#thought I'd try this prompt list because I did set out to be an enemies to lovers account and still try to be at times

[leighsartworks216]

Prompt for whenever you want it: the reader grew up in a household where she wasn't allowed to be very feminine/like cute things. Her family was adamant that she be tough and that anything remotely feminine or pretty would be wasted on her. So she secretly likes cute and pretty things, but has internalized all the things her family told her so she never let's it show. I would love to see astarion pick up on it and how he would react? I just imagined one day he presents her with a delicate handkerchief with her initials (he embroidered them himself) and I practically bawled my eyes out 😭😭😭

Idk why I really struggled to write this one. I just had a hard time starting it. So I'd write an opening, hate it, leave it for a bit, come back, leave it again. But I finally got it to a point that I am happy with it

Astarion x fem!Tav/Reader

Warnings: vague references to trauma, self-doubt, swearing

Word Count: 1,041

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Baldur's Gate 3 Masterlist

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One gets quite good at reading people when that’s all you did for 200 years. Someone would twitch and Astarion could know exactly what they were thinking. Reading you was as easy as opening a book.

Every time you passed a market or merchant, Astarion could see the way your eyes flit longingly over jewelry or dresses. It was always brief. If the vendor noticed, they’d try pitching the item to you; the same old lines: “A beautiful necklace for a beautiful lady!” But you just smiled politely and shook your head, muttering how it wasn’t your style.

It was curious. Throughout your journey so far, he’d noticed other things, too. How you’d save the most beautiful, feminine dresses for your female companions. At first he just thought you wanted to give them something nice, but it was odd when you’d provide them an item much more suited to your strengths than their own. How your eyes would linger a little longer on flowers and lace gloves. But the moment you felt eyes on you, you’d turn away, the distant longing gleam in your eye replaced with a set determination.

He’d even caught you staring at the embroidery on his clothes once or twice.

(“Distracted, are we?”

“I was only wondering what it says. An odd poem for a shirt.”

“Hmph. Clearly it’s meaning is lost on you, darling.”)

So, with 200 years of experience, Astarion came to the only conclusion he could plausibly find. He accounted for your own attire - masculine or purely functional - your steadfast avoidance of anything feminine, the sorrow that visibly washed over you when you came across something particularly beautiful.

You didn’t allow yourself these things, because you couldn’t.

Well, you could, he supposed. But you weren’t. Perhaps, like him, you felt you didn’t deserve it. Or perhaps, like him, it had been ingrained into your very being that you couldn’t have it. Either way, the result was the same.

He wasn’t honestly sure what came over him when he realized. And it had taken him a few days to think about the idea that formulated unbidden, itching at the back of his mind in a way that put the tadpole to shame. But one night, after feeding (on you and a boar), he sat within his tent and got to work. He threaded the eyes of needles with practiced ease, steadily guided it back and forth through the material in his hands, creating elegant shapes. If he was being honest, it was some of his best work.

It took him even longer to gather the nerves to give it to you. You handed out gifts freely - armor, weapons, trinkets, blood. But he’d… well, he’d never really given anyone a gift before. Nothing as genuine as this, certainly. His mind, his own worst enemy aside from Cazador, kept plaguing him with thoughts of how you’d hate it. How you’d take one look at it, struggle through a smile, and tuck it away at the bottom of your bag. And so it remained in his belongings, safely hidden.

And then you just had to go and be so damn good. You just had to stand up to Araj Oblodra when she kept insisting he drink from her. You just had to quietly tell him that he could, if he wanted to, but only if he wanted to. And you just had to respect his choice. He’d never been so overwhelmed with emotion before. Nobody had ever done that for him. His choices didn’t matter, his comfort didn’t matter. But you didn’t even hesitate.

When you sought him out at camp later that night, you even told him he was free. No longer a slave who had to get on his back for mere breadcrumbs. Too many emotions - relief, fear, euphoria, worry, gratefulness - flooded his chest.

He cleared his throat. “There’s actually something I’ve been meaning to give you,” he admits with a nervous chuckle. “Consider it a… thanks, for what you did for me back there.”

He pulled the neat, white handkerchief from his pocket and presented it to you. Red eyes flit over your face, trying to read every little expression that passed, as you stared at the cloth. On the corner, embroidered in the same golden thread as he used on his shirt, were your initials. Immaculate and shiny.

Your mouth opened. Your eyes were wide, your brow furrowed and then raised. You struggled for words. You met his eyes with shock. “A-Are you sure? I mean, this is much too fine for me - I was happy to stand up for you - Not that you needed any help! I mean-”

“Darling,” he hushed. So you did enjoy it, after all. “It’s a gift. Consider it repayment for all the nights you’ve bared your neck for me, if nothing else. A simple exchange.”

A dying sound left your throat with a breath as you looked back down at the handkerchief. With shaky hands, you took it from him. You held it as though it was a religious artifact from the gods, not a folded square of soft silk with lace borders. It had the same smooth feel as running your fingers over the surface of still water. Tears welled at the corner of your eyes as you ran a thumb over the letters.

“I…” You took a shaky breath, looking up at him again through the building water in your eyes. “Thank you. I can’t tell you how much it means to me.”

He smirked, though your blatant joy made his lips twitch into the start of a genuine smile. “You… deserve something nice. Something more than, well,” he gestured vaguely at your worn cotton attire, “this.”

You laughed and brushed away the tears beginning to slip down your cheeks with the back of your hands. “You’re still a bastard.”

“Oh, undoubtedly.”

“But a nice bastard.”

“Careful, darling.” He leaned forward with an even wider smirk, fangs peeking out as a mischievous twinkle glinted in his eye. “We wouldn’t want word getting out.”

And if he caught sight of that little cloth poking out from a pocket or resting at the top of your bag, well maybe he let himself enjoy that warmth in his chest.

---

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[echoeternally]

Echo’s Newer Bowsario Fanfics!

Lol, I was gonna use "latest" for the title, but "newer" got a giggle out of me, so, there we go.

Anyway! Hello to my selective few Bowsario (aka Bowser/Mario) shipping fans. I know there aren't very many of us out there, lol, but hey, we exist! And we have what fun we can.

It's been a few years since I made this kind of post, but I collected the fanfics that I've written in the past (found on this link and then also on this one too) for the pairing.

The content is easy enough to organize elsewhere, but I thought it'd be nice to put it in a convenient spot here too. And maybe some new readers will be delighted by the finds?

So, I figured I'd add a new one, since I've added a bit of new stories since the last post. And I'll share the old stories like I did before as well, because why not?

Presenting the list of the lesser-viewed Enemies-to-Lovers greats!

~~~~~

Amid the Roses - Set in an alternate universe where Mario and Bowser are removed from the Mushroom Kingdom conflicts, this stars the pair as a flower shop owner and tattoo parlor artist respectively. They end up meeting and bonding in a new way here!

Constellation Quelling - A much more traditional fare for the couple, this story has Bowser interrupt Mario while he's alone and relaxing. They bicker at first, but soon open up to one another in a way neither really expected, and the stars above certainly set a mood...

Distant Dawn - Based on a fanfic prompt from years ago on Tumblr, this is a short story to show some early morning musings from Bowser, who considers how his new relationship with Mario can develop, while a secretly not-slumbering Mario listens.

~~~~~

Along with those latest stories listed above, there were a couple of updates to my ongoing Bowsario fanfic, which started a decade ago.

That feels weird to post! But, with some new updates from earlier in the year and more since the last posts, I'll add that below here.

Eternally Never Yours - An ongoing fanfic that details a full affair between Bowser and Mario, as they try to make their seemingly impossible relationship a reality, while struggling to deal with the Mushroom Kingdom at large.

~~~~~

As for the rest, I'll be copying and pasting those below here, so that they can be included too. Makes it a little easier to find it all in one place, I think, right?

Mario’s Defender - A fanfic for Mar10 Day, it tells the story of Mario overhearing some unkind comments about himself, and then a certain someone (Bowser) going back against them. 

Time for Tea - Peach has a small tea party gathering between herself and her friends, the Mario Bros. She wanted the brothers to invite their partners, but didn’t realize who Mario would bring until it was too late. Daisy, however, wants to hear the story of how they got together! 

Red and Blue - In a slight change to the usual storytelling, this is a story that doesn’t use any dialogue to describe tender moments between Bowser and Mario while they explore a relationship together, going over their thoughts. 

Bowser’s Beard - For Bowser Day, a story where Mario and friends go to find out where Peach has been taken, but then find Bowser’s Castle mostly empty when they get there…save for one hairy Koopa King.

Quiet Life - In a “what if…?“ styled story, Bowser is essentially exiled in exchange for the Koopas finally being at peace with the Mushroom Kingdom. Mario is the one that brings comfort to him. 

Inn’s Covers - While going to an inn before a golf tournament, Mario ends up paired in a room with Bowser. They slowly learn to get along, and then some. 

Upon A Dream - After taking a mystical pendant, Bowser ends up in a dream where he’s married to Mario, and grows to not hate it. 

Heart of the Ancient Kingdom - Mario and Bowser are sent on a quest back to the oldest parts of the Mushroom Kingdom to retrieve a rare jewel. They go back to World 1-1 of their earliest adventures, and grow closer too. 

A Spirited Story - Based on Super Smash Bros., the spirits of Wolf and Fox get into a chase sequence of sorts. Mario and Bowser are among the couples they visit. Not quite from this year, but I’ve included it too. 

Wild Cards - A tennis story that focuses on Wario and Waluigi, but has a good deal of shipping support for Mario and Bowser. Also, Bowser wears his tennis outfit and Mario approves. 

Jolly Season - A Christmas special that features not only Bowser and Mario as a couple, but some fluff for Peach and Pauline as one too!

~~~~~

Actually, you know what? Speaking of Peach/Pauline, I may as well include those fanfics here too. What the heck, you know?

This group is a series of stories that I started, um...also a decade ago! But, I've only stirred up the latest fanfic recently, so, gotta get to work on that one again.

Nevertheless, if you're a fan of Mario and Bowser being gay, then I hope you might enjoy Peach and Pauline doing so too!

Toying With Her - The first in the series, where Pauline finds a new object of her affections in the famous princess of the Mushroom Kingdom. Set prior to Pauline's return as mayor in Mario Odyssey! (This story was from years before that even existed.)

Toying With Them - Sequel to the first, Pauline finds herself invited back to Peach's Castle, and finds several more lovely ladies to inspire her toys. Though she's only musing her crushes, that might not be the case forever...if one happens to read between the lines...

Toying With Peril - Finally set after Pauline's return in Odyssey, Miss Mayor comes back to the Mushroom Kingdom...only to find Peach kidnapped and Mario totally unavailable for the rescuing! Guess who gets to step up to the plate this time? Ongoing for now, but do you think Peach will finally learn of and return Pauline's feelings...?

~~~~~

Ha, I haven't done this for a few years. It's nice to see them all together again. Last time was in 2021, and now we've got this in 2024; I didn't think I'd have enough for another round.

Anyway, I know there are fewer fans of them, but for anyone that might be curious to try fanfics featuring Mario and Bowser as a couple, here's my current listing for them.

Meanwhile, if you want stories from other lovely authors, be sure to explore the tag link which I’ll be adding in right here for Bowser/Mario on AO3! It's grown a lot more since I last posted. There are even new regular posters for the pairing besides me!

Though I'm less practiced on Peach/Pauline (they're called Peachline, if I'm not mistaken), they've grown a bit more from my one-off notion of the ladies in love. (Started that back in 2014!) Find some authors that explore the pairing in better detail here. Hope you enjoy!

Part of me likes the idea of writing some more one-shots for Bowsario fanfics at least, and of course finishing that Peachline story in the future. ENY still has some ways to go, but it's moving towards its later stages finally. I wonder what this will look like next time...

Ah, neither here nor there.

For new readers, welcome, and if you've made it this far, thank you for reading and stroking your curiosity! Hope you enjoy.

For older readers, welcome back! If you find something new or want to revisit an older story, I hope you do so and enjoy too.

To everyone, thank you for reading this, and spending a little while with me! If you read any of the stories, please enjoy! Hope you all take care and have a wonderful day.

[whumpyourenemy]

Enemies to Lovers dialogues that are pure tension

'We all have our vices. You're mine'

[While pointing two fingers] 'Bang'

'Have you ever considered that you're just lucky?'

'Does it hurt? Just kidding, I don't care'

'Skip the speech, Churchill. Just shoot me'

'I know you, better than anyone else.'

'Help yourself'

'Who are you without me? You're nobody.'

'Princess, I could do this all day'

'Get up. Fight me the way I deserve'

'What do you want from me?'

'Oh you thought you could go die by someone else's hand and I wouldn't know? Well darling, you'll die when I decide'

'Who gave you those bruises? Only a coward would hit like that'

'You're distracted. Go pick a fight with the person you really have a problem with. I'm not your punching bag'

'How can I show you that I'm being serious?'

'I had nowhere else to go'

'Why are you helping me?'/'Shut up. I'm already regretting this'

'You're not the only one that's allowed to change'

'I thought you had no weaknesses'/ 'I've recently developed one inconvenient one'

'You're a fool'

'I haven't stopped thinking about you'

[clockworkspider]

65 or 66 with Keith and a character of your choice? Ibahaji was so cute!! (And I'd love to see who u pick 👀)

It's okay my phone correct his name to Keith too... (While I was trying to type keith on my desktop keyboard I reflexively typed keito... it's been ingrained into my muscle memory now)

Since this is a trope mashup prompt list, I'll combine the two. It's not you, it's me + It's not you, it's my enemies. This sounds like a prompt for second year KuroKei.

So, you know how in canon, Kuro keep going on about his dark troubled past as a delinquent, but the tone of canon made it sound more like neighborhood scuffle and not something too serious like street gangs or territorial war or anything like that? Anyway... if we're really gonna go into it a bit more... Here's an AU.

Some delinquent from Kuro's street life heard about the Dragon King Competition Festival and took that as a chance to settle a score. (This is before Kanzaki joined otherwise people would have been skewered.) They come in and crash an Akastuki Live. Thankfully nobody in the audience got hurt, but Keito got injured.

They go to the nursing office to get themselves checked out.

Kuro's now having second thoughts like "This was a Bad Idea, now you could be targeted on the street because of me. It was naive of me to think I can pretend to be on the side of righteousness by allying with the Student Council with a past like mine. I would only tarnish our reputation blah blah melodrama"

Keito, who has recently lost Rei, is a little desperate for allies. The revolution's barely started and he NEEDS people on their side. (They can't rely on Eichi to do everything.) So he is like "It's too late for second thoughts now. I'm already associated with you, if they do come after you again, they'll target me whether we perform together again or not. I've kept my side of the bargain and wiped your bad records with the staff, but you've already done a lot for me and I won't stop you if you want to leave, just know that I intend to go through with this revolution whether you're with me or not."

Kuro: "..." (Yeah he's going to do something dangerous if I'm not here to watch him.)

Kuro: "You're not really giving me much of a choice in this matter, huh?"

And now it's Keito's turn to feel bad.

Keito: "I'm sorry, I've forced you back into a past you did not wish to repeat. Once we've established power for the Student Council, you're free to do what you like. I'll help you set up a new unit if that's what you want. But for now, I still need you."

Kuro: "No, you didn't force me into anything. We had a deal and you've honored your side of the bargain. If this path leads us to hell, then we're going together."

Keito: "This path will lead us to victory, I swear of it. But I'm grateful that you'd stay, I can't get anything done on my own, after all."

And yeah that's it that's the scene. I think kurokei is very silly. I think their second-year dynamic is under-explored. I think if I had to write this fic seriously I'd die from second-hand embarrassment from their level of melodrama first. (Anyone is free to take this premise and write the fic btw. Open call.)

Anyway feel free to send me another prompt, this prompt list is really easy to do for some reason.

Ask game: send me two tropes from the list and a pairing.