#your characterization of light always breaks my heart

[realityinsuspense]

one step closer | chapter 4: day off

--summary: "me and him? in one apartment? yeah, right. nothing is going to happen" ~~ two strangers living together. not talking and just going about each other's lives. that was your plan. that's how you've always done things, and you've gone far doing so. so when you have to suddenly move into a new apartment with your new roommate, you expect almost nothing. almost.

--pairing: mingi x fem!reader

--genre: strangers to lovers, fluff, a little angst #mingi is cold and standoffish, #eventual mutal pining

--a/n: oh. my. god. hello to anyone still out there reading and happy 2025! this chapter has been a loooong time coming. had lots of life stuff going on, holidays, writers block, and overall perfectionism held me back from updating any sooner. as i re-read and proofread my work, i get quite tangled up in characterization and how i want the story to flow, which then holds me back because i suddenly want my work to be 100% perfect. but that in itself also holds me back from improving in general. thank you for your patience, and i ask for your grace as i navigate and continue to grow as a writer. thank you, love you, mwah! enjoy!! <3 (and again, there is a taglist, just let me know ^-^)

words: 6.8k

~

chapter 4: day off

12 years ago

The late spring air began to cool as the sun set, a light breeze kissing your skin. Summer was approaching. It was your favorite time of the year, and you usually couldn’t contain your excitement: longer days, vacation trips, and even something as simple as getting ice cream at the convenience store with your friends. You guys would hang out at the park nearby, sitting at the benches—laughing, talking. This summer was supposed to be special—your last summer break together with your junior high class. It was the last year before the start of all your high school days.

As the dusk settled in, you took that seat at the same park bench next to your best friend. Like you guys always did. But this time you were not laughing.

“You’re moving away?” You whispered almost to yourself, your eyes focused on the unwrapped ice cream cone in front of you.

You could feel Jongho’s gaze, but you were suddenly afraid to meet it. For the first time in your life, you were afraid to look at him. You didn’t want the news to be real.

“Yeah,” He said, turning to look at his own ice cream cone as well.

“In the middle of the school year?” You ask. It’s pointless; he’s already explained it, but you still wanted to try. He only nodded in response.

“Well… when are you gonna come back?” You murmur.

Jongho sighed heavily. “I don’t know if I will, or… I don’t know.”

Jongho was moving away with his family back to his father’s hometown. He was going to transfer to another school, and you and him were not going to finish high school together like you guys said you would.

You felt selfish for wanting to say he betrayed you. It’s not his fault. It’s for family, and family is important. You knew that. But it felt like your heart sank to the bottom of the floor after hearing the news. You grew up together. Jongho was your next door neighbor. He was your first best friend. And even your first crush.

“I can’t believe this…” You say softly.

“It’s at the end of the summer though, y/n,” He tries to comfort you. “We can still hang out like usual.”

“But still!” You exclaim, finally turning to him. You feel your eyes well with tears, and poor Jongho has this worried expression on his face. “What am I gonna do when you leave?”

Jongho then pulls you into a hug, and that tugs at your heart strings. You let yourself cry into his shoulder.

“I’ll still be your best friend even when I’m gone, okay?” He whispers, his voice shaky. You wonder if you crying is causing him to feel bad. Or that maybe he wants to cry too. It’s not like you’ll be the only one who will be missing him. He’ll miss you too.

“Promise?” You finally pull away.

“I promise.” Jongho smiles gently, and your heart flutters once more.

present day

“Someone take that pitcher away from him,” You hear Yeosang mutter to your left. “One glass of beer and he’s already gone.”

You chuckle and glance over at the other end of the table where San is talking a bit too loudly with other coworkers. They’re all smiles and laughs.

It was a different Friday night—a company dinner. This meant free food and free drinks. You down the last of the golden liquid in your glass.

You don’t usually drink often, so you decided to take this opportunity to let loose. It’s been a long week. Just like any other week, you suppose. But you felt that you haven’t had a real chance to just relax and have fun ever since you moved. It’s been nonstop stress and work. So why not? And if it has to be at the work dinner, then so be it. You were at least with your friends.

“Hey! Pass the pitcher over here too, don’t be selfish!” You project from your end of the table. San’s blushed out face is all smiles when he walks over with the pitcher of beer.

“Another drink already y/n?” San teases as he pours more into your glass. He turns to Yeosang. “And you?”

Yeosang shakes his head. “I think I’ll stop for now.” You take a small sip at first, then take deep gulps, the bitter taste burning your throat.

“Guys, just imagine this, but even better during my birthday party!” San says happily, then scurries off to the karaoke stage where your other coworkers have gathered and started singing. The music rings loudly in your ears.

Yeosang waves him off. “He keeps bringing that up. At this point I’m not gonna show up.”

You laugh in response. “He really is the life of the party.”

“And what about you?” Yeosang raises an eyebrow at you and glances at the already half drunken glass of beer. “You usually don’t drink this much at the company dinners.”

“Oh you know,” You chuckle sheepishly, slightly embarrassed at Yeosang’s observations. If there was someone that had the potential to become a detective, you’d swear it’d be him. “Just-” ”Let me guess,” He interjects. “Work. Life. Your roommate. Hectic isn’t it?” Bingo.

“You’re right,” You nod and finish the rest of your drink. “Just for tonight.”

“It’s okay, I’m not judging. Just worried, you know?” He says. You smile at his thoughtfulness and concern.

“Yeah,” You say, starting to feel a little buzzed. “I’m sorry I keep bringing him up. I… I feel like it’s all I talk about these days.. I swear I’m still interesting!” He laughs. “Don’t be sorry. I know roommates can be complicated. And maybe…he’s actually good guy or something.” Yeosang shrugs then takes a bite of some meat and rice.

“Maybe,” You say to yourself before you follow suit and take a bite of your food. Yeosang reaches for an unopened soju bottle sitting across from you, opens it, and proceeds to pour some into two shot glasses. “Really?”

Yeosang smiles and nods. You both raise your glasses. “Yup. To good guys! Cheers!”

You and Yeosang carry on your conversation amidst the loud conversation and music playing the background. You also chatted with some of your other coworkers who also joined in on your side of the table. This is kind of fun, actually. You decided you didn’t need to overthink anything in this moment.

After lots more rounds of meat and rice, alongside more beer and soju, you were stuffed. And you were definitely feeling the full effects of the alcohol. You did it. You reached your goal. As the night progressed, more people gave toasts and slurred speeches, and then it was finally time to go home.

It was nearly one in the morning, but the flashing lights on the street indicated that people were still out and about. The places closed late here, you noticed. San was completely wasted—slumped over Yeosang’s shoulders, trying his best to prop him up with his much smaller frame. The smaller one carrying the bigger one—it was a sight that made you giggle. After loudly expressing each other’s concern, Yeosang assured you they were going to be fine going home and that he’s done this a bunch of times. You also assured him that you’d be able to get home after his offer of sharing a cab. This part of the city was generally safe. And you, too, have done this before.

“Are you sure y/n?” Yeosang pressed. “It’s getting late.”

“It’s okay!” You urged. “It’s totally okay, I’m closer than you guys. He needs to get home asap.” You poked San’s shoulder, and Yeosang chuckled.

“Okay fine, but let me know when you get home!” Yeosang is already dragging San into a cab they managed to hail.

“You too!” You called out happily.

But then again, it’s been a long time since you’ve felt like this.

Feeling drunk felt so freeing, vulnerable, and scary at the same time. Your head was pounding, and your eyes were desperate to close. You were tired, but still so full of energy. You were aware of everything still, just…lighter. And now you were standing out alone, drunk in the night��s cold. Of course, taxis were to come and go, so you just stood at the edge of the sidewalk waiting for one, with your arms wrapped around yourself. Everything felt so heavy, and you didn’t want to move. You swear you could feel your heart thumping violently against your chest. Where the hell are those taxis?

“y/n?” You hear a soft voice behind you. Your first instinct of fear runs through you and you turn around quickly. A couple of feet away, stands someone you swear you’ve met before.

Someone…

“y/n,” He breathes. “It is really you.”

You try your best to concentrate, but your drunken mind is betraying you. You want to go home suddenly.

“Hi…” You whisper out. It was him…

Choi Jongho.

Was it really?

Your old friend.

Is this a dream? What is he doing here? What’s happening? Am I this drunk? Is this really him? What’s he doing here?

Your head was spinning with all these questions, and it didn’t help that you were drunk. You didn’t know what to do—what to feel.

He approached you gingerly, and you unconsciously recoiled.

“I.. I..” I want to go home.

“Are you going home? Let’s get you a taxi.” Jongho says.

“What are you doing here?” You blurt out. You wanted to believe that this was just an illusion. How could he possibly be here right now? And to face you so upfront like this? After everything….

“It’s a long story,” He sighs locking eyes with you, and smiles weakly. “Are you okay?” His face turns into an expression of genuine concern.

You can feel them.

Tears.

They’re coming, and you feel that burning sensation building up in your throat whenever you start crying. But you suppress it and swallow hard.

You hear a few cars pass by, and you glance back to the street. Finally. You quickly gesture for it.

The taxi slowly approaches the edge of the sidewalk where you stand, and you mentally thank the driver for coming at such a perfect time. You wanted to go home. You needed to go home. Away from this.

“I have to go.” You whisper, unsure if he’d heard you or not. You swiftly step into the vehicle, give your address to the driver, and catch one last glance at Jongho’s concerned expression before driving away.

This isn’t real. He’s not actually here. I’m drunk.

I’m drunk.

The ride back home was quick, and you used your remaining energy to thank and pay the driver. Getting up into the elevator required some deep breaths, as you were getting dizzier and dizzier—and all the more nauseous. Great.

“Too…drunk…” You mumble to yourself as you stumble into your apartment. You instinctively drop your belongings onto the floor and quickly make your way to the bathroom. You felt horrible. Maybe this was why you haven’t drank in so long…

That nauseousness caught up to you once you finally reached it, where you crouched and hunched over the toilet bowl, letting it all out. I drank way too much.

Now sitting on the floor, you leaned back against the bathtub to catch your breath. In that brief moment of stillness, your mind tugged at you to move. You were suddenly hyper aware of your physicality and environment. You knew you had makeup to remove, teeth to brush, and pajamas to get into. You had to stand up and get into your bed. You needed to clean yourself up. And your brain managed to give you a lovely reminder that you didn’t live alone. Just the thought of Mingi seeing this entire mess made you fearful. But your body betrayed you. You couldn’t bring yourself to move.

Your head was still pounding so you just shut your eyes and decided to give yourself a few moments. 5 minutes. In 5 minutes, I’ll get up.

The image of seeing Jongho tonight popped into your mind once more. His voice rang in your ears.

Y/n, it is really you.

It’s a long story. Are you okay?

He looked the same, but different. More mature. Stronger. Still just as handsome…

Was that actually real? Maybe. Probably. You didn’t know. And maybe you didn’t want to know.

Suddenly, he felt so far away again.

I’m drunk. I’m drunk. I’m drunk…

—

You gently blink your eyes open to the sunlight streaming in from the windows. Instinctively, you yawn as well. Oh god. For a moment, you simply lay there as you let your thoughts slowly come over you like a wave. What time was it?

Thank goodness you had the day off. Anyhow, you probably would’ve been extremely late. But you were also glad you got the chance to sleep in, as it was quite the night last night. You gingerly sit up on your bed, shedding off the warmth of your duvet.

You feel a slight headache rush to your head again. Maybe I’ll take it easy next time, you think to yourself. It had been awhile since you drank that much after all. You then briefly ponder how San even does it, and wonder how he handles his hangovers. Your thoughts are interrupted by your grumbling stomach.

You notice your phone at the edge of your bed and grab it.

12:08pm **

You ignore all the text notifications from San and Yeosang for now, and decided to order takeout. You were too lazy to make anything in the state you were in—plus fried chicken sounded perfect right now. After putting in your order, you notice that you’re still in your clothes from last night.

Huh.

You could’ve sworn you’d changed and gotten into bed fine, but you could hardly remember. You did remember throwing up like crazy, however. You jumped out of bed and took a look in the mirror—your makeup was still on and your hair looked dangerously disheveled. This calls for a long shower.

After gathering your things and a fresh pair of pajamas, you crack open your bedroom door and peek outside around the apartment. Mingi cannot see me like this, was the first thought you had. The thought of him seeing you like a mess after ordering him around about being clean felt contradictory somehow. But more importantly, you were embarrassed. It’s not like he’d care, probably… But…Where was he anyway? Was he out?

The silence surrounding the apartment told you that the coast was clear, so you quietly rushed into the bathroom and proceeded to take your hot, much-needed, shower.

When you were finally finished, you headed back to your room and freshened up your bedding. You felt so much better already. Five minutes pass when your phone dings, notifying that your order is officially delivered. Excited and absolutely starved, you head for the front door excitedly when you suddenly stop in your tracks to see Mingi in standing by the door. He was holding the door open and grabbing your takeout off the floor. Your stomach grumbled once again.

“That’s mine,” You say. He turns around in response, his face unamused. Guess he was home after all…

He’s wearing his usual loungewear, and his glasses are framed above his head, pushing his hair back.

“No, it’s mine,” Mingi replied bluntly. “You ordered fried chicken?”

“Yes!” You exclaim, approaching him. You attempt to examine the bag.

“Well my name’s on it,” He argues. Mingi tugs the receipt off the bag and holds it up to your face. “See?”

“But the app just told me it was just delivered right now,” You hold up your phone to his face for proof. “Maybe they put both of the orders in there? Can I see?” You lean in to look inside the bag, but Mingi moves the bag away from you. Your sudden closeness made you more aware of your height difference all of a sudden. You take a step back.

“What did you order?” He glances inside the bag, then back at you.

“A six piece, soy garlic. With a side of rice,” You sigh. “And you?”

He narrowed his eyes. “Same… except it was a ten piece for me.” Mingi looks into the bag again, then proceeds to walk towards the kitchen in silence, ignoring you.

“What?!” You follow him into the kitchen.

“Why do they do that?” Mingi takes out both orders from the bag and places them on the dining table. “Is it easier for them to put two orders in one bag even though they’re different?”

“I think it’s because we live in the same place, maybe they thought it was meant to be ordered together…” You respond, staring at the food on the table. “And our orders aren’t even that different.”

“Whatever,” Mingi takes a seat and starts eating. You awkwardly stand there for a moment, unsure of what to do. *Uh…*You guys don’t ever eat at the dining table together. Does he expect you to leave? You suppose you could. You could take your food into your room for privacy, but then again it would just make the room smell like fried chicken…

“Are you not going to eat?” He asks, interrupting your thoughts. Your eyes widen at his bluntness, and you take your seat across from him. You don’t argue since you really were starving.

“I will,” You say and proceed. It was delicious, greasy, and filling—the perfect hangover cure. You guys eat in silence for a while. Luckily, you both distracted yourselves with your phones, so there was no space for small talk, thankfully. You wouldn’t be able to stand it. And he didn’t seem to want to talk to you anyways. What is there to even say honestly, you thought. This is how it should be.

You were in the middle of responding to Yeosang’s texts when you hear him place his phone back on the table.

“You’re welcome, by the way.” He says.

You look up, slightly confused. For letting you sit with him at lunch? For giving you your food? “For what?”

The corners of his lips tug up slightly, but then his expression returns to its neutral, indifferent state. “I think I went up to use the bathroom around two in the morning. Nearly had a heart attack seeing you on the floor. I didn’t know you went all out when you drink..”

Your eyes widen. Oh no…

“Wait, you…” Your words falter as your brain finally connects the dots. It was no wonder you were still in your same clothes and makeup. You usually had the strength to complete those tasks no matter how drunk you were—but I guess you hadn’t been that drunk. The memories of last night seem to gather once more, and you feel your face heat up.

“Yes,” Mingi says after swallowing a mouthful. He scans your face, and his eyes show a slight hint of amusement. “You wouldn’t budge, no matter how long or hard I shook you. I had to flush that disgusting toilet bowl, and carried you to your room.”

“Oh god,” You throw your face in your hands. “Oh my god. That is so embarrassing-”

“It’s fine, I know it was a Friday night just-” Mingi glances back down to his food. “Don’t do that next time.”

“That won’t happen again. I can usually handle myself. I don’t know- I guess last night was too much, I was-” You scramble to find the words, but decided not to put forth any excuses. You sigh heavily. “Thanks..”

Mingi simply nods and finishes up his food. After checking his phone one more time, he stands up.

“Well, now I think you owe me y/n,” He says and slides over his dirty dishes to me. “My dishes, for the next two weeks?”

“Huh?!” You scoff with your mouth half full of chicken. What the hell? You decided to challenge him with his own words. “What happened to keeping to ourselves and doing our own chores?” You did NOT want to involve yourself with another roommate related fiasco, yet here you were. It was as if these conflicts were inevitable, and you two kept clashing at the most random of times.

“Oh I know, but you didn’t. Drunk on the bathroom floor definitely crossed that line,” Mingi says matter-of-factly. It was true. You shivered at the reminder that he carried you into your room. What did he even think of you? You immediately pushed that thought away. **“But anyway… as roommates. I helped you, and now you have to help me. Right?”

Roommates.

“Fine, is that how it’s going to work now?” You sigh in defeat. “Two weeks, and that’s it.”

“Deal.” Mingi smiles a little, then leaves the kitchen.

What just happened?

~

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tags: @hwaskookies @chicksmoothie

[natsaffection]

Hi it's my first time making a request so basically reader is tony starks daughter and tony decides to take the team on a vacation to an island .

Reader is dating g!p Wandanat and is also a virgin while they are on a beach refer decides she is ready to have sex and Wandanat and reader do it but tony walks in on them after they are done and asks reader bunch of akward question

At your Pace. | WandaNat

Warnings: 18+! MINORS DNI!, G!P Natasha and Wanda, oral (r receiving), loss of Virginity, unprotected Sex, slight begging, cute and soft sex

Word count: 4,5k

A/n: Hope it's not too slow, but I'm always a softi when it's about Virgin Reader ✨️🫂

It was a rare evening of relaxation, one Tony had insisted on, knowing that the team needed a break. Among those present, you, Tony's daughter, sat comfortably on the sofa, flanked by Natasha and Wanda.

Natasha and Wanda had been together for some time, their bond forged in the fire of battle and the quiet moments in between. Their love was deep, powerful, and enduring. But it wasn't until you came into their lives that they realized their hearts had room for one more person. Your innocence, your radiant smile, and the light you brought into their lives had drawn them both to you. It was a slow, gentle process, but eventually, the three of you found yourselves in a relationship characterized by affection and new beginnings.

Although your relationship was still fresh, the bond between you was undeniable. Natasha and Wanda were very patient with you and understood that you had never been in such a relationship before. They cherished you and wanted to take things slowly, but the connection between you grew stronger with each passing day.

Tony entered the room, his presence immediately drawing attention. "Okay, everyone, listen up!" he called out, his voice cutting through the chatter. The room fell silent, and all eyes turned to him. "I have a surprise for you." Tony began, a grin spreading across his face. "We've been through a lot lately, and I think it's time for a break. So, I've decided to invite you all to my private island for a little vacation. No missions, no stress, just time to relax and enjoy life."

Excitement spread through the room, but your heart skipped a beat. A vacation with Natasha and Wanda, away from the distractions of your busy lives? The thought was both thrilling and nerve-wracking. Wanda gently squeezed your hand, leaning closer. "Doesn't that sound nice?" she whispered, her voice soft and full of affection.

Natasha smiled at you, her lips curling into a slight smile. "I think it will be good for us. A little time to unwind." You nodded, your cheeks flushing slightly. The thought of spending uninterrupted time with them was enticing, but you couldn't ignore the nervous flutter in your stomach. Your relationship was still so new, and you weren't sure if you were ready for more intimate moments. But the loving and patient look Natasha and Wanda gave you reassured you that they would take things at your pace. As the Team buzzed with excitement, Tony clapped his hands. "Okay, pack your bags, everyone. We're flying out tomorrow!"

The private jet ascended into the sky, carrying you to your tropical destination. You sat by the window, watching the sea stretch out below you. Natasha and Wanda sat beside you, their presence a calming anchor amidst your swirling thoughts. Wanda leaned closer, her voice a gentle murmur. "You seem lost in thought."

You turned to her and smiled shyly. "I'm just thinking about how nice it will be to relax with both of you." Natasha chuckled softly, her tone playful. "You're going to love it. And don't worry we'll take care of everything."

There was a subtle undertone in Natasha's words that made your heart race. You knew that you were all still exploring the boundaries of your relationship, but you couldn't ignore the growing sense of anticipation for what this vacation might bring. Soon, the island came into view, a breathtaking slice of paradise surrounded by turquoise waters and pristine white sandy beaches. The team marveled at the sight, impressed by Tony's private retreat. As you disembarked, you were greeted by the warm breeze and the scent of the ocean, which instantly washed away the stress of your lives.

Your accommodation was nothing short of luxurious—a sprawling villa with private suites, each offering stunning views of the sea. You, Natasha, and Wanda were given your own suite, a secluded sanctuary where you could enjoy each other's company away from the others. As you entered the suite, you couldn't resist rushing out to the balcony. The view was spectacular, the sun beginning its descent toward the horizon, painting the sky in shades of pink and orange. Natasha and Wanda joined you, standing by your side, their arms wrapped around your waist.

"This is perfect.." you whispered, your voice filled with awe. Wanda pressed a gentle kiss to your temple. "It's beautiful, just like you." Natasha's hand glided down your hip, her touch light but possessive. "We're going to have a wonderful time here. Just the three of us." There was a tension in the air, not unpleasant, but electric. You could feel it, the subtle shift in your dynamic. Natasha's touch lingered a little longer, and Wanda's gaze held an intensity that made your heart race.

The morning sun hung high in the sky, casting a warm, golden light over Stark Island. The team had decided to spend the day at one of the island's pristine beaches, taking full advantage of the perfect weather. The beach was a secluded spot, surrounded by lush greenery, with soft white sand stretching down to the crystal-clear water. The three of you walked hand in hand, your feet sinking into the sand as you approached the others. The team had already claimed a spot, spreading out towels and setting up a few large umbrellas for shade. It was the ideal day to relax, with nothing but the sound of the waves and the gentle rustling of palm trees in the background.

You had chosen a simple but flattering swimsuit that both Natasha and Wanda had admired that morning. You had blushed under their appreciative gazes, a feeling of warmth accompanying you throughout the day. Now, as you settled on your towels, you couldn't help but notice how close Natasha and Wanda were to you, their presence a constant, soothing warmth.

"Okay, who needs sunscreen?" Natasha asked, holding up a bottle and giving it a light shake. The rest of the team waved her off, already busy applying their own. But Natasha's eyes rested on you, a playful grin on her lips. "Y/n?" You felt your cheeks heat up. "I could use some, yeah.." you replied, your voice a little softer than usual. Wanda's eyes sparkled with mischief as she took the bottle from Natasha's hand. "I'll help you." You lay down on your stomach, your pulse quickening as you felt Wanda's fingers begin to spread the cool lotion across your back. The touch was gentle, but there was a certain firmness to it, a pressure that made your skin tingle with anticipation. Wanda's hands moved slowly, taking their time, and you could feel your breath hitch as the sensations sent shivers down your spine.

Natasha, not wanting to be left out, scooted closer, brushing your hair aside and applying the lotion to your shoulders and neck. Her touch was more focused, her fingers kneading the tension from your muscles as she worked. The combination of their touches, Wanda's soft and soothing, Natasha's firm and confident sent your thoughts spinning. Surrounded by their love, you realized just how much you wanted it. The touches, the closeness, the way Natasha's and Wanda's hands lingered on your skin..it awakened something deep inside you.

When they were finished, you felt as if you were on the edge of something you couldn't quite name. Your body was alive with sensation, every nerve attuned to their presence. You spent the rest of the day distracting yourself, swimming in the ocean, playing volleyball with the team, and enjoying the sun, but nothing could ease the longing that had settled deep within you.

When you returned to your private suite, you couldn't shake the lingering sensations from the day. You lay between them, your back resting against Wanda's chest, while Natasha lay on your other side, her fingers idly tracing patterns on your arm. The atmosphere was comfortable, but beneath it lay a tension, a silent conversation that passed between the three of you. Wanda's hand moved slowly, tracing the line of your collarbone before sliding down over your heart and resting there. "You seem a little quiet." Wanda murmured, her breath warm against your ear.

Natasha's hand stilled on your arm, her eyes searching your face. "Is something on your mind?" she asked, her voice gentle but with that playful undertone you loved so much. You could feel your heart racing, the sensation of their hands on your skin making it hard to think clearly. You had been wrestling with the emotions that had built up inside you all day, and now, in the intimacy of your shared bed, those feelings were impossible to deny.

You swallowed and whispered, "I've been thinking about earlier..about how you guys made me feel." Natasha's lips curved into a knowing smile. "Oh? And how did we make you feel?" Your cheeks flushed as you glanced between the two women. In their eyes, there was no judgment, only love and desire. You felt safe with them, but also vulnerable, in a way that both thrilled and terrified you.

"I..want more.." you confessed, your voice trembling slightly with a mix of nerves and anticipation. "I'm ready..for more." Wanda's hand on your chest tightened slightly, her thumb stroking slowly and deliberately over your skin. "Are you sure, darling?" she asked, her voice deep and soothing. Natasha’s hand moved to cup your face, her thumb tracing along your jawline. "We'll take it as slow as you need, Y/n. But if you're ready..we're here."

You felt the weight of their love in those words, and it gave you the courage to push past your nerves. You turned to Natasha and pressed your lips to hers in a kiss that started soft but quickly deepened as your desire took over. Natasha responded instantly, her hand slipping into your hair to hold you close. Wanda's hand slid lower, her touch gentle but purposeful as she explored your body with a tenderness that made your breath hitch. "You're so beautiful.." Wanda whispered against your neck, her lips brushing the sensitive skin there and sending shivers down your spine.

You broke the kiss with Natasha, your eyes wide with a mix of longing and uncertainty. "I want both of you..I want to feel everything with you, please.." you admitted, your voice barely more than a breath. Natasha’s eyes darkened with desire, but her voice remained calm. "You'll feel everything, Y/n. We’ll take care of you, together."

Wanda’s fingers traced the outlines of your ribs with intentional slowness. "We’ll go at your pace, love. Just let us know if you need anything. Anything at all." You nodded, your heart pounding in your chest. You had never felt so exposed yet so loved at the same time. Every touch from Natasha and Wanda was full of promise, a silent vow to protect you, to cherish you, and to make sure you felt safe and cared for.

When the moment finally came to take the next step, you felt your nerves resurface, the weight of the unknown pressing down on you. But Natasha sensed your hesitation and was the first to pull back slightly, her green eyes filled with concern and love. "Y/n, it’s okay." Natasha whispered, her hand gently cupping your cheek. "We don’t have to rush anything. We have all the time in the world."

Wanda, lying on the other side of you, nodded in agreement, her hand resting comfortingly on your waist. "We’re here for you, Y/n." she said softly, her voice a soothing balm to your frayed nerves. "Let’s start with something familiar, something that makes you feel safe." Natasha leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to your lips, her hand stroking your hair tenderly. "We’ll go at your pace." she promised, her voice full of tenderness. "Just tell us if anything feels uncomfortable, and we’ll stop right away." Wanda smiled gently, her lips brushing your temple as she spoke. "We want you to feel good, Y/n."

With those words, they began to guide you, their touches becoming more focused as they helped you find a more comfortable position. Natasha kissed you deeply, her lips moving softly against yours, while Wanda pressed kisses along your neck, her hands soothingly caressing your sides. As their kisses grew more intense, you felt yourself relaxing in their embrace, your earlier nervousness slowly giving way to growing anticipation. Wanda’s lips trailed lower, along your chest, with deliberate slowness that sent waves of pleasure coursing through your body.

Natasha’s mouth followed Wanda’s lead, her kisses mirroring the soft, lingering touch, as she moved to your other side, her hands stroking your skin in calming, circular motions. They took their time, allowing you the space to adjust to the sensations, their mouths working in perfect harmony to increase your pleasure. When Wanda’s lips finally reached your lower abdomen, she paused and looked up at you with a gaze full of pure adoration. "Tell us if it becomes too much, Y/n." Wanda whispered, her breath warm against your skin. Your breath caught as you felt Wanda’s lips moving lower, the sensation unfamiliar but deeply arousing. "It feels..good," you murmured, your voice breathless. "Please, don’t stop.."

Wanda smiled, her eyes full of love as she lowered her mouth to your core, her tongue moving with precise care to bring you pleasure. Natasha, unwilling to be outdone, continued to kiss and caress your upper body, her lips tracing a path along your collarbone and breasts, her hands never leaving your sides. The dual sensation of Wanda’s mouth and Natasha’s hands overwhelmed you in the best possible way. Your breath came in short gasps as the pleasure built within you, every movement of Wanda’s tongue and every touch from Natasha sending waves of ecstasy through your body. Natasha’s lips found yours again, kissing you deeply as Wanda continued her skillful work below. "You’re doing so well.." Natasha whispered against your lips, her voice husky with desire. "Just let yourself go."

"I..shit..I-"You could barely manage a response, your mind consumed by the intense sensations coursing through your body. You had never felt anything like this before, and it was all thanks to their love and care. Their mouths moved in perfect sync, one focused on your pleasure while the other grounded you, ensuring that you felt safe and could enjoy every moment.

When Wanda’s tongue hit a particularly sensitive spot, your body tensed, the wave of pleasure tightening inside you. Natasha’s hands moved to hold you steady, her lips trailing gentle kisses down your neck in soft, lingering touches. "Just let go, Y/n.." Wanda murmured between her movements, her voice low and reassuring. "We’re right here with you." Natasha’s hands gripped your waist, her voice a soft whisper in your ear. "We’ve got you, Y/n. You’re safe."

With their loving encouragement and the overwhelming sensations from Wanda’s mouth, you finally let go, your climax hitting you like a wave, leaving your body trembling. You cried out softly as the pleasure overtook you, the intensity of your orgasm leaving you breathless. Wanda continued her gentle ministrations, guiding you through the aftershocks, her mouth never leaving you until she had eased you through the waves of pleasure. Natasha held you close, kissing you tenderly as your body slowly relaxed. "That’s it.." Natasha whispered, her voice full of pride and love. "You did so well."

As your breathing slowly returned to normal, you felt a warmth blossoming in your chest, a mix of love, satisfaction, and deep connection to Natasha and Wanda. But the night was far from over..Wanda kissed her way back up your body, her eyes filled with adoration as she met your gaze. "You were amazing, Y/n.." Wanda said softly, her voice thick with emotion. "But if you’re ready, we’d love to share even more with you."

You nodded, your heart still racing, but your earlier nervousness had now been replaced with growing curiosity and desire. "I want..to feel everything with you," you whispered, your voice steady despite the lingering excitement. Wanda smiled and kissed you deeply before positioning herself between your legs. "We’ll take it slow, and if you ever want to stop, just say the word." Wanda assured you, her voice calm and full of love.

Wanda moved carefully, her eyes never leaving your face. The initial sensation was unfamiliar, but Wanda’s gentle, slow movements and the look of love in her eyes reassured you. She paused to give you time to adjust before continuing, her movements gentle and tender. The sensation of feeling Wanda inside you was intense, but the combination of her careful approach and Natasha’s soothing touch helped you relax. Natasha kissed you softly, her hand gliding along your body as Wanda found a steady rhythm.

You gasped at the sensation, your body slowly adjusting to the feeling of fullness. Wanda’s movements were loving and deliberate, her eyes fixed on your face to ensure you were comfortable. "How are you feeling, Y/n?" Wanda asked softly, her voice full of concern. You nodded, your voice a breathless whisper. "F-Fuck, its so good..!"

Wanda smiled, her movements becoming more confident as your body responded to the pleasure. Natasha’s hand found yours, holding it firmly as she pressed gentle kisses to your lips, her voice a calming murmur in the quiet room. "You’re doing so well, Y/n. Just focus on what feels good."

The rhythm between you all soon became more intense, and you lost yourself in the sensations, your earlier nerves forgotten. Wanda’s movements were deep and steady, bringing you closer and closer to the edge, while Natasha’s kisses and touches only heightened the pleasure. When you finally reached your peak again, it was with a soft cry, your body shaking as the pleasure washed over you. Wanda slowed her movements, helping you through the waves of ecstasy, her eyes full of love as she watched you from below. Natasha kissed you deeply, her hand gently caressing your cheek. "You’re so beautiful, you know that?" Natasha whispered, her voice full of emotion. "We’re so proud of you." As you tried to catch your breath, Wanda slowly withdrew, pressing a tender kiss to your lips.

Buutt, Natasha, who had held back to ensure you were comfortable, now positioned herself between your legs, her own arousal evident. "If you’re ready, Y/n...I would love to feel you too.." Natasha said softly, her voice filled with longing but also with a deep care for your well-being.

You nodded, still catching your breath from the overwhelming sensations, but eager to share this intimate connection with Natasha as well. Your body still hummed with the afterglow of pleasure, but the love and desire you felt for both Natasha and Wanda gave you the confidence to continue. Natasha's eyes softened at your nod, her expression filled with affection as she leaned down to kiss you deeply. Her lips moved tenderly against yours, as if to remind you of her unwavering support and love. "I'll be gentle." Natasha whispered against your lips, her breath warm on your skin. "Just tell me if anything feels too much."

Wanda, who had shifted to your side, gently stroked your hair and whispered soothing words, her presence a constant source of comfort. "We're right here with you, Y/n. Just focus on the feeling and know that you're safe."

As Natasha positioned herself, she moved with the same care and patience that Wanda had shown. She guided herself to your entrance, pausing to look into your eyes for any sign of hesitation. Seeing only trust and readiness in your gaze, Natasha slowly began to move forward, her actions controlled and deliberate. The sensation of Natasha entering you was different from what you had felt with Wanda, equally intense, but with a new depth of connection that made your breath catch. You gasped softly as Natasha filled you, your body adjusting to the new feeling. Natasha moved with exquisite gentleness, giving you all the time you needed to acclimate.

For a moment, Natasha paused, her green eyes locked on yours, her hand reaching up to brush a stray hair from your face. "God, you're doing so good." she murmured, her voice thick with emotion. "How does it feel?"

Your breath came in shallow bursts as you processed the fullness inside you, but the overwhelming sensation was one of love and warmth. "Uh..huh..It feels... really good.." you whispered, your voice laced with awe. "Please... don't stop.." Natasha smiled, her eyes filled with pure adoration as she began to move in a slow, steady rhythm. Each thrust was measured, focused entirely on bringing you pleasure while ensuring you felt secure. Natasha's hands roamed your body, her touch grounding you in the moment, as if anchoring you to this shared experience.

Wanda, who was lying beside you, leaned in to press soft kisses to your temple and cheek, her hand gently caressing your arm. As Natasha continued to move within you, you felt the pleasure begin to build once more, a slow, insistent wave that grew stronger with each movement. The combination of Natasha's deep, even strokes and Wanda's tender touches heightened your senses, driving you closer to the edge.

Natasha's eyes never left yours, her gaze full of devotion as she whispered sweet reassurances. "You're so beautiful, like this..!" she murmured, her voice husky with desire. "I love you so much. Just let go whenever you're ready."

Wanda's fingers moved in perfect harmony with Natasha's thrusts, her gentle caresses amplifying the pleasure that was coursing through your body. "We've got you, love." Wanda whispered, her voice soothing and encouraging. "You're safe with us. Just let it happen."

With their combined efforts and the overwhelming sensations flooding your body, you finally let go, your climax hitting you with a force that left you breathless. Your body trembled as the waves of pleasure crashed over you, your mind lost in the intensity of the moment. Natasha moaned softly as she felt your body tighten around her, her own climax approaching rapidly. "Y/n... I'm so close..!" Natasha breathed, her voice heavy with need.

"Just a little more.." Natasha whispered, her movements becoming more urgent as she neared her own release. Wanda's hand never left yours, her other hand stroking your cheek lovingly as she whispered words of encouragement. "We're so proud of you, Y/n.." Wanda murmured, her voice filled with warmth and affection. "You're doing so well. You're amazing."

With a few more deep, steady thrusts, Natasha reached her own climax, her body shuddering as the waves of ecstasy overtook her. She let out a low, throaty moan as she rode out her orgasm, her hands gripping your waist as she savored the sensation. After her release, a calming stillness settled over the room. Natasha slowly withdrew from you and collapsed beside you, her breath still coming in heavy pants as she wrapped her arms around you. Wanda leaned in to place a tender kiss on your lips, before pulling you into a tight embrace, ensuring you were securely nestled between them.

For a moment, the three of you lay there in a comforting silence, the only sounds being the gentle rustling of the sheets and the soft rhythm of your breathing. The intensity of the experience still lingered, but it was accompanied by a profound sense of peace and connection.

Wanda was the first to speak, her voice barely above a whisper as she caressed your cheek. "You were absolutely incredible, Y/n." Wanda said, her eyes shining with pride. "Thank you for trusting us." Natasha, still recovering from her own orgasm, leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead. "We love you so much." Natasha murmured, her voice filled with raw emotion.

You smiled, your body finally relaxing fully in their embrace. A deep sense of contentment and fulfillment washed over you, far beyond the physical pleasure you had just experienced. It was the knowledge that you were cherished, valued, and deeply loved by these two incredible women who had guided you through this intimate journey. "I love you both." you whispered, your voice soft but filled with sincerity. "And we love you." Natasha and Wanda responded in unison, their voices a harmonious echo in the quiet room.

As the three of them slowly drifted off to sleep, lulled by the quiet intimacy of the moment, the door to the room suddenly creaked open. Your eyes snapped open in alarm, your heart leaping into your throat as you suddenly saw Tony standing in the doorway. "Y/n, are you-" Tony began, but his voice trailed off as he took in the scene before him. His eyes widened slightly, clearly surprised by what he had walked in on.

Natasha and Wanda reacted quickly, pulling the covers over you to shield you from view. You, embarrassed and completely caught off guard, turned bright red and tried to burrow even further under the blanket. "Dad!" you exclaimed, your voice a mix of embarrassment and frustration. "What are you doing here?!"

Tony, now fully grasping the situation, quickly raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, a sheepish grin playing at the corners of his mouth. "Whoa, whoa! Sorry! Didn't mean to barge in!" Tony said, trying to backtrack, though it was obvious that he was slightly amused by the whole thing.

Natasha and Wanda exchanged amused glances, clearly finding the situation more entertaining than awkward. Wanda stifled a laugh, while Natasha smirked, obviously enjoying your reaction even as they tried to comfort you. "Tony, maybe knock next time?" Natasha suggested, her tone light and teasing. "We were a bit..preoccupied."

You, still mortified, groaned and buried your face in your hands. "This is so embarrassing.." you muttered, your voice muffled by the blanket. Tony, seemingly unfazed by the tension, continued with his string of awkward questions. "I mean, was it..you know, at least good? No, uh, technical issues? Everything-"

"Dad, seriously, stop!" you groaned, burying your face in your hands, overwhelmed with embarrassment. But Tony, apparently not catching on, kept going. "Hey I always wamted to knowwho was on top-" You let out a muffled scream into your pillow, utterly mortified. "Please, just leave!"

Natasha finally couldn’t hold back her laughter, her shoulders shaking as she tried to keep it quiet. Wanda bit her lip, her eyes sparkling with amusement. Tony raised his hands in mock surrender, still grinning as if he was thoroughly enjoying himself. "Okay, okay, I'm going. But, hey, if you ever want to talk about..you know, positions or, uh, tips, I'm here for you, kiddo. Or, you know, not—whatever."

As Tony finally turned to leave, you peeked out from under the covers, your face still bright red with embarrassment and disbelief. "Why does he have to be like that?" you muttered, utterly mortified. Natasha chuckled, pulling you into her arms. "Because he's Tony Stark." she said, pressing a kiss to your temple. "And because he cares..in his own weird way."

Wanda smiled, brushing a strand of hair away from your face. "At least he supports you, even if he's a bit too curious." she added with a soft laugh. With the tension broken, the three of you settled back down, you securely nestled between Natasha and Wanda, feeling safe, loved, and despite everything, a little less embarrassed as you finally drifted off to sleep.

[bunniekittiee]

Bi-Han x Fem. Reader

Bi-Han headcanons (idc if it’s ooc) because I cannot stand the characterization that people have created for him. Like he is not a crazy aggressive dominant man like seriously?? These are teeth-rotting soft so please enjoy. SFW and NSFW!

SFW-

Bi-Han may have a very rough exterior, and it was definitely hard to break the ice (haha).

But his wife is his life.

He adores you, and he loves you so very much.

He may have a difficult time trying to communicate this as he is not one for being ‘lovey dovey’ like Kuai Liang, but that does not mean he doesn’t try his very best.

Gifts, he loves giving you gifts. Sometimes they’re simple like flowers, sometimes they are extravagant.

Either way, he loves to see your smile when he gives you a gift, so it is a reward for him.

However, Bi-Han does have his moments where he can be a little rude.

If he is stressed from the Lin Kuei or feels as if he does not have the energy he should, he can be a little snappy.

He will never hurt you, it would wreck his soul if he hurt you physically.

He may hurt your feelings, but he doesn’t mean to do it on purpose. He can be a little blunt sometimes when he is in a mood.

So after he recovers from his mood, he will seek you out and apologize for his behavior. Yes, he will probably have a gift with him.

He does not like fighting with you. He feels that it is a waste of time, and also he hates to see you upset.

Absolutely loathes going to bed angry. He can be a bit of an overthinker.

If you both got into an argument that was not resolved and he goes to bed moody, he has fleeting thoughts of your possible demise if he went to bed without apologizing or discussing it further.

What if something happened and you died without knowing how much he loved you and how he was sorry? It seriously messes with Bi-Han.

Anything can happen, and he understands that.

So if he can, he will do his very best to make sure you resolve conflict before going to sleep.

Nicknames are: my wife, beloved, my dearest, firefly.

Firefly is definitely a unique one, but it is referencing the time you both watched the fireflies light up in the night around you both.

It was romantic, and your eyes were gleaming so bright, Bi-Han’s chest tightened and his heart yearned for your love.

“My firefly, for you light up my world in ways you do not understand.” He wrote one day to you. “My world will never go dark with you in it.”

He can have a hard time expressing his feelings with words as he has many layers to him, so sometimes he feels better writing it to you.

But that doesn’t mean Bi-Han cannot tell you sweet words.

He misses you very often, especially if it’s been quite some time since he has seen you. He is always thinking about you.

Sometimes he wished he could have a little less responsibilities as Grandmaster so he could spend more time with you.

NSFW-

He does not like to use his powers on you in the bedroom.

It is different if he slightly changes his body temperature, but full on using them, that is forbidden.

Bi-Han would suffer an eternity if he hurt you, so it is a huge no-no to him.

He can be dominant, but it is more so because he is a powerful leader.

However, he loves it when you take control as well. Again, he is the Grandmaster and sometimes he just wants you to take the wheel.

Does not like degradation. He loves you deeply, and he cannot stand to call you names or being so cruel.

Expect it to be very passionate and loving. You are Bi-Han’s world, and he likes to take his time.

Loves cuddling after.

Breathing in your scent makes him feel less stressed and he enjoys your body warmth.

Any scars, stretch marks, or marks, Bi-Han kisses.

He loves every part of you, and he makes it very known.

Bi-Han knows that your essence is sacred, so he takes sex very seriously.

He does not joke around during it (come to think of it, i dont think he jokes around ever).

He does not like to have angry sex, he thinks it does not accomplish much.

And he’s especially worried if he is too angry he will hurt you in a way.

The Grandmaster is traditional in many ways, so he does not speak of your sex life, let alone your lives together, to others.

He expects you to hold the same respect for your relationship.

Bi-Han is not one for kinky sex. He finds it difficult to enjoy the thought of it, and he personally hates to see you in certain scenarios that remind him of his anxieties.

If you do not feel up for sex, he will not pressure you. He will either take care of himself or fight the urge.

You are precious to him, he would rather die before making you do something you don’t want to do.

[magpie-come-east]

I dunno very long spoiler-filled rant ahead! I love Miquella!

I genuinely think Miquella’s story is one of the best told ones in Elden Ring. Completely seriously. It’s no secret that I think most people who hate SOTE for his characterization are willfully ignoring or misinterpreting his tale in the most unflattering light they can muster. But every time I think on my own experience, it’s just so satisfyingly heartbreaking.

Of course if you the player make a beeline for the end goal, you’ll miss context. I don’t think that’s a failure of Fromsoft storytelling at all but of the impatience of said player. It’s an open world meant to be explored. If you don’t explore you’ll miss out!

Plus, nothing about Miquella’s story is meant to be a surprise twist. ‘Miquella is an evil manipulative monster’ is not the end-all of his character lmao.

It begins with you meeting his followers. The game corrals you towards most of them- 5/7 can be found in very close together at the beginning. We learn they are people with very different goals compelled to work together for their shared love of Miquella. Neat!

Ansbach directs us to seek out more crosses. We are asked explicitly to look around. We can find miquellas discarded eye. Where he abandoned his doubt and vascilation with purple versions of Empyrean blood flowers. Ansbach grows weary. Miquella is severing his grace. He has shorn away Trina. We are seeing the cracks in Miquella’s plan. Explore a bit more, and you find a cave sealed by Miquella. hmm.

We pass through Castle Ensis and find another cross: “I abandon here my heart”. Personally, this rocked me pretty hard my first playthrough. While it’s terrible enough to imagine someone tearing away their own flesh, the heart is an organ someone cannot live without. Now more than ever, we are assured he is destroying himself.

Then you approach the Shadow Keep, and the Great Rune breaks. This is another deep blow: the Great Runes are pieces of the Elden Ring manifest. They have been the macGuffin of our quest. And Miquella destroyed his. Things are getting out of hand.

Return to your new friends, and the facade is truly unraveling. Ansbach reveals he tried to murder Miquella, and was charmed into complacency to forget his loyalties to Mohg. Leda reveals herself to be a paranoid serial killer (the point driven home if you found the Oathseeker armor earlier in the game). Hornsent has committed to his quest for bloody revenge. Thiollier’s love was always for Trina. Moore is deeply sad- having been abandoned by his ‘mother’ (Malenia). We come to understand that Miquella’s peace comes at a cost, but we are not yet quite challenged to question it. Miquellas followers are violent or miserable. Perhaps it was best for them to be charmed.

Now, we can find Trina if we follow Thiollier. Miquella hid her away. She was his love. The horror mounts. Trina tells us in secret dialgoue to kill Miquella to spare him Godhood. He is nearly too far gone.

Now, we can either enter the Keep or explore further. We can meet a Carian sorcerer who understands the connections between the Greater Will and the Stars. He speaks of Miquella feeling duty-bound to right Marika’s wrongs. Ymir sympathizes, but hints the endeavor was doomed from the start.

In the Shadow Keep, we can learn the full extent of Miquella’s plan. He orchestrated (at least in part) Mohg’s demise. Then he desecrated his body to ensure his ascension- a mirror to what we encountered in the base game of Mohg using Miquellas body to raise his own god. We are now challenged formally to consider Miquella’s goals: Can Miquella’s Age of Compassion be just if it is also built on control and iniquity? How much of Mohg’s madness was Miquella’s fault, and was it okay? We are also, in hindsight, point blank told Miquella is using Mohg to revive Radahn. Radahn is not a twist either if you’re paying attention.

The story concludes at Enir Illum. We face down Miquella’s desperate and angry faithful. We confront their pain and want for a kinder world. We ally with people who represent those that suffered for that peace to be achieved (Mohg and Trina). We see Miquella discarded his fears, and know to the end he was terrified of Godhood. This was never about power for him. He wanted to do what was right. He sacrificed himself, too.

Yes, a lot of this can be missed. But it’s our job as guests in this story to give it its due. It’s our own fault if we rush through everything and miss the side quests and character beats. No one piece of lore is the vital ‘twist’ of the tale. All of it builds a narrative of tragic sacrifice and good intentions gone awry. It’s beautiful. Reducing it to ‘Miquella was the bad guy all along’ betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of what is being portrayed imo.

[joyfuladorable]

Fuck it, here's all my favorite Mikey-centric fanfics!!

There's A LOT + personal blurbs, so they're going under the cut (Mostly AO3, but there are some FFN links, too. Also, besides like the first two, there's no favoritism in the order)

2k3:

Pretend That I Never Left by redstringraven(sirimiri) - Complete/Plans for an Epilogue & Sequel!!

Fic that changed my BRAIN?! If my fanart [1 | 2 | 3] for it is any indicator, lol. I'll say for the umpteenth time that if you're looking for an Excellent Mikey fic with Perfect Characterization, this is IT (and you don't need to know ANYTHING about HZD trust me TRUST ME this fic deserves WAY more love) His swift ride-or-die friendship with Aloy will melt your damn heart!

Dragon of the Sun by ForestWhisper3 - Ongoing

My Other TOP favorite Mikey fic!! Again, fanart [1 | 2 | 3] indicator! Slow Burn(ish) Canon Divergence of Mikey unlocking his Mystic Powers as his family looks on in dismay as they struggle to protect him. The Good Shit!!!

Of Darkness And Light by Bayluff - Complete

OOOOOOO THIS ONE! Very good (also drew fanart for it)! Evil creature literally trying to consume Mikey's lifeforce from within as his family scrambles to help

A Chat With The Titan by secreterces5 - Complete

Mikey has a fun one-on-one talk with the supposedly reformed Bishop in Fast Forward. Mikey vaguely threatening Bishop, HEEHEE

A Simple Act Of Kindness by UlisaBarbic - Complete

That feel when you put your worth in what you can DO and the wish to be Acknowledged and the ONE thing you thought you did right was taken away OOGH AGH OOOOGH

Difficulty Breathing by RealityBreakGirl - Complete

Mikey did not come out of Grudge Match unscathed *smile* Truly one of my favorite 03 Mikey prompts to read about (honestly just check the entirety of the Grudge Match tag on AO3 for a fun time)

"A delivery boy! Uh, or turtle." by LollyHolly99 - Complete

Fic that has the distinction of being the first one I ever did fanart for! Gender Feels for Mikey cuz they're just like me FR!!

What Darkness Most Fears by UlisaBarbic - Complete

OOOGH AGH I LOVE THIS ONE!! Mikey has to save his bros from the clutches of an evil spirit while surviving horrifying monsters and battling a wicked fever!

Michelangelo by ForestWhisper3 - Complete

Mikey through the eyes of his family and how much they respect him and know him UwU

Mikey's Jigsaw by SailorSaysAhoy - Complete

Another awesome gender Mikey fic HOOHAA

Train-Wreck of Thought by halogalopaghost - Complete

When you're so talented you learn how to astral project but you start using it for pranks instead of understanding the drawbacks of said power and that bites you majorly in the ass big time (very good my stomach turned while reading this /pos)

A Brother's Bond by SuperKat - Complete

Mikey gets Real Sick and the fam can't help but remember last time one of them got so ill. OH MAN heartstrings WILL be pulled in this one!!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year by moogsthewriter - Complete

Why can't Mikey ever catch a break during Christmas! A short fic that I enjoy Immensely for Mikey being stubbornly heroic and his family desperately trying to play catch up to help him

Questioning Choices by Mystic Medjai - Complete

Fun day at the beach goes catastrophically bad and the fam has to make difficult decisions to keep Mikey alive. THIS THIS THIS!! If I could pour this into my veins for the perfectly paced plot and characterization...

When It Counts by Kallasilya - Complete

Short fic of Mikey stubbornly and bitterly proving his brothers wrong (+ Don being a good brother)

Favourite Disease by devirnis - Complete

Mikey is forced to save his brothers as his body gradually falls apart from the inside. SO GOOD UGH Mikey being forced to deal with situations on his own always show how far he can Shine!

Nowhere Boy by taizi - Complete

OOOH I dunno how I can summarize this without giving the plot away but just know Mikey pulls through by thinking of his family

To Fit the Crime by T33la - Complete

AHHH AHHHH AHHHHH AHHHHHHHH!! Mikey is accused of Murder and receives his sentence before his brothers can even jump to his defense! Oh the twists and turns of this murder mystery!!

you want to know why i sit and sigh (the night is so young it hurts) by love_killed_the_superstar - Complete

Angel and Mikey bonding over comics and unsupportive brothers So Cute)

imma be real with you (cause i started being real with me) by love_killed_the_superstar - Complete

Leo and Usagi being supportive of Mikey as he struggles to train for the upcoming Battle Nexus fight (and also maybe they flirt with each other a teensy bit)

just a hop, skip, and a jump away by baba_buoy - Complete

Mikey sick fic. Heart melting amounts of comfort UwU

Weak Link by yellowhollyhock - Complete

Sweet fic of Mikey feeling insecure about his place on the team, and Leo going through great lengths to prove him wrong like a good older brother :')

'Cause you are the sun, he is your moon/And though he can't speak, he will thank you soon by naivesilver - Complete

Post-Grudge Match Mikey waking up in the middle of the night bitter and sore and gods damn why's Raph awake, too?

Hunted by DysfunctionalRequest - Complete

Mikey wandering the woods alone in the middle of the night and having a VERY unfortunate encounter with hunters

Flipbook by T33la - Complete

Heartfelt moment between Mikey and Don concerning SAINW that makes me want to smash a cinder block against my head /pos

Dramaturgy by Completely_Unaware - Ongoing

Mind the tags! Mikey deals with a Battle Nexus loss in an unhealthy way (UmU)

The Red Means I Love You (Work) by AnonymousCritter - Ongoing

MIND THE TAGS! AU of Fast Forward. Mikey isn't saved from the traffickers in time and things spiral from there

The So-Called "Champion of the Battle Nexus" by 0ozero0 - Ongoing

Grudge Match canon divergence where Mikey gets hurt a little more seriously than in canon (but still wins)

2012:

Devil took your hand by moogsthewriter & taizi - Complete

Mikey mind controlled by the Shredder moment!! *laughs through my pain and tears and screaming*

walk with open hands by taizi - Complete

Mikey gets his hands on one of Renet's watches and things go topsy turvy from there (and it HURTS ME)

(un)reality by SpectrumWriting - Complete

Mind the Tags! Dimension X AU where Mikey is captured by the Kraang and is put through the wringer in more ways than one (OWIE)

evermore (Dimension X AU) series by coffeejellyenthusiast - Complete?

Mind the Tags! Mikey was in Dimension X for over a year and he's NOT OKAY

Gravitational Collapse series by Writing_In_Denial - Ongoing

MIND THE TAGS!! An Incredible it gets worse before it gets better series of Mikey being unintentionally abandoned by his brothers post-series and dealing with some Major Isolation and OOOGH IT HURTS ME SO MUCH BUT I WILL KEEP READING FOR THE EVENTUAL COMFORT

traveling so far to get there by taizi - Complete

Mikey and Raph getting stuck in an empty, post-apocalyptic world and struggling to survive (their BOND IN THIS IS SO SWEET WEH)

Rise:

nice, nice by postergirlsprank - Complete

Short fic of Casey Sr and Mikey bonding after an unfortunate encounter while on a snack run (Hey if you want more context for how this author writes Casey, go read his fic Imperfect Animals too heehoo)

either way, we're not alone by sinaesthesis - Complete

Mikey throughout the years of the Kraang Apocalypse (Lots of Loss and Hurt and Badassery)

going under by redhairedmuses - Complete

Mikey almost drowns during a fight with a mutant

Hyperactive Hypothermia by VeryAngryGremlin - Complete

After Mikey's winter wear accidentally goes in flames and a villain-enduced avalanche, Donnie struggles to keep his baby brother warm

that’s where the blood’s supposed to be! by Dragon_Scales_and_Fairy_Tales - Complete

With Raph and Leo constantly bickering, Mikey ignores a very serious injury after a fight with Meat Sweats

Clever Little Dino! by VeryAngryGremlin - Complete

Mikey trying to keep a robot pet a secret and suffering the consequences

Vs The World by DysfunctionalRequest - Complete

The aftermath of the Kraang strains the family's bonds, and Mikey feels hopelessly alone (and definitely isn't dealing with his trauma properly)

Empathy Amplified by Filsamek - Complete

When you accidentally use your powers to connect with your brothers' emotions then purposefully use them to ease their pain

Sunshine in the Rain by Carnati0n_bl00m - Complete

Probably the first fic I read after watching the Rise movie cuz I wanted to find something Mikey-centric involving Bishop and BOY does it deliver with the additional bonus of Leatherhead!! (also hey look fanart)

A Mystic Connection by rytheoneandonly - Complete

Mikey's mystic powers manifesting and evolving in ways he could never predict (aka Long Fic of Mikey stumbling to figure out why he wakes up exhausted and hurt every night)

The whole world in your corner series by GibbousLunation - Complete

Two fics of Mikey being Mikey and his bros being protective

Better Check Twice by Marz_Zero - Ongoing

Bishop captures a turtle with a bear trap (OW) and is an absolute bastard about it

Come Home Soon by Sherlock_Brolmes - Ongoing

With his brothers unavailable, Mikey (with the help of a former enemy) uncovers a massive conspiracy involving New York and the Hidden City. I LOVE THIS I LOVE SOLO DUO TEAM-UPS!!!! *PUNCHES THE AIR 13 TIMES*

Mikey's Artistic Guide to Dealing with Trauma and Fame by Origami_Nami - Ongoing

Mikey using graffiti as an outlet and accidentally becoming famous

Rook by unorthodoxx - Ongoing

Another Bishop fic of him outwitting the turtles to abduct one of them (Mikey)

Multi/Other:

Mystic Malfunction by VanillaVengeance - Ongoing

Rise Mikey accidentally portals himself to the 2012 Universe and struggles to survive and avoid this other version of his family (with mixed success). The progression of familial bonds in this is just *Chef's Kiss*

The Gauntlet by T33la - Complete

A mix of IDW & 03, a wonderful showcase of how Donnie and Mikey support each other (also, a cool invention and a big rocket and a terrifying near-death experience are involved)

I Get Knocked Down (But I Get Up Again) by Justalittleobsessed - Ongoing

MIND THE TAGS!!! Set in its own original iteration, Mikey has been immortal for as long as he can remember, and he's used to his occasional deaths (and revivals). But then his brothers find out... (AGH AGH THIS ALSO HURTS MEEEEE BUT OOGH the comfort and hope of the later chapters is so Worth It)

Whumptober 2023 series by Justalittleobsessed - Ongoing?

Collection of Mikey-centric one-shots from different iterations and feeling the HURT (Personal favorites are If Only the World Could Stop Spinning..., Just a Flesh Wound, and Not the Best of Days)

To Know Peace (You Gotta Let Go) by Deadpool1763492 - Ongoing (technically)

The Last Ronin Spoilers!! Mikey survives and whisks the new turtle tots away to live on a farm instead of being raised as soldiers. (AUUUUUU THE FEELS!! THE TOTS! MIKEYYYY!!!)

How to accidentally kidnap yourself several times over by Camildeni - Ongoing

Rise Mikey gets captured and accidentally summons other iterations (03, 12, and Bay) of himself trying to get out! They do NOT have a good time!! (but at least they have each other)

the dad diaries by angelmichelangelo - Ongoing

More TLR Mikey being a Dad (and dealing with his trauma sorta kinda)

The neighboring cell by SaltyYagi - Ongoing

2012 Mikey and Rise Leo trying to escape Dimension X together (and bonding)

Bonus Non-Mikey-centric:

Weathered Strings, Tethered Wings by Deadpool1763492 - Ongoing

(2003) SAINW AU!!! With the possibility of Don being alive dangled in front of them, the remaining turtles begrudgingly reunite to save him. Drew a cover for this with more art to come! LOVING the slow burn of reconciliation between these bitter old turtles UwU (Bitter Old Mikey my poor Bestie)

Mutant Nightmare by HamsterMasterSamster - Complete

(2003) The immediate aftermath of Worlds Collide

Hanging By A Turtle by CamsthiSky - Complete

(Rise) Literally the turtles struggling to get out of a deep pit they're hanging over

Shell Game by T33la - Complete

(2003) OKAY OKAY SO!!! OOGH Don encounters something Impossible while prepping a tracking device (for himself) and it snowballs into another Renet-involved time adventure (AND UMMM lots of existential contemplation and a surprise historical guest who's Very Cool)

Turtle Power by halogalopaghost - Complete

(2003) Immediate aftermath of the star ship reactor explosion in Exodus

Disposable by orphan_account (kudos to you wherever you are, author) - Complete

(2003) Bishop captures Don and Mikey and gives them a terrible choice

Dissection by AmevelloBlue - Complete

(2003) So much Comfort after the trauma of Worlds Collide (ie Don's interrogation and Mikey almost getting sliced open)

Find the Road by SillySocks - Complete

(2003) Perfect encapsulation of the family as they cope with Leo's absence while he trains with the Ancient One

Handle with Care by HamsterMasterSamster - Complete

(2003) April is seriously injured during a mission and has to deal with the turtles distancing themselves from her as she recovers

mind-body problem by hiraethseok - Complete

(2003) April and the Turtles Being Siblings the Fic

Healing in Tandem by Eggstasy - Complete

(2003) Canon divergence of Worlds Collide where Splinter is just a little too late to intervene before Bishop starts sawing into Mikey's shell

Let's Take Ibuprofen Together by GreenGoddessSmoothie - Ongoing

(2003) The turtles swap body and have learn to cope with each other's chronic pain

Not the Face I Know by GreenGoddessSmoothie - Ongoing

(2003) Mikey accidentally makes a wish that changes his family's lives forever (THEY'RE HUMAN THEY BECOME HUMAN AND THE PLOT IS COOL AND ALSO QUEER THEMES MY BELOVED)

The Great Skittle Heist of 2105 by AmevelloBlue - Ongoing

(2003) AU of Fast Forward where the Dark Turtles are babies instead and are very swiftly adopted by the Fam

The Labyrinth by HALFnHALF1 - Ongoing

(Mix of IDW/03) The Turtles wake up separated in a labyrinth with only a mysterious voice in their heads to guide them (and manipulate them)

“You didn’t tell me your extended family was in town!” by BoStaffsAreCool - Ongoing

Post-Turtles Forever. The 03 fam is Just beginning to wind down after the events of the movie and look who's knocking at April's door (the 87 turtles)

[reverie-starlight]

it's about time I wrote something for owl head. @luvring I blame you for launching me right back into my bokuto era. not sure how I feel about my characterization of him yet, but it's a work in progress. considering it's my first time writing him, I don't think it's too horrible!!

gn!reader, no physical descriptions. established relationship, fluff fluff fluff, he is such a baby omg. I just want to see him happy, he's so sunshiney and warm. slight, miniscule, microscopic suggestiveness in one part.

early mornings can get a bit hectic when your boyfriend spends the night.

they used to be worse, you will admit, but even if you've both established somewhat of a morning routine, actually putting the plan into motion always proves to be a difficult task.

hopefully things settle after he moves in, you think.

you take a few moments to bask in the early morning silence that follows the swift movements of shutting off of your alarm (it's far too cold out for birds to chirp outside your window, and your apartment's not too close to any busy streets) and admire the sweet man beside you. ever the deep sleeper, bokuto's snores pop you out of your bubble.

you check the time again and feel your face form an expression of pure disdain when it registers that you have less time to get ready than usual. you turn to the side.

he's facing away from you- an oddity, considering he usually has one hand on you at all times- broad back on display, expanding and deflating with every breath he takes.

it almost feels wrong to disrupt him, but you know he has to get up for practice soon anyway, so you attempt a softer wake up method.

you put out your hand and trace patterns over his skin. it's warm and soft and makes you want to cuddle up melt into him for the rest of time. knowing him, he wouldn't mind that one bit.

he barely stirs at the feeling of your fingertips, so you do get closer this time and press light kisses against his shoulder blade.

the back of his bicep.

the centre of his back.

a few along his spine.

the spot just behind his heart.

you watch as goosebumps follow your trail of kisses and smile as he shuffles and finally turns to face you.

"good morning, baby..." he yawns and gives you a sleepy, closed-eye smile.

it breaks your heart that you're going to have to cut this moment short, but it has to be done. you're already cutting it too close for comfort (last night's activities had forced you to set a later alarm). any longer in bed and you'd both be late for work.

you card a hand through his hair and match his expression. "good morning, koutarou. it's time to get up." you keep your voice low and sweet, hoping to keep him sleepy enough to just go along with whatever you say.

but it seems that fate is not on your side this morning.

he opens one eye just a crack and begins to nod before freezing and promptly burying his face into your chest. he wraps his arms around your torso, making you you groan a little. "I need to make up for not holding you while I was sleeping."

while the sentiment is sweet, you would think that him getting ready to move in with you would make up for it. but apparently not even the prospect of spending every night from now on in your arms is enough to satisfy him.

"ko, please," you huff and try to pry his arm off. you really don't want to be late for work. things have been picking up lately and you definitely don't want to be chewed out by your boss for poor time management.

but bokuto does not waver. he may be a big baby sometimes, and he may do everything in his power to make you happy, but he is also incredibly determined and annoyingly stubborn.

especially when it comes to sleep.

so he just holds you tighter, mumbling out little apologies for not keeping you warm during the night. you giggle at that, because you are nothing if not warm whenever he's around. his presence is akin to summer's sunshine- so genial and bright that you can feel his love even without the physical gestures he always insists upon.

you stroke his back and just as you're about to give in to him, a small, smug smile appears on his face.

"bokuto koutarou!" you gasp "you know exactly what you're doing, don't you?"

he laughs into your chest and you can feel it reverberate throughout your body. "just stay with me a bit longer, when was the last time you took a sick day, anyway?"

his voice is littered with drowsiness and it only makes you want to give into him even more.

how is it that you've always seen yourself as the clingy one in the relationship? the thought makes you laugh a bit and he looks up at you hopefully.

but sadly, one of you needs to have some self discipline, so you cup his face in your hands and squish his cheeks together. "nice try, lover boy, but you promised me you'd get up on time."

he pouts and you try not to crack a smile at how funny it looks with a squished face. "but baby-"

"nope! you brought this on yourself, ko. besides," you do let your smile break through this time. "you're the one who insisted on setting a later alarm." you poke his nose to punctuate your sentence.

"you're the one who insisted we'd have more than enough time to get ready." poke.

"and you're the one who kept begging to go round after round despite me telling you this would happen," poke.

you squeal a bit when he suddenly gets up to hover over you, a mischievous, almost predatory look in his eyes that can only mean no good. “sorry- who was the one begging, baby?”

he digs his fingers into your side, causing you to giggle and squirm underneath him. his other arm holds him up and cages you in just enough that you're unable to roll away to safety.

the thing with bokuto is that he can be incredibly playful and child-like, yes; but like most people on earth, he also has moments that remind you he's much more dynamic than the endearing traits he most often presents.

you'd consider yourself lucky to be one of the few to see every side of him, but as you lay underneath him with a giddy feeling in your stomach from how handsome he looks while tormenting you, you only feel your self-discipline melting away.

he might be rebranding himself as an "ordinary" ace now (much to the surprise of everyone who knew him in high school), but you've been convinced for years that there's nothing ordinary about him at all. his determination, skill and unconditional love for you proved your theory every day.

fine, maybe one "sick" day wouldn't hurt.

"okay, okay!" you gasp out through your laughter. "we can stay in bed if you stop tickling me!"

his smile is positively blinding as he retracts his hand from your side and flops back on top of you. "thank you, babe. can I tell you a secret?"

you raise an eyebrow and he takes that as signal to continue. he "lowers" his voice to a whisper-yell and says "I don't actually have practice today."

you blink at him. "ko, what?"

he lets out an excited laugh. "I tricked you. I came up with this whole plan to keep you home with me today and it worked."

the unmistakable pride in his voice washes away any annoyance building up within you and opens you up to hearing him out. "explain."

"you've been working so much lately, I can see how much it's wearing you out," he rolls onto his side to face you better and cup your face with one hand. "and last night practice got cancelled super suddenly 'cause coach got sick or something. so I decided we should both have the day off since we both work super hard. also... I didn't want to be lonely," he mumbles at the end.

you snort at his honesty and shake your head in appreciation. that's why he was being so insistent? how did you manage to land someone as unabashedly sweet and caring as him? you started the day worrying about being late, and now work is the last thing on your mind. you grab your phone off the night stand and quickly leave your boss a message, letting her know you won't be coming in because of some sudden illness.

bokuto watches you closely and allows you to cuddle into him with a smile after setting the device back down. "so... does this mean my master plan worked?"

you nodded into his bare chest and let the stress you've been storing for weeks release alongside a deep sigh. "can't leave my sweet boy feeling lonely, now can I?"

you say it as a joke, but you hope he hears the appreciation in your voice... that he can feel how thankful you are for him looking out for you.

it all remains unsaid for a while longer, but you know he understands the underlying message when he kisses your forehead and prompts you to get more sleep.

BONUS:

you wake up again a couple hours later to a strange burning smell.

you're up immediately, not registering the fact that your boyfriend is not beside you anymore until you stumble into the kitchen and see him standing at the stove, stirring away.

the domestic view makes you excited for all of your mornings going forward looking like this, but you also make a mental note to buy a new set of pans before that happens.

he must feel you watching him, because he turns to greet you with a wide grin. "mornin', baby!"

"morning..." you make your way to the table and take a seat where there's already a glass of water. "are you making breakfast?" you try to keep your nerves out of your voice. he's not the worst cook in the world, and he's definitely improved since meeting you, but... he's still working on lunch recipes. he hasn't graduated to complicated breakfast foods yet.

he nods excitedly. "yup! I already had some cereal, though. I was gonna surprise you with breakfast in bed, but since you're up we can sit at the table." bokuto turns the stove off and scrapes... whatever it is evenly onto a plate. "it's a bit burnt, but it should still be good!"

he sets it down in front of you and the burning smell only gets stronger. you can see now that he had attempted pancakes. you smile up at him thankfully, but you wonder how you're going to get the round discs down without creating an unnatural chemical reaction within your stomach.

"I know it's been a while since we've had a proper breakfast together like this, and you mentioned a while ago that you've been craving pancakes, so I thought today would be the perfect day for that."

you can almost feel your pupils dilate when he says that. your heart beats faster and you feel warm all over (again). he remembered something like that? you don't even remember saying it, which leads you to believe that he's been storing it in his mind for a while now.

you scarf down the pancakes.

they're not good by any means, but you know they were made with love and that makes them the best damn pancakes you've ever tasted. you'd rather endure a the worst stomach ache imaginable than make this man sad.

his eyes widen. "woah! you must've been really hungry, do you want me to make you more? as many as you want, just give me a number!"

you tear up a bit, from affection for him or a reaction to the pancakes, you're not sure. "no, baby, these were perfect. do you want some coffee?"

he nods his head. "I wouldn't mind one if you're offering."

you kiss his cheek and move over to the coffee machine, still overflowing with love, but the taste of the charred breakfast lingers on your tongue. as you're grabbing a mug, you casually ask "hey baby? would you ever want to take a cooking class with me?"

I lowkey hate how it turned out, but not enough to keep it in the drafts. hope you enjoyed!!

[plounce]

rob plounce's ffxiv fic reclist

this will update as i continue to find stuff i enjoy. (it also exists as a page on my desktop blog!)

disclaimer: this is just stuff i’ve read that i’ve enjoyed! i have my own favorite characters and pairings, so my reclist skews heavily towards those. i’m not super into in wolshipping, so there won’t be much of that, sorry! i have not read everything in every pairing and character tag, so don’t take this as a comprehensive guide. these are just things that i liked and think are worth reading.

fics are noted with wordcount, pairing (or as gen), and rating (e = explicit). * means it's been recently added to the list.

spoilers ahoy!

scions

flight of an anorak (17k+, G) gen - urianger childhood backstory fic with transfem urianger! incredibly well-characterized urianger narration. breaks my heart (due to Baby Sadness) and brings a smile to my face (due to Baby Joy) with every update.

lost and found (8.8k, T). gen, light moenuri - you know how moenbryda’s parents basically adopted urianger after they basically abandoned him? this fic is about that. also urianger autism :)

while eating (2.2k, G) gen - more baby autistic urianger with bastard parents. sob. at least moenbryda’s parents are there.

foster (1k, G) gen - pre-canon, thancred overhears fourchenault and louisoix talking about him.

second impression (4.8k, T) gen - fourchenault is a bit more of a classist bastard than in canon and is a dick to thancred, but gets past it. mostly. thancred does his best.

the stars in their abundance (2.7k, T) gen - pre-canon from the perspective of g'raha’s mom in corvos!

cross (1.1k, G) gen - minfilia and thancred clean up the mess of thancred’s possession.

your song, carried onwards (4.9k, G) gen - thancred’s rescue of alisaie from the WoD in the hvw patches.

a stranger in the woods (4.3k, E) thancred/marcechamp - you know, the guy from tailfeather in heavensward? they hook up. thancred gets taken care of.

dust in your eyes (8.8k, T). background ships include wolchefant, wolcred, and haurchefant/urianger, but is mostly about thancred being a sad bastard who is always too slow, too late, and trying to be his best self but not totally succeeding. and haurchefant being a great guy. good character stuff.

how massive is the spirit in us (2.2k, G) gen - ryne character introspection… makes my heart hurt.

testing the waters (1.8k, G) gen - thancred teaches ryne to swim.

the shimmering light (2k, G) gen, light thanuri - urianger settling into the bookman’s shelves. fun il mheg worldbuilding.

almost crystal, almost ascian (10k, T) gen - minfilia and the exarch meet up a few times over the course of a century. their parallelisms. the horror of being “minfilia.”

off the hook, provisionally (974, G) gen - y'shtola talks to the exarch in the wake of 5.0 about his deception.

among the shelves (5k, G). gen - the twins and ryne hang out and talk about the other scions.

portentous news (842, G) gen - urianger’s first morning on the moon in the middle of endwalker.

adventures in unlikely friendship (23k, T) gen - wol+cred friendship! i really like these. the bozja one is delightful. passively-suicidal bestiessss

void parsley sojourn (4k, T) gen, light thanuri - urianger hotboxes the rising stones. very charming depiction of urianger as a weed nerd. makes me laugh and smile every time i read it!

there is (maybe) an ascian among us (11k, T) gen, minor side pairings - post-endwalker, the scions try to get to the bottom of a conspiracy about thancred, who just wants to grill for gods sake! comedy.

two scions walks into a bar… (26k, T) gen, but eventually thanuri - a series where the author intended to just analyze and write about thancred & urianger’s relationship as gen, but then slid into shipping lmao. covers ARR-early STB with a bit of post-SHB. great character work for both of them!

respite, despite (25k, T) thanuri - urianger pining from pre-5.0 to the close of endwalker… good pining, good urianger misery, good romance. wagh!

erasing all the lines in the sand (30k, E) thanuri - mutual pining, miscommunication, coparenting! bookman’s shelves fic.

(in parantheses) (9.9k, M) thanuri - thancred's rescuing of minfilia, time in the first, and the mental stress that emet-selch gives him due to ascian trauma during shadowbringers. also getting together with urianger.

sleepy-eyed soldier (4.6k, M) thanuri - elidibus puppetting ardbert's body brings thancred’s ptsd over having his body used by lahabrea roaring back to the surface in the form of nightmares and hypervigilance. (mind the CWs)

trouble in paradise (2.3k, E) thanuri - transfem urianger!!!! :D :D :D great kind-of-an-asshole thancred character work. hurting each other but trying to fix it.

sole conundrum (412, G) thanuri - pre-edw garlemald scouting mission. urianger autism :D

three of swords reversed (3.2k, T) thanuri, moenuri - urianger dealing with grief over moenbryda and thancred in the later half of endwalker.

another sunrise (5.8k, T) thanuri - post-edw wanderings - urianger deals with a mystery, sudden solitude, and a crisis of doubt! ends happily.

take root in this barren soil (and grow back stronger) (7.4k, E) thanuri - thancred shares what the training regimen of a sharlayan spy entails, not expecting urianger to react so strongly.

to wander is a dream (46k, M) thanuri - post-edw. i don’t tend to enjoy hanahaki fics but this fic is so so so good. thancred being an emotionally stunted asshole, urianger being the world’s most beautiful martyr (for better or for worse), lots of fae stuff, both of them struggling to not be repressed.

why do we forbear? (9.3k, E) thanuri - modern au fake dating, which would usually not appeal to me but this one’s real cute. (currently unfinished)

to care for those we love (11k, T) ryne and her parents, thanuri - ryne drags thancred to the bookman’s shelves and does her best to administer first aid in urianger’s absence. each chapter is from one of the trio’s pov - i’m usually not super into 1st person, but this fic uses it really effectively in imparting each character’s mindset. it’s very sweet!

*to care for those we love (11k, T) waters family, thanuri - ryne drags thancred to the bookman’s shelves and does her best to administer first aid in urianger’s absence. each chapter is from one of the trio’s pov - i’m usually not super into 1st person, but this fic uses it really effectively in imparting each character’s mindset. it’s very sweet!

*an ordeal, shared (6.1k, T) waters family + minor rynegaia & thanuri - canon divergent au where FRU happened and ryne was possessed by mitron. ryne deals with the psychological aftereffects of possession, and she and thancred go on a camping trip.

*waters of thanalan (78k, M) wolcred + thanuri + wolgraha - thancred accompanies a miqo wol back home to visit his family after endwalker. probably THE BEST thancred characterization ive ever read, bar none. just a great perspective on his neuroses and flaws and how unreliable a narrator he can be. great seeker worldbuilding as well. (also, transfem urianger!!)

ancients

on call (2.5k, T) hythades - emet-selch goes out of town, and hyth is asked to step in for a soul-seeing duty. and he futzes with emet-selch’s office.

mail run (840, G) hythades - “A young archival intern keeps finding completely legitimate reasons to do all the deliveries to a very specific Bureau of the Architect clerk. For no reason at all.” young love!

as stars to a sky (1.8k, T) hythades - little vignettes about life in the pre-sundered world.

the seat of destruction (13k, M) hythades - canon-divergent au where hythlodaeus is the one to take the seat of emet-selch, and the sundering still happens. my favorite ascian!hyth work.

affective memory (9.3k, T) hythades - pov from the shade of hythlodaeus as he wanders around emet-selch’s reconstructed amaurot.

for good health and opportunity (14k, T) pre-emetexarch - emet-selch visits the crystal exarch numerous times over the course of a century. frenemies!

*sonnet 116 (6.3k, T/M) hythazem + hythades + venazem - dysfunction junction in the ancient world. divorce abounds. kind of gave me emet-selch advanced misogyny brainworms. transfem hyth!

other characters

“nero tol scaeva did nothing wrong”… (5k, G) gen - a bunch of job npcs try to arrest nero for driving without a license. goes about as well as you might think.

biohazard (1.1k, G) gen - nero hates valens’ ass. not because he has “morals” or anything he just thinks valens is a dogshit project manager.

left in the dust (3.9k, T?) cidnero - ARR nero finds amnesiac marques working in the lichyard. miserable little man.

adrift in memory’s fog (16k, T) cidnero - cid’s frequent bouts of amnesia have led to a patchy memory - enough where he forgets that he and nero were betrothed as teenagers. (trans cid!)

the troubled envoy (1.3k, T) gen - maxima’s diary entries during the stormblood patches, including his thoughts on his weird boss.

the last abandonment (1.9k, M) gen - maxima wanders the ruins of garlemald and reflects on his time in the garlean left. by the same author as above - i really rec all their maxima fics.

this cathedral where your face stains the windows (2k, G) ysayle/igeyrohm - “Someone had to teach Ysayle summoning.” great ysayle heresy stuff + toxic yuri.

this blessed day (80k, M) gen - lucia’s journey from a captured garlean spy to aymeric’s right hand. lucia……

cadavre exquis (6.4k, T) gen - emmanellain helps pack up haurchefant’s things at camp dragonhead ft ishgardian homophobia and an underground queer zine scene.

the lantern jar (19k, T) cirisadu - OH MY GODDDDDDDDDDD. this fic is so good. cirina and sadu growing close. lots of development of steppe spiritual traditions and beliefs.

duet (13k, T) estivrtra - estinien encourages vrtra to live more fully as a dragon. cool dragon stuff.

a view of you (14k, M) estivrtra - estinien gets fatally wounded, and vrtra keeps him alive via a great sacrifice (sadly unfinished, but what’s there is a great read)

veteran advisor (15k, E) vrtra/estinien/gaius - really great gaius character work here where he and allie are on vacation in radz-at-han, and the impact that has on both of them. but also? it's mostly about big!varshahn getting railed. good for him!

this home wrested forth (2.5k, T) gen - sidurgu from DRK quests and alaqa from WHM quests meet up and deal with some gridanian wrongdoing.

a fervent desire (111k+, E) sanson/guydelot - an incredibly in-depth retelling of the BRD quests. great work developing these characters and giving them really in-depth motivations!

and love you shall find (9.8k, E) sanson/guydelot - BRD quests, but what if sanson journals as an accommodation for short-term memory loss?

there are also... my own ffxiv fics. if you so choose to peruse.

[yanderes-galore]

YESSS REQUESTS ARE OPEN AMD YESS you're doing Lego monkie kid!!! Can I ask for a Syntax with your prompts 20, 15 and 58

Sure, pardon me if I struggle a bit. Syntax has, at max, six minutes of screen time and the most characterization I got was nerdy henchman that was all bark no bite.

Yandere! Syntax Prompts 20, 15, 58

"I've been waiting too long for this...."

"Please smile for me... don't make me force you...."

"One more mistake and I may just break something."

Pairing: Romantic

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Manipulation, Possessive behavior, Sadism, Isolation, Implied experimentation, Stalking, Delusional behavior, Forced kiss, Makeout scene, Drugging, Forced "relationship".

"Didn't think it would be that potent...."

Your head pulses when you wake up. Your vision is blurred as you look around your surroundings. Or, at least, you try to... but your vision is awfully smeared.

Your lack of sight forces you to rely on other senses. The area gives off a damp chemical smell, cold air making your skin shiver. Not only that... but you felt a silky substance bind you. Hesitantly, you pull at your arms.

Your arms don't come loose... In fact you begin to realize you're entirely bound.

"You waking up, I see?" A voice asks you, a certain presence stepping closer. You blink a few times, trying to see...

Only to feel your heart pound as you see a... "man" in front of you? He has piercing green eyes that seem to observe your every move and unnatural purple skin. Not only that... but a grin revealing sharp fangs.

"Yeah... Looks like I didn't use the correct dosage in that Spider Drone..." The man scoffs, looking you over with an annoyed expression. "You were out way longer than I expected...."

As your senses come to you, you begin to realize you're underground. Green lights assault your eyes, yet illuminate the fact you're hindered by webs. You glance back at the man watching you...

Just what is he?

"I've been waiting too long for this...." The man hums, leaning beside the web that holds you. Green monitors behind him showcase what seems to be camera footage that's paused. It's as if he was watching it while waiting for you to wake up...

What's even worse is it's you on the screens.

"Noticed, have you?" The man chirps, watching your frightened gaze with glee. "You've been on my mind for months, dear... It took forever to plan your capture."

"Who are you?" You shakily ask, trying to stay calm, but the man seems to notice it anyways.

"Oh, silly me... I forgot you don't recognize me." Syntax smiles, seeming to enjoy your anxiety. "My name is Syntax... Henchman of the Spider Queen... and your new love once you settle in."

"Excuse me?" You glare, making Syntax sigh wistfully.

"Poor you, all confused... It's adorable, really... You don't remember me, do you?" Syntax hums, green eyes trained on you. "You don't remember Syntax? Your coworker?"

It's then it clicks... You vaguely remember Syntax. He was never a people person, always focused on his work. However...

You do recall his strange fascination over you whenever you helped his studies.

"Remember now, love? I know I may be different now... but I'm finally being recognized for my research." Syntax purrs, leaning close. You hear clicking on the floor... now noticing robotic legs activate behind Syntax's back.

"Yet... I could never quite forget you. I've waited for the perfect moment to meet again... watching your every move and project..." Syntax prattles on before leaning over you, looking at you like you're some sort of experiment.

"I want you to join me. I have perfected the Spider Queen's venom and she said, if you behave, she'll let me have you. You'll thrive here... with me." Syntax coos, reaching to touch your cheek.

Only for you to nip him, causing Syntax to hiss.

"You little—!" Syntax snarls, glaring at you. You spit at the taste of his blood. Even that tastes like chemicals... just like how he smells.

"I will not be joining you, you're a creep. Always have been!" You bark, making Syntax narrow his gaze.

"One more mistake and I may just break something." Syntax threats, a metallic claw shooting up to sit on your leg. "Could always fix ya up something new... if you insist on being problematic."

It's then you force yourself to stay quiet, making Syntax smile triumphantly. You feel him retract the robotic claw threatening to crush you. Only for him to caress your cheek with a clawed hand.

"Good... That's the obedience I'm looking for, love. Makes things so much easier...." Syntax purrs with a chuckle, looking you over in your bound state. "You'll make a good Spider Demon yet... perfect for the queen."

"You're joking...." You whisper.

"Would I really? My dear... You're already in the lair and I have you all to myself... I promise the process won't be too painful... Afterwards, you're all mine." Syntax hums, green gaze sinister once he looks at your lips.

"You should smile more, dear... I've always loved your smile...." Syntax coos.

"Go to Hell." You growl, only for Syntax to scoff.

"So stubborn..." Syntax grumbles before leaning closer to your face. "Please just smile for me... don't make me force you... It would be so easy to do."

As Syntax prods at your face, you grimace. He looks at you expectantly, if not mildly annoyed. Reluctantly, you sigh, forcing yourself to give Syntax a smile...

Only for him to lean in closer and kiss you.

You grimace when you feel his lips on yours. It feels like his mouth is poison as he sucks on your tongue. You aggressively pull back, making Syntax push forward more.

The kiss goes on longer than you'd like. By the time Syntax pulls away, panting and smiling like his dream came true, you want to vomit. A breathless chuckle comes from Syntax as he watches your flushed face, your disgust shining back at him.

"It feels... euphoric to have you as my own, y'know that?" Syntax chuckles, before backing off to get a syringe. Your eyes shoot open, seeing a green serum in the glass.

"I think it's about time we get started with your... integration." Syntax hums, preparing the syringe of what seems to be venom.

You struggle against your binds, yet Syntax wraps a claw around your neck. You freeze, seeing the dark gaze in his eyes before he hovers the needle above your arm.

"Don't cry or struggle too much... It will all be over soon." Syntax huffs, the needle grazing your skin.

"Can't wait to truly call you mine."

[ptn-imagines]

I bloody hope you aren't overwhelmed with numerous requests yet (please take care of yourself and rest well!) but may I please request a one shot telling how Adela wants to help her beloved (female sinner as well) get rid of her unpleasant remembrances via a haircut but the sinner refuses to cut her hair as it now holds the most precious and charming memories as well – the ones about Adela? Thank you very much in advance.

Here you go, anon! This is my very first imagine for this blog, so I hope it was worth the wait! I feel like I fell off towards the end, but eh... You know what they say about being your own worst critic.

THE PRICE OF FORSAKEN MEMORIES [ sinner reader x adela ]

rating. teen and up audiences cws. depictions of ptsd and disassociation, implicit hallucinations (visual and audible) word count. 1,683 words.

Mania, among those afflicted, was primarily characterized by the suffering it wrought. Blood, sweat and tears; these were the things that the illness seemed to feed on, the things it was most skilled at drawing out. Mania would bleed a person's heart dry, and then, and only then, would it allow the withered husk left behind to depart from the world. It was a brutal and sadistic inevitability, and even Sinners knew they simply had more time than the rest. Still, amid all the misery and pain, there were good days; days where the Mania was quiet, and the afflicted could play at being “normal.” Healthy. Uninfected. Something other than the refuse of society.

Today, for you, was not one of those days.

You'd buried yourself underneath every duvet you owned to stave off the frigid chill that seeped into your bones. Now, your skin sweltered, drops of sweat pouring down your forehead; and yet, your teeth continued to chatter as shivers wracked your body, fragile in a way known only to the Mania-ridden.

You could feel your blood sprinting through your veins like it had places to be, your treacherous heart spurred into an overtime frenzy. Reason and past experience told you you weren't going to die here – but oh, it certainly felt as though the last grain of sand in the hourglass had fallen for you.

At least I'm not coughing blood this time. A macabre musing that claws its way to the surface of the muck. It carves a smile onto your lips, half-delirious with pain as you are.

You keep your eyes shut. Nothing can muffle the whispers, then the shouts and the screams – but you can blind yourself to the hazy shadows that lurk in the corners, turn your back to the memories that vie for you to bring them to life. No. Not today.

Your body shudders. A cough spills from your throat. If you spoke, would you know your own voice? Nightmares thread with reality as you lay there, a prisoner with no chains, shackled to that day, both your origin and your ending.

A bell rings through the apartment, sharp enough to cut through the empty haze. A bell, a bell, what did it mean again? Your mind struggles under the weight of your half-buried past as Mania tries to claw you back into its wretched grasp. A bell…

Adela. The thought is a lantern shining through the oppressive gloom. Your eyes snap open, the specters fleeing from the light she has brought to the tiny apartment. Your heart still beats to an uneven tempo, but it's no longer the sickness making you dizzy.

“Dearest, are you in here?” Her voice, sweet and silvery like birdsong, is muffled, but you can hear her footsteps approach. You're still too weak to get up, so you wait, a little smile on your lips. It's been a long day. You can't wait to see her.

The door creaks open – you were supposed to call someone about that, weren't you? – and Adela's beautiful face peers into the bedroom. You offer her a little wave, and she breaks out into a radiant smile.

At least, until she notices your ashen-faced features; her smile melts into a worried frown, and she's at your side in a moment. She feels your forehead for a temperature, fretting like a mother hen. She always does this. It never gets any less adorable.

“Are you alright, dear?” she worries, scanning you for obvious signs of malady. “You have a fever… Are you sick?”

You giggle a bit despite how it scrapes at your raw throat, leaning into her tender touch. You are sick, but not in the way she means. “Just a bad day,” you whisper, reaching to intertwine your fingers, and you see the moment realization dawns on her. Of course, she knows; she's a Sinner too, after all. She cannot remember what trauma triggered her change like you can, but Mania finds its ways to torment her even so.

“Oh, my beloved…” Adela's free hand goes to your cheek, gently caressing your face. “I'm sorry. I should have been here.” She's always like this; always blaming herself for things she couldn't possibly control. You don't think you'll ever change this about her, not for lack of trying.

Still, you don't want to let her dwell on it, so you shake your head, rasping a reply: “You're here now, ‘dela. That's… what matters most to me.” You give her the best smile you can, comforting her in the only way you currently know how.

Adela blinks a few times, as though she's surprised you're not blaming her. She probably is; the silly woman takes so much of others’ burdens onto her own shoulders that she's forgotten what it's like not to be responsible for somebody else's woes. “...Thank you, dearest,” she finally manages to say, giving your hand a little squeeze. “Still, forgive my saying this, but you look truly awful. How can I help?”

Your eyes flutter close as you let out a considering hum. “Tea. Then cuddles.”

A few minutes later, you're sipping at a cup of Adela's special tea blend while sitting in your girlfriend's lap. Her hands stroke through your hair, so gentle and kind, and her warmth combined with the sweet and delicate aroma of the drink banishes the darkness that yet lingers. A contented silence settles over the pair of you, basking in the safety and adoration of one another.

…No, not quite contented. Something's on Adela's mind; you can tell by the way her hands occasionally pause before resuming their stroking. You think about asking her about it, but she beats you to it; a gentle sigh passes her lips, and she speaks.

“It was a very bad day for you, wasn't it?” she asks quietly. You glance at the mirror on the wall and see that Adela is fixated on a particular spot on your back. You can imagine what she's seeing, even if it's only in her mind; tresses of twisted, mangy hair spilling over your shoulders, the embodiment of your stress and your anxiety. You wonder how long it is after today.

You can't deny it, so you give an affirmative hum. Adela leans forward to slowly rest against your back, eyes meeting yours in the mirror as she rubs gentle circles into your shoulders. It's a blissful sensation, and only the prospect of the upcoming conversation keeps you present in the moment.

“I don't know why you don't let me cut it away, my love,” she whispers, her breath tickling your ear. You don't remember quite exactly how you found out about Mad Shears; you suspect Adela tampered with those memories. Nevertheless, you'd remembered enough to find your way back to the hairdresser, even after she fled to another neighborhood. She'd been shocked, but… that was years ago now, and you didn't like to think of it much. It had led to a beautiful love blossoming between the two of you, and that's all you cared to dwell on. 

“You're in so much pain,” Adela continues, and you remain silent, trying to gather together the words to say. Adela takes that as a cue to keep talking. “I could fix it all for you. Dearest, why won't you let me help you?”

You sit up properly, and do your best to ignore the twinge of your heart at Adela's little disappointed sigh. “My pain… It's not just tied to the day I became a Sinner, is it?” you answer, your eyes never leaving those of your most beloved in the mirror. “It's entrenched in my Mania. You'd have to wipe my memory completely to erase it, and even then, there's a chance traces of it could linger, right?”

Adela was silent for a moment, hesitant in the face of the flaws in her ability. Her eyes lowered, gaze once again falling your hallucinatory locks of hair; by the way her fingers twisted around nothing, she was fruitlessly attempting to comb out the mess of worries. “But you'd still feel much better than you do now,” she murmured. “Isn't it worth a try?”

“It's a short-term solution to a long-term problem, Adela.” You finally turned around to face your girlfriend properly; her shocked gaze lifted up to your face, and you reached out to stroke her cheeks, smiling. “Besides, even if I was happier for a little bit… I'd eventually just end up even more miserable. Do you know why?”

Adela is silent for a long while, her gaze on you feeling like flames licking your skin. Eventually, ever so slowly, she shakes her head, looking lost. “I don't know. Please tell me.”

“Because… I'd be losing you, the person I love more than anyone or anything.” Adela's eyes widen with shock; even though you feel this should be plain to see, it's clear that such an answer hadn't ever crossed her mind. “Adela, my love, you're the reason I ultimately get up each morning; you're why I haven't curled up and died yet. Without you… I'd be swallowed by my Mania sooner or later, memories or no.”

The other Sinner stared at you as though she was seeing you in a whole new light. Wonder was the one word to describe her expression. Eventually, she shook herself out of it, features curling into the heartfelt smile you adored so much. “I can't say I understand, but… I do trust you. When you say these things… I can't help but feel they must be true.”

“That's good enough for me.” You hold out your arms, and Adela melts into them. She's deceptively strong, but right now, with her body curled against yours, she reminds you of a weak and fragile baby animal. You hold her closer. “You don't have to understand, love. As long as you don't go all Mad Shears on me in my sleep.”

It's a joke, and Adela must know it, judging by the light giggle she lets out. Still, her reply, almost inaudible, is in earnest.

“I promise, my dearest.”

[vilevenom]

I took a break from writing for a bit, and now I'm dipping my toes into the Sonic fandom. This is essentially just a quick little thing I wrote to try and get a bit of a handle on how I'd like to characterize them. P.S - I wrote it mostly on a whim, and a little bit while recovering from a migraine, soooo...yeah. No Ray of Sunlight's Ever Lost Fandom: Sonic the Hedgehog (no specific media) Pairing: Gen, Sonic/Shadow Summary: The idea of Shadow getting injured wasn't new to Sonic. But the possibility of him dying was certainly new A.K.A: These boys are emotionally constipated Warning: Descriptions of blood/injury

Blue had always been a color that brought Shadow great comfort. His memories were clouded and distorted on the best of days, but he could vividly recall the light blue dress that Maria wore as frequently as she could get away with. He remembered how soft the fabric had been as he clutched at it while Maria held him tight after an especially harrowing battery of tests, and how warm he'd felt in her embrace as she scooped him into her lap to read from her favorite book on sleepless nights.

Later, when that sweet cornflower blue became tainted with red, a different shade would emerge into his life. A stark, vivid cobalt that would enrage and taunt him at first, only to later bloom into an odd sort of warmth in his chest. It was a constant that Shadow could count on, no matter how dire the situation seemed to be. That bright blue would appear and set everything to rights with a razer sharp grin and a handful of quippy remarks.

He never truly realized just how much he'd come to value it until it was, perhaps, a bit too late.

~

As long as Sonic had known Shadow they had fought against and with one another. Even if the later was often quite begrudging on the hybrids part. It was something Sonic never meant to take for granted, really, but when push came to shove, he knew Shadow would be at his side, if the situation called for it. He knew as dour and irritable as Shadow could be, there was a heart of gold buried somewhere in his chest. After all, the chaos loved him, and he'd seen how he acted around Cream.

So, when Robotnik had attacked, and Sonic was on the ropes, he'd only grinned as a familiar steak of black and red flashed across the battlefield towards him.

"Took you long enough to get here, slow poke," Sonic teased as Shadow came to a stop next to him, his quills already bristled and a scowl on his face.

"Some of us have red tape to cut before they can take action, faker," Shadow snarked back, folding his arms over his chest as Sonic snorted a laugh at him.

"That's your own fault for working for G.U.N," Sonic said with a shrug.

"I don't have time to have such a childish argument with you again," Shadow grunted, taking off without a backward glance. He took down a badnik with, perhaps, a bit more force than strictly necessary as he went, which caused Sonic to laugh.

"Ah, Shadow, So easy to rile up," Sonic muttered to himself, before following in his self proclaimed rivals wake.

The battle went on as such for longer than Sonic would have liked, but with Shadow and his friends helping to beat back Eggman's forces, it was obvious that the tide of battle was quickly shifting and coming to an end. Unfortunately, that was usually when Robotnik lashed out in one last, desperate attempt to flip the fight back in his favor. Sonic knew this, it was how all their battles tended to go. He should have been paying better attention. He should have been looking in the other direction. He should have heard Tails shout. There were so many things, looking back, that Sonic truly wished he'd done to change the way the last moments of their skirmish had played out.

He'd been grinning at Amy as she smashed her hammer into a badnik, taking a brief moment to catch his breath, figuring his friends could handle themselves and the last few bots scattered around. His ear had twitched in Tails' direction as he caught his brother yelling something, but he didn't turn to see what it was as his attention was caught by the sudden look of horror on Amy's face. He opened his mouth to ask her what was wrong, only to grunt as something slammed into his side, sending him flying from his perch atop a downed badnik and into the dirt. Finally, he turned his head to shout at whoever had pushed him, only to be met with a sight that would be burned into his mind eye, seeing it in vivid detail every time he closed his eyes for quite some time.

Shadow stood where Sonic once was, eyes wide as he stared down at the blue hedgehog. A choking little wheeze escaped his lips as time seemed to freeze as Sonic's mind caught up to what he was seeing. The metallic glint of silver was protruding from Shadow's chest where it ought not be, and thick rivulets of blood were oozing from the spot where the blade met Shadows fur. A stunned look of surprise was on Shadow's face, as if he couldn't quite fathom what had just happened.

As quickly as it occurred the moment was suddenly over, as Shadow was jerked backwards through the air, the blade sticking out of his chest attached to a chain that was being retracted by the robot wielding it. A scream that would haunt Sonic in his sleep ripped through the air as Shadow collided with the robot holding the blade, the impact inevitably driving it deeper through his chest.

By the time Sonic had shaken himself from his stupor and scrambled back up onto his feet, Robotnik had fled, Knuckles had crushed the robot that had skewered Shadow, and Rouge was gently lowering the hybrid to the ground with the blade very much still protruding from his chest.

Sonic rushed to Shadow and Rouge once he'd spotted them, Tails and Amy quick to follow, as both had witnessed what had happened. He skidded to his knees next to his fallen friend, Shadow hiccupping little breaths of air, foamy bubbles of blood trickling from his lips with each labored half-breath he managed.

"Take the blade out," Sonic said in a panic, reaching for the tip of the blade, only to flinch back as Rouge slapped his hand away.

"You want to watch him bleed out right here!?" she snapped, holding Shadow protectively close while being mindful of the blade. "It's got to stay put until we can get him to a doctor."

"Shouldn't his restorative powers keep that from happening?" Tails asked, fidgeting next to Sonic. "We've seen him heal from similar wounds."

"None that were straight through like this," Rouge grumbled, her ears perking up as she noticed Omega finally making his way across the battlefield towards them. "This is bigger and deeper than anything I've seen him deal with, and I am not gonna risk losing him just so Blue doesn't have a melt down."

When Omega halted next to the little group, Rouge had Knuckles help to settle the injured hybrid in the robots arms so he could be carried back to, assumedly, G.U.N headquarters. "We'll get you all fixed up, sugar, don't you fret," Rouge quietly assured Shadow, who looked dazed as he continued to struggle with getting air into his lungs and they began their trek back towards the city.

Meanwhile, Rouge's words to Sonic rattled around in his head. What did she mean by 'lose him'? Shadow would be fine. He was "ageless", after all. Didn't that mean he was practically immortal?

"I mean…Ageless just means he won't age. I don't think that means he can't die," Tails murmured next to him, Sonic jerked in surprise at his brothers voice. He hadn't meant to say any of that out loud. "He has an amazing capacity for healing, but Rouge had a point. If a wound is bad enough, and he doesn't have medical attention fast enough…well…" Tails trailed off, looking uncomfortable even as he spoke.

"I don't think that was as comforting as you thought it was, Tails," Knuckles snorted, folding his arms over his chest as the fox kit turned to look down at his brother with a wince.

"That's not to say he won't heal! They'll probably get him back to G.U.N in plenty of time, and with some surgery, I'm sure he'll be just fine!" Tails was quick to try and reassure, waving his hands through the air.

Sonic stared after Team Dark, shakily rising to his feet after a beat. "I'm going with them."

"Sonic," Amy sighed, resting a hand on his shoulder, "You know G.U.N doesn't like it when you show up at their headquarters unannounced. Rouge and Omega have Shadow. He'll be okay."

Sonic shrugged off Amy's hand, stepping away from her with a short shake of his head. "He's hurt because I wasn't paying enough attention. I need to make sure he's okay."

Before any of his friends could get another word in edge wise, Sonic took off after Team Dark, skidding to a stop and then trotting along next to Omega. Rouge cast him the briefest of glances, but otherwise didn't say anything as they walked with purpose towards a van that Sonic presumed would take them back to G.U.N. He glanced up at Omega, though the robot gave him no mind, before carefully reaching out to gently take Shadow's hand. The hybrid blinked sluggishly at the contact, tilting his head slightly so he could see the blue hedgehog keeping pace with them.

"Hey," Sonic said, forcing a lopsided smile on his lips, and forcing himself not to notice how the white fluff on Shadow's chest was now a vivid red that almost matched his quills, "Thanks for the save. I'm gonna make sure those goons heal you up, okay?"

A quiet little hitch of breath left Shadow, before he managed to make a low humming sound. Sonic's smile became a little less forced as Shadows fingers squeezed around his own.

~

Irritation and anxiety flowed freely through Sonic as he bounced his leg incessantly where he sat outside the room they'd rushed Shadow into. Predictably, they'd tried to keep Sonic from following Team Dark into G.U.N headquarters, but a quick, waspish remark from Rouge and an easy dodge from Sonic kept the blue blur at Shadow's side. It wasn't until a doctor forced Sonic out of the room with comments about sanitation and distractions that Sonic acquiesced to waiting outside.

Eventually, Rouge had Omega steal a couple of chairs from somewhere and the two sat in silence outside the room, Rouge with a book she'd produced from Chaos only knew where, and Sonic anxiously winding himself up.

The thought had never even occurred to him before that Shadow could get hurt enough to die. He'd seen the hybrid get stabbed six ways to Sunday, get beaten unconscious, hell, even falling to earth from orbit hadn't killed him! But now, the very real possibility of losing Shadow was gripping his heart in a way he never thought it would. The very idea that he could be facing a future without dragging the hybrid out of his apartment to race, or watching him zip into battle with a snarky comment shot in his direction was surprisingly paralyzing.

Finally, after what Sonic presumed was hours, as no clocks were to be seen in the hallway they sat in, a doctor exited the room. Sonic shot up from his chair as the door opened, his heart seizing in his chest at the sheer amount of blood on the doctors smock.

"He's stable," the doctor stated bluntly after staring Sonic down for a solid minute, before sauntering off down the hall like they hadn't nearly given the blue hedgehog a heart attack.

He didn't even given Rouge a glance as he rushed through the open door, halting at Shadow's bed side, his hands fluttering uselessly through the air over the hybrid's prone form. He had thought, for a moment, that Shadow was asleep, but was shortly met with a quite groan and red eyes peering up at him in mild irritation at his anxious movements. He did his best to ignore the bandages wrapped around Shadows chest and the seeping red stain slowly tinting them.

"Shadow!" Sonic breathed, "You're awake?"

"Mmm," the hybrid grunted, offering Rouge a small nod as she and Omega made their way into the room, "Can't use anesthesia on me. Metabolism is too fast."

Rouge offered Shadow a glass of water, which the hybrid took with a grateful little hum. As he drank he quirked a curious eyebrow at Sonic, who was simply staring at him with a dumbfounded little expression on his face.

"So you were awake for all that?"

Shadow simply nodded, handing the glass back to Rouge once he was finished.

"How did you not make any noise when they pulled the blade out?" Sonic blurted rather tactlessly, earning a glare from Rouge and a restrained snort of laughter from Shadow.

"I did," he said with a shrug, Rouge sighing next to him with a shake of her head, "All of the rooms in here are sound proof, though."

"Don't give me that look, Blue. You would've blown the door off its hinges if you'd heard him scream," Rouge said rolling her eyes at Sonic's affronted look. "Anyway, sugar, I have a feeling Blue wants to talk with you in private, so I'm gonna go do our paperwork. I'm glad you're okay." She leaned over and pressed a short kiss to Shadow's forehead, earning a disgruntled groan from Shadow.

"You? Doing paperwork? I must have died. There's no way you'd voluntarily do it otherwise," Shadow sniped, earning a light laugh from Rouge.

"I never said it was a free service," Rouge chuckled, blowing Shadow a kiss as she and Omega left the room.

Silence reigned for a beat after Rouge shut the door behind them, before Sonic let out a low whistle.

"So," he started, rocking back and forth on his heels, "You almost died saving me. What's that all about?"

Shadow slowly arched an eyebrow at Sonic, frown prominent on his muzzle. "..Tactful."

"I…Sorry, yeah. That was't-" Sonic cut himself off with a groan, dragging his hands down over his face. "Thank you. For saving me. I…You saved my life."

Shadow simply hummed, offering Sonic a slow nod. "Don't get used to it."

"I don't plan on making it a habit to put myself into that sort of situation."

"Liar."

"…Okay, you got me there," Sonic snorted, dragging a hand absently through his quills. "But…no, look, I…You scared me," he admitted quietly, "It honestly didn't even occur to me until today that you could get so severely hurt. What made you do it?"

Shadow sat silently for a moment, observing Sonic, before he finally shrugged, wincing slightly at the movement. "I moved before my mind could catch up with what I was doing."

"Ah," Sonic nodded, a sardonic little smile on his face, "Hero instincts finally kicked in, huh?"

Shadow frowned, grunting quietly as he shoved himself into somewhat of a sitting position, Sonics hands instinctively fluttering around him once again, obviously unsure as to what he could or should do. "Not hero instinct," Shadow sighed once he was settled back into his pillows, "I didn't want to see you get hurt."

"…You roundhouse kick me almost every time you see me."

"You know exactly what I mean. Don't be difficult."

Sonic let out an almost hysterical little giggle, moving to sit on the edge of the bed with a shake of his head. "I really don't think I do."

Shadow heaved a deep, but obviously difficult sigh, shutting his eyes as he tipped his head back into his pillows. He was silent for a moment, before opening his eyes and directing an intent stare at Sonic. "I've lost people who were important to me. It was an experience I am not eager to repeat."

"…I'm important to you?"

Shadow grunted, rolling his eyes at the slow grin spreading on Sonic's face. "Yes."

"Awww, Shadow!" Sonic cooed, placing his hands over his chest while fluttering his eye lashes at the other.

"Mmm, thank you for trivializing this," Shadow sighed, folding his arms over his chest with a barely perceptible wince.

"Wh-no! That's not what I-guh," Sonic grumbled, rubbing his hands over his face in frustration at himself, "I'm not trying to trivialize it." He fidgeted for a moment, his ears pinning back at the unimpressed stare down he was getting from the hybrid. "…You're important to me, too, Shadow," he finally said after a beat, letting his hands drop into his lap. "For a bit, there, I thought…I thought you were going to die. I thought one stupid mistake on my part was going to mean that I never got to see you again, and I…That's not something I want to think about again."

"Then stop doing stupid things when dealing with Robotnik," Shadow snarked, earning a light laugh from Sonic.

"No promises, but I'll do my best," Sonic hummed, offering his hand to Shadow, who looked momentarily startled by the action. Slowly he unfolded his arms and placed his hand into Sonic's, curling his fingers loosely around the other's palm.

"I'll hold you to that."

"Wouldn't expect anything less."

[ghouldtime]

Does he want kids? If so how would he react finding out his partner is pregnant amd maybe coming home after a deployment to his partner feeding their baby and smiling at him trying to say Dada or something?

Sorry it's self indulgent, having a rough day and just in dire need of some fluffy happy König

Salutations, anon! I hope your day gets better soon 💚

I'm so so sorry but I don't write anything related to pregnancy or kids. Flat out, that's just not something I can do - that's just one of my personal deals I'll never be comfortable with and isn't my focus 😭💚 Feel free to request something else!! I'll try my best to fulfill

I'm just going on the record to state my König doesn't want kids - that's unrelated to my personal feelings but I'm stating this just so it's known for future reference! It breaks his mom's heart but he's a grown guy with his own individual wants and he knows his limits. He had awful experiences with his peers when he was growing up, he knows how ruthless kids can be. Thinking about having another person possibly go through that makes him shudder and balk - because he knows there's only so much he can do, kids are and have always been ruthless. He would NEVER want to subject anyone to what he experienced and the possibility of yet another kid ending up like him, trauma and all, isn't something he can bare. Plus he's seen the horrors of war and the state of the world first hand, he doesn't want to bring a new life into this. He's also aware he can die at any given moment over there and wouldn't want to subject a child to a fatherless life - plus, he wouldn't be able to physically be there for his spouse a lot of the time. He wouldn't want to miss out on something that significant but, quite frankly, changing to another career or path isn't something he wants. He's found his purpose in his work and is confident in what he's doing and comfortable in his line. Not to mention, he's so far in that even if he DID change careers, he'd still he a wanted man and a potential target and that's not going away. He wouldn't think it's fair to add a child to the mix when there's already so many complications as is

He's still a great, loving partner but he doesn't want to be a dad or father. The most he can do would be animals - those he loves. The only kids you'll get out of him are the goat kind 😭 which are absolutely amazing btw. He will build a goat jungle gym, he's leash training them, he WILL take those goats on walks and will knit them hats so their ears don't get cold in the winter

I'm sorry if I seem like a negative Nancy for all of these but sadly he doesn't fit a lot of what people request. I have an ultra specific characterization of him and am trying to stick to that. I know a lot probably want indulgent dad!König but that's just not something I see happening with all of what he's been through and his line of work. Its never anything personal when I turn these down or explain why he's not like that! I do love how many people love him and want to send in their requests and thoughts. You're all so so very sweet and I'm grateful you're here 💚💚! It's just he can't fit everything and I try to stick to how I characterize him over anything else to stay true to how I see his vibe so I can keep portraying him in the light I feel he shines in

[thesecretplaceofgod]

Overcoming Familiar Spirits - Characteristics and Gateways

In the last entry, I went over what a familiar spirit was, which is so important because we need to first be able to identify WHAT is possessing or oppressing us. In this entry, I will explain their characteristics and the gateways they enter.

RULERS OF THE DARKNESS

Familiar spirits are characterized as "Rulers of the Darkness," which means they thrive in secrecy, dark places, and ignorance (Ephesians 6:12). Now when many of us think of the term Darkness, we think literally... as in a dark room, place, etc. But in the SPIRIT, darkness is the absence of God. Additionally, Darkness is to be in the unknown or to be blind. So, to be ignorant is to be uneducated, and in this case, uneducated in the things of God.

For many of us, learning about the kingdom of darkness is a taboo topic because it's surrounded by fear. But God has not given us the spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7) so that ALONE should let you know who is coming up against you at that moment! Why is fear the first reaction? Why is there an automatic disregard to go deeper? Why do we stay surface-level about the things of the enemy? BECAUSE THE FAMILAR SPIRITS ARE AT WORK TO KEEP US IGNORANT! But if we don't know God's word, we will not be able to catch the sign of the enemy at work.

"Since the enemy of our souls rules in the realm of darkness, the more ignorance we walk in, the more powerful and fortified our adversary can become. In contrast, the more truth we walk in, the more light we walk in, the weaker our enemy's influence in our lives becomes." - Pastor Bridges

Because these familiar spirits are "rulers," we must keep in mind that they are experts in their craft, and their goal isn't just to destroy you but everything attached and connected to you! So, if they can manipulate you, they can cause a domino effect in your friend pool, which then trickles down to friends of a friend and before you know it the community!

TERRITORIAL SPIRITS

Because these spirits are not omnipresent, they are territorial by nature. (Acts 16:16-18) If they could be everywhere at once, there would be no need to cling or be assigned to one person, place, or thing (you see how GOOD God issss?!)

In all transparency, I am from a SMALL community. Literally everyone knows EVERYONE. We are so small that we only have two high schools. But I have never seen a group of people SO creative, talented, and gifted. Our people have SO MUCH potential to be great, but my community suffers from a poverty principality. No business truly thrives, no new establishments stay open long, everyone is divided, and we have cliques. In fact, almost everyone leaves because there is literally nothing there. Why are we suffering with this familiar spirit? Well, it's because of our elected leadership. They have given the enemy authority to rule over our town by making poor decisions, doing illegal contracts and partnerships with businesses that hinder our growth, and themselves not being the light of God in our community.

Because our leadership is ignorant of the things of God and truly not walking in truth, the people in our community suffer. We break the enemy's influence when we:

Recognize the enemy's destructive works and submit to God's word

Bring our sin or ignorance to God (with a heart posture of correction)

Repent and stand upon the deliverance Jesus has provided

We break the enemy's power in our lives (James 4:7)!

"Every time a demonic spirit is cast out or a demonic power is broken, the effects of that demonic power are also broken."

- Pastor Bridges

UNKNOWINGLY INVITING FAMILIAR SPIRITS

I always like to say the enemy just needs a hairline of opportunity to jump. Any time we walk outside of God's truth, we become vulnerable to the thoughts of the enemy. We may leave open the door to their influence due to personal traumas, unforgiveness, bitterness, or false thinking. As soon as you participate in any one of these or the other actions not listed, you become trapped in a type of spiritual debt. To be in debt means to not fully be free because there is "baggage," but God has called us to be free in him. We are called to be seated in heavenly places with him (Ephesians 2:4-9)! If he sent Jesus to die for our sins, why are you stressed about something that was already ordained yours? Why are you beating yourself up about a sin God already forgave? Why are you holding on to unforgiveness when God forgave YOU?

We do these things because our flesh (Ephesians 2:2-3) produces sinful thoughts and emotions that we grasp into (because of the situation), then giving familiar spirits access to download MORE thoughts and emotions of this kind in us. We then believe these things because it sounds like US, it sounds like what we believe already about ourselves or the situation. BUT it is us walking in FLESH and not FAITH.

If we knew the word of GOD, we would know his voice, and the voice of a stranger we would not follow (John 10:4-5). It would almost be like an alarm would go off and make us realize this is not my Father talking to me! But to get to this point, we must WALK in his truth. There is a difference between walking and knowing.

WALKING: is an action

KNOWING: is an ability

People have the ability to know and retain information, but that does not mean they ACT on it. To WALK in truth means to consistently pick up your cross and TRUST in God's word. That means you are actively renewing your mind daily to believe in God's word, which would then affect your actions and how you handle things in your life. Your decision-making changes, your thought process grows, you are more aware of things spiritually and naturally, you trust in God more, you don't lean to your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6), you war in the spirit against the enemy, you fast, you pray, and the list goes onnnnnn.

To walk in God's truth is to be transformed! It's to be alert because we know the enemy prowls around LIKE a lion (1 Peter 5:8). It's to put down flesh and its sinful nature and choose holiness and righteousness. It is to literally adopt God's truths as your very own! We have to get equipped to war against the enemy because his team is equipped to destroy us! Let's not be ignorant but instead, be intelligent in the things of GOD!

[regulusrules]

Hi! Okay so you seem like a very well-read person and I’d love to know if you have a list of your favorite Merlin fics. I just bookmarked all the ones you recommended in relation to the 10 best episodes and now I need more! I’m going on a training camp and would love to have something fairly long to download to my kindle so I can read on flights and when I don’t have data 🥰

Thanks so much in advance!

(Also, I LOVE your writing, I’m so glad to be part of this fandom with talented people like you!)

Hey! Thank you so much for your kind words! OF COURSEE I'd love to recommend you some fics! Likewise— the creativity of this fandom never ceases to amaze me :)

*cracks knuckles and pretends my eyes aren't lighting up rn because my time has finally come*

Long fic recs (50K-100K+)

1. to the world that never let you be by ImperialMint. Look. I'll hand out my own throat so willingly to any scar reveal fic. The trope is just so dear to my heart, and this one in particular was something else. It broadly covered every single feeling you might be looking for in a Merlin fic, and its characterization of both Arthur and Merlin was top tier. I basically sell my soul to any fic that does justice to their characterization, and this one did so much more than that.

2. What I'd Have Done by @flight-of-fantasy. I solemnly swear you will never read something like this fic. I read it in one day from how on edge I was all the time. I had to recount it to my friends in the timespan of three hours because of how much screaming and dramatic pauses there was. Simply, the brilliance of plot here is unmatched. Arthur's characterization as a strategist shook my innards, and Merlin's unapologetic nature was chef's kiss. It's so hard not to give away the plot while recommending this so just.. just read it.

3. Redemption by flakedice, Zerda. Soon, you will find a parallel post to the best 10 episodes with the worst 10, featuring first and foremost The Disir. Honest to God, I could literally go on ages ranting about how much agony this episode brought me. It was the blow that awoke my eyes to the possibility of fuck, this show isn't going to end well. I once thought about shitting on that episode like I did with 5×13 in My heart is readily yours, but fics like these hold me back because they already gave us everything. It gave us the ending we deserved. Gold. Everything in this was gold. The world building, the character development, the fact that Arthur has been given time. Truly a fix-it that fix-ed my heart.

4. Talking about deviations from The Fucking Disir, The World I Built for You by Fulgance is a must. It was the first fic I've read from the How They Didn't Find Out (magic reveal one-shots) series, and from then on I was * s o l d *. Whichever fic you decide to read from this, I guarantee you, you will have the time of your life. Fulgance is the one author I will always recommend without a shadow of a doubt. There is not a single work of theirs that will disappoint you. They will only break you.

5. Deep In My Heart I'm Concealing by @citharaposts. True story about this fic, I squealed when I read its summary. “I'm not standing here as a king, Merlin!” was the quickest catalyst to ever make me start a fic. I specifically wrote a spoiler-free comment for the author and left it in the first chapter so that anyone who's thinking about whether or not to go into yet another 100K fic will rest assured that it's an amazing ride. Have real fun with this one.

6. It Was One Kingdom, Once by queerofthedagger. Two things, if they happen, you leave everything behind and go thank your God for blessing you with it: @queerofthedagger posting a new Merlin fic, and it being a Royal Hanahaki AU. Like so many other tropes the author has nailed, this was the best Hanahaki I've ever read (across fandoms). It's so intricate and detailed and the world building is on another level. If our world was burning and I had only one thing to save, it'll be the works of this author.

Hope I helped, and hope you have so much fun in your camp!◕⁠ᴗ⁠◕

[Short fic recs]

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

please support this blog

🦇 Payback's a Witch Book Review 🦇

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

❓ #QOTD What's something from your family history you're proud of?❓ 🦇 Emmy Harlow is a witch but not a very powerful one—in part because she hasn't been home to the magical town of Thistle Grove in years. When a spellcasting tournament approaches, tradition pulls Emmy back. On her first night home, Emmy runs into Talia Avramov—an all-around badass adept in the darker magical arts—who is fresh off a bad breakup...with the ex that encourages Emmy to leave in the first place. When she learns her best friend had her heart broken by the heir to the most powerful magical family in town as well, the three vow to take their revenge.

💜 Lana Harper's prose is enthralling from the get-go. If you're looking for some truly magical witch lit, this is it! Let's break it down. ⤵ ✨ Characters: Our FMC, though a witch, is human in her desire to break away from the small town she's always known, from a legacy that seems to be holding her back, to chart her own path. The surrounding characters create a cast BRIMMING with possibilities (as evident by the continuation of this series, which follows different couples). I'm also glad the payback plot, nor romance, eclipsed Emmy's character development. ✨ Plot and Pacing: This story is the perfect balance of plot and romance, which keeps the pacing moving forward without an exhausting lull. However, I would have enjoyed seeing more of the magic at play, namely between the competitions. Also, give me a "ladies ban together for revenge against an ex" plots any day. ✨ World-Building: Thistle Grove is, in itself, magic. Harper does a superb job at creating a cozy small town that doesn't RELY on magic to feel magical. I would have loved to learn more about each family's unique magic systems, but I'm sure the rest of the series delves into that. ✨ Romance: From the moment Emmy describes Talia's translucent gray eyes (which make her look like a tundra wolf), the swooning starts. The chemistry between them is palpable yet sweet. Though Talia has a bad-girl exterior, I love her heart of gold and warmth. ✨ Mystery/Suspense: I will say the "mystery" regarding the founding families is a bit obvious. Notetakers and writers have more power than history ever gives them credit for. ✨ Tone/Prose: Harper's prose gives this story its power. Though a light, playful read, the word choice is still detailed and captivating, drawing readers in to explore Thistle Grove and the secrets it keeps.

💙 Unfortunately the story is a little predictable, from Emmy's family secret to the competition. It's Emmy and Talia's fight that bothers me most, though. They both stepped into the relationship knowing neither was willing to change their minds (Emmy about leaving, Talia about staying), without leaving room for a mature conversation on the subject or compromise. The third-act breakup felt juvenile, especially when the resolution is so quick and easy. I also don't love a villain without purpose. The ex-boyfriend is entitled, yes, but what else? His characterization was a little two-dimensional, when there could have been a hint of the pressure he was under from his family to carry the mantel. What about the Blackmoore family's plot to steal business from the other families? There's more there, and I hope the rest of the series delves into it all.

🦇 Recommended to fans of John Tucker Must Die and Practical Magic.

✨ The Vibes ✨ 💜 Queer/Sapphic Rom-Com 🌙 Bisexual FMC 👻 Witch Lit 🍁 Small Town Romance 👻 Paranormal/Fantasy Romance 🌙 Magical Competition 💜 Part of a Series

💬 Quotes ❝ “I’m in, witches. Let’s run amok.” ❞ ❝ I shook my head, not trusting myself to speak. A dazzling smile streaked across her lips like a lightning bolt. ❞ ❝ The girl who embraced darkness, tended and cared for the phantoms that lived within it, while shedding such a scintillating light that it was damn near impossible to look away from her. ❞ ❝ "It’s like you fucked the sass right out of me.” ❞ ❝ “You, Emmeline Harlow,” she said, eyes locked on mine, “are so extremely fucking beautiful it hurts my soul.” ❞

[incorrectbatfam]

Got any Carrie Kelly headcanons? She is such an underrated Robin

For those of you who are new here, Carrie Kelley is technically the third Robin after Jason. She's had a couple of cameos across different universes (like as Damian's acting teacher), but the majority of her appearances are confined to Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns where she is a 13-year-old girl who takes up the Robin mantle herself after an aging Bruce returns to the vigilante scene. Her canon sucks, but since I'm out here butchering the batfam anyway, I might as well revamp her characterization.

In regards to her place in the batfam, I think 13-14 is a good age for her because it helps fill in the gap between Tim/Duke and Damian, plus it adds balance because the rest of the girls skew older and it gives her more room for growth. Also 13 is prime Chaotic Weird Girl age and Carrie would absolutely be one

And I know she was briefly Batgirl in canon but can we also revamp that? There's a Batgirl void that she can totally fill but canon is like unseasoned boiled brussels sprouts. In my mind she's Batgirl but with a better costume, different mindset, and keeps her fun and distinct firecracker slingshot

Every time she goes shopping with Alfred, she comes back with another candlestick. She's up to ten now and they're all sitting in her room, fire hazards waiting to happen

She volunteers to help with the kindergarten and she's really good with kids... when she's not acting like one herself. She comes home after the first day with finger paint all over her face

A carjacker tries to break into the Batmobile and she just walks up to them like "Excuse me that's not yours"

She always keeps the dictionary up on her phone in the unlikely event she needs to prove to someone that contranyms are thing

She knows exactly what certain words mean, but pretends she doesn't and uses them wrong in the family groupchat because she knows Bruce will ask, which forces the other batkids to not only explain what a malewife is, but also correct Carrie by demonstrating how to use it correctly

She remembers every Taylor Swift song by heart and she's not ashamed

"Any pool is a public pool if you have the initiative," she says before selling wristbands for Bruce's pool

She gets the pets their own phones so she and Damian can text them throughout the day

She asks Bruce before taking any money, but the way she frames it is weird. For example, she'll ask him for a hundred bucks to buy some video games because that's the market price only to get them for $20 at a garage sale and spend the rest at on a really expensive burger

She's one of the privileged few to come across a person buying 300 watermelons in real life

Her invitations to hang out are like "Wanna come over? We can watch a movie or clean the Batcave, whatever works"

Damian is the "don't eat meat" type of environmentalist, but Carrie is the "I'll spam you with sad turtle pictures so you'll recycle plastic" type of environmentalist

She stocks up on Teen Spirit deodorant so she can say she smells like Teen Spirit

Her makeup skills are... not good. Jason mistook her for a Joker sidekick

She also snuck into Jason's phone and hid one of his Robin pics in his profile

She clips her nails during Bruce's briefings

Carrie and Duke go to the bookstore and see who can find the most Written By A Male Author book

She drinks water with a dash of olive oil

At galas she wears suit tops with skirts and light-up Sketchers

Carrie also doesn't care too much about gender or pronouns. She has a "she/they" pin on her backpack, but that's only 'cause she found it on a bathroom floor and liked the color

Her favorite nap spot is Bruce's favorite chair. It's a huge plush armchair and she's small enough to pass off as a cushion, so Bruce always has to double-check before sitting down

Carrie can read cues in other relationships, but not her own. After Kon offers to refill Tim's drink she's like "ooh he likes you" but when a kid at school gives her flowers on Valentine's day she's like "I think they were just being friendly"

She's the only Robin not to have dentists ask about broken or missing teeth

At a sleepover, she and a few other kids catfished someone on Hinge using a terrible teacher's picture

Her drawing skills are pretty good (not Damian level though) and one time when Dick was sad she drew him as the Dreamworks crescent moon kid

She's friends with the old lady that shops at Trader Joe's the same time she does every week

She puts all her phone calls on speaker. ALL. OF. THEM

She goes to Canada on a short mission and promises to bring back souvenirs. She brings bagged milk

[cecilysass]

Fic Recommendations: DeadAlive

So I really like post-DeadAlive fics. Not because I’m a big resurrection story fan (Jesus / Osiris stans, no offense) but because I can’t get enough of angst, repressed feelings and baby daddy reveal drama. I am going to post a version of my very own later this week. Meanwhile, I read a lot of these, so I thought I would share some recs. Here are a few of my favorites.

Slow Returns - o666666  You just don’t know how often I reread this. I love it so, so much. This one puts the emphasis on Scully’s trauma, and it’s so angsty, and it’s so sweeeeeet. I tear up every time.

DeadAlive AU - @markwatneyandenesemble I always say I actually think this should probably be called Three Words Canon Divergence or something, but whatever it is, I love it. The premise is two specific changes to canon. When Mulder comes back from the dead: (1) he has memories only to 1996 and (2) Scully isn’t visibly pregnant yet.

Author Skuls seems to feel about about this subgenre like I do, because she seems to have written a lot of post-DeadAlive, and I’m not complaining. Here’s a little DeadAlive Skuls tasting trio:

the smaller odysseys - skuls (@ghostbustermelanieking)  An AU DeadAlive fic in which Doggett convinces Skinner to keep Mulder’s resurrection a secret from Scully for longer. This ends like awwwwwwwww.

ashes and dust - skuls (@ghostbustermelanieking)  A largely canon-compliant DeadAlive / Three Words deep dive.

inches between them - skuls (@ghostbustermelanieking)  Another Skuls fic on this subject, also exceptionally sweet.

Doctor, Copper, Sailer, Corpse - Scarlet Baldy This is a series of first person vignettes from Scully POV. Extremely angsty and a little painful, with a very self-destructive version of Mulder here, but ultimately a hopeful ending. 

Ray of Light - OnlyTheInevitable (@gaycrouton) Honest conversation, then hot pregnancy sex—a Three Words fic we can all get behind. Which I think is actually one of the suggested positions for pregnancy sex.

Words, Words, Words - Circe Invidiosa (@invidiosa ) I’m not much of a Doggett fan, but I love this fic about Doggett breaking things down for Mulder. This is subtly written and moving— a heartbreaking Mulder characterization, in my opinion. home run - kittenscully Another great “Doggett gets involved” fic. Also very moving. Apparently this is how I like my Doggett. The Laws of Coming and Going - Buckingham A gentle Mulder-centric fic focused on his good intentions and slow moves back towards connecting with Scully. Very in-character and sweet. Hour of Lead - DarlaBlack (@sigritandtheelves) This is an excellent read — but watch out for the bleak, tear-out-your-heart ending. It's only painful because it’s canon compliant, so warning: you have to remember what happens with Scully’s longed-for miracle baby in canon. Waaaaah. So much angst. Untitled - @wtfmulder I see you, you wildly touching little drabble. This is set between Three Words and Empedocles, and it’s meant to explain the seeming change in Mulder’s attitude, and why does this make me cry?

What have I missed? Y’all have other post-DeadAlive fics you like? Have you written any? SEND THEM MY WAY.