#woop woop! fic 2 is done!

[81folklore]

i can do it with a broken heart - f1 grid

parings: gn!driver!reader x platonic!f1!grid x ex!jacob elordi

summary: after yn and their ex break up, they carry on as best they can and no one had any idea how bad they were struggling

type: social media au (smau)

notes: george is in this but he does not drive for mercedes, yn does. i also used a mixture of fem and masc pictures because i couldnt decide and thought you could just imagine whatever you wish!!

notes 2: probably the longest fic ive done so far but im pretty proud of it. the time stamps above each section are semi important so i would keep an eye on them!! also i know ive been gone for so long but i do not promise ill be back. alsoooo i know i only included a bit of the grid but i kept getting distracted and then couldn’t figure out how to include everyone!!

masterlist

march 2024

twitter

charles oh my god i cant believe my cat is finally the pfp

i have been waiting for YEARS

max yes well you better enjoy it because it’ll change soon and you’ll be back to waiting again.

lando jesus max do you have to use punctuation???

alex be glad he doesnt use captials

oscar one thing at a time lando, we dont want to scare him

max ???

lando anyway

yn mate you ok?

yourname im fine? ur scaring me you never ask how i am

lando yeah but usually your not single

lewis oh no! you and jacob split?

yourname yeah, wasnt working anymore

charles ah im sorry, that must suck😣

yourname i mean it does but its been coming for a long time so its not surprising

fernando hello! yn what is wrong? you always use emotes!

yourname theyre emojis nando, and im fine just a bit lost

fernando do not worry, i will come and find you!

yourname no, i dont mean literally just..we were together for so long i dont really know what to do now you know?

lando i get it, you wanna play tarkov with me???

yourname cheers ill get on now

george let us know if you need anything!

may 2024

yourusername

liked by mercedesamgf1, lewishamilton and 814,583 others

p✌️ was just what we needed this weekend!

thank you to everyone who came out and supported myself and the team and huge thank you to the team for working so hard all weekend⭐️

view comments

mercedesamgf1 mega job this weekend yn👊 *liked by author*

landonorris nice to share the podium with you mate

yourusername same time next race?

user33 loved seeing you back on the podium

user2 absolutely smashing it this season

user21 more podiums please🤲 *liked by author*

user3 fourth podium of the year first p✌️*liked by author*

twitter

*pretend it says after march i changed dates around last min*

august 2024

yourusername

liked by lukehemmings, charles_leclerc and 1,124,642 others

did some reading, painting and writing

baked some good food and spent time with some good people, also got a cat…not bad for summer break☀️

view comments

user66 AHHHHHH

yourusername ahhhhhhh

user26 cats name plsplspls

yourusername norman🐱

lukehemmings nice music👍

yourusername woah arent you the guy who wrote mum?!

mercedesamgf1 ready to see you back on the podium

yourusername always!!!!

user74 have you had funnnn??

yourusername yesss!! ive been doing lots of things i enjoy, basically treating every day as my birthday😋

twitter

*was supposed to write them instead of her sorry!! was doing two stories at once and kept getting mixed up😅*

october 2024

yourusername

liked by mercedesamgf1, gracieabrams and 1,291,638 others

p☝️ for the 3rd time this season, very very pleased

huuuuuge thank you to the team, every single one of you who worked tirelessly over the summer break and every moment since then, these have been for you⭐️

view comments

user55 what a good season to be a yn fan *liked by author*

user6 these races have been incredible to watch, so proud

yourusername ⭐️⭐️

gracieabrams woop woop!!!!

yourusername 😝😝

user2 gracie??

user41 why have we not had any personal photo dumps yet😕😕

user88 right we miss seeing you yn!!

yourusername sorry guys😣ive been suuuper busy working on something i just honestly forgot

user41 NEW PROJECT?? WHEN?? (also pls dont feel bad we love u)

yourusername soon!! (and i love u guys too)

twitter

november 2024

yourusername

liked by taylorswift, lewishamilton and 3,689,921 others

tagged: taylorswift

i cannot believe i get to say this, but my new friend taylor just released a new album and i was able to write a song on the album

im honestly not sure how this came about but i had so much fun writing this and expressing all my thoughts and feelings in a way ive never done before

i poured my life and soul into this song and im so glad taylor is the one who is singing it and really bought it to life

send some love to my friend and go and stream THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT (most importantly i can do it with a broken heart��)

comments have been limited

taylorswift thank you for trusting me with this song, so much love🤍

yourusername NO THANK YOU!!! i will be forever grateful⭐️⭐️

twitter

yourusername added to their story

seen by taylorswift, lewishamilton and 729,282 others

charles i feel completely betrayed yn

fernando oh no😟! what did yn do?

charles THEY DIDNT TELL ME THEY WERE WRITING A SONG??

AND WITH TAYLOR SWIFT HOW COULD YOU☹️☹️

yourname sorry charles, surprise?!

charles ill forgive you because its a good song

yourname thank you my life just got infinitely better!

yuki very good song yn! has been on repeat☺️

yourname thanks yuki, glad you like it!!

lando I LOVE IT TOO

but seriously are you ok?!

yourname yeahhh im better now

was just a lot to navigate

lewis glad you found an outlet! but remember you can always talk to any of us

yourname i know and i appreciate it, i really do

alex yn was that twitter thread right?

yourname mate youre going to have to elaborate

alex user56tweetlink

yourname oh pretty much yeah

some things were changed with taylor but not much

fernando just listened to the song yn! very nice👍well done!

yourname thank uu

max good song yn!

now

lando can you please tell me what you meant on your twitch stream!

oscar max is kind of scary

max dont make me talk about that interview next oscar!

[dadsbongos]

dads rockin' new year's eve!

count the seconds and belt those carols because the new year is approaching quick! let's celebrate right by appreciating our fictional loved ones! be sure to read through the do's & don't's below the cut or be kicked outta VIP! 17/23 prompts remain

tagging peeps who seemed inch rested: @toxycodone / @maniacpixiedreamboy + @xyfanficarchive + @antoine-tte + @dreamsandsuns + @kingofthe-egirls

**collab is open!**

PARTY RULES let's be mindful of our guests and ourselves!

full-length fics are completely non-necessary, but if the inspiration is hot i want people to have plenty of wiggle space! i’d say minimum ~400 words - 5k absolute max.

prompts are first come first served with no repeats. prompts remain open until picked or until December 15th. 

NSFW is allowed, however, i'll need an age or adequate age-indicator plainly visible on your blog or it’s gonna be a party foul! all characters involved must be aged up to 18 or older. dark content is allowed, so long as it’s appropriately tagged.

if, for any reason, you gotta ditch a prompt before midnight please let me know asap so we can get it back out there for a different date! switching one prompt for another can only be done once.

feel free to post as soon as you’re done, posts will be reblogged but not shared on a cohesive masterlist until closer to the deadline: December 26th. please tag your post #dads rockin new year and link back to this post :] 

also! i’d like to avoid repeating characters as much as possible, after 2 prompts are filled by the same character then we’ll need to freshen it up with a new face!

RSVP when's the party, and how to enter!

the big new year's eve bash will be on December 31st, no posts will be let in after the party ends!

to enter: pick an available prompt and drop the emoji in my inbox or messages along with what character you’re writing for (and what fandom they hail from!)

BYOB pick a prompt! the fun part!

12 grapes 🍇

champagne bubbles 🍾

gold tinsel 🥇

silver spoon 🥄

ball drop 🎊

hangover 💊

sloppy midnight kiss💋

fireworks🎆

woop-woop sirens!!🚨

snowball 🍧

recluse at a party 🌱

daddy’s fancy yacht 🚢

minutes after midnight, already broke a resolution⏰

regrets ⭕

last chances! 🍷

and the best part of this year was… 🍰

“you can’t spend the night alone!” 👯‍♀️

late night toast 🍞

stargazing ⭐

streamers 🎉

party favors 🎈

auld lang syne 🎶

secret special super surprise pick! ☢️

(dad spins a wheel and randomly assigns a prompt not pictured on screen. one re-roll allowed.)

GUESTLIST who's allowed in, who's coming, and their date for the party!

writers: @toxycodone x daisuke (mouthwashing) - sloppy midnight kiss💋 @toxycodone x chilchuck (dunmeshi) - regrets⭕ @24kills x satoru gojo (jujutsu kaisen) - silver spoon🥄 @dreamsandsuns x katsuki bakugou (bnha) - ball drop 🎊 @xyfanficarchive x captain curly (mouthwashing) - stargazing⭐ @antoine-tte x kylar (degrees of lewdity) - recluse at a party🌱

fandom: any, be wild be proud be unabashedly cringe as we welcome the new year!

feel free to ask if you have any questions i either didn't cover or if you need any clarification! this is my first go at an event like this, so i want it to run smoothly!

[spiderymiasma]

🕸 Five Times.... || Miguel x f!Spider (2/5)

Summary: Gwen sees how Miguel takes it upon himself to comfort you.

//Five Times They Weren't Alone and One Time They Were.

Words: 2.0k

Tags: Comfort Fic, Overprotectiveness, Slight Angst, Mutual Pining, Eventual Kissing, Pre-relationship, Flirting, Dating, Fluff, Wholesome

A/N: A continuation of my 5 Times Series. Use of "Charlotte Webb" as a placeholder for y/n

|| My AO3 || Part 1 Here

2. Gwen Stacy

One thing was for certain, if you wanted anything from Miguel…

 …..you went to Charlotte first.

Gwen spun around in one of the swivel chairs in the other Spiderwoman's office, kicking her new stolen shoes idly.  “Sooooooo….it’s been a while since I’ve seen Miles, with all the extra work Miguel is making us do." She pouted dramatically.  "Can I pllllease get time off to go visit his dimension?  Just for a couple of days?”

The older Spiderwoman's soften as she looked at the teen fondly.  Unlike Miguel, it seems as though his right hand woman had a soft spot for the younger Spiders. 

“Did you finish all your missions?”

“Yup!”

“Did you file all the paperwork Miguel wanted?”

Gwen internally winced.  Well, if you stretch the definition of words like “paperwork” and “what Miguel wants”, then yes she technically did sort of do it.

“Yup.”  She popped her p.

She chuckled, clearly not buying Gwen’s shenanigans.  “Of course you can go visit Miles-“

Gwen perked up.  She didn’t actually think she’d get a yes, already mentally resigning to the fact she’d have to sneak out right under Miguel's nose.

“-right after you get the green light from Miguel, of course”

Gwen slumped over, defeated, all the bravado completely drained.

Getting Miguel to let Gwen do anything was like getting Charlotte and Miguel to admit their feelings for each other.

Mathematically impossible.

What would Hobie do in her shoes?

Gwen lifted her head, playing with a strand of her hair.  “You know, you shouldn’t let guys like Miguel boss you around like this.  I mean, you’re the Spiderwoman everyone looks up to around here.  Are you really going to let a man tell you what you can and cannot do?”

She blinked.  “Gwen, he's literally both of our bosses.”

The teen huffed, dejected.  “You know, Spiderwoman to Spiderwoman, this whole affair is a real loss to feminism.”

She snorted, done with these childish games.  “Gwen, ask Miguel.”

Well, shit.

🕸 ⋆｡°✩ ⋆｡°✩🕸

Miguel, like always, was not in the mood for Gwen's shenanigans.  “What do you want?  Can’t you see I’m busy?”

"Can I take some time off to go visit Miles?"  Gwen leisurely strolled around the room, touching, poking, and prodding at all the fancy science gear.

She knew that Miguel got antsy (Ha!) whenever anyone but Charlotte touched his stuff, but he didn't even give Gwen the decency to look even mildly annoyed.  "Go ask Charlotte, I'm busy."

She sighed, flopping her hands in front of her dramatically.  "She asked me to ask you."

"Then no." 

"Ughh, Miguel!"

"Go back to Charlotte, and tell her I told you to ask her."  Miguel stated, his words clipped in a very "and that's final" dad voice.  Gwen internally groaned.  It was a long trek back to the other Spider's office.  “It's like a billion miles away, Miguel.  It's crazy that you two don't have your offices next to each other.”

His fingers paused in their work, momentarily distracted.  Miguel toyed with the idea.  How nice would it be to be able to see her beaming smiles, the small crinkle in her eyes, her laughter as she gossiped with Lyla.  He could picture it now: the quiet moments in the dead of the night as they worked in comfortable silence together, her woops and hollers whenever they made a scientific breakthrough in whatever fun project they had together, the blazing passion in her eyes whenever they argued over the most inane subjects.

Miguel chewed on his bottom lip.  It would be nice getting to see her every day by his side, knowing that she was safe next to him.  Miguel could easily spend his whole day just watching her work whether in the office or in the field.

Gwen cleared her throat politely.  Miguel blinked out of his daze, almost forgetting that the annoying teen had even showed up to his office. “She’s distracting-I mean-it’s an distraction for me when other people are here.”

Gwen raised an arced eyebrow.  "Peter and Mayday are here like…all the time."

"Against my will.  Charlotte is the only one to have the manners to respect my privacy."

Gwen scowled.  Adults sucked.

🕸 ⋆｡°✩ ⋆｡°✩🕸

After begging, pleading, and whining, the other Spiderwoman did eventually fold and allow Gwen a two week vacation to go visit Miles.  Two weeks had come and gone in the blink of an eye.  Though she wished she could have spent more time with her boyfriend friend, she eagerly made a beeline straight to Charlotte's office.  She couldn't wait to gossip with her about her time with Miles.

With a skip in her step, Gwen didn't notice how the door to the older Spider's office was already ajar.  Her good mood made her blind to the muted blues and black watercolors that had painted the air around the entranceway. 

Silently cracking the door open further, Gwen paused in the doorway, not expecting to see the sight in front of her.  The usual joyous yellows and bright colors seeped into the walls of the room had dissipated, now replaced with muted blotched blue.  The other Spiderwoman was crumpled into a ball on the floor.  She could hear the quiet sobs of a woman trying to hide her sorrows in her hands. 

And for some reason, Miguel was here.

It was weird to see Miguel of all people comforting her.  Indeed, the big strong man looked so awkward.  As if he had no idea where to put his hands or what words to say.  His big hulking form was hunched over her protectively, completely shielding her from the rest of the word.  His arms hovered around her form as if terrified over the thought of touching her and yet unable to help himself otherwise.

"I'm sorry Mig, I shouldn't be troubling you with this."  She sniffed, voice thick with sorrow.  "It's just the anniversary of…you know…his death-"

"I know, I know,"  Miguel said phrases in Spanish too quick for Gwen to even understand.  Charlotte let out a rather wet laugh through her sobs.  No doubt, laughing at a joke Miguel told her.

Which…honestly made Gwen's stomach twist into knots.  She shouldn't be here.  It was one thing to see Charlotte like this.  But seeing Miguel so caring and vulnerable was…

….well she shouldn't be here.

Charlotte's eyes were a blotchy red.  God, she probably looked so horrendous to him.  "M-miguel, you shouldn't be here.  You always have so much on your plate.  You shouldn't have to worry yourself dealing with my stupid bullshit."

He clicked his tongue, annoyed at her words.  "Chiquita, no te voy a dejar solo así (I'm not going to leave you alone like this)."

Blessed with a sudden burst of confidence, he smoothed his thumb over her cheek, carefully avoiding pricking her with his talons.  Miguel wiped away her tears so gently it almost seemed like he was a completely different person.  "Mi Cielito (My sky), you're safe.  I'm here.  I won't like anything bad happen to you."

The cordial professional boundaries that they put between the both of them flew out of the window.  She slid forward, burying her face into his shoulder.  She inhaled shakily, trying to stem the flow of tears.  Miguel's presence was so soothing.  His warmth seeped through his skin into hers.

Gingerly, he shuffled on the couch, wrapping his arm around her.

Gwen, now satisfied that her friend (boss?) was well supported, gingerly tip toed out of the entranceway. 

It was about time those two love bugs (Ha) got their act together.  She couldn't wait to tell Pav.

🕸 ⋆｡°✩ ⋆｡°✩🕸

Charlotte didn't know how long they sat on the floor of her office together.  With only the steady rise and fall of Miguel's breathing keeping time, it could have been minutes or hours.  The once blurry dark world sharpened and refocused whenever she was with Miguel.  Blotchy inky blues that had settled in the room slowly faded away.

She sniffed gingerly.  It was too embarrassing to lift her head from Miguel's shoulder to look at him in the eye.  "I'm…I'm sorry.  God this is embarrassing, you're not supposed to see me like this."

For some reason, it stung to hear those words come out of her mouth: "not supposed to see me like this".  Had she been crying like this often?  All smiles and arrogance during the day, have they simply been another mask she wore?  To hide the tears that she had at night? 

Though Miguel couldn't judge her too harshly.  How often would he look at pictures of his daughter just to torture himself with a life that would never be his?

Well, it was time that she stopped moping on the floor.  "Come on, let's get you straightened out." Before she could protest, he leaned over, hooking one of his arms under the crook of her knee.  She gasped, momentarily off balance, throwing her arms around Miguel's thick neck.  He scooped her up in his arms, picking her up bridle style.  Miguel was trying his hardest to not touch her so familiarly that it would border on unprofessionalism.

Because really he would do this for any of the Spiders.  Like..well, certainly not Miles, or Peter but..well..

…well he definitely would…

Her shaking stopped.  The arms around his neck remained in place, selfishly not wanting to let go of him any time soon.  Miguel's chest was so warm against her.  She could feel his rapid heartbeat, a comforting presence against her cheek.  In his arms, she felt safe.

He didn't need to be able to look down at her to sense the rising blush on her face.  "Thank you, Miguel."  Her words were so soft, he could barely hear her.  "I'm sorry to put you in this position.  You're a good friend."

Miguel swallowed thickly.  That's right.  That's what they were: friends.  There was a million reasons why they couldn't be anything more than that. 

Though for the life of him, he couldn't come up with any.

She was so warm against him, a comforting reminder that he was still very much human.  It was like he was in a trance, as he carried her over to the couch.  How many times did he carry his wife to bed, as she sleepily cuddled against him?  How many times did he carry his daughter like this after she had fallen asleep in the middle of playing with her dolls?

"Are you okay?" she asked, snapping him out of his daze.  He could feel the featherlight brush of her lips against his chest as she spoke.

He tried to fight the blush rising on his cheeks.  He had got to stop daydreaming about her around people.  "I should be asking you that."  His voice was surprisingly soft and gentle. 

Gently (and reluctantly), he placed her on the couch in her office.  His eyes softened as he watched tuck her legs close to her chest, curling into a tight ball.

"Thank you.  I'm..better now.  I'm sorry for troubling you.  You don't have to stay with me."

Miguel stopped himself from pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance.  If there was anyone in this whole building who knew what it was like to have the painful flashbacks, the nightmares, the dark memories...  He sighed, running his fingers through his wavy brown hair. 

He knew what it was like to sleep in a bed that was too large and too empty.  In a house that once held so much life and joy.  He knew what it was like to be alone.

Gingerly, he sat on the couch next to her.  Her head was so close to his thigh.  He resisted the urge to put her head in his lap.  "Go to sleep, mi corazón.  I'll be here to watch over you."

Her eyelids were heavy.  Crying her eyes out in front of her crush was more exhausting than battling the Vulture.  "Please, Miguel, you don't have to."

"No, I don't." Miguel agreed, his voice firm and steady.  "I want to.  Now go to sleep.  I'll be here when you wake."

Too tired to protest any future, she nodded sleepily.  As she drifted off into unconsciousness, she felt a familiar large palm resting on her head, comforting her even in her dreams. 

Part 1 Here

To Be Continued!

[beescomet]

V E L O C I T Y || PART 1

A/N: WOOP WOOP, finally part 1 is DONE, I've been writing it for so long now lmao. Anyway, I, once again, ask everyone to go and thank @crackedpumpkin for giving me the courage to write this (and also go read their fics, it's literally a masterpiece like 💖). There might be errors as I haven't proof read this yet, so if you find anything lmk please !! Enjoy!! (Also it's 2 am here, and I got a lecture in the morning, so I'm genuinely warning yall, there might be some odd mistakes)

TAGLIST: N/A

The smoke hangs thick in the air, twisting and billowing like ghostly tendrils as it mingles with the sharp tang of burnt rubber and the pungent scent of gasoline. From the haze, You watch as the familiar wave of energy flows all around you and the people present. Gray mist, speckled with red, similar to the mist after a night of rain in your street, the red from the lights illuminating the road. You feel a smile threatening to form as you absorb this energy.

You nearly jump in surprise when a familiar voice speaks through the earpiece you're wearing—a reminder of why I'm here in the first place. "These damn kids and their cars," the voice says, frustration evident. "Can't tell a damn difference between a wrench and a screwdriver even if it slapped them on the face", You let out a breath of amusement from your nose at the complaints . You slowly turn the steering wheel, guiding the car to it's dedicated position for the race. "Behave now D, that's not why we're here. You got eyes on me?"

The atmosphere is electric, charged with anticipation and excitement, sending a shiver down your spine as you drive into the dimly lit space. Around you, the cavernous expanse is alive with activity. Sleek, customized vehicles gleam under the low lighting, their polished surfaces catching the colorful splashes of graffiti art that adorn the walls.

"You know I do, I even got the cameras set up on the track and possible escape routes."

The crowd buzzes with energy, a lively mix of spectators and racers moving in a chaotic dance. Mechanics hustle around, their tools clinking and clanking as they tinker with engines, striving for that perfect performance. Drivers, their faces set in determined expressions, huddle in small groups, discussing tactics and strategies in hushed tones. Onlookers lean against the walls, their eyes wide with anticipation, eagerly awaiting the start of the races.

You watch them all from the safety of your car, the music and shouts muffled by the glass. You recognise a few of the people around, your nerves now on edge. You start to speak, your voice lowered to a whisper, following the group with careful eyes. "They're here"

A crash sounds from the earpiece, followed by a string of curse words. "Wait really? Fuck, you really hit the nail on the head with that one. How many can you see? Ah wait never mind, I got eyes on 'em. Damn that's a lot of screens to look at-"

You tune him out, deciding to focus on the group ahead instead, counting the members. 1, 2, 3. An annoyed sigh escapes past your lip as you rest your head on the steering wheel, muttering a curse. "Three, I was counting on at least four to get enough cash.."

The sound of laughter grabs your attention, slowly lifting your head as your eyes narrow at the sound. "Well about that, you don't need to have more than one person against you in that race.."

You immediately grab your phone, looking at your bank account and checking the balance. You choke on air once you see the number, sitting up straight and nearly hitting your head on the car roof. "Daisuke what the hell did you do! This better not be Amelie's college funds or I swear-"

Another laugh, interrupts your rant, this one louder than the last, your eyes going to glare right at one of the camera's set in the location. "Relax, this isn't my kid's college fund.. it's some of my retirement money my wife and I saved up back when she was alive. It's no use to me right now, so I thought it would help."

You could feel your heart drop, the anger in your eyes quickly replaced by one of guilt. "Daisuke I ca-" You start, closing your mouth as he interrupts you once more. "Don't even try to send it back Y/N, you went through hell for Amelie and I, this is just how I'm saying thank you. Now focus, you need to kick ass and bring the winning money back home!"

A pained laugh leaves you because of his words, bringing your hand up to rub your nose as you sniff. You could feel the tears threatening to fall, but you gather yourself together before you start breaking down.

You step out of the car, reaching for the duffle bag next to you before you do, and start heading to the middle of the room.

Every sound, every sight, adds to the cacophony of excitement that fills the air, creating a palpable tension that crackles like electricity. It's a world unto itself, this underground car meet, where the rules are few and the stakes are high. You get caught up in the whirlwind of activity, feeling the pulse of adrenaline coursing through my veins. You can feel it, all of it —the energy, the anticipation—it's all here, waiting to be unleashed. Your eyes flicker to the metal bracelet on your wrist that had started beeping, a number flashing on it.

17%

A confident smile now on your face, the night is only just beginning. Oh how fun this is going to be.

⋆｡ ﾟ ☁︎｡ ⋆｡ ﾟ ☾ ﾟ ｡ ⋆

The duffle bag hits the table with a loud thud, silencing the group of people in the area as their attention shifts to you. But you keep your eyes on one man, the gray mist around him thicker than the others around him.

Kaji.

He tilts his head to the side, his smile growing once he sets his eyes on you as he adjusts his stance, leaning on the hood of his car. His grey eyes holds your E/C ones. He tilts his head back for a moment, chuckling. "Well then, look who we have here, the Red Devil has finally graced us with her presence. Come to race against me then?"

An annoyed huff leaves you, crossing your arms over your chest as you glare at the man, raising one brow. He stares back, grinning, a golden tooth glistening under the neon lights. You couldn't help but smile at the sight of the tooth, how can you not? You were the reason he had to get it done in the first place.

"I was planning to, unless you give me the money that I'm going to win anyway, would make this whole ordeal go so much faster" You state, shrugging your shoulders as you hear some people laugh. Kaji growls, standing up and going to the table standing between you two, opening the duffle bag and peering inside. He looks back at you, the scowl quickly replaced by his infamous grin. "That's a lot of money, are you confident you'll win?"

"That damn bastad, why I outta-"

You ignore Daisuke's words, keeping your attention on Kaji as he waves two fingers to the other two goons with him, they bring in three duffle bags, placing them next to the one placed earlier. You glance at them, unfolding your arms from over your chest and reaching to the duffle bags. You open the first and quickly check the cash placed inside to make sure none were fake, repeating the same process with the other bag.

You nod, stepping back as you watch someone (who you assumed would be this race's starter) shove the duffle bags into a locked box, placing the key on a chain around their neck. You turn around and begin heading back to your car, raising both hands as you yell over the crowd who began to gather around the both of you.

"Be at the track in 10, I got more important places to be at later, and I'd hate to be late because of you"

The bracelet beeps once more. Your focus shifts to it.

32%

⋆｡ ﾟ ☁︎｡ ⋆｡ ﾟ ☾ ﾟ ｡ ⋆

"You sure you want to do this Y/N?"

You snap out of your thoughts once you hear Daisuke's voice from your earpiece, nodding your head for a moment and letting out an affirmative hum. You could hear the sigh from the ear piece, and you can just imagine him in your head shaking his head and rubbing his temple.

"Just stay safe out there would ya? God knows none of us needs anymore loss"

A grin forms on your face, a soft laugh as you nod once more. "You got it captain" You look ahead as the cars pull up next to yours, people starting to gather around the track and the screens mounted on the wal starts to broadcast the race.

Your heart hammers against your chest, causing your breath to come out staggering. This was it, the moment you and Daisuke have been planning for the past year. You close your eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath before opening them again, your hands on the driving wheel as you stare right ahead.

You have to win.

Losing was not an option.

A quick glance to the metal bracelet on your wrist, checking the number.

45%

"Ready!"

The starter started counting down, the sound of engines rumbling, adding onto the excitement that filled the air. You could see the red specks in the mist growing, showing that what happens after would be utter and pure chaos. That was exactly what you needed.

"Set!"

Beside you, Kaji, revved his engine, glaring at you from his car. You roll your eyes, any other time you'd have given him the middle finger, but right now you needed to focus.

"Go!"

Kaji shot forward like a bullet, his car a sleek silhouette cutting through the darkness. The gleam of determination in his eyes was unmistakable, a silent promise of fierce competition to come. You weren't far behind, both your engines growling with power as you both jostled for the first position in the opening moments of the race.

Behind you, two other competitors fought tooth and nail for their place in the pack, their cars weaving and swerving in a frantic dance of speed and skill. The air crackled with tension as the four of you raced, Kaji at the lead, you second, and the kther twi battling it out for third.

You let out a curse, glancing at the rearview mirror as you watch the others separate from behind you. You look at the side-view mirrors, seeing them going to either side of you.

"Watch out, 3 o'clock. He's speeding up, seems like he's gonna try and crash into you."

"Gotcha"

You look to your right, and sure enough, hes speeding your way, eyes on your vehicle as he tries to have you crash into the other one on your left. His eyes meet yours, and you couldnt help the smile on your face as you move your hand, raising the middle finger to him. You see the anger in his eyes as he swerves to your direction, and you quickly hit the brakes, your car slowing down and creating space between you and him faster than he could react. You watch as he barely misses your car, a fleeting moment of eye contact before he crashes into the other car.

A laugh escapes your lips as your foot quickly went back to the gas pedal, your car revving back up to life and going to catch up with Kaji.

Two down, one to go.

"Holy FUCK-! Y/N are you okay?"

"Just perfect! Cant say the same for the other two though" You snicker, glancing at your rear-view mirror to look at the crash site, the two guys getting out of their busted cars and telling at each other. "What's the power at??" You ask, turning your attention back to the road ahead, taking a sharp right and finally Kaji's car is back into your line of sight.

"75% and counting, did you purposely make them crash to suck the energy?”

You didn't answer, so he took your silence as confirmation.

As you hurtled down the straightaway, the neon lights of the underground tunnel flashed by in a blur of color, casting strange shadows upon the sleek surfaces of the racing machines. The pounding of your heart echoed in your ears, a steady rhythm that drove you forward, pushing you to new heights of speed.

"Two laps left"

A curse leaves your lips, your eyes glancing at your bracelet as you watched the number slowly increases. The space between you and Kaji was so small, yet to you it was almost oceans apart. Your teeth grits together as you think, shaking your head after a moment.

"D, What's the nearest shortcut to the front?"

The man at the other end sighs, you can hear him move around from his desk and the sound of him pressing buttons on his keyboard. "Take a left in a minute, you'll be in the market area, after 5 minutes with the speed you're at take a right, you should be ahead of Kaji by then."

You nod, quickly turning the steering wheel as the sound of the tires skidding reaches your ears, you can imagine the confusion on Kaji's face as he watches you disappear from behind him, the thought making you laugh a bit as you continue to drive.

Daisuke was right, you found yourself driving near the marketplace, swerving left and right through trucks and wagons filled with food. You glance at the clock, 2 minutes before the turn.

⋆｡ ﾟ ☁︎｡ ⋆｡ ﾟ ☾ ﾟ ｡ ⋆

Kaji looks at the rear-view mirror slowing down as he sees you disappear. He looks around him, trying to find any signs you were going to appear but...nothing. He started laughing, pressing harder on the gas pedal, he could feel it, the sweet taste of victory, his victory against the infamous Red Devil.

The finish line was close, it was right there. He couldn't believe it, not only did he just guarantee a win, but he had won thousands from this race alone. He started cheering, hitting the car horn as people started to circle around the finish line.

But just then, he could see something coming out of an alleyway from the corner of his eyes, causing him to swerve as he saw the familiar grey car appear from the shadows. "What the fuck! Where did she come from!?"

You grin at him, giving him a quick salute as you turn the car, you had just stolen first place from him! You laugh, your head thrown back. Kaji never thought he could despise you more than he already did, but clearly he was wrong.

You glance at your bracelet, seeing the familiar number beeping, 100%. "Let's fucking go"

You look at your hands, watching as the energy mist you had been absorbing starts to leave you, your veins glowing gray and some sparks of red. The energy transfers from your arms to your car, you close your eyes, the familiar feeling of your element around you. Pure chaos.

You open your eyes, glancing at your reflection in the mirror, and sure enough, the familiar waves of energy come out of you like waves of an ocean during a storm, feeding more power to your car as it increases in speed.

This was one of the very few perks of being able to control the element of chaos. And arguably, your only favorite.

Cracks had started to form on the ground beneath the car, but it didnt matter, the finish line was right there. And with one final burst of power from you, your car reaches almost unnatural speed, finishing the final lap in a matter of seconds.

You drift your car, shutting your eyes tight as you press on the brakes to get it to stop before hitting the forming crowd, the sound of your wheels screeching against the road before it halts. There was a moment of silence, the only thing you can hear was your heartbeat. Then loud cheers erupt from around you, people running up to your car and shouting your title.

"Holy fucking shit we actually did it. WE WON! Y/N YOURE GETTING OUT OF HERE-"

You flinch at the screaming in your ear, your hand reaching up and muting the earpiece as your eyes looks for the man holding your prize money. You step out of the car, taking deep breaths as you try to ignore the hundreds of eyes on you.

You feel a hand on your shoulder and you jump in surprise, quickly turning and seeing who it was. You visibly relax, seeing the man carrying the three duffle bags and handing it to you.

"Good race there Red, I have to ask though, why did you take that shortcut? It could have cost you the race" He asks, watching you as you throw the duffle bags into the backseat. You shrug, glancing at him from the corner of your eyes.

"I got lucky... Now, if you'll excuse me, i need to be somewhere"

You get back into your car, the crowd parting as you quickly make your way out from the underground parking. You sit in your car in silence as you make your way back to Daisuke's location, every nerve in your body on edge. This was it. You were finally going to leave.

The mechanic shop wasn't that far, so you managed to get there in time. Quickly getting your car into the garage, Daisuke runs up and closes the garage entrance after you. "Holy fuck, we did it, for a second there I thought that was it!" Daisuke yells, running up to you and opening your car door. You step out, handing him your car keys then you grab the duffle bag, setting it on the nearest workbench.

"It's not over yet, I still need to sneak past Kaji's people and reach the city." You remind him, opening the bags as you started to count the money to be able to split them. "Did you get the other car ready? I can't leave with mine. It'll stand out" You ask, glancing at him for a moment before pausing and seeing a familiar set of keys in your face. Your eyes wide and you grin, quickly snatching the keys.

"Daisuke you did not-" The words leave your mouth faster than you can think things through, looking at the otherside of the garage and seeing the car you were meant to take. "You said it would take you months to fix it up!!"

You look at the car, a 1957 Cadillac series 62 painted navy blue. You walk around it, your fingers running over the smooth surface of the car. If it was possible to marry a car, you would have done so already. You pause, realising that he was actually giving you the cat, you look back at Daisuke and you see him smile at you. You move your hand, trying to hand back the keys. "I can't accept this, the money, the car-"

He raises his hand, and you close your mouth, your brows furrowed together in annoyance. He takes a few steps towards you and places his hand on your shoulder, giving you a small smile. "Y/N, you listen to what I say and listen well.."

"I want to give these to you. You've done so much for me and my daughter already, and you still continue to do so when you didn't have to in the first place.” You turn your face away from his gaze, biting the inside of your cheek as you fight away the tears threatening to spill. “Hey, hey look at me-" He gently grabs your chin, turning your face back to him, similar to what he would do with his daughter when he has something important to tell her.

"I'm so grateful for you, Amelie as well. You've come a long way to get to where you are now. Your father would have been proud of the person you became" He states carefully, pulling you into a tight embrace. You wrap your arms around him, burying your face into his shirt as you hold him tight.

"I'll come back for you, all of you, I promise"

He laughs, wrapping his arms around you and patting your hair in a calming manner. "I know you will kid, you're too kind for your own good" he muttered, his voice wavering. You both pull away from each other, looking at each other before you give him a sad smile.

"I'm serious, I'll come back and help you leave, then we'll open up a car repairs shop together and restore beauties like this one" You push, pointing at the cadillac nearby.

Daisuke laughs dryly, shaking his head for a moment before crossing his arms. "Alright alright, I trust you, now you better get going, you need to be out of this goddamn hell hole before sunrise, chop chop!" He urges you back to your new car, opening the door for you and you get in. "I already put your bags in the trunk, Amelie left you some snacks in a lunchbox, but i'm pretty sure it's some form of clay" You laugh at the comment, shaking your head as you think of the little brown haired girl you had grown to love.

"Thank you.. for everything" You state softly, looking at him with a soft smile. Daisuke smiles back, giving you a curt nod as he steps back, opening the garage door once more.

"Don't mention it kid, now go, I'll hide the other car later tonight" You nod, backing out of the garage and into the night, the Cadillac perfectly blending into the darkness of the town.

⋆｡ ﾟ ☁︎｡ ⋆｡ ﾟ ☾ ﾟ ｡ ⋆

A figure watches from afar, his hand going up to run over his beard. Wu watches as the young girl drives away, a heavy sigh leaving him as he turns to leave. He reaches up and runs his hands over his dragon, carefully mounting it as it soars up into the sky.

"She gets stronger everyday, I fear we may not have enough time to prepare”

[livelaughlovetoread]

Hiii! If you're still doing the ship ask.. 8 or 23 for Jily? 💗

Shameless Self plug but if you like any of my headcanons you will see them at some point in my long Jily fic A Light In The Shadows!

Send me an ask based on these questions

8. What do they love most about the other? Why?

They both love the thing that kept them separated for so long.

Lily is fiercely loyal to someone with whom she is friends or family. This is why she stayed friends with Sev for so long and did not cut him off. She knew what his life was like, the direction he was going, however, she wanted to try and be there for him so that maybe she could help. Her sister is also the same. I think they had some explosive fight (about the war, and their parents) and things were said that were unforgivable (or maybe if they had a decade they could have fixed it). But Lily's willingness to stand by those who she loves is something James truly loves about her.

I think James, to some extent when he matures, understands why Lily stays friends with Severus. And he respects her for it, even though he hates the guy. James understands that Lily was willing to be there for someone in their darkest times (kinda like how James is there for Remus, but also very different).

You have to truly stab Lily in the face for her to be done with you. James admires her dedication.

This is also why Lily never wrote James off, she knew he was an idiot, but he also had a lot of good qualities and was growing (I think there was steady growth over the years, not just overnight whooopssss I am an ass for James).

James on the other hand acts and defends those he loves/his beliefs with dedication.

Lily might not approve of all of James' methods (especially when he was younger), but there is something honorable about sticking up for your friends/beliefs regardless of what others say.

I personally see James as a bully who viewed himself as punishing bad people (NO he was absolutely not right about this many times). However, someone calls Peter ugly? Hex them in the halls with boils. Did someone make fun of Remus for being sick/visiting his mum all the time? Hex them too. He heard someone use the M word - woops where did the mud come from that is on them?

I think Snape would have pissed James off even more as he 1) insulted his dad the first day on the train and Gryffindor, and 2) was two-faced with Lily. James obviously heard Severus saying shit and could not stand it when he would play innocent. (James also targeted Severus because of Lily too I think). I could also see James in some diluted way wanting to show Lily how bad Severus had gotten.

None of the above is right or what Lily loves about James - but those mistakes lead him to be who is really is. Which is someone who uses his words first and then his wand in sticking up for those he loves.

Someone makes fun of Peter? "If you don't have anything nice to say don't say it at all."

Someone makes a rude comment about Remus - he tells them that he hopes their family all stay healthy and that they don't have to worry about them while still at school.

Someone says the M word - okay he still hexing them.

It's this change that occurs and James unwavering dedication to standing up for what he belives in that Lily loves the most.

The next one is below the cuts as this has gotten long!

23. What are the defining characteristics of their relationship?

Love - They love each other, including their flaws, though they are both working on them. It is a deep love.

Trust - They trust each other has the best intentions, that in a fight the other one has their back.

Mutual Respect - This is one that they always had. Even when they were young, they both had respect for each other when they were in disagreements. James respects that Lily is a loyal person, while she Respects that he fights for his friends.

Affection - They are very affectionate people. They are always near each other when they can be. It's not over the top, but at a party, it's often them standing together or touching feet when they sit down near each other. It's their way of saying I am here, and I love you.

Send me an ask based on these questions

[partrin]

tumblr q&a. thank you for the tag, @ocean-waters!

favourite color:

rose gold, especially if it's something black with rose gold accents. it's pretty.

last song:

i'm not sure why but i've been in a bit of a mood and this song pretty much sums it up. also, it's very rinharu-coded (at least to me) because the first part leading up to the chorus goes like this:

hello my friend, we meet again

it's been a while, where should we begin?

feels like forever

within my heart are memories

of a perfect love that you gave to me

oh i remember

when you are with me, i'm free

i'm careless, i believe

above all the others, we'll fly

this brings tears to my eyes

my sacrifice

woops, i got carried away there.

last movie:

ultraman rising! i'm currently fixated on this guy:

sato kenji. he's got rin vibes and i'm obsessed. him aside, the movie was so wholesome. also partly very sobering. 100/10, highly recommend, please go watch!

currently reading:

unfortunately, i haven't been reading anything much lately. does anyone have any rinharu fic recommendations? (i'm very picky though. sigh.)

currently watching:

alice in borderland season 2. this shit is getting more complex. i love it. i should probably check the manga out.

currently craving:

the chocolate lava cake from this cafe my fiancé and i like to frequent. the choco banana pancake i ate in 2013 from a roadside stall in krabi, thailand. rinharu amvs. takoyaki. a good, deep conversation that'll warm up my noggin.

tea or coffee:

tea. in particular, good ol' masala tea. i don't usually like the taste of herbs or spice in my beverages but i can't pass up on masala tea. but it's hard to find masala tea that is done just right for me. sigh. maybe i should try making my own.

tagging: @lostlegendaerie @museaway @dragon-of-timeless-blue @cookie4hope and anyone else that wants to do this! (i'm sorry - i have no idea who has done it before and who hasn't!)

[squarebracketsmileyface]

May have fucked up, my COD fic is sitting at 46 pages in my Google doc and I'm only like, two thirds of the way done?

I'm gonna force myself to edit My Girl chapter 2 tomorrow so I can upload it because this COD fic isn't gonna be done any time soon, it's done what S,IL did, "4k word oneshot- woops it's multi chapter and way more than 4k words" 💀

[eddiemunsonw]

It takes one kiss

CHAPTER 5 - As real as they come

part 1 - part 2 - part 3 - part 4 - part 5

Steddie Fanfic

Summary: Steve hosts a party and ends up suffering through the consequences of humoring Tommy.

OR

Steve Harrington kisses Eddie Munson by accident and that sucked. Right?

CW / Disclaimer: Some mild overlap with S4 scenes (barely) - But (!!) Eddie lives - Mention of F-slur once.

Author’s note: My first Steddie fic! Another first woop. Let's hope you like. It has five parts that I'll be posting both on here and on my ao3: eddiemunsons. Enjoy!

Words: (of current chapter) 4651 / (complete fic) 15381

Steve’s POV

“Who wanted a hamburger?” Steve called out, looking around the backyard. Dustin, Lucas and Mike jumped up to get their fill, plates in hand. Steve’s stomach grumbled a little, although most of his appetite had gone purely from smelling all the food.

“Me first, I need one for Max too,” Lucas said right away. No one protested and Steve watched as Lucas walked back to Max and El. The latter started to cut up the hamburger so Max had an easier time eating while talking animatedly to her. Max was still confined to her wheelchair for now and the doctors weren’t sure whether she would ever get out of it. People often expressed their sympathy, but Max wanted none of that. Sure, she missed skating and her independence, but ever since her vision returned she had found peace with most of it. Being able to see Lucas and the others again was a gift she didn’t think she would get back.

It had been Nancy’s idea, to all get together and have some fun. So when the weather forecast showed a blazing sun and a fair bit of heat, Steve had suggested having a barbecue at his house. His parents weren’t there as usual, so it was most convenient. That, and the large grill they had in the backyard. Steve watched how everyone was eating and put some chicken satay and sausages on while subconsciously counting heads. Habit. He barely had a chance to frown when he noticed someone was missing as said person popped up next to him.

“Scooch over, Harrington. You should eat.”

Steve gave Eddie a look as he felt him try to pry the tong out of his hand. Simply because he could, Steve tightened his grip and smiled softly when he heard Eddie huff. Eddie had been cleared of crutches since last week, but he had a long way to go to regain the strength in his legs, which made Steve want to decline. But, knowing how stubborn Munson could be, he relented and handed him the tong.

“Thanks. I just put these on, make sure to—”

“I know how to handle a piece of meat, Harrington. Don’t you worry your big head over it. What do you want? These things? Something else?”

“Sure, yeah, uhm, maybe some ribs?” Steve offered as if he needed approval. Eddie shot him a grin and took a large gulp from his coke while dismissing him with his hand.

“I’ll bring it over when it’s done. You relax. Take some of that too,” Eddie said, gesturing at the table ladened with bread, several salads and fruit. Steve gave him a nod and joined Robin who sat close to the pool after filling a plate with some garlic bread and potato salad.

“Finally. Thought you’d never sit down.”

Steve eagerly started to eat, took his time munching away before responding to Robin. She watched him fondly.

“Eddie took over,” Steve explained. Robin smiled and glanced over at Eddie who seemed pretty much in his element. Especially when he scolded Mike for already coming back for more, waving the spatula around as he exclaimed it was Steve’s turn now.

“I saw. Nice view, isn’t it?”

Steve looked up, his mouth stuffed with a piece of bread as he frowned.

“That’s not very I-only-like-girls of you Robin.”

“I meant for you, dingus.” Immediately, Steve’s cheeks gained the color crimson and he swallowed the piece of bread down a little too eagerly, making him feel it go down all the way. He shook his head and took a spoonful of potato salad as he narrowed his eyes at her.

“No.”

“Oh come on. Did you even talk to him yet?”

“There’s not much to talk about.”

“Uh, there is plenty to talk about. Starting with the whole I-really-liked-kissing-you thing.”

Steve groaned and huffed a breath.

“I still wish you hadn’t heard that.”

“Well, too bad. I did. Loud and clear. And you two should talk.”

Back then, in the Upside Down, when Eddie had confessed he had liked kissing him, Robin had heard. In the midst of all the chaos she had heard and had decided to sprung it on Steve weeks later, in a completely out of the blue way that was very typical for Robin.

“That guy that you kissed, the one that made you realize you were bi with my incredible help and guidance, that was Eddie?”

Steve had panicked, looked around in horror to see if anyone had heard them, momentarily forgetting they were by themselves in a pretty deserted field of grass (He had been physically dragged out of the hospital for an afternoon by Robin and discovered they liked watching clouds together).

He still didn’t know how Robin had managed to miss the whole ordeal that had gone down all those years ago. Steve had no reason to not admit it right then and there and it had honestly been a huge relief to have someone to talk to, as his bi-awakening had been in a pretty dire looking coma at the time and it was turning him into a wreck. However, Eddie woke up, and so did Robin’s desire to help Steve confess his feelings. Steve, on the other hand, was convinced that that was a very bad idea.

“I don’t even know how to start.”

Robin shrugged, formed two mouths with her hands as she mimicked their voices badly. “Hey Eddie - Sup, Harrington - So uh you said you really liked kissing me when you were in my arms and I just wanna say me too man - Wow let’s kiss.” Robin brought her hands together and made smooching noises and Steve pushed her hands down.

“My god Rob, stop it.”

“I’m just saying, he’s literally making you food right now. Unlike me who selfishly sat here to cool my feet in the water.”

“I wouldn’t trust you near a barbecue anyway.”

“Ouch. I am hurt,” Robin deadpanned. “What do you have to lose?”

“A friend?”

Steve dared to look over at Eddie who was so focused at turning the sausages that the tip of his tongue was sticking out, wetting his top lip. He sighed.

“Gross. You’re so lovesick.”

“Mhm. How’s Vickie?”

“I’m seeing her tomorrow. Unlike some of us I actually am doing something about it.”

“That’s great, I’m happy for you, Rob. Go woo her.”

“Take a piece of your own advice and go woo Munson for me will you?”

“I’ll think about it.”

Eddie was coming over and Robin took that as her cue to join Nancy, Jonathan and Argyle at the table. His gaze followed Robin for a moment and then he settled down next to Steve, cross legged and facing him.

“Here.”

Steve looked down at the plate filled with two big chunks of ribs, three sausages and four satays. Eddie avoided his eyes and focused on the meat instead as he handed it over.

“Thanks, Ed. I’m not sure I can eat all of this though, do you want some?”

“Of course you can. It’s good for those jock muscles of yours.” Eddie’s hand clasped his knee for a moment. His hand was hot. So were Steve’s cheeks, now. He barely registered it though, as the word ‘jock’ settled unpleasantly in his mind.

“Can we just call them muscles? No longer a jock.”

“You’re kind of a retired jock, though.”

“Please?”

Eddie scratched the back of his neck and frowned.

“Right, okay. My bad. It’s just good for these bad boys, yeah?” Eddie said as he leaned over to squeeze both his biceps. Always touching him lately. “Gotta keep you well fed in case we gotta fight off monsters again some day.”

“The only monsters I wanna fight from here on out are lousy parkers and whoever keeps me from buying my favorite ice cream.”

“Who even wants strawberry ice cream anyway,” Eddie mumbled. “So… standard.”

“Oh, yeah, banana flavor is really wild,” Steve mumbled sarcastically, although he felt a flutter in his chest at the fact that Eddie remembered his favorite ice cream flavor. He picked up a rib and started eating while Eddie leaned back on his hands, looking way more delicious than whatever was on his plate right now. Cut off gray Iron Maiden band tee, sleeveless and fraying at the ends. Whenever he stretched his arms upwards, which he apparently did a lot, Steve noticed, a stripe of skin became visible just above his belt, showing off his happy trail and large, pink scars. Steve had a few of those himself now too. 

The most surprising part of his outfit were probably the black shorts that stopped just below his knees. Black, chains as usual, some extra pockets that he stashed several lighters, keys and his cigarettes in. Below were his milky white legs that were quite the contrast next to Steve’s sun kissed ones. He tanned pretty easily and had noticed Eddie’s skin simply refused to do any of the sort. Steve had only briefly looked down and Eddie had given him a warning look, as if to dare him to say something about it. Steve wouldn’t. He liked Eddie’s appearance more than he’d like to admit, legs included.

“I’ll have you know that banana flavor is quite delicious and very underrated.”

“It tastes super artificial.”

“That’s what I love about it.”

“You’re weird.”

“Why, thank you, that’s so kind of you to say.”

Steve smiled and dared to look up at him through his lashes as he bit off a piece of chicken. Eddie watched him quietly, his smile matching Steve’s. Then, he looked away to watch the kids as they chattered away loudly, animatedly. Carefree, almost.

“I gotta give it to Wheeler. This was a pretty neat idea.”

Steve followed Eddie’s gaze and nodded.

“It’s nice.”

Late afternoon turned into evening and Eddie had appointed himself the designated driver to drive the kids home. Nancy and Jonathan had already left half an hour earlier with Argyle, Mike and Will, which only left Dustin, Max, Lucas and El. It was mostly convenient too, as his van had enough room to put Max’s wheelchair in the back and her and Lucas fit easily next to him at the front while Dustin and El sat with their backs against the seats. Steve was so busy saying goodbye to all the kids that he hadn’t even really said goodbye to Eddie. A sigh escaped his lips as he closed the door behind him, immediately faced with Robin.

“Oh, you’re leaving too?” he asked, a little surprised. Robin nodded, giving him an apologetic look.

“I have to help my parents in the morning and I don’t want to be completely exhausted by the time I meet up with Vickie so I have to get a decent amount of sleep,” she sighed. Steve nodded in understanding.

“Of course. You go have fun tomorrow, yeah? Just make sure to throw the bowling ball forward and not backwards,” he teased. Robin rolled her eyes but smiled affectionately before pulling him into a hug.

“Thanks for the solid advice, dingus. See you Monday.”

���Good night, Rob.”

As soon as she had driven off, Steve closed the door to lean against it. Even the softest sigh seemed to echo in the large house. It immediately felt so empty without them. He only allowed himself to wallow in the feeling for a good minute or two before he pushed himself away from the door to put on some music. Just as he put the needle down, the doorbell rang. Knowing Robin, she probably forgot her sweater or something. Already looking around for anything out of place, he made his way over to the door and swung it open.

“Forgot something Rob— Oh.”

Eddie’s POV

Eddie walked past him without a word and only turned around when he stood in the middle of the hallway.

“So it was Buckley I just passed.”

When Steve gave him a confused look, Eddie gestured vaguely in the air and shrugged.

“I guess we’re alone then. Beer?” Steve was looking at him as if he had grown a second head and Eddie licked his lips, suddenly feeling a little awkward. “Unless, uh… I’m totally overstaying my welcome here,” he added, scratching the back of his neck. “I didn’t expect everyone to be gone by the time I came back, even though… I literally took all the remaining people with me except Buckley. Shit. Sorry, I—”

“It’s alright Eddie, you can stay. Glad you came back, in fact,” Steve blurted out. Eddie gave him a lopsided smile and started to shuffle backwards towards the kitchen, where the cold beer was neatly stacked in the fridge.

“Glad, huh? Missed me already?”

“Only every hour of the day,” Steve said jokingly. Eddie hummed in thought after he opened his can, really making a show of it. Tapping his chin with his finger as he gazed up at the ceiling.

“We ought to do something about that. What about a nice life-size cutout of me to look at whenever I’m not gracing you with my presence?”

“You’d scare the living death out of me if I woke up in the middle of the night facing that thing.”

Eddie grumbled something incoherent, grasped at his chest and gasped.

“Oof. You hurt me, Harrington,” he sighed dramatically. Steve smiled and Eddie cocked his head towards the backyard.

“Wanna go outside? It’s pretty nice out now. Bit humid still but nothing your pool can’t fix,” he suggested, already walking to the door.

“You wanna swim or something?”

“Ah, no, I meant just soaking our legs until our feet are old and wrinkly looking.”

“Oh. Cool.”

“Unless you want to swim?” Eddie asked, glancing back over his shoulder as he stepped outside. Steve laughed and shook his head.

“No, I’m good.” He closed the door behind him to keep the mosquitos out and joined Eddie at the edge of the pool, taking off his slippers as he watched him taking off his thick boots and socks.

“Aren’t those super hot to wear?” Steve asked curiously, pointing at the boots. Eddie nodded and put them to the side as he immediately dropped his feet into the water, a content sigh leaving his mouth.

“Mhm, but slippers are an atrocity. Uncomfortable, sand and other shit gets everywhere and I’m doing the world a favor by keeping my feet from view.” Steve peered down to look at Eddie’s feet, which were being swung back and forth into the water.

“I think they look fine.”

Eddie snorted at how genuine Steve sounded.

“I know. People would die for a closer look, which they’ll never get. So, in that way, I’m doing everyone a favor by keeping the temptation hidden from their sinful eyes.”

“So what are you doing to me now?” Steve asked, his brow raised. Eddie gave him a funny look and nudged him with his shoulder as he wiggled his feet in the water.

“What, you got a foot fetish or something, Harrington?” he teased, his nose nearly touching Steve’s cheek. “‘Cause if so… I might make an exception.”

Steve shoved his shoulder halfheartedly as he leaned away from him, laughter escaping his lips. Eddie felt his chest tighten at his laugh, which was a rarity to hear nowadays. To be the cause of it made it even better. 

Ever since… everything, he had seen Steve on the regular. Never alone, though. Tonight was the first time. However, he had seen loads of him. Had seen how he kept up a front around the others and saw it drop when he thought no one was looking. Except, Eddie was always looking. He had wanted to reach out to Steve numerous times, but especially on those occasions. Take him somewhere, just let him talk. He never did. Something held him back and he knew exactly what it was. Not even nightmares about the demobats, that he was certain only Steve would really understand, were enough reason to get him to do that. He just… couldn’t.

“Shut up, I don’t,” Steve sighed. His eyes fell on one of Eddie’s pockets, the familiar outline of a pack of cigarettes visible.

“Feel like donating a cig?” he asked, poking his pocket with his finger. Eddie smiled and took something out of his other pocket instead

“I’ll do you one better. Wanna share?” he asked, holding the joint between his fingers as he raised his eyebrows meaningfully. Steve smiled and gave him a nod.

“Been a while since I last smoked one.”

“Sounds like you should hang out with me more. Unless you wanna hang with Jonathan and Argyle instead, of course.”

“I wouldn’t just hang out with you for your stash, Munson.”

Eddie smiled softly and lit the joint, took a drag and handed it to Steve. After Steve enjoyed the familiar feeling in his lungs and released the smoke, he sighed.

“Today was nice. It felt good seeing Max smile so much. The other kids too, of course but… you know,” Steve said, knowing it needed no further elaboration. Eddie nodded. He did.

“They’re a great bunch. Support each other well. Lucas in particular has been so good for her.”

This time Steve nodded and a moment passed as they each took another drag.

“It was also nice seeing you smile today. Like genuinely,” Eddie added gently.

“I’ve been smiling,” Steve protested, though one look from Eddie made him swallow the rest of it. He looked away, gazed down the backyard that suddenly felt too large again. “You sure pay attention,” he concluded, looking back at Eddie.

“I do.”

“Why?”

“Because I care.”

“… Why?”

A hidden question lay somewhere in the cloudless sky, waiting to drop down on them as it had been lingering around them for ages, waiting to see who was going to get the answer from who. A moment went by only accompanied by the sound of their feet moving in the water. Eddie looked up at the sky, his exhale partially blocking the view as the smoke passed his lips.

“How long are you gonna make me wait, Steve?”

He felt the other boy stiffen beside him and it made him want to take it all back immediately, but it was out there now. It had to be, anyway. No matter the outcome Eddie couldn’t handle another day of not knowing. It was all or nothing.

“What do you mean?” Steve asked softly, with a tone that suggested he had an idea what Eddie was hinting at. 

“You said you weren’t gonna respond to what I said to you in the Upside Down while I was out. I’ve been out of that sweet hibernation for a few months now and… nothing. So I’m asking, how long?”

Eddie didn’t have to look to know that Steve wasn’t looking at him. He wordlessly held out the joint for Steve and he accepted, their fingers brushing just like they had done a few times before.

“So it’s really true, huh… people do hear things.”

Eddie nodded, leaning back on his hands as he smiled softly.

“Yep. I liked how you picked different voices for the characters. Really nice. But, back to important matters.” As much as he wanted to talk about the fact that Steve had read about halfway through the first book for him and how impressive that was, he had other priorities right now.

“I mean…” Steve hesitated, “it’s kinda obvious, right? If you add it all up?”

Eddie nodded again, his lips forming a smirk as he spoke.

“Yeah. It is. Since you didn’t say anything for months, I’ve concluded that you’re straight after all and just had a Fuck-Eddie-is-actually-kinda-hot phase. All good.”

“I’m not str—”

Eddie barked out a laugh and threw his head back, missing how Steve looked at him in horror when he did.

“I know, I know. Only a fool would lie about being anything other than straight in this day and age. I do appreciate that you were more passionate about defending your sexuality than denying that you find me hot, though.”

“You’re insufferable,” Steve groaned.

“One of my many middle names,” Eddie sighed. He bent forwards again, his hands now folded into his lap after taking the joint from Steve’s distracted fingers.

“Funny.”

“Not as funny as you avoiding what you were going to tell me once I woke up. Sarcasm, for the record.” He took the last drag and tossed the bud behind him, earning only a mild frown from Steve as he was deep in thought. He exhaled shakily.

“I hated it… that I liked it. At first.”

Eddie’s hand found his, patiently listening while nudging his pinky against Steve’s, linking them together as if to encourage him to continue.

“I couldn’t stop thinking about it and I didn’t know why. The main reason it took me so long was because I had no idea bisexuality was even a thing. I thought you were either straight or gay. Stupid, I know.”

“It’s not stupid at all,” Eddie reassured him softly. Steve gave him a weak smile that gave away that he had a hard time agreeing with it, but seemed to relax as Eddie grasped his hand and squeezed. A nod, a sigh, and he continued.

“So… that’s when I came to you, you know trying to figure out if it was just a you-thing. But then you refused and… well. I mean, makes sense. It was a dumb request, I shouldn’t have asked that of you.”

“It wasn’t dumb, I just didn’t wanna risk being Steve Harrington’s little experiment. That would uhm, hurt, y’know? Didn’t want that,” Eddie explained immediately, to which Steve nodded again.

“Yeah. I uhm, tried to accept that I just had to forget about it. Didn’t work. Then, everything else happened and I knew I was the last person you wanted to see but I couldn’t help myself. I didn’t want you to be alone.” Eddie felt Steve squeeze his hand, though he avoided his gaze as he played with the frays on his shorts. Denim ones, just above the knee.

“I know I was a hard ass to you. Sorry about that,” Eddie sighed, looking guilty. “It’s just my front, and around you I had pulled up about three just in case. You were right though, back then. I was really scared. Of a lot of things,” he admitted. 

Steve’s POV 

Steve quickly shook his head, meeting his eyes. He didn’t want Eddie to feel guilty about anything. Although it hadn’t been easy to deal with Eddie’s sour mood at first, he understood where it came from and could only imagine how hard it must have been for him. As much as it had interfered with his desire to get clarity at the time, it wasn’t Eddie’s fault. At all.

“No need to apologize. I know what it’s like. To have to take it all in, have it crash down on you with no mercy at all.” Eddie gave him a grateful nod.

“And then…” Eddie started, followed by a rueful chuckle, “I thought I was gonna die so I dropped my brain-to-mouth, mouth-to-brain? filter, and spilled my deepest thoughts to you.”

“And then you didn’t die,” Steve added, turning his head completely towards Eddie now. Eddie nodded and sucked in his lips. He pressed down on them for a moment and then let them go with a pop.

“And now we’re here.”

“And now we’re here,” Steve agreed. “And…” he sucked in a deep breath, “I really liked kissing you, too.”

Eddie lifted his gaze from the water, searching his eyes for truth and Steve gave him the tiniest nod to confirm. His gaze softened, a hesitant smile on his lips.

“Yeah? Care to show me how much?” Eddie asked softly. Even before Eddie had completely finished the sentence, Steve was already leaning in, his hand confidently reaching for Eddie’s jaw while his heart threatened to stop functioning altogether. Eddie leaned into his touch, lips parting the second he felt Steve’s brush against his own and the softest gasp escaped his lips. As if they had kissed many times in between that one night and this one, Eddie’s hand found its way into Steve’s hair naturally, tugging ever so slightly. In his eagerness to find a better angle, Steve moved closer and attempted to straddle Eddie’s lap, momentarily forgetting they were still at the edge of his pool and therefore had his knee slip right off the edge. A gasp left his lips and in the midst of his panicking he quickly grabbed onto Eddie’s shirt, which was so worn that it tore under the pull of Steve’s weight. In the same second, Eddie quickly reached out to Steve, grabbing him tight, but it was too late. They both toppled over and landed in the pool.

Even before Steve got his head above the water again, he could hear Eddie’s bubbling laughter above him. Still holding tightly onto his waist, Eddie looked down at him with a big grin.

“Damn Stevie, so wet for me already?” he snorted, earning a shove against his now naked chest from Steve which did nothing more than push himself slightly back into the water.

“Shut up,” Steve grumbled, trying to not completely blush like a virgin at the sight of Eddie and the fact that he was holding him in a way he had fantasized many hours about. Eddie gestured at his torso with a grin.

“I mean… you literally tore off my shirt.”

Of course Eddie had to remind him.

“Shut up.”

“Are you blushing?”

“Eddie—” His frown ceased to exist when he looked up into those big brown eyes, who stared down at him with— affection? Fondness? All he knew was that he wanted Eddie to look at him like that forever. Still, he wasn’t going to admit that just yet. Instead, his lips formed a smile.

“I really hope you weren’t carrying a fortune of joints in your pockets today,” he mused, looking down at Eddie’s waist that was definitely below the water, including all of his belongings. Eddie looked down in horror only for a moment and let his gaze linger on Steve’s stomach, slowly raking up to his chest until their eyes met again.

“I don’t know, I’m feeling pretty high right now, Steve. I think I can go without for a bit.”

Steve rolled his eyes half heartedly and prodded Eddie’s chest with his finger.

“That’s because you literally just smoked a joint with me.”

A playful sigh from Eddie.

“I was trying to be romantic, Steve.”

“Didn’t take you for a sap, Eds.”

“Didn’t take you for someone who’d tear the clothes off my body before the first date either but here we are.”

“You’re—”

“Insufferable?”

Yeah, he was. Insufferable, sweet, kind, funny, pretty, handsome, and everything Steve apparently wanted, even if it had taken him quite a while to figure that out. He watched as water droplets fell from that wonderful mop of hair that really shouldn’t be that attractive now that it was soaked, onto his cheeks that had a light flush on them which made them extra cute and down to his chest, decorated with tattoos and the aftermath of not quite dying just yet.

“Yeah, that, and… so fucking hot,” Steve sighed, refusing to take another second being away from those plump, kissable lips. He slotted his arms around Eddie’s neck and let their lips meet again in a sweet kiss. Eddie hummed contently and pulled him closer by his waist, really pushing their bodies together.

“I could get used to this,” Eddie mumbled softly against his lips. Steve gave him the slightest nod.

“Me too.”

“So… 9.5?” Eddie asked as he gently nudged his cheek with his nose. This time, Steve shook his head, a smile forming on his lips.

“No. 10.”

[nemossubmarine]

🤔 🦖🥳🪩🎉?

🤔 Are there any new characters you want to write about? I'm currently writing a Big Bang for a completely new fandom fic-wise (Warhammer), so that's something new. After that I need to jump into writing a short story for a competition (also Warhammer). Whatever I'll do after that, something different might do me good. Maybe when Hades II comes out to Alpha I'll get into that game (no promises tho).

🦖 Are there any fandoms you wrote for in the past that you'd like to return to? Haha I have like a two dozen half-finished fics I look at regularly and sigh wistfully, including a couple of long fics (Yugioh, Hobbit and Ace Attorney at least) I'd love to finish some day. Some of them have even been plotted to the end! If I only had the time. :P

🥳 How are you going to celebrate when you achieve one of your writing goals? I really have not thought about it, but I definitely need to do something nice for myself when the Big Bang is done (it has ballooned from 10k to 40k, woops). Maybe I'll get myself a piece of cheesecake.

🪩 Do you have any "good" writing habits you want to cultivate? I would like to get more thoughtful in using my allotted 2 x 15 minutes coffee breaks at work for writing. Maybe start having them always at the same time, get that cup of tea, get a few hundred words in. Get a little break from having to think about work and not feel bad if I don't have the energy to write after work.

🎉 How are you going to be kind to yourself if you don't meet your goals? I mean, getting something as big as a Big Bang done at the start of the year does help with being kind to oneself ("Look I already did this!"). Every year it does get easier to be understanding of oneself, I don't write as much as when I was studying, but I'm not studying anymore, and tho there's a lot of actual free time and I dont have to do homework, there's still lot to do work-wise and taking care of my home-wise. Best not to compare yourself too much to past years and be happy with things you do at the point you do them.

[laterosal]

im actually alive after idk days. oh well two more until thanksgivijv break 😭

so updates on oneshots/fics

- sae itoshi (yeah ive been procrastinating as a writer lol. was supposed to update it on his bday...)

- oliver aiku - im pretttty sure i got 2 chapters done??? i need to check later again though

- kaiser - yeah i tried starting it. i think the idea and storylinr looked a lot cuter in my brain 😭 woops. oh welllll, ill still try.

might write some other ones some day (requests are open!)

[bluedeedeedoop]

EEE thanks @jedimasterbailey for the tag!! I haven't written much in a while BUT I DO PLAN ON IT so i shall do this cuz it seems fun!

1. How many works do you have on Ao3?

only 5 works honestly ahaha- tbf i only started posting stuff a couple years back and writing is not my major strength if im being honest

2. What’s your total Ao3 word count?

ok i did the math its only 13,859 which honestly not bad but could be better

3. What fandoms do you write for?

as of now mostly just star wars, ive written for another in the past tho

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

Painting can wait (153), Crumbling walls (98), Love you anyways (72), Cassandra finally snaps(67), Me and you and awkward silence (26)

5. Do you respond to comments?

I REALLY TRY TO AND I LOVE EVERY SINGLE cOMMENT I GET AND I LOVE SEEING THE EMAILS POP UP! but it usually takes me some time cuz im typically only logged in on my computer

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

girl idefk- i think the closest ive came to angst was crumbling walls but even then- i dont write as much as i should tbh

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

i loooooove love u anyways (even if u hate tea) cuz whyYyyy nOooot

8. Do you get hate on fics?

not that im aware of! ill take it

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I do i have just not posted any aHA- it is all mostly self indulgent lesbian porn i wake up in the middle of the night to type out on my phone.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

i do not and so far do not plan to write any

11. Have you ever had a fic translated?

i have not

12. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

i have not but i would love to!

13. What’s your all-time favorite ship?

FUCKING BARRISSOKA LETS GO BITCHES (barriss offee/ahsoka tano)

14. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

.....no comment.

15. What are your writing strengths?

smut. i like adding unnecessary details and i love writing characters in romantic peril. i cant think of any others forgive me.

16. What are your writing weaknesses?

plot building and planning woop

17. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

never done it but im open to the idea!

18. First fandom you wrote for?

...rapunzel's tangled adventure.

19.) Favorite fic you’ve written?

girl idefk, all i know is that i needa go back to my recents and fix random space bar presses and spacing errors ive made

no pressure tags: @kaaragen @kalevalakryze @devondeal

20 Questions for Fic Writers

1. How many works do you have on Ao3? 49. I have a few options for #50…

2. What’s your total Ao3 word count? 299,440. Ok, I hadn’t realized I was that close. Now, my answer to #1 might be “a new 560-word drabble.”

3. What fandoms do you write for? I’m nearly exclusively writing for Avatar: Legend of Korra, with a little bit of Last Airbender, where it fits in.

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

1. Rainstorm - Su is there for Lin, for once. 2. The Well of Need - My first long-form story, with Lin taking care of Kya. 3. This is My Anchor - A mid-sized Kyalin story where Lin doesn’t make Kya take care of her. 4. I’m Sorry I Need You - An angsty one-shot that fits with a couple others in the “marriage is hard” domain. 5. Walk With Me - A longer-than-intended one-shot variant on a Tumblr joke.

5. Do you respond to comments? I do, as soon as I can. Sometimes, that means getting off work. Sometimes, that means giving a response as meaningful as the comment was to me. 

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? For complete stand-alone stories, that is likely Something Changed, where the last words are usually joyous. I can’t find the link for the worst-worst ending I have, so just pretend that never happened.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? The happiest ending? I like my happy endings, so this is tough. But I think I’ll go for Elemental Changes, because that launched my collaboration with @slowdissolve on Red Jade.

8. Do you get hate on fics? Not hate, exactly. One reader informed me that I had ‘let them down’ on a follow-up story because I didn’t write the story that was in their head. 

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind? I’ve done a little, but it hasn’t been a focus for me. And, aside from the polyamory aspect, it’s all as vanilla as it comes.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written? Not unless you count LOK + ATLA a crossover, which I don’t.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated? Not to date.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before? @slowdissolve and I wrote Moonsigns together, and we published two versions. One is told in first-person language and color coded, on Tumblr. We then followed it up with a more traditional third-person version that does not rely on color, on AO3.

14. What’s your all-time favorite ship? Kyalin is where everything opened up for me. 

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? I’m taking quite the long view of all of this. I haven’t added to Their Sacred Year in a while, but have the outline for the next installment, so I don’t consider it abandoned.

16. What are your writing strengths? Folks seem to like my dialogue and plotting.

17. What are your writing weaknesses? I struggle with the final rising action / climax / falling action, to keep the pacing appropriate to the story.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic? I don’t plan on it, given I am uneducated in the languages appropriate to this setting. 

19. First fandom you wrote for? Legend of Korra.

20. Favourite fic you’ve written? Saving the hardest for last. Naming the favorite child. Ok, fine. In that case, I’ll have to choose <wrestles with self> Elemental Changes (see #7), mostly because it’s a completely off-the-wall idea that I was able to see through and complete. And to have Slowdissolve illustrate the ending was an absolute capstone.

So I get to thank both @krastbannert and @wishingforatypewriter for their invitations!

Now, it's time to throw the floor open to folks like @yell0wsalt, @dont-blame-it-on-the-kids, @linguini17, @frogblast-the-ventcore, @badlucksav, @cdlunee, and of course,

you.

[negasonicxyukio]

Firsts

Summary: Yukio finally worked up the courage to tell Ellie how she feels. The result (a first date, a first kiss, and her first girlfriend) are even better than she hoped.

The mall was a riot of colors and noise. Full of people, stores, food vendors, cute clothes… it was awesome. It was the perfect casual setting for their first date, which Ellie had told Yukio when they were planning. Yukio had been the one to work up enough courage to tell the other girl how she felt. The silence after her rushed confession- “I really like you,”- paralyzed her. She thought she’d ruined her first new friendship at the mansion. The fact that her feelings were mutual was almost more than she’d hoped for.

Yukio hadn't been able to get the giddy grin off of her face for hours. But two days later she was a nervous wreck. She had no clue how to dress for a date. It was at the mall, so maybe casual? But it was also a date, so fancy? What were they supposed to talk about? How were they supposed to act, now that she and Ellie were dating? She had about a million other questions and no answers. She had settled for a casual-ish outfit: jeans and a nice top. She decided she would let Ellie decide how quickly she wanted things to move; Yukio didn’t mind pda herself, and she certainly wouldn’t turn down a kiss from Ellie if the chance presented itself.

She’d been a bundle of nerves all the way through Colossus wishing them well and telling them to be safe, shyly saying a hello to her date. She was glad that Ellie waited until they were in the car to flash her a million-watt smile. With the way it made her knees weak, she might not have made it to the mall otherwise.

“You look nice,” Ellie complemented her.

Yukio could feel her face going about twenty different shades of red, but she somehow managed to keep her cool. “Thanks, you do too!” She was telling the truth; if anything, that was an understatement. Ellie was the very definition of suave, with her hair slicked back and her black lipstick on. She was wearing a tasteful all-black outfit. In short, she looked really good, and it set off the butterflies in Yukio’s stomach.

Ellie maneuvered the professor’s car out of the mansion’s garage and drove out the gate in silence. Yukio fidgeted in her seat uncomfortably, not even noticing the way Ellie was nervously tapping the wheel. “So, uh… how have you been?”

More silence, and then all of the nervous energy inside of Yukio reaches a breaking point. She burst into laughter. Soon Ellie was laughing, too, still facing the road. Her shoulders shook with the force of her laughter. Yukio covered her mouth with one hand as her giggles tapered off.

“That was really awkward.”

“Yeah, no kidding,” Ellie said.

Yukio realized she’d been overthinking this whole dating thing. “This is basically like being friends, right?”

“What do you mean?”

“I-I mean, we’ll still joke around and talk and stuff, just with hand holding and kissing and stuff, right?” She said quickly, trying to dispel the confusion and hurt that had clouded Ellie’s expression. “I’ve been so nervous, but we should just be having fun, spending time with one another, right?”

Ellie relaxed a little. Now she looked thoughtful. “Huh. I guess I hadn’t thought of that. If I’m being honest, I was really nervous for today.” She flashed Yukio another smile, this one much shyer than before. She held out her hand, keeping the other on the wheel.

Yukio laced her fingers through Ellie’s. A tingly warmth was spreading up her arm, and both of them were blushing like crazy. For the second time that week, she couldn't stop smiling. She couldn’t be happier. “You won’t believe what happened in English today,” Yukio began.

They talked and laughed all the way to the mall, pausing occasionally to sing-slash-yell along with the awful eighties music on the radio. Yukio felt so happy and light she could’ve skipped all the way to the food court and through the various department stores they visited. Instead, she swung hers and Ellie’s hands between them. They both ended up with a new outfit or two. Ellie bought Yukio a necklace that had caught her eye, and Yukio gave her a nice pair of sunglasses in return. “They make you look like a secret agent, when you’re glaring,” she told her. Yukio didn’t want the day to end.

They were a little quieter on the way home, but no less giddy. This time the gaps in the conversation were comfortable. Yukio was glad she had finally spoken up about her feelings. The anxiety was worth it if it meant that Ellie was her girlfriend. Girlfriend. Yukio had a girlfriend. She would have to get used to that- she had never dated anyone before. She had time, she figured. The way they understood one another and listened and cared about one another, this was something that could last.

Ellie held the door open for Yukio as she got out of the car, but Yukio wouldn’t let her carry the bags. She turned to carry them up to the mansion when she felt Ellie’s hand on her shoulder.

“Yukio?”

She turned to face Ellie. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw how close they were- she could feel Ellie’s breath warming her cheek.

“Can I kiss you?”

Yukio just nodded, stunned, as Ellie tilted her head up to press their lips together. Yukio’s eyes fluttered closed. Her arm slipped down around Ellie’s waist. Her lips were soft and inviting. She felt like her heart was going to beat out of her chest. The same tingly feeling from before returned, stronger this time. When they pulled away they were both breathless, Yukio a little dizzy. “That was nice.”

“Yeah. We should do it more often,” Ellie said with a wink.

“Agreed. Now let’s get inside before curfew.”

[kaistrex]

2021 Fic Year in Review

I won't be finishing anything else before the year is up, so I thought it was time for this. No one tagged me but it looked fun so here we go 😂 Edit: Now tagged by @raisesomehale! 🥰

Personal ramblings ahead!

Total number of completed works

10

Total word count:

161,800+ 😱

Fandoms written in:

Teen Wolf

Looking back, did you write more fic than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you’d expected?

Considering at the beginning of January I didn’t think I’d write a goddamn thing or be involved in fandom at all, a helluva lot more haha. This is the most I've written in a single year ever, easy.

What’s your own favorite story of the year?

Where the Real Beasts Are (yep, I’m still banging on about it 😂) because I persevered with it after 4 years of writing and wrote my first 100k+ fic 🤗

The runner-up is Home though. I’m really proud of the plot idea for that fic ^^

Did you take any writing risks this year?

I think signing up for the big bang was a risk, even though I didn’t realise it at the time! I think in my sign up application, I estimated my fic would be in the 20-30k range, but then it grew and grew to 2-3x that length. I realised around the end of June that the daily word count goal I set just wasn’t going to cut it, so I had to double it to 1k a day, and for the month of July, all I did every evening was sit in front of my laptop and slave away. I’m not built for that kind of level of production haha

I ended up getting it finished and self-betaed (a process which took like 10 hours 😂) 30 minutes before it was due to be revealed to everyone on my posting day. It was not a fun time, and I actually kind of grew to resent the fic haha woops~

Do you have any fanfic or profic goals for the new year?

I’d really like to get my Lonely Stiles fic off the ground. I’ve added another plot thread to it that has turned it into a longfic from the long oneshot I’d planned because there was something missing, so it’s well on it’s way to taking shape. I’d really love to be able to write the whole thing and then post it to a schedule because that’s something I’ve never done before.

I did intend to use it for my big bang piece if I sign up again, but now it’s going to be chaptered, I really don’t want to have to post it all at once per the event rules, so... we’ll see!

Most popular story of the year?

Probably Cloaked in Gold? I’ve never had such a strong reception to a fic before which was especially mind-boggling considering I thought I was just sending it out to die because it had to be posted all in one go.

Story of mine most under-appreciated by the universe, in my opinion:

Home. The reception for the fic even now it's finished has been pretty soft (the Secret Santa fic I posted 3 days ago is already on it’s way to eclipsing it via kudos by the end of the week 😂) On the other hand though, in the 5/6 years I’ve been writing Sterek, I’ve never had such incredible comments as I got on that fic which I still think about even now, AND it inspired someone to draw art so I really have nothing to complain about 🥰💖💖💖

Most fun story to write:

Probably Lemon & Ginger or The Hand-me-down. Generally when I write, I'll always hit a section where I think I just want this bit to be dooooonnnne, but both of these were short and mostly written over the course of a day, so they came to me pretty easily. They just felt right 😊

Biggest Disappointment:

I’d completely forgotten about this, but now I’m laughing remembering when I ‘un-privated’ a fic I hate because people had been asking after it and sharing pdfs anyway, thinking I’d just do it quietly and it would be there for the people that wanted it and I wouldn’t have to think about it ever again, only to discover that it sent out a notification to HUNDREDS of my ao3 subscribers. That was... unfortunate to say the least 🤣 Does that count?

Biggest surprise:

The reception to Cloaked in Gold. I was blown away by the response to it. I keep getting comments on it with regularity even now, even though usually once something's posted, comments dry up after a few days.

[gorgeousgreymatter-x]

6, 11, & 12 for ao3 wrapped? please and ty

TYSM for the ask <3

6: My favorite title is probably this one You broke the bonds and you loosed the chains (carried the cross of my shame) because 1) it's from one of my favorite songs and 2) I think it just really encapsulates what the fic is really about, which is Steve realizing how safe he is with Eddie c:

11: This question is kind of hard for me to answer, because if you know me and how I write, you know I literally just sit down and basically go into a fugue state when I decide to write a fic. So typically they're completely done and posted within 1-3 days once I start them lol But if I remember correctly, I believe it was I learned my passion in the good old-fashioned school of loverboys

12: Right now I have two I'm working on. I'm just about to finish up and publish part 6 of Take Me Home Tonight and a Virgin!Eddie fic that I desperately need to finish for @messessentialist woops lol

[madame-vera]

Ask Game For Writers from neontokyoo

1. Do you listen to music while you write?

Usually it's anime soundtracks, songs in non-english languages or classical music. But sometimes I loop the same 10-20 current fave songs, according to my mood.

2. Computer or pen and paper.

I've gotten better at using a computer, but all my best work is done with the old pen and paper. It has to be a blue pen too. Black pens suck for creative flow. Sometimes I'll use a colourful one too., especially if I'm stuck on something.

3. Have you ever been published, or do you want to be published?

Nope and no, probably not. I used to want to self-publish, but right now I'm content with my fanfiction, character designs and worldbuilding.

4. How much writing do you get done on an average day?

It varies a lot. I honestly couldn't say.

5. Single or Multiple POV

Usually single but multiple can be fun if it's a longer story. And almost always in 3rd person.

6. Standalone or Series

I tend to do standalones, mostly oneshots. But I've got a few series planned.

7. Oldest WIP

I recently rediscovered a multichapter HP/FMA fic over a decade old. Woops.

8. When did you start writing?

Sometime in early to mid primary school. I honestly can't remember exactly when.

9. What was the first story you've ever written?

I do remember a story where a teenage girl becomes some sort of bug eating fae creature and her human boyfriend sticks around, even after witnessing her snacking on live ladybugs. That's the earliest actual story I remember. Wish I still had that. I'm not sure if there were any before it. I've been writing so long I really couldn't say.

10. What genres have you written so far?

Historical and Fantasy. But now it's mostly fanfiction.

11. Have you ever written for a fandom without reading other fanfictions from that fandom?

Not that I can think of, no.

12. Have you ever written a fic and never decided to publish it? Why?

Yep. Because it was way too cringy. Seriously, it's what I read when I want to laugh at myself. I might try rewriting it at some point though, if it's at all recoverable.

13. What is the biggest change between when you started writing in fandom and today?

I started off as a horny teenager writing gay smut. Now I look at a smut prompt and try to work out how to make it fluff instead. I do it to the angst prompts too.

14/15. In your opinion, what’s your most underrated/overrated fic?

I don't have enough yet to really say. So none I guess.

16. Has there ever been everyone who’s made you freak out because they’ve read your work and followed/favorited/reviewed your work?

It's not the same, but once my primary school (it was near the end of my last year) teacher found the gay smut I'd written and after checking things were ok at home, said he looked forward to my writing career. Nerve-wracking as all hell.

17. What’s the nicest review you’ve ever gotten?

It's a hard choice between a beta liking the mood and build-up of the prologue to a HP fic of mine, or the ohshc one where a reader was hyped because they liked my take on some characters relationship.

18. Are any of your stories inspired by personal experiences?

Most of them are a hard no. But there's a series I have planned in the future heavily based on my personal experiences. I'm waiting until I've upped my skill level to write it because it means too much to me to botch it up on practise or levelling up.

19. Who’s the one character who shines without you even trying?

I think Verita, the one I named this blog after. I just love her.

20. What embarrasses you most about your own writing?

It's too descriptive, too fluffy. I'll get there.

21. Do you write every day?

No, but I definitely should.

22. What time of day do you prefer to write? Why?

Night time! Because I'm a night owl. And there's less distractions.

23. Do you feel like you put out enough content?

Yes and no. No because I'm not prolific or well-known enough for it to feel like content to me. Not that it really is for others, the vibes are off. But whatever. As for fics, definitely yes. Simply because I have so many ideas but just can't seem to get them on paper.

24. Favorite writing snack?

Biscuits! All the way! And sometimes rainbow popcorn.

By biscuits I mean what Americans call cookies, not that weird scone looking thing they eat with gravy.

25. What’s your favorite part of the writing process?

The thinking part 😅 I love daydreaming

26. What’s your favorite emotion to write?

Happiness, relief, freedom and anger.

27. What kind of endings do you prefer?

I like reading bittersweet but fulfilling endings. But I definitely prefer my own written works end on a happier note most of the time. The world's dreary enough as it is.

28. Do you plan or jump right in, and if you plan, how much do you like to do before you start a story? 

I usually pants it but I've issues with writers block lately so now I'm giving planning a shot. We'll see how that goes.

29. Narrative or dialogue? 

Dialogue. Without a doubt. I'm actually trying to cut back on that, I tend to write too much of that, not enough setting or action.

30. Describing people or settings?

Now that's a hard one. I love describing people, especially when they've got cool scars or clothes. But I've gotten into writing settings lately too.

I'll have to say people, I think.

31. Show a piece from your current WIP/most recent story, up to 30 words.

Sirius Black lied crumpled on the stone floor, eyes wide but unseeing. An eerie chill seeped deep into his bones. Wheezing wisps of fog barely escaped chapped blue lips. Pallid and gaunt, looking more like a skin dressed skeleton than a living person, his body seemed to have met death before his soul.

Rattling dread filled his ears and sapped at his strength. Even a twitch left him weaker, every ounce of energy trickling away from him by the moment. Slowly, slowly, icy stiffness spread up from his fingers and toes down to the very core of his being. Not even a scrap of magic seemed within reach.

His body trembled in a manic giggle as reality finally set(tled?) into his mind.

“Looks like I’ll be seeing you soon Prongs.”

The fog vanished.

I don't know how many words that is. Probably too many but ah well, it's still short.

Ask Game For Writers

Do you listen to music while you write?

I actually have two different writing playlists. I usually write with classical music or music that goes with the story and gets the creativity flowing because if it’s super quiet my mind tends to wander and I end up leaving my current draft to write a new one and then my perfectionist ass can’t keep up with my own thoughts and all of my documents are mixed up and it’s total chaos.

2. Computer or pen and paper?

Sometimes I will write in a notebook when I’m in the car or I’m not able to type anything just because I get really good ideas at the most random times. I usually type it though because I feel like it’s a lot easier for my left-handed ass.

3. Have you ever been published, or do you want to be published?

I have never actually published anything due to copyright because none of it is mine except for the storylines. I could probably publish an original work in the future, but I don’t really think I would want to because writing is just a hobby I do for fun and I really don’t care too much about getting famous or making money off of it.

4. How much writing do you get done on an average day?

I have absolutely no idea. Probably like five to ten thousand words a day because of requests and my current WIPs.

5. Single or multiple POV?

I mostly write in second person. However, I like to write about multiple characters’ thoughts and feelings.

6. Standalone or series?

I enjoy both. Although, in reality, I have never actually published a series yet because my mind usually wanders away from it before I can even finish it.

7. Oldest WIP.

Probably one of my unpublished Wattpad stories, Opposites (Sherlock x reader). I’m trying to get it published whenever I can, though. I just haven't had the inspiration or motivation to continue writing it yet.

8. When did you start writing?

I started writing about four years ago when I was in my Fairy Tail obsession.

9. What was the first story you've ever written?

I don’t even remember what it was but I remember it being a NaLu fanfiction for Fairy Tail.

10. What genres have you written for so far?

Romance, fanfiction (fluff and angst if those count).

11. Have you ever written for a fandom without reading other fanfictions from that fandom?

Yes. I do that with every single fandom I find myself obsessing over. I did it with Haikyuu, Fairy Tail, MHA, Demon Slayer, Attack on Titan, and Inuyasha.

12. Have you ever written a fic and never decided to publish it? Why?

Yes. Because I feel like I’ve been copying the Yuumori anime and Manga too much and I have A LOT of editing to do before I publish it.

13. What is the biggest change between when you started writing in fandom and today?

Probably the tone (I think). When I first started writing when I was like fourteen, I was really unorganized and scattered. I was using numbers instead of typing out “she was fourteen years old” and it really sucked now that I look back at it. Now my writing is more formal when I write stories because I type how I think instead of how I speak. Which is probably why everything else isn’t as organized because when it’s not a fanfic I stype how I speak.

14. In your opinion, what’s your most underrated fic?

I feel like in general my most underrated fic is the Sherlock x reader wedding one. Again, I love William more than anything, but this one had me in tears. You know those certain parts of either a story your writing or somebody elses story and it has you like screaming into your pillow for 10 minutes after every paragraph? That was literally me while writing that one.

15. What’s your most overrated fic?

In my opinion, it’s either just every single William fanfic I write, or it’s the amount of Mycroft angst requests I receive every day. It seriously makes me giggle with how angsty Mycroft’s relationship with the reader is. Has me giggling while I bawl my eyes out while I write it. That’s officially my new genre now: Mycroft Angst.

16. Has there ever been everyone who’s made you freak out because they’ve read your work and followed/favorited/reviewed your work?

Okay, when I first started posting on Tumblr it was because I happened to run into @moriartyluver and a few other blogs that I don’t remember because I never saved anything and let me tell you when I started getting notifications that said they either liked, reblogged, etc., my heart nearly stopped beating because I really wasn’t expecting for the inspiration to end up reacting to my work and it just made me really happy. It’s unbelievable how quickly my blog is growing and how many people enjoy it. I love you all! <3

17. What’s the nicest review you’ve ever gotten?

When I get asks that are always telling me like “I am so obsessed with your writing” and things like that it just makes me really happy and gives me more motivation to continue writing just knowing how many people enjoy my content.

18. Are any of your stories inspired by personal experiences?

A lot of them have references to my own personal experiences or things that I’ve seen other people experience because I feel like it’s a lot easier to write about things that I’ve actually experienced.

19. Who’s the one character who shines without you even trying?

William. He is literally husband material no matter what you do to him. As long as the writing style is good, I’m going to end up being obsessed with literally any and every fanfiction I read and/or write. He’s just perfect in general, and there isn’t really much you can do to ruin him.

20. What embarrasses you most about your own writing?

I feel like the most embarrassing thing I have ever written is sexual content/smut because I had absolutely no idea what I was doing due to my lack of experience.

21. Do you write every day?

I try to, but sometimes I’m unable to due to school and/or work. Exams are killing me and taking up most of my time lately, so I’ll write whenever I have the time, but usually I only get like five minutes every two hours between studying. I’ll definitely have more time to write this summer.

22. What time of day do you prefer to write? Why?

I usually write in the morning before school and/or before my first class starts, as well as late at night when I have more time.

23. Do you feel like you put out enough content?

I feel like I do, but I definitely feel like I could write more. I just don’t have time.

24. Favorite writing snack?

Oreos & milk, goldfish, and cinnamon rolls.

25. What’s your favorite part of the writing process?

I think that my favorite part is coming up with ideas to write about or add into a story. Even though 95% of the time they never make it to the finished project.

26. What’s your favorite emotion to write?

Mycroft angst and William fluff

27. What kind of endings do you prefer?

I actually have no idea. I want to say that if I had to pick one it would be cliffhangers or endings that didn’t really make sense because it always has me trying to figure out wtf just happened.

28. Do you plan or jump right in, and if you plan, how much do you like to do before you start a story? 

I kind of do both if that makes sense. I’ll come up with an idea, think about how I want it to go, and then I’ll start writing without even drafting it. And then I usually have to go back and rewrite half of it because the original version was absolute shit.

29. Narrative or dialogue? 

Dialogue. I cannot go without somebody talking because I feel like it gets really boring and I end up passing out halfway through it just because I’m wasting all my time and energy trying to make it more interesting.

30. Describing people or settings?

I feel like I’m better at settings just because every single one of my character descriptions are always: “He was tall and skinny with ____ eyes and long ____ hair”. You know? But with settings I can be a little bit more descriptive like “the grass was green with a variety of different types of flowers blooming. The sky was cloudless, the sun was shining, the birds were chirping, …”

31. Show a piece from your current WIP/most recent story, up to 30 words.

The same one that probably will never be published, but at this point, I really don't care anymore.

“‘I am afraid there is little that can be done,’ William confessed to Moran and Bond after we had recounted our encounter with the woman. 'Once wed, the bond between a husband and wife is irrevocable. Unless, of course, the matrimonial union is terminated by unspeakable means.’

”'Till death do us part,’ I uttered aloud as if reading my brother’s thoughts.

“'Indeed,’ William concurred. 'Unfortunately, there are no alternatives. The only solution is to eliminate one of the partners.’”

[so2voice]

Possible project list ramblings

Stories I'd like to podfic:

What else is there? By ForgottenVice It has always been you by ULTIOcean hey, share the weight a little by Tossawary A Child Once by Tossawary Scum Villain AUs by Feynite [Ch 23 Stardew/harvest moon; Ch 34-35 Free Guy]

ForgottenVice's What else is there? made me all kinds of happy to read. The 1994 animated film of the Swan Princess was probably one of my absolute favorite movies growing up, so I have a soft spot for Swan Princess fandom adaptations. I honestly can't remember if I've asked permission to do this one yet, so we'll probably drop a comment on the fic at some point soon because I do think I'd like to podfic this one.

So far, I have the blessing for ULTIOcean's fic, It has always been you (which I adored reading while it was being posted). I am beyond grateful for the permission. It is, however... an intimidating sized story (361,825 words!) and over 3 times the size of anything I've done as of yet. This project, if I decide to tackle it, will likely take many, many hours over many, many weeks (months? years?) to complete. That knowledge alone is pretty daunting! ULTIOcean, your fic is a behemoth! ˚‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥᷄⌓˂̣̣̥᷅ )‧º·˚

Why Tossawary's fics? Well, besides the fact that everything I've read by Tossawary has been adorable and heartwarming, I've been told my SQH voice is uniquely good? Either way, I'd love an opportunity to exercise that character voice. He's fun to do. I've asked Tossawary for their blessing, so, we'll see?

As for Feynite's Scum Villain AUs - these are more of a pipe dream. I adore the Stardew Valley and Harvest Moon games (150+ hrs spent on Stardew alone, ah, woops?). They're so relaxing and low pressure. I also absolutely loved the Free Guy chapters Feynite wrote. Alas, I have two basic rules for stories I will podfic and I don't think these will ever meet either of those requirements.

My rules, in case you are wondering: 1. The fic must be a completed work (or a completed part of a work). 2. I want author's explicit permission to narrate their story.

• Why the fic needs to be complete? I don't want to start something and stop in the middle. I'm a completionist. If I start something I want to finish it. Also, I don't want there to be a big gap between recordings. Life circumstances change. The sound might suddenly change drastically between an earlier recording and a later one. I at least want the sound to be relatively consistent within a story/work.

• Why do I want author permission? So, yeah, I know a lot of the big-name authors (looking at you, Feynite, you magnificent writer, you) have notes in their profiles giving blanket permission for other creators to make sequels, inspired stories, or podfics of their works, etc - still, I really prefer permission from the author before I start a project like this.

This gives the author the opportunity to tell me if they know whether someone else might be working on one of their stories. I don't want to podfic something someone else might already be working on. For me, at least, the time commitment for a project is pretty huge. I'm not interested in doubling up on content. The idea of "version comparisons" gives me far too much anxiety.

It also gives the author an opportunity to tell me if they want something stated or worded in a particular way when I'm giving credit.

This rule might change if my feelings shift on this - but for now, I'd like an author's expressed permission to narrate their works.