#intro to ao3

[rynrising44]

Some fanfiction tips and tricks:

Hi hello how are you- I've been writing a lot of fanfiction recently (shocker) and wanted to make a little list of helpful tips when it comes to formatting and getting thoughts in order. I still fall prey to many of these errors and see a lot of them out there on AO3, which stifles a good chunk of fics that readers, especially English only speakers, ultimately lose interest in/are unfamiliar with.

NOT HARD AND FAST RULES. Just what I've noticed throughout my process.

English speakers/ writers use quotation marks in their writing. They look like this: "I can't believe you've done this!" she screamed. Using << I can't believe you've done this! >> she screamed, OR 'I can't believe you've done this!' she screamed when writing in English are foreign to most readers. If you're having trouble reaching audiences and are using one of the two formats above, it's probably because of the way your dialogue is written.

NOTE: if you are writing in another language which uses <<+>> or '+' keep using those formats. This only applies if you're writing in one language but keeping the structure of another.

You don't have to say, 'he said,' or 'she said,' after every line of spoken dialogue. Have fun with it and go back and forth! Here is an example in present tense:

"You're about to get sacked after being shot by Russian sleeper agents and stealing a helicopter," he says with bad taste. "How does that make you feel?" "Getting shot? Or getting fired?" Mackey asks. "Getting shot and then getting fired." "Seriously?" "Just... taking the piss, alright?" Mackey doesn't bother replying.

Epithets are not your friend. Do not use them. Get in the heads of your characters! Would the wife of your main character refer to him as 'the taller man' or 'the blonde?' NO! We refer to others by their name, nicknames, and pet phrases (don't overuse the pet names though).

Read books! The best way to learn how to write is to read. This will really help you understand the way sentences flow and how to end/begin sentences.

The quotations go outside the period. "Like this."

Pick a tense and stay with it. Don't go back and forth between 'said, went, replied,' and 'says, goes, replies.' This is a mistake I see people do a lot, especially when first starting out.

When tagging your fics, don't use tags like "Bad at tagging" or "This is garbage I don't know what I'm doing." That is YOUR WORK. Your fic is yours and you should be proud of it. If you don't stand by your creativity and ideas, then why should anyone else?

One shot collections should be in a series. NOT in a multi-chaptered fic. Unless they are complete, in the same universe, and follow a timeline, try to post them individually. That way, if someone likes one but not the other, you aren't screwing yourself over.

Use your summaries wisely. Quotes, action scenes, and eye-catching statements will draw a reader in. (Please don't say something like "Bad at tagging and summaries.")

Write what you want to read. Not what others want to read. If you love writing rare-pair F/F fanfiction with established relationships, DO THAT. (Shameless plug there.) Don't go chasing pairings and tropes that you hate just for views/kudos. The good feelings will not last, and you will pigeonhole yourself into things you don't like. (want proof. Try it out and see what happens.)

Get involved in the fandoms you write for. Comment on other author's works, especially if the fandom is small. Chances are, they will click on your fic, read it, and share it with others. Also, you can yell at one another and keyboard smash all day long.

Give each other shout outs on Tumblr.

The summary section for your fics is NOT where you put things like 'taking requests. give me a request. please comment fic recs.' Save that for Tumblr/ Twitter (rolls eyes, 'X') and Wattpad. AO3 is for stories, not algorithms. If you really feel the need, include it in your profile.

WRITE SOMETHING IN YOUR PROFILE. People love personalization. Also, you can give blanket statements about your rules on gifts, inspirational works, and other things.

Do not overtag your works if those tags do not apply. Writing 50+ tags for a 1k fic is a little head-scratching. Focus on the main ships only and the top relevant categories (and any triggers, oc). If it's a 1k fic, people will honestly just get annoyed at seeing all the space taking up their AO3 pages. (I say this with love. We all remember that one 'Untamed fic.')

Don't like. Don't read. Don't bash. Don't be cruel.

Do. Not. Hate. Fics. Publicly. On. Tiktok. Or I swear to the gods I will hunt you down and skin you alive. Save your scathing reviews for private messages and private DMs on Discord. Fanfiction is free and authors don't owe you anything. (YES! This includes drabbles. And incest. And any/all of the clerical errors I have already discussed above.)

Also, comment on older fics.

Comment on all fics, actually.

Also, read WIPs. If you want fanfiction to continue and you want longer works, support the authors that write those works. Don't be greedy and entitled by closing up your mind. If you want to read complete works only, that's your right. But you don't have to brag about it/ moan about not having anything good in your fandom of choice when you refuse to keep an open mind to like, half of the fics on there. (This is not a statement about my works, btw. I have a little group that comments/I know is aware and interested in some of my stuff. This is more for the general public.)

Kudos aren't limited. No one tracks them. Literally no one cares what you like. If you're worried or embarrassed about something you like that's between you and god only, private bookmark it. But kudos everything you like/re-read because if you don't, the author probably assumes you didn't like their work and that will make them sad.

AI is not art and you should never use it. Not even to help you come up with ideas. You're better than that, okay? And if I see/read an AI work on AO3 I will block you and mute all your works ASAP without a second thought.

There are definitely so many other things that come to mind when thinking about AO3 and writing in general, but I feel like this is a good place to stop. Again, not trying to step on any one's toes. Heaven knows I use purple prose and commas and the words 'and/ gods/ absolutely not' like they're candy. But I'm also aware that I am doing so and being aware of my habits and tendencies make all the difference.

(The writers curse does exist btw apologies in advance, but your life will probably go through changes the instant you press that 'post' button.)

[reinanova]

so you're new to ao3

and want to learn how to find and filter fics. then boy oh boy is this post for you

(this is going to be a Long post so I'm adding a read more break now)

but where to begin? i personally like to search by fandom or by ship. there are two ways to go about this:

search the fandom, then click on the first link for the fandom you find:

2. click on fandoms in the upper left corner and find your fandom in the giant list of fandoms

(Same concept applies for searching for a specific ship)

Great! now you're in the search results of all the works in that fandom! I'm now going to introduce you to your new favorite button: Filters

When you click on the filters button, the filters menu pops up. There are two main ways to filter works: including tags and excluding tags.

the Include Filter

before we begin: keep in mind that ao3 shows you the most popular tags under each filter. if what you're looking for isn't listed, you can use the search boxes under each filter category to find what you want

Ratings and Warnings

If you want to read a fic with a specific rating or a specific warning, this is where you select that. I personally prefer to use the exclude filter to filter out the ratings/warnings I don't want, but that's up to you. (Notice how you can only pick one rating: if you want to only read one rating, this is great for you. if you want to read anything except a certain rating, that's when exclude is your friend)

Categories and Fandoms

This is great if you want to read a specific slash or a crossover with a specific fandom. (I personally don't use these filters)

Characters and Relationships

this is the good stuff. here is where you can pick the relationship(s) you want to see. If you select more than one, you will only see results that include all of the selected options. The relationships filter is my favorite include filter--utilize it!!

Additional Tags and Other tags to include

want to read fluff? hurt/comfort? this is where you go. If the tag you're looking for isn't on the list under Additional Tags, you can search for the tag you want. ao3 will start to suggest tags, so you can select what you want from that list.

we have now reached my favorite part of the ao3 filtering system:

the Exclude Filter

ao3 operates on a don't like, don't read principle. the exclude filters exist for a reason: USE THEM!!!! i love the exclude filters and use them for every single search

Ratings, Warnings, Categories, and Fandoms

This seems pretty self-explanatory. Let's say you don't want to read fics that are not rated and fics that are tagged as major character death, but every other rating or warning is fair game. Boom, you've excluded them from the search results.

Characters and Relationships

Don't want to read a fic with a certain character or ship? You can get rid of all of them from the search results. For example, if you don't want to read any /Reader fics, you can filter those out here

Additional Tags and Other tags to exclude

Anything else you don't want to read about? maybe it's something that is a trigger for you, or something you just aren't into. Maybe there are specific relationships not listed under the relationship filter that you want to exclude. you can exclude those tags here. The exclude tag search feature is great for this.

More Options

there are some more ways to filter fics, including crossover status, completion status, word count, date updated, and language. Let's say you don't want any crossovers and you want to read a work in progress. you would select Exclude crossovers and Works in progress only here.

One last thing before you hit sort and filter!

You can sort the results by a variety of different features, like date updated, hits, and kudos. Be careful tho--sometimes some of the best fics you'll read will be the ones that don't have the same number of hits and kudos as the "popular fics" so don't judge a fic by it's numbers

That's it!! Now you're ready to sort and filter the results to your heart's content! This button is at the top and bottom of the filter tab for your convenience :)

Based on the filtering, your new search results will appear. Now you can read what you want and ignore the rest!

In summary:

Including: will show you only the results that have ALL of the included tags

Excluding: will show you results that have NONE of the excluded tags

Don't like, don't read! ao3 is an archive, not an algorithm--you have to search out the content you want yourself. hit the back tab if you don't like the fic you're reading

Remember to leave comments and kudos to make an author's day!!

[nomorezerocomments]

Blog Introduction

Hello! Welcome to the No More Zero Comments Project! This is a blog dedicated to reducing the amount of fics on ao3 that have no comments at all.

The goal is simple: find fics with no comments, read them, and leave a comment for the author. However, I (this blogs creator) am not in every fandom to ever exist on ao3 so this is not a task I can do alone. That's where you come in!

There are two ways you can do this. One is to go out and find fics with zero comments in your fandoms, and leave a comment. The other is to take a look at the spreadsheet i made with a list of fics i found with no comments and see if there's any fandoms you know. If I did my job right, you should be able to filter it? Who knows, I suck at technology. This spreadsheet will be updated regularly by adding new fics (and removing ones that have now received comments) so there will always be new stuff to see!

So far, the spreadsheet contains mostly fics from @febuwhump collections, as their commentfest is where i got this idea. If you want to submit one of your own zero comment fics for the spreadsheet, you can do so here.

If you read a fic from the spreadsheet and leave a comment on it (or have received a comment on your own fic that is on the spreadsheet), you can let me know here so I can remove it from the spreadsheet (you do not have to do this, I will try to check regularly to see if fics have received comments, but doing it this way will be a HUGE help to me)!

Some preemptive answers to potential FAQs under the cut!

Who runs this blog?

That'd be me, Izak, also known as @lightningzombie! Hi!

Wait, I see one of your fics on the spreadsheet!

Look. I'm not doing this for no reason. Around 14% of my own fics have no comments. In the interest of fairness, I'll only be adding one of my own fics to the spreadsheet at a time. This limit only applies to me as the owner of this blog. Everyone else can have as many as they like on there lol

Do I have to read fics from the spreadsheet?

Nope! It's just a handy tool for if you're looking for something to read, and want to help out an author in need of their first comment. You can go find zero comment fics wherever you usually get fics from

Is there some sort of prize/competition?

Nope! This is just an effort to increase fandom engagement since it fell off post-COVID. You don't have to report to me about it, you just gotta do it!

Why did you decide to do this?

Frustration with the lack of comments on my fics and the death of comment culture in general. Bewilderment when I saw a fic that had 1200 kudos and no comments. The joy that leaving 100 comments and receiving 20+ during the Febuwhump commentfest brought me. Boredom. Many reasons!

Will you do events?

Maybe! If there's enough interest we could do events similar to justleaveacommentfest.

Can I submit other peoples fics for the spreadsheet?

I mean, yeah, of course. But like, if you're going to the trouble of submitting someone else's fic, why not just leave a comment on it?

(edit: if you want to add a bunch of stuff from your fandoms that you don't have time to read/have tags you can't read then go for it!)

I don't know how to comment!

Yes, you do. "I like this" is a comment. "How dare you do that to [insert blorbo here]" is a comment. "<3" is a comment. "KAJSDAKSDHJ WHYYYYY????" is a comment. "I am rapidly approaching your location" is a comment. Just be kind!

Will you be doing this for platforms other than ao3?

For now, no. Ao3 is the platform I've used for a decade and the one I understand. However if you comment on fics that aren't on ao3, that's great! The spirit of the project is so give love to authors so do that on whatever platform you see fit

Happy commenting!

[deedala]

Ian and Mickey from Intro to Quantum Dating by @spoonfulstar

[wheremyeelat]

First time posting here xjdvdjd sooo little introduction:

Hi I'm Eel, I like transformers but I also like a buncha other stuff sooo this may change, I draw stuff and write stuff.

Here's my ao3 account if anyone wants to check out my works I mostly have transformers stuff going on rn, stay tuned for any new stories:

https://archiveofourown.org/users/Uganda_Knuckles_1499

//

Primera vez posteando aquí xjdvdjd aqui hay una mini introducion:

Hola, soy Eel, me gusta transformers pero tmb me gustan muchas otras cosas así q eso puede cambiar, dibujo y escribo muchas cosas.

Aquí está mi cuenta de ao3 por si algn quiere leer mis historias, tengo más q nada weas de transformers ahí, mantengance pendientes de nuevas historias:

https://archiveofourown.org/users/Uganda_Knuckles_1499

A bit of art btw//un poquito de arte por cierto:

[mistysfundungeon]

꩜. ˚ introduction

HIII guys it's me Andi - aka mistysfundungeon on ao3 if anyone knows me </3. I thought I would make a quick intro post to explain what this blog is about.

This blog is essentially me dumping my extra / bonus content relating to my fic ("Until the Moon Rises") because why not!

Below are some ideas of what I will post in future - but it's not just limited to this.

VISUALS ★ moodboards (per chapter) ★ scene/setting aesthetics inspo ★ pinterest boards ★ etc.

FUN ★ headcanons ★ incorrect quotes ★ etc.

WORLDBUILDING ★ (fictional) location guides ★ background character facts ★ random world details ★ pre-story timelines & info (spoiler-free) ★ etc.

AUDIO ★ snippets of audiobook readings (dyslexia ftw!) ★ playlists (official & character-related, etc.) ★ etc.

CANON CONTENT ★ chapter summaries (for catching up) ★ extra/lost/deleted scenes (e.g. late-nevermore flashbacks or daily domesticity) ★ character & thematic deep-dives ★ etc.

BEHIND THE CHAPTER ★ my writing process ★ snippets ★ my commentary or thoughts on chapters ★ etc.

OTHER ★ parallel explanations ★ other things that randomly come to mind!

Okay that seems like a lot but guys if you know me, then you know that if I commit to something... I commit 100%! Hence why I am shoving unnecessary content down your throats obvi

STAYED TUNED, BROCHACHOS???

[farore05]

Amaretto Sour.

Emmrich/Rook Modern AU (no magic)

Rating: E (f/m)

Summary: Distinguished neuroscience professor Emmrich Volkarin finds his carefully structured life upended when he meets a sharp young bartender during a rare night out, only to later discover she’s one of his students.

Tags: Professor/Student relationship, Toxic plot/Wholesome characters, Mutual pining, Fluff and smut, Loss of virginity, Breathplay, Older man/Younger woman, Sign language, Taboo, Angst with a happy ending.

Chapter One: Overdressed

The bar was loud, far louder than Emmrich had anticipated. He adjusted the gold chain around his wrist before clasping his hands neatly on the table. His eyes wandered over the crowd of bodies pressed together at the bar. The music, all bass and beat, seemed designed to override thought, to strip away the layers of one’s identity and reduce them to primal instinct. He sighed quietly.

“Relax, Em,” Strife said, slinging an arm over the back of their booth. His tone was amused, but his eyes gleamed with a touch of fondness. “You look like you’re about to lecture someone on cellular synapses.”

“I assure you, Strife, I have no intention of lecturing anyone tonight,” Emmrich replied softly, his clipped, melodic voice almost swallowed by the din. He adjusted the brooch pinned to his perfectly tailored velvet blazer, a soft lilac tonight, a choice he had debated for far too long before leaving his room. “Though I must admit, I fail to see the appeal of such an environment. It’s… overstimulating.”

Strife laughed, throwing his head back in a way that earned him a few glances from nearby tables. “That’s the point, my dear Emmrich. You’re supposed to let go. Try it sometime.” He gestured toward the crowded bar. “Why don’t you get us another round? It might help.’”

Emmrich’s eyes flicked toward the bar, a hesitant furrow creasing his brow. He hadn’t stepped foot in such a place in decades. His evenings were usually spent in quiet libraries, wine glasses glinting under soft lamplight, or in lecture halls where every word he spoke was carefully chosen, amplified by a microphone so that even the students in the back row could hear him. He wasn’t made for this cacophony of noise and motion.

But Strife’s expectant look made him sigh again . He stood, smoothing the front of his high-waisted trousers. His golden rings glinted under the flickering lights as he adjusted his tie.

Strife smirked. “You’re overdressed, by the way.”

“I dress as I always do,” Emmrich replied, his tone almost apologetic. “Besides, I find the notion of dressing down rather unappealing.”

With that, he stepped out of the booth, weaving carefully through the crowd.

When he reached the counter, he cleared his throat politely, waiting for the bartender to notice him.

“Can I help you?” Asked a young woman, towel slung over her shoulder, a playful smirk tugging at her lips. Her black hair framed her face, accentuating sharp eyes that seemed to take him in all at once.

For a moment, Emmrich faltered. “Ah, yes. I was hoping for two glasses of, hmmm, something not too… overwhelming.”

Her smirk deepened. “Not overwhelming, huh? That’s a new one. Most people just ask for whatever’s the strongest and cheapest.”

Emmrich blinked, momentarily caught off guard by her bluntness.

She tilted her head, studying him as she leaned a little closer. “Amaretto sour?” she guessed with a playful voice. “You look like an amaretto sour kinda guy.”

“I beg your pardon?” His voice was carefully measured, soft and formal.

“It’s just the first fancy drink that came to mind,” she said, shrugging, though the grin never left her face. “No offense, but you don’t exactly blend in here. You seem more… I don’t know, refined. ”

Emmrich hesitated, then nodded slightly. “You’re not wrong. I don’t frequent places like this.”

“Didn’t think so,” she replied, crossing her arms as she leaned back. “So what’s the story, then? Slumming it for fun?”

“Not exactly,” he said, the faintest trace of a smile touching his lips. “I’m here with a friend.”

“Let me guess.” Her eyes narrowed, glinting with mock suspicion. “He dragged you out to loosen up, didn’t he?”

“Quite.”

She laughed, and the sound was warm and disarming. “Well, you’ve got that ‘distinguished professor’ vibe down pat. I’m guessing you’re more comfortable in a lecture hall than, well, here.”

“An astute observation.” Emmrich’s lips curved into a faint smile despite himself. “Though I assure you, I am perfectly capable of carrying a conversation, even in such an environment.”

“Yeah?” She raised an eyebrow as she stared at him, clearly intrigued. “What do you teach?”

“Neuroscience,” he said, his tone brightening with enthusiasm. “It’s a fascinating field, really. The complexity of the human brain, the intricate network of neurons, there’s a kind of poetry in it.”

Her eyebrows lifted, a flicker of something, surprise maybe, crossing her face. “Neuroscience eh? I hear that’s an intense subject. Like… brain scans and stuff, right? MRI machines and, what is it, synapses firing?”

Emmrich’s lips twitched with amusement. “That’s a simplistic way of putting it, but not entirely incorrect. Neuroscience is the study of the nervous system, including the brain, yes, but also the spinal cord and peripheral nerves. It’s a field of vast complexity and depth.”

“Oh, sure,” she said breezily, “like how the left brain is for logic and the right brain is for creativity?”

His academic instincts kicked in. “Actually, that’s a common misconception,” he said, tilting his head slightly. “While certain functions may localize to specific hemispheres, the brain is far more integrated than that. Both hemispheres communicate constantly through the corpus callosum. The idea of a strict left-brain, right-brain dichotomy is largely a myth.”

She paused mid motion, her fingers grazing the stem of a bottle as her head tilted just slightly. A flicker of something playful crossed her face, but it softened quickly. She reached for two glasses and set them down with a soft clink.

“Well,” she said, pouring the drinks, “there goes my trivia knowledge. Guess I’ll have to study harder for the test.”

The corners of Emmrich’s mouth twitched, his usual composure giving way to something lighter. His laughter was soft, almost private, like a sound not meant for the chaos around them. “If this were a test, I’d say you’ve shown an admirable effort thus far. I’m impressed by your curiosity.”

Her gaze flicked up, catching his. “Curiosity’s easy when the subject’s interesting.” Her tone was light, teasing, but something in her eyes lingered. “But I’ll take the compliment. Coming from you, that feels official.”

He tilted his head, studying her with interest. “You seem to know more about neuroscience than the average bartender,” he said. “Though I suspect you’re deliberately keeping me on my toes.”

She arched an eyebrow, setting the bottle down. “What’s that supposed to mean? You think I’m fishing for a bigger tip?”

Her words caught him off guard, and he stiffened, his expression tightening as though he’d stepped on a social landmine. “No—I mean, absolutely not—I wouldn’t suggest—”

She cut him off with a laugh, warm and low, her hand waving dismissively. “Relax,” she said, her smirk reappearing. “I’m just messing with you.” She slid the glasses toward him, her fingers brushing the rim of one before retreating. “Maybe I am fishing for tips. Or…” She let the word hang, her eyes narrowing slightly with mock consideration. “Maybe I just like how you talk about it. You were right, by the way, you are a good conversationalist.”

Emmrich blinked, startled by the ease with which she flipped the moment back into playfulness. He hesitated, his grip tightening briefly on the glass before relaxing. “I’m beginning to doubt that,” he said quietly, a faint warmth rising in his chest despite himself.

“You are,” she insisted. “You’ve got this… passion about it. It’s like, when you talk about neuroscience, your whole face lights up. Makes me want to learn more, even if I probably won’t understand half of it.”

The sincerity of her words tugged at something in his chest. He wasn’t used to such candid praise. In his classroom, his students were often too nervous or too indifferent to offer such remarks.

“Well,” he said, his voice softening as he reached into his wallet. He withdrew a twenty dollar bill, sliding it across the counter. “I appreciate that.”

The bartender picked up the bill and quickly tucked it under the register. She counted out his change, a neat stack of singles, and slid them back across the counter toward him.

His hand met hers as he reached for the bills, their fingers brushing briefly. The touch was fleeting, but enough to pull his gaze to hers. Her eyes flicked up, the teasing edge in them shifted by something more thoughtful.

“Though I’m sure you’d understand far more than you give yourself credit for,” he said, his voice calm as he studied her.

Without a second thought, he returned the bills to the counter. His fingers pressed gently against the stack, sliding it back toward her in the same smooth motion he’d used before. He didn’t speak, but the intention was clear.

Her smirk faltered for just a moment, her posture shifting as she paused. Her fingers hovered over the money, then stilled as her expression softened. She held his gaze for a heartbeat longer than necessary, her eyes losing some of their sharpness.

“Maybe I’ll test that theory sometime,” she said finally, her voice lighter now, a playful lilt returning as she gave him a quick wink.

Before he could gather a response, a familiar arm slung around his shoulders. Strife, his face flushed and his movements clumsy, leaned heavily on him.

“Emm… buddy, I thought you got lost,” he slurred.

Emmrich straightened, his instinct to help overriding his embarrassment. “Excuse me,” he said to the bartender, his tone apologetic.

She waved him off, her grin lingering. “Enjoy the rest of your night.”

As Emmrich guided Strife back toward the booth, he found himself glancing back. She was still there, leaning casually against the bar, her eyes meeting his for a brief, teasing moment before she turned away.

Read the rest here: ⬇️

https://archiveofourown.org/works/60715576/chapters/155048638

[verastraea]

jegulus — “if the sun refused to shine, baby, would i still be your lover? would you want me there?”

wolfstar — “if the moon went dark tonight, and if it all ended tomorrow, would i be the one in your mind?”

[g1rlr0b1n]

Yet another commission by the super amazing and talented @ookamihanta!!! Go check out their page to see more art!!! Their commissions are still open so go check that out as well!!! I highly recommend them!!! 🦇

Blood of the Covenant (Preview)

Jon’s neck snapped over to where a silhouetted figure perched silently in a tree above. Had it not been for the scattering of birds, their frantic flapping and squawking, he may have never even noticed the presence up above. The figure crouched, hidden within the dark branches, like a predator observing, waiting to strike its prey. Jon felt a chill run down his spine as realization dawned on him. “just- just make it quick.”

Jon closed his eyes tight and waited for something that never came. Gathering his courage, he slowly opened his eyes and frantically scanned the area around the tree. The figure was nowhere to be seen. His body relaxed slightly, but before he could let out a breath of relief, the figure suddenly emerged from the underbrush, clutching a limp rabbit in his hand. Jon's breath caught in his throat at the sudden appearance and he couldn't help but shudder with fear.

“Tt,” he clicked his tongue and Jon immediately registered the sound as annoyance. He wondered if fear in its prey was becoming a nuisance for this particular vampire, it would have been almost laughable, if he wasn’t scared shitless right now.

Aside from the pounding in his chest, Jon watched on in silence as the creature expertly built a fire with dry twigs and leaves. The orange flames danced and flickered, casting eerie shadows on the surrounding trees. As the sun descended below the horizon, the fire became the only source of light, the sky now painted in shades of deep blue. The heat from the flames grew more intense, warming his skin and filling the air with the scent of burning wood. Jon’s eyes followed every move as the vampire gracefully skinned the rabbit, then with precise movements, drained the blood from the small animal. Jon’s throat tightened as the creature was skewered onto a freshly sharpened stick and placed over the embers. The smell of cooking meat filled the air, making Jon's stomach growl in hunger. The vampire seemed to have quite the sick sense of humor, subjecting him to such torture. Jon squeezed his eyes shut, trying to force his mind off of the pain in his gut.

Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice shattered the silence. "Eat," they commanded.

Confused and disoriented, Jon's eyes snapped open as he tried to make sense of the words. "W-what? Why?" His own voice came out weak and shaky.

“You clearly haven't eaten in a few days,” he stated matter-of-factly, his eyes roaming across him. Jon eagerly reached out, accepting the offering, savoring the succulent meat as it filled his empty stomach. When he finished, he crudely wiped his mouth with the cuff of his sleeve. He was still weary of the other but at least if he dies now, it would be with a full belly. The man continued to stare at Jon intently, never taking his gaze away. After a long silence, he spoke again, his voice low and measured, “how long have you been here?”

“Eighteen days,” he croaked out, feeling small and weak under the man's intense scrutiny.

The other only nodded. “Is that your canteen?”

Jon's heart sank as he nodded and replied, unable to hide the desperation in his voice, "It's empty." The sound of his own almost unfamiliar timbre only served as a reminder of how long it had been since he had last spoken to another human being…or anything close to it.

Without another word, the man snatched the canteen from Jon's hands and disappeared quickly into the dense forest. Minutes dragged on like hours, Jon could do nothing but watch as the moon dragged across the sky until it was directly overhead. With no clear sense of time, he began to wonder if he’d been abandoned once again, left alone in this desolate place with nothing but his thoughts for company.

As the last embers of the fire began to fade, Jon's gaze caught a glint of movement in the corner of his eye. He watched as the lithe figure of the man emerged from the shadows with the canteen in hand. With a quick flick of his wrist, he tossed the canteen at Jon, who winced as it thudded against his chest. “Vampires?”

Jon nodded, “yeah, we took them out but I got inj-”. He flinched, realizing suddenly that he was talking to a vampire about taking out his own kind.

The man seemed disinterested in the murder of his kin and instead chose to focus on something else entirely. “We?”

Jon swallowed the lump forming in his throat, “yeah, the guys I'd been traveling with.”

“They left you here?”

“Well-”

“To die?” he interjected.

“I told them too. I was slowing them down.” Jon’s voice came out smaller than he intended it to.

The man carried on, as though uninterested. “Kryptonian?”

“How did you-?” The man's piercing gaze landed on the prominent "S" adorning Jon's chest. Jon shifted uncomfortably, feeling foolish, “oh. Yeah.” The two sat in tense silence once more, until the question that had been gnawing at Jon could no longer be contained, “why haven't you killed me yet?”

For the first time since the man had appeared, he seemed to be taken off guard. He sat in quiet contemplation, his brow furrowed and eyes distant. After what felt like an eternity, he spoke again. “I knew your father. He was a good friend of my father.”

“Was.” Jon felt his heart drop to the pit of his stomach, “so, he’s dead then.”

“I’m sorry,” his eyes flashed with empathy, just briefly, before returning to their stoic state, “but yes. They both are.”

“It's okay,” Jon tried to reassure himself, though his voice trembled slightly. “I think...I think I already knew.” As the words left his mouth, he felt a sense of finality wash over him, confirming what he had been desperately trying to deny. His father hadn’t come looking for him, he had already known it could only mean one thing. Silence consumed the air once more, until Jon finally spoke, “so, you haven’t killed me because my dad used to be friends with your dad?”

“Is that not enough?” he shrugged.

Jon quickly shook his head, “no, I mean, I’ll take it.”

“Tt. So, don’t die on me Jonathan Kent or this will have been a complete waste of my time.”

Surprise flickered across Jon's face, “you know my name?”

The other man scoffed, “of course, I'm the son of Batman.”

“Batman? ... So then, are you ...Tim?”

“I'm insulted.” The man's expression turned from irritation to hurt, “no, I'm Damian. I'm... I'm the last living son of Batman.” A weight seemed to settle upon him as he spoke these words, as if the realization of his own loneliness had suddenly hit him like a ton of bricks.

“I'm sorry. My... my brother is gone too.” Damian allowed the silence to consume the night, he did not ask Jon any more questions and for that, Jon was grateful.

[spacetimeaccordionfolder]

Why Let the Offal Go to Waste?

Thought about this post too long and wrote this in two hours!

Note, this started as me musing in the tags on that post and then i had 4 paragraphs as a reblog before stopping and moving to a doc, so it starts without much of an introduction. I might recommend reading the post first for more context. I think I want to write a slightly longer version of this with more of an intro, so this is Why Let the Offal Go to Waste (prime) essentially.

Kayne thinking about Arthur being his and eating his heart, 846 words.

@fortheglowingeyes

What is - no, was - what was wrong with him?! Why was Arthur Lester different? Was that Lillith's fault -that was what he'd said - she'd watched him as a child, let him survive then and well that clearly had meant something or.

Or. Or something else. Something else made him different. Something Kayne couldn't see. Something that let Arthur survive and come out better. To talk of hope like there could be hope in a universe made by an uncaring, unthinking, dreaming THING!

His thumbnail punctured Arthur's heart, small stream of blood rolling down his thumb. Kayne stared at the first drop as it moved, as it moved across his wrist before meeting his shirt sleeve, joining the rest of Arthur's blood that had soaked there. More blood moved along the bottom of his pinky finger.

The voices in his head quieted to a whisper watching the drop, as it half rolled down to the shirt sleeve, half seemed drawn by gravity towards the ground, to the rest of Arthur beneath him and the blood around them. Torn between them. Slowly, carefully, lest the drop fall before its time, Kayne brought his hand towards his mouth - leaning closer - and wiped away the indecisive drop with his tongue.

The taste of Arthur’s blood bloomed in his mouth like a fine wine. Kayne closed his eyes, savoring the taste. He’d tasted others, of course, but this was his Arthur. 

His Arthur who hated being told what to do, who he couldn’t see coming, who was a fascinating, annoying, mystery, who lived and struggled and survived. Who wouldn’t live to fit another’s mold, to be confined to living for another’s purpose. Who could not be just the happenstance of a blind idiot’s dream! Azathoth didn’t think, didn’t feel, see, care, listen, or know anything! Didn’t have hidden designs unfolding, didn’t have a plan to make things better or any reason for the suffering in those smaller than him, didn’t extend a hand to his children when they begged him to answer, to acknowledge them, to hear words they said and to respond in some way.

No, his Arthur Lester was more than a spec from Azathoth’s dream. 

Arthur Lester was Kayne’s.

Kayne had killed him. He’d cradled his face as he cried and gurgled and the little king begged and wept. The body below - and on - him had been irreparably changed by Kayne, torn asunder, made into something new. A design that was not Azathoth’s. A work of art that was entirely Kayne’s.

There was still that something one of the voices in his head murmured, breaking the moment. The something that made him survive, made him an anomaly. What Kayne hadn’t understood. The something, he thought annoyed towards the voice, was Lillith. Discontent passed through his head. Was it? Was that really right? It must be.

Or - oh look, we’ve come full circle - he was something different. An anomaly like Kayne, not like the mold they were supposed to fill and Kayne still had no idea why.

And would never know.

Arthur Lester was dead. Kayne had seen to that. And there was a small part of him that Kayne didn’t know and couldn’t make his.

Kayne opened his eyes. While thinking, his hand had moved away from his face - blood running less now - but it was still close enough to take up the majority of his vision.

An idea occurred to him. One that seemed to be funnier the longer he let it linger in his mind. A small chuckle turned into Kayne doubled over with manic laughter, forehead nearly touching Arthur’s, his hand holding Arthur’s heart tucked between them, nearly against his own. Eventually, Kayne sighed, sat back upright, and looked at Arthur’s heart.

There was something different about Arthur. Something Kayne didn’t know. Something that wasn’t Kayne’s, wasn’t his. But it could be.

Kayne raised the heart to his lips and smiled. Softly kissed the muscle. Whispered against it “thank you.” Then bit down. Muscle and fat tore slowly, severing under his teeth, ripping, blood flowing, and Oh god if he thought Arthur’s blood was divine the experience of this was heaven anew. He savored the taste, the feeling of the heart, chewing slowly, before swallowing and looking at the heart again. Now missing a bite sized part of it.

Kayne could make that something his, could make all of Arthur a part of him. When killing the other versions of himself, he’d never done something like this. He’d made their worlds his, added them to himself, made himself the entirety of his soul, but to consume and transform like this…

Arthur’s body would be transformed into his, staying with him, belonging to him, being him. Not Azathoth’s, Kayne’s. Would be made entirely new, even whatever it was that made his Arthur Lester different, kept him alive. That too would be Kayne’s - maybe it would help Kayne in his Wager. 

Arthur Lester wasn’t entirely Kayne’s, not yet. But he would be.

Kayne took another bite of Arthur’s heart, this one even better than the first. 

[carpetbug]

welcome to the beginning of my ML Feline Blue AU!

in which Marinette is forced to become guardian before ever wielding a miraculous. Chaos ensues when she uses the black cat ring to become feline blue and through a silly little turn of events, Adrien gets his hands on the ladybug earrings and becomes beetle rouge

BIIIIIG thank you to my lovelies @isabugs and @thimbleb3rries for being so kind and encouraging, for their WONDERFUL ART OH MY GOD, and for beta-ing this!

The beginning: Becoming Guardian

1 • 2 • 3

“You’re not going to beat me like that, old man” The looming figure taunted.

Hunched in a ball before him, a much smaller elderly man struggled for breath. Blood trailed from his mouth, combining with his saliva to messily drip from his lips as he fought for air. Just by the effort he had to put into continuing breathing, he could tell this was not a fight he could win. Still, his fists clenched in defiance as he pushed himself from the floor and steadied himself upright on his feet. His spine screamed in protest and searing pain at the task, but he managed to remain standing.

“I know I can not beat you, old man” He coughed, hands trembling slightly. “But I must continue to fight”

The taller man scoffed before taking a step forward “I’ll make sure it's the last thing you ever do, you pathetic excuse of a guardian” He spat, tightening his grip on his cane as his rage boiled beneath his skin.

“I’d expect nothing less from a villain like you, Hawkmoth”

“No need to act like you’re so much better than me. After all, we've all made mistakes, haven’t we Master fu” Hawkmoth sneered.

“Leave my past out of this. I’ve worked to fix what I have broken, you only aim to destroy” Master fu panted, feeling his shoulders to check if his bag was still on his back, and letting out a small sigh of relief when he felt the thick material. Next his hands slowly traveled to support and feel the bottom and sides of the bag, searching for an object. He took another relieved breath when he felt the item's weight, and then he prepared himself for the worst. Bunching his muscles, he sprang into action and bolted away from Hawkmoth.

He focused only on moving forward, getting as far from this wretched evil as he could before time ran out. When he finally collapsed, legs giving out from under him in pure exhaustion, he found himself at the Pont de Arts, above the seine. Hawkmoth was nowhere to be seen, but master fu knew that was only a false sense of security. The villain would find him soon enough. He needed to find someone. Anyone.

“-ir? Are you okay?”

A voice. Master fu looked up, vision shaking just slightly. In Front of him stood a teenage girl, dark hair pulled back into pigtails and eyebrows pushed together with worry.

“Sir? Can you hear me?” She asked with a panicked look in her eyes. “How can I help?” She stepped closer and offered him a hand.

Master fu gathered his strength to pull his bag from his back and carefully draw open the zipper before reaching in to pull out the contents. The girl watched intensely, eyes following his pained movements. He pulled a large dark wooden box from the bag and held it close to his chest, then brought his eyes upwards to meet her face. “I’m sorry, young hero” He said sadly, then joined his hand to hers before she could respond.

An intense feeling washed over him, and he closed his eyes to take a deep breath. This girl was strong. He hoped she will forgive him for the burden he will make her bear.

She flashed an anxious smile “That’s okay, and I promise I’m no hero. Just a normal g-” He cut her off with a sharp tug, then slammed the box into her chest. She gasped as he knocked the air from her lungs, clearly not expecting such a feat of strength from the battered man. As she fought to breathe, Master fu gathered the last few remnants of his strength and lifted the girl from the ground. “I, Wang Fu, hereby relinquish the Miracle Box-”

“Stop! What are you doing!?”

“-and name Marinette Dupain-Cheng the guardian” His body lit up, skin glowing as the box between them lifted upward and burned like a star in the air.

“How do you know my na-?!” Before she could finish what she said, the box dropped back into her hold and the elderly man -still glowing like some sort of deity- held her over the railing and dropped her into the rushing water below. She hit the surface with a loud splash, getting thrown under but quickly resurfacing a few feet away, miracle box still in her arms.

The last thing she saw before being pulled away by the fast moving current was the man falling backwards to the ground in exhaustion as the light emitting from his skin dimmed.

Master fu slowly blinked his eyes open, carefully taking in his surroundings with an expression of pure shock and confusion on his face. He seemed so frail, all of a sudden. Like he had lost all his fight.

“What did you do?!” a booming voice hissed behind him. He started to turn his head to look, but something beat him to it. All of a sudden, a hand tightened around his throat and picked him off the ground, nails digging into the thin skin of his neck.

“What- what’s happening?” Master fus strangled voice hardly escaped his lips. He tried to thrash his legs, do anything to get free, but a fatigue he couldn’t explain had overcome his muscles. Weakly prying at his attackers hands, panic began to set in. There wouldn’t be any escape. “Who are you?” he managed out in a pained mumble.

“I am the next guardian of the miraculous” the seething voice responded as nails began to break through his skin. “I am the consequences of your greatest mistake” the words rang through his head as his vision went black, and sickeningly warm blood poured from his throat.

Marinette struggled to hold her head above the surface and keep the container in her grasp as the river pulled her this way and that. Her mind raced and her lungs screamed, everything inside her begging to let go of that weird old man’s weird old box and save herself instead. Still, her grip remained glued to the sodden wood, as if she would rather drown than set the box free to face the waters’ wrath. Nothing was making any sense. And despite the deafening chorus of the racing water that surrounded her, the only thing ringing in her ears was the man’s words.

He had called her a hero. He had entrusted her with something clearly important to him. He had thrown her into the seine. He had been badly wounded. He had been a complete and utter stranger. What did everything mean? Suddenly, her feet felt solid ground beneath her, and she hurriedly moved to follow it. She pushed forward, focusing on reaching the bank that lay on the other side. Eventually Marinette was able to pull herself and the box from the water onto an empty platform beneath a bridge.

As soon as she was safely out of the water, Marinette threw herself backwards in exhaustion. She laid against the cool pavement underneath her and passed through all the events that had just occurred. What the fuck was this ‘miracle’ box? And why was she the ‘guardian’? Ignoring the new aches in her body, she sat upward and brought the box closer to her.

There she sat for a few moments, toying with the lid and gently tracing the intricate pattern displayed. Taking a deep breath, she slowly opened it.

“HELLO YOUNG MASTER” A loud chorus of voices rang out as a beam of light emitted from the open container and what looked like small differently colored masses of stars flew all around her. Marinette fell back onto her elbows, overwhelmed at the sudden sensory overload. Her vision was a blur of nauseating colors accompanied by what she could only imagine to be auditory hallucinations.

Before she had a chance to speak, to catch her breath or try and scream for help, the almost magical colorful masses slowed until they were still, then began to morph into a solid form. Marinette watched, intrigued and terrified, as these small creatures took shape in front of her. They each seemed to be a different animal, though they all shared an alien-like anatomy. Some had tails, others long whiskers and a few antennas. Two of them caught her eye, a sleek black cat and what she thought to be a ladybug (though it looked much more like some sort of bug-mouse combo).

As if the creatures could read her mind -which they could, for all she knew-, they began to speak in sync. “WE ARE THE KWAMI, MAGICAL BEINGS THAT CAN BESTOW POWERS UPON OUR WIELDERS.” They said, in an almost sing-songy voice.

“AND YOU, MARINETTE, ARE OUR NEW GUARDIAN.”

[devoting-waters]

Welcome To ...

Devoting Waters!

Hello! My name is Eros/Gabriel and this is my Tumblr page!

I am the creator of the series EPIC: The Devoting Waters Saga on ao3!

If you would like a read

Out of The Water (OG)

Salt Pearls (sequel)

What Comes To Our Shores (threequel)

My page will contain EPIC content and my fanfic series, but it'll also include:

Animation

Fanart

Random little short stories relating to my fanfic

Writing samples/updates

Sometimes there will be suggestive art/writing, but there will be a warning on them!

I do take art requests

Misc: real life pictures, crafting, rambling, and/or life updates

Socials

You can follow me on

Bluesky (18+ only!)

Tiktok

YouTube

(new!) NSFW tumblr

Boundaries

Nothing much to put here.

Just don't be hateful and we'll get along. And have fun! I enjoy it when people engage with my content.

I don't really roleplay, but I'm willing to make silly art for questions.

Please don't over-sexualize the EPIC characters.

That is all! This will probably get updates soon. But for now, welcome to my Tumblr!

[thelibraryoflightandflowers]

Masterlist/Introduction

Hello and Welcome!

My name is Lux. I use He/Him pronouns.

I will generally write for any pronouns, but there is a definite lack of x male reader in these fandoms, and I hope to at least partially rectify that. I don't (as of right now) write smut, simply because I don't think I'd be any good at it.

Post Schedule:

I post once a week, usually on Saturday for the series’ I write - however, asks will be answered more frequently!

Fandoms I Write For:

ACOTAR

Fourth Wing

Please feel free to send in some asks about any character from any of the fandoms listed above :)

Find me on AO3!

MASTERLIST:

ACOTAR:

Cassian x Reader:

The Forest Guardian - Series:

A Fellow Gardener - Someone has been managing to sneak plants onto the porch of the River House for Elain to plant without getting caught, and it has everyone curious about her friend.

The Ghillie Dhu - The Ghillie Dhu tries to ask the Inner Circle for their help stopping an evil force from invading Prythian - but they decline.

The Forest - Cassian is introduced to daily life in the forest

Azriel x Reader:

The Hunter - Series:

The Hunter - When Devlon finds a skinned carcass near Windhaven Camp, he says it proves that another band is hunting on their land. The Inner Circle investigates.

The Liar - When the reader is questioned by Azriel following an accidental misstep, it makes Azriel even more curious about the human who was caught hunting in Illyria.

The Denier - When Azriel fails to get you to open up, Rhys takes matters into his own hands - with disastrous consequences.

The Dreamer - When Azriel wakes up to find the reader gone from his room in his cabin, he knows he doesn't have a long time to find you before the elements or dangerous terrain get to you - too bad it's partially him you're running from.

The Runner - After Azriel and the reader make it back to his cabin, he realizes that the two of you need to have a good long conversation, because you've both been keeping secrets.

The Lover - Azriel's side of the mating bond had already clicked, but you were a human; you wouldn't know what a mating bond was, and he couldn't risk telling you yet, not when whatever you were was so new. Then you made him breakfast.

The Protector - When Rhys attempts to reconcile with Azriel, he does so unaware of Azriel's new mating bond.

The Fighter - Azriel finally feels ready to reconcile with Rhysand, and wants you to see Velaris and meet the rest of his family. Rhys suggests a dinner with the Inner Circle.

The Searcher - When Devlon and the rest of the Illyrians at Windhaven Camp find out about Azriel's new mate, they decide to enact some revenge for the Inner Circle's constant meddling in their business.

The Killer - Azriel tears apart Illyria to try and get the reader back after he's been kidnapped.

The Grief - Cassian and Rhys do their best to help Azriel after his mate's death.

The Healing - Azriel talks with Madja at the request of his family to start trying to heal from the loss of his mate.

The Pain - When Azriel feels the mating bond, even though his mate is dead, it sends him into a spiral that no one seems to be able to pull him out of.

Feysand:

Don't Touch Me - A short one-shot/re-imagine of Feyre's first visit to the Night Court, because I sometimes wish she had been angrier at Rhys.

Fourth Wing:

Garrick x Reader:

The Son of a General - Series:

Where's Violet? - An imagined meet-cute between Garrick Tavis and a Male Reader

Following Violet - The second meeting between Garrick and reader

The Son of A General - A background into the reader, and your scheduled plot twist

Secrets Come Out - At the Reunification Day Gala, Garrick finds out about the secret the Reader has been keeping. Angst ensues.

Months Apart - After Garrick finds out about the Reader keeping a big secret, they part ways - though both still have feelings for the other. When Xaden and Garrick go to save Violet, it thrusts Garrick back into the path of the man he's missed for months.

Rescue Execution - Garrick realizes that Melgren would have seen what happened in part 5, and comes to rescue the reader.

Riorson House - Garrick and the Reader wake up in Riorson House, but recent events have left Garrick more than a little shaken.

Riorson House P2 - Reader gets to meet the rest of the people at Riorson House

Cordyn - Violet drags the reader to Cordyn - without telling Garrick

Xaden:

One-Shots:

The Farmer - Xaden trusts Violet when she says she knows somewhere they can rest for the night, which ends up being a farm with a very handsome farmer.

[yumeyuyumeyume]

before you follow, here's what's about me

☆ strawpage ☆

call me yume ☆

I'm 19 and a yumejoshi, my f/o is yuga aoyama (selective sharing)

-> selfship tag: #2winkling☆stars✨️

my bday is on may 28th :P

here you will mostly find fandom and yume/selfship content, esp content about yuga, but you will also find aesthetic posts, fanfic posts, art, stimboards, moodboards, my annoying yapping and fandom stuff... etc etc

for content made by me, just check my featured tags!

in case if I post nsfw content, the main tag is #naughty post. there will always be a divider with a warning before it so you won't accidentally come across the content if you don't have the tag filtered, but for reblogs, please filter ^^

☆ fandoms stuff ☆

I'm mainly into MHA and 100kanojo. I also like vocaloid, deltarune, tloz, genshin and many more!

fav characters (besides yuga): the entire class 1-a, monoma, gentle & la brava, aizawa, himiko, probably so many (MHA), rentarou, kishika, hahari, uto, nano, mimimi, himeka, meme, yaku, kusuri, momoha (100kanojo), noelle, susie, kriss, queen (deltarune)

fav sanrio characters: pompompurin, pochaco, keroppi, kiki & lala, chococat and kuromi

fav canon x canon ships: naruase, gentlebrava, hakarane, mimimi x nano, toono/yaguchi, yurisaki, suselle and dazaku

if you wanna see my fics, I'm yumeaoyama on Ao3 ☆

I'll likely not fb (sometimes even block) if your content makes me uncomfortable, especially if you post lolisho, extreme gore and rpf of religious figures.

I block those who are pro-harassment under any circumstances (yes even over fiction), this blog advocates for freedom of fictional expression so block me if you believe in repressing and policing others over it!!

also you're free to educate me on anything, I love hearing from other's point of views and learning (as long as you aren't being an asshole ofc ^^)

anyways, nice to meet you <3

smol masterlist that I might update someday...

☆ all about my yume ☆

adding this just bc!!

[erinwantstowrite]

The way that my brain broke at your last post - oh my goodness Peter didn’t really go to school and is missing so much information and doesn’t know JFK. He only knows the Founding Fathers from Hamilton the Musical. Well, the obvious solution is the musical-ify all of US History.

he's been taking remedial classes but if he's not interested in smth it's impossible for him to retain the information. he's like "yeah i know the laws of thermodynamics. i am confused about the branches of the government." he's knows about the boston tea party and he hates christopher columbus but he does not understand what the stock market is. it is entirely a gamble on what peter will know. well not really a gamble because it's mostly 7th-9th grade history that he's confused about

[haveihitanerve]

When We Were Young

This was stupid. So stupid. Barbara couldn't believe she’d let Bruce convince her to join him at one of his Galas.

“I miss seeing you!” He’d pouted, complete with arms crossed, and puppy dog eyes. Unfortunately for her, Bruce’s puppy dog eyes were very good. And maybe she was just soft for him. He’d always managed to slip through her cracks without even meaning to. Much like his son.

Barbara scowled at her mental self, shoving the thoughts away. She was here for Bruce. And as much as she despised these events, he made them better. He would be worth it.

“Barbara,” A familiar voice purred, and Barbara couldn't help her smile, turning to look up at the man of the hour.

“Bruce.” She returned. He dipped low, grasping her hand delicately in his own, pressing the barest whisper of a kiss to the top.

“You look lovely.” He murmured, and there was a sparkle in his eyes that she had missed. That was maybe the reason she had said yes.

She laughed, dragging her hand from his, and rolled her eyes. It was good. Familiar. Simple. She liked life with Bruce like that. Life was simple with Bruce like that. Despite his… issues, Barbara had never found it hard understanding him. Maybe that was why they got along so well. Maybe that was why they didn't.

“I should make the rounds..” Bruce muttered with a sigh, running a hand through his hair. “Thank you for coming Babs. Truly. If you like, you can sneak out the back during my speech. I won’t mind.” And he wouldn’t. Babs knew that. It was why she smiled, nudging his side with her elbow.

“I’ll be here the whole night Brucie, don’t you worry about that. You’ll be sick of me!” His eyes flashed with gratitude and he stooped low, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

“Now I face the wolves!” He grinned, offering her a wink. “Wish me luck.”

“Luck-” The word died in her throat as Bruce descended the stairs, arms wide for the people who swarmed him, not yet having noticed the man who stood on the other side of the room, surveying the crowd.

No one had noticed him yet, and he hadn’t yet put his mask on because of it. Eyes tight, shoulders tense, he watched the people swarm his father, black hair styled away from his face in immaculate perfection, the way he hated, a suit pressed tightly around his body, accentuating every curve. Babs tongue turned leaden in her mouth.

Bruce finally noticed the newcomer, and his face lit up with joy, pushing through the crowd to greet him. Even from so far away, Barbara could hear the pure elation in his voice as he yelled “Dick!” so loud she was certain Joker heard it from Arkham.

The cameras and people immediately swarmed forward, and Dick’s mask fell into place, an easy smile crossing his face as people reached him before his father, offering pleasantries and mild conversation. Bruce pushed through the crowd, clapping his son on the back, and for a second Dick’s mask seemed to peel, a centimeter of true, raw happiness emerging as his father wrapped him in a hug, hand moving to tousle his hair into that achingly familiar smile.

Dick joked something Barbara couldn't lip read from so far, and Bruce laughed, wrapping an easy arm around his shoulders. Something heavy and sharp stabbed at Babs insides.

He… Bruce had known Dick was coming. And he hadn't told her. Hadn’t- had practically forced her to come.

Sharp, stinging betrayal prickled at Barbara's eyes, but she blinked them back, swallowing the lump in her throat with her last gulp of champagne. It was stupid to believe he’d have her back against his son. Stupid to think she even compared.

Dick’s eyes traced the crowd, chatting aimlessly with some girl in front of him, eyes darting around as they always did, seeking a friendly face, some pleasant conversation, an exit strategy. He would find none of them with her.

He smiled then, that all consuming smile that seemed to illuminate the entire world before focusing on one person, making them feel like they were the most important person in the whole world. She hadn’t felt it in years.

Babs spun on her wheels and left. 

Pt 2