#the soldier and his soulbond

[soulbond-and-soldier]

*Sets off six party poppers at the same time* SURPRISE! It's a System!

*is covered in confetti*

*I sputter as confetti hits me in the face*

*CONFETTI LANDS ON CAT*

Ah! *covers my ears because it's too loud* owwie...

. . . *does not react*

Alright, so here's the breakdown. I'm Lou, I'm the Host consciousness or personality or however you'd like to describe it.

I'm Sephiroth; I am considered a 'Fictive', as in this world my origin is derived from a fictional narrative in the video game Final Fantasy Seven. My role is as a protector for our body and the whole of the system.

hey, my name's Elam! I used to be the nasty voice who repeated all the bullshit we were fed, so that makes me a persecutor I guess. but I got better! I'm working on being a nice Eldritch Entity, and I used to be an OC design of Lou's.

*CAT EXTENDS NECK TO STARE INTO READER'S EYES. READER WILL RECEIVE KNOWLEDGE THAT CAT IS MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE, AND REPRESENTS PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES AND NEEDS OF THE BODY.*

. . . I-I'm Katie and... s-sometimes, I'm not sure how... how old I am... I just... I want things to be good. I wanna be good... . . . uhm, I was told I'm... called a 'Little'?

*pulls out a golf pencil and notebook, writes something. turns notepad around; "DAVE" is written sloppily on the first three lines, with "DJ, FUN GUY, KEYS TO THE VAULT" below that on the next six.*

For now, the blog isn't changing names. We're workshopping a 'System Name' but once we have that we might make the blog url that... Unless it's already in use.

[kandisheek]

Cap-Ironman Rec Week 2024

Cap-IM Sunday: July 28th

Prompt: Rec all your favorite works created for one of the Cap-IronMan challenges!

Finishing this week with a bang, here are some of my favorite fics that came about due to the tireless work that the mods over at Cap-IM do for us every year. Please take the time to browse their collections as well, because the talent in this fandom is out of this world:

-- Never Too Late for Love by Sineala

Steve has always believed that a soulbond is a blessing -- a rare and beautiful miracle, joining the thoughts and feelings of two people forever, from the first time they touch. Steve knows he's not going to be one of the lucky ones. He knows Gail isn't his soulmate. But he loves her, even if they're not soulmates, and he's going to do right by her. After the war's over, he's going to marry her, and they're going to settle down. They'll buy a house. They'll have children. He'll see his family again. Maybe Bucky will live next door. It's going to be a good life. He doesn't need a soulbond. He'll be fine without one. Then Steve wakes up sixty years in the future to find that his wonderful life has moved on without him. His family is long dead. His fiancée married his best friend. And the only purpose he has left is leading the Ultimates, a misbegotten team of superheroes with flaws too numerous to count. Steve hates everything about the future -- but most of all he detests Tony, flashy and flirtatious, who embodies everything Steve hates about a world he never wanted to live in. And, oh, yeah, Steve has a soulmate after all: Tony fucking Stark.

-- The Heart of the Temple by CSHfic, VSfic

After an expedition to find an ancient relic goes awry, Tony finds himself magically bound to a Roman soldier who has spent the last two thousand years guarding the temple, and who is now bound to protect him from harm. Stranger things have certainly happened, but Tony is having a hard time coming up with them now.

-- Therapeutic Guidelines by kellifer_fic

"Are you suggesting I get a bunch of bunk beds in here and squeeze us all into one room?" Tony scoffs and the woman just looks at him. "No, wait-"

MORE RECS BELOW THE CUT:

-- A Long, Lonely Time by asktheravens

Steve returned from the war injured in body and mind- and able to see the dead. At loose ends and desperate to get out of New York City, he accepts a fellowship through the Stark Foundation and retreats to a quiet lake house on the grounds of the Stark Mansion. He's supposed to be there to paint, but he quickly realizes that the house is more than he bargained for. Anthony Stark died here a decade ago, but was it an accident? A suicide? Or a murder? Obadiah Stane still lives in the main house just up the hill, and the past casts a long shadow. When Tony's ghost begins appearing to him, Steve becomes more entwined in the dangerous mystery surrounding his death. Even worse, he finds himself falling for a man who died a decade ago... Features lots of ghosts, murder, secrets, and supernatural revenge. Also Thor and Rhodey.

-- Personal Use by dirigibleplumbing

“It’s for. Personal use,” Steve says. Tony deserves a fucking medal for not commenting on that. Fuck, how is he supposed to get anything done after this? Or ever, for that matter. Every time he suits up he’ll know—he’ll know—that Steve Rogers fucks himself with a toy made out of Tony’s armor.

-- On Camera by FestiveFerret

Steve's heart skipped a beat. It was beyond ridiculous to get attached to one of his regular clients but somehow, over the last six months, he had. StarkNakedGenius wasn't logged on for every show, far from it, but he was on for a lot of them, and whenever he was, he tipped like mad.

-- Weighing of the Heart by scifigrl47

Steve Rogers hasn't really had a particularly easy life. He's struggled along, he's proud of himself, he's self-sufficient and capable and he works damn hard. He has friends and a purpose and he's only a few semesters from graduating college. He's managed, but his life has been far from easy. That's mostly because of a slight filing error. The last thing that Steve needed was someone to watch over him. The only thing that his Guardian Angel needs is a second chance to make a first impression.

-- Can't start a fire without a spark by gottalovev

The Avengers might be reunited, but they are holding together with a Band-Aid and a severe case of Tony pretending nothing happened. The superficial truce is shattered the day Steve takes control of Tony's suit and forces him to go to medical in a tense situation. When Tony is ordered to take a vacation, Steve volunteers to go with him.

And two of my own fics:

-- Gift of Consequence

Steve remembers the old wives' tale of the dragon in the mountain, sleeping on a pile of gold. He has never paid it any mind, but when his mother gets sick and time and money is of the essence... he might reconsider believing in fairytales.

-- We Are Briefly Gorgeous

Tony finds himself in a gay bar right after signing his divorce papers, drowning his sorrows. Turns out the handsome stranger that chats him up is just the distraction he needs.

[stevetonyweekly]

SteveTony Weekly - February 11th - Week

I’m traveling this weekend for my niece’s quinceanera so I’m sharing a list of my favorite fics that I posted on twitter last year. It’s still some of my favorite fics of all time, so this week go show them some love or send me some of YOUR favs, and I’ll be back next Sunday with our regularly scheduled weekly reading. 

~*~ 

Open Field in Front of Him by orphan_account

Steve Rogers's football season is functionally over after a loss to Rutgers, but he finds a distraction in Tony Stark (yes, THAT Tony Stark). A college AU Stony fic.

In Trouble Deep by FestiveFerret, SirSapling

"Whoever did this has a reason, and Stark needs to be with someone who can protect him. He won’t exactly be able to protect himself like this.” Fury looked at the baby consideringly. “No, it’s you, Steve. Besides, he likes you. Suck it up, soldier, you’re stuck with him.”

The Twice-Told Tale by arysteia

For someone he'd hero-worshipped for so long, Steve Rogers in the flesh is a pretty big disappointment. For one thing, he keeps looking at Tony as though he reminds him of someone else, and even if he never says anything, Tony's pretty sure it's his father. A lifetime of not measuring up to Howard's expectations is more than enough, thank you very much, and he's certainly not going to make an effort to live up to any of Steve's. Steve's pretty clearly failed to live up to his expectations, in any case, and that's not hypocritical at all.

Bulletproof by foxxcub

At age fifteen, Steve Rogers had been in love with Tony Stark.

By age twenty, he’d (mostly) gotten over it. And then he promptly became Tony Stark's fuck buddy.

dick drunk by mistymountainking

“I’m going to fuck you stupid,” Steve says, pulling away only a fraction of an inch to say it, a promise as deep and certain as the look in his eyes, “and you’re going to take it. Aren’t you, Tony.”

Tony wants a drink. Steve gives him something else.

Sixpence In His Shoe by scifigrl47

Steve and Tony should really read the fine print on what they're signing. Then again, some mistakes are not really mistakes.

Straight on till Morning by Sineala

Tony Stark resigned his commission in Starfleet five years ago, after a disastrous away mission, and he swore he'd never go back. He just wants to be left alone to build warp engines in peace. But the universe has more in store for him than that, as he discovers when Admiral Fury comes to him with an offer he could never have expected and cannot possibly refuse: first officer and chief engineer aboard the all-new USS Avenger, a starship of Tony's own design. What's more, the Avenger's captain is Steve Rogers, hero of the Earth-Romulan War. Believed dead for over a century, Steve is miraculously alive... and very, very attractive.

But nothing is ever easy for Tony. As he wrestles with his secret desire for his new captain and his not-so-dormant fears, another mission starts to go wrong, and Tony becomes aware that Steve has secrets of his own -- and the truth could change everything.

For the Love of a Dragon by Captain_Panda

If it was between you and your dragon, who would you save?

Deep in the Heart of Me by Finely Honed (jaqen_hgar)

Veteran single dad Steve runs a tattoo shop. Pepper arranges for Tony to get that tattoo he always wanted, and he winds up with the mother of all crushes instead. Jumping out of airplanes is one thing, but love requires real courage. Steve struggles with letting someone into his life. Tony tries to keep his heart intact while Steve works on his issues.

Craving a realistic depiction of a romantic relationship featuring PTSD, mental health issues, and characters who discuss their problems? This might be for you. No magic fixes here but a happy ending is guaranteed!

Never Too Late for Love by Sineala

Steve has always believed that a soulbond is a blessing -- a rare and beautiful miracle, joining the thoughts and feelings of two people forever, from the first time they touch. Steve knows he's not going to be one of the lucky ones. He knows Gail isn't his soulmate. But he loves her, even if they're not soulmates, and he's going to do right by her. After the war's over, he's going to marry her, and they're going to settle down. They'll buy a house. They'll have children. He'll see his family again. Maybe Bucky will live next door. It's going to be a good life. He doesn't need a soulbond. He'll be fine without one.

Then Steve wakes up sixty years in the future to find that his wonderful life has moved on without him. His family is long dead. His fiancée married his best friend. And the only purpose he has left is leading the Ultimates, a misbegotten team of superheroes with flaws too numerous to count. Steve hates everything about the future -- but most of all he detests Tony, flashy and flirtatious, who embodies everything Steve hates about a world he never wanted to live in.

And, oh, yeah, Steve has a soulmate after all: Tony fucking Stark.

Toy Soldiers by copperbadge

When Steve Rogers, five foot four and a hundred and ten pounds, met Tony Stark in a bar, he didn't expect it to lead to a relationship. Or that Tony would find out he's not an art student during a SHIELD rescue mission in Afghanistan.

there are still beautiful things by meidui

The day Tony takes Steve home from the New York Army National Guard is the best day of his life.

I've got you under my skin by sirona

Five times Beijing 2008 Olympics Gold Medalist Tony Stark thinks it's going to be no more difficult a job to get ready for London 2012, than what he has just achieved. That is, of course, before Coach Fury comes to visit, and offers him a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be a part of something much bigger than himself. Swimming AU.

The Foodieverse by copperbadge, scifigrl47

It's an AU where everyone works in the food industry. That makes total sense and is definitely not wildly irrational on any axis.

do you fondue? by calciseptine

Tony has done crazy things in the name of food, but falling in love with Steve Rogers really takes the cake.

Homefront by copperbadge

Steve Rogers is a capable leader, a kind and cheerful man, a good friend, a strong role model, and a loyal soldier. He's also teetering on the edge of suicide.

stress relief by romanoff

They don't love each other. They barely even like each other.

The Jar by Sineala

The Avengers are ridiculously competitive people, and what starts out as a silly late-night team discussion quickly becomes a contest: their names. Not the code names -- the nicknames. Who can go the longest without using them? They pledge to spend a week not nicknaming each other, and they'll pay up every time they mess up. This hits Tony the hardest, and not just financially. Tony's got a lot of nicknames for everyone, but most of all for Steve -- and when Tony can't use the names he's already got, the names he uses reveal feelings he had no idea he had.

Celestial Navigation by sabrecmc 

Celestial Navigation: 18 year old Omega!Tony finds himself Bonded to Captain Steve Rogers. He isn't happy about it until he is.

By request, here is CN in one place without other stories and artwork.

ad astra by Areiton 

The first time he kissed Tony Stark, the stars danced overhead.

[wangxianficfinder]

Hi!

Could you find a fic for me? I remember it being on Ao3 and on my subscribe list, but I haven't been able to find it, so it may have been deleted, but I also don't remember the title😅.

It starts with Lan Zhan and Wei Ying in the Xuwanu Cave, and later being found by Jiang Cheng and Jin Zixuan. They form a golden core bond and telepathy with each other, leading them to create mental blocks whenever Wangxian wants some alone time😉. They don't let people know they are alive, and start hunting down the Wen soldiers.

Later, they find Jiang Yanli and Wen Qing and lead the Dafen Wen to Nie Mingue for refuge. I don't really remember any more details, but I think Jin Zixun tries to kill Jin Zixuan later on in the story.

Hope this doesn't give you too much trouble!

Hi! I believe you might be looking for this one?

FOUND?🔒Quartet series by WithBroomBefore (T, 69k, WangXian, Platonic Soulbond, Hurt/comfort, Canon Divergence, No golden core transfer, JC & JZX stay in Xuanwu cave, Fix-it, Temporary character death)

- Mod C

[bookgeekgrrl]

My media this week (22-28 Oct 2023)

📚 STUFF I READ 📚

🙂 The Golden Spoon (Jessa Maxwell, author; full voice cast narration) - a perfectly cromulent book: totally predictable to anyone who's read more than 1 mystery but still entertaining in both characters and plot. Gerald, my autistic king, you were definitely my fave. [I did like the idea of having a different voice narrator for each character, since the chapter POVs switch, but the narrator for Stella sounded like the Tiktok automated voice about 90% of the time. I could tell I was going to get annoyed with that & with the way audio draws things out when I can read text so much faster and it became clear the plot was going to be so predictable, so I switched over to reading text ~35%.]

🙂 The Sleeping Beauty Curse (who_la_hoop) - 152K, drarry, accidental soulbond

😍 i come back to the place you are (pizzabones) - 211K, steddie canon-divergent post s4, extremely satisfying slow burn, loved the dual POV structure with eddie in a coma for the first 10 months the fic covers

💖💖 +79K of shorter fic so shout out to these I really loved 💖💖

soldier keep on marching on (waiting on that morning sun) (songofswiftsunrise) - LOTR: gen, 4k - lovely 'Boromir Lives' AU, inspired by emily martin's incredible art

Pursued by Bear (Zenaidamacrouras1) - MCU: shrunkyclunks, 19K - reread, forever fave, inspired by that tweet about the UFC & Shakespeare conventions occurring in the same hotel

A Tricky Bit of Spellwork (AidaRonan) - OFMD: gen, 1K - legit the only way I'll accept Izzy not being dead is this

Ready for Love (idiopathicsmile) - Singin' in the Rain: Cosmo/Don/Kathy, 13K - the Singin' in the Rain OT3 fic I didn't know I needed

📺 STUFF I WATCHED 📺

Mock The Week - s21, e2

The Graham Norton Show - s31, e3 (Laura Linney, Dawn French, London Hughes and Adrian Edmondson)

Taskmaster - s16, e5

QI - series J, ep 12; series T, ep 1-2, 4

Shakespeare & Hathaway - s1, e1

Murdoch Mysteries - s15, e18-24; s16, e1-5

Dirty Laundry - s3, e4

D20: Burrow's End - "Last Bast" (s20, e4)

D20: Adventuring Party - "The Bast of Us" (s15, e4)

Our Flag Means Death - s2, e8

🎧 PODCASTS 🎧

⭐ Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford - Oil and Blood: The Osage Murders

Shedunnit - Spooky Sleuthing

Submitted for the Approval of the Midnight Pals - Teaser 11: Shirley Jackson

⭐ Decoder Ring - The Fast Decline of the Slow Dance

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame

⭐ Twenty Thousand Hertz+ - Auto-Tone

⭐ Song Exploder - Kesha "Eat The Acid"

⭐ Hit Parade - This Ain’t No Party?! Edition

Re: Dracula - October 24: Not Yet Reported

Into It - Britney Was Always Trying to Tell Us Who She Was

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Venturing Into the Twilight Zone with Susan Casey

Pop Culture Happy Hour - Frasier

Submitted for the Approval of the Midnight Pals - Teaser 12: Bram Stoker

Ed Zitron's 15 Minutes In Hell - Episode 12 - Kari Byron

Simply Reflecting - Are We Back?

Re: Dracula - October 25: To His Doom

Vibe Check - I Put A Spell On You

Shedunnit - Bonus: A Haunting in Venice Review

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Great Plains Dinosaur Museum

⭐ Decoder Ring - When Art Pranksters Invaded Melrose Place

Switched on Pop - Chartbreakers: Mitski tops the TikTok chart

⭐ Today, Explained - Why does the US always side with Israel?

Ologies with Alie Ward - Teratology (MONSTERS) with W. Scott Poole

Re: Dracula - October 26: Continue Our Watching

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - The Art of the Heist with Noah Charney

99% Invisible #557 - Model Village

Off Menu - Ep 211: Steve Coogan

Into It - We Will Never Recover From What Justin Did to Britney or: the End of 'Into It'

Dear Prudence - I’m Making Bitchy Comments to A Dog! Help!

What Next: TBD - Self-Driving Cars Crash Into Reality

Pop Culture Happy Hour - Naked Attraction And What's Making Us Happy

Endless Thread - Endless Dread: Campfire Chills

Re: Dracula - October 28: Awful Straits

Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford - Killers of the Flower Moon: Osage Chief Jim Gray In Conversation

Overinvested - Ep. 287: The Exorcist

Wait Wait… Don't Tell Me! - Bernie Taupin

Hit Parade - The Bridge: Down at the Rock n’ Roll Club

🎶 MUSIC 🎶

Land (1975-2002) [Patti Smith] {2002}

Presenting Talking Heads

Presenting Blondie

Mania [Ramones] {1988}

Nightmare City Punk

[erstwhilesparrow]

double life fic recs

organized by session! (i.e., fics under session 4 will have spoilers up to and including session 4, fics under session 5 will have spoilers for session 5, etc.)

session 1:

these old ghosts; Thunderbirds_and_Lightning - Team Rancher Pacific Rim AU. Brutally sad, but also features: a terrific action sequence, gorgeous prose, unspeakable grief about Flower Husbands, and incredible jaeger and kaiju names.

the right thing; sparxwrites - Cleo and Scott talk the night after the first session. Short and tender and sort of a character study for all of Divorce Quartet despite the other two not being there. Joe Hills, despite also not being there, is a significant presence, which I think really elevates the whole experience.

session 2:

all is fair in love and war but i can't fight with you anymore; wizardlover - Scarian angst with a happy ending. Scar isn't stupid and also he should be allowed to go apeshit. The author is correct on both counts about this. Works out to be very sweet. (Psst. This author does great Scarian just in general -- it is worth checking out the other works in the series this fic is in!)

Detail of the Fire; canarydarity - Team Rancher hurt/comfort, patching each other up after the fire. This one feels a little like walking slowly through an art gallery -- lingering on beautiful / stately / lonely images. Inspired by a Richard Siken poem and does fun things with excerpts from the poem.

those were kinder times; SurrealSupernaturalist - Team Rancher Actually-Ranchers-Not-In-A-Death-Game AU! They escape to a farm and go on a healing arc that is nearly 10k words long. Incredibly sweet, domestic, and warm, plus angst about Jimmy as Omen of Misfortune.

session 3:

[When BigB returned from his rendezvous with Grian,]; orangeocelotmartyn - Ren and Bigb go red and figure out that this isn't going to work. They eat golden apples about it. Very good for Bigb and Ren talking about their relationship! Parting ways basically amicably! Realizing the soulmate thing is bullshit and they can and will pursue what they want!

under my skin?; Sixteenthdays - The soulbound pairs discover that their partnerships are literally, physically changing them. Features snapshot scenes from every soulbound pair as they attempt to cope with this change to varying degrees of success. A total delight all around.

you're the fool, i'm just as well; honeyblock - Pearl gets sick. Scott attempts to soldier through the effects this is having on him to deal with her. Contains: really fun / creative / piercing turns of phrase, Scott and Pearl doing that thing where it feels like they almost understand each other and then everything falls apart again, soulbonds being upsetting.

to catch a secret soulmate; wormcity - The entire server gets looped in on an attempt to find Bigb's secret soulmate. Bets are made, shenanigans are had, the sitcom energy is through the roof. Incredible character voices, and also just generally really fucking funny.

rainy day; whatcaniwriteinthis - It's a rainy day on the Double Life server, and people are waiting it out, or finding ways to occupy themselves, or reflecting on the game so far. The narration style is lots of fun, and it perfectly captures the vibes of hanging out somewhere during a torrential downpour in the late afternoon.

session 4:

[Once a week, the double life players each get one phone call to someone in the outside world.]; dmwrites - The Double Life players make off-world phone calls after session four. They gossip, or pass along life updates, or share blueprints for death machines. Hilarious, and also makes me so goddamn sad about ZombieCleo.

Soulmate-Things With Other People; savannah_owl - During the Homewreckers's pool party, people sneak off in pairs to, shall we say, hang out without their soulmates. There are good times had all around. Features relationships from Third Life, Hermitcraft, and Last Life. (savannah_owl also just has a bunch of really good Double Life fic? Worth taking a look!)

session 5:

hit the ground running; jelliegiggle, rosycheeked - Scar and Grian have a talk at Bigb's grave. Bigb is not, of course, physically there, but it is very much a fic where someone's absence is distinct and palpable. Really really good Desertduo Being Sad And Complicated And Intertwined.

session 6:

[The room is a dim basement room.]; theminecraftbee - Pearl and Scott have a bad time. Superhero AU, featuring a clandestine meeting between two people who hate each other and have no one else who will ever know them the same way. Months after reading it, I'm still obsessed with this one.

and by resilient i mean which holds; TheYesterdayShow - Martyn and Cleo have a bad time. Canon divergent: Cleo and Martyn survive to the end, and wind up talking about what they were supposed to mean to each other and what happens next. Absolutely brilliant characterization for both of them.

sugar, we're going down swinging; BananasofThorns - Etho and Joel have a-- Wait. [checks notes] Okay, honestly, they seem like they're having a fine time. Canon divergence where after outliving every other pair, Boat Boys fight to the bloody death. It's incredibly pretty and perfectly paced.

[wanderingchocolateeclair]

More neon souls au stuff!! <3

So this was inspired by an ask from dear story anon, that I will get round to posting as soon as I can.

For now, have some more info on this au (more here):

“Soulless Soldiers” are folks that were taken and experimented on by afo to the point where they have no markings, no colours, and are completely under his control. Like emotionless, soulless, empty husks of humans.

Soulless are used to “recruit” (kidnap) people who have either no markings or are “perfect” or have high formula %, and take them to afo for experimentation.

These Soulless are submitted into skyracers to “add challenge” and give the racers obstacles to try and get around. (obstacles that try to knock them off course/kill them)

This means that during races, there are a lot of casualties and fights. These are all allowed. It’s a dangerous game.

Skyracers must know how to fight. And they can and almost always will fight dirty.

Newbies who are fresh out of Skyracing training are called Fodder (credits to @laughteronsilverwings for the brilliant name)

Sometimes these fodder are unfortunate enough to have to go against strong skyracers (like the top 5) or several Soulless, in which case it’s very unlikely for them to win, or sometimes even make it out alive.

If two skyracers tie in first place, they must go head to head in an arena fight, either to the death or until the other yields.

If they refuse to fight/don’t go all out, there are….consequences….and typically these skyracers will suddenly vanish or be out of commission for quite a while.

So they have to completely separate their Skyracing personas from their personal self, because any slip up could be fatal to either of them.

Jeanist and Edgeshot tie surprisingly often, and have a very tense rivalry (until they end up finding out they’re soulbonded, and that just makes things more tense for a different reason)

The audience loves bloodshed and chaos, and often will cheer for more injury and excitement.

The races are broadcasted all throughout the city and civilians are warned to stay out of the air and stay on the ground during these races.

This image shows them fighting after they have established their soulbond, hence the purple glow that happens when they make contact

There will be more for this au, so keep on the look out~ I’ll be posting for more characters soon :)

(@suoperbvorb @genderfluidagendergremlin @kiribread they’re trying to kill each other again <33)

[signoraviolettavalery]

I am reading Everina Maxwell’s marvelous Ocean’s Echo (queer space opera romance!! Like Winter’s Orbit!!) and it is excellent, but also, as I’m reading it I’m developing a Malex version of it

A person with very special alien powers who is forced to soulbond with someone in the military so that he can be controlled because the government/military want to use his powers, except said soldier is way too scrupulous so they fake the soulbond?? 

Yeah I’m just sayin...malex

[themculibrary]

Fics With Titles That Start With J Masterlist

part two

Jailbreak (ao3) - justmattycakes mj/peter T, 3k

Summary: Dr. Michelle Jones knows all about soulbonds, but that doesn't make her a fan. In fact, she wrote the book on how to break them. But will her opinion change once she meets her own soulmate - NYC's favorite superhero?

James Rhodes in 8C (ao3) - what_alchemy rhodey/tony E, 5k

Summary: Tony has always known.

Jaw-Dropper (ao3) - LiquidCaliban steve/natasha E, 3k

Summary: Steve breaks his jaw during a mission and has to 'suffer' through Natasha's idea of being nice so he can heal.

Just a Blast From the Past (ao3) - InNeedOfInspiration steve/natasha N/R, 41k

Summary: Natasha watches Steve die and decides to use a time travel device from Asgard to go back in 1942 and prevent Bucky from turning into the Winter Soldier. Forbidden to meddle with the past because it could affect the future, she changes her appearance and introduces herself under a false identity. But as they grow close, Natasha finds it harder and harder to resist the charm of Steve from 1942.

Just A Memory (ao3) - justmattycakes mj/peter T, 24k

Summary: With Chitauri aliens pouring through the Breach, humanity has been pushed to the brink of extinction, pinning its final hopes on Tony Stark's ailing JAEGAR program and his brilliant plan: a washed-up former Jaeger pilot (Michelle Jones) and his own eager protege (Peter Parker). Will Peter and Michelle find love - and each other - in the drift? And can these dumb kids cancel the apocalypse? Tune in to find out!

Just an Asset (ao3) - soniclipstick (veriscence) clint/phil T, 3k

Summary: Coulson is probably just being polite; it’s obvious that he prefers Thor. That’s fine. Clint is just an asset, after all. And Coulson has real friends now, he doesn’t need to waste his time on Clint.

For anonymous tumblr prompt: Phil and Thor are good friends, Clint doesn't understand.

Just Another Guy With A Bow (ao3) - myrmidryad clint/phil, darcy/steve, jane/thor N/R, 94k

Summary: Clint's life is a steady progression from point A to point B, but it's everything that happens between those points that make the story interesting. Things like joining the circus, losing Barney, finding Barney, stumbling into SHIELD, trusting Coulson, making a different call when he's sent to kill the Black Widow, and becoming part of the dysfunctional Avengers team.

Just a Rose on a Star (ao3) - road_of_ruin loki/tony T, 54k

Summary: It wouldn't be the first time Tony Stark flirted with death, but no matter what the others said, reading stories to the quarantined God of Mischief was definitely one of his better ideas.

Just a Touch (ao3) - The_Buzz bruce/tony T, 8k

Summary: When Bruce and Tony are trapped under the debris from a bomb, Bruce can't afford to transform into the Hulk without risking Tony's life. To make matters worse, Bruce is badly hurt and help might not be on the way for a while.

Just Be Me (ao3) - Daiya_Darko bruce/tony E, 8k

Summary: Bruce can’t accept the most intimate parts of himself until Tony does.

just between us (did the love affair maim you too?) (ao3) - dharmainitiative sam/bucky E, 33k

Summary: “So, guess you’re headed back to Wakanda?”

“I might,” Bucky says. “Honestly, I was banking on going back to Brooklyn. Closest thing I’ve got to home, so, just made sense. But seeing as I’m a fugitive…” He glances over at Sam with a wry smile. “Why, what about you?”

“Rhodey found a spot,” Sam says. “Some safe house on the outskirts of the city. Hasn’t been used in a few years, so, gonna head there and stay low till the pardon is official. Or try to, anyway.”

Bucky is quiet for a minute before he turns to Sam and asks, “Want some company?”

Just Come Home (ao3) - Pearl_Unplanned steve/tony T, 3k

Summary: It had been four months since Tony had last seen his Alpha. It was supposed to be a normal mission, infiltrating A.I.M. But something must've gone wrong, because they'd lost all contact with Steve, the day he was supposed to be back. He was going to tell his Alpha the second that he was home that he was going to be a father.

Only, Steve didn't come home.

(Or pregnant Omega Tony is scared when his Alpha goes missing. When they do find Steve, four months later, he isn’t alone, and the Rogers-Stark family will never be the same.)

Just Dance (It's Gonna Be Okay) (ao3) - ficbypen steve/tony E, 6k

Summary: The Avengers get body-swapped for about a month; Tony and Steve maintain their relationship through it.

just friend things (ao3) - flying_snowmen mj/peter M, 5k

Summary: Peter doesn’t bring anything up at dinner even though May is giving him some serious side eye and can’t stop looking at him with that contemplative look of hers. And then, while he’s washing the dishes and handing them to her to dry, she asks, nonchalant as she can manage, “So when did you and Michelle start dating?”

“MJ and I are just friends.”

Or, a story in which Peter and Michelle insist that they are just friends, to the belief of no one around them.

Just Keep Trying 'til You Run Out of Cake (ao3) - K_R_Closson bucky/clint M, 11k

Summary: Clint Barton sometimes has a name on his wrist. Sometimes he has a couple letters. Sometimes he doesn't have anything at all. By the time he's an adult and working for SHIELD, he figures his soulmate is a ghost. Figures he's never going to meet whoever it is.

He's got it half right.

just know you're not alone (ao3) - haveufoundwhaturlookingfor tony/sam T, 10k

Summary: Tony was settling into his new life being an Avenger. Everything was going fine, great even, and then suddenly a kid was thrown into the picture. Peter Parker becomes Tony’s world, and he’s doing everything he can to keep his son out of the spotlight. Unfortunately, some things don’t always go to plan. But would it really be such a bad thing if his fellow Avengers found out about his son?

Just Me, You, and These Shitty Cigarettes (ao3) - dabblingwithwords steve/bucky, clint/natasha, bucky/brock E, 39k

Summary: Steve Rogers is pretty sure Natasha's new roommate is trying to kill him. Which he wouldn't mind considering he's been helplessly in love with him since they were thirteen.

just say you do (ao3) - biblionerd07 steve/bucky T, 173k

Summary: Steve just wanted a job. He wasn't expecting a marriage proposal. And he certainly wasn't expecting to accept.

just won't do right (ao3) - glittercake sam/bucky G, 7k

Summary: Sam's eyebrows go up, impressed, and he reaches over to squeeze Torres' shoulder, "This is amazing, kid. Thanks, really."

Bucky sits and watches in utter horror as the pink darkens on Torres' cheeks.

Oh, he realizes.

Oh.

Fuck.

just you and me (ao3) - haveufoundwhaturlookingfor steve/bucky, past steve/tony, past/bucky/sam T, 1k

Summary: Steve and Bucky are best friends, childhood friends. Somehow, they've both ended up being single parents with daughters and shitty ex-husbands. Steve secretly has a crush on Bucky, and would do anything for him, even if it means watching his kid for the night so Bucky can go out on a date.

[theliteraryluggage]

Find the Word tag

Once again I was tagged by @indecentpause to find the words up, down, top, bottom, left, and right! Thank you! These at least shouldn't be too hard to find!

Here's up from Vox Populi

Fight. Run. Do something. This can’t be happening. Ed jerked back on instinct when the soldier made to grab his shackles. Thankfully Ed didn‘t really need his hands to kick ass. Or kick face, as it happened. Which he now did, dancing backwards, his left leg coming up to slam into the side of the soldier‘s head, sending him stumbling. He was still blocking the cell door, though, and then there were the other five soldiers in the hall. “You’d do well to come quietly, Elric”, the Major said, voice dark but unconcerned. “You’ll only make things worse for yourself. Besides, your escort has been selected specifically to deal with your particular … talents.” Ed saw it too late—the soldier before him no longer cradling his head despite the rivulet of blood trickling out of his hair, but pulling off his gloves. The transmutation circles on his hands. Fuck.

down from Eldritch Elrics!

“Winry?” Its voice shook. Winry knew the voice. She‘d known the voice from the first word. “Is brother—is he …?” She‘d known the voice from the first word, and still it hit her like a leaden fist to her chest: brother. “Al …” Her voice barely carried through the wind. “Is that really you?” The armour stared down at its hands, leather and metal, glistening wet now. “I—I think so?” A terrible, terrible uncertainty. “I don‘t know what happened, I just woke up like this and I can‘t—I—I can‘t—I couldn‘t—there was so much blood, Winry, please tell me brother is okay!”

top from WAIL

Alphonse pulled back to look him over, trying to swallow through the iron grip on his throat, getting a better look at Ed’s torso now that his arms were no longer curled around it and—shit, with the black fabric of his tank top and trousers it hadn’t been immediately obvious, but now he could see them glistening wet with blood. The concrete where he’d been sitting until just now was also stained red. “Why didn’t you say anything, brother?”, Alphonse choked out, but Ed’s eyes were closed, face slack, confirming what their soulbond had already told him—he was unconscious.

bottom again from Eldritch Elrics (and another down while we're at it)

“A circle”—of course—”with an eight-pointed star. And something else. Like a question mark. But upside down.” The armour said nothing. “Do you know it?” A creak as leather hands balled into fists. “I haven’t seen it before. But I know what the octagram represents.” Winry held her breath. “Resurrection. New beginnings.” Something in her guts was about to burst inwards. “Was it tilted or upright?” “Uhm …” Winry hesitated. “At the bottom, did it stand on one point or two?” “Two, I think.” No more than a whisper. The armour nodded. “Protection. Balance.”

left from Vox Populi!

Fullmetal’s eyes flicked up at him, searching, for a moment, then leaned back against the cell wall, looking back up at the ceiling. “Typical to hear that from a no-good bastard like you.” Roy waited. “Like you got anything other than your dumb girls on your mind. What’s the latest one called again, Vanessa? You heard from her recently?” Roy had to suppress a laugh. He had no idea when and where Edward had picked up that name, but he supposed he should stop being surprised about these things. Much like “Vanessa”, Edward seemed to never forget anything he’d heard once. Unless it was convenient for him, preferably to make his superior officer’s life harder. “Ah …” Roy gave a dramatic, lovelorn sigh. “Alas, Vanessa has gone on holiday and left me all alone here. Cold, isn’t it? Won’t even write me letters.” Edward snorted. “Serves you right.” “And I hear she’s taken a friend, too! Lovely girl called Agnes, and now the two of them are enjoying themselves somewhere, couldn’t even tell you where. No saying when they’ll come back, either. Life’s cruel, isn’t it?” “Sure is”, Fullmetal said, something like a smile tilting his lips for the first time since Roy had come. “They deserve it, though, having to put up with you.”

And finally right from WAIL again!

He knows exactly what’s about to happen when Mei’s kunai hit the stone next to his shoulder, and it’s all he can do not to beg because he can’t do this again. But it happens. Al claps his hands and with a flash of alchemical energy his soul passes from the world and Ed’s right arm returns to him, and he hardly feels it because the rest of him is shattering. He’s going to pieces, too many to count, he’s a nova and if he’s going to implode he’s going to take the one responsible down with him. The rest of his fight against Father is covered in a haze of white-hot fury and pitch-black despair, and when Father finally crumbles, collapsing in on himself until there is nothing left, Ed feels like he’s about to do the same.

Nice and fair, two from each WIP 😂

I'm tagging @the-reading-lemon, @bloodlessheirbyjacques, @asthmaticbee and @sleepyowlwrites to find level, light, lovely and leave! As always, no pressure 💜

[faeteds]

for: iskra laelithar / @oldgcds​​

There are not many things that can throw Calian off kilter, it’s a fact that the Illyrian prides himself in. Strong and stoic, a damn near infallible soldier, ready to adapt to whatever is thrown his way. Except for this. This, admittedly, is something he had not prepared for. The idea of a soulbond seemed like a child’s fancy, nothing that would ever play a part in the course of Cal’s life. And yet here he stands, and he finds him scarcely capable of taking his eyes off her. The war general of Winter. That had been her introduction, as the two courts came to head. Iskra. The name is committed to his memory, if not yet allowed across his tongue. It’s almost maddening, the way it commands his attention, this incessant bond he never asked for. While the Illyrian’s initial plan had been to simply ignore it for the duration of the solstice, it’s becoming more and more apparent that won’t be an option — at least not with the other half of the equation so close by. 

He’s certain she knows he’s coming, when Cal’s finally broke the stalemate against his own stubbornness, the way the masses part like the sea as his wings demand space of their own. At another time, the sight would be a small pleasure. But instead, all he can seem to focus on is the path towards her. “General.” Pleasantries are not particularly of his forte, but her title is a well earned position of respect, and he acknowledges as such with a tilt of his head. “You do not seem to be enjoying your own party.”

[soulbond-and-soldier]

Seph, I think we jumped the gun.

Oh? I'd disagree.

Well, I know you do, but we should perhaps come clean about what's going on inside with us?

There's nothing to 'come clean' about. Starting with just me - whom you care about the most and have loved from afar - was by no means a rushed choice. You simply realized I wasn't the only one here.

That's true. I guess we should introduce folks to everyone else then. Should we rebrand the blog?

No, I like it. It took us a while to settle on a name, after all... If something better comes to mind, we can cross that bridge then.

[avoliot]

Ocean's Echo is a queer space opera in which Tennal, a disaster socialite with mindreading powers, gets conscripted into the space military and ordered to soulbond with his fellow soldier Surit - an earnest and well-intentioned type who follows his own personal ethical compass with the single-minded devotion of a bull in a china shop.

It's what you would get if you took Lois McMaster Bujold's body of work and decided to make it revolve around queer soulbonding. It somehow made Publishers Weekly's Best Books of the Year list. It's in the same universe as Winter's Orbit, but you don't need to have read that - it stands completely alone.

If you like awful main characters who fall into disasters and proceed to make them everyone else's problem, love interests who have memorized the ENTIRE rule book, and a deep commitment to space mindreading powers on the author's part, then *waves hands*. And it has an incredible cover, which I had nothing to do with at all, so feel free to buy one just to rip it off and stick on your wall.

[rinchfest]

Rinch Fest Day Seven Round-Up

Free-For-All

The Boss by blackchaps Rating: Mature Creator Chose Not to Use Archive Warnings A.K.A Don't piss off Harold. AU because I stirred a bunch of plot points and killed some people that I normally don't. Finished up for the Rinch Fest, Friday Free-For-All, because I have no idea what this story is about. Harold is pissed. John is tired and hungry. Shaw is Shaw. No Bear, unfortunately.

Catch Up

Day One: Wings

Art by UnUnpredictableMe (DraejonSoul) Rating: General Audiences

Day Two: Hobbies

Allegoria by AbAbsurdo Rating: General Audiences John looks after Harold after being kidnapped and tortured. Harold learns something about John and they come closer together Also fits multiple prompts

Graphite and Paper by ArgylePirateWD Rating: Teen and Up It's been three years, and the joy of having John back still hasn't diminished in the slightest. Also for both Be Nice prompts, music, fix-it, and domesticity

Art by merionees Rating: Explicit for entire work, this piece SFW

Day Two: Setting/Genre Change AU

It may be gold... by AbAbsurdo Rating: Teen and Up Tipsy and tired after a party, Harold stops to pick a young man from a street in a moment of weakness. If he can't have what he wants maybe he can help the man. But, not all things are as they seem. John is strangely alluring. Also for Day Three: Misunderstandings

Day Three: Music

Nevertheless by Fringuello Rating: General Audiences Harold Finch listens closely to the lyrics of an old song.

Day Three: Misunderstandings/Jealousy

It may be gold... by AbAbsurdo Rating: Teen and Up Tipsy and tired after a party, Harold stops to pick a young man from a street in a moment of weakness. If he can't have what he wants maybe he can help the man. But, not all things are as they seem. John is strangely alluring. Also for Day Two: Setting/Genre Change AU

Day Three: Soulmates/Soulbonds

Pain to the Soul by AbAbsurdo Rating: General Audiences Having a soulmate meant pain; their pain. Harold lived a life through his soulmate's pain. John didn't. Until he did. Day Four: Canon Divergence AU

Easier Ways to Get an A by ArgylePirateWD Rating: Teen and Up Switching gears to a career in education after Nathan died had not been one of his better decisions, Harold has to admit. Then student and retired soldier John Reese starts stopping by for office hours.

Day Five: Reese Whump

from darkness, to light by The SkyAtMidnight Rating: Teen and Up "I killed Harold," John says, voice dipped in grief for that brief sentence, "I'm going to kill you for making me do it."

That's it everyone! I'll probably be posting a final masterpost and a tally of how many things we got sometime in the next few days, but now, Rinch Fest 2022 is officially over!

Here's a link to the previous days' Round Up Posts.

Thank you so much to everyone who participated, whether as a creator or otherwise. Hope to see you again for another round next year!

(And if I missed someone's work, please let me know!)

[ratsoh-writes]

You are now obligated to tell us about Moose's tragic loose

His tragic loose, very funny lol

Under the cut cause sad

Well, he was everything but soulbonded to his childhood sweetheart Marley, a cute tan vixen monster with dark mineral orange magic. They were planning to complete the soulbond when the war was over.

When moose was 32, they had an accident baby. They named her mercy. She was a skeleton monster with her dads canines and her mums orange eyes. Mercy was everything to them, she was a strong baby, even when they had to ration the food. And she was so sweet, slept easy, was quiet for her mum when shots started firing too close to their hut.

Moose and maple left one day on a hunt. It was getting close to winter so every one was doing their best to preserve the crops that the soldiers didn’t take. Hunting was the best way to supplement their diet. He was lucky he took his brother that day since the enemy decided to bomb his village. The only survivor was his grandfather wilds.

[joekabox]

What is your ocs magic? Dose it have a proper name? What dose it look like? How do they cast it? Dose it require any extra components to uses?

I like this question, though its one I'm not sure I can answer 100% accurately for my characters, as they don't really have 'one' kind of magic they do.

With Joseph, my fanwalker, he mostly focuses on bolstering enchantments, either bolstering himself or those fighting alongside him. He also used his skills with enchanting to shape a spell around Sophia, his gryff partner, allowing him to planeswalk with her - though, her soulbond to him also helps, as she literally binds to his spark. He didn't really figure this out right away though, so it's a good thing he didn't try using that enchantment to planeswalk with anyone else right away. In the end, it basically just protects her from the energy of the Blind Eternities, but her binding to his spark actually lets her travel with him.

While his focus is absolutely on enchantments, Joseph also has the ability to summon creatures to his aide, often taking the form of ethereal soldiers.

On the day he watched his best friend, Atax, a Rhox warrior, die on the battlefield, he was also able to summon forth an elemental from the energy of the battlefield around himself to protect his friend's body and help finish the fight, though he hasn't' really done anything similar to that, on that scale, since that time.

In addition to those things, he also generally knows healing magics, wards, and practical spells to aide in his daily life. His time with the Azorius taught him a more offensive use for his enchantments, such as detainment magic, and he can also, occasionally, use burn-like magic through the production of holy light, but he's only done this a handful of times.

For my bard, Jerodin, he's a bard, and has all the magical prowess of a bard. His big thing is bolstering spells (I sense a theme in how I make characters), but he also likes magic that can be used to disguise himself or otherwise sneak about.

Just a note, he hates 'mind control' style abilities, and goes out of his way not to learn magic that affects the actual minds of others, if he can avoid doing so.

Thank you again for the ask! I hope you enjoyed the answers.