#some of my favourite secondary characters!

[iridiumzer0]

Pretty girls die young

[longagoitwastuesday]

I am liking Jujutsu Kaisen, way more than I imagined I would, but I foresee it will let me down and it's keeping me from enjoying this as much as I could haha

I think the characters and dynamics are well set, and I think many of them have an incredibly good and deep potential, but I would be willing to bet they'll not get a proper development, enough for them to really hit. A well assembled set of gears is not enough to make the movement go, you have to wind the clockwork.

I think Gojo and Megumi have a fascinating and very complex dynamic, but I doubt it will be given the time and care that imo it needs to actually work. And it is going well enough for now! One could see the intimacy between them was deeper than the one Gojo had with, say, Yuji and Nobara ever since the very first few episodes despite the fact Fushiguro too was a first year. But the pieces forming what they have are extremely complex, and it just wouldn't be realistic if it doesn't show, even if in a not showing way, or if it doesn't have consequences or implications.

It's one of those dynamics that shape one's life, the way one regards the world, the way one establishes or not relationships with other people. It's one of those dynamics that could be full of fondness, gratitude, resentment, admiration, trust, and that imply intimacy, the good kind or the bad, even if in just the knowledge of someone who's been a constant through your life. It could, and would, imply a myriad of feelings, and probably in such a mix it could imply contradictory feelings too. Even the nothingness would weight, even the nothingness would be significant and meaningful.

Gojo took Megumi and his sister under his wing, the son of a man who murdered him, because of both selfish and selfless reasons. Megumi looks like Toji. What does Gojo feel about this? How does Gojo deal with this? How does Gojo go about taking care of Megumi? Would he walk him to school? Make him breakfast? Celebrate his birthdays making him blow candles? Did he take him to the zoo? Does the relationship between them feel professional or is it something more? Gojo appreciates his students, but is Megumi to him just another student? When Gojo faces Sukuna in Megumi's body, did he see the kid he raised, or does he just see Sukuna in one of his students' body? Did he have one faint wavering instant? And how does Megumi feel about this? Is he resentful of him? Resentful of the situation? Of the selfishness behind his actions? Does he feel like a pawn? Is he grateful? Does he resent feeling grateful? Would he rather not? Does he love Gojo? Does he feel nothing about him other than what he could feel about a teacher that sort of annoys him but knows he's reliable in his strength? Does he think it unfair, cruel or unfeeling that Gojo is close, closer perhaps, with Yuuji or Yuta, considering their story? When Sukuna slices Gojo in two, does the remnants of Megumi's soul tremble?

And not just Megumi and Gojo. Yuuji and Nanami, Gojo and Nanami, Yuuji and Fushiguro, Nobara and the boys, or Nobara and Maki, Todo and Yuuji or Yuta, Gojo and Yuta, Megumi and his sister. Gojo and Geto, even! If the pieces are well set, the dynamics are intriguing, interesting, and have potential to be deep, but then the characters have like two plot relevant scenes that punch you hard, but little more, it's not nearly enough. Especially not nearly enough for the enormity that is shonen dynamics and situations. And the potential existing at all, and then not delivering, makes it all the more frustrating when you're left with something mediocre that could have been so good.

The development of dynamics through not only a few plot relevant gut wrenching moving scenes, but also the smallness of life, is important. The friend who recommended this to me said that those things were just unnecessary filler, but I disagree. I think there's a big difference between a large amount of anime-only filler episodes whose existence is based on the fact they had run out of manga chapters to animate, and moments of quietness. The low stakes character-driven moments of quietness can be so telling and so insightful, and they are so satisfactory when brought back later in higher stakes situations. My friend teased me there was no scene of Gojo making breakfast to Megumi, that it would be an idiotic idea, but it would be so telling. How he makes breakfast, what they eat, if he tries hard or if it's all mechanised, if they have personal bowls or if they use whatever, if he just buys them some pastry on the way to school, if the way they have breakfast changes through the years, or if he doesn't make them breakfast at all! All that would be very insightful on their dynamic and its evolution. All that would give a glimpse on how they regard each other and why, even in the present. All that could become meaningful in tense situations and high stakes scenes.

These moments also let the plot breath; if a lot is happening all the time, if every character is always experiencing trauma after trauma, the entire story is so emotionally draining that at some point you don't even care all that much. Besides, these nothing moments or low stakes plot arcs, besides deepening and developing dynamics, also let some in-world time pass, which would make the intimacy and bond between characters more believable imo; between Yuuji eating Sukuna's finger and their last confrontation in December how much time has passed? A few months? Am I truly to believe these characters are so everything to each other in only a few months?

Without some smallness, some repetition, some daily life, some low stakes not plot-centric development, the dynamics don't hit, they don't truly feel fleshed out, and dynamics as complex as the ones Megumi and Gojo have, or as supposedly meaningful as the one Megumi has with Yuuji or his sister, should be fleshed out if they're going to exist at all. Otherwise they'd risk making the writing feel awkward and fake. Besides, if the dynamics felt well fleshed out and realistic, they would shape the way the characters interact and act, and how they deal with situations, thus being plot relevant.

The shonen genre has so much happening all the time, the stakes are so high, the dynamics are so rooted in big events and the relationships carry enormous weight and implications. Yet they barely get developed, and it feels so stupid, so plain, the absence of something so important noticeable like a constant void, a shapeless nothingness present in every scene. It makes the characters feel like cardboard figures. Jujutsu Kaisen is already getting a better job than many, but I doubt it will do enough for what I've heard, and I fear I am bound to feel let down, and bound to feel unmoved.

After all, if not enough time and care has been given to develop a dynamic, I am not going to feel pressured by the high stakes; if not enough time and care has been given to develop the dynamic between Megumi and Yuuji, as good potential as it has I am bound to feel little for this last confrontation between Sukuna and Itadori, and his effort in getting Megumi back.

[rubylarkspur22]

I humbly offer a doodle dump of my Dragon Queen Lady(Lillias)

[boyfrillish]

I finished chapter 10 and I am not okay! And it's the middle of the night and I have to stop there!

Game: hey, you're going to face some consecutive battles now, are you sure you want to proceed Me: hmmm let's go in right now, what could possibly go wrong

(What went wrong is that Stuff Happens and first Alcryst and then Alear break my heart with their voices)

[farscapehome]

hot take but I think we need to start making playlists that fit on CDs again. 80 minutes max.

[future-circuit]

kind of want to rewatch beyblade burst that shit slapped

[greenfiend]

The Significance of Lover’s Lake and Byler (Theory) Part 2

Sequel to this post

(Warning: mentions of sex and drugs)

Okay so first of all, if you haven’t seen my previous post on my theory involving Lovers Lake and Byler, please read it first. I go over my theory and predictions for Byler and the heart shaped lake. This is a secondary post to it, outlining some VERY interesting details involving the owner of the lakeside house, the lakeside house itself, and all the romantic and sexual elements present. I’m saving the best for last here.

Let’s start with the owner of the lakeside house.

Reefer Rick

So I recently made a silly post arguing that the most queer coded character in Stranger Things is not Mike nor Will (nor Robin, Henry, Eddie etc), and I stand by this statement. The most queer coded character is: Reefer Rick. Now, I know we never see the guy, but literally all the information we have on him is either queer coding or drug references.

Synonyms of his name are literally f*g Dick, with a shared last name with the famous tea company founder who so happens to have been a homosexual: Lipton.

We know he doesn’t have a family, thus he’s a single man who occasionally has his buddy/fellow dealer Eddie stay over. Hm, not very heterosexual of him.

Then we have his movie list.

Now, as many of us know, the movie “Fast Times” is used within Stranger Things as a way to gage if someone is attracted to women or not. We have Steve, Dustin, Lucas, and Vickie all confirmed to have enjoyed this movie… specifically for that shot at 53 minutes and 5 seconds. Sure, Reefer Rick rented the film, but why is it the only movie he rented that was returned on time? For context, he’s the only character who had films listed as “late” returns. So, he obviously enjoyed Cheech & Chong a lot more. Two guys doing drugs is more interesting to him than a sexy lady. Okay, noted.

Now, how is he perceived by the people of Hawkins?

Oooof. Okay. He’s not well liked it seems. He apparently is causing some fear and anger amongst the Hawkins residents. Kind of similar of a reaction these people would have towards an openly gay man during the 1980s.

Also I have to include @/conflictofthemind ‘s excellent point that injectable drug use and unprotected sex (specifically between two men) were both commonly associated with HIV/AIDS… a major epidemic during the 80s and a major subtextual theme within the show.

Now, where’s this guy live while outside of jail?

I don’t blame the guy for “hiding” when the town is not too fond of him. Of course he is a drug dealer so there’s that as well. But interesting they used the word “hide”, which has been associated with queerness within the show already (plus this line was said by Robin (featured in the middle of the shot!!!) who is queer herself).

(Both of these screenshots are from 1x02 interestingly enough.)

Wouldn’t it make sense for these two “hiders” to hide out in “a perfect place to hide” together? Seeking refuge in a fellow gay man’s secluded house?

I will say it’s also worth noting that he does not have any women featured on the walls within his house. Also, he has a phallic shaped bong (we’ll get back to that soon).

Phew okay so that’s Reefer Rick. Are you still with me? Hopefully I didn’t bore any of you with this. I promise you this all leads back to Byler.

So, moving on to his house.

So as @/therainscene kindly pointed out, this poster with the smiley face can be related to rave culture and ecstasy in the 1980s. So a drug reference, in a drug dealer’s house… shocker I know. But I gotta say, ecstasy is also a term often related to sex. I also have to add this little tidbit from one of our favourite directors of Stranger Things, Shawn Levy. Keep in mind, he knows what’ll happen in the next season… and he’s directing episodes after 3 and 4…

Interesting word choice, no?

So, back to the symbolism within (and near) the house.

Let’s talk about the phallic symbolism that appears in pairs in these shots. It’s a choice, isn’t it? With two males in each shot. We know the Duffers love details and foreshadowing… I doubt it’s a coincidence. Also, anyone else notice that phone in the background? Just had to mention it, since our boys are frequently associated with phones and calls.

Then, of course, I gotta bring back this shot.

The bed. Blue meets yellow. You know it! We all heard it a thousand times by now. Let’s look at what else is in the shot. A closed closet. Another reference to our boys. To the right, you’ll see a toilet paper roll. Now, if you have a brother, you might see the same thing in his room. Sure it can be used as a tissue for your nose but let’s just say there’s usually another use for it. I’ll call it “self love”. So, basically, another sexual reference.

To sum up this house: lake/water, drugs, and ecstasy/smiley face. Now, let’s go back to a scene featuring our boys with all these elements in the background.

Makes you wonder doesn’t it?

I must also point out the “Paris” poster in the background. City of love, anyone? Plus the fireworks. They’re really trying to tell us something here.

Also, @/foodiewithdahoodie pointed out how Paris specifically was one of the first places to decriminalize sodomy.

You know, I also wouldn’t rule out every aspect of Murray’s prediction here.

Shout out to the Hylers out there!

Perhaps after a lot of stressful days of fighting interdimentional demons, these boys want to wind down and de-stress in their hiding spot. I can see Reefer Rick as a fellow Nintendo player, leaving his console behind, as well as his weed, for our boys to use. I also wouldn't be surprised if Eddie left a few of his beers behind. I mean… Murray has a pretty good track record for predictions. This would also really double down on the message that Mike and Will “aren’t kids anymore.”

Also, wouldn’t it be fun to look back at Murray’s predictions and realize that they’ve all come to be?

Okay, now let’s finally get to the romance elements!

First thing I want to start with is this shot:

So… they had to show us a mailbox, didn’t they? With that name “Lipton” which as I mentioned in my previous post… is associated with Thomas Lipton who had a lover named William Love.

1 point for #lettergate

And…

“Hope Our Love Lives/Lasts And Never Dies”

WWII solders used the acronym H.O.L.L.A.N.D. to convey a love message in a letter. The whole love letters association with Mike and Will never end, do they?

2 points for #lettergate!

As for the “2121”, I think it’s possible that it’s referencing multiple things… number references are tricky like that in my opinion. But I will say that @/thestrangestthing89 brought up the fact that “2121” could be a reference to “Twin Flames” which is yet another reference to romance.

Continuing on with the romance…

Let’s return back to the scene where Reefer Rick is first mentioned. After Max mentioned him, we are cut to Steve talking about a movie.

A movie filled with action and romance, you say?

So… Doctor Zhivago.

Basically a tale of two people in love during a difficult time (Russian Revolution) being separated, with other people, then finally reunited. Not completely unlike our boys. Notice how the “adult” sign is noticeable in the background. Not kids anymore.

He mentions action, which I’m sure there will be some of as well at the famous lake.

Okay enough with the silly details, let’s stop and look at the bigger picture.

Our beloved lake. Look how gorgeous it truly is. Plus the fact that it’s a literal heart? You can’t get more “on the nose” than that.

Now, who else is known as a heart? (Tough question I know…)

This boy is, without a doubt, narratively tied to the lake. He is “the heart”… he is THE LAKE (symbolically).

Thank you to @/everaster for bringing attention to the fact that after Mike was pushed to deliver that monologue to El by Will, Max “died”, then the gates opened WIDE. One of those gates, as we know, is located within Lover’s Lake… known was “watergate” (term coined by Dustin).

So, as of now in this story… Lover’s Lake is literally broken in two. A broken heart in need of mending.

Who better to accomplish that task than the boy who has known him for a decade and loves him completely and selflessly?

💌📬❤️‍🩹

Hope you enjoyed these posts as much as I enjoyed making them! It’s honestly so much fun looking for evidence and finding such interesting stuff. Some of it may be reaching, and that’s okay because it’s all in good fun! That’s what fandoms are all about.

The level of attention to detail in this show never ceases to amaze me! There’s so much depth and clues to look for and play around with. I hope to have sparked some inspiration and creativity for some people! 💛💙💚

As always, would love to know your thoughts!

[lynaferns]

I couldn't think of any other name so ToeSock it is. Also, my friend told me the new brush looks like graffity so now I have a name for it too, I think is my new favourite secondary brush :]

This is the first time I design an OC like this. I'm probably going to make some clothes test because these ones doesn't convince me, I had to fight a bit with the color palette since the body alredy had lots of colors and I was pretty limited by that and the tones. The dragon hoodie-backpack-cape thing is staying tho.

Am I going to get obsesed with this character for a while? Yes.

Am I going to draw anything about it? Probably not because my motivation is acting silly these days months.

[cosmoknightchaos]

I can't believe two of my favourite character spots are being taken up by characters so deep in headcanons that they're pretty much OCs

As a reminder you are under no obligation to do this if you don't want to! With that being said;

@makerofmadness @sunnemona @welcome-home-official

And anyone else who wants to join in!!

Thank you for the tag, @ex35life ! :D This seems fun!

Make a poll with five of your all time favorite characters and then tag five people to do the same. See which character is everyone's favorite

@superkooku @into-the-very-fires-of-mordor @roachcicle @ditoob

@bumblebeehug

[phlurrii]

It’s finally time to introduce the secondary project I’ve been working on >;Dc

I’ve had this queued for sometime in June, did not check when, so hello on [random date in june] ;D

I’m also here to explain how I’ll be posting this stuff going forward! Everything will be posted here, on my main account before being reblogged over to Soul’s Anchor a side bog with the place holder title. Unless it deals with more adult/suggestive content or heavier topics, of which will be exclusively posted to Soul’s Anchor side blog. As I don’t want certain themes alongside AM! I’ll also be referring to this series as Anchor for short! I will encourage any and all Questions, Mentions, and Thoughts to be directed there for those interested and those who are not, dw! You’ll only see the initial posts here, no asks or follows up, but this is still my art account and I shall enjoy it as I please ;3

Brief Synopsis about the Story:

A queer love story following a cursed pirate and a cult refugee implanted with a god’s eye as they combat the reality of living in a world which was created solely to feed the gods that govern it. All whilst a sapphic couple attempt to help guide the pair along a path to to a better future, one that’s validity comes into question. A dark fantasy story that aims to represent the disabled community, the LGBTQIA+, and SA survivors written by fellow members of these communities.

Also brief disclaimer, I, Phlurrii, am simply an ally to the disabled community, my partner in crime writing alongside me, ArtJunco on Instagram, is our resident community member ;]

Anyways onto the meat of this!

Below is a collection of some, emphasis on some, of the concept art and processes I went through to develop and create one of the two main characters, Lumae.

Here are some of the earliest ideas, the basic thoughts I had in my brain when developing this goober after a 3 hours pacing in my kitchen at 1 am when that inspiration struck. His hair was the HARDEST bit for me to figure out. Which sucked as usually the hair is one of the first things I figure out because of how much I love it, so it was Agony while brainstorming that part.

I also briefly considered a goatee, however it was so cruelly shot down by my dear friend. So in stead we compromised that he may get one later down the line story wise… and see how we feel then. However, upon finally figuring out his hair I was bloody elated, still has some tweaks now and then, but the base is there.

As for this next concept, this was actually the FIRST thing created for Lumae and what started everything else about his character/design! His eyes! They are still my favourite but about him and something I adore whole heartedly! They are the core of his character ;3c

These next few are early refs and mock ups of his full design, testing our colours, experimenting with shading, getting used to drawing humans again, and general concepts I had for him as a character! Also a sneak peak at Ayric, our second main goober for this story! Who was lovingly designed and created by ArtJunco!

And finally his most recent WIP ref! The only thing currently bothering me about his design is the colour for his boot covers, I have no idea what to do with them so I’d you have suggestion or ideas, sincerely, feel free to shoot an ask to the Anchor blog! I’d genuinely love outside opinions!

As for the main curiosity of why I’m doing this, for those that missed the last post, I’ll give a brief explanation below ;3

To help with burnout so I can hop between fixations, help to avoid losing interest in AM in the future!

Keep up practicing humans and critters alike.

To take a break from story telling to do story building! Give the telling part of my brain a break, while still making cool stuff ;]

To have a more interactive blog with ya’ll! One where I’ll likely be asking advice and discussing a lot more hypotheticals, doodling asks, and general audience interaction given I am not bound by any updates! Purely just “ooo… shiny-“ and anyone is welcome to join me ;D

Last thing I request is to please read Anchor’s blog bio/description before you follow, as this story will deal with subjects not suited for all audiences posted/discussed exclusively on that blog.

Anywho, that’s all for now folks, hope you enjoyed this brief intermission to kickoff the second project being public!

[yellowbunnydreams]

And There You Were [William Afton x F! Reader] [part 1]

~This is dedicated to the lovely @lucigooseart who is a brilliant artist. I hope you had a very happy birthday, friend, and that you enjoy the highs and lows of this birthday fic. There's so much I want to put in so this will be in a few parts!~

CW: MINORS DNI 18+.[Reader description! - Mentions of reader having curly hair] Older man/younger woman (Reader 20's, William late 30's). Non-cannon family structure, grumpy x sunshine, boss x employee, wholesome fluff, mild angst, Henry being a cringy dad (as always).

Based on the Young Afton drawings by Lucigooseart.

You had been glad to get the job at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza when it had first opened, you remembered when Fredbear's Family Diner had opened in your small town, how there had been some push back on a children's restaurant that focused on animatronic entertainment. There was something charming about the yellow, velveteen furred animatronics however, and it had quickly developed into needing a secondary establishment and including more characters to keep the kids entertained. There were even new uniforms made out, since the staff expanded beyond the two original owners of Fredbear's Family Diner.

You wore your confetti blouse and red vest with pride, and a little yellow bunny clip to tie up your curls that you had made in honour of your favourite animatronic from the establishments, you were proud that you had been there since the very beginning and wore your uniform with a sense of joy that seemed to permeate through the staff generally. Freddy's was a magical place after all, where fantasy and fun came to life!

But as autumn set in, the fast pace of the summer seemed like a hazy memory that you had all but forgotten and woken from. Taking a deep breath as you pushed open the back fire-exit and breathed in the crisp air, eyes closed and drinking in the coolness against your flushed skin as you heard the door click shut behind you. Even on the slower days, Freddy's could be a little manic, and you were feeling a little burnt out of constantly being told the next job that needed doing or spill that needed cleaning without so much as a whisper of praise for all the times that you stayed late or started early , without clocking in you hastened to add mentally.

"You're looking rather flushed there, you all good?"

The voice made you jump as your eyes snapped open, struggling to take in the cool light for a second before drifting over to where the voice had come from. A guy that didn't look that much older than yourself, chestnut brown hair swept back as he peered at you through dark brown rimmed aviator glasses. A lit cigarette hung from his lips, a full brush moustache making him seem a little older as you briefly glanced over him. Black, bulky trench coat, a purpleish-grey sweater over what appeared to be a white turtleneck and khaki pants. Shoes and belt both a dark brown, you had to admit, the tall stranger had impeccable dress sense.

"Yeah, it's just warm inside is all. We seem to keep the heating on super high. Could just be the pizza ovens though." Laughing softly as the man's eyes crinkled slightly as he gave you a smile in return.

"Damn AC must be out again." He tutted, taking out the cigarette from between his lips and flicking the ash away as the smoke curled into the autumnal sky. "I'll get on that after I've finished my break."

"You work here?"

"You've not seen me working here?"

"Admittedly not, and you're not exactly dressed like an employee." The man rolled his eyes and scoffed, taking another drag before leaning back against the brick wall of the building, running his free hand through his hair.

"Henry wanted me to wear a uniform," He sighed, nose twitching as he ran his hand over his lower face. "I told him to fuck off. Everybody knew who we were, guess I just lost that bet."

Your brow furrowed slightly, before raising into a curious expression and looking up at him. Arms crossing across your chest and head tipped slightly to one side.

"How do you know Mr. Emily?" The stranger looked at you with his own furrowed expression, seemingly lost in his thought for a moment before sighing and tossing his mostly burnt out cigarette, stepping on it and crushing it beneath the toe of his shoe as his large hands shoved themselves into the pockets of his khakis.

"How do you think I know one of the owners of Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria by first name basis? Do the curls take up space inside that pretty head of yours too?" You blushed at the backhanded compliment, arms tightening against your chest as you scowled slightly at him and one hand automatically moved to your head, touching your hair protectively like it had personally been insulted. As he pushed off of the wall, the man pulled out one of his large hands and offered it to you. Encouraging you to shake it and feel the rough callouses against your softer hand. "Afton, William. Not William Senior, not William Junior, Just William."

Your grip on his hand involuntarily tightened as he introduced himself, your breath hitching in your throat and eyes widening as you looked up at him. William Afton. The man was somewhat of a cryptid amongst the staff, if something was to go wrong, it was joked that Afton was to blame for it. Delivery didn't arrive on time? Afton clearly had it hidden in some back room. Couldn't find your car keys? Afton had taken your car and moved it two spaces over. It was all in good fun, but even when it was only Fredbear's Family Diner, he wasn't often seen.

"I feel like there's a story behind that introduction." 'At least you didn't say something really weird', you thought to yourself as he pulled back his hand and huffed a small laugh. Shaking his head slightly as the warmth of his hand returned to his pockets.

"Small town, people assume you're your father's son kinda thing. Nobody talks about the fact that I might not be from here, and that even if my father was named William, he's not exactly here to differentiate from." Rolling his eyes and you couldn't help but laugh at the explanation. Something about it amused you, and you watched Afton's eyebrows shoot up in surprise, giving him an almost comical expression. "Something funny, curly-locks?"

"Sorry it just caught me a little off guard. Well, 'Just' William, it was nice to meet you out here, slumming it with the rest of us on break." A broad smile on your face was mirrored by a small quirk of his lips and his eyes crinkling again, shrugging his shoulders nochelantly.

"Ah, I'm certainly not slumming it. Slumming it is using the employee break-room."

"Ouch, and might I remind you that you helped to build that break-room?"

"That's all Henry, I like machines over people."

"Great! Maybe you can convince the vending machine not to eat our quarters for once!" William chuckled at the thought and shrugged again. Reaching past you and for the door, opening it up and half-standing between the warm interior and cold outside of the building. Feeling the change in temperature and frowning as he thought about the fact that there would be a lot of sudden, unexpected strain on his precious animatronics due to the changing temperature.

"We'll see. Out of sight, out of mind, little rabbit."

"Rabbit?" You repeated, curious as he gestured to your hair and gave you a bit of a lopsided smile.

"Your Spring-Bonnie clip. Even though it's kinda broken."

"Oh shit, did the ear fall off again?" Hand reaching up and feeling for it through your curls and groaning as you realised the little clay ear had snapped off again, giving it a very lopsided appearance. You weren't sure where your art supplies were back at your home, and you weren't even sure that at that point, it was worth repairing due to the slight discolouration of the original clay thanks to the constant wear and use you put it through.

"I think it's cute. You should keep it like that. Sometimes, things are just meant to be."

He smiled as he closed the door behind him, leaving you outside on your break. Wondering how you had never met him before, and why you were getting a small fluttering tightness in your chest when you thought about his warm smile.

It was a few days before you saw William again, not in a large overcoat this time, but rather a purple button up and brown slacks. He had oil over his forearms and fingers as he tried to adjust his watch on his wrist, the scowl on his face suggesting that perhaps it wasn't going so well. You'd just clocked off, but you figured it wouldn't be such a bad thing to talk to the co-owner again. "Need a hand with that, 'Just-William'?" You asked him, making him look up and smile after a moment as he noticed who it was. His eyes crinkling slightly with his smile as he chuckled and shook his head, turning his attention back to the strap of his watch. "Good to see you too, curly-locks. I'm just trying to get this thing back on after working on the animatronics. Bonnie fritzed out again, which honestly wouldn't be noticeable if he didn't keep playing the same chord for three hours straight." Sighing as he gave up on trying to reattach his watch, running an oily hand through his hair and leaving little black streaks through it. "Really? I hadn't noticed! It's not like I've spent eight hours listening to the same chord over and over again or anything." William paused and chuckled at your sarcasm, shaking his head and holding the watch limply by the strap as he shrugged, putting his hands on his hips and shifting the weight to one leg. "Okay, okay I get it."

"Do you? 'Cause I can try and hide a tape-recorder in your office with the most annoying music I could possibly find on repeat until the batteries run out." "Only if you want to find out what it's like to have all your door hinges slightly undone so they squeak horribly." "Mr. Afton! Going through employee files like that to find out where I live, positively scandalous." Bursting into laughter as he smiled and started chuckling too, shaking his head and rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, his cheeks a little flushed. "Yeah, I took that a bit far didn't I?" Looking a little flustered with himself as you shook your head, still bursting into the occasional giggles as your fingers quickly took hold of the watch from his hand, seeing him open his mouth in protest before you took ahold of his wrist and got him to hold it out. Quickly strapping it back onto his wrist, trying to find the most worn out notch in the strap to figure which was the best tightness for him. "There, all done. And maybe, but you have been undergoing torture listening to Bonnie all day." William smiled as he rubbed his wrist where you'd attached the watch, deftly adjusting it to sit right against his skin. Glancing over you and noticing you had the same Spring-Bonnie clip in your hair as always, although it was slightly crooked, something in him wanted to reach out and adjust it to sit straight, although he chalked that up to personal pride in his own personal animatronic. "Thanks, rabbit. I would shake your hand but uh...Guessing you don't fancy scrubbing shit out of them for a few hours?" Helplessly shrugging his hands and looking at the black oil and hydraulic fluid that coated his rough skin. Watching as your nose scrunched up and you held your hands up in surrender. "No thank you, I already have to wash my hair when I get back. Pretty sure some kid spilt soda in it when I was bent down to pick something up." "Does it take you long to make it curly?" He asked, curious as he eyed your hair, feeling the gears of his mind turning over an idea, wondering if he could possibly pull off a harmless little gift for you.

You were the first employee to really talk to him since Fredbear's Family Diner had opened a few years before. Of course, he had interviewed people to work in maintenance for him, but it was always very stiff and formal. Henry had told him countless times that he was too picky about the people he wanted to hire, but William always called it due caution. The animatronics were their whole livelihood, if something were to happen to them, it would all come down on their heads. Literally and figuratively. But something about how you talked and joked with him made him feel at ease, enjoying how you joked with him and didn't treat him differently just because he was one of the owners. He had a feeling he was growing to like you. "It's my natural hair texture?" A little confused by the question as William blinked and raised his eyebrows in surprise, running his fingers over his moustache and spreading more oil everywhere, making you internally cringe at the fact he was really going to have to work at getting it out again. "Really? Huh. It looks pretty, rabbit." He complimented you, giving you another crinkle eyed smile before walking off through the dining hall and towards the back, leaving you blushing, cheeks flushed as you wondered what on earth just happened. And why you couldn't wait to see him again.

[gomosmorodina]

one of the reasons why bcs is in some terms better than brba is that bcs has much better small characters. brba has some very great secondary characters (max, gomez, all of jesse's friends, old man from junk yard, wendy) but it's pretty easy to forget about the rest of them and all i can say about my favourites is they are "nice" and "cool" and "cute". but bcs minor characters are next level! they are much more alive. not just useful and nice parts of narrative but a real humans with a story that is told by very few details. i could make a post where i list almost every bcs small character and they turn out to be my favourites because there's so much of them (clifford main and rich schweikart, kettlemans, lyle, little guy from the travel wire, margarethe ziegler, david the sommelier, caldera the vet, kristy esposito and many many many more). even the characters from brba that appeared in bcs as a minor ones seem as something bigger and new because they are shown by other means of expression, even if they were one of the mains in brba (hank and marie, francesca, huell, jesse). there are some brba characters that have this "untold potential story" but only because of the narrative (max, domingo, drew scharp, peter schuler) and their impact on other characters' lifes. in bcs characters can have a very small role in plot, but still their story and type reads. maybe it's because of better acting, maybe because of better casting in terms of expressive faces and overall looks, but i think writers and directors learned how to say about the characters more with very little.

[andrea-lyn]

Roswell New Mexico - Master Fic Rec Post

See under the cut for thirty-four total recs, predominantly Malex. There's also 10 additional in the "Recs Less Travelled" project here.

a few drinks and some conversation by @christchex

Michael Guerin makes a friend who isn’t his sibling, an ex, or a sibling’s ex.

Astriferous Sea by hrhbrittany, Sismyn

Alex has always been the baby among the sirens in the Dead Sea. Michael is performing beard services for his sister. Communication is a little wishy-washy.

This AU came out of nowhere and smacked me right with the ‘I’ve always wanted this and I just never knew’. It has sirens and rescues and bad guys and false relationships and real marriages and rings and drama and romance. It honestly reminds me (in the best way) of an exciting romance novel and I’m so jazzed there’s still one part left to it.

The Bachelor by Sweetgirl2019

After the events of high school, Michael, Isobel & Max moved to California while Liz, Maria & Kyle stayed in Roswell and Alex went to war overseas. Once his enlistment period ends, Alex gets thrown into something that brings him and Michael back together again.

So I think this might be my favourite to see updated right now. It should be a run-of-the-mill fluffy AU, yet the author threw this incredible curveball by using the alien background in a canon divergence to turn The Bachelor into both a romantic dramedy for the boys, but also keeping the looming threat of people finding out about aliens in the background. Also, I think this is top tier pining that you will actively feel in your own chest, that’s how good it is. 

blink back to let me know by haloud - Roswell New Mexico

Alex doesn’t have important conversations over the phone when he can avoid them. It feels too much like going in blind. But in some ways, the phone makes it easier–it’s easier to break when no one’s looking.

It’s Mylex and the 5th in a series, and every part is worth reading, but I definitely re-read parts 4 and 5 a lot. It’s so well written and the dynamic is mwah and I love how Kyle fits into this. One of my favourite pieces in this is how Kyle reacts to his father in relation to Michael & Caulfield and it’s an amazing read.

built this house on memories by @villanellve

He wakes up eight years in the future, and everything is strange, but Alex is there.

YOU GUYS. If you were to write a list of tropes I adore, this would be way up there at the top because of how much I love it. I am a sucker for a character having to be removed from their situation to learn (whether it’s an alternate universe or the future or the past), but this one is so achingly painful and perfect and hopeful. I love the callout that the situation is almost too hard for Alex, I love the resolution at the end on Michael’s part, and you could just soak in the happiness and comfort of their future lives if you let yourself.

Can’t Get No by one_flying_ace

“They’re on round two already,” he says, tilting his head towards the truck again, “or maybe three.” Guerin grimaces, and that’s fair; it’s his brother, after all. “You know how they’re feeling. Could I handle it, if you stopped-” being in control, he doesn’t say, but Guerin shudders. “I’m good, Alex. Just keep the hell away.” (Or: alien sex rocks don’t make them do it, but they sure do help.)

Sex pollen/sex-or-die fics are pretty much a requirement, but this is my absolute favourite and I have re-read it more times than I can tell you (let’s put it at six or seven?) The restraint that Michael has in this is amazing, but the mental images of it are incredible as well. I loved Max and Liz’s secondary presence as well and how each character was tonally perfect down to the little things (like Max not noticing Michael’s sex marks). What a good. What a hot. What amazing.

Constant as the Northern Star by celzmccelz

Michael stares at Kyle. “But I’m a guy! How can I be pregnant?” Kyle looks embarrassed. “Well, you appear to have a fully functioning set of female reproductive organs—or, I mean, like, the kind of reproductive organs that are associated with a double X-chromosome in humans, so I’d assume that you probably became pregnant when semen was introduced into your reproductive tract—” “Jesus Christ, Kyle!” says Michael. He could have happily lived the rest of his life without ever hearing Kyle Valenti say the words “semen” and “reproductive tract.” Kyle’s eyes widen. “Have you been having unprotected sex?” “Oh my God, I am not having this conversation with you!”

Yes, going in, there are some warnings to be cognizant of. It’s mpreg, there’s a lot of medical stuff to go through, but I think this is my absolute favourite of the mpregs I’ve read and it actually comes down to Michael’s support system outside of Alex, namely in Kyle. There’s no sudden BFF bracelets being given, but that morality that makes Kyle Valenti who he is, that’s right there. Also, given that this is an mpreg fic, it delves into family and plot in a way that I haven’t often seen. Plus, you get the ‘getting back together’ Malex that I so deeply crave.

Contigo me encontré by beautifulcheat (Katalyst), ladynox

The Lockhart House was once a home, although it was never a happy one. Steeped in tragedy, it still stands today, in the heart of Old Town Roswell, attracting ghost hunters and those seeking to catch a peak of something from beyond the veil.

Contrary to popular myth, it wasn’t currently haunted (except by one paranormally talented docent). It was Michael’s favorite job and the best part of his summer home from UNM. Or at least was until Alex Manes was hired to man the gift shop, complicating an otherwise fun and easy job.

everywhere on earth you go - @evepolastried

Across the room, he can still see how Michael Guerin is looking at him. And that’s something different, something new, something so very familiar. The thrill of nerves, of guilt, of want. Alex smiles, and he starts to sing. (OR: Alex Manes grabs his guitar and gets the hell out of Roswell in 2008, and he leaves behind a letter. Here’s what happens ten years later)

I love this. This one has something incredible, and it’s something I called out, but it has this amazing work with pace. There’s a frantic moment at the bar and it’s chaos, and you feel it. It’s rushed and wild and crazy, but then everything slows down and it gets perfect. There’s Michael, there’s Alex, there’s music, and it’s such a great ride.

Family Matters by @bestillmyslashyheart

Isobel is telepathic. Most of the time she ignores it. She used to pick up on other’s people’s emotions but she’s long since learned to tune that out. Until one night she can’t. Someone, somewhere is in such a state that it’s spilling over and she’s left to deal with the brunt of it. Or, Michael keeps things close to the vest until he can’t. The night after Alex leaves him at the drive-in, everything he’s feeling bubbles up inside until it spills over onto Isobel. Suddenly he’s left with no other choice but to open up.

This is an early fandom piece, but I still think it’s held up to an immensely amazing rate. Not only that, but I love how it delves into powers, Michael and Isobel’s relationship, and the incredible idea of spillover, which I still actively wish would become canon because of this fic. I think it’s so IC, especially with Michael’s active wish not to talk about it that he screws himself over in his sleep and seriously, it’s such a good read for both Isobel & Michael stuff, but also Michael & Alex.

the first who ever did - nostaljinks

Five times Michael saves Alex + 1 time Alex saves Michael back.

I feel like there aren’t enough words that I can heap onto this of praise. This fic is well-written, well-plotted, well-thought out, well-everything. It’s a beautiful emotional roller coaster and will make you ACHE, but in a great way. It also is the right amount of long that you want more, but you also get it, and it’s just as quality as the rest. ABSOLUTE must read.

fish bowl by @sabrinachill

Alex makes a series of phone calls and bad choices that lead him directly here — an Airstream on the edge of a junkyard with a distractingly attractive mechanic showing him how the dining table converts into a bed that he can sleep on for just $75 a week. It is, of course, completely absurd. But there’s something cozy about the fuzzy yellow blanket on the bed/table and the sparkling sunlight streaming through the mostly-clean windows, in the smell of leather and motor oil and aftershave and summer storms, in the hopeful half-smile on Michael’s face. That’s his name — Michael. Alex’s potential new roommate and landlord. (AKA An AU About Quarantined Roommates Who Fall in Love)

I highly recommend anything by @sabrinachill, but this fic is a really clear argument about why. It’s an AU that involves quarantine, and you might think ‘oh, I’ve read that before’, but then it will take you down the unexpected road that you didn’t expect to go down, but as soon as you take that twist, you instantly realize how much better it is that way. Hats off to the clever plotting not just in Fish Bowl, but other fics! 

Funny How Things Never Change - @waroftheposes​

“What can I do for you?” Michael asks, turning to face Alex. Alex can tell the moment that Michael’s mind registers who he’s addressing, because the polite smile drops from his face and the hat falls from his hand. He stands there, eyes wide and unbelieving, looking at Alex. Alex takes a deep breath, willing his racing heart to settle. “Well,” he begins and is his voice shaking? “For starters you can get your stubborn ass over here and give me a divorce.” – (A Sweet Home Alabama AU)

Yooooo, guess who was bereft when she thought she lost this link. It was absolutely me. This AU makes me happy in so many ways, especially the storms in the desert motif that keeps coming back around, and also that it’s messy. I like that it’s not cut and dry, that it goes right up until the wedding, and that it takes some real talk for them to get back together. I love fics where they all get to be human and this one is just so good. 

I Know Nothing Stays The Same by aewriting

“Alex doesn’t believe in miracles until one happens to him. His father has a hammer in one hand and Alex’s throat in the other. As Alex’s consciousness fades, he’s dimly aware of movement. His father’s about to swing the hammer, and this is how Alex will die.” When an unexplainable force puts a stop to Jesse’s attack in the shed, Alex and Michael are forced to go on the run. Leaving Roswell is an easy decision, but navigating the consequences of that choice months and even years later proves to be much more complicated.

I think this one became a must read very early on, but then it’s continued to deliver. There’s been a few stories that delve into the characters getting therapy, but there’s a whole chapter here where it genuinely feels cathartic as we go through the process with Alex. This fic also is an excellent and long version of an AU I think that we’ve all wondered, about what would happen if they ran away, and it’s so well written and so real that I know I will be re-reading this a ton. Like many of the others, why I love it is because it’s not perfection, but it’s the kind of real where I want to wrap myself up in it. 

i won’t go, i can’t do it on my own by @queersirius

alex tries to let go by giving back the pieces of michael he’s kept

Millie has a bunch of AMAZING AUs (guys, the 10 Things I Hate About You is something I never thought I’d get, especially from a favourite author), but i think this one is actually my favourite, especially when it comes to the ship piece that Alex has. Again, when I talk about ‘fics that make me want to be better’, this one was one. The writing is engaging, the characterization is fabulous, and the emotions are so honest and real. Then there’s this line, like a gut punch:  “Because it’s the last thing I have of you,” he admits. “The last piece of you I have to let go of.” which I love because it’s still Alex’s journey, an honest attempt to offer closure (if closure is wanted). 

in some other life - @spaceskam​

michael tries to build a time machine, but ends up in a different reality all together

There are a lot of these that have been written and they are all quality, but I love this one especially because of how we get into Alex in the other universe, get the glimpse of this unknown Michael, but also the scene that strikes this one out for me is that Alex doesn’t want to let him go. I love that Alex gets to be selfish, that he begs for him to stay, and that we don’t get the automatic happy ending in that, but there’s still the hope for it. Also, Alex the Angel, unf. 

intimate encounters of the third kind by @alexmanes

Three years after Antar and its people take Earth under their wings, Roswell becomes the epicenter for human-alien relations between both planets. It doesn’t take very long for Alex Manes to find himself embroiled in a scandal that threatens this intergalactic partnership, all thanks to a beautiful man named Michael Guerin who is not nearly as human as he claims to be.

Okay, so, if you like No Love Like Your Love, the truth is that you have this fic to thank. This was my first introduction in RNM fandom as to what a really amazing fic could be that incorporated the royalty elements into the pairing. Once 1x12 aired and we met Michael’s mother, it was pretty much a done deal that I wanted to do something that played with that, but this is the actual inspiration. It’s well plotted, it has a great ensemble cast, and plays with the kind of care that it takes to know your plot inside and out, but also to leave breadcrumbs that guide the reader along. It’s very methodical in the sense that nothing is by accident and it has you on the edge of your seat.

It’s a long road back to you by @magsthemagical

Michael finds out that Alex is dating Forrest and he’s okay with it, until he’s not. Maria suggests a double date to show they can all hang out as friends. But they can’t… not really. [OR the one where Michael & Alex realize that they belong together and so they say goodbye to their respective relationships and start anew]

Honest truth time - in terms of ‘ships, while I always love people to ship and let ship, my personal preference for both Michael and Alex is one another, so both Maria/Michael and Forrest/Alex aren’t things that I usually seek out when trawling Ao3. This fic is so good to all parties involved. No one is a villain and I appreciate that they get to talk about things like Alex’s reticence to do certain things in public, but also being aware that Alex deserves to have something new as much as Michael.

Last Stop: This Town by @ubiestcaelum

Someone asked what it would have been like if Michael had gone home with the Evan’s and I couldn’t let it go.

Am I cheating because I requested this? idk, maybe, because another one I requested will end up here too. I am addicted to the idea of Michael getting the support system he needs, but THIS FIC takes it to the most impossibly amazing level and fleshes out the Evans parents in such an incredible way. I love that it’s not super sunshine and rainbows, but it’s an honest telling of raising kids (and maybe too many kids versus what you expected). I know this is only in progress (several today will be), but even as it is, it’s worth reading multiple times, because I know I have.

let me count the ways by @queersirius

liz ortecho isn’t allowed to date until her snarky, determined-not-to-date brother, alex ortecho, does. luckily, one of her suitors has a plan. well, max goes to isobel for a plan, which involves getting their brother, michael, to woo alex. or, the 10 things i hate about you AU

Obviously this needs to be here as I desperately pleaded for it to exist, but it’s so beyond what it might be as a mini tumblr ficlet and has become a whole world. It’s not just a great Malex story, it’s an amazing story for all the characters and really fleshes out a world, but weaves in the RNM characters perfectly, but also gives me a dynamic I want more of, in Alex being an Ortecho. It’s not quite finished yet, but Millie has never steered us wrong and I can’t wait for more.

Loathly by @aewriting

When King Manes and his sons are caught illegally hunting on Antarian lands, King Noah gives King Manes a choice - correctly answer a riddle or accept death. A year-long search for the correct answer ensues, leading the youngest son of the king, Alex, to strike a bargain with a mysterious woman who claims to know the answer. This is an AU of the Arthurian legend “Sir Gawain and the Dame Ragnell.”

Love at First Sass - @daffietjuh

Taking a class of 30 high school kids on a school trip to an Air Force base was about as exhausting as it sounds, luckily, the Captain giving them the tour is perfectly capable of handling a group of rowdy teenagers. Michael may be slightly in love Okay, so first of all, if you haven’t read any of the author’s other work, you should. The AUs are fantastic and the hockey one is still one of my favourites ever, but this one also just was exactly what I needed. It was sexy and flirty and fun, but also fit their personalities perfectly!

Everything in the Michael Sanders AU, by prouvaireafterdark which is a fantastic series that gives us what we all wanted, which is Walt Sanders giving Michael the home he deserved (and getting one right back).

My love is a life taker by @jocarthage

By the time he turned 15, Captain Alex Manes had been to every war zone and unofficial conflict the United States of America was involved in. It wasn’t regular practice, or even heard of, for a Colonel to bring his son along on combat missions; the exception was if the child had been identified as Time Aware, able to travel in time along their own timeline using stolen alien technology. So here Alex Manes was, 28, and ducking bombs, killing who he’s told to. On his way back from a mission, Alex slips into another timestream. It should be impossible. But he can hear a child crying and he heads towards the sound. This is the story of how Alex saved Michael and Michael saved Alex, with lots of time travel shenanigans and angst.

This story is incredible for so many reasons and one of them I continue to praise is the balance. It’s an Alex driven story, but you can break his life down into friends, mission, family, and Michael, and often those elements combine, but there’s never any update that doesn’t give you enough (imo). It’s excellent writing with engaging OCs and wonderful plot, and the most incredible love story.

not in this world (or the next) by @hannah-writes

It isn’t until he realises he can’t find the keys for his fucking truck anywhere and that there’s mail on the table addressed to Mr M Evans that Noah called him ‘Evans’, too. He fumbles inside the wallet that he’d managed to locate and pulls out a New Mexico licence with his picture on it; he doesn’t have a black eye and a split lip in this one, his hair’s tamed and he doesn’t look like he’s gone three days without showering. His date of birth is stamped, clear and correct, but then where his name should read ‘Michael Guerin’, it reads “Michael Evans’ and the address registered on the license is that of Max and Isobel’s childhood home. Noah had also said ‘your mom’s’. Not ‘Mrs Evans’. It feels like a bucket of ice water’s dumped over his head as he finally accepts that something is very, very wrong. (aka, the fic spawned from a tumblr prompt about Michael waking up in a parallel reality.)

This one, guys. This is an absolute beast of angst and love and a really well plotted story, but also is really amazing for how it creates Mikey, but also creates motive behind what drives both Michael and Mikey in ways that are the same, but also different. Genuinely, this fic is a great read because you get so much attention to the characters while also driving along the relationships, and who they are. 

nursery sharks by christchex

Six firsts in the Sanders household and a second.

Otherwise Engaged by JustAsSweet

Alex Manes was perfectly happy with his job at Colden Records but when his visa is rejected and deportation looms, marrying his assistant Michael Evans is his only option. And when they make a trip to Alaska to see Michael’s family, everything becomes a lot more complicated.

AKA: The Proposal AU that no one asked for but I wrote anyway.

Shadow Work - @myrmidryad

After his discharge from the Air Force, Alex Manes is working as a shade - a professional ghost hunter - when Michael Guerin tracks him down. Alex left Roswell thirteen years ago and never went back, but overnight Michael’s family has vanished and the supernatural activity in Roswell has exploded, and he wants Alex’s help. Featuring: ghosts, more ghosts, metaphorical ghosts, and a lot of sex without talking about feelings. Also missing family members, government conspiracies, and gratuitous worldbuilding.

No, YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND. I can’t rec this enough. Literally, this is a novel-type rec. If this were a book on a shelf, I would be shouting that you need to go read it, because it is literally good enough to be a published work on a best-selling list. It’s so fucking good. Every time you think it can’t get better, it does. It has nuance and plot and world-building and it is So. Fucking. Good. I could sit here and sing praises all day and it still wouldn’t be enough. Please give yourself a holiday treat and read it.

The World Forgetting, By The World Forgot by Anonymous

Michael and Alex erase each other from their memories. It does not go according to plan. [Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Roswell style]

I mean, I could rec anything by Anonymous and it would be worth your read. They’re so good and so in character,  but this one is my favourite. It’s angsty as fuck, don’t get me wrong, but it plays with the movie plot in such a Roswell-specific way that makes sense that I honestly never even compared or contrasted it to the movie past the first few beats. The pain is visceral, and the memory loss segment is incredible, but also delivers on a positive ending. 

To Trust Love by @laughsalot3412 

The prisoner’s voice sounded like home. He could have been raised in Roswell, the way his accent stretched his vowels. He definitely hadn’t been. Alex would have remembered eyes like those. (AU where Alex Manes goes on an undercover rescue mission in Caulfield Prison and forms a bond with one of the prisoners in the process.)

I don’t have enough words in the English language to praise this one. Honestly, I don’t. For one, the pace and the length is perfect. That we got the parts as quickly as we did was honestly such a treat, but then every part was just as high quality as the last. There are chapters in this one that made me go, “holy shit, this would’ve been a novel I read”, and then there are little emotional impacts where the tone shifts, but it works so well. It’s SO HOT, and the AU is so perfect, and also helped inspire the one that I wrote last night with the “genie”. 

Unwind Me - delgay

“Think you can manage that? Sitting next to me, without picking a fight?” Michael challenged. “Can you?” Alex returned. “No idea,” Michael admitted with a sideways grin that never failed to make Alex’s stomach turn over, “But I’m eager to find out.” Alex is avoiding everyone, but he can’t seem to escape Michael.

This whole fic is intensely amazing, but it got on my rec list for the absolutely electric scene with the dancing that was absolutely beyond incredible. You also get Michael courting Alex, which is something he utterly deserves and I love the way Michael goes about it. 

we feel so american by thepredatorywasp

“Papa’s on the spaceship again?” River asks, his bright green eyes welling with tears and his face growing red. “Comin’ back?” “Of course he is,” Alex says, smoothing down the son’s hair and adjusting the Mickey ears atop his head. “Always.” There is no easy way to explain to your three year-old that not only is he an alien, but his Papa is an alien and that apparently, Michael loves leaning hard into irony because he has gone on Space Mountain approximately ten times over the course of four days.

LOOK. I LOVE A SWEET KID FIC. The next rec will prove this, but this one will melt your fucking heart. I love it because it’s not perfect and easy. There’s difficulties, there are issues, but it’s Michael and Alex and their baby boy in Disney and if you do not come away feeling warmer from this, then I just don’t know. 

We’re Waking Up Slow by myrmyriad

“I think need a little time to process all of this. Um. Storm’s getting closer and I don’t really wanna get snowed in here, so…let’s just talk later, okay?” What if the storm that blew in during S01E10 came in a lot faster and heavier, and Alex was snowed in at the junkyard?

Again, fic that makes me wish that I could write as well as this. This one makes you feel it all. You’ll feel the cold, the wet, the storm, the pain, the hope, the healing. You feel the connection between Michael and Alex, and you’ll be left wishing at the end that this had been how canon went, but also that it’s justifiably not that far off from how it could have, had they taken a different tack, because of how well it’s written. 

What’s Up, Pregnant? by Marie_L

Michael Guerin is broke, practically homeless, and a knocked up secret alien. What now?

Speaking of kid fics, this mpreg is one that I really like, because if nothing else, it introduced the concept of mpreg using pods to me in the fandom, and I kind of went, “YES, of course”. I love that it’s got everyone rallying, but I mostly love the psychic connection between Michael and his baby, and the softness of loving sugar and Alex. 

With Love Overflowing by Nestra

"We both agree that this is not the place we belong, right? Please say yes."

Michael tossed his hat on the coffee table and dropped onto the couch. "If you mean that your dad's been dead since CrashCon and some kind of crazy shit is going on, then yeah, I agree."

(This one was for me for Secret Santa, it is just THAT GOOD that I want everyone in the world to read it)

x marks the spot (where we fell apart) by catching_paper_moons, preciousthings

“Don’t write it off,” Alex says, and Liz is so relieved someone is coming to her defense, even if it’s someone who already knew beforehand. “Liz and Kyle have ideas, and there are people in this room with literal superpowers. It’s pretty much our only option.” “Our only option?” Isobel scoffs. “What are we, Ocean’s Eleven?”

[spinchip]

🐍🏔️🧠 for Samira? Shes my favourite oc of yours!!

OMG THANK YOUUUUU ❤️

🐍 If they were a Serpentine, what type would they be? If they’re already a Serpentine, what other species would they be if they weren’t Serpentine?

I waffled between Pyroviper and anacondrai, but I thinknive settled on anacondrai. "Natural leader" describes Samira to a tee, and I think she'd have the same cut throat attitude as pythor- and a similar friendly manipulative approach

🏔 If they could travel to any realm, which realm would they go to?

The cloud kingdom. Burn it all down... 2!

🧠 How did you first come up with this character? Any interesting details about creating them?

Oh theres actually some fun backstory here. I needed a secondary antagonist for never the Dark and a character who was the leader of a town in the ROM was a really good route to go! In her very base concept, samira was actually going to have a collusseum where she would pay people to fight in for pink pills- I think you can understand why that can't work. It's already been done with the iron baron! This version of Sam really wanted Zane to participate in the colosseum matches, and he and the others would have had to agree to be in a match with the most extreme monster samira had available to fight- if they won, they would go free. If they had to tap out, they would be forced to stay forever.

An extremely early version of Sam was also from djinnjago! I'll add some really early versions of Sam's design under the cut :)

[i-am-the-avatar-of-idiocy]

Baby trapping with the yandere obey me boys

AFAB! Reader, you/your pronouns, my favouritism for certain characters being obvious

tw pregnancy/yandere

Part 2- do they see the child as their own person or an extension of MC?

Who do I think is most to least likely to baby trap MC?

Diavolo

I honestly think this partially because he needs an heir because he’s a royal but also he’s delusional. He truly believes you love everything he does and you’re both ready to have a child. It also ties you down to him, what more does he want but that? If you have a child together, surely you can’t leave him.

he dismisses your fears with patronising words and gentle touches. It seems you cannot anger him during this period, take this newfound power with care though. Just because he can’t punish you now, doesn’t mean he’ll hold a grudge

from an outsider looking in, you are an adorable couple excited for their baby to be born, but they don’t see the crying as you are kept at arms length so you don’t do something stupid. They don’t see the pain you feel when he talks to your growing belly in such a tender way that you wish your relationship could be normal. It would be a comfort then. But it’s not. It feels like a constant threat, you are too afraid to push him away or move

I think your child(ren) will grow up thinking you and diavolo are normal and lost in love with one another until they reach their teen years where they realise it’s not healthy. You think they’ll help you? I’m afraid your mistaken, they will simply act as guard dogs for their father. You cant leave now, none of them want you too. You love them don’t you?

leviathan

levi is next in my list.

this might not be a popular pick for this high position but it asserts to him that you are HIS

he’s not prepared to be a father, you don’t want his child

You cant find help anywhere, his brothers don’t know your there. You just know there is a child inside you and you want it gone.

levi sees it as a sign of your love, he feels affirmed by it

he will do research to help you but you just cry. This delusional demon thinks they’re happy tears

he tries to make you feel happy, truly

The chains are for your safety

he wants you to be together forever and this child HE put there keeps you tied. Why cant you understand that?

the pregnancy runs surprisingly smooth however you are left a broken being by the end of it

You think this could alert the brothers though, however what you don’t realise is that leviathan has a secondary location prepared. You’re still a prisoner, but you have a bit more space. You can hardly look at the child when it looks so similar to the bastard who kidnapped you. You know it’s not their fault but you hate them

the child(ren) grow up knowing you and their father aren’t a normal couple

I see 2 outcomes: they help you escape and reintegrate you into society and call their uncles to help OR when they still are young and Levi isn’t around you kill them. You feel guilty but in the spur of the moment it seemed logical. And Levi went furious over this and you were drowned when he summoned Lotan. He couldn’t believe you were all dead. He kept you and the kid in a coffin looking for ways to bring you back. You can only hope he doesnt

Lucifer

Well it’s quite obvious he’d be high on the list

hes a control freak and a sadist

seeing you wailing as it’s obvious that your pregnant makes him feel a sick sense of joy.

you’re stuck with him. Forever. You couldn’t raise a half demon child on your own and you know it. You couldn’t provide and no one would believe what lucifer did to you was true

hes baby-proofing everything

he constantly reminds you of it too

He knows how much you hate this situation , but he just doesn’t seem to care

he does make sure you get all the care you need and everything you could even think of.

the pregnancy runs somewhat smoothly with only your hatred of him causing some disruption

he still punishes you, but lighter than before.

you try not to hate the baby, you know it’s the fathers fault, but you can’t help but want to cry as you see the dark hair and red eyes in small bundle you hold close to you. You want to protect it though, from Lucifer

he seems to be more tender than before, but he’s still cruel

Lucifer uses the child as a reward. If you behave you see it. If you don’t, would be a shame if something happened, wouldn’t it?

It could grow up cruel and like it’s father or like you, wanting you to get out. Maybe if it speaks out when it’s older and people get to you fast enough, you’ll be saved? This depends on how much the child sees you though

Satan

He is sure it will strengthen the bond between you

he also just wants you to feel forced to stay with him

surprisingly, he treats you both extremely well. It’s almost enough to help you forget the circumstances on your ‘relationship’ ALMOST

he enjoys reading books to the bump and kissing it, it’s honestly heartwarming.

he makes sure you get all the medical attention you need and also your cats are an excellent form of comfort and warmth

he enjoys looking after you, he treats you so well because maybe the entire experience might make Stockholm get its hold in you?

The child sees the healthy side of your relationship because you cannot bear the idea of it seeing what happens behind closed doors

it grows up blissfully unaware and if it does work it out, they will simply ignore it, out of fear or not, you’ll never know

youll be the image of the happy family, but you never will be and you know it.

Mammon

It was an accident but a part of him is happy

He and your love formed a whole new thing.

you can’t leave him now, after all you have showed your devotion

unfortunately he thinks he knows how this will work. He doesn’t

he takes up more of your time than before and he doesn’t provide everything you need. No doctors appointments because he can’t stand other people touching you

so it’s a horrible experience

you suffer through the whole experience and he can’t see it

the child grows up like their father I’m afraid, clingy and a bit of a moron but you try not to hold their resemblance to their father against them

you might be able to get away I think. Depends on the plan

Simeon

Honestly I think you could ignore the toxic traits and it could happen quite quickly with him. It looks like a normal relationship but you know deep down it’s not

its a ‘planned’ thing. By Simeon of course. Not you

he keeps you close so you can’t leave. Even before the child(ren) is born you’re stuck with him

he treats you incredibly. He keeps you as happy as you can be in that situation

the child is radiant and the perfect combination of you and it’s father. He loves the baby, you hurt that you and him are now joined in the way of a child

simeon acts as though you are normal and always have been. You go along with it. You’ve never seen him truly angry and you don’t want to so you go along with his lies.

the child grows up with affectionate parents and becomes a well rounded adult. Also big brother Luke is prominent in their life

they end up as an amazing person and you are so proud, but you know that if you asked them for help, told them the truth of their father, they wouldn’t believe you.

beelzebub

Hes a family man

Once again may be an accident

he knows your relationship is unhealthy but he thinks this will repair it

he also wants you to love him more

the pregnancy is average, not amazing, not terrible

hes sure he’ll be a great dad and assures you of it

the baby grows up in an alright household. It seems like the usual family, arguments and affection

The child won’t know what happens when they sleep and before they were born. And they never will and beel makes sure they’ll never find out

Asmodeus

Asmodeus has a true love of you. He just presents it in a less than ideal way (blackmailling you to be in a relationship with him)

he thinks that the baby will be so cute on your shared devilgram. It may also be a publicity stunt on top of forcing you to stay close to him.

you get arguably the BEST treatments in the Devildom and glow throughout the process. You’re pretty, healthy and pregnant with his baby, what more could asmo want

the baby is one of the ones that grows up in the public eye. It’s sad honestly. They grow up with little privacy

they also know (despite their father trying to hide it) the way you two ‘fell in love’, they want to help you. You’ve always been their favourite parent too

if they help you, you present it publicly that you just weren’t happy anymore. Only you three know the truth. You and the child will remain popular and wealthy and you’re safe now. The child will go a bit obsessive over your safety, make sure it doesn’t go too far though. If they don’t, it will either just remain unknown or it might come out when you snap. Will everyone believe you?

barbatos

Honestly he could go anywhere on this list. I’ve put him here though because I believe he doesn’t feel as though he has to.

he does it doesn’t do it depending on his wants. If barbatos wants a child, he’ll have a child with you. The universe is on his side, so you can’t deny it seems logical that you can’t really say no.

he may leave some feelings of not wanting the baby from you but this honestly once again depends on his feeling and his ‘relationship’ with you. If you’re more willing to fight he will be more sadistic. If you’re Docile, he’ll be kinder and gentle

( i have a headcanon that barb’s SO can see visions of the future and past but like only in other universes. I’ve written it in other works I think somewhere. I gained it from a creator who has a similar one but I changed it up a tiny bit to fit what I think so MC also has this going on for them)

the pregnancy runs perfectly. No problems. Not once.

he takes care of you really well

The child knows their parents are not in a healthy relationship.

it helps their father. Remember that he can change things to fit his will? Everything forced you to stay with him. Himself and his child. The slim chance of escape has reduced to 0, don’t worry though. They’ll take care of you

Belphegor

Belphegor doesn’t know anything about having children. But one too many escape attempts has lead him to the conclusion of a child. That would force you to stay

The pregnancy goes badly, simple enough and leads to you being in pain.

oh and by the way, you’ll be the only taking care of the child, belphie only sees it as a method of keeping you close to him.

you behave for your child’s safety. You find yourself fond of them. and of course belphie uses that against you

the child knows how bad the relationship is but doesn’t comment as it’s afraid of it’s father

Solomon

Cannot see him with kids. He doesn’t think he’d be a good father and I don’t think so either. He’s somewhat self aware

he simply uses magic to tie you down instead

[craftypeaceturtle]

TMNT 2003 Fic Recs

These are mostly going to be hurt/comfort, with a lot of Don fics.

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Homecoming by Technodawn

Donnie is kidnapped by someone and held captive for four years.

Posted on fanfiction.net, this fic is brilliant! One of those fanfics that I read entirely one sitting because I couldn't stop. Lots of brotherly moments and the time Don is held captive is emotional and visceral. This whole fic is so grounded and well thought out.

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Turning the Blade by Pebr

All of the brothers start experiencing the same intense nightmares and all need to come together to face those fears. Only Leo spirals from these nightmares and falls further from his brothers.

Not for the faint of heart with its vivid descriptions and gore. Fantastic exploration of the characters and Leo in particular. A super creative idea with a unique threat. The exhaustion and injuries make the fic feel real and intense.

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Blood-Stained Tiles by RealityBreakGirl

Donnie panics after having to stitch up his father.

I'd recommend anything by RealityBreakGirl in all honesty but this fic has a special place in my heart. It's so sweet and explores the idea of Donnie as the team medic and the pressure that puts him under.

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The Gauntlant by T33la

Donnie has been working on a gauntlant that can negate gravity- but it's highly experimental and glitchy. But soon Mikey and Donnie have to bet their lives on this tech.

Again, would recommend you read through everything T33la has ever written, this fic in particular is my favourite. Reads as an episode of the show. The characters are so vibrant and in-character. Some fantastic action and character moments that won't leave my head.

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Find the Road by SillySocks

A series of oneshots exploring how everyone is dealing after Leo is sent to the Ancient One.

Such a great exploration of family and what these characters mean to each other. Kind of blows my mind that this idea isn't in a bunch of fanfics. A slow almost grieving look after Leo leaves as everyone finds a new normal and tries to keep going as well.

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It Takes a Village by GreenGoddessSmoothie

April is stressed out to the max with dealing with her baby. Thankfully Donnie and Leo come to the rescue.

You won't find a better April hurt/comfort fic. It's so sweet and an amazing fic which explores how these three all see each other. It's one of those fics which is great to read while trying to sleep, very fluffy and a great read.

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Can You Break What You Can't See? by lunaless

Donnie struggling after the mind probe.

One of my favourite post-mind probe fics. The struggle Donnie facing to keep his mind in tact and also everyone struggling to get out of the ship is great! It feels intense and the growing realisation that Donnie isn't okay makes for a great read!

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The Afterward by halogalopaghost

Donnie after his secondary mutation slowly recovering and being nursed back to health. The cure didn't work instantly and everyone is on edge trying to coax him back to health.

Yes. YES! A great fanfic with a lot of medical speculation and the helplessness of watching a family member fall sick. Leatherhead's exhaustion, everyone's desperation. A fantastic read! Also please check out halogalopaghost, another fantastic fic writer that I could recommend every single work they've done.

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Midnight Comforts by mattyj

Raph comforting Don after he had a nightmare about SAINW.

OH! If you want a great character based conversation which completes destroys my heart, you'll find it here. Such a sweet fluffy fanfiction. A fantastic look into Don and Raph's relationship. A must read if you're a sucker for that dynamic.

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Matchmaker Matchmaker (Make Me a Match) by LilliputianDuckling

Donnie is in love with Usagi but mistakes that interest in seeing how great Usagi would be in a relationship and so setting him up with Leo.

Okay I usually avoid shipping stuff since it doesn't really interest me but this was so cute and put an interesting spin on Donnie and Usagi. A great little read and the moment when Raph realises what's actually going on is great. The fic that makes me prefer Don x Usagi rather than Leo.