#junkmail & jackmania

[moonbeam-broker]

_My mistake.

Rhys/Reader

trigger warning for PTSD + near-death experience + general angst

"_____," he whispers, and your name is like honeyed wine on his lips; sweetened with age, a tone that's vaguely questioning. "How did we get here?"

Warm, white sheets in the middle of the night, smack dab in the center of a large and luxurious bedroom. You wonder how he knew you were still awake, but chalk it up to your shared insomnia. "The goodwill of the universe, I guess." You give your best existential conjecture, eyes closed to his calm breathing.

"I would have called it luck," He hums, fickle, and you smile as you're drawn deep into memories. "But, I guess that counts." His arm loops around your shoulder, pulling you closer into him as you find yourself drifting. A frown mars his features, and unbeknownst to you his eyes have wandered from your skin to the dresser that faces him across the room, a cold glow emitting from the top drawer, slightly ajar--his drawer.

You sense his anxiety rising in stages. The goosebumps on his skin give away the chill that passes through his body as the ghost of his former self takes over. He struggles out of the sheets, out of your grasp, and stumbles forward in a sleepless stupor.

"...Rhys?" You question, blinking the bleariness from your eyes. He's quick to shut the drawer at your voice--a loud and erratic snap that jolts you upward and sets every nerve on edge. You panic quietly, gripping the sheets as you decide to stand from the bed to regard him, his form hunched over at the dresser with hands closed into tight fists at the top.

"You should have left me," He abruptly chokes out, "You should have just left me there to die." Audibly sobbing, having slipped into old, reopened wounds. His hands tremble as he removes them from the dresser, opening and closing as he's unsure of what to do with them. What to do with himself.

Your hands fly to cover your mouth, eyebrows furrowing as you're thrown into a fit of guilt and anger and sorrow all at once. Slowly your hands fall again as your legs move forward with fervor. "Rhys, no," You openly plead with him, "Stop--what are you talking about?"

He sucks in a breath, harsh and haunting. Your feet reach him, arms folding around him from behind as he wills himself to remain as still as a statue to your compassion. "Come back to me," You wish into his shoulder, "Where did you go? Please, talk to me."

"At Opportunity," He sighs outward, giving in to your touch with his resolve of silence steadily crumbling away. How long had he kept this in? "After I removed my cybernetics, I was bleeding out; I thought I was going to die, but you... came back for me."

"I looked everywhere for you," You whisper, rubbing his arm to hopefully soothe away his insecurity. "Even though things were iffy between us, even though I thought you'd sacrificed your sanity for some higher status, to some long-dead psychopath--Helios was falling. I was so afraid, I..." You pause to collect yourself, lightly grasping onto his arm for support as your legs shake.

The weight of the memory has you beat, tears welling and falling from your eyes at the flashback: of being alone in that sea of screaming people, shoved back and forth amidst the prospect of finding your grave at the space station's resting place. The fear shoots straight through you, causing a shuddering cry to rip from your throat.

"No, no..." Rhys responds immediately, turning in your grasp to hold you tightly against him. "It was all my fault; I did that to you, I did this to us."

"I needed to find you," You cry at him, "You were the first thing on my mind. I looked everywhere, because without you I would have died. I couldn't have gone on, I couldn't..."

"Don't say that..." He cradles your head against his chest, sighing out in irregular breaths. "Please, don't say that."

"I need you to hear it," You counter in anger and in frustration, "Because how dare you tell me that I should have left you! I would have left the one piece of myself that I needed."

He's unnervingly quiet as he considers this, chin resting on top of your head. His eyes close as he wills himself to stop crying, though his inner fear is still just as palpable. All he can offer is an apology and a wish for the two of you to go back to bed. He offers himself no closure.

He can't tell you that he kept the eye.

He can't tell you that the one thing keeping him awake is his own sorry state of empathy, that his mind is unwilling to willingly break anything of such value to him.

He can't admit to himself that he's a hoarder of his own disastrous decisions, that each failure sticks around and shapes his self-worth with every glance in the mirror. That when his reflection looks off, looks like someone else, it scares him to death.

He spends most of his time trying to run away from the same demon he intentionally keeps within arms' reach, and there's nothing--nothing--you can do to stop the cycle of pain he's created for himself. Because he thinks he deserves it.

And that's the worst mistake of them all.

[ao3feed-rhack]

Junkmail & Jackmania

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2xLRuMf

by moonbeam_broker

A bit of a skeptic for idol worship, the last place you expected to find peace of mind was at the center of Hyperion.

At least, it was better than feeling imprisoned on a coveted beach planet, confined to your homelife and the goals set out for you.

As an aspiring novelist, your thirst for something more seemed to push you in the direction of new opportunities, and not in any sense the safest kind.

Before you knew it your dirty shoes had fallen upon marble flooring, and your eyes and ears played witness to what few would call the greatest tragedies of the age.

(A Rhys/Reader fic inspired by various songs, with splashes of Jack/Reader and Tim/Reader.)

Words: 516, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Series: Part 1 of Junkmail & Jackmania

Fandoms: Borderlands (Video Games)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death

Categories: F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi

Characters: Rhys (Borderlands), Handsome Jack (Borderlands), Reader, Timothy Lawrence, Saul Henderson, Hugo Vasquez, Hyperion Employees (Borderlands)

Relationships: Rhys (Borderlands)/Reader, Handsome Jack & Rhys (Borderlands), Rhys & Vaughn & Yvette (Borderlands), Handsome Jack & Timothy Lawrence, Timothy Lawrence & Rhys, Handsome Jack (Borderlands)/Reader, Timothy Lawrence/Reader, Handsome Jack/Rhys (Borderlands)

Additional Tags: Fanboy Rhys (Borderlands), Handsome Jack (Borderlands) Being an Asshole, Meet-Cute, Fluff and Angst, Atlas CEO Rhys, Past, Future

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2xLRuMf

[moonbeam-broker]

I've got a new look,

but the same rules still apply!

If you've got a question or maybe even a request, I'll write for you. I have too much time on my hands and a lot of love for the Borderlands universe, so you're in luck.

Some examples, in case you don't know what to send:

Example Questions:

Q's about ship preferences

Q's about opinions on characters

Q's about theories

Q's about Junkmail & Jackmania

Q's about how I write a character

Example Prompts:

"Write out your favorite scene from the Borderlands games."

"Could you write about Rhys and Tim doing something cute together?"

"I'd love to see Fiona and AI Jack interact, how do you think that would go?"

"Gortys is scared, how does Loader Bot react?"

Obviously, it doesn't have to be limited to those. Lately I've found myself in a slump searching for good things to write about, so if you think you've got a good idea I'll try my best to write about it!

Plus, I mean, it's totally free, and I'm a total babe who is really nice to people unconditionally. I'd say that's a bonus.

In the case that you are feeling generous, I do have a ko-fi. Gotta pay my inevitable student loans somehow.

[moonbeam-broker]

C y b e l e

AKA 'Junkmail,' my Junkmail & Jackmania OC.

My original intention was for the story to be an OC fic, however it instead became a reader-insert. This is the OC I originally intended for the role of the reader, my personal Borderlands OC.

Cybele "Junkmail" Castle

Female · Age 23 (pre-TFTBL) · Bisexual

headstrong · intellectual · independent · pessimistic · literate · glib · well-mannered · soft-centered · iconoclastic · romantic

Her first name (pronounced "sih-buh-lee") refers to the Phrygian mother-goddess, who was eventually adopted into Greek mythology as a goddess of wild nature.

She was born and raised on Aquator (a glorified beach planet beloved by intergalactic celebrities) to parents of curiously opposite behaviors; a strict mom and an easygoing dad.

Mom: 'Janice,' referring to Janus, the Roman god of beginnings and ends, usually depicted as having two faces. She's a relatively famous screenwriter constantly on the lookout for celebrities she can put into her work. The type to encourage gossip and otherwise force unwanted relationships between Cybele and up-and-coming actors.

Dad: 'Caelus,' named after the Roman god of the sky. Silver-tongued tour guide who managed to rope Cybele's mother into staying on Aquator with him. The softer of Cybele's parents, though somewhat cynical. Cybele takes after him the most, pushing away from her mother's insistence on indulging in unnecessary drama.

She aspires to become a novelist, though her personal goals change due to several story-driven circumstances.

She flees Aquator, effectively running away as she attempts to carve out a 'more interesting' life for herself.

She becomes employed by Hyperion, more specifically an old eyesore by the name of Saul Henderson in the data-mining department, though her plans go awry once Handsome Jack catches wind of her existence.

Upon snooping through her resumé, he enlists her to become his personal fanmail-answerer. He directly regards this task as trivial: "Cleaning all the junk out of my inbox," is essentially the job description he provides; hence, the nickname 'Junkmail.'

Simultaneously, she forges new friendships and potential romances with the odd company of Timothy Lawrence (post-Pre-Sequel), and Rhys Strongfork (pre-TFTBL).

As for the rest... it's still in the process of being written, so I won't spoil everything I have planned, just in case it doesn't turn out how I originally expected. It will, however, closely follow the canon timeline.

Bonus: Atlas (with ECHO-Eye variants)

[Credit: Visuals were created using LivePortraitMaker; edited in PicsArt, Photoshop Express.]

[moonbeam-broker]

Oh my gosh, I found your blog randomly and found out YOU wrote Junkmail & Jackmania!! I’m so hyped rn, I just LOVE it! Read it all in one go and couldn’t stop myself. Had rough time that day and then I found your fic. I love Rhys so much and it melt my heart

Happy coincidence! I'm really glad you decided to drop a note!

Thank you so much for the praise, you don't know how much it means to see you say that you like my fic; it just really means the world to me as an aspiring writer and as a person.

I, too, am a Rhys enthusiast, if it weren't obvious enough--I hope I've done him justice so far and that the trend will continue in the near future as I delve into a more canon-heavy storyline!

Again, thanks for the praise and welcome to my blog!

[moonbeam-broker]

Does 'Junkmail & Jackmania' takes place before or after Jack's death? (is it Jack's or Jacks?)

Junkmail & Jackmania starts off before the events of Tales, not long after the Pre-Sequel; it'll follow the events of Borderlands 2 and Tales, all the way up to Borderlands 3, hopefully.

I wanted to try filling in on what possibly happened on Helios during the events of BL2 and TFTBL, especially what Rhys was doing before Jack's death.

However, since it's a reader-insert, I'm thinking I'll take a different approach instead of rewriting everything that happens in Tales. It'll be from your perspective and not Rhys'.

At the moment, Jack is still alive, as you'll soon see!

(Also, you were right, it's "Jack's.")

[moonbeam-broker]

Junkmail and Jackmania is INSANELY good I LOVE your writing! You inspired me to try writing for BL 🖤

Thank you SO MUCH! Comments like this make me ugly cry remind me why I enjoy writing so much--I've been waiting for so long to express how I feel about something I absolutely adore, and have always wanted to make an impact on someone out there.

It means so much to me that you decided to reach out and let me know how you feel about my writing, since ordinarily it's hard for me to gauge what kind of reaction I'm getting from my work!

I will seriously cherish your praise. Also, I'd love to see what you write if you're up to showing me!

[moonbeam-broker]

Junkmail & Jackmania

Chapter 8

The less you know, the better.

Chapter Summary:

"Love is a funny thing, as they say.

If you're not careful with it, it can harm you and others immeasurably.

If you are careful with it, it can prove to be something worth everything to you.

This is one of those times when you start to question: which side are you headed towards?"

[moonbeam-broker]

Junkmail & Jackmania

Chapter 6 has emerged!

"What goes around comes back to haunt you."

Chapter Summary:

Here at Hyperion, there's no such thing as meet-cute.

[moonbeam-broker]

Did you had other ideas for a plot in "Junkmail & Jackmania" before you came up with a final product?

At first, I only intended it to be a one-off kind of idea.

I was going to write it out for myself and never show it to anyone--but, obviously I ended up tweaking it and putting it on ao3 in case anyone was interested.

I was originally going to segment it, write out certain scenes from various parts in the timeline instead of writing out an entire story from start to finish. I decided instead that I wanted to challenge myself to try something new.

So, overall, it looks like we're in it for the long haul now, boys.

[moonbeam-broker]

Junkmail & Jackmania

Chapter 1 is go!

"Patience is a virtue, but time is money."

Summary:

"A bit of a skeptic for idol worship, the last place you expected to find peace of mind was at the center of Hyperion.

At least, it was better than feeling imprisoned on a coveted beach planet, confined to your homelife and the goals set out for you.

As an aspiring novelist, your thirst for something more seemed to push you in the direction of new opportunities, and not in any sense the safest kind.

Before you knew it your dirty shoes had fallen upon marble flooring, and your eyes and ears played witness to what few would call the greatest tragedies of the age."

(A Rhys/Reader fic inspired by various idioms, with splashes of Jack/Reader and Tim/Reader!)

[moonbeam-broker]

Junkmail & Jackmania

Chapter 2 is up!

"Idle hands are the Devil's tools."

Chapter Summary:

"Will you be able to snag a job and stay on the Helios moonbase in time for an emo star-crossed love affair, or will anxiety catch up and eject your dreams into the great beyond?"

(A Rhys/Reader fic inspired by various idioms, with splashes of Jack/Reader and Tim/Reader!)

[moonbeam-broker]

Junkmail & Jackmania

Author's Note: Aug 10, 2019

Summary:

"Don't be alarmed! Just a little head's-up on what to expect from here on out, as well as an alternate way to reach out to me."

[moonbeam-broker]

Junkmail & Jackmania

Chapter 4 is alive!

"Deal with a devil."

Chapter Summary:

"You really thought you could waltz right onto Hyperion turf and Handsome Jack wouldn't know? You're in big trouble now."

(A Rhys/Reader fic inspired by various idioms, with splashes of Jack/Reader and Tim/Reader!)

[moonbeam-broker]

I really likeyour story "Junkmail & Jackmania". How you write dialog, emotions and just everything. Everything! It's so good and cool and rad! Also you seem to be an awesome person. I cannot express in words how awesome you are. Imagine all the things you find awesome and cool and combine all of them into one awesomocoolness and this awesomocoolness shows how awesome you are. Have a wonderful day!

This is- the sweetest thing! Wow.

Thank you so much for reading, and for saying that I'm awesome and cool... it's really nice to get good feedback on how I'm doing--it's really nice in general to get a message like this that really brightens up my day.

I'm so flattered, I don't know how to compute it. Thank you!!

[moonbeam-broker]

Junkmail & Jackmania

Chapter 3 is posted!

"More than meets the eye."

Chapter Summary:

"It's your first day on the job! Time to sit down, stare at a screen and begin to hate your life, right? Not quite. The reader meets a handsome stranger with more baggage than he can carry by himself."

(A Rhys/Reader fic inspired by various idioms, with splashes of Jack/Reader and Tim/Reader!)