#068 drabble

[ohisms]

↪     𝑺𝑬𝑻𝑻𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑷𝑹𝑶𝑴𝑷𝑻𝑺 , updated .     (  a  collection  of  various  settings  meant  to  inspire  drabbles  or  be  used  as  prompts .   )

001.   the seaside ,  as the sun is setting .

002.   a cabin in the middle of the woods .

003.   a picket-fenced home in the suburbs .

004.   a dark bus stop lit only by street lights .

005.   a private jet miles high in the sky .

006.   a funhouse’s room of mirrors .

007.   an office building ,  bustling and busy .

008.   the back row of an empty movie theater .

009.   a run - down motel room .

010.   a loud house party on a suburban street .

011.   a university lecture hall during a class .

012.   the rooftop of a very tall building .

013.   a great ballroom during an elegant party .

014.   the back of a wailing ambulance .

015.   the wine cellar of a large mansion .

016.   behind the school’s gymnasium .

017.   a boisterous bonfire at the lakeside .

018.   an otherwise empty parking lot .

019.   the shady bar of a noisy , dark club .

020.  the grounds of an empty summer camp .

021.   a large hedge maze ,  easy to get lost in .

022.   a neglected or derelict treehouse .

023.   a spacious ,  light-filled meadow .

024.   an underground illegal fighting club .

025.   an abandoned scrapyard .

026.   a large penthouse overlooking the city .

027.    an apple orchard in the middle of spring .

028.   an empty playground with squeaky swings .

029.   an extravagant greenhouse .

030.   the base of a large waterfall .

031.    a spacious walk - in closet full of lovely clothes .

032.   a solemnly quiet hospital room .

033.   the dark depths of an abandoned mine .

034.   the deck of a fishing boat at night .

035.   the thick crowd of an audience at a show .

036.   a long ,  winding road .

037.   the scene of a violent crime .

038.   a fork in a hiking trail deep in the wilderness .

039.   a cramped dressing room .

040.   a dusty antiques shop full of relics .

041.   the street of an unfamiliar city at night .

042.   between the tall shelves of a thrifted book shop .

043.   a building abandoned during construction .

044.   a house without power or running water .

045.   a mysterious trail found in the woods .

046.   the back of a taxi stuck in traffic .

047.    the inside of an elevator that won’t move .

048.   fairgrounds during a large event  (or after hours) .

049.   a garden bountiful with flowers or produce .

050.   a childhood home or bedroom .

+   30  more  setting  prompts :    1 / 3 / 2024

051. the site of a horrible accident .

052. a closed pool , after everyone has left .

053. a home holding horrific memories .

054. by the side of a dangerously quick river .

055. a private hotel room .

056. a police station in the middle of the night .

057. a ferris wheel carriage under a sky of fireworks .

058. a lavish , invite - only party .

059. a public transit stop as rain is pouring down .

060. the back of a taxi going in the wrong direction .

061. the underworld .

062. a dusty , forgotten attic .

063. on the set of a television show or movie .

064. a lighthouse overlooking the raging sea .

065. in a post - apocalyptic bunker .

066. on a ship hundreds of miles from the nearest coast .

067. on the rooftop of a perilously tall building .

068. a tent pitched in the middle of the woods .

069. a crowded stadium during a football game .

070. the morgue during an identification .

071. an otherwise empty library during a late study session .

072. a place that feels familiar , yet you've never been here before .

073. a long hallway that seems to stretch on forever .

074. a signpost at the start of a hiking trail .

075. a bar or tavern bustling with life .

076. the dance floor of a masquerade ball .

077. inside of a car parked in a secluded area .

078. at the edge of a cliff overlooking a large lake .

079. inside a very old house with very old haunts .

080. the antiseptic interior of a space station .

[novasintheroom]

068. Lie

♡ Pairing - Vash x Reader

♡ Word count - 0.8k

♡ Warnings - none

♡ Description: You ask about Vash's family. He asks you the same.

Part of the 150 Bullets drabble series on AO3

“So where are you from?”

The question comes on a Tuesday afternoon, under the awning of a shop in a little town you haven’t found the name for yet. Vash is sat to your side, the creaking, rusted metal bench beneath. You pause in chewing your foil-wrapped burger. Vash’s eyes are on you, watching.

Not that there’s much to look at. You blink and shrug. “Podunk town like this. I can barely remember its name anymore, it’s been so long, and I’ve been on the move so much with the librarian stuff.” It’s a lie. You remember the name very well. But, taking another bite of burger, you’re not going to reveal it. Some old, old maps in the archives still have its name printed on them, and you won’t take the chance. “Where are you from?”

Vash laughs quietly, looking off to the side. “Same, I guess. I don’t remember the town, just my family.”

Well now, that’s a new topic. You lean back and look at him. “What was your family like?”

A solemn air surrounds him suddenly; his eyes crinkle, like he’s been pinched. You wonder if you’ve stepped over some line asking about it. But he opens his mouth and says, “I had…my adoptive mom, and my brother.” His hands come together before him, clasping. “My brother and I are twins.”

Are. Does that mean his brother is still alive? Funny that he’s never mentioned him or wanted to visit. You hum, feeling out how to approach this. “Adoptive?”

Vash nods. “Yeah. Our bio mom couldn’t really take care of us, so she – Rem, I mean – she took me and my brother in and raised us.”

A tomas-pulled cart trundles by, kicking up the dry dust of the hard road. You take another bite of your meal. Vash’s hands are empty. He said he wasn’t hungry. Your mind reels, wondering what to ask, how to make this a little less awkward. “What’s your brother’s name?”

Vash takes a breath in, then out. “Nai.”

You swallow and look at him odd. “’Nai?’” You pause. “Was it short for, like, ‘Niles?’”

He barks out a surprised laugh. “Uh, no, it was…just Nai.”

“Uh,” you realize you might be heading into ‘rude’ territory. You’ve only known Vash a few months; it isn’t time to make fun of his maybe-alive-maybe-dead brother’s name, “okay.”

“It’s no more weird than ‘Vash,’” he defends.

Your brows twitch up. “I didn’t say anything.”

“But you thought it,” he laughs.

You smile, hiding behind what’s left of your burger.

Vash brushes a hand through his hair, then turns to you. “What was your family like?” He nudges his shoulder against yours, and his strange, carefree smile is back.

Hm. Should have expected that question. Still, you feel a distant sadness in your chest. “I had a mom and dad. A sister. That was it, really.”

Vash waits for more. When nothing comes, he ducks closer. “What were they like?”

You sigh, finishing the last of your burger and crumpling the foil in your hands, letting them hang between your legs. “My mom was an amateur scientist, Dad was a farmer. My sister’s still alive, somewhere, but it’s been a few years since I’ve seen her, so that might be up in the air.” There. Half-truths are still truths, aren’t they?

He nods, accepting it all. “You ever want to go see her?”

Your lips thin. “Not really. We don’t…have the best relationship. Had a bit of a falling out. You know how it is.”

He sighs and puts his chin in his hand, leaning on a knee. “I do.” A forlorn, empty look overtakes his blues, something you can only see from the side with his glasses on.

Well, this isn’t fun. You feel bad, like you’re the one who brought down the mood. So, you try to fix it. You throw your foiled ball at him, hitting him in the cheek. “I know you’re hungry enough for a donut, right?”

The corner of his mouth quirks up, but he hides it in a bewildered look. “Do you have any?”

“No, but we can go find some.”

He deliberates. You see it in his eyes. Do I want a donut? Do I want to spend the double dollars for one? Do I want to try and find some? Eventually, he agrees. “Alright. Yeah, let’s go find a donut.”

You slap your knees as you stand, bending down to pick up the foil ball and dispose of it properly. “Maybe we can check the post office while we do. See if there’s any packages need delivering.”

That perks him up more. Always looking for something to do, some way to help. Vash stands with you, and, following the dust of another wagon, you start your walk through town.

[stargatefests]

Stargate Microfic Challenge

Since we're celebrating the Stargate Anniverary fest for both SGA (20 years) and Stargate: The Movie (30 year), thought we'd throw another opportunity to join in the fun.

What is a 'microfic' -- as used on Tumblr, a microfic is 50 words. Half a drabble. Now, we're not going to be the microfic police. If you want to write more or less than 50 words for any of these prompts, you're more than welcome to do so. But a goal of 50-ish words is a challenge. Or, heck, do art... icons, drawbles... whatever you think fits is good enough for us.

The list below are 35 prompts originally from the McSheplets list on Live Journal. Use them in any order, or go back to the original McSheplets list (here) and find some prompts you do want to write.

MCSHEP NOT REQUIRED, we're just stealing the prompts. Write any pairing, no pairing. Write SG-1, SGU... any forms of Stargate works are welcome!

No promises, but if you @stargatefests on Tumblr, we'll try to reblog your work. And/or we'd love to have your work on the AO3 collection: https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Stargate_Anniversary_Fest_2024

The overall fest deadline is October 31, 2024. So that also applies here. Do what you can, when you can! We all win when you share something with us.

List of prompts below:

challenge: 040 - season 1

challenge: 041 - secret

challenge: 042 - pretending

challenge: 043 - crossover

challenge: 044 - at first sight

challenge: 045 - sacrifice

challenge: 046 - anticipation

challenge: 047 - home improvement

challenge: 048 - hope springs eternal

challenge: 049 - wet

challenge: 050 - return

challenge: 051 - handy

challenge: 052 - destiny

challenge: 053 - attention

challenge: 054 - mixed signals

challenge: 055 - movie

challenge: 056 - post-series

challenge: 057 - just in time

challenge: 058 - hindsight

challenge: 059 - tease

challenge: 060 - accident

challenge: 061 - the other side 3 (amnesty or wild card)

challenge: 062 - borrowed

challenge: 063 - fall

challenge: 064 - epiphany

challenge: 065 - dadt

challenge: 066 - honor and obey

challenge: 067 - matchmaking

challenge: 068 - play

challenge: 069 - awkward

challenge: 070 - high

challenge: 071 - history

challenge: 072 - animalistic

challenge: 073 - coming out

challenge: 074 - forgotten

challenge: 075 - pride

[marvelousazula]

Mask

Prompt #068 from 100 Days of Azutara Drabbles Challenge | masterlist | post-canon, relationship status open for interpretation, cw: burns and past child abuse

Azula was eccentric, to not say outright weird. Weird could be a good word to describe her, but it was an insensitive one to use to refer to a fellow literal child soldier. She had scary skills and a rigid routine, old habits die hard, people said. Azula was trained to be a ruthless killer when she needed to be a ruthless killer, and even the princess struggled to kill those habits that made her life a little more miserable.

Trauma made Katara quite the emotional one, even if she was pretty good at controlling those emotions. From what she has seen, trauma made Azula the queen of expressing her emotions. It was interesting, if you asked her, to think how one of the most powerful Firebenders in the world – if not the most powerful Firebender alive, – didn’t seem to use emotions when they seemed to be meant to be a Firebender’s fuel. 

Even a couple of years into whatever this relationship really was ,Katara still only saw her cry once. It didn’t mean she couldn’t tell when Azula was having a bad day, but still, she would have expected to have seen more of it.

However, her reaction to physical pain? That was unnerving.

Katara was healing quite the nasty burn that spread over her shoulder, partly over her chest and went midway down her left arm. It was quite the luck shot from the opponent, and it would have thrown down most Firebenders. If anny Firebender at all, she saw how powerful the burst was and the way Azula staggered on her feet for half a second. It could cause permanent damage without immediate medical attention, so good thing Katara was right there and ready to mak sure Azula wouldn’t lose any function of her arm.

Here she was, glowing water over her… friend’s shoulder. Years of experience as a healer didn’t guarantee that she got used to fresh nasty burns. But she thought that the queasiness of her stomach came from the way Azula showed no sign of being in pain, no sign at all, always something that made shivers run down her spine.

At this point, maybe she should be a little bit more used with the way Azula repressed her reactions, the way she seemed to always wear a well-carved mask. A mask Katara would like to not think about how it was forged in a house where a parent wanted her to be a firebending weapon and the other neglected her in favor of the firstborn. Azula could have turned out much worse, being honest.

“‘Zula?” Katara said gently, aware that the princess seemed to respond well to the nickname. Actually, she tended to even perk up when Katara used it.

“Yes?” She even sounded a little happier under the positive attention.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“That’s already a question,” Azula and her adorable little pleased grin, Katara rolled her eyes in mock annoyance. “Ask away, love.”

It was hard to keep convincing herself that she was not in love with the princess when she could sct smooth like this: “You never seem to feel pain, why’s that?”

“Oh,” Azula looked between Katara and the skin knitting itself back together under the water. “I just, uh, don’t really feel anything most of the time, when I get hurt. You know when a part of your body falls asleep, so it’s there but you don’t feel it?” Katara nodded. “It’s something like that.”

“Were you born like that?”

“No,” the princess looked so adorable when she stopped to think of an answer like that. “You’ve people being hit by lightning, there’s this shaking after it.”

“Yes, not a pleasant thing to look at.”

“So, that’s when the charge is strong enough to cause damage. Hits enough and I think pain receptors are fried. Not pleasant, but made me quite the efficient warrior, don’t you think.”

“Yeah, it seems.”

The more she knew, the more she wants to take a trip to Ozai’s cell.

[daisiesacts]

Drabbles

01. Energía

02. Miedo

03. Preocupación

04. Alegría

05. Decepción

06. Sorpresa

07. Satisfacción

08. Ira

09. Somnoliento

010. Tristeza

011. Ansiedad

012. Hambre

013. Llorar

014. Insultar

015. Estrés

016. Sensualidad

017. Delicadeza

018. Impuntualidad

019. Mentira

020. Enfermar

021. Bajo presión

022. Empatía

023. Integridad

024. Resiliencia

025. Adaptabilidad

026. Autoconciencia

027. Responsabilidad

028. Liderazgo

029. Proteger

030. Presumir

031. Atracón

032. Inhalar

033. Exhalar

034. Malestar

035. Dolor de cabeza

036. Sueño

037. Cansancio

038. Shock

039. Dolor

040. Inteligente

041. Desagrado

042. Injusticia

043. Mal entendido

044. Nauseas

045. Elegancia

046. Inquietud

047. Hiperactividad

048. Infidelidad

049. Preocupación

050. Indiferencia

051. Enamoramiento

052. Frustración

053. Expectativa

054. Empoderamiento

055. Meticuloso

056. Despiadado

057. Doloroso

058. Hipócrita

059. Cariño

060. Insinuación

061. Incómodo

062. Alterado

063. Cuidadoso

064. Creatividad

065. Desesperación

066. Inspiración

067. Atento

068. Creencia

069. Burla

070. Perfeccionista

071. Ocupado

072. Saludable

073. Adicción

074. Vergüenza

075. Procrastinar

076. Sueño

077. Repetir

078. Dañar

079. Realidad

080. Desilusión

[horrible-on-main]

068 is already waiting on his knees when Milonas steps into his cell, but his back straightens as he sees her. His surprise is evident. "068," she greets him. "Interrogator." His tone is steady, his gaze calm and curious. She sees no reason to beat about the bush. "I am moving you to different accommodation." Apprehension chases curiosity across his face.

"You don't require the same security level as the other assets, and it's past time you had a better equipped work space. You don't belong in this cell block any more. You'll be housed close to the acolytes' quarters, and you will have access to the librarium as well as a private space for your work."

When she pauses long enough, he speaks cautiously. "I, ah, I am honoured by your trust in me, Interrogator." He doesn't voice the but, but she hears it all the same. "You have concerns, asset?" "I, I'm... just nervous, Interrogator, I don't want to disappoint you." She smiles. "I realise that it'll take some adjustment. Trust my judgement, you will do fine." He nods. "If you do have specific concerns, voice them. You are the expert on the containment of your subject matter. And this is not a punishment. It's supposed to be an improvement in your conditions, so if you're unhappy I want to know." "Yes Interrogator." "Get washed up, put these on," she drops the set of folded clothes beside the door, "and meet me in the guard room." "Yes Interrogator." Her presence might not evoke the terror that it once did, but he still jumps gratifyingly quickly to do as he's told.

She doesn't have to wait long before he's ready, though he hesitates on the threshold until a nod gives him permission to step out of the cell block proper and into the guard room. Then he comes to heel promptly, looking damp and ill at ease in the plain black clothes. They're a better fit than the jumpsuit, but Ariadne notes that the jacket still hangs loose off his shoulders. He needs either a narrower cut, or an exercise regime.

"With me," she orders, and he falls in at her shoulder as she leads him away from the cells.

"Shall I assume you still require wardings for your room?" "I, um, don't require them, Interrogator. I... I'll have more nightmares without them, and be at a marginally higher risk of influence by the c-corrupting powers of the Warp, Interrogator." "Mm. I've assigned a servoskull to assist you in inscribing the diagrams. You'll have to do without until you finish, but with the skull's assistance I imagine it won't take you more than a few days." "Thank you, Interrogator."

She shows him his new work space -- fitted with shelf space but not yet filled with his texts and materials -- and the entrance to the librarium. He nods along to her words as she explains the bounds of his new freedoms, as attentive as ever, but she can see his tension climbing as he struggles to take it all in. He hugs his own arms, and his scarred fingers fidget at his sleeve where the patch with his number usually is.

Deciding that further briefing can wait, Ariadne shepherds him to his new room. There are minimal furnishings -- just a bunk anchored to the wall and a locker for his new clothing -- but it's more than twice the size of his cell and he stops in his tracks to goggle at the space. The servoskull hovers in one corner, waiting emotionlessly for instructions.

"That door's the hygiene closet," Ariadne points. "The shower and toilet are for your use, use them when you need to." Most of the rooms on this corridor share facilities, but making 068 mix with the general population would be asking for trouble. "You won't be escorted in and out of this room, but the door will lock automatically off-shift, so make sure you're back inside by then."

Tacitus is staring at her with wide, dazed eyes. "Still with me, asset?" she smirks. "Yes Interrogator, I'm sorry Interrogator," he breathes. She waits. It takes him a moment to speak on. "I-I... I live here now, Interrogator?" "That's right." "Thank you, Interrogator. I... thank you."

"I can see that you'll need some time to settle in. Your only task for now is to set up your wardings, so I'll leave you to start drafting and perhaps get to know the skull, hm?" "Yes Interrogator," he agrees dumbly. "The skull will obey you within reason. It's equipped with a las-etcher, so don't do anything foolish, will you." "No Interrogator." "I will see you tomorrow, asset. Enjoy your new quarters." "Thank you, Interrogator." There's wonder in his tone, and Ariadne smiles to herself as she lets herself out.

[virusinfected-memes]

AU PROMPTS FOR AU AUGUST ;

It’s August, that means it’s time for more AUs. Send a number for an AU, dynamic, or trope that will be used to write either a drabble or starter. Send 💫 for a random number instead. You’re welcome to send multiple in one ask to combine them.

POPULAR PROMPTS.

001. aristocrat au  002. assassin au  003. bakery au  004. band / musician au 005. coffee shop au 006. college au 007. cyberpunk au 008. dark fantasy / grimdark au 009. dystopian au 010. high fantasy au 011. historical au 012. monster (vampire, werewolf, etc.) au 013. murder mystery au 014. paranormal au 015. pirate au 016. roommate au 017. royalty au 018. superhero / supervillain au 019. time travel au 020. zombie / undead apocalypse au

LESS POPULAR PROMPTS.

021. alien invasion au 022. circus / performer au 023. deserted island au 024. host (alien, parasite, etc.) au 025. host club au 026. imaginary friend au 027. mad scientist au 028. mmorpg / virtual world au 029. no humans au 030. penpal au 031. podcaster au 032. private investigator au 033. role reversal au 034. influencer / streamer au 035. space opera au 036. street racing au 037. treasure hunter au 038. underground fighting au 039. urban fantasy au 040. writer au

FANDOM CROSSOVER PROMPTS.

041. Alice in Wonderland 042. Among Us 043. Animal Crossing 044. Assassin’s Creed 045. Avatar: the Last Airbender 046. Battle Royale / Squid Game 047. Beauty and the Beast 048. Dead By Daylight 049. Dragon Age 050. Dungeons and Dragons 051. Mass Effect 052. Peter Pan 053. Phantom of the Opera 054. Pokémon 055. Scooby Doo 056. Silent Hill 057. Stardew Valley 058. Stranger Things 059. Studio Ghibli (any film) 060. The Lost Boys

POPULAR TROPES.

061. bad guy won’t die 062. break the cutie 063. conjuring evil 064. dead cell phone 065. deal with the devil 066. everything is a simulation 067. false friend 068. final boy / girl 069. fire-forged friends 070. found family 071. found footage 072. hidden in plain sight 073. idealist vs. pragmatist 074. library full of secret knowledge 075. nightmare on Halloween 076. secret heir to the throne 077. the chosen one 078. the powerful artifact 079. the reluctant hero 080. the world that never progresses

LESS POPULAR TROPES.

081. aw, look! they really do love each other! 082. awesome, but impractical 083. bad guys doing good things 084. blessed with suck 085. condensation clue 086. dark is not always evil 087. dead all along 088. eviler than thou 089. false chosen one 090. genius bruiser 091. genius ditz 092. golden hero to anti-hero 093. good people with evil powers 094. light is not always good 095. mood whiplash 096. nature’s revenge 097. really 700 years old 098. villain is actually the hero 099. you are number six 100. you can’t fight fate

SHIP TROPES.

101. afraid to commit 102. bet / dared to date 103. dating app 104. drunk / Vegas wedding 105. enemies to lovers 106. fairytale retelling 107. fake relationship 108. fated mates / soulmates 109. forbidden love 110. friends to lovers 111. grumpy person with sunny person 112. holiday fling 113. love at first sight 114. marriage before romance 115. marriage pact 116. playboy / girl in love 117. right person, wrong time 118. secret admirer / unrequited love 119. there’s only one bed 120. work rivals

[huenjin]

♡ pairing: stray kids x reader ♡ genre: fluff, suggestive ♡ synopsis: a collection of drabbles based off this prompt list on one hundred ways to say i love you. ♡ last updated: april 23, 2021.    ↳ progress: 008/100

— bang chan

007. “i dreamt about you last night.”

016. “it’s okay. i couldn’t sleep anyway.”

041. “go back to sleep.”

043. “i picked these for you.”

061. “i’ll pick it up after work.”

079. “i’ll still be here when you’re ready.”

086. “you’re important too.”

— lee minho

020. "you can borrow mine."

037.  “can i kiss you?”

041. “go back to sleep.”

068. “you didn’t have to ask.”

075. “i was just thinking about you.”

076. “i want you to have this.”

090. “you can tell me anything.”

— seo changbin

004. “come here. let me fix it.”

— hwang hyunjin

021. “you might like this.”

083. “stay there. i’m coming to get you.”

098. “take a deep breath.”

— han jisung

045. “what do you want to watch?”

066. “stay over.”

070. “you’re warm.”

092. “i want you to be happy.”

— lee felix

048. “i’ll do it for you.”

089. “i noticed.”

— kim seungmin

002. “it reminded me of you.”

032. “it looks good on you.”

— yang jeongin

019. “can i hold your hand?”

[lvanter]

masterlist two

masterlist one

drabble masterlist

personal favorites: ♡

stray kids

the first idea table

061 ; 062 ; 063 ; 064 ; 066 ; 067 ; 068 ; 069 ;

070 ; 071 ; 072 ; 073 ; 074 ; 075 ; 076 ; 077 ;

078 ; 079 ; 080 ; 082 ; 083 ; 084 ; 085 ; 086 ;

087 ; 088 ;

stray kids watching you perform

stray kids as cliché aus

8 things you should do to your boyfriend ♡

(within the last minute) angel said:

skz are the type to

original post

chan ; minho ; changbin ; hyunjin ;

jisung ; felix ; seungmin ; jeongin .

10 things skz doesn’t want you to know ♡

chan ; minho ; changbin ; hyunjin ; jisung ; felix ;

seungmin ; jeongin .

lee minho big brother ♡

lee minho black

lee minho the anatomy of loving you ♡

han jisung cafe q

han jisung me? are you sure??

han jisung terrible joke. three stars.

felix lee years in between ♡

kim seungmin maybe once....or twice

kim seungmin definitely twice social media au

itzy

065 ; 081 ; 089 ;

shin ryujin post credits

tomorrow x together

(within the last minute) angel said

choi yeonjun single till tomorrow

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Tuesday, May 12 - Wednesday, May 13

WESLEY: It's not the shroud's effects on him that worry me as much as ... CORDELIA: As what? My stealing? I returned everything. I swear! WESLEY: Angel drank human blood, from a living person. Something he hasn't done in a very long time. CORDELIA: So, on top of everything else we may have re-awakened his bloodlust? WESLEY: Yes. CORDELIA: Hmm. Full day's work then. WESLEY: I think so.

~~The Shroud of Rahmon (Season 2)~~

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

Having A Bitch (Spike, T) by debris4spike

Distracted () by badly_knitted

William versus the Beast (Buffy/Spike, G) by Baphrosia (spuffy_luvr)

There is always two (Buffy, G, Star Wars xover) by Bacner

[Chaptered Fiction]

Walker of Night Part 10 () by madimpossibledreamer

The Devil, You Know Chap. 13 (Buffy, T, Dexter xover) by frogfarm

Post-Apocalypse Ch. 1-3/? (Buffy/Faith, E) by 5ivex5ive

Don't Look Back Ch. 1-4/4 (COMPLETE) (Angel/Wesley, M) by NAOA

Starbase Seventeen Ch. 1/3 (Xander/Buffybot, T) by steeleye

More Grimm Tails, Chapter 4 (Buffy/Spike, M) by Twinkles

Out of Time, Chapter 13 (Buffy/Spike, M) by joycometh

Death Wish, Chapter 7 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Sigyn

Summer's Lease, Chapter 5 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Iamblichus

Daughter of Aurelius, Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Loup Noir

Beneath the Surface, Chapter 5 (Buffy/Spike, E) by The Danish Bird

The U in Robot, Chapter 7 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Girlytek

Safe, Chapter 22 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Dusty

The Bet, Chapter 7 (Buffy/Spike, M) by EllieRose101

These Violent Delights, Chapter 6 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Touchstoneaf

Civilized monster, Chapter 25 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Axell

We Ought To Be Together, You and I, Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, T) by tbd

A Legacy of Chaos: A Ship of the Line Story Ch. 4 (Xander, M, Stargate xover) by ajw

Two For The Price Of One Ch. 12 (Ensemble, T, DCU xover) by SeaSpectre

A White Knight in the Cove (Xander, E, Dante's Cove xover) by WhiteKnightDragon

Sons and Daughters of Sineya 4, Part 1-3 : Undulating Flames Chapter 62-64 (Buffy/Xander/Willow, T) by dogbertcarroll

[Images, Audio & Video]

Icons: 13 Spuffy Icons () by debris4spike

Manip:Spuffy Banners and Icons () by terragramm

Artwork:The Prom Episode Poster () by swallowedshark

Artwork:Willow & Tara sketches () by artsying-ifer

Artwork:Anya & Tara sketches () by artsying-ifer

Artwork:Tabula Rasa (Giles/Anya) by eugeal

Artwork:Buffy & Drusilla () by schrootdinger

Icons: Willow and Tara icons () by coldbloodedjellydonut

Icons: () by

Manip: 4 Buffy Summers & 4 Willow Rosenberg headers () by

Video: Teenage Wasteland - A tribute to Buffy, Willow, and Xander’s friendship! () by artsying-ifer

Video: A Rush of Blood to the Head - BtVS Animation () by artsying-ifer

Video: Silent night | Buffy & Spike () by btvstragic

[Reviews & Recaps]

PUBLICATION:Rewatching Buffy – Episode 128 Him by Confusing Middle

PUBLICATION:Rewatching Angel – Episode 72 Spin the Bottle by Confusing Middle

PODCAST: S6 E03 "After Life" by Buffy Virgin

PODCAST: 5.17: Forever by Buffering the Vampire Slayer

PODCAST: 068 - Metamorphoses (S04E12) by Buffy Boys

PODCAST: by

PODCAST: by

PODCAST: by

PUBLICATION: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Own It by Elizabeth's Reviews

[Community Announcements]

Summer of Giles is proud to be returning for another season of awesome Rupert Giles fan created works by summerofgiles

[Fandom Discussions]

May's Fandom Alphabet - L by sparrow2000

May's Fandom Alphabet - M by sparrow2000

The First Evil by ,demandingbillydolls, amandac777

i don’t always use violence. do i? by impalementation

The Buffy/Spike dynamic in season 7 is so good by vitruvianwatson

My humble thoughts… >lovers walk by sarcika1

Whewww more Whedon foreshadowing…. by officialjomajesty

Buffy update I’m in season 7 now episode 10 or 11 by avidfan2016

send me a title and i’ll tell you what fic i’d write for it: shadows of the past by daisys-quake

send me a title and i’ll tell you what fic i’d write for it: falling is only the beginning by daisys-quake

Did anyone notice by millennialslayer

thoughts on willow/tara??? by jeffreycombs

Missed Opportunities by RachM

Would you have liked Xander and Ampata together? by Doppelgangers

Discussion of 4.01 "The Freshman" by Multiple Authors

Do you think Sandy would have killed, turned or let Riley go? by shonenhikada

Anya’s spell in doppelgängland by mattmall

Which (if any) episodes do you tend to skip in a rewatch? by purplemackem

Which comic should I start with? by Gabi1322

Oz's 'transformation' in Tibet by -HiThere-

If Spike’s chip actually stopped working in S6, what would he have done? by IUsedToBeRasAlGhul

Buffy in French language sucks by Bananorpion

Riley is the worst. You can try to change my mind but I doubt you'll succeed. Spoilers included. by _puddles_

Do you think informing the citizen's of sunnydale that vampires/demons were real would save more lives? by shonenhikada

Query: Did anyone watch the musical episode as their very first Buffy ep? by maedocc

Favorite/worst season of buffy by mbanxxxyy

Opinion, Spike or Angel by UberToken

Examples of the Thin Veil Separating Angel and Angelus by _buffster_

Finished Buffy and Angel...what's next? by THEmrfancypants

Xander needed more by spellboi1018

"You have the cutest little separating sores, has anyone ever told you that?" by MarthaRunsFar

Best version of the Scoobies by purplemackem

me watching spike and buffy beat each other up trying to find the romance by del1rant

What is it about the dialogue in this show that makes it so memorable/quotable? by Shiloh_Moon

AtS Season 4 Question by meepmeepmuthafecka

Giles’ address? by skilm22

Does Buffy know Spike was alive by Knicks1986

Does anyone else not feel that moved by the body? by Lethal_bizzle94

Why are Angel and Spike always trying to start an apocalypse? by TelluricThread0

C'mon Buffers, hate on Screenrant with me by MODLdn

Toxic Feminism by JasonFuckBoyDean

Season 4 Episode 1 by cwilcomue

Would "Once More With Feeling" be a good teaser for my friend? by urqy

They treat Dawn like a baby! by JazzyVee30

[Articles, Interviews, and Other News]

PUBLICATION: The world is careening toward a cliff. There’s never been a better time for Joss Whedon’s Angel by Vox.com

PUBLICATION: Buffy The Vampire Slayer: 10 Ways Willow Got Worse And Worse by Screen Rant

PUBLICATION: Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Why The Vampires Transform & Turn To Dust by Screen Rant

PUBLICATION: Buffy The Vampire Slayer: 10 Things About Xander That Would Never Fly Today by Screen Rant

PUBLICATION: Buffy The Vampire Slayer: 10 Things About Giles That Would Never Fly Today by Screen Rant

PUBLICATION: Buffy The Vampire Slayer: 10 Things About Sunnydale High That Would Never Fly Today by Screen Rant

PUBLICATION: Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Every Event Teased In The Season 4 Finale by Screen Rant

PUBLICATION: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: 10 Things About Spike That Would Never Fly Today by Screen Rant

PUBLICATION: Which Buffy the Vampire Slayer Character Are You Based On Your Zodiac Sign? by Screen Rant

[ao3feed-mfmm]

068. Preach

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/05VTQBq

by aimmyarrowshigh

Preach. Phryne is going to give Prue a conniption fit before the wedding day arrives.

Words: 100, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Series: Part 87 of 100 Drabble Tumblr Challenge: Fifteen Fifteen Fifteen, Part 80 of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries Drabbles

Fandoms: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries (TV)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/M

Characters: Phryne Fisher, Jack Robinson, Prudence Stanley

Relationships: Phryne Fisher/Jack Robinson, Phryne Fisher & Prudence Stanley, Jack Robinson & Prudence Stanley

Additional Tags: Drabble, Canon Compliant, Post-Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears, Wedding Planning, 1920s, Period Typical Attitudes

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/05VTQBq

[hungline]

Firstly, I started the 100 ways to say “i love you” drabble game on my old blog to celebrate my one year anniversary on AO3.

Secondly, 100wtsily will be updated slowly, so I apologize now if your request takes a long time to complete. Please be understanding though and thank you all so much for your support! ♡

(If you want to support me even more, how about buying me a coffee?)

When requesting, please stick to one prompt and be aware that not all requests will be taken on. I might be uncomfortable with the ship you request or simply uninspired, but just keep this in consideration please.

key: ( ✎ ) = working on

001. “Pull over.  Let me drive for awhile.” 002. “It reminded me of you.” 003. “No, no, it’s my treat.” 004. “Come here.  Let me fix it.” 005. “I’ll walk you home.” 006. “Have a good day at work.” 007. “I dreamed about you last night.”   008. “Take my seat.” 009. “I saved a piece for you.” 010. “I’m sorry for your loss.” 011. “You can have half.” 012. “Take my jacket, it’s cold outside.” 013. “Sorry I’m late.” 014. “Can I have this dance?” 015. “I made your favorite.” ⇢ namjin   016. “It’s okay.  I couldn’t sleep anyway.” 017. “Watch your step.” 018. “Here, drink this. You’ll feel better.” 019. “Can I hold your hand?” 020. “You can borrow mine.” 021. “You might like this.” 022. “It’s not heavy. I’m stronger than I look.” 023. “I’ll wait.” 024. “Just because.” ⇢ onho  025. “Look both ways.” 026. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.” 027. “Try some.” 028. “Drive safely.” 029. “Well, what do you want to do?” 030. “One more chapter.” 031. “Don’t worry about me.” 032. “It looks good on you.” ⇢ taekook   033. “Close your eyes and hold out your hands.” 034. “That’s okay, I bought two.” 035. “After you.” 036. “We’ll figure it out.” 037. “Can I kiss you?” 038. “I like your laugh.” 039. “Don’t cry.” 040. “I made this for you.” 041. “Go back to sleep.” ⇢ jihope   042. “Is this okay?” 043. “I picked these for you.” 044. “I’ll drive you to the hospital.” 045. “What do you want to watch?” 046. “You can go first.” 047. “Did you get my letter?” 048. “I’ll do it for you.” 049. “Call me when you get home.” 050. “I think you’re beautiful.” 051. “Are you sure?” 052. “Have fun.” 053. “Sit down, I’ll get it.” 054. “I made reservations.” 055. “I don’t mind.” 056. “It brings out your eyes.”   057. “There is enough room for both of us.” 058. “You don’t have to say anything.” 059. “Wow.” 060. “Happy birthday.” 061. “I’ll pick it up after work.” 062. “It can wait until tomorrow.” 063. “Cross my heart and hope to die.” 064. “It’s two sugars, right?” ⇢ yoonjinkook   065. “I’ll help you study.” 066. “Stay over.” ⇢ sesoo  067. “I did the dishes.” 068. “You didn’t have to ask.” 069. “I bought you a ticket.” 070. “You’re warm.” 071. “No reason.” 072. “I’ll meet you halfway.” 073. “Take mine.” 074. “We can share.” 075. “I was just thinking about you.” 076. “I want you to have this.” 077. “Call me if you need anything.” 078. “Do you want to come too?” 079. “I’ll still be here when you’re ready.” 080. “Is your seat belt on?” 081. “Sweet dreams.” ⇢ jinmin 082. “I was in the neighborhood.” 083. “Stay there. I’m coming to get you.” 084. “The key is under the mat.” 085. “It doesn’t bother me.” 086. “You’re important too.” 087. “I saved you a seat.” ⇢ taekook   088. “I’ll see you later.” 089. “I noticed.” 090. “You can tell me anything.” ⇢ yoonkook   091. “I hope you like it.” 092. “I want you to be happy.” 093. “I believe in you.” 094. “You can do it.” ⇢ jihope  095. “Good luck.” 096. “I brought you an umbrella.” 097. “I’ll pick you up at the airport.” ⇢ jihope    098. “Take a deep breath.” 099. “Be careful.”

And…   100.  “I love you.” ⇢ jihope 

Request here!

[verona-mira]

Keyword - List

Well, look at what I found. A list of keywords for drabbles that was quite popular on Fanfiktion.de once as the 120-challenge (I think it was called).

You can ask requests for a specific setting with a keyword or simply pick a keyword in generall and I’ll write something for it.

If there is no ask in general, I’ll simply pick one with a random number generator.

And yes, words can be picked multiple times.

001. In Between Worlds

002. Love

003. Sunset

004. Deep

005. Seeking Solace

006. Break Away

007. Eden

008. Innocence

009. Drive

010. Breathe Again

011. Memory

012. Insanity

013. Abuse

014. Smile

015. Emotionless

016. Caged

017. Blood

018. Candy

019. Snow

020. Fortitude

021. Anomaly

022. Forest

023. Cat

024. Me Time

025. Trouble Lurking

026. Never Cry

027. Poison

028. Anguish

029. Curious

030. Rain

031. Defile

032. Never Look Back

033. Provoke

034. Mechanical

035. Hold My Hand

036. Precious Treasure

037. Eyes

038. Abandoned

039. Dreams

040. Black and Blue

041. Teamwork

042. Standing Still

043. Dying

044. Two Roads

045. Illusion

046. Family

047. Homunculi

048. Orphan

049. Stripes

050. Breaking the Rules

051. Games

052. Claustrophobia

053. Keeping a Secret

054. City

055. Waiting

056. Hell-Bent

057. Sacrifice

058. Bittersweet

059. Suffocate

060. Rejection

061. Fairy Tale

062. Djinn

063. Come-hither

064. Amputation

065. Contort

066. Suicide

067. Security Blanket

068. Bully

069. Annoyance

070. Wanton

071. Obsession

072. Pawn

073. I Can't

074. Demented

075. Mirror

076. Broken Pieces

077. Test

078. The Fool

079. Disease

080. Words

081. Edge

082. Forever

083. Heal

084. Out Cold

085. Spiral

086. Seeing Red

087. Appetite

088. Pain

089. Through the Fire

090. Sephia

091. Drowning

092. Die for you

093. Give Up

094. Last Hope

095. Streets

096. In the Storm

097. Regret

098. Puzzle

099. Solitude

100. Relaxation

101. Emo

102. Act your age

103. Covet

104. Detached

105. Belittle

106. Confusion

107. Dog

108. Moonlight

109. Secret Place

110. Annex

111. Coward

112. Emulate

113. Kami

114. Place of God

115. Delicate

116. All my fault

117. Chains

118. Ferocious

119. Autumn

120. Loser

[trickormemes]

148 Horror Writing Prompts

Send me a number 1 thru 148 for a horror prompt that I’ll use to either write a drabble or starter. Send 💀  for a random number instead. ‘Read-more’ added for length. WARNING: contains potentially triggering material. Always make sure your roleplay partner is comfortable with these themes! (SOURCE)

001. — "the nightmare box” 002. — abandoned asylum 003. — abandoned city 004. — abandoned hospital 005. — abandoned house 006. — aliens 007. — apocalypse 008. — attack of the giant [_____] 009. — axe / chainsaw murder 010. — body horror 011. — brainwashing 012. — bride / groom is a monster 013. — buried alive 014. — can’t get out of the building 015. — can’t get out of the city 016. — cannibals 017. — Cassandra Curse 018. — cemetery 019. — changelings 020. — chest burster 021. — chimeras 022. — classic ghost stories 023. — corporeal ghosts 024. — crashed spaceship 025. — cults 026. — dark magic 027. — dead the entire time 028. — deadly cute thing (bunny, stuffed toy, killer tomato, etc.) 029. — deal with the devil 030. — demons 031. — doomsday device 032. — dream or reality? 033. — driven mad by guilt 034. — dystopian future 035. — everyone is affected but you 036. — evil artifact 037. — evil asylum 038. — evil body part 039. — evil doll 040. — evil fog / mist

041. — evil mirror universe 042. — evil plantlife 043. — evil psychic abilities 044. — evil robots 045. — evil weather 046. — evil self-help program 047. — evil / mutant / monster baby 048. — evil children 049. — experiments on pregnant women 050. — facelessness 051. — fatal attraction 052. — fate worse than death 053. — fictional creations coming to life 054. — fire 055. — forced to kill a transformed loved one 056. — flesh-eating disease 057. — Frankenstein creation 058. — gore 059. — Halloween 060. — haunted building 061. — hauntings 062. — homicidal alternate personality 063. — homicidal hitchhiker 064. — horror in broad daylight 065. — humanity enslaved 066. — hunted in the woods 067. — inanimate objects come to life 068. — insane evil genius 069. — insects 070. — it lives underground 071. — it’s always daytime 072. — it’s always nighttime 073. — killer’s POV 074. — locked in with something deadly 075. — loss of sanity 076. — mad science 077. — magician’s act gone wrong 078. — malicious medical professional 079. — malignant genius loci 080. — masks 081. — maze 082. — mutants 083. — nuclear winter 084. — not paranoia / properly paranoid 085. — obsessed stalker 086. — one of us is infected 087. — one of us is posessed 088. — parasites 089. — pets turning evil 090. — phobias 091. — plague 092. — playing chess with death 093. — pod people 094. — poltergeist 095. — portal to Hell 096. — posession 097. — prank gone horribly wrong 098. — prehistoric evil 099. — prolonged isolation 100. — prophecy of doom 101. — psychopath 102. — purgatory 103. — rabid animals 104. — radiation 105. — religious apocalypse 106. — resurrection gone horribly wrong 107. — scary drugs 108. — sentient building 109. — sentient technology 110. — serial killer 111. — sharing body with another entity 112. — slasher movie story 113. — sleepwalking 114. — snowed into an isolated house 115. — snuff movie 116. — something in the darkness 117. — something in the walls 118. — something in the lake 119. — something is watching you 120. — song / movie / picture that drives you mad 121. — song / movie / picture that kills 122. — technohorror 123. — telling scary stories 124. — the monsters are us 125. — the mummy 126. — circus / theme park gone horribly wrong 127. — things that no human should know 128. — town with a dark secret 129. — trapped in a town you can’t leave 130. — unintentionally lethal to other people 131. — unique method of murder 132. — unjustified death sentence 133. — unreliable narrator 134. — unseen evil 135. — unwanted invisibility 136. — unwanted psychic abilities 137. — urban legends 138. — vampires 139. — virus 140. — viral apocalypse 141. — we’re the last people alive 142. — werewolves 143. — where did everybody go? 144. — wild animals 145. — worst fear realized 146. — you’ve turned into the monster you’re fighting 147. — zombies 148. — zombie apocalypse

[scriptmin]

bite sized — 100 ways to say I love you

07 of 100 complete | next update Unknown (These drabbles have potential to become full-fledged one-shots and series, so don’t hold back in showing your love.)

Want to see a prompt written out? Request here.

Summary: In many ways, love was immeasurable, but it felt as though if I uttered these words often enough, someday my feelings would reach you.

001. “Pull over. Let me drive for awhile.” 002. “It reminded me of you.” 003. “No, no, it’s my treat.” 004. “Come here. Let me fix it.” 005. “I’ll walk you home.” | yoongi [R] 006. “Have a good day at work.” 007. “I dreamt about you last night.” | seer!yoongi [R] 008. “Take my seat.” 009. “I saved a piece for you.” 010. “I’m sorry for your loss.” 011. “You can have half.” 012. “Take my jacket, it’s cold outside.” 013. “Sorry I’m late.” 014. “Can I have this dance?” 015. “I made your favourite.” 016. “It’s okay. I couldn’t sleep anyway.” | ghost!jungkook 017. “Watch your step.” 018. “Here, drink this.  You’ll feel better.” 019. “Can I hold your hand?” 020. “You can borrow mine.” 021. “You might like this.” 022. “It’s not heavy.  I’m stronger than I look.” | fantasy!yoongi  023. “I’ll wait.” 024. “Just because.” 025. “Look both ways.” 026. “I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to.” 027. “Try some.” 028. “Drive safely.” 029. “Well, what do you want to do?” 030. “One more chapter.” 031. “Don’t worry about me.” 032. “It looks good on you.” 033. “Close your eyes and hold out your hands.” 034. “That’s okay, I bought two.” 035. “After you.” 036. “We’ll figure it out.” 037. “Can I kiss you?” 038. “I like your laugh.” 039. “Don’t cry.” 040. “I made this for you.” 041. “Go back to sleep.” 042. “Is this okay?” 043. “I picked these for you.” 044. “I’ll drive you to the hospital.” | your lie in april!taehyung 045. “What do you want to watch?” 046. “You can go first.” 047. “Did you get my letter?” | rebel!jungkook 048. “I’ll do it for you.” 049. “Call me when you get home.” | heir!jimin, arranged marriage!au [R] 050. “I think you’re beautiful.” 051. “Are you sure?” | rebound!taehyung, college!au [R] 052. “Have fun.” 053. “Sit down, I’ll get it.” 054. “I made reservations.” 055. “I don’t mind.” 056. “It brings out your eyes.” 057. “There is enough room for both of us.” 058. “You don’t have to say anything.” | onesided!yoongi 059. “Wow.” | idol!reader x yoongi 060. “Happy birthday.” 061. “I’ll pick it up after work.” 062. “It can wait until tomorrow.” 063. “Cross my heart and hope to die.” 064. “It’s two sugars, right?” 065. “I’ll help you study.” 066. “Stay over.” | royal!jungkook  [R] 067. “I did the dishes.” 068. “You didn’t have to ask.” | fwb!jungkook [R] 069. “I bought you a ticket.” 070. “You’re warm.” | wolf!jungkook 071. “No reason.” 072. “I’ll meet you halfway.” 073. “Take mine.” 074. “We can share.” | nerd!jungkook, highschool!au [R] 075. “I was just thinking about you.” 076. “I want you to have this.” 077. “Call me if you need anything.” 078. “Do you want to come too?” 079. “I’ll still be here when you’re ready.” 080. “Is your seatbelt on?” 081. “Sweet dreams.” 082. “I was in the neighbourhood.” 083. “Stay there. I’m coming to get you.” | vampire diaries!jungkook 084. “The key is under the mat.” 085. “It doesn’t bother me.” | college!taehyung, colour ring!au   [R] 086. “You’re important too.” 087. “I saved you a seat.” 088. “I’ll see you later.” 089. “I noticed.” | nagi no asukara!yoongi 090. “You can tell me anything.” | roommate!jimin [R] 091. “I hope you like it.” 092. “I want you to be happy.” | exboyfriend!taehyung 093. “I believe in you.” 094. “You can do it.” 095. “Good luck.” 096. “I brought you an umbrella.” 097. “I’ll pick you up at the airport.” 098. “Take a deep breath.” 099. “Be careful.” 100. “I love you.”

[horrible-on-main]

(Follow on from here.)

Two weeks to relearn how to be human.

He sits on his new, suspiciously normal bed with his knees drawn up to his chest. The tears have stopped for now, leaving him feeling drained and drawn.

A part of him is skeptical. She has broken him so severely, does she really think she can just put him back together? On another level he just desperately wants to believe that she can. But the idea that this charade of relearning how to use a canteen, how not to cringe every time he is looked at, the idea that this could somehow fix what she has torn out of him... A little laugh escapes him. A raw-edged sound that could easily be taken for a sob.

But still, he is desperately grateful. Because these things are hard, battling the fear that she has taught him is hard, and it would be much harder without her guiding instruction.

---

“Pick up a plate,” she instructs him. “Tell the cook what you want - have the stew, hm?” “Yes Interrogator.” She hums a warning noise and he flinches. “Less of that, remember?” Yes Interrogator. But he just nods this time, and is rewarded with a faint, forced smile.

She doesn’t like what she’s teaching him. He doesn’t like it either. But she wants him to learn, so he will.

It’s not as bad as he thought it would be. She walks him through every step and he doesn’t need to think, doesn’t need to make choices. He trails at her heels, carrying the plate of hot, real food. Some of the storm troopers wave at her but she shakes her head and picks an empty table. He’s grateful for that.

She just lets him eat for a while, though she keeps a careful eye on him, scrutinising his clumsy use of the cutlery. He’s anxious, trembling, unable to quite sift out her dislike of the situation from potential disapproval of his actions. But she’s eating too, and she doesn’t comment.

“Do you think you can do this again tomorrow, without instructions? Just the same as today, but from memory.” “I...” It is frightening. He struggles to believe that he is allowed here. “I’ll still be with you, I will tell you if you get something wrong. But you’ll do it from memory.” He nods sharply. That makes it much better. “Yes Interrogator. I c-can.” She sighs. “Do you know my name?” He nods warily. He does - he thinks. When she’s silent, he dares to ask, “Do, do you w-want me to, to use it, Interrogator?” “Hmn. You are free to if you want to. I want you to stop calling me ‘Interrogator’ every time you speak. You don’t need to show so much respect now.” Another nod, mute, anxious. Everything he could say feels wrong now. “Practice for me. Can you do this again tomorrow, Tacitus?” His name still makes him flinch. “Yes,” he answers falteringly. “I c-can.” Omitting the title feels wrong. “Good, well done.”

---

He has a schedule, printed clearly for him on the same paper that his briefings come printed on. She walks him through every task the first time it comes up, then makes him try it without guidance.

Walk to the dispensary and back, the next task reads. Yesterday he walked the same route as she led him on the day before, past the armoury, and that wasn’t too hard. But... “I d-don’t know where the dispensary is, uh.” It still feels unnatural, stopping at the end of the sentence. “There’s a map on the wall outside,” she reminds him. He nods gratefully.

It takes almost a minute of uncomfortable waiting to remember that she isn’t going to instruct him to get up and go, that she isn’t even going to give him permission. He checks her face carefully as he tentatively stands. She doesn’t nod approval, but she offers him another hard, insincere smile. He feels a little braver.

She follows as he leaves the room - his room? - and walks to the map. But she keeps her distance. She’s there to guide him if he needs it, he hopes, and to punish him if he’s out of line, presumably. But she refuses to show him where to go. He’s glad that she is here. If she weren’t, he fears he might just curl up in a corner and cry.

He finds the dispensary on the map. It’s not far - a similar distance to yesterday’s walk. There’s an obvious route. He can do this. It’s not a complicated task. It’s not so difficult. When he’s done, she’ll tell him that he’s good, that he’s done well...

He glances back at her, and sets off.

---

“Good day, Tacitus,” Ysella greets him brightly. It’s a shock.

He knew she was good at this, almost chameleon, like he used to be. He’s seen her don a dozen roles and change demeanour at the drop of a hat.

But it’s still jarring when she looks at him like he’s human. She’s never been cruel to him. But he was comfortable knowing that she was comfortable treating him as an asset, a tool to be made use of.

The Interrogator clears her throat.

“Good day, s- uh. Ysella?” he ventures awkwardly. She flashes a bright smile that he’s sure says nothing at all about her true feelings. “Ysella will be supervising you for the next hour.” He nods sharply, acknowledging this, and follows Ysella into what turns out to be her quarters.

The air is cool, the furnishings expensive and elegant. Every surface is covered in potted plants, growing vigorously in sprays of greenery of every shape. Tacitus freezes, stunned, paralysed by a flood of unwanted memories and by the conviction that he does not belong here.

“Come in, come in,” she encourages him warmly, and his body numbly follows the orders. “Take a seat, here, this one’s for you.” He perches awkwardly on the edge of the upholstered chair and watches her with wide, baffled eyes. “I’m sorry, did you know that I’m highborn? This must be a bit of a shock, I do apologise, Emperor knows that the rest of the ship hasn’t heard of décor. Perhaps I should have warned you.” A light laugh. “Do you take tea?” He nods numbly. “Excellent, I’ll call for some at once. What do you take with it? Oh, pardon me, I’m sure you don’t know, do you. I’ll just serve it like mine, is that alright?”

Her patter eases his anxiety slowly. She doesn’t seem to expect him to participate much. And the tea is good. She coaxes simple answers out of him occasionally - does he prefer noise or quiet to sleep? How does he feel about sour food? Things he can answer.

He’s utterly shattered by the end of the hour, and glad when the Interrogator picks him up to return him to his room.