#a little boost for the secret santa event

[sollyraptor]

it's getting christmas-y here craftmas-y if you will Since you're here, if you didn't already, check out the Minecraft secret santa event! We're just a day away before being closed for new participants, since it closes on the 3rd.

[dcmksecretsanta]

Hello everyone!

I just wanted to give you a little update and let you know that, unfortunately, I won't have the time to host the DCMK secret santa event this year. Earlier this year, I've started working full time (+ still working my two mini jobs) and therefore, I just won't have the necessary time to host this event anymore. From my experience during the last six years of hosting this event, I just know how much time I usually need to put into this event to make it work as I want it to work and I know that this won't be possible this year with my current jobs.

I want to thank you all so so much for joining the event the last couple of year and for being such a great community to work with. I really had the best time hosting this event all these years and it does make me really sad that I won't have the capabilites to do it anymore.

If anyone wants to host another DCMK secret santa event on tumblr this year, feel free to do so (not that you were ever not free to do so lol just wanted to clarify it in case that anyone was apprehensive about it)! Feel free to let me know as well and I would love to signal boost (and join) it!

I'm wishing you all the best and once again, thank you all so much for the last couple of years!

[depressedbagpipe]

Frenemies to lovers trope where billy Russo & you are each others secret Santa. What do you think that would be like?

let the hunger games begin :)

ah shit, here we go again

the only scenario that comes up to my head is billy being the boss and you being either his assistant or some other close worker of his at anvil

and maybe you all attended some workshop where you learned that group activities could boost the company's productivity so Secret Santa became a tradition shortly after

and for the first time, billy *actually* decides to participate after some peer pressure from other workers

now, you absolutely despised his guts

not like you genuinely hated him, but maybe working for someone 24/7 creates that sort of annoyance at having to organize someone else's life for them

he definitely kept you up all night working because he is the first one in and the last one out

this is turning a bit into devil wears prada but you get me

and the odds were never in your favor so naturally you get him as your Secret Santa

and you're complaining to your friend about what to get him as a gift

because what on earth do you gift a man who absolutely has everything already

and the way he treats you doesn't make it any better

because you're his employee, and the only person who always gets his coffee order right

but besides that knows absolutely nothing about you

so imagine his shock when he got you as his Secret Santa

now, if anything, this man is resilient

if he wants something, he'll stop at nothing to get it

so the long hours spent at his office where the two of you are working slowly turn into friendly conversations

initially, he wanted to know just enough about you to get you something he knew you'd like, but over time you actually became close

just imagine the slow-burn

i can see Secret Santa being assigned a few months in advance so everyone would have enough time to buy things

and during those months, billy and you keep growing closer

one day you're running late and when you get to your desk, your usual coffee order is sitting there

and you look up to see billy on a phone call, but his eyes briefly meet yours and he winks at you

and your face heats up in a way that's never happened before but you nod your head at him in appreciation and take a sip regardless

and these little acts keep happening until the Christmas party

Billy probably threw some big event, like a charity of sorts or a gala for new investors and clients

like black tie kinda thing

people everywhere are giving each other their Secret Santa gifts

and at midnight you go out on a balcony or the roof or literally any romantic space available in the building where you can be alone for a while

because you're the main character and need your alone time

so naturally, billy's already looking for you

mind you, this party is taking place a few days before christmas

i don't think billy would be that much of an asshole to have everyone working and dressing up on Christmas eve/day

and you're making small talk like your heart isn't beating loudly in your chest at the proximity

cause you don't really feel like his assistant right now

so then billy pulls out this velvet box from his pocket and reveals the surprise

and you frown as you open it and you tear up because it's a beautiful diamond locket with that one quote from that one book you love so much

you definitely bonded over literature, by the way, because i say so

obviously, you're at a loss for words because that's just too expensive but he insists on you keeping it

'cause he made it especially for you, 'because you deserve it'

and then you give him your gift

kinda matches too, maybe the most beautiful hardcover edition of the Picture of Dorian Gray

you tell him how you had to call in some favors

pull a few strings too

this is an afterthought but imagine being friends with a designer/editor/publisher and you get him this special edition with his face on it as if he were dorian gray (the multiverse is running wild lately)

and you recall that one conversation where you both stayed up late just talking and drinking, sitting on the floor of his office where you both accidentally poured your hearts out

but then were too drunk to remember what happened later

billy said that was his favorite book, and you remembered!

'of course I've remembered.'

and now billy is just looking at you with that glazed look he always gets like 'no one's ever thought of me that much'

and next thing you know he's kissing you with all that pent-up sexual tension

only this time you both recall what happened next ;)

you're still his employee but yeah, secretly dating from now on just adds more spice to your romance

[cloneficgiftexchange]

just 6 days left to sign up for the clone x reader gift exchange!!

if you're interested, you still have some time to join the fun!!

how it works:

1. Sign Up Here, and pick at least two clones that you would be willing to receive a fic for. Sign Ups will close on February 26, 2023 at 8:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. There’s also a link to sign up on the Original Announcement Post, which has a little more information on it.

Because this exchange is random, it’s required that you be comfortable reading and writing for at least Captain Rex, this way no one gets an assignment that they can't fulfill. Other popular choices from those who have signed up so far are Echo, Tech, Hunter, Crosshair, Wolffe, Wrecker, and Fox, but it's not limited to them by any means!

2. The day sign ups close, you will receive two emails from me: one from my event email (cloneficgiftexchange@gmail.com) that has a bunch of other information about the event and a list of the prompts, and one from a secret santa website, that will tell you who you will be writing for. once you get your person from the secret santa website, you just need to go on the document and find your prompt!

3. You’ll then have six weeks to write your fics, and the word minimum is 800 words. Final fics are due April 8, 2023, and on that day you will post your finished work to tumblr! then, you get to enjoy your gift and the other fics that were posted!!

that’s it!! if you have any other questions, feel free to reach out and ask me here, or on my personal blog @ghostofskywalker :) signal boosts are always welcome!

[squadrah]

From My CuriousCat

Got any thoughts on a Secret Santa event at La Squadra?

I'll do my best!

I'd say Formaggio pitches the idea: he saw it somewhere and thought it would be fun to try for it. Having gotten the hang of gifting presents and surprising one another on the occasion, Sorbet and Gelato think it's a great idea, and because he pitched it as an event to boost morale, Prosciutto gives his consent, which basically seals the deal. Formaggio asks for some printer paper, cuts identical strips, writes their names on these, and everyone gets to pick out of Risotto's jester cap. So far, so good.

Then comes trouble.

Gelato: Okay, can I switch mine. Formaggio: Why? Gelato: I didn't get Sorbet. Formaggio: You're not supposed to, it's random! Illuso: Can I switch? Formaggio: Why?! Illuso: This is too difficult. Formaggio: Deal with it! Ghiaccio: I want to switch, too. Formaggio: Why-hy?! Ghiaccio: I got Illuso. Formaggio: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA--

Because of Ghiaccio's big mouth and Ghiaccio's big mouth only, there is a redraw, with NEW slips of paper so nobody tries to feel their way through to some desired target. That's when it comes out that extra rules are needed, including a budget limit, no rumors and gossip, you are only allowed to pick one confidant and keep your questions vague, etc.

The first time office hours roll around, Prosciutto is visited by every single teammate and each of them ask him vague questions about gift giving.

Someone asks if wrapping material costs are included in the budget. Not gonna say names here but...

Eventually the big day arrives and the gifts assemble. Most of them are hit and miss. Some are wrapped deplorably. Turns out that Sorbet and Gelato notwithstanding, everyone is pretty bad at this. That said, Formaggio is still proud of them and congratulates them for managing to do something nice for each other. Illuso and Ghiaccio only grumble a little, and yes, Ghiaccio still managed to pull out Illuso's name the second time.

Presents included, without gifter and giftee named:

Novelty mug with "Big Bad Bitch" written on it;

Kitsch trinket vaguely in the shape of a cat;

Abstract art (Stand-made);

Stress balls in three different colors;

Chemistry set for kids.

[echo-of-sounds]

feel comfortable with me

-Toshi x f!reader-

This is for the Secret Santa event we did over in my server! I got @beealexageek! The prompts I used were smut, comfort, intimacy, and your first bath together. This turned out to be a much longer piece than I first thought, but I do like where it turned out. And I hope you like it, Alex! <3

A chime sounded. Toshinori sent a text: I’m on my way home. Do you need me to stop at the store for anything?

No. Just hurry home. I miss you. You added a couple of emojis, then put your phone aside.

Amber and cedar circled the bathroom, full, warm, yet not overbearing. You sat the candle jars on the sink top and shelves, away from any possible splashing. Bar soap and loofahs rested beside the large bathtub.

As it filled with water, you sipped your wine and placed things out for after your bath: fresh, fluffy towels hung nearby, body butter waited on the bed that was made up with new sheets and silk pajamas that put a dent in your wallet, but you paid it eagerly, wanting the finest for Toshi.

He needed it after everything. His exhaustive Hero career and now his consuming teaching job took the bulk of his time and energy, and the latter was rapidly wearing him down. It left little time for himself and your relationship, particularly the more physical parts.

You’ve had sex a few times. You’ve seen each other naked more than that, not by much but by a smidge. It took both of you a while to be ready for it. Now, it was taking you a bit to adjust to being naked around him, sometimes feeling the need to cover your less attractive parts. And you surely didn’t expect him to adjust quickly or easily, either. Wounds permanently flawed his body. Smaller scars and blemishes littered his limbs. He tried so hard to hide, shielding himself or turning to the side when he was topless, shying away from your wandering hands and grazing lips whenever you were intimate.

He had a lot to work through, and you were proud of how far you’ve come together. And tonight, you wanted him to feel comfortable, safe, and relaxed: physically and mentally. You bought soy candles for lofty ambiance, an organic bubble bath for his overworked skin, and played sensual jazz lounge music to block out the world. It turned his bathroom and bedroom into a perfect little haven.

You hurried back to the tub and shut the water off. With that all set, you changed into a robe and finished your glass of wine. You didn’t need to go overboard with it — just needed an itsy-bitsy boost to your confidence.

Keys jingled from the other side of the door as you were putting the bottle away. You turned to see Toshi’s heavy brow and low shoulders. You greeted him softly, “Hey.”

“Hi, sweetheart,” he replied just as quietly, if not wearily. He removed his jacket and shoes and asked, “How was your day?”

“Uneventful. Yours?”

“About the same.”

He faced away from you, huffing and swearing something under his breath while he fiddled with his briefcase. You tiptoed over and called his name. Carefully and cautiously, you stroked his biceps and whispered, hoping the answer wasn’t negative, “Anything stressful happen? Or was it just long?”

“Just long.”

“I’m sorry, honey.” You had to really stretch to reach his neck for a light kiss. Feeling along his front, your hand drifted to the bag, taking it from his ready-to-release hold.

His body turned towards yours, letting you cup his jaw and bring him down for a firm kiss. A sigh entered your mouth. You took the sign of weariness and untied his tie, dropping it to the table. The top buttons of his shirt were next, exposing his beautiful clavicles and prominent tendons. It called for you to open more, to kiss his sternum, to stroke his sides and stomach and thighs, to love all of him.

But you resisted. That could wait. You unlatched his belt, smiling at his waist swaying forward as you pulled it out of its loops.

“Thank you,” he chuckled.

“No problem.” You pecked his left collarbone, able to taste warmth and salt in the fleeting touch.

Blue flicked down. Pink colored his cheeks. Presumably noting your slacked robe, his lips parted and the grip on your sides tightened. He sighed your name. You brought him close again, pushing your scarcely-covered chest against his, kissing his jaw, muttering love and sympathy between each one.

A throaty grunt came. Hands began to wander over your hips, moving the robe around. He pulled away just a centimeter to ask, “Is that-” You reconnected, matching his light moan. “-music?”

“Mhmm.” You slurred into his mouth, “Time for a bath.”

Reluctantly, you broke the kiss to lead him towards the bathroom, restraining yourself from skipping with excitement.

“A bath? I don’t remem- What is this?” He questioned the new bedsheets and pajamas. His brow raised higher once you opened the bathroom door, letting out steam, scents, and subtle music.

“It’s for you. A surprise.” You cheerfully pulled him the rest of the way into the bathroom, grinning at his cute confusion.

“It certainly is a surprise.” He leaned down and tested the tub’s water, flinching a little at the heat. “What’s it all for?”

“For you, Toshi.”

“And what did I do to deserve this?”

“Nothing in particular. I wanted to try something different to help your body and, um… to help you. Us.”

He stood up. The endearing look morphed into one more solemn.

“I want you to feel comfortable, and I thought this could be helpful… for that.”

On queue, his hand moved to his side, hiding the scar despite the clothes he wore. Now that he was here, standing tall, almost scared, your words were failing. Thoughts weren’t coming out eloquently. This was much easier in your head where everything played out perfectly and sexily.

However, just because the plan you laid out wasn’t starting the best, you couldn’t let it fail. You wanted him to feel loved and attractive and handsome and worthy of your attention and needed him to know that his physical defects didn’t make any of those things impossible.

He opened his mouth. Before he could say anything, words flung out, “I want you to know how much I care about you and appreciate you. I know you have complicated feelings about your, uh…” Concerned eyes waited with a small but charming smile. You sucked in and tried to speak the thoughts evenly, “Your body is your body, Toshi. It isn’t wrong or broken or bad, and… I know you’ve gone through so much and you’re struggling with things, but I just want to see… I want to see you, Toshi, all of you, without any hiding or lights off, and I thought a bath together would help… If you want to, of course.”

The music prevented a horrible silence from falling. You took some deep breaths. He didn’t need to see you distraught at what was supposed to be an auspicious moment. His eyes wandered around the room, looking at all the things you set out for tonight.

What if he just wasn’t ready? That’d be okay. You’d never push him past his limits and into doing this if he wasn’t ready for it. You’d go at whatever pace he needed.

Amid your self-soothing and fidgeting, you almost missed his croak: “Thank you.”

“Oh… I, uh, yeah…” No. Say more. Don’t act a fool. “I mean, are you actually okay with all this, Toshi?”

“Yes.”

The strength and confidence stunned you a bit. It seemed to shock him too, since he blinked a few times and cleared his throat, regaining himself.

Toshi reached for your waist after. Lanky arms surrounded you snuggly. His hands wandered over your back. Your name sounded so delicate, so enamored when it dripped from his lips. “I’m positive. I appreciate your patience thus far. Not many are always so understanding. This relationship is the first I’ve had in a while, and I want it to last.”

“I want it to, too.”

He kissed your temple, still petting your body, rousing it with squeezes and kneadings. “No one’s done something like this for me, and I want to try to help us, too.”

You nuzzled into his chest, taking in the lingering cologne. With his willingness, his clothes were the last barriers to bearing his body and insecurities.

“Where do we start?”

“With this.” You withdrew from the hug, grabbing the next button on his shirt, taking your time the closer you got to the source of his anxiety. Dark red tendrils peaked out from the left side. You didn’t open it fully yet, choosing to finish unbuttoning it entirely, and then you gingerly slid the shirt off his shoulders, watching his expressions as it fell.

Shoulders knotted. Arms jumped as if to hide himself, but they returned to his sides. Bones and tendons jutted out, drawing skin taut. Defined muscles covered most of his body. Unlike gym rats though, his were because of illness and scrawny stature. It didn’t make him any less attractive.

Whatever he said jumbled. Yet you had an inkling of what it was given his extending blush and avoidance of eye contact.

“You really are gorgeous, Toshi.” Your fingers flowed down his biceps to his hands. The scar tissue didn’t detract from it. It took away his left nipple and marred so much of his side. Its lines thickened and deepened towards the center, where its color turned into some red and purple mix. Delicately, you placed your palm against the old trauma, remembering seeing it for the time, remembering how scared he was to finally show it to you.

Your wrist was grabbed. It wasn’t hard, just… concerned.

“I mean it, Toshi.” You met his eyes hidden under laden brows. “Nothing about you isn’t. I promise.”

“Thank you… for all this.”

“You don’t need to thank me, Toshi. Really. I just wanted you to feel better.” Air caught in your tightening windpipe. Blue eyes, brighter than the average person’s, stared, not moving a flick. You couldn’t look away from them. You panted, somehow out of breath without moving, “I want you to feel safe with me because I… I… I really care about you.”

He leaned down, nudging his forehead against yours. “I really care about you, too.”

An unspoken word hung between you, both wanting to say it but scared to be the first. Yet, it didn’t need to be said. If you felt it — believed it — then that was more than enough, especially for tonight.

“Sometimes I think I don’t deserve you.”

“I think the same,” you mouthed through the growing fever, fluttering lower and fuller and sultrier.

“Maybe that means we’re good for each other.”

You copied his small laugh and kissed him. The sound of his pants falling came right before his fingers drifted under your robe, slipping it from your shoulders. He removed the sash next. Cold hands pushed it open and off, getting to feel along your skin.

You kissed his jaw and mumbled, “Let us get into the bath.”

He slid his boxers off and stepped inside, taking his time to lower into the hot water. You happily followed suit. Before you could even begin to take care of him, he asked, “What about you?”

“Don’t worry about me. This is all for you.” You settled behind him and found a comfy position. “Let’s do your hair first.”

He listened, giving in to your care and letting you move him around as needed while you wet his hair. The roots were a bit difficult to get at. You had to use your fingers and brush through the clumping, frizzled locks.

Shampoo was easy to work with. It sunk into his hair and dripped suds over both your bodies. You dabbed any that landed on his face away, not wanting it in his eyes. And your scrubbing turned into massaging, loving his sighs and groans as you thoroughly kneaded his scalp and washed the shampoo out.

Neither of you talked much. The music and physical contact were more than enough for the time being, relaxing in the water's warmth and each other’s bodies, especially as you glided soap across his back. The muscles remained lax with trust. Hands occasionally drifted to your legs, stroking along with you. If you kissed his neck, faintly sucking on the tendons, it’d make them squeeze back.

Keeping up your kissing to his shoulders, your hand trailed to his stomach, washing warm, neglected skin, grazing over his burgeoning erection. His breath hitched, building while the soap coasted over his sides and thighs.

But you didn’t touch him. You grabbed the loofah and repeated the course, laving over every spot. His head dropped to your shoulder, sighing away tension that had latched onto his muscles. Bent knees poked out of the water. His legs were wide open, giving you access to his body as you pleased.

Seeing him so open aroused you more than you cared to admit. He was happy, jovial even, smiling while letting you see his body in full. And the clearing shame helped you do the same, putting aside insecurities you had about whether or not your stomach wasn’t pretty or skin not clear enough.

You didn’t want to rush the bath and hurry into the bedroom. However, at a particularly guttural call of your name, it sounded like he was thinking the same thing.

You kissed his temple, purring his name back, and washed the soap off of him. The hands on your calves reached higher to your thighs, circling them with no trouble. Fingertips gripped. Your hips jerked haphazardly.

Something squeaked and splashed. Toshi’s baritone-rich voice purred, “Let’s dry off. The tub isn’t the best for this.”

Unable to stop the grin, you nodded, standing up quickly with him. His mouth immediately found yours, not leaving as you both stepped out of the water. He kept a steadying hold on your waist, leading you blindly towards the door.

You snatched a towel to pat his torso dry, struggling to do so between your chest pressed together. He eventually took it. Eager lips pressed to your shoulder, skimming up to your jaw, rerunning along that line as the towel dried your back. It kept you warm and your breasts flush against him.

While he dried himself, you reached low to pump him. His hips swayed with your movement. Ragged breath heated your neck. He wasn’t shying away. He wasn’t hesitating. He was letting you feel his entire body for all that it was.

Toshi guided you to the bed. Your mouths refused to break apart as you crawled backward, finding a simple position once your head hit the pillow. He laid to your side, cradling you close, caressing the length of your body.

You directed his hand low. Fingers obeyed, dipping below your waist, tracing the waking skin and rousing your mind. Your thighs fanned open to welcome him. And he gave, nurturing the full-fledged desire, sweeping over your clit beautifully.

You swore into his mouth. His left to kiss down your jaw and you hummed, “Toshi. Quickly.”

He gave again. Two fingers slipped inside, just as easy as the first time you were together. Except this time, they wasted no time and pushed up, stirring your hips to join the movement.

“Oh, fuck. Toshi.” You looked at his body entwined with yours, rocking together. “You’re so beautiful.”

His words heated your neck. “I should be the one saying that to you.”

“I mean it. You’re so handsome.” You held his cheeks, repositioning him for a kiss. The fingers stiffened in their actions, pressing harder and higher. You gasped, receiving his tongue and clinking against his teeth.

His lips followed yours when you relaxed into the pillows, keeping you connected in a messy, discombobulated kiss. Between his fingers and tongue inside you, you couldn’t voice any more compliments, leaving you moaning and humping his hand.

Needing just a little more, you inched a finger under his palm, rashly rubbing yourself. Swears were swallowed by him. Groans were reciprocated. All it took was him heaving your name, filling your mouth with lust, and sending you over the edge, leaking wetness to the bed and his name from your throat over and over again.

Only when your thighs went lax did he remove his fingers. Arousal dripped and clung to them even as he separated his fingers. The sight riled you plenty despite the orgasm, not sure if you’ve ever seen yourself that stimulated.

Toshi’s cheeks were painted over with a potent blush, spreading to his ears and shoulders. You tilted his jaw and kissed him. It resumed at the same intensity it left off at with tongues and saliva and plenty of moans. The wet hand returned to your side. His hips slipped between your thighs, nudging his erection against you, spurring you to rock with him, grinding and pawing at each other.

He wasn’t repositioning your hands when you felt his scar, or changing positions so you wouldn’t see it, or avoiding your eyes and kisses. He was allowing you to caress his entire body, feel every flaw with the same amount of love you’d show the perfect parts.

“Hold on,” he droned and leaned over, rummaging through the bedside drawers.

The absent body left your chest open for a chill. Needing the heat, you felt his sides and lifted off the bed, kissing his neck. A strong pulse beat under your lips. You sucked, lighter than a bite, but harder than usual. He jerked against you, and you ground back, feeling your arousal rubbing back into you.

“Oh, fuck.” He groaned your name, gripping your hip nearly too hard. Just hearing him swear was enough to provoke moans.

But the grinding and pawing stopped. He sat back on his knees, fumbling with the condom’s wrapper. His cock bobbed between his legs, trilling precum to the brand new sheets.

At least they were getting a nice christening.

With it finally free, Toshi hastily worked the condom on before dropping back to you, holding himself up on his elbows. Lips covered yours immediately. Tongue was next, washing in and out, opposite of yours. You reached between yourselves, finding and giving him a few slow pumps. His hips waved with the movements, clearly wanting something to thrust into.

Granting him the something wanted, you lined him up, and he, like always, gradually pushed in, fully aware of his size and the possible discomfort it could cause. But unlike other times, you didn’t need him to wait so you could adjust. You didn’t know if it was the mood, the long build-up, the feelings, the heat, or the excitement pooling and spreading ecstatically, but he kept sinking — sinking until his balls flattened to you and he groaned through his teeth.

You gasped and panted, surprised with yourself and the depth. Your nails ran along his back while you two laid still, just mixing your breaths together and kissing.

“You okay?”

“Uh-huh. I’s’great.”

You both laughed at your garbled words. Kisses lined your jaw. Carefully, delicately, he withdrew a slight amount only to push back in with the same prudence, repeating the action a couple more times.

“Oh, sweetheart. You’re so warm.” Lips brushed over your cheek, muttering flattery and devotion the whole way.

“Toshi,” you purred, hips softly swaying with his. Candlelight highlighted his tan skin, giving him a soft glow, not unlike an angel. No scar or blemish would ruin that picture. Flashes of his handsome smile and bright eyes interrupted the warm, saccharine shades.

His forearms rested on either side of your head. You held them, getting tiny shocks on your palms and fingertips, only moving your hips with this. It was jolting just how reactive your skin was being: lips drew moans, simple touches brought gasps, and chest to chest and thighs against thighs created a constant motion of breathless, whirring humping.

“So beautiful.”

His nose tapped yours, getting you to look up at him for a fierce kiss, pushing your head into the pillow. Weight behind the thrusts increased, mildly bouncing your breasts. Their speed remained the same, sedated and measured, kindling expectation and relief when the sink came, bottoming him out.

One tender finger found your clit, thumbing in rhythm with his hips. It was still sensitive and fragile from your orgasm, but fuck, feeling him balls-deep, stretching you to your max just so he could fit, as he fondled your clit, tongued your mouth, all while hardly thrusting was just going to encourage another one.

“You’re so- Fuck-” You moaned at a rather hard thrust, hearing his balls slap against you. Your head dropped back, leaving your neck open for his lips and tongue. Breasts pressed to his chest. You panted his name, bending your knees and spreading your thighs as wide as possible, needing all his depth with every slow, moonstruck stroke, depressing him directly onto your clit. Your spine arched, needing to get closer to him. Muscles tensed. Fingers dug into your legs.

“Toshi, I-” Your sentence faltered again. The wet kisses on your neck didn’t help.

You had hoped to last longer, make it some hour-long lovemaking session out of a romance novel, but you couldn’t. And his deepening, needful grunts sounded like he couldn’t either.

“Just a little…” That wasn’t going to happen either. His thrusts dwindled to bucking, keeping him fully seated inside while you humped, loving the friction on your clit.

His arms slid under your back, grabbing your ass and securing you snug against him, rutting until the pressure and satisfaction peaked. You clawed at his back and wrapped your legs around him, openly moaning your heightened enjoyment.

Dry mouths and tongues flourished with each other. You stayed locked around him, refusing to let him go despite your body's hyperarousal. You’d deal with it if it meant he got the same pleasure in his orgasm.

Toshi grunted your name into the pillow, bucking then humping then jerking, stiffening as he released, shaking as he calmed. He eventually went lax, laying his weight on you. You kissed the side of his face, kneading the tensing muscles and heaving back, waiting patiently for his breath to return.

Only when it did in full did he move, to your slight regret. You worried he was going to leave completely, maybe put his clothes on. But he didn’t. He tied off the condom and returned to you, accepting your embrace. His heart beat strong under your ear.

“Thank you… for everything.”

“You don’t need to thank me. I do it because I care about you.” You kissed his forehead. You still needed to use lotion before your skin dried completely. Although, you didn’t really feel like getting up. If you missed it one time, it wouldn’t be the end of the world.

A twinge pricking your cheek interrupted the thoughts. You scrunched your lips, moving them left and right.

“What’s the matter?”

“My lips and cheeks hurt.”

“I’m sorry, honey.”

“Don’t be,” you laughed with him. “It’s a good type of pain.” You kissed him, ignoring the aching muscles and your dry mouth.

[alexridersecretsanta]

Oh, deer.

Announcing the first edition of the Alex Rider Secret Santa gift exchange: we are thrilled to celebrate Christmas with some extra-special Alex Rider presents. Without further ado, here is a little teaser of what’s to come!

Please note:

You must be 18plus

You need an AO3 account

Sign up and check-in will be done via Google Forms

Sign-ups open on September 19, you’ll have 3 weeks to submit your form!

Gift-giving guidelines

Obviously this is an Alex Rider-specific event, all related fandoms are welcome (books, movie, tv show) as long as you respect your giftee’s likes and squicks.

You can sign up to create & receive one of the following options:

• fics (to post or to podfic with the author’s consent)

• drawings/paintings (either digital or traditional)

• graphics/edits (moodboards or photomanips)

• music mixes (playlists with a cover graphic)

• moving imagery (gifs or videos)

Can’t wait? Neither can we! Feel free to check our FAQ and reach out through asks or emails if you have follow up questions, we’ll be happy to help.

Reblog and share this post to spread the word! We look forward to celebrating Christmas with Alex Rider themed gifts, so let’s give this post a little signal boost to speed things along ;)

[bonniebird]

Buck x Reader

Requested by Anon

Masterpost

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December Event

Athena had convinced you to arrange a secret santa for everyone after you had been signed off work for a few weeks. You’d been responding to a fire and the floor had given way under your feet. Managing to push Eddie out the way he and Buck had to watch as you vanished through the floor. 

They had gotten you out and to everyone's relief you had very little injuries. Which Hen dubbed as a Christmas miracle. You did however have to take a few weeks off and found that you were having trouble keeping your feet. Which was when Athena had come up with the idea. Buck had tried to help you write out a list of everything that you needed, however when you caught him eating your yule log he was dispatched from your apartment to find proper decorations for the fire house.

Tonight was finally the day to give them out. Maddie and Athena were arriving at the firehouse as the team pulled a double shift for the night. You thought having a secret santa might give everyone a mood boost, even if you got interrupted by the fire bell a few times. For the last three days you’d been going around and running errands for the shift. You had gotten some food, some holiday music and picked up everyone's gifts.

“Little reminder... uh, tonight is for Secret Santa gifts only.” You said as you carried your bags upstairs. 

“Ah! Santa has arrived. So how big is my gift?” Chimney jokes. He and Hen began to banter as they took the bag with food in it and helped to prepare it.

“Oh no. It’s not about the gifts. It’s about the moment you spend sharing the gift.” Athena said wisely as she headed up the stairs and joined the group, heading Bobby’s way.

“Very true. Once Maddie gets here we can get to swapping these gifts.” You said cheerfully.

“Wait! I forgot to get mine!” Buck said as he hurried out. You started handing out the gifts. When you were almost done Buck and Maddie headed upstairs.

“Does it give away who I have if I give mine out now?” Maddie asked.

“It’s fine. Just add them to the pile.” You said cheerfully.

“The decorations are all done but I couldn’t add any to the truck. I did find a little air freshener for cars thats shaped like santa though.” Buck muttered to you.

“Good. That means when you guys leave the rest of us can decorate.” You said with a smile.

“The rest of us?” Buck asked. You didn’t need to answer as the sound of children calling and cheering filled the room. Hen and Athena’s kids hurried to crowd round the table. Christopher was slower but had a grin on his face as he carefully carried a glittering snowman made of two painted tennis balls stuck together with a pipe cleaner scarf.

“That centre piece is better than the one I saw at the store Christopher!” You said eagerly as May carefully took it and placed it in the middle of the counter. 

“You made that!” Buck said with a grin. The rest of the evening went smoothly. Everyone had gotten one secret santa gift each for the kids and their one secret santa gift. The swapping was done before the first emergency bell. As soon as everyone rushed off. Maddie handed you a tick list of things that needed to be decorated. The group left behind hurried to get as much done as they could before the team got back so that you could surprise them.

Buck tags:

@theletterhart @alexxavicry @daughterofthenight117 @sarcasm-n-insomnia

[alderaani]

tethering

A Secret Santa gift for @diagonalhorizon as part of @starwarsfandomfests event! This is a little rough around the edges because I have had a rough December, but I hope you enjoy it.

The prompt was snow day, and I have gone with Wolfpack bonding time on Ilum after Wolffe lost his eye.

Read on Ao3

-

As the ship descends, Wolffe can’t help rubbing at what is left of his eye. He tries to be discreet about it, leaning one arm against the bulwark and resting his head into the crook of his elbow so that he can drag his face against the plastoid in peace.

Boost still catches him.

Boost catches everything these days, and if not him, it’s Sinker, and if it’s not Sinker, it’s Comet, and if it’s not Comet…

He suspects there’s a rota, somewhere, though he hasn’t been able to bring himself to look for it. Easier to pretend that he doesn’t see it, that the conflicting emotions don’t chase each other around in his lungs every time someone looks at him with concern, gratitude and self-loathing each trying to strangle the other and suffocate him.

He’s fine. He has no other option than to be fine, but he can’t be fine if they are looking after him. And so here they are in this impasse, with Boost glaring and Wolffe pretending to not know why.

“It keeps burning,” Wolffe mutters eventually, the smallest concession he can allow, but sighs and straightens under his brother’s glare. Rubbing it hasn’t helped anyway - now the socket aches instead, a hot pervasive throb that feels like it’s lancing deep into his brain. There are no shapes or blind spots chasing themselves across his vision though, at least not yet, so he hasn’t managed to trigger a migraine.

He checks the chrono on the dash over the pilot’s shoulder: still two more hours before he can take his meds and go through the humiliating routine of having Twist smear a bacta cast over his healing wound.

The natborn medics on the space medstation had told him he was lucky to still have an eye socket for the prosthesis to sit in, with a kind of clinical interest that had made him feel like a bug in a jar. In truth, Wolffe is struggling to feel lucky at all.

He doesn’t understand why he’s standing here, propping himself up against the wall to hide how tired his legs are after two weeks on bed rest, when General Koon could have had a new commander fresh off the racks from Kamino, their new paint still drying. He hadn’t really expected to wake up again, after Ventress, but then he had, and Koon hadn’t even benched him to the tactician division, the clone equivalent of being stripped down for scrap and spare parts.

Instead here he is, fitted out with a prosthetic worth enough credits to fund a cadet’s training for a year and still on duty. He’s worked with General Koon for six months, and he still can’t fathom what goes through the Jedi’s head.

“Maybe you should sit down,” Boost says, and Wolffe realizes that he has slumped back down against the durasteel.

“I’m fine,” he says, and does not flinch under the look that’s leveled on him. He taught Boost how to do that - there are some depths he will not sink to.

“We’re, uh -” the pilot, unhelpfully named ‘Captain’, says, his eyes flickering curiously over Wolffe and then over his hyper vigilant shadow. “We’re landing anyway, Sir. Just about to enter the grav-field now.”

Wolffe grunts and rights himself, pretending to not see the dirty look Boost gives Captain or the hissed whispers that pass between them. He stares out of the cockpit, curiosity breaching the surface of the dense fugue drowning his brain.

The first and enduring image he gets of Ilum is white. Occasionally it’s dotted with black and grey, places where the bare rock underneath breaches through the snow, and in other places ice gleams in shining blue, but apart from that it is unbroken. He sees no trees, no wildlife, no settlements. No life at all, on the surface, and yet he gets the impression that this is the closest thing the Jedi come to pilgrimage.

He has never stepped in snow before. It squeaks under his boots when they disembark from the ship and creaks when he puts his foot through the thin crust of ice that has formed on top. The flakes settle cold and sharp on the end of his nose, and his breath billows, streaming up towards the sky. Next to him Boost laughs as it slips through his fingers.

“Come on, Mr Wolffe,” the little Bothan girl he’s buddied up with says, tugging sharply on his hand. “The sun is already up. We’re going to be late.”

He doesn’t know what they are late for but allows himself to be dragged along, through huge ice sheets that have frozen in undulating waves, shaped by the gusts of wind that blew when they were forming.

“Have you been here before?” he asks the girl, as her ears twitch and she cocks her head, before decisively changing direction.

“No,” she says. “But we’re close. I can feel it.”

‘It’ turns out to be a massive temple carved into a great projection of glassy black rock. The younglings they’re escorting line up before them in a quivering, excited row, raising their arms in unison and sinking part of the cliff face with the united power of their minds. Wolffe does not forget how dangerous Jedi are, exactly, but the reminder of it in these small children is jarring all the same.

“Come now, younglings,” General Koon says, hurrying them onward into a towering hall of ice, stone, crystal and light. Wolffe drifts a little while they gather in a tight little huddle and open the entrance to the caves, lulled by the measured rise and fall of the General’s voice and the slow gentle dripping of the ice, but jolts back to himself when the kids go sprinting into the dark, whooping and yelling.

“Shouldn’t we go after them?” he says when nobody else moves, and feels the distinct amusement roll off his General in waves.

“No, no. This is something they must complete alone, and with each other.”

Wolffe looks around at the rest of his squad, seeing the same bewilderment in their expressions.

“Then…what do we do?” he asks, thinking that for an escort mission, there is very little escorting to be done.

“You enjoy some time off,” General Koon says, then tilts his head towards another entrance across the hall. “Now if you excuse me, there is something I wish to see to.”

He doesn’t emerge again for several hours, and in that time Wolffe can’t stop pacing, thoughts of all the work he could be doing, all the datapads he still has to catch up on crawling through his mind. He missed out on so much while he was in bacta, and then even more while he was in the rehabilitation centres getting used to the cybernetic. Boost tries and fails to get him to sit and join them, and the others all try in their turn - and - he does try. But all he can think is that to bring them on such an easy mission, General Koon must really have lost faith in them. Or, more accurately, lost faith in the Commander that cannot keep up any more.

His headache deepens until it feels like his head is encased in a cage of pain, and even the bacta that Twist carefully smooths over the healing scar does little to appease it.

It must be mid morning by the time the General appears again, brushing loose snow off his shoulders and humming to himself as he jumps down from a ledge too high for any force-null and barely bracing for the landing. Wolffe can’t help himself; he has to know.

“Sir, what are we doing here?” he asks, hating the weariness he can hear in his own voice.

General Koon tilts his head, and the skin around his goggles creases in a way that Wolffe has learnt means that he’s smiling underneath his mask.

“Why don’t you come with me, Commander?”

Wolffe follows him to the edge of the hall, hesitating just once at the bottom of the flight of stairs the General starts leading him up, looking back at the rest of his squad. They are sitting around the freshly melted pool of water that the younglings created on their way into the caves, and Crater has already pulled off his helmet and gloves so that he can scoop up some of it in his hands, while the others hoot and egg him on.

He allows himself a small smile before continuing on.

The stairs are long and narrow and tightly confined, branching outwards into dark passages that crackle with ancient frigid air, but General Koon ignores them all, going further and further up until Wolffe’s thighs start trembling with the strain.

“You will have to forgive me the climb,” the General says, his voice as serene and unaffected as ever while Wolffe struggles not to wheeze. “But I wanted to take you to my favourite place.”

The first thing that hits him is the wind. It blasts over the lip of the stairs, a wall of force and sound that envelopes him in its grasp. The second thing that hits him is the view - from the little ledge that General Koon has brought him to he can see the blues and violets of the pale dawn, the watery yellow light of the distant sun. He can see the kliks and kliks of empty wasteland, the glittering snowbanks and distant blue glaciers greeting the day.

He finds that the breath has been stunned out of him.

“Remarkable, isn’t it?” General Koon says, then throws off his poncho and promptly sinks down onto it, patting the rock next to him with one hand. “Now sit.”

“But Sir, shouldn’t we go back in case -”

General Koon’s eyes crinkle in amusement again. “Sit.”

Wolffe sits. The rock is so cold that he can feel the burn of it through his snow gear, but in a strange way it is not uncomfortable. What is uncomfortable is the way that the General is watching him. There is nowhere to hide under that stare.

“Your mind hasn’t been quiet since the moment you woke up, son,” he says, resting a hand on Wolffe’s shoulder. “I didn’t bring you here to work. I brought you here to relax.”

Wolffe stares at him like he’s grown a second head. General Koon laughs.

“I thought you might be sceptical. That’s why I’ve brought you here.” He gestures at the ledge around them, and then places his hands on his knees, in the meditation pose Wolffe has seen him do hundreds of times. “I discovered this place as a youngling, and it has been my favourite part of Ilum to return to. I find it does an excellent job of helping me find my centre - and I hoped it might help you. Follow me.

Awkwardly, Wolffe copies the General’s pose, and at his gesture, closes his eyes. For a while, it does nothing. All he can feel are his own painful emotions and the cold seeping through his gear to his bones. But then, slowly, under General Koon’s direction, he focuses on the wind. He relaxes into the howling sound, letting himself drift on the huge gusts buffeting his body. It strips away everything but his heartbeat, and gradually, his head empties.

He opens his eyes.

The monochrome of Ilum is soothing on his eyes, not like the white of the medstation, which had been harsh and glaring as his brain struggled to pick up the new signals sent by the prosthetic. The sun on the ice doesn’t sting this far up. And eventually, he realises that he’s smiling.

“That’s better,” General Koon says, and there’s a pride in his voice which makes Wolffe warm and embarrassed at the same time. “I do not care about your missing paperwork, Wolffe. I care about you being well.”

Wolffe dares to let the General see his smile. “Thank you, Sir.”

They head back down to the temple entrance to hear shouts from the main hall. Wolffe’s heart leaps into his throat for a moment before he hears the bellowing laughter and the curses that follow swiftly on its heels.

General Koon laughs, and they round the bottom of the stairs in time to see Twist nail Captain in the head with a huge snowball. Similar battles are playing out across the cavern.

“Ah, I think I hear the first of the younglings approaching now,” General Koon says, tilting his head towards the rest of Wolffe’s squad in a way that seems to say ‘well, what are you waiting for’.

As he turns and heads back into the temple, Wolffe grins, scoops up some snow, and aims.

[outtoshatter]

sooo are you doing FTH this year? just asking because you wrote me a little somethin' for the sterek secret santa exchange a couple years ago that remains one of my favorite fics *ever* and I may or may not have to treat myself if you are~

Hiii!!! I'm not 😩🥲 I have a couple other events I'm doing (signed up before i came across that...)and didn't want to commit to something I won't be able to do!!! I was signal boosting but forgot to tag, eek. Although now I'm thinking about signing up anyway...Flattery does wonders lmfao

Changed my mind, im gonna sign up as soon as i get home lol

[dcmksecretsanta]

❆ ONLY TWO MORE WEEKS TO JOIN ❆

Just a little reminder that there are only two weeks left to join the DCMK secret santa event ‘22. The biggest thanks to everyone who joined and who helped to signal boost & promote this event so far ♡

If you still want to join, check out the original event post  ♡

[mythicalsecretsanta]

It’s that time again...

This year has been a tough ride.

It's easy to understand why a lot of us have lost touch with true Mythicality this year. Whether it’s because 2020′s been hard on the soul or because we have been divided in heart and mind, normality and the Christmas spirit have naturally been a little harder to grasp this year than others. But - no matter what - the holiday season is here for you, and so too is the Mythical community. 

So with that in mind...

Welcome to Mythical Secret Santa 2020!

This will be our fourth annual Mythical Secret Santa event - we can’t believe it either! 

The primary goal of this event is to bring the Mythical community together and to spread joy through the sharing, gifting, and creating of works related to our favourite internetainers. The secondary goal is to help boost the creation of fan-made content within our fandom to carry us through GMM’s usual December-January break.

If you’re keen to learn more or you just want to sign up already, keep reading under the break below!

Hope to have you join us,

Sims and Ren

Yay, thanks for your interest!

As per past years, we will be running Mythical Secret Santa in two ways:

The Gift Swap is a traditional Secret Santa where participants submit their personal preferences and create original gifts to give their ‘giftee’.

The Fandom Wishlist is a collated list of prompts as submitted by the Mythical community, from which fandom creators can draw inspiration for new content. (This option allows those who have other commitments that may affect their ability to complete a gift to still participate in this event.)

Both the Fandom Wishlist and allocated giftees will be revealed in two weeks’ time on Monday, 16 November through participants’ preferred method of contact.

For those who may not be familiar with our event, the R&L-inspired gift you create for this event can take any form. As such, in the past we’ve seen:

written fiction (both one-shots and multi-chapters)

photo edits

video edits

poetry

physical creations (e.g. stitched pillows)

comics

hand-drawn illustrations

digital art

podfics (AKA audio recording of fanfic)

That said, this is by no means an exhaustive list - if you make it, you can gift it!

And for those who may already be familiar with MSS, we’re introducing two key changes this year...

Standby Santas: This year, we will be asking (via the sign-up form) for volunteers who may be interested in and feel they are capable of creating a gift within a shorter time frame, to be called upon in the event one of our previously allocated Secret Santas is unable to complete theirs.

Midway check-in week: Midway through the event, we will touch base with each of our Gift Swap Santas to check on their progress so far.

Both of these changes are being implemented in an effort to combat the ever-present issue of missing gifts and AWOL Secret Santas. This has occurred in every iteration of MSS so far, and each time is no less heart-breaking and frustrating than the last. But we hope that, by providing more opportunities and ways of communication between us and our participants, this year will be different.

And with that all said...

✨ YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR MYTHICAL SECRET SANTA HERE ✨

✨ YOU CAN SUBMIT SUGGESTIONS FOR THE FANDOM WISHLIST HERE ✨

Sign-ups will close in two-ish weeks on Friday, 13 November - so don’t wait too long to get your form in!

As always, if you have any questions or feedback, feel free to:

Ask us here through our event blog

message @afangirlsplaylist​​

message @loudspeakr​, or 

email us at mythicalsecretsanta@gmail.com

[kamyru]

hi!! i saw your request is open and you write for kasumi. could you write something where he gets badly jealous of other doctors (not the one in eicu) flirting with mc and declares to everyone that they’re dating like in a big setting such as cafeteria or important meeting. have a nice day!

Hi! Thank you for giving me this request. I hope you’ll enjoy it. Have a nice day too. ❤️

Word counting: 1248

Jealous Kasumi

It was a tradition that on Winter Holiday, doctors from the hospital have to participate in a Secret Santa Event. Being a big boss, known all around the world, Kasumi could easily dismiss this offer. That’s what he always did, actually. Though, this year promised to be different. His lovely girlfriend really wanted to take part and convinces him to do the same.

The moment Kasumi opened the paper and saw the name written on there, he started to believe in beginner’s luck. MC was going to get a lot of gifts from him this year. However, the probability that she got as lucky was too little. He wanted to ask MC about her person, but she didn’t want to tell him. It took him only a little to find out himself. She was just too obvious about her sudden interest in one cardiologist.

To say that Kasumi wasn’t happy about that is to say nothing. Though, he couldn’t do anything about this. He knew that it was going to end soon. So, he chose to just watch everything from afar.

It all started pretty harmlessly. Who can deny anyone’s right to have a friend of another sex? MC was doing nearly the same she does with the other members of EICU: joking around, asking for tips, raising the mood, caring about the person if they need this. Kasumi thought that he was jealous because of his tense relationships with the doctors from cardio. Though, he found out that there was something else.

Hosho was a walking pheromone base, but his attitude was always friendly towards MC. The cardiologist, though, had something pushy in him. Kasumi could swear that he wasn’t just considerate towards MC. He became visibly more interested in her every time he saw Kasumi. Nothing was confirmed yet, but people have eyes. So, a lot of them sensed that something romantic was going on between MC and The Overlord.

Kasumi and the cardio department's conflict was something that had to be solved only between them. MC was too naive and friendly to be a tool in their hands. It broke Kasumi’s heart more than the fact that she was spending so much time with another man.

He wanted to prevent her from being used, but he couldn’t find the right words and moment to do it. What was he supposed to say? That he had a bad feeling about that man? That she is putting too much work into something so unimportant? If he waits for a few more days, everything is going to be alright.

The only good thing that was brought by this event was her cute curiosity. It was funny to watch her trying to find out for whom was his gift. She even tried to spy on him, to get him drunk, to ask him while he was sleeping. EVERYTHING. But she wasn’t going to get her answers before the D-day.

The D-day, though, wasn’t going to be as funny as expected. MC was radiating happiness. Everyone who was around her had a big smile because of how excited she was. Though, a more excited person was the cardiologist who was going to receive her gift. Seeing him like this, MC’s mood got a great boost. She really wanted to see his reaction, to know if she chose the right thing.

Meanwhile, in the room was another person who could sense that something was off. And that person was no one but Kasumi. Every move the cardiologist made was attentively watched by him, every smile, every breath, every look he gave MC. He was more flirty than any other day. He was following MC everywhere. He was talking, listening, and joking every time MC was saying something.

Of course, it was hard for Kasumi to take it, knowing that it was done only to make him mad. The moment he saw the cardiologist's hand on his girlfriend’s shoulder, he knew that it was the last drop. MC visibly tensed and tried to go away, but he was a senior. She had to be polite and patient with his antics.

“Can you, please, stop acting like a jerk,” Kasumi said the second he reached them.

A devil smile appeared on the man’s face. He was playing with Kasumi and MC. He liked seeing them stressed.

“If she doesn’t like it, she can say it herself.”

“You are her senior, MC is just polite with you.”

“And who are you for her? Also, I’m your senior too” another grin formed on the cardiologist’s face.

“I’m her boss, her mentor, and her boyfriend. If you make her uncomfortable, it’s my obligation to stop you.”

MC gulped, understanding how tensed was the atmosphere. She wanted to do something to stop this, but she knew she can’t. The men looked like they were going to fight. She could even tell that they were looking at each other’s collars. The problem was that the cardiologist was even taller than Takado. MC didn’t want to see Kasumi hurt because of her. Though, he collected himself soon and decided to play another card.

Kasumi took the mic that was supposed to be used for the Secret Santa. Everyone immediately looked at him, and he started.

“If someone has a problem with me, please don’t use my girlfriend to take revenge. MC is my girlfriend and I won’t tolerate seeing anyone take advantage of her. Also, don’t try to use your status as a senior on anyone. Don’t act lowly with someone, only because that someone is a woman. Have some respect. If I find out that someone used their status in a bad way towards another person who works at the hospital, I’ll do everything I can to make their life intolerable. Thank you for listening to me. Have a nice party.”

He didn’t wait to see other’s reactions. He took MC’s hand and made his exit. None of them said a word before entering his house. Then, MC whispered: “Thank you”. She hugged him tightly, wanting to show him her love for him.

After a while of staying in silence, he asked: “What you gave to that jerk?”

MC didn’t understand at first his question. When it finally reached her, she answered simply: “Linden tea. It’s tasty and healthy.”

Kasumi burst out laughing. It took him some good minutes to calm himself and explain his reaction.

“He is allergic.”

When MC let out a sigh, he finally got serious again.

“Why are you so sad?”

“I wanted to make a good gift.”

“But you did. You gave him a life lesson.”

“No, you did this. I just gave him a headache.”

Kasumi pouted, seeing his girlfriend so worried about that man.

“Are you jealous?” MC asked, finally understanding his reaction.

“I’m worried, more than jealous. But yeah... I’m a little bit jealous.”

It was MC’s turn to laugh.

“You’re cute.”

“I don’t want to be cute. I want to be...”

But MC kissed him before he could end the sentence.

“You’re my cute hero and I love you.”

Kasumi was as red as a tomato. But it was his fault. He was simply too good.

“To whom you gave your gift?”

He hoped that she won’t ask, but she did.

“Is a secret. Don’t ruin the moment.”

The Overlord was very happy to see her using at work the cute cup he gave her. From time to time, he was making her linden tea in that cup.

[rueitae]

Writing Roundup 2020

This is a writing reflection I’ve been doing for myself every year for the last four years. Its a positive boost to myself see how far I’ve come and look back on my progress for the past year and look forward to the new year. 

Everyone is welcome to use this same format if they’d like to do the same! 

~~~~~~~

Stats:

Words written:

330,000, which is nearly half of all the words I’ve written on Ao3 in the last three years. 

One Shots Posted (all fics plance unless otherwise stated):

In the Arms of the Ever(pink?) Tree (4463 words)

For the Plance Secret Santa exchange. Post s8 date/not date on a snowy moon. Love confession. 

Birthday Treats (2129 words)

For Pidge’s birthday this year! Domestic family fluff, breakfast in bed, plance kids.

Begin Again (Together) (4805 words)

Canon divergence from before episode one! Pidge and Lance are established dating when alien intervention brings them to where they are supposed to be: with the Blue Lion. Just a brief look into what the AU would look like. 

Common Ground (4521 words)

A treat for my friends who introduced me to Magic Knight Rayearth and pointed out some fun character parallels. There is this beautiful art Arya made to go with it because we’re all trash for both series. Plance meet up with Fuu and Ferio post series for both couples. 

Bonded To You (1808 words)

For the Langstron Halloween Exchange! Established plance with a baby Lance is trying to keep safe from a witch who would take advantage of the child’s heritage. 

It Tasted Good (6785 words)

Pikelavar for Pikelavar Month! The premise is crack, but it's mostly treated seriously. Pike ate the Jewel of Jitan by accident and doesn’t realize it until Haggar finds them. Meklavar gets Protective.

The Remainder of Days (3188 words)

Part of my Bad Things Happen Bingo. Fantasy AU where Pidge is a minor forest goddess and Lance is her neighbor mortal farmer. 

I Love You a Lily More Each Day (3232 words)

Another of the Bad Things Happen Bingo. Canon compliant where Lance is undercover at a flower shop and knee deep in an illegal smuggling operation. 

Lease on Life (4978 words)

This one was also part of Bad Things Happen Bingo and was an experiment. It’s POV of an oldest plance kid, canon verse. Her parents’ Paladin days come back to haunt them one night. Some cute family stuff too in there. 

Ready to Dance (4135 words)

For the Valentine’s Day exchange! Post series. Lance tries to get back into the party scene and Pidge rescues him from a disastrous night. 

Loopholes (5476 words)

Technically I didn’t write this fic this year, but a very kind reader asked if I would post this to Ao3, so it was my first fic of the year on Ao3. It’s Lotura! Originally a gift for a dear friend I’ve had since elementary school. It’s a fantasy AU where Lotor stumbles into Allura’s kingdom needing help. 

Next to Me (7311 words)

Also for Bad Things Happen Bingo, this is probably one of my favorite fics of the year. This is the canon verse AU that went all wrong in s7, and Sendak succeeds in destroying Earth. Lance and Pidge end up not only his prisoners, but also two of the last humans in the universe. Ends open ended, but it became a series in the end!

Into Me (14248 words)

The sequel to the above fic. There are two versions, this and the one below. The title tells all. Lance and Pidge come to terms with their new life aboard Sendak’s flagship and do their best to keep the other comforted.

Into Me (non-explicit version) (7228 words)

Exactly the same as the fic above, only this one is SFW

Sunshine (3831 words)

A Bad Things Happen Bingo! One of my favorite concepts. Canon verse. Pidge gets sick while she and Lance are on a scientific mission. 

Showoff (635 words)

A really short fic for a friend on their birthday, featuring their plance kids!

Respite of the Heart (4181 words)

A fic I have been wanting to write for a very long time. I love the concept of Pidge as a Disney Princess in the sense she has the forest guardian theme and all these animals love her. So there’s some play on that as the Paladins stop for lunch on their journey back to Earth in early s7. Lance comes to a realization and they have a chat surrounded by the animal friends. @anchoredtetherart did a phenomenal piece to accompany it. Please look at it in awe here.

The Hardest Part (3960 words)

For Bad Things Happen Bingo! An AU of the episode The Reunion where Pidge doesn’t return when she’s supposed to. 

A Planned Sacrifice (4988 words)

Another Bad Things Happen Bingo. Canon verse. Pidge assumes that being a sacrifice for the ‘forest god’ is strictly ceremonial and at worst a wild animal. It’s actually Sendak, who no one has seen since Shiro shot him out of the Castle. He remembers Pidge and is far too pleased to see her again, tied up on a silver platter. 

Almost Forgotten, but Not Gone (3946 words)

Bad Things Happen Bingo. AU sometime in s1 where Haxus isn’t as dead as Pidge thought. 

Touch (7519 words)

Written for the Lance Goes Boom bang! It was inspired by @fenixseraph ‘s amazing art here! It’s a different take on The Way Forward, where Pidge and Lance are separated from the rest of the team and placed in their own cell. And the Red Lion causes issues. 

Chaptered Fics started/added to:

Wolf In Thieves’ Clothing (4516 words)

An AU of The Castle of Cagliostro from Lupin the Third series. Lee, you have my thanks forever for making me watch this finally. Pidge is a literal princess whose kingdom is in the middle of an internal coup. Lance is a gentleman thief who rides with his best buds Hunk and Matt. Their paths are destined to cross again when Lance goes back to the castle he used to call home. 

Game of Love (4593 words)

The most crack of the bunch. AU of Fall the of the Castle of Lions where Sendak and Haxus get away with it all. Pidge and Lance are prisoners on Haxus’ new ship, and Lance finds an opportunity for eventual escape when he learns that Haxus has a crush on his second in command. Operation matchmaker begins. (happy ending planned for all)

What Tides May Bring (20704 words)

Collab with the fantastic @anchoredtetherart for MerMay! Established plance as mermaids and guardians of their elements with adorable mer child. Then angst because they are all captured by a ‘research’ institute. 

Seasons of Magic (16546 words)

I actually added a chapter this year! Ongoing collection of one-shots with mage Pidge who lives in the country and cultivates her plant magic and makes potions with the assistance of her dragon familiar, Lance. Mostly domestic fluff. 

Too Soon and Not Soon Enough (11438 words)

Added another chapter this year to my Keith-centric AU. It’s basically VLD but five years early and they’re all literally child Paladins. Keith gets to meet Krolia earlier and its fun to go into tween friendships as they try and navigate the reality of their situation. 

Seeds (48833 words)

Added a ton earlier this year. A collection of plance fics all or mostly under 500 words. All meant to be adopted by others if interest strikes. Covers many genres.

Chaptered Fics Finished:

Resolve to Fly (75799 words)

Written for the Pidge Angst Bang. My artist @alchemie0 did an outstanding job capturing the feel of the fic. Look at the art here! Canon verse AU where Pidge encounters Haxus, who has crashed on Earth. She helps him repair his ship in excitement and good faith, which he pays back by kidnapping her. For two years she survives as little more than a housepet on Sendak’s ship. Gen.

Who's Protecting Who? (28989 words)

Also technically not written this yeah, but posted. A collab with Hush waaaay back in 2018. It's a plance Altean AU with Pidge as distant royalty and Lance as a bodyguard.

A Dish Served Cold (21533 words)

Finally finished this one! Canon verse in which Pidge accidentally runs into Sendak on an isolated planet. Sendak takes advantage of this encounter and tries to return to the Empire with her in tow. Much Pidge whump. Gen

Reflections: 

Best title 

I still really really love Too Soon and Not Soon Enough (11438 words). Because it's too soon for the Paladins to be Paladins, and for Keith it's not nearly soon enough for Krolia to return. It just feels like it has a lot of heart to it. I hope I can keep it going, but my ideas are incredibly scattered for it. 

Worst title 

Touch (7519 words). Yeah it’s a play on ‘Don’t you touch her’ but it feels soooo dry. 

Best/worst last line

Best: This was really, really hard choice this year, but ultimately, making up for the terrible title, its Touch (7519 words) 

“It feels good to escape the ship with all of his teammates, secure in the knowledge that he has a way forward not just as a Paladin, but also with Pidge.” 

- Not only did I manage to fit the title of the episode in there, it's got that hopeful tinge to it and reflects on personal growth both internally and with Pidge. 

Worst: This one isn’t necessarily bad from Begin Again (Together) (4805 words), but it could be better. It didn’t get quite the epic sense I was hoping to pull from it.

“Okay,” he smirks, hand firmly on the throttle. “Operation save Earth starts now.”

Looking back, did you write more fics than you thought you would this year, less than you thought, or about what you predicted?

Definitely wrote way more. Even with posting two fic that are essentially the exact same, I still ended up writing nearly half of my total Ao3 word count this year. (330,000/670,000). Doing Bad Things Happen Bingo was a bit part of that - I was very inspired at the beginning of this year - but also there were many events I participated in (8 total!!) on top of my personal projects. 

What’s your favorite story this year? Not the most popular, but the one that makes you the happiest.

A really hard decision this year, because there are several that make me really happy. I think oddly enough though, it’s Game of Love (4593 words) because of its potential and how much crack it is. It has such whacky rom-com energy to it but also that underlying angst of the situation I can fall back on. My favorite trope to explore is what happens to the characters when they’re captured. I just really enjoy the concept and the challenge to make such a concept believable with minimal suspension of belief. 

Okay, NOW your most popular story.

Using kudos as my gauge (and not counting the chapter fics), the winner is: 

Respite of the Heart (4181 words)

Not surprising because Ivy’s art is STUNNING.

Story most underappreciated by the universe?

I think that’s It Tasted Good (6785 words), the pikelavar fic. Pikelavar is underappreciated in general

Story that could have been better?

For all I was excited to write Sunshine (3831 words), it didn’t quite fall the way I had imagined in my mind. I don’t know if it was the structure or I was running out of steam or what. All i know is that I wanted more but all I could concentrate on was that scene where he’s caring for her in bed. Maybe I was just too ambitious.

Sexiest story?

No brainer it's Into Me (14248 words). Literally. Which really shocked me that it happened. Didn’t think I’d write any smut at all, let alone this year. This particular fic just kinda called out for it 

Saddest story?

The prequel to the above fic: Next to Me (7311 words). How much more sad can you get than Earth being destroyed, being Sendak’s prisoners all while trying to tell each other ‘i love you’ without seeming weird because you’re the last humans in the universe. 

Most fun?

I think it's Ready to Dance (4135 words). Just Valentine’s fluff and impromptu slow dancing in the park at night. 

Story with single sweetest moment?

I’m picking What Tides May Bring (20704 words). Listen, mer Lance and mer Pidge playing with their mer baby in their domestic paradise is probably one of my favorite things I’ve ever written. Dad Lance has my heart. 

Hardest story to write?

The last chapter of A Dish Served Cold (21533 words) was like pulling teeth. I’m pretty happy with it in the end but at the time man it was so hard. 

Did you take any writing risks this year? What did you learn from them?

I wrote smut. It was...weird? But also strangely calming. I wrote more for another fic but it's still a WIP. I definitely need to be in the mood to write it. 

Proudest Achievement:

The Pidge Angst Bang. Resolve to Fly (75799 words). Look at that word count. I only wanted something under 3k at first, so it was just going to be Pidge meeting Haxus. But by the time I finished that part it was already 10k. So even though I was going through a rough part of my life, I just kept going and it ended up being my therapy. I’m really proud of the fic and I love my artists’ pieces. It really lifted my spirits. (You should all really go check out the Ao3 collection of all the bang stories and art they are AMAZING you won’t regret. If you love Pidge angst they are all must reads.)

What are your fic writing goals for next year?

I’d like to finish my Bad Things Happen Bingo card and then focus on my current WIP, that includes the Seeds collection. There are days I still feel a bit overwhelmed, and I’m still trying to find a routine after moving. I’d like to do more events too, but I think I need to be more selective about which ones I do. I don’t want to burn myself out. 

Apart from that, I’d really like to try and give back to the community more. I’d like to start consciously writing fics for others without an event to go by. 

Past Years:

2017

2018

2019

[phmonth]

Secret Santa!!

Hello all!! This is @maddyisenough​ and @i-prefer-the-term-antihero​!! We’ve decided to host a Pandora Hearts secret Santa this year (on this blog)!!

If you would like to participate, please fill out this sign up application!! The sign up period is from today (Oct 28th) to the 15th of November!! (You can expect your assignments in the next week or two after that, depending on how many applicants we get!!)

If, after joining, you would like to drop out, please say so by December 13th!!

You may begin posting from December 20th to Jan 1st!!

FYI NSFW stuff is fine! Please just specify whether or not you’re okay with/want it in your preferences. And when you post it, please say it’s nsfw!

Please note!! We will be making an important change this year:

Fic writers will be given a 2000 word limit.

Both of us have hosted secret Santa events on separate occasions, and both of us were grieved to find that, despite our precautions (such as drop out dates and extensions), some people never received gifts.

This was largely due, not to drop outs, but rather to the fact that there were fic writers who found their gift fic got really long, which meant they weren’t able to finish in time, and then they just never ended up posting.

While I’ll be the first person to say a long fic is never a bad thing, when it means some people aren’t getting gifts for an event like this...it becomes a problem. Besides, they’re just supposed to be little gift fics anyways!! Therefore we’ve implemented a word limit in the hopes it’ll help more people truly finish.

We won’t be policing this or anything, (if your fic is like 2300 or more words we’re not gonna tell you to shorten it). As long as its finished, that’s all we care about. And a word limit seems the best way to accomplish that. 

If you’d like to receive a fic please keep this ^^ in mind as you are giving your prompts and stuff as well!!

Thank you all, and have a lovely day!! And please signal boost!!

--i-prefer-the-term-antihero

P.S. We’ll still be hosting Phmonth early next year, but this was a bit easier of an event for us to manage for this year!!

If you’d like to vote on when we should do Phmonth next year, you can still vote on the form I posted earlier!!

[quickspinner]

Hi you seem very in the know in the MLB fandom: do you know if there's a secret santa exchange this year? And if so where to locate it?

I’m only in the know for my tiny little Lukanette corner really, but I don’t know of any at this time.

We are planning to turn the first LBSC sprint fic challenge in December into a secret Santa exchange, so you can follow @lovebugs-and-snakecharmers for an announcement about that later this week. Standard challenge rules will apply, so the commitment is 45 minutes total to write and 24 hours to edit. If you’re interested in participating follow the blog and/or join our SFC discord server (the link is on all the challenge posts). There’s no minimum participation requirements or anything so you’re not committing to anything by joining the server. Please note though we’re a Lukanette group running a Lukanette event (again, standard challenge rules apply as included in all the challenge posts).

LBSC started with a Secret Admirer Lukanette exchange for Valentine’s Day and there’s plans to do it again in 2021, so be on the lookout for future announcements on that as well.

Other than that, I’m not aware of any exchanges, theme months, or holiday prompt events or anything like that, but if anyone else is aware, reblog this post with info/a link and I’ll be happy to signal boost.