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ckneal · 3 years

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There’s a midam AU idea that’s been living in the back of my mind for months now, but it’s been slow going. Mainly because I suspect that doing the idea justice is going to mean doing more research than I’m used to, and maybe even rewatching the series proper to help me fill in some of the weak spots, and I have so many other story ideas that are frankly just easier to work on, two of which are already slated to be multi-chapter works. . . But I’m in the mood to type up something longwinded, so here we go. Keep reading if you’d like to see a rough outline of the first few chapters of this story I really hope to write out properly sometime.

(Warning, this is a long one.)

So, this story is loosely based on the Hundred Years War that took place between England and France from 1337-1453. But it’s only very loosely inspired. Very, very loosely. As in, I was reading a book, I read about one thing that happened, it germinated in my head, and then suddenly I had a plot developing that featured my current favorite ship. Additional sources of inspiration include one of my favorite fantasy series, and a personally beloved trashy romance novel. Because it’s fanfiction, folks. There are no rules here.

Of course, in this AU, the entire world is going to be made up, with neither side of the war distinctly being assigned the role of England or France—or Flanders or Burgundy, for that matter. I barrowed an inciting incident, and few smaller details from history to help things along here and there, but with no regard for keeping all the French things assigned to one group and the English ones to another.

That said, the inciting incident took its inspiration from the Battle of Poiters, a conflict during which England not only won against the French, but also took their king hostage. King Jean II was later ransomed back to his people, but at a sum that was so high, France could not afford to pay it all at once. England still returned France’s king, but new hostages were provided to serve as collateral during the interim, including the King’s son.

So. . .crown Prince Michael Shurley completely decimates King John Winchester on the battlefield, and sends his demands to John’s queen, Mary Winchester. The two kingdoms have been locked in a territory dispute for several decades, and this is one of the more humiliating events to befall the smaller kingdom yet, especially since they are unable to meet all of Michael’s demands. When the Winchesters begrudgingly admit this to the Shurley representatives, they’re caught off guard when they’re offered a trade: John Winchester will be returned, so long Dean Winchester takes his place as collateral.

Things are less than stable in the Winchester kingdom however, with more than a few factions quietly scheming for power. John and Mary were an arranged marriage that was originally held up like a fairytale when the two seemingly fell madly in love during their mandated courtship, but the years afterward had changed them. Civil unrest sparked by the war had brought out a lot of disagreements between the Winchesters and the Campbells and their approaches to governing.

John’s supporters are the ones to step forward with a plan, and convince Mary that it’s vitally important the people are not alarmed by their king’s capture. Mary initially finds it distasteful, but it’s talked around and adjusted and reframed, as John’s people ferret out more and more information about the vital party involved, until she finally agrees.

Because John Winchester just happened to have a bastard son. The resemblance to Dean might not be particularly remarkable, but no one at the Shurley court has ever seen the Winchester heir before. Plus, Adam Milligan has spent the entirety of his teen years studying to become a physician, of all things. He’s perfect for their purposes.

Ten years prior, the Shurley court had had to deal with its own bout of civil unrest, when King Chuck Shurley’s second eldest son had attempted to overthrow him with the support of several nobles from one the kingdom’s richest providences. Lucifer had allegedly been driven into exile following his defeat, and Chuck had been said to have contracted some sort of mysterious illness. According to rumors, the king had shut himself up in his private chambers and refused to admit anyone apart from his remaining children. Even servants were barred from tending him directly.

They snatch Adam away from his studies and force him into compliance by dusting off an archaic law left over from before the start of the war, when the kingdom relied on a conscription military force rather than a standing army full of career military professionals—this law empowering the crown to call on any of its citizens for a minimum forty days of military service per year. They tell Adam that his mission seems more dangerous than it is—really, all he has to do is pretend to be Dean, and use his medical knowledge to figure out exactly what mysterious illness has bedridden the enemy monarch.

Sam and Dean—the proverbial heir and spare of the kingdom—are not at court to meet their younger brother, when he’s hastily fitted for a royal wardrobe and put through a crash course on court etiquette. Sam is very publicly put on display at a holiday festival in another part of the kingdom, while Dean is sent orders to quietly stay behind at a country estate while his valet, Kevin Tran, is sent on to court. Neither of the princes is told about the plan until after Adam has already been shipped out, with Kevin in toe to help Adam along with the impersonation.

No one involved is in anyway comfortable with the mission. But it was only supposed to be for forty days. Adam was assured that the necessary funds to pay off the ransom would either be raised by the end of the minimum mandated service, or they would make contact to extract him. The Campbells and the Winchesters both allegedly had spies in the Shurley court, and they would make themselves known when the time was right.

Adam is given the impression that the latter had been told to him with the intention of making him feel safer. It did not work.

He’s terrified when he arrives—almost would have preferred being promptly thrown into a dungeon upon arrival, instead of a room full of foreign nobility who one and all give off the impression that if cut they’d bleed straight silver, and look at “Dean,” the hostage prince and purported military genius from the tiny, vicious country across the channel, as a curiosity to be studied. He’s assigned two guards (who I decided will be Anael and Samandriel, based entirely on the tags I threw together at then end of this post, during which I decided that I love these three together), who follow him around relentlessly, but beyond that, he’s. . .pretty much treated like a guest. If a stiflingly monitored one. There are limitations on where he can go and what he can do, but for the most part he’s just sort of. . .there.

Most unnerving of all, however, is the small package that Adam finds in his room when he first settles in. Kevin swears he has no idea who left it. It has the Campbell’s insignia clearly worked into the pattern of the paper it’s wrapped in, and inside he finds a knife small enough to conceal on his person, and a number of different herbs and powders that he recognizes from his studies—though of course, he’s more familiar with remedies to counteract their effects.

In other words, he finds an assassin’s-first-kill-job kit, and instructions on how and when to use it, if opportunity arises. This had not been part of the deal when Adam reluctantly signed on.

Unbeknownst to Adam however—though suspected by some parties in the Winchester court—Adam cannot assassinate Chuck Shurley, because Chuck is not there. Shortly after Lucifer’s insurrection, Chuck had quietly disappeared. Michael had only been a teenager at the time. He invented the story about Chuck being ill on impulse, certain that Chuck would be back sooner than later, and Raphael had gone along with it because, being twelve years old, Raphael was not yet old enough to question Michael’s judgement. It is now an awkward point between them.

Adam soon becomes another.

Michael regularly checks in to see how Adam’s getting on, in a way that Kevin assures Adam is entirely appropriate, since Michael is under the impression that Adam is going to be a fellow monarch someday, and is likely trying to be courteous. Adam inherently feels somewhat flustered around Michael though, which is not helped by the fact that Michael is somehow always present whenever Adam puts his foot in his mouth socially. On more than one occasion, he’s thankful that almost no one has actually been to his homeland, allowing Adam to blame an astonishing number of fuck ups on cultural differences.

Michael and Adam’s early one on one interaction are intensely awkward. Adam will forget to wear gloves, and then Michael will comment that Adam’s hands are oddly devoid of callouses for someone who’d practically been raised with a sword in his hand, leaving Adam to scramble for some flimsy excuse about hand cream. Adam will inquisitively ask questions about what sort of illness would be severe enough to leave someone bedridden for a decade but not kill them in that time (Kevin frantically motioning over Michael’s shoulder to convey that that is NOT the right way to fish for details on such a sensitive subject), and Michael will struggle to find an excuse around the quietly bubbling panic, because he hasn’t had to try to explain anything about his father since that first year, and he is not a particularly gifted liar.

And then there’s Raphael.

Unlike Michael, Raphael is suspicious of “Dean” right from the start, pulling Michael aside to point out things that don’t seem quite right according to what their informants have told them about Dean Winchester.

“Doesn’t he look a bit young?”

“Some people look younger than they are, Raphael.”

“I was told Dean Winchester had dark hair.”

“Dark blond is dark.”

“Aren’t his eyes supposed to be green?”

“They’re obviously blue.”

“That’s exactly my point.”

The forty days come and go with Adam and Kevin nervously waiting for some sort of sign from home. Roughly two weeks later, a messenger arrives with unexpected news for Michael’s court: the Campbells have officially broken ties with the Winchesters in a violent bid for power that has left the kingdom at war with itself.

According to Kevin, the civil war has probably slowed things down a bit, if it’s as bad as the rumors say. . .

Adam and Kevin are stranded.

“Don’t worry though—I know Dean, and he knows our necks are on the line. He’ll keep out of sight until they manage to get us out of here.”

Adam finds it difficult to put faith in the virtues of a brother he’s never met, but doesn’t have it in him to question Kevin’s faith. He worries about his mother, who might have been safe in the countryside, but also might have made the trek to the capitol when it came out that Adam had been abducted for the sake of persevering the royal family's throne. He can’t be sure.

And to top it off, Michael takes to stopping by Adam’s room every couple of days to privately talk about the movements of the various factions—who has been sighted where and in what condition, where they’re rumored to be headed. Adam interprets it as an attempt to shake out inside information. One day, Adam finally tries to set him straight by saying it doesn’t matter how many ugly details Michael throws at him, Adam can’t help him because he doesn’t know anything—and is promptly put to shame when Michael looks at him in surprise and says, “You misunderstand. I assumed that you would want to know these things, because they are your family.”

Michael leaves, and Adam’s guards exchange a look. When asked, Samandriel awkwardly tells Adam that the royal family used to have a fourth child. Gabriel. He was lost during Lucifer’s insurrection. Pirates overtook his ship. They’d never received a ransom. Michael had purportedly offered a standing reward for any news of Gabriel, and put an unwise amount of resources into searching for him until it threatened the war effort.

Adam and Michael start talking more frequently from there, starting with an apology on Adam’s part. It’s tricky at first, because Michael starts out asking questions about Dean Winchester's military exploits—it is the most likely common ground between them, after all—and Adam has to hastily change the subject every time. By the two month mark, they’re talking affably, and rumors start to circulate through the courts as Michael's routine check ins on Adam start getting less formal and more frequent.

On the four month mark, rumors get even worse. Raphael finally sits Michael down and really gets into all of the things about “Dean” that don’t add up, item by item. If he’s trying to pretend he doesn’t know anything about his country’s military exploits, he’s far too convincing given his reported record, and Raphael has it on good authority that more than half of those “cultural differences” in etiquette that keep cropping up are completely unfounded—and look here, three different informants have sent lists of Dean Winchester’s physical characteristics, and the foreign prince DOES NOT MATCH.

“Michael, something is not right here.”

“Fine, I’ll talk to him about it now.”

And Michael storms off to address “Dean,” while Raphael calls after him that he should wait until morning. Because it is the middle of the night.

Adam just happens to be up reading. Michael’s familiar with the book. Michael gets distracted, and they talk all night. The sun’s coming up when Michael finally leaves, and a servant happens to see him slipping out of Adam’s room. Suggestive conjectures promptly follow, and Raphael exasperatedly admits they only have themself to blame.

And this only gets worse, because now Adam and Michael have transitioned into being friends. No more guarded conversations where one is convinced the other is about to catch them in some sort of lie. When Raphael mentions that some of the lesser nobles are starting to think Michael and Adam are courting, Michael’s fidgeting is not at all lost on them, as Michael assures them that of course that isn't the case. He and Dean are merely establishing friendly relations that will serve them well down the road politically—

“After the war is over?”

“Of course, after the war is over.”

Adam’s been stranded in the Shurley court for almost a year by the time that he finally slips into his room and sees a sealed message set out on his bed. Adam doesn’t recognize the insignia as belonging to either the Winchesters or the Campbells, but it’s signed with the initials “SW” at the bottom. It mostly contains a lot of vague phrases that make Adam wonder if he was supposed to be versed in some sort of code. As far as he’s concerned, the only important information comes at the end: Kate Milligan has been safely relocated for the duration of the civil war.

Relieved, Adam goes down to dinner, where some sort of seasonal holiday is being celebrated, and has a bit more wine than he normally would. The Shurley court is one of those stuffy courts where seating is stiffly dictated by tradition. As a foreign prince, Adam’s assigned seat is at the same table as Michael, although, according to Kevin, his placement's much further down due to his being a hostage. After a few drinks, and after most of the nobles have cleared off from the table to talk and celebrate elsewhere in the hall, Adam sees no reason not to get up and relocate down the line of chairs to sit closer to Michael. It was against the rules, but Adam was aware enough not to sit in Raphael’s empty seat, and he’d been seen with Michael so often that Anael and Samandriel barely even blinked, because Adam obviously wasn’t about to attack their prince or anything.

However, it is worth noting that while talking to Adam, Michael consumes a decent amount more wine than he would normally have as well.

Later that night, Michael’s walking Adam back to his room, and he starts to comment that Adam seems happier than usual. But even when sober, Michael would struggle to say something like that—if he’d even attempt it while sober—and Adam winds up biting his lip as he watches Michael’s mounting embarrassment, as a simple compliment inexplicably morphs—words seemingly forcing their way out as Michael tries and utterly fails to stop them—into a compliment about how Adam is beautiful—that is, he’s always beautiful—that is, Michael can’t help noticing Adam most days—that is. . .

. . .Michael is adorable. And in a moment of pure, thoughtless impulse, Adam leans in and kisses Michael right there in the corridor.

Michael is profoundly shocked, and his reaction delayed. Adam had only gone in intending to briefly press his lips against Michael’s, but as he’s pulling away Michael abruptly leans in and reseals the kiss, and Adam in turn takes that as an invitation to pull Michael closer. And a few minutes later, Raphael happens to walk down the hallway and find the two of them enthusiastically kissing against the wall.

And Raphael promptly turns around and goes back the way they came, only stopping at one point to flag down a servant and order them not to let anyone else walk down that particular corridor for at least an hour, hoping that Michael and Adam’s “friendly relations” wouldn’t result in anything too inappropriate.

As it happens, nothing particularly inappropriate happens. Nonetheless, Michael still wakes up the next morning, fully clothed in his own bed, in panic because the first thought to distinctly make its way through the ungodly pain in his head is that he’d taken liberties with a guest the night before. The heir to a foreign power at that, a peer, a hostage! Michael never thought he was capable of something so dishonorable--he’d had Dean pressed up against the wall as if they were a couple of ill-bred urchins, and how does one even go about apologizing for something like that?

(Of course, if Michael were thinking clearly, he might have remembered that Adam had actually been the one to back himself up against the wall, with Michael obligingly following along, quite malleable to whatever positioning Adam wanted so long as Adam kept kissing him.)

Michael’s behavior was beyond unacceptable. If his father hadn’t already abandoned them, he’d likely disown Michael out of pure shame. There was no telling what kind of damage he’d done to the relationship between their kingdoms. At best, Michael’s uncouth actions would be a dirty secret between them in the years to come, after Dean married, and Michael was left barely able to look Dean’s spouse in the eye. If Michael were a lesser noble, his parents might demand he married Dean outright.

And suddenly Michael sat up in bed, realizing he could marry Dean. His mind begins racing, because of course he could marry Dean! It made perfect sense. They enjoyed each other’s company, and with both of them being heir to their respective kingdoms, their union would effectively end the war. It might be complicated—especially given some of the odd customs Dean had introduced to Michael’s court—but marriages had been used to cemented alliances often enough, and the thought of marrying Dean elicited a curiously hot feeling in Michael’s stomach, remembering the way Adam had pulled him close the night before.

(Fun fact, England and France actually did try to do this with the Treaty of Troyes in 1420; it did not go as planned.)

Michael goes through the rest of his day in an uncharacteristically upbeat mindset, because now it all seems to just be a matter of organizing things, and he is good at organizing. He would have to write to either John or Mary Winchester as soon as the situation in their kingdom settled, and formally ask for Dean’s hand, and he and Dean should have a chaperone present at all times moving forward to avoid scandal--though there would be no way to sidestep scandal altogether, of course. Adam was still technically Michael’s prisoner.

More than likely, the Winchesters or Campbells would demand Michael relinquish his claim to at least half of the territories that they’d spent the last few decades fighting over, but that would be fine. It’s traditional in Michael’s country to give gifts to one’s in-laws, and Dean is a future monarch. Anything too little would be insulting, and all would be consolidated eventually when Dean and Michael assumed their respective thrones. . .

Michael is still walking around delightfully living in his own head when Raphael pulls him into an empty room to discuss what they witnessed the night before. While not the most shocking scenario they could have imagined, they were not expecting to hear their brother announce that he and Dean Winchester would be getting married.

“And how are we to explain away our father’s absence during the proceedings, Michael?”

Michael’s good mood promptly withers. Because of course Chuck would be expected to play some part in arranging his son’s wedding. Ill or not, at the very least, he would be expected to make an appearance at the wedding. To have no part in it at all would be suspicious, not to mention rude.

While Raphael intended to snap Michael back to his senses, they had not meant to shake Michael into an immediate depression. They try for a gentler tone.

“You know, Michael. Our father has been gone for over a decade. He left no formal plans, he's sent no word. By any standard, he's abdicated. Perhaps this isn’t the right time to introduce a political marriage. Perhaps we should consider your assuming the kingship, and then come back around to formalizing your relationship with Dean—”

Michael, of course, is against this. Because their father is alive, and he will come back, and it will not be to find that another one of his sons had greedily tried to usurp the throne.

Seeing Michael about to fall back onto a familiar tangent, Raphael chooses the lesser of two evils and takes the conversation back to “Dean.” They ask which out of the two of them proposed to the other.

Michael abruptly realizes that he's forgotten something.

Meanwhile, Adam starts his morning on a much happier note. His headache is less punishing than Michael’s, and while feeling the normal amount of embarrassment that comes with drinking a little too much, the feeling does not extend to kissing Michael. His mother’s safe, he’s nailing his Dean impression, and Michael apparently likes him. Things could not be better. Until Adam remembers how the latter two items on that list are linked.

Michael is not like a classmate back home, who he could chat up, get a drink with, and maybe start seeing regularly if all things went well. Michael is, in fact, the acting ruler of one of the most powerful countries in the world, which just so happens to be at war with Adam’s, and under the explicit impression that Adam is similarly situated in the world.

Adam promptly begins freaking out.

And then Michael finds him.

Adam’s in the library at the time. Michael walks in and quietly dismisses Adam’s guards, and Kevin, leaving the two of them completely alone. Adam doesn’t realize what Michael’s doing right away, though he’s spent enough time with Michael to recognize how nervous he is as he starts talking about a proposal to end the war—selling the idea, as if Michael wouldn’t be enough on his own—and then sheepishly tapering into the idea that both he and Adam seem to have feelings for one another. And if Adam were able to go back in time and strangle his tipsy past self, he would, because then he wouldn’t have to see the look on Michael’s face when he says no.

And no, Michael does not understand.

Adam can hear years of living in the public eye at work in Michael voice, as he just manages to keep his voice level in asking, “Even if it would mean peace?”

"I'm sorry, I just—I can't."

". . .I see."

Michael excuses himself, and Adam collapses onto a couch, assuring himself that no was the only right answer, and he shouldn’t feel terrible—which, of course, since Adam’s spent the last couple of months flirting with Michael while posing as someone else, is not an easy idea to buy into.

Michael and Adam avoid eye contact at dinner, even as Raphael—who has zero doubts as to who initiated what the night before—practically burns holes into Adam’s skin with the looks they shoot down the table.

And then a messenger comes in. One of the wealthiest duchies in the kingdom (the same one that had once supported Lucifer, and of course would be populated with demon characters in the narrative) has declared its independence, having formed an alliance with the Campbells, and has launched an attack not far from the castle. Several villages have already been attacked along the way. Michael accompanies the armed forces he sends out to quash the uprising.

Raphael is left behind to fortify the castle and take in the refugees, who the messenger assured them are not far behind. Unlike Michael, Raphael rarely saw combat. Officially, it was because Raphael had adamantly insisted on training as a healer rather than a warrior, which was true enough. Unofficially though, Michael and Raphael are both fully aware that if anything happened to Michael, Raphael is the only one left to inherent the crown.

Samandirel and Anael escort Adam back to his room. Samandriel assures Adam that no one thinks he had anything to do with the duchy double crossing them, but it would probably just be safer for Adam to stay out of sight until things calm down. Anael is more closed-lipped about the situation.

From his window, Adam watches the first of the villagers come trickling in, and even from his vantage point he can make out burn wounds, makeshift bandages and hastily thrown together tourniquets, and he’s in hell, because it seems the only two options in front of him are to worry about Michael, or feel absolutely sick with guilt because he’s a trained physician and he should be down there helping.

Finally he pokes his head out into the corridor and asks if someone can find Kevin for him. Anael raises an eyebrow that “Dean,” who’s usually inordinately self-suffice for a prince, is suddenly insisting that he needs to see his manservant, but Samandriel is already helpfully heading down the hall. A few minutes later, Kevin is in Adam’s room, confused, as Adam asks him to take off his clothes.

“You can have mine, just switch with me, okay?”

“Uuh. . . Don’t you think mine will be a little tight on you—”

“Less talk! Strip!”

Michael had probably errored in assigning the same two guards to watch over Adam. After a year, the three of them had gotten to be on fairly familiar terms. Adam waited until Samandriel started to get chatty, and slipped quietly out of his room when Anael was distracted—neither of them having had any reason to think Adam would try to escape, because he had been nothing but compliant since the day he arrived.

From there, he goes straight to the infirmary.

Raphael had set up tents in the courtyard to accommodate the high number of people in need of care. Adam was a year out of practice, but the atmosphere was still familiar to him, and he slipped into the chaos unnoticed. Raphael doesn’t notice him until they are well into the thick of things, and Adam’s as covered in grime and gore as anyone else present. Adam had just gone for more bandages and the two of them nearly ran into each other, and for a split second Adam thinks Raphael just might not recognize him until hand closes around his arm like a vice.

“What exactly are YOU doing here?”

Then Raphael notices the stitches Adam had just finished putting in for his latest patient—and Adam’s stitchwork is immaculate, not the clumsy, half-hazard work of a solider who picked up the mechanics of it over the course of their career.

"YOU did that?"

Adam starts to fumble out an answer, but they are interrupted because then Michael is being brought in. The fighting is over. Raphael and Adam promptly drop everything.

Michael has a concussion. He’s also been lightly stabbed. You know, just lightly. Needs stitches though. Raphael is adamant that Adam leave immediately, but Michael, who is delirious, sees Adam and absolutely refuses to let Raphael send him away. Raphael winds up patching Michael together while Adam—annoyingly, to Raphael—is sat next to him, holding Michael’s hand. Adam winds up sitting next to Michael all night, because it’s the only way to keep Michael from getting up and tearing his stitches like a feverish moron.

Initially, Raphael refuses to leave too, not trusting their brother’s suspiciously competent love interest, whose family was purportedly allied with the traitors who’d just attacked their people. There are still more wounded to tend to, however, and Raphael begrudgingly has to step away—making sure to leave orders that a guard be present in the room the entire time that Raphael is gone.

Little does Raphael know, Adam would have lowkey given a limb to have Raphael stay. Michael’s demeanor is a lot less closed off when he’s feverish and concussed. Shortly after Raphael leaves, Michael starts apologizing for proposing earlier, and Adam feels like he’s been stabbed in the gut. And as he’s lying there, looking at Adam’s hand in his, Michael starts saying things he would not normally blurt out—like that ending the war was not the main reason he wanted to marry Adam, because the last year has been the best he can remember, and it is entirely due to spending time with Adam—even if Adam was only there by obligation—and he would do anything to make Adam happy, even if they weren’t together—and Adam is just stuck there, highkey dying on the inside.

Then Michael sees his face.

"I apologize, you’ve already said you do not want to marry me, I should not have brought this up—”

Michael starts to get out of bed completely unconcerned about his stab wounds, and as Adam’s pushing him back down, the words “That’s not true!” just sort of. . .fly out.

Then Michael’s suddenly looking at Adam, and his face is suddenly very sober, and Adam can feel his own face turning red.

"That is, I. . ." Adam realizes, suddenly, that he’s fucked. Telling Michael the truth is somehow both the right and wrong thing to do at the same time, and Michael is definitely in no condition to hear it either way. “How about, if you still want to marry me when all this is over, then I’ll say yes?”

The next morning is a string of stressful events for Adam. Raphael shooed him out of Michael room at dawn, and Adam went straight back to his own. Kevin, Samandriel, and Anael had all been reprimanded for Adam’s escape, with the latter two being replaced as Adam’s guard under Raphael’s orders. His first interaction with Ishim and Maribel does not bode well for them becoming friends.

When Adam tells Kevin that he’s thinking about coming clean to Michael, Kevin panics. News from the Winchesters had dried up weeks ago, even for Michael and Raphael’s sources. Kevin argues that they’d be better off attempting to escape on their own if the charade was getting to be too much for Adam, especially after last night—but even then, they should wait awhile longer. Why take any chances right now? And Adam doesn’t know how to go about explaining the why. . .

And it gets taken out of his hands anyway, when they step out of the room and find that it’s somehow leaked that Adam and Michael—who had completely misunderstood what Adam meant by “when all this is over”—are engaged.

Kevin doesn’t get another moment alone with Adam to discuss how stupidly dangerous this whole situation is, and Adam, no matter how hard he tries—can’t seem to get a moment alone with his fiancé to try to explain that the situation is not what he thinks it is. Everyone had vastly underestimated how far the rumors about Michael and Adam secretly courting had gone, and Adam can barely take three steps without a noble or courtier or someone pulling him aside to offer their congratulations, and as Adam gets closer to Michael’s chambers, there’s Raphael, circling like a shark and Adam does not want to make his confession to Raphael before he sees Michael.

Come dinner time, Adam finds that his seat had been reassigned. He now sits directly to Michael’s left. He keeps trying to convince Michael to step out into the hall with him for a second, while Raphael, seated in their normal place to Michael’s right, continuously circumvents him, firmly believing that Adam has done more than enough in private.

Then there’s a scream. A servant comes running out into the dining hall, carrying a bloody knife. They run up to Michael—up until the guards step forward to stop her, but she’s not attacking. Instead she hands over the knife and says that she found in the corridor outside the king’s chambers. She had been worried, so she broke protocol and went in. The king’s bed was drenched in blood.

Adam looks over and feels a chill when he recognizes the same knife that had been included in the murder kit he found in his room on day one.

If Raphael had looked up, Adam had no doubt that Raphael would have read something in his face, but they didn’t get the chance to. Michael and Raphael are busy staring at each, the only ones in the room who know beyond any doubt that the implication could not be true, because there had not been anyone in that bed to assassinate in over ten years. Neither of them is given the chance to try to spin the knife’s implications in any direction, however. While the court is still reeling in shocked silence, a guard walks in—completely oblivious—and announces that a messenger has arrived with urgent news.

Adam looks up, and finds he has room to panic more, when he sees Anna Milton walk in, a serving maid in the Winchester court, and as she drops a curtsey to Michael, she identifies herself as one of Raphael’s spies. She had held her place in the Winchester court for as long as she could, but when her real identity had been uncovered she’d had no choice but to flee, and she’s come with monumental news. The civil war across the channel has ended, the Campbells having been forced to seek asylum with their allies outside the kingdom, John Winchester deposed, and Dean Winchester installed on the throne in his place. She had witnessed his coronation herself the very day they identified her.

And Adam feels very cold, as if his blood had actually managed to turn into ice, which would have explained why he couldn’t seem to move, as every eye in the room immediately turns to him.

And that would be the end of part one.

#midam #adam milligan #supernatural michael #samandriel #supernatural raphael #anael #kevin tran #my thougths #i'm very tempted to throw jack in a joan-of-arc-inspired role

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danny-pino-group-therapy · 3 years

Text

Lost In A Daydream

Prompted by @tom-hlover: Benedict Cumberbatch X assistant reader, where Reader fell in love with her boss but knows that it couldn't be, so she resorted to writing which luckily she used a pen. Name as her writings became successful and even surprised her that Ben reads her works until he knew it was her and found out about her feelings, and he was feeling the same way too

Pairing: Benedict Cumberbatch x Reader

Warnings: None that I can think of, all fluffy.

Word count: 1,111

A/N: I'm not taking request, but I was asked very nicely, and I didn't want to let a fan down. I have a horrible time saying no, lol. I hope you like it @tom-hlover. So this is my first fic posted in forever, like in years, so be kind, please. If you like it, comment, like, reblog, please! I love your feedback.

Other notes: (Y/P/N) is Your Pen Name. *Gif Credit goes to @thelostsmiles*

Working as an assistant to Benedict Cumberbatch for the past year had been a fantastic opportunity, one you hadn't quite expected to receive. The job had been presented to you by Benedict's previous assistant when she turned in her resignation letter as she was moving away to be with family in the states.

Over the year assisting your boss, you had developed more than just feelings of friendship towards him. Being so close and constantly around Benedict, you slowly developed romantic thoughts. The feelings that you had were eating away at you slowly, and it was no chance you would spill them to Benedict or that he'd in any way return the same feelings, so you decided to put your college courses in creative writing to use and start by writing fanfictions here and there in your free time. When they began to gain attention, several of your readers suggested you start publishing eBooks and submitting drafts to publish. Never had you thought they'd take off as they did, but you had sold several books online, and one of your first books was due to release today in stores, under a pen name, of course.

"Good morning, (Y/N)." Ben said with a smile as he came into the studio to prepare for another day of filming his newest movie. He would spend a while in the makeup chair, so he always had a book on hand.

"Hello, Benedict. You look very cheerful this morning." You commented at the tall man's bright smile. Ben usually had his face buried in a script, but today you noticed he was carrying a bag from his favourite bookstore.

"Well, one of my favourite authors has just published another book, and it was released today. Just grabbed my copy on the way here." He sat down in the chair and cracked the new hardback book open.

It was then that you noticed the title of the book he had. Your book, to be exact, it was also then that your heart sank to your stomach, and you felt nauseated.

"What if he finds out it's me? What if he figures out it's about him? What if he knows it was me all along and he…."

"(Y/N)? (Y/N)? You with me?" Ben called out, making you snap your head up to look at him.

"With you? Wh-why. What do you mean?" You laughed a bit, trying to brush the whole thing off.

"I asked you if you had read any of (Y/P/N) 's books before, but you seemed very occupied." He laughed, making you gulp and blush a bit, looking down to some notes you had in your hand.

"Oh, ha, no. No." You cursed yourself for being so awkward. "I've heard great things, though, from friends."

"She's my favourite author. I'd love to meet her someday." Ben looked over you, carefully studying your curious behaviour before he got back to reading.

The day passed by with you trying to avoid Benedict unless he needed you beside him for work; otherwise, you stayed at a desk out of the way and tried working only to end up stuck in your thoughts.

Ben had a pretty good idea by the end of the day that you were the author of his favourite books, not only due to the way you had acted when you found out he had bought the book this morning but continued to avoid him all day when able. The actor would be lying if he said he didn't have similar feelings as the male character in the book towards his coworker. He was now determined to find out if the feelings were mutual between himself and (Y/N).

You were reading the same line again and again on a paper that had been given to you for a commercial that Ben was to be in in a few weeks.

Benedict came up behind you and called your name, going unnoticed by you with the first call.

"(Y/N)?" He said again and laid a hand on your shoulder to bring you back from your concentration.

You jumped and turned your head, looking up to the ocean blue eyes of your boss.

"Oh, Christ, you scared me." You placed your hand on your chest, feeling the thumping of your heart under your palm.

"You are jumpy today. Is everything okay? You seem a little off. Like in your own world almost." Benedict stated bashfully, wanting to say how he felt about you.

"Uh yeah, yeah. Just, um. Just a lot on my mind." You nodded and looked off. You just wanted to spill your guts to him and get it off your mind and chest.

"You can tell me anything. I know I'm your boss, but I consider you a friend as well. I need to, no, want to tell you. I only hope I'm not crossing the line or going to cross the line." Ben rubbed the back of his neck and tried to stop himself from continuing to ramble.

"I have feelings for you." Ben said suddenly.

"It was about you." You blurted out at the same time.

"I'm sorry?" You asked, staring dumbfounded at the handsome man you had admired. "Did you say you have feelings for me?"

"Yes. Yes, I do (Y/N). I also think you wrote the books, am I right?" He questioned curiously.

"Y-yeah. It's embarrassing. I'm so sorry if it's inappropriate." You wrung your hands and looked down at them. "I can take another job if it'll impact my position working with you." You continued.

"(Y/N)." Benedict interjected. "(Y/N)". He said again and failed to stop you, so he tipped your chin up and kissed your lips tenderly, only pulling away slightly to see if he crossed the line.

What he found was your eyes closed and your face in peaceful bliss. Smiling, Ben leaned in again and pressed a more passionate kiss, wrapping his arm around you, his large hand flat on the small of your back and one hand holding your face gently.

After breaking from the kiss and opening your eyes, you both had a smile.

"What about a date? Not a fictional one this time, an actual date. Then you can tell me about what else you have yet to publish, and I've yet to discover of yours." The actor chuckled as he looked down at you.

"A date I'm great with that idea, but you'll never see what I've posted on my blog. At least not yet." You died just thinking of what he would think if he saw half of the filth you had posted on your blog even before your employment with him.

#benedict cumberbatch #Benedict Cumberbatch fanfic #fanfiction #fanfic #ben c x reader #benedict cumberbatch x reader #ben c / reader #fluff #benedict cumberbatch fluff #benedict cumberbatch fanfiction #fanfiction writer #retired #request #special

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itsclydebitches · 3 years

Note

Here's a quandary I've suddenly found myself in: where do you stand on writers deleting their own works, fanfiction or otherwise? I've had this happen to me on more than one occasion - I go to look for an old favorite and find it's since been deleted from whatever site I read it on.

On the one hand, I'm inclined to think that, "Sure. The author wrote it, it's their call. I don't own the work - I certainly didn't pay for it. It's their decision, even if it's disappointing."

But at the same time I can't help but consider the alternative - if I believe in death of the author (and I do), that an author's work fundamentally isn't solely theirs once it's been published, posted, etc., then it also seems wrong to have a work deleted. Stories aren't the sole property of their creator, after all.

But then I circle back. D'you think there are different obligations between authors and readers and the works being made in fandom space? I know if I had bought a book and the author decided they wanted it back, I would feel pretty comfortable telling them no, given I'd paid for it and whatnot. But that's a different world from fanfic and fandom space generally.

So. You're insightful Clyde, I'm curious as to what you'll have to say here (and to all y'all thinking about it, don't flame me. I haven't decided where I stand here yet - haven't heard a good nail-in-the-coffin argument for or against yet).

Val are you a mind reader now? I’ve been thinking about this exact conundrum the last few days!

(And yeah, as a general disclaimer: no flaming. Not allowed. Any asks of the sort will be deleted on sight and with great satisfaction.)

Honestly, I’m not sure there is a “nail-in-the-coffin argument” for this, just because—as you lay out—there are really good points for keeping works around and really good points for allowing authors to have control over their work, especially when fanworks have no payment/legal obligations attached. In mainstream entertainment, your stories reflect a collaborative effort (publisher, editor, cover artists, etc.) so even if it were possible to delete the physical books out of everyone’s home and library (and we're ignoring the censorship angle for the moment), that’s no longer solely the author’s call, even if they have done the lion’s share of the creative work. Though fanworks can also, obviously, be collaborative, they’re usually not collaborative in the same way (more “This fic idea came about from discord conversations, a couple tumblr posts, and that one headcanon on reddit”) and they certainly don’t have the same monetary, legal, and professional strings attached. I wrote this fic as a hobby in my free time. Don’t I have the right to delete it like I also have the right to tear apart the blankets I knit?

Well yes… but also no? I personally view fanworks as akin to gifts—the academic term for our communities is literally “gift economy”—so if we view it like that, suddenly that discomfort with getting rid of works is more pronounced. If I not only knit a blanket, but then gift it to a friend, it would indeed feel outside of my rights to randomly knock on their door one day and go, “I actually decided I hate that? Please give it back so I can tear it to shreds, thanks :)” That’s so rude! And any real friend would try to talk me out of it, explaining both why they love the blanket and, even if it’s not technically the best in terms of craftsmanship, it holds significant emotional value to them. Save it for that reason alone, at least. Fanworks carry that same meaning—“I don’t care if it’s full of typos, super cliché, and using some outdated, uncomfortable tropes. This story meant so much to me as a teenager and I’ll always love it”—but the difference in medium and relationships means it’s easier to ignore all that. I’m not going up to someone’s house and asking face-to-face to destroy something I gave them (which is awkward as hell. That alone deters us), I’m just pressing a button on my computer. I’m not asking this of a personal friend that is involved in my IRL experiences, I’m (mostly) doing this to online peers I know little, if anything, about. It’s easy to distance ourselves from both the impact of our creative work and the act of getting rid of it while online. On the flip-side though, it’s also easier to demean that work and forget that the author is a real person who put a lot of effort into this creation. If someone didn’t like my knitted blanket I gave them as a gift, they’re unlikely to tell me that. They recognize that it’s impolite and that the act of creating something for them is more important than the construction’s craftsmanship. For fanworks though, with everyone spread around the world and using made up identities, people have fewer filters, happily tearing authors to shreds in the comments, sending anon hate, and the like. The fact that we’re both prefacing this conversation with, “Please don’t flame” emphasizes that. So if I wrote a fic with some iffy tropes, “cringy” dialogue, numerous typos, whatever and enough people decided to drag me for it… I don’t know whether I’d resist the urge to just delete the fic, hopefully ending those interactions. There’s a reason why we’re constantly reminding others to express when they enjoy someone else’s work: the ratio of praise to criticism in fandom (or simply praise to seeming indifference because there was no public reaction at all), is horribly skewed.

So I personally can’t blame anyone for deleting. I’d like to hope that more people realize the importance of keeping fanworks around, that everything you put out there is loved by someone… but I’m well aware that the reality is far more complicated. It’s hard to keep that in mind. It’s hard to keep something around that you personally no longer like. Harder still to keep up a work you might be harassed over, that someone IRL discovered, that you’re disgusted with because you didn’t know better back then… there are lots of reasons why people delete and I ultimately can’t fault them for that. I think the reasons why people delete stem more from problems in fandom culture at large—trolling, legal issues, lack of positive feedback, cancel culture, etc.—than anything the author has or has not personally done, and since such work is meant to be a part of an enjoyable hobby… I can’t rightly tell anyone to shoulder those problems, problems they can’t solve themselves, just for the sake of mine or others’ enjoyment. The reason I’ve been thinking about this lately is because I was discussing Attack on Titan and how much I dislike the source material now, resulting in a very uncomfortable relationship with the fics I wrote a few years back. I’ve personally decided to keep them up and that’s largely because some have received fantastic feedback and I’m aware of how it will hurt those still in the fandom if I take them down. So if a positive experience is the cornerstone of me keeping fics up, I can only assume that negative experiences would likewise been the cornerstone of taking them down. And if getting rid of that fic helps your mental health, or solves a bullying problem, or just makes you happier… that, to me, is always more important than the fic itself.

But, of course, it’s still devastating for everyone who loses the work, which is why my compromise-y answer is to embrace options like AO3’s phenomenal orphaning policy. That’s a fantastic middle ground between saving fanworks and allowing authors to distances themselves from them. I’ve also gotten a lot more proactive about saving the works I want to have around in the future. Regardless of whether we agree with deleting works or not, the reality is we do live in a world where it happens, so best to take action on our own to save what we want to keep around. Though I respect an author’s right to delete, I also respect the reader’s right to maintain access to the work, once published, in whatever way they can. That's probably my real answer here: authors have their rights, but readers have their rights too, so if you decide to publish in the first place, be aware that these rights might, at some point, clash. I download all my favorite fics to Calibre and, when I’m earning more money (lol) I hope to print and bind many for my personal library. I’m also willing to re-share fic if others are looking for them, in order to celebrate the author’s work even if they no longer want anything to do with it. Not fanfiction in this case, but one of my fondest memories was being really into Phantom of the Opera as a kid and wanting, oh so desperately, to read Susan Kay’s Phantom. Problem was, it was out of print at the time, not available at my library, and this was before the age of popping online and finding a used copy. For all intents and purposes, based on my personal situation, this was a case of a book just disappearing from the world. So when an old fandom mom on the message boards I frequented offered to type her copy up chapter by chapter and share it with me, you can only imagine how overjoyed I was. Idk what her own situation was that something like scanning wouldn’t work, but the point is she spent months helping a fandom kid she barely knew simply because a story had resonated with her and she wanted to share it. That shit is powerful!

So if someone wants to delete—if that’s something they need right now—I believe that is, ultimately, their decision… but please try your hardest to remember that the art you put out into the world is having an impact and people will absolutely miss it when it’s gone. Often to the point of doing everything they can to put it back out into the world even if you decide to take it out. Hold onto that feeling. The love you have for your favorite fic, fanart, meta, whatever it is? Someone else has that for your work too. I guarantee it.

So take things down as needed, but for the love of everything keep copies for yourself. You may very well want to give it back to the world someday.

#fandom #fic things #mymetas #never any easy questions on this blog huh? lol

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zeppelin-and-unicorns · 3 years

Text

Post Season 8 fanfic recommendations

Hey! So, I’ve been working on this for a while. I’ve read so many good Hyde/Jackie stories, and I feel like it’s a waste not to share them.

I tried to separate everything in categories, but some fics fit in more than one category and honestly it was just a mess. So I've separated them the best way that I could. I’m going to post the categories separately, and after I’m done I’ll make a masterpost with links to each of the categorized posts, as suggested by @springsteenicious and @those70scomics (thank you both for the help!).

Even though this is only one category, it’s still a long post, as I’ve said before, I’ve read many fanfics. I don’t know if I should edit this and add more stories as they’re out (for instance, I have a post season 8 story that I’m planning on posting soon) or if I should just leave things this way. Please let me know if you think I left out a good story or if you have any suggestions.

I’ve read and enjoyed ALL of these stories, they’re all very good. All the stories mentioned here are post season 8 stories. I’ll post stories that take place during season 8 next. I hope everyone enjoys it!

20 Questions by ShanghaiLily

Just after New Year's day in 1980, Jackie Burkhart decides to disappear from the basement to save her sanity. When Christmas rolls around and the Formans beg Jackie to attend their party, she ends up involved in an elaborate game of 20 Questions with Hyde that could change both of their lives.

This story is almost entirely T rated, but there is smut in some chapters. The author placed a warning in the notes of the chapters that contain steamy scenes, so you can easily skip it if it makes you uncomfortable.

This story is complete.

71k words, 21 chapters.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Eric/Donna and Kelso/Brooke

After the End by araleebo

Who's to say what happens after the end? Jackie finally thought she could get her happily ever after with the guy of her dreams in the new decade. For a while, she was right. Then, the worst few days of her life happened.

This story is complete.

34k words, 6 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

All That I Got by AdriDee

After being an asshole to her during most part of 1979, Hyde decides it’s time for redemption. And to win Jackie back, he must work on himself first.

Their journey in this story is beautiful, and amazingly written. The story is complete.

122k words, 22 chapters.

Rated M for smut in some chapters.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Eric/Donna, Kelso/Brooke, Fez/Laurie, Red/Kitty

Back to the 70’s by Wicked Chocolate

The 80s had barely begun before they start to crash around Jackie, maybe an Angel can grant her a trip back to the 70s and give her a second chance with Hyde. How will the events we know unfold now that Jackie has the knowledge and opportunity to change them?

Trigger warning: Major Character Death, kind of.

73k words, 10 chapters.

Rated M.

This story is not complete, but it’s worth the read.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Eric/Donna.

Also available on AO3

Back to Their Roots by Hart-of-Tree-Hill

Who doesn’t love a friends with benefits story?

Jackie and Hyde decide to have a no strings attached relationship after everything, but we all know those don't work.

This story is not complete and it makes me sad :( I still have hope that the author will update this someday. It kind of ends on a cliffhanger so it’s totally up to you if you want to read this or not.

13k words, 4 chapters.

Rated T, surprisingly

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Eric/Donna

Before The Summer Ends by 107derwent

Summer is stupid. It makes you act stupid. Makes you stupid ,

This story is complete.

4k words, 3 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Catch the Bouquet by heatherlea75

Fate has been unkind to Jackie Burkhart for too long. She has a plan to change that, and to obtain what is rightfully hers a glorious wedding. Though she doesn't know it, she needs a little help, and a surprising person is perfectly willing to offer it.

This story is complete, and it has an adorable sequel, called Pop The Question.

6k words, 2 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Eric/Donna

Charm Bracelets and Lighters by Aaliamad

Set three years after the series finale. Jackie’s been living a new, fabulous life in Chicago, what she didn’t know was that Hyde was also living in the same city as hers.

They eventually run into each other in a nightclub and have a special reunion. Can things be different between them this time?

Rated T.

This story is complete.

72k words, 36 chapters.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, Eric/Donna

Chasing Windmills by c00kiefic

Four chapter short story about their journey back to each other after season 8. To be honest I love all the stories by this author, but this one is definitely one of my favs.

This story is complete.

11k words, 4 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Daddy’s Home by Hyde’s Bride

Jackie moved to Chicago after she had nothing left for her back in Point Place, but after two years, something awful happened to her. A certain burnout wants redemption but she finds herself in the middle of a pretty complicated dilemma.

Trigger warning: rape.

39k words, 14 chapters.

Rated M.

This story is complete.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Eric/Donna, Kelso/Brooke, Red/Kitty, Fez/Laurie

Date Night by SwanseaGurl

Hyde has been trying to get Jackie back for a while now, but after everything that happened between them, she's not willing to give him another chance. But he's also not willing to give up on her.

One day, a drunk and lonely Donna tries to make a move on Hyde and Jackie witnesses everything, will it change things between them?

Donna's not a really cool person in this fic, so be warned.

Rated T.

This story is complete.

11k words, 5 chapters.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Everybody Must Get Stoned by ShanghaiLily

After new year's 1980, huge fights break out between Eric & Donna and Jackie & Hyde. Both feeling the need to escape their problems, Jackie & Eric drive the VC to Mexico. Who gets shot? Who flees the country? Who comes out of the closet?

This story is amazingly written. I always appreciate a good story with amazing Jackie/Eric friendship moments. It’s complete.

129k words, 29 chapters.

Rated T, with some M chapters. The author placed a warning before the sexy scenes in case you’re uncomfortable with it.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, Eric/Donna. And if you have a soft spot for Jackie/Eric, you might like the beginning of the story.

Everyone Thinks I Dodged a Bullet by MonDieu666

When Hyde and Jackie are the only ones to see a murder, they're placed into witness protection. Living under the same roof is one thing but lines begin to blur when they're forced to pretend to be married and memories from the past begin to resurface.

This story is amazing and it makes me smile. And it’s complete.

69k words, 16 chapters.

Rated M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Eric/Donna

Fatherhood by varietyofwords

The birth of Betsy and Kelso taking on the role of father has gotten Hyde thinking about fatherhood.

This story is absolutely beautiful. And it’s complete.

10k words, 6 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Fire in the Light by Noducksinpond

The eighties are almost ending and a certain couple is reunited.

This story is complete.

31k words, 14 chapters.

Rated M

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Kelso/Brooke, Eric/Donna

Heart Like Yours by PoetDameron

This is the first That 70s Show fanfiction I’ve ever read, and it’s absolutely beautiful. It’s based on the book “If I stay” and it’s amazing.

I’ve also read all of the other t70s stories by this author, and I highly recommend them.

Trigger warnings for drug use.

Rated T.

This story is complete.

139k words, 22 chapters total

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Eric/Donna, Kelso/Brooke

Also available on AO3.

Keep Me by 107derwent

Jackie and Hyde managed to be friends after all the crap that happened in season 8. She’s there for him when he needs her the most. Will that rekindle old feelings between them?

This story is complete.

20k words, 10 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Eric/Donna

Like a Rolling Stone by elphabacan

Ashleigh 'Ash' Burkhart is a typical teenage girl. She never knew her father, and never cared to. Until she stumbled upon a new record store in a Minneapolis Neighborhood....

Beautiful writing. This story is complete.

50k words, 16 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Mamma Mia! That 70s Show style by love.devil.movies

Inspired by the classic Mamma Mia movie. Jackie is in Hawaii for Eric and Donna’s wedding and she finds herself between three of her exes.

This story is complete (and it’s a super fun read).

26k words, 13 chapters.

Rated T

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Eric/Donna and Red/Kitty

Mired by Tandy

Five years after she moved to California, Jackie goes back to Point Place to attend an important event. She ran into someone special and it turns out that a trip down memory lane is not as simple as it sounds.

This story is complete.

22k words, 7 chapters.

Rated M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Never Tear us Apart by MinaSeraphina

Unlike 90% of the stories I’ve recommended so far, this one focuses on the entire gang. Each chapter is focused on one of the characters and they all have their own storylines.

This story is complete.

14k words, 6 chapters.

Rated T

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, Eric/Donna, Kelso/Brooke, Fez/Laurie

New Resolution by c00kiefic

Jackie is getting married and Hyde is not the groom. What happens when Hyde and the gang decide that they need to stop this wedding?

This story is complete.

16k words, 4 chapters.

Rated M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Eric/Donna

Not a Thing to do but Talk to You by Willofthewisp

This story is not focused on Jackie and Hyde. It’s focused on the entire gang, and it’s beautiful.

It alternates between present time and flashbacks, but season 8 did happen in this story, that’s why I placed it in this category. It’s complete.

53k words, 30 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, Eric/Donna, Kelso/Brooke

November Rain by luvcali

After a torrid encounter on Halloween night, 1984, ex-lovers Jackie and Hyde spend the next month reevaluating their past.

This story is complete.

373k words, 33 chapters.

Rated M for sexy scenes.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Eric/Donna, Brooke/Kelso and Fez/OC

Nowhere But Lost by Zenkindoflove

Hyde is cynical, depressed, alone, and would really like to keep it that way. But what happens when something inside of him resurfaces and is more than unhappy about his current living arrangements?

This story is complete.

52k words, 13 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, Eric/Donna

One More Time by CarouselUnique

Jessie Forman thought she knew a lot of things; who she could trust, who her parents were, even what was possible in the world around her. One snowy night, all three of these things change. Now, stuck back around 1978 - she's left in the worst situation possible to figure out where to go from there.

This story is a WIP, it’s been a while since it was updated, but I’m pretty sure the author is coming back to this story one day!

14k words, 4 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, Eric/Donna, past Jackie/Eric

Reelin’ In The Years by JoyfulHeartEO

I placed this story on the post-season 8 category, but there are some small differences that made me kind of lost in what category to place this. Season 8 happened, but Sam never left and Jackie and Fez never happened. It takes place on New Years.

Rated M.

This story is complete and it has a sequel, it’s called Crazy Love.

89k words, 20 chapters.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Eric/Donna, Kelso/Brooke, Red/Kitty

See Me, Feel Me by elphabacan

Hyde wants Jackie back, Jackie wants nothing to do with him after everything that happened. The boys find out about Jackie’s secret love for The Who, and while Fez and Eric fantasize about it, Hyde sees it as an opportunity.

This story is complete.

10k words, 4 chapters.

Rated M. Very much M. You’ve been warned.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Eric/Donna

Second Chances by Flowers_For_Flamingos

Hyde's life has snowballed since Jackie's death. He moved back in with the Formans, Donna and Eric live far away, Fez was who the hell knows where, and Kelso....Hyde didn't think about Kelso. But one cold rainy night, while Hyde is drunk he causes an accident that sends him spiraling back in time to almost ten years ago, when everyone still liked each other. When Jackie was still alive.

This story made me cry so hard. It’s beautifully written, please read it.

It’s a WIP (work in progress, which means it’s being updated).

32k words, 15 chapters for now.

Trigger warning: Major Character death

Rated T

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Eric/Donna

She’s The Devil by starfalls

It’s Halloween 1980, and the gang takes an ill-fated trip to a party that leads to some major revelations between Jackie and Hyde.

I could literally picture everything happening in my head while I read this story and I laughed so hard during some parts. All the characters are on point.

This story is complete.

30k words, 2 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Eric/Donna.

Stages by c00kiefic

I love everything this person ever wrote. Seriously. EVERYTHING.

Hyde’s there for her when Jackie goes through hell.

This story is not complete and it pains me. It has SO MUCH potential. Every now and then I reread it because it’s so good. I think it’s worth the read.

7k words, 2 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Eric/Donna and Red/Kitty.

That’s My Baby by kezztip

Jackie focuses on her career after the disaster that was 1979, and moves to Chicago after getting an amazing new job. Before she left, Hyde convinced the whole gang to throw her a surprise party for her, so he could try and make amends. Jackie ends up leaving the party angry as hell, what she didn’t know was that she left the party with a special souvenir inside of her.

This story makes me laugh SO HARD. The author managed to write all the characters perfectly. Please read this.

This story is complete.

68k words, 23 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, Eric/Donna, Red/Kitty, Brooke/OC.

The First and Only Mrs. Hyde by The Queen Of Wallflowers

As it turns out, Sam is Hyde's second wife. He married his first when he was six. Mrs. Forman has the pictures to prove it. Now he just has to make it legal.

Donna’s kind of a bitch in this story, so if you don’t like stories like that, this might not be for you. But I do think this is an excellent story.

This story is fluffy and just perfect in general. Please read it.

It’s almost complete, and I still have hope that someday the author will actually finish this.

32k words, 12 chapters so far.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Also available on AO3

The Morning After by ShanghaiLily

Sequel to the one-shot Resolutions. Jackie wakes up in Vegas laying in bed with her very sexy ex-boyfriend and a tacky wedding band on her finger.

This story is complete.

59k words, 10 chapters.

Rated M for smut.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Fez/Caroline, Eric/Donna

The One with the Tee Shirt by c00kiefic

In which Jackie tries to get closure, Hyde's in denial and Donna plays middlewoman.

This story is complete.

18k words, 5 chapters.

Rated M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Eric/Donna

The Secret of Katherine by heatherlea75

Jackie and Hyde are keeping a secret from their daughter, one they fear will hurt her. When someone decides to tell her that secret, will it destroy her relationship with her parents?

Rated T.

This story is not complete, but it’s worth the read.

23k words, 8 chapters.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Eric/Donna

The Sweetest Gifts by zeppelinandunicorns (myself)

It’s a known fact that post season 8 stories tend to be angsty, but this one is not.

This is a fluffly story that narrates Jackie and Hyde’s journey through parenthood. It will be part of a series, I got too attached to this universe, lol.

Rated T.

This story is complete.

26k words, 3 chapters.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

The Wall by Tayi

The new decade begins and Hyde finds himself alone in the basement listening to the latest Pink Floyd album, and the song "Hey you" suddenly has a new meaning. Now as the days turn into weeks, it feels like the whole album is haunting him until it helps him fix the mistakes of the past few months .

This story is complete and it has a sequel, that it’s updated constantly. Its called Over The Hills and Far Away.

14k words, 16 chapters.

Rated M.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Eric/Donna

Things Change by shy1214

Jackie's life wasn't going well, she was alone and her friends were no longer actual friends. She had lost the love of her life and everything else, especially her once incredible confidence. A new strange friend might help her find it, and give her hope again.

This story has plenty of OC’s that crawled their way into my heart.

Donna is not a nice person in this story.

112k words, 28 chapters.

Rated T

This story is complete AND it has a sequel, it’s called Lock, Step and Gone.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde. And that’s pretty much it other than the pairings between the original characters.

Voulez-vouz by zeppelinandunicorns (me)

To celebrate her birthday, Jackie convinces Hyde to take her on a romantic trip, but Las Vegas wasn't exactly where she wanted to go, and she definitely didn't want to take the rest of the basement gang with her. Frustrated, Jackie thought that the trip was ruined, but Hyde's willing to make it unforgettable. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, right?

This story is complete.

13k words, 5 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Eric/Donna, Kelso/Brooke

Also available on AO3

War Stories by Jenny7

It's 1980, and Hyde is more lost now than ever. When Hyde gives into the man and joins the Army, against all he's ever believed in, it will take friendship, family, and a love stronger than distance and time to get him through.

I was reluctant to read this at first, because c’mon, it’s Hyde, he would never willingly work for “the man”, but as I started to read it, everything made sense, and I fell in love with it.

This story is complete.

31k words, 24 chapters.

Rated T.

Pairings: Mainly just Jackie/Hyde

Welcome to Jackie’s by TeaTimeAllOverTown

Jackie moves to Chicago shortly after season 8 to live out her dream. But when a happy, confident Jackie returns to Point Place will her past upset her future?

This story is complete.

38k words, 8 chapters.

Rated M.

Pairings: Mostly Jackie/Hyde

What Lies Beneath by SophiesRoses

THIS STORY IS PERFECT AND YOU SHOULD READ IT RIGHT NOW.

Seriously.

This story deserves way more recognition, it’s one of my favorites of all time.

Trigger warnings for alcoholism, heavy drug use

Rated M because there are a few sex scenes, but don't let this discourage from reading the story.

This story is not complete, but I still recommend it. A lot.

119k words, 28 chapters.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, Eric/OC, Kelso/Brooke, Donna/OC, Fez/Laurie

Yet Another Season 9 by elphabacan

Picking up on New Years Day, the group has eight months before Donna and Eric leave for Madison. New faces, new stories, and many MANY changes are in store.

Rated T.

This story is complete.

94k words, 25 chapters.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, Eric/Donna, Kelso/Brooke, Fez/OC, Red/Kitty

Post Season 8 one-shots:

Be Hers by c00kiefic

Hyde and Jackie talk while they’re on the road.

Rated M.

4k words.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Eric/Donna

Burn War Snapped by SkittleLvr79

Can an ultimatum from their friends lead to the end of a long, bitter feud?

Rated M. Very M.

3k words.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Canada by angelwithawand

They agreed not to talk about marriage in The United States. Luckily Canada is close.

Rated T.

418 words.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Could’ve Been, Should’ve Been by propelled

Sometimes coming back home means facing the reason why you left in the first place.

Rated T.

5k words.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Deja Vu by 80sUnLoveChild

Takes place right after the season finale. The countdown is on, but who is kissing who at midnight and why does it feel like this has happened before?

Rated T.

3k words.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Fragile, Handle with Care by JadedAngel

A simple confrontation between Jackie and Hyde lead to, maybe not the perfect solution, but at least get them a step in the right direction.

Rated T.

6k words.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

How I Spent my Decade: Steven Hyde by 177istaken

Are memories enough? How Hyde spent the 80's dealing with his favorite chick.

Rated T.

1k words.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Just a Small Glimpse by AdriDee

A small one-shot about Edna’s thoughts when she sees Hyde and his family. I wouldn’t call this a sequel, but it’s the same universe of All That I Got, a multichapter story written by the same author.

Rated T.

1k words.

Pairings: Background Jackie/Hyde

Karaoke by 80sUnLoveChild

It's New Years Eve 1979, and as usual the Forman's are having their New Years party. Why oh why did Bob bring his Karaoke and why is Eric so insistent that Hyde sing?

This story is funny as hell, I love Eric.

Rated T.

5k words.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Eric/Donna

New Years Day by legally_blonde

Takes place right after the series finale. Jackie and Hyde are cleaning bottles on New Year’s day.

Rated T.

2k words.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Reversed by SkittlezLvr79

Set in 1986. Hyde finds himself in a somewhat familiar situation but this time, he's on the opposite side of things from where he usually stands.

Rated T.

1k words.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

So far, this is all.

Stay by FreyReh

Everyone gets together again for Kitty’s 50th birthday and old feelings stir between Jackie and Hyde.

Rated T.

7k words.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, background Red/Kitty and Eric/Donna

Stoner’s Nightmare by Bunny1

What if season 8 was just a nightmare?

Rated T.

581 words.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

The Force by 107derwent

Eric’s back and the whole gang is back together, but some things are still missing.

Rated T.

1k words.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

The One I Love by c00kiefic

“He’s been on Jackie’s bad side for so long that he’s forgotten what it’s like to be on her good one.”

Hyde sees the love of his life getting engaged to someone else and decides he’s not going to let that happen.

Rated M.

4k words.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

The Princess and the Rebel by ForTheLoveOfFanFiction

Much of the damage of 1979 has been repaired; all except Jackie and Hyde. A trip in 1980 to see 'The Empire Strikes Back' makes Eric and Donna wonder if there is still hope for everyone's favourite princess and rebel.

Rated T.

1k words.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde, Donna/Eric

Zozo: A Journey to Understanding by zpplnchick

"You don't deserve a real tattoo. But if I were to get one, I'd show it to Fez before I'd ever show it to you!" Ironically, that's pretty much how it happened.

Rated T.

3k words.

Pairings: Jackie/Hyde

Oh, just one thing, speaking as someone who writes, it would be really cool if you guys decide to leave a review (or a comment, if the story is on AO3) in the stories you read, especially the unfinished ones. It really motivates the authors, and receiving a compliment is always a mood lifter. I’ve seen some authors updating stories after years because of nice reviews, so... yeah, this is just an idea.

Next category: Stories that take place during season 8. I’ll post it soon.

#jackie x hyde #jackie and hyde #zenmasters #fanfic #that '70s show #that 70s show #fanfic recommendations

78 notes · View notes

magnhild · 3 years

Text

A Happy Review (kind of) of Ikenfell

Having ADHD means that I have a lot of trouble getting into new media if I’m hyperfixating on something else. As any follower of mine is no doubt aware, my current one is RWBY, and has been for a while. But with the show’s mid-volume hiatus underway, I ended up left in a void with nothing to fill it.

Two days ago, I had a friend reccomened to me a little indie RPG called Ikenfell. I’d never heard of it, but I was told it has a great number of LGBT+ characters, options to make gameplay easier, content warnings, and music composed by the great Aivi & Surasshu, who you might know as the composers of Steven Universe. This grabbed my interest, but I found myself sketpical that it could be that good, and that the representation, in particular, was largely exaggerated and probably just mild implication.

Nevertheless, I started the game the next day, intending to play for an hour or so before putting it down again, warning my friend that I was unlikely to get too invested in it.

Almost exactly 12 hours later, I found myself watching the epilogue play out with misty eyes, having finished the game and having gotten deeply pulled into it.

This game was everything it was promised to me and so much more. Between the representation, the accessibility options, and the overall charm of the game, Ikenfell ended up being laregly enjoyable and something truly special; a hidden gem in the plethora of video games released in 2020.

The game follows Maritte Hildegaard, a non-magical teenage girl, on the search for her yes-magical sister Safina, a witch attending the school of Ikenfell. A basic premise on the surface, but the story itself has a lot of neat little twists and turns that all come together for a satisfying story worthy of being animated someday. It probably won’t be, but hey, I can’t dream, right?

To begin with, I didn’t find myself too fond of the battle system, not because I found it flawed, but simply because I personally struggle with video game battles and they can also cause me a great deal of pain due to my connective tissue disorder and chronic shoulder pain. I was getting way too frustrated, even agaisnt smaller enemies, and was ready to put the game down after yet another failure agaisnt the same single boss. Tied alongside the fact you cannot see your enemy’s HP, making strategixing more difficult, I was ready to say that I wasn’t a huge fan of the game.

That is, until I found out about instant victory, an option in the settings that allows you to be given the chance to instantly skip literally any battle in the game, with no negative conequences and all of the rewards. For more avoid gamers, it might be tempting to mark this as a flaw that makes the game ‘too easy’, but is very much optional, and anyone who wants the challenge can play without it if they wish. But for disabled people like me, who also get easily stressed, it was an absolute Godsend that allowed me to focus more on the story and characters, which was what I really cared about.

On the note of characters, the representaion mentioned earlier is certianly no exxageration, with just about every named character being explicily LGBT+ in a way that I’ve never seen before in officially published media. I’m not just talking wlw and mlm characters, though there were plenty. No, the characters aren’t only diverse in sexuality, but in gender as well. Of the six playable characters, three- an entire half- of them are nonbinary. Several human nonbinary characters. And it goes even further- only one of these characters uses they/them pronouns. Why is that good? Because not all nonbinary people do. And that’s something that is severely overlooked by those with binary genders. One of them uses he/him pronouns, and the other uses ze/zir pronouns. You read that right. A main character in a video game, in media at all, that uses neopronouns. Now, I am fully aware that neopronouns have been used in media before; my own set were coined by a book, in fact. But in all of these cases that I’m aware of, they are used exclusively for non-human characters; aliens, bringing an implcation that neopronouns are nonhuman. This case, as far as I’m aware, is the first case that they are used to reflect and represent real human beings, and it is absolutely incredible. The LGBT+ representation in this game is amazing, but there is something very special and signifigant about a black, human, adult character, using neopronouns.

Even better yet is that this is all in the game completely casually, with no fanfare, no dramatic coming-out plotlines, no treatment as if it is anything but normal. Even the one instance of a character accidentally misgender another comes with a quick apology and correction with no big deal. Better yet is that terms like ‘gay’ and ‘nonbinary’ are explicitly used in-text as well, rather than avoiding the use of them as many other instances of LGBT+ characters in media do.

Aside from individual LGBT+ characters, the game also boasts five LGBT+ couples over the course of the story, though one is only sen in flashbacks and another is only mentioned between scenes. Nevertheless, it’s easy to become invested in the slight romantic aspects of the story.

SPOILERS AHEAD

One of these romances is between Ibn Oxley and Bax Twiford, and it’s the first one we see hinted at in the game. During the stoy’s climax, Bax is fatally wounded and I felt a heavy weight in the pit of my stomach, even tweeting an out-of-context ‘OH NO’ to confused and concerened followers. MLM couples in media are all-too-often doomed to fail, usually by way of having one half of the couple be killed off. I feared this would be the same case here, to the only MLM couple in the game, and resigned to it with a hevay heart.

Except, the game surprised me again, and saved Bax before he died, allowing for both characters to get their happy ending. In fact, all of the characters get at least somewhat of a happy ending, a refreshing detail for a sap like me. I was espeically pleased when I sat through the credits, praying for an epilogue that would confirm soemthing I was hoping for, being sure I wouldn’t get it, and then i got it. Every writing choice made felt like one of my own, albiet excuted better, with far more professionalism. It felt so utterly refreshing to have everything turn out the way I wanted it to.

Even decisons made outside of representaion satisified me, like Safina not being forgiven by Maritte after everything she’d done, including keeping Maritte’s entire existance from her friends. In many instances these days, it’s all-too-common for a character to do terrible things, only to be forgiven by everyone the moment they apologie, and it can be a bit frustrating if you’re someone who knows that nobody should ever feel obligated to forgive someone who hurt them, and that an apology is more than just saying ‘sorry’. It was yet another case of the story going exactly as I’d wanted it to.

END SPOILER WARNING

Ikenfell feels just like a fanfiction, and I mean that in the best possible way. Not because it’s exceedingly trope-y, or because it feels amature in any way, but because it doesn’t feel like something that was written for pleasing the (cishet and white) masses when it comes to its representation. The large majority of creators looking to publish their work will avoid going all-out with representation in fear of the classic ‘it’s not realistic’ critisism, with only fanfiction authors usually having the guts to make all of their characters LGBT+, because they’re writing for themselves and a small audience of people who enjoy the same things as them. Ikenfell has this same feel; it wasn’t created to be a huge, wildly popular, chart-topping game, it was created to be something that the people it represented could enjoy. It is the purest kind of video game, not one made for profit or attention, but simply because the creators wanted to create it. The fanfiction vibe also makes a lot of sense, considering the fact that was inspired by them- which may explain why I, laregly a fanfiction writer, agree with so much of its choices.

The game may not be everyone’s thing, but if you’re disabled, LGBT+, a POC, of even just someone who ejoys cute fantasy RPGs, I implore you to buy and play the game, because even my words can’t fully capture what an incredible game it is. There’s stuff I haven’t even mentioned, like the beuatiful music, the great visuals, and the many, many cats, so please, go and check it out for yourself.

Thank you for reading, and thank you to every single person who worked on Ikenfell for crafting such a lovely and inclusive game.

#ikenfell #essay #my writing #long post

53 notes · View notes

majflodder · 3 years

Text

I posted 16 times in 2021

12 posts created (75%)

4 posts reblogged (25%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 0.3 posts.

I added 50 tags in 2021

#reader insert fanfiction - 12 posts

#gender neutral reader - 11 posts

#dean winchester x reader - 5 posts

#dean winchester - 5 posts

#supernatural - 5 posts

#supernatural x reader - 4 posts

#sam winchester - 2 posts

#romance - 2 posts

#crossover fanfiction - 2 posts

#crossover - 2 posts

Longest Tag: 31 characters

#chris lasalle x reader platonic

My Top Posts in 2021

Roadhouse Blues Part 2 (Romance)

Dean Winchester x Reader

Warnings: mentions of alcohol

Ash and (Y/N) we're sitting on the pool table. It looked like they were doing research when the Winchesters reappeared. Dean went to get a beer, Sam didn't want alcohol this early in the day so he went over to the pool table. "What are you guys researching?", Sam tried to catch a glimpse at the page that (Y/N) was reading, but they hid it away. The journal they were reading looked old and like it had suffered water damage more than once. (Y/N)'s name was written all over the cover. Another name was signed on the back cover but it wasn't identifiable. Dean made his way over to the pool table too. He wasn't as subtle as Sam about his interest in that case: "What's that book?". (Y/N) hid the book behind their back: "It's nothing that would concern both of you, it's just for something that I'm working on". "Why is Ash allowed to know", Dean sounded slightly jealous for some reason. "It's because (Y/N) and I are working on this together", Ash didn't look up from his laptop. Dean looked around and noticed the beaded bracelet that (Y/N) seemed to wear at all times: "What does the K stand for?". "Nothing I want to talk about", (Y/N) started playing with the bracelet. "Why don't you trust us", Dean sounded a bit offended, but he might've just been curious about what this case was. "Just because my girls trust you doesn't mean that I automatically do the same", (Y/N) paused for a second, "for some reason I like both of you though, so maybe someday I'll tell you". "Sounds good", in reality Dean was even more excited about this.

Sam and Dean went back to their own research. (Y/N) got up from their spot to select another song on the jukebox and take a short break.

The Winchesters stayed at the Roadhouse one more night. The next day when they left they were greeted by (Y/N) sitting on a bench outside: "Are you guys hitting the road?" "We are, it was nice to meet you", Sam made his way over to the Impala. "I hope I'll see you around again", (Y/N) directed this at both of the brothers. While Sam already sat down in the car, Dean kept lingering around at the bench: "Will you stay here for longer, (Y/N)?" "I will, I still need to figure some things out for my hunt", and they liked staying with the Roadhouse crew. Dean turned to leave, but (Y/N) stopped him: "Wait a second". Dean stopped and looked at them. "Take this with you", (Y/N) handed Dean a cassette tape. He took a closer look at the tape: "Rock of the 90s? This explains your favourite song back there, but why do you want me to have it?". "You look like you never listened to anything from after 1975, this will show you the greatest music ever made", they sounded a little bit proud. "Thank you", and with that he left.

13 notes • Posted 2021-08-09 20:53:29 GMT

Beauty Standards

Don Flack x Reader (Romance)

Summary: Reader gets insecure about their looks and contemplates ending their engagement with Flack.

A/N:This one was requested by @sirishavenigalla. I'm not that experienced with writing romance, so I hope it turned out alright.

Warnings: Reader struggles with their self image, fighting in a relationship, some angst

Something about Don Flack seemed off today. Danny had noticed that his friend wasn't the attentive, focused detective he usually would be. After Flack had snapped at Mac Taylor, didn't eat anything for lunch and left all paperwork unfinished in a messy pile, Danny decided he had to confront his friend about this: "Don, we need to talk". "Why, what is it", right now Flack sounded only sad and tired. "Something is going on with you. It's not only that you are not focused on the case, you're wearing a Stone Temple Pilots shirt to work. It's nothing you'd normally do and I know that this shirt is not yours but (Y/N)s", Danny wasn't only worried about Flack, but also about (Y/N). It was well known that Don Flack and (Y/N) (L/N) had a tendency to make really emotion based decisions. Flack waited for a bit before he started talking: "(Y/N) left me behind". "What do you mean?", Danny was confused, it had always seemed like (Y/N) and Don had a picture perfect relationship. They had met at a concert. Sam had dragged him there and he hadn't really been in the mood for a concert but that had changed once he saw (Y/N) in the crowd. Three years had passed and they had recently gotten engaged. Why should all of this be over now?

Now the answer to this question wasn't an easy one. We live in a society where people get judged by others and feel pressure to meet beauty standards that are often impossible to achieve. (Y/N) was usually aware of the fact that everything they saw in magazines was usually photoshopped to a point where it wouldn't even be possible to fit all important organs into the model, but ever since one of their family members had asked them if they put on more weight, (Y/N) started to feel more and more insecure about their weight. They had suffered with body image issues a lot when they were younger and now they feared that they weren't good enough for Flack. They loved him so much and right now (Y/N) was so convinced that they couldn't make him happy that they made a rushed decision. (Y/N) left the shiny engagement ring on the kitchen table and added a note.

Donnie, I'm very sorry to do this, but I need space to think about something. I'm only doing this for you.

-(Y/N)

And so, (Y/N) left the apartment to spend the day somewhere else.

"Did you try calling them?", all of this seemed very odd to Danny, "you definitely have to talk about this". "They won't pick up the phone and they're very vague in the answers to my texts. I don't know what to do anymore, maybe this is all my fault". "You should go and find them, our case is closed anyway and we have the rest covered", Danny sounded very convincing. "Thanks Danny, I'll go and try to fix this", Flack left the CSI building.

He finally found (Y/N) at a motel, sitting on the chair in front of a mirror. He wanted to go in for a hug immediately but as (Y/N) stood from the chair they pushed him away. "Why did you just leave? I was worried sick about you, is it something I did?", he sounded angry for some reason. "You wouldn't understand it anyways", the last thing (Y/N) wanted was a fight but it just happened. "What do you mean, (Y/N)? Am I not good enough?", even Don Flack gets insecure when it comes to the love of his life. "No, that's the problem, Donnie. You're perfect. You're the best boyfriend anyone could ask for and you deserve so much better than being with me", (Y/N) started crying and they hated it. Flack just stared in confusion as (Y/N) continued: "Just look at me, I'm boring and ugly and as my family never fails to tell me, I've been putting on weight. I don't deserve someone as good as you, in fact I deserve to be alone forever, because no one could ever love me". Flack needed a moment to process everything that (Y/N) had just said. Then he pulled them into a hug and this time they just let it happen. He started to ramble: "(Y/N), please don't think like that. I love you more than anyone else on this planet. Whatever other people say about you doesn't matter. You're perfect to me just the way you are". (Y/N) started crying even harder but Flack just held onto them. He continued: "I love the way you look at me when you get really excited about something, and I love how you sing along to every song and can always tell me what a song is called when I only know three words and the melody. You're the most kind and caring person I know and I love the way you look, you're the most beautiful person to me even when we take a walk at night and the only light comes from a street lamp". "Do you really mean all of this, Donnie?", (Y/N) leaned their head against his shoulder. "Every single word. And what's really impossible for me is to stop loving you, so will you please stay with me?", he looked at them with a pleading expression. "Of course I will. I love you so much. I'm sorry for reacting like this", (Y/N) felt a little embarrassed about it now. "Don't apologize, it's not your fault", Flack fished (Y/N)s engagement ring out of his pocket and slid it back onto their finger.

"Do you want to come back home with me?" "Yeah, let's go", and so they left the motel.

14 notes • Posted 2021-08-10 11:25:16 GMT

Designer Shades Part 1

An Ainsley Whitly x Bateman! Reader Story

Summary: (Y/N) Bateman tries to life a decent life in New York City, which is not easy with the last name of a serial killer. Things get even weirder when they start to fall for Ainsley Whitly. (Reader is the child of Jean and Patrick Bateman. This follows now specific timeline and might at times be very different than what happened in canon)

Warnings for this chapter: Psychiatry/Prison (implied), mention of handcuffs, mention of mental illness, Patrick Bateman

There were few people (Y/N) Bateman hated more than their own father. That didn't stop them from paying him a visit every third Thursday of the month. Today was one of these days. The third Thursday of November to be correct.

(Y/N) was sitting on one end of the table. Patrick was sitting opposite to them. His hands were chained to the table.

"You look so incredibly drained, child. Did you drop your morning routine?", Patrick Bateman didn't really care for the well-being of his child, he cared very much for if they looked presentable though . "That's none of your business, I didn't have a morning routine to begin with and I'm only here for mom's sake. You know that". "You told me countless times , I am aware". "So anything new going on around here? Do they feed you? Keep you from inflicting harm other people? Oh wait no one wants to befriend you anyways", (Y/N) didn't care if they were being rude, their father didn't deserve better. "Did I raise you to be that impolite or is it just your friends having a bad influence on you?" "You didn't raise me at all, it was mom who raised me and she did a pretty decent job", they needed to be clear that their mother, Jean, was a way better person than Patrick Bateman could ever be. "Alright, how is Jean doing these days?", somehow Jean was always worth a bit of Batemans attention. "Same as always. I don't know why, but she still somehow cares for you", the truth was that Jean cared deeply about every person on earth which was part of her problem.

"That's lovely, I always knew Jean wasn't as shallow as all those other people", the look on Patrick's face showed that he felt at least some kind of emotion for Jean. A short pause followed. Patrick Bateman then proceeded to take both of (Y/N)'s hands in his own and asked: "And how have you been holding up?". What (Y/N) wanted to say was: "I'm mentally unstable as always and can't tell anyone why. It's all your fault". What they actually said was:"I' ve been listening to my best of the Pogues album and Bruce Springsteen on your stereo while wearing your Ray-Bans and an exact copy of one of Bryan Ferry's stage outfits". Patrick's face showed a hint of concern. (Y/N) continued: "I took mom out for dinner at Dorsia". Patrick's eyes widened at the mention of the restaurant: "Dorsia's still open?". "Of course it is, it's a pretty run down place though. But I loved it there". "How did you get a reservation?" "Do I look like a person who makes reservations?" "You're telling me you got into Dorsia without a reservation?" "I did, because no one goes there anymore. But mom wanted to go there so it's what we did", (Y/N) considered telling their father that Dorsia was considered 'vintage' these days and that they'd definitely seen some hipster college students there, but he wasn't familiar with the terminology so they dropped it. "Anything else? How's your brother?", at least Patrick Bateman still asked for the whole family. "He's doing great, he's very successful at what he's doing", (Y/N) weren't going to drop the fact that their brother was starring in a musical. "That's very nice", Patrick let go off (Y/N)'s hands and leaned back in his chair. (Y/N) stood up. "I'll have to go now, see you next month", and they left.

14 notes • Posted 2021-01-30 17:00:22 GMT

Roadhouse Blues Part 1 (Romance)

A Dean Winchester x Reader mini series

Summary: A series of events throughout the years, all of them showing different aspects of the relationship between Dean and Reader.

A/N:This whole series happened cause I was watching Supernatural again, this whole story is inspired by the Alice In Chains album 'Facelift' and the title is a the Doors song. Enjoy.

Warnings: romance, alcohol

The Winchesters entered the Roadhouse. There was no one present since it was past closing time. Well, there was one single person present, so it must've also been them who had chosen the song currently playing from the jukebox. Dean and Sam, curious and unaware of personal space as always, sat down directly next to them. The person didn't look up from their glass. Dean started talking: "So this is the music you like, huh?". "You got a problem with it? Cause if you do I don't care", they took another sip. "I was just asking, no need to be rude", Dean raised his hands in defeat. "If you and your brother don't stop bothering me I'll get Ash", now this might've sounded like a threat to anyone else, but the stranger couldn't know that the Winchesters were friends with the Roadhouse crew.

"What are you doing here, all by yourself in the middle of the night", Dean didn't know when to stop, very typical. "Yeah, and how do you know we're brothers", Sam added. "Would both of you please mind your own business and leave me alone. I swear, I'll start screaming". Thankfully it didn't come to that, because Ellen, woken up by all the noise, entered the room. "Sam, Dean, what are you doing here?", she sounded done with all the inconveniences that could occur while managing a Roadhouse. "We're just passing through", Dean gave his best smile. "Alright, do both of you need a room for the night?", she sounded tired too. "That would be nice, thanks Ellen", Sam had always been the more polite one out of the two brothers. "Alright, I'll go get the keys. I see you've met (Y/N) already", she turned towards the person still nursing their drink, "(Y/N), these two are Dean and Sam Winchester. They're John Winchester's sons". (Y/N) nodded their head towards both of them, too exhausted to speak another word. Ellen decided to call it a night too: "Okay then, (Y/N), I'll show the boys to their rooms. Don't forget to clean your glass before you go to bed, and I better don't find you still sitting here when I come back out to open up".

Once they were out of hearing range the brother's curiosity got the better of them so Dean asked the question that had haunted him since they arrived: "So who exactly are they?" "(Y/N) is a hunter, they stay here for the time being. They're basically family too so you better behave around them". That's all the information the brothers would get that night and so they retreated to their room.

16 notes • Posted 2021-08-05 07:37:51 GMT

Chris

Chris LaSalle x platonic Reader

Spoiler Warning: major spoilers for season 6 of NCIS New Orleans

Warnings: grieving, mentions of violence, being drunk, a break up, not eating, sugar rush, nightmares, crying, reader not getting out of bed for several days

Summary: Reader doesn't know how to deal with the death of their father figure LaSalle, this is basically pure angst. Flashbacks are cursive.

"Chris, why am I in an interrogation room?", you were starting to panic. "Don't worry, (Y/N). I just want to talk and here no one is going to interrupt us". You expected a lecture on respect and behavior or something along those lines. Pride had already majorly chewed you out and you knew you shouldn't have lost your temper like this but here you were. "I promise, I'm not mad about what happened at the academy. I'm just worried about you and I don't want them to kick you out", LaSalle always knew how to approach you. He had learned from years of dealing with his brother that he shouldn't upset people in already difficult situations any further. You stayed silent. It was hard to put the things that had happened into words. "Alright, we'll try something different. Did someone at the academy treat you in an unfair way?" You nodded your head. "Did they say something rude?" Another nod. "(Y/N), you'll have to be completely honest with me now, even if it's uncomfortable. Did they physically attack you?" You looked past Chris at the wall and then the words just started spilling out of your mouth: "They beat me up every day and I tried to ignore them and look like I don't care and I thought they'd stop...and I'm just good at dodging punches so I protected my face to not get any visible bruises...but there are three of them and I'm alone and I didn't know who to talk to, and I tried to tell Pride about it but he was pissed at me because he had already gotten the complaint about my absence and it's impossible to properly talk to him when he's mad so I just hid at that gas station til you dragged me back here". You were out of breath and on the verge of completely breaking down. Lasalle grew increasingly angry at the people who did this to you. He tried to contain himself to speak to you in a softer tone: "None of this is your fault, kid. I'm taking care of this, we'll get these guys expelled and I'll make sure you can go back to the academy and finish your training". You calmed down a little bit and tried to process everything that had happened over the past few weeks. You looked at LaSalle: "Chris?" "Yeah?" "Thank you". He walked around the interrogation table and held out his hand for you: "Come on, I'll give you a ride home. You need a break".

You hadn't left your apartment in three days, out of all members of the team you'd been the only one to take your special vacation. You didn't bother to get out of bed and you couldn't care less about the state you were in. You weren't sure if you had really processed the news yet. The days went by in a haze.

"Hey, kid! Wait a minute!", LaSalle came running after you. You stopped in your tracks. "What is it?" "I have something for you", he was clearly holding something behind his back. "Show me", you demanded. "Close your eyes", he looked at you mischievously. "Chris, I'm not a child", but you did as you were told anyway. "Now hold out your hands for me", you did and LaSalle dropped something into your hands. "You can open your eyes now". You opened your eyes and looked at the thing: "Oh my God is this…", you couldn't even finish your sentence. "It's your very own NCIS badge. From now on you're NCIS agent (Y/N) (L/N)". You looked at the badge in your hands for a moment and then clipped it onto your belt. LaSalle looked at you like a proud father.

You woke up in cold sweat from a dream that you couldn't quite place in the timeline yet. The moment you realised that you were indeed awake on this day in this time and he wouldn't be there at the office and he never would be anywhere again you broke down again. There were only so many tears someone could cry and you definitely weren't done crying yet so you just curled up into a ball to cry some more.

"What is it, King?", Chris was on the phone with Pride. "It's about (Y/N), they're drunk and I need you to come here and get them home", Pride sounded concerned. "Did something happen to them?", Chris started to worry. "They won't talk to me and they were already drunk when they got here. Something is clearly wrong". "Alright, please keep an eye on them. I'm on my way", with that LaSalle hung up and started making his way to the bar. When he arrived he saw you sitting there slowly drinking a cup of water which Pride had given you earlier. LaSalle approached you: "Hey, kid. Would you like to go home?" You stared at him in confusion before nodding slowly. You stood up and held onto his sleeve for support. LaSalle lead you to his car and helped you sit down in the passenger seat. He even secured your seat belt. He had never seen you this drunk before. Chris waited a minute before he started driving: "Do you want to tell me what happened?". You said nothing for a while, then tears started welling up in your eyes: "Jo broke up with me". You sounded distressed. "Oh, (Y/N). I'm so sorry", Chris leaned over the console and pulled you into a hug. You continued talking: "They said that I'm too damaged to be in a relationship...they said I'm broken and that they're not willing to help me". You started sobbing louder this time. Chris still held you. You continued: "They said there's probably no one in this world who could ever fix me". "None of this is true", Chris tried to soothe, "You're not broken. You just went through some rough times and we're all here to help you through them". You both sat in his car like that for a while before starting to drive.

You didn't know what to do except for keeping on to rot away in your room. The only thing that usually came to your mind in a situation like this was calling LaSalle, but in a fit of anger yesterday when it settled in that you could never call him again you had thrown your phone at the wall. It was still intact thanks to the outdoor phone case and screen protector but you were unwilling to retrieve it from the ground. You wouldn't know who to call for help anyways.

This case was a rather difficult one but you were on the verge of solving it. All it had taken were a few sleepless nights, a few more cups of caffeinated drinks and a sugar rush. But profiling was one of your specialities and this guy had a lot to be profiled about him. You presented your profile to your team, they compared it to their evidence, they found the guy because Patton is the best at locating people and so the bad guy went to prison and all of you could finally go home and sleep. If it wouldn't be for your sugar rush. Everyone looked very tired, but you were still bouncing around the office because you somehow needed to get rid of your energy. "Don't you want to go home, (Y/N)?", it was LaSalle who was the last one about to leave. "I'd love to go home but I kind of had an unhealthy amount of fruit loops and Caf-Pow", you were still pacing around in the office. "Do you want me to walk you home? Maybe that'll get the sugar out of your system", and that's how you ended up on a 30 minute walk through New Orleans to your apartment with LaSalle who later took a taxi back home.

"Dwayne, we can't just sit around and do nothing about this", Loretta knew she couldn't get upset with Pride now. He was suffering too, but that didn't excuse letting one of his agents down like this. "What do you want me to do? They've taken personal days off. I tried calling them and they didn't answer so they're probably not willing to talk", he really didn't deal with the situation that well. "Maybe it's for the better if you keep everything in order here. I will go to their apartment and check up on them", and Loretta went on her way.

You were hiding under your blanket feeling mostly numb now when suddenly there was a knock on your door. You couldn't find your will to get up, so you waited. The person would eventually go away and figure that you weren't home. To your surprise that didn't happen. Someone started unlocking your door which further confused you because only one person had a spare key to your apartment. And his death was the very reason you ended up like this.

"(Y/N), are you here? It's Loretta!", she looked around your living room to see that everything was a big mess. You didn't find your will to answer. "I'm coming inside now, I'll find you if you're somewhere in here!", Loretta knew better than to startle you. When she reached your bedroom she saw you on your bed and came closer. "Hey, how are you holding up", she knew that you were barely holding up at all but she needed to get you to talk. "I don't know", you stared blankly at her. At least you were answering. "Do you want me to let in some fresh air? It smells like your window hasn't been opened for days". You nodded. Loretta opened a window. Then she sat down next to you on your bed. "We've been worried about you. Don't you want to get out of bed and take a shower? I'll try and find something to eat for you", Loretta knew exactly what to do in situations like this, she had been working with a bunch of very stubborn and very sad people for a long time now. "I don't want to shower", you answered flatly. "That's okay, would you like to change into other clothes?", Loretta had noticed that you haven't even done that after coming back home days ago, and besides that she had also smelled it. You nodded. You got up and leaned against your wall. Loretta started picking out a fresh set of clothes, a washcloth and a towel from your wardrobe. Maybe that would get you to at least wash your face. She placed everything on the shelf in your bathroom and made her way to the kitchen.

A few minutes later you walked into the kitchen in fresh, comfortable clothes and a bit cleaner than before. You sat down at the table and Loretta handed over a cup of tea. You took a sip. You didn't know what to say. You looked down at the table. "You need to talk about this, (Y/N). The situation is difficult for all of us, but we can help each other with getting through it", Loretta didn't want to pressure you to talk, but she had to get at least some information in order to help you. You sat in silence for a longer while. You suddenly started talking: "I just don't know what to do without him, nothing makes sense anymore". Once again tears started flowing and by now you didn't care anymore. Loretta was out of good advice so she gently pulled you into a hug. You kept rambling on: "He was the one getting me off the street and the one who got me into the academy and inspired me to join NCIS. Chris helped me through all the trouble I got myself into. Loretta, I've got no one else. There used to be no one until Chris appeared and no it's going to be just like that again...and it's all just so unfair, he didn't deserve all the pain and he must've been so scared and now he's dead and there's nothing we could've done to prevent it". Loretta didn't know what to say so she just held you closer. You tried to calm down.

It hadn't sunken in yet that from now on you' d have a purpose and a goal. Chris had managed to get you a place at the Police Academy by adding a reference to your application. You'd try your best to make LaSalle proud and become a good cop. If someone would've told you a few months ago that you were going to get a higher education or a stable job offer you would've probably laughed, but here you were now with an actual future ahead of you. LaSalle reentered the kitchen with two cups of orange juice and handed one of them to you. You looked at him for a second before saying: "Don't worry Chris, I'll try my best to make you proud". He just smiled and said: "I know you will, kid".

About an hour, two cups of tea and a bowl of dry fruit loops later you were in a state of mind that Loretta felt it would be safe to leave you alone in. You had decided to sit this case out and you'd come back once you felt capable of doing so. Loretta stayed a while longer before she had to leave and she promised you to call later. When she made her way out of your door she looked back at you: "Christopher is proud of you, (Y/N). And I know you will continue making him proud in the future".

And she was right, you had a bright future ahead of you and you'd do anything to make it a future that Chris LaSalle would be happy about.

30 notes • Posted 2021-01-03 18:05:52 GMT

Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →

#my 2021 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review

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duckprintspress · 3 years

Text

A Brief(ish) History of Duck Prints Press

For this week’s blog feature, I thought I’d talk a little about how Duck Prints Press came about. (hi, it’s @unforth!)

In 2012, an old friend of mine - @fireun, now Burdock, they/them - got in touch to suggest that I submit a story to an anthology for which they would be the anthologist. That project became Fight Like a Girl, a successfully Kickstarted anthology with over 20 contributors. Having gotten a taste for anthologizing (is that a word? it is now...) fireun proposed a second anthology - What Follows - to which I also contributed, and they made an attempt at a third which never got off the ground. fireun’s dream was to work with new, young authors - many of whom we had met while attending World Fantasy Convention over the years - to help them get their first writing credentials, pay them a market rate, and springboard them into further writing careers. However, by the third anthology it became clear there was a challenge to: new authors didn’t have the clout to successfully launch Kickstarters. fireun couldn’t raise the funds to pay authors what they deserved.

Around when the second anthology came out in 2014, I also finished the first draft of a novel that eventually became A Glimmer of Hope, and I began to post fanfiction (having been a lurking reader for several years). As I joined fanfiction author communities, I realized there was a vast untapped pool of writing talent - individuals who, for a multitude of reasons, weren’t interested in pursuing traditional publishing but might still want to get their original work out into the world. Furthermore, unlike the new authors that fireun invited to their anthologies, the fic authors had a following which could potentially help raise the funds necessary to pay for a project.

(read more...)

These two ideas combined over the summer of 2015. We got to talking - could we work with both these audiences? Could we make this into a company? What would that company to look like and how would it be structured? What kinds of works would we want to publish? I especially sank my teeth into the project, doing a lot of research - on competitors (ask me about Big Bang Press sometime...), on similar models, on pay scales and legalities and many other aspects of starting a business. We planned to meet in June, then it got pushed back to July...and then I found out I was pregnant, and fireun was trying to leave a bad relationship, and the whole project derailed - shelved, but not forgotten.

Several times, I tried to revive fireun’s interest, but they increasingly were moving in a different direction with their life (nothing wrong with that, they’re much happier now, and we’re still friends). Thus, I forged forward alone.

Based on the research I’d done in 2015 (and which I re-did periodically to make sure it was current), I had a basic idea of what I wanted to create: a Limited Liability Corporation, owned by me but with a team to help since it’s way more than one person can do alone. I’d looked into Book View Cafe, a cooperative publisher that works with established authors to put out works they want to do but for whatever reason don’t want to go a traditional root with, and I loved the idea of a co-op (that remains our ultimate goal). By reducing initial outlay costs on editing, graphic design, and other “basics,” and doing a lot of the production work on a barter basis, we could minimize expenses and maximize the amount we pay authors. I started quietly sending out feelers, to see what other fanfiction authors might be interested in joining something like this, and found a lot of support that helped me think the core idea would be viable.

But could we make money? I need to prove that, to myself and in a way demonstrable to others, before I could proceed.

Despite having a rough pregnancy, and then an infant, I edited and preparing A Glimmer of Hope for self-publishing (I also have my own reasons I’m not interested in pursuing traditional publishing). In fall, 2016, drawing on the support of people who enjoyed my fanfiction, I successfully funded a Kickstarter for A Glimmer of Hope, which convinced me that my core idea from the previous summer was sound: working with fanfiction authors who wanted to publish original work could produce enough support to pay for putting out books, especially if those books catered to fanfiction reader’s taste.

If I could do one book by myself and turn a profit, surely many authors working together to produce works of different lengths and anthologies could do even better! Validated, and having found the Kickstarter surprisingly easy to put together, I continued to form my plans.

As I putting together the final draft of A Glimmer of Hope, I wanted a publisher imprint to put on the spine and title page, and after a lot of pondering, I settled on Duck Prints Press. This was an homage to fireun and our time in college as roommates, when we pranked each other in increasingly absurd ways that always involved ducks (my favorite was when I propped a bucket of stuffed ducks over their door such that it fell out on their head when they opened the door...another excellent one was when fireun used all the ceiling light drawstrings in our house to hang rubber ducks threateningly around...it all stemmed for a ridiculous AIM conversation, circa 2001, where we swore vengeance on each other over some absurdity but we could only use ducks, Gackt music, and library books to exact our revenge). Ducks were near and dear to my heart because of all this, and strongly associated with my relationship with fireun, so of course I wanted to immortalize that in our name. I also developed the initial version of our duck print logo, with the intention that someday, I’d make the press a fully-realized reality, and not merely an imprint on a single self-published book.

Since I sent those books out in 2016, it’s taken more than 4 years to convert those nascent plans into the reality of Duck Prints Press LLC. I made a push in 2019, and that’s when jhoom, formidablepassion, alessariel and adaille signed on to help. We did a lot of planning then, but fall of 2019 was busy for us and we had to put things on hold, and then 2020 happened (need I say more?).

As the last difficult year came to a close, I reached out to the others and we agreed: 2021 would be our year.

So, here we are, and we’re excited to finally be sharing the dream that started as mine and fireuns, and then was mine alone, and now belongs to many people - and more all the time. We’ll be announcing author recruitment for our first anthology imminently (...probably tomorrow!) and we’re hoping that, just as once fireun hoped to help launch new authors with anthologies, the five of us who run Duck Prints Press will be able to recruit a core team of authors interested in publishing original work with us in the future. We’re very excited - to publish new works, to bring in new readers, to support authors, and to publish original fiction that brings all the joy that our favorite fanfiction elicits.

We couldn’t be more thrilled to be writing books about your new OTPs.

Thanks, everyone, for joining us at the start of this journey. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for all of us!

#duck prints press #about duck prints press #mod post

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sluttymickey · 3 years

Note

[CG anon] just read the new EAY chapter and Ian is so mushy like yeah dude I relate Mickey is adorable. And to answer your question I’m spoonfulstar on ao3 which is kind of embarrassing to admit for some reason. I don’t think my writing is that good but I found fic writing has been really good practice since someday, maybe 20 years from now, I’d want to possibly publish my own book. and so I really love writing gallavich AUs more than anything. But since I’m so new to fan fiction (like I’ve read all the ones you recommended and they were all so good but I’ve definitely read fewer than most people in the fandom) I don’t really know what exactly people are looking for. Also, setting my countdown for CG now. if they have their first kiss in the next chapter I might actually combust.. I wonder if CG Mickey would ever move back to Chicago or get an apartment there.

CG Anon HI 🥰❤️

I fucking know right? I'm literally obsessed with how fucking heart eyes and soft he is over Mickey? Like-

Mickey Milkovich, dirty-faced punk stealing Pringles from the Kash and Grab, deserves good things--good experiences and the man he adores and I love you. Do you know that? I love you as much as I can without having had my arms around you

Makes me go so soft🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

Wait you've written The Song of Ian? I've been meaning to read it but also scared to read it because I've read The Song of Achilles twice and cried so much both times and I know I'm gonna cry while reading this one😭 Okay I'm probably gonna start with it after finishing my current read and just cry rivers in your comments section 😭

I really really hope you do publish your own book someday❤️❤️ And as for the fanfiction part, speaking from personal experience, people will read everything they can about these two dorks in love, and AU's are really popular!

I don't know about kissing, but we're definitely getting a bone crushing hug in the next chapter and that's enough to make me combust. Adding a kiss on top of that? Literal ascension to heaven. But also I'm so so desperate to know what Mickey will answer when Ian asks him about the picture he posted and how fans will react when Mickey uploads his video and they make the connection that Ian was with Mickey for quite some time in LA at his house and how Mickey will react to their speculations.

You won't believe me, I've actually had a conversation w Mickey moving to Chicago with three people already 😹 I really think he will, you know? I mean I don't think Ian at 19 will wanna move away from his family, and even Mandy's in Chicago, so maybe Mickey would move back after his father dies or something so he can be near both of them? That's my guess, could be totally wrong 😹 What do you think?🤔

#2 weeks to go for CG we can get through this 💪#asks #CG anon

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cafeinthemoon · 4 years

Text

It Takes Courage - Chapter IV (FINAL)

Title: It Takes Courage

Genre: Fanfiction

Pairing: Tobirama Senju x reader

Rating: Teen | up

Word count: 2593

Chapter (s): 4/4

Warnings: none

Symbols: ✔ | ➕ | 🔺 | ▶▶

Read the previous chapters here: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3

Find the Nidaime's Assistant series on ao3

You hesitated for a moment, still not believing it.

So, not only he has been trying to find the best way to talk to you about how his methods of preparation were affecting you, but also bought a gift to you? And from your favorite shop? That only meant that he knew about this preference of yours, which meant that he probably watched when you left your work and visited the place, which in turn meant that he has been in fact observing you. And observing you was his way to come to know you. Of course, he wouldn’t choose someone to work for him and not learn about them. Yes, you’d prefer less subtle methods but, again, it’s was just his way of doing things – understand it, and you will have no problems to understand him.

Tobirama explained the idea of the box.

- Yesterday, I came here and asked the owner to prepare it. He was going to give it to you in your next visit, which probably would happen today. It is the way I chose to thank you for your services and your improvement.

You noticed he said it is when he should’ve said it was or something like this. So, his thoughts about your work weren’t changed? Apparently not but, well, now you didn’t know if you were supposed to accept the gift or not.

He might have noticed you were in doubt, for he encouraged you.

- Please, accept it. I insist.

You made up your mind and took the box from the owner’s hands. You smiled at him, who nodded in silence. You turned to the Hokage and saw the same suggestion of smile on his lips. You said goodbye to the owner and when you both left, you looked at Tobirama and thanked him properly.

- I’m still not sure if I should accept it – you added, looking at the box – After that.

- Don’t think about it anymore – he asked – Think of this as a part of my apologies.

After a moment, you said you were going home.

- I told my parents I had to buy something, but I just needed some time alone. I must now say goodbye, Tobirama-sama.

However, the surprises didn’t cease yet.

- Y/n, it is dark already. May I accompany you home? I sense your parents are starting to get worried.

Despite your first impulse to say no, you couldn’t argue with this. You didn’t want to worry your parents; but if you came home with the Hokage, they would be more than relieved.

His offer was then accepted and you walked home.

Your street was empty and silent when you reached it. The night was also growing colder, and you started to think you wouldn’t like to be alone there at that time. When you were approaching your house, Tobirama turned to you.

- I need to ask you something.

You stopped.

- Yes, Tobirama-sama?

- Why did you take so long to tell me how you felt about what was happening?

That was a fair question, you realized. Because you were quick to wonder why he took so long to just talk to you, but on your side, you did the same. Your reasons were not the same as his, though, and thinking about them now made you blush.

- Well, I… I needed the job, so I didn’t want to say or do something that could result in being fired. I was also hoping that everything would change someday. When I realized it was not going to happen, I couldn’t contain myself.

He nodded. When you looked into his eyes, you saw some sort of glimmering in them you didn’t notice before.

- I see… But there’s another reason for your silence, am I right?

You felt face your burn. Of course you couldn’t expect to hide it from him, but how were you going to explain it?

You tried your best.

- Yes. It might sound silly now, but the case is that… I was scared of you.

The way he looked at you when he heard these words was hard to describe. Maybe there was a bit of sadness or disappointment in his eyes, you weren’t sure, but it was clear that your answer did not surprise him. As the most powerful shinobi at his time, he was used to be feared; you, in return, must be a fool to not fear him just like everybody else. However, something made you think that it wasn’t his will that you felt like that; it wasn’t that kind of fear he wanted to sense in you every time you were in his presence.

And with his tone as calm as possible, he said that you.

- Your feelings are understandable, y/n. I cannot blame you for them, for I’m aware that nor my temper nor my manners resemble my brother’s. You see, these kind of things were easier for him – then, to your surprise, he smiled; it was just for a moment, but through that smile you understood what the memory of Hashirama meant to him – My talents, on the other hand, lie on scaring people out. If I knew what can be done about this, I would’ve already done that.

Was that a joke? You never found out. But the smile you saw in his face an instant before encouraged you to smile too.

- Well, at least I can say that you don’t seem too scary to me now, Tobirama-sama. Thanks to this conversation.

He nodded.

- It’s good to hear that, y/n, because in this world there are many things you should be scared of, but they do not include me.

A few more steps and you reached your house. You were about to thank him for everything and say goodbye, but then you had an idea.

- Tobirama-sama, would you like to enter? If my parents are as worried as you said, talking to them would help.

To your surprise, he accepted your invitation. You opened the door and called for your parents.

- Mom! Dad! I’m home, and we have a visitor!

Your father was in the living room, sitting in his couch with a book on his hands. He raised his eyes to the door (which was visible from his spot) as soon as he heard your voice. He was going to talk, but fell silent when he recognized the Hokage arriving just after you. The man left his book aside and stood up to greet the visitor.

- But it is the Hokage! My dear, why didn’t you tell me…?

Well, you didn’t plan this; still, you smiled and replied:

- Let’s say it was a surprise.

The two men greeted each other, following the protocol’s demands. If there was something Tobirama and your father had in common, it was this steady attachment to the formalities. After hearing them exchange the appropriate words, you said you were going to find a place for the candy box in the kitchen.

Before you could leave, your mother appeared in the room with a needle and a fabric strap in her hands. Her reaction wasn’t so different from that of your father when she saw the Hokage by your side.

Tobirama noticed her embarrassment and greeted her with proper gentleness. When she finally calmed down, you asked her to accompany you to the kitchen to prepare some tea. She went to get rid of the needle and when she came back, you two left. When your mother first stepped into the kitchen, her eyes spotted the box and asked about it. When you explained the box’s origin, she looked at you with raised eyebrows; for you knew well the meaning behind that look, you stared at her as intensely as you could, asking her to not say a single word about it. After dealing with the younger Senju brother on a daily basis, you’ve come to learn what it means to have a sensor shinobi close to you.

When you brought the tea and some candies to the living room, you noticed that Tobirama was engaged in a polite conversation about the book your father was reading; this latter was as excited as possible despite his self control, so that he didn’t see the moment you and your mother entered the room.

The whole situation was not as weird as you imagined it would be. You never took the Hokage for the type of engaging in small talk, but he managed to turn a conversation that could easily focus on amenities into something interesting for you three. He asked your father about his work and how he used to spend his free time, then talked about some books that could interest him; when he turned his attention to your mother, he complimented her administration of the house and then started to talk about your improvement as his assistant, pointing out that your mother must’ve done an exceptional work regarding your education. Your face burned and you didn’t look at your mother, afraid to see in her face her true response to this.

It was just for a few minutes, but those minutes were enough for you to see more than you’ve ever saw during the days you’ve spent in the office. When you were younger, your parents talked to you many times about something called the Will of Fire, that basically meant that every person in the village must see the people who lived with them as their own family. This Will must be even deeper in the Hokage’s case, according to them. However, you’ve never thought about it the way you did that night. By that time, when each villager was probably at home minding their own business, Tobirama Senju was there with your family, spending his time and attention with your parents, as a part of his efforts to solve the uncomfortable situation with you. You could count on your fingers the amount of people you knew that would do as much as he did if they were in his place.

Yes, you could argue about his methods regarding work, but what you saw proved that his belief in this Will was an undeniable fact.

When you followed him outside after he said goodbye to your parents, you thanked him for accepting your invitation and apologized again. You remembered he told you to forget about that, but you couldn’t help it.

Tobirama didn’t reprehend you for that. Instead, he explained he still wanted you as his assistant.

- Not only you were the one with the highest level of improvement, but I understand how you need the job.

You blushed.

- You understand? What do you mean?

- There were days when I sensed you were quieter than usual, as if you were absorbed by some important matter – he answered with a smile – I didn’t know what it was, but one day, when I came to your table, I noticed you left some notes with addresses on it. They belonged to residences for rent. That could only mean that you were planning to move out.

You didn’t say a word to that. So, he knew it too? And you stood there, thinking he didn’t pay any attention to you. Silly you.

- Of course the decision to continue in the position is entirely yours – he added – But I would be glad if you said yes. It seems that I need someone to tell me if I am being scary.

A smiled came to your lips before you could contain it. But now you didn’t care. You already knew what to answer.

- I will come back, Tobirama-sama. And I will work twice as hard.

He thanked you for accepting his offer and then you said farewell to each other.

When you came back inside your house, you lingered at the front door before reaching to the living room. Your father’s book was on his hands again, but his attention was on the conversation he was having with your mother. You heard only a part of it, but it didn’t surprise you at all.

Your father turned to you, laughing.

- Y/n, dear, that was what you meant when you said you had something to tell us? If so, you managed to surprise us in the most shocking way! That’s what I was telling your mother right now!

He then started to compliment the Hokage’s intelligence and politeness, saying it was too kind of him to make them a visit. Your mother, with her cheeks all red, agreed with every word. At some point, they looked at you.

- You seem so quiet, girl – your father said with a worried tone – And your face is so blushed. Are you feeling well?

You put a hand on your face and sensed the heat in your skin. The consciousness of it only made it grow. But before you opened your mouth to reply, your mother laughed and gave you a clever look.

- I don’t blame you, my dear. The Hokage is a remarkable man, and we know you have eyes.

Your face burned with indignation.

- Mom!

She didn’t seem to care.

- I was already your age, y/n. There’s nothing to worry about.

You knew your mother, so you also knew that arguing was useless. You went to your room to avoid witnessing the continuity of the conversation, partly because you were a little tired, and partly because deep inside you knew your mother was right.

***

You went back to the office the next day. You were nervous, for you were not sure of what was waiting for you that time, but in the end, you sensed a sign that things would really get better. First, Tobirama and you agreed that there would be no secrets regarding your work: no matter the problem, you would be clear about it. You would not allow the lack of confidence in each other get in your way.

As the days passed, the changes started to show, and their effects were sensed by you both. Your mutual respect and admiration grew deeper, and though the problems did not diminish, you were capable of dealing with them in the best way. Your professional qualities increased as you learned from the Hokage’s experience, and your confidence in him replaced your fear.

Then it came the time when you were able to move from your parent’s house. They were worried about you, since you were always close to them, but now they trusted you as never before; they knew their daughter would manage things with excellence.

Alongside being your superior, Tobirama became a good friend of yours. As your father said, it took time for you to know and get used to him, but finally you found a way to get along with each other. Well, it’s fair to say he became your closest friend. You communicated often outside the office, and whenever the chance appeared, he would take you home after work. You smiled often in each other’s presence, and then the smallest trait of tension that existed in the beginning of your relationship disappeared. Nothing was planned; it just happened. You weren’t sure about how it would end, but you were willing to find out.

In the end, you learned that it takes more than competence to conquer your place in this world, whether your mission includes organizing paper or facing the Hokage and tell him what no one would dare.

It takes courage.

#tobirama x reader #naruto #naruto fanfiction #tobirama #tobirama senju #tobirama fanfiction

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sageofangst · 4 years

Text

the village hidden in your smile.

pairing: itachi x reader

rating: e for everyone

word count: approx. 1.5k

author’s note: i have no words, this is just pure angst. that being said, get ready for the feels. entirely gender neutral apart from one line, but no pronouns are used to refer to the reader. fanfiction is new territory for me still, i got the idea for this yesterday and just had to write this out. i hope someone enjoys it! my askbox is open for comments and criticism.

BREATHING. The sound is small but all the more sacred to you, as the man who lays in slumber before you is all but lucky to be alive. Your eyes graze across his face with a slow pace that matches the flare of his nostrils. Treading from the soft slope of his chin, following the incline to his rosened lips. You make your way up the curve of his nose when you spot something peculiar. A stray eyelash sitting wistfully at the edge of his cheek bone. Some would maybe find the sight endearing, and it is a beautiful one at that, but the ache fills in your heart in undeniable.

Symbolism begins to weave itself in this fraction of a moment. A rogue eyelash, fallen away from it’s home and kept apart from all the rest to live alone. Who is to say just how many lashes have fallen from your lover’s eyes? Do they mock or take the place of the tears that could never have been so freely shed? To mourn over the losses this world and life had given him.

They were the first thing you came to memorize about him——— rivaled among other things, by his hair. Your fingers would run through the strands that felt like silk, with a hope of maybe finding some kind of anchor there. Whether if it was for him or more so yourself, one thing was for certain, it would have been to keep him safe and with you. Yet no matter how hard you tried, you could never manage to match the way Itachi himself would slip through your fingers. He was no ghost to you, much more like a dream, rooted in truth and unconscious longing.

When he was away from you, it was his visage that brought you peace, the one that made you feel safe. Long days were long were combated by the sights that reminded you of him. The book he’d been reading before being assigned a new mission for the Akatsuki, left facedown on the last page he’d read, sitting atop the coffee table, a sign of his impending return. A shop in town that you’d order dango from because after the last attempt, both of you decided to just leave it to the pros. Sometimes you thought you caught a glimpse of him in the corner of your eye, watching over you whenever he could and other times your eyes would wander desperately looking for him in the faces in the street.

When you were lucky, you were right though. You’d get back home, and there on your doorstep would be some little gift waiting for you. It was his way of letting you know he was still alive and thinking of you, even if he couldn’t stay for a while. And after completing his missions, Itachi would be there waiting for the moment you walked in through the door. For that moment when your face would beam at him so brightly, he couldn’t help but smile too, laughing into your hair when you leapt into his arms.

You always thought about how you’d love to live in the lines that appear at the edge of those eyes. Tucked away in the ridges of his skin, a place that could give him a life away from all the heavy weight. It just might have made seeing those crinkles a more often occurrence. “The village hidden in your smile,” was what you told him once cheesily after he questioned you about where you wanted to live. While lying together on the couch, he’d laugh and ask about how it could ever be possible for him to live in his own face…

There’s this saying that has grazed the ears of many in passing, “…if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.” Many heed this as a warning, and perhaps rightfully so, but history has forgotten what comes before this, “Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster.” You used to ponder it often, the grey morality of it all. Was the hate that led to a child losing his innocence lesser of a monster than the massacre they made the child commit? Here was a man who condemned himself to bear the titles of traitor to a village, murderer to his brother and monster to the world. In time, history would see to it that Itachi’s sacrifice would as well, come to be forgotten. To you, this was a frightening realization. One you knew you could never admit it to him. Because it was selfish, and the fact of the matter was, many people didn’t know about the reality anyway. Even then, it might not have been enough to break the mirage.

You were too lost in thought to notice him waking up but his soft hum is what breaks through the fog. It pulls you back to a place that you never want to leave. His eyes begin to flutter as he starts to become more fully awake. A feeling starts to creep over you, the same one you get every time your lover opens his eyes. The crisp airiness of sea foam bubbling against your feet. Silently and without cause, those orbs invite the gates and dams within you to flood. Water crashes above you and it’s heartfirst into the abyss for you.

This descent started long ago, your head now well beneath the surface of the water. You decide that if your lover should recuse himself in such a manner, devotion tells you that the only recourse is to dive deeper into that grotto. A trove full of moments where an older brother is doting over his baby brother, a son must take the lives of his parents, and flashes of the two of you keeping each other company. You would stay swimming there for the rest of eternity.

But it’s when the sound of his voice falls on your ears that your head breaches through to the other side. Air fills your lungs and is cool on your skin. It’s not warm or sunny, but at least neither of you are alone. “Are you alright?“ He asks, voice still heavy with signs of weariness. The muscles in your face pull your lips into a small smile while you hum in response. You bring your hand up to caress the side of his face gently, refusing to cast more stones in his pockets. With fondness you bring your fingers up to catch the rogue eyelash. Carefully you bring it up to his perspective, resting it lightly on the pad of your finger. “Make a wish,” you say to him as the moon shines from overhead. Is it trivial? Maybe, but your voice is barely above a whisper and strains against the tension at the back of your throat. He looks from you to your finger, thinking about how you carry such a minuscule piece of him so easily and with such sentiment. There is no doubt in his mind that you could’ve carried a child of his with the same conviction.

Flickers of his past run through his mind like a movie screen. To him you were already a wish that was more than enough, not to mention his plans were going to be actualized someday. He simply had none left——— too selfless to put his own wishes above the one-sided promise he made to his brother. Nevertheless, he indulges your request. "I wish to live with you in the village hidden in your smile,” his gaze locks onto yours. Just like that he knocks the wind out your lungs. He raises a hand up between the two of you, cradling yours gently within his, and blows away the small remnant. It floats away carrying not only his reality but the vacant hope for a dream. Now wish you could have kept it, to serve as the sole guardian of this man's wishes.

Itachi’s eyes were your anchors. They were pools of obsidian, filled deep with an unspeakable weight. He didn’t need to use the Sharingan to show you his memories. In them you could see the reflection of the places he’d been, the people he’d sent to the next plane, a slew of burdens, a brother he loved more than anything, and the harrowing feeling of leaving him behind to all of it. In time, along with all the rest, you’d found yourself in those very same eyes.

He presses a soft kiss to your hand and you smile away the tears that threaten to fall. You close your own eyes and both of you are on a stony beach. The sky is a ray of infinite stars, but he is at your side. Together you walk into that abyss, not as monsters but as lovers.

#itachi x reader #itachi x you #itachi imagine #itachi imagines #naruto scenarios #did i write this while listening to Naruto Saddest Soundtracks Mix on youtube dot com?#did i end up listening to samidare for one whole ass hour?#that's a secret konoha will never know #see u next time xoxo S̶h̶i̶n̶o̶ gossip girl #itachi uchiha #naruto x reader

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sword-and-nightingale · 3 years

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5 things that make me happy

Sorry this is late. Got really busy with some stuff. Got tagged by @thesadboisguidetolife! Thank you for remembering me. ^_^

Flowers: I've always really liked flowers. They're fragile and hard to keep alive, but they always come back for next year just as beautiful as before, and I really like them.

Swords and Knives: There's something really cool and manly about those kinds of things. I've always had a fascination with them, and I even have a small collection of knives now. I hope I can add a sword to my collection one day.

Rocks/Crystals: I used to collect them as a kid. There was a time I actually wanted to be a geologist, but that was a really long time ago. Anyway, it was all because of a fascination with crystals.

Books: I read a lot as a teenager, and I still love reading now. I don't really read for fun aside from fanfiction now, but I still enjoy books when I can. I hope I can write my own someday.

Fish: Eating or viewing? Bit of both. Sashimi is delicious, but I also really love aquariums. It's so cool seeing fish just swim around freely. My parents like to say I'm like a fish when in water because I can only swim underwater.

Tagging:

@smooththegoofyshark @fluffyhoundoom @thegamerboy015 @herder-of-goats @nightskyecosplay @caroline-has-a-gun @galaxy-of-great-possibilities @mackie-the-newsie-girl @nyamafriend @bluegrasskitty @kaikire @s71nk @anyone else who wants to do this.

#aster talks #tagged

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bomberqueen17 · 4 years

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replying to replies about not looking for more fandoms to be in

lazaefair replied to your post “Hey is there anyway I can tempt you into The Old Guard fandom? I...”

mooooooood. Exact reason why I haven't watched The Untamed or Guardian despite already reading fanfiction in both fandoms! I usually chalk up my resistance to knowing that I get hyper-identified with characters and it takes up emotional resources, and if I'm depleted on that, I can't watch anything new. Sounds like your brain knows you just don't have the spell slots for more parasocial friends.

Yes this is it exactly. I have never been one of those people that can bounce among different worldbuilding situations, and write in more than one fandom at once-- I can write more than one story, but I can’t really do a whole separate fandom all at the same time. I have tried only a few times, and maybe I could grow into it, but.

I desperately, desperately want to write original shit. I am so desperately tired of trying to fit the things I care about into the cracks left by (usually) rich white men and committees and things, around the canons they created to sell, and it’s great to find places to expand into and fill and heave like ice to make room for the things I care about, that’s not what I want to do all the time.

So I’m not exactly looking for more fandoms to involve myself in. I get that’s not usual; most fannish people are generally fannish, and are always looking for new things to be fans of.

I’m generally not. I want fandoms because if I find something other people care about, then I can talk about the things I care about and people will listen, and if i do it with the faces and voices of characters people are invested in, then I can have an audience and not be alone in the dark with this horrifyingly overactive imagination.

But the point isn’t the source material, for me. I like characters, sure, and there’s nothing insincere about my fannishness-- but I’m not looking for new places to catch my imagination. I just don’t want to be alone. If I can find something people are willing to talk about, I’ll stay there as long as people are still willing to talk about it.

ravenreyamidala replied to your post “Hey is there anyway I can tempt you into The Old Guard fandom? I...”

There are very short comic books that the movie follows very closely if you want to read those instead and then spoilers!

Ah see the point isn’t that the box glows, the point is that the box has additional worlds and characters in it, and I don’t have room in my life for them. I’m afraid negotiating different methods for me to sneak around my own brain’s limits isn’t going to change this fairly major portion of my personality, alas.

I’m glad the fandom’s so cool, and I probably will someday watch it and be like ah yes this would’ve been just the thing, but I am really, really, really not looking for a different fandom to be a part of at the moment. I just don’t want to be alone, and the Witcher hasn’t gone off the rails into being insane yet, possibly because S2 is delayed-- I don’t delude myself that’s going to go anywhere good, though I hold out hope it’ll do better than... what was my last big fandom? Ugh. Yeah.

Gods I’m just so tired of being reliant on other people’s canons. But I’m more tired of being alone. All I want is not to be alone.

#lazaefair #ravenreyamidala #fannishness #my writing

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marvelhead17 · 4 years

Text

You are the Only One (Bofur/Reader)

Summary: You've always heard from others that love is blind or in the eye of the beholder... But little did you know that in your case, it was just oblivious.

Word count: 2061

A/N: I wrote reader as female because it was easier for me, but it's not strictly for female readers. This was originally part of a huge fanfiction that I'm working on with an OC and Bofur (hoping to publish soon), but as I was scrapping this small idea I decided to put it to use and add a Bofur one-shot to the small amount that's here on Ao3. My favourite dwarf deserves more love!

You walked down the stairs leading to the main hall of Erebor, where a grand ball now took place for the evening, the chandeliers casting gold light down on the people gathered below.

A lot of folk had arrived from across Middle Earth for the celebration, from Bree, a handful of curious Hobbits from the Shire, Men of Dale, and even the Elves attended, much to the surprise of everyone.

Tonight you wore a formal dress, which was unusual for you as you preferred the comforts of a tunic and tights to the dismay of your mother, it wasn’t particularly comfortable but you hoped it would draw the attention of a certain dwarf.

It had been a long year and a half since the Battle of the Five Armies, as it was now known in the history books; and Thorin had spent a great deal of that time in healing, his defeat of Azog came with great risk and he had nearly died in the process. In the meanwhile the rest of the company with the assistance of others set about repairing the newly reclaimed Erebor.

You had fought in the battle yourself, having followed your best friend Bofur at the time when he had left to join the company, but surprisingly came out relatively unscathed as you were inexperienced in fighting. In the little time you had spent with them, you had taken a liking to King Thorin’s nephew, Kili; and in the few weeks he had spent healing you had kept to his side, holding long conversations into the night and bringing him his meals.

After debating to yourself for some time you had decided to confess to him your newfound feelings, unfortunately for you he had not felt the same, as he loved Tauriel and planned to court her. Naturally you had been hurt, heartbroken even, so as a precaution you maintained your distance from the prince to avoid any unwanted emotions that bubbled out, in case your temper or sadness would dare overcome you in his presence.

You spent the time either alone, doing activities to keep you busy or reading books from the dusty library, or in the company of Bofur, who always made sure you left with a smile on your face. And after several weeks you came to realise that you had developed strong feelings for Bofur, and felt the days without him to be especially empty and cold.

You set foot on the floor, gazing over the crowds to see if you could locate him, your heart thumping wildly in your chest.

Is he even wearing his hat tonight? You wondered to yourself, a frown falling on your face. You’d never seen him without the poor worn out thing, except the time he and the others raided the fountain in Rivendell in the nude, you smiled and shook your head at the thought.

Focus.

You walked through the crowds, almost being stood on several times by men or elves as they did not notice you, you muttered and cursed about being a dwarrow before moving on. Time felt like it was pressing down on you for some reason, as if any moment could be the moment that someone else would draw his attention and steal him away from you.

You stood on your toes and looked around the room once more, breathing a sigh of relief when you found him, you pushed through a little impatiently this time around, partially to get your own back for the rudeness of the others before, but mostly to get closer to him quicker.

You were about to greet him but froze on the spot, he was surrounded by three elf maids, all laughing at something he said. You looked down at yourself in doubt and back at the elf maids, and frowned, they were tall, ridiculously beautiful, and slender in their colourful dresses, with long neat hair; by comparison you felt as if you were but a troll forced into a curtain your mother had crafted in the dark.

You shook your head, swallowing hard and took the long route around the crowds to avoid attracting attention to yourself, feeling tears begin to well up in your eyes as you headed out of the main entrance.

You shivered as the cold air hit your skin, you hugged yourself and brushed your hands to warm up as best as you could, and you walked on, staring at the moon and stars. A few stray tears rolled down your burning cheeks, and you shook slightly.

Star-crossed lovers... You questioned whether you could even begin to consider your relationship with Bofur to be that way; you grew up together in the Blue Mountains, always managing to find your way to each other after many months apart at a time as you became older.

The idea seemed silly to you now, Bofur was kind to everyone it was who he was, you were nothing more than another friend to him and you assured yourself that time would heal you again.

You stopped walking as something had snagged the bottom of your dress; you grumbled and tugged at the material that clung to the thorn bush, regretting not paying attention to wear you were going. With a final pull the dress tore, almost up to your knee and you huffed, throwing your hands down.

Could tonight be any worse? You sat down on a large boulder, haphazardly undoing the braiding you had done in your hair, letting the messy locks rest on your shoulders; and rested your elbows on your knees with a sigh, staring in at the dark fields ahead.

You stirred from your thoughts when a deep voice spoke your name just behind you, and you acknowledged him as he took a seat next to you.

“Did you not expect someone to see you leaving?” Thorin asked, tilting his head to look at you, his eyes were soft with concern.

“Not really, no,” you admitted, fidgeting slightly, “I suppose you’d want to know why I’m here?”

“For a start, yes,” he glanced down, noticing your exposed leg where the dress had torn.

“Well, I clearly don’t belong in there, not like this anyway,” you gestured to your messy state.

“Perhaps, if you were to wear what you find comforting?” Thorin chuckled lightly as he plucked at the ruined seems of the dress. “Or were you going out of your way to catch the eye of someone else?”

“For someone else,” you muttered, playing with your fingers nervously.

“Not Kili though, I suspect as much from what happened the last time,”

“So he told you then,” you closed your eyes for a moment and tilted your head to the sky, lips tightening.

“Of course, I’m like their second father.” He gave a small smile, “It takes courage to confront your feelings for someone, especially if you’re not certain of them being returned,” he placed a hand on your shoulder to comfort you.

“Yes,” you shuffled uncomfortably and staring into the fields again, uncertain where Thorin was taking the conversation, and not noticing him turn his head as someone else approached in the distance.

“You should not give up so easily, Bofur is a very patient dwarf,” you looked up at him in surprise and he smirked, “You should know the pair of you have a lot in common, aside from being oblivious of each other’s feelings, and the company has been waiting to cash in their bets any day now,” he stood up with a big grin on his face.

“Am I interrupting something?” Bofur asked, your eyes widened and your tongue caught in your mouth.

“Not at all Bofur, I was just leaving,” Thorin walked passed him and gave him a pat on the shoulder, making Bofur frown in confusion, you caught him muttering under his breath, “Young love,” he shook his head.

“Did ye catch that?” Bofur asked, taking Thorin’s place next to you, you shook your head. “Where’ve ye been lass?”

“Well, I was inside, and then I decided I needed fresh air,” you shrugged, avoiding his gaze.

“Are ye sure ye’re alright?” he asked, “Ye seem a bit… off,”

“I’m fine,” you suddenly felt your throat go thick, “You should be worried about your friends inside,”

“And who would that be?” he frowned.

“The other-worldly elf maidens that you were giving a good laugh to,”

“They were only laughing because I was trying to say a joke I learned to say in Sindarin, which was quite mean to be honest, it’s not as if I learned it from birth,”

“You mean to say that they were laughing at you, not because of you?”

“Technically it was because I had made them laugh, but it still hurt nonetheless, and then I caught sight of my best friend wondering towards the exit in a hurry, and that hurt me even more,”

You swallowed hard, before looking Bofur in the eyes, “And that’s all I’ll ever be to you isn’t it, a friend?”

“Firstly, I’d like to address that I said ye are my best friend,” he corrected, “Secondly, no,” he took your hand carefully in his, “It took me a long time to realise that ye were always meant to be more than a friend to me,”

“What?” you whispered.

“When we were young and unknowing, being told tales about having a One someday, I always thought that that feeling would be entirely overwhelming…” he paused, searching your eyes and you nodded for him to continue, “What I didn’t know is that, my best friend, who carried me when I’d fallen both metaphorically, and literally,” he chuckled a bit, “Through all my hardships in life so far, had been my One all this time.”

“I, I don’t understand…”

“Lass, ye were the constant light in my life through everything, and I feel daft for not knowing in all this time we’ve been around each other,” he took your other hand and squeezed gently. “I wish to court ye, if ye’ll have me that is, and I know ye probably want someone like Kili who can provide for ye though, so I understand if-”

You wrapped your arms around his neck giving him a tight hug, before pressing a soft kiss to his lips, holding his face gently in your hands as you parted. Bofur’s eyes fluttered open slowly in a daze; he stared at you for a moment in shock and then gave you a mischievous grin.

“I take that as a yes?” he asked and you smiled, pulling his hat over his eyes playfully.

“Of course, my One,” you beamed at him as he peaked from underneath his hat, you took his hands in yours and rubbed your thumbs on the backs of them, “And I want to assure you that whatever feelings I thought I had for Kili, they are long forgotten,”

“Well I’m glad to hear that,” he squeezed your hands gently and you returned the gesture, before moving one hand to caress his cheek carefully.

“And I’m sorry for any heartache I might’ve caused you,” you whispered, examining the crinkles that cornered his eyes, “You were the reason I could keep a smile on my face when it felt like nothing could Bofur, and made me laugh my tears away,”

“Of course, I’d do anything to see that smile of yers, amrâlimê,”

“Menu tessu,”

He wrapped his arms around you and rubbed your back, “Yer freezing love, let’s get ye inside,” he made to let go of you but you held onto him, he chuckled. “Ye can’t get enough of me can ye?”

“I’m making up for lost time,” you mumbled into his neck, squeezing him tighter, he pulled you closer and pressed a kiss to your shoulder.

“That I don’t mind,” he sighed in content, before frowning when he caught sight of your bare leg just below. “Lass, what’s happened to yer dress?” you laughed for a moment.

“I’ll explain later,” you nuzzled into his neck, “Let’s just enjoy this moment,” you hummed; his warmth was radiating from his fur coat and body spreading to you, comforting you greatly against the chills of the night breeze.

“Tis my duty to make my lady happy,”

You smiled, knowing in your heart that Bofur was yours, and only yours for the rest of your lives.

________________________________________________________________

I really enjoyed writing this, so thanks for reading and be sure to check out any other works on my profile!

Credit to https://islenthatur.wordpress.com/welcome/ for the translations of Khuzdul all summarised neatly together!

amrâlimê - my love Menu tessu – you mean everything to me

#the hobbit x reader #dwarf x reader #the hobbit #battle of fives armies fix it #bofur x reader #bofur the dwarf #bofur #bofur/reader #bofur from the hobbit #JRR Tolkien #tolkien #fanfiction #writing #oneshot #comfort tag #emotional #Happy Ending #ed sheeran - one #a03

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key-kkagii · 4 years

Text

God God God!!

Hello Hello!

I've been wondering about this for a while now, and I've solved it.

The occasional use of the word Walls in SNK fanfiction is a bit strange, and I wonder if this is GOD, based on the usage? I thought.

Soron Rocket and The Cartoon Princess told me that Walls was still a paraphrase of GOD.

So, since I have an idea, today I'm going to do a talk on Japanese gods!

God and Faith

What do you foreigners think the religions the Japanese believe in?

Unless the act of "starting a new faith or being baptized" or their parents have other faiths, the Japanese born in Japan are almost automatically Buddhists and Shintoists.

It's an indigenous religion.

Buddhism.

Shinto.

It would be too long to talk about why it's two, so I won't.

But, for example, if you ask a Japanese student, "What is your faith?” The Japanese would surely answer, " I am no religion.” You might think. "What?”

But it's not.

The Japanese people aren't really irreligious, they just have too many gods to believe in and don't have much of a sense that they believe in anything.

Japan is a polytheistic country. (Or rather, Both Buddhism and Shinto are polytheism.)

'How many polytheistic gods are so many that we don't know what they believe in, maybe 20?'

No, no, that number is Yao Yorozu. The meaning of Yao Yorozu is eight million. But Yao Yorozu is an example of a "super many", so it doesn't mean that there are eight million gods. Don't worry!

In fact, there are more. And God will soon increase.

Perhaps one of the sights you will visit when you come to Japan is a Shinto shrine or a temple.

There are more shrines in Japan than there are convenience stores.Gods are everywhere.

The god of toilets is a highly virtuous god.

Freedom

We don't remember every one of these 8 million+ gods either. We don't remember, so many of us have little sense of faith.

So I can say with confidence that I'm a Pastafarian of the Flying Spaghetti Monsterism religion. Yes, FSM is one of the gods of Yao Yorozu!　The Shinto religion swallows up any god. Ramen.

Joke religion?　It doesn't matter!

Also, when it comes to religion, there's a lot of commandments and believers have to follow them. So I think that's part of the reason why I say, "I don't have those precepts to follow." Strictly speaking, Buddhism has its own precepts, but I don't care! We're barely even aware that we believe in Buddhism!

That's why many Japanese people think they are not religious. They think, "I don't worship anything in particular. For Japanese people, religion is often associated with monotheism.

But we are not very aware of our faith, but when we get a chance, we go to shrines and temples to pray to God and Buddha. We usually worship anything that is called a God or Buddha.

Funeral ceremonies are done in the Buddhist style with a monk from the temple, and weddings are done in the presence of a priest at a shrine.

Some people have weddings in chapels, even though they are not Christians. Because the Christian wedding style is beautiful. A pure white wedding dress is beautiful.

I would love to dress Historia in it.

By the way, isn't the windy green frock coat lovely? Hopefully someone will wear it someday? Next to Historia...

Oh!　What a topic of conversation that has gotten away from me. It was about God.

Three religions in one week.

I guess this is how the Japanese view of religion often manifests itself. The following is common in Japan.

We celebrate Christmas on December 25, go to visit a temple (Buddhism) a week later on the 31st, and then the next day, January 1, we go to a shrine (Shinto) for our first visit (Hatsumoude).

Well, some people say it's either the temple or the shrine, but that's just a matter of scheduling. There are few people who are particular about one or the other. It doesn't matter which one you go to.

Everything is all mixed up.

In times of distress, he prays." God help me!" When he meets with good fortune, " Thank you God!" At this point, it is unclear who that god is. I'm not sure, but it's some kind of god anyway.

In other words, the Japanese have an unspecified number of religious beliefs.

An unspecified number... Bitc... huh?

Oops!🤫

Shinto

A long long time ago, the main source is Shintoism. Animism. The groundwork for this Shinto to swallow up any god. Because of animism, there is a god in everything.

In the age of mythology, you know, if a high god washed his face, a new god was born from his eyes and nose. Well, the direct descendant of one of those gods born at that time was our Emperor. That's what it says in the history books.

Later on, Buddhism came in there, and after about 1500 years or so, a lot of things happened, and it became what it is today. If you want to know more about it, look it up. It's fun.

In this manner, there are more and more gods in Japan.

(Have you ever heard of a game called " Touken Ranbu"? All the characters in that one are gods. God in the katana.)

And Japan welcomes gods from foreign countries, saying "Welcome to Japan. "

The Tatari God should go home! Well, there are some gods who came to Japan as Tatari gods, and became whole after being worshipped in Japan. (Tatari gods are the type of gods that sprinkle curses around.)

You can try to be kind to a gods!

There are many gods that are no longer worshipped in the country where they were born, but are still enshrined in Japan in a slightly different form. I haven't counted them.

From a Shinto perspective, Yahweh is one of the gods of Yao Yorozu. That's why Japanese people bow to Yahweh and Christ when they go to church, even if they are not Christians. From a macro perspective, Yahweh is also an object of faith.

That's why people often quote parts of the Bible when they're not Christians and talk about it. A popular one is "God will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear". (But there is also a God in Japan who gives us insurmountable trials. Too bad!😂)

My favorite has been "There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends." since I was a teen...

I love and live.

I hope Rivahisu is married.

Wall religion

SNK's wall religion, which I thought was also Shinto-like.

The Wall religion in the work worships the wall. And it worships the wall's names, Maria, Rose and Sheena, as goddesses.

I think the sequence of events is that Karl Fritz built the wall and named it after the three sisters of Ymir, and then the Wallists worshipped the wall and started deifying the woman named after the wall and calling her a goddess. Under the lead of King Reiss.

For a hundred years after the Wall closed, the people whose memories had been manipulated had no concept of the Subjects of Yumir. I don't think they had any idea that Maria and the others were the daughters of the progenitor Yumir. (Except for King Reiss.)

So I don't think he worshipped Maria, Rose and Sheena directly as goddesses. King Reiss uses the idea of animism to his advantage.

I felt like that.

It would be interesting to think deeply about Wallism.

I'm sure there are definitely extremists and others who only worship one of the three walls.

The Japanese gods are like the ones I introduced.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

I'd like to hear more about the SNK religion from the perspective of other countries' religions.

See you then. Good-bye to this day!

*These explanations of God are based on my knowledge and maybe some people think differently.*

#Key's Japan Talk #Japan

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