#how one of us cannot exist without the other

[professorspork]

idk how to word this properly but wrt the fanfic thing you reblogged earlier. Why do fanfic writers have such different expectations than any other content hosting platform?

Like lets take youtube as a point of comparison, Engagement like comments and likes largely exists to boost the works place in algorithm, thats why youtubers put in calls to action and other engament bait. Few with decent reach even read the comments and the audience shouldnt try to develop any weird parasocial relationship with the youtuber. Fanfic authors ask for likes (kudos, because the websites gotta use nonstandard language for some reason) and comments despite them not having any impact on an algorithm, and seem to want the audience to try and develop a relationship with the author based on tumblr posts like that one.

Why the radical difference in behaviour away from the norm? And honestly with all the (usually) metaphorical blood spilled online about parasociality why are authors really surprised that the audience tries to keep their distance as is best practice with any other content producer?

okay I am going to answer this as kindly and as calmly as I can and try to assume that you are asking this in good faith. because my friend, the fact that you feel the need to ask is, to me, The Problem.

[this is, for the record, in response to this post]

fanfiction writers are not *posting content.* (I also have reservations about engaging with the term "content producer" or "content creator" but let's put that aside for now, I'll circle back to it.) you say "they seem to want the audience to try and develop a relationship with the author" as though it is strange, off-putting, and incomprehensible to you, when in fact that is the point of writing fanfiction. it is a way of participating in fandom. it is a way of building community and exchanging ideas and becoming closer with people.

if authors wanted to solely ~generate content~ that would get them attention (?? to what end, the dynamic you have described seems to equate algorithmic supremacy as winning for winning's sake, as though all anyone wants to do is BUILD an audience without ENGAGING with them, which I cannot fathom but let's pretend for a moment that is, in fact, true) then like. if that were the case why on earth would they choose a medium in which they categorically cannot succeed and profit, because it isn't their IP?

you are equating two things that are not at all the same thing. to the degree that parasocial relationships are to be avoided, and "that person is not trying to be your friend they are trying to entertain you, please respect their boundaries" is a real dynamic -- which it is!! -- like. you have to understand that the reason that is true for the people of whom it is true is because it is their JOB. they are storytellers by profession, and they are either through direct payment, or sponsorship, or advertising, or through some other means, profiting off of your attention. i don't say this to be dismissive, many wonderful artists and actors and comedians and any number of a thousand things that i enjoy very much go this route but they do so as a *career choice.* and so when you violate the public/private boundary with them, you are presuming to know a Person rather than their Worksona. the people who work at Dropout or who stream their actual play tabletop games or who broadcast on TikTok or YouTube are inviting me to feel like i know them to the degree to which that helps them succeed in their medium and at their craft, but there MUST be a mutual understanding that that's a feeling, not a fact.

however.

a fanfiction writer is not an influencer, not a professional, and is not looking to garner "success." there is no share of audience we are trying to gain for gain's sake, because we are not competition with one another, because there is nothing to win other than the pleasure of each other's company. we are doing this for no other reason than the love of the game; because we have things we want desperately to say about these worlds, these characters, these dynamics, and because we *want more than anything to know we are not alone in our thoughts and feelings.* fanfiction is a bid for interaction, engagement, attention, and consideration. it is not meant to be consumed and then moved on from because we are NOT paid for our work, nor do we want to be. the reward we seek is "attention," but attention as in CONVERSATION, not attention as in clicks. we are not IN this for profit, or for number-go-up. there is no such thing: legally there cannot be. we are in this because we want to be seen and known.

like. please understand. i am now married to someone i met because of mutual comments on fanfiction. our close friend and roommate, with whom i have cohabitated for over a decade now, is someone I met because of mutual comments on fanfiction and livejournal posts. that is my household. beyond my household, the vast majority of my closest personal friends are people with whom I built relationships in this way.

you ask why fanfiction writers want THIS and not "the norm," but the idea of everything being built to cater to an algorithm to continue to build clout, as though the only method of reaching people is Distant Overlord Creator and Passive Receptive Audience being "the norm" is EXTREMELY NEW. this is not how it has always been!! please think of the writers of zines in a pre-internet fandom, using paper and glue and xerox to try and meet like-minded people in a world that was designed for you to only ever meet people in person, by happenstance, in your own hometown. imagine the writers of the early internet, building webrings from scratch to CREATE a community to find each other, despite distance. imagine livejournal groups, forums, and -- yes, indeed, of course -- comment threads IN STORIES -- as places where people go to *converse.* in the past, we had an entire Type Of Guy that everyone knew about, the BNF ("Big Name Fan") whose existence had to be described via meme because it was SO DIFFERENT THAN THE NORM. treating fellow fans like celebrities or people too cool for the regular kids to know was an OUTLIER, and one commonly understood to lead to toxicity.

in the past, I have likened writing fanfiction to echolocation. i am not screaming because I like hearing the sound of my own voice, though i can and do find my voice beautiful. i am screaming so that the vibrations can bounce back to me and show me the world. the purpose is in the feedback. otherwise it is just noise.

does this make any sense? can you see, when i describe it that way, why an ask like yours makes me feel despair, because it makes us all sound so horribly separate from one another?

perhaps I will try another metaphor:

a professional chef who runs a restaurant will not have her feelings hurt if you never fight your way into the kitchen to personally tell her how much you enjoyed the meal. that would, indeed, violate a boundary. professional kitchens are a place of work, and you have already showed her you enjoyed the meal by paying for it, or by perhaps spreading your enjoyment by word of mouth to your friends so they, too, can have good meals. you show your appreciation by continuing to come back. if a bunch of people sitting around randomly happen to have a conversation about how much they love the food, it wouldn't hurt that chef's feelings to not be included in the conversation. however: EVEN IN THIS INSTANCE, it is ADVISABLE AND APPROPRIATE to leave a good review! you might post about how much you like this restaurant on Yelp, and it would probably make the chef feel great to see those positive comments. but the chef doesn't NEED them, because the chef is, again, *also being paid to cook.* that's why she started the restaurant, to be paid to cook!

i am not being paid to cook.

i am at home in my own kitchen, making things for a community potluck where i hope everyone will bring something we can all enjoy together. some people at the potluck are better bakers, some better cooks; some can't cook at all but are great at logistics and make sure there's enough napkins for everyone; some people come just to enjoy the food, because that's what the party is for. and if I, as this enthusiast chef who made something from my heart for this reason alone, learned after the fact that a bunch of people got together in the parking lot to rave about my dish but no one of them had ever bothered to tell me while I sat alone at my table all night, occasionally seeing people come by to pick up a plate but never saying anything to me -- of course that would bother me, because I am not otherwise profiting off the labor I put in. this is not a bid to be paid, because if someone WERE to say "hey, great cake!! here's five bucks for a slice" i would say no, friend, that is not the point and give them the money back. i'm not trying to Get Mine. I am in it to see the look on your face. I'm in it so you can tell me what about it moved you, so that I can say back what moved me to make it in the first place. so we can TALK about it.

because what happened in the first place is this: one time I had a cake whose sweetness, richness, flavor, intensity, and composition moved me so much that I *taught myself to bake.* so I could see how much vanilla and sugar was too much, so I could learn how to make things rise instead of fall flat, so I could even better appreciate the original cake by seeing for myself the effort and talent and inspiration that goes into making one even half as good.

learning to do so is a satisfying accomplishment in and of itself, yes.

but I also did it because at the end of the day we should EAT the cake. and it's a lonely thing, to eat alone when a meal was always designed and intended to be shared.

so, to answer your last question: i'm not surprised, i'm just sad. because somehow two things that were never meant to be seen as the same have been labeled "content," and thus identical. and it diminishes both the things that ARE intended to be paid for AND the things that are not, because it removes any sense of intimacy or meaning from the work.

i hope you know i'm not mad at you for asking. but i'm frustrated we've come to live in a world where the question needs to be asked, because the answers are no longer intuitively obvious because we're so siloed.

[starlight-shadowbanned]

I've mentioned before that antisemites, to varying degrees, imagine Jews as lacking interiority, and what I am using that word to mean is "an interior emotional and mental experience." This often comes in the form of antisemites imagining that Jews make decisions and choices in order to trick or deceive them (or God), rather than for our own reasons. They see all of our actions as performative -- not in the sense of empty or fake, but in the sense of existing for the sake of their perception.

This shows up in many different contexts. One, which I've spoken about before, is the way some people view Jewish legal "loopholes." Take for example Shabbos lamp, which is a lamp with a wooden or plastic cover that can be rotated such that the lamp can be left on for all of Shabbat but can be covered when the user wants darkness:

This is because many Jewish communities hold that it's forbidden to open and close electrical circuits on Shabbat, so this enables people in those communities to be able to choose to lighten or darken their room without breaking Jewish law.

However, a lot of people who are not part of these communities do not realize that the prohibition is on opening and closing circuits, and believe it's about "using" electricity more generally -- and thus see a Shabbos lamp as "cheating." Those with a penchant for antisemitism take it a step farther and see this as an attempt by Jews to "trick God" into believing that we are pious and following all of God's rules when in "reality" we are breaking them. Some also believe we are trying to trick them.

Rather, it is our attempt to put into practice that the commandments are to enrich our lives, not make us miserable; we find approved ways within the laws to meet our needs. The laws are not for asceticism or proving piety, they are a system of holiness, and so finding solutions that the law approves of is not cheating. And God cannot be tricked.

That is to say: we have reasons for doing things based on our own spiritual, religious, and practical needs, not based on how it looks to others. And we are not trying to trick anybody.

[polyamorousmood]

Okay, apparently some people don't know this and that's not gonna do on my blog. So as we used to say on this hellsite,

sit down and shut up because I'm about to learn you a thing

This:

is the ORIGINAL polyamory pride flag. Jim Evans created it in 1995 in fucking MS Paint. Not using hearts was an intentional choice to: avoid stepping on the leather pride flag's toes, allow people to use it without immediately outing themselves to those not in the know, and be easily input into MS Paint. The infinity heart symbol did not exist at the time and certainly wasn't available in MS motherfucking Paint. The color symbolism is blue for honesty, red for love, black⚫ in solidarity for those that cannot be out to the world at large, and gold for the high value of each relationship. sources (x, x)

There are valid complaints that people want a pride flag that does advertise what they are, and that this design is hard on the eyes. However. Many polyamorous people still use this flag to represent themselves, most of them 35+ years old. As a personal favor to me, please do not say you hate this flag. Say the colors are too bright till you're blue in the face, sure. But to openly hate this flag is to disparage your predecessors and denounce your history.

The earliest polyamory pride flag to incorporate the infinity heart symbol that I could find actually made its debut on tumblr in 2016. The infinity heart was established as a polyamory pride symbol by this time. ratlab-art intentionally kept the original color symbolism, while using hues generally considered a little more pleasant to look at.

This one, obviously, set the precedent for numerous other iterations of the same idea -- tweaking the colors, swapping the pi for the infinity heart. I will not be posting all of them, because I doubt I could track them all down anyway. The icon I currently use on this blog is one such iteration. But this one uniquely puts the black stripe in the middle, which does make for a nice contrast with the gold.

and of course

This is the "new poly flag" designed by Red Howell for the polyamproud online vote, which took place in 2022. They call it the "tricolor polyamory pride flag" (presumably, not to distinguish it from the other established flags, but to distinguish it only from the others that were in their run-off) Its symbolism is as follows: the triangle ▶️points forward for progress and is off-center to represent the non-traditional nature of polyamory, white⚪ represents possibility, blue for honestly, magenta for love, purple for unity in the community, gold for perseverance, and obviously the heart for love.

It has garnered controversy, because they kind of... openly disparaged every previous polyamory flag and claim theirs is the one true poly flag. They do still say you can use any flag you like, but the whole vote was predicated on the assumption that no one wanted the existing designs, and no pre-existing designs were included in the vote. And that it was bad to have variants of the same flag, even though you see that with many pride flags, including the rainbow flag. Many old school polyams still don't know this design, let alone that there was a single vote years ago, which they missed. However. This flag has quickly become a popular design, especially among the younger generation. So if you would be so kind, please do not say you hate this flag. Say you're frustrated with how the process of choosing it happened, by all means. But to openly hate this flag is to disparage the next generation and sever yourself from new directions in the community.

finally,

A couple of honorable mentions made by Emma Essex in 2019 and Molly Colleen Bennett Wilvich in 2020, respectively. They don't get full write-ups, but they're an additional couple of the more unique (without being downright obscure) flag designs.

Go forth with pride and knowledge,

[disgruntled-welshgirl]

It's a day late but not a dollar short, that's right it's the:

TOP 100 RONANCE FICS

and to say there's been some shake ups would be an understatement. More votes were cast in the last two weeks than in the first month of the poll's existence and so we have a lot of new entries. If you'd like to vote then head on over to the survey.

I just want give a quick reminder of the rules for entries as well:

1: Ronance must be the main ship, not a background one

2: The fic must be under the stranger things fandom tab

3: The fic must have at least 500 words

So, with the formalities out of the way, let's get to the list which is, as always, below the cut.

1:

This story we found ourselves in by EskaWrites

Votes: 9

Ranking: 4.4

Rating: Mature

Word count: 164,289

Chapters: 28

Complete?: Yes

A slow burn fic where Robin and Steve are celebrities who are fake dating while Robin and Nancy figure things out between them. Angst is in plentiful supply with depictions of homophobia (Internalised and external), and substance abuse.

2:

Make my Menace Into Someone You’d Adore by Moonflowery 

Votes: 7

Ranking: 4

Rating: Teen and up

Word count: 92,605

Chapters: 12

Complete?: Yes

A slow burn enemies to lovers AU where Nancy starts working at Scoops Ahoy alongside Robin and they cannot stand each other. Set during season 3 but without the russians, the biggest enemy is the girls’ chronic inability to talk about their feelings.

3:

My Piece of Land by Titface

Votes: 5

Ranking: 6

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 24,250

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Nancy Wheeler is a doomsday prepper, and then doomsday happens; after a few years alone she welcomes a strange woman falling into one of her traps. If you’ve seen the TLOU tv show, it’s Bill and Frank but with Ronance.

4:

When It’s Cold I’d Like To Die by Notesfromthechamber

Votes: 4

Ranking: 3

Rating: Explicit

Word count: 159,811

Chapters: 29

Complete?: No

An exploration of the trauma the upside down inflicts and how that brings Robin and Nancy closer than they thought possible. As you might expect, angst, hurt/comfort, and heavy themes of all kinds are prevalent in this character study fic.

5:

A Never Ending Story by Summersociety

Votes: 3

Ranking: 2

Rating: Mature

Word count: 48,815

Chapters: 13

Complete?: Yes

Robin and Nancy fall in love through the magical medium of DnD in this hurt/comfort fic. Steve and Eddie are also there to watch as the lines between the girls and their characters becomes ever more unclear.

6:

In Her Hips There’s Revolution by Monstrous_Femme 

Votes: 4

Ranking: 4.5

Rating: Explicit

Word count: 70,550

Chapters: 11

Complete?: Yes

The author describes this fic as “Jane Austen with more alleyway head” and features Nancy wheeler deep in the Riot grrl movement of 1995 Washington. Drug use, trauma, and sexual 

content abound.

7:

Feels Like I’ve Been Gettin’ Anointed (Ever Since The Day That I Met You) by Khalasaar 

Votes: 4

Ranking: 4.8

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 10,782

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Catholic school AU where Robin and Nancy are put to work together on a project, they’re both very normal about it. Some light angst but mostly a lot of tension between the girls.

8:

8 Feet Apart by Camaroo

Votes: 3

Ranking: 2.3

Rating: Mature

Word count: 59,869

Chapters: 10

Complete?: No

Nancy is a vampire, newly made in a Russian lab and confined to a house. Outside her window, just 8 feet away, is the home of Robin, physics nerd and radio enthusiast. This slow burn fic has a healthy dose of angst and mutual pining.

9:

All Strung Out by Polterjap 

Votes: 3

Ranking: 4.3

Rating: Unrated

Word count: 20,228

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

The ever-prevalent spider-man AU, in which Nancy is a journalist who seeks to unmask Spider-woman, all while getting closer to college student Robin Buckley. 

10:

A Love That Came And Left With This Train by Melodicchaos 

Votes: 3

Ranking: 4.3

Rating: Mature

Word count: 78,311

Chapters: 15

Complete?: Yes

A ronance AU of the book One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston. Nancy is a college student who runs into Robin on the Boston metro; she soon discovers there’s far more to ‘The MBTA Angel’ than she could have ever imagined. Very fluffy with some tense moments.

11:

Like a Damaged Nerve Like a Dark Bird by Monstrous_Femme

Votes: 3

Ranking: 4.3

Rating: Teen and Up

Word count: 86,970

Chapters: 16

Complete?: Yes

A fix-it fic of sorts, where the problems of the upside down have rendered Hawkins a barren wasteland by 1993 when Nancy falls asleep on Barb’s grave only to wake up back in 1985. Will Nancy be able to stop the apocalypse with the help of Robin and Chrissy? This slow burn fic will tell all.

12:

The Devil’s After Both of Us by Eskawrites

Votes: 3

Ranking: 5

Rating: Mature

Word count: 35,421

Chapters: 5

Complete?: Yes

Set post season 4, Robin gets possessed by Vecna and it’s up to the party to save her. What better time could there be for Nancy to work through her internalised homophobia? 

13:

Accidentally In Love by Angelranger 

Votes: 3

Ranking: 5.3

Rating: Teen and Up

Word count: 33,484

Chapters: 11

Complete?: Yes

Nancy decides she wants to get to know Robin better and uses a set of questions designed to make people fall in love. What could go wrong? Mutual pining and some angst that’s what.

14:

Orange Crush by Titface

Votes: 3

Ranking: 5.6

Rating: Teen and Up

Word count: 7,152

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Nancy has trouble sleeping and has taken to calling or visiting Robin when insomnia strikes. This time, Robin has promised she’ll tell Nancy how she really feels during her midnight visit. Unfortunately they run into some people, one person in particular.

15:

Love Is a Battle I Can Win by Palmviolet

Votes: 2

Ranking: 2.5

Rating: Teen and Up

Word Count: 24,653

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

It’s christmas 1994 and Nancy is visiting Steve for christmas alongside the whole party; at the same time she has to reckon with her feelings for Robin and her comphet. Internalised and externalised homophobia is depicted alongside drug and alcohol use as well as homophobic slurs throughout.

16:

Some That Fall Don’t Land In Bubbles by Moonflowery

Votes: 2

Ranking: 2.5

Rating: Teen and Up

Word count: 56,239

Chapters: 13

Complete?: Yes

One of the heaviest fics on this list, a hurt/comfort mermaid AU slow burn. Robin gets turned into a Mermaid after a traumatic event and Nancy, another mermaid, has to help her adjust to her new life underwater. This one touches on a lot of serious topics including suicide, substance abuse, and homophobia, read the tags and the authors note for a detailed breakdown.

17:

Our Hearts Know Deeper Seasons Than Our Memories by EskaWrites

Votes: 2

Ranking: 3.5

Rating: Mature

Word count: 167,512

Chapters: 35

Complete?: Yes

An alternative POV for This Story We Found Ourselves in, everything said there applies here.

18:

Entirely on Purpose and According To Plan by Titface

Votes: 2

Ranking: 4

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 14,090

Chapters: 3

Complete?: Yes

A secret agent catches Nancy’s eye and it spirals into her and Robin spying. The spying is definitely not foreplay, what would make you think that?

19:

The Universe Isn’t Always Helpful (But It Can Be Kind) by LaceyBarbedWire

Votes: 2

Ranking: 4.5

Rating: Teen and Up

Word Count: 1,373

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

A soulmark AU in which the first words your soulmate will say to you are written on your body. It just so happens that Nancy’s is in French.

20:

All I Want For Christmas (Is Queen Elizabeth’s Engagement Ring) by eyeseeun

Votes: 2

Ranking: 5.5

Rating: General Audiences

Word Count: 18,965

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

The party discovers that their teachers, Nancy and Robin, are dating. This fact is then used for all manner of shenanigans.

21:

If This Feeling Flows Both Ways by Sapphirerays

Votes: 2

Ranking: 5.5

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 9,117

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Nancy receives a… sensitive message from Robin that wasn’t intended for her. But if not for her, then who? The jealousy (and the want) sets Nancy on fire but it takes a talk with Eden for her to realise the truth.

22:

The Night Breeze Carries Something Sweet by Starryeyedjanai

Votes: 2.

Ranking: 5.5

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 5,414

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Robin, seeking solace from a college party, goes and locks herself in a bedroom without noticing that Nancy is already in there. They get to talking, and then to what usually happens in a bedroom at a party.

23:

Monster of the Week by freezeveganpolice

Votes: 2

Ranking: 5.5

Rating: Teen and Up

Word count: 225,020

Chapters: 43

Complete?: Yes

Did you ever watch X-files and wish it was gayer? Well in this Ronance X-files AU, your wish comes true! As the word count implies, this is a slow burn.

24:

No Sweeter Drug (Than Just Giving You My Love) by IL46

Votes: 2

Ranking: 5.5

Rating: Teen and Up

Word count: 60,110

Chapters: 12

Complete?: Yes

Yet again we see comphet Nancy, this time pining for a relationship with Robin she broke off after a summer romance. Feature Nancy and Eddie being best friends and a healthy balance of fluff and angst.

25:

Pas De Quatre by Freezeveganpolice

Votes: 2

Ranking: 6.5

Rating: Unrated

Word Count: 55,015

Chapters: 8

Complete?: Yes

Post season four Nancy realises that she misses ballet and tries to reconnect with that part of her. In doing so she starts to connect with Robin. It’s angsty, it’s a slow burn, it’s got internalised homophobia.

26:

The Way You Make Me Feel by Gwenstrikesagain

Votes: 2

Ranking: 7

Rating: Mature

Word count: 93,110

Chapters: 47

Complete?: Yes

A ballet AU in which the party is accepted into a ballet academy and Nancy does not get along with her new roommate, Robin. Angsty, enemies to lovers, slow burn is the name of the game. Heavy themes of eating disorders, depression, and anxiety are featured.

27:

Good Grief by Fascardotmp3

Votes: 2

Ranking: 8

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 19,600

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Set in the distant year of 2015, this fic asks what would Nancy’s life be like as a funeral director who has to deal with the death of Jim Hopper. As the name implies, this is an exploration of grief and trauma after 30 something years of hardships. 

28:

I Buried a Hatchet (It’s Coming Up Lavender) by Poorlittlegreenie

Votes: 2

Ranking: 8

Rating: Mature

Word count: 59,249

Chapters: 9

Complete?: Yes

Vecna almost takes Robin out so Nancy has to nurse her back to health, a job made more complicated by having to deal with her comphet at the same time. This fic touches on the extremes of tooth-rotting fluff and graphic depictions of violence to bring a slow burn hurt/comfort fic.

29:

Nothing But The Whole Wide World by Titface

Votes: 2

Ranking: 8.5

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 10,920

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Nancy is bored and so decides to try and find Bigfoot, with the help of Robin Buckley of course. The premise of this, while somewhat comedic, leads to some angst and an exploration of her and Robin’s relationship. There is also eventually smut. 

30:

If You Rewrite Your Life, May I Still Play a Part? by Moonflowery

Votes: 1

Ranking: 1

Rating: General Audiences

Word Count: 34,454

Chapters: 40

Complete?: Yes

This is quite unique on the list as the only choose your own adventure fanfiction which, by it’s nature, is impossible to summarise; to attempt would be doing it a disservice. Check it out to find out for yourself what lies within.

31:

I’ll Be Home Soon by Megzeman

Votes: 1

Ranking: 1

Rating: Teen and Up

Word Count: 7,378

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Nancy and Robin find solace in each other after the defeat of Vecna in this start to a multi fic series. A slow burn romance, hurt/comfort, mutual pining; it all stems from a late night walkie talkie call.

32:

A Love Like This, All It Does Is Burn by Starryeyedjanai

Votes: 1

Ranking: 1

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 2,506

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Robin and Nancy can’t stay away from each other, even when both are in relationships. This story is all about infidelity and so i think it goes without saying that angst and toxic relationships are to be expected.

33:

Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want by Marissalyn14

Votes: 1

Ranking: 1

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 60,154

Chapters: 5

Complete?: Yes

This fic posits what the show might have been had Robin been introduced earlier and is set between seasons 1 and 2. Robin and Nancy start a fake relationship to get Steve and Jonathan to leave Nancy alone. It just so happens that Robin’s had a crush on Nancy for a long time.

34:

Shining Trinkets of Grief by fastcardotmp3

Votes: 1

Ranking: 1

Rating: Explicit

Word count: 15,505

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

The party try and navigate the post apocalypse with varying levels of success. Can it get worse? Of course it can, when Nancy and Robin also have to navigate grief and love together.

35:

Crooked Love in a straight line down by Pineappleking

Votes: 1

Ranking: 2

Rating: Mature

Word count: 75,644

Chapters: 28

Complete?: Yes

Nancy Wheeler is a reporter assigned to cover the meteoric rise to fame of the band Hellfire, in doing so she meets and forms a relationship with the band’s lead singer, Robin Buckley. Sex, drugs, rock and roll; add in some hurt/comfort and you’ve got yourself this band AU.

36:

Dream a Little Dream Of Me by Culpabilities

Votes: 1

Ranking: 2

Rating: General Audiences

Word count: 2,956

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Short and sweet, Robin comes out to Nancy who takes four days to think through how she feels about it. 

37:

Double Take by Creaturefromspace

Votes: 1

Ranking: 2

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 67,341

Chapters: 15

Complete?: Yes

Robin has gained a reputation for being a player and fantastic in bed, Nancy knows this and turns to her for a distraction after Jonathan breaks up with her.

38:

Starcrossed by Iappreciateenjolras

Votes: 1

Ranking: 2

Rating: Mature

Word count: 13,296

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

An exploration into Nancy’s grief over Barb’s death and the resulting Trauma, a hurt/comfort fic with a lot of hurt and comfort in the form of Robin Buckley. Heavy themes of grief, trauma, and implied self-harm

39:

Unlikely, But Likely by Pocket_Sand

Votes: 1

Ranking: 2

Rating: General Audiences

Word Count: 136,769

Chapters: 51

Complete? Yes

A collection of one shots centred around ronance, each chapter comes with the appropriate content warnings for that story. Many genres, many tones, the same love.

40:

When You Say My Name by Marissalyn14

Votes: 1

Ranking: 2

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 95,315

Chapters: 10

Complete?: No

Robin Buckley gets into Emerson college and finds out her roommate is Nancy Wheeler, who she cannot stand (The feeling is very mutual). But, given this is an enemies to lovers fic, this animosity is sure to clear eventually. Right?

41:

Can I Ask You a Question? by MxHaveaChat

Votes: 1

Ranking: 3

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 15,114

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

While helping her into the upside down, Nancy catches a glimpse of Robin’s shoes and takes note of the extra scribbles that have been added. The thought of what they might mean sets Nancy’s mind aflame, and all that heat has to go somewhere.

42:

Getting Off by Meghan Page

Votes: 1

Ranking: 3

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 4,682

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Nancy and Robin get stuck in a rickety dorm elevator and talk about their feelings. I’m sure you know what comes after. (Elevator sex)

43:

Robin Buckley's Expert Field Guide to Catching Fireflies (and Other Childhood Favourites) by Smileweakandwrong

Votes:1

Ranking: 3

Rating: Teen and Up

Word Count: 18,437

Chapters: 5

Complete?: Yes

Picture the fluffiest thing you’ve ever read, double it. That’s what to expect in this fic where Robin works through an old book she wrote all about catching fireflies, turtles, and snakes oh my! Nancy is there because she is in love and hasn’t realised it yet, but she will.

44:

Blue Nights, Red Mornings by Cityseeker

Votes: 1

Ranking: 4

Rating: Teen and up

Word Count: 4,501

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Nancy feels safe while holding Robin’s hand, and she starts to wonder why that might be. What she does know is that being around Robin helps in the aftermath of Vecna.

45:

Coming Unglued by Freezeveganpolice

Votes: 1

Ranking: 4

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 5,203

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Robin and Nancy hunt a man for sport and then torture him, this gets them in the mood for some ‘extracurricular activity’. Be aware of depictions of graphic violence.

46:

Meet Ugly by ItCanBePalped

Votes: 1

Ranking: 4

Rating: Teen and Up

Word Count: 7,777

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

During a walk of shame, Robin bumps into Nancy and makes a… less than ideal first impression. She pulls it back though, eventually.

47:

Missing Out by Smileweakandwrong

Votes: 1

Ranking: 4

Rating: Teen and Up

Word Count: 3,767

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Nancy gets stood up on valentine’s day and so Robin decides to keep her company.

48:

Red lips, Blue eyes by Iiruwu

Votes: 1

Ranking: 4

Rating: Teen and Up

Word count: 44,231

Chapters: 5

Complete?: Yes

What if instead of Jonathan, Robin is the one who’d found Nancy after the halloween party? Mutual pining slow burn that’s what’s in store as an unlikely relationship forms. Some fluff, some angst, all hurt/comfort.

49:

Robin Buckley’s Mother by Wynhaught_trash

Votes: 1

Ranking: 4

Rating: Mature

Word count: 158,885

Chapters: 44

Complete?: Yes

Another heavy one, in which Steve and Nancy help Robin deal with her trauma after being abused by her mother. A lot of angst, but also healing with graphic depictions of violence. Set after season 3 leading into an alternate season 4.

50:

Stars and Sand and and Leaves by Ghosttotheparty

Votes: 1

Ranking: 4

Rating: Explicit

Word count: 22,427

Chapters: 3

Complete?: Yes

A ronance and byler double feature! Nancy and Mike help each other work through their feelings about being queer. Some light angst mixed in with a bit of smut

51:

This Girl Is a Gun And We’ve Been Havin’ Some Fun by Moonflowery

Votes: 1

Ranking: 4

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 8,075

Complete?: Yes

It turns out Robin has a thing for guns, which is rather inconvenient when Nancy is trying to give her shooting lessons.

52:

That Girl Is Like an Architect, And I’m Just the New Invention by Sectimo

Votes: 1

Ranking: 4

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 79,777

Chapters: 21

Complete?: Yes

Set post canon, Nancy has to navigate a tumultuous relationship with Robin amidst the AIDS crisis. The fact that this is a slowburn tagged as “friends to enemies to friends to lovers” should tell you all you need to know. Add in a story about activism and dealing with comphet and you’ve got an all-timer fanfic.

53:

To Be Near You (Is To Be Unable To Hear You) by TotalForgiveness

Votes: 1

Ranking: 4

Rating: General Audiences

Word count: 54,545

Chapters:15

Complete?: No

Robin is the new kid in Hawkins and is astounded to find her favourite youtuber sitting in the back of her english class. It just so happens that youtuber is Nancy Wheeler.

54:

A Girl In Need of a Tourniquet by loudsnapdradon

Votes: 1

Ranking: 5

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 17,760

Chapters: 2

Complete?: Yes

Following a string of bad luck and a gamut of problems, Nancy becomes an escort to pay for college. And then she doesn’t stop. And then she meets Robin in a random Hotel.

55:

Bathroom Of a Party by Cottagewerewolf

Votes: 1

Ranking: 5

Rating: Teen and Up

Word count: 1,112

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Nancy and Robin get high in the bathroom of a party. Not really much else to say about this one.

56:

Now the Halftime Air Was Sweet Perfume (While Sergeants Played a Marching Tune) by Red_Banner

Votes: 1

Ranking: 5

Rating: Explicit

Word count: 142,150

Chapters: 15

Complete?: No

This fic (with easily the longest title on this list) follows the party three years after season 4 dealing with the apocalypse while Nancy and Robin are hopelessly in love. Be warned, the fluffy start of this story belies the angst it contains.

57:

The Universe Is Inconvenient (But Sometimes Lovely) by LaceyBarbedWire

Votes: 1

Ranking: 5

Rating: Teen and Up

Word Count: 1,103

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

A soulmark AU in which everyone has a timer counting down to when they meet their soulmate, it just so happens that Robin and Nancy’s go off during the battle of Starcourt.

58:

It’s Nice to Have a Friend by Judasofsuburbia

Votes: 1

Ranking: 6

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 18,057

Chapters: 3

Complete?: Yes

Nancy and Steve ar so far in the closet that they’re getting married, but is Nancy kissing Robin on her wedding day an indicator of trouble ahead? Whatever happens, it takes at least five years of marriage to play out. There is a depiction of serious illness in this fic alongside the angst you’d expect.

59:

Picture This by Scarletperfume

Votes: 1

Ranking: 6

Rating: Teen and Up

Word count: 15,333

Chapters: 9

Complete?: No

Nancy is a photographer who runs into famous model Robin Buckley while taking photos one day. The two of them become ride or die in record time and cuteness ensues.

60:

Scar Tissue by Titface

Votes: 1

Ranking: 6

Rating: Explicit

Word count: 10,245

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Nancy and Robin compare their scars and things get heated; stories are swapped alongside spit.

61:

Crimes Against Decency in a Family Establishment by Titface

Votes: 1

Ranking: 7

Rating: Explicit

Word count: 10,849

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Nancy and Robin decide to duck out of school to go to family video.

62:

Does He Know You’re out (And I Want You So Bad?) by Melodicchaos

Votes: 1

Ranking: 7

Rating: Teen and Up

Word count: 36,315

Chapters: 11

Complete?: Yes

Fake dating, but beards! Robin and Steve decide to fake date to get Robin’s family off her back, what they didn’t expect was that Nancy and Eddie would get very jealous.

63:

Friends Don’t Yearn Like We Do by Oaseas

Votes: 1

Ranking: 7

Rating: Teen and Up

Word Count: 5,889

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Nancy reveals to Steve that she has feelings for Robin and so he decided to be the best wingman he can. A sleepover and some babycham leads to a game of truth or dare with a result all parties are happy with.

64:

I’m Burning Up (All I See Is Red) by Moonflowerdamie

Votes: 1

Ranking: 7

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 5,998

Complete?: Yes

Nancy finds out she has a previously undiscovered tendency towards jealousy, at least when it comes to Robin.

65:

Girl in New York by Midorino

Votes: 1

Ranking: 7

Rating: Teen and Up

Word count: 20,302

Chapters: 7

Complete?: Yes

Nancy has a run in with Robin while tanning topless on her apartment’s balcony and vows to get to know her hot next door neighbour. Very fluffy, very cute, but the name is a misnomer; this is not set in New York.

66:

Respectability by Titface

Votes: 1

Ranking: 8

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 20,302

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Robin is very invested in what clothes Nancy wears, like more than is usual.

67:

Safe In Your Mouth by Wonder Boy

Votes: 1

Ranking: 7

Rating: Explicit

Word count: 5,076

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Nancy is half vampire and Robin lets her drink from her, this leads to a series of revelations that culminate in clothes hitting the floor.

68:

Warm My Bones and Fill My Glass by EskaWrites

Votes: 1

Ranking: 7

Rating: Teen and Up

Word count:10,867

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Nancy keeps pushing people away as a coping mechanism, Robin refuses to be pushed. Hurt/comfort but for emotions and PTSD.

69:

Incredibly Wholesome, Actually by Titface

Votes: 1

Ranking: 8

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 7,151

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

There is no description I can give this that isn’t some variation of ‘Robin and Nancy have sex’. So that’s what you get.

70:

Make Me Tremble by Lumism

Votes: 1

Ranking: 8

Rating: Teen and Up

Word count: 4,013

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

A five plus one fic of five things Nancy finds infuriating (cute) about Robin and one reason she wants her around anyway. Sleepovers, clothes sharing, jealousy, this textual romcom has them all.

71:

Makes Me Want To Try Her On by HooliganStyle

Votes: 1

Ranking: 8

Rating: General Audiences

Word Count: 2,413

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

This fic serves as the start of Robin and Nancy’s relationship which then gets expanded on in subsequent fics in the Summer of ‘86 series. This fic has flirting, first kisses, fluff, something else that starts with F probably!

72:

Take the Money and Run by thegoodthebadandthenerdy

Votes: 1

Ranking: 8

Rating: Teen and Up

Word Count: 6,687

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Nancy and Eddie get high and talk about their respective feelings. There’s no actual interaction with either Robin or Steve but lots of talking about both

73:

Which One Is Worse (Living or Dying First) by BeNotAfeard

Votes: 1

Ranking: 8

Rating: Teen and Up

Word count: 54,556

Chapters: 6

Complete?: Yes

The best description of this comes from the fic summary itself; “Nancy Wheeler has a prolonged sexuality crisis and Robin, Eddie, and Steve are there too.”

74:

You Know There’s Not Another Moment to Waste by BluejayBoi

Votes: 1

Ranking: 8

Rating: Teen and Up

Word Count: 4,421

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Robin and Nancy are going on a lot of not-dates that are definitely dates, but surely that doesn’t mean anything. Right?

75:

Darling, Are You Ready For More? by fellintotartarus

Votes: 1

Ranking 9

Rating: Teen and Up

Word Count: 4,902

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

The makeover scene we missed out on before Pennhurst. If you’ve ever seen that picture of the girl straddling someone to do her makeup, it’s that.

76:

Forgot to Be a Lover (Have Mercy) by Summersociety

Votes: 1

Ranking: 9

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 4,318

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Robin comes to visit Nancy in Boston and gets an exclusive tour of the city, shortly after she gives Nancy a tour of her own. (The tour is sex and maybe something more?)

77:

Honesuckle by Oaseas

Votes: 1

Ranking: 9

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 9,007

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

This is just smut, there’s literally nothing else I can say about this. Enjoy!

78:

Won’t Go Down In History by Mongr3l

Votes: 1

Ranking: 9

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 8,153

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

The fruity four get high in Eddie’s garden and Nancy finally reads what’s on Robin’s traines; needless to say, she finds the idea of Robin going down on someone’s sister appealing.

79:

Carry You To The Coast by Smileweakandwrong

Votes: 1

Ranking: 10

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 62,424

Chapters: 11

Complete?: Yes

After the battle of Starcourt, Robin and Steve decide some time to work through all their trauma and build their new friendship and so retreat to Steve’s lakeside cabin in the woods. And then after the defeat of Vecna, they go back with a whole new set of traumas and a budding relationship with Nancy to discuss. This is very much hurt/comfort.

80:

Chasing the Rabbit by freezeveganpolice

Votes:1

Ranking: 10

Rating: Unrated

Word Count: 13,189

Chapters: 1

Complete? Yes

It’s a Pacific Rim AU! I don’t know anything about Pacific Rim beside giant robots so that’s all I can tell you on that front. What I can say is that this is all about grief.

81:

If We Were Crocodiles by Titface

Votes: 1

Ranking: 10

Rating: Teen and Up

Word Count: 4,678

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

This is one hell of a fluff fest. Robin and Nancy always study in the library on tuesdays, something which is far more consistent and serious than any of Robin’s relationships.

82:

Tits Out For Annie Oakley by Titface

Votes: 1

Ranking: 10

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 9,039

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Mostly smut with a side of hurt/comfort. Robin gets a surprise midnight visit from Nancy and they get to dealing with their feelings.

83:

With a Comma After Dearest by Morganski_19

Votes: 1

Ranking: 10

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 46,819

Chapters: 9

Complete?: Yes

Robin is…. not doing good after what happened at Starcourt. Nancy notices and leaves a note in her locker hoping that Robin might respond. These notes are they key to a slowly developing relationship between the girls in this hurt/comfort fic.

84:

You’re Covered In Sun And I Forgot My Camera (Wishing It Was Real) by Titface

Votes: 1

Ranking: 10

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 9,042

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Nancy and Robin get high and get frisky.

[lexirambles]

Azuretime has changed my brain chemistry, so I'm going to ramble about some headcannons I have about their relationship. Hold onto your hats, this is gonna be a doozy!

The reason Two Time is always smiling is because of Azure. He always said to smile no matter what, that it makes hard times easier, that it lifts people around them up, that their smile is so, so beautiful. So they did, if anything, just to see Azure's face light up. Even after they killed him, they kept smiling. Even in purgatory, they kept smiling. It's kinda similar to Alastor's mentality on smiling. No one has ever seen Two Time's without that manic grin, only ever fading rarely when experiencing nightmares. The moment that smile breaks, the last piece of Azure that they have left will die, and then he'll really be gone. So they can never stop smiling, no matter what happens.

Azure's garden is a secret, a secret garden, if you will. The thing about cults is that they take everything that makes you an individual, everything has to involve the cult. Your relationships, your hobbies, your thoughts, your feelings. If everything you do isn't in the name of what you follow, then there's room to doubt. Azure doesn't garden because the cult wants/needs him to, he does it because it's his hobby! It's an attempt to hold onto his own individuality, to be his own person. Of course, he wants the same for his partner, so they sneak away to hang out where no one can judge them. It's where the whole "Quiet, Two Time! They're not supposed to see in here," came from. They thought it was secret, but being very close to Two Time, Amarah caught onto what they were doing. She didn't really interfere, though, as she knew Azure would be a "problem" anymore.

EVERYTHING IS AMARAH'S FAULT! She was the one that got Two Time into the cult, and served as their mentor once a member. She gave Two Time the dagger. Once she found out what they and Azure were doing, she knew it could be a very big problem. If this continued, he could convince them to stray away, or ever run away together. Well, one must take a life to gain their second, why not take out two lovebirds with one stone? She convinced Two Time of what they must do, one cannot love someone more than they love the spawn, they must get rid of him. And as we know, everything went exactly to plan. Also, I use She/Her for Amarah, I just prefer it, female villains are so much more fun. We did it with 1x, WE CAN DO IT AGAIN! Gaslight gatekeep girlboss!

Azure shows affection through gift giving. It's his way of showing that he's thinking of them and how they see him. Objects are symbols of their memories, the moments they share, and he wants to remember all of them. So whether it's a picture of them together, a pendant of The Spawn, or matching scarves, he loves giving Two Time random, useless stuff. He is very sentimental, and will keep anything Two Tiem gives them. The feeling is mutual, Two Time has a special place in their room for keeping all of Azure's gifts.

Two time is very physically affectionate, but only with Azure. They're always holding hands, brushing against each other, holding each other, touching the other's face, smooching galore! But they're only like this around Azure, they're pretty jumpy if anyone else tries to touch them. But with Azure? Full body hugs! Two time is also very small, especially when compared to Azure, who is pretty built. So they just get ABSORBED into Azure when they cuddle! In Forsaken, they are very touch starved, but doesn't feel comfortable being touched by any of the other survivors. Part of them don't think they deserve to be loved like that again... In fact, they actually enjoy being attacked/killed by Azurewrath, just to be touched by him again.

Azure loves tea! His favorites are floral teas, of course. He'll hold lil tea party dates in their secret garden with Two Time. He is on a personal quest to try EVERY SINGLE TEA THAT EVER EXISTS! He's even made his own blends. Are they good? No one knows! Two Time doesn't have the heart. Two Time's favorite is earl grey.

I see Two Time is AFAB, again because there are like NO WOMEN IN THIS GAME! Thus, they are inflicted with The Blood Curse (we all know.) Azure immediately enters Caretaker Mode every time. He'll take over their duties, get them chocolates, tea, a heating pad, and something for the cramps. They 100% have tried using their own period blood for a blood sacrifice and got scolded for it!

In similar regard, Two Time has a VERY high pain tolerance. They kind of have to, with how painful the second life process is, all the blood ledding rituals, and dying over and over again indefinitely. They has definitely creeped the other survivors out with this. They can break their own arm and not even flinch. They've ran off with greivous injuries they didn't even notice were there. Pain is no deterrent for them, and he holds no fear of death, making them incredibly reckless with absolutely no regard for their physical health. While certainly not to the same degree, before being Forsaken, Two time was still very durable and completely uneffected by pain. Azure would often be the one to nurse their wounds and keep them from throwing themselves into something too dangerous and getting hurt. They have absolutely tried to eat an extremely poisonous plant Azure was growing and had to be stopped.

ALRIGHT! That's all I got in me for today. Honestly sounds fun to just write a line of episodic one shots with all these ideas, but that's a project for another day. Enjoy your fluff and angst, fellow Azuretime shippers!

[theshortkings]

ᥫ᭡ INTERSPECIES BREEDING — "chance is an intergalactic alien, prioritizing the need to produce healthy, sustainable offspring over any other "human" emotions. but soon enough, he recognizes the weight of his entire species rests solely on his shoulders, and sets out to find his perfect mate.."

⺡ word count: 4.4k ~ MDNI | AO3 | mafioso x chance

content warning impregnating, oviposition, egg laying, belly bulge, non-human gentialia, alien sex, pregnancy kink, breeding, eggpreg, strangers to lovers, creampie, nsfw content, passing out

Mates are chosen based on compatibility, strength, endurance, and breeding capabilities—nothing more. So, you can imagine Chance's surprise when he travels light-years, crossing the Milky Way galaxy to meet his soulmate, only to discover that the breeding partner assigned to him by interstellar fate is a human being. A weak, feeble-minded, fragile, and repulsive human.

Initially, he loathes everything about the human race. His observations of the Mafia, with whom his partner was rumored to be affiliated, revealed a dark, grim planetary world brimming with brutality and greed. He watches over a vast period of time as they inhale toxic fumes from their cigars and guns, reveling in the power they wield over life and death. Their ruthless murders of rivals were carried out with chilling precision, and their mantra of taking no prisoners left a trail of destruction in their wake.

To him, humans were puzzling, foolish creatures—soft, squishy flesh with an array of toy rockets and colorful missiles at their disposal. The idea that this man, this human, could hold the key to saving his species from mass extinction and repopulating his alien kind seems almost like the beginning of a very graceless joke.

He watches and observes from afar. Not because he wants to, but because he has to.

Chance tells himself they stay within proximity for his instincts' sake. Humans are vulnerable and defenseless; they don't understand the universe's dangers and need some sort of protection.

Though it is far from protection, it is possession.

As this train of thought barrels onward, he can never in a millennium imagine himself stooping so low as to mate with a human being. That's until he suddenly can. The thought, both aggravating and intrusive, fogs his rational pursuits and takes over. This particular subspecies of aliens cannot go without multiplying for long; evolution burns, woven into his consciousness with intricate needles in thread.

What starts as innocent, rational surveillance becomes a borderline obsession.  

Although in this unfamiliar terrain, Chance struggles to stay six feet above ground level. Not used to this level of compressive gravity for extended durations, it begins to take its toll on his weak form. And that's how they manage to catch him. He struggles to maintain his human-like appearance as he drifts into unconsciousness, only to be taken by a gang of unseen individuals, all clothed in the same jet-black attire he's been observing for the past month.

When he finally comes to, he's greeted by a black, void-like existence; his head wrapped in a shaggy brown sack.

Chance can hear the sound of voices, fierce yet unfamiliar, almost bickering. One voice in particular catches his attention; his antennae twitch at the sound. At that moment, he discovers that the mate he has traveled the galaxy in search of is mere feet away.

"But boss, this thing has been stalking you for weeks, don't you think it should be dealt with accordingly?" A voice emerges—argumentative, yet expressed with a sense of submission to the person in power.

“Leave him and get out,” comes the curt command, a tone laced with authority that brooks no argument.  

"Yes, boss." The muffled sounds of the heavy door slamming shut reverberate through the dim room, shaking the atmosphere with finality.  

A pair of rough hands work quickly to untie the ropes binding his wrists, the fibers biting into his skin now slackening their hold. As the suffocating sack lifts from his head, the dim light reveals a space laden with shadows, the air thick with tension, and the scent of toxins.  

When his senses finally clear, Chance finds himself kneeling before a man he has devoted countless days and sleepless nights to track down—his long-sought target, the figure shrouded in mystery and danger. At that moment, the pain of isolation transforms into an unyielding resolve as the weight of his journey presses heavily upon his shoulders. he can't hold himself back.

“Oi, are you okay—” A loud thud resonated in the still air. Mafioso winces, a mixture of shock and uncertainty orbiting in his iris as he stares blankly up at the creature who has a powerful death grip on his freshly tailored suit. And yet, for some reason, the greenish, alien-like creature seems to be in more pain than the man who cushioned its landing.

"You," Chance begins, his voice trembling with the weight of unspoken emotions.

There is so much he wants to unleash—an overwhelming tide of resentment that threatens to consume him. He loathes the very essence of this man. He can’t stand the jarring sounds he makes, the soft body that seems almost too delicate, too inviting. The naïve opinions that pour forth are infuriating, as if they hold any real significance in the vast landscape of the cosmos. Chance hates him fiercely, and yet, he relies on him for survival.

“Do you realize what you’re putting me through?” Chance’s voice cracks, betraying his vulnerability as he seeks refuge against the man’s fabric, allowing the warmth to envelop him despite the turmoil inside. “Don’t you understand what you’re doing to me? You’re driving me insane.”

It hurts. He's most definitely burning alive. Chance can't stand it, it feels as if water dared touch his skin, it would evaporate instantly into a fine vapor. His insides are scorching, wildfire running rapidly inside as he struggles to regain control.

"It's so hot..." Chance pants out, his body no longer feeling like his own; this sensation is alien to even himself.

A hand gently grazes the fine hairs on the back of the foreign alien's neck, sending a comet sensation shooting down his spine. Mafioso, despite being completely in the dark about what is happening, senses an unspoken connection between him and this unusual creature. He has no understanding of the alien's background or experiences, yet there is an undeniable bond between them—something even a mere human could recognize. It feels as though their souls are tethered together, an invisible thread compelling him to offer comfort to this being from a far-distant world.

Chance feels himself thawing; the touch is gentle, icy, and devoid of any attachments, and yet, offers an almost reassuring coolness against his boiling flesh. He expected to be disgusted by the grimy contact of human skin, but instead, he wanted more.

"I can't wait any longer... huu please, you need to breed with me," Comes the sharp whine.

Mafioso lies frozen for a moment too long, his mind racing as he struggles to find the right words. Caught completely off guard by the sudden "breeding" proposal, he felt a rush of uncertainty wash over him, leaving him at a loss for how to respond.

His usual confidence falters as he searches for a way to regain his composure, aware that every second counts.

There's an unmistakable hardness rutting against his inner thighs, mashing their bodies together as a fit of longing takes hold. Mafioso feels the erect imprint of the alien's abnormally large cock placed on full display through his tightened pants. It merely huffs in his ear as some inhuman mass prods around his hole, covering the fabric in slick, milky precome.

Mafioso, fed up with the nonsensical tomfoolery of this alien, suddenly unleashes a powerful kick aimed at its midsection. The impact sends the creature reeling backward as the alien grunts in surprise and pain, its limbs flailing momentarily before it slumps against the hard surface. The chill of the wooden floor contrasts sharply with the warmth of his skin, but it isn't enough.

"Do that again and I'll rearrange your jaw," Mafioso hisses, his voice low and menacing.

He leans closer, the dim light casting shadows across his sharp features. "Look, I know you're not from around here, but that's not how you ask someone for a favor." Despite the harshness of his words, there's a flicker of curiosity in his eyes, suggesting he's contemplating the idea of hooking up with a previously unknown species. This rare opportunity presented itself as a once-in-a-lifetime chance, one Mafioso still isn't sure if he's ready to blindly give up.

"Mmm...!" Chance reluctantly hums as the man's shoes nudged against his waistline. He isn't a mindless pervert, heavens no, he isn't some creep who would usually drool over the human he's only met once, but right now, there's little he can do to interfere with his biology. It feels so good, but still, it isn't enough. 

The situation is dangerous; his desperation is palpable, growing more intense by the second. Every ounce of self-discipline he possesses is required to suppress his overwhelming urge to pounce on the unexpected man once again. As he wrestles with his instincts, the sanity he once held dear, now fleeting without a moment's notice, becomes tempered and defective.

"Go on," the voice taunts, a low, mocking lilt echoing through the air, "Show me why you deserve my sympathy."

With a heavy heart and trembling limbs, Chance crawls on all fours, desperation painting his face. The foot pressing against his midsection feels like a sin, tightening with every shallow breath he takes. His eyes shimmer with a blend of pain and yearning.

"It hurts... It hurts so bad," he gasps, his voice cracking under the pressure, "I didn't choose for you to be my soulmate either, so please... please, I just need this one favor, I need to lay my eggs inside you,"

"And why stalk me? Why not find someone else to tango with?" Mafioso needs answers, though now isn't the time for such trivial inquiries. 

"It's complicated... the fate of the universe has brought us together; it must be you." Chance explains, craving friction as he fondles himself against the sole of Mafioso's jet-black shoe. "Our species mates for life with their one true pair and no one else..."  

"For a species that only mates once, you're surprisingly horny."

Oddly enough, it's Mafioso who caves first to the irresistible allure of the moment. With a mix of curiosity and reckless abandonment, he leans forward. Their lips met in an unexpected collision—a sloppy, messy embrace reminiscent of a dance where neither mate quite knew the steps. The alien responds in kind, its unique physiology offering a softness that contrasts with the frantic energy of the kiss.

The alien creature approaches the kiss with a gentle, innocent curiosity, its delicate form hovering over Mafioso's. With careful precision, it explores the warm, moist interior, its tendrils softly brushing against his tongue. The sensation is rather unexpected—an odd mixture of ticklishness and intrigue—as it pats gently, almost coaxingly. As it pressed deeper into the lower regions of his tongue, a wave of overwhelming sensation washed over the human male, eyes pricking with unwarranted tears, but the sensation wasn't at all unpleasant. He feels so good, but this isn't enough. No, he requires more.

Chance feels like the weight of the galaxy rests on his shoulders. When the kiss breaks, he's lost every shred of reasoning.

"Please let me do it, I want...need to be inside you," Chance corrects himself, burying his nose deep into the soft, inviting curve of Mafioso’s delicate neck. The warmth of the skin radiates against him, and as he inhales, the rich, intoxicating scent of human musk envelops him, evoking a primal sense of longing. Each breath is a blend of underlying warmth.

"Then have me," came the direct reply, and that's when he snapped.

Carelessly and frantically, his hand undoes the mob boss's belt, almost tearing the complex mechanism off in his struggle to unlatch it. This thing kept him from what he truly desires, and he will do anything to get what he came here for.

Chance inhales deeply once more, reveling in the intoxicating scent of his partner that lingers in the air. The fragrant notes wrap around him, a blend of warmth and familiarity that sends a shiver down his spine. With a sense of longing, he let his fingers glide gently along the waistline of his befitted mate's dress pants, feeling the soft fabric beneath his fingertips. Each subtle exploration stirs his emotions further, pushing the undergarments down with one swift motion and exposing the painfully erect cock, which strains as it lunges from its innermost confines, revealing the red tip already glistening with slick precome.

"So beautiful," Chance murmurs, his thoughts betraying him as he's caught in a trance-like state. Seizing this opportunity, he wastes no time removing his own restrictive clothes, peeling them from his skin layer by layer. 

The abnormality of his cock would’ve come as more of a shock if Chance wasn't an alien species from a completely unknown solar system. But instead of one, there are two.

They have a slick green sheen to them, showcasing a pair of elegantly tapered heads at both ends. Mafioso swallows hard, unable to pry his eyes away. They're much bigger than the average human, but the thought of having even one inside him sends an electric current pulsating through his veins.

Chance whines sharply, the unexpected contact encases his slime, oozing erection—it's cold, comforting, and oddly pacifying. The alien, not used to this unfamiliar sensation, tries to protest, opening his mouth to spit a nonsensical remark, but even his words backstab him.

This isn't how he envisioned breeding would be, he figured it would be a quick and simple pump and dump, nothing more. Little did he recognize the pleasures of sex he would've been missing out on.

Mafioso's hips are locked in a death grip, held down like helpless prey beneath the much stronger and much more advanced alien species. Pumping the abnormal cock in the palm of his hand, Mafioso watches the alien's form contort and shrivel into a compact ball, its energetic form now writhing before his eyes, and a wave of pleasure washes over him. The creature’s muscles quiver uncontrollably, each spasm a visible struggle against an overlooked force. Its breathing grows increasingly laborious, gasps intermixed with faint, desperate whines that echo in the stillness around them. The alien’s skin, which is now shimmering with bioluminescence, becomes a radiant compact of sea glass greens and blues.

"Ah, keep going... yeah, just like that, it feels so good," Chance bites his bottom lip, his words filtering out the unkept moans flying freely from his lips. His vision is littered with stardust, wanting one thing and one thing only, to spawn offspring.

"Have you ever touched here before?" Mafioso leans in closer, his intrigue evident as he boldly slips two fingers between the alien's glistening, salivating lips. Chance shook his head; the idea of doing something so lewd hadn't ever crossed his mind. The extraterrestrial's mouth, lined with strange, translucent membranes, engulfed his fingers, leaving them coated in a slick, clear saliva that shimmered in the dim light.

Chance moans, like only the speculative idea of touching Mafioso in more intimate areas, was more than enough to provide him pleasure.

The human circles the rim of his puckered hole with the damp, luminous fingers, blanketing it with spit, before pushing his cold, slender finger inside the tense space. He instinctively clenches, taking a moment to recover before forcing another finger into the mixing pot. Pumping them in and out while the alien watches in awe.

His eyes are wide saucers as he gazes at the man pinned beneath him, can't wait to see it; his partner's stomach swelling with his babies would seem like something out of a fairytale myth if he weren't living it right now. Chance can't come, not yet, not outside the much-desired womb. 

"Please...let me do it." Each word spills out, trembling slightly as if betraying the vulnerability he tries to mask. The urgency of his plea hangs in the air, dense with an emotional weight that makes it hard to ignore. It’s as though the very fabric of his hope is fraying, and he’s grasping at any chance for solace.

"You have to beg me to forgive you first, I wanna hear an apology," Mafioso teases him, denying him the very thing he has been longing for. Chance pants, bucking his hips inside the enclosed touch, not letting his seed spill just yet. 

He demands an apology for the countless nights the alien spent trailing him, an almost relentless pursuit. From dimly lit diners to crowded subway stations, it became impossible to ignore the extraterrestrial lurking in the shadows, its presence both unsettling and oddly intriguing. Chance had to admit, he thought he was slick, expertly blending into its surroundings while maintaining a watchful eye. Yet, despite his clever tactics, he ultimately slipped up, revealing himself in a moment of distraction. 

"'m sorry, please... forgive me," Chance sobs, eyes a waterwork of emotional turmoil. "I...I wanna put them in."

The raw and honest reaction caught the human completely off guard. At that moment, he wasn't expecting such vulnerability; there was something disarming about it. It stirred a peculiar sense of empathy within him. In a strangely twisted way, he found it almost endearing.

Mafioso groans, his fingers removing from his agape hole as his legs are forced to separate by this much stronger creature. Chance finds himself in a situation where he has to be careful not to harm him. Understanding the fragility of human beings, he's acutely aware of their emotional and physical vulnerabilities. To avoid causing any distress or injury, Chance took deliberate measures to avoid inadvertently breaking his breeding partner.

"..can't you do something about it? I feel so strange right now." Chance whines.

Mafioso lets out a deep, guttural groan, the sound reverberating in his chest and echoing his inner turmoil. The very mention of the word sends a shiver down his spine, twisting his stomach into knots and evoking a sense of expectation that he can't shake.

"Alright," with a swift, fluid motion, the roles were suddenly reversed—the human-dominated over the alien, who lay panting beneath them.

The alien's skin glistened under the dim light, a mix of anxiety and wonder reflecting in its eyes as he caught his breath, while the human's heart raced with an onslaught of excitement and adrenaline. His two tapered cocks, eagerly erect and leaking some foreign liquid, brush against the tunt ass muscles of the man stationed on top, making the alien squirm and groan as his fingers hook onto Mafioso's biceps. 

"I feel... so weird and hot," Chance says, every fiber of his being screaming up from the depths to mate, to dominate, and make him his.

Since he really seems like he might die if not given the proper attention, Mafioso opts to give it a valiant effort. Figuring what's the worst that could happen, he repositions himself, two thighs spread a great distance apart as he perches atop the alien's rock-hard erections. He looks back, contemplating whether both could even fit without tearing him in two. So, he reaches down, scooping one of the leaf-like cocks in his delicate grasp and guiding it to his entrance. 

"Just gonna ease it in nice and slow, try not to move," Mafioso prophecies.

At first, it's a relatively smooth process. There's little to worry about, as the dilated tip slides effortlessly inside without any trouble. Then, when it comes to the base, things get tricky. The shaft broadens, becoming girthy and widening, making his hole stretch to meet an impossibly large standard.

It's not going to fit...

Of course, it's not. There's no way in hell the massive thing would fit.

"Hold on a sec—" Mafioso decrees, his voice a mixture of surprise and disbelief as he turns to face the heated pup impatiently awaiting orders. He hadn't honestly expected the feisty creature to respond to his commands. Just as he was about to dismiss the playful interruption, he gasped as two slimy, almost sticky hands suddenly grope his bare ass, sending a jolt through him. The sensation was unexpected and unsettling, making him acutely aware of the curious nature of this alien species.

Chance holds him steady, parting the way for the head of his first cock to disappear inside the hole. 

"Wait—!" Mafioso tries once again to bring him back to reason as he's sentenced to be impaled by this massive, unsightly organ. He clenches his teeth as the cock forces him to split in two.

"Haa...ah, I can't wait anymore," Chance cries out, his eyes a glossy combination of fresh tears and brimming desire. Mafioso slumps against the vibrant, glowing chest, his body succumbing to fatigue as he struggles to keep himself upright. The pulsating light illuminates his weary features, casting shadows across his face and highlighting the beads of sweat that glisten on his brow. His breaths came in ragged gasps, and the weight of his troubles pressed down on him, making it impossible to remain seated any longer.

It hurts, it feels like he's being eaten alive as a damp, beaming tongue makes contact with exposed flesh. The thrusts are hard and precise, slimy hands grip his hips, and Mafioso grunts as he buries his face in the crook of the alien's neck. 

One penis penetrates his already straining hole, while the other rubs against his own weeping cock, turning a real pain in the ass into a rather blissful sensation.

"This is driving me crazy..." Chance breathes between thrusts, unable to avert his gaze from the main goal: to impregnate him. "This feels so insanely good,"

The ass muscles clenching around him make for a rather discomfiting situation; at this rate, his dick was going to be squeezed off. The space is impossibly tight, not even halfway inside, and already he can't force any more of himself inside. But, as it stands right now, that's the very last thing on his mind. So utterly caught up in the need to impregnate, the need to breed is so strong that everything else seems irrelevant.

Mafioso entered the situation, bracing himself for the worst, imagining it would feel like being impaled by a spear. To his surprise, though, the reality was far less grim. Sure, there was a lingering pain in his ass, a constant reminder of the discomfort he was experiencing, but aside from that, it wasn't as bad as he had stressed, finding some relief in this anguish.

Mafioso meets the ruthless pelvis thrusts with bounces of his own, assisting in sinking this engorged, green, oozing monster deeper and deeper into his guts.

"Mmph, keep moving like that...and I'll have no choice but to put a baby in you," Chance hisses, his eyes rolling back in his skull as he barely clung to consciousness. He's seeing stars, entire constellations from how good this feels.

"...I want you to get me pregnant," Mafioso says, his voice a bit more desperate than he would have liked.

"I'ma fill you with my eggs..." Chance exhales, his breath hitching as a haze of nebulae fills his vision, leaving only the man in front of him in sharp focus.

Their lips met in an urgent, passionate kiss, fingers trembling as they tangled in each other's skin. The warmth of the moment envelopes them, and their tongues intertwine, moving in a rhythm that felt both wild and intimate, exploring each other's mouths with a blend of hunger and tenderness.

The first wave crashes over Chance, releasing spurts of amniotic fluid that form a transparent sac for the developing embryos. This protective cushion envelops them, providing essential nutrients while safeguarding the fragile growth of their offspring. Mafioso struggles to contain himself, overwhelmed by a wave of bliss that surges within him. The sheer abundance of riches and the vibrant energy shroud him, and he feels the fluids pump into his guts like a never-ending cycle.

Soon his hole is leaking, he doesn't have a womb capable of withstanding all the goodness flooding his intestines. He struggles to catch his breath, each kiss becoming more erratic and fleeting as if they were waves crashing against him in a relentless tide.

All he knows is that it's hot and thick, filling him up so wonderfully that it can't be anything else. He sobs in pleasure as that heat that was only covering his hole now exists inside and everywhere within him.

"You're taking it so well," Chance coos, breathless as the tip of his cock squirms inside, releasing something other than essential fluids, "You're gonna get you all round and full with my eggs.”

The first egg passes his rim, stretching the abused, flaring hole before propelling it further into the tight space. The humans above him moan loudly at the intrusion, his body contorting, trying to adjust to the eggs now seated in his belly.

After the first three eggs were discharged, he wonders how many more would be released as he already felt stuffed and another egg steadily moves down the cock; breaching his hole again and again in an endless cycle till he's become a fragment of the man he used to be. Orgasm topples over him as the fourth egg nudges against his prostate, causing him to clench even harder around the leaking cock cramming him full. It wouldn’t remain that way for long, though. With each egg that plopped inside his guts, more and more space was taken up, forcing his body to accommodate. They attached to his intestines and stuck there, though the more that were pumped into him, the more swollen his tummy became.

"So full..." Mafioso murmurs, he looks an absolute mess, with tears staining his face as each egg fills him more than the last, panting and whimpering once they're all safely inside.

Six eggs, six eggs now inside the human's writhing body, where they will be warm and protected and incubated for the next few weeks.

"You did so well." Chance praises, his fingers possessively drawing circles against the swollen belly. Mafioso huffs, the gradual tightening and stretching, starting with a mild, bloating-like sensation that every so slightly became more and more intense with each passing second.

He can’t take it anymore, it's too much; his vision blurs, the edges of reality fading into a hazy mist.

The alien's voice—desperate and distraught—calls out to him, pleading for him to awaken. The echo of his cries hangs in the air, but Mafioso remains unresponsive, drifting further away into a peaceful slumber. In that tranquil escape, the chaos of his surroundings melts away, leaving only the comforting embrace of oblivion as he ascends into a deeper, more serene state of rest.

[mayhemchicken-varneyposting]

Varney the Vampire, Chapter 40: Exeunt Pursued By A Mob

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The mob reaches Varney's house and search it from top to bottom, while his servants, as well as Chillingworth, look on helplessly. When they don't find him, they turn around to go back to town, but are intercepted by a random shepherd boy who tells them a savior has been born in Bethlehem he has seen Varney in the woods, and they immediately change course.

Henry and Marchdale go to meet the mob and find out what's got them all riled up. Chillingworth explains to them that he has let slip that Varney is suspected of being a vampire, and the mob enthusiastically yells their intentions to catch Varney and stake him. Henry tells the mob that he does not want anybody staked on his account, and that he is very disappointed in all of them. Several people tell Henry that this has nothing to do with him; they're here to kill the vampire before he attacks any more people. They then run off to search the woods.

Henry and his friends watch from the edge of the woods, and talk about how terrible it would be if Varney was caught and killed by the mob, rather than killed fairly and honorably in a duel. Just then, Varney comes running out of the woods at top speed, with the mob in hot pursuit. The admiral directs Jack Pringle to stop the leading pursuer, which he does by running into him and knocking him over.

Chillingworth, who had been attempting to follow the pursuit but was unable to keep up, emerges from the woods and catches up with Henry and the others, who tell him what happened at the duel he missed. They resolve that, despite having been dead set on killing him minutes prior, they are going to attempt to save Varney from the mob, and head into town for backup.

Meanwhile, Varney makes a beeline for the ruins of Monk's Hall. The mob follow him, but when they reach the ruins he appears to have disappeared without a trace. When a thorough search of the ruins turns up nothing, they decide to leave, but leave behind a lookout in case Varney does turn out to be hiding somewhere they missed. However, no one wants to be the person who stays behind, and in the end none of them do.

The true villain of this book is here. In a literal sense, it's the mob, but more accurately it is the fear, ignorance, and superstition which fuels them. I've written before on this topic; it is one of the principal themes underpinning the text. In this chapter, we see the primary manifestation of this theme laid out before us, and the contradictory way ignorance and knowledge are framed by the text.

Human nature truly delights in the marvellous, and in proportion as a knowledge of the natural phenomena of nature is restricted, and unbridled imagination allowed to give the rein to fathomless conjecture, we shall find an eagerness likewise to believe the marvellous to be the truth.

The people comprising the mob are uneducated and ignorant; this, in turn, makes them superstitious, and their superstition leads in turn to violence and chaos. Lack of knowledge is, therefore, a bad thing. And yet:

...we blame Mr. Chillingworth for being so indiscreet as to communicate the secret of such a person as Varney the vampyre to his wife...

Spreading information is also bad. This is the same author who thinks gaslighting people is good actually. One would think that the solution to ignorance causing mass panic would be to educate the populace, but this is not how Rymer thinks. In his worldview, certain people are almost innately uneducated, and efforts to remedy their ignorance only make the problem worse. The mob rebuffs all efforts to explain the situation; the only new information they absorb is that which reinforces their beliefs. It is clear that the only solution which exists in the author's head is that the townsfolk had never learned the rumor of a vampire at all. His thesis, here, is that ignorant people must be kept ignorant, because they cannot be trusted to correctly interpret information.

Under such circumstances, ignorant people always do what they have heard has been done by some one else before them and in an incredibly short space of time the propriety of catching Sir Francis Varney, depriving him of his vampyre-like existence, and driving a stake through his body, became not at all a questionable proposition.

...All of which is ludicrous to present in a narrative where the core central conceit is that vampires are real. Please tell me again, in this novel which opens with a graphic description of a vampire attack, why the actions of the townsfolk should be considered at all unreasonable.

Chillingworth spends this whole chapter lamely following the mob around, attempting to convince them to put down their pitchforks and go home. You would think, given the sentiments he has expressed earlier in the text, that his arguments would consist primarily of reasons why Sir Francis Varney is not a vampire, and vampires are not real. Would you believe, then, that this never once comes up?

"You are wrong. I assure you, you are all wrong," said Mr. Chillingworth, imploringly; "there is no vampyre here, you see. Sir Francis Varney has not only escaped, but he will take the law of all of you."

Why are you conceding the possibility that Varney is a vampire, dude, whatever happened to "vampires aren't real and I wouldn't believe in them if one bit me"?

At the beginning of the chapter, we receive some very "citation needed" facts about vampires and vampire-like creatures in other cultures.

The ghoul of eastern nations is but the same being, altered to suit habits and localities; and the sema of the Scandinavians is but the vampyre of a more primitive race...

I cannot for the life of me figure out where he got the word "sema" from. I assume he is thinking of the draugr, but can see no way for him to have gotten "sema" out of that, unless he literally made up a term because he didn't know what they were called.

Rymer depicts the mob as a sort of separate entity in its own right, at once more brutal and more stupid than the sum of its parts, though equally as cowardly. You can really taste his contempt for the working class. He gets in a little misogynist dig, too.

Men and women were mixed indiscriminately together, and in the shouting, the latter, if such a thing were possible, exceeded the former, both in discordance and energy.

The social order has broken down, and it is lower-class women who head the rising tide of Hobbesian chaos. Their gossip spreads and inflames the vampire rumor, and their action (contrasted to the upper-class Flora's virtuous passivity) drives the mob's vicious appetites.

"Drive a stake through him," said a woman; "it's the only way, and the humanest. You've only to take a hedge stake and sharpen it a bit at one end, and char it a little in the fire so as there mayt'n't be no splinters to hurt, and then poke it through his stomach."

Within the mob, individual voices are amplified, lending them power. In this story, however, the power of collective action is firmly negative, with the hollered suggestions of the crowd functioning as a sort of blind animal impulse which leads them from one violent act to the next. This will become more and more evident as we move ahead in the story, and the mob violence escalates further and further.

"He's in the town somewhere," cried one. "Let's go back to the town." It is strange how suddenly any mob will obey any impulse, and this perfectly groundless supposition was sufficient to turn their steps back again in the direction whence they came,

At this early stage, however, it is hard to find fault with these people, despite Rymer's best efforts to portray them as ignorant and savage. Henry assumes the mob must have rallied on his behalf, but they don't care about him:

"Oh, to be sure," said the humane woman; "nobody's feelings is nothing to us. Are we to be woke up in the night with vampyres sucking our bloods while we've got a stake in the country?"

This is, I think, a very understandable motivation. Vampires in folklore are bad fucking news. Are they really going to put themselves, their livestock, and their children at risk simply because the vampire in question is very good at playing gentleman? Recollect, also, that Henry JUST got done trying to kill Varney, and indeed our heroes have shot at him many times. Apparently when rich people try to kill a vampire, it's virtuous self defense, but when poor people try it, it's vicious barbarism.

From here on out, Varney rapidly becomes more and more sympathetic. It is hard to say which comes first in this chicken-and-egg scenario: whether Rymer introduced the mob as a convenient way to make the heroes sympathize with Varney, or whether Varney's defanging as a villain (no pun intended) is meant to highlight the monstrosity of the mob.

"What a strange mixture," exclaimed Marchdale, "of feelings and passions this Varney appears to be. At one moment acting with the apparent greatest malignity; and another, seeming to have awakened in his mind a romantic generosity which knows no bounds. I cannot understand him."

It is fascinating to me how the mob are othered in a way Varney, the literal monster, never is. Varney is humanized throughout the text, even while he is biting people and committing crimes, but the mob--well, they are presented as both an overwhelming and deadly force of evil, and also as cowardly, impotent, and stupid, which is the exact blend of contradictory characteristics used by fascists and conspiracy theorists to other their targets of fear and hatred.

Yet what danger could there be? there were they, more than half a hundred stout, strong men, to cope with one; they felt convinced that he was completely in their power; they knew the ruins could not hide him, and that five minutes time given to the task, would suffice to explore every nook and corner of them. And yet they hesitated, while an unknown terror shook their nerves, and seemingly from the very fact that they had run down their game successfully, they dreaded to secure the trophy of the chase.

Any voice would have sufficed to break the spell which bound them. This did so; and, with one accord, and yells of imprecation, they rushed forward and plunged among the old walls of the ruin. [...] It was astonishing how the fact of not finding him in a moment, again roused all their angry feelings against him, and dispelled every feeling of superstitious awe with which he had been surrounded; rage gave place to the sort of shuddering horror with which they had before contemplated his immediate destruction, when they had believed him to be virtually within their very grasp.

The mob slingshots back and forth between rage and fear. Rage spurs them impulsively forward, and so long as their rage produces results, they will keep on moving; but as soon as they encounter an obstacle, fear sets in, and they will retreat unless some voice within their ranks gives a suggestion or rallying cry which can rekindle their rage once more. At the end of this chapter, having failed to find Varney's hiding place within the ruins, the mob slink fearfully away, milling about uncertainly nearby until a lone voice gives them an actionable suggestion:

"Now, my good friends, I propose that we all appear to give it up, and to go away; but that some one of us shall remain and hide among the ruins for some time, to watch, in case the vampyre makes his appearance from some hole or corner that we haven't found out."

Spurred into action by this plan, the mob leaves en masse; but none of them, including the man who volunteered the suggestion, are brave enough to stay behind, and the ruin is ultimately left unguarded.

Next: The chapter that launched 50k words of fanfiction

[lesbian-robots]

Megatron and Optimus Prime, Transformers One (2024)

Richard Silken, Litany in Which Things Are Crossed Out // Alicia Ostriker, In the Twenty-Fifth Year of Marriage, it Goes On // The Mountain Goats, Oceanographer's Choice // Maggie Stiefvater, Blue Lily, Lily Blue // The Mountain Goats, Alpha Rats Nest

[cluescorner]

The most important thing about a Megatron ship is that it cannot end well.

[sidesteppostinghours]

pulps law is that whenever i get insane enough about something, i will inevitably attempt to make a persona 5 au, regardless of whether or not i am successful at it.

[strike-another-match]

Thank you for the tag @birdmenmanga I love these games!!! Tagging @just-some-random-blogger @disinherited-dornishman @deadonyouraccount and anyone else who wants to do it!!

answers under cut bc i know i'll ramble lmao. edit from the future: this was so much fun to writeeee

coffee shop or florist

hmm i tend not to like either for it's own sake like there has to be something else going on to catch my interest, but if i were to write one of these i'd pick florist because the vibes are more relaxed and it ties in very nicely with the kind of poirot-style murder mystery plots i tend to enjoy

au or fix-it

i'm "my country right or wrong" when it comes to canon, if it came from the same writers' pen i just cannot unsee it once i have seen it, if i really hate the direction something takes i would rather drop it, and if i'm too attached or too involved in the fandom to drop it i'll just find a way to work with it in fic

enemies to lovers or childhood friends

i really never understood childhood friends, maybe because i feel like i was barely sentinent as a child lmao like i just don't associate any childhood memory with anything remotely related to romance or even friendship? idk i was literally playing with mud and catching frogs i was just not thinking about feelings... i do get enemies to lovers though because i tend to grow a soft spot for the people i butt heads with suuuuper quickly like hey that's blorbo from my rants <3 blorbo from my headache

angst or fluff

for me one needs the other... fluff doesn't really hit without angst but angst doesn't really hit without fluff either... they exist in balance

love at first sight or pining

i dont have the systems to understand love at first sight like i cannot comprehend that kind of thought... after a brief meeting perhaps but not at first sight??? i don't like it when it draws out forever either though unless there's like a very good reason

modern au or historical au

hmmm no strong preference, though its fun to talk about putting the characters in different settings i normally see characters as belonging to their setting for a reason so i normally operate within the setting. that being said modern aus for period or scifantasy settings come a lot more easily to me than historical aus for modern settings so modern au wins

break up & make up or proposal & wedding

break up and make up is a repeat offender in shows i've watched, you know when writers don't know what to do with an established couple so it's just break up and make up over and over again? i do love proposals (when they're used to like, really drive home the point of how much a character has grown maybe) but i like them even better if they're not in the context of marriage... something that might bind the characters together more than marriage ever could... let's do a heist together, let's kill someone together, etc.

get together or established relationship

i am a huge fan of get together but that being my favourite tv romance i've ever witnessed with my eyes is tomshiv so i guess i prefer writing get together but i prefer watching established relationship if 👆 it's falling apart. my absolute favourite though is the combination of both, a marriage that's falling apart right as they meet a new third person that's either going to finally implode it or be the one thing that can fix it like i will slurp that up and be praying at the altar iykyk (i just realised actually this is also tomshiv + greg... but obviously i was thinking of jim jade and tabitha)

soulmates or unrequited

i am unfortunately battle trained in the ways of haterism for the soulmate aus, i cannot stand the idea of it being decided for you who you will like or who you are supposed to get with, it sounds like my worst nightmare in every possible way, but i can understand why other people with different life experiences might like it. unrequited makes me sad though im a weak bitchhhh but i will write it for sideplots because i am also evil

fake dating or secret dating

once again kinda neither omfg how picky can i be? maybe i don't see the appeal of fake dating because my comphet relationships kinda felt like fake dating so secret dating wins? then again i pretty much avoid fake dating so maybe if i read some i would see the angle/appeal, i might just be hating it for the idea i made up in my head of what i thought it'd be

obvious pining or domestic fluff

both can work for me but it has to be in specific contexts for example i love the idea of characters who don't feel at home in their own homes making a home of their own in some unconventional situation (specially if they both know it can't last yk but the moment they're hit with the feeling of oh so this is what having a home feels like while also knowing they're about to lose it is like a drug to me) but if its just like ikea catalogue middle class stable life then idc like i need my characters to be suffering at a significant level at all times or i disengage

hurt/comfort or crack

i am literally the hurt/comfort bitch like literally everything i write and read is hurt/comfort if nothing is happening im like someone should drop a door on these ppl make them bleed a little idk like this is pretty much synonymous with fic for me i just exist within the bounds of hurt/comfort i cannot deny my nature like if no one is getting physically hurt and/or emotionally devastated i am just not clicking that link. all my characters will be half conscious and delirious in their lover's arms at least once

meet the parents or meet cute

meet the parents but like predictably only if they're abusive, it has to go horribly wrong like shit has to go down or at least give the partner/future partner character an "oh shit" moment to explain why the other character is the way they are. like it can't be "i want you to meet my parents <3" it has to be more like "oh shit my dad's here". i love subverted meet cutes where there's a terrible first impression too though... i love meet uglies

tagged by @starlightweave thank you ^___^

bold for what I love!

coffee shop or florist (hit me up with flowers language) | au or fix-it (I mean. Both can be true. And by "fix-it-" it also mean "i do not want to see this happening in canon but in fanon it's interesting) | enemies to lovers or childhood friends (I'M A BITCH FOR THIS) | angst or fluff (WHY NOT BOTH) | love at first sight or pining | modern au or historical au (look. I already do alternate-world thing in my original stories and it's taking enough researches like this, the rest I'm making things up) | break up & make up or proposal & wedding (hayyyy what do you mean this is a logic suite of events) | get together or established relationship (gestures wildly at Jahan x Scarlett IN YOUR OPINION) | soulmates or unrequited (unrequited that turn requited) | fake dating or secret dating (i'll admit that, i wrote fake dating for work, and I absolutely do not get it) | obvious pining or domestic fluff (shit the idea of your OTP just taking a coffee together and both standing by the railroad and looking at the sun rise...idzahioja) | hurt/comfort or crack (BOTH. AND SOMETIMES ONE CAN TURN INTO THE OTHER.) | meet the parents or meet cute (no i'm sorry have you seen the look of most parents in fiction, i prefer meet cute)

tagging : @tynithia @desfraisespartout @heyhopperart (I CHALLENGE YOU TO MULAN/SY) @revoleotion @gemmababbler

[seventh-district]

Are you sad? Are you miserable? Is your life falling apart? Is your body falling apart? Does your head feel like it’s full of cotton, or perhaps TV static? Does it feel like the world is crumbling around you? Is it getting harder to force yourself through the daily motions? Is happiness getting increasingly harder to find?

Why not consider making a large, hyperfixation-fueled impulse purchase?

They won’t tell you this, but all of the happiness and satisfaction you’re searching for, along with each of those little chemicals that make your brain feel good, are all hidden within your very next large, hyperfixation-fueled impulse purchase!

So why don’t you go on ahead and grab that credit card, throw caution to the wind, and chase that good feeling? You certainly won’t regret it. No one has ever regretted making a large, hyperfixation-fueled impulse purchase! Never!

[batw1nggg]

ughhhh my biggesttt pet peeve is when a postgame komahina fic uses izuru as like. a convenient excuse for angst instead of putting genuine thought into his existence and what it means. the amount of “i want hajime to be an unrealistically massive dick to komaeda unprompted… oh i know ill just make him go izuru mode”s and “komaedas only with izuru because he misses hajime and thats the only purpose izuru functions”s ive seen otherwise really good kmkmhn authors pull is genuinely devastating

[docmerlin]

sometimes i think i've been too radicalized but then i find an RA resource spreadsheet that claims heterosexuality isn't legitimate & that we should be anti- gay marriage because marriage is inherently coercive and we need not conform

and i go oh okay. maybe i'm not that bad

[waywardsalt]

in post-ph specifically a really old idea ive had is that linebeck is extremely, extremely possessive of his coat, but if in a situation where he fears he might actually die, he gives it to the person he trusts to save him, or he gives it to someone he cares about that seems to be on the brink of death

[teaboot]

Mean things I can’t tell my least-favourite coworker cause it would be hurtful and I’d feel bad

Sometimes the things you get worked up and angry about are so utterly inconsequential that they make me imagine a time before written language where I may have been carried off and eaten by leopards as a small child, and I feel a kind of strange longing

Do you ever want more from life or is this genuinely it for you

You give off the perpetual aura of a distant relative’s small and untrained dog which may either let you pet it or suddenly maul you with little to no warning at the drop of a hat and because of this whenever I see you nearby I can feel my asscheeks clench so if you could maybe wear a hat or vest of some kind to indicate whether or not you are in a bad mood I would greatly appreciate it

I have difficulty imagining you as a child. You are entirely without wonder or whimsy. I imagine you once broke off as a slab of granite from the side of a mountain and slid into an employment office where you remained for years until someone dressed you in a uniform as a joke and brought you to life exactly as you are like an irritable corporate Frosty the Snowman

My determination to treat others with kindness confronted with your determination to see only the worst in all my actions constantly forces me to reevaluate my moral principals in a way that is much like a crisis of religious faith, as though your existence were a tangible proof that God was never real

I cannot imagine that you are happy the way that you are. I want to believe that you are, but all evidence available indicates otherwise. Are you like this because you are suffering, or are you suffering because you are like this

Do you ever wonder about life beyond our constructed social prison. Do you ever find yourself gazing skyward in the rain. Have you ever felt tempted to get off the bus in the middle of nowhere on your way to work just to see what happens

I am glad that you are older than me because I think that if I wait long enough you may retire so I no longer have to work with you without something terrible happening to either of us

Do you ever think about how you’re gonna die someday or do you just perpetually live in the precise moment wherein whatever obstacle in front of you is at once both entirely novel and the most infuriating thing in all of existence, like a baby with no object permanence trapped in a revolving door

I’m going to be near you for the minimal amount of time required to accomplish this one task and if you could just pretend I don’t exist for that duration I think we’d both prefer that