

I'm so sorry, but for the first time in 5 years, I just don't have it in me to do an episode of Fanfictional this month. If possible, I'll be back with a new episode next month. But I do want to acknowledge the wonderful One Direction fics I read this month as well as some I revisited for comfort. Thank you so much to these amazing fic writers who have entertained me or given me some respite. For more new fics, check out this month's fic roundup here

- Louis / Harry -

🧡 Stand on Holy Ground (series) by @wishingforloushair

(E, 17k, religion kink) Louis comes back to confess again, and Harry has an idea of how Louis can show God his devotion. 

🧡 My Spiteful Ballerina by sweetkalachuchi / @neverforpickles

(M, 7k, omegaverse) Four times Harry wanted an explanation of Louis' hatred toward him, and one time Louis gives in, in Louis' fashion.

🧡 Die Without the Taste of You by LetTheMusicMoveYou / @letthemusicmoveyou28

(E, 6k, part 2 of Vampire Harry/Human Louis One Shots) the one where human Louis might push his vampire boyfriend a little too far, but it works out in the end

🧡 Ain't a Drop of Bad Blood by LetTheMusicMoveYou / @letthemusicmoveyou28

(E, 4k, part 3 of Vampire Harry/Human Louis One Shots) the one where human Louis is being haunted by a spirit, and he's reluctant to ask his vampire boyfriend for help

🧡 Alone and Back Again by LadyLondonderry / @londonfoginacup

(T, 4k, omegaverse) what does one do when a feral alpha shows up in town ready to be executed?

🧡 The Shadow by babyhoneyhslt / @babyhoneyheslt

(G, 666 words, dark Louis) Harry should've listened. He should've stayed inside.

- Rare Pairs -

🧡 That's Happiness To Me by @louislittletomlintum

(E, 24k, Zayn/Louis/Liam) Louis’ mind was whirring. He’d wanted to try and get with Liam tonight, but now a new, better idea was forming. Getting Liam with Zayn, if possible, would be something of a dream come true.

🧡 It’s a Craving Not a Crush by LetTheMusicMoveYou / @letthemusicmoveyou28

(E, 9k, Liam/Louis) the one where Liam and Louis are best bros who end up getting married so that Liam has the insurance he needs to go to rehab. Now that he’s sober, they can get divorced. But do they want to?

🧡 I'm the Big Fish by @lululawrence

(NR, 5k, Louis/Pedro Pascal) After an awkward moment at a party he wasn't actually invited to, Louis keeps running into the incredibly attractive Pedro Pascal. Somehow, it's Pedro who manages to keep making a fool of himself

🧡 Spirits by itsraininginengland / @ilovellama14

(E, 4k, Louis/Oscar Isaac) Edwardian music hall performer Louis Tomlinson meets the newest act in the show, the American magician Oscar Isaac. Romance, smut and a seance ensue.

🧡 Ci Ci Leu by @persephoneflouwers

(M, 3k, Louis & His Band) Written for the prompt «bread van fic reimagined with all the guys in Louis’ band».

🧡 Glitz, Glammer, Top Hats, Cigars and Suits by @rockstarlwt28

(NR, 3k, Louis/Dominic Harrison (Yungblud) When Isla found a love for the melody formed by a strumming of strings, Louis didn't expect to fall equally in love with his daughter’s guitar teacher, Dominic Harrison.

🧡 I regret you all the time by @disgruntledkittenface

(E, 2k, Louis/Prince William) Louis’ friends don’t understand, and they wouldn’t even if he explained. But every time William texts, Louis drops everything to go see him.

- For Comfort -

🧡 You're Not My Type (still I fall) by Imogenlee / @imogenleewriter

(M, 38k, omegaverse) This is just a bit of rain; it'll blow over. Then Harry will just... well, alright, he isn't entirely sure what to do when the rain stops because he'll still be stuck and lost. 

🧡  The Journal by 4ureyesonly28 / @evilovesyou, RecycledStardust / @wait4ever

(G, 14k, soulmates au) When Harry finds himself purchasing an antique journal in the ancient bookshop of a town he’s never heard of, he doesn’t exactly want to admit that he has no idea how he got there.

🧡 Just Your Jinx by @larryatendoftheday

(T, 10k, witch au) Harry Styles may or may not have accidentally jinxed his extremely fit new neighbor, and it's not so easy to make things right.

🧡 Court Wine by @enchantedlandcoffee , red_panda28 / @red-pandaaa

(T, 7k, omegaverse) after a misunderstanding during a scrabble game, Alpha Louis starts courting Omega Harry without the latter being aware of it.

🧡 Have Me And Hold Me by @letsjustsee

(NR, 5k, established relationship)  a wedding day AU in which Louis will let nothing stand in the way of a perfect day - especially a little rain.

🧡 Good-Old Fashioned Lover Boy by not_fitzwilliam / @not-fitzwilliam-darcy

(NR, 5k, omegaverse) When a miscalculated decision leads to an accidental courtship with the sweetest, most gentle alpha, Harry is torn between breaking the alpha's heart and telling the truth. 

🧡 Pretty and Preposterous by @brightlyharry

(NR, 5k, neighbors) Harry donates a copy of Pride and Prejudice to his little free library. He never expects what comes next.

🧡 Stealing Flowers by @lululawrence

(NR, 4k, meet cute) the one where Louis pines after the Sexy Stranger on the Subway and almost asks him out. That's when the strange posters start showing up around Brooklyn.

🧡 Choo-Choose Me by LadyAJ_13 / @ladyaj-13

(G, 3k, Liam/Louis) Liam is a commuter with a crush. Louis is the chirpy ticket inspector who occasionally mans the drinks trolley and sometimes makes announcements, his broad Yorkshire accent fighting the outdated train speakers.

[1dmonthlyficroundup]

— 1D Monthly Fic Roundup —

Hi, and welcome to the 1D Monthly Fic Roundup for November 2024! Below you’ll find 1D fics that were all published this month. We hope you’ll check out these new fics! If you would like to submit your own fic, please check this post on how to submit or visit our blog @1dmonthlyficroundup​. You can find all our other posts here.

Happy reading!

＊ Lost and Found by @signofcomfort [T, 33k, Louis/Harry]

Harry, the misfit wolf in the pack, always longed for affection but was too drowned in his own loneliness.

The pack alpha Louis Tomlinson shapes the future of his pack to be more accepting and welcoming, but would Harry ever return?

＊ No More Days Alone by @signofcomfort [M, 6k, Louis/Isaac Anderson]

Isaac finds himself lost amidst the tour but Louis is always there to find him.

＊ I want yesterdays love by edensrose / @holdingthornsandroses [M, 4k, Louis/Dev Patel]

“We’re going on holiday before the term starts again,” Oli announces in their kitchen the day after the art opening.

Louis looks up from his cereal bowl.

“Who is we?”

“I’ve rented us a cottage near the beach. Me, you, Calvin, Rick, and Dev.”

Louis makes a noncommittal noise but can’t deny his heartbeat racing at the mention of Dev.

＊ i tell myself i'm done with wicked games by haveufoundwhaturlookingfor / @sup3rbloom [T, 5k, Louis/Michael Clifford]

Omegaverse: Alpha Louis has never questioned who he is, a strong, loving Alpha who defies stereotypes. When he meets Michael, a beta, he certainly doesn't expect to fall for him (and hard).

＊ To start again by @loretheloner [E, 27k, Louis/Michael Blackwell]

Louis finds himself slowly falling for a bandmate again, despite Oli's warnings against it. Michael finds himself slowly falling for his boss and fighting against the ghost of Louis' past relationship. They find a way to start again.

Or a canon compliant story that follows Michael and Louis from the summer of 2019 to June of 2024. Written for prompt SS of the Louis Rare Pair Fest 2024.

＊ I've drowned and dreamt this moment by we_are_the_same / @so-why-let-your-voice-be-tamed [T, 2k, Zayn/Louis]

There has been a rivalry between them since they were young. Since the very start of their careers. It’s always been Louis and Zayn, the ones to watch. The ones to do battle and ultimately share the podium.

They push each other to be better, is what the world says.

They hate each other, is what Zayn and Louis say.

And it all comes to a head in Val d’Argenton.

＊ Countdown by @allwaswell16 [M, 2k, Louis/Thomas Shelby]

Tommy Shelby, pack alpha of the Peaky Blinders, has taken notice of The Garrison Pub’s new barmaid, an omega named Louis. A prequel to One Part 2 of One

＊ if we were butterflies by @blueskiesrry [E, 52k, Harry/Louis]

“Is this how I used to look at you?” His hand hovers just over the collarbone of the sculpture, like he’s caught between wanting to touch and wanting to pull away, wanting to leave and wanting to stay.

Eyes stuck on Harry, unaware of anything else in the room, Louis whispers, “Something like that,” wondering now if he ever quite did it justice.

or: after recruiting harry to model for his sculptures and coming to know all his edges, louis loses him to a life more prosperous than he can provide. he finds harry again four years later.

＊ Whole Lot of History by Blue_Green28 / @bluegreen28fics [E, 73k, Louis/Harry]

Louis and Harry have a whole lot of history. With 3 children coming out of their twelve years long marriage they are essential parts of each other's lives even though they have moved on with new partners since their divorce ten years ago. Or have they?

What happens when Harry finally gets some money to open the coffee shop he had always dreamed of and they spend more time together to plan everything? Does their love still have a chance?

＊ Flying Over on My Own Tonight by @haztobegood [E, 1k, Louis/Jack Cochrane]

Louis is on his way to Monterrey, Mexico, where he'll headline Tecate P’al Norte music festival for the first time. A text from Jack makes the flight a bit more interesting.

＊ Sisterhood by @haztobegood [M, 2k, OT5]

Liam was thankful to have found sisters like Harry, Louis, Niall, and Zayn after running away from her parents. They opened their door and their hearts, their once-abandoned farmhouse becoming a safe, comforting home. Then one night, an unexpected visitor arrived, revealing the dark secrets of her new family.

＊ The Kiss of Sleep by @haztobegood [NR, 666 words, Louis/Harry]

Louis shook his head. “I’m proper knackered.” Too many nights on the road with the noise of the tyres rolling beneath them kicked Louis’ insomnia into high gear. He’d only been able to nip off for naps between soundcheck and their shows so he’d have enough energy to perform properly. But just barely. Now, with two days off and a plush king size bed calling his name for the first time in weeks, Louis needed to catch up on sleep.

＊ Love's A State Of Mind by @enchantedlandcoffee [T, 3k, Harry/Louis]

“Your omega?” Louis asked softly, trying his best to keep his voice steady. “Hmmm.” Harry smushed his face in Louis’ shirt, his hand moving up to mess with one of the buttons. “He’s great, my omega. He’s kind and passionate and funny, even when he makes jokes about me.” “He- He sounds great, button.” “He is. You are.” What?!

OR Childhood friends, Harry and Louis, have been inseparable ever since they met. However, presenting as an alpha and omega drove a wedge in their relationship. One night, after Harry drunkenly confesses one too many things, Louis snaps. He realises that, despite loving his best friend so much, he needs to move on before their love tears them apart. He just needs to get the stubborn alpha on his side. Part 1 of Flower & Button

[everybodylovesaloy]

Excited to announce our first server event for Everybody Loves Aloy! We are challenging you to write a fic or create art for a rare pair that's been lighting your brain up - it can be a fun way to branch out creatively and explore characters you'd like to flesh out some more!

The guidelines:

100-5000 word count per fic (if you want to write more than one, go for it!)

Maximum T rating 

Any pairing or poly ship goes, as long as it doesn’t involve Aloy! Background or otherwise. She can appear in the fic as long as she's not paired!

Posting starts July 19

Fics will be added to an event collection on AO3, and both art and fics will be reblogged here! Just be sure to tag #rare pair roundup so we can find it. Can't wait to see what you guys come up with!

[wolfpants]

my year in fic

It's 5am and I can't sleep, so what better way to keep me sane than this lovely roundup post @sorrybutblog tagged me in! Tagging @citrusses @getawayfox @oknowkiss @sweet-s0rr0w @tackytigerfic @skeptiquewrites @mallstars @sitp-recs @moonflower-rose @danpuff-ao3 @writcraft @wrapped-up and anyone else who sees this and wants to play too!

Sorted newest to oldest ✍🏻

Thickets | Drarry | E | 17.3k

When Draco returns to the UK after two decades of building his career as an internationally-renowned artist to look after his ailing, estranged father, he crosses paths with his former flame, Harry Potter, in the most unexpected way.

Waiting for the Moon to Rise | Drarry | E | 8.9k

When Harry and Draco move into Grimmauld Place straight out of Hogwarts, the last person they expect to find taking up residence is Bill ‘divorced, dishevelled, and dangerous’ Weasley. But what if their new, furry little problem is the help they need to finally bring them closer? Stranger things have happened, Draco supposes.

Terrible People | Drarry | E | 52.8k

What happens when Harry and Draco end up on the same Muggle gay cruise? They certainly didn't plan for it to happen (but their friends might have). They're stuck with each other for a week, they might as well make the most of it, right?

A Saviour's Guide to Manners and Decorum | Drarry | E | 13.1k

Honorary Minister Harry Potter (yes, he's fully aware his job title is meaningless, and he quite likes it that way) is a disaster at public events. After seven years of dealing with his boorish behaviour, cringey table manners, and clumsy dancing, the Ministry's press team take matters into their own hands and hire Wixen Britain's leading Etiquette and Deportment Expert, Draco Malfoy, to take on the challenge of cleaning up Harry's image before the Ministry's 300th Anniversary Celebration Gala.

Everybody Hates a Tourist | Drarry | E | 51.5k

On a stag do in sunny Brighton with the Gryffindor lads, the last person Harry expects to run into is Draco Malfoy. After a glimpse of Malfoy’s Muggle life in Britain’s gay capital, Harry’s curiosity gets the better of him and he finds himself returning to the seaside again and again, drawn to the city, drawn to this new version of Malfoy that Harry barely recognises from school.

Precious Metal | Ronarry, Dron, Drarry | M | 28k

Precious metal awaits in an abandoned, cursed cottage on the Isle of Jura. Ron’s illegal hunting ring is on it, but disaster strikes when he runs into a jumpy and suspicious Draco Malfoy, camped out where the treasure is hidden. What happens when they accidentally unleash a bond curse when both of them harbour feelings for the same man?

Trillium | Dronarry | E | 13.4k

Harry and Draco are shagging. Ron’s got a hunch, and the only way to find out is to volunteer his services alongside Harry’s in the Big Malfoy Manor Cleanup of 2010. What could possibly go wrong?

Kinkuary '23 | Various pairings | M - E

A collection of 28 short fics spanning different pairings and inspired by the Kinkuary 2023 prompts! A mix of M and E ratings. Expect rare pairs, Drarry, crossgen, group sex, dirtyhotwrong... you name it!

[in-my-loki-feels]

2024 Writing Roundup

Thank you for tagging me @blackbirdofasgard and @loki-is-my-kink-awakening! <3 This got a little long so I'm not going to tag anyone at the end, but feel free to join in if you see this!

Lokius: 16 fics, 7 drabble-ish stories, 181,714 words (with an additional 24,287 words posted to tumblr)

February

Like You Mean It - M, Loki/Mobius, Prezdoki AU (technically)

Beg Me For It - E, President Loki/Don, Prezdoki AU

The beginning of the Bad Things 'verse, and my descent into rare pair madness. 😂

March

No Time For Love, Dr. Bones - T, President Loki/Dr. Indianapolis Bones

April

Let Me See You - E, President Loki/Don, Prezdoki AU

May

Sweeten the Pot - T, Loki/Mobius

June

Out in the Open - E, President Loki/Don, Prezdoki AU

July

My Mind's Aflame - E, Loki/Mobius/President Loki

August

Where You Belong - E, President Loki/Don, Prezdoki AU

Just Like Runaway Horses - E, Loki/Mobius, Cowboy AU

October

Intoxicated, Calculated - E, Loki/Mobius

A Desperate Play for Control - E, Loki/Mobius, Avengers AU

November

Love in Every Cup - G, Loki/Mobius

A Break in the Routine - E, Loki/Mobius

More Than Your Broken Pieces - M, Loki/Mobius, Avengers Loki x Mr. Tesseract

December

In A Fever 'Til the End - E, Loki/Mobius, Cowboy AU

I'll Be Anything You Need - E, President Loki/Don, Prezdoki AU

Drabble-ish writing (written for Wanksgiving and Wanksmas)

More

Lovely

Perfect

Convincing

Well-Behaved

The Mistake

Lace

Honorable mentions to other fandoms under the read more!

Sharperton (Benedict Bridgerton/Thomas Sharpe)

Thank you @silentxsymphony for being the catalyst to writing this ship! I've had so much fun discussing these two with you. 💖

Society's Expectations

Shall We Dance?

There are a few more tidbits with them in the Sharperton tag, including the ask prompt that started it all!

Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian, MDZS

How to Shred Trails (and win hearts)

so much that it hurts

Frosthawk (Loki/Clint Barton)

Left Wanting

WHEW! That's a lot of writing. The total for all fandoms was 197,764 words.

I feel incredibly lucky to have found the Loki fandom when I did because all this writing was helping me cope with a shit year. I hope circumstances improve in 2025, but I also hope I can keep writing so I can share the ideas currently crowded in my brain. 😊💚🧡

[louisrarepairfest]

LOUIS RARE PAIR FEST 2024

- Posting Schedule -

Fics post at 8:30 CST on Mondays & Wednesdays with a weekly roundup on Fridays

🫐 Oct 7 - I regret you all the time by @disgruntledkittenface

🫐 Oct 9 - I'm the Big Fish by @lululawrence

🫐 Oct 14 - Glitz, Glammer, Top Hats, Cigars and Suits by @rockstarlwt28

🫐 Oct 16 - Spirits by itsraininginengland / @ilovellama14

🫐 Oct 21 - Ci Ci Leu by @persephoneflouwers

🫐 Oct 23 - That's Happiness To Me by @louislittletomlintum

🫐 Oct 28 - It's a Craving Not a Crush by LetTheMusicMoveYou / @letthemusicmoveyou28

🫐 Oct 30 - I want yesterdays love by edensrose / @holdingthornsandroses

🫐 Nov 4 - i tell myself i'm done with wicked games by haveufoundwhaturlookingfor / @sup3rbloom

🫐 Nov 6 - No More Days Alone by @signofcomfort

🫐 Nov 11 - To start again by @loretheloner

🫐 Nov 13 - Snouts and Stouts by @turnyourankle

🫐 Nov 18 - I've drowned and dreamt this moment by we_are_the_same / @so-why-let-your-voice-be-tamed

🫐 Nov 20 - Countdown by @allwaswell16

🫐 Nov 25 - Flying Over on My Own Tonight by @haztobegood

[hakunahistata]

2024 Fic Roundup / AO3 Ask Game

Thank you for the mention @gaiaseyes451, my beloved!

What fandoms do you write in?

Good Omens

How many words have you published in 2024?

62,344 of my own words according to my writing tracker! I had the pleasure of participating in so many collaborative works this year so my AO3 word count is a bit misleading 😂

What is your greatest achievement this year?

Honestly, just doing. Writing, sharing, collaborating, stepping out of the proverbial fandom shadows and interacting. Before November of last year, I had never been more than a lurker. Stepping into the GO fandom space has brought so many kind, talented, supportive, and funny people into my life.

What are your favourite top three fics you've written this year?

S.T.A.Y. - Sex Pollen in Space! I adored everything about this writing experience: the prompt, the server, the world-building. I'm really proud of this one!

Paradigm Shift - If you'd told me when I signed up for GOSP that I'd be paired with one of THE writers of all time @voluptatiscausa, nerves probably would have pushed me to pull out (heh) of the event. The challenge this fic brought me was welcome and the best part? Vol's friendship! Vol, you're a gift of a human being. The enormity of your heart is staggering and I'm honored to know you.

A Quiet Life - Yeah yeah, it's not finished yet but it will be soon! Collaborating with @lenaellsi has been so fun and I'm so grateful they decided to extend their talent (and patience) to this fic! Writing this story has unearthed something profound in my mind and while it may not all make it onto AO3, it's been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life and has been the seed for so many meaningful conversations with my therapist

What was your biggest pit of despair moment?

August/September was when I hit the "oh no, I don't have any more ideas, I'll never write again" period. While my writing is slow-going at the moment, at least I know I can still do it lol

What have you learned?

So much. Writing is not about chasing perfection. Feedback is crucial and is not a personal attack on you as a human being. Make a schedule. One of the most important lessons, however, is perspective. Remember, this is supposed to be fun. It's a hobby. Be honest about where you're at. Gonna miss a deadline? That's okay, it's not the end of the world. Drink water, have fun, and stay silly!

What fic did you want to do but never made it off the ground?

Oh boy, a bunch! I have a lot more to add to Love Not Given Lightly (ten parts mapped out rip me) and a chef!Crowley human AU I'd like to dig back into.

Did you beta any fics? Any favs you want to shout out?

I had the distinct pleasure of betaing so many incredible fics this year!

A Little Life by @gaiaseyes451 - The tears and catharsis experienced while reading this were like nothing else. Gaia, this fic is so stunning and I'm so proud of you for writing it.

Show the Way by @the-literal-kj - Gah! KJ, you know Gaia and I had SO much fun betaing this. I laughed, I cried, I hated Connecticut. A+, no notes.

That Certain Night by @adverbian - Adverb, your writing prowess will never cease to amaze me. This fic is poetry, through and through.

Collapse by @ineffable-rohese - Rowan, I think of this fic daily. The care and devotion expressed in this part of your beautiful series is love incarnate.

(New Time!) SftAoAJCJBP (Hybrid) (Join on Teams) by @malachitegrey - Y'all, please read this. It's rare that a fic makes me laugh out loud and I cackled while reading this. Mal, I live for your corporate tales. Your ability to blend humor with gut-punches is next level. ILY!

Your Art of Love and Your Love of Art by @voluptatiscausa - You know that swooping feeling in your gut when you experience something that matters? I had that feeling aplenty while reading this. Vol, you're a poet.

What three fics have you read this year that you love?

The Saint of Lost Things by @gaiaseyes451 - Gaia, your command of language is immersive. When I read this, I was there. This fic is a visceral experience paired with a truly killer soundtrack. 100000/10

Honey, There Is No Right Way by @voluptatiscausa - hhhhhhhHHHHH! I want to eat this fic, I love it so much. It's so tender, sweet, and the smut, y'all the smut! Vol, I love you forever and will never forget getting this notification while watching Nye with you just a few feet away :')

shine upon your pillow by @naromoreau - I know this was written last year but I don't think I read it properly until this year and I STILL think of it. Sweet and spicy >:)

We Can't Keep Meeting Like This by @gingiekittycat - Another fic that I know was written last year but it has such a special place in my soul. Gingie, this fic is so sweeping and if I could have any fic be made into a series/film, it'd be this one. You're a marvel!

Mistletoe by @snae-b - Punks! Holidays! Sweat and spunk! This fic has e v e r y t h i n g

What ideas are percolating for next year?

A composer AU with @gaiaseyes451 is at the top of my list 👀

Who do you want to thank?

@the-literal-kj and @gaiaseyes451, your friendship and support have been transformative. I love you both so much and I'm thankful to have you in my life and slidin' into those DMs! High Pollen Server, there are so many of y'all in there that I'm worried I'll miss someone so if you're in there, I tag YOU! @adverbian, @malachitegrey, @voluptatiscausa thank you so much for fostering such a supportive, empathetic, kind, and funny corner of the internet. It's not often you find an online space that's restorative but that's what the High Pollen server is for all of us. Big living room vibes!

I'd like to tag viewers like you!