#resonant 'verse reversal au

[syndrossi]

Trick Reverse au, Aegon and Aemond’s POV of the twins pls 🥹

Wrote another paragraph! Here's one from the existing scene that sort of covers Aegon and Aemond's reaction to meeting the twins, though alas, in Otto's POV.

Once the greetings were done, Otto herded his grandsons closer, studying both pairs of children carefully as they were then introduced. Aegon stumbled over his words, clearly smitten, and when Otto looked between the girls to see with whom, it became clear that the answer was “both.” Aemond, meanwhile, seemed impatient with the entire affair, polite but nothing more. That was less surprising; girls would rank far lower among the interests of a seven-year-old boy.

[rayshippouuchiha]

When I was young my biggest fic headcanon was Inuyasha finding Naruto cos I liked the Inuyasha-Shippou dynamic and Naruto = fox so it was natural I guess. But then I grew up and headcanon reversed with an adult Naruto finding Inuyasha.

Just imagine Ray, a Kakanaru AU adult Naruto in the Inuyasha-verse through some fuuinjutsu mishap, surprised at the open existence of youkai, hiding himself but demons still seem to wary of him no matter how much he concealed his scent, and then stumbling upon the feral waif of a hanyu child. The isolation and discrimination would resonate with Naruto deeply. Plus the white hair and the dog motif would remind Naruto of Kakashi while the child's attitude reminded him of himself. It was like looking at a child of himself and Kakashi. So Naruto would straight up adopt the boy. Tell him he's not worthless for being a hanyou. Teach him, clothe him, feed him, tell him he's not a mistake... All the things he had himself wished for as a child. It would be wholesome and heartwarming. And of course Inuyasha would be trained to fight but he would develop sneaky shinobi techniques as opposed to the brash, juggernaut style in canon. Inuyasha would be called 'pup', and pretend to hate it but secretly love it. Grooming sessions under the guidance of Kurama cos no way a child under his hair would ever have matted fur. Teaching little Inuyasha jutsu so he won't feel as vulnerable on human nights. Actually looking into hanyou biology. The eventual encounter with Sesshomaru is surely gonna be interesting.

The hc is dear to me cos I love neglected children being given parental figures who care about them and the parents themselves healing by taking care of the child. So yeah Naruto as Inuyasha's adoptive father idea is close to my heart.

Look look you need to write this out because it's too fucking adorable.

[kisuminight]

Some more worldbuilding bits about aether and Blades!

So aether is what makes the "code" of this 'verse function. It's sort of a background particle; everyone, Player, mob, Blade, and god, interacts with aether on an environmental basis. Aether volume in the environment varies server-to-server. A server created by a god, such as DreamSMP being created by DreamXD in this AU, will usually have a higher aether concentration than another server.

Blades are beings meant to process aether to keep the universe running. Since they are made of aether, they have the ability to interact with the underlying code of the universe. Blades absorb ambient aether from the environment, circulate it in their systems, and then release it. This is the equivalent of looking at a piece or section of code, checking it for bugs and glitches, and then moving on to the next section of code.

Blades circulate aether through their bodies and core crystals. The aether passes along the Resonance bond to the Driver (which allows the Driver to interact with code) and then moves back to the Blade. This is a constant process. Blades do have a minimum, a maximum, and an average of aether that they circulate.

When a Blade's emotions are running high--such as in a fight--the amount of aether a Blade is circulating is increased. If a Blade is resting, the amount of aether they are circulating decreases.

Aether lines are visible lines of light on the skin of a Blade, like veins in a human. They start at the core crystal and go outwards, to the Blade's hands and feet. Most Blades do not have aether lines above the neck, though it is possible (both in general, and if the core crystal is placed somewhere on the face or head). Aether line patterns are more like a circuit board than the branching tree-like pathways of veins or arteries.

Aether lines tend to dim and brighten with the amount of aether the Blade is circulating. There are normally slight fluctuations in a normal brightness, like a heartbeat. Strong emotions make the fluctuations sharper and closer together. If there is less aether circulating, the fluctuations tend to be farther apart. Blades with very good aether control can control the fluctuations enough to use them for communication (a visible version of morse code), though that can be very rough on the Resonance between Blade and Driver.

Blades can also circulate aether to other Blades if there are multiple Blades in a Resonance. Since the aether circulation is constant, it does allow the other Blades in the Resonance to use that Blade's elemental aether.

Blades can also pass aether through skin-to-skin contact. It's not enough to give the other Blade an elemental boost, but it does allow "shallow" emotions or brief snippets of emotions to be passed between Blades. It is fairly common for non-enemy Blades to greet each other by bumping against or brushing against each other. If it is a longer meeting, two Blades who are not in Resonance with each other tend to gravitate together and be touchy-feely or cuddling during down-time.

Blades that are not Awake still pull and circulate aether. Blades have an inbuilt network and can circulate aether along it when they are not Awake. This is their natural state. Awake Blades interacting and sharing aether invokes a positive feeling in both Blades because of it.

Too much aether can be a bad thing. Every Player has a certain level of aether tolerance, and going above it can be very dangerous. In Players, the signs of aether over-exposure tend to be drawn out. I've mentioned before that aether builds up gradually like a heavy metal poisoning. Signs of aether poisoning start with lethargy and increased emotional instability, and gradually increases to physical pain (constant headache, joint pain), manic episodes, and, in the worst cases, sometimes issues with forming short term memories.

The only way to reverse aether poisoning is time; if the Player had a Blade, the Resonance usually needs to be broken and the Blade must find a different Driver. If the Player is suffering because the ambient aether levels are too high, then they need to move to another server with lower aether levels.

Blades can also receive too much aether. I mentioned previously that aether for Blades is more of a capacity thing, and exceeding the capacity they are able to process can cause immediate injury.

Since Blades' bodies are formed from solidified aether, anything going wrong with how much aether they are processing has an immediate effect on the body. It can glitch out, or start cracking apart around the aether lines. If the amount of aether is too excessive, it can cause the core crystal to crack. A cracked core crystal severely weakens, and can even kill, a Blade.

[pencilofawesomeness]

Fics I Absolutely Adore and Would Recommend to Anyone

I’ve been meaning to do this for a long, long time, because I love reading fanworks and they deserve a lot of love and I love sharing things that I love. 

Obviously this isn’t everything, and if it’s not on this list that doesn’t mean I don’t love it, it just means I forgot at this moment. I will be adding to the list and I remember things or come across it again. (Trying to sort through my bookmarks and subscriptions is like trying to catch a fish bare-handed.) I’m also gonna shy away from the one-shots, even though I adore fun one-shots, just for the sake of organization. The list would be super long otherwise, and those are best sorted by fandom. Here... Here are just some brilliant works I want to rant about. 

Disclaimer: I say “recommend” because I would recommend these works, any time any place, but do keep in mind the story’s rating and tags and stuff. Not everything is kid-friendly.

There is absolutely no hierarchy to the list below. They are added as I add.

Fairy Dance of Death

by Catsy ( @fairydanceofdeath​ )

Fandom: Sword Art Online Word Count: 660,282 Status: ongoing

「AU reboot of the entire SAO storyline, beginning from the premise that Kayaba Akihiko was obsessed with magic and Norse Mythology rather than swords and pure melee. As a result, he created the Death Game of Alfheim Online rather than the floating castle of Aincrad—a world in which player-killing is not a crime, and the nine player races are in competition with each other to reach the top of the World Tree. Multi-POV epic following the stories of multiple canon characters throughout the game.」

If Catsy wrote the SAO light novels and anime, SAO would be among the legendary series. Fairy Dance of Death has this amazingly simple premise of making Alfheim Online, the video game from the original series’ less-than-stellar second part, the game that the main cast becomes trapped in. However, it’s so much more. They took the characters and made them characters, and everyone gets ample spotlight—even background characters that normally wouldn’t receive a second thought. It’s masterful work, and to boot, there is a lovely frame of in-game mystery and player conflict. The organization is phenomenal and I aspire to world-build the way they did. Not to mention that stakes are so much higher and this series has ripped my heart to shreds more than once. 

It has also brought me great joy, and even when I was in the dumps and didn’t want to read anything, a FDOD update made me pick up my phone and read when I otherwise wouldn’t have. It has a really special place in my heart. It updates once in a blue moon, but that’s okay. 

Even if you have never seen a single piece of Sword Art Online, Fairy Dance of Death is still a great read. In fact, it’s the Better Version of SAO, if we’re all being honest, so I would especially recommend it if you hadn’t seen the original. Or if you have. The characters are given so much love and detail, to the point where Fairy Dance of Death’s characterizations are More Canon to me than Kawahara Reki’s work. It is just a beautiful piece of fiction, and it makes you question the depravity of man on levels that SAO shied away from. 

Poisoned Dreams

by StrangeDiamond

Fandom: Genshin Impact Word Count: 82,852 Status: Complete, with a complete sequel and more to come

「 Every night now, Diluc dreams of death. Usually Kaeya's. In between these nightmares his life is falling apart. It doesn't take Kaeya long to realize that this is something much more insidious than simple bad dreams. His brother's life and sanity are on the line and there is nothing Kaeya won't do to save him. Bonus chapter added.」

In a growing fandom from a new game, StrangeDiamond swooped in and characterized these bad boys so well I think it’s canon. It really breathes life into the video game lore, and it’s an A+ depiction of awkward sibling re-bonding post-Terrible-Happenings. Poisoned Dreams can be read alone with a basic understanding of Genshin storybuilding, but StrangeDiamond has an entire group of fics and oneshots set in the same headcanon, and they integrate them really well and subtly together. Not to mention that the narrative style is really clever with making you question what is real and what is dream (a big point in this story) and the inner voices of the point-of-view characters are very compelling. 

One Word to Change the World

by AgentMalkere 

Fandom: Fairy Tail Collective Word Count: 43,988 (30 parts) Status: probably never coming back

「 In just one universe, Ultear called out to her mother instead of turning away and the fate of Fairy Tail and the world was irrevocably altered. These are glimpses of a world where a single word made all the difference.

In other words, welcome to the Butterfly Effect - Fairy Tail style. 」

It’s a really cute canon-divergent, and while the series makes no attempt to re-write Fairy Tail, it addresses the major events and just snippets in between. It does a good job at giving the vast cast ample spotlight, but it’s also an easy read. It’s special to me because it was the series that made me really pay attention to Bickslow in particular, and I respect that.

Vigilantis Pretium Libertatis

by aradian_nights 

Fandom: Attack on Titan Word Count: 399,226 Status: Complete

「 Five years ago, an accident freed Eren Jaeger, Mikasa Ackerman, and Armin Arlelt from an experiment that forced the most extraordinary powers onto them. After five years of separation, of being raised apart to be heroes by a set of three very different adults, they meet again. As they uncover the truth behind their captivity they realize being free and being heroes are sadly nothing but an illusion. 」

This wrecked me.

I still remember when I read it. It was the beginning of 2018, and I had the flu and a lot of time on my hands, so I binge-read this. It was simultaneously the best and the worst thing I have ever done, because I resonated with it so deeply there were times I was just staring up at the ceiling wondering what was real. I empathized with the characters to a level I rarely achieve, and I empathize easily. I laughed. I cried. It was amazing.

I refer to this story in conversation to this day. It handled themes published authors have only dreamed of achieving. Heck, if Dani (the author) took out the names of the AoT cast and replaced it with new ones, it could be its own stand alone novel. It is worldbuilding from the ground up, and any fandom knowledge you take in with you is used against you like a knife leveraged against your throat. Yet, no one is out of character. It’s phenomenal. I would say more, but this is something I daren’t spoil for anybody, because you must be as wrecked as I was. Vigilantis Pretium Libertatis is a level of writing I achieve to gain as a writer myself. It is a masterpiece in every sense of the word.

Life in Glass Houses

by blueskyscribe ( @blueskyscribe​ )

Fandom: Transformers (Transformers Prime, Transformers: Shattered Glass) Word Count: 119,900 Status: Ongoing (maybe, I hope)

「 No one would have thought Bumblebee and Knock Out were capable of getting along, but when they're stuck in a strange new world and their only hope of survival is cooperation . . . Yeah, they're probably doomed. 」

I could be biased because Knock Out and Bumblebee are two of my favorite characters, but it really is brilliant. Two enemies, stuck together—but not in an overly cliché way. It’s the right amount of cliché, with heaps moral conflict and inner conflict and sometimes just beating each other with a broom when no one is looking. It’s also a fascinating look into what makes a character the way they are in relation to the morals they possess, and how stalwart those morals can be. I can’t help but think of this story whenever I see or write a “role reverse” or mirror-verse AU. It does an excellent job at making all of the characters engaging and their own character, despite being in a mirror-verse.

Yesterday Upon the Stair

by PitViperOfDoom ( @pitviperofdoom​ )

Fandom: My Hero Academia Word Count: 424,070 Status: Complete

「 Midoriya Izuku has always been written off as weird. As if it's not bad enough to be the quirkless weakling, he has to be the weird quirkless weakling on top of it.

But truthfully, the "weird" part is the only part that's accurate. He's determined not to be a weakling, and in spite of what it says on paper, he's not actually quirkless. Even before meeting All-Might and taking on the power of One For All, Izuku isn't quirkless.

Not that anyone would believe it if he told them. 」

As a person who normally doesn’t read these kind of minor canon divergences, especially at the time of reading, I frickin’ love this fic. In fact, I think YUTS gave me a deep appreciation for canon divergence fics. It’s MHA in all of its glory but it’s so much more, and even the parts that rehash canon give new light to the characters and their points of view. 

I had read Viper’s work before and saw Yesterday Upon the Stair filling my inbox, and then I finally watched My Hero Academia. It was one of the first MHA fics I read and it still has a very special place in my heart. I recommend this series to people who don’t even watch MHA; in fact, there are some who might prefer the darker tones and themes of heroism vs apathy to the main series. Not to mention the writing style is phenomenal, and I aspire to be that good. It made me laugh. It made me cry. Yes, tears streaming down my face crying. It is the best ghost story I have ever read.

the Vantage Point Universe

by Aggie2011 ( @aggie2011whoop​ )

Fandom: The Avengers (MCU) Collective Word Count: 1,032,651 (35 parts) Status: Ongoing (just slowed down)

「 Six months after the Loki incident, Clint isn't adjusting well. When an enemy from his days in the Army comes back to haunt him, he'll be forced to face a part of his past - and to move past Loki, if he has a hope of finding his place with the Avengers. (First of a universe created to center around Clint Barton) 」

// description taken from first installment

Have you enjoyed the MCU, especially the first-era Avengers phase, but like me, were disappointed in the fact that Hawkeye was barely there? The VP universe is for you. 

I honestly have a hard time remembering what was canon and what was VP. And if it’s not canon, it should be. The VP universe gave so much life to Clint and to Natasha and to all of SHIELD and even the rest of the Avengers. It’s just...so good. It’s completely immersive. It focuses a lot on Hawkeye and Black Widow from before the Avengers team-up, as well as after, and it all flows together so beautifully. Not to mention that I can be reading a mission that happened pre-series, so I know that they are going to live with all of their limbs, and I still sit there on the edge of my seat the whole time.

The OCs, minor as they are, that are created for this are also wonderfully done. I can’t believe Dan and Phil don’t exist in canon. Every character, canon or no, is engaging and dynamic, it is a pleasure to follow each point of view. The emotional turmoil is also handled very well, and the VP universe carries the MCU trend of humanizing its heroes and takes it so much further. 

Ghosts of the Future

by Evan Stanley ( @evanstanleyportfolio​ )

Fandom: Sonic the Hedgehog Word Count: comic (18 issues) Status: ongoing

「 About 200 years in the future, Silver the Hedgehog is an average kid living in San Francisco... except for his strange and terrible dreams of a dying Blue Hedgehog, a Black Hedgehog, and mysterious gems called "Chaos Emeralds". What will he do, when these "figments of his imagination" appear before him in his real life? 」

// description taken from first installment

Okay so this is the only one that isn’t an Ao3 story, but rather a comic on DeviantArt. However, it is still one of my favorite stories. Even though it takes the commonalities of Sonic canon and turns them on its head, GotF really treats the characters well. There are enough familiar world elements to create intrigue, but it is set in a completely different take of the future, so there is ample opportunity for world building and being able to engage with a completely new thing. I wish SEGA put as much love in the series (namely the games, because the comics are *chef’s kiss*) and all of its possibilities as creators like Evan Stanley do.

The friendship and family relationships in GotF are so diverse and all so fantastic to witness. It’s a keynote example of the new hero and the old veterans, and both parties are active and trying their best.

Do not be alarmed by the starting art style. Sure, it’s rough around the edges at first, but then it gets better, and then it gets gorgeous, and then you’re left there so stunned that it looks like just life canon art. And then you could be like me, blinking slowly as my small brain finally connected that this Evan Stanley is in fact the Evan Stanley. GotF is an amazing fanwork, but she also draws and writes for the Official Canon comics (the IDW ones now) and that work is also phenomenal and should be supported. 

Whirlwind

by Lynse ( @ladylynse​ )

Fandom: Danny Phantom, American Dragon: Jake Long, Miraculous Ladybug, Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja Word Count: 75,556 Status: Complete

「 Jake should be used to ominous predictions by now. Randy should know better than to blindly follow McFist. Adrien should think twice before sneaking away. And Danny really should've expected something like this when he got that phone call from Jake. (Secret Quartet fic) 」

I have to start by saying that I adore all of Lynse’s fics, and I chose this one simply because it is one of my favorites. But it’s all fantastic, one hundred percent. I also love Mirrored, the sort-of prequel to this fic, but Whirlwind just has the chaotic pure bean energy that each of the shows bring and it foils against each other so perfectly. This is the epitome of the Secret Quartet crossover, truly.

All fandoms and all characters get ample love, and the way the reader gets to see just how badly the characters’ assumptions are going is positively wonderful. It’s so easy to fall into the “I know what’s happening and so do the characters” trap, but Lynse leaps over it gracefully and lands in greatness. The fic had me smiling like a maniac one minute, and feeling sorry for my babies the next. Wonderful. Simply fantastic!

[enduringsea]

( rules: you can usually tell a lot about a person by the kind of music they listen to! put your music on shuffle and list the first 10 songs, then tag 10 people! no skipping! ) / tagged by @yellowcrumpet​ ╭( ･ㅂ･)و )))

Thanks for the tag! I LOVE these things-- I don’t rlly have a playlist either though, just a mess of music files on a device I haven’t updated so I’ll be checking my YouTube history too lol. There’s a uhhh.... pattern to be found, mainly relating to Code Vein or other OCs.... which isn’t surprising ._. ;; I made it a separate post bc I knew this was going to get long and rambly with lyric snippets and crying about fictional characters, sorry :D

1. Repeat Until Death - Novo Amor don’t go / you’re half of me now / but i’m hardly stood proud / i said it, almost oh i’ve been low / but damn it i bet it don’t show / it was heaven a moment ago oh i can’t seem to let myself leave you / but i can’t breathe anymore This one gives me Loubeth vibes ok, partially bad end route ;-; While Elizabeth is a very strong person, her friends are the most prominent reason she tries to do anything at all & isn’t living day-to-day in a monotonous grind to survive without a solid purpose other than ‘help random ppl bc it’s the right thing to do’. If she loses them, it’d ruin her & hammers into her head how everything she’s ever done has been a failure. She suffered a major betrayal by her boss before the Collapse, she was unable to fully participate in proj. queen despite her incredible test results, she failed to defeat Cruz and take her blood during Operation Queenslayer, and if she fails to protect the people she’s finally found meaning with? She’d break down completely & destroy herself to save them. She’s always had some level of abandonment issues, and without her family around it’s so much worse, even if it isn’t the most obvious because she’s generally seen as very well put together-- I really can’t express how much it would hurt her to lose Louis, Yakumo, and the others. She’s just not one to show just how bad it can truly get for her mentally and emotionally-- she’s resilient as hell, she’s been through hell repeatedly and survived it all, so it’s easy for others to assume she’s fine all things considered. It makes her feel weak and ashamed of herself if she shows any level of vulnerability, so she doesn’t; she swallows it down and is afraid of disappointing those who look up to her as a fighter and friend-- of course, no one at Home Base would blame her for being vulnerable, they all have their moments, Bethy just sets herself to such a high standard it’s difficult for her to talk about her own suffering in spite of how well-versed she is in getting her thoughts and feelings across otherwise. Louis is the one most keen to how deeply she’s hurting, but he doesn’t understand just how deeply until she finally does fall apart. The final swell of the song and its desperate lyrics really relays the pain they both feel-- Louis too would not fare well if something happened to Elizabeth, because he blames himself she was even involved in Operation Queenslayer for a long time, I honestly did so bad in explaining coherently, this song just has so much emotion and hurt behind it adklfjdfdff </3

2. Looking Out For You - Joy Again this is a love song for a girl who will never know it’s about her she's beaming that smile / all the while i’m all tripped up on my own throat i guess there is no hope This song reminds me of Elizabeth & my friend’s character Takashi Fujioka, who gets-- vERY...FRIENDZONED, for lack of a better word, by Elizabeth in his story, it’s really summed up best as tragic (;﹏;) Before the Collapse they were hitting it off, then the Collapse happened, they were separated, he lost his sisters, Mido happened, he was experimented on + became a revenant, etc, etc; years have passed since then & she’s gotten her life together as much as one can in a world like Vein, but for Takashi it’s like no time has passed at all. Elizabeth is subtly older in appearance, she’s been working w Lou & Co. for a long time; Loubeth blatantly have a connection, & rather than bringing up his feelings + making it awkward bc he values their friendships, he just kinda. chokes on them & does his best to help out the team. It doesn’t help he can’t even be jealous bc Louis is a really solid friend to him too, IT’S JUST A MESS OF A SITUATION & the death of what could have been if things were different.

3. Closer - Teagan And Sara ( no lengthy explanation for this one thank goodness, I’ve just been watching BoJack Horseman again and I really like some of the songs they add in, I like listening to this one on loop when mindlessly coloring something )

4. Brutal - Olivia Rodrigo  all I did was try my best / this the kind of thanks I get? they say these are the golden years / but I wish I could disappear ego crush is so severe / god, it's brutal out here I have it on a playlist for Elizabeth somewhere, not all of it applies to her but it reflects some of her struggles she has both before & after the collapse. She’s-- always kind of been a mess while under immense pressure + has serious self image issues, this song hits that side of her well. She’s been held to humanly impossible standards by both herself and her family bc frankly? She can reach them, she’s NOT exactly human. She was born into her position as a hunter & intends to keep it for as long as she lives (like revenants, her kind is very much ‘either gets killed or lives 5ever), even if some days she really feels how heavy the burden can be. She didn’t have a normal childhood and she’s fine with it for the most part, but it alienates her from most of her peers-- she never got to date anyone, never had a close group of friends, never went to parties that weren’t formals, etc., while she feels a little childish about it, she does envy ‘normal’ and understands the pressure she’s lived under her entire life has caused damage-- she has been exploited for her abilities, there’s just not much she can do about it but to keep going, rlly.

5. Freaks - Surf Curse  don't kill me / just help me run away from everyone  i need a place to stay / where i can cover up my face don't cry / i am just a freak / i am just a freak UhhhHHH this song really makes me think of Oliver Collins :D;; thank TikTok for showing it to me. It makes me think of how scared he was, of both the world and the revenants who captured him. The song’s use of the word ‘parasites’ really makes me think of Revenants and the BOR parasites XD I’m hoping when I poke my video editor again, I can record some Oliver footage to make a short video to this song. Oliver deserves so much better, I wish you could save him, but that’s what AUs are for, hahah.... The second half of the lyrics make me think of the AU I have where he lives and has to grapple with the guilt of surviving and the things he did to other revenants to get by too.

6. All Eyes On Me - Bo Burnham you say the ocean’s rising / like i give a shit you say the whole world’s ending / honey it already did you’re not gonna slow it / heaven knows you tried got it? good / now get inside I haven’t seen the Netflix special yet but I’ve had this song on repeat since my move started. The lyrics hit too hard & resonate with my existential dread, covid exhaustion, and extreme burnout in my 20s, but bc I have Damage I can also relate it to CV ._. ‘you’re not gonna slow it, heaven knows you tried. got it? good now get inside’ makes me think of--;; the bad end route again, and Elizabeth’s desperation to keep her found family together. It’s not like her to completely stop caring about an issue, but in the moment she realizes what’s being taken from her? She doesn’t want to save all of revenant-kind if it means she’s going to wind up alone all over again, her world is effectively over if she’s forced to be alone again. The MC frenzying means the only immediately identifiable hope she had of saving everyone else is gone, so why not just go home? If they’re all doomed, she wants to at least be together for a little while longer, it’s fine if they use her blood to survive & everyone else in the mist is out of luck, it’s soul-crushing bc I’ve never had her in a situation where she’s been this reckless, despondent/hopeless, and thinking irrationally where it’d impact more than herself-- especially when she’s normally goal-oriented, organized, meticulous, so on so forth: she’s not one to act without thinking something through first, but that last breath of light just got sucker-punched out of her. All she wants is home, comfort, and family, and ultimately in the bad end route she does manage to preserve their lives, maintain the mist, and supply blood beads, but her own condition leaves her on the throne-- it’s a mix of the bad, neutral, and true ending rlly ldkfjdf BUT YEAH enough rambling on that :D;; This song’s really good and touches a lot of different thoughts and ideas both in real life and my ocs, kind of embarrassing--;; thank u bo burnham for ruining me with this beautiful song

7. Yellow - Coldplay look at the stars / look how they shine for you / and everything you do your skin / oh yeah, your skin and bones / turn in to something beautiful do you know / for you I'd bleed myself dry Does this song make me think about JackEva? Yes. Yes it does. Star / night sky symbolism? Bam. Sappy lyrics about love and finding the person you’re with absolutely mesmerizing and worth dying for? BAM. If JackEva were capable of using their own blood to save each other, I can see it-- hJNGn they just care about each other so much, Jack cries for her even though they both knew that eventually one of them would succumb to their duty, and if the roles were reversed I can see Eva doing the same, I adore them beyond human language. On my CV RP blog, my Jack’s not shippable bc-- Eva, my friend even have them looking after his nephew (an oc--) at one point. I should seriously drop some headcanons down eventually....

8. Louder Than Thunder - The Devil Wears Prada  are we meant to be empty-handed? / i know i could, i could be better i don't think i deserve it / selflessness, find your way into my heart all stars could be brighter / all hearts could be warmer 

LMFAO throwback to my middle school playlist, I’m old-- I’ve applied this song to a lot of things back in the day, but I really connect it to Loubeth now, especially Louis. Lou & Bethy are both functional idiots who are too hard on themselves & have trouble recognizing their worth beyond what they can do for others. They’re trying to be better-- to make up for what they perceived wrongs they’ve done, but it’s hard, they don’t believe they’re worthy of the love and support the other gives, but they still yearn for that sense of security. After Louis’ memories are returned, he finally understands the guilt he’s felt since he became a revenant and it really skews his self-perception; he blames himself for so many things & Elizabeth, who has always been able to kill when necessary, sets it straight-- “It’s not your fault”, and it takes Louis some time to properly absorb that message. He thinks she’s just trying to comfort him, which she is tbh, but she’s not wrong: “It’s not your fault you couldn’t kill someone. It was never your job to kill anyone.” It’s up to people like her to do those sort of things-- Elizabeth may not have been present when Cruz frenzied, but if she had been? It would have been over before it started, that’s something she has regrets over, even if nothing could have been done since she was already on the field. Actually, she’s actually really quite angry that security failed to monitor Cruz properly and has a few select words for the ones there who could have actually done something before it got out of hand-- civilians and doctors are exempt from her shtlist bc they’re not meant to be killers (so don’t worry Artorias, she’s not ready to bite your head off!), but they had to have some kinda security detail rite o-q??? They’re probably hiding from her wrath-- BUT ANYWAY, she insists she’ll never blame Louis for not being able to do something as serious as killing another person. He was a normal human being who cared about his friend, not a failure, and he couldn’t have been expected to do something that shouldn’t have fallen on his shoulders in the first place. As many times as it takes, she’ll reaffirm that it wasn’t his fault, she’s not angry, he’s always done his best and her opinion of him hasn’t changed. He’s a good person and she loves him through all the hurt, though she doesn’t drop the word ‘love’ for a long time. It just-- takes Louis a while to accept she views him as someone worthy of the love and respect she has for him. It’s kind of ironic she’s so adamant on Louis not blaming himself considering she’s the one privately blaming herself for-- wow there’s too much to unpack, she feels guilty she was even born?? im so broken over these two. I love them and yet they SUFFER... 

9. What I’ve Done - Linkin Park i'll face myself / to cross out what i’ve become erase myself / and let go of what i’ve done today this ends / i'm forgiving what i’ve done

I have Louis Amamiya brainrot and I’m so glad I’m not the only one who thinks that this song fits him super well & it needs to become an AMV dsjfkldsfd. I’m a near life-long Linkin Park fan and this fits with Lou so well thematically. As much as I’ve gone on about Louis’ guilt, he does steel himself to keep going forward in spite of it and make things right, for everyone. Maybe it wasn’t really his fault, but at the end of the day his inability to kill Cruz in that moment left a disaster in its wake that got a countless number of people killed-- the MC included with Karen and Aurora. He doesn’t want to run away from the truth, doesn’t want to make excuses, he wants to take responsibility for it and he’ll work himself to death if it means things will be better-- it’s both admirable he’s got a strong resolve and VERY concerning with how willing he is to die for the cause, please don’t overdo it, Lou, you’ll break mine and Bethy’s hearts ._.;; It won’t always be easy, there are moments the grief gnaws at him, but in the end he does overcome it (and uh. as in the bad ending, we know he can actually do it this time). I know we can’t see everything, but I would have loved deeper character interactions, especially with Louis with an emphasis on grieving + forgiving himself properly-- but this song really is nice with the whole ‘I’m going to face my mistakes head on, forgive myself, and keep moving forward’. It’s what Louis deserves: self forgiveness and a damn break ‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚

10. Call of Silence - Hiroyuki Sawano you will know you're reborn tonight / must be rough but i’ll stay by your side even if my body's bleached to the bones / i don't want go through that ever again so cry no more / oh my beloved ngl idk if those are the correct lyrics, buuuuuuut....... im a weenie and am internally weeping abt loubeth after midnight, what else is new lmfao- i’ll at least try to be brief :D I also used to really like Attack on Titan when I was in high school, I dropped the anime years ago because I was waiting for s2 and never got back to it once it started airing again, I thought I’d finish it once the anime was complete since I eventually caught up with the manga, such a good series BUT ANYWAY-- I think it’s a really pretty song and Loubeth fit with the tender lyrics. IT’S LATE, idk what to say about them other than what I’ve said already dsklfjdslf im sorry I really ramble a LOT and I’ve been so busy lately I haven’t had the chance to >w>;;

[zilbea]

Could this be... the beginnings of a freewood mc au? Perhaps...... 

I had this idea while listening to my “alone in the woods with nothing but a knife” playlist on spotify, and pounded it out around 3 am. I’ve been wanting to write kings/mc verse for a while, so take a read if you want, and let me know if I should continue! :)

**

A twig snapped nearby and Ryan’s footsteps stilled. The back of his neck prickled. Surely an animal - no more, no less - but cool adrenaline seeping into the hunter’s veins warned against his placating thoughts.

Ryan breathed deep, hand moving slowly to the knife strapped at his belt. Narrowing his eyes, he squinted into the gloomy foliage before him. No birds sang, and Ryan was keenly aware of his own heartbeat. Not yet wanting to alert any potential pursuer, Ryan gently plodded onward, ears straining to hear over the crunch of his own footsteps.

A low hanging branch intercepted Ryan’s chosen path. He ducked low under it’s reach - strong muscles aiding in the deep squat - and rose slowly after his head’s clearance. As he straightened, a slight breeze tickled Ryan’s ear - accompanied by another twig snapping to his right.

Warily, Ryan allowed himself a brief glance toward the source of noise. While the small clearing remained empty, a mossy branch gently bounced back to it’s sedentary state. Suspicions confirmed, Ryan tightened his grip around the knife’s hilt. The woods themselves, Ryan knew, were omniscient; a thick, unforgiving stretch of pensive flora and fauna eternally watching a traveler’s every move - but for the woods to actually follow... This was new.

Ryan grimaced and stepped over a twisting tree root. His foot landed in a pile of dead leaves, and the crunch seemed echo around him. Despite his unease, Ryan forced down a small smile. Of course his pursuer would be matching his footsteps. Any proper adversary should do as such. Suddenly, gazing around at the small clearing, the hunter had a thought. He gripped at a notch in a giant tree to his left and took another step; the sole of his boot hesitating just above the awaiting leaf litter. Sure enough, a light crunch resonated to Ryan’s right. The hunter turned towards the source, drawing his knife as he smirked victoriously into the gloom.

“The game is up,” Ryan called softly into the dark underbrush. “Show yourself, and no one gets-“ He faltered as a sharp sting flashed across his left calf. Stomach dropping, Ryan looked around quickly - but he saw no signs of his perpetrator. Teeth gritting at the pain in his leg, Ryan stilled his breathing, eyes raking the mossy gloom frantically. His ears strained to track the pursuer's location, but the woods withheld. A streak of green flashed across his vision, and Ryan jumped, swearing as his cheek was sliced open. He whirled around, desperate to gain visuals on the perpetrator, but he was only met with a small cackle of laughter bouncing indiscernible through the trees. Ryan growled impatiently; his calf and cheek burned wildly. This thing - whatever it was - had impressive agility, which unfortunately meant Ryan could do nothing but wait for another attack.

And the hunter becomes the hunted, Ryan thought bitterly, glaring into the gnarled trees. He reversed the grip on his knife; an overhand hold would aid well in intercepting the perpetrator’s path, assuming it decided to make another pass at his face. The back of Ryan’s neck prickled once more, and the hunter hesitated. Something rasped in his ear, and Ryan’s blood ran cold. Was that... breathing?

Ryan whirled around, almost surprised as his knife made contact with something soft and green. Quickly withdrawing the knife, Ryan grabbed the man’s collar and snarled. He pressed the blade against the man’s throat and slammed him into the large notched tree, causing the man’s head to hit the aged bark with a satisfying crack. A metallic glint caught Ryan’s eye as the man attempted to brandish his own knife, but Ryan punched him squarely in the gut. The man’s knife fell to the foliage below and he stared at Ryan in wide-eyed surrender.

“What the fuck do you want from me?” Ryan all but shouted. His slammed his forearm across the man’s chest, effectively pinning him to the tree. His knife dug into the man’s neck, threatening to draw blood.

“I- I want nothing,” the man spluttered. He stared at Ryan in terror, fingernails scrabbling at the tree’s bark.

His strange accent only made Ryan angrier. “How long have you been following me?” Ryan pressed the man harder against the tree, satisfied as the opposing face began to redden.

“Only a few minutes, I swear!” The man gulped, and the added pressure caused Ryan’s knife to slice into his skin. The man whimpered and raised his chin, green eyes flashing with panic.

Disbelieving, Ryan glared his pursuer. The man was smaller of frame and - albeit curiously - neatly dressed. A cross-body leather belt secured a dark green tunic with modest brown laces across his waist and shoulder, covering the point at which the shirt tucked into slim brown trousers. Well-worn leather boots chased the trousers to mid-calf, and Ryan carefully noted another small knife strapped at the intersection. A dark stain slowly seeped across the man’s shoulder, and Ryan might have felt a pang of guilt for the damage he had caused - if not for his own fiercely burning wounds. 

“I’ll ask you again,” Ryan said, voice low as he drew close to the man’s face. “What. Do you. Want from me?”

“Just a few trinkets ‘s all,” The smaller man mumbled, movements minuscule in attempt to prevent further damage to his neck.

Ryan regarded the man coolly, thoughts clicking into place. The raw surprise in the man’s face, his pathetic attempt at self defense...  this was more than likely his first time being caught, indicating an impressive skill level in his trade. Intrigued, Ryan set his jaw. “So brave the thief who targets a hunter,” he said thoughtfully, squinting at the smaller man. Ryan turned the knife flat against the man’s bleeding windpipe, fighting the urge to roll his eyes at the man’s apparent relief.

“So skilled the hunter who catches a thief,” The smaller man retorted carefully, wincing as he slowly raised his hands in a placating gesture.

Ryan eyed the man as he moved, gaze flicking from the man’s pained expression to his deep shoulder wound. Sighing, Ryan sheathed his own knife, careful to keep the man trapped against the tree. “I aught to throw you at the king’s feet,” Ryan grumbled. “It would take His Majesty’s ruling to deliver a punishment fit for a common swindler.”

The thief’s eyes went wide, and he gripped Ryan’s oppressive forearm with both hands. “I’m no common swindler... a-and it’s an honest living!”

Grimacing, Ryan’s eyes raked across the man’s scruffy face. “Fascinating, as you’ll surely see yourself to a dishonest end.” 

The man’s face twisted at Ryan’s response and he wriggled under the taller man’s weight. “Please, just let me go. I... I can patch up your wounds, I can give you what little coin I have...” The man’s eyes grew wet. “Please...” 

Ryan thought for a few beats, eventually deciding on a course of action. Lacking the patience for waterworks, and itching to see to his own wounds, he nodded. He gazed at the man - the quite handsome man - for a moment longer. “What is your name, thief?” Ryan demanded, grabbing the man’s chin with his free hand. 

The smaller man swallowed and warily met Ryan’s cold blue gaze. “Free.”

Scoffing, Ryan squeezed the man’s jaw. “I must advise against a man in your position from making such jokes.” 

The man’s fingers dug into Ryan’s forearm, as he protested frantically. “Not a jest! Free’s the family name!” Mouth partially immobilized by Ryan’s crushing fingers, he managed, “Name’s Gavin.

Begrudgingly, Ryan relented. He stepped backward, gesturing for Gavin to flee. “Heed where you tread, thief, for next time, I may not be so kind...” He trailed off, words lingering in warning.

Gavin nodded vigorously, clutching at his wounded shoulder as he backed away from the hunter. Once out of swinging reach, Gavin turned and ran, disappearing into the gloomy woods as little more than a green blur.

Ryan watched Gavin retreat into the shadows, far too aware of his own stinging wounds. As the man vanished, Ryan found himself half hoping they would meet again. Oh, how he longed for a proper duel.

[xfanfics]

Destiel Fic Rec List Part 7

Last Updated in October 2014. Posted in May 2020 for posterity.  Listed in no particular order - the total rec list will have ~250 fics. Header graphic used with permission.

This part of the list contains: 39 fics.

Other Destiel Rec Lists: [1]. [2]. [3]. [4]. [5]. [6]. [7].

Bare Your Throat and Have Me by highermagic E | 4k | AU, PWP,  a/b/o

Castiel and Dean have only been mated for a few months, but Dean knows how this goes by now.

Deterioration by highermagic E | 33k | Hot,  AU, Cop!Dean, Mystery

Dean has a gift – he can see things. Things that others wouldn't see, motive and calm control between the splatters of blood and fractured mirrors. He solves crimes others simply can't. When bodies are piling up all around him, Dean starts to feel as though he's drowning in it, falling under the weight of his own helpless observations, until he finds something unbreakable. Unwavering. Castiel – if only the man was as good for him as he appears.

Try Something Tuesday by almaasi E | 48k | Fluff, Teacher AU, Librarian Cas

Human AU. Dean Winchester teaches a third-grade class. He's new to this whole ‘bisexual’ thing - but by pure happenstance, he meets Castiel: a particularly dapper male librarian who moonlights as a substitute teacher. Dean's curious and Castiel is willing, so why the hell not? Except, fate never intended it to be one-time-only.

Angel-Cuffed by Luciel89 E | 15k | CANON!verse

Dean wakes up to find himself handcuffed to his angel. Both are annoyed, Sam finds it hilarious and awkward situations await them. But the longer they're tied together, the more things between them start to change...

The Bet List ❤ by StevieCas M | 55k | Fluff,  AU, Underage, wing!kink

"That bet list was the worst thing you've ever come up with, Gabe. If it wasn't for it, I would never have thought about such things. It's bad enough being an earthbound angel, it's bad enough being considered a weirdo even by angel standards. Did I have to be gay as well? Do I even represent a minority or is it just me out there?

I love the world of this fic--and Dean and Cas' relationship dynamic is perfect.    

Ad Astra ❤ by nhixxie T | 17k | Angst

One day Cas says, "Stars died for you, Dean Winchester", against ruffled hair perched atop sun kissed skin and sleepy eyes. Dean stirs, moving to spread his palms against the contour of Cas’ back, tips of fingers languidly strumming the indentations of his spine. One, two, three, four, he counts, the closest he could get to scientifically studying the anatomy of the human body. "Is this some physics crap again?" He frowns with eyes closed. Cas smiles softly. "Far from it. "Dean’s fingers play at the base of his back, ninth thoracic vertebrae, Cas notes. "Then tell me all about it.”

Read it and weep. If this were published, I would buy it.    

Sensitive by nevergotwings E | 1k | wing!kink

Curiosity sparks when Dean gets the urge to touch Castiel's wings.

An Exercise in 'Worthless' ❤ by beastofthesky

M | 26k | AU, Tattoos

"I mean, you’re–" He gestures at Cas, in his neat oxford shirt and nice pants. “–and I’m a high school dropout who tattoos for a living." Wherein Dean makes a hefty living as a tattoo artist who owns the space next to Gabriel's cafe. Sam attends the local university. When Gabe's cousin comes to live with him while starting grad school at Sam's university, Dean thinks for sure that all his negative karma's coming to bite him in the ass because Cas clearly has a thing for Sam. No one would ever choose him over Sam. That's just logic.

Perfection everywhere. Dean's lack of self-worth is explored, and there are tattoos.    

Of ties and wings by perpetuallycaffinated E | 4k | Hot,  PWP, wing!kink

Jealousy, ties and and impatient angel. Also, wings.

pie | by perpetuallycaffinated E | 3k | Hot,  PWP

Dean uses pie to eat out Castiel. That's pretty much it.

I Say, But I Mean by inplayruns T | 4k | Coffee Shop AU

Dean runs a bed & breakfast. Cas works in a coffeeshop.

Heavenly Delights by TamrynEradani T | 2k | Fluff, Coffee Shop AU

Gabriel owns Heavenly Delights, the coffee shop Cas works at and on the day before Thanksgiving, Cas sees someone looking down so he brings him a hot chocolate, and Gabriel conspires to get them together.

New Eyes by ozzutly E | 1k | Canon!Verse

Dean sees Castiel's true form. He decides he likes it.

Resonance by definitely_indecisive G | 1k | Canon!Verse, Soul Bond

The battered and abused presence had poked warily out, almost as if expecting harm. He let his grace drift forward to meet the soul instantly, putting off all of the warmth he could muster. The presence seemed to stutter for a second, before melding itself into Castiel's grace. He allowed the soul to do so, cradling it with his core. He could feel the tiredness and abuse from the poor thing, yet also the amazing light it gave off as it started to slowly heal because of his grace. He could tell this was the most unique soul he had ever met, and that he wouldn't forget the feeling of the presence for all of millennia.

My Roots Take Flight by KismetJeska M | 125k | Reverse!verse, s4 AU

After forty years in Hell, Dean’s more than willing to accept the offer: become a guardian angel and earn his freedom. But his new ward seems destined to hunt alongside Sam, and there are secrets in Heaven that the angels don’t want found out. Dean’s going to have to choose between his duty and the people he loves- and to work out just where Castiel fits in.

Angel Airlines by dancingloki E | 19k | Hot, Airline AU

Dean is an airline pilot with a raging hard-on for his head flight attendant. Fluffy fluffy fluff.

El Tango de Amor by literaryoblivion E | 16k | AU, Fluff,  Angst,

Every Tuesday and Thursday, Dean leaves, is gone for two to three hours, and comes home sweaty and exhausted to the apartment he and his brother Sam share. Sam had asked him where he went once, and Dean had said he was working out, which technically wasn’t a lie. What he was doing was definitely giving him a workout, just not in the traditional sense. In all actuality though, Dean was leaving every Tuesday and Thursday for a dance class. A dance class taught by a one Castiel Novak.

Ugly Sweater!Verse ❤ ❤ by nerdylittledude E | 193k  | Canon!verse,Fluff,  Post s5

If they really go back and think about it... it all started with a tree. A Christmas tree, that is. Castiel is human now, and the apocalypse is not only over, it's been averted. Sam's away at NYU, finally finishing law school, and Dean's stuck in what is probably the most awkward situation of his life. He's not exactly sure how he ended up sharing a flat with Cas in Media, Pennsylvania, but he does know the curious would-be angel is sort of derailing his plans for a life of decadence and booze. Cas is trying to make the best of his humanity by exploring human holidays. Dean can't exactly complain because he's pretty much the reason Cas got his wings clipped in the first place. Dean didn't actually want to fall in love, but how was he supposed to know it would all start with a goddamn tree?

 My favorite fic ever. I don't know how many times I've read it. There is switching, fluff, angst, and slow building romance. I will rec this forever.    

More Than Alien Mojo by remivel

E | 29k | Men in Black AU, Fluff,

Dean was one of Men in Black's best agents. In fact, he's been knee deep in extraterrestrial crap his whole life, and he's gone through more apocalypses than he could care to remember. He thought he's seen it all-- until he and his partner, Sam, were sent out to a routine meteorite crash inspection. What was supposed to be a meteorite turned out to be a golden spaceship, and instead of hitchhiking intergalactic pathogens, it was an alien that took the form of a human male. A very naked human male. Soon, they discovered that this alien named 'Castiel' was a refugee from a war-torn galaxy.The first of his kind to ever venture to Earth, Castiel agreed to share information about his galaxy and his race in exchange for his relocation on Earth. The only catch was: since Castiel was a new alien species, nobody knew what he was capable of, whether he was as harmless as E.T., or as dangerous as the Predator. And it was Dean's job to keep an eye on him and assess just how much of a threat Castiel could be, and if necessary, eliminate him. It wasn't a job Dean was looking forward to doing. Especially since he couldn't seem to keep his eyes off him, naked or not.

Come On With the Rain by remivel E | 36k | High School AU, dubcon

When Castiel was 15, his life changed. In one tragic instant, he lost his parents, and he was forced to live with his Uncle Bobby in Lawrence, Kansas. There he met the Winchester boys, Sam and Dean, who were living next door. He thought Sam was pleasant, and Dean, well, Dean was special. Three years passed and Castiel’s relationship with the boys developed in an unexpected way. Sam became his best friend. But Dean was a different story. Dean was not Castiel’s friend. He was a neighbor, a classmate, the brother of Castiel’s best friend, and the guy who worked part time at his uncle’s salvage yard. That was all. But on the rare times that Dean asked Castiel for help, Castiel couldn’t find it in him to turn him down. Because this was Dean. And the answer would never be “no” when it came to Dean.

Crossroads State by Mercy M | 51k | AU

Castiel has a nice predictable structured life teaching high school, even if he happens to be overqualified for it. Then this guy moves in around the corner and literally knocks him on his ass.

Heart of Glass by omphalos E | 17k | Canon!Verse

He's the one who was punished, severely, because of his feelings for Dean, but who still gave up everything for him in the end. Surely there should exist between them a better level of comprehension than this.

Domesticated by kototyph E | 15k | AU

Being the only angel in the entire Pacific Northwest can be tiring, even if these days Castiel spends more of his time shoveling manure than fighting off the hordes of hell. It's an occupational hazard, unfortunately; he earns most of his living rehabilitating wild animals a few miles outside Spokane. Wild animals like Dean, for instance— a mountain lion who's entirely too smart for his own good. There's a man in Castiel's dreams named Dean too, but that part's just a huge coincidence.

Excite by perpetuallycaffinated E | 3k | Crack, wing!kink

"Sam Winchester, I am going to carnally worship your brother whether you are in this room or not.

Snapshots 'Verse ❤ by highermagic E | 60k [WIP] | AU, Wing!kink, a/b/o, omega!dean

A series of one-shots following the meeting, courting and eventual love between an Angel doctor named Castiel and an Angel teacher by the name of Dean.

Less of a WIP, more of a series of one-shots. Rowan's worldbuilding is lovely, and the sex is perfect as usual. EDIT: Apparently this has been removed.

Angel's Wild ❤ by riseofthefallenone E | 389k | AU, H/C, Wing!kink

But that’s the whole reason he’s here, isn’t it? He’s not out here hunting Humans. He’s not even hunting deer, or bears, or anything else that featured in Bambi. He’s out here, freezing his nuts off every night, because he’s hunting Angels. Sometimes Dean wishes that Angels were like how they’re described in the Bible. How people from time too old for him to care much about thought Angels were messengers and warriors of God, protectors of Humans. He knows that how they’re really described in the Bible is actually pretty terrifying, but at least they were told by God that they’re supposed to love Humans, right? That’s a thousand times better than what Angels really turned out to be.

Perfection. Go read it now.    

Sharing Hands by almaasi E | 6k | Hot, Canon!Verse

Dean feels something strange when he touches himself, and realises Cas has been using him as a vessel ever since he came back from Purgatory.

The Good Samaritan Rule by manic_intent E | 6k | AU, wing!kink

Written for deancaskink: "Dean and Castiel are both angels and brothers-in-arms. During a battle, Cas's wings get hurt and [it's] up to Dean to help him out. In the process, Cas finds out how sensitive his wings are and well Dean is Dean no matter what his form [is], so this leads to lovely first time sex." God never made humans. Instead, he made the angels in his image, and on the sixth day he made the is him, and gave them free will.

How (thanks to Gabriel) Dean and Castiel (accidentally) raised each other (and Sam) ❤ by Vera_Dragonmuse E | 69k | AU, Sam/Gabriel

In which, Gabriel meddles with the time line and Castiel becomes Dean's angel rather sooner than intended.

Out of the Deep ❤ by riseofthefallenone E | 488k | AU, h/c

Stay away from the light-beds. Stay in the deep. It is the first thing hatchlings are taught the moment their fans unfurl and they can swim without their parents to buoy them along. It is the first rule, the first law. It is the beginning of every boogey-monster bedtime story told when they settle against the cliffs to sleep. Castiel should have listened better.

It's long, but worth it.    

Feathers by brightly_lit M | 90k | Angst, Wing!kink, D/s

In an alternate season 5 scenario, Dean, Sam, and twenty of their closest hunter friends stopped the apocalypse by closing the gates to heaven, hell, and purgatory. Now working with his former hunter buddies at Ellen's security company, Dean doesn't know what to make of his weird new coworker who always wears a trenchcoat and leaves behind feathers everywhere he goes. He especially doesn't know that, cut off from the power of heaven, the constantly falling feathers mean his new friend is dying. "Creation cried out against the injustice of a righteous man in hell. I answered its cry.

Vita Nuova ❤ by wordaccordingtofangirls M | 61k | Teacher AU

AU. Dean Winchester takes a job as a teaching assistant to get his little brother into a prestigious academy. He doesn't quite expect such long nights and snobby kids, but the real surprise is professor Castiel Novak: or falling in love with him, that is.

Like a Parched Land by twoskeletons E | 8k | reverse!verse

Written for the following prompt: "Reverse!verse: Castiel is the Righteous Man and Dean is the angel who drags his ass out of Hell." This is an AU version of episodes 5x01 through 5x03.

The Cabin by bookkbaby E | 16k | Canon!Verse, Wing!kink

For an angel, the building of a Nest is sacred. Dean doesn't understand. Written for the 2013 DCBB.

Pies and Prejudice by linoresearch E | 97k | AU

Dean didn’t even want to enter this damn competition. He was happy with his life, more or less. It might not look like much from the outside, or to a younger brother headed towards a big time law career, but it wasn’t so bad that Dean needed to scrabble around for any opportunity to make a change – particularly not one as stupid as this. He’s going to throttle Sam the next time he sees him, for getting him involved in this ridiculous Bake-Off TV show. It’s bad enough that Dean has to cook in front of people he doesn’t know; he now has to go through the humiliation of being judged on it too. Its humiliation piled on humiliation, and to make matters worse Dean has to play nice with all the other suckers involved, like that rich dick-bag Castiel Novak. God, he hates that guy, and he hates that someone so awful has such a frustratingly fine ass. Written for the Dean/Castiel Big Bang 2013

The Breath of All Things ❤ by KismetJeska T | 65k | AU, H/C Angst,

Dean Winchester was twenty-six years old when a car accident killed his father and left him paralysed from the waist down. A year and a half later, Dean is in a wheelchair and lives in a care home in Kansas, where he spends his days waiting to die. It's only when Castiel Novak starts volunteering at the care home that Dean starts to wonder if a changed life always equals a ruined one.

So angsty, and so, so perfect.    

All the Way ❤ by cadignan E | 81k | College AU

Castiel spends the first two weeks of college in much the same way he spent the previous years: alone with his books. He’s fine with it—he enrolled in college to learn, after all. Then in his first chemistry lab, he has the bad luck of being paired with snide, good-for-nothing Ruby, and the further misfortune of sitting behind Dean Winchester, the world’s most beautiful distraction. Ruby catches Castiel staring at Dean and makes him an offer.

Destiel, Actually by Bloodism E | 15k | Crack Fluff,

Picture your typical rom-com cliché. Now picture Dean stuck in that rom-com cliché. With Castiel. Because that's what happening to him - a crazy whirlwind of your typical-and-not-so-typical cliché's. He's playing the main lead in all of them and Castiel's his counterpart. Of course, the culprit is obvious. Gabe's enjoying himself too much, lying back on his favourite cloud with a tub of salted popcorn. It was about time someone kicked the two knuckleheads into gear.

Suburban War by squeemonster E | 100k | High School AU

Moving to Lawrence with his family is the most significant event of Dean Winchester's life. It brings a stability he's never known, and the only thing to have more of a profound impact on him is Castiel Novak: the two boys become fast friends the day they meet. But as Dean grows older, he dreams for something beyond the monotony and constraints of suburbia, and he is haunted by the inexplicable feeling that he was born for something more than what this life offers. As he struggles to reconcile the person he yearns to be with what his family and friends expect of him, a fateful choice exposes just how fragile his life in the suburbs is, and possibly risks losing the best friend he's ever had.

[ryouverua]

DRV3 Reading List

Okay, this is the compiled list of all the drv3 fics I had recommended to me! * The fact that I’m collecting them all now doesn’t mean I’m not still open to new reccs - it’s just supposed to act as a starting point and I’m going to go to them first.

* I know there was some back and forth and a few private messages about certain fics/authors. This is going to be an entirely neutral list of everything sent in to me. I’ll take other considerations into account later.

** I’m categorizing them as best as I can with the info I got if anyone else wants to use this as a list for themselves. With that said, there may be pairings in the fics that aren’t in the pairing categories. In fact, I’m sure there are, especially for more canon-compliant ones - but I’m placing them by whether the pairing takes backseat to the plot or vice versa. If I’ve got any wrong (which I probably do since I haven’t read them yet), let me know and I’ll fix their placement.

Fix-its:

ITMLFY (I’d Trade My Life For Yours), 3PS (3 Point Shot), Alt. V  An Encore from my Crying Heart (in ch 3), To The Future Days, Back Route

Ch1-centric

Dear Melodies, When The Moon Turns Its Back

Ch5-centric:

Dude, Who the Fuck is Junko Enoshima, The Roles We (Are Meant To) Play, How to Stay Behind the Doors of Life, Star Crossed, Oh, Glory, Unbecoming, Background World

General canon-compliant AU:

Last Remaining Purpose, Rocket to Xibalba, If It’s Real To You

VR-verse:

orbital resonance, Standing in the Other’s Clothes, where ends meet, Invisible Future Stream, Numb, My Empire of Dirt, We Live, When I Close My Eyes, The World’s Still There, Glittering Darkness, endure this tragedy that we like to call a home

Talent-swap:

Oratorio, 「Grey Area」, Ultimate Shuffle

Pre-Game AU:

you are coming down with something (you cannot be contained by mortal confines), Wandering Stars

Traitor AU:

Engineering Destiny

Post-Game:

16x3, June

Crossover AU (no pairing):

Under the Moonlight, Debunking Kokichi Ouma, Of Liars and the Dead, The Luminary’s Shadow, Reversed Sun

Non-Despair AU (no/multi-pairing)

Getting Along Like a Killer Harmony, Skinsuits, Name of the Game, Confidants, But Never Friends, Another Man’s Trash, 15 Mo(u)rnings

Complete Setting AU:

both dream and reality, one and the same

Saimota:

And the Stars Sing Hallelujah, La Lune, La Terre, et un Peu du Soliel, Last Hundred, Trust in Me, Before You Start Your Day, Waste

Oumota:

Getting Along / From Beyond the Grave, Comparison Kills, Corvus Oculum Corvi Non Eruit, On The Other Side of the Press, this one’s the worst part, Help Unwanted But Sorely Needed, Saddle in Your Soul, Free Time, At the Very End

for myself - anything from Oumota weekend

Platonic relationship (brothers/otherwise): Purple, You’d lose your mind trying to understand mine

Oumasai:

Sending Post Cards from a Plane Crash, All My Secrets, Irreplaceable You, Ready Aim Fire, Meta

Angie-centric:

Send Them Off!

Himiko-centric:

From Broken To Repaired, Going Through The Motions

Kaito-centric:

Fifteen Stars, Infinity Times Infinity Times Infinity

Shuichi-centric:

Overwhelmed (sequel to June)

Kokichi-centric:

Reaching

Rantaro-centric:

The Truth We Pursue, Junkball

Ryoma-centric:

I’ll Come Right On The Other Side (also Ouma-centric)

Tsumugi-centric:

Eighteen Hundred and Ninety Six Pieces of Glass, Commitment

OC AU:

We’re a Two-For-One Special (Kurochi), Can you really call this a Hotel, there weren’t even Mints on the Pillows (Kurochi)

Author reccs: 

corgasbord, @idaate, fatiguedfern, @grayimperia, devicing, @rev-eeriee , elisye, wingless, dillaswrites, lenasaurous, @aroseandapen,  @tricky-leader / rychuu / @starlightwritesalie, @golden-redhead, @kirastrations, @evil-muffins, the_sez, @trans-shuichisaihara, grand_mephy, devicing

Blogs:

@thestarshiphope, @panta-and-liars, @hopes-peak-monsters, @tokilos (art), PIXIV artist

[eucanthos]

marble white avatar

Mary Anderson (1859 - 1940) as Galatea in W. S. Gilbert's Pygmalion and Galatea, 1883, NY

Jean Raoux  (1677 - 1734)

Pygmalion adoring his statue, 1717. Oil on canvas: 134 cm (52.7 ″) x 100 cm (39.3 ″) Collection Fabre museum

Louis-Jean-François Lagrenée   (1725 - 1805)

Pygmalion and his statue, exposé au Salon de 1777, n°3. Oil on canvas. Sinebrychoff Art Museum, Helsinki, Finland.

Julia Marlowe (1865 - 1950) as innocent Galatea ecstatic with her beauty

Pygmalion (Πυγμαλίων) is a legendary figure of Cyprus.

The following synopsis of Galatea, or Pygmalion Reversed was printed in The Era:

“The title will perhaps suggest that in this instance Galatea is the sculptor and Pygmalion the statue – the ideal man endowed with life and able to toddle, though a very earnest appeal to the "gods" perched up aloft in the gallery. The living statue is very angular in movement, and its face is not exactly handsome; but Pygmalion with his first breath becomes filled up with vanity. He exclaims with rapture, "How beautiful I am!" and given a hand-mirror he seems never tired of gazing upon his own loveliness, and of breaking forth into ecstatic song with, "Just look at that and look at this." Pygmalion is a classical masher. He "mashes" not only Galatea who made him, but Myrine and Daphne, who, bewitched by his manly beauty, give the "cold shoulder" to their respective and respectable husbands, Cyniscos, Leucippe and Chrysos, who, being thereby enraged, resolve not to mash, but to smash Pygmalion and to begin by chipping him. This treatment of course soon inclines Pygmalion to return to his old position, and then peace and happiness are restored.”

Pygmalion and Galatea (Pygmalion and Galatea, an Original Mythological Comedy is a blank verse play by W. S. Gilbert in three acts based on the Pygmalion story, 1871). A married sculptor who falls in love with his statue, Galatea. When the statue comes to life, her very innocence leads to complications.

In 2012, biologist Fred Sander used the play Pygmalion and Galatea "as a 'hook' to explore the ethics and science of cloning" in his book Created In Our Own Images.com. Sander wrote: "Gilbert’s drama not only anticipates psychoanalysis in the 20th century, but also, written a hundred years before the discovery of stem cells, it metaphorically resonates with the 21st century of genomic medicine. ... Gilbert's comedy ... points to new biological, psychological, social, and ethical issues raised by the ... sequencing of the genome and the explosion of stem cell research." -wiki

not nerd enough

Columbia students claim Greek mythology needs a trigger warning

“Ovid’s ‘Metamorphoses’ like so many texts in the Western canon, contains triggering and offensive material that marginalizes student identities in the classroom. These texts, wrought with histories and narratives of exclusion and oppression, can be difficult to read and discuss as a survivor, a person of color, or a student from a low-income background...” wrote four students, members of Columbia’s Multicultural Affairs Advisory Board.  -The Washington Post

[syndrossi]

In the Reversal AU, does Jon/Jeyne/Aemma look enough like Arya that he gets hit in the feels the first time he sees his reflection? Also I think he needs to name at least one sword/dagger Needle in honor of her. Lastly, how bad, and or surprisingly good, are Jon and Rhaegar at sewing/embroidery?

Oh, interesting question! I think a pure Jon-is-suddenly-a-girl-at-AGOT-Arya's-age would definitely look like her sister. With a little extra Daemon and Royce mixed in, it does "help" a little, so that he has to look a little harder to find the features he shares with Arya, but I like to think he still can. (It's not as dramatic as "Raymar looks like Dany", considering the two of them were sibling born of siblings, but if you're seeing yourself for the first time in a mirror, it's an obvious connection to seek/find.)

f!Jon 100% cheekily refers to her sword lessons with Daemon as "practicing her needlepoint"! 😂 I feel that both twins wouldn't have any great love for sewing and embroidery, feeling that there are far more valuable pursuits, given their upbringing the first time around. f!Rhaegar would much prefer to be doing something with dragons or reading a book. If she has to do a lady-like interest, it's going to be singing/the harp, which she already loves. One advantage of being a princess is that it's far more likely that someone else is making your gowns, so it's somewhat less "necessary" to learn it, vs the extra language lessons f!Rhaegar volunteers them for. (f!Jon is grumpy enough about having to learn Valyrian and now her sister wants to learn two more??? And additionally cheat because she'd learned them almost to the point of fluency before? And DANCING, Rhaella, really?)

Ultimately, I think they learn it to the point of bare minimum competence, since they both have their pride and like to excel, but that's one area where neither is a prodigy!

[swanwinged-princess]

Hhhhhh soul eater au.... 

(anime-based bc I know the manga is different but I really only know the anime)

(also basically the same as bnha!verse but like. why change a winning formula u know) 

-swan king (aka Cygnus Apollyon) is a god/spirit/entity; embodiment of, like, salvation n justice n hope n truth n stuff (sort of the more ‘touchy-feely’/‘romantic’ stuff as opposed to shinigami who’s just straightforward law n order); also the guy who made excalibur/his first wielder (he doesn’t know why he turned out like that either so don’t ask him) 

-married a mortal queen with a special soul n had tutu; when gods have kids with mortals it’s kind of a crapshoot as to how the kid is gonna turn out so that’s why she’s still all birdy (as opposed to death the kid/asura who I feel like were just kinda... made) 

-Swan king’s soul is actually just— well, it’s a building-sized crown-wearing swan is what it is; it’s not traditionally soul-shaped. It’s sort of his ‘true form’ and when his humanoid form/disguise is moving around and walking and talking the swan is sort of mirroring his actions. He can sort of ‘Soul Protect’ it, but it’s not actually MAGIC like the witches, it’s just something he can do, and even when it’s ‘hidden’ the wings are still out, coming out of his back like angel wings. 

-Tutu’s soul looks like a normal soul if you’re not looking very hard, but if you look again it’s actually also a swan with a crown, except with two sets of wings and some long, flowy almost phoenix-like tail feathers, curled up in on itself to make a shape like a normal soul and apparently asleep.

-Both of their soul auras extend FAR beyond both their physical bodies and even the outside of their soul, and they’re very powerful and holy and attractive to magical creatures like the fairies in excalibur’s cave (who only live there because it’s a holy cave even without him in it and magical creatures like them can only live in places w a strong pure aura and those are unfortunately hard to find in the present day)

-Swan king can turn his off, again, similar to soul protect, but tutu cannot, which is where the problem comes in. Even if she was just a human, her soul would already have been special. Her mom had the same kind of soul and that’s sort of what drew swan king to her; they’ve been around way before weapons and meisters were a thing and there are stories and legends about people who had souls like that; they were called ‘holy maidens’ or ‘holy men’ or ‘saints’ or whatever. what makes it special is the fact that they can resonate with literally any other soul, weapon, meister or otherwise, and the type of resonance— it’s actually pretty one-sided in that the holy soul doesn’t get anything back from the other soul and the resonance doesn’t just power up, it stabilizes erratic soul wavelengths and can even PURIFY (like reverse some of the damage on a kishin egg soul, not to mention what it might be able to do to, for example, black blood...); 

in fact, if the resonance is strong enough it can heal physical damage/cure illness/cleanse contamination and poison and stuff

it’s like that ‘healing with the right frequency of chimes’ stuff that may or may not actually work but in this case it does. 

 The main drawback of having this type of soul is that it’s almost impossible to hide it; if we’re going with the chime metaphor it’s like the sound is so clear and pure and strong that you can hear it from like a mile away, and you can’t stop it without physically stopping the bell itself. 

And since that type of soul basically exists to give itself to other souls it can’t really protect itself/close itself off from outside influence, and another drawback of having that type of soul is that it doesn’t just attract magical creatures and animals (who are always sort of better than your average human at picking up on soul wavelengths; like how cats and dogs can sense an earthquake coming/see ghosts if you believe in that sort of thing); it also attracts evil, but for a completely different reason. In a nutshell, they smell really good to evil entities (like how bella in twilight had that really tasty kind of blood) 

there’s definitely a trend for people with holy souls to die young, usually tragically and/or violently, often at the hands of some kind of oppressor or overlord or other (i mean god damn look at what happened to half the saints in catholicism;;; same general ballpark), which would’ve been a problem even if she was fully human but since she’s also half-divine it’s a HUGE problem. 

All kinds of kishin eggs and associates and basically everything you can imagine just sort of follow her around, slavering everywhere and generally being nasty/a nuisance. 

She’s been ok so far because of her being A Princess, and also her dad is a little more present than he is in most other verses, but when a bunch of undead vikings invaded/set fire to the kingdom (which there’s not much of anyway; it’s very small) and tried to storm the castle to get to her her dad was like ‘OKAY i’m taking you to DWMA, it’s basically the safest place in the world’

(even tho like;;; chris hemsworth vc is it though??? ‘cause that’s what they say about hogwarts too and look at what happened THERE every year;;; not to MENTION ua;;;;)

hhhh but YEAH that’s basically it/the bare bones of it at least....

bnha au n soul eater au..... the same......

[syndrossi]

any other Reversal AU scenes/ideas you’re interested in writing?

I will confess that Reversal is the one I've thought about the least! Let's see...

Some cosy scenes of Daemon being soft with his daughters

Daemon training Jeyne/etc in the yard because Cole refuses to teach a girl

The twins with Helaena

The uglier fears that come with Volantis seeking daughters

Daemon almost definitely marries Laena in this AU because he does still want a son and since he already has PTWP daughters, Viserys doesn't do the "I command you to marry!" thing (but he does still void Laena's marriage to avoid dragonriders marrying outside the realm)

The twins bonding with Laena (and Rhaenys) and feeling a bit better about their prospects as women vs men

Daemon reaching even more horrifying conclusions about Allard and Crayne given their trauma

the challenges of working their influence when the advice of women is more routinely dismissed/ignored

the Green boys getting progressively more unhinged about the twins as they reach adolescence (as kids, they can still kind of play normally)

the Velaryon boys being the absolute sweetest and not quite understanding the marriage stuff, but Jace trying to be the best prince/gentleman with them (it's even cuter when he's like 8 and they're 11)

[syndrossi]

Something I would love for Reversal!AU is a) Daemon going EVEN MORE SPARE when he hears the 'pillow princesses' song in this timeline, and also B) freaking out more about what might have befallen his two daughters while they were alone with a grown male kidnapper. Honestly, he's probably relieved they aren't flowered yet, because that makes it less likely that they would be raped by Crayne - and when he hears that Crayne kept Rhaella close the fear would be even worse.

Also, in regards to Jon's name in reversal!AU - while Daeron and Aemon/D are already taken, that doesn't actually stop Jeyne from choosing a female version of one of those names...and if she does... The female version of Aemon is...Aemma. Also, if she does pick Visenya, Viserys is going to remember how Rhaenyra was determined to have a sister/daughter and name her Visenya, and honestly so is Rhaenyra, and they are both going to look at Daemon as the one who named his daughters - honestly, everyone who knows about Rhaenyra and the name Visenya are going to be looking at Daemon's daughters named Visenya and Rhaella and be all 'wow, he really loves Rhaenyra.'

I'm pretty sure Daemon just kills that singer in Reversal AU. In Resonant, he knows (he hopes?) that they were not harmed by Crayne in that manner, and he also understands that it would be both wasteful and suicidal for the Triarchy to have ambitions of that kind with his sons. But with daughters? It probably speaks to his deeper fears about Volantis's intentions for his twins.

And as gross as it is, the girls' maidenheads are important commodities in this culture, so I'm guessing that the Grand Maester, uh, has them examined to ensure that they're intact after their captivity, to both the twins' and Daemon's own horror. (He does get some small relief at the confirmation that they were not defiled by Crayne.)

Aww, Aemma is actually a rather sweet dark horse contender for a name for Jon. (Honestly, there are some great female Targaryen names, including many of Daemon's aunts' names! Viserra and Daella. Heh, they could be Rhaella and Daella! Alongside the more traditional names like Daenerys/Daenys, or the spurned Visenya.)

[syndrossi]

The Aemond and girl!Jon AU talk reminded me of an older ask where if, Rhaegar is reborn a girl, girl!Rhaegar would assume that she would marry her brother - and the awkward conversation they would have to have because of that.

Just think about how much more awkward it would be for Jon if he was the girl twin, and Rhaegar the boy. He would KNOW he was Rhaegar’s type (or very close to) and could have far more insight into his parent’s dynamic because of that than he ever would have wanted.

I could've sworn there was a long reply thread where a few of us pondered that question, but I could only find the one you're referring to, where we talk about f!Rhaegar expecting to marry Jon, who doesn't realize that's where it's heading.

Anyway! The reverse is...awkward. So very awkward. This is when you pull that truth bandaid off as early as possible to let Rhaegar know that btw you were my dad in our prior lives to nip that in the bud. Because if Jon doesn't, this is a very real danger! Brave, capable, snarky, action-oriented, capable with weapons--those are all attractive traits to Rhaegar, clearly. On top of Jon being both clever and insightful.

[syndrossi]

I like to imagine Jeyne!Jon wants to get married to a Stark, if she has to get married (and it is what woukd be seen as "her duty" here, though plenty of lesser nobles don't get married/become spinsters) and it would be the one way she could get to go and belong to her own house that she wouldn't get as a son. And I imagine the North would appreciate a bride that can kick ass more, AND it would fulfil the Ice&Fire pact.

Jeyne!Jon would be Lady of Runestone, so she does have a duty to marry and have heirs of her own. (Book!Jon fantasizes about having a family when Stannis offers him Winterfell, and I don't think that desire goes away when she's reborn.)

On the Stark front, I mean, Cregan is quite the impressive historical figure, so I could see either her or Rhaella being into a Stark match. OTOH, given the House Targaryen desire to keep dragons within their line, there is significant pressure for them to have Targaryen matches. I could see it being a stipulation that if they marry outside of it, their children will not be given eggs/allowed to become dragonriders.

Notice how Daella's daughter, Aemma, was never given an egg/an opportunity to have a dragon of her own. I imagine it would have been the same with Viserra's marriage and children, had she lived. None of Jaehaerys's daughters, in fact, were allowed to have a dragon except for the one who married one of her brothers, aka Alyssa. You could call it a chicken and egg problem, potentially--had they bonded to a dragon, perhaps they would not have been married outside the family. Or perhaps like Daella, their children would not have been given the opportunity for a dragon.

[syndrossi]

Oh no, if the girls find out that Daemon married Laena because he wants sons, it could really hurt them because they both grew up feeling like they weren't enough for their fathers (Jon because he's a bastard, Rhaegar because Aerys is basically impossible to please).

This may especially piss off Jon/Jane and Daemon may hear a snippet of an argument with Rhaegar "...I wasn't good enough before because I was a bastard and now because I'm a girl." I hope Damon grabs his head and rushes to Raenys/Rhaenyra for advice on how to convince his daughters that wanting a son doesn't make them less valuable and loved to him.

It's one of those things where I think both would understand, because they grew up in this patriarchal culture and themselves know the importance of a son, but you're right that it would sting. They have this "second chance" of a sorts, but still they are not enough, only this time it's not because Jon's a "bastard" and Aerys can't be satisfied, but because they aren't sons at all.

OTOH, I doubt Daemon would outright say it to them. More likely it'd come from the Greens (Alicent, Otto), sort of an offhand "oh, of course, he wants a son" remark meant to drive a wedge between them and Daemon.