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alwaysmychoices · 4 years

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Close Call

Synopsis: On their first day as a couple, Charlie and Ethan have a few close calls at work.

Chapter 13 of the “with and without” series

Previous Series: “a weekend with dr. ramsey”

Pairing: Dr. Ethan Ramsey x MC (Charlotte “Charlie” Greene)

Words: 3.7k

Rating: T (language)

Morning came too quickly, and Charlie refused to greet it.

Ethan’s alarm went off sharply at 7 am, disturbing their peaceful sleep and effectively making Charlie miserable. Exhausted, Charlie clung to Ethan, burying her face into his shoulder so that she might convince him to stay. Though constrained by Charlie’s tight hug, Ethan deftly reached his nightstand and turned off the alarm. Once peace was restored to his bedroom, he eyed the woman in his arms with unreserved amusement and adoration.

Despite being tired, Charlie was exceptionally comfortable.

It had been so long since she had slept with Ethan that she forgot just how soft his king-size bed was, not to mention the comfort of his warm frame slumbering next to her. She had no intention of ever climbing out of this bed, nor did she intend for Ethan to do so either. For all she cared, nothing existed beyond Ethan and his lux sheets.

“Stay,” Charlie mumbled into his shoulder as she snuggled closer to his side, “Let’s call in sick and stay in bed forever.”

Ethan smiled softly, brushing a stray curl out of her face as he leaned in to kiss her forehead tenderly, “We have to go to work, Charlotte.”

Charlie narrowed her eyes. Had his sleepy voice not been so attractive, she might have been concerned that he used her full name.

“I’m Charlotte now?” she asked, kissing his shoulder as she added, “Not Charlie? Not Rookie?”

Ethan’s attempt at a stern expression melted the moment she said ‘Rookie.’ He couldn’t help but be happy when he heard that. Hell, he couldn’t help but be happy period. Everything felt right – like a million puzzle pieces had finally clicked into place. This was where they belonged. He felt so happy that he was sure that he didn’t deserve it. People like him didn’t get to experience this, did they?

“Charlie and Rookie would realize that they still need to go to work today,” Ethan teased.

“Only you would deprive yourself of a full day in bed just to save your sick days,” Charlie grumbled, squeezing him ever so tighter in a last-ditch effort to keep him from getting up.

It didn’t work.

In an exertion of enormous self-control, Ethan got out of bed and approached his closet. Despite the strong pull to return to Charlie and waste the day in her embrace, he began to dress. He only dared to look back at her once he was half-dressed, thinking that the clothing would help him resist her enigmatic charm.

Charlie, however, never looked away from Ethan. Propped up on one arm, she shamelessly eyed his bare frame, nearly put into a trance as she watched his back muscles flex to slide into his white button-up. When he turned back to her, she didn’t attempt to hide her obvious appreciation. Instead, she just tilted her head to admire the plain of exposed abs as his shirt hung undone.

“Are you watching me?” Ethan asked, laughing and attempting to downplay his swell of pride.

Charlie shrugged and leaned her head back to the pillow, never taking her eyes off him. She patted the empty side of the bed next to her and asked, “Are you sure you don’t want to come back to bed?”

Staying away from her felt like a herculean effort. Yet, to her horror, he managed to do so.

“We’re going to work, Charlie.”

Charlie groaned and made a show of rolling her eyes, her body fully collapsing into the soft mattress. She knew Ethan well enough to know that he never missed work, so a lazy day in bed had always been unlikely. But she asked because this precious thing felt so fragile. She dreaded keeping her distance in the name of professionalism, and her head swam at the prospect of maintaining their secret. As soon as they entered Edenbrook, things became difficult and complicated. In this bed, they were still simple.

From across the room, Ethan watched Charlie’s demeanor changed, and his resilience softened. Ethan approached Charlie and gently pushed her hair out of her face, forcing her to meet his gaze. Charlie was frustrated and stubborn, but the tender intensity of his stare encouraged her to lower her guard. He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead and whispered, “I’ll make you coffee?”

“You wouldn’t need coffee if you stayed in bed,” Charlie grumbled playfully, earning a warm, hearty chuckle.

“Still trying to wear me down?” Ethan asked.

“Always,” Charlie affirmed with an impish grin.

Finally, Charlie got out of bed, though it was begrudgingly done. Naked, Charlie walked to the master bathroom, feeling the heat of Ethan’s stare on her bare skin. Again, he was tempted, but he fought against her seduction and dragged himself back to the closet to hurriedly dress and escape the bedroom before he joined her in the shower.

As Charlie showered and got dressed, Ethan took Jenner for a walk and made a fresh, steaming pot of coffee. The smell lured her into the kitchen, and she found a mug waiting for her on the kitchen island. In the rush the night before, she hadn’t packed any clothes, so she was dressed in Ethan’s sweatpants and a t-shirt – both of which were comically long and ill-fitting. Last night’s rain turned Charlie’s hair into a wild mane of curls, and without her styling products, she settled for a ponytail to keep it out of her face. Charlie was hardly at her best, but of course, Ethan was at his. Dressed simply but professionally, he looked as if he had walked right out of a magazine page, and there was an air of happiness that made him even more irresistible.

Even though she had seen him a million times, Charlie still felt a flush of a crush, and her cheeks flared pink. And beneath the unreserved appreciation, she envied him just a little bit.

“You’re staring, again,” Ethan noted from across the kitchen, leaned up against the coffee and nursing his cup of black coffee. He had left out cream and sugar for Charlie, which she had quickly added to her own mug.

“Of course, I am,” Charlie retorted, stirring in a lump of sugar, “You look like that, and I look like I was hungover and raided a guy’s closet after a hookup.”

“I think you look beautiful.”

Charlie tried to play off his compliment, but her cheeks blushed bright enough for Ethan to know it had an effect.

“You’re just trying to sleep with me,” Charlie teased, sipping at her coffee.

“That’s absurd,” Ethan announced, leaving his mug on the counter to stand in front of her. His tall figure was imposing as it arched over her, and for the millionth time this morning, Charlie imagined undressing Ethan Ramsey. His hand on her jaw, he explained, “I want to sleep with you, and I think you’re beautiful.”

Charlie laughed, and Ethan felt a rush of happiness.

He liked making her laugh… And he had a sudden thought that he wanted to do it for the rest of his life.

He wasn’t sure if he was leaning into the idea or running away from it as he leaned down to kiss her. Soon, the thought was gone and replaced with the intimate regard for how the coffee tasted on her lips.

“Mmmm,” Charlie hummed as their lips parted, and with her eyes still closed, she softly added, “I should get home soon.”

“What?” Ethan asked incredulously. Home? Why would she need to go home? Ethan may have resisted her offer to stay in bed all day, but he thought he would at least share her morning.

“I ran here in my pajamas with only my apartment key, my cell-phone, and my debit card. I can’t just walk into work without my ID while wearing your clothes,” Charlie seemed so sure of herself that Ethan could only knit his eyebrows as he listened.

She was right, of course, but he still didn’t like it.

“You have scrubs in your locker.”

“But I don’t have my ID.”

“I can drive you home after breakfast, and then, I’ll drive you to work,” Ethan suggested.

“That will be inconspicuous,” Charlie mused sarcastically. Ethan didn’t appreciate her humor and anchored his hands to her side, trying to keep her there.

“I don’t want you to go,” Ethan admitted. His voice was quiet, like this was a secret only known to the two of them. It made Charlie’s heart melt.

“If you’d stayed in bed, I wouldn’t be leaving,” Charlie reminded him, unable to resist one more dig. She fiddled with his tie, straightening it unnecessarily just to stay a bit longer. Ethan chuckled quietly, watching her. The gesture felt incredibly natural and domestic, and he felt like his chest was continually expanding to accommodate even more affection for her. The sensation was warm and inviting, yet something about it nearly made him fearful. There were so many ways to ruin this…

“I’ll see you in about an hour anyway,” Charlie said it to remind herself just as much as him.

“I’ll miss you anyway.”

Charlie grinned so wide she felt like her face might split, and she kissed him.

It wasn’t their last kiss before Charlie left his apartment. He kissed her once more after she finished her coffee, and she couldn’t resist kissing him goodbye at the door.

As she walked home, Charlie felt completely and overwhelmingly happy.

She hopped over potholes and cracks in the pavement like she was skipping through a cloud. Everything felt right. The world seemed better, and the sun seemed brighter. She’d never felt this incredibly content. For the first time since she’d met Ethan Ramsey, she felt safe and secure in his affection. She felt free from months of miserably going back and forth, oscillating between obsession and rejection.

Charlie found a cab a few blocks away, and as she stared at the city, she found herself smiling and thinking of how Ethan’s hair fell in his face as he slept.

When she arrived at her apartment, Charlie was forced out of her daydreams by the fear of being caught by her roommates. She took the stairs two at a time and hesitated by the door, listening for sounds of movement on the other side. Hearing nothing, Charlie quickly unlocked the door and stepped inside.

To her surprise, the living room and kitchen were empty. Everyone seemed to be in their rooms, oblivious to Charlie’s entrance.

Charlie hurried to her bedroom. She threw on the first pair of scrubs she saw and shoved everything she needed into her bag. After, she made a show of leaving her room just as everyone else did, joining the morning routine as her friends sleepily milled into the kitchen to make coffee or grab energy drinks.

Charlie was shocked at how effortlessly she convinced them that she had been home all night. None of them heard her rush out of the apartment the night before, and none noticed her come in this morning. Her prepared excuses were unnecessary, yet not mentioning it felt just like lying.

She felt deep, sinking guilt as they carried on small talk.

It was hard to think of safe conversation topics. All she wanted to talk about was her night with Ethan, but she couldn’t. She desperately wanted to share her new relationship. She longed to hear their jokes and teasing, and she even craved their approval. She wanted her best friends to agree and support her, but really, she couldn’t give them the chance.

It was enough to dim the bright glow of her relationship for a moment.

Together, they commuted to Edenbrook. On the train, they talked and moaned about their respective tasks for the day. By the time they reached Edenbrook, the conversation was more playful. They teased Sienna for stopping for iced coffee on the way, and they accused Jackie of trying to imitate Bryce as she gulped down a disgusting protein drink in the locker room.

It felt normal, if just a little sad for Charlie’s secret.

It was remarkably easy to lie, but it took much more of her than she expected.

But the glow came back.

Because, of course, Ethan was there, too.

It took roughly an hour for the pair to naturally run into each other. Ethan had joined the interns for their morning rounds, so when Charlie found him, an exasperated frown had settled on his lips. Even as he looked grumpy and frustrated, he was remarkably handsome, and she felt butterflies in her stomach. She had an urge to rush towards him and kiss him, so it took a conscious effort to approach him casually and slowly.

Ethan knew to remain nonchalant when he saw her, but a smile pricked at his lips. Anyone paying attention would have seen the apparent change, and if they were particularly curious, they would have seen why. Luckily, Ethan didn’t notice anyone watching. Of course, he was so focused on Charlie that he could have easily missed it.

“Morning, Dr. Ramsey,” Charlie greeted him, and something about that familiar phrase felt spectacular.

“Greene,” Ethan nodded hello, clearing his throat in an attempt to maintain his grumbling tone instead of falling into the quiet whispers he preferred with her.

“Do you have a case for me?” Charlie asked.

“In fact,” Ethan nodded his head towards the patient chart in his hands, “I do.”

Charlie moved closer to look over the details with him. They moved towards a quiet corner under the guise of needing privacy for the patient. In fairness, they did address the case, but in the process, there were many shared, secret smiles and brushed fingertips. They were cozy in that corner – so cozy that Ethan almost didn’t notice the pair of interns approaching them.

“Dr. Ramsey?”

Ethan and Charlie separated instantly, and though they tried to act normal, Charlie felt like her heart was on the verge of beating right out of her chest from the close call. Ethan’s face settled into a hard line that nearly scared the interns off. Their impertinence earned his irritation, and should their question be anything ridiculous or unnecessary, that irritation would easily transition to outrage.

Charlie didn’t dare have an opinion on the two women walking towards them. She was too preoccupied trying to seem casual.

“Um, we’re having an issue with a patient,” one of them said once they reached the pair. She looked familiar, but Charlie didn’t know her well enough to remember her name. However, she did sympathize with how nervous she seemed. She remembered rounds with Ethan and that talking to him after felt like walking into flames.

Ethan stared expectantly, waiting for them to elaborate. When they didn’t, he prompted, “And that is?”

“Her symptoms have dramatically changed,” the other answered, offering a file, “She was admitted for difficulty breathing and a high fever, but she is now experiencing confusion and instability.”

Ethan accepted the chart, and he perused the information, he asked, “What is your diagnosis?”

“Oh. Uh, we… we don’t know,” the first explained sheepishly, “That’s why we came to you.”

Ethan raised an eyebrow, looking up from the file with a look that told Charlie the two interns were in for a hell of a time.

He looked back to Charlie as he closed the chart, “We will finish our discussing our patient later in my office where we cannot be interrupted by interns.” He eyed the two women, who gulped and stared anxiously. His gaze was enough to reprimand them for failing to do their due diligence, and Charlie certainly didn’t envy them.

Charlie nodded her approval and watched as Ethan left, the two interns following him. She left soon after, off to finish her morning responsibilities and check in with a few patients from the night before. As she did, she made a mental note to be more careful in public.

About an hour later, Charlie found a spare moment to visit Ethan’s office. She knocked on the door, and after a beat, she heard a reluctant, “Come in,” from the other side.

Ethan, having just finished cleaning up another intern’s mess, couldn’t stomach another visit from an incompetent intern. This particular batch felt unusually comfortable around him. They were more likely to approach him and expose their deficiencies and clumsiness than past interns had. He blamed himself for being too lax. Charlie had softened him.

When he saw a flash of blonde hair, he let out a sigh of relief. Charlie closed the door behind her, and he fell back into his chair, mumbling, “Thank God.”

Charlie laughed quietly at her greeting, “That happy to see me?”

“I am always happy to see you,” Ethan confirmed, standing from his desk to welcome her, “But I am particularly relieved you’re not an intern.”

Charlie raised an eyebrow as she reached the desk, “Oh?”

Ethan wrapped his arms around her waist, tilting his head to look at her better, “They’re far too comfortable talking to me.”

“Isn’t that your job as an attending? I’m pretty sure you’re supposed to talk to them,” Charlie teased, looping her arms around his neck.

“I’m supposed to train and educate them, not clean up their messes.”

“You helped me clean up mine,” Charlie challenged.

“You were an exception. Though you have a habit of making messes, you also clean yours up yourself. If I helped, it was a special case,” Ethan explained.

“Really? Because I distinctly remember being called incompetent.”

“You were,” Ethan remained firm on his judgment, “But now, you are exceptionally competent.”

“What an honor,” Charlie laughed, tilting her head up to look at him. She bit her lower lip, and it was all Ethan could look at. “I must have had a good teacher…”

Ethan smiled that sweet, tender smile that was just for her, and he kissed her gently. Charlie’s fingers tangled in his hair as she deepened his kiss. Everything was else was distant. All that really mattered was them.

Until they were interrupted again.

Knock. Knock.

Clumsily, Ethan and Charlie pulled away, and they shared a look of absolute panic.

“One minute!” Ethan called out as Charlie quickly tried to smooth his hair back down. He wiped his mouth to remove any remnants of her lip balm, and she straightened her white coat as she moved to the other side of the room, hoping to put distance between them as if that would hide how flustered she was. For a moment, she considered hiding behind his desk, but there were too many ways for that to backfire.

“Ethan?” the person on the other side of the door asked, and Charlie’s eyes darted to Ethan in a silent question. What the fuck was Bryce doing there?

Ethan shrugged helplessly as he moved toward the door, straightening his tie, and he opened the door before Bryce could knock again – or worse, walk in.

Bryce, blissfully unaware of the panic inside the office, stood there with a welcoming grin. Ethan couldn’t imagine why he was there and cursed his bad timing.

“Raf and I are going to try out a boxing class instead of going to the gym tomorrow. Since we’re all gym buddies,” Bryce nudged his friend, who still wasn’t sure if they were friends, “We want you to come, too.”

Ethan stared blankly for a moment. This is what they had been interrupted for?

Ethan blinked, “Um, sure.”

“Nice,” Bryce nodded at his victory, and that was when he caught sight of Charlie in the corner.

Her heart stopped, and the panic set in.

“Charlie? Hey, what are you doing here?” Bryce was still sporting his friendly, innocent smile, and Charlie couldn’t find a hint of understanding in his eyes. He seemed like he genuinely had no idea what was happening.

She couldn’t believe it.

This was the third time they could have been caught, and Bryce didn’t even notice their disheveled appearance or panicked faces. They had to be the luckiest people alive…

“I was just working on a case with Dr. Ramsey,” Charlie trod carefully, studying Bryce closely for any sign of scandal, but again, his expression was blank. She continued, “It was quieter in here.”

“If we’re working on cases in peace, I want in. The doctor’s lounge is so loud that I can’t think straight in there,” Bryce looked eager, like he hoped that the three would share some deep bond of friendship by working together in a shared office. There was absolutely no way Ethan would allow that.

“She’s working on a case with me. My office is not a lounge,” Ethan clarified, eager to get Bryce far away before he figured something out.

“Boo,” Bryce complained. He leaned further in the door frame to tell Charlie, “Somebody’s grumpy.”

Charlie stifled a laugh as Ethan firmly chastised him, “Lahela.”

“Okay, okay,” Bryce raised his hands in surrender, “I’ll leave you alone.”

Still, he stood there.

“Goodbye, Lahela.”

“Fine,” Bryce grumbled, finally stepping away, “I’ll text you the address for tomorrow.”

He walked slowly, waiting for an invitation inside, and instead, Ethan closed the door on him.

As soon as the door was closed, Charlie and Ethan looked to each other with wide-eyed confusion.

“What the fuck just happened?” Ethan asked, turning the lock on his door just in case, and he fell into the couch beside Charlie.

“I genuinely think he has no idea…” Charlie admitted, still looking at the doorway like it had some secret to tell.

“We need to be more careful,” Ethan murmured, wiping his face with frustration.

“Definitely,” Charlie agreed, and a silence fell over them as they processed their close call.

But, as Charlie looked down at Ethan, she had another thought…

“We do have a half-hour until people need us,” Charlie reminded him, shrugging innocently, but Ethan’s eyebrow raised as he saw through her.

“We’ve almost been caught three times today, and you want to have sex in my office in the middle of the day?” Ethan asked incredulously.

“You didn’t say no,” Charlie pointed out.

Ethan considered it. He knew to say no. It was an irresponsible, ridiculous suggestion. They were respected professionals. They couldn’t just have sex in the middle of the day.

But…

Ethan shrugged out of his white coat, dropping it to the couch as he stood. He pulled Charlie tight against him, devouring her as his hands slipped up her scrubs.

They did have a half-hour.

And they could always be responsible tomorrow.

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Also, my tag list is acting weird, so let me know if it didn’t work and I’ll redo it!

#Ethan Ramsey #Choices #Choices stories you play #open heart #open heart 2 #ethan ramsey x mc #ethan x mc #oh2 #oh 2 #dr. ethan ramsey

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averykedavra · 4 years

Note

20. Do you have a favorite fanfic or author? If so, tag them/post a link and share the love!

!!! An excuse to recommend my favorite fics and authors? Don’t mind if I do! Here’s a top fourteen list of some great fics and a top nine list of my favorite authors, in no particular order! Because I had way too many. (Plus I’m bound to forget a million good ones, so take these with a grain of salt!)

1. chivalry is dead by Uncrowned_King! There really wasn’t another option. After Roman disappears into the Imagination, the other Sides come to look for him, and find several Romans fighting for ownership of the land. My all-time favorite Roman angst, with some beautifully written worldbuilding and my favorite OCs ever and a plot twist that sent me reeling. With some cute DLAMP, too! What’s not to love?

2. Breathe Out by Odaigahara! This is darker than I usually read but so, so worth it! Set pre-canon, Virgil and Janus team up against the other dark sides and find their feelings go beyond platonic after a relationship of convenience becomes something more. It’s a WIP and I don’t know where it’s going yet, but I’m really intrigued and the writing is incredible!

3. The Black Hole Group Chat by Greenninjagal! Definitely my favorite comfort fic. After Logan accidentally joins a group chat and is forced into sticking around, he finds himself making his first friends--but past feelings and present conflicts threaten to tear apart the first place they’ve ever felt comfortable. So good, so funny, makes the most of the texting medium, and I always cry at the end.

4. Monsters of the Subconscious by Quarantinevibes! Ohh, everything by this author is fantastic which goes for all of them. After PoF, Janus visits the Imagination to apologize. Instead, him and Roman are sucked into the Subconscious, a wild land full of mysterious dangers. They must team up to escape, and come to terms with their feelings for each other. Some wonderfully soft Roceit, hilarious comedy and incredible action, and great emotional moments!

5. the feelings in my headspace rearranged by mutemelody! Some canon divergence for the soul. Anxiety doesn’t have a name, and after the AA arc, has to make his way through acceptance and love. Canon turns on its head, old friends make a reappearance, and through it all Anxiety has to find his own identity, nameless or not. Gosh, this fic is incredible--the writing is stunning, the plot is amazing, and it’s some of the best Virgil angst I’ve ever read.

6. There’s a Word For That by plumcat! I cannot recommend this fic enough. Roman, a Slytherin, has been pining over arguing with Patton, a Hufflepuff, since the beginning of time. But with the Quidditch match coming up, his two annoying best friends relentlessly teasing him, and Patton himself spending more and more time with Roman, Roman has to figure out what he really wants and who he wants to be. This fic is hilarious and makes me feel feelings and please, please read it.

7. (i’d never) want once from the cherry tree by ace_corvid! Prinxiety! And a Youtuber AU that really takes advantage of the medium! Virgil and Roman are two of the most popular creators on YouTube and their fans have been begging them to do a crossover episode. The collaboration goes surprisingly well, but it’s one thing to explore a relationship, and another to do it when the whole world is watching. So cute, so hilarious, has some amazing art as well, and I just highly recommend it.

8. double down on the paradigms by remrose! Here’s a lovely college AU! Logan is doing his best to pass his classes, and everything is going fine, despite his roommate Virgil’s concerns about his late study nights and compulsive behavior. Then he meets Patton, and every wall Logan’s constructed slowly begins to crumble. To show how much I love this fic, I have not stopped thinking about it, even though it’s the only one on this list I’ve only read once. It stuck with me that much and hey maybe I should reread it, hold on--

9. In a Tizzy by coconutcluster! Cute fluff, so wholesome, much love. After Logan finds out that Roman gets flustered at compliments, he enlists the other Sides to test this theory. But Roman gets upset when he thinks they’re playing a joke on him by being nice. The writing is great and it’s a fantastic pick-me-up on a bad day! Just so full of nice wonderful feelings!

10. Communication Issues by WaeRose! Analogince! The alternative title that I cut out says it all! After Logan and Virgil find Roman crying in his room, they make an effort to spend more time together as a group. But platonic feelings quickly become non-platonic, misunderstandings abound, insecurities rise, and they’ll have to learn how to communicate their feelings if those feelings could ever lead to a relationship. The writing is incredible, the second-person POV is done expertly, and the characterization is top-notch!

11. a heart he couldn’t control by codevassie! Prinxiety that tore me into a million pieces. Roman traded away his true love’s life to save his brother from a witch, but when he actually meets said true love, he begins to regret his choice. Now Virgil is trapped once again with the witch, Roman is on a rescue mission, Patton and Logan are hiding something, and Janus is definitely not who he seems. Once again, this AU hurts me, and the incredible writing makes it a gut-punch! It’s a WIP but I love where it’s going and need to catch up on it but shhh

12. Another Goddamn Hero Story by rosesisupposes! I’m a sucker for a superhero AU and this one is stellar! Logan and Virgil are a hero team, trying to subdue Patton and Roman, the most famous villain duo in the city. But nobody’s exactly who they say, everyone’s not quite sure which side is right, and past wrongs are coming back to draw new blood. It’s endgame LAMP and the romances are built perfectly! Supervillains Royality is amazing, the action is incredible, and the plot twist blew me away!

13. Hurt, and How We Grow Past It by Jinx72! Another comfort fic of mine, by one of my all-time favorite authors! After Deceit visits the Imagination and lights a fire larger than he intended, Roman is left injured while the other Sides try to put the pieces back together. Old grudges come to light, new bonds are forged, and they all fall in love slowly while all simultaneously being extremely insecure. The characterization is incredible, the writing is top-notch, and the DLAMP is heartfelt and wonderful!

14. Eucatastrophe by arealsword! I added this one last-minute because it’s incredible and deserves to be on this list! The writing is incredible, the world-building is top-notch, and the plot manages to be coherent and incredible while throwing me for a loop every other line! It creeped me the heck out, but I’d expect nothing less from the author of Pick a Side. I’m not even gonna summarize this one because that’d spoil the fun, but suffice it to say, Thomas gets kidnapped by faeries and things get interesting very fast.

And now for the authors! (I chose authors who I didn’t mention above, but all the ones I already talked about are hella good, check them out too!)

1. @/sleeplessinstarbucks. You want good losleep content? Here. You want good QPR content? Here. You want good content in general? Here! Lia has amazing hurt/comfort, beautiful writing, and stellar characterization. I binge their writing every time I get bored. If you want your heart to be warmed, this is where to go!

2. @/theeternalspace. Okay, so Acantha is the Royal of Long Fics. Every one of theirs is a winner! They’re an expert at plotting and characterization, and I’ve been sucked into every one of their many AUs. Plus their writing is godly! And did I mention there are so many chapter fics on their Ao3? If you want a bunch of bingeable emotional rollercoasters, head on over here!

3. @/whenisitenoughtrees. Cat...how. How do you do it. See, Cat writes the best one shots. Their writing is incredible and they’ve written some of my all-time favorite short fics! Their characterization is always on point, and their dialogue always lands, and did I mention their writing is just so deliciously readable--you feel like they chose every word carefully to make it pack as much of a punch as possible. If you want some incredible one shots, this is your writer!

4. @/tulipscomeinallsortsofcolors. I mean, I couldn’t not include Violet. LAOFT is still my favorite series of all time and deserves all the attention it’s got! They’re the expert at well-done short fics that serve a longer narrative, giving everything an almost episodic structure. Plus, their fluff is the fluffiest and the best, and their angst hurts me deep within my soul, so they’re double-powerful! If you want standalone fics or a complex, emotional series, check them out!

5. @/impatentpending. Elena, our writing god, our Deity, which all other writers must respect. Every fic of hers is top-tier, from short to long, and she’s unrivaled at plotting and worldbuilding! You’ll get sucked in to every world and story she creates, and she’s an expert on letting the stories linger. I’m still thinking about Powerless and Monster and it’s been almost a year. If you want expertly crafted stories that leave you in emotional pieces, she’s got them.

6. @/ironwoman359. A classic choice here! She’s got it all--incredible one shots, great characterization, and a big enough master list for basically any ship to be found! She also writes some of the best hurt/comfort in the genre, so if you’re a fan of bad things that lead to good endings, there’s always something to read. If you want a large catalog of fantastic stories, she’s your gal!

7. @/caffeinatedcryptid. You may have seen El’s fantastic art on tumblr, but have you read their incredible stories? If not, you’re missing out! They’ve got several spectacular one shots already written, and each one of them broke me in their own special way. Their writing style is incredible and their characterization is fantastic. If you want longer one shots with well-thought-through plots, head over there!

8. @/astronomical-bagel. Astro, our Lord of Roman Angst, always ready to punch me in the gut with feelings! Act One, Scene Three still hurts me to this day. They’re always ready to turn anything into Roman angst (or any angst, check HDABST) but they’ve got some comfort in there as well! A little bit. Somewhat. Yeah. If you want to be emotionally destroyed, you know who to call.

9. @/green-writes-sanderssides. Green’s fics were some of the first I ever read in this fandom, and they’ve stuck with me to this day! They're an expert at the fluff-angst balance and causing all sorts of Emotions. They’re currently working on an incomplete LAMP fic that just completes me. But I digress. Green is spectacular! They’ve got wonderful canon-verse fics that explore the characters and their relationships expertly. If you want amazing fics with fantastic characterization in-canon, stop by!

And that’s all of them! Again, there are tons more I didn’t get to mention, but these are just a few I love! Congrats if you read all the way to the bottom, I know it was a lot--I just get really excited when I can compliment my favorite writers! Anyway, check them out if you want, I highly encourage it!

#sanders sides #fic recs #sanders sides fic #sanders sides fic recs #tw long post #long post #asks and answers #ask game #anon

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lowkeyaesthvtic · 4 years

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Evil Karma - Chapter 14

Chapter 1 - Chapter 13

Word Count: 4,007

Summary: Now that the group has everything they need for the magic elixir, how will they react to giving the Isle of the Lost a little taste of magic?

Pairings: Harry x OC, Uma x OC, Harry x Uma x OC, platonic!Gil x OC, a little bit of platonic!Gil x Harry, past!OC x OC in a flashback scene

Rating: T

Warnings: Mild profanity, descriptive threats of murder, a flashback scene that kind of shines a light on how much of a dick Sofi’s dad was and how much she deserved better, also a little bit of sexual tension at the beginning but honestly not much

Tags: I honestly feel like people have stopped paying attention to this fic so I’m gonna stop with the tags for now but I’ll start them again if enough people ask.

Author’s Note: I am really sorry about the long pause, it’s been kind of hard writing for this fandom when the content for it has started to dwindle. I’m going to try my best to keep the Descendants fandom alive since I really love it but considering it’s been almost a year since the last movie came out, it’s going to be hard.

“How do we know the Doctor’s not going to flake out on us? He’s done it before.” Harry asked as he shifted into the sofa. The four of us, now permanently deciding to include Gil on our plan, had gone back to the room where the plan first became set in stone. I had sent out a sort of distress call to the Doctor himself telling him that the hairs were ready to be mixed into the elixir, which was incredibly hard without any magic, but somewhat possible nonetheless. I looked over to Harry and leaned my head on his shoulder as a small, bored yawn escaped my lips.

“He won’t flake on me. Dr Facilier has worked with my family before. He’s well aware of how powerful my father was; and, if I am anything like my father, he’ll know I’m not a force to mess with either. Unfortunately, my father and I have more in common than I’d like to admit.” I ran a thin finger through his black, matted locks as the four of us sat and waited not so patiently for the doctor to arrive. Noticing my physical affection towards Harry, Uma moved closer next to me and leaned in to whisper to me.

“You know, you’ve been latching onto Harry a lot today, you two didn’t play without me, did you?” Due to our vicinity, both Harry and I heard her words. A small shiver ran up my spine as her voice sent warm air across my skin.

“Of course not, Captain. If a game is what you want, though, I’m sure the two of us would be happy to oblige.” Harry smirked, interjecting the tension between Uma and I. The two looked as if their lips were about to lock when they were both blocked by a lock of blonde hair.

“Not to interrupt, guys, but I hear footsteps.” He was definitely interrupting. But, it was for good reason. Harry, Uma and I moved slightly farther apart as Harry quickly grabbed his hook and I readied my hand on my dagger, prepared in case it was some unwanted visitor walking through the door.

“Will you put your hook down, pirate boy? It’s just me. Sorry if I’m late, but I had a bit of a run in with one of Cruella’s goons.” My eyes quickly widened as I stood and ran towards him like a wild, hungry tiger.

“What the fuck, Doc! What did you tell them? You didn’t see Cruella, did you?” Before I could get close enough for the Doctor to feel the steam from my ears, Uma and Harry interjected the space between. Harry put an arm out to block Facilier from defending himself as Uma moved closer to me in an attempt to calm my anger.

“Relax, babygirl,” Uma calmly spoke, using the pet name that seemed to work on me like a magic spell every time. Yet it only worked when it slipped from her lips. “Cruella’s been indisposed since she saw Maleficent get turned into a lizard at Ben’s coronation. Jafar’s been hiding from the embarrassment of his son becoming a good kid and the Evil Queen...Well I don’t know what’s happened with her. Rumor has it she changed her name to Regina and drank a potion transporting her to some different dimension where Auradon doesn’t even exist. Wherever she is, she’s not here. None of them care about themselves anymore to worry about some little trinkets getting stolen.” With a deep inhale, I took a step back and watched as Uma turned toward the Doctor. She somehow seemed so confident, so professional, no matter the circumstances. I very rarely let somebody else dominate me both in and out of sensual situations. But with Uma, it was like disobeying her meant taking away every ounce of oxygen in my body. I needed her like a fish needs water. “I’m sure they were taken care of? Tell me, Doc, how’d you do it? Choke them until their faces turned blue? Slashed them across their necks and watched as their blood spewed like a fountain? Then again, I guess that would’ve messed up your clothes.”

“I left them unharmed.” Facilier replied after a slight hesitation. This must have been his first time meeting Uma. Otherwise he would’ve been prepared for her high-handed attitude and body language. “Getting my hands dirty would have perked some ears around the Isle. I assume you want this plan to remain secret until the time is right?” Uma nodded her head and turned around, leading the two of us back to the sofa we sat on before. She fixed her eyes on the black, still cauldron in front of us.

“You’d assume correctly. Now, do you have the ingredients or not?” Facilier stood still, looking through his large, black satchel for what we were hoping were the ingredients. Uma, however, was not going to accept silence as an answer. “Now, Doctor. We mustn't lurk in doorways...it’s rude.” She chuckled as she watched Facilier hesitantly walk into the room and towards the cauldron. Then, like a child tentatively unwrapping a present, he started to take the ingredients out of his satchel and placed them on a nearby rickety desk.

“I know you said enough for two gulps. But, I figured it’d be best to take everything instead of leaving some behind and risk getting caught. Should be enough for five elixirs. One for each of you kids...and an extra in case things go sideways.” It was laid out like a buffet. Eight dog bones, a large bowl of dust from Jafar’s stolen lamp, and five apples with exactly one bite taken out of each. “How many hairs did you get?”

“Ten. The recipe called for five but...I may have gotten carried away. There’s something succulent about hearing his pain, especially since he deserves every single bit of it.” I stated, keeping my voice and face as blank as possible. Despite the Doctor knowing what Ben had done to the boys on Neverland, I refused to let him see me emotional or otherwise affected by it.

“Showing any kind of emotion, especially towards men, is weakness. The second a boy or man sees a tear fall down that wretched face of yours, they’ll know what I’ve known since the day you were born. You could never be a leader.” I heard my own father’s voice echo in my head. I couldn’t help but feel my surroundings grow fuzzy and mute as I only heard his voice. “If you can’t stand up to a measly wolf cub, how could you ever lead these boys in the case of battle?” His one remark to me when I came to him with bite marks and gruesome scratches. He’d sent me into the jungle to hunt for dinner. While walking back to camp with some fox meat, a couple of baby wolves had attacked me and stolen the meat. I came to my father looking for comfort, or at least some kind of potion that would heal the wounds. The only thing I was given was ridicule and mockery. In a way, he was right. The entire island was ransacked, murdered, ruthlessly slaughtered. I couldn’t save them. I can’t bring them back either. Maybe this wasn’t Ben’s fault, or even Mal’s. Maybe it was mine.

“Hey, kid. You still with us?” A dark hand waving in front of my face brought me back to reality. Uma, Harry and Gil had all sat on the sofa while I still stood, my eyes locked on the table of ingredients. “You having second thoughts?” I looked back up at him and quickly shook my head. Was I lying? A little. If I couldn’t help my boys back then, how am I going to help them now? They’re already gone, and there’s no magic in this entire realm that could bring them back. But, this far into the plan, I’m starting to realize that this plan isn’t just for me anymore. It may have started that way. I may have befriended Uma and Harry for the sake of numbers and people that share a common enemy. But, I know now that these people can have some serious potential if they had enough power. This elixir and the succession of this plan could give them that potential. “Alright then, let’s get this started! This elixir ain’t gonna make itself!”

One by one the ingredients slipped into the cauldron. The boiling water shifted colors as each bone was dunked, as each fingerful of dust was sprinkled in, as each apple slice was slowly dropped in. By the time nearly all the ingredients were mixed together, the bubbling water had changed from clear to a murky, dirty dark brown. Harry looked up in confusion, nearly disgusted by the color despite being surrounded by it. “Isn’t the elixir supposed to be gold? Or green? Or...something not so disgusting?”

“It’s because we haven’t put in the key ingredient.” Uma replied, everybody’s eyes shifting towards me. I took the vial out of my pocket and watched as the hairs glimmered gold.

“Wow, and people say Rapunzel has magic hair.” Gil chuckled, amazed by the sparkling shimmer inside the glass vial. As I go to open the vial, Gil interjects with his voice once more. “Wait, um...Doctor F?”

“Facilier, it’s Doctor Facilier.”

“You said there’d be enough of this potion thing for the four of us to drink it but..Harry and I don’t have magic. What’s going to happen to us?” Everyone paused where they stood. For once, Gil had actually made a good point. This was only my third time making this elixir, the past two times making them for some sick fairies who needed the extra push to fly again. I had never tested them on people not Neverland native, much less a person not born with or capable of magic.

“Well, if you really think about it...magic is basically taking your strongest traits and making them unstoppable. Even without my abilities, I’ve always had a good read on people, making it easy to manipulate their opinions and emotions. Uma’s never been able to use her mother’s magic, but she still feels better when she’s close to water. Don’t you, Captain?” Uma shrugged and nodded her head. “So, maybe you’ll be strong enough to lift the whole ship with just one arm. Imagine how cool that’d be.” Gil gasped and smiled, surely encaptured in that concept. I looked to the cork on the vial, then back at everyone else. “So, shall we?” Everyone nodded eagerly and I could hear a small cackle of excitement from Harry as I opened the cork and dropped the royal hairs in one by one. By the time all ten hairs were mixed in, the potion had turned a glimmery, sparkling gold just as we thought it would. Uma grabbed a ladle she had snatched from the Chip Shoppe’s kitchen and scooped enough to fill the glass vial to the top.

“So, who’s drinking first?” There was a small silence in the room. Whether it was from fear or from not wanting to sound too selfish, nobody vocally volunteered themselves to take the first sip of the elixir.

“You should, Uma. You are the Captain, after all.” Harry mumbled, a hint of his sincere admiration and affection peeking through a small smile. Uma looked to me, as if wanting my consent to be the first to indulge in this magic elixir.

“Go on, Captain. Don’t worry, if it tastes anything like the Neverland elixir, it should be easy to swallow.” I slowly took the empty ladle from her hand and placed it on the empty desk that once held the elixir’s ingredients. I held onto her empty hand with both of mine and let my fingers caress over her skin. After a deep inhalation, Uma chugged down the sparkling potion and swallowed it whole. A few seconds of silence and slight fear went by before Uma took in a quick gasp, gripping tighter onto my hand to keep herself balanced. I could see her eyes flash a bright, ocean blue for just a moment before returning to their near charcoal shade. Harry and Gil immediately stood up from the sofa and rushed to her side, ready to lift her up if she were to feel faint.

“Uma? Are you okay? What happened?” Harry asked, leaning in to make sure the look on her face wasn’t too pale or otherwise sickly. A second of silence scared everyone else in the room, but after she started to let out her infamously wicked and alluring snicker, we knew she was okay.

“I’ve never felt more exhilarated in my entire life! Nothing was happening at first and then, it felt like my entire body was this massive tidal wave crashing onto shore. And now, I feel like there’s something different going through me. Not blood or thoughts but, something more.” I smiled and helped Uma stand up fully, taking both her hands in mine.

“That’s how magic is supposed to feel. Here, I’ll pour the next one. Go ahead and sit down, you may feel a bit woozy if you stand too long.” As Gil led her down to the sofa, I took the ladle and scooped yet another vial full of the delectable potion. “Does anyone want the next one?” Again, there was silence. As I was about to take the second swig myself, I felt a strong hand take the vial out of mine. I looked up to see Gil holding the potion in his hand, eyeing it in a longing sort of way. “Go ahead, Gil. I promise we won’t let anything bad happen to you.” Gil took a quick nod, certain of our promise, and downed the potion in a single gulp.

This time, Harry and I waited more in excitement then in fear. Gil’s reaction wasn’t as huge as Uma’s but there definitely was one. One second, Gil was standing with the empty vial in his hand. The next he jumped high and shook away a bunch of energy coursing through his body, as if he had just taken his first shot in a long night of drinking. “Holy shit, that was awesome! You really think I could lift the ship, Sofi?”

“Easy there, Gil. Save the strength for tomorrow, okay?” I laughed as he started to roughhouse a bit with Harry. The two had a relatively short round of horseplay before Gil suddenly had Harry over his shoulder. Considering the two boys’ relatively similar weight and muscle mass, we never thought that was possible. Then, we had realized that my theory had turned out to be correct. Gil’s new spout of magic had brought a whole new meaning to him being ‘the muscle’ of the group.

“Okay, okay, okay, now I want some of this action. Pour it up, duckling!” Harry near shouted like an excited child on Christmas morning. I grabbed the ladle and poured a third portion of the elixir into the glass vial. With no hesitation, Harry took the vial and lifted it high as he poured the potion down his throat, letting the last drop linger on his tongue. He felt a rush immediately, but from what I could see, there was little to no physical change showing that he now had magic. He was potentially on a rush of adrenaline, meaning whether the elixir had given him magic or not, he definitely felt a physical rush of change. There was only one way to know for sure if the potion had worked on him.

“I guess it’s my turn.” I quietly huffed as I poured another portion of the elixir into the empty vial. A part of me was fearful of the outcome. I knew the potion would work correctly, but I had no idea the effect it would have on me. These past three months were the first time I had ever gone without using my magic. Three months of no magic after who knows how many years of near constant magic was wild enough. But taking all that magic back in at once? I was diving into the ocean without knowing whether or not I’d drown. But, if it would help my Uma take Mal down and claim the leadership she deserves, that’s a risk I’d be willing to take. I slowly tilted my head back and let the elixir slide down my tongue. The taste was oddly familiar. Tangy like a fresh orange with a hint of something herby and earthy. It tasted like home. As the elixir was wholly consumed, I laid the vial and ladle aside as I put my hands on the nearby desk for support in case of any sudden dizziness.

What I felt next was both euphoric and catastrophic. The thoughts of others didn’t slowly slip in through my ears. They rushed inside my brain, nearly knocking me out with their speed and intensity. I could feel my eyes burning with an emerald flame, something only the kids on Neverland had seen. By the time it was all over, I was electrified with the magic I had once called my home.

“Is she okay? She looks a little faint. Maybe I should check on her? Should I ask Uma to check on her?”

“Wow, that looked like a lot. I wonder if she felt everything I felt when I drank it. Or maybe she felt more since she’s used her magic before? Maybe Harry and I should check on her.”

“These damn crazy kids. I wouldn’t be doing all of this if those Auradon bastards didn’t kill my boy. But nobody messes with my kids. If they even lay a finger on Celia I’ll have all their heads.”

“Can you really curl your hair with your finger? I see Uma and Sofi do it all the time...maybe it’s just a girl thing.”

Their thoughts began to slow down enough for me to thoroughly listen to them. “You guys don’t need to check on me, I’m fine. I’m more than fine.” I stood up straight and wiped some dust off my shoulders before sitting next to Gil and Uma on the sofa. “Also, Gil, Uma and I don’t curl our hair with our fingers. Our hair is just naturally curly. If you wanna curl your hair so badly, I can give you a ride to Lady Tremaine’s.” Gil’s perked up, confused brow caused a small rise of laughs throughout the room. The thoughts in the room began to quiet down as I slowly gained control over my magic again, putting the minds of others in the background of my brain. As we all grew adjusted to the elixir and its effects, Facilier poured the final scoop of the elixir into the vial and corked it shut as he handed it to Uma.

“Keep this close with you. The elixir ain’t permanent. You may need this if those Auradon bastards come at you with something strong.” As he saw Uma slip it into her jacket pocket, he walked over to me and glared at me sincerely. “I don’t know what kind of second thoughts you may be having, but you’re going through with this. If not for me, then for Mateo. He would’ve wanted you to keep going.”

I thought back to the moment that I knew Mateo was going to be a really close friend. It was the same day I had gotten attacked by the wolf cub. I sat alone in my tent, attempting to dress my wounds with palm leaves and hold back the pained sobs when those attempts had failed. Suddenly, I heard the flap of my tent wave open. “I heard someone’s got some new battle scars..can I see them?” I kept my mouth shut and attempted to close him off, knowing that the second I said a word, tears would rush down my face. “I brought something from the med tent that may take the edge off. Do you want it?” I turned and nodded my head, still keeping quiet to keep too much ‘weakness’ from peeking through.

As Mateo dressed the wounds correctly and sprinkled on some healing pixie dust, the pain from the wounds began to subside excluding a small sting from the pixie dust. But the emotional pain, the ping in my chest from my own father telling me I could never be a leader, that’s what was hurting me the most. “Mateo...do you think I made a mistake?”

“Made a mistake? Doing what?”

“Choosing to age, to grow up. I thought it would help me become stronger, faster, smarter. But I don’t think it’s doing any of that. I couldn’t keep a wolf cub off of me!” A shred of my anger began to shine through as everything my father had said came rushing back.

“Well, to be fair, your hands were a little full with all of that fox meat. Pan probably should’ve sent someone out with you.” Mateo chuckled, attempting to lighten the mood as he always did.

“It’s not funny! I couldn’t fight off a wolf cub, my swordfighting is total shit, this new magic I’ve been developing lately is completely out of control...I can’t do anything! What if my dad is right? What if I’m just not fit to be a leader?” As Mateo dressed the last bite mark, he shifted closer to me and wrapped his arm around me, pulling me in for comfort.

“Okay, your swordfighting isn’t the best. And yeah, you’ve got some new powers that you don’t really know how to control yet. But, who threw a dagger so far and so well that it pushed an apple off of Reggie’s head and into a tree?”

“...I did.”

“And who taught Felix how to use the tidal waves to tell if a storm was coming?”

“...I did.”

“And who saved a Lost Boy’s life by catching an arrow that was heading straight for them with her bare hand?” That Lost Boy was him. My dad was angry and drunk and thought killing him would be a good way to piss off Facilier and get a good bloodbath going. But something in my gut clicked fast enough to move Mateo out of the way and catch the arrow to prevent it from hitting anybody else. It could’ve killed me, but I didn’t care.

“I did.”

“So you have some things you need to improve on. That’s fine. But do you know what you’re best at, Sofi? Your strongest skill is helping the other boys. Whether you’re keeping them happy, keeping them safe, or helping them grow in the areas that they need improvement. You never back down on an opportunity to help the Lost Boys. If that’s not a sign of a good leader, I don’t know what is.”

As my mind came back to the present day, I realized that I shouldn’t be having any sort of second thoughts about this plan. Succeeding in making Mal suffer and taking over Auradon would not only be giving the Lost Revenge crew the potential and inclusion they deserve, but it would be avenging the deaths of everyone I’ve ever cared about. It’d be another instance of me not backing down on an opportunity to help those I loved. This plan will prove that I am, in fact, a good leader. As I watched Facilier pack up his satchel and begin to leave the room, I stood and shouted towards him. “I’m going to make him proud, Doc. I promise.” At the sudden yell, Harry, Uma and Gil all stood to listen. “We were all brutally wronged by Auradon. Their system has been suppressing us, starving us, killing us for far too long! Tomorrow, we will take Auradon into our hands and give every single kid on this Isle the chance they deserve! If we have to spill some blood to do it...then let the blood spill. Rest up, everyone. Because tomorrow, we fight!”

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fallingin-like · 5 years

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aftg fanfic review masterlist

(aka my nanowrimo 2019)

i’m super excited to say here are the fics that i will be reviewing for november so far! feel free to read through these and comment on them with me! thank you so much to everyone who responded to my post and requested fics~

*edit: i removed a fic because i forgot to check the tags/TWs before and when i did look, i didn't feel comfortable with the content. sorry!*

1. atlas by @purearcticfire / @pipedream-truths

a magic au that features shapeshifters and a cursed neil, so immediately you know i’ll like it. this fic has some cool uses of italics, caps, spacing, etc. that creates a stylized story that helps build tone and gives the story a clearer voice. this was such a fun read and it gets very intense. this fic is incomplete.