#Fic Previews

[likesunsetorange]

from what i have outlined, this would be from the first chapter, it's a little long (~2.5k words) but i wanted to include the whole scene, so hope y'all enjoy! (also unedited so don't fight me if there's any typos lol)

anyways, happy new year's and i'm super excited to share this au with y'all this year!

cw: mentions of drugging a person (mostly just the benadryl thing lol)

Eren hated the club. 

Strobe lights irritated his eyes because they always caused him migraines; the pungent aroma of alcohol and the sensation of sweat clinging to his body always made him feel disgusted; and the excess amount of people, bodies crammed against one another, was enough to make his eye twitch with rage. 

Eren shouldn’t be here. He hated the club. He would never be here out of his own volition. Especially after 3 AM, when he should be fast asleep, sinking into the four hundred thread count sheets of Mikasa’s guest room bed, Caro tucked beside him taking up half the bed like she was a human and not a dog. 

But here he was shoving through crowds of drunken bodies, his head pounding, his vision blurry, and he was almost certain he was borderline hallucinating all because of her.

Eren tried to give Mikasa the benefit of the doubt—he pitied her situation, how could he not? A life that consisted of people constantly controlling your each and every move, and here comes yet another person that your family is forcing to do just that onto you. He tried to give Mikasa her space—he only made polite small talk in passing, accompanied her to her destinations of choice from an appropriate distance, and didn’t bother her whenever it wasn’t necessary. But despite his best efforts at trying to maintain the peace, her disdain for him was evident, she didn’t bother to hide it—from the constant scowls, her constantly exasperated demeanor, and the frequent insults she threw his away under her breath (Re: Jersey trash)—but at the very least, he hoped that she could to tolerate him eventually seeing as though Eren would be living with her for the foreseeable future, and it would both of their lives easier coexisting harmoniously. 

But hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and Mikasa had made it abundantly clear that she felt she had been slighted. And even if Eren was only a pawn in her family’s doing, she wouldn’t partake in any of their little games, and if that meant Eren became collateral in the process, then so be it. 

Eren was partially to blame, he should have known better, Levi had warned him beforehand that Mikasa was not one to be trifled with, and he should’ve seen it coming from the shift from a mere displeasure by his presence to a sudden interest in his overall wellbeing.

Eren had been easily fooled by the way her usually razor-sharp steel eyes had finally looked at him with a softness he had yet to witness from her, leaving him in a little bit of a daze. The way her perfectly plush lips mouthed his name, different than anyone else ever had—the N at the end soft, almost as if she was omitting it all together. And how could he not feel the tiniest pang in his heart when her light grey eyes looked up at him with so much tenderness when she asked: “Eren, are you feeling okay?” 

Mikasa claimed she noticed his energy beginning to run low and she heard his sniffles increase over the last few days, the adjustment to the New York City air probably weighing heavy on his body—assuming it would only be a matter of days before he drew ill. And Mikasa seemed so sweet, so intensely saccharine, when she told him she’d cancel all her plans for the rest of the day, not wanting to force him out the house. 

Mikasa went the whole nine yards— ordered takeout for the two of them, even making conversation with him that was more than their usual small talk, seeming genuinely interested in Eren for once. He couldn’t help but admire her newfound amicability, hoping that at the very least they could be cordial despite her overall displeasure with the circumstances. He even found himself enjoying her presence, finally getting to take her in outside of the few glances he ever got in passing. Mikasa truly was something like no other—even in her cute pink silken pajamas, he couldn’t deny she had to be one of the prettiest girls he’d ever seen. But she was technically his boss, so he'd tuck those thoughts away and at least be thankful that God had taken his time to make someone like her.

Eventually, after a bit of arguing on her part, Mikasa sent him to bed with a handful of pills Eren didn’t bother to ask about the contents of, insisting he take medicine before he got any worse, even if he did feel okay. She bid him a good night and well wishes, placing a gentle caress to his arm, a soft look on her face before she even offered him an apology for how bad she had treated him over the last week. It seemed like things were finally looking up for the two of them, so Eren returned her kind looks and thanked her for all her help, going to sleep with the faintest hint of a smile on his face, lulled quickly to sleep by a medicine-induced haze despite it only being 8.

And so Eren couldn’t even be that mad—she had truly put on a class act—Mikasa had played him, and she had played him well. His mom always told him he was so easily flattered—a sucker for pretty women who bat their pretty lashes, gave him sweet smiles, and made him feel good—and Mikasa Ackerman had done so little for him to melt like putty into her hands. 

He found himself waking up in the middle of the night, almost incoherent, his vision plagued by small black spots and drenched in sweat. Eren struggled to maintain his balance as he stumbled through the house, Mikasa nowhere to be found, locating a box of Benadryl Extra Strength tucked away in one of the cabinets of Mikasa’s kitchen. Three tablets were missing, contrary to the recommended one tablet dosage, and Eren was certain that Mikasa had all the hopes those three little pills would have knocked him out for the remainder of the night.

It took all the concentration in Eren’s body, fighting against the exhaustion that plagued his body from all the medications coursing through his veins (how he managed to wake up he was still unsure) and the small black dots that danced across his vision, to try and figure out where Mikasa was. He somehow managed to log into her MacBook (her password thankfully being her birthday) and managed to track her phone to some club in SoHo. 

The anger began bubbling up within him as Hannes drove him to where Mikasa was, enraged at the fact that not only did she try and drug him, but she had put on a front, pretending to be nice, for the sole fact that she wanted to go out and party. Eren regret giving her the benefit of the doubt—Mikasa was exactly who he she showed herself to be, a spoiled rich girl who would do anything to get what she wanted.

So as Eren threaded through the crowd of people, scanning the masses for her. It was only a matter of time before he caught wind of her signature ribbon at the bar, the strobe lights making it gleam different shades of the rainbow. She turned around shortly after, his eyes meeting her gaze, her lips turning up in smugness at the sight of him before taking another sip of whatever pink concoction she had in her perfectly manicured hands, as if she was almost taunting him. Years of attending Catholic school lead Eren to have a preconceived notion that the devil was this depiction of all things evil—something that was worth cowering in fear at the sight of. After years of seeing depictions on and portrayals on TV and all the stories from myths and legends, Eren always believed the devil would be vicious and scary, but no, the devil isn’t some demon, or succubus alike.

No, the devil is 5’6”, wears shiny satin ribbons in her hair, drinks fruity pink cocktails, and sports a smile that’s so sickeningly sweet it could convince a man to do anything. And if Eren hadn’t been seething with anger, through vision that was clouded with Benadryl-induced hallucinations and scarlet colored anger, hell, he’d even say she was cute.

Eren was in front of her before he knew it, his larger figure caging her in between the bar, Mikasa looking up at him innocently, feigning on the side of ignorance to the situation.

“Hi, Eren,” she quipped, her lips still upturned, the pink of her lips sparkling under the strobe lights from whatever gloss she happened to be wearing. “Didn’t expect to see you here,” she added innocently, stirring her drink as if Eren’s presence was taking away from her fun.

Eren could feel his eye twitch, it had been so long since he had felt so angry, but it seemed as if in the week since she had met him, Mikasa had become an expert of just exactly how to get under his skin. He took a deep breath before he spoke, his jaw clenching through every word, wasting no time for her silly games. “We’re leaving, Mikasa.”

“You’re no fun, don’t you wanna stay a while? C’mon, Eren, loosen up a bit. I think you could use a break,” her free hand running along the slope of his arm. Eren could feel the chills run down his spine, but this wasn’t the time—he was angry, and he needed to focus.

“First you spend the entire week insulting me and treating me like absolute shit, then you pretend to be nice to me even bothering to give me a sorry ass apology, and then you drug me? And you couldn’t even bother to use something useful? Benadryl? Your parents are drowning in money, and you decide to knock me out with over-the-counter drugs?” His words coming out more in disbelief than in anger, his voice growing louder as he tried to speak over the music blaring through the speakers.

All Mikasa did was roll her eyes, setting her drink on the counter behind her, apparently growing bored of all her little games. “Sorry for being considerate and not drugging you with actual drugs, Eren. Next time I’ll remember to go for the hard stuff—don’t worry.”

“Glad you’re so sweet, Mikasa. I should be so thankful I have a boss as considerate as you,” he glared. “Now let’s go.”

“No,” she responded, crossing her arms, her eyes returning to the signature glare Eren had grown accustomed to over the past week.

Eren could feel the migraine settling in, the noises and lights being the starting point, and Mikasa’s failure to comply being the cherry on top. He closed his eyes and took one last breath, trying to prevent the anger from getting the best of him. Eren took one step forward, putting only a few inches in between him and Mikasa, forcing her back against the bar counter. His face was anything but amused, but Mikasa seemed to not be relenting.

“We can do this the easy way or the hard way, Mikasa, your choice. Now let’s go,” he repeated, but Mikasa only doubled down at his words, standing firm in her place, steel eyes locking with green, her mouth pinched into a scowl.

Eren shook his head, upset about the circumstances as a whole, but also that it had come to this. With a swift movement, Eren had his arms wrapped around Mikasa’s waist, lifting her up onto her shoulder. His arms moved to secure her legs in place, her head and arms hanging behind him.

Mikasa let out a shriek as Eren made his way towards the exit a string of expletives coming out of her mouth. Bystanders watched in confusion, unsure whether or not to interfere in the pair’s altercation. Eren simply waved off their concerned looks, mouthing She’s drunk, to which most people nodded in understanding and resumed their drinking and dancing.

“You fucking jackass—let me go!” Mikasa yelled from above him, squirming in his tight grip as he approached the club exit. “Plus I need my fucking coat it’s fucking freezing outside!” 

“Should’ve thought about that before you fucking drugged me. And tough shit, you have daddy’s credit card, just buy yourself a new one, princess.”

Eren readjusted her on his shoulder, his grip only tightening through Mikasa’s attempted escapes. He gave the bouncer a nod as he walked out, the man apparently unphased by Mikasa’s antics. “I swear to God, Eren. Put—” Hit. “Me—” Hit. “Down—” A final blow. 

He winced in pain as Mikasa’s small hands threw punch after punch against his back, her hits stronger than he could have anticipated. But Eren could see the car, only fifty feet away, and he wasn’t willing to let her win, at least not this round.

“What did we learn today? We don’t do what? C’mon Mikasa, enlighten me. Please,” he replied, ignoring her requests, and pretending she wasn’t leaving palm shaped welts along the length of his back. He took her silence as a means for him to continue, “We don’t sneak out of the fucking house when there are active hits against our family members, and we don’t drug our body guards, just so we can get drunk at the fucking club. Hope this could help.”

“You’re a sick bastard, go back where the fuck you came fro—” her words cut off by Eren roughly placing her back onto the ground. She stumbled as she tried to regain her footing on her heeled boots, her hands instantly going to shield herself from the cold New York air. Eren lugged off his jacket, roughly placing it on her, not wanting to hear anything else come out of her mouth.

“Are you done with all the insults, or do you wanna stand in the cold and keep yelling at me?”

“Fuck you, Eren.”

“You’re not really my type, princess.”

Mikasa scowled before releasing a pained huff, throwing his jacket onto the floor. She stomped the few feet to the car door Eren held open for her, sending one last glare his way before she slammed the door in his face. 

The entire drive home, he could hear her muttering how much she hated her family, how she was pissed off at the fact they hired him, and how much she hated the pathetic excuse of a mall cop they hired from sorry ass Jersey to be her bodyguard. And rather than take offense to any of her insults, all Eren could think about was how much that feeling of hatred was beginning to feel extremely mutual.

[kald-dal-write]

39 and 45

39. Share a snippet from a WIP

Here is one WIP I'm working on about the 13th game :^)

“It’s a beautiful bracelet you have, where did you get it?” Lucky asked. 

“My girlfriend gave it to me,” Ford answered truthfully. 

It brought some ooos from the audience. 

"Handsome guy like yourself, I'm not surprised" Lucky said, hitting his shoulder subtly.

"Her name is Mercedes, she is the most wonderful girl I know" Ford thought about it, she was probably watching this, it was after all made mandatory. This was the last time he could ever tell his feelings truthfully to her he realized.

"Mercedes" He said to the camera that was on him. 

"If I ever return to you, I will never let you go" He said softly.

"You are the light of my life, ever since you came into it you have made it better and I will cherish those memories you have given me for as long as I breathe"

He expected Lucky to butt in at some point, but no he just let Ford continue with his words.

45. Do you want to break your readers‘ heart or make them laugh?

Aiming for both, any time I get a comment telling me my writing made them emotional, cry, laugh, etc

I will start to kick my legs in the air

[malevolent-monthly]

Fic Preview Saturday

Welcome to Malevolent Monthly Fic Preview Saturday, where we showcase previews for WIPs that have been submitted to us!

If you have a snippet of a WIP for one of our January prompts and want it to be showcased on Fic Preview Saturdays, send it our way via our askbox!

Here's an example snippet from our very own @splitting-infinities, following our Ghost Hunter AU Prompt!

Clip 6: Dawn. ARTHUR is sitting on the front steps of the mansion with PARKER. PARKER is wearing a parka and a beanie that says “Believe” with an image of Bigfoot on it. ARTHUR is wearing a fedora and a trenchcoat. Their breath is visible - it’s clearly cold outside. PARKER (charming): So… Does this change anything? ARTHUR: I still don’t believe in ghosts, if that’s what you mean. PARKER: Oh I see, you’re committing to the bit. ARTHUR (laughing): What bit, there’s no bit! It’s science! Plain and simple. You’re the one who freaked out. JUMP CUT Clip 7: A camera is bumpily following PARKER as he runs down the stairs frantically. It’s dark, and his flashlight only catches glimpses of his face. PARKER: Nope! Nope! Oh (CENSOR)! Oh (CENSOR)! Oh God. Nope! The camera pans quickly back to the top of the stairs, where a silhouette stands backlit by the window. It looks like ARTHUR but it is too dark to tell. The camera pans back around to find PARKER trying to unlock the front door of the mansion. PARKER: (CENSOR)! Art, this isn’t funny! Ah no, no no no. He finally unlocks the door and escapes into the night. The camera follows him down the dimly lit driveway for a few seconds before going black.

[sunflowersandink]

🪲 ⇢ add 50 words to your current wip and share the paragraph here

hehe

Jason steps forward - stumbles. His boot scuffs on the concrete floor.

Tim flinches. It’s a weird kind of flinch, like his whole body jolts into stillness. His hand clenches in Dick’s hair where his head is tucked against Tim’s thigh.

“It’s okay,” Jason repeats himself, helplessly.

He has no idea if Tim recognizes him.

[etherealvoidechoes]

More vampire AU previews.

[marjansmarwani]

Seven Sentence Sunday

I was tagged by @rmd-writes (thank you!) and while I have been too busy and tired to write anything recently, I do have some writing I haven’t shared yet. 

Here is about seven sentences from the WIP I am currently referring to as “Without a Trace: TK Strand Edition” 

“We don’t know if he’s even alive, Judd.” 

It had been two weeks of no news and Owen’s sanity was at its breaking point. Judd had come over to keep him company while Mateo was on shift with the 129 and somewhere between the exhaustion, desperation and the warm burn of liquor down his throat Owen’s walls went down and his worst fear slipped out. But the longer they went without any news the more likely it was less of a fear and more of a fact.  

Judd looked up from his glass abruptly, shaking his head. “Don’t say that, Owen.” 

“I can’t help it, that's all I can think about. We’ve been doing all this, trying everything we can think of to find him, but what if he’s already gone? It’s been two weeks, Judd.”

He didn’t elaborate on that, but he knew he didn’t need to. The fact of TK’s addiction was floating between them; unsaid but practically shouting into the silence. 

No pressure tagging @reyesstrand, @sunshinestrand, @detectivecarlosreyes, @moviegeek03, @morganaspendragonss, @welcometololaland, and @justaswampdemon

[superrobinsmash]

Have a fic preview because I'm nice

[avida-heidia-5]

{ My Archive Of Our Own Fanfic List }

For anyone who wants to read my fanfics, they are all here! Just so you don’t have to keep going backwards and forwards trying to find them all individually.

Keep an eye out for any updates!

❤︎₊ ⊹ Pairings I Support (F1 Edition): ⋆˙⟡♡

{Key:}

/ = Ship

& = Friendship

💙💥💙 Martian/Sebmark < Sebastian Vettel / Mark Webber

💙🔥❄️❤️ Simi < Sebastian Vettel / Kimi Räikkönen

❤️🍬❤️ Sebchal < Charles Leclerc / Sebastian Vettel

💙🃏💛 Sebson < Sebastian Vettel / Jenson Button

💙🏎️🔧💙 Socky < Sebastian Vettel / Guillaume “Rocky” Rocquelin

❤️🌶️🧸🧡 Carlando < Carlos Sainz Jr. / Lando Norris

❤️🍬🌶️❤️ Charlos < Charles Leclerc / Carlos Sainz Jr.

🧡🃏🧸🧡 Dando < Daniel Ricciardo & Lando Norris

💛🃏💙 Butter < Jenson Button / Mark Webber

💙🐱🦊❤️ Vettonso < Sebastian Vettel / Fernando Alonso

💙🦊🩵 Webbonso < Mark Webber / Fernando Alonso

🩵🤝🩵 Fisinando < Giancarlo Fisichella / Fernando Alonso

💚🐣🤍 Smick < Sebastian Vettel & Mick Schumacher

💖💍💖 Prattel < Sebastian Vettel / Hanna Prater

💙💍❄️💙 Virtönen < Kimi Räikkönen / Minttu Virtanen

🩵⛳️🩵 Alex Albon / Lily Muni He

🤍🚲🤍 Valtteri Bottas / Tiffany Cromwell

❤︎₊ ⊹ Other Pairings I Support: ⋆˙⟡♡

🎾 Fedal (Roger Federer x Rafael Nadal) - Tennis

🏴‍☠️ Blackbonnet (Blackbeard/Edward Teach x Stede Bonnet) - Our Flag Means Death

✨ Freylin (Freya x Merlin) - BBC's Merlin

✨ Gwerthur (Arthur x Gwen/Guinevere) - BBC's Merlin

✨ Merthur (Merlin x Arthur) - BBC's Merlin

🧚🏻 Zelink (Link x Zelda) - The Legend of Zelda video game series

~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~

🏎️💨 Sports: 🏁

Formula 1:

• Miracles Happen at the Right Place at the Right Time

AO3 link | Tumblr Link

One Shot | Sebastian Vettel, Lando Norris

Friendship

One moment, he saw a rain sodden track. The next moment, he saw only stars.

This fic is a re-imagining of the devastating crash during the horrific 2021 Belgian Qualifying. Sebastian Vettel acts as the hero in this story as he takes care of little Lando Norris after the crash.

⚠️ WARNING: Strong language in the first half of the story.

• As Drunk As A Finnish Brown Bear

AO3 Link | Tumblr Link (pending)

Multi-Chapter [1/2] (Ch. 2 pending) | Kimi Räikkönen, Sebastian Vettel, Hanna Prater & Minttu Virtanen

Ship (Simi, Prattel, Virtönen)

Never bring vodka to Kimi Räikkönen's table. This is a very simple rule the FIA should've considered before hosting the 2018 Prize Giving Gala. Now Sebastian Vettel has to deal with one extremely sozzled Finn, in more ways than one.

⚠️ WARNING: Mild swearing, plus some vulgar language in Finnish.

• My Soul Begs For Your Return

AO3 Link | Tumblr Link (pending)

One Shot | Charles Leclerc, Jules Bianchi

Friendship

Charles Leclerc wakes up to a sound in his apartment. When he goes to investigate, he is shocked to discover an old friend who he hadn’t seen since he’d been involved in a horrific accident many years ago.

• For The Sake Of Nature

AO3 Link | Tumblr Link

Multi-Chapter [1/9] (Ch. 2 pending) | Mark Webber, Sebastian Vettel

Ship (Martian)

Mark gets dragged into going on a 5-day forest expedition in Germany with Sebastian Vettel of all people. What could possibly go wrong?

⚠️ WARNING: Some strong language and scenes of a sexual nature. (18+!!!)

• A Toast For A Lovely Old Goat

AO3 Link | Tumblr Link

One Shot | Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton

Ship (Sewis)

A simple Instagram Story isn't enough to satisfy him. Nor is sending his best friend a text to congratulate him on his efforts satisfactory.

All he needs to do is go and congratulate him in person. Then he'll be a happy little bunny.

Sewis. Set during the 2024 British GP.

📺 TV Shows: 🤔

BBC’s Merlin:

• Deep Tenebrosity

AO3 Link | Tumblr Link (pending)

One-Shot | Merlin & Arthur – Ship (Merthur)

This is my interpretation of the final battle between King Arthur and Mordred.

⚠️ WARNING: Graphic depictions of gore, injuries and death. DON’T READ IF YOU DON’T WANT TO FEEL SQUEAMISH!

~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~

[herblacktights]

Can we get a sneak peek of quelqu'un fic 👀👀👀

here you go, bbs!!! hopefully will be done with this chapter soon.

--

[ivorydice]

Many Sentences Sunday

Can’t name it Six Sentence Sunday because this is more than six sentences lmao, but I wanted to share this snippet of an angsty scene from the "Noct and Gladio get booted down a mine shaft fic" because I loooove. Guilt ridden Noct is too good. Also I’m on the second draft of this fic so hopefully it won’t be much longer until completion, even though this is when the big edits happen lol let's gooooooo ✌️

Noct tries to breathe through the flashes. He stays under the spray of the shower a little longer, letting the hot water pour over him, and he brushes his hands over his face as he wills the images to go away. He keeps his eyes closed and inhales, one, two, three, four. Exhales, one, two, three, four. He can hear voices in the other room. Their words are indecipherable through the closed door and the sound of the shower, but he would recognise the tones anywhere. Prompto yelling something and Gladio roaring with laughter in response. It should be comforting, it should be grounding, but it doesn’t get rid of the mess in his head. He thinks about Gladio coming out of the bathroom earlier, pulling a vest on a little carefully, awkwardly, the skin under his collarbone still bruised and the gash still neatly stitched up. He sees the blood on his hands again. Noct presses his fingers to his eyes and breathes. They’ve been here before, he thinks. A few years ago. A drunk and a knife back then too, both of them coming for Noct. And Gladio had jumped in between them, always appearing out of nowhere, always moving lightning fast, always there to pull Noct out of the fire. He’d nearly lost an eye back then. He had a new scar to mark the occasion. He nearly lost his life this time. He'll have a new scar to mark this occasion, too. He wonders if Gladio feels proud of this scar. If he likes walking away with souvenirs telling him he’s done a job well done. Mission successful, Prince Noctis remains unharmed, therefore everything is right with the world. He wonders if Gladio feels happy about that, if he thinks it’s normal or right or fair. All Noct feels is guilt.

[vitaecryptid]

Me over here making the sequel to werewolf porn I wrote ultra fluffy for some reason

[likesunsetorange]

a little sneak peek of one of my current wips! this is their disastrous meet cute.

“Hi, welcome in!” He exclaimed as he pushed through the metal door that led to the front of the bakery, his eyes scanning for the customer in question as he walked behind the display counter.

Next to the door, he located the figure of a woman attempting to wring water out of her jacket, her umbrella sitting in a puddle on the floor and seemingly broken next to her feet. Her shoulder length hair was drenched, droplets dampening the few dry spots on her almost entirely soaked trench coat, and her shoes tracking mud onto his previously spotless floors. Eren could hear her muttering a series of profanities, seemingly upset about her umbrella malfunctioning, too consumed with her thoughts to have noticed his presence.

He rubbed the nape of his neck, contemplating whether or not to interrupt the conversation she was having with herself, while desperately trying not to fault her for the new mess on his floor or that she interrupted his movie. Eren opted on the side of being a good business owner (and not being a dick), clearing his throat to catch her attention.

“Umm, hi,” he started. “Is there something I can help you with?”

The woman whipped her head towards his direction, her bangs clinging to her face due to the rain, only highlighting the soft features of her face. He noticed a small scar just beneath her right eye, and Eren was certain he didn’t have an extensive enough vocabulary to describe the color of her eyes—grey lacked the depth of what they truly looked like. He was a bit in awe, certain he had never seen a woman as gorgeous as her, and he found himself thanking his lucky stars he decided to not go home early after all.

The semblance of an Oh, fuck beneath her breath snapped Eren out of his daze, while she quickly attempted to regain her composure.

“Hi! Yes, actually. So, I have a problem and I really, really, need your help or else I am completely fucked,” her hands flying around frantically as she spoke. “I know you probably will say no like every other god damn person in this fucking city, but I really, really, really, need you to say yes, or else my life is otherwise completely ruined. This is probably very unprofessional, but I am so fucking desperate you don’t even understand so if you could please, please, please say yes, that would be really, really, great!” She urged, never stopping to even take a breath, the words spilling out faster than Eren could really understand.

Eren furrowed his brows, unsure of what she was exactly asking for, but also if he had even grasped what it was she attempted to say. Part of him was still a bit in a state of reverie, depleting him of his ability to properly socialize.

“Maybe you should take a breath and explain that to me again?” His words coming out more like a question rather than a suggestion.

The woman, who he could tell had little patience remaining, merely scowled in response to his question as she approached where he stood behind the counter, traces of water left in her presence. “Look,” she started, agitation evident in her voice. “I just need to know if you can help me or not—I really don’t have much time left to waste here—so, is it a yes or a no?”

Her brow quipped up as she waited for his response, the pink of her lips now hidden behind the thin line she pressed them into. She looked particularly aggravated, but Eren found her expression to be cute. Rather than intimidating, she looked more flustered, her cheeks the faintest shade of pink, and he could tell she was probably more exasperated rather than infuriated. Eren was still unsure what exactly she needed, but he’d be a fool to say no to her (business wise and for his own selfish reasonings), yet he couldn’t help going along with her attempted ruse of intimidation.

He crossed his arms dramatically, turning up his head in feigned stubbornness, shaking his head almost disapprovingly. “Not with that attitude I can’t.”

Eren had only intended to tease her a bit—he had every bit of intention of helping her—but maybe teasing an already seemingly upset woman who he had only said a few sentences to, wasn’t the best idea. Immediately after the words left his mouth, her lip began to quiver and she burst into a fit of tears, her chest heaving in deep breaths.

“Oh my God I’m so fucked,” she wailed. The mascara on her lashes started to run, black streaks running down her face as the tears persisted, only causing her to hide her face in her hands out of embarrassment.

Eren’s eyes grew wide at her sudden meltdown, frantically reaching for the napkins on the counter, rushing to her side. “Oh God I’m so sorry, I’m an idiot. I was only kidding, I swear. I’ll help you—whatever you need, I promise!” He apologized, handing her a napkin to wipe her face.

She peeked her eyes open, looking up to where he stood beside her, sniffling as the tears began to ease up. “Really?” She asked, her voice a little hoarse.

“Yes, whatever you need, it’s the least I can do,” he replied, rubbing his neck nervously. “Sorry for umm… making you cry, that was pretty shitty on my part. I’m Eren by the way—I own the bakery.”

“It’s okay,” she laughed as she attempted to rid her face of tears and makeup. “I practically yelled at you, so I’m sorry about that too. Guess this was a bad first impression on both our parts. But I’m Mikasa, nice to meet you, Eren.”

“So… What is it exactly you needed my help with?”

“Well, it’s kind of a long story if I’m being honest—it involves an angry French pastry chef, a bride from hell, and me trying not to lose my mind in the process,” a smile creeping up on her face at the absurdity of it all.

“I wasn’t doing anything before you got here, so I’ve got time,” he shrugged. “How about you tell me this story, and you can have whatever you want since you know, I kinda made you cry.”

“Sounds like a fair deal. Do you have strawberry cake?”

“Mikasa, this is a bakery, of course I do. Although I think it’s a bit weird you chose strawberry of all flavors,” he teased.

“Eren, do you wanna make me cry again—you’re being a little mean don’t you think? I think you’re gonna owe me more than just one piece of cake if that’s the case,” she joked back.

“Just go sit over there, I’ll be back in a second,” Eren replied, motioning towards the tables near the window. He turned to head towards the back to retrieve her strawberry cake, and maybe a few other treats—he was feeling generous (and maybe he wanted to impress her a bit). He felt the grin form on his face, feeling a little giddy at the instant change in their dynamic, the two having established a sense of banter between them already. He eyed the water that was all over the floor as he approached the back room, “And try not to slip on all these puddles you left on my clean floors!” He yelled as he walked towards the back.

[kald-dal-write]

39 and 42

Share a snippet from a WIP

What’s the last fic you read? Do you recommend it?

A short one shot, probably not? Didn’t find it be that compelling and was a bit blandly written

[malevolent-monthly]

Fic Preview Saturday

Welcome to Malevolent Monthly Fic Preview Saturday, where we showcase previews for WIPs that have been submitted to us!

If you have a snippet of a WIP for one of our monthly prompts and want it to be showcased on Fic Preview Saturdays, send it our way via our askbox!

Here's a snippet from Words_Go_Fast (AO3), following our Ghost Hunter AU Prompt!

Arthur didn’t believe in ghosts. Sadly, his best friend did. And even sadder, he decided to go hunt them, drag Arthur along, and hook cameras up to them both. There were worse ways to make money, Arthur supposed. Although, standing in front of an imposing yellow building past nightfall certainly didn’t make it into the ten best decisions he’d made in his life. It was well over a century old, striking a solid, sharp figure across the night sky. The overgrown grass brushed against his fingers as he balanced his backpack on his knees, rummaging through it by touch, as he couldn’t see shit in the dark. “Thought you said this was an art school?” “Used to be!” Parker confirmed, trudging ahead. For a guy deathly scared of ghosts, he certainly rushed to meet them. “Shut down in 1895!” he added, trying to get a good, sweeping shot of the entrance. “Weren’t asylums normally painted yellow back in the day?” Arthur struggled with his own equipment. The stupid cave headlights Parker had insisted they get never sat right on his head. “Yeah. The asylum got shut down and turned into an art school. Then shut down permanently. I told you this in the car!” Frankly, he’d been preoccupied wondering if there was a decent bar somewhere near their hostel. It wasn’t that he didn’t care. It was just that he thought every single place they went to was as haunted as a litter box.

[chocobothis]

Fic Preview

Fandom: Star Wars - Clone Wars Era circa 21 BBY

Characters: Solus Ve’tra, Pre Vizsla

Ship: Implied Past PreSolus Hookup

Word Count: 533

Note: Assume this will possible changes as I write more. This is the first chunk before things get deeper and very feelsy. They are speaking in purely Mando’a. Using Kyr’tsad (Death Watch) and Ver’alor (Lieutenant) is something specific to Solus because she’s settling back into her skin again, so to speak. It’s her military experience she’s choosing versus being drafted into the Republic Military as a padawan.

The entire purpose of standing outside, in the bitter cold twilight of Krownest, was to be left alone. From her quick glances and hidden prodding she found most everyone to be human or humanoid enough to dislike the cold. Even the year around residents had their limits. An even more enticing reason to stay inside was the small celebration happening. Her induction into Kyr’tsad cemented Death Watch’s control of the planet.

That sure thing fell apart with the leisurely approach of her Manda’lor. 

Earlier they had dined together with Ursa and Clan Wren as well as the members of Kyr’tsad. She was even given the seat to his left as a place of honor. The right belonged to his ver’alor, Bo-Katan Kryze, and on her right was an as of yet unknown, Axe Woves. From there the rest of his delegation filtered in. While her own left belonged to Ursa, then Alrich, and more of Clan Wren. If she pretended it was like her life should have been all along; she had to excuse herself when they finished for composure.

“You’re difficult to find.” The balcony door shut behind him. “I thought you’d bolted on us.”

In pettiness, she kept her back to him to scowl at the beautiful, free growing evergreens. “I didn’t return home just to leave again.”

Krownest was her homeworld. The first seven years of her life had been spent here. Even with the ongoing war she knew the feel of its sun and snow on her face. Fresh winds whipped through her hair with the scent of nature on its back. Here was where she most belonged, now and for forever more.

“Do you mean the just planet or Wren Stronghold?” His curiosity was genuine as it had been on Concordia when they met. “I know Clan Ve’tra and Clan Wren have been allies for centuries. Krownest has been yours to rule.”

When he fully stepped into her peripheral she noted his pinkening cheeks. This time she knew the weather was to blame. In the weeks prior, it had been the tihaar they shared at his desk while they played at being a Governor and a Jedi. Both of their cheeks had flushed when they shed every layer to fall together, almost true to themselves.

“I spent as much time here as I did in our stronghold or war camps. Ursa was my mentor and sometimes babysitter. I started following after her as soon as I could walk.” Her arms folded over the banister. “Our clans liked to have the future leaders growing up together.”

Everything she learned from Ursa, among the others, kept her alive to return to home. She hoped Ursa was willing to mentor her in things to come. Her proof of the false flag operation and strong showing would get her the head start. Ursa had over a decade of experience with the current political climate. Gauging how long she had been with Kyr’tsad and its subunit would take longer. She would need her guidance once again.

With Tristan already and another on the way she understands motherhood as well. That’s something I’ll need help with sooner rather than later.

“Once again, welcome home, Solus.”

[etherealvoidechoes]

Borderlands chapter 3 previews. Finally got the opening block done and have two to three more for the chapter.