#y'all know i'm a sucker for university content

[1karuga]

LMK Story Ideas & Prompts + AUs

I have a bunch of ideas for AUs and various plots that like to bounce around my head like screensavers, so I'd rather share them online to maybe entertain or help give ideas to anyone that might like what I'm posting.

But this first idea is for an AU that I've been expanding on extensively for a while. It's a universe where after attaining Buddhahood, the Jade Emperor managed to trick Wukong and seal the Great Sage away in a realm hidden between the Mortal and Spirit Realm.

MK still becomes the Monkey King's Successor because he can wield the staff and has the Monkey King's power, but he never physically meets him and can only see him in dreams. But to expand on that idea, MK had dreams of meeting the Monkey King before the plot starts and is a huge part of his backstory then MK stopped having those dreams for years only for them to reappear once he gets the staff but they're not as clear as they used to be.

So with the staff in hand and the Monkey King's powers, MK decides to try and find a way to free the Monkey King and goes on a journey with his friends (and Red Son whom they forcefully take along) to find a way to break the seal trapping the Great Sage in the Hidden Realm.

This AU is going to also take some creative liberties with the addition of the spirit realm and its inhabitants, Erlang Shen is present and a major player in the story (along with his relationship with Sun Wukong), then Macaque is also very different from how he is in the canon.

There's also Guanyin, wrecking shop in the Demon Realm, a whole heist plot in the Celestial Realm, Nezha content, and just a lot of stuff concerning MK's backstory which will be the same but kinda different from canon.

I could honestly write an entire lore dump on this AU honestly, but that's because I'm a sucker for worldbuilding. I'll be posting more of these AUs every once in a while, or talking about story ideas that could be interesting, or expanding on anything if it's interesting enough.

I'd love to hear what y'all think, whether it's more info on this AU or anything else. So if you would like a Part 2... just let me know (⁠人⁠ ⁠•͈⁠ᴗ⁠•͈⁠)

[somuchwhatever]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

Got tagged by @somewhereapart, and I figured y'all may be sick of seeing me just post fic so here ya go.

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

88

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

305,612

3. What fandoms do you write for?

AO3 tells me I've written for Battlestar Galactica, Buffy, General Hospital, Law & Order: SVU, Law & Order: OC, Lie To Me, Stargate: Atlantis, Stargate SG-1, and The West Wing. And I honestly can't think of any others outside of just ficlets I've tossed into the wild over the years.

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

Flinktober 2022 (EO, SVU/OC)

i remember skies (EO, SVU/OC)

gala (EO, SVU/OC)

bizarre love triangle (EO, SVU/OC)

Chautauqua (EO, SVU/OC)

I did not include one that was cowritten with a bunch of other people because I will always assume the kudos are for them.

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

As often as possible. If someone takes the time to comment, I want them to know that i care enough to acknowledge and thank them for that kindness and effort. Especially when I write mostly for a fandom where I've seen people specifically state that they will read works but NOT comment on them as some sort of punishment for whatever random/imaginary fandom sins the writer whose free content they are enjoying has committed. That's just dumb and unkind, so I make the effort to let people know their comments are appreciated, even if it takes weeks to circle back.

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Hmmm. There are several chapters in the first flink posting that would qualify, but I'm going to go with my largest Sam/Jack (SG-1) fic, Gravity Sings. It's hard to pretend it's not angsty when you've literally killed off half the planet.

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

Hmm. Not really sure. I'm a sucker for fluffy endings, so I tend to write them quite a bit. Maybe waltz or Chautauqua?

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Occasionally, but I shut it down quickly. If you come up in someone's space where someone is providing you free entertainment and be rude? Don't expect a pass from me about it. The scroll bar isn't difficult to use, and neither is the back button. I use it frequently on poorly-written works or things that may be well-written but just aren't my thing. What I don't do is sling entitlement issues around demanding things be written to my satisfaction (unless you employ my beta services, in which case, you asked for it!). :D

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

I never really did prior to the first flink experiment, and I created that experiment purely to practice writing smut. Well, I take that back. @rgrdsalxndra would be the first to remind me I'd often cockblock Elliot and Olivia by having them dream-smutting without real-life release. But I started that project with the express purpose of getting better and more comfortable with writing smut, so I'm making that the hinge point.

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

Because SVU and OC are different shows, I write them regularly. But if you mean out-of-universe crossovers, I've only really written one, R.E.M. (SGA, BSG, Buffy). It was based on a prompt from an LJ friend, "Elizabeth Weir, Kara Thrace, and Buffy Summers walk into a bar..."

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I'm aware. There are much better people out there to steal from. Also, I always assume if something is similar to what I've written, it's because fandom truly does become a hivemind at some point. Nothing new under the sun and all.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Not that I'm aware. If I had to guess, I'd say Gravity Sings would be the most likely candidate since SG-1 fandom is probably the most global and that fic has been around much longer than any other likely candidates.

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

Wrote Wet Dream with much better smut writers than myself in a group chat, and a bunch of us in SG-1 fandom way back in the day once built an SG-1 AU loosely based on The Big Bang Theory called The House That Jack Built, and I have several entries in that little universe.

14. What's your all-time favorite ship?

How does anyone pick this??? I love them all for different reasons. I will say EO has a grip on me nobody else ever has, but then they have that 25 year slow burn that is just absolutely and sickly delicious.

15. What's the WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

Glazed and Fired (SGA) was originally the first part of a 5 Things fic that got away from me, and I had always intended to go back and finish it but eventually just put it away for good. I fully intend to finish my others (Skies, I'm looking at you).

16. What are your writing strengths?

Grammar. Economy of language (this is also sometimes a weakness). Getting into the head of characters who are typically very closed off.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I feel my writing is way too mechanical. I'm also still not comfortable writing smut. I always walk around with a sense of imposter syndrome with my writing.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I'm literally one class shy of a degree in French, and I had to write many upper level term papers in that language, but let me assure you I have zero plans to ever write in another language. I sincerely applaud those of you who do.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Stargate SG-1

20. Favorite fic you've ever written?

Geez. It probably changes regularly, and I'm hesitant to say because my faves are never anyone else's. all i ever wanted (a rather dark Elliot-centric fic) holds a very dear spot in my heart just because of how my muse just grabbed a keyboard and churned it out. This is not a popular opinion, and hardly anyone read it, but I still love it a lot. And just because it was the first fic I wrote that was widely recc'd, I have a soft spot for Things Not Dreamed (SG-1), a Sam & Jack & Daniel fic written from Daniel's POV.

tagging in a no-pressure way (and sorry for any double tags):

@morethanwords229, @whatbecomesofyou, @samwrites99, @rgrdsalxndra, @shut-upjohn, and anyone else who wants to do it!

[elvisabutler]

Hi! I have a request, if you're feeling inspired. So I've basically fallen in love with the entire Dove multiverse, and I'm a sucker for fluff. I was wondering if you had any happy/fluffy headcanons about an alternate universe pregnancy for Dove where they're together/there's no drama? I love how creative you've gotten with the different scenarios, and this is one that I feel would be so sweet. ❤️

hi anon! 🥹❤️ first off thank you so much for the request and falling in love with my little series/multiverse. it always warms my soul to see that because it was my first big thing and a lot of- feelings have gotten wrapped up in it ( guilt at not finishing it still among other things ) so i always feel extra special when people fall in love with it. second off, so here's the funny thing, what you want? that's actually their future. their future for their main timeline. everything else is the au. there's a hint of the whole it's priscilla's baby more than mine when she has her rough days but it's like a once in an every two year occurrence. but trust me this inspired me like nobody's business. so let us consider, shall we? and bless my soul i'm just gonna use they and she, we all know it's a reader fic but ya know.

content warning for pregnancy and mild descriptions of birth.

so consider. consider that the year after elvis is filming where they end up getting married after the press tour and he goes to film and she goes to film is just a no go on even trying for a baby.

consider even the therapists is like y'all are busy just you know, wait a bit.

dove is young anyway and austin is fine with waiting because she's it for him, he thinks.

so probably around let's say 2024, so post the oscars and that award season dove just sort of whispers in austin's ear.

"want to make you a real daddy. put our baby in a little onesie."

austin didn't actually realize that he wanted that as bad as he did until he spent the rest of that night trying to make it happen because he's felt it. he's felt how she doesn't have on her patch any more she's being serious.

but consider it still takes about a month or two and dove doesn't- dove doesn't quite notice at first that she's missed her period because she's on the set of a new movie and austin is doing something on broadway.

she goes to visit him and austin notices something different about her. notices how when he hugs her she hisses because her breasts are tender.

"dove are you pregnant?" "no, my period's probably coming." "when was your last one?" "last- oh."

he picks her up and twirls her around as best he can backstage.

they don't tell anyone until she's out of the first trimester, too worried something might happen but she handles it like a champ despite her morning sickness.

they both rearrange their schedules, warning agents and directors and everyone else that they won't be able to take any projects past probably their next one.

and they make an agreement to try and take the first year off their baby's life off together. because austin isn't going to leave dove hanging to take care of their newborn by herself.

speaking of, it is just one baby. it's a big baby because austin is a tall boy but it's just one which they're both thankful for because they couldn't have taken care of two at once.

"they're sure it's just one?" "yeah, just one very big baby." "so if i ever was to get you pregnant with twins-" "daddy. don't."

she has no morning sickness which is great for her but her cravings are intense. both for austin and for just food.

which is a problem for when he's still filming away from her and vice versa but they make it work with facetime and her showing him how her bump is growing.

"you look bigger than yesterday." "i am! i went to sleep and then our daughter announced her presence to everyone. costuming was so mad."

it's a girl, because austin deserves to have a girl first for he is a girl dad to a tee i will answer no questions on the matter.

when they see each other he cannot keep his hands off her stomach. not because he's possessive or anything weird. he just wants to protect his girls and touch his wife and daughter.

she has this baby shower that is this big production while also being small. basically they have it at baz's house because truly dove collects older gentleman to treat her like their actual child with him and her agents/managers.

everyone she cares about is invited and same with austin. it's a party that's a whole adventure but it's also very much an affair just for them.

coincidentally no one lets baz have a camera or a phone unsupervised post a few drinks and the party is private.

by about 8 months in they're both at home just getting ready for their daughter and painting the walls and the crib and folding the sea of clothes. there's elvis lyrics- the lyrics to are you lonesome tonight at the top of the wall along the whole perimeter of the room with can't help falling in love down on the bottom perimeter.

austin sings to the baby non stop. elvis, sometimes, but he sort of runs a gambit with the songs he chooses.

he also does an obscene amount of research into the baby supplies, the car seat, the crib, the bassinet, the merits of pacifiers, etc etc.

when dove goes into labor it's a comedy of errors in that she goes to sleep thinking everything is fine. she's still early for her due date. like a week, nothing major, the baby is done cooking. wakes up 3 hours later feeling like she needs to poop.

realizes about 2 hours in- oh, she's in labor. because bless her soul she does not realize when her body is telling her things like this.

austin is groggily woken up by her and falls back asleep after she tells him. only to wake up ten minutes later in shock.

"you're in labor." "i told you that ten minutes ago, daddy. you went back to sleep." "i didn't understand what you were saying!"

so they get to the hospital in one piece. somehow with austin driving which dove was unsure of and was about to drive herself before she bent over trying to open the door.

it's an 18 hour labor filled with her walking and generally trying to hurry the baby along and when it's time to have her, austin is right there watching and holding dove's leg when she's too tired to hold them up herself.

their daughter is screaming when she comes out and only quiets down when put in dove's arms as austin coos at both of them.

her name is loretta. shortened to lori.

her godmother is ashley because austin can't help himself.

her godfather is luke bracey because sometimes back in the day when austin wanted to be stupid dove would chill with polly and luke and just ignore her daddy until he came by and apologized in true elvis style.

the group facetime call to everyone someone how does not wake her up but hanging up somehow does.

she is the most spoiled little girl.

[andromedaexists]

Chrysalis & Requiem || Quinton Li

★★★★★

TW: ALCOHOL & DRUG USE, DEATH, ABUSE (EMOTIONAL & PHYSICAL), VIOLENCE & GORE, DEATH (MURDER), TRAUMATIC EVENTS, SELF-HARM & SUICIDAL IDEATION

Good News: We are starting off the year with a 5 star read! Bad News: I am going to be sick

I'm trying so hard to explain the absolute roller coaster that this book took me on, but I don't think I can. I think the closest imma get is:

I guess, I should start from the beginning. This is an ARC!! I am on Quinn's ARC team (and hopefully eventually street team if I can spare the time) and I got this review copy in exchange for an honest review!

Because the book doesn't release until March, I will be keeping this spoiler free. Sad for me, as you guys know I love giving the full run down on the book.

When I started this book, I was a wee small child (i started it yesterday). I didn't know what the universe would hold for me, I didn't know the emotional turmoil I would be put through.

The beginning was a bit hard to get into, as most books are for me these days. I'm incredibly sick at the moment and I just graduated from college last month, any story where I have to learn new things is hard. And you do have to learn new things for this book, I mean it is a fantasy novel.

But once I hit like 20% I was hooked. I stopped reading for the night at 24% and thought that I would be able to meter out my consumption (wrong) only to wake up this morning and blast all the way through to the end.

I am a huge murder mystery person, and when I started this book I thought that might be a detriment. But I can assure you, it isn't. You think that because you saw the murder that you know what's going on. You don't. At all.

I had my theories, about halfway through I had my theories. The group chat will probably never forgive me for reciting the "I've connected two dots" scene from Unsolved but I mean, I'm not the only person reading the book in that chat so I couldn't tell them what my theory actually was because they aren't to that point yet!

Then I hit 60%. And I really started to struggle. This is my fault, the content warnings at the beginning of the book say "This book contains references and themes to alcohol/drug use" and I guess I just didn't realize that meant we would see the POV character being out of her mind drunk for an extended period of time. As someone who really struggles to be around alcohol due to my past, this was nearly enough for me to put the book down. But I'm glad I didn't

Because then, at 72% in:

And again, not too long after:

Until finally:

And honestly, I don't think I can explain anything better than this. I highly recommend this book for y'all, but please please please be mindful of the content warnings. Actually, imma put them here too

This book contains references and themes to alcohol/drug use, blood, confrontation to abuse, death, emotional abuse, escalating violence, gaslighting/manipulation, gore, lifechanging injury, murder, corpses, visions about traumatic events, panic attacks, paranormal/occult content, self-harm, sexual references, suicide ideation, and trauma.

now for the part some of you are waiting for: some of my favorite quotes!

Thorns falling away, petals outstretched, bleeding red onto white roses—revelation would be hers and hers only.

We leave behind love when we die.

Beautiful, beautiful, so beautiful. They would be beautiful together.

Girls like you have secrets. I'm going to peel you apart and reveal every part of you. I will consume you.

To create is to be alive.

and then this one, an epigraph for part four of the book:

Everything is more beautiful because we are doomed. You will never be lovelier than you are now. We will never be here again. — Homer, The Iliad

Y'all know I'm a sucker for a good Iliad reference and this one. This one wrecked me. I sure wrote a lot for someone at a loss of words, so I'm going to end this here and go curl in a ball and cry and try not to throw up. I am sick and this book is to blame.

Thank you Quinn, truly. I'm so fucking disgusted I love this book so much

[stayarmytinyzenmoa-l]

20 seconds into NCIT house and I'm already smiling like an idiot Mark please never change I love you

[shreddedparchment]

Hey, I haven’t come in to talk in a hot minute and I don’t really want to watch my math lecture so.. here is a place I’d much rather be.

I wanted to say how much I appreciate your blog, it gives me a calm and sometimes thrilling place to come most days when I’m not destroying my brain cells with university work. It’s a wonderful place even on the days where I can’t get out of bed.

Thank you so much for just.. being here. Even if it’s just a picture of some flowers, it’s more flowers than I’d get to see anywhere else if that makes sense.

I hope you have a good week and that it goes your way, that you get to do what you want to do and take time to yourself of you want it!

Y'all really know how to come out here and give me the old love sucker punch! THANK YOU!

I am so glad that I am able to provide you with any sort of relief throughout your say. I love flowers, so I'm glad you like them too. I know I haven't been posting my writing as much but I am in need of a mental recharge with my creativity. All I wanna do is play video games and read my unread books lately.

I hope you have the most spectacular week, month, year, and lifetime! You have no idea how much it means to me when you all drop in my inbox when I haven't posted a story to just tell me hi. It really helps with the feeling like a content factory thing tumblr has had going on for a little while and it makes me feel seen beyond my writing.

Thank you for be awesome and caring and just you. 😭💖💖💖💖❤️‍🔥

[jaskiers-sweetkiss]

23 and 24 for the end of year asks? 💛

Hi Nele!! Thanks for the ask 💛

23. fics you wanted to write but didn’t

There have probably been soooo many this year that just, don't even hold residence in my mind anymore but I'm going to give it to The Mercer Legacy because while I did start it, lord knows I never finished it. I'd still like to, I think, the inspiration just isn't there at the moment!

24. favorite fic you read this year

Now see this is just an impossible question! It's been a long year and I am absolutely shit at keeping track of every fic I've read, not that I'd be able to pick one favorite anyway. So, I'm not gonna. I am, however, going to put the recs under the cut bc this got really long oops

Right now I'm on a pretty big Harry Potter kick (Fremione specifically, atm) so there are gonna be the most of those, sorry lol.

Favorites from the HP Fandom:

Defectors - James/Lily/Regulus where rather than die in the cave, Reg fakes his death and defects to the order. It's got wolfstar angst, sirius and regulus estranged siblings angst, and just lovely potter triad fluff (but also some angst for them too, it is a war after all). I would die for every interaction Reg and Harry have. Jegulily was simply not a ship I knew I needed in my life but I am forever obsessed after this fic!

The Family Potter - what if Petunia and Vernon died instead of James and Lily and Dudley went to live with the Potters? Oh. My. God. I truly will never ever ever be over this fic it just,, wowowowowow. It presents such an interesting new dynamic to explore between James and Lily and their nephew and creates an entirely new dynamic between Dudley and Harry than we get in canon. It's all just,, *chefs kiss*

Reparations - Draco/Harry. Listen, I'm not even a drarry fan. I came here for post-war healing, Harry becoming a healer not an auror (one of my favorite hcs), and a Draco redemption arc. I got all of that and infinitely more. The preexisting characters are portrayed beautifully and the original characters that fill St. Mungo's are so compelling and lovely!!

so just give me one more night - Fred/Hermione fake dating. I am a sucker for a fake dating trope and I'm also a sucker for Fred and Hermione going to the Yule Ball together. To quote myself in my ao3 bookmark: This is everything. They’re everything. I can’t believe they invented romance ugh.

don't you know you've got the best of me? - Fred/Hermione. I'm actually still finishing it up right now (started it yesterday) but oh my goodness is it amazing. It's a complete retelling of the series but if Fred and George had befriended Hermione early on. I'm absolutely obsessed with the dynamics Hermione shares with the twins, Lee, Alicia, Angelina, and Katie as well as the shift in her dynamics with Harry and (especially) Ron. Just,, 12/10 and I'm not even finished yet!

Some favorites from JATP:

It's not Sunset Cis either - an incredibly large collection of trans!sunset curve fics all set in the same universe! I actually haven't even read them all but every single one I've read has been phenomenal!

The Spotlight's Your Hiding Place - Willex and Boggie enemies-to-lovers (with established Juke and Flarrie), social media fic. Anxiously waiting for each new installment of this was practically torture but fully worth it. Made me scream "Fuck Caleb" more times than I can count. (By the same author as It's Not Sunset Cis)

Cross My Heart - Luke x Reader social media fic. Bianca sprang this on me out of the mf blue and just, holy shit did they do an amazing amazing job like she- that's my spouse y'all and I'm truly not just hyping it up because I love her. They really did the best job and the dynamics are all so fun!

Can't finish this list without a Marvel mention:

The Avengers vs The Peter Factor - I've read a lot of MCU fics this year what with all the new content, but this one just hits the spot (probably because it's so removed from all the loss in canon). It's a good old-fashioned Avengers living together in the tower fic with a heavy emphasis on how much everybody loves Peter Parker. Each chapter is dedicated to a character falling victim to what Tony has called The Peter Factor, there are no survivors. It's still being updated (right now there's a Field Trip storyline happening) and will eventually feature the newer characters to the universe!

I know this is only barely scratching the surface of fics that I've read and fell in love with this year but I think it's a pretty sizable list as is 😂

Thank you again for the ask!!! Sorry for the essay!

Send me "fanfic end of the year asks"

[runawayface]

14&42 for the fanfic list, if they haven’t already been answered! 💖

14. Go on, who are your BroTPs?

Okay... so I didn't MEAN to make Harvey and Demetrius my BroTP, it just kinda happened by accident. XD  Things got weird, the characters took over, I had no control over this, and now they're bros.  These things happen.  Also a huge fan of Seb/Sam/Abigail as bros because girls can be bros too, dammit.

42. List and link to 5 fanfiction authors who are amazing:

girljen on AO3 ( @sdv-hiddenfarm on tumblr) Okay, I know I linked this one yesterday but I'm gonna do it again because it's deserving of the top 5.  GREAT SDV genfic content covering a wide variety of characters and situations in-game.  Literally every character in the game gets some love in the Stories series and it's such a wonderful peek into the lives of the residents of Pelican Town. (sorry for tagging you twice in two days! XD)

loversandantiheroes on AO3 ( @loversandantiheroes on tumblr) Y'all know me, I'm an ace girl who could barely write a single smut scene without wanting to die (and we don't speak of the awful first draft 😳).  But dang, if there's anyone on earth whose writing is SO great that it can get my ace ass to read NSFW content and love it, it's loversandantiheroes.  Case History has incredible writing, a great story, and some steamy content to boot.

peachynkeen on AO3 ( @insert-clever-fandom-reference on tumblr) I'm a sucker for AUs, what can I say.  I love the whole 'farmer moves from the city to Pelican Town to start a new life' narrative as much as the next girl, it's literally the story of the game.  But bless the authors that take that idea and breathe new life into it.  The Lady and the Doctor is a Regency Era fic that I'm already head over heels for.  It's relatively early in the fic, but boy I'm SO pumped for this one and can't wait to see it develop.

Xamem on AO3 ( @petalbrooke on tumblr) Okay, so I'm a Harvey fan through and through... that will never change.  But dang, if the idea is good enough then I can be sold on just about anything.  A Curse of Generations is an Elliot fic that I know the author has poured their heart and soul into and it shows.  Another fic in its early stages, but the supernatural and magical elements in the story are extremely exciting and shake up the universe in such a fun way, I can't wait to find out more!

miceenscene on AO3 ( @miceenscene on tumblr) I'm a fluff girl, plain and simple.  I sold my soul to fluff and never looked back and WOW does the Harvey and Naomi series pack a fluffy punch!  My heart is warm and gooey every time I read it.  Incredibly well written, very entertaining, and more fluff and aww-inducing moments than anyone's heart can reasonably handle.

(for the Fanfic Questions meme)

[hoopdiddies]

I'm Not Over You // Ben Hardy x Reader (Part 8)

A/N: Ayoooo. Hey guys, here's part 8 and I'm so sorry if the previous chapters kind of frustrated you. I didn't really mean for it to but I hope you enjoy this one. I'll be posting 9 tomorrow or the day atfter. Thanks again for your feedbacks, y'all motivate me a lot ^^ ♥ (My Wi-Fi has prejudice against tumblr rn)

Summary: You had always loved Ben ever since you two met in university and became the best of friends. That feeling went out like a candle flame when the two of you parted ways until he re-entered your life...but this time with someone who has already occupied his heart.

Warnings: Angst, bois. ANGST (I cried like a sucker during one part I wrote 😔) mention of blood, yet again drinking, some speckles of fluff, and unnecessary dialogue if you look closely enough :^ I feel like a terrible writer today

WC: 4k I think?

Tags: As always my taglist is always open uwu

@haendel-me-with-care

@mrsdoradominguez-barnes

@mickmoon

@lakef

@mrsmazzello

@valeriecarolinaw

@queen-turtle-boiii

@hardzzellos

"You look...beautiful." Ben's comment is indeed one thing to start the night. It's not like he's never told you that before–it's just the tone in which he has said it in is...different. A foreign tone never been released from his lips until you. You look up at him through your lashes, giving him a slanted smile accompanied by a bubbly chuckle. "Thanks. You smell nice too."

The corner of his eyes crinkle as his curving lips push them up. As expected, Rosy chimes in between you and Ben almost too quickly, the blurry speed in which she has arrived in making you gasp. "Excuse me, babe. You got interviewers on your tail and I- oh," her brows shoot up upon seeing you, seemingly haughty eyes flicking up and down your outfit in mild contempt.

"Surprised to see you here as well." The smile plastered on her face couldn't be any more forced than it is.

Girl, chill. Anti-aging soaps are not easy to manufacture these days. You begin holding your breath to prevent yourself from bursting into a fit from hearing that thought ring in your head. You shrug, garnering the guts to shift on your heightened stance and lean in an inch close.

"You're not the only one with a celebrity date."

You turn around too early to gauge her reaction, finally exhaling from holding your breath too long. You can finally conclude that she's had an effortless transition from being benign to far from being benign. The smoothest one-eighty you've ever witnessed. You remember her clearly being downright considerate of you the first time you met her yet now is a whole different story. You wonder if she was actually ever considerate.

As the boys and Lucy indulge in brief interviews, you stand behind the scenes and get the first-class chance of conversing with Brian. He's readily the coolest person in the house right now, bantering with you every once in three, fascinating topics. How fortunate are you to be in the spot a million Queen fans would die for but of course, you don't want to leave out Roger who - by a landslide - makes you wish you could wheeze and snort all you want if you weren't in a luxury event such as the Oscars. He seemed intimidating for you at first but as he joined in your talk with Brian, things escalated real quickly.

With the pre-ceremony interviews and the clinking of champagne glasses dampening, you begin hunting for your seats in the theatre.

Before you know it, you are informed that only a specific line of people are given exclusivity for the seats. And it shocks you that Joe, Allen, Ben and Gwilym are not given that card when in fact they were part of the very film that brought forth a new generation of fans.You shake your head disappointingly albeit contented that Rami, Lucy, Brian and Roger and their wives are part of the exclusivity.

Utterly determined to know the results - by Joe's 'sovereign' vote - the rest of you hang around in the waiting area, focusing on the ceremony rights shown on TV. Quietly sitting through the results, you all whoop and applaud at the mention of Bohemian Rhapsody obtaining three awards straight– your cheers amping up a notch as Rami brings home the 'Best Actor' award. Joe begins filming your reactions for Instagram, zooming into Gwilym, Ben and Allen's faces for most of the video. You throw your head back in laughter at how goofy the boys look; a bunch of men in their 30's bouncing up and down with one of them documenting the entire episode. At one point, Gwilym yanks as you in for a group hug, mercilessly crushing you in between their muscles– the disorienting experience now being something you wish you would never undergo again.

As Rami's thank you speech unfolds, you pay attention closely. The sentimentality of him lovingly thanking Lucy for being his anchor after dedicating his award to Freddie Mercury is just overwhelming and you wish you could tear up but your mascara would be waste. You're certain that made Brian and Roger emotional as well.

An hour after the ceremony, you all head down to the Vanity Fair after party in the same limo you had arrived in with every single person in the group eager to get the night progressing. Regardless of saying that these type of parties are not up to your speed, you try to get along with the evening and revel in what you know would be your last night with them. Sadly enough, Roger and Brian had to skip out on this with rough schedules on their hands. The moment they walked out of the place, they spent nearly half an hour congratulating the boys and having other celebrities congratulate them.

As you are seated across Ben and Rosy, you can't help but notice him acting a little distant from her. She's all nuzzled up against his arm and he is nowhere close to returning the favor. He's just...lost in thought, staring out the tinted window. It's still early to assume that in all the hours you were within a close range to them, Ben only ever acted aloof, giving her attention when the situation required it.

Perhaps a lover's tiff took place?

"Yeah, I'm wondering the same thing too." Mimicking your position, Joe calling you back to Earth makes you gasp a little. You close your eyes and look at your fingers blankly after recovering, sighing. "I think we should end all this pretending. It was simply a cop-out in the first place."

"I know," he whispers audibly enough for only you to hear, running his fingers through his fiery, red hair, "you should probably come clean soon enough before you leave."

And that you will. At least, you'll try.

In your defense, you thought the after party would host a fancy banquet but seated around with celebratory drinks -considerable with something classy - and attendees breaking down on the dance floor is a rather okay scene as well. As long as you don't end up like the night you were invited out for a drink with your colleagues, you should be fine for the most part.

The boys and Lucy have fully immersed themselves in the beat of the music while you've decided to remain stationary with one glass of wine, the only glass you'll be having for the rest of the party.

The entire time you gawk at them amusingly as they break out their dance moves, your eyes always find their way to Ben, who makes you snort painfully from all his antics as he moves along with Joe. They're a mess with their ties and buttons undone from all the movement and the sight inspires you to stay put.

But oh dear lord, can Ben dance like an uncle.

Keeping your attention on them, a descending weight sinks down next to you. You pay no mind to whoever it is but do as her voice interrupts your thoughts. "I hope your eye is on the right person, honey." You click your tongue in exasperation, turning your body towards Rosy and her developing, bitchy tendencies, scoffing as you place your drink down to set things straight with her. "First of all, what did I ever do to you to deserve this kind of talk?"

She smacks her lips together at you, simpering. "You didn't think I'd notice?"

"What are you talking about?"

Her almond eyes narrow as if she's trying pin you down with a warning. "Please, don't act like I never noticed. You're overstepping that boundary between you and your best friend- my fiance." Okay, so she's noticed. But your neutralized expression is not going to be giving away anything.

You incline your head to one side in hopes that the facade you're pulling would decompress her suspicion. "I have no idea what you're talking about. Ben is like my brother. "

Grabbing her drink from the table, she sighs and stands up, hands firm on her hips and face silhouetted under the beaming light nevertheless giving you a transpiercing glower in the manner of seeing through the makeshift barrier you've pulled up. "He better be. Try backing off every once in a while when I'm around."

To your dismay, you snap inside, whipping your head up at her and replying sharply to make the message crystal clear. "Rosy, you have no idea." Unable to withstand the atmosphere you're in, you put great emphasis on your words and snatch your drink, walking out to the mini garden to finish what's left of your wine without having to bear being around her.

The question is unadulterated and obvious– bold and italicized if you wish to give it a stretch and clarify it.

Why is Ben still with her?

Is he that clueless not to realize it?

You don't want to pry the answer out yourself but ruminating on it, Rosy pulling off a full one-eighty only when Ben's at an appropriate distance for her to squeeze you between her fingers is just about good as a reason as anything. Your unwavering feelings for Ben are clearly perceived by her– from the way you had reacted the day he introduced you both to each other to not so long ago.

You wonder if Ben ever took heed of her growing attitude towards you.

Finishing your wine in one, immediate, swig, you place it down on the marble surface before you with your fingers cradling the stem of the glass– relishing the spicy liquid flushing down your throat.

At the extent of overexerting themselves, Joe and Gwilym flop down back on their seats like jelly, tuckered out from the unconventional combination of alcohol and unsteady movement. Panting like a dog who had just participated in a marathon, Joe shrugs out of his blazer and tosses it over his shoulder, silently wishing the ice in the bucket that held the bottle of wine would save him from the grinding heat of the wine he had just about five minutes ago.

"Mate, you're deep in the heat." Gwilym comments as it is followed by a gentle laugh on how Joe's glistening in sweat under the dimming lights. He hands him a partially bland look before wiping his forehead with his handkerchief. Lucy and Rami are situated at other end of the place enjoying a chat with another party of people meanwhile Ben and Rosy are nowhere near any of them. Until, of course, they reappear from God knows where and Ben suddenly asks Joe where you've gone.

"I-I don't know." He says after a hefty sigh. Somewhat eager to find you, Ben begins excusing himself from Rosy whom which he has spiked a bitter reaction from for sharing his supposed time for her with you. Fed up and jealous in the slightest, Rosy snaps at him.

"Okay Ben, why do you always have to skip in between minutes to hang out with her even when we're together?"

He pauses from turning around completely and sighs. "She's my friend, babe."

Unwilling to accept his statement, she claims. "Well your friend is getting in the way of what was supposed to be our time together! Can't you set aside a limited time for her?! " This has alarmed Joe and Gwilym but it isn't their business to butt in and stop a quarrel from breaking out. Unless it turns physical, which is doubtful to happen. Ben, a little frustrated but still tolerant of her ongoing skittish behavior, tries to reassure her. "I know that, alright? But something's been bothering her for days and I just want to make sure she's doing alright."

"Can't you leave the worrying to Joe? He's her bloody boyfriend anyway!"

Wagging his forefinger at Rosy, Joe grumbles as he is not having any of her talk, scrunching his brows at her.

Grabbing her shoulders gently, Ben tries to relieve her of tension and assures her once more, but with a well-known fact she obviously still doesn't accept. "Joe's a little drunk. She's like...a sister to me," it really took him an abrupt pause to say 'sister', "besides, you're my fiancee. There's nothing to be jealous about."

"Why does she still have to be a part of your life? Our life?" Now that's a question that has just shifted Ben to a farther side. His brows knit together in momentary disbelief, unable to take her words in a good light. "God, Rosy! She's been around for so long! At least make an effort to accept her!" Like a slap to her conceitedness, Ben turns on his heels and walks out to find you. Leaving Rosy a steaming mess of insecurity.

However slightly drunk, Joe mutters to himself as he makes sure neither Gwilym or especially Rosy hears his words stumble out in a whisper. "You've grown a pair, Ben. You've grown a pair."

You've been outside for nearly half an hour; wine glass empty and your hair, along with the skirt of your dress, drifting along the harmless breeze and the waning moon spilling some light from behind the shaded clouds. Though there were a couple of people that found their way here to get some respite not too long ago, you're just glad to have this space to breathe in from the draining background of the party.

As you lose yourself in thought, a certain voice brings you back to reality.

"Nice night out, huh?"

Turning around slowly, you are met with the cool, forest green irises that you've grown to never tire of seeing. "I'm surprised you're still well-kept in that suit despite the scene back in there. " You give in to a chuckle, your smile pulling Ben to approach your side leisurely. "It's my Oscars suit. Something worthy of protecting."

"Hah!"

As he rests his elbows on the surface next to you, the distance between your skins makes you a tad bit anxious. Comfortable silence falls upon you both– for Ben at least, it's tolerable however you're not taking it well, not even in the slightest. You rub your hands together and sigh, prompting Ben to finally ask you.

"You alright? You've been tensing up lately."

You nod, closing your eyes and opening them afterwards. "This dress is just depleting me of bodily warmth." Half a lie told by you. Acting on his thoughts, Ben begins taking his blazer off but you stop him mid-shrug. "Keep it on. You look better with it on."

"This would look better on you, you're obviously freezing." He's really keen on keeping you warm but you're just as so in letting him keep it on. "I'm serious. Keep it on. I'm fine."

What can he do but just give in? When you're serious, you're serious. He lifts his shoulder in half a shrug, ducking his head as an idea flickers in his head like a bulb. He wants to relive something that has been lost through the years and it's only right that he does...now that you have less than a day to disappear from his life completely.

"Y/N..." He muses gently. You raise your brows at him in question, taken by surprise that he has his hand held out to you. Bewildered, you raise your finger to ask what on Earth he's doing. "What- what are you doing?"

He licks his bottom lip and the smile on his face becomes bashful but certain. "What else does it look like I'm doing, silly girl? Asking you to dance."

You're sorry that you couldn't keep a snort at bay. "Pfft. Ben, I think you're asking the wrong girl."

"Just let me dance with my best friend."

"Wow! That's noble of you," your chuckles can not be contained, even so much as restraining yourself from letting the blush spread throughout your face. But he has the fragments of what was once your heart, so why wouldn't you? You slip your hand in his and the grin on his face widens. "There we go. Easy does it." He breathes out, his voice getting gravelly. You hit him softly on his chest for cooing, at the same time realizing that his voice becomes that way only and only when he's nervous– something uncommon between you both. As his hands find home on your waist, you throw your arms around his neck, laughing at how awkward yet funny it feels. What a huge nod to how you danced with him on Homecoming.

"You're so weird sometimes. You got your fiancee, why don't you dance with her?" Getting used to the sting of referring to Rosy, you question anyway. He initiates with a sway before responding. "I already have. But, " he diverts his heavy-lidded eyes from staring off the distance to yours and suddenly, it feels like you're home, "I want to finish that Homecoming dance."

You find yourself speechless as you shift your unflinching gaze at him and he at you, your bodies swaying along the concrete and in perfect sync, coincidentally to the sudden change in music from inside, compared to the bittersweet night you had before the day that parted you both. Thin silence hangs in the atmosphere but only because you are looking at each other in a way you never have in your entire lives.

Instinctively, you break your gaze from his and rest your head on his chest, your hair falling into your face as your eyes screw shut. You hear his heart skip a beat, unusually in the same manner yours always has. Feeling your head follow the rise and fall of his chest tickles you inside– temporarily making you forget about the pain of soon letting him go and producing a sense of safety.

Maybe it's because of exhaustion? You wonder. He doesn't hesitate to stroke your hair and revel in the moment as well, easing you in closer to his body without breaking the sway. "You'll be there on my wedding day, right?" He asks nervously, his question pulling you back to the harshest reality.

You open your eyes slowly, your lips trembling as you let out the saddest sigh, feeling your chest tighten from the anxiety of soon telling him the truth.

"Y/N?" Your tensed-up body alarms him and so he breaks away and lifts your chin up lightly, being met with glossy and regretful eyes. His messy brows drawing together in slight worry. "What's wrong?"

Everything.

However uneager to push him away, you do, escaping his warm embrace. "Ben, I..."

He's dreading for your answer, painfully anticipating for the best or the worst to the point where his hands are lubricating with sweat.

You swallow the lump that has hardened in the back of your throat, pressing your lips together to prevent a sob from escaping and shunning his prying stare. "I can't..."

Joe's half-assed predicted, worst case scenario is slowly unfolding.

"What are you saying? You're not- you're not going...to be there?"

You bite down on your lip hard enough to make it swell, shaking your head and casting a sideways glance.

"Why?"

Tell the truth. Just tell him and you're either getting a support or another jab to the heart.

"Y/N, please! Tell me why!"

"I'm leaving, Ben!" The words didn't seem to stumble or carelessly flop from your lips, in fact it speared through him clean thereby catching him off guard. His eyes have fallen gravely, lips parted due to shock.

"I got into a medical school I had previously applied for. And I'm leaving," you snap your eyes shut and open them in tears once you've looked up at him, "on your wedding day."

"Why didn't- why didn't you ever tell me?" He's pleading for your explanation, barely clinging on to the belief that you would always tell him things.

You don't answer as you are battling to muster up the courage to say it.

"Y/N, please! You never tell me anything these days! And this- this news, it's important! You're leaving on the day I need you the most, and you never bothered to squeak a word about it! Not a single, bloody word! Why?!" He's racked up with disbelief and apparently, anger. Eyes rimmed, clouded with mixed emotions and face full-blown red from the pressure.

He grabs you by the shoulders and pleads heartbreakingly, his lively voice reduced to but a whisper. "Why..."

"I-" You're still holding back.

"Say it! "

"You'd soon forget about me, Ben!" You inhale sharply as you add, croaks present in your voice while you take two steps further away from him as you lament. "I'm hopelessly in love with you, you idiot! I've always been. I try- I try to brush off every single prick that stems out every minute I realize that you already belong to someone else..."

"Y/N-"

"I figured not telling you would help me let go. And it's the only way I can...because screw you for being a clueless, irreplaceable bloke! I can't imagine my bloody life without you in it! I don't think I can ever love anybody else...but you, "

"Y/N..."

You don't let him finish and achingly throw your hands to your chest as a gesture, pounding your chest thrice as you're finally wearing your heart on your sleeve. "I can't blame you for being oblivious to my feelings. You're committed to Rosy...and as much as I want to see you happy, I don't want to stand idly by and- and feel this way when you've pledged your heart to her...I want to forget and for you to forget me," As the warm tears you've held back for so long roll down your cheeks, you hug yourself through the pain, "I want you to be happy without worrying how I'd feel. And disappearing from your life, is the only way I know how..."

"Y/N, please, don't say that- don't do this...you can't do this...you c-can't..." With hands shaking, he strides towards you to haul you in back into his arms but you take an agonizing step away, stopping him in his tracks. "I have to. I...I want to. It hurts so much, Ben. It always has but promise me," even if you have taken a step away, you take it upon yourself to take those steps close to him and cup his cheek with a cold hand, "promise me you'll revel in that happiness. It's going to hurt being away from you. But it's going to hurt even more if I stay. And watch...my best friend grow old with someone else." Finally rendering him wordless, you shake your head and whisk past him back into the party which has died down a bit, leaving him a pondering mess out under the bleak sky.

"How could I be happy without you..."

You'd gladly do anything to go back home right now. The weight of what just took place is crushing you and the need to escape is fuming. But the thing is, Ben was never one to let you go easy.

He never did and possibly never will.

He sniffles and inhales sharply, jogging in after you and calling out your name amidst the constant noise and chatters. "Y/N, wait!"

You reach your table just in time to see everyone still gathered around with drinks raised and laughs released but you have to excuse yourself deliberately. "Y/N? Where have you been? What's the rush?" Lucy notices your hastened movement and places her hand on your tense shoulder. You snap your head at her with your purse in your grasp, shaking your head and apologizing that you have to leave, forgetting to rid your eyes of tears; the sight of you amping up Lucy's concern therefore leading you into her embrace. "Oh my god, are you okay? What happened?"

"Y/N!"

Ben's distant but audible voice echoing through the place just sends you panicking inside. "I'm so sorry, Luce. I have to go."

"Y/N, wait! What's wrong?"

Just as the rest could react to Lucy calling out for you and Ben dashing past them to catch up, you've already disappeared into the crowd, headed out the theatre to take a cab ride back to the hotel. Relentless to let you go, Ben follows your trail, spurring a quick frenzy from the rest and having them pursue Ben in return. Once you reach the outskirts of the pavements, you don't think twice before crossing the highway with your focus hardened before you.

Gasping for air upon exiting the theatre, Ben glances around in haste and finally spots you marching down the street oblivious to your surroundings despite treading along the pedestrian lane. His eyes widen in dread and acting on a fight or flight reaction, he yells for your attention as he speeds down the street to pull you in or rather save you from a possibility of getting hurt with all the rushing vehicles and careless drivers. "Y/N! Y/N!"

The boys, Lucy and Rosy arrive outside just in time to witness Ben race towards your direction and in a moment of feeling time slow down, you feel your heart in your throat at the late flash of nearing headlights, to add a heavy force propelling you off your feet and onto the other side of the road. What gets you up from the ground are the mixed screams of a familiar bunch and the sight of a bloodied man in white laying unconscious on the cold surface of the road.

White noise suddenly fills your ears instead of your own voice as you scream out his name.

[khuxdul]

30 Questions Tag

Got tagged by the lovely @gay-pippin! I've never really shared anything about myself on this blog, so this should be fun. ✨

1. How tall are you?

Let's just say about dwarf size (around 5 feet...I am...smol...)

2. What color and style is your hair?

Black and Pomfy, the top half is always tied back in a bun to keep it out of my face.

3. What color are your eyes?

Black, like The Pit. 👀

4. Do you wear glasses?

Yeah- my eyesight clocked out in sophomore year of high school for me, unfortunately. I can't see from afar (I lack Legolas' Keen Elf Eyes)

5. Do you wear braces?

Nope! I've always been more or less content with my smile, so I'm good.

6. What's your fashion sense?

Sweaters and Jackets, babey. I've also been known to sport the Mom Style (I'm a sucker for a Good Tunic) and I really enjoy atheleisure wear (I like the style without the actual physical activity, thank you very much). 👌

7. Full Name?

All y'all are getting out of me is my first name, Paulina, though I'd much ratcher you all call me by my nickname, Peps, if you please! 😊

8. Where were you born?

California, Land of Heat and Oranges ☀

9. Where are you from and where do you live now?

Southern Cali, to elaborate further. I live in a small city/town near Big Ol' LA.

10. What school do you go to?

I'm in my first year at a local community college- I'm an animation major!

11.What kind of student are/were you?

The kind of student who procrastinates and struggles and is always tired and yet somehow miraculously still manages to get good grades, RIP. 👏🙌

12. Do you like school?

It ain't bad- if anything, it's just routine for me, which I guess is good. I'd much rather sleep and watch TV at home, though.

13. Favorite school subjects?

History, Philosophy, and Art classes.

14. Favorite TV shows?

New Girl, Criminal Minds, Brooklyn 99, The Good Doctor, Stranger Things, The Twilight Zone, Queer Eye, Parks and Recreation, Forensic Files, Drop Dead Diva, Lie to Me, Vicious, and a whole lotta cartoons (Avatar: The Last Airbender, Steven Universe, Gravity Falls, Over the Garden Wall, The Amazing World of Gumball, etc.).

15. Favorite Movies?

Obviously the LOTR/Hobbit movies, Disney/Pixar films (The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Moana, Treasure Planet, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Hercules, Finding Nemo, Zootopia, The Rescuers/The Rescuers Down Under, Monster's Inc./University, etc.), DreamWorks films (HttyD, RotG, Kung Fu Panda, The Prince of Egypt, El Dorado, etc.), the Harry Potter movies (Order of the Phoenix is my favorite), Mad Max: Fury Road, Pride & Prejudice, Kingsman: The Secret Service/The Golden Circle, Arrival, Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole, Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse, Bohemian Rhapsody, Black Panther, Hairspray, The Pianist, Happy Feet, The Village, Lady in the Water, and so many, many more.

16. Favorite Books?

Tolkien's works (a bit obvious again), The Harry Potter series, The Percy Jackson Series/The Heroes of Olympus/The Kane Chronicles, The Golden Compass, Dracula, Pride & Prejudice, The Guardians of Ga'Hoole Series, What We See When We Read, Fic: Why Fanfiction Is Taking Over The World, The Narnia Series, etc.

17. Favorite Pastimes?

Drawing, playing piano, and sleeping.

18. Do you have any regrets?

Knowing the fact that I'll probably never write out any of the fic ideas/prompts I have, most likely 💀

19. Dream Job?

I'd love to be either a Storyboard Artist or a Character Designer for Disney Animation Studios one day! That or maybe create my own cartoon series.

20. Would you ever like to be married?

I guess so- I'd hate to do taxes on my own.

21. Would you like to have kids?

Yeah, actually! I really like kids (since we're usually into the same things, like cartoons, pfft).

22. How many?

Two boys is what I'm hoping for (named David and Mateo, maybe).

23. Do you like to go shopping?

Eeeh, sometimes? I really have to be in the mood for it, and I much rather go book shopping than grocerie/clothes shopping.

24. What countries have you visited?

Only one- Mexico back in 2015. I loved Guadalajara!

25. Scariest nightmare?

All of them involve catastrophic natural disasters like earthquakes and tornadoes/hurricanes/tsunamis- I'm a Big Weenie during any type of storm or earthquake, so that fear seeps into my dreams, rip

26. Any enemies?

Those who hate Frodo Baggins are my Sworn Enemies- I will personally fight you all, and I promise you that I will win. 😤✊💪👊

27. Do you have a significant other?

Does my cat Weasley count? He is a Wee Lad, a Precious Fool, an Absolute Bastard. I Love Him. ❤

28. Do you get along with your family?

Yeh, especially with my older sister.

29. Do you believe in miracles?

Yes, in the sense that I still manage to keep up my good grades, even though I Never Know What I'm Doing, Ever. That and how I'm still alive in a post-BotFA age and the crippling agony that is Bagginshield that drains my life-force. 💔

30. How are you?

I'm okay! Been busy with school. Tumblr-wise, though, I've been feeling a little lonely. I'd love to talk to more of my followers and mutuals, so please, come have a chat with me! I'd love to get to know y'all some more.💛

---

And that's that! I'll be tagging @mizimeluh @loveherpizzapalace @x-kytanna-x @love-and-bagginshield @gaaladrieel @ghisborne @bisexualfili @vtforpedro @arkenburglar and anyone else who'd like to join in! Can't wait to hear more about you guys. 👏🙌

[redwinterroses]

List Of Fics I've Read in the Past Week Or So That Have Absolutely Hooked My Brain

Monsters Splitting Hairs by Silverskye13: a fantasy AU where Ren, Doc, and Gem all live on a farm outside of town, a mysterious Baron rules from an anonymous distance, Scar and Cub are terrifyingly Vex, and the echoes of a war no one will really tell newcomer-Ren about leave everything rather tense and everyone terrified of monsters... and Ren is one of those monsters. AMAZING fantasy setting, lots of original world exploration, Etho is a mysterious-but-friendly silent neighbor in the woods, Gem is absolutely on point and Doc has an entire herd of goats that are his pride and joy. I am in love with this fic you have no idea.

Venom In Your Blood by paranoid_pug: Grian and Xisuma head off-world for a bit to do a bit of shopping and are followed home by an unsavory character who proceeds to attack the hermits in the one place they should be safe... and threatens to make them a danger to the ones they love. Short version: vampire!Mumbo and what came of it. AMAZING concepts of server/worlds, game mechanics, and how streaming+chat would work in a Minecraft-but-real universe. Also Mumbo angst is always a soft spot for me. Highly rec.

the Still The Echoes Give Us Light series by doctortrekkie: what prompted this post in the first place (the other two just still had tabs open on my desktop so they got linked first lol) -- a Grian-centric series with a LOT of Pearl and Mumbo content tracing Grian's journey from Evo to the Watchers to on the run to Hermitcraft. Tons of fantastic worldbuilding that I'm just accepting as canon at this point, angst but tastefully done, characters actually feel like themselves, and it's a LOT of content so I have been feasting. I dread the moment that I get to the end of currently updated fic and have to wait for more.

Shells in the Foam by Cedarwhisp21: if you'd told me I could get so invested in a hermit!Tommy fic I would have laughed at you. But. Somehow? I did. Partly because it's just very well written, tbh. Set in Hermitcraft s7, Tommy flees Dream and somehow falls through the worlds and crash-lands in Hermit territories. Queue the inevitable "incredibly traumatized kid gets taken in by kind hermits" but the characters are largely written in such a developed way that it manages to steer clear of most of the cliche-ness of the trope. Reminded me a bit of The Red Sun Never Sets in how repetitively psychological-whump-y it got sometimes, but overall I really enjoyed this fic. I'm hoping the author posts the final chapter soon. Oh yeah, also MCC and Evo are canon to this and there's some really cool stuff with avians and player code and... at this point you should realize that Red is an absolute sucker for worldbuilding stuff in fics.

Red Thread by ShadeSwift99: and with that last comment you will not be surprised that my biggest "look at the shiny!" comment for this fic is worldbuilding. Basically, what if Mumbo was a demon, and only Xisuma knew. But Grian... found out. And was a leeeeeeetle bit wrong in his assumptions, thinking that Mumbo was a demon hunter, like False. And when Grian tells False about this... False realizes that she's somehow missed a horrific monster living right under her nose for years -- and what did he do to the real Mumbo. Think Illuminae Files for the structure of this one, lots of internal memos and glimpses into server logs and redacted research papers and such interspersed with the more narrative chapters. SO GOOD and I am eagerly awaiting the next update because I Have Questions.

Y'all know I'm a big fan of the Kaleidoscope series by Exposition_Fairy, and there are two new(ish, I'm slightly behind the times) fics in that AU that are soooo good: screaming at the sun you throw into by lunarblazes: Grian's trying to figure out exactly how "becoming a god" works in the aftermath of the Green God's defeat, and things are not going well. Doc (god of order) notices and misunderstands what's happening -- and he and Ren try to stop Grian. Permanently. Explains the in-universe lead-up to 100 Hours Hardcore. stretching the truth out of shape, by BananasofThorns: the in-universe origins of Horse Head Farms, featuring my all-time-favorite interpretations of retired-sea-god xBCrafted and "immortal magician and who knows what else" Hypnotized, who don't... technically remember how they met. It's been a while, okay? Like. A few millennia or months at least.

autoclave by Bunflower and wolfythewitch: what? more dsmp? in my hermitcraft blog? it's more likely than you think. This one is Treasure Planet meets Scott Westerfield's Leviathan where Tommy is a street racer, Wilbur is the governor's (Kristin's) son and Techno is her bodyguard, and Philza is dead because his mad scientist self got their floating city to fly and then caused an explosion that killed a bunch of people. He was exiled to the terrifying surface world for his crimes... but before he could be forced to leave, he vanished, and his shattered glider was seen smashed to kindling on the surface below. But. Of course. That's hardly a story, is it -- what is a story is Wilbur chasing a shadowy figure through the underbelly of the floating city, Techno trying to prove his friend's innocence even after his death, and Tommy trying to hold on to the reputation of "best racer" in the city. I almost hesitate to rec this one because it's been a month since the last upload, and I'm just REALLY hoping that it won't get dropped, but Bunflower and wolfythewitch are both amazing writers so I'm trusting and crossing my fingers.

all my soul within me burning by Cloverponyz: this fic takes a bunch of things I love (winged!Philza, watcher!Grian, expansive worldbuilding, and AU canon) and smashes them into one -- what if Phil was a watcher? What if Grian helped him escape for reasons that may or may not be altruistic? What if the Watchers were like, this massive and complex society that I'm definitely not brainrotting over because that is SO much more interesting to me than "a few lone creeps scuttling about the edges of reality"? This one currently only has one chapter, but it also just started, so now's probably a good time to get in on it and subscribe.

Okay -- that's enough for now, I think. XD Friendly reminder to kudos and comment if you read any of these or else I'll haunt your microwave and your food will never heat evenly again. Enjoy!

I need to make a list of the fics I've read in the past week or so that have absolutely hooked my brain.