#i love somewhat being under a time crunch when drawing all my stuff comes out looking weird in a good way

[oh-gh0st]

OH YEAH. here these are from todays breaks

[dylan-o-yumm]

Parting Ways - (Vergil x Reader)

A/N: This is technically for my OC, Dylan, but I made it a reader insert so all you lovely people could enjoy it for yourselves. I’m also drawing Dylan atm so if you wanna see some of that action… let me know? Also just FYI, I tried to make this gender neutral but knowing me I didn’t edit properly so there could be hints of male reader in here.

Word count: 1.6k

Black ash and flaking wallpaper peel off the already charcoal coloured walls. Whether it was your mind playing tricks on you or not, you swore you could smell the fire still burning, flames tickling your nose, slipping down your throat, choking on smoke. The sight alone was enough to make your mind fill in the gaps, imagining what it must have looked like before… 

It was eerily quiet, no crickets chirping, nor an owl hooting into the night. It should have been a disturbing thought… being alone, completely and utterly alone. No one to hear or witness what about to happen on this night… on this hill, in this burned and broken house. However, it was comforting in a way, lifted a weight off your chest. Nothing would be able to stop him now. 

Leaves crunched under your boots, contrasting the second they entered through the threshold of the damaged house. The clunking of boots against wooden floorboards quickly replaced the crushing of dry leaves as you walked… followed by a struggling, stubborn, broken man, wheezing and gasping for breath like an old man who just climbed a flight of stairs. “You sure you wanna do this?” You question. “Surely you are not stupid enough to ask me that again.” 

You huff and roll your eyes, stuffing your hands into your jeans pockets to keep them warm as you finally come to a stop. Refusing to look at the shattered, struggling man, you look up. 

Gold edges border a portrait. Black scorch marks from the fire that happened an unknown amount of years ago, damage the painting, blocking bits and pieces from your view. A family of four stare back at you… A man sitting in a chair with a blonde woman standing behind him, though her face was covered by ash and soot… And two young boys with light, silver hair… They looked quite similar, twins maybe? However, the way they held themselves made them look like complete opposites. 

Was one of them Vergil?

Speaking of… he hadn’t told you a thing of his past. You never bothered to ask either. It didn’t take a genius to know he wouldn’t open up to you. Maybe if you had gotten to know him a little better, he would have broken down at least one of his many walls he keeps up, offered you some insight into his mind, his past, his private life… 

However, you were just as stubborn as him. Why should he get to know anything about your past when he didn’t bother to share a lick of his own? Though, knowing him for what felt like a year, but in reality was a few more years than that… you did share a few little parts of your life. Accidentally of course, and you never went too in detail. It was just more than he had cared to tell you, that’s for sure. 

The long, drawn-out whistle of a blade being unsheathed pulls your attention back to the man beside you. The moonlight peering in through the broken door bounce off the clean, sharp metal of the Yamato, further illuminating the dark, charred foyer. 

“Leave now. I no longer need you.” 

He always did that. Spoke as if he were so high and mighty that he could say anything he wanted. Not that you cared, it was oddly refreshing. You liked how blunt and cruel he could be, how unforgiving and confident he was. Maybe because you had similar traits…

One of you— either of you, had to crack and open up first. You just hoped it would have been him. Too bad this was a goodbye. So many lost opportunities. 

“Oh, so you did need me.” You respond blankly, your eyes faintly giving away that you were only teasing — which Vergil caught, but anyone else would have thought you were pissed off. Admittedly you were, but you weren’t going to tell Vergil that — if he didn’t already know. You wouldn’t let him have the satisfaction of knowing he could get under your skin so easily.

It doesn’t matter, for he doesn’t bother answering, not that he needs too. Not even the shadows on his face can hide the annoyance in his eyes. Which is why you looked away, burning under his stone cold gaze as you averted your eyes back to the portrait. 

“I suggest you leave now, or you can serve under me for the rest of your worthless life.” You blinked, having not expected him to speak again. You had no idea how his somewhat-nasally voice could sound so threatening and intimidating, not that you were intimidated by any means. Though when you first met him it was a different story. 

You look back to him, biting the inside of your cheek when you realise he never once took his cold eyes off of you. The hood of his old, brown coat hid most of his face, the only indication that he was even looking at you was the moonlight catching on his blue, almost silver, iris’s as his head tilted in you direction ever so slightly. 

You didn’t want to leave. You were surprised he even let you come this far. While the two of you spend most of your time together in silence, it was undeniable that some kind of bond had formed. Just the fact that Vergil got your ass out of Hell with him, let you tag along this whole time, even let you step into the odd teleportation void he summoned with the Yamato after ripping that kids arm off… Yet here you were. Still at his side… Sadly this is where you part ways.

All you (and you assumed Vergil) knew, was that the Yamato could be used to separate man from devil. And that’s what Vergil was preparing to do. His human side was far too weak, causing him to crumble apart right in front of you. His skin was flaking and cracked. The only thing you feared was that a gust of wind would come along and turn him to dust.

He’s weak, he’s breaking, he’s dying… he needs to do this. “Alright. I’m going.” You sigh heavily, bringing a hand up and running it through your hair, a little hesitant to actually do as you say. You give him one last, lingering gaze, trying to spot any hesitation on his face, any sign of him maybe wanting you to stay, anything that might give away his composure and reputation to remain vigilant. However, he was just as hard to read as always.

Finally spinning on your heel and turning your back to him, your feet carry you to the front of the house, boots softly tapping against the wooden flooring with your light footfalls. With each step, it dawns on you that you will most likely never see him again, not in person anyway. You expect to maybe see him on the news within a couple hours. Though he probably wont look the same. 

You should be thankful to finally part ways with him. He’s a complete ass. A cold, stubborn, power-hungry, dick bag. Why would you want to stay with him any longer than you have too? Because he saved your life? Maybe… You cuss yourself for stopping. Just a few more steps and you’d never have to see him again. However, your feet stuck to the floor as if they were covered in glue. 

“Hey, Vergil…?” You bow your head as you speak, resting your hand against the doorframe, soot and ash staining your skin. You look over your shoulder. One corner of your lips tug upward slightly, head tilting to the side… you wait until his eyes slowly scan over the room before they fall on you. Piercing right into your very soul, it feels. So blue, almost a crystal-like silver. 

He’d at least be proud to know his eyes were intimidating. 

“Give me a five minute head start.” You all but wink, staying still a moment longer to watch for his reaction. 

Everything about you would indicate you were calm, fearless of what was about to come. The smirk on your lips and humour shining in your eyes convey that you were only joking… Though, you would like to get at least a few feet away before he… 

You had a vague idea as to what was about to happen, and you didn’t want to wait to meet the demon within… 

“Hm.” 

That’s all you receive from him. A hum, avoiding whether to agree or deny your request. 

You don’t bother asking him to elaborate, don’t bother waiting to see the outcome. Both would just be stupid, you’d probably end up dead or hurt. He didn’t have time to wait any longer, he was crumbling right before you. Maybe you were selfish to ask him for a head start, but you also needed to look out for your own skin. Couldn’t get torn to shreds by a demon simply because you were too slow. 

You are human, he is half devil. You are more than certain it was his human half that had kept you alive all this time. So whats to say his demonic side wont hesitate to strike you down the moment he lays eyes on you? 

With that in mind, you stuff your hands into your pockets, rubbing the soot between your fingertips as a reminder while your feet carry you further and further away from the house, from Vergil. The demon who saved your life and broke you out of Hell. 

Part 2 where V is bought into the equation? Let me know : )

[anneapocalypse]

Matt Hullum made the announcement in a journal entry today that Rooster Teeth is laying off 13% of its staff.

Variety has an article up about the downsizing, mostly the same info that's in Matt's journal, with a few other facts—notably to me, a mention of the fact that WarnerMedia (RT's parent company, all under the AT&T umbrella) also swallowed up and effectively killed the Machinima brand. In fact, it turns out a few Machinima properties were shuffled under the Rooster Teeth umbrella when that happened.

I was unfamiliar with Machinima the YouTube Channel and Machinima.com (as opposed to machinima, the medium) until Quinton Reviews did a Fallen Titans episode on it recently, and I'll admit I was kind of hoping he'd have more to say about Red vs. Blue as it's... really the only machinima work I care about, but his video was mainly about the Machinima brand. Still, it is informative if you, like me, know nothing about Machinima!

Anyway, from the second Variety article above, there's also this:

Warner Bros. acquired full control of Machinima in November 2016, and put Machinima under its Warner Bros. Digital Networks group. AT&T closed its $85 billion deal for Time Warner in June 2018 and since then has consolidated or killed off several digital businesses. Under AT&T’s ownership, WarnerMedia shut down FilmStruck, from Turner and Warner Bros. Digital Networks, and WBDN’s DramaFever. In addition, Turner shuttered its Super Deluxe studio.

Mm....hm.

Yeah, so AT&T seems to have an unsurprising pattern of acquiring and quietly destroying small web-based companies, particular those centering around streaming content for a somewhat niche audience.

I don't want to be a doomsayer, and it's not like I think Rooster Teeth is going to be shut down tomorrow. I do feel like this doesn't exactly bode well for the AT&T conglomerate's investment in this relatively small studio.

There are certainly other factors to be considered. Only a couple months ago Matt was responding to criticisms of Rooster Teeth related to crunch and their animation pipeline, and announcing that Gray Haddock would be stepping down as head of animation. Of course, downsizing the studio by more than 10% seems... not a strong step toward reducing crunch, unless they're drastically reducing or delaying content in kind.

In terms of content itself... this is purely speculation, but I do have some concern that gen:LOCK was not the hot property Rooster Teeth hoped it would be. I like gen:LOCK. I like it a lot, and hope we see many more seasons. But I don't exactly think it's taken off as the kind of viral hit RWBY has been for the company. gen:LOCK is a subscribers-only show. If you don't have a FIRST membership, you can't watch past the first episode... and that just might not be enough to get people hooked enough to subscribe.

Going back a little further, one of my personal favorite RT shows is the live-action apocalyptic drama Day 5. It's got high production value and some really excellent acting talent, both from Rooster Teeth regulars and outside names. It has a compelling story and great characters. And it barely has a fandom. The last post on /r/dayfive is two years old. The tumblr tags are barren. And good luck even finding a twitter hashtag. Day 5 has seven works on AO3. The show debuted three years ago.

Production was put on hold after season 2, while the show was syndicated on the El Rey network, and the episodes were temporarily removed from the Rooster Teeth site while it aired on El Rey (they're back now). But even while the show was airing, as a fan I found it was tough to find other people actively watching the show and talking about it, even among fellow Rooster Teeth fans. I didn't see gifsets pouring down my tumblr dash; I didn't see meta, or episode reaction posts.

I suppose I should've seen the writing on the wall, even then. Day 5 has not been cancelled as of now and I really hope we get a season 3, because I love the show. But I'll admit I am nervous for its future.

I bring up these examples because I think the subscribers-only content model is demonstrably not working for Rooster Teeth. And to be clear, this is not me saying that people shouldn't have to pay for things. I've had a Rooster Teeth subscription since it was called a "sponsorship" and being a sponsor meant getting episodes of Red vs. Blue a thrilling two hours ahead of the general public! And I've been lucky, because for all these years Rooster Teeth has had a policy of letting longtime subscribers be grandfathered in at their original price, which means I've been paying about a third of what an annual subscription now costs. Recently it was also announced that the grandfather policy would be coming to an end. I'm in no way surprised or angry; I figured this would happen eventually, and I sure enjoyed this gravy train while it lasted! What I will probably do, once my current pay period runs out, is subscribe month-to-month only when there's something airing that I really care about. I'm not even sure if that's going to be RvB when season 18 rolls around. (But if they announce season 3 of Day 5 I will be there with bells on.)

Anyway the upshot of all of this is:

A Rooster Teeth FIRST membership ain't as cheap as it once was.

One free episode tends not to be enough to get people hooked on a new property unless it's kickflip bananas amazing.

With fewer people watching a new property as it airs, and short seasonal runs (Day 5 had six episodes per season; gen:LOCK premiered with eight), there just isn't enough buzz to create a hit on the level of RWBY.

Without that buzz, you don't get the kind of FOMO atmosphere that the FIRST delay creates. When RT first went to the one week gap between subscribers and the public, fans were largely upset, on the grounds that this would divide the fandom and make it difficult for non-subscribers to interact with the fandom on the same level, cutting them off from discussions and general hype around each new episode. And they were right—that was the point. That's why it worked.

Day 5 and gen:LOCK are good shows. There are valid criticisms of both, of course, and both are niche genres that won't be for everyone, but they're by no means bad products. RWBY's first volume, by contrast, was messy, poorly-paced, and looked unfinished. It had charm, absolutely, but it was objectively a bad product and the show still managed to draw a huge audience in its first three volumes—because anyone could watch it. But if you subscribed, you could watch it first, and you could be one of the first to comment on it, make gifsets, theorize and speculate. You wouldn't miss out.

I mean I fully understand why Rooster Teeth didn't want to make an expensive live-action show and give it away for free. I do get that. Same with an expensive polished animated series featuring big-name voice actors. And I'm as sad as anyone to see that those shows haven't grabbed the kind of audience RWBY has.

But something's not working here, and I think the modest reception of their two most-hyped subscribers-only shows plus this layoff makes that clear. I don't know what the answer is. I wish there were an easy answer. There probably isn't.

I really do hope Rooster Teeth survives as a studio and is able to keep making cool, creative stuff. I've had plenty of criticisms of RT and their properties over the years, but at the end of the day I'm still a fan who's pulling for them. The pattern of global media conglomerates swallowing up and disappearing small, independent, web-based content makers doesn't exactly bode well, and that's... well, that's late capitalism for you. Still, I do hope they hold out for a while.

At least long enough to get us a third season of Day 5.

[master-thief-gray-shadow]

Night Run

Summary: Umi was willing to go to great lengths to make Nico happy, even if the price was somewhat high.

Notes: So because the Love Live Big Bang 2018 probably isn’t going to happen, I’m just going ahead and posting my fic. My partner, @bub-draws, should have some art for this sometime soon, so keep an eye out for that.

Supposedly, in one’s dying moments, one’s life would flash before their eyes. A dying person would have a chance to reflect on the life they lived before leaving it, to evaluate the choices they made before their immortal soul is plucked and hauled off for judgement. As her knees gave out from under her Umi was coming to realize just how true this was. The bitter cold had long since rendered her numb, and the way she was clutching the equally frigid package to her chest was not helping in the slightest. The world was shrouded in icy mist, she could barely see three feet in front of her in the snow, and all this only served as a grim reminder of her impending doom. Her impending failure. She could not fail this mission. She could not. Weakly she attempted to pick herself up, but it was to no avail. As she knelt in the howling wind and snow, a single thought broke through her consciousness. I’m sorry...Nico, I’m sorry…

RED ALERT: BLIZZARD WARNING, read the banner that flashed across the TV, interrupting whatever soap opera drama had been occurring. Umi, though, had been paying little attention. She glanced up upon hearing the emergency broadcast noise blare loudly, before shrugging and going right back to her book. It was 10 at night, it wasn’t like she was going outside anytime soon. Her plans for the evening were cuddling with her wife and nothing else, which she would get right onto once said wife returned from the kitchen. Umi had just gotten reabsorbed into her book again, back into a passage about rations in early polar expeditions, when she was pulled right back out of it by a cry of despair. A cry of despair that came from the kitchen.

Umi nearly threw the book as she leapt up from the warmth of the kotatsu and ran towards the kitchen. It was adjacent to the living room so perhaps it wasn’t a huge trip or anything, but she had no time to spare. Umi gasped as she was greeted by the sight of her wife, sprawled out on the kitchen floor, tears streaming from her eyes.

“Nico! Nico, are you alright?” Umi rushed over, a hand quickly moving to Nico’s protruding stomach, massaging gently. “Is...is the baby alright?”

Nico sniffled a little before looking up at Umi. “The baby’s okay,” She said through tears. As if on cue, Umi felt a small movement against her hand. A kick. Umi sighed in relief. “But I’m not.”

Umi’s concern returned as quickly as it had vanished. “Why, what’s wrong? Please, Nico, you’re scaring me.”

Nico hiccupped before reaching a hand up and pointing. Umi followed Nico’s finger to find...an empty ice cream carton? Jeez, rooting around for ice cream on a freezing cold night like this...Umi sighed. One would think Nico would be preoccupied with keeping warm, but pregnancy seemed to have a funny way of overriding common sense. “Are we out of Strawberry Supreme again?”

Nico nodded, her own hand now resting on her stomach. “She needs it Umi. She won’t let me sleep if she doesn’t get it.”

Umi glanced up at the window. The snow was falling quite heavily now, being outside was probably not ideal. But the convenience store was only at the end of the block...hm, an ice cream run couldn’t take more than ten minutes, maybe fifteen, tops. But a storm could brew in as little as five… Umi looked back down at Nico, who was now gazing up at her with big, watery eyes. Oh gods. Umi’s lip began to tremble as she glanced between the window and Nico, and soon she felt her love for her wife overtaking whatever self preservation instincts she had left. Umi sighed in defeat before leaning down and placing a soft kiss on Nico’s lips. Nico kissed back just as gently.

“Alright. I’ll get you that ice cream,” She said as she broke the kiss. “But you have to promise me you’ll get off the floor and get nice and comfortable under the kotatsu, okay?”

Nico smiled up at her. “Mmmm...I guess I could do that.” Nico reached up and pulled Umi down for another kiss, this one a little more passionate. Before things could get too heated Umi pulled away, called by a sense of duty. She grabbed Nico below her shoulders, helping her to her feet. It turned out it was a little difficult to pick oneself off the floor when pregnant, especially considering how Nico’s small frame was so strained by the baby growing inside her. When they were finally both upright Nico turned around to place one final kiss on Umi’s lips. “Don’t take too long,” She said as Umi went to grab her coat.

“I won’t, don’t worry,” Umi said reassuringly, wrapping her scarf around her neck. She placed her hat on her head as she opened the front door ever so slightly. “I’ll be back soon, I promise.”

Oh for heaven’s sake, it was utterly freezing. Umi’s teeth chattered as she wrapped her arms around herself in a desperate attempt to preserve some warmth. At least the wind was blowing against her back and not her face, especially since the snow seemed to be getting heavier. Umi gave a long exhale, her breath turning white and curling around her head like smoke as she plodded forward. She could just barely see the sign hanging down from the front of the convenience store, and she zeroed in on it.

Crunch. Crunch. The sound the snow made beneath her boots was crisp as she finally approached the store. At last, at last she was free from the howling wind and blood-freezing cold. Umi heaved the door open, the bell attached to it tinkling. The middle-aged clerk did not look up from his magazine as Umi closed the door behind her, but it was clear he didn’t need to.

“Wife needs ice cream again?” He said, nose still buried in the magazine. Something about modified cars.

“Do I really do this that often?” Umi said as she made her way to the freezer. She scanned the shelves for the thing she came all the way here in increasingly heavy snow for. All for Nico. Umi smiled a little. The things she went through for her wife…

“Yeah, but even on a night like tonight?”

“The baby was kicking, she said she might not be able to sleep.” Triple Moose Tracks, Lemon Sunshine…Umi scanned each flavor as she searched the freezer shelves, finally letting out a small ‘ah!’ upon finding it. Strawberry Supreme. Umi had tried it once out of curiosity and found it to be nauseatingly sweet, but Nico always seemed to be inhaling the stuff even before she was pregnant. She opened the freezer and grabbed the carton before walking over to pay for it.

The clerk chuckled as he finally looked up from his magazine. “That’s dedication,” He said as he rung her up. “You’re even dedicated enough to go home in that.”

“I’m not worried, the trip here was…” Umi’s words died in her throat as she looked toward the window. If what she walked her in had been wading a mile in waist-high water, this was going to be swimming a mile in the open ocean. “...nothing.” Outside was a full-force blizzard, plastering snow against the windows, massive sized flakes swirling violently in the unruly wind. Umi approached the window, leaning in and placing a hand above her eyes to allow herself to look outward. Barely anything could be seen in the night, the snow and darkness rendering no visibility at all. The only things that could be seen was the fuzzy glow of a few odd streetlamps, their light the only thing interrupting the darkness.

“Are you gonna be okay?” The clerk seemed genuinely concerned. Umi walked back over to the counter, quickly paying before grabbing the ice cream.

“I have to be,” She said. “I need to get home.

Umi did not regret leaving the warmth and comfort of her home all for Nico’s sake. Even as the wind howled and the snow stung and her extremities grew increasingly numb. All that did was embolden her conviction, remind her that she had to get home. She had to. Nico was waiting for her. She had to. Against the icy wind she walked, even as the snow piled on the sidewalk and impeded her progress. The parts of her legs that weren’t frozen solid were screaming, and her grip on the ice cream was doing little to help her stave off the cold. In fact it was probably doing the opposite. And yet she pushed forward.

Umi lifted an arm to shield her face from the stinging wind. What horrible timing. Perhaps if she’d hurried on her way to the store she would have been able to get home without facing the full fury of the storm. Maybe by now she would be holding Nico in her arms and feeding her the ice cream straight from the carton, wrapped in a warm blanket under the kotatsu. Umi scowled. It was too late for regrets now, and all she could do was move forward. Problem was, it was difficult to measure how much more forward she would need to move. She glanced behind her to see that the lights from the convenience store were only barely visible in the storm. Difficult to measure how far she’d gone, too.

Umi forged ahead. It was only a few minutes, but it felt like hours. Umi’s breath came out in great white puffs, her chest heaving with the effort. Her fingers, her toes, the parts of her face that she had bared to the cold, they were numb. Umi blinked once, feeling a sense of fatigue overcome her. She wanted to be home. She wanted to be with Nico, and she was getting there, but she was running out of strength. Her vision was growing blurry, and perhaps this time it wasn’t because the snow was obscuring it. Could she make it back? Or was she a walking corpse on a doomed quest? She plodded forward slowly on shaky legs, hoping and praying that they would stay steady. But as the cold surrounded her, even they gave way.

Umi found herself on her knees, wondering if she was going to die, and her only thoughts were on her wife. Her wife, who was carrying her child, who she had gone out on this whole crazy mission for. Who needed that ice cream to sleep soundly. Umi shivered as she knelt in the snow. I’m sorry...Nico, I’m sorry…

Wait. Umi squinted, as if to keep her vision from tricking her. Was that something in front of her? Drawing on what little strength she had left, Umi hoisted herself to her feet. She took a few shaky steps forward, ignoring the ache and numbness that now seemed to permeate her entire body. Slowly but surely she approached. Her eyes widened as she realized what she was seeing.

A stairwell. The stairwell to her apartment building. She was home.

Umi’s strength seemed to renew itself as she began to climb the stairs, and the slight shelter from the harshness of the storm certainly helped. Even as she was borderline out of breath she climbed, she climbed and climbed, until finally, she reached the right floor. The final stretch. She only had to brave this storm a little longer before she would see Nico again. With purpose she strode across the balcony and finally, finally reached the door. Nico was just on the other side.

With a still somewhat numb hand she fumbled around for her key. She was shaking so much that it took a few tries for her to get it into the lock, but she managed to do it. There was no bitter cold as she closed the door behind her. It was only slightly cool. But she was fine with that. It was better than being outside. She could hear the TV playing quietly. Seemed that soap opera was still on. Umi smiled. “Nico, I’m home.”

There was no answer. Umi shrugged before beginning to shed her layers, her hat, her scarf, her coat. She felt a slight chill as they came off but she knew it wouldn’t last long. She’d be warm soon. After finally removing her snowy shoes she tiptoed down the hall, the ice cream still in her arms. The sight that greeted her drew out a small sigh.

It seemed that at some point Nico had indeed made herself very comfortable, having wrapped herself in a blanket and crawled under the kotatsu. Perhaps she had made herself too comfy, because now she seemed to be sleeping very peacefully. Umi sighed again and shook her head.

“At least you kept your end of the deal,” She said to herself as she went to put the ice cream away. The moment her hands were empty she made her way back to the den, crawling first under the blanket and then under the kotatsu, pressing herself close to Nico. Umi gazed down at Nico’s sleeping face, noting the soft noises she would make with every exhale, the little puddle forming under her mouth. Umi smiled as she cuddled up to her wife, placing a gentle kiss on her cheek. She swore she saw Nico smile in her sleep in response.

“I love you so much,” Umi said softly, before finally giving into her own exhaustion.

[maychorian]

Weekly Voltron Fic Recs #55

Merry Christmas! For some reason I thought I already did list 55, but when I looked back at my tags I hadn’t yet. So yeah, this one is extra long, but that’s all to the good, hopefully.

Rules: You can find past weekly rec lists here, and non-list recs in my general fic rec tag. Also follow @maychorianrecs for individually tagged posts, the easier to search and reblog. This is stuff I like, and I have a huge bias toward Lance, hurt/comfort, and general fluff, in that order. Gen unless otherwise noted. Please comment on the fics if you read and enjoy them!

Paper Patience by isabeau25 Words: 1,483 Author’s Summary: Someone is making paper flowers for Pidge, and it takes her a while to figure out why. *Takes place during the beginning of season 3, while Shiro is still missing.* My Comments: Sweet and lovely. Pidge’s frustration and fear is understandable, and it’s very kind of her teammate to make this effort to soothe her.

Space Jellybeans by YukiSetsu Words: 2,274 Author’s Summary: Lance has trouble sleeping and seeks out help from Coran. He gets something to help him sleep, but his body reacts negatively, leaving Lance with little time to get help before it got worse. My Comments: Another great whumpfic. I’m getting so spoiled this Christmas season.

No Place Like Home For the Holidays (But Sometimes Home Isn’t a Place)by WildWolf25 Words: 7,329 Author’s Summary: After a rough battle, Team Voltron decides to set down on a safe, deserted planet to rest and let the castle’s defenses recover. And if that planet happens to be covered in snow, well, there’s no harm in having a little winter fun while they’re at it. (Written for Lórien for the Voltron Secret Santa event on tumblr. Happy holidays!) My Comments: Cute, cuddly winter vacation with Team Voltron, including snow fights, ugly sweaters, and a cuddle pile under the stars. Implied Polydins but reads as gen.

for lack of advice columnists by againstmygreeleaf Words: 5,798 Author’s Summary: Hunk isn’t sure when he noticed the rock, doesn’t recall noticing it at all. The rock is within reach and his bayard isn’t. My Comments: Fantastic Hunk whump, and fantastic exploration of the consequences of war and how that affects Hunk in particular. I loved the team taking care of Hunk, all in their own ways.

Keith’s ‘Physical Contact’ Initiation Program by alisayamin (sh_04e) Words: 26,522 Author’s Summary: Keith didn’t move and neither did Pidge. It was a little awkward until Keith finally said, “Maybe we could officially officiate this..?” “What do you mean?” “Fist me.” Pidge recoiled and sputtered, “Keith, what the f-” She was cut off by Shiro’s bellowing laughter from the observatory deck.With his straight face unchanged, Keith lowered his left hand with the stopwatch and lifted his right hand, fisted. Pidge actually sighed with so much relief, “OH. You mean fistbump! Right.” She slapped her forehead to remove the very very wrong image her imagination drew for her, “Holy shit, Keith, we need to work on that but yeah sure, I’d be honoured to officiate your physical contact program whatever.” Or That one time Coran realized Keith was too distant and decided to make him undergo the 'Physical Contact’ Initiation Program which then led to –> 5 times the paladins realized Keith was an actual cat. My Comments: A little over the top and a touch OOC, but if you’re in the mood for paladin cuddle puddles and platonic cuddling and hugs and affectionate touches and all that good stuff, this is very much the fic for you. It’s incredibly indulgent and cuddly and really scratches that itch. Mentions of past child abuse.

Flu Season by YukiSetsu Words: 2,099 Author’s Summary: Lance comes down with the flu before a mission. And although he tries to ignore it to do his job, it turns out to be a bad idea once things take a turn for the worst. My Comments: Delightful sickfic plus whump. Poor Lance, lucky us.

Hippo You’d Better Come Home by pinstripedJackalope Words: 3,847 Author’s Summary: What if Keith had a little stuffed hippo hidden in one of the pouches on his belt, you ask? This is your answer. My Comments: This is absolutely adorable. Keith’s generosity bites him, a little bit, but it was so cute to see the whole team appreciating his precious hippo, and the ending was lovely.

Little Princess by Eastofthemoon Words: 7,488 Author’s Summary: “It was that weird bracelet,” Lance snapped as he struggled to keep his voice down. “I found it on the shelf, handed it to Allura because it was sparkly and I know she likes that stuff, she puts it on,” he pointed to her with his thumb, “and wham! Next thing we knew she was a kid!” “I still find it weird the clothes shrunk with her,” Pidge whispered. “Pidge, that’s the least of our concerns right now,” Hunk stammered as he cupped a hand over his mouth. My Comments: Wonderful deaged Allura with tea parties, makeovers, and various messes. I loved how much Lance and Hunk got into it, with the other paladins dragged into things with varying degrees of acceptance, and poor Coran’s heart got a bit of a workout. So good.

Varadero by 5557 Words: 2,109 Author’s Summary: While on Vacation at Varadero beach, a restless Lance cannot sit still and sleep when all the adults are away and having fun. Something is out there, calling to him. And it might just be worth the trouble. My Comments: Beautiful, vivid and lush, this story transported me back to the joy and curiosity of childhood. Lance is a cutie pie, as always.

Stranger Danger by YukiSetsu Words: 2,768 Author’s Summary: Lance makes a new friend at the school pool, and the others feel something is… off. And although Lance initially brushes off the warnings, even he starts to notice that his friend might be a bit more dangerous than he expected. But by then, it’s a bit too late. My Comments: Dramatic without being cheesy and whumpy without being unbelievable, just the right mix for me. Naive Lance and protective-everyone-else is my jam.

Coming Home by Vialana Words: 4,211 Author’s Summary: After the battle, Keith needs to decompress. So do the other paladins. My Comments: Absolutely beautiful. I loved the way every teammate checked on Keith, all of the hugs and cuddling and touches were just lovely and wonderful. And the tears, too. Very warm and soft and healing. I love this a lot.

Slippery Steps And Broken Cups by YukiSetsu Words: 2,062 Author’s Summary: Modern College AU. Lance had been busy planning a big Christmas party with Hunk, Shiro, Pidge, and Keith, only to go missing on the special day. Keith goes to check in on him, and ends up having to deal with way more than he expected. My Comments: Dizzy Lance with a high fever and somewhat grumpy but concerned Keith. Absolutely delightful.

déjà vu by mangotangerine Words: 3,501 Author’s Summary: Team Voltron finds themselves trying to convince a previously unknown planet to join the Coalition but they’re having trouble - these new aliens won’t do anything unless their God ordains it. Enter Lance, who knows a bit more than he’s supposed to and doesn’t know why. My Comments: Interesting little Star Trek fusion (no knowledge of Star Trek is necessary). I really enjoyed the mystery, and I would love to read something much longer with this concept.

Ghosts of Christmas Past by Swump (Zelan) Words: 1,841 Author’s Summary: Pidge crash-lands in the middle of a blizzard, where the others can’t get to her, and must fend for herself until help arrives. My Comments: Great whump, great Hunk and Pidge at the end.

Below Freezing by YukiSetsu Words: 2,495 Author’s Summary: The Blue Lion crash lands on a planet with extremely cold temperatures, leaving the team in a race against time to get Lance out alive. Shiro risks going down before the snowstorm subsides to get to Lance faster, but even he can only hold out for so long. My Comments: This fic REALLY hit the sweet spot for me. Lance with hypothermia, Shiro huddling for warmth with him, and just a touch of angst. Perfection.

Taste of Home by umbraja Words: 2,402 Author’s Summary: “I don’t know, Lance. I think Pidge is right. Waffles are superior to pancakes,” Hunk’s gentle voice drifted through the door. “Traitor! How could you say that? And after having my abuela’s pancakes,” Lance gasped dramatically. Hunk started to reply but Pidge cut him off, “Because pancakes are just flat disks of cooked batter no matter who does the cooking while Waffles are a masterpiece of culinary engineering with built in pockets for holding syrup and a crisp shell for the perfect crunch. It’s just a superior design, Lance.” The Paladins are all homesick and banter about missed food puts Keith in a talking mood, even if it’s just to Shiro. Somewhat of a character study. Or - I might have grown up on a farm in the Panhandle (that’s north Texas, btw) and every now ‘n’ then I get a mite nostalgic. My Comments: Warm, soft, and melancholy. I love how Shiro draws Keith out to reminisce about things long gone, and Allura was a sweetheart, too, surrounded by homesick paladins and trying her best to understand.

a grass in the beginning by coyotesuspect Words: 5,308 Author’s Summary: Pidge starts a garden on the Castle of Lions. Or: seven conversations Pidge has while standing next to a tree. My Comments: Lovely, rich, and touching fic. All of Pidge’s conversations with the others are just right, and the descriptions are vivid and entrancing. This was relaxing and warming to read.

Eat In Moderation, Kids by YukiSetsu Words: 2,013 Author’s Summary: Lance loves Hunk’s food, and for good reason. But when one Christmas cookie baking session gets out of hand, Lance bites off more than he can chew and his stomach suffers the consequences. Luckily, he doesn’t have to deal with it alone. My Comments: Sometimes it nice to have a problem that’s not that big of a deal, but everyone pitches in to help, anyway.

Rational Paranoia by TheQueen Words: 1,886 Author’s Summary: A story of Lance and Pidge, crashed on a hostile planet, waiting. My Starboy: A Lance Zine piece My Comments: Painful, but very well-written. I hope they get rescued soon. Tagged as possible romance but reads platonic to me.

Even Space Can Be Warmed Up By Christmas by YukiSetsu Words: 2,391 Author’s Summary: Lance leads preparations for a Christmas celebration on the Castle, only to be sidetracked by a bad fever on the big day. Nevertheless, he wants to continue with the party. My Comments: This has just about everything I love, fluff and team bonding and Lance getting sick and being cared for and loved. So very heartwarming. It was like drinking hot chocolate.

Learning Curve by psyraah Words: 2,498 Author’s Summary: The Galaxy Garrison has a name for training some of the best and the brightest. It’s rough, tough, and many would agree not an all together pleasant experience. Lance, Katie, and Hunk can all attest to that. The Paladins of Voltron are legendary, unmatched in their intellect and fighting prowess, and the only hope against the Galra Empire. Everything the Garrison should have trained them for. But Lance, Pidge, and Hunk know that there’s something that the Garrison didn’t teach them, something that took being light years from home for the three of them to understand: Heart. My Comments: Wonderful character study of Hunk, Pidge, and Lance and how they handle failure both at the Garrison in the past and now as part of the Voltron team. It’s great to see how much they’ve grown. And how much they trust each other.

What Keeps Him Whole by LightPinkTheColorOfMyAura Words: 6,398 Author’s Summary: Lance struggles in space. He knows that he is doing good by being part of the Voltron team, but everything is just constantly moving, difficult, and unrelenting. He’s tired. He doesn’t know what’s keeping him going anymore. My Comments: A little over the top and the writing’s a little rough, but this is a great scenario for Lance angst with lovely team comfort. Klance.

Five Stages of Grief by Sandyclaws68 Words: 5,058 Author’s Summary: There are five stages to the grieving process, but when you’re consistently lied to about your brothers’ “deaths” you might just get stuck in anger. My Comments: Great characterization and plot, and I loved the relationship between Pidge and Keith and Pidge and her mom.

Detonate by IcyPanther for heyheroics Words: 9,824 Author’s Summary: “Keith, please,” Lance pleaded, voice breaking. “They can’t lose you too.” / A routine mission takes a deadly turn. There are but literal ticks counting down until the end and Keith has a decision to make: leave Lance behind so he can escape or go down with him? It’s a good thing Keith is so stubborn. / Gen fic, Langst, whump My Comments: Excellent scenario, excellent whump, excellent protective Keith, excellent platonic Keith and Lance, it’s just all good. This one really kept me on the edge of my seat.

The Sound of Family by Anonymous Words: 8,623 Author’s Summary: As Keith swung the weapon in his hand, which he quickly realised was a bayard, it transformed. But instead of the usual comfortable weight of a blade, he felt the weapon tip forward, completely unbalanced. He made a noise of surprise, only to notice this voice was too high-pitched, too smooth to be his own. He looked down and saw blue armour instead of his black suit and in his right hand was a red rifle. “Keith?” he heard his own voice say. The figure tried to crouch but fell down with a grunt. “Keith, buddy, is that you?” His vision refocused and when he was able to see clearly again, he found himself gazing into his own… eyes? “Who are you?” he demanded. [When Keith and Lance accidentally swap bodies, hidden scars and wounds, both literal and metaphorical, are revealed and the two boys realise that there are some things that really shouldn’t be avoided any longer.] My Comments: I’d never thought about the fact that if a body swap happened, the brain chemistry would stay with the brain, not the mind. So what if there was a body swap and one of the bodies had depression? Great concept, explored very well. I love Keith and Lance’s mutual comfort and protectiveness. It was a fun scenario and a sweet fic. Ambiguous Klance, can be read as gen. Mentions of past child abuse.

each a perfect porcelain doll by panaili Words: 42,634 Author’s Summary: A new mission presents Team Voltron with the opportunity to get important information about Galra movements. Unfortunately, in order to successfully pull it off, Allura needs to be in two places at once: both shape-shifting to sneak into an alien server room and acting diplomatically as the Princess of Altea. Luckily, even though she is only one able to pull off the shape-shifting infiltration, disguising one of the paladins as the Altean princess should be much easier. [Set Season 2 at some point maybe] My Comments: This is everything I could have wanted from the premise of Pidge dressing up like Allura to fool an alien race. There’s bonding, fluff, whump, hurt/comfort, great action scenes and thrilling rescues, and, of course, Disney movies. This one grabbed me from the beginning and pulled me right along, and I loved it.

Earth, Meet Voltron by Gods_Writing_Fan Words: 2,181 Author’s Summary: What happens when the paladins try to warn Earth of an incoming attack? They freak out the entire population! Also, Lance gets to see his family again. My Comments: Packed full of emotion in not many words. I hope Lance gets to see his mom like this someday and give her a big hug and explain what he’s been up to.

What Not to Do in Chemistry Lab by Engineer104 Words: 2,458 Author’s Summary: Hunk’s to-do list for this semester consists of only one thing: making sure Lance doesn’t kill himself - and Hunk - in lab…and passes organic chemistry My Comments: Fluffy little modern AU in which Hunk is both amused and horrified by Lance’s shenanigans and Pidge mostly snarks from the side. Some hints of background romance of the college hookup variety, but the relationships on page are gen.

Interlude by LittleWhiteTie Words: 4,123 Author’s Summary: “Where are you going?” Keith asks, just barely catching Shiro before he collapses. “My room, or just… not here. Please.” Shiro should probably stay here in the infirmary where he can be monitored, but his eyes are pleading. “Alright,” Keith concedes. “But I’m not leaving you alone.” – In which Keith takes care of Shiro after The Journey. My Comments: So soft and indulgent and comforting to read, ahh, I love it, and something like this DEFINITELY happened in the gap between those episodes. Tagged as either romantic or platonic, but it did not ping me as romantic at all, just very intimate and brotherly.

Blood Brother, Space Brother by wingedflower Words: 4,826 Author’s Summary: (taking place around mid-season 4) Pidge has finally found her brother and Lance was happy for her, he truly was. But after filling the role of her big brother for so long, he couldn’t help but feel like he was… left out. My Comments: This fic literally made me cry, which is exceedingly rare. Lance’s feelings of loneliness and loss were so vivid that I felt them in my stomach as well as my chest. It’s all resolved beautifully, but yeah. Wow. This hit my buttons super hard. Going into my personal favorites.

Daily Interlude by Vialana Words: 1,540 Author’s Summary: “I need a hug.” Keith paused, spoonful of goo halfway to his mouth, and stared at Pidge. My Comments: Very cute and funny, with a touch of sweetness. Tagged Klance, but can be read as gen.

Previously Recced Fics That Updated:

Little Crystals (13555 words) As Color Fades Away (237268 words) The Purity of Sin (41134 words) Back from the Edge (5074 words) Taking One For The Team (38446 words)

[mon-qi]

tagged

tagged be @literalliterature yo thank!

this is long so have a cut

1. Are you named after someone?

I don’t know but I highly doubt it.

2. When was the last time you cried?

uhm... I actually don’t remember but I’m pretty sure it was a few weeks ago, listening to music bc it draws out all the emotions of awkward me haha.

3. Do you like your handwriting?

Yes. I don’t usually think about it and it’s not super memorable or gorgeous or anything but I do think it is very clear and legible and somewhat nice to look at.

4. What is your favorite lunch meat?

uh, chicken or poultry breast or roast. Despite being german I’m not super fond of sausage.

5. Do you have kids?

kids shouldn’t have kids so haha no.

6. If you were another person, would you be friends with you?

I think so!

7. Do you use sarcasm?

Yes... and no. I have a love-hate relationship with sarcasm (I like it in theory but it muddies communication and I’m kinda obsessed with clear communication) and I think I’m restraining/phasing it out more and more but I am quite the natural snarker sometimes.

8. Do you still have your tonsils?

Yeah.

9. Would you bungee jump?

NO which is kinda weird bc I’m all about thrilly stuff like that but just thinking about how it would stretch and pop my back gives me shivers. Let me skydive instead!

10. What is your favorite kind of cereal?

I like it in theory but hardly ever buy or even eat it. I loved some of it as a kid though!

11. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?

Don’t got time for that shit, I wear my shoes pretty loosely.

12. Do you think you’re a strong person?

Mentally?I don’t know if I seem like it at all, but overall... yes. Maybe? All things considered, I think so. Don’t ask me that when I’m in a mental pit though. Physically I guess it’s so-so. I’m definitely stronger than most other people of my height, but considering my build, I guess I am not as strong as you’d assume haha. It’s funny bc how OTHERS see my strength depends on what I wear l-lol.

13. What is your favorite ice cream?

Pistacchio maybe? I love all ice cream.

14. What is the first thing you notice about people?

I don’t think there’s a set thing. I think their overall features and shape? I think I automatically break down their shapes like I would for a drawing.

15. What is the least favorite physical thing you like about yourself?

My hair and skin. :( there’s a good base but then there’s some flaws which just ruin the whole thing haha

16. What color pants and shoes are you wearing now?

What barbarians wear shoes inside the house? Definitely not me. Pants are reddish.

17. What are you listening to right now?

my own typing bc I forgot to put on music, but that reminds me I got a few new songs, thanks! (so now it is Roots bc Alice Merton)

18. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?

Yellow, without a doubt.

19. Favorite smell?

The smells of May. Orange? And gross pool chlorine and fries. :D

20. Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone?

Idk I hardly ever use my phone haha.

21. Favorite sport to watch?

I don’t watch sports generally except for some soccer matches during the world cup when my country plays (yeah I’m that kinda person lol), otherwise I find most sports pretty boring to watch actually :,) Thinking about it, I really enjoy watching videos of people dancing though (especially expressive dance??), so maybe that? I don’t think I could sit through an hour or so of that though. Diving is also really cool to watch.

22. Hair color?

I’m gonna be fancy and call it honey bc it really varies in hue and darkness depending on the light haha.

23. Eye color?

Some mush I actually really like.

24. Do you wear contacts?

No, thankfully I have great eyesight.

25. Favorite food to eat?

Curries and BBQed meat/poultry/fish I guess.

26. Scary movies or comedy?

I guess comedy in general but many comedies aren’t really that funny. Scary movies that are so bad that they pass as comedy? Though those are rare (recommendations welcome).

27. Last movie you watched?

Ponyo!

28. What color of shirt are you wearing?

Black.

29. Summer or winter?

I really love both for their opposite appeals!

30. Hugs or kisses?

HUGS!

31. What book are you currently reading?

None, too busy gaming. My next one would be Fool’s Errand though.

32. Who do you miss right now?

No one in particular, but always my friends. Also my grandma and an ex coworker.

33. What is on your mouse pad?

I don’t use mouse pads.

34. What is the last TV program you watched?

Steven Universe!

35. What is the best sound?

Birdsong. The crunch of snow under your feet. Splashing water and outdoor pool noises.

36. Rolling Stones or The Beatles?

Neutral. Maybe the Beatles bc I can think of more songs by them but shrug.

37. What is the furthest you have ever traveled?

Not far enough, never far enough.

38. Do you have a special talent?

I like to think I have a lot but the one that always comes to mind first is my wiggly toes. No really, you should see them in action!!

39. Where were you born?

My parents claim they found me somewhere so who knows!

tagging whoever wants to be tagged? @bill-door are you game?