#this is a bit of a transitional chapter

[manta-rays-on-gallifrey]

Chapter 3 out now!

Winslow may have escaped the clutches of the nefarious Swan, but with no music to write and no Phoenix to sing it, what is he supposed to do with his life now? And why does he keep itching so badly?

Set in an alternate timeline where Swan's plot to assassinate Phoenix is successful. Chapters: 3/? Content warnings: major character death, graphic depictions of violence

Chapter 3 HERE Read from the beginning HERE

[loppiopio]

out into the world.

[heartbeatbookclub]

FINALLY

[littlefoxgw2]

[cuz-reasons]

Summary: Emmet comes home with a surprise for Ingo. Ingo tells one more story.

Rip (jokingly) Emmet for the first bit of this chapter

[uracowgirlikeme]

hey just a lil say it in French update, I will have the next chapter actually up by Monday, it’s nearly done. I’m sorry it’s two weeks late 🥲 it’s been a rough couple of weeks! But I want to get it up and back in to the swing of it

I know it’s not a big fic so I’m sure people aren’t too bothered about not seeing updates lmao but I’m enjoying writing and want to see it through 🫡 and will actually reply to comments this weekend, I’ve been overwhelmed I’m so sorry

[jonsaslove]

New chapter of castling the king just dropped. I intended to post it last night but I got so tired at 9 that I didn't have time to edit. Here you go <3

[cryptocism]

Is young justice gonna think Thad 2 is the same Thad who killed Bart at first? The clone conversation is gonna be so messy. Im excited

it SURE IS

[magicalgirlmindcrank]

I've been languishing a little on writing the last two or three weeks but I think I finally got around my minor writing block today and actually managed to focus and get back into the groove a little. Got like 2200 words down tonight and I haven't done better in those three weeks.

[skrunksthatwunk]

mannnn ok i've been waiting for the yyh fixation cycle to put me back on (!!!!!!!) rather than (thing i am so normal about but it's dormant) and it's taken a little longer than i expected and i was worried it was going away but i am happy to announce that WE ARE SO BACK BABYYY

[dragon0flies]

Second Chapter Up!

The second chapter of 'Oh Prison Dingy White' has been posted! It's a bit shorter this time but I still hope you all enjoy!

[starspatter]

Heroes and Thieves, Ch. 21

Title: Heroes and Thieves Fandom/Universe: BTAS, pre/post-RotJ flashback

Summary: A story about second chances, healing, and having hope.

Rating: PG-13, for references to character death, child psychological torture and trauma.

Genre: Romance/Family/Friendship/Hurt/Comfort

Word Count: 1,333 Previous Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

Also on ff.net and AO3.

But just go to bed now you crazy kid You'll be alright I know come morning time Just let the moon rise and the sun go down Don't let the hard times make you feel alone

-Family of the Year, "Find It"

————————–

Between.

Gotham cemetery.  A place of mourning and memory.  A young man exited out from a taxi cab after paying the driver’s fare, watching its tracks roll away through faintly falling snow before facing the metal gate.  Winter had set upon Gotham early this year, and he idly adjusted his scarlet scarf – a single splash of color amidst the gray.  …In his hands he held a similar sign of vibrance, in the form of a ruby bouquet of blossoms.

With a sigh, he steeled himself, and creaked open the steel spokes, trudging up the hill towards his destination.  On his way, he passed by a huge headstone that bore the unmistakable marker of a single surname carved in bold: Wayne. He paused, uncertain, as he silently bowed his head for a minute to pay polite respects, before moving on.

When he reached his real objective (coincidentally located not too far away), he lamented a little with gnawing guilt at the sight of brown and overgrown weeds shrouding the spot, enduring despite choking chill.  There was no marble slab, no erect monument of honor to stand proud the test of time – but a single plate embedded in the earth.  He bent down and parted the plants, brushing off a light layer of white dust to reveal its ephemeral epitaph, running his fingers solemnly over the minimal inscription:

Steven Drake

Husband and Father

19XX – 200X

There was another grave beside it with an analogous engraving.  He dutifully swept it clear as well, before gently laying the flowers down between the two.  Stepping back, he shoved his palms in his pockets, breathing out in belated greeting.

“Hi, Mom.  Hey, Dad.  It’s been a while.”

He rubbed the back of his hair awkwardly, overwhelmingly aware of just how long it had been since he’d given his own kin any kind thought, having made zero effort to dig up the dirt of an even more distant past.  Per his own personal request, Mr. Wayne had spared him any fancy funeral proceedings, employing but a simple ceremony and privately hired preacher.  Burying his father’s bloated, barely recognizable blue corpse in a closed casket after importing it back from Metropolis, in order to let his body’s spirit rest in Gotham hallowed ground at least – at “home”.  …Bruce had held his hand the entire time though, and the long overdue tears from that day threatened to descend now at the recollection.  He shook his head though and swallowed firmly, struggling to find a way to broach conversation, make up for lost time.

“I’m sorry I haven’t visited often.  I guess I’m still mad at you for a lot of things,” he grudgingly admitted, mostly addressing the male side of the equation.  “But… I know you did what you felt you had to in order to support Mom and me, all on your own.”

He focused on the paternal plaque by his feet – not quite in forgiveness just yet, but understanding sympathy at least.  Having seen and experienced how truly horrible a “parent” could be firsthand, he had a better appreciation now for some blessings, however small.

“I don’t know if you’ve been watching from… wherever you are.  So I guess I’ll just start at the beginning.  After you left, Bruce Wayne found me and took me in.  You know, the big-shot billionaire?  He… gave me a job.  The best job in the world, I thought.  I… was really good at it too.  Things were great, for a while.  I was honestly happy.  And…” He hesitated.  “You would’ve been proud of me, I think.  …If you’d only been there to see.”

Glassy eyes masked in mist, lifting a lugubrious look to the clouded, crying sky.  Dull and monochrome.  Monotone.

“But… I messed up.  Bad.  I mean: really, really screwed up.  I made the biggest mistake of my life, and it cost everything and everyone I love.  I… did something terrible.  Something you never even had the guts to do.”

His knuckles clenched tightly, reminiscing.

“Before you disappeared, you said something to me.  You probably thought I was asleep, but I heard you.  You… said that I’d be ‘okay’. That I had ‘something special’, something you ‘never had’.”

He lowered his gaze, returning resentfully to reality.

“You were wrong though. I’m not special,” he spat in hindsight, acknowledging the full irony of the forecasting statement.  “And I’m sure as hell not okay.”

Biting his lip, he exhaled, letting it go.

“But… I’m doing better now. Since then anyway.  Things have changed.  I’ve got a new job – a legit one, that’s not breaking any laws,” he almost laughed in mocking jest at the notion.  “-with decent salary and benefits, can afford a fairly nice place of my own; a ‘stable’ income life and all that normal shit.  In general, I suppose you could say things are… pretty ‘all right’ at the moment.  I’ve even made some really good friends, who helped me get back on my feet after that.  And I… met a girl: Her name’s Stephanie.  You’d like her, she’s got what you’d call ‘spunk’.”

He smiled softly.

“We’re getting married soon, in the spring.  I… wish you could be there.  Both of you.”

A beat, before quietly adding:

“All of you.”

…He whispered.

“I want you to know: No matter what, you’re still my Dad.  Bru- Mr. Wayne could never replace you.  …He tried though, he really did.  I… don’t blame him for that.  So, please – try not to hate him too.”

His fist tautened in determination.

“Even so, I won’t be like you.  And I won’t be like him either.  I’m… gonna find my own way from now on.  Stay straight, stay clean yada yada.  Stay ‘strong’ – gold and all that crap.”

Reflecting back, he mused.

“In the end, maybe that’s what you were trying to do too.  The right thing.  Show ol’ Pukeface who’s boss, protect me and this whole goddamn city.  And paid the price for it.  …Or maybe you were just trying to save your own skin.”  He shrugged.  “Guess I’ll never know at this point.”

Scratching his scruff again through the scarf, he found himself running out of things to say.  He thought there’d be a lot more mean and angry words to let out, finally get completely off his chest; cruel criticism for all the accumulated sins committed by every contributing party involved, more bitterness built up after all this time…  But somehow it didn’t seem worth it anymore.

“I suppose that’s all I wanted to come to talk about, for now.  I’ll stop by again.  And… I’ll bring her with me next time, so you can meet her.”

Bidding farewell for the time being, he turned and trekked back through the gathering slush towards the entrance.  Crunching through ice and frost as he walked purposefully past cracked, pious structures and beneath the barren branches of trees, limbs stripped of life and leaves but still surviving – clinging on desperately by the roots.  So too were the touchstone memorials, the ones still being devotedly cared for by loved ones left behind.  (Like hidden trophy cases submerged just as deep underground, concealed in cold storage – frozen stasis – within a closeted cave.  …Maybe, it might be more accurate to refer to it as a “mausoleum” than a “museum” at this stage, given the curator’s penchant for creeping about at night, as if a wandering ghost himself.  Maintaining appearance as a haunting host for no one, no reason other than to selfishly serve his own death-seeking crusade – grimly reaping what he’d sown.)  …So as not to forget where they’ve been and where they came from – a permanent, palimpsest reminder that someone was, in fact, ‘here’.

He didn’t get very far though before he came upon another fresh set of slightly larger prints beside his own, trailing to a stop before the towering tomb he bypassed earlier.

…

Blooming like budding drops of blood at its shadow’s base was something that wasn’t there before:

It was a pair of red roses.

————————–

I say goodbye as it fades away Out past those trees I'm gonna find my way Please don't be scared for me I'm big and I'm strong You had to know that I would leave all along

[beyondthetemples-ooc]

Squeaks and flaps hands!

A Work of Magic is officially up on Ao3!!!

--> https://archiveofourown.org/works/47501014/chapters/119709694 <--

I apparently have to do some editing before I post the rest, because I’ve become a lot more discerning over when to use Little Details. (Prepositional phrases, italics, emdashes, etc. I also like colons and semi-colons now, which adds Variety to the punctuation pool.)

But I’ll be updating it as I edit! It’s the low-spoons kind of editing, really. I might even do another chapter or two before I go to bed tonight...

My goal is to get it caught up with the ffdn posting within the next month, though. Preferably before the trip to NY!

[fastcardotmp3]

I have like one scene left to write for this chapter to be done motivation come to meeeee

[retiredcultistredux]

tw//blood (also long post)

[CHAPTER 1 FINALE]

After enough time, and plenty of comforting pats given to Prince Fluff to reduce his pain, Kirby seemed to have had enough of Ester's 'shenanigans'. With a sudden sense of determination hidden under a bit of nervousness, he stood up and walked closer to Ester.

Ester looked at Kirby, not taking him seriously in the slightest. He let out a small laugh.

Ester: "And I mean, seriously, you're the one who managed to defeat Void Termina before? Like, from what I know, you had to get all your friends to help...so, by yourself, you're really just a little gumball, haha! But still..."

Kirby: "H-Huh...?"

In a flash, another shadowy appendage shot out of the ground, grabbing Kirby. Ester's eyes began to glow, and he smiled.

Ester: "...Hehe...alright, no more stalling."

In an instant, Ester--along with Kirby and Hyness--were covered in a cloud of shadows. Once the shadows cleared, all three of them were gone, leaving Zan and Prince Fluff alone in a state of shock.

[END OF CHAPTER 1.]

[Ester, Hyness and Kirby are unavailable for questions until further notice (funny how Hyness is the main character but nah he's officially been kidnapped, we'll check back with him later). Zan and Prince Fluff are still available, but for now, let's shift focus back to Magolor, Fran and Flam to start off the in-between chapters segment, shall we? It's been a while (and they have no idea what's been happening on Jambandra).]

[neon-danger]

It’s interesting to see how their relationship has grown overtime they are so much better at communicating their needs now. I’m squealing at how domestic they are it’s really cute. The contrast between Alex’s past relationships to the one with Jack lets me know they have a real connection that runs way past just desire it’s real love.

The challenge was something else Alex seemed to really enjoy it he was so out of it. 😂

They make me so emo it’s not even funny

And then this chapter originally wasn’t going to exist at all but like, I needed just a little more time to establish some things before the final week