#spider's relationship with her owner gets /weird/

[just-horrible-things]

‘Verse: BBU Story: A Girl Called Spider Timeline: Spider has been with her owner for some time

Birthday Gift [Next]

“Azalea,” Avon calls. “Come downstairs.” She answers promptly, appearing at the top of the stairs so fast that she must have sprinted, skirt swirling around her thighs. 

Avon rolls his eyes as she perches on the top of the banister and slides down. She lands neatly on her feet, eyes sparkling and teeth dazzling white as she smiles.

It entertains her, which he supposes is worth something.

“Your birthday present is here,” he tells her. “Oh, Sir, you’re too kind.” Her effusive gratitude is as fake as everything else about her. He can’t believe it ever looked real, when he knew perfectly well from the start that it was manufactured. “I think you’ll like it,” he says, a hint of dry sarcasm creeping into his tone. She won’t believe him ‘til she sees it. “Come through, they brought it to the east door.”

Light on her feet as ever, she follows at his heels. She’s trying to get close to his side, maybe catch his hand, but he doesn’t feel like playing along today. Not when he has something real to offer her, for once. He strides ahead, leading her to her gift.

She falters when she sees the box, and Avon feels a stab of satisfaction at getting even a hint of a real reaction. The mask is back in place within moments. If he hadn’t been watching, he wouldn’t have seen the brief flicker of dismay.

Does she think he got her a brainless playmate like he threatened? Or is she afraid that the box might be for her?

“You got me a Pet, Sir?” she inquires, eyes wide and liquid with false wonder. “Go on, open it up.”

He’s already cut the sleek black tape that sealed the lid. He isn’t sure he’d trust Azalea with a box cutter. He watches her delicate fingers explore and find the cut edges, then figure out how to lift the lid. The outer layer is cardboard with a matte black finish, but the structure is metal, heavier than she expects.

At every new motion she makes tiny expressions, performing excitement for Avon’s benefit – but he thinks not all of her intense focus is feigned. She’s curious. She always is. They couldn’t quite beat the curiosity out of her.

She pulls foam out of the top of the box and discards it. The box’s occupant whimpers hoarsely at the touch of the light. Azalea peers in, then glances back at Avon for guidance.

“Go ahead,” he urges, “lift his head and take a look.”

Her usual sure grace is absent as she reaches tentatively down, figuring out how to touch the man in the box. Avon takes a step closer for a better look. Azalea lifts carefully, one hand on top of the guy’s head and the other under his chin. The curls of his hair come into view as she tips his head back, but Avon doesn’t get a clear look at his face.

Not that he’s looking at the unfortunate bastard anyway. He’s looking at his Azalea. And he gets an excellent view of her unfeigned, raw and honest shock as she recognises her gift.

“Surprise,” Avon drawls dryly.

She turns those wide, stunned eyes on him, and victory is warm in the pit of his stomach.

“You got him,” she says. “You actually got him for me.” “Happy Birthday.”

Now she’s eager, leaning over the edge of the box to try and thread her arms under her gift’s shoulders. Her skirt rides up, showing off the tops of her sculpted celebrity thighs. The man is too heavy for her, really. He moans weaky as she tries to haul him up, and his head lolls against her arm.

Avon takes pity on her. “The front of the box folds down.” 

Within seconds, she has it open, and her prize draped across her lap. He’s massive compared to her – broad-shouldered and still well-muscled despite his brief stint in captivity. But the drugs are clearly still in full effect, rendering him floppy and docile in Azalea’s slender arms.

The white t-shirt hugs his biceps and clings to the lines of his abdomen, semi-transparent with his sweat. The signature little black shorts look ridiculous enough on the lithe young things like Azalea and her male counterparts – they’re nothing short of absurdly boyish on a muscular thirty-something. Like someone crammed a gym bro into a child’s school uniform.

The only other things he’s wearing are a collar, and a gag. A simple bit of black plastic keeps his teeth apart and pulls the corners of his mouth back. The strap splits in two at the back of his head to keep the gag snugly secure.

“Hello, Handler,” Azalea breathes, staring down into half-lidded eyes. Her face is so close to his that he’d probably feel her breath if he weren’t insensate.

Avon watches her delicate fingers explore the rapt fascination. She runs a finger along his lower lip, wipes a thumb through the sticky saliva residue on his chin, and slips a finger between the strap and his cheek to test the tightness of the fit. 

When she pulls back his lip to inspect his teeth as if he’s a horse, Avon laughs out loud. His pet startles, as if only just remembering that he’s there at all.

“Is he really mine?” she asks, half-breathless with excitement. “Well, legally he belongs to me…” Azalea’s pout is sharply reproachful. “... but yes. He’s all yours.” “Can I hurt him?” “Try not to do too much damage,” Avon warns. “I don’t want you cutting anything off, ripping anything out, you understand me?” At least not until he’s had a long hard think about this guy’s ultimate fate. “I don’t want to have to take him to a doctor.” Azalea is nodding with frankly unsettling eagerness. “I’ll be careful, Sir,” she promises. “There should be some toys included in the box to get you started.”

The pet dumps her prize unceremoniously out of her lap onto the carpet and returns to the box. It only takes her a moment to find the compartment in the bottom, but she freezes partway through opening it up. There’s sudden fear in her eyes, and a kind of dawning horror. 

Another real reaction. Avon doesn’t bother to hide his smirk.

“... Will he even remember me?” she asks, hushed. “Don’t worry, kitten,” Avon smiles, magnanimous in victory. “I thought of that. They haven’t touched his memory, by my special request.”

Box forgotten, Azalea leaps up and dashes to Avon to throw herself against his chest. “Thank you,” she breathes, pressing her body against his. “Thank you, Sir, you’re the best.” Avon hums warmly, wrapping his arms around her. “I don’t want to hear any more whining about how I never get you anything nice,” he teases. “No, Sir,” she agrees.

Avon spins her like a child, and she squeals like one, and staggers, laughing, when he puts her down.

“Go on,” he urges, “unpack your toys. We have a booking for brunch at eleven. You’ll need to secure your new friend before we go. He should be a little more conscious by the time we’re done.”

She’s childlike again in her enthusiasm. The compartment slides out of the shipping box, and she takes the items out one by one, turning each one over in her hands for inspection before setting it carefully back in its place amongst the others.

Handcuffs, in supple leather. Two pairs.

Handcuffs, in unforgiving steel. Two pairs.

A riding crop, sleek black leather.  She swishes it through the air, eyes alight with interest.

Some sturdy bits of chain with locking clips on the ends.

A braided whip. Not the kind that you can kill someone with if you aren’t careful. WRU sell those, but Avon picked one that describes itself as completely safe for light punishment or play. 

With it pulled taut between her hands, his Azalea looks downright vicious. And more alive than he’s ever seen her. Despite the substantial hole in his wallet, Avon’s heart warms. Maybe this wasn’t a mistake.

More gags. A ball gag, for more thoroughly stifling speech. And a muzzle, of the kind they ship with Guard Dogs. The bit on the inside does the real work, the bars across the front are largely for show.

And a blindfold. Premium silk, not that the bastard deserves it.

Avon intended to get her some manner of cattle prod type device as well, to forestall complaints  of insufficient ways to inflict pain. But on close inspection of the voltages and amperages, all of the WRU offerings were too potent. He has no intention of giving her anything she could use to disable him.

“I love you, Sir,” Azalea breathes. She seems happy enough

Maybe he’ll get her something third-party later.

He checks his watch – one of his favourites, sleek and elegant rather than flashy. Forty minutes. Azalea is already dressed. They have time, but not an enormous amount.

“It’s time to go, Azalea. Secure him – I won’t have him blundering around breaking things when he wakes up.” “Secure him where, Sir?” “I don’t care.”

He can see the wheels turn as she considers her new responsibility – currently a slumped heap on the carpet. She considers the box itself briefly, before turning her attention to the handcuffs.

She picks the steel set.

There’s an unexpected efficiency, almost professionalism, to her movements as she flips her gift onto his front. She clips a cuff round one ankle – it bites the flesh, but it goes – and uses it to pull his leg up behind his back.

He cries out, weak and incoherent, as his hip bends back after hours spent curled in the box. Azalea ignores him, leaning her weight against his knee to hold him while she grabs his opposite wrist. She has to strain to get it close enough to his ankle to lock the cuff closed.

Even in pain, he can’t quite get his eyes open, but his face creases. He twitches, free fingers scratching feebly at the carpet.

Azalea grabs his other ankle, and repeats.

Then she hops daintily to her feet, leaving her hogtied victim twitching and whimpering on the floor behind her.

“Well,” says Avon, somewhat perturbed, “yes. I suppose that will do.” Azalea smiles brightly at him, and leans in for a kiss. He lets her peck his cheek. “Where are we going for brunch, Sir?”

[Next]

[skelekins]

<< >>

Have some copy pasta Gen Swapfell-Facet Lore from my notes app

Disclaimer: messy

Muffet - Snowdin tea and bakery owner. Close relationship with Skeles. Puts cayenne pepper in many versions foods - spicy sweets. Has a few (like 3) setup for spider checkers - a checkers game with an otcoganol board. Waffle-coffee house. Speciality is spider Waffles, Soft Boiled spider Eggs, and Spider coffee

Muffet is a very hairy spider/rancho with scales/hairs all over body like the fluff of a moth. Helps with insulation. Smaller spider monsters are primarily covered in fluff for extra insulation with only tips of legs visible. Spiders wear little uniforms - usually hats/ribbons/tassels

Diner is covered in trap magic - one of many reasons no one causes a lot of trouble - snowdin in general assumed to be covered

Unlike skelebros Muffet can completely hide her trap magic unless someone is looking for it. Or at the very least her anchors are extremely small/needs less.

Smaller spiders may also use trap magic -> mainly just related to their physical silk.

Silk is heavily used in wardrobe and general materials.

Muffet must be seated the majority of the time the diner is open due to outgrowing the building. She doesn’t need to move much to reach every corner of the diner.

Double doors allow Muffet to leave through front if needed but she prefers to use the basement exit that leads to an enlarged basement - big enough for her to move properly, with a separate door out the back of the diner.

Muffet does not often actually leave and the back door is usually locked tight and hidden behind trash and webs. Since she has space to move in her home below she doesn’t see a lot of reason to leave.

Enjoys cooking and making sweet confections with her kin. Finds Sans and Papyrus cute - seen Papyrus grow up. A little older than Sans.

Spider eggs served to help keep populations acceptable. Boiled in a dust bath -> turning the interior monster into a weird edible savory jelly-like creature that is excited to be eaten. They feel no pain and usually find weird entertainment from being eaten in pieces. Not offended if eaten head first.

Diner spiders may actually be at LV 2 -> spiders have their own leveling customs. Basement spiders LV 1 - part of why Muffet and Diner Spiders are partial to Paps and Sans

“Muffet’s”? Like Grillby’s?

Grillbys - bar and grill

muffets - cafe and diner

While being a diner doesn’t actually care how long anyone is there. Closes late opens early -> most of Muffets time is dedicated to business with closing hours uses for rest, self care, and baking for the next day.

Probably has early days and maybe takes a “Websday” off once a month or so. !!she would be big enough and strong enough to easily go to Hotland or the capital if she wanted fancier supplies. !! <- gives part of reason for being so dedicated to the diner. Maybe gets special stuff for her kin/herself. Also cares about residents of Snowdin in her own way.

Like the idea of some of the bigger spiders acting rough and having little spiked bats to emphasize her kind of hard-punk/street gang aesthetic

15' 3"

Alphys - captain of the guard, watches over Waterfall but mostly has attention elsewhere ruling by name alone. Has Stone generally look after it. Originally from Hotland, met Undyne while stationed in Waterfall. Ascends (playing with words dunno if like that) in genocide route. Maybe something Al or Alph <- not a lot of options even with Alf.

Absolute Alphys? Alphys Ascendant

Her gameplay is similiar to Undynes except instead of blocking the player has to shoot her attacks like a game of asteroids.

Undyne - Royal scientist spicy fish yandere-like/light. Drinks beer enjoys super violent manga. Mew Mew -> Bork Bork

Jewel has a rough relationship with Undyne. Initially they were friends but after Undyne met Alphys she started to gain more level. It once got away from her and Jewel had to shortcut away from her as she was undeterred by Sans protection due to her own relationship with Alphys. She moved to Hotland not long after; secretly regretting her actions and not trusting herself in Waterfall any longer.

Napstablook -> Retraton - RTT // Retraton Para -> translates into shared HP forcing use of consumables along with cursor that copy’s players movements // maybe Retrabot to play off being an automaton vs mettaton being robot // Retrabot Para

Retraton held in place/ can’t move legs. Instead commands show through others monsters/puppets/effects. Usually broadcasts tragedies. (stone in turn loves tragedies lmao)

Has Rounded mascot form - form that is held in place. Para is transformation - still held but with extending arms.

Retraton Para - has extra arms.

"Oh yes~" -> "Oh no :("

Previously Napstablook -> taken to Undyne when Alphys found her missing her home; neighbor of Undyne. Forced into robot when he kept trying to return home.

Songs are very sad and yearning. TV shows are A Lot but also uses a lot of effects because it’s not like there’s infinite monsters.

May not actively star is show frequently but instead use puppets || marionette puppets his cast and narrates -> sometimes puppets are real monsters Retraton has some sort of relationship with surrounding monsters hinting at his Para form.

Para - kills Undyne before protag can activating Para form. Para uses Undynes soul. Might kill surrounding monsters / connected monsters as well.

Retraton - no use of legs - part of why puppets. Maybe needs to remain charged or frequently and feels more comfortable plugged in.

Arms > legs.

Box Form -> literally just a box with arms - no wheel. Has to drag himself or walk with his arms. Maybe has a hover butt? Or a skateboard. Or has lots of little legs. Roomba.

Mettaton(MTT)- Hapstablook

Instead of lie on the floor feeling like garbage they sit on the roof and consider love.

Gaster and Riverperson -

Stay in their respective posts however Gaster speaks in song and the Riverperson speaks in hands

Riverperson - gondola (gondoga) dog theme, speaks in hands, gondola above river because river water is too dangerous

Grillby - fire sale; father of fireflies literally flames with wings. Has a pet Fryfly - long fry-like fly. Instead of forcing player onto strings covers the field with hazards and fire. Have to switch and jump over between flames.

Pacified by firesauce (increases damage, possible burn damage, take one damage for spice) or Frenchfire (a firefly with an exploding baguette - covering the board around you in fire for one turn and burning any incoming attacks) or the purchase of either from his Hotland firesale.

Prices may be inverted to some extent -> Hotland Prices are cheaper but u need both items to pacify him. Ruins are achievable but ridiculously expensive. Only need one to immediately pacify him. Differentiated by name is Hotland Firesauce vs Old/Ruin Firesauce

All Dog references -> Cats (and vice versa)

Dog Squad -> Cat Squad

Annoying Dog -> Adorable Cat

[readerbookclub]

Hello everyone! A new month is coming, which means we're going to start a new book. This time, I've collected a list of books that are all about nature. As always, please remember to vote for your favourite using the link at the end of the post. And now onto the books!

The Overstory, by Richard Powers

The Overstory is a sweeping, impassioned work of activism and resistance that is also a stunning evocation of - and paean to - the natural world. From the roots to the crown and back to the seeds, Richard Powers’s twelfth novel unfolds in concentric rings of interlocking fables that range from antebellum New York to the late twentieth-century Timber Wars of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. There is a world alongside ours—vast, slow, interconnected, resourceful, magnificently inventive, and almost invisible to us. This is the story of a handful of people who learn how to see that world and who are drawn up into its unfolding catastrophe.

Greenwood, by Michael Christie

It's 2034 and Jake Greenwood is a storyteller and a liar, an overqualified tour guide babysitting ultra-rich vacationers in one of the world's last remaining forests.

It's 2008 and Liam Greenwood is a carpenter, fallen from a ladder and sprawled on his broken back, calling out from the concrete floor of an empty mansion.

It's 1974 and Willow Greenwood is out of jail, free after being locked up for one of her endless series of environmental protests: attempts at atonement for the sins of her father's once vast and violent timber empire.

It's 1934 and Everett Greenwood is alone, as usual, in his maple syrup camp squat when he hears the cries of an abandoned infant and gets tangled up in the web of a crime that will cling to his family for decades.

And throughout, there are trees: thrumming a steady, silent pulse beneath Christie's effortless sentences and working as a guiding metaphor for withering, weathering, and survival.

Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance, by Ruth Emmie Lang

Orphaned, raised by wolves, and the proud owner of a horned pig named Merlin, Weylyn Grey knew he wasn’t like other people. But when he single-handedly stopped that tornado on a stormy Christmas day in Oklahoma, he realized just how different he actually was.

That tornado was the first of many strange events that seem to follow Weylyn from town to town, although he doesn’t like to take credit. As amazing as these powers may appear, they tend to manifest themselves at inopportune times and places. From freak storms to trees that appear to grow over night, Weylyn’s unique abilities are a curiosity at best and at worst, a danger to himself and the woman he loves. But Mary doesn’t care. Since Weylyn saved her from an angry wolf on her eleventh birthday, she’s known that a relationship with him isn’t without its risks, but as anyone who’s met Weylyn will tell you, once he wanders into your life, you’ll wish he’d never leave.

Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance tells the story of Weylyn Grey’s life from the perspectives of the people who knew him, loved him, and even a few who thought he was just plain weird. Although he doesn’t stay in any of their lives for long, he leaves each of them with a story to tell. Stories about a boy who lives with wolves, great storms that evaporate into thin air, fireflies that make phosphorescent honey, and a house filled with spider webs and the strange man who inhabits it.

There is one story, however, that Weylyn wishes he could change: his own. But first he has to muster enough courage to knock on Mary’s front door.

The Lost City of Z, by David Grann

After stumbling upon a hidden trove of diaries, New Yorker writer David Grann set out to solve "the greatest exploration mystery of the 20th century": What happened to the British explorer Percy Fawcett & his quest for the Lost City of Z?

In 1925, Fawcett ventured into the Amazon to find an ancient civilization, hoping to make one of the most important discoveries in history. For centuries Europeans believed the world's largest jungle concealed the glittering kingdom of El Dorado. Thousands had died looking for it, leaving many scientists convinced that the Amazon was truly inimical to humans. But Fawcett, whose daring expeditions inspired Conan Doyle's The Lost World, had spent years building his scientific case. Captivating the imagination of millions round the globe, Fawcett embarked with his 21-year-old son, determined to prove that this ancient civilisation--which he dubbed Z--existed. Then his expedition vanished. Fawcett's fate, & the tantalizing clues he left behind about Z, became an obsession for hundreds who followed him into the uncharted wilderness.

For decades scientists & adventurers have searched for evidence of Fawcett's party & the lost City of Z. Countless have perished, been captured by tribes or gone mad. As Grann delved ever deeper into the mystery surrounding Fawcett's quest, & the greater mystery of what lies within the Amazon, he found himself, like the generations who preceded him, being irresistibly drawn into the jungle's green hell. His quest for the truth & discoveries about Fawcett's fate & Z form the heart of this complexly enthralling narrative.

Prodigal Summer, by Barbara Kingslover

It is summer in the Appalachian mountains and love, desire and attraction are in the air. From her outpost in an isolated mountain cabin, Deanna Wolfe, a reclusive wildlife biologist, watches a den of coyotes. She is caught off guard by a young hunter who invades her most private spaces and interrupts her solitary life.

On a farm several miles down the mountain, Lusa Maluf Landowski, a bookish city girl turned farmer's wife, finds herself marooned in a strange place where she must declare or lose her attachment to the land that has become her own. And a few more miles down the road, a pair of elderly feuding neighbours tend their respective farms and wrangle about God, pesticides, and the possibilities of a future neither of them expected. Over the course of one humid summer, these characters find their connections of love to one another and to the surrounding nature with which they share a place.

Please vote for our next book here.

[apparitional-lesbian]

Dear Yuletide Letter 2024

First off, thank you so much for writing a story for me.

If you’re interested in checking out any of the fandoms we didn’t match on, and you care about respecting intellectual property laws, you can stream Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and Twin Peaks on Paramount+, or rent/buy them through Apple TV. Fly by Night can be purchased at all the usual places you buy ebooks or listen to audio books, or it might be available at your local library.

Okay. Now, onto business. Warning for light spoilers for each fandom in the prompts. DNWs, specific musings on my requested fandoms, and prompts under the cut:

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is one of my favourite TV shows. I love how the characters are all figuring their shit out; the emphasis on female friendships; and how it deconstructs and pokes fun at the rom-com worldview of "destiny" and "being saved by romance."

I love Greg/Rebecca. Greg’s cynicism balances out Rebecca’s romanticism, and vice versa. They’re both dorks. He is her intellectual equal, and I love their repartee. I also like how Greg cares about Rebecca, such as in 1 x 02, when he offered to take her to get pancakes after the disaster at Spider's.

Prompts:

What if Greg didn’t leave mid-season two? How would he fit into the Josh and Rebecca marriage arc? Or post-season two finale?

Role Reversal AU?? Greg follows Josh to New York and meets Rebecca the big shot, uber-depressed lawyer (this might be a bit ooc, but it would be fun).

Rebecca celebrates Jewish holidays, and Greg tags along!! Purim, Passover, Hanukah, the Cheese Holiday (Shavuot), or something else...it's your choice!

AU of 1 x 02. Rebecca says yes to those pancakes.

DNWs: rape, pedophilia, incest, major character death, permanent disfigurement, mpreg, scat/watersports/vomitplay, cnc, Dom/sub kink, trans headcanons, soulmate aus, a/b/o fic

Twin Peaks

So, for this fandom, you are free to choose which characters to write about. My favourite character is Audrey Horne, and Laura Palmer is a close second. I am interested in fic that explores the female characters of the series, so as long as one of my nominated characters is central to the narrative, I'll be happy.

I wasn't thrilled with The Return’s treatment of Audrey. I wish she had been given the opportunity to have an existence beyond her trauma. I feel like a lot of the women in Twin Peaks are ultimately eclipsed by their trauma: Laura, obviously, but also Maddy, Josie, Audrey, Annie, Donna (in the extra-canonical material) and Shelly don’t have character arcs like, say, Bobby’s. Bobby is allowed to grow and mature and not be defined by Laura’s death, even though it does stay with him, whereas Shelly is the basically same girl who loves bad boys even when she’s in her fifties.

I'm not particularly concerned about shipping in this fandom, although I do have a soft spot for Shelly/Bobby. I've also been known to read an Albert/Dale fic. Femslash is cool too 👍

Prompts:

A Role Reversal AU where Special Agent Laura Palmer investigates the death of local boy scout Dale Cooper, who lived a shocking double life. Audrey could be either Sheriff Audrey Horne or the mysterious hotel owner/community leader (who may be involved in the murder??). Or maybe Shelly, the dangerous head cheerleader, and her secret boyfriend Bobby, a drop-out busboy at the local diner? I don't know, have fun with it!

A fic that explores what exactly the fuck is going on in the Carrie Page universe. Is it just a temporary bubble, or is it a full-fledged alternate universe? Who was the dead guy in Carrie’s house? What’s happening with Audrey in that universe?

Pre-series fic exploring Laura and Maddy’s relationship (also, maybe BOB makes an appearance?).

Special Agent Audrey AU (but with a twist). The Return implies that something weird is happening with Audrey’s soul, and that she may be capable of visiting the Black Lodge. My idea is that, before The Return, Audrey and Laura are in this X-Files AU fever dream situation in the Black Lodge, searching for Dale Cooper (actually his soul) all while solving Monster of the Week mysteries. Basically, if you've seen The X-Files, Dale is Audrey and Laura's Samantha.

DNWs: rape, pedophilia, incest, major character death, permanent disfigurement, explicit sexual content, mpreg, scat/watersports/vomitplay, cnc, Dom/sub kink, trans headcanons, soulmate aus, a/b/o fic

Fly by Night - Frances Hardinge

Frances Hardinge is one of my favourite authors. I love her imaginative world building; her twisty plots; and her complex, justice-oriented heroines and heroes.

Specifically for Fly by Night, the Birdcatchers are just fascinating. Well-intentioned extremists with the creepiest vibes. Linden is a great villain, and I love his strange relationship with Mosca. He sees a potential pupil/convert in her, and he’s an authority figure that she may be able to trust. Linden and Eponymous Clent are excellent narrative foils: the former is all surface, and the latter is substance.

Prompts:

Post-series fic/AU where Linden survives Fly by Night, and Mosca and Clent run into him post-Twilight Robbery.

Anything that explores the Birdcatchers in greater depth. Maybe Mosca and Clent have to go undercover for the Stationers.

Post-series fic about an adult Mosca reuniting with her old mentor and/or going up against her old enemy.

DNWs: rape, pedophilia, incest, major character death, permanent disfigurement, explicit sexual content, mpreg, scat/watersports/vomitplay, cnc, Dom/sub kink, trans headcanons, soulmate aus, a/b/o fic, Mosca/Eponymous, Mosca/Linden

[therebootsys]

“he needed more than me”

˚₊‧꒰🦈꒱ ‧₊˚

˚₊‧꒰🌊general info🌊꒱ ‧₊˚

name(s): miya/finn

nickname(s): mimi/finny

pronouns: she/her/hers | he/him/his

gender(s): bigender

orientation(s): bisexual/demisexual/bigender

age: 19yrs old

birthday: 24th February 2005

language(s): english/some german

species: human/bunny therian

proxy: -miya or -🐰

˚₊‧꒰🪼relationships🪼꒱ ‧₊˚

family: i consider my friends and ryn to be my family

relationship status: taken to my lovely lovely LOVELY sweet boyfriend

mono/poly/ambi: mono

looking: never

friend(s): jax | mars | abyss

pet(s): my sweet sweet boy 🐈‍⬛

˚₊‧꒰🪸system info🪸꒱ ‧₊˚

role(s): host/owner of body

alter type: host

source(s): n/a

subsystem: n/a

split date: n/a

activity status: active most days all day

amnesia level: medium, not as bad as others but it gets a little foggy

˚₊‧꒰🐳boundaries + more🐳꒱ ‧₊˚

disorder(s): DID | severe anxiety | OCD | intrusive thoughts | separation anxiety | depression | chronic headaches | hyperthyroidism | BPD | insomnia | tic disorder | stutter

phobia(s): death | death of a loved one | spiders and flying insects | the dark - more so what’s in it | walking alone | distortion

pos trigger(s): talking about interests | paci making | any disney movie | my boyfriend | my stuffy spot

negative trigger(s): i don’t think i have any but me being very anxious or upset can make me retreat from front

verbality: very verbal only through text

typing quirk(s): i just use :3 a lot and other forms of it (>:3, ;3 etc)

gen interaction: any and all interactions should be okay!! just be cautious on making me upset or uncomfortable | no one over 30 please and no one under 15

dms: dms are okay!! if you’re weird you just get instantly blocked

petnames: no petnames!! makes me and my bf uncomfortable

nicknames: nicknames are okay if you can come up with any besides mimi haha

venting: venting is completely okay - friends or not | i love helping out people and listening to them | sometimes people just need someone to listen

pda: no thank you | bf only

sourcemates: n/a

source talk: depends!!

touch: no thank you | bf only | if made clear it is platonic (hug /p)

notes: hai i’m miya, i am the owner and host of the reboot system. i am mainly always in front unless upset or anxious about something. i love to make friend so if you’re interested in being my friend pleaseee reach out!! ~

“i’m friendly, and thoughtful and quite awfully pretty”

last edited: 21/05/24

[i-lovethatforme]

I listened to a song once--can't remember the title sorry--about roommates that fake date to get a discount at a Chinese restaurant. They go out of their way to walk by the street together so they have to hold hands. When they want to order in, they realize their apartment needs proof of them as a couple. So they spend days doing couple things and taking pictures to put around the apartment. They're so in love it hurts, but both just use this restaurant as an excuse to pretend.

It's a banger of a song. Can you write a fic about it?

ofc anything you for you my brain twin pally. hold all criticisms bc my sick brain refused to edit as i deserve!!!! slightly long drabble for you as is my brand. goodbyegodbless etc xxxxxxx

This is the best idea Ned has ever had and last semester he successfully helped Peter escape a crime lord using the map and movements from a Spider-Man game prototype he has on his laptop.

But this. This is his best creation. Because not only will he get his two best friends together after helplessly pining over each other for years. 

He also gets cheap Chinese food. 

“What do you mean?” Peter asks, his brows furrowed as he struggles to peel an orange. Ned is convinced Peter has taught himself how to squirt juice in his eye instead of peeling the fruit like a normal person because MJ will always help him. And she’ll tut and take the orange from his hand with an eye roll, but her fingertips always linger against his cheek when she wipes the juice away. So Peter will be an idiot, if only for her.

Well, Ned has seen him swing into a billboard a few times, so maybe he’s just a bit of an idiot anyway. 

“Yeah,” MJ pipes in, snatching the orange from Peter’s hand in a way that would probably dislocate a smaller person’s wrist, but Peter just looks at her fondly. “Why would we get a discount because we’re like, uhm a couple or whatever?”

MJ blushes whenever she talks about being in a relationship with Peter which isn’t often at all considering it’s definitely all she thinks about, but whenever it slips out, Ned thinks he could warm his palms on her cheeks. He won’t - obviously, he’s not ready to die right now. But he does think about how adorable it is that she thinks noone can see if it’s anything other than a bright sunny day. As if Peter doesn’t have countless photos of her on his phone that would prove her theory incorrect. 

“Because that’s the discount?” Ned says, shrugging his shoulders. 

MJ looks at Peter with her lips pouted to see what he’s thinking - to see if he’ll agree to fake dating her before she can dare to make it known that that would be something she would be okay with. As if Ned isn’t right here, having already seen her Mrs Michelle Parker doodles all over the English book during high school. 

Peter is already looking at her, because of course, he is. He doesn’t immediately answer her, nor does he really acknowledge that she’s spoken. He just looks at her as he always does, a little dopey and a lot in love. 

“Dork,” she mutters, knocking into his side where she’s standing next to his bar stool. 

“Wh - sorry, what?” Peter asks, his hand coming to rest on the small of her back. He takes the orange back from her with his free hand.

“Wanna date for cheap Chinese food?” MJ asks and you’d think with Peter’s super hearing and whatever else he likes to brag about with MJ is in earshot, he’d be able to hear the longing in her voice. 

“Like, uhm, pretend, obviously,” she continues when he pulls her a tad closer and Ned has no powers but he hears Peter’s heart thud to the ground anyway. 

“Yeah,” he coughs. “Still weird that’s a discount but I know you love rice noodles and I haven’t been able to get the recipe right yet.”

Sure - it’s a little strange and yes Ned did have to talk to the owner into it but he promised that it would only be a week or so tops and that yes, he would give the owner May’s number.

He’s kept that information from Peter. 

And MJ.

Maybe when they end up arguing between themselves about who will have Ned on their side of the wedding party - he’ll tell them then. Maybe. 

But then Peter places an orange segment against MJ’s lips, pulling it back when she goes to bite it and Ned fears that maybe he won’t get as much cheap food as he thought. With the way MJ leans into him and the way Peter looks at her. Ned might have to start spreading rumours to get this deal for longer. 

“Loser,” MJ smiles with Peter’s fingers against her lips and well. Maybe Ned doesn’t mind if it’s over all that soon. 

—

Ned owes the Chinese takeaway a fortune at this point. And probably an actual face-to-face meeting with May if this plan takes any longer to sort itself out. 

So far they’ve bought their body weight in noodles and they have enough chopsticks to build a fort if they really wanted to. Peter and MJ have shared more than three whole kisses because Ned is nothing short of a genius and yet - they still sleep in separate rooms. Well. Sometimes they fall asleep together on the couch because they’re ridiculous and MJ likes to check Peter is safe when he stumbles in at four am and Peter likes to be wherever MJ is.

But the daily handholds as they walk past a closed Chinese takeaway, in case the owner sees them not holding hands and immediately figures out this is a whole ruse, of course, are not enough to shove them into a relationship. 

Ned thought it would be easier than this. They already cook together (before the aforementioned couples discount which Ned is regretting more as the days pass). Peter makes MJ’s coffee in the morning. MJ leaves a note with Peter’s lunch every day. Peter comes home with flowers for MJ on Thursdays because she doesn’t like Thursdays and MJ runs Peter a bubble bath after a long mission. 

Oh. And they’re in love with each other. 

But apparently, that doesn’t matter.

But it’s fine. It’ll work itself out. They’ve only been dancing around each other for the better part of six years but they’re both finally single. Ned does not need to get involved any further. 

—

Okay, so it turns out that despite Ned’s best intentions, his plan will not work unless he gets involved further. And he promised that he wouldn’t. Well. He promised himself he wouldn’t get involved because once in tenth grade he tried to help MJ ask Peter out and he still has the scar on the back of his hand where she hit him with a book. 

So, he’s vowed not to get involved again. Sure he created the couples discount at the Chinese down the block, but truly, he just wanted some chow mein and Betty was out of the city. But that was weeks ago. And he’s tired of watching Peter’s heart crack open every time MJ drops his hand when they return to their apartment. As if he wasn’t aware that she’d do anything he asked. As if it isn’t painfully obvious to everyone bar the two smartest people that Ned knows - that they’re it for each other. 

Honestly, Ned wasn’t expecting Peter and MJ to be so woefully dense that he’d be sick of eating fried rice. But as he throws his container in the bin - his stomach crying out for a vegetable - he decides it’s time to fix it for them. 

Because frankly, if Ned has to watch Peter run down the stairs quickly, just so he can reach the ground floor and officially be in MJ’s fake boyfriend territory, one more time, he’s going to snap. Especially when neither he nor MJ can run as fast as Peter can lest they snap an ankle on sight - so, he just has to watch MJ fidget and fix her hair while they walk five floors down. 

It’s after Ned gets blisters because MJ and Peter decided to walk the long way home in the middle of summer ‘because it’s a nice night’ and not because if they walked that way they could hold hands and pretend to be together for a hundred metres of pavement - that he decided he needed a new plan. And fast. 

—

It’s a frighteningly short amount of time before both Peter and MJ agree to another Chinese takeout. Anyone would think they like being a couple more than they like a healthy bank account. 

“I can pick it up,” Ned says, not even bothering to move from the armchair because he knows Peter and MJ will offer to go and get it. 

“No!” Peter says, running into the front room, almost taking MJ out in his haste. 

“Easy, Tiger,” she warns, her hands against his stomach as if he needs her twig-like arms to keep himself from falling to the ground. 

“Thanks, Em,” he whispers and Ned rolls his eyes so hard they hurt. God, they’re oblivious and they’re putting him off the food he doesn’t really want anyway. But he needs them to at least bring the food back so he can throw his handmade fortune cookies in the bag. It’s a last-ditch attempt honestly, if they ignore the signs from the universe, well, Ned will just watch them pretend to be happy for the other when they inevitably get with someone else. 

Probably. 

Or he’ll try something else that will take a considerable amount of planning and convincing May that it’s just one more date. Or, he’ll just curse them for the rest of their days. Whichever is easier for him at the time. 

Ned watches MJ link her fingers with Peter’s before he’s even finished putting his shoes on but Peter does respond by pulling her a little closer and pressing his lips to her forehead. When they’re like this, Ned doesn’t mind the apology texts to the takeout place and he doesn’t mind the way he has to listen to Peter complain about some guy hitting on MJ at her work summer party. (As if she didn’t only tell that story for a second time when Peter was around because he was supposed to be there with her - and he had to go and be a hero. As if MJ thinks she’s sly enough to make out that she’s only telling the story so Peter knows she’s annoyed he left her there. As if MJ wouldn’t cover for Peter in any given situation and the only reason she’s bringing it up is to let Peter know other people are interested in her - but she’s not interested in them.) But MJ has been doing the same thing since they were thirteen. But for the first few years - Peter wasn’t interested in her either. At least not in the heartbreaking way he is now. 

So when they seem like maybe, just maybe, they’re both just going to confess in the middle of the living room - Ned’s heart grows eight sizes. But then MJ pushes her hair behind her ear and Peter looks at her a little too closely and it startles her. And suddenly, they both realise how close they are and Ned is transported back to the day they had to kiss for photographic proof that they were a couple. Something about an employee coming to deliver food and not being able to see photographic evidence which honestly, was Ned’s worst cover to get them to kiss but they were both so desperate to do it they didn’t call him out on it. 

But the memories of Peter’s breathy moan long after Ned had put the camera down and the way MJ practically climbed into Peter’s lap after what was supposed to be a quick peck, haunt Ned to this day. 

And he doesn’t want to be witness to that again. Not if he has to sit with the awkwardness afterwards when they both don’t just admit they’re halfway married already. 

“Er, the food?” 

“Right,” MJ says, not at all moving away from Peter. 

“Sure,” Peter replies, moving backwards just so he doesn’t need to stop looking at MJ. “Be right back.”

Ned knows he’s lying. They’ll be twenty minutes longer than they need to be because neither of them wants to give up living in their fantasy world. But it’s fine. Ned is barely hungry anyway. He only needs to sneak these fortune cookies into the bag with eagle-eyed Peter seeing.

—

It’s not a difficult task because Peter spends the entire time they’re eating staring at MJ and Ned may as well be bursting into flames for all anyone cares. 

They would care. That’s the only reason Ned is going to so much trouble to make them happy. Because sure, they’re happy right now. Content even, to be around each other. To enjoy each other's company without the need to stake a claim. They’d both be happy enough to just be this - to never get any closer and to love each other from afar. Because they love each other enough to live just on the outside - if that’s what the other wants. 

But Ned is over it. Ned isn’t nervous that they’ll ruin their friendship because he’s not sure anything ever could. Not Peter flinging himself in danger every three seconds. Not the blip. Not whatever might come next. 

It’s Peter and MJ forever and always because that’s always what it has been. That’s always what it was going to be. 

“Oh,” Ned says without any fanfare lest he sends either of them into a panic because they forgot he was here. “There are fortune cookies.”

He tosses them at Peter who lets MJ pick hers first. It doesn’t matter, obviously, they say the same thing.

“Shouldn’t they be sealed?” MJ asks.

“I opened them, sorry,” Ned replies not at all sorry because, at this point, he’s just about to confess for the both of them. 

Ned hears MJ’s sharp intake of breath first even though he knows Peter read his fortune before her. Because despite it all, when it comes to MJ, Peter is nothing if not careful. 

“What does it say?” Peter asks, and Ned can see his fingers trembling from here and he starts to feel a little queasy that Peter is the one that swings him home late at night when he can barely keep a piece of paper in his hands. 

“Uhm,” MJ starts as Ned gets up to leave. He built the scenario but MJ and Peter have been working towards this since the first day they met each other. So Ned wants them to figure it out alone, even if he did shove them together just a little. 

He just hopes this is enough but as he eases his bedroom door shut, he hears MJ stuttering over nothing and he’s not sure it will be. 

But then -

“I’m in love with you.”

“What?”

“I’m so in love with you. I always have been and -”

“That’s what your fortune says?”

“What? Oh, uhm, no,” Peter laughs, definitely running his hand through his hair. “It erm says -”

“I don’t care.”

“You don’t?”

“No,” MJ laughs. “I’m in love with you too. That’s all I care about.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, loser.”

There’s a clattering of plates and probably things thrown on the ground and Ned assumes the fortune cookies have been lost but it’s alright. He doesn’t mind. Well, not that much anyway. 

“Arseholes,” Ned curses with a smile. 

[thatgeekyemo]

What He Won’t Know Won’t Hurt - Part 2

part 1, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7

peter parker x reader | 2.5k

prompt 19: “Is someone hurting you?”

"Hey Y/N?"

"Hm?" You lifted your head from where it was resting on the back of your living room couch at the sound of Ned's voice.

"Wanna study with us?" He asked, gesturing to the various open text books and practice packets spread across your living room floor, each in front of their respective owner.

"Nah," you chuckled, crunching down on a cheese puff from the bowl next to you. "You guys are the geniuses. I just offer the space my friends need to do their genius work."

"We're the Decathlon team. Not geniuses."

"Wait, haven't you mentioned more than once that Midtown is a 'genius school full of genius kids'?" Abe pointed out, making you open your mouth to counter.

"My point remains valid until I hear recorded proof."

"But by default, that statement makes you a genius who attends said genius school, doesn't it?" Peter tilted his head, quickly pushing his glasses up on the bridge of his nose. "So your point is pretty much moot, recorded proof or not. Because I can testify to hearing it from your own mouth with my own ears and I'm sure everyone else in this room can too."

"Damn. Why are you defending my brain so much? I can't make one self-deprecating joke?" You laughed, tossing a small handful of puffs in the boys' directions while Cindy chuckled next to you.

"Not when you've been in a mood of self hate lately," Peter sighed.

"Yeah," Ned agreed, Abe nodding along. "What's that all about? Something wrong?"

"What?" Well, this was not the turn of events you expected to come out of this study session.

You wouldn't really call how you've been actually recently 'self hate', it was, well... Okay, it might have been.

For the last week or so, you've been continuously beating yourself up about keeping Spider-Woman from Peter— your closest friend next to Cindy. The boy you knew you had to come clean to if you ever wanted to attempt to further your relationship with him. He deserved to be told the truth, if in some kind of future you would be lucky enough to date him.

You were asked more than once on more than one occasion why out of all the teenage boys in Midtown—in New York— why you chose Peter Parker.

Sure, he wasn't the tallest. Or the most athletically inclined. Peter wore glasses and had asthma. He spent his time with a nose in a book or using his hands to create something. He soaked up knowledge like a sponge, and you knew that he had a future in biophysics and biochemistry without even having to try.

You always got weird looks from your family and sometimes even Cindy when you had first told her when you started talking about how you thought he might be your first love. But what no one realized, is that what Peter lacked in what was shown to be the stereotypical high-school boyfriend, he more than made up for with his heart.

Peter cared. So deeply. He cared about everything. About the bees, about equality, representation, kids who get kicked out of their homes for their sexuality or gender, about people without a safe place to stay, about the people who can't defend themselves. He cared about you.

Peter's heart is so large, and he tries his hardest to make room in it for everyone.

You could feel him watching you. Narrowed chocolate colored eyes behind glass lenses tracking your every move, noting every word, and picking apart your body language as you spouted out a generic excuse about why you've been acting the way you were lately. Trying to throw your friends off guard and to not give away that it was because of the very boy sitting just six feet away from you that you've been hating yourself for.

You silenced yourself by shoving a couple cheese puffs in your mouth, looking down at your feet as you felt both Peter and Cindy burning holes into your face. One set because she knew exactly what was going on, and the other because he could see through you and was intent on finding out exactly what you were keeping from him.

"I feel like we've been eating all your food and using all your living space and you never complain, Y/N." Abe states, making you look up from where you were scrolling through a bunch of Twitter threads with the hashtag Spider-Woman.

"I complain." You said with a small eye roll and placid smile. "It's just that no one cares."

"I can confirm." Cindy spoke without even looking up from her paper.

"We work too hard. The five of us should go to the movies or something."

"I second that!" Ned said immediately.

"I'll ask my parents," Cindy agreed softly.

"May and Ben should be cool with it, as long as it's you guys."

All heads turned to you.

"Y/N? Movies?"

You shrugged. "Sure. If this means what I think it means and I can get out of paying my share." You grinned and earned sarcastic eye rolls from the group.

"Cool." The murmers of the plan settling rumbled through the room.

"And since you're getting into a movie for free," Peter began with another eye roll and flashing a toothy smile in your direction. One that nearly made your heart jump straight out of your chest, "you're showing up on time. No excuses!"

"Okay! Okay," you laughed nervously. "Once we set up a date, I'll put it in my calender. No excuses."

While you put on a show on the outside, you couldn't help but to feel Peter's words had a second meaning. He knows there's something you're hiding, and that thing is the same thing that causes you to show up late, or cancel plans completely. You know he has too, and it's only a matter of time before he pieces it together.

Instead, you slipped Cindy's textbook out of her lap, making the girl look up at you with a quizzical expression.

"Listen up, nerds," your eyes scanned the page on chemical reactions, "quiz time!"

                                                            •••••

"Hey Y/N, Uncle Ben can't pick me up until a little later because there was some problem with the stations power and he swears he can fix it without calling the electrician." You heard Peter behind you and you turned around to see him tucking his phone into his back pocket. "Some kind of bet going around I think. Is it— is it cool if I just stay here?"

"Oh." You blinked, barely hearing Abe say his goodbye and you absently waved a hand.

Your parents were both out. They had allowed the group of you to study, but you didn't know how they would feel about Peter being over alone — especially because your crush on him was blatant within the safety of your home's walls (they'd made you shut up about him at least three times a week).

"I can— I can call May and see if she can get off her shift early, if it's not," He said quickly, his voice sounding of slight panic and his hand reaching back for his phone.

"No!" You said, blinking your way out of the thought of being alone with him and harshly telling your brain that now was not the time to blush. "I mean, nah man, it's fine." You mentally cringed. Calling your crush man? Yeah. Peter was totally going to pick up that you were into him.

"Cool,"

"Cool." You repeated, crossing your legs under you while the couch bunched slightly as Peter sat down on the other end.

Never in your entire friendship had a moment between the two of you felt more awkward.

You were so afraid of this happening. That you would be alone with the biggest crush you've had since you knew what crushes were, and you would have no idea how to react. What to say or do. Part of you wished that you could somehow summon up the charisma you seemed to have when you wore a mask over your face, but that part of you remained behind a locked door in your brain.

You were staring at your hands, feeling the awkwardness grow thick in the air, and on top of that, Peter's gaze flicker to you every couple of seconds. He didn't know what to do either, and it was like the both of you were trapped to suffer until someone made a move.

That someone accidently wound up being you.

"It's— is it getting hot in here?" You stammered out, feeling yourself starting to sweat from the situation. "Or is that just me? I'm just gonna go check the A/C real quick."

In a matter of seconds, you stood up from the couch and unzipped your hoodie, tossing it on the couch. Your plan was to just get out of the same room as Peter, because your brain was torn between wanting to kiss him unprompted without even thinking of the consequences and wanting to tell him about Spider-Woman. Similarly, without dwelling on consequences.

You just wanted a moment to clear your mind and actually figure out a game plan on how you wanted to tackle the problem of Peter Parker (as long as it wasn't in the physical way).

But Peter, ever the concerned friend, was one to notice the second you shed your hoodie that something was wrong.

"Is someone hurting you?" He blurted, his tone a demand you've never heard come from him before. It made you freeze mid-step and you were lucky you had your back toward him so you could gape for a moment as your mind raced for an excuse.

Spinning on your heel, you turned around to find Peter standing up and only a step away from you.

Out of all the things you could say, of course the stupidest thing came out. "What do you mean?"

"What do you mean, 'what do you mean', Y/N? You have a bruise the size of Texas going down your arm!" He exclaimed, and you suddenly remembered why you were wearing a hoodie in the first place. Long sleeve shirts in late spring were questionable. Hoodies were fashion.

Well, his assumption wasn't entirely wrong. Someone had technically hurt you. The kind of hurt that constituted of you getting into a fight with a bunch of Fisk's men disguised as construction workers and you not finishing up quick enough to get hit with a truck and thrown into a support beam with enough force to kill a normal person.

Now you were stuck between a rock and a hard place. Could you really handle Peter's anger? Asked the small voice in your head. Or would you rather lie to keep him happy and figure it out later? If you ever allowed later to come.

"I just fell." You said quickly, snatching your hoodie back up and attempting to pull it back on. But Peter was faster than you would like to admit, and he grabbed it before you could even find the arm hole.

"That's a load of crap." He huffed out, a firey indignation in his eyes as he forced you to keep yours on his. "Y/N, I've tried to ignore all the other things thats been happening to you—the bruises, the limps, the no shows and you being exhausted in classes—I really have. But something's going on with you and it's making me worried and really scared! You don't— you don't talk to me anymore like you used to! Just...tell me what's going on... Please."

You hated to see Peter plead like this, borderline beg you to tell him the truth. You could feel your heart breaking already and you haven't even said a word. But the sad truth was that you knew it was only going to get worse from here. If there was any hope of things getting better, you knew it had to get worse.

"I'm sor—"

Peter's phone rang, buzzing in his pocket and blaring The Imperial March. You held back a small smile, knowing it was a joke between him and his uncle Ben, that Ben always wound up being the Vader to Peter's Luke during at home lightsaber battles.

"He-hey," Peter answered the call, tearing his eyes away from you and trying his hardest to mask his anger.

"It was only a loose wire!" You overheard Ben chuckle on the other end. Not that you meant too. "Secured that bad boy back in and now we're good to go. Still at Y/N's?"

"Uh, yeah. Yeah."

"Okay. I'll be there in five minutes, kiddo."

"Has he fessed up yet?" Came a distant voice over the line, presumably one of the other firefighters, and Ben laughed again. You tried not to notice the pink flush that started to creep up Peter's neck as he glanced at you. He wouldn't be able to know you could hear everything over the phone. You hadn't told him.

"Give the kid a break," Ben said to the man. "He still thinks she's outta his league even though I tell him she'd be stupid not to—"

"You said five minutes?" Peter abruptly interuppted his uncle, and you wouldn't blame him for changing the subject from you— even if you now had a few questions you wanted to ask him.

"Yeah? I can make it three if you say there's some kinda emergency. Is something wrong?" Ben asked over the line, and you looked down, ashamed, as Peter turned around to hide his face.

"No. No, everything's fine. I'll see you soon."

"Alright, kiddo,"

You heard the dial tone as Peter hung up, followed by a soft sigh from the boy.

"I'm uh, that was Ben." He told you and you looked back up. This was wrong. Never in your friendship have you ever felt like this with Peter— was this what a fight felt like? "I'm just gonna wait outside."

"Peter, wait—"

"I'll see you at school, yeah?" He said a bit sharply, picking up his backpack and slinging it over his shoulder, dropping your hoodie onto the couch.

"I...yeah." you agreed, reaching out your hand but pulling it back when you realized it was no use. Defeated.

He didn't even say goodbye as he closed the door.

part 1, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7

[dreamescapeswriting]

Write Up ~ KTH [Request]

WORD COUNT: 2.3k

GENRE: Fluffy, jealous, established-relationship

PAIRING: Taehyung x Fem!Reader x Seungmin (for like a couple of paragraphs)

A/N: As soon as I saw Puppy dog crush I had to make it Seungmin! Hope you enjoy!

Staring over at the clock on the wall you hoped it was just a little fast and that you weren't being stood up by your boyfriend Taehyung, time seemed to be moving slower now that you were staring at the clock on the wall. It was a Wednesday afternoon which meant it was his afternoon off and he could come and spend the afternoon with you in a small cafe in the middle of Seoul. It was the cutest cafe in the whole of the city, right down an alleyway which meant that hardly anybody knew that the place existed and that you were free to just let your hair down. The two of you had been together secretly for the last year and a half and this was one of the weekly routines that you would do together in this one spot. The owners knew you both well and would always make sure to have your orders waiting for you whenever you came in to work in the shop. You'd been working as a songwriter for years in the industry, working with people not just in the Kpop industry but with Western artists too. It was something you were very well known for since people liked to collaborate with you a lot, forming friendships and business relationships with different singers and groups was intimidating but something you'd always longed to do.

A couple of companies had gone to you with the task of creating some love songs for their performers, all you were told about them was that the people that would be singing the songs would be female. You weren't allowed to know anything else except for that which was why Taehyung had offered to come by and help you with writing. Writing songs alone wasn't normally an issue but you'd been struggling a lot with this one, Taehyung offered to help as a way of couple bonding with you. Spending time together while getting to write about your love life in a song that would be able to be heard by people all over the world. 

Tae: I got caught up, reschedule for next week? You smiled down at your phone, at least this time he text you telling you what had happened and you weren't left waiting. It wasn't like you were mad at him for being late or not showing up, you understood what it was like for him being so busy all of the time.

You: No problem baby, I'll head home after writing down some ideas x It wasn't as though it was a big deal having to write on your own but Taehyung felt bad for making you do it. He wanted to be the one there helping you out with the lyrics. In a way, it would be "your song" without everyone knowing that it was about your relationship. No matter how hard Taehyung had tried this week he couldn't seem to catch a break, no matter what he did everything seemed to pile on top of him more and more. Although he was supposed to have every Wednesday afternoon off he'd been so caught up and behind with recordings that he didn't have the chance to have the day off. It felt as though he was being rushed off his feet all of the time and had no chance for time to himself but he was going to make it up to you. 

"Y/n?" You looked up when you heard an unfamiliar voice call out your name and smiled when you saw who was standing there. You couldn't believe it when you saw who it was it was as if the universe was throwing you a bone since Taehyung wasn't coming to meet you. 

"Seungmin?" You questioned as you looked up at the boy you used to know really well. You and Seungmin had gone to the same school for years and got along well with one another but after graduating you grew apart and ended up losing touch with one another. He didn't look much different than before only a lot taller and his hair was dyed black rather than his natural brown colour but it felt so weird to see him after all this time.

"What brings you out here?" You laughed softly as you pushed the chair that was in front of you out from under the table so that he could sit down with you. It had been so long since you'd even seen him it felt odd to just bump into one another while you were out and around the city. You figured he would be too busy with his own group to come to smaller places like this. You'd watched him on his show and always sent moral support online whenever you could, not knowing if he'd see it but still wanting to be there for an old friend. 

"I come here a lot, I've never seen you before it's normally some couple sitting here," You felt the heat rise up over your body as you thought about someone see you and Taehyung here together and you nodded. Clearly, no one knew it was Taehyung since he was always in a disguise, the same hat, sunglasses and mask to keep himself hidden away. The booth was normally reserved for you and Taehyung to sit in by the couple that ran the cafe, they always made sure your spot was free.

"Guilty, it's normally me and my boyfriend," You smiled at Seungmin and he smiled back, the huge puppy dog smile you loved so much spreading across his face. 

"Do you want to join me?" You asked as you waved over the owner who had been staring at you wondering who it was that had decided to join you. 

"You look busy, I don't want to interrupt anything..." Seungmin said slowly as he looked at the papers that were covering the small table. Even though he really wanted to stay with you and do nothing but sit with you all day he didn't want to stop you from doing your work. The truth was that Seungmin had always had a crush on you even when you were in school together, he'd always had a puppy crush on you. Although everyone else knew that it was obvious you were oblivious to it all, just thinking he was a close friend. 

"I'm just working on a song but I'm struggling. Maybe you can help?" You suggested as you showed him everything you already had down which was half of a drawn spider-diagram with the words, "Lovesong," written in the middle. 

"Love songs? Not your field of expertise?" He asked as he sat down in the chair and looked over the notebook, small doodles of hearts and things were drawn around the edges but not much else. It was a lot like most of your work in school with the doodles around the outside edges.

"You would think I'd be great at them but I always seem to write the same thing over and over again." You admitted as you scratched the back of your neck, normally you would be able to write non-stop but when it came to love you only knew one kind and you didn't want it to be one-note for everything. 

"Can I get my usual please Zyliara?" You asked the owner who had already taken out her notebook and wrote it down before turning to look at Seungmin for his order.

"Oh, can I get a strawberry milkshake and taiyaki?" Seungmin thanked Zyliara and you laughed again at the thought of his order. Some things never changed after all the time in the world, 

"It's still your favourite? I remember you would only ever order that whenever we went out for lunch in our final year," You smiled as you remembered fond memories from your time in school. Seungmin made the process of something that was normally terrible that much more bearable. 

After catching up with one another the two of you finally got down to working on some love song lyrics. You had a small mp3 player with the track you'd made which made the process a lot simpler but what both of you had failed to notice was people seeing you both. Passing you in the nearby window and noticing that it was Y/n Y/l/n famous songwriter and Kim Seungmin from Stray kids. Once photos were taken of the both of you it spread like wildfire but neither of you had noticed since you were so lost in your own worlds. You'd gone home that night happy that the song was almost complete, you had some minor adjustments to make to the chorus and backing tracks but other than that the song was perfect. Seungmin had been a great help to you, you both exchanged numbers so you could catch up again and even work for him sometime in the future if his company allowed it. 

"Alright! I'm coming jeez!" You called out to whoever was frantically ringing your doorbell at 8 am on a Thursday morning. It was far too early to be woken up like this, you scrambled over to the door and angrily swung it open to see who was standing there, 

"Tae?" You questioned rubbing your eyes as he made his way into the apartment with an angry look across his face. He was red in the face as he burst through the door but you couldn't think why he would be so mad at this time in the morning. The last time you'd spoken to him was before you went to sleep after leaving him a voicemail telling him that you had finished the song you were working on and didn't need help anymore. 

"I thought we were going to work together...I thought it would be nice to write about our love life..." You frowned as he spoke so fast you could barely understand what he was trying to say to you. Shutting the door to your apartment you walked further into the house to ask him what was going on,

"Tae what are you talking about-" You stopped questioning him when he pulled out his phone to show you articles after articles about you and Seungmin sitting together. Photos were splashed everywhere with different titles, one of them being,

"The collaboration of a lifetime." And another of you and Seungmin rather close together edited with hearts around your heads and labelled, 

"Kim Seungmin and Y/n Y/ln spotted cosying up to one another...Another hot love life or another hot single coming to the charts?" You stared at the phone for a second before looking back at Taehyung. 

"Tae, he's an old friend..." You tried to tell him but nothing was going to stop Taehyung from being hurt by the way fact that you were writing a love song with somebody else. Somebody that wasn't him. 

"Does he even know you have a boyfriend?!" He snapped out jealously as he looked at you, throwing his phone down onto the sofa behind him as he waited for you to answer him. All he could think about when he saw the images was how everyone was going to assume you were a couple with him now. That his girlfriend was going to be seen with other male artists who were 

"Yes, he's seen us together before but he doesn't know who you are since you're always in disguise. Tae we're just friends," You told him again as you tried to make it seem as though it wasn't a big deal. Which it wasn't. Seungmin had always been someone you saw as a younger sibling, nothing more and nothing less. 

"But why did you finish the song with him...I thought we were going to do it together? We should have done it together, we're the couple here..." You knew why he was upset over it so you tried not to get angry at him for this. 

"Tae. You've been so busy I thought you would have been relieved not to have to stress out over another song with me." You admitted as you took his hand in yours, trying to calm him down as much as you could you gave it a small squeeze. You didn't want this to turn into a huge unneeded fight between the two of you. 

"It wouldn't have stressed me out...Writing with you is one of my dreams Y/n...We've spoken about it for months," He admitted as he looked at you you smiled weakly as you met his gaze, he looked tired. More so than usual now that you looked at him properly. He had bags under his eyes and looked like he hadn't slept much in weeks. 

"How about we write a different song together, our own song? One for you and me alone?" You suggested as you reached up to cup his face in your hand and run your thumb over his skin. His eyes slowly fluttered shut and a tired smile began to grow on his face at the contact of your hand and he leant against it, snuggling against your hand as he enjoyed the feeling of being there with you. 

"That sounds good." He moaned out tiredly, enjoying the feeling of your hand on his skin too much to fight back against it, not that he wanted to. The idea of you having your own song sounded better than someone else singing about your love together.  

"Do you know what will sound better?" You asked him as you moved your hand down to his shoulders and began to massage him through his clothes, 

"Hmm? What?" He hummed as he opened his eyes slowly to look at you,

"I run you a nice hot bubble bath, I give you a massage and then we order in? Let me make you feel good Tae," You suggested as you looked at him he nodded happily. Nothing sounded better to him right now than spending the entire day off. Since he'd already called in sick to the boys anyway, there was nothing back home that he had to get home to and he could spend all his time with you instead. 

Tagline: @lyoongx @mitzwinchester @rjsmochii​ @fan-ati--c​ @kneel-begyourpardon​ @taestannie​ @bisexualmess007​ @innersooya​ @sw33tnight​ @sweeneyblue1​ @jin-from-the-block​

[knights-past]

Stargirl Spring Break Special: Reaction

This will not be a full review of the Stargirl Spring Break Special, but more a quick capture of my immediate thoughts after reading it. Keep in mind, there will be spoilers.

I’ll be honest, it’s kinda weird that the Seven Soldiers of Victory are this idea that keep getting revisited in the context of this character. I get why, and it worked when they were revisited in the original Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E., but how much mileage can we really get out of a team who, while all being interesting characters on their own, don’t really have much of a *thing* when they gel together. Still, this brings back some characters who had been lost to limbo like Greg Saunders/Vigilante, Sir Justin/Shining Knight, and the second Crimson Avenger, the latter of whom made me more interested than anything else as she was a character that never really caught on when introduced and was sadly left to flounder.

One thing that I though was interesting is the way the presence of Green Arrow and Speedy is addressed. While the post-Crisis takes opted to simply retcon them away (replaced by the Spider and Stuff the Chinatown Kid respectively), in the spirit of the post-Death Metal, “everything counts/it all matters” stance, it’s established that the contemporary Oliver Queen and Roy Harper were sent back in time early on in their careers. In fact, it’s even posited that the events of that time travel are what eventually lead to their growing apart as seen in the events of Green Lantern/Green Arrow by O’Neil and Adams. Admittedly, I’m not entirely sure that works, timeline or meta wise, but hey. 

Beyond all that, it’s a fairly simple story featuring the Seven Soldiers reuniting in an effort to save Lee Travis the original Crimson Avenger from a time-travel plot involving Clock King and Per Degaton’s time machine. It’s worth noting that Emiko Queen/Red Arrow fills in for Roy Harper much like how Courtney fills in for Sylvester. And honestly, that’s one element that I really like and will probably appeal to some fans who are in this for the young heroes of DC - Courtney and Emiko’s meeting and forming of a relationship. The pair bond over their shared experiences as younger heroes, particularly after the Crimson Avenger bars them from participating in the mission for fear of their safety. I admit, I’ve not read much with Emiko Queen, so I can’t say how much it resonates with her character in other books, but it works here. It retreads some ground we’ve already seen with Courtney, but as this is supposed to somewhat serve as an introduction to the character for new readers, it makes sense to revisit.

In fact, that aspect of “the dangers of superheroics for young people” is kind of at the forefront of this issue, with the topic of the original Crimson Avenger’s sidekick/Eight Soldier Wing (who for some reason is drawn with a question mark on his chest) and his sacrifice being a key plot point and the revelation that Wing, Secret from Young Justice, and Dan the Dyna-Mite all being trapped by something called the “Childminder” along with other lost children. Obviously this is set up for a future plot point that will be continued in the teased Stargirl #1. Now when will we see that? Only *time* will tell. 

Speaking of teases, the book ends with Per Degaton appearing before Clock King and revealing that he has a plan that will hurt the JSA - in not one, not two, but THREE iterations!

And of course we see a fancy group shot of our new JSA, featuring several of the members that returned during Doomsday Clock (though not all of them; Ted Grant/Wildcat I, Sandy Hawkins/Sandman, and Jesse Chambers/Jesse Quick/Liberty Belle are all absent). And several members also have updated designs, most likely designed to reflect upcoming media appearances. I’m a bit mixed on them, but easily the worst are Mister Terrific and Hourman. 

Overall, while I enjoyed this issue as a fun superhero one-shot, it felt more like a “Seven Soldiers of Victory Spring Break Special” than a Stargirl Spring Break Special. While it makes sense to use Courtney as a viewpoint character to learn about these older characters, it places far more import on those characters than Courtney herself. And frankly, when it *is* placing the focus on Courtney, she comes off rather flat, more akin to how she was in the early bits of Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. than as the more rounded, take-charge character she became throughout that series and her later appearances. It’s emblematic of Geoff Johns (*sigh*) and his tendency to focus on past stuff rather than building new things going forward, a tendency that only got worse with Rebirth. And with the tease for Stargirl #1 hinting that it’s gonna be all about Courtney looking for Wing and the others, it looks like that streak will continue. Even the teaser for the new JSA story focuses more on the JSA’s past than on building a new future. Don’t get me wrong, I love my continuity bs, but after a while it becomes old hat.

Oh, also of note: this issue sees a number of elements from the Stargirl TV show have made their way into the DC comics canon, the biggest of which being the semi-sentience of the Cosmic Staff. Now they also continue to reference Sylvester Pemberton as “the Star-Spangled Kid” and never address him as Starman or as the previous owner of the Staff like the show (and the New 52) presented. Given that they also make references to stuff from the original Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. run, this implies Jack Knight was still the one to give her the Staff and the mantle. Will this be followed up on? Probably not, but it’s at least interesting to think about. 

[tossawary]

Chapter 24: “Seeing is Believing” of “pride is not the word I’m looking for” random favorite lines and commentary. Not a full list or full commentary, but longer commentary than usual to talk about quest construction. 

-

AN: This was... a weird chapter to write. When I started outlining, I had... the conversation with Shen Qingqiu planned... the conversation with Shen Yuan planned... the fact that SQH, SY, LQG, and LFL was the quest party... and the fact that they get the Eye at the end of it. That was everything. 

The entire rest of this chapter came together FRIDAY LAST WEEK. 

Huan Hua Palace wasn’t going to be there. The Weeper didn’t exist. The Eye or its previous owner wasn’t at all connected to the Garden Master. The Shadow Cave Wolf Spiders didn’t exist. The murder plant didn’t exist. The mysterious monster showing up at the end wasn’t originally planned either. 

I mean, I had a lot of pre-existing plot threads to tie in and weave with, but ohhh boy! Picture someone lying facedown on a floor like, “I forgot to plan the contents of the super important quest...” 

I was originally going to have the Eye quest a lot simpler, but given the weight “Death of the Author” had when I finally reached this part of the story, that wasn’t really going to do! It had to be bigger than that! It needed oomph! This also felt like a good opportunity to really establish the new SQH-SY dynamic. To explore SY fumbling to find a place in this world without strict character role, especially in relation to settled and well-supported SQH. 

- 

“One attempts to remain dignified,” Shen Qingqiu agrees. “As there is little point in kicking and screaming about how such ignobility isn’t fair.”

“Ha! Is there ever?”

“Not in my experience.”

“Yeah, it’s definitely not cute when I do it,” Shang Qinghua jokes.

Shen Qingqiu’s lips actually twitch at that.

Success?!

- 

AN: I wasn’t going into this fic with the intention of writing any Shang Qinghua and Original Shen Qingqiu almost friendship! But it started developing and it seemed a shame not to explore Shang Qinghua developing a real relationship with Shen Qingqiu (though not a particularly close one) when the man is suppose to be the scum villain (and the readers know that the man might get replaced by Shen Yuan). 

I can see myself writing more Shang Qinghua and Original Shen Qingqiu content in the future. Someone dropped a particularly nice prompt for them in my inbox that I’m looking forward to exploring at some point. 

(I mean, not to say that Shang Qinghua has a type, but Shang Qinghua has a type and it’s handsome, deadly, intimidating, frosty men with a villainous character design and trust/abandonment and communication issues. I could make it work.)

- 

“Ah, well, two ‘ideal’ situations come to mind: severing the personal relationship for good… or, ah, talking about how to do better and trying that. You don’t have to forget or even forgive if you don’t want to! But, ah… there’s got to be a difference between totally swallowing your anger and cutting ties forever, right?” Shang Qinghua says awkwardly. “If there’s… ever going to be anything good afterwards…”

Shen Qingqiu stares at him for a sweat-inducing length of time.

 “Ah, fuck,” Shang Qinghua thinks.

“Sorry,” he says. “Ahhh, I’m just… thinking about something someone told me… in… in regards to some of my own problems. Never mind! Never mind!”

- 

AN: Luo Jiahui really is out here making Moshang and Qijiu get their fucking act together just by setting a better example. 

- 

“Shizun, my apologies for the interruption, but I came to ask Shizun if he would be willing to join our music lesson today? The disciples have missed his playing and are eager to present their improvements.”

“...Very well, unless anyone here would disagree…?” Shen Qingqiu looks directly at the Qian Cao Peak cultivator, as though daring her to object and die.

“It’s an excellent suggestion!” the Qian Cao Peak cultivator says quickly.

The young woman smiles. “And perhaps Shizun could sit in on the calligraphy lesson afterwards? In order to offer his opinion on my progress as a teacher?”

“Fishing for compliments is unbecoming,” Shen Qingqiu says dryly.

“Wait, what?” Shang Qinghua thinks.

- 

AN: So, this has all been happening in the background, but Shen Qingqiu accepted this House of Rejuvenation woman onto his Peak about... 6-ish years ago now? This is kind of meant to parallel Shang Qinghua’s once-secret relationship with Luo Jiahui. 

Shang Qinghua was out here trying to be a better person and Shen Qingqiu noticed; now Shen Qingqiu has his own positive (platonic) relationship with a nameless background character who was meant to die for plot reasons. What a thing, huh? If the story was saved because Shang Qinghua started a domino effect of saving random people who went on to change things? 

- 

After all, as Shang Qinghua said to the kid, besides Peerless Cucumber’s apparent talent for cultivation, he knows that his fellow transmigrator has three very important skills that will serve him well on An Ding Peak! 1) An encyclopedia knowledge for even seemingly pointless bullshit (which is kind of flattering, honestly). 2) The willingness to fight total strangers over seemingly pointless bullshit. And 3) a sharp enough tongue to win.

Peerless Cucumber didn’t find these points as funny as Shang Qinghua did.

- 

AN: Shen Yuan was always going to end up on An Ding Peak. I thought about sending him to Qing Jing or Qian Cao or Qiong Ding... or any other Peak... but that would take him too far away from Shang Qinghua to really explore their relationship and to move him around conveniently in the story. And SY sticking to An Ding seemed to best illustrate the fact that SY is lost and doesn’t know what to do except cling to SQH. 

- 

“It’s not much, sure, but it’s yours,” Shang Qinghua says finally. “You’ll be joining the talisman classes soon, so don’t try anything from a book and then need to request some home repairs.”

Peerless Cucumber nods and puts his stack of manuals down on the table.

“How’s your tutorial mission going?”

“Fine,” the kid says shortly. “Have you found anything for the other one yet?”

“Ah, not yet.”

- 

AN: “Are you winning, son?” meme energy here. 

- 

Ah, now Shang Qinghua recognizes his fellow transmigrator’s expression! That’s the same stunned expression one of his Huan Hua not-disciples, Yu Chaonan, made upon meeting the Bai Zhan Peak War God for the first time. Shang Qinghua assumes that Peerless Cucumber was expecting a man who looked more like a musclebound giant and less like a pop idol (if one with amazingly muscular arms), which is a super common and never-not-funny misconception people have about Liu Qingge.  

“Brother of one of the most beautiful women in this world, bro,” Shang Qinghua reminds his fellow transmigrator, amused. Aha! Now Peerless Cucumber’s vehement disinterest in the harem stuff is making even more sense than before!

Shang Qinghua’s assumption gets 100% confirmed when it comes time for Peerless Cucumber to fly with Liu Qingge for the next leg of the journey. The other transmigrator is so embarrassed and awkward about it that Shang Qinghua’s super direct brother-in-law asks if the young man is alright.

- 

AN: This was so fun to write. Shang Qinghua really can use the Liu siblings to gauge people’s sexual/romantic orientation. 

- 

The map (or rather, the copy Shang Qinghua made of the delicate original map) takes them to a green and grey landscape of leafy trees crawling over a wide network of tall cliffs and deep gorges. Gurgling rivers cut through twisting rock formations. Shang Qinghua can’t see any of these rivers on the map. Or these deathly drop ravines. From the outside, the whole thing looks like a natural maze (holy shit, there could be so many monsters and death-traps in there!), and Shang Qinghua would know those golden robes flying low over the hanging trees anywhere.

“Huan Hua,” Liu Qingge mutters.

“Do you think they’re looking for what we’re looking for?” Luo Fanli asks.

“That’s usually how it goes,” Peerless Cucumber says, before Shang Qinghua can.

- 

AN: I came up with the skeleton idea first. Then I was like... “I should give it three eyes.” And then I was like... “But who IS this dead author? A god? A spirit? What grander implications am I spinning here?” 

And THEN I remembered that I had some ambiguous powerful being force the Garden Master into exile due to a flood. This was because, in the Epic of Gilgamesh, the immortal man Gilgamesh meets in the abyss is the survivor of a great flood. So I was like, “Reduce! Re-use! Recycle! There’s my skeleton!” 

So I wanted to relate the skeleton to water because of the flood angle. Water as a symbol of cleansing/reincarnation is a big thing throughout many cultures. I can’t remember exactly how the crying aspect came up, but I knew there was going to be water in the temple now, so at some point my brain like was, “Bro, this skeleton should totally be crying because mythology vibes.” 

So I built the surrounding land off the idea that there was water flowing from or around this temple. At this point, I had decided that Huan Hua Palace should also be looking for this artifact, so I had to come up with a way to hide the temple, yet have a way for SQH’s party to track it down. 

- 

The damage to the doors is worse: someone once upon a time collapsed a part of the cliff face around the entrance, essentially leaving only the top fourth of the utterly smashed stone doors visible. It’s a wall now and has been for ages. It looks like it would take days to dig through the rubble. Someone has even super helpfully carved, “These doors will never open again,” just above the wreck.

“Guess we’ll have to go in as intruders rather than guests!” Luo Fanli says.

“What would be welcoming us inside a lost temple exactly?” Shang Qinghua asks vaguely, inwardly cursing the fact that explosive mining techniques will definitely attract the Huan Hua Palace Sect cultivators’ attention and also probably collapse the whole cliff on them.

“We only have to clear a passage for us, not the whole door,” Peerless Cucumber says optimistically. “Is there a special technique for this kind of thing?”

“Aha, not really.”

“Oh.”

“Why don’t we just keep following the water?” Luo Fanli says.

“...How so?” Shang Qinghua asks.

“Some of those waterfalls could be passages inside,” Liu Qingge explains, because he and the little sister-in-law apparently share the same brain. He’s already eyeing the waterfall wearing down the giant statue on the left.

- 

AN: Temples in quests need to have traps and obstacles and monsters! Well, not ALL of the did, but this one did. I based the obstacles they faced as much as I could around the whole “Death of the Author” theme, while using this whole quest to explore Shen Yuan, Shen Yuan and Shang Qinghua, Shang Qinghua and Liu Qingge and Luo Fanli, and so on. 

The idea here with the door is that the “author” is not going to let them inside the temple to take the interpretation of the narrative (the Eye) for themselves. The story is over (the temple is closed for business)! The author is dead! If they want to get inside, they have to break inside or slip inside as intruders. 

This also creates a convenient obstacle to hold up the Huan Hua Palace Sect cultivators so that our party can be nearly caught later! And shows off Shang Qinghua, Liu Qingge, and Luo Fanli’s twisty lines of thinking. 

- 

Luo Fanli is holding the light and Shang Qinghua passes the other transmigrator to her, while accepting Liu Qingge’s hand for help getting out of the water.

“Ahhh, that was fun,” Shang Qinghua mutters.

Then he notices that Liu Qingge has the Cheng Luan sword out and ready. Shang Qinghua looks through the surrounding darkness, but all he can see are columns and water. For a moment, he thinks he sees something, a prowling shadow at the other end of the cavernous room, but he wipes the water out of his eyes and it’s gone.

- 

AN: The water in Shang Qinghua’s eyes briefly lets him see a flash of the invisible monsters who show up later! It helps up the tension. 

- 

Another low growl rips through the darkness and Peerless Cucumber shuffles a little closer to Shang Qinghua. Because that sounded really fucking close and yet Shang Qinghua still can’t see the thing that’s making that sound.

He doesn’t see Liu Qingge lunge at him either. He only feels his brother-in-law shove him into Peerless Cucumber, knocking them into the water, out of the way of something that howls when Liu Qingge slashes at it with his sword. Shang Qinghua rolls off Peerless Cucumber and looks up just in time to see dark blood splatter across the watery floor. Liu Qingge pursues the attacker with a second slash, but only seems to meet thin air this time.

“It’s invisible!” Luo Fanli cries. “Fuck!”

“Behind you!” Liu Qingge snaps, and spins to slash at the thin air beside him. Dark droplets of blood hit the water again and something hisses at him.

Luo Fanli whirls and slashes, searching for an opponent.

“They’re reflected in the water!” Liu Qingge yells at her, standing guard over Shang Qinghua as he gets to his feet again. “Listen for their footsteps and vocalizations! Feel the demonic energy and air displacement!”

- 

AN: I got this from a list of Dungeons and Dragons puzzles. The idea is that there’s some puzzle that must be solved, but the truth of the room can only be seen in the reflection of the nearby water (or mirror or whatever). 

Which felt fitting for a “Death of the Author” quest! Whatever an author’s intentions, the story is what they actually wrote, so the audience interprets a text without the context of the author’s insight. The truth (of the story) is in the reflection (audience interpretation)! It felt like a fun idea. 

It also allows Shen Yuan to actually contribute to the quest via monster lore and bring up his impaired vision problem. And to confront Shen Yuan with the reality of this world. And to show off Luo Fanli’s fighting skills. And to show off LIU QINGGE’S legendary fighting skills, instincts as a warrior who fights many dangerous beasts, and the fact that he’s clever and observant! 

Liu Qingge is good at what he does! And this is what he does! 

- 

Someone has… angrily… or desperately… carved a lopsided message into the wall.

 “‘If I go blind, so does the world,’” Peerless Cucumber reads.

“...That’s probably not good,” Shang Qinghua says.

“Nooo…” Fanli agrees.

The messages continue as they climb, carved into the walls, the ceilings, the floors. Most of it is illegible. Some of it is just nonsense. Some of it looks like the same kind of historical records carved into the broken tablets. Some of it looks like someone attacked the walls after reading what was written there. There are deep gouges in the walls and cracked marks that would match a giant’s hands.

 “‘The water cleans the lies,’” Peerless Cucumber reads. “‘I am the only one who can see.’ ‘Lies everywhere, lies everywhere, lies everywhere.’ ‘The water cleans the evil.’ ‘I do not have enough tears.’ ‘Everything is nothing now. Everything in vain.’”

“You really don’t need to read them!” Shang Qinghua tells the kid. “It’s fine. It's totally fine.”

- 

AN: This is mostly here to up the tension, but it’s also here to try and give insight into this being and relate them more to the “Death of the Author” and the “Seeing is Believing” themes. 

I also saw the phrase “If I go blind, so does the world” while I was browsing a list of riddles for D&D campaigns and I was like, “THAT’S SICK, I’M USING THAT.” Really brings the “an eye for an eye” and vengeance vibes. (The riddle was longer than that one phrase, but the answer was “the sun”.) 

- 

The top of the temple reveals one massive room that looks like someone was alternatively scratching their insanity into the walls and tearing chunks out of the interior design with their bare hands. Overtop of the rubble is that eerie overgrowth. There’s a fine layer of water over the floor. At the center of it all is an incredibly enormous desk, cracked in half, with a robed skeleton sitting behind it, slumped over the top. It’s a little too large to be an ordinary human.

Plus, its skull is a little too long, probably to accommodate the third eye socket in the forehead. There’s something gleaming softly yellow in the third eye socket.

“Is… there water dripping from its eyes?” Luo Fanli whispers.

“It looks like it…” Peerless Cucumber whispers back. “Like it's crying…?”

“Still…? Is it dead or not?”

 “Holy shit,” Shang Qinghua thinks, slightly nauseated. “System, bro, the worst bro I’ve ever known, tell me that we have not been swimming in a three-eyed skeleton’s magical undead tears or something this whole time.”

The shitty, no-good System stays unsurprisingly silent. 

- 

AN: Okay, so the idea here is that this being was someone who recorded history and shared their knowledge freely. This being had the ability to discern the truth of a person - they were extremely perceptive. (The Weeper is either female or doesn’t have a gender, by the way.) 

The Weeper met the Garden Master at some point. The Garden Master was an asshole, a liar, arrogant, etc.. The Weeper and the Garden Master clashed badly, until the Weeper sent the cleansing flood that nearly destroyed the sect and the Garden Master essentially had to flee to a personal abyss. 

The Garden Master sent the plant as a final “fuck you” to the Weeper. The plant caused the Weeper to slowly go mad. The smashed tablets and destroyed temple are the Weeper’s work. The Weeper (not in a great state of mind) had the temple closed themselves once they realized they and their work had been corrupted. This was a “you destroy my (embellished) reputation, I destroy yours (and your entire life)” plot by the Garden Master. 

The idea behind the tears is the whole “water is cleansing” thing. The Weeper tried to clean away the madness using their magical water-related abilities... and it actually worked for a long time. But eventually the madness began to overpower the effects of the magical water. The Weeper’s tears are from frustration and helplessness at losing control. 

The water inside the temple combats the plant’s physical effects. Also stabbing the root killed the plant and essentially broke its mental/spiritual powers. 

- 

Unfortunately, to get the fuck out of here, they have to go back through the temple. But hey! That’s still a lot better than an extended hike through an underground, haunted desert in darkness! The battle with the now-dead plant caused its growth to writhe around the temple. The vines need to be hacked through sometimes as they travel down through the rooms of broken shelves and shattered tablets.

“So much history lost…” Peerless Cucumber murmurs.

 “He still thinks of himself as a reader - an observer, a visitor, separate from the flow of fate.”

- 

AN: This is... absolutely based on the Heart from the Dishonored franchise. But this sort of item didn’t originate with Dishonored and I need it! It’s a surprise/mystery tool that will help us later! 

The Eye isn’t exactly a mind-reading object. I mean, it kind of is, but it works in a very specific way that I’m looking forward to getting into. 

- 

From there, their path back out of the natural maze is even more careful and stressful than before, now that the Huan Hua Palace Sect cultivators are actively looking for them rather than the temple. It’s slow-going and stressful and silent, except for when the Weeper’s Eye presses too close against his chest.

 “He is afraid that if he starts screaming, he will never stop,” it tells him, when he’s looking at a pale-faced Peerless Cucumber, as they fly over a particularly deathly-looking drop.

 “Oh, me too, bro!” Shang Qinghua thinks. “Seriously! Tell me something I don’t know!”

- 

AN: Having Shang Qinghua be totally unimpressed by an object like this was very funny to me. He’s the author! He’s a transmigrator! He knows these people well! He already has insight into their situations. 

- 

Shang Qinghua groans, but supposes that Peerless Cucumber would have at least been disguising Liu Qingge from the back. “You tell them that you were tracking thieves who stole something from Cang Qiong Mountain Sect,” he says quickly. “Rule of embarrassment! Admitting something that makes us look bad to a rival makes it sound true. Don’t tell them what was stolen and act really offended if they try to poke into Cang Qiong business. I’ll come back as soon as I get these two out!”

Liu Qingge nods and launches forward into the fight.

“We’re just leaving him?” Peerless Cucumber says, as they do exactly that.

“I’ll get changed and come back ‘looking for him for urgent sect business’ as soon as I’ve dropped you two off in the last town,” Shang Qinghua says. “I’m really good at acting stressed and confused, and at desperately needing an unstoppable wandering Liu Qingge back at Cang Qiong Mountain Sect immediately. Now let’s go! Let’s go! Mission isn’t over yet!”

- 

AN: Shang Qinghua is, at heart, a liar. I love him. 

[keriwi1]

Hazbin Hotel/Helluva boss story ideas

So, I saw some people posting similar idea pools like this here, so, here we are. The ideas for fanfics I have, but I don’t know when or if I'm gonna make them. So basically if you see the one you like you may adopt it. This will also help me see with one you would want to see me write.

Angels of Hell series

Show me Heaven

Antoine, the son of Alastor always felt out of place in Hell. He didn’t like to sin or even misbehave. What’s more he didn’t look like any other demon he knew, with his whithe fluffy wings and soft light fur, or that shining disk floating above his head. He just knew there was something to him, they kept it a secret, but didn’t quite understand what. That was until he noticed that he resembles the weird creatures that come out of the Tartarus sky every year and decided to follow them when they exit Hell.

There he meets Uriel, a beautiful young Archangel who thinks he may have lost his memories since he doesn't know what Heaven is.

Main ship here: OC X OC

Characters: OC male, OC female, various angels oc’s, Alastor, Niffty, Deerie, Angel Dust

Genre: Romance, comedy

-------------------------------------

The boss

After years of waiting it’s finally Annabelles turn to become the next mafia boss. But before that, she had one last thing she must do - kill her father, Angel Dust. Will she be able to do it?

So… a very important thing to know here is, Annabelle was raised by Don Henroin , who grew to love her enough to make her his heir (skipping Arachniss all together) and he taught her a lot of wrong ideas about life so is pretty much the villain of her own story. I really like Annabelle as an OC, and even have a design for her, but I don’t know if the story isn’t too dark.

Genre: Drama

Characters: Angel Dust, oc

-----------------------------------------

Pushing Daisies Au ( No title so far)

Alastor is a pie maker with quite a few secrets. First secret being - He can bring a person back to life with his touch. Thanks to this talent he brings back his old crush, Charlie who unfortunately doesn't know who killed her. Or fortunately since it was him. Oh, my… Didn't I mention Alastor's other secret was being a serial killer?

Main ship here: Charlie x Alastor

Characters: Charlie, Alastor, Mimzy, other HH/HB characters

Genre: Dark comedy

----------------------------------------

( No title so far)

Don Henroin can have whatever he wants since he is a mafia boss, and this time he wants Vaggie. He forces her family to sell her to him as his bride, and make her live with him and his three kids, Arachniss, Angel Dust and Molly. But the young demoness starts to have feelings for his youngest son instead.

Main ship here: Angel Dust X Vaggie

Characters: Don Henroin , Vaggie, Arachniss, Angel Dust, Molly

Genre: Romance

---------------------------------------------------

Verosica’s secret

When Blitzo left her, Verosica life was a mess, but she found strength to made a name out of herself. Now she is the biggest pop star in the world. When she met him again, she was fully ready to destroy him, but the old feelings came back. She also found out Blitzo adopted a daughter, no surprise, he always wanted to have kids, she was the one who didn’t. But she kept his child anyway…how will she tell him?

Main ship here: Verosica X Blitzo

Characters: Blitzo, Verosica, Millie, Moxxie, Loona, oc

Genre: Romance, comedy

----------------------------------------------------

Circus Au

There's many workers in Lucifer’s grand circus. The owner's daughter, Charlie, is a belly dancer. Stolas works as a magician, “the Owl”, alongside his daughter and ' 'lovely assistant'', Octavia. Stella is a living target with a knife throwing act alongside Striker. Blitzo is a (very unhappy) clown, who wants to leave and start his own business with two other clowns Millie and Moxxie. Alastor is the animal tamer , Alastor and Spider twin are acrobats and ther is many, many more.

Stolas finds himself really unhappy with where his marriage currently is, so he starts a romance with Blitzo… and with Charlie.

Main ship here: Stolas X Blitzo, Stolas X Charlie, other ships are possibilities too, If someone would take this story concept I would be ok if they change the main ships.

Characters: various HH/HB characters

Genre: Comedy

-------------------------------------

Romantic getaway for six

Charlie feels guilty for having romance with Stolas, but she also has no intentions to break up with him. So there's only one solution for them to feel less awkward. She organises a romantic getaway for herself, Stolas, Vaggie, Stella, Blitzo and Verosica to make them all fall in love with each other and starts a happy polyamory relationship. Things get real awkward and fast.

Main ship here: Stolas X Blitzo, Stolas X Charlie, Stolas x Stella, Charlie x Vaggie, Blitzo x Verosica, and Charlie aiming to make more

Characters: Stolas, Charlie, Vaggie, Stella, Blitzo, Verosica

Genre: Comedy

-----------------------------------------------

As seen on TV

While at home, being sick and binge watching, Barbra finds a weird channel that seems to be runned by demons. Unable to turn it off, she accidentally summons one of them.

Now she is stuck with Vox in her home. And the mismatched duo is not getting along well.

Characters: OC, Vox

Genre: Comedy

----------------------------------------------------

Mom? (working title)

Alasor is well known to love his mother. He won’t shut up about how much he was her favorite baby boy. Only thing is… he has no recollection of her. All of it was just a lie to cover for a lack of any memories. So one can only imagine his surprise when a doe demon comes to his doors and claims to be the mother he always dreamed about.

Characters: OC, Alastor

Genre: Mystery

[mellowasinyellow]

100daysofwriting - Day 1

So I thought for the first day I might just briefly outline all of the WIPs I have actually made a start on and that might help me to decide where I want to focus some energy. I have some for Katniss/Peeta in THG fandom and some for Natasha/Clint in the MCU.

Everlark

folklore series - so I started this series of fics inspired by songs from Taylor Swift's album folklore because honestly those songs just immediately bring to mind so many scenarios that made me think of Katniss and Peeta. I made a start on chapters based on peace, my tears ricochet, invisible string, this is me trying, and mad woman. I also have a bit of an outline for continuing the story that was started in 'the 1'.

I've had this one WIP ongoing since about 2015(?) which is a bit of a monster that has grown beyond me but basically it involves Katniss and Gale being raised in the Capitol in relative poverty after their fathers are conscripted into the peacekeepers because of traitorous activity. Mrs Everdeen is still from 12 but was moved to the Captiol to be married (this part is sketchy) and she still had a little childhood romance with Mr Mellark. Peeta gets reaped and Mrs Everdeen reacts to this as he looks like his father. Katniss gets a crush on him as she watches him prepare for the games. She hates herself for it but finds herself checking up on how he is doing even during non-mandatory viewing.

Arranged Marriage - I feel like this is such a cliche for thg fandom, but I just imagined my own way that the pairings happen but I'm so bad at writing slow burn so this will probably never materialise, but if you want a semi-decent thought out pairing/arranged marriage system I would be happy to lend you mine.

Miscarriage fic - I will never post this, but it's in my WIP folder. It's full of nasty feelings that feel a little better when they are written about.

Modern AU Pandemic Quarantine! - ofc, this is essential. Katniss and Peeta end up as the only people not to move home from their dorm for the quarantine. Slow burn that I can't fucking write should ensue.

Canon Pandemic Quarantine AU - pandemic a few years after the end of the war forces Katniss to admit she wants Peeta as more than a friend with whom she hunts, bakes, rebuilds the district. Cue sexy pandemic times and a resentful Haymitch that keeps accidentally breaking the rules.

Divorced but co-parenting Everlark - obviously finding their way back together

Another classic of their children being reaped and dying - I don't know why I write things this depressing. They just tend to come out in one big rush and then I never address them again.

Real weird teen pregnancy modern day AU - don't know where it's going or why...

Modern day AU dead Prim - Peeta and Katniss just met each other through mutual friends and are kind of flirting. Peeta is a bit infatuated. Katniss stops going to mutual friend parties and he finds out it's because her sister died. Instead of staying away he gets tangled up in her grief and does all sorts of practical things while Katniss wallows. Also it's E rated but not that much fun... can't entirely explain where this one came from either...

Single Parent AU where Finnick and Annie play match maker. Probably my fave Everlark in the works but it's another one that has grown so big for the 20 minutes I can dedicate to it each week.

Clintasha

Red Room Take Down - Nat and Clint are retired and living a quiet family life with their child. SHIELD appears asking for Nat's help in taking down the red room and dealing with the fall out, specifically what to do with the girls that they get out. Nat is torn but chooses to go. Chaos ensues with the 'rescued' girls. I need to actually develop some OCs a little if I ever want this to be good but tbh the pending Black Widow movie is kind of holding me back on this one too because I hope we find out more about the red room.

So I have a weird habit of writing from Lila Barton's POV. I can't explain it. I have AoU and like to pretend it never happened but anyway I have a WIP about Lila detailing the collapse of her parents' marriage after Clint retires and he and Laura actually have to spend time together without Natasha. She then goes on to describe the custody settlement and her utter joy that Auntie Nat sleepovers with them at her dad's place. She feels utterly betrayed when she finds out they are getting engaged.

Fluffy AU - Clint and Natasha in an established relationship with a son born between infinity war and endgame. Natasha still sacrifices on Vormir, but Steve gets her back no bother and it's so nice and happy and fluffy and Clint and Natasha are together and they have a son who has both parents back and Steve gets to make all this happen and he is so happy too and they have a barbecue and go swimming in a lake and clint/natasha have private time, and their kid wants to be captain america, and did I mention how HAPPY everyone is?

Another fic similar to the above just about everyone being so HAPPY. Endgame reverses the snap and instead of weird farm family coming back Clint and Natasha get their daughter back and it's just a cute moment about her reappearance and their race back to the spot she disintegrated from. (Steve/Bucky go to Vormir and Steve is sacrificed, but that fucker CHOSE to leave).

This is another one that has just grown bigger than my brain. it's based off the idea that Natasha helped with coordinating fosterings during the blip time. Clint loses his mind when he loses his family and crashes in BedStuy but finds a neighbour girl (Kate Bishop) who is fending for herself in post-apocalyptic Brooklyn. He helps her out and tries to get children's services involved but it has collapsed. Finds out Natasha is the one getting everything in order. He gets in touch. She's at the end of her tether and asks why he can't keep looking after her. In the end he does and she ends up getting involved and all three get overly attached to each other. I haven't got as far as the events of endgame and idk what's going to happen. It might be tragic.

Pregnant Natasha but nobody knows what is wrong with her because they don't even suspect her being pregnant is possible. Just a real vivid description of the early unpleasant pregnancy symptoms.

Another absolute monster - Sort of canon compliant to begin with aside from before the farm family disappear. Clint and Laura are in the middle of separating and tensions are running quite high at the farm. Snap happens. Nat and Clint accidentally run into each other while both a bit low during the blip and get drunk and share home truths. Begin working together from HQ and both get a little less sad. He convinces her she doesn't have to be responsible for the world's fate every moment of every day. Clint has a break down at Morgan's 1st birthday and realises that things will have to change. Nat has this realisation later. They begin sleeping together. Accidental pregnancy. More feelings come out between them. They enter a more conventional relationship and have baby. Baby is really hard work (colic) and they struggle with comparisons and feelings of inadequacy. Pepper helps them to identify the colic and improves everything greatly. Happy times with baby while also running the avengers. Opportunity to reverse snap. Some good scenes between Nat and Tony. A big conversation between Nat and Clint about what it will mean. Steve and Nat end up going to Vormir together. Nat is obviously about to commit suicide. Steve over powers her and gives her a pep talk about the situation she is running away from and how to deal with it. He self-sacrifices. Clint goes back to farm fam and Natasha goes back to BedStuy with baby. Clint has to tell Laura and then the kids about the last 5 years and their new siblings. Nate is super into it. Cooper is a bit aloof and cynical. Lila is confused. Laura is quietly seething. Clint helps put the farm back together about 5 years of neglect and the kids meet baby. Family gets happier. Laura and Nat eventually meet again and it's civil/friendly.

My own version of what happened in Budapest.

The Call - inspired by a post here on tumblr. Nat calls Clint as she bleeds out. Just needs a beta reader and then I would consider publishing.

AoU reimagined but with Clintasha - I'm not sure where this one is going it's like a massive spider web right now with lots of ideas shooting off, but basically it is inspired by this post and just involves a lot of hoodwinking the other avengers.

Accidental Baby Acquisition - Natasha becomes Yelena's child's legal guardian after Yelena gets taken out. Natasha and Yelena are estranged at this point and Natasha things the whole thing is a trap and brings Clint along. He is surprisingly good with the baby so she ropes him in to teach her. The three of them end up bonding.

5 times there's only 1 bed + 1 time they choose to sleep in the same bed.

non-superhero AU Clint and Nat both think they have adopted a stay cat but actually the cat has owners and just likes strokes and eats a lot so has many 'families'. They get into an argument over which of them the cat belongs to only to find out the cat has owners and they are moving away. They decide to adopt a cat between them as both are not hope that much and the shelter refused them as single people. Slow burn ensues, which I am shit at writing.

[boop-le-snoot]

PARTY FAVOURS | A MYSTERIOUS INTERLUDE

first time reader click here

This is a scrapped chapter. Originally, I was planning to 1) give Reader a longer, more intense destructive streak before her ending up with Tony. I planned three or so chapters that involved an abusive Quentin Beck, but, ultimately decided that to be too cliché. 2) I had planned to write at least 30% of the fanfic in Tony's/third person POV. This chapter would have been number 11/12 - Tony would have rejected her advances in the lab & she would have got hooked on Beck's charming facade.

Why am I publishing this? It seems like a waste if effort to shelf it, plus, it's Tony's POV. You can skip it since it has no relation/bearing on the current story. Just a tiny "what might have been" tidbit.

It was a moment's notice. One second, they're standing in a group, laughing, soaking in the warmth from the fireplace, chattering amongst themselves, telling tall tales and sipping their liquor. It all goes black briefly, and then they are surrounded by darkness - it's nearly impenetrable, so thick that their voices echo in it.

Tony's body was encompassed by the nanotech suit immediately after his eyes and his brain adjusted to the rapid change of surroundings. His teammates, too, had their skills honed on an instinctive level - the faint thump of Mjölnir in Thor's hands, the golden-green glow of his brother's magic, whirring of Barnes' prosthetic arm. Steve's shield stayed tucked behind the living room couch but his enhanced physique and readiness to fight 24/7 has him covering the unenhanced Clint and Natasha in mere seconds.

Tony was mostly angry rather than afraid. The team was having a good time at his party and the chance encounters of weird shit like this had been reduced to nearly zero percent possibility thanks to Friday's screening process: supervillains, Hydra agents and the likes strictly prohibited on Stark-owned premises.

It was a strange coincidence Banner had to take a break to check up on one of his experiments not even five minutes before the rest of the team was experiencing the strange change in scenery. Speaking of Strange, the sorcerer also was nowhere to be seen - Tony distinctively remembered seeing Stephen ten feet away from the bar, engaged in a hearty debate with the lead of SI's Medical Engineering department.

"This is not magic," Wanda piped up from behind him, confused. "I don't feel anything on the usual frequency. It sounds more like Friday humming in the walls, like electricity."

Good to know, Tony thought. It was nice having someone who was familiar with the undiscovered side of science - after all, Tony had always considered anything 'magical' to be science he had not personally understood yet. Wanda's most redeeming quality in Tony's eyes was the fact that more often than not she seemed to be as clueless as everyone else when it came to her powers and didn't act so high and mighty as some other people. Cloaked people, and horned people, for example.

"The fuck, man? I was hoping, just one evening, one normal evening with my beer and wings," Clint whined. Tony could hear Natasha huffing in annoyed agreement.

"Mr. Stark, what are we going to do?" His very own spider-child, on the other hand, sounded distraught. Peter's voice has this funny thing it does when the boy is upset but tries to hide it: it quivers on the vowels, wobbles slightly.

Tony had to blindly grope the air for a moment before his arm found Peter's shoulder. The boy was shivering and took the offered comfort eagerly, folding into the older man.

"Okay, whoever is pulling this stunt, my advice is: don't," Tony sighed, 12 000% Done With This Shit™, exclaiming loudly. "If that's a prank, stop it or speak up. If you got beef, then you got some nerve doing this in my tower. Show yourself."

He could feel the fine hairs on his neck stand up as the team tensed next to him, readily gearing up to pounce. Peter was vibrating in Tony's arms and the billionaire suddenly remembered the curious side-effects of Peter's powers, the spidey-sense. It must have been going absolutely haywire - the kid nearly hyperventilated himself into a heart attack.

"Stark, I must apologise for the uncomfortable circumstances. Believe me, it was a necessity - you always demand attention, whereas I need people to pay attention to me for a moment. Don't worry, you'll get yours when the time is due."

The voice was vaguely familiar. Male, slightly nasal but quiet and creeping. Insinuating. It lacked the usual boisterous bravado of a mid-grade bad guy, Tony had to take an educated guess that the owner of the mysterious voice was well-off, white. Privileged. No hint of desperation in it, as if the man was pitying everybody.

"The fuck? Q, is that you?"

Oh shit, Tony realized in muted horror. She must've been hanging around somewhere in their vicinity - which wasn't unusual, the girl usually orbited around Barnes, Wanda, Peter or Bruce. All of whom were present at the party. Tony had forgotten about her, to his shame, somehow having had automatically assumed she trotted out of the room on Bruce's heels. His science bro and her acted like conjoined twins when it came to their scientific ventures.

"Stop talking," The man growled, the voice suddenly coming from a very different direction. Tony heard a distinctively feminine yelp, albeit muffled. Peter violently jerked in Tony's arms. The engineer put the superstrength of his suit to use, holding the teenager down.

"Aw, hell no!" She yelled, the indignant shrieking followed by the sound of a moist palm slapping something glass...y? "What the fuck? I am asking you again. Are you... Oh my God, are you wearing a fishbowl on your head? Ow, motherfu-" The rest of the sentence is muffled, garbled. Whoever this "Q" was, she obviously knew him and he had silenced her. And, apparently, Q had an uncanny choice of headwear.

Tony was sure the rest of the team had followed his lead on doing a spit-take. They've fought enough supervillains with more than questionable fashion sense but a fishbowl? That was new.

"Be quiet, baby. It's for your own good. I don't want to hurt you if I can help it," The Fishbowl chastised her.

Tony's confusion once again returned to irritation at the frivolous way the villain addressed his science buddy. Peter's friend would have been more accurate but Tony had put her into the 'science bro' category not too long ago. They were close, as much as they could be, with the age gap and totally different interests and... The immense amount of guilt Tony felt for his attraction towards the girl. He was a dirty old man and she was barely an adult.

Every damn day Tony did his best to avoid making a shiny, big, new problem. Yet her brains and her wit and the uncanny ability to pull anybody into a conversation had a firm hold on his attention.

"Leave her alone," Stark angrily declared, powering up a repulsor. "What do you want? Party crashing isn't allowed in my tower anymore."

"What I want, Stark, is for you to give credit where it's due," The man answered simply, giving Tony just enough time to shove Peter behind him towards Natasha and take a tentative step forward.

The soft glow emanating from the repulsor illuminated barely two inches around his hand. The darkness surrounding it seemed to swallow the light. Tony moved on quiet feet towards the voice, easily avoiding furniture. His memory was good and he knew his tower, his home, better than anyone else.

"Did I hear that correctly, you're accusing me of plagiarism?" Tony tried for indignant, hoping to provoke the man into an inevitable, drawn-out speech where he lists all the wrongs Tony ever did him, giving the team precious time to regroup and form some semblance of a plan.

"Yes," Q simply answered, pausing for a second. "I hope you enjoy your next adventure. It certainly will show you the potential of my creation."

Tony shared a muted sound of confusion with the rest of the team.

"Q, I am very disappointed," To Tony's horror, th girl stared talking again. She sounded somewhat breathless, and closer to him than before. "Stop it with the dick measuring contest, you're a grown ass man. Go work for OsCorp, or Hammer, drink your sorrows away." She sounded so tired. And even closer to him.

"This is not a dick measuring contest!" Q roared suddenly and wow, that man was unstable. "This was my life's work, my creation, he insulted, berated and threw away!"

"I get it, I really get the whole 'being discarded and thrown away' thing," She replied, somewhat sarcastically. "But you know what? I'll be damned and I'll be fucked if I give some piece of shit any more of my undivided attention. They don't want me? Fine, they can fuck off and take their complaints with them." Her speech was periodically interrupted by shuffling noises.

Tony didn't dare to interrupt, seeing now the possibility of Q being actually calmed down by a teenager (probably) quoting some teen drama TV show.

"But going full Joker? You're a brilliant man, Quen, I wouldn't even look at you twice if not for your brains and your baby blues, however I don't fuck with the bad guys. That shit kills," The hand that rested on the wrist cuff of Tony's suit unmistakably belonged to her. She had the remnants of some sort of wire around it, sleek and quicksilver-shiny, irritating the tender skin under it. "And I want to live. You've gone and pissed off an entire crew of supers and I don't know what to do. I don't know what to think, Quen," There was genuine sadness in her voice.

Tony stood silent in confusion.

Whoever this Quen was, they obviously shared a close relationship. Tony's brain ran through the list of her friends, her relatives - there was nobody named Q, Quen or even remotely similar. Natasha had mentioned a possible boyfriend at some point but the man sounded too old for that, he was at least thirty. Or maybe? Tony wouldn't put it completely past the girl, if judging by the blatant way she flirted with Bruce. With himself.

"Baby, this is not about you. I don't want to hurt you," Quen replied, a hysterical edge to his voice. Something began flickering in the distance, attracting Tony's attention to the shape of a man with a round sort of helmet and a red, billowing cape (hello, 2012-Thor!).

"Too late, Quen. You've tied me up and you went on to attack my friends. I've already told you that if you yell at me one more time, I will leave you. So I guess this is it," Her voice broke at the end, pitiful sniffles following the statement.

Tony watched the exchange, mildly uncomfortable and very concerned. The man yelled at her? That was absolutely unacceptable, however, what else could one expect from a maniac with a flair for the dramatic?

The girl bodily placed herself in front of Tony, standing, doing nothing but rubbing her wrists. It was then that the engineer noticed Q nearing them, the shape becoming distinctively closer. And - yep, there it was - the fishbowl on his head. It completely obscured him, making his face invisible, unrecognisable.

The man seemed rather fixated on the girl standing in front of Tony. He floated in front of her, ignoring Tony, taking her bound hands in his own. A brief click and a hiss later, her wrists were released and the contraption fell freely to the floor where it landed with an oddly heavy thud. Tony hoped there was no lead in that thing - supervillains were dangerous but lead poisoning was cancerous and fatal.

"Baby..." Quen timidly touched her face with a leather-bound glove. "I didn't mean to yell at you. I'm sorry." Tony took the chance to examine the man's costume. If anything, it looked somewhat steampunk-y? There was a lot of bronze, and the chest brace had some sort of glowing lines on it. Power storage units?

She stared up, towards the man's hidden face. "M'sorry, Quen," She mumbled, going in for a hug. Or that's what Tony thought. The majestic cape that billowed behind Quen was unceremoniously yanked from his body as the girl ducked, covering herself with it, yelling: "TONY, NOW, SHOOT, SHOOT!"

Tony did just that, shot Quen flat in the chest and the man stumbled backwards, tripping on the cape - such a stupid, unexpected thing. But Tony knew, his girl was clever and resourceful. Pride swelled in his chest as he shot the man again, Rogers running out from behind him blindly, body-slamming Quen into the ground for good measure. Two hundred pounds of supersoldier later, the battle was over before it even started.

"No!" The villain shouted as Steve pressed and popped the hilarious glass contraption on his head. The accessory was no match for the Captain's super strength. Tony immediately recognised the man as his former employee, Quentin Beck, and it clicked for him. It was totally a personal vendetta.

"This stuff is tough, plexiglass, maybe," The Captain remarked, pointing at the scattered shards around Beck's head. "It appears to be augmented too, some kind of tech, I don't know. You're good at this, Tony," Steve chuckled humorlessly, roughly turning Beck around and securing his hands with a pair of vibranium-reinforced handcuffs. God only knew where he'd gotten those from.

"Good at what? Making enemies?" Stark couldn't resist the self-depricating joke.

"Stop it, Tony," Natasha's gently admonishing voice interrupted Steve's incoming lecture. Tony, for once, was thankful that the Widow interrupted. He was in no mood to listen to another one of Steve's speeches.

"Who do you work for?" That deadly gleam in Natasha's eyes was terrifying and Beck was only a man.

"I don't work for anyone but myself, thanks to Stark," He spat venomously.

Natasha cocked an eyebrow in Tony's direction.

"Fired him years ago, this guy was going nuts. Brilliant but crazier than a bag of cats," Tony replied, feigning nonchalance. He could feel a mild headache begin to gnaw at his skull. "We worked on a project together, he got upset that I refused to weaponize it. We had a falling out. End of story." With that, Tony stood up, retracing his suit to only leave the gauntlets on his hands, gathered the various pieces of tech the good captain had removed from Beck's persona and made way towards the nearest table.

Or where he thought it was. All of them were still surrounded by the uncanny darkness. The anxiety that Tony forcefully shut down reared it's ugly head as soon as he lost physical touch with his teammates. He stumbled, his foot catching onto something on the ground.

"Ow, motherfucker!"

"Buttercup, I haven't fucked your mother nor I plan to," He snarked back automatically, flooded with relief at the sound of the familiar voice.

"Hope so. She'd probably bite your dick off if you try," A hand was groping his calf and then she stood up in front of him, still clutching the ridiculous cape. It appeared to be a source of light, which was very strange. The girl looked positively demonic, illuminated by red light, face scrunched up, eyes puffy, and clothing in disarray.

"You good?" Tony managed to choke out, confusion and worry and anxiety making his chest tight.

"Balmy. My boyfriend is a homicidal maniac with an inferiority complex," She sassed, an edge of panic to her voice. "Oh, and he tried to kill one of my best friends. I am fine and dandy."

"Your boyfriend?" That was the only thing Tony heard. Bat-shit crazy Beck, his babygirl's boyfriend? There was no way in Hell he'd allow such a thing...

"My ex-boyfriend, I guess," She sighed, removing the cape from her persona. Refusing to meet his eyes, fiddling with the hem of her top. "Here," The girl abruptly thrust the cape at him. "This is a funny thing, it's like a hologram but you can actually touch it. You should, uh, probably disinfect it, or something. I've been on-uh, around it many times," It was so unlike her, the fumbling, the embarrassment, Tony wanted to wheel her straight to medical to check if she's gotten concussed again.

Then his brain caught up and all he saw was red. Figuratively and literally - the cape was still in his face, loosely hanging from her outstretched hand. She must've seen the look on his face.

The step she took back was quick and worrying. "Forget I said that, I don't know why I said that. Oh, god."

"What were you thinking?" Tony inhaled a solid lungful, prepared to make his opinion very clear. "Getting involved with a lunatic! For a second I actually thought you were smart, there isn't a chance you missed that the guy is short of a few marbles," His voice was quiet, the one of a calm fury. His words cut deeply and he could see the hurt, the shame in her eyes, on her face. Tony knew he'd regret it later however his brain insisted it was a necessary evil. He continued ranting until he ran out of breath. "Not to mention he's, what, twice your age? And he yells at you and tells you to shut up? It didn't ring any alarm bells in that pretty little head of yours?"

"Tony, stop," Steve's hand landed on the engineer's shoulder and he simply shrugged it off, staring at the quivering girl in front of him.

She was crying, silently, few tears pooling in her eyes and streaming down her cheeks, leaving ugly streaks in her make-up. Tony expected her to sass him, to argue back, to yell obscenities like she usually did when something or someone upset her but he was met with hurt, stunned silence. His worst fear came true when she looked away, shrugging.

He'd seen this sort of dejected shrug the time her father drugged her and... She just took it. She expected it, even, his outrage, his disappointment. Being hurt and mistreated was the norm for her, Tony realized belatedly. There were too many parallels between them both that made him uncomfortable deep inside. His chest felt tight, regret washing over him like a tsunami wave.

"I'm turning on the lights, close your eyes for maximum comfort," Strange's voice announced suddenly, causing everybody to jump and shudder. Tony complied begrudgingly. The sudden influx of light was painful even from behind closed eyelids. His headache became a full-on dull throb.

"What happened?" "Are you okay?" "Is everybody alive?" Resonated across the room. Tony spied several small drones smoking and crackling next to the exit door, Stephen Strange closing a portal he must've used to evacuate the civilians.

The puddle of red holographic cape on the floor. And her hastily retreating back. Damn.

THE TAG LIST IS NOW OPEN! @another-stark-sub ​ @mostly-marvel-musings  @vozit ​ @littlegasps ​ @pilloclock ​ @shereadsinquiet @downeyreads ​ @hermione-grangers-wife ​ @individualistfem ​ @sleep-i-ness @capbrie @lillsxd @agustdowney @dee-vn @justanotherblonde23 @fanngirl19 @persephonehemingway @softie-socks @schemefrenzy @letsby @cutenessloading @romeo-the-cactus @jelly-fishy-babie

[hollywiston]

            🧁   task 001 - character survey   🧁

basic information

full name: holly rose wiston

nickname(s): hols

age: thirty-three

date of birth: 6th july 1988

hometown: liverpool, uk

current location: manhattan.

ethnicity: caucasian

nationality: british

gender: cis female

pronouns: she/her/hers

orientation: biromantic and bisexual

relationship status: single

religion: anglican

political affiliation: liberal

occupation: owner of the red velvet bakery & author

dream job/aspirations: she’s already living her career dreams!

living arrangements: lives with @mileswiston in an apartment in manhattan

language(s) spoken: english & high school level french

accent: scouse, however her accent is much softer now than when she first moved to nyc - it had to be because no one could understand her.

physical appearance

face claim: emilia clarke

hair colour: brown

eye colour: blue

height: five foot one inch

tattoos: none

piercings: ears

clothing style: her casual clothing style is here

usual expression: 🥰

distinguishing characteristics: almost always smiling regardless of how she’s feeling, ability to look on the bright side a lot, constantly in possession of cake, her voice goes an octave (or three) higher when she’s excited.

health

physical ailments: pernicious anaemia.

neurological conditions: undiagnosed anxiety and depression.

allergies: none

sleeping habits: holly isn’t a very good sleeper, mostly because she tends to find something to do instead of sleep, whether that’s read, write, bake or worry. her sleep is often quite disturbed, even more so since the break in, but she just tries not to think about it, choosing to distract herself instead.

eating habits: holly’s sweet tooth is unmatched and it has never dwindled through her life. she does eat her three meals a day, but honestly finds non-sweet foods boring in comparison and knows she’s just eating to refuel.

exercise habits: holly enjoys dance fitness yoga and pilates, and she attends weekly classes for all three. she also tries to go to her spin class once a week, but this often gets skipped because she knows how tough it is. she does enjoy some forms of exercise, but never running or going to the gym. 

emotional stability: holly is excellent at keeping a lid on her own emotions when she’s spiralling, which isn’t great. at the moment, her emotional stability is quite low, but she wouldn’t ever want anyone else to know that because she feels like she has too many people who rely on her for support. she’ll always put others before herself, no matter what.

sociability: huuuuuge social butterfly! holly feels at ease in social situations and loves small-talk and idle conversation. she won’t shy away from talking to anyone and always has a smile for strangers.

body temperature: cold-natured - she’s always cold, which is weird because she comes from the country of constant rain and grey weather.

addictions: does sugar count?

drug use: n/a

alcohol use: social drinker

personality

label: the hopeless romantic

positive traits: caring, perfectionist, ambitious, dedicated, playful 

negative traits: self-critical, workaholic, bossy, oversensitive, pushy, escapist

goals/desires: to find her person 🥺

fears: being alone, most horror movie tropes, spiders, clowns.

hobbies: knitting/crocheting, yoga, pilates, dance, reading, cooking.

habits: interrupting people (the WORST), talking too fast, working when she shouldn’t be working.

favourites

weather: bright, sunshiney day

colour: red

music: pop is a solid genre for her, she also likes old school classics like ella fitzgerald and doris day. throw a little bit of country in there as well bcos she loves dolly.

movies: rom-coms, comedies, animated movies - basically anything cute or anything that will make her laugh

sport: she has a soft spot for football because her dad loved it, so she’s still a liverpool supporter at heart.

beverage: always tea, sometimes coffee

food: cake

animal: cats are her fave

family

father: arthur wiston (deceased)

mother: diane wiston / fifty-six / job tbd

sibling(s): sister - violet wiston / twenty-eight / optical dispenser               brother - miles wiston / twenty-eight / bakery employee & freelance photographer

children: none

pet(s): none

family’s financial status: wealthy

extra

zodiac sign: cancer - bring enormous compassion and care to other people, huge amount of emotional intelligence, also funny, lively, interesting and clever / extremely sensitive, dwell in the 'good old times' and don’t focus on the present, can really hold a grudge when they want to.

mbti: esfj

enneagram: type 2 (the giver)

temperament: sanguine

hogwarts house: gryffindor

moral alignment: lawful good

primary vice: envy

primary virtue: kindness

element: water

[thickenmyblood]

I love how you really put a lot of thought into how you regard and read fanfic as well as how you respond to questions about how you feel aout it. Can I ask what are some parts/ideas in fics that really made you go wow, this is well planned or like I never would have thought about this or I forgot that this plot point and device were even a thing! I hope this makes sense

I love you, kind stranger. Thank you for reading my delirious posts and giving me the chance to scream about fics, which is always a pleasure. 

Note: If your fic is in this post and you don’t want it to be, let me know and I’ll take it down. 

Zeitnot by thereshaegoes

I love the idea of time travel, so when I read this fic’s summary I bookmarked it instantly. At first, I thought it was going to be eight chapters of Laurent waking up the day of the battle of Marlas, but the author really surprised me.

I loved that someone died at the end of each chapter (at first, at least) but what really made me go ‘oh’ is when Lauret realizes the Damen from “this new reality” is, in fact, his Damen! 

Damen not being with Jokaste was weird to me, but I shrugged it off as a personal choice the author had made. Then, when Damen was talking about abolishing slavery, I was still in denial. ‘Oh, well, some people don’t like to write Damen as a slave owner, which is cool’. And then, when the big reveal finally came, I was just… amazed. I literally put my phone down and went, ‘okay, this person really knows what they’re doing when it comes to writing’. 

I love the little plot twists. In my head, a plot twist most basic example is ‘oh, X is a traitor’ but… this? This is so much better.

Between the Shadow and the Soul by Anonymous

This work was… insanely refreshing, innovative, transgressive, and outrageously good. It does feature a lot of sex scenes, but at the same time, it felt like sex was the least important part of the story. I don’t know how to explain myself when it comes to this fic (and God knows I’ve tried) but… The sex scenes aren’t there just for the smut of it all, if that makes any sense. 

Auguste as a narrator is so unusual, and yet it made the fic so painful and enjoyable! I loved the way it left you wondering just how accurate his POV was. I loved the sex scenes with actual characterization. This author never, not even for one second, stopped focusing on the dynamic between Laurent, Auguste, and Damen. It could be argued that the Laurent/Auguste bit weighted more than the overall OT3 bit, but still… I had literally forgotten what sex scenes were for until I read this fic.

Sex scenes, especially in this particular work, are not parentheses in the story. They’re not there for the reader to take a break from the “actual plot” or “narration”. They are what holds the story together, and they’re opportunities for the reader to learn more about the characters

.

Cherry Wine by SteeleStingray

Yes, I’m back on my bullshit. Yes, I’m talking about CW again. But I’ll make it short because there is no way you don’t know how I feel about this work. If you don’t, check out this comment (which, by the way, is not even a fraction of what I wanted to say to the author when I read the fic). 

What I found innovative and made me go “is this allowed?” about CW is not the idea of an OT3, but rather this particular take on a relationship that consists of three people. I’ve read a few published books that feature similar couples (all of them suck, and when I say they suck I mean it) so I was very hesitant to read this because of that reason. 

Usually, when people write OT3 they pepper in a lot of stuff I don’t like to read about: extreme jealousy, misunderstandings, cheating, weird dynamics that feel stilted, awkward sex scenes where one of the three just sits in a chair and watches the other two like some voyeur from Juan José Saer’s stories. Guess what doesn’t happen in CW? 

Another thing I liked about this work is that it reminded me that themes in fiction aren’t limited to one specific work. This author really likes nicknames. At the time, when I had only read CW, I thought it was just a one-time thing. Turns out, it’s not. An emerald-coloured nightmare also features nicknames. I like this idea that you can tell who wrote something based on little details and narrative choices. It’s like the author is winking at you, going ‘ha, did you get it?’

Ink on Paper by deripmaver

I don’t usually like fics with non-linear narrative because I’m a lazy bitch who can’t keep up. I’d never really seen the point in using flashbacks, scenes from the past, or anything like that because my writing style (oh, fuck off, my writing style, who the fuck do I think I am) is more about references. And then I read this fic. And I was like, ‘okay, I’ve seen the light of not writing everything linearly like an idiot’. 

The Mannequin Gallery by marrieddorks

Yes, I realize I’m talking about all my favorite fics. I feel no shame.

This fic is a Modern AU. Everyone who has ever written a Modern AU knows that one of the trickiest parts is finding characters professions that make sense with who they are/what they like/what they’re good at. This story features Damen as an influencer. That’s it, that’s my whole tweet. 

It reminded me that even when you’re writing a Modern AU (or any sort of AU, really) it’s important to know what the essence of the characters you’re writing is. The way even Jord’s job makes sense… And how it feels like the author didn’t just steal the characters’ names and use them to create a random story (which is valid, too)... and… Okay, this has nothing to do with a plot twist or a narrative device but have you read this Nicaise? Have you? You haven’t read Nicaise until you’ve read this fic.

(and that's why) you're so beautiful now by iwasgonegonegone

This fic is 612 words. It has no plot. One of the tags reads, “listen they're in love and they're cute and that's all i have to say” and I… yes. This fic inspired me to write plot-less stories again. Not only that, it made me enjoy writing them. 

Lately, I’ve been talking to a friend of mine about a new pairing we both like a lot. We go back and forth for hours sometimes just talking about what they’d do, details about the worldbuilding, a billion ‘what-ifs’... and I love it. If one of us sat down to write a story based on all our conversations, it would be a character study fic. It would have, maybe, some plot to it, but… Plot would feel like an excuse to talk about their relationship. And I love that. I fucking hate plot, I hate it, and this… Yes. This fic is like a little slice of life. The author has mentioned before that they enjoy writing poetry (more than longer pieces of fiction) and this story reads like a poem. You know when you read a poem and you get this weird tingly feeling? Read this and feel that, you’re welcome.

The Life We Live by homewithyou

I’ve said before that I don’t go looking for mpreg. Sometimes, mpreg has come looking for me, and I’ve closed my door on its face. I read this fic mainly because I never pay attention to the tags on AO3 (healthy, I know) and I was too busy making myself toast to read the summary. 

I was five paragraphs in and this bit hit me like a fucking electric hammer to the head: “...which had been going haywire more often than not since the pregnancy began five months ago.” I was like, ‘wait, did I—am I reading—why am I—’ and then I just shut my mouth and continued reading. I’m glad I did. I’m glad I didn’t let my narrowmindedness stop me from giving this fic a try. I’m glad people out there are writing stories that they enjoy, about topics a few others would deem controversial. 

This also applies to the Lamen/Auguste fic I mentioned above. What’s the point of writing if you’re not going to take risks and be honest about what you like to write about? It takes honesty and commitment to write anything that strays from the norm. And so I’m glad this person posted this story, because it changed me in a small way (‘what if I shut the fuck up and read more mpreg instead of instantly clicking out?’).

This is another perfect example of how plot is poison and you don’t need it in your life (unless you enjoy poison. In that case consume the plot, write the plot, sniff the plot. And die). A morning in bed, just nuzzling and talking… living life… Again, this made me realize that you can say a lot about two characters just from a morning in bed. It made me want to write 25 pages of dialogue in bed (this and Manuel Puig’s book titled Kiss of the spider woman, which I recommend fervently). 

Plot? In this house? We don’t know her. You’re a strong, independent writer. You don’t need no plot.

For a more general response, I’d say that Steele’s worldbuilding is impeccable and made me look at the setting of stories differently. 

Foreshadowing is always amazing, but I haven’t read a lot of fics where it’s a prominent element (which is not to say authors aren’t good at it, I just don’t read enough fics to give you a good example of this). 

I really like oxymorons and when writers use funny adverbs. GallaPlacidia’s adverbs are to die for, so definitely check out her stories if you’re interested in that. 

I also love the way xlydiadeetz writes archs. She does this thing where she divides the story into different… timelines? archs? I… don’t even know. Amazing.

I hope this answer made sense. 

[drunk-onsunlight]

Day #2 of Promptmas

Chapter 2: I'll hold your hands (they're just like ice)

Summary:

Peter, Morgan and MJ go home to wrap some gifts for everyone but MJ has a huge bag full of money to hide while Tony and Pepper try not to ruin the Christmas decorations at their lovely home

Read on Ao3 

Chapter 1: Beautiful what’s your hurry?

Chapter 2: I’ll hold your hands (they’re just like ice)

Concept: Decorating & Gift wrapping

Dialogue: “Your hands are freezing” & “That ornament doesn’t go there”

Peter, MJ and Morgan arrived to the apartment after their Christmas shopping with lots of presents for everyone. The whole gang wasn't going to get together for Christmas but they will send all the gifts to their respective owner. MJ's mom wanted to see her and MJ was definitely not hyped. She wasn't going to tolerate any discussions about politics, economy or her love life choices. Those topics were forbidden with her family. MJ wasn't physically tired, emotionally... Maybe a little. She was so used to Peter and Ned, but adding the Starks was another level, they were like Peter's family. If she wasn't good at managing her own family relationships, Peter's family relationships were just as complicated to interact too. And she just hanged out with Morgan, MJ have never met Pepper or Anthony. Peter knew her opinion on Stark Industries, the "privatization on World Peace" as Tony Stark once called it and many other things with the billionaire. That's exactly why she did all she did. She wasn't stealing anything from poor defenseless people, they deserved it. And seeing so many super heroes on the news gave her an idea a few months ago, actually one superhero and one article: The Bugle's accusations on Spider-Man. Was he actually a threat? He was helping people around and saving the city from a few awful looking monsters, but is it good to take justice in your own hands? Well, that was exactly what she was doing. The leather suit, the mask and the silver wig was just to not get caught.

The idea of using a closed mask like Spider-Man gave her terrible images of getting sick, chocking and dying without anyone knowing. Not thanks. She preferred the wig that made her look like a dream and the mask that make her eyelashes more visible, she even wore contact lenses, not common contacts, they were modified to see various ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum, she was also trained in martial arts. And the leather suit was very useful to distract people when she needs it. After they went inside the apartment, Morgan, Peter and MJ took off their gloves and jackets. Peter took a small package on his hand and left it on his room and then came back to help Morgan with the million boxes she had dropped on the couch. In that moment MJ knew she had to take her bag to her room and hide a few things, some legal and other not so legal. She managed to sneak out of the living room and when she locked the door on her room, she emptied the bag she was carrying. Two books, the silver wig, the cat mask and 5.000 dollars fell to the mattress. She placed the books on her night stand, the wig and mask under her bed and then took off her clothes to remove the leather suit. The money was a little more complicated to hide, a few shoes boxes will do fine on the top of her closet. After hiding everything she went back to the living room and found Peter and Morgan struggling with some gift wrapping paper. The scene was really cute, actually. Morgan was placing her little hands on the table to hold the paper in place and Peter was trying to fold the paper around a mountain of kitchen supplies. They were a mess. "Do you guys need some help?" MJ asked trying to hide her smile at the ridiculous but cute scene "oh, please! Peter is terrible at wrapping gifts" Morgan looked totally mortified but had funny expression "Me? You are not helping much little lady" Peter looked so troubled that MJ decided to take him out of his misery "ok. First of all, that's not the way to wrap a bakery set. Peter, why on earth are the bowls upside-down?" "He is terrible at this. Told you” "Do you have a better idea, Morgan?" "Nope. But MJ has. You do, right?" Morgan looked at her with pleading eyes "I do. Didn't this have a box or something like that? I can't think of a store just giving a full bakery set without a box" Peter and Morgan looked at each other on a silent conversation and if MJ was getting things right, Peter was on the 'I told you so' part. "You didn't bring the box, didn't you?" "Nope" Peter and Morgan answered at unison "Morgan thought it was better to wrap everything outside the box so it didn't looked so 'lame' if I recall correctly" "And you can't say no to Morgan. Ok, then we can find a nice way to place everything into the big bowl like a fruit basket but with kitchen supplies. Better idea?" "Oh, my god! Yes! That's perfect" Morgan was delighted and Peter relieved. MJ knelt between Morgan and Peter and started removing a few straps of paper that, somehow, Peter managed to hold to the mountain of supplies. She placed the big bowl on the center of the wrap paper and then started to place the different tools on it in the best way possible. When everything was placed on the bowl nicely, she stared to lift the paper around the bowl to hold it above the supplies, it looked like a big candy. MJ put her hands around the wrapping paper and realized she didn't have any ribbons close by to finish. "Peter, can you put your hands here so I can find a ribbon for this?" "Yeah, totally!" he instantly moved his hands to where MJ had hers. When their hands made contact she realized she was freezing or Peters hands were just too warm for her "MJ, your hands are freezing! Do you want some tea?" "yeah. That would be nice. Thanks. But after we finish this" Peter still had one of his hands over MJ's and after a second too long she remembered she needed a ribbon to tie the present. She tried to make a nice ribbon and to make the paper look decent after Morgan and Peter's attempts at wrapping the bakery set. Peter went to their kitchen and started the kettle for MJ's tea and then decided to make some hot chocolate for him and Morgan. MJ kept wrapping more gifts, those were easier to wrap, especially May and Pepper’s shoes, thank God they had those boxes.

Morgan helped MJ cutting tape and that made MJ’s job easier. She discovered that Peter bought a nice dress for May, a Netflix gift card for Happy, Spider-Man and Iron Man plushies for Anthony and a planner for Pepper. No gifts for Morgan or MJ, that she could see, he always made sure that MJ had a very embarrassing present, last year’s was a terrible Christmas sweater that he made her wear for a full day.

“MJ, bring the gifts you bought for everyone so we can wrap them!” How can you tell a 10 year old that you actually snuck off to steal some money from a bad guy and not to buy presents for her family and your friends?

“I want to keep those a secret because Peter is terrible at keeping secrets and I don’t want you, May, Betty or Ned finding out what I bought for them.” Perfect excuse, Peter was terrible at keeping secrets, he got too exited and started oversharing things he knew

“He is actually really good at keeping secrets” Morgan said after a few seconds in a quiet voice while holding the plushies MJ wrapped for Peter. She remembered the Iron Man plushie and realized Morgan’s Dad was Iron Man, he could be retired but if the timeline was correct, Peter knew him since high school and he probably knew other supers. Ned told all their class that Peter knew Spider-Man and Peter looked totally horrified because “he couldn’t speak about it” so yeah, maybe he was good at those big secrets, but little ones? Not so much

“Well, everybody has secrets Morgan, it’s up to us who do we trust with the big ones” MJ felt her leather suit was screaming at her from the room across the hallway, her secret was a big one. One nobody knew about, not her friends and definitely not her family. Just one specific person and he was hell good at keeping her secret

“and Christmas gifts are huge secrets, peanut” Peter said entering the living room with MJ’s tea and hot chocolate for him and Morgan. He was sitting next to MJ while Morgan was in front of them, they chatted for a few minutes when Peter got a call from Pepper.

“Hi, Pete!” Peter placed his phone on the table in the center so everyone could hear. It made MJ a little uncomfortable, she felt out of place, like she wasn’t meant to hear this conversation

“Hi, Mom!!!”

“Hi, Pepper” MJ didn’t say hi, she just kept listening to the rambling and weird noises in the background of the call

“Oh! Hey Morgan. I was actually calling Peter to let him know that Happy is going to get you. Your dad wants you back to help us decorate the house. Would you like that? I know you wanted to spend time with your brother but he saw a few festive decorations and bought a lot of things and now it’s freaking out because I don’t have creativity… his words, not mine”

“It’s true!! You can’t place those led lights on the fireplace, that’s terrible! And the stockings have to be there, so no lights!” MJ hear clearly everything Stark was shouting from not so far away from Pepper apparently

“Sounds like an emergency mom” Morgan was looking at peter trying not to laugh a loud

“I’m sending Happy to get you or your dad will drive me crazy! Tony!!! That ornament doesn’t go there!!!” This time Morgan and Peter shared a loud laugh.

“Nothing new I can see” Peter looked fondly at this phone with their exchange.

“Morgan, please come back” Pepper sounded mortified.

“It’s fine. She will be ready to go when Happy gets here, promise”

“and Pete, we would love to see you and your girlfriend on Christmas. Think about bringing her for some dinner or a lunch or just a coffee! I would love to meet her. Bye!” The phone went quite, just like the three of them. Morgan was looking the phone with curious eyes, Peter was bright red with big eyes and mouth open, MJ didn’t knew how she looked but surprised was a good start.

“Peter Benjamin Parker, you have a girlfriend and didn’t tell me?” oh, oh, Morgan sounded mad.

“What? No! I have no idea what she’s talking about! You should ask your mom where she got that terribly wrong information” Peter was trying to process the last two minutes while getting back his phone from the table

“oh! I definitely will! And after that we are having a serious conversation, brother. MJ, did you know something about this? After all, you guys live together”

“Actually no. I have no idea what your mom was talking about, this idiot can’t be normal so think about him dating someone... Totally unreal!” MJ wanted to ease the mood a little, Peter looked like he wanted to hide somewhere before Morgan killed him.

“ok, peanut! Go grab you coat, gloves and scarf while I pack the gifts back on their bags so you can place them under the Christmas tree” Peter helped Morgan up from the floor and took the mugs to the kitchen. The girl started to run around the apartment to gather her things. MJ saw her entering Peter’s room and a few seconds later running back to the living room and placing more packages next to the ones Peter was collecting. As soon as they finished packing, the bell rang announcing Happy.

“Bye MJ! Hope to see you again soon” Morgan said to MJ surrounded of bags with all the things she bought for everyone.

“Hope to see you soon too, Morgan!” She wanted to be more formal and send some greetings for her parents but she didn’t even knew them in person and she wasn’t going to pretend she cared enough for that formalities

Soon they were alone and MJ tried to avoid the conversation of the mentioned girlfriend, maybe Pepper hear something and took it the wrong way or she was speaking about Gwen, Peter’s ex. Maybe she didn’t know she was dead. Ok no, they were too close for Pepper not to know about her, probably Pepper knew more details of what happened that she knew. MJ needed to clear her mind so she decided to wear her leather suit again and went out without Peter knowing.

Notes:

Thanks for the comments and the kudos here and tumblr! Love you all :3

Find me in tumblr @drunk-onsunlight 

Check more amazing wors in @spiderman-homecomeme