#the panels are from a nyx fic!

[ivypond11]

something something normscary. rotating in my brain like a rostisserie chicken <3

[doraambrose]

saw ur batfam fanon takes - and question: can you even find fanfic that doesn’t have any of that?

i agree with 95% of ur post, but just on a personal level, I love a good dad bruce fic. bc i grew up reading comics and the good dad bruce panels were few and far between, I love fanon content of him fixing his relationship with his kids, it heals my inner child lol

anyways, back to my qs, do u have and strictly canon fic recs then?

Hello! This is my first ask ever so excuse my excitement lol. In terms of fics that are strictly Canon, I have not found one yet. There are some fics that have some of those elements, but theyre slight enough that it doesnt ruin the whole story. But to be fair, I haven't been reading a whole lot lately as I am very busy with work and school. I will admit that I do have some guilty pleasure fics that are definitely not Canon. @lightwing-s is writing a series called "baby steps" that I have been loving as a guilty pleasure. I'm also on this forum on the DC universe infinite website and a friend of mine who lives near my dad writes REALLY GOOD redhood stories and her dream is to write for him as a DC writer. That's invite only but maybe one day, I'll ask her if I can share some of her writing. I also dont read a whole lot of fics that don't center around Jason Todd. I'm also into sickfics and hurt fics, mental health, that kind of stuff (unfortunately thats where most of the bruce calling jason sweetheart comes from 🤢) There are some fics that I do like :

Pinstripedjackalope on AO3 has a couple good jason sickfics that show jason and Roy in a platonic friendship as well. The Curse of a Turkey Sandwich and Stick the Landing are really good

I just recently read this fic with jason and rose wilson that I kind of enjoyed, but I'll admit it's a little offbrand for Rose. It's also on AO3, it's Respite by Creatchure

There's a fic I have wanted to read but haven't gotten a chance yet called Nyx the destroyer from the shadows by killkid001

There's also this fic on AO3 that I loved a lot about Jason and Tyler and their first night together after jason adopted him. It was really great but I just can't find it anywhere now.

That's all off the top of my head because I have the memory of a goldfish but I'll post some fic recs as I find them :)

Thanks!

[noxulric]

Please continue the comics of Noct trying to run away from Nyx. They're hilarious.

I’m so happy you find that mini comics hilarious anon! but another continuation might be impossible coz I don’t know what happen next TT__TT

I enjoyed drawing oblivious Noctis so much and tbh this post reminded me of @jazzraft’s nyxnoct fic in Dark at Night series. I love that series so  much particularly that fic~ Noctis finally realizing his feelings for Nyx with Prompto’s help is just 👌👌👌👌👌👌💯💯💯💯💯💯

and yeah, i ended up drawing that scene because i love it!

please forgive me, i’m a comic artist wannabe :’D

[countessofbiscuit]

What are your Bobasoka headcanons? I've already gone through all of the (criminally little) fic on ao3 and I especially loved Smothered and Covered, and I saw the majority of the fics in the tag were gifted to you so I'm assuming you're the OG shipper. Feel free to essay if you like!!

Thanks for the ask and kind words about that fic :3 

Oh, Bobasoka … where to begin? It’s a pairing that’s been bumping around in exchange requests for a few years — I figure it’d be easy for anyone invested in Ahsoka’s relationship with the clones to be compelled by the idea. Lledra used to draw Boba and Ahsoka interacting, and it was probably a few panels of their incredible Destinies comic that set my Bobasoka wheels turning. I’m also drawn to them because their journeys traverse so much canon; there’s not just a sandbox to play in, but a whole goddamn stretch of beach, stretching far out into the horizon ...  (#AhsokaLives #BobaSurvived :D)

I have to lead with the proviso that almost everything I write/daydream about/headcanon has a groundsheet of Rexsoka. Ahsoka’s interest in Boba, in my head, is intimately tied up with her attraction to and/or relationship with Rex — or, at the bare minimum, her intimate fellowship with the clones. She went through puberty (maybe with heats!) surrounded by a literal army of handsome, roughly college-aged dudes; that must’ve been a heady mix of heaven and hell. If she didn’t quench her thirst before war’s end and her (eventual) separation from Rex, she’d probably be pretty dehydrated when stumbling across Boba. As for Boba’s attraction to Ahsoka, well ... she’s very pretty, she’s potentially useful, she’s not likely to skewer him in his sleep (+2) on account of being a Jedi (-1), and now she’s the one down on her luck; if he falls in bed with anyone, why not this girl who isn’t afraid of him and stares a lot at his lips?                         

And Boba is like a hot shipping potato — satisfying, hard to fuck up, goes well (read: makes for an intriguing story) with almost everyone. And I think it has everything to do with his liminality, something he shares with Ahsoka and probably recognizes.          

Their neither-this-nor-that-ness overlap in such interesting ways, and they each bring their identity issues to the table — Ahsoka as an on-again, off-again Jedi; Boba as a clone who isn’t a Clone™, a Mandalorian by birth and bearing, but not by the book. At different points in their stories, they identify as different things, and that would affect their headspace and color their view of the other. They wrestle with themselves and each other. Force-user and bounty hunter; privileged topsider and orphaned juvenile delinquent fugitive; GAR commander and outcast clone; Jedi and Mandalorian; Disillusioned veteran and disaffected army brat; Rebellion agent and Imperial contractor.

And as much conflict is baked into these dynamics, it also generates a certain magnetism; and I believe they recognize, on some level, their shared trauma and the symmetry in their experiences. Boba and Ahsoka both have happy childhoods with very little to distress or vex them (beyond the art, I do not jive with Age of Republic: Jango Fett, a Disney-canon comic that not only doubles-down on the Jango-wasn’t-Mando nonsense, but shows him being rather cavalier about Boba’s life); Geonosis happens and their adolescent lives are dominated by war (which is how they came to actively threaten each other as space!secondary-schoolers — whaaaaatf!); they are both dubiously (even wrongfully) imprisoned; and they both suffer alienation and incredible personal loss.  

Boba was set apart from the clones before he was even pulled him from the jar, othered and elevated from the beginning. He never bonded with brothers, he does not identify as a clone. And while there are examples of clones making overtures to him, canonically his relationship with them is fraught and probably made worse when he gets banged up in Republic Central at the tender age of eleven or twelve — and of course, Ahsoka is an accessory to this, the second chapter in his tragedy at the hands of the Jedi. He needed help (whether he wanted it or not), it was not given by clones or Jedi alike (hamstrung by bureaucracy, sure, but surely some other means of intervention might have been lobbied for?), and Boba becomes a right teenage disaster, well-balanced only in the sense that he has a chip on both shoulders.

(n.b. Putting my RepComm hat on for a second, I can’t help but sniffle-laugh at the idea that the Alphas watched him get thrown in a maximum-security slammer and were like “Ah, there he is, the feral vod’ika. First time, we’ll let the little snot earn his stripes. Second time, we’ll bust him out and send him on a tough love retreat with A’den or Jaing.”)

Ahsoka, meanwhile, is part-and-parcel of the institutions that Boba sets himself against, even after she too has been cast out by circumstances beyond her control. She grows up in a supportive Jedi community and then spends some seriously formative years with a whole slew of brothers — brothers that should have been Boba’s! 

Boba, on the other hand, is a great example of the proverb that a child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth. (As he tells Hondo, “Why should I help anybody? I’ve got no one.”) 

The resentment that must create! But also, later, the quiet empathy too — maybe when Boba’s having one of his better days and Ahsoka’s obviously not. 

And all of the above is interesting enough, without also touching upon the wildcard that is Mandalore.

Boba’s relationship with Mandalore .... well, that’s contested in- and out-of-universe and I won’t allow myself to essay overmuch. I subscribe firmly to a Mandalorian Fetts construction of canon, even though Boba must be someone who struggles mightily with Mandalorian identity. He’s raised by a bona fide Mando, a solicitous, loving father who’d have no reason not to pass on his language and beliefs; but at the same time, it takes that village, and when Boba’s clan of two is shattered, he has no one else. The loss of his dad unmoors him from his only anchor to Mandalorian culture and clan.

If Boba had been close to the Cuy’val Dar, one would think he’d have turned to them rather than fall in with Jango’s criminal acquaintances; or maybe the bounty hunters just scooped him up first, and troubled lil’ Boba was shepherded through bereavement by folks who enabled and encouraged him to externalize his anger in a way that gave him a (false) feeling of agency and strength. 

Whatever the reasons, Boba does not repatriate himself to Mandalore (much to Fenn Shysa’s melodramatic dismay). He strikes me as a lapsed Mandalorian; he doesn’t exactly follow the creed besides wearing the armor (scavenged? his dad’s sans helmet? canon is confused on this point, but he doesn’t go Mando until the unfinished arcs at the end of TCW, either for lack of stature, lack of armor, or lack of enthusiasm). I feel like if someone rocked up to Boba in a cantina and had the balls to ask “hey, so you a Mandalorian?” Boba would be like “<ominously slow helmet tilt> who’s asking” and never give you a straight answer.

Meanwhile, Ahsoka gets a crash course on Mandalore from none other than someone who, at one point, belonged to a sect that wanted to expunge Jaster’s legacy from the galaxy — and at the very least, had reason to dislike clones. This isn’t the place to explore my Boba/Bo-Katan feelings, but know that they are fathomless, and I would pay good money to be a fly on the wall of that Kom’rk when Bo-Katan gives Ahsoka Mando History 101 with her own special sauce. Ahsoka is probably more up-to-speed on Mandalore than Boba, and at one point, she may even own more beskar than him! (n.b. After the crash, I think one of the first places Rex and Ahsoka bounce is just inside Mando space, to scope out the Sundari situation and maybe try to scramble a signal to Bo-Katan; she’d have the goodwill to at least get them back on their feet if she can’t help them lay low herself. For a variety of reasons worth maybe ficcing down the line, they aren’t successful.)

I don’t really have a concluding statement except, I just think Bobasoka’s neat :) They hit all my depressed-Millennial buttons.

Headcanon by bullet-point isn’t really my style, but this is tumblr so ... tl;dr:

They recognize a lot in each other, even if they’re slow to admit it, if ever. Boba’s a cagey bastard and Ahsoka doesn’t ever like him enough to be emotionally honest.

They bump into each other during Ahsoka’s walkabout(s) ‘cause Coruscant’s Underworld ain’t big enough for the two of them. Without Slave-1, Boba couchsurfs at Nyx Okami’s garage, but he does his laundry at Rafa’s. He might even borrow the Martez’s new, useful friend for a job or two. 

Ahsoka eventually matures enough to be sensitive about her use of the Force on and around clones, and she definitely doesn’t use it around Boba. Definitely not during sex.

Boba is privately weirded out every time Ahsoka uses Mando slang she picked up off the clones or the Nite Owls.

Boba absolutely kills Cad Bane in that shoot-out, keeps the hat, and lets Ahsoka have it. She shoves it out the airlock and uses it for target practice. 

So many great smut flavours! Hatesex. Acquaintances with benefits. “You’re traumatized and touch-starved and you look just like him/them, and I know how to be gentle and what to do, so maybe we could … ?” They’re both privately comfortable with their bodies and sexuality, but Boba’s got trust issues a parsec long and Ahsoka’s lost confidence; it’s always an awkward affair, but desperation wins out.

They exchange comm codes every time they run into each other, which is kind of pointless because they both use burners.

Ahsoka hitches a ride on Slave-1 more than once. There really is only one bed, so it’s either sleep upright, sleep in a pokey prisoner hold, or sleep with him.

For a few years, Boba can pass as a last-generation clone — the ones that got sold off in bulk units to slavers before Kamino sunk another three years’ food, board, and training into them. Boba pretends he doesn’t notice, easy to really, since he tells himself his helmet is his face. But occasionally, when Ahsoka can convince him there’s profit in it, he agrees to play sleeper agent and assists in liberating a few here and there. 

They don’t talk about Aurra Sing.

When an Imp really crosses him, Boba passes on intel to Ahsoka to ruin their day.

Once, when they’re both super skint, Ahsoka volunteers to get handed in to some relatively minor and out-of-the-way Imperial garrison, so Boba can collect, bust her out, and split the pot with her. It’s the closest she ever comes to telling him “I trust you” — and when he brushes the idea aside, citing something about risk, it’s the closest he ever comes to telling her “I love you.”

Boba sees Inquisitors as muscling in on his game. There are so many lousy Force-users around nowadays, it should be easy pickings, but Inquisitors get privileged information. So he makes sport out of misdirecting them, especially from Ahsoka. 

When he pisses her off, Ahsoka fantasizes about Bo-Katan taking Boba down a peg or two while she watches :)))

Boba experienced Ahsoka’s heat once, secondhand through a cabin wall. He thought he was being clever by shooting Rex up with some Nevoota stim pollen, locking him in with Ahsoka, and hijacking their locked ships. Longest three days of his life, limping on broken hyperdrives and shared fuel stores to the nearest waystation to a soundtrack of violent lovemaking : \

Bounty hunters invariably bump into spies and agents because they work in the same areas. The agents pretend to be bounty hunters, eccentric business people, sex workers, or a range of other things. Sometimes each party knows all about the other, but it’s only polite not to mention it. This happens to Ahsoka and Boba A LOT, especially once she becomes Fulcrum; rebel cells and Imperials often want the same people. Occasionally they exchange fire. A couple times Boba gets imprisoned in Ahsoka’s own brig. Once, Boba blows her cover and definitely lives to regret it. 

(this essay was originally punctuated with pics, but replies with images won’t show up tumblr tags so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯) 

[shinsorokiri]

UA Idol | Chapter One

Hitoshi Shinsou x Reader

Word Count: 2,058

Warnings: Language, big anxiety

A/N: So here’s chapter one! This is the first My Hero fic I’ve ever written and published, so I hope everyone who reads it enjoys it! Now, there’s gonna be a lot of chapters. I’m not sure how many yet, but it will be updated every week, so every Saturday (where I live) is when I will upload! There will also be a tag list, so let me know if you would like to be on it. I have a lot of ideas for this, and I hope I’m able to translate them through writing. Anyways, please enjoy!

UA Idol Masterlist

───────────────────────────────────

You anxiously picked at the number stickered onto your thigh. “Mina, I really don’t think I should be here, this is a lot,” you mumble, motioning your head to the camera crew in front of you setting up. “Oh shush, (Y/n/n). The only reason they’re interviewing us is because we’re cute and are friends and they’re hoping one of us will get through while the other doesn’t and there will be drama, and we both know that if that happens there will only be support. Although I think we’ll both get through. You especially.” You snort at her enthusiasm and shake your head. “Definitely not, but okay. Whatever you say.”

“Okay! Give us your name and where you two are from and if you have any specific reason you’re here.”

“Well, I’m Mina and I’m from Tokyo, and this is (Y/n) and she’s from (hometown). We’re actually roommates and best friends, not to brag, but I’m really here to support her! She’s amazing!”

“Literally shut up, Mina you’re better than me,” you mumble, rolling your eyes at your enthusiastic best friend. “I most definitely am not! Besides, this is a great fuck you to your ex. You know the one who told you that you would never be able to become a singer and shit on you every opportunity he got.”

“Yeah. Thank you for bringing him up.”

“Yes! Thank you for bringing him up! Could you talk about him a little more? If that’s okay?”

You stare at the producer and sigh. “Yeah. Sure, whatever. I had a boyfriend a while back who didn’t support me in my artsy ways. Since he was older, he would always make sure I knew that he thought it was a childish hobby, and that I should grow up and do something that I would actually be able to survive on. He kind of ruined my love for music, but after he broke up with me, I got it back since it was how I coped with it.”

“So, you’re here to get back at him? Show him what you’re made of?”

“Well, no... but that would be pretty dope, not gonna lie, he can go fuck himself,” you say, with a small smirk on your face. After a few more questions about your ex-boyfriend and yours and Mina’s crippling student debt, the producers wander off to someone else. “They are totally using your story for television,” Mina says, and you scoff. “They only use stories for people who they want the audience to vote for, I know how these shows work,” you say, glancing around and having your eyes land on the next poor soul the producers trapped. Looked like it was a very sleepy purple haired e-boy. Damn. He’d for sure make it through if this competition was based off of looks alone. How the hell were you supposed to compete with people who looked like that. “I don’t think I should be here, Mina,” you mumble, tearing your eyes away from him. Unbeknownst to you your gaze was replaced by his as his quick little interview ended. “What? (Y/n), stop with that! What were you just looking at that made you even think that?” Mina asks, frantically searching around. “Well the producers were-”

“Oh my god! Denki?! (Y/n), that’s one of the guys I was really good friends with when we were in high school, come on you have to meet him,” Mina cuts you off, literally dragging you over. “Mina?! Why didn’t you tell me you were gonna be here?! We have phones you know,” You watch the blonde with a black streak in his hair tackle your best friend in a hug with an unamused expression. You didn’t want to meet anyone. You were tired. The anxiety of this situation kept you up all night long. Then again, staying up all night was normal for you. At least you looked bomb though. You felt the burning sensation of someone staring at you, so naturally you turn your head in that direction. Your eyes were met with the back of the purple haired boys messy head, but no one was looking though, so you shrug it off. Probably someone just scoping out the competition or something. “Denki, this is-”

“Contestants number 14788 and 14789? Follow me please,” a producer cuts off Mina and you feel a wave of anxiety wash over you. You grip the neck of your guitar tighter than you had been gripping it before. It’s not performing that makes you nervous, it’s performing in front of the panel of world-renowned judges that makes you nervous. And try as you might you can’t hide it. “Oh, shit, sorry Denki, I’ll talk to you after, okay? See ya!”

“Break a leg, Mina,” Denki says as Mina links arms with you and pulls you along with her happy steps. “I’ll introduce him to you after we both make it, I wanna know more about his friend anyways, so he better not leave until I interrogate him,” she starts rambling and you laugh a bit. “Awww, does Mina have a crush on the purple haired boy? Pink and purple go well together, you know.”

“No, she doesn’t. She thinks that you would look great with him though.”

“No. Not happening.”

“Come on, (Y/n), you gotta put yourself out there! It’s been two whole years since he who shall not be named broke up with you, you can-”

“Mina. Drop it. Please.”

“…Okay. So, I’m going first. hopefully I come out with a golden ticket, but if I don’t don’t let that psych you out, okay? You got this you crazy talented bitch,” Mina says, trying to lighten the mood. She knows you don’t want to be in a relationship ever again after what happened with your ex, but she can’t help it. She loves playing matchmaker and she just wants you to be happy. Recently you’ve been a little sadder the usual, so she’s concerned. It was like she turned back time to when you two first moved into your apartment and you were dealing with school and your douche of an ex. She knows you find Denki’s friend attractive, he’s 100% your type and you two would look amazing as a couple. Not to mention that his friend just so happened to be staring at you at any moment you weren’t looking in his general direction. Not able to read her mind going 100 miles a minute, you just nod at her words as you come face to face with the most famous emcee there is. Hizashi Yamada. Better known as his stage name, Present Mic, PM for short. “HELLO!!! You two look amazing! You ready to become the next UA Idol or what?!” he says, way too enthusiastically. You always wondered just how loud he was in real life, and he rivals Mina. That’s saying something. “I’m totally ready!” she responds, and you laugh at PM’s face when he realizes she’s just as loud, if not louder, than him. “So, you’re both auditioning, right? Are you going together? Separate?”

“Separate, we’re just here to wait outside for moral support,” Mina responds, and he nods. “Awesome! Well, tell me your names! If you two get through to Hell Week there’s a good chance you’ll be televised, so I would like to just talk for a minute!” he says, and you both introduce yourselves again. “Amazing! I’m assuming you two are great friends, I mean you must be pretty important to each other to have it just be you two with no partners or family or anything coming. Reminds me of me and Aizawa!”

“Yeah, but we’re just best friends actually! And roommates, we moved here away from our families and we’re both single, so all we have is each other,” Mina says, pulling you into a quick little squeeze. Present Mic screams something about how adorable that was before wishing Mina luck and sending her in. Shockingly, you’re both quiet as you hear her audition begin, and unsurprisingly, she flawlessly hits all the notes in Lady Marmalade. Her voice isn’t only loud when she talks, after all. PM’s eyes go big as he points at the door, looking at you and mouthing “She’s really good!” You just grin and nod. This isn’t news to you. After hearing her blast Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey all the time and belting out their runs and matching their high notes for about three years, it’s not shocking to you how great she can sing this song. Eventually, her singing stops, and PM waits a minute or two before he begins talking again, not necessarily quiet, but quieter than before. “I did not expect that kind of soul to come out of that little body of hers!”

“Yeah, she can be unpredictable like that... now imagine living with her,” you mumble, half kidding and half serious, but he laughs at that. Loudly. Not even a moment later, Mina walks through the doors and violently shakes the ticket in her hand at you. “I DID IT! I DID IT, KICK ASS, TAKE NAMES, AND MAKE SURE YOU COME TO HELL WEEK WITH ME SO YOU’RE NOT ALONE AT THE APARTMENT FOR A WHOLE WEEK!”

“I won’t be alone; Nyx will be there she is great company.”

“(Y/n), she is a black cat.”

“She is our third roommate and you will treat her as such,” you point your finger at her before PM gives you the clear to go in the room. “Make sure to hit your mark! That’s the tape shaped like a T on the floor! Break a leg,” he says, giving you two thumbs up. You nervously make your way through the short hallway, eventually landing right smack in the middle of the room. You make sure to hit the mark, as PM instructed, and you need to tell yourself to calm down as you look at four of the most influential people in music. In front of you sat Shouta Aizawa, Keigo Takami, Nemuri Kayama, and Toshinori Yagi.

Better known as just Aizawa, a well-known singer-songwriter. He stays behind the scenes mostly, and the rumor is he’s written over 20,000 songs for himself as well as other artists. The majority of course go to other artists, as he isn’t a big fan of all the fame and things, but the few albums he’s put out have some of your favorite songs ever written. He’s genuinely someone you’ve been looking up to for years upon years.

Then there’s Keigo Takami, who is known as Hawks. He chose his stage name because he’s always admired the strength and freedom of hawks and he decided that he wanted to be the same way. And he is, he literally can do everything. Every song of his sounds different, varying from rock to country. A lot of people really support his country music considering he calls his fans his chickadees. People just think it fits. The genre he seems to gravitate toward the most is definitely more of a rock vibe, even having his own band. And yes, the band’s emblem is a pair of red wings.

Next to him is Nemuri Kayama, or Midnight. She’s a world-famous popstar, but she makes sure to include some soul sounding belts in every single one of her songs. She’s Mina’s literal idol, and the amount of times you’ve had to listen to Midnight’s songs? So many. So many times. Not that you were complaining, her voice is amazing. You just wished she didn’t sing about love and sex all the fucking time.

And finally, there’s Toshinori Yagi. People tend to shorten his name to Nori, but he’s the most famous judge here. Not only does he own the All Might Record Label, he has won 11 Grammys, his music is played everywhere all the time, and he manages some of the biggest stars today. Unlike his rival record company, Endeavor Records, it’s said that Toshinori is ridiculously nice as well as a little strange, but in comparison to Enji Todoroki? The nicest man to walk the planet. 100%. Not to mention he’s also a singer himself. His songs are instant smashes, and everyone loves his voice. Even if he isn’t mean, he’s so ridiculously powerful in the business.

To say you were intimidated was an understatement.

[redfoxline]

So....I haven't truly drawn in years but I got super inspired by Ertrunkenerwassergeist's beautiful fic "Thunder Heart" so watch me struggle to draw Nyx smiling at Cor from that scene in the restaurant in chapter 9.

Obviously this is a WIP. Let's all pray I can somehow draw Cor's back. I don't have a clue how I will manage with my 18 pencils box lol.

Also hair are hard to draw. Why???

I gave Nyx only two beans in black and red but I can't even remember if these colors have a special meaning in the fic (only you don't give a Ostium girl a blue and green bead before even asking her to a story-telling).

Update: it's finished and I don't know how ro draw clothes either lol. Please ignore the weird green line, they're supposed to be surrounded by panels wirh green and flowers around but background is for level 6 and I'm a poor level 1.

Also thank you @ertrunkenerwassergeist for digging my will to draw from its grave! It's been dead for almost 10 years, just so you know. XD

But you wrote this amazing fic and I caught a bad case of feelings.

[luxroyalty]

I added some things onto a fic I wrote awhile ago.

Regis leaned over the balcony, a lit cheap cigarette in his hand. It stained the air with the smell of it, and he brought it to his lips and breathed it in. 

He was hidden there, hedges both sides of him, and he closed his eyes when the wind brushed over him. He was just so tired. Clarus was probably looking for him, as well as everybody else, and he just wanted a moment. It would be bad if Clarus found him with a cigarette anyway, as he said he had quit years ago. It wasn't like they were the things that would kill him, anyway. He breathed the cigarette in again, a let out little smoke rings. He put out the stub of it on the ashtray he kept here, and picked up another one from his packet. He lit it with a touch of fire magic, cupping it to shield it from the wind. Regis leaned on the balcony harder, a hand under his chin as he looked out at Insomnia. It was almost dusk, and lights were just starting to be lit. He sighed. With lidded eyes he took in another breath of the cigarette. It was his favourite brand - cheap as anything and tasted the nicest. Relatively, anyway. He’d been smoking since he was seventeen, sneaking it in around his duties. Now he was King, and he was still sneaking around with his bad habit. Regis tilted his head, breathing out the smoke, as he heard the sound of someone walking nearby. Eyes focused on the gap in the hedges, he waited to see if anyone would walk in on him in his little spot. They did. They froze as soon as they saw him, eyes wide and mouth brought back into a grimace, before they managed to get a hold of themselves and bow. “Your Majesty,” he said with a hushed voice. Regis smiled, “It’s good to see you again, Glaive Ulric.” Ulric blinked and bowed his head. Regis turned towards him then, picking up his packet of cigarettes with his free hand and offering them to Ulric, flicking off the ash from his cigarette at the same time. “Do you want one?” Ulric glanced down at them and shook his head, a small smile creeping on one side of his mouth. “No thank you.” Regis raised an eyebrow and brought his cigarette to his mouth. “What’s that smile for?” Ulric bit his lip. “It’s just - my friend, Libertus, smokes the same brand as you do, your Majesty. One known for being - uh - cheap and cheerful.” Regis huffed a laugh. “I’ve smoked these before I was King, you know.” He put out the cigarette on the ashtray, again, and sent the packet into the armiger. “Don’t tell anyone you caught me smoking - Clarus will kill me.” He winked at Ulric, a smile on his face. “Will do, your Majesty,” Ulric said, eyes bright.

“You’re-” Regis began as he found Ulric in his little out of the way patch.

Ulric jumped out of his skin and stumbled, falling over.

They blinked at each other. A slow grin grew on Regis’ face as Ulric flushed. He offered the man a hand to pull himself up, and the other took it, rough palm against his.

“Your Majesty.” Ulric red face made the whole thing, and Regis couldn’t help but laugh.

“Ulric. It’s nice seeing you again. Having a good day off?”

“Yeah - yes. It’s a nice view from up here, your Majesty.”

“I think, after this, you can call me Regis.” He said, amusement still heavy in his voice.

“...Now I’m wondering what everyone else has done in front of you to be allowed to call you by your name.”

Regis walked over to the banister and leaned on it, looking towards Ulric. “Would you be surprised if I said that Clarus has fallen off a small roof in front of me because he was showing off?”

“I’m very surprised, actually. And - uh - called me Nyx… Regis.”

Regis nodded. “Nyx.”

“How are you doing today, Regis? With the thing you had on?” Nyx asked him, walking into the alcove with a spring in his step.

Regis stared at him with a dead look on his face. “At least my Council is competent.”

Nyx laughed at him.

“It’s cold.” Nyx complained, pulling his jacket tighter.

Regis squinted at him. “We are outside in winter, near the top of a very tall building.”

“Yes.” Nyx nodded. “But it’s cold.”

Regis snorted. “Would you be against moving inside then?”

Nyx turned to him. “That would be great. I can’t feel my fingers.”

The King sighed at him, and began walking towards the doorway. Nyx followed behind, rubbing his hands together.

The hallways were empty at that time, and Nyx peered around when Regis started leading him down halls he’d never gone down before.

They went into a glittering formal room and Nyx pulled a face. “You know, all this expensive stuff scares me. Is this the place?”

He raised his eyebrows. “Not unless you want it to be.” And then he pressed his wrist against the side of a bookshelf and a wall panel next to him quickly slid open.

“Holy shit.” Nyx said, impressed.

The room the other side of the secret passageway was the relaxed side of expensive, and Nyx watched as the King flopped down on one of the seats. “Welcome to my apartments.” He gestured.

“...Do you get to choose any of your furniture?”

“I get to choose from a set? But these are my personal rooms, so I can at least choose the decor, and put things up that I actually like.”

“Huh.” Nyx hummed and started plotting.

Nyx woke up to eyes staring at him.

“I,” said the King’s Shield, Lord Amicitia, “am not going to ask.”

“I didn’t do anything?” Nyx offered from where he woke up on the King’s sofa, in the King’s rooms.

“He didn’t do anything!” Called Regis from the doorway to his bedroom.

Nyx sat up and had the lovely sight of Regis’ bed hair. Curled and everywhere, he’d obviously just woke up.

For some reason, Lord Amicitia sighed.

“For some reason I’m not surprised.”

Nyx sleepily squinted in Clarus’ direction. “Well this time I did someone so-”

“Not another word,” Clarus said tiredly. “Regis hasn’t got anything early today, so just -” He cut himself off and dragged the bed drapes closed again.

Nyx snorted and rolled over to bury his face into Regis’ shoulders.

“Is it time to get up?” He yawned.

“Not just yet.” Nyx answered and pressed a kiss to his partner’s lips.

[tyranttortoise]

General Asks

@mercy-run Thank you for following me back!  =D  I had no idea you read SSLL!  I love your writing, and I enjoyed your panel at Atlantale. <3

Here’s a list I posted a year ago. And here’s a few more recent smut fics. I’ve definitely got some others I’ve been reading, and you can search the “fanfic rec” tag on my blog to find some others I’ve linked!  Or you can browse my bookmarks, though I have to admit, I haven’t read everything there.  I bookmark fics that catch my eye so I can come back to them later.  

One of the most recent fics I’ve gotten into is a Frans fic called Bestiality, but please be mindful of those tags because it has quite a few TW’s.   But Red is the literal monster under the bed, and yep, Frisk falls for him.  I love it.

tortoise.exe stopped working for a little while, but it’s okay.  I finally rebooted. <3

Whoops. 8D  

@ut-stuff This is definitely a delirious message, Nyx. xD  But you’re a really great person yourself, and I really hope you feel better!  Did you get to play in snow?  I’m jealous.  All I’ve got going on weather-wise is tornadoes.  

@onelinemanytimes Oh yes, that’s still happening!  It won’t be until next month, so we were just waiting to post information a little closer to the date. =]

Thank you so much, sweetheart. <3  You have no idea how happy this message made me.  I am so stoked that you enjoy it.  

*Gonna put the SSLL Asks under a cut because spoilers.

SSLL Asks

<333  It’s fun writing from the POV of the darker skeles.

Writing from the POV of the ex was fun, especially considering that I’ve started basing him on @the-landladys-ex.  x]  He even got himself a cat.  I’m glad you enjoyed it! 

@shadowandblack

I saw what quote you picked out for the link reblog, and you’re right; that pretty much summed up the entire chapter. xD  

@ut-stuff

Q and Black’s friendship gives me life.  <3

[jahaliel]

get to know me meme

tagged by the lovely @amarmeme Rules: Tag 9 people you want to get to know better and answer the questions. Relationship Status: happily married Favorite Color: nah can’t pick.  if i had to it’d be indigo Top 3 ships: Cassandra/Varric, Obi-Wan/Happiness, Minerva/Salazar (thanks for that @deadcatwithaflamethrower) Lipstick or Chapstick: Lipstick - or nyx lipgloss in the galaxy blue Last Song: When You’re an Addams (been listening to the soundtrack lately) Last Movie: um. i don’t know.  I’m more of a let’s play watcher. (currently watching the Platinum Nuzlocke that TFS are doing) Top 3 Shows: THE OLD SPICKS AND SPECKS, Great British Bake Off, Would You Lie to Me (if a non-panel/reality show then Pride and Prejudice the BBC miniseries, Doctor Who and like those two episodes of Buffy I guess) Currently Reading: The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak (for book club at work) and an entire rec list of fic including but not limited to: Of A Linear Circle, For the Right Price, Strange Visitors from another Century, Survival is a Talent, my quarterly Re-Entry reread, There and Back Again, Side-Slip series, Dislocated Souls: Skyhold, Sighs and Raised Eyebrows, I also just finished Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce tagging you if you’re bored and haven’t done this one (in a while)

[amidalogicdive]

Misadventures of a Prince and His Glaive

Fandom: Final Fantasy XV Relationship: Noctis Lucis Caelum/Nyx Ulric Characters: Noctis Lucis Caelum, Nyx Ulric Additional Tags: Microfic, Prompt Fic, NyxNoct Monthly Challenge, Stupidity, Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, Lovers, Established Relationship, Misadventures, Bad Luck, Betrayal, Halloween, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Hung Over, Drinking, Hangover, Road Trips

A03 Link: http://archiveofourown.org/works/11766387/chapters/30813717

Chapter 7: Gas Pump

Summary: The Star needs gas... Noctis is just confused and Nyx can't help but be amused.

-

Nyx loved Noctis more than life itself, the Astrals knew he did. He’d do anything for the young heir and hadn't been happier since the man had come into his life. But, being in love with a prince wasn't easy, and over time he'd come to know that certain things were expected from such a relationship. The first being, misunderstandings.

Noctis didn't see things the way he did, wasn't raised to see the world the way Nyx perceived it. He'd been raised in a rough and tumble world. His people were hunters, and the forests and rivers were his entire world. Noctis, he was raised with the weight of an entire kingdom on his shoulders. His first instinct was to protect, and Nyx had learned that early on when the two had met. The first time the prince has seen the refugee district, his only question had been how he could help. It was honestly sweet, and things had been improving for them since then. After all, who had the ear of the King better than his own son.

So, Nyx had slowly learned to see the world the way his lover saw it. Saw how easily Noctis could slip into the role of Prince like it was a second skin. How he saw the people of Lucis and knew he had to instill a sense of respect and trust in them. They expected it, but it wasn't always easy and the path wasn't a clear one. He was lucky that his father, King Regis, was one of the most beloved Kings in generations. The way Noctis was shaping up, it was obvious he took after him. But, Regis had raised his son to see the larger picture. That when it came to the Kingdom, his people would always come first - and he, last.

It was a lot for one young man to take in. So, at times when they were alone together, it was easy for Nyx to forget that as well as Noctis knew the big picture; it was the small things that eluded him. Simple day to day activities that were deemed unimportant, especially when you had servants to take care of your needs day and night.

Nyx admitted it was amusing the first time he taught the prince to make coffee, usually something Ignis prepared for him each morning. He'd found it cute when he'd dragged Noctis to the park so they could go ice skating, and yes he laughed when the man had fallen on his ass. The day Crowe dragged them both off to go shopping, claiming Noct's civilian clothes sucked, Nyx has teased him mercilessly. But this, he was just dumbfounded... and didn't know if he should laugh or just throw his hands up in defeat.

"You don't know how to pump gas?" The glare was worth it. Watching the prince's nose scrunch up in irritation, adorable. The glaive laughed, his voice bouncing off the metal roof of the Hammerhead gas station as he leaned back against the Star.

Noctis had called him up the day before, there was a lull in his princely duties, so the two had made quick plans to run for the Wall. Their destination, Lestallum. Seemed there was a festival there that Noctis has been excited about, and Nyx was more than happy to go along with anything that made his lover happy. By the time they had hit Leide, the tank of Noctis precious car was over half empty and Hammerhead seemed like an ideal stop. After eating a quick meal, he'd pointed out to Noctis they would need gas which at this point had turned into a ten-minute struggle. Noctis versus his gas tank.

Thank the Six above, Nyx had learned to find amusement in such situations.

Grumbling and having refused any help, Noctis tried fiddling with the cover of the tank once again. "Shut up, Nyx!" He was obviously frustrated, but the glaive knew not to offer any help until asked. Especially when a princes pride was at stake. "Why won't this open?"

There it was, that look. It was a plea for pity without having to actually ask for assistance. "Probably a button inside the car, babe."

A look of confusion crossed his features. Walking back to the driver's side, he mumbled about stupid setups, and why would the gas tank open from inside a car.

Nyx knew better than to tease him any further, so kept his peace. Poking his head in through the passenger door, he watched as Noctis checked the panel, letting out a sound of annoyance. "Try by the seat, or check under the steering wheel." Nyx received a glare for his help, hiding his amusement by burying his face in the crook of his arm.

"This is stupid!" Leaning back into the seat, dark eyes glared at the dash. "Look, I drive it and when I wanted to drive it again, its full! Why didn't anyone tell me about a fucking gas tank!"

"Love, I'm trying..."

Another glare and Noctis aimed an accusing finger his way. "No, you're laughing! You think this is funny!

"I'm sorry."

"No, you're not." Closing his eyes, he let out a breath to calm himself. "Will you, please, show me how to open the gas tank."

He could have made a remark but held back as he slid back into the car. Leaning over the center console, icy orbs took in the controls on the dash and after a moment he noted a very nondescript grey button. It was partially hidden by the slope of the console, dipping inwards to make room for the pedals. "Try that one, love."

Looked down where the glaive was pointing, Noct reached under and pressed it - and then heard an audible click from outside the car. "Was that it?" Watching as Nyx glanced out the passenger door, a nod confirmed it had opened. Slipping back out of his car, Noctis made his way around the back and over to the small hatch that was now slightly ajar. "Thank the Six." Grabbing it, he pulled it open and instantly frowned. "Why is there another cover?!"

Oh, this was just too fucking good, and it was taking everything Nyx had in him not to laugh outright. He knew if he did Noctis would be in a bad mood. Nyx didn't want to spend their impromptu vacation with his lover acting like a wet cat. "It should just twist off."

"Oh," grabbing the cap, he twisted and then twisted again. "It's stuck."

"Push it in and twist at the same time, babe. Seriously, I need to talk to your father about what they teach you. If you have a car, you need to..." He cut off his words as the prince gave him the nastiest look he'd seen of late.

"Don't you dare breath a word of this to anyone. So help me if you do, I swear by Etro, you will suffer Nyx Ulric." His hands instantly rose in surrender, watching as Noctis finally got the cap off. His attention switched from the car to the gas pump, gazing at it like it was just another enemy to take down.

"Noct,"

Once again he was cut off as his lover held up a hand. Reaching out, Noctis picked up the nozzle and looked at it for a moment. He then slid it into the open gas tank, seeming pleased. "Ok, I got this. I can pump fucking gas. I am not stupid..."

Watching the prince stare at the pump, Nyx maintained his peace for roughly two minutes and then he just couldn't take it anymore. "Babe, are you ok?"

"It's not pumping." Looking at the glaive, Noct pointed a finger at the pump. "Why isn't this thing pumping?"

"You need to turn it on, love." This time he couldn't stop his mouth from turning up with an amused smirk. Of course, that only seemed to frustrate the prince even more. "The metal handle you took the nozzle from, flip it up." Watching as Noctis gave the pump an accusing glare, he did as Nyx instructed him. "Ok, now you see the grip on the nozzle?" Noctis nodded. "Squeeze that."

He did as he was told, watching as the pump instantly came to life and gas flowed into the tank. "I... thank you, Nyx."

"You're welcome, my love."

They were silent for a moment until they heard the pump click off; which Nyx let him know that meant it was full. Reversing the instructions, Noctis placed the nozzle back on the pump and resecured the gas tank. Soon both men were back in the car, as Noctis pressed the engine button and the car came to life.

When they didn't move, Nyx looked over at his lover. "Noct, are you ok?"

"Yeah," Popping the car into drive, Noctis grabbed the wheel and shook his head slightly in amusement. "Hey, Nyx?"

“Hm?”

Their eyes met, and Noctis graced him with the most charming smile he'd seen all day. "I meant what I said. If you tell a soul about this, I will make you suffer."

Swallowing, Nyx nodded.“Noted, love.”

[kenshi-vakarian7]

“Perfect”

Another F!Reyder fic to add to my “Whiskey Gold & Ocean Blue” collection.

This is in fact a prompt, but I won’t be revealing what prompt that is until the end as it will spoil the intention I have for this short fic.  

And hopefully, I didn’t deviate too much from Reyes’s character.  Sorry if it seems like I did. =\

Regardless, enjoy!

Reyes Vidal couldn’t help the nervous twitching in his fingers as he looked over the controls on the console in front of him.  Sitting in the pilot’s chair with one leg shaking from side to side, he saw that all was well for his shuttle, though he was starting to get low on fuel.  Luckily, the Nexus was within view through the front window.

Reyes was pretty certain that he made it to the station in record time from Kadara.  However, that didn’t matter to him.  The lack of sleep he got throughout his travel didn’t matter either.  What only mattered was that he needed to get to Kira Ryder as soon as possible.

It was supposed to be a routine visit.  Since she resigned from being a Pathfinder, Kira still assisted Nexus leadership with negotiating between them and and angaran leaders as an Arbitrator.  In other words, her job was to keep the peace between the Milky Way species and the angarans living on Kadara.  Occasionally, she made trips to either Aya or the Nexus when certain negotiations were better resolved in person rather than through video conferences.

Her brother Luke, who was the second-in-command to the current human Pathfinder, Cora Harper, took the opportunity along with her former crew to meet Kira at the Nexus and spend some time with her.  This was especially with knowing that this would be her last visit to the station for a while.  With the team currently exploring beyond the Heleus cluster, who knew when the twins would see each other again.

Then two days ago, Reyes received a call from Luke.  He had yet to shake the words her brother said from his mind, the twin’s voice laced with worry.  “Kira’s in the hospital.  You need to come here as soon as possible.”

More than once since receiving the call, Reyes kicked himself for not taking her offer to go with her.  There was too much work here for him to look over on Kadara despite the last of the Outcast being long since gone. Besides, he hadn’t been a fan of revisiting the Nexus since the uprising.  Kira understood – she always did – but that still didn’t make him feel any better.

The Nexus became larger and larger as time ticked away, but the station still felt so far away.  Sure, it was better than the more than forty-eight hours of flying he endured to get here, but now the Nexus was like someone dangling a toy in front of a cat who can’t quite snatch it no matter how close they got.

Needing a distraction, Reyes let himself think about how he and Kira met at Kralla’s Song more than six years ago.  He also thought about all the adventures the two of them had, the fun and mischievous smile on her face whenever she was about to jump into a fight, her laughter… the way she always looked at him as though he meant everything to her.  He thought of all the times they’ve spent together, the many nights they made love… the few times he nearly lost her…

Reyes quickly shook the last thought from his head.  No… that was the last thing he was going to think about.

Finally, after what felt like forever, a light ping was heard indicating to Reyes that he was within Nexus Control’s comm range.  Without hesitation, he pressed the comm button on the panel.  “Nexus Control, this is Shuttle N-503 Anubis requesting permission to dock… preferably as close as possible to Garson Memorial Hospital.”

It was a few seconds before someone responded.  “N-503 Anubis, please stand by.”

Reyes let out a breath in annoyance.  He was always a patient man, but considering the current circumstance, he just wanted to get this all over with.  The sooner he was there by her side, the better.  At least it was much easier for him to get onto the station these days, not like from the beginning after he became an exile.  That was one less thing to worry about.

The flight controller finally got back to him.  “N-503 Anubis, you are cleared for landing.  Proceed to docking bay S-323.”

“Roger,” Reyes replied.  “Proceeding to docking bay S-323.”

Just before he began landing procedures, Reyes quickly unlocked his omni-tool - which had been turned off to prevent being tracked despite jamming technology in his shuttle – to send a quick message to Kira’s brother, even while noting a few other messages waiting for him…

To: Luke Ryder

From: Reyes Vidal

Docking now.  Will be there soon.

The hospital, newly built and named after the Andromeda Initiative’s founder, Jien Garson, was relatively quiet upon Reyes’s arrival.  Then again, as Luke directed to him in his responding messaging, going through the back way was better than the main entrance.  It didn’t surprise Reyes at all that a few members of the media were camping out front.  Even after she resigned as Pathfinder, there was still an interest in Kira Ryder’s life.  With few exceptions, she despised the attention her former job gave her.

Near the door entrance, one member of Kira’s former crew, Vetra Nyx, waiting for him in the quiet lobby.  Most likely, Luke sent her to meet with him once the younger twin received his message.  Reyes immediately went over to her and the turian didn’t hesitate to wave an arm as she began to walk forward as soon as she saw him, indicating to Reyes to follow her.  He remained just a couple of feet behind Vetra, keeping up with her despite her taller height.

“Luke’s in there with her and with the exception of Drack, the others are in a private waiting area,” Vetra informed him before he said anything.  “She’s in a room not too far from here.  We’ve been keeping the media out since word spread about her hospitalization.  Luckily, no one’s got in yet.”

“Good,” Reyes said in agreement.  The last thing Kira needed right now was for the media to barge into the hospital when she was currently vulnerable (especially since it was the one feeling she hated experiencing the most).

As Reyes followed Vetra through the hospital hallways, he found that he couldn’t even begin to start asking her the other questions that were haunting his mind; was she okay?  Were the doctors taking care of her?  How long would she be here for?  Those were just a few out of what felt like a million questions.

It was easy to find Kira’s room even before they reached it.  That was because Drack was standing right next to the door, his back against the wall and his arms folded as though he was daring anyone to try to get past him. It reminded Reyes, not for the first time, how much he appreciated the Tempest crew’s loyalty to Kira even long after she walked away from being the Pathfinder.

The krogan spotted them both coming his way.  As soon as he made eye contact with Reyes, Drack gave him a single nod, which he returned.  Vetra stopped to stand with Drack as Reyes reached the door.  He only stopped for a moment to get rid of his nerves as he realized that he was finally within a few feet from where Kira was.  Only then did he realize that he hadn’t asked whether she was awake or not.  If it was the former, hopefully she forgave him for taking so long to get here…

Reyes took a deep breath, putting on his mask to hide what he was feeling, before stepping into the room…

As Vetra mentioned, Luke was there in the room with his sister, occupying one of the two chairs next to the bed.  He looked up to see who came in the room and got up to meet Reyes halfway.  “Hey, you made it,” Luke said quietly once he was within arm’s reach.

Reyes sighed a bit.  “I would’ve been here sooner, but…”

“I know,” Luke replied quietly as he patted his shoulder gently.  “I’m going to step outside for a bit.  If you need anything, let me know.”

Reyes simply nodded to him before Luke circled around him and headed out of the room, closing the door behind him.  Reyes walked over to the bed and sat in the same chair Luke had occupied moments ago.  Kira was laying on her side in her bed facing the chair.  She looked very tired, probably even more so than he was, but that didn’t stop the small smile from forming on her face as soon as she saw him.  “Hey there,” she greeted, her voice a little groggy.

“Hey yourself,” Reyes answered as he leaned forward in his chair and reached out to brush his fingers through her dark brown hair, tucking the strands behind her ear.  He then leaned down and pressed his lips to her temple. “You okay?”

“I’m sore as hell and hurting all over, but I’ll be fine,” Kira assured him.  “It all happened so fast that I didn’t really have time to process it.”

Reyes frowned.  “I should’ve taken your offer to go with you.  Then you wouldn’t have been alone-”

“Hey,” Kira started as she reached a hand up to cup his cheek.  “Don’t blame yourself for not being here.  And I wasn’t alone.  Luke and the rest of the Tempest crew were with me the whole time.”

Kira removed her hand from Reyes’s face and began to adjust the small, bundled blanket she held in her other arm… revealing the tiny face of a newborn baby.  In that moment, a flood of so many emotions crashed upon Reyes it was nearly overwhelming.  He never thought it was possible to feel both exhilarated and frightened while his heart was already swelling with immense love for the little human in Kira’s arms.  He didn’t know how to comprehend it, so he simply let it be as he attempted to take it all in.

This wasn’t something Reyes and Kira ever planned.  Even now, the future always felt uncertain given both the wild environment they lived in as well as their occupations.  Both had been scared out of their wits when they found out, her more than him, but they eventually decided to go with it despite the uncertainty.  A part of Reyes wondered during these months if they would regret their decision.  But now, seeing this little baby sleeping in Kira’s arms, all the doubts and uncertainty seemed to have melted away in an instant.

“It turns out she’s just as impatient as her uncle since she decided to show up a month earlier than expected,” Kira continued, her smile widening and her eyes glistening with tears upon noting Reyes’s reaction to seeing their daughter for the first time.  “Already, she’s anxious for an adventure.”

As she spoke, Reyes slowly reached a hand out and, lightly and gently so that he didn’t wake her up, stroked the tip of his finger over the infant’s cheek.  It was softer than he had imagined.  “And… she’s all right?  She’s healthy?” he murmured.

Kira slowly nodded. “Despite being born a little early, she’s fine.  And she’s beautiful… though she looked like a red, slimy bullfrog when I first saw her.  But to be fair, Luke and I looked the same way when we were born.”

Reyes chuckled at that, his eyes never leaving his daughter.  “That’s one way for her to take after her mother.”

“Har har,” Kira grumbled.

Reyes leaned his head close to her, a sly smirk on his face as his eyes shifted to Kira. “I meant the part about being beautiful.”

“Liar,” she uttered, but was smiling nevertheless.

“You wound me,” Reyes gasped, feigning hurt.

Kira shook his head, still smiling.  “Give birth to a seven pound baby and then we’ll talk about who’s more ‘wounded.'”

Reyes smiled at that. “Fair enough.”  He then sighed as a bit of melancholy suddenly gripped at him.  He frowned as he murmured once more, “I should’ve been here…”

“I told you not to blame yourself,” Kira assured him.  “Like I said, she was too impatient to wait and it happened very quickly.”  She smiled.  “Besides, your hand was spared from the ordeal.  I’m almost certain I was one more squeeze away from breaking all of Luke’s fingers.”

Reyes knew Kira was joking as a way to make him feel better, but it wasn’t really helping that much.  Kira figured that out from his lack of reaction.  Her free hand reached out to caress along his jawline.  “Hey,” she started.  “I’m sorry you weren’t here when she was born.  If it’ll make you feel better, I’m planning to give one certain half of Nexus leadership hell for making me travel for a useless meeting at a time like this despite my protests.”

Reyes couldn’t help but smirk.  “Let me know if you need me to send in the 'Calvary’ to set an example.  I promise they won’t get hurt… unless you count their pride.”

Kira chuckled, knowing the 'Calvary’ meant the few members of the Collective who were planted on this station as an extra set of eyes and ears for him.  “That might not be necessary, but I’ll keep it in mind.”

Reyes continued to caress the little infant’s cheek before Kira asked, “Do you want to hold her?”

Reyes suddenly froze in his ministrations, feeling some reluctance over that offer, but he knew that it was out of nerves more than anything.  For one thing, she looked so peaceful as she slept and the last thing he wanted to do was to disturb that.  And what if he dropped her?  Carefully planning raids and discreetly smuggling goods across the galaxy was one thing.  Holding a baby?  That was out of his element.

But this wasn’t just any baby… it was their child.  His child.  He was still trying to comprehend that this was not just a dream.  She was real and he was her father.  The reality of the latter had yet to settle in just yet.

Lost for words, Reyes simple nodded to Kira’s offer before she carefully handed the sleeping infant to him.  “Just remember to support the back of her head,” she reminded him.  “Her neck isn’t strong enough for her to hold up on her own yet.”

Once more, Reyes nodded as he managed to get a good hold of her before he felt confident enough to lean back into his chair.  The baby fussed a bit during the transfer, but soon relaxed once all the movement around her stopped. Reyes then pulled the blanket back a bit, revealing the short strands of black hair on top of her head.  Brushing a finger gently over her hair, he noticed how her skin was lighter than his, but also darker than her mother’s.  Although her eyes were closed, Reyes was pretty sure that they were blue like all infants were born with.  Whether they would stay that way, like Kira’s, or turn amber like his later on remained to be seen.  She was also small and light like a bag of feathers, which he didn’t expect.

Holding the little girl in his arms, Reyes wanted nothing more than to protect her from all the things that could harm her in this new galaxy.  Not for the first time in the last few months, he thought about walking away from being the Charlatan and letting Keema take over in full… but after everything he put into the Collective, it wasn’t that easy to do. Kira understood this, more than he had expected when they discussed the possibility.  Someday he may, but even now wasn’t the right time.

The only thing Reyes could hope for at this point was that this decision didn’t bite him in the rear later down the road…

“So,” Kira started again after some silence as she observed them, cutting through his thoughts.  “How do you still feel about naming her Charlotte Ellen Ryder?”

Giving the little girl her mother’s surname was something they decided on months ago.  Giving her the Ryder name would keep her safe, and he would do anything to make sure it remained that way.  For her sake.

Reyes leaned down to press a gentle kiss to his daughter’s forehead.  “It’s perfect,” he murmured.  “She’s perfect…”

I had this idea in my head for a while… which is funny because I normally don’t write much family stuff, but I decided to go for it after seeing Fanfic Prompt #12: Family G​uy by @makocartwheel .  

I hope you enjoyed reading this.

[thisdiscontentedwinter]

(1/3) The thing Nyx and other Scott stans always fail to talk about is that JD, MTV and TW did more to erase Scott than the Sterek fans did. They embraced Sterek at the beginning. They built their promotion of the show around it. They had the authority in this situation and they knew that playing to the fans is what keeps your show on the air and gets you more seasons. At SDCC after 3b the moderator of the panel made a big deal about the motel scene with the gasoline and Dylan's performance.

(2/3) He went on and on about how amazing Dylan was and even asked the audience to applaud for him and never once mentioned Posey was also in that scene with TP, JD and the TW cast sitting right there. No one mentioned TP. So who was erasing who? I’m not saying all Sterek fans are innocent but neither is the show if you want to pass blame and I don’t see Nyx ever mentioning that. The show elevated Sterek and used the Sterek fans all while helping to push Posey aside.

(3/3) It was smart business then because Sterek got them a ratings boost and millions of dollars of free advertising in polls and the press. They even used the boat video outtakes to get themselves a TV Guide cover they never would have gotten elsewise. A show gets the fans it gets. As TW found out all too well after trying to shut Sterek down and seeing their ratings dive. In the beginning TW did just as much as any fan did to push Posey aside and not promote Scott so where’s the anger at that?

I think it’s clear from the very first episode who the breakout star is going to be, and it’s all DOB. The show clearly capitalised on that (of course they did!) and also on the chemistry between Stiles and Derek’s characters. They ran with it, and they encouraged fans to run with it too. 

Let’s not forget that MTW ran a fan fiction contest (unprecedented in fan/show relations) and that a Stiles-centric fic won. The network, and the show, were fully behind Stiles as fan fave, and Sterek, right up until the second they weren’t. Scott-stans like to pretend there wasn’t an intense social media push from the show based entirely on Sterek in regards to the MTV awards. 

I’m not seeing a lot of Scott in there. 

Nyx likes to blame the fans for not putting Scott front and centre of everything they do. Of course she should be asking why the show also didn’t, but that wouldn’t suit her narrative at all, so instead she has to ignore it and pretend it doesn’t exist. 

Why blame the fans for buying what the show specifically sold them? 

[ferociousqueak]

@tetrahedrals tagged me to list my current WIPs, and as I’m going through some serious editor’s block, I think this might help! Thank you!

Instructions: “List all the things you’re currently working on in as much or as little detail as you’d like, then tag some friends to see what they’re working on. This can be writing, arts, gifsets, whatever.”

1) Family Resemblance. Allistair Shepard, the Butcher of Torfan, had to get it from somewhere. This long fic explores the influences that shaped Shepard into the woman who takes on the Reapers and saves the galaxy. (I know, I know. There are some good reasons I’m stuck where I am and haven’t updated in for-freakin-ever, but I promise they’re not permanent!)

Instantly, Alli’s heart began to race. She’d never heard Mom yell before. Why was she yelling now? What had Dad done? Was he in trouble again? Was it the batarians?

She didn’t want to go inside so much anymore.

Alli stood rooted to the stoop in front of their door, the blood rushing so loudly through her ears she could hardly hear herself think. She swallowed and raised a trembling hand to the access panel. She walked slowly through the entryway until she reached the kitchen, taking each step with equal measures of hesitation and the need to know what was wrong. Her mouth had gone dry, and her heart felt like it was trying to pound its way out of her chest.

2) Not Widow, Not Orphan. This one picks up at the beginning of ME2, when Hannah gets The News. To say she doesn’t take it well is something of an understatement. And Garrus makes an appearance :D

“Mr. Vakarian,” Hannah said, catching his attention. “Captain Hannah Shepard. I believe you served with my daughter.”

He stood awkwardly with a salute. “It’s an honor, ma’am.”

She waved away his salute and moved to sit next to him. After a brief moment of hesitation, he took his seat again. His hands clenched and unclenched and he seemed to be floundering for something to say. Hannah decided to help him out.

“I’ll save you some awkwardness, Vakarian,” she said, letting out a small sigh. “You don’t have to say anything at all. When something like . . .” Her throat began to tighten, and she coughed to clear it. “Let’s just say I’ve had my fill of platitudes. You’re off the hook.”

His posture relaxed, but his mandibles flared in mild confusion. “The hook?”

“She does that,” Dess said as she approached them from behind. “She thinks it’s funny to use as many idioms as she can around turians.”

3) Once More, with Feeling. Wouldn’t you like to know what this one’s about ;) I can tell you there’s an Armistice Day Gala for which Hannah gets all dressed up, someone unpleasant from the past makes an appearance, and Sana loses a bet.

By the time she finally got home for the evening, she wanted nothing more than to change into the loosest clothes she owned, grab a bottle of wine (after a day like the one she’d had, who needed a glass?), collapse on the sofa, and watch something mindless until it was time to crawl into bed and forget the entire day had happened.

She got as far as changing her clothes when she heard the front door open and a flanged voice announce her presence.

Fuck, it’s Thursday.

She groaned as she pulled out her running clothes and changed again, ignoring the constant complaining coming from her knee.

Dess flared out her mandibles when she saw Hannah descending the stairs. “Bad day?”

“That obvious?”

Dess pointed to Hannah’s knee. “You only wear your brace when it’s been a bad day.”

Hannah sighed as she reached the bottom of the stairs and turned into the empty space of the living room to start stretching. “I’ve had a lot better days, that’s for sure,” she said as she sat on the ground with her legs extended out to each side and reached to her left to touch her toes.

Dess flicked her mandibles in concern. “Why don’t we skip the run. I’ll help you stretch and take care of dinner. Is Alli home from school?”

4) The Girls’ Night Out Job. Vetra and Peebee plan to get up to meaningless hijinks in Kadara Port during shore leave, but it seems like trouble always finds the Pathfinder. Ryder stumbles into some shady dealings and Vetra and Peebee have to help her out of it. f!Vetryder, pre-relationship

Vetra noticed for the first time that Peebee was holding a long box in her arms, which she shoved into Vetra’s without further preamble. The sound of crinkling paper came from the box and Vetra could guess what she’d find inside. How Peebee had even come across something like this all the way out here—and without Vetra knowing about it—was a mystery.

Without opening the box, she set it down and shook her head. “I appreciate it, Peebee,” she said, “but I have clothes of my own.”

“Sure, you do!” Peebee said, waving a hand dismissively. “But Drescilla doesn’t! Trust me, it’s gonna be great! Unless . . . no, it’ll fit, I’m sure.”

Vetra sighed but couldn’t help her mandibles from twitching into an amused grin. “Okay, Peanut Butter. I’ll give it a try. No promises, though.”

Peebee was already flitting out of the room with a wave behind her and a retreating, “Keep telling yourself that. Drescilla’s gonna love it!”

Vetra glanced back at the box sitting in front of her console, and both curiosity and regret made her stomach do somersaults. Why had she told Peebee she was in?

5) Light in the Dark. Vetra was scared of the dark. Sid was scared of space. Not unreasonable fears, as it turns out. But there’s always someone there to turn the lights on. Papa Nyx makes an appearance :D

A keen that could wake the dead jolted Vetra out of a deep sleep for what felt like the hundredth time. She wasn’t sure why she was surprised anymore, but it still took her a moment to compose herself. She looked at the clock and sighed. Only two more hours until she had to be up and headed back to the construction site. The mine would be ready for operations in only a few more weeks, so she had to get as many shifts in before she had to leave this asteroid and look for another one.

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and pushed herself up and out of bed.

“It’s okay, Sid,” she said as she turned on the lights to their lowest setting and shuffled across the room to her sister’s bed. “I’m here.”

Sid had curled up in a ball so tight, Vetra wondered if she’d ever unfurl again. She held her head between her knees, her hands clasped tightly over her crest. Vetra didn’t even have to be near her to notice how much she trembled.

She eased herself down next to Sid and slipped an arm around her. Sid clambered into Vetra’s lap and practically molded into her carapace.

“Same?” Vetra asked, hoping only the comforting notes were in her voice, not the exhausted ones.

Sid nodded against Vetra’s chest. “Same.”

I have a few other onesie twosie fics I’ve played around with, but these are the ones that have been taking up the most mental space recently. I’m … seeing a few patterns.

Now for tagging! Again, I’m not sure who’s done this, so feel free to skip if you’ve already done it. @bloomingcnidarians, @continuousspec, @thievinghippo, @servantofclio, and @tarysande. Only if you want to, of course!

[sirendeepity]

[ Nessian one-shot ]

A/N: Okay, focus on me for a moment. This one-shot is set right after I Am Because You Are although it's not strictly connected to it. It gives a bit of context, but you don't have to read it to understand what's going on here. BUT, at the same time, this one can also be considered a "prequel" for a one-shot that will be published in a few days and will be part of this year's Nessian week (it's not hard to imagine what both fics are going to be about *pointed cough*). Here's my silly little version on this silly little moment that silly little sjm robbed us of >:c

As always, I hope you'll enjoy it. Kudos <3

Very very big shoutout to @faeriebambula for beta reading this, your comments were just *chef's kiss* perfect

W/C: 2.2k

T/W: --

“Why is it taking them so long?”

Cassian turned his eyes to the owner of the voice, the blonde female draped on his couch. Mor, clad in lacy strawberry red per usual, was already cradling a glass of wine between her golden fingers as they waited before moving to the dining room across the hall.

Indeed, the valkyries were taking their sweet time to join the rest of them. And Cassian was already aching for Nesta’s presence, the feeling of her skin against his—just a hand on the muscle of her thigh, or an arm around her waist was enough to satiate the constant need of her.

Nesta Archeron was consuming him to the bone, turning him into nothing but a brainless heap of muscles and wings. Cassian had only blessings to give her.

Their relationship was beyond the physical: it was a bridge between two souls. Whatever Nesta felt, he felt it too, and the other way around. That’s where the heaviness Cassian felt in his chest came from. The fact that it wasn’t strong enough for him to put a name to the sensation didn’t stop him from worrying all the same. Was she upset? Angry? Was she having a panic attack, that’s why she hasn’t shown up yet?

“I’ll go check it out.” He’d completely zoned out his family, having no idea what the conversation they’d moved to was when he stood. Cassian made it halfway to the door when the knob twisted and the heavy wood panel twisted on its hinges.

“Sorry for being late,” said Emerie, the first to set foot inside the room.

Gwyn, right at her heels, explained, “There was a… Problem.”

“Everything’s alright?” Feyre asked, an apprehensive edge to her voice. A mother to Nyx, a mother to all.

“It has already been solved.”

Finally, the reason his heart was still beating walked in.

Cassian used to think Nesta Archeron in Night Court black was the most beautiful creature he’d ever had the pleasure to see. He was wrong.

His mate wearing red was a dangerous, dangerous thing. Because if Nesta asked him to rip that same heart out of his chest with his bare hands, he would. It belonged to her, anyway.

That’s the part when you start breathing again, brother, Rhysand whispered in his mind.

Fuck off. Cassian shielded his thoughts tightly, not wanting his brother anywhere near them at that moment. There were far too many deprived things he wanted to do to Nesta, with Nesta, for the High Lord to see.

They stood one in front of the other, like statues mirroring each other.

Footsteps scurried on the carpet as the guests walked past their stare-down, snickering.

Emerie patted his shoulder in solidarity on her way out. “Please, don’t take too much time for yourselves. I’m hungry.”

Who told him it was a good idea to invite everyone to the House for dinner? Now Cassian had to kick them out, and they haven’t even touched the food yet.

Emerie would be starving to death by the time he was thoroughly done with Nesta. There would be a place and a time for Cassian to enjoy his mate’s company, but he had a purpose and he wouldn’t celebrate until he reached his goal.

“That won’t be necessary,” he said, placing a hand on the open door to let her out, followed by Nesta, before letting it fall shut behind his back and join his family in the dining room.

Taking a seat at the long table, which the House had already filled with plates and food for every palate, Cassian looked up to a smirking Azriel. He only pretended to scratch his eyebrow with his middle finger, not designing his brother of a proper reaction.

Mother spare him, it was going to be a very long night, and Cassian had to play his cards right if he wanted it to be a very happy one, too.

A couple of hours later, they had moved to one of the many accommodating rooms of the House, bellies full and appetites satisfied. Laughter bloomed around him at something someone—probably Gwyn or Emerie, he could bet on it—said. They had charmed everyone at dinner, capturing the attention of his High Lady the most, who was eager to know as much as she could about the people who brought so much joy in her sister’s life when she failed to do the same. Cassian didn’t need a magical bond to know what shone in Nesta’s eyes: pride, for her chosen sisters. And hope, for her blood ones. The possibility for both of them to coexist, not one above the other.

*******

“It’s getting chilly, isn’t it?” From her spot on the armchair, twisted so that she would face the room while her long legs were thrown on one of the armrests, Gwyn cast her teal eyes on Nesta, huddled close to his side.

Nesta furrowed her brows. “It’s weird the House hasn’t brought you anything yet.”

“Be a good host and bring me one yourself?”

Nesta rolled her eyes but still rose from her seat. There was no denying Gwyn’s puppy eyes. They worked wonders on whoever they landed on, and the priestess quickly turned it to her advantage. That wicked, little thing. Once Nesta was out the door, Cassian turned his gaze back toward his family and caught Emerie’s pointed stare. She casually raised a finger to flick the tip of her nose, before joining in on whatever new story Gwyn had crafted to keep every eye and ear on the two of them.

One, two, three, and Cassian was up and moving. On his way out, Azriel gave him a subtle nod before shifting so that his wings would partly block the view past the doorway.

“Do you need something, too?”

Less than fifteen feet away, Nesta stood with a blanket tucked under an arm, waiting for an answer.

Cassian erased the distance between them and took the folded square from her, abandoning it on a small table nearby, careful not to knock over any decorative trinkets on it.

“I do, actually.”

Leading her away from the echo of their family’s voices, Cassian could feel her perplexity grow with each step.

“What is it?” Nesta spun on her heels to look at him, walking backward until they reached the closest balcony. The sun took longer to fully set, being summer, but Velaris was still Velaris, no matter the season. The last rays of light still tinted the sky, the twilight tones ranging from the richest orange to the deepest purple, a few stars already winking at them from above.

“A surprise.”

“What is it?” She asked again, warily.

“Not a big fan of the unknown, I see.”

“Cassian.”

He laughed, leaning against the red-stoned railing and looking down at his city, lit with fire and merriness.

“If you’re this worried about it, then take it yourself.”

He doubled over a bit more, following the course of the Sidra from its mouth to its source, for as far as his eyes could see. Call him a bastard, but he enjoyed a little bit too much how he managed to leave Nesta Archeron speechless—for better or for worse.

When he turned and put Velaris at his back, Cassian could still see her puzzlement hidden behind narrowed eyes.

“Front left pocket.”

Nesta thought about it for a grand total of two seconds before reaching for him.

“The other left,” he smirked as her hand palmed his thigh from inside the empty pocket.

Nesta glared but did as instructed. Cassian wanted to impress in his memory the way her resolve crumbled, how the steel in her eyes melted to starlight as realization sunk in.

Nesta dropped her eyes to the velvet box laying in her palm, still closed.

“Open it.” His smirk, this time, wouldn’t be enough to hide the wild beating of his heart.

“Cassian, I-”

“Open it, Nesta.”

Swallowing hard, she lifted the lid. A gasp escaped her lips as her cheeks turned a faint shade of red. But not as red as the stone set on top of the silver band, anyway. He had it made in a rush as soon as Nesta was again safe in his arms. It was a simple ring, if only for the diamond-crowned rock big as a thumbnail cut directly from the siphon usually placed above his heart. He would have to find a replacement for it soon enough, but it had mattered little to him at the moment. He wanted proof, a symbol, that spoke louder than all the words he failed to find when he tried to explain what he felt every time their eyes locked and their lips met. What he didn’t want to share with anyone but her.

“What-” Nesta shut the box close, only to open it again a moment later. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Doubt slowly crept up his neck. He knew he had this, he knew she wouldn’t turn him down, but what if- No. No, Nesta loved him. And he loved Nesta, with all his heart. Cassian would not project his own insecurities onto her, onto them.

“It looks pretty simple to me. I am asking you to marry me.”

“Why now?” She asked, forcing her gaze away from the ring. “Our mating ceremony is just a couple of days away.”

A new wave of pride warmed his chest at the reminder. He would be officially mated with Nesta Archeron. There were moments when Cassian found it hard to wrap his mind around this simple yet impossible reality. “It is. So?”

Nesta cast her eyes downward, tracing the oval-shaped outline of the red stone as she murmured, “I thought marriage wasn’t that big of a deal for fae.”

“Not as big as a mating bond, no. But…”

Cassian had always dreamed of it. The connection, the feeling of belonging. He had had five centuries to imagine every possible scenario—when it would happen, how it would happen, who would he be fated with. From the place to the time, he was ready for everything the Cauldron might throw at him. He had had many lovers, some for just a few months while others had stayed for decades. Still, he’d never felt that pull. Never heard a song calling to him, never had his blood roar in answer. So, in the end, Cassian had always let them go—no female ever tempted him enough to give up on that young, foolish dream. To settle down and live his life as it was. Until her. Not a female, but a woman. And out of all the possibilities and outcomes, Nesta Archeron was not one of them. She’d waltzed into his life and took control of his mind. If she were to walk right out, he would lose his sanity altogether. Almost had—when she was too lost in her own grief and he was too much of a coward to do what needed to be done, even if it would’ve tilted the scale and ruined the frail balance that had formed and settled between him and his friends over the years. He had made countless wrong choices in his life, and he would make so many more. One thing he would never regret choosing is her.

He cleared his voice. “But it is a big deal for you.”

Nesta looked up at him then, her eyes effortlessly finding his.

“It might be taking you a while longer to fully embrace being fae, and for all your life it had been drilled into your brain that marriage was the finish line. The way things went down between us, on that bridge… It wasn’t supposed to happen like that. I hurt you, and I am sorry for it. I promised myself I would be better, so please let me.”

Nesta opened her mouth to reply, but Cassian went on before she had the chance to utter a single word.

“It’s not the mating bond, Nesta. It’s me. I want you for you. With all the sharp edges and dark-filled cracks. But also the beauty, the loyalty, the fierceness. Anything that makes you who you are, I love.”

A tear slid down Nesta’s rosy cheek, with more threatening to follow suit. Cassian cradled her face in both his hands, wiping away the wet streak as he ran his thumb over her skin in lazy circles.

“It could only ever be you, Nesta. Mating bond or not, I wouldn’t want to spend the time I have left in this world with anybody else.”

A sniffle and Nesta broke into a smile brighter than the moon. Her throaty laugh filled him from the top of his wings to his toes. If Cassian could live off that sound alone, he would consider himself a very lucky male. Gently taking the box from her hands, he removed the ring nestles inside and held it between their faces.

“Do you?”

“I do.”

He willed the twin stones resting on the back of his hands to flare as power stirred within, and the ring now circling Nesta’s finger lit up as well.

Together. They’d always be together.