#nice gen whump

[lost-technology]

Saw someone praising the little gems of Vash-whump in Ao3′s Trigun Stampede section, while complaining that they have to sift through a lot of the stuff they aren’t into to get there.  I relate.   Didn’t reblog / reply to them specifically because I thought that I would be seen as weird.  It’s just, I’ve realized that I have very specific tastes* in this fandom.  I have officially written my first Stampede-based fic:  A story about Rem being a good mom.  I have A SHITTON of old Trigun fic from my fandom years ago that I am thinking of going over, editing where necessary and posting.  Most of them aren’t the kind of “usual fandom-pleasers,” either, but kind of specific things.  Like, there’s this one I wrote about an OC who sees Vash as a hero and sets out to live by Vash’s ideals only to find out that he can’t... I wrote that for an erstwhile friend.  Was NOT a “Reader x” or a self-insert, was just a random guy.  I have...ghost stories, including an alternate manga-ending.  I have a hard horror involving Midvalley doing something truly horrific with his murder-music.  One of my early ‘98 anime specific stories involved “Knives wins, but ends up killing Vash in the process, regrets it, decides to travel across the lonely planet to bury him next to his friends.”   I wonder which of my old fics the new fandom would like to see...  In any case.... as I’ve said before... sometimes when a ship is really popular in a fandom, I’ll tune it out like background-noise.  I even do this with ships I like.  I mean... in my other fandoms, I’ve written a bit of catradora and zelink, but most of the time I’m like “boring,” and pass up others’ fics because they’re dominating.  And then with, well, I’ve never vibed with vashwood.  I’ve always seen them as a brotp, not an otp.  Plantcest is too...rapey...for me (and when people transform it to make it consensual, it weirds me out. I won’t bother you, just not my thing).  I’m honestly wondering where doublewood / wolffang is at, I haven’t seen it, I thought I would by now... the “Reader / Vash” stuff is kind of cute, but I’m not huge into indulgent self-inserts, they never feel true enough to the world for me.   I feel like entering this fandom again I’m going to be kind of lonely in my fanfiction-tastes.   *Not like I haven’t been before... I mean, over in She-Ra fandom, I wrote a bunch of stories about a couple of Horde-clones (members of the random mook-race that shows up at the end of the series) and instead of writing them being adorable and being doctors and cooks like everybody else who wrote this stuff did, my OCs were undertakers.  Fire Emblem: Awakening fandom, of which I was briefly a part?  I was passionate about the rarepair of Lissa x Libra because I’d set it up in one of my games...  I wrote an extensive Super Smash Bros. / Hunger Games crossover UNIVERSE once.  I wrote a huge-ass Legend of Zelda Western (that was heavily inspired by Trigun), so... yeeeeep... I write (and prefer to read) some weird, hyperspecific things.  

[rinchfest]

Coming this September to an internet near you: Rinch Fest 2024, a ship week for Harold Finch/John Reese from Person of Interest! This is a low-pressure event meant to encourage the creation of more fanworks for Finch/Reese or Finch & Reese’s friendship. Fic, art, gifs, vids, podfic, you name it—all are welcome, as long as they’re Rinch-centric.

Posting for Rinch Fest will run from September 24 through September 30, 2024

PROMPTS:

Day One – September 24 Fluff• Pining• "Always" • Dark• Domesticity

Day Two – September 25 Be Nice To John• Established Relationship• Road Trip • Food/Drinking/Cooking • Art

Day Three – September 26 Be Nice To Harold• Belly• "Beach Cabin in the Woods• "Five+1" • Pets/Animals • Music

Day Four – September 27 Kids/Babies/Pregnancy• Hugs• Clothes • Setting/Genre Change AU• The Machine

Day Five – September 28 Bed Sharing• Wedding/Marriage• Crossover • Canon Divergence • Tropes

Day Six – September 29 Finch Whump • Reese Whump • NSFW/Kink • Retirement • Home

Day Seven – September 30 Free-For-All/Catch-Up Day

Keep reading for more info!

Who’s running this? ArgylePirateWD. Hi! Now with mods @alexsrousseau and @stingalingaling

Any changes since last year? None! As in previous years, Reese&Finch friendship is also allowed

Why not call it Rinch Week? It started out as Rinch Fest on The Rinch Loft on Discord, and that’s what stuck.

Plus, Rinch Fest and Reese & Finch share the same initials.

What’s allowed? Complete fanworks focusing on Harold Finch and John Reese in a romantic or close platonic relationship with each other. Fic, art, vids, remixes, sequels, you name it! No length requirements, no style requirements, all ratings allowed—do what you want!

Anything not allowed? Works where Finch/Reese or Finch & Reese is not the primary relationship (additional ships are fine), works that are incomplete at the time of posting, and remixes or other transformative works for other people’s fanworks that are done without the original creator’s permission. Anything else is fair game, as long as it’s labeled.

Also, don’t be a jerk.

What about [insert controversial topic here]? Can I make something with x?/OMG someone made something with x! Anything else is fair game, as long as it’s labeled. This includes works featuring tropes and kinks that you may not like or approve of. As long as it’s warned for, it’s fine and allowed.

Please warn for the usual AO3 warnings (Major Character Death, Graphic Violence, Rape/Non-Con, and Underage) and any subjects others may find deeply unpleasant, and clearly label any NSFW works.

What about poly? Gen? Poly is wonderful, but this is a Finch/Reese or Finch&Reese event. Sorry.

Finch & Reese gen is allowed!

What do I do with x prompt?/Can I do [insert concept here]? Anything goes! Seriously, however you want to interpret a prompt is fine.

Do I have to make something for every prompt? No! You can if you want, but it’s not required. Feel free to skip days, combine prompts, create multiple fills for each day, anything! This is as flexible as it gets.

If it fits multiple prompts, when do I post it? Whatever day works best for you!

What if I want to do something NSFW? There's no nsfw prompt this year. Is it still allowed? YES! Bring on the spicy if you want!

What about a multi-chapter/piece thing where each chapter fulfills one day’s prompt? When do I post that? Post an update each relevant day until you’re done! (Just make sure you can finish it by the end of the event.)

What if it doesn’t fit a prompt? That’s what Day 7 is for! :D

What if I need to post my fill(s) on a different day? Life happens. The AO3 collection is set to Unrevealed, so I can reveal early submissions on the right day, but if that doesn’t work for you, I’m sure we can work something out.

Can I work on a previously-posted WIP? As long as it’s finished when you make your post for the event, sure! If you’re just updating a WIP without finishing it, no.

Can I start working now? Absolutely! That’s why I’m announcing it now—so there’s plenty of time for people to make things.

Can I talk about/share previews of what I’m working on? Sure!

Wait, there’s a Rinch Discord server? Do I have to join to do this? Of course not. We’d love to have you at The Rinch Loft, and it’s a fun place to hang out, but Rinch Fest is for anyone into Rinch.

If I want the Discord link… Send in an Ask to the @rinchfest Tumblr, contact ArgylePirateWD somewhere, or ask around. It’s open to anyone who likes Rinch or Person of Interest. I’m happy to give it out to anyone who wants it.

Where do I post? On Tumblr, post to your blog and use the #rinchfest23 or #rinchweek23 tags. You are They are being watched. 👁 And maybe add @rinchfest in your post to be sure. Tumblr is as hungry as Bear and Shaw.

Submissions are also open.

On AO3, you can post it here: https://archiveofourown.org/collections/rinchfest23/

Do I have to have a Tumblr? AO3? As long as you’re on some kind of platform and can get a link to the work to me somehow so I can share it with the world, you’re welcome to play.

On October 1st, I’ll make a round-up post full of links to all the shiny things people made. If I know you made it, it’ll go in!

What time zone? The daily prompt posts will be going up at 12 am Central Time, but as long as it’s the relevant day for your fill somewhere in the world, go ahead and throw it in!

(And if you want to sneak in some Day 7 things a little after, as long as they get posted before the Master Post goes up… 😉)

Sounds fun! How do I sign up? No signups! Just post your stuff somewhere on the right day(s), and you’re in!

[critter-genfic-events]

This week, we have ten fics that focus on dreams. Pleasant dreams, prophetic dreams, and quite a few nightmares - not to mention the Dream Spell - are mentioned here! Check them out under the cut!

Burden of Guilt by popsicletheduck (2714,Teen) Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Pairings:

Percy's made some mistakes in his life, alright? He knows this. It'd be nice if his subconscious stopped bringing it up.

Reccer says: Percy makes a great whump subject

Dreaming Down Deep by Angel Ascending (angel_in_ink) (4478,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings:

What if Caduceus met Fjord's patron and was just both mildly clueless and very polite about the whole thing?

Reccer says: Galaxy brain concept and wonderful delivery - Ukotoa's tricks just do not work on Caduceus, but Fjord's angst in the second chapter is delicious

and we still had hours by poppyseedheart (13995,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings:

In his own dreams, Caleb's back is usually ramrod straight the way it was in his youth. In his waking hours, his beggar’s hunch is practiced, intentional. Whatever he’s doing now, all neutral spine and open hands, is something different altogether.

Reccer says: Well characterized all around and amazing

she dreams of chromatic dragons by mavnificent (791,General) Warnings: Pairings:

Cali dreams of chromatic dragons and they aren’t always vicious or greedy the way they’re supposed to be. That’s how she knows she's dreaming.

Reccer says: There really should be more Calianna fics in the world, but this is a great one that takes into her Cult Deprogramming

A Nice Dream for Yasha by FeralScribe (4262,General) Warnings: Major Canonical Character Death Pairings: Mollymauk Tealeaf & Yasha

A dear friend makes sure that Yasha's dreams take her somewhere pleasant for once. The problem arises when Yasha doesn't want to leave.

Reccer says: I love Yasha and Molly's friendship and this is so painful

may your princes understand you (may your wolves get out alive) by grayintogreen (6427,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings:

An archfey traps Jester in a dream world. Artagan and an unlikely ally rescue her.

Reccer says: I liked it

However Long Forever's Gonna Last by elissastillstands (15557,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings:

Opal begins having dreams about Zerxus as she and the Crownkeepers continue their journey.

Reccer says: A beautiful story that fits perfectly into canon as a canon divergent fic. It makes you wish and hope for a better ending for Opal and Zerxus.

a god awful shitty feeling of dread in my heart by pigflight (2106,General) Warnings: None Pairings: Delilah Briarwood & Imogen Temult

In which holding hands with Laudna brings someone into Imogen's dream, even if it isn't the someone she was hoping for.

Reccer says: Imogen and Delilah and Imogen is able to go off? Yes please. A wonderfully threatening Delilah, too

What Grows From The Heart Is All The Stronger by Angel Ascending (angel_in_ink) (1340,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings: Fearne Calloway & Orym

All seeds need good soil in which to grow.

Reccer says: I liked it

The Heart External by BeatriceEagle (103670,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings: Beau & Caleb, Beau and Bren, Caleb and Bren, Beau and OMC, Caleb and OMC; background Beau/Yasha and Caleb/Essek

Six months ago, Beau adopted a teenager who loves the Cobalt Soul, but can't stand her. Ten minutes ago, Caleb accidentally summoned his own teenage self into his living room.

Reccer says: There's so much insight into and compassion towards all of the characters here. The ultimate resolutions for each of them feel hard-won and satisfying.

his is one of our weekly communally-generated gen rec lists. Every week we announce a new theme and allow anyone to submit a fic recommendation. Please note that the summary and content notes are provided by the reccer, and may be different than what the author has provided. Please assume good intentions all around. <3

And hey, anyone includes you!

We'll be back on the first with fics focusing on Orym, followed by horror fics, and then in October with fics focusing on Taryon Darrington.

Any fics coming to mind? Well, then use this form to submit! If you're looking for some more, check out some fics written in the critter genfic bingo tag, or the older rec lists! Or you can request your own card and join in on the fun!

[whumpyourdamnpears]

Fruit of the Wicked: Chapter Nine

Content Warning: lady whump, male whumper/female whumpee, POC whump (whumpee is a Black woman), age gap whump (whumper is an older man), religious whump (Christianity), captivity whump

A big thank you to Marz and Gen for beta reading this chapter!

Word Count: 706 Previous Next

The woman in Sarah’s home didn’t know she was watching her.

She tried to be subtle about it, hoping the woman wouldn’t see how often she watched her through the paned glass doors to her daddy’s study. She knew she wouldn’t take too kindly to being watched, if her previous reactions had been any indication.

Sarah knew when to stop. You stop looking before they notice you’ve been looking for too long. Especially with the woman in Sarah’s home. By the time she noticed you were looking, it had definitely been too long. And she’d let you know it, too.

The woman in Sarah’s home was scary when she was angry.

Sarah was grateful for the sound dampening the wooden walls provided. She couldn’t stand to hear the woman’s screams, whether they were angry or scared or because of Daddy. Sarah didn’t ask Daddy what he did once he entered that room. That wasn’t for her to know.

It was for the best that she didn’t know.

It was early morning now. The woman was still sleeping, and Daddy wasn’t awake yet, either. It was one of the only times Sarah could get away with watching the woman without her making a fuss about it, or Daddy gently scolding her for not minding her own. Sarah did her best to put the plates out quietly as she watched the woman’s curled up form on the other side of the doors. She didn’t have a blanket. Daddy said she hadn’t earned one yet.

She was pretty, Sarah couldn’t help but think to herself. She couldn’t make out much of her in the early light outside of the shroud of dark curls circling her head. The parts of her face that peeked out of her hair while she slept were softer than they usually were. Kinder. She wasn’t nearly as scary when she looked like that.

She made a mental note of all the features she’d been able to make out over the course of these past few days when the woman wasn’t looking. Her upturned nose, unscrunched. Her dark eyebrows, unfurrowed. The way the woman’s brown skin looked golden in the patches of sunlight when the sun would rise and set. Sarah liked the woman when she was like that. Not when she was on guard, scrunched up with her arms crossed over her body like a vice grip, pacing around the study talking to herself, and to them. She didn’t say very nice things when she talked to them, though. Daddy told Sarah she should try to tune the woman out when possible. Act like she wasn’t even there.

But how could she do that? The woman’s arrival had changed so much already. Daddy was home more often now, which was nice, but they hardly spent much time together. Most of his attention went to the woman, what his next step with her was, caring for her, etcetera. He’d even begun discussing what would happen when he let her roam the house, the precautions they’d have to put in place so she couldn’t hurt herself, or them. That’s what really scared Sarah about her. She’d already tried hurting Daddy, and God forbid she got her hands on something sharp.

This couldn’t end like last time. Sarah wouldn’t be able to take it.

The woman began to stir in her sleep, turning onto her other side. Sarah looked down at the plate she was still holding and gently placed it onto the table. She should really get started on breakfast, before Daddy woke up, too. She waited for the day he’d tell her she should make a third plate for the woman in the other room. She’d gone so long without a meal.

Before long, the woman’s hand had come up to scrub at her face and pull the curls stuck to her cheeks away. Sarah could very faintly hear her groan through the doors. She hurried into the kitchen before the woman could notice her standing there. She didn’t want to hear what the woman had to say once she noticed she was the only one awake.

Daddy will be up soon, Sarah told herself as she ran to the sink. He’ll take care of it.

Taglist: @flowersarefreetherapy, @generic-whumperz, @heartinthehospital, @deluxewhump, @another-whump-sideblog, @pigeonwhumps, @lektricwhump, @watermelons-dont-grow-on-trees, @sowhumpshaped, @vivulapom, @eatyourdamnpears

[transfemmesam]

supernatural fic rec list

(mostly for me to keep all my favorites together. all on ao3) (be nice, i’ve never made one of these and the format is new to me)

Try asking by @applecrumbledore

Wincest, 7k words, rated T. Outside POV.

“Jerry says he saw them going at it in the back of that car of theirs outside Atlanta last year, I swear to God.” “Listen, man, I don’t like them either, but that’s a low blow. Jerry’s a fucking pervert.”

The sound of dead leaves by clavicular and unhappy_ghost

John/Sam + wincest, 6k words, rated M. Sam POV.

John looks at Sam in a way no father should. Sam aches when Dean smiles. The shadows that loom over Sam Winchester are not just those of the monsters lurking in the night.

Echoes of Hell by The_Nightbreaker

Gen, 35k words, rated M. Sam POV.

It wasn't real. He wasn't in Hell anymore. That's what he tried to tell himself over and over. But two centuries of torture don't disappear in a day. Sam struggles with visions of Hell, fighting to maintain his grip on reality. Dean hates that he can't protect his brother from what isn't real—but curse him if he doesn't try. When the boys stumble on a case with ties to the Devil himself, will they be able to pull themselves together in time to stop the sacrifices? Or will the echoes of Hell finally overtake them? Aka, season 7, but the plot is Hell trauma, not leviathans.

Evening Shadows by withthekeyisking

Gen, 2k words, rated T. Outside POV.

Sam is hallucinating the monster who tortured him for nearly two centuries, Dean feels like he's failing his brother, and a diner waitress bears witness.

Lesser Evils by Dyed_Red

Wincest, 9k words, rated E. Dean POV.

“So you’re just gonna, what – torture us for an hour while your guys hightail it to Buffalo? That’s your master plan here?”  “Oh I can do a lot in an hour or two, Sammy. Like having your surrogate daddy here carve Dean a new face. Like backsliding you off your pretty bandwagon. Like…Seeing how far big brother will go for his sweet baby Sam.”

Prophecy of an Abomination by ashitanoyuki

Gen, 88k words, rated M. Sam POV.

Sam wants to be normal. Sometimes, it's harder than he'd like to keep faith in God. Or: a story of religious!Sam plus powers!Sam culminating in horrifying Sam whump (with eventual comfort to go with the hurt). A character study of the first two seasons that sharply diverges in season two.

he’ll follow me down every street, no matter what my crime by according2thelore

Wincest + Meg/Dean, 17k words, rated M. Dean POV.

“What do you want, Sam?” Sam stands up, so Dean is forced to look up into his face. Sam turns them slowly, so the small of Dean’s back bumps into the polished wood of the counter. “I want…” Sam says, eyes flicking down to Dean’s lips and Dean knows when something is too good to be true, knows that this can’t possibly be real, knows— “Christo.” Dean rasps, just before Sam’s lips land on his, eyes open wide. Sam’s eyes flash black. “Whoops,” Sam says casually. A thread of tension stretches between them, almost interminable, and then they both move at once. The demon in Sam’s body slams Dean back, and Dean crashes against the bar. ~~~ A rework of S2E14 "Born Under a Bad Sign" with Meg!Sam and Dean instead of Jo for WincestWednesday on tumblr's July Event, prompt "Favorite Episode" (with a cameo from the second prompt "Blood")

You’d Have Loved Her (But You Won’t) by punkrock101

Gen, 5k words, rated G. Sam POV. (compiler’s note: this is my personal favorite fic of all time)

Sam never got to tell him. Sam never got to tell anybody.

Flowers in the Impala by Evendar

Wincest, 2k words, rated M. Outside POV.

Kate wants them to be a family - really, she does - but there's something wrong with John's boys.

—-—-—

that’s long enough for now, i think. feel free to reblog with your favorite fics as well

[obstinaterixatrix]

Do u know any good mob psycho 100 fanfics?? Or authors??

well obviously my sister but I’m guessing you’re the same anon so 1) you already know her fics 2) you want different recs from what’s on her list (some of them being fics I rec’d to her lol). recs will skew heavily seri/rei and I’m just going through my bookmarks so it’s gonna be most recently read to oldest read. also seconding sister’s recs of bobmoss and crookedturtle. but I’ll add a fic from each anyway because I already wrote something for one while I was drafting this (oops)

Recollection by CowardlyBean

This is the journal of missing 31 year old Reigen Arataka, distributed with permission from friends and family. The version presented in this document has been kindly edited with added commentary by a loyal customer of his. -Editor’s Note

gen, experimental and in progress at 14k so definitely deserves more love than it’s getting. inspired by house of leaves; as the summary says, it’s some rando writing annotations about reigen’s journal, but Something Weird Is Going On. the 4th chapter updated so I actually need to catch up. also, sister rec’d this fic to me

Like Acid Reflux, or Love by partingxshot

Dating Reigen is like dating a single dad—only with more children, weirder scruples, and an extreme ruthlessness vis-à-vis group takoyaki discounts. He's not hot enough for this.

OR: "Me, You and Steve" by Garfunkel and Oates but with fifteen million teenagers.

OR: Outsider POV exploring Reigen’s dedication to his gaggle of bizarre children through an ill-fated dating attempt.

OR: Serizawa gets bruxism.

gen(/pre-relationship seri/rei), oneshot, 7k. oc/reigen breakup lmao. extremely funny concept, extremely good execution

Dream Dial by Alakazamboni

For the better part of nine years, Arataka has proudly worked in customer service at a behemoth of a company. At least, that's what he remembers, but a strange illness and a mysterious caller keeps trying to convince him otherwise. It doesn't help that this caller has the power to distort reality.

seri/rei, in progress, 16k. great uncanny atmosphere, and also reigen is trapped in time prison as a miserable office worker. hasn’t been updated for a while but read it anyway, the stoping point is fine

What We Make by crookedturtle

Reigen and Tome are kidnapped from the Spirits and Such office to be used as leverage against Mob. They have two goals: to contact the outside world, and keep each other safe. In doing so they engage in a dangerous game of lies and manipulation with their captors—a game with potentially deadly consequences.

gen (bg seri/rei), complete, 36k. Good for whump and high stakes interpersonal maneuvering & drama. I liked how the story extends beyond rescue and goes into how everyone navigates the fallout

Man's Best Friend by bobmoss

A cursed dog gets left at Spirits and Such. Anyone who pets it is doomed to die a horrible death.

Reigen, of course, pets it.

seri/rei, oneshot, 4k. funny and cute and sweet :) there’s a very charming tentative & tender vibe

heart line by ruthwrites

It doesn’t really matter, he reminds himself. He’s making a change, just like all of Reigen’s clients. What’s on his hands isn’t set in stone. He just has to make sure Reigen doesn’t see it— even if it might feel nice to have that steady attention, Reigen’s hands that are so much nicer than Serizawa’s folding around his.

(or: Reigen starts offering palm readings as a service, leading to Serizawa having to confront his feelings for his boss.)

seri/rei, oneshot, 6k. getting together fluff, a fun light read that also highlights serizawa’s insecurities—the internal narration has good character voice

If you won't believe me when I say it, believe me when I don't by deathdefied

Two years after Reigen invited Serizawa to work for him, he still can't quite categorize his feelings for his coworker. Instead of actually dealing with those feelings like an adult and talking to his friend, he decided to get really paranoid and overthink everything Serizawa does.

seri/rei, complete, 26k. reigen drives himself nuts lmao

Obvious by skeilig

Tome’s perspective on Reigen and Serizawa’s developing relationship.

gen (but about seri/rei), oneshot, 3k. I like outsider perspective getting together fics, especially when the perspective character is like ‘I’m actually not invested in this except when it affects me directly’

Cover Me by flecksofpoppy

Reigen’s shadow seems longer as the days move forward, more solitary. The cuts on his face heal and the ache in his bones go away, but a new sting replaces it. It’s loneliness, the thing he had managed to avoid ever since a primary school-aged kid who could make cups float stumbled into his office so many years ago.

seri/rei, oneshot, 3k. getting together fic that shows off a little of reigen’s gloomier side, it’s cute

loved you just a little too much by shcherbatskayas

You learn how to let go.

(It doesn't come naturally.)

gen(ish), oneshot, 2k. 2nd person character study of serizawa’s relationship with touichiro, I liked the ambivalence; effectively captures development over time with a relatively short wordcount.

offering genuine help with genuine results by suitablyskippy

“The curse was pretty clear on me not telling lies,” concedes Reigen. “It was pretty clear on me telling the truth. But,” as he lifts one finger, already sliding into the same educational tone he generally uses for imparting wisdom to Mob about life and love and the overall holistic benefits of making sure he’s always available for unexpected overtime work on weekends, “telling the truth isn’t necessarily the same as being honest, is it?”

“You’re the professional liar,” says Dimple. “You tell me.”

(Being cursed to only tell the truth and being cursed with Dimple as an employee are pretty much equally bad, as far as Reigen's stress levels are concerned.)

gen, oneshot, 2k. the tags include friends with no benefits whatsoever, which is very apt. Very funny to have reigen and dimple be petty and shady

a slightly more miraculous miracle by suitablyskippy

“Rumour has it that something impossible’s happened. Something that could never have happened. That shouldn’t have been able to happen.” In a single slick move Mezato produces a tiny voice recorder from an inside pocket, flips it open and active, and holds it up before Mob’s mouth to ask him, in a tone of devastating intensity: “Do you know anything about… a miracle, Mob-kun?”

Mob doesn’t hesitate. “We had maths homework to hand in,” he says. “But now we don’t have to. We don’t even have to go to the lesson.”

(The sun is shining, the birds are singing, Salt Middle School has been closed by an unexplained miracle, and the only thing wrong in Spice City is the fact that nothing is even slightly wrong at all.)

teru/mob, incomplete, 55k. for the most part I haven’t been repeating authors on this list, but listen. listen to me. I need you to listen. it is extremely unlikely for this fic to ever be completed. but hark, lest this sad probability turn you away and leave you dispassionately scrolling to the next fic, I need you (you specifically) to know that if I were in the same room as you, I would be wrestling the phone/mouse/trackpad/touchscreen/etc from your hands and furiously clicking the link. when I bookmarked this fic in 2017 I described it as having “some breathtakingly sensical prose and the funniest misunderstandings I’ve ever read”. trust me from seven years ago. open your heart.

skylight by inexhaustible

unconnected snapshots in what might, in some worlds, be something a little like recovery.

seri/rei, oneshot, 2k. character study that nails the tension of an escalating romantic atmosphere.

come on, come on, come over (take it off your shoulder) by mortarsmayfall

Reigen's free hand cradles Serizawa's head, curled under his ear just so to turn it for a better angle. He feels his pulse pound under Reigen's fingers, shivers just the slightest bit. If Reigen notices, he doesn't say anything about it.

seri/rei, oneshot, 2k. when I first read this I saved it as a private bookmark because I was so embarrassed by the sheer intimacy of haircuts with severely unresolved sexual tension. I’m guessing this was written after studio bones gave us reigen cutting serizawa’s hair. crumbs no more; for once we had a feast to enjoy. short & sweet getting together fic

Off-White by reigreitz

Some habits are tells.

seri/rei, oneshot, 1k. snapshots of pre-relationship and established relationship scenes, I’m quite fond of it. on my first reading I’m pretty sure I remember not paying attention to the habit piece at all (even with it being right in the summary) so at the last scene I was hit by the double whammy of ‘oh so that was what serizawa was reacting to’ and ‘AW… THAT’S SWEET…’; I think the fic does a great job of hiding/not acknowledging certain things the perspective character knows and is reacting to, which makes it fun to reread and pinpoint what exactly serizawa’s previously more opaque train of thought was. like, it’s the same stuff, but you get to read into more nuance.

the seven stages of falling in love by reigen arataka by matsunoble

You suppose one of the weirdest times to realize you've fallen deeply and irrevocably in love is when it's fuck o'clock in the morning and you're blearily checking your fridge for leftover curry.

seri/rei, oneshot, 3k. I was quite taken by the mundane (and sometimes unappealing) descriptions of love, and I like when serizawa has the upper hand

Mr. Psychic by beefstatic

Looks like trouble in Spice City...

seri/rei, oneshot, 4k. Serizawa Acts Like An Intimidating Bodyguard During Tense/Shady Situations. fun emphasis on that potential aspect of his character, I like how it’s done.

Late by hamlingo

For the first few days after hiring Serizawa, Reigen couldn’t help but be alarmed when the door opened at eight o’clock sharp in the mornings. He got used to it eventually, and in a month’s time he was more surprised when the door didn’t creak open right on time.

This was one of those mornings.

seri/rei, oneshot, 2k. this is actually among the first seri/rei fics I bookmarked so I can say with relative certainty that on may 20th 2017 I decided that maybe seri/rei was not just a joke of me indulging my own spurious unreasonable whims. fun character study and has that enjoyable tension of pleasant pre-relationship uncertainty.

Quiet Talks by krypkaktus

At some point, Reigen cutting his hair twice a month had turned into a mutual habit.

seri/rei, oneshot, 600 words. another charming snapshot of pre-relationship uncertainty, pleasantly embarrassing unresolved romantic tension.

walk in by ruthwrites

It was then he realized that the reason Reigen and Serizawa were standing so close was because they were kissing.

Mob was not really sure what to do with that information.

(or: mob leaves something at the office, comes back, and walks into something he wasn't supposed to)

seri/rei, oneshot, 3k. an extremely popular fic for extremely valid reasons, this is a shining example of the outsider POV shipfic where the perspective character is like. I’m 14 and did not want to see you guys kissing. and the couple is like. we also did not want you to see us kissing, this is excruciatingly awkward.

tomorrow isn't always another day by suitablyskippy

It’s like Reigen’s been waiting for the question. He stops dead on the pavement, grips Mob by the shoulders, and stares down into his eyes with an expression as haunted as though every ghost the pair of them has ever exorcised has taken up residence behind it. “Mob,” he says. “Mob,” he says again. “Tell me, Mob. Look at me and tell me. Tell me truthfully. Do I look cursed to you?”

Mob looks at him, and tells him truthfully. “No.”

“Well, you didn’t look very long,” says Reigen. “Let’s just stand here for a moment, like so, and you can have another look, a nice long look, and really think about it...”

(There's nothing strange about being called back to exorcise the same haunted photocopier six days in a row. It must just be a very haunted photocopier.)

gen, oneshot, 18k. I didn’t mean to rec the same author three (3) times but this is also one of my top faves. extremely funny time prison where nobody is on the same page ever.

space voyage by Anonymous

Tome Kurata is slightly famous—or notorious, more like—for being... a weirdo, to put it simply. She's definitely a person of interest. Just not exactly in a newsworthy way, which is obviously the only way that matters.

mezato/tome, oneshot, 1k. charming pre-relationship contention, they’re the same type of self-absorbed and tunnel vision (affectionate)

I was thinking of not writing up recs for sister’s fics but since one author got three (3) fics on the list I’m gonna also put 3 of my fave fics of sister’s

Reigen's Comprehensive Fool-Proof Guide on How Not To Be Next Door Neighbors With Your Employee (because that'd just be creepy) by MalkyTop

Reigen hires Serizawa and they somehow end up as roommates.

seri/rei, complete, 17k. a fic sister wrote for ✨ME✨ that shows off reigen’s neuroticism and his decidedly not-normal attempts to come across as Extremely Normal, The Most Normal Man Alive. there are so many comedic setups and payoffs. there are so many shenanigans. reigen gets frog-boiled into romance. actually, I drop that term a lot but I’m not sure it’s a common enough to intuitively understand. it refers to the boiling frog metaphor

If At First You Don't Succeed, Find a Loophole by MalkyTop

Reigen keeps dying; Serizawa keeps trying to save him.

seri/rei, complete, 18k. sister was insane for this because she trapped all of her readers AND herself in time prison by releasing one chapter a day. it was really funny to witness because I was the only person not in time prison by virtue of editing privilege. while we were watching mondays: see you next week (an office time loop movie), sister was saying she was impressed at how effective/efficient the movie was at picking which scenes to repeat. this is to say, as someone who notices these details, sister was very intentional about when things changed and how things changed from the perspective of a character completely unaware of time prison. also, the emotional momentum is extremely good, I loved reading serizawa’s increasing desperation from reigen’s context-less perspective.

in absentia* by MalkyTop

After what was supposed to be a routine exorcism, Reigen wakes up in the wrong body.

serirei, complete, 26k. slowburn bodyswap with mystery and intrigue. a solid casefic! I can be biased and right. there are metanarrative elements that I find fun and that, in my opinion, highlights how sister did in fact get a degree in philosophy. there’s also some fun subtle and messy characterization notes, like when serizawa asks reigen not to cook for him. it’s hard to talk about what I like about this fic without giving away a lot of specifics, so go read it.

[kandisheek]

FIC REC WEEK 37 – ACTION / ADVENTURE

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: MountainRose

MountainRose has a way of writing suspense that really gets my heart pounding. I'm always on the edge of my seat during action scenes, they write them so well. And the hurt/comfort that often comes with those types of fics is excellent too. If you don't know their fics, you're seriously missing out!

Here's some of their work that I think you should check out:

Only Teamates Left Alive

Pairing: Gen Rating: T Words: 1,197 Tags: Violence, Protective Tony, Recovery

Summary: Natasha's down; there's blood everywhere, and he is nearly out of ammo.

Reasons why I love it: This one got right under my skin. MountainRose's writing style makes the whole scene feel so raw, like Tony's desperation is literally dripping off the pages. It kept me in suspense the whole time, and it makes the resolution in the end all the sweeter, like a breath of relief. Definitely check this one out, it's incredible.

Stealth Mission

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: T Words: 3,717 Tags: A/B/O, Military AU, Alien Invasion

Summary: Tony gets himself onto a live fire team in the Chitauri war, keen to show that his mods can fucking do something to help, and that being an O isn't a good reason to sit around at home.  Keeping his orientation quiet ends up being a little harder than he realises.

Reasons why I love it: The concept of A/B/O dynamics in combat has always fascinated me, and the way MountainRose handles it here is amazing. Tony posturing so hard to fit in and Steve hitting him with a plot twist is a joy to read. I love this fic, and if you haven't already, you should definitely read it!

Keep Me Warm At Night

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: G Words: 16,862 Tags: Lumberjack Steve, Caught in a Storm, Hurt Tony

Summary: Tony and Steve meet for business, but a storm blows in and everything gets a little more intense.

Reasons why I love it: Holy shit, that car scene is intense! I was literally holding my breath through some of the action, it got me that much. And then the aftermath just cranks up the tension even more until we are blessed with sweet, sweet relief. This fic is incredible, and I highly recommend that you check it out for yourself!

A Nice Rock

Pairing: Gen Rating: G Words: 1,351 Tags: Savage Land, Dinosaurs, Fluff and Humor

Summary: Steve and Tony run away from an angry dinosaur.

Reasons why I love it: Okay, so this one is honestly more fluff than action, but it's so cute that I just had to include it here. Tiny raptors crawling all over Tony and Steve is the most adorable thing ever, and their banter is to die for. This fic is absolutely lovely, and if you haven't read it yet, you are definitely missing out!

Something Rich and Strange

Pairing: Gen Rating: T Words: 9,901 Tags: Merfic, Injury, Aftermath of Torture

Summary: When they're warning you about drowning, the say the oxygen in air is more than enough to keep you alive. They don't warn you that air burns. That breathing it is torture.

Reasons why I love it: The worldbuilding in this fic is unreal. I don't think I've ever read a more elaborate fic when it comes to the anotomy of merpeople and the societal implications that come with it. And the Tony whump is truly excellent, even more terrifying than canon in my opinion. Plus, Yinsen is a true hero. This fic also has an excellent continuation, so I hope I check out the full series!

[rosieblogstuff]

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

44 😲 in my main AO3 account. 2 others in my older account = 46!

I didn't realize I had that many things!

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

270,883

3. What fandoms do you write for?

All 44 of those works in my main AO3 are MacGyver 2016. One is a crossover with The Rookie. The other two at Star Trek TOS and Star Wars fics.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Table + Flashlight + IEDs

Mac + (Wilderness + Training + Survival) + Jack

Lost Causes

Lake + Stick + Fever

4 Times the LAPD Didn’t Pull Jack Over + 1 Time They Did 

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I try to! I often respond to a chapter's comments when I post the next chapter of a longfic. And sometimes I just space on it and respond a year later when I notice I failed to respond.

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Oh definitely my X-ray + Penny flashfic, Bad Penny. Most of the comments are variations on HOW DARE YOU!!!

There are a couple other flashfics with pretty ambiguous endings, too.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

That's a hard one. Most of my fics have a happy or at least comforty ending. Maybe... uhh.... Electricity + Combustion ? which I literally labeled "whump with a fluffy ending". I also have two Jack Lives fics so that's always a happy situation at the end...

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I haven't. A few weird comments but I mostly scratch my head and ignore them. Anybody who hates on my fics will be getting a very long and nasty reply, followed by their comment being deleted.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Nope, no smutty fanfics here. I did have a romance I posted for another fandom awhile back (and never finished), and I've written fade-to-black stuff in my orig fic novels.

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

Just one! My Macgyver 2016+The Rookie cops-vs-spies crossover, in which some LAPD officers keep coming across a black GTO involved in shenangains around LA: 4 Times the LAPD Didn’t Pull Jack Over + 1 Time They Did

It's probably the funniest thing I've ever written, and the ending is one of my very favorites. Also possibly the only gen fic ever posted in The Rookie fandom, although I don't look over there much.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Yes. Somebody stole all my completed fics from FF.net last year. There was a big Tumblr post about some site full of stolen fics, and sure enough, there mine were. I asked to have them remove, got not reply. I haven't posted anything to FF.net since then.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Not that I'm aware of.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Yes, but not for a long time. I used to frequently co-write fics in my first fandom.

14. What's your all-time favourite ship?

I'm going to go with Washington State Ferry M/V Wenatchee. Who doesn't love a good ferry boat? It's an irconic style, fun if you're walking on, handy if you need to drive on, saves you hours of driving around Puget Sound by land. Also just a very nice-looking ship.

15. What's a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

Ugh, wow. I have a couple dozen things I kinda like but might never finish. My favorite, and least likely because I've made the least progress on it, is a MacGyver fic about Patti having plotted out her revenge better, and tring to fuck over the team by having listed Jack as her replacement... which of course gives him access to high-level secrets like Oversight's identity. Much drama ensues.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Ramping a story up. Characters. Make a story fully story-shaped.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Endings. 😫

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

Hmmm I don't think I've ever needed to. Like most things in writing, I'm not against it in theory, but it can be done well or badly.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Anne McCaffrey's Pern, back in the paper fanzine days. Prior to joining AO3 in like 2019, I had 0 fanfics posted on the internet but a few in zines listed on Ebay. 😂

20. Favourite fic you've ever written?

This is IMPOSSIBLE to answer. I could answer it differently every day for the next couple weeks. Anything I already mentions plus a couple more!

[ao3feed-irondadspiderson]

traveling soldier

https://archiveofourown.org/works/57748219 by teafrqmes Nick Fury tells Tony that Peter is dead. But Tony knows better. Because if there's no body then there's no proof, and that's something that Tony firmly believes in.' And Fury didn't give him any clues which pointed to him being dead, just simply . . . gone. Right? Words: 1052, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Fandoms: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Categories: Gen Characters: Peter Parker, Tony Stark, Pepper Potts, Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Aunt May Parker (Marvel) Relationships: Peter Parker & Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Pepper Potts, Peter Parker & Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Aunt May Parker & Tony Stark, Aunt May Parker & Peter Parker & Tony Stark, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe) & Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Pepper Potts & Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe) & Tony Stark Additional Tags: Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker Whump, Peter Parker is Trying His Best, Peter Parker Acts Like a Spider, Peter Parker Needs a Break, Peter Parker Has a Family, Peter Parker Has Issues, Peter Parker Angst, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has Issues, Tony Stark is Good With Kids, Tony Stark Angst, Aunt May Parker & Tony Stark Coparenting Peter Parker, Worried Aunt May Parker (Marvel), Aunt May Parker & Tony Stark Friendship, Aunt May Parker Needs a Hug (Marvel), Aunt May Parker is a Good Aunt (Marvel), Good Parent Aunt May Parker (Marvel), Supportive Aunt May Parker (Marvel), Protective Aunt May Parker (Marvel), Pepper Potts Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Parent Pepper Potts, Pepper Potts Angst, Grief/Mourning, Quote: What is grief if not love persevering? (WandaVision), Presumed Dead, Missions Gone Wrong, Protective Nick Fury, Nick Fury Feels, Nick Fury Has a Heart, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, This Is Not Going To Go The Way You Think, Maybe - Freeform, idk - Freeform, Brainwashing, Brainwashed Peter Parker read it on AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/57748219

[evilwriter37]

Feedback Fest 2024

Ao3 is hosting a Feedback Fest for International Fanworks Day! The goal here is to recommend 10 fanworks. I never make rec lists, but let's try this out.

These are not in any particular order, and hardly an exhaustive list of fics that I have read and enjoyed. If we went back through my history there would be too many.

List is under the cut.

Just a Kid by AHeartforStories (@howtowhumpyourhiccup)

Fandom: How to Train Your Dragon

Rated: mature

Warnings: graphic depictions of violence

Relationships: 

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III & Toothless

Astrid & Fishlegs & Hiccup & Ruffnut & Snotlout & Tuffnut

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III & Stoick the Vast

Gobber the Belch & Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III

Dagur the Deranged & Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III

Alvin the Treacherous & Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III

Word Count: 248,402

Summary: A Httyd Zombie AU set in the modern world. There are dragons.

At 15, Hiccup believes his biggest struggles are teachers who won't stop hounding him for his grades, a father who doesn't quite listen to him, or how unpopular he is at school. Every regular teenager's worst nightmare, right?

But then a new and mysterious illness that's been rapidly spreading amongst the populace takes a surprising turn and the day comes Hiccup wishes his former daily struggles had been the only struggles he would have to deal with.

He is, after all, just a kid.

My Thoughts: This story has everything! It’s got full and fleshed out relationships between the characters. The character dynamics are just so good. It’s got dragons! A modern zombie AU with dragons is such a cool concept, and it was executed so well. I have yet to finish reading it, but I’ve enjoyed each and every chapter of this. (I think I left off on chapter 25.) The emotions are so real and so in character, and the events of the story are bold and exciting! I really love this fic. 

The Storm Passes by AHeartforStories (@howtowhumpyourhiccup)

Fandom: How to Train Your Dragon

Rated: general audiences

Warnings: none

Relationships: Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III/Astrid Hofferson

Word Count: 521

Summary: Set after THW, the dragons never left. Hiccup’s pain has been mostly minimal, but the odd day does come when the pain comes and can only leave on its own. On those days, it’s nice to just have someone be there for him.

My Thoughts: A fic that understands chronic pain to an intimate degree? Hell yes! I love fics that deal with Hiccup most likely having chronic pain from his amputation. It just makes sense, you know? So well written, and such a depth of understanding. I have it downloaded on multiple devices because it’s a favorite.

Switching Like a Lever by Lillith Loves Viggo (@lilliths-httyd-blog

Fandom: How to Train Your Dragon

Rated: mature

Warnings: graphic depictions of violence

Relationships: Viggo Grimborn & Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III

Word Count: 818

Summary: Viggo can't decide whether to kill Hiccup or nurture him.

My Thoughts: Oh my god, this one is so excellent. It really shows how cognitive dissonance and conflicting emotions work! It shows the inner conflict in Viggo and the outer conflict between Viggo and Hiccup so well. They have quite the dynamic in canon, and this fic really just delves into it. Love it. 

Seeds of Doubt by mushroomwizzard157 (@thedragon-and-hisboy)

Fandom: How to Train Your Dragon

Rated: teen

Warnings: graphic depictions of violence

Relationships: gen

Word Count: 8,320

Summary: Alvin's latest attempt at kidnapping Hiccup to train his dragons has succeeded due to temporarily incapacitating Stoick. Now, the guilt and shame of allowing his son to be taken from him is growing inside Stoick like a sickly plant. He must overcome his emotions to save Hiccup before it is too late.

My Thoughts: Okay, I really love this fic. Hiccup whump with Stoick angst? Always a treat! Love it when those two get to suffer. The symbolism is utterly fantastic, and I love the ending. This whole thing is genius. 

Choosing to Forget by mandolindoodler (@mdoodlerfandomart)

Fandom: How to Train Your Dragon

Rated: teen

Warnings: creator chose not to use archive warnings

Relationships: Viggo Grimborn/Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III

Word Count: 27,390

Summary: Viggo thinks Hiccup has amnesia and Hiccup isn’t about to correct him anytime soon.

My Thoughts: An unfinished masterpiece. The concept is so different and interesting from other Vigcup stories I’ve read, and the dynamic between Hiccup and Viggo is just so good. I also really like how fleshed out the Dragon Hunters are in this. Hell, this story even has me liking Ryker! Great story. So, so good.

Terms of Agreement by @violet-moonstone

Fandom: How to Train Your Dragon

Rated: explicit

Warnings: creator chose not to use archive warnings

Relationships: 

Dagur the Deranged/Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III & Heather

Word Count: 15,919

Summary: When Heather learns that her brother is attracted to Hiccup, she convinces her friend to flirt with Dagur to distract him during fights. But as Hiccup gets closer to the Berserker, he finds himself in a situation that is much more than he bargained for...

My Thoughts: Oh my gosh, I adored this fic! I remember taking screenshots of some of the dialogue and internal monologues and posting them because I enjoyed them so much. Everything was so perfectly in character. It was funny and sweet and hot. Excellent fic. 

and the universe is forgetting you by exhaustedwerewolf

Fandom: Teen Wolf

Rated: teen

Warnings: creator chose not to use archive warnings

Relationships: Claudia Stilinski & Stiles Stilinski

Word Count: 1,706

Summary: So, Stiles thinks, as distantly as he can, examining the thought like it’s something cold and unalive that he can turn over in his hands. His… or more accurately, "this," body.

(Whoever’s it is.)

This body will be new again in seven years.

-

Stiles' old body, and his new one. Things that are permanent, things that aren't, and his lack of a say in any of it.

My Thoughts: Pure poetry. That’s what I have to say about this fic. It was so beautiful. It brought tears to my eyes. I read it years ago, and years later I am still thinking about it. It touched me so deeply. I just adore it. 

No Such Liberty by Xparrot

Fandom: The Avengers, Thor

Rated: teen

Warnings: none

Relationships: Loki & Thor

Word Count: 147,316

Summary: The first thing Loki said, after he had swiped his tongue over his lips to wet them, was, "You shouldn't trust me."

~

Following the attack on New York, Thor takes Loki back to Asgard in chains; but this does not mean that the god of mischief's schemes are ended, or that Thor has or ever will give up on his brother. But when Thanos threatens the realm to claim his lost prizes, on which side will Loki fall?

My Thoughts: I read this right after the first Avengers movie, and oh my god, it was such a gem to find! It has absolutely stellar interactions between the characters and a war with Thanos that actually makes sense. Like, this was an incredible story. I was so glad when I found the ao3 version so that I could download it and keep it. (Fanfiction.net, where I first read it, is fleeting.) 

Deathless by Lif61 (@lifblogs)

Fandom: Supernatural

Rated: mature

Warnings: graphic depictions of violence

Relationships: gen

Word Count: 194,248

Summary: While sorting through the artifacts kept by the Men of Letters, Sam happens across a mysterious and powerful amulet. As he is pushed into using its dark powers he is forced to face his traumatizing past and forge the way into a possibly more terrifying future.

My Thoughts: I was reading this fic when season 11 was coming out, and I kept confusing the events in the fic with the events in the show. I would be like: “Wait, wait… I thought that happened in canon.” That’s how good this fic is. It intertwines with canon so well while being its own, fully-fleshed out story. The buildup was interesting and the battles were fantastic. I love the chapter about Ivan. I just… *clenches fist* loved it. Really excellent fic!

The Sins of Heaven by Lif61 (@lifblogs)

Fandom: Supernatural

Rated: explicit

Warnings: graphic depictions of violence, rape/non-con, underage

Relationships: 

Castiel/Dean Winchester

Jack Kline/Anael

Jack Kline/Original Female Character(s)

Jack Kline/Original Male Character(s)

Word Count: 164,627

Summary: After running away from home, Jack is kidnapped by angels who want to use him to repopulate Heaven's dying forces.

My Thoughts: This fic was started for me as a really fucked up birthday present, and oh boy, did it deliver. I got like, multiple presents out of this one! It was so messed up, but in the most satisfying way possible. I loved it. I loved it so much. Thank you so much, sis!

[blorb-el]

trick or treat (dealer’s choice)! happy halloween and hope you have a nice day <3

clark whump enjoyers treat :,)

okay so. the backstory here is that in the first ever adaptation of superman, the radio show, in the first season. the name 'clark kent' is made up by the first people he rescues. the kents straight up don't exist. kal is a baby when jor puts him in the ship. but then he grows up on the way over. alone in a rocket ship for years and years.

a little fucked up! of course they don't like. explore this in any way whatsoever. there's no effects from this at all, radio clark is a pretty well adjusted guy for the 40s. and it gets retconned in the second season to the familiar backstory but. it itches my brain.....

439 words, gen, no particular warnings besides childhood isolation, rough draft because the voices aren't right for radio canon

“What were you like when you were a kid?” Dick asks.

Clark blinks, brushes the snow off the back of his neck. “Me? I… wasn’t really - I didn’t grow up on Krypton.”

Bruce looks at him oddly. “You mentioned you were an adult when you came here."

“I grew up on the flight,” Clark says, looking inside one of the stores. “It was - Krypton was very far away.”

There's silence for a few seconds as he scans the street below. When he looks back to Dick and Bruce, both are looking at him, abandoning the binoculars.

“How far?” Bruce says, and there’s a strange note in his voice, of caution. “How long did you - you grew up on the flight? How old were you when you left?”

He frowns, thinking back. “I would have been… about a year old, in Earth terms. I don’t…” his voice is a little hoarse. “I don’t really remember.”

“Superman,” Bruce says, and there’s an aborted movement in his arm, a moment where he seems to reach out and then think better of it. Clark isn’t sure if he wants him to think better of it.

An uncomfortable silence hangs over them, and he feels like he needs to say something, he just doesn’t know what. He turns back to the street, because it's easier to look there than at his friends. “I wasn’t awake for all of it. Or… it’s hard to explain. I was, but I wasn’t. It was something between sleeping and waking up.” He searches the faces below them carefully, looking at their freckles and scars, the smile at the corner of a young lady’s lip as she watches her two kids run ahead of her on the slushy sidewalk. “There were recordings. That’s how I learned the language.” One of the kids almost slips, and the mother reaches out, but the brother is there faster, grabbing onto his sister. Keeping her safe. “My father - I think he programmed the ship to somehow - there was a voice that I could ask questions to, and it would answer. It wasn’t a person, but it would answer, if it could find the answer in the radio waves it’d stored and translated. But it wasn’t... it shut itself down when I got here.”

He’s looking at the crowd. He doesn’t want to look away from the crowd, because there’s a tight feeling in his chest and he doesn’t know what he would see if he looks over at his friends. He doesn’t know what he would want to see. So he looks at the crowd, at the families. At all the people, together.

[zeroducks-2]

{Commission Closed}

Blog Navigation: My Art - My Fanfictions (includes things I don't post on AO3). You can find my other socials here.

I post/reblog NSFW, and my blog tries to be as raunchy as possible within the limits of this puritan ass website, which shadowbanned me twice already ♥

Been hyperfixating on DC stuff for a while. More than anything else you'll find Bats and Birds (mostly Sladick), and cute little speedsters (mostly Eobarry). The Eobarry pit is at this point deep enough I don't see the sun nor I can feel its warmth on my skin anymore. Also, I love being gross to Dick especially but no one is safe from me.

Evil characters and grey characters are my special little meow meows. I support their (gay) rights and wrongs. No, I don't think they should be held accountable for their actions, they're not real.

I mostly write smut, whump and/or shippy content. I really like dark stuff & I'm a kinky bastard. Writing gen fics and pure fluff isn't my thing.

I am comfortable with any type of ask. Go ahead and send me that WIP you're writing for some advice or just to share, or prompt me because you want to see your blorbo being tossed around in that specific way. I also have an ongoing Dark Prompts Ask Game right here. You can also send me hate if that's your thing, I won't kinkshame you I promise.

If I unfollowed you it's 99.9% because you posted WFA or Harry Potter content untagged. Nothing personal, I just really don't want to see those things. Also, sometimes tumblr unfollows people without telling me, and in the same fashion, doesn't notify me of reblogs, comments or what have you. If you want me to see something but I seem unresponsive, feel free to send an Ask or a DM.

I don't have DNIs, I curate my own online experience. However, please note that this won't ever be a safe space for exclusionists of any kind. And if you can't grasp the simple fact that fiction ≠ reality, that no one is getting hurt & we're just having fun, be nice to yourself and to me and do not follow.

Anyone else is more than welcome ♥ Remember to stay very handsome!

[peach-princess-snz]

🍑✨ Welcome to my blog ✨🍑

★ I go by Peach (she/her)

★ Gen/shin snzfics: Baizhu: Part 1 Part 2 (I swear I have more ideas for fics, but for now I'll leave these two little offerings here)

★ Do not hesitate to reach out with questions, requests, or just to talk.

★ I do not do roleplays, record myself, or join any *spicy* chats because I'm married (to a vanilla who somehow supports my obsession and is chill with me being here)

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

▷ likes: allergies, inducing somebody, caretaking, m/m, whump, light bdsm, characters having the fetish

▷ dislikes: contagion, emeto, mess (beyond spray) - I have nothing against the above, it's just my personal preference.

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

︴Please DNI if you're are prejudiced against people based on their gender, sexuality, race, national origin, age, disability, religion, etc.

P.S. Hating on people who make up the majority (e.g., white, cis, hetero, male) for no good reason is just as fucked up as hating on minorities. Just... idk be nice

︴Please DNI if you are a minor.

This IS a sexual fetish, and it will be safer for everyone if there are no interactions between minors and adults.

[comfortlesshurt]

July 2024 Stats Update!

Figured I might as well take advantage of all this data I'm hoarding! Hiding my statistics under the cut in case you don't wanna see 'em.

This is kinda slapped together, but I'm hoping to build a prettier template over time.

Main goal: VLD word count greater than Spider-Man. Current progress: 43,077/100,258 (43.0%)

Time period: June 29th, 2024 to July 31st, 2024

Gave it a little bit of June since I posted a July fic early to make up for the AO3 outage on 7/1!

AO3

Published word count delta: +19,942 across two new works and zero existing works

Work subscriptions delta: +38

New hits: 3,234

New kudos: 233

Comments delta: +16 (frankly, the most surprising thing in this whole post! I am not used to comments)

Works bookmarks delta: +60

User subscriptions delta: 0! (It bounced around a bit but ended up back where it was)

FFN

User favs delta: +2

User alerts delta: +1

Published word count delta: +20,181 (couple A/Ns added to the WC)

New profile views: 69 (nice)

New reviews: 3

New story views: 657

C2 delta: 0

Story favs delta: +3

Story alerts delta: +5

Single-Point AO3 Data: July 31st, 2024

Newer Fic Achievements

5 Times Lance Doesn't Matter: #2 highest word count (#1 if excluding works containing multiple separate stories); #3 for most comment threads; and top 10% for work subs conversion rate (percentage of hits that become work subscribers), comment conversion rate, and bookmark conversion rate

Smiling 'cause you're used to it: #3 highest word count; #6 for subscriptions; and top 10% for subs conversion rate, comment conversion rate, bookmark conversion rate, and title length (in number of characters)

Chemicals, chemicals in my brain: top 10% for subs conversion rate, comment conversion rate, bookmark conversion rate, and title length (I loved this fic but maybe no one else agrees! I forgive you all.)

Top 10% by...

Hits:

5 Times Peter Struggled with Spider Metabolism

Whump Bingo

Anywhere but Here

Sick Days

Take the worst situation

We are the reckless

Kudos:

5 Times Peter Struggled with Spider Metabolism

Anywhere but Here

Whump Bingo

We are the reckless

Take the worst situation

Sick Days

Comments:

5 Times Peter Struggled with Spider Metabolism

Whump Bingo

5 Times Lance Doesn't Matter

We are the reckless

Sick Days

Take the worst situation - Smiling 'cause you're used to it (a tie!)

Subscriptions:

5 Times Peter Struggled with Spider Metabolism

Whump Bingo

Sickdays 2.0 Day 2 & 5

I've got you stuck on my mind

Impressions

Smiling 'cause you're used to it

Total Word Count:

Whump Bingo

5 Times Lance Doesn't Matter

Smiling 'cause you're used to it

5 Times Peter Struggled with Spider Metabolism

We are the reckless

I've got you stuck on my mind

All-Time AO3 Data

Influencers Positively Correlated with Increased Stats:

Kudos:

Tagged for emeto

Tagged/titled as a 5+1 fic

Filterable additional tags between 7 and 21

Fandom - Spider-Man: Homecoming

Accessible by guest users (average additional 250 kudos)

Word count over 2,884

Has at least one platonic relationship tagged

Does not have a writing challenge mentioned in tags or summary

Tagged as an AU

Hits:

Word count is between 913 and 926 or is over 7,237

Tagged/titled as 5+1

Fandom - Spider-Man: Homecoming

Accessible by guest users (average additional 5.5k hits)

Tagged for emeto (or scat, which is surprising because I thought you guys didn't like those fics)

At least one platonic relationship tagged

Does not have a writing challenge mentioned in tags or summary

Tagged as AU

Categorized as gen or M/M

Summary is not an excerpt from the fic

No slash tagged

Average of ~700 additional hits for every 3.86 additional (filterable) tags added

Similar results for bookmarks and comments.

And here's a little data dashboard I never finished tweaking! I think it looks okay enough for now, so you get to see it even though it's not in its final state. (Yes, it's currently splitting fics up into multiples if I ever renamed them, which is annoying.)

Recent Voltron hit stats:

Hit stats for all fandoms the entire time I've been recording:

Feel free to PM for my methods! I don't discuss them publicly because they're associated with me IRL, but I don't mind discussing in private.

[whumpyourdamnpears]

Fruit of the Wicked: Chapter Six

CW: lady whump, male whumper/female whumpee, POC whump (whumpee is a Black woman), age gap whump (whumper is an older man), religious whump, attempted firearm use (it's unloaded)

Thank you Marz and Gen for beta reading <3

Word Count: 2,235 Previous Next

Dani stared at herself as she stood in front of the mirror in the diner’s single ladies room, taking in her new uniform. This felt like some sort of a sick joke. The yellow diner dress barely fit, although by the dress’s standards, it fit perfectly. The dress’s hem rested inches above her knees, just barely covering her ass. The white apron it came with did nothing to provide her with more cover, its length the same as the dress. She looked like something straight out of the sixties. She hated it.

The tips better be good, Dani thought to herself as she pulled herself out of the ladies room. Pale early morning light streamed through the wall of glass windows onto the booths and linoleum as she passed. The diner, despite the early hour, was already starting to fill up with its patrons. Dani subconsciously pulled on the back of her skirt as she made her way over to the group of waitresses crowded around the cash register, waiting for her.

————

The switch in the man’s hand came down hard onto Dani’s wrist. “Repeat it back to me,” he said.

Frustrated tears streamed down Dani’s face. She couldn’t. She couldn’t remember how the verse went. Every attempt of hers so far had been wrong, and now she’d reached the point of exhaustion where she couldn’t repeat even a semblance of what the verse was. Did he realize this? Would he ever? How much longer would he keep beating on her like this? Until she bled?

“I can’t,” Dani whined.

The switch came down again.

“Repeat it.”

————

The other waitresses were nice enough. Dani wasn’t really concerned about them; she’d dealt with bitchy co-workers before, she could deal with them again if it came to that. A few of them seemed to be better to work with than others: the shy college girl with the strawberry blonde hair, the short, thicker woman who would smoke with Dani on their breaks. She hadn’t bothered learning their names yet. They were here for their job and she was here for hers. She didn’t need to be friendly with them. She’d be off to some other town soon enough.

Dani didn’t care for the gossip that took place between the other waitresses surrounding the inhabitants of the town and their patrons; it was just background noise willing its way to be a distraction for her. She didn’t need that. She didn’t need to get invested in this place or the people living in it, she just needed to keep her head down and get her job done.

She’d occasionally hear the others talk about her when they thought she was out of earshot; how she appeared out of nowhere, how her car was always there before anyone else arrived and after everyone else had left. Maybe she’d slept with the manager to get the job. Maybe she was in one of those employment programs for convicts to get their lives straight. Dani didn’t care, she’d heard worse. It did feel nice to hear the strawberry blonde girl come to her defense at least a few times.

————

“So, where are you staying?” The strawberry blonde—Christina—asked her one day as they busked tables. “Like, for the night.”

“Excuse me?”

“Dani, your car is always out front. Always. You’re the first one in, the last one out, every day. Where are you…?”

“It’s really none of your business where I’m staying.” Dani cut her off, leaning over to scrub the booth with vigor. She didn’t need to know that Dani had been sleeping out in her car in the diner parking lot for the past couple weeks. And besides, soon Dani would have enough money to put a deposit down on the shittiest apartment Pointersfield had to offer and she’d be out of her car. She just needed a few more shifts to make it happen. She didn’t need people sticking their noses in her business, no matter how well-intentioned. She was fine. She’d be fine. She always had been, even when she wasn’t.

She’d never needed anyone before, and she certainly didn’t need them now.

————

“You’re making things more difficult for yourself, darlin’. Just repeat the verse back to me. Is that really that hard to do?”

Blood rushed in Dani’s ears. Her arms were covered in red welts, the skin on them just beginning to break and sparkle with blood droplets. She was trying. God, was she trying. No matter what she said, something was always missing, or wrong, or not what he wanted.

“I can’t,” Dani’s voice shook. “I can’t, I can’t do it, I’m sorry, I can’t do it.”

The man sighed as he lifted his hand. “Let’s try again.”

————

It was finally closing time. She’d been the one to close for the day, waving off her co-workers when they offered to help close up shop. She didn’t mind doing it alone. In fact, she preferred it. Being alone in the diner gave Dani time to clean herself up for the night, something she couldn’t do in her car, without having to find a rest stop somewhere and worry about being safe at it. She knew she was safe here. It was a nice town, a quiet town, and the closest thing that had ever happened to her there was when a group of confused truckers came to the diner for twenty-four hour breakfast, something they didn’t provide, who quickly left when they realized.

The clean-up was easy enough: all it was was a matter of putting in her ear buds and blasting a playlist while hunkering down to scrub the booths, counters, and floors. She could get it done in an hour easily.

This night should’ve been no different. She went through her routine as usual. When she had reached the, “count the money in the register,” portion of her routine, Dani’s eye caught on something under the counter. Seeing the hard, black plastic handle, she was able to instantly identify what the object was: a gun. Her fingers unconsciously brushed against the handle as she stared at it before Dani pulled them away to carry on with the rest of her routine. It hadn’t been the first time Dani had seen a gun, but certainly the first time she’d been in such close proximity to one.

By the time Dani reached wiping down the big bar counter, her playlist had reached a loud enough song that she couldn’t hear anything over it. She couldn’t hear the knocking outside the diner’s entrance. She didn’t even notice when the knocker managed to push open the door to let themself in. She only noticed once she was standing face to face with the man, who was waving his hand in front of her.

Dani screamed and ducked behind the counter, yanking her ear buds out.

“—Sorry to scare you, I’m just here to make my—“

Dani grabbed the gun from under the counter and pointed it at him.

“What the fuck!” The intruder screamed, shooting his hands up into the air, hooded eyes going wide. He was about her age, wearing a gray hoodie with the logo of some school (“Go Falcons!”) and a pair of blue jeans, with black, wavy hair and tan skin.

“Get out.”

“What?”

“You heard me. Get. Out.”

“I can’t!” He sounded frustrated, glancing down at something on the ground. Dani readjusted her grip on the gun.

“The fuck you mean, ‘you can’t?’”

“I have to finish making my delivery!”

Dani blinked, gun wavering. “Your delivery?”

The intruder looked exasperated. “Yeah! My delivery! Why else would I be bringing stuff in!” He used one hand to gesture down to a box of oranges he dropped onto the floor. One had fallen out and began to roll past both of their feet.

Dani slowly brought the gun down, staring at him. The intruder looked less terrified now and more annoyed that she’d gone ahead and made him drop his box of oranges she hadn’t noticed he’d even had with him. She looked at the gun. She hadn’t even loaded it, just grabbed it and pointed and hoped it would be enough to scare him off.

Oh, God. She was so fucked.

What if he told her boss? She’d lose her job for sure, and then she wouldn’t have enough to put down a deposit on an apartment, and she’d be stuck living in her car—

No. Stop spiraling. You can fix this.

She slammed the gun down on the counter, scaring the both of them. “How do I know you’re not lying to me?”

He looked at her like she had two heads. “I mean, you put the gun dow—alright, alright, Jesus.” He started, interrupting himself as Dani reached for the gun again. “Why the fuck would I be carrying around a box of oranges if I wasn’t bringing them somewhere?”

“Could be a cover.”

“I promise you, it’s not.”

Dani huffed, picking the gun back up and stuffing it back under the register.

The intruder watched her with uncertainty. “Aren’t you gonna unload it? Putting it back like that isn’t safe—“

“It was never loaded.”

“I’m sorry, what?” The intruder’s voice picked up. “So you’ve been pointing an unloaded gun at me this entire time?”

“You didn’t seem to notice.”

“Yeah, but that’s—how could I—“ He spluttered, trailing off. “Why was your first instinct to grab a gun?”

“To defend myself?” Now Dani was the one looking at him like he had two heads. “For all I knew, you were coming into a closed diner late at night to come take money out of the register and then murder me for being your witness.”

Something clicked for her. “Wait. I locked that door. How the fuck did you get in here?”

The intruder looked almost ashamed of himself. Looking down, he said, “I have a key.”

“You have a key?”

“Yeah, for when whoever is closing forgets to leave the door open.” He gave her a pointed look. “Thanks for that, by the way.”

“No one told me you were coming.” Dani bristled. Fuck whoever forgot to tell her.

“I come by every Wednesday for the perishables. Someone should have told you.” He bent down to grab the orange that was rolling away. “And, as wonderful as this interaction has been, I really need to get going on bringing this order in so I can get home before it’s tomorrow.”

Dani watched as the intruder picked the box of oranges back up and brushed past her to the kitchen. She knew he was upset with her, and she couldn’t quite blame him for that. He’d probably had a long day of, what, delivering produce? And then there she went, pointing an unloaded gun at his ass during what should’ve been the quiet final delivery of his day. Great. This had the potential to be a new record for the fastest Dani had ever lost a job.

When he came out of the kitchen, he started walking toward the diner’s entrance, presumably to go to the only other car in the diner parking lot that wasn’t Dani’s. “I’ll be right back,” he told her. “Try not to shoot me.”

“Fuck off.”

“Can’t yet, we’ve been through this.”

Dani groaned at him as she reached for the wash cloth she dropped during the altercation.

————

“Stop it!” She screamed, voice ragged. “It hurts!”

“That’s the point, darlin’. It’s supposed to hurt.” The switch came back down on the torn up patch of skin on Dani’s arm, blood splattering at the impact. Dani screamed. “Now, repeat the verse back to me.”

She couldn’t. She couldn’t do this. She tried, God, had she tried, and it hurt too much to even think in her state. She felt the tears spill hot down her cheeks, voice catching on itself. “I can’t. I ca—can’t, I—“ Before she knew it, Dani was sinking to the ground.

The arm the man used to wind up the switch came to cradle her back and ease her onto the floor. He came down with her, slowly, face now pressed into the thick hair against her face. “Okay,” he said softly. “It’s okay. Shhhh. We’re done. We’re done now.” His loose hand came to pull the wet curls off her cheeks, brushing against her temples as he pulled the hair back. “It’s over.”

Dani felt like she couldn’t breathe. Her arm was on fire, blooding running off the side of her wrist. The pain made her feel dizzy, or was it the hunger? She hadn’t eaten in days. Her head kept cycling through what felt like the past few hours of torture she’d gone through and it made her cry even more. She still couldn’t remember the passage, even as the man mumbled it into her hair and held her gently as they both sat on the floor. She cried, and cried, and cried until there was nothing left. Until she was so tired that her eyes and body grew heavy with the weight of what she’d just gone through. But the man didn’t leave. He sat with her until her sobs faded to silence, until her shaking stilled. And when she had finally fallen asleep, he stayed until he was done with her, laying her down onto the floor and brushing her hair out of her face once more.

Taglist: @flowersarefreetherapy, @generic-whumperz, @heartinthehospital, @deluxewhump, @another-whump-sideblog, @pigeonwhumps, @lektricwhump, @watermelons-dont-grow-on-trees, @sowhumpshaped

[turvuren]

cAN I CAN I CANICANICANIIIII

CAN I ASK YOU TO WRITE SOMETHING #WHUMP ABOUT MOON!PHOSPHOPHYLLITE/LITTLE VERS!PHOSPHOPHYLLITE????

and at the same time I’ll share my thoughts on this topic, like, you can ignore them but I just wanted to share so yeah

Maybe Moon / Phos M/F uhoh

I think Phos barely knows Moon...Like, she saw him a couple of times but that was all🤔

Moon is damn tall. Imean...5'8-5'9"??????? And Phos, on the contrary, is a rather short huh, small cute and fragile >:з

I think they would have a small age difference, about a year..

In general, that's all I would like to say, lol, bro. You don’t have to include thoughts in general in the post if you do write something, but it would be great if they were in the post :0

lol i usually write rutile centric stuff 😭😭 I'm pretty indifferent towards phos but I'll try OK SO ive had this idea for a while... sibling phoses. i couldnt think of a way to write them with diff names without it sounding corny in eng, i liked genki phos anyways. like imagine his literal name being winter or moon... or by god, joy. lol

name should be self explanatory. genki - happy, so its the og phos. tsuki - winter. winter phos. tsuki - moon. thats it

cw incest sorry not sorry.

"What the hell is that fucker's problem?..." "What?" Phos shakes her head, gesturing at the man with the weird bucket hair and that weird prosthetic eye. Because no way in hell there's anyone with a natural white iris, right? And heterochromia doesn't work that way. Never does. Her roommate, some weird girl Phos doesn't even bother remembering the name of, just shrugs. "That's just how he usually acts. I think he's a third year." "Still a goddamn weirdo." Phos is messing with the vending machine when he comes across her again, and she just about screams in shock - until she gets a nice, long look at that stupid face. "...brother..?" "Hiya. Long time no see?"

There are 3 Phos's - at least in this small little town. The youngest, Genki, the middle child, Fuyuki, and the eldest half brother to Genki and Fuyuki - Tsuki.

See, Tsuki was a little bit of a brat. And a troublemaker. Genki had never met him, only told stories of him - don't ever turn out like your brother, yadayada, he had been a little bit more than just a handful after - "You're a murderer," Genki says, getting a bit scared now. "How...? Aren't you supposed to be in prison?" Tsuki laughs. "Parole, kid. Anyways, never really seen you in person. What's your name again...? Gen...?" "Genki. You're..." "Tsuki. Your beloved big brother-" "Hell no!" Genki backs away. "Look. Get the hell away from me. I've seen you, watching me these past few... everything! What do you want?" Tsuki laughs again, grating, grating sound against her ears. "What? Can't even look at my own little sister?" "Absolutely not. Go fuck yourself." "What? We just met and you're telling me off?" Genki shakes her head. "You're a damn criminal. I will NOT associate myself with the likes of you - now if you'll excuse me, I have CLASS-" He grabs her by the shoulder and presses his lips against hers. For a moment, Genki is a stunned, unable to react, but as her thoughts return she pushes him away. "What the fuck-?" "I'll make this quick," Tsuki cuts her off. "I'm single. Lonely. You don't wanna see your big brother-" "Cut it out with that big brother crap! You're not my brother, I only have one, and that's-" "Fuyuki? Oh, he's much more pliant compared to you, isn't he? But that's what makes me... endear you. You're so much more feisty, more personality." "I-" "Back to the point. Nobody likes me around here." "And what makes you think I do?!" "Well? We're family. You share my blood. My dirty, murderer blood." "That's not true. We're not even-" "Fully related? That's true. I guess you're only half murderer." "Cut it out!" "No." Genki grits her teeth. What an infuriating bastard. Not even anyone else comes close to this level of... of... "Look, Gen," Tsuki sighs. "I just want someone to spend time with little ol me. Don't you pity me?" Genki narrows her eyes. Maybe... maybe. He's... kind of making her feel bad. "Fine. What do you want?" Oh, but how wrong a decision that is.

Genki buries her face in her hands as Tsuki pulls away, cigarette smoke filling the hotel room. Bite marks over her exposed shoulders where the covers can't hide her shame. "Well? That wasn't so bad, was it?" Dirty. So dirty. This murderer ... and her. "You did a great job there, sis. Don't mope about it. Poison isn't so bad. At least he died quickly. Painlessly." "Painlessly? Really?" They're not so different, are they?