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dancerinthestorm · 2 months

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Fic Recs: A World in a Grain of Sand Edition.

I love epic tales in which authors slowly build up their worlds and characters. I love losing myself in works slowly outgrowing canon word count to the point of forgetting to go to bed at reasonable hours. However, I am in absolute awe of writers who manage the rare feat of conjuring the same level of immersion with just a short story or even a one shot.

This totally incomplete list of my all-time favorite short(-ish) stories is a tribute to all intrepid souls out there tackling this challenge.

If you aren't familiar with the fandoms yet I still recommend diving straight in. They can be read and enjoyed totally out of context and you might just come out the other end with a new fandom obsession 😉

„Ars Poetica“ (AO3) by Rhune

Helping out around the Devil May Cry you are perfectly content to leave center stage to the devil hunters and demons of your acquaintance. Until the day Dante returns from hell, his stand-offish brother in tow. Suddenly - and quite unnervingly - you find yourself sharing your once quiet existence in the background with none other than Vergil.

One achingly perfect installment full of poetry, searing stares and everyone’s favorite moody half demon.

Devil May Cry (post DMC5). Vergil x fem!Reader. Rated E. 16k words.

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„Coming up Roses“ by @eupheme

The new groundskeeper at Wayne Manor is unsure what to make of stoic, unapproachable Alfred Pennyworth. At least at first...

All the yearning and suppressed feels of a 300-page Jane Austen novel condensed into two gorgeous chapters about falling in love when you least expect it. Topped off with some seriously hot smut for good measure.

The Batman. Alfred Pennyworth x fem!Reader. Rated E. 10k words.

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„Posterity“ by @whats-rambled-rambled

Posterity. Tenet's operators. Always just a call away to back up your field agents while they flit back and forth through time. It's dangerous work. People die. So you don't get close. Until there's Neil.

I know, I know , 7 chapters with 31k words is putting A LOT of strain on the definition of „short stories“ but I just HAD to include this one. Reading it simply broke me. Absolutely gorgeous prose, two main characters you cannot help falling in love with and a story that keeps you guessing until the very end.

Tenet. Neil x GN!Reader. Rated M. 31k words.

Pro tip: If you are not ready for a 31k word commitment yet (fair enough!) go for „The Way Down“ instead: A hauntingly beautiful 3-parter Battinson!Bruce Wayne/GN!Reader. Rated T.

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"Three Weeks on the Nimrodel" by @from-the-coffee-shop-in-edoras

Haldir is quiet. Stoic. Solitary. Not the easiest person to be around for three weeks of guard duty up a solitary mallorn tree. He knows that and has made his peace with it. Until a so far unfamiliar fellow marchwarden comes along.

Do you know this moment of utter bliss when you come home after an absolutely rotten day and are finally able to snuggle up with a fluffy blanket, your favorite hot beverage and your comfort book/band/movie? This fic is that exact feeling distilled into 3000 words. Add a good helping of pure love for the more obscure corners of Middle Earth and two absolutely charming, introvert main characters et voila: utter contentment for you to come back to again and again and again whenever that fluffy blanket is out of reach.

Still not an Elves person. But I might have to fess up to being a Haldir person one of these days. This gem surely is another nail in my coffin 😅

Lord of the Rings. Haldir x GN!Reader. Rated G. 3k words.

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„Pinky promises & glow stars“ (AO3) by @softlyspector

Steven bumps into Marc’s childhood best friend in a coffee shop and decides that he wants to get to know her better. Marc decides that's a terrible idea.

Quiet and sad and sweet and absolutely beautiful.

Moon Knight. Marc Spector x Reader. Not rated on AO3. Think M to be on the safe side with everything the Moon Knight boys have been through. 10k words.

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As always: a huge thank you to all creators for your time and your passion and your talent. You guys are absolutely incredible and make this world a better place!

Something missing you say? Please feel free to shout your own recommendations at me in the comments!

#fic recs #dancerinthestorm reads #and makes it everyone elses problem #fics to treasure and re read for all eternity #virgil x reader #virgil sparda x reader #alfred pennyworth x reader #neil x reader #haldir x reader #bruce wayne x reader #battinson x reader #moon knight system x reader #marc spector x reader

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ccss10987 · 10 months

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Happily Ever After

Notes: Definitely the longest thing I've ever written. I'm very proud of it. Thank you so much to @tss-storytime Without this big bang I never would have written something this long. Thank you so much to ivaryn0 and aperezvalderrey for beta-ing for me. First time for that, so everything is written so much better. Definitely would be as polished without them. And of course huge thanks to @hyperfixated-homo for making such beautiful art for this fic. I love it so much. You will too. Be sure to check it out (here)

Characters: Roman, Virgil, Patton, Janus, Remus, and Logan, also orange side

Words: 26K all together

TW: Remus, major character death, fantasy violence, swearing, slight description of a panic attack

Summary: The narrator controls the story. That's how it's always been according to the many history books in Roman's kingdom. Just like his family before him, he has to go on a quest of his own for his happily ever after. Roman's story goes something like once upon a time, a prince saves a princess then gets married. Prince Roman decides this is absolutely ridiculous. He goes on a journey with his personal knight and meets some other people along the way. A witch, two thieves, and a dragon tamer. This story line does end with a happily ever after, but it turns out that happily ever after isn't all what it seems to be.

Links: Chapters 2, 3, 4, 5, also on A03

Chapter 1: Destiny

Roman’s peripherals started to line with an orange glow as he began to wake. He sighed in a tired annoyance. “What is it this time?” he asked in his empty room. He made no move to get out of bed, only rubbing the sleep from his eyes

“Once upon a time, there lived a prince named Roman. He was to be going on what he would call an “epic adventure” today”. The narrator stated with a stern and clear voice.

“Nooooo! I don’t want to!” Roman whined. He turned on his side and put a pillow over his ears trying to drown out the narrator’s voice.

Usually, he had no problem getting out of bed and getting ready for the day. His appearance was very important to him and sometimes it would take him hours just to get his hair just right. A strand of brown hair in the back of his head would always stick up and ruin his whole appearance. It was such a problem that he gave it the name Linda. Anyway, today was different. How could he possibly focus on his appearance when today was the day he had to follow his destiny?

“Roman decided to get up anyway, for he knew this was his duty in the story. His parents went through this, and their parents, and their parent’s parents.” his narrator told him.

Roman took the pillow off his head and threw it at the ceiling just for it to fall back down on his face. He glared at the pillow harshly with his brown eyes.

He knew the narrator wasn’t in the ceiling or walls, but after years of the narrator telling him what to do to get ready for his destiny, he got used to looking at the ceiling of whatever room he was in whenever the narrator decided to put his two cents in. Roman noticed that other people got into this habit as well.

“Roman threw a pillow at the ceiling but got out of bed anyway for there was a knock at the door. He had to answer it for it was of great importance.” Roman rolled his eyes at this, but there was a knock at the door and it might be important. The narrator liked to exaggerate things in order to get him to do what the narrator wanted, but it also might actually be plot important. Roman learned the hard way that it was better to waste time on unimportant things than to be in danger after ignoring a warning of some kind.

Roman sighed loudly, and practically rolled himself out of his soft and cozy bed, glaring at the ceiling while he walked over to the door. He made sure the narrator knew Roman hated him every moment he got.

“Is it important?” Roman asked the person on the other side of the door. He put his ear up to the door and listened closely. There was a moment of silence before a response was given back to him.

“I’m being told to tell you it’s extremely important.” Everyone had their own narrator for everyone was the main character in their story.

Roman recognized this voice as his personal knight, Virgil. He was one of Roman’s closest friends. They were supposed to be close because it was important to the plot or something. Roman wasn’t sure they would have become friends otherwise. They absolutely hated each other when they were first introduced. They used to make fun of each other and call each other names. They still do, but it’s less hurtful and more playful now.

“Alright. Just give me a second to get decent.” Roman called to Virgil through the wooden door.

“Don’t take too long. I’m not going to be waiting out here forever.” Virgil told him.

“Oh and you call me the dramatic one,” Roman scoffed. “It doesn't take me forever to get ready.”

“Biased opinion.” Virgil laughed. “If I wasn’t out here, you would take an hour just to decide what to wear.”

Roman pursed his lips as he looked at his large array of outfits for the day. He didn’t want to annoy Virgil or prove him right by taking too long, but he wanted to put at least a little thought into his appearance today.

He chose his white princely outfit with golden tassels on the shoulders and on the front of the shirt was a bright red sash. The shirt also had his kingdom’s emblem on the right shoulder. This outfit was by far his most favorite. The colors complimented his brown skin. It was also the most comfortable along with the most fashionable outfit he owned.

He spent a few more minutes looking at his appearance in his vanity before his narrator got too annoyed with him.

“Roman opened the door, for it was of great importance.” The narrator told him, starting to get louder and more impatient. Roman groaned.

“Fine. I’m opening the door! Are you happy!?” Roman yelled at the ceiling while opening the door.

“Roman opened the door without shouting or complaining like he usually does.”

“Too late. I’m shouting at you, and I have complained.” Roman chided while pointing at the ceiling accusatively.

Roman swung open the door with a bold smile, excited to see Virgil and whatever he had that was important.

Virgil was standing in front of the door, slouching and holding a tray of breakfast. His fair face peeked out at Roman through his bangs from the black cloak with purple patches he always wore. The knight was wearing all black as usual with the exception being the patches on the cloak. He didn’t normally wear a suit of armor like the other knights, because Virgil’s expertise was stealth and quick attacks. Neither could be done very well in a loud, heavy, clunky suit of armor, so he opted for all black and dark colored clothes with some black pigment under his eyes.

Roman wished he got to see his face more. His lovely brown eyes light up whenever he’s happy about something. Freckles that were just barely noticeable dusting his face… Virgil certainly was the fairest of them all. Fair meaning pale of course.

“Well, that’s not really important.” Roman huffed, as he put a scowl on his face. He looked down at the tray, hiding his face from Virgil’s view.

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day?” Virgil offered, handing the tray of food to Roman.

Roman gave a dramatic sigh and took the tray. “I know you and I know you didn’t eat breakfast, so why try to get me to eat mine?”

��I did eat breakfast.” Virgil defended himself. Roman raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms at this. “A small breakfast.”

“How small?” Virgil was quiet for a while, trying to think of a good answer or to stall long enough to have Roman change the subject.

“A handful of oats.” was what Virgil came up with eventually. Roman rolled his eyes and shook his head as he pulled Virgil into the room.

“I can’t be in the room. I have to be stationed outside. What if something happens?” Despite his anxieties, he allowed Roman to pull him inside the room. Virgil had been in his room plenty of times before without getting too anxious. Recently, however, he seemed nervous in Roman’s room, and around Roman in general.

“Someone could come inside through the window. Maybe this food is poisoned. You clearly have to try it.” Roman said, pushing the tray toward Virgil.

“Someone can’t come in here through the window, this is the tallest room in the castle. They would have to scale the wall.” Virgil scoffed.

“Tell that to Rapunzel.” Roman shot back.

“If the food is poisoned the food taster would have noticed.” Virgil told him.

“Maybe it’s a slow acting poison. Try some fish to make sure. ”

Virgil rolled his eyes, but he ate some of the fish. “Are you happy now, your highness?”

“Very.” Roman told him.

“I’ll be right outside if you need me. Scream if someone’s trying to kill you.” Virgil stood up off the bed and walked across the room. Roman chuckled and began eating the food on his tray.

“When Knight Virgil closed the door, a letter seemed to fall from the ceiling.” The narrator stated.

Roman watched a letter fall from a crack in the ceiling, then continued eating.

“Prince Roman stopped eating his breakfast and walked not even five feet away and picked up the mysterious letter.”

Roman chuckled and shook his head. “How about the narrator started working on more realistic plot devices, and Roman kept eating his breakfast for this was of utmost importance.”

“Maybe the leftovers from breakfast will be extremely useful later. Also, you can’t just use my words against me. It’s very hard being a narrator, you know. ”

“Yes. It sounds very hard, telling me what to do every day.” Roman said, pushing his carrots into the corner of the tray. He swears every time he tells the chef he doesn’t like them, they put more on his plate.

“That’s the easy part! It’s hard getting you to do what I want. I am in charge of making sure you achieve your destiny and receive a happily ever after! I thought you wanted that. You used to listen to everything I told you to do when you were a child.” the narrator yelled. The orange in Roman’s eyesight got brighter and covered more of his peripherals. He was also starting to get a headache. Nothing too serious, just something that happened when Roman ignored the narrator for too long.

Roman rolled his eyes. It wasn’t the first time the narrator started yelling at him. It was all fine and good until he didn’t get his way. Then the narrator would just start yelling until Roman did what he wanted. He was used to it and it didn’t stop Roman from making snappy and witty comments. “Are you complaining and shouting right now? What a hypocrite.”

The narrator scoffed at him. A strong wind blew through his window and picked up the letter and blew it towards Roman. It fluttered around his head and landed on his tray.

“Real realistic wind.” Roman muttered as he pushed the letter on top of his carrots in a poor attempt to cover the horrible aroma.

“I’m trying to do my job here. Just read the damn letter! It’ll take only a few minutes of your time. I am begging you here.” The narrator said, breathing heavily as if he used up a lot of his strength.

“I am busy. This food is of utmost importance.” Roman told him while continuing to eat.

The narrator was silent for a while and the orange glow and headache started to dissipate.

As soon as Roman finished eating, another gust of wind blew the tray of carrots onto the floor and the letter fell gently onto his lap.

Roman closed his eyes and crossed his arms. “You can’t make me open my eyes. I’m never gonna read that letter, I’ll never save a princess, and I’ll never get married. Ever.” Roman stated.

“You are acting like a child. This is your destiny. This is the story you have to follow. Everyone gets their happily ever after and you will too.” The narrator told him.

“Are you alright?” Virgil asked him.

Roman jumped from the bed, opening his eyes. The letter fell to the floor. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

“I heard a loud noise… and I was told to.” Virgil mumbled. “You really should listen to your narrator. Isn’t it easier to just let them make the decisions for you?”

Virgil always listened to his narrator. He was in fact terrified to not listen to his narrator. To him, his narrator was a godsend. His narrator made all the hard decisions for him and he never had to think about it.

“Not for me. The idea of destiny is fun and all, but I don’t like the fact I don’t have a choice in how my life ends up. I hate following the orders of some voice in my head. Isn’t this whole narrator thing a bit bizarre? Have you ever even questioned it? Do you know how long this has been going on?” Roman was pacing as he talked. His hands spoke just as passionately as he did.

Virgil let him rant, watching him pace around until his view was surrounded in an orange glow. He began to focus on his narrator’s voice instead. “Knight Virgil saw a letter on the ground. ‘What was that?’ he thought. ‘Could it be a warning?’” Virgil’s narrator said to him. His anxiety spiked and he rushed to pick up the letter going through all the worst case scenarios of what could be written on it.

Roman was too deep into his rant that he didn’t even notice that this was happening. His narrator was quiet as Virgil read the letter.

“Roman.” Virgil said. Roman was still pacing and talking, so he couldn’t hear Virgil trying to get his attention. “Roman!” Roman stopped suddenly and looked at Virgil. “Sorry,” he apologized. “For yelling.”

It was at this moment, Roman noticed the letter in Virgil’s hands. “Please don’t tell me you read that.” Roman pleaded. He watched as Virgil’s eyes were tinted with orange. He groaned, knowing Virgil would listen to his narrator over him. He pouted and crossed his arms, but accepted the fact that he would learn what was in this letter whether he liked it or not. Everything that was destined to happen, happened anyway.

“Knight Virgil started reading the letter out loud to him.” Roman’s narrator told him. Virgil read the letter quietly to Roman who slumped down on his bed, sighing loudly.

“There’s trouble in the Kingdom of Thera. Um, Some ink spilled on the paper here. It’s my fault… There's more ink smeared here. Get here as quickly as you can. I am putting my trust in the nonsensical narrators to get this letter to someone who is expected to help if anyone even is. Signed, L.”

Virgil put the letter down on Roman’s vanity. “Sorry.” he mumbled.

“I know. It’s fine. I just don’t want to do this.” Roman told him. Virgil nodded in understanding. There were plenty of times his narrator told him to do something that he didn’t want to do. He did it anyway of course, but he could understand the fear of the unknown.

“What do we do now?” Virgil asked Roman. His narrator answered for him. “Knight Virgil accompanied Prince Roman on a long journey to the Kingdom of Thera on foot.”

“On foot!?” Virgil and Roman said together. They looked at each other. They knew their narrators had said the same thing.

Roman sighed. “Well Sunshine, we might as well get this over with. As soon as my story is over, the narrator will go away and I’ll never have to hear his annoying voice giving me instructions ever again.” Roman said, getting up. He grabbed Virgil’s hand and dragged him out of his room.

“But I thought you didn’t want to follow your destiny. I mean I could go alone. That would mean I follow my narrator and you could go back to your life even if that would mean becoming a script-breaker.” Virgil told him.

“I could.” Roman said. “But a whole kingdom is counting on me, so I have to for them. I’m destined to be their hero. Also, I’d have to deal with him yelling at me. He’s never been this pushy before.”

“That just means this journey will be important… and really long.” Virgil complained.

“Right, we’re going on foot. I own several extravagant carriages and I have to walk for two days to the neighboring kingdom.”

Roman traded his sash for a red leather vest to try and hide the emblem of his kingdom. You could never be too careful after all. The journey was long and therefore they would most likely run into a few gangs of bandits.

The two left the room and started on their way out of the castle. Virgil was listing off all the things they might need to take with them and Roman needed to let his parents know that he would be gone for a long time and he wasn’t kidnapped or dead.

Roman’s parents were in the throne room taking suggestions from the citizens of their kingdom. They were scripted to be kind to their subjects. Of course, they’re also nice just to be nice. He was glad they didn’t decide to become evil like all the script-breakers he learned so much about.

There weren’t any records of someone scripted to be evil and choosing to be nice, but there were plenty of stories of people who became evil even though their narrator told them otherwise. Sometimes these stories were told to children to make sure they did what their narrator told them to do. Roman had definitely heard his fair share of stories like these. It was practically all that was read to him when he was a kid.

Roman’s parents noticed him and Virgil were waiting. They sent the citizen out of the room and called Roman forward.

“What is it, my dear child?” his mother asked him, her eyes sparkling with orange flakes.

“Prince Roman told his parents the frightening news of the Kingdom of Thera. He was excited to fight whatever threat ailed them, but of course, he was filled with nothing but sympathy and compassion for the people of Thera.”

Roman rolled his eyes and told his parents, “My narrator told me to go to the neighboring Kingdom of Thera walking on foot with Knight Virgil to follow my destiny or something like that. They’re in danger, but for plot reasons, they couldn’t tell me why they are in danger. Not to mention the person who wrote the letter claimed they caused it.”

His parents frowned, showing disappointment. His mother was the first to speak up. “Well of course you have to go.” she frowned at him. “You should be happy about this. It’s your destiny and your path to happily ever after.” she told him.

“Clearly we haven’t taught you well enough to be happy with your narrator’s decision. You should always listen to your narrator with no complaints and plenty of enthusiasm. It’s the only way to get your happy ending. ” his father told him, looking down at him sternly. Specks of orange also sparkling in his eyes.

Most people, like Roman’s father, didn’t agree with people that chose not to follow their destinies. Not only were they more likely to become evil according to the history books, but they interfered with other people’s destiny as well. They were all for chaos and destruction and can’t be bothered to think of others.

“I know, father.” Roman looked down. Virgil looked at him with sympathy. He knew that people with numerous generations in their family who followed a close storyline were likely to be hard on their children. One person could ruin an entire line of happy endings.

Virgil was lucky in that way. His parents were told by their narrator to leave him on the doorstep of an orphanage, so Virgil didn’t grow up with parents pressuring him. He often wondered if his parents regretted it or maybe they just didn’t want him for whatever reason and disobeyed their narrator. He couldn’t blame them for whatever reason they had.

He was absolutely terrified of his narrator telling him that he has to make an irreversible life changing decision. He was told that old friends of his that he used to hang out with were bad influences, so he had to leave. It was something he thought back to a lot, but it was probably for the best. How many people were forced to do something like that just because their narrator told them to?

“Knight Virgil was overwhelmed with worries for he was so deep in thought that he didn’t listen to a word that was spoken to him, Roman, or the king and queen.” his narrator broke him out of his thoughts. He wasn’t paying attention. What did he miss? He was so busy spiraling that he was spiraling into an entirely different direction now.

“You two can leave now.” The king stated plainly. Virgil bowed, then turned and left with Roman.

“Once they were out of earshot of the king and queen, Virgil admitted that he wasn't paying attention.” Virgil’s narrator told him.

Virgil opened his mouth to follow orders, but Roman started speaking. “You weren’t paying attention? That’s not like you. Are you doing alright, scare-amour?” Roman asked him. Virgil jumped up and looked at him. Roman’s narrator must have told him. One of the many bad things about the narrators. Not very many secrets are safe.

“Yeah. I wasn’t paying attention because I was too busy worrying about something else. You were listening though, right?” Virgil asked him. Roman nodded.

“Yeah, they told us to be careful and scolded me for a long while about arguing with my stupid narrator…” Virgil watched as Roman’s eyes flashed orange for a few seconds. “Oh shut up. I didn’t ask you.” Roman huffed at the ceiling.

Roman felt already prepared while Virgil was still fretting about things they don’t have but might need. “Do you think we’d ever need a saddle?” Virgil asked.

“We’re going on foot. Why would we need a saddle? Roman countered.

“You’re right. You’re right.” Virgil took a deep breath and went through all of their belongings once more. “I think we’re ready.”

Since the two were ready, they left the castle, the guards lowering the gate when they saw the prince. The two walked out of the town with Roman stopping at nearly every person they saw to say farewell on the way.

Virgil admired how confident and talkative Roman could be. There was so much passion in his voice, and the way Roman smiled made his stomach do flips. Maybe he was just a little jealous of his charisma.

The two looked at the dirt path with hills and a large forest in the distance. Roman sighed.

“The two adventurers started walking forward, without knowing the dangers that lurked ahead.”

“Oh, shut up.” Roman told him, looking up at the sky.

#my writing #sanders sides #prinxiety #roman sanders #virgil sanders #orange side #fantasy au #human au #roman is a prince #virgil is a knight

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