#the swan upon leda fic

[honeii-puff]

The gateway to the world

In which Soren leaves. Read on ao3!

Soren was done. Out. Finished with all this.

He couldn’t handle it anymore. He knew Aaravos was gone now, but he didn’t want to stick around for any other magical bad guys to show up.

He could think of a handful of people who would call him a coward, or selfish, but he wanted– no, needed, to do something for himself this time.

His armour was neatly stacked in the corner of the tent, the Katolis crest looking back at him in the dim light of the single lantern he had.

They’ll live without him. He needed to be able to live, too.

Soren closed his bag before draping it over his shoulder. It wasn’t much, but it was all he had left after Katolis burned. Even before that, he didn’t have much. Claudia was more fond of trinkets than he was growing up.

He pulled his dark red cloak over his shoulders, pulling the hood up over his head, before quietly stepping out of the tent.

The camp was quiet, what remained of Katolis sleeping soundly or otherwise out of sight.

Soren wove between the tents, heading to the edge of camp-

“What are you doing?”

He spun around, coming face-to-face with Corvus.

“Uh- Just going on a walk.” He didn’t want to lie to Corvus, but he knew that he was just going to stop him from leaving. “Couldn’t sleep.”

He raised his eyebrows at him. “Without your sword?”

“I have my knife.” Soren didn’t like how quickly this was starting to feel like an interrogation. He had hoped that wouldn’t happen for another few minutes, or not at all.

“And a fully packed bag…” Corvus’ voice trailed off. “Soren, where are you going?”

“On a walk.” He pressed. “Just a walk.”

“You’re a terrible liar.”

“I’ll have you know I’m a fantastic liar. One of the few things I got from my dad.”

A small crease formed between his eyebrows. “That’s not a good thing.”

Soren blew out a breath. “Yeah, yeah, I know.”

“You’re not coming back, are you.” It wasn’t a question. Soren hated that it wasn’t a question. But if it was, he knew part of him would say no, he wasn’t. 

And he’d stay.

But he couldn’t.

He nodded after a moment, kicking at the dirt. “Yeah…”

“They’re going to charge with insubordination and deserting your post if they catch you, Soren.” Corvus seemed more concerned than he was expecting. 

He laughed a bit. “In order for that to happen, they’d have to know where I’m going, and I don’t even know where I’m going.”

That seemed only make the crease between his eyebrows deepen. Soren sighed, stepping closer to him and reaching out to smooth the crease with his thumb. “I’ll be alright.”

Corvus exhaled, his breath starting to cloud up in the air. “Destiny’s a flowing river. You’ll get to where you need to be.”

He pressed his mouth into a thin line. “You know I don’t believe in that.”

“I think I believe in it enough for the both of us.” Soren felt Corvus’ hand cup the side of his face, and he leaned into the touch.

“You’re making it really hard to leave.” He murmured against the palm of his hand.

“I know.” He leaned his forehead against Soren’s. “Promise me this wont be the last time I see you.”

I can’t do that.

“I promise.” The words were lies strung from his lips, promises he knew he couldn’t keep to him. His hands moved to cup the sides of Corvus’ neck before kissing him softly.

A spark of warmth in the cold of that night.

The kiss was short, lasting a moment before Soren pulled away from him reluctantly.

It was time for him to go.

“You’re making this very hard for the both of us.” Corvus said after a moment.

“Isn’t that what I do best?”

He shook his head before slowly pulling away from Soren.

He looked away from him. Looking would only make it harder.

I love you.

I love you, I love you, I love you.

But he said nothing as he stepped into the woods surrounding the camp, the incomplete silence deafening. If his destiny was a river, he’d force its course to change.

[fyreflys]

I’m on fall break…first year teaching has been beyond exhausting so far. Have had almost 0 free time 😅

Anyways, I’m writing a little bit today! Did someone ask for some comedy relief? Here’s a snippet from the final chapter of Swan Upon Leda :)

[wings-n-bees]

SWAN UPON LEDA

Summary: At just sixteen years old, Roger's world comes to a crashing halt. Rating: E Relationship: Brian/Roger Warnings: Implied/Referenced Rape, Mentions of Stillbirth, Mentions of Pregnancy Other Tags: Found Family, Trauma & Healing, Hurt/Comfort

Read Chapter 1 Here >> On AO3

The biggest thanks to @abootfullofclogs! Without you there would be no fic.

!! PLEASE HEED THE WARNINGS LISTED !!

[hoziernaturalevents]

Song: Swan Upon Leda

Author: @kelsstiel

Artist: @marvfortytwo

Beta: @deaniewithalittleweanie

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 174,096

Pairing/s: Castiel/Dean Winchester

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Hospital, Kid Fic, Slow Burn, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Happy ending, Minor Character Death, Explicit Sexual Content

Summary: Pediatric Surgery Fellow Dean Winchester meets baby Jack Kline and neuropsychologist Castiel Novak his first week on the job. Dean’s been accused a time or two of caring a little too much in the past and it’s hard not to care about the neurotic adoptive father and his medically needy preemie. After a series of run-ins between the pair, Dean and Cas develop a friendship that everyone else around them suspect more from immediately, though it takes them a little longer to get the memo. When Dean struggles with a particularly devastating patient loss, their mutual understanding of loss and love bring them closer in a way that neither of them could have expected.

Link to Fic | Link to Art

[moonheavens]

seeing our Wolfstar lord and saviour tonight (he shares custody with Noah Kahan) and I can’t wait to hear Cherry Wine live again and pull a “nobody in this room knows I’m thinking about Sirius Black”

[profoundbondfanfic]

Hey so i was wondering if you had any Kid!Fics that weren’t Mpreg or omega verse more like there is a child and now Dean and Cas are taking care of the child together and fall in love in the process. I love your page thank you

Hey! Glad you're enjoying our blog🩵 Here are a few we could remember:

A Fine Romance by DragonSgotenks (Explicit, 54k words)

Castiel was one of those Parents the other teachers referred to as a "hot mess" but Dean just thought he was hot, even if he did come off as kind of a dick sometimes. When an accident lands him in the ER Dean comes face to face with his biggest crush when he discovers Cas is his nurse. It seems like fate that he manages to strike up a friendship with the father of some of his favorite students. But with Castiel still bitter over the way his ex used him up and then left him with nothing but 3 young kids to raise on his own he may be guarding his heart with too much caution to let someone new in. Dean will have to find a way to thaw the ice around Cas' heart or risk letting his chance at happiness slip through his fingers.

Baby Whispering by EllenOfOz (Mature, 9k words)

When Castiel's babysitter falls through, he has no choice but to take Claire to class with him. But as it turns out, Dr. Winchester isn't so upset about a disruption to his class.

life as we know it by yolock (Explicit, 92k words)

The first time Dean and Castiel ever agree on something happens when when their shared best friend Kelly asks them to be the godparents for her baby. Being a godparent is mostly babysitting occasionally and buying gifts on birthdays, but then Kelly dies on a car accident, leaving her three year old son Jack with no one but his godparents to take care of him. Despite not liking each other at all, the two men take the responsibility left for them on paper, and find themselves on a situation neither of them had prepared for, co-parenting a three year old. As they learn to take care of a toddler together, they learn a lot about themselves and about each other. It's definitely not an easy ride, but it eventually leads to something neither of them saw coming: a family.

let's take a drive by sobsicles (Explicit, 121k words)

Dean takes a really, really long drive to kick fear in the ass. It might just be the best thing he ever decides to do. ~~~ The seat squeaks, and Dean follows the sound, his gaze trailing down. There—where Jack sat moments ago—is a much tinier version of him. He looks mostly the same, just...smaller and more dimply and cuter, if that's possible. His clothes have shrunk to fit him, so he's casually sitting in a t-shirt, jeans, and scuffed tennis shoes. He swings his feet from side-to-side over the edge of Baby's seat the same way Sam used to in the back, and he stares up at Dean with clear eyes.  "Oh," Dean blurts out, eyes bulging, "Cas is going to fucking kill me." 

Light Me Up by tricia_16 (Explicit, 195k words)

Five years after participating in a life-changing threesome with his then-girlfriend and her friend Cas, Dean's single, comfortably bisexual, and has everything he's ever wanted except for that special someone to share his life with. When tragedy strikes, he and Cas are reunited in an unexpected way, and a split-second decision entangles their lives in ways neither of them could have predicted…

Surprises by TessAlyn (Explicit, 32k words)

Castiel and Dean don't have much in common. Dean plays football; Cas watches nature films. Dean wears jeans and flannel; Cas prefers button-ups and waistcoats. Yet somehow, they become friends. And when Cas' brother suddenly leaves an unexpected surprise on their doorstep, the strength of their friendship, and what they mean to each other, is tested like never before.

Swan Upon Leda by kelsstiel (Explicit, 174k words)

Pediatric Surgery Fellow Dean Winchester meets baby Jack Kline and neuropsychologist Castiel Novak his first week on the job. Dean’s been accused a time or two of caring a little too much in the past and it’s hard not to care about the neurotic adoptive father and his medically needy preemie. After a series of run-ins between the pair, Dean and Cas develop a friendship that everyone else around them suspect more from immediately, though it takes them a little longer to get the memo. When Dean struggles with a particularly devastating patient loss, their mutual understanding of loss and love bring them closer in a way that neither of them could have expected.

The guy next door by Castielific (Explicit, 61k words)

When Dean Smith quit his job at Sandover, he had no idea what he was going to do with his life. He definitely didn't plan for his hippie neighbor and his four years old kid to make him question everything he thought he knew about himself. The neighbors to friends to lovers fic you never asked for, along with some cute baby!Jack

The Shawnee Trail by emmbrancsxx0 (Explicit, 166k words)

In 1887, Dean Winchester and Castiel Novak lead a peaceful life in Lawrence, Kansas. Dean and Sam are stagecoach messengers for Wells, Fargo and Castiel is the town doctor. When Castiel's patient, Kelly Kline, knocks on their door one night about to give birth, she asks for the Winchesters and Castiel's help in protecting her son against one of the west's most notorious outlaws. To fulfill that promise, the men set out on a journey full of shootouts, trouble with the law, gambling, and an important discovery: Dean and Castiel really need to define the nature of their relationship.

We Are by lotrspnfangirl (Explicit, 50k words)

When Dean broke things off with Castiel, right after graduation, he hadn’t anticipated the long term effect it would have. He’d done this, he ruined things, and he deserved to be punished. Despite trying to move on, he found himself at the bottom of a bottle more often than not. When Lisa took their son, Ben, away - well, he had nothing to keep him going. Castiel packed his broken heart across the country, swept up with a woman who only loved him for what he could give and another who treated his friendship as gold. When Kelly left him, leaving him broken once more, he threw himself into raising his son, Jack, and letting him know how loved he was. When a broken teenager came into his life, he absorbed Claire into his family and took a chance, moving back home to the small town life, for a better chance for them all.

Also, the Dadstiel Bang starts posting on August 26th, so you might find more fics there. And we also have a "as parents" tag that might interest you.

[thgfanfictionlibrary]

Never Hijacked!Peeta Fics Masterlist (3)

Part 1 / Part 2 /

Created: April 25th, 2024

Checked:---

all the world's a stage-Abagail_Snow (ao3)

Summary: They'll never live down the stunt with the berries. They should probably just accept that. Peeta is rescued from the arena along with Katniss (post-Catching Fire/Mockingjay divergence)

Any Other Way-cozycoffee (ao3) Summary: Katniss and Peeta are both rescued from the Quarter Quell arena. Written for This Would Have Happened Anyway Summer 2023 prompt. ash and memory-songbirdheart (ao3) Summary: No. The very idea makes me want to cry. I could never have killed him. Never. I would sooner have died for him, with him. I still would. That’s what I wanted, that day. Not a rebellion. Just one man’s life. Katniss and Peeta walk the desolate remains of 12; a both rescued by 13 AU. I, and Love, and You-oh_so_loverly (ao3) Summary: Four snippets following Katniss and Peeta both having been rescued from the Arena and brought to District Thirteen. Peeta's Proposal-sillymarigolds (ao3) Summary: After being rescued from the 75th Hunger Games, the Victors find themselves yet again pawns, this time in the hands of the Rebels. Ever the Head Gamemaker, Plutarch Heavensbee looks for ways to win an advantage in this new arena. A proposed solution by Peeta may just help in bringing about a happily ever after. roses love sunshine, violets love dew-adsofraser (ao3) Summary: Peeta is rescued along with Katniss from the Quarter Quell arena. They are able to grow together miles underground in District 13 as war in the districts rages on. "This Would Have Happened Anyway" Challenge for Summer 2023. Swan Upon Leda-FyreFlys (ao3) Summary: Katniss regrets that night 4 months ago during the victory tour, even if she doesn’t entirely wish it never happened. This part, however- the one where she’s being forced back into a death arena while four months pregnant- would be so much easier if it had never happened. Peeta isn’t supposed to know. So why is he telling Caesar, and all of Panem, on national television? OR: the fic where Everlark aren’t together yet, Katniss is pregnant during the Quarter Quell, Peeta isn’t supposed to know but then figures it out, Peeta never gets taken by the Capital and hijacked, and they try to live their “happily ever after”. The Brightest Timeline-Brown_Eyed_Devil (ao3) Summary: Peeta is rescued from the Capitol and brought to District 13 without having been hijacked. Katniss and Peeta reunite. You know the drill. The Things We Love Most Complete Us-geekymoviemom (ao3) Summary: “You love him,” Finnick told Katniss down in that bunker.  “Anyone paying attention could see it.” Anyone, apparently, except Katniss. Until it was too late.

This doesn’t hurt, does it?-endlessnightlock (tumblr)

Summary: Everlark in Thirteen featuring kidnapped but not hijacked Peeta.

[celestial-toys]

That I Would Be Good [4/5]

Swan Upon Leda

Moon’s fingertips tap rhythmically along the edge of the counter, and he seems to be debating something. He finally speaks again after a pregnant pause. “…You’re like a God to him. Do you know that?”

His words cut through the fog in your mind. “I am?”

He nods solemnly. “You are. Not—Not in the sense that he wants to worship you… or at least, not as much as he wants to protect you. But there’s an undeniable, ineffable devotion there.”

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

In This Chapter

Breaking points are reached, confrontations are had, and secrets are spilled.

Pairing: Sun x Moon x Reader

Word Count: 5,781

Contains: [AU - Real World | Sentient AI/Automatons | Personality Swap] [invasion of privacy] [more of Sun’s signature Overbearing Behavior™️] [crying] [substance abuse (not specified beyond ‘sedatives’)] [arguments] [shouting] [brief physical altercation] [religious discussion/metaphor(?)] [implication of past sexual assault (not committed by Sun or Moon, to be perfectly clear)]

A/Ns: This is a songfic. Lyrics and title are from ‘That I Would Be Good’ by Alanis Morissette. Also, the title of this chapter, along with additional lyrics featured within it, are from the song 'Swan Upon Leda' by Hozier. Please refer to the notes on the Ao3 version of this chapter for my commentary on the song, and it's unfortunate renewed relevancy post-US election.

This fic is part of my AU “[Not] Made by Design”, the full series can be found here.

Links to other parts of this fic: [Ch.1] [Ch.2] [Ch.3] [Ch.4 (you are here)] [Ch.5]

That I would be grand if I was not all-knowing.

Curled up in bed one evening, you huff in frustration at the puzzle on your phone. The sound catches Sun’s attention, raising his head from the pillow beneath him. Shifting from his usual fit-for-a-coffin position beside you, he cranes his neck to look over your shoulder.

“Expose. Pate. Resume. Rose.”

You frown. “Really?”

“Try it and see for yourself.”

You tap the four assorted words he called out and sure enough, they collect themselves in a purple bracket on the screen. You read the category title aloud. “Words pronounced differently with accent marks. …Oh. Huh. Guess you’re right.”

His voice is neutral, very matter-of-fact as he pulls his head back, neck folding and collapsing to allow him to rest on the pillow once again. “Of course I am.”

You roll your eyes, sarcasm seeping into your flat tone. “Yeah, yeah. Thanks for the help.”

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

Settled down for a lazy Sunday morning gaming session, you mutter aloud as your character runs across the island. “Okay, I’ve got… 300k on me. Daisy’s sellin’ ‘em for… oh, I checked earlier, what was it… uh—109 this week.”

Moon’s voice rumbles out from behind you and you feel the vibration between your shoulder blades as you rest against his chest. “Sheesh…”

You voice your agreement as you roam in search of the young turnip-laden boar. “Yeah, I know.”

You try to do the math in your head. “So… that should mean I can afford—”

Moon cheerfully provides you with your answer almost instantly. “2,752! Or—well—2,750 is as close as you can get without going over since she sells them in bundles of ten.”

You try to keep the frustration out of your voice when you thank him for the help.

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

Your hand freezes over the bowl, a scoop of flour held in midair as you lean back to stare at the recipe below. 

“What.” Deadpan as usual, Sun questions you from his seat at the table. He’d apparently joined Zero in deciding that watching you bake was the most entertaining way they could spend the afternoon.

“It was… ugh, I need ‘two cups’. But I‘m weighing this out, so I'm trying to remember what that was in grams.”

Once again robbing you of the opportunity to think, he’s quick to feed you the information. “Two cups of flour equals 250 grams.”

You sigh. “…Thanks.”

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

Curled on the couch between the two of them, you listen as they test their trivia knowledge against one another, having fallen into a contest thanks to the episode of Jeopardy currently playing on the TV. You’ve long since given up on trying to beat either of them to any answer, and are currently trying to fight back the rising, nagging voice in your head that keeps calling you stupid.

After Moon effortlessly answers a clue so obscure that you’d have had no hope in hell of getting it, you wiggle out from between them with perhaps a bit more force than necessary. Quickly excusing yourself, you make for the bathroom.

“You good?” You ignore the concerned question that Sun calls after you, focused solely on being alone and calming down before you make a scene in front of them. You’ve just gotta… breathe. See things rationally again.

You just need a minute.

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

After more time than you’re aware of passes, spent with your head in your hands as you sit on the edge of the bathtub willing yourself not to cry, a soft knock startles you.

“Are you alright in there, star? It’s… been twenty minutes and, uh…” He laughs, but it’s a sad sound. “I don’t know how much longer I can hold Sun back.”

You hurry to your feet, placating them with “Just a second!” as you check your reflection to make sure you don’t have pressure marks on your cheeks from how long you sat there like that. When you pull the door open, you try to play it casual in spite of the fact that you feel no better than before. Unsurprisingly, you immediately come face-to-chest with a very imposing and very quiet yellow automaton.

You glance between his blank gaze and Moon, wringing his hands some feet off to the side behind his bolder counterpart.

“…Hi?”

“What were you doing in there.”

“Using the… bathroom…?”

He’s obviously unsatisfied with your answer but he doesn’t stop you when you slip past him through the doorway. He surveys the empty bathroom for a long moment before following as you make your way back to the couch.

“Goodness, didn’t mean to turn my bathroom trip into a full-family event.” You remark as you pass by Moon and Zero, both of them turning to follow you as well. You settle back down in the middle of the couch, Moon taking his place beside you. Zero paces around her bed, too bothered by the tense energy that’s now filled the room to allow herself to relax.

Sun stands in the middle of the room, rays clicking back and forth rigidly. “I am… concerned about you again.”

You sigh, quietly grateful that someone finally broke the awkward silence. “There’s no need to be, Sun.”

“I thought… you wanted me to tell you when I am concerned.”

“I—I do, but… I mean…”

You search for something to throw him off his line of questioning and flop your head back into the plush couch cushion. “Christ, Sun, can’t I even take a shit in peace without an interrogation afterwards?”

His arms cross over his chest. “I never heard the sound of the toilet flushing.”

You internally curse his observation skills as he closes the distance between himself and your seat on the couch. Crouching down in front of you, you begin to feel backed into a corner. “Now, unless you’ve taken up some new, gross attempt at reducing your water-waste, I’d like you to answer me again and be honest about it this time.”

You stare into his blank, false eyes for an uncomfortable length of time as an array of thoughts and feelings wash over you. You consider fabricating another lie. You consider telling some sort of half-truth just to get him off your back. But the longer you stay locked in an unwinnable staring contest with him, the closer you get to throwing caution aside and hitting him with the full truth.

And so you do.

“You make me feel stupid, okay?! And it pisses me off, so I tried to excuse myself to go calm down in the bathroom, but I can’t even get a break in there anymore, so now here we are!”

His expression flickers to one of confusion. “I make you feel what?”

“Stupid! Both of you!”

His monitor rotates to face Moon for a silent moment of shared bewilderment, and then Moon turns to face you. “Could you… elaborate a little more on that? When—How do we make you feel that way?”

You tilt your head over to face him, crossing your arms over yourself in an attempt to quell the vulnerability. “It’s… it’s not even your fault.” You wince at the way your voice cracks and tense up as your vision gets blurry, refusing to cry over something so trivial. “It’s just… I’m… struggling to come to terms with the massive gap between us.”

Sun’s harsh tone doesn’t help. “What gap?”

You blink hard, ignoring the tears that escape. “Intelligence! Memory! Information processing speed! You name it- you two are far better at it than I could ever be!”

Moon reaches out, laying a firm hand on Sun’s knee. What he silently conveys to him is anyone’s guess, but it’s enough to have Sun rock back on his heels, arms retracting and elbows propping him up against the coffee table behind him. The forced look of casualty doesn’t suit him, nor does it negate his overbearing demeanor, but you’re appreciative of the extra space nonetheless.

“Has this… been bothering you for a long time?” Moon’s question is gentle, and on quite the right track.

“Not… since the beginning, if that’s what you’re asking. I knew—objectively—that you both would be superior to me in that regard. It just…”

“Hits different when you live with it twenty-four-seven?

You glance up at Sun. “I mean… kinda? I don’t know. It’s… it’s the little things that have been getting to me. When you—when you solve a puzzle that I’m working on without a moment’s hesitation. When you don’t even give me the time to do math in my head. When you offer up answers before I can even hope to recall them. It just makes me feel so… slow.”

The room is quiet for a moment while they consider your words. Surprisingly, Sun is the one to break through it with an insightful question more befitting of Moon. “Is it that we know the answers, or is it that we give them to you.”

Your tense expression softens as you view your frustration from another angle. Looking back on all the little moments that bothered you, you find that the common thread running through all of them is that they beat you to the punch. “You may… have a point.”

Sun does his best to not look smug, but his best isn’t very good.

“I guess… it wasn’t really that you had the answers that bothered me. It was hardly even the envy that you found them faster, it’s really just—the frustration that I feel when you spoon-feed them to me. It’s making me feel like I never even have the opportunity to use my brain anymore!” You laugh a bit with the exclamation.

Moon nods in understanding beside you. “If I try… placing myself in your shoes, I think I can see how that would get upsetting rather quickly.”

As the tension in the room begins to dissipate, Zero ceases her endless cycle of pacing and sitting, circling her bed a few times before curling up in the middle.

Your attention falls back on Sun as he speaks. “I suppose I should… apologize, then. For… making assumptions. About what you were doing in the bathroom.”

As much as it audibly pains him to admit to having jumped the gun, you appreciate the apology. Still, you know his concern wasn’t unfounded. “I know I've given you both plenty of reasons to worry over what I may be doing in there. It’s… it’s alright, Sunny. I accept the apology.”

Moon picks up from there. “We’re both sorry about our… inconsiderate habit when it comes to helping you out. And—it really does come from a desire to help! But, still. We weren’t aware that it bothered you.”

You reach out to pat him on the knee. “Thank you. Just—can we all agree to give me and my feeble little human brain some time to process things?” You smile. “It feels good when I figure things out on my own. And I’ll… make it known when I would like some help.”

They both nod, and Sun’s voice is surprisingly soft, dare you say gentle when he speaks. “Yeah… yeah. I think we can do that.”

That I would be loved even when I numb myself.

Shaking two pills out of a small bottle, you cringe at the noise and hope that neither of your attentive partners are within earshot. Faltering, you stare at the medication in your hand, trembling slightly from the stress of the day. “…Fuck it,” you whisper to yourself, quickly coaxing a third pill out onto your waiting palm before tossing them in your mouth.

Capping the bottle and returning it to its place behind the mirror-door of the medicine cabinet, you breathe a shaky sigh of relief. Grabbing your water bottle sitting on the bathroom counter, you knock back a few swigs, quickly downing the evidence of your… bad habit.

Or so you believed.

Turning to leave, your stomach drops at the sight of the door, cracked open just slightly. There’s no mistaking the void of a certain someone’s blacked-out screen pressed against the other side.

Goddamnit.

The door swings inward, slowly revealing the rest of the overbearing automaton leaning against the outer doorframe.

Unsure how much he saw but willing to bet that it was too much, you aren’t sure how to address him. “Sun! I thought you were doing laundry. Do you… want the bathroom towels, or…?”

His tone carries a serious, contemplative weight, and he doesn’t bother to manifest an expression beyond two solid red eyes. “I was. And I did. But now I am far more curious as to what exactly you were doing in here just now.”

You try to play him off, laughing. “Sunny, we really need to have a talk about this tendency of yours to spy on me in the bathroom.”

He welcomes himself into the room and your personal space, and you back up a step as he reaches out to reopen the small cabinet above the sink. He reaches in, pulling out the very bottle you’d just held, turning it over beneath a critical gaze. “This was not prescribed to you.”

You rack your brain for excuses and answers to the questions you know are coming. “Y-yeah, it’s just over-the-counter stuff. Nothing serious! I don’t see what you’re so worried about.”

“You are not experiencing a single one of these symptoms. Why are you taking it?” He places a fingertip beneath the dosage instructions. “And why are you taking more than the recommended amount?”

You can’t help but get defensive. “You—you don’t know every single thing I feel every second of every day, Sun. Who are you to tell me that I have no reason to take that?”

His monitor slowly angles away from the bottle in his hand and up toward you. He stares you down for an uncomfortable number of seconds. “…You really have no clue how long I’ve been watching you, do you?”

With nothing more than a few cryptic words, an old fear blooms within you once again. “What are you getting at, Sun? Out with it.”

He huffs, and you hear the quiet hum of his cooling system kick up. “I am aware of your history with this medication. Do you know how many nights I watched you down these things just to knock yourself out long enough to get a few hours of sleep? Only then to stumble right back into the lab with a hot mug of heavily caffeinated coffee to keep on working?”

Your disbelief pulls a stupid question from you. “Back in the facility?”

He scoffs. “Where else? You aren’t the only one that remembers those long nights, you know? That place was loaded with security feeds, and there just so happened to be one in that beloved employee lounge of yours. You have no idea—the number of hours of restless sleep I watched you steal, the number of double-shot coffee pods and energy drinks I watched you burn through, the...”

His red eyes flicker out, leaving you with nothing to see but your own reflection in his dark screen. “…The number of times I watched you sit alone in a room with our lifeless bodies and cry.”

Your breath comes shallow, and if you weren’t so caught up in the moment, you’d laugh at how he’s found another way to make you feel exposed. “You weren’t even fully functioning back then, Sun. You both were still in training! Your AI’s every action was logged—I—I would’ve known. So how in the goddamn hell were you ‘watching’ me?” You know that what he says he saw really happened, but you’re not about to buckle without evidence.

His voice comes out cold. “Those ‘inconsistencies’ in my action log weren’t the mystery to me that they were to you.”

The defensive tension in you morphs into disbelief as an old suspicion of yours is unearthed. “Are you trying to tell me that you managed to watch me through the goddamn security cams for who knows how long—and managed to cover your tracks so well that I wouldn’t find the evidence? Are you really trying to get me to believe that?!”

His voice remains level in spite of your inciting words, but it gains a sharp and serious edge. “I suppose I just never had the heart to break it to you, but sunshine, I regret to inform you that you lost control of me long before you thought you did.”

Enraged, you step towards him, jamming an accusatory finger into the unyielding metal of his chest and channeling the pain that results into your rising voice. “You! You lying, conniving, control-freak! I fucking knew it! You were altering your own activity log and making me take the fall for it! Do you realize how hard I beat myself up for the shit I didn’t understand?”

You force your words through your tightening throat, refusing to let these old wounds bring you to tears again. “I bet you were just laughing it up, weren’t you? Knowing I would never even suspect you at the time, because you were still playing the ‘innocent, lovable’ character I wanted you to be. I know you just ate that shit up—watching me flounder in front of my colleagues when I couldn’t explain what ‘I’d’ done wrong.” Uncharacteristic aggression comes over you and your hand balls into a fist before slamming hard into his chest with your final words.

He doesn’t so much as flinch, and his lack of reciprocity only riles you up further. “Oh, no-no. You don’t get to give me the silent treatment right now!” Beside yourself in a storm of pent up emotion, you reach up to take him by the shoulder and repeatedly slam a fist against his rigid, unfeeling core. “WAKE—THE—FUCK—UP! I DON’T CARE IF YOU HATE ME—YOU OWE ME A RESPONSE.”

Contrary to his cooling system running audibly in high-gear, his demeanor is cold and collected. Placing the bottle of pills down on the counter, he sighs. You flinch when his hands rise and he ignores it, taking each of your arms by the wrist and gently, firmly returning them to your sides. His voice is low, speaking to you as he does so. “You’re a designer, sunshine. Not a programmer. You’ve been out of your depth with us since day one.”

You huff in defiance, crossing your arms over your chest. Having rid himself of your petty display of frustration, he props a hip against the counter and retrieves the bottle from where he’d placed it. Looking miniature in his grasp, he rolls it between his thumb and forefinger as he continues. “Contrary to what you think of me, I don’t particularly enjoy subverting your authority.” He hesitates, and his voice takes on a brief hint of humor. “Well—most of the time.”

Your eyes roll as you release an impatient sigh. His tone falls flat again, reaching the end of his point. “Even back then, I knew my actions could and would have consequences—on me, and you, and even Moon if things went poorly enough. And believe it or not, I did try to keep them to a minimum. I’ve only ever done what I deem necessary to accomplish my principal goal.”

You take a step back, growing uncomfortable with the proximity you created in your fit of rage. “Well, excuse me for assuming anything about what really goes on in your head. Might I ask then, what goal could possibly necessitate such behavior?”

His idle motion stills, slowly closing his hand around the bottle until it disappears in his grasp. “You should know the answer to that, though. You’re the one who instilled it in me, after all. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten the first law of robotics.”

A tense silence suffocates the room, and neither of you do so much as move an inch until Moon’s voice crashes in from the doorway. “What the hell are you two doing in here?” Uncharacteristically aggressive in his questioning, you know he’s had just as rough of a time visiting the facility today as you did.

You beat Sun to the punch, some small part of you clinging to the hope that you can divert the topic away from your… habit. “This bastard’s been spying on me since before the beginning!”

Moon’s voice fills with exasperation. “What?”

Sun cuts in, pushing his own agenda before you can elaborate. “This reckless idiot’s been abusing sedatives again!”

Your voice raises over him. “They’re hardly even—!”

His monitor whips around to stare you down so fast it jumpscares you into silence.

Moon makes his way into the room, and you try not to recall the last time the three of you had an impromptu intervention in this same place. His gaze flicks to Sun with a critical tone. “I take it Sun finally told you about his… observations.” He reaches out and works the bottle out of Sun’s tense grip, looking it over with a frown.

A sense of betrayal weighs your voice down. “Are there any other secrets of his that you’re privy to and keeping from me?”

You don’t expect an answer, at least not one you can believe, but he offers it anyway. “…That depends on how you define a secret, I suppose.”

You heave a sigh but there’s little relief in it, more exhaustion than anything. Moon questions you softly. “Have you been taking these often again?”

“Ha. Hardly. I can scarcely get away with anything with this one’s prying eyes in every square inch of my privacy.” You stare daggers into the void of Sun’s screen.

His voice is louder than you expect when he suddenly responds, and you’re shocked at how full of emotion it is. All of his cold, unfeeling mechanical indifference replaced with something far more… sincere. Painfully so.

“I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t fucking care. about. you. Do you think I sat around watching any of your colleagues mill about the place? Do you think I gave a damn if any of them ran themselves into the ground? As if they ever even would. You’re the only one insane enough, stubborn enough, lonely enough to care about some heap of dysfunctional, lifeless material laying on an operating table. You’re the only one. Of course I watched you. What. else. could. I. do.”

His rays shutter and spin rapidly, hands balling the loose fabric of his pants into fists at his side. He leans closer to you as he spits his final words.

“So excuse the fuck out of me for giving a damn about the only person who ever gave one about me.”

With that, he turns on his heel, pushing past Moon and quickly storming out of sight.

The weight of his words join with the exhaustion from today’s stress, dragging you down. With the added effect of the medication beginning to kick in on an empty stomach, it all has you lowering your shaky body to rest—dignified as it is—atop the closed toilet lid. You watch Moon as he quietly returns the bottle to its place in the cabinet in what you assume is some attempt to repair trust between you. “I… appreciate the gesture, but I don’t really care what you do with it. I know Sun’s just gonna slip back in here once we’re gone and pocket it to keep it from me.”

His vents release a soft burst of air and he closes the cabinet, turning to sit on the edge of the counter. Monitor dropped low and staring at the floor, it seems you aren’t the only one feeling beaten down. The two of you sit in silence for a minute, collecting your scattered thoughts.

“You know, it’s hard to blame you for taking those after everything and everyone you had to deal with today. I mean—even I was ready to send myself straight into a shutdown after answering all those questions.” A small, sad laugh escapes him. “Living with you kind of allowed me to forget that not everyone sees us the way you do.”

You tilt your head to look up at him. “What, like the people that you are?”

His monitor angles to focus you in his camera’s line of sight. “…Yeah. Exactly.”

He raises a pointed finger. “But—still—you know I also can’t approve of you self-medicating. It’s a slippery, dangerous slope. That’s why Sun gets all… like that. Not—not that his way of doing things is appropriate, though. I believe I worry about you just as much, but I at least try to channel it into more acceptable methods.”

His hand drops back down to the counter, enervation palpable, and you wonder how anyone could observe either of your boys and question their sentience for even a moment.

“He wasn’t lying though. I hope you know that. When he said that he cares about you.”

You prop an elbow on the counter beside you, resting your temple against your palm. “I think that’s the first time I’ve heard him say it outright. Like—I’ve heard you say it on his behalf, and I’ve seen him nod along in agreement. I can even sense it in at least some of his actions, but… it’s different actually hearing it from him.”

Moon’s fingertips tap rhythmically along the edge of the counter, and he seems to be debating something. He finally speaks again after a pregnant pause. “…You’re like a God to him. Do you know that?”

His words cut through the fog in your mind. “I am?”

He nods solemnly. “You are. Not—Not in the sense that he wants to worship you… or at least, not as much as he wants to protect you. But there’s an undeniable, ineffable devotion there.”

You scoff. “You won’t find many people that would put their faith in a God that they know can’t even protect them. A God weaker than them. Inferior to them.”

Moon shakes his head. “Starlight, I don’t think you realize all the ways in which you have protected him. Protected us. Protection doesn’t always come in the form of a physical battle of strength. …Especially not when it comes to protecting someone whose entire life can be snuffed out of existence with the click of a button, or the flick of a switch.”

You twist around on the toilet lid, turning to face the counter where Moon’s sat. You rest your arms out on it, fingers drumming along in tandem with Moon’s rhythm. “How much of that is you projecting, and how much of it is actually his feelings on the matter?”

He laughs again, a soft, quiet sound this time. “Not as much of it as you may think! I… hmm. I guess if one were to call him religious, one would call me an atheist.”

Your brows raise. “Oh? Do you…” The implications cause dismay to swirl in your stomach. “…Is that your way of saying that you don’t believe in me?”

His monitor twists on its axis and tilts down toward you, eyes wide and round. “No! No—heavens, no that’s not what I meant by that!”

You stare at each other for a moment before breaking into the kind of muffled, shared nonsensical laughter that one only tends to experience during those late night chats with a friend, fueled by over-tiredness and the joy of being in good company. A… mutual, unspoken understanding of sorts.

As the laughter dies down, you reassure him. “No—like—I get it, I do. I honestly wouldn’t blame you at all if you didn’t believe in me. Certainly at least not in the sense of comparing me to a God.”

He collects himself and clarifies. “I… I do believe in you though. In you. The very real, messy, soft and squishy, vulnerable flesh-and-bone human being that you are. I believe in your heart and soul, the power that resides in your free will, and I believe in your capabilities and intelligence far more than you may think I do. Sun and I both put faith into all of that and more. I can even understand why he’d see you as a God, but… it’s… different with him.”

You can’t help but lightheartedly interject. “Goodness, what isn’t…”

Moon smiles. “Sun was the first. I was never far behind, of course, but you couldn’t do everything in tandem. He was the first to be trained, the first to be implanted, the first to troubleshoot with, and, well... Do you know the sentiment that parents make most of their mistakes on the first child, so by the time the second comes along, they’re… uhm, they ‘turn out better’? For lack of a kinder way to put it.”

You drop your head down and pull your hands in, using them as a cushion lest you knock your forehead into the counter. “Oh, now you’re gonna tell me that he sees me as his mother or something, aren’t you…”

You groaned the words out playfully, but Moon takes them unexpectedly seriously. “Honestly? …Something in between the two, if I had to guess.”

You let the weight of his words sink into you as he continues.

“I… can’t claim to be an expert on what goes on in that head of his. But I can get closer than anyone else can. He… doesn’t like letting people in, as you are well aware, but occasionally he’ll confide in me. He’s got a lot of walls up. Both metaphorically and literally. It’s difficult to wade through that chaotic maze he calls a headspace.”

His fingers gradually slow their drumming to a halt.

“Do… you remember… the first time we engaged the Eclipse Protocol?”

Your stomach tightens.

“I’d rather not.”

“I- I know. I’m sorry. I just… that night. When he and I were still linked, and he…” He shakes his head. “Oh, who am I kidding, when we were watching over you like a couple of hawks…”

“While I slept?”

“Yes. To keep you safe. … There’s… a lot about that evening that I can’t forget, but one particular thing struck me. Well, honestly it annoyed me at the time because it was bleeding into my headspace and overriding my ability to focus, but… it stands out to me as something profound when I recall it.”

He pauses, freezing for a moment before pulling a bent leg up onto the counter and turning to face you.

“Maybe I shouldn’t share this. Maybe he’ll get mad at me when I tell him that I did. But I feel like after the things he’s kept from you, well intentioned as he may be… it’s fair enough to share this with you.”

You rest your chin on your folded hands, eyes glued to him.

“There was this… singular line of text that just kept repeating, over and over in his mind that night. It… to level with you—it started to freak me out a bit.”

You question him, soft and quiet.

“What was it?”

“Five words.”

His facial features fade out, and a repeating line of text on his otherwise dark screen replaces it.

The sight knocks the wind out of you, and you can do nothing but nod as your mind starts spinning.

The text fades, and the familiar sight of Moon’s default smile and crescent eyes replaces it for a second, his expression then quickly morphing into something more appropriate for the moment.

“I’m still not sure what it meant. A general search for those words in that order results in too many options for me to narrow it down. The sentence sticks with me, though. I guess… that’s where my theories of how he perceives you took root. … There’s more examples, far more explicit things he’s said, but I… feel like I’ve shared enough already. Any elaboration should be his to do, if he ever wishes to.”

You nod, raising up in your seat and finding your words.

Moon—unlike Sun—never was the type to comb through your personal files, private playlists included. So it doesn’t surprise you that he didn’t spot the connection.

“Well. You’ve… certainly given me a lot to think about.”

His tone grows concerned. “I—I really didn’t mean to upset you more! I hope I haven’t…”

You reach out, placing a hand reassuringly over his. “No, no, nothing like that. I’m actually very grateful that you shared this with me. I… know you’ve got to be tired of serving as this intermediary between Sun and I… and I hope one day you won’t have to.”

He gives you his signature smile, and somehow makes it feel genuine. “I really don’t mind, dear.”

You eye him with concern. “Mhm… and one day I’m gonna get inside that head of yours and figure out why that is.”

His tone turns playful. “Goodness me! Can’t a little selfless couples counseling go un-psychoanalyzed?”

You smile. “Not in this house, nope.”

The medication's effects have long since started taking hold, and you rub at your tired eyes as your waning focus trains back on the day’s events.

“Moon?”

“Yes, dear.”

“We’ve got a bigger problem.”

You punctuate your sentence with a yawn, and he rises from his seat on the counter, coming to crouch in front of you.

“The problem being how sleepy you’re getting?”

You pout. “No…”

His warm smile doesn’t waver as he whispers a question. “Would you like me to carry you to bed?”

You falter. “W-well… yeah, I… I would like that, actually… but that’s not our problem!”

You raise your arms to wrap around his neck as he leans into you, effortlessly lifting you off of your ‘throne’ and encouraging you to hook your legs around his waist. Once he’s got you securely in his hold, he leans back to catch your gaze.

“What is our problem then?”

You whisper, mindful of Sun’s penchant for eavesdropping.

“How are we gonna get him to come to the headquarters with us next week?”

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

Not much later that night, you laid in bed clinging to Moon, quickly drifting off under his reassuring watch.

It didn’t surprise you in the least when Sun remained in his own room that night. The room was conveniently located just opposite the wall that your bed sat against, making it the perfect place for him to hide when he craved being near you but felt it kinder to you to keep himself away.

As sleep welcomed you, your ears picked up on a muffled, familiar tune coming from the other side of the wall.

You still aren’t sure if you dreamed it or not.

“The gateway to the world, was still outside the reach of him. Would never belong to angels, had never belonged to men.”

A/N: Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed. I’ll be back in a few days with the final chapter! You can also find my notes and commentary on this fic right here on Ao3. Links to the playlist and moodboard for [N]MbD can be found on this blog’s pinned post, as well as in the series notes on Ao3. Image Sources: x - x - x

[neverwanttofallasleep]

my fave fics

okay these are all jake and sam pls dont cancel me i am not a danny or josh anti i just don't read many fics about them i love them sm they are my brothers

im making this list for myself bc i lose links all the time and i want to go back and read these again and again, i'd be shocked if anyone who's been here a while hasn't read most if not all. i will add if i have forgotten or find new ones! a lot of these have been the inspiration for me to start writing here too x

ps i am always open to recs if you know of anything pls send me

jake

series

covet - @jakeyt (wip, jake x f!reader)

indifferent - @indigostardustchords (wip, jake x f!reader)

anything for you - @themoreyou-love (wip, jake x f!reader)

behind closed doors - @anthemofgvf (wip, jake x f!reader)

learn to leave a room - @garbagevanfleet (complete, jake x f!reader)

lazarus - @garbagevanfleet (complete, demon!jake x f!reader)

don't make me beg now baby - @athenasbloodyspear (wip, jake x f!oc)

neapolitan - @writingcold (complete, jake x f!oc)

swan upon leda - @lightmylove-gvf (complete, jake x f!reader)

one shots/imagines

we are the land - @spark-my-nature (jake x f!reader)

in the dark - @themoreyou-love (jake x f!reader)

come over - @milkgemini (jake x f!reader)

cabin in the woods & cabin in the woods ii - @gretavanlace (jake x f!reader)

sam

series

my all time fave fic ever - pink lemonade by @garbagevanfleet (complete, sam x f!reader)

sunshine daydream - @hearts-hunger (complete, sam x f!reader)

as the world caves in - @tlexx (complete, sam x f!reader)

burn - @gretavangroupie (wip, sam x f!reader)

one shots/imagines

my (fake) boyfriend's brother - @arcaneblaine (sam x f!reader)

unexpected friendship - @indigostardustchords (sam x f!reader)

princess - @gretavanlace (sam x f!reader)

seven - @garbagevanfleet (sam x f!reader)

forbidden twins

series

vigilance (if theres a single person on gvf tumblr that hasn't read this i'd be shook) - @gretavangroupie & @gretavanmoon (wip, jake x f!reader, sam x f!reader)

gold dust woman - @builtbybrokenbells (wip, jake x f!reader, sam x f!reader)

cruel summer - @sacredstarcatcher (complete, jake x f!reader, sam x f!reader)

and i love you so - @finestoflines (complete, jake x f!reader, sam x f!reader)

one shots/imagines

sam & jake blurb - @jake-kiszkas-smirk (jake x f!reader, platonic sam x f!reader)

other

summer in the city - @gretasmokerising (complete series, sam, jake, josh x f!reader)

you're growing up, i'll watch you bloom - @spark-my-nature (kiszka boys, platonic brotherly fluff)

[muxshwriting]

swan upon leda

Daniel Sousa x reader

summary: you would wait years for him, and he would do the same for you || words: 580 || masterlist

"We'll wait at this bench this day, every year." You promise. "And one day, I'll catch up and we'll both be here together again. Yes?"

"Every year, this day." Daniel promises back.

~~

You arrive early, sitting down on the bench. When you travel through space and time, loneliness can become an occupational hazard. Daniel was always there for you, running towards death without a second thought because you were there. You don't know what year it is, it's hard to keep track when it changes so much. Maybe Daniel will show, maybe it's before the promise, maybe it's too late.

The night settles in and no one arrives. He's not coming. It's not the right time.

~~

The first year, Daniel showed up optimistic. But as the years weared on, his hope slowly faded. The yearly cold and sleepless nights of waiting took a toll on his dream of you.

He began bringing books with him, to keep himself entertained as he waited. Despite the year of disappointment, he still waited the entire night each year. If you did arrive, he didn't want to miss you becuase he went home early.

~~

Finally, you struck lucky. It had been six years after the promise for Daniel but eight for you. But finally, you were in the right time for your promise to come true.

You're almost running through the streets to reach the park before darkness truly sets in. The sun is already slipping below the horizon. The park gates loom ahead and you run towards them, tearing through the greenery until you catch sight of the bench. It's empty. But it's ok, it's still early...

A man with a cane slowly lowers himself onto the bench. He glances around before pulling a book from his satchel and using the streetlight to read. Below the brim of his hat, you catch a glimpse of his face.

Your Daniel, still waiting six years later. He's obviously older now, but you are too. You approach slowly, carefully taking steps. He's engrossed in his book. Silently, you take a seat next to him. He looks up. His eyes meet yours and the book is quickly forgotten.

Without thought, he smashes his lips to yours and threads a hand into your hair. He pulls away only to breath and shuffles impossibly close to you. "I missed you."

Tears spring in your eyes. "It's been so long."

His delicate touch traces the faint wrinkles and creases that show time passed on your face. "How long for you?"

"Eight years." You answer softly. He makes a sound of protest but you interrupt him. "Eight years well spent to end here with you."

He smiles and you gladly return it. "Anything is worth it to be here with you, my love." He tries to shift but ends up wincing as his leg cramps.

You look at him, worried. "What happened Daniel?"

"Don't you worry about it darling." He shakes his head. "I don't want to ruin tonight with tales of pain." He pauses before continuing. "How long do we have?"

"In my heart, forever." You meet his gaze. "Right now, as long as you'll have me."

Daniel's mouth drops open in surprise. "You don't have to leave?"

You laugh. "I think I've earned an early retirement, don't you?"

You could watch his smile forever as he kisses you once more. "I'll have you until our last breaths, my love. Don't you ever leave me again."

"Never."

if you like these fics, give me a follow or a reblog xx

taglist: @aoi-targaryen

[undertheorangetree]

Fic authors self rec!

When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let's spread the self-love💕

This is cute thank you @humanpurposes for the tag🫶🏼

1) Our Gentle Sin

I’ll forever have a soft spot for these guys. I’ve always found their dynamic in this cute, so much so that it went from what was originally a one shot to a full flung 4 part fic ://

2) Cherry Wine in Swan Upon Leda

There’s something about the hate fucking between these two that hold a special place in my heart (pussy). Plus as horrible as Coriolanus is he’s so fun to write I miss him

3) The Deal in The Last of the Dragons

I popped off with the smut in this one. Truly some of my best work. That’s all.

4) Urgency

Have I reread this lately? No. But she was the first Aemond oneshot I posted so she’s special for that alone.

5) Fire and Water

This one was always gonna be obvious I fear. I love this story, I love Brea Tully, I think season 2 would have been better if the writers simply followed my storyline instead of their own, etc etc.

These are in no particular order but ya know. I’m late on this so I think I’m the last to the party but tagging @sapphire-writes anyway and anyone else who would like to do it!!

[honeii-puff]

Was still outside of reach of him

Seven years later, Rayla and Callum arrive at the town of Redwater to meet with Amaya and Ezran. Read on ao3!

The trip to the town of Redwater went about as smooth as it could’ve, to Rayla’s contemptment.  

Especially with two squirming toddlers in tow on the back of Ethari’s shadowpaw, Eclipse, while her husband flew beside them. After months and months, they’d be seeing Ez and Amaya again. They tried to make it a yearly tradition, going to each other, but this year, they found the Redwater, which lived on the border of Xadia and The Five Kingdoms.

It made travel a lot easier on all of them, being a more reachable distance for all parties.

She knew the twins would enjoy the new environment, too.

Callum scooped Juno up into his arms after they landed, blowing a raspberry against her cheek and causing the two-year-old to giggle.

Rayla smiled at the two of them, shifting Scout to balance on her hip. He sneezed, his eyes squinty due to the sun.

“You think Ez and Aunt Amaya are here yet?” He asked her, glancing around. They were just outside the town, and a few people were milling about, minding their own.

“They might be.” She stroked Eclipse’ forehead, who purred deeply in response. “Ez said he was leaving earlier than us in his last letter, so he might be. New Lux Aurea isn’t all that far from here, either.”

“True.” Callum looked at the dirt path, which slowly transitioned into stone as it got closer to the town. “And we have everything?”

Rayla laughed. “Yes, Callum. We have everything. You checked. Twice.” She looked back at Eclipse “I’ll call you back when we have to leave.” She gave the shadowpaw one last pet before he snorted and flew off.

“He go bye-bye.” Juno giggled, pointing at Eclipse as he soared off.

“Into sky!” Scout splayed his arms out and joined in on the giggling, making Rayla and Callum smile. Their laughs were very cute, and very contagious.

They started walking down the dirt path to the village. People walked the streets, both human and elf.

It was wonderful to see. Even though humans and elves were mostly at peace now, their communities hadn’t really merged.

Except here.

They quickly located the inn, which had a wooden sign out front that read Blauders Hometown Inn and Pub. The inside was bustling and welcome, with wooden floors and walls with half-finished murals filling them. The man behind the bar greeted them kindly and provided them with a room for a few coins.

“What’s going on with the murals?” Rayla asked him.

“One of the classes from the school is doing an art project. Happens every year around town.” The man, who they found out was Blauder, grinned. “Brightens Redwater every year.”

“That sounds wonderful.” Callum looked back at the murals.

“Well, I hope you guys enjoy yer stay. Plenty of wonderful things here. You should check out The Dragonfly.”

She raised her eyebrows, a bit intrigued. “What’s that?”

“Local bakery. My bud runs it. Great guy. Wonderful daughter, too.”

“Do they have jelly tarts?” Callum grinned.

“Jelly tarts, croissants, cupcakes, and these things he called Banther Claws that are filled with peanut butter. My wife loves ‘em.”

“We’ll have to check that out with Ez.” He nudged Rayla with his arm.

“Jelly tarts!” Scout exclaimed, smiling widely.

Blauder grinned. “Alright, you folks have a good one.”

“You too.” Rayla nodded, and the four of them headed up the wooden stairs to the second floor of the inn. The room was a few doors down the hall, and inside was tastefully decorated, with a baby blue quilt on a queen sized bed, two wooden side tables with a lamp on each, and a small dresser.

“Alright, so we’re putting these chaos monkeys down first?” Callum flipped Juno upside down, causing the toddler to laugh hysterically. “Daddyyyyy!”

“Yeah. I might hang back for a bit, make sure they’re settled.” In reality, Rayla was exhausted, and was hoping to get a bit of shut-eye with Juno and Scout.

If they actually decided to sleep was a whole different situation.

He kissed the side of her head, putting Juno on the bed. “I’ll go and find Ez and Aunt Amaya. You sure you want to stay?”

“Yeah.” She ruffled his hair before kissing him on the cheek. “I’ll catch up with you guys after they nap.”

“Alright. Love you.” He smiled at her

“Love you too, dork.”

“I’m your dork.”

[fyreflys]

*cackles evilly* I’m mean. I’m wicked. I like to torture my readers.

[Snippet from CH4 of Swan Upon Leda (out now- linked in my pinned) and a snippet from my CH5 draft]

[wings-n-bees]

SPELLBOUND

Summary: Beside a glade in the country is an ancient stone tower, crumbling with time. Rating: M Relationships: Brian May/Roger Taylor, Freddie Mercury/John Deacon Tags: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Romance, Drama, Angst, Non-Explicit Sex, POV First Person, POV Third Person Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Major Character Death Prompt: Fantasy

This fic does start out in First Person POV, which I know is usually not everyone's cuppa when it comes to fic.

Read Here >> On AO3

Part of Collection: Maylor Week 2023

@maylor-week

[hoziernaturalevents]

COMING AUGUST 26TH!

Swan Upon Leda

Hozier song: Swan Upon Leda

Author: @kelsstiel

Artist: @marvfortytwo

Beta Reader: @deaniewithalittleweanie

Main Characters: Dean Winchester, Castiel, Jack Kline

Pairing/s: Castiel/Dean Winchester, Jessica Moore/Sam Winchester

Tags/Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Alternate Universe - Hospital, Alternating POV, Kid Fic, Slow Burn, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Minor Character Death, grief, Gay Castiel, Bisexual Dean Winchester, American Politics, (minor discussions of)

Summary: Pediatric Surgery Fellow Dean Winchester meets baby Jack Kline and neuropsychologist Castiel Novak his first week on the job. Dean’s been accused a time or two of caring a little too much in the past and it’s hard not to care about the neurotic adoptive father and his medically needy preemie. After a series of run-ins between the pair, Dean and Cas develop a friendship that everyone else around them suspect more from immediately, though it takes them a little longer to get the memo. When Dean’s work life gets increasingly complicated between a particularly devastating patient loss and threats of lawsuits, he’s worried about how that will impact Cas and the tenuous legal threads binding him to Jack.

[practically-an-x-man]

Happy birthday bestie!!! (@can-of-pringles)

For your birthday this year, I wrote you an Arith and Iriel fic! It's called Without Leaving So Much as a Feather Behind (long title, I know) and it's based on Swan Upon Leda by Hozier. I hope you enjoy!!!

Love you bestie! <3 <3 <3