#me waiting patiently to be able to rec the u know what fic :)

[nymika-arts]

hii *twirling my hair* I am your #1 fan ilysm. may I please have 🥸 + lighthouse for a weird little guy? also maybe ✨ for my #fic tag (yes I have a boring tag system I know lmao)

and this one wasn't on your list but can I have your hand in marriage too ?

well... marriage wasn't one of the choices, but for you i'll make an exception. beach wedding at a lighthouse <3

here's your little guy, he's a lighthouse keeper! his name is ernest

now idk HOW i'm supposed to choose just a few of your fics to rec bc u are so amazing 😭 but i'll try:

this one is ur pinned post so i saw it first lol but a wound to close is SO lovely and just wonderful to read, the way they care for each other 🥺

OH OF COURSE THIS TINY ONE U SURPRISED ME WITH ILY its so sweet

your kingdoms fic tidemarks i am EATING IT

this oneeee oh the buck angst <3

7k celebration ask game

[wangxianficrecs]

I'm in the mood for a fic where...

Okay, darlings. These came so fast since the last post that I'm not able to fit them all on one post, so if you sent me an ask in the past few days, be patient, and wait for the next Mood post for it to show up.

Also, I know there are a lot of you who are new, so let me say again that I get to every ask, but you should expect a delay of a week or so for Mood/Fic Finder/Follower Rec posts. Don't send two asks for the same thing - it confuses me.  You’ll get your turn, I promise you!

~*~

1. before i ask anything i wanna say that your blog is a godsend, honestly, and i love that smaller time fics are recommended here [that’s great, thank you!] --now i was wondering if u or anyone know of any fics where the jin clan or jin guangshan get their grubby hands on wwx and/or his stygian tiger seal?

watch what we'll become by glitteringmoonlight (T, 60k, jin zixuan & wei wuxian, wangxian, my bookmark)

the rivers start to sing by fruitys (M, 27k, wangxian)

~*~

2. Do you know any fanfics where wei ying gets adopted by binqiu?

[New Mission – Parenting] by Forgotten64 (M, 92k, binqiu, wangxian)

'Til the Sun Grows Cold by xnemone (M, 73k, binqiu, wangxian)

A Guide on Parenting a BL Novel Protag by BingQiu by anatheme (not rated, 75k, binqiu, wangxian, WIP)

~*~

3. hello i love your blog <333 i was wondering if you have any fic recs for enemies to lovers wangxian, preferably in modern setting??? ~@wwxcatboy

The Vermillion Ribbon by Unforth - not modern - (E, 233k, wangxian, my post)

and so my heart beats wildly by lily_winterwood (E, 106k, wangxian, my post)

get wild by aroceu (E, 24k, wangxian)

combat baby by dustyloves (E, 34k, wangxian)

kiss with a fist by daltoneering (E, 23k, wangxian)

~*~

4. hi, I missed you ♥️ [🤗] well, there I was scrolling through Tik Tok when I found a remix of Wang Yibo's character in Legend of Fei and Xiao Zhan's character in Douluo Continent, and now I NEED a Wangxian fanfic similar to that. Please help me find something like this.

@notsobabblespace says to keep an eye on the Yunsan Prompt Fest for future fics in this vein.

~*~

5. Hello! *kow tows at your feet*  [hee hee]  Do you (or the wonderful followers of your blog) know of any modern AU fics where wwx's whole (siblings too) family is either awful to him or has basically cast him out?  [Oh, I can’t think of anything where JYL is mean!]

I'm imagining a scenario where wwx and lwj meet and lwj is (of course) over the moon and thinks wwx is the best human ever and then finds out went his family (maybe in a drastic manner) and is just heart broken and MAD on wwx's behalf and is all "I'M YOUR FAMILY NOW".  But since, you know, he's lwj, for a long time wwx thinks lwj doesn't like him much either ('of course he doesn't... why would he...lwj is amazing and I'm just me... ' *__*)  (I really like both Jiang Cheng and Yanli! I'm just in the mood for something where the whole family is more like Madam Yu.)

❤️the best of you by sysrae (E, 42k, wangxian, my post)

❤️ Love wakes me by dea_liberty (E, 46k, wangxian, my post)

~*~

6. Sorry if my requests are too straightforward 😅, but do you know any fanfics which everyone that died came back to life again and freaked out when they found out wangxian were married. By freak out i mean like maybe they were very surprised or something along those lines. Thx 🙏 .

refrain; a musical phrase repeating in a song or instrumental piece by Cerusee, Mikkeneko (T, 40k, wangxian, my post) 

~*~

7. Hello, can I ask for some fanfic recommendation where Wei Ying can convince everyone or at least pretend to be Mo Xuanyu ? Thus postponing people knowing who he is, and only extending doubt. Thank you.

focal, filler, and line by bosbie (T, 27k, wangxian)

Love Song In Reverse by timetoboldlygo (T, 127k, wangxian, WIP)

~*~

8. I see you're doing In The Mood For... posts again, thank you for your hard work!  [My pleasure!]  Can you ask around for the following: After resurrecting, Wei Wuxian doesn't run into Lan and Jiang cultivators first, he gets picked up by the Jin and tossed into a dungeon, possibly to use him for his inventions. Lan Wangji gets wind of this somehow and has to find a way to break him out. (I've already read Dream a little dream of me by moominmamashandbag, but along that vein!) ~ @mikkeneko​

whipstitch by curiositykilled (M, 102k, wangxian, jin ling & other characters, WIP)

a buried and burning flame by otherhippo (hippopotamus) (T, 17k, wangxian)

#15 below is sort of like this, but mostly he’s confined in cloud recesses.​

~*~

9. Greetings my favorite wangxian fic recommender!! Heh I am wondering if you know any fics where ppl learn about the yiling patriarch kind of like history lessons (something along those lines), could be modern, canon or whatever AU. Thx 🙏

living in my memory/living in my mouth by tardigradeschool (T, 33k, wangxian, my post)

Future Cultivation AU by Aki_no_hikari (G, 22k, wangxian)

Jingyi's Pet Project by Raven_Writing (G, 3k, WIP)

~*~

10. shout out to you for basically running a fandom newsletter, this blog is a delight. [Thank you! Ha, it's fun to think of this as a fandom newsletter.] for your 'in a mood for a fic where...' series, do you or your followers have any a/b/o fics with some fun non traditional dynamics? like alpha/alpha wangxian or omegas that are the traditional dominants, something that plays with the trope! any rating goes

Under Extreme Duress by sssrha (T, 33k, wangxian, WIP, my post)

❤️spider lilies to sunflowers by cicer (E, 33k, wangxian, my bookmark)

Studies Show by Celestios (E, 84k, wangxian, WIP) - merhybrids wangxian... “it's tagged as dehumanization but so far it's really more that hybrids are actually more animal like than human and nothing so far hints the opposite.“

Eminence by Shinocchi (M, 17k, wangxian, WIP)

Serve Your Feverish Need by Clearpearls (E, 6k, wangxian, WIP)

Changing Energies by tulirepo (E, 5k, wangxian) - omega/omega

Hopelessly devoted to you by Sansaransansan (T, 9k, wangxian,WIP) - omega/omega

our love bore the wildest seas by ariskamalt (E, 11k, wangxian) - omega/omega

Can We Be? by Adey (T, 38k, wangxian, WIP) - alpha/alpha

Of Ghosts and Peonies by sparkly_butthole (E, 4k, wangxian) - alpha/alpha

to love you as meat loves salt by JadeofRen (E, 43k, wangxian, WIP) - OP omegas

Yin and Yang by Milk_Tea_Fantasy (E, 91k, wangxian, series in progress) - a/b/o dynamics tied to golden core

~*~

11. Hii, so for a mood fic... any fics where lan zhan has friends during canon? Can be even oc characters. Just. Lan Zhan Having Friends 🙏

kick at the darkness 'til it bleeds daylight by AlfAlfAlfAlfAlf, tardigradeschool (T, 75k, wangxian, jiang siblings & lan wangji friendship)

❤️Where the nightingales are singing, and a white moon beams. by Moominmammashandbag (M, 52k, wangixan, jin zixuan & lan wangji, my post)

something like by silversshadow (T, 69k, wangxian, lan wangji & nie huaisang, my post)

❤️save a sword, ride a socialist by sysrae (E, 33k, wangxian, jin zixuan & lan wangji, my post)

The Light That Fails to Dim by glowingreverie (T, 311k, wangxian)

Darling, one of us should go by Leahelisabeth (fortheloveofcamelot) (T, 16k, wangxian, jiang yanli & lan wangji)

The Cloudweavers《云织之者》by Joythea (T, 38k, wangxian, lan wangji & OCs)

you've got to find a way, say what you want to say by Quixiote (T, 12k, wangxian, lan wangji & OC letter carrier)

first friendships by silversshadow (G, 1k, lan xichen, child lan wangji & child nie huaisang)

~*~

12. Hey!! Can you recommend any fanfics about wwx being OP.

❤️ Fallen by Jaywalker_Holmes (M, 151k, wangxian, my post)

love, in fire and blood by cicer (E, 360k, wangxian, my bookmark) 

oh they call us young and free (hold the golden gates open) by Treha (T, 11k, wangxian, my post)

~*~

13. For your next in the mood for post (which are brilliant by the way and a constant source of new favorites for me so thank you very much 🙇🏽 [You're welcome!]) Do you know of any fics where Wei Wuxian gets defensive of Lan Wangji over something Lan Qiren has done or said to Lan Wangji? Mostly I find fics of Lan Wangji fighting his uncle over Wei Wuxian but I need it the other way around 😩

drag my teeth across your chest by ana_cp (E, 60k, wangxian, happens in final chapter, “10/10 recommend this”)

Do You Want? by Morgana_avalon (E, 64k, wangxian)

Silver & Gold by beeswaxing (E, 162k, wangxian, Ch. 12, my post)

~*~

14. Hi! Thx for this blog I've found wonders and stories I would never expected to find, so THANK YOU! ❤️ ❤️ [My pleasure!] Secondly, do you know any fic where LWJ HATED his brother to the core bc of WWX?? I've reread the fic where a-yuan has a twin, a-hui, [oh, I just read kick at the darkness 'til it bleeds daylight and it was good!] and boi do I still get shivers at the hate LWJ developed for his brother. It would be a plus if LXC is forgiven 👀 @nia-rarita​

❤️ to arrive late is better than not to arrive at all by Moominmammashandbag (M, 35k, wangxian, my post)

❤️ And Miles To Go Before I Sleep by Glitterbombshell (T, 24k, wangxian, WIP, my post)

its all winter here by tricksterity (T, 11k, wangxian, WIP)

~*~

15. Hi mojo! You always manage to find the best fics so maybe you have some suggestions for me! I've been looking for fics where wwx has been alive and kept prisoner for the 13 years (usually ive seen it in koi tower but anything is good) and please wangxian happy ending. I've read Dream a little dream of me by Moominmammashandbag soooo maybe something along those lines???? I hope I managed to explain myself

Also, i really appreciate what you've been posting about bookmarks and all that! I never knew other people used them like that. I just bookmark my faves with a little summary (or excerpts or poems) so i can identify them better for myself but its so interesting to see how other people use bookmarks! [It's always interested me, too, to see how differently people view them. They're such a useful tool!]  As always thank you so much for what you've done for the fandom! Have a nice day and stay hydrated!!!!✨🤍 

whipstitch by curiositykilled (M, 102k, wangxian, jin ling & other characters, WIP)

A Way Out by pinkquilts (E, 144k, wangxian, confined in cloud recesses)

apples falling far from the tree by milkcartonkid (M, 8k, wangxian, confined in cloud recesses)

Shadow by Your Side (Don't Let Me Go) by Leahelisabeth (fortheloveofcamelot) (M, 28k, wangxian, a Winter Soldier au)

a buried and burning flame by otherhippo (hippopotamus) (T, 17k, wangxian)

the rivers start to sing by fruitys (M, 27k, wangxian)

Stars bring us apart (Stars pull us together) by Sixlayerhouse (sixlayerhouse) (E, 78k, wangxian, WIP)

his heart, unhaltered by starlistic (M, 27k, wangxian, winter soldier au)

~*~

16. Hey mojo if you're not too clogged up with these kinds of asks in the next 'in the mood for a fic where..' post could you include some fics where wwx gets to go to Jin Ling's one month celebration? Especially ones where he brings a-yuan! Yiling laozu public redemption via cute child always sparks joy imo

无别无离 | Without Farewells, Without Parting by dragongirlG (M, 30k, wangxian, WIP)

A Crying Shame by thunderwear (G, 16k, wangxian, my post)

~*~

17. Hello! Do you know of any fics where Lan Zhan basically says f*** the Lan Clan and joins another or becomes a rogue cultivator?

Share Your Silence by Terri Botta (Isilwath) (E, 127k, wangxian, series in progress, my bookmark)

Believe by Quiet_crash (G, 11k, lan wangji & various characters)

❤️ And Miles To Go Before I Sleep by Glitterbombshell (T, 24k, wangxian, WIP, my post)

Shadow by Your Side (Don't Let Me Go) by Leahelisabeth (fortheloveofcamelot)

picking up the pieces by KouriArashi (M, 111k, wangxian)

For Both Of Us (And Time Is But A Paper Moon) by sami (E, 65k, wangxian)

the thread may stretch or tangle but it will never break by RoseThorne (E, 54k, wangxian, WIP, lwj moves to burial mounds)

~*~

18. Hi! I was wondering if there are any fics where lwj has an accent? I read a fic where there was a single line about him having a gusu accent and that single line captured me. thanks!

Translations by nagi71 (T, 54k, wangxian)

The Gusu Dialect by Enigmatree (T, 5k, wangxian)

~*~

19. Hii !! I love your blog , you're doing such a great job ╰(⸝⸝⸝´꒳`⸝⸝⸝)╯!! [Thank you!] I was wondering ( if it's not too much trouble) if you know any fics that have modern setting but everyone is actually immortal and is alive since everything happened ( sorry for the bad explanation haha ) ? ~Thank u in advance

so you've been robbed by a museum by yukla (M, 6k, wangxian, my post)

the recluse at the end of the moonlit path by b_ofdale (T, 29k, wangxian, my post,  only Lan brothers are immortal)

Monotone [this link is to the wayback machine] by seredemia (M, 277k, wangxian, only Lan brothers are immortal)

ridiculous future bullshit by sami (M, 27k, wangxian, series in progress)

Closer Than Eternity by Netrixie (T, 27k, wangxian)

The World We Made by updatebug (T, 74k, wangxian, Old Guard fusion)

~*~

20. hello mojo!! I was wondering if you have any aro!Wei Wuxian fics? as an aromantic myself, it would be nice to see some representation in this fandom. thanks!! ~ @lwjromantics​ [Ack!  I’ve got asexual, but I can’t think of aromantic.]

Trouvaille by lwjromantics (justfantaestic) (G, 1k, wangxian, romance-positive aro!wwx)

yeah theyre just bros thanks for asking by victortor (T, 11k, wwx & lwj)

GLADIOLUS by hilarions (M, 5k, wangxian, romance-positive aro!wwx)

~*~

21. Hey Mojo!! Love your blog💛 [Thanks!] I once read a wangxian fic: the necromancer's fairytale and loved the dark vibes. Could you recommend some fics with the same dark and melancholic setting... Would be a great help🌸🌸

the sleeper’s gift by iliacquer (T, 6k, wangxian, my post)

help is on the way by Vamillepudding (M, 15k, wangxian, my post)

between the shadow and the soul by cl410 (M, 22k, wangxian, my bookmark)

circles by bleuett (M, 21k, wangxian)

Under a Blanket of Black Wings by ChaoticAndrogynous (T, 19k, wangxian)

The Nutcracker Prince and the Sugarplum Patriarch by Rainewritesfanfics (T, 38k, wangxian)

~*~

22. Happy Mother’s Day. Thank you for always taking care of us with all these wonderful recommendations and all the effort you’ve been putting into this blog. [Oh, thank you!] For your next in the mood board, I am looking for any fics where Wen Qing is pretending to be in some relationship with Wei Wuxian to give a good reason for why he brought her family under his protection. I remember seeing on mini fic on tumblr where they pretended A-Yuan was their kid during the hunt celebration. ~ @dawnonfireinferno​

the tragic and entirely true story of the romance between the yiling patriarch and his wife, most renowned doctor of her generation by ravenditefairylights (T, 18k, wangxian, wei wuxian & wen qing)​

~*~

23. Hi again Mojo! How are you? I was here chosing a fanfic to read and suddely I wanted something that I don't even know if it's a plot someone did? I wanted a fanfic SizhuixJin Ling where Sizhui is the dream cultivator, like he gets a lot of love letters, a lot of attention in his generation but is in love (or fall in love with) Jin Ling? Or Jin Ling sees all the attention and has to deal with his crush being everyone's dream? Thanks anyway already! ~ @jessicasheaven​

~*~

24. hello!!! i dont really know how this blog works but im wondering if you know any fics where its lan wangji who dies instead of wei wuxian? (preferably cql verse) thank you!!

bloom into the ground by tattletold (M, 58k, wangxian, my post)

Consideration by BurningTea (G, 41k, wangxian, my post, WIP)

Side By Side Suicide by scifigeek14 (t, 3k, wangxian, my post, both of them die)

~*~

25. hi!!! thank you for all that you do! i just kinda want to read a loong fleshed out fic where wwx is a total badass utter genius lol. very gratuitous but it is what it is. i also enjoy the fics where he doesn’t lose his core 🥺

Magical Marriage Ribbons by starandrea (M, 451k, wangxian, my bookmark, series in progress)

❤️ in case of fire, break glass by Jenrose (T, 65k, wangxian, my post, series in progress)

oh they call us young and free (hold the golden gates open) by Treha (T, 11k, wangxian, my post)

❤️To have and to hold by Moominmammashandbag (M, 79k, wangxian, my post)

Hyperprosexia by malkinmalkout (E, 192k, wangxian, my post)

❤️ Fallen by Jaywalker_Holmes (M, 151k, wangxian, my post)

❤️Here Again (Spirits Rise, Unbroken) by TheDefenestrator (T, 74k, wangxian, WIP,  my post)

❤️Just a Tiny Mistake by Dudette_Mal (T, 58k, wangxian, WIP, my post)

No, Lan Wangji, You Cannot Marry Someone You Just Met! by soulmateenthusiast (T, 41k, wangxian, WIP, my post)

Cradle by Dragonesque (T, 196k, wangxian, WIP)

Cultivating immortality by KizuKatana (M, 123k, wangxian, WIP)

~*~

[My ko-fi.]

[luvdsc]

i have so many things i need to say to you !!!! mostly about the dumbing down of love.

first, i regret not reading it sooner. i always saw it in the tags and on fic rec lists but i decided i wasn’t emotionally ready for it bc your fics always make me feel things !! i hate myself for it now tho bc i could have read that masterpiece sm earlier 😩

do you have any idea how talented you are ? like do you understand how amazing you are with your words ? i can’t tell you how many times i felt tingles and my heart fluttering in those 12K words. it’s so rare to read a fic and be able to actually ~feel~ what the author is describing but you do it so well and that’s why i love u sm😩💓

anyway lemme tell you which parts had me getting up from my seat cause i couldn’t handle the feels.

“you look back at him, and his eyes bore into yours, waiting patiently for your response. and with a jolt, you finally realise it as all the pieces of the puzzle snap back into place to form the big picture. and you suddenly want to tear it all down.”

“and he finally complied because it’s you, and even though you cracked his heart in two, he would still move heaven and earth for you if you asked.”

“those four words, eleven letters, and three spaces fill up every crevice of your heart until it’s bursting at the seams”

“you know that jeno won’t break your heart. you know that even if he does, he will painstakingly piece it back together until it’s whole again.”

gosh. this fic has a special place in my heart and i can’t think of anything else to say but thank you for writing and sharing it ! i’m just so happy and i really love it sooo much.

(i also made a playlist)

anyway i hope you’re doing well and keeping safe <3

aksdfklajshdf oh my gosh this is long overdue, but thank you so so sooo much, honey bee !!!!! 🥺💗💗💗

i'm really touched to hear that my fics are capable of making you feel things like !!! i can't believe something i wrote can make other people feel emotions ?? absolutely wild and mind boggling for me 🤯 ahsdklfas and thank you so much for giving the dumbing down of love a chance, sweetpea 💓💓

and PLSS THIS JUST MADE ME BLUSH AAAA THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE LOVELIEST COMPLIMENTS EVER 😭😭💖💖 i too am feeling tingles and my heart is fluttering from your message, lovebug qwiuerhjqwesfk you are the absolute sweetest and truly, thank you so so much for taking the time and effort to send me such a kind ask 🥺🌸🌸

alsO NOOO YOU QUOTED BACK MY FIC TO ME ASKLJDHF BE STILL MY HEART, I ALWAYS GET SO GIDDY WHEN SOMEONE POINTS OUT THEIR FAVORITE LINES AND IT'S LIKE PERMANENTLY TATTOOED IN MY BRAIN AFTERWARDS LIKE !!! YES THAT HONEY BEE LIKES HOW I WROTE THAT ONE LINE and then i get all smiley thinking about it 🤧💞💞 and thank you for holding it in a special place in your heart 🥺🥺💜 i'm really grateful for all the love you give to my fic and i'm happy that it makes you happy 🥰🥰

also omg you use apple playlist, which means i can listen to this playlist since i also use apple music djlakshdfas but also it makes me so 🥺🤧😭💞💘💕💓✨💖 that you even made a playlist for it like !!!!!! thank you so so so sooo much, honey bee, you made me unbelievably happy asdhflaksjdlf

[jasontoddiefor]

Sunday Batfam Fanfic Recs!

Welcome to my second Sunday Batfam Fic Rec list!

Since the first list was such a success, I’ve decided to actually do this weekly! What is ‘this’ you ask?

Easy! Every Sunday I’ll recommend Batfam fanfics of a specific theme. The first week was Batman Beyond/Time Travel, then we had a Spooky Halloween Special and, finally, this week’s theme is…

Billionaire Batfam, Social Media & Galas!

If you want to, you can request a theme and I’ll try to find fanfictions for that!

Here’s my Batfam Fanfiction Rec Tag.

That being said, have fun reading 30 fanfictions and please leave these lovely authors a comment!

Title: #BayneIsCanon Summary: Gotham ships Batman and Bruce Wayne. He's not really sure how to feel about it. #trainwreck #bayne #scandal Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17226011

Title: #gotham is trending Summary: thghhhh: ahhhhh, i'm back in gotham. can't wait to get back to a supervillain attack every other day. i've missed this. [the city of gotham, it's vigilantes, and resident billionaires - as seen through social media] Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12331965

Title: (Dance) Lessons Summary: “STOP!” Cass shouted, suddenly appearing between them. “No talking. No fun.” she gave each one a glare. “Only… dancing.” Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13205775

Title: (that moment when) A Supehero Replies to You Summary: Dick Grayson, as any good millennial, is an avid fan of Buzzfeed: Unsolved. So, when Shane and Ryan discuss the death of Jason Todd, Dick can't help but laugh. Laugh, and then film the reactions of the batfamily when they find out....in costume. Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18561994

Title: a hat fashioned from tin foil Summary: nightwang @karakurachou – 8 hours ago jason todd is alive and faked his death so he could become robin: a conspiracy theory thread. Batfam conspiracy theories meet social media. Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14356020

Title: and it comes back again Summary:  Bruce “I accidentally slipped and fell across the room, took out three tables and broke a desk with your body as I ACCIDENTALLY fell on you also you’re going to jail” Wayne takes his young protégé down the rewarding path of revenge. Link:  https://archiveofourown.org/works/14268537

Title: Brother Bear Summary: Dick slips a Disney reference into a speech, Tim only realizes because Jason sneaks into his own memorial gala to finish the quote. Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21036350

Title: Bruce got Therapy instead Summary: “I’m twenty four and have yet to find a partner,” Bruce stated, not looking up from the paper. “While true, I hardly think that is a subject to worry over right now. Many people your age have yet to meet someone they desire to spend the rest of their life with.” “It’s...I don’t really have a problem with the fact that I haven’t met anyone.” A pause where Bruce took a contemplative sip of his coffee. Alfred patiently waited for the young man to say what was actually going through his mind. “Well, the Manor seems rather...empty, don’t you think?” He finally looked up to his butler. Alfred fully turned to Bruce, his free hand held behind his back. “I’m afraid I don’t understand what point you’re trying to make, sir.” “I’m thinking about adopting, Alf.” OR: A world in which Bruce Wayne got therapy instead of becoming Batman. Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20634062

Title: Chase You Down Until You Love Me Summary: The Waynes make a sport of their high profile in the media during yet another boring gala. Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4102315

Title: Diversionary Tactic Summary:  Jason, from his early days as Robin to his later days as Red Hood, has had a unique skill set. It ends up being weirdly useful and also possibly the grossest way to have a father-son relationship moment, but hey, that’s life. Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12624390

Title: Favorite Parts Summary: There are things Cass loves about Wayne parties, and things she does not. What she loves most is seeing her Father act himself at those parties. Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11195331

Title: Gala Night Summary: "What if I use the wrong fork at dinner?" "You won't" "But what if I do?" Bruce arched an eyebrow "Do you seriously think that none of the kids ever used the wrong fork?" [...] Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16397771

Title: Getting out of a Gala Summary: In a world where Bruce found Jason closer to nine and his fallout with Dick wasn't that bad, Jason gets forced to attend a gala. Luckily, or unluckily for him, he ends up getting out of it partway through. Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15968498

Title: Gotham’s Top Ten Memes Summary: Every city has its pride and Gotham isn't different. We love our “dark and gloomy” architecture (meet us in the Batburgers parking lot Metropolis) and our Waynes, our vigilantes and most importantly: Our memes. So, without much further ado, we present you Gotham’s top ten memes. Gotham, the Waynes and the Bats through the eyes of social media. Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19283281

Title: Happy Little Accidents Summary: Bruce and Lois have a quiet, friendly moment at a gala. Memories of their children make them laugh and cry a little. Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21176123

Title: Mess with Them Summary: Selina Kyle is at the first gala event a young Jason Todd attends with Bruce. And she knows exactly what he's going through. Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7559761

Title: Nightmare at the Gala Summary: When an amateur group of bad guys get their hands on fear toxin, they decide to use it on their next big game: the semi-annual Gotham Leaders Family Gala. And lo and behold, your favorite vigilante family just happens to be there too. But without their alter egos, they’re just another helpless rich family with easily kidnap-able kids. Will a frantic, fear toxin induced Bruce Wayne get his head together to save them? Or will he accidentally reveal his family’s biggest secret? Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14885828

Title: Of Smiles and Broken Things Summary: Tim's first gala isn't going as well as he had hoped, but at least the host is nice. Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17899127

Title: Sorrowful and Immaculate Hearts Summary: A DC universe where moms are awesome and raise their kids right. Now with more melanin and queerness. Also, Gotham's in Michigan and Metropolis is in Connecticut. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Fics are in chronological order but are all standalone. Link: https://archiveofourown.org/series/440926

Title: Stay a Child Summary: “Redo it,” Bruce orders. “Aw, come on!” Dick dares to pout — a thing that he uses often, and would work on anyone but Bruce and Alfred. Sometimes. Bruce gives him a look. “I’m not going to do it for you.” “I’m going to misdo it until you do,” Dick threatens. [Two times Dick went to a gala with Bruce and one time he didn’t.] Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15098102

Title: The Art of the Gala Summary: Barry is the one who usually goes to these things. Unfortunately for Hal, Barry got called in to Central for a case, so now Hal has to go to the Gala with Bruce. Bruce is just lucky Hal loves him so much. Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17654852

Title: The Bat-Signal Smashing Charity Gala Summary: Spawned from the realization that them making Gordon physically destroy the Bat-Signal at the end of The Dark Knight is absurd and hilarious. Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1867965

Title: The Bats Out of the Bag (At the Drop of a Tinfoil Hat) Summary: In which Tim is Bruce's secretary, there's a gala, and questions get answered. Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18762865

Title: The Gotham’s Wayne Summary: dukeofthomas [We all know who the real QUEEN of the Manor is] The Gothamites are very invested in the Waynes. Very very interested. A journey through the Gotham's favorite family: the Waynes through Social Media. Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13333119

Title: The Problem with Galas Summary: Galas are an issue, because something always goes wrong, and no one knows this better than Dick Grayson. (It's a bit of a problem, actually, but he can always depend on Bruce to get him out of trouble.) Link: https://archiveofourown.org/series/906501

Title: The Wayne Deal Summary: Bruce Wayne's parents made a deal, if you do something to make yourself noticed at a Gotham Gala- enough to impress the papers, then they will leave right away. Bruce passes this deal along to the children in his custody.Each one adds their own flair to it. Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17641559

Title: three bars, one city Summary: The Wayne kids join Twitter. This is widely seen as a very bad move. Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18172040

Title: Unattended Wards and their Unfortunate Guardians Summary: Roy and Dick are left alone for a couple hours at a gala. How much trouble could two boys possibly cause while unattended? Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14770661

Title: Wayne Family Tweets, aka Why Bruce Wayne's Hair Is Going Gray Summary: JTW @hottoddie oh okay u hold a totally acceptable grudge for a couple years and suddenly ur “”bitter”” Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17387441

Title: Wayne Gala Summary: Alfred teaches the boys how to dance. The girls go shopping for dresses. And it only took three hours into the party for all that effort go to waste. …But that's fine. They were Waynes. Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11316591

[dictacontrion]

Hey for the ask thing F, I, and U ! Thank u I love your blog and your work !

Thanks, nonnie!! These have been a blast!! 

F: Share a snippet from one of your favorite dialogue scenes you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

Okay so I actually love writing dialogue, it is kind of my fave, and I don’t have one single favorite, but this one, from Make Me a Headline (I Want to Be That Bold) came to mind: 

“I want you.”

“For—bed?” Harry asks, eyes flitting nervously upwards at the ceiling and, presumably, the bed above them.

“Yes,” Draco answers, “but not only.”

Harry takes another step towards him. “What else?”

“Dancing,” Draco says. “Champagne.”

“Yeah?” Harry prompts.

“Dinner,” Draco adds. “Letters.”

“Answered letters?”

“Answered letters. And…dates.”

“Public dates?”

“Yes. And…” Draco takes a turn at stepping forward, “breakfast.”

“Breakfast?”

“Breakfast,” Draco repeats. “After…”

“Bed?”

“Yes.”

“For breakfast, you’d have to stay.”

“Yes.”

“And you want?”

“Breakfast.”

“Oh,” Harry breathes. “Breakfast.”

I like it because I think usually I’m drawn to snappy banter, and clever characters who are able to explain themselves, and when there’s lots of witty subtext, and this is sort of the opposite of that. It’s a very emotionally naked moment for them, and it felt like piling on the words wasn’t going to work. What matters here, for them, is how well they understand each other without words, that they know each other so well they don’t need further explanation to get what’s at stakes. Well, and that they’re able to create this space that works emotionally for both of them, such that Harry can be reassured while Draco doesn’t have to put himself so explicitly on the line that he recoils into defensiveness. But how to get them to communicate that when saying it would defeat the purpose? This felt like the really right solution - the economy of language, the repetition, the construction of the story so that the readers and the characters have to recall a lot of complicated history in order for this to have meaning, and (hopefully) that the simplicity of the actual words pushes the reader to be present alongside the characters in being attentive to the complexity of the meaning behind them. And I thiiiiink it does that successfully? Though readers would know better than I would! 

I: Do you have a guilty pleasure in fic (reading or writing)?

My writing guilty pleasure is 100% the banter mentioned above, which wouldn’t be a guilty pleasure at all, vs something very fun, except that I tend to do it when I’m stuck or stonewalling, so will occasionally feel a bit guilty when I notice that’s what I’m doing.

My reading guilty pleasure (though as a phrase, I prefer smug indulgence to guilty pleasure!) is probably 1D/BBC RPF AUs, which, there are just some really fun ones, and it’s in this fic space that I don’t write or rec or mod or really blog about very much, so it’s work-free pure indulgence. 

U: Share three of your favorite fic writers and why you like them so much.

I take this question to ask what I like about three of my favorite fic writers’ writing but, if you’ll bear with me, anon, I am going to intentionally misinterpret this for a moment (and will do it over properly if you like!) and tell you about three of my favorite fic writers and why they are some of my favorite people (with the caveat that I could easily do this for a dozen more!) and #sorrynotsorry, hopefully these lovely individuals will be up for tolerating some tenderness.

1. I have had the extraordinary luck to be within driving distance of @firethesound​ for most of my fic-writing life, and while I’m sure many of you, like me, admire her writing enormously, I am here to tell you that it is the tip of the iceberg. I have lost track of the number of times I have been having a crap week, only to show up at fire’s house and find the kettle on and cookies waiting, or the number of times she’s listened while I talk through whatever’s bothering me, or the number of days that have been improved by her company. She can be very stealth about how funny she is, and how incisive her commentary is, and how thoughtful her views are, and how observant she is, and how creative and resourceful and resilient and patient, and how she cares for the people around her, and how curious and interested she is, and how good at figuring things out, and how determined, and how generally much of a stone cold badass she is when the situation calls for it, but it’s all very, very present and I am perpetually blown away, and so, so grateful to the universe that our paths crossed. It’s made my life more balanced and fuller and funner and funnier and inspired, and that’s very much par for the course when spending time with fire. 

2. @gracerene09​ is a brilliant writer who just knocks my socks off a little bit more every time I read her latest work, and also has been my adventure buddy across two continents, three countries, and two (soon to be three or possibly maybe four!) states, and holy fuck she is amazing. She is so thoughtful and so unbelievably on the ball and possessed of good common sense and feet firmly on the ground, and she is the rare human who manages to be all of that and imaginative and silly and hilarious and adventurous and game for flights of fancy. Like, we can have a spreadsheet and a plan A and a plan B and then get drunk and have a selfie competition and end up wandering some random places absolutely cackling our butts off. And having seen her in all of those contexts and done loads of fandom and RL stuff with her, I can absolutely say that she’s one of the few people in the world whose judgment I trust implicitly. Even when we disagree, I trust her process and her ability and willingness to talk it through and figure it out. I also have the hugest admiration for the way she approaches the world with an eye towards growth; if she notices something she wants to change, she changes it, and she does it in ways that are deeply reflective and considered and dauntless and principled, and it’s truly incredible and an honor to see how that’s played out, is playing out, over the years. 

3. When it comes to fandom, and to life, @writcraft has become one of my absolute favorite people to talk to. Writ’s approach to writing and thinking is so masterful and meticulous and smart, I am constantly in awe. I have endless appreciation for the way they’ve written queerness into fic, which takes it so seriously and pays homage to its history, and would happily listen to them talk about queerness and culture for hours, both as it has to do with fandom and as it matters in the world beyond. And alongside this phenomenal, blinding awareness and knowledge, they’re also so much fun. I often come away from my conversations with writ reminded that all things - fandom, politics, the daily business of life - are meant to have elements of joy and connection in them, that the object isn’t only to learn and work for change, but to remember what it is that’s worth working for, and to stop and enjoy it, and to change things, even when that involves taking risks, in order to build a more enjoyable, connected, intrinsically motivated life. Whether it’s a serious conversation about political commitments and practice, or a serious conversation about fandom, or getting drunk and sweaty and dancing till ready to drop, having writ around is guaranteed to make it richer and sweeter and better. 

Fic asks!

[actuallylorelaigilmore]

A - Z (Fandom ‘Come At Me, Friend’ Meme)

WELL THEN *cracks knuckles* HERE WE GO 

(all 26 letters behind a cut bc this is very long)

A - Your current OTP(s)/OT3(s)/OTX(s)

As of this hour, my top OTPs are Penelope/Schneider from ODAAT and Joyce/Hopper from Stranger Things. But I have endless numbers of them, even within each fandom.

B - A pairing you initially didn’t consider but someone changed your mind

Jean/Alice from TDBM. 

C - A ship you have never liked and probably never will (be nice)

Um…hmm. I’m such a multishipper, I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about my NOTPs. I’ve never been onboard the Keens from The Blacklist, though. Not even a little. I only enjoyed Tom in his original villainous state.

D - A pairing you wish you liked but just can’t (again: be nice)

A couple of my spouse’s faves, I really wish I liked too, especially Sam/Josh and Mal/Simon. I don’t like one of the characters in each very much, so I’ve never been able to get into them–even though I understand them, and have had fun writing them…I just don’t love them too.

E - Have you added anything cracky/hilarious to your fandom, if so, what

Yeah, mostly graphics, though. I don’t think I’ve ever written crackfic. I did New York Times Minus Content edits for TDBM, a ton of those. Also Sext Message Error sets for Lizzington and for Josh/Donna. And Welcome To Nightvale sets for iZombie and Lizzington. And OTP Bot sets for Lizzington.

And this isn’t EXACTLY crack, but my original tumblr claim to fame was this Hamilton/TWW crossover that got reblogged by Lin himself.

F - What’s the longest you’ve ever been in a fandom

Mm, the first time I actively joined a fandom was Buffy, and I was about 14 when that started for me…so as of this year I’ll have been in that fandom for 20 years! But I’ve been a fangirl literally my whole life, I just didn’t really join fandoms before the internet, and I started using the internet more in junior high and HS.

G - Do you remember your first OTP, if so who was in it

Lou/Joey from Brotherly Love, or Claire/Trevor from Cupid (original run), or Dharma and Greg, or Allison/Wade from CryBaby, or Idgie/Ruth from Fried Green Tomatoes. I was a shipping prodigy, and the couples I was obsessed with as a literal child blur together a bit in the timeline, so I’m not completely sure which came first.

H - What is your favorite source text for fandom stuff (e.g., tv shows, movies, books, anime, Western animation, etc.) 

TV shows.

I - Has tumblr caused you to stop liking any fandoms, if so, which and why

The Aaron Tveit fandom made me uncomfortable watching BrainDead before I even had the chance to decide if I liked it or not. Most fandoms I love, though. I prefer to ignore the drama and focus on the people I actually like. 

J - Name a fandom you didn’t care/think about until you saw it all over tumblr

SO MANY. Parks and Rec, TDBM, Stranger Things…a significant portion of my watchlist comes from this hellsite by now–I have friends with good taste.

K -Say something nice about someone in any of your fandoms

@mossdonnatella is in a lot of my fandoms. She is a much better fic writer than she thinks she is!!

L - Say something genuinely nice about a character who isn’t one of your faves (chars you’re neutral on are fair game, as are chars you dislike)

I really ended up disliking Jacob a lot, on Grace and Frankie. But I will say that in the beginning he is very respectful of Frankie’s boundaries and tries to be patient with her, and I did like that.

M - Say something genuinely nice about a ship that you don’t ship (or its shippers, or anything related to you)

I don’t actively ship Jancy on Stranger Things after seeing S1 (I don’t really ship Steve/Nancy either, though…I think I mostly just ship Nancy x happiness) but the moment when her mom knocks on her bedroom door and they reach for each others’ hands instinctively? That is a damn fine understated sweet connection moment and I really enjoyed and believed it.

N - Name three things you wish you saw more or in your main fandom (or a fandom of choice)

Okay since a lot of my top fandoms are for shows that ended a long time ago, I’m going with One Day At A Time. In fic or in canon, I want to see a lot more of Schneider being Penelope’s BFF and her confidant. I want more serious!Schneider moments bc it turns out the actor rocks at them, and I want to see Pen really get to move on from Victor as her kids get older, I want real confirmation that she’s finally past any possibility of reconciliation with him bc she deserves SO MUCH BETTER.

O - Choose a song at random, which ship or character does it remind you of

Randomizing my music gave me “Quiet” by MiLCK feat. GW Sirens and Capital Blend. 

Sample lyrics:

Cuz no one knows me, no one ever willIf I don’t say something, take that dry blue pillThey may see a monster, they may run awayBut I have to do thisI can’t keep quiet, no A one woman riot

Despite the mature meaning behind the lyrics, and probably because I’m watching Stranger Things right now, it reminds me of Eleven, the tiny badass fighting her way to freedom.

P - Invent a random AU for any fandom (we always need more ideas)

Alright, I’m gonna invent one right off the top of my head right here and now since you asked. Um… a One Day At A Time AU in which Penelope meets Schneider not as her landlord but as a patient, once she becomes an NP. Doctor/patient “okay if you won’t stop asking me out then get a new doctor so I can say yes” fluff ensues.

Q - A ship you’ve abandoned and why

Lizzington. I’m technically still writing fic for it bc I have a chapter fic to finish, but I haven’t watched the show in years, I avoid content for it, and have no interest in it anymore besides the phantom limb feeling of having been so invested in a ship for that long and making friends around it.

R - A pairing you ship that you don’t think anyone else ships

Well, since I mentioned it earlier, I think I’m the only person ever to watch the scenes Bud and Brianna have together in Grace and Frankie and think “that should really be a thing.” 

Also…Kate/Donna from The West Wing. Based entirely on one scene.

S - Show us an example of your personal headcanon (prompts optional but encouraged)

I genuinely don’t understand this question, sorry. What’s an ‘example’ of my headcanon, and how does that relate to prompts? If somebody wants to explain this to me, I’ll answer it. 

T - Do you have any hard and fast headcanons that you will die defending, about anything at all (gender identity, sexual or romantic orientation, extended family, sexual preferences like top/bottom/switch, relationship with poetry, seriously anything)

Yep yep yep. Andy was the leak, not Toby, and that is the hill I will die on always. I’m sure I have others, but that’s the big one.

U - 5 favorite characters from 5 different fandoms

Toby Ziegler (TWW), Alice Harvey (TDBM), Lorelai Gilmore (Gilmore Girls), Jim Hopper (Stranger Things), and Spencer Hastings (from what I just saw of PLL with @actuallylukedanes). 

V - 3 OTPs from 3 different fandoms

Luke/Lorelai, Gilmore Girls. Parker/Hardison/Eliot, Leverage. Joyce/Hopper, Stranger Things.

W - 5 favorite ships and 5 kinks you like best for said ships

Josh/Donna (TWW), Donna in control. Matthew/Alice (TDBM), hurt/comfort sex. Alvareider (ODAAT), “whoops are we kissing wait do we like each other?”Jared/Miss Parker (The Pretender), conflicted kisses up against wallsI’m having trouble thinking of a 5th one but I used to really like Lizzington angry!sex bc damn that ship was angsty

X - top 5-10 characters who are yoUR PRECIOUS BABIES AND YOU WILL DIE DEFENDING THEM

Eleven, Toby Ziegler, Schneider, Lena Luthor, Logan Echolls, literally every main character on The Good Place.

Y - What are your secondhand fandoms (fandoms you aren’t in personally but are tangentially familiar with because your friends/people on your dash are in them)

Game of Thrones, Agents of Shield, Doctor Who (though I finally have started this one!), Jane the Virgin, The Worst Witch, and lots more…I like learning about fandoms secondhand. 

Z - Just ramble about something fan-related, go go go (prompts optional but encouraged)

Every single one of these tiny Stranger Things children in S1 is the epitome of epic friendship and I love it. Mike jumps off a cliff to protect Dustin and Dustin’s willing to get his teeth cut out to protect Mike and Lucas offers a sincere apology when he’s wrong, something most adults still suck at, and Will tells Mike the truth even when he would benefit from lying and Eleven chooses death to save them all and they are beautiful and perfect and I love them.

[webgottmilk]

~ Heard It Through the Grapevine ~

This fic is a gift for the lovely and patient @ciarlapanics; the fic rec is coming, I promise! In the meantime, enjoy some Bradray feels, since I’m a sucker, and you can never have too many in our little fandom. Enjoy <3

Summary: This is not quite how Ray imagined he’d become Internet famous.

Rating: E

Word Count: 5,237

This is not the way that Ray wanted to become Internet famous - in his mind, rock stardom comes from carefully crafted albums and hours spent in recording booths. Of course his fame is the wretched lovechild of his overactive imagination and (admittedly) poor planning skills.

And yes, perhaps literally jumping into Brad Colbert’s arms upon his arrival back to the States wasn’t the sanest of ideas, but even that he can let his best friend chalk up to his rather poor upbringing. (“If you had any less brain cells Ray, you’d be a drooling vegetable. In fact, the drooling part isn’t far off”). To be fair however, flying directly to Nevada,Missouri after finishing up serving with the Royal Marine Commandos - fucking English frogs in his mind - is no small feat to Ray, and deserves at least a small gesture of gay love on his part.

Ok, yes, Ray may have regretted the action as soon as he tackled Brad since holy shit the fucking Viking can hold on to a lot of weight and god damn those arms. But properly non heterosexual thoughts aside, it’s not really an intelligent idea to display affection in public for any Marine, lest civilians catch on to the idea that they’re actually human beings too! At least, Ray chooses to believe that that’s Brad’s reasoning for his usually reserved nature upon being body slammed at the Joplin Municipal Airport.

Surprisingly, Brad plays along with the reunion, twirling Ray around like some sparkly gay ass princess from Disney’s latest money making gambit, and laughs quietly into his ear.

“I knew you loved me, Iceman!”, Ray crows back - give him an inch and he’ll take a mile…

Brad is obviously thinking along those lines, dropping him faster than Encino Man called danger close strikes on his own men back in Iraq.

“I would question your actions, Ray”, he says, stepping back and lazily drawling, “but I know that there’s barely room for a thought that’s not involving incest or NASCAR in that fucked up head of yours.”

Ray tilts his head upwards to peer at Brad - who is still standing close enough that he can smell the sweat and dirt on his fatigues - and winks lecherously.

“I just couldn’t wait to get my hands back on those Viking arms of yours, homes. They’re irresistible”, Ray draws the last word out in an overexaggerated attempt to mimic Walt’s slow country accent. He blows the bemused Brad a kiss before striking off towards the baggage claim. Brad follows closely, always watching his six, as he crosses the terminal and heads towards carousel four.

“Eat any English sausages?”, Ray asks innocently as they idle side by side, waiting for Brad’s single camo coloured duffle to appear on the conveyor belt.

Brad only snorts, shoving Ray hard enough that he has to struggle the slightest amount to regain his balance, and dignity.

“Civilian life has made you soft, Ray. You’re a goddamn disgrace to every Marine in Nevada”, Brad shoots back, clearly not missing the shorter man’s attempt at recovery. “Don’t worry, you can join me on my six mile run tomorrow, early bird catches the worm, or the sausage, I suppose.” Brad laughs openly at his distress, then nudges Ray again suggestively.

“Homes, if I needed birds to help me find sausage, I would have checked myself into a hospice long before your giant white ass landed back on US soil.” He is obviously teasing, so Brad obliges with a soft huff, then quickly steps forward to grab his bag off the belt.

“Let’s go home, Ray. You clearly need a nap and a bottle before your infantile brain is able to comprehend even the simplest of metaphorical phrases”. With that, Brad marches in the direction of the Parking Area signs, Ray trailing behind him.

The ride home, in Ray’s ancient pickup truck (“Ray, this piece of junk is going to fall apart right out from under us, before I’ve had a chance to consume one of your shitty Coors Lights”.) (“Oh Bradley, you know I bought gay microbrew just for you - no Coors Light for your delicate sensibility”.) is non eventful, even with the occasional jibe about Ray’s Elvis sunglasses - “we pimpin, homes,” he recites with a wry smile, as they coast along the highway, still going a good ten miles over the speed limit.

The night is spent drinking too many shitty beers, and consuming too much shitty media. (“Ray, no matter what you say, Inception is a B+ movie with poor editing and no plot”) and (“Bradley Colbert, your mother raised you better than to insult the good name of Christopher Nolan, shame on you!). Brad passes out on the couch around two am, clearly succumbing to the exhaustion of a day spent airplane hopping. Ray covers him with a blanket, heroically ignoring the strip of pale skin that his ridden up fatigues expose. He gulps, making a mental note to stay far, FAR away from the thought.

Ray sleeps fitfully, mostly because, “goddammit Brad, pineapple on pizza is not only the gayest thing you have ever suggested to me, but also the most disgusting, which coming from me, should shame you.” Pineapple and Coors Light do not a friendly bedfellow make, so he spends his hours gravitating between the kitchen, where he can just make out the fine blonde hairs of Brad’s head, and his cold, messy bed. Ray knows how pathetic it is to stare longingly over the counter at your best friend, so he actively avoids the kitchen and living room after a couple of passes.  

Around six, he checks his Twitter, since if it’s good enough for Donald Trump, it’s good enough for him. (At least that’s how he defended his usage when Brad raised a judgmental eyebrow at him between scenes of The Usual Suspects.) He smothers his laughter when he sees the number one trending tag, because “planking” is literally the dumbest fad since swallowing goldfish. He passes the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Repeal” tag with much less amusement, but makes a mental note to read up on it at a slightly later date. However, it’s trending tag number three that stops him half way through a drink of water; the sheer absurdity of the tag “Marinesinlove” is so substantial that he isn’t sure whether to laugh, or hide his face in his grubby pillow. Marines, displaying emotions? That’s the most retarded fucking thing he’s seen in the last twelve hours, and Brad Colbert’s lustful gaze at a pineapple covered pizza was one of them.

In the end, curiosity kills the cat (fuck you Brad, he can understand simple metaphors, or whatever), so Ray bites the bullet and clicks the tag. And nearly drenches his lap in ice cold fridge water. The first image to appear is a gif of Brad twirling him, HIM, around in a circle, with the tag, “Marine boyfriends in love”, and the addition of three heart eye emojis. The post has over six hundred retweets, with comments such as the disgusting “awwww”, and “this is what true love looks like”, though with a suspicious lack of grammar so common to Twitter.

Numb, Ray continues scrolling - it doesn’t just stop at the gif. There are multiple picture sets of Brad staring into Ray’s eyes - hold on, he swears that they weren’t standing THAT close at the airport - and gif upon gif of him rolling his eyes at Ray’s ridiculous antics. But what Ray can’t help but continuously notice is the overwhelming amount of grammatically incorrect tweets praising the “anonymous” Marines for their candid display of affection. They extol their bravery in openly revealing a “passionate and sweet love” (if Ray rolls his eyes anymore, he’s sure he’s going to contract brain damage, which according to Brad, he can’t really afford to contract).

Seriously, it’s just two guys really excited to see each other, after months and oceans apart - at least that’s what Ray tells himself over and over. Shit. Motherfucking son of a bitch, what is he going to say to Brad? “Hey Brad, I know you just got home from dealing with horrible beer and worse accents for months, but the entire Internet thinks that we’re in love, so I don’t think it’s a good idea if you go outside just yet.”

Oh god, he’s dead. He is so, so, unbelievably dead.

Since the gods are cruel, and just when Ray’s life has taken a u-turn towards ‘your best friend / one who you harbor secret feelings of not so friendship for is about to kill you’, the very object of his thoughts appears in the doorway, strangely lacking any coverage in the torso area. Fuck Ray’s life.

“You’re up!” Brad says, fake joviality clearly meant to annoy Ray, “which means that you can join me for my hard core Marine six mile run, unless of course, your pussy civilian lifestyle has coddled you into comfort and diabetes already.”

Ray blinks at him, still trying to look past the obvious tan lines that mar Brad’s pale skin, and perhaps stop eyeing the toned planes of his stomach quite so obviously.

“Ray…?” Brad’s voice cuts through his thoughts, sending his nerves tumbling around his stomach. “Is your whiskey tango head so fucked up that you can’t even form a coherent thought before seven am? This is a truly desolate day, my friend, truly sad.” Brad is clearly trying to cheer him up through the usual jabs at his upbringing and civilian status, but it’s not really doing anything to ease his thoughts. Mostly because Brad is standing there SHIRTLESS, which is a goddamn distraction in itself.

Finally, he regains his voice: “Seriously homes? It’s day one, and you can’t even let your Ray-Ray have a little bit of a lie in? Come give me a morning kiss and we’ll go from there”. He musters up all the bravado he can, and throws his arms out, head tilted upwards,  lips pursing in supposed anticipation.

Instead of replying, Brad huffs and shoves Ray back onto the bed, sprawling himself across the other half, with his hand absently lying on Ray’s chest.

“Ray, if I knew you pussied out so easily, I would have woken you up at four, just to have the satisfaction of seeing you struggle to tie your shoes at ass o’clock in the morning. As it is, this bed is marginally more comfortable than the abominable piece of furniture you call a couch, so I am going back to sleep. But when I wake up, you best be ready to run, or I will throw you out the door naked and laugh as you struggle to walk up a hill without developing blisters on your delicate civi feet.” Brad says all of this whilst staring at Ray’s collar bone, the only thing in his line of sight. Ray is still actively staring at the ceiling, forcing himself not to imagine waking up to a half naked Brad Colbert in his bed everyday. With this speech over, Brad steals the pillow out from underneath Ray’s head, effectively trapping him, with one arm wrapped up in the two now resting under his pillow. He closes his eyes, and is almost immediately asleep.

Fuck his life. Really, fuck his life.

                                                <GK>

When Ray manages to extract himself from the BradRay pile that had been forced on him, his first thought is COFFEE. Everything in the world, his mother taught him, can be solved by a cup of black coffee. She always joked that the blacker the soul, the blacker the coffee, though Ray was never sure how much of it was jest, considering there was never any cream or sugar in sight the few times his absent father appeared.

Shaking his head, Ray bullies his French press (“When did you get married, Ray? The only place you can find those metal fuckers are at fucking Crate + Barrel during wedding season.”) (“Of course I’ll marry you, Brad! How could I refuse, with a proposal like that?”) into spouting the foulest, blackest coffee it can muster.

Game plan, he needs a game plan. Ideally, one which ends with Brad and him managing to have an adult conversation about their feelings and all that bullshit. He snorts coffee all over the counter, and down the front of his shirt at the thought. The very idea is both colossally retarded and completely unrealistic. While this thought marinates in his head, Ray hunts for another shirt. Blindly, he reaches for one hanging off of the end of the couch, and, throwing the coffee defiled one on the carpeted floor, pulls the other over his head. Feeling refreshed, Ray walks back across the living room into the kitchen, where he pours himself a third cup of caffeinated murder water.

Ok, so then, how? Perhaps it’s just better to show Brad - he is a visual kind of motherfucker. And, demonstrating that the entirety of Twitter believes he and Ray to be in some kind of idealistic gay love seems like the best way to pound the idea into his neanderthal thick skull. Maybe it’ll even dissuade Brad from clobbering Ray long enough for him to make for higher ground. Apologizing has never been one of Ray’s tactics - he is unapologetic in all that he says and does, a perfect Marine trait - so he doesn’t believe that it will get him anywhere. Resigned, he pours himself another cup of fortification, and hunkers down on a stool to wait out the impending storm.

Blessedly, he doesn’t have to suffer with his own damning thoughts for too long; a shirtless and sleepy Viking clambers from his bedroom about ten minutes later. By now, Ray is starting to feel the effects of his fifth cup of coffee - it’s not unlike the familiar buzz of Ripped Fuel.

“How do you feel about free trade coffee, Brad? In the opinion of this ex-Marine, I think it’s complete bullshit. Like seriously, Starbucks? All of your beans are “ethically sourced”, he makes finger quotes here, “yet your customers throw away more than four million cups every year? And your, ‘one tree for every bag of coffee sales pitch’? Utter shit - if you could even plant trees at that rate, we’d call you fucking Captain Planet and put you in a Marvel comic book.” Ray’s knee won’t stop bouncing off the underneath of the counter and he really needs to get a grip RIGHT NOW.

“Good morning to you too, Ray, and Jesus, I thought you’d detoxed from the Ripped Fuel. The fact that you know specific figures on the waste that Starbucks produces just proves that you’re more of a frappuccino bloated prepubescent teenage girl than I feared. Nevertheless , a six mile run will quickly cure you of this pussiness. Look sharp.” Brad says this lot as he crosses the kitchen, pours himself a cup of steaming coffee, and leans across the counter to examine Ray for signs of Ripped Fuel ingestion. Ray stares back, noticing an almost imperceptible tightnesses that briefly overrules Brad’s expression. He has no idea what that’s about.

“Brad”, Ray begins, and winses, picking at the peeling paint on the side of the counter. He hates that he has to have this conversation, and even more, he hates how terrified he is to have this conversation. If it goes badly, he might very well lose Brad. “I really don’t think that the run is going to happen.” He quickly slips on an impish smile to cover his discomfort, and then adds, “you haven’t even tried my famous caffeinated bean water yet! It’s the best on the block! I swear to god, if you can’t take one day off, I’m FedExing you to Doc Brian for a psych eval, and don’t think I won’t make sure you fail it, even to give you one day of true R&R.”

Brad, who had been contemplatively sipping his coffee and staring into the living room, looks at Ray with an exasperated glance.

“Knew you’d pussy out; fine, I agree to forgo the run, IF, and only if I am allowed to force feed you more pineapple pizza before our run tomorrow morning.” His glance becomes an evil smirk, fully knowing that whether or not allowance is given, he’ll do it anyways.

And goddamnit if Ray wouldn’t willingly allow him to - he is so fucked. Instead of replying, he rolls his eyes and crosses to the living room, where he flops down on the couch. Brad joins him a minute later, coffee cup in one hand, and a plate of toast in another. He  silently offers Ray a slice, who happily crunches on it, spraying crumbs and spite everywhere.

“Ray, sometimes I wonder how you managed to survive Iraq without being slaughtered by Q-Tip and eaten as bacon. The way you eat, I’m honestly surprised no one mistook you for livestock.” Brad doesn’t even glance at Ray’s overly obnoxious chewing, instead choosing to flip the TV on, where CNN blares obnoxiously.

“Thank you, Jeff. And in other news, the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Repeal of 2010 has finally been fully implemented. President Obama will host a press conference to celebrate this historical event later this evening. It just so happens that we have a heartwarming clip taken at the Joplin Regional Airport yesterday  which I think really demonstrates just what this repeal means for many LBTQ+ servicemen.”

Ray’s stomach drops, but there’s not time to run before the clip is rolled.

The footage is clearly taken on an iPhone, and is slightly blurry, but not enough to obscure the obvious faces in front of him. In the clip, the short, dark haired man drops his backpack on the terminal floor and runs full tilt towards a tall, Viking looking man, jumping practically into his arms, and wrapping his legs around the taller man’s waist. The blonde man laughs quietly and smiles fondly down at the smaller man, but spins him in a circle anyways, Marine fatigues clear, even in the video.

Beside him, Brad goes absolutely still.

The news anchor is talking again, something about the heartwarming affection that can be seen, the obvious love between the two men. “I mean, just look at the way they look at each other,” interrupts a second news anchor, “it’s clear that they share a special bond.” The rest is drowned out by a rushing sound in Ray’s ears, who glances over to gauge Brad’s reaction, only to find him already looking at Ray.

“Brad, I…”, It’s not often that Ray Person is at a loss for words; not a comforting thought in this moment. Instead, Ray shakes his head, and bolts, leaving before he can fuck this up anymore.

“Ray! Ray! Goddamnit, you sister fucking idiot! Stop, Jesus fucking Christ!”, he can hear Brad yelling behind him, but does his best to ignore him; he certainly has practice at it.

Next time he glances at his surroundings, he’s driving ninety down the highway in his truck.

Eventually, he stops to check Google Maps, and realizes that he’s left his phone on the counter, probably in a puddle of black coffee. Miserably, he recalls that it’s probably the last time he’ll listen to Brad’s voice for a long time. He can’t even call him in a drunken haze to hear him rant, that is, if he picks up. The Iceman isn’t really one for words.

Ray finds himself at Walton Lake, where he used to swim as a kid - even when he’s not conscious, he ends up near landmarks that remind him of Brad. He laughs bitterly.

Since it’s only ten in the morning, he hunts around for a beer in the cab of his truck, and slouches down to the lake, laying underneath a tree. He figures that sleeping is his only hope of passing enough time to forget how colossally he has fucked up his life. He skips rocks for a while, and ends up watching the local kids push each other into the water. It only makes him feel worse. He suddenly recalls all the times Brad had given him that wry smile in the Humvee rolling through desolate wasteland after desolate wasteland. He was always checking in on him, “easy on the Ripped Fuel, Ray”, or an (almost) gently phrased “stay frosty, gents.” Ray drops his head between his legs; god, he is so fucked. He knows that he loves Brad, and that’s what terrifies him. It’s so much easier to throw insults back and forth, antagonize him with Avril Lavigne and Ripped Fuel Rants - he knows how Brad will react to those quirks. This… this is uncharted territory.

Finally, Ray decides that wallowing in self pity won’t accomplish anything further - going home to a Brad free house is going to hurt either way, might as well get it over with.

                                                     <GK>

He opens the door cautiously, not ready to be confronted with an empty house. He sucks in a breathe when his eyes are immediately drawn to the straight back figure sitting at the kitchen counter. Brad’s eyes meet his, and Ray is suddenly reminded that his demeanor isn’t the only reason they call him the Iceman. Quietly, he closes the door, and makes for his bedroom, hoping for as clean a confrontation as possible, but Brad is off his stool and pinning (?) him against the wall of his bedroom hall.

“No, Ray. We are going to talk about this. Like the semi-adults that the Corpse raised us to be. Do you think your disease ridden brain can handle a simple five minute conversation?” Brad says it calmly, ice laced in his voice, but the grip that he has around Ray’s wrists communicates something entirely different. He nods in response. Still, Brad makes not attempt to move them, only pinning Ray further into the wall.

“Did you know about the media coverage this morning? Is that why you refused to go on a run like a pussy bitch?” Clearly, the interrogation has begun.

Ray avoids Brad’s eyes as best he can: “What do you think, Bradley? That I was just going to drop that kind of bomb on you first thing in the morning? Oh, by the way, the Internet thinks that we’re in love, and it’s trending on Twitter and all the other god forsaken social medias that tween girls consume these days. I know you think you’re some sort of demolitions expert, but not even you’re qualified to diffuse that kind of ammunition, Brad. So fuck you, yes, I knew. And no, I didn’t say anything.”

Brad forces Ray’s chin up with one hand, while the other pins both of his wrists above his head. “Why?”, he asks simply, his eyes like chips of hard sapphire.

“Fuck you, Brad. You wanna know why? You dying to know that fucking badly? Because I knew that you finding out would ruin this,” - he jerks his chin to indicate the two of them. “But, if the Internet found out, then I guess it’s pretty fucking obvious”. Ray laughs again, a caustic sound.

“What’s obvious?”, Brad’s voice is almost a growl now, clearly beyond pissed off with Ray. “Ray?”

“That I’m fucking in love with you, that’s what.” Ray practically spits it in his face; he’s so tired of holding it in. Fuck it, if Brad wants him to ruin this with the truth, then so be it.

Brad steps back so suddenly that Ray is slammed against the wall, his head cracking painfully. He closes his eyes against the sensation, waiting for Brad to walk away, to walk out - it’s the only ending to this unfortunate series of events.

“You’re what?” The softness of Brad’s tone is the most startling aspect of the phrase to Ray - why hasn’t he walked away yet? “You’re what?”, Brad repeats, blinking almost owlishly as Ray finally looks at him.

“I’m in love with you”, Ray says flatly. What does Brad want out of this? To rub in the satisfaction that he’s managed to force his biggest secret out of him?

“Say it again”, Brad steps closer, effectively repinning Ray, who is frankly getting tired of his internal organs being punished over five treacherous words.

“I’m in love with you?” The end comes up in a question like inflection, seriously Brad, what is going on…?

Brad laughs out loud, probably the strangest turn of events in an already bizarre day; Ray is too exhausted to fight any longer, so he just rests his head against the wall.

“You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for you to tell me”, Ray’s head snaps back up. “Seriously?”

It’s Brad’s turn to nod. “You jumped out of our Humvee screaming at Batista to back the fuck up, since apparently your mother gave you barely enough braincells to eat fucking toast, toast, Ray. That’s when I knew.” The confession is quiet, splitting the air, since Brad is only inches now from Ray’s face.

“You love me?”, the questions is hedged in hesitation, but goddamnit if Ray doesn’t want to hear it back.

The Iceman nods, but it’s all the confirmation that Ray needs. It would be easy, so easy, to bridge the gap. All Ray would have to do is lean in. Fuck it. So he does.

Brad reacts immediately, pinning both of Ray’s wrists against the wall with one massive hand, and cupping his face with the other. The kiss isn’t by any means gentle, nor is it coordinated. It’s wet, and messy, and (cliched as it might be) everything Ray imagined it would be. Ray stretches upwards to tug Brad’s lower lip into his mouth, and Brad lets out an imperceptible moan. He shoves at Ray’s t-shirt until he musters up enough coordination to lift it over his head.

“I couldn’t concentrate this morning, with you in my t-shirt”, Brad mutters against his neck. “I couldn’t stop thinking about how many ways I could think of getting it off you”. Ray groans and tilts his neck, giving Brad better access with which to suck marks along the column of his throat. When Brad scrapes his teeth along his Adam’s apple, he practically whimpers - self-respect has just hit an all time low.

Ray’s hands, which have found their way to Brad’s waist dip lower, and squeeze. He growls against Ray’s throat, and sets them on his shoulders. Ray uses the leverage to wrap his legs around Brad’s waist, laughing internally at the familiar position. “Bedroom?”, he mutters to Brad. The jerk of breathe that he takes from the query seems to be answer enough, as he bodily carries Ray to his bed, dumping him on it in the process. Brad shucks off his sweatpants and crawls up the bed, intent on getting Ray out of his jeans as quickly and (ideally) with as little finesse as possible, or so it seems to him.

As Brad curses up a small storm, fighting with the buttons like they’re grenades, Ray deftly unbuttons them, squirming indelicately out of them, and making Brad snort with laughter. Ray grins back at him, “if the early bird gets the worm, does that mean I get the sausage?”. The fond and bemused smile that Brad gives him is worth the blow to his pride that the joke costs him. Without warning, Ray flips them, positioning himself firmly between Brad’s thighs, and begins sucking at his clavicle.

He trails kisses trails down to one nipple, and scrapes his teeth across it, eliciting a moan from Brad. “Didn’t know you were a nipple man, Brad”, Ray jibes softly, choosing to divert his attention to the other aforementioned object.

“Shut up, Ray”, Brad’s words come out stilted, through clenched teeth, as he attempts to keep himself from making too much noise.

Ray merely hums, and continues his oratory exploration.

He finds that tonguing over Brad’s abs make them jump in succession, and that his belly button is surrounded by a delicate trail of white blonde hair that disappears into his navy boxers. (“Navy, Brad? What kind of Marine are you? You don’t want your nuts to be disguised in camo? It’s so sad, that I show more priority to them than you do!”)

Ray bites at Brad’s left hipbone, watching for the way his entire body jumps with pleasure at the pain. Before he can continue though, Brad has flipped them again, and beginning biting his way down Ray’s chest.

“Dude, whoa, Jesus, it’s going to look like I was attack by a wolf. Fuck Brad, fuck, fuck”, Ray can’t seem to make his mouth stop, watching Brad suck marks onto his abdomen and hip bones. He noses his way further down, pulling Ray’s boxers down with his teeth. Ray wants to make a snarky comment about the coordination that that must take, but is currently lacking the brain cells to even think, let alone speak.

It now appears Brad has pulled his boxers down far enough to bite at his inner thighs, making Ray’s cock jump, and littering his legs with messy bites. “Jesus Brad, are you some kind of fucking vampire? Fuck.” He starts to move lower, but Ray grabs his wrist before he can move. “Whoa there, Lone Ranger, we don’t have to do it all in one night, we can take it slow. Seriously. C’mere, Bradley. Come cuddle your Ray-Ray.”

“Ray, I swear you were dropped on the head as a child. No, I guarantee that if I asked your mother, she would tell me she purposely dropped you, thinking it might improve that face.” Brad seems slightly disgruntled at being interrupted from his task, but complies nonetheless. Effectively, he wraps his body around Ray’s in a pseudo cuddle position, crushing him. “Happy?”

Ray squirms and shoves until he’s pushed Brad onto his back, and is sprawled on Brad’s chest, chin propped up so he can look at him.

“We have all the time in the world, Brad. Seriously, we could not move for the next six days, and the world wouldn’t notice. Plus, who else is going to force feed me pineapple pizza?”

“Ray, if you eat anymore pizza, you’re going to gain ten pounds, develop diabetes, and then be rushed to the hospital for a coronary heart transplant. Now go to sleep, or I’ll knock you out myself.”

“You’d still hold my hand during the ambulance ride, though.” Ray Person, finally getting the guy, and the last word.

And, when the alarm clock blares at six the next morning, and Brad forces Ray to run five miles to make up for the loss of yesterday, they’ll both laugh and shove each other, and it will feel like nothing has changed. The after workout shower might now involve two bodies instead of one, but who would notice, except for them?

And, when an official invite to attend the Obama’s annual Easter Egg Hunt arrives in April, Ray will just laugh and claim that they’re Jewish and cannot attend (“bullshit Ray, we’re both atheists, stop using my parents as an excuse”), and Brad will call them exactly what they are, the poster children of DADT, big fucking stereotypes, and to many, big fucking heroes. And no, Ray is still not a rock star, but he is Internet famous, thanks to his hyper active brain, and a ten foot tall Jewish Viking. But you just heard it through the grapevine, didn’t you…?