#Round Robin

[ufonaut]

The Constantine & The Demon: Vacation from Hell full backup in Superboy: The Man of Tomorrow (2023) #4, a preview of one of the would-be series pitched during the 2022 Round Robin.

(Frank Allen, Nik Virella)

[bellemorte180]

Round Robin #1

Was it meant to be warm? The thought echoed through Caroline’s head, the sun causing beads of red sweat to trickle down her face, making her wonder when the last time she had seen it. The cement on her bare feet burned, the summer heat making it feel as though she was walking against freshly lit coals. Her skin was sticky, her pigment was pale and it only magnified the blood that was crusted onto it. 

The silky black dress clung to her as she walked, and not in the way it was intended to. Blood had soaked into, damaging it beyond repair. It was short, showing how long her legs were but the looks she got from those she passed were not glances of desire, but fear. Her hair was knotted, matted and so vibrantly red that no one would have guessed that she naturally was a blonde. 

They gave her a wide berth, moving out of her way as she wandered aimlessly. She didn’t know where she was or where she had been. All she could remember was that it wasn’t meant to be so hot. Or was it? Caroline wasn’t sure. She couldn’t pinpoint where she was or why everyone was looking at her so strange. Everything was muffled. Her head was pounding and there was this loud ringing in her ear, making the pain worse. 

Why was everything so loud? She reached up, pressing her fingers to her head and gripped her hair. She paused and pulled back, peering at the blood that coated her hands. Flashes of stone, blood and agony echoed through her mind like a flash. A memory she just couldn’t nail down. There was a body. Somewhere. Caroline couldn’t exactly say where. 

“Ma’am.” A gentle voice broke through her crimson red gaze. He was handsome with blonde hair, blue eyes and a badge that was pinned to his navy built uniform. A cop. Caroline remembered what those were. Her mother had been one. She stepped back, moving away from him as quickly as she could. They couldn’t be trusted. “Are you alright?”

“Klaus?” She whispered, her throat aching and dry, realizing that the last time she had used her voice, she had been screaming. The context behind those screams were a mixture of pleasure and pain. The cop looked confused, peering at her with more questions than answers. “I need to find Klaus.” 

And then the world went black.

@averseunhinged - your turn.

[aidaronan]

Steddie story game bc we all need something to occupy our time rn lol. Reblog with your own addition(s) of a line or five. It's okay if there are multiple versions going around.

While this isn't necessarily am attempt at collaborative smut, I am starting this fic in a crowd of adults so assume that you *might* run into R rated content.

If you want to add on in a non-traditional way like a comic or interpretive pop figure scenes, go for it. Let's just all have a good time.

Beginning:

It was October, a time for blankets and hot chocolate, a time for snuggling close to someone special and letting the rest of the world fall away.

On a cold bed in a colder room, Eddie Munson opened his eyes.

[angelasscribbles]

Round Robin Chapter 1: Welcome

This is still untitled and with no mood board because I have no idea where it's going lol.

Word Count: 448

Next writer: @christina-stark-skarlet-stileto

Bertrand Beaumont stepped up to the podium and surveyed the conference room full of malcontents with equal parts excitement and trepidation. This was the most ambitious project of his career.

They were in an undisclosed location. He had a full production team and camera crew on standby. He was acutely aware that the results of this endeavor would make or break his PR firm. But he had complete confidence in his staff.

Tapping on the microphone, he began. “Settle down, please. I understand that everyone in this room is powerful in some way. You’re royalty, celebrities, and top performers in your field. Doctors, CEO’s, etc. You’re not used to being told what to do. I get it. However…”

He waited for the grumbling to die down before continuing. “You’re all here for the same reason. You’ve become a liability for your family, your agency, your recent movie. You’re a PR nightmare for whoever and whatever you’re attached to.”

This time the grumbles were less angry and more conceding.

Bertrand smiled reassuringly. “We’re here to change that. We’re here to help you. I know none of you are accustomed to taking much direction however, for many of you, this is your last chance before you’re fired, blacklisted from Hollywood, or exiled by your families.”

The former crown prince of Dravokia exchanged a sidelong glance with the former crown prince of Cordonia as he mouthed, “Too late!”

Tobias Carrick rose from his chair to demand, “And how, exactly, are you going to do that?”

Bertrand smiled, “I’m glad you asked! This program will not only teach you the skills you need to spin public opinion but will put you in situations to showcase those skills. Publicly.”

“Publicly?” Came a question from the back.

“Yes, publicly. First, you’ll receive instructions on how to conduct yourselves and then you’ll put what you’ve learned by attending a series of public appearances where you will behave properly. You will rehabilitate your images with the support of our staff and your partner.”

A murmur broke out as several people asked, “What partner?”

“Oh, we have taken the liberty of pairing each of you up with a mentor. Someone who already has a stellar public image. Just being seen with them in public will help you. This person will be your shadow for the duration of the program.”

“How long are we stuck here?” Leo Rys spoke up. He hadn’t abdicated a throne to have his life micro-managed by a PR firm.

“Until your approval ratings are acceptable.”

“Great.” He huffed as he slumped back into his seat. “Just fucking dandy.”

“Everyone get a good night’s sleep,” Bertrand told them brightly. “We start in the morning!”

[choicesprompts]

Round Robin #2

A round-robin consists of each participant writing a chapter and then passing the story to the next writer. Who knows what the final product will look like?

It's time for another round-robin! The last one was really fun and even spurred a few follow-ups! You can find it here.

Tagging last year's writers: @angelasscribbles @harleybeaumont @karahalloway @aussiegurl1234 @twinkleallnight @kingliam2019 @alj4890 @jerzwriter in hopes that you will sign up to do it again!

This event will kick off Friday, February 16th, 2024.

Writers must sign up to participate. If you would like to be added, please let me know by midnight on Thursday, February 15th, 2024.

Readers may request to be tagged at any time before or during the event.

The Rules: Guess we need to cover the guidelines!

Writer order will be determined randomly

Each writer will have four days to complete their chapter

Each chapter must be at least 300 words in length

Each chapter must be no more than 2,000 maximum

Post your chapter with tags @choicesprompts and hashtags #choicesprompts and #roundrobin

I will write a short intro/kickoff chapter like I did last year. If anyone has ideas or suggestions for topics or opening lines, please feel free to respond here or message this blog or @angelasscribbles with those or any other questions or suggestions you might have.

[sessakag]

Round Robin Smut Fic!!

In Naruto's Embrace is a round robin fic written by @opal-chan @wickermayne @bunny-hoodlum and myself! We each took turns writing a part of the story, passing it around between us until it was complete! This was our first time, hopefully not the last, doing this and it was a blast! Give it a read and tell us which part you think belongs to which writer! XD

[tessa-liam]

Isle of Misfits 

Chapter 9 – Inconvenient Truths 

Fandom: TRR x Platinum x OH x CoP x TNA x ?

Series: Isle of Misfits, Round Robin 24, hosted by @choicesprompts 

Word Count:  1405

Characters: TRR – Liam Rys, Leo Rys, Olivia Nevrakis, Madeleine Amaranth 

                       RoE – Katie Rys 

                       TNA – Sam Dalton 

                       CoP – Trystan Thorne 

Warnings: M *(swearing, references to depression, alcohol abuse, suicide, infidelity) 

“Something’s burning…” 

Leo stopped short. The scent was subtle, but unmistakable. 

Smoke. 

Olivia and Leo exchanged worried glances, before darting down the corridor, following the faint acrid scent to its source. 

It didn't take them long to track down the fire, the smoke was now billowing out from beneath the door at the end of the hallway. 

Olivia pushed Leo back. "Get back! I'm calling the fire department!" 

"But—" 

"Just do as you're told, for once in your life!" the fiery redhead ordered, already stabbing at the numbers on her mobile phone. 

Leo's shoulders raised in defiance. But no sooner had he complied, than the door to the suite burst open, and a large plume of dark grey smoke billowed out. 

Coughing and spluttering, Sam Dalton, was waving the acrid haze out of his face. 

"Sam?" Leo exclaimed concernedly, stepping forward. "What the fuck, man.!?"

"I'm okay!" Sam assured him, trying to clear his throat. 

Olivia put her phone on hold, her eyes darting over the wayward billionaire, looking for any injuries. "Are you sure?" 

"Yeah, I'm sure..." Sam said, taking a few shaky steps into the corridor. 

Olivia's sharp eyes narrowed. "Are you drunk?" 

"No," Sam scoffed, before reconsidering his statement. "Well, a little. I may have had one or two shots." 

"Or a whole bottle," Olivia murmured, rolling her eyes. 

"I don't know about that..." Sam muttered, looking around himself in bemusement. "I was just trying to put together some food, and... well, next thing I know, there's a fire. Must have forgotten to turn off the hot plate." 

"Are you kidding me?" Leo exploded. "You nearly set the building on fire, just because you couldn't be bothered to make a sandwich?" 

"Yeah, yeah, I know..." Sam mumbled. "It was stupid." 

"I'll say!" there is a Michelin star chef here on the island, why are you even trying to cook?"

"It wasn't like I was trying to kill myself or anything," Sam grumbled, as he staggered off in the direction of his room. "I just couldn't remember if it was gas or electric. It's a common mistake." 

"No, it's a common sign of early dementia," Olivia retorted. 

"Nah," Sam scoffed, raising his middle finger and slammed his door shut.

The sound of an elevator sounded down the hall. Countess Madeleine Amaranth, a member of Liam's council and Leo's former betrothed, strode towards Leo and Olivia.

Madeleine's cold green eyes took in the smoke damage to the door. "What's going on here? The building is still standing, I see."

Liam had enlisted Madeleine to help reform Leo as a role model for royal decorum since she was a stickler for etiquette and was the queen of spin. True to his promise.

"It's called karma, you idiot," Olivia muttered back, folding her arms and smirking. 

"Oh, what fresh hell is this?" Leo growled.

"Ah, Madeleine," Leo greeted her, turning on the charm. 

"Leo," Madeleine acknowledged coolly. 

"What brings you here, on this fine evening?" Leo asked.

"Liam has requested my assistance. Apparently, you need remedial lessons in proper manners." 

"Remedial...?" 

"Yes. We have already seen that you cannot handle an engagement," she says, glancing at Olivia, who glared back, "or a marriage, or a mistress, or even a simple friendship..." 

"You're not seriously still mad about that, are you?" Leo exclaimed. 

"About being publicly embarrassed, or humiliated? Oh, no. That is water under the bridge," she mocked. "However, Liam has asked me to tutor you in proper decorum. So, if you are finished with your tantrum, perhaps we can begin?" 

Leo's jaw tightened. 

"Well, I think we've got things sorted here," Olivia said, laying a hand on Leo's arm. "If you'll excuse me, Maddy." 

Madeleine's eyes narrowed. "You're not going anywhere. You are to meet with Trystan Thorne. I'm sure he'll find that your presence will be beneficial during his sessions." 

"What? You're not my superior." Olivia objected, glaring at the tall blonde. 

"I am if Liam says so," Madeleine shot back. 

Leo's shoulders raised as Olivia's grip tightened painfully. 

"Now, if you don't mind," Madeleine continued imperiously. "I need to have a chat with my wayward student." 

"Your wayward—!" 

"Ow!" cried Leo, wincing. "You're going to leave a bruise, Livvie..." 

"That's the plan!" Olivia retorted, digging her fingers into his bicep. 

"Come on, Olivia," Leo implored, gently prying her fingers loose. "Let's just get this over with." 

Olivia looked like she wanted to argue the point, but Leo's pleading gaze eventually softened her resolve. 

"Fine," she growled. "But you're on your own next time, your highness." 

"Sure," Leo agreed, sighing. 

Olivia gave him a warning look, before stomping off down the corridor. 

"Shall we?" Madeleine prompted Leo to offer his arm for her to take.

*** 

"This is pointless," Leo announced, leaning back on the lounge chair and closing his eyes. After many hours of intense etiquette lectures, role plays, quizzes and more, he felt his stomach rumble as they waited for lunch to be prepared by the Michelin chef, sans alcohol. 

"What's pointless is the amount of money Liam has spent on trying to make you a decent human being," Madeleine bit back, flipping the cover of her personal binder of court decorum closed. 

"I am a decent human being," Leo countered, frowning. "I'm a far better man than you'll ever know." 

"Oh, really?" Madeleine challenged, raising her eyebrow. "Then how come your wife is threatening divorce?" 

"That is none of your business, or Liam's for that matter," Leo snapped, opening his eyes. "And just for the record, my life is none of yours either. You don't know the first thing about love, or me." 

"I know you can't keep it in your pants," she retorts, rolling her eyes. 

"So do I," a voice came from the doorway. 

Leo turned towards the speaker in shock.

"Katie," Leo breathed shallowly, pushing himself upright. 

"Don't get too excited," Katie told him, folding her arms. "I'm not here for you. I'm here for the kids." 

"You're... you're..."  Leo stammered nervously. 

Looking at her husband, she almost felt sorry for him. Almost. 

"Why are you here, Katie?" Leo demanded, standing up. 

"Your brother sent me to help," she explained, looking everywhere but at him. 

Madeleine excused herself and quietly sauntered out with her binder in hand.

"Yes. He thought it might help to have me here. Help you remember what is important. Family, love, loyalty." 

Leo shook his head, moving slowly towards her. "You don't get it. I'm not the same man anymore." 

"Then maybe it's time to prove it." Katie said. 

"That's what I'm trying to do!" Leo shot back, stopping in place. "I'm here, aren't I?"  

At that moment, Leo understood why Liam sent him to the island. His epiphany.

"I have to go," Katie said, her eyes softening. "I'll be back later, when you've had time to process this." 

Leo watched her walk away, a sense of unease settling in the pit of his stomach. 

*** 

Later, Leo found himself sitting on his balcony, staring at a glass of scotch. He had resisted the urge to drink it, but he was still tempted. His phone buzzed on the table, and he reached for it. 

"Hello?" 

"Hey," came the reply. 

"I made a grave mistake ..." 

Leo paused, relieved at the sound of his fellow 'in-mate'.

"Thorne." 

“How so?” 

"Well, remember when we met at the bar with your brother. I should have believed your brother. That he would be true to his word with his threat." 

“Oh boy, this sounds painful.” Leo smirked, already knowing where this conversation was heading.. 

“Who did he partner you with?” 

“Olivia Nevrakis! She is terrifying! Put a dagger to my throat when I dissed her. She threatened to go lower if I didn't pay attention.” 

"Did she now? Maybe she's the one you need to focus on," Leo mused. 

"She's so intense, it's scary. And she has no interest in me. She is only here because Liam asked her to be.” 

"And here I thought she was coming here for me," Leo sighed, taking a swig of the scotch. 

"Hey, what happened with that countess?" 

Leo paused. "I... I... what did you hear?" 

"That she's going to stay a couple more days." 

"That's just great," Leo sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Just what I need." 

>>next writer @twinkleallnight

[themetropoliskonboy]

Well, I am glad he won this round robin. I enjoyed this story, even thought I have some problems with from a ideological POV. It is still, without a doubt, the best Kon has had since he was brought back and I do hope it means he will have more time to shine in the future and a eventual new direction that sets him apart from Jon entirely and shows how he can still have a unique place in the Superman mythos.

On another note, the panel where he and Clark hugged has increased my life expectancy in at least a year. I hope they get more one on one moments too

[dpxdc-shipping-wars]

FAQ

What the hell is this?

This is a Round Robin style tournament where all the ships on the Batpham Community Server (represented on Tumblr at @batpham-discord-highlights) shipping spreadsheet; excluding the ghosts, miscellaneous, and platonic ships sections for brevity!

That's a lot of ships, how will this be managed?

Indeed it is, it's more than 230 ships in competition and many more excluded! I'm going to be breaking up the ships into sections based on the organization of the spreadsheet (linked and explained here), Batpham Ships, Young Justice Ships, Teen Titans Ships, Justice League Ships, Rogue/Villain Ships, Cursed Ships, and Poly Ships.

These will be run as individual groups of varying size and at the end the winners will be pitted against each other to find the Ultimate Winner!

How long will each round last?

Each round will last a Day, and the largest section, Batpham Ships, will be split into two first rounds one right after another for ease of voting.

Why are some sections excluded?

Even with some parts cut out, the ships on the spreadsheet are almost too much for this project. The Ghost and Miscellaneous sections were cut from the running due to being sparsely populated, but the Platonic section was removed for being platonic. This is a Round-Robin of romantic ships for now, but maybe in the future I'll include this section. (Also, Tumblr only has so many colors you can make text and I wanted each section to be distinct.)

Who's running this account?

Me, @aziraphale-is-a-cat, otherwise known as azi_matica on discord!

If you don't see your question here, please feel free to shoot me an ask. And when the voting officially starts, feel free to submit 'Propaganda' for your favorite ships!

[jerzwriter]

One Night in Cordonia Chapter 8: All's Well That Ends Well

Series: One Night in Cordonia, a @choicesprompts a Round Robin Event. Fandom: TRR, with some OH introduced here Pairings: You'll See lol Word count: 2.2k (I went over a little - sorry!) Rating: Mature Warnings: talks about sex, innuendos, language Prompt: Cocktails, Gala - @choicesjunechallenge A/N: Every now and then, it's fun to just take your characters and put them in different surroundings. This lil' crack fic allowed me to do just that. I was going to say it's not really "my" Ethan and Tobias here, but, to be honest, it could be them in my Ethan/Kaycee world. Thanks for putting this together and including me Angela!

Next author: ??? @angelasscribbles ???

Summary: It's Leo's social season. The day is Beaumont bash after the formal dinner is done and the royal couple has left. Anton sends his second in command, Claudius, to spread a fog, "Death Smash," that would leave the guests paralyzed and he would attack. But the gas delivered was Shagging smog 2.0 by mistake, leading to a sexual frenzy amongst guests. Anton himself goes to check and falls prey to the gas. The only unaffected members are Max (immune), Leo (because he was in the gardens), and Olivia (partially affected, trying to fight the effects).

The pretty brunette flight attendant was shaky on her feet, and for once, turbulence nor the ridiculously high heels Constantine insisted his flight attendants wear was the cause. No, this time, the mesmerizing aqua-blue eyes of her passenger were the culprit. She hadn’t dared to look at them directly for fear of what they could do to her, but she could feel them raking over as she attempted to pour his bourbon. She only hoped he didn’t notice how she trembled.  

“That’s good right there, darlin’,’ he droned, his husky voice rolling off his tongue like honey. “Any more than that, and I’ll have to wonder if you’re trying to take advantage of me.”

A blush settled on her cheeks as she attempted to come up with a reply. Luckily, the other, equally aesthetically pleasing passenger spared her when he sighed with disgust.

“For Christ’s sake, Tobias, could you maybe have just an ounce of decorum?”

“You know Ethan, decorum is overrated,” he winked. “I prefer fun. You may want to try it sometime.”

“I know how to have fun, and it’s not harassing our flight attendant.” 

Ethan looked over to the young woman, who could not look away before his sapphire orbs met hers. Fuck! She thought because those eyes would render her equally as helpless.

“I apologize for my colleague. Apparently, he was raised by wolves.”

“Hey!” Tobias jumped in. “My mom would kick your ass if she heard you say that!”

“Really? Well, I’m sure she’d love to hear how you are treating this young woman,” Ethan pulled out his phone. “Shall I dial her?”

Tobias threw both hands up in surrender. “Nope! Truce! Truce!”

A satisfied smirk crossed Ethan’s face. “I think you’ll be left in peace for the remainder of the flight,” he smiled. Completely oblivious to the look of disappointment on the woman’s face as she exited the cabin.

Tobias sipped the amber liquor and let out a slow moan. “Mmmm.  This is amazing,” he growled. “Have you tried yours yet? I know you’re a total snob, but I swear, this shit will make you weak in the knees.”

Ethan eyed his untouched beverage and shut his eyes.

“I’ll get to it,” he grumbled. “This whole thing, it’s just… it’s obscene!”

Tobias leaned over and took the papers his companion was reading out of his hands, shoving them into the attaché at his side.

“Hey, what are you….”

“Shut up,” Tobias spat. “Seriously, Ethan. The hospital insisted we go, so just sit back and enjoy the ride. We’re on one of the most luxurious private jets on the planet on someone else’s dime. Our every need is expected to be catered to, and if you hadn’t interrupted… that might have included the beautiful Ashley.”

“Ashley?” He asked.

“The flight attendant…”

“Her name is Amber, you idiot. And sexual harassment isn’t something I wish to add to our resume on this trip.”

“Ethan, relax. I was joking!”

“I’m sorry, I just hate this whole thing. The wealthiest people in the world summoning us across the damn Atlantic to take care of their potential PR disaster is not what I went into medicine for.”

“I don’t disagree,” Tobias shrugged. “But what they’re paying us for two days’ work will fund our department for the next year. So look at the bright side for a change Mr. Sour Pants.”

“You have a point,” Ethan grumbled. “Let’s just make this quick, get in and get out…”

“That was my plan with Am….”

“SHUT UP!” Ethan hollered as Tobias adjusted his sleep mask and drifted off, pleased he had accomplished his goal of getting under his boss’s skin.

~~~~

Upon landing, a heavily guarded motorcade awaited the two doctors and drove them to the Beaumont estate. 

“Is this still fun for you?” Ethan asked.

“Fuck yes! I’m living out some major James Bond fantasies right now.”

Ethan fought the genuine smile that attempted to spread on his lips; maybe there was something to Tobias’s constant glass-half-full approach, but he wasn’t about to admit it.

When they arrived at the scene, Constantine and a Lieutenant from the King’s Guard greeted them at once. The Lieutenant handed each man a gas mask.

“Gentlemen,” Constantine enthused. “We are so happy to have you here! It’s not our first incident with shag smog in Cordonia, but this one is not responding to the normal antidote. That’s why we called in the experts.”

Ethan quickly adjusted his mask, but Tobias made no effort to put his on, earning him a questioning glare.

“No need,” Tobias smiled. “I’ve been exposed in the past, so I’m immune.”

“Of course you have,” Ethan groused. “How bad is the situation?”

“Worse than you could imagine!” The Lieutenant began. “There are only a handful of people present who weren’t affected, reasons unclear at this time. Some may have had prior exposure, some, well… this could be their natural state of being; it’s hard to tell.”

“OK, so we have a handful of people who haven’t turned into sex-crazed lunatics,” Tobias assessed. “But how many have? Do you know how many were in attendance?”

“Several hundred,” a woman’s voice rang out from behind, and Tobias’s body went rigid. He’d know that voice anywhere. “Anyone who is anyone in Cordonian society is here, plus a few plebeians from other nations who are delusional enough to imagine they can fit in with us.”

Tobias turned slowly toward the red-haired beauty, salacious grin in place.

“You say plebeians with such disdain, Duchess. From what I recall, you haven’t always minded rolling around in the dirt with at least… some of us.”

Olivia’s eyes narrowed, her icy gaze meeting Tobias’s heated stare. “You!” she hissed.

Ethan clapped his friend on the back. “It’s so good to see you have fans everywhere. Please tell me you made her acquaintance at a Cordonian History seminar.”

“Yeah,” Tobias chuckled. “Something like that. It’s been a long time, Duchess.”

“I’d prefer it if you called me Olivia,” she seethed.

“Heh! That’s not what you wanted to be called last time we were together.”

Constantine turned to Ethan with a look of distress. “Are you sure the sex pollen isn’t impacting him?”

“No,” Ethan sighed wearily, “Sadly, that’s just him.”

“Tobias?” a naked Maxwell hollered as he approached the group. “Is that you?”

Ethan turned to Constantine, aghast. “I thought you said all the impacted were contained!”

“They are! But that’s Maxwell and… sadly, that’s just… him.”

“It’s me,” Tobias nodded, averting his eyes. He removed his lab coat and tossed it in Max’s direction. “Would you put this on, for Christ’s sake! No one needs to see that damn hippo tattoo.”

“Oh, yeah…” Ethan rolled his eyes. “That’s what we don’t need to see!”

“So, what do we do, gentlemen?” The Lieutenant asked. “Normally, pumping in the antidote smog does the trick.”

“Not with this new variant,” Tobias interrupted. “It’s essentially a concentrated form of GHB in vaporized form.”

“So, how do we reverse this?” Constantine asked.

“There’s been some success with the administration of diclofenac and NSAIDS,” Ethan advised. “But that would require injecting each of the infected individually. There is no way to ‘gas’ everyone back to normal.”

“Well, that could take hours! Days!” A voice called out.

“This is my son, Leo, the crown prince.” Constantine chimed in.  “And I agree with him. We need to get this display of debauchery under control before it’s a scandal!”

“Forgive me if I’m more concerned about the people who were poisoned, not your Palace’s reputation.”

“Dr. Ramsey, I believe I’m paying you quite handsomely to take care of both,” Constantine reminded.

“Going room to room won’t be the fastest way,” Tobias agreed. “But it is the best way. Not only can we ensure it’s administered properly, but you can send someone in with us to confiscate everyone’s mobile devices. That will give you time to destroy any embarrassing pictures you wouldn’t want out there.”

Olivia spat out a laugh behind him. “Yes, Dr. Carrick. Because you, of all people, know about embarrassing blackmail photos. Don’t you?”  

Tobias shot her a knowing look. “We’ll talk after… Duchess. Right now, I have work to do.”

~~~~~

Tobias and Ethan ran up the ornate marble staircase; the team Constantine assembled to assist them quick on their heels.

“So, dare I ask what the deal is with you and Olivia?” Ethan asked.

A blissful look came over Tobias’s face, and Ethan momentarily wondered if his friend was being impacted by the gas.

“You know I’ve always had a thing for redheads. Plus, have you ever had a woman pull a switchblade out of her stilettos and threaten you in the middle of some of the most mind-blowing sex you’ve ever had in your life?”  

Ethan looked at Tobias in horror. “No! I can’t say I have.”

Tobias reached over and tapped his friend’s shoulder. “Well, add it to your bucket list, buddy. I promise you, it’s a rush.”

“Gentleman,” Leo interrupted, “if you wouldn’t mind visiting this room first. My brother, Liam, is in here.”

When the men entered, Liam immediately rushed toward them.

“What the…”

“Thank God you’re here!” Liam squealed. “This is shag smog… isn’t it?”

“It is,” Leo frowned. “But… you’re coherent… weren’t you impacted? Do you want to screw any of us right now?”

Liam calmly looked over the three men and shrugged. “I mean, you’re all cute… but not my type… and you’re my brother!”

“But if you weren’t impacted, why are you locked in here?” Leo asked.

“Madeline locked me in here. That woman has been dying to have her way with me and thought she believed this was her big chance.”

“Wait…” Tobias interrupted. “I’m not up on all of the societal gossip, and I know you people have your own little… proclivities… but,” he turned to Leo, “isn’t Madeline your fiance?”

“Technically,” Leo sighed.

“OK, then,” Tobias simpered. “Well, how about we leave you two to sort this out while we go administer the antidote to others.”

Leo nodded at Tobias, “Excellent idea. We’ll meet up again outside.”

~~~~~

Several hours later, Tobias joined a team of King’s Guards assigned to delete all incriminating images from guests' phones. He was having too much fun helping, chuckling repeatedly before hitting delete. He turned to Ethan with a grin.

“You know, if we want to retire early, all I need to do is forward some of these to our phones. Our offspring’s offspring could live off of the blackmail money.”

He heard what sounded like the knuckles cracking behind him and found Oliva glaring his way. “I assure you, that would be ill-advised.”

“Relax, sweetheart. Don’t you know a joke when you hear one?”

Ethan looked between the two and shook his head ruefully. “I know I’m going to live to regret this… but you mentioned blackmail photos before… what were you talking about?”  

Tobias howled with laughter. “She took some photos of me and planned on using them against me. Unfortunately for her, she didn’t factor in that I have no shame. So, she got nothing.”

“Oh dear God,” Ethan groaned. “What the hell was on… you know what… no… I don’t want to know.”

“Why?” Tobias asked. “They were just pictures of me… in various states of undress… some may have involved latex… and a couple had switchblades….”

“OK, STOP!”

“In one,” Tobias said, standing up with dramatic flair, “I was kind of bent over like this….”

“I SAID STOP!” Ethan yelled as he rushed away, muttering under his breath.

Amused, Olivia slid up next to Tobias and gently caressed his forearm.

“He’s a bit squeamish, no?”

“Hey, they can’t all be me,” he laughed. “You’re looking good, Dutchess… you know, I wouldn’t exactly turn down the opportunity to … engage… again….”

Olivia rolled her eyes. “Tobias, you’re a terribly handsome man. And as much as I can appreciate someone who eagerly follows my orders and calls me Duchess throughout, I must admit… I rather get off on the fear in my companion's eyes when I unexpectedly pull a sharp object in the heat of the moment… the fact that you kind of got off on that… it takes the fun out of it for me.”

“Hey!” Tobias protested. “Fear? Is that what you’re looking for. Listen, gorgeous, I had four years in drama club in college, and I can feign fear like the best of them. I think you should give me another shot.”

Olivia’s eyes raked over him, slowly taking him in from head to toe, a fiendish grin growing.

“You’re willing to wear a harness?”

Tobias scoffed. “When have I ever said no to that?”

“OK,” she smiled, rising to her feet. “The Beumont’s armory is in the basement. Go down the staircase, make a left, and it’s the last door at the end of the hallway. Meet me there in fifteen minutes. Oh, and get your lab coat back from Maxwell. Make sure you’re wearing that… and nothing else… when I enter,” she winked. “That’s the main course. The harness will be dessert.”

Tobias looked at her with darkened eyes. “At your command, my Duchess.”

Anxioulsy hopping to his, Tobias yelled to Ethan as he made his way to the door.

“Hey, buddy! I’ve got .. uh.. some things to do. Keep yourself occupied… look around for Bertrand… you both love boring things. He’ll know what to do.”

Liam and Leo leaned against the wall, shaking their heads at what they had just witnessed. 

“And that’s without the shag pollen,” Leo sighed. “Could you imagine them under the influence?”

Liam shook his head vigorously. “It would be the demise of Cordonia.  Perhaps the demise of civilization.”

@choicesficwriterscreations Tagging others in RB.

[sarcasticsciencefictionwriter]

For the Sanctuary writing game, do I just tag everyone in the fandom and hope for the best or only the people who interacted with the initial post? I don't want to exclude anyone and I'm writing up the (light) rules and tag list.

So....I guess since I don't know right now, reply to this post if you want to be on the tag list, whether or not you want to be up for starting the week, and if a weekend start would best all around.

If this one doesn't do it, I'm posting my insane draft of an outline and letting people give me feedback while spamming the character and ship tags.

[angelasscribbles]

Isle of Misfits Chapter 11: The Final Cut

Fandom: Mostly TRR but a bit of others sprinkled in, as well as some OC's from the first few chapters.

Series: Isle of Misfits, Round Robin 2024, hosted by @choicesprompts

Word Count: 1,981

Drake turned his head to take in Liam standing in the doorway, but he didn’t release Bertrand’s collar. “Not now, Li. I need answers first!”

“I…that…” Bertrand fumbled with the remote control, rewinding then pausing on a close-up of him with the redhead wrapped in his arms. “Look!”

Drake glared at the TV screen for a moment, and then the frown lines on his face eased. He released Bertrand and took a step back. “Oh, that’s not Liv.” Even from behind, he could tell it wasn’t her. He knew every line and curve of her body. If he had paused it sooner, he would have realized his mistake.

“Wait.” Olivia pointed to the date in the upper corner of the screen. “It couldn’t have been me. That was the night I was at that ribbon-cutting ceremony with Raleigh.”

Raleigh Carrera had gotten his shit together in record time. A thorough cleansing of alcohol from his room and a handful of public appearances had put him back on top of his career. He was off on a world tour with firm dinner plans with Olivia and Drake the next time he was in the country.  

Drake whirled on the elder Beaumont. “Are you cheating on my sister?”

“No…ah…” Bertrand turned ten shades of red as he stammered and stuttered. “She…that is…. I mean…”

“What is it, man? Spit it out already!”

Bertrand wanted to fall through the floor, but he managed to grit out, “The redhead is Savannah! She…. ah…”

Drake looked like he wanted to commit murder. “Did you make my sister dress up like that?”

“What? Heavens no! It was her idea!”

“Her idea?”

“Yes! This time, she wanted to be a redhead. Last month it was blond…she…ah…sometimes she likes to…um…. role play and…. well…”

All the blood drained from Drake’s face. “Shut up! That’s enough! No one needs to hear anything else!”

Olivia’s delighted laughter cut through the air. “I didn’t know little Savs had it in her. Good for her! Get it, girl!”

Drake shook his head. “Liv, no.”

Bertrand’s face had gone purple as he fought the ignominy. Clearing his throat, he changed the subject. “I think we should address Madeleine’s poor judgment.”

Madeleine gaped at him. “My poor judgment? How about asking why there are reporters on a private island? What about that?”

Bertrand gave his lapels a sharp tug as he regained his composure. “Oh, there will be a thorough investigation into that! Which still doesn’t answer the question as to why you would take one of our clients out in public outside of a prearranged appearance when our policy clearly states—”

“Pfft!” Madeleine flicked her fingers at him. “I didn’t read your employee handbook as I am not your employee! I am here at the behest of the king!”

“Yes, well, about that.” Bertrand straightened his shoulders as he turned to face Liam. “I allowed her to come here to help as a courtesy to you, Your Majesty. However, I’m afraid that I must inform you that the countesses’ services are no longer needed.”

“Of course,” Liam inclined his head slightly. “The Leviathan Group is your business. I’m sorry if I overstepped. I simply wanted to help my brother—”

“Which you did, by sending him here, to me. No other client has been allowed to have friends or family visit during their time with us. Please, Liam. Let me do my job.”

The king looked like he wanted to argue for a moment and then his shoulders slumped. “Yes, of course. I am sorry. I should also apologize for agreeing to help Trystan and then not being able to follow through.”

“It is of no consequence.” Bertrand waved him off. “Liv was able to step in. You have an entire country to run. I shouldn’t have asked.”

“Seriously?” Madeleine fumed. “You know what? That’s fine. Get someone else to help Mr. never met a responsibility he couldn’t ignore or run away from. I’ll be on the next boat back to the mainland.” She spun on her heel and was gone.

“Thank god!” Leo commanded everyone’s attention as he slapped the newspaper again. “But what are we going to do about this?”

“Don’t worry, I’m going to take you under my wing personally,” Bertrand assured him. “And since your wife is here, we’re going to enlist her help.”

Bertrand didn’t say it out loud, but he was fairly certain Katie was the security leak. Reporters had most likely followed her to the island. Though Liam was also a possibility. This was why friends and family weren’t supposed to visit.

Leo rubbed his eyes. “I’m not sure she’s even speaking to me right now.”

“Well, have you tried explaining to her why you were in that bush throwing up outside a Beverly Hills mansion at three a.m. while she was at home with two infants?”

“How the hell was I supposed to know there’d be a reporter there?”

“But why were you there in the first place? With that woman?”

Leo shook his head vehemently from side to side. “That woman just helped me back into the house because I was too drunk to stand on my own!”

“I believe you.” Bertrand clasped a hand on his shoulder. “But you still need to answer why you were there in the first place. For your wife and yourself, honestly. Katie shouldn’t be here, but since she is, I’ve arranged some couples’ counseling for you, and I don’t want to hear any arguments about it.”

Leo opened his mouth, then shut it again. He nodded. Couples’ counseling sounded good. He didn’t want to lose the family he was in the process of building. They meant too much to him.

“Okay, good!” Bertrand squeezed his shoulder tighter, then released it and slapped him on the back. “Why don’t you go talk to her right now?”

Leo nodded again. “Thanks.” He stopped in front of Liam on his way out. “I’m sorry I was such an ass about coming here. You might have saved my marriage, so…thank you for that.”

“I love you, man,” Liam told him as he pulled him into a hug.

“I love you too, little bro.”

After Leo had left the room, Liam shifted from foot to foot awkwardly before blurting out, “So, what’s this about Riley and Max?”

Drake’s jaw clenched. “I’m sorry to have to tell you this, Li, but I saw them together this morning. Max was coming out of her room this morning. Early this morning!”

Liam stared at him in wide-eyed panic as his mind whirled with ways to mitigate this breach of decorum. He knew he could tell Drake anything, but his eyes flicked to Bertrand and Olivia as he scrambled for a cover story. “Ah… he was there to deliver an update about Leo. I was in an early meeting, so I asked him to deliver it to Lady Riley instead.”

Liam held his breath as he waited to see if they bought the story.

Drake’s eyes narrowed. It had been really early. But if Liam didn’t want everyone in the room to know his business, then Drake would respect that, so he simply replied with, “Okay. That makes sense.”

Liam’s body sagged with relief. He wasn’t ready for the world to know about him and Max or Max and Riley, much less him, Max and Riley as a throuple. “I appreciate you looking out for me, Drake. But next time please come to me with any concerns instead of blurting them out in front of others. It’s how rumors get started and I can ill afford those at the very start of my reign.”

Drake gave him a curt nod. “Of course. Sorry.”

Liam waved dismissively in his direction. “Your heart was in the right place. We’ll talk later.” He turned from Drake to Bertrand. “I’m going to say goodbye to my brother and then I promise not to come back unless you invite me. I should have trusted you from the beginning and stayed out of it.”

“I appreciate the trust you’re placing in me, Your Majesty.”

Drake watched Liam leave, then turned to Olivia. “Are you ready? I thought we could grab some—”

The redhead sauntered closer to her boyfriend and ran a hand down his chest, “I would love to do whatever the end of that sentence is but first….” She glanced back at her business partner. “I need to talk to Bert about something real quick. You go on. I’ll meet you in my room in ten.”

He gave her a salacious grin as he pulled her in for a kiss. She started to melt into him before remembering they weren’t alone. Mostly because Bertrand cleared his throat to remind them. She pushed him away with a teasing grin. “Go on. I’ll be along soon enough.”

When Drake was out of the room, she turned to Bertrand with a steely glare. “Would you like to tell me why the west wing has been closed off since our first night here?”

Bertrand’s body jerked. His eyes widened. “Oh… ah… we just aren’t using—”

“Cut the shit, Bert!” Olivia crossed the room to stand defiantly in front of him. “When I can’t sleep, I walk. I saw the ambulance that night. There were no lights, no sirens but I know what I saw.”

Bertrand let out a long sigh as his shoulders slumped. “It will be a relief to tell someone. One of our guests, an aging actor looking to make a comeback, was… done away with that night.”

Olivia blinked. “You mean murdered?”

Bertrand nodded. He had told Max it was a bad dream…. and it had been. But it had also happened.

“And you swept it under the rug because a murder the first night of your new business venture would be bad publicity?”

He nodded again.

“Any clues who it was?”

“Well, the young lady that found the body disappeared later that night.” It had been a miracle that no one other than him had heard her scream. Mostly because he had been the only guest in that wing, having insisted on complete privacy.

“Do we know who she was?”

“She was Natalia Karanova, here under the pretense of being the personal assistant to another guest, Krista Rodriguez. But upon further investigation, it turns out she is also the granddaughter of an actress murdered on the set of the 1980 movie The Deepest Cut.”

Olivia tilted her head to one side in contemplation. “Was she even alive in 1980?”

Bertrand shook his head. “No. But her mother was and by all accounts, she was never right again after losing her mother at such a young age. She struggled with lifelong depression and eventually took her own life. She named our esteemed guest in her suicide note.”

Olivia sucked in a breath. “That would be motive.”

“Indeed.”

“So did you tell the police?”

“No.”

“No?”

He shook his head again.

“Why not?”

“Because I read the news article about what happened to that young, aspiring actress. She didn’t deserve what happened to her, but perhaps her murderer did. The evidence was clear, but fame and money made it all just go away.”

“Wow, Bert. I didn’t know you had it in you!” She gave him an approving smile. “Good for you!”

“So, you won’t tell anyone?”

“My lips are sealed.”

******

Three weeks later, Leo discovered in therapy that he had been self-sabotaging his whole life because of deep-seated insecurities stemming from a childhood of neglect, abandonment, and mental abuse at the hands of his father.  

He cooperated with the rest of the program, repaired his public image, and, more importantly, his relationship with his wife.

He returned home to California with her and their two children and they all lived happily ever after.

The End.

[choicesprompts]

Isle of Misfits (Round Robin 2)

Second @choicesprompts round robin.

Writer order and rules

Chapter 1: Welcome @angelasscribbles

Chapter 2: Untitled @christina-stark-skarlet-stileto

Chapter 3: Untitled @sender-paulson

Chapter 4: Initial Meeting TRR Olivia x Platinum Raleigh @alj4890

Chapter 5: Don't Call Me Angel OH Bryce x F!OC and Tobias Carrik @peonierose

Chapter 6: A Royal Kidnapping. Leo Rys. @aussiegurl1234

Chapter 7: Three Princes Walk Into a Bar. TRR, ROE, COP. @thosehallowedhalls

Chapter 8: Burnt by the Truth TRR, ROE, COP, TNA @karahalloway

Chapter 9: Inconvenient Truths TRR, ROE, COP, TNA @tessa-liam

Chapter 10: Dealing with the Paparazzi Mostly TRR @twinkleallnight

Chapter 11: The Final Cut Mostly TRR @angelasscribbles

[karahalloway]

Isle of Misfits: Chapter 8 - Burnt by the Truth

Fandom: TRR x Platinum x OH x CoP x TNA (so far...)

Series: Isle of Misfits Round Robin hosted by @choicesprompts

Word Count: 1,200

Characters: TRR's Leo Rys, Liam Rys, Olivia Nevrakis (RoE's 'Katie Rys', TNA's Sam Dalton and CoP's Trystan Thorne mentioned)

Warnings: M (swearing, references to depression, references to alcohol abuse, references to suicide)

“You’re still angry, aren’t you?” Liam asked as he and Leo stepped out of the bar following their randezvous with Trystan Thorne.

Leo threw a scoff back at his brother. “Why on earth would you think that, Your Majesty?”

Liam heaved a low breath as he watched the former Crown Prince of Cordonia stride off into the warmth of the night.

Leo had always been the more opinionated of the two of them — which certainly got him into a lot more hot water with their father than Liam believed was strictly healthy for one’s constitution — and this latest ‘divergence of opinion’ was no exception.

His brother just had to be made to see that the intervention was for his own good.

Brokering a peace alliance between warring states would’ve been easier…

But, soothing ruffled feathers is what Liam had been trained to do since he could talk, so if anyone could make his obstinate brother see reason, it was him… right?

“Leo, please,” he pleaded, jogging after the shadowy form of his sibling. “If you will just—”

“Why?” came the bitter response. “So you can tell me how much of a disappointment I am? How much I let you and the kingdom down? Don’t think I haven’t heard that speech a thousand times before…”

“Actually, I was going to try and apologise…”

His brother’s words caused Leo to stop short. Turning slowly around, he regarded Liam under the moonlight. “You pulling my leg?”

“No,” Liam insisted, spreading his hands to show his sincerity. “I genuinely am sorry. The entire situation could have been handled much better. You’d come back home to try and get away from the unfortunate situation you found yourself in — quite accidentally, but all accounts — and instead of offering you the moral support you so clearly carved, I annihilated your trust by going behind your back.”

“So, why did you do it?” asked Leo, folding his arms. His brother’s words had touched him, but he wasn’t going to give Liam the satisfaction of caving to the clearly well-rehearsed words to just hug it all out. “If there was an issue, you should’ve just come to me.”

“I… I couldn’t,” Liam admitted, his shoulders dropping a fraction of an inch.

“Why not?” Leo demanded suspiciously.

“Because Katie intimated that you would never do something like this voluntarily,” Liam explained tightly. “And… if you didn’t do it, she was going to file for divorce.”

The breath left Leo’s body like oxygen being sucked out of a vacuum chamber. “She what—?"

Liam looked up at his brother sympathetically. “Why didn’t you tell me that things had become so fraught?”

“I didn’t realise that they had…” Leo admitted in a hollow voice. “I knew she wanted me home more, to be with the kids, and stuff, but… Oh, Jesus, I’ve fucked this royally, haven’t I?”

“It’s not too late,” Liam consoled, stepping up to his brother to lay a hand on his shoulder. “She’s willing to give you this chance. But you have to commit to the program. Bertrand has had success with several clients already, who were arguably in bigger strifes than you.”

“Not with their wives, though…”

“No,” Liam conceded with a smile. “But that’s why you’ve been paired with a mentor — so they can guide you through—”

“Sam Dalton is a dick.”

“I am afraid I have not had the opportunity to—”

“He left his wife to be with his maid,” Leo spat. “What the hell does a man like that know about love, commitment, the sacrament of marriage, of—”

“You left Madeleine in the lurch when you announced your engagement to Katie…”

Leo opened his mouth, only to quickly close it. “That’s not the same thing.”

“Bertrand knows what he’s doing,” Liam assured him. “Give this a chance. Who knows? You might be pleasantly surprised by the outcome.”

“Why couldn’t you have found me a normal rehab in Switzerland? Or, better yet, California?”

Liam couldn’t help but snort. “Because you escaped the last rehab centre that Father sent you to. In the middle of a blizzard.”

“Yes, that was certainly one of my more daring jailbreaks,” Leo admits whimsically. “But the food was terrible. I had to bail.”

“Yes, well, you are on an island this time,” Liam reminded him wryly. “And the Beaumonts have a Michelin star chef on retainer, so—”

“Yeah, yeah,” muttered Leo with a sigh. “I’m stuck here.”

“That’s the spirit!” quipped Liam with a grin, slapping his brother jovially on the arm.

Leo rolled his eyes at him.

“But in all seriousness,” Liam added. “I hope you make the most of it. And are able to patch things up with Katie.”

“Yeah…” agreed Leo with a low exhale. “I hope so, too.”

“Rough night?”

“You could say that…” Leo admitted, shuffling across the polished marble floor of the foyer.

Despite the tense start to the heart-to-heart, he had managed to make up with Liam before his brother’s departure back to the mainland. But the revelation that his own wife had been the instigator behind not only the very frightening kidnapping, but this mandated exile as well, was going to take longer to digest than the remnants of the copious amounts of alcohol he still had floating around in his system.

Dropping the magazine that she’d been casually perusing, Olivia swung her killer heel clad feet off the arm of the Chesterfield sofa she’d been lounging on, and moved to join Leo. “Need a hangover cure?”

“This is going to take more than a pair of raw eggs and some Lythikosian pepper sauce…”

She grabbed his arm to pull him to a stop. “Liam told you, didn’t he?”

Leo’s eyes met Olivia’s flashing emerald gaze, before falling to the floor. “Yes…”

The Duchess of Lythikos’ mouth hardened. “He shouldn’t have done that. It was not his place.”

“Yeah, well… The cat’s out of the bag now…” Leo grumbled, continuing his weary trudge back to his room. “That’s got to count for something, right?”

“Not really…” Olivia muttered. “Because now you’re going to fall into a chronic bout of depression, try to give yourself liver poisoning, and seriously contemplate jumping off the twelfth storey balcony, and I’m going to be the one who has to try and talk you out of it… Again.”

“Hey!” Leo objects, coming to a halt. “It wasn’t that bad! I—”

“If I hadn’t booked you on that Mediterranean cruise against your will, you’d be lying six feet deep, rather than merely lying to yourself.”

“Harsh!”

“But accurate,” Olivia replied. “Which is why I’m going to throttle our beloved King the next time I see him. He’s single handedly set you back by at least two weeks.”

“Well, considering that I’ve gotten absolutely nothing out of the first two weeks I’ve been here, I’d say we’re simply back to square one!”

“Eugh…” groans Olivia. “You Rys are going to— What’s that?”

“Ow!” cried Leo as Olivia’s blood-red nails dug suddenly into his forearm. “What the hell are you—?”

“Something’s burning…”

[tickles-ivory]

[stuckybingo]

It is time to Resurrect Stucky!

Reclists Part 1

Back in December, the call was put out for fans to create a Stucky Renaissance on Tumblr. We at Stucky Bingo are all about our two favorite centenarians and participants for this event helped to create a series of reclists for all of our fellow Stucky enthusiasts to enjoy.

This reclist is dedicated to the Round Robins created during the last few rounds of Stucky Bingo!

Stucky Bingo July 2021 Round Robin by buckybarnesdeservestobehappy, Ruquas, Laevateinn, Politzania, LLightz, ralsbecket, UisceOneLove, eachpeachpearplum (Teen, 2.6k) Thor finally comes good on his promise to give Steve and Bucky a trip to space for their wedding present.

Stucky Bingo October 2021 Round Robin by PoliZ, captainfantastic, Girl_Back_There, Laevateinn, ABrighterDarkness, buckybarnesdeservestobehappy (Mature, 2k) Not even exhaustion from Bucky's job as a mechanic can stop his boyfriend Steve and him from donning a creative couples costume for Tony's Halloween party.

Stucky Bingo November 2021 Round Robin by buckybarnesdeservestobehappy, beemotionpicture, lattebiscuit, Laevateinn, PoliZ, ribbonsflying, Girl_Back_There (Teen, 2.5k) They’ve been together forever, but now that there are only a few people left in this hellscape of a planet, Bucky’s even more grateful for Steve Rogers.

Stucky Bingo December 2021 Round Robin by buckybarnesdeservestobehappy, MarvelousMoons, TrinityDay, PoliZ, ABrighterDarkness Bill Longbow (General, 2.1k) “Sorry, you guys,” Natasha apologizes. She knows Bucky can hear the whole conversation even without the speaker. “I know we aren’t supposed to call, but it’s an emergency.” “I know,” Steve says, already mentally running through everything he’d have to do before Nat picked him up. Would he have time to say goodnight to their daughter or would Bucky have to explain? “It’s Sam—” At that even Bucky started to lose the edge of his annoyance, worry creeping in instead and he leaned closer—“He just lost a really embarrassing bet.” It takes a second for Steve to process the words, but Natasha is already going on. “See, he seems to think you have enough self-preservation to put your phone on do not disturb on your anniversary weekend.”

Stucky Bingo January 2022 Round Robin by Politzania, buckybarnesdeservestobehappy, ABrighterDarkness, TrinityDay, Bill_Longbow, Girl_Back_There (Teen, 2k) Ever since the Hydra prison factory escape, Bucky had been keeping a distance between them. Sure, he’d been the first one to lead the cheer once they got back to the camp, and he’d even teased Steve a little about the uniform. But the easy give and take they’d always had between them -- the friendship that had slowly transformed itself into so much more -- it was gone.

Stucky Bingo February 2022 Round Robin by buckybarnesdeservestobehappy, Politzania, b_a_r_n_e_s, ABrighterDarkness, lattebiscuit, Girl_Back_There (Teen, 2k) “Sergeant Barnes? Can you hear me?” The woman’s voice sounds tinny, “You and the Captain are being--” the rest of her words are drowned out by a burst of static. Sergeant Barnes - the name sounds strangely familiar, but he can’t place it. It’s probably an advertisement for one of the shows he and Steve listened to one evening. He fiddles with the radio knobs, trying to tune the station back in, but all he gets is music.

Stucky Bingo March 2022 Round Robin by TrinityDay, Lattebiscuit, Hkandi, plutosrose, Laevateinn, Girl_Back_There, buckybarnesdeservestobehappy (Teen, 2.4k) When a mission goes wrong, Bucky takes Steve up on his offer to do something neither were planning.

Stucky Bingo April 2022 Round Robin by Politzania, Laevateinn, LLightz, ABrighterDarkness, TrinityDay, buckybarnesdeservestobehappy (Teen, 2k) During battle against a wizard, Steve turns a little green, and Bucky wonders what's gotten into his man.

Stucky Bingo May 2022 Round Robin by buckybarnesdeservestobehappy, Politzania, LLightz, Girl_Back_There (Teen, 1.6k) Steve has a plan to make Bucky jealous, but a red-headed hiccup he didn't see coming might end up being the help that Steve needs.

Stucky Bingo September 2022 Round Robin by Politzania, sparkagrace, Laevateinn, Dogsled, ralsbecket, TrinityDay, ABrighterDarkness, buckybarnesdeservestobehappy (Teen, 2.4k) After all these years, Steve and Bucky get the life they deserve, and Bucky gets some birthday presents. He's happy to share one with the man he loves.

Stucky Bingo October 2022 Round Robin by buckybarnesdeservestobehappy, Politzania, cable-knit-sweater, Dogsled, J_Snow_Writes, TrinityDay, Girl_Back_There (Teen, 2.4k) “Welcome, ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to Avenge Your Love, the newest and biggest show on the Marvel Network, designed to match a man of honor and bravery with the love of his life. I’m Nick Fury, your host for this adventure, and I’m here with Captain Steve Rogers of the U.S. Army. Captain, tell us a little bit about yourself.”

Stucky Bingo November 2022 Round Robin by ABrighterDarkness, Politzania, j_snow_writes, Dogsled, Sivan325, Girl_Back_There (Teen, 1.7k) “There…might’ve been a bit of a hiccup on the mission.” “A hiccup.” “Just a tiny one.” “Well, I would certainly say that’s tiny alright,” Bucky drawled, moving in closer. “Do I even want to know what sort of tiny hiccup landed you with a baby?” “Would you believe me if I told you that this is actually-ah-Natasha?” Steve grimaced with a shrug. “I think ‘magic’ about sums up the hiccup.”

Stucky Bingo December 2022 Round Robin by Buckybarnesdeservestobehappy, Politzania, writerfroggo, j_snow_writes, Sivan325, buckyismybicycle (General, 2.1k) It's December. The weather is cold. Time to reminisce with hot chocolate and dancing.

Stucky Bingo January 2023 Round Robin by Politzania, Sivan325, j_snow_writes, buckybarnesdeservestobehappy, cherriontop, TrinityDay (General, 2k) Steve still didn’t think that actually adopting a cat was a good idea. After all, with the kind of jobs they had, they could get called away at a moment’s notice and be gone for who knew how long -- and who would take care of it in the meanwhile? Steve had mentioned the problem to Sharon, who not only was less than sympathetic but made the situation worse by waiting until Bucky was in earshot to say, “Hey, I think Nick’s cat had kittens. You guys should adopt one of them!”

Stucky Bingo February 2023 Round Robin by Dogsled, Sivan325, Purpleicedteas, Girl_Back_There, buckybarnesdeservestobehappy (General, 1.7k) When Russian figure skater Bucky Barnes defects, he can only skate for the Team USA if he skates with a partner. What he and Steve Rogers find together on the ice is golden.

Stucky Bingo March 2023 Round Robin by Politzania, Dogsled, Sivan325, TrinityDay, Girl_Back_There, ralsbecket (Teen, 2k) It wasn’t that he hadn’t noticed Bucky being struck. He’d thrown out his shield to block the worst of the damage from the exploding debris, but he’d noticed Bucky clutching his side throughout the fight. Steve knew. But in the middle of it there had been no opportunity for pause, no moment where he could check that Bucky was okay. He kept moving, and that was what mattered.

Stucky Bingo April 2023 Round Robin by Dogsled, buckybarnesdeservestobehappy, Sivan325, TrinityDay, Politzania (Teen, 1.7k) Bucky loved his friends, and he didn’t really blame them for interfering. How could he? Clint was right; in the two years since they’d come here together for uni, Bucky’s ladykiller days had spontaneously ended. It was always about Steve, now. Steve this, Steve that. Nevermind that in all that time Bucky had probably said maybe 20 words to the man.

Stucky Bingo May 2023 Round Robin by buckybarnesdeservestobehappy, purpleicedteas, Sivan325, Politzania, Girl_Back_There (Teen, 1.7k) If Steve were honest with himself, he’d been at least as curious as Bucky to discover what had happened to Becca. She’d been the closest thing he’d had to a sister growing up, and he remembered how kind-hearted she was, even if she did get into nearly as much mischief as he and Bucky did along the way.