#read fics and see how others write these characters

[itwasntimethatdidit40]

Hey there!

This month felt endless, am I right? Can’t believe it’s finally over.

This is a list of all the fics I read in January, I started writing it at the beginning of the month so they are in chronological order based on when I read them.

There’s a lot of stories but I still feel like I haven’t read enough lol

I loved every single work on this list so I highly recommend for you to read them and give some love to authors! They’re unbelievably talented and bring so much joy to this fandom, someone even in my life but this is another story.

I put the link to the Masterlist for series, so you can see all the chapters, some of them are ongoing and some are finished.

Please mind the tags and warnings to make sure a story doesn’t trigger you and makes you uncomfortable, I’m not responsible for what you choose to read, only you are.

Happy reading!

❋ Consume - @sunshineispunk

Stepdad!Joel x reader , DEAD DOVE DO NOT EAT

❋ Liquid Gold - @gasolinerainbowpuddles

Joel Miller x f pregnant!reader x Tommy Miller

You are super pregnant and currently miserable after a third trimester issue crops up. You don’t know how to fix it, and Joel is determined to make you comfortable again. Will he come up with the right solution or are you going to spend the last few weeks of your pregnancy in awful pain? (Lactat!on kink)

❋ The First Time - @fettuccin-e

Frankie Morales x afab!reader

Size kink

❋ Mouthful - @pedgito

Joel miller x reader

Joel finds the perfect way to keep you quiet while he showers you with compliments.

❋ Holiday Heat - @baronessvonglitter

Joel Miller x f!reader

Only one bed trope, grumpy x sunshine, age gap, strangers to lovers

Sharing a hotel room with a grumpy (and handsome) stranger while a storm makes travel inaccessible. What could possibly go wrong?

❋ The Warden - @arcanefox207

Joel Miller x f!reader - DEAD DOVE DO NOT EAT

Your hike into the woods doesn’t go as planned when a depraved Game Warden catches you breaking the rules.

❋ Quicksand - @javier-pena

Pedro's unnamed character in Materialists x f!reader

You meet a stranger at a party

❋ Borrowed Time - @aurorawritestoescape

Joel Miller x f!reader

Joel and you are enjoying an ideal vacation together. Warm ocean, white sand, soft kisses, and hot sex make it feel like paradise. But as your time here is running out, the thoughts that you‘ve been trying to keep at bay start eating at your soul.

❋ After hours - @mssalo

Sub!Joel x Dom f!reader

❋ Wandering Hands - @gothcsz

Javier Peña x f!reader

Javi can't keep his hands off you during a dinner with some friends.

❋ Strangers - @joelmillerisapunk

Stripper!Javier Peña x f!reader

you meet a sexy stripper at your bestie's bachelorette party and he tries his absolute hardest to get your number

❋ Law of Attraction - @baronessvonglitter (Series Masterlist link)

Dave York x f!reader - Romcom AU

Dealing with emotions is difficult when you and Dave realize how you really feel about each other. When a night in turns sour, you seek help from an unexpected source.

❋ Easy - @slowdivinqs

Joel Miller x f!reader

waking Joel up in the best way possible.

❋ Bad blood - @aurorawritestoescape (Series Masterlist link)

you want your stepdad and your step uncle offers to help

step uncle Joel Miller x f!reader x stepdad Tommy Miller

❋ Never have I ever - @wannab-urs

Dieter Bravo x afab!reader

You and Dieter play never have I ever and it gets spicy.

❋ My paramour, my evermore - A Joel Miller Story - @schnarfer (Knights and Kings AU)

Joel Miller x f!reader

Joel Miller is the loss of your life

❋ Let's Go - @thundermartini DBF!Joel x f!reader

you decide to channel your inner party girl on this Friday night. But things won’t go as planned. You’ll get even more from this night than a dance in a club and free drinks from strangers. (Or, I just wanted a pretext to imagine bouncer!joel railing me in the back room of a club.

❋ Yes ma’am - @sizzlingcloudmentality

Dave York x dominatrix!reader

life goes sideways and Dave is close to snapping. he needs professional help. aka let himself be dominated and be at the receiving end for once. good thing he has your number.

❋ Untitled - @aurorawritestoescape

Joel’s twin x f!reader || 500 words

❋ Girl Dinner - @slimybeth69 Dead dove do not eat (Series Masterlist link)

Joel Miller x f!reader

After the civilized world you once knew came to an end-- the men that survived... well they just take, take, take. Growing tired of having things taken from you-- you have a hankerin' to take somethin' for yourself... and make him perfect.

❋ Foxglove Downs - @whocaresstillthelouvre (Series Masterlist link)

Marcus Acacius x f!reader x Lucius Verus

In the exclusive realm of elite show jumping, where wealth stretches as far as the polished estates, Marcus Acacius and Lucius Verus are locked in a fierce competition that reaches far beyond the arena.

❋ No strings to hold me down - @baronessvonglitter

fwb!Joel Miller x f!Reader

Enjoying the freedom of being friends with benefits with Joel Miller, a new emotion flares when you see him out with someone much younger.

❋ What’s a Tomdaya? - @604to647

Modern!Pero Tovar x fem!reader

Pero regrets getting into a group chat with your friends

❋ Prisoner - @almostempty

f!reader x Din Djarin

this time our fav bounty hunter is the bounty and you're on a mission to capture him and claim your reward

❋ Final part of the neighbor series - Masterlist - @gothcsz

Javier Peña x f!reader

❋ All the good girls go to hell - Masterlist - @aurorawritestoescape

Stepdad!Joel Miller x f!reader

you can't stop thinking about your stepdad so you do something risky to have a little more of him. But Joel is not the "little more" kind of guy.

❋ Close-up - @milla-frenchy

Joel Miller x f!reader

Joel receives a script that takes him back to the memories of your love story. He realizes that out of protective instinct after the break up, he has not been honest neither with his own feelings nor with you

❋ El cumpleañero - @gothcsz

Javier Peña x f!reader

It's Javier's birthday, so you show up to his party and things get fun.

❋ Reincarnated - @joelmillerisapunk

Joel Miller x f!reader

A late-night text from an unknown number stirs up memories you thought you’d buried. It’s been years since Joel walked out of your life, but now he’s back. Old wounds resurface, boundaries blur, and the question lingers: is this a second chance or just another heartbreak waiting to happen?

❋ Leather and Lace - @probablyreadinsmut

Javier Peña x f!reader

Javier Peña is back in Loredo after retiring from the DEA. He's horny and looking for something new. That's when he finds you.

❋(Un)faithful - @probablyreadinsmut

Rbf!Javier x Married!Reader

Your marriage is lackluster, your sex life even more so. When your best friend Javier finds out, lines are crossed and lives are changed forever.

❋ some thoughts on hbf (husband's best friend) joel @baronessvonglitter / Drabble

❋ BDSMaid - @mountainsandmayhem (Series Masterlist link)

After recently graduating from university, your best friend offers you a job cleaning luxury homes for clients you’ll never know. It’s only temporary and a good way to save money for when you go back to get your law degree. That’s what you’re promised at least. Easy. Simple. Mundane. That is, until one of your clients is home and everything that you felt was missing in your life starts to fall into place. This goes against the NDA you signed and you could get fired. Or worse, you could fall in love.

[chenlezip]

mark, la la land ♡

⤷ summary : when mark, a pianist, and y/n, an actress, follow their passion and achieve success in their respective fields, they find themselves torn between their love for each other and their careers.

annas note : the first movie and piece of writing for my lil fic series. i hope you all enjoy and enjoy who is next (renjun). i had a thought one night and had to write dreamies x fav movies. thank you to my wife for proof reading this first, you’re my biggest supporter 😭

next | masterlist

you always dreamt of being an actress, it was your biggest life goal. for the moment though - you worked as a barista at the cafe that regularly had actors come in. after a bad day at an audition, you immediately fell face first on your bed but.. you couldn’t stay in filthy clothes so you got a shower, looked at yourself in the mirror and your flatmates asked you about everything. they decided to force you out to a party, getting you dressed up prettily, saying you’ll ’find someone in the crowd.’

yet, you never found anyone in the crowd or they just didn’t find you — whatever it was, you felt very discouraged walking back in the middle of the night, groaning as you walked in your heels, gripping your purse. you let out a sigh, paying attention to the sound of a slow piano tune. you walked inside of a very nice looking restaurant, staring at who was playing. you felt like everything around you was drowned out as you paid attention to the tune and the man who was playing it.

said man — mark lee, was someone who loved jazz. he made his life around it, he had a specific route for his future but he got screwed over. he talked to his sister and never got through to her, just staring at his past due rent letter and sighing. he focused on his piano once again, relearning the chords to his favourite song. and here he was, in the restaurant once again after getting fired.

after focusing on playing christmas songs, he decided to play his favourite jazz song, a relaxing rhythm compared to how lively everything else was around him. he focused on the way his fingers slid over the right keys, immersing himself in his work.

“you’re fired.” “no- what you mean is play the setlist-“ “no, you’re fired. that’s what i mean.” “it’s christmas, come on, don’t fire me.”

“i see the decorations, you’re fired, good luck in the new year.”

mark stormed off, shoving past you. you had tried to speak to him, “i just want to say.. i heard you play and i-“ right. well. that went well.

SPRING.

a couple months had passed since that night. you’re at yet another party, your friend had invited you and you were interacting with a few people — hoping to get at least something from this one. you grabbed a drink, looking around at everyone who was around, paying attention to a band that was performing. you recognised the man in red, the man who was in the restaurant and stormed out shoving past your shoulder.

you were drinking. “alright. i remember you. i was an asshole - i can admit that- but requesting i ran from a serious musician is just too far.” “my lord- did you just say a serious musician?” you ask, tilting your head, “can i borrow what you’re wearing? just for.. an audition i have coming up, i need to play a serious firefighter.”

“what’s your name?” “yn.” “guess i’ll see you in the movies.”

after walking back from the party together, mark showed up at your work place. the warner brothers cafe. you rambled on about different things — how you worked just across from the windows that two characters from casablanca looked out of and that mark goes 5 miles toward a cafe near a jazz club.

you joined mark at the movies, seeming as you haven’t watched the movie he had referenced to you when he took you to a jazz club and rambled on about it. he was passionate.

you look over to him, your hand slowly moving over to his as you fight back a smile, feeling your hands intertwine. he leans over to you, about to kiss you before the film burns out. you both laugh, “i have an idea.” you mumble out as you find yourself on a night drive with him.

you head to an observatory, admiring the beautiful sights that were there, both in your own little worlds. there was so much to do, so much to see, and you felt comfortable having marks presence beside you. even though the two of you were so different, you both were passionate about wanting to get into your own line of work. him with jazz and you: an actress, could it possibly work? who knew but by the end of the day, you both shared a tender kiss.

you spent nearly everyday with mark, going out and about, sight seeing, going on cute dates. throughout the days though, you both shared thoughts of what you should do just to help each others projects out.

“maybe i should name it chicken on a stick?” “no no- name it mark’s.” “is that an apostrophe as a music note?” “yeah it is.”

he chuckled and shook his head, “that’s actually quite unique you know ? but i think i am going to name it chicken on a stick, and you’re going to make sure your play goes amazing.” he kissed your forehead.

fall comes and you and mark tried your best to make the relationship work, he made you a lovely dinner but he had to leave first thing in the morning. you both were getting busy, and you were terrified for your play while he was ecstatic after finding an amazing band to play in, one that he felt was great for him. he suggested for you to join him on tour.

“i have to rehearse..” “can’t you rehearse anywhere?” “anywhere you are?” you ask softly as you sigh, “it’s in two weeks and i don’t think that’ll be very good for me, i wish i could though.”

“when are you done? when are you finished with the tour?” “we finish, record and tour again..” you ask if it’s the long haul and then an argument happens between the two of you because the both of you taking each others words the wrong way. he says this is what you wanted for him and to have a steady job and of course you did want that for him, you wanted him to start his club and look after himself but he seemed like he didn’t want this sort of thing for himself.

things only took a worse turn, no one showed up to your show apart from close friends, not even mark showed up. you ended things, you got upset and went back home, where you really wanted to be just for some time away from doing what you wanted and away from mark.

five years later and winter has strolled around once again. you enter the cafe you used to work at, grabbing two coffees for yourself and your manager. the day soon ends and you suggest to your husband if he wants to grab dinner to which he complies with. you’re walking on the side of the pavement, until you hear loud jazz coming from a restaurant. “do you want to check it out?” he asked and you nodded, he lead you inside.

as soon as you enter the doorway, you recognise it as marks. the bright sign saying ‘mark’s’ with the design you had made for him one night in your eyesight. you enter further with your husband, feeling a little awkward sitting up front but you decided to get comfortable and take a sip of your drink.

mark, meanwhile, comes up on stage and introduces the males who have just performed a song. you both make eye contact in the crowd and he mutters, “welcome to mark’s.”

he stared at the piano in front of him before playing those same damn notes you’ve heard before but even slower and beautiful than you remember.. filled with such passion. it was like that day where you first met him in the restaurant he worked at, christmas decorations around the place as you walk over this time, before you can speak, mark engulfs you into a hug and a kiss. you go through the last memories you both shared together before things abruptly ended.

you thought about how different everything would be if you didn’t break up. the happy memories you could’ve shared — having a kid, going to jazz clubs together and sharing a drink, maybe just having mark by your side instead of your husband as you listen to the notes of the piano play. suddenly, you snap back to reality as everyone claps, you feel heartbroken. “we should go.” you whisper to your husband as you get up and slowly make your way out.

but before you leave, you turn around and share a soft gaze and smile with the man you had loved most.

tags : @injvns @polarisjisung @mejaemin @ayukas @hyckvr @yizhrt @blondemrk 

[tryingahandinholdingapen]

I kind of want to either write or read a time travel fix-it fic where it's Tobirama who travels back in time - BUT it's not Tobirama's POV. He's only a side character. It's mainly focused on Madara and Hashirama. Occasionally Mito, Izuna, Touka

This post got real fucking long so here's a read more

Just a really funny fic where you never quite get to see what Tobirama is doing, because he's not the POV character and the other characters don't know/don't pay attention to what he's up to. But like he is doing important stuff yk he's taking advantage of that future knowledge

For example:

Madara and Hashirama meeting at the river. They've figured out/confessed to their respective clans and are discussing peace and who in their clan might or might not support them

Madara asks about Tobirama and Hashirama is like "Hm? Tobirama? Honestly I don't think he cares about the Senju-Uchiha war at all. He's far too occupied with his own war against the mold youkai."

"....The what?"

(It's not too obvious from Hashirama's POV that Tobirama keeps sneakily fucking up Zetsu's machinations, but what's significantly more difficult to ignore is that Tobirama is increasingly getting ambushed by White Zetsu drones ('mold youkai') - that he eliminates with extreme prejudice and alarming fury)

Just, stuff like that. Main plot is making peace, focused on most of the main family EXCEPT Tobirama (who is otherwise occupied and is thus rarely focused on much) and possibly Izuna. So it's all stuff about battles between the Senju and Uchiha, probably having to deal with internal issues as well (Butsuma/Tajima? Elders? Coup/assassination attempts?) and plotting how they could possibly get peace, it's stuff like negotiating with the Uzumaki + Mito's marriage to Hashirama, it's the Uchiha having to deal with one of their allied clans turning on them (barely noticed sub-plot during this where Tobirama is trying to prevent/rectify the sabotage Zetsu did to the Uchiha's fancy tablet), it's about planning for their eventual village (Hashirama finds notes on plumbing on his desk, written in Tobirama's hand - when the fuck did he have time for that? where did he even learn about plumbing?), it's about trying to get the Daimyo on side, it's about all the politics of trying to get other clans to move into the village too, it's about ah fuck bloodline thieves discovered there were plans for a shinobi village in the works and are doing a frantic attempt to kidnap/'harvest' as much as possible before the bloodline clans are too protected in the planned village so now we have to deal with this fucking trafficking ring...

The sub-plot is an Tobiizu fic where Izuna is (correctly) CONVINCED that Tobirama is Up To Something, and (incorrectly) decided it's malicious to the Uchiha et al, and has taken it upon himself to investigate and Stop Tobirama's Evil Plans At All Costs

Longsuffering Tobirama is far too busy for Izuna's bullshit. He's attempting to prevent/stop/counteract Zetsu's machinations, he's trying to kill Zetsu, he's trying to destroy the big old statue (yk the one I mean, idk what it's called, if it has a name), he's trying to make sure the bijuu are all safe and Won't get sealed into jinchuuruki OR the aforementioned statue...

(he gets distracted for a bit with a side project wherein he decides actually it would be really funny for him to convert the cave the big statue was in, into a place for the kyuubi to hang out. that takes him quite a while since he has to run Zetsu out (so many White Zetsu drones...), destroy the statue, alter the place accordingly, and then find and convince the kyuubi that actually this is a great idea - without the kyuubi just fucking eating him)

...he's trying to make life easier for Madara and Hashirama (oh, Butsuma died from a mysterious illness right before he could enact his incredibly stupid plan against the Uchiha? damn. what a shame. anyway-), he's having to reinvent everything he remembers from last time he lived through this shit because whilst some of those jutsus/techniques/inventions (cough, Edo Tensei, cough) aren't strictly necessary, some of them are VERY MUCH NEEDED

That takes. So much time. Luckily Tobirama doesn't have to do all the research over again, since he remembers it and it's incredibly unlikely anyone will call him out on it (....except Mito with regards to certain seals. he very begrudgingly does research and writes notes and invents plausible-mistakes-that-could-have-been-a-first-attempt) so for the most part he can skip straight to inventing or writing out the final project/knowledge

Some of Zetsu's machinations are incredibly annoying to counter, actually. Like at some point the blasted weed installed/had nearly installed a puppet ruler in Land of Water which, what? Why? Urgh

(Please imagine the absolutely incredible amounts of suspicion and incredulous disbelief and paranoia etc that Izuna is aiming Tobirama's way once he (eventually) discovers that the 'White Demon' is seemingly MESSING WITH POLITICS RE: WHO RULES A FOREIGN NATION?!?!?! is nobody else seeing this!! Izuna is NOT CRAZY look at this bullshit somebody needs to stop him-!)

So long story short Tobirama has a LOT on his plate and he is so so incredibly stressed. Somebody help this man. None of this shit is helped by the fact that

a) Zetsu realised very rapidly that someone was fucking with his plans, and promptly started trying to kill Tobirama off, or failing that, sabotage Tobirama's plans in turn

(thus the years long and increasingly violent 'war against mold youkai' that starts when Tobirama is like, ridiculously young, and Hashirama casually mentions to Madara)

b) Izuna. Just, Izuna. He's fucking obsessed with Tobirama (why) and also the most paranoid person ALIVE it sometimes seems, and he just, won't stop, sticking his nose in Tobirama's business, how does he seem to be fucking EVERYWHERE doesn't he have anything else to do it's not like Izuna even knows the shadow clone jutsu how is he doing this why-

(Izuna like. What could possibly be more important to my rival than ME. And anyway he can't possibly be doing anything GOOD so it's for the best I intervene really this is entirely altruistic-)

c) amongst all this, Tobirama still has to somehow maintain at least a vague, plausibly deniable, belief that he's like. A regular person, involved in only normal things. Because if anyone finds out what he's really doing, or what Zetsu really is, or that he's from the future (IZUNA GET YOUR NOSE OUT OF-), then that introduces just. SO MANY new moving parts and this is already fucking complicated enough as it is, alright? Yeah yeah yeah teamwork makes the dream work, two heads are better than one, etc, but this is essentially a war of information and manipulation between Zetsu and Tobirama and when your main power is info+manipulation the fucking LAST thing you want is more moving parts + more people who could leak info/know your info/unintentionally fuck up your (future) knowledge. No. As much as possible he has to do this on his own. Which means he needs to act like he's doing nothing at all. Actually spend time with his family, be seen running normal missions sometimes, help in clan matters, attend the Senju-Uchiha battles when relevant...

Which is all really really hard when there's only so much time in the day. And Zetsu doesn't have to worry about 'spending time with family' or anything so any time Tobirama spends doing that instead of working towards destroying Zetsu's shit is-

(thank fuck Tobirama still remembers how he invented shadow clones, is all he can say. thank fuck for that)

Over time Tobirama increasingly gets a handle on his terrifyingly long to-do list, which means that 'Izuna is being really annoying and following me almost all the time' moves up his priority list. Eventually Tobirama figures out that the easiest way to get Izuna to stop GETTING IN THE GODDAMN WAY is to just. Humour him. Give him attention. Yes yes you are the most important person in my life and all this inconvenient shit is just stopping me from devoting my energy to fighting you now if you could just put that lady over there under a genjutsu and- (Tobirama trying to get Izuna to help un-fuck Land of Water, it only sort of works)

At some point they fuck because Tobirama's stress levels are at an all-time high and he needs SOME sort of outlet. (Could be entirely sane+consensual (relatively. given who we're talking about) or it could be dubcon) and Izuna actually chills the fuck out for an entire ten hours afterwards. Amazing. Clearly they'll have to do this again

So they do

(yandere4yandere tobiizu for the win. Tobirama starts out normal (again, relatively, considering who we're talking about) whilst Izuna approached everything about Tobirama in a completely sideways obsessive way from the start, but Tobirama gradually starts to also get more obsessive/possessive over time. Like what do you mean the one person who has followed me unquestioningly for years and wants to kill me and kissed me yesterday and volunteered to help me fight a bijuu might LEAVE?? no. fuck you)

(Izuna with a hiraishin marker tattoo-)

anyway back to 'things even further complicating Tobirama's life':

optional letter d) Tobirama is trying so hard to seem normal and not like he's from the future or fighting an evil mold-plant-creature that wants to revive his mom from the moon. So, so hard. But alas, facts work against him

Like, I mean, imagine from an in-universe perspective. There's this guy with really weird colouring, he's known as the 'White Demon', he's better at suiton than anyone else alive and if you've seen him even SLIGHTLY try it's terrifying (think: drowning on dry land, sudden rain/storm/tsunami, blood ripped from a dozen bodies in half as many seconds-), there's? more than one of him? HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE and he's so fucking hard to kill but even when you kill him he just. doesn't. die. (friendly reminder that Tobirama is abusing shadow clones like nobody's business in an attempt to stay on top of his insane amount of work to do -> yk, the jutsu he invented, that doesn't work like any other clone jutsu, and that in this timeline he has thus far told nobody about. someone destroys a shadow clone and is incredibly alarmed that theres 1) no corpse 2) the White Demon is STILL ALIVE after they KNOW they killed him?!)

There's also rumours about him fighting/negotiating with bijuu, and quite a few witnesses to his ongoing war with 'mold youkai'

The majority of people (excepting like, people he's close to in his own clan, plus Izuna and possibly a few others) aren't sure he ever sleeps or eats or drinks, and wounds don't seem to last long (healing jutsu from the future + whilst he's sleeping/eating his shadow clone(s) are still out and about)

Then there's the insane amount of knowledge and jutsu and inventions he offers-

Long story short on top of everything else, Tobirama doesn't have to deal with people knowing he's from the future or about the whole issue with Zetsu

....He DOES have to deal with basically svery person in existence being 100% convinced he's not human, though

[carlos-in-glasses]

Favorite Lone Star Fandom Memories

Thank you @thisbuildinghasfeelings for coming up with this lovely idea! And thank you for the tags @firstprince-history-huh @heartstringsduet @tellmegoodbye @nisbanisba

@carlossreaders @she-walked-away @reyesstrand @rmd-writes

@welcometololaland @nancys-braids @everlastingday @strandnreyes

I have had the best time being part of this fandom so far. Whatever I expected when I first rocked up in September 2022, it wasn't this. What a time we have had. We've been through so much. We've laughed, we've cried, we've swooned, we all became experts on baseball, TV ratings, various laws, and probably know a map of Austin better than we know a map of our own hometowns. I hope with everything I have that this place continues to thrive with love for Tarlos and 911 Lone Star. I hope that I've made some friends for life. I hope that this time during the show's run will be remembered fondly. We got unlucky with this cancellation, but oh my goodness, in other ways we have been so lucky.

First, please enjoy Elaine Paige singing Memory from Cats the Musical. A song for how I'm feeling right now. I promise it's not a Rickroll and I sincerely apologise if you got caught up with me accidentally Rickrolling Lem the other week.

Now! Some memories!:

The time @thisbuildinghasfeelings wanted to know what hospital Carlos would have been taken to after Bridges shot him. I was CRYING LAUGHING because she went to the Texas sub-reddit and was all “Hypothetically, if someone were to get shot in the desert…” and left this message, which quickly got deleted by the mods who probably thought she’d just shot someone:

The time I met @heartstringsduet irl in London last year and wore the below t-shirt, which I got at the 2023 Paris Convention with @cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut by my side 😭. And just being able to talk to them in person about life and the show and hug them!!!! And speaking of the 2023 Paris Convention – I got to to look right into the ultimate cow-eyes and tell this guy that he played my favourite character of all time:

The time I got my ass handed to me by @lemonlyman-dotcom because I used the word vest instead of tank top in a WIP.

The fics I wrote that came out of conversations with others/prompts – they wouldn’t exist without some of you. It makes the writing life feel a lot less solitary and also a lot more about the world's most fun mystery box. Thank you so much

Leaving the most batshit comments on poor @rmd-writes and @welcometololaland fic (Un)Professional Services You two really were troopers in the face of that.

Reading fic so good I've spent the next day at work daydreaming about it and looking forward to the next chapters of chaptered fics – and then getting to tell people how much I enjoyed their work! It’s amazing. YOU ARE ALL SO TALENTED.

Posting Sensitivity, my first fic, and refreshing the page to see that I had 8 kudos. I was blown away. And the comments and responses to other fics that have made all the difference during many tough weeks. Thank you, thank you.

The reactions to when I introduced my poor boyfriend to my Tarlos blanket and then when I put it over my legs lmao:

@goodways post about Carlos’ slutty buttonless shirt look in 1x02 – I can’t find the post, but it was gold! And just so many other Shannon posts omg. The blank sign made for Carlos. Iconic.

When @strandnreyes posted this about TK’s absurd camera roll in 4x04.

Of course when Rafael Silva told me that Tarlos switch and @reasonandfaithinharmony made a gif set out of it!

The Tarlos wedding. I brought a mini bottle of Prosecco for the occasion.

The time I thought @ladytessa74 invented Frog and Toad for chapter 3 of The Lovely April. Also...chapter 3 of The Lovely April genuinely helped me cope with the show's cancellation. So that was a biggie.

The art that has been made for my fics by @heartstringsduet @whatsintheboxmh @thisbuildinghasfeelings and @bonheur-cafe. Absolutely extraordinary. I can’t believe it. Thank you forever. Once again, you’re so talented.

Finding the show. Finding you.

Open tag and tags below!:

@paperstorm @goodways @lightningboltreader @alrightbuckaroo

@cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut @herefortarlos @bonheur-cafe

@lemonlyman-dotcom @ladytessa74 @liminalmemories21

@freneticfloetry @chicgeekgirl89 @sugdenlovesdingle

@reasonandfaithinharmony @carlos-tk @pimento-playing-hopscotch @eclectic-sassycoweyes

@fangirl-paba @actual-sleeping-beauty @kiwichaeng @literateowl

@emsprovisions @ironheartwriter @sapphic--kiwi @butchreyes

@captain-gillian @laelipoo @nancys-braids @goldenskykaysani

@hereghostslive @anactualcaseofthetruth @henrygrass

@theghostofashton @the-126-family @rangersoup

@annoyingcloudearthquake @butch-buckley - if you want to share/haven't already! No pressure ever! ❤️🩷🧡💛💚💙🩵💜

[dapper-lil-arts]

I know your Chrysalis x Cadance x Shining Armor art was probably just for the lols, but honestly…I could legit see this working as a ship?

Like, let’s be honest, if there was ANY character in this show who would be poly, it would absolutely be the Princess of Love (all that love for just one partner? Get real).

And it could be a legitimately interesting dynamic too! I could see Shining being onboard with Cadances partnership while also still being a bit hesitant because it’s, ya know…Chrysalis.

But then he ends up warming up to her in the end and the two become maybe-sort-of friends (with Cadance TOTALLY making some gentle nudges behind the scenes to set up some platonic bonding moments for them).

Like, idk, I just feel like it’s an idea with a lot of potential (both comedic AND genuine) and I’d like to see if the fandom took more of a crack at it.

Could also just be personal bias though, because as much as I am intrigued by Cadance x Chrysalis as a ship, I always kind of dislike how Shining Armor is left out as a result (he’s just a lil wife guy man, don’t do this to him🥺).

I def agree its a bit of a dick move to cut Shining out of the deal like that xD Both Cadance and Shining undertakin the challenge of fixing chrysalis lmao. Theres a lot of potential for intrigue there, and I did write a chapter of my multiverse fic with em togethere! Good times. Also I read this fuckin BANGER fic where Shining and Chrysalis are the same person and Cadance falls in love with both without knowing one is the other, it's fuckin fantastic. Here you go lol. Chrysalis cucks herself with herself and has Cadance in the pawn of her hands. Also I do love the trio as a polycule but I've recently been more partial to shipping chrysalsi and Celestia both due to suplemental material and just because of fanon shit thats funny lmao

[ghouljams]

I’m not sure if you’ve mentioned this before, but another bad thing abt c.ai is the way that users on there treat fanart. I’ve seen a lot of c.ai bot talk on tiktok and Instagram and such and a lot of bots have fanart of the character as the profile picture. Without credit too. So anytime someone says that the users of c.ai shouldn’t be blamed that’s what I think abt… cuz they’re still stealing work themselves

There's a lot of me me me that happens in fandom circles these days. When I was still on tiktok I would see people in the comments under art or fic or comics talking about making a bot out of whatever they'd just seen. Which can feel really harmless in the moment, maybe it doesn't even register to the person who makes the bot that what they're doing is bad, but even if it wasn't directly stealing from the creator it is still poisoning the person who makes/uses the bot.

"Ghoul how is that possible?" I hear you ask.

Well, because of the inherent selfishness of instant gratification. You see something and you want it so you take it. You don't have to wait for anything which decreases your attention span. You can run through getting "exactly what you want" from an ai bot so you don't have to create anything. You don't have to interact with other people to get what you want so communities rise and fall overnight. You don't have to actually think for yourself or find new things that you might enjoy more because the ai just spits out exactly what you tell it to.

You become spoiled by instant gratification so you stop reading fanfiction because the author doesn't update as fast as your ai. You use fanart only as a means towards creating more bots. You don't really care about creators except as content farms because that's all ai is so why wouldn't people be exactly the same?

In a healthy fandom ecosystem, you might see someone made art of Ghost pinning a y/n model to a wall, and think "I wish that was me." So you write an x reader story about it and tag the artist. Or you draw fanart using the pose. Or you leave a comment telling the how much you like their piece. Maybe you make a few friends along the way, or inspire the artist to make a part two, or maybe you learn they have a patreon where they post the real smutty stuff and you find a new community from that one art post.

In the current landscape, you see a picture of ghost pinning a y/n model to the wall on tiktok, the artist is untagged because the tiktoker found the art on google, you think "I wish that was me" so you make a c.ai bot and get a few dopamine hits before the well runs dry and you move on to something else. Nothing is created, no friends are made, you don't even know who the artist is but you don't care because you got your rush already.

idk, it just seems really lonely. Aren't you lonely? When you look at the time that you spend interacting with a machine compared to interacting with people, do you find yourself feeling isolated? When's the last time you hugged someone?

[sapphicslaylist]

Remember: Your Art Is Radical (yes, even that one)

Realizing that this isn’t common knowledge, so I’m here to spread this message as far as I’m able. I’m sitting here, working on my fanfic right now and fretting over the fact I need to properly portray book burnings. Then kind of realized a methodology for rebellion which isn’t often used to its full potential.

Your art is political - yes, even that one. Even your Shrek Fanart and Bionicles meta-analysis. Fanworks are seen as vapid and purely derivative throughout many circles, and therefore aren’t going to be put to the test on world criticism like many other forms of media. Good. Use that!

Remember that fandoms consist of a variety of people from different backgrounds, races, and cultures, all of which can be educated off of one another. No one is going to be aware of all the different elements of Human Justice, and we can learn a lot from each other. Art itself is an act of politic because for many if not most of us alive, our existence itself is political. And, as funny as it is to imagine that the government is going to read through 12,000,000 pages of Erotic Harry Potter Fanfiction, that’s not a likely reality.

Fanart is a much more covert way of examining current events which can and WILL be capable of helping shift tides. Remember: you were drawn to that media for a reason; may be passive enjoyment, may be something deeper. Fanart is a form of creation which is safer, as it won’t be heavily monitored or scrutinized (both because it can’t be and most older folks aren’t super aware of it). It goes under their radar. Help bigoted nerds unlearn what they’ve been taught, because knowledge is the enemy of bigotry. Even one fic or one piece of art will have a ripple effect and encourage others to create their own.

For those with degrees, I encourage you to add elements of scholarly queer studies and disability aid in your worldbuilding. Disabled people, show, not tell how different means of mobility function and the history which has been repeatedly hidden from us. Expound what knowledge you have, and capitalize. Write characters of different racial backgrounds & culture shock when their societies meet. Draw acts of defiant historical violence in your OTPs and add in the source of the event. This is not derivative: it’s using one media source to explain a narrative. Simply adding in elements of your shared experience or coding different parts of literary theory into your work in a more digestible manner is already letting others see your depiction of the world.

I mean this full-heartedly: your creation is an act of defiance no matter what form it takes. Doesn’t matter if you’re “a bad artist” or “not a good writer.” Your experience is unique and not only deserves to but NEEDS to be shared more than ever. So if you’ve always wanted to write that deep feminist She-Ra work or Warrior cats analysis on systematic ableism, the time is now.

[shurup-overt]

don't ever let go of what's beloved

these bastards made me cry! THRICE!!

@mari-lair I wanna thank you from the bottom of my heart, also this will be LONG. I'm sorry skdjkls

SPOILERS UP TO CH27 BELOW

(not super detailed but still can ruin the experience)

I'VE FINALLY read ycit after half a year of putting it off it just because I "didn't like the idea of akane being dead&doomed" skslsks I was wayy too superstitious. anyway I'm glad I stopped being stubborn

IT WAS HELL OF A RIDE (positive) and I finished it (27 chapters at that moment) looking like nene in ch107

I'm not even joking

where do I even begin.

the amount of research and thought and love poured into the fic is INSANE. it's always so nice to feel the author's passion through the work and this one overflows with it.

am I being too sappy? I dunno, I speak what's on my mind lol!!

as I said, it's noticeable that it's written with so so much love to the characters and this love is INFECTIOUS!! I didn't know I'd get attached to aka, so fast too. it's like my thought process was almost the same as teru's all the way through chapters 0-20 lmaoo

a small digression from the main topic - the thing is, what I wait for the most in tbhk is a flashback about terukane's first meeting & how the glasses were made. ofc there's always a possibility they were made by teru just for fun and as a way to make akane owe him (although this might be ooc) but the possibility of it is thankfully really really small because teru looks at them and handles the topic very gently. too gently for it to be just a forced prank. also akane has been keeping them with him on his bead near his head while sleeping (not even the bedside table or smth! who the hell keeps their glasses with them on the bed at night?? <- comes from a glasses person)

so, especially because of teru's wording ("he said he wanted to live his life like he used to"), I've been STRESSING over the possibility of akane BEGGING teru for help there, like what if he was struggling with switching forms at first and hence wasn't seen by students? what if the clock keepers didn't explain him almost anything about the supernatural world and so he was scared and confused? what if teru cornered him there and he had to prove he's human? (by the warmth of a touch?) what if he cried? what if teru comforted him? (or tried to lol) what if there were more struggles??

and so I was soo glad to see this topic being expanded!! I know it's an au and all (and the contract's gone worse here) but what I mean is, I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks about it!! reading akane's backstory was Painful As Heck but really Good.

my godd I wish the boy had some comfort. I can't look at ycit akane because I start tearing up immediately.

"I hope akane managed to use the bill" "I hope the seals helped at least a bit" I HOPE SO TOO. JESUS. THE POOR BOY WAS LEFT ALL ALONE WITH A TERRIFYING KNOWLEDGE AND THE TWO DIDN'T EVEN SAY GOODBYE TO EACH OTHER PROPERLY

and his backstory haven't even been fully revealed yet. I feel like I'll die when that time comes. shaking

alright I don't wanna whine here too much now moving on-

this idiot. /affectionate

the attention to the smallest details!!!!

the amount of canon things implemented?? HELLO? I mean it's natural to expect a canon character act according to canon but it's the first time (I think??) I've noticed SO MUCH small facts THOUGHT THROUGH and carefully weaven into the fic to fit the narrative perfectly. sometimes they're really small and almost insignificant but it's like finding easter eggs!!! it fills me with so much joy to feel the love to the kids through the writing (I repeat it again ahahaha). teru's complicated (VERY MUCH SO) feelings towards his father, akane liking raspberry sweets, akane (and aka) liking when pride of a certain someone ( ^^ ) shatters in front of them and their facade falls, teru itching to jump headfirst into research as soon as there's a reason to mess with exorcist tools and invent something (oh I so adore this in canon I can probably ramble about this a lot), teru being eager to play in the snow, teru covering his face when he cries!!!! and that's just the things I remember right now THERE WAS A LOT MORE

it all makes me point at the screen with an "AH!!" expression and think "YES THAT'S MY BOY/GIRL!!"

YAKO AND TSUCHIGOMORI TOO!! I was so glad to see yako being involved so much and her character handled perfectly with all her traits and quirks and sillyness /affectionate hehe I love her so much and although tsuchigomori hasn't showed up as much, reading the scenes with him was a delight as well

also when I said about the passion, I meant not only the love to the fic's main cast, but also the passion to analyze the og medium itself as a whole. (am I making sense? I don't want to sound too creepy) explaining myself: take aka: his character, his quirks, his abilities, his drama, worries and experiences - for it all to be as deep and believable ( = excellent) as it is, it was necessary to take all the smallest bits about ghosts' and supernaturals' mindset we have in canon, be it hanako or sousuke or mitsuba etc, analyze it, and make aka one of their kind but still very much unique and closer to akane than to them, even though he doesn't remember being him. even if you didn't do what I said entirely on purpose, I'm just amazed by how aka is written. it's awesome

squeezes him.

thank you for being the extremely stubborn "leech" you are. mwah

aidairo sadly have given us very little info about exorcism and supernaturals in general (I'm biting the table as we speak) and the way you still took the crumbs, thought them through, added bits here and there, and made it all work perfectly is just amazing. I was overjoyed to read about mimics, other kinds of supernaturals, how spiritual energy feels, how touching a ghost feels in detail, weakening seals, blood pacts, boundaries, etc etc. it's like it's all canon, it doesn't make the reader question it whatsoever, so well-made. I'm clapping.

the description says you've never written a teru pov before and I'd say you nailed it from the very beginning!! you understand his mindset so deeply, reading your works is the best experience. the picky bitch in my ear never goes "he would not say that" and instead is just as amazed as I am

the first chapters before the bonding are HEAVY as heck. they're extremely hard to binge read but I mean this as a good thing. they're extremely painful by just how realistically they are written, so good you can't help but sync with teru and feel the same emotions as he does. And his life is SHIT at that moment so I was SUFFERING with him both the first and the second going through the chapters :'D again though, it's not bad, it's the opposite - it makes the happy moments thrice as good and the overall bonding brings A LOT of warmth. I feel like it healed me in a way after punching me in the stomach 10 chapters in a row

also I love it so much just how much the fic focuses on teru's everyday life before the manga's main plot. I mean, well yeah, it's a 14-15yo teru pov, but still. so detailed, filled me with warmth.

*slaps roof of ycit* this bad boy can fit SO MUCh fun ideas and good concepts in it

seriously, the range is insane. a questionnaire, a quarrel (multiple), siblings talk, beach episode, dancing, hugging, both crying, possession?? hello?? BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE! summer festival, sleeping on the other, fighting for the other, fighting together, even working in food service together (aka the thing I'd expect out of a trkn fic the least lol). the list goes on. and despite how bizarre and random it sounds out of context, nothing from it feels like a filler, everything fits into the plot perfectly. I have no words mari how are you doing that

ever since I've read the bloodpact chapter, I was worried about how encounters with mimics will go from now on because now aka can go anywhere and, how it was stated before, aka's and a mimic's energy feel the same… the boys will need to come up with a strategy of some sort (which is tricky if mimics learn from the memories) ourghh makes my head hurt! but in a good way. or will mimics struggle picking a target between aka and teru now? what if they're weaker when faced by multiple opponents because of that? that would be fortunate. anyway! mimics leap at the target eventually, so that eases the task. and whether the boys encounter them or not, they will have each other's backs, and it warms my heart.

I've wanderend off the main topic again, oops. as you see, the fic made me think of all sorts of things lol and it's an incredibly good sign.

what if teru did take a picture of the swing set in ch13…..... ourghh I don't even know if it'd be better or worse...... it's over now though, so I'm glad either way

and ch27 has destroyed and rebuilt me several times I think .

I drew this before ch28 but then it came out and oh boy. I don't even know what to say. Good for them. so proud of them

I HAD SEVERAL SONGS FOR THIS but I don't want to make this too overwhelming so I've tried to pick the faves among faves (still kind of failed so . no pressure)

Bullet by Saint Motel (lyrics) for teruaka

The Song with Five Names a.k.a. Soapbox Tao a.k.a. Checkmate Atheists! a.k.a. Neospace Government (A.K.A. You Can Never Know) by Will Wood and the Tapeworms (lyrics) for aka - this one may be too extreme. it kinda clicked for me but I might be delusional

quiet room by ewe (has eng subtitles) for teruaka - makes me feel things similar to the ones 'therefore you and me' does

Yakusoku no Overture by Toki Shunichi (akane's VA hehe) - I haven't found a full version of this arrangement on youtube but it should be on spotify? or other streaming platforms I'm pretty sure? sadly, I've only found a russian translation (as unusual as it is lol) so I've tried to adapt it in english here, hope it looks right!

I might be delusional here sdslkds but what's certain is that I enjoyed the fic all the way from the start. thank you for creating this, truly

p.s.: please let me know if I made you in any way uncomfortable. I myself didn't expect to write so much; I only wanted to express my gratitude but this might be overwhelming. (I'm a very anxious person so I felt like I needed to say this sdskldj) you aren't obliged to respond in any way and this isn't me asking you to continue working on the fic. just saying thank you for the things you've made

that's it! wishing you a great day :)

[leafnyx]

I definitely need a part 2 of the Nam-Gyu x male reader you posted! It was subtly cute asf

Death Games and Attachments # 2 (Nam-gyu x male reader)

Word count: 5.5k

Warnings: American reader ‼️, gunshots, betrayal, canon divergence, no forks 🍴, no use of y/n, dead characters in canon don’t die, probably ooc, Nam-gyu & reader aren’t together but have feelings for eachother, not proof read

Setting: Season 2 Episode 6

A/n: omg my first fic ask!!! I was thinking about writing a part 2 anyways but this gave me the push to do it :]

Faint music plays over the speakers in the room as you slowly begin to wake up. You open your eyes, your sight still a bit fuzzy, and see the blank ceiling of the game’s sleeping room.

The music is now louder as you realize you aren’t at home but at this game. You do somewhat wish you were back home but you push that thought to the back of your mind, you have more important things to worry about, with the man who is sleeping next you you and who you are hugging.

You quickly untangle yourself from Nam-gyu, your bodies craving the warmth of the other while you were sleeping.

Nam-gyu still seems to be sound asleep, snoring quietly, but you decide to wake him up. The next game will probably be staring soon.

You shake Nam-gyu softly, then a bit more rough when the first doesn’t wake him up.

His snoring stops and he lets out an irritated groan as he pushes your hands away.

“Fuck off bitch, let me sleep” He says towards you, probably trying to sound intimidating but he doesn’t at all because of how much he slurs his words, still half asleep.

“The next games starting soon, come on” You say, tapping him on the shoulder for emphasis.

He opens his eyes, blinking away the tiredness, more willing to get up after hearing your voice. He seemed to not realize the fact that he was in the games previously as now a look of dread somewhat crosses his face. You question that, since you haven’t seen him with that expression yet. It’s probably the lack of drugs.

“Why do they make us do these games so early” Nam-gyu groans and pushes himself up into a sitting position beside you.

You shrug. Nam-gyu quickly scans around the room, his eyes landing on Thanos and probably his drugs.

“Let’s get with the rest of the group” Nam-gyu says, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and onto the stairs. He puts the white shoes on and quickly rushes towards where Thanos has gathered with Se-mi and Min-su.

You quickly follow suit, putting your shoes on and tailing behind him.

“Nam-su, [name], good morning!” Thanos says excitedly, in English. Nam-gyu doesn’t bother correcting the name as he sits down beside Thanos and whispers something to him.

You sit down beside Nam-gyu and Se-mi gives you a deadpan, knowing, look. Most likely referring to Nam-gyu.

Thanos pulls out his cross and opens it, handing one of the brightly colored pills to Nam-gyu who quickly pops it into his mouth.

Thanos tucks the cross back under his collar.

The drugs seem to kick in quickly, a minute or so later Nam-gyu is already looking more up beat.

Right on time too, the masked guards walk into the room and announce that the next game is starting.

“No matter what game is next we’ll kick ass” Nam-gyu says, practically bouncing from where he’s standing. He goes up beside you, now directly talking to you. “I’ll help you through the next game if you don’t know what to do, ok?” He’s close enough to you that your arms are practically rubbing against each other.

“Alright” You reply, glad for the assured help.

You and your team get into a line, following one of the guards through the maze of stairs. You have to admit, as weird and terrible as the games are, the sets are pretty cool looking.

You reach the end of the stairs and walk into a large room with a bunch of doors on the walls, too many to count at first glance. There’s also a circular platform in the middle of the room with three statues of horses in the middle, it looks like a merry-go-round.

“Your next game will be mingle” The almost robotic sounding woman’s voice rings out through the room.

“Mingle?” Nam-gyu says.

“Mingle!” Thanos yells suddenly, making the people around him, including you, flinch. “I remember this game! They call out a random number and you have to get into groups with that number.” Thanos says.

“Oh yeah!” Nam-gyu says. “I remember this game! We’ll be fine as long as they don’t call out a number less than 5.”

“They definitely will” Se-mi says.

Nam-gyu doesn’t pay her any attention as he hops along beside Thanos who is now sprinting towards the circle.

You follow behind the two of them with Se-mi and Min-su.

The 5 of you huddle up on the circle as the lights turn off and the circle suddenly starts rotating.

You get pushes off balance slightly, holding onto Nam-guy’s shoulder so you don’t fall over. He doesn’t seem to mind.

Lights turn on in the middle of the circle and music starts up. Thanos begins beating his fist upwards to the beat of the music, Nam-gyu grinning and nodding his head beside him.

You feel nervous, worried that they’re gonna make you split up the first round. Suddenly the platform stops and the woman’s voice calls out a number. “10”

You look around frantically. You need five more people.

“We need five more!” Se-mi calls out, taking initiative.

“Five!” Nam-gyu yells.

A person bumps into you in all the chaos but you don’t fall over.

“How many” She quickly says.

“Five” You reply.

“We’re five too! Come with us!”

“I found a group!” You yell towards your team as the girl rounds up her group.

“Let’s go!” Thanos yells out in English, running towards a door labeled 47. Everyone follows him, dashing into the room. 10 seconds left.

You run into the room, being the second to enter after Thanos. You’re not able to slow down in time and slam into the back wall. Quickly, you turn around to see the rest of the group.

Nam-gyu runs in with Se-mi and Min-su, the other group of five following suit, all running in. The last person in shuts the door as the timer hits zero.

You let out a sigh of relief as Thanos cheers. Nam-gyu begins cheering as well, seeming to do everything Thanos does now. The other group with you looks uncomfortable, you see that all of them have red X patches.

“Let’s go team!” Thanos yells out in English again. No one seems to fully understand what he’s saying but they get the message.

“Woo!” Nam-gyu yells.

After yelling towards their hearts content the two go quiet, the room now silent. You can hear the gunshots outside. People from the other team flinch slightly at the sound. You begin to wonder how many people just died but you push that thought to the back of your mind.

Nam-gyu goes to stand beside you, nudging his shoulder against you, grinning. You do your best to replicate and smile back.

Thanos raps under his breath, hoping his head almost violently. You can hear the sound of machinery outside. They’re most likely bringing coffins in for the bodies.

You hate how the coffins look like gift boxes, it feels disrespectful but you suppose it doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. The game is horrible itself, what does it matter what coffins the brutalized bodies are put in.

The lock on the door clicks open and Thanos immediately rushes out. You follow after him, walking, with Nam-gyu beside you. You step into something sticky, blood. Your face twists into a look of disgust as you look at the sole of your shoe.

Nam-gyu stood infront of you and looks back. You quickly walk forward towards him and the two of you step onto the circle where the rest of the group already is.

The room goes dark again, the circle moving. You now expect the jolt do you don’t move as much, your feet planted on the ground. The middle of the circle lights up and music starts.

Out of the corner of your eye you see Thanos nudge Nam-gyu and say something to him, though you can’t hear it over the music. Nam-gyu looks confused but Thanos links arms with him and begins dancing in a circle. Nam-gyu quickly catches on, grinning and shaking his hand as he skips around.

You’re somewhat jealous of how carefree the two of them are. You know it’s the drugs working but still. You now somewhat wish you’d asked Thanos for drugs. Before you can finish your thought process the circle jolts to a stop and the number is called out. “Four.”

You panic, there are five of you. All of you look around at each other, one has to leave. You want to sacrifice yourself, say you can go and find a group, but you’re frozen in place out of fear.

“Min-su” Se-me says. “Come with me, we can find a group.”

Min-su glances around quickly before grabbing Se-mi by the hand. The two of them run off leaving you as a group of three.

“That fucking bitch! I knew we couldn’t trust her!” Nam-gyu yells out at the same time as Thanos yells, “Min-su! My boy!”

You quickly glance around and your eyes catch on to a man yelling that he needs a group of three, his patch reads 001. You quickly rush over to him. You look back for a second and you see a look of betrayal on Nam-guy’s face. You quickly look back forward as you come to a stop before 001.

“We’re a group of three!” You yell above the chaos. His head quickly turns to you and he nods, following you as you run back to Nam-gyu and Thanos. Nam-gyu looks relieved as you run back.

“Come on!” You yell, running towards the first room you see with an open door. You don’t look back, knowing the three will follow you.

You run into the room and Thanos, Nam-gyu, and 001 follow in quickly. 001 shuts the door as you look towards the timer, 2 seconds left.

As the door clicks shut Nam-gyu begins to speak.

“I knew those pussies would betray us! You can’t trust women, man, and Min-su basically a woman.”

001 looks irritated. You now remember on the first day where 001 broke up a fight between Thanos, Nam-gyu, and that crypto bro. He was probably the worst person you could have brought but at least you’re all alive.

Thanos pushes up against the door, looking through the crack.

“Min-su!” He yells, acting like he actually cared for him.

Nam-gyu lets out a huff and leans against the wall beside you. His arm touching yours again. You only now realize how touchy he’s been. With anyone else you’d assume they might like you but you think this is just how Nam-gyu is. After all you saw how clingy he is with Thanos.

“Fucking bitch..” He mumbles, still not over the betrayal. You sigh.

“It doesn’t matter,” You tell him. “We’re alive and her and Min-su are off somewhere else. We can survive with just the three of us, we don’t need them.”

He looks over at you and lights up slightly. “You’re right, we don’t need those fuckers.”

“Hell yeah! Thanos team!” Thanos barges into the conversation, not caring about Min-su anymore.

He puts his hand face down in the air, after a second you realize what he’s doing and place your hand onto of his. Nam-gyu puts his hand over yours.

Thanos counts from three and the three of you lift your hands up and Thanos yells “let’s go!” In English.

Somehow, that made you feel a bit better. Just barely, as you can hear the fading gun shots in the background.

001 stands off to the side, not talking, just observing.

“We don’t need any girls!” Thanos says, bringing your attention back to him.

“Yeah, girls are weak anyways” Nam-gyu continues.

You don’t add onto what they’re saying, Se-mi seemed fairly strong but that doesn’t matter anymore. It’s just the three of you.

The door unblocks and once again thanos is the first to rush out. Nam-gyu bouncing along behind him. You follow Nam-gyu with 001 behind you.

Before you can say anything to him, 001 rushes off, probably back to his own group.

“What do you think the next number is gonna be?” Nam-gyu asks you, putting his arm around your shoulders.

“Hopefully three, then we wouldn’t need any more or less.” You reply.

Nam-gyu hums as a response as you glance around, unconsciously looking for Se-mi and Min-su. Your eyes lock onto them, walking out from a room with a random player. Min-su locks eyes with you but immediately looks away, probably for the best.

It starts up again, this time though Nam-gyu and Thanos don’t dance along to the music, the just stand there.

“3”

“Let’s go team Thanos!” Thanos calls out, making a sprint toward the door. Nam-gyu grins at you, your prediction correct. The two of you follow behind Thanos. You enter the room with 20 seconds left to spare.

“You were right!” Nam-gyu says, paying your shoulder.

“We got lucky.” You smile, somewhat genuinely for the first time since you joined these games, relieved that you don’t need to give anyone up.

20 second pass, the door locks, and gunshots ring out. To your shock, and slight disgust, you’ve gotten used to the gunshots and screams.

Your smile fades from the sound.

“We’re good at this.” Nam-gyu says.

“It’s cause we’re fast, and young, we can get to the rooms in time.” Thanos replies, shifting from foot to foot, unable to stand still.

“Hell yeah, it’s good that the weaklings got left behind, we don’t have to get dragged down by them. They’re probably dead by now anyways.”

“Do you think mg coin is dead?” Thanos asks.

“God I hope so”

“Why do you guys hate him so much?” You ask.

“He scammed us man!” Nam-gyu exclaims.

“That piece of shit scammed me out of all the money I got by busting my ass rapping!” Thanos says.

“You both bought the crypto?”

“He said we’d get more money.” Nam-gyu says.

“Huh, alright” You refrain yourself from making a comment about how stupid it is to trust some random guy on the internet with your money, especially when it comes to crypto.

The door clicks open and all of you walk out, Thanos first. As he steps out of the door he says “welcome back, my friends” in English, followed by Nam-gyu saying “skrrt!” You hold back a laugh.

You’re shocked with how quickly you’ve gotten attached to Nam-gyu, a warm dealing spreading through your body. You suspect it’s because you’re stuck here in this horrible place with him. Your mind latched on to the first person you got somewhat close with.

But you don’t feel nearly as close to Thanos as you do with him. You push this thought off, deciding to deal with it after the game.

The the of you reach the circle again and the process repeats.

“6”

Three more.

“We need three!” Nam-gyu yells out.

“Three people!” You yell alongside him.

Your eyes look frantically around and you spot three people. Se-mi, Min-su, and one other. You have no other choice.

“Come on!” You grab Nam-gyu and Thanos and run towards them. Se-mi spots you and begins running with Min-su and the other guy towards an open door. You run in behind her with Thanos and Nam-gyu, shutting the door once the six of you are in.

The awkwardness is immediately palpable, everyone seems uncomfortable. Except for Thanos, of course.

“Min-su! My boy! I was so scared you died!” He goes over and hugs Min-so, who tries to wiggle away from him.

Nam-gyu scowls.

“This means nothing.” Se-mi says. “We split up again after this round.”

“Yeah, I’m not being with these pussies again. They’re just being us down.”

“Calm down” Thanos says, putting his arms out.

“We weren’t-“ Nam-gyu gets cut off by Thanos again.

“Se-mi is right, we don’t talk about this, the Thanos team doesn’t include Se-mi, Min-su and the random.” Thanos says, suddenly sounding serious, but you know that he isn’t actually.

Nam-gyu seems disappointed that Thanos remembers Se-mi and Min-su’s names but not his. Se-mi seems disappointed that she’s agreeing with an idiot like Thanos.

The room goes quiet again, Thanos nodding his head a beat only he can hear and everyone else feeling too weird to talk.

The door clicks open and the six of you walk out.

“Final round” The voice calls out. You let out a sigh of relief, glad that you have to only deal with one more of these rounds.

You step onto the platform, Thanos and Nam-gyu beside you. Se-mi and Min-su walk to the other side of the circle.

The lights shut off and the platform begins to move. The light in the middle turns on along with the music.

You begin to zone out, the bright colors all blurring I your vision and the music getting quiet.

The music stops.

“2”

You quickly snap back, two. There’s three of you. One has to go.

You look wide eyed at the two men beside you.

Thanos quickly shakes his head from side to side, between you and Nam-gyu. He’s still not taking any of this seriously and it’s beginning to piss you off.

Thanos quickly stops and grabs Nam-gyu by the arm, running off. You freeze in place as Nam-gyu looks back at you. He looks regretful, being dragged along more than actually following.

But his survival instinct is stronger than any bond you thought both of you had.

A wave of betrayal goes through you, more than you’ve ever felt before, more than when Se-mi and Min-su left you.

You thought maybe Nam-gyu was as attached you you as you were to him but you were wrong. All he cares about is survival, not you. You suppose you can’t blame him though.

Suddenly, snapping you out of your thoughts, someone grabs you and drags you towards the one empty room, pushing you in and closing the door before the timer stops and the door locks.

The man lets out a sigh, you recognize him as the person with Se-mi and Min-su.

You don’t care all that much, though. Emotions crashing down onto you, all the adrenaline leaving your body leaving you feeling deflated.

You lean up against the wall, exhausted even though it probably hasn’t been more than an hour. You just want to go back to sleep, you want to go home.

You don’t think about the fact that you won’t even have a home if you don’t get enough money. But that doesn’t matter now.

The minute or so you spend in the room feels both like an eternity and lite it was over in a second. The lock clicks open and you walk out, not bothering to speak to the guy who saved you.

You don’t look around the room, not wanting to see Nam-gyu or Thanos now. You keep your head down and follow the pink guard out and back into the stairwell.

After a minute of walking you enter back into the ‘bedroom’, you’re one of the last people in. The mood is somber, theres not many people left.

“[Name]!” You hear someone rushing towards you, you recognize the voice as Thanos, the last person you want to see right now.

He hugs you, a feeling that makes you want to crawl out of your own skin, and of course Nam-gyu is behind him. Though Nam-gyu doesn’t look very happy.

“I’m so happy to see you again bro!” Thanos says in English, smothering you in a hug. You give up trying to escape as he unwraps from you, still holding on to your shoulders.

“”I thought I was running with you the I looked back and saw I was with this idiot” He points to Nam-gyu who tries his best to smile and laugh.

“Come on, let’s play just one more game, alright?” Thanos says, wrapping an arm around your shoulder and walking you towards you guys’ spot on the stairs. Nam-gyu follows.

Right when you guys reach the spot, guards enter through the front and announce that it’s time to vote. It’s from last number to first.

The voting starts with 456 who votes X, from then the votes seem fairly split.

Thanks goes up to vote and kisses the blue button. The thought of how many dirty hands had touched that before him makes you grossed out.

Nam-gyu goes up, but not before telling you once more to vote blue, sounding less convincing than he was before.

“Just one more game”

It’s your turn to vote now, you walk up to the podium and stare at the two brightly colored buttons before you.

Even though Thanos and Nam-gyu had just betrayed you, leaving you for dead, their words keep repeating in your head. ‘Just one more game’. The button lights up blue under your hand and you walk over to your side.

Even if you did go home now, you have no money. The amount that they’re offering now is good, but it’s not enough. You’ll soon be back to where you were before this game.

Either way you’ll probably end up dead, if not literally then figuratively. But still, you can’t help that part of your mind that yearns for home, even if that home is a shitty studio apartment that you can barely pay for.

You don’t pay attention to Thanos patting you on the back, saying that ‘he knew you would make the right choice’ and ‘he’s proud of you’.

Nam-gyu continues to stay unusually silent, almost like he feels bad for leaving you. You remember the look on his face as he ran off with Thanos.

The drugs are probably just wearing off.

The last person goes up to vote, 001. He stands there for a second, like he’s contemplating which button to push, but in the end he pushes red.

You look up at the board and it’s 50/50. A tie.

The guards say that you will all be able to vote again tomorrow for a tie breaker. You don’t mind this all that much, it gives you some time to get your shit together and hopefully even if you do say there will be a break from the games for the day.

The voting buttons are taken out and food is brought in. You, Thanos, and Nam-gyu are some for the first few people getting food so it’s not soon before you walk off with it to your spot on the stairs.

You do want to split off from these two, but it’s probably better to stay in a team, just in case. And now atleast you know that you can’t fully trust them, so if you get too suspicious you can break off and find someone else, maybe Se-mi and Min-su if they’re willing to let you back in.

You don’t acknowledge another part of the reason you want to stay with them. You’re still attached to Nam-gyu, you don’t want to leave him. Even though you’re pissed at him, you still want to stay for whatever reason.

You unwrap the food you were given and see sushi inside, atleast it looks good.

Only now do you realize how hungry you are. You haven’t eaten since yesterday and even then it was just some bread. You quickly eat one of the pieces of sushi. It isn’t amazing but it’s food. You scarf down the rest of it.

Once you finish your food you wish there was more, you’re still hungry, but there’s nothing you can do.

You drink the soda that you had forgotten about the second you saw the sushi.

“This soda tasted like shit” Nam-gyu says, breaking the silence.

“It’s like knock-off coke” You reply.

“Yeah! They tried to make coke but it just tastes like dirt.”

“I think dirt would taste better than this.”

Nam-gyu snickers and you smile faintly. You hate how easily you’re talking to him, like none of the last hour happened. You wish you could hate Nam-gyu, but you know that you don’t. Well maybe you do a little bit but not enough. Thanos, though, you do hate. But there’s nothing you can do about that, the two of them are basically a package. Buy one get one free.

As if on cue Thanos speaks up. “Those fuckers voted red”

You look to where Thanos is pointing and see Se-mi and Min-su.

“I knew that bitch was bad news from the beginning, we should kill her.” Nam-gyu says.

“Let’s just talk to her and Min-su first” Thanos replies.

You know that ‘talk’ will probably lead to a fight so you bud into the conversation.

“Let’s not, we should just leave them be, they aren’t worth our time” Both Nam-gyu and Thanos look over at you. “They’ll probably die in the next game with how weak they are, let’s just let nature take her course.”

You say the last part to save face, trying to not seem like the odd-one-out of the three of you.

Nam-gyu gives in easily, agreeing with you. It takes Thanos a bit more time though, but be eventually agrees.

The peace doesn’t last for long though. A group of O’s and X’s begin arguing in the middle of the room.

Thanos seems too eager to join the argument. Before you can stop him he jumps up and runs forward.

You lean back, giving up trying to stop him from being stupid, it seems like it’s just part of him.

To your shock Nam-gyu doesn’t follow Thanos and stays put in his seat.

“You’re not going with him? That’s a first” You say, jokingly bashing Nam-gyu.

“I don’t feel like arguing right now, I’m too tired.”

“That’s fair. You just usually follow along behind Thanos like a lost puppy.”

“No I don’t, I’m more like a guard dog. People see Thanos and they’re like ‘okay this guy looks stupid and weak’ but then they see me and they’re like ‘oh shit I can’t mess with him!’ Ya know?”

You barely hold your laugh in until Nam-gyu finishes his spiel, then you can’t help how you laugh in his face.

“That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard” You say, gasping between breaths before laughing again.

“Oh come on! It’s not that funny.” Nam-gyu looks embarrassed, that makes you laugh even more, until your stomach hurts.

“Oh my god, I haven’t laughed that hard in so long.”

“Asshole”

A feeling of disgust passes through your brain, you’re having this much fun with some asshole who just left you for dead, but you don’t dwell on it, preferring to focus on the good mood.

“You’re not an attack dog, look at you!”

“What do you mean look at me?!”

“You’re more like a tamed hyena, you follow behind Thanos and snicker and taunt along to his comments.”

“I’m the leader of the group, not him.”

“As if”

Nam-gyu rolls his eyes.

“Then you’re like a ratty street cat, we picked you up and you just stuck with us”

Before you can think of a comeback Thanos sits back down.

“Those asshole X’s” He says, practically pouting. “Who do they think they are.”

The fight looks fully broke up, everyone back in their previous spots with their groups.

“Thanos,” Nam-gyu says suddenly, having just remembered something. “Can I have another, you know”

“Yeah yeah, a reward for getting through the game.”

Nam-gyu grins.

Your stomach twists at the mention of the game but you ignore it.

Nam-gyu looks over at you and motions towards the cross Thanos is taking out of his jacket, as if to offer you one again.

But your mind hasn’t changed since yesterday so you shake your head.

“Hey man you can’t just go offering up my pills, we’re running low on stock.”

“I know I know, just gimme”

Thanos hands Nam-gyu a pink pill and Nam-gyu immediately puts it in his mouth and swallows it. Thanos grabbing another for himself and doing the same thing.

It feels a bit odd being the only sober one here but you’re not gonna give in to your fomo.

“After this game I should have enough to pay off my debts.” Nam-gyu says. But you know in reality it’ll never be enough, it’ll always be ‘just one more game’.

You’re gonna click X after the next game. Probably.

“Yeah bro, and then mg coin can pay us back” Nam-gyu eagerly nods along to Thanos’ words. You don’t bother to comment on the fact that they said, earlier today, that they hoped he was dead.

The woman voice on the speaker says you have 30 minutes until bed and the screen lights up with the timer.

It hasn’t felt like a whole day has passed, maybe the game took more than the hour you thought it did. Or maybe you just don’t have a good internal clock.

Thanos lets out a loud, dramatic, yawn.

“I’m tired man, that game took too much out of me.”

“Yeah, I’m ready pass out.” Nam-gyu says, agreeing with Thanos as per usual.

“Mhm” You hum, but you’re not all that tired, similarly to last night.

“Do you think any of the X’s are gonna switch sides?” Nam-gyu asks Thanos.

“Nah man, they’re all stubborn as hell, they won’t listen to reason.”

“Shit, well we can’t have another tie, it’ll drag this on longer. I just wanna be out of here with my money.”

“Yeah bro, I miss my vape” Thanos says, speaking like this vape is his child.

“I’m craving a cigarette so bad” Nam-gyu says.

You still don’t fully know how you got caught up in this group of junkies but it doesn’t matter now.

“I need to piss” Thanos says suddenly, not holding back with how he speaks.

You realize that you haven’t peed all day so you decide to go along. Nam-gyu follows the both of you.

The three of you enter the bathroom and piss, you finishing first.

You go up to the sink and wash your hands before getting some water and splashing it on your face, getting a bit into your hair too but not drenching it. You grab a paper towel and wipe your face as well as your hands.

You look back to the other two to see if they’re done and you catch Nam-gyu staring at you. Once he realizes you saw him he looks away, pretending like he wasn’t ogling at you.

The three of you walk out of the door, through the hallway, and back into the main room.

You look up at the screen which says 20 minutes.

“I’m gonna head to bed early” You say even though you aren’t too tired, you just don’t want to sit around for another 20 minutes.

“Goodnight bro” Thanos says in English. Why does he speak in English so much?

“Night” Nam-gyu says.

You nod towards them and walk up to your bead, taking your shoes off and climbing in.

You get yourself under the covers and just lay there, staring at the ceiling. You can hear the noise of 99 people talking around you but you’re not close enough to any conversation to hear what exactly they’re saying.

Soon enough the timer says 10 minutes, the chatter dying down, then it hits 0 and the lights go out. Everything is now quiet, almost eerily so.

You hear footsteps walking up the stairs and you think you already know who it is if yesterday was any indication. You look over and see Nam-gyu who says nothing this time but you scoot over in the bed and he quickly gets in.

He isn’t even trying to make an excuse this time, and you don’t fully know why you’re letting him sleep beside you. You think part of you craves the closeness, especially in this situation.

Nam-gyu gets under the sheets and turns away, lying on his side and looking towards the other beds.

You move your arm over and lay it over Nam-gyu’s body. You immediately regret it, feeling somewhat embarrassed at the thought that he might not reciprocate, and try to pull your arm back but Nam-gyu grabs it. He hold your arm to his chest. You don’t try to move it away anymore.

You don’t know why you decided to hug him in the first place. Could you have developed feelings for him in the span of a day? Maybe, and It seems like he might have caught feelings for you as well.

Like yesterday you begin to get tired with Nam-gyu there with you.

After a few minutes you give in and fall asleep.

——

A/n 2 - I don’t plan on writing a third part because if I did it would probably be them out of the games (majority voted X) but if anyone would want to read that lmk

[insertmeaningfulusername]

Fanfic writer interview

Thank you for the tag @sinvulkt 💙

What fandoms do you write in?

Literally just various Star Wars media atm. The main focus for 2024 was the prequel era, mostly The Clone Wars and some Bad Batch.

How many words have you published in 2024?

172,387 according to my stats. I wrote more than that though, and I still plan on posting and backdating approximately 5 one-shots I wrote in 2024 but never got around to post.

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

I despise/love them all equally I guess if I had to choose, I'm still really happy with these three: Wanted, a gift for @omaano in which Dogma gets morning snuggles from Tup and Fives. Idk why this pairing is so rare, they're underrated!! The Meaning Is Ours, the first fic I ever wrote that's entirely original characters, for the 2024 Trans Clone Week. Both Hunter and Prey, my fic for the DinLuke mini bang in which Luke is a vampire and on the hunt for a certain Mandalorian. I just think it's hot sklfjadlksfj.

What was your biggest pit of despair moment?

Oh boy... maybe writing the gift fic for the Star Wars Rare Pairs exchange. It just kept getting longer and longer!! Which, really, I should have probably expected, because among other ships my giftee requested Polybatch with a focus on Echo getting railed and I just couldn't resist, and of course all the Batch members wanted a turn. And the fic kept being a thorn in my eye even after it was posted because people would request another fic based on a flashback scene that's maybe one paragraph long, all without complimenting the 13k I'd already written 😭 like, you really expect me to write more fic for you when you can't even comment on the fic that's already there??? Idk what to tell you but fanfiction writers aren't content machines where you can just press a button that says "Next story, please!"

What have you learned?

That people will love the fics you think are hot garbage and entirely pass by the stories you put a lot of thought and energy into. It's an old lesson but one I have to keep re-learning.

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

I betaed or cheerread two or three things but I don't know if they've even been posted...

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

I have to admit that I don't read a lot of fanfiction, but these three I've found in my bookmarks: Ready Room by countessofbiscuit, in which Fi and Corr make out - ultra rare pair content from the Republic Commando novels and so sweet and silly (like Fi) and just a tiny bit bittersweet! Nine-Seven by Trudemaethien, with some platonic Sev & Niner. It's just so refreshing to see aroace headcanons finally arriving in fandom. Save an AT-RT (Ride an ARF Trooper) by BilbosMom, WaxerBoil, containing both smut and humor - my favourite combination!!

What ideas are percolating for next year?

Nothing concrete so far. Maybe finish some of the WIPs in my pile, try to write more than one fic for the Codywan First Kiss Bingo so I'll at least get a bingo, and try to write something for the @cloneshiprarepair monthly ships (go check out this event btw, there are some crunchy ships getting served up!). Probably try to sign up for fewer exchanges because I can feel my interest in Star Wars slipping.

No pressure tagging @lesbiankiliel @wolveria @loverboy-havocboy @violentcheese @bilbosmom-belladonna @forloveofcodywan @anxiousotters @five-oh-thirst @the-starry-seas @hastalavistabyebye @theproblemwithstardust @violetjedisylveon @elimaryholmes @rooksunday @ladylucksrogue

[itficlibrary]

This Week's Theme is Fics under 5k words!

The following list contains fics that are under 5,000 words! Writing short fic like this is a real talent, so we'd like to celebrate some we've found!

For fans of light-hearted miscommunications & domesticity, try:

Pushing the envelope by car

(4.6k words)

Uber domestic & fun little fic wherein reddie are living together, and an increasingly jealous Eddie discovers (or so he thinks) Richie’s getting love letters in the mail. Perfect seasonal read for V day!

For fans of Vague Impending Doom and big teenage feelings, try:

You have me there, if it’s a triple dog dare by sulfuric

(1.6k words)

Takes the simple concept of a late night reddie conversation and packs it with angst & character study! A mutually in love teen Eddie and Richie hypothesise about running away, or rather ‘going missing’ together.

For fans of Eddie’s internalised homophobia, try:

we two boys together clinging by ladymemebeth

(2.9k words)

Where 17-year-old richie plucks up the courage to kiss eddie - only eddie can’t bring himself to kiss back, and does some introspection on Why That Is. Such a snappy and clever writing style to this one.

For fans of a very Richie Tozier coming of age, try:

boys will be boys by scullyseviltwin

(3.9k words)

This one really knocked me off my feet for a little while it’s FANTASTIC. Follows a teen Richie as he little by little starts fighting back against his bullies and discovers himself along the way. Ends on a sweet, happy note!

For fans of teen fluff & nostalgic vibes, try:

see the sky by ssstrychnine

(5.3k words)

This fic was posted right after the reboot came out, in september 2017! A gentle & fluffy slice of life of sorts, charting Richie and Eddie’s love for each other from right after summer 1989 up until they go to college.

For fans of middle-aged dude repression & overcoming it via Love, try:

Vessel and veins by lagaudiere

(5.1k words)

Follows richie and eddie in the wake of a love confession, struggling with the physical affection and couple-iness of it all…to such a degree richie ends up in the hospital…This fic is tender and funny with a perfect eddie character study running throughout.

For fans of horror & canon compliant suffering, try:

Hollow by val-creative

(1.3k words)

In only 1000 words, this fic is an absolute fucking sucker punch and i will not be forgetting it anytime soon. Wherein Richie can see dead people as an after effect of the deadlights, namely IT’s victims, ranging from Betty Ripsom to Eddie Kaspbrak. FYI this deals a lot with death & gore, and Richie also attempts suicide in it - please take care!

For fans of Mike Hanlon finally getting to relax and friendship fluff, try:

Better, I think by thewayaround

(2.5k words)

A super feelgood, everybody lives fix-it that starts with Stan showing Mike pics of his and Patty’s trip to Florida, and ends with all the losers taking a trip there together. This has a great Mike POV and I could honestly feel all the stress leaving my body while reading it.

For fans of fantasy & the power of brotherly love, try:

Georgie Denbrough, God of the Kenduskeag by manycoloureddays

(1.1k words)

A whimsical oneshot based on the Rivers of London books, wherein Georgie doesn’t die but rather becomes guardian of the Kenduskeag river & supports the losers throughout their IT-defeating journey.

For fans of heavy angst & richie loneliness, try:

the heartbreak prince (it's you and me, that's my whole world.) by dojin

(3.5k words)

A deliciously miserable study on Richie + grief after the events of IT 2019. It looks at how life keeps moving on for him while he can never stop grieving or loving Eddie, interspersed with heartbreaking still-alive-and-in-love Eddie dream sequences. Heed the tags on this!

For fans of domestic fluff, try:

we get to make it up by zach_stone (2.5k words)

Richie and Eddie spend an afternoon baking gluten free banana bread together! A super cute little glimpse into Reddie’s post chapter two domesticity! 

For fans of Richie suffering (positive), try:

sweet soft fever by moichi ( @clownbrainrot)

(2.5k words)

Eddie asks Richie for advice on creating a Grindr profile. Richie suffers through it. Hilarity ensues.

For fans of outsider PoVs, try:

love is the thing with wings (tweet tweet, richie) by lizifer

(870 words)

The person who sits next to Richie on the plane ride back to Los Angeles snoops on Richie while he's writing a love confession to Eddie.

For fans of sweet reddie bickering, try:

Playing for Keeps by LogicalBookThief ( @logicalbookthief )

(3.3k words)

This is a super cute fic wherein Richie and Eddie go onto one of those Newlyweds shows and absolutely smash it out of the fuckin park. The reddie dynamics are A++!

For fans of poetic, non-linear narratives, try:

what i'm made for has always been you by one whodiedyoung ( @onewhodiedyoung )

(3.5k words)

For fans of cathartic hurt/comfort, try:

the sound of the unlocking & the lift away by anemicaxolotl

(2.4k words)

Eddie-centric post canon events fic that deals with coping with the loss of a limb. Very sweet and cute.

For fans of Richie character studies and Christmas fics, try:

Hoarfrost by bellbawttoms ( @gaylittlerichie )

(5.4k words)

Richie and Eddie host a Christmas get-together, attended by Richie's parents, their emotional support friend, Mike, and Eddie's dog, Seymour. Hilarity ensues.

For fans of explicit fics with a comedic basis, try:

Helping Hand by curiousair

(4.4k words)

Richie gets the hiccups, and he reads online that sticking a finger up your butt can cure them.

For fans of post chapter two fix-it fics, try:

hope it does not heal by signetsealed

(4.9k words)

Post chapter two events, neither Richie nor Eddie can sleep, so they spend some time together, talking about anything and everythig.

[timesorceror]

If you've found this list of fic recs via my Dreamling Fic Recs Masterpost, then you know this list is one of many.

However, if you came upon this list some other way, then know that it is in no way an exhaustive archive of the best of the best in Dreamling (especially since Tumblr posts have a link limit of 100 inline links per post – which this one, according to my calculations). For the full spiel about how this list came to be and a link to my Google Doc with the most up-to-date full list, please see the Masterpost for details.

All you need to know is that this list works sort of like a menu at a restaurant. You're here to eat at Restaurant Dreamling, and the item categories on this menu are of course:

Alternate Universe

Angst with a Happy Ending

Character Study

Crossover

Fishbowl Rescue

Fluff

Friends / Enemies to Lovers

Getting Together

Each category, of course, has sub-category flavor profiles like Hurt/Comfort, Omegaverse, and Dreamsharing, followed by the menu items (i.e., the thing you're here for – the fic recs).

All fic recs in this list are complete, for your reading consideration.

I hope that explanation was enough to get you hungry for some tasty Dreamling fics, and may you have a wonderful dining experience!

Alternate Universe

Canon Divergence AU

a lucky break(out) by cuubism | Teen

Hob acquires a familiar ruby at an antiquities sale. Said ruby summons something else into his home as well. [3 Chapters | 9,892 words]

Amor Vincit Omnia by Lalaith_Quetzalli | Teen

Death is tired of seeing her favorite brother die, cycle after cycle, unable to do anything to save him. Until she realizes that even if she might not be able to do that. Maybe there’s someone else who can. Someone who cares for her brother just as much as she does, if in a different way, someone who’s willing to kill and die and live for him, someone who’ll love him… [3 Chapters | 9,282 words]

It's Rotten Work by Rhinozilla | Teen

Hob visits his storage unit outside Buffalo, New York, on a rainy night. He’s taken to keeping caches like this one around the world…kind of a ‘just in case’ contingency plan. He gets more than he bargained for when he hears a racket coming from the neighboring unit. He didn’t really have a contingency plan for what and who he finds in there. [3 Chapters | 9,990 words]

Ghost / Medium AU

For Now by softestpunk | Mature

Dream talks to ghosts, and writes their stories. One of his ghosts—an Eleanor Gadlen—has a very interesting story to tell about her husband. A man Dream sees in his local café on a weekly basis. [3 Chapters | 18,845 words]

Magic AU

Veil of Great Surprises by equus8 | Teen

Dream wakes from his slumber to find nothing much has actually changed in his life, except how he feels about himself. [...] Dream doesn’t know what he is doing anymore: Hob Gadling, it seems, has it all figured out, and Dream has to know how he manages to keep going. [10 Chapters | 41,990 words]

Modern Setting AU

Cupid's spines by que_lla | Mature

The thing is ugly. It’s roundish and bumpy and its spines are black and irregular. The more Hob looks at it, the more he’s impressed by how truly horrid it looks. [...] “Excellent find,” a deep and beautiful voice says, making him almost jump. “You have chosen a magnificent specimen.” [6 Chapters | 13,261 words]

Selkie AU

i must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky by celestarium (meadowziplines) | Mature

Dream is missing a piece of his soul; he doesn't know he's missing it: doesn't know he's a Selkie, separated from his skin as a baby. He is depressed and feels like he's full of broken pieces, and his sister coaxes him into interacting with Hob Gadling, a swimmer aspiring to swim the English Channel. It won't fix everything. But it could be the start of something new. [2 Chapters | 6,919 words]

Soulmates AU

Eight Poppies by RedBlackOwl (Shaylayn) | Teen

Dream gets a soulmate despite not wanting one. So he chooses to ignore their existence, believing that the problem will solve itself in a couple of decades, when the human dies. Unfortunately for him, the Universe has other plans. [3 Chapters | 15,044 words]

love, i see you now by ink_and_rain | Mature

5 times Dream of the Endless calls Hob Gadling by his full name, and one time he doesn't. [4 Chapters | 19,908 words]

Wings AU

these wings of night (you were only waiting for this moment to fly) by celestarium (meadowziplines) | Teen

By the time a summoning spell rips his essence apart and deposits him in the basement of Fawney Rig in 1916, Morpheus has not let [his wings] out in millennia. They are a constant low ebb of pain, but it is easier to shove that part of himself into a box than the amount of hurt they cause when out. [2 Chapters | 4,837 words]

Angst with a Happy Ending

Age Regression/De-Aging

Dream Myself Away by Anonymous | Not Rated

Dream's emotions explode and he is reduced to toddler size, the dream vortex is still out there, the Corinthian is a concern, and everyone works together to look after Morpheus. [11 Chapters | 46,897 words]

Canon Divergence AU

You Found Me by Avelera | Teen

Hob Gadling is recently divorced and not in a good mental place when Dream walks into the New Inn over thirty years late for their appointment. So, instead of warmly welcoming Dream, Hob decides to finally give him a piece of his mind. As far as he's concerned, it's Dream's turn to be the good friend if he wants Hob back in his life. He was not expecting Dream to take him up on that challenge. [2 Chapters | 15,247 words]

Conversations

Tread of an Echo by LivingProof | Teen

Hob Gadling does not free Dream of the Endless from his prison in the Burgess estate. There is no grand rescue. No barging in, guns blazing, no daring adventure, no dashing escape. There is only this, after. Pints in the New Inn and coffee and conversation in Hob’s office and the slow, slow building of a bridge, brick by brick. Hob does not free Dream from his prison. But he might help save Dream, all the same. [2 Chapters | 14,126 words]

Different First Meeting AU

I loved and I loved and I lost you by Dino_Cattivo | General Audiences

Dream never went into the tavern with his sister. It was Death who fascinated by Hob grants him immortality. Years later Hob and Dream meet each other not knowing about each other's connection to Death assuming the other is human. [5 Chapters | 28,446 words]

Dreamsharing

A Different Kind of Burn by Ruby_Casablanca | Mature

Wherein Hob dreams of war, Morpheus dreams of an escape from his prison, and over the span of many years, they fall into dreams that blur the lines between friendship and something more. [4 Chapters | 14,142 words]

Fairy Tale Elements

the silent isle imbowers by tharkuun | Mature

Hob Gadling remembers the last dream he ever had when he was a boy; he remembers the strange man he met within it, and the war that already was consuming the Dreaming. Sometimes he thinks he would do anything to save that Dream King, if the stories happened to be true. One day, he just might. [9 Chapters | 31,422 words]

Falling In Love

Vortex Street by Ouiche | Mature

“And that’s why, when the 21st century started, I decided I wanted to understand how it worked. I got a degree in aeronautics, and before I knew it I was in the middle of a PhD. That’s how I became a physicist.” “I remember recruiting two physicists in 1909, to work for me," Dream says pensively. “Henri Bénard and Theodore von Kármán.” Hob’s eyebrows lifts. “You had a bit of a vortex problem?” [14 Chapters | 44,564 words]

Fishbowlmates AU

And Though I Burn (How Could I Fall) by Purplesauris | Explicit

In 1916, Dream is summoned by an amateur magician while chasing a rogue nightmare. In 1916, Hob Gadling is caught in the cross fire of said summoning. [12 Chapters | 52,588 words]

Human / Ghost AU

No Grave (Can Hold My Body Down) by JustJReally | Teen

“You’re a ghost,” Morpheus reminds Hob. “You’re not obligated to me anymore. You’re- you’re free to go,” he says. [...] Hob deflates. It’s strangely literal; his feet touch the floor for the first time in this conversation. “That’s. Kind of you. I think,” he says, in the tones of a ten-year-old who’s been given socks for his birthday and is trying very hard to be polite about it. “I’d rather not, though? [6 Chapters | 18,907 words]

Hurt/Comfort (Fishbowl Rescue)

Best Laid Plans by imnotcryingipromise | Teen

In which Hob Gadling intends to have a fling with a guard in Burgess' mansion and instead stumbles upon his stranger. [2 Chapters | 10,884 words]

nurse my pride, throw in a please by OrangeChickenPillow | Teen

Hob is a patient man, and Dream is a stubborn one. [...] And, naturally, he also hadn't seen it coming when she told him that his stranger needed his help. But if Hob had learned anything in his unnaturally long life. [6 Chapters | 58,368 words]

Sing Me To Sleep by Rhythm_of_Light | General Audiences

Dream’s hands were cold as they cupped Hob’s face, desperate to hold on to this reality. “I’m here, I’m real,” Hob said, wrapping the coat around Morpheus’ shoulders, drawing it around his thin frame. Or, Jessamy enlists the help of Hob Gadling to free Dream of the Endless. [2 Chapters | 3,359 words]

Sycamore, Ash, Moss And Loam by Rauchendes_GNU | Mature

Hob Gadling doesn't really expect having to save his Stranger from his prison in Fawney Rig. Dream doesn't expect to have his Endless essence ripped from him by a brutal spell that leaves him weak and painfully human. Lucky for him, Hob has gone through many lifetimes and knows how to be human. [35 Chapters | 53,572 words]

Through a Fractured Existence by Stormysaslytherin | Mature

The grimoire Burgess uses to trap Dream contains a more sinister secret, something that will strip power and essence from the Endless. [...] Hob is having terrible dreams all seemingly centering around his Stranger and the need to find him. Except he has no place to start and the journey may change him forever. [21 Chapters | 84,934 words]

Hurt/Comfort (Pre Fishbowl)

Having or Seeming to Have No End or Limit by r_n_g_are_dead | Teen

A love story between two beings who have all the time in the world, and yet nowhere near enough. A dive into how Hob Gadling and Dream of the Endless fell for each other, from their 1789 meeting through the present (and beyond…), and in which Dream breaks their 100-years pact before their pact is broken for them. Because Hob was right: Dream is lonely. [11 Chapters |  31,039 words]

Hob needs a nap by Dino_Cattivo | General Audiences

Hob can't seem to fall asleep if he isn't cuddled by someone. The problem is he has no one, ever since he was driven out of his home and to the street. Will things change when he meets his stranger in the White Horse? [2 Chapters | 8,957 words]

Hurt/Comfort (Post Fishbowl)

Dreamling Febu-Whump angst-fest by Mistressaq | Teen

Hob has settled in on a weekend grading papers on his sofa when his former-Stranger-current-Friend appears out of thin air and crashes onto his coffee table. Hob’s fight-or-flight kicks in, and regrettably, after six hundred years on this Earth, his instinct is fight. [..] He succeeds at nudging Morpheus, so he rolls onto his back and reveals the puddle of blood growing beneath him. [5 Chapters | 12.131 words]

find hope in the hopeless by Thesuspiciousflyingjellyfish | Teen

Dream breaks and becomes lost. From this comes Sleep, dreams without hope. And in some ways, it's for the better. [2 Chapters | 18,669 words]

Galaxies on the Floor by aliaoftwoworlds | Teen

Hob hadn’t planned to confess his immortality to anyone, but it had seemed the right thing to do at the time, and he turned out to be very grateful for it one day as he and his most knowledgeable student knelt on the floor of a classroom beside the smoldering body of a demon, trying to hold down a writhing, shapeshifting creature that usually masqueraded as Hob’s man-shaped lover. [11 Chapters | 55,913 words]

Liminal Space by Rhinozilla | Teen

Hob sustains a mortal wound when he instinctively blocks an attack meant for Dream. Before this, Dream has never been a witness to any of Hob’s “deaths.” Even though it’s only temporary, the shock and sorrow immediately overwhelm him, and he burns. Everything. Hob catches glimpses of the chaos during his resuscitation. [3 Chapters | 9,348 words]

Stained Glass World by BlueEcho (Zwetschge14) | General Audiences

The cracks and damages in the walls of the Dreaming - the aftermath of the Vortex - causes the dreams and nightmares of Dreamers all over the Dreaming to bleed together, and unprepared for the sheer number of Dreamers, dreams and nightmares, Dream finds himself overwhelmed and unable to deal with the situation. The only thing he can do is seek refuge with his oldest friend. [5 Chapters | 13,229 words]

Strains of a Melody by ginoeh | Mature

When Hob Gadling strands on Naxos at the beginning of the 20th century, some long-laid plans and designs unravel. While the great stories always return to their original form, for some this is the start of an entirely new narrative. The Fates, though, demand their due and neither Dream not Hob are free until all debts are paid in full. [6 Chapters | 55,526 words]

the gift of hindsight by itsthechocopuff | Teen

What if, when they meet in the twenty-first century, Hob is a little more human, a little slower to forgive, and Dream a little more cognizant of how one should treat centuries-old friends, though no more socially competent? Or: Dream's admission that Hob is his friend prompts a realisation of what else Dream's longest - and only - friend means to him. [3 Chapters | 13,733 words]

Unsung Lullabies by Cheshyr | Teen

An attack on the Dreaming leaves Dream wounded and weakened in an unexpected way- physically, mentally, and emotionally, Dream is temporarily left as a child. Hob is given the task of watching over him until he heals, which seems simple enough, but slowly through their time together he learns more about the things his love struggles with and why. He learns more about Dream’s family, and the ways he’s been hurt that he won’t admit. But with Hob’s help, he may begin to heal some of his ancient hurts. [7 Chapters | 30,761 words]

Waiting for a star to fall by Dino_Cattivo | General Audiences

After their meeting in the New Inn, Hob starts to have dreams of his Stranger, and they build a relationship in the Dreaming. But not everything is as happy as it seems. [2 Chapters | 11,805 words]

Omegaverse

In Need of Seaside Air by bookslutskye | Teen

After giving birth to his second child, Dream finds himself unable to care for the boy or even himself. Getting out of bed seems an insurmountable task, but the more he rests the worse he feels. Hob, in an attempt to get Dream back to himself, takes the family to the coast until the end of summer. He just hopes it will be enough. [10 Chapters | 20,353 words]

The New Inn is a Temple

I Threw Glass at My Friend's Eyes and Now i’m on Probation by TheStemCell | Teen

Or how to unknowingly build a shrine to the personification of dreams, only for him to appear wet and naked outside your pub. A raven is there. [2 Chapters | 16,467 words]

Time Loop

Tuesday Morning Blues by Moorishflower | Mature

Too many sad days / Too many Tuesday mornings / I thought of you today / I wished it was yesterday morning. | Hob Gadling wakes up. He wakes up. He wakes up. [14 Chapters | 36,685 words]

Character Study

Dream of the Endless│Morpheus Needs a Hug

Perspective by Ardin | Teen

The dreams and nightmares have all been returned or otherwise handled. The cracks from the ghost hiding in the Dreaming have gone - the baby may be an issue at some point, but not now. [...] So why can't Dream rest? Maybe because while everything has been put to rights, it has also changed. And so has he. It would be nice to have someone to talk to about that. But maybe he already does. [4 Chapters | 18,896 words]

Crossover

Good Omens

A Demon Walks Into A Bar by LapisLazuli13 | Teen

And accidentally finds an immortal human whom he can share a drink with and grumble about how dense some certain oblivious otherworldly beings are. Hob Gadling has only one thing to complain about in this whole situation. “I own an inn, not a bar.” “For the sake of the joke just shut up and agree with me.” [2 Chapters | 4,211 words]

strange friends in strange places by multifandom_fanfic_writer | Teen

Hob makes a friend at the Classic Car Convention and stumbles upon a strange bookshop. When his Stranger asks him for help to find a certain grimoire, things get even more confusing. [3 Chapters | 11,485 words]

Shadowhunters

A Dream of Rescue by Aria_Lerendeair | Teen

Magnus Bane receives orders to investigate what is a trapped warlock (or something demonic) in the basement of one Roderick Burgess. He isn't expecting to come across two creatures already planning a rescue of said captive. Even more than that - he isn't expecting the captive to be an Endless, of all things.  [13 Chapters | 51,299 words]

Fishbowl Rescue

During WWI

what could have been by imnotcryingipromise | Teen

A multipart fic beginning with Dreamling reuniting in 1889 and detailing Dream’s capture and Hob’s attempt to rescue him. [5 Chapters | 22,441 words]

Post WWI

The Barghest Nightmare by Aria_Lerendeair | Mature

It was 1906 when Hob was bitten by a creature. Seventeen years later, after rescuing his Stranger from the basement of a manor, Hob finds out that he's not just a hybrid werewolf type. No, he's something far beyond even his own imagination, something that only his Stranger knows and understands. Now if only he could find a way not to be a burden to his Stranger… [2 Chapters | 19,195 words]

fall asleep to dreams of home (where the waves are crashing) by Thranduilland | Mature

Everyone has a soulmate and until soulmates meet, they see the world in black and white. Dream didn't think he had a soulmate, until he asks a man in 1389 if he'd heard correctly that they weren't going to die... [5 Chapters | 18,692 words]

Hob to the rescue by Anonymous | Teen

Hob Gadling attends a party at Roderick Burgess’s mansion at the request of his client, following the rumour of a ‘devil’ in the magus’s basement. To his utter surprise, Hob finds none other than his mysterious stranger. Well, Hob can’t leave him there, can he? [2 Chapters | 7,185 words]

In Awe, I Stand by sleepsonfutons | Teen

A tale of awe inspired. On one side, Hob Gadling experiencing revelation; on the other, Dream experiencing the unexpected and unbridled want of his immortal companion. [2 Chapters | 1,991 words]

In the arms of Morpheus | Dans les bras de Morphée. by aalisse | Teen

Death comes for a raven, and finds her brother. He doesn't ask her for help, but prevents her possible entrapment, so she finds Hob Gadling and suggests he do something about the situation at hand. Cue a one man rescue mission in 1926, which leads to dozens of years of platonic, yet vaguely romantic dating both in the waking world and in the Dreaming. [2 Chapters | 12,320 words]

Into Darkness and Howling (I'll Keep Him From Drowning) by TinyButFierce | Teen

It was beginning to sound like Roderick Burgess had something or someone trapped in his basement. Hob was starting to wonder if he should do something about that. [4 Chapters | 6,157 words]

little by little, and also in great leaps by she_who_loves_dreamling (all_fandoms_reader) | Teen

In one world, Jessamy and Death depart for the Sunless lands, and it will be long years before Dream is free. This is not that world. ~ Hob is eating breakfast on Tuesday, August 10th, in the year of our Lord 1926, when Death comes knocking. [5 Chapters | 21,331 words]

the price of salvation by imnotcryingipromise | Teen

Wealthy businessman, Robyn Stranger is invited to the auction of an unknown supernatural being, held hostage by one Roderick Burgess. The immortal willingly accepts the invitation -given his current penchant for liberating enslaved mortals from their deluded, “magic using” captors- unaware that he is more familiar with the being trapped below, than he ever could have imagined. [5 Chapters | 23,305 words]

The Virtue of Compassion by Konstadt | Mature

Randall Burgess survived the Gallipoli campaign, albeit only just. [...] Randall is forgotten by the wayside and finds a strange comaraderie with the being locked up beyond his reach. He couldn't imagine they had more in common than simply being trapped, much less anything that could be the key to both of them escaping their respective cages. [6 Chapters | 29,735 words]

June 1989

A Dark Familiar Stranger by PH03N1X_360 | Teen

It’s a wonder how strangled a man can feel if he cannot breathe, but he cannot die. In which the lack of air in the cage causes Dream to hallucinate and Hob breaks his Stranger out of the Burgess Mansion. [3 Chapters | 4,268 words]

All My Problems by Hopeful_Foolx | Teen

Hob Gadling is pretty sure his stranger won't show up, and right when he thinks that he should resign himself to his fate, someone else sits down. Death. Handing him a file and information on where and how to get her brother out of... captivity? Really, Hob has broken into places quite a few times, but... Maybe he should not think about what he is about to do so much. [6 Chapters | 23,635 words]

Can I Sleep in Your Brain Tonight, Stranger? by equus8 | Teen

Dream of the Endless gets more than he bargained for in the Burgess' basement. Hob Gadling is just trying to live his comfortable domestic life. Neither of them are prepared for what comes after the glass shatters. [24 Chapters | 69,079 words]

Post 1989

On Hallowed Ground by midnightstarfield | Not Rated

In 1889, Hob said something before thinking it through- or at least that's what he thought in the aftermath. When his Stranger didn't show for their annual centennial meeting, he thought he'd never see him again. However, when he has a strange dream some thirty years after he starts to think that some things might have been out of his control. Maybe his Stranger was lonely but unwilling to admit it and maybe he hadn't missed their meeting willingly. [6 Chapters | 14,420 words]

Fluff

Domestic Fluff

in a moon's turn - flufftober 2022 by neila777 | Teen

Hob opens his eyes to a blue sky and Dream, still at his side. “Hi,” Hob laughs, delight blooming in his chest. Dream smiles softly, “Hello.”  [16 Chapters | 8,252 words]

First Kiss

Paleontology by softestpunk | General Audiences

In 2022, Hob shows Dream a fossil he'd meant to show him in 1889. In Hob's dreams, later, Dream explores a missed opportunity.  [2 Chapters | 4,945 words]

Getting Together

Braided Longing by Aria_Lerendeair | Teen

Watching Hob Gadling weave braids into the hair of his students as he tells them stories, Dream is filled with the longing for one of the braids that Hob speaks of. One of kinship, an eternal bond, publicly on display for all. However, he is unsure if Hob feels the same. Would Hob wear the same braid to match? A braid for them?  [3 Chapters | 13,450 words]

watch the world from the sidelines by hondayotas | Teen

dream has always been on the periphery of life, never wanting to get his hands messy, but hob gadling is pulling him in more than he'd like to admit. [3 Chapters | 13,450 words]

Hurt/Comfort

Closing the Distance by Ryunya | Mature

Distance (and time) make the heart grow fonder, and both Dream and Hob are very happy to be finally reunited. However, Dream gets affected by the Waking world in ways he never has before, and that complicates things a bit. [7 Chapters | 18,096 words]

If you would have me by HanaSheralHaminail | Teen

In his cat form, Dream stretched out his body and yawned languidly. The key shimmered into existence, pulled from the dream of a young writer who fashioned stories of fae queens and mortal sailors, of treasure chests and friendship forged through hardship. “The person who first takes the key from him shall become my spouse.”  [2 Chapters | 17,748 words]

I cannot be gently held by imnotcryingipromise | Teen

Hob Gadling is left comatose after a car accident. Dream of the Endless seeks to use Hob’s extended stay in his realm to repair their centuries old friendship.  [2 Chapters | 17,748 words]

I will find you in your dreams by Salmaka | Teen

A story where Dream, confused and weak from his time in isolation doesn't make it back to the Dreaming but ends up in Hob's house instead.  [9 Chapters | 13,319 words]

Maybe I can stay a little while longer by TheOne_who_Lovesthe_Moon | Mature

Dream finally works up the courage to visit Hob after his capture. They do what they always do: Talk. Talk about Hob's life. But Hob finally wants to know more about Dream, but the Endless is unsure what to tell his immortal friend. So Hob makes it his new mission in life to get to know Dream, whatever it takes. [16 Chapters | 13,619 words]

Metamorphosis by Windsweptinred | Mature

"Where there is Time, there must be Night." "Order, Chaos" "Life, Unlife" "Father, Mother" "And found your Night, long ago, did you not?"  [6 Chapters | 24,089 words]

Patience is a Conquering Virtue by Moorishflower | Mature

Hob will wait as long as it takes. A six-hundred year (give or take) slow burn through dreams and memories.  [13 Chapters | 22,180 words]

Serendipity (Shall I Dream Of Our Destiny?) by LapisLazuli13 | Teen

A story where Dream, confused and weak from his time in isolation doesn't make it back to the Dreaming but ends up in Hob's house instead.  [9 Chapters | 14,756 words]

Terms of Endearment by BeholdingTheGaytimes | Mature

It’s been somewhere between two or three months, he reckons, since Hob started consistently having domestic dreams about a man he hasn’t seen in about a hundred and thirty years. It’s only a bit mortifying. Dreams and the subconscious are odd, and he’s not going to start judging himself now for any wanton desires.  [6 Chapters | 13,871 words]

The Weight Of Our Memories by RambleOnWaywardSon | Teen

Dream shows Hob where he's been, and Hob shows Dream something about how to heal. [4 Chapters | 6,972 words]

What our unknown years to come might do by dreamline | Not Rated

Dream returns to Hob after their 2022 reunion to find him unwell. What follows is Hob’s stubborn insistence that he is fine and Dream’s determination to see him healed. [4 Chapters | 26,890 words]

Retired Dream of the Endless | Morpheus

Normal by cuubism | Teen

Since retiring and becoming human, Dream has been far more stoic about his pain than Hob was expecting. [4 Chapters | 6,576 words]

Touch-Starved Dream of the Endless

enough for now by im_not_corrupted | General Audiences

Dream is unused to physical affection. Hob is in love and more than willing to help him with that.  [2 Chapters | 5,396 words]

Flying in a dream, Stars by the pocketful by ParadoxInsanity | General Audiences

Dream looked up at Hob, eyes filled with reverence. And stars. There were stars in his eyes. Like very literal stars. Shining little pinpricks of light. Stars. Stars. "Woah." "Hm?" Dream nuzzled into Hob's hand, confused why his ministrations had stopped. "Your eyes, they– they're stars. Like a night sky. Before the industrial revolution."  [2 Chapters | 2,554 words]

Friends / Enemies to Lovers

Arranged Marriage

When I Waked, I Cried to Dream Again by 27dragons | Teen

When the dreaded Nightmare King demands the knight Hob for his consort as part of the treaty that ends the bloody war between the Dream Realm and the mortal kingdom to which Hob is sworn, he is shocked… [...] Who knows what other uses the Lord of Nightmares will have for Hob once he's trapped at the heart of the Dreaming? Will the magic that makes him immortal become more of a curse than a blessing?  [10 Chapters | 20,000 words]

Dreamsharing

Hope and Stubbornness Endure by icarus_chained | Mature

There are consequences to being caught in nightmares not your own, in the tormented memories of beings infinitely more powerful than you. Hob Gadling doesn't care. Nightmares can't kill him. And if this was ever real, he has no choice but to try and fight it now. To show ... to show his friend that he would have rescued him. If he'd known. He would have tried, no matter what it cost. [2 Chapters | 4,028 words]

I have lately learned the difference by Chthonion | Mature

While Dream is imprisoned, Hob dreams of prisons, until, one by one, all of them take the same shape: a glass cage. Hob doesn't realize why until he meets Dream again, and the dreams don’t stop afterward. [4 Chapters | 18,085 words]

Fix-It Fic

A Gift of Song by Konstadt | Not Rated

Hob is on a slow journey of discovering all of the many names of his stranger-turned-friend. There are a few more he would like to return to him, if he could. Dream and Hob share stories, until Hob shares one with the world and changes everything. A fix-it fic for Dream's greatest regret.  [2 Chapters | 8,678 words]

Hob Gadling Loves Dream of the Endless | Morpheus

Messages from friends by manzke888 | Not Rated

Hob figures out a way to send letters to Dream, and altough Matthew doesn't like playing the role of a carrier pigeon, the two of them find confort in their correspondence.  [6 Chapters | 5,842 words]

Hurt/Comfort

Afterimage by ScribeofArda | Teen

The anthropomorphic personification of dreaming is sitting on his sofa, staring at a sequin cushion in his lap. His day could be weirder, but Hob isn't quite sure how.  [2 Chapters | 8,648 words]

never enough by sanyumi | Mature

Morpheus needed comfort. Not– this. This delusion that Hob was falling into. [...] That Morpheus clung to him out of want, out of affection. That Morpheus’ cold nose dug into the flesh behind Hob’s ear with intention to lay a kiss there, to bite and leave a mark. [2 Chapters |7,352 words]

Slow Burn

golden days by issylra | Teen

"I could stand to see you more often," Hob says, a little bit hesitant, and Dream’s eyebrows nearly rise into his hairline. "That is truly what you wish?” He’s looking at Hob like he’s an enigma wrapped in a riddle, which is funny coming from a not-quite-man whose name he only learned last year after six hundred years of meeting. [7 Chapters | 21,228 words]

Inspire in Me, the Desire in Me by ElloPoppet | Teen

Dream and Hob find each other in 2021, and see no reason why they have to wait centuries to see each other again. And again. [5 Chapters | 14,850 words]

Maybe This Is All Just a Dream by my_written_minds | Teen

When a man clad in all black walks through the door and admits Hob is his friend, Hob doesn't know whether to hug him or play it cool. [...] In other words, Dream starts talking and doesn't stop. And suddenly these once a century dates are no longer once a century. [6 Chapters | 9,141 words]

Something To Get Used To by my_written_minds | Teen

“I think we should stop catching up,” Hob said. Morpheus stared at him, blindsided. When Morpheus shows up at his table in the New Inn, Hob quickly notices that there's something different about his friend. Everything devolves from there. [4 Chapters | 12,502 words]

Something New and Terrifying by locamohita456 | Teen

It was a regular Saturday when Hob Gadling realized he was in love with Dream of the Endless. Contrary to popular belief, this was not good news. [...] How was he supposed to look Dream in the eye next Saturday? Mainly, how was he supposed to not look at his lips and not think about how much he wanted to kiss him senseless and—oh no! Hob smacked his forehead and groaned. [13 Chapters | 52,285 words]

Getting Together

Dragons AU

Dragon Wars by Aria_Lerendeair | Teen

The war against the Fae began long before Hob was born. When the dragons arrived, at last, they were able to properly fight back. And when the Endless arrived, the war became a stalemate. After meeting and bonding with his own dragon, Hob Gadling does everything in his power (and then some) to end the war once and for all with the help of Dream of the Endless. [6 Chapters | 39,377 words]

Hurt/Comfort 

Finding My Way to You by ShadowTenshiV | Teen

A story of how Hob brings it upon himself to return the dreaming to its former glory, and if that means getting to learn about this being known as the Dream Lord as he goes through a maze, well, that won’t stop him. It won’t be easy, with many challenges to come and memories to face, good thing that he is known for being stubborn. [7 Chapters | 46,048 words]

Let me be your knight by justAperidot | Mature

Hob is delighted his Stranger—who is no longer a stranger, he is Dream—is visiting him more often and letting Hob see more of him. [...] Still, if anything else were to happen to Dream, say, for a completely random example, if he were to go to war against the army of one Lucifer Morningstar, then Hob would be more than ready to go above and beyond to protect him. No matter the cost. It is, after all, what is expected of a knight before his King. [22 Chapters | 38,532 words]

Knight of the Dreaming Hob AU 

What dreams my come, when living is at an end by Sebena | Teen

The one where Hob chose to die in 1689 and joined Morpheus in the Dreaming, commencing one hundred years of slow burn. [9 Chapters | 77,966 words]

Minor Deity Hob AU

A Mug's Game by Anonymous | Mature

Hob Gadling teaches history, flirts with Death, gets a boyfriend, and accidentally breaks the laws of the universe. [4 Chapters | 14,136 words]

MPreg / Accidental Baby Acquisition

Crown of Dreams by booksluteye | Mature

Dream of the Endless is captured by an amateur magic user by the name of Roderick Burgess in 1916. Burgess is demanding gifts in return for Dream's freedom, but Dream refuses. With the stalemate, it looks like he will be stuck there for a long time, until one day when Dream is woken by an intense bout of nausea. It seems he's not the only one trapped in Burgess' basement. [10 Chapters | 12,858 words]

Temporary Amnesia

what you once wanted by astrhae | Mature

You know what kept me going, century after century?” Hob is angry enough, desperate enough, that his voice drops low, quiet. “Even when I had nothing?” The music around them crests, waves crashing against the unyielding shores of time – “Chimneys,” Morpheus answers, bland. Oh, what a bastard. [4 Chapters | 14,136 words]

The New Inn is a Temple

Cling Fast by Losyark | Mature

Hob Gadling is a clingy bastard, and he’s not ashamed to admit it. He clings to life. He clings to hope. He clings to his love of humanity. He clings to his Stranger. He also, unfortunately, has a habit of clinging to his name. Which means, when the BBC is looking for a new pet history expert to appear in their educational docudrama series “Elizabethan Manor,” they’re overjoyed to find a professor who (according to their meticulous research) is actually descended from the Master of the National Trust building they’re filming in - Gadlen House. Only Hob knows how right they are. [13 Chapters | 59,577 words]

keep your secrets by ProblemWithTrouble | Teen

Hob builds a temple, Dream finally returns, and things are left unspoken. For a while.  [5 Chapters | 14,161 words]

Time Travel

Promise of A Thousand Years by Dreams_of_Raven | Teen

An AU in which Hob could travel through time, but every time he did, he always ended up in the nude. [4 Chapters | 9,132 words]

Romantic Fluff

Mine Own Heart by xxSparksxx | Teen

When Dream of the Endless comes back to Hob Gadling, Hob is determined to be a Very Good Friend to him, because Dream's been through some stuff, and if what he needs is a safe haven, then Hob is going to give him that. [...] And alright, maybe that's not all he wants, but it's not about what he wants, it's about what Dream needs, so Hob is going to look after him as best he can, and try not to break his own heart in the meantime. [18 Chapters | 70,265 words]

Soulmate AU

Passing Stranger! (You Do Not Know How Longingly I Look Upon You) by WyvernQuill | Teen

Hob has known that Dream is his mildly star-crossed soulmate since their first meeting in 1389, but believes they have a mutual understanding not to acknowledge it; Dream, meanwhile, was under the impression that the Endless have no soulmates whatsoever, up until their sixth meeting in 1889. Finding out they're wrong comes as a bit of a shock to both of them. [14 Chapters | 25,112 words]

[wow-an-unfunny-joke]

Is there a mechanisms discord server???? Im seeing stuff about a semi-official server, my current assumption is that there WAS and no longer is (they’ve been dead for five years so it makes sense) but im stalking the lore archive and seeing the silly memes and such and now im sad

[nattikay]

Spider is not Jake and Neytiri’s kid and they had no obligation to act as his surrogate parents

[touchlikethesun]

i’m trying to break out of it but, when it comes to their relationship dynamics, so far no fic has managed to top the one skiing au where bokuto and akaashi try and convince kuroo and tsukki to be in a poly relationship that i followed religiously back in 2015, like. (almost) no other fic has managed to tap into what i find so appealing about that group’s whole dynamic, their humour their earnestness their chaos as four, the way akaashi and tsukki balance kuroo and bokuto’s energy (except everyone knows the real trouble is tsukki and bokuto), and like the individual dynamics are incredible too, every pairing just worked so well, even ones i wouldn’t have considered before like kuroo and akaashi. like how in 100k words did this author manage to develop every relationship just so damn well??? there should be way too many moving parts, at least one of the dynamics should have fell flat or fell to the background but none of them did ughhhhh oh my god it’s so good i just need like. a dozen more fics exactly like it rippppp like i’m watching s2 (again yes ik) and all i can think about when i see the four of them interact is “wow that author really nailed their dynamics, what they wrote is exactly how those four would be in 10 years time” god fanfiction is incredible

[sinful-karateka]

I'll bite and talk about something that doesn't get enough spotlight in general, which are Demetri's and Eli's family life. So obviously several fic authors have their own twists and flavors to this, but if I may sell you something for a sec.

So far into the series, what we've got are these facts:

Demetri's Mom is the only family member to be mentioned in the show.

Eli's parents were mentioned a couple of times.

That should be enough context to deduce two things:

Demetri could be an only child to a single mother, and;

Eli's parents involve themselves in the stuff that he does — including karate, who knows — though they tend to be tone deaf with his actual needs.

There's strong evidence to why the boys act the way they act (brain functions notwithstanding, but this isn't the post for that), which is why I think these deductions make sense. How their hypothetical upbringing is part and parcel to how characters behave in this series. Of course societal influence comes in second because obviously you've got a show that encourages learning karate as defense against bullies, but this show is also about generational chains and traumas! So why wouldn't their home life inform the way it informs the LaRusso's, Lawrence's, and Nichols'? But I digress.

In the span of the entire series, I've held onto this headcanon that Demetri's neuroticism and ability to anticipate his actions carefully stem from a household that needs these systems in place, much more for someone who likes to be on top of things. Since he's just a student, the only authoritative figure who can make executive decisions... is his mom. Add to the fact that she may be a working mom, so when Demetri tells Daniel about certain restrictions in learning karate, what could have made her decide to just write a letter instead vs. taking the time out to go with his son herself? I know I know it's narrative writing but like do you seeeee where I'm at here

Eli's family life is by far gave us early indications of his dynamic with his mother — but not so a father — in earlier seasons. It's possible that his mom is a stay-at-home one, but if I were to push the bounds of this box even further, I'd even speculate that she's retired early if it meant that Eli's dad is the one making most of the living. Like of course they'd get mad at Hawk for getting a tattoo at his age, I think any parent would! But the way he tells Aisha to exclude him from her stories tells us that there's not a lot that his parents know about the life he lives as Hawk. At this point we all know the kind of effort it takes to successfully carry it out because he has to go home every night. It's either he a) puts in a lot of effort into concealing this identity once he gets home, or b) his parents are rarely ever home, which again, feeds into another assumption that maybe Mrs. Moskowitz works certain hours.

All we know is they're never around a whole lot for these boys, which is sad! and also again, very Indicative of their classification as awkward nerds pre- and early karate. When I read along certain fics that consider and include how the rest of their characters besides the found families they've formed, it gives much more depth and potency to writing them, their flaws, and how they think.

For all we know, Mrs. Alexopoulos could be a lesbian making fun of her son for not slinging pussy like she does being rizzless unlike her, but don't let me explain that when we have @demetriandelibinaryboyfriends!