#the many names of Nicky My Beloved

[nark-week]

6 days until Nark Week!!

6 pranks that definitely got pulled in the Narkiverse:

-Nick put salt in Lark's coffee because he was Being Salty (and it broke the tension and they had Open And Honest Communication after) (They totally didn't but we can hope)

-Nick fell asleep all Demonned Out at his desk, and woke up to Lark cooking on his hair. (Lark chewed him out for how unsafe it was, praised the workmanship of the Mostly Undamaged desk chair, and told him that cooking like this will keep expenses down)

-Shower Portal Jumpscare that would've lead to broken bones if Nick weren't a hair faster than Lark

-Young Nick put flowers in Lark's hair while he was sleeping and people thought he was Sparrow. It pulled him out of the existential numbness enough to get mad 💞💞💞

-Lark hid *only* the second disk of the Face/Off Collector's Edition, and Nick couldn't find it for a month. It was nestled in a binder of CDs burned from Mercedes' Radio recordings. Lark forgot he did this, and now Nick knows about the momma's boy binder

-Pre-series, in the Jodie Timeline, Lark and Sparrow egged Nick's House for ACAB reasons, but they're vegan and therefore had no eggs, so they threw eggplants at the house and broke a window. (The eggplant turned into a bland but filling dish, and miraculously there was no glass. Jodie taught Nick to turn Lemons into Lemonade that day)

[sheafrotherdon]

We can talk about the reasons that Nicky and Joe found themselves north of Gitchigami in early December in 1747, or we can talk about the fact that it was there that they saw their first moose. Emerging from the woods on an overclouded afternoon, the moose paused and looked directly at their position, some several hundred feet further down the trail.

Joe, a sensible man, broke into a set of fervent prayers he hadn’t said since childhood. Nicky went very, very still.

The moose sniffed the air twice, then huffed as if mildly annoyed to have had its stroll interrupted by humans, and turned to walk away from them both on frighteningly long legs.

“What is that?” hissed Joe.

Nicky did not reply. He was busy being very, very still.

Joe watched as the many-antlered, gangly creature whose name he did not know walked further away. Only then did he carefully turn his head to look at Nicky. “Nicolo?”

Nicky did not respond, as he was busy being very, very still. It was the kind of stillness Joe recognized from other moments in their long lives, and meant danger was imminent, which was not at all reassuring. 

Joe looked back up the trail at the creature’s prominent rump, and then back at Nicky.  This kind of stillness usually occurred before Nicky took aim at a ne’er-do-well with his arrows, his sword, his knives, or his flintlock, depending on the situation. Joe very much hoped Nicky had no intention of using any weaponry in any way, from this distance or any other, not only because he had no desire to annoy a four-legged beast of the woods who could passably crush them both on sight, but because the whatever-it-was was astonishing.

In the next second, Nicky relaxed completely and looked at Joe with a small smile. “We are well, Joe.”

Joe sputtered. “We are well?”

Nicky nodded, and gestured over his shoulder. “I think we should retrace our steps.”

Joe pointed up the trail at the figure of the creature in the distance. “And that?”

“We shall ask those we see about it,” said Nicky.

“There are no words,” Joe offered.

Nicky stuck his mittened hands atop his head. “We will mime.”

Joe looked around, as though there might be help, or someone else who could witness what he had to put up with on a daily basis. Seeing no one, he burst into laughter.

Nicky grinned at him. “What a tale we shall tell.”

“Of the tree-legged beast of the woods.”

“That turned you into a quivering wreck.”

“That turned you into a statue.”

Nicky clapped Joe on the shoulder. “We have both seen better days,” he acknowledged. “And yet neither of us vacated our bowels, and for that we should be congratulated.”

Joe felt a rush of giddiness that was the natural successor to fear, or the regular consequence of looking at Nicky and remembering he loved him very much. Either. Both. Joe did not care, but instead leaned in to kiss Nicky firmly on the mouth. “We will be braver in the retelling, my beloved.”

“Precisely,” said Nicky with a smile. “Back to the others?”

“Back,” Joe nodded, and they allowed themselves one last look at the creature before they headed toward camp, diligently plotting the ways in which their encounter might have gone differently, and swapping gleeful lies.

[medusas-daughter]

this has been on my mind for a while and I could very well be way way off so take it with a grain of salt or as a fun fanfic plot bunny (please tag me if you use it I'm running out of fics to read) but here we go Kathryn Hahn has said that Rio has secrets of her own but none were revealed by the finale she looks like a regular ex-wife who was driven slightly unhinged by grief and heartbreak but overall she looks like she has the moral high ground over Agatha she was only doing her job but based on Kathryn's comment and how fast Rio gives in to Agatha's accusations and demands to never see her again what if Rio is hiding something what if she's carrying a guilt not even Agatha knows about what if Agatha thinks Nicky is their little miracle magic baby they accidentally made from scratch but Rio planned it what if Rio needed a child and used Agatha and by used I don't mean the entire relationship was a con to get a baby or anything I think she very much fell in love and when she needed a child who better than her beloved to have one with but she's Death and has been for millions of years she underestimated grief because she has never known it she assumed Agatha would get over the "death" of her kid like all mortals do eventually but Agatha nurses her grudges like no one else so Rio carries this guilt of having put Agatha through agony and not having told her to whole truth about where Nicholas is now because why keep the name Nicholas Scratch that has been associated with the devil in so many folklores and keep the connection to the comic character if they're only gonna have him die an ordinary death at 6 years old what if he was always meant to be Death's child and rule over the Underworld but Rio was too worried about Agatha's reaction so she let her have 6 years with him which made him sick because he was never meant to be so long among the living and she kept it a secret all along and that's the reason behind her guilt

[shrinkthisviolet]

It's Love Letters Night! Send love and positivity to your favorite writers and bloggers!

This got really long so I’m sticking it under a cut 😅:

@negative-speedforce you are absolutely amazing. I love your posts and fics, I love Siv, and I love how much you love Nora (your fic about both versions of Nora sharing a name and the ✨insecurity✨ that would cause lives in my head RENT-FREE) and!! You’re an Iris and Reva defender just like me!! 🥰

@vexic929 you’re so amazing and fun to talk to! You have such wacky off-the-wall ideas and you make them work so well and I love you for it 💞 Malcolm, Berrie, and Beth in particular are so dear to me, and so are their fics!

@goldheartedchaoticdisaster you’re so fun to talk to, especially the OUAT stuff lately 🥰 I also always appreciate seeing your comments on my fics, they’re always long and wonderful and you’re just a delight. I can’t wait to see how you write Rowan, I love Nicky and Stephanie, I love your characterization of Mike Barnes and his family (canon to me!! Everyone read “bad boy (no more)”, it’s so good), and your CK Mini-Rewrites? *chefs kiss* you should’ve written the show

@angst-is-love-angst-is-life you pulled me into my current whump fixation headfirst 😂 I love reading through the whump prompts on your sideblog (@whump-is-love-whump-is-life, for anyone who wants to check it out), and I love talking to you 🥰 you also make me cry with how much you hurt Barry in Trophy and 12 hours, but I respect the whumpy endeavors

@fezwearingjellybananas you’re such a delight 🥰 you pulled me into Snowest with “Milk and Sugar”, your fics are so fun to read (and often a niche/novel premise), and I love seeing your sweet comments on my fics! I also so love the cycle of inspiration we’re in 😂 (for context, they got inspired by my Morgan AU to write Speedster Siblings, which (along with Gone in a Flash) then inspired me to write my Daddy Issues AU)

@starstruckpurpledragon (aka @kitkatt0430), you are wonderful and amazing and you’ve written so many amazing fics and meta for this fandom!! You have great takes, super interesting ideas…and you’re so wonderful to talk to. You also (along with @alittleflashvibe) pulled me into Saverb with “You Must Live (For Me)” 😂 much appreciated for that

@alittleflashvibe you are a delight and incredible and your Barrisco takes are such a highlight of this webbed site 💞 you always get me to see something new in their scenes, it’s terrific. You also pulled me into shipping Barrisco in general 😂 (you and @starstruckpurpledragon, as I mentioned above)

@frosty-the-killer-doll hiii I know we don’t talk a lot but I just wanted you to know you’re incredible and I love your takes on Caitlin and Frost—you’ve gotten me to see them both in new ways (that web weaving post about how Frost’s instinct to protect was corrupted by vengeance?? That was inspired, and it’s only one of your many great takes about her and Caitlin!). I also love love LOVE the Jesse fic you wrote, it’s like you read my mind fr 💞 love having you as my mutual

@icedteaandoldlace you’re so wonderful too! I’ve loved following along with your comments as you read my Morgan AU…and you’ve given me such a wonderful appreciation for Kamilla and Kamisco. Your Kamilla & Caitlin friendship fic is so sweet and I love it to pieces

@blackaquokat where to even begin 😅 we’ve been mutuals for like…what, years now? I don’t even remember how it started, but I DO remember your WKM fics and how incredible they are 🥰 your OC for the DA is absolutely how I view them, and your fics are so canon to me, you deserve all the love for crafting such a meticulous world from the pieces Mark gave us.

@seek--rest your fics are OUT OF THIS WORLD and so are your takes!! You’re one of my favorite Spidey fic authors (and that’s a very short list 😂), you’ve gotten me to see him and MJ in such incredible new ways (Irondad but make it MJ!! Ingenious!!), and you have great takes overall (your post-Blip meta my beloved!!), here and in the discord. You also wrote the May & Sally fic of my DREAMS!! Some people might call you an “absolute displeasure to know”, but I couldn’t disagree more, you’re wonderful 💞

@abcd-em on the note of “Irondad but make it MJ”, Vagary lives in my head rent-free 💞 you’ve written PeterMJ in so many wonderful ways, but that in particular really sticks with me. And you’re such a sweet person in general

@hollow-dweller speaking of great takes…hollow you’re practically oozing with them, here and on the discord. I always come away learning something, and you just have so many amazing thoughts?? Also I keep thinking about the Peter & Jessica fic you wrote like…oh my god?? Inspired?? I must applaud you 👏👏

@robbyykeene your CK takes are so incredible, you’re the first account I go to for them, I love reading your posts. You’re so right 💞

@leohttbriar i adore your fics! Your Samtory ones live in my head rent-free, and so does “for what do we live (but to make sport for our neighbours)” like!! You Get It!! You Get Penelope and Charlotte!!

@jenpsaki I can hardly talk about Samtory and not mention you, when you’re the one who pulled me into this ship with “different but same” 🥰 and thank you so very much for that

@arrthurpendragon you are a key pillar of the OC community and so wonderful 🥹 thank you for hosting that exchange event back in July of last year, it pulled me into the OC community and I’m so grateful for it

@lady-of-the-spirit you’re delightful to talk to, you have great takes for pretty much everything (ESPECIALLY Star Wars), I love Hestia, and I’ve never seen HOTD but I love how passionate you are about Alicent 💞

@basimibnishaqs speaking of having great takes about Star Wars…🥰 Rey & Luke being father and daughter especially, I LOVE your posts on the subject. And this fic you wrote about them!! An AU ofc but so very sweet to me 💞

@practically-an-x-man you and I are fairly new to being mutuals but I love having you as one 💞 still chugging through the Ophelia fic, but I love it so far! And ofc as I mentioned before, you write AMAZING whump (as shown in this incredible fic!)

@azaablue your ATLA fics are out of this world, but “beautiful boy” and “Push and Pull” in particular always sticks with me 💞 all the kudos in the world, you Get It, and you’re so wonderful. A gem in the ATLA fandom

@calliopieces your Maiko fics are a GEM in The ATLA fandom, especially “crowning glory” 💞 you just Get Mai and her family situation, and especially Fire Nation girlhood, and I love this fic so much for it

[jtl-fics]

not necessarily a request for more but math nerd au beloved<3<3 it's my favorite thing ever fr

There are as many opinions as there are Foxes on what should be done when one stumbles across Neil Josten slumped over stacks of paperwork in the wild.

Some argue for waking Neil up so that he can go sleep not in such a god awful posture though the methods on waking Neil up vary from person to person. These methods range from just shake his shoulder (Allison), call his name (Aaron), to drop something heavy nearby and startle him awake (Seth).

Some argue that waking Neil up at all will only incite him to continue working only the Quarterly budget for his mysterious employer and that it is best to just leave Neil alone. The level of left alone varies from person to person. These levels range from don't touch him at all (Renee), put a blanket over him at least (Matt), bring a white noise machine and turn off the lights (Allison), to trying to sneak a pillow under his head with the blanket over his shoulders (Nicky) and try and adjust him carefully so he doesn't drool on his work (Kevin).

Finally there was Andrew Minyard's method which was that Andrew was the only one who could just pick Neil up and put him to bed. No one knew what it was exactly that had the Striker not wake up when it was Andrew but they did all know he was smug about it (the asshole).

[funkyfurymalissa]

HELLO THERE! ARE YOU READY FOR FUNKY TIMES?!

+. Welcome aboard this blog! which is dedicated to my project of a fan spin-off series of the Parappa The Rapper franchise, Funky Fury Malissa. Featuring a new protagonist with "Malissa Rappa" ,original characters, teachers, rivals and more..

+. I made this blog to share my process on working in the project and receive questions about the characters on the way! I won't make this series into a game though. not only because Sony are becoming the next Nintendo with Fan-games but, also going such thing will require experience and budget. which I got NEITHER. but, I can draw and write, which is what I shall use to tell the story of the series! in a visual novel type of style, dialogue of characters, actions and of course, LYRICS of the songs.

+.As stated before, this series is STILL a WIP, which means I've yet to finish/Finalize the designs of characters and elements of the story (mostly the teachers) so, I'll always pinpoint the stuff that are unfinished/finalized with a note with brackets. Also this Post will be updated manually, adding more references and information about the series.

Mission Statement?

+. Malissa Rappa, a funky gal from Origami city is trying to win the heart of her beloved crush, Berzack Bandicoot, however there are MANY obstacles in her way! starting from her rival in love, "Fuzzle Cuddle" to a Group of thugs fro hell.. to.. a giant polygon face that's trying to take over the City?! boy, those are lots of obstacles. but, not something that will keep this funky dog from moving forward, Keeping her head on and facing all the challenges with her funky gorgeous singing and HER fury metal rings! will she grant her dream? only one way to find out.

Characters (40% finished):

————————————★★★————————————

+.THE MAIN FOUR: (Finalized)

+.THE RIVAL: (Almost finalized, Missing the introduction card and thief-outfit display)

Fuzzle Cuddle is Italian poodle working as a secretary to the owner of the biggest Jewelry company in Origami City, she retails a very bubbly and narcissistic air-headed personality, she's also into the electric piano player, Berzack, whom she always tries to impress, whether by playing a heroic act in the sweet beard burger, or flashing showcasing her super limo 9000.. atleast, that's what she does in the day time.

In night, she goes by her alter ego name "Diamond Candle", a skilled thief that's always targeting the riches and robbing them from their precious and delicate jewelry for fun. accompanies by her partners in crime, Gaster and Groover, (they also have code names but I've yet to come up with them lol) who also have a foot in the world of thievery.

+.The Teachers/rivals (20% finished, No references, still conceptualizing most of them, some names are placeholder. all what you gotta know is that some of them will be like parallels to parappa's teacher with tweaks. )

King E Roo: A kangaroo that owns a private boxing Club

Krash Pitch: Karma's mother and a racer car instructor

Nicky Picky: a white-square headed cat who works as a barista in "sweet beard burger"

Narissa RaParra: Malissa's Monochrome copy and the leader of the retired band, "BornEye".

Grand Polygon: some giant Floaty face thing built of of instruments. it has the ability to hypnotize people.

+. Others (10% finished, once again missing introduction card, gallery and design for the other bg worker.)

(note: this character's importance will be FULLY explored in "funky fury malissa 2" o, I won't spoil anything about his story. though, I thought mentioning him because he's kinda like a BG character now.)

Miguel Nosso: the current heir of the MOST successful restaurants in ALL of Origami city, "sweet beard burger". He's the manager of the resturant and mostly found in the kitchen, baking cakes for costumers while his workers serve the desserts.

the branch was originally initiated by "beard burger" in order to expand his brand across the globe, taking Europe as the first stock to market it. the Resturant was Run by one of Miguel's other uncle "Sweet Nosou", and it did QUITE awful on it's first few decades of launch. Sweet Nosou negotiated with beard burger to change the Resturant's direction from burgers to dessert as an experiment. a decision that fruited with good results, thus "Beard Burger EU" was changed to "SWEET BEARD BURGER".

Tama AIpple: an anthro tomato headed girl who also works in sweet beard burger.

————————————★★★————————————

now that's all established, here's the the rules of sending eml- Oh, I'm sorry, "SHOUT!!"

While I do not mind suggestive question (the entire cast are adults), please keep them minimal.

absolutely NO NSFW or fetish-related questions, this also include major gore.

If you're asking a character, please refer to them by name so I know who's receiving the question

If I take long on answering your question, my apologies. I'm not ignroing you, I'm either busy with other stuff or burnt-out.

Finally, if you made it to this point, thank you so much for taking your time to read this mess I wrote. have fun!

[roseverdict]

Alexcrafter28 headcanons?

AKDJWODJWK I ALMOST FORGOR THIS WAS IN HERE WHOOPS I HOPE YOU LIKE RAMBLING

anyway!!! i can see basically anything being canon for alexcrafter, given the fact we only know them through their minecraft skin, but as far as how I like to write them-!

I like to envision Alexcrafter as a teenage girl (13/14-ish years old) named Alexis Hayward who bears a slight resemblance to Alex Minecraft. I gave her a single father (Stephen, who vaguely resembles in-game Steve because I have one braincell and it IS "The Bit") and twin baby sisters (Victoria "Vicki" and Veronica "Nicki," roughly 5/6 years old) for the Sti-Fi AU I really wanna get back into, and I got attached to these OCs so fast lmfao

Now, as far as Alexis goes, she's a fairly average teenager and big sister. She plays Minecraft and finds herself drawn to the infinite exploration of it, at school she eats lunches her dad packs her each morning, she helped with the occasional diaper-change when her sisters were still small enough to need it, and she's got a handful of friends at school.

She is also the kind of person who needs to take a hot minute to process the implications of Red and Orange popping up, vanishing, and borrowing her Minecraft icon, but by the time Red's back to return the icon, she's moved on to the "welp guess this is happening. at least they seem chill now that they're not visibly panicking?" stage of things.

I put her through The Apocalypse Horrors™ in the Sti-Fi AU, and this gives her a chance to sorta take charge of and prove herself as a capable caretaker for her sisters (and the digital refugees on her laptop) when her dad is unable to get home, at least until they find a trustworthy adult to team up with to stay alive. (i am making her run into DJ >:D)

When she's not activating the "fight" part of her "fight-or-flight" instincts out of necessity, though, she's not actually the kind of person to get into fights with people outside of video game PvP, and even then she's not really good at it if she has to focus on too many things at once. She'd much rather wander around and take in the sights of wherever-she-is. This has the potential to get her into trouble, especially when she's younger, and I even have a crack fic rattling around somewhere about an Alexis who's closer to 8 or 9 running into TDL post-Showdown and managing to somehow befriend/adopt/domesticate them lmao. Her self-preservation isn't always the greatest xD

I think, appearance-wise, I would have Alexis and her family all have a strong resemblance to one another. I actually tried making a ref for her a while back, and this ask made me go back and at least add some rough color to it so you can see what I mean when I say that the Haywards are sort of a middle ground between Alex Minecraft and Steve Minecraft's designs:

you can probably kinda tell that i hadn't drawn humans for a while lmfao

just imagine i drew nicki and vicki with matching pigtails of varying hair curliness akdjsodjais

Alexis is also a trans girl who was about to start on E right about the time the Sti-Fi AU rolls around, though the group of survivors she and the gang end up amassing are incredibly chill about gender, so she might wind up just having fun with it as puberty hits post-apocalypse and the lower range of her voice starts dropping as low or possibly even lower than her dad's lmfao. At least while E is unavailable.

i just HRMNG these are my beloved sillies. i've been fixated on turtles again recently but i just spent like an hour typing this up and rambling about alexis like a proud parent

[altruistic-meme]

twenty questions for fic writers

i got tagged by @irregularcollapse thank you!

How many works do you have on AO3?

currently, I'm at 33 on my main account and another 3 that are under a pseud :)

What’s your total AO3 word count?

166,992 in total!

What fandoms do you write for?

as of right now, i'd say i write for All For The Game, Captive Prince, and Young Royals. i have kind of written a little for Good Omens, but i'm not really counting it bc i'm not sure i'll ever finish it or post it. and i used to write for Yuri!!! On Ice and Hetalia as well, but i don't anymore (and likely never will again).

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

oh man, i was actually kind of surprised about the last two!

the beginnings just another end (Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov, Yuri!!! On Ice) Victor Nikiforov has friends. He's four time world champion, figure skating god, beloved by most. He's won more medals than he knows what to do with, has more fans than anyone could count, and more money than he could ever possibly spend all of. Only one problem; Victor Nikiforov has no friends. So, he searches for some. And he finds them in a group chat room titled "crazy people talk about figure skating".

(why is there) joy in this poison (Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard, All For the Game) Because for as much as Kevin would talk to Andrew about the Ravens, whine about Riko, warn him about Tetsuji, explain to him why he trusted Jean… he had never really mentioned Nathaniel. In a story, once or twice. In passing, perhaps a few times. And Andrew found that he trusted Nathaniel less each and every time he heard the name. Andrew is propositioned at a summer exy banquet, and a deal is proposed.

The Bet (Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard, All For the Game) Andrew decides it's finally time to introduce his partner Neil to the Foxes on a summer weekend vacation, but Nicky has a better plan.

running from my heart (Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov, Yuri!!! On Ice) When Victor arrives the night before the men's short programs at the Grand Prix Final, he's not expecting to run into another skater. Or run into him again. Or again.

Vicchan's Pet Café (Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov, Yuri!!! On Ice) "It's alright, really. It allowed me to get a closer look at your gorgeous brown eyes." Wow. Wow Victor. Victor Nikiforov, five time Emmy Award winner, actor in countless romances, well-known playboy, just made the most ridiculous pick-up line that could have possibly come from that moment. In which Victor is an actor, Yuuri owns a café, and their dogs just want them to be together.

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

i try to, but i am incredibly bad at it :') i always want to reply, even if it's something small like just a "<3" or "thanks!" but i often forget to reply for a long time. or at all.

but i always try my absolute best to reply to comments with questions or any that really touch me in some way

What is a fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

in general, i do try not to write angsty endings (although i know i've had some ideas for some, just never written the)

however, that said, swaying as the room burned down is still the worst i've written! it does come with the knowledge that things get better, having been written as a missing scene from yr2 which ends better than the fic leaves off, but the fic itself still ends in a pretty sad place.

What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

honestly? Where There is Love, There is Life. the entire fic was meant to be pure fluff and sweetness. most of my fics have happy endings (when i actually. ended them.) and i do have some other fics that were meant to just be fluff, but i think this one takes the cake.

Do you get hate on fics?

no, i haven't! i've gotten some... sort of mean-spirited comments or comments that come across that way, but i don't think they were really meant as hate so much as the tone fell flat.

Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

i have not. yet. i have one WIP that will have smut at some point in it, but that's the only one i have planned and i haven't gotten to that point in writing it yet!

Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

not really. i think i did, a very long time ago, but i can't remember it at all.

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

not that i know of, and also i sure hope not.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

not that i'm really aware of, but i think it'd be cool!

What’s your all-time favorite ship?

that's tough. it's probably Andreil, though. just everything about their relationship, from beginning to end of the series, is so so good and they've always meant so much to me as characters.

What’s a wip you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

the beginnings just another end. i really wish i could've finished it sooner. it was my first long fic, and it kept the status as my longest fic for years. i still remember how it was meant to end, too. ultimately, if i ever even write YOI again, i think i'd rather rewrite the entire story than just finish it as is. but i really don't think i'll ever complete it.

What are your writing strengths?

Cliffhangers. Dialogue. Humor, at least in my opinion. Ideas galore.

What are your writing weaknesses?

Consistency. i have terrible memory and will often write something in, planning to make use of it later in the story, and then completely forget about it.

Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

ouhhhh it depends. my opinion on it has changed from when i was younger. i think it can add to the story, like if it's used because the POV character doesn't know the language, but in general i'd prefer not to do it (especially since i'm monolingual rip ;;;)

First fandom you wrote for?

ahhhhhhh Hetalia

Favorite fic you’ve written?

without a doubt, (why is there) joy in this poison. it means so much to me i cannot even begin to explain it. and even aside from that, the story itself is something i LOVE rereading since it was written to my own tastes, and every time i look back in the story to fact-check myself, i end up getting lost in the story again and again. it also makes me feel so good about my writing, it's such a confidence boost and rereading it helps me realize why people actually like my writing!

i'm going to tag @daylightsimon @zee-has-commitment-issues and @spaghett-onaplate for this if you guys want to <3

[hollywoodcannon]

///

Anonymous asked: Niccola should be pretty far long now with your second child. Are you having a boy or a girl? Have you picked out the child's name yet? How are you feeling this time around?

Closer and closer was the day getting. A second nursery decorated from the floor to the ceiling, so many pictures on the walls and toys and blankets, Brian and Niccola could practically already feel their new baby within their hands. Shenanigans this time around kept to a minimum - it was mother and father together from the start - Junior was just as excited. A little bundle of curls that bounced with impatience, always searching for the baby, asking about the baby. He was almost as bad as his father. Almost, but not quite, the Loose Cannon hadn't kept his mouth shut for a second since Niccola told him the good news. All around him knew of his blessed fortune. His happiness and more; to be surrounded by his beloved wife and children was heaven to Brian. A forever broken ankle bothered him little. A career that fizzled out couldn't shatter his spirits, cloud nine was were he walked.

"Listen, sweetheart, I don't give out such valuable information for free, okay?" Brian teased, smile a touch devilish. "You want answers? You'll have to pay for them. I hear the WWF'll be running a feature story about me and my family. I think they're calling it: 'The Loose Cannon: His Soldiers DO Swim!' You should find what you're looking for there. But, hey, since you've been so nice to me, I will let you in on a few secrets. Me and Nickie, we've got a few names picked out. Won't tell you what they are, but we do have a list. It's a good one, too. As far as my feelings go, I couldn't be happier. Honestly, this is the happiest I've ever been, except for the birth of my boy Junior and the day I married my woman, but I'm sure you get the idea."

"Fatherhood, it's awesome! Don't let any of these nerds tell you otherwise. Making babies and having them, it's a blast. You see all these young wrestlers now-a-days talking about, oh, 'I don't wanna have kids! It'll ruin my career!' Let me tell you, they're a bunch of damn liars. Having kids, it's been the greatest thing to ever happen to me. It saved my life. I look forward to it. Who knows? Maybe me and the wifey will start our own community. Maybe we'll have a nest of 12 kids? Wouldn't that be fun for you and the rest of the world?"

___

[non-un-topo]

You asked for writing prompts and since I've been thinking about the Nicky+Booker sibling dynamic a lot (Dying of the Light and My Brother Spits Blood my beloveds!!!) I'll humbly request a little Nicky+Booker snippet inspired by these quotes:

Have a peaceful night/day!

Hello! Thank you so much for this ask, and your interest in my Nicky&Booker stuff!! These are such good quotes, and I love writing these two. <3

(Warning for some canon-typical violence and mentions of drowning)

--

“Hey,” announces Booker, “I’ll bet you 700 they landed in the trees.”

He hears Nicky grunt, but there’s too much smoke in his eyes to see. Then, his voice, in a tone that’s usually followed with a lethal swing of a sword: “Can it wait until we are not about to be set on fire?”

Booker can’t argue with that, he supposes. As quick as he can, he crawls on his belly onto the grass, out of the smoking wreckage of the helicopter.

He makes it to his feet, which are both intact. No lasting injuries that he can feel. He coughs through another plume of smoke as he takes in the damage.

There’s a long, deep trench where the helicopter slid over the valley, and the tail rotor is lying in pieces a ways back. The helicopter’s not going to blow up, he doesn’t think. No. It won’t. They only do that in films. But it sure is smoking, releasing a jet-black cloud high enough to see for kilometres.

“At least they’ll know where we are,” he shouts over the metallic grind of the propellers slowing. He’s aiming for dry humour, but he doubts it’s gonna make Nicky want to kill him less in this moment.

As expected, Nicky makes a sound like a snarl, and Booker thinks he’s about to be cussed out in a litany of old Ligurian before he sees Nicky’s head make its appearance through the crumpled door, his bloodied hand shoving the broken metal aside. Out he goes onto the dirt, and he pulls his leg free last, which is looking… pretty disfigured. So that’s where the snarl came from, then. Nicky is the type who’d rather break his foot off pulling it from a bear trap than die pinned.

“They—" Nicky starts, turning over, “I saw it. I saw them fall.”

“In the trees,” Booker says again, and gestures widely to the dense jungle behind them.

“No.” Nicky scoots away from the wreckage. His voice is dull when he says, “They hit the water.”

Booker shuts up, because he’d be an idiot to say anything when Nicky’s voice sounds like that. When Andy and Joe might still be in the water, drowning, sinking, being cast away.

“Come on,” he says instead, rapping Nicky on the shoulder as he sits there and coughs. “It hasn’t been long.” The crash was quick. They’ve probably only been in the water for a few minutes, depending on how long he and Nicky were blacked out. That’s how many drownings, at most? Three? Six? Ten? Not many, in the grand scheme. Booker’s fared worse on his own.

But Nicky’s still sitting there.

Booker says his name, nudges him with his boot this time, and wordlessly Nicky begins to pull the handgun from the holster on his undamaged ankle. He checks the slide and then says, without looking at Booker, “You shouldn’t have done it.”

And Booker likes to think after all these bloody years he’s been alive he’s gotten better at keeping a placid façade, but he feels the way he glares. There’s no question as to what Nicky’s talking about.

“You would have gone down alone,” Booker says. Then, harsh, because maybe it’s what’ll get Nicky’s ass up off the ground, “Or is that what you were counting on?” To let Booker escape, to let him join Joe and Andy. If Booker hadn’t tried to get him to let go of the fucking yoke.

Nicky is as bad at trying to land a helicopter as he is at backing down from a fight.

“This wasn’t an opportunity to be noble,” Booker argues. “And anyway, that’s what you’re forever going on about—sticking together as a ‘team’, as an ‘army’.”

Nicky closes his eyes, and his mouth twists strangely, subtly, almost a smile. His ankle pops grotesquely then, and the only sign he flinches at all is in the twitch of his cheek.

“Get up,” Booker orders. “Let’s find them.”

Nicky slides a new magazine into the handgun, taps it against his knee, and hands it to Booker. Booker grabs it more than accepts it, and before Nicky’s lowered his hand, grabs his hand as well.

Finally, Nicky’s looking him in the eyes. They’re bloodshot from the smoke, and deeply shadowed. He plants his good foot on the ground and lets Booker haul him up. With Nicky’s hand still held tightly in his, he pats him roughly on the back before turning to face the jungle.

“Scout ahead,” says Nicky firmly over the sounds of velcro ripping as he’s probably looking for another weapon. “My leg is still—"

“Fuck that,” Booker grunts. “Gimme your arm.”

Nicky surrenders, because he has enough common sense to accept that they ought to move their asses. If not to find the other half of their party, then at least to put some distance between them and the burning pile of machinery. Booker takes his wrist and hauls his arm over his shoulders, takes Nicky’s weight as he leans on his good leg.

He can take the weight, just as Nicky has taken his too many times to count. It’s the very least he can do.

“This is a two-man mission,” Booker explains, despite knowing there’s no need. “Of course I’d follow you down.”

In the corner of his eye, he sees Nicky’s half-smile. Politely, thankfully, Nicky doesn’t say anything. He just lets Booker do this, and together they enter the jungle.

[rigelsenshis]

so, i’ve finished my third rewatch today and this time i really paid attention to the end credits and noticed this in the “section” dedicated to joe and nicky

now, that painting is actually this painting, by Renaissance artist Paolo Finoglio (and it dates back to mid-17th century)

it represents the duel between Tancredi and Clorinda, two characters from Torquato Tasso’s Gerusalemme liberata (or Jerusalem delivered in English). long story short, he’s a christian and she’s a muslim, he loves her and she doesn’t, pretty standard epic poem stuff. their duel happens under the walls of Jerusalem— Tancredi kills Clorinda without recognising her, and it’s only when he removes her helmet that he recognises her as his beloved. which, like, already rings several bells like killing your beloved??? during a holy war??? that you’re fighting on opposites sides???

but what’s Even Better is that Torquato Tasso is only one of the many people tackling the subject of the Crusades and the chansons de geste around Charlemagne’s paladins and in fact the Gerusalemme liberata wouldn’t exist without Ludovico Ariosto’s Orlando furioso, which in turn wouldn’t exist without Matteo Maria Boiardo’s Orlando innamorato (if you’re wondering, the Furioso is arguably the most famous of the three, at least in my school experience, bcos Boiardo’s too niche and Tasso’s too religious lol)

and those too have a romance between a christian and a muslim— in this case, she’s christian, and her name is Bradamante, and he’s a muslim, and his name is Ruggiero. he’s kept prisoner by his wizard dad Atlante she wants to save him they get separated a whole lot of times he falls in love as well and converts to christianity bcos of course he does [Clorinda does the same as she’s dying and like, these are Renaissance authors in Very Christian Italy so it’s pretty much to be expected], and then her parents want her to settle down but not with Ruggiero so she says “fine i’ll marry whoever can best me in combat” and guess who bests her in combat it’s Ruggiero and then they marry and start the house of Ariosto’s noble patrons bcos he had to somehow make their feeding him worth their while so what better way than to invent ancient and mythical roots for their house i mean he was just continuing what Virgil started

what i mean to say is that the story of a christian warrior and a muslim warrior falling in love during the time of the Crusades while fighting on opposite sides is very much recurrent throughout Renaissance literature and art and i’m not saying that Joe and Nicky waltzed into 15th and 16th and 17th century Italy and had everyone from Boiardo to Ariosto to Tasso take several seats and be like “wow look at that i want what they have i have to find a way to at least work some of that into my poem” while also having given birth to the very archetype itself but that’s exactly what i’m saying

[starlightervarda]

Usage of Arabic Terms of Endearment

A run-down of the various terms and how and when to use them.

I get the appeal of calling someone ‘my life’ but hayati is not said nearly as often as the fandom has made it out to be. It’s not really the equivalent of ‘baby’ or ‘honey’, it’s a more intense term, is what I’m saying. Habibi is though.

There are tiers to terms of endearment and I’m going to try and break them down.

1. Habibi means ‘my beloved/darling’, in the relationship-sense it can mean ‘my lover’ / ‘my boyfriend’. It is the most commonly-used term to denote affection.

Like, do you have any idea how many Arabic love songs include habibi? If I made a compilation of sound-bites from every song that included ‘habibi’ it would be ten hours-long.

In every day conversations and among thoughtless pet names, it would be habibi.

It requires a different mood/intent/occasion. It can also be used for non-romantic relationships, like friends, pets, siblings or even acquaintances -- you know how there are some really friendly people who call everyone sweetie/love?

2. Hayati would be more emotionally-charged and tender scenes, like after Nicky was killed by Keane or when Joe was waxing poetic about his love for him in the van.

Habibi vs Hayati is like the difference between calling someone babe / sweetie / love and calling them love of my life / my heart. 

3. In a flirty sense, you can use ya amar -- comparing someone to the Moon is the highest compliment. There’s also ya ‘assal (honey) usually used in regards to someone being sweet i.e. more personality than looks. Same goes for sokkar (sugar). And, of course, ya (g)jamil (Beauty), you can also combine it into ya amar ya (g)jamil (Beautiful Moon).

4. More intensely romantic (can be used for strong familial love) terms include ‘Omri (my entire life) and Hobi (my love)  Rohi (my soul), Albi (my heart), and to a lesser extent ya ‘eyooni (my eyes) sometimes the three can be said in succession habibi, albi, rohi...

You can even make combinations like roh albi (soul of my heart), habib albi (beloved of my heart) and hayat albi (life of my heart).

5. And if you want to get real gushy and cutesy Haboob (darling), Amoori (Moon), ‘Assool (Honey) are like babycakes, sweetie pie, honeybunches etc. Usage depends on the tone, you can either be very lovey-dovey or purposefully cringey.

Unless you’re using babytalk to a literal baby.

6. Those can all also be used with heavy sarcasm/mockery, like when you’re about to tear someone a new one you could be like ‘Ya habibi, ya albi, ya rohi, I’m begging you to stop being such a moron’.

So, yeah, in memes and every day usage it’s habibi, in cheesy flirty scenes it’s ya sokkar/ya ‘assal. In compliments it’s ya amar and in more loving and focused moments it’s rohi, albi, hayati, etc.

(You can use most of these as platonic/familial)

7. There’s also different words for Love. Generally, it’s Hob --> Habibi/Hobi and I Love You is Ana Bahebak. In poetic (romantic) terms, there’s Hawa (Passion/Attraction) like ‘I'm a fool for you’ and ‘Ishq (Ardor) -- think Mr. Darcy’s ‘I love you most ardently’ can both denote the process of falling in love, conjugated as Ahwak and A’shiqaq respectively. There’s also Shoq (Longing/Yearning) which sounds like Shok the word for thorns.

But outside of poetry and songs, I Love You is typically Hob / Ana Bahebak. It’s the clearest and most precise.

To sum up:

Table of comparison:

Habibi = Babe / Sweetie / Darling

Ya Amar = Gorgeous / Beautiful

Hayati = Love of My Life

[gonzo-rella]

AO3 Masterlist

BRIDGERTON

It Is Me (Polin; Penelope Featherington/Colin Bridgerton)

It is the first time since she overheard him declare that he would never dream of courting her that Colin asks Penelope to dance. It is also one of the few times that Penelope denies Colin a dance.

Spite (Peneloise; Penelope Featherington/Eloise Bridgerton)

Their gaze meets for the first time since the Featherington Ball.

Jealousy, Jealousy (Penelope Featherington)

Co-comparison is killin' me slowly I think, I think too much 'Bout kids who don't know me I'm so sick of myself I'd rather be, rather be Anyone, anyone else

Or, the one I wrote to help me work through some shit.

COMMUNITY

Sweet Tooth (Trobed; Troy Barnes/Abed Nadir)

Feeling sick of myself Think I'll try to be someone else Can't be hard to paint a person In my head, create a version The parallel

Guess I must be satisfactory You said you love me exactly the way I am

Or, the Trobed thing I wrote based on some Cavetown lyrics.

CORPSE BRIDE

Blue (Victoria Everglott/Emily)

Confined to her bedroom, Victoria is desperate to escape. However, as she tries to break free, some new and unusual feelings beyond her comprehension begin to surface.

FUTURAMA

Sink to the Bottom (Frender; Philip J. Fry/Bender Rodriguez)

In a fic inspired by 'Sink to the Bottom' by Fountains of Wayne, Bender can't help a heartbroken Fry recover from Leela's rejection. This is something he refuses to accept, not even when Amy expresses concern about his own mental state. Will Bender persevere until his beloved meatbag recovers, or will they go under together?

Aftermath (Frender; Philip J. Fry/Bender Rodriguez)

After Fry gets badly injured on a delivery, Bender is noticeably angry (perhaps not noticeably enough, though, as Amy has to break the news to Fry).

Will Fry successfully get to the root of Bender's anger? Or, will certain feelings be overlooked?

My Hero (Turanga Leela/Amy Wong)

“Gah!”

Leela jerked her head in the direction of the cry. Fry and Zoidberg had halted, while Amy was curled up on the ground, gripping her ankle.

“Oh crap…” Leela sighed, rubbing her forehead in frustration.

-----

When Amy is injured on a delivery-turned-escape-mission, Leela becomes Amy's knight in shining armour.

GRAVITY FALLS

The Search For My Name (Dipper Pines & Mabel Pines)

“You want me to pick a name for you?” he asked, incredulously repeating her words.

She beamed at him.

“Yes!” she answered. “I’ve found so many cool names- I can’t pick which one I wanna call myself!”

HELLUVA BOSS

You Gotta Wanna Break the Heart of All Those Pretty Porcelain Dolls (Chaz/Moxxie)

Perhaps he didn’t deserve to be happy.

MULAN

Him (Fa Ping; Fa Mulan)

Struck by insomnia, Ping finds himself staring at his reflection, or, rather, Mulan.

THE MUPPETS (ALL MEDIA TYPES)

THE GREAT MUPPET CAPER

The First Time it Happens, You Know (Miss Piggy/Nicky Holiday)

She captured Nicky’s gaze like a rare jewel- perhaps that’s why she had been the only thing capable of tearing his eyes from his sister’s priceless necklace, and his thoughts from the Baseball Diamond. His fingers longed to trace her delicate features, to feel her weight in his hands. Digging his nails into his seat would have to suffice for the time being.

---------

A certain pig catches Nicky's eye at the Dubonnet Club. Just for a moment, stealing his sister's necklace and Baseball Diamond are the furthest things from his mind.

MUPPETS FROM SPACE

You've Left Me in the Dark (Gonzo the Great/Rizzo the Rat; Kermit the Frog & Gonzo the Great; Kermit the Frog & Rizzo the Rat)

Once again, Rizzo found himself perched on the windowsill, staring into the vast blackness of the night sky as the chilly air sent shivers throughout his body. Normally, he would get bored of that kind of unchanging view- why people were so awestruck at the sight of the natural world was beyond his comprehension- but, in light of recent events, he couldn’t help but search the sky as though, amongst the stars, he would find what he had lost.

-----

In an AU where Gonzo leaves his friends behind to join his own kind, Rizzo must grapple with his feelings of loss and regret. Luckily, it isn't something he'll have to go through alone.

Distinct (Gonzo the Great & Kermit the Frog; Gonzo the Great & Rizzo the Rat)

"You know what you are, Gonzo?"

"What?"

"Distinct."

------

‘Distinct’. That sure was sugarcoating it…

THE MUPPETS MAYHEM

The Night Breeze Carries Something Sweet (Dr. Teeth/Floyd Pepper)

On an impromptu drive to get Animal to sleep, Floyd and Dr. Teeth realise just how much they enjoy each other's company.

THE MUPPET SHOW

The Shrew (features my OC, Cecil)

After enraging Miss Piggy by harshly (and perhaps hypocritically) criticising her performance in a scene from the Taming of the Shrew, Cecil finds themself being chased around the Muppet Theatre.

OUR FLAG MEANS DEATH

And Again (Blackbeard | Edward Teach & Israel Hands; Blackbeard | Edward Teach/Stede Bonnet) [TW: Self-harm, suicidal thoughts, blood and gore, heavy alcohol consumption] 

Without the warmth of Stede’s touch, the chilling blade of the dagger would have to suffice.

REBECCA

This Was Literally My Homework Assignment (Narrator/Maxim de Winter; Maxim de Winter/Rebecca de Winter)

After the Narrator reveals her costume for Manderley's fancy dress ball, Maxim, in a fit of rage, storms off. Though he can escape the company of his guests, he cannot escape his thoughts, and he certainly cannot escape Her.

Or, an overzealous 16-year-old's response to the homework assignment to 'write the start of [chapter 17] from Max's perspective'.

RICK AND MORTY

The Anthem (Rick Sanchez & Morty Smith [i.e. NOT ROMANTIC])

I don't ever wanna be like you. I don't wanna do the things you do. I don't ever wanna be you. Don't wanna be just like you.

SMILING FRIENDS

Replica of a Smile (Charlie Dompler/Pim)

Charlie finds Pim crying.

That's really underselling it, but it's a drabble, so not much can feasibly happen.

TED LASSO

A Man Left With His Very Own Nothing (Nate Shelley; Nate Shelley & Ted Lasso or Nate Shelley/Ted Lasso)

Richmond loses to West Ham, but it isn't enough for Nate.

WE’RE ALL GOING TO THE WORLD’S FAIR

Get A Load Of This Monster (Casey)

They stared at the screen. Their inverted-self, a digital reflection, stared right back at them.

They blinked. They cleared their throat. They squirmed. They tugged their shirt away from their chest. They swallowed thickly.

“Not again…” they mumbled.

WELCOME HOME

The Neighborhood (Sally Starlet; Wally Darling)

A collection of poems about the characters of Welcome Home.

More to be added as I write them. I intend to write at least one poem about each resident.

WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS (TV)

hey (Nandermo; Guillermo de la Cruz/Nandor the Relentless; Guillermo de la Cruz/Freddie)

'hey'

That’s all it took- a single word, not even spoken- to drown out Nandor.

Catfish (Everyone & Everyone; Nandermo; Guillermo de la Cruz/Nandor the Relentless)

The gang's watching Catfish: The TV Show... for some reason.Nadja's annoyed, Laszlo's bored, Nandor's projecting and Guillermo hates having to explain what's going on.

Waving Goodbye With An Absent-Minded Smile (Laszlo Cravensworth & Colin Robinson)

Laszlo is devastated by the loss of the Boy.

YELLOWJACKETS

All This Devotion (Shauna Shipman/Jackie Taylor)

Now that she’s no longer living in Jackie’s shadow, it feels like Shauna is being burnt.

OR

A very angsty character study of Shauna Shipman and her relationship with/feelings for Jackie Taylor.

[robert-de-niro-only-fans]

"You're All Wet"

Sam "Ace" Rothstein x Reader

Um, I made the decision to call him Ace in this fic, not entirely sure why! Reader and Ace knew each other before he went to Las Vegas and Reader stops in to visit, enjoy!!!

TW: implied smut, cheating, mentions of gang activity

Word Count: 1.7k

Just like any other night at The Tangiers, Ace Rothstein stalks the casino floor, like a predator waiting to pounce at the sight of a cheater in his beloved establishment. As his eyes scan the crowd, carefully watching everyone's body language for anything odd, there's a hitch when he swears he sees someone familiar. His eyes quickly double back and they land on you. In that moment, he feels like he's travelled back to the past and in another world simultaneously.

"(Y/N)?" he blinks in disbelief, "(Y/N), is that you?" He hasn't seen you in years! That face is all too familiar to him, but that body? Well... Let's just say you've grown up a bit.

"I gotta say, you're not looking so sharp right now, Ace, not with that dumbfounded look on your face," you giggle, holding your arms out for a hug, "You look like you've seen a ghost or something!"

He holds you tightly to him, nuzzling into the crook of your neck for a moment before pulling back and getting a better look at your face, "God... I feel like I have! Fuck, where are my manners, how have you been, darlin'?"

As you catch up, wandering away from the pits to somewhere more private, Ace finds his mind wandering back to old times in the Midwest, to when he knew you best. You're Remo Gaggi's only niece; you grew up with nothing but guys around you, guys who are all involved in the family business, so it only made sense that you were so interested in it too. But it was different with you, Gaggi wanted you to wait until you were an adult before getting into anything, so by the time you were allowed to know anything, you took it seriously because you knew you had something to prove being the only girl in the business.

Ace always admired how you came out swinging the minute you turned 18, ready to prove all your cousins and uncles wrong about you. But he really didn't get to see too much of it, before him and Nicky got sent to Las Vegas.

He even remembers their going away party, everyone getting together one last time before moving to the desert to make the bosses more cash than they could dream of. He remembers how you started to tear-up telling him goodbye, but you had a lot of pride and didn't want any of the guys to see you cry. However, you did cry when you finally got a moment alone with him, and Ace wiped your tears, promising you'd see each other again. And now, here you are in, halfway across the country, making sure that promise is kept.

"Where are ya stayin' tonight, doll?"

"Oh, just at some plaza hotel or something," you shrug.

"By yourself?" Sam inquires.

"Yeah, I'm grown now, ya know!"

"Oh no, no, that won't do. A girl like you shouldn't stay by herself in a city like this," he takes your hand across the table your both seated at, "Come stay with me."

"Ace, I don't wanna be a burden..."

"You're not a burden. I'm so happy to see you, it'd be an honor to have you in my home." His grip on your hand tightens reassuringly.

"You sure your wife will be okay with it?" It was the only defense you have left.

"My wife, eh?" He looks left then right slyly, "You know who pays for the place, right? I'll have a guest over if I like."

• • •

The next few days felt like old times but in a whole new place, a much richer and more luxurious place. Your first morning at Sam's house, you woke up early from jet lag, so you took the liberty of making breakfast for everyone. To which you were met with a "You didnt have to do that," when Ace caught you, but it was followed up by him hugging you from behind and laying his head on you, practically sleeping while standing up.

Of course, you hung out with Nicky too! They showed you all around their new stomping grounds out west. However, you can tell that Ace is making an effort to get alone time with you; you'd always had a special bond back home. Hell, you cried over the man when he left! You'd be lying if you said you didn't miss that closeness.

One night, as you're having a relaxing bubble bath in Ace's luxurious guest bathroom, you ponder on how much longer you should stay in Vegas. You bought a one way ticket because you weren't sure how things would go and you didn't want to be stuck here if things got hairy, but now... You feel like you want to stay for a while, but you don't want to take advantage of your friend's kindness either.

Your thoughts are interrupted by the sound of the doorknob wiggling before Ace lets himself in. "What? So you just walk in on girls in the bathroom now? I guess with all these Vegas dancers throwin' themselves at you, you must think you're hot shit or something."

"Oh, hush," he cracks a smile, strolling across the tiled floor before sitting down on the toilet lid.

As he sits back and looks you over, your head and bare shoulders being the only thing exposed, you taunt, "Like the view?"

He lightly snorts and shakes his head at you, "You look good, but I just wanted to spend some time with you before the wife gets home. God knows when that'll be." He rolls his eyes at the thought of his wife.

"You don't think it'll look suspicious, uh, hanging out with me while I'm in the bath?"

His eyes wander as if he's deep in thought, then he shrugs and returns his attention to you. "What did you do today?"

"Nothing too crazy. You and Nicky have had me so busy that I just went out for a mani-pedi," you relax back against the wall of the tub.

"Ooh, let me see," he says, leaning forward towards you. You slide a hand and a foot out from under the mountain of bubbles and hook them on the edge of the tub.

He inspects them before taking his hand in yours and holding it closer to him, "Very pretty, I like the color," he says quietly, then he presses a soft kiss to your knuckles.

"Thank you," you giggle at him.

He returns your chuckle and places a few more kisses to the back of your hand and wrist.

"Ace, what are you doing?!" You squeal!

He simply let's out a hum and continues kissing up your arm, his kisses slowly turning from funny to passionate as he passes your elbow. Ace scoots away from his seat on the toilet and kneels beside your bath, lips never leaving your arm.

You feel that fire creeping up in your belly as he rounds your shoulder, lips and tongue working the soft skin of your clavicle. Your other hand rises up out of the bath water, and you cup the back of the man's head.

Feeling a bit of hesitation, Ace slowly moves his lips towards your neck, receiving a small but pleased exhale from you. As your eyes flutter closed, you tilt your head back, giving him access to your sensitive skin. He suckles and nibbles there for what feels like eternity but also only a second, eliciting a series of breathy moans from your lips.

After placing a few kisses to the spot, he pulls away from you slightly, just enough to see your face. You stare at each other in a haze, familiar eyes locked onto yours, and his better judgement leaves him as he graces his lips across yours. Your lips dance with one another's, eyelashes brushing the other's face, in such a soft gentle moment, before he claims your mouth with his. Your emotions are on high from the passionate kiss, until you remember this isn't old times and this man before you is no longer yours to take.

Your lips part from his, "Sam..." It's just above a whisper.

The use of his first name makes the severity of the situation hang in the air like wind chimes waiting for a breeze, the sound of silence deafening to your ear drums. You'd only ever called him that once before, also in a serious moment: a moment when your confession of your feelings for him hung on the tip of your tongue, but you didn't want him to carry that weight to Vegas with him.

His eyes glance over your visage, that beautiful face filled with worry. You should never feel anything but happiness, Ace thinks to himself. The rough pad of his thumb gently strokes your cheek, while the rest of his fingers nestle just behind your ear. Your eyes are cast down, trying not to look at him, so you don't see it coming when he leans forward and kisses you again.

Your lips move together once again, and your hands find his shoulders, gripping onto him as if he might slip away. You sit up on your knees in the bathtub, and immediately Ace's arms are around your waist, pulling your soaking wet body close to his. His hands tangle in your damp locks, and he fumbles around before throwing a leg over the wall of the bath tub and sliding into the water with you. He settles down onto his knees and pulls you across his lap, never breaking your kiss.

Your fingertips comb through his hair, as your making out slows to a halt. Gently cupping his cheek, you take a look at him, "You're all wet," you state quietly.

Slowly, this elicits laughter from both of you. You both stay like that for a moment before he takes you in his arms and lifts you from your bath, carefully stepping out and leaving a hefty trail of water leading right to the guest bedroom where you've been staying.

That night as he makes love to you with his clothes piled in a wet heap on the floor all around the bed, the only thing on his mind is you. He's waited what feels like a lifetime to have you, so nothing would keep him from you, not even the sound of his wife coming home somewhere between rounds 3 and 4.

[gffa]

I swore for about ten entire minutes that I wasn’t going to do a set of recs for THE OLD GUARD, I was just going to watch the movie, indulge in a bit of fanart, and then I would be done. But then I was like HOW ABOUT I HAVE SOME FEELINGS INSTEAD? and here we are. So HAVE SOME FEELINGS ABOUT ANCIENT IMMORTALS AND REASONABLY ANCIENT IMMORTALS AND BABY IMMORTALS.  COME YELL ABOUT FEELINGS WITH ME, FANDOM. THE OLD GUARD RECS: ✦ An Unrecorded History by xpityx, joe/nicky, 1.1k    Joe closed the book and dropped it none too carefully on the table. He would have liked to have thrown it away—to prevent anyone else from reading it—but it was far too easy to make copies of books in these times, so he knew it would be no use. He also could not quite bring himself to discard something as precious as a book, no matter how poorly written it was. ✦ keep yourself alive for me by retts, joe/nicky, NSFW, 1.7k    Nicky grabbed Joe’s hand and pulled him towards the stairs, not that there was any resistance from Joe. ‘If I remember correctly, this one has two bathrooms, doesn’t it?’ ✦ let’s give them something to talk about by lacecat, joe/nicky & andy/nile, nsfw, 4.8k    In which Nicky and Joe take liberties with recounting history, because it’s fun. ✦ Family Dinner by dadvans, joe/nicky & nile, 2.4k    The only time Nile ever sleeps a full night and feels remotely part of herself is when she stays with Nicky and Joe, who shampoo brains out of each other’s hair in the shower and clean their guns on the couch watching Chopped reruns. ✦ one burning candle, one wind-whipped flame by Dialux, joe/nicky & andy, 5.1k    Yusuf dies, and dies, and dies, and lives, as well, for a thousand years. Nicolo’s by his side for all of them, and it’s not quite the love story of eternity, but it’s theirs: and that’s enough for them both ✦ Future Days by maroon, joe/nicky & andy/noriko, 2.1k    “Then why untie me?” The man grins, terribly amused, and awfully affectionate. Andromache wants to look away, but for some reason, can’t. Maybe because the look in his eye reminds her of herself, a lifetime ago. “Because my beloved is soft, and kind, and will flay me alive if he’d known I tied up a woman.” ✦ Islands of Hours by RC_McLachlan, joe/nicky, 1.5k    There eventually comes a lull, and so they go to Malta. ✦ take out by j_gabrielle, joe/nicky & nile, ~1k    It probably should bother her when Joe kicks the door to the flat open and promptly marches in to deposit their takeout on the living room table. All while he is tracking half-dried blood and mud on the shiny tile floors. “You, ah,” Nile says even as she hurries to pick through the night’s offerings. “They let you on the subway like that?” ✦ all a smooth plain, and the soil deep by inlovewithnight, andy & nile & joe & nicky, 2.1k    After London, they all need to rest. ✦ we are golden by retts, joe/nicky, ~1k    Joe lowers his gaze to the open page on his lap. The sketch is of a man on a charging horse, hair and beard whipping in the wind, sword in one hand and a shield in the other. The eyes in the drawing are the same eyes watching him now. His Nicolo. 'You were a hard fucker to kill back then, Nicky.’ ✦ An eagle’s old age, a sparrow’s youth by BakedAppleSauce, joe/nicky, 2.2k    Joe comes shuffling back into the room, heavy footsteps that mean he’s either tired, or not really trying, or both. Familiar as breathing. Nicky’d recognize him anywhere, walking among a million of strangers. In which some people are laying low for a while, in more ways than one. ✦ A Most Forgetful Death by RC_McLachlan, joe/nicky, 1.2k    “You’re an incurable romantic,” Nicky says, and though his expression doesn’t so much as twitch, Joe can hear the laughter languishing between the words, can feel it on his tongue and rubbing up against his teeth when Nicky meets him halfway to smear a kiss against his mouth. ✦ Luce e ombre by sheafrotherdon, andy & nile, 1.2k    The discomfort is so new that it startles her, and she searches her memory to remember a time before she was immortal: a time when a cut, a scrape, a bruise hurt for longer than a moment, long enough to interrupt sleep. The memories don’t come ✦ When I Am with You by takethisnight_wrapitaroundme, joe/nicky, NSFW, 5.4k    “You… would like to waste a thousand euros’ worth of champagne by pouring it all over me?” Nicky has to repeat it aloud to make sure he’s heard right. While spending some quality time together on vacation in France, Nicky has a surprise for Joe. And Joe, as it turns out, has a surprise for Nicky. ✦ the common tongue of your loving me by spokenitalics, joe/nicky, NSFW, 1.4k    “It’s just— Do you ever wonder how much we’ve forgotten?” Nicky asks, eventually. “How many names and faces and places have just… faded away from our memory?” ✦ i have loved you for a thousand years by owilde, ~1k    It’s him. Again. Yusuf shields his eyes from the blinding desert sunlight, staring into the near distance where a man is stood, alone, a harsh silhouette cut against the bright blue sky and peach-coloured sand. ✦ this is why by retts, joe/nicky, 1.2k    Small as it was, they had their own room in the London safe house, which was a good thing because Joe was prying open Nicky’s mouth with his fingers. Not with his tongue, much as Nicky would prefer it, but with three calloused fingers sneaking inside his lips as if Nicky wouldn’t wake up from the intrusion. He was on his back, Joe pressed closer to him than his own shadow. The slant of moonlight from the window illuminated Joe’s dark eyes as he bent over Nicky. Joe sucked in the corner of his mouth, a tell that he’d never shaken off all these long centuries. ✦ I Found Peace in Your Violence by j_gabrielle, joe/nicky, 1.5k    5 Times Joe and Nicky kill each other + 1 (of many) times they killed someone together ✦ life is very long by kaydeefalls, joe/nicky & andy & nile & booker & quynh & copley, 7.1k    Andromache tells him: “The Greeks used to have seven different words for love. Well. More, probably. But I remember seven.” She shrugs. “There are many ways to love one another, and life is long. We’ve time enough for them all. It’s the only thing that makes it worthwhile.” Nicky and his immortal family, over the centuries. ✦ take a breath by BeStillMySlashyHeart, joe/nicky & andy & nile & booker, 1k    Once they are safe, Nicky and Joe take a moment together. ✦ Between the Hour and the Age by hauntedjaeger (saellys), andy & nile & joe & nicky, 2.5k    “To the Art Institute of Chicago,” Andy echoes, “so that my breasts may be culturally appreciated in perpetuity.” She tips the bottle and lets out three drops. As they fall to the stone floor, Joe and Nicky rap their knuckles on the nearest pieces of metal: the other lantern for Nicky, the oxidized helmet for Joe. One rap for each drop. In another time, they might have struck their swords on shields. ✦ how we live by retts, joe/nicky, ~1k    Life, though, brings pain. Goddamn pain. Bullets that struck his cranium and pelvis – the big bones in the body – are forced out. The rest went through him, carrying organ tissue and muscle with them. Those lost bits have to be regrown. Bones realign and the ribs in his lungs retract so they can breathe again. So Nicky can breathe again. And when he breathes, he thinks, Yusuf. ✦ Paradeisos by Enneara, joe/nicky, 2.9k    Traveling through Greece with Yusuf after fleeing the Holy Land, Nicolò suffers a crisis of faith. ✦ The Language of Love by 1derspark, joe/nicky & andy/quynh & booker & nile, 4.5k    Or five times Nicky hears Joe speak his language and one time Nicky returns the favor. ✦ Le Vite by ScribeofArda, joe/nicky & andy & nile & booker, 8k    Nicky breathes out. “What did I miss?” he asks, staring out at the hills. “Why didn’t I see this coming?” After everything, after finding Nile and losing Booker and Andy’s new mortality, Joe is pissed off. Nicky is just tired. ✦ The god of my idolatry by Petra, andy/nile, NSFW, 3.4k    “You said you were worshipped as a god.” “I was.” Nile steels herself and asks, “Would you like to do it again?” Andy laughs and throws back the contents of her glass. “They don’t teach you pick-up lines in the Marines, do they.” ✦ love is not over by retts, joe/nicky & andy & nile, 1.3k    'Babe, do you know what this reminds me of?’ asked Nicky. Joe licked his lips and tilted his head to the side, gaze intent on the mole on Nicky’s cheek. 'What?’ 'The first time you drew me.’ ✦ Case Analysis by skeeno, joe/nicky & andy & booker & copley, 3.4k    It’s not totally out of the ordinary for the people Copley meets in his line of work to be extraordinary. But he’s intrigued by these four. ✦ compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience by Jack_R, joe/nicky & andy & quynh, 11.9k    ���You are a shame to your countrymen and the lowest of the low,’ Yusuf said, ‘and your mother copulated with a dog.’ ✦ Everything in moderation (even moderation) by BakedAppleSauce, joe/nicky, NSFW, 6.1k    The novelty has worn off, of course, but it’s not the novelty that keeps anybody coming back, anyway. Novelty never sustains anything. ✦ What the Water Takes by xpityx, andy & nile & quynh, 1k    Here is a secret she will never write down. ✦ Stracciatella by ScribeofArda, joe/nicky & andy & nile, 4.8k    “None of us have any evidence of the ways we have died,” Nicky continues. “But you remember the fall, don’t you? You remember the first time you died, the way your blood spilled out as your throat was slashed. I remember the first time I died, when the love of my life drew his sword across my neck as I drove mine into his chest and we both fell to the sand.”

[antiduck]

Project Hoshiverse: Alice the Tenrec and Tiara the Chao

Welp, I recently got new designs of a few of my OCs for my Project Hoshiverse. This time it’s for my Nicky the Hedgehog OCs, named Alice the Tenrec and Tiara the Chao.

Alice is a rich, peppy young girl who absolutely loves fashion and style, and always has a different dress to wear for each day and occasion.

She would move into Sonic City located on South Island, the city where Nicky and Maddie live. She lives with her beloved Chao named Tiara and her father in a mansion, luxurious and extravagant. Ever since moving into Sonic City, she would meet Nicky and Maddie, and become very good friends with them, loving to hang out with them, as well as encourage them to go out on many social gatherings, such as shopping, going to the mall, fairs, and even concerts of many kinds. As Nicky and Maddie have focused more on adventures and their pursuits in getting stronger, Alice often pushes them into more social gatherings and constantly encourages them to open up and make new friends.

Everywhere she goes, she is always with her beloved Tiara, the two of them inseparable, and always having each others backs, ever since she raised it at a very young age.

Hopefully soon I’ll also develop a Toyhouse page for the both of them, so be on the look out for that, plus more infodumping of more of my Project Hoshiverse OCs in the future. Art drawn by: https://twitter.com/CreechurrTweets