#just listing off a few current favorite ships

[southsidestory]

~ 🌸 ~

Commissions Open!

Before requesting, please check my Do Not Write list, which lays out the ships, tropes, and topics I will/won't write.

Carrd | FFN | AO3 | Twitter | Threads | Ko-fi

[blouisparadise]

Today we have the fifth part of our short fic rec list! All of the fics on this list are a nice quick read that is less than 10k. If you missed the other parts to this rec list, you can find part one here, part two here, part three here, and part four here. Happy reading!

1) Shut Your Mouth, Baby | Explicit | 3,028 words

While fooling around in a closet at a New Year’s Eve party, Louis can’t seem to keep quiet. All he needs to do is hold off until midnight, when Harry will finally uncover his mouth and let him come at full volume.

2) Heaven In These Sheets | Explicit | 3,557 words

Bunny Hybrid Louis has it out for his boyfriend’s phone.

3) Tide’s Deathless Death | Explicit | 4,350 words

The Red Serpent gleamed in all of her marvellous glory from where she was anchored a meagre few miles away from the land. Her flag waving proudly in the afternoon sun. The image was certainly memorable, of the flag, that is; a serpent coiled viciously around a human heart, fangs sunken into the organ and blood oozing from the very spot. If not for the ship herself, the flag had its own repute of conveying the message that the captain was not to be trifled with. There was no single man who had survived after taking up arms against the captain. Well, there was one man, but including him amongst the hoard of common faces would be a foolishness on the feared-by-all captain’s part. That man currently stood silently staring after the captain, palm curled around the handle of his blade, and teeth clenched in anger. He was certainly going to relieve all the navies of their plight by taking down the captain. At least then, in his relatively newfound life of piracy, he would have done one good deed.

4) Always Tell The Truth | Not Rated | 5,027 words

Harry is Louis’ dentist and getting a wisdom tooth removed shouldn’t be the end of the world.

5) I Knew It From The Start | Explicit | 5,233 words

Louis starts calling Harry ‘daddy’. Consequently, Harry discovers that he has a daddy kink.

6) Spaces Between Us, Hold All Our Secrets | Not Rated | 6,441 words

The thing about Harry is, is that he is the most wonderful guy you´ll ever meet. He is kind, compliments you on things you are usually insecure about, which shows he truly pays attention to who you are as a person. And he befriends everyone. Except Louis.

7) Outline Of My Sins | Explicit | 6,551 words

Prompt 453: AU where alpha Harry is an art student who is taking a figure drawing class and omega Louis is the nude model. In the many years that Harry has taken art classes, he has never been more hot and bothered than now, having to stare at a beautiful nude omega model for hours.

8) Shouldn’t Cry (But I Love It) | Explicit | 6,586 words

They're roommates. They're quarantined. There's a small problem coming up.

9) Your Name Is Tattooed To The Bottom Of My Heart | Explicit | 6,613 words

Prompt 114: a PWP where Louis gets an arse tattoo with Harry’s name for his birthday.

10) Leave Like The Summer Breeze | Explicit | 6,551 words

When Louis and Zayn are stranded in Alabama, a farmer offers them shelter. He just asks for one thing in return.

11) Smile for the Camera for It Knows Everything, Hollywood Star| Mature | 6,676 words

Prompt 132- The story of Nancy Reagan being called the blowjob queen of Hollywood but it’s Louis.

12) The Writing On the Wall | Explicit | 6,705 words

When BookToker Louis receives a gift basket filled with all his favorite sweets, wines, and stuffed animals alongside the new Harry Styles book, he’s shocked at the story he finds in the pages.

13) Muffins & Cigarettes| Mature | 7,591 words

Louis pouts. “You can’t pout your way into this, Louis”, Harry said as he was fixing his tie, watch and rings glinting against the soft sunlight filtering through the window. “Of course, I can. Watch me.”

14) The Knothead Neighbor| Mature | 8,058 words

Prompt 3: Neighbors AU, preferably ABO! Harry works evenings/nights (maybe like a surgeon something that requires him to be gone for long hours) and has a cat. The cat has a little kitty door at the back so that it can explore and such. Louis just moved next door and the cat seems to always end up at his door. Eventually, Louis lets the cat in, as he’s new and he’s feeling quite lonely. They become fast friends, so much so that the cat prefers to stay with Louis rather than go home. Harry gets concerned that the cat starts to stay out all day/night so he eventually leaves a note attached to the cat’s collar with its name and phone number. Louis texts him telling him he’s his neighbor and not to worry, the cat just likes to hang with him as it might be lonely. Harry gets pissed that this stranger is stealing his cat so he goes to confront Louis and tell him to stop stealing his cat. Of course, as soon as he sees Louis, he falls in love with him and the rest is history. (If ABO could be cute that both Harry and Louis like to cuddle with the cat because it holds the other’s scent)

15) Kiss It Better | Explicit | 8,080 words

Harry shakes his head with a light laugh and leans down to kiss him again which Louis happily accepts even if he is a little confused by the reaction. "Baby, not a night has gone by that I haven't thought about you in my bed, naked, and begging for my cock." Blinking up at him with wide eyes, Louis opens his mouth to say something but nothing comes out. While they did flirt a lot over the last few weeks, Harry had never said anything like that. It shocks him as much as it turns him on. "News to me." "I won't lie and say I like random hookups or casual sex, but to me this isn't what that is." Louis swallows thickly, unsure of what to say to that but once again Harry gives him an out. "So, If you want we can stay up here and I can show you all the things I've thought about doing to you." Another kiss, quick and sweet. "Or, we can go back downstairs and we'll dance all night."

16) Could Start A Cult | Explicit | 8,750 words

He lowers down the top that Louis is wearing, successfully unclasping his nursing bra as well, letting Louis’ tits bounce at the sudden movement. Harry massages both breasts to stimulate the milk flow, and he can feel his cock hardening inside his pants.

17) Should Be, Meant To Be | Explicit | 9,174 words

Prompt #65: Louis signs up for a Sugar Daddy dating website on a drunken dare. He forgets for a while, until one night he gets a notification for a message request from none other than his really hot (really rich) boss, Harry Styles.

18) Into It | Explicit | 9,197 words

Louis meets Harry. They hit it off.

19) Something To Prove | Explicit | 9,425 words

Louis is the first and only omega to work at Red Valley Medical Center. Despite being more than qualified, he still faces prejudice for his career choice everyday. From patients refusing his treatment to condescending alpha doctors intervening with his work, practicing medicine in Boston is more challenging than Louis had ever thought it would be.

20) Sugar Water | Explicit | 9,454 words

When his most familiar begins to feel all too unfamiliar, Harry finds out what it means to love like real people do.

21) Hook You Up (Charm You Down) | Explicit | 9,600 words

Swiftly, Harry raises his right hand to his head. Bringing two ringed fingers up, he touches the brown hat sitting on his head, tipping it with a raise of eyebrows in the direction of Peter Pan. He punctuates the whole action with his signature smirk. The reaction is almost immediate. Like Harry hoped it’d be. Though he expected the grin he received, he can’t say he directly expected the man to come forward his way. But he surely isn’t going to complain. “Captain! Fancy seeing you there,” Peter Pan says when he reaches Harry’s space. And wow. Seeing it from up close, Niall was right. Face of an angel, totally Harry’s type and all that. 

22) Poppies In May | Mature | 9,603 words

And maybe he deserves it, Louis thinks bitterly. His hand curls around the fence tightly, and he feels like if he lets go he’ll slid onto the cold ground and never fucking get up again. Maybe standing here, staring at Harry’s hunched over, retreating back is what he deserves.

23) Wanna Do Nothing With You | Explicit | 9,606 words

The accident happens in the stupidest way possible. One minute Louis is demonstrating a skateboard trick he’d just learned for Lottie, the next he’s waking up in a hospital. He’s told that he wasn’t unconscious the entire ride, but he has absolutely no recollection of it. One second he’s fucking around in his own garden and the next he’s being assaulted with the strong sterile scent of a hospital. So. There’s that.

24) Hello, My Name is Louis | Explicit | 9,686 words

Louis hurried to hang up the phone and take off his headset, throwing it away as if it was burning hot. He hugged himself by the shoulders and hid his face in his knees, sitting in his desk chair like a swimmer ready to dip into a pool, a pool of embarrassment. Not many people got past "Hello, my name is… " and even fewer engaged in a full conversation with him. And if they did, it usually went better than this.

25) Got It Right Such A Long Time Ago | Explicit | 9,699 words

Note: This fic is locked and can only be read by AO3 users.

There are a lot of people Harry might expect to find on his doorstep at three o’clock in the afternoon these days. It could be the delivery man, come to drop off the pair of boots Harry impulsively ordered online last week. It could be one of his neighbors, dropping by to complain about how a party he’d thrown weeks ago had clogged up the street. It could also be any number of his friends in L.A., who stop by unannounced most days to mooch off Harry’s food or whisk him away to try some new yogurt shop.    As a rule, it definitely cannot be Louis Tomlinson, although Harry’s blinked at least three times now, and it’s still Louis standing there, a backpack slung over his shoulder and a duffel bag at his feet.

Check out our other fic rec lists by category here and by title here.

[mixtape-racha]

jealousy, jealousy | bang chan

your boyfriend got a bit in his head when he saw your co-worker turn up for your tour rehearsals... but he had no reason to worry, did he?

words: 2.05k // warnings: a sprinkle of angst, jealous/slightly possessive chan, insecure!chan, idol!reader, actress!reader, idol!chan, overall fluff | based on this ask sent in by anon!

after the success of your latest drama, your company thought it would be the perfect time for you to embark on a world tour - fans were at an all time high and interest in your career, both in korea and globally, was soaring. you were of course elated at this - the idea of seeing so many of your fans across the world was mind-blowing and an opportunity you couldn’t turn down.

of course, that meant many late nights powering through songwriting, producing, choreographing and discussing visuals for how you wanted your concert to look. finishing a drama, releasing an album and embarking on a tour in the span of a few months was more tiring than you’d ever know your job to be.

sadly, that meant a lot less time with your boyfriend, chan, too. between your chaotic schedule, and stray kids preparing for a comeback, you barely saw your partner. the most you’d been in the same space in the last month was a few fleeting hours after he’d gone to bed and before you’d woken up.

while chan was almost completely nocturnal, you were undeniably an early riser. you’d always been more productive in the early morning, opting to finish your tasks as early as you could, as to enjoy the rest of the day. it was a strange combination, but it worked wonderfully. you balanced each other out in the best way.

so whenever you could, you invited chan to come and watch you rehearse. you also did the same with many of your friends, enjoying the fleeting time you got to spend in the same place at the moment, but chan was alway top of your list. some friends liked to turn up and surprise you too, appearing in the practice room or the venue you were rehearsing at to shower you with support and gifts.

just like today.

in your recent drama, you had played a florist who never believed in real love, being swept up into the world of a handsome model with whom she inevitably fell for. you were beyond lucky to feature in such a star-studded cast in such a respected and well-received drama, and even luckier to have someone like nct’s jaehyun playing your romantic counterpart.

the two of you had become increasingly close during filming, and you both walked away from set having gained a true friend for life. jaehyun was like a brother to you - worryingly because of all the fans of your drama that shipped you off-screen, and because of how awkward it made filming kiss scenes.

sometimes the enthusiasm of the fans wanting you to date got a bit much - you and chan were very open about your relationship, and you had made it very clear both publicly and privately that you and jaehyun were strictly friends. but that didn’t stop people from taking a sweet, platonic moment and running with it.

thats why you were kind of glad no one saw jaehyun entering the kbs arena, where you were currently rehearsing for your opening concert the next week.

jaehyun had walked in with a bunch of flowers and a smile while you were taking a break,and you were ecstatic to see him. it had been too long, in your opinion. placing down your water bottle, you jogged over to him, wrapping him in a tight hug.

“jae! what are you doing here?”

he shrugged, offering you the flowers - which you gratefully took. “can’t be in the gangseo district without coming to see my favorite florist rehearsing, can i?”

mood and energy skyrocketing, you and jaehyun sat down, digging into the lunch provided by your company’s staff, catching up on anything and everything worth gossiping about since you last saw each other.

unbeknownst to you, however, chan had also arrived just after jaehyun approached you, hoping to catch you on your lunch break and have a chance to eat with you. upon seeing you with jaehyun, however, he hesitated.

he knew that you and your co-star had become very close friends during the grueling months of filming, and he was more than understanding of it. after all, he had grown up with twice and was undeniably close to the 9 girls under the same company as him. so, he didn’t understand why his stomach flipped and his chest tightened at the sight of you laughing with another man.

you and chris had a very solid relationship. you had sat down and created boundaries and expectations before you even entered into your relationship 2 years ago, and you never had any reason to distrust each other. he also knew how much you had missed your friend in the months you had been so busy, and completely understood why you were so excited to see him.

so, he stood back and chatted with your staff, letting you have some time with jaehyun before approaching you. he was willing to wait, fighting to ignore the worming thoughts of anxiety in the back of his head. he wasn’t that kind of boyfriend, he told himself, so he had no reason to get upset.

laughing loudly to a story jaehyun had told you, you caught a glimpse of familiar blonde curls across the dining hall, heart jumping when you focused and realized it was your beloved boyfriend.

“channie! hi, baby! come here!” you called, unable to fight off a grin and blush when chan smiled and walked over to you and jaehyun.

“hi, babygirl.” he chuckled at your enthusiastic state, kissing the top of your head as he took a seat next  to you.

he was quickly dragged into your ongoing conversation, catching up himself with jaehyun and enjoying having some time with you. on the other hand, you noticed that chan was being a lot more clingy than usual - having a hand on your waist or thigh the entire time, and constantly leaning in to plant kisses across your cheek and head.

not that you were complaining in the slightest. it had been too long since you got to feel chan’s presence this close to you, and your heart was soaring at the mere idea of it. just having him so close made you decide to ask for a couple of days rest, and spend it wrapped up in his arms in your shared apartment. he truly was the love of your life, and you had missed him more than words could describe recently.

but something was definitely off with him. you and chan were known to be a very touchy couple, pda being right up your street for two people whose love language was physical touch - but this was different. this was like he was trying to prove a point. but, why would he-...... oh.

the realization that chris was jealous that you were spending time with jaehyun, while unnecessary, was actually very cute. you knew deep down the incessant shipping of you and you co-worker by fans got under his skin sometimes, but regardless you had a very solid relationship. so, in some strange way, you found it endearing that he would still get jealous.

after about an hour, jaehyun announced that he’d have to take his leave - he had a schedule with his group and needed to head back to his company - leaving you and chris to bask in each other for a bit longer.

climbing onto his lap, you curled up in your boyfriend’s arms, hands instinctively reaching to fuss with his hair. “i’ve missed you, honey,” you sighed. “been too long since i got to see you properly.”

“missed you too, baby. just glad i caught you when you weren’t too busy.” the smile on his face was soft, but there was a slight bit to his voice that he was sure you would miss - he wasn’t even intending for it to come out.

your eyebrows furrowed slightly, leaning back to look at his face, quickly noticing the sour expression on his face. something was clearly bothering him, between the touchiness and snappy attitude, but you couldn’t figure out what it was.

shifting your position so you were straddling his lap, you cupped his face in your palms. sighing softly, you stroked the frustration wrinkles out of his skin, concern showing on your face.

“wanna tell me what’s going on in that pretty head of yours, bubs?”

“its nothing, angel,” chan huffed, hands sitting on your waist. “just being silly and overthinking again.”

you wholeheartedly disbelieved that was the case, knowing chan better than he knew himself sometimes. racking your brain, you begged yourself to pick something out that could be the cause of his current despair. until it hit you.

“this wouldn’t happen to have anything to do with a certain coworker of mine, would it?”

when chris couldn’t hide the way his eyes rolled and ears flushed scarlet, you knew you had hit the jackpot. clearly something with jaehyun had upset chris, or even just slightly annoyed him - he was never any good at hiding his emotions.

“tell me what’s up, channie. i can’t help fix it if i don’t know what’s wrong.” you gently pushed, hoping he would cave under your proximity and allow you to share the burden of what was affecting him.

he was silent for a few moments, eyes screwed shut and his grip on your waist tightening slightly. then he blew out a breath, his grip loosening once again as he looked up at you with those big, brown eyes you adored.

“i just- sometimes i think the fans that ship you two are right. you get along so well, and seeing him surprise you here today just… kinda made me think maybe you would work better than us. and the thought hurt. i wanna be the one who makes you smile like that when i surprise you.”

chan’s confession made your heart drop. was he really that jealous of jaehyun and your friendship? had you done something to make him feel this way?

“love… you know you have no reason to be jealous, or upset, or worried? jaehyun is just a friend, and just a coworker. and you know i tolerate the shipping less than you do.”

you prayed that your reassurance would help, but when he simply shrugged you knew it was too much. sometimes chan’s anxiety got the better of him, and in those times it was hard to get through to him. even if he knew you were telling the truth, something in the back of his head told him that maybe he wasn’t good enough.

but you persisted.

“no one could ever compare to you, my love. you’re my hope, my light. and no matter who comes along, they could never make me feel as much love and appreciation as you.”

a small smile tugged at his lips, and you breathed a sigh of relief that your words were getting through to him.

“i know,” chris mumbled through his ambivalent expression. “i know, and i have no reason to feel like this. i’m sorry, baby, i didn’t mean to worry you, i just get scared one day you’ll realize you could do better.”

you both let out a little chuckle, amused by the way you were both talking like the end of the world was beginning. you softly kissed his full lips, with one last promise of forever in your throat.

“chris, baby. i get it. you don’t have to apologize. just remember that i got paid to kiss him as a character, while in character,” you jabbed him in the chest lightly to emphasize your point. “but you - not him, nor anyone else - you are the one i come home to at the end of the day.”

his face was flushed with emotion, shining through his eyes and into the way his dimples creased his skin as he looked at you with so much love you thought you would burst into a heap of fluff.

“i chose you, chris. i choose you everyday, and i always will.”

ears flushed slightly red, overwhelmed with your confession, chan held his hand out, pinky pointed towards you.

“we’ll always choose each other, yeah? forever. pinky promise?”

wrapping your pinky finger around his, you kissed his cheek gently, reveling in the way he smelt like home.

“pinky promise.”

taglist: join taglist here @pretty-racha @chubbyanarkiss @downtherabbithole01 @amara-mars @demetrisscarf

[blainesebastian]

pool day (ccg universe)

words: 1,170 ship: austin butler x reader summary: couldn’t let this image go unwritten about lmao  notes: just something short and sweet because of my ccg musings with bri *u* warnings: none tag list: @killerqueenfan, @austinbutlermischief, @elizabethrosecresswell, @gigisworldsstuff, @stylespresleyhearted

On hot summer days like today, where the heat seems absolutely unbearable, you are thrilled to know that your best friend Jillian has a pool. Her brownstone is beautiful, one of those special finds in New York that manages to have an actual yard. A complete mistake, a small structure being torn down right when Jillian bought it, so she has a fenced in area behind her house in which she’s had a patio built, a yard. A lot of savings went into this, but also? She’s been making her money in the Hollywood makeup industry for a few years now.

You have to admit, the ambition to buy beautiful spaces in New York is tempting but you and Austin are still in the same apartment you bought together. It’s not cramped by any means, but sometimes you find yourself thinking about a light blue house with a wraparound porch.

One day.

But for now, you adjust your sheer, white sarong along your waist, fixing the tie. Smiling as you hear Luci squeal in the water, you turn to look at Jillian when she hands you another mixed drink,

“Thank you, not just for the drink but for having us over.”

The curly-redhead grins, “Girl please, I’m the one who’s getting a treat—your husband in swim trunks?”

A soft laugh rumbles in your chest and you take a look back at the pool. Austin has his hair slicked back from the water, arms outstretched to Luci on the steps, trying to encourage her to jump to him but she won’t. Just keeps giggling and splashing him with water. He’s forgone putting the water wings on, trying to teach her how to float on her own. Should be an interesting afternoon. Personally, you’re just hoping you’ve put enough sunscreen on her.

“And,” Jillian amends, “Luci spending time with her favorite aunt.”

“You’re the only local aunt.” You tease with a grin, your sister living out of state.

Jillian pretends to look offended but then she smiles as she takes a sip of her cocktail.

She’s invited a few more people that you’ve both worked with on sets before in the past, but it never feels overly crowded. You mingle a bit, catch up, before wandering over to the side of the pool where Austin and Luci are. You set your drink down, toeing off your sandals before sitting down and put your feet into the water.

“What are we doing?” You ask Luci, she’s currently holding onto the sliver bar on the steps, the water up to her waist. “Don’t you want to go in all the way?”

“No thank you.” She replies and Austin chuckles a little as he runs his hands through his hair. You can’t possibly fathom how he’s not wearing his sunglasses, your eyes kinda squinting in sympathy as the sun reflects off the water. You’re looking at more than that though—his toned shoulders, arms, the way the water slips down his skin.

Jillian’s right—quite the scene.

You take a sip of your drink, setting it aside again as Austin swims up to you. Your legs open slightly to accommodate him, shivering just a little as his wet hand touches your knee,

“What about you mama?” He asks, “You gettin’ in?”

“I was thinking about it,” You reply, lifting your hand to run through his wet hair. You can’t help but smile a little when his eyes close, nearly keening into the touch. “You’re definitely makin’ the water look appealing.”

“Oh yeah?” Austin asks, raising his eyebrows, “You need help deciding?”

And you know the exact look in his eye when he inches closer, his arms slipping around your hips. “Don’t do it.” You say firmly but can’t quite stop the amusement coloring your tone, a flutter in your chest. You could get up if you wanted, but you don’t.

Austin smiles and there’s a brief moment where you think he’ll back off but then in a quick, swift movement he tugs you forward into the pool. A squeak leaves your lips, your hands falling onto his shoulders and you just kind of brace for impact because there’s nothing else you can do.

Doesn’t matter that you’re wearing your sunglasses and cover-up, you tumble into the pool against Austin’s chest, breaking the surface of the water in a laughing mess. Your hair is wet and across your sunglasses and you can hear Luci clapping and giggling while Austin tries to help detangle you.

“Haven’t you done enough?” You ask, the pleasing tone in your voice giving away how you truly feel. A chuckle rumbles in your chest as Austin helps get your sunglasses free, pushing your hair out of your face and tipping your chin up.

“Not yet.” He says, smiling as he leans down to kiss you.

You definitely allow yourself to indulge in that for a few moments, wrapping your arms around his neck and continuing the kiss until Luci decides she wants to be included.

“Momeeee.” She whines and you turn, putting your sunglasses on your face and untying the sarong to place it by your drink. The fabric slops onto the pavement with a very audible noise but, with how hot it is out? It’ll be dry in no time.

“Oh now you want to swim?” Austin teases, watching as Luci flings herself off the steps and attempts to swim to them. This is one of the first times she hasn’t had the inflatable wings on, so there’s definitely a bit of struggling.

“C’mon,” You encourage her, holding your arm out and having her kick, “There you go.”

You take one step forward to meet her and she grabs on, holding on tight. You laugh lightly, keeping her upright as she uses her other hand to wipe her face and kind of sputter—but she’s laughing, smiling so brightly, proud of herself for doing something on her own.

“Good job,” Austin smiles, helping to brush hair out of her face.

Luci insists on swimming between your arms and Austin’s, settling against his chest. You reach for an inflatable inner tube, shaped like a dragon, and tug it closer so Luci can get her hands on it. She begins talking your ears off about a dinosaur that swims in water and you come to the realization that one day she’s going to be older and even more wise and knowledgeable.

Austin seems to read your mind, floating closer to you and pressing a kiss to your temple, holding Luci upright and balanced as she reaches for this dragon and grabs onto the neck. He eventually sets her inside the inner tube ring, instructing her to hold on before he lets go.

He never lingers too far away though, just in case the thing capsizes.

Despite the heat, it always feels like there’s this comfortable bubble around you and your family—and you’ll hold onto that as long as you can, leaning against Austin’s chest and pressing a kiss to his cheek.

[ewanmitchellcrumbs]

Ange I was thinking about your latest Ettore drabble, maybe, canon Ettore would’ve turned out differently if he had met the right person. If he had met someone who is as depraved, desperate for some escape, maybe just as unknowingly craving that genuine human touch, he wouldn’t have hurt someone else, he would’ve had something warm to hold onto in that hellhole he lived.

Hopefully I don’t sound like I’m defending canon Ettore’s action, he is a scumbag. But maybe had two scumbags who are just as desperate to comfort each other through canal pleasure been left alone, they might have had something beautiful, something genuine blooming between them.

Im not joking when I said you’re singlehandedly making Ettore one of my favorite characters, Ewan played a scumbag, and a lot of Ettore fics hammered his predator side through and through, I like your approach to the character in fanon writing exploring the other possibility if he met someone and started connecting with them in the end. I would love to read the “I love you” drabble you teased if you have time and ofc feel like writing it one day.

Sorry this has taken me so long!

Warnings: Implied smut, mild violence, heavy angst, character death, mentions of grief, trauma. Word count: ~2k

Main series masterlist

Author's note: No gods, no masters, no tag lists. Only scabs community label fics. If you find yourself tempted to slap a label on this, please block me instead.

Ettore stares after Boyse’s retreating form, a feeling of unease settling into his gut. It’s not a feeling he is accustomed to and he hates it. This would end badly. The sudden spike in adrenaline directly opposes the post-sex haze he was expecting to bask in for a moment, and his jaw clenches in anger, simmering hot and unforgiving beneath his skin.

He considers going after Boyse, silencing her, making sure she doesn’t ruin the only good thing he has to look forward to on this miserable ship. But then he looks down at her, the woman he is currently buried inside of, her eyes large and reflecting the same anxiety he currently feels. His fury slowly dissipates as he is brought back into the moment; her warmth enveloping him, how soft she feels against his body.

“Shit.” She breathes out shakily, pushing him away and straightening up.

A hollowness expands within Ettore’s chest at the sudden loss of contact as he slips out of her. There is something about it that feels so final, it has him longing to press her back up against the wall and keep her there forever.

Slowly, he adjusts his clothing as she does the same to hers. His eyes move between her and the door, unsure of how to handle the situation.

“Fuckfuckfuck.” She murmurs, raking her hands through her hair and starting to pace. “That was so stupid of us.”

“You think she’ll say anything?” He asks, standing perfectly still in spite of the nervousness that rolls in his gut.

“I dunno.” She says with a shrug, chewing absentmindedly at her thumbnail. “Hard to tell.”

“We could stop her…”

She ceases her pacing and looks him in the eye, her tone serious. “You’ll do nothing, not after what you did to Monte. I’ll talk to Boyse. Just go back to work, okay?”

He nods. She has a point, but he hates the lack of control he has over the situation.

As she turns to leave the laundry room, he is struck once more by the overwhelming sensation of finality. He reaches desperately for her, pulling her to him and kissing her fiercely, as though he is trying to breathe the very air from her lungs. He feels her relax into it, moving her lips against his for a few seconds and his grip on her tightens.

She pulls away eventually, breathless and eyebrows raised in surprise. “You trying to get us caught again?”

“No, I just…” The words die in his throat, unable to articulate the fact that he wants nothing more than to live in this moment forever, and he shakes his head. “...doesn’t matter.”

She slips out of his grasp and walks off. He doesn’t turn away until she rounds the corner and is out of sight

He spends the rest of the day on edge. His ears prick up at every sound, his shoulders never fully pulling away from his neck. The ship doesn’t make for the most relaxing environment in the first place, but he’s feeling especially tense. The impending sense that something is going to happen refuses to leave him, but he’s unsure of what to expect.

Perhaps Monte will seek him out, intent on getting him back for his attack earlier? Maybe Dibs will formulate some sort of punishment, having been informed that he’s involved sexually with another member of the crew when it’s strictly forbidden?

When sleep mode is activated later that evening, he anticipates relief washing over him as there is seemingly no fallout to the events earlier that day, instead his mind continues to race.

He passes her in the hallway on the way back to his cell, and raises his eyebrows at her in question. She shakes her head and he sighs in frustration, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her around a corner.

“You’ve not sorted it?” He asks in a whisper.

She sighs. “I couldn’t. Haven’t been able to find Boyse most of the day and whenever I see her she’s not on her own. I’ll try again tomorrow.”

“Fuck.” He tuts, pulling back from her.

“I think it’s best if you don’t come to my bunk tonight.” She tells him. “Can’t risk it.”

He knows it’s for the best, that what she’s saying makes total sense and yet he can’t help the crushing disappointment that settles heavy and unyielding in his chest. When his mind won’t quiet there is nothing that soothes him more than to sink inside of her, and feel the way she shudders and falls apart against him. He needs that now more than ever, yet the riskiness of their current predicament will not allow it.

He quirks his lip, looking away from her and stalks back towards his cell.

Sleep does not come for Ettore that night; he lays flat on his back, eyes fixed on the door to the cell, waiting. For what, he is unsure, but his gut feeling tells him something is wrong and he is powerless to stop it. He is always the hunter, never the hunted, and yet the tables have turned and there is nothing he can do about it. His grip on the blankets beside him turns his knuckles white as he lays there, trapped and frustrated.

He has no idea how long he lays there for, just watching, but at some point the lights on board brighten, signaling the start of another day. He climbs from the bed, raising his arms above his head to lean on the doorframe as he peers out.

The first few members of the crew begin to exit their cells, sullen faced as they head towards the showers. Ettore looks at them impassively as they pass, not really seeing them. His gaze focuses, zeroing in when he sees a familiar head of long, dark hair heading in the opposite direction; Dibs. He suspects where she is headed, and waits a few moments before following.

Lurking around the corner, his suspicions are confirmed as she goes into her cell. He wishes he could hear what they are saying, it’s not common for Dibs to visit any of the crew in their sleeping quarters and seeing this makes his chest feel tight. There’s no way this isn’t related to them being caught together.

He flattens against the wall, as he sees Dibs leave, striding purposefully back towards her lab. He can’t see the expression on her face, but there’s something about the way she carries herself that leaves him longing to punch her. He flexes his fingers to suppress the urge and then heads into the cell that she’s just exited.

She’s pulling on her top when he enters and is clearly startled by the sight of him as her head appears through the neckhole.

“Christ! When did you appear there?” She asks, smoothing the material of the scrubs over her midriff. 

He ignores the questioning, jutting his jin towards the doorway. “What was all that about?”

She sighs, her gaze downcast. “Dibs says I missed my last check up. Wants to see me this morning.”

Bile rises in his throat, his eyes narrow. “You know that’s bullshit, right? Boyse has dropped us in it.”

She nods, looking up at him in resignation. “Yeah. Yeah, I know. But what choice do I have? Gotta take my punishment.”

“Don’t go!” He tells her angrily, his heart feeling as though it will thunder straight out of his chest. “You don’t have to go!”

“The longer I leave it, the worse it’ll be.” She shrugs. “I’ve lashed out at her before and all she did was up my sedatives. Can’t imagine this will be any worse.”

“But what if it is?!” He shouts, feeling his face grow hot as he surges forward to grab her by the upper arms. “What if she hurts you?”

“Then she hurts me.” She fires back, scowling. “You’ve hurt me before, it heals.”

He lets her go, stepping back, but never shifting his focus from her face. “I’m not letting you do this.”

She scoffs. “She’ll drug me up, I’ll come back, I’ll sleep it off. Why are you being so fucking weird about this?”

He speaks before he has time to think, the words leaving him in a burst of exasperation. “Because I love you!”

Freezing when he realises what he’s said, the air hangs heavy between them as she stares at him in shock. Why isn’t she saying anything?!

His fists clench as he feels rejection begin to pierce at him, eager to lash out, until her face softens and she speaks, barely a whisper.

“What did you just say?”

He exhales, not realising he’d been holding his breath and looks away from her. “I just…I don’t want anything to happen to you, alright?”

She cups his face, urging him downward so that she can rest her forehead against his. “I know. I know. I’ll be okay, promise.”

He relaxes in her embrace, eager to keep her with him. He leans in, pressing his lips to hers, disappointed when she pulls back with a playful smile.

“Let me owe you that one.” She says softly. “My guarantee to you that I’ll come back.”

He watches silently as she walks away, in the direction of the lab, dread gnawing at his insides.

Ettore is slamming closed the lid of a washer when Tchemy enters the laundry room. “We’ve been summoned.” He calls out to him.

“What d’you mean?” He asks, turning to face him.

“Dibs needs something put out of the airlock.” Tchemy says with a casual shrug. “It’s me and Mink on maintenance today, but she asked for you specifically. Must be heavy if Mink can’t help me.”

Ettore feels as though all the air has left room, his heart lurches painfully in his chest. He pushes past Tchemy, ignoring the other man’s joking pleas for him to slow down as he storms quickly towards the airlock.

Time draws to a standstill, the blood rushing in his ears when he sees the gurney and the sheet covering the figure that lays upon it. His knees feel like they’ll buckle beneath him, everything sounds far away.

“This is a body…” Tchemy says apprehensively.

Dibs nods solemnly, her expression grim as her mouth presses into a tight line. “She bled out during a routine procedure. Tragic, but unavoidable, these things happen. We have to dispose of her”

Ettore barely comprehends the exchange, his eyes drift downwards to the hand that’s hanging from beneath the sheet. Her hand. The same hand that had cupped his face earlier that day as she’d told him she owed him a kiss. A kiss he’d never get to have, because she’d been taken from him. She was his and they’d taken her away.

His hands tremble, his eyes sting painfully and he swallows thickly, he won’t give Dibs the satisfaction of a reaction. She’d taken enough from him already. He’d been right, why hadn’t he done more to stop her? He’d let her go and now she was being discarded like rubbish.

He bristles with anger as Tchemy claps him on the shoulder, pulling him out of his painful reverie. “Need your help, man.” He says.

Dibs had done this on purpose, she’d wanted him to know, to see, to punish him by having him help dispose of her. His heart shatters when he lifts her, how cold and void of her usual softness she is against him is too much to bear. His mood shifts, becoming darker, angrier, more predatory as they seal the airlock back up. His resolve hardens. Something inside of him has died alongside of her, and he wants to make them pay for what they’ve stolen from him. They’ll all feel every bit of the pain he’s enduring, he’ll make sure of it. And he’ll start with the person who ratted them out in the first place; Boyse.

Post script author's note: I have set the ending of this up for events that lead directly into canon, and we all know how that ends, so this is the end of the road for our star crossed lovers. I am currently accepting requests for Ettore, but no further requests which relate to this series. This instalment is its final part.

[stardewstardropthoughts]

I’m here again bc I’m down bad for these men (and 2 exceptional ladies): What would they get us as a wedding gift, and how they react to us coming up the aisle 🥹💖💖💖

God I am down astronomical for them so I get that lol, I’ve included links to what wedding rings I think they would give you 😌 I just did the bachelors in this one but if you want the bachelorettes lemme know!

What the bachelors give you for your wedding and how they react to you walking down the aisle

Harvey:

First off, he’s sweating

This is a lot of attention and he’s not use to it

He got you something meaningful as a gift, something to symbolize what you mean to him

It’s a beautiful hand made photo album with all the pictures you’ve ever taken together in it, and a few he’s taken when you weren’t paying attention

Under each picture is a brief description and the reasons he loves the photos and you

Very worries you’ll think it’s cheesy or dumb but you love it and him

The moment he sees you walking up the aisle towards him?

He’s trying not to sob, he thinks you look absolutely ethereal

Could hardly stop complimenting you enough for mayor Lewis to get the ceremony started

This is the wedding ring:

Sam:

He’s so excited, he’s been pacing all day

His mom and his friends could barely keep him calm lol

He got you one of those eternal roses that are in like the jars of liquid to preserve them

It’s not much but you love it none the less, it’s a super sweet gift

When you start walking down the aisle?

Tears, doesn’t even bother to hide it he just loves you so much, and to see you walking toward him ready to spend the rest of your life with him? He’s crying

Gives you a forehead kiss before mayor Lewis can start his speech

This is the ring he gets you:

Alex:

He’s trying to remain calm on his wedding day, trying to look very nonchalant

But he’s readjusted his tie and shirt like 25 times in the last ten minutes

He’s frazzled but he won’t show it

He got you a silver heart shaped locket with a picture of you on one side and him on the other side

Your wearing it currently with your wedding outfit

When he sees you walking down the aisle any anxiety he had has gone out the window

He thinks your the most elegant person out there and he can’t believe he’s so lucky to have you

This is your wedding ring:

Shane:

He’s so nervous and it shows, he’s sweating, he threw up this morning

His anxiety is off the charts

He got you a dainty bracelet with little emeralds embedded in it since you once told him those were your favorite gemstone

When he sees you walking up the aisle he’s so much calmer

It’s amazing how just the sight of you can help his nerves settle

Thinks you look absolutely amazing, he still can hardly believe that you want to marry him

This is the wedding ring:

https://mollyjewelryus.com/shop/kite-cut-lab-emerald-engagement-ring-solid-rose-gold-2/?gclid=CjwKCAiAr4GgBhBFEiwAgwORrRCFJ6df2CMqs7EB8KVAaZhuZT6AQVATBAl-CGhiBUY2nsfi9ojYIRoCNkcQAvD_BwE

Sebastian:

He’s pretty calm day of, he is however enjoying watching his mom run all over the place fretting

Has to tell her to calm down a few times

He got you a dainty little necklace with a labradorite crystal on it in the shape of a star

When he sees you walking down the aisle towards him is when he starts sweating

He thinks your the most perfect person on the face of this earth and he isn’t sure how he managed to bag a baddie like you

Can’t stop smiling for the life of him

Just adores you, tears on his waterline but not falling cause that would ruin his eyeliner

Yes he wears eyeliner

This is the ring:

Elliott:

Oh god this man is so excited

He loves you with all his soul and he cannot wait to be married

He got you a very pretty pair of pearl earrings and a matching necklace to go with them

When he sees you walking down the aisle he has to physically stop himself from running down it to pick you up and kiss you

Thinks your absolute radiant, the most beautiful person he’s ever laid eyes on

Could recite a whole sonnet for you on how much you mean to him

He’s sobbing though so you’ll have to wait for that

This is the ring:

[purgetrooperfox]

propaganda (elevator pitches) ⬇️

Nocte (sw):

is CMO of the Coruscant Guard. fiercely loyal to the Guard. deeply wary of the senate, with very few exceptions. he's my oldest oc and probably the one y'all are most likely to have heard of. integrated into arcs with many of my friends' ocs/fics/whatnot <3 what else goes in his elevator pitch,,, known to take kids and younger clones under his wing, protective to a fault, low tolerance for nonsense. beat around the bush at your own peril. questionable bedside manner. manwhore tendencies. I love him, you love him. he's been transplanted into [checks list] cod, tlou, and bebop

Uj'alayi (sw):

is an ARC trooper, used to work with the Shadows then got brutally injured and had to transition to the CG. owes his life to Quinlan Vos and is disgruntled about it. guard dog coded. his bite is exponentially bigger than his bark. on the surface: quick to laugh, quick to joke, charismatic and personable without being overbearing. this may or may not be a mask he wears. will lay a beat down on just about anyone if they Cause Issues for Fox. in the relationship of all time with Lane Hurosa (another of my ocs)

Bones (sw):

is marshal commander of the 410th recon corps under Bastra Vargdan (another of my ocs). traits include: CQC specialist, confounded by the concept of the Force, at least partly responsible for getting a gambling ring going in the GAR (has a poke face like nobody's business). outside of working hours, he's laid back, easygoing. stark contrast between On-Duty Bones and Off-Duty Bones. encyclopedic knowledge of regs, but flexible adherence to them sometimes. big brained tactical strategist, ended up teaching Bastra a Lot about like. how to lead a corps

Bastra (sw):

my Jedi 👉👈 trained by Sifo-Dyas so dookudyas is very dad-coded to him. specialized as an Investigator, excels at undercover ops. also has quite a bit of integration into my friends' oc arcs and stuff <3 buddies with Obi-Wan, gets on pretty well with the TG and CG since he spends a chunk of his time on Coruscant. ummmm he takes a Padawan like 10ish years before the war, somewhere in that range. he's a goofy guy, real stiff and formal a lot of the time but it lets up around people he trusts. of course I know him, he's me etc etc. he's currently getting transplanted into cp2077

Lane (sw):

is a journalist on Coruscant. they spend a Lot of time in the senate district, very good at schmoozing. certified flatterer. charming, if you will. always asking one million questions that senators do Not want to answer, which results in bans from various spots around the city LOL honestly they're just neat idk what to tell you. they stay following risky leads and getting themself into binds. they're squinting very hard at the details of how the Republic acquired a clone army

Myn (sw):

is a smuggler in the early Rebellion era. also a relentless optimist, sees the very first scraps of resistance and buys in immediately. IF somehow Nocte’s alive at that point, Myn's the one who tries and probably fails to sell him on participating in the rebellion

Vio Selnes (sw):

owns and operates a 24h diner on Coruscant. this diner gets heavy business from clones leaving 79s. connections to the clones leads to scattered connections with the Jedi, leads to the restaurant being used as a rendezvous point from time to time. part of Dexter Jettster's network

Jag (mk):

is part of the Kahn Guard when Kotal's in power. he was raised by the Shaolin Monks until he bailed, moved to the States, got into all sorts of illicit activities. Kung Jin eventually moves onto his couch and joins his crew. those illicit activities land him in a stint with the Black Dragon, which is a real lesson in Kano Is A Bastard. when Erron jumps ship, Jag goes with him. he's kind of an idiot, full of trussed issues, gay as hell, will bring a knife to a gunfight or a gun to a knife fight

Rose (mk):

is part of Danver's crew from before he went BD. the brains of that whole operation. she's severely underdeveloped unfortunately but I promise she's very cool. computer nerd. minimal filter on her in the best way

Eyes (cp2077):

is a ripperdoc with more focus on ripping than doc-ing. from Pacifica, got a long time connection to Mr. Hands. wound up in Maelstrom pretty young, cut his teeth on committing atrocities and revolutionizing Maelstrom's uhhh forcible cyberware implantations and general torture methods :) was real loyal to Brick, so Royce wrecked his shit when he took over, meant to kill him but he managed to get out. winds up on Viktor Vektor's table for recovery, tries very hard to turn over a new leaf. he's a fucked up bastard of a guy I shan't lie. compels me though

[thetwelfthcrow]

Soooo can we get recs for 443316?👀

but of COURSE you can !!

▴🏎 4433 fic recs: with Charles edition 🏎▴

welcome everyone to this special fic rec list: 443316 - fics where, in whatever order, lewis/max/charles are together. it's a short list, but i hope that serves only as an invite to write these three more. as far as i know these are the only fics in this ot3 ship and they're amaziiiing! i sincerely invite all lestappen, 4433 and 4416 shippers to give these a try. even if you don't like one of these three ships, these two fics are absolutely worth your time - i promise !

AO3 collection with all my Formula One bookmarks general favorite fics in the 4433 ship favorite christmas fics in the 4433 ship favorite omegaverse fics in the 4433 ship

always be sure to check the accurate and updated tags on the fic itself (i only copy a few)! if your fic is on here and you'd like me to link your tumblr then just comment below and i'll add it :)

▴ honey, there is no right way [series] by latebrakers | 11,3k | incomplete secret relationship 4433, charles helps them / pining / getting together

(1) fair weather | G | 3k | complete

The first time, Max asks Charles for a favor. The next time Max could use some help, Charles offers it himself.

(2) fair warning | T | 5k | complete

Charles thought he was being generous, at first, but now he just feels greedy.

(3) fair share | M | 3k | complete

Lewis takes his phone out of his pocket and props it on the porch railing. “Two minutes,” he announces. “Everyone think of a wish.” Charles could not possibly think of just one. Or: Charles books a flight to Colorado.

▴ three [series] by additivity | 20,3k | incomplete secret relationship / relationship reveal friends with benefits

straight-ish | M | 3,6k | complete

There were a lot of photos of Formula 1 drivers on the internet. But none like this.

amateur photography | E | 16,6k | 5/5ch, complete

Lewis really isn't looking for a relationship. Which is why his current arrangement is pretty perfect. What's not so great is trying to explain that to his press officer while F1 twitter self-destructs about it.

▴ behind different doors [series] by kiwialicat | 49,3k | incomplete established fwb lestappen / voyeurism / unresolved feelings

It’s not the size of your motorhome it’s how you use it | E | 6k | complete

Max looks back at him, and then down at the hand that Lewis still has firmly planted on Charles’s knee. Despite Lewis being a little less sharp than usual, it’s definitely not lost on him. “Jealous, Maxy?” Lewis doesn't want to waste this champagne, post Silverstone 2020 round one. He goes to find someone to celebrate with and gets a little more celebration than he'd hoped for.

Let’s feel this and think later | E | 31k | 6/6ch, complete

Lewis is pretty sure when it comes to Max and Charles there are strings, of one form or another, but he can’t deny there’s also a pretty incredible pay-off attached to those strings. It's the second week of the British GP double header, and it's a bit more memorable than usual for Lewis with a new version of Max and Charles in his life.

Room for three | E | 11k | complete

“So…” Lewis breathes deeply, “this offer…” he watches his hands open and close in front of him, “is this just a one-time thing? Tonight only?” Lewis has Max and Charles over for dinner. Some eating, some talking and some other stuff ensues.

▴ He Hit Me (It Felt Like A Kiss) by m00nlightE | 18,8k | 2/5ch, incomplete omegaverse / alpha max, alpha lewis, omega charles / emotional manipulation

It was something they’d often discussed at the beginning of the relationship: the potential that one day, sometime in the future, the three of them could end up fighting for a championship title against one another. So when the start of the 2021 season came around and it looked like Red Bull might be bringing the competition to Mercedes at last, Charles couldn’t help but feel the battle between his partners was inevitable. He just never expected to get so caught in the middle of it all. OR: Charles, Max and Lewis, and how their relationship turned toxic over the course of the 2021 season.

------------------

askbox always open for your favourite 4433(16) fics! i love to know what you love to read. this list is not complete (nor will it ever be), but it turned out all 443316 fics are amazing so these are the only fics in the tag rn. this IS AN INVITE to everyone reading all the way to here to write 443316 heheh! enjoy reading!

[theblackinnkeeper]

My top ten Danganronpa ships

Since it’s Valentine’s Day I decided that i should show my top ten Danganronpa ships for the world to see

Now here are some rules

One all of this is my own opinion if you disagree that’s fine but no harassment

Two I do not ship same sex couples for reasons I won’t elaborate on so if you don’t see your favorite slash ship on here then tough luck

Three these ships aren’t just ranked on personal preference but other factors such as screen time chemistry or others so that should set the tone now let’s get in

I’m also tagging @hopeymchope @freezethunder and @wydstepcat to give a list of your top ten ships (you don’t have to follow my rules)

Number 10

Nagito komaeda x Mikan tsumiki

So why do I ship these to together? Because Kodaka said they’re kokichi’s parents! UP YOURS KOMAHINA’S HAHAHA

In all seriousness these two make a surprisingly good ship because of surprisingly compatible both being some of the most mentally broken members of the class as well as nagito being one of the classmates to stick up for Mikan so there’s that and because there’s so much potential in the dynamics for this ship be it the nurse/patient dynamic or just being the insane couple. The one thing holding this ship back is the lack of interactions between the two which is why it’s so low on this list but this should be a good way to start the list right?

Number 9

Byakuya togami x toko fukawa

If your still reading this please put down the pitchforks and hear me out

So you’re probably wondering why I’m putting a ship like this well I’ll explain

As well all know togami starts the game off as a selfish jerk who only cares about winning and doesn’t seem to care about anybody and is more than willing to use toko as a tool for his amusement so with that in mind how could I ever ship something like this.

Well most of the appeal of this ship mostly comes from the development of the two characters in general.after Sakura’s trial makes him reconsider his preconceived views about bonds he starts to treat everyone slightly better and even gives toko a few compliments (which admittedly isn’t a bit much but hey it’s progress) and later in the series we see him actually sticking his neck out for other people so admittedly most the appeal for me stems less from their current relationship and more for what it might look like after both of their development which is why it’s low on this list and honestly togami’s insults don’t seem to bug me as much since toko seems to be enjoying this a bit too much

Number 8

Shuichi saihara x kaede akamatsu

You know it’s true love when you see a girly looking detective boy who’s scared of his own shadow fall out of a locker

In all seriousness these have a nice dynamic between the two partnering up to stop the killing game in the first chapter.kaede helps encourage shuichi out of his insecurities which makes it more tragic when she’s revealed to be the culprit through the rest of the game kaede’s death serves as one of shuichi’s biggest motivators throughout the game

Now as for why it’s so low we’ll most of their dynamic stays in chapter one so

Number 7

Miu iruma x kiibo

News flash lusty girl falls for walking tin can

With how raunchy and egotistical miu is I didn’t think to much of this ship when I heard about it added on by the fact the kiibo was a robot (sorry that was robophobic of me) and when I see they’re dynamic it’s surprising wholesome with miu showing genuine kindness towards kiibo and kiibo being the only student who isn’t gonta to be sad she died and I haven’t even talked about the “maintenance” so yeah number 7 good ship

Number 6

Nekomaru nidai x Akane owari

Ahh yes the gym couple

Nekomaru and akane’s relationship isn’t just fun to watch it’s also sad to think about with how much they spend training with each other (and how many sexual innuendos they have with each other) it doesn’t take long to see why people like especially when it comes to Nekomaru sacrificing himself for Akane and his death being Akanes big motivator throughout the rest of the game really shows how much these two mean to each other

Number 5

Sonia nevermind x gundham Tanaka

What’s better than one over the top edgelord two over the top edgelord

Sonia and gundham is one of the ships that pretty much everyone can agree one (save for the yaoi/Yuri fans and the kazuichi fans crying in the corner) with just how over the top they are together and their shared interest in the occult and much like with Akane gundhams death helps drive Sonia as a motivator for the rest of the story well what do you know

Number 4

Kaito momota x maki harukawa

The luminary of the stars and his murderous girlfriend

Kaito and maki is one of the ships that have one of the strongest developments in the series. Maki’s arc in the series revolves around her dropping the aloof assassin thing kaito is one of the biggest factors in it. Throughout the game kaito constantly tries to reach out to maki to get her to finally open up not only inviting maki to train but also pushing her to open up as well to the point of arguing with shuichi when it’s possible that kaito killed kokichi and tsumugi using kaito to break maki like she used kaede with shuichi overall this is one of the best ships in the series I just prefer these next three

Number 3

Fuyuhiko kuzuryu x Peko Pekoyama

One of the ships we all can agree on

Honestly this ship surprised me and I didn’t like it until further examination in the beginning we see Peko seem to know kuzuryu better than most but it isn’t until chapter two when the whole story comes out.we learn that Peko is fuyuhiko’s childhood friend who was raised to be both a servant and a hitwoman for the kuzuryu clans heir (fuyuhiko) and was raised to be a tool since birth however we know that her feelings for kuzuryu are 100% genuine and she will do anything for him even take a murder out of his own hands so she can take the fall for him but what if kuzuryu well this is best displayed in chapter two when he confesses that he didn’t care that Peko was raised to be a tool and just wanted to be with her and was begging for her not to go to the point where he tried to interfere with the execution and got slashed in the process. The amount of devotion between the two is fantastic and bittersweet and the same time when you have a couple so devoted to each other they are willing to face death for the other

…..

…..

…..

I’m not crying you’re crying!

Number 2

Makoto naegi x kyoko kirigiri

The hero and the heroine but which one is which

What can I say that hasn’t already been said these two probably have the most progressive relationships in the series from unlikely Allies to devoted partners these two have earned their place in the fandom

And now for my number one pick a tragic ship that was simply never meant to be

Number one

Hajime hinata/izuru kamakura x Chiaki nanami

This is probably the most tragic ship for me on this list by a pair with a bond so strong it transcends memory

The pair consists of a boy with no talent but wants one and girl who has a talent but sees no value in it and both end up positively impacting the other hajime started to realize talent isn’t everything and Chiaki starts to see her talent can be useful sadly thanks to someone beating(literally) it into hajime that he’s nothing more than a talentless scrub this leads hajime into the kamukura project and Chiaki suffers a tragic death impaled and betrayed by the person you loved most as she’s in tear because she didn’t want hajime to be talented she just wanted him alone (reminds you of another couple don’t it) but hajime’s love for her remains enough to get izuru to start shedding tears over her death

In 2dr2 Chiaki is hajime’s closest ally backing him up in trials and keeping him out of trouble all this comes to head when Chiaki is revealed to be the traitor and hajime is in the most denial he’s ever been in he doesn’t want to believe that his closest friend is the traitor but sadly is forced to do so

In the final chapter hajime’s memory of nanami is enough to inspire him towards the future and even helps deal the final blow to junko

Regardless of your stance on this ship its clear that these two have a strong bond that still persists regardless of it and that makes this my favorite Danganronpa ship of all time

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone

[anewkindofme]

Welcome to anewkindofme’s tumblr!

Hi there! My name is Taylor and I’m in my late 20s. I’m a lesbian with diagnosed ADHD and bipolar disorder. I also struggle with sensory overload. I have dabbled as an online caregiver in the past but have sort of retired for mental health reasons. I still make content for fandoms as it does help my mental health nonetheless. I’ve been writing agere content for a little over 15 years now!

I write sfw agere fics, make moodboards, write headcanons, etc. I only write platonic agere dynamics. One of my favorite tropes is found family!

Currently, I’m mostly writing Grey’s Anatomy & TVDU fics, but I would be interested in writing for other verses (from media I watch). Even if I can’t get the muse to write a certain fic, I’m always down to write headcanons or make moodboards! Requests are open so feel free to hit up my inbox!

I do not write romantic pairings practicing sfw agere, even if it’s strictly non-sexual. I do include romantic pairings in my fics but only for married caregivers. Even then, I keep their interactions to mainly kissing or flirting and it won’t take up the entire fic. I will never write about incest!

My fics do include a variety of discipline, including spanking but I don’t include it as much anymore and it’s usually just a few swats with the hand. But mostly it includes grounding, timeouts, etc. If that bothers you, my fics probably aren’t for you. I also have a couple of verses with non-sexual breastfeeding and diapers. I am a compulsive tagger on both Tumblr and AO3, so just check those out!

I’ll only write for the fandoms listed here. I also stick to the headcanon I have for how a character is classified. For example, I know some people see Dean as a Little, but I only view him as a caregiver. I would struggle to write him otherwise! But always feel free to ask me whatever!

Do not sexualize my fics or interact with me if you are anti-agere, racist, homophobic, ableist or transphobic. Several of my fics include POC and queer characters, as well as characters with disabilities.

I also want to mention that I don’t do character x reader fics, they’re just not in my wheelhouse!

Fandoms I make content for:

The Vampire Diaries Universe, including The Originals & Legacies

One Tree Hill

Supernatural

Grey’s Anatomy, including Private Practice (I haven’t seen enough of Station 19 to make content)

Teen Wolf

Once Upon A Time. At this time, I have not seen OUATIW, so I cannot make content for characters that were strictly on there. I could for those that also appeared on the main show, such as Will Scarlet.

Twilight

Pretty Little Liars. I have not watched any of the spin-offs, so I only make content for the main series!

9-1-1 & 9-1-1: Lone Star

Criminal Minds

My ask box! I keep anonymous asks on. Requests for fics, moodboards and headcanons are always open! At this time I am not accepting headcanon requests for 9-1-1 Lone Star.

My current master list! Please checkout the tags before reading. Please remember: No content is worth your mental health! Take care of yourself, friends.

My current list of characters I headcanon as Littles and Caregivers! If you don’t see one on here, feel free to ask me how I sort them! I will also include ships on here for caregivers, as well as my NOTPs.

[vanillahub]

GET TO KNOW THE MUN.

respond to the prompts out of character!

what made you pick up the current muse(s) you have? Obviously, I'm heavily influenced by a set list of characters I personally love, which means I come up with a take/portrayal as I delve deeper into the lore. I tend to have a preference for side characters, rather than protags or lore heavy ones, bc of the freedom I get... BUT at the same time I've had numerous muses that carry a lot of weight in their respective franchises (see: Seto Kaiba, Captain Rex, rival Barry, Richter Belmont and Sea Dragon Kanon just to name a few).

I mainly write as canon characters, I genuinely have little to no interest in making or RPing as an OC. At most, I have 1 OC in two out of the RPCs I'm currently part of. Which explains this huge disparity.

is there anything you don’t like to write? My hard nos are Incest, Adult/minor types of relationships. Bodily fluids/toilet stuff and fetish focused RPs. One-liners and really short replies aren't fun for me, sure, they can be fun for crack/joke interactions. But they won't last long. I really love working and expanding on the source material, so RPs for me really need to have that good plotting to back it up. While I'm totally open for exploring darker/taboo subjects (e.g.: adultery, toxic relationships, etc.), they MUST carry weight on the characters and be handled accordingly.

is there anything you really enjoy writing? GIMME ALL THE WEIRD COMBOS TO INTERACT WITH!!! Characters that never met or barely interacted with one another in canon but, they can interact in our RPs!!! My jam is doing worldbuilding and expanding on the source material!!! I also enjoy writing comedy, fluff, romance, slice-of-life, over-arching stories that connect/get refferenced in other threads.

how do you come up with headcanons? I look for plotholes or anything that was barely touched upon, in the source material, and I go off from it. I try establishing connections or make them clearer, to serve as future reference for me and my RP partners. I also love taking influence from other medias I'm into.

do you write in silence or do you play music? I used to be able to multitask a lot easier in the past. Now, I mainly prefer writing in silence. Only in very rare cases, I may play some kind of lo-fi beat or lounge music.

do you plan your replies or wing them? It depends on the thread in specific! Most of them have been plotted out, so I go off what we have laid out. Only in a few cases I try to wing it.

do you enjoy shipping? YES YES. GIMME. However, due to some bad experiences in the past, I'm really picky with platonic and familial stuff (popular fanons my beloathed).

what’s your alias/name? Vani

age?  27

birthday? 19th of July

favorite color?  Purple, blue, white, red-

favorite song?  Tô de pé - Maneva

last movie you watched?  I genuinely can't remember it LOL. It must have been Saint Seiya: Legend of Sanctuary.

last show you watched?  Saint Seiya Omega

last song you listened to? Discoholic - Disco Soul (Mr. Hoosteen's "Disco's Revenge

favorite food?  Pesto Pasta

favorite season?  Summer

do you have a tumblr best friend? Check these fellas out <3

These ppl know me for the longest time Gen ( @gems-of-lirema ), Simone (@unchcsen ) , Shiba ( @celestiialnotes ), Retto ( @245s ), Bobo ( @roleplayersoul ) and Smeargle ( @ofpokemon ) !! Really special mentions to @radi0activesmile, Val and @mxlik you guys will forever hold a v special place in my heart!!

Then I'm always chatting with Ama ( @gwiazdowe ), who genuinely is one of the best ppl I've met!! Honestly, I couldn't feel anymore happier to have met you! Can't forget urs truly Mica, who lives rent-free in my walls LOL. Lea ( @todefendlife ) and Mars own my house smfh.

And also special shout out to folks I've met more recently, but still deserve a place here: @shouxryuuxha / @wayfaringstrangxr / @eternalstarlights / @triko-the-fluffy-artist <3 Love u guys!

TAGGED BY: @mayxthexforce TYSM <3333

TAGGING: Anyone wanting to do this!! Just say I tagged you <3 !

[st-writes]

It was Now or Never

ME2, A buildup to the Romance Scene, Garrus POV)

It was now or never.

The one good thing about the whole crew having been abducted was that no one was in the mess to witness him start out from the battery about a half dozen times before he made it all the way to the elevator. The one good thing about being a nervous wreck is that you could find “one good thing” about the whole crew being abducted without delving into what a callous thought that was. Sure, they may be in agony, dying or— worse— but Garrus was about to make a fool of himself, so who got the bad end of the deal, really?

She’d asked. She’d asked! Weeks ago and light years away, but she’d asked. The list of excuses he’d made to put it off was longer than the length of the Normandy, but this was it. They were on their way to the Omega-4 Relay, It was now or never.

He stepped off the elevator and stared at her door. Maybe he should’ve messaged ahead. He could still message ahead— right now—but then he’d be right there. Maybe he should go back down to the battery and message ahead.

“Shepard is currently indisposed.“ Garrus nearly jumped out of his plates as the voice of the ship’s AI suddenly filled the cabin foyer. “But if you’d like to wait for an audience, you may do so inside.”

“Uh, thanks, EDI,” he drawled uncertainly. The thought of what EDI might know- and how its unshackling might change its interpretation or reaction of whatever data it had sent a shiver down his carapace.

“This, uh, meeting… Are— do you monitor…” He cleared his throat. “Could we have some…privacy?”

“Of course. Without the crew, I am running more tasks than usual. I would be happy to devote more processing power elsewhere.”

“Great! Great.” Great? “Not—I don’t mean-“ Was he really afraid an AI was going to judge him for lack of empathy? “Thanks,” he muttered, and gestured the cabin door open.

He half hoped to find Shepard on the other side, just to get it over with. But no, the cabin was as empty as its decorative tanks. Taking a deep breath, he stepped inside.

The muted hum of a fan and wet percussion of running water from the bathroom made it easy to work out what EDI had meant by “indisposed.” Hopefully it wasn’t a cold shower—he was pretty sure he remembered some human idioms about those. He’d done his own preening earlier, but didn’t imagine hers was for the same reasons. If it was? No, he couldn’t think about that. It put his heart in his throat.

He took another deep breath. “This is good,” he muttered to himself. “You’ve got time to set up. To set the mood…” Garrus looked around. The cabin was already a little on the dim side. Taking the lights down any further could trip her up when she came out— or put her on alert. Not the way he wanted to get her adrenaline going.

Music, though… Syncing his headset with the room, he scrolled through the list of options he’d compiled earlier. There it was— “Crested Waves,” a piece from the Vaenia soundtrack. He hadn’t seen the movie himself, but the soundtrack was good. “Blue Azure” was in regular rotation to pump him up during missions. “Crested Waves” was a more intimate track—not great for battle, but… He wondered if Shepard knew it. Vaenia was popular with the humans, he’d heard. Not so much with the Asari, but Liara was a “pureblood” so—

Oh. Not Crested Waves, then.

Bittersweet asari vocals cut away to a building thrum of percussion, soon overlaid by a bouncy electronic refrain. Not the most romantic track, but upbeat. It was a favorite at Flux for a few years, and could have conceivably been playing when they all went for celebratory drinks after kicking Saren’s ass. He could conjure the memory of her, smiling, bathed in red lighting from the bar, the ends of her hair sticking to her skin, caught in the trails of dancing-induced sweat. It was probably the first and last time he’d seen her completely relaxed. Perfect.

Now. Where to greet her? Her office area was a no-go. It was too close to the bathroom door, too in her face, and there was nothing relaxing about the mess of pads and papers strewn across her desk.

By the tanks? The light was nice, but also would come from behind. His silhouette might be more intimidating than inviting. He looked to the right, where her bed seemed to demand attention. No, absolutely not. Too forward, to presumptuous. The single chair next to it wasn’t much better.

Couches below her model ship collection seemed like his best bet. The lighting coming off the case was a little harsh, and he was pretty sure he wouldn’t be directly visible when she came out, but there was a table for the wine and the seating seemed neutral.

Setting the wine down, he sat himself at the far end, shifting until he found a comfortable, casual position. He pulled at a few wrinkles in his suit. It wasn’t the one he’d bought for the occasion, but when it came time the black and white outfit looked a little too somber.

When it came down to it, they were making themselves a distraction from everything else. He wanted to keep it light, relaxed. And if it wasn’t— well, a horrible inter-species awkwardness thing could be a distraction too.

Did humans usually shower this long? Or was his anxiety just stretching time? ...Was that her old helmet on her desk? That was grim. He got up and turned it toward the wall. Would she mind him touching her stuff?

The sounds of the shower had faded beneath his music, but the hiss of the opening door sounded like it was right at his ear. He put the helmet back best he could and scrambled back to the couch, trying to slip back into the casual pose he’d settled on before.

Shepard came into his view at the top of the steps. Her short hair was damp, falling more heavily into place behind her ears, where she pressed at it with a small white towel. She looked... fresh... and clean... and completely unaware of him. He should have messaged ahead. What was he doing? What had he done?

He stood up. It was now or never.

The music cut out, and Shepard turned her perplexed frown from the panel beside her to him. Her eyebrows shot up, clearing her cloudy expression. “Hey.”

Shit.

[thetruearchmagos]

WIP Questionnaire

Thank you kindly for the Tag, @theprissythumbelina !

1. What is the first part of your WIP that you created?

Well, the Setting, probably, which as an answer works for just about any of the WIPs I could name. In theory you could argue Gustav and the Magician, individually and as a 'set' of sorts, technically predate my coming up with the 12 Worlds, but the form they took then has only passing resemblance to their current incarnation.

2. If your story was a TV show, what would the theme song/intro be?

Ooo, well, I've been thinking I'd probably see about getting something original made, or making something myself as a side thing. I mean, I kinda envision a lot of my WIPs as serial animations in my head anyhow, so I've put more thought into this question than reality is ever likely to require.

3. What are your favorite characters that you made? Why?

Well... You know how big this list could be. I love all of them, and at any moment which forces / allows me to dig deeper into any single one of them makes me love them even more. Still, my final choice is an obvious one: Gustav Johann Schmidt, who's been in it since the very start, and who's voice has by now almost become my own whenever he comments on some facet of his world in the same way I would.

4. What other pieces of media do you think your fan base would share?

Hmm, well, I've always thought this would go down two tracks. First of all being the classic 'Techno Thriller' crowd, the sorts who like tanks going boom and spies under deep cover: I'd go with things like The Hunt For Red October and Red Storm Rising, both being stalwarts of the genre which have absolutely been personally inspiring. The second track goes down the wider book / writing community, or at least those looking for 'genre fiction' and all that, who might discover the 12 Worlds more on its fantastical or worldbuilding grounds than for its techno thriller nature: I don't really 'understand' what I'd mean by this cohort myself as much, but I guess it could include series like ASOIAF, possibly.

5. What has been your biggest struggle with your WIP?

Well... If we're speaking in the past tense, as far as things that have already happened go I'd put forwards "making sure the worldbuilding exists and isn't utterly contradictory", since there's too little writing down so far to count for a big struggle. Dates are hard, and measuring things on the order of decades to a century leaves me with a lot of uncomfortable dead space on one hand, and a bunch of events clustered together on the other. Untangling this has to happen before the writing does, to me, and it's gonna be hellish.

6. Are there any animals in your story? Talk about them!

Uhh... Technically, Snake In The Sandbox (Gustav's third and least brought up WIP) features two animals! One's a snake which literally scares G's shirt off when he finds it in his tent, and the other's some sort of desert lizard the 18th Corps adopts as its mascot.

7. How do your characters get around? (Ex. Trains, horses, cars, dragons, etc.)

Oh, probably their respective combat vehicles more than anything, though long distance stuff gets done by plane / aeroship, and getting between Worlds means ships for everyone. Non military types might get their own car, or plane.

8. What part of your WIP are you working on right now?

Technically brought this up already, but the answer's worldbuilding. It's always worldbuilding. Though within that category, I'm technically supposed to be writing up a piece on the UC' policy towards Goilac / Nouvoulouis pre SSAW, but... I have been having a lazy weekend.

9. What aspects (tropes, maybe) of your WIP do you think will draw people in?

Big flashy boom booms and cunning military tactics, strategy, and leadership on the one hand for sure, but I'd like to think the depth, history, and life that exists within the 12 Worlds might have some appeal to readers.

10. What are your hopes for your WIP?

Published novel, or really a few considering how many there are already for the 12 Worlds. Then... Well, I think I've got a few ideas in me for the Setting yet.

Anyone fancy a boardgame?

And that's that! Tagging @athenswrites @hessdalen-globe @caxycreations @sanguine-arena @vyuntspakhkite-l-darling @thatndginger and anyone who'd like to take part!

[b0njourbeach]

So, I'm going to rewrite this post because my mind was a fucking mess when doing so the first time.

The ask was (not word for word quoted): "What is your favorite twst shipping?"

For future references, I usually don't ship with a romantic or sexual intention behind the ship unless I point it out. Mainly because I often forget that romantic feelings exist. I'm not a fan of minor x adult and especially not a fan of any kind of incest (whether found family or biological, both is a no go). So if you see me losing my shit over a ship/dynamic with inappropriate age differences: It's not because I'm a weirdo, I'm just an aromantic idiot.

I'm always trying to make it obvious whether it's a romantic ship or a platonic one but I might forget to do so sometimes, so have mercy with me.

Moving on to actually answer the question!

I have a selected few shippings/dynamics that I hold very dear to me and every week, I have a lethal brainrot over one of them. They always take turns like the polite little lads they are.

I'll try to keep the rambling about the shippings to a minimum

Leona x Vil (the current brainrot of the week, they're so exes with an on-off relationship, trust me)

Ruggie & Jamil (platonically, they're just best pals who could and will set the world on fire - They do have their soft moments together)

Jamil & Leona (platonically, two guys who will never be first because of the way they were born? Yessir, sign me up. Also Book 6? Mhm, delightful. Good soup)

Riddle x Floyd (Annoyance and their target of affection >>>>)

Leona & Ruggie & Epel (They're just besties/Brothers by heart man, I can't explain it. Especially Epel -> Leona)

Rook & Floyd (I'm honestly not sure if they're just mutual annoyances or possible bfs but holy shit. Them >>)

Ruggie x Kalim (Ruggie just wanted to Rizz up Kalim for the money but lost his heart in the process)

Floyd & Chenya ("They don't know each other", in my heart they do. They're besties, living just to annoy the ever-living hell out of Riddle)

Yes, I think that looks much better than the previous answer I've given. I'll put a stop on the list for now because trust me when I say: There are many more shippings/dynamics that I enjoy - Especially if they're rarepairs/Crack ships. The list above is just the top 8 of the list.

[kadavernagh]

Paddington in Ireland || Regan & Hamstring

TIMING: Current, shortly after Regan reunites with her grandmother LOCATION: Saol Eile PARTIES: Regan & Hamstring SUMMARY: Regan finds that she's not as alone in Saol Eile as she expected she'd be. CONTENT: Domestic abuse

“Fuck,” Regan spat, pressing her hand to her forehead. “You were supposed to just let me leave!”

The cream of bone soup did not go down easy. Regan felt it clawing up her esophagus. But even that was nothing compared to surviving her first dinner back with her grandmother, staring at her from across the table with dark, knowing eyes and not a hint of a smile. Regan had never seen two banshees be so silent in each other’s presence (fine, except for maybe the miserable drive here with Siobhan). It was like those first nights. The displacement, confusion, the whole world feeling wrong because she became something wrong. It did change, given time. Her mind had been so fractured, her heart so desperate for answers and help, that there had been no room for bitterness. Now, warm from those she left behind and against her best interests, bitterness was almost all she had for Cliodhna. But her grandmother knew her. All she had to do was wait. Regan would break. And so she was dismissed for the night.

Regan drifted into her old bedroom like a ghost. It looked practically the same as how she’d left it a year ago. Cliodhna knew she would be back, and what was a few years, even a decade, when your lifespan ranged for centuries? Her bed was made and the room looked adequately dusted, but the same books sat on her nightstand, the same knives gleamed from the rack, and the same clot formed in her throat the second she shuffled inside. She knew from experience that it would dissipate over time. Eventually her body would stop flying into shock whenever she stepped anywhere. For now, though, she wanted to curl up in this bed – her bed, she supposed – and pretend to be one of her decedents, now in the hands of Dr. Rickers (no, actually, she refused to think about that part). But there was so much to do. And if anything could keep Regan upright and mobile, it was a list of tasks. 

Unpacking came first. The boxes she had shipped to Dublin – mostly full of dead mice owing to Jade and Van – were still in the car, and she’d need some help getting them moved into the house. Those would come later. She didn’t want to think about that now (as if she wouldn’t anyway every time she saw that flash of jade on her hand). For now, she had suitcases to address. Twelve of them. Normally she preferred a more systematic approach, but her skeleton (the one inside of her) felt heavy, and her skin was jolted practically into numbness from the presence of so many fae. She just tackled the nearest suitcase first.

She froze over the zipper. There was something off. This suitcase should have been full of some of her favorite bones – the cow femur from Elias, the bird from Van – but she couldn’t feel that gentle hum against her skin when she neared it. It felt empty. Or at least devoid of death. How was that possible? Was she robbed? Was it Alana? Alana probably robbed her. Damn it. She shouldn’t have let her help with the bags. Regan unzipped it expecting emptiness (the word of the night), and stumbled backwards when she saw a person curled up inside – and not even a dead one. A familiar one. Her hands flew over her mouth to muffle the screech. Thankfully, there was nothing in here that was shatter-ready. Her grandmother heard it, though. “Leanbh? Cad atá mícheart leat?” Cliodhna’s raised voice traveled easily from the floor below. Not are you okay, or what was that. What is wrong with you, she had asked. Regan called back immediately, trying to keep the quaver out of her voice. “Ní dhéanfaidh aon ní! Tá sé ceart go leor. Díphacáil. Thit rud éigin.” Saying that something fell was not really a lie, when her stomach was still plummeting inside her.

She rounded on the ham child. “Cén fáth–” Fates, this was bad. Regan hissed, keeping her voice low. Her hands gestured wildly. “What are you doing here? You can’t be here. What were you thinking? Did you even –” She flared with panic, but at least had the sense to toe the door shut. She was a little louder now, with that extra layer of sound-proofing the closed door provided (and banshees were experts at sound-proofing). “We have to get you out of here. You can’t be here. And no one can know you’re here. You can’t be here! And my grandmother would – I don’t even know what she would do with you. She can’t know.” Regan’s eyes grew even larger. “I don’t know how to smuggle you out. And I can’t contact anyone to get you. And do not use the bear.” A realization shook her, bear viscera splattering against the walls of her imagination. How novel the others would find it, to see a bear they could warm their cords with. “They’ll – just trust me, don’t.” Regan paced, dazed. There was a child here. And she couldn’t get her back home. And the banshees would probably kill her. “Fuck,” Regan spat, pressing her hand to her forehead. “You were supposed to just let me leave!”

---------

There was a section on YouTube dedicated to people tricking airport security so they could take prankster trips in their friend’s luggage. Nora did extensive research on the topic, slumped over her desk at Axis, Robbyn Banks, professional YouTube analyst. There were two things Nora walked away knowing. One; it was going to be long and cramped. That was probably okay. Nora wasn’t that big, a good-sized suitcase wouldn’t be roomy but she’d never been claustrophobic before. Then again, now every time she sat in the dark, thoughts of the mines would cross her mind. The calling, the yearning, the loss of herself… That wouldn’t be an issue, Nora decided, shoving those thoughts deep away in the vault of memories she pretended she didn’t have. The air was a lot different than the ground. 

Two; it was going to be cold. To save money airlines, apparently, do not temperature-regulate their luggage area. This was also okay because she had recently been given her favorite gift of all time. A big thank you to Ray for the giant bear sleep suit. The only thing that would have made it better was if it had been designed for someone normal-sized and not a giant. The extra space, Nora decided, was okay because she could use it to store her snacks. 

"I'm not running away," Nora told Babadook the night before. Babadook looked back at her with his big mournful eyes. Nora could only assume it was because he knew her history of walking away and not telling anyone. Her past was full of walking outdoors and never looking back. "This is going to be different. I'm not telling them because I don't want them to worry. I'm coming back. This is my home and Regan's home. We both stay." 

The suitcase was easily vacated of the dead creatures inside and filled with Nora, her laptop, a few extra clothes, some snacks, and Van's switch. On the switch, Nora had preloaded Bear and Breakfast, a game she had chosen specifically because there had been bear in the title. To her dismay, the game did not involve a bear stealing other people's breakfasts and terrorizing them, instead, the bear helped people. She managed twenty-three minutes of gameplay before switching to Fatal Frame. The laptop also came preloaded with all episodes of Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Nora liked how dumb the main characters were, but there was something familiar about Charlie. Something she couldn't quite put her finger on, but left her the impression of a sniveling crying little man. 

The flight went on for hours. First, the laptop died. Then the switch. Eventually, Nora powered down, entering a very peaceful slumber. The peaceful slumber was interrupted by someone screaming. Nora groaned, covering her ears and attempting to roll over, away from the sound. The restrictive nature of her enclosure made the maneuver difficult, leaving her in an uncomfortable half-twist. The accompanying beratement from Regan only served to double the discomfort, causing Nora to admit defeat on her battle to stay asleep. "You know I was never going to let you leave," Nora mumbled through a yawn, plying herself into a sitting position. "It isn't right. I'll tell your grandma myself." Nora rubbed at her eyes, crusted with sleep. The bear suit had retained warmth so well, she felt like a cozy bear waking up from hibernation. 

"What's wrong with my bear?" Consciousness was fully taking over, and Nora's brain was playing catch up on everything Regan had just told her. "I have a really cool bear. I think." She didn't know any other bugbears, she was aware, so the assumption had no basis to go off of. "I don't mind if they know I'm here. I was only hiding from you." Of course, Regan was freaking out. Freaking out appeared to be one of her specialties. Freaking out and giving up on herself. Nora wondered how she'd managed to get a medical degree. Nora forced herself to her feet, her body popping and groaning from being in one position for so long. She forced her tight muscles into stretches. "Do you have a bathroom? I really have to go." Nora started moving to a closed door, hoping to see relief behind it. Hours in a suitcase was not for the weak of bladder. 

---------

Her heart pounded harder and faster, the child’s presence never quite sinking in. “You will not say a single word to my grandmother. She would cut out your tongue at the first display of insolence.” Regan’s eyes habitually roved over to the knives. None of hers had cut out a tongue before, but Cliodhna had one expressly for that purpose. Regan’s were still being whetted on flesh, usually her own. 

“Banshees would jump at the opportunity to blow up a bear.” The child knew almost nothing about banshees. And whose fault was that? Regan hadn’t exactly anticipated this. She didn’t prepare her. Maybe she should have. Maybe if the child knew how dangerous this place was, she would have stayed behind where she belonged. “I am the only one you do not need to hide from. You have it backwards. You – these are not people, the ones who live here. You won’t win them over. They are not like me.” The truth soured her mouth even more than the cream of bone soup. Her grandmother. Was she still down there? She couldn’t hear any of this, could she? Fearg an chinniúint.

“You certainly do have to go.” Having a bathroom attached to the bedroom was a blessing right now. She pointed to the door. “There.” While the child was in there, Regan practically paced a trench into the floorboards. Was it better to just come clean, tell Cliodhna? It was a mistake. She doubted her grandmother would lift a finger to see the ham child out, but safe passage was all that was needed. Someone could collect the child from there. But then there was the worst case scenario: the child being used as a ragdoll for training purposes, or thrown into the tar pit. Just another gift Regan brought, in addition to the mice and the blender and the pressed flowers. No. She needed to find some way to contact Emilio. He wouldn’t stand for this. He would bring the ham child home, somehow. And until then, what was she going to fecking feed the kid? This was bad. 

The child emerged again.

“Here… here is how this will work. I will be up at sunrise every day. I will leave. You stay here. You don’t leave the house. Don’t leave the bedroom. When I come back at night, you don’t ask any questions at all. You do not attempt to make conversation with me. You eat the food you’re given, you evade detection, and when I am able to arrange for an opportunity for you to leave, you take it without complaint.” She looked crossly at the child, uncompromising. “This is not a vacation.”

---------

Fear wafted off Regan, a gentle scent trying to warn Nora that her brave and smart idea to bring Regan home and remind her that she didn't need to give herself to her grandmother out of duty was a bad idea. Unfortunately for the pair of them, Nora was bad at reading signs. As Regan let word after word slip, a spew of nervous energy, Nora just stood there. A picture of generational youth, one hand shoved deep in her pocket, the other scrolling her phone. No signal. No update on her apps. She came prepared for something like that. She wasn't a detective for nothing. A satellite phone was tucked into Regan's bag, stolen from an avid hitcher she'd followed home one day. He'd been left crying in a locked closet thinking his world was going to end while Nora took the device with her. Handy, she had thought at the time. In case of emergencies. Getting Regan home was an emergency, to her.

Nora was just tucking away the satellite phone in one of her pockets when she realized that Regan had said the banshees wanted to blow up a bear. "I didn't know they were chill like that," Nora responded. Apart from the whole - if you blow up you die - aspect, explosions were cool.  Despite the spew of emotion emanating off of Regan, Nora wasn't worried. "I'm not a person either." Nora reminded Regan as if that was a simple solution. A Bridge that would gap the otherness of banshee and bear. "If you don't want me here so badly, you should have never left. I'll get back in that suitcase right now if you promise you'll get on an airplane and go home." Perhaps that could be taken as a lie, because of waiting for an answer Nora disappeared into the bathroom. 

Regan was ready to talk once more as the door opened again and a freshly relieved Nora reentered the argument. "That sounds boring." Nora pointed out. "I've never been to Ireland without a busy schedule before." The bear, despite the countless warnings she had just endured from Regan, moved over to the window, flipping the curtain aside and gazing out. "I think I'd at least like to take a walk.” A pause. A silence. Then an added confession. “I don't think you're capable of not talking. You talk a lot." To be fair to Regan, since Nora most definitely was not, the bugbear assumed anyone who put more than three sentences together in a single conversation was a big talker and often resented that other people made her put that effort into her replies. 

"This isn't a vacation to me." Nora turned from the window, staring Regan in the face. "It never has been. This is a rescue mission. I told you I wasn't going to let you throw your life away because you think you need to. You don't need to. You deserve a life of your choice, not one hoisted upon you by others who think they know better. And I know you don't believe me because we've talked this circle over and over again. But I'm here because in a few days when you wake up and realize how miserable you are, I'll be here to remind you that you can go back. That there is a life waiting for you in Wicked's Rest. But until then? Maybe I deserve a little vacation. Do they have ham here?"

---------

“You listen to me.” Regan’s already-thin patience had worn like the last of the skin sloughing off a body, and she turned to the ham child with every bit of menace she could muster (which wasn’t much, anymore). “You are in so far over your head and you don’t even know it. I don’t even think you will get out of here alive. You have turned this into a rescue mission, but it’s not one for me. Did you consider Emilio? He should be grieving you already. That dog of yours may as well be at the shelter.” Regan’s eyes glanced up at the ceiling, half-expecting lights to be shattering, but of course there weren’t any to break. And, okay, she wasn’t screaming for the child’s death. Yet. “Your ears may be small but I need you to–”

The wood groaned. “Leanbh?” Cliodhna. Right outside the door. Expectant, awaiting a soldier’s response, not a hair concerned.

Even as her grandmother approached her fifth century of life, her hearing was as sharp as ever. Regan had known it would only be a matter of time before she would be stirred by something – if not the muffled tangle of voices, then the creaking of the floorboards of this old place, one of the few things that soundproofing did little to ameliorate. It probably was the floorboards. But even knowing that, when the door opened behind her, it was her own foul temper she blamed, one that the coming days would need to carve out of her. 

Privacy was never between two banshees – rather, it was between banshees and the rest of the world. Her grandmother’s presence could hardly be called an intrusion, and Regan knew better than to treat it as one. She parted to the side of the room, giving Cliodhna a clear view of the child, her guilty eyes darting away from both of them. Her grandmother’s presence filled the room as it always did – she was in every way a perfect image of what Regan should have been, the steep angles of her face accentuated by age – barely – but even more so the sharpness of her tongue. “Cé hé seo?” Cliodhna stepped in like she belonged there (she did) and immediately skewered the ham child with her gaze. 

“She doesn’t know Gaeilge,” Regan cut in, just barely daring to, eyes fixed on the floor, earning a dark glance (but it was a glare without being one, really, wasn’t it?) from her grandmother. Her disappointment was plain if you knew where it lived, and somehow, it was directed at Regan and not the child. Cliodhna could look in any direction, speak to anyone else; her criticism always met its mark on Regan. But Cliodhna had no choice but to accommodate, her distaste both annoyingly subtle yet thicker than her accent. With a mix of concern and morbid curiosity, Regan’s eyes finally flickered back up to the child. There was no screaming yet, no blood on the walls. Perhaps this could be salvaged. What they needed was time so Regan could get the child out of here. Cliodhna took a step closer to the girl, thin fingers outstretched toward her, but she did not touch yet, lest she soil herself with a potential human’s skin. “No? Why is that? I sense only one other under this roof, and she owes her grandmother an explanation.” Cliodhna had already supplied an explanation of her own, though, and she was not entirely off the mark. She turned to Regan. “One flick of the wings and you fall in love with some neamh-roghnaithe and bring her here. It was obvious. You reeked of it. The stench would have stripped that rabbit of its fur had I not.”

Regan’s gaze dropped again, shamed for her love, for the first time by someone else. She was pretty sure her grandmother had seen more of the top of her head than of her face since she’d arrived back... in the moments Regan had even been honored with a glance. Cliodhna wasn’t exactly right, but Regan would not contradict the parts that were true. So her grandmother waited, still as the dead. Always like the dead. Enviously like the dead. She was far better at waiting than Regan. Perhaps that was the message she was sending now, along with her suspicion that the ham child was a human Regan dragged here from overseas. A lover, a friend. Something with an expiration date.

Regan knew then, the child would be just another tool. Cliodhna was already thinking of her various uses. Regan was familiar with that focused look on her grandmother's face because it was the same one she had just before instructing Regan to try something new, something that might hurt her in just the right way, for just the right length of time, for her to stop feeling and failing. Cliodhna's inventive streak was narrow in its scope, limited to things that cut and gutted and brought others to their knees.

And that was for banshees. For humans–

At some point, Regan had made a decision without realizing it. Had she thought it through, maybe she would spilled the truth to her grandmother along with her guts, exposed like a flayed animal on the skinning table. It was not her brain she listened to. The brain was too slow. Regan's stomach was going to be red and raw for days, but this was perhaps the most important lie she’d ever tell in her life – and without a doubt the most important for the ham child. “This is… Hamstring. She’s a banshee, not yet dhúisigh. Duine caillte. I found her in Maine. She did not know her parents, and did not know what she was. She’s here to request tutelage and begin her service.” Her grandmother studied Regan. No, not studied. Waited. Again the expert. Regan’s stomach was in a vice, twisted by her own words, but she kept her expression placid as bile chewed her up from the inside and she bit down hard on her tongue. It was harder than it used to be, like her grandmother's skinning knife running down her belly. The pain did not pass, but the urge to double over did. Cliodhna seemed satisfied now – either it was the truth, or Regan had withstood the lie as she ought to (but still not good enough, Regan thought).

She came closer yet, and Cliodhna’s darkness-filled eyes gave the ham child a long, scanning look; most would find it impossible to tell whether she was pleased or displeased. At the very least, she had to be wondering how a child snuck in here, escaping her notice. Finally, she stroked her chin with one of those long fingers of hers, and spoke decisively. She always did. She addressed the child for the first time. “No harm will come to you while you are here, provided you’re obedient. If you truly intend to live in service, then you will not attempt to disturb us.” Regan struggled to keep her relief in. Her grandmother continued. “You are our guest, Hamstring.” Both an invitation and a pointed reminder of her place. “My granddaughter will set a room for you and you may board here. Tomorrow, we will discuss the matter of your an chéad scread. You look younger than my granddaughter was when she had hers, so there is reason for optimism if you have some degree of natural aptitude. She does not. Do you know of your lineage at all? Your pedigree may extend here. You’ll find soup prepared downstairs.” 

This time, Regan truly couldn’t keep it in. Cliodhna heard Regan’s sharp exhale of relief, and snapped toward her; she was the only woman who perfected snapping without any shift in voice nor expression. “Do not make a liar of me. The guest room.” Regan jolted like she’d been kicked, and flashed Hamstring a look of grave warning as she passed out the bedroom door. Do not screw this up for both of us.  

---------

Emilio would not mourn her. There would be nothing to miss, because this would not be the end of her story, just like how she wouldn't let this be the end of Regan's. Babadook would not go to a shelter, if anything he would continue his life as a solitary creature terrorizing playgrounds inducing terrors beyond children's comprehension on them, and traumatizing them for the rest of their lives. It was honestly insulting to him that he would need to find someone to care for him. There was also no time for Nora to defend her perfectly normal ear size. Or bring up the statistics that the majority of people from Wicked's Rest liked the size of bear ears. Nora's mouth opened and closed as the door swung open and she got her first look at the dreaded and terrifying woman Regan had been warning her about for months now. 

She was just a woman.  

Disappointment seeped into every corner of Nora's being, even as Regan's fear expanded. From the way Regan had talked about this woman, she was a terrifying monster. A beast whose hold over others had no rival. The epitome of fear incarnate. Shadows maybe trailing her every move to remind people that there was no light and they would be under her forever. This was just a woman, in a perfectly tailored outfit without a hair out of place. A perpetual look of disappointment etched across her features. Nora had seen this woman before. Not this exact one, but she was the mother of her fellow students who got in trouble and dishonored their families. She was the momager who yelled at her child for not landing the role when the child should know better. She was a matriarch. Something that Nora never had and could never fully comprehend the grasp they held over a family.

To Nora, the most interesting thing about her was the wings coming out of her back. That was cool. 

"S-" Nora was about to do her customary greeting, but Regan was talking. Introducing Nora as Hamstring - fine with her she was never one to give our her real name - and calling her caillte or something. Gaelige, or Nora assumed it to be Gaelige since that was what Regan had called it, kept flitting in and out of the conversation, leaving Nora without half the context. Was the conversation about her? Yes. Was there important information that Nora thought she was supposed to be going along with? Yes. Did Nora know what it was? No. Because saying that she was duine caillte, not yet dhúisigh meant nothing to Nora. It was a twisting of vowels and symbols into words that held no context in her mind. If only they had gone to Mexico. Her Spanish was getting really good.

Regan was spurred out of the room, and Nora found herself as the center of the woman's attention. Regan had obviously been pleading that Nora play along, but with what? What could she play along with when she didn't even know the lies being told? "Uh." Nora blinked once. Then twice. "I was raised by humans who got me through an adoption agency. I was left at a firehouse as a baby. I don't know anything about their lineage." Not a lie, but hopefully not harmful to say. "Regan has been helping me find my family, she-" Nora paused, thinking this through. Whatever Regan had told her grandmother had worked, she was now here to work in service and was welcomed. But why? Regan was being drawn back to be trained as a banshee. Was Nora pretending she was training as a banshee too or was she a fae-stolen human serving them? Whatever. Nora hoped this would work. "Regan told me she found something out but I had to come here before she would tell me. I guess it was that I'm caillte." The word was butchered by the combination of Nora's inexpertise and the fact that she'd only heard it spoken once before. 

"I, uh, look forward to working in service. I heard that banshees like to explode things and I think that's sick." Nora fished in her pocket, pulling out one of the lighters she always kept tucked away. With a quick and practiced gesture, she lit it. "I'm a big fan of causing explosions. It'd be sick to be able to do it with a scream." Deciding she was all in on this, whatever this was, Nora added. "Regan doesn't love me, by the way. She barely tolerates me. I'm always like let's go scream together and she's like no I have work to do stop trying to set my house on fire. Not that I'll set these houses on fire. I'm a guest." There. That should cover all her bases, Nora Hamstring thought proudly.

---------

This room, unlike her own, was full of dust, and Regan had to stifle a sneeze that would have come out a screech. The only thing that was perfectly maintained was an articulated raven skeleton that stood proudly on the nightstand, watching over the bed. How long had it been since Cliodhna had entertained guests here? Decades, probably. Regan couldn’t recall any visitors in the time she had lived here, and even among banshees, her grandmother was not known for her hospitality. She tried to work quickly, cleaning what she could and opening the thick, opaque window to let some fresh air in. 

Regan twisted her ring nervously around her finger, like she could summon counsel (for the love of death help) from a specific someone much smarter than her if she turned it enough times. No such reality. What was the ham child doing in there? She understood, right? The importance of the lie, of upholding it? It was difficult to convince the stubborn child of anything, but perhaps some small thing Regan had said had gotten through to her. She doubted Hamstring feared her grandmother enough to listen on the basis of her authority. That would come later. Feces. She stopped fidgeting with her finger and did as she was told. Regan swapped the dusty sheets for new linens and nudged the door open a little more so she could peek from down the hall. Now was not the time to disrupt them. Her grandmother had intended to speak to the child alone.  

But she could hear. 

“Duine caillte,” Cliodhna corrected. She was not so easily bothered as her granddaughter, and did not show her displeasure in any tangible way; you simply knew it was there. “We will teach you. It means you’re a banshee who was raised outside of your heritage. It puts you at a disadvantage, a steep one, but there are those who have overcome such faults. You’ll have to undergo your rites here, of course…” She grew thoughtful, licking her thin lips, tongue clicking, “We will acquire someone from Maine, or find you a suitable candidate here. I believe Donna has a spare, but sons are so often cowards, and the blood of a coward stains more than just the carpet.” She flicked her hand, dismissing the subject. “No matter. Few are more witless than my son was.”

Regan crept a little closer, trying to get a view of the child, at least. She couldn’t see her grandmother’s face, but it would be expressionless anyway. Hamstring seemed to be trying her best, but her best was still… Hamstring’s best. And she spoke like a child, not a banshee of any kind. Regan’s heart winced. 

“Banshees,” Cliodhna said firmly, practiced, “do not like. We do what is necessary, and nothing more. My granddaughter used to write down everything I say. I expect you to commit it to memory instead. So remember this, and discard what knowledge you’ve received from my granddaughter; she has led you astray, and there is already a great deal to fix.” And at the top of the list… Cliodhna pried the lighter from Hamstring’s hands, accustomed to the lack of resistance she was met with. She closed her fist around it, and the burst of sound that came from her mouth was so quick and sharp, the lighter shattered in an instant. She opened her hand, metal and plastic collecting on the floor. She didn’t need to say anything on the matter. 

She swept toward the door, but stopped before it. “Mínigh an chéad scread di,” Cliodhna said quietly, perfectly aware that Regan was close, watching, listening. Then she continued out, finding Regan exactly where she knew her to be, and Regan looked away as her grandmother attempted to meet her gaze. She looked away... her grandmother was finally searching for her eyes, and Regan looked away, the coward she was.

She could not scurry back into the bedroom quickly enough – but she forced herself to be slow, to pace herself accordingly for each whine of the stairs her grandmother descended, so her scrambling was not heard, so she did not try to outpace her grandmother's authority. She would not speak of what just happened, or what her grandmother told her to explain. “The room is down there.” Regan said, pointing, her hand as shaky as her grandmother’s were effortlessly still. “I am going to bed.” 

[lavendelhummel]

I was tagged by @onaperduamedee to do this game, thank you for that!! I obviously am not good at short questions-short answers but I will do my best ;)

Last song: I started my top100 of 2023 list from Spotify while dying my hair earlier, so there was a good mix. The last one I consciously remember was Ne m’applle pas, by Coeur de Pirate. (ah, looking for that link, I saw that there was Requiem on Water (yes, from the twilight soundtrack) Talking to the Moon, Greensleeves, Bobby, and currently River from the Sky, playing in between)

Currently watching: Star Trek Voyager! I enjoy it so much! It’s fun and I like the characters so much! I like how they care for each other and that the relationsips are so various and most of them not romantically but non the less important. They seem so real. And I enjoy the fact that it’s episodic plots and a lot slower than newer series a lot at the moment. I was overwhelmed with the fast paced dramatic stories and got stressed out by things I actually like. Voyager is calmer and let’s me actually relax, so that’s great.

Three ships: Siuaraine (Wheel of Time), Bering and Wells (Warehouse 13), and… those are the two I am hung up about. Oh, I also wrote fic for Marla/Fran from I care a lot. But not currently. I am currently positively surprised by liking a hetero ship for the first time in years, Tom/B’Elanna from Voyager, it’s cool to see that when the characters are well done, I can also like them even though they are not gay. But keeping it with wlw and also WoT, I am still sailing my little Berelain/Annoura (WoT) ship all by myself.

But yeah, I’ll leave it at those two, there is no third invading my thoughts as much as them.

Favorite color: used to be blue, but I discovered that I like red. Also yellow! Maybe that. But seriously I love colours in general, the more colourful the better, I am not choosing.

Currently consuming: The weekend. Or, ehm the plant hair-dye on my head?

First ship: ouufff, first fic I read was about was Amelia/Owen from Grey’s Anatomy. Well. Made me question a few things about myself because *I liked her so much*.

Relationship status: Very single in my little bubble, and trying not to feel bitter about my well of loneliness (ha, what a great lesbian pun I got in here 😅).

Last movie: But I am a cheerleader with @lilolilyr! I fell asleep… sorry. But we watched D.E.B.s right before, I was awake, and it was great.

Currently working on: Trying to combine two intense work things with also taking time off, to feel less burned-out while doing all of this. It’s a challenge, because time happens so fast, and it makes me feel guilty, but I am trying. Also working on being okay with that, the taking time to chill, not succeeding at things, working on being more okay with myself, less mean, which is even harder. But I try. Fandomwise, still the washing machine/mermaid AU for Bering and Wells and also still Chapter 8 of Yellow for Siuraine (both of which I thought would be long finished my now). I want to finish those so I can start other fun ideas that are cluttering my head/notebook!

The rules said to tag 9 people to get to know better, so let’s see: I am tagging @anandabrat @akittennameddaisy @incompletesong @viharistenno @woodytwig @wibblywobblyida @hecatesbroom @cozcat @masterpieceofunderstatement no pressure to answer these of course, do it if you like to and if not, just don’t ;)!

Thank you for the tag @onaperduamedee!