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jupitercomet · 26 days
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Hi bugs<3
Sending u lots of love right now. Feel free to take all the time you need and I look forward to seeing you around when you are able but if that’s never don’t worry because we’ll always be here for you and rooting you on, even if it’s from a distance.
You and your life and your health take priority here, period. I am glad that you are taking this opportunity to prioritize your health and your life ❤️
Wishing you nothing but the best, and please know that we’ll always be here if and when you decide to come back, but that either way and no matter what, I’ll always be cheering for you and wishing you the best <3
💙 anon
P.S. is it okay to still send in asks? You absolutely do not have to answer or even look at them, but I like feeling like I’m chatting with you even if you don’t see them right away/never see them
thank you!! and yes, I'm trying to check in on here when I can and I love talking to y'all so feel free to send all the messages you would like :)
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jupitercomet · 26 days
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I wish you luck in whatever life holds for you! And I'll be waiting eagerly for your return. This is my favorite blog on this site, and I continually come back to your work time and time again!
🌻
thank you, thank you! this was so sweet to read <3
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jupitercomet · 1 month
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hey... hey... how y'all doin' 😅
I know I kinda disappeared for like two months without warning, sorry about that! I don't really have an entire explanation, life just kind of took over. at this point in time, I don't really know what that means for this blog and so I don't want to announce anything that I might end up changing my mind about later. I think, right now, what I can say for sure is that there are a couple things in my life that I really need to focus on at the moment and so I think I'm gonna kind of step back from posting stuff (though lets be real, I was really doing that anyway lol). hopefully, when I get those things worked out, I'll be able to come back and start posting again, and I'll still try to be active on here when I can, but I think I need a bit of a hiatus.
thank you to everyone who reached out to me while I was gone, your kind words have been so lovely to read through, and I'm so sorry if I worried any of you. I'm also sorry if any of you are disappointed or were looking forward to any of my writing and I hope you can understand why I've made this decision.
anyway, as always, thank you all for your love and support and I'll see you soon!
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jupitercomet · 3 months
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jupitercomet · 3 months
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I keep reading this and doing little hehes 🤭🤭 you are the sweetest thank you 🫶🫶
Hi Amelia! I’d like to give a special New Year’s shout out to @jupitercomet! Bugs has as much creativity and spirit in her little finger than I do my entire body (and she’s so encouraging and kind to boot ☺️!). I’m always so impressed with all the different AUs she writes for the boys and she always manages to make them feel fresh, but still in character no matter the spin 💜 HNY!!
i am giggling and kicking my feet with every new au that bugs creates. bow down to our six-five king, bradley bradshaw 😵‍💫 happy new year!
end of the year positivity night 💌
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jupitercomet · 3 months
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you're right, I should have put an "all of the above" 😔
I saw some of my mutuals doing this and I’m still sick (and not the cool swag way 😔(ew oh my god, I’ll never say that again sorry)) and now I’m curious
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jupitercomet · 3 months
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I love the teddy one shot it's the cutest thing ever 😭
ahh I'm glad! it's definitely one of my favorites and I'm always pushing the Bradley = bear man agenda 😌
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jupitercomet · 3 months
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Hold awn hold awn....have you ever thought about 6'5" biker Bradley with a SO who works at a library and Bradley picks them up from the library every night?
how dare you say this to me and expect me to be normal after 😤😤 biker Bradley would be so powerful!!
although I do feel like stripper Bradley and Princess also give off these vibes!
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jupitercomet · 3 months
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I realize now that you guys actually don't know anything about married in vegas!Bradley 🤦🏻‍♀️ you can just ignore him, that's my bad lol
I saw some of my mutuals doing this and I’m still sick (and not the cool swag way 😔(ew oh my god, I’ll never say that again sorry)) and now I’m curious
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jupitercomet · 3 months
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I saw some of my mutuals doing this and I’m still sick (and not the cool swag way 😔(ew oh my god, I’ll never say that again sorry)) and now I’m curious
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jupitercomet · 3 months
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fave bugs couple is such a high honor, I’ll let them know!! I’ve also had a few ideas so there may be more coming for them 🤫
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𝐈 𝐀𝐢𝐧'𝐭 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 '𝐁𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐈𝐭
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summary - Love has the tendency to find you when you least expect it. And you certainly weren't expecting to find it in the form of a man 13 years older than you who dresses like he's colorblind.
warnings - age gap relationship (Bradley is 38, reader is 25), no use of y/n, chapter specific
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written in no specific order
original blurb
a touch like honey*
sunday morning
teddy
unique in all the world
the starry night
sunflowers
in another life
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playlist
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jupitercomet · 3 months
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he’s back and hornier better than ever!! I love Tarzan!Bradley and I especially love how you write him Liz! and the growing in their relationship where they both feel safe around each other and Bradley feels like he can express himself and he wants to learn what love is 🥺🥺🥺 anyway I’ll shut up but know that I am always thinking about him 🫶
Stranger Like Me: Chapter Three
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Stranger Like Me: Chapter Three
Pairing: Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x Reader
Summary: From a young age, the animal kingdom had fascinated you, and maybe that's why you chose to pursue that passion. You quickly became a force within the field, becoming the leading expert on ape social structures, which is how you found yourself on an expedition into the African jungles searching for a troop of gorillas. What you weren't expecting, however, was to run into the local wild man on one of your excursions... (Tarzan!AU)
Trigger Warnings: Language, Suggestive thoughts, Suggestive commentary, Jake being crass, Bradley and Boots in their feelings, Bradley's horny thoughts, caressing of female body parts. I think that's it, but please let me know if I missed anything!
Word Count: 2.7k
Series Masterlist || Moodboard 1 || Moodboard 2 || Moodboard 3 || Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw Tag List
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You had settled into an easy routine over the past two weeks, the first trying to iron out the different kinks. Dr. Kazansky had determined that your ankle would take around four weeks to heal if you kept off of it, and as it turned out, Bradley was more than happy to assist. You could think of only a handful of times that you had been on your feet, the large man appearing first thing in the morning to carry you around camp.
Of course, the boys had given you endless shit about it, Jake being the loudest. The second morning after your accident, Bradley had waited for you outside your tent as you changed, his deep, brown eyes surveying the jungle stoically. He had wordlessly scooped you up in his arms as you hobbled towards the entrance, carrying you effortlessly to where the others were already gathered for breakfast. Javy had raised an eyebrow in question, but said nothing. Bob was too busy going over something with Ice to pay you much mind. Jake had walked over from his tent at the same time and let out a loud snort at the sight of you.
“Is this going to be a regular thing now?” He had snickered, gesturing to where you clung to Bradley. “Is he a taxi service now?”
“I’ve already tried explaining to him that I don’t need him to carry me everywhere,” you scowled at the blond. Bradley placed you gently on the bench before plopping down right next to you, Jake taking up the space on your other side. “He’s just insistent upon doing it, is all.”
“If I didn’t know any better,” he drawled as Javy placed a plate of eggs in front of you, “I’d think you like him carrying you around everywhere.”
You cast him a sideways glance as you shoveled a fork full of egg into your mouth, brow pinched together in indignation.
“I don’t.”
“Sure,” Jake hummed, giving you a knowing look before bumping your shoulder with his. “And jungle man over there also doesn’t get a hard on every time he looks at you.”
“Jake!” You exclaimed, cheeks warming as Javy cackled and Maverick cleared his throat, his own cheeks growing a nice shade of pink at the turn in the conversation. Bob and Ice looked over at the two of you, matching shocked expressions on their faces.
“Don’t be crass,” you hissed at the blond, swatting at his arm. He rolled his eyes, accepting the plate Javy handed him with a quiet thanks.
“Is it really being crass if I’m telling the truth?”
“Yes,” you snapped, cognizant of the fact Bradley had been inching closer to you as each moment passed. Jake rolled his eyes at you, but said nothing more.
The next couple of days had you struggling to figure out how to do various chores around the camp. Cooking was easy enough until you needed to get up and grab something.
The first time you had stood up, Bradley’s head had shot up from where he was flipping through one of the sketchbooks Ice had laying about. His honey-colored eyes watched you intently as a frown tugged on his lips, standing when you made to move.
“No,” he said, pushing down on your shoulders gently.
“Bradley, I have to-”
“No,” he said again, more firmly this time, eyes intense and brows pinched. “Hurt.”
“I’m not so hurt that I can’t walk the three feet to grab a spoon,” you scowled at him. He raised an eyebrow at you, turning and walking the few, short steps across the eating area to pluck a spoon out of the container and bringing it to you. You accepted it with a huff, not missing the satisfied smirk that appeared on his face at the small victory.
Laundry was done down by the river, an ever watchful Bradley sitting on one of the stones beside you as you scrubbed the various articles of clothing. He watched you carefully, an unreadable expression on his face as you worked through your task.
After the first half hour, you began to grow increasingly self conscious once you realized he hadn’t taken his eyes off of you for more than a couple of seconds at a time the entire time you two had sat there.
“Aren’t you bored?” You asked him, wrinkling your nose. “I mean, it can’t be fun to just sit here and watch me do all this. Wouldn’t you prefer to help Mav or Ice or someone else? I’m sure they’re having much more fun than we are.”
Bradley’s gaze hardened in confusion. Shaking his head, he shifted slightly, leaning closer towards you.
“Like being with you,” he murmured, the hint of a smile on his lips as he looked at you. The heat on your cheeks had nothing to do with the sweltering jungle heat, and you quickly averted your gaze, pretending to inspect a stain on one of Javy’s shirts. Your eyes darted up when Bradley crept towards you, and for a moment, you were reminded that this man was raised by apes, not humans. His leg stretched out to rest beside you, the rest of him slinking after until he crouched right in front of you, his nose almost brushing yours.
Your breath caught in your throat, and you swallowed thickly as he reached a hand up to brush his fingers across your cheek. His eyes darted down, lingering on your lips as they parted. A shiver ran up your spine as his fingers trailed down, running over your bottom lip, and the intense look in his eye became hungry as you let out a quiet gasp. He let his fingers linger for a second before pulling them away and towards a strand of hair that hung in your face. Slowly, he pushed it back behind your ear, letting his palm cradle your jaw as the two of you sat silently watching each other.
The sound of jungle leaves rustling broke the two of you out of your trance, and Bradley let out a growl as he positioned himself in front of you, glaring intensely at the spot where the noise was coming from.
“Hey, you two!” Maverick called, coming into view with a smile. Bradley immediately relaxed back into his spot beside you, but the frown remained. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think he was annoyed. You cleared your throat, your head still clouded from the intensity of the prior moment.
“Hey, Mav,” you greeted, attempting a smile that you were sure came out as more of a grimace. “What brings you by?”
“Oh nothing,” he grinned. “Just wanted to see if you needed any help with the laundry. It’s very kind of you to offer to do it while you heal up. I know it’s not the greatest chore.”
“I want to feel useful,” you offered, shrugging.
“Well, nevertheless, it’s appreciated,” Mav smiled. “Do you need any help carrying everything back?”
“No,” Bradley snapped, leveling Mav with a glare. The older man looked a little taken aback by the ferocity of Bradley’s answer, but recovered quickly, shooting you a brief, knowing look.
“I see,” he hummed, trying and failing to hide his smirk. “Well, if the two of you change your mind, you know where to find me.”
And with that, he turned on his heel and headed back towards the camp. Once he was out of sight, Bradley huffed, turning back to look at you.
“What’s got you so grumpy?” you asked him, chuckling slightly. Bradley didn’t answer, instead, reaching out to twirl a strand of your hair in between his fingers, bringing it up to his nose and taking a long, deep inhale before giving you another heavy look. Your cheeks heated up once more before you ducked your head down to start the process of scrubbing the laundry once again. You tried not to think about how Bradley’s muscles had bulged when he was crouched in front of you or how his intense look made your thighs clench together.
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You were sitting in one of the research tents a week later, transcribing some notes for Dr. Kazansky the following week, having begged the older man for ways to be of use given you were slowly losing your mind doing all of the mundane chores. Bradley was perched in a chair next to you, flipping through the rough sketches Bob had made of some of the baboons and wrinkling his nose.
“What’s that face for?” You giggled, glancing over at him. Bradley huffed and shook his head, giving you a solemn look.
“Baboons are annoying.”
You burst into a fit of giggles, resting your chin on the palm of your hand as you looked at him fully. Bradley’s gaze softened as he listened to you laugh, a tinge of pink coating his cheeks.
“Yeah?” You asked him. “How so?”
Bradley straightened up in his seat, rolling his eyes as he thought back to the countless run-ins he’s had with the creatures.
“They scream a lot,” he scowled, lips pursed as he gives you a serious look. “And they steal my food sometimes. It’s hard to catch them because they climb the trees so fast.”
You had quickly grown used to how articulate Bradley actually was over the course of the last week and a half. You supposed it was no surprise considering he’d had ten years of practice, but even Tom had seemed surprised when he walked in on Bradley telling you a story one day, the younger man animatedly telling you a story about a trick he played on one of the younger members of the gorilla troop he lived with. Now you wondered if the older two men even knew if Bradley could string together more than a couple of short sentences.
His sentences could still be choppy at times and his answers short and direct, sure, but the more you showed interest in what he had to say, the more he found himself opening up and saying more. Bradley found that he liked the way you reacted to what he had to say, and he tried to practice at night once he knew you were asleep. He found himself visiting with Maverick and Tom more, asking them questions about different words for different feelings and ideas. He wasn’t sure why, but he wanted you to know him, to know what he thought about things and how he felt about the world. Maybe it was because he wanted to know those things about you too and to talk about them with you.
“They are pretty fast, huh?” You asked, leaning forward a little more, unknowingly pushing your breasts together and exaggerating your cleavage. Bradley’s eyes flickered down, and he felt a familiar stirring in his groin. He found that this feeling also happened quite frequently around you, and it was often the simplest of things that set it off. It happened when he watched you bend over and dry your hair after a bath one day. It happened when you stretched after sitting hunched over too long, your back arching as you raised your arms over your head. It happened sometimes when you looked at him through your lashes, your bottom lip captured between your teeth.
He shifted in his seat, unable to tear his eyes away from your chest. He felt an overwhelming need to touch them, to touch you. He often found himself thinking of you. How good you smelled. How soft you were. He wanted to touch you, to mark you as his.
The troop leader, Mutubo Tom had named him, had several offspring, so Bradley wasn’t unfamiliar with the concept of mating, or sex as Tom and Maverick called it. However, he wasn’t so sure that his family experienced what he was feeling, at least to this extent. Without thinking, Bradley reached out, running his fingertips over the exposed skin, his shorts growing tighter as he felt the soft, warm skin.
You sucked in a breath, your cheeks heating and eyes going wide as Bradley caressed you. His gaze was intense as he touched you, and you felt a shiver run up your spine when his brown eyes darted up to meet your own. The brown was practically swallowed by black, and you had to muster all of your self control to not throw yourself at him then and there.
“I should, um,” you stuttered after a second, “I should go see if Maverick has started dinner yet.”
You stood abruptly, Bradley following suit. He moved to pick you up, but you took a step back, shaking your head.
“No, I,” you sucked in a breath, “it’s not that far. I think I’ll try walking there.”
Bradley frowned at you, but before he could argue, you beelined out of the tent and into the open air. It was unprofessional to be acting this way, especially with someone who didn’t understand the intricacies of human relationships.
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The end of the week brought movie night, and you were giddy when you remembered that it was your turn to pick. Jake and Javy groaned loudly when they saw your choice. You ignored them, taking a seat on one of the couches Maverick and Tom had managed to snag while in the city not too terribly long ago. Bradley immediately sat next to you, his thigh pressed against yours, filling you with an odd sense of comfort.
“What are we watching?” Bob asked as he entered the tent.
“The Princess Bride,” you grinned as Jake plopped down on your other side.
“You couldn’t have picked anything with explosions?” He asked, wrinkling his nose at you in mock disgust. You rolled your eyes, shoving him lightly.
“The Princess Bride is a classic,” you argued. “Don’t be such a guy.”
“I think the Princess Bride is great,” Bob offered, earning dual eye rolls from both Javy and Jake.
“You would,” Jake threw back at the bespectacled man with a grin.
“Explosions and gun fights does not a movie make,” Bob scowled. “It’s good to mix it up every now and then.”
“Exactly!” You exclaimed. “I had to sit through so many hours of Fast and Furious of all things. The least you can do is sit quietly through my movie.”
“Hey, do not knock the Fast and the Furious,” Javy warned, raising his pointer finger at you with a serious look. You rolled your eyes once more but let out a giggle.
“I’ll stop knocking the Fast and the Furious when the movies start being good,” you grinned.
“So, never,” Bob snorted, earning scowls from the other two men. Before the argument could continue, both Maverick and Tom strolled into the tent.
“Oh, The Princess Bride,” Mav grinned, plopping down onto the other couch, Tom not too far behind. “One of my favorites!”
Once everyone was settled, you started the movie, absentmindedly curling into Bradley’s side more and more as the minutes stretched on. Bradley’s fingers came up to play with the strands of your hair, unknowingly lulling you into a deep sleep.
Bradley knew the second you fell asleep, and he smiled softly as he listened to your breathing even out as you relaxed against him. He liked this. He liked how safe you felt with him and how at ease you made him feel. Bradley was somewhat paying attention to scenes in front of him, lost in thought as he tried to understand what was going on. There was one thing that stood out to him, though. A word, actually. He had heard Maverick and Tom say it to each other on rare occasions, but Bradley had never given it much thought before he met you. But, when he saw the two characters on the screen look at each other and say that word, he felt that it might be important. That maybe he should ask them what it meant. You stirred against him, and Bradley felt an ache in his chest as he looked down at your sleeping form. His curiosity could wait for now, he thought. He’d make sure to ask Tom and Maverick what it meant later. For now, he just wanted to stay by your side.
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A/N: Reminder to everyone that I am redoing my tag lists! If you haven't added yourself to the new one, please do so! I will also not tag you if you do not have an age listed on your blog or your blog is blank, so if you sign up for the tag list, please make sure you add your age and fill in your blog! As always, comments and reblogs are appreciated. You can also find my works on AO3 under sailor_aviator. If you enjoy my writing, try checking out some of my other series as well and/or leave me a tip if you feel compelled to do so!
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Tag List: @goldenseresinretriever @fanficfandomlove @bobgasm @pinkdaisies1106 @hookslove1592 @jessicab1991 @bellaireland1981 @justherebecausesafarisucks @jupitercomet @atarmychick007 @katfanfic @topnerd03 @smileybouquet @roger-that-cap @crybaby-21 @vixenobrian @butterfly-skinnylegend @nouis-bum @eloquentdreamer @els-marvelvsp @bearw1thme @diorrfairy @seresinsbrat @what-did-you-just-say @na-ta-sh-aa @rosedurin @rhettsluvr @djs8891 @roosteraloha @yelrah27 @takens-world @fudge13 @imnotcreativeenoughforthisblog @burrowsmuse @senawashere @uniquedreamlandcheesecake @susseysstuff
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jupitercomet · 3 months
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is that Bradley Bradshaw growth I see?? maybe! I’m so glad they finally had an honest conversation with each other and I love Mickey more than anything in this, I can’t wait to see how the next day goes for them!!
Ruthie, I really love how you flush out all your characters and give them really interesting backstories. it makes it really fun to see how they’ll act in certain situations and form relationships!
You Catch More Bees With Honey: Chapter 5
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Pairing: Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw x Reader
Part of the San Diego Dogfighters universe
Summary: Bradley Bradshaw, blindsided by a team he trusted like family has been traded to the San Diego Dogfighters. Across the country from the place he calls home, Bradley feels lost and betrayed. Not to mention the familiar faces and ghosts from his past that he now has to face every day at work. Bradley’s caught between wanting to show his former team the mistake they made in double-crossing him and wondering if it’s time to hang up his skates after one final season. You’re living your dream as the PR representative for the Dogfighters. When Coach Maverick made a bid to bring his godson to the team, you hadn’t batted an eye. Bradley was a good teammate, and a good player. Unfortunately, the Bradley that shows up in San Diego is nothing like your research suggested. He’s moody, irritable, aggressive, and angry, throwing a wrench in all your careful planning. What’s caused such a drastic change in him? And can you figure out how to help him before he makes a mistake you can’t fix?
Chapter CW: 18+ ONLY, swearing, dead parents, mentions of major character death, mentions of physical violence, angst, age gap (28 and 38), enemies to lovers, suggestive language, hockey inaccuracies etc. No use of Y/N.
Word Count: 4.9k
A/N: We’re back! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! 🥰
Previous Chapter // Series Masterlist // Next Chapter
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Bradley Bradshaw is standing in front of you. This has to be some kind of colossal joke. Mickey would never do that, though, would he? Bradley looks like he’s fighting every impulse to shove his hands in his pockets as he shuffles from one foot to another.
“Can I help you?” You ask warily, still unsure if you’re getting pranked.
“I…” he starts before he falls silent again. He clears his throat awkwardly, finally surrendering to the urge and shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans, tightening his broad shoulders. “I was eating at that restaurant and I saw you waiting and uh…” he hesitates again. “You’ve been waiting a while, I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.” A flush is slowly creeping up his neck, dusting the skin a rosy red. Warmth steals up yours as you realize he’s been watching you.
It’s Friday. You were supposed to be meeting the guy from the dating app today. The key word being were. You’ve been standing outside of the restaurant in a dress not at all appropriate for the chill in the air tonight for almost thirty minutes. You didn’t see Bradley walk by you which means he’s been here the whole time. You don’t feel like explaining your embarrassing plight to Bradley but with every passing minute, it gets harder and harder to lie without looking like a bigger fool. “I’m on a date…” you swallow, hard. “At least I’m supposed to be on a date.” You can’t help the way you fidget with your hands. At work, you’re on an even playing field. You have a job to do, a title that you wear like a shield. You’re at your most polished, ready to be seen by the world and taken seriously. Now you’re standing here on a curb in some unfamiliar part of town, all but shivering in front of a man who’s done nothing in the past but cause you pain and make you feel small. And he’s being nice to you. You don’t know what nice looks like from Bradley Bradshaw and you’re not sure you’re prepared to see him like this. It feels like you’re throwing your sword down in front of him, making him privy to a part of you that no one sees.
“He didn’t show?” You can hear the twinge of disgust in Bradley’s voice but the concern is louder.
“He’s just not here yet.” You attempt to cover for your date, but have no idea why. You don’t even know the man besides the few messages you’d exchanged over the past week.
“Honey, he hasn’t been here for thirty minutes. I don’t think he’s coming.” You expect to see pity in his eyes, maybe a smirk at your plight but you see something else, something unreadable. If you didn’t know better, you’d think he looks almost protective, but the lingering pain in your jaw and the ache in your heart tell you no.
“Yeah, maybe not.” You manage awkwardly, shifting on your feet.
“You could join me, if you want?” You blink, surprised. You’d expected a lot of things when Bradley Bradshaw walked out of the restaurant behind you but an invitation to join him was probably the last thing you’d have guessed. You actually would be less surprised if he produced tomatoes from his pockets and pelted you with them. What surprises you even more is that you nod and start for the doorway and you feel the gentle brush of his fingertips against your back, guiding you forward, respectfully avoiding the expanse of exposed skin at the top of your back in favor of the fabric lower down. You suppress a groan of relief at the warmth in the restaurant. “Over there,” Bradley gestures to an unoccupied table with several half-eaten plates on it. You pause as you reach the table, your eyes catching on the bouquet of daisies laid on the table.
“Oh my god am I interrupting something, like a date or something?” You sputter as you back up, bumping into Bradley’s broad chest. You turn to look at him and gasp softly as you realize exactly how close he is. Your back is pressed against his torso and you can feel him breathing through your clothes. Your lips are inches from his where you’re turned slightly backward to see him and his deep brown eyes are wide and boring into yours. You’re both staring for longer than socially appropriate, caught by surprise at the closeness. He backs up, hands ghosting over your waist to ensure you don’t stumble at his sudden movement and you can see the rosy hue creeping up his neck.
“They're for my mom.” He blurts and you look at him, confused. His file states that Bradley’s mother is deceased. “Daisies were her favorite.” Your heart aches at the confirmation that Carole Bradshaw has indeed passed away.
You’re not sure what to say so you awkwardly reply. “Irises were my mom’s favorite.” You watch the way his shoulders relax and slide into the booth across from where he was clearly sitting before this. He follows suit and you’re sitting face to face, squirming under the weight of each other’s gaze. You can’t take the silence so you keep talking. “My dad used to get us bouquets of irises and sunflowers, because those were our favorite, with baby’s breath to tie it all together. He used to say he was like them, the baby’s breath, there to make sure his girls shined.” You’ve never told anyone about this, so you’re not sure why you’re suddenly telling Bradley. You hadn’t really spoken about your mom in years. The last person you told about her was your grief counselor all those years.
“Are you close? You and your dad?” Bradley asks, his voice quiet, like he’s afraid to disturb you, to break the reverie holding you in this state.
You nod. “As much as you can be but I was always closer to my mom.”
“I didn’t know, you know,” Bradley murmurs and he averts his eyes, clearly uncomfortable. “About your mom.” His throat bobs and when he looks back up at you his eyes are simultaneously firm with determination and soft with guilt, “I never would have said that if I knew.” You shake your head, lowering your gaze.
“No one knows, really. Mickey only knows because he was there. I don’t talk about it. I don’t talk about HER.” You fall silent because you can’t explain why, because you don’t know why. Because you don’t blame yourself for her death, do you? Do you?
“If you don’t talk about her it’s like she’s still there.” His voice is almost a whisper like it’s a thought that was just meant for him but slipped past his lips regardless and your heart clenches at the truth in them and you nod. He nods back, lost in thought as he keeps going. “My family house in Virginia, I still legally own it. I haven’t been back there since I left for college, because then maybe she’s still in the kitchen, laughing and singing to herself, waiting for me to come home.”
“I haven’t been home in eight years.” You whisper. “Not since the funeral.”
“How did she…?” You flinch in anticipation of a word that never comes like he knows what it’s like, to feel it tear apart every seam you’ve painstakingly mended in a Frankenstein attempt to return to your old self.
“She had a heart attack, they couldn’t do anything to save her. It was instant.”
“I’m sorry.” He whispers back.
You barely shake your head. “It’s not your fault.”
“Maybe not, but other things are.” He hesitates before continuing. “I hurt you before, emotionally… and physically and I didn’t mean to.” You can tell it’s not easy for him to admit, that he’s not good at saying sorry. Your jaw takes that moment to throb with an aftershock of pain. Truth be told, it’s almost completely healed. Your hand reaches for it instinctively at the twinge but Bradley beats you there. He’s so large that his arm crosses the table with ease as his finger brushes over the spot where your jaw’s bruised under your makeup. You jerk back like his touch has shocked you and in a way, it has, not with electricity but with surprise.
“Fuck! Did I hurt you?!” You watch the panic on his face as he withdraws his hand instantly. You shake your head quickly. Bradley Bradshaw is an enigma. How is this the man who’s been nothing but casually cruel to you up until today? You secretly wonder if he has an evil twin.
“No, no, you just surprised me. Sorry.” You watch him grimace before his hands return to his lap and you can tell from the way his shoulders flex that he’s fidgeting with them in his lap.
“Sorry, my mom always said I need to remember I’m a big guy, and that women can get the wrong idea. I’m not going to hurt you, I promise.” He grimaces again. “Not anymore, I mean, I guess I already have.” You blink, surprised. You’ve always assumed that Bradley’s the type of guy who uses his size to his advantage. He certainly does on the ice. You’ve watched him throw around smaller players like their chump change. But this Bradley, sitting in front of you, is completely different. You think back to the time he was squished into the chair in your office, and then to the way he instantly backpedaled when you flinched after he slammed his hands on your desk and you wonder exactly how aware of his size he really is.
You’re saved from responding by the waitress finally approaching the table. She gives you a bright polite smile and asks if you’d like something to eat. Luckily, you’d already studied the menu online enough times that you could probably rattle it off from memory. You order a double bacon cheeseburger with onion rings and fries and the waitress retreats before you face a dumbfounded Bradley. “What? Never seen a woman eat before, Bradshaw?” You arch a judgmental eyebrow as he shakes his head quickly, schooling his expression quickly.
“No, I just. You don’t look like the type of girl who would.” He grimaces instantly like he realizes how it sounded. “Sorry I didn’t mean it like that, I just-“
You interrupt, saving him from further humiliation with a shrug. “I’m not trying to get laid, so no need to pretend I’d rather have a salad. No offense.” You give him a pointed look. “Plus, I didn't really think we were trying to impress.” Your eyes move to the various plates of food on the table in front of his singular person before going back to his. He just nods curtly before pushing a plate of lukewarm cheese fries in your direction. You could easily wait for your own mountain of food but you take a fry to fight off the awkward silence that threatens to consume the two of you.
“So, why hockey?” Bradley breaks the silence around a fry of his own. You chew thoughtfully before you answer him.
“Hockey was always a part of this fairytale that my mom used to tell me.” Bradley’s brow furrows in confusion. “When she was in college she had this whirlwind romance with a hockey player.” You clarify. “She never said who, but hockey became this little special thing between us. We’d giggle when we saw pond hockey teams play on the drive home from school. Sometimes we’d watch games in passing while flipping channels. And then when I was in college I had to share the practice rink with the hockey team. That’s how I met Mickey, and I ended up getting close to the team. Now I work with them for a living.” You shrug nonchalantly as you select another fry.
“So wait, your mom dated a hockey player and what? He went pro and disappeared?” Bradley frowns, his mustached lip curled in disgust.
You chuckle softly, smirking at him around the fry as you lean in conspiratorially. “Nope, she did.”
Bradley looks dumbfounded, sitting back, an impressed look on his face. “Good for her.”
You grin as you reach for another fry. “She got scouted for the U.S. Olympic figure skating team. Not even a year later she won her first medal, good for her indeed.” He whistles lowly, clearly impressed. You can’t help the way your chest puffs with pride over your mom’s accomplishments. There’s never been a moment when you aren’t proud to be her daughter. The lull that falls between the two of you is more comfortable now so you decide to take the jump.
“Okay your turn, what’s going on with you and Maverick? And before you deny it, Mickey said there’s been noticeable tension between the two of you and you mentioned something when you were drunk. However, since your drunk self makes some questionable, and apparently forgettable, decisions, I want to hear it from you sober.” You pause for a moment before adding. “I’m not on any side here, Bradley. Not Mavericks, not yours. But I could be. My job is to be on your side, if you’ll let me do it.” You’re tired and you don’t feel like doing this right now, especially when you’ve just started to feel like you’re getting somewhere with Bradley, but right now he’s unguarded. It’s the best chance that you’re going to get and you don’t want to curse yourself tomorrow when he’s back to his old self.
Bradley’s shoulders tense and you watch his hand clench into a fist where it lays on the table next to the plate of fries. You curse yourself for jumping the gun and pushing so soon, ready to watch his walls snap back up and shut you out again. He surprises you when he unclenches his fist, reaching out to toy with a French fry. When he speaks it’s, slowly. “You know Maverick’s the reason I’m in San Diego.” It’s not a question but you nod anyway. “Well, it wasn’t this beautiful reunion that the media seems to think it was.” You know about that too. While they don’t know that Maverick is Bradley’s godfather, there’s been plenty of buzz regarding the reunion of the Mitchell and Bradshaw names. “He didn’t even call to tell me that he’d requested the trade let alone ask for my permission, but that’s just Pete Mitchell. He blows in when it’s convenient and leaves just as easily.” He shakes his head, exhaustion, and disgust on his face.
“He wasn’t really around when I was growing up. Everyone likes to think he raised me in my dad’s place but the most he did was send my mom checks to pay for hockey. And I didn’t even know about that until he told me.” He sighs, tired, but you can tell you’ve breached some dam in his mind because he continues without hesitations. “The first time I even met him was at my mom’s funeral. He suddenly felt like he wanted to be a part of my life but I didn’t need him. He went behind my back anyway and paid for my college education. The second I got my first check from the NHL I started paying it back. That's the extent of our relationship. He threw money at me like I was a problem he could solve with it and I threw it back. Then the next thing I know I’m waking up to headlines and messages from friends telling me I’ve been traded to San Diego.”
“Wait, they didn’t even tell you?!” This is news to you. “Like, god, I know they’d been trying to get rid of you but after playing with them for that long you think they’d at least give you the courtesy of telling them in person!” You’re rambling, fueled by rage. You’d already gotten a bad impression of the Flyers when they were so eager to give up Bradley during negotiations but this was a new low.
“Wait, what do you mean they were trying to get rid of me?” Bradley looks wary but genuinely surprised by this new information. You scowl, not at him, but out of mutual anger at the Flyers.
“When we called to negotiate the trade, your old manager said he’s been trying to trade you for the better part of two seasons.” Your heart clenches as you watch Bradley’s face fall slightly. “He… he was being a complete asshole about it, honestly. He kept saying you can’t teach an old dog new tricks and how they’d much rather fill the roster with rookie talent they could mold over the years.” Bradley’s unknowingly crushed the fry he was toying with earlier. You can tell he’s holding it in, the rage and hurt. Your heart aches. “He didn’t have any right to talk about you that way.” You’re not sure why you say it, why you feel the need to stand up for him against a man who’s not even here. “You played with him for over a fucking decade and played well might I add. You’re consistent, dependable, the perfect player to counteract the flux of developing rookie talent and ground a team but of course, all assholes like him can see is money.” You throw your hands up in frustration and it’s only then that you realize that Bradley’s watching you, a strange look on his face.
“You really think that?” His voice is hesitant.
You shrug. “Of course, if I didn’t I wouldn’t have agreed with the decision to request your trade. You’re exactly what a team like us needs. Sure, I felt for Maverick’s supposed emotional stake in the trade, hell I did the same thing to get Mickey here, but I still looked at you objectively and evaluated you as a necessary player to this team.”
You both fall into silence and the waitress chooses that moment to arrive with your burger. You turn your attention to gobbling down the cheesy goodness as Bradley mulls over your words. You’re polishing off the last of the burger with an onion ring dunked in ranch when he finally speaks again.
“Thank you.”
“Fwo wat?” You ask around the onion ring. He frowns slightly at your garbled words and your cheeks heat in embarrassment as you swallow your food and wash it down with water. Bradley’s not like your other colleagues, he’s the oldest on the team and ten years your senior. You owe him a little more respect than talking with your mouth full. “Sorry, for what?”
“For saying that, for telling me what my old manager said.” He pauses and you take the opportunity to snag another onion ring. “This whole time, I’ve been blaming Maverick. He used to play for the Flyers so I thought he called in some kind of non-negotiable favor, but now I know he’s not the only one to blame.”
You swallow, choosing your words carefully. “I know you’re not exactly happy here and it’s not really my place to tell you how you should feel, but for the record? If it were me? I’d much rather be unhappy somewhere I’m wanted than happy somewhere I’m not.” You pop a fry into your mouth, chewing thoughtfully as Bradley turns your words over in his mind.
He’s quiet until the waitress comes back with the check and he lets her know the food will be all in one check. Before you can protest, and honestly you weren’t really going to, he fixes you with a firm look. “I owe you one, plus I invited you.” You could point out that he didn’t really invite you so much as save you from further embarrassment and potentially a loitering charge, but instead, you just give him a shrug and pop a manicured finger into your mouth to lick the ranch off. He follows you out of the restaurant and with the setting of the sun the temperature has dropped even more and you silently curse your choice of attire. Your traitorous body seems to have forsaken your New England upbringing and fully adjusted to the near-constant heat of southern California. You try not to visibly shiver but then a warm presence falls across your shoulders. You turn to see Braldey has shed his flannel to place it across your shoulders.
“Thanks” you murmur and he gives you a curt nod.
“Where are you parked?” He asks and you groan internally.
“I’m not, I Ubered here.” You admit, embarrassed. “I figured if things went poorly at least I could have a couple of drinks and if they went well then…” you trail off, not exactly feeling like explaining to Bradley that you’d been hoping to get laid tonight. You needed it, the stress relief alone would do wonders for you. He gives you another curt nod, thankfully not asking you to elaborate.
“This way then.” He guides you towards the parking garage down the street, his fingers a gentle pressure against your back through his shirt that you’ve wrapped around your shoulders like a cape.
“You didn’t valet?” You ask as you ignore the way your stiletto heels are biting your toes as you follow after Bradley through the parking garage.
He looks back at you like you’ve suggested something ridiculous. “No one drives the Bronco.” He states and you roll your eyes as he unlocks the car. You climb into the passenger seat. The car is surprisingly clean, no trash lining the floors and the cup holders are spotless, not even a forgotten gum wrapper. You buckle yourself in and Bradley fiddles with his phone in the little mount. “Where am I dropping you off?” He asks, pulling up Google Maps.
“Mickey’s place,” you answer. He’d told you to come right over if you didn’t end up going home with this guy so he could get all the details while they're fresh. You didn’t have much to share but you’re sure he’d want to know regardless. You realize Bradley’s still waiting and rattle off the address as it occurs to you that Bradley’s probably never been over to Mickey’s house.
“Can I ask why Mickey’s house?” He asks once you’re on your way and you shrug.
“Maybe I don’t want you to know where I live.” You try to stop the grin tempting your lips. He snorts. “How am I supposed to know that you’re not a serial killer?” You challenge.
“You’ve literally done extensive background checks on me, and you got into my car without any fuss.” He points out.
“Okay but you’re a loner, you don’t have any friends-“
“I have friends.” He interrupts, sounding offended that you would suggest otherwise.
“Bradley Bradshaw, you most certainly do not.” You fire back and you see the edge of his mouth twitch.
“Well, how do I know you’re not homeless and living on Mickey’s couch?” You think he might be smiling but it’s too dark to tell.
“I’m not HOMELESS!” You squawk. “I just have friends, unlike you.” He rolls his eyes as he gets on the highway. “Mickey said he wanted to hear all about the date after.” You shrug, settling back into the leather seat.
“But you didn’t go on the date,” Bradley points out. You shrug again.
“And so I have to chew him out for that since it was his idea in the first place.” You explain and he nods in agreement. “He thinks I need to have a life outside of work which is ridiculous.” Bradley nods at that too. The conversation fizzles out into a silence that doesn’t feel uncomfortable and Bradley fiddles with the radio and the 80s station comes on.
You hum idly along with whatever song is ending before another familiar one takes its place. You hear Whitney Houston’s familiar voice croons through the speakers. You’re not sure when you started singing along, “I wanna dance with somebody, I wanna feel the heat with somebody,” but your voice mixes with Whitney’s in the quiet of the Bronco.
When the song ends, Bradley speaks up. “You have a good voice.” You feel your cheeks heat at the reminder that you have an audience.
“Sorry,” you apologize immediately, sure that Bradley didn’t sign up for an impromptu concert when he turned on the radio to fill the silence, but he shakes his head.
“You don’t have to apologize, I don’t mind. Like I said, you have a nice voice.” You think about pointing out that he said you had a good voice, not a nice voice, and that a good and a nice voice are two completely different things but instead you join Belinda Carlisle in remarking that “Heaven is a Place on Earth.”
***
When you pull into Mickey’s driveway, Bradley shifts the car into park while you shrug off his shirt. When you hand it to him he hands you the bouquet of daisies and you blink at him, surprised.
“She’d want you to have them.” Bradley clarifies and you clutch them tightly.
“Thank you, Bradley, for all of it. Thank your mom for me.” You add and you see something flicker in his eyes for a moment as you climb out of the car. Bradley stays in the driveway until you’re at the door, ringing the doorbell. Only pulling out when Mickey swings the front door open, grinning wide.
“Welcome home, Casanova!” He greets you, dragging you in and slamming the door behind you. You’ve barely made it into the living room when Bob turns around from where he’s perched on the couch, looking out the window behind it.
“Mickey I was right, you owe me fifty bucks! That absolutely was Bradley’s Bronco!” You roll your eyes as Mickey comes in from the kitchen where he was fetching a vase for the daisies. You let him take them and arrange them in the vase as he looks at you, a question in his eyes.
“Okay yes, that was Bradley’s Bronco.” You admit and Bob lets out a crow of joy as Mickey scowls at him, fishing in his back pocket for his phone, Venmoing Bob fifty dollars.
“Babe, what were you doing with him of all people?” Mickey demands as he throws himself onto the couch next to Bob. You give an exhausted sigh before throwing yourself in between the two boys, groaning.
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
“Don’t tell me that dating app guy was Bradley all along and it was a catfish?” Mickey screeches, sitting up so he can look you in the eye as you roll them shaking your head.
“No no, not that insane. The dating app guy stood me up and I was standing outside the restaurant for half an hour waiting for him like an idiot, and you wouldn’t believe who happened to be eating at the exact same restaurant.” Mickey groans, sinking back into the couch next to you, dropping his head onto your shoulder.
“Mami, you really got the double dose of bad luck today didn’t you.” You drop your head on top of his.
“And then he came out and asked me to join him.” Mickey’s head whips out front under yours and you yelp in surprise. “You didn’t!”
You shrug. “Mickey Garcia, have you ever known me to say no to free food?”
“You’re right but tell me you at least ate him out of house and home.” He groans and you laugh nodding, a grin spreading over his face.
“Double bacon cheeseburger, extra bacon, with fries and onion rings.”
“That’s my girl!” He says, throwing an arm across your shoulders and you snuggle into his embrace.
“Plus it wasn’t actually that bad, I got to talk to him, get a better idea of what's going on inside his head.”
“I wasn’t aware there was anything going on in there.”
You snort as you bump his head with yours. “Says the guy who punched him.”
He tightens his grip on your shoulders. “He deserved that and you know it.” You don’t answer and he knows that’s the closest he’ll get to you agreeing.
“He’s not that bad, honestly.” You say finally. “He’s angry, and he’s hurting, but under all that I think he’s just tired, and honestly he’s an okay guy.” Mickey snorts disbelievingly. “He apologized for yesterday and before that too. Which reminds me, you need to apologize to him tomorrow.”
“For what?” He squawks and you fix him with a hard look. “Fine, fine, if you insist, Mami, just for you. But while his apologizing to you is nice and all, I won’t believe it until I see it. He needs to be nicer to you. Civil at least. You’re just trying to do your job.” You nod and he sighs. “What do you say we all watch a movie and then you can crash here for the night? You have stuff upstairs in the guest room anyway and we can give you a ride to work tomorrow.” You nod, extricating yourself from his arms to trudge upstairs to change into your extra pajamas.
You’re not sure that tonight will change anything between you and Bradley but at the least, you hope that he’ll consider what you said to him because whether he chooses to believe it or not, the Dogfighters need him. You just hope you can get through to him before he does something you can’t fix for him.
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A/N: Will this be the mark of a new leaf turned for our angry angry boy?
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jupitercomet · 3 months
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𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐑 𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 💌
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personally, i'm not a big new year's eve girl, but i do love a celebration!
so i'd love to end the year on a positive note (literally, 💌) and invite all of you to come into my inbox before midnight (est) on new year's day and leave a love note for a fic or author you loved this year.
and for my lovely writers and creators, i'd love for you to write yourselves a love note as well. what's your favorite fic you wrote this year? what's your favorite mood board you created?
you can make them as long or as short as you'd like. happy new year, my loves! 🍾
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no pressure tags: @sometimesanalice @callsignspark @gretagerwigsmuse @rhettabbotts @lewmagoo @roosterbruiser @theharddeck @withahappyrefrain @bradshawsbitch @bradshawsbaby @delopsia @ryebecca @mothdruid @roosterforme @beyondthesefourwalls @jupitercomet @sunlightmurdock @bobfloydsbabe @ofstoriesandstardust @sebsxphia @cherrycola27 @peachystenbrough @sailor-aviator (seriously negative zero pressure, you all just deserve to hype yourselves up)
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jupitercomet · 3 months
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hey guys, sucky, not so fun life update: I got sick so I wasn't able to get where I planned in the honeymoon phase prologue, so it'll be coming later in the week instead of tomorrow
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jupitercomet · 3 months
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3. favorite line/scene you wrote this year
&
21. most memorable comment/review
3. favorite line/scene you wrote this year
ooh this one was kinda tough, mostly because I don't really know if I wrote any, like, The Scenes™ or The Lines™ but maybe the nickname reveal in the house that i grew up in or "You wonder if that's the point of loving bodies—the physical reminder that one is alive."
21. most memorable comment/review
ahh again another tough one, I think all the comments where people are really detailed about what they liked or what their favorite part is are the ones I remember the most
fanfic end of the year asks
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jupitercomet · 3 months
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fanfic end of the year asks
since it’s december, i thought i’d make a little end of the year ask meme for fanfic writers and readers! reblog and ask away
favorite fic you wrote this year
least favorite fic you wrote this year
favorite line/scene you wrote this year
total number of words you wrote this year
most popular fic this year
least popular fic this year
longest completed fic you wrote this year
shortest completed fic you wrote this year
longest wip of the year
shortest wip of the year
fandom you enjoyed writing for the most this year
favorite character to write about this year
favorite writing song/artist/album of this year
a fic you didn’t expect to write
something you learned this year
fic(s) you completed this year
fics you’ll continue next year
current number of wips
any new fics to start next year
number of comments you haven’t read
most memorable comment/review
events you participated in this year
fics you wanted to write but didn’t
favorite fic you read this year
a fic you read this year you would recommend everyone read
number of favorites/bookmarks you made this year
favorite fanfic author of the year
longest fic you read this year
shortest fic you read this year
favorite fandom to read fic from this year
*feel free to specify fandoms or a fic depending on the question.
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