#it's all about the adventure and the romance of it all! its about the freedom it brings and bringing freedom to others!

[moonpaw]

Fighting DEMONS rn trying not to get invested in one piece to figure out wtf you're posting about!!!!

come here cyber.... we have this thang

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[bunnyreaper]

wc - 4.6k

warnings - 18+/nsfw (eventually), age gap (older male younger female), bodyguard!au, threat of violence.

notes - another visit to dilfville, a new series, because that's all we need, right? lol. hope you enjoy ♥

Friday nights meant one thing: unwinding after a long week of working in your home office, braving the outside world, and heading to the comfy flat belonging to your friend Jules.

While visiting her place was always a blast, Friday nights were for DnD. Leaving behind Earth for its fantasy counterpart and getting lost in the adventures of your group's merry band of do-gooders. 

Saturdays are usually spent drinking coffee, frequenting markets, and then rounding the night off with cocktails and dancing. (And Sunday's recuperating from being up on your feet all night, spending the day in bed reading whatever trashy romance novel is next on your reading list.) 

Your weekends are your sanctuary—your freedom from routine and work is your refuge. 

You dance around your bedroom, rocking your hips to the music as you pull on your clothes—a white blouse and black bustier to channel the vibes of your character Elora. 

When the doorbell rings, it's entirely unexpected. Anyone close to you knows you're just a few minutes away from heading out for the night—maybe it's a neighbour, you suppose to yourself as you head to the door. 

On the other side of your flat's door is an incredibly handsome man. Broad framed, ruggedly good-looking yet with a finely pressed white shirt and dress trousers. His features are striking, strong eyes and a brow slashed with a scar, stubble all over, and a neatly trimmed mohawk that strangely suits him. All in all, a sight for fucking sore eyes, standing so confidently and casually in your doorway like he belongs.

You hate how your eyes linger on his form far longer than they probably should, but the handsome stranger is just so enthralling.

"Hello?" You mumble, a little absent-mindedly, as you try to gather thoughts that aren't just lewd and dirty.

His stormy blue eyes meet yours, his cheek tugs into a half-smile that definitely doesn't meet his eyes, the faintest dimple appearing on his left cheek. "John MacTavish, ye maw sent me." 

"Oh, the bodyguard." You reply dumbly. Fuck. If you were opposed to the idea before, you certainly were now... or maybe you're not.

On one hand, you have to have a handsome stranger watching over you—on the other, you have to have a handsome stranger watching over you, while you act normal about the entire thing. 

You realise that you're acting completely the fool, so you snap out of your thoughts and step aside to allow the older man inside. "She didn't tell me to expect you... probably thought I'd run. Uh, come in." 

"Thanks." He nods as he steps through the threshold, ducking slightly as he does. 

Once inside, his eyes scan over the open-plan space of your living area, seemingly taking in every little detail. 

You watch him, sensing that his training and experience make him focus on the minute particulars of a room that others would completely skip over. 

Your mother had already clued you into the fact there might need to be security enhancements to the flat itself, and you assume those requests came at the behest of the man himself. He seems to be lost in evaluating what these might be. 

"So, what can I do for you?" You ask, filling the air with some sort of conversation starter. You have no idea what you're doing in this situation on the whole, but especially not when it comes to hiring, negotiating with, and retaining a bodyguard.

"It's what I can do fer you." He turns, taking you in now, and you start to feel self-conscious about having too many buttons undone, too much chest on show. 

Something tells you that MacTavish's gaze would make you squirm regardless—his eyes carrying a heaviness to them that seem like a fantastic attribute in a protector. Surely anyone who would even think about coming close to cause you harm would reconsider under his harsh look.

You start to wrack your brains for what he can actually do for you. Again, you have no familiarity in having personal protection, beyond what you've seen your mother undergo. Your work is fairly stable, you keep the same routine, and the biggest threat you ever seem to face is the creeps in the club. 

Well, apart from the online threats, but something about the anonymous, cowardly messages doesn't frighten you. 

"If I'm being honest,I don't exactly want a bodyguard. I don't see much of a point?" You admit, voice a little quiet. After all, you don't mean to upset or offend the man, but you're not sure he isn't just wasting his time with this job.

He squints, considering for a moment before he answers. "Yer maw sees things differently." 

She does, and that's probably the only reason you agreed to go through with this in the first place. You don't want to worry her, especially since her own security has had to be tightened due to said threats. 

"Yeah, she's really worried." 

John's brows furrow, a small frown appearing on his lips. "Aye, rightly so, considering everything." 

He seems serious and said severity gives you pause for thought. His job is to assess and protect against threats, so surely he wouldn't be here, acting the way he is were there not a valid reason for concern. The thought makes a lump form in your throat, makes your stomach twist in a way you'd rather not acknowledge. 

You try to cope with it the best way you know how—humour. 

"Eh, online threats are nothing new for a girl my age, you know? And it's not like I'm anyone important." You shrug it off, hoping that if you say the words aloud, they'll just come true. As you speak, your phone chimes with a notification from your group chat, reminding you of your upcoming plans—and the fact you're going to have to abandon this little meeting. "Uh, I'd offer you a cuppa, but I'm leaving soon." 

"Don't drink it anyway, but thanks." The man smiles slightly, before turning away once more and scanning the room. He cranes his neck to get a look down the hallway, leading to your bedroom and bathroom. "There's a difference between lads online, an' the kinda people that make up extremist groups like those targeting your maw and her party." 

"Really?" You laugh, a short, sharp sound that betrays your discomfort. You grab your jacket and keys by the door, desperate for something to fiddle with. "Thought they were all just sad loners, desperately searching for something to make them feel better." 

"Except some of them have connections, dangerous connections." 

There are a million and one reasons you don't want to go through with this, and very few urging you to. Though, removing a major worry from your mother's life is a big one—John MacTavish's gorgeous blues are another. The possible invasion of privacy lingers in your head, the worry that your father might be using this as an opportunity to have the inside track on your life, on all the things you don't tell your parents. Your mind also revolts at the idea of unnecessary restrictions to your plans, your friends being held under a magnifying glass. 

The thought of the threats being real is the only thing more startling. You sigh, resigning yourself to your fate. "If this is what will help her feel better, then I guess I better find a way to make this work." 

He nods firmly, joining you at where you hover nervously at the door. "I'd agree." 

"Unfortunately, you arrived at the worst possible time, because like I said, I'm just headed out. Can't miss the tube." You force a tight-lipped smile, making your excuse to leave—the thought of being late makes you jittery, the thought of being late continuing this difficult conversation makes you feel worse. 

"Where ye going?" He asks, head tilted. 

You know it's the first question of many. Where are you going? Who are you going with? The atmosphere already feels a little stifling, the relationship a little strained. You and John aren't friends, never will be friends. He's here to do a job, watch over you, and take your security very, very seriously. 

"This is how it's always going to be?" You ask, the question coming out a little snappier than you intend it to. 

John takes it in stride, unblinking in the face of your shortness, and yet unrelenting in his need for information. "Aye." 

Once more, you sigh. "Right... I'm going to my weekly DnD game at my friend's house, and please, I really don't wanna cancel." You plead, feeling like a child reasoning with their parents rather than two adults on equal footing. You hate the feeling, even if you know his intentions are pure. 

"How many friends?" He asks. 

"4." You answer instantly. 

"How long have ye known them?" His questioning continues, and his focus on the people you trust naturally drives you up the wall, even if again, you know it's just his job.

Your grasp on your keys tightens, your agitation growing. "I'll tell you whatever I can some other time, but please, I hate being late." You gesture to the door, indicating that it's time for him and you to leave. 

John grabs the door, opening it for you and allowing you to step through before he does. As you turn to lock the door, you expect him to arrange another time and to bid you farewell, but he doesn't. "I'll drive ye. Dinnae bother arguing, lass." 

His words have a finality to them that quiets you anyway, but the use of 'lass' renders you all but speechless. 

"Okay..." You mumble, leading the way down the stairs as his hand comes to ghost along your lower back.

MacTavish’s vehicle is parked out in the street, and as you approach the car, you can feel his eyes searching again. He beats you to the car, a sleek black Range Rover, opening the door for you before climbing inside himself.  

The action would be nice under any other circumstance, and such propriety is something you're probably going to have to get used to, but right now it just reinforces the annoying, infantilising feeling that you're currently suffering through. 

As you give your friend's address to John, he takes off without another word, flicking on the car stereo before he goes. The atmosphere is thick, stifling, and you can only hope that in time the feeling will lessen, especially if your mother makes him a permanent feature. 

On the way over, he picks up his questioning where he left off. "So, how long have you known this group?"

"A good few years, since uni." 

"We can go over names and details when you're ready." 

You take a deep breath, holding it in and then forcing yourself to calm a little. Instead, you try to focus on watching John, the diligent way he drives. "I'm assuming you have a long list of things we'll need to go over."

His eyes don't stray from you. "Aye, that we do." 

The two of you fall into tense silence for the rest of the drive, nothing but the music and the sound of the car to keep you company. In the quiet street your friend lives on, John pulls in to park on the opposite side of the road, killing the engine and the radio, making the silence almost deafening.

Your nerves are getting the better of you again, and yet John seems so comfortable, unperturbed by the awkwardness. You're unsure what comes next, what to say. 

"Not to be rude but, I'd prefer if you didn't come in." You utter, saying the first thing that springs to mind, despite it probably not being the best thing either. You flash the man an apologetic smile before you continue. "I don't know how to deal with all this, especially when we haven't agreed on how all this is gonna work?" 

You hope your earnest admission makes up for your temporary ill-manners. 

"Tha's fine, I'll stay here." He looks completely impassive. "Not ideal, but it'll do." 

He doesn't look bothered by the inconvenience, and you suppose you should assuage him of the idea it's going to be a quick visit.

"Really? I'll be gone for a few hours." 

His brow quirks. "Yer maw paid upfront, so as far as am concerned, my job's already started." Once more, his statement is absolute, and you don't bother trying to argue.

"Right then." 

John is out of the car first, headed straight to your side of the door, checking left and right before he opens to let you out. 

The action makes you both laugh and curse, perplexed by the deed as you climb out. "You're not my driver, you know you don't need to open the door for me?" 

He laughs too, derisive and short as he closes the door a little too sharply. "Not tae be rude, but I believe the words you're looking for are 'thank you'."  

"Gonna walk me to the door?" You ask, trying to shed yourself of your nerves and make the situation lighter. 

You can't stay tense and subdued for the entire duration of this relationship—besides, now you're moments away from reuniting with the others in Albion Vale and forgetting all about this mess for a few hours. That alone is enough to raise your spirits. 

John forces a cheeky, tight-lipped smile, the crow's feet at his eyes crinkling almost condescendingly. "Not feeling tha' gentlemanly anymore. I'm sure ye'll be fine." 

"I'm sure." You make your way halfway across the road, before coming to a realisation, stopping and turning. "Oh, what's your number, you know, make this whole thing easier?"  

John darts out, his arm falling just beside you as he ushers you across the road and onto the other side.

"Pass yer phone." He says, holding out a large, rough hand expectantly. 

"Right, yeah." You nod, probably more than is necessary, as you pass your phone over to the man. 

John takes the phone more softly than you expect, typing in his name and number before holding it back out for you to take. "I'll be here when yer done, to take ye home." 

"Uh, thank you." You take the phone, before walking away sheepishly heading into your friend's block of flats and toward her apartment. 

With each step you take, you try to push John and the threats and everything to do with the outside world far, far out of your brain. 

The night passes by in a flurry of laughter and fun, lost in the adventures of Albion Vale and the antics of your party. 

The session wraps up, and while you would usually be in no rush to head back—you know you can't sit around and leave John, however much a stranger he is, sitting in the car outside. 

You text him to let him know you're headed down in five, and when you make it to the street less than 3 minutes later, he is there, leaning against the car door waiting for you. 

"Thank you." You whisper, climbing inside. When John joins you in the car, he scrubs at his eyes before putting the key in the ignition. "Have you not been bored out of your mind?" 

"Nothing I'm not used to." He replies instantly, pulling away before you can ask any further. 

"What did you do before this?" You ask, curiosity getting the better of you. 

From your understanding, most bodyguards cut their teeth in the police or the armed forces, and have tonnes of experience under their belt.

John oozes an ex-forces demeanour–his perfect posture, constant alertness, and the scars littering his skin. 

It'd be hard not to notice, but becomes immediately obvious with the way your eyes seem to love settling upon him when they can. You have to force yourself to squash down the drunken, misguided lust that flares within you as you watch his large hands on the steering wheel and notice his veiny, hairy, and muscular forearms. 

"Army, Captain." He answers, pulling your attention back to him in a more professional manner properly. 

Something within the way he speaks makes you think there's more to the story—though you suppose with that kind of background, he has a cache of secrets and tales that he can never really share.

"Oh." You nod, feeling a little soothed. If you have to be protected, you suppose someone with his level of experience is the best man for the job. "I'm in good hands then." 

Once more, he flashes a forced half-smile. "Aye."

A moment passes, and you find more questions bubbling to the front of your brain. Naturally, you're curious about this man who is undoubtedly going to become a big part of your life from now on, but the fact that his nature is a little reserved makes your curiosity multiply. You've long been a sucker for closed-off older men—call it a character flaw. 

"Why did you leave the army? If you don't mind me asking."

There's a beat of silence where you think he might not answer, but eventually, he does, eyes still fixed on the road. 

"Medical reasons. Nothing that affects my ability to do this job." He rushes to add, a slight spark of defensiveness flashing through as his jaw visibly tightens.

You're no expert detective, and you haven't seen your protector in action, but your first guess is that whatever ailment made him leave isn't entirely physical. The fact he's been somewhat open about it puts your mind at ease, the fact that your mother has clearly vetted him even more so. 

You offer an empathetic smile that he likely doesn't see. "I don't doubt it." 

The drive home passes quicker and easier with a bit of mead in your veins, allowing you to loosen up enough to hum along to the music playing from John's speakers. The little buzz passing through you alleviates that sense of trepidation you felt earlier, luring you into a false sense of security. 

When the car pulls up and John lets you out, you know just what to say what needs to come next. "Well, I guess you should come in so we can formalise things." 

"I'd appreciate it." He nods, before turning back to the car to grab a bag and follow you into the building.

 *

You and John sit at your kitchen island, tea in your hand and coffee in John's—a neat, stapled stack of papers sits before you.

"Here's the contract I signed with ye maw, but she's given us some wiggle room." John says, tapping the top of the paper where the bold letters of CLOSE PROTECTION AGREEMENT — 141 SECURITY sit. 

"Nice of her to allow me a say, if I'm honest." You laugh dryly—you love your mother dearly, but you'd be lying if you said she wasn't overbearing. Your initial protests about this whole arrangement had been entirely shut down, and clearly, she didn't trust you to follow through considering she sprung John on you tonight, unannounced.

"I'm sure she just wants what's best for ye." John offers as you flick through the pages.

The contract outlines the agreement between the Guard and The Principal—with stipulations on activities, compensation, and conduct. 

It's weird seeing it all laid out on paper, seeing the hefty cost of John's services, and the fact you'll be giving this man free access to your home and life. All of this to keep you safe from some nebulous threats that have not even been acted upon.

"She does, but this is inconvenient, and frustrating to say the least." You purposefully choose not to include the words 'fucking annoying' and 'torturing me with a hot man I can't have', though your next conversation with your therapist will absolutely include such descriptions and more. 

"I can understand tha'." He nods understandingly, before raising his coffee and taking a sip—his gaze unwavering as he does. "You've never had close protection before?" 

You shake your head. "No, this is all new to me." 

"Okay. We'll start by discussing exactly what kind of protection you're looking for. Part of tha' will be dictated by what yer maw laid out, like I said, we can decide specifics." 

"Sounds like a plan." You lean back in your stool, tea in hand as you contemplate. Admittedly, you should have done some research before this, but in your defence, you did think you had more time. You're not entirely sure what boundaries you can set—but you hope that John can lead the process a little. "I don't think I can do something 24/7, and it's not like you can stay here, I guess."

You cringe internally thinking about how fucking awkward that would be—your tipsy brain supplies the image of the world's most uncomfortable sleepover. 

In your imagination, John looks grumpy and uncomfortable, still tucked up in bed in that stiff shirt with his boots still on. You are, of course, in little fluffy bunny pyjamas staring at him all gooey-eyed whilst he tries to pretend everything is normal. It takes conscious effort for you not to giggle at the mental image.

"I understand. I'd suggest I escort you anywhere outside these four walls, day or night, work and social events. Conduct security checks on your flat, vet close contacts, update your digital security, things like tha'." John supplies a rundown of potential actions like it's a grocery list, yet a very severe grocery list. His collected nature does put you more at ease.

"Sounds a tad invasive." 

"I'll try to make it as little as possible." 

"Thanks, I appreciate it." You smile slightly, truly thankful for his consideration and tact.

You give John a once over, thoughts once again ticking over. "If you're going to be with me everywhere, you can't walk around like that, outside of my work, that is. No offense, it's just, all my friends are gonna think I'm a self-important twat if I start showing up everywhere with some posh bodyguard." You stop abruptly, realising how much you're bloody rambling.

"Am far from posh. But, more casual look then, aye?" 

You smile a little nervously, hoping you haven't completely offended the man. "Please." 

This whole situation is beyond difficult to navigate—untreaded paths, forging new relationships, balancing existing ones. Your friends really are going to think this whole situation is beyond bizarre. They already find amusement in seeing your mother on the news. Having a bodyguard is going to leave you subject to endless teasing, relentless mocking, and attempts to make your and John's life a whole lot harder.

Your head falls into your hands as you rub at the sockets of your eyes, undoubtedly smearing your makeup and making a mess of your face. It'll get easier, you reassure yourself.

With your eyes closed and pressed into the heel of your hands, you don't see the way John's expression softens or the way he moves closer to comfort you before hesitating and stopping short. "Wha's the matter?" 

"I'm just... incredibly anxious about how this is going to play out with my friends, with work." 

John leaps into problem-solving mode, immediately pulling from his brain some words to soothe you, as well as making note of what bumps in the road to smooth out. "Ye mother said she already consulted yer work, and they're fine to make accommodations." 

Of course, she'd already talked to David about the whole thing. "So it'll be fine aside from all the gossip it will cause." 

"It's politics and I ken yer not naïve, everybody's talking anyway, no?" He offers, and yet you don't seem assuaged, so he tries a different tactic. "It's my job to blend in. They'll barely notice me." 

"With that haircut? Sorry." You giggle—surprisingly you find the mohawk suits his rugged look, but it certainly isn't something you've seen on a man that wasn't walking the streets of Camden. Though, even with a more fitting haircut, the man is so casually striking and ever so slightly imposing that he just naturally draws attention. "In general, you don't strike me as a man who does blending in well, not in civilian life anyway."

His eyes narrow for a moment, before he struggles to fight off a smirk. "Hmm, ye might have a point. Not changing ma hair though, sorry. Nae sure ye family has enough money for tha' one."  

His more playful side makes your heart soar, and gives you hope that everything might just be alright.

"I have a crazy idea." Okay, maybe you're more tipsy than you thought you were, as your brain supplies an outlandish plot and your mouth runs away with it. 

His eyebrow arches and his eyes sparkle with intrigue. John MacTavish seems like a man who likes crazy ideas. "Go oan." 

"I'll tell my friends that you're my boyfriend, and we're just so madly in love that you have to come everywhere with me. Means no real questions." 

Your proposition is met with deafening silence, despite the huge, encouraging grin on your face.

John laughs, just the once, before his expression hardens. "Not a chance, lass."

"Why? You don't have to really do anything. Besides, it'll save you sitting outside in the car, or staring from the shadows and making everyone feel uncomfortable." 

You realise now that while you noticed a distinct lack of a ring, there's the possibility that John is still attached, and what you're suggesting is wildly inappropriate—but it's not that point he argues on.

"Aye, so I just have to spend ma time socialising instead." He scoffs.

"Well, surely you're not brooding and mysterious all the time." You wager.

Once more, he finds a smirk tugging at his lips that he can't hold back. "No' at all, but it's been a long time since I was the life of the party, and something tells me that me an' your DnD friends don't have a lot in common." 

"They might surprise you, but you also might surprise yourself. Maybe you're a secret nerd." You wink, still being jovial before you shift back to your genuine pleas. "It'll make my life a whole lot easier and be one less thing for me to stress about. My friends wouldn't second guess the story much once they got past the shock of me bagging someone older, wiser, and oh-so-handsome. Please."  

You flash your softest, sweetest doe eyes and lay the compliments on extra thick in the hopes of swaying him. In the political world, you're used to using charm to try and get what you want, and know that without charisma you'd get nowhere. Perhaps it's a bit low of you to stoop to using flirtation on someone who could likely run rings around you when it comes to negotiation, but it's worked before, and at this point, you're desperate.

John straightens up in his seat, eyes you for a moment, and then lets out a heavy sigh, crossing his arms over his chest. "Fine." 

The fact he relents honestly takes you a little by surprise. You're relieved, but yes, surprised. "Huh?"

"Fine, I'll be whoever ye want me to be..." The look in his eyes shifts to something imperceptible, as he leans over the counter closer to you. "As long ye listen to what I say when it comes to yer safety and security. Deal?" 

He holds out his hand, and your own feels dwarfed when you reach out to take his calloused palm.

"You drive a hard bargain, John MacTavish. Deal." You shake, and neither of you makes a move to immediately let go.

"Aye, a know." He winks, and the action makes your heart skip a beat, your cheeks flood with heat.

Each second passes slowly, his touch feeling like too much and not enough all at once. You know at that moment that life from now on is going to be especially difficult as long as John is around.

What he says next is the final nail in that particular coffin. "Would've done it anyway, but glad I got ye to agree to ma terms, lass." 

[space-writes]

hello (again) writeblr! i decided to make a new intro that has all my current wips on it, since i have way more than when i first started out on here.

about me

I go by Space, my pronouns are they/he, and I’m in my third decade of existence, which is absolutely wild. I’ve been writing for most of it, so I like to think I’m pretty decent

I write mostly fantasy and erotica (sometimes at the same time), both original and fanfiction, and all of it's queer

You can find my work on my AO3 here, crossposted to my neocities here, and under my snippets tag

I’m open to tag and ask games, and my inbox is currently open to anything as well. I don’t always reply the fastest, but I’ll get to it eventually! (I don’t take part in chain asks, so please don’t send me them)

I use obsidian.md for all my writing, and it’s my favourite notes app ever, so I also talk about that occasionally. The tag for it is here, and I’m hoping to write some more showcases/tutorials this year!

my main goal is to actually finish some damn books and also to inflict my OC brainrot upon people. so far the second one is the only thing that’s actually happened, but i live in hope

My current wips are Chronicles of Valloroth (Renegade Prince being book one), Obedience, Obsession, and claws—summaries and links for all four are under the cut!

this is my writing sideblog, you can find my main @thespacelizard, and i follow/like from there

current wips

Chronicles of Valloroth

⚔ Genre: Fantasy Adventure

⚔ Features: Queer cast, found family, A Whole Entire Dragon, magical mishaps, The Mere Concept of Doing The Right Thing, a grumpy assassin, a sparkly mercenary, knock-off tieflings, a handsome prince (he’s gay), more banter than your average dungeons and dragons campaign

⚔ Status: Book One: First draft completed, re-drafting in-progress || Books Two & Three: outlined

⚔ One Sentence Summary (Book One): A runaway prince seeks freedom in a new world and must find a way to convince a rag-tag group to defeat an ancient dragon, all whilst he is being hunted by a band of mercenaries and an infamous assassin.

⚔ Series Tag: valloroth blogging

claws

🩸 Genre: Queer Horror

🩸 Features: teacher/student relationship (university edition), toxic romance, gender fuckery, broken identity, demonology, murder, self-harm, obsession, stalking, infidelity, a lot of blood, pact-based magic system, corruption, jealousy, eldritch entities, love is a wound, body horror, attempted suicide, and a little bit of arachnophilia

🩸 Status: First draft complete!

🩸 One Sentence Summary: A young student’s obsession with his demonology teacher sparks a twisted romance that draws him to the limits of his humanity—and into the web of an eldritch horror.

🩸 Series Tag: wip: claws

Obedience

💜 Genre: Erotic Romance, D&D fanfiction (original characters, Forgotten Realms setting & loose 5E ruleset)

💜 Features: a variety of BDSM scenarios, one closed off wizard dom, one enthusiastic nerdy sub, weird uses for dnd spells, a painful amount of pining, somehow; worldbuilding, emotional slow burn, as much self indulgence as I can possibly fit in a fanfic series

💜 Status: Arcs 1-3 are complete (read on AO3 here, or my neocities here). The first book of Arc 4, The Perils of Wanting is currently in edits. The second book of Arc 4, as yet untitled, is on its second draft.

💜 One Sentence Summary: A D/s M/M series featuring two wizard boys, the kinky magic they get up to, and the feelings they definitely don’t have for each other.

💜 Series Tag: obedience fic blogging (it began on my main, so the tag there has more snippets)

Obsession

🕷 Genre: War of the Spider Queen/Forgotten Realms fanfiction, also Erotica, Horror and a smidge of Dark Romance

🕷 Features: OC/canon, a nightmare transmasc wizard boy, obsession, stalking, jealousy, violent impulses, dubious consent, possessiveness, evil gender dysphoria, incest, gore, the inherent horror of Having a Body, and occasionally actual school things happening at Sorcere

🕷 Status: Ongoing serial, which you can read on AO3 here, or my neocities here

🕷 One Sentence Summary: Pharaun Mizzrym is everything to Vizaeth Thaezyr. He’ll do anything for him—even if Pharaun doesn’t know it yet.

🕷 Series Tag: obsession fic blogging (it also began on my main, so check the tag there for additional content!)

[theresattrpgforthat]

This might be a weird request, but are there any games that are conducive to a co-optional (like, the players are all working toward a common goal, but they don't have to work together, like Battleblock Theater, the New Super Mario Bros. games, Four Swords Adventures, or Scarescraper from the Luigi's Mansion series) campaign?

Theme: Co-Optional Games.

Hello friend, I'm not entirely sure if what I found fits what you're looking for. I had a hard time thinking of games that fit this description until I started looking at GM-less games, in which sometimes players take on different roles, even though nobody is the GM.

If there are any folks who see this who think they have a good candidate for any of these games, I encourage you to add them in your replies/reblogs!

Letters to Cthulhu, by Lucienne Impala.

It is the night of the Searing Star, the perfect opportunity to combine your will and free Cthulhu from their prison. Unless of course, you wish to write to Cthulhu, imploring them to grant you your truest desire (at the cost of their freedom). Even if you do put your desires before the greater goal of the cult, will another cultist sabotage your efforts?

This game is great for a larger group of people, 6-8 players recommended. One player is Cthulhu, awaiting a letter written to them by their coterie of cultists. Each cultist will take turns writing down what they want, both for themselves and the cult, and pass the letter around the table.

This is a game where sabotage is expected, and to some point also encouraged - you will have the ability to alter the words of some of the cultists that have gone before you, and in this way this game is somewhat like Telephone. This might be good for fans of Cthulhu but want a game that’s a bit more light-hearted.

Roses & Romance, by honestiago.

The Host Club is where the school's handsomest students with too much time on their hands entertain young ladies and men who also have way too much time on their hands. Despite this elegant playground for the super-rich and beautiful being one of the most popular destinations for, the school’s administration is determined that this will be the year they shut you down.

They may have said that last year, but this year they mean it. You’re going to prove to them once and for all that the Host Club is important to the student body and this town. It’s now or never, and you are going to be the best executive board of the Host Club this school has ever seen.

Create your high school host and dodge school rumors, experiencing the power of love in all forms to save your beloved school club from being disbanded!

Players take turns as the “Main Character” over the course of 8 episodes, with the rest of the table acting as NPCs and background characters, describing the scene and the main obstacles facing the Main Character and the club. The Host Club needs to make 3 successful moves in order to get a good reputation, using coins and dice to determine how (and how well) they may succeed. After each episode you’ll determine the overall state of the club, and whether or not you’ve succeeded. If you like the idea of short episodes with a rotating spotlight, but you don’t like this theme, you might want to check out Clear Eyes / Full Hearts, which this game is a hack of.

Under the Snowflakes and Stars, by nickwedig.

Once upon a time, before knights fought with demons, before battle, before war, and before the sun, there was a great city at the top of the world, shining throughout the night that had lasted forever. Built of ice and starlight, full of elegant palaces, shimmering statues, it was home to a people whose splendor we are not given to understand.

But that was before the coming of the Dawn. That was before the Mistake caused the destruction of Polaris.

Many stories are told about the Mistake, its nature, its origins, and its history. No one remaining among the people knows the truth, but everyone knows that before the Mistake, the city was perfect, the sky was dark, and the people had no fear. Now, their city is left a smoking crater, the sky is haunted by a brilliant sun and ghostly moon, strange-formed demons pour forth from whence the palace once stood, and the people have learned of terror.

Under the Snowflakes and Stars is a storytelling game of chivalric tragedy in the utmost north. 3 to 6 Players take one of Three Roles to collaboratively tell a story of the Knights of the Order of Stars. 

This game is actually a remix of two other games: Under the Autumn Strangely and Polaris. This game might be considered co-optional at a meta-level. The players will take turns embodying different elements of a story, but the elements aren’t necessarily specific characters. One element, the Knight, is a specific individual, but the Starlight and the Mistaken are set pieces, the Starlight embodying a beautiful city and its inhabitants, while the Mistaken represents the feeling of dread, the demons and destruction of Polaris. Each element can and cannot do certain things, and much of the resolution is determined through a token-based system, giving players power to affect the narrative in certain scenes but not others.

If you want a game that feels poetic, collaborative and tragic, this might be for you.

President Kaiju, by Omnik.

What to do when an uncontrollable and arbitrary force seeks to destroy everything in your nation?

Well, you entertain it and fill its belly, of course!

President Kaiju is a humorous one-shot that splits the players up into teams: Entertainment and Kitchen. Each team will take turns doing their best to keep a very dangerous, larger-than-life president happy, while the other team provides the adjudication dependant on the mood of the President. This is great for goofy games, and all it requires is a number of d6’s and the ability to indicate a thumbs up, thumbs down and “ok” motion.

Space Goblins, by Viditya Voleti.

You are also all barreling through space in a ship made of junk and scrap, how lucky! Your goal: to make it to Junktopia, the rogue planet in the middle of space, a utopia for the Goblins, with your ship intact and as much Junk as you can to further its beauty!

Space Goblins! is a HIGH CHAOS AND TRULY OUTRAGEOUS RPG meant for 2-5 players with rotating referee play and an emphasis on wild Goblin-created mayhem!

Use any interlocking plastic building block collection, such as Lego, as your Junk collection, building up and breaking down your Junk Ship as you play with all the other Goblins!

You use LEGO pieces or other kinds of construction blocks in this game, with pieces added on or breaking off depending on the junk that your Goblins manage to salvage. The maintenance of your Junk Ship is something that is a communal responsibility, but each Goblin will undertake their own actions, using and trading resources gained over time. Sometimes a player’s goblin may have to stay behind on the ship so their player can help adjudicate the outcome of certain phases, so you’ll also see roles get handed around in this game. If you want a game that is goofy and lets you make less-than-optimal choices, this might be the game for you.

Also Check Out...

Unique Player Responsibilities Rec Post

Asymmetrical Games Rec Post

Spectaculars gives players different obstacles in combat to try and take care of, and each player takes a specific role that gives them a special ability to use as they fight.

Visigoths vs Mall Goths pits players against each-other in friendly rivalry to hunt down prize-winning goats, become the most Goth they can be, and win denizens of the mall to their cause.

A Complicated Profession often designates certain players to fulfill specific roles during any given cruise, such as providing entertainment for guests, cooking up a savoury dish, or fighting off junk-pirates who want to kidnap your barkeep.

[yujo-nishimura]

The Escape - Part 3

Part 1 Part 2

Warning: A little bit of angst and sadness, female reader, One Piece based storyline mixed with my own weird creativity. This will be my personal Nanowrimo project I want to share with all of you. Hope you can enjoy reading as much as I enjoy writing.

Content notes: Small buggy turning into big Buggy later during the story, love, romance, female reader who will experience a strong character development, SFW for now, might add NSFW later.

As the sun begins its descent, casting a warm golden glow across the landscape, you find yourself seated atop a hillside, accompanied by your two newfound companions. The peculiar creatures of the island surround you, their presence adding an air of enchantment to the scene. 

The delicious scent of grilled meat and vegetables wafts through the air, mingling with the gentle breeze that carries the essence of this tropical paradise. The combination of aromatic flavors and the soothing warmth of the surroundings washes over you, evoking a sense of peace and liberation that you haven't experienced in a long while.

In this moment, all worries and burdens seem to dissipate, replaced by a profound feeling of relaxation and freedom. 

Buggy and Gaimon extended their warmest efforts to make you feel at home in their intimate gathering. Both of them reflected a genuine admiration for your resilience in surviving such a treacherous storm, accompanied by the fact that you were a female pirate and a former member of the infamous Snowland crew. You spend the evening sharing your adventures with them and Buggy and Gaimon do the same - you quickly feel that you have a lot in common. 

In a gesture of camaraderie and celebration, Gaimon generously shared his homemade wine, a sweet and delicious beverage. As you savored each sip, you couldn't help but notice Buggy indulging in the wine with an eagerness that quickly led to his inebriation.

In this harmonious atmosphere, the three of you decided on a lively rendition of sea shanties, your voices entwining in a chorus that resonated across the island and probably scared the animals. 

Surrounded by the friendly creatures and lulled by the comforting effects of the wine, you gradually drift into a profound slumber, nestled closely to the crackling warmth of the fire. The world around you fades away as dreams take hold, filling your mind with a sense of tranquility and contentment. As you surrender to the depths of sleep, a gentle touch envelops you, likely the act of Buggy, who carefully drapes his long coat over your body. In this tender gesture, you feel a surge of emotion, touched by the thoughtfulness and concern that the clown pirate exhibits. He didn't seem to be the type to care much about others other than himself. You grab onto the coat a bit closer, carefully and silently so he wouldn't realize. 

For the first time in a while you find complete solace in your deep sleep. 

As you awake the next morning you can see Buggy and Gaimon laying almost on top of each other, entangled in a comical embrace, lying sprawled near the fire, their snores harmonizing with the gentle morning breeze. Gaimon's hand still clings to the empty wine glass, he probably also had one too many. Silently you get up, deciding to try to wash yourself while the two are still in deep slumber. 

One of the weird looking animals, half lion, half bird is already awake and you decide to ask it if there is a lake nearby. The animal seems to understand every human word and you are not questioning why, but just follow it as it seems to guide you through a thick forest. Just after a five minute walk, a serene lake unfolds before you, its surface shimmering under the gentle caress of the early morning sun. You smile at the animal, showing him that you appreciate his guidance.  Without hesitation you quickly get rid of all your clothes and take a dip into the water. It is cold but not too cold to shock you, it is exactly what you needed after a night next to the fire. You start swimming some rounds and start to dive deep, enjoying every moment of your morning bath and your freedom in the water.  

As you swim to the surface you suddenly hear a familiar voice, calling out your name. Startled, you turn your attention towards the lake shore, where Buggy stands, his cupped hands amplifying his words.

"Y/n, are you in trouble? Are you drowning?" Buggy's concerned voice echoes across the water, displaying genuine worry for your well-being.

Chuckling at the misunderstanding, you respond with a hint of amusement, ensuring your voice carries to the distant shore. "No need to worry, Buggy! I'm perfectly fine, just enjoying a refreshing bath!"

Buggy's curiosity piqued, he leans forward, his curiosity evident in his voice as he shouts back, "Are you... naked?"

Upon hearing his question, you can't help but roll your eyes, realizing the potential awkwardness of the situation. Maintaining a safe distance, you reply with a touch of playful sarcasm, wanting to spare both of you from any embarrassment. "Of course, Buggy. It's kind of hard to get clean with clothes on, don't you think?"

Buggy's response is a mixture of surprise and a mischievous grin, his interest clearly piqued by your unabashed honesty. Relief shows on his face and he shouts back “That's good. I was worried for a moment that you were drowning. Anyway, I will go back and sleep a bit more. Make sure to say goodbye later before I leave the island!” 

"Thank you for your concern, Buggy," you reply with genuine appreciation. "Don't worry, I'll be sure to bid you farewell before you depart from the island."

You wave with a splash, luckily Buggy turns around and goes back to the fireplace, giving you the chance to get out of the water and collect your clothes.

[zsakuva]

Hello! Good Timezone! Well, I certainly didn't think I'd be asking any questions, but my curiosity got the better of me and here we are. After looking through (or in this case LISTENING through) your characters, I took notice of how excited you get everytime you work on The Noble Trials and Zaros and its great! Im always ready to tune in for more as the story unfolds. I am aware you like the Fantasy genre especially with LOTR and your other inspirations. Even inspired me to write a Fantasy-focused story just for fun amongst my other stories. I'm curious, what made you interested in writing Fantasy actually? This was kind of a long Segway into this question....

Do you mean writing fantasy with my audios or just in general?

If you mean in general, then it's a genre that I've always gravitated towards. I particularly love high fantasy settings, so stories told in completely different worlds are ripe for escapism! I can lose myself to its laws, physics, magics, histories, cultures, creatures, and all other manner of mysteries!

Naturally, I wanted to create something similar to that, and I dove head-first into making a world of my own!

If you mean with audios, then it was all about experimenting with something new. Romance wouldn't be at the forefront, and I could explore different themes in a world that was solely my own. I didn't need to conform with the rules of our world, and I could indulge in some freedom from the usual content. Of course, the romantic vibes of the 'boyfriend experience' is what my channel revolves around, but fantasy, adventure, flawed characters, and a good story is where my heart truly lies.

[softkiseu]

hi lovelies, nabis and moots. i know i already drop a hint that i 'll host another event when i hit a biggest milestone i been waiting for a very long time and finally, it happened. yes, we hit 2k everyone! also it's alr 2.1k+ since i posted my ms post,all thanks to you guys that i love and adore so much. now I'm sorry for making everyone waiting. work made me busy and exhausted.

now to celebrate this beautiful milestone, also because endlesslywe did reach it's first hundred, slowly climbing to 200 ( i need to be active there again) while renjwoo is it's in four hundred almost it's five soon. i planned to make a event titled " k pop films event ".

what's the themed about and how it works?

films are about series and movies that we love to watch when it's our free time. mostly in netflix, so how it will connect to kpop?

STEPS TO FOLLOW :

✨🎥 you need to make a moodboard that will be themed from any movie or series that already been released to the public. i wanna set your freedom to choose so more access to a great masterpiece + i might have a chance to know new films to watch if you ever pick a title that i don't have a chance to watch yet.

✨🎥 pick a kpop idol (from any gg, bg or even soloist) that will be a good match to your made up character in your choosen title film that will be the final concept of your mb.

🎬 to make it even clearer, here are the sample of mbs with film themed in the past that i made, for your guidance purposes.

✨🎥 make sure that your moodboard is pure themed of the movie or series you'll pick or else your mb will instantly lose it chance to win even it have a good color scheme.

✨🎥 try to be unique and be creative.

✨🎥 don't forget to put the tags #k pop films event #(idol name) x (title of the film) #genre (can be one or more) sample of genre : action, drama, horror, thriller, science fiction, romance, fantasy, comedy, adventure, animation, historical, myster and many more. The example of tags are also in the pics above.

✨🎥 leave a comment if joining, tag two or even more of your friends you think will join. my own tags (@w-oun @y-ves @koosuvi @isamired @interstellarz @tookio + more)

✨🎥 please tag me @softkiseu in your mb too. it's fine if its in anyplace of your mb or in the comment section. It easier for me to see your entry (i forgot to include this one ;;)

🎬 again, we will have six winners for this event, i, @/y-ves and @/isamired that are also admins of endlesslywe will choose two each to enter the top six.

✨the rewards!

🔖 a shout out

🔖 one gif set (idol of your choice)

🔖 two customized mbs- to give myself a challenge too, i ll make one of the mbs a film themed mb (the idol is your choice)

🔖 50 reblogs of one of your post.

🔖 a follow if I'm not following yet.

🔖 to be added in coming days.

🎬 the end of sending your entry for the event will be oct 8 (20 days from now) and i ll announce the winner with the help of my two moots after a week or two.

🎬 lastly, good luck and hope who participate will enjoy the event I planned. all the mb entries will be rb at @/damidarari.

lastly, this only for fun. hope to see you join and i able to have a chance to see a beautiful stunning themed film mbs that you nabis, moots, and other lovelies possible can make. i know everyone here in our mb community are so talented. fightin!

[luminous-jellyfish]

A Writeblr Intro (English Version)

Link zur deutschen Version

Hi, I'm Marlin! I've been lurking on tumblr and in its writing community for years but was always too shy to engage. Now I've finally decided to start sharing my own stuff (mainly to organize myself) and become active!

⫸ About Me ⫷

I go by Marlin (she/her), or on some platforms by luminous-jellyfish

mid 20s, queer

I write (mostly) in German, but post (mostly) in English

my favorite genre is fantasy, and all the different direction fantasy can go in, but I like trying my hand at genre mixing

my main blog where I reblog general stuff and fandom things and so on is @secondrealitytotheright

⫸ Current WIPs ⫷

I'm currently most actively working on a few different stories that all take place in the same world (though at slightly different points in time) that I've dubbed "leviathan world" in my notes - after the gigantic sea creatures that live in its deep oceans (and sometimes the sky, who can resist sky whales, seriously). I would probably call it a fantasy world with steampunk elements.

All of those stories feature queerness in different forms, and most of them include at least slight elements of what might be called body horror.

All of these stories are still operating under working titles and are in various, wildly differing draft stages. As always I have far too much planned in this world but these four are the stories I'm actually actively writing right now:

Seeds beneath our skin

Genre: Magical Academy Fantasy, Coming-of-age story

Setting: a group of islands and archipelagos near the equator, where the leviathans are generally both revered and feared as holy and powerful creatures connected to the spirit world

Short Summary: A young girl who grew up as a sea nomad joins the temple that has controlled religious practices throughout the islands for a hundred years. Against her will she becomes a key figure in the struggle for power and religious freedom that is about to grip the temple. To survive spirit possession, human intrigue and ideological differences she is forced to reconsider her identity and world view and define herself on her own terms.

Honey cakes and bloody satin

Genre: Steampunk Fantasy, (Cozy?) Mystery, Romance

Setting: a harbor city on the northern continent, famous for their leviathan hunters, where a technological revolution is happening as the blood of leviathans is turned into a powerful fuel

Short Summary: A journalist working for a revolutionary underground newspaper and a seamstress involved in the golem's rights movement are thrown together when a man dies right in front of their eyes. They must work together and solve the crime while also hiding everything happening from the Watch, to protect both of their secrets.

Short WIP Intro

Half the lights

Genre: High Fantasy Adventure, Romance

Setting: A city on the back of a leviathan, as well as the open skies, oceans and harbors frequented by smugglers, messengers and pirates

Short Summary: A wealthy, bookish young woman who dreams of investigating weather phenomenons escapes having to forge a psychic bond with the leviathan carrying her home city on its back. She stows away on a messenger ship and finds herself among a shady crew of smugglers. Eventually she gets herself involved in pirate adventures, a political revolution and a growing attraction to a headstrong fighter with a rigid code of honor and high ideals.

And surrendered the flesh

Genre: Science Fantasy

Setting: a big city in a sub-tropical climate, surrounded by jungles and plains that have been gripped by a powerful virus that contorts nature and all living things

Short Summary: A young girl from the country travels to the city to find her missing sister and gets involved with an organisation that strives to perfect the human body. An ambitious scientist fights to be recognised for her genius and to keep her past mistakes secret. An old woman is forced to join a struggle she has been hiding from for years and rediscover forgotten powers to try and save her grandchild. All three of them will shape the face of the city.

[disrespectre]

SERVER CLOSED FOR THE TIME BEING

Hidden beneath the thick fog deep in Halimaw Woods, sits secrets that an ordinary human grows increasingly curious about with every passing day. Tales of creatures from fiction, storybooks claiming to be "Historically accurate" events of what had happened years prior in the small town nestled within inner Oregon. Every child's parent scoffs it off with dismissal, "Fairytales, stories, nothing more." However, they had lived to see the truth all those years ago.. The truth of Halimaw, and the monsters within the woods.

The truth is, Vampires and Werewolves had once lived amongst humans, adapting to society and intermingling with humans, ranging within anything from Friendships, to even Romance. This also created lots of interbred offspring, half wolves, and half vampires now trotting around communities and befriending human children. Despite most of society seeming to grow accustomed to this change, albeit a little nervous still.. there are always extremists.

These extremists worked their way into local governments, protests, advertisements, until they had gathered enough steam to make these monsters a big enough deal to be banished from human life. "Dangerous, harmful to children, unpredictable." It hadn't helped that vampires were natural hunters, still needing to feed upon humans to satisfy their needs and continue existing. Unfortunately, this had become the last straw, and perfect bit of evidence to create the law that banished monsters to their own realm. Werewolves and Vampires were split amongst the land within, creating their own communities, and survining the extremist hunters that still attempted to sneak in for a trophy prize above their mantle.

The 'fairytale' of Halimaw Woods monsters is entirely true.. but only a few humans live to tell the stories of what they found within the thick woodlands. However, most of the disappearances weren't the fault of either monster faction.. but rather, a new threat that has risen on the land. The good thing? You get to take part of this.

† The Clans & Covens RP server takes place on Discord, and is 18+

† We are a new Advanced Lit - Novella style RP server, writing lengthy responses with a no tolerance rule for single liners.

† Create an OC in any of our factions, From Humans to Vampires, werewolves, and even hunters. We also allow the creation of half-bred creatures. Every Monster faction has its own channel, with descriptions on abilities, weaknesses, and so forth.

† The server has a full channel dedicated to the story lore, with lots more to it and a description about the new threat. We're very immersive, and detailed with our storytelling, wanting everyone to get hooked in, and be a part of our adventure.

† Were a super fun, and welcoming group of writers who want to delve into an exciting story based RP, but also want to get to know our writers, so we have OOC channels to hang and chat in, as well as channels dedicated to your OCs, where you can ramble endlessly about personal Headcannons, and so forth.

† NSFW is allowed in our RPs, along with ships, romance, and so forth. Advance your OCs relationship with any other- even if you want a sworn enemy.. we allow full freedom to grow in this area. Our fights are dice based, unless predetermined- so brawls are always a fun bit of suspense!

† There's lots more fun in our server, from campy vampire movie nights, to in character communication channels, roles, and so forth. You'll just have to come see for yourself...

(We also have super cool emojis...)

Super Flashy Server Link HERE

Having trouble with the link? shoot @clansandcovens-rp a message!

[moonpaw]

Do you have any one piece fic recs? Mainly stuff that doesn’t really deal with romance. That sweet sweet platonic shit is calling my name

yeah, i got a ......couple!!

Luffy was raised as a marine and makes it everyone's problem (Series, spoilers for all arcs they're in sections so read up to where you are)

Luffy was raised as a marine, but now has more childhood trauma (Series, first fic is a full fledged fic, again spoilers for all arcs)

Somewhere to Belong (childhood ASL, garp strikes a deal for whitebeard to watch them for 6 months)

The Fire and the Sun (A what-if marineford fic, luffy gets hit)

I’ll keep the king (I’ll keep him safe) (a whump fic centered around luffy's injuries and his crew taking care of him, nakamaship)

sweets and chains can't keep away the king's straw hat (AU where luffy is Big Mom's son and Dragon keeps breaking in checking up on him)

There is no such thing as freedom in a cage of your own making (AU where it's found out much earlier that luffy is Dragon's son and the marines are sent after him on Dawn, Garp calls Ace to go get him first)

Dammit Garp (stop kidnapping your grandson) (Garp finds out Ace is on whitebeard's ship and throws luffy over there too)

the sky is falling (but you’re with me so there’s nowhere i’d rather be) (ok i know you said no ship, but i'm obsessed over this fic for being one of the BEST gear 5 fics out there because of how much LORE it has, Gods AU, ch 1044+ spoilers)

Treasures for a Treasure (pearls pale in your eyes) (Gods AU, luffy is the son of the sea)

Who We Were Meant To Be (Marine!Luffy AU)

Undo, Rewrite, Again (Luffy gets blasted to Baltigo instead of the Isle of women)

Smile Again (Modern AU nakamaship, the crew help luffy recover from ace's death after a crash)

Adopted By Default (Luffy gets blasted to the whitebeards instead of the isle of women)

Beginning the Next Dream (Luffy gets reincarnated as his own uncle and raises the ASL brothers lol, only gets to ace though but the fic is worth it for the luffy, dragon, and garp interactions as well as roger and shanks)

The feel of family (ASL brothers but law and corazon are there too somehow)

Boy With a Scar (luffy went missing for 4 years as a fighting ring slave, fic begins after he's been freed and returned to Dawn)

The time the ASL Brothers ran away from home because they didn't want to deal with Garp (ASL brothers become pirates instead of building their treehouse)

How it Should have Healed (Another nakamaship fic about luffy's wounds throughout their adventures)

The Past and Future King (two pirate kings accidentally meet on a weird island)

one bleached from lying in a sunny place (someone comes up to Usopp and asks to join the strawhats)

Twin Flames (Ace calls Sabo his twin when talking to jinbe in impel down, this has consequences)

across ocean tides and snow-covered hills (ace and luffy meet up on Dawn right before luffy's 2 year time limit)

What if (ace is born a few days early and Rayleigh takes him in instead, making the ASL brothers estranged)

In That Bottle, Is an Ocean Of Memories (AU where luffy is big mom's son)

The World Goes Around In Circles ("How come you're called the pirate hunter, when you're a pirate yourself?")

sea king prayers (Gods Au, series)

it's all been done before (timetravel Au but told in ace's perspective who has no idea time travel is a thing that's going on)

on brotherhood (ageswap, luffy is the older brother)

gods apparent. (gear 5 fic)

Claimed by the Sea     (pirate king luffy gets kidnapped by a cult, zoro and the crew searches)

light up, light up     (Ace goes missing after the fire, leaving Sabo and Luffy alone. Outlook wants Sabo back and sabo agrees only if luffy can come with him)

as the world goes on its wicked way (Luffy gets turned into a kid for a day, big brother usopp moments)

trouble is a friend of mine (Sanji gets captured)

literally anything written by taizi

the weight of you (Platonic strawhats cuddling :D)

over the course of a day (An AU in which Usopp is forced to hitchhike and meets a few concerning characters)

Like Cats and Dogs (Daemon Au)

stared at the sun and the sun smiled back and called itself pirate king (or: loyalty, on the high seas) (Crew loyalty series)

Little Monsters ( Post-Wano, some lucky (or not-so-lucky) Marines capture the still-injured Sanji and Usopp)

no gods (Gods Au/gear 5, days after the Flevance massacre but with an extra guest)

DreadLetting (gear 5 & time travel, luffy ends up back on that day ace sets sail)

All Hail The Sun God (Gods Au, Zoro offers himself as a human sacrifice so the god of the valley will return)

sky blues (little luffy and vivi meet)

to have and to hold on (Spade pirates are worried about ace and tries to recruit luffy into helping them, Deuce pov)

Pain Scale (Nakamaship, luffy gets hurt)

You Still Have Me (Ace and luffy ageswap, marineford)

It was cold without you by my side (Sabo remembers a few days sooner, just in time to break into impel down)

teacup lizards (luffy is born as dragon’s twin)

reach up to me (if you even can) (Ace reacts to gear third’s “side effect”)

Same Difference (Sabo remembers years sooner, revisits Dawn island)

You Can't Teach a Monkey to Read (Nakamaship, the crew teaches luffy how to read after the timeskip)

The Will of D Carries On (Klabautermann au)

Of pirates and touches (Nami & luffy friendship)

Seven Deadly Sins (Modern Au, Law’s new apartment is haunted)

We Set Our Wishes Upon Her Waters (Gods Au, the 4 Blues are seen as gods and these gods have their own chosen)

Captains' Flowers (a kinda soulmate/mark fic, platonic nakamaship)

Sibling Sympathies (ace’s arabasta visit, nami pov)

interviewing the Future Pirate King (REAL! NOT CLICKBAIT!) (does this one even need an explanation?)

Diving Into The Sea  AND  Diamond Stratosphere (Au where some people with the D name have wings, series but the fics isn’t under one for some reason?)

Overboard (A typhoon hits the Going Merry's crew harder than any of them could anticipate or accept)

Know Me Like Waves Know Shores ( When Dragon and Luffy meet face to face for the first time, Luffy doesn't recognize his father.)

of scissors and combs (usopp gives luffy a haircut)

burning rubber (Chopper worries over luffy, post marineford & timeskip)

hey, let's get lost (along the way) (Ace, Luffy, Vivi, and Nami accidentally get lost in Alabasta)

etch the ocean into my soul like a guiding light (platonic soulmates Au, zolu)

Si c'est une âme (Platonic soulmates, nakamaship)

The Experiment (The crew make a game out of Zoro’s sleeping habits)

A Chance Encounter ( After Ace get's defeated by Blackbeard, he's held at a temporary prison for a little while, and there he meets a quirky, young marine that surprisingly is related to Ace!)

the voice of all things (The ocean's all the same to everyone―but no one else can hear it quite like he can.)

Many Kisses (Nakamaship & kisses)

Bearing the heat (Modern Au, ASL, slice of life)

tumbling overboard, faces full of fear (luffy falls overboard during a storm, franky dives in after him)

a place that burns (It is then, that moment, strikingly clear, that Luffy realizes he doesn’t have a home.)

Sleep is a Beast, Polar and Bear (post marineford, luffy has trouble sleeping, zoro does what he can to help)

you gotta go the long way 'round (Robin teaches luffy how to read, timeskip)

Swimming Lessons (Thanks to Law’s bodyswap ability, Usopp teaches luffy how to swim for the first time)

take a step in mine (marineford au)

Cool! Two Zoros! (the crew somehow ends up in the past. in the east blue. zoro is there)

wish by spirit and if by yes (Sabo tracks down the whitebeard pirates)

don't bury me with gold (Wolrd noble!Sabo Au)

whatever you can still betray (Haruta is convinced Ace is a spy)

Captains Don’t Get Sick (luffy & nami nakamaship)

where the rims have ridges (Outsider POV, a girl happens to meet both roger and luffy during her life, the strawhat is what she notices)

Code of Misconduct (The crew sets down some ground rules)

I Can't Be Selfless (Pre-canon, Aokiji meets luffy in fooshia)

worn to the bones (that scene where luffy, zoro, and sanji are traveling to fishman island and get separated from the crew in bubbles)

sing songs of the sea (Luffy drowned once, series)

God's emperor (Gods Au, shanks meets luffy)

i'll fly away (Au where everyone is born with wings)

a sailor by any other name (Zoro pov, luffy is forced to join the marines at a young age)

Chasing the Remnants (Sabo goes with dragon to lougetown)

Almost Giving up Before We've Even Started  (Luffy and dragon meet up, it’s awkward for them both)

Being together we are stronger than ever (ASL bodyswap)

Here There Be Dragons  (Dragons Au)

[eponymous-rose]

Some incoherent early-morning thoughts about how all the origin companions' character arcs have so, so many parallels. (Major spoilers for the entire game follow.)

All of them have backstories in which they have had power and agency taken from them (Karlach was betrayed as a teenager and made to fight for a decade in someone else's war, Astarion was tortured and made a tool of a horrific vampire lord for two centuries, Shadowheart had her memories of family and faith wiped as a child and was brought up to be a torturer, Lae'zel was a True Believer who was victimized (along with her people) by an undead horror masquerading as a god, Wyll was a teenager who was raised to feel so much personal responsibility for his city that he sold his soul to a devil to protect it, and Gale had his magical virtuosity and religion and love all tangled up in a way that meant he would lose all three when he lost one.

In early Act I, they react differently to their unexpected circumstances, but underlying it all is terror. Karlach is determined to be positive and count her blessings after her escape, but she is terrified at the prospect of having to return to the Hells to survive. Astarion's reaction to finding freedom is largely shock with a nascent joy, but he is terrified of being tracked down by Cazador and made to return. Shadowheart's mission for Shar quickly becomes something that she's less and less sure about, in a way that terrifies her, so she doubles down early in the game and leans into the persona she was molded to. Lae'zel follows a similar arc, in which she has found herself terrified out of her mind to be on an alien planet surrounded by people who don't believe the way she does, so she defaults to the strictest tenets of that belief. Wyll goes through cycles of denial and moroseness about his pact and its consequences, but he's clearly terrified at the mere thought that the ends may not have justified the means. And Gale, of course, understands that the price for his curiosity is this massive destructive force, and he's terrified that he has permanently lost access to many of the driving forces of his life.

The rest of the game gives our heroes the ability to seek power, which generally comes with a revenge component that is revealed to feel deeply futile and unsatisfying. They all have the ability to be saved, in their way, by the people they meet throughout their adventures.

The only power available to Karlach is killing Gortash, but it doesn't change the fact that she's going to die or return to her prison. Her escape is in the connections she's made, in the friends she can bring with her into hell.

Astarion can kill Cazador, but he doesn't feel any measure of true satisfaction over that (which he outright says) - the other option is to double down and Ascend, and the denial involved there warps his personality in a way that parallels early-game Lae'zel and Shadowheart and honestly feels like the start of another character arc a long way down the road. His only escape is to accept living in the shadows, which is made a meaningful life by the connections he makes throughout the game.

Shadowheart can obviously seize power by becoming a Dark Justiciar, but she also has the option to decide to free Nightsong (and later her parents, one way or the other) and defy Shar, and while there are permanent consequences (essentially chronic pain and the knowledge that there may be meddling in her future life out of petty revenge), her connections with the world are also what give that decision meaning.

Lae'zel can remain a believer right up to the point of death, which is reassuring for her need for order and certainty, but even following Orpheus means she shows a lot of the same uncompromising devotion. Eventually, thanks in large part to the connections she makes throughout the game, she sees the importance in protecting people (which is a theme that comes up strongly in her romance), and her ending can reflect that as she flies off to save her people.

Wyll can rather abruptly get his Pact rescinded (with a waiting period, true), but his true tethers and lure of power aren't so much devilish as they are related to the way in which his father has raised him to feel solely responsible for an entire city as a very young man. He's genuine in his love for protecting people, but he has the option to either pursue that love by flinging himself into the political machinations of the city... or, through the connections he makes throughout the game, realizing that he can expand his scope and help others even in Avernus.

Gale can grasp at power and agency by going after the Crown of Karsus. That can either be by giving it to Mystra in a bid for full forgiveness (which she may either accept or decline), or by turning it into the pursuit of his own godhood (and, potentially, an attempt at revenge on Mystra that doesn't end well for him). Through his connections with the party, he can also choose to forego that power and accept his more humble role in the world for what it is.

Honestly, a lot of NPCs also have this "so no one told you life was gonna be this way" arc in which they seem to get everything they wanted but find it hollow and unsatsifying until they reconnect with those around them. Rolan gets the internship with Lorroakan he's willing to risk everything for but is abused in the process, and only through the events of the game truly accepts that his family is what's most important to him. Dame Aylin gets her Wrathful killing of Lorroakan and is terribly shaken by the lack of satisfaction afterwards. And, of course, the Emperor is someone who was given a chance at power and doubled down, out of the belief that only he can set things right because he's just that important (which Shadowheart, Astarion, Gale, and Wyll, among others, can also go through, not to mention Tav). Orpheus trying his damndest to abdicate that power if he survives to endgame is an interesting contrast.

I appreciate a game with a more-or-less coherent set of narrative motifs, and it's even more impressive with the sheer volume of choices that can be made (I've only touched on some of the most common ones!).

[finishing-touch]

Top 5 favorite zones across all expansions of acclaimed MMORPG FFXIV!

[ Ask me my top 5 anything ]

My Limsa bias is about to show. In no discerning order:

Sea of Clouds: I was in post ARR patch hell for what felt like forever when first going through the game. So finally getting to Heavensward and the first proper zone was a very memorable moment in my eyes. This zone also just that particular old school FF vibe in terms of aesthetic and music. It’s got great lighting for your screenshots, an airship to gpose on for all your sky pirate needs, and hunting Squonk is always an adventure.

The Fringes: Solid music. Multiple varied biomes. The memory of running out from the starting camp and being immediately attacked by a treant and hearing Stormblood’s combat music for the first time is something I recall very fondly.

Southern Thanalan: it’s got sand. Giant crystalline structures in the background. Corpse brigade camps. Little Ala Mhigo. More sand. Overall this zone has a lot of wonderful opportunities for gpose especially.

Western La Noscea: there’s something to be said about the geography in this zone. I love the lone road stretching from the southern tip that takes you to Swiftperch and then to Aleport. I love that you can see Pharos Sirius always looming ominously in southern distance. The flower fields being marauded by wild dodos who’ve developed a taste for freedom, the patches of wildflowers littering the cliffs of the coast, the uphill road leading to Satasha, the Maelstrom outpost barricading sahagin territory- I can wax romance about this place forever.

Middle La Noscea: I think zones with a prominent landmark you can always discern from any spot is peak design, and here it’s Limsa beckoning you with its grand salt swept alabaster buildings and construction. I love everything about this area and it’s my go-to zone for all my La Noscea gpose needs.

A hot or not-so-hot take but by comparison the none of the expansion zones capture the same quality of personality as ARR zones do. The former feel so much barren ( FF16 has a similar issue).

[thefandomwritersblog]

Ghost of the Ten Horizon: Forbidden West Hekarro x Fem!OldOne OC Action/Adventure/Romance/Hurt/Comfort Chapter 17

Part 3: Ghost of the Ten

~~

"But I could have sworn there were galaxies in her eyes." -Wordsarelimitless

~~

The blades of grass pricked at Hekarro's skin as he lay next to Victoria, side by side, until time itself ceased to have any meaning. The lush field faded in a blur when he turned to look at her, the contours of her face illuminated by the soft radiance of the stars and moon above them.  As he gazed at her tear-streaked face, he could feel the weight of her emotions—a mix of sorrow and awe that threatened to overwhelm him. It was a stark contrast to the tempestuous fury that often burned within her, but in this moment, she was stripped bare, revealing a raw vulnerability that both terrified and enraptured him. And in the midst of this moonlit field, he realized the sanctity of this wordless connection and etched it deep into his heart so that he would never forget it.

He realized he should have gone back to the Grove a while ago, but the idea of hurrying back no longer held any significance. When was the last time he felt so at peace and relaxed? The silence around him seeped into his bones, lulling him into listless tranquility. If there wasn't for the slight chance of being discovered by a wandering machine, Hekarro would have easily dozed off.

After a while, Victoria broke the silence with her soft voice and turned to him. "You're quiet."

"I do not think you enjoy my company when I speak." A scoff escaped her lips as Hekarro smirked, but he did not miss the subtle curve of a smile that just barely reached her eyes. "What do you want to talk about?"

She shrugged. "I don't really know. I've never been good at making small talk. It's just fake conversation to try and get on someone's good side before asking for favors."

It was Hekarro's turn to scoff this time: "On that, I am all too aware." He muttered, listlessly gazing at the night sky while he reached with an idle hand to brush his fingertips against the soft petals of the flowers. "Every Sun Priest who comes crawling to my throne, trembling in fear of me and my tribe; every Utaru farmer pleading for my aid against the remnants of my Marshal's rebellion while I struggle to protect my people from the machine threat. Even my own tribe still chafes at my guiding hand."

He released a heavy sigh and let his hand fall back down by his side. "It matters little as to why; there is always someone—somewhere—who needs something from me, and they always feel the need to dress their favors up in empty words of flattery."

As the words left his lips, Hekarro felt a surge of relief mingled with guilt. He understood the weight and obligations that came with being the Chief of his tribe. It was a role he had taken on willingly, but how long had he suppressed his frustrations and uncertainties, afraid to speak them aloud for fear of judgment or appearing weak? With her, there was a sense of freedom in expressing these thoughts. She held no stake in the welfare of his tribe nor any motive to sway him, save perhaps for the benefit of her own survival, which he was willing to provide for anyway.

When he turned to glance back at Victoria, she was already watching him with an expression he couldn't quite decipher. But before he could dwell on it, the look was gone, and she shifted slightly on her back as she asked, "What is a Sun Priest?"

Hekarro paused for a moment, taken aback by the question, but quickly composed himself: "There is a kingdom far to the east. The people call themselves the Carja. They have a strong devotion to the sun, and their Sun Priests are considered its voice and messengers of the Sun King's will."

"And Utaru?" Victoria remarked slowly "They're another tribe of humans?"

"Yes. They also reside to the east, but much closer to my tribe than the Carja. The Utaru people are mostly farmers and known for their peaceful ways. However, I have seen how fierce they can be when pushed to their limits. They have a strong reverence for the machines that help them tend to their fields around their capital city, Plainsong. To them, these machines are like gods, providing for their tribe for many generations."

Victoria blinked, wrinkling her nose slightly as if awestruck and confused at the same time. "How many other tribes are there?"

Hekarro chuckled at her. "That I know of?" She nodded at him. "Well, there are the Utaru and the Carja. The Nora are even further east than the Carja, and I've seen for myself the ferocity of their hunting skills. The Banuk reside in the far north-east, where they endure brutal winters that would put our hardiest Sky Clan soldiers to shame. To the west, across the ocean, are the Quen. Although I have yet to meet one myself, Marshal Kotallo speaks highly of their honorable and curious nature. They have a camp on the Isles of Spires, as far as I know. And if you choose to stay here in the Grove, you'll likely come across the Oseram tribe as they work to rebuild our arena."

"If I choose to stay?" She repeated it softly, turning her gaze back towards the stars above. "I really don't have a choice in that, I guess. There isn't anywhere else for me to go…"

"You always have a choice, Victoria," he replied. "I would not keep you here against your will."

"Still, it doesn't change the fact that I have nothing out there for me anymore."

He could hear the hopelessness in her voice, and it pained him deeply. He pondered quietly before offering, "You could always live with the Utaru. I am certain they would welcome you with open arms if I requested it. Or, perhaps you could venture further east to Meridian and live among the Carja and Oseram."

"Eager to get rid of me, Hekarro?"

The subtle tease of her voice saying his name felt like a burst of light after a long night. His heart skipped a beat as he met her piercing gaze, reflecting the starry sky above them. He simply gave her a gentle smile.

"Please do not misunderstand, Victoria," he said softly. "The Grove is not just the home of my tribe; it is your home as well. Your blood is deeply intertwined with these roots, and your memories are held within them—both good and bad. I understand that they may bring you pain, and I would not hold it against you if you wished to leave this place and never return."

Victoria sat in silence, her mouth working as if she wanted to speak but was unable to find the right words. Eventually, she stood up with a sigh and brushed herself off. "We should probably start heading back before someone comes looking for us."

Hekarro pulled himself up from the ground and took a final glance at the peacefulness of the lake. He saw her gazing out as well when he turned to face her, a distant expression in her eyes. Then she blinked and spun on her heel, starting their quiet stroll back towards the grove. He walked leisurely by her side, leading her silently through the thick foliage towards the dirt path. Occasionally, as they made their way through the tangled vegetation and towering trees, something new caught Victoria's attention, and she paused to observe it. She seemed particularly drawn to flowers, like the vibrant summer orchids blooming abundantly on the jungle vines, heavy with evening dew. Her fingers delicately touched their lush petals, as if she were afraid they would break like fragile glass under her touch.

It was a calm evening, with only the faint sounds of birds chirping and crickets singing in the distance. Occasionally, they caught the watchful glances of guards stationed at their posts as they walked by. But Victoria paid them no attention, simply following him up the stairs and through the archway until they finally reached the foot of her Mother's Vision in the antechamber. Once again, there was that strange, distant expression in her eyes as she gazed at the empty platform; a mix of anguish and sorrow reflected in her oceanic blue irises that threatened to drag him under and drown him if he stared too long.

Hekarro pivoted on his heel, ready to walk away and leave her alone with her thoughts, when he heard her gentle voice call out to him. "Thank you, Hekarro." It was barely a whisper, heavy with the unshed tears she was holding back. "Tonight was… it was nice."

"It was my pleasure, Victoria." He nodded in response, watching her turned back before a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, and he left her in peace.

[cultofsappho]

9 favourite books

tysm for the tag @daisymae-12 !!!

about a year ago, I was unemployed for a while and binged like, 50 queer romance books back to back. most of these are from that little period of freedom haha

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston - wow big shocker. the heavy rwrb blog puts it as her fav? we all gasped. No joke, this book inspires me so much, regularly. Its a comfort reread, a regular in my rotation of audiobook backround noise, and inspired several fics and counting.. #1 best boy right here

Six of Crows Duology by Leigh Bardugo - my #2 comfort rereads, I'm including Crooked Kingdom bc I ALWAYS pick up book #2 after finishing book #1. Wylan is my special boy and I need his POV chapters. (I also need more fic of him going fucking insane and becoming a tiny, richer, Kaz please and thank you)

Delilah Green Doesn't Care by Ashley Herring Blake - Look im a fantasy/magic/adventure girl, so this was very outside my norm when i bought it but i feel in LOVE. It's so mundane while also being very heartfelt and silly and fun. I absolutely loved it and plan to reread soon. plus........ sapphic sex scenes. what more do you want.

A Marvelous Light by Freya Marske - MAGIC. CURSES. SECRECT SOCIETY. LIBRARIES. PERIOD PEICE. (+magic sex???) SOLD. I need the next two books so bad but i'm broke rn. I will probably get #2 as an audio book from the library if I can soon!

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas - not exaggerating, this book reminded my why I love reading. this is the book that kicked off my great reading binge of 2022. which is kinda weird bc I really don't like high school stories, i'm just too old now for them. BUT, magic. ghosts. queer. SOLD. Loved and reread many times and counting!

The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas - While we're on Aiden Thomas... I need Sunbearer Trials book 2 like, yesterday. I NEED IT AIDEN. Hunger Games meets Percy Jackson in the best possible combination that took my breath away. I flew (lol) through this book in one evening. (not recommended. savvor this shit. its excellent.)

The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun - the fact the author managed to make me enjoy the concept of a reality show is balls to the walls bananas. And the mental halth discussion in this stole the whole show.

Spell Bound by FT Lukens - It's really hard for me to pick between FT's books for a fav. I absolutely loved In Deeper Waters and So This Is Ever After, but Spell Bound hit me so hard. Of course, there's magic. (have you found my theme yet?) but specifically the discussion around lonliness, and Rook's relationship with "his adult" is so sweet and just really hit me somewhere soft.

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston - I am seriously on the hunt for sapphic books that hit me the way some of the mlm books above have hit me and ols hits that nail on the head. This book made me realize I actually like time travel stories... if it's done in a very specific way haha. also... sapphic sex scenes. WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT FROM ME. I'M HERE FOR THE P-

ty for allowing me to indulge in my ramblings and love for these books <3 no pressure tags below the cut:

@14carrotghoul @myheartalivewrites @lazybug16 @penna-nomen @cosmicalart @sherryvalli @jesuisici33 @cha-melodius

[helenngxz]

delayed train

genre : romance , fluff

pairing : choi soobin x reader

date published : july 7th, 2023.

word count : 808

description : in the bustling city of new york, where dreams and opportunities collide, two high school students find themselves unexpectedly brought together by a delayed train.

lowercase intended .

the scent of coffee filled the air as I shuffled through the crowded streets of new york city. the endless skyscrapers stretched towards the skies, casting shadows upon the bustling city below. as a high schooler, navigating through the concrete jungle was a daily adventure, but today felt different—a tinge of excitement lingered in the air.

i hurriedly walked towards the subway station, hoping to catch the train that would take me to school. however, fate had other plans. the moment i arrived on the platform, the announcement blared through the speakers, declaring the delay of all incoming and outgoing trains. frustration tugged at the edges of my mind, but i decided to make the most of this serendipitous situation.

a glimmer of curiosity twinkled in my eyes as I noticed a boy standing nearby. with fluffy brown hair and a smile that could melt hearts, he exuded an aura of warmth and approachability. his school uniform indicated that he was a student at the same high school as me.

unable to suppress my own intrigue any longer, i approached him cautiously. "hey, are you also waiting for the delayed train?"

he turned to face me and his enchanting smile widened. "yeah, it seems like we're in the same boat. I'm choi soobin, by the way, and you?"

"i'm __ ," i replied, unable to keep a small smile from tugging at my lips. "i guess we're stuck here together."

his eyes sparkled with mischief. "well, since we have plenty of time to kill, why don't we make the best of this delay? let's explore the city, what do you say?"

the idea of exploring the city with a complete stranger seemed foreign, but soobin's enthusiasm was infectious. a sense of adventure swept over me, overpowering any hesitation. "sure, why not? i'm in!"

we embarked on our impromptu exploration, our sights set on unraveling the hidden gems of new york city. with no particular destination in mind, we wandered through the streets, allowing the city to weave its magic around us. the honking of taxis and the hustle of people melded into a symphony, creating an atmosphere of freedom and possibility.

soobin's radiant smile never faded, and I found myself getting lost in its brilliance. as we strolled through central park, we shared stories, dreams, and snippets of our lives. from the breathtaking view at the top of the rock observation deck to the mesmerizing lights of times square, the city embraced us in its vibrant embrace.

with each step, our conversation grew deeper, unearthing the commonalities we shared despite our different backgrounds. soobin's gentle personality and genuine interest in everything around him made me feel at ease, as if I had known him for years. it felt like both magic and destiny had conspired to bring us together on this extraordinary day.

hours slipped by unnoticed as we continued our exploration, our laughter echoing through the streets. we climbed to the top of the empire state building, taking in the breathtaking panorama and capturing the memories with our cameras. time seemed to suspend, allowing us to live in the present and cherish every second spent together.

as the sun began to set, casting warm hues across the city, reality started seeping back in. we returned to the subway station, silently acknowledging the impending end to our adventure. the delayed train finally arrived, breaking the blissful trance that had enveloped us.

as we boarded the train, our hearts felt heavy with bittersweet emotions. we exchanged numbers, promising to stay in touch and reminiscing about this incredible day. the train ushered us back into our own worlds, but the memories of this extraordinary encounter remained etched in our hearts forever.

days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and months turned into years, but the bond forged during that serendipitous day never wavered. soobin and I became inseparable, creating countless more memories within the confines of our high school. our shared adventure that day acted as a catalyst, propelling our friendship into something deeper—a connection beyond the realms of ordinary.

new york city may have been the backdrop to our meeting, but it was soobin who left an everlasting impact on my life. he taught me the beauty of spontaneity, that joy could be found even in the most unexpected circumstances. together, we discovered not only the secret corners of the city but also the depths of our souls, inspiring each other to dream bigger and love fearlessly.

that fateful day at the train station had introduced me to the magic of unexpected encounters and the enchantment that lies within the human spirit. and as I looked towards the future, my heart brimming with gratitude, I knew that the bond forged between choi soobin and me would forever remain a cherished chapter in the grand story of our lives.

a/n : this writing style seems too npc 😭, i think i might switch it up on my next writing to make it have more dialogue and romance / cute moments :)). in addition, i've been wanting to make a series for a while now, so i might do it... but for now ill continue writing one-shots.

[fics-n-stuff-n-stuff]

Natsu Dragneel/Lucy Heartfilia -

all fairy tail characters-

Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic

Follows Fairy tail but with my own twists set in modern day

Fluff and Angst

developing feelings

Lucy has new spirits I checked constellations and gave her ones I thought were cool

Summary

Lucy is thrown into a world she didn’t know existed. Join her as she unravels this new world full of magic that brings adventure, romance and destruction along with it.

———

Just a modern re-telling of Fairy tail following its arcs with a few twists and turns along the way💞

Language: English Words: 3,227

You can also read it here- https://archiveofourown.org/works/49084309

“Fuck”

Lucy was not having a good day, or a good week, or a good year for that matter.

Since running away from home a little over a year ago, and having to financially fend for herself for the first time in 20 years it was a challenge in the beginning for someone as sheltered as she is, and did not come without great challenges.

But it is something Lucy has gotten used to and has actually come to enjoy some odd jobs and trades she's had to learn to get by.

At least to a certain degree.

But with her arrival in Hargeon today, and having spent half of her day trying to find a job, and the other half trying to find somewhere to live. Having no luck with either was a tad discouraging and left Lucy to wonder if her plan to move every few months was actually a smart idea, or if she was just being paranoid.

I mean, she's heard no word from her father or anything about her disappearance. So it's only natural to think he isn't looking.

Then again, it's better safe than sorry, so moving every time she starts feeling like she's suffocating or bored was the conclusion.

She had left Morgate Town fairly easily, it wasn't like she had any friends in the place, and her job as a waitress had her underpaid and overworked, so she was happy to leave.

Now if only she had had the foresight to at least look for some jobs or housing in this area, but no, she decided to treat it like an adventure.

She scoffs now at the thought, right adventure is what she had been looking for when she ran away. Freedom to do whatever she wanted.

Boy, has the real world slapped her in the face.

Her lack of foresight and naivety for adventure is why she was currently walking down the dark streets of Hargeon, following her phone GPS to the inn with the most positive ratings, that wasn't too pricey.

She had found it online earlier when she had stopped to get something to eat and decided to book a room.

Turning the corner of a street, she noticed that everything was suddenly eerily quiet.

People were walking around just a minute ago, looking around she didn't notice anything particularly out of the ordinary, but she couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched.

Picking up her pace slightly, she continued down the street, wishing the inn were closer, so she could just draw a bath and try to figure out her game plan for tomorrow.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, something slammed into her from the side, sending her flying into an alleyway between two buildings.

With a grunt, Lucy landed on the hard ground, slightly disoriented and wondering what sent her flying, looking up, she saw a figure covered by a black cloak standing at the entrance of the alley.

"What the hell is your problem?" Lucy asked, trying to sound confident as she stood up on shaky legs.

They started walking towards her, not answering her question, but she did hear hissing sounds and weird clicking noises coming from under the hood.

Not wanting to figure out what the hell this person's deal is, Lucy looked to the other end of the alley, only to see that it goes one way and is blocked by a wall connecting the buildings.

Dead end.

With a curse under her breath, Lucy looked back at the cloaked figure and tried to sidestep and escape, only to be grabbed by the back of her hair and violently slammed her into the brick wall.

Lucy let out a harsh scream as her body made an impact, and looking at her attacker she finally noticed that it wasn't a person at all that was attacking her because under the black cloak was a figure straight out of a nightmare, a soulless face, with dark gray skin and no apparent eyes started back at her.

Lucy only screamed louder, the creature tightened the hold it had on her and started mumbling words that Lucy could barely make out.

"We could feel your magic, yes, yes, so sweet it smells, a good feast we have found, good, good." It sounded like it was talking to itself.

Not being one to give up, Lucy kept struggling in its hold and kept screaming for help, hoping someone would hear her.

"No, no, no escape. Keep still."

It sounded harsher, and with those words, Lucy was slammed into the wall once more, she heard a crack and could feel blood trickling down the back of her head. That stopped her protest as she felt the pain come in full swing.

The creature above her was drawing closer, its mouth open and sharp teeth on display, gods, is this how she dies? In a dirty alleyway, with no one to miss her, no one to even know she was dead?

'Please don't let me die like this, not like this' Lucy thought to herself as the creature finally started to feed on her, it felt like her very soul was getting sucked out.

She was fading fast and thinking, this time, of her mother, and how she will finally be able to see her again, at the very least.

Just as that thought crossed her mind, Lucy felt the air around her start to increase in temperature, making sweat build up on Lucy's temple she felt a blast of heat and warmth around her and suddenly the creature was thrown off of her with an unearthly shriek.

There were more heat blasts, it looked like fire shooting out of somewhere. She wasn't even sure anymore as black spots started to appear in front of her. 

Sliding down the wall, she heard another shriek and after a few beats of silence Lucy was suddenly wrapped in warmth, she didn't even realize she was freezing.

"Crap, he got you good, don't worry you're safe now. I'll take you back to Fairy Tail and-"

The person who had her in their arms was talking, but Lucy was losing consciousness, fast, and could not focus for the life of her. The last thing she saw was pink before passing out.

* ********* ********** ********** ********* *

Waking up disoriented and with a pounding head, when you're 100% sure you didn't drink the night before is not fun by any means.

This is how Lucy finds herself waking up, in a brightly lit room, with her head feeling like someone is trying to escape from inside it.

She sat up with a groan, blinking away the way the light hurt her eyes, and finally able to look around, the room she is in appears to be an infirmary of some kind, but how did she get there? Why is she here?

Suddenly she remembered the attack, a creature of some sort, sucking out her soul, and then fire and warmth, someone fighting the creature and rescuing her before everything went black.

No, that can't be right, there must be a logical explanation for what she saw. She just needs to get up and see where she is, and get some answers.

Going through the infirmary door she sees that she is on the second floor of what appears to be a tavern.

The ground floor was full of people who were laughing, drinking, and playing games.

Some even appear to be fighting.

'What an odd place' Lucy thinks to herself as she descends the stairs, looking around at everyone she suddenly notices that these are no regular people.

She sees what looks like elf ears and wings on some people, and bursts of energy or other strange-looking things from others.

"I must still be dreaming, yes that's it, this is all just a lucid dream." Lucy mutters to herself as she makes her way through the middle of the crowd and to the bar, where she sees a beautiful white-haired girl tending to it.

As Lucy sits down on an empty chair the girl looks up at her with a bright smile "Hello, my name is Mirajane, how are you feeling? You were in quite the rough shape when Natsu brought you in last night."

The girl, Mirajane, puts a plate of fries and some chicken wings on the bar, as well as a glass of water "Here, I'm sure you're hungry, and you need to replenish the energy that was stolen from you."

Lucy smiled at Mirajane, looking down at the food, it smelled amazing and she suddenly felt and heard her stomach growl which is what made Lucy think, maybe she wasn't in a dream after all.

Looking back at Mirajane, Lucy smiled, she could feel it was slightly strained because of the uncertainty of her surroundings, but she tried her best to hide it.

"My name is Lucy, thank you for the food Mirajane, I didn't realize I was so hungry. I am sorry, but I have to ask you, do you know what happened to me? I, I'm not sure what I saw last night, you see I was attacked but I'm not, well, I" Lucy trailed off struggling to find the words to describe the creature that attacked her, fearing she might sound completely insane if she did.

"Yes, dreadful creatures, Lethifolds. They feed off of energy, usually fear. But they are known to attack and take a person's life energy and magical energy as well. You were lucky that Natsu caught the scent of one and found you when he did."

Mirajane explained with a wave of her hand as she went back to wiping the bar.

Lucy just started back at her, stunned. Lethifolds? Magical energy? She felt like she was going crazy.

"I'm sorry, did you just say magical energy?" Lucy asked but her question never got answered as she heard someone yell to watch out and she turned around only to see a chair flying towards her.

Lucy only really had time to close her eyes and try to duck as best she can to try and minimize the damage.

But the blow never came, she only felt warmth at her side and slowly, Lucy opened her eyes to see the chair had been stopped by someone barely 20cm from her face.

"Jeez, you guys gotta be more careful or somethin'." the person that stopped the chair said, throwing it suddenly back, hitting a big guy with white hair. Making him fall back and topple several people along with him.

"That's rich coming from you flame brain"

Another voice chimed in from across the room making the pink-haired man next to Lucy bristle.

"What'dya say ya stripper freak?" He growled back at the man who taunted him.

'Huh, pink hair suits him ' Lucy thinks to herself as she looks at the man who saved her from another possible concussion.

"Thank you, for catching the chair, I would've been a goner." she finds herself saying to the stranger, who, at the sound of her voice snaps out of his staring contest and turns to face her fully with a brilliant smile.

"No problem, glad to see ya're up and movin', I was kinda worried I didn't make it in time, but the mean healer said you'd be awake soon so I guess that's good. I'm Natsu" he rambled on, sitting next to her at the bar as he did.

Natsu.

That's who Mirajane said saved her from that Dementor-looking thing.

"Oh, you're the one who saved me." Lucy said dumbly, wincing slightly as she did.

Seriously what kind of weirdo says something like that?

Natsu just smiles wider and nods "Yeah I did! I was finishin' up a job in Hargeon when I smelt one of those bastards and knew I had to hunt it down before it caused any trouble, looks like I got there just in time, eh." He winks and nudges my shoulder, wiggling his eyebrows, the smile never leaving his face.

Lucy smiles back at him, letting out a slight laugh. This one is a little more real, something about this pink-haired man made her feel warm, made her feel safe.

That is a foreign feeling to one Lucy Heartfilia.

So she lets herself relax if only a little.

"Well thank you, you saved my life. I'm not even sure what happened but I don't think I would've made it if you hadn't shown up. I don't know how to make it up to you."

His expression suddenly turns serious as he turns to fully look at her, from her shoes to the top of her head.

Now Lucy has had many men, young and old, look at her up and down before, and most of them made her skin crawl.

The way Natsu was looking at her was more inquisitive than anything like he was trying to figure something out. He stopped his inspection and looked her in the eyes.

"The creature that attacked you feeds off of energy, positiv', negativ', it doesn't matter, really. Thought this one was going for your magical energy." He says the last part with conviction and looks for her reaction.

Lucy can now say she officially has no idea what is going on, and what is real. He said the same thing that Mirajane had.

Magical. Energy.

"You have no idea, do you?" Natsu's voice broke her out of her thoughts and she looked back at him.

"You just said magical energy, as in like magic? Like Harry Potter and stuff?" Lucy asked, perplexed and not knowing what to think.

This wasn't real, no way. Lucy had always had an active imagination, so yeah that's all this is. She's probably bleeding out in the alley where she was attacked.

Natsu just smiled at her, scoffing slightly at her Harry Potter comment. "Yes magic, no not like Harry Potter. And you have it. I can smell it on you." He said sniffing the air with a shrug, as if it proves his point.

"You can smell it on me ?" Lucy asked, her voice squeaking slightly. She brought her hands to hug herself.

'Do I stink?' Lucy thought to herself, a little self-conscious about what she'd just learned.

"Yeah, I got a good nose, and even though it's repressed or something, I can tell it's there." He answered as if it explains everything.

Lucy felt a migraine start to form from everything going on, she could also feel a pressure in her chest, building.

She tried to wrap her head around magic, and did he say repressed?

"What do you mean by repressed?"

Natsu looked back at her with a shrug, as if trying to find the words.

"Like it's locked inside of you, ya know? But I can tell that it's ripping through the seams like it wants to burst out, that's the only reason that bastard could've sensed it. It's also why I brought ya here, thought maybe you'd like for us to break it for you so you can learn to use your magic." He explained casually like they were discussing current events, and Lucy finally snapped.

Standing up abruptly causing Natsu to lean back a bit from surprise she looked at him, eyes wide and she was panting slightly, breathing deepening from her increasing panic.

"Ok, hold on, stop. You can't really be saying that magic is, that magic is real? Like actually real, casting spells and flying on brooms and wicked witches casting spells?" She spat out, in an obvious panic now, at some point she had started pacing in front of Natsu, who just looked back at her, wide-eyed from her outburst.

Lucy started at him, chest heaving, waiting for a response, only for the pink-haired man to laugh at her.

Annoyed, Lucy let out a groan and hit his shoulder.

"Don't laugh at me, I think I'm having a panic attack, you should be helping, not laughing." She hit him one more time for good measure which made him stop laughing and let out a sigh of his own.

"Okay, okay. Sorry for laughin' at ya, it's just, flying on brooms, really?" Lucy couldn't help the pathetic laugh that bubbled from her throat, she didn't even know what was funny.

It was a legitimate question, she didn't know anything about this supposed magical world.

Looking back at Natsu she saw him already focused on her, with a small smile on his face.

"See, got ya to laugh. Point for me."

Before Lucy could even interject, he continued talking.

"Now, as for the magic part. Yes, to the magic is real part. No, for the flying brooms. Yes, to casting spells, although 'spells' is one term for it, there are others. And I guess yes to the wicked witches part too, but trust me, they are not like the cartoons. "

Lucy started at him, trying to wrap her head around him actually answering her questions, and taking her seriously.

"Here, let me show you my magic, it is totally the coolest in the guild!" He exclaimed, making Lucy smile a little at his enthusiasm, her smile was suddenly wiped when Natsu's right arm catches on fire.

A high-pitched squeak came from Lucy's mouth and before she's even realizing her actions her hands are on Natsu's arm, trying to put out the fire.

"Are you crazy!?? You're going to burn yourself!" She yelled patting his arm, trying to put out the fire as her panic started to kick in again.

Amid her panic, she failed to notice that the fire was not burning Natsu, nor was it burning her.

When she noticed that the flames were dying out slowly, she turned her eyes back to Natsu who was looking at her with a strange expression on his face, something akin to astonishment.

Before either could speak a voice entered their conversation.

"What's all this ruckus about, ey?" Lucy turned to her left and saw a short gray-haired man with a weird hat on top of his head sitting crossed-legged on the bar, their eyes met and he gave her an assessing look before offering a smile.

"You must be the girl Natsu saved last night, good to see you back on your feet."

Lucy smiled at the old man. "My name is Lucy. I'm sorry for disturbing you in your tavern, I was just leaving."

'Yes, I'll just leave and then hopefully this is all just a very vivid and disturbing dream and a pink-haired man did not save me from a Dementor and did not light himself on fire.'

Lucy thought, trying to back up, and out of the building when suddenly, she felt a stab of pain in her chest, making her stop in her tracks and clench her midsection.

Doubling over she felt another pierce through her, this one knocking the air out of her, Lucy felt herself falling but did not have any control over her body.

She felt a pair of warm hands catch her before she had a chance to hit the floor.

Lucy could barely make out the voices around her, everything was spinning, her chest hurt, she could feel something inside of her, something that felt like it wanted to burst.

With one last jolt of pain, a crack resonated within Lucy, and her power was unleashed.