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happy @trafficteamsupportexchange day! lol this took me a bit but i hope you like it, @onebearo! also, this was betaed by @that-fall-guy :D

Jimmy blinked at the sun beaming into his eyes, throwing an arm over his face to shield them from the light. It must have just struck dawn, as the sun was just barely peeking through the curtains. The man rolled over to find Tango missing from his side of the bed. What was he up to? 

He groaned as he sat up and let the blanket fall into his lap. This was a little late for him to be waking up, but he let it slide before beating himself up about it. They were in the middle of a death game, they can all have some moments to sleep in and be lazy. 

Jimmy finally slunk out of their bed’s warm embrace to go look for Tango, not bothering to make the bed before padding over to the ladder leading downstairs. Luckily, his treasure wasn’t too far. 

Tango stood at the furnace, cooking something based on the smell and the sizzling sounds. As soon as the man heard Jimmy approaching, he was quick to turn and greet him. “Hey, sleepyhead! What’s got you up so late?” He asked with a beam, sharp teeth all on display and tail swishing back and forth lazily, the fiery end sparking slightly. 

Jimmy frowned, quirking an eyebrow up. “Did you even go to sleep last night?” He scanned the dark bags beneath Tango’s eyes, concern building in his chest.

Tango giggled highly, refusing to meet Jimmy’s gaze. He quickly turned back to his task of agitating whatever was in the pan with his wooden spoon. “Nooooo, never! Why would I ever do that?”

“Cause you wanted to make breakfast for me?” Jimmy sighed, leaning forward to wrap his arms around Tango’s waist and rest his chin on his shoulder. “You didn’t have to do this, not if it meant you sacrificing your wellbeing for it.”

The blazeborn shrugged. “Eh, I was wired awake all night anyway. Wouldn’t have been able to sleep even if I wanted to. Besides! I wanted to do something nice for you,” he cooed, nuzzling his face into Jimmy’s cheek. 

Jimmy couldn’t help but chuckle. “You’re too sweet,” he teased, poking a finger into Tango’s side to hear him yelp. 

They squabbled lightheartedly for a bit, Jimmy helping with the pancakes while Tango took over the eggs. Jimmy had a good baseline knowledge of cooking, while Tango insisted that he’d burn water if left unsupervised for too long. The beef bacon he’d started on before Jimmy woke up was already a little on the dark side, but the avian didn’t mind. He was sure it would taste just as good, especially with the pancakes and eggs fried in the bacon fat. 

Breakfast was served not too long after, each taking a healthy serving with the milk Jimmy had gotten from the cows the day before. They ate in mostly comfortable silence, only breaking it to ask how the other had slept, or what they wanted to do for the day, and anything in between. 

Dishes were a bit harder than cooking. Tango couldn’t exactly touch the water, given his blazeborn heritage, so he was shooed off to go start his tasks for the day. They’d decided to split the work of the ranch up between the two of them, Tango getting the chickens, and Jimmy getting the cows. That way, they could meet that evening to tend to the goats together. 

Jimmy cleared the table, putting away their leftovers in the icebox and wrapping the rest up to give to another team. Maybe Scott and Cleo? They’d been the nicest so far, though that bar wasn’t high, and allies were always a dwindling resource. He decided on waiting for Tango for judgement, setting the plate aside for later. 

Checking in on the cows had been a surefire way to cheer Jimmy up, and with his already good mood, it only got a boost. Daisy was always happy to see him as he clambered into the pen, nuzzling up against his arm as he spread out fresh wheat for them to graze on. He wouldn’t admit it to the others, but Daisy was definitely his favorite. 

Next up on his chores list were the crops. Their wheat field wasn’t very big, but it did its job. It gave them enough of a harvest for bread and cow food, but not much else. It didn’t help to have Scar trampling them for his own petty reasons. Jimmy scowled at the memory, elbow deep in the soil as he replanted. Luckily they still had Scar’s horse for leverage.

Jimmy stood up straight, wiping the sweat from his brow and for sure leaving a dirt streak across his face. He placed his hands on his hips, glancing around the empty ranch. Tango would definitely be done with the chickens by now, but he was nowhere to be seen. Jimmy dusted off some of the caked on dirt from his pants, deciding to fill his time with working on the wall while he waited for Tango to get back from wherever he’d wandered off to. 

It didn’t take long for Tango to show up again, arms filled with wheat and a bright smile adorning his face. He caught Jimmy in the midst of laying more stones for the wall, explaining how he’d convinced Ren and BigB to trade with him for some extra crops and seeds to expand their farm with. The seeds were left in the field to be planted another day, while the wheat was taken to the goat pen. 

Jimmy collapsed on the pen’s floor, his fall cushioned by the wheat-covered ground, and let out a heavy sigh. Tango giggled next to him. “Long day, big guy?” he asked, scratching one of the babies between its ears when it butted up against his side.

The avian huffed out a laugh, shifting his wings to get into a more comfortable position. “Tell me about it. I’m exhausted,” he whined, closing his eyes and leaning back against a hay bale. 

A shift next to him said that Tango was joining him on the floor, which was soon confirmed by a head resting against his shoulder. They sat in silence, only the soft sounds of the goats disturbing the peace of dusk. And as they lay there, sweaty, smelly, and bone-tired, Jimmy thought that he couldn’t be happier.

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I drew these 2 pics for the @trafficteamsupportexchange thing!!! On the left we have post session 1 Family Therapy, and on the right we have Ren pledging proper allegiance to the Shadow Queen!!!

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My gift for @sp-ace11 for the @trafficteamsupportexchange

I hope you like my rich bad boys.

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Behold! A pinch hit for @trafficteamsupportexchange's Inkyforg, featuring Ranchers, Team TIES, and platonically married Imp and Skizz in a coffee shop AU!

Caramel Wings on Ao3 : ]

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Hello! this is for @bonthebanana for the @trafficteamsupportexchange I drew the Bamboozlers I hope you like it :-)

[ao3]

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The Pummel Rumble, Idiot!

The Bad Boys stop at a convenience store during their motorcycle road trip, and they encounter a bit of trouble. Full alt text and notes on ao3. Art for Panch_owo for Traffic Team Support Exchange 2025 @trafficteamsupportexchange

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My gift for @sweetietoppartandthoughts for @trafficteamsupportexchange 2025 :D

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My gift to @photonified for the @trafficteamsupportexchange I hope you enjoy :D

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Oh, I forgot to make a post here, but TTSE posting period has opened a little early! Look at the collection on AO3, kudos, and comment to give the works love! You can also like and reblog the posts reblogged here for those who choose to also share on tumblr.

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how to post a work on ao3: a thorough step-by-step guide

Firstly, log in to your archiveofourown.org account. If you don't already have one, sign up for one as soon as possible for it takes about a week to verify you and give you access to an account.

Once logged in, look at the top left corner of your screen. Click the "Post" button and then "New Work" after that.

Note: I am using a site skin so the colors will look different than the default site.

After you open a New Work, your screen should look something like this:

You will fill out all the fields and then post. If you want to be guided through that step by step, continue reading under the cut. This step-by-step guide is separated by Tags, Preface, Associations, Privacy, and Work Text (+ Post).

Tags Section

The first selection you will be making is the Rating. I have attached the guide AO3 has below when you click on the question mark, but here is how I would describe them in movie/TV rating terms based on how I've seen them used throughout my experience using AO3.

General Audiences is sort of like Rated E for Everyone or PG or TV-Y7. Basically anyone could read it and be okay, even children.

Teen and Up Audiences is like TV-14 or PG-13. If there is cursing or topics people would be scandalized to hear about out of a child's mouth, it should probably go here instead of General Audiences.

Mature, to me, is a more extreme TV-14, which I suppose is like TV-MA or Rated R. The content is more detailed and graphic compared to Teen and Up Audiences. While Teen may have flirting and kissing in it, Mature would have that flirting and kissing lean more sexual and/or descriptive. While Teen may have violence, Mature would have it be more brutal or more graphic. The line can be hard to discern, but just try your best to tag correctly both here and in the Additional Tags section, and you’ll be okay!

Explicit is NC-17 or includes porn/smut. Mature or even Teen may allude to sexual activity, but Explicit will actually show these actions in the writing or art or whatever work is being posted to the archive.

Once your work is rated appropriately, we move to the Archive Warnings. These are fairly straightforward. If your work includes Graphic Depictions of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, or Underage Sex, mark it as such. If you don't want to tag it with one of those even when it applies for whatever reason, mark it as Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings. If none of these apply, select No Archive Warnings Apply.

You can tag a work with multiple Fandoms, which would make it a crossover. It is good AO3 ettiequte to not mark a work with a lot of fandoms, like having a multi-fandom one shot book. It's usually a good idea to break it up or post the one shots independently.

Either way, you would type the fandom(s) you want, and when it pops up, you select it. Two important tags here to note are Original Work and No Fandom. These are tags you can use as a "Fandom" tag, even if it isn't based off of a specific sort of media.

Categories are simply the type of relationship featured in your work. You can select multiple if more than one are shown in what you are posting.

The relationships section let other achieve users know what relationships are featured in a work. Slashes (/) between names are used for romantic and/or sexual relationships, and ampersands (&) between names are used for platonic and/or familial relationships. Queerplatonic relationships are often tagged with both along with "Queerplatonic Relationship" in the additional tag section, but that choice is up to you.

Much like the relationships section, the characters section allows other archive users to know who is featured in the work. Any characters that show up and/or have a main/major-ish role in the story can be tagged here. You can put "POV Character" or "Character-centric" in the additional tags section to clarify further if desired. If they are background or simply referenced, you may prefer to tag “Minor Character(s)” and/or tag “Mentioned Character” and/or not tag them at all.

Usually, the characters and relationships with the most impact in the work are listed first, and the ones with the least presence in the work are listed last. This isn’t always the case, but it is good practice, and it makes the most sense.

After all that is filled out, you will move on to the additional tags! You can only have 75 tags in all, including character, fandom, and relationship tags, and those tags can only have 100 character max.

I suggesting approaching the additional tags like they’re a place for content warnings and a place to give the reader/viewer a sort of second summary about the content inside. These tags are also things an archive user can filter out or filter for. (I might write up a guide on how to use AO3's filtering system later so be on the look out for that!)

^ the link above and after this text takes you to a Tumblr post with a short guide on how to tag your works on AO3: https://www.tumblr.com/deityoftherain/760205106609291264/i-dont-know-how-to-tag-my-fics-on-ao3-you-say

Here's the summarized version without examples (and here it is with examples): roles, setting, character traits, relationships, genre, tropes/situations, feel, trigger warnings, and extra stuff you want to add!

Congratulations, you've completed the Tags section!

Preface Section

Welcome to the preface section! This is the section where you will put your work's title, summary, and any author's notes!

Work Title is what your work is called! I have a short guide below that you can follow if you need help or ideas on how to title your fics: https://www.tumblr.com/deityoftherain/762257968328835072/tips-on-how-to-title-your-ao3-fic

Add co-creators? is what you would mark if you are posting a collaborative work with another archive user.

Summary is a short-ish description of your work, informing the person viewing it of what they should expect from the story slash work inside if they are to click on your creation.

Notes are author's notes marked at the beginning and at the end of the work! Be careful, because if you deselect the boxes, it does not save. All the text you have written in them will disappear and you cannot get it back.

If you are posting multiple chapters, please remember that these "Notes" specifically are attached to the work itself, so the text marked "at the end" will be at the end with every new addition slash chapter to the work.

Congratulations, you've completed the Preface section!

Associations Section

Welcome to the associations section! This box is under the preface one and should look something sort of like below, but probably different colors due to the creator of this guide using a site skin.

Does this fulfill a challenge assignment: Open Assignments only exists if you have joined an AO3 based exchange. Click here if you want an example of what this can look like using the Traffic Team Support Exchange 2025 as reference. Selecting the open assignment will link your work to the collection and gift your giftee, but this isn't the only way you can do those things.

Post to Collections/Challenges aren't something I am familiar with myself, so I am going to let AO3 explain itself below. It isn't marked with an asterisk (*) so it is not required to be filled out to post like some other things are.

Gift work to is what you fill out if you want to acknowledge a user the work is for or in honor of. If you want people to be able to gift things to you, look at your AO3 settings under the Preferences tab and make sure you allow people to gift you works. When a user is marked to have a work gifted to them, it will be linked to their profile under Gifts and also sent to their email inbox.

This work is a remix, a translation, a podfic, or was inspired by another work is what you would mark if it is one of those things. When you select it, a section like below will open and you are to fill it out accordingly. I edited the image to go more into detail

This work is part of a series is what you would select if you want this work to be linked to other works you have written before. Creations set in the same universe are often connected this way.

This work has multiple chapters should be selected if what you are posting isn't a one shot or to stay self contained into once chapter. When both number signs are the same in #/#, then your work will be marked as complete instead of in progress.

Set a different publication date is what you would do if you're back posting. You would do this if you originally posted on another site and are now crossposting onto AO3 as well. AO3 organizes its fics in fandom categories by publication/update date, so the newest fics will be on the first pages.

Choose a language is just where you select the language you are posting in. If you're reading this, it is most likely that you are posting in English, but that may not be true. Either way, you will mark it here.

Select a work skin is if you want the work you are posting to look a specific sort of way. I've never used this myself, so I am just going to post AO3's explanation. I suggest looking at other tutorials for work skins and site skins if you are curious for other people would know how these work better to explain in-depth far better than I.

Congratulations! You completed the Associations section!

Privacy Section

The screenshot below shows what this section looks like by default.

Only show your work to registered users means that, if you select this, your work will only show up to other people who have an account. A blue lock will go beside the work, and no one outside of the site itself and/or without an account can see what you have posted. This includes preventing discord bots like Archivist and ao3-linker from collecting the information for their posts, instead scoring an error message.

Enable comment moderation is something some creators prefer to select when they want to be choosey on what comments show under their works. Most don't choose to do this unless they have been a victim of users commenting who don't understand "Don't like, don't read.” If you select this option, you will have to manually approve every comment before it is displayed under your work.

Who can comment on this work allows the creator to choose how picky they want to be. It used to default to the first option, but with an increase need for protection against spam bots and those who don't care to understand fandom culture invading fandom spaces semi-recently, the default changed to the second option. Evaluate your preferences and choose which is best for you and your work, but I, personally, switch it to allow both guests and registered users (aka those with an account) to comment.

Congratulations! You completed the Privacy section!

Work Text (+ Post) Section

Last but not least, we are ready to post our work! Text entered in the posting form is not automatically saved, so make sure to always keep a backup copy of your work so you do not lose progress.

You can post with Rich Text or HTML commands.

I personally use google docs to write my works, so what I would do is ctrl+a/cmnd+a to select all the text and then ctrl+c/cmnd+c to copy it all. Next, I would move over to the Rich Text screen as shown above, and then paste it in using ctrl+v/cmnd+v.

Rich Text allows most formatting to transfer over from google docs to AO3 when on the computer. The only issue I have had is with the strikethrough text, which I have to re-add manually. I then go through the text and remove the extra space there sometimes is between paragraphs and make sure all the formatting is correct.

If you are wanting to post an embedded link or an image slash art piece on AO3, I have created this guide for you to follow if you need help: https://www.tumblr.com/deityoftherain/773134727392739328/how-to-embed-images-and-links-on-ao3

Once you fill everything out and think you have it as you want, I recommend pressing the Preview button to see how it will display once it is posted.

Scroll through your work to check that everything is how you want it. Once you scroll to the bottom, you should see something like this:

From here, you can go ahead and Post the work, Save As Draft if you don't want to post just yet, or Edit the work for any mistakes.

Congratulations! You have completed the Work Text and Post sections, as well as learned to post a work on AO3! Wooo :D

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My gift for @deityoftherain, our beloved eventrunner for @trafficteamsupportexchange, feat Scar/Joel!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/63264253

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home for outcasts - scarian fanfic

https://archiveofourown.org/works/63263431

Rating: Teen

Relationship: M/M

Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Status: Completed Oneshot

Word Count: 3,424

Summary:

Scar was used to being an outcast, used to taking care of himself as he lived on the outskirts of a small desert town. It was a lonely existence, sure, but he had his trusty camel, Pizza, and his sand cat, Jellie, to keep him company. It was just the three of them against the world! And, well, now… now he also had Grian.

I wrote this for @darling-ed through the @trafficteamsupportexchange :D

Scar hummed the tune to some jingle as he poked a needle through the taunt fabric. He tugged on the thread so it pulled all the way through before completing the stitch. He repeated the movement over and over, completely focused on his task.

So focused, in fact, that he didn’t hear the beating of wings or the sound of something cutting through the wind until it was too late.

Swoosh! 

Talons sunk shallowly into the flesh of his right shoulder, the one-sided weight throwing off Scar’s balance. His left arm flailed out as he reached to grab something to ensure he didn’t topple over. His other hand mindlessly flipped the fabric he was embroidering over to hide the main design, acting mostly on surprise and fear of someone seeing his work before it was ready.

His green-brown hazel gaze snapped up to the avian perched on his shoulder, the movement so sharp his neck cracked unpleasantly. Oh, that was going to be sore later– 

Scar fumbled his way through a greeting, ultimately settling on his default of “Well, hello there, my friend!”

“Hi,” Grian responded, though rather flatly. He cocked his head, blinking down at Scar with the dark, pure black voids that Grian called his eyes. His head wings flicked in a motion Scar had learned to associate with curiosity while the macaw-banded feathers of his back wings tucked themselves into a heart shape to help with balance. 

Scar waited a heartbeat or two to see if Grian was going to say more– quite literally, considering he could hear his heartbeat in his ears. It was loud, each thump, thump, thump! only adding to the jittering sensation dancing through Scar’s limbs.

His relationship with the avian was an odd one, to say the least. Especially given the fact Grian stuck around, something most people wouldn’t dare to do. Especially not someone with such colorful wings like Grian! Not that Scar was actually any real threat to colorful people for he couldn’t actually steal the color from others, despite the rumors that liked to spread like weeds in a perfectly good garden.

Scar was used to taking care of himself for the most part, living on the outskirts of a small desert town. His… quirks… made him undesirable, leading to life actually in the town integrated with society very difficult. Instead, he took to living by himself, only going into town for business or when he needed something he couldn’t make himself.

It was a lonely existence, sure, but he had his trusty camel, Pizza, and his sand cat, Jellie, to keep him company. It was just the three of them against the world!

And, well, now… now he also had Grian.

Scar’s heart fluttered at that fact every time it popped into his brain, his affections toward the other man only growing stronger with time.

“Why are you shirtless again?” Grian inquired, dark eyes narrowed into slits. He unfurled his wings, flapping them in a quick one-two to give him a boost as he gracefully leapt off of Scar’s shoulder to perch on a nearby chair.

The panel of wood that made the top of the chair’s back was littered with indents from Grian’s talons, something Grian had felt the need to apologize for before Scar assured him he didn’t mind, and–

And that he liked the evidence of Grian’s company they left behind.

“It’s hot,” Scar replied with a shrug, unbothered by Grian’s question despite being asked multiple times at this point.

Grian’s head wings flicked back as he scrunched his nose. “Doesn’t the sun burn elves? I’ve seen elves take precautions to protect themselves… before.”

Scar’s smile wavered, but he carried on with faux confidence and a wink. “I’m no regular elf, remember? The sun fears me, not the other way around! Dontcha worry, my friend!”

If he were a regular elf, he wouldn’t be sitting here before Grian with splotches of colorless skin, weakened legs, and an unreliable connection to magic. He was marked an outcast, marked as other… and he had accepted that role thrusted upon him long ago. 

It wasn’t like he could do anything to change it, after all, no matter how much he wished to be one with a greater community. Scar could go on about how he wasn’t actually any sort of threat– at least not compared to the average elf– but he would sooner run out of air before anyone listened to him. It seemed that the world just wasn’t ready to grow past their irrational fears and accept people like him just yet, as much as Scar wished otherwise.

At least he had Grian, and Jellie, and Pizza. It was easier to be an outcast when he wasn’t alone.

“Besides, you’re not wearing a shirt either!” Scar continued, gesturing to the bandages that worked to bind Grian’s chest. The binding was the only semblance of a shirt Grian had, unable to wear any of Scar’s regular shirts due to the massive wings sprouting from his back, nor had they been able to locate any in town during their brief search there. Even if they did feel comfortable enough to browse for a long time, they also knew it was likely a fruitless venture for avians weren’t commonplace in the desert, meaning there weren’t many amenities catered to their needs.

“Avians evolved in the sky under the sun, so our skin has natural protections against it,” Grian half-heartedly explained with a flick of his head wing, indicating the conversation was over. He jumped off the chair to the floor before making his way towards the structure they called home. 

Scar didn’t bother stopping him to ask what he was doing, not wanting to ruin the careful trust he’s built up so Grian felt comfortable existing here with him. Instead, he gathered up his things before following after him. He may not burn or gain color from the sun like most intelligent species seemed to, but he did experience discomfort from the weather just like any other.

The inside of their home was built to imitate cool caves, providing some relief from the persistent sun, scorching temperatures, and ever-present grains of sand. Scar exhaled a breath of contentment once he stepped inside, only recognizing just how humid it was outside now that he was partly out of that element.

There were strategically placed windows that allowed a cross breeze through, each growing flowering cacti in window boxes like one may grow petunias or alliums or insert another hard-to-say flower name here. They were beautiful, for one thing, but they also prevented any potential intruders from entering through the openings in their walls.

Aside from their strategic cacti, Scar and Grian tended to many other hardy plants, ones adapted to survive in such a harsh climate.

“What's your favorite?” Scar asked, unprompted and without much thought. He idly continued to embroider, momentarily forgetting that Grian wasn’t supposed to see what he was working on. Fortunately, Grian was busy tending to his wings, combing through the soft feathers to remove sand and other grime that the wind had embedded against his wing roots.

“Scar.” Grian sighed heavily, not bothering to turn to face him as he continued preening. He was well used to Scar and his tendency of adding others into a conversation he had already started in his mind. “You know I don’t know what you’re referring to without context.”

“Aw, Grian!” Scar whined, jutting his bottom lip out playfully in a pout and fluttering his eyelashes. “You mean you can’t read my mind?”

“I haven’t mastered the art of reading your mind just yet.” The avian’s head wings flicked forward– open, playful, and amused– as hints of a smirk tugged at his lips. He shifted his position, tugging his wing tighter around him as he reached toward something near his wing roots. All traces of that joyous smirk disappeared, making way for a concentrated frown.

“Do you want me to h–?” Scar started to speak before gaping dumbly at Grian. He averted his gaze in a fruitless attempt to avoid Grian’s attention, focusing back on his embroidery.

Stupid! Scar scolded himself as he tied off the thread and packed away his embroidery supplies. That was so stupid! You can’t just ask an avian if you can preen their wings! Stupid, stupid, stupid! 

And it was stupid! He knew better than that! He almost spoke without thinking again, something that would have crossed a line he knew was there. He didn’t want to do that; he didn’t want to scare away his best friend. His only friend, if one only counted higher intelligent species. Sorry Jellie and Pizza.

He means much more to me than just a friend, the sentiment whispered in the back of his mind, though it was drowned out by Scar’s anxieties of almost going too far and offending the other man.

Wing preening was an intimate bonding activity and sign of trust. It was an avian thing Scar could never properly understand, no matter how much he tried! He knew for sure that he couldn’t just offer to help Grian preen his wings! Grian would have to ask him, not the other way around.

With his mouth firmly clamped shut, Scar risked a peek up at Grian through his eyelashes only to find that Grian was staring directly at him. Grian’s limbs were all rigid and his head wings pressed flat against his dark sandy hair.

The silence was agonizing, and Scar despised it. He’s always disliked the quiet, often humming various tunes under his breath or dramatizing long monologues to Jellie whenever the sand cat would come visit him in-between hunts just to fill the room with noise– with life. 

Even as an outcast carrying marks of the damned on his ash gray skin, Scar still sought out companionship and fought to lead a lively existence. Grian had filled the gaping wound in his heart, and Scar didn’t know what he would do with himself if he ever lost him.

Scar opened his mouth to fill the soundless vacuum they had found themselves stuck in, but Grian surprised him by speaking first. “Can you help with my wings?”

“What?” Scar blurted out, utterly gobsmacked. Had he heard Grian correctly? He tried his best to pick his jaw up off the floor as he tugged at his pointed ears. “Sorry, could you repeat that?” “You heard me,” Grian huffed, though there was no bite to his words. He crossed his arms over his chest bindings, now being the one refusing to meet the other’s gaze. “Now, are you gonna help me or are you just gonna stare at me like I just told you the moon grew three times its usual size.”

“No, no, I can help, I can help!” Scar scrambled up from where he was sitting only for his legs to give out, forcing him to sit right back down. He scrunched his nose in distaste, but he was used to his body enough at this point to let any annoyance or frustration get to him that easily. Scar summoned one of his canes from his pocket dimension– one of the few things he could do with his minimal magic– and used it as an aid to cross the room toward where Grian was waiting for him.

Grian extended his wings out to their full length, granting Scar full access to the fan of red, yellow, and blue feathers. “I got caught in that small sand storm the other day, and I managed to get most of the sand out and such, but something is still pinching my wing roots.”

Scar frowned at that, but bit his tongue to avoid inquiring further. He would have helped days ago if he had known Grian had been in pain that long. Instead of ruminating on the past, Scar carefully combed through the feathers, shaking out the sand and fixing anything bent out of place.

As he worked, Scar continued on with the conversation he had started in his mind. “What’s your favorite plant we grow? I think mine is the prickly pear cactus! The fruit they bear is a- may -zing and so, so delicious.”

“It is very sweet,” Grian agreed with a thoughtful hum, his shoulders slumping forward as he noticeably relaxed. “Chia sage might have it beat though, for me. The different parts are very useful in a variety of foods without being too overpowering.”

They idly rambled on together about the various plants in their makeshift desert garden as Scar continued to busy himself with Grian’s plumage. 

Scar giggled to himself over his internal use of the word. Plumage. Grian would tease him for using such a big word correctly, and that was only if he didn’t stutter into mispronunciation.

Speaking of Grian’s plumage, Scar was nearly out of excuses to continue preening. He had finished the section Grian had complained about, and when Grian didn’t swat him away, he had just… kept going. He carefully went row by row, shaking out any specks of sand or grime Grian had missed and ensuring that all the feathers laid nicely. Scar even redid rows by accident when he got distracted, rather being safe than sorry and going over it again.

Scar could only drag it on for so long though, and he knew that. He attempted to shove down the sense of disappointment that began to fester as he accepted that fact. Instead, Scar allowed himself to smile wide and fondly as Grian melted into his calloused hands.

“You make the cutest little noises,” Scar complimented as one hand rested on Grian’s hip and the other lightly traced the curve of Grian’s spine, just between Grian’s wing roots. Scar knew that area was particularly sensitive, but he took care not to hurt him, and it just felt… right? 

Grian arched his back in response, headwings curling forward to cover his flushed face. The pale pink looked so lovely on him, even as he swallowed down a series of inhuman chirps. 

Aside from his flustered actions, Scar didn’t sense that he was crossing any boundaries. Grian was known to be rather vocal when he didn’t like something, and he didn’t even open his mouth to berate Scar nor did he make any move to get away. Scar subconsciously took it as an invitation to make a move, leaning forward and pressing a soft kiss against the back of Grian’s neck.

The quiet intimacy of their actions unlocked a floodgate of emotions within Scar, so intense he feared he may drown from them. He squeezed his eyes shut as tears started to well within them, burying his face against the crook between Grian’s neck and shoulder. Time seemed to stop as Scar held Grian close, clinging onto him like a lifeline. 

“I know you said you staying here would only be a temporary arrangement,” Scar started, trying his best not to let his voice crack, “but I don’t want you to leave, ever. I want you to stay here with me. You make this house a home, I– I love you.”

Grian didn’t respond for several long moments, and Scar’s heart nearly shattered when Grian shrugged him off. Before Scar had time to fully process the rejection, Grian spun toward him as his wings curled around Scar to tug him close in one fluid motion. Scar mentally buffered at the sudden action, and he failed to catch whatever it was Grian muttered before their lips collided.

The kiss was hot, heavy, and hungry, their bodies pressing flush together as Grian led their movements. Scar eagerly let him, willing to follow Grian to the end of the earth and then beyond it if Grian ever asked him of it.

Without saying it in as many words as Scar, it became clear that Grian needed Scar just as much as Scar needed Grian. It was like their very beings reached toward the other’s soul, weaving together until it was difficult to tell where one ended and the other began. They were inexplicably linked, destined to find one another in every universe as every version of themselves where the other existed.

Scar would have happily perished on Grian’s lips if he allowed him, though that might’ve been the oxygen deprivation starting to get to him. Grian broke their display of care first, allowing Scar to finally come up for air. His chest heaved with the effort of replenishing his lungs with oxygen, but that didn’t dissuade the fluttering of his heart or the lazy, lovesick grin on his face.

Grian’s headwings swung back and forth with a pleasant thrill as he rested his forehead against Scar’s. They simply held each other close as they gathered themselves, Scar only finding it within himself to stay still with all his excitement in order to keep the contact.

“So,” Scar started again, still a little breathless, “I take it you love me too?”

“Oh, really?” Grian asked, fondly exasperated. “What on earth gave you that idea?”

Scar’s cheeks heated up as blood rushed to his ears. “I– well, y’know–”

“Yes, Scar, I–” Grian cackled at Scar’s stammering, ruffling his sunkissed brown hair. “I love you too. And you better believe it, because I don’t like repeating myself.”

“Huh?” Scar feigned incomprehension, furrowing his eyebrows in faux confusion. “What did you say? Can you repeat that one more time?”

Grian cocked an eyebrow at him before palming Scar’s forehead, pushing him away. “Nope, nevermind. I take it back, actually.” “What!” Scar cried out, eyes going wide. “Noooo, Grian! You don’t mean that!”

“I don’t?” Grian chuckled, extremely amused at Scar’s floundering. “Are you sure about that?”

“Well, of course!” Scar nodded furiously, slipping into his salesman persona just a tad. “You’re still here, aren’t you? Besides, who wouldn’t be sure when you’d be losing out on a gift if you leave?” “A gift?” Grian parroted with curiosity, tilting his head. Now that got Grian’s attention, just as Scar predicted.

Grian had a tendency to collect little knick-knacks, particularly ones shiny or interesting to him. Whenever he found something he liked, he would take it and bring it back “for his nest”. Looking around the building they called home, those knick-knacks had found spaces to reside that certainly could not be classified as a nest in the sleeping area usage of the word.

Scar collected the project he had been working on for the last several months, carefully handling the fabric as he offered it to Grian. Grian blinked at it with careful consideration, slowly reaching to grab his gift. He spread it out in the air as if trying to wrap his mind around what it was.

“It’s a poncho,” Scar offered when Grian didn’t say anything. “I made it myself! I know you struggle with shirts because of your wings, so the under part ties beneath your wings, covering your front but leaving your back exposed. The top layer– the actual poncho part– can go over your wings, protecting them from the sand when you’re not flying. Plus, I did all the embroidery myself!”

Scar paused to let Grian speak if he wanted to. When he didn’t, he sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. “That’s part of why it took so long. I wanted to get it perfect for you.” “It’s like yours,” Grian commented for the first time since Scar presented the gift.

“Yeah!” Scar’s hazel eyes lit up, pride swelling in his chest as he explained what he had to stay quiet about for so long. “But it's accommodating to your wings! Mine just goes on top and I wear a regular shirt under it.”

Grian scoffed, albeit playful. “How many times have I told you to put your clothes back on at this point?” “Touché.” Scar giggled, well aware he was guilty of the accused crime. He tugged at his fingers, anxiously fidgeting as he cleared his throat. “So… Do you like it?”  In lieu of a spoken answer, Grian slid the custom poncho over his head and tied the fabric strips underneath his wing roots. Scar kept his gaze trained on Grian’s movements, hoping he got the measurements right. Scar held his breath as the seconds ticked past.

“Yeah, Scar. I do.” Grian’s features softened from teasing to genuine, voice soft. “Almost as much as I like you.”

His headwings fluttered with contentment as he stepped toward Scar to initiate another kiss, and Scar didn’t even consider not accepting the silent question.

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Check-in Form Stats

Note: Just realized I should post this here and not just in the discord. Anyway, this is your reminder that you can still join the discord as a potential beta reader or pinch hitter even if you never end up actually taking on an assignment :p

1) Out of the 39 people actively participating in TTSE 2025, 76.9% of gifters are writing for the exchange and 23.1% of gifters are doing digital art for the exchange! Analogue art has not been chosen by any gifters for TTSE '25.

2) Everyone has at least looked at their assignment, which is good! That's how one starts to prepare their gift, something that should be done anyway considering we're one month in out of a two month creation period. While things might have shifted slightly over the course of a week (the time given to have people check-in), the stats show the following: 33.3% are in the "Brainstorming" stage, 28.2% "Has started writing" (and, my bad, I meant to do "Has started creating" but I'm writer minded oops- hope the artists understood what I meant), 25.6% are "Half way done", 5.1% has deemed themselves "Almost done/going through edits", and 7.7% of people have already finished their gift!

3) Everyone currently thinks that they will be able to finish on time, including the three people that used the "Other" section to express worries about completing due to school/work obligations. I am so proud of all of you for taking time to create for others, but make this exchange does not take priority over other more important things! I would like if you can complete it, of course, but there is no shame of giving up to pinch hitters if you need it. Take care of yourselves, and have fun <3

4) Everyone but one has stated that they would like to be reached out to by a mod, and I have already reached out several days ago. If this changes, don't be afraid to consult <#1300979672913543198> and/or ask in <#1300997975463694480>. My DMs are also open for any and all questions, including if you want me to play messanger for communication between gifter and giftee :D

**If there is anything I have missed or haven't mentioned, please reach out and I will do my best to help or address whatever it is!**

also hi <3 to everyone who said hi to me

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Random AO3 Tips

I have a list of resources on my pinned post, but I don't really have a place for the simple miscellaneous tips and tricks, so here's this!

I didn't know most of these existed for probably far too long, so this post is mostly to spread awareness for new users or those who may not have heard of them before <3

I'll update this post if I learn of any other handy tricks. If you know any, let me know and I'll add it here :D

Basic HTML codes for A/Ns and etc

Note: Screenshots of the HTML "codes" at work are shown under the cut!

Center Text <center>TEXT</center> Clickable Link <a href="LINK">TEXT</a> Hideable Information <details> <summary>SHOWN</summary> HIDDEN </details> Insert Image from Link < img src="LINK" alt="IMAGE DESCRIPTION" width="100%" align="center" />

Italicize/Slant Text <i>TEXT</i> Line Breaks <br>TEXT</br> Paragraphs <p>TEXT</p> Strikethrough Text <strike>TEXT</strike> Underline Text <u>TEXT</u>

Single-post AO3 Guides

short guide on how to tag your own fics

short guide on how to title your fics/stories

how to embed images and links on AO3 [via Rich Text]

how to sign up for AO3-based exchanges (ft. @trafficteamsupportexchange)

Note: This is for formatting with HTML for the work, and for the authors notes where you Rich Text doesn't exist/work. Rich Text, on the other hand, should transfer most of these from whatever document resource you're using, but I've personally had issues with strikethrough not transferring from Google Docs copy-pasted to AO3 Rich Text, so just double check those areas!

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For all the artists in this exchange! Due to the nature of the event (as it is organized via AO3), all gifts must be posted via AO3, including art! This guide helps you through it if you don't know how to. :D

How to Embed Images and Links on AO3

Note: I have a site skin so the colors might look different. Just follow along with the red arrows! Also, this is a tutorial used on the computer, and I assume mobile posting would be different.

First, open archiveofourown.org and log in if you haven't already. If you don't have an AO3 account, sign up for one as soon as possible because it takes about a week for them to verify you and give you access to your new account.

Next, select "Post" in the top right hand corner like you would typically. Set up everything you desire as you normally would until you reach "Work Text*".

Note: If you need further help, I have an AO3 Tag Guide and a Story Title Guide for your convenience! I also have a Foundations Writing Lesson post for any beginners or for people who would appreciate a review <333

Once there, click on "Rich Text" in the top right of that section, and then select the image icon or the link icon, depending on which you are intending to make.

Note: Check under the cut for more in-depth instructions slash a continuation of this guide! There is an Image Icon Route and a Link Icon Route.

Image Icon Route

Once you click on the Image Icon, the screen similar to below should pop-up:

*Link Icon Route detour start here

The source is the link to the image you're wanting to add to your work. AO3 doesn't host images itself, but you can use an image hosting site such as postimages.org or even Tumblr itself. If you want to use Tumblr, post a draft with the desired image or locate a post with the desired image. Once you've done that, right click the desired image and Open Image in New Tab (or whatever your computer's equivalent is).

You should have a tab open that starts with "https://64.media.tumblr.com" followed by a bunch of numbers and letters. I want you to copy that link and post it in the source box.

*Link Icon Route detour ends here

Now that the image link is in place, adjust your Width/Height boxes if desired. Feel free to add an image description as well. For best result, I suggest doing 100% in the Width box with nothing in Height, but this is ultimately a personal decision. Feel free to mess around with the proportions using the work drafts and find what's best for you!

If you prefer, you can also use < img src="LINK" alt="IMAGE DESCRIPTION" width="100%" align="center" /> aka < + img src="https://64.media.tumblr.com/0e3d1827f755eae4c79e605a8e73a44b/f65ab99ee3c9bf64-a8/s1280x1920/8608529567963545a061989b32a1d4541272ef51.jpg" alt="" width="100%" align="center" /> for this example (*excluding the plus sign at the start) to insert an image using HTML instead of Rich Text. It'll look like this:

It is always a good idea to double-check and confirm that everything is how you want it. Previewing your work also allows you to create a draft.

If you're unhappy with something, edit the work to fix it! If you're happy with how everything looks, go ahead and post it! You're finished here! You've successfully posted a work with an image embedded! Well done; good job :D

Link Icon Route

Once you click on the Link Icon, the screen similar to below should pop-up:

Go copy (Control+C or Command+C) the link to whatever it is you want to insert into the body of the work.

Note: If you're wanting to link specifically to an image and not a post containing that image, scroll up to the link icon route detour colored purple.

Once you got that, paste (Control+V or Command+V) the link into the URL box. If you want something other than the link to display, change the text in the "Text to display" box.

Save your work, check the formatting and everything else like we did in the Image Icon Route section. If everything is how you want it, then congratulations! You have successfully added a link embedded to your work!

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to comment and I'll respond! If this guide was helpful to you, please like and reblog! I appreciate it <333

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TTSE Information | Pinned Masterpost

@trafficteamsupportexchange is a gift exchange hosted on AO3, using Tumblr and Discord for communication/advertisement purposes.

What is TTSE?

TTSE is an exchange that focuses on canon life series groups and their team dynamics, though the dynamics themselves don't have to be strictly canon nor does the gift have to stay in a canon compliant/divergent universe. Those specifications should be mentioned by your giftee when they sign up. TTSE intends to be strictly Non RPF, so anything created through this exchange should be about the characters and not the CCs. [Tagset]

Current Activity: Assignments are out and we are in our creation period! Feel free to join the discord as a beta reader or pinch hitter, if you would like. [Timeline]

What do I need to know if I want to join?

Fanfics have a 1.5k word minimum, and fanart (digital and 2D analogue uploaded under guidelines) must be fully finished to whatever your standards are. I am going to trust that each of you are making your gifts in good faith. [Gift Guidelines]

By default, assume that the wanted dynamics between everyone in the group is platonic teammates. It is up to you/the giftee to clarify your/their wants and dislikes when you/they sign-up, including but not limited to the following: your/their pov preferences, dynamic desires, what the characters mean to each other (romantically involved, siblings/family, best friends, etc), what you/they don't want included, and more. I suggest requesting more than one team or potential dynamic to help limit things going to pinch hitters.

Posting on AO3 is required (meaning you must have an AO3 account with gift receiving on to participate) and posting on Tumblr is optional. If you do post on Tumblr, make sure to link the ao3 work, use the hashtag #trafficteamsupportexchange and #trafficteamsupportexchange2025, and @ this blog so I can reblog your post here. [How to sign up on AO3]

Joining the Discord Server is mandatory, considering that is how most of the communication and information sharing will occur. The discord is also where the sign-up link and other details will be shared. Many common questions/FAQs are answered in #exchange-info. Even if you don't plan to sign-up officially, you can still join the server as a Beta Reader (can include helping with art) or a Pinch Hitter.

Links

Discord Invite: https://discord.gg/3YC3V8BfCY AO3 Collection: https://archiveofourown.org/collections/trafficteamsupportexchange2025 Exchange Timeline: https://www.tumblr.com/trafficteamsupportexchange/765868968966815744/ttse-25-timeline Gift Guidelines: https://www.tumblr.com/trafficteamsupportexchange/765814026162864128/ttse-gift-guidelines How to Sign-Up on AO3: https://www.tumblr.com/trafficteamsupportexchange/768862959945613312/how-to-sign-up-for-ttse-through-ao3 Tagset Used: https://archiveofourown.org/tag_sets/21529 | https://www.tumblr.com/trafficteamsupportexchange/769275539676643328/traffic-life-series-team-ao3-tagset Original Post/Interest Form: https://www.tumblr.com/deityoftherain/765712726599303168/question-i-write-a-lot-during-november-and-other | https://forms.gle/FbAC8x8V4vt1yx2N7 [<- Closed; ask questions through the ask box or on the discord] Profile Art Credit: @isjasz Blog Owner/Exchange Runner: @deityoftherain on Tumblr/AO3/Discord

Blog-Specific Tags

#trafficteamsupportexchange

#ttse answers

#ttse update

#trafficteamsupportexchange2025

#ttse fanfic

#ttse fanart

If you have any questions, feel free to visit the ask box or enter the questions channel on the TTSE Server!

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Assignments are out and sign-ups are officially closed!

Feel free to join the server as a pinch hitter, beta reader, or to create treats if you so desire, even if you missed sign-ups!