#anyways enjoy this soft whumpy mess!!

[cactusspatz]

October recs

I’d like to say I was saving these recs for Thanksgiving - to read while digesting food, or while avoiding your family, or to recuperate afterward from all that socializing - but really I was just procrastinating as usual. Although I did sort them by length, to better select something for all the reasons above. Mostly comedy and almost entirely DCU fic again, except for one lone hilarious fic for The Untamed. Enjoy!

UNDER 5K

A Chips And Dip Kind Of Night by whaleofatime (1.8K, gen)

Bruce is working undercover at a 7/11.

Dick does not know this.

Short and funny and adorable.

Truth Serum is the Worst by JackHawksmoor (3K, gen)

Batman gets dosed with a truth serum and unexpectedly spends most of the time talking about how desperately he loves his children, how awesome they are, and how he wishes he was better at being a father.

Whumpy and skims across the surface of some serious trauma (ah, Bruce and his repression), but with a wonderful dynamic between Bruce and Dick.

5K-10K

Runaway by sardonic_sprite (6K, gen)

"There's easier ways to run away, y'know, kid."

"I don't know what you’re talking about."

"Really?" The boy raised an eyebrow, giving Damian a meaningful appraisal. "Rucksack, clothes that don't fit, no parents or anyone around, lying your way places?"

AU in which Damian runs away from the League and bumps in Tim in civilian guise. Kinda handwavey timeline-wise, but a fun alternate meeting.

In Case of Catastrophe by swampbebe (8.5K, gen)

Well, Tim is resourceful, even if he’s a cat now. Bruce is still on patrol and won’t be back for a while, but Dick and Damian are both at the manor. Tim will make his way there, tap out morse code to explain what happened, and then they’ll get him turned back into regular ol’ Tim.

All in all, this will just be a minor setback.

Tim gets turned into a cat by magic nonsense. His family doesn't figure it out as quickly as he'd like.

I'm weak for 'character gets turned into a cat' stories anyway, but this one is hilarious.

10K-20K

know your enemy by Valkirin (12K, gen)

Jason Todd thought he was ready for anything when he headed to Titans Tower to have a talk with Robin. He was not ready for Stephanie Brown.

In which Steph is still Robin during the Tower attack and things go VERY differently, and amusingly. Stephanie Brown: Sassmaster vs Jason's Overdramatic Schtick is only the beginning.

brilliant (like a confession) by kathkin (14K, Lois/Clark)

After years of pining after an alien demi-god who is, much as she hates to admit it, miles out of her league, Lois realises she's caught feelings for her co-worker. Unsure whether or not to tell him, she seeks advice from the most sensitive guy she knows - Superman. Things don't go as she expected...

I adored this Lois voice and all the identity mess, and admired how the fic manages to be both incredibly funny and genuinely tender.

Veritas by trickybonmot (19K, Wangxian)

Wei Ying needs a fake terrible date. Lan Zhan volunteers.

*wheezing with laughter* I can never go back to WWX as Troll Disaster Date for this trope again, Lan Zhan is CLEARLY the master. Ye gods, the shenanigans and horniness in this are amazing.

Five more long stories under the cut!

20K-30K

tell me your name, is it sweet by dexdefyingstunts (26K, Tim/Jason)

There's a pretty girl in this bar who won't stop looking at Jason.

Or: Jason meets med student Caroline Hill.

Normally I don't rec WIPs, but this one is pretty much pure porn with some genderfluid Tim, so while I am looking forward to the last chapter it's not gonna cliffhang you or anything.

Getting It Right by FabulaRasa (27K, Bruce/Hal)

Hal and Bruce spend an unexpected weekend together in Star City. Along they way they grapple with PTSD, internalized homophobia, financial instability, drug addiction, and physical abuse, but on the plus side they clean house at Blaster Bouncer.

Despite the summary's ominous (albeit accurate) listing, this is a shockingly soft story about Bruce having a panic attack at Ollie's birthday party, followed by an accidental sleepover with Hal, and then a sorta-accidental day-long date around town. So lovely.

OVER 60K

Proof by Westgate (66K, gen)

A Batfamily AU where Jason, Dick, Tim, and Damian meet first on the streets of Gotham, before they ever meet Bruce Wayne. Some details will feel familiar, and some will not. The end result, as it always should be, is family.

Mmm, found family + street kids + hurt/comfort. A cozy, tropey, hopeful read.

Under Vitrine Glass by galkyrie (67K, Tim/Jason)

Tim Drake is undercover investigating a potential serial killer who's using Gotham as their hunting ground when Jason returns from an off-planet mission with the Outlaws. The only problem? The investigation has put him thoroughly into The Red Hood's territory and blowing his cover or bringing him in this investigation is not worth the risk.

The last thing Tim expects after their first run-in with each other is Jason's interest in the person he's pretending to be.

I loved this as a casefile and as a slow burn romance.

Time Bomb Town by Moxibustion (112K, Tim/Jason)

In a world of scientifically proven psychic abilities, the practitioners - the so-called Talents - are called on to serve the public good. This is never more true than in Gotham, where the Wayne Parapsychic Institute works diligently for justice and peace in what is otherwise a mecca of rogue Talents. Bruce Wayne is one of the most powerful Talents on record; a Prime. So are all his children. All, that is, except for Tim Drake; a winged donkey to their high-flying Pegasus. Fed up with the constant reminders that he will never be able to catch up to their flight into the stars and beyond, he leaves.

Trying to put the shattered pieces of his life together, he comes across Jason Todd; former member of the Wayne Parapsychic Institute and a powerhouse in terms of Talent, alive in an asylum years after everyone assumed him dead.

Tim is determined to help Jason find a way back. Jason might end up teaching him a way forward.

Set in a world inspired by a series of Anne McCaffrey books, but you don't need to have read them (I haven't!) - it's a fun and plotty and angsty cyberpunk-ish adventure.

[warmblanketwhump]

flight plan: part 2

no planes in this one - just some good old-fashioned sickfic! But if you want the backstory, check out part 1 here.

“A, can you hand me my glass of water? Pleaaaase?” B sticks out their bottom lip in a pout, and A can’t help but laugh.

“Okay, you. It’s been four days and I know you’re getting better, because you’re getting pesky again.” A straightens the blankets and slides their hand up to feel B’s cheek. “Still a little warm, but I think you’re on your way out of the woods.”

“So I should milk this while I can?” B flutters their eyelashes and gives a pitifully fake cough, which slips into a real one, sharp and rattling. Concern flits across A’s eyes, and they help B take a few sips from the glass.

Despite the joking, A didn’t kid themselves about how sick B had been, or how awful they’d truly felt after getting off the plane. The first two days had been nightmarish - B barely conscious, shivering with chills and sweating through their sheets, alternating between terrifying fever dreams and inconsolable moaning and weeping.

A did their best to hold them through it, but they had been minutes away from hauling B to the hospital. Thankfully B’s fever had spiked just one final time before settling into general low-grade misery.

“As long as you need me, sweetheart, you’ve got me.” B gives a tired smile and pulls the blanket to their chin, huddling around the new stuffed animal A gave them at the airport.

“Did you call C?”

“Ah, not yet. Too busy with you, ya sick little bean.” A gently fluffs B’s hair. “You rest, and I’ll give them a call now.”

But C doesn’t pick up. Nor do they pick up an hour later, leaving A stuck with the unpleasant task of leaving a voicemail.

“Um, hi…this is A. I just wanted to call and let you know that B’s on the mend. They’re still pretty weak, but I think things are looking up. So…yeah. Thanks for everything you did for B - once they were feeling better, they told me all about what you did. And I…well, I care a lot about them. Obviously. So I appreciate it. I guess you can call back if you-”

The message cuts off, and A groans. Hopefully that was enough. Still, they couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling in the pit of their stomach.

Later, they settle in with B to watch a movie, B’s head cradled in their lap as A combs their fingers soothingly through their hair, reveling in the sheer normalcy of it all. They both end up falling asleep, and when A blinks awake as the credits roll, they notice a missed call from C. B’s still out, so they click to listen to the voicemail.

“Hey, A….sorry I *coughs*…missed you earlier. Wasn’t able to *sniffs* make it to the phone. So glad to hear that B’s *cough cough* doing better. I think they did a little sharing.” C laughs weakly, but A can hear the sheer exhaustion in their voice. “Anyways, glad they had you. And if you’ve got any survival tips, feel free to pass them along…..I’m just kidding. *cough* I’ll be fine. Anyways, I’ll…see you around, I guess.” They pause briefly, like they want to say something more, but a coughing fit steals their breath away, and the message ends with a click cutting off the rough gasps.

The pit in A’s stomach comes back. C sounds sick.

“Who….who was that?” B mumbles from their spot on A’s lap.

“It was C. They called back and they….didn’t sound so good.”

B’s eyes snap to meet A’s, more alert than they have been in days. “Did they sound like me?”

C pauses. They hadn’t thought about not telling B, but in hindsight, maybe they should have. After all, it’d only flood B with guilt, and they needed all the energy they had to get well. But one look at B’s concern, and they knew they wouldn’t be able to lie.

“Yeah. They did.” Immediately B struggles to push themselves up, throwing their blanket off their shoulders and trying to stand.

“Whoa, hold it there. Where do you think you’re going?”

“To C. If they’re sick, it’s from me, and if any hints from the past four days of living with me are any indication, we gotta help them.”

A throws their hands up, pressing B back on the couch. “Hold up. We don’t know them, we don’t know if someone’s already taking care of them, and we don’t know where they live. I’m sure they’re-“

B frantically shakes their head. “You didn’t hear them. On the plane. From what they said…I don’t think they have anyone. I have to go.”

A chews their lip. “Well, let’s get things straight first. You’re in no shape to go help them. Which leaves me. A random stranger they don’t know. And you want me to check on them?”

The question was meant to be sarcastic, but B nods vigorously and fear fills their eyes with a fevered anxiety. “A, you saw how sick I was. You think anyone’s gonna be able to fight through that alone?”

A sighs wearily. They could blame it on the fact that arguing with a sick B was like arguing with a brick wall. But truthfully, what did their heart in was the thought of B alone on that plane, sick and shivering and miserable, if C hadn’t helped.

Fine. They’d send a text.

You okay? You sounded kinda rough on the phone. B was worried….

A few moments later, C responds.

Eh, I’ve felt better. But thank you for asking. And tell B not to feel bad. They were a better seatmate than most.

A smile tugs at A. At least this C was polite.

Is there anything you need? B said something about you being by yourself.

This pause was longer. The dots appeared and disappeared a few times, before a message came through.

I hate to take advantage, but is there ANY way you could bring over some cough medicine? I ran out a couple days ago. No worries if not - I can figure it out.

C’s heart sank. So they were alone. Sure, they didn’t say it - but any good friend or significant other worth their salt wouldn’t leave someone they loved without medicine for days.

I’ll bring some to you! Want to meet somewhere neutral, or just want me to drop it off?

In moments, C sends a response and an address.

Dropping off is fine. You are an actual lifesaver.

A settles B into bed with blankets, a cup of water, hot tea, and six types of medicine on the side table. “Now if you get worse, call me and I’ll turn around immediately. Nothing’s more important than you, okay?”

B shook their head. “I’ll be fine. They need someone.”

A heaves a sigh. “You’re too good, you.” They give B a quick forehead kiss, and head out into the night.

By the time they get to C’s apartment, their stomach is flip-flopping - C is a stranger. A lonely stranger, but a random stranger nonetheless. They come to C’s door and knock tentatively, gripping the paper bag of cough medicine (plus some cough drops and Tylenol for good measure), and hold their breath.

Nothing. A few minutes go by and A knocks again. They’re ready to break down the door if C doesn’t answer soon, but they realize what took so long right after they hear the click of the deadbolt.

A had seen corpses that looked more alive than C did right now. They lean heavily on the doorframe, sweat beaded on their forehead, a thick grey throw blanket clutched tightly around their shoulders. Their face is hollow and devoid of color, lips dry and cracked, their hair mussed and matted to their head. The cool night air hits their fevered body, triggering a round of chills that make them shudder. Despite their misery, a tiny light of gratitude flits across their eyes, and they stare incredulously at the paper bag in A’s hands.

“C….” A’s jaw drops to the ground.

“A, I seriously owe you one.” C tries to laugh, but it turns into a wheezing chest cough, high pitched and tense as they fight to catch their breath. Their eyes blink slowly, and they start to slide down the doorframe, but A grabs them and they both tumble inside.

Even through the blanket, A can feel C’s every bone. C weakly clings to A as they stumble toward the couch, and A deposits them on the cushions before tearing into the package of meds.

“What have you taken so far today?” A asks, trying to figure out the dosages.

“I….nothing…” C mumbles. A meets their eyes in disbelief before cracking open the blister packet and retrieving a proper dose. Grabbing an empty glass on the side table, they fill it before helping C choke the pills down. C greedily gulps the whole glass, breathing heavily once they’ve drained it.

“Water…water’s good.” C smiles blearily - they’re almost completely out of it. A presses a hand to the side of C’s neck, and C flinches at the cool touch. Their neck feels like a bank of hot coals, slick with sweat, lymph nodes sore and swollen. Their forehead isn’t much cooler either.

“C, when’s the last time you ate or drank anything?”

C cocks their head like A just asked them to recite the entire periodic table. “I….not sure? Days….kinda blurry.”

A’s seen enough. “C, you’ve got to go to the hospital. I haven’t even seen your temp, but you’re burning up even worse than B was.”

C frantically grasps at A’s wrists, sharp panic flooding their eyes. “Please…no…no hospital. I can’t. The meds….I’m fine here. Please.” A shiver wracks their body, and they hunch their shoulders, wrapping themselves back up and pulling the blanket over their nose. “Please. You can go now.”

“C, you need help-“

“I don’t.” Their voice breaks on the last word, cut off by a brief hiccuping sob.

Confusion rises through A - one minute C’s a grateful wreck, and the next moment they’re demanding they leave?

“C, I don’t understand-“

“You don’t get it. You think it feels all nice, having people care about you. Making you feel like you matter. And then they leave you. Get tired of you. Decide you’re not worth it. And it hurts worse than if they were never there at all.” C scrubs their eye with the corner of their blanket and sniffles as tears run down their cheeks. “I can’t let it happen again. I have to be alone. So just go. Please.”

A’s speechless. They kneel down next to the couch, hand tentatively hovering above C.

“C, is it okay if I put my hand on you right now?” C’s still sniffling, but they nod and mumble a weak “yes”, and A gently lets their hand rest on this stranger’s shoulder.

“C, I want to respect what you want right now. But you should know that you’re very sick. And you’ve managed in your own way - how, I have no idea - but you need some help right now. Now I can either call the hospital and let them handle it, or take you home with me. It’s up to you. Otherwise, you need to look me in the eye and tell me honestly that you want to be left alone through this.”

They squeeze C’s shoulder, and it triggers a deep gasping sob from their broken, aching body, sending a fault line straight through A’s heart. The sob turns to weeping, and A can barely make out the words C whimpers: "I don't want to hurt anymore."

God, who broke this poor thing? A bites their lip. C’s losing it. They’re running out of options short of forcing C to come with them, and that’s the last thing they want to do to a delirious, love-starved person who’s known them all of 6 minutes.

“C, I’m not gonna hurt you. I want to help you. Heck, even B wants to help you. I had to practically pin them down to the bed before leaving, they were so hell bent on this rescue.”

C’s red, swollen eyes meet A’s. “You mean….they asked after me?”

“Yes. They did. They could hardly stop talking about you once they came to their senses.” A rubs C’s knee through the blankets. “And they’d never forgive me if I left you here alone - they were very adamant about that. So if you want to save me a lot of arguing with and consoling of a very sad B, you’d actually be doing me a favor coming back with me.”

C seems to be weighing their options, all while struggling to stay awake on the couch. “I mean…if it saves you the trouble….”

A’s the one nodding vigorously now. “Please. It would.” Please. Just come back with me. I can’t leave you here like this. But I don’t know what else to do.

C presses themselves up off the couch with a single shaking arm. “Well, if it’d help you, then I accept.” And then they promptly pass out into A’s waiting arms.

It’s late when A gets back home with a limp C, and B is knocked out in their room, light still on - they’d tried to wait up, but their body still craved rest.

A carries C over the threshold and into the house. They gently lay the bundle on the bed and feel their forehead - still too hot, but the medicine seemed to be working. They manage to wake C up enough to take a few sips of broth from a mug before they pass out again.

For the briefest moment, A lets their hand touch C's shoulder again, making a silent promise they barely know how to keep: I don't know who broke you, but I'm not gonna let you hurt any more. I won't allow it.

A wave of exhaustion floods their body as they feel the effects of several late nights and long days of caretaking. They'd be no good to anyone if they didn't get any rest. A drapes an extra blanket over C’s sleeping form and heads for the couch for the night - they’d check back in an hour or so.

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

B’s awakened by the sound of sniffling. And it’s not theirs. They blink tentatively in the lamplight, sleep clouding their thoughts. Snatching a blanket from the top of their bed, they wrap up, stuffed animal under one arm, and shuffle across the hall to see where the sound is coming from.

It’s C, swathed in two blankets, holding a wad of tissues and trembling like a leaf. B flicks on the bedside table lamp, and C winces at the light. B can see the tear stains on their cheeks.

“Cold,” C whimpers, coughing weakly. Pity floods B - it’s like looking at a picture of themselves just a few days ago. They reach out and put their hand on C’s head, and C leans into the touch.

“Yeah, this part sucks,” B says softly, guilt flooding their core. Sure, they didn’t mean to make C sick. But they did. And they felt a certain responsibility to make sure they made it through okay - just like C had cared for them on the plane.

“Can I get you anything? Another blanket, tea, medicine?”

“Throat hurts…water…please?” B nods and places the stuffed animal next to C before beginning the long, slow shuffle to the kitchen. A’s asleep on the couch, and they can’t bear to wake them up for something this small. But by the time they get to the kitchen, their legs are trembling with exertion. Easy there. You’re still sick, too.

They brace themselves against the sink as the glass fills, and will themselves to make the final journey back to C. By the time they’ve returned, the glass feels like a lead weight in their hand, and their entire body is chilled and shivery all over. They do their best to help C take a few sips, holding the glass with trembling hands, bracing themselves on the bed so they don’t tip over.

“Thank….thank you,” C’s grateful eyes meet theirs, and in a split second B knows the effort was worth it. But the validation is replaced with a bout of lightheadedness that nearly topples them onto C.

“Sorry,” B gasps. “Still not up to marathons yet. Just...need a minute.” They tug their blanket tighter, closing their eyes. “And this body forgot how to stay warm when I do stuff.” C’s eyes flood with concern - even in their fevered haze, they can see B struggling.

"Want to sit for a minute?" C asks softly, patting the open spot next to them on the bed. “I’m still cold, too.”

B wriggles into the spot, propping themselves up on pillows and pulling blankets over them both. "Just a minute - you need your sleep."

C's already dozing. "S'okay. I'll sleep just fine. 'Sides, you're warm." C's nestled themselves into B's side, head resting on their chest, and B wraps an arm around C's shoulder and holds them close. They’re warm, too. Just a minute....

Many minutes later, A pokes their head in to check in on C - and finds two sick peas in a pod curled up together, C's head still on B's chest, B's arm curled protectively around C, stuffed animal squished between them, both tangled in blankets and Kleenexes.

In spite of their own exhaustion, A smiles. After everything that had happened, they had a feeling C wouldn't ever be alone again.

[justplainwhump]

I replied to my own ask game, for Fae price Ciaran (he/they), my participant in the @whumpawoman whumper exchange event!

(And an intro, of some sort)

Alone out on the street, your whumper meets a freezing little child who is obviously lost. What do they do?

Ciaran likes children, like all Fae do. He'd make sure the kid gets warm and he'd be altogether very charming. He'd love to take them to Faerie and offer them a home there, but the installed rules don't permit him to abduct children from our realm. So he'd just do his best to convince the kid to come to fairy voluntarily once they're old enough. He doesn't really try and find the kid's parents / guardians though. He thinks whoever left that child wander around shouldn't have responsibility for them anyway. Instead he'd buy the kid some cocoa, take them to the zoo, and also mess up quite a bit in finding out what else is comforting for a human child.

Alone out on the street, your whumper meets a gang of three muggers who attempt to rob him. What do they do?

He'd be delighted. He isn't allowed to do much in the human world, but self-defense is allowed, and so he'd absolutely indulge in self-defense. The muggers would most likely end up fighting and torturing each other. Maybe he'd also manage to trick them into a deal. Certainly, he's going to walk away unscathed and happy.

Your whumper reaches the goal they've been working towards for so long! What is it? How do they react to achieving it?

Ciaran doesn't really have goals. He wants to be entertained, permanently. So he'll never have actually reached that.

What would an obituary for your whumper say?

The Fae don't do obituaries. They live in the moment, and they forget easily.

What is your whumpers biggest virtue? Do they show it in public? To their whumpee?

He's honest and true to his word. He does play games, of course, but if he is beaten in a game he will accept it and not hold any grudge. That extends to his whumpees, too. However, he usually wins.

What would your whumper's perfect Sunday look like?

Dancing all day and night, being in the company of beautiful people, making love to some of them, and having others praise his beauty and cunning.

Who are the people whumper enjoys interacting with? Who are their best friends? Romantic partner(s)? Do people around them know about their whumpy inclinations?

His best friends change on a daily basis. He socializes a lot with other Fae, and they are certainly aware of his nature. They consider him particularly cruel, yes, but it doesn't make him a bad person to them, it's just something they'd acknowledge.

He doesn't have a single romantic partner.

Describe a room where your whumper spends a lot of their time, that might characterize them as a person? (Their office, lab, bedroom, workshop, business...)

He lives in a sandstone mansion, huge and equipped with large rooms. It's showing off his wealth everywhere, extremely luxurious, airy, everything smelling like flowers. He's fond of soft fabrics and bright colors. Especially notable is his garden. He keeps an office there in a greenhouse, where he collects plants from Faerie and the human realm alike, rich with colors and fragrances. His personal serfs will be in his bedroom quite often too, a large room with a huge bed and a window front opening up to a private terrace and his gardens. There is no further furniture there, his office is elsewhere and so is his splendid walk in wardrobe. The room is mostly decorated by the bright sheets on the bed and the amazing view, and honestly, it is sufficient.

[tenmillionwhumperflies]

Cloudwalker Series Part 18

You know the meme where the cat is surrounded by knives with a smug look on their face? Can’t help but wonder if that’s how I’m gonna end up by the end of this. Starts off with really cute fluff and then plummets down into angsty whumpy fun times.

Warnings: Contains injuries such as claw marks and bites, blood, characters having panic attacks, big scars from amputations, and a bit of nudity.

Master-list Here

Approx WC: 3400 (I pondered splitting this one in half but I decided nah)

The time was passing by faster than Blue wanted it to, but he was also enjoying himself. For the first time in a long time, he felt like a cloudwalker again. He liked being able to play and roll around with Ihuka, to spend time with Dyan relaxing and enjoy each other's company in the early mornings while Ihuka was still asleep. Blue liked talking to him, he liked how he listened and didn’t interrupt and just... always managed to say the right thing. He wished he didn’t have to go.

Since lifting him and Dyan up in the air, Avizon had been confined to his bed while Orrien had looked after him and treated his fever. Blue felt guilty about it, he should have known that Avizon would be drained. Orrien had swatted those concerns of his away, insisting it wasn’t his fault. Avizon had offered to do it, and had done it. 

It seemed like a mild enough illness, or at least, Orrien had told them not to worry. He was asleep most of the time, just getting it out of his system by resting. It had meant the birds had been free to do whatever they wanted, and that had been to stay with Blue.

Blue had struggled to get the image of Avizon out of his mind. He’d looked so sick and pale and his eyes were dark and dull. Blue had brought him soup a few times and Avizon had looked awful. His breathing had been raspy, but he’d managed to force himself up, to mumble a thanks and eat maybe a quarter of the bowl. but he was healing more and more. Avizon scared him more than he wanted to admit. He’d really hurt Ihuka, and he couldn’t help but fear making a wrong move, even if Orrien reassured him that Avizon had changed and certainly wouldn’t hurt him.

But around Dyan, he felt safe… he didn’t understand why. It wasn’t like Dyan could protect him. Perhaps it was because they’d had similar experiences- whatever it was, it was good. He was glad he had friends like Dyan and Ihuka now. The days weren’t so lonely and long...

The night before, the three of them had climbed onto the roof to stargaze. It was an activity Blue did more than he liked to admit, dreaming about the days when he’s been able to fly up there to try to meet them. He’d wanted to share it with them. Dyan had really loved it up there, and the three had eaten liquorice together. Blue had given Ihuka and Dyan some fruit too. Ihuka had been very confused by the taste and the texture, but after a few confused bites, he’d grown to enjoy it. Nectarines were Blue’s favourite fruit that Orrien was able to get for him. Dyan wasn’t quite so horrified by the idea of eating the fruit, but he’d been awkward with eating it, trying to catch all the juice that dripped down his arms.

Blue smiled to himself as he lay in bed between the two of them as the sun peeked through the window. They’d all stayed up late, and Dyan had ended up falling asleep against Blue’s shoulder on the roof, holding his hand as a reassurance. He’d been afraid of getting caught or falling off. But Blue had managed to comfort him. 

They had indeed been caught, not that they were in trouble. Dyan had stayed asleep, a good sign as to how relaxed he had become. Orrien had managed to carefully carry him downstairs and back to bed. Blue and Ihuka had snuggled up to him and they’d fallen asleep.

But now he was a little late for caring for the horses, so he couldn’t savour the peace. He crept out of bed, though unsuccessfully. Dyan woke up, opening one eye. “Huh… when did I...”

“Orrien carried you down, you fell asleep,” Blue explained, shoving on his big boots. He rubbed his eyes and yawned, “You wanna come?” Dyan nodded quickly and made his way out of the mess of blankets and wings. He’d only just gotten out of the bed when the door opened to reveal Orrien.

“I have a spot of news. Avizon’s fever has broken. He intends to go home tomorrow.” Blue’s face fell. “Alright...”

Orrien ruffled his hair and smiled softly. “Don’t be glum, lad. So today, I want you to all go and have fun. Chores are cancelled today.” What? No, he couldn’t let Orrien do everything on his own, he was old. “But-” “I can manage, Blue, and besides, I want Avizon to prove he’s as healed as he says he is. It’s his turn.”

Blue sighed and let his head drop for a moment, “If you’re sure, thank you… I was wondering if we could go to the lake today?” “Hmm, it’s a little further out than I’d like you to be, but I can go with you and forage.” Blue nodded, “Thank you. I would like that.”

Orrien nodded. “Well then, it seems you’d best try to wake Ihuka up.”

Orrien left and Blue and Dyan looked at each other. Dyan grinned shyly and picked up a pillow, before hitting Ihuka on his buttocks. Hard enough to feel it, but not enough to startle him and scare him. Ihuka grumbled and reached for it, throwing it back at Dyan. It managed to hit him in the face with a soft oof, so Dyan hit him again, a little harder and in the back.

“Wake up, wake up! We can go and play in the lake today!” Dyan cheeped, hitting him again and again with the soft pillow until he finally turned onto his back, taking care not to pluck out any feathers. Dyan tossed the pillow onto him, leaving it to just lie on his face. “How can you be so awake?...” Ihuka groaned. He yawned and sat up.

The three of them got ready quickly, and they heard Orrien and Avizon outside.

“Are you trying to rip my stitches?” “You’re going to manage that without my help, m’boy,” Orrien said. “My point is you’re not healed enough. What are you so determined to get back for?” "There are things that need guarding in the castle and I don't want some maniac getting their hands on them. Besides, I feel a lot safer in a castle than a little farm."

“Didn’t I teach you feel safe within yourself and abilities, not a place?” “Well, yes, but that doesn’t mean a castle isn’t more fortified than a farmhouse.” Orrien studied him for a moment. “You’re dependent on it… You haven’t left for so long… even as the most powerful man.”

Avizon sighed and shook his head, but then he looked up at the window and spotted the three of them. Blue and Dyan tried to hide, but Ihuka stayed standing, unaware the others had moved. Avizon shook his head and smiled.

They made their way downstairs once they were all ready and once Orrien was ready, they set off. Avizon was happier staying at the house, finishing tending to the animals and then he could sit and rest for the rest of the day.

Blue kept close to Orrien as they walked, keeping his head constantly moving, looking for danger, for the threat of men. “You’re alright, Blue,” Orrien said softly. “You’re safe and you’re going to have a fun day, remember? You can spend a few hours by the lake and play.”

Blue nodded slowly and took a deep breath to calm himself. “Yes… i.it’s going to be fun,” Blue said softly. “I’m safe… I’m safe.” Dyan inched closer to him and offered him a hand to hold. Blue took it with a shy smile. Orrien raised an eyebrow before shrugging and smiling. “Good lad. Here we are anyway.”

They made it to the lake and Orrien set down a basket full of fruit and meats and then a towel for them to share. “Remember, Blue,” Orrien said gently. “If anything happens, which I doubt, but if. Pretend to be a human. It’s awful, but pretend that you own them, that you’re minding them for me. It will keep you safe.”

Blue nodded silently.

Orrien smiled, ruffled his hair, and left them to play. Ihuka went straight into the water and splashed around, putting his head half under and blowing bubbles, and spending the time to wash his feathers. Dyan was hesitant.

“What’s wrong?” Blue asked him gently “T.the water… I’ve… I’ve never...” Blue’s face fell. “You’ve never been in real water- like outside water?” Dyan lowered his head. “I’m sorry. I’ve never even seen something like this before... I didn’t think it’d be scary, but...”

Blue took off his boots and then reached for his shirt but paused. He didn’t want all his clothes to get soaked, but he was also self-conscious. He felt the joints twitching in his back, joints that had once served the purpose of carrying his wings. His scars from where he’d had his wings removed weren’t clean cuts, and they’d healed badly. He hadn’t planned on really going in the water, but if Dyan had never even gotten to see something like this, well, he had to help him. He’d lived and lost, but Dyan had never gotten to experience it. He took off his shirt and took a deep breath. Dyan understood scars, he wasn’t afraid to show him. He took his pants off but left his undergarments on.

Blue held out his hand. “Trust me.”

Dyan bit his lip but nodded. Blue waited until he’d taken off most of his clothes and then Dyan took his hand. They waded forward together, but Dyan paused before his feet touched the water. “Just one little step,” Blue said softly.

Dyan closed his eyes tight and jumped, making Blue’s legs cold and wet. “Well, that wasn’t little, but you did it!” Blue cheeped. “It’s cold!“ he shrieked with a giggle.

He watched as Dyan stood fascinated for a moment, before he started to move around, to kick his legs out. He let out a happy trill noise and waded deeper, up to his hips. He splashed and giggled and Blue joined him, letting himself be silly for a little while.

Ihuka showed Dyan how to bathe his wings in the water, and Dyan seemed to really enjoy it.  They played and had contests to see who could throw the pebbles the furthest, and Blue went for a swim, but Dyan and Ihuka were too afraid to follow with the weight of their wings.

Blue guessed over an hour had passed, but he wouldn’t be surprised if it had been longer. He was getting cold, so he put his shirt back on and his boots after struggling to get all the sand and gravel off his feet. They all sat by the lake and ate, snuggling together under blankets to warm up.

Life was good, and it was better by Dyan, but then Blue paused, hearing something. Ihuka froze too. Blue heard it again, the soft whoosh. That was someone flying, and true enough, when he looked up, he saw a white winged cloudwalker.

And they were flying right towards him, with their teeth bared and claws ready. 

Ihuka shrieked out a warning and Blue tried to get up to run, to move, but the cloudwalker was fast. They tumbled backwards with the massive weight slamming into him. Blue cried out, feeling claws dig into his shoulder and skin tear. Instincts made him fight, to try to claw and bite like he used to but he had no nails, and he had no fangs. He was-

“Human!” the cloudwalker hissed. It snapped at his throat and Blue barely managed to push him to the side, saving his throat, but he bit his shoulder. Blue screamed but he didn’t get the time to do anything else. Ihuka dived at the cloudwalker, but he clawed at Ihuka’s chest, knocking him back as he did so just long enough to drag Blue into the air. Blue let out a mercy squeak.

Dyan screeched and leapt up, flapping his wings hard, just getting high enough to grab Blue’s leg, to be able to reach the other cloudwalker and actually started to fight him in midair. Biting, scratching, snarling, the noise was awful and brought the panic to spike in Blue’s chest, but Dyan’s midair fight forced the cloudwalker to let go of Blue.

Blue clamped his eyes shut, bracing for hitting the hard stone ground, but he was met by air. He dared to open his eyes and saw Orrien at the treeline, his hand outstretched. He looked over to see Dyan had also been caught from falling, covered in blood and whimpering. The cloudwalker screeched at the two of them. “Stupids!” He shouted. “He’s human! You’re prisoners! Fight! Flee!”

“He’s one of us!” Ihuka roared. “Leave him alone!”

The cloudwalker landed on the ground, fluffing up his feathers with his teeth bared, oh so ready to fight. Ihuka did the same and Dyan dragged himself up despite the pain he was in and followed suit, and he was a lot bigger. They were both in between Blue and the new cloudwalker, snapping and snarling, hurling threats back and forth. But Blue didn’t care. He had to go. He knew there was a little cave close by, just on the side of the cliff behind them. He couldn’t stay here.

As soon as Orrien put him on the ground he sprinted off, doing the only thing he was good for now, and that was hiding, letting others fight his battles for him because he was powerless. Human. Blood streamed down his body from his wounds. He heard the squawking and squealing of a small fight but then he heard flapping again and squeaked, “let me go! They took my wings, please! They took my wings!”

“You speak?!” But Blue didn’t answer, he kept running, rushing into the little nook, not caring how he hit his body on the rocks and left bruises. He wedged himself in the little gap and struggled to not sob. He hoped this was enough to keep him safe. He didn’t want to fight, he didn’t want to bleed and hurt any more. Not anymore. He’d suffered enough for a lifetime.

The cloudwalker stopped right beside the opening of the cave and Blue whined. He kicked off one of his boots and threw it at the cloudwalker who growled. He stared at his foot for a little while. “I couldn’t stop them,” Blue whispered, “The other humans… they took everything… Please just go, leave me alone. I’m sorry- f.for whatever I’ve done I’m sorry!”

“You should be dead, ghost. How are you alive?”

Blue curled up, but after a few short moments, the others came running up to him, finally catching up. The cloudwalker hissed at them and flew up into the air and disappeared from sight. Blue could only shudder and take in just how many scratches he had as well as the bites. He knew cloudwalkers in this area had venom which could paralyse their prey. He was lucky the venom didn’t seem to be working very well, but he still felt awful from it, sluggish, and tired, but he could move.

The others were here now. Blue whimpered, but he wouldn’t move. He was scared, it was just more proof that he wasn’t a cloudwalker anymore, that neither side wanted him. He cried into his knees and curled up tight.

“Blue?” Orrien called gently. “It’s safe, lad. He’s gone. Are you hurt?”

Blue couldn’t calm down, couldn’t stop crying. Orrien tried to inch his way forward, but Blue whimpered and that was Orrien’s queue to stop. “Blue? Oh, lad, shhhhhh. It’s okay. You’re safe now… You’re bleeding, can I come and see them?”

“I just want to be happy,” Blue cried. “Why can’t I be happy?! What did I do wrong? W.what did...” his sobs got too strong and he couldn’t find his words. He choked on his tears. He hit the ground beneath him, screaming, groaning, crying uncontrollably.

“It’s not like that Blue… Come on, lad, please let me get to you. Let me take away the pain.”

But he just couldn’t stop crying. He shook his head and looked up in the sky. Blue had heard scary stories before about ghosts and monsters, stories where characters had known the things were out there. He knew how they felt, and he was terrified of that cloudwalker coming back, just like one of those monsters.

Dyan inched closer on all fours, carrying a deep cut on his shoulder and dozens of other injuries, but he didn’t seem to care. “Blue… do you trust me?” he asked quietly. “It’s not you that I don’t trust. I.It’s out there… No one wants me, everyone just wants to hurt me.”

“I don’t, Ihuka doesn’t, Orrien doesn’t,” Dyan said. “We want to protect you. You’re not alone.”

Blue was reluctant to look up at him, his eyes were full of tears and his lip trembled.

Orrien decided to step back, to give Dyan a chance to speak to him. Blue didn’t want to leave that little space, he was safe, he was secure, he was away from the pain.

Dyan reached forward, only with his hand. It was a relief on his mind when Dyan spoke the human language. The thought stung. He was forgetting his own language... “Can you hold my hand?” Dyan asked.

Blue swallowed hard but managed to do that. His hand was shaking so badly. He sat like that for a few moments, holding onto Dyan’s hand like it was a lifeline. “Will you trust me? We will all keep you safe and I promise that they’ve gone,” Dyan said.

Blue was hesitant, but when Dyan took a step back, Blue couldn’t let go of his hand. He didn’t want to, so he had to move a little further forward. He stared up at the sky, waiting for something to jump on him, but nothing did. The skies were bright and sunny just as they were before.

“Trust me,” Dyan whispered, taking another step back. Blue had the choice to let go, he could have shied away and hidden back inside, but Dyan’s expression was so calm and reassuring. It shouldn’t have been. He held on tight to Dyan’s hand, it was an anchor point and he didn’t want to let it go. Guilt chewed at him, knowing that Dyan was hurt, he was bleeding, he’d been attacked and here he was trying to help him out of his little cave of safety. He wasn’t getting the help because he was so determined to help him.

Another step, then Blue stopped, he was right at the edge of the mouth. Any further and he’d be in the open. Ihuka put his wing over the cave, like an extended roof. Orrien gave him gentle praise. A deep breath, and after a gentle squeeze from Dyan, he was finally out.

He was out, but now he was shaking, and he’d frozen up, still clinging to Dyan’s hand. Dyan came closer to him, letting him wrap his arms around him. Dyan used his wings to shield him from view. Blue let out a weak sob and fell to his knees.

“Stay here, I’ll be back in the blink of an eye,” Orrien said.

He wasn’t exaggerating. He put a hand on Ihuka’s shoulder and teleported away. Blue whimpered, but no sooner had he finished the noise, Orrien was back.

“Now you two, let’s get you home.” He held out a hand, and Blue took it with a gulp while he held onto Dyan.

When he opened his eyes again, he was back at the house, back in his room. He sobbed. He’d ended today so badly. He’d been so happy and now he was a trembling mess.

Orrien hushed him gently and eased both Dyan and Blue into sitting on the bed. Orrien managed to cup Blue’s cheek without him shying away.

“It’s alright, lad. That was a hard thing you had to go through… I’m going to heal your wounds, some of these are too deep to leave. You too Dyan, that was a nasty little scrap you got into.”

Dyan nodded silently, still holding Blue’s hand. Blue couldn’t help but lean against him. He was getting tired, everything was slowing down, fading off into nothing. Maybe it was the venom, maybe his feelings were just too strong, or it was blood loss, he didn’t know. He didn’t care. He had Dyan next to him, that’s all he needed for now.

“Blue? Eyes open, lad. Blue- Blue!”

But Blue was already asleep.

Sorry not sorry I had to hurt the boi.

[angstyaches]

Here We Go

CW: violence, threat of serious injury, manhandling, choking, loss of control, supernatural activity, swearing. Definitely more whumpy/angsty than sickfic, since that’s the mood I’m in lately. Basically, it’s a Whole Mess and at this point, and I’m just gonna own it.

Head tilt to a prompt from @mxnsterparty about Charlie overhearing Shayne saying some cold things about him to Elliott. (I might still use the prompt again or expand upon it at a later time!)

Swallow the World: Ouija Board Pt. 10

“Relax, darling.” Felix looked over from the passenger seat, eyes flicking up and down as his boyfriend sat across from him like a clenched muscle. “What’s the matter with you?”

Elliott shook his head. Elliott didn’t know. The energy humming in his body was so intense, it was causing an almost electrical-sounding whir inside his ears. He’d woken up feeling light-headed and nauseous in their hotel room, but had managed to avoid letting Felix know anything was wrong. Until just now, apparently.

It was his hands, probably, that gave him away. They still clutched the steering wheel even though the car was stopped. His knuckles were very literally beginning to turn white. He unclenched his grip, one wrist clicking as he slid his hands into his lap.

“You look a little flushed.” Felix laid a hand on his thigh, turning slightly in his seat. “It’s going to be okay, just –”

The front door of the house flew open and shut, and Shayne stormed into the driveway somewhere between those movements.

“Oh, I don’t fucking think so!” he shouted. “No fucking fly zone, assholes!”

“Lord,” Elliott growled, clenching his fingers against his knees. 

“Here we go,” Felix sang under his breath.

Elliott heaved a sigh as he shoved open the driver’s side door and stepped onto the loose gravel. “Seriously, Shayne, do we have to do this again?”

“Madelyn and Watson don’t even come around here. Same goes for you,” Shayne said as they met halfway between the car and the front door of the house. He lifted a hand to point towards Felix, who hadn’t gotten out of the car yet. “And your little friend.”

“Shayne, I spoke to Ryan on the phone last night.”

“And why would I give a shit –?”

“Because,” Elliott sighed, contemplating - just for a second - the possibility of blacking out right then and there. “She said you can come back with us.”

“What does that even mean?”

“It – it means what it sounds like, man,” Elliott explained as calmly as he could while fire seemed to gnaw at the marrow of his bones. “You can come stay at the Aldridge townhouse. For a while, at least, until you decide what you want to do long-term.”

The confusion on Shayne’s face was shot through with a sickly paleness. “Wh-why would I..?”

“Because,” Elliott said, almost reaching out to put his hands on Shayne’s shoulders. He pulled them back at the last second, flinching internally as the boy took a step back. “You were partially right yesterday, Shayne. The Devines know you’ve been hoarding demons from this patch of forest. As far as Ryan knows, they don’t know why. As in, they don’t know about your friend being possessed.”

“Friend?” Shayne spat, voice trembling as it rose. “You think I’m stupid like you, that I go around letting myself get attached to people, fucking up their lives?”

“Don’t,” Elliott snarled, heat gathering in his cheeks and in the roots of his teeth. The restless energy was starting to itch under his skin. His lips began to dampen, gums tingling as his fangs crept downwards.

“You seriously think I would be anywhere near this god-damned place if I didn’t have to be? If there was anybody else who would do it?” Shayne yelled.

“Seriously, Shayne, stop,” Elliott said warily, noticing through the whirring fog in his head that the door to the house was opening again, this time a lot more slowly.

“You think I’d actually make friends with someone like Charlie? I don’t have friends, Elliott, I have a fucking job.”

“Hey,” Elliott murmured, reaching out to shove his hand against Shayne’s shoulder. “Shut the hell up, man. Your friend can probably hear –”

“How would it even work?” Shayne demanded. “Madelyn and Watson practically breathe down my neck, no matter where I go.”

“You don’t have to worry about Madelyn and Watson,” Elliott explained. “If there’s any trouble, Nancy will sort them out. You – you can finish studying, and travel back here for your exams when they start –”

“No,” Shayne spat. “This sounds like – you think I want to be a disgusting bloodsucker like you some day? Like him?”

He pointed towards the car, towards Felix. Rage curdled in Elliott’s veins, his lips dampening as his fangs began to creep down from his gums.

“Leave Felix out of this, man,” Elliott warned. “If it weren’t for him, I’d have left you and your friends stranded yesterday, so show a bit of respect –”

“Respect?” It was barely a whisper, and yet from the look on his face, it seemed as though Shayne had just vomited. “That’s – that’s all you people care about, isn’t it? Empty words. You shout respect when you don’t give a shit about other people. I bet you even use the word love, don’t you? But how can you love someone, Elliott, when there’s absolutely nothing going on…”

Shayne drew a shaking finger up towards Elliott’s chest, eyes glued on it as he stopped it just an inch away from touching him, from feeling the point where his heart was working at half the pace of a living human. Faint red patches began to distort the peripherals of Elliott’s vision.

“…in here?”

Elliott snatched Shayne’s hand out of the air, twisting his wrist in a sharp motion that made the boy wince. He also grabbed a fistful of the front of his hoodie, dragging him forward slightly. There was a ringing in Elliott’s ears that reminded him of cymbals crashing together.

“Touched a nerve, huh?” Shayne asked. “Do you tell him you love him anyway? Does it make you feel better to lie?”

“I’m gonna give you five seconds to apologise, and tell me you’re going to shut up and listen.”

Shayne closed his eyes, breaking into a slight grin as Elliott wrenched on his wrist again, twisting it out from his arm.

“Well?”

“Fuck you.”

Elliott swung him by the arm and threw him against the bonnet of the car. The irrational anger snapped at his heels and the back of his neck like a pack of dogs closing in, attempting to tear him apart while also urging him on.

The car rocked, causing Felix to jump in the passenger seat. His golden eyes turned cold through the windscreen, holding Elliott’s gaze as he shoved open the door and let himself out.

___

“Shayne!” Charlie cried out, and he started to run across the gravel. What’s the plan, exactly? He gritted his teeth at Charlie Two’s question. Of course there was no plan. What kind of plan could a boy possibly have, rushing towards a clearly unstable vampire?

“No, no, no, no, no,” Felix muttered, shooting forward to intercept him. The mint-haired vampire was shorter and even slimmer than Charlie was, but the muscles in his arms seemed to turn into stone as soon as he shoved himself at Charlie, wrestling him back from the car.

“He’s – he’s gonna hurt him,” Charlie whimpered.

“No, he’s not. But he’s gonna hurt you, if you try something, bud.” Felix glanced over his shoulder, his grip on Charlie trembling a bit. “From what he’s told me, this – this is fairly standard for these two. They don’t exactly get along.”

“Oh, you think?” Charlie snapped, recoiling a bit at the snap of sarcasm in his own voice. Who are we? Shayne?

___

Elliott twisted Shayne’s arm against his back, not leaning hard enough to hurt him, but enough to keep him from wriggling. The rage licked at his vision, heightening when he heard a sound that was halfway between a cough and a laugh, and a single breathy word;

“Asshole.”

Blood-red flashed across Elliott’s vision and he leaned harder on his arm. “You want to say that again?”

That drew out a long wince, as Shayne tried to twist his body to accommodate the new pressure on his shoulder. “That you’re an asshole? I’ll never get tired of saying that, El.”

Elliott leaned forward and grabbed a fistful of Shayne’s hair, adrenaline coursing through him as he pulled him up from the bonnet. The sensation, the rush of power, was so intense that he hesitated a moment, undecided about what to do with him next.

All he could see was something in his grasp that he could perceive as weak, weaker than he was.

A thing that didn’t know its place in the order of things.

A thing he could easily rip apart, sink his teeth into, and drain until it was nothing more impressive or useful than a pile of sodden leaves.

All he heard was the rushing sound in his ears, and a broken whisper.

“Just fucking do it.”

Elliott blinked and broke through the hot, red fog for a moment, loosening the fingers that were gripping Shayne’s hair, and yanked him around by his shoulder. Thin streaks of tears had already marked the boy’s face, but those weren’t what sent Elliott right over the edge. He snatched his cousin up again, muscles clenching powerfully as he dragged him up onto the balls of his feet, fingers crushing into the soft flesh of his neck and throat.

“The hell did you just say to me, man?”

Shayne didn’t even lift his hands to try to pry Elliott’s hand away, and that just made the anger run even deeper. He made a choking sound before forcing the words out.

“I said do it, asshole.”

___

Felix felt Charlie’s weight sink heavily against him, and he struggled to keep them both upright. He was desperately blinking back tears as he watched the scene unfold, unable to recognise the Elliott who was practically ablaze with white-hot anger. He was generally quick to jump on a fight, and he’d assured Felix that things tended to get heated between him and Shayne, since Shayne enjoyed stirring him up for the fun of it. 

But this wasn’t fun, and Felix was having a hard time convincing himself to keep a hold of Charlie, to keep believing that Elliott, his Elliott, would come to his senses before he did anything drastic, but… 

But then the colour started to drain from Shayne’s face, and Elliott continued to lift him higher off the ground. 

A soft clattering sound began to overwhelm Felix’s ears, and it took him a slow moment to realise that the sound was coming from below them, from between the layers of gravel in the driveway. He’d have said it was an earthquake, if earthquakes were known to happen in this part of the world, but they simply weren’t. The stones were moving all by themselves, or at least… they were moving.

“Felix,” Charlie murmured. “Get back from me, now.”

His hands trembled as he let go of Charlie’s arms, and he practically fell over as he moved away, scrambling for balance and turning around to see…

“What on earth?” he gasped.

___

“What’s wrong with you, man?” Elliott hissed, feeling his fangs begin to scrape against the flesh of his chin, heat gathering behind his eyeballs. He licked theatrically at his lips, unable to stop the threatening gesture before the need took hold of him. Shayne squeezed his eyes shut rather than let Elliott see them roll back, and finally, finally, his hands began to grab at Elliott’s arms, and something like relief trickled down through the hot tar filling Elliott’s head.

Good.

“Elliott!” Felix yelled, hard enough to make Elliott finally turn his head.

The red seemed to touch everything but Felix, who was like a cool oasis in a scorching desert. Elliott had to drag his mind forward out of the rage like it was a chest laden down with rocks that he had to pull out of a burning building before it collapsed. Colour began to return to the world in patches, the first being the wine-red paint of his car, though it wasn’t sitting where it should.

Fear became a spike in Elliott’s gut.

It was as though an invisible crane had hooked the back end of the car and hoisted it up out of the gravelled driveway, so that the bonnet was dangling almost two metres from the ground. Only there was no such crane, of course. The gravel from the driveway was also being dragged up into the air, falling in reverse and in slow motion.

Elliott wondered blankly if he was so deprived of blood that he was hallucinating, but that was when more colour seeped back into the scene and he was able to focus on the blonde boy standing in the driveway.

Or at least, this creature had been a boy last time he’d checked.

This was… something else. Something that had eyes and arms, sure, but Elliott couldn’t quite put any combination of words together in his mind to describe it. His eyes couldn’t settle on it for too long before darting away in awe and fear.

When it spoke, it spoke right into the hollow of his chest, it seemed.

“PUT HIM DOWN.”

Elliott leapt back from Shayne, hands jerking to his sides as his skin prickled all over. The dark-haired boy fell to his knees by Elliott’s feet and clutched at his throat before doubling over, lowering his head to the ground too.

The car was lowered gently until it had a few inches to go, and then slammed down with a crash; a dozen or so pieces of gravel clattered down over the roof and the windscreen. Intentionally, perhaps.

“Shit,” Elliott whispered, staggering and then dropping to his own knees. The buzzing rage had given way too a feverish trembling, coupled with guilt so intense that it came with nausea. He felt his fangs retract harshly, pressing into his aching gums. “Shayne, are you okay? I-I don’t – I couldn’t –”

“Asshole,” the boy hissed, lifting his head slightly.

The retort stung slightly, before Elliott’s head swam all the back into focus and he realised what he’d done. His hands fluttered by his sides, and breathing became difficult, like the air was full of sand.

“Elli,” Felix said gently.

Elliott jumped and looked up from the ground, to where his boyfriend stood about ten feet back from him, as though he was unwilling to get any closer to him. Elliott felt a twist in his gut, and he tucked his hands into his armpits, afraid, so afraid, of what his body might make him do if he didn’t keep it under control.

“Fee,” he croaked. “I-I didn’t -”

The crunching of gravel accompanied Charlie as he sprinted over and practically threw himself over Shayne. Elliott scrambled back, trembling inside and wondering how this boy could have looked so… so different, so unnatural and abjectly horrifying.

The embrace lasted a total of two seconds before Shayne was shoving the blonde boy away, and Elliott sank even further back from the scene to avoid being shoved or tripped over.

“Get away from me,” Shayne was saying as Charlie tried to approach him again.

Elliott felt cool hands brush against his shoulders, relief flooding his head as he leaned into Felix’s touch.

“I was… I-I was afraid you wouldn’t come to me,” he breathed, turning to press his forehead against Felix’s leg.

“Well, you see, darling, that’s because you’re an idiot.”

Elliott scoffed in relief as he was dragged gently to his feet, despite Felix’s slight build, whispering apologies over and over again. When he was steady enough to stand mostly by himself, Felix placed a hand on his jaw and smoothed a thumb over his cheek.

“I don’t know where this anger keeps coming from lately,” Felix said, eyelashes fluttering as he examined Elliott’s face, “but it’s going to have to stop snatching you away from me.”

Clenching his jaw, Elliott lowered his head to the top of Felix’s. The moment was short-lived, as Felix began to pull away and approach the scene that was happening behind them. Elliott found it hard to focus, but he just about made out a couple of shoves before Felix intervened, and one figure storming off.

__

Charlie’s heart felt like it might fall to pieces if he didn’t manage to keep at least one hand on Shayne’s body long enough to calm him down. His stomach dropped when he realised this wasn’t going to be possible. Despite how shaky and pale he was, Shayne was determined to shrug him off, and Charlie could feel him slipping away in every sense of the word.

“Where..?” Charlie’s voice cracked as he lost hold of Shayne’s arm. “Where are you going?”

He threw his arms out in a wide shrug as he headed towards the forest. “Fuck knows. Trees. Demons. What else am I good for?”

No.

“No,” Charlie cried out, beginning to run after him when his legs seemed to give out under him. Gravel drove itself into his knees and the palms of his hands as he fell, some of it actually sticking in his left hand as he lifted it and pressed it to his head. He stiffly tried to lift his head, his neck twisting in jerking motions. “Shayne...”

A gentle hand touched his shoulder, and a voice like silk spoke to him.

“It’s alright, buddy.” Felix. “I’m gonna go get him. It’s gonna be fine.”

Charlie opened his mouth wide, like there was a scream lurking in his throat that wanted out, but it was stuck solid. Instead, he retched drily, his stomach tossing like the waves from his dream, from his memory, only this time the scene in his head was sprinkled with Shayne’s words, fresh and scalding, assuring him that they weren’t friends. They never were. He was just a job.

[iwhumpyou]

I don’t know if this is actually a trope, but I’m always a sucker for “you said you’d give them back.” “You didn’t specify you wanted them alive.” Like Big Bad has a hand around whumptee’s throat, threatening the team to give up the Maguffin. But the second they have it they just casually snap whumpee’s neck.

I was debating on filling this one or not, because I usually don’t write character death but I do love villains Taking Things Literally.  But I was looking for something to fill the gap between the current Wergild arc and the next one, and this fit!  (With a little bit of squeezing.)

So, not exactly what you were asking for, but I hope you enjoy it anyway!

Takes place immediately after The Cost arc.

Masterlist.  Wergild.  (Tagging @whumps-the-word, @swordkallya, @whumpy-daydreams.)

~#~#~#~#~#~

She stared at the nearing figure, early morning light barely filtering through the trees.  The guards had warned of the stranger’s approach and Clarissa had ventured out to confront whatever problem this was, whatever issue had arisen so soon after their peace.

There was a bundle in the stranger’s arms.  They were wearing nothing to cover their face and Clarissa stilled as she recognized the short, light hair and sly grin.  Years-older than when she saw him last, but she never forgot that Jayden had been the one to expose her and Jace’s childhood meetings and then vanish to leave Jace alone to face his father’s wrath.

“Jayden,” Clarissa said, and he stopped, the bundle in his arms swaying – no, those were legs.  Arms.  Red.  Blood.

“What brings you to elementalist land?”

“Returning what’s yours,” Jayden smiled and threw the bundle – the person – at her.  The body rolled across the ground, limp.  “Safely escorted her back, just like you wanted.”

No.  No.  No.

Tangled black hair and a rainbow spiral and healing burns and, oh spirits, there was so much blood, so much blood –

Clarissa scrambled forward – if she got there fast enough, if she still had time, if there was still a chance –

Cold.  The skin was cold.  Clarissa pressed a hand to the inside of the wrist, to the – oh spirits no – ruin of a neck, to just left of center and – nothing.

Nothing, no beat, no movement, cold and hollow and –

No, no, this couldn’t be happening –

It was a dream, it was just another dream, like the bluebell nectar, it wasn’t real –

Nerali’s sightless eyes stared up.  Her neck was a mess of red, cut clean to the bone.  The blood was still tacky.

No.  No.  No. No.  This wasn’t real.  It wasn’t. It couldn’t.  Please, spirits, please –

The burns and cuts on Nerali’s arms had faded.  Nearly healed.

“I wanted her back alive,” said a hoarse, cracking voice and Clarissa took a long moment to realize it was hers.

Jayden laughed.  Laughed, like what she said was funny.

“You should’ve specified, then,” he chuckled.

The earth was rumbling. She could feel it, underneath her, feel it all the way down to the cracks that were beginning to form.

“Specified that I wanted my sister alive?” Clarissa asked.  She didn’t recognize the words.  She didn’t recognize the tone.

“You threatened my clan,” Jayden said, his voice dropping, “What did you think I’d do?”

The wind was howling. It raced past her, trees groaning, branches creaking.  It didn’t ruffle a single hair on Nerali’s head.

“It wasn’t a threat,” Clarissa said, looking up at him.  He had advanced, sword out, but it didn’t even take a thought to let earth twist around his ankles and pry the sword from his arms.  “That was a warning.”

“And this is yours,” he snarled, straining against the bonds.

The skies were growing darker.  Sharp static filled the air as the winds shifted, raindrops beginning to splatter against the ground.

“You murdered my sister,” Clarissa said hollowly, “You broke the treaty.  You destroyed the peace.  Just to send a message?”

“Yes,” Jayden smiled, “Your precious peace will never be enough to protect your family.”

Clarissa breathed in – sharp wind and cool dirt and the smell of rain and the stench of smoke. And then she breathed out.

“Message received.”

Her rage exploded.

~#~

Clarissa came back to herself in the midst of ash and mud and steam.

She struggled upright, her steps squelching in the black mud, coughing as the pouring rain cut through the smoky haze.  The skies were as dark as night – lightning cracked across the sky and illuminated her surroundings in a brief, stark flash of blue-white.

It was empty.  She stood in a field of ash that stretched as far as she could see, clouded by mist and smoke.  The trees were gone.  Leaves. Flowers.

She stepped on something that crunched and darted a quick glance before she had to look away.  People.

She stumbled through the haze, searching for – for what?  What was there left to look for?  What was there left to live for?

She had done this. She had destroyed everything in her path.

She limped in the direction of her compound, pausing at the sight of a hastily constructed ice wall that was melting quickly.  Frances and Robin were…were limp, eyes closed.  She couldn’t tell if they were breathing or not.  Davina was in front of them, hands trembling, her eyes focused somewhere in the distance.  She didn’t acknowledge Clarissa.  She didn’t move, even as portions of her ice wall sloughed off to form a growing puddle. 

Clarissa turned around and stumbled away.

The rain continued, cold and unrelenting, and the heat haze dissipated slowly.  Everything smelled like smoke and ash and Clarissa was liberally splattered and streaked with black. 

(She ignored the way her footsteps crunched.  She ignored the black washing off to reveal dark red and cracked white.  She ignored the lumps amidst the ash.)

It felt like an eternity before she found someone else.  Aidan flinched as he caught sight of her – eyes widening, a full-body recoil that jarred his twisted leg and a soft gasp as the movement jostled probably-broken ribs. His hands were outstretched to either side, the fingers on one broken.

His hair was singed and burns covered his entire left side.  Behind him, Jace was curled in front of Mirai, trying to cover as much of her as he could.  Mirai’s eyes peered out – wide-eyed, tears carving through the smoke smudges on her faces.

She looked at Clarissa like she was a monster.

Clarissa stumbled back a step.  And another. And another, until she didn’t have to hear Jace’s hitched breaths or see Mirai’s horror or watch her own brother look at her in fear for his life.

She backed away, away and away until she reached the center.  Where it had started.

She stepped, uncaring, through the mess of ash and cracked bones that had – that had dared – she stepped past it and fell roughly to her knees.

The blood had dried. Not a lick of flame had touched her and her body was still cold.  Clarissa reached out – her fingers were trembling, the tips singed, spidery red lines running up her arms – and gently closed the eyes staring at the sky.

Nerali didn’t need to see this.  She didn’t need to look at the destruction that Clarissa had wrought.  She didn’t need to see the skies, forever gray to match the howling grief in Clarissa’s heart.

She didn’t deserve this.

“I’m sorry,” Clarissa whispered to her sister.

If Jayden hadn’t – if Nerali hadn’t been there – if she hadn’t broken that thrice-damned curse – if she hadn’t attacked Mirai –

If Clarissa hadn’t –

If Clarissa had never brought Nerali here.

If Clarissa had only told her.

If Clarissa had –

Too little.  Too late.

Clarissa lowered her head and finally let the tears slip free.

[aceofwhump]

Babe thank you x30000 for recommending SG-1 to me!!!! I watched the first ep and am halfway through the second one and I am in a blissful state. Daniel is such a smol hurt puppy who needs to be cuddled... Do you have any favorite fics with Daniel in them??

You are so very welcome!!! I’m so glad you’re enjoying it!! And I couldn’t agree more about Daniel lol. He’s my favorite, my first whumpee, and one of the reasons I got my degree in history. Daniel means the world to me. I love him. 

Do I have fic recs? YOU BET YOUR SWEET BIPPY I DO!!!! This got really long so if you don’t mind I’m just gonna post the links. Trust me. They’re all great :D

Don’t Mess With Danny

Bullies and Women Oh the Life of a Geek

Surrogate Father

The Barista (this one is not whumpy but read it anyway okay. it’s the best)

Sweet Dreams and Flying Machines

Don’t Go Away

A Change of Orders

HurtComfort

Counting to Ten

Tumbling Down

The Bridge

Need

Could it be Forever

Drifting on the Wind as Light as a Feather

Fire in the Belly

Trees Are Crying Leaves Into The Darkness

No Evil

The Stuff of Legends

Lost In Translation

The Perfect Recipe

Celebrate Me Home

No Man Left Behind

Beloved

What Dreams May Come

Cocidian

Solitudes Redux

Up Canada Creek Without a Paddle

The Thorn Beast

ALSO I am going to recommend some of the Stargate novels that are super whumpy and SO GOOD:

STARGATE SG-1: Hall of the Two Truths By Susannah Parker Sinard

Summary:

After suffering a brutal attack off-world, each member of SG-1 finds themselves stranded alone in the Ancient Egyptian afterlife — and on a journey through the Book of the Dead.

With reality shifting around them, Colonel O’Neill, Dr. Daniel Jackson, Major Carter and Teal’c must each navigate a treacherous path toward final judgment in the Hall of the Two Truths. On the way, they will be tested to their mental and physical limits by their past mistakes, their greatest fears and their deepest desires…

In this classic SG-1 adventure, the team must dig deep to survive. Their only hope of escape lies in finding each other, but in this place where nothing and no one is what it seems, who do they trust and what do they dare to believe?

STARGATE SG-1: Four Dragons By Diana Dru Botsford

Summary:

It was meant to be a soft mission, something to ease Doctor Daniel Jackson back into things after his time among the Ancients — after all, what could possibly go wrong on a simple survey of ancient Chinese ruins? As it turns out, a whole lot.

After accidentally activating a Goa’uld transport ring, Daniel finds himself the prisoner of Lord Yu, the capricious Goa’uld System Lord. Meanwhile, SG1’s efforts to rescue their friend are hampered by a representative of the Chinese government with an agenda of his own to follow — and a deep secret to hide.

But Colonel Jack O’Neill is in no mood for delay. He’ll go to any lengths to get Daniel back — even if it means ignoring protocol and taking matters into his own hands.

STARGATE SG-1: The Barque of Heaven By Suzanne Wood

Summary:

Millennia ago, at the height of his power, the System Lord Ra decreed that any Goa’uld wishing to serve him must endure a great trial. Victory meant power and prestige, defeat brought banishment and death.

On a routine expedition to an abandoned Goa’uld world, SG-1 inadvertently initiate Ra’s ancient trial – and once begun, the trial cannot be halted. Relying on Dr. Daniel Jackson’s vast wealth of knowledge, Colonel O’Neill must lead his team from planet to planet, completing each task in the allotted time. There is no rest, no respite. To stop means being trapped forever in the farthest reaches of the galaxy, and to fail means death.

Victory is their only option in this terrible test of endurance – an ordeal that will try their will, their ingenuity, and above all their bonds of friendship…

STARGATE SG-1: Siren Song By Holly Scott & Jaimie Duncan

Summary:

Bounty-hunter Aris Boch once more has his sights on SG-1. But this time Boch isn’t interested in trading them for cash. He needs the unique talents of Dr. Daniel Jackson – and he’ll do anything to get them.

Colonel Jack O’Neill and his team are taken to Boch’s ravaged home-world and handed over to the insane Goa’uld, Sebek. Obsessed with opening a mysterious subterranean vault, Sebek demands that Jackson translate the arcane writing on the doors. When Jackson refuses, the Goa’uld resorts to devastating measures to ensure his cooperation.

With the vault exerting an increasingly malign influence, Sebek compels Jackson and O’Neill toward a horror that threatens both their sanity and their lives. Meanwhile, Carter and Teal’c struggle to persuade the starving people of Aris Boch’s world to risk everything they have to save SG-1 – and free their desolate world of the Goa’uld forever.

STARGATE SG-1: Hostile Ground By Sally Malcolm & Laura Harper

Excerpt:

“Teal’c, how far?”

The colonel’s words were clipped, each one bitten off like a curse as he knelt next to Daniel in the mud. Sam couldn’t see what he was doing, didn’t dare take her eyes off the rain-sodden tree line, but she could smell the antiseptic and heard Daniel hiss in a sharp breath.

“We are now less than a kilometer from the Stargate,” Teal’c said. He crouched next to her, staff weapon raised and his arm brushing against hers, making the most of the scant cover they shared – a fallen tree, rotting in the incessant rain. It wouldn’t do much against a staff blast but it was better than nothing. She glanced up at the heavy sky, the clouds hiding a multitude of dangers. If those gliders came back…

Breathing hard, breathing through pain, Daniel said, “I’m okay. I can make it.”

“Damn right you can.” The colonel’s growl made it an order as he ripped open another field dressing. Sam heard Daniel’s shout of pain as the colonel pressed the bandage onto the wound. She didn’t know how badly he was injured, but it had to be serious for the colonel to risk stopping their breakneck flight to the Stargate.

Movement – a fleeting shadow back in the tree line. She wiped rain from her face and eyes, squinting through the curtain of water that slanted across the open ground between SG-1 and the edge of the forest. Yes, there it was again, a glint of gold amid the trees. “Sir,” she said, finger itchy on the trigger, “you might want to hurry that up.”

“What do you think I’m doing, Carter?”

She ignored his sharp tone. “Teal’c, do you see them? Two-o’clock.”

“I do.” He shifted his position, taking aim.

“Sir?” she risked a glance over her shoulder. Daniel was ashen, his jacket torn and dark with blood where the staff blast had hit, just above the hip and below his tac vest. She glimpsed a white compression bandage through the torn fabric. He grimaced as he moved, trying to stand.

The colonel put a restraining hand on his shoulder and looked over at Sam. She knew that look, the flat uncompromising expression that shut everything down. It meant they were in trouble. “Daniel and I are gonna head for the gate,” he said, starting to pack away the med-kit with quick, efficient movements. “You and Teal’c hold them here as long as you can, then come after us.” He stuffed his gear back into his vest and tugged the bill of his cap lower. “Don’t leave it too long, Major.”

She understood. If they were too slow getting back to the gate, there was a real danger they’d be outflanked. “Yes sir. Good luck.”

His only reply was a curt nod before he turned to Daniel. “Ready?”

“Sure,” Daniel said, teeth gritted. “How hard can it be?”

“Attaboy,” the colonel said as he helped Daniel to his feet. “We might have to run.”

Daniel nodded, turning from ashen to milky, but determined as ever. “Let’s go.”

Sam looked away, back to the enemy hiding in the trees, but not before she’d seen the bloom of scarlet on Daniel’s dressing. She swallowed a hard knot of anxiety. It would be difficult enough to make it to the gate carrying a wound like that, let alone with a platoon of Jaffa on their heels.

“The enemy is moving,” Teal’c murmured as several Jaffa emerged from the trees, keeping low as they scanned the scrubby clearing. Sam ducked behind their cover, not wanting to give away their position. “Go now, O’Neill,” Teal’c said softly. “We will cover your retreat and hold this position as long as possible.”

“Counting on it,” the colonel said.

With Daniel’s arm looped over his shoulder, he headed out into the sparse woodland that ran all the way back to the Stargate. Sam winced at their slow, awkward pace. At that rate, they’d never reach the gate before the Jaffa.

A squall of rain blew into her face and she had to turn away, squeezing her eyes shut. When she looked back, Daniel and the colonel were gone, the rain at least helping to hide them from the advancing Jaffa, even if it did make the muddy ground slick and treacherous under foot. Wiping her face on her sleeve, she squirmed around and shivered as a trickle of rain slid down her neck and under her collar. “Daniel’s moving pretty slow,” she whispered, taking a bead on one of the Jaffa and switching her weapon to single shot. “Do you think they’ll make it in time?” Even through the rain, she knew she’d hit her target. But not yet, let them come out a little further from the cover of the trees.

“It is possible,” Teal’c said, “that one of us will need to precede them to the Stargate and hold it against the Jaffa.”

“Yeah,” Sam said, a beat of fear kicking in her chest, “that’s what I figured.”

[maychorian]

Weekly Voltron Fic Recs #55

Merry Christmas! For some reason I thought I already did list 55, but when I looked back at my tags I hadn’t yet. So yeah, this one is extra long, but that’s all to the good, hopefully.

Rules: You can find past weekly rec lists here, and non-list recs in my general fic rec tag. Also follow @maychorianrecs for individually tagged posts, the easier to search and reblog. This is stuff I like, and I have a huge bias toward Lance, hurt/comfort, and general fluff, in that order. Gen unless otherwise noted. Please comment on the fics if you read and enjoy them!

Paper Patience by isabeau25 Words: 1,483 Author’s Summary: Someone is making paper flowers for Pidge, and it takes her a while to figure out why. *Takes place during the beginning of season 3, while Shiro is still missing.* My Comments: Sweet and lovely. Pidge’s frustration and fear is understandable, and it’s very kind of her teammate to make this effort to soothe her.

Space Jellybeans by YukiSetsu Words: 2,274 Author’s Summary: Lance has trouble sleeping and seeks out help from Coran. He gets something to help him sleep, but his body reacts negatively, leaving Lance with little time to get help before it got worse. My Comments: Another great whumpfic. I’m getting so spoiled this Christmas season.

No Place Like Home For the Holidays (But Sometimes Home Isn’t a Place)by WildWolf25 Words: 7,329 Author’s Summary: After a rough battle, Team Voltron decides to set down on a safe, deserted planet to rest and let the castle’s defenses recover. And if that planet happens to be covered in snow, well, there’s no harm in having a little winter fun while they’re at it. (Written for Lórien for the Voltron Secret Santa event on tumblr. Happy holidays!) My Comments: Cute, cuddly winter vacation with Team Voltron, including snow fights, ugly sweaters, and a cuddle pile under the stars. Implied Polydins but reads as gen.

for lack of advice columnists by againstmygreeleaf Words: 5,798 Author’s Summary: Hunk isn’t sure when he noticed the rock, doesn’t recall noticing it at all. The rock is within reach and his bayard isn’t. My Comments: Fantastic Hunk whump, and fantastic exploration of the consequences of war and how that affects Hunk in particular. I loved the team taking care of Hunk, all in their own ways.

Keith’s ‘Physical Contact’ Initiation Program by alisayamin (sh_04e) Words: 26,522 Author’s Summary: Keith didn’t move and neither did Pidge. It was a little awkward until Keith finally said, “Maybe we could officially officiate this..?” “What do you mean?” “Fist me.” Pidge recoiled and sputtered, “Keith, what the f-” She was cut off by Shiro’s bellowing laughter from the observatory deck.With his straight face unchanged, Keith lowered his left hand with the stopwatch and lifted his right hand, fisted. Pidge actually sighed with so much relief, “OH. You mean fistbump! Right.” She slapped her forehead to remove the very very wrong image her imagination drew for her, “Holy shit, Keith, we need to work on that but yeah sure, I’d be honoured to officiate your physical contact program whatever.” Or That one time Coran realized Keith was too distant and decided to make him undergo the 'Physical Contact’ Initiation Program which then led to –> 5 times the paladins realized Keith was an actual cat. My Comments: A little over the top and a touch OOC, but if you’re in the mood for paladin cuddle puddles and platonic cuddling and hugs and affectionate touches and all that good stuff, this is very much the fic for you. It’s incredibly indulgent and cuddly and really scratches that itch. Mentions of past child abuse.

Flu Season by YukiSetsu Words: 2,099 Author’s Summary: Lance comes down with the flu before a mission. And although he tries to ignore it to do his job, it turns out to be a bad idea once things take a turn for the worst. My Comments: Delightful sickfic plus whump. Poor Lance, lucky us.

Hippo You’d Better Come Home by pinstripedJackalope Words: 3,847 Author’s Summary: What if Keith had a little stuffed hippo hidden in one of the pouches on his belt, you ask? This is your answer. My Comments: This is absolutely adorable. Keith’s generosity bites him, a little bit, but it was so cute to see the whole team appreciating his precious hippo, and the ending was lovely.

Little Princess by Eastofthemoon Words: 7,488 Author’s Summary: “It was that weird bracelet,” Lance snapped as he struggled to keep his voice down. “I found it on the shelf, handed it to Allura because it was sparkly and I know she likes that stuff, she puts it on,” he pointed to her with his thumb, “and wham! Next thing we knew she was a kid!” “I still find it weird the clothes shrunk with her,” Pidge whispered. “Pidge, that’s the least of our concerns right now,” Hunk stammered as he cupped a hand over his mouth. My Comments: Wonderful deaged Allura with tea parties, makeovers, and various messes. I loved how much Lance and Hunk got into it, with the other paladins dragged into things with varying degrees of acceptance, and poor Coran’s heart got a bit of a workout. So good.

Varadero by 5557 Words: 2,109 Author’s Summary: While on Vacation at Varadero beach, a restless Lance cannot sit still and sleep when all the adults are away and having fun. Something is out there, calling to him. And it might just be worth the trouble. My Comments: Beautiful, vivid and lush, this story transported me back to the joy and curiosity of childhood. Lance is a cutie pie, as always.

Stranger Danger by YukiSetsu Words: 2,768 Author’s Summary: Lance makes a new friend at the school pool, and the others feel something is… off. And although Lance initially brushes off the warnings, even he starts to notice that his friend might be a bit more dangerous than he expected. But by then, it’s a bit too late. My Comments: Dramatic without being cheesy and whumpy without being unbelievable, just the right mix for me. Naive Lance and protective-everyone-else is my jam.

Coming Home by Vialana Words: 4,211 Author’s Summary: After the battle, Keith needs to decompress. So do the other paladins. My Comments: Absolutely beautiful. I loved the way every teammate checked on Keith, all of the hugs and cuddling and touches were just lovely and wonderful. And the tears, too. Very warm and soft and healing. I love this a lot.

Slippery Steps And Broken Cups by YukiSetsu Words: 2,062 Author’s Summary: Modern College AU. Lance had been busy planning a big Christmas party with Hunk, Shiro, Pidge, and Keith, only to go missing on the special day. Keith goes to check in on him, and ends up having to deal with way more than he expected. My Comments: Dizzy Lance with a high fever and somewhat grumpy but concerned Keith. Absolutely delightful.

déjà vu by mangotangerine Words: 3,501 Author’s Summary: Team Voltron finds themselves trying to convince a previously unknown planet to join the Coalition but they’re having trouble - these new aliens won’t do anything unless their God ordains it. Enter Lance, who knows a bit more than he’s supposed to and doesn’t know why. My Comments: Interesting little Star Trek fusion (no knowledge of Star Trek is necessary). I really enjoyed the mystery, and I would love to read something much longer with this concept.

Ghosts of Christmas Past by Swump (Zelan) Words: 1,841 Author’s Summary: Pidge crash-lands in the middle of a blizzard, where the others can’t get to her, and must fend for herself until help arrives. My Comments: Great whump, great Hunk and Pidge at the end.

Below Freezing by YukiSetsu Words: 2,495 Author’s Summary: The Blue Lion crash lands on a planet with extremely cold temperatures, leaving the team in a race against time to get Lance out alive. Shiro risks going down before the snowstorm subsides to get to Lance faster, but even he can only hold out for so long. My Comments: This fic REALLY hit the sweet spot for me. Lance with hypothermia, Shiro huddling for warmth with him, and just a touch of angst. Perfection.

Taste of Home by umbraja Words: 2,402 Author’s Summary: “I don’t know, Lance. I think Pidge is right. Waffles are superior to pancakes,” Hunk’s gentle voice drifted through the door. “Traitor! How could you say that? And after having my abuela’s pancakes,” Lance gasped dramatically. Hunk started to reply but Pidge cut him off, “Because pancakes are just flat disks of cooked batter no matter who does the cooking while Waffles are a masterpiece of culinary engineering with built in pockets for holding syrup and a crisp shell for the perfect crunch. It’s just a superior design, Lance.” The Paladins are all homesick and banter about missed food puts Keith in a talking mood, even if it’s just to Shiro. Somewhat of a character study. Or - I might have grown up on a farm in the Panhandle (that’s north Texas, btw) and every now ‘n’ then I get a mite nostalgic. My Comments: Warm, soft, and melancholy. I love how Shiro draws Keith out to reminisce about things long gone, and Allura was a sweetheart, too, surrounded by homesick paladins and trying her best to understand.

a grass in the beginning by coyotesuspect Words: 5,308 Author’s Summary: Pidge starts a garden on the Castle of Lions. Or: seven conversations Pidge has while standing next to a tree. My Comments: Lovely, rich, and touching fic. All of Pidge’s conversations with the others are just right, and the descriptions are vivid and entrancing. This was relaxing and warming to read.

Eat In Moderation, Kids by YukiSetsu Words: 2,013 Author’s Summary: Lance loves Hunk’s food, and for good reason. But when one Christmas cookie baking session gets out of hand, Lance bites off more than he can chew and his stomach suffers the consequences. Luckily, he doesn’t have to deal with it alone. My Comments: Sometimes it nice to have a problem that’s not that big of a deal, but everyone pitches in to help, anyway.

Rational Paranoia by TheQueen Words: 1,886 Author’s Summary: A story of Lance and Pidge, crashed on a hostile planet, waiting. My Starboy: A Lance Zine piece My Comments: Painful, but very well-written. I hope they get rescued soon. Tagged as possible romance but reads platonic to me.

Even Space Can Be Warmed Up By Christmas by YukiSetsu Words: 2,391 Author’s Summary: Lance leads preparations for a Christmas celebration on the Castle, only to be sidetracked by a bad fever on the big day. Nevertheless, he wants to continue with the party. My Comments: This has just about everything I love, fluff and team bonding and Lance getting sick and being cared for and loved. So very heartwarming. It was like drinking hot chocolate.

Learning Curve by psyraah Words: 2,498 Author’s Summary: The Galaxy Garrison has a name for training some of the best and the brightest. It’s rough, tough, and many would agree not an all together pleasant experience. Lance, Katie, and Hunk can all attest to that. The Paladins of Voltron are legendary, unmatched in their intellect and fighting prowess, and the only hope against the Galra Empire. Everything the Garrison should have trained them for. But Lance, Pidge, and Hunk know that there’s something that the Garrison didn’t teach them, something that took being light years from home for the three of them to understand: Heart. My Comments: Wonderful character study of Hunk, Pidge, and Lance and how they handle failure both at the Garrison in the past and now as part of the Voltron team. It’s great to see how much they’ve grown. And how much they trust each other.

What Keeps Him Whole by LightPinkTheColorOfMyAura Words: 6,398 Author’s Summary: Lance struggles in space. He knows that he is doing good by being part of the Voltron team, but everything is just constantly moving, difficult, and unrelenting. He’s tired. He doesn’t know what’s keeping him going anymore. My Comments: A little over the top and the writing’s a little rough, but this is a great scenario for Lance angst with lovely team comfort. Klance.

Five Stages of Grief by Sandyclaws68 Words: 5,058 Author’s Summary: There are five stages to the grieving process, but when you’re consistently lied to about your brothers’ “deaths” you might just get stuck in anger. My Comments: Great characterization and plot, and I loved the relationship between Pidge and Keith and Pidge and her mom.

Detonate by IcyPanther for heyheroics Words: 9,824 Author’s Summary: “Keith, please,” Lance pleaded, voice breaking. “They can’t lose you too.” / A routine mission takes a deadly turn. There are but literal ticks counting down until the end and Keith has a decision to make: leave Lance behind so he can escape or go down with him? It’s a good thing Keith is so stubborn. / Gen fic, Langst, whump My Comments: Excellent scenario, excellent whump, excellent protective Keith, excellent platonic Keith and Lance, it’s just all good. This one really kept me on the edge of my seat.

The Sound of Family by Anonymous Words: 8,623 Author’s Summary: As Keith swung the weapon in his hand, which he quickly realised was a bayard, it transformed. But instead of the usual comfortable weight of a blade, he felt the weapon tip forward, completely unbalanced. He made a noise of surprise, only to notice this voice was too high-pitched, too smooth to be his own. He looked down and saw blue armour instead of his black suit and in his right hand was a red rifle. “Keith?” he heard his own voice say. The figure tried to crouch but fell down with a grunt. “Keith, buddy, is that you?” His vision refocused and when he was able to see clearly again, he found himself gazing into his own… eyes? “Who are you?” he demanded. [When Keith and Lance accidentally swap bodies, hidden scars and wounds, both literal and metaphorical, are revealed and the two boys realise that there are some things that really shouldn’t be avoided any longer.] My Comments: I’d never thought about the fact that if a body swap happened, the brain chemistry would stay with the brain, not the mind. So what if there was a body swap and one of the bodies had depression? Great concept, explored very well. I love Keith and Lance’s mutual comfort and protectiveness. It was a fun scenario and a sweet fic. Ambiguous Klance, can be read as gen. Mentions of past child abuse.

each a perfect porcelain doll by panaili Words: 42,634 Author’s Summary: A new mission presents Team Voltron with the opportunity to get important information about Galra movements. Unfortunately, in order to successfully pull it off, Allura needs to be in two places at once: both shape-shifting to sneak into an alien server room and acting diplomatically as the Princess of Altea. Luckily, even though she is only one able to pull off the shape-shifting infiltration, disguising one of the paladins as the Altean princess should be much easier. [Set Season 2 at some point maybe] My Comments: This is everything I could have wanted from the premise of Pidge dressing up like Allura to fool an alien race. There’s bonding, fluff, whump, hurt/comfort, great action scenes and thrilling rescues, and, of course, Disney movies. This one grabbed me from the beginning and pulled me right along, and I loved it.

Earth, Meet Voltron by Gods_Writing_Fan Words: 2,181 Author’s Summary: What happens when the paladins try to warn Earth of an incoming attack? They freak out the entire population! Also, Lance gets to see his family again. My Comments: Packed full of emotion in not many words. I hope Lance gets to see his mom like this someday and give her a big hug and explain what he’s been up to.

What Not to Do in Chemistry Lab by Engineer104 Words: 2,458 Author’s Summary: Hunk’s to-do list for this semester consists of only one thing: making sure Lance doesn’t kill himself - and Hunk - in lab…and passes organic chemistry My Comments: Fluffy little modern AU in which Hunk is both amused and horrified by Lance’s shenanigans and Pidge mostly snarks from the side. Some hints of background romance of the college hookup variety, but the relationships on page are gen.

Interlude by LittleWhiteTie Words: 4,123 Author’s Summary: “Where are you going?” Keith asks, just barely catching Shiro before he collapses. “My room, or just… not here. Please.” Shiro should probably stay here in the infirmary where he can be monitored, but his eyes are pleading. “Alright,” Keith concedes. “But I’m not leaving you alone.” – In which Keith takes care of Shiro after The Journey. My Comments: So soft and indulgent and comforting to read, ahh, I love it, and something like this DEFINITELY happened in the gap between those episodes. Tagged as either romantic or platonic, but it did not ping me as romantic at all, just very intimate and brotherly.

Blood Brother, Space Brother by wingedflower Words: 4,826 Author’s Summary: (taking place around mid-season 4) Pidge has finally found her brother and Lance was happy for her, he truly was. But after filling the role of her big brother for so long, he couldn’t help but feel like he was… left out. My Comments: This fic literally made me cry, which is exceedingly rare. Lance’s feelings of loneliness and loss were so vivid that I felt them in my stomach as well as my chest. It’s all resolved beautifully, but yeah. Wow. This hit my buttons super hard. Going into my personal favorites.

Daily Interlude by Vialana Words: 1,540 Author’s Summary: “I need a hug.” Keith paused, spoonful of goo halfway to his mouth, and stared at Pidge. My Comments: Very cute and funny, with a touch of sweetness. Tagged Klance, but can be read as gen.

Previously Recced Fics That Updated:

Little Crystals (13555 words) As Color Fades Away (237268 words) The Purity of Sin (41134 words) Back from the Edge (5074 words) Taking One For The Team (38446 words)