#anyway this is one trope i have not written before (fake relationship) | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

whocaresstillthelouvre · 15 days

Text

Wonderwall

Rating: Teen Pairing: No Outbreak Joel Miller x Female Reader Word Count: 4,550 Summary: Your ex boyfriend Simon is marrying Sabrina, the woman he left you for. You were sure you'd have have a date in time for his wedding... too bad you were wrong. Once again. your best friend Maria has to save the day by letting you use her handsome, single brother-in-law that owes her a favor as your date. Warnings: fluff, idk what's going on with me but there's so much fluff, soft joel, fake wedding date, rom com vibes, crying over a broken vibrator, no outbreak, maria and tommy are married, sarah and kevin live, british ex boyfriend, reader and joel are close in age (reader is 36, joel is 40), alcohol, i know the gif is marcus pike but i can't stop seeing young joel in this gif, anyways here's wonderwall, no use of y/n, not beta read

A/N: This was written for @justagalwhowrites' Joel Miller Birthday Celebration. Thank you to the always wonderful @ohheypedrito for suggesting the fake dating trope when I asked her what to write.

Masterlist

Fizzy mimosas, fluffy pancakes, crispy hash browns, and sweet maple syrup. Brunch on Sundays with Maria has been a long standing tradition for the two of you. Fifteen years of friendship kept stronger by always promising to make time for each other no matter what is going on in your lives.

These days, Maria’s raising a toddler while building a very successful career in the Austin district attorney's office whereas last night you cried over your vibrator dying while trying to pull an orgasm out of you for an endorphin rush. God knows you need one.

You’ve been in a hole since the arrival of Simon’s wedding invitation. The man you spent your most youthful and fulfilling years with is now marrying Sabrina, the beautiful co-worker he crashed your relationship for. Yeah, yeah, your twenty year partnership was already headed for the cliff, but her perky tits and pouty lips sure did speed up the demise.

“So, Simon’s wedding is next weekend, how do you feel?” Maria interrogates from across the table.

“Fine!” you stuff a pancake triangle into your mouth. “It’s fine! I’m fine!”

“Mm,” she lifts a skeptical eyebrow. Why do you lie to her? She makes three figures locking away liars, she can spot them a mile away. “Let me guess, you still don’t have a date?”

“Ugh, no, why did I mark two on the RSVP?”

“I told you not to,” Maria shakes her head

“Yeah, but, I-I want to show him I’m doing great without him.”

“Babe,” Maria grabs your hand and squeezes it, “I say this with all the love in my heart… you’re not doing great.”

“I knoooow!” you sigh, closing your eyes. “I just thought… I’d show up in my pretty dress with a hot man on my arm and show Simon I’m happy and fulfilled without his love.”

“But you don’t ha–”

“Please, I know. I just– I’m happy for him in some really odd way but I also want to be… happy for myself.”

“Okay,” she nods before taking a deep breath, “here’s what I’m going to do for you. You know Joel?”

“Your… brother-in-law?”

“Yes, he owes me a favor, soooo, he’s going to be your date,” she sits back folding her arms across her chest with a smug smirk. “He’s handsome as hell and a good man but he’s very quiet and intimidating to those who don’t know him. He’s perfect for this situation.”

You do know Joel… just not very well at all. There have been random run-ins at Miller family parties, but nothing more than a quick “hello” and “how are you?” exchanged between the two of you. He seems the opposite of your Dartmouth educated, polo playing yuppie of an ex. “Yoo hoo,” Maria waves her hand in front of your face catching your attention. “Does that work for you?”

“Oh, sorry, yeah, I think… it does,” a relieved smile lifts your face.

Maria has, once again, fixed your problem.

—-

RING… RING… RING…

Your fingers nervously tap against the countertop. “Come on, pick uuup, pick uuuup, pick uuu–”

“Miller,” a deep voice answers.

“H-Hi, uh, Joel?” You feel a third your age, like you’re right back in middle school calling the cute boy in your science class because your friend dared you.

“Speaking.”

“Hey, uh, you’re my wedding date? Maria… she gave me your number so we can plan?”

“Oh, yes,” his voice softens. “Saturday, right?”

“Yeah, uh… I think it might be good to go over a story for us before the big day.”

“Right,” he chuckles, “I’m all ears.”

—-

Your eyes roam down your notes from the call. “So, we formally met at Kevin’s graduation party. I call you ‘honey’, our first date was to a movie and then to pizza. We’ve been together for a little over a year. You hate sushi and love tamales. You don’t like water slides. You play the guitar. You have a daughter named Sarah who’s a senior in high school. You own a construction company with Tommy… I think that’s about right?”

"Believe so," the bass of his quiet voice causes goosebumps to pebble your skin. If he's doing this to you over the phone, what will the wedding be like?

"Okay," you settle against your sofa, "and for me?"

Papers shuffle before Joel clears his throat. “Hm, okay. I asked Tommy for your number after Kevin’s graduation party. You work at an insurance company, but you dream of owning your own bookstore one day. You love mashed potatoes. I call you 'baby.' Your favorite color is bronze. You’re a night owl forced to be an early bird. You love Taylor Swift unapologetically. You like staying over at my home because your favorite coffee place delivers to my house.”

“Perfect. I know this is totally weird and all, but, thanks for doing this. Sometimes I allow my pride to sabotage me... and Maria has to come in and save me.”

“She’s good at that.”

“Thanks again Joel.”

“You’re welcome,” his voice feels you with warmth. “I’ll pick you up on Saturday.”

“Yes, Saturday. Until then, have a good week.”

“You too.”

After saying goodbye, you hang up with a plume of butterflies in your stomach.

—

“Okay! Get ready!” you shout from behind your bathroom door.

Your Sunday brunch date with Maria has been moved up to a Saturday afternoon primping and preening spree in your home as she helps you get ready to watch the once love of your life marry someone else.

You step out of the bathroom to find Maria sitting cross-legged on your bed. As soon as she sees you, she leans forward with wide eyes.

"Wow," she breathes, her voice filled with awe. "I mean, seriously, wow."

"Really?" you ask, giving a twirl in your mauve dress, adorned with a delicate print of sequined flowers blooming across the bodice.

“Really,” her eyebrow angles as she nods, “I can’t wait for Miller to have to deal with keeping his cool around you.”

“What?”

Maria just smiles, “Let’s just say, you look hot, that’s all I’m going to say.”

___

A shiny black truck pulls into your driveway. Panic jolts through you as you watch the door swing open from your front window. Out steps Joel Miller, impeccably dressed in a black suit. Oh good lord–he’s your date. Like, date date, as in the guy you’re going to be spending the rest of the night with. The anxiety over Simon and Sabrina’s wedding fades into the background, replaced by the overwhelming challenge of maintaining your composure in the presence of someone who looks that stunning in a tuxedo.

The doorbell rings.

Okay, okay, you got this.

A gust of pleasant autumn air hits your skin when you open the door. Oh good LORD, he looks incredible. His hair is longer than you remember, falling in gentle waves you dream of running your fingers through. His beard is neatly trimmed, though slightly patchy with a strong mustache that frames his plush lips. He has a shy smile, his dimple makes a divot you want to press your finger into. His simple black suit stretches around his obviously toned and broad shoulders.

“Hi, it’s uh, nice to see you again. Come on in,” you say, opening the door wider and stepping aside.

“Course,” he replies, striding in past you. His hand twitches nervously when he turns and takes how you look fully in. “You look– y’look beautiful.”

A flush of warmth spreads through you at the compliment from the most handsome man you’ve ever seen, now standing in the middle of your living room.

“Oh, thanks, uh, it’s not every day your ex boyfriend of twenty years gets married to the woman he left you for… so I guess I needed to show off.”

“It’s–yeah–good,” he stammers, his eyes darting around the room, clearly avoiding your gaze.

“Well, uh, I just need to slip on my shoes and grab my bag, then we can get going. Make yourself at home.”

“Sure thing.”

As you head down the hall to get your things, you hear him let out a long sigh.

Don’t worry dude, I get it. It’s going to be a long night.

“So, um, I know, this is awkward,” you say, returning to the living room and dropping your shoes on the floor, “but I’m really grateful to you.”

He chuckles, sitting on the edge of your couch. “S’alright. I can’t say no to a free meal and open bar.”

“If I still know Simon’s taste, it’ll be a top-notch open bar too,” you muse, slipping into your high heel and bending over to fasten the buckle.

You glance up when you hear Joel’s breath catch. He’s staring intently at you–more specifically, at your exposed leg and thigh, courtesy of the high slit in your dress.

You really had to pick the dress that Maria dubbed “the revenge dress,” didn’t you? He clears his throat and quickly averts his gaze, but the charged atmosphere lingers. You try to ignore it, buckle your other shoe and grab your clutch.

“Ready?” you ask.

“I am," he replies, standing up and adjusting his neck tie, a hint of color warms his cheeks. .

—-

Joel’s truck looks quite out of place pulling into the Hurts Family’s grand estate. Of course Simon’s getting married at Father & Mother’s sprawling manor. You can’t help but wonder if the altar and ceremony will be located in the same conservatory you and Simon lost your virginity to each other in.

The whole drive over, you and Joel practiced your spiels, all the while you tried to ignore the waves of attraction that vibrated between you and him in the small cab of his truck.

He pulls up to the valet and reluctantly hands his keys over to the college aged kid before hurrying over to your door, cutting in front of the doorman to help you down. What a gentleman.

Soft violin music floats through the air and white flower petals line the walkway leading into the massive estate that once felt like your second home. A nagging thought lingers in the back of your mind that you’re about to live what should’ve been your wedding day.

You breathe out deeply, Joel grabs your hand as he guides you into the house.

People mingle, some you don’t know, many you do. Aunt Billie, Uncle Martin, the cousins from Manchester, Simon’s favorite professor. Familiar faces surround you, what the hell were you thinking this would be okay?

You’ve known this home since you were twelve, Simon showed up in your seventh grade algebra class, a new student with bright blue eyes and blonde hair, you thought he was the prettiest boy you had ever seen, even before he spoke… the British accent would’ve been enough to sweep you off your feet. It took a couple years of friendship before you both admitted your crushes on each other, the confessions happened in the movie room, just down the hallway you stand near.

Love is fleeting, love is hopeless. You’ve learned to care for yourself like Simon once cared for you, but now in this home you used to sneak into, you feel just as alone as you did the day you moved out of the house you shared with him for a decade just two streets down from here.

“Hey, you okay?” Joel leans in and whispers. “Squeezin’ my hand mighty hard.”

“Oh,” you blink, refocusing on him, “I am, it’s just… really bizarre and everything. Seeing so many familiar people I haven't seen in years feels strange.”

“You’re doing good, I got you,” he says, letting go of your hand, and wrapping his arm around your waist, guiding you farther into the mansion.

___

The impressive altar stands in the conservatory–you know your ex well– this windowed dwelling means everything to him. Everywhere you look, peach and champagne flowers are nestled among lush green foliage. You and Joel settle eight rows back on the groom's side, just a few feet from the bench you lost your virginity on. Jamie, Simon’s friend from college, sends you a kind smile when you sit next to him.

Your foot taps nervously against the stone tile, keeping rhythm with the soft string music lilting through the air. You take a deep breath to center yourself as the processional begins. The family minister you’ve known since you were fifteen leads the way then–Simon. Still just as handsome, in that specific pretty way that drew you to him as a teenager. The slight waves of his dark blonde hair are more controlled and slicked back. His slender body is topped by wide shoulders from all his years of playing polo. His equally handsome brother Liam follows, along with a handful of friends you used to consider your own.

Joel’s arm wraps around you as Simon takes his place at the altar, his fingers resting firmly on your bare shoulder just in time for the bridal procession to begin. Everybody takes their rightful places waiting for the bride. Simon stands at the altar, laser focused on the doorway, oddly, you feel a sense of happiness for him. Maybe you feel less lonely with the comfort of Joel’s strong arm around you, maybe you’re just caught up in the emotions of the day.

As you expected, Lia and Ewan, Simon’s niece and nephew, are the ring bearer and flower girl. You were at the hospital when both of them were born. You taught both of them how to swim. They used to call you their aunt.

The small orchestra begins playing “The Wedding March,” the audience stands in anticipation of Sabrina’s entrance. The curtains part and she appears shimmering down the aisle in her ivory dress. Okay, you have to admit, she looks gorgeous. Joel pulls you closer, his hand rests against your hip as Sabrina and her father pass your row. You’re grateful for his presence, even if it’s just a comforting distraction that just happens to be pretend.

The look on Simon’s face is unmistakable when he takes Sabrina’s hand–it’s the same look he would give you whenever he told you loved you all those thousands upon thousands of times.

You take your seat, Joel’s hand finds your shoulder once more. It’s going to be damn hard to concentrate on the ceremony.

Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today.

—

You survive the ceremony… thanks to Joel and his calloused hand rubbing circles on your shoulder. As Simon and Sabrina lead the recessional out of the conservatory, Simon spots you and sends you a knowing wink and smile when he spots Joel next to you. Maybe it’s a good thing you attended, it’s the final picket placed in the closure fence.

“You good?” Joel whispers in your ear while watching the rest of the party leave. You turn to respond, failing to realize his face is now right next to yours. His lips now sit a breath away from yours. Panic slips in, overwhelmed by the thought of anyone catching an awkward moment like this, especially since you’re the ex girlfriend the groom left for his brand new bride.

Fuck it. You lean forward and place your lips against his, leaving a delicate peck against them. At least now you’ll have this moment that’s just for you.

—

The warm autumn sun is beginning to set casting the preened and pristine gardens of the Hurts Estate in amber tones. Thank god for the cocktail hour and open bar.

You sip your champagne and smile at a few familiar faces while gazing out upon the vast lawns you used to spend lazy days sunbathing and playing croquet on. What a bizarre homecoming of sorts. Joel is taking his role seriously, constantly checking on you and never leaving your side.

A familiar voice calls your name, pulling you from your reverie.

“Oh sweetheart! It’s so lovely to see you!” Simon’s mother, Adeline, greets you with kisses on both cheeks before pulling you into a warm hug. You’ve always liked the woman and she always adored you. She turns to your date, her eyes lighting up when she looks Joel up and down.

“Addy, this is my boyfriend Joel.” A rush of excitement is sent through you at the simple introduction. “Joel, this is Simon’s mom, Adeline.”

“Good evening ma’am,” Joel says, extending his hand to shake hers gently. “It’s quite beautiful here.”

“Oh, thank you! Aside from our two boys, this is our pride and joy. There’s nothing better than seeing your child get married in the place you call home.” .

“Well, I’ve heard a lot of nice things about this place, you have a lot of good memories here, right baby?” Joel looks at you with an affectionate smile. Oh he’s good.

“I do,” you smile warmly at Addy.

“Oh sweetheart! That makes me so happy! You’re always welcome here, I’m so happy Simon invited you!”

“I am too, it’s so nice to see you,” you say, realizing how much you truly miss her. You spent twenty years of your life around so many of these people before being cut off cold turkey from them.

“Shoot! I better keep moving and making my rounds! Do enjoy the bar, and make sure tell them Addy sent you; they’ll give you the real good stuff. Joel, are you a whiskey man?”

“Yes ma’am,” Joel replies with a nod.

“We’ve got some Old Rip Van Winkle, aged 25 years. Just tell them Adeline insists and they’ll pour you a glass.”

“Thank you ma’am,” Joel says gratefully.

“Oh, I like him darling!” Addy winks before turning to leave, her gold dress gleaming just as bright as her personality.

—

The large tent erected for the ceremony glows in pink and orange hues. Chandeliers hang from the ceiling overflowing with roses and garlands. It’s gorgeous and opulent everywhere you look.

You’ve been nervous about your table assignment since you sent in your RSVP. Who will you be stuck with? You prayed it would be strangers versus people you used to call friends. You thank your lucky stars when you’re led to table eleven, where you’re greeted warmly by strangers. You tell your new tablemates you’re an old friend of Simon’s, Joel grabs your hand and gently holds it while you introduce yourselves, shocked you still haven’t had to utilize the stories you and him invented.

Ladies and gentlemen! Please welcome for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Simon Hurts!

The two lovebirds make their grand entrance, glowing and grinning in their newlywed aura before the symphonic melody of “Can’t Help Falling In Love” begins to play. Hilarious, the last time you heard this song it was on a playlist Sabrina had made for Simon… a couple weeks before your ultimate separation. You got into a fight over the amount of times he’d play it, he told you were overreacting and being dramatic, you should’ve trusted your instincts right then and there.

They look so happy and gorgeous together, dancing their first dance surrounded by all of their loved ones inside this picturesque setting. It should’ve been you…

Joel leans in closer, wrapping his arm around you, stealing your attention from your spiraling thoughts. “I can’t play this song on violin or cello, but I can play it on guitar, maybe I can play it for you sometime.”

You look up at him, your eyes locking with his, “I–I’d like that.”

“Thought you would,” he smirks, before leaning down to place a tender kiss on your forehead.

He’s been touching you all night, always considerate and tender, as if he holds an actual amount of reverence in his heart for you. God, he’s either the sweetest man to ever live, or he should give up the construction job, move to Hollywood and start acting.

—

Simon and Sabrina make their rounds after dinner, they’re a table away laughing and galavanting with friends you used to call your own. It’s been over a year since you last spoke to him and now as the ultimate final thing you’ve been dreading is near, you’re nervous as hell. Joel casually drapes his arm around the back of your chair before leaning forward and pressing his lips to the top of your head, helping subside some of your anxieties.

“You good?” he checks in with a soft whisper.

You nod, scooting closer into the shell he’s created for you with his large body.

Simon catches your eye with a warm, gentle smile as he leads Sabrina over to your table. You can’t be too mad at him, he’s been nothing but a gentleman since he forced the end of your already faltering relationship. Sabrina, well–she was just a better match for him. You wish them well, no matter how much it still seemingly hurts. You just want Simon to miss you a little bit.

The newlyweds greet the rest of the table, collecting well-wishes and flattery from the guests before turning their attention to you and Joel.

Simon bends forward and gives you a tight hug before thanking you and saying how lovely it is to see you. Sabrina says hello, you tell her she looks beautiful, she returns the favor.

Simon extends his hand to Joel and introduces himself. “I’m Simon, I’m sure you’ve heard a bit about me–hopefully some good,” he says, his ever present British charm helps cut through the tension radiating off of Joel’s gruff reservedness.

“She has,” Joel replies, shaking Simon’s hand. “I’m Joel. Nice to meet you both. Congrats. S’been a lovely wedding.”

The four of you make casual conversation. Joel mentions he’s a contractor, Simon’s eyes light up before he mentions how he wants to build a pool house. Your heart twinges a bit when you remember it’s all for pretend and there’s no way Joel could take the job. Joel makes a joke about how dinner was better than a No. 5 from Whataburger, eliciting a ruckus laugh from the newlyweds. You feel good, until the sinking feeling inside rears its ugly head and reminds you this is all a sham.

Sabrina nods to Simon in an unspoken understanding that they need to move on with their greetings. Joel wishes them well and thanks them for the lovely party. You smile and do the same.

“It’s good to see you happy,” Simon says as he gives you a parting hug.

If only he knew…

You’re quiet as you watch Simon and Sabrina walk away, Simon’s hand is placed on Sabrina’s back lightly stroking up and down. Joel softly says your name, breaking your concentration on the happy married couple.

“I like this song, let’s dance,” he says, rising and extending his hand to you.

“Wonderwall?” you ask, taking his hand and letting him lead you to the dance floor. “Let me guess, you can play it on guitar.”

“I do,” he confirms with a smile, pulling you close against his body. His large hand splays against your lower back, and yours finds its place on his firm shoulder. The wedding band has slowed the song down, couples gently sway around you. The twinkling lights above reflect in Joel’s dark brown eyes. You can’t stop looking at him, he can’t stop looking at you. The moment is intimate, to any other wedding guest, you look like a couple just as in love as the newlyweds.

You rest your head against his chest, breathing in the scent of his cologne–woodsy, smoky, with a hint of cinnamon. His thumb strokes against the skin of your hand as your bodies synchronistically move together. This doesn't feel like pretending at all.

The song ends, Joel makes no move to pull away, and you don’t either. The first notes of the next song begin and you recognize the drumbeat anywhere. You can’t believe you’re hearing it here, of all places.

“We can leave the Christmas lights up till January…”

“Ohh,” you let out a soft sigh against Joel’s chest, feeling your heart drop. “This was going to be our first dance song, I-I told him it as soon as I first heard it all those years ago.”

Joel tilts his head down, his concerned brown eyes peer into yours. “M’sorry, did you want to stop?”

“No, no, it’s–I can’t leave the floor during this. What if he sees me?”

Joel nods reassuringly before tightening his hold on you and pulling your joined hands in closer. His head rests on top of yours engulfing you with his broad body, like your own personal fake wedding date security blanket.

Your heartbreak slowly dissipates, mended by the gentle touch and attention of Joel. The song ends, he asks if you want to get a breath of fresh air, you gratefully nod before taking his hand and telling him you know a place.

—

The breeze rolling off the lake sends a chill across your skin, Joel takes notice, quickly removing his jacket and places it over your shoulders without hesitation.

“Thanks,” you say, sinking into the leftover warmth of Joel.

“No problem,” he says, shuffling his neck tie open and unbuttoning the top two buttons of his crisp white dress shirt. “I’m burnin’ up under it.”

You both fall into a comfortable silence as you watch the tranquil waves lap at the shore. “Sorry about earlier. It was just… a shock to hear that song. He moved on so quickly and I feel like I’ve just been left wondering how I can so easily be… replaced.”

“No need to apologize,” he sighs, “I’m not good at any of this stuff, but, you don’t seem like someone that’s so… easy to get over.”

Your heart skips a beat when you look over at him. The soft ambient glow of the full moon reflecting off the water bathes him in an almost ethereal glow, making him look like a knight in shining armor who walked through a portal to help save you from your own wounded heart you’ve been trying to heal for the past two years.

“Guess you just don’t know me very well then,” you joke, trying to slow down the thoughts racing within your heart and mind.

“No, but I think I’d like to,” he says, turning to you with a sincere look in his eyes.

“I-I’d like that too.”

Joel hesitates for a moment before asking, “There’s a new Curtis & Viper movie releasing next week. Did you want to go with me?”

“Like a real date?” you ask, your voice tinged with excitement.

“Suppose it would be. We could recreate our ‘first’ date that we told that one aunt of Simon’s all about. We’ll get pizza at the place across the street.”

“I’d love that,” you say, your excitement clear in your voice.

From across the yard, you can just make out the sound of the band playing for the wedding guests.

Joel takes a deep breath and turns to you with a warm, playful smile. “I feel better asking you here so you know I’m being for real. I really want to dance with you. May I have this dance?”

“I’d love nothing more,” you reply, a smile spreading across your face as he pulls you closer.

You remind yourself to send Maria a bouquet of flowers for setting up your fake wedding date as you settle into his embrace.

#joel miller #pedro pascal #joel miller x reader #joel miller fic #pedro pascal fanfiction #joel miller x you #joel miller fanfic #joel x reader #joel miller tlou #joel tlou #tlou joel #no outbreak!joel miller

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starsandgutters · 1 month

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ok, look, give me a fake dating with kevaaron and my life will be YOURS. (Please)

okay, LISTEN- 😭

It’s actually a travesty I haven’t written this already considering it’s like my fave trope ever. Like I want to read the fake dating KevAaron fic I would write too fr LMAO

I actually !! Have !! A loose !! Concept !! For one !! But I haven’t written anything yet so I cannot offer you an excerpt for WIP Wed 😔 I can give the overview tho

Set when Aaron’s in med school/maybe his residency, and Kevin is playing pro.

Also welcome to the SALU (Shannen’s Aaron’s Literary Universe) where a Frequent Fixture is now his hugely queer biology study/friend group that Katelyn dragged him into. Like, as much as I am a big believer in Aaron & Seth & Matt being bros if given the chance, the unfortunate reality of the situation is Seth’s being deceased before they made amends makes that quite difficult in canon settings. And Aaron is just too much of a skeptic to be cracking the ouija out. Now with Matt, I think they did get on really well when they were roomies, but their lives head in separate directions after college. So. I want Aaron to have friends. That are not connected to his family. And I use OCs very sparingly as I know the reason people come to fanfic is for familiarity and characters they already know/love, but Bio Bunch™️ were well received and consequently I will be recycling them forever thanks (Aaron dated nurse Dylan in my sapphic WIP, Miles’ family adopted Jean and Elodie in my KevNeil AU so now he’s Jean’s lil brother, like literally they’re my standby bonus characters now)

All this to say. Aaron very much appreciates having friends. He was not very good at making them when he was little and going through the worst of Tilda’s abuse, and his teens were lost to a haze of drugs and pain where he had people he would speak to at school/on the team, but no one he was really friends with. Then he gets a brother! But oh no. Andrew doesn’t want him to have friends either and also Aaron kind of feels like he hates him so he’s still alone ☹️ - so to finally be at a point in his life where he has a close knit group of friends, people who actually like him and want to spend time with him for some reason!, it means a lot to him. He would not want to risk damaging those friendships. Especially because he’s not sure how to make new ones, he kind of just absorbed these ones via osmosis through Katelyn.

Which is why he panics when Dylan asks him out.

“Do you have a girlfriend?” he had asked, and Aaron, thinking nothing of it, had said: “No.” Because he doesn’t. He hasn’t dated anyone since Katelyn. Like, he’s been on his med school GRIND, y’know? Who has the time. And who can compare to her anyway?

“Would you maybe like to go out with me sometime?” Dylan then said, and listen, it’s not like Aaron is proud of what he did, but he panicked. He saw his friendless future flash in front of his eyes because he hurt Dylan’s feelings and it’s all awkward between them now and Aaron ends up iced out because he wrecked the vibe, and he panicked!!!

“Oh. Uh. I have a boyfriend though.”

And why the fuck did he even say that what the fuck what the fuck?!

But y’know it worked because Dylan got a sad little smile but nodded and said “lucky guy” and Aaron was like PHEW! Y’know, bullet DODGED! Except somehow this gets around their group, because wow one thing about having friends is apparently you’re not allowed secrets 🙄 (not that his relationship would usually be a secret but considering it is NONEXISTENT he would have appreciated people NOT KNOWING)

Of course Katelyn is on him like a rash because when has she ever let him get away with anything ever there is no peace in this world for him as long as they share space (he loves her more than anything). Immediately quizzing him on WHO he could be dating, because she knows he doesn’t really talk to anyone outside their friend group (because she knows everything about him shit how is he going to lie to her), and she is DYING to know who he has been hiding! (Like shit Kate me too guess we’re gonna find out together)

Consequently the panic continues as he speed skims through his mental catalogue of all the people he has ever actually communicated with who are not A) his family or B) already in committed relationships. And, listen, ok, here’s the thing. There are just not an awful lot of people in Aaron’s life who fit the cross reference of those categories. Really the only person he can think of is Kevin, and then he’s blurting out his name before the consequences of that action occur to him (🦋🦋🦋) because Katelyn KNOWS Kevin so there really should have been a C) someone Katelyn doesn’t know (though on reflection Aaron’s search results would have thrown up entirely blank with this addition)

“Aw, you always did have a crush on him.”

“What are you talking about?” No, because what is she talking about??? “No I didn’t.”

“You’re dating him now, why are you getting so defensive?”

He’s not getting defensive. He just thinks it’s an absolutely insane implication to suggest he has or ever will have feelings for Kevin Day. Except he can’t say that. Since that’s his fictional boyfriend now. Fictional on the boyfriend part. Kevin Day is unfortunately very real. A fact that has plagued Aaron’s existence ever since Wymack first brought that broken stray back to PSU.

Enter Kevin, truly baffled by this entire situation.

“Why didn’t you just tell him you’re not interested in guys?”

“Well, Katelyn knows I’m bi, so I couldn’t say that. Maybe he asked her first. Or she might mention it if it comes up.”

“Wait, you’re bi? Since when?”

“Since birth probably, can we focus on the actual issue at hand here.”

But like. This is Aaron. Aaron has never particularly been one to mince words. Kevin doesn’t know why he doesn’t just tell Dylan he’s not into him. Kevin’s been on the receiving end of Aaron’s attitude and bad manners more than often enough. 🤨 But after the truly painful and pitiful display of Extremely Emotionally Constipated Asshole Aaron Minyard trying to explain his newfound value for the Powers of Friendship, Kevin eventually agrees to be his fake date to a party with his friends. Like, whatever. It’s a small event with some med students, it’s not like they even have to be overly affectionate, or that this will get out anywhere. Then they can use Kevin’s busy work schedule as a reason he’s never around, and after a few months Aaron will just pretend they broke up. Easy.

Except photos get leaked to the media, outing Kevin. Instead of the career suicide he expects, he actually gets positive feedback. His PR rep encourages him to bring Aaron to a charity gala for a children’s mental health charity, thinking it could be positive rep for the kids to see a happy older queer couple as queer kids have higher rates of mental health issues. The team are doing some outreach with the actual kids before the gala - going down to play some games with them - Kevin doesn’t expect Aaron to come to this. He can just show up to the event, y’know, it’s basically just a free night out. They’ll just postpone their fake break up another couple of months.

But Aaron is like, uhm, excuse me. Did you even think to ask if I would want to come along to meet the kids? You know I’m going into peds, right? I’d much rather come hang out with the kids than have to rub shoulders with your snotty famous rich friends all night. Of course I’m coming to both of them.

So Aaron does come. Where Kevin is awkward and fumbling and never quite sure of the right thing to say (he never interacted with kids even when he was one???), Aaron is a natural. He’s excellent with them. They all love him within the first ten minutes, and it’s weird, because who is this? This is not an Aaron that Kevin knows. This is not a side of him he’s ever seen at school or around their family. It’s making Kevin feel all weird inside. In SOFT and GUSHY ways.

So they go to the Gala and both get a little tipsy, and whoops. Of course everyone thinks they’re a couple, so they’ve been given a room with one bed (because one bed trope supremacy ALSO 🙏🏻). Kevin thinks Aaron’s gonna be mad or upset, but Aaron’s giggly as he undresses. Which. Oh. Okay. Usually Aaron had weird hang ups about changing outside of the locker rooms. But now he’s. Shirtless. And his body has changed since college. Obviously. He doesn’t spend five days a week training anymore. He’s still kept some of his muscle in his arms and shoulders, and his legs have always been naturally strong, but he’s gotten a bit softer. Which Kevin realises he actually quite likes. And. Oh. Shit. Okay. He might actually be a bit attracted to Aaron. But. That’s fine. That won’t be a problem, right?

Right? 😐

ANYWAY THAT’S ALL I GOT FOR NOW. I simply can’t start another WIP until I finish some of the ones I got running. Like it would be fine if I could write things of a MODERATE length but I’ve never been chill about anything ever in my life and it’s too late to start now so I write excessively and I just. Cannot risk not finishing things by starting something else.

BUT SOME DAY. MAYBE. PROBABLY.

#kevaaron #fox fics

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hsvh-hp · 7 months

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what drarry fics would you recommend that are very in character?

Before I get into it, I’d just like to say that I started working on a fic rec sideblog last month. The posting schedule doesn’t kick in until April, so it’s blank at the moment. But, it’s there, if you’re interested in giving it a follow!

Anyway, two caveats about this: one, I read a lot of drarry fic and have a bit of a poor memory, and two, I'm not certain that what I consider in-character to be the majority consensus of the drarry fandom (for example, I don't like down and out Draco, soft Draco, Draco hating either of his parents, or Harry being overly judgmental or unforgiving (though that's not to say I haven't read those tropes and enjoyed them)).

In general, any fics from my ao3 bookmarks will meet my bar on being in-character, since I tend to hit the back button if I start asking myself, 'who are these people?'. I took a cruise through my bookmarks in spirit of the ask though, and I'll post a list below the cut of fics that stick out in my memory as having some of my favourite characterizations:

Twelve Months by dysonrules (14,840 words)

Hermione buys Harry a journal and he ends up using it to record his DEEP THOUGHTS. Not surprisingly, those tend to mostly involve Draco Malfoy.

This one cracked me up. Since it's written in journal form, we get Harry's running internal monologue about his life. And a lot of Draco, because of course we do. I also always enjoy a Draco who actually is up to something, but it’s for a good cause.

The Gentlewizard Club by Sophie_French (28,129 words)

Draco wants what Draco wants. And if he has to snuggle up to Harry to get it, well, surely, Draco can handle that. Problem is, not sure Harry can.

This fic starts with Draco and Harry as both friends and Auror partners. As friends, the high point of every day for Draco is when he gets to read (oft-times aloud, and dramatically so) Harry's fan mail as it's delivered to their office. As Auror partners, Draco is barred in writing their field reports because he sucks at it. He's very happy to put that work onto Harry, and Harry is happy to do it (because he's pining hard, okay?).

That Draco and Harry are Auror partners isn't actually important in this fic (although the sequel has a case that they tackle). Harry gets a letter about having been admitted into a club that Draco really, really, really wants to join, and he begs Harry to sponsor his admittance. Harry can't say no to him, therefore, commence operation fake relationship for a weekend getaway. I love the balance in Harry trying to give Draco what he wants while fearing that what he wants will only hurt him.

Martyred by dothechachaslide (82,004 words)

Harry Potter only wants one thing: to take care of the people he loves. After Teddy’s abrupt departure from his role as Andromeda’s caretaker, Harry decides it’s finally time to step up and handle the job himself. Castoff Manor, an old Black family estate, has never seemed as sinister as the stories make it sound, but it’s there that Harry stumbles upon ghosts, haunting family secrets, and a familiar, snarky blond gardener hell-bent on chasing him out. Maybe if Harry sticks around long enough, he’ll finally learn why all of Andromeda’s previous caretakers have fled without looking back.

Harry and Draco are in their fifties, in this fic. The summary about sums up Harry's characterization: he takes care of the people he loves, and a mystery at hand draws him obsessively in. As for Draco, I would consider him post-redemption. He took the consequences handed down to him after the war seriously, and has grown so used to the Muggle world that he lives there as comfortably as the magical world. He tends the garden at Castoff Manor to prevent anyone else being harmed in the role (part of the fic's mystery), and tutors Squibs in the nearby village.

One small detail that I love about Draco is how every time he gets uncomfortable, he hops on his bike and runs away. It's one of those things that, despite the rather far-flung future from the canon years, it's so absolutely in-character across time and space for him. He's changed so much, but there's still this degree of pettiness and cowardice deep down inside. It's just expressed in a less harmful way than it used to be.

Lethe by QueenieJinny (70,885 words)

A new form of vanishing sickness is sweeping across Britain. Healers Harry Potter and Hermione Granger are on the case. When Draco Malfoy is admitted to the isolation ward, Harry never imagines falling in love with him will be the easiest thing he’s ever done – and watching him fade away to nothing will be the hardest.

Like above, Harry again takes care of the people he loves and cannot resist a mystery to solve. He's a Healer in this fic, a line of work that suits him well for his compassion, and Draco ends up his patient. Draco is on the difficult end of the spectrum as far as patients go (are you surprised?). Watching their Healer-patient power dynamic swing toward equilibrium is wonderful. They fall in love, Draco comes to terms with his (temporary) mortality, and Harry goes as far as he possibly can for Draco after he's gone: finding a way to rescue him from where the vanishing sickness took him.

Draco Malfoy, Bloodsucking Fiend by Kbrick (23,198 words)

There are two things that Draco’s Auror partner, Harry Potter, must never know about him. One is that he’s a vampire. The other is that he’s been completely, pathetically, head-over-heels in love with Harry for years. But when the duo is trapped inside an old shop on Diagon Alley with no means of escape, Draco finds himself fiending for blood and unable to put even a modicum of distance between himself and the man he can’t stop lusting after.

There are 3 of Kbrick's fics on this list, and I could have honestly added more. All of her fics that I haven't gotten to yet are on my to-read list. I just love the way she writes Draco and Harry, okay?? I'm a big baby when it comes to angst and hurt/comfort (more on that further down), but I absolutely trust her to put the boys in a blender on the highest setting that I can personally handle.

Anyway, this fic in particular, I'm all about that pining and the feeling of a countdown being on. Draco is resisting on two fronts: his feelings for Harry and his need as a vampire to feed. Harry is perfectly balanced in his obliviousness and perception.

You See Through My Disguise by aibidil (9,666 words)

Bellatrix's knife flew across the room, but Harry leaped, pushing Dobby and Griphook to safety but stranding himself at Malfoy Manor. Now he and Draco are locked in the cellar with Wormtail's corpse and a rat, waiting for Voldemort to return and decide their fate.

The premise is on the tin. As for their characterizations, Harry and Draco are on a countdown to sort themselves out enough to make an escape from the dungeon at Malfoy Manor during the war. They can't help but poke at each other, so the fic is a compelling balance of ego and necessity.

Criminal by The_Sinking_Ship (83,497 words)

Things were going just fine for Draco Malfoy. He successfully conned and counted cards across Europe and America, amassing a small fortune, along with a lengthy rap sheet. That was until he made the grave mistake of returning to England for a high stakes card game and got himself caught – by Harry Potter no less. Now, Draco is stuck in England under Auror Potter’s guard with no friends, no distractions, and no escape. How the hell will he pass the time? And since when did Potter get so bloody fit?

I'd had this fic on my to-read list for ages before seeing it on a rec list for morally grey Draco. That's my favourite kind of Draco, so I decided to jump this one to the top. Also, like I said about Kbrick above, The_Sinking_Ship is another writer with whom I've either enjoyed everything I've read (recs within recs: Never Mind the Bullocks, Dwelling on Dreams, and Chasing Dragons) or I've simply yet to get to the rest of their work.

For this fic specifically, Draco's done the best he can with the shit situation his life was in post-war, and he's a lion in a cage when he gets legally stuck in England. He and Harry meet for check-ins, and the chemistry goes from there. Draco has some self-harm tendencies, and his want for Harry ends up (temporarily) going that way for him. Harry's in a rut in his life as an Auror. I love fics where he goes into the force and then becomes disillusioned with it. That feels very in-character for Harry, to me.

AITA for being "obsessed" with my childhood nemesis? by RainstormRadish (4,289 words)

Alrakis I [24M] attended a small boarding school in the UK. There was a boy in my year, a couple of months younger than me, and he became my nemesis after we developed an intense rivalry. My friend [25F] told me recently that our dynamic was "weird back then" and that "it’s even weirder" that I still think about him today. She argued that I talk about him all the time, but I believe the amount I talk about him is reasonable. AITA? prongymcprongface i completely get what you mean. i had a nemesis (like a school one, separate to my other nemesis) and we had a dynamic super similar to what you are describing. having a nemesis is a very cool and normal thing dw about it. NTA In which Draco asks the internet if he's being reasonable. Only one commenter is sympathetic. They start talking.

Draco and Harry cross paths on Reddit. Everyone else in the AITA thread thinks Draco (the OP) is absolutely nuts for his 'nemesis' situation. Except one, because of course that one person had a similar situation and it was totally normal, don't worry about it. I'm aware I basically just repeated the summary, but it says it all, really!

Rookie Moves by peu_a_peu (75,328 words)

Aurors Potter and Malfoy crack the case.

More Auror partners with a Draco that is unhinged. Tbh, I am very fussy on Auror Draco fics. I don't see Draco as someone to subject himself to much pain and suffering (like in fics where it's emphasized that he was subject to much bullying/pranks/etc during training, and he persevered regardless). He's too hedonistic, and I don't particularly think that the war would have warmed him to the Ministry or the means it possesses of authoritarian force. Fool me once, and all that.

In this fic, each chapter covers a job or case that Draco and Harry embark upon. It's meant to be funny, and holy shit is it ever. These two are such dumb cops. Even with the genre shift from serious to goofy, they get the work done. It's been long enough now since I read it that I can't remember specifically, but I feel that sometimes Draco and Harry being disasters helped them solve their cases. The other fics in the series Rookie Moves belongs to are 100% reading through as well. I cried happy tears in the end.

Timeshare by astolat (14,156 words)

“It’s not for long,” Hermione said. “By the time we get back to Hogwarts, the Unfettering Brew will be ready.” “Listen to you!” Ron said. “He’s got to get through a month with the Dursleys and a month at Malfoy Manor. With Draco Malfoy.” “Yeah, thanks,” Harry said, because he hadn’t just spent the last week contemplating just how much more horrible his summer holidays were about to be than they’d ever been before.

This fic has wonderful fuck/fight dynamics between the boys. I also like fics where the writer isn't afraid to let Draco be flawed with bigotry. Things like that he cannot fathom 'Potter's Muggles' talking to him and that he whinges the entire month he's at the Dursleys' house that it's too small, and the food isn't up to par, etc. As for Harry, he wants Draco despite all this, as well as despite how uncomfortable his month at the manor with Lucius and Narcissa is. I love when Harry is allowed to be flawed in that way.

Hey, Potter by SunseticMonster (16,024 words)

Harry returns to Hogwarts for his 8th year, determined not to let Malfoy get to him. But when the snarky teasing starts up again, Harry finds that returning the jibes with compliments has a far more interesting outcome.

This fic explores something that I've always headcanoned about how Draco and Harry got along throughout the canon books. We never see them have a single good or even neutral interaction (rather than Draco's part in their Madam Malkin's meet). They're always going at each other with their claws and teeth out, taking everything the other does in the most bad-faith interpretation. So, what happens when Harry starts killing Draco with kindness? I personally believe that if Harry did as such in the canon books, he would have very easily won Draco over.

Lumos by birdsofshore (41,476 words)

Harry never expected to spend eighth year listening to Draco Malfoy wanking.

I love eighth-year fics where Draco doesn't return to Hogwarts with his chin down and shoulders hunched. It doesn't feel in-character to me; he'd feel just as free as anyone else post-war, and I can't see him even hiding his relief and happiness for it to be over for the sensibilities of the other survivors. On top of that, Draco coming back to Hogwarts and immediately pushing Harry's buttons? 100% him. Harry playing into it every time? Also 100%.

A Convenient Impracticality by firethesound (38,540 words)

Somehow Harry ends up agreeing to a fake relationship with his ex-nemesis-turned-friendly-acquaintance-with-benefits, except for some reason it involves an awful lot of actual dating and, sadly, not much sex. Confused? Harry is too, but when has anything with Draco Malfoy ever been as straightforward as it seems?

More fake relationships! Harry and Draco fucking but not being sure what they are or what the other feels in return is so my jam. I can see both of them being attracted enough to each other to land in bed together, but the intimacy is more hard-earned because of their history. It's all the more satisfying once they figure it out.

Who we are in the shadows by Quicksilvermaid (99,714 words)

What happens when you’re forced to become the very thing you despise? Ex-Auror Harry Potter, tossed out of the Ministry for something he had no control over, has been looking for a way back to his former life. When he comes across Draco Malfoy in the criminal underbelly of Wizarding London and in need of protection, Harry figures bringing him in to face the Ministry's justice is his ticket back to everything he's lost. But nothing is exactly as it seems. Not even Harry himself. And as he gets drawn further and further into Malfoy's world of honour and deception he finds himself questioning everything he thought he knew—about his childhood nemesis, the Ministry job he misses so much, and most of all, about himself. What happens when you’re forced to see that you were wrong?

I wrote up above about loving a Draco who's up to something, and it's for a good cause. This fic takes that notion and turns it up to like, 15 at minimum. Draco's an investigative journalist, and he's going after some very dangerous people. He needs muscle, enter security agent Harry who's still adjusting to life as a werewolf. Harry tags along out of (hired) necessity on Draco's job, and they are a team not to be reckoned with. On top of their chemistry, this fic left me gasping for breath. Folks who've read it before will know what I mean when I say my heart was pounding out of my chest during the tunnel scene.

Star Quality by who_la_hoop (118,607 words)

Two years after the war, and Harry’s content with his life. OK, so it’s a little annoying that he keeps winning Witch Weekly’s Most Eligible Bachelor award, and he’s really not looking forward to the unveiling of an enormous gold statue of himself, but he loves his friends, and he loves being an Auror. And if he yearns for something more, something he can barely bring himself to think about, well, he’ll probably get over it. No one’s happy all the time, are they? But then everything changes, and Harry’s thrown into a new and dazzling world he’s not sure he can actually escape from. And as time goes on, he starts to wonder: does he actually want to?

Draco and Harry end up in such a wonderfully ridiculous situation in this fic. Harry wakes up in an alternate (Muggle) universe where Draco is a pop star. The Draco of his universe has come along with him, and he's a total shit about helping Harry get them back home. Harry's grumpy, Draco's having a blast. It's fun. It's them.

The Day Before the Wedding by Kbrick (39,419 words)

Harry's getting married to Ginny tomorrow. The problem is that he can't seem to get beyond today.

Time loops and Kbrick, my beloved (Turning Leaves is another excellent fic of hers with this trope). The summary says it all for the premise. Like Star Quality above, Draco is 'in the know' with Harry (though he doesn't tell Harry right away lmao). Harry makes some Realizations in the time loop. Seeing as it's a Drarry fic and Harry was meant to get married to Ginny, I'm sure it's quite plain as to what that might be.

Bad Habits by No_One_Special_01289 (70,509 words)

Circles can be tiring. They have no end. But sometimes, the path is set for a reason, as anything outside the circle is even worse than what's within. Harry is running in circles with Draco Malfoy, and no matter how hard he tries, he can't escape.

Another fuck/fight kind of Drarry fic. This one takes place through OOTP, HBP, and DH canon, as if Draco and Harry had a secret sexual relationship throughout. I love how they come together like two accelerated particles, only to scatter to lick their wounds or attempt to process just what the hell is going on. It has the explosiveness that I love to see in Hogwarts-era Drarry fics when the war is on and they remain on opposing sides through to the end of it.

Dwelling by aideomai (83,382 words)

Curses, James and Lily Potter ride again, several Ministry balls, a teenage Summer of Love, a grim young adult dystopian winter, a few different Draco Malfoys, secrets and the problems re: not having any, alternate lives, impossible lives, real lives, allusions to Dirty Dancing, and just because it's not called the Mirror of Erised doesn't mean you shouldn't know better.

Listen: I bawled. I'm going to try to say this without spoiling the big twist. The fic nails how Harry and Draco tick together twice. Whether it's in a No Voldemort AU or a canon post-war era, these two cannot stay away from each other. I love the solution Harry and Draco reach at the end of the fic - the only way they can fathom any sort of resolution for what happened to them, despite how turbulent their waters remain.

Lovesick by corvuscrowned (7,688 words)

People keep spiking Auror Harry Potter with love potions. Healer Draco Malfoy keeps having to pick up the pieces. But it's getting harder and harder for Draco to watch Harry fall in love with everyone except for him.

corvuscrowned is another writer I put in the same category as Kbrick and The_Sinking_Ship. I've either read their fics and loved them, or just haven't got to the rest yet. What can I say? I love a slow burn. For more excellent fics from corvuscrowned, I will also humbly offer Loverboys (their first fic I read, which blew me away) and Seeker's High for your future reading consideration.

For this fic, the premise is on the tin, and crow executes it perfectly for characterization. I love their Harry in general, how he has his own complexes and the Harry POV isn't just Harry witnessing Draco's character. This fic is Draco POV, and Harry under a love potion is great. So is Draco's pining. They're perfect.

The Matchmaker's Spell by Kbrick (20,859 words)

Thanks to a spell cast over all of wizarding Britain, Draco is forced to marry Harry Potter, who still hates him. But Draco refuses to live a cold, sexless existence, choosing to fill the emptiness in his life and his bed with a parade of lovers. And while Harry may not be able to stand Draco, he despises seeing him with anyone else.

Remember earlier when I said that I trust Kbrick to put the boys in a blender at the exact intensity I could personally handle? This fic is right on the precipice of that. It's so angsty and dark. Draco and Harry are forced to marry, and their journey is so turbulent. Draco cuckolds Harry to push his buttons, and at one point their marriage goes well for a little while before shit happens and they're back on the rocks. They almost had it! We saw a glimpse of their potential!! Also, Draco's lovers keep mysteriously dying? That's sure weird and coincidental. The last scene in the fic made me gasp out loud.

Salt on the Western Wind by Saras_Girl (60,549 words)

When the war isn’t quite as over as it first appears, a guilt-ridden Harry is sent to a mysterious safe-house. Among sandwiches, insomnia, and Mills & Boon, he discovers something quite unexpected.

This fic starts up right after the Battle of Hogwarts, where Narcissa demands the trio take Draco into forced hiding with them. This leads to Draco and Harry being accidentally bonded. Oops! I don't think I have to make the case for how well Saras_Girl characterizes the boys, but I think this one is my favourite so far of the ones I've read (also, obligatory Turn and All Life is Yours to Miss mentions here).

Recalibrate by Saras_Girl (20,921 words)

Sometimes, you need to step back and think about things from a new perspective. Other times, you’ve just got to open your eyes to what you needed all along.

Yay, more eighth year! I read this one a looong time ago, but I still remember reading this and thinking 'oh, this is so them' at so many points. I am overdue for a reread.

Actually, that's probably true of all of these, lol. I should reread them and give them their own post/shower of love on that rec blog I mentioned.

This list took a couple days to compile. I could never make a wholly comprehensive one, but I believe I answered your question, anon. 🤪

#drarry #fic rec #anon ask #ask

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frickingnerd · 6 months

Text

frickingnerd's 2K follower event

for my 2K event, i'm presenting you with 30 tropes / prompts, that i'll be each writing a oneshot for! you are free to request any fandom & character i have written for before!

those are the tropes / prompts you can pick from:

Accidental Kiss - Shinjiro (P3)

Amnesia - Ann (P5)

Assassin x Target - Akechi (P5)

Beach - Seth (MDA)

Best Friends To Lovers - Marinette (MLB)

Bet - Urbosa (BOTW)

Blind Date - Octavian (HOO)

Bodyguard - Naoto (P4)

Body Swap - 9S (Nier)

Boss x Assistant - Takemi (P5)

Celebrity x Fan - Sayaka (DR)

Cursed - Jin (P3)

Fake Relationship - Dimitri (FE3H)

Forbidden Love - Annabeth (PJO)

Friends With Benefits - Dedue (FE3H)

Long Distance - Shinsou (MHA)

Maid Cafe - Makoto (P3)

Match Making - Junpei (P3)

One Night Stand - Qrow (RWBY)

Promise - Jin (P3)

Reunited Lovers - Annabeth (PJO)

Revenge - Kiyotaka (DR)

Royalty - Ryukyu (MHA)

Second Chance - Hidetoshi (P3)

Secret Relationship - Hubert (FE3H)

Secret Identity - Severa (FE)

Superheroes - Luka (MLB)

Time Loop - Shinjiro (P3)

Trapped Together - Ryuki (AINI)

Unrequited Love - Izuku (MHA)

you are free to send more than one request, but i want to give as many different people as possible the chance to request something. prompts will be marked as "taken" or "reserved".

taken is non negotiable & means it's fully locked in, while reserved means someone, who has already requested another prompt, has requested a second or third time and i will still give new people a chance to take that prompt instead, before locking it in a few days later.

once all spots are taken, i'll start posting the oneshots at the beginning of the next month. it'll either be may or june, depending on how quickly things fill up!

if you have any questions, please ask me under this post, as others might have the same question & it'll help clear things up for everybody! :)

ps: i do wanna give credit to @randoimago because they did a similar event (trope-tober) last year, that i really enjoyed! <3 i didn't look up their event again, but i do assume that at least some classic tropes like "secret relationship" can be found in both of our events! anyways, shoutout to them! :D

#frickingnerd's 2K event

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sarcasmandships · 1 year

Note

his! do you have any peterick fic recommendations? i've already read all your works on ao3 and i'm waiting desperately for updates so until then i need something to read because i feel like i've already read soooo many fics and i'm running out of material plz help :)

hiiii, im glad you like my fics and I'm sorry im terrible at updating i used to be so consistent but uni is just killing me with assignments rn! but i promise the restaurant au will get an update soon and im planning to edit death by a thousand cuts before i add to it again cos im just not really happy with the quality of it, but that will also be coming soon i promise!

anyways onto what you're really asking about; recommendations. im not sure if you're looking for smut or stories with plot so here's just a mix of things i've really liked ( i suck at bookmarking things so I've just searched through my history and there's deffos stuff i've missed im sorry)

Literally just read kick me in the face & ask me how my head feels by fkingdeathwish today - devoured this in a few hours and this fic made me like stories in first person. its so good and also has the best andy/joe/pete friendship dynamics i was smiling the whole time. but also features a lot of petekey tho which might not be ur thing

(smut) going down, down by @pyrchance - i read this the other day and its 10/10

Anything by snitchesandtalkers but some of my favourites are i've been checking my list, crooked love, making out inside crashed cars (smut), silver screen dream, the antidote to everything (except for me), we're friends when you're on your knees (not finished but still so so worth reading), amateur pornographers (smut obvs), a little less 16 candles (a little more bite me)

brutal love by @notastumph- this one is so good but like i also had to take a 5 min break between chapters cos the angst and heartbreak was getting to me so much (in the best way)

and i'll burn by jiksa - just read the tags first

the house on rosewood lane by scarredsodeep - this one is so fucking good, i don't even like horror and i was obsessed with this and couldn't stop reading

hey doctor, i'm certifiable by derridoid (smut) - so good and the ending made me laugh sm

husband on the payroll by das_verlorence-kind - what can i say, i love the fake relationship trope

also ive changed my plea to guilty by das_verlorence_kind - again just check the tags incase it’s not ur thing

accidents will happen by rusty76

again pretty much everything by @annoyingpetekey but some favourites are (i just wanna) get some, so pretty (when you're on your knees), and come on (and fuck me like you doubt me) - all smut

That Schrodinger guy made some really good points, you know? by @earlgreytea68

but i'm reflecting light by looks_a_scream - this one is deffos a favourite

the purgatory of my hips by auralcosm

edgar allan potato by emeralcitydowntowngirl - another absolute favourite, i have such a soft spot for soulmate AUs but I've never read one as good as this, again features a lot of petekey but it is all in the past

to take what i'm given with grace by likeasugarcube - their whole 'marriage of convience' series is amazing but this is the main fic and it is sooo good

anything by littlesnowpea but favourites include love in the middle of a firefight, but there's no preparing for this, and nobody wants to hear you sing about tragedy (pls read tags first tho)

december is for cynics by looks_a_scream - another favourite

secrets i don’t want to keep by perceived_nobility (although i think they’ve changed their name to invisible_man now) anyways this one is only accessible if you have an ao3 account but it is so so good an hurts in all the best ways, would advise paying attention to some of the tags tho

Also pretty much anything written by appleremix or vampyerika

Ok so I have like another 30+ pages in my history but this is already so long, so i hope you enjoy some of these assuming you haven't read them already!

#anon #fic recommendations #peterick

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galactic-pirates · 6 months

Text

Romance Tropes Bracket

@purlturtle is doing this really cool thing and they said I could ramble about it too! And how could I resist talking story? Do you know me? Hahaha.

Anyway they made this spreadsheet and screenshot and you can check them out on their post (clicky here).

So in the BLUE CORNER

Bodyguard vs Love Triangle

Workplace vs High School

Second Chances vs. Made A Bet (90s style)

Sibling's Best Friend vs Nanny/Governess

Rocking that RED we have

Grumpy/Sunshine vs Someone Else's SO

Accidental Pregnancy vs Just To Get It Out Of Our Systems

Family Feud (Romeo&Juliet style) vs Holiday Romance

Billionaire vs Soulmates

The sun shines down on YELLOW

Mistaken Identity vs Age Gap

Love Potion/Aphrodisiac vs Only One Bed

Amnesia vs Kissing Lessons

Forced Proximity (road trip etc.) vs Secretly a celeb/royal

Aaaaaand finally working that GREEN

Marriage of Convenience vs Fake Dating

Snowed In vs Friends To Lovers

Bad Boy/Girl vs Sworn Off Love

Supernatural (vampires etc.) vs Enemies To Lovers

Under the cut for my picks and rambles!

Bodyguard vs Love Triangle I don't do Love Triangle, either pick one and then let everyone move on or all be together as a trio. My very first real 'ship' had a sort of love triangle (the lady dated one guy, then the other, then back to the first etc.) but I only shipped her with the first guy (it was Jack Malone and Sam Spade from Without a Trace). So the whole 'love triangle' aspect was lost on me as I just did not care.

Bodyguard though... that has serious potential. So much so I have some vague concepts for an original novel trilogy based around it. Bodyguard is sort of what Eve Baird does on the Librarians (Guardian) but also not. I mean it can depend a little bit. I like the whole protective part to a point, but not if it takes the protectees agency away. I'm not fond of 'damsel', I would rather they kick butt together.

WINNER: Bodyguard

Workplace vs High School This one is super easy - has to be Workplace because High School = kids. I have no interest in teenagers. Teachers maybe but that would be a workplace. Even when I was a kid I didn't write about kids. I skipped the whole YA thing completely.

WINNER: Workplace

Second Chances vs. Made a Bet (90's Style) I had to ask what 'Made a Bet' was because I didn't know. @purlturtle suggested it was like a '10 things I hate about you' thing, where they date on a bet and then catch real feelings. Now catching feels - that's cool, but the whole bet thing? I don't know...

I did write a fic prompt once where they were in a bar and two characters were challenging each other to see who could pull the guy they picked out. I suppose that's ok as a concept. I didn't develop it so it clearly didn't grab me that much though.

Second Chances though - this I like. I mean I suppose there's the whole "if it didn't work out before, why would it work now?" question, as in their relationship failed for a reason. But maybe that's because they needed to work on themselves. Sometimes people are just idiots and make assumptions and don't communicate properly. I'm actually writing a serial at the moment with a second chance romance in it (divorced ex-wives have to work together). So this does grab me.

WINNER: Second Chances

Sibling's Best Friend vs Nanny/Governess Got to be honest neither of these jump out at me as being something I'm really drawn to. Although I am sniggering a little bit as I think Nanny/Governess is a favourite of Janeway's (wasn't that her preferred holonovel?). So I'm tempted to vote for Janeway but ehhh. It has a bit of a power dynamic vibe I don't like.

Sibling's Best Friend is very... cute I guess. I don't really have much to say about it to be honest. I'm going to make it win on default but meh.

WINNER: Sibling's Best Friend

------------------------------

Mistaken Identity vs Age Gap I have written Age Gap - obviously, as I wrote a hell of a lot of Rumbelle (Rumple and Belle, Once Upon a Time) back in the day. Only... I got to be honest I never really saw it as an age gap thing. It totally was and by a LOT because Rumple was semi-immortal as the dark one. He was a couple of centuries old when they met but... age gap romances usually make me uncomfortable because of the inherent power dynamic. Rumple had so little self-confidence that just wasn't an issue.

Mistaken Identity - "do you let them hate the real you, or love the fake you" - HELL YES! Quote from Sophie Devereaux there and the espionage/heist fan in me is compelled. Also superheroes I guess ala Supercorp. Give me all the stories about masks people wear and just wanting to be loved for who they really are.

WINNER: Mistaken Identity

Love Potion/Aphrodisiac vs Only One Bed *cough* show me a person who wasn't read a few sex pollen fics in their time in fandom, and I'll show you a liar. I jest, I jest but also not really. It's not a bad setup for a PWP so long as consent is clearly established and we know before they are under the influence that they are into one another. I suppose there could be a fair bit of plot in terms of consequences but I have no wish personally to write about consent issues.

Only One Bed though - CLASSIC! I mean it's iconic. It's two people pining like idiots, putting up pillow walls between them, the inevitable cuddling in the night and then awkward aroused awakenings. I wrote this in my Conspiracy Afloat fanfic and I'm sure I'll write it again. It's the classic and you can't go wrong with a classic.

WINNER: Only One Bed

Amnesia vs Kissing Lessons Kissing Lessons? This is a new one on me but not hard to figure out. It feels quite juvenile, like maybe a good match for the teenagers in High School?

Amnesia though - oh yes! I don't know if I first loved this trope when I saw the Harrison Ford movie Regarding Henry, or if I saw the trope elsewhere first, but it's very good. The "I'm sorry who are you?" "I'm your wife" and not remembering, having to fall in love again. The agony of the lost shared memories, of not recalling the life they had together, of making new memories. Hell yeah!

WINNER: Amnesia

Forced Proximity (road trip etc.) vs Secretly a celeb/royal Forced Proximity has it's place as a supplement. Like I talked earlier about the Second Chance divorced exes who had to work together. They are getting that Second Chance because of the forced proximity. As a trope on it's own though? Ehhh.

The Secretly a Celeb/Royal... depends if you can expand that. I have long loved the idea of some super rich person being incognito because 'Rich people wear expensive clothes and drive posh cars and go fancy places' and so seeing Joe or Jane Regular, they think 'oh you look like X' rather than thinking they are actually X. I planned out a Rumbelle fic to this premise that I never wrote, but I swear I will write this someway, someday. It partly goes back to the Mistaken Identity and masks, and do they love the real you. With money, meeting someone and them not knowing you are rich is perhaps one of the few ways to be sure about that. But at what point do you tell the truth? The longer it goes on the more feelings of betrayal there are - very similar trope really. Now obviously royal is a whole thing on it's own but put the 'secretly' in front of it and it becomes something else.

WINNER: Secretly a celeb/royal

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Grumpy/Sunshine vs Someone Else's SO Someone Else's SO sounds like cheating/infidelity and I'm not interested in that. Just pick a side and then be honest about it.

I think Grumpy/Sunshine... I'm trying to think of an example. I suppose perhaps I tend to interpret it more as somebody who is reserved vs. someone who is social. Or possibly someone who is cynical/snarky/sarcastic vs. someone who is optimistic/positive/kind. I have definitely written this and will definitely write more of it. It definitely has it's place but equality works too.

WINNER: Grumpy/Sunshine

Accidental Pregnancy vs Just To Get It Out Of Our Systems Honestly not a fan of either, but definitely not a fan of oops pregnancy. It's just not a conflict I am interested in. It doesn't compel me. To be honest neither does the 'Get it out of our systems' because... well it seems odd. Like if you like one another then why is it a one and done? This wins by default but meh.

WINNER: Just To Get It Out Of Our Systems

Family Feud (Romeo & Juliet style) vs Holiday Romance A feud does have potential, the whole 'forbidden love' aspect. I have written this. I have a daughter of politically powerful parents falling in love with a rebel in my Steampunk AU. That's not a family feud, more of a civil class war thing.

Holiday Romance is pretty cool. The whole 'we really click but there is a time limit on it' thing. I did write this once (a Rushbelle fic). As a standard trope it's not something that interests me that much. Now a romance developing during the holidays as like a mutually pining idiots friends to lovers type thing - that's more what I like. I planned and never wrote 2 Bering and Wells christmas fics. First was a fake dating AU where Myka claims Helena is her girlfriend to shut up her sister only to have to invite Helena for the holidays (I know, it's cliche but fun). The other was canon-divergent off season 3 I guess where Helena rejoined the Warehouse and Myka invited her as a 'friend' for Christmas so she wasn't alone at the B&B. Only there was a mix-up and they went to Myka's parents, who weren't home (at the sisters) and they get snowed in, power cuts (huddling together for warmth), only one bed - basically every trope you can think of and hey - Forced Proximity lol - and it gets them to admit feelings. The holidays can add an intensity but neither of these two were technically holiday romance.

WINNER: Holiday Romance

Billionaire vs Soulmates I wrote Soulmates!! It was a Sanctuary fic (Time Will Tell) and it started off as a thought experiment/self-challenge. I don't like the idea of fate and then everything being happy because you have found your 'one' (or in my OT3 case, two). So I really pushed hard on the 'love is a choice' angle, and that lots of soulmate relationships failed because relationships take work. The 'this could be your future but only if you choose it, only if you work for it'. Made me love it. It was fun to explore how having this ticking timer could affect people's personalities, the development of the relationship (having the certainty could be paradoxically paralysing). What that did to society and prejudices etc.

Now of course Billionaire does sort of go back to what I described earlier with the 'Secret Celeb' trope. Having money is kind of a fantasy and it makes for a fun world. You can have them sail around in a yacht, go skiing and sit by the fire in a wood lodge, private jet travel etc. but I don't know. Apart from the 'do you like me or just my money' conflict, having a ton of money is just like so what? It removes worry about paying bills and buying food and that's awesome, takes those stresses off a relationship, but if you don't have to be a billionaire for that, and that as the sole trope... where's the story?

WINNER: Soulmates

------------------------------

Marriage of Convenience vs Fake Dating OH NO YOU DIDN'T?!?! I have to choose? I suppose they are very similar. It's the pretend relationship and then the 'oh no I caught feelings' and that like Only One Bed is a complete classic.

I'm going to go with Fake Dating purely because it's likely to come up more. Although I can think of so many ideas for Marriage of Convenience. They are both so good! They are both winners in my heart.

WINNER: Fake Dating

Snowed In vs Friends To Lovers This is like a situation vs. a dynamic. Snowed In is quite specific. I talked about it earlier with the Bering and Wells christmas fic. It's not something that will happen in a lot of stories because some places don't have snow, or it's not set in winter etc.

Whereas Friends to Lovers is basically everything I write ever. How can people be lovers if they aren't friends? If they don't like one another. Friendship is the foundation. Even when I wrote Enemies to Lovers (Timeless, Flynn and Lucy) there was a loooooong stop off at friends in the middle.

WINNER: Friends to Lovers

Bad Boy/Girl vs Sworn Off Love Ok this feels like an unpopular opinion but if they are actually a 'bad boy/girl' then no, just no. If they are misunderstood, they have a heart of gold etc. then they aren't really 'bad' and so it's just aesthetics or something? Like pretending to be a rebel but not really. I don't get it to be honest.

Sworn Off Love though... so much yes. Think about Helena who didn't want to love, who intended their heart to be frozen, to no longer really beat because it belonged to Christina, their daughter who was gone. But Helena hadn't reckoned on Myka who found a way in anyway, and it was agony, but that love saved the world.

WINNER: Sworn Off Love

Supernatural (vampires etc.) vs Enemies To Lovers Ok my previous mention of Flynn and Lucy aside I really don't go in for Enemies to Lovers. If people are enemies they hate each other - hate is the opposite of love. Yes it's an extreme emotion but I don't get how it works except with a very long stop-off in friends first, and then that feels like not really Enemies to Lovers anymore.

Supernatural though can be fun. I have a long fascination with immortality. One partner living forever and the other one getting older, dying. I hate it, I hate it so much because it hurts, and yet it is compelling. I want to fix it. That's probably it. Carol and Maria from Captain Marvel. Breaks my heart :(

Doesn't just have to be immortality either. I know Harry Potter shouldn't be mentioned today but the Remus and Tonks relationship had potential as a dynamic. Remus as a werewolf saw himself as less than, as not being human - not being WORTHY. It's that kind of self-hate which makes me bond with characters (Rumple had the same thing going on). But the whole I love you, all parts of you, even the monster parts - that acceptance of the flaws. That's good stuff.

WINNER: Supernatural

I will post up the next bracket when @purlturtle does theirs! Though we did pick some different things so their bracket will look different from mine. It's going to be interesting!! :)

#romance tropes bracket #fic tropes #this was seriously fun #also I stayed up an hour past bedtime writing all of this out I was COMPELLED #put a quarter in and I will talk story for hours sorry not sorry

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ncityavenue · 2 years

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Could I request nct 127 getting jealous or nct 127 as tropes?

Luv your work btw ❤️

Thank you I appreciate it sugar! <3 anyways here's nct 127 as tropes!! Ngl this turned into a whole book😭😭

NCT 127 AS TROPES

TAEIL

Definitely opposites attract. Taeil is known for being on the more timid side and not causing much of chaos but you were the other side of that. You two were Ying and Yang of human love. Something abt that made Taeil's fall in love with you, he saw you as someone so lively and free he wanted that to be apart of his life. He started out with wanted to know more about your interests to learn more about you to doing those activities with you vice versa.

JOHNNY

Best friend's brother, BRO IT JUST MAKES SENSE!! Like you be chilling at your best friends house giggling with them and then you see johnny walk into his siblings room with just his sweat pants on saying "do you have any more deodorant?" You stared at him (his abs) while his wet hair dripped on his shoulder, his sibling lazily pointed at the deodorant on their dresser and he walked over to get it. Honestly you couldn't stop staring and before he left he winked at you causing a smile to appear on your face.

TAEYONG

Oblivious to love, Sorry love but you'd be the oblivious one. Taeyong is very shy guy, and it takes him long to drop hints to you that he's interested. He needed johnny to help him since he knows johnny isn't afraid to tell any of his crushes how he feels abt them, Taeyong had jumped out of his comfort zone to do hints that he likes but there was no avail. You had thought taeyong was bring a sweetheart to you, you had wished it meant he loved you WHICH HE DID but you didn't suspect that. Oblivion at its finest.

YUTA

Fwb to lovers, UGH ITS JUST WRITTEN ALL OVER THIS POOR FOOL😭 you and yuta swore off that you would only purely be fwb, keep it casual. No literally, after one of your romantic nights you guys held your hand up and both said "I swear." But Yuta bit his own tongue once he saw how you carried yourself day to day, he started being more romantic yknow the classic holding hands thing going out of his way to make you happy. You two one night were high as a kite and after a couple laughs yuta had leaned in kissing you passionately before breaking the number one rule "never say I love you" and he did just that.

DOYOUNG

Second chance love, You and Doyoung were once a happy couple but unfortunately ended in shambles. During an argument before the break-up, You called Doyoung a control freak and that he needs to get therapy while he called you selfish. Both of you had some right claims and wrong, after 2 years of not seeing him here or there you admittedly missed him. Your dreams were fulfilled when you saw him again when you started working at this office, you were in the elevator and as it stopped on the 3rd floor you saw him fix his tie you were shocked to say the least, he was too as he stuttered a "y/n?". That's when you knew it was destiny that brought you back together.

JAEHYUN

Fake Relationship. You and Jaehyun were just coworkers and your company told you to pretend to be together for the attention and of course the money, they knew with your success and admiration around the world mixed with Jaehyun's it would be immaculate. The only problem was that there were no feelings for one another..in the beginning, you two made the deal of only being lovey dovey infront of cameras. But that deal was broken when a drunken night between yourselves, it started from chatting to flirting to touching to kissing to fucking. After that you both didn't know whether or not you wanted this to be official or not

JUNGWOO

Childhood friends to lovers, UGH you guys have been peas in a pod since middle school and jungwoo had always been the shy quiet nerdy boy while you were the popular nice one. He never really knew why you wanted to stay his friend but even in the long distance when you guys grew older you stood up to date with him, you were protective of him since many ppl treated him as an outcast and only a toy. He found you courageous and gorgeous, he always silently admired you not wanting to creep you out. Until on valentines day, Jungwoo was sitting on his couch yet again a lonely love day and he thought abt you already probably on a date or getting pleasure. He heard a knock on his front door and opened the door to see you standing there with a bouquet of flowers and big plushie with a huge box of chocolates, he saw you smiling "will you my valentines?" Jungwoo was very confused, "aren't you already–" "they flunked out on me woo, I want you. Only you." Jungwoo couldn't believe the words coming out your mouth he happily excepted and he definitely made sure he loved you right that night🤭😉.

MARK

Boy next door, yes this is literally mark. You live in duplex and you heard a few of acquaintances in the building talk about this new neighbor, you thought that the neighbor was just really nice until you saw him walk into the apartment next to you with boxes struggling a little bit. Now you knew why they were talking about him, he was a cutie. His puppy eyes with the glasses to match, you giggled a bit from how cute he looked. You wanted to make your grand entrance but you looked like a mess so you fixed yourself up a bit and came back out but before you did he was gone inside his house. You pouted but don't get too sad, the week after you were the one struggling with groceries and Mark had spotted you he suggested for help and you happily obliged. He placed them inside your house, and that's when you introduced yourselves. After that you guys chatted here and there maybe even flirted a bit, but you were walking your dog and happened to run into mark, he had said he was going the same way as you but he was on his way back home clearly but you didn't mind. He offered to go to the Cafe that had outdoor seating, you simply raised an eyebrow and said "it's a date then." You grinned excepting his invite.

HAECHAN

Ok of course haechan is the king of enemies to lovers trope but I also think he's a love triangle guy as well, he could be both. You and haechan had never been the best of friends, you tolerated him only bc you were dating his best friend Jaemin. He couldn't stand the fact you could be liked so quickly and even loved, he thinks your the fakest slut ever (quoted by him). The real reason he didn't like you was because he wanted to be the only you love,cherish, and bang this was not a jealousy towards jaemin he just hated he had those feelings so he took it out on you for it. That was until one night he had like other 100 nights you and jaemin fucking, he couldn't take the bones rising up so he needed to settle this. He had intruded you and jaemins love making, that just made it worse, you had spotted his erection before he could even cover it and go back in his room. Something in your knew this wasn't abt him sleeping peacefully without interruptions, he wanted to join. It only took little convincing until his boxers were off. Then with jaemins permission, you guys started fucking frequently after one of those nights haechan happened to say "I love you" while he came inside you.

#nct #nct scenarios #nct 127 #nct imagines #nct drabbles #nct headcanons #mark lee #haechan #jung jaehyun #nct smut #johnny suh #moon taeil #kim jungwoo #kim doyoung #nakamoto yuta #lee taeyong

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maya-matlin · 4 months

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hi ashton!!! <333 I'm asking you this on anon because I don't wanna get hate I do ship all three ships lol I watched a barchie video and on it a barchie was like "I love how planned they were" and etc and maybe I'm blind asf but planned??? other than a few looks, throwaway comments and etc to cause drama for bughead and varchie it wasn't planned at all imo?? they barely interacted in s2b, S3 and s4a (I'm only talking about those seasons because this video was after 417 lol) and yeah they kissed in 415 but it was to catch donna and the preppies and to protect jughead, they fake dated for like one episode and the barchies are like "they love each other they've wanted each other all along" like what??? and dgms on comments about how they were with jughead and veronica so they wouldn't ruin their friendship and as a rebound, you don't date people for 4+ years to protect your friendship or as a rebound I'm sorry lol 417&418 were done very badly imo, if they wanted us to think they had these feelings for a long time they did a terrible job of showing it!! imo betty thought she had those feelings for him because she loved the idea of him and the 1x01 fantasy quote is very true imo lol I'm sorry but if they were planned from the start they did a terrible job at writing it and showing it!! what cheryl says is so true in 418 bughead (and varchie) were so beautifully developed and they showed how endgame they were which is more than I can say for barchie and I do ship them I'm just saying lol also them saying how it makes no sense for archie to have feelings for veronica in s5 after he was gonna leave her for betty even though he's loved veronica since s1 and always goes back to her and it's him having feelings for betty after everything that makes no sense tbh (talking about S4 ofc lol) it was written very poorly which is the rvd way but lol people saying betty didn't truly love jughead and archie didn't truly love veronica are literally stupid because they were both so endgame coded!!! anyway my question is what are your thoughts on this? that they were planned and how they were written and anything else you wanna add lol I know you hate riverdale and barchie so sorry if I'm bringing up old wounds <3

I'm genuinely sorry you feel as though you can't be honest all because some people on this site don't know how to act. That's ridiculous and completely inexcusable.

Sigh. First of all, it's Riverdale. That show seemed much more committed to the week to week ridiculous, over the top moments meant to garner attention and the instant gratification (for better or worse, in the case of a ship like Bughead who hooked up extremely early on but managed to be a mostly lovable cornerstone of the series for most of its run) than they ever were interested in doing anything long term. So the idea that Betty and Archie's eventual relationship was anything resembling a "slow burn" or well thought out with years-long development is just.. no. Fans are allowed to enjoy what they did get and relish in the smaller moments, intentionally or otherwise, that came before what they believe to be an epic hookup. But in my opinion, it wasn't that deep. The Betty/Archie arc was one of the sorriest excuses for a so-called "inevitable" relationship that I've ever seen. Again, we all interpret things like ships and story lines in different ways. But again, I have to disagree completely. It's as though you're only ever allowed to have loved or cared for one person to the extent that relationships that lasted for the majority of the series are written off as rebounds. For fans who are so committed to recognizing and celebrating tropes, it's interesting to see how often stuff like this gets misinterpreted and how there's a severe misunderstanding for how teen dramas in general work? To be fair, there are other shows where I feel the writing was so terrible that I simply have to call bullshit on it and can't look past my own, personal viewpoint. That being said, ideally if you want to make a compelling, rational argument you need to come away with actual evidence and not just resort to "she liked this guy first, therefore she only ever liked him and we're prepared to write off 77 episodes of content that suggests otherwise."

There were plenty of chances for Riverdale to have properly teased the idea of mutual feelings between Betty and Archie brimming under the surface. Every single opportunity the show had prior to the cheating, they seemed to shut the idea down and instead stuck with the Bughead and Varchie pairings. The biggest one being, of course, the kiss in season 2. A better show (if they truly wanted to explore Betty/Archie) would have either paired them up while both were single or quickly put them back with their original partners, which they did, but demonstrated that in spite of this they couldn't forget the kiss and found themselves drawn to each other. Obviously, this didn't happen. Nothing notable happened again until season 4 where, of all things, they fake dated, and yet none of the intimate moments between the two characters were ever SHOWN to the audience. Just one awkward scene where they texted followed by a contrived musical number featuring flashbacks to their three episodes. Fan fic writers make a gourmet meal with themes like this on a regular basis. How did they fuck it up so badly??

Speaking of that, THIS is what Riverdale should have done in this context and failed to do:

youtube

I hate Lucas and Peyton together. They're easily one of my least favorite ships of all time. But the writers of One Tree Hill at least understood how to execute these moments well. Even though I wasn't a fan of everything done to push Lucas and Peyton back together, the actual moment where everything clicks for Peyton and we see through flashbacks how much Lucas has meant to her was very effective. The Origin of Love wasn't on this level because there wasn't anything to call back to outside of three episodes (101, 102, 209).

As for the time jump years, it honestly felt like the friends with benefits "arc" was supposed to be the beginning and end of the exploration between Betty and Archie. It had a clear beginning with them (literally) coming together out of loneliness and because they were trying to bury their respective traumas by losing themselves in each other. The whole thing ends with Betty realizing and vocalizing to Archie why they don't work together. Archie realizes independently of Betty that he's still in love with Veronica and doesn't want to be the guy Betty turns to for emotional stuff. That alone has pretty awful implications considering they're supposed to be former childhood best friends. But whatever. 509-518 did absolutely nothing to set up Betty or Archie missing each other or changing their perspectives and needs in such a way where their hookup at the end of the season made any damn sense. Season 6 felt as though Betty was given a lobotomy and was forced to be Archie's ideal woman at all costs as he did nothing but be his wonderful self because he only deserves the best. But even that's not really good enough considering the show made Archie the savior of Riverdale and Betty the Harlot of Babylon. Not even Betty, the so-called flawless girl next door, can possibly live up to the paragon of virtue that should be the future Mrs. Archie Andrews. In Archie's defense (even though he bugs me and I don't like defending him), he doesn't seem to put this pressure on Betty maliciously or even knowingly. But the narrative will not stop punishing Betty during the time jump years for her "sins" all the while never holding Archie accountable for doing the same or similar things. So as a result, somehow the relationship became even worse for me. Betty is constantly and consistently misunderstood with Archie barely scratching the surface of who Betty is as a person. It's so painful to see knowing how Betty and Jughead clicked on all levels and could clearly see into each other's souls. Even though they came from different worlds, they found love and acceptance in each other with their endgame basically already written until bad writing tore it apart.

ANYWAYS. I'll never know exactly what the show thought it was doing. It genuinely felt as though there was a plan in place as late as season 5 to put Betty back together with Jughead while keeping Archie and Veronica together. But then some genius got the idea for a 5 episode event that seemed to tease the idea that the ships they hooked up at the end of season 5 were the wrong ones. Then somehow, said ships were basically kept together for the entirety of season 6 even after the characters were back in "normal" Riverdale. Or you know, Lili and Cole went through a messy breakup considering Cole overshared on that podcast and so Bughead was potentially Chophia'd outside of a handful of episodes. But then, the series finale featured a lot of interaction between those two to the point where it feels strongly implied their characters end up together in the "sweet hereafter", so who even knows? All I know is that Riverdale was a terrible show and should never get any credit for good writing.

#Anonymous #Long post

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oregano-gremlin · 6 months

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a, e, i, k, for the fic asks!!

A: Of the fanfic you’ve written, which is your favorite and why?

oooh um... probably this one? i feel like i tend to have a hard time conveying emotion in my writing, but i really like how the tone of this one turned out. my more melancholy than super angsty tendencies worked pretty well in it, i'd say.

E: What character do you identify with most? Is there a certain fic of yours that captures these qualities particularly well?

the two characters who i think i relate to/project on the most in my writing are probably childe from genshin impact and dave strider from homestuck. in regards to childe, i've written and posted a little under 80k words of fic featuring him either as the protagonist or love interest, and my favorite study of his character specifically would have to be this fic. the one i linked earlier i also think i wrote him well in, but he's not the pov character of that one.

on the other hand, i've only posted one pretty short fic about dave, but i've got something like 10k words more squirreled away on my computer as part of a longer wip.

as for my favorite parts of their characters, i think they're actually kind of similar- self-worth issues and self-destructive behavior contrasted with a relatively cheerful personality, and also being completely abandoned by your family/parental figure(s) when you needed them most but refusing to see your treatment as anything but what you deserved and continuing to support them anyways. for childe specifically, i also like the potential for catholic guilt and religious themes, for dave, i like his canon arc about queerness and overcoming toxic masculinity/homophobia taught to him by bro a lot.

I: How many fandoms have you written in? Do you have a favorite?

posted to my ao3, i've written death note, genshin and homestuck. i've been on a homestuck kick lately, but my biggest issue trying to write for that fandom is constantly doubting myself in regards to whether or not i am correctly understanding the way that things work in canon. still, the brain worms crave to be let out, so i do my best lol.

K: Do you have a guilty pleasures in fic (reading or writing)?

any tropes that force characters to do relationship-y things before they're actually in a relationship (or before they confess). fake dating, only one bed, arranged marriages etc, they've all tons of fun. i personally haven't really written much of this, but i would definitely be interested in trying my hand at it in the future.

#thanks for the ask!#sorry this turned into a bit of a wall lol #i got carried away talking about blorbos :')

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leer-reading-lire · 9 months

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Last read:

Title: The Spanish Love Deception

Author: Elena Armas

Translator: Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency and Sandra Bruna Agencia Literaria

Number of Pages: 504

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

First published: 2021

Read: 10 - 22 December 2023

Thoughts:

This book was clearly written by a romcoms fan. I can’t comment on the references and similarities to The Wedding Date (2005) because I haven’t seen that movie. That the author is a fan of Twilight is also apparent. Perhaps there were way too many allusions to it. The one that particularly always makes me roll my eyes is describing the male romantic interest as a “Greek god”.

I quite fancy Aaron Blackford, although is glaringly obvious he’s a fictional man and by no means he’s plausible as real man.

I love the fake-dating trope and these one was well executed.

I was pleasantly surprised by Catalina going with Aaron as his fake date first, before going to Spain and pretend to be a couple.

I also enjoyed the “misunderstanding” from the beginning of their acquaintance. It was very Pride and prejudice. I liked that instead of offending her for not being pretty enough, she took offense on being labeled not professional enough. It was a nice modern touch.

This reading is fast, funny, lighthearted, and entertaining.

The problems at the end were resolved exaggeratedly easy. That the injustices in the workplace can be fixed that readily is not believable at all, but for the purposes of the story it’s fine.

The only part that didn’t sit well with me was almost at the end when Catalina didn’t jump blindly into the relationship consequently “letting Aaron down”. I mean, realistically all Catalina’s worries and fears were fair and Aaron by no means had the same things to lose.

Anyway, I did have fun reading this romance novel.

#tbrbusterchallenge2023 #bookbanditchallenge #the spanish love deception #elena armas #Catalina Martín #Aaron Blackford #enemies to lovers #fake dating #romantic comedy #romance books #books and plants #books and flowers #books and reading #booklr #leerreadinglire #reading challenge #last read

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rockinlibrarian · 11 months

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Very late with the happy-fic-writer game, but: 7 and 12!

HEyyyyy! I'm always up for an ask or two! This refers to this one, here, posted a week ago, which isn't THAT long ago so join in!

7. What do you love most about being a fic writer for your fandom?

As I said here (and answered the question in a slightly different way), I'm a multi-fandom writer-- which @steeple-sinderby has first-hand experience with, being that she's gamely beta'd everything from "our shared fandom but not my ship" fics to "I know absolutely nothing about the source material of this fic-that-is-nothing-but-inside-jokes-about-the-source-material" fics (oh, I think there was ONE CHAPTER of an actual "gen fic in our shared fandom"! Amazing!) (also have to throw in the "absurd RPF of several fandoms I know vaguely enough" because that took guts, too!)

And anyway, I like being multi-fandom, because I can take pretty much any idea and start to run with it. That makes for lots and lots of fics started that MAY never get completed (never say never!)! In the past week I have started three different fics in three different fandoms, only one of which I've ever written in before and that with different characters, too, and one of which probably isn't even properly a "fandom" but a work that just makes a good writing prompt. One is just pure crack I started when we finished reading a book and @sunnymarbles said "But I want to know about [insert throwaway detail that's-not-even-a-plot-point]!" and I said "That's what fanfic is for!" and I did a search on AO3 and while there were indeed several fics for the book series itself, nobody HAD explored throwaway-detail-that's-not-even-a-plot-point, so I felt compelled to do it myself. I have one paragraph, and a vague idea for a bit more plot, and if WHEN I ever finish it I'll be sure to share it!* Probably no knowledge of canon needed, because it's crack. At least compared to what other people have posted in the fandom.

*@sunnymarbles, I've been meaning to share it with you long before that, so you can help me brainstorm, but it's been a busy week. Ask me when you get home.

No I lied, it's short, here is the entirety of what I have written for this:

The moose of the Green Mountains knew to avoid the place they called the Unstable Slope, or “oooOOOOOOoooo” in their native tongue. Ninety generations had passed since the first BoomQuakes broke the mountain, and still young moose were warned away, despite tales of a mythical lake that appeared suddenly there for several years, only to just as suddenly dry up again.

(If you can name the source material from that, you get a point! It's a YA mystery series. Those are your hints).

Anyway, let's move on.

12. What is your favorite theme/subject matter/trope/ship to write about? Why?

How They Became Friends. This occasionally branches off into "How They Fell In Love" or "How One of Them Learned The Other's Secret(s)" or "How They Got Into THAT Mess," but it all stems from How They Became Friends, which is the theme/trope I've been writing on since I pretty much started writing at the age of seven. I guess it was a kind of fantasy-self-insert writing that happened to be original fiction instead of fic, because I was a really lonely kid, and I'd noted that when people were forced into An Adventure together, it brought them closer. Because, you know, it skipped over all that boring Small Talk and Faking Interest In the Latest Fad that real life friend-making seemed to require. So it was that every story I wrote for the first few years of my life involved Me and Some People I Knew In Real Life stumbling into an Adventure (usually involving fantasy elements because I needed all the non-mundane help I could get).

It stuck, even when I started actually making real friends without the aid of portals to other dimensions. It's a theme that lends itself to fanfic naturally, because media is FULL of established relationships to wonder about the beginnings of, and you don't necessarily have to worry too much about plot when you write fanfic. It can BE simply 800 words of "This is How They Became Friends" with bonus time travel complications.

This probably loops back to why I'm a multi-fandom writer, because there's only so many times you can introduce the characters to each other per fandom. I say while a full 10 of my 19 posted Legion fics manage to fall under this theme umbrella, and those only really covering the friendships of four of the many characters. Yay multiple timelines!

#ask game #writing #fanfic

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jinglejanglingwanderer · 2 years

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🎶✨when u get this u have to put 5 songs u actually listen to, publish. then, send this ask to 10 of your favorite followers (non-negotiable, positivity is cool) 🎶✨

Oh? 😳 I'm one of your favorite followers? I- I'm actually so touched by that?? That's super cool. I do actually think you and your stuff is pretty cool too, so honestly I consider this quite the honor lol.

As for songs... I'm glad this doesn't ask for favorite songs cuz me and the concept of favorite things isn't a thing lmao. Actually listen to though? Uh, whatever I'm in the mood for/relevant to what I'm doing/story I'm brainstorming for.

So, with that said.

TL;DR version:

Labyrinth by Miracle Musical

I Got No Time, CG5 cover

Brutus by The Buttress

(Secret Bonus Song: Imposter by 1551)

Heartaches, Patsy Cline cover

Haunted Heart by Christina Aguilera

For further explanation (because oh god it go so long and wordy lmao I'm so sorry haha), under read more.

I know we both are anti-Loki series so how's this: I plan to eventually rewrite the Loki series as I would have liked to see it done. A song from that playlist that I feel best represents as a whole the vibe/story that I am planning is Labyrinth by Miracle Musical.

Honestly, I only mostly focus on my own version of Loki as an f/o along with my self-insert character Rose (a self-ship). I haven't written anything out yet (I plan to. One day, amirite lol) but I have playlists of different plot arc ideas as well as different aus (and boy oh boy do I got lots of aus lmao r.i.p. me) Recently, I've been really wanting to/planning to write a little something for Halloween. A human!au of Rose and Loki as teenagers (friends) who do ghost hunting. Mostly, bc Rose wants to do that and Loki just wants to hang with Rose so gets roped into it (the believer and the skeptic, if you were wondering). I'd go into it but basically things relationship-wise goes sideways, college is coming up and they go separate ways except Loki goes and spends 2 or 3 years and comes back to find out Rose disappeared just before college-time. And turns out she went ghost hunting just one last time and didn't return home. 👀 So Lokes and his new best friend, Amora (no romantic feelings, just buds) go do a little ghost hunting adventure all of their own and boy oh boy what do they find. 😏 For a song from Rose's perspective in this au story, I Got No Time covered by CG5.

I also want to write an au of (guess who) Rose and Loki with the monster hunter and monster romance trope. Inspired by Werewolf By Night, of course. With a frost giant-raised Loki, but still obviously has magic and shapeshifting abilities, including looking human. 😏😏😏 Also there's a lot more when it comes to the monster hunters in my story, but basically Rose is the daughter of one of the main families of this collection of monster hunters and Lokes is basically being an uncover spy, worming his way deeper and deeper into the monster hunter group so as to bring it down from the inside. And the best way he sees to accomplishing that end is romancing Rose, who's very clearly insecure and constantly desiring/seeking out her parent's affection/praise (aka an easy target of a weak link). Except, of course, how unfortunate that he ends up actually falling in love with her lmao. (Fake relationship turned real trope? Absolutely, sign me up. 😏) Anyway, a really good song I've found recently that really shows Rose's thoughts/feelings (of anger and jealousy) here when Loki shows ups and joins the group, quickly rising up the ranks and becoming an even better hunter than her (when she was already seen as top dog) is Brutus by The Buttress.

A Secret Bonus Song! Because I do really feel if you don't know about 1551 you really need to hear them. Also, especially, this song (Imposter) because it's so good! The little Among Us piano tune playing in the background. The little malevolent laugh. Mwah! So good.

I also have some other blogs not Loki or Marvel/MCU-related. One of them is BioFuckingShock. I've been making a secret little new Halloween theme for it. (Almost done, gonna change themes tonight so I don't really care if the cat's out the bag now.) On the theme, itself is a music player playing It's just a burning memory from The Caretaker's Everywhere at the End of Time. But before I chose that I made a whole little playlist of possibly eerie little songs that I could imagine playing and hauntingly echo throughout a little town. One of those songs is Patsy Cline's cover of Heartaches. I don't know. I just love it. The kinda groovy beat of the song while still being haunting. Good shit right there.

I also have a Haunted Mansion playlist for the blog I have for that stuff that I also haven't actually really used (lmao, I plan too, soon too, i swear haha 😥). But one of the songs I really like from that playlist is Haunted Heart by Christina Aguilera. So haunting yet the immense feeling of maliciousness just barely under the surface, like just a little twisted malicious grin/smile. If you know the vibes the Haunted Mansion gives, then you get it.

God, there's more songs too that I would just love to share. Partially, because I'm like I don't know if they know this song exists but they Should!! Partially, because I just actually wanna talk about my story ideas but ya know lmao that's a lot to just dump on a person, especially at once. 😂

But I do think this is a good cross-section of stuff, especially that's holding my attention right now. There's still other stuff but I'm not focused on those right now lol. Also, you asked for 5 songs not a million so, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ maybe another time. (Look, you got one bonus song, let's not make it a billion more lol).

#personal #therese-lokidottir

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kvrlsefni · 3 years

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❝ STUPID IN LOVE ❞ | mikey, mitsuya, baji, kazutora.

NOW PLAYING | mikey; is this love by aalia... mitsuya; love grows (where my rosemary goes) by edison lighthouse... baji; best friend by laufey... kazutora; overgrown garden by beetlebug.

summary: you and the tokrev boys as love tropes :) | tokrev x f!reader

note: unedited. it's 6:30am and i haven't slept i'm so sorry but i had to get this idea written before i forgot and before i knew it, the sun was already out // NO ONE ASK ME WHY THAT ONE # WAS THERE 2 HOURS AGOI TOLD U IT WAS 6:30

-`, [mikey] : light of my life

↳ listen, listen, listen.

↳ after everything that's happened or IS happening to mikey at the moment, it doesn't hurt to have some pillars of stability. he has many including his sister, his friends, etc. but he also has you.

↳ it'd be so cute please you can literally just walk in the room and his mood would lighten up so quickly

↳ he could be having a meeting with toman and he's so kdsjksjd right, like the authoritative voice and aura and the cool demeanor but after that, he'll turn to talk to you (ofc you get to stand behind him or smthn if you're present for toman meetings //assuming you're not apart of the gang, if you are then you're stationed close to him//) and ask you if you're okay, if the meeting was alright, if he sounded good or how the plan sounded, with the softest mf voice.

↳ he'd always tease you but you know he means well. always greeting you with a smile and asking you about your day, you could honestly go on a whole rant about anything and he'd listen.

↳ he’d pick you up from school (and respect your wishes of him not interrupting in the middle of class to pull you out of it) together with draken or sometimes not and together, y’all would go eat somewhere afterwards. if not, then expect convenience store stops on the way home.

↳ late night bike rides.

↳ it’s something you two would do i just know it. it’s late at night, and you sneak out to meet up with him somewhere and you two would just ride around and go anywhere that isn’t too far. the wind and the dim lights along with the night sky was amazing in itself, but spending the night up talking with someone who’s always there to listen without judgement is the best (that goes both ways for you two).

↳ mikey was very thankful for you and he cherished you dearly. you along with everyone else, you were keeping him sane, and you were another reason he wanted to wake up in the morning.

-`, [mitsuya] : childhood sweetheart.

↳ i can't stress enough how much childhood or high school sweethearts vibes mitsuya gives me. your story is quite literally the shoujo manga i'd cry about as being so cute.

↳ you two would have met in school when you two were children and y'all stuck together through the years.

↳ mitsuya would be the guy you talk to about anything, and that included guy problems. he'd help you pick an outfit for a date and he'd be the one who gives you good advice, and he's the guy who comforts you when the date goes bad or your boyfriend did you dirty. all that leading up to the moment mitsuya decided one day that he could treat you better.

↳ ANYWAY i can't explain it but ?? y'all would start off as the "they aren't dating?" and somewhere along the way, it starts to change <3 mitsuya becomes the "why aren't i dating him?" for you and you become the "wow she's so pretty. i never noticed that before? i mean, i did before but something about her is?? different???"

↳ you two would start hanging out more and i can see you as fixing your hair a lot or dressing up a bit more if you two were to ever meet up. to which mitsuya would think you're so adorable. these hangouts?? of yours?? start becoming like dates??

↳ i wonder when that happened?? ;>

-`, [baji] : fake relationship

↳ :)) he did it to make his mom happy when one day she expressed how worried she was that he seemed to be lonely and went all "is there no one you're interested in, son?"

↳ he didn't really want to date. has no time to do so. would rather focus on his studies, his friends and his family, but he didn't want his mom to worry at all about anything. so he decided on operation: get a (fake) girlfriend.

↳ sure, girls at school would probably throw themselves at him if he asked, but the first person he thought of was you.

↳ you were someone he and some others in toman were friends with, so that made things easier. plus you were pretty smart in class and (also) wanted to have good grades, so whatever future "dates" you two could have, y'all could either study together or something. it was perfect! his mom also knew you by name since either he or chifuyu would mention you from time to time, so it wasn't like you were a complete stranger as well!

↳ how you two fall in love is very... entertaining. there is clearly a progressive flow on how you two started out to how you are now. you both wouldn't know how it started but one day it suddenly was like you were different in each other's eyes.

↳ it'd probably start with one or two of you started to get more excited for the study session you two would have. unlike before where... it wasn't like you two dreaded it, but it was more like a "come here, let's stay in the same room like besties hanging out and do our own stuff". it'd escalate to your once in a while actual dates to prove y'all actually went out to start being more like a real one. maybe his hand would brush against yours while watching a movie in the theatre, and maybe baji would take a candid photo of you admiring the puppy you saw in the pet shop because you were just too cute (he'd make it his wallpaper).

↳ it won't really be too long until you two remove the "fake" in your label <3

-`, [kazutora] : second chance

↳ this is a little more just a bit angsty than the rest

↳ yall were probably like sweethearts or had some unestablished feelings to one another before... the incident that led kazutora to have to go away for a bit.

↳ when you first heard of what happened, you were in denial that that happened. that would never happen. he'd never do that, right heartbroken. shocked. confused. betrayed. you felt many things once the denial subsided, but it wasn't your place to say anything.

↳ that's the first half of your story. it continues to once he gets out. when he does, the first thing on his mind was where were you? since you never visited him (or at least none that he ever was aware of), and he didn't blame you for it. but yet still, he worried for you. he wanted to know how you were doing. how you were all this time and how much has changed. he also wanted you to know how sorry he was. you were probably confused, and scared even, and he knows he caused you pain when he suddenly disappeared like that.

↳ he'd bump into you again once he visits all the usual spots you would go to back then, and when you two lock eyes, you nearly drop whatever it is you're holding until one of you finally utters out a slightly awkward "hey".

↳ kazutora knew he messed up, and he's spend his time trying to make it up to you. he'd "bump" into you more, and with him, he'd always have small trinkets he knows you enjoy on him. the snack you enjoy that he said he packed but got full so you could have it, or your favourite flower he "found" on the way there and so on.

↳ this carries on for a bit and trust me, the moment you start to accept him again and you show him your smile and laughter again, his heart would melt <33 he'd do anything to see you happy again

tags: @01-20-1992

#[ ii. juno’s works ]#tokyo revengers x reader #tokrev #tokyo revengers #mikey x reader #mitsuya x reader #draken x reader #baji x reader #kazutora x reader #manjiro sano #manjiro sano x reader

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wenellyb · 3 years

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Is Sambucky Canon or Not?

TL;DR: Yes, it is

I've seen some people saying that they only see friendship between Sam and Bucky, and I can understand that. Because depending on your education, the environment you grew up and the kind of media you’re usually exposed to, you will have a different interpretation of different situations, in real life or in TV. Just let me insert a short story before I dive into the Sambucky topic:

My best friend's uncle is in his fifties and has been living with his roommate (a man) for more than 10 years. They lived together, went on holidays together but officially were just roommates. My best friend wondered if they were a couple, but never talked about it to her parents because it wasn't her business. Two years ago, they decided to come out and get married. My best friend's parents and his parents were genuinely surprised, they were not expecting that, at all, not even a little bit. Let me tell you that it didn’t even cross their mind that it was a possibility, at all. For them, it had always just been two men who had decided to live together because they were single. And preferred to have a roommate rather than living alone.

What I want to say with this story is that people will see what they want to see, or what they're used to see, or what they were raised to see. It’s human.

What I mean is that you will have different perception of a same event, depending on your own circumstances. And I think the writers of TFATWS were counting on that a little bit when it came to Sam and Bucky’s relationship. They obviously didn't want to make some big announcement or big love declaration.

And yes, of course, I have my own circumstances as well, influencing the way I see things. I have shipped SamBucky since Civil War, when they were supposedly enemies. I never expected anything to happen between them on screen. But then they got a show together and I was so so happy about it but I didn't expect anything other than friendship between them.

I was perfectly fine with that because a show was already more than enough: my man Sam Wilson was becoming Captain America, the show was great, the characters were great, their interactions were great, and this wasn't a love story anyway but a superhero show. I thought that here was no way the showrunners would ever go there. I changed my mind after episode 5. I tried to stay objective, but it was clear to me that the writers were hinting at a relationship that went beyond friendship between Sam and Bucky. In some of my previous posts, I explained that there are some scenes and writing choices that make absolutely no sense if you read them as a scene between two friends. I can link them if anyone’s interested.

Side note: I would like to know if one person on this website can tell me what was up with Bucky's behavior with Torres (in episode 5)? What other explanation is there, if not jealousy? It's a scene they chose to keep, so it was probably written this way, there must be a reason. Please I’m begging someone explain it to me. I'm genuinely asking, because otherwise that scene alone is canon Sambucky.

After episode 5, I was convinced they would make Sambucky canon, one way or the other and I started speculating about the ways they could do it. What I said was that if they did make Sambucky canon, they would do it in a very subtle way, in order not to make it too obvious because that’s generally how Marvel movies deal with love stories. And also because they wouldn’t want to scare away their homophobic audience ( I guess Disney needs their money...who knows)

So here are the scenes of how I imagined SamBucky becoming canon and the comparison with reality:

- What I thought we could get : AJ and Cass calling Bucky "Uncle Bucky" - What we got: AJ and Cass running up to Bucky and playing with him. This point is interesting because it’s also related to the point I made about how the environment you grew up in influences your perception of things. I grew up in a big family and I know that, at least in my family, kids don't run up to an adult like that just because it's their uncle’s friend or just because he's nice... There's a real bond there. They haven't seen Bucky just that one time when he slept on the couch. They're obviously close. But some people might just see this as kids being kids. Also, if you watch at how the kids were fake punching him, they were really coordinated with Bucky. They have done this plenty of times. 2.

What I thought we could see: A non-explicit scene where we were supposed to draw our own conclusions. I thought they could show us Bucky staying over for the night, and the last scene would be an empty couch, meaning we would have to understand that Bucky slept in Sam's room this time.

-What we got: Bucky arriving in Sam's car ( A few people on Tumblr pointed out that it was the car Sam was driving in episode 1) So here again we have a scene that a lot of people will not notice. But they still chose to put it there. 3.

What I thought could happen: Sam asking Bucky to stay in Delacroix

What we got: Bucky wrapping things up in New York, as if he was leaving the city for good and coming to Sam's party as if he already knew everyone there. You can read my take on this here. 4. What I thought could happen: The scene in the trailer where we see them looking in the same direction and then we get a shot from very far away where they're holding hands but it’s not so obvious because they are being filmed from a disctance. -What we got: The scene in trailer and then a blurry shot of Sam holding Bucky and then fondling with his neck to find the best spot to rest his hand on. So none of the scenes I was imagining happened exactly like I had imagined, but it felt like all of them happened but in a different versions, which is still crazy to me. If it had been only one scene. I could probably understand the people who see them as just friends. Actually, I still do understand the people who see them as just friends, because everyone has their own interpretation. What I am saying is that they are NOT being portrayed as just friends. There are TOO many scenes in the 6 episodes for it to be a coincidence. One or 2 would be ok but friendship doesn’t explain everything:

The therapy scene (not the therapy scene itself since it was improvised) but the therapist saying she had heard a lot about Sam and wanting them to do a couples’ therapy

Bucky following Sam no matter what

Sam saying ok as soon as Bucky says "do it for me"

Sam asking "what about Bucky?"

Bucky starting to touch Sam whenever he has the chance

Bucky being the one to bringing the suit for Sam

The boat repairing montage

Bucky wanting to stay at Sam's place, when a hotel room would have been more comfortable than a couch

The second day of boat repair in closed quarters with an intense staring scene.

And there are so many other scenes, soft touches, looks,...

These writing choices are not a coincidence, it’s not involuntary, and it’s not fan service ( Fan service is the roll in the flower field scene, or the therapy session). This is them telling a story.

Let’s not even talk about the scenes in Endgame:

Sam comforting bucky at Tony’s funeral

Sam looking up to Bucky for approval before accepting the shield from Steve.

So yes, Sam and Bucky are canon in the sense that Peter and Gamora were canon in the first movie, or Wanda and Vision were canon in Captain Civil War. Meaning that there was no big moment, kiss or anything, but the show is consistently throwing elements clearly showing Sam and Bucky as a romantic item and hinting at a lot more than friendship between them.

It is normal that some people have a different opinion. Because it is extremely rare, in big productions like this to have two male leads with romantic feelings towards each other, so not a lot people who see it will interpret it as such (I don't think it ever happened). You’ll see what you’re used to seeing.

I guess it also depends on what you expect from a love story. For me, the storyline between the characters, their scenes, their chemistry, the way their feelings towards each other are described, are the most important. The kiss scene is just there as a bonus, but I don't need it when the love story is told perfectly. If you’re used to seeing love stories with many kissing scenes, that’s what you will be expecting to see in most love stories.

If you're only used to seeing male friendships in superhero or action movies. The 1000th time you see men interacting in that type of movie or show, you are more likely to assume it is a friendship and nothing more, no matter how many codes and tropes usually associated with romantic movies, the writers and show makers are using.

Add to that the conviction that Disney would never approve Sambucky in a million years, and there you go, I can understand the people who see only friendship.

But, just think about it, if we had the same show, same scenes, same dialogues, but minus the action scenes and the project was being marketed as an Indie movie, would you think they were just friends or a blossoming couple?

If you read Sambucky’s relationship like a friendship: some scenes don't make sense. If you read it like a developing romantic relationship: it all makes sense. "When you hear hoofs, think horse, not zebra" If a writer or a film director chooses a last scene with a romantic setting and the two leads are staring at a sunset, smiling repeatedly at each other and then walking away together with one of them touching the other's neck, with a love song in the background, maybe friendship isn't the first thought they had in mind.

Some people may say “I see them as just friends” and other people may say “ I see them as lovers” and both are fine, because people have different perceptions, and that’s ok.

What I am saying is this post is that the show and the writers are portraying them as more than just friends, they’re portraying them as two characters who are romantically involved.

Perceive what you want but that’s how they are being presented in the show.

Bucky’s therapist said that the exercise she gave them was for couples who want to figure out what kind of life they want to build together. Then, the show ends with Sam and Bucky, staring at a sunset together, looking in the same direction.

“Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction. “ - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

What else do you need???

This show had more romance than half of the Marvel projects out there. Not every love story needs a kiss (for now...)

We'll see in their next projects which direction the writers want to go with this. But since it was said that the writer on the movie is the same as the writer from episode 5, there's no doubt in my mind that we'll keep seeing this dynamic. I don't think they would have made the same choices if this had been a movie. But I won't complain that we got this. I hope they keep this going even if it stays subtle like in the show. Just hope they will add one explicit scene where one of the characters acknowledges their relationship. But even if we only ever get this show, it’s already a great love story. Let me know what you guys think and sorry for the typos and grammar mistakes, I was tired when I wrote the last part. I hope it still makes sense!

If you think they're only being portrayed as friends let me know why! I would also like to know about the way you see this!

#sambucky #sam wilson #bucky barnes #tfatws #the falcon and the winter soldier #tfatws spoilers #Please feel free to comment on this and tell me what you think #I'm genuinely interested in having other POVs

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drspencerweed · 3 years

Text

Dear Spence

Night 1

spencer reid x fem!reader

series masterlist

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fic summary: Going undercover as serial killer bait was simple. Going undercover as serial killer bait three months after being kidnapped was not so simple. Going undercover with the love of my life and having to pretend to be in love with him while also pretending I was pretending was….well it was about as complicated as it sounds.

chapter summary: Sharing a bed was going to make the mission much harder than I expected, and that's saying something.

Chapter Word Count: 2.8k

Content: Rated M (16+) fem!reader, mentions of past kidnapping, trauma responses, nightmares, descriptions of past kidnapping, canon-typical violence, fake relationship, friends to lovers, hurt/comfort, angst, fluff, only one bed trope

tw for this chapter: mentions of past kidnapping, descriptions of a panic attack

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[Prologue]

I paused in front of the mirror while I brushed my teeth, my eyes caught by the glint of my fake ring set. Spencer had gotten ready before me, so he had been climbing into bed when I slipped into the bathroom with my pajamas in my hand. I stared into my own eyes, observing the smallness of my pupils and the bags underneath them. My heart clenched in my chest when my mind wandered to Spencer again.

The rest of the day had made things harder and harder for me. He had kissed me in every room; while I was propped up on the kitchen counter, with an arm around me on the couch, even pressed against the dining room table. He was playing his role to the max, we were sickly sweet in love. His arms wrapped around me while I cooked dinner, pressing kisses into the back of my neck. It was so easy to get lost in it.

A few times throughout the day, he pulled me into the bedroom with playful eyes. Of course I would follow him, and then we would get in the room and he would drop the physical contact as quickly as possible. “Just to give us some breaks.” He said. I did appreciate the time to gather myself. It helped me not get too lost in the fantasy of the situation. But without fail, the moment we were out of the bedroom again, my heart was pounding and I felt like we were in love.

And now I was staring at myself in the mirror, trying not to cry. Because it was fake. It was all fake. I gripped the sides of the sink with my toothbrush still in my hand, and stared at the whites of my eyes. How was I going to survive another week or two of this?

A light knock sounded from the door. My head whipped to look at it. “[Y/N]?” Spencer called. “I’m heading to the kitchen for a glass of water, do you need anything?”

“I-I’m fine.” I choked out. My voice betrayed me, and I knew that Spencer knew me well enough to hear through it.

“Are you sure?” He asked.

I cleared my throat and tried again. “Really, I’m fine! Thank you though!” I said, brighter this time.

“Okay, well, if you’re sure...” Spencer answered. He didn’t really sound like he believed me. I sighed when I heard his retreating footsteps. The rest of the week had to get better, I couldn’t keep going if I was having a breakdown in the bathroom every night. I spit out my toothpaste and rinsed my mouth out, splashing some water on my face to attempt to reduce the redness. Taking a deep breath, I grabbed my clothes off of the floor and dug through my pocket to grab the paper there. I pulled it out and slid down to the floor with my back against the door.

Unfolding the paper was second nature. It only took two flips to see the name written on the outside, in my shaky hand.

Dr. Spencer Reid

I ran my fingers over it gently, as if I could pull the words through my fingertips. Then I flipped the final fold and revealed the full letter. I had read it so many times since I first wrote it, that I didn’t really need the paper to recite it. But I let my eyes follow the words anyway.

Dear Spence,

I’m writing this because he’s going to kill me. He told me to choose who to address my last words to, and of course I chose you. It was easy, really. No one deserves my goodbye like you do. I’m sorry it’s another letter, I know how much you hate those. But I don’t have any way to give you anything better.

He keeps reciting famous last words to me, as if mine should matter just as much. I think he’s obsessed with our legacies, what it means to have something left behind when you’re no longer here. I wonder what my legacy will be. The pressure to pick something perfect is more than I thought. You’d think I would be scared of death, but I’m more scared that this letter won’t be good enough. Death seems inevitable now.

I wish I could see your face right now. I would give anything to see your face one last time. You would help me pick the perfect quote to leave off on, the perfect synonym to make it more eloquent. I can just imagine you correcting my word choice and giggling as I write out scary texts. My last words have to mean something, they have to be perfect.

I think I know what they’re going to be, now. But I want to save them. And I can’t leave you with half a letter. Imagine? He gave me this much paper and I am going to use every inch of it. To tell you how important you are. To me. To everyone. To the world. You tend to forget, I think.

You mean so much to the world. Everything you do is in the effort of making it better. Your brain is the most noted when people talk about you, but I think that’s blatantly disregarding your heart. You do good deeds for the sake of doing them, not for recognition or even for a thank you. You save people everyday, and there are so many lives that you have touched.

This team loves you. Every single one of them. You are a light in everyone’s life. I know you don’t see it, and I know how you analyze everything everyone does to convince yourself they don’t want you around. But they do want you around! And they love you so fucking much. Spencer, please remember that. Please see how much you mean to them.

And that leaves how important you are to me, I suppose. You’re my best friend. You came into my life rambling about Doctor Who and you shattered everything I knew about what it meant to feel wanted. You showed me compassion and excitement and you wanted to be around me, like, all the time. And it made me so happy. No words feel good enough to describe how much you mean to me. Everything about you is so important. The way you laugh, the way you ramble, the way you read me. You always manage to know what I’m feeling before I do, don’t you?

I’ve been keeping a secret from you. At least, I think it’s still a secret. Maybe you’ve guessed already, or Morgan figured it out. Maybe I’m not half as subtle as I think and maybe this letter won’t have the impact that I expect it to, but I want my last words to mean something to me. And as often as I think I’ll take this secret to the grave, I know that if I died and you never knew it I’d never forgive myself. Not because I need to get it off my chest, but because you deserve to know.

Even if you don’t say it, you make me feel loved. I know it’s not in that way, but I still feel it. You let me feel like I deserve to feel love. Like I’m worth something to this world. Not many people have ever made me feel that way. And you deserve to feel that way, too.

You deserve to be loved. I’ve watched you brush it off so many times, out of fear, or anxiety, or reasons maybe I don’t even know. But you deserve it, more than anyone I know. You pour love out into the world, and you deserve to receive it too. After I’m gone, let love into your life. I’m sorry I was too much of a coward to give it to you.

Please forgive me for leaving you, Spencer. If I had a choice I would never leave your side. Too many people have left you and I can’t believe I’m about to be one of them. At least I’ll get to say what I want to say, first. Maybe this will help. Maybe this will make it worse. Either way, I’m sorry.

The paper is running out, as you can see. I have to finish quickly and make sure there’s space for my last words. I want them big and bold and clear and I don’t want my tears to smudge the ink, so I need to get it together quickly. Nothing feels quite right to say before this. Goodbye, I suppose.

I will love you endlessly, Spencer Reid.

Yours Forever,

[Y/N]

The paper was tear stained and a bit faded as it had been a few months since it was written. Everytime I read it, I remembered the feeling of being back there, of being so close to death. I remembered the frigid metal that was constantly pressed to the back of my neck, the dripping of the ceiling in the dark basement. The single red light I had to write by.

I was only kidnapped for a few hours, held hostage and forced to write out my last words. Compared to the things I’ve seen survivors go through, it was nothing. The bonds that tied me to my chair were not biting, and the only weapon I saw was a gun. It was scary and horrifying but nothing compared even to what Spencer himself had gone through. I felt silly sitting here three months later, crying over a letter I knew I'd never send.

My hands shook as I dug through my clothes to find my cell phone. I dialed the first person I could think of, trying to choke down a sob.

“[Y/N]? Is everything okay?” Emily answered quickly, knowing that if we had information we were supposed to call Hotch directly. I tried to speak but it came out garbled, so I took a deep breath and tried again.

“I-I don’t know if I can do this.” I whispered into the phone. “I know I said I could and I really thought I could but now I’m here and it’s real and-”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down for a second.” Emily instructed. I stopped and took another shaky breath, my cheeks hot with tears. “Breathe, okay. Take a moment to just breathe, alright.” I nodded even though she couldn’t see me, and took a few deep breaths until my breathing had mostly evened out.

“I just. This is much harder than I anticipated.” I admitted. Leaning my head back against the wall of the bathroom, I blinked up at the ceiling. “I knew it would hurt but not-not this much.”

“I am so sorry that you’re going through this,” Emily said, her voice thick with sympathy. I swallowed thickly as I understood what she wasn’t saying.

“There’s no way to back out, is there?” I asked. Even when I had dialed, I hadn’t really expected to get out of the assignment, but Emily’s silence was telling.

“Garcia picked up on someone who hacked the smart devices already. She can’t track him yet, but he’s definitely on to you guys. Pulling you out would push him into hiding.” She explained. “I was actually going to text you to call me when you had a second so I could let you know.”

“That means we have seven days right?” I looked down at the paper in my hands. Seven days. I only had to do this for seven days.

“If he follows pattern, yes.” Emily said. We both went silent, and there was a moment of comfortable silence. Then Emily finally spoke up, “I wasn’t kidding about that girls night. All you gotta do is make it through these seven nights. Maybe even less, if Garcia manages to catch a break.”

I smiled at the idea of a night with Emily, Penelope, and maybe even JJ at the end of all of this. It would hopefully be cathartic, and I knew they were the perfect people to unload everything onto. “Well let’s keep hoping that’s what happens.”

“I know this is hard, and I can’t imagine all the different reasons this is hard for you, but I know you can do it. And if you need to call me I’ll always be there.”

“Thank you.”

“Now get back to your Doctor,” She ordered. I laughed a little as I stood up from the floor.

“I will.” I clicked off the phone and looked down at the paper I was still holding, swallowing tightly as my eyes chased the words again.

This letter was my heart and soul on a page. I knew it wasn’t healthy to keep rereading it, but I couldn’t help myself. Sometimes, I read it and thought I should come clean. I thought maybe I was right in the letter, and he did deserve to know; even if it would only end in heartbreak for me. But then I thought about how, when he broke my heart, I would have to leave him. I couldn’t be his best friend and get over him at the same time. And I could never justify leaving him.

So I read it to remind myself that even if I wanted to, I could never tell him.

I sucked in a deep breath and tried not to cry again. The door to the bedroom opened and closed, so I knew that he would be waiting for me in bed out there. I folded the paper again gently. Then I gathered up my clothes and made my way into the bedroom with a fake smile dancing on my lips.

Spencer, in his glasses now, was sitting up reading by the light of his bedside lamp. He looked soft in a plain white long sleeve t-shirt, more casually dressed than I typically saw him. It reminded me of nights spent on opposite ends of my couch, laughing and tossing popcorn into each other's mouths. His eyes darted up to me when I stepped out of the bathroom. I rushed over to my nightstand, and slipped the letter into the top drawer.

“Emily just called. She said the unsub already hacked into the devices they have here. Garcia is trying to track the guy but isn’t really getting anywhere,” I told Spencer as I put my clothes away.

“Oh! Well, I guess that’s good news. We were right about where he was getting names if he picked ours up so quickly.” He mused.

“Yeah! It also means that hopefully we only have to do this for a week.” I said, turning to face him. “And the sooner this is over, the better.”

Spencer looked a little hurt, but schooled his face into something nonchalant quite quickly. Maybe I had imagined him being hurt. “Is being around me that bad?” He joked. I rolled my eyes, and then looked down at my fingers.

“I just, uhm. Last time I came face to face with an unsub I wasn’t even trying to.” I tried to joke about it, but my dejected voice made it fall flat.

Spencer’s face fell and he looked like he was contemplating something. “I-I’m sorry. I should’ve thought of that-”

“It’s fine, Spence. I didn’t mean to imply that I’m not enjoying my time with you.” Except that everytime you kiss me is torture. I pulled some case files out of my bag and climbed on top of the duvet. Spencer still looked apologetic, but obviously couldn’t find the words. I didn’t even want him to apologize, I hadn’t meant to make the situation awkward.

“Are you planning to go to bed? I can turn off the light,” Spencer spoke up. I looked over at him as I opened the files, raising my eyebrows as I looked down at the spread in front of me.

“Does this look like I’m going to bed?” I asked, holding up evidence photos. He chuckled and shrugged, turning back to his book. I was reading over the first victim’s background information when I felt eyes on me again. I looked up to find Spencer watching me inquisitively. “What?” I asked.

He smiled and shook his head lightly. “Nothing.”

“Okay, weirdo.” I teased with a chuckle.

We spent the next few hours like that, side by side in our own worlds. Every once in a while I would ask him a question about the case, or he would share a thought about his book with me. It was nice; it felt almost domestic. I shook the thought out of my head as soon as it came.

Eventually we agreed it was time to go to bed, even if we had nowhere to be in the morning for the first time in a while. The lights clicked off and I drifted into dreamland, pointedly facing away from Spencer and trying not to be so conscious of the warmth radiating from his body next to me.

[Next] (coming this Wednesday)

<<<<>>>>

a/n: thank you so much for reading! all likes/comments/reblogs are greatly appreciated :)

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