#fic daydream meme

[thegoldenavenger]

📖 okay spill

okay! i don't think ive said anything about this one but lemme know if i have:

it's a marvel / atla fusion where tony is prince zuko and steve is the avatar, duh haha. here's a little outlining for you. (they're all younger. this might, in fact, be a iron man armoured adventures au instead of an mcu au haha) i actually started writing it but it's no where near complete haha.

howard stark is the fire lord, currently waging war on the rest of the world as his father and his father's father have done before him.

tony stark, prince, is tasked with searching the globe for the missing avatar with his warden guardian obadiah stane :)

he's been searching for years and now that his father has stopped going with him on these searches tony treats them as vacation cruises. no one has seen the avatar in a century, tony sure isn't going to find him, and tony doesn't care too. he just takes his mandatory break from the stifling halls of the palace and convinces obie to get fun fruity drinks in some of the southern islands, or maybe visit some of the more exotic colonies.

this time is a little different though; obie insists on tony searching the arctic circle this time the fire lord specifically requested it or something, and tony grudgingly acquiesces. the search in the arctic sucks only because of the weather, though the majestic landscape of ice and blue is quite enchanting. regardless, tony knows the only thing that lies at the end of the trip is empty hands and a disappointed father. tony doesn't even know why his father stays disappointed, finding the avatar is a fool's errand.

well, tony is used to disappointing his father.

upon obie's recommendation, and jarvis' quiet disproval, tony captains the ship through an ice field. it's not his first choice, but he trusts uncle obie, and besides, the ironclad was built to survive these searches. this trust backfires when some water tribe raiders ambush the ship.

tony's royally trained, but he's never been the best firebender, he augments his skill with lower class sword fighting and brawling techniques but that doesn't mean a lot once the war finally hits his life. the ship is thrown into chaos.

tony tries to rendezvous with obie, with jarvis, but every step he takes there's a crew member being cornered, a raider with a sword and tony is the captain and their prince, and finds himself waylaid. when jarvis finally meets him he's grabbed by the scruff and shoved onto a lifeboat, a desperate, dangerous attempt to get him away from the fighting. not a moment too soon, since something on the ironclad explodes, sending shrapnel flying.

tony is wounded, his lifeboat leaking, when he's fished out of the water by the water tribe raiders.

the shrapnel is a deadly wound, and the raiders don't seem inclined to heal him, however they do keep him, fevered and bleeding. tony surmises it's for ransom, in his more lucid moments, but his father never reaches out. maybe they haven't sent a ransom letter yet, though tony thought they had. through his fevers and chills, fighting infection and healing, he sees glimpses of things on the water tribe raider ships that don't make sense:

fire nation silks and steel nestled among the water tribe blue, he chalks it down to pirates and leaves it at that.  But the Fire Nation received no reports of thieved goods, no efforts to retrieve stolen weaponry.  Fire Nation silks and iron and gold and the pirates don’t just speak the Southern Water Tribe dialect, but some Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation regional dialects. 

tony heals, eventually, but he doesn't heal right. the raiders--pirates? traitors?--seem not to know what to do with him. the ransom doesn't seem to be eliciting a response, and each day longer tony spends under their watchful eyes is a day longer he realizes he's on borrowed time.

so he escapes.

there's explosions here as well, but tony is the cause of them. he's not the best firebender in the world but he still a royal one and he wraps the flames around him like a protective barrier, and it's only when he lands in freezing cold polar waters that he thinks he should have planned something more than this.

the shock isn't good for his shrapnel injuries, he can feel the cold in his chest even when he's engulfed in flames. there's ice, in the distance. he swims towards it. he loses time and feeling in his fingers. he swims towards the ice. it's glowing.

he reaches it at some point, but the glacier is smooth walled and spherical, and he can't climb it.

desperately he claws at it with super-heated hands, trying to melt some sort of hand hold, or to keep his fingers from falling off he isn't sure.

he bursts through the ice, and wind knocks him back, and there's more glowing, and before his eyes close completely he sees a figure coming towards him.

well, tony thinks before the darkness takes him, at least i can tell dad i found the avatar.

fun things! steve is the avatar, who heals tony. just by virtue of being the only two idiots in the middle of the ice, they stick together.

they'll meet clint and natasha first, water tribe, non benders, whom fury impresses upon the importance of not letting a random firebender get dibs on befriending the avatar.

once they make it across the ocean they'll team up with bruce, water bender, who tony and natasha cajole into leaving his isolated island home. he was exiled from a different tribe than clint and natasha's, but he won't tell them why.

they'll meet thor, later on, an earth bender. he's a noble, and spoiled, but solid and dependable.

tony hides his identity, befriends steve, and tries to come up with a plan to somehow get steve to his father without revealing himself. as he gets to know steve that plan kind of morphs into trying to convince him to ally with the fire nation so tony's dad doesn't, you know. kill him.

tony refuses to inspect that thought.

of course what ends up happening is tony learning and realizing the impact the war has on people who aren't profiting from it. sometime in between steve lamenting the fact that he'll never see his long lost people, or his dearest friend, and bonding with him over some spectacular adventures, tony starts wondering if he can instead convince his father that the war is wrong.

pepper and rhodey take tai-lee and mai's place. they're sent out to rescue tony after obie reports him dead and the pirates he hired try to ransom him instead.

the plot would vaguely follow the atla plot. tony tries to stay undercover while steve learns how to master the elements, gradually understanding the evils of the way.

im not sure if the gang would confront obie as like, a zhao-like, season finale, or if obie assassinates howard when his plan to be named heir doesn't come through and takes the throne by force, thus setting up an easier transition for the war to end once they take him down.

obie is tony's final boss, so obviously he has to dig something up that fucks up steve. im thinking bucky, but i dont know how to get bucky to the present. something something the spirits maybe. bucky would be azula, btw if i could get him in the plot narratively

idk, maybe obie gets bucky reincarnated or w/e by making a deal with one of ancient spirits of chaos or w/e and when steve punches bucky back onto the good side, the ancient spirit gets released and steve has to deal with that while tony deals with obie. :> this is why it's stayed in my head btw. i have the beginnings and middle but not quite an epic atla style finale haha!

[arcanegifs]

[madrewrites]

not writing my wip and not not writing my wip but a secret third thing (elaborately daydreaming about wip)

[i-will-write]

[other-peoples-coats]

📖

Ok, so, I kinda assume this is for the daydream plot meme I was doing back in...march (?ish?), which. On the one hand, not actively doing that anymore, on the other, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ what the hell, it's a monday night and I had a three hour nap after work, here we go. So, this one is based on the idea that lineage bonds are...basically the same sort of deal as the sense8 cluster bonds, only, y'know, willingly entered into and not because people were born at the same time, which makes them...not really like the bonds at all, I suppose, except for the idea that Specific People can 'visit' each other.

Your lineage is meant to be there for you, always, you can visit your grandmaster and your sibling padawans and etc, you're never alone because you have the force and your lineage.

Which obviously means that obi-wan is fucked. It's bad enough when he's a padawan himself, and his grandmaster is a-- rarely there sneering presence, and his brother padawan is fucking xanatos.

When the war starts, though, with a lineage member on the otherside, his lineage -- yoda and anakin and little ahsoka have to take blockers, because fucking dooku has a direct line to whatever they know. Which means they go through the war alone, and isolated, and--

Obi-wan gets through it because when the war is over and he's never once visited his grandpadawan, has only ever seen her in the flesh, has never once turned around and found his lineage all laying around his rooms on the negotiator, half substantial and all affection.

Dooku dies -- and he's grateful for the blockers, then, he's already felt qui-gon and xanatos die, and that was two deaths too many to experince directly -- and the war is nearly over and he restocks his blockers and hopes he'll not need the whole batch.

Only. well.

He never comes off the blockers.

Not after the temple burns.

[merge-conflict]

word search tag game

Tagged by @wanderingaldecaldo Couldn't resist turning this one around quickly - I love doing these because I get to search not one but two badly organized scrivener projects and then try to remember what the hell I was working on and how long ago.

Anyway, content warning for some suggestive/sexual content under the cut, but nothing explicit.

privacy (I used to carry you home)

For two weeks [V] had been waiting for this moment, and it took a considerable amount of self control not to bare her teeth in the elevator and unsettle the other occupants any more than they already were. There was a gentle warning pulsing in her notifications, advising her to avoid unnecessary stress. She practiced her box breathing until the car slid to a stop on her floor and she exited into a cloud of frantic misery so thick it made her teeth itch. Oh how she had missed this!

Everything was falling into place at once, her limbs strong and steady, her head clear, and anticipation fluttering in her lungs. Johnny would have hated the bold clean lines of the architecture, the cramped conference rooms, the cubicles that gave not a single pretext of privacy– but she was so glad to see it she could have cried. There were plenty of threats here, to be sure, but she knew the shape of all of them, and if she was going to cheat death she wanted to do it somewhere climate-controlled. She cut through the atrium like a blade through water, drawing attention in her wake without turning to see it.

claim (old WIP)

Let Abernathy watch as V took him, played with him, staked her claim. Perhaps it would finally wipe the superior smile from her face as V interlaced her fingers with his, responding to his warning with vigor that would take him right over the edge. Surely she could not contain herself when he pulled V into his lap, kissed her deeply, submitted himself to her good-natured teasing–

“Takemura?”

Abernathy was looking at him now, one eyebrow raised. Someone must have asked him a question, and he wasn’t entirely sure who it had been. He avoided looking at V.

“Forgive me, Director,” he said, unhurriedly. “My attention was on another matter.”

It was embarrassing in the extreme, to have been caught out in a childish daydream, and unforgivably rude to have lost focus during a meeting he was nominally a part of. But his colleagues seemed ready to believe he had been fielding some important request, and he saw no reason to correct the assumption.

suspicion (old WIP)

The meeting started late, as it usually did, as it followed some other weekly meeting for the operational managers which was held three floors away. [Goro] had a suspicion Abernathy had planned it that way on purpose, so that most of her reports were left scrambling, entering a meeting with their department head left waiting. Sometimes she liked to single them out as they came in, throwing them directly into the spotlight to begin.

But it had been a quiet week, and Abernathy seemed to be in a good mood. There was plenty of old business to discuss, none of it requiring his direct attention. His presence, like the increased security within all levels of the tower, was as much a reminder to keep in line, as it was anything else. CounterIntel had one of the lowest turnover rates of any local department, but as Hanako-sama had reminded him, that was not necessarily an indication of loyalty. The skills they used to foil and track Arasaka’s enemies could just as easily be turned against the company.

V spoke very little in the meeting, except to prompt for clarification, a talent she sometimes wielded brutally– backing reluctant execs into a corner until they admitted their failures. Less frequently she would call attention to an idea, unfolding it to be put on display, giving praise without ever uttering a compliment. She was, as she had told him, Abernathy’s right hand– a role which seemed to primarily consist of controlling the flow of the meeting, as Abernathy herself remained distant until her judgment or direction was required. It was a far cry from their internal meetings, where the two fought as often as they agreed, and V had pitched most of the plans that Abernathy spoke about as if they were her own.

flush (when her edges soften)

There was an intermission before the next pair came out, and V got up without speaking to [Johnny], leaving only her jacket as a thin sort of reassurance that she’d be back. He drained his drink and wondered whether he should be concerned about whatever shit she had planned. All he could think about was her chasing down his sloppy seconds. Fuck. He’d just start to think he’d let her make the next move, and then she’d say something like that. If whatever fucked mind game she was playing wasn’t the most fun he’d had in ages he might have taken a swing at her himself to start.

“You keep drinking like that, you're going to go soft.” V pulled her chair out, so that it was no longer flush with his own, leaving half his right leg hanging over the edge.

chords/chord

none!

There's a lot of folks tagged in this already, so I don't want to overwhelm anyone- although rest assured I love to read people's writing so if you wanna use these words or just share your work and tag me please do. :3 (Pls rec your own work honestly I have some uninterruptible reading time coming up and I need to start downloading all y'all's fics off ao3)

[sissytobitch10seconds]

[lordcaptains]

📓!

📓 - the plot of a fanfiction that I haven't written but I still daydream about

so of course having posted that prompt, i shall now provide essentially its exact opposite: a scene i have written in search of a plot. or rather, the plot is there - it's that of sunless skies, which is so beautifully written that it inspired me to imagine the moments between the encounters that make up the game.

(you captain a steam locomotive through the wilderness of space. that is the least fucked up thing that will happen to you out there.)

The Captain liked Port Avon.

Once you'd worn out your welcome, the locals turned sullen and silent, true. But while it lasted, they didn't care if you were a devil, a clay man, or a king.

Which was good, she reflected, as her locomotive was crewed by all three. 

The Captain still wore her cap tugged low over her face, but she had pulled down her scarf to enjoy her cider. The flickering firelight and warm amber glow spilling through the bubbled panes of glass softened the livid hues of the burn scars splashed across her cheek.

Well, not precisely a king, she thought as she gazed across the tavern. A princess. An Incognito Princess, to be exact.

The glint of their gold had failed to attract the bartender's attention, so the Repentant Devil had left the coins on the burnished applewood and taken it upon himself to refill their drinks. He threaded his way back through the Princess's throng of admirers and carefully placed a brimming mug in front of his Captain. Condensation had beaded on its sides, as silvery as the dew which dappled the grass of the village green outside.

He slid back onto the bench beside her as she took a sip. Across the room, a villager had just removed their own wedding ring, dropped to one knee, and proffered it to the Princess with a flourish in a proposal of marriage.

"She can't actually believe she's in disguise," the Captain remarked, then hesitated with her mug partway to her lips. "Can she?"

The Devil arched an eyebrow at her. 

"Of course she does," he replied. "She has decided to do something, and she is royalty. Therefore, she has done it."

"Ah," she replied, taking an eloquent pull of her drink, and lapsed back into silence.

Outside, the sharp crack of willow on leather rolled across the village green, echoing amongst the orchards abutting its grassy edge. A resounding cheer rose in its wake. The buoyant laugh of the Fortunate Navigator curled through the raucous noise like a thin ribbon of smoke rising from the chimney of a warm hearth on a snowy night, beckoning a weary traveler home from the stars. The Navigator made friends wherever he went, and their welcome in Port Avon always lasted a while longer when he came ashore.

[misfitgirlwrites]

Lucifer Having A Crush On You/How Would He React?

I'm not biased, I'm not biased, I'm not biased, I'm not biased, I'M NOT--

It's time for my fictional love and life and all I hold dear in my daydreams. Bitches, bros, nonbinary hoes, and genderfluid fucks, I present to you the Big Dick in Charge

I may reference works that I've read and when I do I'll drop their @ and link to their story it is law that you read it if you read mine, I don't make the rules

CW: none, slightly angsty but nothing too intense!

Alright, doves, this is post-season one. Lucifer now resides in the hotel with everyone and is slowly adjusting to being graced with Alejandro's Alastor's presence every day.

Let's be honest, our baby pays attention but puts in minimal effort. Saying that the days went by in a blur would be an understatement. Even conversations would be forgotten after a few short moments. On to the next task. Full focus on this thing. Once that's done? Well onto the next task! No tasks? Free time to spend with Charlie!

Things would start slow, and to really interact, you'd most likely start to approach him first. Maybe you've spent long enough watching the blond anxiously bounce around the hotel and graciously give himself a bit too much for even the Big Boss of Hell.

A timid approach from you, offering to help with whatever he's currently doing. Maybe you make snacks for everyone in the hotel and hand him his personally :)

And so it begins! A greeting here, a greeting there, slightly awkward conversations that slowly start to feel less forced with the little information you learn about each other along the way.

It's...nice! Refreshing! Lucifer would be more excited than anything and talking to you would become a part of his regular routine without much thought on the matter. You'd occasionally be on his mind just a little more, and he'd start to seek you out himself too.

I know you're already seeking him out. Bitch I'M seeking him out.

Helping with chores around the hotel quickly turns into simply enjoying the other's company.

One day you gift him his very own ceramic duck! You could have paid for it from somewhere or made it yourself.

Either way, he'd fucking LOVE it! Honestly, if you decide to try your hand at making it, he'd love it even more with all the rough edges and little bumps (it was made out of love for my babies who never touched clay in their lives)

In response, please expect many gifts in return. I like to think it's been a while since he's gotten a genuine gift like this

(Bonus headcanon: Charlie will see this and will come to you the next day with a list of things she wants to gift him and you two are unofficially officially the Buy Lucifer Anything Duck-Themed duo)

Lucifer loves how you react when he gifts you your very own rubber duck. Your smile and happiness always seemed contagious to him. It only led to him making/getting you more things.

You will have a rubber duck collection by the end of this, but what can you really say? Each one of them is based on something you mentioned before. A movie character, a book character, a cartoon character, even friends or family members if they were mentioned. The gesture is way too sweet for you to turn down, even if it is the 30th duck you've received.

Now prepare for what I like to call the "get along t-shirt" phase but both parties are willing LMAO.

Lucifer will be by your side as long as you'll accept the company and if you're reading this and we brain the same, that will be all the time.

I love the GenZ!Reader memes and fics. Someone show this man bacon pancakes and if it was already done, SHOW ME.

Between his relationship with Charlie and with you, Lucifer actually feels the need and wants to be a little more present bit by bit. He notices that he is spending less time in his head, but he continues on in fear of fucking it up if he thinks too hard about it.

So instead he'll 100% focus on the little familiarity of happiness, as small as those moments may be sometimes. This is EXACTLY why the thought of him potentially feeling romantic interest again goes right over his head.

Who notices first, you ask? Charlie, of course. You slowly but surely became one of his main topics in conversation, it wasn't hard for her to pick up on it and ask.

Baby boy would straight up deny it at first. Him?? Liking someone else??? LMAO, am I right? Of course, after he does this, he'll have the time to actually pay attention to his actions.

So then he'll notice how excited he is every morning knowing that you'll be the first face he sees. He'll notice how he managed to fit you into any task he had to do. When he'd get lunch for himself and Charlie he'd have the automatic thought of making something for you as well. Even when the day was over, he'd be thinking about spending the next day with you. To be frank, you were constantly on his mind. 

Once he notices it's a big mental "fuck". Nothing about you is wrong of course, it's him, or so he thinks.

Let's start with the elephant in the room, or shall I say the ring on his finger lmao

In Lucifer's mind, he's still married technically. Even thinking about it in a technical term was a new development and it made him feel absolutely horrible. Lilith left, sure, but who knows what happened? Regardless of how he felt, he didn't want to hurt her.

But at the same time what about him? Lucifer hasn't been happy in a long time and he's finally building that again, not just with Charlie, but with you as well. He didn't want to just cut you out, he didn't want to hurt you either.

Plus, did you even like him? How would he even approach you? If he wanted to, even after thinking about everything.

Who was he kidding, of course, he still wanted you!

@liveontelevision *drops to my knees and bows* they worded it extremely well here and if you're reading this but you haven't read this already or you clicked the link then clicked back here, go back and read it. I don't care how long it is. Do the thing then come back.

Welcome back. It was good, wasn't it? I know.

The only awkward period for you two is the week-long contemplation of everything (half him attempting not to do what he always does when stressed but by the time he realizes he already made like 30 ducks--)

He would clearly go out of his way to either try and talk to you or avoid you. Or a cute mixture of both where he makes a scene approaching you, realizes he's not ready yet, then makes a scene so he can disappear *finger guns*

A little crisis here, a few little rubber ducks there, and a looooonnnggg conversation with Charlie and Maggie Vaggie.

Those are the ingredients to a semi-stable Lucifer with enough bravado to talk to you normally again.

He'd apologize for the times he basically pulled a Houdini in your face and he'd explain himself fully, all while also confessing his love for you.

It's choppy, it's fast-paced in some areas, and the poor blond was ready to disappear at any given moment, but that's what made it so real for you.

The weight that's lifted off of him couldn't be described, and neither could the joy that welled in him the moment he saw your beautiful smile and heard nothing but your acceptance and love.

What an emotional roller-coaster, am I right?

Lucifer Taglist: @alastorssimp @saints-wrapped-in-plastic @heart-of-the-morningstar

Requests are open! If you'd like to be tagged in future Lucifer or Hazbin Hotel content, please let me know! My asks and DMs are open to all!

[whumpmasinjuly]

Now introducing the prompt list for Whumpmas in July 2024! 

Thank you for patiently waiting! As a reminder, we will not be reblogging any creations on this blog and will instead keep this blog as a space to only post the prompts, tags, and relevant information. We will post the tag for each day, and we ask that you use two tags when filling prompts this year so that others may find your creations easily:  Tag 1 —> #wij24day__ (Fill in the blank with the appropriate day number for the prompt you are filling! For example, if you are doing the prompt for day 21, make sure to tag your post with #wij24day21.)

Tag 2 —> #whumpmasinjuly2024 Be sure to also tag @whumpmasinjuly-archive if you would like your posts reblogged to our new official archive account! Of course, feel free to use any other relevant tags too! You can also find a banner that you can use in your posts (if you want, not required) under the #wijbanner tag.

The prompts are divided into three categories: community (red boxes), question (green boxes), and creation (white boxes). Everyone is free to participate as much or as little as they want–there’s no completionist requirement! This list provides a preview of the prompts, but on each day a more detailed post will be released with more context and additional suggestions for each day’s task. Similar to previous years, all prompts and other important information will be found under the #infowhumpmasinjuly tag and #infowij24 for ease of access. This blog will also use the tags #wijquestion , #wijcommunity , and #wijprompt respectively for each post so that you can filter and find the type of prompts you’d like to do. 

Below the cut is a text list of this year’s prompts:

1. (Re)Introduce yourself 2. What are your top three favorite whump tropes? 3. "______ deserved it" 4. Post a whump prompt for someone else to fill on Day 28 5. Share a TV show, movie, or any media that gives you the whumperflies! 6. Left Behind 7. Post a link to your favorite whump fic of all time! 8. Describe your favorite type of whumper 9. Mind Games 10. Check out a new whump blog and drop them an ask 11. What songs/playlists are perfect for whumpy daydreaming? 12. Caught 13. Share some of your favorite niche whump tags! 14. Describe the ideal fic you've always wanted to read, but have yet to find/haven't written yet. 15. A Soft Reprieve 16. Create a whump meme! 17. What has been your most recent whump obsession? 18. "Or else" 19. Create a list of some of your favorite whump blogs to share! 20. What character do you wish to see whumped more in canon/fan-made media? 21. Abandoned 22. Find a story/author you've never engaged with before, and leave some nice comments! 23. What is your favorite type of whump setting? 24. Denial 25. Share a sneak peek of something you're working on 26. Describe your favorite type of whumpee 27. Delirium 28. Fill someone's whump prompt from Day 4 29. When did you get your first whumperflies? 30. "I'm here" 31. Who is someone in the whump-creating world that you admire and why?

[thegoldenavenger]

@the-unnecessary-commentary📚

okay!! lemme see, another tony stark fic ive been daydreaming about but never got around to actually writing is the last unicorn au. ive talked about it a bit before but

tony is a unicorn, as is rhodey and pepper (they are a blessing ;v;) living their lives being all unicorn-y. 

when tony is kidnapped by some humans looking to trade in unicorn parts, he stages a break out with yinsen, a pheonix also captured. tony is mortally wounded in the escape attempt so yinsen uses his magic tears to heal him, however, since tony is also a magical creature and not a mortal, this turns yinsen mortal as well, and he dies when the humans find them again, though tony escapes. 

ive talked about this outline before in my the golden unicorn tag

as the story takes shape in my head it becomes a sort of mix between tlu and spirit: stallion of the cimarron, where tony’s only goal is to get back to his herd (blessing!!!) and heal from the Trauma he’s endured with being kidnapped, but he keeps running into other problems along the way. 

one of those problems is bucky, a human knight whose arm is gone and bleeding and he’s dying when tony comes across him. tony’s so unbearably sad for this creature that he cries and a bit of yinsen’s pheonix energy is imbued in those tears, healing bucky, kind of.  it also turns tony mortal... into a human. 

now bucky vows to help tony turn back into a unicorn and get him home.

tony also runs into, possible a fairy or trio of pixies (the bots) and adopts them, for all their trouble. 

yinsen’s soul leaves a bright, glowing circle on tony’s chest and i’m thinking the remains of him form jarvis. who, like, lives in tony’s head now.  not sure about this yet. 

bucky and tony go on other adventures, meet other humans and mythical creatures and tony’s world is slowly expanded but the one thing that really is driven into him is that the magical world is shrinking. already Man has been losing any innate magic and the creatures that are tony’s kinfolk are being made into legends. 

natasha is a sphynx. clint is some dude who hangs out with her.  

thors a thunder spirit. 

bruce is probably like, half-giant or something. last of his kind? 

if i wrote this it’d be a one shot probably, just following tony trying to get home.

[elleloquently]

invisible string [4] : ellie williams

part three

| college!ellie x female!reader - thank you guys so much for patiently (and excitedly) waiting for this update! school is absolutely so busy it's sickening, so it's hard to write as often as i want, but i really want to aim for at least one update per week! writing this chapter was so much fun so please let me know what you think... as always thank you for your love, requests are open, and reblogs and comments are always loved and appreciated! love ya <3 (p.s shout out to a creepy owner irl who inspired part of this fic)

| c/w - anxious reader, swearing, mention of weed, alcohol, men!

studying was very dull compared to texting a pretty girl.

ellie entered your life in a whirlwind, notes filling up your once empty walls and endless texts and pictures cluttering up your phone.

the texts came in slowly at first, maybe a few short conversations every other day, mostly complaining about how much homework the professor of your shared class was packing in before finals week hit. then entered stupid memes, random pictures... and suddenly you were staying up until 3am learning about each other, despite your 8am class.

it had only been a few days, and you knew that you were getting too attached.

it was a feeling that made your stomach sink, the realization of how much your mood improved with a simple text. you were happiest in class, sitting next to ellie, even when your hand cramped from filling out pages of study guides.

sighing, you turned your music up louder and crashed back onto your bed, cushioned by a multitude of throw pillows and blankets. you weren't getting much studying done anyway.

the song grew quiet as your phone chimed, music to your ears.

Zero progress.

attached was a photo of the study guide, the amount of completed questions matching those of your own packet.

you quickly typed out a response to ellie, short and to the point.

literally sickening

it was only a few seconds before she replied:

There goes my weekend!

you replied in agreement before forcing yourself back up to glance over your textbook. you've been lingering on the same chapter for over an hour. if you were truly honest with yourself, you probably only read about two paragraphs... you were distracted.

you hardly had time to even daydream due to how busy you were, but it's not like it mattered. you gaze lingered to the collaboration of drawings made by yourself and ellie, still sticking to the wall. your phone sounded once again, pulling you out of a sleepy daze. figuring it was ellie again, you closed your textbook in an act of resignment.

the smile that appeared once you heard the text notification slowly faded upon closer inspection.

it wasn't ellie. it was a friend, one you admittedly haven't spoken to much as of recent. you hadn't really meant to ghost her, but your schedules didn't really align much. this time of year you were so busy with assignments and work, and she was busy with... well, literally anything else.

her message consisted of only two words, call me. it was short and vague so you immediately obliged, worry taking over your senses.

she answered on the second ring, speaking before you had even opened your mouth.

"please tell me you don't have plans tonight," she urged.

you wince, already preparing an excuse. "i'm studying..." you start. it wasn't a complete lie, you really had been making an effort.

her disappointment is obvious by the way she sighs your name into the phone speaker. "i've barely seen you all semester," she argues.

you start to chip your nail polish on your free hand, holding your phone to your ear with the other one. "what's up?" you ask.

"come out with me tonight? please. you've hardly come out this semester and let's be real, once finals start there's no chance i'll be able to convince you to come out," your friend pleads. her desperation is heavy and you rub at your eyes.

you want to immediately tell her no, but you really hadn't seen her in awhile yet the other day you skipped class for a chance to hangout with someone you hardly even knew. granted, it was ellie, but still.

a pit of guilt planted itself in your stomach, forcing your next words.

"what time?"

yelping in excitment, the girl on the other end of the line gushes out all of the information to you. "i'll pick you up around eleven, okay?"

a rushed end to a quick call, with promises to text more and texting outfit options for the night.

you were nervous about the change of pace. it caused you a strange feeling of obligation, to get out of your bubble and do something different every once in awhile. during college, people were promised four years of finding their forever friends and partying, making the memories that will last their entire lifetime.

you tried to partake, but it felt forced.

with a demanding major and even more demanding coursework, it was hard to maintain friendships by finding the time to actually go out. any spare time you had was replaced with shifts at work.

you felt like you were doing college… wrong.

your music resumed, the volume increasing to drown out any anxious thoughts that would prompt you to cancel last minute.

with no new texts from ellie, you decided to give your study guide one last try.

─ ·𖥸· ── ·𖥸· ── ·𖥸· ── ·𖥸· ── ·𖥸· ── ·𖥸· ── ·𖥸· ── ·𖥸· ── ·𖥸· ─

by the time you were supposed to get picked up, you were already yawning. you had dedicated the last hour to getting ready and picking an outfit that was deemed cute enough to make you feel good but still comfortable enough that you felt secure.

though it felt like a sleepy time of year, students were nearly restless. the pressures of exams were relieved on weekends, places around the college town open all night for people to blow off steam.

it happened quickly so you didn't have a moment to reconsider or backtrack, a text of 'here!' and shoving your feet into shoes before dashing to meet your friend in the parking lot.

the car ride was a catch up session, your friend talking about her new friends but you made a quick decision not to tell her about ellie. you weren't exactly sure why, but it was almost like you wanted to keep ellie to yourself. you checked your phone mindlessly and couldn't help but feel let down when nothing new presented on your screen.

the streets were alive and busy, girls huddled together to stay warm despite the lack of coats. the outside was an indication of how busy each bar and club would be, warm with heat and bodies packed inside.

you arrived at your friend's favorite establishment, the environment a stark difference from the comfortable evening you were having in your dorm just a few short hours ago. you pressed your way through a thick crowd, hanging loosely onto the arm of your friend so you wouldn't split up.

drinks were overpriced but you ordered one anyway, something to hold onto but you knew you would probably only finish a little more than half of it if you were dedicated enough.

"i'm gonna meet up with some people, my friends and their friends," your friend explained over the music, quickly resulting in your growing concern.

you wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt, you always did, but other people getting involved meant you would be inevitably ditched within the hour. the look on your face gave away your feeling and the girl standing opposite of you had a short patience.

"i wish you would've told me," you tried to reason, not wanting to look or sound pathetic.

"it doesn't matter," she shook her head. "they're nice, it'll be fun."

fun.

'fun' ended up being the act of standing awkwardly in the back because they wouldn't make enough room for you in the circle. 'fun' apparently was listening to them tell the same story over and over, yet talk over you every time you tried to speak too.

forced to be a wallflower, you stood with your back against the wall as you observed other people dancing. you could almost be content like this... the music was loud and the lighting was dark. the combination seemed like it would be an anxiety nightmare, but it was actually the opposite. you could stand there, completely unnoticed, hidden by the atmosphere.

you really could've been okay with it, until your eyes were drawn to your friend pointing at you. you stood up straight, thinking she was beckoning over, until you realized exactly what she was doing. she had been dancing with a guy that night, and that guy seemingly had a friend. she was pointing you out to the friend, pushing him to join you. he started walking in your direction and your stomach filled with dread. you didn't want to be in this situation, and you certainly didn't want to make small talk with some guy.

you tried to look busy, quickly pulling out your phone and looking anywhere else. against your silent praying, the guy stood over you.

"hey," he said, leaning too close to your ear and you ducked your head away. he smelled like alcohol and cologne that was sprayed too many times. you tried a polite smile but it came out like a wince.

"can i buy you a drink?"

you answered his question by holding up your cup, hand tightly covering the opening of the top. you had only taken a few sips of it, not able to stand the taste.

"how many?" he pressed, pointing to your cup.

"what?" your face scrunched in confusion.

"how many drinks have you had?" he clarified with a laugh that you didn't return.

"one. this is my first," you informed him flatly.

he made a face like he was pretending to be let down and your stomach turned. "only one? come on girl, you need more than that."

you outwardly groaned, rolling your eyes as you pushed yourself off of the wall. "i'm going to the bathroom. bye."

"want me to hold your drink?" he called after you, agitated and loud.

you ignored him and stepped carefully through the crowd, not wanting to stand too closely to any men or accidently bump any dancing girls. you were hyper focused on the restroom sign and the way the music pounded in your ears, muttering to yourself when you felt a hand wrap around your arm.

you immediately tensed, your blood running cold but your body feeling hot simultaneously. was this guy seriously grabbing you right now?

short tempered and fuming, you loudly spat "fuck off," as you angrily whipped around, only to be met with horrified green eyes, freckles, and auburn hair.

letting go as quickly as she had reached for you, ellie dropped her hand. "shit, sorry, i-"

you quickly cut her off, apologizing profusely.

"ellie, oh my god, i am so sorry," you stressed, heart sinking when she took a step away from you.

"sorry, i really shouldn't have done that," ellie mumbled, wincing. you nearly didn't hear her, the music was too loud.

she had on a loose flannel, unbuttoned down the middle and her converse. you were sure that her horrified expression matched your own, and you wanted nothing more than to sink into the floor.

"i'm so sorry," you repeated. "i thought you were someone else and-"

"i'm sorry, i called your name but-"

you kept talking over each other, rushing awkward apologies. ellie shifted on her feet, her cheeks red.

"sorry," you mentioned again, defeated. "there was this guy, and..."

"a guy," ellie repeated quietly, her expression unreadable.

"yeah," you pushed on, glancing over ellie's shoulder. he was watching you now, remaining where you left him. gross. "i was trying to get away from him and i didn't hear you, i had no idea, i'm so sorry ellie."

she laughed dryly as she recovered but your face still stung with embarrassment. "it's alright," ellie reassured you, turning her head to briefly spot the guy you had glanced at. "are you here with him?" she asked curiously.

you quickly shook your head, rolling your eyes to express your disgust. "no," you emphasized. "i'm here with my friend but... i don't know," you laughed bitterly, finally taking a moment to let it sink in that you had ran into ellie here.

"i don't know why i'm here," you felt the need to say.

ellie nodded with a short laugh. "tell me about it."

you raised an eyebrow but didn't press it, still feeling like you needed to collect yourself. you could stand and talk with ellie forever, but you seriously needed to regroup.

"hey, um, i'm gonna run to the bathroom," you explained.

"come find me when you're done?" ellie offered, green eyes scanning your face. she pointed to an area by the bar, showing you where you could find her.

your nerves didn't stand a chance, overpowered by the overwhelming desire to be close to her. you nodded, your smile genuine for the first time that night.

before you could return on your path to the bathroom, ellie spoke again. "do you want me to hold onto that for you?" she offered, gesturing to the drink in your hand.

"oh, yeah, thanks ellie." you passed it over and she covered the top with her hand automatically, a simple thing that made your heart swell.

"i'll be there, alright?" she guaranteed, her eyes never leaving yours. you nodded once and parted ways, quickly heading to the bathroom.

you dashed for an empty sink, running cold water over your hands as you stared at your reflection. you couldn't figure out why, but you felt weird about running into ellie here. you suddenly wondered who she was here with, or was she here alone?

pushing out a deep breath, you turned off the water and dried them with a paper towel. you felt dizzy, like you were in a state in between sleeping and being awake.

"this," you mumbled to your reflection, "this is why you don't go out."

once you had worked up the courage, you emerged from the bathroom and scanned your surroundings. the girl you came with was dancing with the guys and her friends. feeling secure in the fact that you wouldn't be missed, you went to look for ellie but you didn't have to search for long.

ellie was exactly where she had said she would be, leaning against the bar with her hand protectively covering your drink. she seemed to be keeping an eye out for you because when your eyes locked, she waved you over.

you didn't bother to try and contain your grin as you made your way over, but your confidence was short lived when a pretty girl with dark hair leaned over, talking in ellie's ear.

oh.

whatever the girl said had made ellie laugh, and you faltered in your step. of course she was here with someone. of course she had other friends, (a girlfriend?) other people that she actively talked to and hung out with. you would've been stupid for thinking otherwise, you just hadn't thought about it much.

you didn't want to interrupt, but ellie caught your eye again. she raised her eyebrows, curiously, waiting. taking a deep breath, you pressed on, slowly coming to her side.

ellie handed your cup over and you accepted, taking a drink for courage.

"welcome back," ellie mused, a small smile gracing her lips.

you glanced at the girl standing on the other side of ellie, the liquid in her cup a vibrant color. ellie followed your eyes and made a face of realization, pulling the girl into the conversation.

almost sounding sheepish, she introduced her. "this is my friend dina, and... jesse," ellie craned her neck around but 'jesse' was elsewhere. you nodded anyway, smiling in dina's direction.

"hi, it's nice to meet you," you said, genuinely, despite your heart pounding in your chest.

"likewise! i've heard so much about you," dina replied, eyes bright and smiling.

ellie's eyes widened and your eyebrows shot up, taken aback by dina's introduction. you glanced at ellie but she was already composed.

"really?" you asked, truly surprised.

dina laughed and changed the subject. "jesse complains about coming but yet it's impossible to keep an eye on him," she expresses in response. "it was so nice meeting you," dina smiles at you once more and quickly squeezes ellie's shoulder before disappearing, presumably to find 'jesse.'

you take another drink and ellie clears her throat, music filling the silence. "where's your friend?" ellie questions.

you hum thoughtfully and scan the faces of all of the dancing people until your eyes land on her group. "there," you nod in their direction, trying not to sound bitter.

"are they all your friends? do you want me to go meet them?" ellie asks, watching them for a moment before gazing at you, eyes flickering over your face.

"no," you reply quickly, flatly.

"okay then," ellie laughs, tilting her head to peer at your expression. she brushes a strand of hair out of her face and it's hard not to watch, to not be entranced by every slight movement and expression she makes.

once again, you're thankful for the lighting, or lack thereof, and for the music. for some reason it feels like less pressure, which you appreciate.

"oh god," ellie mumbles, drawing your attention. she wraps her tattooed arm around your waist, gently pulling you closer to her side. your breath hitches and you tense up, but her arm is then back by her side, the ghost of her touch electrocuting your senses. "watch out," she says, nodding to an older man making his way to the bar.

your eyebrows draw together in confusion as ellie watches the man in disgust, but you're more focused on the fact that her arm was just around you for about three seconds.

you take a slow drink, watching as the man leans down to talk to several girls crowded around the bar. it seems nearly harmless though a little odd, he's definitely the oldest person in the room as everyone else is college aged. you turn to ellie, confused, but she nudges your arm to keep watching.

he puts his arms around the girls, his hands going way too low, signaling the bartender to give them drinks with a flick of his hand.

you face ellie, eyes wide and mouth agape. she nods in disgust, but slightly amused at your expression.

"he's the owner," she explains. "he's so gross... people flirt with him because if he likes you, you're set with free drinks. he's just... gross."

"why are you here?" you question, frowning.

"dina likes to dance," ellie says simply.

"and you?"

"no," ellie laughs quickly.

"i definitely wasn't expecting to run into you here," you admit, running your finger along the rim of your plastic cup.

"yeah? i wasn't expecting you either." ellie watches you carefully, thoughtful in expression but casual in demeanor.

"excuse me ladies," a gruff voice cuts through. you snap your head up and meet the eyes of the owner, chewing your bottom lip nervously as his eyes drag across you and ellie. he contemplates ellie for a moment before setting his gaze on you, frowning.

"aren't you warm in that, sweetheart?" he slurs out, indicating to the sweater you're wearing. ellie places a gentle hand on your shoulder, making a face at the man from over your shoulder.

"i'm just fine," you remark.

he doesn't like your answer, but you didn't say anything rude so he can't lecture you. he stares at you, unmoving, and decides to give you one last chance.

"what're you drinking there?" he questions, shuffling closer to get a better look. he makes like he's expecting you to bat your eyelashes at him, and ellie tugs you backwards into her.

"let's go dance," she murmurs into your ear. your face gets hot and her hands are on your shoulders, walking behind you and guiding you away from the bar. you leave your drink on the counter, unwanted.

once you're far enough away, she gently halts you to a stop. your skin is burning from the contact and you turn to face her, trying to be lighthearted. "i thought you don't like to dance?"

the corners of her mouth turn up and you give in, absolutely folding in her presence. you leave about a foot of space in between your bodies, but loosely and awkwardly wrap your arms around her shoulders. it makes ellie nervously laugh, and she hesitates before carefully placing her hands at your waist. it's your turn to laugh now, fully aware of how ridiculous you must look. you obnoxiously sway to the side, putting your weight onto one foot and then the other, threatening to make each other fall over with the abrupt movements. it's a stark contrast to the way everyone else is moving to the music, but you're both genuinely laughing so you leave it be.

you can see your previous group in the corner of your eye and nerves wash over you again, feeling shy at ellie's playful touch. suddenly you feel guilty for harboring a secret crush on the girl, feeling as if you've crossed some sort of boundary. you steady yourself but it's hard to breathe with ellie so close, staring at your eyes and your lips and your eyes again... or did you imagine it? obviously not, but certainly you're reading into it? making something out of nothing?

ellie coughs, flustered. you both stop 'dancing,' dropping your arms and facing each other straight on.

"hey," you say, your face scrunching in confusion, "i thought you were working on the study guide tonight."

your comment makes ellie recover and she breathes out a laugh in surprise, even though you were being serious.

"i thought you were working on the study guide tonight."

you frown and ellie rolls her eyes, shaking her head at you in pretend disappointment. "work on it with me tomorrow then," she tells you, nearly surprising herself with how quickly it came out.

her voice is like honey, making it impossible to pull away from her, even mentally.

"really?" you eye her suspiciously.

she nods and shrugs, and you promise to think it over. standing this close to ellie felt dangerous to the small amount of confidence you tried to build up. she smelled almost earthy, a warm deep scent, maybe a touch of vanilla and... weed?

a hand brushed your waist but it wasn't ellie's, the body stepping into view. the guy from earlier that your friend had sent over came around to stand next to ellie, his eyelids heavy.

"what the fuck, dude?" ellie questioned sharply.

"i was watching you dance," he mused, glancing at you and then ellie. it was hardly even dancing, you were just making each other laugh, so your skin crawled with the idea of that guy watching with ill intent.

"okay, go watch someone else," ellie shot back, her tongue sharp.

you glanced around, catching sight of your friend from earlier. she was watching the interaction, as if it were encouraged, and gave you a thumbs up. you exhaled in disbelief, turning your attention back to ellie. she was staring the guy down, brows furrowed.

"you ladies wanna dance with me or what?" he was cocky, drunk, and standing way too close.

"fuck off," ellie spat, a lot like how you did earlier when you thought that he was the one who grabbed your arm.

he stood in disbelief, unmoving, so you grabbed ellie's hand and dragged her away.

"they should be banned from public places," you grumble. ellie snorts, features immediately softening as she turns to you.

"this is ridiculous. do you wanna get out of here?"

at her proposition, your heart leaps. you definitely do, but the idea terrifies you nonetheless. despite yourself, you automatically nod.

"let me go find dina and jesse, see if they're gonna leave or stick around longer. wanna come with?"

you almost say yes but shake your head instead. "i should go tell the person i came with that i'm leaving, just in case."

ellie nods in understanding. she starts to turn away but stops short, eyes boring into your own. "meet me right by the entrance, okay? i'll be quick."

it's your turn to signal your understanding now, and you head back through the crowd to find your... friend. it's pretty easy to spot her but not to gain her attention.

"hey. hey, i'm gonna go, alright?"

she whips around at you, confused. "you're leaving?"

"yeah."

"are you gonna be safe?"

despite being ignored and ambushed with a creepy guy, you smile at her concern. it's the bare minimum, really, but it's appreciated.

"yeah," you repeat. "it's... a friend from class. she's good. safe," you express.

you say your goodbyes and head straight for the doors like you agreed with ellie. you’re only waiting alone for a moment before she joins you, car keys in hand. dina and jesse aren’t following, and instantly you feel like an idiot.

“oh my god, ellie, i totally sabotaged your night.”

“what? no you didn’t,” ellie disagrees.

you push through the doors together, greeted by harsh winds. the cold evening air was shocking as it hit your face, self doubt washing over you.

"you were just trying to have a fun night with your friends and i... i'm such an idiot," you mutter.

"whoa, hey, you're alright," ellie presses softly. she stops walking to look at you, but looks as though she has to work up the courage before she continues speaking. "i'm glad you here were, alright? dina and jesse are fine."

your face is burning and she hesitates again, but the worry expressed on your face causes ellie to continue on.

"honestly i was getting ready to leave before i saw you," she admits, looking in any direction away from you.

you beg and plead with yourself not to read into it, but why did she hesitate? why would you be nervous to tell that to someone who's just a friend? are you reading too much into it, or are you friendzoning yourself?

"ellie," you breathe, and she finally brings her attention back to you. the wind howls through the night, whipping your hair across your cheeks. your heart beats quicker but ellie grows reserved, adjusting her weight on her feet.

"i'll drive you to your dorm," she tells you as she beings walking once more. you quickly follow behind, in a trance of wondering and wanting.

it felt different from before, different from sitting next to her in class and different from studying together. what was usually light hearted jokes and easy conversation was replaced by a thick cloud of nerves, a tension that conjured itself out of nowhere and you desperately wanted to crack a joke but you felt shy.

you were texting a lot lately, you had some serious late night conversations about your families, stressors, lives, anything to get to know each other but this was different. ellie seemed almost solemn now, guarded, and you were worried that you had gotten too comfortable too quickly.

you worried as you walked to the car and you worried as she drove. ellie did exactly as she said she would and you arrived safely to your building, but your feet were glued to the ground as you reached the door and you desperately wanted to selfishly stay with her, just a little longer.

"thanks for pretty much saving me tonight," you stated earnestly. "it sucked before you found me, i'm glad you did."

ellie's smile was crooked and sincere and a wave of relief washed over you. "see you tomorrow?" she asked, her eyebrows drawing up to her forehead.

"the study guide will be completed," you affirm, grinning back at the auburn haired girl.

you heave open the door to your building and ellie steps back to the car, but you call after her one final time. "text me when you're home safe," you urge her, and you can't see the smile that graces her face.

"i will," ellie promises, and she did.

after cleaning up you fall into bed, exhausted, but your mind is racing. you turn to your side, facing the wall that is decorated with two sticky notes. you lightly trace ellie's drawings with your finger, willing yourself to go to sleep so you won't be absolutely miserable with a lack of sleep by the morning.

you were seeing her again, tomorrow, and nothing else at that moment mattered.

not your endless piles of homework, or the way you were ditched tonight. not the fact that the weather was getting colder by the day and you still couldn't find your earmuffs, or that one of your finals was going to take place at 7am.

nothing else mattered... just ellie.

[ part five ]

[therentyoupay]

Jelsa + office/workplace AU for 3 sentence fic please?

♡ image ♡♡ askbox meme ♡♡♡ on ao3 (uninvited)

The early morning fog made Elsa's corner office feel oddly reminiscent of just last week when she'd sat atop the Austrian Alps, sipping fresh dark coffee from her balcony, wondering if Anna truly needed her back in the office by Monday... and knowing all the while that she'd be back, according to schedule, no matter what.

You have no choice.

She stamped down the tiny whisperings of resentment and bitterness and curiosity, and you don't want to be here, you've never wanted to be here, as she meticulously arranged her notes for the morning meeting. Elsa cleared her mind as she sat in her cold, crisp office on the 118th floor, sipping homemade decaf coffee from her familiar thermos, unable to keep from wondering what the look on Anna's face might be, if she—in all her leadership, all her efficiency, all her planning and honesty and meticulous preparations—ever actually found the nerve to step down, step back, step away, and let Anna rise up in her stead, to take control of the company that Elsa had always been too efficient not to lead but had never truly wanted.

"Oh," a voice cut through Elsa's useless daydreaming so quickly she actually started—and was therefore all the more annoyed for it when she saw a young man—James? John? Jacob? she should really know Anna's new temp by now, but she was slipping so quickly, so distracted these days—"My bad, I thought you'd probably want one but it looks like you already got yours."

Elsa glanced to his arms—full of three carriers, honestly, who had sent him out for so many coffees at once, and who did she need to have a word with about the way this company treated their temporary staff?—and then her gaze landed on the compostable to-go cup of black iced coffee labeled decaf and, to her mild horror and amusement, scary boss.

"Uh," he—Jason? Jameson?—was blushing, when he, too, saw the label. Good, she thought, ruthlessly. "Um. They weren't supposed to write that down."

Elsa raised a single brow.

"But!" he was grinning, clearly caught out and not anxious about it in the slightest, and suddenly Elsa had many questions about Anna's newest addition to her staff. (Elsa deliberated—cold and stern? gracious and merciful?—and settled for something in between.) He was starting to back away, anyhow, toward the door, "I didn't realize you bring your coffee from home, and you already have one, so, I won't bother you—"

"If not to me, then to whom might you deliver it?" He froze. She held her thermos aloft, looking him carefully in the eye, so that he could see the gentle curve of her smirk—she saw the edge of tension in his shoulders lessen, watched the glow of his face in early morning skyscraper fog slide into something easier, something more playful.

Interesting.

Disrespect? No, she would have smelled that a mile away.

Unprofessional? A little, certainly, but Elsa—look at what you're doing this very moment?

She watched his eyes flip through possible answers like a gameshow contestant, and he tentatively offered, "... Anna?"

Elsa grinned in spite of herself, at the clear lie within; Anna had many worthy leadership qualities, but she'd always been more approachable than Elsa, no matter the day. Intimidating? When Anna wanted to be, sure. Scary? Hardly.

"A worthy answer," she praised, which had the most interesting result of him lighting up—and blushing again. He was clearly harmless.

Oh, what the hell.

Elsa carefully moved a stack of paperwork—crisp, tidy, ready to be ignored for review—to the side, and pulled a second coaster from its stack, then gently laid the coaster on the corner of her desk. And waited.

"Oh. You don't have to—I mean—"

"Jack," she commanded, as his name flooded back to her in a sudden sweep of memory; Anna had mentioned something about being very excited to hire him on for the next month or two, something about helping a friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend who was down on his luck. "Leave the coffee."

He grinned, clearly pleased with himself. Perhaps a bit too pleased with himself... She stamped down the sudden self-doubt and alarm; it was good for employee morale to keep spirits high and to show some of her humanity whenever she could—snow queen, ice queen, they whispered, when they were too careless to recognize that she had eyes and ears everywhere in this kingdom of hers—but this. Was this too much? What have I done?

He did not immediately provide any relief on that front as he walked up to her desk with a truly shit-eating grin that was already grating along her spine. He carefully balanced all three carriers and delivered her iced coffee to her coaster with an alarmingly apt degree of coordination. Elsa blinked.

"Black, decaf, light ice," he grinned, righting himself and his coffee carriers. "What should I ask them to write on your cup, next time?"

My name? she thought dryly, then paused. For reasons she could not quite pin down, she gave him a level stare and said, "Surprise me."

She'd assumed he couldn't light up any further, but clearly, she was wrong.

With an aye, aye, madam! and an exaggeratedly playful wink—which completely caught her off-guard—he easily and gracefully backed out of the ajar door to her office, which he gently nudged open with his foot—his foot!! like it were a barn door or something!—with 11 more cups of coffee deftly balanced in his capable hands, and was gone.

Elsa suddenly eyed the drink on her desk with a mixture of shock, alarm, and curiosity, knowing deep in her bones that her well-established routine was thoroughly and utterly disrupted. She reminded herself again that he would be gone in only a matter of weeks, anyway; Elsa remembered something now from Anna about how Jack was moving between jobs, between states, floating from place to place, so all of this would be over before it started—before what started, Elsa?! So, really, there was no cause for alarm.

Elsa sipped her unnecessary, uninvited, decaf, black, light-ice, iced coffee, and gazed into the morning New York City fog, and wondered.

[lunarleonardo]

Someone might’ve already asked this but how do you come up with your fic ideas? A lot of them I’ve never seen before like Love Letter and Motive 5 while others do a unique spin on other things that are more common like Impermanent Attatchment and Fever Frost that make them stand out so much

HOW DO YOU MANAGE THIS

It's sort of a mix of a lot of things ^^" video games, books, shows, music, memes, art ... pretty much anything. For example, M5DP came to be because I replayed Your Turn To Die and got inspired.

I daydream a LOT, so whenever I have an idea, I slam it down into my notes and return to it later. I have a starting note for a lot of my fics actually! (I don't have any for blue eyes shadow of a dead bro though :{ )

(name blurred out for privacy reasons but that is me)

Love Letter came from a huge burst of inspiration at my dads house. I remembered I was writing for myself alone so I just decided to be deranged xD I have a wheel of whump tropes so I gave that a few spins and oh! look! it's love letter

Danganronpa is my current hyperfixation, and Shuichi is my favorite character. So more often than not, no matter how nonsensical or far-removed from the DR plot it becomes, I will almost always insert him into whatever I'm doing. So whatever I'm doing at any moment will automatically become inspiration for an AU. I'm thinking so much all the time that it's kind of hard to just,, not come up with ideas QwQ I have so many ideas that happen in nondespair or post-killing game aus, so in all honesty ?? What I've posted isnt even brushing the tip of the iceberg of what I can come up with. Whether I'll find the courage to post those,, we'll see. i am constantly terrified of public opinion and anything i see as even mildly negative will Ruin my day. I'm a little sensitive lol (⁠＠⁠_⁠＠⁠;⁠)

anyways I also get inspiration from my dreams! When I dream, I often play as Shuichi, so I get put into the Scenarios. I feel like that alone should tell you how much I never stop thinking of this guy (⁠´⁠；⁠ω⁠；⁠｀⁠)

Its midnight rn and i forgot what i was talking about so i'll finish it here (⁠─⁠.⁠─⁠|⁠|⁠） tl;dr inspiration comes from anywhere and everywhere. Don't be afraid to think and don't be afraid to be self indulgent. also i love danganronpa and its characters so of course im going to be insane over them. I remember my first time being trapped in a school forced to slaughter my classmates to get out (⁠ ⁠´⁠◡⁠‿◡⁠`⁠)

anyways im falling asleep sitting here sooo. goodnight! :p

[leosgirl82]

I NEVER do this. Unless it's for my best friend and muse and platonic soul mate @thelaundrybitch on her birthday 🙌🎉🥳 Drawing OCs is scary, ya'll!

BEHOLD! JEHANNET!

(At least as I see him, Bayverse style 💛)

Check out @thelaundrybitch 's J fics here

Check out the amazing @sharpwindow 's Jey fics here too!

Art by me! Do not steal, but by all means, reblog! 🙌

@post-apocalyptic-daydream @nittleboo @turtle-babe83 @tmnt-tychou @tinkabelle19 @sivy-chan-blog @red-phoenixxx @happymoonangel @scholastic-dragon @raisin-shell @androidships007 @angelicdavinci @aurora-the-kunoichi @android-cap-007 @drowninghell @doctorelleth @eveandtheturtles @fyreball66 @imthegreenfairy88 @memes-in-a-half-shell @narwals14 @pheradream-15

[hdowlpost]

Masterlist of the 2023 @hdowlpost Winter Gift Exchange - Part One -

Here they are – all 132 owl gifts delivered by Snapey, Hedwig, Errol and Romwo to you – our wonderful @hdowlpost giftmakers, pinchhitters, owl helpers, readers and commenters.

Podfics @lumosatnight read [podfic] Better Late Than Never (PG | podfic | 3 minutes) for @wilfriede0815

@smirkingcat read [podfic cover] Besotted (G | podfic | 8.16 minutes) for @DrWhoIsGinnyHolmes @smirkingcat read [podfic] I Thought You'd Never Ask (PG | podfic | 16:20 minutes) for @DrWhoIsGinnyHolmes @smirkingcat read [podfic] A Gothic Christmas Patented Daydream Charm (NC-17 | podfic | 17:21 minutes ) for @vaysh @smirkingcat read [podfic] Ganz die Alten (PG | podfic | 13:50 minutes) for @vaysh

@wilfriede0815 read [podfic] Imagining Us (G | podfic | 46:48 minutes) for @hdowlpost community @wilfriede0815 read [podfic] the frenemies' guide to beekeeping (R | podfic, 30 minutes) for @porcelainheart @wilfriede0815 read [podfic] Lovesick (PG | podfic | 51:56 minutes) for @smirkingharlequin @wilfriede0815 read [podfic] Stubborn as a Cursed Vault (R | podfic, 8 minutes) for @stargazing-enby @wilfriede0815 read [podfic] Lost in Translation (PG | podfic | 11.08 minutes) for @hey-flynn

Memefics

@stargazing_enby creared Fic Moodboards and Meme Fic Recs (G | 2 moodboard and meme fic recs) for @flightinflame @stargazing_enby created Yours.: A Meme Fic Rec (G | meme) for @themightyflynn

Translations

@vaysh created [German translation] Wen die Schlange beschwört (PG | 1100 ) for @lumosatnight

Comment Reviews

@apricity wrote a Review for: A Deal Made To Be Broken (G | looong comment) for @inspired-being

@retiredunicorn wrote a Comment Review for "Curfew" (G | comment) for @porcelainheart

@retiredunicorn wrote a Comment Review of "Numb Little Bug" (G | comment) for @jadewritergirl

Beta Reading

@DrWhoIsGinnyHolmes beta'ed Everything in Its Place (G | 7608 words) for @flightinflame

Owl Package

@uncanny_cerulean packaged an Owl Package (G | tea and recipes) for @c-art

Fanbindings

@anaxandria-writes created [fanbinding] White, the colour of flowers (not rated | craft, fanbinding) for @lumosatnight @anaxandria-writes crafted [fanbinding] Eye of the Storm (G, fic not rated | fanbinding) for @stargazing_enby @anaxandria-writes created [fanbinding] Who? Who? It's Vaysh (not rated | craft, fanbinding) for @vaysh

Podfic Covers

@lumosatnight created [podfic cover] Better Late Than Never (G | podfic cover ) for @wilfriede0815

@priestlyvance created [podfic cover] Lovesick (G | podfic cover) for @smirkingharlequin @priestlyvance created [podfic cover] Lost in Translation (G | podfic cover) for @themightyflynn

@queeniejinny created [podfic cover] the frenemies' guide to beekeeping (G | podfic cover) for @porcelainheart @queeniejinny created [podfic cover] Stubborn as a Cursed Vault (G | podfic cover) for @stargazing_enby

@smirkingharlequin read [podfic cover] Besotted (G | podfic cover) for @DrWhoIsGinnyHolmes @smirkingharlequin created [podfic cover] I Thought You'd Never Ask (G | podfic cover) for @DrWhoIsGinnyHolmes @smirkingharlequin created [podfic cover] A Gothic Christmas Patented Daydream Charm (NC-17 | podfic cover) for @vaysh @smirkingharlequin created [podfic cover] Ganz die Alten (PG | podfic cover) for @vaysh

@wilfriede0815 created [podfic cover] Imagining Us (G | podfic cover) for @hdowlpost community

Moodboards & Playlists

@bererjs created A Wonderful Suprise (G | moodboard) for @queenie-jinny

DrWhoIsGinnyHolmes created Drarry Comfort Playlist (PG | playlist) for @drarrymyheart

@kitty_fix created [moodboard] You're all I can think about... (G | moodboard) for @moonpeachh

@lumosatnight created [Moodboard for] Are we falling like snow on the beach (G | moodboard) for @legendrarry

@moonpeachh created [moodboard & playlist] Mine (R | moodboard | playlist) for @DrWhoIsGinnyHolmes

Craft

@c_art created https://archiveofourown.org/works/50546650 (G | craft) for @inspired-being

@DrWhoIsGinnyHolmes created Crafts on the Go (G | craft) for @anaxandria-writes

@DrWhoIsGinnyHolmes wrote Crafts on the Go (G | cushy laptop/book sleeve) for @anaxandria-writes

@DrWhoIsGinnyHolmes created Soft Scarf (G | craft) for @drarrymyheart

@meowfoy created Drarry in Love (G | pop vinyl craft) for @ItsPhantasmagoria

@queennie-jinny created [Owlbox] 12 days of Drarry mini-advent calendar (G | craft, fannish knitting) for @ladderofyears

@themightyflynn created An Almost Kiss (G | craft) for @apricitydays-lazynights

@themightyflynn created Hogwarts: A History (G | craft, sketchbook) for @c-art

@themightyflyy wrote Harry Potter Bookmarks (not rated | craft) for @inheartofwinter

Art and Comics

@apricity created Banish the Cold (G | art, linocut) for @digtheshipper

@c-art created Coffee and kisses (G | art and craft) for @jadewritergirl

@c-art created Snowed In (G | art and craft) for @KatIsSleeping

@digtheshipper created A Festive Journey from Friends to Lovers (G | festive art) for @dodgerkedavra

@digtheshipper created Best Friends Dating (G | art) for @flightinflame

@digtheshipper created (Almost Time For) The First Christmas at the Burrow (G | art) for @KatIsSleeping

@digtheshipper created Package Delivery (G | art) for @pheaphilus

@inheartofwinter created Movie Night at the Malfoy-Potter House (G | art) for @meowfoy

@ItsPhantasmagoria created [Owl Banner] Best Holiday Family Photo Ever (G | banner art) for @hdowlpost community

@ItsPhantasmagoria created Warm Me Up (G | art) for @kitty_fic

@ItsPhantasmagoria created Claiming (NC-17 | art) for @queenie-jinny

@ladderofyears created Breakfast in Bed (G | art) for @apricitydays-lazynights

@ladderofyears created Baking Together (G | art) for @peachydreamxx

@legendrarry created Ho-Ho-Harry! (G | fancomic) for @starquestingfordrarry

@legendrarry created Dining with the Devil - The Daily Prophet. (not rated | poster, art) for @uncanny_cerulean

@littewinnow created A Parliament of Owls (G | art) for @kitty_fic

@littlewinnow created Mistletoe Kisses (NC-17 | art) for @maraudersaffair

@peachydreamxx created Conflict Resolution (R | art) for @pheaphilus

@peachydreamxx created The Purrfect Boyfriend (G | cat comic) for @sitaz

@peachydreamxx created The First Morning (PG | art) for @threading_fate

@porcelainheart3 created Promises, Promises (G | fancomic) for @c-art

@porcelainheart3 created I was told there would be fondue (G | art) for @digtheshipper

@porcelainheart3 created Codswallop (G | art) for @sitaz

@retiredunicorn created No Coat (G | art) for @bererjs

@threading_fate created Intimacy with Your (R | art) for @maraudersaffair

@starquestingfordrarry created Phallus impudicus (NC-17 | art) for @dodgerkedavra

@starquestingfordrarry created Muggle Studies, Lesson 1: Recreation (G | art) for @inheartofwinter

All gifts have been de-anoned on AO3. ♥ Creators' names will be added to the LJ posts in the next weeks. Many creators have different names across fandom platforms; we chose the name we know you by best (except Logan :)). If you'd like your name changed in this post, just let us know. ♥ If you see any mistakes, dead links or entries we may have missed, please let us know in comments or email us.