#famous! au rina

[squishymar]

[venicemermaids]

Hi! Here's some stuff about a celebrity-themed AU I've been formulating in my head since last year. I'll probs post more later when I'm less sleep deprived :')) I do have major ideas though, so hope you like 'em!

☆ passione is a modelling agency/magazine ran entirely by diavolo. it's one of the most famous companies in the world, and also one of the more relaxed ones. technically diavolo's twin brother doppio and doppio's now wife donatella helped form it, but they all agreed it'd be easier for diavolo to head it. doppio works as a photographer there, while donatella is a model.

☆ the joestars are essentially the hilton family of this au. most people know their names because they're famous in their own fields outside of the family. for instance, jonathan is an archeologist, dio (who is now a biological joestar) is a lawyer/agent/manager, jotaro is a marine biologist with several documentaries under his belt, and so on.

☆ if the joestars are the hiltons, then the part 8 higashikatas are the kardashians. they have their own reality TV show chronicling their lives, known by all as keeping up with the higashikatas. some major specials were jobin and mitsuba's wedding, the twins' (rina and joshu) sweet sixteens and later daiya's, kaato being released from prison, and hato's explosive break-up with tamaki damo.

☆ elizabeth is still married to george ii/jorge joestar, and she has her own fashion house known as lisa lisa. working under her are caesar zeppeli and suzi q, who both have their own ideas on which direction the brand's image should go. their rival is kars and the other pillar men's own label. (unnamed as of right now)

☆ diego is jonathan and dio's younger stepbrother through his mother marrying their father when diego was a kid. diego had always been closer with jonathan, while he always had a tense relationship with dio. as an adult, diego is a professional driver and looks after his nephews; dio's own sons.

☆ jolyne has an underground band with ermes and f.f. called the stone frees! they perform at a grungy venue known as green dolphin, named for its famous neon green dolphin sign. outside of performing, they're usually seen hanging out in ermes' sister gloria's restaurant. they tend to give it free publicity where they can.

jolyne also goes by cujoh in an attempt to distance herself from her father, and to prevent herself from being accused of nepotism.

☆ johnny was a former movie star who quit performing after a major accident rendered him unable to walk. his father hired a physical therapist for him named gyro zeppeli, and barred him from any other visitors out of a sense of shame. however, johnny's older brother nicholas tends to allow guests to see him anyway when their father's away. johnny also keeps in contact with rina higashikata, but that's a secret!

☆ josuke (no relation to the part 8 higashikatas) is an aspiring hairdresser/celebrity stylist, and he often asks to practice on other people. he religiously reads the cinderella magazine for tips and ideas on what to do next and his idol is aya tsuji, who he dreams of working alongside someday.

☆ gappy is yoshikage and kei's younger brother. he's not technically a celebrity, but he often shows up on kuwth due to being childhood friends with joshu and rina. people often joke about him being their missing triplet, though he always denies it. he does see the higashikatas as a second family, however.

☆ giorno is a model under passione, which he joined beneath his father's nose at both diego and his best friend perla's suggestion. when dio found out, he demanded for giorno to allow him to be his agent due to his superior connection. refusing, giorno instead left to live with diego whilst bruno bucciarati became his agent instead. the two people who oversaw giorno's casting were man x (will be referred to as michel) and polpo.

☆ after giorno left, dio began to acknowledge his other three sons; donatello, ungalo, and rikiel. he began with taking custody of donatello, and pushed him into joining a modelling agency as well. he manufactured a rivalry between donatello and giorno, though giorno's more interested in saving all his brothers from their father's influence than anything.

☆ jodio and dragona are both popular on social media. dragona enjoys posting ootds, makeup tutorials, and storytimes, whilst jodio does (awful) skateboarding tricks and skits. sometimes he'll join dragona's storytimes and makeup tutorials, or they'll both do various challenges and skits together.

☆ more stuff to come later!

[lucyfrostblade]

kipperlilly 👻, 😺, 😶 ivy 🎭, 🎶, 😶 ruben 🦾, 🏳️‍🌈, 😶

headcanon ask game !!

thank you! this one is under the cut because it's fairly long

Kipperlilly:

👻 A headcanon about what scares them

i think it would be easy to say that Kipperlilly is afraid of being insignificant which i think is part of it, but i don't think that's the root of issues. in the screenrant interview that brennan did, he says that kipperlilly forced the name "the high 5 heroes" as a way to force camaraderie that they didn't have yet. we also know from jawbone's file on kipperlilly that she wanted to keep the name while everyone except lucy voted against, and that in particular Ivy and Oisin proposed the name change. finally we also know that lucy was "the only one that sort of gets it". to me this comes together to paint a picture of someone who is incredibly lonely and doesn't know how to fix that.

she doesn't want to be alone, and this is what motivates her to me. she'll be useful, and she'll be interesting, and no one will ever leave her again. she's trying to make herself invaluable to her party, this genius mastermind rogue that leads them to glory, so that ultimately they have no choice but to stick with her. it's not even something she's necessarily conscious of, that deep-seated fear she has of being alone.

i think it makes the fact that she's the only one that stays dead after the plan and the fact that she willing took the shatterstar even more tragic, because she's ended up exactly where she feared most: alone and unremarkable (not to me, kipperlilly copperkettle you will always be famous to me)

😺 An animal related headcanon

in middle school, kipperlilly's parents took her to an animal shelter and they adopted a cat. the original idea was to get a dog, a really affectionate and energetic dog to help bring her out of her shell and relax to a certain extent. she ended up falling in love with this small orange cat that she names peaches, a name she is embarrassed by once she gets older. when the shatterstar plan starts in full force, and all the rat grinders end up at ruben's house, peaches stays at kipperlilly's house. she doesn't need the comfort or the affection from him anymore, she's beyond that she tells herself. her parents send pictures and she pretends she doesn't miss her stupid orange cat. he still sleeps in her bed, waiting for her to come back.

😶 A random headcanon!

i am a big fan of the idea of kipperlilly becoming a devil in hell post-canon. she would thrive there, i think, and really just lean into all her worst traits. just slowly climbing the ranks of hell and amassing more and more power and finally mattering in the ways she always wanted to be. it's easier for her to pretend that she's not so lonely, to ignore that she got everything she wanted and she still craves something else, that underneath it all she's still just a lonely high school junior.

Ivy:

🎭 A headcanon about what they lie about

ivy lies to herself more than she lies to anyone else, i feel. not that she's necessarily truthful to other people but it's rarely if ever an outright lie, more so manipulating the truth. but with herself? she'll push down her feelings and convince herself that she doesn't actually feel that way.

🎶 A headcanon about music

if you ask ivy she listens to rock music, something paramore-esque and maybe some pom pom squad if she wants to seem more indie in music tastes, but in her heart of hearts? she loves pop music. wireless earbuds are her best friend because now to doesn't have to worry about oisin pulling her earbuds out and like .5 of siena liggins, rina sawayama, muna, sofya wang, or chappell roan playing. she thinks it ruins her mystique if anyone finds out she listen to sapphic pop music

😶 A random headcanon!

in the yellowjackets trg au that is constantly rattling around in the back of my head, ivy is the natalie—the reluctant leader and the one who knows the most about actual survivial—to lucy's lottie and kipperlilly's misty.

and then bc i have no idea if you have any context for yellowjackets, in the doomed space crew trg au that is also constantly rattling around on my brain, i have her down as the pilot and oisin as the captain. she's next in line to be in charge if anything happens to him, and outwardly she's super confident about it, but really she doesn't want to consider 1) anything to happen to oisin and 2) actually having to make the tough calls

(if you are curious kipperlilly is the engineer, lucy is the medic, mary ann is security, ruben is the botanist, and i am not sure where to put buddy yet)

ruben:

🦾 A disability headcanon

bro has the worst vision in the world. he doesn't ever wear glasses in public, used to wear contacts but he wore them too much and he's now banned from wearing them and his eye doctor will no longer prescribe them. he makes lucy or oisin read every menu to him. he'll wear them only in private and only to write and learn new music.

i also think he has chronic hand and wrist pain, the sort that existed before he started playing guitar but is 100% worsened by it. lucy used to remind him

🏳️‍🌈 A sexuality headcanon

i think he's bi, mostly dates women to the point where for a while everyone assumes he's straight but then he casually mentions a hookup with a dude. i don't think he puts much thought in romantic partners or their genders, he just dates people.

😶 A random headcanon!

on a very objective level i understand that the irl music that ruben's band makes is very evidently just mcr but i personally think it's funnier if my clerical gnomance makes music similar to waterparks: "I'm sick of all this how'd you get your band name? / Is that your real first name? / Can you text and can you follow back cause it's my birthday? / No one cares what I want, just what I've got / And if we sit and count it up it's really not a lot" is such a "i'm getting mobbed for autographs" verse and you cannot convince me otherwise.

also he would have an elaborate inside joke that one of the members is an infamous serial killer that's really popular in the fandom until the shatterstar stuff becomes known and then it's just awkward. they don't stop making the joke tho. (lucy finds it funny, personally)

post shatterstar i think he leans more towards music like laura jean grace's, reconciling his pre-shatterstar, shatterstarted, and post-shatterstar selves into some angsty and anger soulcrushing tunes ala "I am a burning church / I am artifice and years collapsing / I have not yet become all that I will be"

[legendheroes]

Legend Heroes and their titles - what does each one of them mean?

So, when i started this AU thing back in 2012... I gave titles and codenames for each protag. I've revised some of those, so let's talk about them a little more:

Each title has a reference to their series, by element or mechanic.

Each codename has a reference to something part of their character arc or design.

Taichi:

→ "Winged Courage" is a reference to his Adventure character song, which is suspected to be a reference from V-Tamer. "Sun" is a reference to the Crest of Courage, which symbol is a stylized sun.

Daisuke:

→ "Golden Heart" and "Heart" is a reference to the Jogress Evolution, and the color "gold" in it is a reference to the Digimental of Miracles, which is also summoned every time Daisuke and co. need a miracle to happen.

Takato:

→ "Gallant Dreamer" is a reference to Tamers' OP (The Biggest Dreamer) and Dukemon's dub name. "Knight" is a reference to Dukemon as well, and the chivalry code Dukemon has as well.

Takuya:

→ "Fiery Warrior" and "Warrior" are references to the Legendary Spirits of Fire, as well as Takuya's element too.

Masaru:

→ "Banchou Savior" is a reference to an episode in Savers where Masaru learns more about his father being a savior for the digimon, and how he is seen as one until things went south. Banchou and its codename, "Fighter", are references of him being self-entitled as one.

Taiki:

→ "Red General" is a reference to Taiki's XrosLoader color and his position as the general of the Xros Heart army. "King" is a reference to Shoutmon's title as "Digimon King", as well as reference to Taiki being the one who collected all of the Code Crowns previously.

Tagiru:

→ "Crimson Hunter" is a reference to his XrosLoader's color and Tagiru's role as a Digimon Hunter. "Superstar" is a reference to his ambition, his desire to become famous and be recognized by others.

NOTES:

"How about Haru, Reboot!Taichi and Hiro?"

Since this AU existed before those new series, i never thought of a title for them. Maybe later. You can suggest titles and codenames for them too.

"Do you plan to include the manga/games protags?"

No, i kinda "tried" in the past (it was Rina. Yeah, I drew a design for Rina and gave her a title), but never went with it. Sorry.

[sugarcrash-underground]

Howdy Howdy, it’s ya favorite slug

Okay, ocs, here we go

Starting with the first ones I’ve made

Rocker

(Warning, a lot of these are gonna feature a lot of old art—)

Rocker is the loud, proud, smart mouthed second in command of the Basement puppets.

Their flirty and quick to anger, they often fight a lot with their leader, “The Mistress”, and are very protective of the mini rinas

Speaking of…

The Mini-Rinas

In order, their names are mini-rina prime, also knowned as prina. Mini-rina 2, 3 and rebel-rina, formerly known as mini-rina 4

There’s not much to say about them, their the students of The Mistress, their often over worked and only get a small break when the mistresses under study takes over watching them when the mistress is resting

Pearl

The nervous understudy of the mistress, she’s in charge of making sure everything is up to the mistresses Standards, taking care of the other basement puppets, and making sure a certain doctor is still alive and well…

The Mistress

To sum her up, she’s basically a gender bent Mortimer. She’s strict and meticulous, is something doesn’t go Exactly as she plans, she won’t hesitate to lash out with her whip. Hell, there are some days where she gives daisy danger a run for her money with her explosive temper.

Now, onto the aus. Or, au Singular i suppose

The SugarCrash au! (Hey, see, I told y’all I’d make that post explaining what it’s about!)

Starting with the one and only, SugarCrash Mortimer Handee

Mortimer handee was one of the first puppets to be brought to life by the famous, (or rather, in-famous, depending on who you ask) Owen Gubberson. Unlike the Mortimer your familiar with, when the handeeman were brought to life, they were given their own bodies, much to Owen’s surprise.

This Mortimer is a lot more, let’s say, slick, than cannon Mortimer. This Mortimer is an entertainer through and through, he’s dapper, cunning and a big smooth talker. However don’t let this side of him fool you, he can be just as cruel, if not more so, than cannon. There are some days where even the fearless Daisy Danger worries for her well being when he’s upset. Unfortunately, no one (for now) knows this side of him.

Riley Athen Ruckus

Riley ruckus, The resident scientist and now newly discovered Promising artist, this Riley is a bit more, braggy, I suppose? Than the one we know, Dr ruckus will take every opportunity to gloat about the achievements of the handeeman and how far their once humble little studio has come, now known by local’s as the “Real Life handee manor”, thanks to both the magic of Mortimers spell book and her (as well as nicks, but she’ll never admit this-) own creative genius. And just so happens to be the one who got their old show rebooted with one phone call❤️ (much to Rachael’s surprise and anger-)

Daisy Danger

Daisy Danger, resident mom to all employees and ragdolls, and one hell of a magic cook and baker, daisy is by far one of the sweetest puppets you’ll ever meet. That is, if you don’t get on her nerves- As we all know, daisy is Quite well known for her “Danger Mode”, but what everyone didn’t know, was how damn destructive she can get during what the main four refer to as, a “SugarCrash”. Like it’s been implied, when a puppet enters a SugarCrash, they get incredibly more dangerous than they were before. Basically, it’s danger mode on steroids, and not only that, one’s body changes into a more monstrous, almost feral like form. God only knows what daisy’s SugarCrash’s look like…

Dr. Paddywack, aka nick nack

(Sorry you guys get no visual reference right now, I’ve hit the image limit-)

Dr. Paddywack, formerly known as nick nack, Is still the resident artist of the handeeman crew, but has now gained an appreciation for science and technology. Nick is still the same old nick we all know and love, he’s creative, dramatic, and jus a tiny bit egotistical, except this nick seems a bit more… jumpy, let’s say, than regular nick. He’s just a tad bit more reserved than cannon, and. Something about the way the ragdolls tend to avoid his path seems… odd. (>;])

That’s all for now, you can also send the ragdoll assistants asks but I’m too tired to write a bio for them right now, bye—

[taperwolf]

Actually, given Koume's design — blonde hair covering one eye, hands perpetually in her sleeves — I suddenly want to have an AU where she's the daughter of Mia and Rina.

("Shirasaka" would, in this context, be a stage name that she came up with so as neither to be overshadowed by or to receive favoritism because of her moms — both idols, one a groundbreaking technologist and the other a legendary singer-songwriter — or their families: in this version Rina's parents would indeed be diplomats — we'll say Rina's mom is the Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations — and of course the Taylor Family is famous. And in that connection, I bet Koume would really like the Muppet Show sketch where Vincent Price and Uncle Deadly sang "You've Got a Friend".)

[solitaryearthperson]

Halloween 🎃 Playlist

She-wolf by Shakira 

Howl by Florence and the machine

Bloody Mary by Lady Gaga

Scary by Megan thee Stallion ft. Rico Nasty

Black punk by Rico Nasty

Vaders by Rico Nasty ft. Bktherula

Wolfsbane by Loveghost ft. Rico Nasty

Halloweenie, Halloweenie 2, Halloweenie 3, & Halloweenie 4 by Ashnikko

Frankenstein, Snakeskin, STFU, & This Hell by Rina Sawayama

Spooky Coochie by Doechii

Swamp Bitches by Doechii ft. Rico Nasty

Body Bag by Monaleo

Mercy, Martyr, Guillotine Dreams, & Cult Leader by King Mala

R U Looking 4 Me Now, Yandere, & Puppy Pound by Jazmin Bean

Monster Truck by Jazmin Bean ft. Zheani

Stabbed Her to Death, Skinwalker, & Fuck the Hollywood Cult by Zheani

Midnight Creeping, Murder/Disorder, Pussybitches, & Rot by Aly Voorhees

D. I. E., Body in the Basement, Deathbed, & Public Enemy by Nasty Noona

Skin a Rat by Sasami

Gospel for a New Century & Tuck by Yves Tumor

Lucy in the sky, Antichrist, Voices of the Dead, & Falling by Lucifena

Party at the Cemetery, Children of the Dark, Knife Party, Run, Dia de Los Muertos, Ultra Violence, & jump by POORSTACY

Make me famous & Killdozer by Kim Dracula

Am I scaring you? by Elita ft. Salem Creeps

Satanic Slumber Party, Introverted, Maggot, Sucking souls, & R.I.P. by Elita

Human, Scissorhands, & Knife under my pillow by Maggie Lindeman

Pin cushion, Silence, Zombie, So Scary, & Hellslide by Siiickbrain

Scary Mask by POPPY ft. Fever 333

3.14, I Disagree, BLOODMONEY, FYB, Her, Sit/Stay, Fear of Dying by POPPY

You're so dark by Arctic Monkeys

Tag you're it, Mad Hatter, Carousel, & Doll House by Melanie Martinez

Bad guy, All the good girls go to hell, Bury a friend, Copy Cat, & when I was older by Billie Eilish

Dead Girl! (Shake My Head) by Au/Ra

Don’t Fall for Monsters, Beautiful Mayhem, Day I Die, & Love U to Death by DeathbyRomy

Te Llevo Conmigo by Destroy Boys

Devil's playground by The Rigs

[zorkaya-moved]

    Intrusive thoughts,  the bleeding cracks taste like iron against the edges of her mouth and the uncertainty it brings.  Grotesque pictures flashing,  twisted and breaking into a kaleidoscope of grief inside the ivory ribcage,  inside the muscle that pumps blood to every limb that is rightfully hers.  The inability to process,  indescribable deliriums that fill the gaps of consciousness here and there like thorns that press against the soul.  An inexplicable chill    (  it wasn’t a product from the other figure  )    works up the spine,  straightening up the composure that escapes with wild maneuver the mercy of the god of dreams from all the torments that pry.  An irritable exhale that traspasses white teeth clenched.  In the blink of an eye,  the maw relaxes and amaranthine irises search the environment,  flickering between furniture and the window that gives the explanation of the abyssal nightmares.  A thunderstorm.  It is less than it was before,  that’s for sure.  The edges of dawn pursue the golden,  that human silhouette that shares the room with.  These gleaming eyes of the antithesis,  the wintertide in the form of someone else.  Springtide cannot help but wonder    —   what does the other one see on her own  ?   

    A twitch upon the curve of the mouth that morphs into a smile.  ❛❛    How much I’ve been asleep  ?    ❜❜    Shoulders drop as consequence of the tranquility it surfaces.    ❛❛    Don’t tell me I’ve skipped lunch, It'll make me feel a little bit better if that's the case.   ❜❜ // i'll leave you this. either for crys in zar's world ...... or baby rina au ........................ ur choice ..........

@crxstallium

The child has always watched the maiden of spring and death with acute attention, making sure she was doing well and alright. Something has always been strange about her, but always welcoming and familiar. The warmth she showed to the girl who didn’t look an ounce similar to her was astonishing, but little winter also knew this woman was not a saint. Her behavior was ruthless and merciless, she was sometimes childish and she love chocolate more than she probably should if she wanted to watch her figure (little kid’s words are so rude, aren’t they?). The woman who always braved forward with a smirk on her face and sass to her walk, she made the world her podium and walked like the best model ever to step onto this sinner’s earth. 

Thus, Zarina always found herself looking at her with a gleam and a smile on her adorable face, but mostly when the other wasn’t watching. What mattered was that she showed care and she wished to remain by this woman’s side. Her power, her poise, her words, her gaze at her. Sokolova will never forget it. Not when she accepted her and even seemingly adopted her. Of course, Crystal never called her ‘daughter’, she always referred to her by her name. And... was she looking at someone else while gazing at her? It made the little girl wonder and that’s what she wanted to ask today, but it seemed like Crystal was too tired to get up. 

Strange. The woman never missed lunch on the appointed time and never would forget of her favorite snack that Zarina would always prepare, learned how to take care of herself beyond her age. Did she even learn it before? Felt like muscle memory. Nonetheless, the girl would make that famous chocolate lava cake for her caregiver, sprinkling some dark chocolate flakes on top to make the dessert even more desirable for the one who seemingly forgot about their lunch together. With that in mind, the girl would hurry up to climb the stairs and search for the pinkette in her room only to find her... tossing and turning, scowling in her sleep and letting out unknown noises and seemingly words whispered. Just when she wanted to enter and wake the woman up, the sleeping beauty awakened herself. Worry shined in the eyes of gold, tiny hands squeezed into fists as she would step forward to see what was going on and if Slevant was feeling well enough to get up. 

Her words aren’t putting any weight off the child’s shoulders as she does another worried step back, uncertain how to ask the other about her well-being. Not in terms of emotional support, the words on the tip of her tongue are blunt and strong-sounding but all laced with concern nonetheless. It seemed whatever Crystal saw in her dreams, the presence of reality and the little girl were both a welcoming sight. — Was past that harsh for you, Crystal Slevant? Have you seen the lost and the missed? Do you remember the hardships Azkal brought onto you? Do you dream of the day your friend died under the same lightning? — Zarina would bring her small hands closer to her chest, still squeezed into those tiny fists as she would shake her head at the latest of questions asked. 

“No, you didn’t. I came to wake you up,” the silver-haired girl presses her lips together and decides to do more steps, closing in to the woman who was still in her bed. Without asking, she climbs on the bed to sit on the lavish bedsheets of silk and placed her tiny fists on her own lap, looking at the goddess of spring with emotions she couldn’t yet put into words as well as she’d like. “Did you have a nightmare? You don’t like thunderstorms, I noticed. I can get your earplugs, it can help with making the noise less prevalent. And... And I can find heavier curtains that won’t let you see the flashing lights.” Golden eyes shine with determination and care as the girl doesn’t look away from the woman who had always been there, extending her hand, even when memories were shattered and even when things were getting strange, inexplainable, and confusing. This woman made of amethysts and sacred cherry blossom petals was her family, not a mother, but a family nonetheless. A sister, yes, it sounded well. “I don’t know which part of the thunderstorm makes you scared, but I won’t let it make you feel awful. I’ll find a way... I’ll find a way to protect you from seeing it when we are inside.”

[femininenachos]

What fic playlist would Beg For You by Charli xcx ft. Rina Sawayama go on? Love your fics so much. I've got plans to re read GSTYM this weekend :)

Oooh, I’d say it’s a close call between model!au from Clarke’s perspective and CttC from Lexa’s. Poor bbys pining for their (semi) famous jet-setting girlfriends.

Thank you! 💜

[squishymar]

Idk i thought this was funny

[atlasifyllm]

Imagine: Cobalt-Rina role swap! How would that story go?

Ooh, interesting...

Usually when I imagine roleswap AUs involving Cobalt, it tends to be about the other person as a celebrity like Cobalt versus Cobalt not only hiding himself, but his powers, since he wouldn’t become the famous tournament fighter in Neocity

I think it’d be cute if Cobalt in this AU would be working with Jay in some way; designing weaponry. I even HDC his dad may be involved with blacksmithing too. 

So, picture this:

Ruby is an aspiring tournament fighter, Blaze is already a professional tournament fighter, Rina is a famous tournament fighter, and Turqbalt is just a guy doing some weaponry designs for a blacksmith.

I feel like in comparison to like, Ruby/Cobalt roleswap, Rina doesn’t have that pride or arrogance that would drive Ruby to be an antagonistic role. I definitely still have to come up with Rina’s “virtue” (the color green is so hard to research for without copying blue), but either way I don’t think she’d unlock her Paladin element through tournament fighting. I think she’d get pretty jaded if she’s the one winning 16 times throughout her tournament career. I also wonder what her attack style would even be? She doesn’t fight directly a LOT in Arc 1, and at that point she’d really only have her bow, blaster, and plant powers at her disposal.

Though I feel like she’d actually enjoy some of the attention it’d bring her, especially since it’s important in Blaze’s career if she wins against Cobalt. 

I honestly think Rina would be pretty set as a professional tournament fighter. Knowing Blaze personally she’d definitely act more as her friendly rival than just another one of her opponents. Maybe Blaze’s playfulness even rubs off on Rina, and the two slap when posing together with one another for photoshoots.

I think adding Ruby into this story ends up becoming a high school drama thing tbh @_@ Ruby would feel left out seeing Blaze and Rina be able to hold steady tournament fighting careers and that’d end up messing her up quite a bit.

I think Turqbalt in this situation is much happier, especially seeing his girlfriend happier, though also I feel like he’d be the one struggling between his girlfriend and his bestie like Ruby in Arc 2. 

To be honest, I think Turqbalt would still be the one to get his arm cut off. Being placed in between his favorite people would probably trigger the events that would lead to that to be honest. I do think Turqbalt is more open with himself to his friends, so maybe that is a bit of a wake-up call to everyone? It’s still sad, but still sweet when comparing to canon Cobalt who has to grow through it all alone.

I can’t go into it because of spoilers, but the rest of Arc 1 sort of falls into chaos because of the roleswap. Cobalt’s own insecurities over hiding himself from his friends is the thing that gives Aster more power. Rina’s distrust towards Cobalt also gives her power. Those singular events regarding Cobalt is the thing that breaks the camels’ back; Aster’s able to divide the Paladins in time for Arc 2.

But, ignoring Arc 1 being fine, what would Arc 2 be like?

Jay definitely stays the same; they don’t impact Arc 1 very strongly when it comes to the Cobalt/Rina conflict (not that they don’t do anything in Arc 1 at ALL, but Jay definitely is an outsider there canonically)

Considering there’s been talk of Rina being more Iris-positive than Jay, I feel like the main theme surrounding Arc 2 becomes more of a religious issue than said religious issue being fuel for the general theme of trust between the Paladins.

Cobalt would work together with Jay regardless of his canonical issues with Rina, though it’s less of trying to prove himself useful but instead protecting the safety of other people, which means the world to him. I feel like he’d lose the sort of “martyr figure” motif, though.

I feel like Rina would just end up not paying attention to Jay’s shenanigans at all because she doesn’t trust their judgement, but not enough to particularly fuel her into... well, hunting them for sport. 

I honestly think both Arc 1 and Arc 2 would just generally be more of a shounen anime then DOTS already is; it becomes less character-driven and more plot-driven.

It’d probably be way easier to unite the Paladins in Arc 2 to stop the Pyrrhics, and they’d probably follow my initial plans of Arc 2 being a simple “heroes vs villains” group instead of the “the villains are symbolically representative of how much we don’t trust each other”

Arc 3 is vague, obviously, but the act of “tying up loose ends” in Arc 3 would get lost considering I don’t see Rina and Cobalt’s relationship facing TOO much turmoil, and Cobalt himself wouldn’t be constantly on-edge.

Overall, I think Rina would be okay as a professional famous tournament fighter. Turqbalt would just be Some Guy that’s a little skittish and sensitive but also very much in love with his famous girlfriend. Ruby would feel left out when all her friends are professional tournament fighters, and Cobalt would probably just practice coming out of his shell a little more. Rina would absolutely absorb some of Blaze’s playfulness and the two would be THE dream team that every tournament fighter wants to challenge.

[fritae]

The Missing Piece:

Chapter 2 - Frustration

Gang leader! AU / Corporate! AU

Characters: Dabi x F/OC

Status: Ongoing

a/n: hey guys! so I'm playing with this idea and I'm not sure if I'm conveying it properly, but I hope you enjoy regardless! this story's really fun to write and I'm excited for what's to come! I'd really appreciate any feedback 🖤 thanks!

---

"Call Mr. Tobiro, tell him we're airing a new program next month" Mr. Lane tells me as we hurry through the halls.

I get confused. Didn't we resolve all this new program talk last week? I know the ratings still bother Mr. Lane, but enough to go against the board?"

"Sir, is this-"

"No. I'm not replacing any of the current shows. It'll be during the special programming slot on Saturday," He scowls. "A 2 hour special documentary about the Todoroki corp's amazing work these past few years. You know how popular the company is."

Something about this makes me uneasy. Why would he decide this out of nowhere?

His commands jolt me back to reality. "Make sure he adjusts the schedule and starts airing commercials. I want huge ratings, Ms. Aiko. We don't spend all this money to have another company show us up."

An intern quickly hands me Mr. Lane's morning coffee. I mouth a thank you and follow him to his office.

I place the coffee on his desk as he shouts on. I spot another employee carrying files for Mr. Lane. Her hands shake, as if she's trying to decide whether or not to drop them off now. We lock eyes through the glass and I decide for her.

Not now, I shake my head from behind Mr. Lane. Her eyes widen and she nods before quickly hurrying off.

"Are you listening to me, Ms. Aoki?

"Yes sir. I'll call Mr. Tobiro right away."

I keep a straight face as he shouts for the delay. As soon as I find an opening, I go out to call our corporate lawyer.

---

During lunch break, I head down to the cafeteria. I smile when I spot Aliyah and the crew. We tried to sync our lunch breaks to ensure we had some time together during the day (though we at times have to work through our breaks). It makes work feel less lonely.

"Rina!" She exclaims when I grab the seat beside her.

"We finally have some time together," I laugh before hugging her.

"Those bastards work you like a dog," She grumbles.

"You too," I pick at my salad. "Your hours are worse than mine."

"Yeah but I don't have the boss barking orders at me every second of the day. Rina's the real champ here, guys." She tells the table. The others clap at that, and we all share a laugh through mouths full of food.

As a couple executives make their way past our table, we stand up and smile at them in respect. But watching our smiles fall as soon as they walked away made me feel bitter.

"I hate how they treat us like trash and we still have to smile and kiss up to them." I whisper.

Al nods immediately. "But it's whatever. The more you kiss up, the better they'll pay you."

I don't respond to that.

Instead, I think back to the stranger I met last night.

Then what you want isn't money. You want more. He told me.

But the amount they pay us should be enough that we take whatever they throw at us.

Right? I mean, this is why everyone dreams of working here.

"Oh, by the way did you guys hear?" Aliyah suddenly whispers. "You know that multibillion dollar company uptown? Todoroki Inc.?"

"The one with all those charity projects?"

Todoroki Inc. was a big name in the industry. Their extreme success is known worldwide - but they're really known for their philanthropic branch: including building orphanages for the poor, handing out 6 figure donations, and the famous Boku no Hero Academia - where they train leaders in every industry to become tomorrow's changemakers, or as they call it "heroes."

Aliyah voice gets lower, a mischievous smile on her face.

"Except turns out Mr. Todoroki has been caught up in major lawsuits these past few months."

I frown. "For what?"

"Apparently there's been several child abuse cases at the orphanages he sponsors."

All around the table, our mouths drops. Usually lunchtime gossip involves the newest couples or breakups of the day. But this...

This has severe implications.

I'm not surprised that Al knows this. She interacts most directly with our guests and stars meaning she's in on a lot of industry gossip. But still...a major lawsuit like this?

"Is this real or is it one of your rumors?" Someone asks her suspiciously.

"It's as real as you or me! I saw videos . Trust me. There's plenty of people with beef against the company. Big boss Todoroki spent heavy money to keep it all hush-hush. But word travels quickly." She leans back in her seat with a smug look on her face. "We'll see how much power Enji really has by how quietly this unfolds."

"That's disgusting." I push my salad away, my appetite gone. "He can't get away with something like that. Where's the accountability?"

"There is no accountability, sweetheart. That's the way it works. You got money and power, you can get yourself out of anything. Besides, Enji has a reputation. He's got supporters everywhere, people see him as a hero because of all these charity projects."

"But they don't know what's happening in those projects!"

Suddenly, I remember something.

The special program!

I have to tell Mr. Lane. If this is really what's happening, we can't air something like this. It'll give people a false image of what the company stands for. Charity projects that have no proper supervision and that serve as places of abuse should never be celebrated.

"I- I have to go. I'll see you later Al, good luck with your schedule today!"

"But-"

"Sorry, I just remembered something I have to do."

I can't let her know about the program just yet. If I'm lucky, it hasn't been formalized into our official programming. I need to get to Mr. Lane before it does...

---

"Mr. Lane!" I barge into his office.

My boss looks up from his desk, slightly concerned at the look on my face. I slow down to catch my breath.

"Sir, about the Todoroki programming you want to set up. We need to cancel it sir, there's- there's a huge lawsuit going on. The orphanages - the kids are being mistreated sir, please-"

Mr. Lane leans back in his seat.

"Ms. Aoki, relax. That's not your concern. The deal is done."

"Sir...this will give a false image of Mr. Todoroki and his company."

"It's not a false image, it's an alternate image. That's what this whole industry is about. Mr. Todoroki is not responsible for what his managers do. And unless you're speaking with legal authority, I suggest you end this conversation now, Ms. Aoki."

"But sir! A program like this will give people cause to celebrate Todoroki Inc., rather than properly probe into these issues. What about the kids? The victims? Sir, please- this is about more than just-"

"This conversation is over, Ms. Aoki."

I try to think of another argument quickly. What else, what else. What could this nimrod possibly care about.

"But sir!" I say quickly. "If this blows up and becomes public knowledge, what will the people say about our company? It'll be bad for our name, we'll lose the respect we have in the industry, don't you think?"

Mr. Lane lets out a deep sigh. "Ms. Aoki, I know you're smarter than this. If the lawsuits go public..." I get worried by the excitement thrumming behind his eyes. "More people will tune in to watch the program. Everyone will be eager to see the other side. If we play our cards right the ratings will be-"

I scoff.

Mr. Lane stops speaking. The sudden ice in his eyes makes my bones go cold, but for once, I can't back down.

"The ratings?" I almost laugh. "Sir, I'm telling you there's kids being abused due to this man's lack of accountability, and you want to use that for profit? What about the truth? What about justice!"

"To hell with truth and to hell with justice!" He slams his fist. Mr. Lane gets up to tower over me. "I make the decisions here, Ms. Aoki. Your job isn't to advise me or to babble on about bullshit like the truth. This is a broadcasting company, and your job is to maximize profits - that's it! Got it?"

I feel my face grow hot.

"You've been running on thin ice for a while now, Ms. Aoki," His voice gets dangerously low.

I bite my tongue.

"I can assure you that no other company would give you the benefits package we've given you. It seems we've spoiled you, haven't we? That's why you're comfortable running your mouth like this."

"Sir, I-"

"I'll see to it that your salary is adjusted appropriately until you learn your lesson. And I warn you," He says through clenched teeth. "I see any of this behavior again, you'll be asking for much more than a salary reduction, Ms. Aoki. Got it?"

-----

Emotions I didn't know I could feel bubble within me. Hatred and rage boil deep in my core. But what can I do? What can I do.

I look from left to right. Trying to find something, anything to throw. Anything to take my anger out on. But when I find nothing, I hurry to the edge of Du Monde's roof. My chest heaves with the weight of my anger.

And as I overlook all of Midtown, and the entire city seems to be under me, I scream.

I scream and then I scream again.

I let out every trapped word that's been aching to escape.

All the swear words stuck to the back of my throat for years.

I release it all into the sky, knowing the wind will carry it for miles.

"Fuck you Mr. Lane!" I screech. "You no good fucking bald-headed, stout faced little piece of-"

"Woah!" I hear someone say.

Suddenly, a pair of arms pulls me back by the waist, as if to restrain me.

Of course, this does nothing but infuriate me more.

"Who the fuck- let me go! Let me go before I fucking rip every single finger off your hands and shove them-"

"Easy!" The voice says again, before releasing me on the ground. "Don't stand so close to the edge, idiot. You could fall."

"If I fucking fall, I want everyone to know it's Mr. Lane's fault! Fucking sue NNTV and put the Court verdict over my fucking grave so I know-"

"Hey! Look at me." The headless voice says. "No one's fucking fall-" He lets out an exasperated sigh. "Listen. I need you to calm down."

I scoff. Calm down? Is he telling me to calm down? With clenched teeth, I turn around. Ready to throw all my fury at this intruder. "Who the hell do you think you are? Don't you dare tell me to calm-"

My mouth drops when I lock eyes with the slightly concerned stranger.

With those electrifying blue orbs.

No.

This isn't a stranger.

Not a total stranger at least.

The man I bought coffee for last week at Du Monde stares back at me.

"...down."

A smile plays on his lips. "Hey. So you remember me."

"What..." I let out an annoyed breath, though it's not as angry as it was a moment ago. "...are you doing here?"

A toothpick sticks out of the corner of his mouth. He pulls it out as he ponders over my question. "Well, I was doing business. And then you decided to let all of New York know you were crazy."

I scoff. "You haven't seen crazy." I mumble.

"You got quite the mouth on ya," He smirks. "A little loud..." He tilts his head, as if considering again. "But you're honest."

I cross my arms and look toward the skyline, ignoring the people cautiously watching us from the other side of the glass. They can whisper to themselves about how crazy I am. This is New York. No one will remember this by tomorrow.

"Thanks. Now if you don't mind, I have other crazy things to do. And don't you have a business to run? People to be an ass to?"

The man tilts his head, as though slightly disappointed. But his lips remain curled. "Now come on. I've been hoping to run into you and you want to leave so soon?"

I frown. "Why would you want to run into me? You aren't a creep, are you?" I ask suspiciously.

"Creep?" He shoots me a pointed look. "There you go making a guy regret being nice," He tsks. "I was hoping to pay you back for the coffee."

He still remembers that?

"You know what," I sigh, running a hand through my hair. "Normally I'd say no need. But considering I'm probably gonna be jobless soon, I might just take you up on that."

"Well then," He stands up and offers me a hand. "I don't know how much crazy you still got left in ya so let's go somewhere a little closer to the ground."

[salytierra]

Rina rina rina!!! Atla/Leverage AU!! And the OT3 *whispers* is still the OT3

FUCK YOU’RE RIGHT FUCK!!!! ANON I LOVE YOU!!!

Goddamit how didn’t I notice sooner? ZUKKI is the Leverage OT3... 

Sokka as Alec Hardison: LITERALLY GENIUSES!!! IN every damn AU Sokka is a tech prodigy so it would be even a GODDAMN CLICHE

Suki as Eliot... Badass fighter, tough with a charm and a heart of gold, takes care of her friends

Zuko as Parker: Socially awkward ninja-gymnast with parent issues that heals in a found family and ends up as a leader.

(EDIT: I just inverted Zuko and Suki bc HOLD ON)

Damn IT you’re so right!!! I love it! They would be so great in a Leverage AU, just ✨ be bi, do crime ✨ (for a good cause)!

And What about the rest? No, listen... Katara ‘Sapphire Fire’ Paintedlady would pass as a grifter! For sure. She has Sophie vibes all over. But we can all agree Aang would not fit much as a criminal mastermind with an alcohol angst/anger problem, but hear me out-... TOPH WOULD. However she and Aang are a team, where he is her eyes and moral compass. Aang represents Nate's "I'm not a bad guy" fixation.

HOLY SHIT JET AS JIM STERLING!!!!!!! I’m losing my mind over here!

____________

Okay, for those who don’t know/remember it: Leverage is my favorite the ultimate comfort show. Every few months I get a period of re-obsessing over it. (I guess my followers remember, awww~)  It’s a “modern day Robin Hood” story of five super-criminals that come together to topple big evil corporations, mafia bosses and corrupt government officials to help simple people. AND IT HAS THE OG FAMOUS TV OT3 of all OT3s... wait

THE BOILING ROCK IS LITERALLY A LEVERAGE HEIST WTF 

They literally pulled similar crap in the show... SEVERAL TIMES!!! 

Let me just... leave this fanvid that I love, to illustrate...

[novaks-have-more-fun]

on my spn!au that lives rent free in my head, cas is a soloist popstar (and his stage name is castiel, just castiel, like fucking beyoncé) who makes songs like xs - rina sawayama (criticizing capitalism and always talking about social issues) because he went to college and is super smart but also has the voice of an angel and is cute as hell so, yeah, he's famous.

teen!sam is obsessed with cas, so he makes dean take him to one of his concerts. dean do not care about pop songs thank you very much, even less about some stupid popstar, but castiels music really is quite interesting (and, fuck, he looks hot while performing all sweaty).

[taperwolf]

Love Live Nijigasaki fanfic ideas that keep nagging at my mind:

The thing I mentioned a bit ago about Mia's possible resentment of "Jellyman Kelly", tied into the Famous Musical Taylor Family

The Game Designer Setsuna, game programmer Rina AU based on the Love Live Days poll/illustration and populating the rest of the Nijigasaki girls into roles a la NEW GAME

A story where Yu actually puts some introspection into her tokimeki and really considers what it means that she wants "to be the one to make you happy" for between 12 and 30 girls

And as a SIP bonus,

A Peggy Sue fic where Yazawa Nico is bounced back to her childhood and wrangles her way into 346Productions' Third Entertainment Division for a crossover with Idolmaster Cinderella Girls u149

(Why a Peggy Sue? Largely because the point is to see Nico bouncing off the u149 girls, especially Arisu, Momoka, and Risa. But without the years of rejection and loss that she'd suffered up until the formation of μ's shaping her bitterness and studied persona, it's hard to imagine her being very, well, Nico. If instead we have her reliving things — her post-HS-graduation mind cast into her body when she was back in year six, say — she could be Nico in personality, but one who's decided she can't risk just waiting through her life for high school to come again. No, she's going to start this idol thing young! She'll take the entertainment world by storm! And surely she can gain enough influence to get the talent scouts to notice some other girls. If life gives you lemons, you just have to make lemonade and assemble μ's six years ahead of schedule.)

[rosyredlipstick]

merlin fic rec list - starter pack

@trueloveorsomething told me she’s never really read a merlin fic and my heart, that is still stuck in the blissful ignorance of november 2012, couldn’t accept that. I promptly told her I would make her a starter pack of some of my favorites and completely forgot about it until she reminded me like, an hour ago. So sorry bout that. Rina puts up with so much of my shit and deserves a nice fic rec list considering I call drunk call her at 4am and she still answers.

SO HERE’S A REC LIST THAT IS VERY LATE AND TOO LONG ILY AND I HOPE THESE BEAUTIFUL MERTHUR FICS SOMEHOW CONVEY THAT

For Your Information by reni_days (ao3 no longer available)

Summary:

Merlin sighs. "After your...announcement," he explains, "your father decided he needed a bit more information. Which is apparently where I come in. I'm sort of like his gay tutor, it's hard to explain."

-

Okay so this was one of my all-time favorite merlin fics because I HAVE NEVER READ A BETTER UTHER!! WHO IS TRYING TO LOVE & UNDERSTAND HIS SON!!! But recently the fic was taken off ao3 and I was desolate for numerous days UNTIL I REALIZED that the author had still left up the original livejournal post from 2012. Wow. flashbacks. Anyways, this is def in my top five I adore it.

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A New Low by Rosie_Rues // @rosierues

Summary:

Written for this prompt at kinkme_merlin, which asked for diabetic!Merlin stuck in a lift with Arthur. It grew from there.

-

God. GOD. secretly caring Arthur Pendragon is LITERALLY MY SHIT. The dialogue & character interactions are SO FUNNY and I swear I laugh on every read through (which is often tbh). FLUFF!

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A Modern Manservant by Mamalazzer

Summary:

A modern magical comedy very loosely based on Ugly Betty. Publishing king Uther Pendragon has had enough of his playboy son seducing every female assistant he has ever had so he hires Merlin, a man he is sure Arthur will never sleep with. Merlin would be more insulted by this fact if he wasn’t so busy trying to juggle his duties, save Arthur's skin from ruthless fashionistas and keep his magic a secret at the same time. Expect appearances by oil-lathered knights, the occasional mad druid, a perverted Will and a mental caretaker who lives in the basement and keeps harping on about coins and destiny.

-

I honestly think about this fic constantly. I’ve been meaning to reread it for like, a month and my time has finally come. An Ao3 legend. Wow. I’m in awe of this fic. I love it so much. Please Read, I’m Begging.

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Dying to Return by StormDancer // @hurricanedancer

Summary:

When they try to hang him, he floats.

*

They put him on the pyre at dawn.

He doesn’t burn.

-

Canon-divergence is one of my fav tags and this fic does it SO WELL! Also BAMF!Merlin bc OF COURSE and again, this fic just shows their relationship and Arthur’s inner struggles/thoughts  so well as he deals with this ~~~mysterious~~~ mage. Wow. You’ll be screaming the whole time.

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The Weight of Words by Waldorph // @waldorph

Summary:

Arthur knows how to use words just as well as Merlin, and he knows about the magic.

-

One of the best character studies I’ve ever read. Also done by a fic legend, and it SHOWS. I never know how much i craved the tag “Smart!Arthur” bUT I DID! Also Morgana is my favorite. She needs more love.

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How to Untrain Your Dragon by Teumessian

Summary:

Merlin has many secrets but Arthur sees more than anyone knows. This is the story of a prince and a dragon. A canon changeling!verse AU, deviating around season 2.

-

In case you haven’t been able to tell, I’m a bITCH for magic revealed fic. And I seriously loooove when Arthur already knows. Wow. Plus this is a great twist with the changeling AU. Check it out!!!

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Emrys Ascending by tricksterity

Summary:

In the depths of the Crystal of Neahtid, Merlin sees the resurrection of Lord Voldemort, an event that will tip the balance of the world so far out that only he has the power to intervene and set it right, or stop it from ever happening. For that, he'll have to pose as a student and attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The only problem is, he's been chosen instead of Cedric Diggory as a Triwizard Champion, and there's a recently reborn Arthur Pendragon in Gryffindor House.

-

*lays out cards on table* you want some character development? Some of that good BAMF Merlin shit? Some of that reincarnation? Magic revealed? 100k+? A HOGWARTS AU? Have I got the SHIT FOR YOU! Pls scream about this fic w me.

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Keep the Magic Secret by orphan_account

Summary:

For the prompt: Someone tells Arthur about the legends of Emrys, an all-powerful warlock whose destiny is to protect Arthur and his kingdom and help bring about an age of peace. He is told that Emrys is someone close to him, and has hidden his identity and trials over the years to protect himself and make sure he can continue on at Arthur's side. When Arthur asks who it is, the person turns to Arthur and shrewdly asks: "Arthur, who do you want it to be?" ... Arthur's mind automatically goes to Merlin.

-

ASDGL;DKLD WOW. I ADORE how the author wrote Arthur’s mindset, and the plot is so well done and fleshed out I’m totally obsessed. Wow. Such an intense slow burn I’m sure a small village went up in flames. Wow. Also, I love Gwen with my whole heart and this fic treats her RIGHT w/out ignoring her whole canon storyline. Great work!!!

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All’s Well That Ends Well by StormDancer // @hurricanedancer

Summary:

Merlin spent the week and a half that Arthur was gone splitting his time between crafting careful explanations that never ended up explaining the important things, the things that would make Arthur listen, and making half-baked plans to escape to Ealdor. He found a number of fire-proofing spells that would have no effect if they decided to cut his head off, and figured out how to adapt an invulnerability spell he had been trying to find a way to cast on Arthur without him noticing so that it would protect him from being decapitated, but it would have no effect on anything but metal. Despite all his frantic searching, he did not find a teleportation spell, because that would have been too simple and if there was one thing Merlin had learned in his years at Camelot, it was that nothing was ever simple.

-

A classic magic revealed fic that handles emotion - both Merlin & Arthur’s - extremely well. I’m a big fan of this author, so check out their other works if you’re interested!

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Strike of Lightning by helloearthlings

Summary:

Uther's commandment was very simple: If there should come a day when Arthur met his soulmate, he would drive a sword through their chest and kill them on sight.

-

EVERY fandom has their own soulmarks fic AND THIS IS MERLIN’S WOW! I love it. I adore it. I’d frame it and put it above my bed if it wasn’t 4k words.

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1609, 5280, 63360 by Sham

Summary:

When they were young, Arthur had gone running. Morgana discovered that early into her tenure at the Pendragons; shortly after the car crash, when she was swathed in a bed with silk sheets with the memory of Uther standing awkwardly in her doorway, old face creased with the vestiges of grief and uncomfortable concern for the fragile girl in his house.

-

I haven’t read this one yet - it’s next on my to-read list! - but it seriously looks SO GOOD and once again I LOVE MORGANA and plus there seems to be a somewhat sympathic Uther in this which, once again, I would die for.

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Fathom Me Out by supercalvin // @supercalvin

Summary:

After ten years, Arthur thinks he has Merlin all figured out. But as he watches Merlin, he finds out that he has more questions than answers. The longer he thinks about it, the more uneasy he feels. So he pushes it aside. Except, he can no longer ignore the questions he has about Merlin.

Not your everyday reveal!fic.

-

Great character study & development and I loooove how the author writes their relationship. Also, it’s not required, but the prequel to this fic is also very very good and I highly rec it! Check it out here - Laundry’s Hard Work.

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It’s Nice to Finally Tweet You by Pendragons Dragonlord // @pseudoauthor

Summary:

Merlin's eyes scan the headline.

Arthur Pendragon reveals mark in attempt to find the one.

"I pity the guy who's unfortunate enough to get him as a soul mate.”

In which Arthur is a famous celebrity, Merlin is a beloved teacher, and they break Twitter once. Well, twice. Okay so it's a whole bunch of times actually but it's not their fault. Really it's not.

-

Read that description and try not to explode over your excitement for this fic. Really, I dare you. It’s such a good balance of fluff, plot, and soulmarks. Also, Merlin is a schoolteacher and if that doesn’t sell you on it I have nothing else to offer.

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Until You Do (I’ll Bring You Tea and Honey) by TheAvalonian

Summary:

Modern AU: Everyone keeps assuming that Merlin and Arthur are together, so as a joke, they start pretending it's true. And then, suddenly, it is.

A story of giant teddy bears, meddling sisters, nonexistent homoerotic subtext (or is it?), and accidentally falling in love.

-

So much fluff you’ll get a toothache. The best Friends to Lovers fic I’ve ever read ever in my life. Wow. WOW. This tops the cake not only with a cherry but like, a hundred dollar bill (iDK WHAT'S BETTER THAN A CHERRY JUST DO W IT) READ THE FLUFF.

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License to Thrill by lady_ragenll // @theladyragnell

Summary:

Merlin's employees bet him the recipe for the most addictive cocoa in the world that he can't find out what the hot blond who comes into his chocolate shop does for a living within the month. He ends up getting far more than he bargained for.

-

This was such a joy to read like, all the dialogue? Is SO GOOD. Also, I love Merlin so much in this fic wow. Omg. I’m in love with this fic and we’re getting married this weekend.

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Not In This Land Alone by torakowalski

Summary:

Modern AU. When Merlin Emrys gets a summer job at Buckingham Palace, he doesn't expect to even meet King Arthur, let alone become involved in protecting him from a plot to overthrow the monarchy.

-

I’m finishing off this list with a Merlin fandom CLASSIC. Admittedly, it took me a while to get around to reading this but by the time I was a few paragraphs in I was instantly wondered WHY bc it’s SO GOOD AND I WAS MISSING OUT SO MUCH. So much drama I was thriving. The plot? Perfection. Wow.

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Okay I think that’s a decent start for a starter pack - Rina & everyone else who reads this, I hope y’all enjoy! Remember to kudus & review for any fics you enjoyed!!! Also I found like, seven new merlin fics I somehow haven’t read yet soooooooooo another list may be on the way soon omg.