#update on ao3 later

[bababaka]

Yall need to interact with fanfiction author's more.

So. After the ddos attack on ao3.

I was encouraged to write more comments and make my love known to fanfic writers.

I dont really like commenting. Because im a bit shy and soooo lazy.

Now though. I am writing more comments. And dude. This is so heartwarming. Ya'll need to treat writers better. They are doing the lord's work.

Take for an example, couple of days prior, i was searching for something interesting to read, and found an oneshot quite compelling.

I read it. At the end of it, i was blown away by how good it was. It promised me something and it went beyond my expectations. But then i saw a crime, zero fucking comments!

At that moment, i wasn't feeling up to writing a comment. Because, normally i like to write huge paragraphs. But because im lazy i decided to be brief.

Next day, the author answered that the comment lift their mood for the whole day.

That warmed my heart.

Duuuuuuuude! Write comments! Suport the writers of the fics you like! No need to be something super elaborate. Just give your thoughts. Freak out. Ramble. Ask something. Make theories. Compliment. Make a joke about how you wished to give kudos every chapter but ao3 sucks(not true bby) and won't let you.

Truly. Just. Comment. It can make someone's day. And that is part of the apeal of writing fics. Interacting with people.

Just give love to fanfic writers yall. They deserve this and so much more.

[the-ace-with-spades]

Hi people, I'm a bit fed up rn so just a short reminder that authors can see what you write in your bookmarks on AO3

And like I've recently been struggling with writing more than usual and had a bit of a dry-up in comments (which happens, fair enough, you don't have to like my fics enough to comment, etc) so I looked into the stats and bookmarks to cheer myself up/fight the imposter syndrome and had just been met with two separate users using their bookmark notes to not only rant about how horrible and not up to their standard my fic was, but also, in one case, to make some 'subtle' transphobic remarks about me, the author.

Both users are now blocked on my AO3 but if you're using bookmarks to rank your fics and didn't like something, please at least have the decency to make it a private bookmark if you're ranting about someone's writing skills or plot or just plain calling their fic stupid and bad

I've seen users putting fics (mine and other's) in bookmark collections called 'absolutely nope' or '0/10' or whatever, which is not nice but tolerable but recently I think people are getting a little too comfortable about being negative in a space that never asked them to be

Like most people, I write fic either for fun or as a form of self-indulgent expression and I share it because I think someone might also enjoy it or appreciate it. So many authors struggle with motivation as it is and I'm not an exception - yes, I write fics for myself primarily but I wouldn't be posting or writing them down if it was just for me, they could just stay as daydreams in my head and spare me the frustration the writing process and notes like the ones I've just mentioned bring.

To put it shortly, please remember AO3 authors can see your bookmarks and the notes/collections you use (unless you make them private) and that AO3 authors are human beings not souless content creators

[timdrakescoffeecup]

(Updated !!) Tim Drake Fanfic Masterlist

cw's will not be included, so make sure to check the tags. also might include some general batfics as well.

Bang, bang by Ididloveyou_once

Tim asks Jason to teach him how to use a gun. (One shot, funny)

The Long Way Home by itsnatalie

Tim and Jason get trapped in a labyrinth that shows their worst nightmares. (Multi, angst, hurt/comfort)

like falling water by naheka

Dick crashes at Jason's place, hopped up on fear gas. (One shot, funny)

Bet on it by Lysical

Damian needs Jason's help to hide something from Bruce. (One shot, funny)

Deliver Yourself by forestgreen

Jason adopts his younger self. (Multi, angst)

Banshee In A Well by liverobinreaction (bugbee)

Tim is five years old when he drowns in his parents' pool. He dies quietly, waiting for parents who love him, but will never be there, to realise that something is wrong. They never show up, and he sinks into oblivion.

When he wakes up and claws his way out of the water, the sun has set, and the lights of his house are on. He is cold and wet and his lungs burn.

But most of all, Tim is alone. (Multi, angst)

Home by sElkieNight60

Tim forgets who he is. (Multi, angst)

Late Night Langoustining by whaleofatime

Jason adopts a lobster. (One shot, funny)

two against the world by carolinaa

While following Batman and Robin, Tim finds a puppy. (Multi, hurt/comfort)

Like a Hinge, Like a Wing by Ultrageekatlarge

Tim blackmails Batman into helping him arrest his murderous uncle. (Multi, hurt/comfort)

See Life As a Worthy Opponent by TriviasGhost

Tim goes to a universe where he never existed. (Multi, incomplete)

The Return by lurkinglurkerwholurks

What the comics neglected to cover after Bruce returns from being lost in time. (Multi, hurt/comfort)

Obedience by Sohotthateveryonedied

Something is seriously wrong with Tim—Jason just knows it. Ever since the Mad Hatter incident, Tim has been acting completely different, and the worst part is that no one believes Jason when he tells them so.

But when the truth is eventually revealed, the whole family comes to realize that the situation is far worse than anyone could have ever predicted. (One shot, angst)

To an Athlete Dying Young by SonoSvegliato

A series detailing Tim’s ascension to Robinhood, with angsty Red Hood vigilantes in the background. (Multi, angst)

Matters of the Heart by DM (Nyerus), Nyerus

Kon need's Tim's help with an investigation in Metropolis. Feelings ensue. (Multi, Timkon)

It Wasn't Real (But We Were Happy) by lurkinglurkerwholurks

“Everyone’s fine. You don’t need me anymore. I told you, Bruce. I told you I’d stay until you didn’t need me anymore.”

“I’m sorry. I stayed too long. I should have... I shouldn’t have waited so long." (Multi, angst)

occam's razor by Beatrice eagle

An in-universe reddit thread about Jason's death. (One shot, funny)

To Try, To Err, To Try Again by theLiterator

Tim knits Damian a present. (One shot, wholesome?)

let's get mischievous by CreamofTomatoSoup

Tim's friend gets possessed by Dionysius. (One shot, angst)

Whoopsie by MichaBerry

Tim forgets to tell that he lost his spleen. Oops. (One shot, angst?)

Latchkey by goldkirk

Tim Drake is thirteen, runs the famous BatWatch blog that has spiraled hilariously out of control, has absentee parents that suit his purposes just fine, is training himself to run the streets at night, and is doing absolutely peachy, thank you.

Alfred and Jason disagree, and get Dick and Bruce involved in figuring out their weird nextdoor neighbor kid’s life. Everything goes uphill from there. (Multi, hurt/comfort, this is a MUST READ for timfics)

Trouble Magnet by strikeyoucolors

"It's like you've been synchronized into passively hostile acts against Tim. Did he do something? Were you brainwashed? Because I now have a son who has been crushed, had his face broken, and been shot. All incidences of friendly fire. " (One shot, funny)

Echoes of You by SilverSkiesAtMidnight

Milk white skin beneath the mud, black hair hanging in muddy clumps around his ears. Blue eyes staring back at him, animal-bright and dilated in the brief moment before he flinches back from the light with a cry of pain that stabs through Jason to the soul. (One shot, angst)

A Simple Life by RenaRoo

Tim Drake is living a simple life in one of the worst parts of Gotham. He makes the best of it, though. He makes for himself the only life he's ever known...

He thinks. (One shot, angst)

The Wound Begins to Bleed by audreycritter

Now that Tim’s moved back to the manor, he just wants a few afternoons a week without Damian around.

Funny how getting that was the catalyst for him becoming a better big brother. (One shot, brotherly bonding)

Hey, Lawman! by dinolaur

Tim goes MIA during lunch. (One shot, funny)

Gotham Banksy by LananiA3O

After finding out that he remains unavenged, Jason returns to Gotham, but instead of deciding to kill Bruce, he decides to channel his rage into a more creative endeavor: spray-painting Gotham until the message is loud and clear to everyone: fuck Batman. (Multi, angst)

Breaking News: Local Teen Given Intervention For Normal Behaviour by yellowrooster

Tim ends up in an alternate dimension where he's considered a drug addict. (One shot, funny)

Bay Through Hell by GordandV

Tim is mermaid. (Multi, AU)

Hot Dog, French Fries by eggmacguffin

Damian tries to hide that he's been hit with a truth serum. (One shot, hurt/comfort)

What happens in Vegas by Ididloveyou_once

Tim and Kon get married in Vegas, while drunk. (Multi, timkon)

Quarter past midnight by Aaren

Instead of being found by Talia after crawling out of his grave, Jason becomes a nurse. (Multi, canon divergence)

(Un)Wanted by Mika-chan (mikarin)

Tim gets kidnapped. (One shot, hurt/comfort)

A Midafternoon Beetdown by whaleofatime

Jason cosplays as a organic farmer. (One shot, funny)

Liminal Space by Calamityjim

Bruce's habit of collecting strays isn't limited by dimension. (Multi, hurt/comfort)

Can't Stay Down (a Documentary) by SonoSvegliato

Tim gets his tonsils removed. (Multi, funny)

Surveillance by smilebackwards

Tim is a civilian who contributes to crime fighting by taking surveillance photos and leaving them on the desktop of the Batcomputer. (Multi, found family)

Chemistry of a Car Crash by anthologia

Tim gets into a car crash. (One shot, hurt/comfort)

Bet It all On Red by centreoftheselights

Instead of becoming enemies, Robin and Red Hood form an alliance. (One shot series, canon divergence)

False Dichotomy by heartslogos

Red Hood calls Red Robin's bandoliers "super convenient idiot handles". (One shot)

don't take you guns to town by kreestar

batman comes home from a night patrolling to find a 10 year old jason todd waiting for him in his kitchen. across gotham, at the same time, red hood is stopped by a 25 year old bruce wayne. (One shot, angst)

Stubborn by audreycritter

When your butler mom calls and says, "Go check on your brother," you don't argue. You just do it. (Multi, sickfic)

I'm Just Fine by girlgeekjf

After rescuing a group of kidnapped children, Tim reflects on what he could’ve done better. (One shot, hurt/comfort)

A Christmas Miracle by Mithen

Damian and Dick go undercover to bust a child-kidnapping ring whose members dress up as Santa Claus. (One shot, funny)

Confidence Lost by C_R_Scott

Everything about Neal Caffrey’s past prior to his 18th birthday is a mystery, even to him. However, when someone unexpectedly recognizes him by a name that he has never used as an alias before, he learns that the biggest con of his life is literally his life. (or, tim is neal caffrey from white collar) (multi, crossover)

Exit Wounds by incogneat_oh

Did you hear this one? A vigilante walks into a warehouse and kills the joker. (One shot, angst)

If the Sky Comes Falling Down (For You) by lurkinglurkerwholurks

Five times Jason saved his siblings, and one time they saved him. (Multi, hurt/comfort)

Normally People Pass Out After by WriterfromGotham

Tim donates blood. (One shot, angst and fluff)

In Living Memory by DangerBeckett

Jason remembers why he stays out of other people's business. (One shot, angst)

Set My Mind To Wandering by Tabithian

Tim goes on a vacation. (One shot series, angst)

A Little Bit of Sunshine, A Little Bit of Rain by ohwhatevrewhatevr

For once, Tim is happy with his life. (One shot, fluff?)

American Ninja Worrier by DangerBeckett

Tim hires a ninja intern. Jason becomes concerned. (One shot, funny)

The Wrong Boy is Breathing by heartslogos

Tim visits Jason's grave all the time. (One shot, angst)

Jason Todd: The Not-So-Outlaw by GoAwayOlivia

Jason Todd isn't what Batman made him, he isn't what the Joker made him, he isn't what the League of Assassins made him, and he isn't what the Lazarus Pit made him. He's his own person and he's taking himself back, one home renovation at a time. Also he might just make friends with the people who are supposed to be his brothers while he's at it. (Multi, hurt/comfort)

The Art of Conversation by glassgoblin

Robin needs to talk to a friend, but everyone is a little busy. (One shot, angst)

Road Rage Robin by heartslogos

"I’d be doing humanity a favor.” Tim grinds out, “And I would get away with it. I could totally get away with it. I’ve done worse.“ (One shot, funny)

How to be a male Batgirl by Blackjay27

There are many ways to help Batman and Robin, but no matter which universe he's in, Tim's method will always end with him in a costume on Gotham's rooftops. (Multi, canon divergence)

I Saw Grayson Kissing Santa Claus by pupeez4eva

It’s Christmas time, and Damian is on a mission - to stop this ‘Santa Claus’ fellow from molesting his older brother. (Multi, funny) (this fic is so funny it made me cackle out loud)

Favourite Strangers by SpiritsFlame

It's been six months since Bruce's actions led to the death of Superman. (One shot, crossover with the movies?)

show me yesterday, for i can't find today by indent

Then: The year is 2013. Jason Todd is alive, fourteen years old, and about to follow Sheila Haywood, his birth mother, into the hands of the Joker. All he wants is to save her life.

Now: The year is 2018. Jason Todd was dead. But now he's a nineteen year old vigilante about to take down the latest C-Lister rogue. Unfortunately for him, its a rogue that specialises in time-travel technology. And what starts as an easy takedown...ends as a time travelling phenomenon.

The two Jasons swap places. (Multi, hurt/comfort)

Retrograde Motion by Lysical

All Jason wanted was a case that was simple, clean, and far away from the latest mess in Gotham. Magic wasn't the Outlaws' area of expertise, but they soon found themselves investigating a dark wizard with a penchant for organ harvesting.

When an accident on the case leaves Jason as a clueless seven year old with a memory that's spotty at best, what else can his team do but go to his family for help? (Multi, hurt/comfort?)

anglerfish by envysparkler

Robin was having a horrible night even before the Red Hood showed up. (One shot, angst)

Tso'ape Mumbichi by keeptogethernow

Tim is Talon. (Multi, AU)

Kodokuno Shoujo (A Lonely Girl) by C_R_Scott

A tale of two Robins wrapped up in an Asian-style horror story. Tim Drake goes to Japan for business, both for Wayne Enterprises and Batman Incorporated. However, when he returns to Gotham City, it's Damian Wayne who discovers he brought along more from his trip overseas than just his luggage and mission report. (Multi, horror)

at me, too, someone is looking by bacondoughnut

Dick Grayson knows he's got problems when the Red Hood's busted leg somehow becomes his concern. (Multi, hurt/comfort)

Help by Loxare

Jason never went to Gotham after he emerged from the Lazarus Pit. Instead, he went to Bludhaven to begin his reign of terror. (Or Jason adopts all the children of Bludhaven.) (Multi, fluff)

Lean on me by Musingsofthesky

Tim just wants to hang out with Bruce. Too bad his cold has other plans. (One shot, sickfic)

The Ol' Switcheroo by AutumnHobbit

Damian takes a bullet for Tim. (One shot, angst)

Meant to be by protagonistically

Tim takes a bullet for Bruce. (One shot, angst)

Juneberries by MichaBerry

When Tim is taken, Damian has to come to terms with his own insecurities, and how he really feels towards his older 'brother'. When he does, it might be too late. (Multi, angst)

though the sun continues to stand by metropolisjournal (TKodami)

Tim in the movie universe. (Multi, angst)

The Time We've Got by DawnsEternalLight

While on an emergency Redbull run, Tim tries to talk to his adopted father. (One shot, fluff)

Take It Back Now Y'all by TimTheToaster (tabletoptime)

Tim travels back in time, focusing on trying not to make too many changes. Too bad plans don't always work out too well. (Multi, AU?)

We're Not Driving (How did we get here?) by TimTheToaster (tabletoptime)

Tim stared at his phone, as if that would change what was on the screen. (One-shot, hurt/comfort)

cards on the table by wesslan

His reality did not involve riches and inheritance, galas and mansions, or even a sunny beach in the wonderful non-extradition country of Cuba. Instead it involved a drafty and somewhat crappy apartment, and a whole lot of hustling to make ends meet. (Multi, canon-divergence)

[katiefromcabin7]

Having to go to school at 9 am means I can’t stay up writing till 3 am anymore 😭 😭 that’s when im at my most creative lmao

[housewarningparty]

🤎 multiple kisses / kisses all over / kiss after kiss

For amberpricefield?

Alright this one is straight up filthy. Dedicated to you, anon, of course but also @stagrunner bc it's basically inspired by an ask he sent me ages ago (find it here) that I always wanted to do something more with

-

“You’re doing good,” Rachel’s voice floats down like snow, like something ethereal, melting over Chloe. She can barely make sense of the words, groaning around Rachel’s fingers in her mouth, shoved between her teeth, pressing down on her tongue while Chloe drools and gulps around them.

The words aren’t for her anyway.

They’re directed at Max, settled gingerly between Chloe’s thighs, gaze flicking up between Rachel’s eyes, Chloe’s face, the place where the dildo is pushing past Chloe’s entrance.

“She’s taking it,” Max’s voice is shaky, breathless with disbelief. 

“She can take a lot more than that,” Rachel says breezily, shoving her fingers harder into Chloe’s mouth making her gag and snap out of her trance, sucking harder, flitting her tongue in between Rachel’s long, beautiful fingers. “Isn't that right, Priceless?”

Chloe nods, dumbly, tries to say “yeah” around Rachel’s fingers but only manages a goofy sounding “yuh” that makes her laugh, and then dip down to kiss Chloe’s ear.

Max, reassured, applies a little more pressure, the dildo slipping further into Chloe. A little over half now — it’s not one of the big ones Rachel likes using on her, they didn’t want to give Max any other reasons to get too into her head over this. It still feels good, though, especially when Max looks up at Chloe again, catching her eyes and there’s so much love in her expression, so much concern and warmth and tenderness that Chloe keens around Rachel’s fingers.

“Is that okay?” she asks, quiet. She’s asking Chloe, this time, not Rachel.

Chloe nods, tries leaning up to kiss Max but finds herself trapped, pinned against Rachel’s chest by the arm wrapped around her torso. She whines and hears Rachel scoff against her ear before she takes the hint and slips her fingers from Chloe’s mouth, making sure to drag a trail of warm saliva over Chloe’s chin in the process.

“Kiss her, Max,” Rachel suggests, letting her spit-slick fingers fall to Chloe’s nipple to tug on the barbell running through it, immediately coaxing a high, helpless whimper from Chloe’s throat. “She’s practically begging for it.”

Max nods, leaning in dazedly, the motion finally bringing the last few inches of the dildo the rest of the way inside Chloe. She doesn’t move her hips, but it still feels so insanely good. Max’s strap filling her pussy, Max’s tongue in her mouth, Rachel’s tits pressed against her bare back, Rachel’s hands toying with her tits. She’s surrounded, drowning, overwhelmed by their attention, their desire for her. It’s enough to make her eyes feel hot, her throat tight, to make her start rolling her hips against Max’s before she even gets a chance to start thrusting on her own.

“Look at that,” Rachel murmurs, and Chloe can feel the way her lips curve into a smug smile against Chloe’s neck. She bites down hard, making Chloe hiss into Max’s mouth, then covers the place she’d bitten with her lips, sucking hard enough to bruise. “She likes it, Max. She’s ready.”

Max seems to appreciate the guidance. Chloe tries to control her breathing when Max breaks away, tells herself that Max is probably at least as overwhelmed by all of this as Chloe herself is. The only person in the room that seems to know what the fuck they’re doing is Rachel, which is unsurprising.

Then again, Chloe’s pressed into her body as well. She can feel how hard Rachel is breathing, can hear the slightly manic edge to her voice. The energy radiating off of her is incredible — Chloe’s not sure she’s ever seen Rachel this turned on.

But it’s hard to focus on that for long when Max starts moving, Short, shallow thrusts punctuated with slow, deep kisses that steal Chloe’s breath.

“That’s it,” Rachel breathes. “You’re doing good, Max. You can go a little harder, it’s okay. Yeah, like that. Watch, look, look,” Rachel’s fingers slip from Chloe’s tits down to her clit, swollen and needy, and swipes the pad of her thumb hard directly against it, making Chloe groan and squirm, half hating it, half wanting more. “Did you hear that?”

Rachel does it again and Chloe moans through her clenched teeth, almost choking on the sound.

“Work her up a little more and a few of those will get her to come like crazy,” Rachel says. “If you’re feeling mean, that is. She likes it gentler, too.”

Her fingers are back, gliding gently against either side of Chloe’s clit, softer, just the right amount of pressure after the rough treatment a moment ago. Chloe’s eyes flutter, her head lolling back against Rachel’s shoulder, breath coming in soft, whiny gasps. “Rachel…”

“Shhh,” Rachel presses a kiss to Chloe’s sweaty temple. “I’m talking to Max.”

Max has finally found a rhythm, going harder like Rachel suggested. Her arms are shaky, her pupils blown wide, breath coming in uneven pants, the pale, freckled skin of her chest, neck and face all flushed. Chloe feels dizzy looking at her, can’t believe that she’s getting to see this side of her, that Max taking her like this, that Max wants her like this.

“‘m gonna come,” Chloe warns, voice slurred with pleasure. Just like that Rachel’s fingers disappear from her clit, drifting back up across Chloe’s belly, splayed over the skin possessively.

“Hang on,” Rachel says. Then she shifts against her back, leaning over Chloe’s shoulder a little, long hair falling forward to tease Chloe’s bare skin. “C’mere.”

It’s an awkward angle for kissing, but Chloe’s not about to let that stop her. It’s been hot, having Rachel’s voice in her ear, talking about her but mostly ignoring her while she tells Max how to fuck her. It’s kind of a headfuck, how scared Chloe’s always been of being ignored by Rachel, being dismissed, but how absolutely crazily turned the fuck on it makes her like this. Still, nothing compares to this, Rachel’s full attention, undisguised, like a beam of sunlight heating her up from inside.

Rachel kisses her and kisses her, barely letting Chloe catch her breath and then her fingers are playing over Chloe’s clit again, one on either side, rubbing up and down but squeezing a little here and there. It makes Chloe’s breath catch in her throat, makes her whine and writhe and buck her hips up against Max’s.

“Chloe,” Max breathes out, her fingers on Chloe’s jaw, tilting her mouth away from Rachel’s.

Chloe barely has a moment to draw another dazed breath before Max’s tongue is in her mouth, then her teeth are closing around Chloe’s swollen bottom lip, pressing down sharply, once, twice.

Max pulls back and then Rachel is there again, sucking Chloe’s throbbing bottom lip into her mouth. Then she tilts Chloe’s head away and Max and Rachel are kissing over Chloe’s shoulder and it’s so hot, Chloe loves them so much, she groans and jerks her hips hard enough to make Max gasp into Rachel’s mouth.

Max kisses her again. Rachel kisses her. Back and forth, over and over, lips on Chloe’s lips, or on her neck, sucking her earlobe, scraping bites against her collarbone. She loses herself in the pleasure until it builds and builds and builds and she shatters under the power of it, coming with a sound like a ragged sob torn out of her throat, Max breathing out a reverent “oh my god,” against Chloe’s mouth, with Rachel’s Cheshire cat grin unspooling on the curve of Chloe’s shoulder.

When it’s over she sags, boneless, shocked by her own exhaustion as she watches Max pull out and wrestle the harness off of her hips.

“You gonna do anything about that?” Rachel asks Chloe, nodding to Max crawling back onto the bed with them.

“The spirit is willing, but the flesh needs at least a fifteen minute breather,” Chloe says, panting. “She’s all yours.”

Rachel grins with as much perkiness and enthusiasm as one could expect from a bossy maniac who just got to live one of her biggest fantasies and hasn’t yet gotten an earth-shattering orgasm out of it. She kisses Chloe tenderly on the temple again and eases Chloe off of her lap, back against the pillows and reaches for Max.

[foreststarflaime]

One morning at Shinra Sephiroth has a black eye for 3 hours. He will acts like nothing is wrong. Rumors spiral around. What happened?

-Early that morning-

Angeal was away on a mission. That’s usually the first sign proceeding an incident of this nature. Sephiroth and Genesis left together unsupervised—Lazard keeps an extra stash of painkillers in his desk just for this kind of occasion.

They’d been tame enough last night. Genesis had managed to civilly (for once) coax Sephiroth away from his paperwork and into his apartment, where they had proceeded to devour the leftover pie Angeal had left them while watching movies until late in the night. Genesis—who had only just returned from a mission himself, and was lacking on proper sleep—had gotten perhaps a little too comfortable, and had perhaps bought too plush a sofa, since he had slumped over further and further until he had fallen asleep on Sephiroth’s shoulder. Sephiroth, unusually comfortable himself, had been disinclined to extricate himself from the situation, and had drawn the blanket up to cover them both and slept the night through right there.

They’d even been civil for a record amount of time after they’d woken up. Perhaps Genesis’ penchant for chaos had been temporarily soothed by the rare sight of Sephiroth fast asleep and curled up against him like a contented cat, his silver hair turned to gold in the morning sun peeking through the window. Perhaps the sight had stirred him to an act of love instead of mischief, since instead of grabbing a permanent marker to draw a mustache on that perfect face like he’d always wanted, he carefully pulled away—smiling fondly at the barely-audible noise of protest that prompted—and moved to the kitchen to make breakfast.

The problems started soon after.

Sephiroth was watching Genesis move about the kitchen, his head ever so slightly cocked. Genesis, mid-attempted-pancake-flip, noticed this and snorted.

“What?”

“You are…making pancakes?”

“So I am. Don’t look so surprised—or are these not up to his picky highnesses’ royal standards?”

“I…am not opposed to pancakes.”

“My friend, your desire is the bringer of life, the gift of the goddess.” Genesis flashed him a fond smile. And flipped the pancake again. Sephiroth followed it with his eyes intently, almost involuntarily.

He was silent for a moment. Then—“didn’t Angeal make fresh pancakes not three days ago? Were the leftovers not in his freezer?”

Genesis cursed and nearly dropped the pan. He had definitely forgotten about that. Trying to pass it off as him having burned his finger, he tried to save face. “What, would you rather have Angeal’s frozen days-old pancakes than my fresh ones made with love? Do gestures mean nothing to you?”

A hint of a mischevious smile ghosted Sephiroth’s face. Genesis did so love encouraging that look in him, but it was unfortunate when it was turned against him. “Angeal’s food usually tastes better. He actually reads the recipes.”

“Well, maybe I just have better things to be reading, dear. I’ll have you know, anything Angeal can do I can do with style.” He flipped a pancake with a flourish to emphasize this, higher than the last. Sephiroth tracked its movement like a cat stalking a mouse. Genesis finally noticed this and smirked widely.

“That does not seem…efficient,” Sephiroth commented. “Are you not worried about it falling?”

Genesis just smirked wider, and flipped the pancake higher. “I’ve skill enough.”

“Hm.” Sephiroth’s eyes were slightly dilated, like a predator on the hunt. “…How much?”

A challenge. Excellent. Genesis flipped the pancake several feet into the air. Sephiroth was perfectly still.

“We seek it thus…” Genesis weighed the pan in his hand—“and take to the sky!” He flipped the pancake with all of his dramatic prowess. The pancake sailed up, up, up, flipping and flipping…

And promptly collided with the ceiling. And stayed there.

Sephiroth blinked at Genesis. Genesis blinked at Sephiroth.

No one who presumed to have any sort of familiarity with Sephiroth would have recognized the shit-eating grin that spread across his face. Sephiroth took out his PHS, opened to his messages with Angeal, clicked the photo option, and began to point it at the ceiling-cake.

With a yelp, Genesis launched himself at Sephiroth. Sephiroth gracefully pirouetted out of the irate redhead’s path, moving to reposition his PHS. Genesis, for once knowing when he was bested in outright battle, decided he had a better chance of getting rid of the evidence before it could be documented.

Clambering onto the counter, he grabbed Rapier from where it was leaning and used it as a sort of stilt on which to balance to reach the errant pancake. His fingers brushed the edge, and a little of the batter peeled off onto the floor, but a gibbous of pancake still remained, mocking him. Sephiroth was laughing. Genesis strained a little further—why were these ceilings so high?—and just managed to grasp the rest. Sephiroth was moving towards him now, PHS lowered, and Genesis straightened in triumph and indignation—

And promptly felt Rapier slip out beneath him with a horrid sound against the kitchen tile. Flailing, he went down hard. Sephiroth attempted to catch him, but Genesis felt his elbow strike something painfully and they both went down hard.

Genesis scrambled for the PHS, scanning the miraculously uncracked screen to find the delete button—but the evidence had already been sent. “FUCK!”

“Hm,” Sephiroth hummed, sitting up with a hand to his eye. Genesis glanced over at him and did a double take.

“Fuck.”

-3 hours later-

“I dunno, Kuns, doesn’t seem all that believable to me,” Zack mumbled in between bites. Sephiroth was sitting a few tables away, sporting a nasty black eye (partially concealed by what appeared to be hastily-applied makeup), nonchalantly cutting up his lunch. Genesis was nowhere to be seen. “They wouldn’t be that clumsy. They’re Firsts! They have, like, crazy reflexes! I bet he got it from some spy that snuck in or something. That would be totally badass. Where’d you hear that rumor from, anyways?”

[aeon-uriel]

Hi! I really want to know the fic recs of the trope of married at first meeting for zolu!

heyya!!! here they come

❤️💚 ꕀ 𖠳 ᐝ ꕀ 💚❤️

oh temptation (i could be a part of you) by meteorablues

they are so married but not 'married' but thats only because its something more. they love each other so much since the first time they meet and their logic goes: if theres a beginning theres an end so their relationship is just there with them as long as they exist hes mine and im his its that simple but some things need to be put into words because because!!!! i might or might not cry what a concept (the fics about the rest of the crew being baffled because of that and its beautiful) (also ft nika luffy i just love that so much and this fic delivers so incredibly) (LIKE FOR REAL THE NIKA PART IS EUEGEHGEHEGEHHHGGHHH i dont wanna spoil it but!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!pls read this im begging on my knees

Just Because You Didn't See It, Doesn't Mean It Didn't Happen by anarchycox

this one is a pov outsider story which is one of my fave tropes ever. a real fun take of zolus marriage being such a part of themselves that even the other crew didnt notice it as a separate thing; oh yeah thats just how those dumbasses are. (apparently married.) (oh look another person falling for luffy.) (but hes already married.) (but we didnt know for the what feels like the longest time ever because we thought thats just how they are.) Or. Yknow. perhaps this one time the rest of the crew could be the dumb ones

(bonus) How It Happened, The First Time by anarchycox

companion piece of the one above! first night on the dinghy! so mind the rating. its quite fun and chaotic just like them

Love is where you find it by Alone77

another pov outsider but specifically jimbe's and the other crew actually knew! love that old fish man slowly realizing his new captain and first mate's love as palpable as the sun

honorable mentions:

baby you're my north star by galaxyninjer

5 thingy format of luffy proposing to zoro BUT WHERES THE ONE TIME THEY ACTUALLY GET MARRIED i really wish i could write a continuation for this im sobbing sm send help

Hearts Can Break Any Cage by anarchycox

its a abo au so cw for that plus the rating and not exactly "marriage" because. again. abo. :D not everyones cup of tea i know, but just in case coz it still fits and they make me go insane. zoro using a muzzle zoro in a muzzle zoroINAMUZZLE

❤️💚 ꕀ 𖠳 ᐝ ꕀ 💚❤️

writing this answer got me realizing yknow maybe i should actually write this trope from their povs in shells town and there is not enough of this trope pls pray for my muse to graciously make a comeback

[feelingthedisaster]

docs, why do you mean my chapter is 650 words?????? its 1k, what are u saying???

[wutheringmights]

Chapter 29: The Fairy Proxi & The King's Guard Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Additional Tags: Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), Alternate Universe, Character Study, War, world building, Trauma, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Political Intrigue, Found Family, Angst and Humor, Warriors is a very complicated person, Warriors also does not know Time is Mask, Warriors (Linked Universe)-centric, Canon-Typical Violence, Heavy Angst, Manipulation, Morally Ambiguous Character, Please read content warnings before each chapter, Abuse, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Physical Abuse, Implied Sexual Content, Power Imbalance, Implied/Referenced Torture, Blood and Injury, Disabled Character, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat Summary: “You are going to hear a lot of terrible things about me. Most of it is going to be true.” Being the hero who saved Hyrule from a bloody war was a thankless job that left Warriors with more regrets than he cared to remember. He only started to heal after meeting his fellow heroes from across time and joining them on their quest to defeat the black-blooded monsters. But when his time-hopping journey takes him back home, he finds his kingdom on the brink of war once more. This war threatens to ensnare not only Warriors, but his newfound family as well. Warriors will do whatever it takes to keep them safe, even if that means becoming a traitor to the kingdom he gave up everything to save. But the harder Warriors works to protect his family, the more the secrets of his dark past come to life. Who is Captain Link Walton, the Hero of Warriors? What happened to the two other heroes he had once fought alongside all those years ago? When this is over, will Warriors even have a family left to save or is he doomed to repeat his past mistakes? (Once, there were three brothers: the captain, the engineer, and the child. Their story did not have a happy ending.)

I was going to joke about how not even AO3 outages can stop this fic, but an AO3 outage did in fact prevent me from posting last night.

Did I use that time to fix all of the obvious flaws in this chapter? No. This chapter is a plague upon my existence, and I wish I had bludgeoned it to death with a baseball bat.

In this installment of, ya know, this whole mess:

Link tries to help the mysterious light he found in the snow

Warriors endeavors to establish a foothold of power within Castle Town

Hey kids! Do you like learning the names of random old men? No? Too bad :)

>> Read It Here >>

[direwombat]

listen. i'm always happy whenever someone leaves a comment because they enjoy my writing. whether it's a quick "love it!" or a longer dissection of whatever they've read, it warms my heart that they took the time out of their day, however brief, to let me know that they liked my work. i don't consider myself entitled to receive comments for posting my work, which makes every single one i get a gift!

but comments like these (particularly ones that come from profiles that haven't posted fic and are aggregates of bookmarks*) really do leave a bad taste in my mouth:

so, let me spell some things out for anyone who may be unaware:

I don't write for you.

I write for myself.

I am writing fic for free in the little spare time i have.

You are not entitled to my (or anyone else's) work

i haven't posted fic to ao3 since literally january of this year. i also wish i were posting fic more frequently, trust me. the only thing worse than writing is not writing. but asking "where's the rest????" and "part 2????" only activates my spite response to not post. you'll get updates to fics when you get updates. writing fanfiction is a hobby for me. i do it for fun. but i also take my craft (writing) very seriously. i want to write a good, compelling story and i take great care in the writing process. it's laborious to begin with, and on top of that, i am a meticulous planner. it takes me much longer to write a fic than it does for you to read it -- yes, even for the short ones and smutfics!

it's the famous "pick two: high quality, cheap, and fast", and unfortunately for all of us, if you want my "not bad"-writing and have it also remain free, then you're gonna have to be patient.

*i'm not saying that this is an incorrect way to use ao3. if you're using ao3 as a place to keep track of the fics you like, that's a valid way to use the site, and not what i'm mad about. it's the entitlement.

[aparticularbandit]

exploration (ii)

summary: elphaba ends up in a new world and runs into a tin girl who might be able to help her.

chapter rating: g. fic rating: t.

ao3

previous chapter

the girl can change her appearance.

that’s not the first thing elphaba notices about her – it’s the ruby red of her skin, the lime green of her hair shades brighter than the one of her own skin – but it’s certainly something she can’t help but notice when they move out of the alley.  in the same way that she couldn’t help but notice the girl’s hair color, she can’t help but notice when it changes from pure green to dark brown with only a few strands of green near the front, can’t help but notice when the girl’s skin changes from brightest ruby to a brown softer than that of her hair.

it’s unfair.

(most things are.)

“by what witchcraft did you do that?”

“no witchcraft.”  the girl shoves her hands into the front of her sweater.  (glinda would have words about the fashion sense in this new world, if she’d come here.  elphaba can imagine them.  they’re not good words.)  “i’m a synthezoid.  i can change my appearance when i want.”  her lips press together.  “appearing human is not so bad as being human.”

elphaba’s eyes narrow.  “something wrong with being human?”

“no.”

maybe the tin girl can read the tenseness in her tone when she asks.  that no was very quick.

~

the best thing about being a synthezoid is admittedly not being able to hold a phone call with an entirely separate person at the same time as she speaks with elphaba (or anyone else), but it certainly is useful.

viv isn’t human.  splitting her attention isn’t hard.

“billy kaplan’s phone, who’s speaking?”

your half-sister.

“oh.”

viv can imagine billy cradling the phone between his ear and his shoulder as he talks.  he’s disappointed, probably, but not overly so.  it’s just the holiday season, and she’s not his boyfriend.  of course, they tend to text more than call, so maybe he’s disappointed about something else.  she can’t imagine what.  if she closed her eyes, she could peek through his computer camera at him.  he knows this.  she’s not going to close her eyes.

“hey, viv.  what’s up?”

how’s your training?

billy winces – they haven’t been around each other often, but she knows him well enough to know that he winces – when he says, “it’s. going.”

which is the equivalent of saying not well.

“why do you ask?”

can you and that ghost of yours meet me?  i’ve got a bit of a witch situation.  before he can panic, she continues, not a bad one.  just a new friend who might need some direction that i can’t give her.

~

“people on this world don’t take kindly to brightly colored skin either, do they.”

elphaba states it clearly enough because it isn’t a question to her.  there’s no reason the tin girl would hide herself if no one minded.  she wraps her black cloak tighter about herself and scans the world around them.

“it depends on who they know.”  viv presses her lips together.  “skrulls aren’t great.  hulks are violent.  people like me and my father are superheroes, and i don’t feel like being noticed right now.”

elphaba nods.  “bad things happen to heroes when they’re noticed.”

viv shrugs.  “more people will know my father than me.  i just want to blend into the crowd right now.”  her head swivels, gaze focusing on elphaba.  “are you hungry?  i know a place for supers.  they won’t mind how we look.”

elphaba gives her a quick glance.  this girl might be a friend, but there’s nothing so far to say that she’s trustworthy.  she’s been nicer than the people who were passing her.  and if she turns out to be a threat, then elphaba’s magic – though wild – will likely protect her.

so she nods once, sharp.  (even though she’s not sure what viv means by superheroes.)

“take me there.”

[jesterboystrick]

UPDATE! There is now a strawpage for submitting characters! The page also has some extra info and an FAQ like this post did, but from now on please refer to the strawpage for up to date info and FAQ. Information in the post below the cut may no longer be accurate.

Please send future submissions to the dedicated page if you can!

<3

NEW SERIES: I'm going to start collecting a list of OP characters that I will randomize to create made up pairings to write about. Whenever I feel like writing something short and fun, I'll go to the list, spin the wheel twice, and start writing whatever pairing it spits out at me. YOU, yes YOU, get to add characters to the list!

Submit whichever characters you want thrown into the hat to my askbox WITH some sort of indication they're meant to go on the list ("random character submissions!" "for the rando ship list:" etc), and they will be added! You can do so anonymously or not. I won't be publishing submissions publicly either way, I will just quietly add them to the list as I receive them. You can submit any time! The list is ongoing and always open to submissions unless I say otherwise.

Alright, GO!

More info/FAQ

You can:

submit as many characters and as often as you want

rig your fave's chances, duplicates still go on the list, there could be 20 sanjis on there for all you know

be as vague or specific as you want. 19yo zoro? marine sanji? fem doffy? go nuts, or don't, just plain "sanji" is as good as any other

I am looking for individual character submissions! If you submit a completed ship (accidentally or otherwise) I will put all the involved characters on the list separately with a note of which ship they were submitted with. For example: Let's pretend "Zoro/Sanji" and "Law" were both submitted. Those entries will go on the list as "Zoro (/sanji)", "Sanji (/zoro)", and "Law." If random selection spits out "Zoro (/sanji)" and "Law" at me, I will choose to write either just Zoro/Law OR possibly all three together, my choice. Do with that information what you will.

More:

Keep in mind when submitting that I usually write nsfw and/or dead dove, so that will most likely happen to whoever you send. I may write something that isn't either of those if the mood strikes, but don't count on it.

I've been asked before if I have any limits on ships, and the short answer as far as anyone submitting characters needs to worry about is no! Feel free to submit any characters/things you want. I won't judge! If it's not something I EVER want to write, I'll just quietly not put it on the list, (no harm done!) but it's more likely that I'll still include it. I might just write something less shippy/nsfw with that submission when/if it gets pulled. There are inhuman characters on the list, joke submissions, characters no one likes, characters with no tagged fics on ao3 at all, etc. Submit whatever you like!

Once a character is pulled, I'll remove that entry from the list, but you can add them right back if you want. Duplicates/alt versions of the character will remain.

Here's a link to the series so far on ao3

[bonniesfamiliar]

My Friend Again: "You do realize that you have a habit of making the female versions of characters ridiculously overpowered, right?" Me: "Of course I do!" I say confidently, while updating my list of over 30 Fem! Harry Potter titles.

The Girl Who Lived

The Chosen One

The Only Person in History to Survive the Killing Curse

Prophecy Child

Survivor of Basilisk Venom

Basilisk Slayer

Troll Vanquisher

Locator/Retriever of Philosopher's Stone

Destroyer of the Philosopher's Stone.

The only wizard/human allowed to ride on centaurs.

Leader of DA

Youngest Quidditch Player/Seeker in a Century

Youngest Person to Summon a Patronus

Youngest Gryffindor Captain

Youngest Tri-Wizard Contestant

Youngest Tri-Wizard Champion

Youngest Tri-Wizard Survivor

Youngest Undesirable N0.1

Wielder of Sword of Gryffindor

Heiress to The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black

Order of Merlin, First Class

Master of Arithmancy, Charms, and Experimental Spellwork

Heiress to The House of Potter

Heiress to the House of Peverell

Matriarch/Lady of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black

Hogwarts Saviour

Voldemort's Vanquisher

Destroyer of Horcruxes

Voldemort's Horcrux

The Last Parselmouth

Wielder of the Elder Wand

Wielder of the Invisibility Cloak

Wielder of the Resurrection Stone

Wielder of the Deathly Hallows

The Woman Who Cannot Die

The Woman Who Cannot Be Killed

The Woman Who Conquered

Immortal She

Death's Chosen One

Death's Favoured One

Master of Death

UPDATE with my friend AFTER READING BOOKS:

Magical Prowess:

Triumphant Duelist

Bests Draco Malfoy, Severus Snape (to some extent in Half-Blood Prince), and even Voldemort in various confrontations.

Protector Against Dementors

Successfully drives off over 100 Dementors in Order of the Phoenix during the Quidditch game.

Title idea: "Shield Against the Abyss"

Master of Expelliarmus

Known for mastering the disarming charm so well that it becomes a signature move, even against Voldemort.

Title idea: "The Disarmer" or "Champion of the Pacifist Spell"

Adept Legilimens (Canonically in Order of the Phoenix):

Learns Occlumency and demonstrates resistance against Voldemort's mental intrusions.

Title idea: "Guardian of the Mind"

Acts of Bravery:

Defiant Witness

Successfully defends himself in the Wizengamot hearing in Order of the Phoenix.

Title idea: "The Trial Survivor"

Battle at the Ministry of Magic

Leads a group of students into the Department of Mysteries, directly battling Death Eaters and escaping.

Title idea: "The Rescuer of Prophecies"

Quidditch and Physical Feats:

Fastest Seeker

Defeats Cho Chang during the Quidditch Cup despite immense personal and external pressures.

Title idea: "The Golden Snitch Seeker"

Leadership and Inspiration:

Revolutionary Leader

Organizes and trains Dumbledore's Army, leading to successful student defenses against Death Eaters in Deathly Hallows.

Title idea: "The Student Commander"

Symbol of Rebellion (Directly stated in the books):

Becomes the face of the anti-Voldemort movement and rallies wizards, witches, and magical beings alike.

Title idea: "Beacon of Resistance"

Mystical and Rare Achievements:

Rider of Thestrals *(First introduced in Order of the Phoenix):

Learns to bond with and ride Thestrals, despite their misunderstood and ominous nature.

Title idea: "Thestral Whisperer"

Master of Time and Space *(Indirectly through Time-Turner use in Prisoner of Azkaban):

Manipulates time responsibly to save Sirius Black and Buckbeak.

Title idea: "Keeper of Time's Secrets"

Connections to Death:

Bearer of Cursed Knowledge

As the sole holder of Tom Riddle’s diary before its destruction, Harry learns the truth of the Chamber of Secrets and Voldemort's past.

Title idea: "Guardian of Dark Secrets"

Voice of the Dead *(In Deathly Hallows):

Uses the Resurrection Stone to summon loved ones and gain strength before his sacrifice.

Title idea: "Speaker of the Veil"

Feats of Sacrifice and Selflessness:

Sacrificial Savior *(In Deathly Hallows):

Sacrifices herself willingly to destroy the Horcrux within and protect everyone at Hogwarts.

Title idea: "Bearer of Salvation"

[astrodances]

(It’s literally 2:58 am as I *start* writing this here, straight into the post, after an already long night. But alas, creativity is a fickle one, and at least I already wrote out most of this in my head in the past 15 minutes.

Anyway, enjoy a very quick sleepy-time Webby drabble. 💝)

————

For a repeat miracle

The night Della returns from the stars, Webby is a mixed bag of emotions.

She’s happy - she means it with all her heart, swear on a stack of her favorite swords - she’s really, genuinely, down-to-Earth happy.

Della’s back!

Arguably the greatest mystery the family’s ever faced now has a very satisfying happy conclusion. The case is solved! The boys have their mother back, Uncle Scrooge looks like he has had new life breathed into him, and Webby’s heart is about ready to explode from all the emotion the McDuck Manor foyer just witnessed.

And she’s excited to get to know Della! To ask her a million-and-one questions for her McDuck Family Files (she really wants to know how Della’s prosthetic leg helps her in combat, based on the little tidbits they’ve already heard), and to have another awesome adventurer to look up to and learn from.

But as the first welcome-back-here’s-all-the-holidays evening of cake wraps up, and Della herds her boys to their room while Granny guides Webby distinctly away from them and the mess of a dining room towards her own bedroom, the negative emotions begin to creep in.

Because, at the literal end of the day, that’s their family. Della is the boys’ mom, and Donald’s sister, and Uncle Scrooge’s (the urge to revert back to saying “Mr. McDuck” is strong tonight) actual niece, and Webby… Webby was really not much more than a guide to help the boys find their way through the mystery of the Spear of Selene. Webby’s just…the housekeeper’s granddaughter all over again.

(The more rational side of her knows that these are just her own insecurities talking, and that, truly, she’s earned her place in the family square. But the events of the past few hours have left her rattled, and she needs time to let her feelings play out in a healthy way.)

More than any insecurity though, Webby feels jealous, which is amplified after she finishes getting ready for bed only to sit down at her desk instead, flicking on her bright desk lamp.

The cover of The Myth of the Shadow Realm gleams up at her.

Despite all beyond-impossible odds - really, after ten years, and all the fruitless search efforts, and the dangers of space, how could they not think she was dead?! - Della came back to Earth. She came home.

Ten years, in space!, and she found her way home.

To say it’s a miracle would be an understatement.

So why does that miracle, with the more-incredible odds, get to happen?

In the same vein, Webby feels hope.

That happened, so why not this?

Why not one more miracle, to bring a different lost girl home to Webby’s eager, anxious, waiting arms?

Webby will ninja-kick-flip all odds to make it happen if she has to.

For now though, all she can do is flip pages, and hope.

——

When Bentina finds Webby in the morning, curious as to why her granddaughter wasn’t up-and-about like usual, a wave of pity creases into her brow.

Webby’s hunched over a book in her pajamas, a blanket pooling at her back and the wrist with her friendship bracelet curled into the crook of her neck protectively, as she breathes in the steady rhythm of sleep. It doesn’t take more than one glimpse of the word “shadow” on the page beneath her arms for Bentina to know what kept her at her desk all night long, again.

With a sigh, Bentina turns off the desk lamp and gives the young girl the gentlest of nudges on her shoulder. “Webby, wake up, dear,” she coaxes. “Do you want some juice?”

A softly-mumbled “mm-hmm” answers her, and Bentina takes the opportunity to lift Webby from the chair while she stirs. “C’mon then, we’ll get you some juice.”

As mighty as she is, and as much heartbreak as she’s already experienced in her young life, Webby’s still so small and precious, and sometimes (especially after last night) Bentina needs to let herself cherish the moments where Webby is more child than warrior, where she still needs her.

But even in this moment, Bentina still can’t fully protect Webby. She can’t stop Webby from looking sleepily over her shoulder back to the book on her desk, and hoping, beyond all hope, for a repeat miracle.

[pipsqueakparker]

deals - a vox drabble

decided to go ahead and share this one, too - i may just post these little ficlets/drabbles over the next few days in hopes that sharing might inspire me to write more. this one is centered around vox & his relationships with alastor, with valentino, and with power. hope you enjoy!

Their deal was made out of necessity. Vox had been here before, on the precipice of something great, something bountiful, only for it to come crashing down around him. Because before Valentino, there was Alastor. 

Alastor had already made a splash by the time Vox ended up down here, you could argue he was at his height by the time Vox was on the scene. It certainly felt that way. He was the talk of the town, the Radio Demon. Vox admired him in that way you can only admire the things that are sure to harm you. It wasn’t hard to catch up, manipulation and coercion still came naturally to him from life. He may have earned this ridiculous television screen for a face, but his charm was never that dependent on his face. 

What Vox can recognize now, in hindsight, is that Alastor felt threatened. Vox was gaining power at the same rate Alastor himself had, and that didn’t bode well, so he had to step in. Vox finds his past self unbearably naive in memory, how could he have looked at that smile and read it as genuine? How could he have believed the Radio Demon cared for him? He was foolish, his emotions made him an idiot, and Alastor took advantage of that fact. There were signs. He should have realized sooner, but Vox really, really liked the idea of Alastor. That was all it was, though, right? Just an idea. It wasn’t the truth. 

No, the truth was that Vox had spent an entire life pushing down and pushing down and pushing down all of those unsightly feelings he knew could ruin him. All of the trust he built between himself and those that listened to him were based on their assumptions, on the things he led them to believe, and one misstep would have toppled it all. But now… Now he was in Hell. All of those repressed feelings, desires, urges he’d felt toward so many men over the long years of his life… they were still there, and they could be free, and for whatever reason, they were all being shot toward this deer demon with a fuck-ass bob that Vox wanted to run his fingers through. 

And Vox let himself be strung along just so he could experience it, finally. 

Alastor never liked Valentino. He wasn’t jealous, per se. No, showing jealousy would have gone a step too far, would have implied that he cared, and no matter what Alastor did he never implied shit. Every feeling that lived between him and Vox came solely from Vox’s side, he would do or say just enough that Vox could read what he wanted. But he never lost his plausible deniability, he would never put himself in the position of being wrong. Technically. Alastor loved technicalities. 

But he never liked Valentino, and that he was more than open with. His smile would twist into a sneer the moment Vox brought up his name. He’d give Vox the silent treatment for a few days every time Vox spent time with Val, and the stronger his relationship with Val grew the more Alastor pushed away. He should have let him, but no. Vox loved them both. 

Until he didn’t. 

Vox knew it took a village to raise an empire, he had always been quite business-minded, but Alastor never really appreciated that. Val did. Val fostered Vox’s silly little dreams, helped him build them. Val became his partner, and all Vox wanted was to offer Alastor a seat at the table, too. He wanted to share the power, but Alastor… Alastor hated sharing more than he hated Val. 

Vox loved them both until Alastor finally made his move, used every intimate detail he’d been entrusted with and tried to use that to bring Vox to ruin. To destroy him in every way that mattered except physical. Vox would rather have his soul ripped apart live on radio than be betrayed by someone he thought he knew was a friend, a partner. 

His deal with Val was made out of necessity. Vox had been here before, and he had to guarantee that that couldn’t happen again. He would not be played again, and he was kind enough to give that same assurance to Val. And to Velvette, eventually. Fuck trust. Down here, deals were the only guarantees.

[dkettchen]

Now this may not seem like a massive change in format, but boy howdy do I feel proud of myself for writing the functions to automate this ehehehehehe (unfortunately for me ao3 ship stat op used a different formatting for the pre-2020 tables, so I'll have to write another function to sort those ones out too ToT)