#ofitf spoilers

[mendedserpent]

im a big believer in calling ur shots early, often, and with 100% confidence. anyways I know what fetch's magic power is.

In the author interview in the back of The Last Smile in Sunder City (LSISC), Luke Arnold discusses the worldbuilding in his novels, writing that "This world is built for [Fetch], and the most important part of the worldbuilding is how perfectly it can reflect his inner struggles and challenge his ideas." This establishes something of a metatextual (sorry) link between the series' structure/worldbuilding and Fetch's psychology. All of which is to say that if Fetch does, as One Foot in the Fade (OFITF) heavily implies, have some sort of magic power, it wouldn't be random — it would be something connected to who he is as a character. And as the #1 time loop stan on god's green earth, I'd like to submit that I think Fetch has the ability to travel in time, and has had this ability for the whole series/his whole life without realizing it.

There are callbacks to events which take place prior to the start of LSISC throughout the novel, but there are four main extended flashbacks, each of which correspond to a tattoo on Fetch's arm. Each of these is written in italics. In the fourth and final pre-Coda flashback, Fetch recounts how he got his injury and his role in the Coda itself. Immediately after his injury, Fetch finds a child, and Arnold writes that "She looked from the body, to me, and... I was under our house... The killer came right past me, panting and dripping with blood... The next thing I remember, the child was in my arms." (italics original) Within the diegesis (sorry) of the story one could take this either as Fetch remembering a moment from his past or having a flashback of sorts. But what if it was something far more literal? What if, in that moment, he really went somewhere else? One could even argue that the extended flashbacks themselves are not nightmares, but also instances of time travel. I'm not going to do that here, but again, you could.

Lastly, I want to draw attention to a key scene in OFITF where Khay touches Fetch during the final battle, an act which has sometimes resulted in post-Coda magical creatures regaining some version of their powers. When Khay does this, Fetch has another memory/flashback: "I'm a child again, approaching the walls of Weatherly. But It's different." (italics original) Like his dreams, this portion is in italics. Like his memory during the Coda, this memory occurs immediately after a life-threatening injury. So, what if this wasn't a memory, but rather something that Fetch was experiencing in real time? What if, again, he went somewhere else? It is admittedly ambiguous as to if this is something Fetch actually witnessed and forgot or if he's seeing it for the first time, but regardless he is jumping to a different location in space and, presumably, time — either literally or metaphorically.

Regardless, I think that the best possible version of the Fetch-is-magical twist is one wherein his power or magical quality is something we've already witnessed, and simply assumed was normal or at least normal for him. Thus, I humbly submit to you all: Time Travel.

TL;DR: Ha Ha What If Fetch Had Time Travel Powers JK JK Unless Dot Dot Dot

[somfte]

“I couldn’t do it anymore, Fetch. It’s gone rotten. Maybe it always was.”

“The police force? You know I’m not the biggest fan of the pig pen, but you’re a good cop.”

“I’m not sure there’s any such thing. There are good people, but once you put on the uniform, it does all kinds of crazy things to you. Any kind of uniform, really. I’ve worn enough to know. So have you. All these patches, jackets and tattoos, they’re just excuses. Ways to blame the things we’ve done on someone else.”

[narastories]

what we can have

I want to say ‘this is a weird one’ but let’s face it: when have I ever written something that’s not?

That said… this is: a) a crossover b) wizardbaron

Fandom: The Dresden Files - Jim Butcher, The Fetch Phillips Archives Series - Luke Arnold Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Relationships: Harry Dresden/Johnny Marcone, Thurston Niles/Fetch Phillips Tags: Crossover, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dimension Travel, POV Alternating, POV First Person, POV Third Person, Marcone POV, Fetch POV, in terms of the Dresden Files it's set after Fool Moon, in the FPA universe after OFITF, pining Wizardbaron, established Philes, because I said so, somehow Philes ended up being the emotionally more mature couple in this which is hilarious, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Fae & Fairies, Niles & Marcone bromance, Fluff

Summary:

John Marcone has a bad start of his day when he manages to get his favorite wizard to help him, only for them to be transported to a different city. Fetch Phillips also faces trouble when a self-proclaimed wizard and a trigger-happy mafia boss enter his café unexpectedly.

The story of four men grappling with the unpredictable nature of magic and their impractical crushes.

Read on AO3

To answer a few questions you might have in advance:

Can I read this if I haven’t read the Dresden Files?

Yes, totally! There are a few minor spoilers from book 1 & 2 but nothing big. If you are familiar with the general premise of the Dresden Files, you should be fine.

Can I read this if I haven’t read the Fetch Phillips Archives?

Technically, yes, but from the FPA perspective, this takes place after the third book, and there are some pretty significant spoilers alluded to. If you have no intention of reading the FPA or don’t care about the spoilers, you should be fine. However, I think if you like the Dresden Files, you should really give the Fetch Phillips Archives a go, and maybe save this fic after you read the first three books ;)

Nara you never seemed like a huge Wizardbaron fan, how come you wrote this ship? Can we expect more Harry x Marcone fics in the future?

GODS I HOPE NOT

I’m sorry for being so antagonistic about this. I have a real love/hate relationship with Marcone and this ship.

I get everything I ever wanted from enjoying Harry/Nic and Fetch/Niles. The reason why this fic ended up being Harry/Marcone is because they are much closer in vibe to Fetch/Niles, and I thought Marcone and Niles would get along pretty well. These ships and characters mirrored each other nicely so Marcone fit my idea better.

If I could have gotten away with making this Harry/Nic I would have, believe me.

I will always respect Wizardbaron enjoyers as the backbone of the DF fandom. And I also liked the idea of writing something that they could realistically enjoy without having to descend into the rarepair hell with me lol

I have no intention of writing more wizardbaron tho, sorry. Although as all fanfic writers know we have limited control of what we end up writing, am I right?

Also I re-listened to Even Hand while editing, and I highly recommend the audiobook version of that if you’re far enough into the DF series. It’s narrated by Mr. Author himself (btw I don’t know why I always call him that but you know, I think I’d better stick to Fae rules and don’t call him by his name on a fanfic lmao) and he clearly had so much fun with it. Certain implications for future theories aside it’s also one of the good parts with Marcone.

Anyway, if you read all that ramble i love you hope you enjoy the fic <3

[jaynovz]

One Foot in the Fade commentary pt 2, spoilers

Amari tree part had me weepy

"She was finally free from the burden of having me try to make her happy” OH MY GOD FUCK OFF LUKE. SilverMadi feels in this chilis 2nite

Baxter!!

Goddamn Luke's Baxter voice is sexy.

Ah Baxter is giving cages Flint energy, not a deathwish, but as in “accepting the inevitable.”

Something something the library misinformation campaign and the stories they tell their children about at night/a story is true a story is untrue. The ones we want to believe are the ones that survive. I SEE YOU LUKE

Hmmm the Bridge has something to do with this too

I really like his Irish accent, I think that's a new one? (most of these comments are about the voice acting lol)

TITLE DROP!!!! I am cautiously optimistic about the genie and their plan. But because I know Luke (angst gremlin, sadist) and because I know Sunder verse, I'm bracing myself for absolute tragedy and I'm still not going to be ready for it.

This man putting R's where they don't belong again: Aroma-r Area-r

It's the ONLY tell tho. Besides that it’s a flawless American accent. The Southern American one is a little more affected/over the top but it gets its point across and it is funny.

Fetch is putting together a dnd party I’m LIVING

Oh my God Larry is the rich and unlikable nerd trying to buy friends ohhh my god. HE'S THE ONLY MEMBER

I fucking LOVE Eileen so much

The werewolf voice is LETHAL 😳

The part with Lazarus and then the part in the Hunter’s Lodge just fucking chef's kiss 10 out of 10. so fucking funny and good and engaging and I'm having a feeling that by the end I’m going to like OFITF better than DMIAD which is saying something, cuz that shit is a masterpiece.

Aragorn just showed up (Theo the werewolf that is, what an entrance)

“more wolf than were” BAHAHAHAHA. These books have me CACKLING on the way home from work.

The thing about the Minotaur, having a beast inside of you like okay we see you Mr Arnold. You have two sides at war with each other mmhmm

ROAD TRIP ROAD TRIP ROAD TRIP

This might be my favorite part of any of the books ever it's amazing I love it so much

All the sexual tension 😳 in this river bathing scene 😳

Okay, okay, I see that he is endearing all these characters to me as a unit. He’s having them bond, because they’re on a roadtrip/camping trip and they’re collecting unique experiences together. And that’s super cute and I love it, but it means SOMETHING BAD IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN.

"Even Larry, prone to blurting out obvious questions, didn’t need to ask whether the creature was still alive. When something dies in front of you, you know about it. You feel it in that part of yourself that knows the things you try not to think about so you can find a way to get up in the morning. It was gone, and that was that.” Okay okay okay okay all right. That. SURE DID BRING UP SOME UNPLEASANT THINGS AGAIN THANKS LUKE. He’s SUPER good at fucking my shit up. Like. PERSONALLY. -shudder-

Side note, I just realized: oh my god bro “one foot in the fade” is Jay oh my god (this is about my dissociation. I HAVE ONE FOOT IN THE FADE lmaoooo)

One of my greatest delights is getting to hear Luke sing as a werewolf

This found family shit is about to ruin my life because it is so wholesome but the thing is I know angst gremlin Luke Arnold and I know shit is about to go horribly wrong I'm just sitting here tense and waiting

did I mention I really ADORE this vignette style for the camping incidents/encounters? Cuz I do

Fetch did you fuck that werewolf in the tent while drunk is that why you feel so bad the next day cuz you don’t remember?

baby boy everyone DOES NOT HATE YOU. but also fucking mood

CAR CRASH. I knew it was coming and also Luke are you talking shit about people who wear that many necklaces shirtless? XD Hypocrite much babe?

--

Stay tuned, working my way through the book otw to work :P

[jaynovz]

One Foot in the Fade commentary pt 3, spoilers:

Khay hugged that guy to death and it was badass also she might have PTSD now

Oh no the party split and Fetch is being a little bitch about it and he's going to regret that later

pfffft Fetch going up to the door of the harpy house saying "have you heard of our Lord and savior the bridge"

This is going to go awfully

I know I keep saying this, but Luke's different VOICES. This super peppy and amiable solicitor voice but as Fetch is fucking gold and also hilarious

Pitcher hehehe hehehe. that’s how Luke says “picture” heheheh

HARPY LESBIANS???? LUKE WE SEE YOU

Very sexy of you Fetch drawing your gun and 👀 the whole thing in the inn with those human guys. yeahhhhh

I talk about this a lot but it just continues to astound me: you would never fucking know this man was Australian. He's doing more voices in this book than he has done in the previous two

Snake violence D: 🐍

Okay but I need this werewolf to Dom the shit out of him

Wolf Dom is teaching him things oh my God

Oh my God this man has a crush on this wolf

He has a little bit of a competency kink and it's it's like “cool me too”

The thing is I know... I know what’s going to happen, because I know this motherfucker and nothing good is going to be allowed to happen so I need to stop getting attached.

JAY DO NOT GET ATTACHED TO THIS WEREWOLF THAT FETCH HAS A CRUSH ON BECAUSE THAT MEANS IT'S A DEATH FLAG

He's teaching him how to interpret bird sounds 🥺

Wolf gonna teach him to use bow 👀

A side note that the fucking balls on this man to write an over-arching all-encompassing disability narrative like !!!!!! All the post coda magical creatures are disabled!!! Just inspired.

Oh my God Theo literally just called him “good boy” oh my fucking God 😳

Okay okay okay we see you, all the bow and survival lessons are just sword training again. I SEE YOU.

Ohoho time to gag and hog tie our main character. Someone has: INCLINATIONS. PREDILECTIONS. PROCLIVITIES AS IT WERE.

Also hilariously a character has finally appeared who has an Australian   accent but it's an affected one that is different than Luke's so it.... still doesn't sound like him XD

NOO THEO MY LOVE

That was a lot of sexy killing

Oh my god she put her FOOT on his chest. This sub man is2g

all the cuddling with Fetch and Khay is making me weak I'm CRYING

MAGICAL FETCH???

"If I was gonna kiss you I would at least make sure you were awake"  I may ship this, but then again I ship Fetch with literally everyone. 😳 😳 😳 I am Thinking About Genie burns and BDSM

--

Yep still chugging along!

[jaynovz]

Live reactions to One Foot in the Fade pt1, spoilery

I missed Fetch ahhhh

He is so dumb of ass and fighty and gremlin. My boy 💜💜

"fetch think before you--"

Honey he doesn't have two braincells to rub together

This bad guy is literally the happy mask salesman

Luke said fuck capitalism as usual

RichiexFetch when

Words that Luke has pronounced like an Australian even using the American accent so far: amateur, expletives, tattoo, picture, idea

Luke said acab as usual:

"I'm not sure there's any such thing. There are good people, but once you put on the uniform, it does all kinds of crazy things to you. Any kind of uniform, really. I've worn enough to know. So have you. All these patches, jackets and tattoos, they're just excuses. Ways to blame the things we've done on someone else."

Richie like "you're my friend doesn't that count for something?" but Fetch like I'm from Weatherly we don't talk about our fucking feelings, what is this nonsense

"I don't think I matter, in that way" oh fetch baby

"Oh nothing like that I just need to hire a sex worker" truth in fiction because of Luke and Michael hutchence and his INXS preparation lnaooo

Simms lesbian???

Siren Song!!!

People getting juiced out here with spirit fingers, overloaded with juice

Just the requisite gushing about how fucking good Luke is at doing voices, Jesus Christ

Georgio's story and don quixote, is this anything

Got hit by a car lmaoooo back to Whump City. He really does love beating the shit out of his main character

GAY GAY GAY SWORD FIGHTING

LUKE THAT'S GAY ALSO YOU'RE NOT SUBTLE

He is out here panting and gasping dialogue between two men swordfighting and also apparently they boxed in the backyard????

fellas is it gay to box in the backyard with your nemesis when the words get too heated

were they shirtless too

Also earlier Niles literally said "good boy" to Fetch and I fucking saw God

BS references so far: walrus ogre, treasure, it mattered, sword fighting, sacrifice vs survival and The Cause, "I am this city" aka "I am your king" aka "I am Nassau"

More 2 come~

[jaynovz]

One Foot in the Fade commentary, pt4, spoilers

The interrogation 😮😮 I am in love with Khay, I need fanart of her immediately. Please step on me ma'am. 😳 She might actually be my second favorite character

"Close your eyes," I said. She did, and I blew a puff of air over her face to clear the dust away.

"Thanks," she whispered. "I'm really, really glad it wasn't the other kind of waste."

She opened her eyes. Only inches away.

"You all right?" I asked.

"I think so. How does it look?"

"Not like it'll kill ya."

"What a shame. You almost got yourself out of this mess at the last second." She gave a little smirk. "Weird to see your face this close. I'm used to staring at the back of your head."

I tried on a smirk myself. "That's my better angle anyway."

She laughed, and her big eyes gave that owl a run for its money.

"This side ain't so bad."

She stared at me for a while to watch the words sink in, then shook the dirt from her shoulders. Once she'd emptied the debris from her hood and pulled it back over her head, she tapped the side of my body like I was a horse she was coaxing into a canter.

"Up you pop. Your hard head can handle more hits than mine."

OH MY GOD THEY LOVE EACH OTHER. Fetch and Khay are qpp and no I will not be taking questions. It's going to end horribly and it doesn't matter that I know that I'm still not going to be ready

So much of this is a dnd campaign and I *love* it

General shout out again to the world building and the setting description and just... it's intense and amazing

Genuinely you could turn this into a D&D campaign. I bet he has notes and notes and notes on all of this. Probably just pages upon pages, because he is such a fucking nerd (affectionate)

After listening to it for so long,I think that Khay is the most soothing relaxing voice that he does and I love it to death. It might be my second favorite voice. Fetch is obviously the first favorite

Can we just go back to when I was fantasizing about Fetch between a werewolf and a genie instead of where we are climbing up the trash chute?

Lmao that's not the type of "man for hire sandwich" I was thinking of

LINDA!!!

Poor Fetch once again getting triggered as fuck by faerie corpses

Oh shit bro we got a whole damn pool of magic

Oh shit bro the plot it do be thickening

This just in Fetch is fighting The Rancor aka the Minotaur

The amount of action/fight blocking he has done in this book is really intense. They're easy to follow, which is harder than you think to write, to make something make sense and be easy to visualize with that many movements. Also narrated fantastically as always

Fetch having some gay thoughts in the middle of this fight about how alike he and Niles are 👀

It's making me Feelings that he's thinking about all of his different friends in the middle of this fight okay. And that all of their advice that he remembers is what helps him win 😭😭😭🥺🥺🥺

Thesis of this one is that you shouldn't try to fight alone 😭😭😭😭

The bit about Theo his latest mentor??? oh my God he's in love with that wolf. also that was a hell of a boss fight, that was a whopper of a fucking boss fight. Stunning work

Fetch literally falls in love with everyone he meets 🐶

Poor Theo 😭😭😭

But very sexy of him 🐺

Ahah! I knew the Bridge has something to do with this!

The betrayal

"I have full faith in Khay so I'm not listening to anything they're saying like Khay is my love and of course she only has good intentions and I would do anything for her" --Fetch probably

Jesus Christ this man was in a car accident, survived the first time by the skin of his teeth and was immediately like, "okay let's do that again that was fine." Literally the most dangerous thing ever. He may be thinking himself a little invincible after slaying a Minotaur though

We only stopped when we had to. No roadside taverns. No camps. We napped in the car until I'd rested enough to drive on, then we just kept going. We didn't have a lot to say to each other. No new stories to tell. We'd shared all our most recent memories, and they were still so overwhelming that I couldn't think about anything else.

At first, I worried about the silence. I thought she might be nervous or angry at me. Or bored - which would be worse - like I'd served my purpose. But then she'd comment on the sunset or point excitedly at some wildlife by the side of the road, or just look over and smile, and I'd relax. Relax more than I had in front of anyone in a long time. That's the mark of real friendship, I think: to be the person you are when you're alone, but in front of someone else. Just as free. Just as messy. The kind of friend where you don't have to stress over every little thing you say, because one little fuck-up in front of them won't make them think any worse of you. A single impressive act won't alter things either, because they've seen enough of your failings not to put you on a pedestal. They know you. The "you" beneath the bullshit. For better or worse, you can't impress or disgust them, you can't fool them or delude them, so you have no choice but to drop the act and enjoy the company. I was enjoying it so much that I felt sad when I saw a distant black shape at the end of the road.

Im fuckin crying bro this could be so terrible this is about to end badly

He's crying and so I'm crying

They're have a hooting and hollering good time but all I can hear is Georgio's silence

Khay and Eileen both confirmed bi

"What... what do you...? Why?"

"I agreed to help you help people. That's what you said you wanted to do. Some good, remember? This is not good."

I felt small. Flashbacks to being a kid with scraped knees and rips in my new school uniform, or a hungover teenager returning my adopted father's broken bike; the same shame, and the same panicked desperation to make things right.

"Georgio, this is what we were working towards. Khay can help people now. Really help them." He kept his eyes down, shaking his head. "We went out there to make things better."

"You went to WAR!" He was shaking. I'd never seen him this angry. Hell, I'd barely seen him frustrated. "You left your home to go and murder," he continued, his voice hushed to a chillingly measured tone. "You left your home to steal. You lost a good man and you killed a creature, the likes of which we may never see again."

"I know... I know, but if this works then it will be worth-"

"Nothing is worth this! Nothing. It will only bring more death. This started with death, don't you remember? Your friend." The image of Benjamin's smiling face forced its way into my mind. "There is so much death already, and you only want to make more. I will not help you do that."

My chest burned. I felt like I was about to cry, but I smothered it. If the first sob escaped my lips, a tidal wave would follow. I choked it down. Squashed it. Spoke clear.

"I'm doing what needs to be done, Georgio. I can't just sit back and let the world die. You might enjoy making people breakfast while the world burns, but I'm actually trying to make a difference. I'm sorry you don't want to be a part of that."

It was my cue to storm out, but I missed it. I guess I wanted him to say something else. To start shouting again. To smack some sense into me. Anything but to let me leave.

But he just said: "Go."

And I did.

Oh my fucking god, from where Giorgio and Fetch started and how fucking funny and wholesome it was in Last Smile to this breakup... dude I am inconsolable. also this is the Black Sails finale again "you went to war it's just death and death and death" I can hear Silver

This is going to make me SICK. I knew it was coming from the very beginning but I let myself forget. And I'm gonna LOSE IT

oh no babe ur moving like an herbivore

SIMMS! I love her so much, I love Luke’s lizard voice

"you're under arrest for accessory to murder"

“which one?” oh my god

Panic attack time~~

Love when Fetch gets fucked up by hot women, especially cat ones

this masochist with the electroplay lmao

loveloveloveeee listening to him *snarl* as Fetch, GOD IT’S SEXY

his voice is getting low and sad and it’s hurting me :(((((( :(((((( :(((((

im UPSET IM UPSETTTT IM NOT HAPPY ABOUT THIS

THIS IS HATEFUL IM HAVING A BAD TIME

“I’d sure as hell tried, hadn’t I?" MOTHERFUCKING LAST SMILE FIRST LINES REPRISE I FUCKIN YELLLINGGGGG

reiterating that guns were a MISTAKE

her voice is still so soothing. this might be the worst, most painful thing Luke’s ever done to me and I read DMIAD okay

WAS THAT A PROPHECY OR A FLASHBACK?? WHAT DOES IT MEAN??

also I keep having to watch Fetch kill ppl he loves and I’m SICK

Okay okay she did it herself. Not much better but not as bad as him having to stab her 🙃🙃🙃

I can hear in Luke’s voice that he is actually tearing up during this part and it is ripping my heart out

Holding her as she fades away... Finally getting to touch skin. This is laser targeted at me

said it before, will say it again, top tier vocal performance

OH THANK FUCK GEORGIO, I WAS HURTING. I’m still hurting but he walked it back

FETCH PHILLIPS, BARISTA

oh my god food as a love language I am FUCKING BAWLING

--

Okay guys, wow

WHAT A FUCKING ROLLERCOASTER

I am processing. But I think I might like this one the best

Fucking hell

I'm dubious as to whether he's actually going to give up the man for hire thing but... The lesson he learned this book was that small kindnesses make big change and that he doesn't have to go be a hero and slay a beast to help save the world

😭😭😭

No but when he called Richie at the end I fucking burst into tears

Round of applause for Luke and also I'm sending him a wasps nest